The American Presbyterian. (Philadelphia) 1856-1869, January 26, 1865, Image 1

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    THE AMERICAN MUSETTE MAN
AND
"GENESEE 'EVANGELIST.
AReligionsand Family Newspaper,
IN THE INTEREST OF VIA
Constitutional Presbyterian Church.
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY.
AT THE PRESBYTERIAN HOUSE,
isst Oheannt Street. (2tl story,) Philadelphia.
Rey. John W. Mears, Editor and Publisher.
Rev. B. B. Hotchkin, Editor of News and
Pondl7 Departments.
Rev. C. P. Bosh, Corresponding Editor,.
Rochester, N. Y.
atmsritait Li'vEoltßisttian.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 1865
CONVENTS OF INSIDE PAGES.
SECOND PAGE--THE FAMILY CIRCLE:
Who Shall Roll Away the Stone 7—Mary Ellen—
shrewd Ratnrts—Right Words fir the Young—
Skating—Every Day Life—Chubby Children—Sin
gular Incident--Econotnlia Wealth—Prayer a Char
acteristic of Men'Arcturus—Thealonest Moravian
—God's Plan of Your Life—Ladies' Names—Punc
tual Worshippers'.
THIRD PAGE-r-RDITOE/S TABLE •
" History Of .the Jere ?--Gardner's "Au
tumn Leaves "—llotchkin's Manliness"—Maga
eines and Pataphlets—Beliciving, but not Under
standing—lnteresting Agricultnral Facts—Com
pound IntereSt Given.
SUMS PAGE—COREESPONBENCE :
Open Air. P, eaohers : Richard Cunningham—Letter
from Rev. ILIL Tessup—Letter from East Tennessee
—Letter from Chaplain Enoeh R. Miller—lce Stars
and Snow Stars.
SEVENTH PAGE—RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE :
Congregation al - LlVlethodist-Episcopal—Lutheran
—Foreign—Nfiscellaneous —ltems--When Gas was
Introduced—Miscellaneous.
REVIVALS AMONG CHILDREN.
Christian people are prepared, we think,
to grant that children may become sub
jects of converting grace at a very tender
age. They are prepared, possibly, to go
further, and to say that they ought to be
converted in early life; that it is a mis
fortunefor them to reach the age of twelve
years unconverted; that every proper ef
fort should: be made to prevent. such an
occurrence. Yet we fear that the idea of a
children's revival, when many very
young, persons' may, be deeply and simul
tanemisly impressed with religious truth,
and under some degree of excitement,
with some peculiar measures, and some
pressure, brought into the fold; is re
garded by many good people with deci
ded mistrust. If the regular influence of
'home piety. and Sabbath-School` instruc
tion 'fail to develope early evidence of
conversion, there is a disposition to, ac
quiesce in the state of things, as if it
were an unavoidable PrOvidence, and all
hope of conversion is deferred- to a ma
tUrer period. There is .frequently cifg
position manifested to keep young chil-
dren away from all scenes of religious
excitement, as of positively injurious ten
dency, even when all the ordinary influ
ences of home and Sabbath-school in
struction have failed to produce saving
impressions.
But there are earnest, persevering pa
rents and teachers, who cannot consent
to abandon the case of the young chil
dren, when ordinary Means have failed.
They will be on the look-out- for some
other agencies, for sortie other manifesto
tion of Divine power and grade toward
this deeply interesting class. .A. simple
principle which they adopt, and which
seems to us worthy of general acceptance,
is, that young children, like other persons,
may, and ought to, be subjected to any in
fluencesi,,which sound Christian, judg
ment, not wanting in courage and faith,
and aided by experience, would indi,
cafe as likely to lead them to. Christ.
Seeing that parental and Sabbath-school
training and regular pastoral labor, af
ter all the good which by the Divine
blessing they do accomplish, leave avast
amount undone; seeing that at any given ,
period in the Church's life, there is a
multitude of her young people outside of
the f01d.,-giving no satisfactory evidence
of a change of heart, besides another
multitude of worse cases, among the neg
lected and abandoned quite beyond her
borders, they are prepared to welcome,
and to pray and labor for a general and
powerful religious movement among this
class,-and to recognize it,—although far
different from ordinary religious I training
in its phenomena, and more rapid in its
results,—as a true and appropriate and
blessed work of the Sprit of God.
