(Concluded from page 52.)
aro lbr the lime obscured and dimmed, yet.
they are still there as brilliant and numer
ous as ever. So it is with our duties. If we
would turn our gaze upon our own hearts, if
we would scatter the clouds that are ever
around our consciences, we would see our
obligations and our duties as clearly as we
discern the stars of heaven, when they glad
den our wrapt vision with undimmed bril
liancy. The cold winter is upon us. You are
living in luxurious, or at least comfortable
homes. The soldier is exposed to all the in
clemencies of the weather, and is suffering
privations which you are not knowing to or
participant in. When the rough winds are
howling around your d welling.your heart will
be warmer, if you can feel lhatyou are endea
voring to soften the rigor of that winter to
those who are perilling their lives for you.
The spring is coming on apace. Is there a
man or a woman before me who does not
know that when that spring comes the tele
graphic wires are to be laden with the news
of battle and of death ? Do we not know
that this wicked, parricidal, infernal rebel
lion, born of the bottomless pit, is to make
its last death struggle in the coming spring?
(Great applause.) Do we not know that
these gallant soldiers are striking terror in
the hearts of the enemy by their voluntary
re-enlisments after two or three years’ ab
sence from home, even when they know that
they are to go down to the field of death in
the coming spring ? And when you come
to hear the news from the battle-field that
five thousand, ten thousand of your fellow
snen are lying weltering in their hearts’ gore
•for you and for your land, don’t you think
you will sleep more sweetly, and lay your
•weary head upon the pillow after the toil of
the day is over, with calm slumber, if you
can realize that you have yourselves sent an
agent to give these holy benefactions, these
tender ministries to the suffering ones in
their hour of sore trial ? It is not a charity.
It is an opportunity afforded you of dis
charging a debt, and a duty that you should
be glad to embrace. If I tell you that these
benefactions will react upon your own heart,
will make you happier, there is an additional
reason for engaging in them. You will find,
aa you minister to the sufferings of others,
your own happiness will be increased. If
you have never tried the experiment, try it
now. You read in the papers of the day
much advice as to where you should invest.
Some tell yon in this favorite railroad enter
prise, and in that real estate; another tells
you to invest in government bonds, and that
is a good and wise investment, not only
beneficial to you* but an evidence of your
confidence in your country which issues
them. But all these riches may flee away;
banks may fail, storehouses may be destroy
ed by fire, shins may go down beneath the
waves, you may be wealthy one year and
penniless the next—but when you pour your
'benefactions into a treasury for the benefit
•of your fellow men, for the blessing of those
'who are struggling to save the nation, you
will find that your dividends from that in
■vestment are os perpetual and unfailing as
•the flow of Niagara or of Amazon. They
will return to you continually every day and
every hour until the struggle is over.
But the long night of suspense, thank
God, is passing away, and joy cometh in the
morning. By the heroism of the gallant
defenders of our country, and the sacrifices
they have made for us we have been lifted
from the valley of despondency to the sun
crowned heights of confidence and of hope.
At last we can realize that our dear country,
dearer to us in its hour of affliotion and trial
than when its banners were gilded with the
sunshine of prosperity or fanned by the
zephyrs of peace, is to be saved! (Applause.)
That flag, the flag of Washington, of Adams,
of Jackson, and of Clay, is to float over
Mount Vernon and New Orleans, over Ash
land and the Hermitage, and the battle
fields, in all of which we have a common
interest and a common glory—not only those
of Saratoga and Orleans, and Brandywine
and King’s Mountain, but the battle-fields
of Shiloh and Chickamauga, of Richmond
and of Vicksburg, shall he part and parcel
of your children’s inheritance unto the latest
syllable of recorded time. And when at
last peace shall come, as it will, and this
country shall again go forward in its march
of prosperity and power, greater because
■more free than at the commencement of
this struggle, our glorious constitution shall
span our continent from ocean to ocean,
like a heavenly arch with liberty shining
out from it like the sun by day and like the
stars by night. (Great applause.) And
when our gallant defenders come back we
shall hail them as the saviours of the Repub
lic 1 They shall live not only in history, not
only in monuments, which may crumble
away, but they shall live in the grateful hearts
of all the loyal people of this land as being
worthy of a place side by side with those
-who first won the freedom which they
went forth to the battle-field to save from
destruction! (Applause.)
Thanking you for the attention with which
you have listened to my desultory remarks,
let me close in the language of a poem whioh
I only read to-day for the first:
« Pare os that white, the future see;
Bright as its red, the skx;
Fixea as its stars the faith shall be
That nerves us all to do or die.”
(Long continued applause.)
Previous to the taking up of the collection,
which was next in order, Mr. Stuart referred to
a note he had received from a lady in England,
enclosing a contribution to the Christian Com
mission. He remarked that he prized it greatly,
that $5,000 could not buy it from him. It was
from a poor woman of Ohio, living in England,
who had been watching with interest the strug
gle going on in America, and she felt that
she mnst do something' for the gallant men
who were fighting the battles of liberty. Bat
the letter was in his hands, and he would read
it. "Dear President” it begins—the ladies will
note that, and learn how to couch their notes
to the President. (Laughter.)
