New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-04-17
From Washington.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.


| have recently been rumers of process being COM
meueed to release him from confinement without a
trial. it may be stated that the Secretary of War,
! in letter dated January A. says that Jefferson
Davis has not been arraigned upon Indictment or
formal charge of crime, but has been indicted ior
the crime of high treason by the grandJury OF the
District of Columbia, which indictment Is now
4 pending in the Supreme Court OF SAID aistriG ~
4 He is also charged with the crime OF lncluhS the
4 assassination of Abraham Lincoln ana WIN tne
murder of the Union prisoners OF war py s.afta'
ton. and other barbarous and cruel Heathehs w.
ward them.
SON Davis should first be put upon his trial before
competent court and jury, Tor the CRIME OF urea
son, he was advised by the law ofhcers OF the
was n the State Of Virginia that State
within the judicial circuit assigned to the chief
Justice of the supreme court, who has held no
court there since the. apprehension OF Davis, and
who declines for an indefinite period to hold any
court there. The matters above stated are, SO far
as am informed. the reasons for holding Jefer-
\ son Davis in confinement, and why he has not been
put upon his trial. The encouragement of the
United States expressed himself against the doc
| trine of constructive presence" giving the
1 opinion that Jefferson Davis and others Of the
insurgents ought to be tried in some of the States
or districts in which they in person respectively
committed the crimes with which they may be
charged
1t will be recollected that the President, in his
annual message, said that strong objections had
been urged to holding those courts in any of those
States where the rebellion had existed; and it was
ascertained, by inquiry, that the Circuit Court of
the United States would not be held in the District
of Virginia during the autumn early winter, nor
until Congress should have an opportunity to COR
slider and act upon the whole subject, To the de-
liberation Of Congress, he added, the restoration of
this branch of the civil authority necessarily
referred with the hope that early provision would
be made for the resumption of oil its functions, in
order that persons charged with the commission of
hav md m artia al trio i,,
the highest civil tribunals in the country. Congress
has yet, however, passed any actin accordance
with this recommendation to remove the objec-
tons of Chief Justice Chase, and here the matter
rests for the present.
None of the Justices of the Supreme Court have
held Circuit Courts in these States and districts
since actual hostities ceased and, he adds, when
the courts are open and the laws can be peacefully
administered and enforced in these States, whose
people rebelled against the government; when
thus peace shall have come in fact and in law, the
persons now held in military custody as prisoners
ofwar, and who may not have been tried and con.
yicted for ofenses against the laws of war, should
be transferred into the custody of the civil author
tiles of the proper districts to be tried for such
| high crimes and msdemeanors as may be alleged
against them. think that it is the plain duty of
the President to cause criminal prosecutions to be
instituted before the proper tribunals, and, at the
proper times, against some of those who wero
mainly instrumental in inauguratng, and mos
conspicuous in conducting the late hostilities.
pointed a subcommittee, consisting OF Messrs.
Boutwell,, Rogers and Wilson, to examine the rec
ords in possession of the bureau of military justice
and other departments of the governm ent, with
reference to the alleged completely of JEFF. Davis
in the assassination plot. aEa
NEW BILL TO ESTABLISH THE PAY OF OFFICERS OF
THE ARMY-BILL TO COMPENSATE PAYMAsTERs
FOR RISKS RUN DURING THE wAR-A. H. STEPHENS
BEFORE THE RECONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE.
WASHINGTON, April 11.-Nether house of Con-
D11p infnr act Ill
tary Committee Of the House reported new bill
to establish the pay of officers Of the army. 1t is
exciting great interest in military circles. for the
reason that it dispenses with all communication of
quarters, fuel, ETC., and names specific annual
salary for each officer. 1t provides that from
September 80, 1866, the salaries shall be as fol-
lows: Lieutenant general, 900; major general,
when commanding geographical military divi-
sion, embracing two or more departments, or of a
separate army actually in the field, engaged in
military operations, $1,000; when commanding a
military geographical department, or division in
the field, $500; when on other duty $4,000. Brig
adler general, when commanding military depart
ment, army or division in the field, $500; when
commanding brigade, or on other duty, $4,000.
