iJebforb inquirer. iIsBFORD, PA.. FRIDAY JAX. ttt. fWft. Oliß CANDIDATE f()K THE GIB EKNATORIAI. SOHINATtOK. The Convention which assembled, in Bed ford. on last Wednesday, by a unanimous vote, presented Hon. John Cessna as the choice of this county for the LHion nomina tion for Governor. The contest between the rival candidates, Col. Jordan and Mr. Cessna, was marked with considerable warmth, and resulted in casting a heavier vote for delegates than was ever polled, at any previous deie. gate election, in this county. We are satis fied that Col. Jordan and his friends will now accord to Mr. Cessna that cordial sup port fc-r the nomination that is so necessary to secure success and preserve the harmony of the party. Mr. Cessna's course, for the last four years, has won for him a host of friends, both at home and abroad. When the war broke oat, he placed himself, at once, upon the side of the Government. His first great aitu, as a Democrat, was to bring the Democratic party Bp to the support of the war. To this end he labored constantly and earnestly. He was every where received as a War Demo crat, and while the least conceivable hope ap peared in favor of committing the Democrat ic party to the support of the Administration, Mr. Cessna endeavored to shape its course to that end, but when the Democracy declared that the war was a failure, and in favor of Peace, he saw no other honorable course left him, but to identify himself with the party that was determined to vindicate the laws and suppress treason. From the day that he first announced himself in favor of the re election of Abraham Lincoln, he has been received and acknowledged as one of the leaders of our own party everywhere. During the canvass which followed, he labored night ana day, to bring about a triumph. At the late State Convention he was chosen its Chairman, and the policy fore-shadowed in his speech, on taking the chair, was taken its the keynote for the platform of principles on which our ticket was to go before the masses. The same Convention, by a unanimous vote, selected him as the Chairman of the Union State Central Committee, a position not of his own seeking, which was conferred upon him for his Well known energy and zeal for the cause of his country. The canvass was a short and decisive one, so short, in fact that many of our friends thought it beyond the range of possibility to arouse the people to such an extent, as to guarantee us a complete victory. The country had just passed through a terrible ordeal of war, and settled down to enjoy the quiet of peace, while the army, which had been so formidable in bringing Union victories, by both bayonet and ballot, had gone back to the plough, the loom, and the anvil, and no one was prepared to say what formidable obstacles the canvass would develope. Doubt and uncertainty loomed up on every hand. Our antagonists were buoy ant with hope. They told us that we could no longer "vote the army," as they were pleased to term it, nor could we excite the passions of the people with patriotic appeals. And many of us thought there might be too much truth in the latter statement; bat we never hesitated to place confidence in the men who had met the enemy face to face. At this juncture Mr. Cessna took the helm. He labored earnestly, never for a moment deviating or swerving from his purpose to conquer the last remnant of treason at home, and he wound up his successful labors on the 2d Tuesday of October last, with one of the most brilliant victories that could be desired by any party. We may earnestly hope tha l he will receive the nomination for Governor at the hands of the Union State Convention, and if he does, we have no hesitation in say ing that he will be elected by one of the larg est majorities ever given a candidate for that office in this State. The contest which took place in this coun ty was very much to be deplored, but under the circumstances, it could not have been avoided, unless one or the other of the candi dates had withdrawn his name, which we sup pose, neither felt like doing, and the only plan that has been practiced here, to settle the claims ot candidates, has beeu by submit ting them to a County Convention, and the result of the Convention is always accepted as final. Col. Jordan has many claims upon our people, by whom he has always been highly qsteemed and frequently honored, and had he received the sanction of a majority ot the convention, no people would have made more strenuous efforts to advance him to the Gubernatorial chair than the Union citizens of Bedford county. STEVENS' SPEECH. On our first page will be found the speech of Hon. Thaddeus Stevens, on reconstruc tion, delivered in the House of Representa tives Dec. 18. 1860. We publish it not as Republican doctrine (for he, himselfsays that he is speaking for himself and not fcr the party) but as an exposition of the views of one of the leading minds in Congress. In these days of toadyism, it is refreshing to find a public man who has the courage to throw aside the leading strings of party and think and speak boldly and honestly upon the great questions of the day. However much Copperheads may revile him, and weak kneed politicians deprecatehis boldness, all give him credit for independent and original views and the courage to announce them. Stevens has never been a favorite with wire working politicians, for the reason, that, they were unable to lead and too timid to follow him, except at along way behind. A MISSISSIPPI paper is complaining that & great uumbei of farms are running to waste More than one half of them are overran with broom sedge grass' ''and there is no prospect of improvement unless the freed men can be induced to go to work." Let the white men who own this land go to work and the whole difficulty will be obvia d, and if they will not- do that, let them sell it to the freedmen, and the latter will have some inducement to go to work. THE ASSESSOR of Internal Revenue for the third district of Georgia reports that after assiduous