“ Dear President :— I hope you will pardon
me for troubling you. Ohio is my native
State, and I so much wish to send a trifle in
the shape of a five pound Bank of England
note, to buy Bibles for the poor wounded sol
diers of [the North, which I hope they may
.read.
“ Yours very respectfully,
Mary Talbot Sorbv,
■“Fir Cliff, Derbydale, Derbyshire, England.”
» Yes —that small piece of paper (holding up
the note) representing only $4O of our money
now, has a history, and I mean to hand it down
to my children’s children.”
The collection was now taken up, the splend_
id band |playing patriotic airs in the meanwhile.
After a short interval the chair introduced the
•next speaker as follows:
The Chair: —I never meet upon the streets
■a man who wears the uniform of his country
■who does not receive thejiomage of my heart.
.(Applause.) And humble then, indeed, jqaay I
feel when it becomes my duty to introduce to|
•you one "who has rendered gallant service in the*
field—a service which it has been mortifying-.to
one that I .could neither endure nor participate
in. I have the extreme pleasnre of presenting
to you Brigadier General Martin dale. (Ap
plause.) You will be charmed with his lan
guage, but it is excelled by his gallantry in the
field.
Gen. Martin dale’s Address-
Mb. President, Ladies, and GentleKK>’—
better than all, Citizens, yet, thank God,
of the United States:—(Applause.) Coming
here, as I doubt not many of you have come,
from the different portions of this confeder
acy, you will remember with pleasure the
occasion of this assemblage, and recall it by
the circumstances that give it a' national
interest. It has been convened in the Hall
of the House of Representatives of the Uni
ted States; it is 'presided over by a citizen
save one, the most prominent in the ranks
of the distinguished men of this nation ; it
is honored by the presence of the Chief
Magistrate, (applause) of whom I hope it
may not be deemed indelicate to say that
the hopes inspired by the promise of his
measures redeemed, when history stalks
across the centuries, to be exalted the post
eminent citizen of the age in which he lived.
In this crisis it is desirable that this na
tion, in a struggle for its life, should know
what are the powers, what are the forces on
which it is to rely for a successful prosecu
tion of the contest. I have come here and
| listened with an intense interest to hear the
| development of what can he done toward
the suppression of the rebellion by the in
fluences of a practical Christianity. I say a
practical Christianity as distinguishing it
from that pretentious sentimentality and
excitement, too often received as the only
evidence of Christian character or achieve
ment. All men here, whatever may be their
professions in life, whatever may be the lives
they lead, I suppose will be ready to admit
that in the minds of all with whom they
associate there is a deep religious feeling.
It takes form sometimes in fantastic shapes;
it-appears in its weekly attendance on the
churches; whatever may be the ordinary
habits of life, its teachings will be tolerated
in the household; and I think sometimes
when a crisis comes in the private history of
the individual, it reoalls with a rush of
tender emotions those moments of child
hood when Christian instruction was receiv
ed from the lips of the mother of the boy.
Nevertheless we all know and have discov
ered this—that this question of Christian
action, the discussion of the influence of
religion in the daily projects-in which we
are engaged, is one exceedingly difficult.
I imagine if, in view of some railroad enter
prise, the idea of religion. should be intro
duced by the board of directors, it would
produce a paralysis upon the speech of the
members. I see that the operations of the
Croveroment, in the Departments established
in this city, are really adapted as means to
the accomplishment of practical ends. Come
here into the Capitol, and the question pre
sented is the enrolling of troops,'their or
ganization, their discipline, the means by
which, when the struggle comes, they shall
keep steady in the face of battle and of
death—and whoever, in these general de
liberations, takes into account that deep,
fervent, religious element, so powerful, so
implanted in our natures—and yet, with
some experience and observation over the
fields of battle, with some hallowed memo
ries of intercourse with men (God bless
them) whom I love, I am prepared to say
that of all motives to human conduct the
sweetest, the truest, the most enduring, the
most pervading, are those springing from
the religious element of our natures.'
When this rebellion was enkindled—you
all recollect it—there was a thrill of indig
nant horror and enthusiasm pervading the
land. God help us, it did not seem that
human nature could be so foul as to commit
a wrong so deep. You remember how,
under the influence of that enthusiasm,
patriotism was aroused, the sentiment of
nationality was strengthened, how heedless
daring, reckless of untried dangers, and
and longing for the excitement of contest,
induced the people to spring to their feet
and invoke the rallying cry to arms. You
saw the feeling that was spreading over this
land. I imagine you participated in it. It
is true we did not look forward to a con test
prolonged as this has been; it is true that
we did not anticipate that this nation was to
have a struggle so deep, so vital. Recall it
all. You saw the beginning of the efforts
which were made in this land; but you have
learned that the force on which you are to
depend, that shall stand steady and firm as
the contest is protracted, is not enthusiasm.
