The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-26 00:00:00

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

(From the Anglo-American Times.)

The Senate passed a resolution last Monday sym-
pathising with the Spaniards in the efforts they are
making to establish a more liberal Government,
and urging them to abolish slavery in the Spanish
possessions as soon as possible. It is evident that
the United States intend to use the opportunity to
suppress slavery in its last great stronghold, if we
except Brazil ; and it will not surprise us, we are
bound to admit, if the great Republic applied a
gentle pressure to the new Republic in Spain, if it
can be called a Republic, for the cession of that
island for a consideration.

The Hon. Caleb Cushing left America on the
25th November on a special mission from the De-
partment of State to Spain. The President iu
his message alludes to the annexation of Cuba, and
Mr. Seward openly announces the earnestness of
his desire to acquire that island cre he gives up his
Department. It is no 4 stated on gool authority
that he has full power to negotiate the purchase, if
Spain is willing to scll. It is, however, also
rumoured that Mr. Cushing is charged with in-
structions to the American Minister to London.

The telegram from Washingt.m last Monday
said that the Cheyenne Indians were suing for
peace, a favourite dodge of theirs in winter, as they
eniploy that period in palavering with the Peace
Commissioners smoking the calumet, the tobacco
being Uncle Sam's as well as the food and whisky;
and when spring arrives they go forth, like giants
refreshed, to slay and scalp, thus using the ammu-
nition and weapons the Commissioners gave them.
Custer's report of his attack on the Indian village,
Nov. 27th, is published. The lodges were on the
right bank of a high bend of the Washita, in ast rip of
heavy timber. The General had to cross and divide
his force into four columns, which during the night
made a circuit of several miles so as to attack
simultaneously at daybreak from all sides. One
column charging down the left bank over the river
came up, so beautifully was the operation managed,
just as the heads of the others dashed on the vil-
lage. The Indians, though surprised, fought despe-
rately for several hours, none of them escaping. It
was not till noon that the Kiowas and Arapahoes
made their attack, which they did with vigour and
boldness, from all sides, engaging the United States
troops till three o'clock, when they were beaten off
and dispersed.
On the Ist January $27,000,000 in gold will be
paid from the Treasury for interest on the Bonds of
1881, and Five-Twenties then due. The coin in
hand is estimated at $91,000,000, to which will be
added before the month expires a sum sufficient to
make up a total of $100,000,000, $23,000,000 of this
being iu gold certificates. The actual coin in the
Treasury vaults, after deducting these sums, will
be $50,000,000. The following is the summary of
the Treasury statement of the debt on the Ist of
December last :

Nov. 1, 1868. Dec. 1, 1868.
Debt bearing coin interest. $2,107,577,950 82,107,836,100
Debt bearing currency iute-

rest
Unpaid matured debt boar-

72,325,000 72,140,000

ing currency interest
Debt bearing no interest
Bonds issued to Pacific
Railway

9,733,723 8,215,883
409,151,898 413,152,181

42,194,000 44,337,000

$2,641,002,572 $2,645,711,164

Coin in Treasury 5103,407,986 $88,425,324.
Currency i❑ Treasury 10,465,033 18,253,916

Cash in Treasury 5113,873,019 $106,679,320

Total debt, less cash in
Treasury..., 52,257,129,552 $2,539,031,8.14.

Increase of debt since Nov $11,902,292
One of those horrible accidents, too frequent 1
on American rivers, occurred on the 0:1io, about 1
two miles above Warsaw, on the Indiana side, Dac.
4. The steamer United States descending, and the
America ascending, came into collision, the latter
striking the former forward of the steps, and sink-
ing her in two minutes. As the water was shallow
the maindeck remained above the stream, but, un-
fortunately, a quantity of petroleum was there in
casks, which took fire, and in the excitement and
rush over 70 persons were lost. In the America
none perished, but the United States was in flames
from stem to ster❑ in half a minute, and very few
were saved. A Mr. luksop and a lady jumpei from
the burning ship to the America, and thu3 escaped.
Ole Bull and his concert troupe were in the America,
on the pilot of which vessel the blame is cast. The
United States Mail Company own both boats, but
the loss of half a million of dollars is covered by the

insurulce.

