New-York tribune., 1866-04-24

il probably true that nearly this number subsistng
upon very scanty supply of the coarsest aud poorest
quality Of food. During ihe quarter the number of Iatons
issued were as exhibited in the following statement
January AZ s36 aons issued TO refugees, and IL 696
to fIeedmen February, ,O!3 rations TO refugees, and
9s7 ratons ratons feedmcn March, lO2 0 rations to
refugees and IL 442 ratiOns TO freedmen. Beside the ra
ons large quantities Of clothing have been distributed
GIN. sIcKLES MINISTER TO THB HAGUE
The name of Gen. Daniel f. sckes Was sent to the
Senate to-day as Minister to the Hague.
THE RECoNsyRUcTIoN COMMITTEE
met ,hs morning per agreement bnt, without coming
any definite conclusion adjourned TO meet at 10 o'clock
Cd Wednesday morning The opinion is expressed that
partial report viii he agreed upon at that meeting.
PRIZE PAYMENTS.
PaYments on the lists Of the prize Herald captured by
he United States steamer St. Lawrence, and Of the prize
Josephne captured by the United States steamer Hat
teas have already commenced and certificates will be
ready TO issue TO claimants in about two weeks.
REPORT ON THB PACIFIC ROAD.
The Pacific Railroad Committee have prepared their
port guaranteeing Government aid TO ~ Northern Pacific
route and will submit the same TO session Of the House
tomorrow evening specially convened for that purpose by
vote to-day The friends Of the measure are very sangune
Of les final adoption.
To The Associated Press ,,o ,ec,
WASHINGTON, Monday, April % 1866.
CONFEDERATE GOLD.
II will be remembered that after the surrender OF Gen
Lee the military in Georgia captured slOOOOO IN gold
which was claimed by the Farmers, the Exchange and
the Bank Of Virginia at Richmond Recent lnyestga-
tous OF the facts however, show that few weeks before
the evacuation of Richmond the Legislature OF Virginia
passed law auth oriZng the SAID banks 10 loan e tOn-
icdeate Government upon the faith Of the State S3V0O0
of gold TO purchase supplies for Lees army lbs sum
was placed by the respective banks to the credit OF the
Rebel Government. and before the surrender Of Lee
600O0 paid, leaving s2lOOOO belonging TO the Rebel
Government with these banks at the time Of the eyacna-
ton The Government, therefore, claims not only the
800 000 captured in Georgia but also the $4,000 add-
oral in custody Of the banks. This is the present con-
dtou Of the question The notes Of these banks have
been bought up with the expectation that the Government
would IelDquish its title TO the $4,000 Of gold.
THE TEST OATH.
The reroIt Of Representative Wilson Iowa to-day,
from the Committee the Judiciary, the message OF
the President OF the United States transmitting commu
cTGencra, suggesting modification of the oath OF
Office prescribed by the act Of Congress approved July ?,
1862 contains the following points;
The prescribing the oath passed when the nation
IN the midst Of gigantic waeed against i by Its
own citizens and Congress intended to establish by y per
manent rne Of public policy which should exclude 1m ihe
Offices Of the United States citizen who had voluntary
abandoned bis allegiance to the Government and joined 10
ons which many leading traitors held under the Gov
ernmnet, while engaged in Srgaaidng the hebeiOn; M
could not have been commenced. Those positions
gave the conspiTaors a resstess influence over the
organizing forces that converted oneha Of the Republic into
baefeds which loyalty and treason contended for four
years If every officer Of the Government had proved true 70
bis trust Rebellion woud have occurred This fact
properly appreciated by Congress and BY President LIN
book the They that treason derived all It's orig
a strength from the official position Of leading traitors
from the Cabinet and from the Army and Navy TO give char
seer and Organization and power to The Rebellion was h % I'm N
oath OF Office The Yuee letters disclosing the double any
Of the who eonspred against the we nod
ing its highest Offices bad been discovered and placed
country short time before the passage OF the act o July
1862 That letter did much toward convincing every true
supporter Of Tie Government OF the necessity o applying se
