The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume], August 11, 1865, Image 2

About The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
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' i
gglal Fault Friday* A«f. 11* 1865*
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Volf* of llie Soldiers. ]
Gov. MiTT-gg has learned, after corree- 1
pondence with those best posted on the i
subject, that our commissioners to receive i
soldiers' votes must start early in Septem- 1
ber in order to reach Brackett*b Battalion, 1
the Third and Fifth regiments, and the 1
Heavy Artillery at Chattanooga. These <
officers will therefore be positively dis- J
patched by the Bth of September. The 1
tickets should be here by the sth. The 1
State, District and County Committees *
will perceive the necessity of attending to .
this matter at once, if they desire to get :
the votes of the soldiers at the ensuing .
election. I
The Slavery Question.
The Mobile Register (edited by John
Fobstth) of July 21st argues that slavery ]
is as dead as Julius Cabab ; that no hu- ■
man power oan resurrect it; and if that !
power rested in his own hand, he would ;
not exert it. The deed being virtually 1
done, and beyond recall, he wants it to be «
constitutionally done, and urges every
Southern State in convention at onoe to
andorse the decree which the will of God, i
the edge of the sword, and the voice of the j
n«tMw» of the earth seem to have united j
in promulgating.
■ i
The Cheyenne massacre Defended.
The butchery of friendly Indians by Col. j
Chivington, which was so atrocious and
heartless that the Committee on the Con- ;
duct of the War, after investigating the
circumstances, concluded its report by call
ing upon Congress to “punish as their
crimes deserve those who have been guilty
of these brutal and cowardly acts,” is de
fended by six Methodist clergymen ot
Denver City in a letter addressed to “ Min
isters and Members of the Methodist Epis
copal Church in the States.” They com
mend Col. Chivington as “ truly loyal to
our Church, and unflaggingly devoted to
her interests. The arduous duties of mili
tary life have not abated his zeal. Always
ready and able to aid in oouncil, and more
willing to assist in action, it is to him more
than to any other man that Methodism,
under God, owes its present prosperous
establishment in the Territory. His church
and ministerial relations are untarnished,
and we regard him as a model for large
hearted liberality and Christian energy.”
Of the massacre itself the address says:
We believe our only hope for safety as a ter
ritory lies in the repetition o£ like battles with
the same results. In the destruction of these
Indians, the murdering and scalping of white
men, women and children, was by so much
avenged. We ore fully persuaded that the
laws of war in this action were fully respected,
and only fear that similar occurrences are like
ly to be too unfrequent for an immediate and
complete subjugation of the treacherous,
blood-thirsty red men.
John W. North and Silas Hawley.
John W. North, who was formerly a
radical politician of this State, and who
left Minnesota with a strong odor of per
jury upon his reputation, growing out of
affidavits in regard to the sale of cer
tain railroad bonds, has written a letter
from Nevada to Rev. Silas Hawlkt, in
favor of the negro-voting amendment.
North and Hawley— par nobUefratrum /
—the one charged with peijury here and
gross official crime in Nevada; the other
reeking with the odor of practical misce
genation—and both non-residents of the
State! This Hawley was the originator
and most active worker for the proposed
amendment of our State constitution. He
tiooded the State with circulars, manufac
turing a sentiment in favor of the project
in every possible way, and finally bored
the Legislature into passing an act for sub
mitting it to the people. Bad as was
North’s reputation before he left the State,
it is due to him to say that Hawley's was
infinitely worse in every respect. Not
withstanding the complimentary notices,
duly paid for as advertisements, which
appeared in the newspapers, we dcubt if he
would be allowed to enter again the pal- 1
pits of St. Paul, or of any other place
where his true character is known.
Mr. North’s letter contains nothing that
has not been better said a thousand timaa.
Loud hosannas to oelored soldiers pervade
the whole of it. He makes the false and
insulting assertion that the negroes “ have
faced the cannon’s month in a manner no
white troops have ever surpassed; and
they have t ied and died for our oountry as
bravely as our bast patriots have ever
done.” He evidently is prepared to en
dorse tbe saying of his friend Wendell
PniLLire, that, for gallantry and heroism,
“ tbe negro bears tbe palm ” over the white
soldiers. If our brave boys who are proud
ly returning from the battle-field do not
administer a rebuke t-o these fanatics who
would elevate the negro above them on the
ground of his military services, we shall be
very much cisappointe 1 in our estimate of
their self-respect
ItrenfUi of the Democratic Party.
