The Portland daily press., 1877-10-09
WASHINGTON.
The Liberiau Ministry,

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8.-A large delegation of
colored citizens had an interview with Secre-
tary Evarts this morning, and urged the ap-
pointment of Morris Chester of Louisiana as
minister to Liberia, in place of Milton Turner,
who is about to retire. Chester is also endorsed
by Governor Hartranft of Pennsylvania, of
which state he was citizen before he removed
to Louisiana. Evarts promised that the matter
should be considered.
Visit of the Judiciary to the President.
The Judges of the Supreme Court, headed by
Chief Justice Waite and accompanied by At
Mansion today and paid their respects to the
President. They were received in the red par
Tor, where the ceremony took place.
The Speakership.
NEW YORK, Oct. Sit is stated in connec-
ton with Speaker of the House that 10 Demo-
Gratis have formed a combination to hold the
balance of power. They are said to be admir-
ers OF President Hayes, and desire the House to
be organized and the committees constituted on
a basis agreeable to him, but still within the
Democratic lines.
A Washington despatch says the President
prefers Southern Democrat instead of a
Northern as Speaker of the House, as he con-
siders it would be an additional indication of
the extinction OF sectional jealousies
The Patent Office Fire.
The board of inquiry appointed by Secretary
Schurz reported today that the fire in the Int.
rior department was not caused by incendiaries
or poataneous combustion. They find that
fire was built Of pine boards and.a blower placed
over the CRATE in the ladies' copying room in
Ninth street basement on the morning of the
day the fire occurred, and that section of
wooden grating covering the gutter on the roof
was set on fire from sparks or cinders which
came up the f1ue against which it lay.
Workmen completed temporary roof over
the west wing of the Patent Office today. The
work was to have bfen pushed during the night
by the aid of calcieum lights, but heavy rain
prevented. Canvas and oil-cloths however
have been plact over the uncompleted portion
and little damage is apprehended.
New Classification of Mail Matter
A. Fl. Bissell of the law division of the Post
Office Department, who for a long time had
charge of the controverted questions
concerning what constitutes legitimate news
paper mail matter, has addressed a commune
Cation to the Postmaster General on sthe sub
ject of the classification of postage suggesting
new plan, the new registration of second Glars
matter under two rates, to be denomiDated
privileged" and ordinary" These sugges-
tions were today approved 10y Postmaster Ger
eral Key and will be incorporated in his forth
coming annual report. The plan proposed is
that ali publications. claiming to be rated as
second class mail matter shall be submitted to
the Department by samples quarterly or semi
annually for examination, and if found to be
matter exclusively in print issued from regu-
puUHCdtiOH UIlCo ueSlSueQ lOT puDIC use,
and devoted to the publication and discussion
of current news and topics either general or
specific, shall be admitted upon the payment of
an annual fee of ST. for each publication to the
privileged rates" of two or three cents per
pound, according to the frequency of the issue,
the same as are now charged for regular news
papers and magazines. All other matter now
embraced or sought to be embraced in the Sec
ond class, such as advertising sheets, reprints
of books, &C., is to pay the ordinary rate now
charged for third class matter, which is one
cent for each two ounces The foregoing plan
is understood to be also commended by the
postmasters of the vari us principal cities, in
Guiding New York, Philadelphia and Boston.
Various Matters.
The report that new counterfeit of $1,000
greenback issue of 1869 has been made is iucor-
rect The counterfeit alluded to is on the $1,000
greenback plate made by the American Bank
Note Co 1862 1t contains portrait of Rob-
ert Morris and 10 vignette.
The Commissioned General of the land office
has received intelligence from the special agent
of the department in Minnesota that the first
suit tried under the timber depreciation laws re
suited in a verdict for the government There
are nearly 200 suits in Minnesota alone. In
three suits lately brought in Colorado the
amount claimed OF the depredators is $275.000
Prior to the bringing of these suits there was
one seizure of 100000 ties worth one dollar
each. Two of the above mentioned suits are
against railroad companies, each involving
100000, and one against mining company
for $75,0000