Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-05-30

THE EVENING STAR.
Washington News and Gossip.

The Potter investigating committee were in
session about an hour yesterday afternoon.
There was very general discussion as to how
the inquiry into the Presidential fraud should
be conducted, and it is said that it was decided
to send Immediately sub committees to Flori-
da and Louisiana; MIR. Blackburn to head the
Louisiana subcommittee and Mr.. Hunt0n OF
Virginia, the one to he sent to Florida There
was good deal of comment concerning what
was alleged to be unjnSt criticism of the pro-
New York newspapers. Then followed dis
cussiOn as to the propriety OF admitting news
paper men to the sittings of the committee,
which was cut short by the adoption of reso-
luton offered by Mr.. Cox, of Ohio, that the
investigation be conducted with closed doors.
One committee man said to a STAR reporter
lies about us that we have decided to give
nothing out except when every member OF the
subcommittee will not leave this week. Such
had been the intention, but owing to the fact
mat the House yesterday Was not in any hurry
pr0priation committee, to pay the expenses of
the investigating committee it may be the
middle OF next week before the sub commit
tees get away. Its not the intention of the few
mem berS of the committee who will remain
here to enter deep into the inquiry until the
subcommittee return. No meeting of the
committee was held today owing to General
Buffers absence at Gettysburg.
PROF. BAIRD, Senator Beck and Col. John
son left the city to-day for Havre-d Grace,
Fish Commission are going ON. A million and
hall are being hatched.
THE MATTER OF ADJoURNMENT-It is
quite probable that the Senate will concur in
the House resolution to adjourn sine die June
18th. There remain but two appropriation
UllIS to report to the House, and iG is expected
they viii be ready to report by Wednesday
next. Although only three of the regular ap-
preparation DlllS have become laws, nearly ali
OF Them are Ill such an advanced state in the
senate appropriations committees that before
the next ten days they will be in conference
committees, where the diSagreementS between
the two houses can be recOnciled more readily
tEan IN open sessions in either house. OF
course, II the Senate agrees to the resolution
1t means the failure of Woods tariff bill the
end OF further financial legislation this ses-
sion the defeat OF the propositions to reduce
the tax on tobacco, and the suspension of pay
ments TO the sinking fund; the probable de-
feat of the steamboat bill. and The absolute
certainty OF the defeat of the many private
schtlheS Oh the private calendar In each house.
THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL, as reported
to the Senate yesterday afternoon from the
commerce committee, retains the appropria-
tlon Oh $lcc,UOO for the Improvement Of the Po-
tOmac river.
MILITARY MANAGEMENT OF THE INDIAN
BUREAU.-Two thousand ponies were taken
from the Indians at Standing Rock agency
and sold by tie military. In return therefor
the Indians were given by the military two
hundred head of old cows worth about sl2
eaGH, a putchaSed ;s o Win proceeds OF sale Of
at prices ranging from $l2 to $35 each, It is
question as to what became of the MANY thOuS-
ahds OF dollars which the military have failed
TO account for.
THE PRESIDENT, Secretary McCrary, Attor-
ney General Devens, Gen. Butler, the orator
OF the day, and twenty-nine other members of
Congress, arrived at Gettysburg last night to
attend the ceremonies of Decoration Dav
The President and Attorney General Devens
are the guests of the Hon. Edward Jefferson,
AT whose residence reception was given last
night. After the reception President HAYES,
Secretary McCrary and Gen. Butler were ser,
enaded in turn.
OUT OF OVER 1,7O0 MAIL CONTRACTS for
which proposals were accepted in the last let
tngs at the p. 0. Department, all but "a have
already been filed at the department, and some
OF this "A are on their way here, and will reach
the clty before the first of June, the limit be-
yOnd which contracts cannot be filed. That
contracts on so nearly all of the routes shOuld
De filed within the proper time is a thing un-
precedented in the history of the department.
POST OFFICES have been multiplying so
rapidly that the whole number in the United
States is now more than $4,000. This is an in
crease of over 10000 in eight years, as in 1870
Z the number was q, 1872.
CADET APPOINTMENTs.-Thea appointment
by the President annually of ten cadets at
large to West Point. and ten to the Naval
Academy, and the designation by the Sec
retary OF the Navy of a number of young men
to enter Tor examination as cadet engineers at
the Naval Academy, are usually made in the
latter part OF April or the first part of May.
NO such appointments or designations have
been made this year, and a large number of
inquiries from candidates in this city and all
over the country as to the reason have been
received by Secretaries Thompson and Nc
Creary. The reason that no appointments
have been made is that provisions in the mill.
tary and naval appropriation bills, which are
now in conference, limit the mum Der of cadets
at West Point and Annapolis, appointed at
large by the President, to be in each acade
mics at the same time to ten, instead of ten
appointed. annually to each place, and the
number OF cadet engineers to be at the Naval
Academy to twenty-five. These PROVISIONS
have been adopted by both houses OF Congress
sections OF the bill therefore, the usual ap.
pointments have not been made. If these pro.
visions a.e kept in the bills no more appoint
ments of the character named will be made
until the number is reduced as required. This
VIII not be for some years. The appointments
OF cadets at large to West Point and Annapo.
lis gre" out OF the fact that during the war
ana Tor some time after no appointments to
these institutions Were made from the south.
anu 10 make up the deficiency in number the
PRESIDENT was authorized to appoint annually
ten cadets to each institution.
The 7. q. DEPARTMENT has prepared cir.
cular to be sent to the postmasters at one hun
dred of the largest post offices in the United
States directing them to prepare on and after
June 9TH next and until further ordered daily
reports IN detail OF the amounts of second aud |
third class matter received at their respective |
offices, matter for local delivery not included.
and to forward them to the first assistant P. |
NJ q. on the 5th and 10th of each month. The |
purpose OF these returns is to enable the de. |
partment to compute the difference in the |
amounts OF second and third class matter |
mailed under the present and the new postal |
laws respectively.
DemOcractic Conventions Yesterday |