The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-12-24
WASHINGTON.
rnn sHrRMAN F1NANoF n1IL.

NEW YORK, Dec. GA Washington saecia
says scores of communications have been sen
from Wall street against the clauses OF Sher
mans bill providing for the taxation of tn,
bonds, and objectiDg TO the bill in general
From a canvass of the House it may be posi-
lively stated that majority are in favor o
that section Of the bill, and though the laws
say that they shall not be subject to State OF
municipal taxation now, and before the final
adjournment OF the present session takes place
a bill etfecting that purpose will undoubtedly
be passed. -ss.
THE DISTRICT SUFFRAGE BILL.
There is considerable discussion here on the
District suffrage bill, which was passed some
days ago, but which had not been sent to Con
gress by the President within the Ten DAYS pre-
scribed by law, the adjournment having taken
place before their expiration. The President
and his friends bold that the law is now yirtu-
ally dead, and that Congress will have to re-
pass the measure if they wish to put it on the
statute books. This is mistake, as according
to all presidents the 10th day will not have ex-
pired until Tuesday, Jan. 9TH, 1868 The in
terval IS only recess of Congress and not an
adjournment
DISSATISFACTION WITH THE SENATE FINANCE
COMMITTEE
Members of Congress in Washington state
that it is notorious fact that all efforts to re-
neve 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 uDnoticed until
their utility will become greatly lessened The
resolution against contraction, a measure de-
cldedly popular among the Western members
has met this fate, and hence the severe re-
marks to which this course of procedure has
given rise. M 9
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT
= The President has no intention of removing
Secretary McCulloch, has not offered the posi-
uon to Collector Smythe, nor has McCulloch
oHered to resign, as stated in a New York pa
per. f
SEIZURE OF BRITISH VESSELS.
An important question has been presented
TO Mr.. Seward relative to the rec INT seizure of
British vessels in New York, ON the ground
that they had carried an excess of passengers
contrary to the provisions of the act of Con-
gress: 1t is claimed by the owners of these
vessels that they have conformed to the Eng
glish passenger law, and that having British
registers they should be exempt from SEIZURE
The questions involved are important. and will
doubtless be the subject for discussion in the
Cabinet.
LETTER FROM SCHUYLER CoLFAx ON RECON-
t sTRUCTIoN. rieasa.
A letter from Schuyler Colfax to Hon Thos.
Conway of New Orleans is as follows:
Il have but to say in reply to your letter that
you need not fear that Congress will take any
backward steps in reconstruction. We have
staked our political existence on the principle
that the States lately in rebellion shall be re-
organized on the enduring corner-stones of
loyalty and justice, and shall be led back to
their old places in our council halls by
those who dared amid the tornado of treason
that swept over the South to stand faithfully
and tearlessly for liberty and the Union.
While do not believe in confiscation or
anything looking ike revenge, and hope to see
suffrage as universal as safety to the loyal
cause will permit, and the restored States guar
anteeing education to all, would not modify
the terms of reconstruction in any essential
feature hairs breadth. If the former rebels
of the South, whose baffled ambition plunged
peaceful country into the carnage of civil
war, refuse to exercise the right of suffrage
proffered to the great bulk of them, on their
heads, not ours, will be the responsibility