In the lives of the forces which this people ]
has brought into action for the prosecution
of this strife, and in the light which has
been'thrown over the subject this evening
by the speakers before me, you know that it
is not the enthusiasm of the people which
will help you to win victory, and establish
this Government upon its sure foundation.
Enthusiasm is good. It is well. But it is
vacile. What we have needed was the: de
velopment of this enthusiasm by-and-by into
enduring principle, a sense of duty, and that
is religious feeling.
I think there is another idea proper to be.
suggested to this audience to-night, and to
be spoken in their presence. This is the
people’s war. It is not the war of his Ex
cellency. It is a war for the supremacy of
the people, for the restoration of this Gov
ernment. On the other side the war is for
dominion, for the exercise of arbitrary and
personal power. Now in a struggle so gigan
tic, if I had the power, and it developed on
me to do it, I would like to know how I
could take and grasp in my hand all the
power of the masses of the people. I should
not so much look over the land for some
prominent military genius as for that ability,
and that pre-science by which I might learn
best how to appropriate to my use and my
purposes the entire power of this people.
Human power iB not in bone and muscle,
nor in knowledge chiefly; it is rather an
that ardor, that fervency of purpose, that
invisable power of attraction which holds it
to its object—that power which you do not
see so much as you feel—and I have learned
after some association with mankind, _ that
he who gets at the principles and the inter
ests and the emotions of the people will
have acquired the power by which to lead
them. Thus, through the instrumentalities
that have been thrown around our hundreds
of thousands of men in the field, has the
power been acquired over them. By the
great and beneficent associations established
in their behalf, those who go have been
bound by the links of affection to those
whom they love at home. Now let this
sympathy be kept fresh, constant, un
broken. Let every prayer, let every effort,
let every wish, sanctified by some
action visible, palpable, that devotes the
agent to the cause, let every such effort,
action, wish at home, say, “God speed you
who are in the field.” Thus maintain the
living sympathy between the home and the
field; call out all the best forces of your
nature, and this nation, with a cause so just,
with a cause working to destroy it so infa
mous, cannot be prevailed against, though
the gates of the bottomless pit should be
opened upon it! (Applause.)
Lookingupon the subject as it has been
-presented here to-night, I have been inter-
Jestedas well as delighted by what has been
communicated as to the action of this Chris
tian Commission. It seems to me to be the
outward expression of the deep interest
which our countrymen and countrywomen
at their homes feel for their sons, their
brothers in the camp and in the field.
Above all do I esteem what they have done,
not so much in the circulation of books and
stores, in the sending of those who are to
contribute to tlje relief of the suffering
wounded and sick, as I do the memories of
home which their ministries bear and dif
m»C through the camo. I think I see that
this .Christian Commission la the r&gp6nsible t
spontaneous, well organized means bv which
fathers, mothers, wives, sisters, shall bear
themselves, with all their purifying influ
ence and ministrations, to the actual theatre
of war, shall inspire our armies in the field
with a spirit which never falters nor fails, ih
the greatest trials, because it is the
the heroic spirit of Christian charity,
At this point Mr. Stuart announced that
letters of regret, and of sympathy in the work
of the Christian Commission, had been re ceived
from several distinguished gentlemen. Among
them were the following:
SECRETARY SEWARD’S LETTER.
Department op State, Washington, Jan. 23, 1864.—'T0
Georgs H. Stuart, Esq., Chairman United States Chris
tian Commission, No. 11 Bank street, Philadelphia—My
Dear Sir:—l rejoice more than I can express in the
manifestations which appear in so many quarters, that
the social and religious forces of the country are being
diverted from the unprofitable and hurtful controversies
with which this great national trial of ours opened, to an
earnest, popular, harmonious, and united co operation
with the President, the Congress, the Army and the
Navy, the loyal States, tho loyal Governors, the loyal
Courts, the loyal Ministers, the loyal Consuls, the loyal
Doctors, the loyal Clergy, the loyal Teachers, and the
loyal Press in maintaining this Union in its broadest pro
portions, and upon its impregnable material and moral
foundations, agamstall assaults at home orfrom abroad.
It is the only true way now to preserve either national or
individual prosperity, or civil or religious freedom. •
Belief to the sufferers and consolation to the mourn
ers in the cause, is a suggestion equally of patriotism
and of Christianity. Jf it were possible, therefore, I
would be with the Christian Commission, not only in its
proposed demonstration here, but also in its projected
celebration in Philadelphia; I would be with it, and with
the Sanjtary^Commission; with the Freedmen’s Asso
ciation, and with all the other noble charities which are
springing Up among us always, and wherever they
might be found. In this great struggle I know no loyal
and humane association with which I do not delight to
fraternize with my whole soul, heart, and mind.
I am, dear sir,
Very respectfully, your obedient servent,
William H. fcEWABDs
LETTER FROM GEN. PATRICK.