Why should there not be CHILDREN'S
BazvrvALs? Why, should not the chit=
dren by multitudes be brought into the
fold of Christ in their tender years?
Why should not their tender consciences,
their fresh susceptibilities to religious
impressions, their quickly-movlng emo,
tions, and their unselfish sympathies be
largely used for gracious ends,—as they
now are for worldly ones,—and pre-oc
cupied with Divine things? Why may
they not enjoy, the advantage of a
large degree of that mutual influence, for
good, which so potent among them, at
a very - tender age, for evil? Why may
not "the Holy Spirit successfully use the
vivacity and impulsiveness and sociabi
lity of the foungl',in promoting a revi
val? Why are not their minds so opPn
to impressions froni Bible-truth, so ready.
New Series, Vol. TT, NO. 4.
to yield to the requirements of truth and
duty upon heart 'and conscience, so do
cile; -so humbly trustful of others; the
'very ones'of all in which the great ; wide
sproad revival influences of the Spirit
may . be expected to appear? Why
should this characteristic openness to re
ligious impressions be suspiciously guard
ed against any large or spscial•operation
of Divine influence, as if it were-teally a
dangerous peculiarity instead of a gift, to
be most assiduously cultivated?-Why pre
fer for the large experience of Divine influ
ences; an age in which the process of time
has hardened the sensibilities, - destroyed
half the tenderness, simplicity, and Can
dor of, the, child-nature, has settled many
habits, broken up many, social tie - s, and
created the isolation and self-reliance
and pride of more advanced years?
Why wait until high barriers of prejudice
and obstinacy and pride of consistency,
and memories of past grievings of the
Spirit, and of worldly and carnal iusts are
raised to make a stout resistance to
every advance of the truth upon the
sinner ?
Some one expressed his astonishment
to Rev. Dr. Hatfield, on hearing of nu
merous instances, of the conversion of
children which had recently taken place
in his church, eXclaiming, "IS anything
too hard for the Lord?" " Too hard,"
replied Dr. 'H., hoWmistaken the ap
plication of these words 1 It is not in
the ease of such conversions that the
mightiness of the Spirit's operations is
most exhibited ; but in the case of the
full-grown sinner, hardened against the
truth by Yong continuance in sin, and re
bellion. How easy, comparatively,' to
bring the simple-hearted child to receive
and embrace the gospel."*,
It-is true, in the language of a recent
pamphlet-t on, the, subject, that ".the
experience , and • immaturity , of children
Irtakeitineeeseary that, they should wail.:
humbly. They cannot bear to be thrust
into prominence`and be made conspicuous.
Beligion always, arid especially in a t time
of a revival, .is in danger from spiritual
pride and ,ambition." But are not all
young converts, of any age, children in
this respect ? And what is conversion
at any time, or'under any circumstances,
but -becoming' as little children, and 'as
such, needing wise guidance and caution, '
as much-..as literal: children ? As • the
pamphlet goes on' to , say : " a revival
children must be full of excite
among
merit. But it should - be more' like . the,
harmonious : eieitement of an oreheitra,
than the tumultuous excitement of a mob.
There 'Should 'be a wise adaptation of all
the teaChirig, exhortation, :warning; en
treaty, associations, and prayer and exer
.
cises to the 'years,- the culture, the 'sus
ceptibilities, and attainments of children."
We should not move a pen in defence of
revivals among, children, if it were not
understood that all precautions of the
kind described, and all others needful to
exclude a mixture of mere human' ele
ments, would be taken.
