Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-10-12
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FROM WASHINGTON,


Important Questions PrOpOunded by
the President TO the Attorney Gen
eral. '..a. E-.. ......
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 10.-The Philadel-
phia Ledger has the following important
dispatches:
| WASHINGTON, Oct. 10.-The President
has just sent to the Attorney General the
following questions, aud requesting that a
response to them be returned in writing
| First-Is the present Congress, composed
of members from Northern States alone,
such Congress as the country requires, or
is it an illegal and unconstitutional assem-
| blageP "a
Second-Would existing circumstances
justify the President in sending his next
annual message to an illegal and unconsti-
tutional assemblage, pretending to be the
Congress of the United States f.l
Third-Does that clause in Section 9th
Of the first Article of the Constitution,
which makes each House the Judge of the
election. returns and qualifications of its
own members give to the present Congress
the right to exclude the members from ten
States, or to impose dishonorable or uneon-
stitutional terms on their admission?
FOurth-Does the present oath of Office
require him to enforce those provisions of
the Constitution which give TO each State
an equal right of representation in Con-
gress? Article first, section second, sec
tion third; article fifth, last clause.
Fifth-What steps do the Constitution
and his oath of Office require the President
to take In order to secure the assemblage of
constitutional Congress3
Upon the reply that may be made by the
Attorney General to the above, the Presi-
dent, there Is reason to believe, has deter
,,,s.. ...,Ik 30 NnIr l,t akna Nl,n t.
put to the Attorney are all the more impor-
tant when taken into connection with the
bold utterances of the President at che
Fifth Avenue hotel, declaring the present
was only an assumed Congress, and not the
Congress the Constitution called for; and
also in connection with similar declara-
tions, though less pointed, that fell from
his lips prior to his return to the Capital.
From these utterances 1t Is clear the EX-
ecutive has fully made up his own mind
that the 39th Congress was not legal body.
He now asks the opinion Of the Attorney
General upon the grave and deeply mo-
mentous subject, and when it Is given he
will govern himself accordingly. 1t is not
difficult to foreshadow what the response
Of Mr.. Stanbery will be, and that he will
chime in fully with the opinion of the Ex-
ecutive as already expressed, there seems
to be no doubt.
Wants To be Martyr-OpIniOn by the
Attorney GeneraI-AnOther DefaIca-
tiOn.
The Herald's Washington special has the
following: Nj. LOwenthal reported him
self yesterday morning 10 the different
departments, soliciting arrest. The
Paymaster General and accounting officers
informed him that they knew of nothing
warranting his arrest. LOwenthal then
proceeded TO the Criminal Court room, but
neither Marshal nor District Attorney was
willing to arrest him. He afterwards ap-
piled to the Chief of Police, but he also de-
cline1 TO act, and only upon the earnest
solicitation of Lowenthal admitted him to
bail on his own recOsnizance, to answer
any and every charge which may be brought
against him.
Thefollowing opinion has been given by
the Attorney General, and forwarded to
the Secretary of War:
| am of the opinion that you have no
legal authority to exclude authorized at
torneys and agents from collecting bOun-
ties. and that in the presentation and pay
ment of claims the claimant may act by
attorney.
Some sensation has been produced by a
rumor that a defalcation has occurred in
the Navy YARD HaymaSCer Department
The report is that Mr.. Thompson, clerk in
the Clothing Inspectors Bureau, has been
making improper use of his position. Pay
master Fulton, of the Yard, has been de-
tailed, and Paymaster Baggs appointed.
No dereliction is attributed to Fulton.
Cabinet Changes.
The Tribune's Washington special says
Rumors of Cabinet changes are again rite
Seward and Stanton are on the point of re-
tiring-the former to his home in Auburn,
and the latter to Spain, in place of Hail. 1t
is too soon, however, for anything startling
to occur.
COntradicted.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1l.--There is positive
ly no truth in the special dispatches sent
from this city to the Philadelphia Ledger
relative to alleged queries by President
johnson as to the status of Congress, made
of Attorney General Stanbery.
Terrific Storm.
A special to the Post says one of the
most terrific storms ever known in Wash
ington has ragged there for twelve hours.
Parts of the city are overfowed and no
railroad trains have arrived or left the city
tn-1aV