Headquarters, Armt op tee Potomac— Office of the Pro
vost Marshal General, Jan 25, 1864. —My Dear Sir r
have the honor to acknowledge the receipt .of your leti*
ter of the 20th inst,, invitingme tobepresentatandtake
a part in the exercises of the meeting of the Christian
Commission, at Washington, on the 2dprox. -
I need not assure you of my interest in your work,
but I think it will not be possible for me to be absent
from my post, in the field at that time.
Regretting the circumstances that prevent me from
being with you, I remain,
very respectfully, your obedient servent,
W. R. Patrick.
Geo. H. Stuart, Esq., 11 Bank Street, Phila.
GEN. CASEY’S LETTER.
Washington, D. C., Feb. 1, 1864.— Dear Sir:—Your
polite invitation to attend the meetings of the Qornmis
sion at Philadelphia and Washington, is received.
My duties are such that I could not attend the meet
ing at Philadelphia, and I regret that an
will prevent my presence at the meeting to-morrow
evening.
Your Commission is doing a noble work, and it de
serves and 1 am sure it will nave, the assistance of all
who are loyal to their God and country.
In the terrible contest in which we are engaged, the
cause of our country, is the cause of God, and my faith
has never wavered in His all-prevailing power and will
to give us the victory. Yours truly,
Stlas Major-General.
To George H. Stuart, Esq., chairman Christian Com
mission.
LETTER FROM ATTORNEY-GEXERAL
BATES.
Washington, Feb. 2, 1864.—T0 Geo. H. Stuart,
Chairman U. S. C. C.— Sir: —l regret very much that it is
not in my power to avail myselfof your kind invitation
to meet the Christian Commission, at the Capitol to
night. But my state of health is such that I am no
better than a prisoner in roy own house, not daring to
brave the humid atmosphere, even in the day time.
I am comforted, however, in the knowledge that
the only loser by my absence, not supposing that my'
presence could contribute, in any, even the smallest de
gree, to the advancement of your noble enterprize."
My respect and admiration are aroused whenever I
hear of you and yours (as I constantly do,) upon every
battle-field and in every hospital and camp, doing; the
TVork ofloveand the hungry, and cloth;
ing the naked, comforting the distressed, healing the
wounded, and smoothing even, the passage, through
death, to a better life than this.
The beneficent wisdom of JDivino Providence has so
arranged the affairs of this world, that the highest ser
vice to God and to man must advance, harmoniously,
together. For I persuade myself that he who accom
plishes the greatest sum of good to his' brethren on
earth, is the most profitable servant of his Father in
heaven.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,.
Edw. Bates.
Upon the reading of the letters, the chair in
troduced Senator Sherman, of Ohio, as follows:
There has been no voice in this good work from
the other end of the capitol (the Senate). I
am not quite able to say in what manner this
has happened; but I see on the floor to.night,
the distinguished Senator and I
would venture to invite him to address the
audience on this occasion. (Applause.)
Remarks of Senator Sherman
I hope, Mr. Chairman, and ladies and gen
tlemen, that you will excuse, me from saying
anything. (Louder and longer applause. %
earnestly wish to be excused from addressing'
you to-night. I can say this much that I ear-i
nestly appreciate the object of this Christian.;
Commission. v I like the name. I like tlicr
cause. The beneficiaries of the institution are 11
the noblest blessed beings, I believe, God ever
made—l mean the common soldiers of the
United States. (Cheers.) The gentlemen of
the Commission whom you have heard to-night
have shown that they are worthy of the cause
in which they speak, and I am glad to hear
that their efforts have been so successful in
procuring money and stores, that they have
already distributed to the value of a million of
dollars among the soldiers of our army. This
in connection with the sum raised by the Sani
tary Commission, shows clearly enough that
the people scattered all over„.the country have
hearts to sympathize in the cause in which
these men labor. I believe no soldier, no offi
cer, is more deserving of the praises and
plaudits of his countrymen than these brave
and good men who have devoted ; their lives to
the holy cause in which they are engaged. I
return you my thanks, ladies and gentlemen,
for this short apology for a speech.
A voluntary duet was here sung by gentle
men of the city, after which at the reqnest of
Mr. Stuart, Chaplain McCabe, late from Libby
Prison, Richmond, was requested to sing, a
hymn which has electrified many audiences
with its sentiment and the beauty and grandeur
of its chorus. Col. Powell, of West Yirginia,
only one week from the same rebel dungeon*
was also requsted to join in the song with the
chaplain.
Chaplain M'Cabe’s Remarks and Hymn.
The Riclimand papers announced to us that
there had been a great battle at Gettysburg;
that it had been a great Confederate victory ;
that forty thousand of the Potomac Army had
been captured and were now on their way to
Richmond. You may imagine how we_ pris
oners felt. We did not believe it all. Still we
feared that much of it might be true. We lay
down upon our floor to sleep. For my part I
could not sleep. I heard the watch call “nine,”
“ten,” “eleven,” “twelve,” “one,” “two,”
“ three,”—“ four” o’clock—and then I began
to listen for the footsteps of Old Ben—whom
everybody in Libby Prison knew ; he was the
old negro who brought the papers to us. After
awhile his footsteps were heard advancing. He
reached the topmost step, then, lifting up his
voice he shouted, “ Great news in de papers.
