Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-12
BY TELEGRAPH.
MIDNIGHT DISPATCHES
From Washington.

WAsHrYeroS, June ll.-Shea, one OF
Mr. Davis counsel, appeared before
Judge Underwood in the chamber, IN
order to test the jurisdiction of the court
in Virginia, involving the power to hold
the prisoner to bail 1t being judicial
question with which the President has
nothing to do, Judge Underwood ex-
pressed the opinion, which has always
been decided by Chief Justice Chase,
that so long as martial law or military
surveillance was enforced in Virginia,
the courts were a mere adjunct, and
were 10 be used in aid of the military
power.
Judge Underwood declines issuing
writ of habeas corpus to bring the pris-
oner before his court until he receives
from the President REIMBURSEMENT OF
the accused to the civil authorities, He
Davis not being prisoner of war, he
delivered his opinion in writing, which
was presented to the President by 0 Con-
nor. All action in the premises has
been suspended until further orders are
received from the Government
1t is stated on the authority of one OF
the counsel that no application for bail
was made. Chief Justice Chase, At
torney General Speed, Charles 0'Con-
ner and ex-Goy Pratt were among those
present in Judge Underwoods chamber
to-day. glqr0HI Trg
Within the past few days Mr.. Davis
friends, professional and otherwise, have
had free admission to him.
The passage of the resolution in the
House to day, declaring that in its opin-
ion. Mr.. Davis should be kept in custody
until tried by law, was superinduced by
the apprehension that he would be bailed
The rules were suspended for the purpose
of passing the resolution.
In the Senate, Mr. Fessenden, from the
Finance Committee, reported the House
bill for the safe-keeping of public moneys
entrusted to disbursing officers. 1t pro-
vides that public moneys shall be depos-
tied with the Assistant Treasurer of the
Uni ed States, and drawn out on war
rants and drafts, and prescribes the pun
ishment for lending with or without in
terest, any money entrusted to disburs-
ing officer.
Mr. Sherman called up the bill recent
ly reported by him, to aid in the con-
struction of telegraph lines, and to secure
to the Government the use Of the same
for postal, military and other purposes.
Mr. Sherman, in explaining the bill,
said the committee to whom the same
had been referred, had come to the con-
clusion that it would be impossible for
the Government to operate with the tel
egraph as part of the postal system /;
they had thought it best simply to re-
port this bill, to authorize the National
Telegraph Company to cross navigable
streams and operate over the public do
main After a discussion by Messrs.
Sherman and Morrill,, the bill was post
poned until tomorrow.
Leave of absence was granted for two
weeks to Mr.. Sumner, on account of the
sickness of his mother. ~ r.
a.. A,xoon N 10
resolution to the effect that as the Irish
had fought for the country in every war
their purpose of freeing Ireland was en-
titled to our respect and sympathy, which
Great Britain had forfeited by her faith
lessness, and that therefore the neutrali
~ laws of 1918, under which the Fenisnl
we're stopped from invading Canada, be
repealed. The motion to lay it on the
table was rejected yeas 4, nays ll3.
Mr.. Schenck offered as a substitute, a.
the opinion of the House, that the Presi
dent should reconsider the policy which
had been adopted in the troubles on tn,
Canadian border, and adopt as near al
possible the same course Great Britain
pursued in the late civil war. The mo
ton TO table this was resisted by de
cided vote, and the resolution and sub
stitute we're finally referred to the Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs.
Mr.. Boutwell, introduced the following
preamble and resolution in the House
WHEREAS, 1t is notorious that Jeffer
son Davis was the leader of the late re
bellion, and guilty of treason; and,
WHEREAS, By the Presidents prOcla
nation of May, 1865, Davis was charged
with completely in the assassination O
Lincoln, and said proclamation not hav
ing been revoked, therefore,
Resolred, That it is the opinion of the
House that said Davis should be held IN