The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-01-03


h.,wing that the vote il illegal.
rHR RECEPTIONS.
p,rpntions were given 10y all the members Of
.Nn Cabinet this morning, except Secretary
~.yyard. who is absent.
rms PRESIDENTS RECEPTION.
\ t,w minutes before eleven the President,
.[-aspauicd 10y his daughters, Mrs. Patterson
vd Mrs Slower. ana two young ladies from
nashville guests OF the family, entered the
Nine Room. At half past eleven the officers
= The army. navy and marine corps We're re-
we'd General Grant among the rest
~ Frederick Bruce, British Minister, was
4r ilrst OF the Diplomatic Corps TO arrive, and
secretary stanton the first of the Cabinet.
The Others included in the eleven o'clock
rareptlon rapidly followed and consisted of
Inc members of the Cabinet, excepting Secre-
.qry Seward, who sailed for the Gulf on Sa-
,I.rday. and who was represented by the Acting
>rcr,tary Of State, MIR. Hunter all of the D-
rlcmatic Corps residing in the city, Chief
Justice Chase and the Associated Judges OF
the supreme Court, and Judges Olin Cartier,
and Wyhe, OF the District Court Most OF
.Eesc dignitaries were accompanied by their
:arlllieS. A large number of Senators, inclu-
.ug the President OF the Senate. Mr. Foster,
and Senators Morgan, Harris, Johnson, Sauls-
hury, stewart, Ramsey, Foote. Morrill,, How
nd and Stockton, and members Of Congress
with their families, were also present
After Two clock, such OF the colored people
"a. were in waiting outside were admitted.
Forty policemen Were assigned TO the EXecu-
.Iye Mansion. Twenty of them were stationed
III the various apartments through which the
guests Were 10 pass. A number of police We're
also placed on duty at the residences OF the
secretaries.
RECEPTION AT GENERAL GRANTS.
The residence OF Lieutenant General Grant,
N Georgetown Heights, was visited by large
number OF distinguished persons, who Were
Cordially received by the Lieutenant General
and his lady, with Mrs. General Dent and
Mrs. Colonel Porter. The reception-roo was
.hrungcd during the entire afternoon, ana call
.r> we're received up TO Z. NJ. The visitors
included n number of foreign ministers, many
officers of the army and navy, senators
and Representatives, and numerous others,
amounting in all 10 between two ana three
hundred persons.
ABOUT STAMPS.
The company contracting with the Govern
.acut for printing stamps, both revenue ana
hostage has furnished four hundred lnlllons
q! stamps during the year 1865. The largest
number ever delivered i'll one day was o,s23'-
-. During the month of March last, lo2,-
a.6 $50 stamps of all denominations We're de-
!lycred valued at SS2o7, 1880. To meet a
demand so vast, the presses are sometimes run
night and day, and 10 avoid error In accounts,
a daily balance of the business is struck. The
stamps are furnished the Government NJ
twelve cents per thousand.
GENERAL MILFORD.
Brigadicr- General milford, late Union Com
missioner for the Exchange OF Prisoners, ar
rived in the city Sunday night, and Is trying 10
have the business of his office, which is now
located in Richmond, Va, closed up. The
General has about one thousand boxes ana
packages yet unclaimed, that We're forwarded
10 Union soldiers while confined In the Soulh
during the war. General Milford recon-
mpnds that they either be sold for the dement,
ot the Government or turned over 10 inc
Freedmen 5 Bureau.
TIE STATEMENT or THE PUBLIC DEBT
The regular monthly statement 9f the pub.
lie debt for the month OF DECEMBER VIII DE
issued 20 day or tomorrow. II VIII snow II
is said, a considerable decrease in the princi-
pal - compared with the November state
mrut.
!nE VACANT SEAT oS THE SUPREME BENCH
The Washington correspondent of the Phila-
delphio Ls1Gs, writes 10 that journal as fol-
lows.
The ruINor ] gave you last summer, with
reference TO a seat on the Supreme Bench for
Judge Sharkey, was yesterday revived. In
lint Of capacity Sharkey has few equals,
while in point of dignity il wonld be difficult
'oT any Judge 10 surpass him. Ihat me South
viii have the vacant seat you may set down az
certain.
INTERNAL REvEHUE-TAX on sAIrs.
The following important reply was received
few DAYS since by Peter Page, Esq, As
lessor .. Internal Revenue for Chicago Dis
llict from Hon. ID. G.. Whitman, Deputy
Commissioner, dated Treasury Department,
On.ce Of Internal Revenue, Washington, De
ceIAber %, 1866:
Yours of the 18th instant has been re-
r,iyrd. Sou inquire i'll relation to the tax OF
plr-pighth of one per cent. on sales or pur-
chtScs made by commercial brokers. reply
that, under the present ruling OF tins once,
commercial brokers are not heId llaDle 10 inc
tax in question unless commission Is pald
them for their services; but the manner OF
their compensation does not relieve them from
liability 10 license. This office, however can
not entertain any proposition Tor reflndlns
the tax i'll question when ii has been paid,
MILITARY MATTERS.
General Grant proposes sending staff officers
10 the principal military departments, I'M
Guiding, we suppose, the Department OF Nlr-
GINA, as soon us the holidays are over, 10 see
what further reduction of troops and materials
Of war can be made in the several localities.
The working of the Quartermaster's Depart
ment is likely 10 receive especial attention.
with a view 10 lessening expenses
DELAY IN THE MAILS.
CoInulaints are being received with reference
10 the delay experienced in the receipt OF the
great Southern mail in the Leading cltles OF the
North. Itis scarcely more IMAM month s HI
Tho Deportment ordered its agent at Ne"
Work IN transfer the mail in future from the
steamers 10 the land route, ria washington
Knoxville and Montgomery, and similar IN
s,ructions were also issued 10 the oHcers NJ
Philadelphia and Boston, the Department here
guaranteeing that the time OF transit over
land should not exceed d" six and half days
The actual average time, however, has mus
fer been nearly ten days, hence the complaints,
which are heightened by the fact that the
steamers which do not carry the mails are ma
king the run in about seven days.
GENERAL LEE
We dislike 10 be constantly bringing Gene
ral Lees name before the public, knowing that
Ae prefers 10 be let alone, yet, rs every other
newspaper publishes the statement, we must
even do 20 too and inform orr readers that
although il has been generally supposed that
an application for pardon by General Lee was
made some months ago, yet an examination OF
,he records of the Attorney Generais ONCE
proves that no such application has yet oeen
lied General Lee signed the amnesty oath
prior 10 entering upon the duties OF president
OF the Washington College.
NEGRO PREE LABoR-IaPoRTAST STATEMENT.
The commissioner of freedmen's affairs on
Saturday received the following letter from a
distinguished ex general of the Confederate
army, who has several large plantations in the
State Of Arkansas, and on which he Is engaged
Il. the cultiya ton of cotton