The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-02-02

News Of the Week..
Two dollar notes for the National banks
are in course Of preparation by, the Deasu,
ryiDepatment.. w..
Mtssrs. Aiohsrdson' and Brown, tie Tri.
Dune correspondents, recently escaped from
rebel prisons, testify before the committee
on the Conduct of the " or, to the truth of
reports of rebel barbarities to our prisoners.
They are dying at the rate of Is per cent.
per month. .. -.. .r,...a,.,-..f
Professor Henry Of the Smithsonian In.
stitute states that the partial destruction Of
the building by fire, will not interrupt open
atoms of the Institute,
There is a rumor that the rebel Gen. Kin
by Smith, commanding the.trans- Mtssissippi
Department, is negotiating with Macmillan,
Emperor of Mexico. for the transfer of his
forces to tie Emperor. Plie belief is ex-
pressed that the troops will resist, If the
attempt to do this is made. @"s
The report Of Mr.. Blair's volunteer visit
to Richmond, il, that JEFF. Davis is willing
to waive formalities, and send to Washing
ton, or reesire faom, there commissioners to
treat for peace. ON the basis of separation.
The President of the United States, on
the other hand, is willing. to give hearing
to any person of Influence, who may come
from the States in rebellion. with. or without
Davis authority, to. treat oepeace; on. the
basis of submission to the Uniorn
Ofthe above statements there is no
doubt. .
Some guerrillas made raid on Occaquon,
below Alexandria, on Tuesday night, carry
ing off everything of value to the citizens
that they could obtain. .r.... &
it is now understood that the two armies
81 the James and Potomac have been con.
solidated and that Sheridan has been Sc
lscted to command them, and that another
command or new duties have been assigned
to Gen. Meade.
The Tribune's Fl. Fisher correspondent
says the navy made magnificent haul on
Wednesday night the lst'l. .s.-.
Three blockade runners were captured
OF Cape Fear Inlet by our fleet, and that
night another one. Two of the steamers
have ju-t came in and anchored under he
guns Of the navy opposite Battery Buchan-
an. boss a#tg g.. .gTsw a
They are fine steamers Of the largest and
swittest class of blockade runners, very
long and sharp with low houses. forward
and aft scarcely higher than the hull
Like all the rest they are painted light
lead color or light blue. They have each
two raking smoke pipes painted white and
set fore and aft; low paddle boxes with
wheels Of small diameter, bnt making up in
power by the application Of the patent feath
ering floats. They are very deeply loaded
The steamer Robert Burns from Mem.
phis brings 46s bales Of cotton for Cincin
natl.
Chicago is ina effervescencc on account
ofa march the Horse Railroad companies
Of that city haye stolen on them in getting
m extension Of their franchise from Is to
90 years. H.nt~. .. vag
Gen. Butler was ordered to report at Low
oil, his home, and did report to 10000 PEG.
pie. In lengthy speech he urged vigor.
Gus prosecution of the war. and regards
peace as obtainable only when the military
power Of the rebels is broken.
The food in Wisconsin destroyed an i'm
mense amount of lumber. There is no
snow in the upper country, and no rise Of
the river is expected this spring. Lumber
will DO high in consequence in this lower
re ion. The only remedy isa RAILROAD to
St. Paul. an-.
y'.ga5 Latest News.
The constitutional amendment sbo',shing
slavery, was adopted by the House of Rep
resentatives in Congress 81 the 3lst.
The debate closed at half past three, when
the pending question was stated to be re-
consideration Of the vote by which at last
session the constitutional amendment was
postponed.
Stiles, of Pennsylvania moved to lay that
motion on the table. r
Rejected-yeas, 81; nays Ill.
The main question was then ordered on
a1optIon Of the constitutional amendment.
II was adopted by l2l against "a.
Applause and the widest confusion fol.
lived the announcement.
Proceedings Of Congress otherwise unim-
portant.
No other general news of importance yes
terdsy. 1I
Recent discoveries justify the belief that
many thousands Of tons Of the husks of In
dian corn will hereafter be consumed yearly
in this country, in connection with the man.
ufacture OF paper. The editors of the lead
u al.