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BELLEFONTE, THURSDAY, AG. 1.
“Here shall the press {ic people’s rights marr-
tain, :
Wnawed by partyor unbribed by gain ;
Pledged but to truth to liberty and law,
No favor sways us and no fear shall a
C. T. ALEXANDER x :
P. G- MEEK, ? } Editors and Publishers.
Something Wrong in the War Depart-:
ment,
That there 1s something wrong in that
branch of the present Administration having
control of the War Department, no sane |
man will now question. = But at whose door 1
to lay the «herge, the people are still in |
«doubt, yet notwithstending, there may be
‘some doubt as to who are the guilty parties,
public opinion seems to fix a goodly share |
«of the blame upon Secretary Cameron. The |
outrageous frauds that were perpetrated up-
on the three months volunteers, when first
«<alied into service by the merciless horde of
political swindlers, whe held the centracts
directly mnder our State Administration, for
furnishing provisions and clothing. have
dwindled into insignificance in comparison
with that which has boen attempted to be
perpetrated on those same volunteers, upon
their return from the temted field. The
three months volunteers were composed of
the very ower of eur country. Young men
who, when at home, were in good circum-
stances, who left their homes of comfort and
case, to endure the hardships of 2 soldier’s
life, to save their country from destruction.
They have served their country for: three
long months, many of them in rags, and of-
tentimes at the very point of starvation, ow-
ing to a badly regulated commissaiarat, for
the small pittance ot eleven dollars per
month. They done all this without a mur-
mur, because they loved their country, and
many of them would have re-enligted imme-
diately upon their return to farrisburg, had
their small pittance of about forty dollars in
in all been promptly paid them. But instead
of this being the case as they all expected,
they have been compelled to wait for their
pay for ten days (the longest ten to them
since they left home) because no provision
had been made for them, either in the nec-
essaries of life, or a place to rest their weary
bodies. And why ? They all ask why?
The Government has an abundance of mon-
ey. Public opinion appears to us to have
struck the key note in attributing to one of
twocauses. The first is that a set of un-
principled political Cormorants have been
attempting to line their pockets with the
Lard earnings of these volunteers, by tireing
them with thedelay, and then buying up
their claims upon the Government at a
shave, or else Secretary Cameron, in his
bitter enmity to Governor Curtin, is at-
tempting to cast the blame upon him. But
this can not be done, as everybody must
know that Governor Curtin has nothing to
do with it, as it is the United States Govern-
ment that has them to pay, and it is Simon
Cameron or his agents, that are responsible
for the attempted swindle, and the people
hold them guilty. Our soldiers, however,
are men that cannot be swindled in this
way, and they manfully stood up for their
rights, and by their determined front on
Saturday last, succeeded in bringing that
which they should have had a week before.
In God’s name, how long is this condition
of things to continue.
rebel Al AA pm
‘ Observer,” and His Communication.
Mr. Observer, whose communication ap-
pears in last week's Press, appears to be
very indignant because a communication
handed us some weeks ago, headed, “The
Fourth of July at the Catholic Chyrch,”
was not published, upon which the editor of
the Press comments as follows :
“I'he Watchman must extricate itself from
this charge as best it can—if 1t can. Prob-
ably the loyalty of the Catholic Church
shown on the Fourth of July, beneath the
waving stars and stripes, was a little more
patriotic than the creed of the Democratic
party will admit of.”
Our explanation is.simple, and we hope
that Mr. Observer and the editor of the
Press will understand it. We received long
communications from every village in this
County in which the Fourth was celebrated.
We could not pablish them all, as they
would have filled two nambers of our paper.
We therefore, concluded to only publish
those handed us from these quarters of our
County, in which any sane man can have
any doubt as to the loyalty of the citizens.
We published an account of the selebration
held by the citizens in this town, simply for
the benefit of the editor of the]Press. His
“loyalty” was seriously questioned, and as
he was a Secretary of the meeting, we pub-
lished the proceedings to show that he was
still “loyal.”
As for the Catholic population, no one but
a traitor at heart, like Observer, would have
any suspicion of their loyalty. We knew
they needed no vindication fr mr us. They
stood up as did all Democrats, for the Con-
stitution and the Union. When men like
Observer and the editor of the Press said,
“Let the Union slide.” That they are Un-
ion men now, no men, except the editor of
The true hearted 'Irisktén of this town have
not complained becatise ‘Observer's commu-
nication was not ‘published in our paper.—
But Observer, simply because his communi-
cation difl'nGt appear in print, set up a ter
rible howl, which is re-echoed by the Press,
with 'the hope that he may gain favor with
‘those Irishmen, whom, in the past, he has
‘denounced because they would not, like
‘himself, turn traitor to their own blood and
kindred, and vote the Know Nothing ticket.
