The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-13 00:00:00

GENERAL GRANT'S CABINET.

President Grant seems to have involved himself in some
awkward complications with his Ministry. The Secre-
tary of the Treasury, Mr. Stewart, was ineligible on
account of a law which prohibits Treasury officers from
engaging in trade. The President hoped that Congress
would repeal this law on Mr. Stewart's behalf, but Con-
gress has declined to legislate for the benefit of a single
official. Now, Mr. Washburne, the Secretary of State,
General Grant's most intimate friend, and General Scho-
field, Secretary of War, have resigned. The former will
be Ambassador at Paris, in place of General Dix. The
cause of these latter changes is not stated ; but it is strange
that three of the principal appointments should be altered
within a few days.

(From the Anglo-American Times.)

General Butler re-introduced the bill into the
House of Representatives last Wednesday for the
repeal of the Tenure-of-Office Act, and it was
passed by 143 to 16 votes. The action of the Senate
may be looked for with intense interest ; for if the
Chamber stands firm there will be a fight in Con-
gress, in which Grant cannot fail to share on the side
of the House. This will not be a party fight, but a
struggle for supremacy on the part of the Senate.
Butler is the leader of the extreme Radical wing,
yet be has introduced this measure. The 7r/bane
is the representative of that party, yet it is the
journal which throws the whole weight of its in-
fluence against the repeal. The proceedings in the
Legislature of New York and by leading Republi-
cans in that city to convene a meeting to press the
Senate into the repeal, while the leading organ up-
holds the Senate in retaining the power, are proofs
of a threatened split in the party. If the Senate
refuses to yield a split there must be, hence arises
the great interest in the Senate's action on the sub-
ject, for the step either way is of the utmost im"-
portance.

Mr. E. B. Washburne's nomination, as Minister
to Paris, will leave the Chair vacant of the Com-

mittee of Appropriations, to which it is arranged
that Mr. Dawes, who withdrew from the contest
for Speakership, will succeed. Mr. Benjamin Field
is a candidate for the Surveyorship of the Port of
New York ; Reader W. Clarke, a member of Con-
gress from Ohio, is to be made Sixth Auditor of
the Treasury, vice Governor Anderson. A move-
ment has been organised to supersede Mr. Wilson,
Commissioner of the Land Office, by Colonel A.
O. P. Burnside, a nephew of the celebrated Ge-
neral. •

As usual the " special" messages of the Times
differ from Reuter's telegrams in the account of
the New Hampshire elections. Reuter says :

" The Republicans have carried the elections in New
Hampshire. Mr. Stearns was elected Governor of the
State, and the three members to Congress have been re-
elected by increased majorities. The number of persons
who voted was not large."
The Times says :

"The Republicans have carried the elections in New
Hamp.,hire by a majority of 3,000, being a Democratic gain
of 4,000."

Jacob H. Ela, Aaron F. Stevens, and Jacob Benton
are all Republicans, and according to Reuter's tele-
gram they were re-elected by increased majorities,
as well as Onslow Stearns as Governor, while the
Times says there was a _Democratic gain of 4,000.
The following is the text of Gen. Schenck's bill
as passed by the House, which we give, as we believe
it substantially to be the same as that which last
Monday became law :

" A bill to strengthen public credit, and relating to con-
tracts, for payment in coin.

" Be it enacted by the Congress of the United States,
that in order to remove any doubt as to the purpose of the
Government to discharge all just obligations to public cre-
ditors, and to settle conflicting questions and intepreta-
tions of law, by virtue of which such obligations have
been contracted, it is hereby provided and declared that
the faith of the United States is solemnly pledged to the
payment in coin or its equivalent of all interest-bearing
obligations of the United States, except in cases where
the law authorizing the issue of such obligations has ex-
pressly provided that the same may be paid in lawful mo-
ney, or other currency than gold or silver. Provided,
however, that before any of such interest-bearing obliga-
tions not;:already due shall mature or be paid before ma-
turity, the obligations not bearing interest known as
United States notes shall be rendered convertible into coin
at the option of 'the holder.

