Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-09-07
EVENING STAR.
Washington News and Gossip.

w oculuStUu NoWS duu OUSSlps
INTERNAL REvENUR.-The receipts from this
source to-day were 7s,7s5.4s.
Col. ROBERT NJ. DOUGLASS leaves for New
York this evening
SENATOR WILSON arrived in New York yes
terday from Europe on board the Cuba.
The SToRrsHIP RELIEF has arrived at the
navy yard from New York
THE CLERICAL FORCE of the Department of
Agriculture will be reduced during the present
month, it is said.
A LETTER recently received from Genera,
Spinner's party says they intended to leave
Liverpool on the steamer Oceanic to-day.
THE PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT haschanged
its financial agency in London from the firm of
Barring Bros. s. Co. to the American firm OF
Cooke, Mccullough & Co.
JOHN McGARIGLE, Of Baltimore, has been
appointed by the Postmaster General a special
agent at large on mail depredations, at a salary
OF $1,000 per annum, and 80 per diem for
expenses.
TRANSFER OF CoIN.-The Treasurer of the
United States to day made a Geographic trans
fer Of $500, 600, in coin, from San Francisco to
New York, through the Bank of California.
MR.. THEODORE F. GATCHELL will resign his
his clerkship in the Second Auditors Once to-
morrow, and enter at once upon his duties as
Sanitary Inspector General Of the District of
Columbia.
HON. FRANKLIN CoRwIN, of illinois, declines
the use Of his name as a candidate for the re-
publican nomination for Congress in the Sixth
District, to fill the vacancy caused by the resig-
nation Of Hon. Burton C.. Cook.
THE ESTIMATED COST OF assessing and COL
lecting the internal revenue in the District Of
Columbia during the present fiscal year will not
exceed seven per cent. of the total collections
which will probably amount to $4,000.
APPOINTED BY THE PREsIDENT.-John " L.
Pruyn and Charles II. Marshall have been ap-
pointed by the President commissioners from
New York to the Centennial Anniversary Cele-
bration of American Independence, to be held
in Philadelphia in 1876.
THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS has Just
rendered decision in favor of the application
of David Eynon, of st. Louis, for patent for a
spike machine. The decision is of Importance
as it determines that independent machinery
not connected by operating mechanism. may be
patented in combination.
The CIVIL SERVICE CoMMIssIoN-Opisio of
the Attorney General as 10 It's Poscers.-When the
Civil Service Commission adjourned in July
last, questions were submitted to the Attorney
General as to the power of the Commissioners
to prescribe qualifications for applicants in
certain grades, to civil service positions. Mr.
Alderman has prepared the opinion, which he
intends to submit when the Commission reas-
sembles. With regard to questions relating to
prescribed qualifications, he holds that while
Congress can by statute limit the Executive
choice for public Office, by prescribing that no
one shall be appointed who has not passed an
examination, ii cannot by statute limit his con-
stitutional power by requiring that the success
full competitor in an examination shall in all
cases he appointed, because this deprives the
PRESIDENT OF all discretionary power. Nor can
the discretion entrusted to the President be
exercised by Civil-service Board of Examiners
The Constitution requires the appointment
(Which includes the selection of the person) TO
be made by the President, the heads OF Depart
ments or the Courts. The ATTORNEY General
regards the military and naval appointments as
not coming within this clause Of the Constitu-
tion.