We need not pause to argue the ab
stract question. There have been Cm-L
-MEN'S REVIVALS in the remoter and in
modern times, like the wonderful. out
breaking of that preordained song .'of
,praise, from the mouths of babes and
sucklings in the temple, when the Messiah,
the Lamb of God, entered it on the first
day of •the week of his passion. Multi
tudes of young people were converted in
the great awakening of one hundred and
twenty years ago, in the' time of White
.
field,,Jolmathan•Edwards, the Tennents,
Dr. Griffin, :.and others. One authority
says of this revival : "The souls of very
many little children •have been remarkably
enlightened, ' and their hearts. wonder
fully affected and, enlarged, and their
mouths opened, expressing themselves in
a manner far beyond their. years." An
other authorityt. says: , "It is well knOwn
that the revival showed its greatest
pow;, .and won its greatest triumphs
among
. the young." The story of Phebe
Bartlett, a convert of these times, as told
by Jonathan Edwards, is a Christian
classic. She was but four , years old
when she experienced a change of heart,
' and a consistent life of sixty years Attested
* "Little Ones in the Fold:" Introduction.
"Revivals among Children," a paper
prepared, for the Suffolk County, New York,
Sabbath-school Association by `Re4., Epher
Whitaker, and recently published by 'the
- Association. - ,
"Revivals among Children." ,
PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 1865.
the reality , of her conversion. Dr. Griffin
speaks of as many as a. hundred " little
children" whom he had dismissed from .
catechising, gathering around him in
tears, and inquiring what they should do.
and whom he could gnot ,:prevail on "to
depart, even after prayer and exhortation
with them until night came on, when he
was obliged to go out with - them, and.
literally force' them away. A Long'
Island pastor of a century ago speaks of
a revival of extraordinary power, the sub
jects of which were from ,six or „seven to
'aboVe . seventy yeirk of age ßev Mrl
MAIM., of Auburn, Maine, speaking of a
revival in which he labored twenty-five
years :ago, said, that, " very , many little
children from six to : ten years of age
indulged a hope . Cbrist, -and wished
to unite with the church. Great fears
were entertained ihat they would not hold
out. But those fears were sroundless.
They are now the pillars of the church."
And in our day a very marked combi
nation of circumstances points to young
children , as the field of special hope and
effort for the Chnrch. A vast literature,
with some of the most talented of living
writers, has arisen for their benefit
Great publishing establishments devote
themselves, in whole or win part, to the
work of providing'a religious literature
for quite, young 'readers. Our Sunday--
school system is elaborated' and discnssed
as neVer , before, and broader views of its
responsibilities and capacities 'for good
are cherished 'by a vast army of Christian
teachers, comprising nearly all the actiy - e
elements in the Church. Multitudes of
the young ,of ; our congregations, ,under
Sabbath-school training; have,acqu*O. a
knoWledge of all'the essential :doctrines
of Christianity, and Of the'whole‘proCeSs
in the work of conversion. They are fit
material for tkLe reviving work of_ 'the I
Spirit on a , large scale.; :they need not
fah - 4rkto gross dcliisip.tisi; on 4 ?Luattert of
- doctrine and duty, or be swept away by
unthinking excitement, but may well be
prepared nevi, in large numbers;, for long
lives of , piety and , usefulness: Their
very privileges of superior enlightenment
and , culture at such an early age, may
otherwise but harden their hearts, and
render them less susceptible,' in riper
.years, to the claima of the gospel. •
JORN-11. LATIMER,
When a inan intelligende, energy, and .
activity, of warm sympathy and generous
liberality towards every good work, and of
noble and' amiable perSonal traits' of char
acter, has even gassed .the , allottedl - ierm
'or three''s'eore years and fen,' there--is no
preparation in :the publie Mind dr ,the
hearts Of his friends' or his legs. , -He has
lived into stl Many places of interest and
Of importance; he has -become, in• human
judgment, - so' lieceSsary to • the welfare
and success of so many undertakings;,
he is so closely entwined-in the happiest
and best associations_ of so many. livns,
that he is like a chief pillar in some
stately edifice; which would be imperilled
in every part by its removal.
Mr. JOHN R. -LATIMER, of Wilming
ton, Del., had just past his:-seventy-first
year, when, on the morning of the 18th
instant, without- an
. hour's warning, he
was called away to another state of
being: Many, very many, have heard
this intelligence with the same shock as
if it' had befallen a valued Mend, in what
is called the prime of life.
