The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-02-03
Things in Washington.
RECONSTRUCTION BnL-THE PIRACY
QUESTION.

The Washington correspondent Of the Bal
timo:e Gazette, under date of the 9Oth ultimo
writes:
The Radicals are at odds and ends upon tn
financial question. Twenty different project
at least are upon the taps. Senator Hender
son'G 'plan," as it is called, contemplates 81
absolute reputation Of one-third OF the pub
lie debt, and deferred payment for half q cen
tury. Mr. Pendleton's views have frightened
that portion OF Congress not rabidly insane
The Chronicle prints o letter this morning O
J. ". F., which advises an indefinite increase
in the circulation medium. This advice will bt
followed; for, o fictitious prosperity-or rather
delay in the final breaking down of thu pres
ent system Of finance and taxation-must bt
inaugurated, or the people will rise in earnest
perhaps before the election, and demand the
summary dethronement Of the imbecile des
pots who now rule ths. iSirfiiftry Forney fur
ther states that ga dishngulshen ~tc,hha ut
now in Washington, referring to this impor
tant subject, says that the expression by Con
gfess Of determination to pay the fiye-twen
ten in gold, would undoubtedly be received as
q proclamation IN favor Of the rich bondhold
erl" Does the wind now lie in that Quarter
He then endorses Hendersons "plan," which
he mncingly characteristics as 'the consolida-
ton of the national securities into one long
lean, payable in gold, but at somewhat re-
duced rate ofinterestl Was eyer such tergiver.
sation exhibited before by political leaders
Wns there ever clearer admission OF utter
failure in craftsmanship?
The Radical leaders in the Senate have de-
termlned by caucus vote not to allow action on
tho Reconstruction bill until after the Alabama
elections. MIR. Wilson declared to friend last
evening that such was the understanding, as
it would not do to take the vote on the bill in
ad vance of the election in Alabama-it might
reDult in defeat Of their Radical allies IN that
Sti.te. Thus is everything made to yield to
party purposes, and the great interests OF the
country are entirely ignored.
The Washington correspondent Of the New
York Times, under date Of the 29th ult.,
writes:
The present status Of the Reconstruction bill
in the Senate is rather anomalous. 1t is not
really before it, yet great debate is going on
The bill came in from the House, and motion
was made to refer it to the Committee on the
Judiciary. Mr.. Doolittle moved to amend that
rlotion to refer with instructions to report, his
amendment limiting suffrage by certain quail
fcatlons Of property and intelligence. On this
motion he made his big speech, and others fol-
lowed. So we are likely to have double dose
ef talk on the subject, and the disposition OF
The question is very far from conclusion.
An important case, involving tho question
whether the rebel SemmeS' acts we're piracy OF
not, is now undergoing argument in the Su-
,preme Court. The case is that OF the ship
Golden Rocket, the first vessel destroyed by
Semmes in his career as rebel privateer, which
was insured under an ordinary marine risk, in
cluding dangers of piracy. The owners brought
s,,it against the insurance companies to recov-
er, OF the ground that the act was one ofpiracy'
The Supreme Court ofthe State Of Maine, where
the case was carried, decided against tho own
ers and in favor Of the companies, on the
ground that the act was one Of war. The case
is now appealed to the Supreme Court of the
United States. An important fact broughtfo
ward to sustain the cause of the appellants is
that the proclamation of Great Britain which
conceded beligerent rights to the rebels, pro-
vided that their prizes must be brought into
some neutral port and disposed of in tue prize
courts Of such country. This was never done
by any of the rebel cruisers.