efforts he has been able to find in his district of over twenty populous counties, but one man who could take the test oath necessary to an appointment as an assistant assessor. Asa consequence, the Assessor thinks it will he necessary to modi fy the or the assessment of taxes cannot be wade. ' 1860. The >*r Ife# was more thati ijrriifor- 1 rily crowded with |iic voir upon whom we have just entered bids fair to .equal or even surpass it in the importance of itsbt aripg upon our immediate future as a nation. But if the predictions, of the most eminent students of prophecy, for hundreds of years past, are to be relied on, there is a probability that it may be big with events of the highest importance to all men and nations. From the remotest antiquity to the present day, there has exis ted a deep seated belief or tradition, that the world would endure six thousand years, and that at the end of that period the pres ent dispensation Would cease and the riab hatical rest or Millenium begta. This opin ion was held by the earliest commentators upon prophecy and was taught by many em inent ehri-tians of early times, such as Jus tin Martyr. Irenaeus. Tertullian and oth ers. The commonly received chronology of the .Scriptures, being no part of the inspired record, is generally agreed among commen tators to be defective; it makes the six thousand years extend about one hundred and thirty-three years in the future. Emi nent chronologists differ in their calculations, making the six thousand years end at vari ous periods from the close, of 186-5 up to 1898 or 2000: some of the most distinguish ed making it end with 1860. ' Again there is a period, more frequently aliuded to than any other in prophetic scriptures, known as the twelve hundred and sixty years of Daniel, at the expiration [ if which the power of the man of sin is to ! ho destroyed and the millenial period to be rin. The chief difficulty, respecting this period, is to find its commencement, and this has generally been placed by protestant commentators in the year 606 A. D. when the Papacy was established by the decree <J Phocas, and about which time also Moham medanism arose. One or both of these is regarded as that power pointed out in scrip ture, which is to run a bloody and tyrranic al course of twelve hundred and sixty years and then terminate in a sudden and terrible overthrow. 3lany able commentators agree upon this period and Faber. whose scheme and calculations are the most elaborate and complete embracing aD<i harmonizing the prophecies of Daniel and John, solving more difficulties, answering more objections and throwing more light upon Revelation than any other, makes the twelve hundred and sixty years end with 1865. On the supposition that Popery is the system indicated there are certainly some striking concurrences taking place, not the least among which is the withdrawal of the French troops from Rome. The Universe, a paper of the Roman Catholic Church, pub lished in Philadelphia thus groups together the dangers which seem to be gathering round the head of the Papal church : "Our illustrious Holy Father, the most gra cious of all the Popes, is now beset by new dangers. The Emperor of Catholic France is deserting him; Victor Emanuel is incessantly plotting lor his ruin in every direction; hor des of armed brigands, incited to pillage and invasion by Italy, are constantly outraging both his people and his sacred possessions; and Europe looks on without a protest. What will the issue he? Lamoriciere is dead. Piniodan is no more. Mgr. Merodeu man of splendid capacities in military mat ters, has laid down his office from a bad state of health. And the Pupal soldiers, though brave and true as soldiers can be, are out matched in numbers, ten to one, by the plundering troops of the surrrunding ene mies. Spain has joined the robbers. Aus trian-even Austria —may be purchased with a bribe, or compelled by fear to do the same iniquitous act. Examined in the temporal mirror of things, it ihust be acknowledged that the illustrious Chief of Christendom is in the attitude ofa fawn in the tigers'sjun le." WELL DONE. On Thursday last Mr. Donovan of Phila delphia read a bill in the State Senate to al low passenger railway cars to run on all days of the week. The Speaker referred it to the committee on Vice and Immorality. Mr. Donovan requested that it should be re ferred to the Railroad Committee, but the Speaker said it would be referred to the Committee he had named, because it had reference to the. morality of the community. We are heartily glad to see a man in the Speaker's chair who has the moral courage to deal with things as they deserve, and who dares to set his face sternly against any attempt to obtain from our State Legisla ture any further license for Sabbath dese cration. If we had a few more men of the same stamp, as officers and magistrates, in our State, to enforce the Sabbath laws we have, and prosecute offenders instead of winking at their offences, it would go far toward remedying the present deplorable laxity of public morals. All hail we say, to the Speaker of the Senate. May there be many to imitate his example. NEW JERSEY, for the first time in many years, Ims loyal and true men in the control of her Legislature. Both branches are Union Republican. When Gov. Ward is inaugurated, the political purification of a State which so long shamed her sisters by her political prostitution will be conplete. A PROPOSITION is before Congress to con vert Arlington Heights into a soldiers' home. It is already the last resting place of thousands of dead loyal heroes, and should always be reserved as a resort for the brave and a home for the defenders of the country i I. a It is claimed that the celebrated Ameri can Falls of St. Anthony are rapidly under going a change; that during the past two years, they have receded about three hun dred and ninety feet, and that they must, at this rate, soon be destroyed. THY. NEW York Herald , speaking of the Fenian Convention now in session in that