New-York daily tribune., 1862-05-14
THE STORY OF ONE OF IT'S VICTIMS.
The Charge Of Drunkenness Among
Our Officers.
1HE NEW CONSTITUTION OF ILLINOIS.
NAsurSoroS. Wednesday, u y 10. 1862.
TIE CASE OF GEN. SMITH.

The Committee on Military AH.Srs and he Militia, to
whom referred the uon Of the eeoee Of h- ?3d
ul to inquire If any General Of the Army OF the United
sse before Yorktown has exhibited himself drunk in the
face Of the enemy duty and f &C. i; any have
been taken for the trial asd ruoishmeot Of such officer
having had the under consideration, report;
In 90 justice tie subject thus submitted them
for nvestion became necessary either % pfornre the
tsrdncs Of wacse before Comut-e In this
city institute nquiry Yorktown ard e'.ev here sud
the testimony Of those who present d know ell
the facts connected with the charge sv.ly made
xrmy general hst OF being drunk while duty erd 10
actual ecnac, with the enemy The importance ofhe charge
determined the Committee the latter course rs the Army
Of the POtnsc rapidly moving westward in purui' of
Che enemy retresng from Yorktown and WITNESSES
coud not be withdrawn from the field Of active
service without great injury the public service at -
time The Committee, therefore, anxious to diohsrge prop
erly the duty assigned visited the battlefield upon
which alleged General OF the army bad 80 unhe
ccningy exhibited himself Fortress Monroe whence
some ofthe witnesses he'd since been ordered and aethe
fullest inquiry that the Of the ood admit
Of they fully satisfied that charge IL hou, fouDds
E0u, ard unsupported by tn slightest evidence.
AS ths Of Brig Ger. W +. suh has been promi.
ranty before the public tho person against whom the
charge brought particular inquiry his
general conduct and ell Witnesses coucurred in tine
opinioa that he the ffst officers Of his rank, al
way. ready and able perform promptly d1y assigned
TO him The Committee fully and uneqnivocaly scqnis oil
tho ofcers others sed in the tssi oi Yosown
from the charge named In The Senate ion. the ev
dence before them highly in favor Of the sal.rry and
eoIious conduct Of all engaged in reducing ths, strongly
fortified place.
II is understood that court of inquiry has been
ordered for the investigation of this charge.
THE ILLINOIS NEW CONSTITUTION.
The stateinen, indus,rously circulated that num-
Il a.
mousy for the new Constitution is wholly untrue.
Ii set afoat in order to discourage opposition TO
the instrument. The two regiments On the Potomac
-Sth Cavalry and 39th InfaDHy-ars Understood to
be unanimous against it. Letters from Springfield
say that there is high probability that il viii be de-
feated-he nullfyng section 30 of article >, and The
extraordinary clause giving Justices of the Peace
authority to mprison ci; aens for 80 days without ap
peal being extremely unpopular. !
COLUMBUS AND a NATIONAL ARMORY.
A delegation from Columbus, Ohio, urged the
claims of that place u site for National Annoy
before the Military Committee Of the House to-day.
CALIFORNIA; REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS.
The Judiciary Committee Of the House have
agreed to report in favor of the admission Of tie
third Member from California.
VICTIM or THE REBEL DARBAHITY.
j. \. Merriinan, tie Collector Of Georgetown,
South Carolina whose sufierings for bis loyalty TO
the Constitution lie had syorn to support are well
known, has arrived here and introduced to
the President by Judge Kelly Of Philadelphia, who
urged bis claims to the Coectorshp Of Charleston.
1t will be remembered that Mr.. MerrinAn was
thrown into prison on the 9TH Of January, 1861,
Oh the charge of treason to the sovereign State OF
South Carolina, grounded upon an intercept
ed letter TO President buchanan, intimatug what
the Palmetto Rebels doing He
lay in the Georgetown jail one year and twenty
days without trial For six months of the time be
was not allowed pen, paper, ink, and all The time
was treated like common felon. On the 9th oi
last January, through friendly Influence writ Of
habeas corpus WAS sued cut and he was liberated by
Judge Duncon on bis own recognizance for - 600.
For Elk weeks after his release Mr. Mcrrinsn was
oick with the measles. About the middle Of April
the steamer Nashville into Georgetown, aud
Oh the 9th Mr. Merrtnan put 10 sea in skii,
rowed by negro pilot to apprise tho blockading
squadron Of tie Nashyle's presence, that they
might capture her. After FIVE days search he found
and boarded the Keystone State, to whose ofceY
and crews he feels greatly indebted for kind treat
ment.
After Spending month on the Keystone State he
went TO Port Royal, and thence to New-York. Mr..
Merriman thinks that the one great remedy for the
disease Of Secession is q stringent coniiscaiioD law,
the effect Of which would be TO cut up the large
taies and free the poor whites from their subecton
to the wealthy Shareholders. Although q South
CarolDian by BIRTH he does not feel tender On the
subject Of the peculiar institution, but is for sweep
ing emancipation act also. He says ,hat possibly
third of The inhabitants OF Soulh Carolina loyal
The mouutaineers, who own but two or three slaves,
with whom they work in the feIds, for the most pat
are still standing by the old flag.
SAILING OF THE PHILADELPHIA.
The Philadelphia left the Navy-iard tbs after
noon for Fortress Monroe Norfols, and perhaps
Richmond. Among TIE passengers are Secretaries
Seward and Welles, Attorney General Bates, Cbief
Clerk Fsxon of the Navy Department, Assistant Sec
.retsry Seward, Capt. Dahlgren, and Il brother Of
Flag Officer Goldsborougb. The presence On board
fssvetal ladies Of the Secretaries families forbds
The Ipposition that tais is a waIlike expedition.
REPORTED ATTACH on FREDERICKSBURG.
Heoei sympa,bizeis in Washington cheeriully as-
.e'' 'na' large Rebel force is moving upon freder
0"''ofs, large enough to put Gen. McDowelrs
srniy night; but the same boosters predicted the
ooe' Vi ''e National forces at leland No. 10, York
town, and New.orleans and were confident that
'" ' D''a0 would be destroyed II IL not be-
e'eu ''"' '"o'e any serious intention Of attacking
"en "1Do"ei,, sno We assured that in no
OWN wiz "' sune' himself 70 be surprised.
REBEL BARB.Rrrus
Gov' cPrague Of Rhode Island re,u,ped today
from Yorktown and the Peninsula, where hs has