The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-02-01
Washington News and Rumors.
INTERNAL REVENUE DECISION.

| The Commissioner OF Internal Re
venue has decided that inland and
domestic bills of lading are not sub
ject to stamp duties as such. Most of
them, however, contain an agreement
of contract; and when such is the
case, they require q five cent stamp
on each sheet or piece of paper on
which they are written. When they
contain no agreement, and are simply
receipts for the delivery of the pro-
perty, two cent stamp is sufficient.
It has also been decided that manu-
facturers will not be held liable to an
ad cdlo,'en, tax on the entire value of
the satinets which they make from
warps, but will be allowed, as hereto
fore, to deduct the cost or value of
such warps before the tax is assessed.
CAPTURED AND ABANDONED COTTON.
The records of the Treasury De-
partment show that from March, 1853. 1863
up to August, 1866, abandoned and
captured cotton, valued at S., 744, 900,
was seized by the Government in the
Falley OF the Mississippi. OF this
amount, $3,300,0c0 has been paid
into the Department, the remainder
having been transferred to the origi-
nal owners of the cotton, which, to
that amount, had been improperly
seized
DENTS HOUSE.
To-day, three respectfully dressed
women were detected at the Execn-
tive Mansion clipping pieces from
the curtains. They were arrested
and taken to the police station-house.
Such thefts have been of such fre-
Guena occurrence that au officer is
constantly in attendance to restrain
such larcenies
SOUTHERN CONGRESSAiEN RETURNING TO
THEIR HOMES.
The Southern Congressman elect
have become satisfied that there is no
present. sintention of giving them q
speedy admission, and are preparing
to return to their homes The Louisi-
ana delegation will leave early next
week, and be followed by that of Vir-
ginia soon after.
SPEECH OF SENATOR HOWE.
The Senate has been occupied
almost the entire day in listening to
Senator Howe's speech upon his reso-
luton for the establishment of pro-
vlsional governments in the Southern
States. This is the second effort of
the gentleman in the above behalf,
and, like the first, fairly out-Herods
Herod in the extremity of it's propo-
sitions. In brief, Mr. Howe holds
that the Southern country represents
simply a conquered province, with
nothing in the semblance of States
save land and people, and that it be-
longs to Congress to undo the work
of restoration commenced by the
President, the South to be put upon
probation until, in the judgment of
both Houses, she is sufficiently peni-
tent to subscribe to the radical ritual
in this case made and provided. The
Senator very earnestly asseverates
that he spoke solely for himself in
the advancement of those views, but
later avowed II warm coalition with
the Sumner faction. The speech
occupied about three hours, but
failed to secure the reference of the
resolution to the Judiciary Commit
tee. AS Mr.. Howe is q Jealous man,
this lack of success will, in all proba-
bihty, necessitate another series of
remarks at some future day.
THE FREEDMAN's BUREAU BILL.
Reverdy Johnson moved recon
sideration of the Freedman's Bureau
bill to-day, again setting forth the
justice of considering the plea of
South Carolina against the location of
lands for occupancy of freedmen in
that State. This protest has been
couched in an official letter from the
Governor of South Carolina to the
President, and was transmitted few
days since at the hands of a special
messenger. The yeas and nays were
called upon the motion to reconsider,
and it was lost by vote of % to IS.
1t is believed that the communication
referred to was sent in to the Senate,
to-day, by the President, along with
other documents. AS an executive
session was held before adjournment,
it is probable that the matter was then
called up.
THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS.
Letters from influential conserva-
tives in the New England States are
pouring into the city, urging their
Senators and Representatives to avoid
rupture with the Executive, and to
abide, as far as possible, by the policy
he has seen fit to mark out for the
restoration of the Union.
ROTATION IN OFFICE.
There are vague hints that the ex-
ecutioner's block is soon to be intro
duced into some of the public de-
DartmentS in PhilaIalphia but the