The Portland daily press., 1874-04-13
WASHINGTON.



WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE following i'm
portant amendment to the law relating to re-
tired officers has been favorably recommended
by the Senate Committee on Military AT
fairs:
'That all officers of the army, who have been
heretofore retired by reason of disability arising
from wounds received in action, shall be consid-
sdered as retired upon the actual rank held by
them, whether in the regular or volunteer ser
vice at the time when such wound was receiv-
ed and shall be borne on the retired list and re-
ceive pay accordingly; and this section shall be
construed to include those now borne on the re
tired list, placed upon it on account of wounds
received in action; and that all acts inconsistent
herewith be and are hereby repealed"
The Chandler Libel
This morning Augustus G. Buell. by his attor-
neys, filed in the Circuit Court petition a writ
of ce,atoriori Judge Smell of the Police Court,
commanding him to send up the records and
papers in the case. The petitioner sets forth
that on the I'd inst. one Zachariah Chandler
made an affidavit before Luther G. Dawson,
clerk of the Police Court, charging him with
criminal libel, and that the warrant was is
sued for his arrest on the same day. He was
arrested thereon at about II o'clock p. m. on
the follow ing day, and that on the 7th he ap-
peared and gave bail in $4,000 for his appear
ance. The petition further represents that w
B. Smell is not duly commissioned Judge under
the constitution of the United States, and that
said Police Court is not legally constituted for
lrldl OlicuCcS ny jury anu uudG Tue law OF Ja0u-
AIRY 18th, 1870, does not vest that court With the
right of trial by jury.
Judge Carter said he would be very slow to
decide that the act creating police court is I'M
constitutional. but he would look into the case
and probably hear it on Monday.
Treasury Balances.
The following are the Treasury balances to-
day:~Currency, So, 781, 554; special deposit of
legal tenders for redemption of certificates of
deposit, S53 165, 900; coin, S86 SOL 529 including
coin certificates $35613, 500; outstanding legal
tenders 3o2,0O0000
The President.
WASHINGTON, April 12-Although Presi-
dent Grant is free in the expression of his opin-
ion ON the financial subject, he has been care
full to utter no words that could possibly be
considered as indicative of his action on any
bill which may pass Congress and be presented
to him for his signature.
Naval.
John w. Hogg, who has been employed in
the Navy Department many wears, succeeds
Mr.. Homes E. Of1ey as Chief Clerk of the
Department..
Postal Treaty.
The new French minister has had an inter-
view with Mr.. Backfan, Superintendent of
Foreign Mails, Post Office Department, in rela
ton to postal treaty with France. Indications
are that satisfactory arrangement will be made
between the two countries, although tn e gener-
al features are not yet agreed upon.
Not a Penal Colony.
The attention of the government having been
called to the report that one Rohrer, German
criminal, had been pardoned by the govern
ment of Wurtemberg on condition that he
should emigrate to the United States, Minister
Bancroft was instructed to inquire whether
such was the fact, and if so, to protest against
such action. Mr.. Bancroft has informed this
government that he made proper representa-
lions aud received an explicit denial of any
such action, not only in this case but in all
others, the Wurtemberg government stating
that pardonS are never granted on such condi-
tions.