Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-12-16
THE EVENING STAR.
Washington News and Gossip.

GOVERNMENT RECEIPTS sTo-DAY.-Internalr rev.
enue, s53l, ,431. 60: customs. s4a2, 1851.
1T Is MENTIONED as a fact worthy of being
recorded. that Baltimore delegation called on
the President the latter part of las week and
did not ask for an Office for anybody.
AN INVITATION DECLINED THE Prasiden
and Secretary Sherman have declined an inv.-
tation extended them TO attend the opening OF
the Eiaduct bridge, at Cleveland, Ohio, on the
9th instant.
SENATOR EDMuNDs' BILL.-The Senate bill to
regulate Presidential elections was taken from
the Speakers table, in the House. on Saturday
and referred 10 the committee on that subject
CALLERS AT THE WHITE EHoUsE-Senator Cam
eron, OF Wis; Secretary Sherman and Repre-
SentativeS Hale, Dwight. Brewer, Hayes Reilly,
Rice tMasS.). Gardner and Smith ,Pa.) called on
the President to-day.
THE APPROPRIATION BHLS.-1'he House has
passed i've of the general appropriation bills:
The military academy, the fortitication. the
consular and diplomatic. the pension and the
naval appropriation bills. The Indian appro-
priauon bill is assigned for consideration to-
morrow. No other bills will be reported from
the committee on appropriations until after the
recess.
COMMISSIONS ON SUBSCRIPTIONS To THE FOUR
PER CENT. LOAN.-The Treasury department is
contemplating the issuance of a circular fixing
the commissions on subscriptions for the four
per cent. consols to June 81, 1879, as foloWs:-
ON subscriptions from SiG0.90o to 81 900. .01O
OF one per cent: on subscriptions from 81 900 GOA
to Slo,nGo00a. IS of one per cent, and on
amounts in excess of sl0.O0o,000 an additional
thought that by offering such inducements for
large aggregate subscriptions. the sale of the
bonds will be greatly stimulated.
GEN. ALPHEUS s. WILLIAMS, chairman OF the
House committee on the District OF Columbia,
was seized with an attack OF vertigo in his COM
nltree room this morning. For some days past
the General has been suffering with chronic
darrhPa which has considerably weakened
Lin. He was made comfortable on Tongue in
the committee room and Dr.. Baxter was sum
m0ned. subsequently he was removed to his
hotel III a considerably improved condition.
GEN. SHIELDs-A bill was introduced in the
House to-day by Gen. Rice, OF Ohio, directing
the President to place Gen. Shields name on
the retired list OF the army, with the rank and
pay OF br1gadier general.
AMERICAN COAL IN SwITZERLAND.-TheA Amer
lean consul at Geneva has informed the Depart-
nicnt OF State that the first cargo of American
coal arrived in that city on the 22d November.
1t was exported from the United states by the
Philadelphia and Reading railroad company,
under the management OF Mr.. Quintand The
coal was to have been tested at once in the
10undf1es and hotels in Geneva, and should the
result be as favorable as was anticipated large
portion or the coal consumption of switzerland
viii be drawn from the United States. The re-
port OF The consul giving the result Of the fore
going experiment, will be looked for with much
interest.
APPROPRIATION BILLS IN THE SENAT Mr.
Window, chairman Of the Senate committee on
appropriations. reported to the Senate today
the DIPLOMATIC and Consular and the Navy a1-
preparation bills. Both Will be DISPOSED of dur
ing the present week.
END OF THE DISTRICT BOND INvEsTIGATIoN.-
The House committee On reform in the civil
service to-day resumed the investigation Of the
allegation that fraudulent means We're used to
secure the passage Of the 3-65 District of Co.
lumbia assessment bill Geo. II. Baker presi-
dent OF the First National Bank OF New York
pending the passage OF the bill, held half
million District Of Columbia Sc ;urities but tesu
lied that be knew OF no pool be NJ formed 10
'bull them; he assuredly knew lnat his bank
was not IN II; that his bank never paid dolla
10 any person or persons directly or In til
Inc st remote manner to influence the pasSaoeO
the bill. To each and every interrogatOry sub
mitted Mr. Baker clnphatically denied that hi
bank participated in any movement to nliu-
ence the passage OF the bill. The committee
decided that they would pursue the in -e,tiga.
ton no further. The report on the subject vii
The charge OF corruption was baseless and pub
llshed only as a newspaper sensation. without
any basis for the publication in fact.
NATIONAL LMCSEUM.-Senator Davis introduced
in the Senate to-day bin to provide for the
erection OF e-proof building for the National
Museum. This is the same bill introduced in
the H9Yse, by Mr.. Young. in January last.
THE POTTER COMMITTEE held a meeting to-day
and took action upon the application of Attor-
ney General Cooke, OF Florida, to be permitted
TO introduce evidence corroboratiye of his state
ment last winter that he had seen Governor
NoyeS and Governor StearnS come out Of the
room room wileie the board OF canvassers were in
session, although for an hour or more he had
been unable to obtain admission; which state
ment was emphatically denied by Messrs NOyeS
and Stearns in their subsequent testimony.
The committee to-day decided that as this con-
Hict OF Neiacity does not involve any material
point i'll the subject OF inquiry, they vii!
not near any witnesses concerning it,
TO fiie eXparte affidavitS i'm support of his
statement and granting the same permis-
SION TO the other side. if it shall be desired.
NO subcommittee Will be sent to Florida to
continue the investigating Of other matters
there No action was taken to-day in regard to
sending subcommittee 10 Louisiana. The re-
publican members have selected Gen. Cox, of
ONO, tOreprcScnt them on any subcommittee
mat may be sent to Louisiana, and Mr. Black
Dllfn VIII probably accompany Mr.. Potter as
the second democratic member. II is supposed
that the additional investigation in Louisiana
could be completed Within week or ten DAYS
Gen. Butler was not present 10 day, and no
alluSl0n was made To cipher teiegranlS The
committee are TO meet again next "Wednesday.
THE TREASURY SECRET SERVICE TO BE LOOKED
1NTO.-The following resolution was offered
in the House to-day by Mr. Finley OF Ohio.-
Reso|red, That the Judiciary committee be in
structed to inquire and report to the House at
the earliest period practicab1e-1st Whether
there Is, or ever has been, any law authorizing
the creation and maintenance OF what is known
as the ''Secret Service Division OF the Treasury
Departments" ID The time and occasion which
originated said organization, and by what a,I-
thOrfty and for what purpose, it has been kept
up and maintained; Sd. The names OF the per
sons composing that organization, for what
purpose employed and how paid: and also in
what manner the various sums heretofore an
Wopflatcd by Congress for that purpose have
been expended by said ''Secret Service Division.
and whether any accountability Is, or has been
imposed On said organization or the members
composing 1t, for the moneys appropriated to
the use OF said Secret Service. Consideration
OF the resolution was objected to by Mr. Hale
THE House COMMITTEE on PoST OFFICES AND
Posi- ROADS met this morning to consider tha
proposed bill providing for the classification OF
mail matter and fixing the rates OF postag
thereon. discussion upon various questions
relating 70 the subject enslled. Mr.. Bickrel OF
Boston. Mass, Price and Eiderkin, OF New York
ana MT. Leo, OF Philadelphia, We're present. by in
VltatlOn-1epreSenting the publishers Of thei
respective lOcalitfeS-and participatei i'm tn 4.
M NJ asaxa