Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-03-19
THE EVENING STAR
Washington News and Gossip.

president also Withdrew from the Senate the
nomination OF Hon. Henry q. Worthington to
be district judge of Nebraska. This action is
taken at the request of Mr.. Worthington.
REJECTION OF MRS. AND MISS MATTHEWS.
Mrs. and Miss Matthews gave another of their
pleasant receptions yesterday afternoon. Mrs.
Senator Doolittle, Mrs. Jas. b. Beck, Mrs.
Gen. Vincent, Miss Mollie Vincent, Mrs. Gen.
De!afeld, Misses Delafield, Mrs. St. John b.
l.. Skinner, Mrs. &. s. Wiley, Mrs g. F.
Brainard Mrs. and Miss Maxwell, Mrs. Flan-
ders, Mrs. Chanler, Mrs. O. w. Sheriff., Miss
Jenokes and many other distinguished and
fashionable ladies were present during the
afternoon.
CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE UNITED STATES
Mr.. Boutwell,, from the Reconstruction Com
mittee, reported, in the House day, a bill
providing that in case of the removal of the
Chief Justice of the United States, by death or
otherwise, that the duties Of his position shall
devolve upon the Senior Associate Justice
until another Chief Justice shall be appointed
and duly qualified. The bill was passed with
out a division.
THE RECONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE, at their
meeting this morning, heard the testimony OF
Messrs. Alden and Gleason, members of the
Constitutional Convention of Florida, in sup
port of the Constitution framed by the Con.
yention.
Hon. DAVID WILMoT, one of the Judges of
the Court of Claims, died at his home in To.
wanda, Pa, on Monday last, of paralysis. His
death will be announced in the Court of Claims
tomorrow, (Friday,) the Goth instant, at II
o'clock a. m.
BOARD TO RETIRE ARMY OFFIcRRs.-By
direction of the President, Brevet Major Gen.
aral a Lodi th U,,@,
Brevet Major General Frank Wheaton, Lieut.
Colonel Goth Infantry, have been detailed for
duty as members of the Board to retire disabled
officers, which Board was convened by special
orders No. 4l9, dated September 21st, 1867.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES McCuIloch this
morning received a communication from Rev.
Father DeWolf, assistant pastor of st. Mat
thew's Church. in this city, enclosing 800, to
be placed in the conscience fund, having been
returned through the confessional
RECEIPTS FROM CUsToMs.-The receipts
from customs at the ports below named from
March 9th to l4th were follows Boston.
S3i4,93s; New York, s2,543,225; Philadelphia
S21i,GcG; Baltimore, sl2O,23i; New Orleans,
(rebruary oath to March 7th,) S21O,552. Total,
S3,4G3,232.
The WHITE HoUsE.-The President was en-.
gagged for some time to-day with his counsel
Messrs. Stanbery. Black, Curtis, and Evarts.
This morning Senators Buckalew and Doolii.
lie am several Representatives had interviews
with he Executive.
TIE LATE PETER FoRCF.-At 4 meeting of
the New York Historical Society, held on the
evening of the 18th instant, Professor George
W. Greene read paper in commemoraton of
our late much respected fellow-citizen named
above.
The memorial recounted the principal events
IN the life OF MIR. Force, and paid an earnest
tribute TO the excellence of h,s character rs n
man and the value of his labors as an histori-
cal compiler. AT the conclusion of Professor
Greene's address the Executive Committee Of
the society presented series of resolutions ex-
pressing their esteem for their late fellow mem
Der Mr.. Force, their respect for his attainments
as scholar, their sense of the importance of
his contributions TO American history, and their
obligations to him as one of the foremost in
promoting the objects of the association. The
resolutions were unanimously adopted.
COLLECTION OF TAXES IN MISSISSIPPI
Brevet Major General Alvan G. Gillem, in
command of the Fourth Military District, by
general orders No 10, dated Vicksburg, Missis-
sippi March 6, prOmu gates the tax ordinance,
passed by the Constitutional onvention of the
State Of Mississippi, on the 27th day of Feb
ruary, for the purpose of raising funds to de-
fray the expenses Of said convention, and au
thorizes that the taxes be collected and account
ed for by the sheriffs, directed by said ordi-
nance, but directs that the fourth section of the
bill, which provides "that all taxes remaining
unpaid at the expiration of ten days from the
date Of said notice twenty five per cent will be
added to the amount of said tax" be SO modified
a. TO read thirty days, instead Of ten.
SECRETARY SEWARD, who has been on a
visit to his home in Auburn, N. Y, for several
days past, is expected TO return here this even.
ing.
. The CHARTER QUESTIONABLE. Sumner 10
day introd uced In the Senate petition (which
was referred to District Committee of citizens
of the District Of Columbia, praying for the
pas sage of the bill fSenate 3r6) for the renewal
Of the charter of the city Of Washington The
petitioners set forth that the present charter ex.
Pires on the 18th of May next, and feel
ing the great importance of continuing
me present form OF government without
sort TO temporary or provisional one,
Of hateVer character, they most earnestly ask
a. eally action as consis dent, in order to enable
full registration of the voters in the city to be
made prior TO the election TO be held under the
pIopo2 ed charter. OF the several bills now
before the committee, that introduced by Sem
atOr Sumner meets their most hearty and unan-
Imous approval, embodying. as it does, many
desirable features of the bill introduced by
senator James Harlan, without extendi ny
The present geographical limits OF the city
The bill in all its parts is Just as not to fld
gle antagonist among any of the news
papers OF this city, in all of which il has been
published. The Board Of Common Council of
he city, by the Affirmative vote of every Re-
publican member, has passed resolutions favor
ing sand bill, and the Republican General Com
mi'tee and the Republican Central Association
Of the city have each resolved unanimously IN
favor OF the bill commended by those petition.
ere. They firmly. though respectfully, protest
against favorable report of the bill prepared
by few interested citizens, and placed in the
lands OF y natOr Morrill,, regarding as they do
the project of consolidating the several govern
ments of Washington and Georgetown cities
and tn County Of Washington as at present
mpracticable and iBjudcious; and the general
textures of such bill as i'm other respects highly
Objectionable. For not only does il place our
municipal affairs in the control of a few mon led
men and speculatOrs, but 1t substantially strikes
down the privilege of the elective franchise
BY IL some unimportant officers are ele cted
but those more Immediately connected with
and who should be answerable to the people
are to be set over us without our voice or con.
sent. The inevitable working of this bill would
be the creation of a monstrous monied monop-
oily, damaging beyond measure TO the best and
true interests Of city and all of its citizens
whose sympathies are with the majority in
Congress.
I The petition is signed by A. G. Hall, City
Collector; +. A Roswell, City Register; Messrs
ArrisoD, Clark, Crocker, $. s. Baker, Pfau,
knight, Of the City Councils; John T. Cook
William Bramball, Cbas. II. Bliss, VIM. B.
Chase, @. A. Fleetwood, James 5. Brown,
Wilson Miller, John @. Clary, H. A. Hall,
Anthony Bowen, Ed. Ambush, Sayles J.
Eowen, WIN. III. Lewis, John y. Cox, Geo H.
In and fkor