"Section 2. And be it further enacted, That any con-
-1 tract made specially payable in coin, and the considera-
tion of which may be a loan of coin, or a sale of pro-
perty, or the rendering of labour or service of any kind,
the price of which, as carried into the contract, may have
been adjusted on the basis of the coin value thereof at the
time of such sale or rendering of service, shall be legal
and valid, and may be enforced according to its terms."
A motion to reject the first section, relating to the
payment of bonds in coin, was defeated by a vote
of 129 to 55. The bill was finally passed as intro-
duced by Mr. Schenck by a vote of 119 yeas, com-
posed of 106 Republicans and 13 Democrats, to 61
nays, composed of 37 Republicans and 24 Demo-
crats. Gen. Butler voted " nay." The history of
this bill is interesting. It was amended by the Se-
nate so as to strike out the provision of the first
section ; but the House stoutly contende, I for it,
and in a joint convention gained their point. The
bill thereon was sent to Andrew Johnson, who quietly
put it in his pocket and snuffed it out, as his term ended
in less;than eight days after Congress had passed it.
The, new Congress assembled ou the 4th, that is,
a week ago last Thursday, and on the following
Saturday re-enacted this bill, which the new Pre-
sident signed on Monday, so it was law before
Andrew Johnson got back to Tennessee. It has
had a great influence on American Securities iu the
markets of Europe, and we could point to no better
proof of the ignorance prevailing on this side than
that the defeat of the bill by Andrew Johnson
caused a considerable fall. That is, the people here
estimated the damage at about £2,000,000 sterling,
while in reality Andrew Johnson's action did not
matter a brass farthing.
The Post-office Committee have reported against
all the telegraph schemes of transfer to the Govern-
ment. The franking privilege is now confined to
the autograph signature of members, both branches
having passed the bill. Our own opinion is that it
would -have been better wholly to have abolished the
privilege, for it is worth little to honest Congress-
men, and offers temptation to the dishonest. The
Alaska Investigating Committee cannot agree upon
a report, the question at issue being whether or not
to condemn the conduct of Walker and Stanton in
receiving pay to lobby the measure through Con-
gress ; and whether, also, the report shall censure
newspapers for advocating the passage of a measure
through Congress for pay.

The great American railroad war is a matter of
such viral importance, that we regret our columns,
already overcrowded, preclude our condensing an
interesting article from the 7ribune on the subject.
That journal seems to think that the Pennsylvania
Railroad (its directors repudiate the term " Cen-
tral," as will be seen by the report we this day
publish) will, if not the victor, at least hold its
own. Next week we will treat this very interesting
subject more fully, and in the meantime we desire
to refer our English readers who desire to be better
acquainted with the American railroads to the
report.

Madrid informs us that a telegram had been re-
ceived last Sunday from General Dulce, Captain-
General of Cuba, setting forth that the districts of
Cardenas and Colon have been ridden of insur-
gents, and that order would be restored there in
the course of a few days. At Cienfuegos and Vil-
laclara several chiefs of the insurgents have been
shot by order of court-martial ; others, however,
have succeeded in escaping. A battle had bee❑
fought between 4,000 Cuban insurgents and ?tie
Government troops, in which the former were de-
feated with heavy loss. By mail via New
York the news from Havannah is up to Feb. 27,
the day the steamer left for England. It alludes
to an engagement at the mouth of the Dainuji
River, in which the rebels were defeated and a
steam-tug recaptured. The volunteers had exhi-
bited a mutinous spirit, urging the Captain-General
to measures of severity, and calling aloud for the
shooting of the prisoners. It was reported that
General Dulce bad finally yielded to their clamour,
and ordered that no prisoners should be taken ; all
captured Cubans to be shot. After the above ac-
tion some wounded, among them a Mexican Gene-
ral, had been shot. Reinforcements were arriving
in large numbers. In the U.S. House of Representa-
tives the following joint resolution, introduced by Mr.
Cullom, was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs :—" That the Congress and people of the
United States are not indifferent to the struggle for
National Independence and Emancipation in the
Island of Cuba, which had been so long delayed
by the exercise of European Monarchical Powers
and African Slavery, but now begun under auspices
as favourable to American interests as Universal
Freedom."

