Litchfield enquirer., 1863-12-24

journalistsin Washington, thirty of whom Were present. Mr. Colfax remarked that the House had chosen newspaper men for speaker, clerk, and postmaster and in the Senate the press claimed the Vice President. Secretary Forney, Sergeant at-Arms Brown.
 Gen. Butler has ordered the provost mar shal's in his department to enroll all the able bodied men between the ages of Is and AS, SO that he may know how many men he can rely on for Q defense of the Union.
 It is now discovered that pictures may be photographed on steel, and an engrayiucs tbus obtained will give five thousand copies Illus. trated books will now be the rule rather than the exception.
 The Richmond Examiner of the 12th states that some $40.0eO worth of the clothing sent to Richmond for the Yankee prisoners has got into the hands of the Jews, and an inquiry is on foot to ascertain how it happened. The Examiner suggests that the prisoners have an extra surplus for rum and tobacco.
 A letter in the Herald, dated Folly Island, s. O., Dec. 18th, says:
 Qnartermaster General Akin, of Connec- ticut, is now here paying the bounties to such of the troops from that State as will enlist as veterans for three years. He has met with great success, and it seems now as though a large majority of the old soldiers will re.enlist for the war. Major Sturges of Governor An drew's staff, is also here, paying the Massachu. Sets colored troops the State pay. in addition to that the United States gives. His..advent is hailed with joy by the co!ored troops, who have been without money, because they would not accept the ten dollars month which the government pays. They want thirteen dollars or nothing, and they deserve it."
 The same letter says that there are columns of obituaries in the Charleston papers of per sons killed in the late explosion and fire in Fort Sumter" showing that it was serious af. fair. The famous floating battery in Charles. ton harbor, which was used against Sumter when Anderson held the works, broke adrift in the last gale, smashed through and carried away the Instructions, and now lies ashore near the north eEd of Folly Island. General Butler has leave to try his plan of exchange. He is to send to City Point 500 or 800 confined rebels, with an offer to Commis- sioner Ould to exchange them, nan for man. If this experiment prove successful, exchange on this basis will be resumed.
 It is now thought that the Atlantic Cable will not be laid next summer, the many experi- ments on the different plans in the construc tion of the cable, consuming more time than
 was expected. It is determined to lay cable as perfect as human skill can make it.
 William H. Graham. once proprietor of
 Graham's Magazine, of Philadelphia, died on Friday in New York city. at the age of forty years, from intemperance and exposure. Four hundred and eighteen rebel prisoners have been sent to Philadelphia the past week to take the oath of allegiance.
 The resolution of Green Clay Smith, of Ken lucky. Diedgirg Congress to support the gov ernment in the further prosecution of the war, was voted against by but one member, Mir. Harris, of Maryland. who is an open friend of the rebels. The Woods lodged the record, thus belying their professed peace principles. Of the dozen members of the House who are totally opposed to the war, more than half are afraid 10 put thelr principles record.
 A CoNxEcTIcur MAN IN NEW ORLEANs- They wanted more steamboats in New Orleans. and the General Commanding learning that Col. Coburn, of the l2th Conn. Vols. under stood their construction, called upon him to 20 at it. The Colonel. after looking about him, and making inquiries. soon discovered that lumber was the important item wanted but being of progressive ingenious ard go- ahead disposition. soon took his measures to obvia:c the difficulty. He went to Fort Pike, where he found large raft of logs that had been placed in the Rigolets for the purpose of preventing the passage of our vessels. These were fastened together with several tons of chains. which were removed, and the logs got out. The next thing was saw Alill but this was soon built, and was so successful that the necessary lumber was made from the logs ob tained at the Rigolets. The engine was also built under the Colonels direction. and the re- suit is. q steamer l5z feet long by 49 broad over all, staunch and durable.
 A man and his wife in the western part of Massachusetts arose one morning last week at ' o'clock, as they supposed, got breakfast. eat it, and thinking it did not grow very light for the time of day. consulted the clock and found it to be only half past two. Result. another nap and another breakfast at the regular hour.
 Menagerie animals are expensive pets. A full grown lion eats from fifteen to eighteen pounds Of meat per day. An elephants "a. tion's are three hundred pounds of hay and two bushels of oats per day when he is travel | Hug when standing still he gets no oats. bat an additional hundred weight of hay. Two | barrels of water moistea each elephants daily hay.
 At Newport R. l., young man, who joined the rebels. and has been taken prisoner, wrote from his prison to his uncle for aid in food. &c., and saying that the North brought the war on and ought to feed him. The uncle sent him 2 rope, with instructions how to use it in elon- yating his neck.
 An army officer, direct from Chattanooga, has informed she editor of the Indianapolis Jour- saZ that
 General Grant is still suffering from his fall t New Orleans, has grown thin and stooping. md shows marks of so great a loss of health md strength as to create fears of his recovery, .l<cc |