Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-07-02
From our Regular Correspondent
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsnlNaroN. D. C., Lune Isl. IsOO

W AhHlNd1ON, ". N., JVuc ScI loOU.
Considerable interest is being felt cnncorning
the case OF VIM. r. Smithson w, Edwin NJ.
Stanton, which has Just been before the Circuit
Coutt OF this District. Upon mitun by tht
plaintiffs counsel for oyer aud inspection copies,
Smthsnn brought this suit against the OK Sec
rcnry in lS06, for damages In the sum of $50,
600 Tor trespRsS, assault, aud false imprisun-
nirnt, aud IL has been pending ever since. The
Seurctary's 6rst plea Is the conviction of Smith.
son as spy by a court-martial in 1868, aud the
approve al OF the sentence by President Lincoln
aud set forth, also, Smiths0u's correspondence,
giving information tn the enemy. Ills second
plea u the seizure, under act OF Congress aud
authority front the President, ,of Smtlson's house
Rs the property OF an alder OF the rcOellion, to-
gethsr with Ns subsequent cnnhaoalion by de-
rrce OF the District Court, Ills third plea Us the
| act uT Congress Of March :, 1869, making or
/ ders or authority from the President sufficient
dc(cnse to suits for acts performed IN the sup
preston Of the rebellion, The plaintiff 5 motion
before the court was for inspection and copies of
! all the correspondence, ORDERS records, and 9TH
| er writings referred t0 In tho pleas. II was ar
rued clnbordtcy aud ut considerable length by
Judge Hughes for the motion, and Edwin H..
stanton, a sou u[ the cX-Seotctary, against IT,.
| Afturthe argument Judge w ylie took the papers
| ani reserved his decision,
! Revenue agents have been sorc'y puzzled for
| wears past rs To tho best manner Of securing the
/ wash tubs, hc., connected with tile process OF
/ disttllntion, and the best aud must complicated
padlocks have been gcneially used Ia prevent
Interested parties tampering with the stills, but
experience has proved that locks are not reli-
able. Tho Internal Revenuc Department has
now under examination and inspection over a
hundred different patterns of soals designed 10
take the place OF fpadmcks. The object to be
obtained Is the securing ofthc door or cover IN
such a mpnuer that il cannot 6eopcncd except
by the revenue agent without breaking the seal.
II has not been determined which ot the patterns
offered will be adopted, and II Is probable n
commission will be appointed IN short timg to
select the most reliable OF the devices NtEercd.
Commissioner Dclauo is dctermiued 10 do every
, thug in his Powerlo prolectthe revenue against
fraud.
The appointment clerks of the Prst o0icc De.
; partn,ent are busily engaged forwarding crcu-
, lars 10 postmasters IN vari us sectious of the
country, asking for sworn statements as to the
business transacted, upon which the Postmaster
General will readjust the salaries Of ths office
in compliance with the ctotJuly ], 1854, which
requires review aud readiusnnent Of salaries
Of poStmastcrS every two years.
The Internal revenue receipts nf single day
last week amounted to Sl,Od2,O52 %, This is a
very handsome sum, and itanyihing like Il con
tinueS, the next public debt statement will make
Nmther gratifying exhibltot a very large rsduc.
| tinu, ......t ... H...
President Grant anl family and General Sher-
man returned to this city last Monday. The
fresiden, seems to have been very much beue-
fitted by his trip. .' '
Secretary u utwell, who has retuvncd FROM
his visit tnhis lAme In Hrotnn, MasSaohu seus,
has appointed Gen. nuttcrhcld as United States
Assistant Treasurer at New York, vice Van
|, nyek, Resigned. The appointment is tho sub.
jvct of much comment in huaucial aud official
circles here the Generals friends admitting
that he has no tn'neial experieuce to quality
, him for the place. But with his good common
sense and comprehensive Judgment, how'll no
doubt iilj the position to which he has been as
signed, with the same ability aud honesty which
charaeteriz ID bis c m1uet IN years ag0ne. H
There seems L. bc no trWlh IN the statements
that the Cuban cOvoy briugs With him ereden-
tials lrum Cespedes, aud that he hps received
additional poWcr FROM the leading Insurgents
II, vt Cuba since his first arrival here. According
to his intelligence from Cuba there iS no pn,ba.
eillly that the New Captain GeneFal Rodas
. will be able 10 manage the Spanish vel.
uuiecrs. Cuban affairs have nn as vet boon the
subject al eonsu sultatOp, although occasionally .
theme ofcOuversation merely in the cabinet, nor
according % the prcseut aspect, is Il probable
that any Official action viii Slnn be taken with
regard TO Affairs in that island, The govern,
nrnt has no information TO show that the oppos,
, ing forces in Cuba have over mot ia an open
held, but that what little fighting has heon dhne
amounts 10 nothing more than skirmi shiRg. The
f., operations have boen confined In a Few local
points, with no markvd palitieh results, aud The
Cubans have not yet succeeded in establishing
: themselves in single seaport therefore, as n,
: case Is presented which eallsGnr recognition OF
Z behgorent rights, no member ~ the cabinet has
expressed desire for or hinled at AN action IN
that direction. II il M secret that the Spanlsl
7 munster has been informed that, although the
T government aud peoPleoGtha country Sympa.
/ thiIe with the OnbAns, the neutrality laws Nill
be eniarced, The government has beon selling
surplus arms 10 all parties without distineii iiOn
aakiug no questions as 10 thVT Ialure use,