test OF uninterrupted loyalty TO eyery public officer so
marked It's effect then that the Committee deemed II
tanning he policy the adoption Of which IL mainly aided
The Committee understand Congress TO maintain the poc OF
the act OF July eo2 which to Keep the ohees OF he oo,
the hands Of loyal men, Treason Is not to be made
respectable by the robes OF office Places OF honor trust
power and profit would De bestowed on the ota on Ifue
be found in the nsurrec;ionary Snte TO MI OIL such
places and other should be selected No law Of the ma
on ought 10 be so changed as TO render any oDer p
sibe in this regard the Committee entirely concur IN the
bold ueranees made by President johnson both while tbe
The Committee quote the remarks Of President johnson while
be Military Governor Of tennessee to show ss his doe
sbed by Of July 62 And when on the 2sh ofApr
1866 be asserted that It Is r1e that The american people
revenge anger but that treason crime ana should
be esteemed as sdeh and punished as such he Uttered Oh
appeal or Of the tesath Of such force that
the Committee canuo disregard It, and Is constraned 10 d
reach desirable result hnd
Committee is OF the opuion that one OF the mo-. eesa, S
Of makng treason odous Is TO close ai ohea uooIs
against traitors I'll the Offices Of the Government with loyal
men pu, traitors guard This 10 the Judgment o the
Committee viii surely make treason odous ana enh 10 pro
executive branches OF the Government The Committee
does not suppose that the President when be declared
true and faithful should control the work Of reorgani
ton aud reformation absolutely meant not 10 DC uhaeoou
%s % IsAsa S sasa se
the sole depoorie OF political power ana social nnaenee
other would be inconsistent With his emphatic and often
pested denunc aiions OF treason and traitors
The Committee further quote from PRESIDENT Johnson
speeches in the Senate in March, 1861.
In reviewing the coT Of the Secretary OF the Treasury
the Committee say;
The test oath was established by law and officer had any
more right 10 dispense with than he had TO dispense with
sny other law A officers sboad know that the dispensing
power does exist IN this Government and thai It's exercise
i dangerous and viii not De tolerated. - -
II the act July .62 stood In the way OF proper exc
outon Of the extent indicated bv the Secretary
OF the Treasury duty Of the President very plain
1t not to dispense viii the law but TO assemble
and removal Of the obstacle Had this been done
the Spring OF 1865 the complications nov existing 10 the 81
the nation would ~ al probability have oeen ayoidea
for the views then entertained by the Predent reae
10 the power Of tho subject OF reconstruction
the Legislative and Executive departments could have worked
together with little or 10 friction Instead OF ealing Con
gres together the Executive department OF the Government
elected dispense with the law OF July lsg! and the ScTe
tsry Of the Treasury presented tho House WITH an exho o.
the officers appointed under this dispsnsatlOn.
The Committee. after further argument say IN conclu
sion:
n the test oath should be so far modified to enable
10 take it, the socia influence which now overcomes
loyal would still ppsh them out o The way aad force the
oyernusnt 10 bestOw is offices ~ dscya This would
not treason odous would Il punish traitors GA the
contrary would Increase the odnn which now attaches -
loyalty tho Southern Stats and punish them becassc o.
their fahfuness TO the COyeTbment community that VIII
not respect oce the United States bccsns. he has been
ucientiy Io tie Government allow OF his taking the
test oath does not deserve 70 have tho advantages and oo
yeueDos of the postal eiyce extended TO H. but does de-
serve to the revenue ws enJTce against b le sery
ices Of snc officers the Government nl be able 10 secure
There are thousands OF loyal 40 tbe southern states who
oath: 10 HnOIu tn3
states bs given Let the Government recognize their CLAIMS
m this regard ana loyalty aud respect Tor the laws OF TIE
Inited States will be sir0ng enough 20 overcome the
local power which frowns upon every Union man
WHO stood By the flag OF the Republic throughout the whole