The radical prints frequency speak of
the Democratic party as dead and buried
beyond any prospect of resurrection, but
the violecoe of their continued assaults
upon it is sufficient evidence that it is still
living, and is destined to assume at no dis
tant day its legitimate position as the rul
ing power of the nation. At the last Pres
idential election, with thirteen States en
tirely excluded from voting, Mr. Lincoln
had a narrow escape from defeat From
figures, which we copy from the World, it
appeare that if out of the 4,034,789 citi
zens who voted in the Presidential election
the small number of 32,513 had changed
rides, Gen. McClellan would have been
elected:
The whole number of electoral votes counted
was 233, of which 117 were a majority. Had
McClellan received 96 electoral votes in addi
tion to his 21, he wonld have had a majority.
These 96 might have been given him by the
States set down in the following table, by a
very small change in their popular vote:
• No. of Lincolns
States. Electoral Votes. Majority.
New Hampshire /> 3,529
Connecticut 'S’ 2,406
New York 33 6,749
Maryland 7 7,414
Pennsylvania 26 , 20,075
Nevada. 3 3,232
Indiana 13 20,189
Oregon 3 1,431
Total 96 65,025
Ittfobvious that only half the number of
votes forming these majorities needed to be
changed, to cancel the majorities and reverse
the result; for every vote transferred would
make a difference of two votes in the relative
strength of the parties. It accordingly fol
lows that a change of less than 33,000 votes,
in a poll of more than four millions, would
have defeated Mr. Lincoln and have elected
Gen. McClellan.
No candid person can doubt that an
immense majority of the voters of the
United States are Democratic, and that if
a fair expression of their sentiments at the
ballot-box oould be had, the disastrous rule
of sectionalism would soon find its end.
Beecher on Jeff. Davis.
Henry Ward Beecher contributes an
article to the Independent of last week, in
which be disensses the duty of the govern
ment in regard to the punishment of Jeff.
Davis. He thinks Mr. Davis deserves
death, but it is neither in human or divine
law, nor does he think it expedient to give
a man all tbe pnnishment he deserves.
In regard to the effect of his execution on
the world abroad, Mr. Beecher says:
The public sentiment of Europe is against
political executions. England holds her soil
sacred from the intrusion of the pursuer of po
litical offenders. France will not give them
up. Little single-handed Switzerland hides
them in her fastnesses and refuses to hand
them over. For in Europe political offenders
have for the most part been men that have
sought to ameliorate the condition of the
masses; and the common people have come
to feel that political executions mean the in
fliction of a despotic government, of parish
meat upon men that have attempted to inaug
urate greater freedom. And the public senti
ment of Europe is in favor of men that are
made sufferers for political crimes.
Southern Church Representation.
Bishop Potter, of the Diocese of New
York, has just issued a circular letter to
the various Southern bishops of dioceses
recently in rebellion against the civil au
thority, in the course of which he Bays:
“I have corresponded on the subject with
the Bishops, aud think myself authorized
to state that they sympathize with me
generally in the desire to see the fullest
representation of the churches from the
South, sind to greet their brethren in the
Episcopate with the kindliest feeling.” The
Bishop adds:
The past cannot be recalled, and though it
may not soon be forgotten, yet it is the part of
Christian wisdom to bury it forever, rather
than to suffer it to interfere with the present
and the future interests of unity and peace. I
trust, therefore, that I shall enjoy the precious
gratification of seeing you and your deputies in
your proper place at the regular Triennial
meeting; and I pray that the Divine Redeemer,
who is the Prince of Peace, may prosper our
Convention with the Holy Spirit of consolation
and fraternal love, and consecrate our work
with His effectual blessing.
The Presbyterians are also agitating the
question of re-uniting with the Southern
branch of this organization. The Prince
ton Review, the Old School Preebyterian
organ, is directing the minds of religious
men aright on snob a subject as this. It
says:
It is plain that rebellion, os homotide, may
be an atrocious crime, or justifiable, or com
mendable, according to circumstances. Where
as moral offences are always, and under all cir
cumstances, evil. A good thief, or a good
murderer, is as much a solecism m good wick
edness. But a good rebel is no eueh solecism.