Lieut.-General W. T. Sherman arrived at Wash-
ington on the 26th February, from St. Louis, and
is stopping at the residence of his brother, Senator
Sherman. The house purchased from General
Grant for him is to be thoroughly repaired, and he
will not remove to it before the Ist of June. He
has been promoted General of the United States
Army, and now occupies the post vacated by Grant,
Major-General Sheridan being promoted Lieute-
nant-General, and succeeding to Sherman's com-
mand in the West. The sum raised for Sherman is
$lOO,OOO, of which $60,000 are to be paid for
Grant's house.

It is not a little surprising to find that an errone-
ous message on a subject so important as the pro-
posed Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution as
adopted by Congress and submitted to the States
should have been transmitted to Europe. The two
versions concurred in stating that the Amendment
had been passed as agreed to by the Senate, removing
restrictions on account of race, colour, nativity,
property, education, or creed either in the exercise of
the franchise or in the holding of office in any State.
The Conference Committee reported the Amend-
ment as adopted by the House as follows, and it
was agreed to by the Senate on the 26th Feb. by a
vote of three to one, and sent to the State Legisla-
tures :—Art. 15—" The right of the citizens of the
United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged
by the United States or by any State, on account
of race, colour, or previous condition of servitude.
Sec. 2—The Congress shall have Dower to enforce
this article by appropriate
_legislation." This makes
a wonderful difference, and accounts for the ready
acquiescence in it of so many States, Nevada among

the number. The following Legislatures have now
sanctioned the Amendment—Kansas, Missouri,
Nevada, Maine, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

The Legislature of Nevada has passed a Consti-
tutional Amendment providing for triennial ses-
sions, limited to 90 days each; also a resolution ask-
ing Congress to annex to Nevada the territory
south of Snake Island. It has reconsidered the
vote rejecting Female Suffrage, adopted the amend-
ment, and then rescinded its action striking out the
word " white" from the Constitution.

