Thursday, February 7, 2013

Washington News

WASHINGTON, April 9. – The Secretary of War has submitted to Congress a communication on the northern coast defences, enclosing an elaborate report from Edwin S. Johnson, of Conn., well known as a practical civil Engineer and connected with the Joint Commission of 1817 and 1819, for running and marking the north eastern boundary line.  Mr. Johnson recommends the passage of Senator Morrill’s bill, and the adoption of the policy of placing in the hands of the President the necessary power to accept loans of money from the several States for the public defences, and therein provided.  Among the modes of defence contemplated are the use of railways and floating ball-proof batteries, in addition to the ordinary system of fortifications.

His report is the result of a careful examination of the matters in question, including a long list of documents, based on a thorough acquaintance with the philosophical, geographical and topographical feature of the country.

James T. Pike, Minister to the Netherlands, in transmitting to the State Department, a copy of the tariff and revenue system of that country, concludes his dispatch as follows:


“It will be observed that there is no direct tax on personal property, or on _____, as such taxes are believed to stand in the way of industrial and commercial developments, and to operate to expel capital.

“The decisive successes of the Federal Government in Tennessee, have produced their natural effect on this side of the water.  When Charleston and Savannah shall have fallen, and our gunboats traversed the Mississippi, all interest in the affairs of the conflict will cease in Europe.”


About two weeks ago, Com. Foote, in telegraphing the Navy Department, said that Gen. Pope intended to make a transverse movement, which would astonish the secesh on Island No. 10.  The fulfillment of this predication is already known to the country.

The Senate was several hours in Executive session to-day.  It confirmed several military appointments of low grade and Sam’l Brown of Ohio, to be Attorney of the Territory of Colorado.

– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862, p. 3

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