Hampton was a rebel, so was Washington;
they and thousands of other good men have
risen in armed resistance to constituted author
ity, and such resistance has been justified by
the verdict of the enlightened conscience of the
world. Bot even when rebellion is not justifi
able ; nay, when it is not oriy a great mistake,
but really a great crime in itself considered, It
does not necessarily follow that those who
commit it must be wicked men. It is often
the effect of wrong political theories. In the
protracted wars in England, between the bous
es of York and Lancaster, good men were
found on either side. v
Bo also in the war between Charles L and
the Parliament; between the adherents of the
Stuarts and the House of Hanover. It did not
follow that a man was wicked because he con
scientiously believed that the Pretender was
legally entitled to the British throne. A man
P'Sht be a Christian and believe that the Salic
law bound the Spanish nation, and rendered
it incumbent on him to be a Carlist. in like
manner cannot be doubted that thousands
i of our southern brethren religiously be
lieved that their allegiance was due first to
their several states, ajj,! and only condi
, tionally, to the Union. This does not infer
> ™ or al depravity. sane maa can believe
that a.l the Episcopal, Presbyterian, Metho
i diet and Baptist clergy and laity who entered
into the rebellion, were unrenewed, wicked
1 me ?\ a distinction between
f I pokucri offences and ordin ßr v crimes, and to
treat both alike would be a violation of the
I plainest principles of justice.
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT
Dob. Cox ob the Ifegr* Question.
We hope the letter of Gen. CJox, else
where printed, will be carefully read by all
who are interested in the question of negro
suffrage at the South. Gen. Oox is the
Republican candidate for Governor of
Ohio, and the letter is in answer to certain
interrogatories propounded to him by his
radical friends at Oberlin. He takes a
philosophical as well as a practical view of
the subject, and argues that the white and
oolored people of the South cannot live to
gether as equals, politically or socially,
and therefore favors a peaceable separa
tion of the two races on Southern soil, the
blacks in this separate condition to enjoy
full political rights. His views of the an
tipathy existing between the two races,
and the evils that would grow out of po
litical equality, we regard as eminently
worthy of consideration.
From the Frontier.
Dispatches to district headquarters from
Major Rose, commanding at Fort Wads
worth, dated tbe 27th ult., state that a
friendly Yanktonais had fallen in with a
party of seven hostile Indians between
that post and the James River, who threat
ened to kill him; but he was saved by the
interposition of one of the gang, who was
his brother-ic law. They expressed a de
termination to make a foray towards the
fort, but that is not considered likely, but
that the real object was to visit the settle
ments on the Missouri, or of lowa and
Minnesota, for purposes of murder and
pillage. The scouts had taken their trail,
and it was hoped would destroy the entire
party. The names of all of them are
known. They are from the hostile camp
in the region of Devil’s Lake.
Intelligence that these savages are on
the war-path will be at once conveyed to
the various detachments of troops and
scouts along the lines from Fort Ridgely.
Intereating Letter from General
RKeClellan.
A correspondent of the New York
Times gives an account of a Fourth of
July dinner at Geneva, Switzerland. Fifty
four Americans were present The De
claration of Independence was read in the
orthodox fashion. Toasts were drank and
responded to by most of the gentlemen
present and the occasion gave a zest to
the dinner that travellers rarely have.
Among the letters received from invited
guests was the following, which, received
with the greatest enthusiasm, is worth
preserving, both from the interest at-,
tached to the writer aud the interest ot
the letter:
Hotel Btron, Lake Geneva.)
Tuesday, July 4,1865. f
Mr Dear Bib: I have received your very
polite invitation, on behalf of the citizens of
the United Btates of America who are in Go.
neva, to Mrs. McClellan and myself to join
them at dinner to-day.
I regret that it will not be in cur power to
do ourselves the pleasure ot meeting with you
iu the celebration of this most interesting an
niversary of the most sacred day in the Ameri
can calendar. Although I cannot meet you in
person, I hope that you will permit me to ex
press the intense joy and pride with which, in
common with all Americans, I look upon the
recent glorious successes of our gallant armieß
under Grant and Sherman.
As these victories have finally crushed the
armed opposition to the General Government,
and have brought back the whole of the na
tional domain under the fold 9of our flag,l trust
that this anniversary of the nation's birthday
will be the opening of a new era in our history
—when brotherly love will again prevail be
i tween the people of the once contending sec
tions—when all the causes of the late war shall
have disappeared —when the idea of secession
will be regarded as a thing entirely of the past
—never again to be revived, and during which
we shall beqome a stronger, more united and
more prosperous nation than ever before.
