Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-02-01

THE EXECUTIVE SESSION CT THE SENATE.
Ire executive session OF the Senate lasted
yesterday afternoon from one O'Clock to half
PAST four. Tie message Of the President on the
New York custom house appointments and the
answer Of Secretary Sherman to Collector
Arthur'S reply, transmitted with it, were read
The PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
stated that the New York custom house has for
long period OF time been used to manage and
control political affairs The suspended officers
have regarded the offices held by them as sub
oldlnate orc In Importance to their partisan work.
The custom house should be conducted on bust
ness, not political principles. Convinced -
Says the President, that the people of New
York custom house to be administered solely
with view to the public interest, it is nv pur
pose 10 do all within my power to Introduce into
lhls great ONCE the reforms which the country
GeSlleS." u regard 1t as my plain duty
TO susrerd the officers in question and to make
nominations. now before the Senate In order
that this important Office may be honestly AMI
efficiently administered"
TIE LETTER OF SECRETARY SHERMAN
says that all the allegations in the department's
letter OF the 18th OF January are susceptible of
PROOF; bribery, illegal fees and neglect of duty
nave been proved TO exist in the custom house
ulGer collector Arthur. Instances OF these are
quoted, and Mr.. Arthur's letter answered point
by point. Tables accompany the letter to show
a large increase in the expenses of collection
under Arthur'S administration and q LARGE de-
crease in the amounts collected An argument.
is also made that the collector at the all-im-
po1lant port OF New York should be In harmony
WIN WIZ Tie department, which it Is stated Col
lector Arthur has not been The reading of
these two documents having been completed
ANOTHER LETTER FROM COLLECTOR ARTHUR
senator Conkling produced another letter
nom Collector Arthur, which supplemented his
1oImer statement by new facts, and also a pc
tltion from members of the New York legsla-
ture. In presenting this he said the document
was obtained under mlsapprehension, 1T APP
conveyed the impression that he was willing to
be assisted out Of Il dilemma. He then exhibit
ed telegrams from these parties, stating the
draw their names. He then insisted on imme-
dlate action This led to some debate, but it
being evident that no action could be reached.
Monday, which was carried, the vote standing
tbirty-siX yeas and twenty-Seven nays This,
however, cannot be regarded as test VOTE
The PRESENT STATUS OF THE SENATE
on the direct question OF confirmation Is be-
leyed to be as follows:
For Confrmatiom- Bailey. Beck, Burnside,
Butler, Cockrell, Coke Davis, of West Va,
ford, Hin, Hoar, Johnston, Lamar, McCreery,
Mcmillan, Matthews, Morgan, Morrill,, Plumb,
Ransom, salisbury, Saunders, Shields, Thur
man, Wallace, White, Window, WitherS
AGainst-Allison, Anthony, Barnum, Blaine.
Booth. Bruce, Cameron, OF Pa, Cameron, OF
Wis, Chaffee, COnkling, Davis, OF Ill, Dorsey,
Eaton, Edmunds, Ferry, ,, Garland; Hamlin- nnn1
aid, MaXey, Merrimon, Mitchell, Ogiesby, Pad
dock, Patterson. Rollins, Sargent, Sharon, Spen
Ger, Teller, Wadleigh.
Those who are absent are ChriStiancy and
Rardolph for, and Ingalls, and kirkwood against
conflI nation. COnoyer and EusiiS are uncer-
tain.
1t is stated that the result will depend entire
ly on the democrats and one or two republi-
cans, who seem TO he gradually working over to
the administration side
GEN. BANN1SGs BILL to reorganize the army
got black eye in the House to-day. Mr.
Hewitt, who has charge OF the army appro-
priation bill, gave him. before reporting the
regular appropriation bill, a chance to test the