The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-04-22
WASHINGTON.
Appointments Declined.

WASHINGTON, April 21.-Anthony NJ. Kel-
ley of Virginia, recently commissioned as min
lister to Italy, will decline, not wishing to en-
barrass the administration by reason Of the OBJ
Jections that might be offered against him BY
the Italian government.
Gen. Lawton has declined the Russian mis-
zion. An intimate friend received telegram
from him today, requesting him to convey to
the President his desire to decline. It is I'M
derstood that he does this to relieve the Presi-
dent from all embarrassment, and to avoid a
possible controversy in the Senate next session.
a contest over delicate question involving
partisan feeling, which is to be settled by the
votes OF Malone and RiddlebsTger, could not
When LawUon came two weeks ago, the friend
who today received his message of declination
said to him that st. Petersburg was not par
ticularly attractive place. He reminded Law
ton that one or two American ministersshad
been frozen to death at that frigid post. He
represented to him that in his Judgment it was
not worth a contest. LawtOn replied that he
had not come to fight for it, but, on the contra
~, to say to the President that he wished TO
relieve him from all embarrassment, and SO
hoped he would act Just as though he had
never nominated Alexander r. Lawton for the
Russian mission. He did say this to the Presi-
dent the next day. The President responded
that he proposed to act in accordance with the
opinion of his Attorney General, to whom the
question had been referred. This opinion was
favorable to Lawton'S position. 1t declared
that the Andrew johnson pardon removed
Lawton's political disabilities, and that the
14th amendment could not and did not restore
them. Upon this position there can be no
doubt the President would have appointed
Lawton had not Lawton declined the place.
The formal announcement of Lawton's decli-
nation was made today The Russian mission
has been offered to Gen. John B. Gordon of
Georgia.
The SeDi-DecenniaI Census.
In reply to an inquiry from several States
concerning the taking of the semi-decennial
census, the Secretary of the Interior has pre-
pared circular, in which he quotes the act OF
March 3, 1879, providing for the taking of
such censuses. The circular states that if
semi-decennial census is made by State author.
tiles beginning the first Monday in June, and
the result reported to the Secretary of the In
terror by the first OF September following, such
States will be entitled upon requisition of the
governor thereof to sum equal to 80 per cent
of the amount which was paid to the United
States supervisors and enumer&tors employed
within such States or territories in the taking
of the last United States census, The scope Of
the census will be confined to the subjects of
population, agriculture, industry and mortali-
ty.
Appointments by the President.
The President made the following appoint
ments today:
Secretary Of the Legation at Chili-Chris-
tian M. Siebert, of New York.
Postmasters- Henry L. Kenyon, Northfeld,
Vt; John L. Lindley, Ansonia, Conn: w. B.
Hall, Wallingford, Conn; Jacob Coffrotb,
Somerset, Penn; Delos L. Birge, Coopers-
town, N Y; Francis M. Householder, Mobiles
vile, Md; Neron Burett, Jefferson, Wis. !;
James S. Catherwood, Hoopestown, ILL.,. Geo.
M. Houston, Harrisonville, Mo-; Defiance
Young, at Auburn, Me-, vice Henry Little,
commission expired
To bs Collectors of Internal Revenue-Ed-
mund W. Booker, District of Alabama; Eben
F. Pillsbury, District Of Massachusetts,; Alex
Troup, District of Connecticut; Charles II.
Chase, District of Maine.
Associate Justice of Court of Utah-Orlan-
do w. Powers
Facts and RmmoEs.
Fl. T. Sperry. government stamp agent at
Hartford, Conn.,, has resigned, and VIM. l..
Eaton appointed TO fill the vacancy.