Morning journal and courier., 1880-12-13

decided upon candidate for postmaster il
 the place of Mir. Stewart, deceased, but the,
 have not called the matter up because thel
 are not sure that they have a majority O
 members present. If vote had been take1
 last week it is not at all improbable that the
 candidate named by the Republicans would
 have been elected.
 The President declines to be interviewed
 on the new shape inter oceanic canal matters
 have assumed since the designation of Secre tary Thompson to assume the presidency o1
 the American branch of the Panama Canal
 company Mir. Hayes thinks he has given 1 the public pretty good idea of his opinion 1 of the subject in @ special message last spring
 and in the recent annual message. He was not aware tonight that Secretary Thompson
 had made public the fact of his resignation. 1 It is learned that Secretary Thompson's health has not been good for few days past, he having been troubled with a succession of | headaches. MT. Thompson said to-day that he expected to be ready to turn the Navy de- | partment over to his successor within ten days at the farthest.. Mir. John w. Hogg, l the present chief Clerk of the Navy depart
 ment. will most likely be appointed to Mir. 1 Thompson's place. Hogg fully understands i the plans and policy of the Secretary and his appointment would insure that these plans l would be carried out to the end of President 1 Hayes administration. MT. Hogg's appoint I ment would be acceptable to the members of 1 the Cabinet The matter will most probably be settled tomorrow or at the Cabinet meet 1 ing on Tuesday President Hayes said to- night that he had not decided upon 8 person 1 to succeed MT. Thompson as Secretary of | the Navy. "Commander Jeffries has had charge of the Navy department, I believe" said the President, whenever Secretary Thompson has been absent. do not know whether an officer of the navy could accept the appointment of Secretary and retain his position at the same time. have not exam ined the law on the subject. I don't imag- inc commodore would be wiling to resign from the navy to accept a Cabinet position for two months"
 Representative McLane said to-day that the Democrats without the necessity of hold ing caucus had agreed temporarily to sus- pend further efforts to pass the Morgan joint rule and take up instead such public business as is ready for consideration.
 In anticipation of the arrival of General Grant in the city at o'clock tomorrow af- ternoon the District organization of Boys in Blue have made full preparations to receive and escort him to the residence of Gen. Beale, whose guest he will be. Tomorrow evening the President will dine him. Senators Conkling, Cameron, Anthony, Burnside and Logan and Representative Morton have also been invited to meet him at dinner later in the week and after consultation with General Grant date will be fixed when a formal ser enade will be rendered him by the Boys in Blue. On Thursday next General Grant has accepted an invitation to dine with Hon. John B. Alley, and during the week he will visit General Beales farm near the city and inspect his Arabian horses General Beale says that while he cannot say how long Gene ral Grant will remain in Washington, he hopes to induce him to spend ten days or two weeks at the capital
 A cable dispatch printed to-day stated that the correspondence printed in London con- corning the fisheries question included docu- ments from August, 1879, to October, 1880. Here only Granville's letter was published. Secretary Evarts, however, stated to the re- porter this evening that the entire core pondence on the subject was transmitted to Congress in May last and printed excepting, of course, Granville's letter, which was published last week for the first time The subcommittee of the House Appro priation committee were engaged yester- day morning upon the District of Columbia and Indian appropriation bills. The consul lar and diplomatic and the military academy bills will be reported to the full committee on Tuesday next and it is believed the committee will approve and instruct their chairman to report them to the House the same day.
 The following is the text of the letter to the collector of customs at New York rela- tive to the refunding of the customs duties collected on Miss Sarah Bernhardt's stage wardrobe:
 SIR-The department is in receipt of your letter of the 4th inst submitting the appeal of Sarah Bern hardt, actress, from your assessment of duty on certain dresses and hats intended for her profession al personal wardrobe, which imported per steamer Amerique, October 27, 1880 the amount of duty paid being $1 560 The list of articles shows that they consist of articles specially adapted for characters represented by Miss Bernhardt in her professional capacity only adapted to stage and her professional implements tools of trade, ognized by decision of this department dated Oct 22, 1872, and the general practice which has ob- tained for maay years. Duty.appears to have been upon the ground that the articles had not been in prior to their importation. The provis of law contained in the free list which governs follows Wearing apparel in actual use and other personal effects (not merchandise), fessional books implements instruments and tools of trade occupation employment of persons arriving in the United States The condition of actual use ing apparel This is clearly shown by the structure of the paragraph above quoted. Some of the decis ions of the department cited in your letter tain articles claimed to be implements tools of trade had reference to the fact that the articles had been in abroad and possibly the free entry granted upon the strength of this statement
 This department, however, is of opinion that its rulings should go further than the law in this spect and that professional implements like those in question: if reasonable in amount and intended in good faith the personal of the party bringing question whether they have been in actual use | abroad You will therefore reliquidate the entry free of duty and forward certified statement for refund of the duty so exacted, amounting to $1,500 Very respectfully, H. F. FRENCH, Assistant Secretary. 1