Peace Resolutions.
Another attempt to settle this unnatural
civil war has signally failed. The friends of
peace and the restoration of the Union have
again been silenced, in their efforts to effect
an honorable compromise, and which will
probably be the last effort made until the
mighty masses of the North succeed in get
ting a De mocratic majority in Oengress.
It is now clearly evident hat the Repubh-
can party in ‘Congress will mot'be satisfied
with any adjustment, until all the mighty
energies of this mighty Republic are prostra-
ted ; until starvation stares u~ allin the
face, and the flag of our country be drench-
ed in the blood of thousands of our citizens.
Democrats, and lovers of our country,
read the following resolutiens, offered by
Mr. Cox, of Ohio, on the 29th inst. and pay
attention to the vote—cut out the names of
those voting aye, and lay them away for
future reference, for the day will surely
some when those true patriets, voting to re-
store our country te peace and happiness,
will be the idol of a grateful people :
Mr. COX (Ohio) asked leave to introduce
the following :
Wueress, Itis the part of rational be-
ings to terminate their differences by ration-
al methods, and inasmuch as the differences
between the United States authorities and
the eleven seceding States have resulted in
a state of war characterized by bitter hos -
tilities and extreme atrocity, and although
the party in the seceding States are guilty
ot boeaking the national unity and resisting
the lawful authority—yet be it
Resolved, That while we ma'ce increased
exertions, by our army cud navy, to main-
tain the mtegrity and stability of this Gov-
ernment, the common laws of war, those
maxims of humanity, moderation and hon-
or, which are a part of the code internation-
al, ought to be observed by both parties and
for a stronger reason than exists for such
observance between two nations, inasmuch
as the two incensed parties have a common
ancestry, history, prosperity, glory, Gov-
enment and Union, and are now unhappily
engaged in Iacerating their common coun-
ry.
Toon That resulting, from these pre-
mises, while there ought to be left open, as
between nations, the same means for pre-
venting the war being carried to outrageous
extremities, there ought also, in the interest
of civilization, to be left open some means
for the restoration of peace and union.
Third, That to this end. the restoration
of peace and union, on the basis of the fun-
damental principles of the Constitution,
there be appointed a committee of one mem-
ber from each State, who shall report to
this House at 1ts next session such amend-
ments to the Constitution of the United
States as shall assuage all greievances. and
bring about a reconstruction of the national
unity, and that for the preparation of such
satisfactory adjustment, and the conference
requisite for that ecd, a commission of s v-
en citizens of the Umted States be appoint.
ed, consisting of EpwArp EVERETT, of Mas-
sachusetts ; MiLLarp FruLMmoRre. of New
York ; Reverpy JonnsoN, of Maryland ;
Martin Vax BureN, of New York; Taos.
IRVING, of Ohio ; FRANKLIN PIERCE, of New
Hampshire, and James Gurarie, of Ken-
tucky ; who shail request from the so call-
ed Cenfederate States the appointment of a
similar commission, and who shall meet
and confer on the subject, in the city of
Louisville, on the first Monday of Septem-
ber next, and that the committee appointed
from this House shall notify said commis-
sioners of their appointment and functions,
and advise and confer with them, and report
their action to the next session as an amend-
ment of the Constitution of the United
States, to be proposed by Congress to the
States for their ratification, according to the
fifth article of said Constitution.
Mr. WASHBURNE (Ili) objected to the
introduction of the resolution.
Mr. COX moved a suspension of the rule.
The question was determined in the nega-
tive—yeas 42, nays 85. Adjourned.
The following is the vote on Mr. Cox's
resolution :
YeAs—Messrs Allen, Ancona, Baily, (Pa)
Burnett, Calvert, Cox, Cravens, Cristield,
Crittei den, Dunlap, Grider, Haight, Hard.
ing, Holman, Jackson, Joknson, Law, Leary
Logan, May, Mallory, Minzies, Morris, No-
ble, Norton, Nugent, Pendleton, Perry, Reid
Richardson, Robinson, Smith, Steele, (N J.)
