Morning journal and courier., 1881-08-04
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

Delinquent Postm asters Brought to Time
 Steamboat Disasters During the Last
 Other Matters.
 WASHINGTON, Aug. 3.-A score of delin- quent postmasters notified by the Postoffice department few days ago have all come to the scratch. The mistake they made, it ap- pears, was not neglect to transmit their re- ports, but negligence in the manner of trans- initial. The rules of the department require characterized by green slip in order that they may have immediate attention. The postmasters referred to sent in their reports in ordinary postofice envelopes and they went in with routine business and were not reached until to day. These postmasters will not be fined, but will be warned to comply more closely with the requirements of the department in future.
 Secretary Lincoln telegraphs from Rye Beach that he will be at the War department tomorrow morning. Secretary Kirkwood is sufficiently recovered to resume work to- morrow.
 From General Dumont's record of steam boat casualties during the year, which will be out in a week, it appears that, emitting the Vera Cruz and Alpena disasters, there were fewer casualties from July 1, 1880, to June 30, 1881, than for any twelve months preced- ing since the introduction of steam naviga- tion. The Vera Cruz was wrecked on the Florida coast and the Alpena on Lake Erie. They were both as far perfect in construction and equipment as 1t Is possible to build
 
 furious storms in which they were caught. No inspection or anything else could have saved them. Both these disasters occurred in the first six months of 1S80-1. The last six months of that year show by far fewer casualties than for any preceding six montbs.
 Ex-Senator Conkling left Washington for New York to-day.
 Senator Ben Hill, of Georgia, passed
 through here on his way to Alum Springs to-
 day. He looks emaciated, but talks without impediment. He said the cancer in his mouth was caused by smoking, but thinks it is permanently cured.
 1he State department has not outlined 8 probable policy covering the case of Hart mann, the Nihilist, as has been reported in some of the newspapers. prominent of fcer of the department says: This country has a right to give him up, if on investigation it is established that his crime was an offence of description which cannot be tolerated
 
 we'll known principles of international law and comity in this regard which the State department will no doubt observe in the treatment of the present case A notorious fugitive from justice cannot set up claim of personal rights parallel to that used by one citizen against another before the courts. This country has right to give tip Hart 1 mann if it seems best and proper. It will be remembered that Egypt surrendered Surratt, who had fed to Alexandria after the assassi- nation of President Lincoln. He was treated as an accomplice in murder, not as a politi- cal offender, though the victim was Presl. dent and if Guiteau had escaped and taken refuge in Russia no one supposes that the Russian government would treat him as 1 political fugitive, but as an offender against l the common welfare of society, and he would I undoubtedly be delivered up to representa- I tives of our government. That the State de- 1 partment will apply these well known princi- ples to such cases as that of Hartmann an d I the dynamite conspirators goes without say l ing. If their guilt is satisfactorily deter mined our government will proceed no doubt as other governments would in similar cir I cumstances.
 The National Fair association have decided 1 to hold their third annual fair at Washington l in the middle of October. The premium list l has been revised and enlarged Among the new features is new national board of horti- culture embracing most experienced gentle men, to whom will be referred all differences i in regard to the nature of plants, their names 1 and family for instruction and settlement. | A new division in the patent office called I the abridgment division, and to have charge 1 of the abridgment of patents, is just being organized under an appropriation made by l the last Congress.