The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-02-15
(BuMqil.l
From WashInKton.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. l4.-Attor-
ney General Stanbery, in the Supreme
Court of the United States, TODAY. read
letter from the Secretary of the Treas
ury, addressed to him, stating, in eff
feet, that the Department understood
the question OF the constitutionality of
the legal tender act had arisen at this
term, in several cases, between private
parties, and they had been discussed,
and were under advisement, The
government had no opportunity to
present an argument in support Of the
law, and as very deep interest was
felt on the subject by the Government
and country at large, it was hoped that
the Attorney General would ask and
obtain leave to present an argument in
support of the law before cases. which
had been discussed, should be decided
by the Court. The Attorney General
said that owing to his multifarious legal
duties he feared he would be unable TO
prepare proper argument during the
that the Court would not deliver its
opinion in those cases until the next
term. The Court took the matter
under advisemeut. One of the cases
alluded to involves purely a question
of ordinary debt, whether party has
the right to discharge an obligation in
legal tenders. Another of the cases, ar
HNGN ~ oChdboE5 OOuubOn ana Will
liams, presents the question whether a
debtor can pay his taxes in legal ten
ders, the State of Oregon having de.
clared that all its taxes should be maid
in gold; and the third case, argued by
Messrs. Carlisle and Wills from Cali.
fornia, which has a statute declaring
that all hduciary taxes shall be paid
only in gold.
The Committee on Ways and Means
have decided that the refined oil tax
shall be eight dollars per barrel of As
gallons. and on exports 25 cent stamps
are TO be used. The committee are en-.
gagged in framing bill regulating the
expectation of alcohol, high wines, &c.
The seven thirty treasury notes out
standing and falling due June 18th and
and July 18th, next, which are CONVEX
tible into $40 bonds, amount to over
two hundred million dollars, and it
will require full time between this and
July 18th to enable the Department to
convert them promptly at maturity.
The public are notified that unless such
notes which the Government Is now
offering to convert, are promptly for
warded to the Department for that
purpose, great delay must ensue in the
future delivery of the bonds.
The director of statistics has
furnished table showing the reve-
nues derived by the general Govern.
ment from the use OF distilled spirits
in the United States, during the fiscal
elusive, or for five years, were one
hundred and twenty-five millions.
three hundred and ffty.six Thousand
three hundred and fifty-five dollars in
currency, or total average of twenty
seven millions, seventy .one thousand.
two hundred and seventy-one dollars
in currency, per annum.
Of =.
beneath the ruins of a falling wall at
fire. One white man and four ne.
groes have thus far been taken from
the ruins in a mangled condition. II
Is thought that all will die. A large
number of hands are at work on the
ruins to recover other bodies. It is
feared ten or twelve were crushed. The
fire was confined to the buildings mem
toned in the dispatch of last night.
LOSS about $l25, 200.