The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1862-05-16
Washington Intelligence.
FROM THE SPECIAL TELEG RAMS
TO THE EASTERN PAPERS.
THE CASE OF GENERAL SMITH.


nected with the ermy of the Potomac, that
it is scarcaly probable that the committee
will think it worth while to make the exam
nation at this time, when great battle
with the enemy IS almost hourly expected.
The scene in the House on Friday, when
Generals Grant and Smith were the subject
of congressional criticism, put damper
upon the whole business, and the general
sentiment in Congress tends strongly to-
wards silence on the floor respecting the
conduct OF any general in the field till after
the fighting is over.
GENERAL SMITH DEMANDS A EXTRACTION CT
THE CHARGE OF DRUNKENNESS.
The following letter has been received
here:
CAMP NEAR YoRKEowN. Va, april 30.
To Hon. Justin Morrill,:
SIR: You have seen it in your place
in the House of Representatives to utter &
foul siander against me. You have offered
to the country no evidence in support of
your naked assertion. You have, SO far as
can learn, taken no public steps to col
lect testimony to sutstantiate your charges,
and the indignant denials which have gone
from the officers Of this division to yourself
and colleagues have failed to elicit from
you frank and open apology. 1t is now
ny turn to speak, and here, face to face
with brave foe, turn my back to you,
an assassin, and tell you you must prove
your charge against me, or make your re.
traction as puolic as the libel; and l am
certain that throughout the length and
breadth Of this great land every manly
heart will say that l have dema nGed no
more than l have right to compel.
w. II. SMITH,
Commanding Division Army of the Potomac.
SENATOR WILSON ON THE EVACUATION CT
YORKTOWN.
Senator Wilson, Chairman of the Mill.
tary Committee, characterizes the affair at
Yorktown as defeat of Mcclellan, and is
unsparing in his denunciations of the Gen.
eral in the hotels this afternoon. He says
be has known all along that the enemy had
no such force as has been reported, and that
their position had no strength. He has
known all winter that eryhody, except
himself, has been humbugged in regard to
the strength OF the rebels in Virginia; and
if his opinions on the subject are correct,
he might have marched the regiment be
raised in Massachusetts to Richmoud with
but little opposition. The object of his
disparagement of General Mcclellan is ap.
parent to those whom be addresses general
Iy, and bis remarks have but little weight,
except among the clique who have banded
together to destroy Mcclellan, and who
have denounced openly that the war must
be carried on with view to the next Pres.
idency.
LETTERS FOR NOVA SCOTIA.
On and after tie Ist OF June next all
letters mailed in the United States ard ad-
dressed to Nova Scotia, will be required to
be prepaid by United States postage stamps
at the existing rates, namely, 10 cents for
all distances rot over 5000 miles from the
frontier line, aid Is cents for greater dis
tances. AL letters received from Nova
Scotia after that date will come fully pre-
paid, and are to be aelivered without fur
tier charge.
THE FORTS BELOW NEW ORLEANS.
1t is the impression at the Navy Depart
ment that the forts below New Orleans
were net taken by our feet, but that they
were so disabled that most of the gunboats
passed readily up to New Orleans, while
others remained behind to continue the
bombardment. The munitions of the feet
are immense, but whether there is coal,
provisions, &C., to enable the gunboats to
60 quickly up 10 Memphis, remains to be
seen. If so, they can probably cut off
Beauregard's communication for men and
provisions with Arkansas, Texas, &c. 10
get the latter, he may have fallen back from
Corinth to the "Grand Junction." which is
midway between the former place and Mem.
phiS, and affords better line of retreat.
THE ARMY APPROPRIATION BILL.
The army appropriation bill reported on
Friday contains items amounting to $780,
283,000 for the pay of the volunteers $751;
$4,000 for subsistence in kind to the regu.
lars and volunteers $36,O0O,OO0 for the
Quartermasteris department $500,000 for
the extension and working of the military
telegraph lines, and $l5,O00,000 for the
purchase and manufacture of arms, &c
and, besides other appropriations, $20,O00,-
900 for bounty to the two years. volunteers
and the widows and heirs of those who have
died or been killed in the military service
of the United States.
THE WASHINGTON NEWS"
The new evening paper in Washington city
under this title promises we'll. The follows
ing extract indicates its general character
We regret that that honorable body, the
present Congress, has devoted too much of its
time to legislat tion for the coored portion Of
the human family. We would, therefore, re.
spectfuly but earnestly remind that honorable
body that white men also have rights, and to
monopolize such great portion of the time of
the assembly of the nation in special legisla-
ton for the black man is Injustice to the white
men of the nation; and, therefore, we would
suggest to that honorable body that white
men be not, in future, lost sight OF in their
deliberations.
Since the seat of Government was re>
moved to the District of Columbia, more
;han one hundred newspapers bave been
started in Washington city, all of which
have died. excepting only the National In.
telligencer.
The MAIL RouTEs.-We understand G..
w, Savage Of Glencoe, is the lowest bidder
for carrying the mail between ST. Paul and