, 1873-12-29
Attorney General Williams
Still in Suspense.
The Postnaster.G General Wants
$1, 900.
An Effort to Save the Sinking Fund
Appropriation
Secretaries Richardson and DclanO
Want 10 Change Places.
Lieut.. Fred Grant Handsomely Pro"
vided For.
Speculntions Upon the Spnuisll
Demand.
Spccf7, Dispatch to The Chicago TRIBUNE.


Special Dispatch to The Chicago 1rfoune
TIE s1AK1Sa FUSD.
WASHINGTON, D. e., Dec. 2B.-rho PROPOSE t
tiou to drop the appropriation for tho sinking |
fund tliB year will meet with strong opposition.
lilo argument is used that, under TIN laws, this
nnnnn appropriation is contemplated; tfat It Is |
part Of tho security upon tho faith Of which |
our bonds haro bcen purchased and That to full
to make tho appropriation would bo regarded aa
squirting toward repudiation. Bon Butler is ,ln-
dvrstoo1 to intorse tho proposition.
ACCOUNTING FOR THE CONTINGENT rusDs.
In Wow Of tho Developments that nro making
with regard to tho expenditure Of tho various
contingent funds for tho private usc Of Govern
1nant oslicins, inquiry ia mnle as to a good
method BY which Congress and tho people may
havo information each year al to what the OK
ponditures Of tho preceding year woro for.
There can be no good ronaon Why overy item Of
the Gorornment'B expenditure should not be
accounted for, as is douo in private buHi1,ess.
The publication oil Huch a,ls1al reports would DO
expensive, hut the knowledge TINT tho exhibit
must be inado would check unlawful appropria-
ttonB BY ot1icints, whereby large sum OF
| money would undoubtedly be aasod. The
plan suggested by Con. Col,l,rn, Of In
dunn, n tho Republican caucus is moro
| favorably regarded now that q moro
pressing necessity for 1t has boon shown, tlaan at
first. II Department officials woro compelled to
account to tho proper Commtteoa for their OK
paudit,irca. tic Houae could then frame appro-
pration bills with an Intelligent idoa of what
thoy woro doing, while tho ehaures for pilforug
would DO very materially reduced.
~ REDUCING ExrESsEs.
| Iile statement ia 11,blisled that tho cBtimates
! of tho Chief Engineer nre to bo Cit down by
TINT officer from 500, 100000 to $3,000,000, mud
| thut this affords good evidence that there ia
| to he 4 reduction OIL all hands, M
demanded by tho exigencies Of tho
times. The fact is, TINT while it has not been
usual to very materially reduce the estimates in
any other branch Of the Government, tho Cliof
Engineers recommendations have mover leen
considered as moderate US they ought to bc, aud
there Is seldom an instance where luis estimates
are not cut down from 90 to 30 per cent. Army
officers, who make tho calculation Of amounts
necessary to mako or cou,plote public improve
mcnts demanded by the commercial interests Of
tho country do 10 with view to constructions
and improvements Of the most elaborate md
permanent character, und do not
| nttempt to look at the coat from IN economic
point Of view. They soon to take it for granted
TINT it is the duty Of Congress to SEQ that tic
amount appropriated ia not too largo. The ro~
auction Of tho present estimates Of tho Chies
Engineers Office from 800 900 900 to s3,000,000
would DO IN actual reduction, III view OF what
Inns been tho custom, Of $12, ,5o0,U00. The River
and Harbor bill, ,.shcl is lnado l1p from tho Chief
Engineers report, was last year for littlo moro
than 81 000, ,0O0 md was similar in amount to that
Of the preceding your. ANY atte1npt to make
capitnl out of thin wonderful contemplated re-
auction is. under tl.e circumstances, absurd.
