The Local news. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-16
GENERAL NEWS.

sentstives, on Thursday, on the coniscation
bill was Of very animated character. The
closing scene between Messrs. CONWAY anG
Fouke, during which the latter pronounced
the statement Of Mr.. Conway, relative t.
the battle at Belmont, to be falsehood
caused quite sensation; and the subse
quent declaration of Mr.. Richardson, Mr.
Fouke's colleague, that as personal matte,
it must be settled outside the House, has
given rise to much speculation, but there
will be no duel.
The member of the lower House of Con.
gress from Kansas. Mr.. Martin F. Conway,
In his speech in that body on Thursday, held
that the Federal arms had been unsuccessful
everywhere during the present war, except
in two sea-coast expeditions.
Caleb Cushing has written q letter to
Mayor Wood. of New York, sustaining the
act of Capt. Wilkes in selling the Oonfede-
rate ambassadors.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad will be
in running order as far as Hancock in about
week.
1t appears that the 'horse frauds" in the
U. S. army, are more extensive than they
were ct first supposed to be. Mere specula.
tors have had contracts given out by Quar-
masters at forty cents per head for thous-
and or fifteen hundred head, and they
Immediately re.let them at twenty. five cents
to farmers, thus clearing from one thousand
to- fifteen hundred dollars per week without
an effort.
Com. Porter's mortar fleet will be ready
to sail the latter part of this month. The
schooners and briggs, twenty IN number, are
now receiving extra timbers at the N. Y.
ship-yards. The mortar bed-plates, upon
which the ponderous ordnance will rest, are
now in process of manufacture at N. Y. iron
works. The draught of the vessels, adapted
them for service in shallow waters. Their
destination is known only to the U. s. Gov
eminent.
Mr.. Charles Ellet's pamphlet on Army
operations and in review and condemnation
of the course of Gen. Mcclellan, attracts
considerable attention not only in Washing
ton, but at the North. 1t is severely criti-
cised in some of the newspapers, and Mr.. E.
himself ridiculed and abused-but still his
book is read-and, it is said, that many mil
itary men agree with him in his positions
and views
We may now expect stirring news from
Mexico. When the two last divisions of the 9
Spanish feet left Cuba, to meet and join the
English and French fleets in their proposed
operations against Mexico, the Cubans OK.
alted in what they saw, as tho regeneration
IF Spain as maritime power.
There has been heavy food at Sacrs.
nento, A.arysville, Stockton and other Q
places in California, doing much damage. t
The loss in Sacramento, alone, IL said to G
nave been half million of dollars. q
The Treasury Department is in consulta-
ion with New York bankers. The latter .
az they have bought all the bonds they can
uy, but they will loan the government any .
mount upon the pledge Of government :,
tocks as collateral, and the abandonment of ~ ~
DO sub-treasury, as provided for in the act ~
1861. The bankers suggest to the Secre.
ary the issuing of $250,0OO,O0O Of demand &c
otes, to be given to them, 1.-THE bankers, re
! exchange for the bonds, to be held by I'll
lem as collaterals. tn
Gen. Shields has accepted the appoint ~ y,
TENT of Brigadier-G General, and is on his w
'ay to Washington in the steamer Golden W
Age. The steamer has 100000 in treasure '''
" New York.
In various quarters it is stated that adyi. =, -
Is from Missouri are that Gen. Sherman is
Altering from alteration Of mind. He ia ~
aid to have been removed from his COM ""
land. NC
VIM. H. johnson, the soldier executed in -,
en-. Franklin's division, on Friday last for =:
esertlon, made confession, in which he -
ated that he was native of New Orleans.
nd was twenty-three years old. He Joined "
le army for the purpose of using it az
edium of reaching New Orleans. III