Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-01-29
Washington City Gossip.


National Banks at any formal meeting, but the
general talk of the members of this Committee
leads to the conclusion that majority in fa-
vor of taxing the banks and depriying them of n
portion of their circulation The committee is
not in favor of any hostile legislation, and while
the proposition alluded to might be carried if
brought vote it is not likely that the committee
will report any measures looking in the direction
indicated for some time to come.
Arrangements being made for a strong
speaking force from each party represented in
Congress to take part in the New Hamshire elee
tioE- The Democrats have secured foorhees, Doo-
little and Hendricks, and negotiating for At
torney General Stanberry- The Republicans have
equally strong detachment. Great interest is
taken in the contest, the first State election of
the Presidential year.
The Senate has ratified commercial treaty
between Nicarauga and the United States, which
was originally signed in 1859. The treaty guar
antees to citizens of the United States the rights
of transit between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
through Nicaragua. and permits the transporta-
ton of merchandise the same free of duties.
The United States is also permitted TO transport
troops and munitions of and mails over the
route. modification of the treaty with China
recommended by Minister Burlingame, has been
ratified by the Senate. 1t requires masters of mer
chant vessels arriving in Chinese ports to report
their arrival within forty hours be subject to
the sam penalty British shpmasteIs who do
not report themselves.
Official figures show the receipts of the Post
Office Department during the past year to have
been, in round numbers, Sl4, coo. 900 while the
penditures have reached $4,000, 600. Ohio
behind 81 900. The com mittee on Appropriations
have now under consideration request from the
Department for an additional appropriation of
$4,000, 900 for Southern service
The following is copy of the anti-contraction
bill it goes to the President: .sBs IL enacted,
ETC., That from and after the passage of this act,
the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury TO
make any reduction Of the currency by retiring
or canceling United States notes shall be and is
hereby suspended; but nothing herein contained
shall prevent the cancellation and destruction of
mutilated United States notes, and the replacing
of the with notes of the same character and
amount
The appendices to the report of special Revenue
Commissioner Welles, complied by f. B. Elliot
and just issued, contain some valuable statistics
showing the expenditures of the United States
Government at different periods. The average
annual expenditures, the expenditures per capita.
the aggregate sales of merch andize, including
liquors, by wholesale and retail dealers, for the
year ending June 80. 1857; also paper showing
the workings of the revenue systems of Great
Britain, France, and Northern Germany. 1t eSti-
mates the average popula tion of the United States
for l866-67, ending June 80, at thirty five millions
Gen. r. E. Lee declares that the course of Gen.
Hancock was "the first dawn of hope he had seen
for the people of the South since the termination
of the war" Gen Hancock has stood a good
| many hard shots from the rebels, but this we
think is the hardest of them all and entities him
to the commisseration of his countrymen.
Advices from the South in regard to the Con-
gressional plan of Reconstruction, make things
here look hopeful S. W. Conway reached here
direct from New Orleans. He has been making
tour of four months in the Fifth Military Dis
trict. He brings with him petition from mem
bers of the Louisiana Conve ton asking Congress
| to remove Hancock from the command of the
Fifth Military District, for the that he is
impediment to Reconstruction. Mr.. Conway
| says that the Louisiana convention will finish its
| work within another week. and the State ticket
| that has been nominated will be elected at the
same time the Constitution is voted for. The reb-
els of the State thoroughly org anized and are
determined to make big fight against the rati-
| fcation of the Constitution. They have chosen a
| committee, with rooms at the ST. Charles Hotel
| and have already collected $4,000 to aid in de-
| feating Congress
The Russian Government has made a claim 0 f
ten thousand dollars against our Government fo r
| telegraphic dispatches sent and received by Sec
| retary Seward during the time the negotiations
were pending for the purchase of WsIrussa Mr..
Seward refuses to pay the claim, and has sent it
| to Congress, where it now is.
The Secretary of State has been advised of the
execution of treaty between the United States
and the Republic of Colum bia for the construction
of a ship canal across the Isthmus of Darien.
| Mr. Hooper, Mormon, is to have his seat in the
House of Representatives contested by Mr.. NJ Gro
ty, Gentle The papers in the case cover the
whole ground of the legality of tue Government
of that territoryas administer ed by the Mormons
The evidence taken is of a novel and interesting
character and it is the intention of the parties
who have undertaken the case TO push the ques-
tions involved to decision in the House. the at
tention of the VIII se country will inevitably be
directed to it before il is disposed Of 1t is the
first time that the whole question of Mormon laws
and authority has been so fairly brought to the
attention OF congress, and 1t is beleyed that the
COMMITTEES will meet the questions in manner
to command the approval of the moral portion of
the country.
In view of the postponement by the Supreme
Court of the McArdle case, Gov. Sharkey, of Mis-
sissippi has left for home. He says that he
siders the postponement of the case until March
as a clear indication that the Supreme Court in
tends to shirk the same, and he shall accordingly
go home and abandon the case, as next summer
will be too late for favorable decision to avail