" He arose," says a Wilmington journal,
"on the morning of his sudden death, in his
usual health and cheerfulness, and after
attending to some little matters on his place,
he started for town, and on his way lie was
attacked with severe pain in the rezion pf
the heart. Turning his horse homeward,
he reached his house, and in about half an
hour expired in his accustomed chair in, his
library. Thus ends the - earthly cOurse of
one of our oldest, most distinguished and
useful citizens. ."
" Mr. Latimer was born near this city,
and had •just passed his 71st year. In :early
life he entered a counting-house in Phila
delphia and after a few years of severe ap
plication to business, he was perniitted to
gratify the desire of his boyhood,-by going
to Canton, China, where, in connection-with
several large commercial houses in. Boston,
New York, and Philadelphia, he spent:
nearly twenty years. Having been sums*
ful in business, he returned with a compe
tence, which was all he desired; purchased
and made his home the beautiful spot imar
this city, which has been rendered all that
fine culture, and good taste could , secure for
the residence of a gentleman of lei Sure and
wealth. • ,
"There he has spent nearly thirty years
as happily as otten falls to the lot of men.
Yet with all the inducements to ease and
inactive luxury, he has ever been., active in
every good work." - .
Mr. Latimer was a regular attendant
O'n 'tile services of the Ceritral .Church,
Wilmington, and has been a leading
member of that congregation from the
tithe Oflts existence. His liberality has
largely contributed to the success:of that
important and remarkably successful en
terpriSe. His relations with its pakor
were tliose of the most cordial, intimate,'
and'delightful friendship. His extensive
acquaintance with—one might almost
say his mastery of—English Jiterature,
his large experience and obseriation as
a traveller,: his, familiarity with theolo
gicat questions and with the Scriptures,
and hiS'reMiirkable command of all his
resources made him one of the 'most en
terCainiog and instructive
,companions`
Mister or any -'one else COulci.
,
Few men - excelled him in the courtesy
and refinement of' his manners, and in
the 'delicacy, yet, cordiality of his regard
for the interests of his friends. Socially
he wai.the delight of every circle in which
be 'moved The members of the General
Assembly whieh met in Wilmington, in
1859, will remember , the generous and
elegant _hospitality with which he enter
tained the entire body, 'Oft one occasiOn,
in his delightful mansion and elegant
grounds, and how; in iesponse to the vote
of thanks 'given he stood upon his
porti, With his venerable head uncov
ered; and with the enchanting landscape
of meadow.and winding stream and re
motely flashing. Delaware at his' feet, de-.
claret', what all *ho knew him knew to
be the true sentiment of his generons
soul: - "Gentlemen;" said.- he; "it is, not
yoiftitatt are obliged; it is I that feel, my-- -
self= fit,vor4 and honored by your com
pany,' and , I rejoice to have the oppor
tunity of adding to' your pleasure, du
ring your stay among us."
Latimer was true as steel to his
country in her hour of calamity and tri
al.. ; He was, one. of ,those noble Dela-
Warians who have toiled, not altogether
in vainytcy bring their State, and its'eu
tir&epolicy-into harmony with the tteat
movements; ob free,4ol; in our. day. ; in
'nim, and , his mod7 , keellent,
_energetic
lady; .every suffering, soldier had < two ,
most , •devoted friends. The, ,delicac;ies,
the substantial stores, the garments, the
surgical preparations whieh have gone;to,
fiosrkttals. and places: of ,entertainment for
the loldier .froni that, princely ; mansion'
alone, would stock a country store.. And
so single-minded were, these two., co.:la
borers-in every good work, that we may
-be sure the stream ~of charities wilLnot
cease while either of thenr is' still spared
td a suffering world.
We Offer our sincere condolence to the
Widow,- to the friends, ito the congrega;
o
t t
.tio
.and to a ; bbereavedpastor. His
,
-y were mature. He:had rea,ehed
f
tlienatu.ral term•of life. He had reaped
..
its treasures of knowledge, of experience,
of wealth, of „honor, and of. affection.
