Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-13

ESTABLISHED MAI
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.-The Senate to-
day. confirmed Arthur Colleetor Of New
York, and Douglass Commissioner of In
ternal Revenue.
The Senate to-day confirmed Shelah Wa
ters. as Assessor Of Internal Revenue for
the Sd District of Tennessee.
George Bancroft, Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister Plenpotentiary to the German
Empire, was also confirmed.
The Texas Members.
The election committee has decided that
Clark, Republican, and Herndon, Demo-
crat, are entitled to be sworn in as members
from Texas, pending any contest for their
seats.
Specie Payment.
The House Committee on Banks and
Currency, to-day considered the subject of a
resumption of specie payments. 1t is not
probable that definite action will be taker
on the subject by the Committee until af :.
the holidays.
steambOatmen.
The Executive Committee of
tional Steamboatmen's Conven' tae Ma
bled this morning in this city slon assem-
pose Of taking preliminary tof the pur-
the existing steamboat steps 20 revise
proved so buEdensor avs winch nave
of which Thomas els. The Committee,
Is Chairman. ar Sherlock, Of Cincinnati,
New York. s ID Capt p. S. Osborne, of
was ascerl <cretars, met at II A. N. 1t
was renre 4dHsed that twenty-four States
sIb cor scented. A draft prepared by
nrese Galttee at Pittshurg Nov. u, was
Ne >ated TO Congress yesterday by Gen.
,dey. The Committee find Congress
zen greatly fl, favor of the desired change
4 In the laws.
Radical Cauehs.
The Republican Senators had caucus
this evening on the subject Of a revival of
the committee on retrenchment and civil
I service reform. The debate was free and
uneonstrained both in a nltional and party
view. The question was not disposed Of.
The entire expenses of the census is 3d.
2S7, 900.
The Committee on Foreign affairs won't
act on Gen. Banks resolution % carry into
effect the treaty of Washington, relative to
the fisheries until after the holidays, but n
effort will be made previously to pass a n
appropriation of a quarter of million for
the expenses of the tribunal Of arbitra-
! ton at Geneva.
Delegate Hooper returns to Utah next
week. He favors the formation of State
! Constitution acceptable to Congress, and
preliminary action by that body for the
admission of Utah.
Imports.
The annHal report of the Statistics Bu-
| reau shows the value of imports for direct
consumption for the year ending June 80,
| SIC, OPS; withdrawn from warehouses,
SlSS, S,630,03l; free of duty, $50, 1o2, 400
additional and discriminating duties, $461,-
O9s; total $51S,759,518. Duty thereon,
$50, !, ,446.67.
The House Committee on Foreign Re-
! lations, paid the Secretary of State an Off |
cial visit to-day. The Secretary returned |
! thanks to the gentlemen of the Committee |
| for their visit and friendly wishes, but gave |
no intimation of an intention to resign his /
| Office, his decision upon that subject he said |
must be reserved.
The Case Of r. McPhaiI smith, Esq.
Special to the Cincinnati Gazette
United States District Attorney Smith, of |
Middle Tennessee, who was removed some |
days since for altering bin of exceptions |
so as TO misrepresent the facts Of trial by |
| showing that exceptions were taken then |
and there, whereas this was not actually |
the case, has brought a letter from Judge |
Trigg, saying it is the practice in his court
to consider whatever was deemed an error
in the charge as excepted to at the time,
and TO draw up the bill in regular form
without actually going through the formali-
ty of these exceptions. The Judge also
stated that the bill had been drawn by At
torney Smith In due form, and subsequent
ly committed by mistake. Upon the return
Of the bill from Washington, the omission
was inserted without the design of misre-
presenting the case. Upon this showing |
the President agreed 10 reinstate Mr.. |
Smith, the latter at the same time tender
ing his resignation.
Afraid TO Trust Grant.
Special to the Cincinnati Commercial
The situation in regard to the status Of |
Secretary Fish has changed within day or
two and the question is no longer as to how
soon Mr. Fish viii retire, but rather as to |
how long he will remain. The subject may |
be regarded as settled that the Secretary
will remain in the department at least IN
til spring, and possibly until the close oftbe
present Administration. He has received /
so much support and entreaty lately that he
cannot, with propriety, insist upon his res
ignation. he has been urged to remain by |
the President, bv all the members of the |
Cabinet, by :wo-thirds OF the Senate, in
Guiding some Democrats, and by many |
Of the leading members Of the House, 50
strongly that his native resolution IS dis
PEELED. Il was not from love Of him so
much as it was fear Of his successor that in
fluenced his supporters. Love of Fish was
not the leading element in his suddenly de-
yelOped strength. The question was, shall
we have him, or shall We have one less de-
sirable, and none could answer for his sue
cessor. who know the Executive manner
and the reckless practice which influences |
the appointment Of Cabinet officers III the
present Administration.
The fact is that the Senators feared that |
Grant would disgrace the State Department |
by some such appointment as Akerman, and |
so prevailed on Fish to remain. 1t is a
posIlive fact, the truth Of which need not |
be questioned, for it is beyond question,
that the President, al a time when be felt |
sure that Ar Fish would retire, offered the |
appointment of Secretary Of State to George !
II. Robeson, the present Secretary of the |
Navy. There is no possible doubt Of this. |
The source of it, were permitted to diyulge |
it, would at once establish its authenticity. |
Robson, wiser than Grant, refused the |
tender, because he knew and acknowledged |
to Grant that he was unfit for it.
1t is probable that Judge Pierrepont would |
have been named as Secretary in Mr.. Fish's |
place, but this, considering Grants uncer- |
tainty, was so problemetical that the Secre- |
taries, the Cabinet, and others high in au-
thority, feared to trust the contingency Of |
more Akermans, and Rebesons, and Bel !
knaps. 1t is also positively known that the |
Secretaryship of State was rendered to
George William Curtis, and refused by him |
on the ground that he was not wealthy |
enough to accept the place and fulfill the |
social duties which would be required of
him.