Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-02-14

gent negroes of the district has been ex.
hasted, ald it is reported tonight that
many of them are in a starving condition.
Five are SAID TO have died of want since
Sunday last, and others have been found
so much reduced that their recovery is
very doubtful.
The Tennessee-A Vessel Dispatched
in Search.
No news has been received respecting
the Tennessee. Opinions heretofore ex-
pressed in official quarters of her safety
have in no respect been changed. The
President having been Intercepted to-day
on the subject said he did not expect to
hear from the Tennessee until the 10th
inst, as the packet for the capital of San
Domingo would not arrive at Geographic
point till that time. -7.
Notwithstanding the statements from
the President and the Navy Department
that there is no cause for alarm at the &c
lay in hearing from the Tennessee, pain
ful anxiety is apparent with almost every
body. 1t sesms to be the important topic
of conversation, and the first inquiry
made of a newspaper representative is,
elias anything been heard with regard to
the Tennessee. The Secretary of the
Navy has telegraphed to Admiral Lee at
Havana, commanding the South Atlantic
Squadron, to send vessel at once to San
Domingo City, and keep sharp lookout,
and telegraph to Washington Immediately
the first news that reaches him.
National Bank Notes not Legal Ten
deES.
The United States Treasurer has writ
| ten letter to party in New York con-
corning the question whether notes of
National Banks are legal tender. After
reciting and commenting on sections of
the National Bank acts, he concludes as
| follows:
AS you. allude to the principle involved
it may be proper for me to say that to
make National Bank notes legal tender
for all payments would virtually exempt
the banks from redeeming them, since
they would be as svailsble for all pur-
| poses, except the reserves of the banks,
as the notes of the United States in which
| they are redeemable. The whole National
| Bank circulation of the country would
thus become q permanent loan, without
| interest, from the people to the banks,
and would operate as tax upon the peo-
| pie in favor of the banks TO just the
/ amount of the interest on the bank notes
in circulation. Such policy is indefen-
sibe on every ground of principle or ex
pediency, and the prOpriety of its adop-
ton will scarcely admit of discussion.
The Income Tax.
The Secretary of the Treasury feels
| gratifed at the failure of the repeal of the
income tax law. He holds that prices of
Government bonds would not be SO good
as now, had the repeal been effected, and
says foreign dealers will purchase more
| freely when it is known that our securi-
ties are secured by al ample income, with
which to pay the national disabilities.
On Wednesday next final attempt
| will be made to bring the House to q
| vote on the repeal of the income tax. 1t
is hard to predict the result, but the i'm
| preston is general that the tax will not
| be changed. The Revenue Bureau has
already commenced printing the income
| blanks, and will direct assessors to have
| income returns made out next month.
The new rate is q per cent, with two
| thousand dollars exemption.
- congressman at Large.
Western Congressman are anxious to
| get up Mercur's appointment bill so as to
effer amendments providing for an cleo
ton for the forty second Congress at
large. The bill provides for thirty three
| additional members.
| The United States and England.
The new joint high commission be-
| tween Great Britain and the United
States, which is to convene here in q
| week or so, continues to be the subject
| of various speculation and comment on
| all sides. The English Legation are very
| much gratifed at the result, and prophesy
that in two months treaties will be negO-
| tiated for the settlement of the boundary
dispute, the fishery troubles, and the Ala
| b3ma claims. Quite a number of Sena-
tors and members are little dubious,
however, and some think that so far from
England having made any concessions all
have been made by the Administration.
Great stress is laid upon the fact
that this Government has agreed
to let all the British claims
which arose out of the rebellion to
come in as counter TO the Alabama claims,
which is the very point that the Johnson
Clarendon tresty covered and which the
United States Senate almost unanimously
rejected. These claims cover large
amounts, including cotton belonging to
British subjects which this Government
seized and sold during and since the war
in the South. The diplomatic move made
by England proves more abe and carries
more stuff than the Government, or any
of US, anticipated. Proposing to cOncede
everything, and putting forward the f17h-
cries and St. Lawrence, the most aggra-
waiting subjects TO US as specimens
of Hberality, the English Government
has secured a commission on a
basis that really leaves all open to discus
sion. 1t now leaks out that the out
RACES perpetrated by the Fenian bsnditti
in Canada, and the losses incurred by
English citizens at the South, are to be
put in as offsets to the Alabama claims.
The gentlemen selected to represent the
English Government are far ADLER than
ours, and, if we except Gen. SCheuck,
there is not one left able to cope with
these experienced diplomatists. The En-
glish pumps are as follows: Earl De GIey
and Ripon, formerly well known as q
member of the House of Commons, under
his courteous title of Lord Goderick, and
as an advanced Radical. He came to his
title, about seven years ago, as LORD
Ripon. Subsequently he fell heir to the
title of Earl De Grey, and, 1t being ar
older title than Ripon, he bears the join
title. He is about fOrty-fve years old, and
possesses moderate abilities. Professor
, Montague Bernard, Professor of Inter
national Law at Oxford, author of 6
ponderous work, supposed to have beer
written at the suggestion of the late Ear
, Clarendon, on the neutrality of England
during our civil war, and ultrG
English in tone; a man of marked ability
| about fOrty-three years old. LORD
- Tenterden, the Secretary, better
? known as Mr.. Abbott, of tht
; Foreign Office, he having succeeded to
his title only last year. He is known tC
J be the author Of Lord Clarendon's notes
and observations in answer to Secretary
! Fish's dispatch regarding the Alabams
question of the 26th of Sept, 1869. He
e IS said to be man of great attainments,
, and about forty years old. Sir John Nc
e Donald, the present Premier of Canada
: is probably the ablest man in the com