The Portland daily press., 1869-03-20
WASHINGTON.

INTERVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE OF WAYS AMI
MEANS WITH THE PRESIDENT AND sEcRE-
TARY OF TREASURY NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
| OPINION OF SELLING GOLD
| WARRINGTON. March 19.--The Committee on
! Ways and Means called to-day upon PRESIDENT
Grant, Secretary Boutwell, and Gomn,ssionHr ~ s,l
| with Secretary Boutwell, upon money affairs,
| in the course of which he declared his deter
| mnation to sell gold publicly and none IN pri-
| vate. He believed he had the power to invest
| the surDIus gold in DO dis, and thought he
| wouId do So He informed the committee that
| the income from customs was increasing. The
conversation with President Grant was more
of a social character.
GUARD AT THE WHITE HOUSE DISCONTINUED.
The President to-day ordered the discontin-
uance OF the military guard at the White
House, which has been on duty for the last
four years under Capt McKeever, and that
hereafter the protection of the premises be in
charge OF doorkeeper and three police officers.
RELEASE OF AN AMERICAN CITIZEN IN CUBA.
dispatch from Admiral Hoff says that in
company with the newly appointed Consul
General, Mr. Hall, he had called on the Cap
tain General of Cuba and secured the release
OF Mr.. Trietes an American citizen, native
OF Cuba, who was arrested a short time since
on charge of conspiracy against the Govern
ment The action of the Captain General in
this case was marked by great courtesy he
having ordered the immediate release of the
prisoner although the charges were serious.
RECEIPTS OF CUSTOMS.
The receipts of customs from March 8th to
the 18th were 3,506,503
COMMISSION REVOKED.
The Postmaster General has ordered that
the commissions Of special agents of the De-
partment who are not under pay and assign
ment be revoked from and after the 31st of
March. The commissions of all special agents
expire on the 31st of December, and must then
be renewed.
DR.. HI. c. Lane, chief clerk of the Pension
office, died to-day
THE EQUAL RIGHTS BILL
The President has signed the bill for the fur
ther security of equal rights in the District of
Columbia.
CONTRIBUTIONS.
The Senate to-day confirmed Elizabeth Van
Lew as Postmstress at Richmond, Virginia;
John Titus, United States Judge for Arizona,
and Dudley NJ Maines Pension Agent at
Brooklyn, vice Porter resigned.
THE SPANISH MINISTER,
Mr.. Roberts, the new Spanish Minister, to-
day presented a letter of credence to the
President, and made a few remarks expressive
OF desire of his country for the sympathies
OF the United States with the new order of
things in Spain. He would endeavor by all
means in his reach to maintain and strengthen
the friendly relations which have always ex-
isted between Spain and the United States.
The President replied:
Mr.. Roberts;-I am happy to receive you as
the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plsni-
potentiary of Spain in the United States. The
recent events in that country to which you
advert have excited and will continue to main
tain lively interest here, hoping, as we do,
that they may ultimately lead to an increase
in the welfare and happiness of the people of
Spain. The disposition which you express to
exert yourself during your mission, to the end
that those friendly relations which have al
ways existed between the two countries may
be strengthened, will be reciprocated by me-