Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-10-07
photographic,
From WashingfOu.

From Washington.
New YORK, Oct.6-The Times Washing
ton special says: An erroneous impression
prevails with the public as to the'number
of pardons thus far granted by the Presi-
dent--some estimate placing it as high as
25,0OO. We ascertain, on official authority,
that the number up to and including the
warrants signed this dav, is but 265S.
Among those lately pardoned is l.. Pope
Walker, the first rebel Secretary Of War,
the man who gave the order to open fire
upon Fort Sumter. It. is proper to state
that the Cabinet have declined to rec
ommend the pardons of any of the except7
ed classes, save those coming under the l3tll
exception, known ,as the $4,000 class.
The Secretary of War has before him
communication signed bylprominent Sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress, from
all the States, earnestly protesting against
the mastering out of the twenty-four regi-
ments of Veteran Reserves now in service.
They ask that if it is intended to reduce the
troops to the necessities of peace estab-
li.hment, the volunteer forces now scatter
ed throughout the country and anxious to
be mustered out be dispensed with first,
thus leaving in service only the Regular
Army and the Veteran Reserves, which,
combined, amount to fifty-seyen regiments.
Most OF these regiments need recruiting.
They also ask that permission be granted TO
Veteran Re erves to recruit their regiments
up to the full number. 1t Is urged as one
of the reasons for retaining these troops,
that most of them have received, during
the late war, such bodily injuries as unit
them for the ordinary business avocations,
and as they promptly and patrotically vol
unteered to put down the rebellion at its
commencement, they should be retained in
IL 10
known a regular force will be required
equal to that of the Regular Army and the
Veteran Reserves combined. Secretary
Stanton holds the matter.under adyisement
and for consultation with Gen. Grant on
his return to this city.
The bonds have been executed and ap-
proved in tina following cases of newly ap-
pointed receivers and disbursing agents:
Milton Barbour, at La Crosse, Wisconsin;
James Rowe, Chillicothe, Ohio; Joseph
Cushman, Olympia, Washington Territory,
William Miller, Montgomery, Alabama;
Dexter G. Bloomer, Council Bluffs, Iowa;
Almanson Eaton, Stevens Point, Wiscop-
sin; William Boah, indianapolis, Indiana;
and Henry Warren, Oregon City, Oregon.
The last two named are designated as
United States depositaries.
Among those in attendance at the White
House to-day seeking pardon were Robert.
Ould, late rebel commissioner of exchange,
and the rebel General Peck. General Pill
low obtained an interview with the Presi-
dent and thanked him for the executive
clemency. Nine. Levert also had an inter-
view with the President, and, as rumor has
| it, in behalf of General Beauregard.
A special to the Herald from Washington
| says in regard to freedmen's affairs: One of
..,,s.
| completed tour through Western Alabama,
| reports that tile negroes are in the main in
| dustriously at work, but that the crops are
| poor, and it is thought they will not be suf-
| icient to sustain the population. The great
er part of the inhabitants are indispOsed to
cooperate with the Freedmen's Bureau
officers, and refuse to comply with the re-
| suits of the war as decisive. 1t is declared
that there is but little loyalty among the
majority of the whites, and that they re-
gard theSoath of allegiance as a mockery,
to be broken whenever convenient, though
returned rebel soldiers are mentioned as
exceptions in these respects.
The Light House Board is constantly di-
recting the re-establshment along the
Southern coast of light houses destroyed
by the rebels during the late war. Large
appropriations will be required to put the
coast in the condition it enjoyed prior to
1861. Nearly every light house from Cape
Henry down the Atlantic and Gulf Coast,
with the exception of a few in Florida,
were destroyed by the enemy, the structures
being torn down and the lenZs broken or
carried away.
The General Land Office has answered the
following questions raised under the home
stead law and presented for ruling since
1862:
First. Can preemptor file his declara-
tory statements upon tract of land pre-
viously entered under the homestead law?
Answer-He can, if his declaratory state
ments are accompanied by his affidavit that
he had actually made his settlement prior
to the date of the homestead CLAIMANT N'
Second. Can two or more parties enter
the same tract under the, homestead law?
Answer-They cannot The tract should
be awarded to one applicant. If two or
more apply for the tract at the same time,
It should be awarded to the person making
the highest bid for the privilege of making
the entry, and the sum thus bid should be
credited to the United States in the returns
as an excess, with a memorandum Of the
| facts.
Third. Can a party enter under the
homestead law a tract upon which pre-
emptor has filed his declaratory statement?
Answer-He cam, if he files his affidavit
that there is no preemptiOn settlement upon
it at the time and makes his entry subject
to the preemptors claim, in case such
claim should be established after notice to
and hearing of the parties concerned.