Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-10-11
WARRINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

bent on finding fault with the Government for the
sake Of finding fault with it, (whose name is
legion have seized upon an absurd story that In
last deciding in which Washington city journals
the department advertisements must be inserted
in fulfilment of the law, novel interpre,a-
ton of the law in the was resorted to TO take
them from the IntslgsnCtT. ii is due to truth and
Justice that we should again explode the roorback,
though doing that same thing not more than 4
fortnight ago. The story was born abroad That
is to say. it did not originate with Washington
paper, though remarks upon the subject Origi-
mating with Washington paper formed the
ground work out Of which it was worked up to
its present elaborate proportions.
We quote the last version of the story as we find
il in late number of the Baltimore American, as
follows.
The law declares that such advertisements
| shall appear in two newspapers OF washington
having the largest permanent snbScrl ptlon. Inc
STATES saws that in order to get them away from
| the Intelligencer each subscriber to daily pa
per was considered by the Government as Six
| psrUlGHsnf subscribers! The Government Will
gain nothing by this maneuver but lose much.
| and the National Intelligencer will correspond
ingly gain. Honesty is always the best policy,
even for government.
Now, in the first instance in making the recent
award by which the advertisements of the De
partments were lost by the TntsHigsHeer the Gov
eminent adhered strictly to the Interpretation
given to the law by every National Administra-
ton since its Fundamentally those Of Tyler, Polk.
Taylor, Fillmore and Pierce, as well as by the
present Admi nStration. That is to say they
have all regarded the Largest permanent sub
| scrptiOn'' as being represented by the larges'
| regular bona fde pad-for aggregate number of
copies Of all editions issued. Under that old
ruling. it has been the fortune of the IHtsiH-
SsHc,r to lose the Government advertisements
The Star, of course. continues to publish them
rs heretofore il being the paper regularly issuing
the largest number of copies, and therefore not
involved in the controversy.
The object of the law is to secure the publicato
of as many copies of those advertisements as pos
sble precisely as an individual in advertising on
his own account seeks, if blessed with brains the
paper that will scatter most copies of his advertise
me mt broadcast in the regular routine OF its bust.
ness.
The law says not a word with reference to in
dividual subscribers; its business being rather
with the number Of copies of the paper regularly
issued
The circulation Of the Baltimore san in this
city, which is far below that Of the Star, here,
is greater than the whole daily issue OF any other
Washington daily paper, we apprehend. Yet it
is questionable whether it ENJOYS any permanent
subscri ption' in Washington, according to this
desired new reading of an old law. Its Washing
ton circulation is sold to four five agents who
resell it to citizens and others serving them regu-
larly with it. Its permanent subscription"
cording to the intent of the law, is measured by
its aggregate issue-not by the number of agents
who pure base for resale its thousands thousands
of copies printed daily. That the public under
stand this matter too well 10 be humbugged by
pretence that the largest regular issue does not
represent the largest permanent subscription"
is evident in the fact that the newspapers that give
no credit for their issue, serving it almost alto
gether to few agents for circulation by them
among the public, invariably in these times COM
rnand, wherever printed, the highest prices for
their advertising space.
Effort on effort to induce the Government to
change the cOmmon-sense Interpretation of this
law has been eSsayed, always unsuccessfnlly of
course; and after the failure of each such effort the
public is apt to be treated to some publication on
the subject, out Of which the Opposition press in
bandYing it about, work up some such story as
this from the Anericnn-untruthfully intimating
that to injure the National InteLigencer the Gov
eminent has changed an old reading Of an old
law.
The NEW YORK INDIAN LANDs.-It having been
ascerta ned by late surveys that the lands hitherto
| reserved for the of the New York Indians are
have been considerably limited by southern
boundary which has recently been marked out
On account Of the appropriation (sl6 ,OOO) being
deemed inadequate for the survey Of all the lnte-
riOr lines. the western section will not for the
present he surveyed. AS the smaller limits how
ever, given the land under the survey renders
| the sixteen thousand dollars more ADEQUATE ac-
cordingly, the western subdivision lines as well
as those otthe east will be run by the deputy sur
veyOrs.
THE NEW COMMISSIONER OF THE GENERAL
LAND OFFICE-the Hon. Sam Smith of Tenn -
reached Washington yesterday afternoon, and this
morning entered on the discharge of the duties of
the position. His appointment was entirely unso
solicited. He is noted for political business ca
Paclty, being energetic, quick of apprehension.
and very industrious. besides being a remarkably
well-informed gentlemen in branches of knowl-
edge likely to make him very efficient and useful
In his new position. Ii is therefore fair to Ore
sumo that he will soon add greatly to his reputa-
ton as public man, already as distinguished'as
that OF any other American of his age.
WISCONSIN AND MINNESOTA LAND OFFICE
Plats of townships 81 IS and &c north, of range
II; 36 north, of range Is 81 north of range r6
and 81 and IS north, of range Il, east Of the 18th
Deputy Surveyor Jas. Mcbride, have been re-
ceived at the General Land Office
diagram of the township lines between the
9Th and 10th standard parallels and the 9th guide
meridian and the Red river, in Minnesota sur
veyed by r. ID. Atwater, deputy surveyor, has
likewise been received at the same OFFICE
RAILROAD LANDs.-The Secretary Of the Int.
rlor having approved under the provisions of the
act OF Congress Of Sd June, 1e5G four lists OF lands
In the Natchitoches and Monroe districts in the
state OF Louisiana. ennring to the Vicksburg
Shreveport aud Texas railroad-embracinp in the
aggregate an area Of $50. PIP acres-the same have
been transmitted from the General Land Office to
the State of Louisiana
RErURSED.-The Hon. John b. Floyd, Score
tary OF War, returned to this city this morning
last from Old Point Comfort. 1t affords us much
pleasure to be able to say that his health appear,
to be greatly restored.