, 1862-02-04
Threatened Attack On Savannah.
FORT PULASKI INVESTED
PriVatecrS to be Held aS Prisoners
Of War.
Reported Attack on Roanoke Island,



WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 1862.
Fort Pulaski is ROW thoroughly invested.
Gen. Sherman is in daily receipt Of intelligence
from the interior.
The privatcersmcn hive been released aud
are to be held as prisoners Of war.
Secretary Stanton expresses his opinion thai
Eodgcs and Corcoran will soon be Released.
Secretary Chase, in his letter to the Commit
Tee OH Ways and Means, says that he has great
aversion to making any thing but; coin legal
tender in the payment Of debts but it is at
present impossible. in consequence Of the
suspension Of the banks, to procure coin
enough for disbursements; therefore, it is in
diEpensable to resort to IN issue Of notes,
and unless they are made legal tender,
discrimination will be made against them be-
tween those who give cordial support to the
Government and those who do not. ssThe
Committee" he continues, "doubtlcss feel
the necessity Of accompanying this measure
by legislation necessary to secure the highest
credit as well as the largest currency Of those
notes. This security can be found, in my
judgment, by proper provisions for funding
them in intercst-bearing bonds; by well
guarded legislation authorizing banking
associations with circulation based
on bonds in which notes are funded; and By
judicious system Of adequate taxation,
which Will not only create demand for the
notes, but by securing prompt payment Of
the interest, raise aud sustain tho credit OF
our bonds. Such legislation, it may he hoped,
will diyeet the legal tender clause Of the bill
Of its ln]udicious tendencies, and secure the
earliest possible return to sound currency
Of coin and promptly convertible notes. l
beg leave to add that various military opera
tions, and unsraring rctrenchment Of all ne
ccssary expense will also contribute essentially
to this desirable end''
Just before the adjournment tonight, hfr.
Spalling read to the House letter from Sec
retary Chase urging the immediate passage of
The bill as u necessity for the treasury, he
said he had drawn on the last installnlent of
the November loan, and found that after pay-
ing it the banks would refuse to take treasury
notes at par. In another note, written to-day,
Mr. Chase says: "Truc, I came to conviction
Of the necessity Of the legal tender clause re-
support it earnestly
Brigadier Generals Meaghcr, Wadsworth,
and Slocun, Of n. T., and Cooper of Nd, arc
among the officers confirmed to-day. Assist
ant Secretary Of War Tucker WIS not passed
upon.
The War and not the Navy Department is
responsible for Bnrnside's transports, which
were purchased or chartered by Howland d
Aspinwall for commission of two and half
NrDf Rrr17cS1a nN1
for another destination; hence the excessive
drnuglt.
Senator Wilson's bill defining army paF and
cmolument will be reported from the Military
Committee with slight amendment. An effort
will he made to put it on It's Immediate pas
sage.
Senator Bright will probably not be expelled
till Wednesday. The death Of Senator Har~
lan's child causes the poetponement. g.,
Fort Garland has been transferred from the
Department Of Kansas to New Mexico.
Senator Latham has received a dispatch
stating that the California Legislature had
unanimously voted to assume her portion of
the war tax and pay in gold
A combination Of wood dealers has run IN
prices to I'LL per cord. They now even refuse
to sell.
Diplomatic advices from Europe arc re-
ported as favorable ut the State Department.
ITO the Associated Pressl
N:sH1SGToS, Feb. Representatives Of
telegTapblc interests now here have suggested
to the Committee on Ways and Means their
readiness to pay tax Oh their messages and
thus cont1bufe to the support Of the Govern
ment.
The chairman Of the Ways md Means COM