The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-01-08
WASHINGTON.

NOMINATIONS.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE President sent
number of nominations to the Senate to-day,
including Hattee Kilborn's, as Assistant Sec.
rotary of the Treasury to fill the vacancy of
July I'd, 1868.
REPUBLICAN, CAUCUS.
The Republican Senators held caucus this
morning on the financial question, involving
consideration of Senator Morton's resumption
OF specie payment bill and Mr.. Edmund's res
olution declaring that $50 bonds should be
PAID IN gold. No conclusion was arrived at.
About forty members were present.
RECONCILIATION OF SENATOR STEWART.
Senator Stewart received telegram to day
informing him that he was unanimously NOM
mated in union caucus for reelection to the
Senate of the United States from Nevada.
The Legislature consists of 50 members, nine
only of whom are Democrats
FINANCIAL.
The warrants issued by the Treasury De-
partment during December to meet the re-
quirementS of the government amounted in
round numbers to the following sups, namely:
Miscellaneous and foreign intercourse 81, 49,
900; interest on public debt 1905, 900; war 3d.
900; navy 81 1857 900; interior pensions and
Indians 81 $4,000; total $17 ,667 ,O0O This does
not include the warrants issued for the princi-
pal of the public debt
OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE ARKANSAS DIFFICULT
TY.
The following official report relating to af-
fairs in Arkansas has been received at Gen.
Grants headquarters from Gen. Horace Por-
ter, of his staff:
Little Rock, Dirk, Dec. 26, 18S8.-General:
Gen. Babcock and arrived here two days ago.
So many contradictory reports have been Cir
culated in regard to Gov. Clayton's militia,
that it may be well for you to make known the
facts in the case. The present State govern
ment was certainly in some danger previous to
the Presidential election. Senator Barker had
been shot and wounded badly, Mr.. Upton, of
lower House, wounded, Mr.. Hines, member
of Congress and Freedmen's Bureau agent,
killed, and other agents and United States
Marshsl driven from their posts by threats
The Governor, Senator Rice and others had to
sleep in the State House under guard for fear
of assassination.
The Governor wisely refrained from taking
any violent measures till after election, fearing
that the opposition might make capital out of
1T. Soon as it was over, however, he organized
militia force of about 300 men, one fourth
colored, under Gen. Catterson, in the south
west, and Gen. Upham in the northeast, with
orders to live off the country, taking what was
absolutely necessary and giving vouchers: His
intention is to pay all loyal holders of vouch-
ers and no others. The assassins have already
been executed by sentence of military COM
mission. Seventeen others are in prison. and
great number have been run out of the State,
but the best result / can see is the disposition
OF all business men to voluntarily enroll them
selves as posse, pledged to assist the sheriffs,
to arrest lawless characters if the Government
will relieve them from martial law He has
accepted many such pledges and martial law
exists in only parts of seven counties. The
entire conservative wing of the Republicans
were opposed to the declaration of martial
law, including Gen. Smith, U. S. Army, COM
handing the troops in the State. They ad-
mitted reign of terror established by the
rebels, but they wanted the United States to
make the arrests.
Gov. Clayton's arguments in favor of his
policy are as folows:- The United States
troops do not know the people and the coun-
try. The lawless behave while the United
States troops are in the vicinity, and break out
worse than ever when they leave. The rebels
are generally anxious to have them, as it Gre
ates an expenditure of money in their midst,
from which they reap benefit. The militia
Furnishes all the disloyal and EFFORTS pledges
from them to respect the laws, as these disoy-
alists have threatened to break up the State
Government as soon as the U. S. troops
are removed This teaches them that the
State is able to protect itself. The militia has
been under tolerable good control, and the
plundering reported in the press is the taking
of supplies under orders. One negro militia
man committed rape on white woman, but
was arrested by Catterson, who seems to be a
very good man, tried, convicted and promptly
executed.
The Governors policy has no doubt serious
ly interferred with business, for martial law
mas Deen proclaimed ana injured business men
of all parties, hence the opposition from loyal
lists. 1T has interferred with travel, taken off
hands for the militia at season when they
were badly needed, and created many panics.
1t has, however, accomplished much more good
than the most sanguine expected, and Gen.
Smith acknowledged that he thought the Gov.
ernors jugdment was better than his own and
that the result would fully justify the action of
the former. The Governor is now disposed to
relieve each county from martial law as soon as
it can be done safely. The Governor is GER
tainly man of intelligence and nerve, and
has labored under difficulties that would have
deferred q less able officer. Four thousand
arms were seized by the Ku-Klux and thrown
off the boat below Memphis. He could sell
dom procure good men for offices, and in the
eastern counties had to depend entirely upon
negroes for soldiers. Very respectfully,
HORACE PORTER, A. D. G.
PERSONAL.
NEW YORK, Jan. z. - The Commercials
Washington dispatch says Gen. Grant goes to
Baltimore on Wednesday next, to attend the
annual meeting of the Trustees of the Pea
body Educational Fund.
ILLNESS OF JOHN MINOR Bolts.
John Minor Bolts is at the point of death
with dropsy, at his home in Culpepper county