The Portland daily press., 1865-03-31
BY TELEGRAPH,
TO THE DAILY PRESS.
Frona Washinato,,

WASHINGTON, March 30
Instructions will be sent to the Internal
Revenue officers tomorrow, to the effect that
after the lst OF April, cigaretts will be taxed
as follows: Thirty five cents per pound upon
the smoking tobacco of which they a:e made,
ana the completed cigaretts per cent. ad
valorem. But tobacco may be inspected in
boxes before packing at the place of its manu-
facture
IL has been a5certained at the currency bu-
reau that the State banks of Massachusetts
aud New York are rapidly being converted in
to national banks. Those of Rhode Island
have commenced avaiIing themselves of the
Enabling Act recently passed; and banks all
over the country manifest similar DISPOSE
ton. The law allows national banks to issue
one-sixth of their circulation in notes OF less
denomination than five dollars.
The currency bureau has received some OF
such money, which will be issued to the banks
in the order of their organization.
In view of the early addition of Sherman's
army to those of Gen. Meade and Gen. Ord,
under the administration of Provost Marshal
General Patrick, it has been found necessary
to relieve Gen. Patrick of the marshal's office
connected with the army of the Potomac by
transferring them to Brevet Brig. Gen. Macy,
some time ago appointed Provost Marshal of
Gen. Meade's Army. All the business of trade
nected with the armies operating against Rich
mond are made subject to his approval at Gen.
Grants Headquarters; and, with the addition
OF the armies in North Carolina, the Provost
Marshals department becomes second to none
of the organizations created by the necessities
of the war.
Gen. Halleck has decided that one hundred
and forty-six rebel prisoners, being portion
of those captured on Saturday at Fort Stead
IL
on condition that they would be allowed to
take the oath of allegiance to this government
shall be held for the present, but they shall
not be exchanged against their will. In obe-,
dience to this decision, the prisoners were re-
turned to Point Lookout to-day.
The steam revenue cutter Northerner left the
Navy Yard yesterday afternoon, having on
board Secretary Seward and daughter; Senior
Don Gabriel Garcia Lossra, the Spanish Min
lister Joseph Hume Barnly, the English
Minister ad interim, and lady; and several
invited lady guests, bound to Fortress Monroe
ON a pleasure trip. The party will be absent
three or four days, and during that time may
visit Gen. Grant at City Point.
A deserter from the rebel army who arrived
yesterday, and who is an Alabama planter, re-
ports that the rebel authorities have already
placed number of negro troops in the en-
trenchments surrounding Richmond, but they
are afraid to trust them in large bodies, and
as precautionary measure, the negroes are
simply formed into battalions. a.
Official notification has been received of the
following exchanges of prisoners of,gar: All
United States officers and men prisoners of
war not heretofore declared exchanged, who
were delivered on parole at Savannah and
Charleston during November and December
1854; and all not heretofore declared exchang-
ed, delivered on parole on James River Va,
from the 25th of November 1884, to the 25th
OF March 1865, both days inclusive; and all
navy prisoners delivered at any point up to
March 10th 1865.
The Chronicle to-day says, we can assure
our readers that the result OF the conference
between President Lincoln, Gen. Grant and
other generals is not known, Notwithstanding
other reports to the contrary. The statement
that Lee had asked for a conference with Gen.
Grant, is entirely without foundation.
Commodore Chas Fl. Bell has been ordered
to the command of the navy yard at New
York, in place of Admiral Paulding, the order
to take effect on the first of May.