Did you ever see a resurrection? I never did
till then ! The men sprang to their feet; they
rushed to the poor fellow and tore the papers
from him. They announced that the Army ot
HURSDA Y, EEBRUAB l 18, 1864.
the Potomac had gained A Great Victory !
(Cheers.) That the operator at the end of the
line in Martinsburg liad clicked his instrument
once too many, putting a cipher on to foar thou
sand to make it forty thousand prisoners ! My
friends, I have seen joy, when friends long
parted have met, but I never saw such joy as
was there that morning. The men grasped
each other by the hand ; they embraced each
other; tears ran dotyu their cheeks that had
been unblanched in battle.
The audience will please join with me, every
heart and every voice, in the chorus of the
hymn, “ The Battle Hymn of the Republic”
that wc prisoners then and there struck up.—
Would fo God that the five hundred voices that
helped me'to gj n g it on that day of gladness in
Libby Prison, were .her?Jo help me sing it to
night! (Amen ! amen !* responded the audi
ence.)
The Chaplain then the hymn with much
sweetness and power, thd whole audience, as
sisted by the splendid brass band, joining to
swell the grand chorus. It was £.uug to the
tune of the well-known “ John Brown choruo.-V ,
The enthusiasm was aroused to an exalted
pitch, so that few scenes like it have ever been
witnessed in a public gathering. Applause
greeted the ending of nearly every stanza, and
in the last, before reaching the chorus, the pent
up enthusiasm could be restrained no longer,
but burst forth in a torrent of exultant shouts
and cheers that made the Hall ring to the roof.
The following is a copy of the
battle hymn op the republic.
Mine; eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord :
He is tr.. Tripling out the vintage where tlfe grapes of
wrath' are stored:
He hath ljmsed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift
sword:
His truth i 3 marching’on.
Chorus—Glory, glory, hallelujah I
I have seen him in the watch fires of a hundred circling
camps;
They have budded Him an altar in the evening dews
and damps;
I can read his righteous sentence by the dim and flaring
lamps:
His day is roarehing on
Chorus— Glory, glory, hallelujah!
I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of
steel:
“ As ye deal with my contemners so with you my grace
shad deal;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with
his heel.
Since God is marching on.”
Chorus— Glory, glory, hallelujah 1
He has sounded forth the trumpet that shad never cad
retreat:
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment
seat:
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my
feet!
Our God is marching on
Chorus —Glory, glory, hallelujah I
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the
sea.
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures jou and
me:
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men
free, '
While God is marching on!
Chorus— Glory, glory, Hallelnjah!
Remarks of Colonel Powell.
After the auiijpnce had somewhat quieted
down, at the request of Mr. Stuart, Col. Powell
made a brief statement of the sufferings of our
prisoners of war in Libby prison. The Colonel
was taken prisoner July 23d, 1863, and after
remaining in the hospital nine days, was thrust
into a " dark, damp, dismal, loathsome dun
geon, with scarcely light enough to see his hand
before his face.” For thirty-seven days Ins
fare was bread and water, as he was under a
charge of murder find destruction of property,
4$ being in comnSind of A Virginia regiment.
Day after day hqTdemanded an investigation of
his case, but was unheard, until finally he pro
cured a release from the felon’s dungeon. And
now being under restrictions, as his case was
.pending for exchange, he could not relate to the
audience all thgfc he would like to relate, and
much that would be of the deepest interest to
them to hear, He would say that the suffering
on Belle Island Was very great. The provisions
sent by friends of the prisoners in the north was
a great relief foi a while. But he was how as
sured that at the present time the suffering on
Belle Isle was increasingly great. He had the
authority of their own papers, of January 28th,
for saying.that our men on Belle Isle, “in con
sequence of the rations they had received, were
compelled to kill and eat dogs ! ” This was pub
lished in a Richmond paper, reported by their
own reporter, who visited the island, with a
sneering remark as to taste, saying "that they
never had admired the taste of the Yankees.”
I believe that it was to prevent alriiost starva
tion itself. While I was there the daily allow
ance was a piece of corn bread about one inch
and a half thick, and somewhat less than the
size of a duodecimo book. The Colonel had.
been informed, however, by clergymen of Rich
mond who visited them, that this scanty allow
ance was absolutely because they could do no
better. On the authority of their own papers,
some 2,500 men wore removed a short time
since to Danville, and the small pox breaking
out, made fearful havoc among them, so that
it was stated in theirpapers, " that there would
be very few Yankees at Danville by the first of
March.” There are now some 8,000 men on
Belle Isle. 6,000 have tents and very comfort
able quarters. The men are well clothed, owing
to the clothing sent from the north. The other
2,000 men are without tents and blankets, as
they say they have hot the blankets to furnish.
They are compelled to lie in the ditches around
the camps to shield themselves from the severe
weather.
