Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-10-29
TELEGRAPHIC.
Steamboat Disaster on the Upper
Mississippi.
Seventeen Persons Lose Their
Lives,
Destructive Fire at StauntOn
Virginia.
WASHINGTON.
News From the National Capital.

News From the National Capital.
| WASHINGTON, D. c., October Is
After a brief open session, the Senate
closed its doors and resumed the con-
test over the Lynchburg post Office.
No further nominations thus far
have been sent in by the President.
The Star, to night, says: The
delay in the appointment OF an At
torney General has not, it appears,
grown out of any indecision as to
the selection of a man to fill the
place, but out of the circumstances
surrounding the Office. Mr.. Howe
does not desire to accept the appoint
ment, with the Star..Route prosecu-
tions as legacy from his predeces-
sor. Ordinarily, this would be an
objection, but there are circumstan-
ces that might be peculiarly
embarrassing to Mr.. Howe. His
son-in- law, Colonel Enoch Fotler, is
one Of the counsel for the defense,
and Mr.. Howe's friends fear that,
should he accept the Office and fail
! to convict in these cases, the failure
! might give rise to imputations that
his son in-law had influenced him.
For this reason the President was
informed that DIR. Howe would
prefer not to accept the ap-
pointment at present. One of
! the most prominent supporters
of Mr.. Howe informed the reporter
| this afternoon that he was confident
of the latter's appointment event
ually, but that the President is de-
sirous of having the Star Route
cases conducted by those who began
them, and will therefore endeavor to
persuade Mac Veagh to remain IN
Office until these cases are concluded.
| That if Mac Veagh refuses then an
| ad interim appointment will be made,
and MIR. Howe will take the Office
after awhile.
The nominations of Messrs Folger,
James and Hatton were confirmed in
the executive session of the Senate
to-day, without debate OF opposition,
as soon as they, We're reported back
matter of form, they had been re-
ferred. The days session was pro-
oDged, however, until six o'clock by
an animated contest over the nom1-
nation of Clifford Statham, Read
juster of Democratic antecedents, as
. postmaster at Lynchburg, Va, vicethe
Republican incumbent, ramed Wills
son, whose term of Office will expire
on the 7tb, says its confirmation wss
earnestly opposed by Democratic
| Senators on the grounds as set forth
in speeches by Messrs. Johnston OF
Virginia, Maxey and Voorhees,; but
| Wilson was gallant Union soldier,
and was severely wounded in the war
OF the rebellion, and busineas men
= OF Lynchburg are entirely satis>
|. fed with his administration OF
the post-o Office and desire
.. his retention, and that the proposed
, appointment of Mr.. Statham, an ac-
,, tive supporter Of Senator Malone,
is an lnadmissible attempt to infu-
ence the issue of State political
contest by Federal patronage To
! these arguments it was replied by
! the chairman of the postofice com
mittee, Mr.. Ferry, and various other
Republicans, that the recent investi
: cations by special agents of claims Of
: the Postoffice Department have
!, shown that Mr.. Wilson has beer
! short in his accounts al
three different periods; that his
!, use of government money fol
private purposes, although subse-
;, quently made good, amounted to q
! gross dereliction of duty, if not al
actual defaleation, and fully warrant
his displacement from office
That Mr.. Statham's appointment is
g recommended with great unanimity
: by the Republicans of Lynchburg,
t and that the objection, based on the
: alleged Federal interference with
:. State politics, is strained, and un-
y worthy of consideration, in view
r both of the special circum
!; stances of the case and
:. multitude of general prece.
$. dents. AT the end of three hours
il discussion an attempt was made by
the Republicans to obtain a vo.e
upon the question of the confrma
ton, but this was prevented by the
al resort on the part of the Democrats
d to dilatory tactics, commonly knowr
d as fillibustering, and finally an ad
y journment was taken until tomorrow
/ having the case still pending. It is
y believed by many that a similar
. resistance to final action on this nom
l. ination will be exerted by the Demo
It cratic members of the Senate until
q the close Of the present session, un-
4 less 10 the meantime it shall be as
4 certained that Senator David Davis
will vote with them, in which event,
if party lines are persistently main-
. tanned on this question, the nomina-
: tion will be lost by tie vote.
! The second and last days of the
.. session of the Southern Railway and
Steamship convention, were held here
to-day. Reports of committees ap-
pointed yesterday we;e 9 received and
disposed of. The committee on dlf-
ferences and rates to the coast, re-