city , says that there appears to be plenty of loud talk, eloquent debate and splendid speeches, but little of a practical character seems to be determined on. COLLECTIONS are being made in Great Britain in aid of the Freedmen of America. | This is something in keeping with a people who love to be regarded as being the leaders in civilization and works of humanity. WM. GRENSELL, ESQ., of Springfield, Illinois, is duly accredited, by the Directors of the National Lincoln Monument Associa tion, to make collections for that object in Peno , " 1 --uia. out enftffflott SfcllOOt SYSTEM. r ; u. Inequality of Appropriation*. Before making any comparison of the ap propriations we would reiterate the fact that the various school districts are required to keep open their schools for the full term of fouf ttlb'-lhs, ih order to obtain their portion lof the State appropriation. It follows there fore that where a tax has been laid sufficient to keep open the schools six or eight months, the amount must be reduced to the proportion required for four months, in order to show the actual inequality existing. Thus Clear field county, faised by tflxiStion stl9oßo.fi> and obtained 4.29 months school, at the same rate the amount required to keep open her schools four months and to secure her share of the appropriation would have been $17,- 790.35, this amount she was obliged to raise to obtain an appropriation of $1765.10 or not quite one-tenth of the amount of the tax. The rate of taxation absolutely necessary for this purpose was 5.01 mills. Delaware county raised by taxation $38,413.08 and had 9.15 months school, at the same rate, the amount required to keep open her schools four months and obtain her appropriation would have been $10,792.80 enabling her to obtain an appropriation of $2073.44, or nearly one sixth of the amount required to be raised by I taxation, and only requiring a rate of taxa tion of .57 mills. Here we see the rich and densely populated county of Delaware is ena bled to obtain nearly twice as large an appro priation from the State, in proportion to the amount reqiiired to be raised by taxation, as the poorer and more sparsely settled county of Clearfield and this with less than one eighth the rate of taxation. Fulton couuty raised by taxation $7,929.55, and kept her schools open four months and obtained an appropriation of 5788.58 or less than one tenth of the amount required to be raised by taxation. This required a rate of taxation of 2.02 mills. Montgomery county with a fax of $02,193- 46 had 7.34 months school, at the same rate four months, would, have required $33,892.- 89, enabling her to obtain ati appropriation of $6534.94 or nearly ODe- fifth of the required tax, while her rate of taxation was only .30 mills. Here again we find the richer county of Montgomery obtaining twice as large a pro portionate appropriation as the poorer county of Fulton. Though Fulton to obtain her pit tance of an appropriation has endured nearly six times as high a rate of taxation. Forest county raised by taxation $1609.08 to secure four months and obtain an appro priation of $81.12 or about one twentieth of the amount of its tax. To obtain this amount required a rate of taxation of 3.5 mills. Bucks county roised by taxation $62,936.- 83 and had 8.28 months school. At the same rate four months would have required $30,- 404.98 or almost one-fifth of the amount she raised by taxation. To obtain this amount only required a tax rate of .54 mills. Here we find the richer county obtaining about four times as large a proportionate appropriation as the poorer, though necessarily enduring but one-sixth as Ligh a rate of taxation. These are but a few instances out of many that may be found by reference to the report of 1864, but they are sufficient to demonstrate the fact that the present method of appropri ating the public found, set aside for school purposes, is as grossly unequal and unjust as the present method of taxation, and that it in like manner discriminates against the poorer and in favor of the richer counties. Some of the results of this inequality and injustice will be given in onr next. Fisheries of Pennsylvania. ()ne of the most resectable assemblages of citizens of Pennsylvania, that has been convened in the State capital for many years was that of the delegates to the Fish con vention which met in the House of Repre sentatives yesterday. Six hundred dele gates presented credentials as representa tives of different localities. It was compos ed of earnest and energetic men. met to gether for the advancement of an object in volving questions of almost vital import ance to the masses of the j>eople. At all times, the question of cheap food is worthy the attention of the business man and the legislator; and any movement calculated to secure this economy in the price of the nec essaries of life, is deserving the support of influential men of all parties. The opening of the Susquehanna river to the free passage of fish, by the alteration of the dams now obstructing that stream and its tributaries, has for years past been felt as one of stem necessity. When the corpo rations which now own dams in those streams, were allowed the right to erect such works it was never for a moment sup posed that the result would be the destruc tion of the fisheries. Those streams were regarded as public highways. When their use was conceded to corporations, it was not contemplated that from such use, by other parties, their products, which arc really the gift of God, would be impaired and hope lessly ruined. Rut sueli has been the case. Extensive and valuable fisheries, at onetime employing many people, which created large revenues and afforded cheap food for the laborer, have been abandoned, because the dams thus erected in these streams pre vented the passage of fish to those waters. Science and mechanism have since demon strated the fact that dams can be erected so as to afford the passage of fish. It has also been established that dams can be altered so as te secure this object. Other States, by these means, have restored fisheries im paired by this influence, and the people liv ing along streams in Pennsylvania, which once abounded with fish, but which have been gradually drawn hence to other wa ters to spawn and multiply, not only ask lor a restoration of blessings bestowed by God, as a free offering to all.