Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-12-19
consists Of a moiety of prizes captured during

consists Of moiety of prizes captured during
the war, amounts to S14,O0O,O0O
Exception is taken to the act of 23d July
last, which reduces the interest on the fund
loaned 10 the Government by the Secretary, as
trustee, 10 three per cent. instead of six per
cent, which was originally stipulated when
the investment was made An amendment of
the pension laws is suggested TO remedy omis-
sions and defects in existing enactnents. The
expenditures of the department during the last
fiscal year were $40, 100 1894, and the estimates
for the coming year amount TO S20,993olt'
THE POST OFFICE. ~.-.-
The postmaster general report furpishes
full and clear exhibit of the operations ana
condition of the postal service. The ORDINARY
postal revenue for the fiscal year ending June
Both, 1868, was SIG, ,202, 600, and the total eX-
penditures, embracing all the service 1or which
special appropriations have been maoe by
CONGRESS. amounted to $22, ,730, ,392, showing
an excess of expenditures of $9,S37 ,991; de-
ducting from the expenditures the sum of
81. .SO6.:25. the amount Of appropriations for
ocean steamship and other special service,
the excess of expenditures was $4,541 ,467-
Ry using an uneXpended balance III the treas
urv of S3 ,SO0, 600, the actual sum for which
a specia appropriation Is required to meet
the deficiency is $741 ,46G, The causes which
produced this large excess Of expenditures
over revenue were the restoration of service
in the late insurgent states, and the putting
into operation of new service established
by acts of Congress, which amounted
ed within the last two years and "A half to
about S,700, equal to more than one third
of the whole amount of service at the close
of the war. New postal conventions witll
Great Britain, North Germany, Belgium, the
Netherlands, Switzerland and Italy, respect
lively, have been carried into effect. Under
their provisions important Improvements have
resulted in Il reduced rate of international
postage and eullrged mail faculties Wlth
European countries The coast of the trans
Atlantic ocean mail service since january fst
'69 has been lessened under the operation ol
these new conventions, reduction OF over
one half having been effected under the man.
agement of the ocean steamship service which
went into effect on that date. The attention
of Congress is invited to the practical sus-
gestions and recommendations made in his
report by the postmaster general. .--
80 TIE PARAGUAY NATTER. =. '''-.
The expressed wish of Congress that our
national good offices might he rendered to
those republics, and also to Brazil and Para
quay, for bringing to an end the clamitous
war which has SO long been raging II The
valley OF the LaPlata, mas been ;!ssiuuo'f3iy
complied with and Kindly acknowledged by
all the belligerents That important negot1l-
ton, however has thus far been without re-
suit. Charles ~ WaShbIrn, late United States
minister TO Paraguay, having resigned ans!
being desirouS To return to the United States,
the rear admiral commanding The South At
lantie squadron was early directed TO send a
ship-ef-war to Ascrncion, the capital OF Para
quay to receive Mr. Washburn and his family
and remove them from a situation which WAS
represented as TO be endangered by factien
and foreign war The Brazilian commander
of the allied invading forces refused premiS-
sion to the Wasp" to pas; through the block
AIDED forces, a,d that vessel returned 10
its accustomed anchorage. Remonstrance
having been made against MS refusal, II
was promptly ovcrruled, and the wasp,
therefore, resumed her GRAND received MF.
Washburn and his family, and conveyed them
to u safe and convenient scarort In the
meantime an excited controversy had arisen
between the President of Paraguay and the
late United States Minister which it is un-
derstood grew oft of his proceedings in
giving, asylum in the United States legation
to alleged enemies Of that republic" The
question of the right to give asylum is al
ways difficult and often productive of great
embarrassment in states well organized and
foreign powers, which, refuse either 10 con-
eede OF exercise such right except to per
sons actually belonging to the diplomatic
service On fre other hand, all such powers
insist upon the right of asy lum in states
where the law OF nations is not fully. ac-
.knowledged, respected, and obeyed. The
President Of Paraguay is understood 10 have
opposed Mr.. Washburn's proceedings TO the
Injurious and very improbable charge OF
personal completely in insurrection and trea-
son. The correspondence, hOweverf has not
reached the United States, Mr. Washblrn, in
connection with this controversy, represents
tn, two United States citizens attstched to
the isS-ation were arbitrarily seized at his side
wien leaving the capital of Paraguay, conf
mi,.oi to pl ;son and there subjected to torture
for. tn nurl;osa of procuring confessions OF
their own Criminality and testimony to sup
mort the P1as;de allegation against the
United States minister.
Mr. McAIahon; the newly appointed INNS
ter to Paraguay, having reacht' tne LII flaul
has been instructed TO proceed TltHout aelay
to ASCENSION, there, TO investigate, tie WhoIe
subject. The rear admiral coSimano-nS the
United States South Atlantic 81 lr;dron las
been directed to attend the new Minis or Wit.
a proper naval force to sustain such l,.af de-
maed as the occasion may require, ana TO
yindicate the rights of the United States ci;i-
Zens referred to, and of any others who may
With these exceptions, friendly relations have
been maintained between the United States,
Brazil and Paraguay. al iii il. .
r.st OUR MEXICAN RELATIoNs. .-a.
The Mexican government has not yet acted
upon the three treaties celebrated here last
summer for establishing the right of natural
lied citizens upon liberal basis, for regula-
ting consular powers and for the adjustment
of mutual claims. ''' f-'s'''-' ~" -
CANAL ACROSS THE 'fsrgrMrs.'
Negotiations are pending with view to
the survey and construction of a ship canal
across the isthnus of Darien, under the auspi-
ces' OF the. United States:II hope to be.
able TO submit the results of that nego-
tiotion to the senate during; the present ses-
sion. The very liberal treaty Which was en-.
tered into last year by the Tnited States and
Nicaragua has been ratified by the latter Re-
public Costa Rica, with the earnestness of
a sincerely friendly, y,neiglibor,, soIicits reci-
procity af trade, which commend to the con
of Congress. :.
VENEZUELA. W.
t- .s. F1tf. uCD p =, y ..s-s..-..
The convention created by treaty between
the United States and Venezqela in July 1865,
for7the mutual adjustment Of claims has been
held, and its decisions have been received at
the department of state. The heretofore rec
ogniZed government of the United States of
Venezuela has been subyerted A provisional
government. having been Instituted under cir