From Washington.
the Peace Conference.
Rejoinder of Col. Hayne to the President — The Loan Bill — Appointments in the Navy, &c., &c. The Peace Conference in Washington, it appears, has not yet its full complement of members, though it is thought all will have arrived by to-day. The Washington Star, (Union,) of Saturday, gives the following relative to its proceedings:
‘ This body sat for a short time only, yesterday, and will wait the report of the Committee of One from each State, to whom all the plans of adjustment have been referred, before acting definitely on any business. The committee consists of the following gentlemen. Guthrie. Ky., Chairman; Fowler, N. H. Hall, Vt.; Ames, R. I.; Baldwin, Conn.; from N. J.; White, Pa.; Bates, Del.; Johnson, Md.; Seddon, Va.; Ruffin, N. C.; Ewing, Ohio. Smith, Ind., Logan, Ill.; Harlan, Iowa.
The general impression appears to be that, is case of the Committee failing to agree on any plan of compromise, the Maryland delegation will press on the Conference the proportion for calling a National Convention, thus transferring the whole question direct to the people.
The meetings have thus far been very harmonious, and there is an evident desire not to disagree. The election in Tennessee to-day, for candidates to a Convention, will, should she follow the lead of Virginia, have a favorable effect on the deliberations of the Conference.
Senators Collamer, Wade, and other Republican leaders, say that they will vote to submit the proposition of the Conference to a direct vote of the people.
From all we can learn, our previously expressed opinion that the Convention will recommend a settlement by a large majority vote from both sections — the South and the North--remains unchanged. We know that members of the body from the North, who came here indisposed to make any concessions whatever, as well as members from the South who came here disposed to be very exacting in the premises, have, both, modified their views. Or, in other words: that the growing disposition of the South in the body to ask only fair and reasonable terms, is being met by an increased disposition on the part of the North to grant everything that may really be necessary to secure, not hypothetical, but the substantial rights of the South, and to enable the Unionists of that section speedily to overthrow the spirit of disunion, from the Potomac to the Rio Grande.
The Baltimore Patriot (Repub.) has the following dispatch from Washington, Saturday:
Although the Peace Congress sit with closed doors, it has leaked out that one of the Virginia delegation presented a series of demands composed of the Crittenden proposition, with Powell's amendment, and the right of transit and sojourn in and through the free States; upon which Gov. Chase, as spokesman for the Northern men, said, in the most friendly tone, that if such were the conditions of continuance, they very much regretted it, but they would have to say goodbye. Indeed, I have very little expectation of the Conference accomplishing anything except the production of the demands of the different States, showing the temper and condition of the States, as evidenced by gentlemen who undoubtedly fairly represent all shades of opinion.
The Star has this paragraph about Col. Hayne's mission to Washington:
Yesterday, after the departure of Col. Hayne for Charleston, the President is understood to have received from him a last letter, of such a character as to make it imperative to return it to him by mail, which was done last evening. It is said to have embraced very ill-tempered comments on the admirable letter of Secretary Holt, published a few days since as a portion of the Hayne correspondence concerning his negotiations for the surrender of Fort Sumter. The offensive and insulting portion of the letter in question is believed to have been an allegation that the Government's possession of Fort Sumter was an unwarranted act of Major Anderson, by and through the President's violation of his faith to South Carolina, &c.
The following dispatches from Washington are received by telegraph:
Washington, Feb. 9.--The President has approved and signed the twenty-five million loan bill, which passed both Houses as originally reported with amendments pending that the revenue from the loan authorized by the Act of June, 1860, or so much as may be deemed necessary, shall be applied to the redemption of the Treasury notes issued under the Act of last December, and for no other purpose.
The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to exchange par bonds of the United States for said Treasury notes at legal interest, and shall not be obliged to accept the most favorable bids as provided for unless he shall consider them advantageous to the United States, and any portion of said loan not taken under the first advertisement, he may again advertise according to his discretion.
’ Certain distinguished Virginians have telegraphed to Governor Pickens, requesting him to still forbear assaulting Fort Sumter. The Governor has replied that he would take into respectful consideration any suggestion from them, but could give no definite answer until he shall receive the President's communication, and ascertain the grounds of the latter's refusal to surrender Fort Sumter.
The letter of Colonel Hayne, in rejoinder to the President's reply through the Secretary of War, was not received by the President until after the special message and accompanying documents were yesterday ready for transmission to Congress.
If the President has deemed proper to answer the rejoinder, it, together with the reply, would have been included in the documents. Colonel Hayne having left the city early yesterday morning, his rejoinder was returned to him through the mail, addressed to Charleston.
By reason of the receipt of information today of the seizure of New York ships at Savannah, together with the recent action of the New Orleans Custom-House authorities in obstructing interior commerce, in effect levying tribute, and the declaration of the Montgomery Congress in favor of opening Southern ports free to foreign commerce, Hon. John Cochrane will, on Monday, call up and press to a passage the bill heretofore introduced by him.
Alexander W. Russell, District of Columbia, and Samuel A. Cooley, of Connecticut, have been appointed paymasters in the Navy; and Rev. Dabney Ball, of Maryland, a chaplain in the Navy.
