Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-25
FONi WASHINGTON.
Expectation of Arms to Mexico

WASHINGTON, April 2f-It appears, from official
documents. that in December last Senior Romero ad-
dressed two notes to the Secretary of State in rea
tlon to an order issued by Major General Mcdowell
commanding the Military Department of California,
prompting the expectation of arms or munitions of
war by way of the frontier. into Mexico. These
notes were referred to the Attorney General of the
United States, who said the question raised by the
secretary Of State WAS whether, in tho opini0n of
the former, this order was in conformity with any
Iaws regulations or orders, in force bearing on the
subject. The Attorney General SAYS. mo military
oHcer mas the right to issue any order to which he
cannot lawfully compel obedience by the forces un-
der his command. The test, therefore of the valid
lty in point of law, of these orders is whether he
could lawfully employ the forces subject to his control
to prevent American citizens and other persons
within our jurisdiction from Transporting arms nv
munitions OF war, as merchandise. across the from
Yer @uer into MeSlG0, In the present state of affairs in
that country I The Attorney General says he is of
opinion that the order Of General Mcdowell was m
tended to interfere with such trade, conducted BY
our people, as the authorities have declared To he
lawful, and is not, therefore, in conformity with an
order; The order was probably intended to be d.
@ reGtea against military expeditions or armed enter
hgerents contending in Mexico. Such expeditions
ana enterprises are of course violations of our stat
utes. and nothing, in this opinion, is intended to
imaugn the validity of the order in respect to tbcm
Inc Attorney General apprehends it to be we'll
settled, that merchants may lawfully sell at home to
6elIlgercnt purchaser carry, themselves to the
pelgerent powers, contraband articles subject to tn
right of seizure in transitu: The right of the neutral
70 transport and the hostile power to seize are con-
tctng rights and neither party can charge the other
with criminal act. This is the view taken by Chan
cellor Kent.
PROTECTION OF OUR FISHERMEN
Some of the newspapers have recently published
what purportsto 70 be correct list of the vessels TO
form feet for the protection of our fishermen on
the North American coast, but the Navy Department
has furnished no such information, for reasons of
public policy There is no doubt, however that am
pie means WIZ De seasonably provided for such pro-
lection, as well as to prevent breach of neutrality
from any meditated Fenian movement
BHkFhT APPOINTMENTS OF GENERAL OFFICERS IN THE
REGULAR ARMY.
message was to-day received from the President
5y the Senate in answer to the resolution calling for
the proceedings of the Board convened to make
brevet appointments of general officers in the regular
army covering the proceedings referred to. The
Board consisted of Generals W. T. Sherman. George
G. Meade. Sheridan and Thomas, with Lieutenant
Colonel L. NJ. Dayton as Recorder. The Board con-
gened at St. Louis, March st, all being present but
of recommendations-fo gallant and mepito%iovs
services" and for faithful service" They express
II their report "a sincere desire to do all full and
perfectly new one we would be inclined to recon-
mend the abolition of the whole system of brevet
rank, and to substitute in its place other mode
of reward for special gallantry in action, such as
medals commemorative of the event, or to make
actual promotion to vacancies without regard TO
prior rank: But brevet commissions have been con-
ferred IN all past wars and during the present one:
so that we are estoPped and compelled to regard them
as precedents binding on our judgment"
They express decided opinion that breyet rank
should only be conferred for distinguished services
IN the leld IN presence of the enemy, and that if
merItorious conduct in non-combatant duty should
ee thus rewarded, there would be great confusion
from disproportion of officers with high rank in
comparison with the limited number of men. -
Major Generals Irwin Mcdowell for battle of GedeE
M Mountain; John Pope, for Island No. To- Joseph
j. NJ. Scofeld, Franklin; Q. 0. Howard, campaign Of
Atlanta; a, IL. Terry, Wilmington, N c.; E. o. G
D. S: Stanley. Franklin; A. A. Humphrey. Sailors
Creek; II. G. Wright. Petersburg; A. j Smith. Nash
yille John Gibbon, Petersburg: JEFF c. Davis, Jones
Nashville; Charles R. Woods, Bentonyille N c.: and
James IL. Wilson. Selma, The list numbers twenty,
ranking In order as named.
SiXty-siX recommendations for the breyet rank of
Brlgadler Generally were made as follows: David Hun
nr,c ter, for campaign in Valley of Virginia; A. Med
Augur, Port Hudson; Gordon Granger Mobile; Geo.
Stoneman, Charlotte. n. G.; George Lykes, Gettys-
burg Frank Steele Little Rock g. L. Hartsuff, sur
pIeasont0n, Missouri campaign; K A, Gilmore Fort
wa Wagner; W. F. Smith, Chattanooga George.Crook,
W. B. Hazen, Fort McAllister Wesley Meritt. Five
Forks; George A. Custer. Five Forks; I. W. Sher-
man. Port Hudson; II. W. Benhom. surrender of
Barnard, surrender Of Lee; Seth Williams sur
render of Lee; John Newton, Atlanta; J. NJ.
En1 EB1annan Atlanta; r VI WMJqhnson Nashville: 2. B.
Randoah Valley; Cuyier Grover, Cedar Creek: I.
Mexico; Absalom Baird Atlanta; ] Robinson,
SSpottsylyania; Truman Seymour Petersburg; Chas.
Hunt Petersburg G. W. Getty, Petersburg; Alfred
sully. White Stone Valley Robert s. Granger, De-
G%StHur, cat Aab9ma; John King Rpffs Station Frank
R. B. Ayres, Five Forks; R. o. Tyler, Cold Harbor:
i 1. A. Torbett Cedar Creek; Adelbert Ames, Fort
Webb; surrender of Lee; Kenner Garrard, Nashviile
;, = Carroll, SPottsylvania; E. Upton, Selma; John
:. Mcintosh WINCHESTER, Va; Eli Long, Selma, Ala
Gettysburg; R: c: Buchanan, GroVeton j. c, Duane
Psters3qrgi Il. /: Clarke, Gettysburg A. Beckwith
NJ Pee surrender of Johnstoni :. H. Potter, surre-