The numerous friends of the Cunard Compaq
will be glad to learn that the action so long pend-
ing against them for the Scotia having run into and
sunk the ship Berkshire has been virtually decided
in their favour. The owners of the Berkshire, on
the plea of carelessness on the part of those naviga-
ting the Scotia, brought the suit for $400,000. The
Court holds that the proofs show that the light nf
the Berkshire was improperly displayed from the
anchor stock, thus deceiving the Scotia and causing
her to mistake the Berkshire for a stea!ner, and
therefore to steer in a wrong direction. A decree
is ordered dismissing the libel, on the claimant
amending their answer so as to conform with the
facts found by the Court in relation to the improper
display of the light of the Berkshire.
The number of Senators who voted for the
Amendment was 39 ; against it, 13. All for It
were Republicans ; all against it, but Senators
Fowler and Poole, were Democrats. On the Pre-
sident announcing that the joint resolution 1131,
passed, Mr. Davis of Kentucky raised a point 01
order. He said that an Amendment to the Coo'
stitution required a vote of two-thirds of the
Senate, not merely of two-thirds of the SenatorS
present. As there were 34 States, there should he
68 Senators, two-thirds of whom would be 45.
While arguing this out, Mr. Ashley, who had come
up from the House to hear what was going on, lauglied
scornfully in the face of the Senator, who looked at
him fixedly and said, " Yes, chuckleheads may
laugh, and interlopers may laugh, but the point'
make is technically, constitutionally, and
tally right " Whereupon Mr. Ashley did not find
the Chamber so pleasant as when he had all the
laughter on his own side.
The Senate has passed a bill that the Supreioe
Court of the United States shall hereafter consist,
of the Chief Justice of the United States and
tight associate Justices, any six of whom shall con:
stitute a quorum, and for this purpose there shall
be appointed an additional associate Justice of the
Supreme Court :
Section 2. And be it further enacted, That for eac'•l, ofa
the nine existing judicial circuits there shall be aprinteil
a circuit judge, who shall reside in his circuit, and slle
possess the same power and jurisdiction therein as
Justice of the Supreme Court allotted to that circuit. The
circuit courts in each circuit shall be held by the Justices
of the Supreme Court allotted to the circuit, or by the
District Judge of the District, sitting alone, or by soy Oat
of them coming together, and such courts may be
the same time in different districts of the same Clrellle
and more than one such court may be held at the 85„„`"
time in the same district. Th 3 Circuit Judges shall re-
ceive an annual salary of five thousand dollars. in
Section 3. And be it further enacted, That nothing
this Act shall affect the powers of the Justices of the
Supreme Court, as Judges of the Circuit Court exceela
the appointment of Clerks of the Circuit Courts, which
each Circuit shall be appointed by the Circuit Judges
that Circuit ; and the Clerks of the District Courts she
be appointed by the Judges thereof respectively. be
Section 4. And be it further enacted, That it shall. t
the duty of each Justice of the Supreme Court to attend 4
least one term of Circuit Court in each district of n'
circuit during every period of two years.
Nevi
The Bill has passed the Senate to allow the -
York, Newfoundland, and London Telegraph Ce—i o
pany to land their submarine cable on the shores
as
the United States. Mr. Sumner's motion was
adopted, whereby a section was added to give C°4lB
gress the right to regulate, by a general rule,
tariff for the transmission of messages.
BUDGET OF PERSONAL ITEMS.—Andrew TAnsoo
released Mr. Devlin, convicted a year ago of whit;
frauds in Brooklyn; he threw the responsibility 03
leading men who signed the petition ; Amos Pillsbmo•lt
Superintendent of the Albany Penitentiary, Gnverttra
Hoffmann of New York, General H. W. Slocum, Fl
re"
O'Gorman, R. B. Connolly, Peter B. Sweeney, ll.iorx
Rcbinson, M.C., and many members of the New 6,0 t
Legislature. Dr. Craig is experimenting os Prcu'e,;ho
Gamgee's process for preserving meat. James Grant! "
iti
has been out on bail since the murder of Pollard, was'.
the 18th February, committed to prison to await trisa
R. T. Leonard, of St. Louis, Mobile, has just accomPLsthivee
the feat of walking one hundred miles in 21 cense°, -ha
hours. He performed the last mile in 11 minutes. "°eo
W. Coleman, au ex-Freedman Bureau officer, has h3OO,
arrested at Boston, on the charge of absconding from
Baton Rouge with funds of the Bureau. Mr. Den Toner
who assaulted General Duncan, Assistant Cornmissloith
of Patents, has been awarded ten days' imprisonment La 0,(..
a fine of $2OO by Judge Fisher. The suit ofJohng• a
ranee, the City Commissioner, against Murat Ilalstea oor
The Ciccinnati Daily Commercial for libel, was
,0
menced February 19. The damages are laid at froni
General Sherman returned, as expected, to St. Louis to
New Orleans, where he met General Sheridan, and
proceed in a few days to Washington. A Baltinio7od,
spatch says that " Andrew Jackson Creswell, of AlarY.let.,,
thinks he sees his way clear to a place in Grant's Cablsubtor
Not a bad guess of Mr. Creswell! Senator Stiab. 21
fell from his carriage in Washington, on Sunday, ~,thert
and broke his leg. Jesse R. Grant, the President
was knocked down by a horse in Cincinnati, on 7atsott
Feb. 19, and barked his knee. General James Naraer
Webb and family are among the passengers by the s'littiog
South America, for Rio Janeiro. Mr. Seward, in decal oil
to receive an honorary visit on the 3d March, said: which
expecting to retire from public service on the d 0:. °D'Ol
is thus indicated. It is my purpose to seek an o°3l
thereafter so much of rest and freedom from Pusibili,c
studies and labours as is compatible with the reWitions•
ties which I share in common with all my fellow"..ciothecl,
—Captain Mullins captured a poor demented, halfc
r to 1°
r:
wild white woman of plains, and brought he-r he lex-
Hays, Kansas. Not knothe wing what to do with be„i Grant
her on the bands of the hotel proprietors. Genertol3°l‘'
was telegraphed to, but as he had other business E
tO
after did not reply, and the Governor will have, r is
special Act of the Legislature to secure a home I°, hush'c
the State Asylum. The Convention for which C37a
ing received so much praise is the twenty-first
Columbia, but the persons, whether corporationg:he oo'
indiol-
duals, all failed in performing the terms•-tfrorti gig"
Walter Brooke, formerly a member of Congress
to,tion,
sissippi, died at Vicksburg last month by strtg. wash"
produced by eating an oyster.—The lion. ..(:ylostet
burns is now recovering, and has been out.-- of
William A. Winslow, son of Commodore Wiltler a brief
Kearsarge fame, died at Washington, Feb. 25, af Not
illness.—August Belmont's gallery of paintings
York is valued at $500,000.
Gerrit Smith has written to John Stutaiortn•
censuring his course on the temperance ques.,,tinish%
would leave, says Mr. Smith, the dram seller nurvet
for keeping a soul and body slaughter-house/ ,Aolenrit
would have his customer punished for drunken_ ijigli!_a
Much more does Gerrit Smith say to the unlialli3`, to ,30
philosopher, upon whom everybody now,n, when P„
down. It was au evil day for John Stuart iw-"`, the Enba
emerged from the seclusion of his own study,
• lish Smith who defeated him for Westminster did
eln°
good service in taking away his seat.
heallithr. toG eNoergwe
yloVrki.lkesHehwasrotreeftruzepdari
the part taken by the Spirit of the
Press
in
f3v„blicart;
Rep what
Fisk against Mr. Bowles of the Springfield isntooeroxerPcioitgl
he condemns in the strongest terms not 07e1i, het *fed
calls Mr. Fisk's dastardly arrest of Mr. 1.3" i• 'grotil?"
dorses the article on which the action for libel fisk
against the Springfield Republican. lie considoleave prewa
transactions in Wall-street would in England rison,
an
cured him a residence of five years iu a State p
in France the galleys for life. „flastery
The American steamship .4rago, Brow,
iu ,71 Wed
from Bremen, for New York to Falmouth,
nesday afternoon to obtain a supply of fuel.

