Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-01-11
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

Executive Reception Of the season was fully at
tended. The President and his niece were both
in excellent health and spirits, and received their
multitude of guests In the most cordial and agree
able manner, Marshal Selden officiating at the
side Of the President and Dr. Blake presenting
| the guests to Miss Lane Among those Of promi-
hence present, We noticed Secretaries Cobb,
Toucey and Thompson, and their ladies; quite
| number of Senators and members of the House.
some of them accompanied by their ladies; men,
bers Of the foreign legations, accompanied by
ladies; and various other persons Of distinction
from home and abroad.
stranger in the room attracted considerable
attention by the pecularities of his attire, which
| consisted of military uniform with silk scarf
thrown over his shoulders 1T said that he comes
| to Washington as an applicant for a patent for a
| steam plough, and that his brilliant costume was
worn in accordance with the advice of some of his
boarding house acquaintance, who suggested to
him that TO succeed in securing his patent he
| must make himself somewhat prominent in
Washington society, and thus attract the atten-
ton Of the influential politicians.
Prof. Scala and the Marine band furnished the
usual quota of soul-stirring. patriotic airs.
WORKING OUT THE DoNNKLLY LETTER Pro.
| GEAMME Fernando Wood is inst now busily
delegation to the Charleston Convention fore
Swallowed in the Barney Donnelly letter He
| finds uphill work Of IL; insomuch of every man
outside of the city of New York of character
who has been approached by Wood or his agents
on the subject, scouts the connection of his name
with the scheme, as dehling it, The Richmond
enquirer now engaged in encouraging Woods
labors. surely cannot have noted the unanimity
with which the Democratic newspapers Of the
State come forward to expose the utter charatan-
| ism of w IS pretence that there is a division in
the party in the State out Of New York city
We are forcibly struck with the fact that among
all the Democratic members of both Houses of
Congress not enc is an advocate Of the nomination
of cN-Gov. Wise at Charleston except three of the
twelve Virginia Rel rssentatives, who are under
odsto to be for it. The key TO this Democratic party
congressional unanimity against ex-Gov WIS
nomination, may perhaps be fairly written down to
be the disgust felt ny them at W ood's brazen la
bors. on the heel of the Dcnnelly letter. 1t would
be We'll indeed for the future polti cal standing of
the talented and energetic xGovernor, If he would
persuade Wood to turn his attention to something
more creditable to him (Wood) than attempting.
in times like these, to distract the Democratic party
in such State as New York of the vote of which
for the Charleston nominee, whoever he may be-
there are reasonable grounds of hope.
| UNITED STATES PENSIONS ABRoAD-In conse-
| quence OF the Mexican and Indian wars of the
| United States, there necessarily a number Of
| widows and orphans who are ENJOYING abroad
| the small Pittance granted to those whose hus-
| bands and fathers were slain in the service
| of the United States However generous the
| allowance in spirit, still it is very small and
Insufficient for The support of the recipients 1912
per annuin in the case Of the family Of a private
soldier and Congress has, in raising the grade of
pay OF the Army, overlooked to raise the grade Of
| this half-pay to widows and orphans to the new
! standard even On these small amounts the heavy
Consular fees for authenticatng the semi-annual
vouchers. were another disproportion ate draw
| back, and made the Government appear i'm the
| light of one who discounts his own bounties
This subject having been properly represented TO
the Department of State the following very cred
| liable action has been had
| DEPARTMENT OF STATE
| 49, Washington, January Q, 1860
| Ayred Sehuek'ng, Esq, Washington
| Sir have to acknowledge the receipt Of your
| communications touching the alleged unnecessary
expenses 10 which pensioners of the United States
residing In foreign countries are subjected i'm OBJ
| talnlng certificates of authorization and tn in
form you that the attention of the Secretary of the
| interior has been called to the subject Instruc-
lions have also been sent to several of the United
states Consuls in Europe, with a view to the re-
uucUOn OF such expenses.
am, SIT, your obedient servant,
| JOHN APPLETON, Assistant Secretary
THE iiAvRE CONsULSHIP 1t is said among the
politicians on Pennsylvania avenue that Yesterday
| The nomination of Mr.. Francis J Grund to be L
=. consul at Havre, was rejected by the Senate
ana that motion was promptly made to recon-
slider the vote by which it was done The fact Of
his rejection will of course take the friends of Mr.
b by surprise, insomuch as it was generally I'm
dsrstood that no active opposition to his coptrma
ton occurred until the Senate came to vote upou
The question Of confirming his nomination
The real battle over it commenced from the mo-
ment of the vote above referred to- which is not to
DE regarded final.
THE FRENCH Mission We have every reason
To believe that the President Yesterday nominated
fhe Hon. Charles J. Faulkner Of Virginia. 10 the
French Mission. This nomination has for som.
time been expected in political circles of the Fed
| eral Metropolis, and will doubtless rect tho an
probation Of all gentlemen in public life of all
parties, as no other is better qualified by attain
ments Sagacity. energy, and suavity Of address 70
be Entrusted with the Of the interests of the
United States at the Court Of Louis Napoleon, than
MI r. We presume that his domination will be
| confirmed without question
IHE ARMY IN COSGREss.-In the Senatp yes.
'efuay, Mr. Davis presented a memorial, very
| humerously signed by officers Of the Army. set
ting forth their belief that law MAKING inst and
honorable provision for the retirment from activ.
service OF such officers as have become from any
cause not dishonorable in itself, unable to meet
oil tue requlslucns OF the service. would be bjqb.
lycondacive to the efficiency of the Army. and inst
to those who still have to perform that service
They, therefore, pray the passage ola law for
| that purpose.
CoNFIRMED.-The Senate In executive ses,,o,
Yesterday confirmed all the pending appointments
made during the recess of Congress, and ex-Ser.
ato' Breese as Marshal for the northern district of
Illinois No definite action was had upon MIR.
Crumbs nomination
STATISTICS OF METHoDIsM .-Statistics have 20
Gently compiled upon which an estim tt Is mad.
OF The actual numerical condition of Methodism
'sfoug lout the world. From these figures II an
pears that there are ,S15 sIi Law members and
iit5@ travelling Preachers in the l. nited states
IN Europe, The total number Of commandments is