The New York herald., 1869-01-11
WASHINGTON.


WASHINGTON, Jan. TO- 1859.
The Dinner at General Grantss-Battlos
Fought Over Again. =.
General Grant has inaugurated the season in
Washington after very social and agreeable
fshion. Friday evening he camc down In his usual
quiet and unpretepdne manner to wilIArd's Hotel
and invited two prominent gentlemen from New
York, Mr.. Moses II. Crinne and Mr. r. ". Batch
ford. to dine with him tho following evening. He
found Mr.. Grinner absent from his room, but Mr..
Blatchford, with whom he was unacquainted, hap
penng to be present, both entered into converse.
tion until Mr.. Grnneli made his appearance, when
the talk became more familiar and dts
curslve The General talked freely upon
variety Of subjects-fnance, reconstruction, the
state Of the country. tine prospects before IT, and
ended by asking both his hearers. who were de-
lighted, fully impressed by the ease and
charm Of his unrcstrained conversation. to meet
him at dinner the next evening. The dinner
was an eminenty social and attractive anatr.
Sixteen persons were present, including General
and Mrs. Grant, Moses Grinnell, r. M. Blatch-
ford, Henry ID. Cooke and lady, Congressman
Clarke and lady Columbus DeIano and lady and
General wickham, ex-C0nfederate general Dinner
over, the gentlemen retired the library to smoke
and talk. The conversation soon turned upon mill
tary matters, suggested By . question Of General
wickham to General Grant, Is to whether the lat
ter took part IN the battle OF Pao Alto, in Mexico
Grant responded chat It was his lot to be there,
as in all the .other battles OF the campaign
Wickham related his share in the Palo
Alto engagement and then both engaged
In comparing notes about Scott's successful cam
paign fighting each battle again to the extreme
delight OF the small audience around them. General
Grant retired few moments from the room, and IN
the interval General Wickham suggested that one OF
the party ask Grant on his return something about
the famous campaign In the wilderness that both
military men might enter on familiar ground again.
General Wlckham, having commanded an important
division in Lees army and being thoroughly ac-
quainted with the points against which Grant hurled
hisegions tine conversation assumed deeply inter-
esting character especially General Grant entered
with more than his accustomed vigor Of description
into the details OF his great movement against
Richmond. The dialogue to those around
could not have possibly been directed
inio more absorbing channel and IL Is
needless to say it was listened to throughout with
the liveest attention. When the story reached Ap-
pomatox Court House. both generals shook hands
and expressed cordial hope that time would soon
arrive when the soldiers Of either army woud meet
in the same spirit OF harmonious and fraterna feel
ing. Mrs. Grant presided at the table with all her
quiet womany grace, while Moses drinnel engaged
prospective management OF the White House. He
wished to impress upon her the essential necessity
OF providing good cook and steward for the Ex
ecutive mansion as they bore the same relative TIM
portance to a well conducted residence as first
class captain and mate did TO a ship. The dinner
talk was all OF light and cheerful character and
seems to be remembered with peculiar pleasure by
those who were there.
A Financial Rumor--Goycrnment Funds in
Private Hands.
There Is story being passed around among Q
favored few in financial circles here concerning
matter that has recently leaked out showing the
markable fayorltsm OF the government to a certain
well known banker. AS it Is next to impossible for
any person not backed by Congressional authority
to get at the solid facts In the case 1t cannot bo
certained how much truth there is in the -umor
Such as 1t is, 1t may, however, serve as clue to
John A. Logan or some other investigators into
doubtful government transactions II Is alleged that
about S15,oO0oO OF the government balance that Is
every month reported as currency In the Treasury,
Is now, and has been for years, deposited with
certain banking firm. II L. explained bY those who
excuse this transaction, that the only question
involved Is the safety OF the bank which re-
ceives the deposit; for, IL the money was held
securely by t:at nrm that 1t be paIu when
wanted, it might just AS well. far as the rectude
Of the matter concerned, be deposited in private
bank as in the Treasury vaults There are few desig
mated repositories In the country. say they that did
not expect and large number that actually do re-
ceive much larger deposits OF government funds
In their vaults than the OF their securities In
the hands OF the United States Treasurer This hasno
been regarded aS very DANGEROUS although s cier
y without sanction OF law and the only difference is
that In this the amount is rather larger than de-
posits usually This story may not develop In
manner to entte 1t TO some respect and should re-
ceive the prompt attention OF Congress.
Senator Eimunds, Once Holding Bill.
Senator Edmunds bill to prohibit the holding OF
two Offices at the same time is explained by some
people TO be directed against Schoned and Porter
Some OF the senators said 10 be asprans for the
War and Navy departments and the rumor that
Grant intends to appoint Schofeld and Porter ten-
porarily secretaries or those departments has
prompted the measure now before Congress
Among the Senators rumored TO be anxious Tor the
positions are Wilson and Yates, the former for the
war and the latter for the Navy.
JenckeS Civil Service Bill.
The speech OF General Logan agaias. Jenckcs
Civil Service bill has given rise TO a thorough IN
vestigatIon among members and senators concern
ing the provisions OF the bin ITSELF IL is singular
that previous to Losan's speech very few
members OF either house had done more
than TO give the bill cursory reading, and a
clear majority had not read the report OF
the Committee on Retrenchmeni accompanying the
bill. II appears that Jcnckes in his preparation OF
the bIll was aided by rrussian named Helms, and
the bin itself Is almost ac siane copy Of the law
governing the rrussIan civil service. This man
Helms called upon Logan during his recent illness,
and among other things asked him what he thought
Of the civil Service bill. Logan was ike nearly all
the other members. and had paid little attention 70
the matter. Learning something OF the character OF
the measure from his Prussan visitor Logan sent
for a copy OF the bill and the accompanying report,
and result Of his examination OF II prepared the
speech which he delivered on Friday. other men,
bers, among them Judge woodward. OF Pcnnsyi-
vana. and Shellabarger, OF ohio. two OF the best
I..an l.lrr