Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-02-17
LATEST NEWS
BY TELET RAIY,
From Washington.
" AsniNuToN, Feb. |

" ASiiNdloN, Tcb. 10.
] The Presidents message, with accom-
pahyng statements of officers Of the in
terror departments, in response to the
liousc resolution Of Dec. last, inquiring
INTO the cause Of the outbreaks of the
Indian tribes of the Northwest, piyes
no adequate cause for mischief aud ont
RACES Of such magnitude. Evidences Of
prcmcdliated design in their attack is
not satisfactory. The Sioux brooied over
and complained Of misunderstanding
in the treaty s'ipula,ions. but their agent,
Mr.. Galbrai'h, had apprehcniod no un-
usnal difficulty. Up the time Of their
outbreak they appeared to cooperate
cordially IN preparations made for their
civilization and material advancement.
Messengers had been sent 10 other tribes
even 10 Selklrk scttlement---to an
n,nncc their declaration of war. and to
demand their assistance. There il no
evidence Of n reasonable ground for such
expectations.
The Secretary Of the Interior thinks
the chiet or immediate cause was the
unfortunate affair in which few rcck
less young Indians bccamc involved
through the use of rpiituous hqn ors al
Acton. This occurred at Il time when
Their minds were lnllamci by nc, ,onni.
gwen by reckless or malicious pcrs, ,ns Of
bloody conflicts in the u. s., and ALI rm-
ing that the Government was broken M,
and their annultics wond not be pad,
aud they must take care Of tbcinscl yes
This excitement added 10 disalIrcti on
that they had parted with their lands,
evidently led them to attempt to repos
scss their hunting grounds.
The threatened difficulties with the
'ttppewns aud W'nnvbagn Indian. have
happily been arrested. IT,. ,na,f.l was
personal between tho Agent and the
principal chef Of the Mssour band
The message Is accompanied hy inter
esting anI circunstantial details Of the
massacre.
The Secrc AIRY Of the Navy has re
ccived ,olumlnous dispatches from Rear
Admiral Dupont in reference to the late
attack on tho h!ockading fleet OH Cha,lcs
ton. Tho officers commanding the
blockaang fleet make the ioIlowing
statement
We deem it our duty to say that the
results as published il the Charleston
papers are false in evory particular. NJ
vessels were sunk and none set on fire.
two vessels alone were injured. the
Merci liia and keystone State, tliat alter
lhc firing ended the blockade continued
AS before No vessel ran in or out oi
the port that day, nor was any attempt
made to run the blockade.
These are tue fac,s, aud We do not
hesitate to say that no vessel did cone
out beyond the bar after the return Of
The rams between and O'Clock.
L. ). CONSULATE, krSesros,
JAMAICA, Jan 2lst.
SIR 1t is my painful 4uty to inforln
thc Department of tie destruction Of the
I. $. steamer Ilaitcras, recently under
my command, by the rebel steamer Ala
bana, on the night Of the llth inst, of
he Coast OF Texas.
The circumstances Of the disaster alc
as follows
On the Ilth inst, at . o'clock, while
at anchor, III company with the fleet,
of Galveston, ! was ordered by sigma
tom the flag ship brooklyn to chas
and sail 10 the southwark Of eastward |
! got under way Immediately and steam
ga with all speed in the direction indi
Gated. Alter some time strange sal |
cond be seen from the llattcras, aud il |
was ssccrtained TO 10 steamer, which I
TACT communicated TO tie llag ship by
signal. ] continued toe chase, rapidly /
gaming upon the suspicious vessel. When
within about four mites Of the vessel, |
observed she had ceased to steam, and
was lying broadside, and vas awaiting ns
1t was nearly o'clock, and quito dark,
but Notwithstanding the obscnri,y oi
the night, felt assured, from the gene
raj character Of tho vessel and her man
ners, that | should soon encounter the
rebel steamer Alabama, and being able
to work but -four guns on one side of the
short SO FOUNDERS, one
30-poundcr and one 2O.pounder,
| concluded to close with her, that my
guns might be effective, as necessary. ]
came within easy speaking range, and
upon asking "What steamer is thatW
| received the answer: "lIcr Britanic
Majcsty's ship, Vixen ] SAID ] would
send boat aboard, and Immediately
gave orders. In the meantime both yes
sells were charging their positions, the
stranger endeavoring to gain desirable
position for araking fire. Almost stimuli
tancously with the pushing away Of the
boat, the stranger again replied, I'VE are
the Confederate steamer Alabama, 'whicL
was accompanied with broadside.
NJ the same time returned fire. | steer