The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-06-19

United States. il becomes a military duty to proclaim
martial law. This was accordingly done on the 18th
April. Slavery and martial Law 10 n free country
are altogether Incompatible Persons in Georgia.,
Florida and South Carolina heretofore held as slaves.
are, therefore, forever declared free.
PRESIDENTS PROCLAMATION D~IsAvowING HUNTER's
CoURsE-The President to day issued q proclama-
ton, that whereas there appears in the public prints
what purports 10 be a proclamation by NJ ior-General
Hunter; aud whereas the same Is producing some
e~xcitement and misunderstanding: Therefore /. Abra-
ham Lincoln, proclaim and declare that the Govern
ment of the United States had no knowledge or be-
lief of an intention on the part of General Hunter to
issue such o proclamation. Further, that neither
General Hunter nor any commander has been author
lied by the Government TO make any proclamation
declaring slaves free, and that the proclamation now
in question is altogether void, so far as regards such
declaration. The President further makes known,
that whether it IS competent for him, as Commander
in Chief of the army and navy, to declare slaves in
any State free, and whether at any time it shall be-
come necessary and indispensable to the maintenance
of Government to exercise such supposed power, are
questions which he reserves TO himself, and which he
cannot feel justified in leaving to the decision of
commanders in the field. He earnestly urges the
people of the slave States to entertain an enlarged
consideration of the compensation emancipation reso-
luton by Congress of March 9Th. He says that the
proposal makes commcn cause for a common object.
The changes il contemplates would come gently as
the dews Of heaven, not rending or ~wrecking anything.
He concludes So much good has not been done by
one effort in all times past, as, in the providence of
God, it is your 1.-THE ~people's] high privilege to do.
May the vast future not have to lament that you
neglected it.
The Tribune positively asserts, that whatever
modification may be made in Hunters proclamation,
he will not be recalled. nor put in a position to ne
cessitate his resignation.
The IRoN CLAD NAVAL ACTION IN JAMES RIVER.
The following is from n letter from on board the
Gaiena (date not given): YESTERDAY morning.
we ran up to Watches Bluff. where we found the
river full of sunken steamers; among them, the James
tocR and Forktocn. The bank was lined with
rife pits. and on the top OF the Bluff, the rebels had
a very heavy battery. We ran within half q mile of
the battery, anchored. swung broadside TO them, and
they opened fire, the first shot striking our port boat,
going through the armor. Five minutes later. we
got another shot near whe e the first struck. killing
one man and wounding four more. We fought them
four hours. unit! We got out of ammunition, and
were compelled to retire. We got twenty shots in
our side. seventeen ON deck, and had fourteen men
killed and fifteen slightly wounded. Had we taken
the battery, We couldn't hold it, as the distractions
in the river prevent goiag up higher. One thing
has been demonstrated, that is, that the Galena can
not stand heavy fire at short range.
No official dispatch has been received from Com.
Goldsborough's Expedition, consisting of the steam
frigate Susquehanna and three gunboats and one tug,
up the james River. From other sources We learn
that they found the rebel battery at Dogs Point de-
serted. Hardy's Bluff, Is miles above Newport News,
was found abandoned; also, all the rebel batteries
between there and jamestown, with their guns dis
mounted. The expedition was last heard from on
Friday, and was still going up the river, securing
most of the ordnance left b. the rebels. A general
evacuation below Fort Darling was doubtless giving
Com. Goldsborough a chance to bring up mortar
boats, and to act Extensively against the Fort. The
James River and the banks, as far up as the Fort,
were clear of rebel soldiers. The .Monittr, Gaiena,
and .Nruugatuck were the only boats that passed
Dogs Point and Hardy's Bluff. The remainder of
the fleet, that went with them, stopped below.
OF % shots that struck the Gaiena. Is penetrated.
The Monitor was uninjured. Both Of them returned
-. IL ..,a. - Erl.- l-. ~
board the Gaiena says that they fired 23s shots, and
in two hours more, if she had plenty of shells, would
have silenced the battery, although on a bluff, and
mounting 10 guns, several of them 10-inch and
rifed.
Congressional.
CHICAGO, MAY l6th-P. M.-The Senate on Mon
day last passed the bill requiring the President to
declare by proclamation in what States insurrectiOn
exists, whereupon real estate in them is to become
charged with It's portion of the direct tax imposed by
the last session, and in default of payment within
sixty days the title and fee simple will rest in the
United States, and the property will be sold by a
Board of three Tax Commissioners of each State.
Provision is made by which loyal men and minors
may redeem their property.
The Senate Committee on the judiciary, yesterday,
reported a new bill from that passed by the House.
to prevent and punish polygamy. The bill repeats
all acts of the Utah Legislature which establish or
countenance polygamy, evasively called spiritual
marriage, however designated by ecclesiastical SOL
emnities.
The Senate Committee on the Con6scation and
Emancipation bills reported a bill which defines the
punishment of treason as death and the liberation of
slaves, or, if the case be less criminal, Imprisonment
and fine the latter to be levied on property in slaves,
which property is freed.
WASHINGTON, May pa SPECIAL dispatch to the
New York papers says that the friends of Senator
Simmons Tax bill are confident that it will be adopt
ed. The section relating to the tax on incomes pro-
vides that it shall he levied annually upon the income
of every person residing in the United States, from
whatever source derived. When the income is be-
tween $500 and Sc. 900, the tax shall be 8 per cent;
when it is from 5000 to 8 0,O00, the tax shall be
8 per cent On income from property of citizens of
the United States residing abroad, exceeding S6,000,
the tax to be II rer cent incomes Of religious and
literary societies are subject to the same taxes as
individuals. except in cases of societies whose income
is devoted to the circulation of the Holy Scriptures
or religious tracts or for the support of religious mis-
sions. So much income. however, as is derived from
interest on securities of the United States shall be
taxed II per cent.
Miscellaneous Items.
Letters from Newborn, N. c., says that attempts
to raise a Union regiment in that State are progress
ing, but IL is doubtful if more than one or two COM
panies can be obtained.
A dispatch from Little Rock says the Federal force
under Gen. Curtis had commenced its march upon
the Capital Of Arkansas. Gen. Steele was marching
on the same place.
The n. Y. Herald publishes an article from the
Charleston Courier, admitting the hopelessness of
the rebel cause, and acknowledging that the misfor-
tunes which have befallen the rebel States are not
more than their iniquities deserve.
Accounts from McCle,lan's army state that Gener-
al Sumner has been relieved from active service, in
consequence of his refusal TO reinforce Heintzelnan
at the battle of Williamsburg.
1t has been ascertained from an authentic source
that the expenditures of the Government from April,
1861, TO the present time, have not averaged one
million daily. This NAV be regarded as q retutation