FnED CHANTS NEW Ass1aN,EST.
| Lust winter, when Fred tirailt wns sent out to
Chicago to displaco tho gallant Con. Forsytho on
Shoridan's Stnn tho I4icutonant-Gencral felt
constrained to explain. N general order TINT
sourg Grants title Of Lieutenant Colonel was
only . local rank, to 10 dropped whenever ho re-
mntlon, probably believed what he wrote. and
expected that the promise would ho fulfilled, but
recent ovos goes TO- t. sh9% so.;st ;;1e whilo 'is
,, poses. This is not .na unssaal WY
Tor tic Clef Magistrate to treat
Ills snbordinates in matters concerning tho VOL
faro Of n member OF HIS own family. III the faco
, | OF Shoridan'a ortor ho hns ordered Frcd to
Washington, and appointed him mastering a:.<l
disburring officer with the rank and pay lie oil
ioyctlw whiie anlernborof tho e]iontennnt Generals
military famiiy. The only a9ty expected Of tl,e le
|
tho office boing performed by competent otticei
:, holding lower rank and drawing small pay.
This notion of tho President in Of pieee witt
U tho withholding Of Gen. Porter'a resignation
Not satisfied with having g own Halary doubled
he l,nB taken advantage Of hiR great oftico t.
Jump hia Bon from Drevet SccolM!-Licntonant te
14e,itenant-C Colonel, witt, corresponding increase
# Of pay.
= DELAho, R1u1gAnpYoS, A1D TIE PRESIDENT.
o The rumors which haye prevailed for the laH
II f0rty-efght hours with regard to contemplated
e Cabinet changes, by which Richardson and De
10 ano would exchange places, are believed to har'
thcr origin In the fact TINT Delano IL and tla' I,
bcen very anxious to become Secretary Of th
/. Tronallry, aud that Richardson is dlsposel t.
assent to tho arrangement az something bette
than /. dismissal from tho Cabinet altogether
;, = between the two worthless, who only checho
!, In their pleasing task Of fixing things to sui
"a themselves by the circumstance that tn
~ ~ rresident is not Disposed to conseut to It, Gen
several subject since he first bucauo President
tho tinaueos among othe1s,-and does not Dc
vire NJ Secretary Of the Treasury ons WHO ally
llua views which might occasionally conflict Will
those OF his ExGollency. Delauo, unfortunately
in for lis aspirations, las financial views, ali
~ ~ would 10 pretty sllro to htn up for tllnn eve
-; ~ agaust those III his superior officer. llo IL
- second.cousu, or something Of the hott, an
everybody ]tnows low diaagroehb!e ARE 1l tainll
lin aud tho President. niehnrdson
snitt to iuye nude his recommendation for ~
10 creased taxation IN obedicteo to tue President
y, Instructions. Til:s lnay 10 correct. At q
-, events tho President ts understood to DO not
~ favor Of tue cllango. Tllat part Of tho rusnt
49, 49, wllicl, indicates the recall Ut sccnck uppcara
w uye 1so foundation whatever
he THE NEXT CHIEF lusTICE.
o. Among other ,Eo"ting atorieh which la'e 81
timed credcnIc tonight ia ora to the effect ~
tbo prcgiteut Inns assured corta!n Senators t'
III the Willian,s nomiuution will bc withdrawn upe
III the roaEsomblIls Of Courreas. liz IL aa
do to layo accompanied. This aeHstranea vii
nj snothor to tho effect that Ae wonltl hel
on + III tho nan.o Of tho bos. luwyor IN tho cnuntl
20, Tor tlle puco. Tho frsnlh Of 1erry D!aea la'
IN forthwith ,nntlo up tl,o.r minds TINT tlta ea,
ok that Grant Inns concluded to nominate II
ut Tacls The last aas.,ranco was not Inasiu, It
,ta tu,,glt for the purposo Of aliayIng any intau
mutton or senhlbilitles wl.loh Mr. William
., 1nny l,uyo snRsuinca oil account Of tho stranl
III. sh. co,,tluct Of tho hoI.ata with regard to I
s'o .s Nomination., hut w a sort Of pleHgo lo q
~ country Iat which will lofoat Williams III II
NV unlawful ,lse tIlAt !n l,latlo OF his co,atlnGe