Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-01-11
THE EVENING STAR.
Washington News and Gossip.
GOVERNMENT RECEIPTS To-DAY.-InterEal
revenue, S424, lbs. 223: customs. $393,1l077.

MRS. HAYES will hold her second reception
tomorrow afternoon from three 10 five O'Clock.
PERSONAL Extra Billy Smith, Of Viz
ginia, was on the floor OF the House today.
JUDGE EDMUNDs is to succeed himself as
postmaster OF Washington.
Col. FRANK HOWE, pension agent at New
York city, has rendered his resignation to the
Secretary of the Interior.
The TALLAPoosA, Lieut. McRtehie, com
manding, arrived at the New York navy yard
yesterday morning from Newport, r. l.
Mr.. WOODS RESOLUTION PASSED. The
House. at 2:3O o'clock this afternoon, passed
the Wood resolution reported from the com
mittee OF ways and means for sweeping inves-
legations by the several committees OF the
Mouse.
IN REFERENCE to the newspaper statement
that Secretary SchurZ rendered his reSigna
tiOn to President Hayes because of the non
appointment of Samuel Hays to be postmaster
ut st. Louis. the Secretary says that il is hardly
necessary for linn to deny all the gOSSiping
articles about him, but he declares that he
neither wrote letter of resignation nor
thought about It.
LIEUT.. BULLS, U. :. A, finished testifying
before the House military committee relative
10 affairs OF the Texas border, and left here
last night on his return to his post.
PARDONED BY THE PREsIDENr-The Presi-
dent has pardOned William Cunningham, sen
fenced in Pennsylvania TO IS months impris-
0nment for embezzling money letter. C.V.
ID. LOvejOy, Arizona, sentenced to one year
for the same offence. Nj. j. Meadows. Arkan-
SaS, sentenced to death on the 18th instant for
murder. Robinson Thomas, sentenced to
death on the 18th instant for murder. Joshua
Wade, Arkansas sentenced TO death same day
for rape; sentence cOmmuted to life impriSOn-
ment.
APPROPRIATION BTLS.-Chairman Atkins.
Of the appropriation committee, says that the
naval and fOrtiticatOn appropriation bills will
he ready to be presented to the House in Il
few days.
The TREASURY TEMPORARY CLERKs.-Gen.
Banks, in the House today, endeavored to
have passed a Joint resolution authorizing the
Secretary OF the Treasury to transfer $30,0 900 OF
the appropriation for the Bureau of Engraving
and Printing 10 the Treasury proper. SO as to
enable the Secretary to retain in their places
large number of temporary clerks who other
wise will have to be discharged. Gen. BlOunt.
of Georgia. objected, and the matter was re-
1erTed to the appropriation committee.
A DELEGATION of cigar manufacturers from
New York city are in Washington awaiting
an audience with the committee on ways and
means. to make arguments in favor of the re
ductiOn Of the tax on tobacco from tWenty-iOur
cents to sixteen cents.
THE New AMERICAN CoMEDY.-The success
last night of the play, A Counterfeit Pre-
SENTIMENT" written by Mr.. VIM d. Howells
editor of the atlantic If0RthIy, indicates that
i'll Mr HOWellS may possibly be found the
playwright who is 10 supply American comedy
worthy the name. The dialogue is brilliant,
but the play does not depend upon mere YER
bal fireworks for its effectiveness. For 50
Slight all affair, there is Il curiOuSly sustained
interest throughout. This was partly due
q IN thl tDlsan of hy.
rett'S acting. While developing unexpected
powers aS comedian. he threw into his part a
good deal Of that intensity that makes his
CaSSiuS SO vivid personatiOn. Miss Cum
minis. who has made surprising progress in her
profession. played so well as to divide the hon
OrS with MIR. Barrett. Mr.. Lane was very good
also.
SENIOR Don VICENTE DARDON, who has for
some time represented Honduras in this conn
try as minister resident, has been succeeded
by SenOr Don Jacob Baiz in the quality of
charge daffaires. Mr. Dardon continues to
represent Guatemala and SalvadOra as minister.
OUR TRADE WITH GERMANY.-The consul at
Nuremberg, in his dispatch OF the 18th De-
cember last, informs the Department OF State,
in reply to its trade circular that, in his ODn-
ion, The commerce. between the two countries
would be greatly increased if agencies We're
established In Germany, through which Amer
lean products and manufactured articles
could be introduced. The representatives of
manufacturing firms in this country should be
men OF the first business qualifications. and as
far as possible men OF culture, and care should
be taken that the wares placed upon the mar
ket are fully up to what is claimed for them.
THANKS FROM TURKEY.-The Department
of State has received a note, dated the 18th
ultimO, from Aristarch Bey, Turkish minister
at this capital, containing an expression of
thanks, i'll the name of his country, to the gov
ernment of the United States for the generous
aid afforded by the ladies and gentlemen of
the Society of the Crescent and Cross of New
York TO the wounded of the armies Of his im-
perial majesty the Sultan.
IT Is SAID that VIM. Henry Trescott, of this
city, who has been one of the counsel in the
fishery commission, is to receive an appoint
ment as one of the Judges of the Court of
Claims.
THE REGULARCABIN MEETING to-daywas
unusually short, most of the time being occu-
pied with routine business, including the con
SideratiOn of the findings of q few court mar
tlalS OF minor army officers.
SENATOR EDMUNDS on CIVIL SERVICE RE-
FORM.-SOmetime ago President Hayes wrote
4 letter To Senator Edmunds, of Vermont re-
questing his views as to the administration Of
the civil service. Under date of December
29th, Senator EdmundS replied. He first cites
the history OF the growth of patronage, show
ing how il began that the Executive could
not be expected 10 know the qualifications of
get information from members OF Congress-
The outcome is that Congress has virtually
usurped the constitutional powers of the Pres
ident in making appointments. He says the
system is very vicious and unconstitutional:
that il is injurious to the Office holder in that.
il il does not destroy the liberty of the citizen.
j greatly embarrasSeS it; that it is even more
unjust to the Executive and members of Con-
gresS, 10" the reason that as 10 the Executive
he is likely TO make appointments TO secure
appropriations for special objects or confrma-
lions, and IL Is bad for Congressman because
their votes upon questions of patronage are
likely 10 be Influenced by what the Executive
may do OF will omit To do i'll the matter OF
making appointments. Senator EdmundS
says, therefore. that the present system of in
tiuencng patronage by members of Congress
should be abolished. He says he will make no
voluntary recommendations for Office. and
thinks that Congress should adopt such a SyS-
TEN. but if adopted he wants il tn be abSO-
lutely and uniformly carried out. He thinks
the adoption of such a system would be
great correction of the present evils of patron
age. and that it would make Office holders the
servants of law instead of the tenants at will
of members of Congress or the Executive.
AMONG THE CALLERS at the White House
this morning were Senators FOrhees and Nc
Donald and Representatives Haskell, Field,
COrbett. Aldrich Neal. McCOOk Cox. Ohio
McGOwan. Mckinley. Clark, Iowa kiddsr and