From Washington.
a change to be made in the Cabinet.
I have refrained from giving sanction to the recent rumors of Cabinet changes until the present time, when it has been definitely settled by the
President to rearrange the
Cabinet, by transferring
Secretary Welles to the
Mission to
Spain, made vacant by the appointment of
Carl Shurz as
Brigadier General, and the appointment of a new
Secretary of the Navy.
Several names are mentioned for the latter post among whom are
Gen. Banks,
Governor Sprague,
Gen. Walbridge, and
Senators Hale and
Wilson.
Other changes are rumored, but it is believed that this is all at present really contemplated.
The Republican caucus and the Confiscation bill
The Republican caucus to-night was fully attend, the topic of discussion being the ground to be taken on the confiscation question.
After much discussion the conservative element prevailed, and an understanding was arrived at to move the appointment of a select committee of seven from the body of the
House, to whom the various bills shall be referred.
The said committee are to report a new bill providing for confiscating the slaves and property of all persons actually in arms against our Government, or officially connected with the bogus rebel Government.--The provisions are also to include the conductors of secession newspapers.
The bill will also provide that none of the parties named shall hereafter hold any office of trust, honor, or profit under the
Government of the
United States.
The shooting of a rebel prisoner.
The parties implicated in the shooting of
Wharton, the rebel prisoner at the
Old Capitol Prison, are still in custody.
It is stated that disobedience of the prison rules, and the abusive language of the prisoner, is not considered by the
Military Governor as a justification of the shooting; but the sentinel on duty, and the non-commissioned officer who gave the command, are held to have acted in obedience to orders from a superior officer, and are, therefore, not chiefly censurable for the act.
Explosion at the arsenal — the men injured
A serious accident occurred at the arsenal in
Washington city, on Tuesday, by an explosion in the apartment used for the preparation of fuses.
The men sit in a row upon benches, half a pound of the explosive composition being the quantity allowed at one time to each workman.
The explosion is attributed to friction, accidentally occasioned by pounding the materials.
Eight or ten men were injured, the explosion communicating the fire from one to the other.
All the men upon that bench were thrown from their places and badly burned about the face, breast, and other portions of the body.
Some complain of internal injuries.
They were taken to the hospital for medical treatment.
Return of a Philadelphian from Richmond.
Mr. Ayres, of
Philadelphia, has returned from
Norfolk.
He was recently captured while on an excursion to
Manassas.
He was released on parole by the rebels, under condition of effecting an exchange for the son of Extra
Billy Smith, who is now held by us as a prisoner of war.
Transfer of prisoners.
The Confederate officers who are prisoners at
Columbus have been ordered by the
Secretary of War to
Sandusky — the former place being regarded as unreasonably near to rebel precincts and rebel sympathizers.
Moreover, the servants which they have been allowed to have with them are not to accompany them to
Sandusky.
They are, in respect to attendance, to be required hereafter to do as is required by the
Confederate authorities of the
Union prisoners they hold — that is, to attend or wait upon themselves.
In respect to the adoption of this rule, there was some hesitancy for a while on the part of the
Secretary of War, but his conclusion finally is that to do as we all are done by should be the rule — except, indeed, that our treatment of Confederate prisoners is to be distinguished in contrast by being always humane.
