The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-03-29

InLLISe on NdNil1 <A1ldlESs
The House at $3.50 p. M, adjourned.
From Washington.
WASHINGTON, March 2S.-The Secre-
tary of the Treasury, in II communica-
calls attention to the condition of the
Dismal Spamp Canal Company, in
which the United States is n heavy
stakeholder. owning 20 of the entire
interest in the work The canal, he
says, connects the waters Albemarle
Sound with Elizabeth River and the
Chesapeake and Delaware Bays and
munication between these points for
private commercial and for Govern
ment purposes during the war. The
work was materially damaged and al
though not in use it requires immediate
aid to preserve its existence. The sum
of 100000 Will be required IN order 70
carry on effectuRlly the business of the
Company, and its officers have asked
the assistance of the Government.
To-day +. p. Stanton, counsel for La
fayette Q. Baker, stated in the criminal
court that Baker was present to receive
sentence in the case of false imprison-
ment of Airs. Cobb, known as pardon
broker, he having been convicted in
january. Mr.. Stanton remarked that
if Mrs. Cobb had any title to the $500
of which it was alleged he robbed her,
having taken the money away from her
Mt the time of her arrest and which he
had previously marked as decoy, she
had her remedy at law, but the counsel
did not think she had any title to it.
Judge Fisher, in passing sentence, ad-
dressed Baker thus:
You are indicted by grand in
quest for the county of Washington,
in November last, upon n charge oil
false imprisonment. The indictment
found against you contained two
counts; the first count for false impris-
onment of Mrs. Lucy Cobb and detnin-
hours, and until she had paid you the
sum of 5000 for her enlargement, and
the second count for false imprison-
nent. To this Indictment you pleaded
not guilty, and placed yourself upon n
jury of your country who, upon fair
aud impartial trial, decided by their
verdict that you were guilty as charged
on the second count ofindictment, and
not guilty as charged on the first COUNT.
The effect of this conviction is substan-
TALLY, as understand it, that yon were
technically guilty of that ottense
which is termed false imprison-
ment, denuded of the circum-
the first court in the Indictment
sought to invest it. 1t appeared in evil
dence, to my satisfaction certainly, but
not to the satisfaction of the jury who
convicted you, that the act with which
YOU were charged, and of which you
were convicted, was the result of an
honest thought; it may have been an
ill-advised act in the discharge of your
duty as a government detective to dis
cover by whom and what means certain
fraudulent and corrupt practices were
carried on against the Government OF
the United States in obtaining pardon
from the Executive. Whether you
were successful in that endeayor L
know not, but after fully and ma
sidering all the circumstances OF
your case L have come to the con-
clusion that though you may have
been merely technically guilty of the
offense of false imprisonment the
case presents itself to me in the aspect
of one where an officer of the Govern
mentin Jealous effort to discharge
his duty, may have been led by his
zeal go hairs breadth too far, and
done an act which, though it cannot be
justified in law, yet which in a
moral point of view, has'done much to
mitigate the punishment. The sentence
of the court martial, therefore, IS that
YOU pay to the United States n fine of
one dollar and the costs of prosecution:
Gen. Baker Immediately complied
with the sentence by paying the fine
and costs, The latter, it is understood,
amounts to about $36.
WASHINGTON, March 2s.-The United
States Supreme Court has sustained
the government in all cases ofYiolation
of the blockade which have come be-
fore 1t. A number of other cases were to
be decided, including that of Peter Hoff,
involving eleven hundred thousand
dollars. The opinion of the Chief JUS
tice, with regard to the Bermuda and
Stephen Hart, secures the validity of
the capture of vessels in ports inland
on their way to British Islands, with
cargoes for theinsurgents. In affirming
these prize cases the Supreme Court has
applied to British vessels the rule of
law which, in former British wars
Lord Stowell applied to American ves-
sells captured and adjudicated
in the British prize court
The Secretary of the Treasury
in a letter to the chairman of the Ma
val Committee, suggests the invitation
of legislation to ameliorate the condi-
ton of seaman. Their condition in the
merchant service is more deplorable
than that of any portion Of our coun-
trymen, and addresses itself to the con-
siderate and the humane for reforma-
ton, but admits that measures for their
relief do not legitimately pertain to the
navy department. I1t SftY5 LAatS AAAG
matl-of-wars man has courage, endur-
ance, patience, will and obedience in
remarkable degree. and that his defects
are attributable to theneglect ofthe Gov
ernment which hold out to the enlisted
man $50 for an inducement for loss of
education, religious instruction, or pro-
visions for old age. for the support of a
wife or children, and consigns
him in his last days to the hos
pitaI or naval a;iylum. He re-
commends the establishment of a
home for his declining years, or an
allowance OF retired pay after twenty
wears of service. The Secretary eS-
presses the belief that the prejudice Is
passing away that exists toward the
of midshipmen, and that
the legislation proposed will elevate
class upon whom we must greatly de-
pend for our peace and welfare. The
limited number of the printed lists of
soldiers introduced to naval schools
makes it impossible to comply with the
numerous requests for copies for pri-
waite individuals. Copies were distdbu-
ted to all the men, papers authorized TO
publish the advertisement of the War
Department, and to all the members of
Congress, SO that they can be seen and
examined in every congressional dis
trict. They are also sent to Governors,
Adjutants and Quartermaster Generals
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