— Harrisburg Telegraph, Jan. 11. ABOUT $14.000 have already been dis. bursed in paying the army up to December 31. All officers aud men who served to that date will be at once paid in full. THY lobbies of Congress are now bilious with borers having in band any quantity of railroad projects. Congress is not the only legislative body threatened by this influence. THE Governor of Minnesota, in his last annual message, recommends equality before the law of white and black meo. NONE of the Federal troops now in Vir ginia are to be withdrawn from that State. FKOtt WASHINGTON. WASHINGTON. Jan. y, 1800. The movement for the organization of a new party, of which certain newspapers have bfleti prophesying- was made in the House to=duy by Mr P. W. I oorbees, of Indiana, who introduced a resolution indors ing the Presided!-'s policy, aud making one of his old f&hiotieu speeches dgaiflst it: John A. Hidglititt! fepiied With tel'itig effect. One sentence evoked uncontrollable applause both on the floor and in the gal lerv; (hat in which be said that if the collision should come between the Unionists and the President which the gentleman seemed to anticipate, and the President should be left With nd supporters -are sttch Men'as met with Mr. Vouchees at Chicago to pronounce the war a failure, then alt he had to say was, God help the President aadsave the Repub lic. Nearly the toll Union strength vot ed to refcre the resolution to the Reconstruc tion Committee. THE COMMISSARY GENERAB OP (SUBSISTENCE Is having prepared a statement showing the quantity and price of every article pur chased by; the subsistence Department, from the begining to the etid of the rebellion. AMENDMENTS OF REVENUE LAWS. Collector (rrnnniss, of Cleveland, is a uioug the custom officers now here in consul tation with the Commissioner of Customs, relative to the proposed amendments to the Revenue Law for the preventiou of smug gling on the Northern frontier. The collec tors held another consultation with Mr. Sar gent to-day. SURGEON GENERAL WOODS. Brevet Brigadier General R. C. Woods, late" Assistant Surgeon General at Louisville Kentucky, has been assigned to duty at Foit Adams, Newport, Rhode Tsland. FKKEOVIAN'S SCHOOLS. A report received at the Freedmen's Bureau to-day shows that in Missouri there are in operation nineteen colored schools, with twenty-three teachers and thirteen hundred and forty-nine scholars, in Ar kansas there are thirteen schools, with sev enteen teachers and fourteen hundred and seventy-eight scholars. REVENUE DECISION. The Secretary of the Treasury has decided that canal boats duly enrolled and licensed on which tonnage has been paid, are not j liable to the Internal Revenue tax. REBEL INCENDIARIES. An attempt was tnade, a few davs ago, by the reconstructed rebels, in Faiquier coun ty, to burn down the residence of Mrs. Nix on, widow of Paymaster Dixon, of our Ar my, who was recently shot, and killed, in the streets of Alexandria, by a returned reb el officer. An anonymous note was sent to Mrs. pixsoD, warning her that if she pre sisted in remaining in the county, her house would be burned over her head, and she and her childien are now in Washington exiles from their home. THE RECEIPTS FROM INTERNAL REVENUE. To-day, were seven hundred and twenty five thousand dollars. The receipts, from July Ist np till date are one hundred and eighty-seven millions five hundred thous and dollars. The Commissioner is confident that the receipts will reach three hundred millions for the fiscal year. The di-tilerieg are beginning to be heard from. RECONSTRUCTION SPEECHES. , Twenty nine names arc now on theSpcak er's list for speeches on reconstruction iu Committee of the Whole, and three or four are added for even - one that has yet come off. Col. Deming, of Connecticut, has the floor for to-morrow. He will take strong ground iu favor of Congressional power in the premises, and will heartily unite with the President in demanding irreversible guar antee for the freedmen. CONGRESSIONAL. WASHINGTON. Jan. 8, 1866. SENATE. The result of the late vote in Washington on the suffrage question was presented. A resolution was adopted calling on the Presi dent for information in regard to an order issued forbidding the exportation of arms across the Mexican froutier, and asking whether the order was not a violation of neutrality with Mexico. Another was also adopted asking why the commission to in vestigate the claims for compensation of loy al slave owners, whose slaves had joined the I nion army, had not been appointed. Ad journed. HOUSE. Bills were introduced, and referred, for the disposition of Government lands in the Southern States as homesteads; to a mend the act to establish a railway be tween Washington and New York; to ascer tain and adjust claims for injury to,- or de struction of, property: by the military, dur ing the rebellion; to grant additional boun ties to soldiers who enlisted in the early part of the war. A resolution was adopted calling for information in regard to kidnapping of the child of an American lady, by Maximil lian, in the city of Mexico. Another was also adopted instructing the Committee on Naval Affairs to report on the propiiety of League Island a the site for a navy-yard. A resolution declaring that the national forces shall not oe withdrawn from the late ly seceded States until Congress shall deem their further presence there unnecessary was adopted. A bill was reported from the Mays and Means Committee providing for the fund me of obligations of the United States. Tb< bill denouncing polygamy, de claring that, like its twin-sister, slavery, it should be swept from the Territories, and pledging the