The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1862-01-31
Our News Summary.

stood that the contracts let out by Secre.
tary Cameron, for over million Spring.
field muskets, and over quarter of a mil.
lion rifles and carbines, will be ordered to
be annulled by Congress. They will not
be available in the present war, and as they
are to cost an average of seven dollars each
above manufacturers prices, they involve a
loss of nearly nine million dollars to the
treasury.
"A London paper states that Sir Allan
McNab, on bis return to Canada, is to be
intrusted with the charge of organizing the
Provincial militia. While in England, he
bad interviews with the Queen and Lord
Palmerston.
The Prince of Wales will next year
enter into the enjoyment of $25O,OOO year,
and two and half millions of dollars in
ready money from the revenues of the Duchy
of Cornwall.
The Cleveland Plaindealer says ave
know Edwin M. Stanton, the new Secretary
of War, well. He has more of the Bona.
parte in his composition than any other
man in America"
Lieut.. Fairfax, whom Miss Slidell pre-
tends to have so sweetly slapped in the face,
has been appointed Commander OF Ord
nance at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
Lieutenant John Edwards, jr., of Port
land, graduate of West Point, who dis
tipguished himself at Bull Run, has been
promoted to Captalncy in the End Artil>
lery o. S. A., and ordered to join General
Crittenden's division in Kentucky.
| The Death of James Kearney, late
Lieutenant. Colonel of the corps of Topo-
graphical Engineers, is announced. Col.
Kearney was born in Ireland, but came to
the United States at very early age. He
entered the army on the llth of April, 1913,
as Third Lieutenant in the Fifth Infantry.
In July, 1888, be was appointed Lieuten-
ant Colonel of the corps of Typographical
Engineers, and held that position until
September 9, 1861, when he was placed
upon the retired list in consequence of inr
capacity, resulting from long and faithful
service, extending over . period Of nearly
forty-nine years.
Hon. VIM. Appleton, of Boston, haa
given ten thousand dollars to the fund for
the support of INDECENT patients iu the Mas
sachusetts General Hospital. He had pre-
viously given twenty thousand dollars to
the funds.
The Portland Advertiser rebuke the
radicals for their senseless " on to Rich-
mond" cries, and says while it finds no
fault With officers and others in power,
it presumes to guess "the rebels will soon
find themselves encircled by the army and
navy of the United States, as the boa con.
strictor encirces bis victims and we shall
then begin to hear the bones of secession
crack-ribs, back bones, arm bones and leg
bones and skull bones will all crack, and be
ground to powder"
AS evidence of the continued prosperity
of California, San Francisco papers speak
of increased exports and undiminished arri-
walls of emigrants. The Bulletin says:
The inward bound vessels of the Pacific
Company arrive every ten days densely crowd.
ed with hardy immigrants, seeking here that
quiet cOntentment and prosperity which, un-
happily, California alone can now promise.
During the past year the excess of arrivals
over departures at this port has been SO great
as to very materially increase the number OF
our permanent population.
Senator Wilson, in a recent speech
before the Senate, urged the sound doctrine
that this nation is in PERIL that we need
means to carry on this war against the
gigantic rebellion arrayed against US; that
we must put direct tax upon the country
that we must raise revenue from every
source whence revenue can be derived; and
that we (Senators) must reduce our own
salaries and the salaries Of men engaged in
the civil and military service of the coun-
try"
Governor Dennison, of Ohio, has re-
piled to an inquiry of the Ohio Senate, con-
cerping his reasons for extraordinary ex'
penditures for war purposes lest summer
by stating that
The peril latter Bull Run] was imminent
1t could be turned aside but by the promptest
measures. 1t was finally averted only by the
united action of all the loyal States, each sum.
moning forth all its resources of men and mo.
ney. II, at this dark hour, Ohio had held back
on the ground that she could not instantly
come to the rescue of the Union without
transcending some legal or constitutional rule,
prescribed for the conduct in peaceful times ol
merely state affairs, she would not only have
been forever dishonored, but it might also well
have happened that all of US today would be
engaged in deadly struggle with an invading
enemy on our own soil, to save that very con-
stitution from utter and final overthrow.
The paper mill of Messrs. Bestow
Fairchild & Co., at Williamsville, near
Buffalo, New York was destroyed by FIRE
on the morning Of the 10th instant. 1t cost
when built, $28, 1000, inclusive of machine
ry. The insurance on machinery amounted