Morning journal and courier., 1881-12-27

The Navy Department-Seereta Hunt
 Likely to Retire SoOn-A Glimpse at
 the Congressional Directory Other
 Matters.
 WASHINGTON, Dec. 26-Rumors of further Cabinet changes to be made shortly after the return of Congress are beginning to be heard. It is asserted as quite probable that Secretary Hunt will retire during the month of January. AS to his successor there are mentioned a number of names, but it is scarcely probable that anyone has been de- cided upon by the President, and the names most prominently mentioned are General Beale, ex-Secretary of the Treasury Bout well and General Longstreet. General Beale, who resides here, will be recognized by the public as an ex-minister to Austria, and a warm friend of General Grant. It is, how ever, generally believed that if any change is made Boutwell, will be the successor. Secre- tary Hunt insists that he would not be willing to return to the Court of Claims.
 This being legal holiday all the govern ment departments were closed, and business is generally suspended. In many of the Protestant churches services were held. The sky was cloudy throughout the day, but the weather was moderate.
 Senor Martinez, the Chilian minister here has issued an eighteen-page pamphlet on the difficulty between Chili on the one hand and Peru and Bolivia on the other. The work, he says, is not to be considered as an official document, but is issued to correct many err TOTS and give light to Congress, to which body he hears that Peru and Bolivia propose to appeal, having failed to influence the State department, which appeal he remarks would be fresh humiliation to those countries. The South American countries, though small, he says are entirely independent, and neither the Monroe doctrine or any other recognized authority would justify interference in the present state of affairs or participation save in an eminently peaceful and friendly way. Chih has given and will give to the world all explanations, memorandums and documents demanded by international courtesy. The assertion he says that Chili caused the war is absolutely false and is now believed by mo- body. The charges of Chilian atrocities dur ing the war are greatly exaggerated and founded on ordinary war experiences. They seem to be based on Voltaire's maxim: tsLie, lie something at least will be believed y Regarding the financial schemes which have been so much talked of in this country he says: ssNo speculation scheme of Chii has ever been brought forward in the financial or political market of the United States and there is no foundation whatever for the state ment that the Chiians have attempted or even had the remotest intention of proposing any transactions whatever in England in con- nection with the saltpetre deposits, and this for the simple reason that according to the Chilian system all the saltpetre deposits are property which is as sound as are the dwell ing houses, farms, mines and other posses sions which go to make up private property. Let this serve as refutation of the malicious or at least inconsiderate statements which we have frequently seen made by the press to the effect that Chilian guano and salt. i1 saryf f11a rb market. Those who credit such stories should understand that the Chilians relied entirely upon their own strength during the prosecution of the war. So they will rely upon their own strength for the promotion of their own industrial and commercial en- terprises.
 The new Chinese minister, Chang Tsoo. Yu, who comes with an imposing retinue of servants and secretaries, and begins his resi-. dence by display of costly living at the Ar. ington, will be presented to the President previous to the New Years reception in or. der that he may take his position among the foreign ministers He is rich and will make more of show in high society than his pre-. decessers have ever done. He holds the accredited to this country, being of noble family. He is AS years of age, and his wife, 8 lady of rank, is % years old. He is ac. credited as minister to Spain and Peru, as well as to the United States. At the Arling. ton he was welcomed by ex-Minister Chin Ian Pin and his secretary, Yung Wing. The ex-minister will leave for China next Wed nesday.
 The Congressional directory, edited by Ben Perley Poore, corrected to December 31st containing the list of the House committees made it's appearance to-day. Some curious facts in relation to the members of the two Houses appear. Of the seventy-six Senators five are of foreign birth, viz, Jones of. .Flori