power of the Government for that pm pose was i>assed. Adjourned. WASHINGTON, Jan. D 1866. SENATE. Win. J. McDonald was, by resolution, appointed chief clerk. A resolution, offer ed by Mr. Sumner, directing the Committee on the Judiciary to inquire whether any further legislation is necessary to preveut the kidnapping of freedmen and their im nortation to other countries, was adopted. Ao other business ofiniportar.ee was trans acted. . UOIiSE The special committee 011 the bill estab lishing a railway between Washington and New 1 ork was announced; Mr. Stevens is chairman. A long discussion here ensuod in relation to the bill passed some days ago, to facilitate railroad communication between the States: Mr. Washburne charged Mr. Baldwin with saying that the bill was in tended notas a blow at railroad monopolies, but for the purpose of releiving the Illinois Central Railroad from certain obligations. Mr. B. acknowledged that he bud made such an assertion, but did not intend to charge the gentleman from Illinois with practicing deceit. Mr. Washburne and others dis claimed that the bill had any such design. On motion of Air. JBoutwell, the Senate was requested to return the hill to the House. A resolution was adopted instructing the Mili tary Committee to inquire into the practi cability of converting the Arlington estate in toa home for wounded and doubled soldiers, with the view of establishing an invalid corps to manufacture army and navy stores. Mr. \ oorhees resolution endorsing the Presi dent's message, aud asserting that the States lately in rebellion are still States of the Un ion, was taken up. Mr. V. made a speech, and replied to bv Mr. Biugliam. of Ohio The latter offered a substitute, but the whole matter was referred to the Committee on Re construction. WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 1860. SENATE! A memorial of colored citizens of Savan nah, asking for suffrage, was presented. A bill was introcuced to increase the regular 1 army. There are to he seven regiments of artillery, ten of cavalry, and sixty trf ifil'aft try. Of the new regiments, oae of artillery two of cavalry, and ten of infantry shall be colored persons The cavalry and artillery are to he organized as at present, and all the infantry regiments are to be organized on the basis of ten companies each. J'art of rhesfi last are to he composed of men who have been disabled in battle, and will be of fice r<>d by officer? of the Veteran Reserve Corps, Several departments ate reorgan ized,and the signal department is made a part "of the regular organization. The bill to regulate the elective franchise in the District of Columbia was taken up and a raended, and then sent back to the commit tee: A resolution declaring that provision al governments wel - e necessity for the wants and necessities of the lately rebellious Htates was offered and debated, but no result was arrived at, and, after an executive session, the Senate adjourned. HOUSE. The bill for the support of the navy was introduced. The Committee of Ways and Means were instructed to inquire into the expediency of revising the system of income taxes, Resolutions were offered expressing the confidence of the House in the President, and calling for information why Jeff. Davis and others are held in confinement. A bill was introduced to nunish eouftterfei.ing with death. A long debate ensued on the bill granting the right of suffrage to colored persons in the District of Columbia, after which the House adjourned. WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, iB6O. SENATE. The bill authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to appoint assistant assessors of internal revenue was passed. Resolutions were introduced respecting the three-months extra pay of officers of volunteers when mus tered out of service. Mr. Trumbull iutro •duccd his bills (from the Judiciary Commit tee J to enlarge the powers of the freedmen's bureau and to protect the inhabitants of the 1 i)ited States in their civil rights. Mr. Johnson, of Maryland, delivered a speech upon reconstruction, after which the Senate adjourned. HOUSE. James D. Farrow and John D. Kennedy presented their credentials as members elect from South Carolina. They were referred to a special committee. A resolution was a dopted, directing the Secretary of the Trea sury to furnish information in regard to the amount of money appropriated and expend ed for the Philadelphia navy yard, and the estimated value of the property. The army appropriation bill, for the year ending June 30, 1807, was introduced. The Committee on Territories were instructed to inquire in to the expediency of reporting a-bill repeal ing the act organizing Utah, and to divide said Territory. A bill was introduced to make an appropriation to improve the har bor of Chester, Pennsylvania. Mr. Rogers, of New Jersey, delivered a speech against extending the right of suffrage to colored persons in the District of Columbia. Mr. Farnsworth, of Illinois, made a speech in favor of extending such right, after which the House adjourned. WASHINGTON, JUD. 12,1866. SENATE. Petitions were presented for the organi zation of thecouutry west of Arkansas into a Territory, and the abolition of protective tar iffs. A bill wad presented for the amend ment of the postal law declaring that after January, 1807, all newspapers and periodi cals. including those mailed from the office of publication, shall be prepaid. Dead let ters, and letters endorsed with the writer's address, are to be returned free. The a mount which can be sent by money orders is increased to fifty dollars, which are to be good for twelve months and may be good for twelve months and may be issued free. The bijl to enlarge the power of the freedmen's bureau was taken up and discussed. The act is to continue in force until otherwise provided, and its provisions are to extend to refugees and freedmen throughout the United States. Unoccupied public lands in Florida, Mississippi and Arkansas, not to exceed three million acres