New-York tribune., 1869-01-14

inplv organized and the Cochran claim referred 10 IT,
The Commission called upon Gen. Meigs Quarter
masteTGeneTa for the information III his possession
regarding the occupation of the property and the
estimated injury to the premises as well rs for hls
OpnOn regarding the business of the claim. Gen
Meigs replied with long report of all the facts
and presented all the papers in his possession.
Referring to the case, he also opposed the granting
of the claim for several reasons. the first OF winch
was that the property was wholly unproductive
being the country residence of gentleman VINO re-
manned in Europe during the entire war, and which
the Government cared for and preserved; Other
reasons were given, among whicn was
the disOyalty of the owner and his ser
vices to the Rebels during the war. The
Commission. however. overruled the recommend
atiOns of the Quarermaster General. and passed
the claim cutting il down TO $4,000. Gen. Melgs
has therefore been forced to approve the actloh
of the Commission and to-day referred the claim TO
the Third Auditor with directions to pay 1t. Coch-
ran also the owner Of the large art building a the
corner of Seventeenth-st. and Pennsylvania ave-,
which the Government seized early III the war, ana
has since occupied as the Quartermaster- Generas 8
Office. Cochran has also made claim against the
Government for about 100000 for the occupancy OF
with similar success Claims of loyal citizens whose
property is less distant from the Capitol but unfor
tunately located in Virginia, have been time and
again dIsaOwed.
The Senate Judiciary Committee to-day had the
Virginia delegation before them, VINO nave nee neen
holding sessions in this city for several days lhey
laid before the Committee the propositions aRree9
on by them which. in effect, grants suffrage ana
amnesty and mOdities the tourteenth Amend
ment aS to give all the people OF virginia now eN
cluded by that Amendment the rlght 10 noid once
The delegation claim thai II can be done by amend
ing the Reconstruction laws, ana strenuouSly uretd
upon the Committee the propnety OF making lhe
changes suggested. The Committee gave them a
patIent hearing. but did not indicate what action
they would take in the matter The Committee also
discussed the question OF admitting the georgia Sen
ators. but no conclusion was reached.
In the Criminal Court tins morning, DlStnct-At-
torncv Darlington called the attention of the Court
Judge Fisher TO the indictments against Jefferson
Davis and John II. Surratt, who are charged with
engaging in the Rebellion. lie then read the follow
inC communication from the AttOrney-General
ATTORNEY-GENEEAL's OFFICE,
WASHINGTON. Dec. &c. 1868. :
SIR: inclose for your consideration COPY Of the
proclamation of general amnesty by the President Of the
United States under date Of 2tth December INST You
will by the terms Of this proclamation there
extended Internationally and without reserve to al
and every person who directly or indirectly participated
in the late nSurrecti0n or Rebellion fun pardon and
amnesty for the oIcnse Of treason against the United
war"
The object of my present communication is to authorize
and instruct IN urtheIance OF the purpose and effect
OF this general amnesty aud PARDON 10 make an cNaua
tiOn Of the indictments pending in your district against
any person persons whomsOever "for the oense OF
treason against the United States adheuug 10 their
enemies during the late civil war; III order that early
enter OT ' HSHc Proseqid for tie Government upon
such indictments. If upon such examination you should
fud any case where from the tenor OF the Indictment or
the nature o the case known to you il should be
doubtful whether It falls within the embrace OF this gem
eral amnesty and pardon, will be so good rs 10 re-
port the same to me without delay, with such state
meut OF the indictment and case as may enable me TO
give you further instructions concerning the same Very
WIN. NJ. EyARTs Attorney General
Mr.. Darlington said that the Attorney y-GcneTal bad
the authority to instruct him, under the first section
of the Act Of August, 1861, 18th Statutes at large,
page 2Sj which reads, that the AttorncyGcncIa OF
the United States be and is hereby charged with the
general supeIintendence and direction OF the Attor,
neys and MarShas of all the districts OF the United
States and Territories. as to the manner OF
MaTklalS
are hereby required to report to the Attoncy-Gen-
eral an account of their official proceedings and the
time and manner as the Attorney General may di-
rect. lie therefore felt IT to be ms duty 10 obey
these Instructions and he would, IN view OF them,
enter nOtie pros III the case OF the indictment
against Jefferson Davis for treason. found by tho
Grand jury May 20, 1862 and also the indictment
against John &. BreCkinTidCe, Tor treason, found
on the same date. The indictment against j. ii.
Surratt found June Is. 1868 charging hin with en-
gaging in the RebelllOh was somewhat different
from the Others and he had concluded TO make the
same disposition, but under the circumstances hc
thonght that his duty would be TO report 1t TO the
AttOTney-General
election before them today and came, IL s said.
to the following conclusion: r,.-.,..---.,o
cate, not elected. ID. That Mr. Chrsty who holds
Cen Mcade's certificate, elected but tho latter
was ineligible being unable 10 take Tie usual oath nc
case referred 10 the Reconstruction Committee,
whether with any recommendation TO remove his dsa-
bilties or not is unknown.
To-day the delegates Of the colored people from all
States IN the Union, and of the states not yet adj
mtted assembled at the Union League Hall. The
room was denscly crowded about 800 delegates
being present and many spectators. William Mes
btt Of Pennsylvania, President Of the late Baltimore
maryland Border State Colored Convention called
the Convention to order TO order and read the Call
for the Convention, which sets forth its object
the purpose of extending the elective franchise.
The Hon. Henry NJ. Turner Of Georgia was called 20
the chair. During the absence OF the Committee.
The Committee on Credentials reported, after
which they adjourned till evening The
Convention met this evening at Israel
church A number of delegates presented their cIc-
dentlals, which were appropriately referred dis
patch was received from Montgomery, Alabama,
that the delegates from that State would
arrive here the 18th, and resolution was adopted
that II 10 States bad regular delegates here II might
be represented by any one who Is hero hail
ing from such State Gov. Egglest0n Of
Mississippi was elected honorary member of the Con-
ventlon and admitted within the bar Aaron VI.
Powell, editor OF The Anti-SidrcrB Standard and John
r. French, Representative in Congress from North
Carolina, were also elected honorary members.
Fred. Fred Douglas Of Yew-York ,i-' was iSsi elected
permanent President OF the Convention, and one
Nice-President and four Secretaries were elected
After authorizing the President 10 appoint commit
tees on finance and business, the Convention adj
jOurned until tomorrow.
delegation, composed of twelve citizens Of Prince
George County, Md, called upon President johnson
this morning, aud presented petition from citizens
of that county, asking for the pardon Of DIR. Mudd.
The President received their petition aud in response
merely Iclndlhtd Indt lie NOuu uClOhc III 10 lnc Al
Tor consideration by that official.
The Naval Register for 1869 has just been issued
Three additional names appear among the list of
Rear r-Admirals since the last Register was issued
viz Joseph l.. Amam, NJ. Turner, and Charles l..
Poor, while two Henry X. Iloti and Henry l.. Theck
er have been retired. The Rear-Admirals now in
active service are ten. EOrty-two deaths are
recorded, including Rear-Admlrals Bell Engle
and Alervine; CommodOres Prentiss, Ridge
ly, Miller and Gansevoort; Captains Mary aud
Dove, and three officers of Marines. The
IcEfg L..
eer force Of the Navy many belonging TO that branch
OF the service having been honorably discharged and
mustered out during the past year. the present Regis
ter showing with the exception of number of
mates, volunteer force Of line Officers nllmhering