The Portland daily press., 1877-05-04
THE PRESS.
GFrom the Maine State Press of NAV 3. 1871
History Of Seven Days.
The News for the week ending Wednesday
Might, May ..

number Of pension agencies throughout the
country has been considered by the administ7a-
ton, and that the number of such agents will
be reduced to twenty. There are now about
fifty such agents.
The Cabinet was in session two hours Tuesday
and discussed various subjects, one of the most
important being proclamation convening an
extra session of Congress. The suggestion was
made that the session be called to meet June
18th instead of June 4th, as already agreed
upon and the proposition was favorably receiv-
ed, though it was not finally determined
to change the date. The phraseology of the
document was agreed upon. The proclamation
will, therefore, be prepared and submitted to
the Cabinet Friday, when the date will be in
serted, and the impression prevails that it will
be June 15. 1t is understood it will be issued
on Friday after the adjournment of the Cabi'
net.
Several important appointments were also
discussed, among them were one or two foreign
MISSIONS but no action was taken, it being the
desire of the President to take ample time for
their consideration. He did not wish to send
any minister abroad until his nomination was
confirmed by the Senate.
The quarrel between Consul General Seward,
consul to China, and Consul Myers has resulted
in the suspension of the.latter, and he will re-
turn to Washington and prefer charges against
Mr.. Seward.
j. D. Defrees has been appointed public
printer in place of A. M. Clapp.
Isaiah Hanscom removed from the position
of chief of the bureau of construction of the
Cof,r fbo
constructor, but is not to be assigned to duty as
he will be retired the 29th of June, on account
of being 62 years old.
The contest for the New Orlea2s collector
ship has terminated in the appointment Of
Judge John E. King. Judge King was judge
of the Supreme Court of Louisiana, under the
Kellogg-Packard regime, and gave place to ex-
Congressman Spencer, who resigned his seat in
the House under an appointment from Mich
oils.
The appointment of ex-Gov. Noyes Of Ohio
to be Minister to France has been agreed upon
and he has formally accepted the position. He
will not sail for that country till his nomination
is confirmed by the Senate at its approaching
extra session. No one has yet been selected
for the Austrian mission, though several gen.
tlemen are named in connection Herewith,
among them ex-Gov. Fletcher Of Missouri.
The Vienna exhibition quarrel between Min
lister John Jay and Commission Van Buren
has been revived. President Grant vindicated
Van Buren by appointing him Consul General
to Japan and recalling Jay. Now Jay is in
favor with the administration and has accepted
place in the New York Custom House Com
mission, and Van Buren is to be dismissed.
The following are the eastern places and the
amounts recommended by Engineer Humphreys
for river and harbor Improvements: Bridge
port river, Conn.,, amount appropriated $10,-
600; Southport harbor, Conn.,, $4,000; Little
Naragansett Bay, R. L, $1,000; Penobscot
river, Maine, $4,000; Belfast, Maine, $4,000;
Kennebec river, $1,000; Boston harbor, balance,
$4,000.
The coast survey office is now fitting out two
parties to complete the survey of the coast of
Maine. The first party will be under Lieut.. Ma
son on the steamer Endeavor, and the other un-
der Lieut.. Hawley on schooner Ernst. Another
party is being fitted out for marking off shore
tidal current observations in that locality, and
will be under acting master Robert Platt of the
navy with schooner Drift.
TdE SOUIdEhN QUE5IlON.
Pending the question at issue in the Supreme
Court, touching the title to state officers, in
South Carolina, Governor Hampton had decid-
ed to seal up the offices SO that neither party
should be in possession until the Supreme
Court has decided who is lawfully entitled to
them. The Republicans Tuesday, by counsel,
went into the Supreme Court and moved to
withdraw their answers from file and consent
ed that judgment be entered in favor of the
plaintiffs. After the entry of judgment Gov.
Hampton issued instructions to remove the
seals from the several offices. They will be
transferred shortly as some of the details Of
the transfer will have to be perfected and
receipt given. The work of transferring the
treasurer's Office will probably occupy a week
or ten days.
Hampton has written a message breathing
peace and good will The Legislature is exam
lining into the conduct of Judge Wright.
All is quiet in Louisiana Nichols is in full
possession. Packard has issued farewell ad-
dress.
CRIMES AND CAUSULTIEs.
A train jumped the track on the Chicago,
Alton & st. Louis railroad Monday night, the
engine was overturned and four men were
crushed beneath it.
Mrs. James Hurd, living in Weare, N. b.,
killed her little boy Sunday while in fit of
insanity and then hung herself.
A terrific thunder, lightning and hail storm
was experienced at Springfield, ILL.,, Friday.
Trees were uprooted, houses and barns blown
down and innumerable panes of glass broken
The loss is many thousands.
The Union Banking Company of Philadel-
phia has closed its doors as it has been discov-
cred that the cashier, James A. Hill, has de-
faulted for over $4,000. The bank goes into
liquidation under an assignee, but it is said
that depositors will be paid in full.
A portion of the roof Of the New York post
Office fell Tuesday, killing two men and injur-
ing several others.
An old feud eliminated in a terrible tragedy
at Delcalt, Kempen county, Mississippi, Tues
day. On Thursday last John w. Gully, q
prominent Democratic citizen, was waylaid
and assassinated. Upon the afidavits of two
negroes several alleged conspirators in the
assassination were arrested. Tuesday after
noon large party of men fred upon the pris-
Oners, killingJ. P. Gilmer, A. Mcclellan, John
Chisholm and David Rosser, and mortally
wounding VIM. w. Chisholm. All were white
Republicans, except Rosser, who was Demo.
crat.
BRIEF MENTION.
1t is feared that the withdrawal of the troops
from Alaska will be followed by Indian dep
relations. General Fairchild re-
fuses to divulge the contents of Tweed's con-
fession.--Action has been brought by the
District Attorney of Utah to test the citizen
ship of Geo. @. Cannon, delegate to Congress
from Utah, who it is claimed holds illegal nat
uralization papers.--There was frost in
many parts of Alabama Monday morning
The Democrats elected their municipal ticket
in Montgomery, Alabama, Tuesday, by a large
majority. managers Of the Eastern
railroad lines from Chicago have instructed
freight agents to increase the rates on Eastern
business on the basis of 40 per cent. to New
New York for fourth class freight.
Shaffer has decided against Ann Eliza Webb,
Brigham Young's nineteenth wife, in the matter
of her divorce suit and disallowed all her claims
for oil haa