in all, are to be given to the freedmen and loyal refugees in parcels of forty acres each. A rent is to fie charged, and the occupier may buy the land at a low rate. The bill was postponed. A message was received from the President transmitting the credentials of the State of Colorado, the proceedings of the convention and the bill for her admission as a State, which was referred. After an executive session, adjourned until Monday. IIOI'SE. A bill was placed extending the time for the withdrawal of goods from bonded ware houses. A resolution denouncing foreign interference in our affairs was referred- A resolution was passed instructing the Com mittee on the District of Columbia to report upon the expediency of confiding the gov ernment of the city of Washington to a com mission to be appointed by the President. Also, one calling for information regarding the acts of Provisional Governors in the Sooth. The bill to extend suffrage to tin colored people of the District of Columbia was debated, pending which, the House ad journed until Monday. LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS. Harkisburg, Jan. 10. SENATE. The speaker announced the standing com mittees. Mr. Lowry .is chairman of the one on Federal Rclatious; Mr. Connell of the Finance. Among the bills introduced was one allowing the street cars to run on Sunday in Philadelphia. A series of reso lutions on the state of the country were re ferred. HOUSE. The standing cominittess were announced. Mr. Quay is head of the Ways and Means, Mr. Waddell of the Judiciary, Mr. Smith of Agriculture, and Mr. Thomas of Federal Relations. A resolution urging Congress to equalize the bounties of the soldiers in the late war was introduced. A joint conven tion of both Houses re-elected Hon. Wui. H. Kemble State Treasurer. His competi tor was J. Monroe Krider, of Dauphin county. Harrisbcbg, Jan. 11. SENATE. The bill introduced by Mr. Donovan al lowing passenger cars to run in this city on Sunday was referred to the Committee on Vice and Immorality. A debate took place on the question of adjourning until the sec ond Tuesday in February, ana a resolution to that effect passed first reading, after which the Senate adjourned until to-day. HOUSE. Among the bills introduced was one in structing the Judiciary Committee to frame a bill increasing the liability of railroad com panies for loss of life or injury to limbs; and one imposing a State tax upon joint stock companies organized in this State to operate in other places. Resolutions were offered in structing our Senators and requesting'our Representatives in Congress to vote for an amendment to the Constitution so as to ap portion members of Congress according to the whole number of people; to authorize the people to vote directly for Presideut and Vice President, and to secure to all persons the right to testify in the courts. Other resolutions, instructing our Congressional repsesentatives to take certain action on the question of reconstruction, were also read. HARRISBURG, Jan. 12. SENATE. The Senate was not in session, having ad journed until Monday. HOUSE. A resolution instructing the Committee ol W ays and Means to prepare a revision of thf; *vnnc laws of the titate. so as to tax all property: was offered an i postponed. A resolution instrucfiilg the clerks of the House to retain all hills passed Urtfil the return of the Governor, edited consklera ble discussion, and whs adopted. The tin rat important map of the State was ordered to be procured and placed in the House. A number of bills were introduced, and the House ndjourned until Monday next. JfcPF.- DAVIS. Why he is held in confinement, and why he has not been tried—The charges are—Treason, inciting assassination, and murder of I'nion prisoners—He should be tried before a civil Couit in Virginia-ChiefJustice Chase declines for an indefinite period to hold any Court there— Attorney tieneral Speed thinks it is not practicable to have sitih a trial ut pfesent—The charges against other prominent traitors. WASHINGTON, Jan. Jo. The President to-day transmitted to Senate a message in reply to a resolution calling upon him to inform that body upon what charges Jefferson Davis is confined and whv he is not brought to trial. Tlie President encloses reports from the Secretary of war and Attorney General, and at the same time invites the attention of the Senate to that portion of his annual message which refers to Congress the question con nected with the holding of Circuit Courts of the United States within the districts where their authority has becu intercepted: WAR DEPARTMENT. Jan. 4, 1866. SIR : In REPLY to the annexed Senate reso lution, passed December 21, 1805, referred to me by you for report, I have the honor to state — First. That Jefferson Davis was- cap tured by United States troops in the State of Georgia, on or about the tenth day of May, 1865, and by order of this Department has been and now is confined in Eortress Monroe, to abide such action as may lie ta ken by the proper authorities of the United States Government. Second. That he has not been arraigned upon any indictment or formal charge of crime, but has been indicted for the crime of high treason by the Grand Jury of the District of Columbia, which indictment is now pending in the Supreme Court of the said District. He is also charged with the crime of inciting the assassination of Abra ham Lincoln, and with the murder of Union trisoners of war, by starvation and other arbarous and cruel treatment towards them. Third. The President deeming it expedi ent that Jefferson Davi9 should first be put upon his trial before a competent court and jury for the crime of treason, he was advis ed by the law officer of the Government that the most proper place for such trial was in the State of Virginia. That State is within the judicial circuit assigned to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who has held no court there since the apprehen-ion of Davis, and who declines for an indefinite period to hold anv court