Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-02

ERN ERS-CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
TEST OATH &C., sc.
despatch to the Public LEDGER
Several of the Republican delegation from
New York had consultation with the Presi-
dent. at the Executive Mansion. after the adj
journment yesterday, during which the Presi
dent expressed an earnest wish that the two
Houses would proceed Immediately with the
consideration of the claims of the Southern
members, and admit, without delay, all whose
sentiments were known to be thoroughly loyal,
and who would work with the object of a
peaceful and lasting duration of the Union in
view.
| am happy to say that there is Il disposition
to-day to see what can be done toward effect
ing this result. The speech OF Senator Sher-
man yesterday has proved an important one i'll
this direction, and the more it is read the firm
or is the conviction, even in the minds of those
who have hitherto opposed admission of any
members from the Southern States, that it is
policy to vote for their admittancc. One thing
is pretty certain: if harmony with the Pre-
sident is desirable, it can be secured by
such action, for the President minated as
much in his remarks to the New York mem
bers last evening. lie told them frankly that
the legislation of the ma ority against the
Southern States was unwiSc and unconStitu-
tional, and could not meet his approval, while,
were all the States represented, the rights of
each and every one would be respected, and
there would he plain sailing ahead. The diff
lerenceS-the unnatural legislation SO lately
prcvaent-would vanish, and the country
would soon again become harmonious whole.
The member from Herkimer county put
the question to him :-"Are you in favor Of
the Congressional test oath !'' The President
said that he preferred that Congress should
settle that question for themselves. For his
own part, he would regard those members from
the South loyal and worthy of admission who
should "swear to support the CONSTITUTIONS
This, said he, is all that is legally required ofany
one and to impose so "Severc an oath" as the
one instituted by Congress while the country
was at war, was an addition he hardly thought
proper, or one that should be set up as the price
of admission.
The passage of the concurrent resolution by
the Senate will be followed, hear, by pro-
pOSal for the admission Of the Tennessee mem
berS. The Reconstruction Committee will it
self, it is reported, recommend this, and the
confident behefis expressed that fortnight
hence will find that State fully represented in
the two Houses.
Another correspondent Of the Ledger, refer
ring to this interview, says:
The President, last night, in response to the
direct questions of several Congressman, de-
clared that he was opposed to all constitutional
amendments until the Southern members were
in their seats, and so the South could have
voice in the matter. He said the question of
representation was a small matter, and that the
North could well afford to overlook the two
fifthS advantage which the South how had, be-
cause emigration and kindred causes would
soon remedy it without legislation. If the
matter must be changed at all, he was i'll favor
of making voting population the basis. lie
then asked how they proposed to get such an
amendment through in the South The reply
was in the same way, Mr.. President, that
you got the, constitutional amendment abolish
ing slavery through, by little Presidential
pressure" Mr.. johnson replied that he saw no
similarity in the two cases. In regard to the
test OATH he said he was inclined to think that
the old form of swearing to support the Const-
tuition was sufficient test of loyalty.
THE CASE OF sEMMEs
Appears to be sleeping. Weeks ago, adj
vised you ofa " hitch' in the contemplated
trial, and that hitch remains unadjustcd to the
present day. The popular impression among
those well informed, or likely to be, is, that
the President nterlered and ordered the pre-
parationS for trial to be stayed until he could
lulb III bCllCl ulIbu lIC SuDJStt'
COUNTERFEIT.
4 new counterfeit on the fifty dollar green
back issue was detected and branded at the
Treasury Department.
1t is estimated that there are 55,5OO,OOO in
gold in the vaults of the Treasury.
SENTENCED.
The President of the United States has APP
proved the proceedings, findings and sentences
of a military commission which have convicted
Encarnacan EScalente, lnnez CAIRO and Alcario
Baldenado, citizens Of New Mexico, on the
charge of numbering two citizens of the United
States, and sentenced 90 tn be hung" 1t is
ordered that the sentences "be duly carried
into execution on Friday, March 2, 1866 Ito
day., at such hour as the commanding officer
of the district may designate"
REDEMPTION OF INITIATED BANK NOTES.
The Comptroller of the Currency has issued
circular correcting the prevailing impression
that the same rules and regulations prescribed
by the Treasurer of the United States for the
redemption Of mutilated Treasury and United
States notes are applicable to the redemption
of mutilated bank notes. He says that this is
a mistake, and adds that it is not only ineXpe-
uiCul Dul llCSdl ~ dlloh lldClloudl
of mutilated notes, except where fraud is at
tempted, which must be decided by the proper
bank officer. He SAYS "Nothng will justify
deduction from the face value of note ex
cept fraudulent intent, and evidence Of a
fraudulent intent would justify the bank in re-
tusing to redeem the notes therefore the note
should be redeemed in full or not at all. The
full face value will be allowed for all mutiated
notes returned to this office, when such value
was allowed by the bank which redeemed
them"
SIGNS OF THE TIMEs-THE TENNESSEE DELE
GATES To RE ADMITTED.
There are no signs to-day except perhaps
that an unusual number of Congressman were
at the White House. Very keen inside repub
lican observers have no faith in the reamity, so
to speak, between the President and the RADICAL
distructioniStS, but nevertheless they believe
that the Tennessee members will be admitted
to seats i'll Congress at an early day.
Another correspondent of the sun says!
Mr.. Nye, in his speech in the Senate so-day,
took the most radical ground against States
rights, lie opposed the admission of any rep
Fesentativcs from the Southern States who
were not thoroughly loyal, and distinctly as
serted that il was not the intention of the radi-
cal party of Congress to peril their majority by
the filling of the now vacant seats. He said it
was not safe for them to allow men to come
here, who, by combination with the Demo
cratic minority, might control the legislation of
the country.
Still anolheF correspondent Of the Sun writes:
The Senate debate on the resolution of the
reconstruction committee, shutting out States
lately in rebellion from representation until
Congress shall declare that they are entitled to
representation, will continue during the week.
Mr.. Johnson, of Maryland is yet to speak
against the resolution 1t will probably pass
by meagre majority of not more than four or
five. The passage of the resolution, however,
determines the great fact that the States winch
seeded will not DO represented during the
present Congress. 1t is said that the commit
tee Of fifteen will soon make report in part,
upon the condition of the eleven Southern
States, and give reasons why they should not
be recognized as States of the Union.
One of the signs of warm work in Mexico is that
the London Times is going TO send out DIR, Maekay
as correspondent. Beverly Tucker has already gone
for the London Herald and other leading English
newspapers are preparing to send out representa-
tiVes
Captain Hogg late of the Confederate army, kill
ed CAPTAIN Williams, of the Federal army, in q
street fight in Carthage Tennessee on Monday