The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-11-17
FROM THE CAPITAL.
MATTERS OF INTEREST THERE,

Recent Important DsGlIlOnI Of the POstoiles Do
partmSat-RuROrsd Changes to Take Place
Ia the Cablast-ThS Alleged HRdOas'
nSat Of the Star ROuIS RInE.
WAsHISGToS, November l6.-The follow
ing decision made by the Postmaster Gen
eraI to-day is Of interest to merchants. The
Postmaster General has, after careful con-
sideration, advised that the ancient rule Of
the department to the effect that matter Of
lower grade may be enclosed in that OF u
higher, authorizes printed matter to be en-
closed with merchandise, and that to make
distinction between printed matter en-
closed with merchandise and printing upon
the tag attached to q sample, or upon the
sample itself, when the latter consists Of a
paper, is not within the reasonable intents
Of the law, 1t Is therefore decided that
on all paper sent as merchandise there may
be printed any matter not having the char
acter Of an actual or personal correspond
ence, and with such merchandise and
merchandise OF other material, there
may be enclosed such printed matter or
the same may be attached TO such matter
All former rulings in conflict herewith are
revoked, and First Assistant Postmaster
General Hatton to-day decided that the
publishers oi matter admitted TO the mails
as secOnd-class, may print upon the side Of
postal card intended for Communica-
tions, bills, receipts and orders for sub
scription TO their publication or publica-
tions, and may also print the address OF
such publisher upon the address side OF
the card and enclose the same in their Sec
ond.class matter,
CABINET RuMoRs. 4,
A report is current that Secretary Lin.
coin will shortly retire voluntarily from the
Cabinet. That Hon. Emory Storrs will be
the new Attorney.G General, and ex-senator
ChatIGe, Of Colorado, will succeed Kirk
wood as Secretary Of the Interior, Chauncy
l. Filley Is mentioned as Postmaster Gem
eral, General Longstreet as Secretary OF the
Navy and General Beale, Of this city, as
Secretary OF War.
The letter OF Representative Neal in re-
gard to the Star route matter Is both inter
Psting and significant, as showing to what
extent the provision prevails that Congress,
by its action in the matter, gave full in
dOrsement TO General Brady. Mr.. Neal
is one OF the most watChful among the
members ofthe progress Of legislation. His
face is always up against every species OF
job. The belief which he expresses that
Congress sustained Brady Is q prevalent
one among Congressman. 1t is, however,
a most enormous belief, as facts on record
show, AS the plea that Congress did in.
dorse then Is one Of the strongest points Of
the line OF defense adopted, 1t becomes
important
TO HAVE TIE FACTS SET FORTH.
The question as TO where the credit Of
starting the investigation belongs is one Of
comparatively little importance. After
calling attention to the exposures made by
the House subcommittee Of Appropriations
Mr.. Neal says:
Nevertheless, these developments after
full debate in the House, participated in
by prominent members OF both sides, the
House deliberately gave It's sanction to all
that had been done by vote OF 81 to 70,
(l90 members being absent or refusing to
vOte,) the Senate having already done so,
every Democratic member from Ohio
present voting with the majority,
while the Republicans present, Mr..
MunrOe md myself, voted to sustain the
Appropriation Committee. The other Ohio
Republicans were attending the Chicago
Convention. Gen. Brady aud those inter
ested in the Star route, Congressman and
contractors alike, justly regarded this &c.
ton Of Congress as an Endorsement Of all
that had been done, and having elimi-
mated from the bill the obnoxious pro-
visions placed thereon by the Appropria-
tion Committee Of the House, they cared
nothing for the same clause cited by your
correspondent.
There is a lengthy and very important
history
WHICH Mr.. NEAL oMITs.
Between the developments which he
mentions and the vote OF "A TO 10, by
which he claims that the House gave de-
liberate sanction to all that had been done
by Brady. Brady. had asked for defiCi.
ency OF about S2,0O0,00O to discharge the
obligations Of the Star service till tho end
Of the fiscal year. When the matter came
up in the House there was prolonged and
heated debate, ending in a decided de.
feat Of Brady. First, Rr amendment by Mr..
Page, OF California, making full appro-
printiOns as asked by Brady, was de-
leated by 1l9 to so. This certainly was
very far from giving deliberate sanction to
his acts. Next, the Baker amendment
from ths Committee on Appropriations
was passed without division. This gave
500 900 only, or 81, 100000 less than was
asked by Brady, and, besides this, proviso
was adopted by which on all routes where
the expedition had exceeded $500 per
annum, the pay should be reduced to the
terms OF the original contract, and
no PULITZER EXPEDITION
could take place on any route for the rest
Of the year. This surely was not deliberate
sanction. The bill then went 10 the Sen.
ate. There the sum voted by the House
was increased by the Senate Committee on
Appropriation 10 si,lOO0O0 for the de.
fciency Of the service and Si5O,OOO for
other items connected with II, the total bo.
ing still $750,00O less than Brady insisted
he should have. The committee also
reported n preamble declaring the action OF
the Department 10 be In disregard Of law.
This the Senate modified on the ground
that as the impeachment Of Brady had been
threatened and was possible, Il was not
proper for the Senate to declare in advance
that his actions were illegal. While de.
batting the best plan Of avoiding this dif.
iiculty, Secretary Kirkwood offered an
amendment which virtually declared that
the Senate did not intend by It's action to
condemn the postofIiCe officials. This was
defeated by twenty.eight in the affirmative
To thirty.iour in the negative. An amend.
nent was then proposed by Senator COnk.
ling expressly declaring that the senate's
action should not he deemed to affirm the
validity or legality Of the acts III question,
or to affect any proceeding tliereunder-
meaning either impeachment or a criminal