The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-03-30
MATTERS IN WASHINGTON SAT-
URDAY AND SUNDAY.
Co,res7oondemcs!ef the Pittsburgh Commercial.
WARRINGTON, March 27, 1869.


THE TENURE. OF. OFFICE QUESTION
Has been one of the principal subjects
| of conversation in political and social
circles to-day. Everybody notes that
of the Republicans in Congress there is
decided majority in each branch ia
Vorable to the Senate modification, and
that if repeal is carried at the present
session it would be by Democratic
votes. Gatherings of Senators and
Representatives who have discussed the
subject are unable to discover any way
| in which the bill can be further modi-
fed for the benefit of the repealers, and
the general talk tonight is that COM
promise will have to be effected on sus-
pension during Grants administration,
unless the Senate gives way, which
does not seem at all likely.
THE PRESIDENTS HEALTH.
The President is worn out with hard
work. Public men and Office seekers
| worry him more than the country can
imagine. To-day he was 80 unwell
that he utterly refused to see anybody
but the members of his family and
Cabinet. His intimate friends are try
| ing to persuade him to shorten his
hours OF labor, and refuse to see people
who want to bore him about minor
offices.
WASHINGTON, March IS, go.
REPEAL GAINING STRENGTH.
The tenure-of. Office question will
come up again in the Senate to NOR
row, but 1t is impossible to tell what
action will be taken by that body
There has been good deal OF talk
about caucus in the morning, but as
notice has not been issued, it is pre-
sumed none will be held. The first
| motion in the Senate will be to ask
committee of conference, and the sec.
cOnd will undoubtedly be to recede
and agree with the House bill. This
motion will bring a square vote on re-
pealing the law, and those who favor 1t
say they know they are strong enough
to carry it through. Others think not,
and say the ending OF the conflict will
be the suspension OF the law during
Grants administration. Repeal seems
moro probable now than at any other
| time since the contest began.
SuERMAN's STAFF ORDER REvoLKED.
President Grants revocation OF Gen.
eral Sherman's order. by which the
latter attached the heads of all Depart
ments to his staff, is the theme of very
general remark in military circles. 1t
appears that Sherman's order was in
violation of several laws and quite
number of army ySregulations. This ac
| ton of the President restores the War
Department to the same condition rs
existed before General Sherman as
sumed command of the army.
REGISTER OF THE TREASURY.
The position OF Register of the Treas
ury was on the 18th Inst. rendered by
Secretary Boutwell, to Ex-Congress-
man George 81. Halsey, of New jersey.
He declined the position on the 18th,
giving as reasons for so doing that his
large private business needed ntten-
tion. The Secretary was not disposed,
however, to let him off, and though
pressed by many persons 10 make an
other selection still held the place open,
and when Mr.. Halsey came here the
first OF last week again offered him the
position, urging its acceptance upon
him as Il public duty and personal
favor. Several other gentlemen unite
with the Secretary in pressing Halsey
to take it for while, if he could not
permanently. and though he has not
yet said he will do so the probabilities
are that he will be formally appointed
early this week.
SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST SENATOR
FENTON.
Political circles are very greatly ex-
cited to-day over the testimony and
accompanying editorial in tho New
York Post of yesterday, pointedly
charging that Senator Fenton received
S2O, 900 in cash for signing the Erie
Railroad bill. The Post says this and
similar charges have been repeatedly
made by responsible parties in New
i
notice them. The Impression here to-
night among Mr.. Fenton'S friends is
that neither he nor the Senate can fail
to notice the matter.
FIGHT IN COMMITTEE ROOM.
The room of the House Committee
on Elections was the scene of most
unusual occurrence on Friday. Hon.
Job Stevenson and Mr.. Burr, of H.
linOis, were sitting near each other.
Burr and Randall desired delay in
report of case upon which majority
of tho Committee were ready. MIR.
Stevenson offered motion to conform
to the views of the Democratic MEM
bers. Mr.. Burr seemed determined TO
make trouble over the case'
and made repeated remarks in.
sulting alike to the Committee
and Mr.. Stevenson. and finally
went so far as to declare the course OF
the. Committee indecent. To this Mr..
Stevenson replied that he thought they
had all better act in proper and gem
tlemanly way. Upon this Burrjumped
up and with gross and indecent profan-
ity struck a heavy blow at Mr.. Steven
son. The latter partially parrled this,
and struck an effectual. one in self-de-
fense. Several members of the COM
mittee rushed between the parties and
separated them. Mr.. Randall showed
great desire to fight, but was also re-
strained. There is but one opinion
among those cogniZant of the affair,
including Democrats, which Is that Burr
was wholly In fault. Mr.. Stevenson's
course from the first was directly in
line, proper and dtgnifed, of the dis.
charge of his duty, till Burr assaulted
him and after that his action was that
OF proper and justifable self.detense:
THE TENURE oF-oFFICE IMBRoGLIo.
Co.. Of The ". Y. Evenin0 Post.
WASHINGTON, March 81.
The action of the House yesterday in
refusing to nOn-cOncur In the Senate
amendment to the Tenure of Office bill,
will prolong the settlement of this veX-
ed question, if it does not prevent any
further legislation on this subject.
Senators who have not been active in
trying to retain the present law, al
though favOring it, now say that II the
House proposes to insist upon its total
repeal, they will take an open stand in
the Senate against modifying the law
at all. They assert that the present
amendment was agreed upon against
the wishes of the maj jOrity of the Fe-
publican Senators, as compromise
measure, and to prevent dissensions in
the Republican ranks; and that if the
House will not accept it in this spirit,
then they can only blame themselves if
the present law is left upon the statute
| book unchanged and unaltered. There
seems to be much warm feeling among
| those Senators who are opposed to re-
peal, on this subject, and there IS little
| hopes of the matter being settled in a
manner which will be satisfactory TO
General Butler and his followers in the
House.
Three days ago your correspondent
| A. hn " Af q