Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-04-11

GENERAL SHIELDS, whom the democrats re
fused to elect dOOrkeeper of the House, was
on the floor of the House today and received
particular attention from the democratic mem-
berS.
MAIL ROBBERY.-The Post Office department
has received information that mail train
was robbed last night eight miles east of Dal-
| quent in that state.
SENATOR BURNsIDE'S COLORED RECRUITS
were crowded out of the morning hour again
| by Mr.. Sargent's anti-Chinese resolution.
| Senator Booth spoke in favor of it.
FAVORABLE REPoRTs-The Senate commit
tee on post offices to-day agreed to report fa-
vOrably on the nomination of Chas. E. Eddy
to be postmaster at Toledo. Similar favor
able action was taken on the appointment of
Justin Z. COlburn as consul general to Mex
leo, by the commerce committee.
SENATOR DENNIS, AND BLAIR's REsOLU-
TION.-SenatOr Dennis, today, presented the
Joint resolutions of the Maryland legislature
on the Presidents title. The Senator dis
Sented from the prOpriety or wisdom of re-
opening the issue, and made an eloquent plea
for paclfcatiOn. They were referred to the
Judiciary committee.
Col. RUFUS INGALLS,, Assistant Q. NJ g., u
5. A, will be relieved from duty in the mill
tary division of the Pacific, and will report to
sion of the Missouri, to relieve Lieut.. Col S. B.
HOla bird OF his duties as chief quartermaSter
OF that division.
IHE VENEZUELAN CLAIMs.-MeSsrS. Hamil-
ton, FOrney and Kellenger, subcommittee of
the House foreign affairs, to whom was re-
1erred the question of the Venezuelan claims
to-day agreed unanimously on a new COM
mission, and the full committee will vote at
an early day.
N O T-Spn1tpr fnp
re-Opening the New Orleans mint was passed
by the Senate this morning.
VIRGINIA COMMISSIONER TO PARIs.-The
President to-day appointed c. H. Harris, of
Virginia, an honorary commissioner to the
Paris Exposition, he being nominated to the
position 10y the governor OF that State.
The MYSTERY about the death of Represen-
tatiye Leonard, of Louisiana, seems to thicken.
When the body arrived at WeStcheSter. Pa, it
was carefully examined by eminent physi-
clans from Philadelphia and Washington who
assert that he did not die of yellow fever.
THOSE p. o. D. DISBURSEMENTS. In ex-
pianatiOn Of the disbursement of the con-
tingent fund for the Post Office department
for the fiscal year ending June 50, 1877, in
regard TO which we published an item i'm Tues-
day STAR, ii is necessary to state that in
addition to the $4,000 which was appropriated
under the usual headings for that year, so, 900
the new basement story, and the disbursement
OF that amount extra fQr carpets f;irnifura
miscellaneous itelus. &n Sc necessarily made
The expenditures under those headings largely
exceed what they would have been in the
regular appropriation. In short, sl00OO
was ADDED under a part OF the head
ings, and under many of the headings there
was not dollar OF the $4,000 expended.
Also, in explanation of the item for the pur-
chase of horses and harness in THE STAR of
last evening, it may be stated that they were
tYlNas .1,I
carriage. Also, that of the money expended
for plumbing, &c, since July !, 1871 over $500,
exclusive OF $3.50. % for fire alarm box was for
securing the archives from fire by partitiOning
the large attic rooms, where tie archives are
stored, into small compartments, with iron
piping leading to fire-pIug at the door of
with attachments to the engine, the CAPACITY
OF which pump is greater than any fire engine
in the city. Also, that the s54 for photographs
was paid for large photographs of the last two
Postmaster Generals, finished in crayOn pro
cured on the order OF the Postmaster General
and put up in his office, where the photographs
OF all the chiefs OF the department have been
hung.
CONFIRMATIoNs.-The Senate in executive
session yesterday confirmed the following
nominations: John w. HOyt, of Wisconsin. to
be governor of Wyoming Territory; Thomas
Adams0n, OF pennsylvania, to be consul gen.
eral at Rio de Janeiro; Thomas nj. Dawson, of
California, to be consul at .Apia, Samoan
),
to be consul at IliOlO; Joshua G. Hall, of New
Hampshire, to be United States District Attor-
ner for New Hampshire Jesse w. Griest, of
Pennsylvania, to be Indian agent at the OtOe
agency, Nebraska. Collectors of customs
VIM: ii. Huse, at NewburypOrt, Mass John
W. Howell, at Fernandina, Fla; Samuel HI.
DOten, at Plymouth, Mass. James Brady, Jr
Fall River, Mass.
TIMBER DEPREDATORs IN IDAHO.-The Sec
retary OF War has transmitted to Secretary
a Of of INIr
Merriam, I'd infantry, relative to the cutting
OF timber on government lands, near Occur
d'Alene Lake, Idaho. This report states that
depredatiOns on large scale are being made
by parties who informed Lieut.. Col. Merriam
that they intended to cut and drive three hun
dred thousand feet of logs, and that they had
no permit to take them from the public lands.
On reporting the treSpaSS TO the U. s. land
agents at Lewiston, Idaho, the officer was in
formed that no civil authority in the territory
was authorized to protect the public lands
from this wholesale pillage. In view of the
fact that a wood and timber reservation NAV
be located so as to include the deprecated sec
tion, me report says that it is very important
that immediate measures be taken by some
authority to stop these operations.
SECRETARY SHERMAN was again at the SUBJ
treasury, in New York, yesterday, and was
visited in the room Of Assistant Treasurer
HillhOuse by number of we-known bankers.
One bank president who was at the interview
said the Secretary was assured of the cordial
cooperation OF the banks IN en0rtS Tor the re-
sumption OF specie payments, but declared
that he could say nothing more in regard to
the views exchanged.
IT is REPORTED IN SAN FRANCISCO that Col.
John G. Sykes, special secret agent sent out
by President Hayes, has been in that city sew
eral weeks investigating the Chinese ques-
ton. II is supposed there that the Presidents
purpose is TO obtain material for his promised
special message on the Chinese question. Hay.
ing fulfilled his mission, Sykes left for this
city few days ago.
The EXECUTIVE SESSION OF THE SENATE
yesterday was mostly devoted to discussion
OF the case of John w. Hoyt, of Wisconsin,
nominated to diSpace John NJ. Thaver, for
merry OF Nebraska, as governor of Wyoming
territory. General Thayer's removal was pro-
posed by the President solely on account of
his signature of the bill unanimously passed
by the territorial legislature assigning Judge
Peck to district where there is but little
judicial business. Prof. Hoyt's nomination
was reported adversely from the committee ON
territories, but the Senate by very small
majority confirmed it, after debate, i'm the
course OF which the point was made by men,
berS OF the Judiciary committee that Professor
HOyts rejection would not secure General
ThayerS retention, as the President has power
TO remove governors of territories with or
without the acquieScence OF the Senate in such
removals.
BIENNIAL SESSIONS OF CONGRESS MIR. Pot