Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-07-12
AT WASHINGTON.
Failure to Negotiate a Second Span
lsh Commercial Treaty.
The Work of the New Assistant p.
N. General.
A New Manual for the Use of p. O..
Inspectors.
Official Movements at the Cap
itaI.
Official Movements at the Cap.

WASHINGTON, D. c., July ll.-Sscretary
Whitney took the President, Secretary Of
the Treasury, Secretary Of the Interior and
the Postmaster General on q pleasure trip
to Woodmont, near Harper's Ferry, this af;
ternoon. The party viii return Sunday
evening aIqndAy mosnisgs
Brigad Sc1eral John Gibbon has been
assigned By the President to the command
ofthe Department Of Columbia and ordered
to proceed to the headquarters of that de-
partment at Vancouver barracks, Washing
ton Territory.
Spanish Commercial Treaty.
1t is said that Col. John W. Foster, who
represents this Government in Spain has
failed to negotiate second commercial
treaty between Spain and the United States.
He is expected to return at an early date.
Col. Foster was sent to Spain about two
months ago with instructions to negotiate q
new commercial treaty in place of the one
which be had previously negotiated and
which ives considered by the Senate The
proposed new treaty as sgreed to by the
new administration did not differ greatly
from the first. Changes were in the inter
est of the business men of this country, and
were principally in relation thereto. Span
ish officials have not looked faTorably upon
q second treaty. The Minister Of Foreign
Affairs, especially, was indisposed 10 nsgo-
tiate. BE thought, and 30 intimsted that
the 6rst treaty should have had final
consideration by the Senate; that it should
have been either ratified or rejected, and
not Withdrawn. In his argument with
Foster on the proposed second treaty he
took the ground that Spain had agreed to
one reciprocity treaty that the United
States had not acted upon, and that under
these circumstances his government could
not continue negotiations. The first treaty,
it will be remembered, excited much dis
cussion in the newspapers after its publcs
ton, and considerable opposition to it was
manifested. It was also aatagonized in
the senate.
Mr. Sseyenson's Work.
Mr. Stevenson, new First Assistant Post
msster General, has been compelled to re-
vivs the rule practiced by his predecessor,
Mr.: Hay, limiting the time for receiving
visitors to the hours between 10 aud II
o'clock each day. The adoption of this
course is necessary 10 secure an opportunity
to attend to the business OF the Office Since
Mr.. Stevenson assumed the duties he has
been at his desk almost every night until
midnight, and the results Of bis labors are
apparent in the great increase in the mum
Der of fCuzth class poste{ice appointments
that now average above 100 a day.
ANew Postohics Manual.
General Br ant and Messrs. Mcdonald
and Sharpe of the Postotsce Department,
are now preparing a mammal of instruction
for the gu;Sance of posteaiee inspectors.
The manual in use now wae compiled In
1872, and has become well. nigh useless
though many changes made in the laws and
postal regulations since that date. There
ie q disposition on the part ct the Cabinet
to discontinue the allo vance Of sick leaves
under pay TO employees. hn impression
prevails that serious abuses have
grown up in connection with allowance Of
such leaves ard it is believed that the svs-
tenn should be rsarrsnged as'So enable dis
ttbution amoEg worthy employees who are
working extra hours in additioa to rendering
stead service throughout the year Of money
that is now paid out during sick leaves to
that class OF employees who lose many days
--sometimes exceeding $50 in each year
from alleged disability. It probable that
these views map take practical shape in
&c neral order in all executive departments.