Alabama-Continued. Date of pardon. Exemption under amnesty proclama tion of May 29, 1865. By whom recommended. Ex-officer of United States marine corps. The governor of Alabama Ex-governor of Alabama Rebel brigadier general.. J. Hubley Ashton, A. H. Garland, G. E. Spencer, and B. H. Hill. The governor of Alabama CLAIMS FOR HORSES. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR, IN ANSWER TO A resolution of the House of December 17, respecting claims for horses seized in Indiana by United States authorities. JANUARY 11, 1867.-Referred to the Committee on Military Affairs and ordered to be printed. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, January 9, 1867. SIR: In reply to the resolution of the House of Representatives of December 17, 1866, respecting claims presented to the Quartermaster General by citizens of Indiana for horses or other property seized or received by the United States in July, 1863, I have the honor to transmit herewith the Quartermaster General's report of this date on the subject, which contains all the information the files of the department afford. Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. Hon. SCHUYLER COLFAX, Speaker of the House of Representatives. QUARTERMASTER GENERAL'S OFFICE, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a resolution of the House of Representatives of December 17, 1866, requesting the Secretary of War to inform the House "whether any claims have been presented to the Quartermaster General of the United States by citizens of the State of Indiana for horses or other property seized or received by the government of the United States during the raid of John Morgan through said State in the month of July, 1863, for the purpose of suppressing said raid, and for the pursuit and capture of the said Morgan; what number of horses were so seized or received, and what amount in value of other property for which such claims have been made; whether such claims have been paid, and, if not paid, why not." In reply to the inquiry of the House of Representatives, I have the honor to state that the only information which the records of this office afford is contained in a report of Brevet Brigadier General James A. Ekin, in charge of the first division of the Quartermaster General's office, dated December 17, 1866. He states the number of claims received for horses at 76—$11,117. Number recommended to Third Auditor for settlement.... Total filed.. 20 $2,525 38 5, 515 18 3,077 There is no data in this office to show the entire number of horses seized or received for use of the army from citizens of Indiana during the Morgan raid. This can only be judged of from the number of claims thus far filed, and it does not appear that claims for other property seized or received during the Morgan raid has been presented to this office. The examination of those in hand will be continued with all reasonable despatch. The resolution of the House of Representatives is herewith returned. D. H. RUCKER, Acting Quartermaster General, Brevet Major General. Hon EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. A resolution of the House of 10th December, transmitting a report relative to the mail service performed by the Ocean Brazilian Steamers. JANUARY 11, 1867.-Referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, and ordered to be printed. POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 10, 1867. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith, in answer to the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 10th ultimo, respecting the mail service performed by the ocean Brazilian steamers, a copy of a report made by the postmaster of New York, enclosing a communication from the president of the United States and Brazil Mail Steamship Company, with schedule of the number of passages made by the steamers of that line between New York and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil,) and of the time occupied in making each trip, outward and homeward. Of the twelve round trips performed up to November 30, 1866, six failures occurred to arrive at New York in time to make connection with the outwardbound steamers from that port to Brazil, for three of which failures the company furnish explanations. The contract allows twenty-eight days for the performance of each outward trip from New York to Rio de Janeiro, and twenty-six days for each inward trip from Rio de Janeiro to New York, including stoppages, each way, at the intermediate ports of St. Thomas, Para, Pernambuco, and Bahia. The average time occupied on the outward trips already made was about twenty-nine days, and on the inward trips about twenty-seven days. Seven outward and six inward trips have been made within schedule time; and the time occupied on five outward and six inward trips has exceeded that allowed by the schedule. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. SCHUYLER COLFAX, ALEX. W. RANDALL, Speaker of House of Representatives. POST OFFICE, NEW YORK, January 4, 1867. SIR: In reply to your letter of 11th ultimo, referring to a resolution adopted by the House of Representatives calling upon the Postmaster General for information concerning the ocean Brazilian steamers, I beg leave to enclose you a communication from C. K. Garrison, esq., president of the United States and Brazil Mail Steamship Company, covering a schedule of the number of passages and the length of time of each trip to and from Brazil made by the steamers of that line, which schedule agrees with the account in the books of this office. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. ALEX. W. RANDALL, Postmaster General, Washington, D. C. Postmaster. OFFICE OF UNITED STATES AND BRAZIL MAIL STEAMSHIP CO., 66 DEAR SIR: Your favor of the 12th instant is received, desiring to be furnished with the number of passages of the steamers of this line, and the length of time of each trip to and from Brazil, at the request of the Post Office Department, and in accordance with a resolution of the House of Representatives." In response thereto I now enclose the schedule. This is the longest steamship route out of any port in the United States, upwards of 5,200 nautical, or 6,000 statute miles, with stoppages at four intermediate ports; these stoppages require considerable time. At Pernambuco the steamers have to lie quite a distance outside the harbor, and in stormy weather the landing and receiving of the mails, &c., is delayed until the weather is favorable. At Para, at the mouth of the Amazon, the entrance and passage up the Amazon is difficult and dangerous, and being without lights and buoys it is unsafe, if not almost impossible, to enter the river at night. This causes a delay of about two days every time. Some delay has been caused by the great difficulties in obtaining coal upon a new steam route. Again there are many holidays in Brazil, causing great delay in loading and unloading and in the necessary business with officials, and at no time can busi ness be transacted between sunset and sunrise; furthermore, the steamers have stopped at Para both ways upon each trip, the mail contract requiring them to do so only upon every other trip. With all these drawbacks the service has been performed regularly and with great uniformity in time, with two or three exceptions, which were unavoidable from the above reasons. I would here remark that the Brazilian government has not only expressed a satisfaction of the manner in which the steamers have run, but have paid in full the whole subsidy without any deductions. Yours respectfully, C. K. GARRISON, President. Assistant Postmaster, New York. JOHN W. NORTON, Esq., |
