Morning journal and courier., 1880-12-14
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

National AfFairs-A Bill to Secure Cheap
 Postage-A System of Free Education
 The Supreme Court Changes-Secretnry Thompson's Resignation - President Hayes Still Opposed to the De LessePs Cana1-Other Matters
 WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.-Mr. Butterworth, of Ohio, has introduced bill to provide for Q cheaper rate of postage. It authorizes the Postmaster General to establish new style of postal cards to be transmitted at one cent each. He has also introduced bill to relieve soldiers of the charge of desertion. It re- cites that many soldiers who served faithfully in the war left their commands before being mustered out, and it is proposed to relieve all who served faithfully of the charges of desertion, provided that they were with their command until the actual close of hostihties.
 MT. McCord, of Iowa, has introduced in the House a joint resolution compelling the States to maintain a system of free education. It also declares that no citizen of the United States born therein at the adoption of this amendment, who has not attended pub lie or private schools for five years and who cannot read or write, shall not be entitled to vote, nor shall he be counted in the general enumeration for Representatives. The amendment also fixes one day for all cleo tions in years when Presidents are voted for.
 In view of the hostilities in Persia, this government, as we have no diplomatic or con- sular representatives in that country, recent ly requested the British government to ex- tend its protection to such American mission aries as might be engaged in their work in the disturbed region. A dispatch from MT. Low, ell to-day informs the Department of State that instructions to that effect have beer given the British representative in Orrov- minah.
 For month past various statements have ! been published concerning impending charges ! in the Supreme Court The first of the pre- dictions was realized to-day by the resigna tion of Justice Strong His successor upor | the bench will be W. B. Woods of Montgom ! cry Ala, circuit judge of the Flfty-fourtf ! Judicial district. Woods is a native of Ohio | He left the Buckeye State about the time O | the outbreak of the war, his neighbors being uncertain whether he would identify himsel | with the Union or Confederacy. At the elos' | of the war he was appointed United State \ Judge. Justice Bradley will hereafter pre- | side over the Third judicial circuit embracing l the districts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania an' ! Delaware, which has been Justice I Strong's circuit Mir Wood will succeed l to the southern circuit, formerly presided over by Justice Bradley. Justice Swayn ] will tender his resignation after the holidays i His successor on the bench and in the Ohi
 circuit will be ex-Senator Stanley Matthews
 Justice Clifford's death is expected at an. moment. He is unable now to dictate complete sentence, and therefore cannot ten der his resignation unless improvement il
 his health should occur. Mir. Clifford's ail
 ment is paralysis and softening of the brain
 His medical advisers do not expect his re
 covery. If he should die befor
 the 4th of March, President Hayes will ap
 point Attorney General Devens to succee' him. He is a resident of the First judicia circuit. over which Justice Clifford presides I A bill will be introduced in Congress in fey
 days to retire Justice Hunt. He is incapaci
 tated from performing his judicial work an'
 would have resigned long ago had his pecu | niary circumstances apart from his salar.
 been sufficient to support his family. MT
 Hunt cannot legally apply for retiremen
 with pay before 1882. As soon as the bll
 for his retirement is passed Senator Edmund
 will be appointed his successor.
 General Grant arrived this afternoon at
 o'clock on the limited express and was re
 ceived with salute of seventeen guns by tn
 National Veteran clubs of Boys in Blue, wh
 escorted him to the residence of Geners
 Beale on Pennsylvania avenue. The street 1 along the route or tne prOceSs1oh Hofo taaOho
 with citizens and the approache
 to General Beale's residence were s
 thronged as to be nearly impasss
 ble Owing to the pressure of privat
 business General Grant will only remain il
 the city two days, hut expects to return her
 about the middle of February, when he wi
 remain until the approach of warm weather
 The short stay of the General and the man
 engagements on his hands render it imprat
 ticabie to carry out the project of gran
 complimentary serenade It has been dec Aed that reception be held tomorrow ever s ing at Masonic Temple, under the auspices Z the Boysen club, lasting from s to F, whic will afford ample opportunity for the Gener to meet his hosts of friends at the capital.
 | Mir. Willis introduced in the House to-ds