The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-06-17
NOTES FROM WASHINGTON.
The Southern Forts.

WASHINGTON, June Ia.
The war department Is supplying all the
forts on the Southern Atlantic coast with the
| newest patterns of seacoast ordnance.
Ex-President johnson
left for his home in Tennessee to-day. In con-
versation with public men, Mr.. johnson has
announced that he will support the nominee
of the Baltimore Convention, though he has a
preference In candidates.
The Case OF DR.. Howard.
Our government is In daily expectation OF
receiving Information Of the release Of DR..
Howard. It has made no imperative demand,
as has been stated, to that end, but long ago
instructed our representative at Madrid 10
neglect no occasion to urge In firm but respect
full language his release.
Duty Amid the Clouds.
Observer Sergeant Schseffer, of the Signal
service, has received orders 10 hold himself
in readiness to make balloon ascension from
Boston on the fourth pro&imo, ior the purpose
of scientific observation of the upper air cur
rents. The ascension Is to be the 6rst Of
sfhf solution ff 81 questions in relation to erlal cur
rents.
The Official Exodus.
Another member of the cabinet silently stole
away last night, leaving Mr.. Delano the sole
official representative now at the capital. Sec
retary Robson LETT last night to join his wife
in New York, and is expected 10 be absent
some lille time. As consequence upon this
departure, the navy department Ia added to
those which have been, during the present
week, deserted. Following closely the exam
ple OF the cabinet, the bureau officials are com.
mencing preparations for summer vacation.
No More Bnyonets
As the habeas corpus clause OF the Ku-KluX
law was not extended, and as no pretext ex-
lists for sending United States troops into the
Southern States, the war department now or
ders all available men 10 the. plains, TO pre-:
vent, If possible, an Indian outbreak this sea-
son. Many OF the regiments now on the IRON
tier are far from complete, and all recruits
are used TO fill these regiments 10 the requir-
ed standard Nearly every day o hundred OF
more recruits are ordered TO the plains,
those ordered West to-day going TO the sixth
regiment, now In Dakota
The Cotton Tax.
The exact status of the bill to refund the In
ternal revenue tax on cotton ls the subject OF
general inquiry from parties both North and
South who are interested In lis passage. The
bill Is still pending action by the ways and
means committee of the House. and will be Re.
ported by them early In the December session.
Both houses have been committed to Its pas
sage, and particularly 10 the unconstitutional
ty of the tax The defeat OF the Morrill, amend
ment to the deficiency bill was the first indica-
tion in favo. of the proposition TO refund. the
great bulk of The cases brought before Inc
Court Of Claims are cotton claims, and the
fight against the amendment was made direct
ly in the Interest of the cOtton-producing class.
The next or second and most conclusive evil
dence OF The feeling In the premises is to be
found In the fact that the amendment to the
omnibus bill prohibiting the secretary of the
treasury from collecting the Two Genus per
pound tax on cotton judgments obtained be-
fore the Court OF Claims was passed by an al
most unanimous vote OF both houses, both par
ties accepting and committing themselves to
the position originally taken by Mr.. Dawes and
others, when the tax was fret Imposed, that 1t
was Unconstitutional.
Postal Changes,
The postofflce department is now preparing
to carry into effect such OF the changes maze
by the new postal code adopted by Congress
last week as require special action on the
part oil the postmuster-general. The more
important changes are these: The Drancn
postoffices in large cities are made money
order offices, and assistant postmasters au-
thorized TO sign mOney-orders In the absence
of the postmaster. FIVE cents Is now the lee
for money-orders of ten dollars or less, instead
OF ten cents, which has heretofore been the
minimum fee. married woman Is allowed
10 be postmaster, and Is declared 10 be feme
sole as to her official character. The rate OF
two cents for four ounces on newspapers, &C.,
Is changed TO one cent on two ounces
Clothing for non-commissoned officers or
prIyates 10 che United States service may be
sent Of one cent per ounce. Individuals are
allowed to place in postotflces. private boxes
for their mall matter. One of the most i'm
porLant features TO the public generally Is the
authorization Of the one cent postal CARDS LOT
correspondence or for printed circulars, slmi-
| lar to those which were introduced In Great
Britain some wears since. The price of the
card and stamp will be one cent. II postal
card of q private manufacture Is nsed, the
regular three cent postage will be collected.