The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-12-30
Latest News from Washington.
Special telegram to the Dispatch.

WASHINGTON, D. c., December 2e.-The
heads of the different Departments will en-
force the rules contained in the recent report
of the Civil Service Commissioners from and
after the 1st of january next, and instruc-
tons to that effect will, be duly promulgated
The Secretary of the Treasury to-day adj
dressed circular letter, to. all collectors of
customs notifying them that after January
LIST all appointments and promotions will be
made in accordance with said rules. He also
informs them that it will be necessary that
they appoint competent persons who are in
the Government service to make competitive
examinations of all applicants, and that the
names of the members Of said examining
board be sent to him for approval.
There is increasing comment on this new
era of official conduct, and some Of the fore
most supporters of the Administration are
disposed to war against it. A prominent
Western Radical senator is already preparing
to make an attack upon the report of the
commissioners.
The monthly debt statement will not ap-
pear until Tuesday next, as the Department
will be closed on Monday.
The balances in the Treasury at the close
of business to-day were Sill, 100000 in coin,
S10,oO0,0OO in currency, and s35,0Oo,000 in
coin certificates.
To-day, in tile Criminal Court, two negro
boys were convicted for highway robbery in
the daytime, and the party robbed procured
a scarch-war1ant for the recovery Of silver
watch taken by his assailants, which was as
certaincd to have been sold to Mr. Shea.
The latter was arrested, but the officers, in
attempting to serve the search-warrant, were
resisted by Mrs. Shea, who drove them off
with pistol and large knife. They shortly
afterwards returned and forced the door,
when Mrs. Shea assailed them, shooting
officer Doyle in the mouth, from which he
bled to death in q few moments after being
taken to a neislboring drug store. Mrs.
Shea was arrested and taken to the station
house. I1MoS..
Weather Probabilities.
Wasu1SGToS, December 29.-The condi-
lions are favorable lot Cne ucFeiOpluellG Vi I'LL
area Of low pressure in Arkansas and Mis-
souri,. moving northeastward on Saturday.
Threatening weather will probably continue
in the Gulf and Southern States, with rain on
the latter coast. An area Of rising harome-
ter, with partially cloudy and clearing wea-
ther, will probably extend during the night
and on Saturday southeastward over New
York and New England.
General Items. ..r.
WASHINGTON, December 29.-Thcre was no
Cabinet meeting to-day. .......
The reported disaster to the Wabash Is I'M
confirmed, and is doubtless false.
The Departments are closed until Tuesday.
The Secretary Of the Treasury has issued
a circular to collectors OF customs to observe
the rules of the civil service commission in
making appointments or promotions.
Thomas d. Long has been appointed post
Office agent for North Carolina.
The number of postmastcrs who will be
subject to competitive examinations is 5,109.
Su-yeyor-General Ewcll, of the Internal
Revenue Bureau, has left for Nashville, where
he is to decide upon the capacity Of still using
cotton seed in mash. This is the first appli-
cation made at the Bureau for q survey on q
distillcry manufacturing whsliey from cotton
seed. h.# ...s......
A policemanin attempting TO serve search
warrant for stolen watch was killed to-day
by 4 woman who had purchased the watch.