The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-12-29
BY TELEG GR APH.
Exclusively for the Register.
by the Pacific and Atlantic Line.
Office, ITO Main Street,
W TON.
to BE Oyerhauled
About the yirginius.

the Democratic Senators in CRITICS.
ing unsparingly the Administration
in the Virginius affair. Mr.. Schurz
Is said to be Of the opinion that the
Administration will find it difficult
to justify the somewhat precipitate
measures which it adopted, especial
ly when it is considered that we were
not satisfied that we had even q
20rinen Jdcte case, if our authorities
were not really satisfied that we had
no case at all. He is inclined to
characterize as an evidence of weak
ness the yielding to the popular
iclamor on the part of the President
and his advisers. The investiga-
ton into the character of the
Virginius should have preceded
any demands on the part of
our Government, that such demands
might be made in good faith, and
with an appreciation of all they in
vOlved. Secretary Fish, he thinks,
is entitled to great credit for rcSist-
ing the pressure brought to bear up
on him by the President, and the
other members of the Cabinet, who
all showed an inclination to rush
into combat without first ascertain
ing whether such course would h"
advisable or justitiable.
The grounds upon which Senator
Sumner will question the wisdom of
the Administration in this affair are
said to be in the main similar to
those given above. The recklessneSs
with which the public funds have
been expended to prepare for a war
which would have the effect to
very much weaken, if not over
throw, Il sister republic struggling
for existence, without having good
reason ~ lnl'rvr TINT Il war would
be Necessary To settle the dispute,
will also, it is believed, receive Mr..
Summers attention at the first OPP
portunity.
| Shellabagcr as SickIcS' Successor,
| The rumOr that the Hon. Samuel
Shellabager, of Ohio, will be chosen
as Sickles' successor at Madrid, has
been revived; and this time seems
have good grounds for its prObabil-
ity. Mr.. Shellabarger himself, there
is good reason to believe, has no Of
fetal information that it is the Pres
ident's intention to confer this hon
or upon him, but in well informed
circles it is asserted with positive
emphasis that he will be appointed.
He is regarded, both by the Presi>
dent and Secretary Fish, as n man
peculiarly fitted for the place by his
statesmanlike qualities, culture,
abilities, and the former experience
which was had ut the Portuguese
Court to which he was accredited
Minister for several years.
Raid on Illicit DiStiIcriCS.
Commissioner Douglas received
the following letter this morning:
NASHVILLE, Dec. -, 1878.
SIR Il am just in receipt of a tel
egram from Collector Cooper of the
Second district of Tennessee, who is
now on raid on Illicit distilleries in
his district. We have destroyed
these illicit distilleries, seized their
copper stills and fixtures, two thous
sond gallons of mash and beer, forty
bushels of meal, some hog, two oxen,
one wagon and harness and cap
tured ole prisoner. Advices receiv-
ed from Collector Wilkins, of the
Third district of Tennessee, states
that lie has broken mp nine illicit
distileries, capturing among other
things 295 gallons of beer and one
hundred and thirty fermentinG tubs,
fifteen hogs. :wO mules and one
ho rse.
[Signed. kREAB, Supervisor.
Hon. Caleb Gushing Appointed I,Ai.
tstcr TO Spain.
The selection by the President of
Hon. Caleb Gushing to succeed Gen.
Sickles at Madrid has created consid-
erable surprise here. In convefsa-
ton this evening with the Washing
ton representative of the American
Press Association Mr.. Cushing said
that his first intimation Of the matter
was from the President to-day, who
formally stated that he had conclud-
ed to make a change at Madrid and
asked if General Gushing would ac-
cept the place. Mr.. Gushing stated
that he would accept the place al-
though he did not desire it, as he
would have to lay aside his profess
sion to do so, and that course was
distasteful. He declined to give his
view at length, Oh the ground that
at present his position was delicate.
He had been told that he was select
ed for the nomination, yet the NOM
ination itself could not be made un-
til after the recess Of Congress. The
following is brief sketch of his life
and public services, as stated this
evening by himself:
He graduated in 1Sl7, from the
college at Cambridge, Mass, and
was admitted to the bar in lS22,
after five years of continuous study;
he practiced law till 1874. when he
went to Europe and spent ten years
in travelling in 1885 he was elected
a representative in Congress, and
served eight years; in 1913 and
1874 he was United States Minis
ter TO China, returning in time to
serve in. Mexico during that war as
Colonel of a Massachusetts, regiment
and as Brigadier General of volun-
teers in 1851 and 1852 he was on
the bench as Justice of the MaSsa-
chusetts Supreme Court and in 1858
was appointed Attorney General Of
the Cnited States, by President
Pierce, serving in that capacity un-
til March 1857, during the years from
1857 to 1865 he served several terms
in the legislature Of his own state,
and in 1891 presided over the mem