The New York herald., 1863-02-19

ment Of mdshipmen Bills TO equalize the grade
OF line officers Of tie navy. and concerning the
rank Of naval medical officers, were introduced
a... rrierred. A joint resolution directing the
payment of sick and wounded soldiers in hos.
pitals and conyalescent camps within thirty days
| after the adoption Of said resolution was agreed
to. The bill providing for the settlement of claims
for damages done by Union troops was called UP
and postponed until to-day The biz fixing the
gauge Of the Pacific Railroad and branches at four
feet eight and half ihches was passed, also the
bill granting lands to Michigan and Wisconsin for
a military road. The bill organizing the courts Of
the District of Columbia was discussed. and after
an executive session the Senate adjourned
Iu the House Of Representatives the bill au-
thorizing the construction of bridges over the
Ohio below the Big Sandy river was passed The
House cOncurred in the Senate's amendment to the
bill providing for an assistant register of the
Treasury; also in the amendment to authorize the
appointment of solicitor of the War Department.
The Senate bill granting aid to Missouri for the
emancipation of slaves was referred to the select
Committee on Emancipation. The House passed
the Senate bill for the purpose Of removing doubts
as TO the meaning Of former laws. 1t suthorises
the President whom two kinds Of punishnaent are
| imposed by court, pecuniary snd amprisonmsnt,
| to remit the one or the other. Whom the inn
prisonmsnt is remitted the fine shall be collected
as q Judgment of debt in the common forms Of
law. The bill indemnlfying the President and
other public Officers for the suspension Of the writ
| Of habeas corpus, aud for aots in pursuance
thereof was then taken up. and an interesting de-
| bate eusued, which continued till tho adjourn.
| mont.
THE LEGIsLATURK.
| The State Senate yesterday passed tho bill to
amend tho act relative to the United States de.
| posit fund.- Some local bills were also passed
Bills to amend the law Of divorce and to protect
creditors Of secret societies introduced also
one donating to the Peoples College at Havana,
N. Y the public lands appropriated to this State
by the act Of Congress making grants to the vari
Gus States for the establishment of colleges of
agriculture and the agricultural arts. Consider.
able other business Of local or minor interest was
transacted.
In the Assembly bills were introduced to repeat
the act exempting clergymen from taxation; to
incorporate the Dry Goods Clerks Early Closing
Association, with capital of 100000; for the
auditing of the accounts Of town officers for the
administration of law in justices courts; to amend
the revised statutes relative to auction sales and
for various other objects of less general interest.
\
ings in reference to soldiers bountes and legalia-
ing past and future action Of boards Of town su-
pervisors for the same purpose. were passed. A
new Broadway Railroad bill and bill creating
bureau Of military statistics were noticed A bill
was reported appropriating 81 900 to repay
towns for bounties advanced by them.
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.
The Rev J. G. Fletcher last evening delivered
H. Al.
ligent and appreciative audience. The subject
Two Thousand Miles up the Amazon" The lec-
| ture win be continued at . future day.
! The Fort Gansevoort case was not resumed yes
tcrday in consequence Of the engagement OF Mr..
Brady in another court. Judge Barnard. at the
request of the Corporation Counsel. adjourned the
matter until twelve o'clock this day.
The Illinois Legislature closed its session on Sa-
turday last. During the few weeks Of its exist.
ence it made considerable noise but that is about
all it accomplished.
The contrabsDd goods captured st Memphis and
turned over to the government amount in value
to over three hundred thousand dollars. The Qai-
nine alone is worth ten thousand dollars.
A schooner was captured near Swan Point, be-
low Baltimore, On the 10th instant, having on
board four thousand dollars worth of goods and
twelve thousand dollars in money, bound TO Dixie.
The Nova Scotia Legislature opened at Halifax
on the 18th instant. The Governor, in his speech,
expresses gratitude that, while the United States
are impoverished by civil war, and Europe
threatened with destitution, peace rcigns and ca.
pital increases" among the Bluenoses.
The Board Of Education held one Of their regu-
lar meetings last evening; but the business which
came up was not only unmportant, but exclusive.
ly routine.
The Most Rev. DR.. McEvilly, Bishop Of Galway,
ireland, has received the subscription Of goo
from the Catholic Bishop of Melbourne, Australia, 4
the Most Rev. DR.. Good towards the relief of the
poor of Galway. At a meeting Of the Central
Relief Committee Of Ireland, held in Dublin on
the 29th ntimo, the Catholic Bishop Of Elphin
said he'had received reports from all the clergy.
men Of his diocese, in reply to written queries
forwarded 10 each, respecting the extent Of the
existing destitution in their parishes, and he stated
his conclusions thus:-" As far as | can Judge, |
would say that the distress Of this year. as it ex-
lists al the present moment, and as it is sure to
exist in the course Of the year, particularly within
two or three months hence, is greater than in the
famine years. That is the opinion in every place
in which have consulted, not only the clergy,
but some Of the landed propretors and farmers,
and other people Of long experience and observa-
tom
In the Court Of General Sessions yesterday, be.
fore Recorder Hoffman. William Montague, a Lon
doner, thirtytwo years OF age, pleaded guilty to
forgery in the fourth degree. On the 10th Of 0c-
tober last A. Oakley Hail. the District Attorney,
drew check on the Broadway Bank for sls3 75
in favor OF William De La Montagnie. He enclosed
it in letter and forwarded il by post to his resi-.
dcnce, No. l39 Madison street. The houses had,
now l49. The prisoner resided at the new mum.
Der l3o, and in consequence Of the similarity in
tho names the postmsn left the letter there After
forging the endorsement the prisoner sold the
check TO Joseph Connolly, Of LOG Monroe street,
In bau xvua ed IN VIII tbc