Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-11-22
GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

in the United States, under the instruction OF
160 600 teachers.
IT Is reported that America is to pay $ll,-
500, 600 for the Danish West India Islands,
subject TO the claim Of France for Santa
Cruz, or 81, SOC, 600 for the other two islands
The Pope objects to conference of the
European Powers on the Roman question.
Il is said the Powers are divided on the sub
iect, and that Spain alone supports the tenn
poral power of the Pope.
The order of the President to General
Grant to disband the volunteer eolored troops
at Washington causes considerable excite
ment, and it Is said that movement viii be
made to legally resist it. The troops are not
enrolled militia
The Memphis Post says that about the
doors of every grocery in the eoantry towns
in that region may be found half a score men,
smoking cob pipes, and demanding vehe-
mently, Where the dash shall we get labor
to raise cur cotton?'
JOIN H. Surratt continues in good health
at the jail, and bears his confinement philo-
sephically, sometimes engaging in conversa-
ton with his sister and few other relations,
who occasionally call upon him, but most of
his time is employed in reading religious
books.
Tue President directed on Saturday the
muster out of Daniel Sckles, as Major
General of Volunteers, to take effect from
the FIRST Of January next General Sickles
viii retain his position as Colonel Of the
Forty. fourth Infantry.
THAD. STEVENS informed gentleman who
called on him Saturday that he had not felt
so well within the last FIVE years. He said he
was overwhelmed with letters from the West
and East, commencing the financial views ad-
vanced in his late letter.
TIE New York Times perpetrates the fol
lowing Foreign residence has not changed
the temper and habit Of Gen. McClelan's
mind. He intended to come home in the
Scotia, but changed his mind al the last me-
meut, having been detained, the World says,
by private business. He will now come by
some other steamer, if he doesn t change his
mind at the last moment again. His move
ments while at the head Of the Army OF the
Potomac were greatly embarrassed by this
chronic habit.
THERE is an universal demand, North and
South, for the repeal of the cotton tax, and
Congress will probably give heed to it. As
contemporary says. Itis questionable how far
the South may prove able to compete with
India, even without having TO pay the tax;
but if the tax is to be continued, the cotton
trade of the United States is to be regarded
as a thing ofthe past. The tax now averages
twenty per cent. upon what the planter gets
for his cotton.
ATTORNEY General Stanbery Is out in an
opinion with regard to the additional session
of the Fortieth Congress. 1t appears as a
communication in the newspapers, over Stan
bery's initials, and is said to be in substance
the same views as set forth by him at a recent
| Cabinet meeting, when the question of send
| ing the message and reports to Congress was
under consideration. The main point of the
article is that the Thirty Ninth Congress had
no authority to pass the Act of January 3D.
1865, providing for an additional session Of
the Fortieth Congress, and that such sessions
was irregular and unconstitutional.
A DINNER was given by Messrs. Ticknor Il
Fields to Mr. Longfellow, the poet, Wednes-
day evening Nov 9th at the Union Club
| House in Park street, Boston in honor of the
publication of the translation of Dante's
"Divine Comedy" 1t is well-known that
Mr. Longfellow has been engaged on this
great work for twenty-five years, aud now
that it is completed and published, the liter
ary event deserved 20 be especially marked.
The dinner was quite a private affair. The
invited guests numbered only about twenty,
among whom were Bryant, Halleek, Dana,
Holmes, Lowell, Emerson, Whittier, Agassiz
Curtis and Parton. Mr. Fields presided.
IL report which has been prepared by the
| collector Of one Of the largest internal reve-
nue. districts, it is stated that the loss to the
| Government in the recollection of tax on
whiskey last year amounts to upwards Of one
hundred millions Of dollars, and the loss on
tobacco is set down at twenty-five millions.
This loss is all attributed to fraud aud negli-
gence on the part Of collectors. The matter
has been brought to the attention of the
President, and it is understood that he will
discuss the subject in message, and com
mend some radical changes in the revenue
| system.
| A LETTER from StephenSyille, Texas, says
there have been more grasshoppers in the re
gion recently, than the whole debt of the
United States counted in mills. Firstnoticed
high in the air, coming from the North, they
looked like snow storm. Their ravages
have been very serious. Besides they are so
great annoyance. They are in every house
ou the table, in the dishes, &c.
A LADY ofproperty recently applied to au
thorities of the Hull England work house
| for admission. She said that the guardi
ans should take possession of her property
receive the income, &c, and although told
thar she could not expect any treatment diff
ferent from that Of an ordinary pauper, she
persisted in her application. She had, she
said, lived alone for many years, and she
felt that she would be much better taken care
Of in the workhouse than outside Her re-
] quest was granted.