The New York herald., 1878-02-09
Curious Combina tions to De-
feat Williamson.
THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL.
Improvements in the Rivers
About New York.
SENATOR HILL ON TILE SILVER QUESTION
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

WAsHNorox Feb ., 1878.
THE NEW ORLEANS CUSTOM HousL-PRoBADLE
REJECTION BY THE SENATE OF GENERAL
AGAINST HIM.
II seems to be pretty certain ha: the nonipa OF
General Williamson to be Collector OF New Orleans
will DO rejected. The appointment Is undoubtedly
sne OF tho best the President has made, and those
who oppose the confirmation do not say that he Is
either incapable or lacking In character Senator
Eustis for the democrats and Mr. Packard for the
publicans have Joined hands secure defeat on
purely political grounds, and It 10 curious 10
The democratic Senator from Louisiana acting In con-
cert with the republican who Is most strongly dis
nKed oy Louisiana democrats, and cooperating TO
secure tho defeat OF an eminently proper for
important place. The for this singular alliance
IS to be found in the political complications In
Louisiana Tho democratic party there is com.
posed OF two discordant elomonts, which are
made 10 act together with great difficulty. aud
mainly by their dislike and terror Of the
KoloRg-Packard republicans TO put thoroughly
respectable man like General Williamson into the
Collectorshp would the democrats see help to split
up their organization for Williamson, native South
crnsr and a man OF social influence, would undoubt.
edy drag away into new republican party portion
OF the present democrats. Packard, on the other
nand, opposes Williamson because hs and the repub
hcans generally who were connected with the old
kellogs-Packard regime have NO iavors to expect
from him. he has never had any relations with
them. Mr. Packard, moreover, Is not without hopes
OF being nominated Collector II Mr. Williamson Is de-
feated He has the Vice President for his persistent
friends he has tho Endorsement OF nearly all the
pubcans OF both houses here and he would have tho
support OF Senator Eusts at least would have
his opposition, ana would get q good many demo-
cratic votes to help confirm him. tho Bourbon
democrats In Louisiana see that, with Packard Col
lector and Kellogg Senator they could with little
difficulty keep their party together II Is UNDER
stood that Mr.. Packard opposes both Mr.. Williamson
and Mr. Mcmillan, and that n the former rejected
the President will be very strongly urged to nominate
Packard at once, with the that he will be
Immediately confirmed Whether he will consent to
throw frebrand into Louisiana by this nomination
is uncertain, but IL Is very creditabo to ethcr
party in the Senate that q nomination against
which nobody can bring objection the score Of
character or ftness hangs hre, and will probably be
defeated by general consent. Senators say In
that whilo the President keeps Wells and Anderson
In their places In the New Orleans Custo House
they cannot feel much interest what IS called re-
form. They would support entirely new and cloan
slate. which should have the appearance of real
form, but until the President begins In earnest they
are inclined to let matters 90 the old and comforta-
bio way.