Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-04
EVENING STAR.
DOUBLE SHEET.
Washington News and Gossip.

ident authorizes q contradiction of the state
ment telegraphed from here and pu blshed in
New York paper Of YESTERDAY, relative to the
proposed retirement Of Mr.. Fish and the ap
po'niment Of Mr.. Evsrts an his successor.
STATE OFFICIALS IN LOUISIANA REMOVED
FROM FEDERAL POSITIONS An official dis
patch received here this morning from New
Orleans, states that all the custom house Of
metals there who are employees or members of
the legislature have resigned, been removed. OF
been suspense ed from their custom house duties.
The SOUTHERN CLAIMS COMMISSION yester-
day went to Alexandria for the purpose of
taking the personal testimony Of Mrs. Anna
NJ. Fitzhugh, an aged and feeble lady, in sup
port Of her claim for So 900 worth OF timber
alleged to have been cut from her farm near
that city during the late war.
PRRsoNAL.-Genl N. P. Chapman was at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York, THURSDAY.
THE Harrsonburg (va.) Old Commonwealth
mentions the severe illness of Representative
John L. Harris. .--GenI Sickles, u. 8. Min
lister to Spain, wife and son. have engaged rooms
at Nice for the months Of February and March.
THE MEXICAN BoRpER CoNMrssIoN.-Col.
Thomas p. Robb, president OF the commission
to inquire into the outrages on the Mexican
border, has received instructions from the Qoy-
eminent to proceed to Brownsville, Texas, on
OF affairs on the Rio Grande, together with
such suggestions for congressional action as the
circumstances may appear to require.
NAVAL OFPIcRRsTRANsFsRRH
A. w. Cassell has been ordered to the Norfolk
navy yard. Midsbipmen Henry L. Stockton
has been detached from the Lancaster aud
placed on waiting orders. BOatswsin Herman
placed on waiting orders. Boatswain Ansell
Keen has been detached from the Sarauac ard
ordered to return home.
GEN. BUTLER THINKS he has made a discov-
cry about the receipt that ames Brooks showed
so triumphantly in the House as given to his
SON In Law (Neilsonl for money he paid for L;s
Credit Mobiier stock Butler SAYS that unless
his eyes deceived him, and he thinks thev
DIDN'T, there was no revenue stamp on tn AZ
paper, which would bring its date down TO a
receipts.-SprinGfeId Repub'ican Special.
REDUCING THE INTERNAL RRyENUEFoRrE.-
The work OF reducing the number of assistant
assessors under the internal revenue bureau is
progressing rapidly. On the lst of Decem,,r
last there were LIZ in service, and on the at
OF this month Lilo, showing a decrease or go
during the month OF December. Most OF TIE
REDUCTION thus far has been in the western
states, but as soon as the fruit distiling closes
winch Will he about the latter part OF this nontn
large reduction in the force will be made i'm
the southern states, where the fruit distiiler;es
are located. Ia one district alone in that see
ton there are over 800 revenue officers en-
plOyed. The entire force of assessors and as
s,e,sHs wiz oe dispensed with by the first of
July under the new law.
THR SPEAKERsH1P QUESTION is already ag;-
tated in political journals, whether by the sug.
gestion OF Mr.. Blaine or not I do not know. bat
presume he has nothing TO do with it. He is
SO sure OF being re- elected speaker that he can
not reel q very deep interest in the current
gossip about the subject The fact IL. that on
the whole Mr.. Blaine does so admirably in the
speakers chair that he need have no feais OF
~ Ia
and he Is so thorough q politician that he some.
tunes resorts 20 the arts of politician to ACCOM-
Iish BIZ objects; but there is nobody In this or
the next Congress who can begin 10 take his
place az q presiding officer. His immense
energy controls the turbulent House, ami la
patches the public business, when a man OF
more feeble will would certainly break down
Mr.. Maynard would never answer, Though
nothing can be said against his character NJ.
Wheeler of New York would make good prs
siding officOr, but he will not run against Mr..
Blaine, who Is an old and tried friend of bis
Mr.. Dawes has no ambition i'm that direction
but Is content with his chairmanship of the
ways andmeans-" Van" IN Springfield Repub-
hcdn.
OUR FINANCIAL PRosPECTs-The Reduction
Of the Public Dett.-The small increase OF the
public debt, as shown in the statement for De-
cenber last, has caused considerable specula-
ton as to the cause, and the probable prospect
for the future. he main cause of the increase
referred to is found in the reduction OF taxation
u
So, goo 900. This decrease in our revenues which
took effect at the close OF the last fiscal wear
has OF course had, and viii continue to have,
its effect on the public debt. And here it is
proper to state that this reduction Is abeut
$4,000, 600 In excess of the amount recommend
Cd by the Secretary Of the Treasury, who is of
ly be q small increase in the public debt. This
he does not believe will recur monthly.
On the contrary, it is believed that If there
government, that the increased efficisncy in
collecting the revenues, and the large decrease
OF expenditures in that direction will tend to
ton made by Congress. 1t Is also expected that
the public debt st atement for the current month
will show areduction Of about 81 ,oO0 900, pro-
vided the revenues keep mp and expenditures
are not extravagant. The public should under
stand that Secretary B0utwell's monthly ex-
hibits are never "doctored" to suit political or
other exigencies, but are accurate and honest
statements OF the national debt. The increase
exhibited BY the last statement might easily
have been changed into decrease by tempOra-
rily suspending certain large payments, or by
anticipating the revenues II the government.
but the Secretary steadily refuses to avail him.
sell OF such subterfuges, as he desires the debt
OF the public finances.
AMATEUR THHArRIcALs.-Andn now that 1
am speaking Of western men, 1 will tell of an
entertainment at Senator Logan's house last
evening. The Generals daughter and few
other young ladies, styling themselves "Ths
Amateurs" prepared for representation the
little play called ''Ladies ct Home" or "Gen-
tlemen, We Can Do Without you,b and when
fully up In their parts invited . few friends TO
enjoy the presentation. The Young ladies had
Irregular printed programme, which ANNOUNCE ed
the characters as follows
Lady Antidote.........-.......Miss Kate Thompson
Lacy Miss Forney
S Me. Miss Logan
Mrs Lsnient. Miss Ella Thompson
Mns rim '''.....'.....'............ Miss Hall
Tableaux Vivants-Miss Grace Farvell, Master
w. Farwell, and Master NJ. Logan.
IL WAS dihcult to discover In the elegantly
atfired ladies whose roles were for the time
assumed-the II and II year old daughters Of
some OF the spectators present. Had the enter
tainment been public would say "the perform
ers covered themselves with glory" a it il
can say each young lady was perfectly ct homo
IN her part, and the small, select audience wa
thoroughly satisned with their reuderinas. Some
81 the Amateurs betrayed marked talent In this
their drst effort, and Miss DOllio Logan va
especially bright and natural in her role Isfer