The Washington correspondent of the New York Times . . .

. . . of the 6^th, has the following notice of an imposition on the President:

THE CONFIRMATION OF ZERMAN – You were informed last night that J. Napoleon Zerman, an exiled Austrian, lately on Gen’l Fremont’s Staff, had been confirmed by the Senate as a Brigadier General.  This fact has astounded the knowing ones of Washington, and especially the foreign diplomatic corps.  Count Mercier avers that when he was with the French Embassy at Madrid, he knew Zerman as a detected adventurer and imposter at that court, that his career, if romantic, as stated in the dispatches, has simply the romance of crime, that he is a convicted swindler and forger, who has served in the galleys and pined in the jails of Europe so often that such facts ceased to be novelties worth mentioning.  At the Navy Department, to-day, I learned that Gen. Zerman, a short time since, would have gladly accepted a position as master’s mate in our naval service, with the moderate stipend of $40 a month, but he was spared this obscure fate to rejoice in the star of an American Brigadier.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 17, 1862, p. 1

Special to New York Papers

( Herald’s Dispatch. )

WASHINGTON, May 7. – The report of the Finance Committee of the Senate upon the Tax Bill as accompanied by an amendment offered by Senator McDougall, one of the committee, as a substitute for the whole bill. The bill proposes to raise revenue from the following sources:

1st. Capital active and circulating, to be reached by a tax on sales and transfers on receipts of some classes of business, as hotels, &c., $110,000,000. 2d. Capital fixed and realized, income duties of interest from interest paying bonds and securities. $10,000,000. 3d. Excise on spirits, malt liquors and manufactured tobacco, $40,000,000. 4th. Duties on legatees and insurances granted from 1 to 8 per cent, $7,000,000.

The system of payment by ad valorem stamps is adopted throughout. The officials employed to be 1st. A commissioner of internal revenues at Washington, so supervise all. 2d. Inspectors in the several districts, with deputies to be appointed by them. 3d. A stamp agent in each district, or more than one if necessary for the disposal of stamps.

Prisoners captured at Yorktown converse freely respecting the war, except they refuse to give information of the strength of Gen. Johnson’s force. Capt. Lee, one of their number declares that the south will continue to fight to the last; that their reverses have not disheartened them. They expect to be driven out of all the border States and from their separate towns but that when we meet in the interior man for man they will show us that they are unconquerable.

This morning Major Davis, of the Harris light cavalry, established his headquarters in Fredericksburg, as provost marshal of the city, hoisting the stars and stripes permanently for the first time in the town since the rebellion. Our pickets are thrown out beyond this city and ware are in quiet possession of the entire place.

Yesterday a large amount of flour, corn, rice, hospital and other stores, ammunition, &c., were discovered and seized, with several stand of arms.

President’ Buchanan’s post master was yesterday arrested in the post office, and will be held in custody until an equivalent for the money [plundered] from the P. O. Department is disgorged.


( Times Dispatch. )

You were informed last night that J. Napoleon [Seennan], and Austrian, lately on Gen’l Fremont’s staff, had been confirmed by the Senate, as a Brigadier General. This fact has astounded knowing ones at Washington, and especially the Foreign Diplomatic Corps. Count Mercier avers that when he was done with the French Embassy, at Madrid, he knew Seenan as a detective adventurer and imposter at that court.


( Tribune’s Correspondence. )

It is known here that a secret organization meets at Dubuque, Iowa, to resist the collection of the Federal taxes. The ring leaders in this movement are known to the Government, and an eye is upon them.

Secessionists in Fredericksburg say that the capital of the Southern Confederacy has been temporarily removed to Danville, which is situated in Caswell county, on Dan river, North Carolina.

The Tribune learns that David Forbes, and influential citizen of Falmouth, was yesterday arrested as a spy. The evidence is said to be very strong against him.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 3