Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-07
General ConftuI Mates.

4
the site OF the battle of Rrandywine.
General Capital Notes.
WASHINGTON, Dec. I6.-Pay Director z. H.
Clark, United States navy, has been placed on
the retired list from the STU of December
1880.
HAzEN's APPOINTMENT.
Gen. Wan. b. Hazen was to-day app ointed
chief signal officer of the army. This appoint
ment promotes Gen. NJ. G. Cook of Shermans
staff, TO colonel of the Sixth infantry.
ELECTORAL RETURNS.
Vice President Wheeler to-day received by
mail certificates of the electoral votes of
twenty-nine States. namely: New York, Penn
sylvania: New Jersey, Delaware, Maine, New
Island, Connecticut, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa. Mis-
souri,, Arkansas, Kentucky, West Virginia, Vir-
ginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Kansas, Alabama, Mississippi and Louis
lana. He also to-day received the certificates
of the vote of the electoral college of Maryland
at the hands of its messenger.
BUT WHERE'S MILES?
1t is stated in army circles tonight that it
has been determined to place Brigadier Gener-
ais Howard and o. G. Ord, of the department
Of Texas, on the retired list, and that Briga.
der General Christopher @. Augur has been
assigned to the department of Texas, and Col.
Henry j. Hunt, Fifth artillery, is placed
temporarily in charge of the department of
the South, vacated by Gen. Augnr.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
The annual report of the attorney general was
presented to Congress to-day. Referring to
the election laws the attorney general says
While believe there has been steady pro-
gress of sentiment in favor of the election
laws of the United States and of their honest
execution, and while in certain portions of the
United States the Congressional elections have
been peacefully and honestly conducted where
heretofore there has been just cause for CON-
plant, yet Information from many districts
has satisfied me that the recent Congressional
elections were there accom- panied by
snch open violations of the law
and such gross frauds as to demand
the attention OF Congress-, and perhaps addi-
tonal legislation. Meetings assembled for the
peaceful advocacy of candidates have been re-
peatedly broken up entirely or invaded by
bands Of armed ruffians. In some instances
public ayowal has been made of the intention
thus to act and public invitations to that effect
given, while no effort was made by the local
authorities to prevent such outrages Violence
and intimidation are not reported to have oc
Cured, however, to the extent that prevailed
IN the elections of 1874 and 1878. I respect
fully submit to the consideration of Congress
whether the time has not now arrived when an
election law should be passed which shall take
into control of United States officials all cleo
lions for members of Congress.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE MESSAGE.
While the Presidents message was SO well
guarded at the printing office and executive
mansion as to prevent it's premature publica-
ton, the management of the post Office depart.
ment IN Its distribution throughout the west
and southwest, was inexcusably negligent and
shameful, thus sntailing on the press unnec-
essary expense and provoking delays. Pains
were taken at the White House to notify post
master Anger of what would be expected,
and that OFFICER sent a special messenger to
take charge of the mailing department. aboard
OF trains Saturday forenoon, but
the packages were received on the car, the re.
quest of the President that these press pack
ages should be considered a part of the later
mail WAS disregarded, and they were handled
as ancient public documents. The careless.
ness in local postofhces was also extraordinary.
To overcome this laundering required the
transmission of some fifty private messagea.
and of the entire message to some points
among which may be mentioned Milwaukee as
the most important Hereafter the associated
press will confine its service to the telegraphic
lines and express companies.
sUPRME COURT DECISIONS.
No. 80. James s. Finch & Co., appellants.
vs.. the United States; appeal from the court of
claims. This was suit brought by Fitch &
Painter, firm ofEdistillera!in Pittsburgh, to re-
cover from the United States the sun Of 81
$50, which plaintiffs paid for two of Tice's me-
tiers, to be attached to their distilleries in COM
pliance with orders from the commissioner of
internal revenue. The plaintiffs allege that
the meters were never inspected or put in
working order by any officer of the government;
that they were never attached to their distiller-
les in srch a way az to be of use,
and that they were afterward found
to be entirely worthless for the purposes
for which they were intended, and their nae
everywhere abandoned. The appellants further
allege that they bonght the meters upon an
implied warranty eff the United States that
they would be effectual, and that since there
has been clear breach of this warranty the
United States is liable. The court, however,
holds that there is nothing in the facts from
which a contract, expressed or implied, be-
tween the government and complainants, can
be inferred; that the government did not sell
the meters or take pay for them, and that it
made no pecuniary difference whether the
meters worked or not. Judgment of the court
of claims affirmed.