Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-12-03
AFFAIRS tn MISSOURI.
LATEST SOUTHERN NEWS,
FROM PoAT ROYAL.
The Thirty,Seventh Congress.
From Washington.

From washington.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.--The Herald's dis
patch says that proposition will be presented
TO Congress, authorizing each commanding
General to confscate property Of every descrip.
tion of those refusing to take the oath Of allie.
glance.
Nearly all the members of both Houses are
here, including Senator Powell, of Kentucky.
Dispatches from Gen. Rosecrans state that be
still occupies his old positions.
Gen. Benham is under arrest for permitting
Floyd and bis gang to escape.
WASHINGTON, Dec. IA letter has been re-
ceived from George D. Prentice, dated Nov.
26th, stating that he had nothing to do with the
artisle in the Louisville Journal, censuring the
speech of Cameron made at dinner given by
Forney in honor of Prentice The entire arti-
Gle was Misrepresentation of Cameron's
speech, sent by some person without the knowl-
edge of Prentice. Secretary Cameron's opinions
are those expressed in his instructions to Gems
Dupont and Sherman, and will be reiterated in
his report to the President. The Ordnance
Department Of. the Navy fnds considerable
difficulty in getting transportation for heavy
guns from point to point.
The last official account of the whereabouts
of the pirate Sumter is from our Consul at
Paramarbo. He was informed that she was
near or on shore about thirty miles off Curacao.
WASHINGTON, Dec. lit is probable that the
President will not communicate his message to-
morrow before one O'Clock, owing TO the neces.
sary preliminaries Of the opening session. The
reports Of the Secretaries of War and the Navy
accompany the message. The Treasurer's re-
port will not be sent in until Tuesday or
Wednesday.
No advance copies of the Presidents message
L kon k,onoYniffad II will fharaFo.a hn
telegraphed.
During the past week rebel pickets have ap-
peared at Vienna, FIVE miles beyond Lewins.
Vile; also at Flint Hill, which overlooks Fair
fax Court House. They show no disposition to
attack our men.
No fear need be felt respecting the position
of the Executive on the seizure of Mason and
Slidell He will take, as the public will learn
tomorrow, the same grounds as that upon
which the nation has settled, holding that Capt
Wilkes's only error was In not seizing the Trent
also.
The Clerk Of the House received q letter from
| Mr.. Ely, of New York, now prisoner at Rich.
mond, desiring his name put on the list, as he
should be here to occupy his seat this session.
| A Union spy who left here some three weeks
ago for Richmond arrived to day. He left the
latter place on Wednesday last. He brings
important intelligence which he Immediately
communicated to our Government. He saye
the greatest excitement prevailed in Richmond
and throughout the South, respecting the naval
and military expeditions along the entire South
ern coast. The troops from the States most ex-
posed have signlied their determination to re.
| turn home, and large numbers had already
started. In Richmond few. days before he
left much difficulty was experienced in quellng
rebellious spirit among several regiments
from Georgia, South Carolina and Louisiana.-
They were restrained only by positive promises
from Jeff. Davis and the Secretary of War that
sufficient number of troops should be dispatch
ed from those States to protect not only the
States, but to drive the Yankees from Southern
soil. The Virginians, however, were indignant,
and were threatening divers things against their
Congress,
There seemed to be, he says, very general
feeling among the Southern people to abandon
Virginia entirely, and allow her to fall into the
hands Of the Federal Government. They re.
garded it as too expensive to keep an army on
her soil, The rebels hope now is merely to
keep our army from advancing into the interior
from their coast landings
| Upon the renewed urgent application Of Geo
D. Prentice, Of the Louisville Journal, Seoreta.
ry Seward yesterday ordered the release of hit
brother-in law, Calhoun Benham, and ex-Sena'
tor Gwin, from Fort Lafayette.
The report Of the Secretary of the Navy,
after mentioning the capture Of Messrs. Mason
and Slidell, says that the prompt and decisive
action OF Captain Wilkes on this occasion mer-
tied and received the emphatic approval of this
Department, and if too generous forbearance
was exhibited by him in not capturing the ves-
sci which had these rebel emissaries on board, il
may, in view of the special circumstances, and
of it's patriotic motives, be excused; but it must
by no means be permitted to constitute prece.
dent hereafter for the treatment of any case Of
similar infraction of neutrality obligations by
foreign vessels engaged in commerce or the
carrying trade
Times Correspondence.
Jesse D. Bright, of Indiana, is here and in
tends to take his seat in the Senate to morrow
notwithstanding his reasonable letter to biz
excellency jeff Davis, President of the Confed
crate States, recommending to the adoption Of
that rebel functonary an improved firearm Ia
be employed against the arms of the Union.
| Senator Powell, of Kentucky, also arrived
this morning, and, it is said, intends taking biz
seat.
In the case o. Breckinridgs and Burnett o.
Kentucky, their seats will probably be declared
vacant, and it 10 thought by some that Senator
Powell will be called upon for explanations.
Senator Polk, Of Missouri, is in the city ant
will take his seat.
In reference to the disloyal members, it il
proposed by many of the members Of Congress-
to appoint joint committee Of investigation
to ascertain what have been the acts Of the sus
pected parties, and whenever the investigation
shows overt acts Of treason, the report viii
recommend the expulsion OF the parties from
their seats.
Senator Bayard is here, but it remains to b,
seen whether he will carry out his pledges Il
resign in case he found that his disatfection Il
the Union cause was not sustained by the peo
pie of Delaware, now that the State has sbowl
Ito loyalty to be go unquestionable.
II has been ascertained that tonight Their
are not sufficient members of either house il
the city TO constitute quorum, but the de
fciency will probably be made up BY the train
arriving to-morrow morning.
The following are those who did not appea
In the Senate chamber. Breckenridge, Howe
Johnson, Of Tennessee, johnson Of Missouri
Kennedy, Pierce, Polk, Sherman, WILEY, Wi
mot. Messrs. Baker and Bingham died dufin