The Portland daily press., 1862-10-01
BY TELEGRAPH
TO THE
Portland Daily Press.
FROM WASHINGTON.
Dismissal of an Aid to Gen. Halleck
STAMPS FOR THE EXCISE TAX.
Stamp Duties VS.. Railroad Companies.
Reconnaissance by Gen. stahI's Brigade.

WASHINGTON. Sent. 20
The dismissal by tbe President af Major
John ]. Key. additional aid do comn o,,oc3od
to Gen. HalIeck's staff. for utterapcc of d;S-
loyal sentiments. is regarded ne an exca,Iont
example in higb ouarters and hone l. oyN
pressed that it NAV be followed nm mill tho
army shall be thoroughlv nlroed Of those Off
GERS who so frequently offend The ears of IoyaI
citizens by seditious and reasonable words 90
Maj. Key, 1t is but lust to saw. whatever NAV
have been the offence for which he has been
dismissed bore a fair character as an officer
and his LOYALTY was never susnected before -
He was not. however. an officer of Gen, Hal
Ieclxs own soao,an ~ hod - " ..
him and thus attached to The staff and without
the personal acquaintance or Confidence of
Gen. Halleck He has been constantIy e,n.
ployed on detached staff duties snch as local
Provost Marshal for towns and cities sinner.
yising agent at different points &c He has
never been employed in any confidential ca
pacity at head-auarters which would rive him
access to information that could NV anv noss;-
blity be of service 10 the enemy. not however
because of anv question of his LOYALTY that had
been raised. but because Cen HaIlecl had NO
personal knowledge of him such as would in
duce the confdinr of important or secret on
erations. Mai. Kew is from Indiana bnt Is
said to have large coutinpent interests in tho
slave states.
Mr, lllnhX has tho broad nntpnt from ha
United States for the reyolyinG tower for land
and water fortiflcations. This is acknowJ-
edged to be great national invention. and is
fully accredited TO American genius and en-
ergy.
Postage currency cannot he sunnlied ex-
cepting in small quantities The opIv stamn
ready for delivery at the office of the Commits
sioner of Internal Revenue is check stamns
for checks and drafts or orders on siobt aIad
metics. sc Other stamns will ba rod, in a
few DAYS, of which notice will he given that
purchasers may know how to s.,wa ,ha;r o.
ders.
The commissioner of Internal Reyenue has
given the following opinion in regard 10 tbe
liability of railway companies to the payment
of stamp duties The item marked Fypress
N" on page 50 of the excise law. was not in
tended to embrace the frei obt business of rail-
roads and ordinary wapouers but i limited 70
persons who are express carriers and not
merely common carriers under the law The
distinction is very well known in nract;col bu-
siness. The express carrier is usualIv exnect-
ed to take the parcel. box or bundle from the
house or place of business of the consignee
while railway comnanv ,,ocn;,os o,,d dai;,,a'
goods only AZ its own stations Tn tbe ahsence
of specific language in the statute authorizing
the broader constrnctiop 7 n,nst bold ,hst
persons and companies enoaood in trans,ort-
ing goods over the country- as snch hnsiness
is usually performed Inv railway cornorat;ons
are not liable TO the payment of n stamn ,ay
upon the receipts oiyen for such GOODS 7 am
also of the opinion that The first item in the
schedule II. does NOT Include snch raceints for
freight as are usually given h,1 ,ho ra;i,,,a,
companies and the receint i No aonh, y ;n
TECHNICAL sense. an agreement or contract
but in the ordinary use of LANGUAGE this close
construc,;on doas ,o, Loid iii 1N