there. The matters above stated are, so far as I am informed, the reasons for holding Jeffer son Davis in confinement, and why he has not been put upon trial. fourth. Besides Jefferson Davis the fol lowing persons, who acted as officers of the rebel Government, are imprisoned, to wit : Clement C. Clay, at Fortress Monroe, char ged among other things with treason, with complicity in the murder of Mr. Lincoln, and with organizing bands of private rob bers, and murderers in Canada, to burn cit ies and ravage the commerce and coasts of loyal States on the British frontier. D. L. Yulee, at Fort Pulaski, charged with treason while holding a seat in the Senate of the United States, and with inciting war and rebellion against the Government. S. K. Mallory, at Fort Lafayette, charged with treuson, and with organizing and setting on foot piratical expeditions against the United States commerce and marine on thehigh sea. Other officers of the so-called Confederate Government, arrested and imprisoned, have been released on parole to abide the action of the Government in reference to this pros ecution, and that for - alleged offences, on their application for amnesty and pardon. Among these are S. A. Trenholm, Secreta ry of the Trea ury; John A. Campbell. As sisrant Secretary of War. James A. Seddou. Secretary of War: John 11. Reagan. Post master General: R. M. T. Hunter. Senator; Alexander H. Stephens, Vice President, and sundry other persons of less note. E. M. STANTON, Sec'y of War. ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. ) January 4, 1860. J To the. President: StK I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt from you of a copv at the reso lution of the Senate ot the United States, of date the 31st of December. 1865. In that resolution the Senate respectfully request to be informed on what charges and for what reasons Jefferson Davis is still held in confinement, and why he has not been put upon trial ? When the war was at its crisis Jefferson Davis, the commander-in-chief of the army of the insurgents, was taken prisoner, with other prominent rebels, by the military for ces of the United States. It was the duty of the military so to take them. They have been heretofore, and are yet held as prison ersof war. Though active hostilities have ceased, a state of war still exists in the tor ritory in rebellion. Until peace shali come in fact, and in law. they can rightfully be held as prisoners of war. 1 have ever thought that trials for treason cannot be held before a military tribunal. The civil courts have alone jurisdiction of that crime. The question then rises, where and when must the trial thereof be held ? In that clause of the Constitution mention ed in the resolution of the Senate, it is plainlv written that they" must IKS held in the i&ate and district wherein the crime shall have been committed. I know that many persons of learning and ability enter tain the opinion that the couimander-in chief of the rebel armies should be regard ed as constructionally present, with all the insurgents who prosecuted hostilities, and made raids upon the northern and southern borders of the loyal States. This doctrine ot constructive presence, carried out to its logical consequence, would make all who had been connected with the rebel armies liable to trial in any State and district into which any portion of these armies had made the slightest incursion. Not being persuaded of the correctness of that opinion, but re garding the doctrine mentioned as if doubt ful, constitutionally, I have thought it not proper to advise you to cause criminal pro ceedings to be instituted against Jefferson Davis or any other insurgent in the States or districts in which they were not actually present during the prosecution of hostili ties. Some prominent rebels were personally g resent at the invasion of Maryland and ennsylvania, but all or nearly all of them received military paroles upon the surrender of the rebel armies. Whilst I think that those paroles are not an ultimate protectiou for prosecutions for high treason. I have thought that it would be a violation of the paroles to prosecute those persons for crimes before the political power of the Govern ment has proclaimed that the rebellion has been suppressed. It follows, from what I have said, that T am of the opipiou that Jefferson Davis and others of the insurgents ought to be tried in some one of the States or districts in which they may be charged. Though active hos tilities and flagrant war have not for some time existed between the United States and the insurguuts, peaceful relations between the Government and the people in the States and districts in rebellion have not yet been fully re ..to red. None of the justices of the Sap.'etue Court have held circuit courts in these States and districts since actual hostilities ceased. V\ hn the courts are opeu, and all laws can be peacefully adminis tered and enforced in those States whose people rebelled'against the Government, when thus peace shall have come in (art and in law. the persons now held in military custody as prisoners of war, and who may not have been tried and convicted for offen ces against the laws of' war, should be trans ferred to the custody of the civil authorities of the proper districts to be tried for such high crimes and misdemeanors as may be alleged against them. I think it is the plain duty of the Presi dent to cause criminal prosecutions to be instituted before the proper tribunals, and at all proper times, agaiust some of those who were mainly instrumental in inaugura ting and most conspicuous in conducting the late hostilities. I should regard it as a direful calamity, if many whom the sword has spared, the law should spare also: but I would deem it a more direful calamity still if the Executive, in performing his constitu tional duty of bringing these persons before the bar of justice to answer for their crimes, should violate the plain meaning of the Constitution or infringe in the least particu lar the living spirit