AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 86, 24 August 1868, Page 204

AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE.

UNITED STATES.

(Special correspondeuce of Star and Ilerald.) New York, July 9,18ti8. General M cDowell has been relieved by the President from the command of the Foui th Military District. In the Lousiana Legislature, on the Ist, the committee to which was referred the question of administering the test oath to members, reported that a regard for the wishes of General Grant urged them to recommend the adoption of his suggestion that the test oath be suspended. It was accordingly suspended and most of the . democratic members qualified by taking the oath prescribed by the new constitution. During the morning a military fore* occupied-the, sidewalks fronting the build- . ing. where the Legislature was assembled; and no one was allowed to approach who could not .give a good account of. himself. Two officers ; of high ■ rank, attached ‘ to General staff, werei with the troops; and a battery of artillery, prepared for service, was posted in one of the city .... ; parkCf;; The pbject of, the military; display V. 1 ia not known. , r lhe Press dispatch, sa.js, the presence of an armed- force was urged : by tw&dqmoeratie' members of the Senate. ,A special to the Tribune says, the safety ©f tbqFdgislatiye body was threatened by thatmyCte , organiz/tion known aa the Eu-Klux-IClah. or hostile, -\however; ;to;.wake the 'terrors and VQsqftheparticoldred *[ aßsbmblecPwi^bm.”^;, , ;r-'' v' ' . elect of Florida assumed bis 'p.ffi?®fouj2pd‘ihßt , by order of General . MeadA Who hai aisb issued a ge n e ra 1 order; t4ifec^gi^.>miHtairjri;rule^u;;; t tHe?.Stat»:to :ceato,rand;theVjSubVebintnandera hot .to’iu- . . law'- underv any 1 pretend* whatever. k '

-ri h-1r the| ■Washington city, :a few. days ago quite a riot ous. ; -'was madeTby tlib negroes agaimet the wliito superintendent bftiievilla'ire.becausehe liadfordered the removal of the numerous hogs the ne groes h'id ooilected about thom to the dan-, ger of the general -health. Tbe.b nation’s wards” made free use.of their weapon—the razor—and one .or.two white persons were cut. 1 Amilitary force whs sent over from Washington to maintain order. 1 A' bill granting the use of an island in the harbor of San' Francisco to the Western Pacific Railroad lias been passed by the Senate. -■ - / v - .

. In the House on : fhe 2nd, Thad. Stevens repotted a bill to erect two States from the State* of Texas. The bill does not recite that Texas, a free Republic, independent of the United States government, was united to' : the latter by treaty,' and that any division of;the State must : be made by the State herself. . .Usurpation has become the rule, observance of contracts and fulfilment of obligations the exception ; and an exception we are seldom called upon to record in this country. The new. legislatures of the Southern States reconstructed by .the “ Omnibus Bill” are adonting the 14th amendment to the Constitution as fast as they are recognized.

The Governors elect of Georgia and Alabama have been installed by General Meade, preparatory to the assembfiug of the State. Legislature. Advices from the plains represent that the Indians are again becoming troublesome.

. The National Day was celebrated in this city by the usual parade of troops, burning of powder and whiskey drinking. Amidst tlie political excitement and patriotic enthusiasm of the “ glorious Fourth” three violent deaths are reported— two by stabbing, and one by being ruu over by a fire engine. St. John’s Episcopal Church in Buffalo, N.Y, was burned on the night of the 4th by the explosion of a sky rocket in the steeple. The new Legislatures of Georgia, Louisiana and South Carolina have completed their organization.

Both Houses of the Louisiana Assembly have ratified the 14th amendment of the Georgia Legislature. Tile Senate had a Radical and the House a Democratic majority. In the South Carolina House of Dele gates ono negro nominated another for speaker, and made a speech in favor of his candidate, detnauding of the white Radicals (or earpeb-baggars) that they should no longer withhold a share of the offices from the negroes. Charles Francis Adams, late Minister to England, arrived in this city last night by the steamer China. '

In the House of Bepresentatives on 7th, Thad Stevens presented additional articles of impeachment against the President, charging him with abuse of the patronage of his office, erecting State governments in conquered territories, restoring forfeited properly, and other crimes. Mr Stevens made a long speecli in support of them, and then, at his suggestion, they were postponed for two weeks. Mr Williams, of Pennsylvania, also presented additional articles. It is believed both these movements are intended as an effort to force Air Johnson upon the Democratic Convention now in session in this city, as the candidate for the Presidency, as, in the opinion of the Radicals, he would be easier to beat than ajy one who has yet been prominently mentioned in that connection, it is not probable that this stroke of policy on tlie part of the Radicals will succeed The articles presented are a mere re hash of t hose recently defeated. The new Tammany Hall was dedicated on 3rd inst, and after the completion of the dedicatory services, was thrown open .'or the reception of the Democratic National Convention.

