The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-05-14
WASHINGTON
Appointments.

AppOyutmentss
WASHINGTON, May 13.-The President this
morning appointed Jackson Schultz of New
York, Commissioner to represent the govern
ment at the international exposition at Vienna
vice Van Buren, suspended. VIM. Simpson of
North Carolina has been appointed consul at
Paris.
The Secretary of the Navy said to-day that
from all he could learn the Polaris would pro-
badly be able to reach some extreme northern
port; but if after allowing reasonable time
she should not do so, a vessel will be despatched
in that direction with the object of relief or of
obtaining information The Department will
do all in its power for the safe transit to the
United States and thescomfort of the survivors,
whose names have just been reported.
Treasury Balances.
The following are the Treasury balances to-
day: Currency So AT 232: special deposits of le-
gal tenders for redemption of certificates of de-
posit $28,020,000; coin $74,153,061; including
SOS, 543, 200 in coin certificates; legal tenders
outstanding 1851, O24,855.
- Idle Rumor.
A letter received by the Commissioner of
Indian affairs from the agent of the Sacs and
Foxes in Iowa, states that there is no founda-
rion whatever for the report that those Indians
have put to death by torture or starvation one
of their number as punishment for murder
Various Matters.
The Secretary of the Interior to-day decided
that the ST. Vincent extension of the St. Paul
& Pacific Railroad Co., is entitled to the lands
in controversy between that company and the
Northern Pacific Railroad Co., at the point
where the said roads intersect each other near
Glyndon, Mimi.
President Grant, accompanied by Gen. Bah.
cock, left to might for New Haven. ~
Tomorrow will be presented to the Mount
Vernon Ladies Association at Mt. Vernon, the
celebrated picture of Gen. Washington before
Yorktown, by the late Rembrandt Peale. Mrs.
Rosabella Underwood, his daughter, will make
the presentation.
The Western Congressional Convention.
ST. LOUIS, May 13-The Congressional Con-
vention assembled at noon. Mayor Brown
the convention was not for the purpose of in
fluencing them or committing them to vote for
any project, but for the purpose of submitting
to them the plain practical needs of the West.
Hon. Henry I. Blow then delivered an ad-
dress on the general object of the conference,
in the course of which he said cheap transpor-
tation was the great thing needed The coun-
try is threatened with railroads over which pas
sengers and freight can be transported in all
directions; but feeling has grown up in this
valley, as well as in other parts of the country,
that there are existing combinations on the
part of these corporations against the interests
of the producing classes. He then paid a trb-
ute to the railroad system of the country, and
urged generous treatment of these great repre-
sentatives OF capital, labor and enterprise. He
said he who would unduly impede their pro.
gress would soon learn that the march of pro-
gress and of American enterprise cannot be
arrested by prejudice or ignorance, and that
our plighted faith can never be disturbed by
senseiess reputation or the schemes of narrow
minded demagogues. As remedy for these
real or supposed combinations, he proposed
competition and to carry out the competition
he asked congress to give the country nation
al water Syatem, equal to our railroad system
the result Of which he said would be the ad-
miration of the world. He then referred to
the products and resources of the Mississippi
valley, and said st. Louis was destined to be-
come the centre of the iron trade of The world
and that within twenty years Texas will pro-
duce more cotton annually than is now export
ed from the whole country.
Hon. E. o. Stanard, member elect to Con-
gress from the first district of this city, spoke
on behalf of the Merchants Exchange of st.
Louis, and on the commercial interests of the
Mississippi valley. The speech was lengthy
and abounded in statistical information bearing
upon the productivcness of the country and the
great demand for increased and cheaper facili-
ties for transportation.
Gov WOodson was introduced and gave the
members a warm, fraternal welcome in behalf
of the people of the State.
He also referred to reports which have gen.
eral circulation to the effect that this meeting
had some political significance or purpose
This he denied in toto, stating that no one had
an, such design, and saying that the strongest
desire and highest ambition of the people of
the city and State is to see all parts of this
great country, united in fraternal bonds, bound
by common interests and sectional feelings and
animosities put aside forever He then entered
into some interesting statistics regarding the
agricultural and mining wealth of Missouri