The New York herald., 1867-04-24
NEW HERALD WEDNESDAY, SHEET
WASHINGTON.

w A0a4N1 1xONs
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WASHINGTON, April %, 1861.
Forthcoming Opinion Of the Attorney General
ON the Reconsrruction Law.
The preparation BY the Attorney General Of opinion
the Reconstruction law undertaken it is stated.
at the request OF the President and the Secretary Of
War; the subject having been discussed at great length
In Cabinet meeting The necessity for having certain
clauses Of the law clearly defined, especially the dis
franchising clause and that which gives authority
make removals has been pointed out by At least three
Of the military commander. The opinion it is under
stood, will be quite lengthy, bearing upon the whole
law instead OF being confined TO two points, and
win not bs completed before next week. on account Of
the great addition to the duties Of the Attorney General
caused by the Injunction IN the Supreme Court
Distribusion Of Seeds as tho South.
Ths Commissioner Of Agriculture is now daily sending
the South seeds and cereals in accordance with the
provisions Of the recent law transferring 900 from
the Fresdmens Bureau fund aid In relieving the gem.
eral dssuton Of garden and farm seeds in the South
70 give to that region new and improved varieties and
thus help 70 avert famine the immediate future The
regular statistical corps Of correspondents far ap
pointed win represent the department. In the dstrbu
tion within their own COUNTESS and agents desg-
mated In other counties 70 assist the work. Individual
requests for small parcels also regarded and the
distribution is thus made general equal pos.
sibie The quantity Of seeds At tho disposal Of enc
Commissioner, however, viii fall fur shoA Of the Dc.
mand and OF the expectations az enc people, who do
NOT realize the exent and desttuon Of the country to
be supplied. Commissioner Newton Is entitled to the
credit Of suggesting, urging and securing this timely
assistance to the Southern people.
Tho Onlcial Report Relative to tho Capture
Of JEFF Davis,
Last January the House Committee on Claims was In.
struced to investigate and report all the connected
with the capture Of JEFF Davis The evidence taken
pursuant TO that authority has just published and
contains few interesting details The main facts
the same as appeared in the HERALD Immediately after
JEFF Davis capture, but there points cleared
up which have been enveloped until in some little
doubt and uncertainty. The evidence comprises de.
position OF General J. H. Wilson, made before
the committee the 9th OF January last lengthy
report by the officer General Grant, bearing date
January H. 1867 and reports by Generals E F. Winsow
and A. J. Alexander, Colonel Henry Harnden, Lieu.
tenant o. p Clinton, and private j. j. Alpn, of the
First Wisconsin cavalry. The report Of General Wilson
gives full account Of the capture the unfortunate mis-
take between Coonels Prichard and Harnden and the
condition Of the arch traitor at the moment Of his ap
prehenson The General sticks to the old ver-
sion, .that JEFF Davis was disguised partially
in the attire of female, alluding TO the subject
in the following language" During the firing Of the
skirmsh just referred to. the adjutant Of the
Fourth Michigan, Lieutenant J. G. Dickinson, after
having looked to the security Of the rebel camp and
sent forward number of the men who had struggled,
about go the front himself, when his attention
was called by Of the to three persons in female
attire, who had apparently just left one OF the large
tents near by, and were moving towards the thick
woods. He started towards them and called out
"Hat." But not hearing him, or not caring TO obey,
they continued to move Off just then they
fronted by three men, under direction Of Cor.
poral Munger, coming from the opposite direc,
tiOn- The corporal recognized one 0f tho per.
sons as Davis, advanced carbine and demanded his
surrender The three persons halted and by the actions
Of the tvo who Afterwards turned 10 be women ali
doubt as to the identity Of the third person removed
The individuals thus arrested found to be Miss
Howell Mrs. Davis and Jefferson Davis As they walk.
ed back TO the tent from which they had es-
cape, Lieutenant Dickinson observed that Davis high
top boots were not covered by his disguise, which
fact, probably, led TO his recognition by Corporal
Munger Az the friends OF Davis have stren-
uousy denied that he was disguised as a wo.
man, IL may not be improper 70 specify the exact
articles Of womans apparel which he had upon him
when first by Lieutenant Dickinson and Corporal
Munger. The former states that he " ono of the
three persons dressed in womans attire and had black
mantle wrapped about his head, through the top Of
which could be locks Of hts haiEn Captain G.
W. Lawton, Of the Fourth Michigan cavalry. states
explicitly, upon the testimony Of the officers
present. that Davis In addition to his full suit OF Con-
federate gray, had on Ga iady's waterproof CLOAK,
gathered at the waist, with a shawl drawn the
head, and carrying TIN pail" Colonel Prchard says,
in his official report, that he received from Mrs Davis,
on board the steamer Clyde, off Fortress Monroe. a
waterproof cloak, or robe, which by Davis
a disguise and which identified by the men who
il on him at the time Of the capture. He secured
the balance Of the disguise the day. It consisted
OF shawl, which identified in a similar manner by
both Mrs Davis and the From these circumstances
there to tc doubt whatever that Davis sought
to avoid capture by assuming the dress OF woman
that the ladies' Of the party endeavored to pass him or
upon his captors Of themselves.
Six Ladies and One Man Drowned in James
River.
terrible catastrophe occurred yesterday, at place
called Clarmont the James river. A party crossing
the river in a small boat capszed by the force Of
the wind, aud six ladies' and man were drowned,
only two Of the party escaping These were rescued by
some colored men who observed the occurrence.