Evening star., 1868-02-07

eleven clock, in the blue parior, no one being
present except the President, Secretary Sew
ard, and Francis Clare Ford, who has be n
Charge d. Affairs of Great Britain since the
death of Sir Frederick Bruce. Mr.. Thornton
upon being presented by Secretary Seward TO
the President, said:
SIR: have the honor to deliver into your
Excellency's hands a letter, addressed To you
by Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, accrediting
me b, Maiesty's minister to your Excellen-
cy 1 have also received her Malesty's orders
to assure your EXcellency of her sincere friend
ship, and Of the deep interest she mas taken in
| the welfare and prosperity of the nation over
which You so worthlly preside: Her Majes
| tvs Government and the English nation
| are deeply grateful for the warm sympathy
shown by the people of the United States on
the occasion of the death of my lanented pre-
d'cessor. Allow me to assure your Excellency
that shall do my best TO take his place in tn eir
affections, and TO strengthen the relations OF
| cordial friendship which happily subsst. and
which II u our earnest desire and our duty.
kinsnlen, TO maintain between the two coun-
tries. In this pleasing task am confident that
may count upon the support and assistance
| of your Excellency, as well as of the distin-
| guished statesmen who compose your Cabinet
and the Legislature of this great nation
The President replied as follows:
Mr.. Thcrnton Your Queen enjoys more
| highly than any other sovereign the respect and
sympathy of the American people. The peo-
pie of the United States will believe that she *
| entirely sincere in the kindly message which,
under her command, you have delivered to me;
and this belief Will encourage them to hope for
a speedy and amicable adjustment of ali mat
| tiers in difference between Her Majesty's Gov
ernment and the Government of the United
States. Your late predecessor Sir Frederick
| Bruce, without any dsobedence TO instruc-
| uons, or any want OF regard 20 British inter
ests. won the respect and esteem OF this Gov
ernment and nation. Sir Frederick's sudden
death revealed TO Ourselves the tact that The
friendship we cherished for him had even ac-
CURED the intensity of fraternal affection.
| 1t will be pleasing duty tor
| TO extend to you the same consideration
and confidence which he SO eninently enjoyed.
In regard to the political relations of the United
| States and Great Britain only one thing seems
10 be necessary. Which is that the statesmen and
people OF the two countries may carefully and
| constantly study and conform their measures
| TO the political logic which in every region
where the English language IL spoken so dis
tncty maniirsts itself in the increasing love OF
| constitutional freedom and the rapid march OF
common, irresistible and indIyIsible civiliZa-
ton.
Mr.. Thornton was then introduced TO the la
| dies of the Executive Mansion, who Were in
| the adjoining parlor, and, after passing few
minutes in conversation with them. withdrew
| THE MCAEDLE CASE came up in the Supreme
Court this morning when Judge Sharkey ap-
peared and continued the argument on behalf
of plaintiff and against the motion to dismiss
the case on the ground of want Of jurisdi vtion.
ne Vas IOilOWeu Dy senator VINO
closed the argument The basis of his argu-
ment, which occupied over an hour and half,
| was that neither the constitution OF
| the United States, nor the statutes of
Congress, made in pursuance thereof
| conferred jurisdiction upon the Supreme Court
over cases of this character. He defended the
consttutiOnality of the reconstruction acts, and
contended that General Ord, in arresting Nc
Ardle, acted under and in conformity with
those acts.
The is now submitted for decision on a
motion to dismiss for want of jurisdiction
| The decision will probably be given next week
should the court oNerrule the motion, the case
will come up for argument next March, but il
they agree 10 il there is end TO the matter
VISIT OF Mr.. DICKENS TO THE PREsIpENT-
Ihis morning at eleven o'clock Mr.. Charles
Dickens, accompanied by his agent, Mr.. Dol by
| J. X. Osgood, Esq, of the firm of Ticknor &
| Fields, and 5 p. Hanscom, Esq. visited the
Executive Mansion, and had a short interview
| with President Johnson. The visitors were
! presented by Mr.. Hanscom, and after a few
| minutes passed in conversation withdrew
| This afternoon Mr.. Dickens will visit the
81 nate, and it is expected that Mr.. SIMMER will
| Introduced him upon the floor Of the Senate to
the members.
| The HoUsK JUDICIARY COMMITTEE met this
| morning, and commenced the investigation of
the allegations made some time ago in a paper
| in this city, against one of the Justices o. the
| S"peeme Court, for language said TO have been
| used by him concerning the constitutionality OF
the Reconstruction Acts OF Congress The
| only witness summoned for to-day was the
| editor OF the paper in which the charge first
appeared He was questioned to his au-
| thor1ty Tor the statement. and also TO the
nssne of the Justice alluded to in the article To
| the first inquiry he is said TO have refused an
answer, alleging that il is rule of the paper
| with which he is connected. tha, authors of
| articles appearing therein shall not he made
| known outside Of the Office. In reply To the
second question, he said he did net know the
4 name OF the Judge alluded TO. II was finally
agreed that he should have further time in
| Which TO consider whether not he would an
| swer the questions put 10 him The committee
| Mil Meet again on Monday, vixen the same
| witness is notified TO appear
| IAE HOUSE ELL making appropriations for
| District OF Columbia Institution for the Educa.
ton Of the Deaf and Dumb, was to-day made
the special order for the last Tuesday in Feb
rnary.
MAJOR GENERAL SILAs CASEY, Colonel 4th
infantry, has been granted leave Of absence for
six months.
REcEIPTs PROM CUsToNs.-The receipts from
customs at the ports below named from Janu-
aIy 25th TO 31st, inclusive, were follows -
Boston S149.4s7 SO; New York, SI,6J1 600. 90;
Philadelphia. 56,096ss Baltimore, SS,29s. II:
New Orleans, from January 18th to 18th. s47-
tt5-5l; San Francisco, from December 81 10
to January 4th. inclusive, S2,9sl.Os Total,
S2,UG1 ,41755.
ARRoAD.-Among the Americans registered
in Paris during the week ending 23d January
we notice the name of Mr.. W. G. Gunnell OF
this city
Nor READY TO IMPEACH.-It is denied to-
day. by members of the Reconstruction Conn
mitied. that the committee at its meeting la,
Wednesday declared in favor of impeaching
the President. There was nothing said on that
occasion except by Thaddeus Stevens who
gave if as his opinion that the Presi
dent ought to be impeached. The COM
mitee Of two-Judge Bingham and Gov
ernor BoptweII-who were appointed T.
examine the law on the subjec, of the
Presidents advising an officer of the army TO
resist the laws of Congress, have had no formal
meeting yet Each has for himself been ,ook
ing into authorities, and lit is expected they
will meet this evening to compare no.es on III.
subject. The Reconstruction COMMITTEES la. q i.