New-York tribune., 1868-02-21
V0L. XXVII.....N NO $500
WASHINGTON.


TO THE GU. GLO,h TIoNAL COPYRIGHT-FABU-
HINI-N,r -iNo,,r OF THE NEw-YORK COLLECTOR
LoUs ,Io r DEMOCRATIC CoHVENTloN-Alk-
1--WE TO NEW w-YORK-MlSSOUlL--"E -" ELA'' An
nG col. ROSS BROWNE
~ 1,IsealfH 80 THE TSSUN[
wAsuISeroS Thursday, Feb. 20. 1853.
-, Can Sbermal's letter TO the President, sug
.o.4;rc the reasons why he would prefer to be ex-
- from taking command of the new military
,.-.,oe,t with headquarters in this city, was, as
11..ain these dispatches, dated the 14th inst,
I'D aid not reach Mr. johnson until yesterday, five
s.vs after date. The letter was unsealed and came
th,oueh Gen. Grants headquarters, inclosed in
lser to the General The President is considerably
Annoyed that Gen. Sherman should have replied
through Gen. Grant instead of communicating
directly with himself. Gen. Shermans friends say
on this point that, nasmuch as the order assigning
him TO the new department was issued through
Gen. Grant, military etiquette and discipline re-
suired that he should reply through the same
channel Upon reading Gen. Shermans letter. the
President promptly telegraphed him, acknowledging
its receipt and saying substantially that In view OF
the objections suggested he would not assign him 10
souri, Lieut.-Gen. Sherman replied by telegraph
thanking the President for relieving him from the
effect of the order. Mr.. johnson thereupon directed
arevocation of so much of the order as related to
Gen Shermans assignment. 1t issaid that the Presi
dent will assign another commander to the new dis
trict in a few days Prominent Democrats are urging
the President to appoint Gen. Haeck, who is known
10 be very Objectionable to Cen Grant, and one OF
his bitterest opponents since the beginning OF the
war.
In the Senate. to-day. few unimportant bills
were introduced during the morning hour, but none
were passed At o'clock Senator Trumbulls bill to
declare majority of the votes cast sufficient to rat
fy a Constitution under the Reconstruction bill was
taken mp Garret Davis embraced the opportunity
10 finish the speech which he commenced week
ago He took the floor at Il o'clock, and made few
remarks from that time until o'clock The Globe
reporters and the presiding officer listened attentive
ly; but the Chamber was, as to all other persons,
nearly empty. A motion was made to adjourn over
until Monday in honor of Washingtons birthday;
but Senator Doolitte objected as he desired the OPP
pOrtunity of making speech tomorrow. No Exec
Htive session was held.
In the House. to-day, the most important feature
of the proceedings was the passage Of the Army Ap-
preparation bill. While the bill was under consider
ntion in the Committee of the Whole, most deter
mined fight made on the proposition to stop all
further appointments of second heutenants in the
army, Unless they be graduates of West Point The
large number of members who, during the rebellion,
were volunteer officers in the army threw their in
fluence against the proposal, and after one Of the
most exciting and noisy debates of the session. the
Objectionable proposition was defeated by majority
of four. and the bill was then passed. The debate
was between Mr.. Blaine the manager of the bill, for
the proposition. and Messrs. Logan Butler Schenck'
Banks Pile and others against 1t. 1t was under
stood that Gen. Grant favored the Blaine proviso,
but even this failed. The resolution Of inquiry
into the management Of the branch Mint at San Fran
CISCO was lmpelled by desire to put an end to the
public scandal created by the contentious between
the Superintendent and subordinate officers for four
years past in great the cause of the dekl-
cations and frauds that have meanwhile occurred
there
The Retrenchment Committee had under consider
alton to-day Senator Edmunds's bill regulating the
tenure of certain civil officers. 1t is thought that
the Committee will amend it in several particulars,
as in its present shape it hardly covers the points
intended The Committee will examine number
of heads of bureaus before they take any definite
action Mr. Nathan Sergeant, Commissioner of Gus
toms gave testimony on the subject to-day and the
intention is to summon other department employees
for the same purpose.
The House judiciary Committee has for several
weeks past had under consideration William Nc
Carrahans petition asking to have confirmed to him
the title to the Panoche Grande mineral tract in Cal
ifornia embracing one Of the richest quicksilver
mines known. The title has been in dispute twelve
years and final action is asked of Congress The
Committee has heard lengthy and numerous argu-
nents from both Sides and will report, confirm
ing the old Mexican title. under which McCarrahan
claims the land upon his representatives paying to
the United States the mninluAn price OF mineral
lands. The tract embraces four square leagues.
The Committee on Banking and Currency had
under consideration again to-day the Randall bill,
substituting Treasury notes for National Bank cur
rency, and heard arguments in opposition to the
bin from representatives of the National Bank inter
est. Those interested in the defeat of the bill ask
for further delay. and striving to convince the
Committee that instead of adopting the substitution
schemes il would be better TO extend the Free
Banking law, as proposed by Mr.. Henderson.
Owing TO the absence however. to-day of of the
leading members Of the Committee, no decision
reached. and il was postponed until the next
meeting.
The Committee on Roads and Canals have had one
or two sessions this week, and will have another to-
MORROW TO consider the question of establishing an
airline road 10 New-YOrk. The Presidents OF the
various roads between New-York and Washington
are here working against the measure. The facts
which they have laid before the Committee do not
however, convince the members that there should
not be greater facilities for travel and mail cOmmuni
cation between the two points. Arguments are TO be
heard tomorrow in favor Of the project.
Representative Sidney Clarke introduced a resou'
tion into the House to-day calling upon the Post
Office Department to furnish such information as