Morning journal and courier., 1889-04-05
wAsHHrGroN NOTES.

Few Callers at the White House-NeWs of the Floating ofthe Fipsic Joyfully meeeIved-Robers 1T. Lincoln Formal Iy Accepts the English mission-The c Grand Trunks Hearing Before the | Interstate Commerce Commission. l WASHINGTON, April 4.-This was ths Presidents ightest day so far as callers were
 concerned. They made up in talk, however, ! what they lacked in numbers, and kept the President engaged in listening throughout the entire time devoted to business.
 No news had been received by officers of the navy department up to 7:3O o'clock this evening in regard to the floating of the Nip sic at Samoa. The announcement through the associated Press that the vessel had been foated was received with a great deal of sat- isfaction by Secretary Tracy and the bureau officers of the navy department. ''That's good news. That's good. I am glad to hear it," said the secretary, and his face indicated as we'll as his words the pleasured the tidings gave him. Commodore Walker, chief of the bureau of navigation, was also highly grati- fed at the intelligence. "Thst's 6 gain of one" ," said he. eff we can get her af1oat and sent to Auckland and repaired it will be do- ing we'll. I am glad to hear she has been foated. The Nipsic is good boat, very
 
 likely that the Trenton or Vandalia could be saved, as the despatches indicated they were too badly damaged.
 Robert T. Lincoln called upon the Presi- dent and Secretary Blaine to-day and form ally accepted the English mission. He will sail for England about the 18th of May next. James A. Vose, of Maine, who for fourteen years prior to the incoming of the last ad- ministration was appointment clerk of the postofdce department has been re-appointed to his old position.
 ! The interstate commerce commission to- day began the hearing in the case of the Grand Trunk railway company of Canada upon a charge contained in an order of the commission issued March 26 last of violating the interstate commerce law by granting re- bates on traffic taken from points in the United States to points in Canada, and by charging less than their published rates on such shipments. MT. Otto Kerch- ner appeared as counsel for the Grand Trunk company. The information upon which the citation was issued was at least in part furnished by the Michigan Central rail- road, which was represented by MT. Ashley Pond as counsel and Mir. Ledyard, it's presi- dent. MT. Pond read from the published tariffs of the road under date of October 15, 1888, in which the rate on coal from Buffalo and Black Rock to Hamilton and Dundas in Canada was given as $1. This rate he said had not been maintained. On the contrary, concessions had been made and were now being made to large shippers. Tacitly brief argument contended that this traffic from 8 point in the United States to a point in Canada did not come within the control or jurisdiction of the interstate commerce commission. He read ! from that part of the first section of the ! amended interstate commerce act approved ! March 2, 1889, which says that the provis- ions of the act shall apply ''to any common ! carrier engaged in the transportation of pas | sengers or property from any place in the United States to an adjacent foreign coun- ! try" and oontsnded that a proper and just 1 interpretation of the meaning of the words ''to an adjacent foreign country" would be | to the border of an adjacent foreign coun- | try and not 'tinto" that foreign country. He ! expressed the belief that this interpretation ! was the one Congress intended should be placed on it. What takes place within a ! foreign country, he held, did not concern the Congress of the United States or anyone out side of it,