of that iastruuieut. I have the honor to he, most respectful ly, JAMES SPEED, Attorney General. Revenue From -Manufactures. The actual revenue received from the taxes laid on manufactures is much greater than is generally believed. If the public will look carefully even at this single point, there will be little disposition to permit for eigners to do our manufacturing lor us, how ever temptingly they may parade the ad vantages resulting from silencing the iron works on the Schuylkill and the Lehigh, in order to -end in better iron from Liverpool and Glasgow. In the year ending June 30th. I xi>4. tax waspaii on 276,192 tons of railroad iroD. made in the Unit, d States, the amount of $295,064. Putting the several classes in tabular form, iron was made in the follow ing amounts and yielded the following reve nues:— Railroad 276,192 paying 295,001 Sheet and plate 164,921 paying 242.513 Bar and other rolled 201,279 paying 279,932 Castings 172,585 paying 242,736 Stoves and hallow ware 82,325 paying 123,4-9 Xails, spikes, Ae 129,639 paying 291,173 Total 1,015,932 T,174,907 This is exclusive of miscellaneous manu factures of iron and of marine engines, which paid three per cent: — Marine engines 2,181,140 paying 65,434 Miseelleneuns manufac tures 63,035,390 paying 1,891,: 2 Steel, and manufactures of 12,151,500 paying 391, m To obtain the value of all these manufac tures of iron a price must he put to the rail road and bar iron on which the tax was -o much per ton Railroad iron averaged sllO to $l2O per ton; bariron $l3O to $135; sheet and plate, $l5O per ton. Part of the rails being re-rolled, are put at but SSO per ton. The values'are probably nearly as follows: Railroad $21,429,225 Bar 27.171,450 Sheet and plate 9,235.200 Xails, spikes, & c 10,445,550 Castings 25,491.100 Marine engines 2.181.140 Steel and manufactures of 12,151,500 Miscellaneous iron manufactures 63,035,390 81-0,140,615 On this aggregate value the direct tax actually paid was $3,822,546 in that year. This is not ail the revenue derived from iron however. The amount of taxes paid indi rectly as income tax. and the various tax< s on coal and on a!) the adjuncts of manufac ture, would at least double this sum of direct revenue. The labor and capital required to produce $lBO,l Mju.OtH) in value of iron manu factures represent very large sum-. The capital always exceeds the total production, and the cost of raw material- and of labor are nearly 40 per cent. each. So that the total values are nearly as follows, adding to the product a sunt to represent the untaxed value of pig iron:— Capital $250,000,090 llnir material 75,090.000 Labor 75.000.000 Product _ 190,000.000 Revenue 10,000.099 Such was the iron manqjhcture of the United States in 1863-4, an interest of vast and vital importance in every way in which it can be regarded. It continued as iurgr to the end of 1864, but for the current year, 1865, it is much reduced. Congress reduced the duty on railroad iron and there has been a large amount imported in consequence. Taxes on labor and material enhanced the price to such a degree that nearly all the furnaces in Eastern Pennsylvania were for ced to go out of Wast. The rolling mills are half of them silenced, and the great machine shops are far less pressed with orders than a year since. What policy shall tte adopted toward this leading element of the national prosperity? Direct taxation on its product and diminished tariffs on the imported iron and steel which compete with it may very soon reduce the figures above given to one half. The friends of the .Rebellion abroad, and their agents and associates in New York are all now devoted to the advocacy of free trade filling the journals in their interest with clamor for their new cause. It is the first duty of every man not in their interest to do what he may to sustain the great in dustriesof the country, and to see to it that they arejiot ruined by the machinations ,pf ihcir enemies. They are the great reliance of the country to maintain the public credit and if sustained against foreign competition they will yield larger revenues than would be derived from the same products imported. —PhifatMp/iia lnqmfcr. EX-SENATOR YULEE'S POSITION. The Reciprocity Question in Canada. NEW YORK, Jan. 9. —Florida papers says David 1,. Yulee has written a letter, giving his views as tothe proper course to be pursued by the |>eople of the .State, and ad vising that the .Senators be instructed to propose an amendment t > the Federal Con stitution, declaring that no S ate can secede or dissolve its relations w. . i toe Union, except the same be attended to- the con sent of two thirds of both Hoi:.-os ot Con gress and ratified by the Legi-a ores of two thirds of the States. A dispatch from Washington ays all the reports of Secretary Stanton's contemplated resignation would seem to be untitle, as Mr. Stanton s arrangement for receptions for the winter have been made as us.ial. Jhe same dispatch says Secretary Stanton lias hinted that the order mustering out officers of the army who-e services are tn> longer wanted wiil be promulgated no longer. A letter from Ottawa, Canada, -ays that the Government organs state that Hon. George Brown resigned because hi- vol leagues would not adopt a retaliatory policy against the United States and compel the resumption of the reciprocity treaty. The same letter says that the 10-- of free trade with the United Stales has cast i gloom over the lumber and produce too; and there is much anxiety for the mark't to re place the loss. HON. GEOROK BANCROFT has accepted the invitation to deliver a eulogy on the life and character ot Abraham Lincoln, fore both houses of Congress. THE Lynchburg /*> uubfiain is not yet certain whether it will support President Johnson, General Grant or Geneinl Leo for the next Presidency. ONE of the instructive scenes daily witnes sed in the Suh, is reconstructed confol era'es selling spelling bonks to recently en franchised contrabands.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers