The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-11-16
Washington Items.

w WASHIEGTON, u. u, n OVemDeT 10
Several gentlemen In high official
positions denied to day the truth Of
the report that the President has re
called Minister Motley, and instruct
ed him to turn over the affairs Of the
legation to Secretary Moran and the
EUeRing Star says it is authorized By
proper authority to state that there is
no truth in the report. Ii may be
added that Motley has been waiting
several months for the arrival of his
successor, and consequently has not
| initiated any measures of importance,
nor is such his intention with the
British Government.
The President has appointed VIM.
| @. Ebert Pension Agent at Macon,
| Mo-. vice John Z. Clements removed,
and George E. Webster, Pension
Agent at Fort Gibson, vice Alex.
Clapperton, removed.
The report, which was current to-
day, that Representative Loughridge,
of Iowa, had been offered and has ac-
cepted the appointment Of Commis-
sioner Of the Land Office is untrue.
Jay Gould, President of the Erie
Railroad Company, wrote to the In
ternal Revenue Bureau that he has
learned that an assessment has
been returned for supervision
against that Company for the tax
on gross receipts and earnings, al
legged to have been expended In the
Constitution, and asked that the As
sessoF might be instructed to afford
every facility for presenting such facts
as are necessary to be stated in the
II. - r. 1a FO krI
payment of the tax assessed, Accord
ingly the Assessor of the Sixth New
York District was instructed to pro-
ceed in the investigation, which had
already been commenced, according TO
the provisions of section IA of the
act Of July 1864 as amended, which
would give the company ample facili
ties for presenting all the facts they
may desire, bearing on the eompany's
liability to tax, and the Assessor was
instructed to take all the steps neces-
saTy for making the proper assess
ments.
The Internal Revenue Bureau has
written to Assessor Lathrop. at Alba
ny, respecting the assessment Of tax
upon what is known as the 40 per
cent. scrip dividend declared by the
New York Central Railroad Compa
ny in favor of the stockholders. The
Commissioner says due regard for the
interests and the right of the Govern
ment forbid that the assessment
should longer be delayed.
The reports of the Naval Courts IN
relation to the cases of the several
paymasters charged with irregularity
or defalcation, have been forwarded |
to the Secretary of the Navy, but |
their action will not be promulgated |
until the remaining cases be disposed |
of, which will not be for a month.
The War Department to-day issued |
an order approving the proceedings |
of the recent court martial at West |
Point, in the case of Cadet James |
West Smith, and its finding upon the |
first charge against him, of conduct |
preiudicial to good order and military |
discipline, by creating a disturbance |
in camp, and BY assaulting Cadet |
Wilson with his dipper and fists. |
The sentence for this offence is that |
Cadet Smith walk past, under the |
charge of a Cadet sentinel, from 2 4
PM, until retreat, full six consecu- |
tive Saturdays, is disapproved; Score
tary Belknap coneurring In the opin-
ion of the Judge Advocate General,
that it is better the sentence should |
be disapproved, than that the sane
tion of the Government should be |
given to a punishment so utterly insult |
ficient. Cadet Smith is acquitted of the /
second charge, of conduct unseemly |
in an officer and gentleman in speak
ing disrespectfully to the file during |
drill, August 18th; and the Depart
ment approves this finding, accepting |
Smiths written explanations, though |
it is evidence as to his intentions In |
thus spea king, that it hardly amounts
to q reasonable doubt, which would |
Justify an acquittal. The order re-
leases Smith from arrest and dis
solves the court martial.