Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-03-28
FROM WASHINGTON.
Te~timOny Before tIl e Destruction
Com i1lee.

WASHINGTON, March 27.-The testimony
taken by the Reconstruction committee In
regard to Virginia and the two Carolinas,
was to-day reported in the House by Mr.
Conkling and ordered to be printed. The
delay in reporting it was caused by the alb
sence of Senator Howard, before whom
all of it was taken. There were more than
sixty witnesses examined by Senator How
| ard In relation to the condition of affairs i'm
the States of Virginia, North Carolina and
South Carolina. Some few witnesses were
examined by him in relation to other South
ern States, but the testimony was reported
with that of the States to which it applied.
Among the more important of the wit
nesses examined in relation to Virginia
were Judge Underwood, who has been
elected United States Senator from that
State has not yet been admitted to a seat;
Mr.. Lewis O'Kensie, in the same position in
regard to the House of Representatives;
Gen. Turner, commanding the post of Rich
mOnd; Major General Terry, in command
of the Department. and Colonel Orlando
| Brown, Assistant Commissioner of the
Freedmen's Bureau, stationed at
Richmond; half a dozen Virginia
loyalists, including John Minor Bolts,
Charles d. Tracy, of Augusta coun-
ty; John f. Lewis, of Rockingham
county; and his brother, Chas. II. Lewis,
| the late Secretary of the Commonwealth,
General Robert r. Lee of the Confederate
army, and Brigadier- General NJ. d. Case,
from the same; five members of the Vir-
ginia Legislature, namely, JnO. b. Baldwin,
Speaker of the House of Delegates; Wm.
f. Jayhes, Chairman of the Judiciary COM
mittee, and r. B. Grafton, with Dale Car
ter and e. F. Keen, members of the State
Senate, the latter formerly Colonel in the
q ba nr No
of Christ Church, Alexandria, Virginia,
Rev. Jas. W. Hunnicutt, of Fredericksburg.
Seven colored men, including minister a
doctor and dentist, who Is also Baptist
Missionary, were examined.
The witness whose testimony will be per-
haps most eagerly sought for was General
Lee. 1t is telegraphed in full. He repre-
sents that nothing like sentiment of hos
til ty to the United States exists in Vir-
ginia; that there are no combinations or
cOnspiracies having that end in view; that
the people. though disappointed and sad
dened by the result of the war, accept that
result submissively, and are only look
ing now to their material interests:
that the surest and speediest means
OF reconciling the people to the Gov
ernment and making them its cordial
supporters, is to extend to them equal po-
litical rights with the people of the other
States. AS to the negroes, he expressed
the belief, which he says he always enter
tained, that the State would be much bet
ter without them. He repudiates the idea
that cruelties were purposely inflicted OH
Federal prisoners of war.
The testimony of the members of the
| Virginia gentlemen who had come as dele
CATION to President johnson, was equally
| important and interesting. They concur
/ i,,N Init 81 L.. n
| com plete absence of any feeling looking to
renewal of the contest with the Govern
ment. The question of coercion, they say,
was settled by the sword, and the people
are content to abide by the decision and TO
| live hencefOrth faithful citizens of the Re-
| public. They represent the feeling of the
| people at large, and of themselves, as un-
| alterably opposed to the idea of extending
| political rights. They wereengaged in re-
moving most, if not all. the obnoxious dis
examinations in law between whites and
| blacks.
Trial of General Baker.
Yesterday Gen. Lafayette G.. Baker, late
chief detective of the War Department, en-
tered a special plea of former conviction,
and on the charges for which he is now in
dicted in the criminal court, which were for
robbing Mrs. Cobb, the pardon broker, of
two hundred dollars. The prosecution de-
INJURED to the plea, and this morning Judge
Fisher delivered an opinion sustaining the
plea and dismissing the defendant. The
sentence on the former conviction will be
passed tomorrow.
Withdrawal of Five Cent Cur
rency.
New YORK, March N.-The Times spe-
cial says: The committee on Banks and |
Currency have unanimously agreed to re-
port the joint resolution directing the with
drawal of the issue of five cent fractional
currency upon which appears the head of
private individual; and an amendment
thereto provides that hereafter no head or
device of any kind shall be put on the cur
rency except by the express designation OF
the Secretary of the Treasury.
Public Lands in the South.
The following statement exhibits the
amount of vacant public lands i'm five of
the late insurrectionary States: Alabama,
6 73205S acres; Louisiana, 6.22S 102 acres:
Florida, 1,932796 acres; Mississippi, AGO.
736 acres; Arkansas, 929S,0l3 acres. There
are no public lands in the States of North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennes-
see or Kentucky.
Bids for FIOur.
DluS lOT z,UUU udTTelS OF HOur were VPS-
terday opened by the Commssary of Sub
sistence of the Military Department. A
much greater number OF barrels were Of
fered than were called for. Bids ranged
from $40 30 to $40 40 for No. flour, and
from 50 rs to $40 % for No. 2. All the No. Ii
-four offered at $40 40 and under, and ali
the No. 2 offered at SO "a and under was
AIKEN.
NHiSceIInneOus Wteuns
The Worlds Washington special saws:
The Ways and Means committee are pre- r
oaring another bill in which they propose
% put such articles as ought TO 90 In the {
rec list. The only measure that is ready \
o report is the one putting a tax of five 9
'ents pound on cotton. To-day, how
'ver, they expect to settle some of the other
matters, and next week report the bill to I
he House.
The Senate Military committee yester-
lay authorized Mr.. Nesmith to report in l
avor of reimbursing the State of West p
firginia for moneys expended In raising a
nd transporting troops during the rebel a
ION, TO the amount of some $360000.
The bill increasing the number of cadets
West Point will be reported in few t.
avs. DaA z IttGC- 81 - t
The sum of $s5,5OO in fractional currency
yas yesterday delivered by the printing d.
ision OF the Treasury Department. - {, u
FROM PORTLAND. 5
Fenian Meeting. a.. e ~
~