New-York tribune., 1869-04-09
vOL'XXVIn.. NO s,737.
WASHINGTON.

interesting each day. the interest being enhanced by
the action of our own Government and the presence
here of intelligent representatives from the insur-
rectionary forces, who are daily gaining influential
friends by the representations which they enabled
to give. There can no longer be any doubt of the
attitude of our Government in reference to the
American prisoners held by the Spanish authorities.
nor of the decision to maintain faithful neutrality
rs between the contending parties on the Island.
There is no doubt however, that our Government
will unhesitatingly demand the immediate and un-
conditional release of all the American prisoners ana
that all efforts at interference the part OF citizens
Of the United States will be peremptorily dealt WITH
This is rendered more apparent each day by the
action of the President and heads of Departments
The Navy Department is especially active IN Its
preparations to prevent interference by our citizens
Rear Admiral Poor the commandant of the Navy
Yard at Washington, received instructions to-
day TO fit out an iron-clad monitor with all
possible dispatch and it is more than probable that
,he is destined to swell the largely-ncreased naval
force in the West Indies. Telegraphic orders have
also been sent TO Commander John II. Upshur to
New-London, Conn.,, without unnecessary delay
to Havana, and report for duty to Rear Admiral
Hof 1t is also known, sem-ofically, that instruc-
lions will soon be issued for the preparation for sea-
service of the iron-cad monitors Dictator and
Canoncus-two Of the best vessels of their class IN
the possession of the Government and now lald up
at League Island. ~''
Efforts are being made by parties belonging to
either one side or the other Of the Cuban difficulty,
10 open negotiations with the Navy Department for
the purchase of certain few of our monitors. and
have asked the lowest price which the Government
will receive for them. Secretary Borie and Admiral
Porter however, are wary of these overtures, and
have thus far declined to entertain them. Admiral
Hof communicates to the Government
the fact that the Spanish authorities
have upon several occasions arrested American cti-
zens in Cuba upon the mere suspicion of their COM
plieity with the Rebels Frequently they are held
for long time without trial and when their cases
come up they are discharged for want OF evidence
This practice has become so common with the Span
sh authorities that Admiral Hof deems it his duty
to call the attention of the Government to the fact
in the hope that some action may be taken to pre-
vent such arrests in future.
II was feared yesterday that the message of the
President respecting the reconstruction OF virginia
Mississippi and Texas, would prOlOng the present
session. but the prompt action of the House today
in passing bill meeting the recommendations oil
the Presidents message, settles adjournment for the
( Aay appointed. When the House adjourned last
evening the message was left on the Speakers table,
and il was expected that it would be referred TO
committee to-day, and no report would
reach the House before Saturday. Gen. But
tber it seems was the man for the emer-
gency He has been doing his utmost all
along to wind up reconstruction. but the House was
against him. Early this morning he called upon the
President and received from him strict interprea-
tiOn of his message of last evening He then called
q meeting of the Reconstruction Committee, ex-
planned to them the views of the President his own
views and what he thought were the wishes of the
country, and, by the time the House met, the Com
mittee with great unanimity, had agreed upon bit
covering the recommendation of the President Inc
bill was promptly submitted to the House. and was
passed after brief debate only "a members Votlng III
the negative. all of whom were Democrats. The
bl authorizes the President at such times as he may
deem best TO submit the Virginia Constitution to
the registered voters of that State for raticatlon
or rejection and also to submit to separate vote
sncb nroyisons of that Constitution as he may deem
hest the elections to be held and the returns to be
made in the manner provided by the election ordi-
nance adopted by the Constitution. III further
authorizes him to submit, in the same way, 10 the
voters of Texas the entire Constitution framed for
that State OF separate provisions for It, provided
that no election shall be held in Texas for any pur-
nose. until the President so directs. The pro-
vision is made for Mississippi. If either of the Con-
sttutions be ratified the Legislature elected shall
assemble on the fourth Tuesday after the Official
promulgation of the ratification. The Commanding
General in either of those States may, with the ap
proval Of the President suspend until action by the
Legislature, all laws that he may deem oppressive.
This will give the President the power to submit to
vote separately from the constitutions proper OF
these States such provisions are likely to cause
their total defeat, and thus prolong the work OF
reconstruction. Among them are the disfranchise-
ment and disqualification provisions, and others of
mere local character The bill seems TO give general
satisfaction to all the honest men concerned.
In the discussion Of the message Of the President
recommending legislation upon Mississippi and
Georgia, all the members of the Senate Recon-
.struetion Committee expressed themselves de-
cidedly opposed TO opening up debate on the re-
construction policy, which, it was believed could not
be closed under two or three weeks The Committee,
however, we're willing to pass a simple resolution
confernng upon President Grant, through his
military commanders authority TO order elections in
any of the unreconsructed States at such time as he
may indicate.
In the Senate, to-day there was little routine bus
ness done. Mr. Sumner, who was hopeful yesterday
Of the prospect afforded on the reception of the Pres
dents message for a continued stay here. was the
first to gain the ioor and offered a resolution 10
scind the adjournment resolution, and the general
impression that his hopes would be realized but
when the vote was about to be taken a wet blanket
was thrown over him by Mr. Trumbull reporting,
from the Judiciary Committee, a recommendation to
postpone the consideration Of the matters contained
in the Presidents message until next December
Mr. Sumner, however. fought hard and brou 0bt for