New-York tribune., 1879-12-30


and several Departments and was given a
dinner by Levi P. Morton. The Secretary
Of the Interior Is chagrined at the fail
ure of the Peace Commission; he thinks
the Utes have forfeited their rights
under the treaty. 1t is believed that
the impossibilty of acquiring title to land in
the South is a strong reason why so many
colored men arc seeking honTs in the North.
GENERAL GRANT ENTERTAINED.
VISITS To- SECRETARY EvARTs AND OTHER HEADS
OF THE GOVERNMENT, A CALL on MRS. HAYES,
AND A DINNER AT THE HOUSE OF LEVI r.
MORTON.
lBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBUSE.l
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 29.-Beforo General Grant
had had his breakfast this morning 1T least twenty
people called to pay thef respects to him. He re-
ceved them all and then took breakfast. When he
came back into General Beale's sitting-room there
were quite number of other visitors hand, AMI
q large portion of the morning was occupied with
| them.
| The General and his son Ulysses then walked to
| the Department of State and paid visit to Secre
| tary Evarts. The Secretary had meanwhile driven
to General Beales house for the purpose of paying
his respects to the ex-Presdent. and hurried back
to the Department time to receive the first call in
| person.
| General Grant then proceeded to the War Depart
| ment. Entering General Sbermans room first, he
talked some time with him, and afterward re-
! ceyed visits there from number of army officers
| OH duty in the Department. visit was next paid
to Secretary Ramsey on the floor above. The clerks
had learned of General Grants presence in the
building and took frequent occasion to pass from
room to room in order to get look at him.
Secretary Thompson received the next visit.
General Grant greatly admired the handsome quar-
ters which Secretary thompson occupies. The Sec
retary and the General smoked and talked together
for some time number of the heads of the bureaus
coming in meanwhile to call. Leaving the Depart
ment General Grant and his walked back to
General Beale's, being stopped frequently on the
sidewalk to shake hands with old acduaintances.
At IL O'clock General Grant and Mrs. Grant, Mrs.
Fred. Grant, General Beale and Mrs. Beale
and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, jr.. drove to
the White House to visit Mrs. Hayes The Presi-
dent was out of town. After leaving the
White House the ladies returned TO General Beale's
while General Grant, General Beale and Mr.. Ulysses
S. Grant went back to the State Department, where
General Grant remained about an hour with Secre
tary Evarts He then returned to General Beale's
house.
During the afternoon the ex-President received a
number Of additional visitors among them being
the Supreme Court. He then took drive in an
open buggy with General Beale along Pennsyl
vania-ave. going thence to the residence of General
Beale's mother Oh the outskirts of the city
In the evening the General and Mrs. Grant were
entertained at dinner by the Hon. Levi p. Norton
of New-York. Mr.. Morton has purchased the
spacious gray stone house, No. sol HIST, in this
city, known as the Hooper Mansion" long the
residence of the Hon. Samuel Hooper, deceased, the
father-n-law of Charles Sumner. and it was here
that he entertained General Grant to-day.
The building has been repaired and refurnished at
large expense, and in the hands of Mr.. and Mrs.
Morton will maintain its historic reputation for
stately hospitality. The first dinner within its
walls by its present host given three weeks ago
to small party of brother Congressman chiefly of
the New-York delegation. The house is English IN
structure and appearance From its broad square hall
open both parlors the library and the dining-room
Opposite the front entrance hangs life,Sze por-
of the war; halfength. particularly characteris-
tic and life-lke The General is represented in the
Uniform of Ieutenant-General with his hat on and
| holding field-gass in his hand The painting is
| the property of General Beale, but hangs perma-
| nently in the house of Mr.. Norton There is an
other picture OF the eX-Presldent upon the library
| wall.
Tie dining-room is lighted wholly with wax can
dies. The ends of the table square and broad,
accommodating two guests each. The table Orna-
meDts clabOrately chaste.
There were nineteen covers laid this evening. The
only ladies besides Mrs. Morton, Mrs. Grant, Mrs.
| Sheridan and Mrs. Beale were Mrs. Street, the
| mother of Mrs. Morton, and Miss BarrOl of Balti-
more, guest Of the latter; The supreme Bench;
| Congress were appropriately represented, the Su-
premo Court by Chiei-Juslice Waite the Cabinet
| and Cameron, the House by General Garfield. DIR.
Loring and Mr.. fiubbell, the Army by General Shcr,
and tRG MHvS NJ Admiral Sens ssd
among the guests. Ii is already said here that few
American gentlemen understand the art of dinner
giving gracefully so well as Mr.. Morton does.
General Grant will prolong his stay here over to-
morrow at the request OF old friends.
WHY THE COLORED MAN HAS TO GO.
ONE OF The IMPORTANT REAsoNs-No EARTHLY
CHANCE OF GETTING AND KEEPING HOME IN
THE SOUTH, EVEN on THE PUBLIC LANDS
THERE.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON, Dec 29.-Among the reasons given
for the Norhward migration of the colorcd people,
especially from the Lower Mississippi Valley is that
they find il practically impossible to become the
owners of land in the South, and are compelled to
nav exorbitant rents when they lease land from the
white planters.
Some thoughtful persons. hearing the above
reason given. have wondered why the cOlored people
do not settle on the vacant public lands in the
South which belong to the United States. Accord
ing to an estimate furnished to TRIBUNE cOrre-
spondent by the Acting Commissioner of the General
Land Office. there in five of the Cotton States
nearly II 900 900 acres OF vacant public lands situ-
ated as follows In Alabama. 3.516,14O acres in
Arkansas 4,G2O.12O acres; in Florida. 3,2O5, 100
acres in Louisiana. 2,130,00O acres; in Misss-
sippi, 3, POS, ,sS7 acres. While large part of this
land is of little or no value for agricultural pur-
poses fair proportion of is said to consist of
fertile land as can be found in the States where it is
situated. Why. then. do not the colored people en-
ter upon this land, where soil and climate are both
congenial, instead of moving thousand miles away
to settle in q climate to which they not accus-