The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-12-23
O.. WEDNESDAY, MORNING, DECEMBER %, 1868.

excess OF expenditures OF $6,4S7,90l.
! Deduoting from the expenditures tho
sum of 81 ,89G,525, the amount of APP
, preparations for ocean steamship and
other special service. the excess Of ex-
penditures was $4,54l ,466. BY US
! Ing on unexpended balance in the
Treasury of $3,S00,OOO, the actual
sum for which special appropriation
| il required to meet the deficiency is
$74l ,466. The causeu which pro.
duced this la,ge excess Of expendi-
ture over revenue were the restoration
Of service In tho late insurgent
States and the putting into operation
Of new service established by acts of
Congress which amounted within the
last two years and half to about
S,7OO miles, equal to more than one.
third of the whole amount Of the SER
vice at tue CLOSE of tho war. New
postal conventions with Great Britain,
North Germany, Belgium, the Meth
erlands, Switzerland, and Italy, re-
spectively, have been carried into ef-
fect. Under their provisions impor.
tant improvements have resulted in
reduced rates of international postage
and enlarged mail facilities with
European courtries. The cost of tho
,, United States transatlantic ocean
mail ssrvice since January !, 1868,
has been largely lessened under the
operations Of these new conventions, u
reduction Of over ono half having II Ell
effected under tho new arrangemtl its
for ocean mail steamship service
which went into effect on that date.
The attention Of Congress ia invited
to tho prac'ica suggestions and re.
concentrations made In his report by
the Postmaster General.
No important question has occurred
i dre'ng tho last year III Our intercourse
with Costa RIGA, Gnntamala, Honduras,
San Salvador, France, Austria, Belgium,
Switzerland, Portugal, tho Netherlands,
Denmark, S~ eden an | Nnrnlay. Rome,
Greece. Turkey, Persia, Egypt, Liberia,
Morocco. Tripol. Mnscat, Borneo,, and
Madagascar Cordial relations have
, also been maintained with the Araen
tines and the Oriental Republics. The
expressed wish Of Congress that our
na'onul good Offices might be rendered
t. those Republics, and also 10 Brazil
: and Paraguay for bringing to an end the
ralamitous war which has 40 long heen
raging in the Valley oi the La Plata,
las been assiduodsl Y complied will, and
kindly acknowledged by3nll thu bcll,ierr.
ents. That important negotiation, how.
evpr, has thus fnr been without result.
Chas A. Wnshburne, late United States
Minister to Paraguay, having resigned,
and being drsiro,s 10 return to the
United States. the Rear Admiral com.
manding the South Atlantic sdnadron
was early directed to send slip.o:.war
10 Asnncion, the capital OF Paraguay, to
4. receive Mr.. Washhu ne and fnmily and
, to remove them from situations which
was represented to be endangered by
! faction and foreign war. Tho Brazilian
commander OF the allied invading forces
refused permission to the "Wasp" to
pass through its accustomed anchorage.
R"mons!rance was made against this
rrlnsalo Il was promptly. overru!ed,
and the "Wasp" therefore resumed her
errand, received Mr., ashbmne an'l
his family, and conveyed them to a safe
and convenient seaport. In the mean.
time,an excited controversy had arisen
between the President Of Paraguay and
the late United States Minister. which
i. is understood grew ou, Of his proceed
ipes in giving asylum in the United
States Legation TO alleged enemies Of
/, that republic. The question of the right
.e give asylam is e#o always difficult
and often productive Of great embnrrnss.
ment IN States well organized; and 3.
, tablished foreign Powers refuse either to
concede or exercise that fright except Ms
, persons actually bel ,hging 10 tho diplo-
matte service. On the other, hand, all
snch Powers. insist npon exercising the
right Of asylum in States where tho Ia "
OF nationsia not fully Acknowledged,
respected and obeyed. The President
ofiParagnay is nnderstood TO have, OBJ.
posed to Mr.. Washburne'sg, proceedings
the injurious and very improbable charge
OF personal completely in ihsprrectol,
and treason. The correspondence. how.
4 OVof1 buS boI y w lieHCucu tu0 NJUIieu
States. MraWashbnrn Yin connection
with this controversy, represc Its that
two United States citizens attached TO
the legation were Arbitrarily seized at
HE side ,wheH leaving the catital Of Pa
fag,iayi committed 10 prison, and then
subjected teiterture for; the purpose 4 oil
procuring confessions OF their own crimi-
nality and testimony TO I, support the
, Presidentsailegalions agai1st lie United
, States Minister, I Mr MsMahon, he
newly appointed Minister 10 Paraguay.
having reached the La Plata, has been
4 Instructed TO proceed without delay ia
i Asnnciop, there to, investigate d thS whole
subject. The Rear "A dmlfal command.
ing the United States So0th Atlantic
squadron has been directed to attend Che
new Mtnisier g.lI With A proper ippyal; force
TO sustain such jnst ,demetds es the oc-
j I'd si0n fAn y * aoi,,fd "