The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-17
wAsHiNGTON.
FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.

THE CABINET SESSION To-DAY-IMpoRTANT
QUESTIONS TO DE CONSIDERED.
II thought that tho Cabine. will discuss toll morrow
proposition TO remove tho troops Immediately from
the State House at New Orleans This is the impress
sion here tonight among persons usually well In.
formed to the progress OF tho Southern question.
Still another proposition which, II is also said quite
confidently tonight. will DO discussed by Cabinet
3 the reopcning OF the question OF calling
session OF Congress- 1t Will bc remembered that
whrs tho President has ggnihed that the
proposed extra session viii be called
10 met on tho 4th OF June, tho official
proclamation has boon withheld that lies within
his discretion either to foro2o the alto
geher or TO defer the dato for It's sitting until carly In
the fal-say September or October Various reasons
and motives are assigned for this reported intended
change, among them tho belief that the meeting OF
Congress In Juno would BIO attended without any break
in party lincs and tina, the OF the caucus would
insure n democratic Speaker and set OF hoe bound
democratic committees On the ether hand, II is
thought tho movement for dcfcrmcnt OF the extra
session 10 due 10 wish on the part OF tho
President and hts advisers. now that tho Louisiana
question is approaching settlement to remove from
tho business and tho industries OF the country
slagnatng effect OF further occupation the public
mind with political questions An extra session OF
Congress will cost tho people millions OF dollars owing
to the prolonged delay OF business pending the anxiety
10 know whether the Presidents policy viii be sup
ported rejected by Congress II Congress is not TO
moot until the fall winter tho people and
merchants will go to work and drop politics
for good six or eight months Tho resulting benefit
to tho country is something OF vital Importance in
view OF tho critical position OF many business men,
with whom another month OF uncertainty bank
ruptcy and ruin. The ways and means OF supporting
the army the few months following July Will DO
canvassed anew, and II q lawful method OF getting
around ths difficulty be found tho proposition 10
abandon the idea OF the session will receive ad-
ditionaI encouragement
THE NEW YORK CUSTOM HoUsE-LErTER OF
SECRETARY SHERMAN TO THE COMMITTEE OF
INQUIRY.
Tho Investigation OF the charges Of Irregular and
improper, II not dishonest and fraudulent practices
in the conduct OF business ut the New York Custom
House will BIO prosecuted in compliance with the in
structons contained In tho following letter. which
will DO addressed by Secretary Sherman to tho
bers OF the Commission OF Inquiry and constitute
thoir warrant for making the investigation:--
GxxrLxxES-I desire thorough examination into
tho conduct oil business the New York Custom House,
and II seems 10 me proper TO mako such examination
by the aid OF a committee which shall represent tho
merchants, tho officers OF the port and this depart
menI have therefore request you TO net AZ such
committee. This examination will embrace tho iol-
the various branches Of tho customs service at New
York. including Inc Naval Otce Surveyors ONCE and
tho Appraisers department, is 10 excess Of the actual
needs OF the service.
Whether any OF the force employed arc deficient
In proper attention TO business In business qualiaca
tons integrity VI character; tho number OF hours
they employed; whether such hours BIO prop
erly Increased ana whether they are IN any manner
employed In other business.
also desire you inquire tho system Of bust.
moss now in vogue in the Appraisers Department.
whether II DO proved In regard the mode OF
|
sampng, &C. also as 10 the manner In which
pontmcn,s are made. whether Il can DO improved,
and whether the appointments heretofore made have
been made on political influence without due regard 10
efficiency.
desire you to give your careful attention to such
complaints may be presented 10 you to the mode
Of conducting business and to the efficiency OF tho
service TO take them into consideration making
your report upon the general subject involved.
Tho heads OF tho various departments OF tho Custom
House will be requested to give you their cordial
operation in pursuing these inquiries and they Will DO
requested 10 suggest 10 you any changes that may
law aud tend promote tho efficiency Of The service
CIVIL SERVICE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AND
DISCHARGES IN THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
Another severe application OF civil service reform
was madc in the action OF the Interior Department
Board OF Inquiry to-day. twenty-five persons en-
poyed IN tho Patent once dismissed the govern
mcnt service, many OF them upon the aemrts OF work
procured from them during the last few days without
their knowledge that It was to serve basis for the
Judgment the Civil Service Board their discharge
or retention Two lists OF clerks and other employees
were made out by chiefs in the Patent Bureau
one OF such recommended Tor uucond II ional
discharge and OF others who might pc replaced by
others moro competent yet who might be retained
until q further application OF the wedding out process
should render thor dismissal advisable. The latter
was 10 be used as ''altcrnaten list TO fur
nsh substitutes for discharge instead of those
OF the uncondltiona' list who might DO
found worthy to be retained when the Official test
came This was In accordance with the determination
Secretary Schurz that the torcc should be reduced
a certain number at this Tine There wcro two or
three cases In which As' were retained
and altcrnatcs away. Tho session OF the Board
was kept secret, nobody about the department OK
cept three Immediately interested being aware
OF It.
Tho spread of the report that tho Board had been
sitting obtained currency and created profound SON.
sation among the scores OF employees the aepart-
mont, each ono OF whom was trembling through fear
that tho findings OF tho tribunal would bring
him or her taco TO face with dismissal and rc-
movaL Some them realized for the nrst
timc the object the department in TO-
questng them 10 writo letters to tho head
OF their respective bureaus stating the time and
cumstances OF their appointment, tho character OF
work required OF them, &c These requests, which
are understood 10 have been made in numerous In
stances, puzzled tho clerks considerably.
To-day's discharges mako forty clerks employees
altogether who have been dispensed with under tho
new service rules, eighteen having been discharged
from tho Pension Bureau last week. About forty moro
to go from the Land onico few more from the
Indian Bureau.
COMPETITION AMONG THE PATENT ExAMIN-
mo coRIS---A DESPERATE STRUGGLE For
PLACE.
There is a great competition among tho pembcrs OF
the Patent Examining corps tor the place tho bcuch OF
shc Board Of Appeals, examiners In chief made
cant by the promotion Of Mr. Marble to TITO position OF
Solicitor for tho Interior Department. Each member OF
this corps furnished tonight with The following
Instructions which govern tho first days com.