Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-16

MAJOR RENO DISMISSED-The President to-
day confirmed the sentence Of dismissal in the
case of Major Reno.
POSTAL CARDS WITH A FLAP.-The House
postof1ice have agreed to report favoraoly to the
House of Representatives Mr.. Singletons bill
which authorizes the Postmaster General to in
troduce postal cards with flexible f1ap, to
conceal the message written upon them.
CONFERENCE.-THE Senate in executive session
yesterday confirmed Francis Richardson for
supervisor of census in the first district OF Wiz
ginia, and Robert Boiling for the second district
of the same state
MARINE ORDERs.-Captain w. r. Brown and
First Lieutenant A. C. Keith, q. S. NJ G., ootn
on duty at League Island have been ordered to
Captain Jas. Forney as member of the board
of survey to convene at Philadelphia on the
10th.
THE TRAINING SHIP SARATOGA left the
navy yard here this morning for Hampton
Roads, where she will lie until about the middle
of next month. She Will then sail Tor New
York, and from there for the Mediterranean.
THE BILL PROHIBITING POLITICAL Assess
MENTs upon the employees of the government
will not come up for action until the pending
deficiency appropriation bill is disposed of. The
republicans will demand further debate, and
will inteTpoSe dillatory motions If the democrats
do not allow it. AS the matter now Is, II the
debate Is not extended 1t will be closed on be-
half of the democrats by Judge GeddeS, OF Ohio,
and Mr.. GOode, OF Virginia.
NAVAL ORDERs.-Commodor j. NJ. 3. Cltz,
Captain S. P. Quackenbush, Lieut. G. II. Wad-
leigh, Master Hugo Osterhaus, and Ensign S. c.
Lemley to examination for promotion; Lieut.. c.
Island yard; Lieut.. A. V.WadnawS from duty at
the experimental battery, and ordered to the
Nipsic 23d Lieut.. J. d. j. Kelly from the Nipsic,
and ordered to the experimental battery.
IN HIS SPEECH TO-DAY on the immediate de-
fciency bill, Gen. Hawley, of Conn, said that
the old system of doing the public printing was
tull OF fraud an d nest OF corruption
EXTENSION OF MAIL SERVICE IN VIRGINIA AND
MARYLAND.-The Post Office department has
ordered the establishment of mail messenger
service to Bent Creek, AppomattOx countysV Va,
six times a week from HorSley'S Landing. Spe-
cial service will be established to EldOrado,
Dorchester county, Nd, from Flnchville. The
following change in railroad service in Virginia
has been made nom Richmond to Greensbo-
rough: From February IS, 1850. extend service
Point, Thumasville, Lexington, LinWood, Sales
bury, China Grove Concord, Harrisburg and
Querys to Charlotte, Increase distance 1874
miles.
PUBLIC PRINTER DEFREEs has addressed a let
ter to the chairman of the House committee ON
appropriations, stating that he should endeavor
to continue the publication OF the Congressional
Record to the utmost limit of the funds in his
hands, and thought he could do so till the end of
this week at least, as yesterday everything else
was stopped in order to keep on with the
Record. Mr. .Defrees says he thinks this is the
proper thing to do as the Record is the most
important work at the Office. This will give the
whole of this week for the passage of the defici-
ency appropriation bill.
THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY
agreed to-day to report favorably to the House
for passage Representative Phillips BILL which
provides that the circuit and district courts of
the L. S. in all criminal trials and civil causes,
other than equity and admiralty causes shall
conform to the practice existing at the time in
like trials and causes in the courts of record of
the state within which such circuit or district
courts are held, both as to the time and manner
OF instructlng the jury and conducting the
arguments of the cause before the jury, any
lule CT the court to the contrary nOtW1thStand-
ing.
REPORT AGAINST SENATOR KELLoGG.-The
Senate committee on privileges and elections
to-day took action ON the Spofford- Kellogg case,
and by a strict party vote it was decided by
the majority to report to the Senate two reso-
lutions on the subject, the first declaring that
VIM. Pitt Kellogg is not entitled to a seat In the
Senate from Louisiana for the term Of six years,
beginning March 4th, 1877, and the second de-
claring that Henry NJ. Spofford was duly elected
for that term and is entitled to the seat now
occupied by Mr.. Kellogg. The resolutions will
be submitted to the Senate in the course of the
next few days. accompanied with written re-
port in behalf of their adoption. The republi-
can members of the committee will submit a
minority report.
THE IRISH RELIEF SHIP.-It was stated in THE
STAR yesterday that Secretary Thompson would
send the Constellation to Ireland as the relief
ship authorized by Congress, and that he had
found cargo. The latter portion of the state
ment was partially incorrect The Secretary
has not yet found fun cargo for the Constella-
ton. Representative Levi P..MOrton, of New
York, has offered to furnish one-quarter Of the
cargo, provided other parties will make up the
balance. A similar offer has been made by the
New Work Herald. A number OF other contri-
buttons have been received. People who wish
to help load the Constellation are not restricted
to any particular articles. They can contribute
-four meal, pork, beans, potatoes or other artf-
cles of food. The Constellation, now at the
New York navy yard, Is ready to receive all con-
trlbuuons. The following is the full detail OF
officers for the relief voyage: Commander E. E.
Potter, Lieutenant Commander j. M. Forsyth,
LieutenaDts j. n. Hemphill, j. X. Cogswell W.
+. Low and n. e. Mason, Master s. L. Graham,
Ensigns +. A. Wilmer and E. j. Dorm, Midship
men H. NJ. Dombaugh w. r. Rush, A. L. Hall
and V. j. L. T. Halplne, Paymaster L. G. Bill
ings, Passed Assistant Surgeon c. w. Gravatt,
BOatswain Edward BOnSall, Carpenter NJ. F.
Roberts and Sa1lmaker T. B. White.
EUROPEAN DESIGNS UPON LIBERIA.-Intelll-
gence mas Oeen received py lion. William Cop
pinger, consul general OF Liberia, of an offer by
the French government to the Liberian authori-
ties of a protectorate of Liberia. 1t is stated
that the proposition does not meet with favor
on the part OF the administration and citizens OF
the young African republic; and that the COVER
nor Of Sierra Leone and the American minister
resident at Monrovia, had expressed consider
able interest respecting 1t. Persons remote
from the scene cannot well understand the ac-
tive and intense zeal displayed by the English
and French governments in the acquisition of
territory on the west coast of Africa. From a
variety OF causes, but principally owing to its
tree trade, France Is now leading In the race for
African commerce. She is preparing by the
survey and construction of a railroad from
Algeria across the Sahara, to open to foreign
trade the fifty millions Of the semi-civilized
population OF Soudan and the Niger Valley.
Liberia would be the most direct gateway to
this very valuable portion Of the continent, and
hence mainly, it is coveted. There is reason to
believe that England is ready to assume the
protectorate OF the black republic at any mo-
ment Liberia may intimate its willingness
Whether the authorities and people OF the
its own founding or too blind to their own COM
mercial interests, or too absorbed In their own
political discussions to exert the influence of
their civilization, and flag upon those barbarous
shores for the perpetuatton OF the only Chris
tian nation in Africa, remains to be seen. just
before Liberia declared her independence, the
government OF Great Britain was ofr1cially in
formed that 'this (American) government re-
CARDS Liberia as occupying peculiar position,
and as possessing peculiar claims to the friendly
consideration of all Christian powers that this