The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1867-12-26
.Telegrapllic,
S.cHrrLrR CoLrAx..

T':!.'!e!1egrapllic,L
New York. Dec. %.
The Urrald's special says: M \
The case OF Smithsoii against Star.
ton, on a charge ot false impris0n.
mcnt, it it can he hrong,t to The
test of III argument, promises Il
solve Haiiy 1T the doubts which slr.
round the question. as 10 the cxten,
u which an official df the govern
ment has the power to seize the per.
sons and property OF individuals
without due process Of law. II. D.
Smithsnn was arrested and confined
in TT. Lafayette, and after sometime
was released: He was arrested again
and tried by a military Court and
sentenced to five years imprisonment
atAlbany,aNew York. After . brief
confinement, no was again st Mt
by apardon by the President
During these occurrences, it IS said
that government detective, upon
alleged authority form the Secretary
of War, turned the wife aud children
ofSmithson out of their house, which
was occupied by government officers.
The case has thus far been postpon.
ed out of courtesy TO the opposite
counsel. but the Attorny for the
plaintiff have now determined to
press their motion for Oyer and in
spection, and uoon receiving an orr
derof the court to the effect, will
proceed at once either upon the MGR
its Of the Oyer. In tho event Of a
continued refusal without giving
legal reasons to produce the desired
original letters willmove to set asid
the Justification act upon by the de-
Tense, and an order for contempt OF
Court against Mr. Stanton.
4 Tire New York Tribune's spcci~l
says: N $50. q!
The only bills signed BY the Presi.
dent, that were not reported to con-
gross before adjournment are the
billstchanging the time of holding
The annaar meeting of the stock
holders of the Union Pacific II r Co,
and the bill changing the name Of
Samuel Chasey to Barney.
The othershilis in the hand. of the
President fail forlacf. Of his approx.
al. h ,
Senator Howard, who has charge
OF the Stanton i,rvesgation is busily
engaged in prcparinga report that
subject. tits stated that he has call.
ell Oh the executive department oil
the government for further informa
ton, and thst the report will proba.
bly, lie ready as soon as congress re;
assemblies. H a
The Cnicago Times special says
the National Intelhgencer, Of Mon.
day, will contain an article il f.
vor Of indianapolis as the place to
hold he next Democratic National
Convention.
Thes Joint committee on reconstruc.
ton has appointed three of it, men,
.bers, Representatives, Jenicks and
Senators Patterson and Williams a
subcommittee, to enquire into the
mode Of appointments to public ser.
vice. aa
The engineer department has re-
ceived information that the channel
of the southeast pass Of the Missippi
has been excavated to the depth OF
18 feet by dredging machine
A germans steamer which drew lis
feet. has passed out without touch
ing bottom.
The Chicago Republicans special
says:
Without any previous notice eighty
mechanics have Just been discharged
from the Navy Yard here, and an or
der has been issued that will next
month throw ont of work over one
half of the remaining thousand.
New York. %. &
A letter from Schuyler CoIfax, da-
ted December, 2nd to Thos Cpnoway
Of New Orleans, is published, il,
which he says you need not fear that
Congress will take any backward
steps in reconstruction.
New York eraldspecial saws:
Members OF tho House of Repre-
sentatives state that it is notorious
fact that all efforts to relieve the i'm
mediate necessity Of the finances OF
the nation, have, upon reaching tn.
finance committee of the Senate,
been suppressed, or at least promis.
ed to remain unnoticed until their
utility will become greatly lessencd
|. The New York Times SPECIAL says
The House special committe, to in
quire into the cause Of the delay in
settling the additional bounty claims,
find that the total number Of cIaime
ill d up to Dec. 1st 1867. was, 2, 600
Of these $4,000 remain unsettled.
The delay arises in great part from
the lack Of force employed, and the
committee report that all has been
done which could be expected Of q
force SO repuced.
The New York Tribunc's special
says: The Wall street is in a terror
over Senator Sherman's bill, and
communications by the scores have
been sent 10 the members of Congress
protesting against the clause provi-
ding for the taxation Of the bonds,
and objectingI to Shcrman's bill, in
general, from q canvass of the Honse,
however, it may be positively stated
that majority are in favor of that
section OF the bill, and though the
law says that they shall not be sub