The speaker represented that our men were
in extremely good spirits under the circum
stances—a fact which was greeted with applause
“I have seen our men,” said he, “previous to
the issue by the committee of clothing received
from the north, fairly draped in rags, and have
heard them say, that they were willing to re
main there till their finger and toe nails rotted
off rather than our Government should sacrifice
one principal to secure their liberation.”
Hearty applause followed this fact also. The
officers in Libby Prison believe firmly that the
spring campaign is going to crush the rebellion
forever. (Cheers.) They gather this from the
Confederates themselves, whose officers express
their dread of the coming spring.. (Renewed
applause.) W . 38^'
At the request of President Lincoln the
chair announced that Chaplain McCabe would
again favor the audience with the hymn, and
he complied and prefaced the song by the re
mark that when in Libby he had received a
message for the President. The men, there
-tattered and torn, and nearly exhausted, said to
him, “ Chaplain, if you should see Father
Abraham in Washington, tell him not to
back down an inchpor us ! (Loud cheering.)
And, Mr.; President, pardon a humble citizen
of this republic, but I bear you that message
now, in this great capitol to-night, and may
God help you ! ” (Amen from the audience.)
The “battle hymn” was again sung with
almost the fervor of the first rendering. The
audience joined in singing one verse of th e
“ Coronation hymn,” and at half-past eleven
o’clock was dismissed with the benediction by
the Rev. Dr. Phelps.
Welsh Presbyterian Church. _A.
Presbytery, was formed, January Ith, at
Swansea,. Wales, of the English Calvinistic
Methodist . .Churches in , Glamorganshire
Monmouthshire, and Carmarthenshire.
The War.
Virginia. —Every thing is quiet in the
Army of the Potomac since the return of our
forces to their old position. The rebels have
thrown up rifle-pits and breastworks to cover
Morton’s Ford.
North Carolina. —Richmond papers con
firm the report of the rebel retreat from New
bern. Their army had fallen back sixteen
mile.-.
South Carolina. —By the transport Fulton,
Port Royal, 9th inst., we have some import
ant news. A formidable expedition left Port
Royal on the 6 th, under the command of Gen.
Seymour, and landed at Jacksonville, Fla., on
the 9th, without resistance. It was reported
that the whole force would push across the
country to Tallahassee. Gen. Gilmore sailed
from Port Royal on the 7th to join the expe-
Admiral Dahlgren, with the flag-ship
Pawnco ’>irr^-Wachusctts, and the Water
W™hadal S o.^edforJ a cksonville.
Tennessee. —Gen. Foster telegraphs from
Knoxville, under date of FebruS l ? J, th a t an
expedition sent against Thomas and' its band
of Indians and whites, at Quallatown, has
returned completley successful. They sur
prised the town, killed and wounded 215, took
50 prisoners, and dispersed the remainder of
the gang. Our loss was two killed and six
wounded. , j
Louisiana. —New Orleans dates to the 2d
inst. are received. The Free-State Conven
tion nominated the Hon. Michael Hahn for'
Governor. Some of the delegates bolted,'and
have named the Hon. H. F. Flanders for Go
vernor. The election takes place on the 22d
inst., and the legal restoration of the State to
the Union is looked upon as a matter of
course. The resolutions of the Convention
are patriotic, and thoroughly outspoken against
slavery. Gen. Banks has made an order on
compensated plantation labor, fixing* rates,
prohibiting flogging and the sale of liquor, &c.
There is no war news? from New Orleans.
General News.
Rebel papers say that “several thousand
yankee prisoners are to be removed from Rich
mond to Georgia. They also say that the
rebel capital is soon to be removed to Colum
bia. Flour in Richmond is $250 per bbl,
sugar $7 to $8 per pound.
George Thompson, the great English anti
slavery lecturer, was welcomed to Boston, on
Wednesday evening, the 10th inst., by Col
lector Goodrich and others. Mr. T. thanked
God he had lived to see the noble position
America had taken, andhoped, in a few days,
to have an opportunity to speak more fully
on the state Of feeling in England in relation
to our great struggle.
On the 11th inst., the Rev. S. O. Wylie,
Philadelphia, and the Rev. J. R. W. Sloane,
New York, Committee of Reformed Presby
terian Synod, had an interview with the Pre
sident on the subject of amending the Consti
tution in favor of- Christianity and Freedom.
They were introduced by Judge Bingham, of
Ohio, and presented their memorial. The
President replied to the delegation that he
would take the matter into serious conside
ration, and give it such attention as his duty,
our Maker, and our country seemed to de
mand.
The following are among the amendments
made by the Senate to the Deficiency Appro
priation Bill, at the suggestion of the Secre
tary of_War: For deficiency arms and ord
nance, $7,700,000; for the manufacture of arms
at the National Armory, 700,000; sick soldiers
in private hospitals, 7,000; subsistence of sol
diers, 5,824,000; Quartermasters’ supplies,
18,000,000;. barracks and quarters, 3,500.000;
transportation, 30,000,000; incidentals Quar
termaster Department, 2,000,000; clothing,
camp, and garrison equipage, 7,000,000; other
items are embraced, making an aggregate of
$80,000,000 as a deficiency.