W,,,g way cherish,.too,-a - hope that, though
.unconnected with the- church by. outward
profession,hplinew the power of rehgion,
which he always honored, and was. sus
tained by% faith in a crucified and risen
•Ttedeemer. The world can spare such
men, only in the hope that the exatngeof
their wise.,and generous, use of their-ad
vantages of wealth:, and . station will sti
mulate others to likeobleness of - char
acter and conduct, 1.
~ ' -
RIOTS_ OF FREE;COLORED:.PERSONS
IN 'THE NORM
The war will ever be memorable .as
having -afforded to & dam:l-trodden and
despise'd race a chance to 'right itself, lay
displaying the highest qualities of man
hood' in' the, fiery ordeal of battle.
prejudice against the colored people at
the North, as strong; in the minds of the
majority, as the sentiment of . caste in
heathen nations, was with difficulty so'
far overcome as to allow them to enlist
in the army of freedom. The alacrity
with which they flocked to the standard—
so long an embleni of oppressibn and
wrong to their ,raCe--the noble indiffer
ence they 'showed to the unjust' distinc
tions which were observed towards' them
.in the• matter of pay and bounty; their
extreme; docility and subordination; their
`ready acqUisition of all the:,essentials of
the military character; their cleanliness,
sobriety, and high- moral tone, •as coni
pared with many others in the ranks;.
their Steady:bearing in the thick of the
conflict ; their heroic charges up to
very muzzles of the ' enemy's guns, into
the jaws of death, as at Fort Wagner,
Port Hudson' before Petersburg, and on
the north of the James, have won for them
a place, tis hrave and:daring soldiers, by
the side of the most illustrious armies
that have ever engaged in the cruel
Strife of war.
",Charge 1" Trump and drum awoke,
Onward the bondmen broke;
Bayonet and sabre stroke
s ;Vainly opposed their rush,
• Through the wild battle's crush,
With but one thought aflush,
•, Drivingtheir lords like chaff, ,
In the guns' mouths they laugh. •
Trampling with bloody heel
Over the crashing sieel, •
'All their eyes forward bent
Disked the Mack regiment.
•• _ •
Human ,nature Cannot possibly resist
such , arr al , )pear for honorable recognition,
as these great services and sacrificesior
Genesee Evangelist, No. 975.
freedom constitute. The black man has
fairly earned in this War, not merely pay
and bounty, not merely freedom for, him
self and his family,. but with dripping
wounds, and with the torn banner which
he has borne successfully, through the
fray, he doilies' to us asking the removal
of - the humiliating barriers of caste-which
have hitherto_ made even his freedom: a
dubious `advantage. He comes asking
by these eloqUent. tokens,- of every candid
man, of every one accustomed to give a
reason for , his conduct, of every patriot
and every. one capable = of, recognizing
true'nobleness of chararcter, the sacrifice
of the mere
_prejudice with which he has
hitherto been regarded.. - .Justice and
Chriikianity support •him on either, hand,
and 'we believe the heart of the Von is
opening to admit the reasonableneSs of
his appeals.
TO what practical results this removal
of caste .distinctions May lead,..it is not
necessary now to inquire. Some who
would adMit the colored man.to an equal
share in the travelling, conveniences
offered >to the: public, or to the pews of
our churches, and benches of our audi
ence rooms, may be startled at the idea
of allowing him the exercise of the right
of suffrage., -Yet no allusion was more
warmly applauded "at, the great meeting
in this city,., a fortnight ago, on the sub
ject of permitting the colored people to
ride in the street cars, than those which
intimated the propriety of allowing them
to vote: And we, were deeply impressed
with the political significance of these
allusions and this popular enthusiasm. -
It was always ~coupled with allusions to .
