The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-12-03
FROM WASHINGTON.
TIE Iinpeacitsneas. of the Presidsast
Arrest Of John H. Snrratt.



%. WASHINGTON, Dee. 1.
Mai. Gen Sheridan has forwarded to the Wal
Department a refutation of the charges of in
humanity against officers at Dry Tortugas o =
Dispatches have been received at the Navy
Department to-day from Capt. William Rey-
nods, commanding the United States steamer
Lackawanna, under date of Oct. 5th. from Mon
tevideo, announcing his arrival at that place
All well on board. tt' ~
Rear Admiral Gordon, commanding the
South Atlantic Squadron, under date of Oct
10Th, reports the arrival of the steamer Monoc-
acy at Rio JaneirO. 10 ,t-Ht .sGaW g. tN
Commander E. Simpson, commanding the
United States steamer Mohican, under date OF
Oct. 18th reports his arrival at Maranban Bra
zil, thirteen days from Barbados. II
The receipts OF Internal Revenue to-day
amounted to 81 y625, ,942.s5 NJ al
large number of Congressman arrived here
tonight. There are about thirty Senators and
seventy members of the House in the city.
There seems to be no, doubt of a quorum of
both Houses on Monday. The best humor pre-
walls among them irref peotive Of party.
So far as can be ascertained by conversation
and otherwise, the idea OF introducing articles
Of impeachment against the President, finds
little if any favor. IA
The press it seems will now be more largely
represented at Washington during the APP
preaching session of Congress than heretofore,
there being accessions to the usual number of
correspondents - .4o $500.
The Presidents message will be about the
same length of that of last year, and will occu-
Ply about one hour in reading. l5lafr
The Republican members of Congress- num-
bering about fifty, held a caucus tonight at
the Capitol. Hon. Thaddeus Stevens pre-
sided, and Hon. Mr.. Ingerson acted as Secreta-
ry. committee to consist of nine members
to prepare the business for an adjourned meet
ing for Wednesday night next was appointed.
The caucus designated Speaker Colfax to re-
ply to the address of welcome to Congress to
be delivered by Chief Justice "Carter" on
Monday afternoon at the Capitol. Various
Republican association clubs have made ar
rangements to proceed thither in procession,
as part OF the programme. The caucus was
not exclusive in naming their orat,r, but sug-
gested that the Senate tpp1int one of their
own members to perform similar part Hon.
Thaddeus Stevens was selected to respond to
the toast Congress of the United States" to
be proposed at the banquet in the Fair build
ing on Monday night. The caucus had an in
teresting time in discussing the subject of re-
movals from and appointments to office. Va
rious instances Of wbst they characterized as
gross injustice on the part Of the President
were mentioned. The sentiment among them
was that good men have been DISPLACED TO
make room for bad ones. In view of this the
caucus unanimously recommended that the
Senate reject all nominations made merely on
political grounds. Hon. r. p. Spaulding said
he had no doubt the Senate would reject all
WIZ OuSIU u Uc rttoCUeQ. /.
Our Government had information as long
ago as last winter that John 81. Surratt had
gone to Europe. The person who muni-
Gated the fact, cOnversed with him during the
voyage across the Atlantic, and also reported
that Surratt believing he was far from danger,
was free and outspoken concerning his connec-
ton with the assassination conspirators. -
Tonight Secretary Seward received dis
patch dated to-day as follows: s1 have arrested
John H. Surratt, one of President Lincoln's
assassins. There is no doubt about identity.
(Signed,) HALE, q. s. Consul General,
Alexandria Egypt"
An additional number of Congressman ar
rived here to-day, and there is no doubt that a
quorum of both Houses will be in attendance
tomorrow, AS there is no organization to be
perfected, 1T is only necessary as preliminary
proceeding to ascertain the fact of the quorum
in the customary way. The next step is the
appointment of a joint committee to wait on
the President and inform him that a quorum
OF both Houses have assembled, and are ready
to receive any commune ston he may have to
make. These proceedings will not occupy per-
haps more than an hour, and should there be
hlnderlng occurrence, the message may be ex-
pected early in the afternoon. Copies of it,
and of the reports of all the heads of the De-
partments, and of the Commissioner of Inter-
nal Revenue, have already been dispatched
from this city by special messengers and other
wise, to the principal cities in all sections of the
country, a enerOus disposition being manifest
ed by all the high officials to accommodate the
press, in order that the public may have at the
earliest period information concerning the ex-
ecntive departments of the government.
Inc following named gentlemen compose
the committee to report to the adjourned Re-
publican caucus on Wednesday night, what
ought to be the order and character of. the
business for the session: Thaddeus Stevens, Of
Pennsylvania, Chairman; Hart, of New York;
Schenck and Garfield, of Ohio; Paine of Wis
consia; Orth, of Indiana; Washburne, of ILL
nois; Allison, of Iowa; Pike of Maine; Bout
well, Of Massachusetts, Some of the Republ-
can members think that if the procession to
give them welcome shall reach the Capitol be-
fore the message is sent to Congress, an ad-
journment will take place until Tuesday, with
out waiting for the document .--