The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-03 00:00:00

canoes, and relying chiefly for their subsistence
upon game. They found at the confluence of this
river with the Mississippi an island thickly wooded
with black walnut. It was a season of the year
when the nuts were ripe, and the party of explorers,
encamping on this island, greatly enjoyed the luxury
of this fruit. From this circumstance they called it
the " Island of Nuts "—or, in French, " Isle aux
Nois"—which name was given to the river which
they explored, and thence to the territory and State.

We note the following in the special despatches
of the Philadelphia Inquirer on the Ledger canard:—
WASHINGTON, OCt. 12, 1866.
To Hon. Robert Johnson, Private Secretary to the
President, Washington, D.C.
Philadelphia, Oct. 11.—Is the statement true of
the President desiring the Attorney-General's opi-
nion as to the constitutionality of not recognising
the present Congress ?
WILLIAM W. HARDING,
;Publisher of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

[Copy.]
Telegram from the President.
To William W. Harding, Publisher of The Phila-

delpliia Inquirer.
Executive Mansion, Washington, Oct. 11, 1866.—
Your despatch of this morning has been received.
There is no truth whatever in the statement re-
ferred to.

ROBERT. JOHNSON,
Private Secretary to the President.
The representatives of the Ledger here positively
deny that they sent the despatch, and one of the
attaches of the paper, who was supposed to be the
author, this afternoon called on the President, and
disclaimed any knowledge of the, origin of the
despatch. The President and Mr. Stanberry both
tell me there is not the slightest foundation for the

Ledger story, and that they never even conversed

on the subject.
The President has appointed the following post-
masters : —Nehemiah Dunn, Salem, New Jersey ;
Joseph Davis, Albany, New York ; C. Hyde Beck-

with, Cazenova, New York ; William S. Cook,
Paris, Illinois ; James G. Hatchett, Frankfort,
Kentucky ; J. J. Thomas, Newport, Kentucky ;
William A. Trower, Shelbyville, Illinois ; Fred. S.

ITNeeley, Newtown, New Jersey ; Joseph B.
Oliver, Rahway, New Jersey.
The law requires the agents of the National
Banks in the leading cities of the United States to
redeem the currency of auy of the National Banks
under certain regulations. One of these agents in
Boston refused to redeem a package of a thousand

dollars, mutilated currency, because he considered
the notes so much destroyed as to impair their

value. The matter was submitted to the Comp.
troller of the Currency for his decision, and tha

officer has decided that mutilated notes must be re,

deemed by the redemption agencies of the Nations:

Banks at commercial centres, so long as no reason

able doubt exists as to the value or identity of the
notes presented. When the notes are so badly
mutilated as to make the value or identity difficult
to determine, the case shall be referred to the bank

from which the notes wero issued. A circular to
this effect is immediately to be issued to all the
agencies and banks.

Letters and printed matter of every kind posted
in the United States, and addressed to Switzerland,
may be transmitted to their destination, via Bel-
gium, in the mails made up at New York and de-
spatched by the new lino of American steamships
running direct between New York and Antwerp.
Correspondence for Switzerland forwarded in the
mails to Belgium by direct steamer to Antwerp
will be subject to the following rates of postage,
the same being in full to destination : —On letters,
18 cents per single rate of half ounce, prepayment
optional. On newspapers, gazettes, and periodical
works, 4 cents per each weight of 3 ounces, or
fraction thereof ; prepayment required. On
books, pamphlets, and other printed matter, 3 cents
per each ounce or fraction of an ounce ; prepay-
ment required.

The Treasury Department is informed that smug-
gling operations of an extensive character have re-
cently been carried on from ➢fatamoras to Browns-
ville, Texas, across the Rio Grande. The withdrawal
of troops stationed at Brownsville has given the
smugglers an opportunity for effecting their unlaw-
ful purposes, which they have been prompt to seize.
Measures have been instituted for the prevention of
these transactions. Such is the activity of smug-

glers at the various points of the frontier that the
exercise of the greatest vigilance is required from
revenue officers in the performance of their duties.
Alfred Delestatius was brought up on the 11th of
October, before United States Commissioner Hibler,
on the charge of opening the United States Post-
office boxes attached to the lamp-posts. Several
witnesses were examine. One of the witnesses, a
lad named Frank Howard, discoveredthe defendant,
on Wednesday night, Oct. 10, attempting to open
a letter-box at Thirteenth and Pine-streets. The
defendant held a hat over his hand in order to con-
ceal his operations. The witness watched the ac-
cused, who went from this to two or three other
boxes, which he attempted to open. Information
was given to the police, who took him into custody.
There were found on his person one of the ordinary
keys used for unlocking these letter-boxes, a letter
directed to John Herk, Ipswich, Massachusetts,
and also a $lO note, which he admitted he had taken
from a letter. One of the officers testified that de-
fendant said to him that being a locksmith he had
manufactured the key. He was held in $3,000 to

answer.
In the severe storm which occurred in Maryland
this month the establishments that suffered are the
following :—Gray's Factory, Union Factory, This-
tle and Granite Factories, at Ellicott's Mills ; Al-
berton Factory, at Elysville. The dams are all de-
stroyed or greatly injured. , The Avalon nail and
ironworks, near the Relay House, on the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, had their dam broken and the
buildings flooded and injured. The accounts re-
ceived from the Upper Patapsco show the damage
by the storm to have been much greater than was
reported on the 10th of October. The large dam
of the Union Manufacturing Company, with a part
of its mill-race, stabling and horses, together with
the bridge connecting the works with the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, were all swept off. The dam of
the granite factory at Ellicott's Mills and much
other property has been swept away. There are
reports of 21 persons believed to be drowned at
Ellicott's Mills. The repairs to the railroad are
actively progressing. The tressel work at Ilchester
is nearly completed, and the trains will soon pass
as usual.

From San Francisco we learn that 200 guns were
fired on the night of the 11th October, by order of
the Union State Central Committee, for the late
political victories. G. S. Goodman, the book-keeper
of the firm of Levi Strauss and Co., is the name of
the person referred to in connection with the recent
defalcations, estimated at $500,000 in currency.
lle was reported to have absconded to China or
Panama. The members of the firm say their books
and moneys do not show that anything has been
abstracted. Markets at San Francisco, October 12,
state—Wheat less firm ; sales of 3,500 sacks at
$1.65 per 1001bs. Mining Stocks—Yellow Jacket,
$745 ; Savage, $1,195; Belcher, $77; Imperial, $75;
Legal Tenders, 701.
A new military organisation—the " West Jersey
Rifles"—has just been formed in Camden. It is
composed of veteran soldiers and sailors who did
noble and effective service in the Union cause dur-
ing the war against rebellion. Application has been
made to the State authorities for arms and equip-
ments, which will be forwarded to them in a few
days. Sixty veterans have already joined the com-
pany.
The Union Republicans of Camden city and
county, and, in fact, throughout the entire First
Congressional District, are highly elated with the
results of the recent elections, and feel encouraged
in the work they have to perform between this and
the 6th of November. Preparations are in progress
for holding several meetings to rejoice over these
victories, as well as to discuss the issues of the day
before the people.
The Round Table, in an article on " Presidents
and Precedents," declares the lion. Charles Francis
Adams to be the person best fitted to succeed Mr.
Johnson as President. The main argument of our
New York contemporary is that Mr. Adams is a
gentleman. After disposing of the claims of the
successful Generals, it looks in vain through the
political ranks for the individual it considers quail-