'another race among us, whose hatred of
the blacks is proverbially bitter and incl.
placable, and whose, vulgar and unchris=
tian prejudices have, been indulged and
pandered to 'by Northern politicians,. for
; .the sake , of their votes; thus spreading.,
strengthening, and perpetuating the pre
judices already existing in. the breasts of
native-bornAmerica,n citizens: In short,
the political importan.ce of the compact,' l
piiest-ridden, • raw' Irish Catholic vote in
this country, and thodeep:od disgusting
subserviency of politicians, to the low I
prejudices of this class of our • population
I was shown, rather by way of, passing
and indirectintimations r7 which the peo
ple quickly; and keenly apprehended—to
lie the: great barrier to the - recognition of
anyf right of citizenship in the colored
race. 'And it was rifest to the dullest
observer that as.the political importance
of one race went up . , in the scale, that of
the other went down in proportion.
Should we, therefore, admit:the colored
man, to the right of citizenship, what
inyolved ,in that concession ?
Not merely the extension, of a right to
him which has long been: allowed to .a.
race no-worthder, no loftier in mental
qualifications, no fitter•by birth and early
'associations kir the privilege than, he ;
'but the intrOductiOn into' our' , political
combinations of an' element—heretpfore
so diffien:MO'lithiLLealculated to antago
nize the deadly influence of the Irish.
Catholic vote. , W:,e' should :add nearly a
million to - the Protestant- yotes -.of the
country: from =a people who would
and'value hetteethan any fritudu
lentlynatnialiZed;' fOreign, :popish emi
grants and ignorant devotees ever
:the republican institutions under' which
they, by personal bravery and sacrifice,
had gained a status. And any attempt
'on'the part of politicians to use the, once.
formidable , weapon of the Irish Catholic
vote for objects manifestly injurious to
the principles of republicanism, or to the
1 advantage of the Papal: church in this
country, would instantly rally the vote of
the colored citizens of the country to the
side of freedom and of Protestanism. In
allowing the colored man to vote, there
fore, nothing is Sacrificed but prejudice,
while real strength would be added to
the cause of protestantism and true re
publicanism.. -Indeed, there may be a
time when, in the struggle with Popery
which many look for in our land, we shall
keenly feel our need of the very aid which
we are now considering whether we will
admit to our ranks or not. Mr. Lincoln
haa' said that we could not carry on the
war.without 'the 200,000 blacks now in
the army. Shall .the loyal:people throw
away three-quarters 'of a million of votes,
which may, ere •long, be equally necessary
to frustrate the combinations of unprin
cipled politicians, North and. South, with
ignorant, vicious; priest-ridden foreigners,
to overthroW the very liberties we have
just re-established, and to: nullify the
important'advances' we hope to gain at
'the cost of this wary WhateVer may be
the answer to these questions, we much
doubt 'Whether there can be any - solid
hoPe for the future of our country, unless
Northern prejudices, against the black
man go down with Southern slavery,
SOMETIMES people are aroused to the
sense of their habitual sins by falling
into some sin which is against their
habits ; sometimes by a revelation of the
true excellence of which their fault is the
parody.
Amurrrou'often pla:ys the wrestler's trick
of raising a man up merely to fling him down.
I TERMS.
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vance.
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Advertisements.-1234 cents per line for the
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The following discount on long advertisements, in
serted for three months and upwards, is allowed:—
Over 20 lines. .10 per cent. off; over 50 lines, 20 per
cent.; over 100 lines, 33% per cent. off:
THE DESPERATE PLIGHT OF THE
REBELLION.
The capture of Fort Fisher, t the
mouth of Cape Fear River, N. C., almost
the last of the coast fortifications in the
hands of the rebels, and the last of any
great importance for us to repossess, has
been felt more seriously than any disaster
which has befallen their cause. It comes
after a brief period of exultation at Gen.
Butler's failure of three Weeks ago. It
follows upon the heels of a Series of
heavy blows'frour Sherman and Thomas.
It closes up their only outlet of commu
nucation with, their allies in' Liverpool,
Hayana, Nassau: and Halifax. It crushes
their cotton loan. It :lowers their mili
tary prestige and elevates our own.
