The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-29
WASHINGTON.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~c~>~~~~~
Return of the President to the
National Capital.
Business Of the Southern Claims
Commission.
Fatal Illness of Ex-senator Mason,
Of Virginia.

Of Virginia.
Changes in the MAXINE
Revenue Service.
WASHINGTON, April Is, 1871.
Return of the President.
President Grant returned to washington this even
Ing from his visit to the West.
Southern Claims Commissioned Character of
Claims 10 BE Adjusted.
No public business was transacted before the
Southern Claims Commission to-day, the Commits
si0ners being engaged In private conference upon
the cases in which the witnesses have all been ex-
amDed and the testimony closed. Numerous appli-
cations have been received under the late rules to
have the necessary testimony In support Of claims
taken by local commissioners at the cost o.
the claimant, as provided IN the rule, but no
decisions on such applications can be made for
few days, as the Commissioners have yet to fix upon
and designate suitable persons for the taking OF tes-
tmOny at various points where such agents will be
needed, and TO settle upon such mode OF taking tes
timony as viii be least expensive to the
claimant and best protect the government
interests involved. 1t is already apparent,
from the character OF many OF the
claims filed and the testimony taken in public
sion, that the limited time and the labor Of the
Commissioners are likely TO be ncedlessly taken up
and much money spent, hopes entertained and
anxiety created useessly by claimants through
miscOncepttOn OF the class of cases that Congress
intended should pe settled by this Commission. It
is considered best for the claimants to satisfy them
selves first Of ALL not only Of their ability to prove
known loyalty throughout the war, but that such
nrnn a Loot Tvs ak nv orh nv
ity Of persons whose official position, or whose par
ticuar situation at the time gave them the right to
take It.; or else that the property taken went, be-
yond question, into the service Of the government,
and not into the individual possession Of officers or
soldiers not authorized nor ordered, compelled
by necessity, TO take private property for public
uses. Gases OF unauthorized depreciation by the
United States troops, or OF damage to the property
caused by the presence or movements Of the army
settled at all, must wait further legislation by
Congress.
Critical Condition of w. w. C0rcOran.
There is no material change In the physical condi-
tion Of Mr. W. w. Corcoran. which to-day is con-
sidered very critical.
Illness Of James M. Mason.
Information from Seminary Hill, near Alexandria,
Va, this afternoon, says Mr.. James NJ. Mason is
dying, and his most intimate friends Will be sur
prised his life should be prolonged till morning.
The Japs Emuiating British Diplomacy.
Governor Ito and the Assistant Minister OF FL
nance Of the japanese empire gave an entertain
ment tonight to very distinguished company,
among whom were Secretary pelano, Attorney Gen.
eral Akerman, Acting Secretary Richardson, Admit
raj Porter, Professor Henry, ]. Fl. Saville. Chief
Clerk OF the Treasury department.; General Horace
Porter, R. N. Fish and Others.
Whishey Raids In Georgia and Florida.
The Internal Revenue Supervisor for the District
Of Georgia and Florida reports the total destruction
OF property In his raids Illicit dstilleries in that
district to April l. 1871, folows-Eighty three
Sull worms complete and in position; 100, 24o gal
Ions of beer mash, 1,7s4 gallons low wines. 800 gal
Ions common whiskey, 700 gallons peach and apple
brandy 595 bushels corn meal S79 bushels Of malt;
also sixty Illicit dstilierles suppressed; large num-
Der Of mules horses and wagons seized, and sixty
two distlllers arrested and turned over to the
Deputy United States Marshas.
Characteristic Kindness Of Mrs. Grant Ex-
empined.
On Thursday night last as Mr.. Winfield Campbell,
Of Springfield, ILL.,, was passing through one OF the
streets Of washington, he was garroted and robbed
OF q valuable silver watch and forty dollars in
money. He was on his way home from the South.
ana. being without friends or acquaintances here,
he ct loss to know to whom to apply for assist
ance lie called upon Mrs. Grant, hoping that
she would assist him, and on telling the story
OF his msfortunes she asked him how much he
needed to take him TO Springfield. The amount
named was promptly given, and to assure her that
he had used the money for the purpose sought, he
returned IN half an hour and exhibited his through
ticket to the capital OF Illinois,
Changes In the Marine Revenue Service.
BY order OF the Secretary OF the Treasury the fol-
lowing changes In the stations OF captains Of the
revenue marine service made recently in orders
ISSUED from the division OF Revenue Marine Treasury
Department.
Joseph Amazcen OF the Racer at Charleston, to
Campbell at New London, to the command OF the
Petrol, at Apaiachicoia; Thomas Sands, now waiting
e from ne se M son s fh
Delaware, at MOBILIZE G. L. Chase, OF the Northerner
at Baltimore to the Reso!ute, Key West: Douglass
Ottinger OF the Perry at Erie Pa to the Mahonlng,
Boston; .. =. Warner, OF the Dobbln Castlne, Me-,
20 the Campbell. at New London, Conn; J. G. Bird,
awaiting orders, to the Dobbin, at Castne; John
Carson Of the stevens, Newborn, to the Seward at
Wlmlngton n: O.; Frank Barr o. the Delaware
Mobile, to the Rescue, at Fernandina, Fla.
Designs for tho New Issue or Beer stamps
It's proposed, on the 1st OF July next 10 replace
the present issue of beer stamps with an entirely
new design. models Of which have been submitted
to Commissioner Pleasonton for his inspection.
The series, as at present, win number seven, In
tended for eighth, sixth, quarter third half and
whole barrels and hogsheads They Will be printed
In tns and the cancellation lines ruled in fugitive
inks that any attempt to eace the date viii dis.
color the paper. Samples Of the new adhesive
stamps were also submitted to the Commissioner.
These are printed on tinted paper, and besides the
fore, which viii make the paper distinctive ana
under the exclusive control Of the government, the
cooring OF the paper Is such that any attempt TO
blot out the cancellation OF the stamp any effort
TO clean 1t, either by acid or akall, viii mmed
change the color OF the paper.
Central Branch of the Union Pacific Railroad.
Application has been made by the Central
Branch OF the Union Pacific Railroad Company
10 the Secretary OF the Interior for leave to Ole
q map OF the work ana for the issuing to
this company the bonds and land grants for that