The daily gazette., 1877-05-29
FROM WASHINGTON.
Ihe District Paoing Contracts--D Dissqt-
tsfdction Ouer the e,A'oardS-Reduction
of the National Debt, DC. f...., d.


of the National Debt, DC. fa..I r
Special TO the BaltinOrs Suu. ......,.., ......
THE DISTRICT PAVING CONTRACTS.
WASHINGTON, May ga whispered
feeling OF dissatisfaction EXISTS In this com-
munity over the recent awards of paving
contracts by the District commissioners aud
the dissatisfaction is so general that even
the administration organ, the National he.
publican, has felt called upon to condemn
the action OF the commissioners in round
terms. The amount of the contracts let,
which are for the purpose of repairing some
lew OF the bad jobs of the board of public
works in different parts of the city, is nearly
$2OOOOO, and the prices at which they were
gwen out Is $40. 900 or more In excess of
what responsible bidders offered to do the
work The odor of wrong dealing in the
awards Is very strong when IT is known
that it was stated Gays and days beforehand
who the favored bidders were to be. The
favored ones are mostly if not entirely the
old District ring contractors. ..if = 81,
The National Republican charges direct
ly to-day that Gen. Ketcham, who had m
tended to resign as commissioner several
months ago, withdrew his, resignation az
soon as Congress made the $250.000 appro-
priation for the repair OF the streets and
avenues OF the District, and us soon as the
award was made he again rendered his
resignation, which he did 10 President
Hayes on Saturday night last. 1t is possi-
Die that the commissioners may be bame-
less in this matter as they allege, although
why they should pay $40. 1000 more for work
than Responsible people were willing ana
anxious to accept requires a much fuller ex-
PLANTATION than has yet been given.
HAMPTON AND NICHOLAS. ''
Tt la atafad ~, tho aptbo.itv .s.-.k Z.
Of the cabinet that the administration is
fully satisfied that both Cows. HAMPTON
aud Nichols are endeavoring to carry out
In good faith the assurances given by them
that the equal protection of the law should
be extended to all the people of South Caro-
lima and Louisiana.
|. POLITICAL. L.sINEcUREs.
The Treasury Department has awakened
TO the knowledge that good many Of the
appointments in the New Orleans custom
house are political sinecures. An examina-
ton will be made into the matter, which
will result in q reduction of force to the
point necessary to maintain the efficiency
OF the public service.
A oARPET-BAdGER's EXIT.
Information from South Carolina states
that Whittemore, who was one of the radi-
cal State Senators, has fed the State, a.
the recent developments before the Iegisa-
tive investigating committee have suggest
ed the prospect Of prosecution. Whitte-
more has been always one of the very worst
of the carpet-bag birds Of prey. He served
two terms in Congress as the representa-
tive of South Carolina blacks, and resigned
to escape expulsion when he was detected
In peddling West Point cadetships. 1t 10
| said by Whittemore's friends here that
Whlttemore has gone home to Massachu-
| sets.
THE DRAWBACKS ON SUGARS.
il has been determined by the Treasury
Department to appoint new commissions to
take evidence and report conclusions in re-
gard to the drawbacks on refined and i'm
portant sugars at the principal sugar ports
on the Atlantic coast. Included in the
memt ,rship Of the commission will be, in
addition to the government officers, q REM
ner and an uninterested merchant at each
OF the ports. The commission for Boston
has already been designated. The commits
sion for Baltimore has not yet been decided
upon. Tie rate of duties on sugars arti-
fcially colored will also be considered
| rs ATTORNEY GENERAL DRvENs. gn-
| Attorney General Devens has made no
secret of his regret at leaving the bench to
take seat in the cabinet. 1t is understood
as among the probabilities that the Presi-
deut will give him the opportunity TO re-
turn to congenial occupation by appointing
him to the vacant position on the Supreme
| Bench.
REDUCTION oFsTHE PUBLIC DEBT.
1t is probable that the reduction of the
public debt for the present month will
amount to from eight totem million dol
lars. 'i+.' '+t '"