Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-19
COMING CRUISE
WHINING AND DINING TO BE THE
ORDER OF THE DAY

IT
Mountaineering the Wind Ont of
Secretary LincOln's Presidential Boom
Mr. French's UnpOpuIarity.
WASHINGTON, March ls.-Great pre-
parations are being made for the Presi-
dents trip to Fortress Monroe. The ssDe-
/ spatch" has been thoroughly overhauled
ana the Captain has given up his cabin to
the President. 1t has been tasteft1lly
htted out, and looks more like a drawing
room than berth in war ship. Judging
from the supplies going aboard. there will
be jolly, and possibly wild and hilari-
Gus time. Wines, liquors and cigars have
been shipped by the gallon. The party
VIII include Secretaries Frelinghuvsen
ana Chandler. Attorney Gen.
/ eral Brewster is not going.
He stays behind, the gOssips saw. be-
cause the President does not like the
ayidity with which he quenches his thirst.
All kinds of stories are afioat as to the
nature of the Presidents ailment. He is
credited, among other complaints, with
/ Brights disease, quinsy and malaria.
The knowing ones say that he is suffering
/ from too much dining. If that is the case.
it will hardly be benefited by his cruise.
since everything points to a series of good
/ dinners with all the high toned acces-
! sOres.
The Lincoln boom is about to begin in
dead earnest. 1t has sputtered spasmodi-
cally ever since Garfield died, but has re-
| Gently had comparatively long rest. We
are now being treated to paragraphs harp
ing on the wonderful executive ability of
! old Abraham's son. Certain local prints
see iU him prodigy of political wisdom.
He is talked Ofas the worthy ami talented
son of a worthy and sagaciOus father.
Bill Chandler is, Of all men, mentioned as
an excellent tail to the Lincoln
ticket. 1t Is time that some plain
facts were given about the official
career of the Secretary of War. There
is no doubt that he has paid close atten-
tiOn to the duties of his office. He was
always good at the desk. This assiduitv.
| however, has not gained him MANY friends.
Secretary Lincoln is hard to approach.
| He puts on toO many airs in his depart
ment to suit the voting phalanXlOf the Re
publican party. Some are unkind enough
to say that the place is too big for him.
1t has caused his Uranium to expand.
Gen. Logan took a deep interest in him
after making him secure in President
Garfeld's Cabinet. Secretary Lincoln
took first to patronizing and then to cut
ting his official sponsor. This ingratitude
dlsgusted Gen. Logan. Their intimacy
gave place to GOODNESS, and,
! if common report can be
trusted, the Illinois Senator is now scarce
ly on speaking terms with his protege
The bee has buzzed briskly in Secretary
LincOln's bonnet ever since he came to
| Washington, President Arthur was
aware of the fact when he assumed the
reins of power, and wanted to ship him to
eli bn 10, OfN
/ however, refused to leave the. United
States, and the President retained him in
the Cabinet because of the patriotic as
sOciatiOns of his name. The boom is to
he industriously worked. 1t will most
likely be worked out when the critical
time arrives.
''It amuses him." said an old politician
tonight, ''and don't do much harm to any
one. Let her boom. The country has
need of some one with more ability and
greater claim to political preference than
that Of being the son of his father"
Assistant Secretary French has never
been popular with the Eastern importers.
His incertitude and wavering policy in
the customs cases have cost them too
much money to breed affection for him.
1t was Thought that the new tariff law
would simplify matters to an extent that
would render appeals to the Treasury
unnecessary. This impression was
strengthened by the fact that Judge
French spent several days with
the Tariff Commission, explaining
the difficulties of the old law. He adj
dressed the commission upon the impor-
tance Ofsimplicity i'm the arrangement of
the tariff and simplicity in the classifica-
tiOns, especially with view to avoiding
antiquities of all kinds. Either the COM
mission did not heed Mr..
French's suggestions or the trainers
Il, T.,x.~
carry them to a practical conclusion, The
Treasury Department is being flooded
with inquiries as to the meaning of the
clause. All kinds Of knOtty problems are
prOpounded, and Mr.. French has his hands
full. 1t looks as if the new measure will
lead 10 as many, if not more, disputes
than the old tariff, and that instead Of
being diminished, the antipathy of inn
porterS to Judge French will be largely
Increased during the next few months.
More than year ago the New Or
leans Pacific Railroad Company APP
piled to the Secretary of the Interior
for transfer to itself of land
granted to the New Orleans, Baton
Rouge and 'Vicksburg Railroad Company
by an act of Congress approved March 3,
1S71-presenting at the same time satis-
factory proof of the transfer as between
the two companies. Secretary Teller de-
layed action in the expectation that Con-
gress might legislate upon the subject
matter thereof, but that body having ad-
journed without action, and there
being no reason for further delay,
the application was referred to
the President. In making the
reference the Secretary said: ''In view of
the facts and law of the case / regard the
New Orleans Pacific Railway Company as
the lawful assignee of the New Orleans,
Baton Rouge and Vicksburg Railroad.
TO- Ic,,r
by the twenty-secOnd section of the act of
March, 3.1S7l, to said latter named COM
pany and to the patent therefor, i'll so far
as it has earned, or hereafter may earn,
the same under that act, with the eXcep-
tiOn below named, and recommend that
you accept three hundred and twenty
eight miles of said road, less and eX-
elusive of sixty-eight miles of the
line of said New Orleans, Baton Rouge
and Yicksburg Road, extending from New
Orleans and Shreveport, to which 6S miles
of the New Orleans Pacific Road has with
drawn its claim and right to receive the
lands under the twenty-secOnd section OF
said act, and that the patents
for such lands as may have been earned
by construction be issued to the New Or
leans Pacific Railway Company, exclusive,
nevertheless, of the lands along said six
ty-eight miles on their compliance with
the law and regulations in such case
made and provided. These patents will,
of course. be subject to the rights ac-
quired by any person or corporation prior
to the act Of March 3. 1871. The Presi-
dent to-day returned The papers in the
case with his approval of the recon-
mendations made by the Secretary. This
action is in favor of the New Orleans Pa
cifc Railroad, now owned and operated
by the Texas Pacific Railway Company,
and is final.
The Acting Secretary of the Treasury
has instructed the Collectors of Customs
that duties should be assessed upon the
full invoice value of merchandise covered
by invoices stating the value of the goods
free on board at the foreign port of ship
ment. That is the value, including
charges. costs and commissions, without
regard to the provisions of section of the
new tariff act, which abolished the duties
on such charges. He suggests that i'm
porters pay the duties under
protest so as to protect
any rights they may have in the premises
of the question. Whether the estimate
NAV properly be made in such cases by
the appraising officers TO cover the charges
and commissions and whether the amount
of such an estimate may thereupon be de-
Quoted from the probable value, is reserved
for future consideration and until after he
shall have received reports in regard to
the matter from the proper officers.
Representative Reagan, OF Texas, who
has been i'll for a week or more, is better.
Weather Indications.
OFFICE CHIEF SIGNAL OBSERVER,
WASHINGTON, d. c., March 1S.-lndica-