Washington Items.
The reassembling of Congress to-morrow is expected to disclose some further propositions in regard to the negro in this District. It was stated that the Judiciary Committee of the House has agreed to report a bill striking out the word "white" from the charter of this city.
From the interest manifested, quite a large vote may be expected on Thursday next upon the question of universal suffrage. The evidences of citizenship, as in the usual municipal elections, is essential to procure the privilege of voting, excepting the requirement relative to payment of all arrearages of taxes, which does not apply to the coming election, being only a test of public sentiment, which is adjudged to be overwhelmingly in opposition to negro suffrage.
Fourteen out of seventeen of the Ohio Republican Congressional delegation and seven out of eleven of the Indiana Congressmen will vote for a repeal of the Washington city charter in preference to favoring negro suffrage.
No reduction of taxes.
There is said to be no prospect that the Committee on Ways and Means will propose a reduction of the taxes this session. There are certain taxes which they will doubtless ask the House to repeal or modify, but they are not likely to reduce the aggregate of revenue from taxation and duties at present. The Committee on Appropriations, however, are in an economical mood, and are cutting down the estimates very much.
From Mexico.
Senor Romero, the Mexican Minister at Washington, has advices that the Republicans took Monterey, but were forced to give it up by two strong columns of French troops — also, that a French division had been repulsed with heavy loss.Senor Romero has also received official intelligence from El Paso up to the 12th of November. President Juarez, his Cabinet and other officers of the National Government intended to leave El Paso on the 13th of that month for the city of Chihuahua. The French had retreated as far as Durango, and it was understood they would also abandon that State in their movement of concentration.
The Veteran Reserve Corps.
Those who favor the retention of the officers of the Veteran Reserve Corps say, after an examination of the subject, that these officers represent four hundred disbanded volunteer organizations, and that a large portion of them were wounded in the late campaigns in Virginia.
Diplomatic correspondence.
Owing to the time required for copying the diplomatic correspondence with England and France, referred to in the President's annual message, it is not probable the transcript will be communicated to Congress until after the holidays.
The Mexican mission.
If it is true, as repeatedly reported, that General Logan has declined the Mexican mission, the fact is certainly not known in official quarters.The sensation rumors which state that "old soldiers on the Rio Grande," and others in like well-informed circles, are apprehensive of a war between the United States and France, partake too much of the ludicrous to require serious denial. Such stories are peculiarly the creation of persons who get up telegraphic dispatches, never being seen anywhere else in a newspaper than under that head.
Washington, December 16.--A dispatch from Governor Johnson to the President announces that the Legislature will take a recess till the 15th of January without electing Senators. He thinks that the President will be pleased with the inaugural of Governor Jenkins, and that there will be complete harmony between the State and Federal Executives.
The Garland case.
The Supreme Court of the United States has ordered that Robert H. Marr have leave to file a printed argument, asking, as does Mr. Garland, that he may be re-admitted to practice without taking the oath prescribed by Congress.
The recent Swindle.
Last week we took occasion to expose the transactions of a certain "claim agency" established in Washington, which had swindled discharged soldiers out of over twenty thousand dollars by making false representations to the effect that, for twenty-five dollars, they would agree to procure for a soldier sixty acres of land on the line of the great Pacific Railroad Company. Recent developments indicate that the fraud was more stupendous than was supposed; instead of one, there are nearly two thousand victims of this great swindling operation, and the number is being daily augmented by applications received in this city asking that measures may be adopted to restore to them their investments. Judging by the letters and statements received from different portions of the country, directed to the office of the company, it appears that agencies were established at the principal State rendezvous for troops, and as soon as a regiment was mustered out and paid off, the soldiers were approached by agents, who guaranteed, for the compensation referred to, to benefit the soldiers as, proposed. By this means entire companies subscribed, paid away their hard earnings, and were swindled by unscrupulous men, whose occupation during the war was to prey upon their fellows. The Government detectives are on the track of this set of rascals, and it is expected that, unless they have fled the country, they will be apprehended and suffer the penalty prescribed.--Chronicle.
Freedmen affairs.
Major-General Howard, Commissioner, has just received a report from Colonel E. Whittlesey, Assistant Commissioner for the State of North Carolina, in which he represents that acts of violence and serious difficulties between negroes and whites are very rare. None deserving mention have been reported during the month. The destitution is not so great as was anticipated, but there is reason to fear that it will increase before spring. In the western district of the State the freedmen are beginning to look for homes, and that contracts are made for the next year at fair wages, and many are renting lands on liberal terms. The greater part of the blacks understand that they must work, and are willing to do so. The temper of the better class of whites toward the blacks is good.The Commissioner gives the number of schools in the State as sixty-seven, the number of teachers as six hundred, and the number of scholars as seven thousand and fifty-three. The number of hospitals has been diminished to twelve.--lb.
Mail Facilities.
Contracts have been ordered for service to commence immediately on a number of important routes in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and other Southern States; and it is believed that they will be put in operation without delay. We name some in Virginia:Route 4,680, Cady's Tunnel to Lexington; and 4,599, Bonsack's to White Sulphur Springs, A. D. Trotter.
Mrs. Mary B. Thompson has the route from Bowling Green to Newtown, Bowling Green to Mangohick, and Bowling Green to Edge Hill.
J. C. Howard, of Washington, D. C., has the route from Fredericksburg to Tappahannock.
J. T. Rouse, of Washington, D. C., has the route from Tappahannock to Richmond.
Henry Carns, of Warsaw, has the route from Warsaw to Kinsale.
J. T. Rouse has the route from Tappahannock to Gloucester Courthouse.
Circulation.
The National Currency Bureau last week issued to national banks currency amounting to four million seven hundred and ninety-one thousand two hundred and ten dollars.
Redemption.
The Redemption Division of the Treasury Department, for the week ending December 16, 1865, redeemed five hundred and thirty-three thousand dollars in certificates of indebtedness, and five millions three hundred and ninety- one thousand four hundred and thirty dollars in currency and gold certificates.The ladies of the National Union Relief Association are preparing to give a bountiful Christmas dinner to the freedmen at the Campbell Hospital, including the teachers and scholars, embracing in all seven hundred people.
The extensive sale of the materials in the warehouses and workshops at Alexandria of the United States military railroad has been temporarily suspended, to enable purchasers to remove the articles already sold, when the sale will recommence. At the sale on Friday varnishes sold at $1.75 to $2.50 per gallon; linseed oil at $1.40; several thousand gross of screws at 25 to 35 cents per gross; axes (new) at $14 to $14.50 per dozen.
Last week, the Comptroller of the Currency issued a certificate authorizing the commencement of business to the National Valley Bank, at Staunton, Va., and various others in the Northern and Western States.
The American Legation at Jeddo, Japan, has transmitted to the Department of Agriculture a lot of vegetable and flower seeds, embracing over two hundred varieties. It is not stated whether these seeds are intended for public distribution, or merely for experimental purposes in the gardens connected with the Department.