The Convention was called to order by Augustus Belmont, Esq. After the appointment of committees to prepare foi the regular business, the Convention adjourned until Monday, 6th ihst., at 10 o’clock, a.m. Thus far the Democratic Convention has failed to agree upon a candidate. The name of Geo. H. Pendleton, of Ohio, the “greenbacks’’ candidate, brought the greatest strength into the contest, but the “two-thirds” rule effectually bars him his peuliar views on the subject of the national debt and his unfavorable “ war record” rendering him distasteful to many of the eastern delegates. His highest vote, in two days’ balloting, was 156, the total vote being 317 j and, by the operation of the aforesaid two-thirds rule, 212 votes are necessary to a choice.

.Next to. Mr. Pendleton in strength of the candidates brought forward up to this time, is General - W. S: .'Hancock, whose highest Tote was 14&. General Hancock! is both popular and worthy, but' it is not! probable he will receive the nomination! Two names remains to. be brought into prominence—those of Frank Blair,°of Missouri, and Chief Justice Salmon. P. Chase. The former is the favorite of the ultra : democracy,, the latter, is a. recent accession to the party, from the ranks of the, Repupli-cans—-driven thence by the high-handed, uncohstitutionai ani destruotiye: policy of tlie Kadical leaders j* and is; the ohoice of really eonforyatiye.meii of both parties!“lt is • impossible now to predict what the action of the convention wiil be, and the early, hourat which I am compelled to clbße thiß letter preveut3 ine ilie gerierttl feeling seems tobevinfavor x>f Chaseiaud ; certain, it^is’thatif,lthe ;Deou£ cracyare wise enough' to take up the Chief

‘Jus face, : their success .is assured, and the ; doom of Radicalism sealed. / " _ ;; The, Washington .correspondent of the .writes as foUowaVof the feeling in jtliat city, regardingthe jDemoera tic nomination -' ; ■v- ' j .; :There has ' been, the greatest excitement here to day about the' proceedings of the Democratic Convention. \ All the newspaper and telegraph offices were the centres of attraction for. news, and each' despatch was eagerly read and discussed,:and twisted arid turned into different shapes by the friends of Hancock, Chase, Hendricks, Pendleton, Johnson, and M'Clellan. The interest here is quite equal to that iu New York, from the fact that four of the most iprominent candidates, Johnson, Chase, Hancock, and ; Hendricks, are stopping here, and, of course, are surrounded by legions of friends eager to hear the news These candidates are all remarkably quiet and reticent, though tempted in the strongest manner to speak out and commit themselves. Hancock is remarkably selfpossessed, quiet and unconcerned, taking his drives arid waks, and discharging his official duties mum as usual. , The Greneral spent tho greater part of to day at his headquarters, where a number of sympathising friends gathered around him to compare with him the varying changes of the votes in the Convention. During the afternoon G-eneral Hancock received several telegrams from friends in New York the contents of which related to the inner workings of the different delegations so far as their action affected him. The general' tone of the despatches was quite encouraging to the Q-eneral and tended strongly to inspire the bslief that Hancock’s whole strength was by no means exhausted when the Convention adjourned this afternoon, The G-eneral’s friends here are exceedingly buoyant over the reault of the last three votes of thb Convention and confidently predict further important gains on the resumption of the voting to-morrow. The ticket for President and Yice President, they claim will be Hancock and Hendricks.

Chief Justice Chase is equally reserved, though he receives all visitors courteously and hesitates not to express himself emphatically about the platform adopted at Tammany Hall. In conversation to-night he remarked that the democratic platform was almost unexceptionable, embodying prin eiples which must meet the approval of all impartial minds, and which had his fullest endorsement. He particularly admired its -national character, grasping the whole system of governmental polity, without regard to sectional interests, which alone promised once more a restoration of the bond of union between the great mass of the people Norths and South. Notwithstanding the great strength developed by Hancock it is still the impression here that Chase,.Johnson, Hendricks, or some will loom up as the successful competitor in the end.” The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Conservative Convention assembled in full force at the Cooper Institute, all the States being represented. Speeches were made denouncing the course of the Radical Congress. General W. B. Franklin, of Connecticut, was chosen permanent President, and the Convention adjourned to Monday morning. President Johnson has issued a proclamation of general amnesty and pardon to all engaged in the late rebellion, except those already indicted for treason or other felony. General Joseph E. Johnson, late of tho Confederate service, has received a full pardon from President Johnson through the influence of Mr Secretary Seward. This is the first pardon yet granted to a full general in the Confederate service.