I most sincerely unite with you in the feel
ings of sofrow and indignation which have
been so universally expressed for the cowardly
murder which deprived the country of its
Chief Magistrate, and in the desire to afford
the most loyal support to his successor. I
trust, too, that you will unite with me In the
hope that, since* we have completely vindicat
ed our national strength and military honor by
the entire defeat and ruin of our late enemies,
onr people will pursue a magnanimous and
mercifal course toward a fallen foe—one that
will tend to soften the bitter feelings inevita
bly caused by a long and earnest war, and to
restore tbe confidence and kind feeling that
should exist between those who owe allegiance
to the same government and belong to the same
people.
Begging that you will convey to the commit
tee, and to the gentlemen they represent, my
sinoere thanks lor their very courteous in vita-
Won. I am, my dear sir. very truly and respect
fully yours, GEO. B. McCLELLAN.
Fftteabood* by 'o.l*graph.
The <4|mb interested in keeping up a
oonstani irritation, if not open war, be
tween the North and South, ore very bus
ily engaged in disseminating through the
telegraph the most outrageous fabrica
tion*. The lost that has came to band is
the despatch dated at New York inform
ing the oountry that “ the friends of Jkp
reason Davis ” in that city, including
Mayor Gunther, Surrogate Tucker and
others, had held a private meeting there to
devise means for the defence of Da vis at
his coming trial The despatch farther
announces that these “friends of Jeffer
son Davis ” regard “ the failure of the re
bellion as but temporary,” and that “by
the assistance of its friends at the North
it can be successful in another way. ” It
is represented that Mayor Gunther was
absent, “ but he sent his regrets and as
surances of hearty co-operation.” Mr.
Gideon J. Tucker has, over his own sig
nature, put the stamp of falsehood on this
report, so far as it concerns himself, and
all the other gentlemen named.
DEFECTIVE PACE
RepaMlcaa State Convention
The Republican State Central Commit
tee have issued their call for a Convention
to be held in St Paul oa Wednesday, Sep
tember 6th, of delegatee “representing
the electors who have given an unqualified
support to the war for the Union, who hold
to the doctrines of the Declaration of In
dependence that ‘all :n-n are created
equal,* and ‘that gov aments derive
their just powers from i. e consent of the
governed,’ and who by their votes plaoed
political control in the State and Nation
into the hands of the pre?e- 1 Administra
tion, for the purpose of nom.i Siting candi
dates for State officers to be supported at
the next general election.”
A 9 all are invited to be represented who
by their votes placed the present adminis
tration in power, we are somewhat sur
prised that nothing is said about sustaining
tbe measures of that administration, so
far as they have been developed since the
death of President Lincoln. Last year all
were invited to be represented who would
“ sustain by voice and vote Abraham
Lincoln and Andrew Johnson as the
standard-bearers and representatives of
their principles.” Now the Central Com
mittee quote the “glittering generalities ”
as tests of political orthodoxy, and utterly
ignore the vital, practical questions of the
day. During the lhet four years we have
heard much about sustaining the adminis
tration, or “ the government,” as tbe Re
publicans were pleased to term the execu
tive power, but this call is silent upon that
point Do they mean to sustain Andy
Johnson’s policy as the policy of the
“ government,” or will they allow it to be
repudiated in their Convention ? We shall
see.
Tbe Population aud 'Wealth of New
Yark City.
The World prints many curious facte,
derived from the late oensus, about the in
habitants of the great metropolis. It ap
pears that the entire population, exclusive
of aliens and persons of oolor not taxed,
amounts to one million three thousand two
hundred and fifty f and with these classes
added the estimate is 1,260,000.
