Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-12-20

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S-In response to the
resolution of the house of representatives in re-
gard 10 the failure Of the treasury department TO
more promptly fill the acquisitions Of The pay
masters in the army Secretary Chase has ad-
dressed a reply to the speaker of the house, stat
ing that the requsitiou of the secretary of war
Tor money for the payment of the troops have
always been promptly met at the treasury, when
absolute want Of means did not prevent. Since
, the LIST of July, the secretary adds, the sum of
S76,55l,26l "a has been paid ON such acquisitions,
H. follows
For bOunties acknowledgements. 81 500, 900 90
Recruiting, collecting, drilling and or
gaulzlbg ........................ 10, l72, 1850 Al
And the amount of acquisitions of this
description now in the treasury de.
partment unpaid is................. 81 100000 90
acquisitions re arded as the most urgent by
the secretaries OF war and the navy to the extent
of 81 ,0O0,00O daily, are now met from the Gus
toms, from Internal revenue, from the proceeds
OF conversions from temporary loans, and from
new issues of United States notes. Still these
resources are inadequate. Secretary Chase deep
ly regrets THAT a single American soldier lacks
single dollar of his pay, and no effort of his has
been wanting to prevent such condition" and
he expresses the nope that if congress approves
the financial recommendations of his annual re-
port, all grounds OF complaint, because Of delay
of payment, may soon be removed.
The secretary of war, in answer to a resolution
of inquiry relative to the exchange of suffers and
other civilian prisoners reports that Gen Hit. III
cock, commissioner for an exchange of prison-
ers, by the cartel of Oct. 9th, 1862 made an ar
rangemeHt for the exchange OF suffers, team
sters, and tivans, III accordance with which
exchanges have been made, and others are on
the lists for exchange.
Senator Hendersons bill in aid of the emanci
patton of the slaves in Missouri, provides for
compensation 10 that state upon the passage of
law emancpating all the slaves therein TO the
amount of 900 dollars. 1t is further pro-
vided that if the law OF emancipation should
manumit all slaves on or before July 4th 1866
the president shall have the whole amount of the
bonds prepared and delivered on the passage of
the act. If it should provide for the termination
of slavery at later date, the bonds shall be de-
| livered in four equal lnstalments, dating from
the passage of the act to the time when slavery
shall cease. The faith of the United States is
pledged to the fulfilment of the agreement and it
requires Missouri TO refund the money received
if she should ever re introduce slavery.
A board of officers will meet in Washington in
short time to propose amendments or changes
in the rules and articles of war and code Of req
uati0ns for the government of the armies in the
field, as authorized by the laws and uSages of
war. The board consists of Francis Leber, IL
D., Maj, Gems. Hitchcock, Cadwalladcr and
HartSutt, and Brig. Gen. Martindale.
! The petition presented to-day by representa-
| tive COtaX was referred TO the committee of
ways and means. IL was from numerous editors
anu PuohehDio vi Wv lO'h1 DulidlO, fnllduel-
pha, Troy, Boston, Baltimore, Portland, Wash
ngton, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Wheeling.
Albany, PitSburg New Haven, Hartford, Proyi
dence, Manchester Milwaukee, Newark, Musca-
tine, Peoria, Dubuque, Toledo, Cleveland and
many other cities, in favor Of the reduction or
abolition of the duty ON paper
IL will be gratifying to the friends of soldiers
wounded IN The battle of fredericksburg to know
that upon their own application they can be sent
to the military hospitals in their respective states
or in those adjoining.
Inc Mcdowell court of inquiry assembled IL
o'clock No witnesses were sworn, but lengthy
correspondence was read comprising letters be-
tween the General and his subordinates. also be
tween him and Generals Banks and Fremont, in
dlcatlng energy and foresight in Gen McDowelPs
operations. Nothing else of special interest oc.
cured. The Porter court martial did not set to-
day, on account Of the absence of several wit,
nesSes