Admiral Porter, who was on the famous
Malakoft tower a few days afterits cap
tive, says Fort Fisher was three or four
times as strong. It fact, it was a perfect
nest: Of . fortifications, one . within the
other,' ekch 'one of which had to be as-
sailed and taken; alit as if it were an
independent: felt :Already deep gloom
had pervaded the hearts of the stoutest
rebels. So desperate was'the military
situation, months ago, that they -4vero
prepared to arm and free their> slaSes to
retrieve• it. They had coolly'begun to
discuss the proposition of offering them-
selves, as colonial dependepcies, to Great
Britain, France, of even Spain (I) .The
paper regarded as Jeff. Davis's orgin,,,the
Richmond Sentinel, calmly entertains
the subject as one popular with the peo
ple, not " out of gloomy forebodings, but
as a man in health speaks of [malting]
his will." The Richmond Examiner, a
bitter, opponent of the Sentinel, scoffs at
the proposal, and asks, in regard to the
nations mentioned, "How would they
receive such an invitation as this, now
.
that we are sinking and perishing under
the mighty power of the Yankee nation."
This was written nearly tWnweeks be-
fore the eapture'of Fort Fisher. FUrious
assaults are, made in rebel papers. upon
the military policy of Jeff.-. Davis; and
in the unwelcome light of recent events,
- the'results of the well contrived policy
of Mr. Lincoln and his generals--they
are beginning to discern the - superior
qualities, of Four President, and are
actually lauding the wisdom • Ati 'good
sense of our civilian in 'conducting the war,
in comparison with the folly and the weak
ness of their own Mississippi Colonel—
the graduate at West Point—the hero of
the celebrated V formation: in the battle
of Buena Vista! The Charleston .71fer
cury, three days before the fall, of Fort
Fisher, praised the "nerve" of General
Sherman and the discipline of his army,
which it says is "an army of soldiers,
hot 'a mob of ragamuffins." Sherman
"" is a' general. The Condition of the
Confederate soldiers—continues'Alie Mer
cury—in this department (and Others are
no better) is a disgrace to the cause and
the country, •and to the whole science of
war." The obstinacy of Mr. Davis, in his
wrong courses, and especially
,in retain
ing imbeciles, private tools, and dema
gogues in command of his, armies, is
boldly denounce,d as . a chief cause of the)
existing troubles.
Still more significant is the charge of
TREASON, recently paraded in bold capi
.tals at the head of a communication in
thesAputed organ of Davis - in Richmond,
and 'aimed at certain secret ,proceedings
of the rebel Congress, understood to lean
strongly to the opening of peace negotia-.
tions with Mr. Lincoln, independently of?
the rebel Executive: This article ap
peared in the. Sentinel on Saturday. Cti:
Sunday Fort Fisher was , capturet,d, and',
on Monday the rebel Legislature, under :
the fresh light given by, that event, took -
up the obnoxious article,, and discussed +
it amid the most violent. excitement. ~
When a vote was taken, thirty-two out
of sixty-eight members of the House put ,
themselves in an attitude of opposition
to the Sentinel and the rebel President,
so far as he was identified with that
paper.
Other accounts, in rebel papers, say
that the streets in Richmond are no •
longer lighted at night, that the negroes,
free and slave, are flying from Richmond
to escape conscription, making their way :
through the woods, that everybody,
negroes and all, are turning their pro-
perty into gold at any cost, and that gold
was SIXTY to ONE as compared with
paper money. Finally, the. Richmond
Whig,of the 11th instant, says that the
people are more depressed than by any)
previous disaster. We quote a few senj
tences as a fit conclision to our article :
" This fit of depression has been longer ;
and more violent than formerly,- becausel
they see that Congress: to which they nab
tnrally turn for encouragement, trifling on)
the very edge of the abyss, with the reckle ss
disregard of their situation, which promp "
the sailors when the ship is about tb go downo
to break open the spirit room, and dram*
their fears in liquor."
Rnv. A. M. StEWART will preach on
Sabbath next, (29th,) at 10-} A.M., in.
Rev. Dr. Dales' Church, and at 3-1.
th. Rev.
,A. Barnes' Church. On both
occasions he will present the cause of the.
American Tract Society' (Boston).