Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-05

Affairs at the National Capital.
/ Especial to the RECORD UNIoNl
WASHINGTON, February 4th.-Immediatel
after going into executive session this after
noon the Senate took up the nomination of
John NJ. Morton as Collector of Internal Rev
enue for the First District of California, and
Senator Voorhees,, who reported it from the
Finance Committee proceeded to address the
Senate in advocacy of its confirmation. He
eulogized Mr.. Morton as a young man of I'M
blemished character, entirely competent to
I'LL the office, citizen of San Francisco,
whose name had been upon their voting reg
lister for eight years, and who enjoyed the
confidence and respect of all persons who
knew him. In evidence of his good standing
in the community, Mr.. Voorhees, referred to
the Geographic memorial recently received
from San Francisco, and argued that it would
be grossly uni ust for the Senate to affix the
stigma of rejection to SO deserving man and
so honorable name.
Senator Booth replied in a speech of about
twenty minutes duration, calmly but very
earnestly setting forth the main grounds of
opposition to Morton's confirmation, namely
his lack of Identification with the people of
California and his want of proper business
training or experience to fit him for the i'm
portant Office for which, in the face of the
united protest of the entire California dele
CATION, and without single antecedent re-
quest or recommendation from California, he
had been so surprisingly nominated. Booth,
in the course of his speech, read to the SEN
ate brief letters substantiating his statements
in regard to the position of the California
delegation on this subject, addressed to him
by Congressman Davis, Page and Pacheco,
each of whom, as he informed the Senate,
represent portion of the revenue district
over which it was proposed to place Mr..
Morton in control.
The debate was continued by Senator
Morrill, of Vermont, whose remarks referred
almost wholly to the fact that the nominee is
son of the distinguished Senator Morton
by Senator Carpenter who took the ground
that if the people of California did not want
Mr.. Morton appointed, and the entire dele
cation of both political parties certified to
that fact, he certainly ought not to be con-
firmed; and by Senator Bayard, who called
attention to the fact that the Senate last
spring, with the same membership as at pres
ent, unanimously confirmed Morton as Con-
sui at Honolulu, and that therefore no stigma
would attach to him personally if the Senate
rejected the proposition to transfer him from
the Consular office to the important business
position of Collector of Internal Revenue at
San Francisco, against the wishes of the au-
thorized representatives of the State and the
communities directly affected.
Senator Farley also made brief but vigor-
GUS and pointed speech in which he corrobo-
rated what had been said by his colleague, and
| called attention to the fact that less than
four years ago Mr.. Morton was appointed to
the position of special agent to the Treasury
| Department from Indiana, and that before his
term of service at Fur Seal Island had ex-
pired he was appointed to the honorable and
lucrative position of Consul to Honolulu,
nominally as Californian, but without even
then being considered such by the California
Senators, who consented to his being charged
against CALIFORNIA; quota of Consular appoint
ments only upon his personal solicitation and
as a matter of special kindness and cour-
tesy. During the debate it was also brought
out that there is no vacancy in the Office and
that the present incumbent has within the
past two months been Endorsed by the In
ternal Revenue Bureau as competent and
honest.
Senator Conkling, referring to this state
ment. remarked that civil service reform
seemed to have taken queer direction by
promoting aman from the Honolulu Consulate
to San Francisco Collectorship not vacant,
and he had no hesitation in saying that he
should vote against this nomination, and
without pain.
AT this point, it being clearly evident that
the nomination, if brought to vote, would
be rejected, several Republican Senators
who intended to vote against it requested
Booth to let the matter go over one day, in
order to give President Hayes a chance to
withdraw it, and then spare Mr.. Morton the
dsagreeable fate of outright rejection. SEN
ator Booth, in view of the reasonableness of
these requests, consented to refrain from
pressing the vote, and the Senate thereupon
adjourned.
Postmaster Holloway, of Indianapolis, who
personally represents the Morton interest
had consultation with Senator VOORHEES, i'm
Ill, ocE H. q j
Voorhees, says this evening that the nomina-
ton will not be withdrawn but will be left for
the Senate's decision by "a square vote" If
this determination is adhered to by Mr.. Nor
tons friends, the nomination will. according
to to-days indications, be rejected tomorrow
by large ma ority.
The Senate Claims Committee to-day, by
vote of to l, decided to recommend the
passage of the bill to pay Ben Holladay's
claim of over $500, 600 for losses sustained by
him while carrying the overland mail to Cal
ifornia, by reason of changes of route and
Indian depredations.
Senator Hereford to-day introduced a bill
directing the Secretary of War to ascertain
and report to the Secretary of the Treasury
the value of wharf and warehouse property
of William ii. Davis, at San Diego, taken
by the military authorities in 1861 and 1862
The amount thus certified to be paid by the
Secretary of the Treasury.
Senator Booth introduced bill providing
for the payment of $500, claimed by r. Nj.
Briggs late Receiver of Independence Land
Office, as balance due for salary and fees.
The Exodus Investigation.
WASHINGTON. February 4th-The Senate
Exodus Committee held short meeting to-
day.
The first witness called was E. d. Borden
of Goldsboro, n. G. He testified that the
| - al. oofN j
feel alarmed about the exodus that the
wave of the movement, such as it was, is al
ready subsiding, and that the great mass of
the colored people in North Carolina are as
well contented as in any other section of the
country.
The next witness was T. C. Groomes,
lawyer, resident of Greencastle, Ind. At
the request of Senator VOORHEES, he produced
and read extracts from editorials published
in the Greencastle Banner in November and
December, 1878, in which it was stated that
the colored men of the South are practically
DISTINGUISHED while they live in that section,
urging as duty that the colored men in the
South come north of the Ohio river and
help make solid North, and arguing that if
they remain in the South to be incinerated in
1880 they would increase the numbers of their
enemies there but if they came North they
would increase the numbers of their friends
in the North.
Princely LiberaIity-A Gif. of 500, 800 to
the Irish Relief Fund.
New YORK, February 4th.-The Herald, in
an editorial, after calling attention to its
tables showing the Irish distress, says that
in making this appeal to the benevolent, it
deems it fitting to set an example which will
be taken as proof of its sincerity. The
Herald, therefore. opens to-day a subscrip-
ton for the irish Relief Fund, heading it
with the sum of 100000. 1t solicits other
people to give in proportion to their willing
ness and means. 1t will receive subscrip-
lions for any amount down to % cents, care
fully publishing the name and residence of
every subscriber, and. when desired, the
place of his former residence in Ireland, that
the people relieved may know to whom they
are indebted.
Opposition TO the Proposed Treaty witt,
France.
New York, February 4th.-A writer in
the Sun, signing himself "Tuolumne," pre-
sents as from San Francisco plea against the
proposed treaty with France. He says France
has not asked for the treaty, but that it
originated with Menier, of chocolate fame,
who wishes to introduce his goods in America
by freeing it from duty, and Of course as a