The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-16

States of the Union.n = ~ .taG n
g .--AWashington letter says: "Some Of Mr..
I JEFF. Davis personal friends, who have return
ed ftom visiting him in Baltimore, say that he
has partially recovered his health, but he ex-
presses an earnest desire for quiet and free
dom from the excitement OF public affairs in
the future. They add that in these expressions
he does not intimate any expectation Of per-
sonal interest In public affairs. He neverthe-
less fears that some Of the local politicians In
Mississippi will attempt to advise with him,
and announces that he will repel all such at
tempts without regard to the probable coase-
!; quence of unfriendly criticism from his old
friends. They also report that he studiously
avoided all discussion Of the present political
situation, and contented himself, when refer
ring to it, by expressing hope that the libe-
ra, Conservative Republicans Of the South and
the Democrats in the North would succeed in
the pending campaigns. Referring to party
names, he Ia reported to have said that the De-
mocrats Of the North represent what Is left of
the principles of selfgovernment, while the
conservative Republicans Of the South repre-
sent all thatts left the same principle to the
people Of that section. Finally, his friends re-
port him TO be infavor of the election Of Judge
Dent as Governor Of Mississippi nfd 2--s
the story of Jordan's treachery is thus
told In Havana letter Of october 2: 'saSThe
most important sensational news has been ac-
lively circulated in this city for the past few
days in regard to the surrender of Jordan,
with his whole force. It has constituted the
;main topic of interest. The telegram inform
Ing you Of; the fact was authorized by the Cap
tain General, who sent for the agent Of the
New York Associated Press and through his
telegraphic censor gaze him the news that
General Jordan had submitted proposals Of
surrender, not of himself alone,s but Of the
whole force under his command. The terms
said to have been proposed by Jordan were
substantially that q large sum Of money,
(amount not stately was to be paid to him on
the completion of the surrender. and that his
personal safety was to be assured by the gov
ernment until his safe arrival in the United
States. The reply Of General De Rodas was
that, considering existing circumstances, his
duty compelled him to refuse any proposals of
this nature, and that he hoped within the short
space of three months to mete out to him dor
dan) the punishment which his plratical con-
duct merited. This Is, In a few words, the
version given by the Captain-Gcneral Of tic
affair which has caused such intense excite
nnent here.n
A new criminal code Is to DE laid before
the North German Parliament on its assem-
bling, draft of which has been lately publish
ed, and has ,elicited considerable comment
from the German papers. The smallar States,
especially those incorporated with Prussia as
the result Of the conquests Of 1866, have been
much more lenient in their penal laws thar
the larger kingdom, fact which has proved
the accidental cause Of an apparent reaction
In criminal legislation. There are no less than
fourteen offences, which, in the old Prussian
code, are punished by death, while in other
parts Of the country that penalty was inflicted
for murder alone, and in Nassau is believed
to have been abolished altogether. Accord
ing TO an account of the new code in one
of our foreign exchanges, death is made
the penalty of three offcnces-murder, trea-
son and violence against the sovereign. The
judges arc to be accorded greater discretion
in ayailing themselves of medical testimony in
cases where il is necessary TO ascert lin the men,
tai capacity Of the accused. But insults against
the government will be punished even more
severely than they are now. 1t Is thought
that the German Parliament Will probably