The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-02-17
THE LATEST
FROM WASHINGTON.
Rumor about Observation-Disclosures on
Heavy Guns.
BY TELEGRAPH.

washington SpeClaI Soyo WIG NiOnuOnu
papers Of Saturday admit that it is prob
able that the rebels. are evacuating Charles
tom
The Express Washington special says
the President sought to withdraw Mr..
Moreans nomination after sending it in,
but was told that it could only be done by
q special message.
Mr.. Seward will certainly remain in the
cabinet until the 4th of March, notwith-
standing double representation from New
York.
The President this afternoon sent to the
Senate the nomination of Senator Morgan
of New York to be Secretary ofthe Treas
ury, but in the course of an hour thereaf-
ter withdrew it.
The Committee on the Conduct of the
War to-day through Senator Wade made
report calling attention to three classes OF
heavy guns first those made entirely OF cast
iron, the Dahlgren, and the Rodman gun.
The second of those made of cast iron
was the Parrot gun, and the third of those
made entirely Of wrought iron, was the
Ames gun. The committee say Dahlgren
never received any compensation in the
way of royalty, that Parrot never charged
anything excepting what he deemed fair
manufacturer profit, and that Ames made
only twenty-one guns for the government,
charging so much pound for them.
The committee have examined into the
bursting of the Parrot guns of large calibre
together with the bursting Of some of the
cast iron guns of large calibre upon the
vessels engaged in operations against
Charleston and Fort Fisher, which has
tended to weaken confidence in their
durability, and seems to show the neces-
sity Of obtaining if possible some other
gun which can be more implicitly relied
on. The bursting Of these guns is gen.
orally attributed to the premature explo-
sion of shells within. the nave of the gun.
The committee recommend that the Con.
gress adopt such measures as will enable
the War and Navy Departments to obtain
and introduce into service wrought iron
guns, and probably of larger calibre at as
early date as practicable.
NEW YORK, Feb. 14.-The CONNER
ciars Washington special says that, not
outstanding Senator Morgans declination
of his nomination to the Treasury Depart
ment, bis friends continue to press his
name upon the President. It is thought
that Senator Morgan will accept the
position.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 14.-In a prize case
before the United States District Court, it
was charged in libel that certain vessel
was forfeited by reason of having entered
the port of Norfolk in violation Of the reg
ulations of the Secretary of the Treasury
and the several proclamations of the Presi-
dent. The cargo was landed in December,
1868, and the seizure of the vessel was not
made until the following June. During
the interval the vessel made three or four
innocent voyages.
The turning point of the case was the
question whether the vessel made guilty
by the language of the admiralty law by
the violation above mentioned was purged
by the innocence of the subsequent voy-
ages coupled with the delay of the Gov
eminent in making the seizure. The
court held the forfeiture as complete the
moment the cause of it arose, and this
cause is the act violating the law. Sem
tence OF condemnation was accordingly
pronounced.
The House Committee on Elections have
reported in favor of admitting Mr.. Bonzalu
to seat as Representatives from Louisi-
ana, and have decided to report in favor
Of admitting johnson and Jacks as re-
ported from Arkansas.
WASHINGTON, Feb. II Gen. Grant
was before the Committee on the Conduct
OF the War this morning. The following
question was asked him:
@. 1t is stated, upon what authority I
do not know, that you are charged with
the exchange of prisoners2
A. That is correct; and what is more.
l have effected encouragement for the ex-
change of prisoners, man for man and
officer for officer, or his equivalent accord
ing to the old cartel, until one or the other
party has exhausted the number they now
hold. get great many letters daily
from friends of prisoners in the South,
every one of which I cause to be answered.
telling them that this arrangement has
been made, and that l suppose exchanges
will be made at the rate of 5000 q week,
Just as fast as they can deliver our prison.
ers to US will receive them, and deliver
their prisoners to them. The Salisbury
prisoners will be coming right on. Imy-
self saw Col. Hatch, the assistant com.
missioner of exchange on the part of the
South, and he told me that the Salisbury
and Danville prisoners would be coming
right on at once. He said that he could
bring them at the rate Of 5000 or 5000
week.
Q. There Is no impediment in any way2
A. There is no impeachment on our side.
l could deliver, and receive every one of
them in very short time, if they will de-
liver those that they hold. We have lost
some two weeks lately on account of the
Ice in the river.
Soon after the reading of this part of
the testimony before the Committee on
the Conduct of the War, Lieut. General
Grant came into the Hall, accompanied BY
several friends. As soon as he was no
dced crowds gathered around him to such
an extent as to interfere with the order of
business.