OFFICIAL.

Proposals for a loan of eight millions of dollars.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, February 13, 1861.

Sealed proposals will be received at this department until 12 o'clock noon of Saturday, the 23d day of February instant, for eight millions of dollars of the stock of the United States, to be issued under the act of Congress of the 8th instant authorizing a loan, at which time the proposals will be opened and decided. The stock will be reimbursable in twenty years from the first of January last, and will bear interest at six per cent. per annum, payable semi-annually on the first days of January and July of each year.

No offer can be accepted for any fraction of one thousand dollars; nor will any offer be considered unless one per centum of the amount thereof is deposited with a depositary of the United States, subject to the order of the Secretary of the Treasury. The certificate of such deposit must accompany each proposal. The offers must be unconditional, without reference to other offers, and must state the sum offered for each hundred dollars of such stock.

The proposals should be indorsed on the outside, "Proposals for loan of 1861," and be addressed on the outside to the "Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D. C."

The bidders under the foregoing conditions will be immediately informed by mail of the decision on their proposals. If accepted, they must deposit the amount offered and accepted with the Treasurer of the United States, or with the assistant treasurer at Boston, New York, or Philadelphia, on or before the first day of March proximo. Should successful bidders desire to deposit at other points, on communicating such wish to this department it will be considered.

Certificates of inscribed stock will be issued to the accepted bidders or their assigns in sums of one thousand, five thousaud, and ten thousand dollars, to the amount to which they may be respectively entitled upon their deposits as aforesaid, carrying interest from the date of such deposit at the rate of six per centum. Such stock will be transferable on the books of the treasury, agreeably to the regulations of the department.

Should any of the successful bidders request certificates of stock with coupons of semi-annual interest attached, payable from the 1st July next, such certificates will be issued in sums of one thousand dollars each, with such coupons attached thereto; and such coupon stock, instead of being transferable on the books of the treasury, may be assigned and transferred by the delivery of such certificates. The interest on this coupon stock, from the date of the deposit until the first day of July, will be paid on that day to the accepted bidder or his attorney, by the depositary with whom the principal was deposited. The preliminary deposit of one per centum required from all bidders under this notice will be included in the final deposit of principal by successful bidders, and will be directed to be immediately returned to unsuccessful bidders.

JOHN A. DIX, Secretary of the Treasury.