Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-17
THE EVENING STAR.
Washington News and Gossip.
GOVERNMENT RECEIPTS TO-DAY.-Internal rev.
enue, S139, 1861; customs. 1862 $3.50.


GOVERNMENT RECEIPTS To-DAY.-Internal rev.
enue, 139,3s6.31; customs. s962, ,555.49.
QUARTERMAsTER GENERAL MEIGs, who has
been on an inspecting trip in the southwest, has
returned to the city. He reports everything
satisfactory at the post at San Antonia, which
he went to Inspect.
THE UNITED STATES TRAINING SHIP Constitu-
ton arrived at Aspinwall on the 1st inst, hav
ing sailed from Frtederichstald, Santa Cruz
January Goth.
WHITE HotsE CALLERS.-SenatorS Mcdonald
voorhees, Johnston, Logan, ingalls,, Saunders,
Kellogg and Window, and Representatives
Goode. Haskell, Valentine Hawk, Mckinley,
warner, Orth and Sapp called on the President
to-day. Mr.. Sapp was accompanied by j. F.
Evans, Of Iowa.
ANOTHER NoTARY.-The President has ap
pointed John E. Beall notary public for the
District of Columbia.
GEORGE BROWN GooDE, who was yesterday
appointed deputy L. S. commissioner to have
charge OF the American exhibit at the Berlin
fishing exposition in April next, is at present
one OF Fish commissioner Baird's assistants.
THE FOLLOWING TRANSFERS in the Sd artil-
lery, to take effect May 1st next. are made:
First Lieutenant II. B. Osgood from battery F
to battery B and First Lieutenant C. w. Har-
rold from battery to battery A. Lieutenant
Osgood will report for duty at Fort Monroe, Va,
May 1St and Lieutenant Harold Will join his
new battery within thirty days over and above
the time necessary to reach 1t in the ordinary
course after date Of transfer.
THE FOLLOWING COURT MARITAL has been
ordered to meet at Davids Island, New York
harbor, to-day, or as soon thereafter as practical
BILE, for the trial of such prisoners as may be
brought before it:-Lfeut. Col. u. r. Bliss, 18th
f,,fn, Nov fyl,nr
Capt. James Simpson, assistant quartermaster;
Second Lieut.. r. j. c. Irvine 18th infantry;
Second Lieut.. H. II. Benham, I'd Infantry and
First Lieut.. Ira Quinby, 11tn Infantry, judge
advocate of the court.
THE OLDEST Ex-MEMBER OF CONGRESS Now
LIvING-Capt. Isaac Bassett, the venerable
Senate doorkeeper, yesterday received a letter
from Hon. Peleg Sprague, the only man now
living who was a member of the United States
Senate when the captain first became an en-
ploye of that body. Mr.. Sprague writes that he
Is the Oldest eX-member OF Congress now living.
resentatives from Maine in 1924 and remained
in that body until 1899, when he was chosen
United States Senator. He served In the Sen
ate until 1885, and after retiring, removed from
Maine to Boston and engaged in the practice of
law. In 1s41 he was appointed to the United
States bench in Massachusetts,, from which he
resigned in 1865 Mr.. Sprague is now totally
blind.
SECOND LIEUT.. WM. F. ZEILEN, U. s. Marine
Corps has been ordered to proceed to Norfolk,
Va, to command the marine guard OF the U. S.
receiving ship Franklin.
UNDER THE CALL OF STATES in the House yes
terday 1s0 bills and resolutions were introduced,
the majority Of them, however, of a private
character. Among those of public interest were
Representative Richardson's (S.C.) bill author
hing and directing the Secretary of the Treas
ury to refund to the several states. the amount
CT cotton tax paid by them, respectively during
the years 1866, 1867 and 1865; said tax having
been Illegally assessed and collected. The said
states are to give guarantee that the money
shall be refunded to the producers Of the cotton,
their heirs or legal representatives, or In case
they cannot be ascertained, that it shall be de-
voted to the education of the most INDECENT
classes OF their citizens, irrespective of color.
LAND GRANTS TO RAILRoADs-The Attorney
General has rendered an opinion upon ques-
ton submitted by the Secretary Of the Interior,
touching the right of land grant railroad to
dev1ate In constructing its road from the line of
route as definitely adopted. He holds that In
is necessary that the road should be construct
ed according to the line of definite location. II
different road is built than that definitely To-
Gated, it cannot entite the state to the benefit of
the lands The question whether the road con
structed is or is not the road as definitely located
is one for the Interior department to determine
anu winch WuSU D6 largely WlCQln Cle QlScre-
ton OF the Secretary.
INSTRUCTIONS TO CENSUS SupERv1soRs.-Gen.
Walker, superintendent OF the census, in his
instructions to the supervisors Of the census in
regard to making the enumeration Of 1880, says
the enumeration districts should each embrace
a population of from 1900 to 2, 500; the work
should be done within two weeks, even If extra
enumerators are employed, and all appoint
ments must be non-partisan and must be made
solely with view to fitness. The superintend-
ent sees no reason why women should not serve
as enumerators, provided they are capable, in
regions where their appointment would not be
in opposition to the public sentiment.
NOMINATIONS To-DAY.-The President sent
the following nominations to the Senate this
afternoon: Louis Fl. Ayme, of the District of Co
lumbia, to be United States consul of Merida:
VIM. w. Hicks, OF Florida, to be supervisor of
census for the district of Florida; Samuel
Thompson OF Alabama, to be supervisor of Gen.
sus for the second district of Alabama; also a
number OF postmasters.
THE SPANISH CLAIMS COMMISSION. infor-
nation called for by the Senate in relation to
the Spanish Claims Commission is being pre-
pared by the Department of State and will be
submitted In few days. The work Of the COM
mission was suddenly stopped several months
ago on account of the objection of the arbitra-
tor ON the part Of the Spanish government, the
Marquis de Potestad. That gentleman objected
to the umpire and to the Consideration by the
commission Of claims of American naturaliZed
Cubans. Through the efforts OF Mr.. Evarts,
Secretary OF State, these objections have been
overcome, and the work of the commission will
be resumed In short time.
CoLoRED LEADER ON THE EXoDUs.-J. Milton
Turner colored, ex-minister to Liberia, is in the
city. He has been summoned to appear before
the exodus committee, and will write out his
statement in regard to the negro exodus and
submit 1t to the committee Although a thor
ough republican, Mr.. Turner Is opposed to the
exodus. He holds that the south is the proper
place for his race and that to emigrate west is
In every sense dlsadvantageous. Those who
leave not only depart from their natural homes
In this country, but lose all Identity to import
ance politically. They become mere ciphers.
He thinks that the exodus was fnstigated by
politicians and that the negroes are being i'm
posed upon. Their condition where they now
are he regards as much better than 1t will be in
the west. Mr. Turner to-day took breakfast
with senator Bruce and will this evening dine
with Marshal Douglass. Senator voorhees, in
tends to invite the most prominent colored men
In the country to submit their views on the exo-
dus question to his committee.
COUNTING THE ELECTORAL VOTE.-Senator
Hoar to-day presenated to the Senate amemori-
al from the Massachusetts Woman Suffrage As