The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-01-14
Washington Items.

w WAsHINGTON, Jan. 13.-The report
Of the operations Of the detachment
of the Fifth Cavalry, operating in the
Eighth District Of Virginia, shows
that forty nine illicit distillaries have
been visited, % stills destroyed and B
seized. About 120 gallons of brandy
were seized, 400 gallons of low wines
destroyed and 20 men arrested during
the raid upon illicit distilleries, last
ing 46 days. during which over l, 600
miles were travelled by the cavalry.
The President, to day, made the
following nominations: I. G. Phelps,
Collector of Customs at San Fran
cisco; @. S. Cooper. Surveyor Of Gus
tons at Memphis, Tennessee.
There seems to be an inclination in
the Ways and Means Committee to
reduce duties on all sugars. The
Committee have agreed to change the
duties on lumber from dd UdloreDs to
special, retaining substantially the
present duty. The Committee will
probably not report the tariff bill for
a month.
The Custom receipts last week were
$50, ,333. .164.
Private adyiees from jackson indi-
cate the election for United States
Senator's from Mississippi, of Mr.. Ec-
clestcn and Gen. Ames.
WASHINGTON, January 13-The
Army Bill prepared at the War De
partment, entitled An act to reduce
tue army" provides that all Regi-
mcents of Cavalry, Artillery and Ia
fantTy shall have the same number of
officers. The Secretary Of War i
authorized to assemble board Of
three general officers 10 examine fully
the qualifications and general fitness
Of all officers who may be numeri
cally in excess Of the organization, or
waiting orders, and recommend for
transfer or appointment to Office suclr
Of the number as may be determined
en- by the board, best fit, as well in
view of previous active service, as
| continuing willing 10 do duty to fill
the same.
A report is to be submitted to the
President, who, If he shall approve it,
will make appointments and transfers
by and with the consent Of Senate, Of
all officers not recommended, to be
separated therefrom. and cease 10 be
officers Of the army.
The present provision Of the army
laws, that seven per centum OF Off
GERS may be retired, is to be repealed. +.
and hereafter the number shall be left
to The discretion of the President.
provided the whole number retired
shall not exceed 250.
Gen. Logan's bill introduced to-
day, adopts The above mentioned pro-
visions, adding, that all officers mus
tered out, shall be entitled to one
years pay aud allowances. The Off
ces of General AID Lieutenant Gen
eral shall continue only as long as va
cancies may occur. Brevet rank is
abolished, and officers as to title, are
to be confined to their proper grade.
The regular pay is fixed as follows
General $l5, 900; Brigadier General
s., 600; Colonel $500; Lieut. Colo
mel and Major &. 800; Captain mount
ed -, 600; Captain not mounted
81 800; Adjatant s., 500; Regimental
Quartermaster 81, 500 Z irst Lieuten-
ant mounted 81 600; Second Lieuten-
ant mounted 81 800; Second Lieu
tenant not mounted 81 400; Chaplain
/ 81 POO. The pay Of Aid De Camp 10
| Major General, $500; pay Of Aid De
Camp to Brigadier General, $3.50, and
Acting CommissaTy, 800 per annum.
In addition to the pay of rank, the
above schedule, IS to be in full of all
cOmmutati0n and allowances.
The Postmaster General to- day sent
a communication to the House, In
reply to a resolution, enclosing a let
ter from Senator Ramsey, in which
the latter says he spent 1924 gold in
necessary expenses during his stay In
Paris of several months, including
payments for ocean telegraph mes
sagcs, &c. lie is sure his expenses
were in excess Of this amount The
clerk received $1,000 gold, and an
other person 81 500, for interpreting
and translating during the postal
negotiations. The Postmaster Cen
eral says there is no express authority
TO appoint special agents. His gen
eral authority is to superintend the
welfare of the Department. This.
however, has always been cOnsidered
Postmaster General. aud is so rocog-
nized by the act Of July 9th, 1886.
At the meeting OF the members of
the bar of the Supreme Court Of the
United States, a committee was an.
pointed to draft resolutions relative
to Secretary Stanton, to be submitted
at another meeting next Monday.
The Senate Committee on Foreign
Relations has not yet taken action on
the San Domingo treaty.
+ WAsHINGT0N, January 13-The
+ Postmasters of the various cities held
an adjourned meeting at the Post
Office Department to-day, and re-
sumed their expressions of views
relative to reforms and improvements
in the service. Nothing is likely to