Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-12-18
THE EVENING STAR.
Washington News and Gossip.

aS0lngtCn NEWS ana t0sSlp'
GOVERNMENT RECEIPTS TO-DAY. Internal
revenue and miscellaneous, s3o1, 100: customs,
1901, ,10o.
AMONG THE PRESIDENTS CALLERS to-day were
Secretary Evarts Attorney General Devens,
Senators Matthews, Plumb. Randolph, and
Booth, and Representatives Morgan. Ind Fort,
Hayes. Pollard, Clarke, tlowa,) Acklen, Aldrich,
Page. DunDell, LathrOp, Cummings, and Cole,
and stephen Thomof, OF kotel, Bulgaria.
THE DISTRICT BOND BILL INvEsTIG ATOM
The House committee on civil service reform
to-day intended to hold meeting to agree upon
a report concerning the investigation made by
it, Of the alleged fraudulent use Of money to
effect the passage Of the District of Columbia
present. The report will exonerate Me5srs.
BrentanO, Hendee and Henkle. and will be quite
caustic in its condemnation Of the OriginatOrS
OF the charges.
PERsoNAL.-Mr. Charles A. Wetmore, who
has been making a tour of the wine-grOwing
countries of Europe, and given careful study to
the vine disease, which is now the terror Of all
the grape cultuTiStS, has returned and is now in
Washington. '.''GOv. Mccormick, who has
discharged his duties as L. s. Commissioner
General at the Paris exposition, so much to the
credit OF our country, and to the advantage of
our exhibitors, will sail for home by the Ger
manic, of the White Star line Dec 26th, and
may be expected in Washington early in jan
ua1y.
VICE PRESIDENT WHEELER said this morning
that he would not announce the investigating
committee under the Blaine resolutions to-day.
II is with some difficulty that committee will
be made up. All the members of the Judiciary
committee announced in advance that they
decline to serve upon it, Mr.. Blaine has also
declined. The indications are that either Sen
atoTS Dawes or HOar, OF Massachusetts, will be
the chairman.
the final argument on the contested election
case of Frost VS.. Metcalf, OF tie third Missouri
district this morning; each gentleman made an
argument I'm his favor. The case will be re-
ported to the full committee Immediately after
the recess.
DELEGATION OF Pittsburg wOrkingmen
arrived here this morning to have hearing be-
lore Mi. HeWlttS congressional labor committee
PROPOSED NEW CLASSIFICATION OF MAIL
MATTER.-The House committee on post Offices
and post roads have agreed to an elaborate bill
for the re-classifcatfon Of mail matter. The bill
proposes to establish four classes of mail mat
ter. First, written matter; second, registered
periodical publications; third, miscellaneous
printed matter, and fourth, merchandise. The
present rates OF postage for the first class are
left unchanged The pound-rate of 2 cents per
Found on second class matter is retained, and
als0 extended to sample copies. The rate for
books, transient newspapers, circulars proOs-
sheets, and other miscellaneous printed matter
and also for manuscript copy accompanying cor
lected prOof-SheetS, is to be one cent for each
TWO ounces, and the rate for merchandise is
nXed NJ at one cent per ounce or fraction thereof.
This bill Is the one which has been agreed upon
between the committee of publishers and Mr.
Blssell, the representative Of the Post Ofice de-
partment.
THE NEWS Of the death of Justin E. Colburn,
consul general to Mexico, was not unexpected
as he was in feeble health when he left for his
feld of duty. Mr.. CObun, who was for some
years the Washington correspondent of the
New York Times, was held in much esteem by
all who knew him.
SECRETARY SHERMAN AND SENATOR CoNKLING
The attention of Secretary Sherman was calie
to-day to the statement in one Of the New York
pal erS that Senator Conkng had written to
him asking why the removals In the New York
customs house were made. The Secretary re-
pned that he had not received from Senat r
COnkl1ng or the Senate commerce committee
any communication concerning the customs
house appointments.
CONSCIENCE MoNEY.-Through tie White
House, Secretary Sherman has received from
an unknown party $40, with the statement that
this amount belongs to the Treasury. The
money was to-day deposited to the credit OF the
conscience fund.
THE APPROPRIATION for steamboat mail SER
vice for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1879, will
Lc IHSuIllCltiil. IL Is Del1eNeQ, 10 meet the
penses OF the service already contracted for.
Unless Congress provides additional funds
enough OF the service Will be cut off to enable
the P. Q. department to keep within the ap-
preparation.
THE BLAINE COMMITTEE.-A meeting of the
joint democratic Congressional committees of
the Senate and House was held in the Senate
committee room on claims this morning The
ODJect OF the meeting was to select the name of
1our democratic senators to serve on the in
VeStlGatlng committee provided for by the pas
sage OF the Blaine resolution. AS some difficulty
was experienced In naming a minority who
would consent TO serve on the committee it was
declded 10 appoint committee OF three deqlo-
cratic senators whose duty it Will be to choose
the minority for the Blaine committee and send
the names to the Vice-PreSident. He Will an
nounce the committee as soon as the two par
ueS Seect the men whom they desire to have
appointed upon 1t.
THE POSTAL TREATY OF PARIs.-One of the
provisions of the universal postal treaty of
Paris, which goes into effect on April 1st. is
likely 10 cause considerable embarrassment to
the various departments in their foreign CORE
Spon0ence unless action In the matter is taken
by Congress. 1t reads: prepayment of postage
On every description OF article can be effected
only py means OF postage stamps valid in the
country OF origin for the correspondence of pr-
Vate individuals. Official correspondence rela-
1--WE 10 the postal service and exchanged be-
tween the postal Administrations, is alone
exempt from this obligation and admitted free y
Tie erect OF this regulation Is to make il neces-
saly that ordinary postage stamps instead of
Official stamps shall be used by each depart
ment In all its foreign correspondence with the
single exception mentioned. By the act of 1873
to abolish the frapking privilege all official cor
reSpondence passing through the mails was
chargeable with the same rates of postage as
private matter, and by section of the Sandry
civil appropriation bill such postage was re-
qulred to be paid with stamps OF special design
TO be furnished the several executive depart
, mentS at the same rates as ordinary STAMPS.
Regular appropriations are made to enable the
departments to obtain these stamps. In no in
stance have ordinary stamps been furnished
either or the executive departments under the
several acts providing for Official postage.
although the Treasury department in October,
| 1877, and the Interior department, recently
have made application for them. 1t has been
| constantly held by the Assistant ATTORNEY Gene
| raj for the Post Office department that the de-
| partment could under the law issue TO the other
| departments only Official stamps. AS the mat
| tiers now stand the heads OF the departments
Will be compelled to pay, personally, for their
Official foreign correspondence 1t Is likely that
! applications will be made to Congress, especially
| by the departments, which have considerable
foreign correspondence, for small appropriation
| to cover this expense.
| COMBINATIONS. - The Senate in executive
session yesterday confirmed the nominations OF
Eugene Schuyler, OF New York, formerly consul
| general at ConStantinople, to be consul at Biz
| m1ngham, vice SeyellOn Brown, declined; G