The following table shows the population
of the. city at different periods, dating as
far back as 1656, when a census was first
token by order of the city fathers. At that
time New York was the smallest kind of a
one-horse village, and the figures of over
two centuries ago must look strange when
compared with the royal tables of to-day:
Population in 1656 1,000
Population in 1673 2,500
Popnlation in 1698 4,302
Population in 1731 8,628 ‘
Popnlation in 1756—100 years 10,381
Popnlation in 1773 21,876
Population in 1786 23,614
Popnlation in 1791 33,131
Popnlation hi 1800 60,489
Population in 1810 96,873
Population in 1820 123,706
Population in 1825 166,089
Popnlation hi 1830 202,589
Popnlation in 1835 270,068
Popnlation in 1840 312,852
Popnlation in 1845 371,223
Popnlation in 1850 515,394
Popnlation in 1855—quite 200 years.. 629,810
Popnlation in 1860 814,254
Popnlation in 1865 1,003,250
The figures show that wealth, like pop
ulation, has enormously increased. In
1805 the valuation was $25,645,867 and
in 1865 the valuation was $608,784,355!
During the late Presidential canvass a
man named *T. W. Fuller perpetrated a
series of frauds by pretending to be an
agent of the Republican Executive Com
mittee, of which Senator Harlan .was
chairman, and oollecting money from vari
ous office-holders throughout the country,
amounting to $45,000. He had previously
provided himself with several hnndred
blank receipts, signed by Mr. Harlan,
which he had stolen. General Baker has
ever einoe been tracking Fuller with his
detectives, and has -nly recently been suc
cessful in arreetieg him and taking him to
Washington. He hails from Indiana, but
has served a yoavV term in the Missouri
State prison.
There is great excitement in Kentucky
in relation to Gen. Palmer’s order relating
to the Kentucky election. Post Com
mandant OoL Weaver, in Covington, has
isued a special order, in which he an
nounces that under Geo. Palmer’s order
be will place troops at all the polls. This
announcement has caused much indigna
tion, and such is the excitement that fears
mb entertained of a disturbance. Presi
dent Johnson has been addressed on the
subject, and a favorable response is ex
pected. Republicans know well enough
that with a fair election every democrat
would be elected, and Gen. Palmer and
every available means are being used on
the stamp and with arms to thwart thin
result.
General Sibley has received dis
patches from Col. Carnahan, of the Third
Illinois Cavalry, dated at Camp on Potnme
de Terre River, Joly 28. He reports that
he was getting along well, and had met
with no trouble so far. After passing Big
Stone Lake he wonld follow Sibley’s
Trail. **
Sergeant Major Joseph S. Thompson,
of the Second Cavalry, has been promoted
to Second lieutenant of Company H.
Do! tbe Poor White Man.
The Hartford Times says in Connecti
cut they have a system of putting np poor
men and women on an auction block and
selling them (or their servioes, which is
the same thing) to tbe lowest bidder. The
lowest bidder means the man who will
feed, clothe and house them at tbe least
expense to the town or State. The poor,
for whom the State is responsible, have
been recently knocked down nnder the
hammer at from $1,500 to $2,000 a year,
according to choice of lota. The towns
have knocked down their poor at snch
rates as appear in tbe following statement:
Newtown, with 4,000 inhabitants, S9OO a
year; last year, owing to the high price of
provisions, about SSOO extra was paid.
Barkhamstead, 1,300 inhabitants, the sum
of $450 was paid, and the contractor was
Mr. Mason, of New Hartford, who keeps
the New Hartford poor. Towns of 1,000
to 1,500 inhabitants pay SSOO to S6OO a
year. That paupers do not grow fat on
the regime to which this system subjects
them, may well be imagined.
“ A Tempest In a Teapot.”
A correspondent of the Press from
Anoka makes some interesting revelations
concerning a “Soldiers’ Reception” at
that place a few days ago, in which “ Hon.
Thomas G. Jones, Collector of Internal
Revenue,” etc., figured extensively, to the
exclusion of Hon. F. M. Stowell, who is
a political rival of Jones. Tbe gist of the
matter is in this paragraph:
What is the solution of this strange affair,
Mr. Editor! Simply this: Thomas G. Jones
wanted to get up a demonstration that should
tom to the favor of “ Hon. Thomas G. Jones,”
and, “ our very best citizens.” And he was so
verdant as to suppose that he could make po
litical capital by getting up a soldiers’ welcome
on a purely clique basis.
“ Verdant ” as Jones may be, the peo
ple and the soldiers are not green enough
to be deceived in the motives of the whole
tribe of radical politicians who are figuring
extensively in these soldiers’ receptions.
