The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-10-12
BY TELEGRAPH,
From Washington.
TO THE DAILY PRESS.


From Washington.
WASHINGTON, Oct. IL. {
In Alexandria, Va, recently fowling piece
was taken by justice Of the peace from a
colored man, on the ground that the statutes
of Virginia rendered such possession by a
negro Illegal Provost Judge Hambrick adj
dressed letter to the mayor of Alexandria,
saying that in all such and similar cases which
may hereafter arise, the colored people will be
protected by me. Hereafter no eolored man
will be arrested when found with a fowlino
piece in his possession. Nor viii he be liable
to arrest, as / understand it.; nor if found in
the streets after the hour of ten. A11HT
will further state that this plan will be
strictly adhered to. The colored man must
be regarded, SO far as the right of property and
freedom of person is concerned, especially on
the same footing with a white citizen: no
more, no less. The Major General command
ing the department of Washington has direct
ed the gin to be restored, and that the civil
authorities be notified of this action of the
Provost Judge in all SIMILAR cases.
1t is announced that the regulation allow
ing the removal of the products of the late in
surrectionary districts, without the prepayment
OF taxes, are not to be held to apply to the re-
moval OF distilled spirits, coal OIL manufactured
tobacco, snuff or cigars, matches or quicksilver,
which are fully provide ior under the regula-
tions of May LIST, 1885. a"oo
The defence of Gen. Briscoe, charged with
the larceny OF certain monies, opened to-day.
His counsel proposed to show his previous
good character, as a brave, faithful and eff
Gent officer. ,.7gsv,rs
The Judge Advocate objected to a question
asked of Maj. Gen. Curtis to this effect, saying
that it had been too common to bring before
the. military courts the conduct of accused
parties in the field, when it had no relevancy.
Good conduct jim the field might, however,
form ground for executive ele1nency after a
party had become sentenced. but twas not
the province of the court to entertain any such
consideration. a - 81 TN n
The Commissioner Of Internal Revenue has
given an opinion that when the manufacturer
of playing cards affixed stamps appropriate to
the price per pack at which he has sold them,
then the subsequent vender should not be re-
Jquired to affix any additional stamps thereto,
whatever may be the price atwhich he offers
them.
The Secretary of the Treasury lately decided
to pay all the Texas indemnity bonds present.
ed at the Department, with the evidence that
they were loaned by loyal holders and had
been transmitted from the State of Texas on
ly through loyal parties. 1t is not, however,
the intention of the Department to pay the
bonds presented without such evidence and
without careful scrutiny of the facts in such
cases. f-
~ Gov Hamilton, of Texas, has represented
to the Department that certain Texas indem-
nifty bonds were, by officers of the rebel gov
eminent, fraudalently taken from the State
Treasurer, and are now in New York city to
be disposed of for the benefit of certain rebels
who have gone there since the close of the re-
bellion, and Gov. Hamilton protests against
the payment of these particular bonds to any
party excepting the State of Texas. The facts
represented by Gov. Hamilton are, that on the
18th of June, 1854, a so-called military board
OF the State OF Texas, composed of George p
Murray, the rebel Governor, and ex-officio
President of the board, N b Peayer and James
5. Holmes, made contract with George w.
White, of Austin, and John Childs, of Hamil-
ton County, Texas, to deliver one hundred and
5thirty-ive Indemnity bonds, coupons attached,
amounting to $156,287, to White and Childs,
agreeing to deliver in payment therefor $685.
900 in cotton cards at SIS per pair, and the bal
ance in medicines of the best quality. The
bonds and coupons were TO be delivered to them
Immediately upon the execution of the con-
tract, on their furnishing satisfactory security
for the performance of the contract, or to pay
to the military board, in case they should fail,
the contract by delivery the cards and medi-
cines. Texas State or s per cent. bonds are
par; worth at that time about Scents on the
dollar, while U. S. bonds were seated at so
cents on the dollar, when in fact they were
worth one dollar, being paid by the govern
ment in gold, on the 18th of July, the date of
the contract White and Childs executed their
bond to the State of Texas to secure the per
Torrance of their contract and on the 18th of
March following, the military board took from
the State Treasury the one hundred and thir-
ty-ive U. S. Texos indemnity bonds and de-
hvered them to White and Childs, taking their
receipt therefor.
No cards or medicines were ever delivered
by these parties, but White and Childs have
come North and endeavored to obtain pardons
from the President, and are trying to dispose
of their property in the New York market
Governor Hamilton has requested the Secre-
tary OF the Treasury to pay none of these
bonds, and it will therefore be advisable for all
parties purchasing Texas indemnify bonds to
see that none Of them come through the
hands of White & Childs, as in such case their
payment, against the protest of the State au-
thorities of Texas, is very doubtful. White and
Childs have both been in Washington, and are
now supposed to be in New York city.
John Green, Chief OF the Pottawattamie.
was among the visitors at the Presidents
house to-day. safsa as sgaqsk