Colonel, when commanding brigade or military
post $500; when commanding regiment, or en-
| other duty, $4,000. Lieutenant colonel, when COM
manding regiment or military post, $500; when
on other duty, $4,000. Major, $500. Captain,
$4,000. First lieutenant, $500. Second lieuten-
ant $1,000. Whenever an officer is on Through, or
d
period of more than sixty days, his pay shall be
reduced 80 per cent. The pay and allowances OF
all non-commissioned officers and enlisted men in
the army of the United States shall continue the
same as now. This bill will be considered in two
weeks.
Another important bill was before the House to-
day, and fully debated, providing that there shall
be allowed and paid to the paymaster and addi-
uonal paymasters otlthe army who shall have been
employed in the payment of troops during the war
of the rebellion, commission of one per centum
upon all sums actually discussed by them, as
compensation for risks of labor attending such
services. 1t is estimated that it will take So 000-
900 to pay such percentage. a Nm 4H
[ Alex. H. Stephens testified before the sub-com-
mittee of reconstruction this A. NJ, which has the
State Of Georgia under consideration. II was not
decided to summon him until yesterday. Mr..
Stephens testimony really presented nothing not
already known of his views. He declared that
there was disposition to treat freedmen WELL and
he also believed that nothing would domore in the
South to strengthen loyalty than their representa-
ton in Congress. On the whole he gave a very
cheerful account of the resumption of the business
interest.
THE RADICAL INDIANA CONGRESSMAN SERENA DIED.,
SPEECHES OF ORTIZ AND STILLwELL-THE TEN.
NEssEE QUESTION TO- BE TAKEN UP AT AN EARLY
4 DAY-MIssOURT TO BE REIMBURSED FOR EXPENSES
+ IN CALLING OUT MILITIA-GREAT RUSH FOR
4 LAND--UNITED STATES DEPOSITORY DESIGNATED.
4 That portion of the Indiana delegation who voted
for the civil rights bill were all serenaded last
night MUSi Vi tuou Hldue speeches III response.
MIR. Ortiz, in the course of his remarks, said "We
have told the man In the white house that we will
not go with him in reasonable acts. An old hooser
said the other day that we have him on the ground
and are rolling over him. He regretted that the
man. whom the Union party had elevated to power
should raise his puny arm and endeavor to roll
back the waves. The people were shaking Is but
congress has already remained here long enough
to show him that twothirds of the houses can legis
late without his aid and we must succeed for God
Is on our side.n The remarks of the Messrs Hill ,
De Frees and Farqnhar were principally in support
Of the civil rights bill. .J4
Col. Stillwel, of the 18th district, in the course
of his speech said g It is true there is some bad
feeling between the Executive and Congress, but
! hope all this viii yet be rectiied. Too much
blood has been spilled for us now to fight among
ourselves. I think that we will yet come together
and demonstrate to the world that we are united
for the good of the whole country. Let us, then,
do our duty and all will be WELL" II, ss.,.3 ID
y The joint committee on reconstruction have
again renewed their sessions, and this morning
held an important meeting. It is understood that
a determination was exhibited to take up the Ten
nessee question at an early day and dispose of it
by admitting the delegation from that State. The
previous report on that question is still pending in
the House.
The House this afternoon, aftera protracted de-
bate, took up and passed the Senate bill, with
slight amendments, to reimburse the State of Mis-
souri, for expenses incurred during the calling out
Of the militia of that State. The bill provides for
the Appointment Of three commissioners, to sit in
ST. Louis, to take evidence and adjust the claims,
and to report to the Secretary of the Treasury If
he approves of them they are to be paid. The
an,nnnt inynluad spnuased tn he 81 D00 0N0- The