The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-08-20
DICK THoMPsoN's DIPLOMACY.

When news OF 1t reached Washington
it fired up old Dick Thompson so that
it is reported he declared he would put
a stop to the thing, if Mr.. Evarts couldn't.
elbow will you do it, Mr.. Secretary Of
the NavyT inquired an interviewer.
''Do itp replied the old Admiral OF the
Wabash. "Wby, sir, the next time l
hear of a Spanish gunboat banging iuto
our vessels, Phi slyly telegraph to Jen-
kins, who commands the irUn-clad Thun-
derboIt now lying at Key West, to go
out and sink three or four Spanish craft,
and, if anybody protests, he will swear
he thought they were pirates. II they
should really be pirates, why it will be
feather In his cap; but # they are
Spanish vessels, we win tell spain we
are dreadful sorry, and make hand
some apology. TnaTll fetch 'em to their
senses, reckon" Who knows but the
old Admiral has hit upon a frstrate
plan? We might try it and see.
A 236, ,000-ACRE FARM.
Secretary Schurz has Just made de.
cision that gives the above amount Of
land to the State OF Kansas. When Kan
sas was admitted into the Union In 1851
there was reserved to her for school
sixth section of every township in the
State. Prior to the admission Of Kan
sas into the Union nearly half ner terri
tory had been set apart by The Govern
ment as Indian reservations. Lately
these reservations have been ceded back
to the United States by the Indians,
and the State set up claim tor certain
sections Tor school purposes. An ex-
haustive argument in the case was made
before Secretary Schurz and Assistant
Attorney General Marble yesterday by
Hon. Matt. Ii. Carpenter and Ex-Gov-
ernor Crawford, Of Kansas, alter hear
ing which Mir. Schurz decided that Kan
sas was entitled to the land in question.
The decision Is an important one, as it
also settles similar claims to be made
hereafter in regard " nearly every In
dian reservation, and will cost the Gem
eral Government millions Of acres.
BAD FOR NEW ORLEANS.
The committee, examining into the
Custom-house affairs OF New Orleans,
make the discouraging statement that
in former years its business was one
hundred aud fifty per cent greater than
at present. II also costs larger per
cent. to collect the duties than In many
other cities. More than one-half the
merchandise arriving there is trans
ported in unbroken packages to interior
or foreign ports. The facts show badly
for the present prosperity Of the Ores
cent City. There is TO be an immediate
reduction in the number of employees
equal to twenty-five per cent. Many OF
the employees are incompetent, having
received appointments iOr political SER
vices alone. The Committee insist on a
rigid application ot the new civil serv-
ioe rules to that city.
MIsCELLANEoUs.
Gen. John Mcneil, OF ST. Louis, has
agreed Lo go with Gen. Terry, OF the reg
ular army, to have smoke and a LalE
with s. Bull, Esq. Mcneil was brave
Union Officer, and says his scalp is at the
service OF the country.
Bret Harte will not get the Mission to
China. He wanted it very much, but
MIR. Evarts thinks something is required
10 fill the bill besides the biIity tu write
a poem about All Sin, the Heathen Chi.
nee. SO B. Ii. will have to loot his own
bills when he visits the "Flowery King
dom"
Gen. Boynton, Of the Gazette, is out
in another article in the Washin gton
papers in reply to Moore's charges oi
bIackmail. Boynton says he can con-
vict Moore of perjury, and promises
some racy documents shortly. The
squabble promises to become interest.
ing pretty soon. INCINNATI.