New-York tribune., 1867-06-27
WASHINGTON.
THE sURRATr TRIAL YESTERDAY-GEN. sICKLPs AMI
SECRETARY wELLEs-THE BRcKIAYFRs' srRIkR
THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.

| THE sURRATT TRIAL YEsTERDAY-GES. sICKLRs Ann
| SECRETARY wELLEs-THE BRIcKIAYRRs' sTRkR
THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.
BIT rELRGRaPH TRIBUNE.
WASHINGTON. Wednesday, juno g. 1867.
The proceedings at the Smratt trial to-day were n-
terestng, inasmuch the evidence related prinei-
pally TO the arrest of Mrs. SuIratt and Payne. Cols
Smith and Morgan, the parties who made the arrest,
in their testimony gave graphic description of tho
affair. Col Smith the first witness called to
late the circumstances and at times his remarks
very touching. During his description of the scenes
| that occurred at the arrest of Mrs. SuTratt,
| the prisoner exhibited scarcely any signs
of agitation feeling. He appeared slightly nervons,
but sat cooly tanning himself Gen. Grants ap-
pearance on the stand created quite lutter among
the spectators. The large number Of Washington
Rebels and Surratt sympathizers present eyed the
General c0ntemptuously. Surratt took q good look
at Grant, and he ut Surratt While the General Was
on the stand, the counsel had long squabble over
Jake Thompson. Grant sat smiling during this coi'
loquy and apparently enjoyed the thing exceedingly.
The evidence to-day did not bear directly Sur.
rats connection with the conspiracy 1t relates more
to his mothers partin the matter The letter TO Booth
and signed Lion, is supposed to have been written
by Confederate. Mrs. HOdspeth, the lady who
found the letter relating to the plot of assassination
in New-York streetcar testified to-day, and il wac
thought she would identify Sunatt as OF the
whom she met disguised in the car She not
called upon, hewever, TO identify him. The minor
evidence in the case is now nearly completed, and
hencefOrth witnesses will be called to connect Sur
raft directly with the assassination. sea.l..
Gen. L. C. Baker his brother, and Col Conger, aro
plaintiffs in a suit now pending in the city courts
here for 10000 areward by the city for the capture
of Booth. - r.s.th %
AS Gen. Sickles in his published letter to Senator
Wilson, alluded to the Secretary of the Navy, de-
clining to aid him in carrying out the Reconstruction
act the following letter explaining the position of
| the Secretary has been made public:
NAVY DEPARTMENT, Juno 7, 1867.
vSr letter. Of the the ISt INST desiring naval vessel for the
of the Military District commanded by Mal0r6en-
the PROVISIONS Of the recent act Of Congress providing
for the efficient government OF the Kebel
and stating that the appropriation by Congress was noe
adequate to meet the expenses and that your D
ent had not now any Vessel az ts s sn c
appropriated for specific purposes ID the Nay 1aeSfu or
sreasrg tie expenses expressly limited by Congress ths
Department at the present time has neither officers nor
men 10 ''H '"S GIpEoS wEIffs. secretary Of the Navy
| Hon. f. NJ Stanton, Secretary Of War
The strike Of the brickayers at the Treasury still
| continues The Bricklayers' Association met last
night at theg headquarters with very large attend
| ance of members Among other business 1t was re-
strike Mr.. Mullet, the Superintendent made prop
ostion to pay the Treasury hands an extra dollar
| for two hours on Saturdays from to o clock ID
they would resume work, and also to appoint fore
man over the bricklaying department from their As
! sociation The brieklayers declined to accept the
proposition on the ground that they are striving to
establish principle and that the question of money
does not enter into the matter at ALL They contenG
| that the Superintendent can as readily agree
to reduction of their hours of labor as he can to in
crease wages Thus the matter stands up TO the pres
! ent time Some six hands have been put on who re-
fuse to recognize the association, and more are ex'
| pected from Pennsylvania and other places. 1t -
asserted by some that these will not be induced
to 60 with the striking party. Several propositions
are pending reference TO the matter OF c0nsdera1
BILE interest to the association is TO place coore
| bricklayers on the work, and another was
made to-day by by gentleman t,.;S owning e,
stone of proper size to build and partition walls
at cheaper rate than the cost of brick The propo-
sitiOn is now being considered, and Is I9vorabiy
spoken of and should it be adopted there will be no
occasion to employ bricklayers further than to turn
arches and some other slight work On the other
hand the bricklayers talk of going to Congress as
soon as 1t meets in july for redress of their grey-
ances.
To-day was the time appointed for the adjourned
meeting of the Judiciary Committee but as only two
of its members here this morning, Messrs Mar
shall and Churchill the meeting has been delayed
The other members expected between now and
tomorrow Only three of the members of the Special
Committee of Ordnance, Messrs. Cameron, Butler,
and schenck have yet arrived, and in consequences
there is still further delay of the meeting of that
Committee.
Most of the members who are here are of the ex-
treme Radical wing of the Republican party. Gen.
Butler and Others express themselves as in favor of
short July sessi on merely passing declaratory Re-
construction act, and not entering into any other
business.
The Hon. Schuyler Colfax. Speaker of the House OF
Representatives will be in Washington on the morn
ing of July He will visit Lancaster Pennsylvania,
on his way hither where he will close his lecturing
tour Mr. Stevens and other friends having insisted
on lecture from Mr.. Colfax at that place.
NJ d. Autos Portuguese Minister Plenipotentiarys
who presented his credentials to the President on
the 3Ist of Nav last goes to Europe leave Of abb
sence on Saturday next. NJ, De Roza, who has filed
the position of Charge d Affairs since December last,
will continue in the same position during the ab-
sence of the Minister, who is expected to return on
the lst of October.
The following appointments of Examining Sur
geons. under the Pension Bureau. have been made:
DIR. W. Coryen, Ithaca, N. Y; DR.. Jonathan +. Fow-
ler, Garfield, Ohio.
The weather here continues wet 1t has been
showery daily since Sunday night. Farmers coming
in from Maryland and Virginia report the rain q"
have damaged the wheat considerable.
There was a very large outdoor Temperance meet
ing held here tonight At least 1900 persons were
present
man named George Gibbs hailing from the Pa
cifc slope by profession geologist has come here
to seek the position of Governor of Walrussia.
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OBITUARY.