Births. nandeli'
K barristerg.
grove.,
oT
v e OKn eaSnt
at-law,
Iwgr dt,
oaoc the 13th March at I, '37 'P(1•1
SHANNON—On the 11tWah 11,„t, t e
Countess of Shannon, of a.son. $Oll
d.,ainuthsgteh.tweairft.e
20f6, Ci3hraurtleos:ste:
WHITE—On the 12th inst., at 37, Eaton-place, the
Mrs. Luke White, of a daughter.

Marriages. „ 304
tost Oe,
FIRBY—FLINT—On the 11th inst., at Upper clap3tlrio
Firby, Esq., of Pelham-place BrOMptoD, tO C
,1,,„ f
youngest daughter of the late Abraham Flint,
Canterbury-. rrrioiti
LING DAGLlstr—On the 11th inst., at holy -`" Oar-
Church, Scuthpoit, David Laing, Esq., of Eeed?' t°Scl*/
net Catherine, eldest daughter of George
of Wigan.

GLASGOW—On the 11th lust ,at Deaths.
Ilawkhead, the ill gl't
llon. James, Earl of Glasgo.w. ... t, "
GLASSUP —On the 11th inst at 2, Grosvenor-V.Boo*
Mrs. Sara' Sophia Glassup,. teat of the late 1.
Glassup, compositor, aged 78. Niro'
WILSON —On the 10th inst., at 12, Kildare-gardet!F,el6.
bourne-grove, Bayswater, Joseph Wilson, egia______.„..l

London : Printed and P.thliehed by WLLLI.4.II aNDo 112'
O
of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Tag qtyyQN of
Strand, in the Precinct of the Sr vof ,the
-
Middlesex.—Saturday, March 13, 180.