Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-11-30


ranstment cf our diffc ulties with Great Britain
forwarded Oy Minister johnson; and thai
amendments to itwere forwarded by cable
after the Cabinet meeting on Friday.
THE ATTOREHY GENERAL ON THE EIgHr
Hour LAw-The opinion of Attorney General
Evarts on the eight hour law, to VIII ch refer
ence was made in The STAR a day or two since.
has just been published. 1t was called
out by communication from COM
mIttee of printers employed in the Govern.
ment Printing Once, addressed to the Presi.
dent, and requesting him, in behalf OF the
workingmen OF the country, to instr uct the AT.
torney General to give an opinion upon the
true construction of the eight hour law and
asking that the latter may answer whether the
act reducing the number OF hours constituting
days work was Intended to work a CORES.
ponding reduction in the compensation for a
days work. n reply, Mr.. Evarts says there
Is nothing In the language OF the act to indicate
such intention, nor does this construction seem
At all eonsisit Mt with the aim and purpose of
the law, which were reformatory In their char-
aeter, having in view the promotion OF the
physical, Intellectual and moral welfare of
those who are engaged in manual labor,
and OF the general interest of society
The theory appears TO have been that the la.
| boring man OF mechanic, by means Of the IN
creased physical strength and vigor acquired
through reduction of his hours of toll, would
be enabled to accomplish daily as much upon
an average in eight hours constant labor as
| ne formerly did in ten. or even longer period,
While at the same time he would enjoy lon
GER season for mental and moral Improvement
He says the law being silent upon the subject
\ Of compensation, Government officials are at
liberty to use their discretion in the matter;
Of
regulated the wages OF Government EMPLOYEES,
requires that they shall recei We the same com.
pepsation for the same labor as 4. paid In pri-
| vate establishments in the vicinity. The law
OF 1868 does hot III the rates OF wages, nor does
| 1t require the Government to pay ten hours
wages for eight hours work. If citizens adopt
suen course, Government must do the same;
but as the law now stands it is LETT to the on.
tion Of Government officers to pay the same
wages as when the men worked ten hours a
| day, or TO reduce the compensation in proper.
ton 10 the reduction in the hours OF labor
| TIE ALLEGED Posr OFFICE DErALcAr1os.
| General L. g. Carrington, as United States
| Attorney, has commenced suit for the United
States against Edwin b. Olmstead, late Dis
bursIng Clerk of the Post Office, for the re-
| covery Of SS3,905.sC, claimed to be due the
| plaintiff, according 10 the account filed with
| the declaration. On the debit side OF the ac.
| count are charged from October 30th, 1867, to
hprii Ith, l-6S, eight warrants on the United
| states Treasury, footing up S92.952. .O3, and on
the opposite siCe credit is given him for a war.
rant on the Treasurer dated October % IJIs, \
| for s9,tiG %, leaving the balance above stated
| General Darlington has also entered suit
against Mr.. Olmstead and the sureties on his
bond, (execUted October Sd, 1861 Messrs. w.
X. Snow and John +. Coyle, to recover $4,000,
/ because Of the failure Of the principal (OIm.
stsad) 10 faithfully execute the duties of his
Office.
SUIT AGAINST Ex-SECRErARY STANTON
DIsMIssED.-Thls morning, in the Circuit
Court, Judge CaIt,er,) the case Of John Nag
lee Jr., against r.. NJ. Stanton was. on motion
| OF T. l.. Stanton, discontinued, the plaintiff TO
| Pay costs. Naglee owned farm in Prince
William county, Va, which was occupied for
a time in 1S65 by United States troops alleged
| to be under the orders of the defendant as Sec
| retary of War, and he claimed damages for
the driving away Of cattle and injury to the
crops.
| RETURN OF SPEAKER CoLFAx-The Vice
President elect, Schuyle Ter Colfax, and his new
| ly married bride, arrived here Saturday even.
ing frsm New York, at ten o'clock. Mr.. Col.
4 fax was in excellent health and spirits, and
| was warmly welcomed by the friends who
| awaited bis coming.
| UNDEE RECENT CIRCULAR from the Treas.
! ury DepaI tment requiring financial agents to
| send in for redemption certain descriptions Of
legal tender BoTes very large amount has
been received. The Secretary Of the Treasury's
| financial report will show an expenditure on
account of the public debt Of about ssso.5OO,OoO,
| which includes redemp,ions, converslons IN.
| teresI on the public debt, &c.
| TIE EXPERIMENTAL FIRINGs al Fortress
Monroe have been completed, and the reported
result is that none of the targets had sufficient
sGr5 ngth TO resist the ponderous balls discharg.
| ed by the heavy ordance used. The targets
Were built OF granite and Of earth, faced with
| iron.
REPosr OF GENERAL GRANr-IMPoRrANr
REcohMESDATIoNs.-The following is the re-
| port OF the General of the Army for the pres
| ent year, tran smittIng the reports Of his sub
| ordinate commanders to the Secretary OF War
HKADQ'Rs ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES
WASHINGTON. u. g., November ~, lS6S-Gea-
| ercI j. NJ SccfeId, Secretary of War: SIR: 1
have The honor TO submit the reports Of di-
vision, district, and department. commanders
| for the past year. These reports give full ac-
count Of the operations and services of the
| army for the year, and refer TO them for de-
| tails.
Iwould earnestly renew my recommends.
tion Of last year that the controj of the Indians
| be transferred to the War Department. l call
ecial attention t. the recommendation Of Gen.
! eral Sherman on the subject. II has my earn.
| est approval. IL is unnecessary that the argu.
ments in favor Of the transfer should be re-
stated. The necessity for 1t becomes stronger
and more evident every day.
While the Indian war continues, / do no
| deem any general legislation for the reduction
| of the army advisable. The troops on the
plains are all needed; troops are still needed in
the Southern States, and further reduction can
be made In the way already used, and now in
operation where It is safe, namely: BY allow
ing companies to diminish by discharges with.
out being strengthened by recruits, and by
Stopping ap pointments Of second lieutenants.
lfit should be deemed advisable, the veteran
reserve regiments might be discontinued by
absorption and retirement of officers and dis.
charge VI nlen without detrnent to the ser.
vice.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant
u. 5. GRANT, General.
ACoLoEKp REPRRsRHTATIvB-Byt the Re.
lection OF the returns OF certain parishes IN
Louisiana, Menard, a coIored man, Is declared
elected 10 fill the unexpired term Of Mann,
Democrat. deceased. Menard will get the GER
tIfcate, which will be prima fdc,e evidence Of
| hls right to ne Mann's successor, be Admitted
! 10 he seat and Hunt, Democrat, who isdefsat-
ed b. the relec ton Of the returns, will have q
/ cha 90 TO contest But the original certificate