Foreign News,
By the arrival of the North American, the
City of Washington, and,the China, we have
six days later news from Europe.
Great Britian. —John Bright delivered
another great speech at Birmingham on Jan.
26th, It was mostly devoted to the land
question, and showed that England is, in its
legislation on that question, far behind the
entire civilized world. He
to the unparalleled advantages which the
United States offered to all emigrants.
At a meeting'of the Southern Independence
Association, held at Manchester on January
29th, Lord Wharncjiffe, the President of the
Association, and Spenee, the notorious agent
of the rebels, denounced Slavery and declared
in favor of Emancipation. They avowed that
the principal object of their association was to
bring about a disruption of the Union.
France. —A most important discussion has
taken place in the French Legislative Body
respecting Mexico. Thiers, Berryer, and
Favre attacked the policy of the Government.
The speech of the latter is said to be the most
eloquent yet delivered in the Legislative Body.
Germany.—The troops of Austria and
Prussia have entered Holstein. Denmark has
asked them to delay for six weeks an advance,
into Schleswig, in oTder to give them time to
convoke the Council of the Empire. It is re
ported that the Prussian Prime Minister has
acceeded to this but the Kingis op-
Eosed to it. In Austria, the Lower House
as censured-the policy of the Government,
and declined all responsibility for it. ~ In Prus
sia, the _ Chambers have been prorogued.
England is making the utmost efforts to bring
about a European coalition against Germany,
apd the organs of the Minister announce that
France and Russia have approved of the
threatening attitude of England, Sweden is
determined to aid Denmark with all her pow
er, as soon as hostilities begin. The German
Diet seems to be forgotten, and the Saxon
Minister has proposed a compromise between
the Federal Diet and the two German Great
Powers concerning the occupation of Schles-
This offer is said to have been favorably
received both in Vienna and Berlin.
The Pirate Alabama, according to the latest
accounts, was continuing her depredations in
the Eastern waters.
Mexico. —News from Vera Cruz to the 31st
and Mexico City to the 29th ult-, gives a long
list of towns and vilMges as having declared
their adherence to the' intervention and the
Empire. The members of the Government
of San Luis de Potosi, appointed by Mejia
after capturing that place on the 4th of Ja
nuary, “unanimously declared for the new
order of things.” It is reported from Celaya,
January 9th, that Fen. Echagaray was taken
prisoner at Salvatierre, and was taken to Ce
laya by a part of the garrison of that place
There have been several skirmishes between
(he French and Jaurist troops—one at San
Jaun de los Hanos, which lasted from 9 A
M.rill 1 P. M..in which Gen. Garzayala, and
Col. Romero, and a large number of soldiers
•were captured and many killed *Nfce.. while the
French loss was one killed and three wounded.
On the 24th, the convoy from Jalapa arrived
without molestation at Yera Cruz. They
were escorted by the greater part of the Sice
aga brigade. The port of Campeachy sur
rendered to the trench corvette Magellan
Capt. Clones on January 9 th. The Frencli
papers report that Juarez has abdicated, and
that he has been succeeded by Ortega, but no
datejis given, and nothing stems no confirm
it We get account? or a butchery of travel
lers from Jakipa, near Vera Cruz—“several
soldiers, 1 ’ three men and boys, also four wo
men and gilrls, were killed, and the baggage
robbed.)
Congress.
Senate, Feb. B.—A bill to repeal all Fugi
tive Slave laws was offered and sent to the
Committee on Freedom and Slavery. Ajoint
resolution was offered and referred to repeal
the joint resolution to amend the Constitution,
approved March 2,1861. The President sent
in the correspondence with Bebel authorities
about exchanging prisoners.
House. —A bm to repeal the Fugitive Slave
Law was referred: alsg, a bill to create the
Department of Industry, the Secretary to be a
Cabinet officer, and the Department to embrace
Agriculture, Freedmen’s Affairs, Mines and
jyimeraj§ ; Emigration, Tfi? Eiffvllmont bill
was up in Committee, and a resolution to held
able-bodied colored men of- suitable age sub
ject to draft was adopted;- but afterward re
pealed. ,
SenATE, Feb. 9. —Mr. Sumner presented
petitions of 17,706 women of N; Y.; 15,380 of
Illinois, and'2ljOH of Mass., and an equal
number of men,' graying for the abolishment
of slavery. The introduction of the petition
caused a debate between Messrs. Saulsbury,
Sumner, Wilson, Powell, Johnson and Con
ness, in the course of which the action of the
'Senate on the Crittenden compromise was
discussed at length. The Lieutenant-General
bill was reported back, with the clause making
such officer General-in-Chief, and the name of
Gen. Grant stricken out- The Senate took np
the bill to promote enlistments.