He correspondent of the Press has “ let
the cat out of the bag.” He is a friend
of Mr. Stowell, and is annoyed that
Boanerges Jones had the best chance to
make “political capital.” If the oppor
tunity had been afforded, Stowell wonld
have endeavored to make just as much as
Jones These political shysters must have
a very contemptible opinion of the intelli
gence and sharpness of onr soldiers, if
they think the boys are deceived by their
gross and sickening adulation.
The Indian Inveetigalieii.
Referring to Hon. Wm. Windom’b pro
posed investigation into the fraudulent and
oorrupt acts of Indian officials, the Winona
Republican says:
This investigation ought to be a thorough
one, bat we fear that the voluntary testimony,
“by letter or otherwise,” which the member
of the committee asks for, will scarcely pene
trate to tbe secret recesses where the history
of the Indian fraud lies recorded. It would
have better accomplished the object of Con
gress if some member of the Investigating
committee had been assigned to duty in Min
nesota whose connection with the appoint
ment ot Indian officials in this State was less
marked and recognized than that of Mr. Win
dom. That there is a certain kind of honor
observed among thives is as true now as when
the remark first passed into a proverb.
We think the point of onr ootemporary
is well taken. A man who recommended
the appointment of St. ii . D. Baloombe is
unfitted for the investigation of the alleged
frauds. If Mr. Windom really desires to
obtain evidence of fraudulent and corrupt
transactions with the Indians, he must call
on his colleague, Mr. Donnelly. This
gentleman has publicly charged the Indian
officials with heinons crimes, and pledged
himself to sustain the charges, if oppor
tunity was afforded. We demand that
Donnelly be compelled to disclose all be
knows regarding Indian matters.
The notorious “blood-letting” Chan
dler of Michigan, on Wedneeday attempt
ed to address a regiment of returned sol
diers at Detroit, when tbe soldiers utterly
repudiated him, and it was only by tbe
efforts of his friends that he was saved from
personal violence.
Cranberries —The TaylerV Falls Re
porter says that cranberries will yield well
this year, unless some untoward circum
stance oocars hereafter to prevent It The
absenoe of late frosts last spring was very
favorable to their growth.
The 'Adjutant General has been notified
that the recruits of Minnesota regiments
will not be transferred, but will be allowed
to oome home at onoe.
The Ames family of Easton, Mass., con
sisting of five members, enjoy inooraes
that aggregate $250,000. One of the
number is Hon. Oakes Ames, a member
of Congress.
Thirty-five white employees have been
discharged from the gas-works in Bt. Louis,
and negroes employed in their pluses at
higher wages.
The St Lonis Republican says that
Major McConnell, a sprightly yonng °®*
cer, who at one time officiated as Provost
Marsha] in that city, has rioped with and
married a daughter of Governor Curtin,
of Pennsylvania. Tbe Republican says
that the Major, while in St. Lonis, was de
cidedly a ladies’ man, and just the boy to
carry off a boarding-school girl from a rich
old Governor.
DATS NEWS ITBAB.
-A European dispatch says the shore end
of the Atlantic Cable wm landed at Valentia
Bay on the 22d rit, and the connection made
with the shore instruments in the presence of
a large concourse of people. Speeches were
i “ ade “ d ■entiments gifen in honor of Queen
Victoria and President Johnson.
-An arrangement has been made by which
a controlling interest in the Union Pacific Raff
rosd has virtually passed into the hands of the
Pennsylvania Central, Ohio Central and Little
Miama Railroads. R. M. Shoemaker, late of
the Dayton and Michigan Railroad, is now ac
ting as Superintendent.
The Bulletin says: We learn that yesterday,
at the bathing house at Cape May, several
heavy robberies were perpetrated, and the
thieves escaped. It is said a boarder at Con
gress Hall lost $3,000 in money and jewelry
Col. Feriin, proprietor of the “ Cottage by the
Sea,” was robbed of SI,OOO in cash. Another
gentleman, a visitor to the Island, was robbed
of $1,700. The proprietors of these robberies
cut the telegraph wires and made their escape
from the Island.
—An order has been issued from the War
Department discontinuing, by direction of the
President, of the following army corps as or
ganizations : The 2d, from Jane 28; 4th, from
August Ist; 9tb, from July27th; 14th, from
August Ist; 15th, from August Ist; and the
24th from August Ist
—The soldiers at the camps near Indianapo
lis are becoming unusually .disorderly while
waiting for the paymaster. On Monday even
ing one of them assailed a citizen In one of the
most public streets of the city and wm shot
dead by the latter.
