The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-12-24

No Backward Stops to BE-
Taken in Reconstru4 ton.
NEW YORK SPECIALS.
Case or SmithsOn VS.. Stanton, on
Charge OF alSe Imprisonment,
POStpOned-HaII Street in a IRE
NOR about Senator Sherman'S
Probability that the order
Reducing the number of WOrkmen
engaged in the Government Service
will not be enfOrCed-EffOFt to Sc.
cure a further pOstpOnement of
Collection Of Direct Tax In the
SOuth-The Stanton Investigation
Senator Howard busy preparing
Report - Gen. Sheridan going
West-NO Backward steps TO be
taken In Reconstruction.
rlra pfae4 o. -
NEW York, December o. = The
Herald's special says: The case
of Smithson VS.. Stanton, on a charge
of false Imprisonment, if it can be
rT brought to the test of an argument,
promises to solve many of the
doubts which surround the question
as to the extent to which an official
of the Government has the power to
dividuals without due process of law.
81 Hughes, Denver, and Peck, Of this
city, having the case in hand, in
'1a March last, made motion in the
Pa District Court to require the defend
ant to furnish the originals of certain
letters, papers, and proceedings of the
'a court martial. Mr.. Stanton, notwith-
standing, it is said, the readiness of
his attorney to comply, has thus far
obstinately refused the request 10 al
low the originals to be seer, though
copies are freely offered.
The attorneys for the plaintiff. how
ever, are not willing to receive these,
as they wish to discover the authen-
ITCHY particularly of the reasonable
letters alleged to have been written
under the assumed name of tables by
Smithson. These letters, as they APP
pear In the pleas of the defendant,
contain information respecting the
numbers and movements OF the gar
81 gTison 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 afterwards was
again arrested, and tried by military
court, and sentenced to fvs sears i'm
prisonment at Albany, New York.
After a brief confinement he was
again set at liberty, by a pardon by
the President. During these occur
rences, 1t is said that a Government
detective, upon an alleged authority
from the Secretary of War, turned
the wife and children of Smithson
out of their house, which was occu-
pied by officers of the Government.
The case has thus far be, post
poned out OF courtesy to the oppo-
site counsel, but the attorneys for the
plaintiff have now determined to press
their motion for Oyer and inspection,
and upon receiving an order of the
court to the effect, they will proceed
at once on the merits Of the case, or
In the event of a continued refusal
without giving sufficient legal reasons
to produce the desired original let
ters, will move to set aside the iusti-
fication set up by the defense. and
ask for an order for contempt OF court
against Mr. Stanton
The 1Ti5une's special says: Wall
StFeetI ism a tremor over Senator Sher-
mans bill. Remonstrances by the score
have been sent to members of Con-
gress, protesting against the clauses.
providing for the taxation of the
bonds, and objecting to Sherman's bill
IN general. From a canvass of the
House, however, 1t may be positively
stated that majority are in favor Of
that section of the bill, and though
the law says that they shall not be
subject to State or Municipal taxa
ton, the statutes nowhere define that
they shall not be liable to taxation bv
Congress, if deemed advisable. There
is a very strong disposition to subject
them to taxation now, and before the
final adjournment of the present ses.
sion takes place, a BIZ effectipg that
purpose will undoubtedly be p9ssed
There is considerable discnssion
here on the Suffrage Bill striking our
the word" white from the laws az
the District of Columbia, and allow
ing negroes to sit 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 law.
the adjournment having taken place
before their expiration The Presi-
dent and his friends hold that the law
is now virtually dead, and that Con-
gress will have to pass the measure