Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-01-26

WashingtOn Murat Halstead is at the Arl-
ingtOn. Put this and that together, and 10 )k
out soon for a new reform movement.
THE NATIONAL MusEvM.-The House con-
mittee on public buildings and grounds has
agreed to report favOrably a bill for the con-
struction OF a fire-proof building on the Smith
SOnian grounds, TO be used as a national III. l.
scum, appropriating therefor $2500oo.
THE Hot SPRINGS (AKKANsAs) RAILROAD
asks for the privilege OF changing the route
originally proposed, and for other. conceS-
SiOns, made necessary by this change, and the
Hot Springs Commissioners. MeSSTS. Cragin.
C0burn and StearnS, report favOr2biy on their
request. The matter has been referred to the
Commissioner of the Land office for an express
sion of his views on the subject.
DISTRICT COMMISSIONER BRYAN is in receipt
OF a communication from s. ID. Ward. esq, of
Chicago, receiver for the inSOlvent savings
banks of that city, enclosing a copy of q bill
proposed to be forwarded to Congress for
enactment inte law, ito remit taxes on inSOI-
vent savings banks" and asking his aid i'll its
passage.
The AGRICULTURAL CONGRESS. A con-
ventiOn of delegates from the state agrcul-
tural societies of the country is to be held in
Washington on the third Tuesday of February.
A committee of recognition has been appointed,
consisting of Gen WIG. lie Due, Commissioner
the Department of Agriculture.
THE CHICAGO WHISKY RING.-The Secretary
of the Treasury, in conveying to the Presi-
dent a statement of the civil eases against the
members of the Chicago whisky ring, takes
occasion to advise that they be earnestly and
promptly prosecuted. The defendants have
been released from criminal liability but they
want to be let off from civil prosecution also,
to which MIR. Sherman most strongly demurs.
TrIr- CIR ID
GANIZAT1ON.-Judge Buckner of Missouri
chail man of the silver and anti-reSumption or
ganizatlOn, effected among the members OF
the House, has selected the following as the
standing committees provided for by reSOu-
tionS passed at the first meeting: Executive
cOmmittee-MeSSrS. Oliver of Iowa Phelps of
C0nnecticut, Riddle of Tennessee, Gardner of
Ohio. Ligon of Alabama, Hanna of Indiana.
and a;nidt, Chamers OF Mississippi. Finance com
Evans OF Indiana, Boone OF Kentucky. Mills
OF Texas, Dickey of Ohio. Townsend of lii
nois, and Haskell of Kansas.
CHARGES AGAINST LATE GOVERNMENT OF
FICIALs.-Mr. Columbus Alexander has trans
mitted to the Speaker OF the House charges
against the late Attorney General Taft and
Solicitor General Phillips, touching their
duties il reference to the resolution adopted
by the House of Representatives in 1876. di,
rectng the Attorney General to "insitute
such proceedings as he may deem proper
under the evidence to recover any and all
sums of money due the District of Columbia.
which have been obtained Illegally or impro-
perly by any parties mentioned in said ev-
dcnce Testimony before the committee in
yesligating the late Distrirt government)'
Mr. Alexander states that the report of SDlic-
ltOr Philips, approved by Taft, transmitted 10
the House, was filed with gross mIsStatn-
ments, and that both OF the parties named
were guilty OF an official crime.
CONFIRMATIONS.-The Senate in executive
session yesterday confirmed the nominations
OF VIM. W. Gait, of Va, to be an assistant pay
master in the navy; A. H. c. Hooper. of
Maine. to be agent 1Or the Indians at SiSSeton
agency, Dakota: and number of postmasters.
including y. L. LOSe at Cincinnati
CHANCES OF PASSING THE SILVER BILL IN
THE SENATE BY A TwO-THIRDs NOTE.-rhe
vote on the adoption of the Matthews silver
resolution in the Senate yesterday. (which
lacked only one OF two-thirds, has elated the
silver men, and they claim that when a vote
| on the silver bill is reached, there is an as
| This seems not unlikely. An analysis of YES
| terday,s vote, which was 43 yeas to % nays.
! shows that the silver men have 43 sure les
for the bill to begin with. Then there is to be
| added to this the four Senators paired. who
! would have voted for the resolution, which
makes A. votes. Mr.. Paddock, who voted
against the resolution, in doing so said that
| lie. was willing to vote for the most liberal
| coinage. but considered the resolution prema-
| lure, because it placed the cart before the
horse HE VIII vote for the silver bill, which
Mlndoln, VINO also voted against the reS0lu-
ton, said MS vote did not indicate how he
should vote on the silver BILL 1t is claimed he
viii vote for it, which makes i9 almost sure
! votes for 1t: Kellogg who didn't vote yester-
: day, Is, claimed for silver, and ingalls,. who
Was absent impaired, would have voted aye
only one short Of tWOthirdS in Il full Senate
II Sharon remains absent 81 votes is more
than tW0,thlrds OF the Senate, and even if he
returns the silver men claim his vote. Yes
terday'S action rather clearly decided that
with Il full Senate there are - members Who
Will vote for the pending silver bill.
THE TREASURY now holds $3i6O75,O5O in L.
S. bonds to secure National Bank circulation
Sl3,6S,Ot0 in bonds to secure public deposits.
L. S. bonds deposited for circulation for week
ending today. Sl!S,6O: [. S. bonds held for
circulation, withdrawn week ending to-day,
SG6,0Co: National Bank circulation OutStand-
! ing-GOld notes. l,i2,l20; currency notes,
S3l9, ,5lO,j54.
NAVAL LORDBRs.-Paymaster A. j. Pritchard
ordered to the training ship Minnesota, at
New York MidShipman s. J. Brown detached
from the TuScarora, and ordered to- the nauti-
cal SchOOlShip jamestown, at San Francisco.
AMONG THE CALLERS at the White House
this morning were Senators Allison, Morgan
and Mcdonald, and Representatives May
ham, Caben Mackey, Thompson, Hart, Nc
Cook. Rainey, kidder. Durham, Baker and
keifer, and eX-GOv. Young, of Ohio, and
friends.
SECRETARY SHERMAN will give dinner
party to the financial committees of the two
Houses of Congress and the leading officers
of the Treasury department on next Monday
evening.
NAVAL NEws.-The Navy department has
received dispatches from Rear Admiral VIM.
f. lie Roy, commanding European station,
dated Smyrna, January >. He arrived there
the previous day in the flagship Trenton. six
days from Villefranche. The Alliance was in
harbOr at Smyrna, but expected to be sent
westward in few days. The Marion was at
Eillefranche. The Vandala was supposed to
be at Alexandria. On the ID of january, the
Admiral, accompanied by his staff and the L.
;. Consul, visited the governor of the Viayet,
Salim Pasha, and were received with the usual
courteSies. The Trenton intended remaining
at Smyrna for. the present Commodore
Sehley reports the arrival of the Essex at Fer
nandO PO, on 2Ith of November, six days from
Cape Palinas. The health of those on board
were good with the exception of some cases of
intermittent fever. The Saratoga arrived
below the Washington navy yard this morning
or last night, but got stuck fast i'm the mud i
was expected that she would get of and reach
the yard this afternoon. THE POwhatau
sailed this moruinD frnn Norfojk fnr St