The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1864-03-12

1890 Nv ENH-NH SH LSAS AN'HN go
n slave" In the test question, on the indefinite
pos~tponement, the vote stood 8 ayes, 81 noes. Bills
were also introduced by Sumner, repeating all laws
providing for the rendition of fugitive slaves, and
providing there shall be no objections made TO any
witness in the United States Courts on account OF
color.
Senator Sberman's bill was introduced yesterday,
prohibiting speculative transactions in gold, and TO
make all time sales OF specie and foreign exchange
null and void, and partial payment thereupon re-
claimable by q suit. Ii shall be the duty OF District
Attorneys TO prosecute such suit, the money reclaimed
gong IN equal parts TO the informer, the District
Attorney and the Z. s. Treasury. All checks and
drafts not payable at sight, given for such transac-
tons, are made void, excepting when passed into the
hands OF third persons ignorant OF the agreement,
but the person making the sale may at any time
within three years bring a suit for recovery Of the
full amount from the person by whom made.
The House Committee of Ways and Means will
report the following joint resolution
RfsotUed. That the Secretary OF the Treasury be hereby
authorized from time to time to sell at his discretion any gold
of interest on the public debt. or for other purposes.
A special Washington dispatch to the Commercial
says there is an evident disposition on the part Of
Congress TO grant authority TO Secretary Chase to sell
the surplus gold in the Treasury. His friends assert
the receipts of the custom houses between now and
July the first, would be more than sufficient TO meet
the specie demand that will be due By that time, and
that a judicious sale of even one half Of the twenty.
two millions now in the Treasury will put a stop 10
speculation in gold. Others, however, fear that this
gold, if taken from the Treasury, will be sent abroad,
and thus have a disastrous effect on our finances.
In the rebel House of Representatives, on the 9th,
the following was considered in secret session
"WHEREAs, the President of the United States, in a late pub
lie communication, declared that no proposition for peace had
in truth such propositions were prevented from being made by
the President in refusing to hear or eyen receive Commissioners
appointed to treat expressly for the preservation of amicahie
relations between the two Governments, nevertheless that the
Confederate States may stand justified in the sight of the con-
servative North of all parties, and that the world may know
which of the Governments it is that urges on a war unparalleled
led for ferceness of conflict, and in intensity of sectional hate
unsurpassed in the annals of MISUNDERSTANDING.
States, through their Government at Washington, to meet them,
by representation equal to Their representation in Senators, in
at - on day of next -, to consider-First,
crate states of America. Second, in the event of non-recogni-
ton. whether they cannot agree upon the formation of a new
States; but il this cannot be done, to consider whether they can
not agree upon treaties, offensive, defensive and commercial.
FoRTREss MONROE, February l6th.-The Richmond
Examiner of the 1lth, contains a list of officers who
escaped from prison, as follows II Colonies, Z Ma
jors, 80 Captains, and SO Lieutenants, obtained their
liberty without the preliminaries of a parole or ex-
change. OF these, only 2 Captains and 2 Lieuten-
ants were recaptured up TO the evening Of the 10th.
General Neal Dow did not attempt passing the tunnel.
for fer his strength would fail him in the flight.
Our cavalry is securing the country to the Chicka-
hOminy, and %gunboats have gone up the james River
to give protection to such as can be found.
The Escape of Union Prisoners.
BALTIMORE, February l7th.-The escaped Union
prisoners have arrived here. The account of their
escape is full Of thrilling interest, but for prudential
reasons many particulars are withheld from publica.
ton. They were 6fty-one days making the tunnel.
Their Instruments were case knives, pocket knives.
chisels and files. They had to abandon the work and
commence again on account of distractions which
tLey could not pass. They disposed of the excavated
soil by drawing it out of the hole in a spittoon. which
they attached to a cord. This would be filled by the
party at work in the tunnel, and pulled out into the
cellar by their companions, who disposed of it by
spreading it in shallow layers over the floor and
covering it with straw. The work was necessarily
slow. So close was the atmosphere in the tunnel
49, 1A, could rnppaYn in - lint a fap min N q n 4 a
time, and the candles would go out. AT one time
they got so near the surface that a small hole was
broken through. Fortunately, this was not discover
ed, and it was of great service in admitting air and
light into the tunnel. When completed, the tunnel
was about sixty feet long, and opened into an old
tobacco shed, beyond the line of guards. As soon as
they found the way clear. they emerged slowly, in
small squads, making their way toward the Williams
burg road by the shortest route. Darkness favored
them; and the fact that the rebel soldiers whom they
met were clad in the army coats of Uncle Sam which
they had stolen, was of great help to them. Although
many had haversacks with them. they found the
National uniform a better disguise than if they had
been provided with rebel uniforms.
Great Scare in Richmond.
BALTIMORE, February 9.-Ohicers from City Point
report the arrival there of two released prisoners,
who state that an intense excitement prevailed at
Richmond, from midnight on Saturday to noon on
Sunday, at which time they left. AT midnight on
Saturday all the bells were rung, and men rushed
through the streets crying, ITO arms to arms
The Yankees are coming =" During the remainder
of the night an intense commotion was everywhere
visible. The Home Guard was called out, and the
tramp Of armed men was heard in all directions.
Cannon were hauled through the streets, women and
children %hurrying to and fro, and there were evidence
Of such q panic as was seldom before seen in Rich
mond. On Sunday morning there was no abatement
Of the excitement. The Home Guard were all marched
out of the city to the defenses, and armed citizens
placed on guard over the prisoners. The excitement
among the prisoners to know the cause of the COM
motion was great, and it was soon learned that q
large cavalry, infantry and artillery force had made
its appearance on the Peninsula, at Bottoms Bridge,
10 miles from Richmond, and that Richmond was
actually threatened by the Yankees. The same evil
dences of CONSERVATION existed throughout the city
all the forenoon as during the night, and as the
released prisoners were about leaving in the flag of
truce boat, the alarm bells were again rung with
great fury. The rumors that prevailed were conflict
ing, and it was their impression that from 5000 to
o 1000 cavalry would have little difficulty in entering
the city, releasing the prisoners, destroying the forts
and public property, and retiring by the Peninsula
before any sufficient force to resist them could be
brought to the aid of the small garrison there.
Several days previous to this alarm, troops num-
bering from 1000 to 5000 were sent to join Lees
army, the impression prevailing that a movement
was contemplated by Meade. The intelligence of the
reconnaissance by the Army of the Potomac reached
Richmond on Sunday morning, and added fuel to the
excitement. On Monday a courier arrived at City
Point with copies of the city papers, with intelligence
that the excitement had abated, and that the Yam
KEGS were falling back from the Cbickahominy, hav-
ing abandoned the attack.
SUPREME COURT,