Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 December 1877 — WASHINGTON NOTES. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON NOTES.

Congressman Springer, of Illinois, claims SIO,OOO from the Government for securing the return to the treasury of the Centennial loan of $1,000,000 by the Philadelphians. The compassion of naval officers appointed last year to examine the reports made by the officers who explored the various routea for an inter-oceanic canal agree that tho Nicaragua route is the most practicable. The Republican members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, after carefully sifting the voluminous testimony of army officers and others relating to tho Rio Grande question, express an opinion that there is no danger of international complications. Some of the Democratic members of the committee, however, are of opinion that war is to be apprehended, and that it possibly cannot be avoided. Judge Loring, of the United States Court of Claims, has retired on full pay, oil account of age, and the President has appointed J. C. Bancroft Davis to succeed him. After an exciting canvass-the nominations of Mr. Hayes for officers at tho port of New York were rejected by the Senate by a vote of 32 against confirmation to 25 in favor. Gen. Sheridan has been before the House Military Committee to testify regarding the condition of affairs along the Rio Grande. He gave it as his opinion that there is no danger of a war with Mexico, and that the troops already stationed on the border, together with those to bo sent there, will be sufficient to preserve order. A dispatch to the Chicago Tribune says the Senate’s executive session of the was the scene of an exciting dialogue between Senators Gordon and Conkling. The account says: Gordon was bitterly opposing the confirmation of Wade, a Republican, as Collector of the Third district of Georgia. Mr. Thurman interrupted to say that, if the relations of the North to the South were to pass in review at length on every confirmation, business could not be expedited. At this Mr. Conkling and several others spoke out, as is usual in a session where business is pressing, “Goon with the calendar.” At this Gordon exolaimed in a very offensive manner: "The Senator from New York is issuing orders to tfee Cb&ir," st, Oookiißf, after uWa#

don to repeat, replied: “If the Senator from Georgia means to say that I issue orders to the Chair, he says what is not true, and, lest the Senator should not understand me, I repeat that, if he means to intimate that I issue orders to the Chair, he says what is not true.” This was spoken with great emphasis by Conkling. Gordon retorted, “This is a matter that can be settled outside of this Chamber.” Conkling replied, “Yes, or we can settle it now,” and he then again repeated his first remark to Gordon, and the latter only said it was a matter to settle outside the Chamber. Messrs. Thurman, Hamlin, and other Senators undertook to smooth the matter over and effect an immediate reconciliation, saying that Conkling’s exclamation, “Go on with the calendar,” was th* usual one, and there was no cause for Gordon’s feeling, hut both Conkling and Gordon sat still under these attempts to smooth the matter over, and said nothing. Gov. McCormick, late Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, has been unanimously confirmed Commissioner General to the Paris Exposition.