, 1861-12-18

made, the parties will be notified If they
pay mp promptly, all right; Il they compel =
Seizure, ten per cent is to be added. There
are milk and water Unionists who pretend to
tLink this order Is wrong. They are generally
those who think the negro should Aot be
touched. =.
The developments regarding the conhaband
case, now in the hands Of the British Consul
for investigation, promise to be very inter-
esting. Mr. Wilkins, from the novelty Of the
case, feels great interest in it. The facts hare
been published, but few circumstances will
bear repetition Hhce1au, the British subject
who pfetcnds to Own the negro;boy, has been
twice arrested, the first time il the curly part
Of the British Consul, by order Of Gen. Hun
ter during the brief interval 1o held command.
About the 1st Of December. Wheelan was
again arrested, having IN his posses
sion sion . pass authorizing him g., to po Pre-
aud aud also several neg9oes: 1aas' He applied
for release from arrest as British subject. He
never said word about having negroes, and
twas not until Atr- Wilkins cams to st. Louis
and some time after Fhee1enfs arrest--thathe
knew ansthing at all about Wheelan' negroes.
Pending the proceedings in. the -matter, the
negro boy, whose name is Antoine Crawford,
through Capt Wood Of the Kansas Rangers,
claimed protection likewise as British SUBJ
icct, and stated that he WIS bern IN canada,
and had been kidnapped; He Eas 81 brought 4ti to
1eck, and turned over to the temporary Keep
ing Of Mr. Wilkins to investigate the question
further. The boys story is coherent, stralgnt-
forward and probable. He names pEa-
| ces and people and circumstances
examination with astonishing success. Button
| the other hand, the claimant brings forward Q
| respectable array OF witnesses to prove that
the boy: is slaye, that be ran away from here
| several years ago, and after Ticf solouzn II
Canada and Chieago, came to this city several
weeks ago With regiment from Chicago, and
was then reclaimed By bis owner. Mr. Wilkins
has sent to Canada and to the inferior OF this
| State to obtain evidence on the subject, and
will DECIDE the question in 8 fer days :.
n. Commission from my strietnres, by claim
ing that they have nothing toe with natter
| aiRded to il my last letter his is begging
the question. Nobody doubts the honorable
character Of the Commission naa tnsir useful
| cnfrustcd by Cen. Hn11eck with the execution
Of section s, Of General Order 40. 13, quarter
eripg Southwest refugees upon wealthy seccs
Etonists, and that instead Of ca.Tying out tha
order in its letter and spirit, they appealed t,
the charity Of Union citizens, and tried eycr,
means to avert the necessity Of following til
policy presented By Gen. Ha11cek. 1t is vel
known that; three members Of the Sanitar
| Commission arc Intensely conservative o.
I questions Of this kind, and the remark wa
common among Union men when order Nc
Is was to be enforced under their direction
that it would be a dead letter.
The light Of Trusten Polk to the Souther
ConfcdcEcy might not have been knoTr
even at this late day, except for tic iudisert
| tion OF his relatives and family IN commun
eating the fact to their secession friends. Til
J I story, as told, is as follows EARLY in NoVen
bcr, Ar. Polk left his home at dus
F with q tWo-hotsc covered buggy and 1are
:, amount Of gold, and d small trunk eontainin
!: personal wearing apparel He was accompt
MED by an old negro, for long time his hons
servant. By some means or other he c1nde
the vigilance Of the Provost Marshal's guard
, on the outskirts Of the city, and BY ayoidin
), | fcqucnted roads, reached New Madrid
| safety. How it escaped the Washington go
Slippers that he was not in that city, and b.
not been seen since the session opened, defe
comprehension. His expulsion from the Sci
5 ate will probably occur this very day.
The river is uncommonly high and Il
weather pneommonIy mild for this scaso,
The rise was a fortunate circumstance for tt
gunboat Benton on her trip to Cairo- tt
| river has f1iGcd six feet in as many days. U.s.
ally at this period of the year, the ferry boa
l | running from this city to Bloody Island a
: compelled to make circuit in order to aYo
| the Eundbars in the way Of direct passag
: The arrival Of the 59th Illinois during Il
week VAS an event to bc remembered. Accu
2 toned as re are to fine regiments from III
: noiE, it seems as if each one that followed tt
t last we're an improvement.