The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-02-19

Governor Claflin OF Massachusetts, has ap-
pointed Thursday, April 9Th, as the day for
fasting and prayer throughout the State.
A fund of 100000 is being raised for test
monial to General Sherman. Part of il will
be expended in the purchase of a house at
Washington and the remainder thrown in for
housekeeping
New York as well as Baltimore is consider
ing the propriety of giving President johnson
public reception after his retirement from
the White House.
The bill to prevent the causing of an artif-
cial scarcity of currency by loans of United
States notes as collateral, only needs now the
signature of the President to become a law.
Speaker Colfax will resign his place in the
House as soon as the journal has been read on
Wednesday, the Sd of March, and leave that
body to elect a new Speaker for twenty-four
hours. He does this because he is required to
be in the Senate chamber on the 4th of March,
ten OF fifteen minutes before the expiration of
the present Congress- in order to take the oath
of office as Vice-President. 1t is believed that
the House will give Mr.. Pomeroy of New York
the honor of serving one day as Speaker. His
term expires with this Congress, and he is
popular with his associates
The aggregate debts of all the States, accord
ing to Internal Revenue Commissioner Wells,
amount to $3.50, 10000. This does not include
what is called the rebel State debt
Queen Victoria wears her hair as she did
twenty-five years ago.
A will recently proved in the Probate Court
of Middlesex County, Mass, was signed Mi
chael J. O'Connor, deceased.
Rather than await the action of Congress
and take the chances of the Omnibus bill, the
North Pacific Railroad, projected from Puget's
Sound to Superior, have determined to issue
their own bonds, secured by mortgage on the
road, and put them on the market in order to
raise funds to construct the road. This means
that the company intend to go ahead and push
their work without any further governmental
aid. This road, it must be remembered, al
ready enjoys land grant just twice the size
of that given to the Union Pacific road
Hon. A: Ell. Stephens, of Georgia, was Sc
verely injured recently by heavy gate falling
on him. In poor health and quite fragile, it is
feared, he win not soon recover from the acct
dent. te
Salisbury as well as Patterson has been ex-
cused from serving on Committees.
Louisiana loans 100000 in State bonds to
the Mexican Government
The Quebec Legislature adjourned Wednes-
day for want of a quorum, only twelve men,
bers being present. A snow storm stopped the
trains and prevented the members reaching the
Capital. The snow in the streets is eight feet
| deep, and some streets are almost impossible.
tao, E.. Al
much delayed. A statement published by Dr.
Smallwood shows that the fall of snow this
winter is about 118 inches, which exceeds by
80 inches the total fall in any year for twenty
years past. Several extensive lumber mer-
chants in the Ottawa district have closed their
operations for the winter, owing to the difficult
ty in getting provisions into the woods to the
men.
At Lexington, KY, Wednesday morning, j.
w. Lee murdered his wife by cutting her
troat with razor He afterwards committed
suicide by cutting his own throat from ear to
ear with the same razor. Financial embar-
rassment brought about the tragedy.
The trial of Collector Thorn and his sureties
at Trenton, N. j., for alleged fraud on the rev.
enue, was concluded yesterday. A verdict of
hundred thousand dollars was rendered for
the Government.
A Rio Janeiro letter, dated Jan. 9Th, gives
an account of the assault and defence at An
gostura. Lopez had been formally called upon
to lay down his arms, but he Indignantly re-
fused. Minister Mcmahon advises Lopez to
continue the fight.
Maggie Mitchell, the actress, was secretly
married to Mr.. Henry I. Paddock, of Toledo,
in July last, but having a number of profess
sional engagements to fill kept the matter Sc
cret till the present time.
The Republican State Convention of Rhode
Island is called to meet at Providence on the
4th of March.
1t is estimated that $500 persons have died of
small pox in California during the past year.
In the Chinese quarters of San Francisco the
disease is almost unknown, although it would
reasonably be expected that the Chinese would
suffer most from it, as their habits are not the
cleanliest possible The San Francisco physi-
check the disease, and they attribute the in
efficiency of vaccination to the imperfect char
acter of the vaccine matter which they have
used.
Mrs. Grant has called upon Mrs. Gen. But
Ter to the astonishment of everybody.
The health of Henry Ward Beecher is much
improved
A Louisville dispatch says that George d.
Prentice and James Guthrie are both in an
extremely critical state of health.