The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-02-20
THINGS IN WASHINGTON.

|
| NEW CONSERVATIVE MovEMENT--poL1T1oAL
ITEMS
The Washington correspondent of the Balti-
more Sun writes, under date of February 1G:
The action of General Sherman in refusing to
| accept the brevet generalship, and his indlspo-
| sition 20 take command OF the newly created
| Department of the Atlantic, does not, surprise
those who know his indispostion to be mixed
mn in political entanglcments, and whatever
| scrrples he may have had on the subject are
said to have been increased by the remonstran-
ces sent to him from hore by his brother and
tpthsr Senators.
" II ia given out from hat certain promi-
nent gentlemcn whL =, ure. IN the Philadelphia
Conservative Convention of 1856, contemplate
forming new conservative party. Mr.. Thur
low Weed appears to be the engineer OF the
movement, and one OF its objects is to protect
| the Seward and Weed interest Ill Now York. II
might be added however, that some OF tho lSan-
ing spirits of the Philadelphia Convention, shch
as Messrs Doolittle, Cowan, Dixon and others,
have long ago taken decided positions with the
| Democratic conservative party.
Private kilograms have been received by
Radi al congressman to-day, urging them not
/ to give up the Alabama constitution. 1t the
most gigantic fraud can avail to fastcn that III
iouitous instrument on the people Of Alabama,
it Will certainly be resorted to.
/ u
Adiutant-G General Thomas will soon be placed
upon the retired list Of army officers. The law
provides that officers having been i'll the SER
vice certain number Of years may be retired.
| The act is not mandatory, but leaves the mat
ter at the discretion of the Executive, who,
| there is reason tor saying, docs not contem-
plate retiring General Thomas.
The next state dinner ut the White House
takes place on Friday of this week. The in
vited guests are all of the foreign diplomatic
corps.
II is expected that nearly or quito all of the
remaining vacant foreign missions will DC dis
posed of by nomination this week, and among
them the mission to England, to which there
seems to be no doubt OF General McClclan's s
assignment.
THE SHERMAN NOMINATION AND oRDER-uow 1T
WAS BROUGHT ADoUT-RUMoRED CORRUPT
PRACTICES BY CERTAIN MILITARY OFFICIALS.
The Washington correspondent of the Bal
timore Gazette, writing on the 10th instant,
says:
AS great surprise has been expressed at the
action of President Johnson in nominating
Sherman as brevet general without first ascer-
tanning his feelings Oh the subject, and much
curiosity exhibited to learn what the purpose
OF the President was, it can be stated. upon
reliable authority, that MIR. johnson did not
|
indelicacy, to name to General Sherman in adj
vance and consult him i'll relation to nomina-
tion designed solely as q compliment to the
General for his military services.
1t can also be said that the propriety of con-
sulting the General, both as to his nomination
as brevet general and as to the order detailing
him to the command Of tho new Department
of the Atlantic, was suggested to the Prcsi-
dent by q distinguished gentleman now IN this
CITY, who is near relative OF General Shcr-
man. MI. johnson replied to the suggestion,
that so fur as the compliment intended for
General Sherman is concerned, 1t should be
bestowed voluntarily and without his knowl-
edge; it being one which he could not possibly
object, and one which every true soldier must
appreciate AS to his being ordered to tho
command of the Deoartment of the Atlantic,
or any other department, it was enough for
him to know that General Sherman was L pal
triot, and ready 10 serve his country III any Of
tcial position to which he might be assigned.
1t is believed this was the only conference held
by the President with any one on the subject OF
the nomination or the order, and no one has been
moro surprised than MIR. Johnson himself at the
manner in which General Sherman is reported
to have received the news, and the President
expresses the apprehension that some one
has communicated to General Sherman state
ments which may have created false impress
siops which will no doubt, be diSsipated when
all the facts como to be known. There are rl-
mors ahoat tonight that documents are in ex-
istence in this city which will soon be made
public, establishing conclusivey the corrup-
tions of certain late military officials who were
connected with tkn operations of the army in
the Southwest during the rebellion. Among
these documents are vouchers signed in trpli-
cato for cotton delivered By the Confederate
Government to these military officials during
and prior to the siege OF Vcksburg. With
funds thus procured, military supplies were
purchased by the Confederate commander Of 4
Federal officer, with whom he held regular
meetings on the borders OF Lake Ponchartrain.
single invoice of these supplies amounted to
three hundred and sixty thousand dollars, tee
officers through whom the negotiations were
made using the cuphonious name of Smith.
THE SECOND FAILURE OF IMPEACHMENT, AND HOW
IT WAS BROUGHT ABOUT.
The New Yolk Herald's Washington dispatch
of the 18th instant says:
The desperation of the Radical leaders over
the untimely end which has characterized their
boasted second impeachment movement is only
equalled by tie reactionary effect which their
: failure has had u ION the minds of less enthu-