Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-08-26
Washington News.

of these demands against the annuities of the
Pottawatomies, for which Mcssrs. W. G. & G.
W. Ewing are the attornies, and find that the
present Attorney General has affirmed the
view of his predecessor, ruling that in the set
tlemcnt OF demands against Indian tribes tout
of public monies coming to them,) the pay
ment of which the tribes ask, the Interior De-
| partment should at as in the case of legal
| GUARDIAN paying them or not, according to
the opinion of its head, as to their justice, and
as to the fact whether it is best for the wards
so to liquidate them
Under this advice from the law officer of tho
government, the Secretary of the Interior has
taken them up at the request of the Second
Auditor; who, in this case, renders an adverse
decision. Indeed, a decision which is said to
be quite different from his ruling in other SIM
liar cases We have no space in which to 90 into
details in this matter, and will merely add
that the Secretary of the Interior will proba-
bly, subject every item involved, to the seyerest
scrutiny in all the circumstances attending
its creation; as well as in connection with the
giving of the order of the tribe lin counciD
for its payment.
1t would be we'll for Mr.. Commissioner Ma
nypenny to look into some of these items in per.
son, in the course of his present far western
tour on public service.
IHE PENSACOLA AND SAN FRANCIsCo DRY
DocKs.-It is said that the Secretary of the
Navy has, of late, been investigating ques-
tons in connection with tho completion of
these two most important improvements
Among others, we presume that of the accept
ance of the Pensacola dock Gas having been
completed according to contracD has shared
his attention. 1t seems to be thought tina.
ere it can be decided, another and more
thorough survey upon it will be ordered. We
are inclined to believe that as soon as the
Government shall be satisfied as to the title of
the site of the work. th law of the last session,
authorizing the construction of the basin and
railway portion of the San Francisco docking
arrangements, will be duly carried out These
additional facilities are certainly likely to
| prove OF almost rs much importance to the
transmarine commerce of California, as the
| construction of the Pacific railroad itself
An IMPORTANT ARMY ORDER-The present
head of the War Department seems to be most
anxious to reform and systematic the imper-
feet code heretofore governing courts martial
in the service. The following (which is in
keeping with two or three similar general or
ders recently appearing is probably to this
end:
GENERAL ORp.ss.) WAR DEPARTMENT,
Washington, Aug 3D. 1853.
The following order has been received from
the War Department, and is published to the
! Army:
When the proceedings of General Court
Martial have been duly confirmed by the
officer ordering the court or the officer
mand,nr the troops for tie time being as
provided in the 65th article of War, the power
to PARTON or to mitigate any punishment or
dered by snch court is vested in the same
authority under the S7th Article of War, and
in the President of the United States under the
Consti ution. A superior military commander
to the officer appointing the court and con-
firmins the proceedings, may prohibit the ex-
ecution of the sentence when in his judgment
tbs void upon the face of the proceedings, or
when he sees a fit case for executive clemency
But such military commander is not invested
by law with power to annul or pardon the
sentence. As legal judgment it so stands till
vacated in due course of law. In such cases
therefore when the superior military COM
mander sees fit to interpose, the record with
his order prohibiting the execution, should be
transmitted forthwith, through tie proper
channel to the War Department, for the final
orders Of the President
The proper administration of Justice in an
Army is essential to its discipline and good
government. 1t is therefore not only within
the authority. but it i, the duty of every COM
mander, attentively to inspect and supervise
the proceedings of Courts Martial within his
command. The object of this order is to ind-
cate the legal remedy against the errors which
such courts and the officers executing their
sentences might otherwise commit
By Order:
s. COOPER, Adjutant General.
The CASE OF Woodward, THE CONVICT
We hear that the President has formally re-
piled to the counsel of Woodward, who is
under sentence of death to be executed upon
him il the Washington Jail yard on Friday
next, that he cannot consistently interfere, in
his case, with the due execution of the law.
lie has been brought to this conclusion after
thoroughly investigating the papers upon
which the application for the execution of his
clemency was based .
A VERY IMPORTANT BoUSrY LAND QUESTION
SETrLED.-Ihe Secretary of the Interior, to
whom the question was submitted by the Com
mission of Pensions, has decided that the war
between the United States and Mexico termi-
mated on the Both of May, lS4S, when the rati-
fed treaty Of peace was exchanged between
the two countries. Therefore, those persons
who enlisted into the army of the United
States subsequeni to that date, are not emit
tied to Bounty Land.