—Eastman, who absconded from Brooklyn,
after having, as was alleged, perpetrated swin
dles to the amount of nearly $1,000,000, has
been found in a lunatic asylum in England.
—Judah P. Benjamin, Gen. Kirby Smith,
ex-Goveroor Thomas Reynolds, and Captain
A. F. A. Beauregard, have arrived at Havana—
Benjamin from Nassau and the others from
Vera Cruz.
—Gen. O. O. Howard has been breveted as
major general in the regular army. Gen. An
ger has received the brevet ot brigadier in the
regular service.
—A steamer flying the American flag will
leave New York for Southampton and Bremen
Saturday next, the first of the kind, with that
ensign in over four years.
—The census of Massachusetts, as far as re
ported, reveals the fact that of twenty towns
and cities, twelve have decreased, while oriy
eight have increased, in population, since
1860.
—Governor Brough, of Ohio, continues very
ill. Governor Crapo, of Michigan, is recover
ing. Ex-Governor Dimon, of Rhode Island,
died on Tuesday.
—Captain Thomas, commissioner for the
State of Tennessee, has returned to Nashville
from New York having invested the captured
specie of the bank of Tennessee in United
States 7-30 bonds. The amount is something
over $600,000. .
—General Joseph G. Swift, a well-known
and prominent citizen of Geneva, New York,
died in that place on Sunday last, at the ad
vanced age of 82 years. General Swift wm a
graduate of West Point, and a civil and mili
tary engineer of much distinction. He bore a
conspicuous part in tbe last war with Great
Britain.
—Crowds are gathering at Heart's Content,
Newfoundland, to witness tbe landing of the
Atlantic cable. The Great Eastern wm to have*
left Valentia on the 24th ultimo. The yacht
Clare Clarita arrived at Aspy Bay recently, and
will proceed immediately to underrun and re
pair the telegraph cable across the Golf of SL
Lawrence.
—The official statement of the pnblic debt
on the 31st ultimo shows the total amount to
be $2,757,253,275.35, on which the interest
(both in cein and paper) is $139,264,468.28.
The amount of legal tenders in circulation is
$686,236,300; of fractional currency, $25,780,-
000. The treasury contains $35,338,000 in coin,
and $82,402,000 in currency.
—Four men employed in the Hnbbord coal
mine, near Cleveland, were caught by a freshet
and came near befog drowned. By taking
refuge in the highest part of the mine, however,
they kept dry, but were in imminent danger of
starvation. After four days of imprisonment
in tbe bowles of the earth, the waters allayed,
and tbe famished individuals were rescued by
their friends.
—ln a letter written from Lexington, Vo., cm
dingy, dirty brown paper, with no fly leaf, by
John Letcher, who signs himself “Ex-Gover
nor of Virginia,” he begs Secretary Seward to
furnish him a copy of the laws passed by tbe
United States Congress since 1860, as not a
copy can be found in the county hi which be
resides. The request was referred by Secreta
ry Seward to Secretary Harlan, of the Interior
Department, who has directed that copies of
the laws be forwarded to Letcher, m request
ed. He is not entitled to them m a right, be
ing simply a private citizen, bat under the pe
culiar circumstances of the case, and being de
sirous to enlighten the citizens of the rebellions
States m to what laws have been pMßcd by cmr
Congress during the period these States were
under tbe control of the Jeff. Davis usurpa
tion, Secretary Harlan has exercised tbe dis
cretionary power vested in klm in such censes,
and sent the books.
—The Florida Union says the afflicted father
of Payne, the worid-be murderer of Secretary
Seward, has been making a visit to Jackson
ville, in that State. The Union mjs: “The
father of Payne colled on os one day this week.
He resides on a plantation three miles from
White Oak Station, on tbe Pensacola and
Georgia Railroad. He lost one eon at the bat
tle of Murfreesboro; another retained home
maimed for life. ‘ Lewis ’wm his only hope
in his old age. The afflicted father wm s Bap
tist minister,, m has been stated. We must
necessarily pronounce just and terrible punish,
ment to the son, bat we cannot withold our
deepest sympathy for the heart-stricken pa
rent, or esteem him less m a worthy man and
citizen.”
Bennkt Betook, of SL Paul, enlisted os
a soldier two years ago, has been in twelve
battles and wounded twice, yet is bat fifteen
yean rid.