New-York tribune., 1866-12-31

nance Committee with pamphlets and documents
backing up the positions assumed by Commits
siOner Wells IN his bill, and report. Paragraphs
representing the Committee to be favorable to
Mr. Wels's views and disposed to adopt them
are without foundation.
Samuel ". Hid. agent for the Lac La Belle
HarbOr Improvement Company OF Michigan,
has filed with the Commissioner OF the General
Land Office list of selections Of public lands
embracing 100000 acres. the full quantity al
lowed 10y the act OF Congress approved July B.
1866. TO AID in the cons strUctiOn OF q ship canal
to connect the waters of Lake superior with
the lake known as Lac La Belle. The list Is
undergoing examination, with a view OF carry
ing the selections 10 the patent at an early
day.
Some days ago an application was made by
J. A. SteTTett Ridgley of Baltimore to Clhet-
Justice Chase for a writ of habeas corpus for
the release of DR.. Mudd. one of the persons
condemned by the Military Commission, which
tried the Booth cOnSpiratOrs TO imprisonment
for life at the Dry TOrtugas in the Gulf of
Mexico. Ii was returned yesterday by the
Chlef-Justice to the counsel with the following
Endorsement: "The within application has been
considered and is denied This, however, does
not prevent similar application from beng
made to some other Judge or Civil Tribunal III
Florida or elsewhere.
On and from the LIST of January, 1867, a re-
ductiOn of postage will take place i'll the post
age upon letters and newspapers conveyed by
British packet or partly by British and partly
by United States packet from this country to
any foreign port in the West Indies, and that
in consequence of such reduction the rate of
postage to the places hereinafter named Will
he as follows: Upon letters for Guadaloupe,
Hayti and Martinique via England, ~ cents
per single rate of half an ounce and upon
newspapers four cents each; prepayment re
Quired. Upon letters for Porto Rico, jamaica
a3ld other West India Islands not British, eX-
cept Cuba, by British mail via Havana. Is
cents per single rate of half an ounce and upon
newspapers four cents each pre- payment re-
quired.
The receipts from Internal Revenue sources
for the present fiscal year to date, commencing
July l, last are nearly Sl67,00O,0OO
The Treasury Department has suspended the
payment of moneys due before the commence
ment of the Rebellion to certain parties who
subsequently, arrayed themselves against the
United States Government. Tie reason for
this is the Joint resolution pending before Con
gress TO make void such settlements at present,
though the vouchers OF drafts may be Ia prop
er legal form
The Senate has on its executive calendar
about $50 civil nominations, but none have been
reported upon as yet. nor has any definite ac-
ti0n been taken by the Committee on Foreign
Relations on that of Major-Gen. Dix as Minis
ter TO France.
For the first time in the history OF the city
a skating pond was opened yesterday, under
the auspices of the Washington Skating Club.
II is on the north side of the canal, between
Nineteenth and Twenticth-Sts. and embraces an
area of about acres. Three OF four thousand
persons were present, and large number OF
adults and juveniles participated IN the amuSe-
ment. Many of the leading foreigners and so
iOurncrS were in attendance to lndOrse the en-
terprisc.