Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-24

eASe-UnG
Feeling in wall Street.-The District
Suffrage BIiI-schuyIer eOifax's let
ter, etc, etc.
NEW YORK, Dec. 23.-The HeralPs
special says the case of Smithson vs.. STAN
ton, on charge OF false imprisonment. if
it can be brought to the test of an areu~
ment, promises to solve many of the doubts
which surround the question as to the exs
tent to which an official of the government
has the power to seize the persons and
property of individuals without due pro-
cess of law. Hughes, Denver & Peck, of
this city, having the case in hand in March
last, made motion in the District Court
to require the defendants to furnish the
originals of certain letters, papers and pro-
ceedings Of the court martial. Mr. Stanton,
notwithstanding it is said the readiness of
his attorney to comply, has thus far obsta
nately refused the request to allow the
originals to be seen, though copies are
freely offered.
The attorneys for plaintiff, however, are
not willing to receive these, as they wish
20 discover the authenticity particularly OF
the reasonable letters alleged to have been
written under the assumed name of Cables,
by Smithson, These letters, as they ap-
pear in the pleas of the defendant contain
information respecting the numbers and
movements of the garrison of Washington
in the first year Of the rebellion. Upon
this ground Smithson was arrested and
confined in Fort Lafayette. After some
time he was released, and soon after was
again arrested and tried by a military courts
and sentenced to five years imprisonment
81 A q.
finement, he was again set at liberty by a
pardon by the President. During these
occurrences it is said that government
detective, upon an alleged authority from
the Secretary Of War, turned the wife and
children of Smithson. out of their
house, which was occupied by officers of the
government. The case has thus far been
postponed out of courtesy to the opposite
counsel, but the attorneys for the plaintiff
have now determined to press their motion
for Oyer and Inspections and upon receiving
an order of the court to the effect, will pro-
coed at once, either upon the merits of
the case; or in event of a continued re-
fusal without sufficient legal reasons, to
produce the desired original letters, will
move TO set aside the justification set up by
the defense, and ask for an order for CON
tempt of court against Mr.. Stanton.
The Tribune's special says; Wall street
is in tremor over Senator Sherman's bill,
and communications by the score have
been sent to members of Congress, protest
ing against the clause providing for the
taxation of the banks, and Directing to
Mr.. Sherman's bill in general. From a
canvass of the House, however, il may be
positively stated that a majority are in
favor of that section of the bill, and
though this law says that they shall not be
subject to a State or municipal taxation, the
statutes will now have to define that they
shall not be liable to taxation by Congress.
if deemed advisable. There ia a very
strong disposition to subject them to taxa
ton now, and before the final adjournment
of the present session takes place a bill
effecting that purpose will undoubtedly be
passed.
There is considerable discussion here
or the district suffrage bill, striking out
the word white from the laws of the
District of Columbia, and allowing negroes
to set on juries, which was passed some
days ago, but which had not been sent to
Congress by the President within the ten
days prescribed by the law. The adjourn
ment having taken place before their ex-
Tiration, the President and his friends
hold that the law is now virtually dead,
and that Congress will have to re-pass the
measure if they wish to put it on the
statute books. But this ia a mistake, as ac-
cording to all the precedents the tenth
day will not have expired until January
7, 1868.
They contend that this is only a recess
of Congress and not an adjournment.
1t is probable that the order reducing
the force of workmen in the government
service will not be enforced until the pre-
sent season of distress has expired.
An effort is making to secure a further
postponement of the collection of direct
taxes in the South, owing to the distress
there. The Ways and Means Committee
have not decided upon the matter yet.
The strongest and best argument urged
in favor of the ratification of the reci-
procity treaty with.the Sandwich Islands, is
that while the United States would lose
Sl50,OO0 a year in sugar revenue, she
would secure to herself the freedom of the
islands and their assistance for all practi-
cal purposes, populate them with Ameri-
cans and have a fair pretext for resisting
their occupation by England or France az
an espionage of those crowns.
The bills signed by the President, that
were not reported to Congress before its
adjournment, are bills changing the time
of holding the annual meeting of the stock.
holders of the Union Pacific Rail-
road Company, and the bill changing
the name of Samuel Chase Barney.
The other bill in the hands of the Presi- |
4 fai taA fbo l., l.
Senator Howard, who has charge of the
Santon investigation, is busily engaged in
preparing a report on that subject. 1t is
stated that he has called on the Executive
Department of the government for further
information, and that the report will pro-
badly be ready "a soon as Congress re.
assemblies.
Gen. Sheridan left here last evening for
the West and will not return till early in
January, when he will preside at the board |
of officers which has been appointed for the
revisal of the laws and regulations of the
army. Generals Augur and Harvey are
on the board.
A letter from Hon. Schuyler Colfax,
dated. December ID, to Thos w. Conway.
of New Orleans, is published, in which he
says, " Gou need not fear that Congress
Will NdhO any bd'hNdIu SttIl IN recon- L
struction."
The Worlds special says: The repre-
sentatives of the Fenian interest are urging
the State Department and the President to
recommend to Congress 10 demand that re-
paratiou shall be made by the British gov
eminent for the Imprisonment Of American
citizens in England.
New York weekly journal announces,
upon what it terms high authority, an al
legged plan Of Mr.. johnson for running
next fall candidate for Governor of New
York and United States Senator for that
State. We have the highest authority for
saying that the President never heard of
the plan until it was read to him from the
paper above named
The Herald's special says: Members of
the House of Representatives state that it
is a notorious fact that all efforts to relieve
the immediate necessity of the finances of |
the nation have, upon reaching the Finance
Committee Of the Senate, been suppressed,
or at least promise to remain unnoticed
until their utility will become greatly |