Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-03-22
General News Summary
FROM WASHINGTON.


The Assistant Secretary of the United States
Treasury, on the 10th, issued the forty-second
call for the redemption of $40 bonds of 1860
May and November. The call is for S10OOO00O
--57O00o00 coupon and 53,000,O0O registered
bonds-principal and interest to be paid at the
Treasury on and after the 10th of June next. In
terest viii cease that day. -- h.
FREDERICK W. SEWARD, second son of the
late Secretary VIM. Fl. Seward, has been APP
pointed to, and has accepted, the position of
First Assistant Secretary of State under Secretary
Evarts. .ae-. .-s-
IT was understood in Washington, ON the 18th,
that, at the Cabinet meeting that day, a commit
tee of two members Messrs. Evgrts and Schurz,
was appointed to frame civil-service rules for
adoption by the different Departments. ..
MEssRs. EvARTs ScHURz, McCRARY, DFvENsand
hey, OF the Presidents Cabinet, was sworn into
Office at Washington, on the 18th. Secretary-of-
the-Navy Thompson had not yet arrived from
Indiana. Secretary -of-the-Treasury Sherman
was sworn III on the 10th. Postmaster-General
Key took the modified oath. After the members
qualified, a session, lasting an hour and a half,
followed, for the purpose of becoming acquaint-
ed with each other. At the same time there was
some talk upon the policy of the Administration,
but it was only reiteratiOn of sentiments con-
tanned in the inaugural address, The President
gave generally to his Cabinet the conditions of
the Departments as related to him on the 9TH.
The Cabinet officers afterward went to their TO
spective Departments, where they were congratu-
lated by numbers of persons.
THE majority of the Senate Committee on
Privileges and Elections-Mr Morton, Chairman
have decided to make report favorable to the
claims of VIM. Pitt Kellogg to the Senatorship
from Louisiana but it was thought, on the 18th
that the report would not be made at the present
session of the Senate.
In the celebrated case of Chorpenning as. the
United States-appealed from the Court of
Claims-the United States Supreme Court has
affirmed the decision below against the claim
ant The duty devolyed upon the Postmaster
General under the act of Congress is held to be
wholly ministerial, and in sense judicial on
that of any arbitrament.
THE new Secretary of the Navy, R. w. Thomp-
son, arrived in Washington the morning of
the 18th, from Indiana, and, after an interview
with President Hayes, assumed the duties of his
Department.
ly rendered a decision to the effect that the act
of Congress declaring that eight hours shall
constitute days work for all laborers or work
men, etc, employed by or on behalf of the Gov
eminent of the United States" is in the nature
of direction by the United States to its agents
and is not contract with laborers to that effect
and does not prevent officers of the Government
from making agreements with laborers by which
II, /, !, L
eight hours. This act does not prescribe the
amount of compensation to be paid for labor of
eight hours of any other time.
A WASHINGTON dispatch of the 14th saws that
owing to the pressure of applicants for office at
the White House and the Departments, several
Secretaries were already exhausted. Postmaster
General Key had caused a circular to be pre-
pared for r smission to every applicant to his
Depart ., to the effect that the application
would be considered under the rules of the civil
service. when vacancies should occur; but no va
cancies exist at present
Ex-senator ROBERTSON of South Carolina
accompanied by ex-Congressman Wallace, called
on President Hayes on the 14th, and protested
against Senator Pattersons proposition for
election, on the ground that the substantial
industrial interests of South Carolina would
be materially damaged by such election. 1t
was further stated to the President that
none of the Republican members of that State
had been consulted on the subject, and, there
fore, it was in the nature of an independent
proposition the part of Senator Patterson
stimulated, perhaps, by Gov. Chamberlain. 1t
stated in Washington, on the 14th, that
the Democrats and Conservatives of Louisiana
and South Carolina opposed to a new
Gubernatorial election and that the President
would not encourage such action unless both
parties favored the proposition. The Admins
tration had not matured any plan. 1t was fur
ther stated that it seemed to be agreed by COM
mon consent that the entire Louisiana question
should go over without discussion to the next
session of Congress.
AMONG the nominations sent to the Senate on
the 18th by President Hayes was that of Freder-
ick Douglass to be United States Marshal of the
District of Columbia.
JUDGE MAcKEY, of South Carolina, had a brief
interview with President Hayes, on the 10Th, and
read him a telegram from Gov. Hampton, in
which the Governor said the project of new
election was an insult to the people of the State
and to himself. The Governor stated that he
did not wish to be recognized; what he desired
that the troops be removed from the State
House; then the viii of the people would be car
ried out peaceably.
THE Secretary of the United States Treasury,
the 18TH issued the forty-third call for the
demption of $40 bonds of 1865, May and No
vember. The call is for S10,000,000, principal
and interest to be paid at the Treasury on and
after the 18th of June next. Interest will cease
on that day. EHsE