House.—The House went into ConnDWttee
on the Enrollment bill. A motion to 'exempt
clergymen not engaged in secular business Was
lost. A motion to exempt from draft all who
would rather negotiate than fight was lost, 23
to 102. The Committee refused, 45 to 60, to
strike out the clause consolidating the two>
classes.
Senate, _ Feb. 10. —Mr. Trumbull reported
(as a substitute for Mr. Henderson’s proposed
amendment to the Constitution,) the following:
“First, Neither slavery nor Involuntary Servi
tude, except as a punishment for crime where
of the person shall have been duly tried and
convicted, shall exist within the United States,
or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Second, Congress shall have power to enforce
this article by appropriate legislation. ’ ’ The
Judiciary Committee reported adversely to
Mr. Sumner’s resolutions to make all men
free before the law. Mr. Clark introduced a
bill reaffirming the President’s Proclamation
of Jan! 1,1863, and giving it the force of a
statue. Mr. Brown proposed to amend the
Enlistment bill so as to abolish slavery, and
make negroes subject to military service as
whites now are. Mr. Sumner inquired into
the treatment of colored men by railway com
panies and others in the District of Columbia
and elsewhere. After_ a little debate, vote
was taken on instructing the Committee to
bring in a billon the subject, resulting—Yeas,
30; nays, 10. ,
House.—The House went into Committee
of the Whole on the state-of-the Union l on-the
Enrollment bill. A motion to strike out the
clause exempting clergymen failed by one ma
jority, and it now stands nearly as in the ori
ginal bill. Mr. Ganson proposed that habeas
corpus shall not be suspended in the case of
minors enlisting or being drafted. Lost. Mr.
Stevens proposed an amendment to- enroll all
African males from 20 to 45 years old;- where
drafted, if a slave, the owner to have 8300-and
the slave to be free. This was debated at great
length.
Senate, Feb. 11.—Mr. Collamer reported
back from the Committee on Post Offices and
Roads a bill regulatingrailroads in New Jersey,
and moved that the subject be referred to tne
Judiciary Committee, as it presented grave
questions of conflict between the government
and that State. The Senate refused so to re
fer the bill, and it was laid on the table. The
House bill to rebuild the President’s stables
was passed. The bill to remove the disquali
fication on account of color in carrying United
States Mails was reported to the House. The
Lieutenant-General bill was debated until the
hour for adjournment, but no vote was taken.
House.—A bill was passed, appropriating
$12,000 to rebuild the President’s stables de
stroyed by fire last night. The house went
into Committee on the Whole on the Enlist
ment bill. The amendment to draft persons
of African descent to constitute part of the Na
tional forces, was discussed, Involving the
question of compensation to loyal owners. Mr.
Davis moved that Commissioners be appointed
in the Slave States represented in Congress,
who shall award just compensation, not more
than $3OO, for each slave of a loyal owner who
shall volunteer. This was agreed to.
Senate, Feb. 12. —The Senate took up
the House Deficiency Bill, as reported by the
Senate Finance Committee, with amendments.
The House provision for extra clerical force
in the Departments was stricken out, but the
Senate authorizes the appointment for a term
not more than one year beyond the close of
the war of about 1,000 clerks and. employees
of various grades, and appropriates money to
pay the salaries to June, 1864. It also pro
vides for the employment of women, at sala
ries not exceeding $6OO per year.
House.-—The Senate Enrollment bill, as
amended by the House in Committee, was
taken up. The House proceeded to vote on
the amendments in order, The first was that
directing the enrollment of negroes free and
slave, the payment of the $lOO bounty to the
owner of any slave drafted, and the appoint
ment of Commissioners in Slave States repre
sented as Congress shall determine compensa
tion (not exceeding $300) to the owner of a
slave volunteering after the owner has made
such slave free. This was adopted, Yeas 84,
Nays 67. The bill, as amended, was then
adopted by Yeas 63, Nays, 60.
Senate, Feb. 13.—A communication was
received from the Secretary of War showing
that there are three hundred and eighty-seven
officers, of all grades, drawing commutation
for quarters and fuel. The consideration of
the bill increasing the pay of colored soldiers
to the same amount
resumed. Mr. WilsonJlnoved to strike out
tii6 clause in the bill of the Committee giving
colored troops .the same pay, &c., except boun
ty, during the whole time they have been in
the service, and insert 11 after the Ist day of
,January, 1864.” This was adopted. The
amendment of Mr. Doolittle, providing that,
from the monthly pay of colored troops, mus
tered into the service in insurrectionary dis
v, IC rf’i. three dollars per month
shall be reserved to reimburse the expenses
incurred by the United States in feeding and
clothing the widows, children, and parents of
deceased colored troops, was rejected, after
some debate. Mr. Cowan offered’ a substitute
for the bill as amended, “that,from and after
the passage of this act, all soldiers of the
United States of the same arm of the service
Bhall receive like compensation.” Mr. Gowan
supported his amendment at some length,
claiming that the 'negro must be regarded as
a citizen under the Constitution, as be re
ceived the protection of the laws.