The Portland daily press., 1867-01-03

Correspondence Of the presAl
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 81, 1856
A sEAsoNABLE DEPARTURE. 81

discredit to even your State. 1t is a seasonal
BILE storm, quite in season, and due advantage
will be taken Of it-at least to the full extent of
Washingtons limited capacities in that direc-
ton. How limited that is may be estimated by |
the fact that during two hours tramp have |
seen less than half dozen cutters; yet it is
admirable sleighing. The roads were hard ana
level before the storm came. The snow iaiis,
and has fallen all night, quietly, evenly ana IN
heavy fakes. The sky is gray and dim, the
air has the real frosty bite in 1t, and on the |
roots and wherever it has been undisturbed, |
the feathery covering is at least from four to |
six inches deep IS
If it would only last three or four DAYS we |
should probably hold high carnival But it
won't. The weather is a provoking thing here
abouts. By tomorrow the streets will be slushy
and sloppy, and the New Year callers win have
a disagreeable time.
New Years day is an occasion of pleasure
here. Ceremonial visits are made by all Off
cials at the White House. Every officer of the
army and navy, and heads of departments are
required to call at the White House. The
scene there is very animated and briilianti
The diplomatic corps appear in all their splen-
did costumes, while all our naval and military
officers are in full dress, chapeaus, epaulets,
sashes SC. The Marine Band, and those of
the 18th Infantry and 9th Cavalry, will dis
course sweet music. Outside of those COM
PEELED to attend, and the old pro-slavery ele-
ment of the District, the attendance to-mor- |
row at the Presidential Levee will be rather |
slim.
There are but few members Of Congress in
town, and there are very few who will take the
trouble to come on to pay their respects to |
"King Andrew" Those who have remained
here are generally at work on committee re- |
reports. These reports will be pretty generally |
of character inimical to Ellis Accidency's"
character. In this respect the levee will be the
merest of shams, utterly wanting in that cor
diality and honest sympathy of feeling which |
made the New Years as well as all other re-
ceptions of Abraham Lincoln, SO full of char
acteristic life and enjoyment. There will be
tomorrow but the barest of forms, the dryest
of civilities, except in the case of those to
whom Andy is Saviour.
THE SUPREME COURT |
The greetings between the President and |
the five Justices who constitute the majority
OF the Supreme Court in favor of reaction
will doubtless be quite hearty. Andrew john
grateful to them for the assistance rendered |
and expected. |
The ''test oath" case will be decided on Thurs
day, when the court reassembles. The opinion
of the majority will be, as announced, adverse !
to the constitutonality of this important pro-
tective statute. Mr.. Justice Grer is expected
to give the decision. With him will be asso-
ciated Messrs. Nelson, Clifford Davis and
Fields. The others, the Chief il Justice, Wayne,
Swayne and Miller, sustain the right of Con- |
gress to impose the oath. The Court is divided
exactly on these questions as it is divided on
politics. I Happen to know that such is the
case, by parties who heard their opinions ex-
pressed. One noticeable fact is that Dr. JUS
tice Wayne, the only Southern Judge now ON
the Supreme bench is among the mos. radical
men of the Court. He was a nominee of An
drew Jackson during his second administration,
near the close. Perhaps he has something of
sod Hickorys" patriotic touehness, Judge
Chase and Messrs. Swayne and Miller are all
nominees of Mr.. Lincoln. ~
There are other cases pending which will be
tests in the same direction as the Mlligan de-
cision, and the one expected in the case of the
rebel Garland. Two cases are reported made |
up, one from Maryland to test the constitution
atty of the Civil Rights statute, and the other
from Alabama to decide the status of that State
with regard to its position in the Union
Judge Chase is also expected during the
present week to render his decision ON the
pending application for a writ of habeas corpus
for DR.. Mudd and the other assassins now at
Dry Tortugas. The application is based on the
presumed illegality of the Court that tried
them. 1t is expected that the writ will be
granted. -
Judge Bingham's bill legalizing all acts done
under orders and proclamation of the Prssi-
dent, and legalzing those also, since the begin
ing of1S65, will now require to be pushed
through, as otherwise we shall have innumer-
able suits entered by every assassin and steam
boat burner or guerrilla who may happen to
have been tried in localities where it will please
the Executive to declare that the civil courts
are in peaceful execution of their functions
Little doubt exists here that the opinions of |
the court on these Mulligan and test oath cases |
have been known to the Executive for over |
year, and that this has given to him much of |
his persistence and to the supporters of "My |
Policy" much of their courage. 1t is more
than probable that there will be vigorous
of the Court. There are at least two Judges
in feeble health-Messrs. Wayne and Grier-
The former must be nearly seventy, while the
latter must be about sixty-ive The United
ages Of the Justices amount to more than five
hundred years-eertainly in this age of young
men remarkable thing. One Judge was an
pointed by Jackson, two by Polk one by Blu
chanan and five by Lincoln. Mistakes were
made in two nominations at least
CURIOUS QUESTION. -.-
The territory of New Mexico is without the
presence Of either Governor or Secretary. The
former, General Robert B. Mitchell, formerly
of Kansas, is ON leave of absence and at pres
ent sojourning here. On the 18th of October
he received thirty days leave He is still here.
having had his leave extended, so that he has
been absent for nearly three months The
probability is that he will stay till spring
weather makes it comfortable travelling.
The Secretary is General Este of Ohio, at
present lawyer in this city. Este received
his commission twelve months since But he
has not been to the Territory and probably has
no intention of so doing He was an active
promoter OF the Cleveland convention
In the meanwhile, and here comes the cues
ton, Hon. W. f. Amey, who has been Secre-
tary for several years, remains at his post till
superseded. He is recognized here as the act
ing Secretary, and as no one relieves him and
his commission does not expire till the 18th of
February, he must be so legally
When the Governor left, Mr. Amey of course
assumed his duties The Legislature assem-
bled. The Gubernatorial locunl tenens sent in
MASSAGE, which the lower house refused to
receive on the ground that Mr.. Amey had no
legal right to act in such capacity. The case
has been submitted to the Attorney General
1t is however a forcibe illustration of the {
loose manner in which our territorial officials .
perform their duties. /
ITEMS-GENERAL AND PERSONAL ,
A strong effort will be made by the Penn /
sylyania Republicans in the House to advance
the election of Mr.. Stevens to the United States
Senate. All of the radical Representatives ,
from that State, as well as from others, are ,
very anxious to see the "Great Commoner" in
the Senate Chamber, A waggish friend re-
marks that it is because they desire to get rid
of him; but that is seandalous. On the other
hand it is rather prompted by desire to give
Mr.. Stevens an opportunity of squirting on
that slew body-the Senate, by an application
Of his caustic tongue and wit.