We have received Northern papers of the evening of Friday, the 3d instant:
The constitutional amendment.
The rejection of the constitutional amendment abolishing slavery throughout the United States by the Legislature of New Jersey, on Wednesday, defeats that measure for the present. So far, eighteen States have ratified the action of Congress, while only three have rejected it. The question will now come before the people of the three States which have rejected the amendment, and will probably have a direct bearing upon the election of the members of their next Legislatures.The Legislatures of the following States have ratified the amendment:
- 1--Illinois, Feb. 1.
- 2--Rhode island, Feb. 2.
- 3--Michigan, Feb. 2.
- 4--New York, Feb. 3.
- 5--Pennsylvania, Feb. 3.
- 6--Maryland, Feb. 3.
- 7--Massachusetts, Feb. 3.
- 8--West Virginia, Feb. 3.
- 9--Maine, Feb. 7.
- 10--Missouri, Feb. 7.
- 11--Ohio, Feb. 8.
- 12--Minnesota, Feb. 8.
- 13--Kansas, Feb. 8.
- 14--Virginia, Feb. 9.
- 15--Indiana, Feb. 13.
- 16--Nevada, Feb. 16.
- 17--Louisiana, Feb. 17.
- 18--Wisconsin, Feb. 24.
- 1--Delaware, Feb. 8.
- 2--Kentucky, Feb. 23.
- 3--New Jersey, March 1.
| name of State. | Politics. | meeting of Legislature. |
| Arkansas | Republican | now in session. |
| Connecticut | Republican | may 3, 1865. |
| California | Republican | Dec. 4, 1865. |
| Iowa | Republican | Jan. 7, 1865. |
| New Hampshire | Republican | June 7, 1865. |
| Oregon | Republican | Sept. 10, 1866. |
| Tennessee | Republican | April 3, 1865. |
| Vermont | Republican | Oct. 12, 1865. |
Recapitulation.
| Total number of States | 36. |
| Necessary to ratify amendment (three-fourths） | 27. |
| States-Which have ratified | 18. |
| Rejected | 3. |
A fight in the Rappahannock.
The United States revenue steamer Tiger, Lieutenant David Evans commanding, arrived yesterday from Hampton Roads, towing the Wolf Trap, light ship, which had parted her moorings in the late heavy gales.While on the passage up, on the 27th, in the afternoon of that day, the Tiger was towed into the Rappahannock by the gunboat Banshee, Captain --, in order to clear a rope which had fouled the propeller, and anchored under Windmill Point near the Commodore Reed, Lieutenant Commander Hooker, say within five hundred yards of the shore. Lieutenant Hooker informed Lieutenant Evans that he had intelligence that was reliable that about one thousand of Mosby's men were in the immediate neighborhood, and that they had been under arms all the previous night, and expected some trouble from them that night.
About dark the rumbling of wheels was heard distinctly by the officers and men on board the Tiger, which was supposed to be the wheeling of artillery.--About 8 P. M. a volley of musketry was heard issuing from the woods, near the beach, and a few minutes afterwards the guard ship opened fire and shelled the woods. Not knowing exactly what the trouble was, but apprehending a foe in that direction, the Tiger's crew beat to quarters, and commenced shelling the woods also. In the meantime, the engineer and others, who had been hard at work ever since the arrival of the vessel there, reported the propeller clear, and that it was in working order again. The anchor was immediately hove up, and the light ship taken in tow, the Tiger's head was turned seaward, and succeeded in gaining an offing. About midnight, when we had just cleared the spit on Windmill Point, heavy firing was going on from the flag-ship, and flashes were seen right on the Point (Windmill), and the conclusion we came to was that there was a battery, or that the artillery had been brought down there to endeavor to prevent the Tiger, the light vessel, and several schooners that lay there, from getting out to sea.
The ram Olinde.
The New York Herald has the following about the ram Olinde:‘ The career of the rebel ram Stonewall does not promise to be either long or brilliant. On escaping from Copenhagen the vessel was found to be entirely unseaworthy; and Page, her commander, therefore made for the Spanish port of Corunna. The Government of her Catholic Majesty, it is reported, lost no time, after the vessel came to anchor, in asking information from the French Government as to her real character. At first, it is said, an evasive answer was returned by M. Drouyn de L'Huys. But on more mature consideration the Spanish authorities were advised to refuse to the Olinde the privilege of making repairs at Corunna. The United States frigate Niagara, meanwhile, had taken up a position at the entrance of the harbor, so as effectually to prevent all chance of the pirate's escape. The Sacramento has likewise been sent to reinforce the Niagara.
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Miscellaneous.
Gold, 199.On Wednesday evening the commencement of the New York Medical College for Women was celebrated at the Athenæum, Broadway. Fifteen young ladies, who have undergone the usual course of study to befit a man to practice medicine, received their medical diplomas from the hands of the lady President of the institute. The proceedings include the usual programme on such occasions, namely: the reading of the Thesis by one of the graduates, the conferring of degrees, the valedictory, addresses, &c.
There are said to be at present one hundred and fifty-four thousand tons of ice, varying from twelve to eighteen inches in thickness, stored in ice-houses on the Hudson river.
An official report to Congress shows that the whole number of rebel prisoners of war who have enlisted in the Union service thus far is about three thousand nine hundred. Most of them are now serving in the Northwestern Department.
The Goodyear rubber case has about fallen through. The Senate Patent Committee have declined to go into the case; and as the House committee are averse to any extension, it will now doubtless be thrown open to the public.
The board now in session at Springfield for the examination of small arms, &c., have decided to reduce the calibre of small arms from fifty-eight and fifty-four to fifty, which reduces the weight of the ball one-third, thus making an important saving of lead in the ammunition and reducing the weight necessary to be carried by the soldier.
General Grierson is to have charge of all the cavalry in the Department of the West.
The Bulletin publishes a list of rebel sympathizers and deserters residing in Memphis who have taken the amnesty oath, numbering one thousand and forty-five names. A. Jackson Donelson is among them.
A Washington telegram says: The President's inaugural address will probably be the briefest ono ever delivered. It is announced that the reading of it will not occupy more than from five to eight minutes. He thinks is unnecessary to make it longer by repeating what he has already said in recent public messages.
