The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-03
John c. Breckenridge Calls at the
White House.
A. New Postal Treaty with
Great Britain.
substantial Reduction of
Ocean Postage.
Trouble Among the Ladies in the
Treasury Department.


WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 1869.
NO visitors mt the White HOuse-The Presi-
dents Message to Congress.
the President to-day gave his entire attention to
his message and the departmental reports submitted
to him. No visitors were admitted and instruc.
tons were given to the ushers to announce to all
persons desiring an audience that no one would be
received until Saturday. The message In many Of
the points which are TO receive the notice OF the
Executive pen Is completed, but thoselportons re-
atng TO foreign affairs will be closed until the
last moment, In order TO have the benefit OF the
latest diplomatic Information frem abroad. As this
the nrst message or mis- administration |: viii Be
looked for with great deal OF interest. The pres
dent Is giving this important document his pro-
foundess consideration.
improvements in tho Capitol.
Sergeantat-Arms French, having completed oil
the renovations and improvements about the Senate
wing OF the Capitol to-day invited the leading news
paper representatives in this city to make an inspec
ton, which was highly satisfactory to the visitors
and at the same time creditabe to Mr.. French
Many very much needed improvements were notice
able In the fitting up Of tho Senate Chamber CON-
mlttee rooms and officers apartments and an
examination Of the new heating and ventilating
"RP~A"euo WHiSA nave DceH mtf0HuCGu by Mr.,
Henry Hayden, the chief engineer exhibited
changes that promise to secure pure air and an
agreeable temperature two articles in which the
Capitol has been sadly deficient until very lately.
Mr. French may take to himself the credit for these
reforms for 1t to his iudlcious selection OF CON-
petent engineer and assistants that they are due.
Singular Transaction In the Treasury Depart.
ment-GrOss Injustice to the Female Eu.
plOyes Of tho Printing Bureau.
From information received tonight 1t would ap-
pear that the $3.50 worth Of fractional currency,
which was lost last week in one OF the rooms OF the
Printing and Engraving Bureau OF the Treasury. and
which led to personal search OF several female
clerks has not been recovered, positively stated.
Your correspondent was informed last Sunday, by
Superintendent McCartee, that the money had been
found In the drying room Of the Bureau, but now
1t seems that not only has the missing amount
not been found, but that, worse still, 100 OF the
female clerks have been fined seven dollars EACH
in order 10 make up Tor the loss When the girls
applied for their regular monthly pay yesterday they
discovered that they had to bear the entire loss
among them, although it appears that the missing
money might have been lost or mslaid In other
rooms OF the Bureau than those in which they are
employed. The girls are quite naturally very much
excited over the matter They neither relish the
imputation upon their characters involved in the
procedure, do they consider 1t just that they
mulcted for the whole amount To say the least the
transaction is mysterious one, aud needs some
light from MIR. McCartee and his responsible subor-
dInates.
New Postal Convention Concluded with
Great Britain = ImpOrtant Reduction Of
Letter Postage.
An additional postal convention has just been
concluded by Postmaster General Creswei with the
General Post Office Department OF Great Britain,
establishing on and after the lst Of January next
reduced rate of letter postage OF six cents between
the United States and the United Kingdom. The
negotiations for this important postal reform,
menced by Mr.. Creswell about two months ago.
have been recently conducted by telegraph cable
despatch was received to-day from the Postmaster
General at London BY Mr.. Creswe accepting counter
proposals, also made by telegraph, In relation to
unpaid and Insuicently prepaid letters. The of
the telegraph found necessary In order to con-
cude the arrangement IN time to put it In opera
ton on the LIST Of January next.
The following notice has been sent to the different
Postmasters--
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, ID. O., Dec, 2, 1869.
On ana after the 1st or January. 1870, the single
letters between the United states ana the United
Kingdom Of Great Britain and Ireland will be re-
duced to Six cents three PENCE; II not prepaid or
insufflciently prepaid q fine of six cents three
pence) will be added to the deficient postage and
collected on delivery. The rates OF postage, cond-
tons OF payment on newspapers, book packets and
samples Of merchandise remain unchanged. Post
masters will levy and collect postage accordingly on
and after January ], 1870.
by order OF the Postmaster General.
JOSEPH Fl. BLACKFAN,
Superintendent OF Foreign Mails.
Value Of Imports Into the United states
During the Last Fiscal Year.
The following statement, issued by General
walker Chief Of the Bureau Of Statistics shows the
aggregate value OF imports into each Customs ais
trict Of the United States during the fiscal year
ended June 80, 1867