The United States steamship Guard storeship of
the American squadron in the European waters
was to sail from New York about the 12th inst. for
Lisbon direct. The following is a correct list of
her officers :—Officers of the Line—Commander 11.
A. Adams, Lieut.-Commanders E. N. Kellogg, ii.
C. Taylor, Lieutenant H. C. White ; Ensigns H.
W. Lyon, M. It. S. Mackenzie, W. H. Parker ;
Midshipmen R. C. Derby, F. E. Upton, E. K.
Moore, J. B. R )binson, A. B. Speyers. Officers
of the Staff—Paymaster H. P. Tuttle, Passed As-
sistant-Surgeon David Mack, Paymaster's Clerk C.
W. Gorringe, Captain's Clerk A. J. Kirkland.
Warrant Officers—Boatswain W. S. Bond. Car-
penter—G. E. Burcham. Passengers for United
States steam ship Swatara, Surgeon N. L. Bates,
Assistant-Surgeon Alfred Griffith.
The President having got through his Message to
his own satisfaction, if to that of no one else, and
having succeeded in sticking a daub of mud on the
State chariot as it was rolling out of his reach, went
for recreation to the theatre to see the play of Blue
Beard. His imagination might have connected him-
self with Blue Beard's last wife when on impeachment
days he sat in the White House, and called " Sis-
ter Ann ! Sister Ann is there anybody coming ?"
It was then that the independent Senators came
to the rescue ; and when they heard Andrew John-
son's late Message they perhaps doubted whether
they had done right in keeping him in his place.
The President is indignant at the Message being
printed and distributed through the country before
it was delivered to Congress, but the World and the
Democrat of New York, and the Chicago Times,
organs which favour him, first received and pub-
lished it—the Associated Press being long behind.
Although it has been taken for grante I that the
Senate would follow the example of the House, and
at once pass a bill transferring the Indian Bureau
to the War Department, further information has
shown that they will not deal with the measure in
that off-hand way. Ultimately it is not likely they
will resist Sherman and Sheridan's recommendation,
endorsed by Grant; but it is known that last year
the Senate in the Indian Committee opposed the
transfer, notwithstanding the well-known corrup-
tion of the Indian ring, and have not modified their
views, and will oppose it now.
I The yacht Cimbria is not likely to fail in distin-
' guishing itself for want of competitors. Mr. J. G.
Bennett, jun., willrun his vessel against the Cimbria
in an ocean race, and Commodore Stevens pits the
Phantom against the Cimbria anywhere in the Ame-
rican waters. Our correspondent touches on this
subject.
Mr. Sargent, Commissioner of Customs, has re-
commended the repeal of a rule interesting to tra-
vellers in Europe about to return to America. He
asserts that, under pretence of making a tour, the
traveller goes with little, and comes back with a
great deal ; not for the family only, but for the
relatives of every degree, supplying wearing ap-
parel for several years, saving more at the expense
of the revenue than would cover many times the
cost of the trip. At present passengers arriving at
the ports of the United States may bring, free of
duty, what the officer considers appropriate to their
social position, by which arrangement the offi3er is
elevated into a judge of the social position of his
fellow-citizens on their return to the United States.
The Oregon Legislature has been running a tilt
against Congress. Little boys are often naughty
in the United Sta'es, very forward and imperti-
nent, and Oregon is a very impudent little boy.
After passing its own resolution about Chinamen,
on which we lately commented, it sent to Congress
a series of resolutions asking the Senators of the
State to resign, as they had betrayed the people
in voting for Impeachment, for Reconstruction,
the Tenure-of-Office Act, and other measures ; in
short, because they are Republicans. Very pro-
perly the paper was returned to the Oregon Legifi.