Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-03-28
EVENING STAR
Washington News and Gossip.

| GovBRNMENT RECEIPTs.-Internal reve-
nue. to-day, sl27 ,96i Ga; customs, SIG, 1876.
| ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT in the case
| of ex- Secretary of War Belknap Will be pre-
sented IN the House on Thursday.
| GIN. FITZPATRICK NOT Boss TWEED
| BOSTON, March 27.-77o The Editor Of the Ecen-
ing Star, Washington, ID. c.: II you and your
| friends desire the presence of Gen. Fitzpatrick
| In Washington you can find him easier man
| you can Boss Tweed. FITZPATRICK.
THE SAFE BURGLARY MATTER Il. c.
| Nettleship, who was indicted for completely
| in the Harrington safe burglary conspiracy,
| but who could not be brought here for trial.
| is now In the city, and will appear before
| the House Judiciary Committee to morrow
| with Michael Hayes and others. and give
testimony IN relation to that matter
THE DANA NoMINATIoN.-The adverse
report of the Committee on Foreign Rela-
lions on Mr.. Dsna's appointment as minis
ter to England was called up in the execu-
tive session of the Senate yesterday by Mr.
Cameron, who, together with Senator Nor
ton, spoke In opposition 20 his confirmation,
while Senators Frelin ghuysen and Boutwell,
took the opposite side. No vote was reached.
The HEADsToNES INVEsTIG ATION.-Tae
House Military Committee are still inves:i-
eating the contract Cor headstOnes for ma
ttOnal cemeteries. TIE chairman says that
tie published accounts OF the testimony
alleged BONANZA" does not exist except in
the imagination of some persons. The COM
mittee are ready to hear Gen. fitzpatrick.
THE CENTENNIAL APPROPRIATION
The Pre- sideDt sent 10 the House yesterday
a message asking for an additional appro-
priatiOn for proper representation at the
centennial. He enclosed with 1T a cOmmu-
nicatiOn from the president of the executive
board setting forth the necessity of the APP
propristion: The papers were referred 10
THE BELKNAP IMPEACHMENT.-The in-
parchment sub committee of the House Ju-
dietary Committee held a private meeting
at General Hunton's parlor last night Gen
eTai Hedrick was examined, but not fully,
and he will be called again. The sub-cO.n
mittee decided at this meeting to make their
report To the full committee this morning.
THE PAYMAsTER GENERAL BILL.-In
the Senate yesterday Mr.. Burnside, from the
Committee on Military Affairs, reported
back without amendment his bill TO restore
APP OlntmentS and promotions OF the pay
department OF the army. The act repeats so
much Of section 1874 Of the revised statutes
as applies TO the pay department of the
army, al restores the rank of Paymaster
General to the grade of brigadier general to
cate from the passage of the act.
CONFERENCE.-The Senate Yesterday
confirmed the following nominations: John
A. Bently, of Wisconsin, to be Commi ssioner
/ OF PENSIONS, wee CDaS. X. Gill. resigned.
| Gilbert r. Farnum, OF \. Y, to be agent and
| consul general at Cairo, vice Frederick Nor
| ley declined; David J. Baldwin, L. S. attor-
/ ney for the eastern district OF Texas: ChaS
| n Miller. L. s. marshal for Kansas, vice
Tough, resigned; Daniel ChOate, 10 be post
| master at San Diego, Cal, vice Durham,
| deceased.
| CHARGES AGAINST Elk COMMISSIONER
SMITH.-At the session OF the sub commit
tee on Indian Affairs yesterday, Beauliu an
iaslYT
| missioner T.. 2. Smith, while agent of that
| tribe, and before he became Commissioner
| OF II dian Affairs, acting a. agent of LOTing
| * Fletcher, purchased scrip from the Indians,
paying for it with goods belonging TO the
| government, and, after his appointment as
commissioner, sent Miss Cook TO the
| der To square his accounts, which she sue
| cetded in obtaining through false representa-
| tons.
THE SPENCER INVESTIGATION. - The
| Senate Committee on Privileges and Elec-
| tiO1s continued the Spencer investigation
| to-day. The first witness examined was NJ
| Z. Blue, of Montgomery, whose testimony
was of no Importance. Mr.. Ben De Lemas,
| OF LOwndes county, testified that he never
saw any money paid by Senator Spencer To
anyone, but Mr. Whiting gave MIN SIS and
| he gave IS of ii to MeTriweatheT, a member
| from wilcox county, aud kept 81 himself
| Did not know that the Wilcox members
| were opposed to Spencer. Merriweather
| came 10 witness and said money was being
| paid out by Spencer and his friends to mem
money didn't come S to s sH W " @a fol u
him he would see he was "fixed." Saw
Whitirg. he (W1 did the talking TO Merri-
gave SO to II. Merriweather vot,a for
spencer. Several questions asked by Gen.
Morgan were ruled out. He then said he had
no new witnesses to-day but would have an
Of them here Thursday and would close his
case on that day in two hours The COM
mlttee then adjourned until 10 o'clock Tnurs-
day morning.
IMPORTANT DE- G. SION on THE ENFORCE
MENT ACT.-The Supreme Court OF the
United States yesterday rendered opinions
in the long pending cases appealed to IL from
the states Of Louisiana and Kentucky re-
spectively, Covering alleged offenSes unier
what is known as the enforcement act passed
by Congress under the fifteenth amendment
| To the Constitution. declaring that "all cltl-
| Zens OF the United States VINO are or shall be
Otherwise qualified by law TO vote at any
| election shall be entitled and allowed TO vote
theTeat without distinction of race. color, or
previous concitiOn OF servitude,' &c. In
both cases the Supreme Court seems to have
avoided a direct decision a. to the con- titu-
tona'ity OF the act in question, in the Louis
lana case basing its consideration upon the
vague and defective character of the counts
q the rdictment, and decTeeing accordingly,
| ard IN the Kentucky case deciding that the
| act itself is not appropriate legislation. This
VIII practically render the enforcement u
dead letter. IN some of the cases waich
are yet to come before the court the dec sion
OI The question OF conStitutiOnalitv can
hardly be avoided. The Mary land cases viii
enable the court 10 get AT and over this most
important issue.
POSTAGE on THIRD-CLAsS MAIL MAT
! TER-After considerable tinkerIng In COM
mittee Mr.. Hamlin yesterday reported back
| to the Senate his bill fixing the rate OF post
| age on third class matter, and for other pur-
poses II makes mailable matter OF that
/ class embrace pamphlets. occasional publ
cations, regular publications devoted pri.
marlly to advertising purposes, or for free
| circulation, or for circulation at nominal
| subscriptions, prices current, catalog les, an
| nuals, hahdbills, posters, Hnsealed circulars
/ prOSpectuses, books bound or unbound, book
| manuscripts, proof sheets, maps, prints en-
| cravings, blanks, flexible patterns, sam
! pies. merchandise, sample cards, phono-
! graphic paper, letter envelopes and wrap
lers, cards. plain and ornamental paper,
| Photographic representations, seeds, cut
| liHgs, bulbs, roots, scions, &C., not exceei-
ing four pounds in weight. For this matter
| the postage Is fixed as follows For all dis
| tanoes of GOO miles or less, one cent for each
! ounce or fractional part thereof; and for all
H.