Valandigham, Vorhees. Wadsworth, Web-
ster, White, (Ohio), Wickliffe, Wood and
Woodruff,
Nays—Messrs: Aldrich, Alley, Arnold,
Ashley, Babbitt, Baker, Baxter, Beamen,
Bing ham, Blair, (Mo), Blair, (Pa), Blake,
Buftinton, Campbell, Chaimberlain, Clark,
Colfax (F. A.) Conkling, Roscoe, Conkling,
Conway, Cavode, Cutler, Davis, Dawes, De-
lano, Diven, Duel, Edgerton, Edwards, Elli-
ot, Fessenden, Franchot, Frank, Gooche,
Goodwin, Granger, HALE, Harrison, Hor-
ton, Hutchins, Julian, Kelly, Kellogg,
{Nich} Kelogg, mm) Lancing, Loomis,
vejoy, McKean, McKnight, McPherson,
Moorehead, Morrill, (Me), Morrill (Vt), Olin
Pike, Pomeroy, Porter. Potter, Rice, (Mass)
Rice (Me), Riddle, Rollins, N H), Sedgwick
Shankes, Sheffield, Shellaberger, Sherman,
Spaulding, Stevens, Thomas, (Mass), Train,
Trowbridge, Upton, Vandever, Van Wick,
Wall, Wallace, Walton, (Me), Walton, (Vt)
Washburne, White, (Ind), Window, Wor-
cestor, and Wright.
rm AA
Tue Philadelphia Bulletin has a chapter
on John Brown and the war, in which sen-
timents approaching adoration for the mem-
ory of the old traitor, who attempted to
seize the Harper's Ferry armory, are ex-
pressed. Every one to his taste—but we
cannat exactly see the destinction between
the treason of the man who attempted’ to
take Government property as the prelude
to a slave insurrection, and that of the Se-
cessionists who seized it for their purposes.
The Bulletin is quite happy in the belief
that the cause in which John Brown sacri
ficed his life, appears so near its triumph,
and that the “blood ** of the martyrs is
once more the seed of the “ [Abolition]
the Press and Mr. Observer, will deny.—
:Church.”—So we go.
Amidstall the gloom of ‘our Tate ‘@efeat,
one fact stands ‘ut as tand Bistiet as
a star, and that's, that the 'fank and file of
the ‘Union forces are manor ‘than more than
a match for the chivairy. The firery onsets
of the immortal Sixty ninth, and the fierce
charges of the Fire Zouaves, and their col-
leagues of the Seventy first and Seventy
ninth, are examples of persistent and obdu-
rate courage unsurpassed in the history of
battles. When we add to this that these
troops were under fire for the first time, and
that the successes they achieved were in the
face of the most fearful odds of numbers,
position and arms, the warlike qualities of
our Northern soldiers almost approach sub-
limity. Wherever they met the Confederate
infantry the latter were scattered before
them like chaff. Wherever they were op-
opposed by any arm of the enemy, and the
conflict was a question of sheer hand to
hand fighting, the superiority of the Free
State troops was not only conspicuous. but
fllustmous. In this one clear, bright, glori-
gus fact, we see the salvation of the Repub-
c.
Yet, notwithstanding all this, those brave
men were beaten—sadly, disastrously beat-
en—for want. of comple lcaders—beaten
through lack of organization--beaten, be-
cause, in this immature condition, they
were needlessly hurried, by insensate party
clamor, 1nto a conflict with an enemy ready
at all points. This magnificent material for
an army was sacrificed to enable a few pre-
sumtuous politicians and ambitious upstarts
to wear the insignia of Colonels and Gener-
als when they were unequal to the hand-
ling of squads. 3
This neble force, whose deeds of valor
eclipse all that is known in our history, was
immolated because the War Department was
too busy with its jobs and speculations in
beef, horsesand military commissions to pay
attention te its proper organization ; and
because an arrogant partisan sheet in New
York, echoed by a few fanatical members of
Congress, deafened the President with their
parrot cry of “On to Ricchmond.”’
While the superior valor of the national
troops, thus tried and demonstrated, shows
that the cause of the Union is safe in their
hands and must ultimately triumph, the in-
famous manner in which they have been
officered and mismanaged, pomts out clearly
the blunders, if not the crimes, that are
hereafter to be shunned. The whole tribe
of paper Colonels and Generals must be cast
off without fear or favor. Every member of
the Cabinet, who, instead of regarding the
war as a life and death struggle of a great
nation, sees in it only a glorions opportunity
for profitable jobs and fat contracts, should
be dismissed—and the conduct of the war
must be left to the educated Generals of the
army, uninfluenced by clamors from the
tribe of Lovejoy and the T'ribune.— Phila.
Inquirer.
Will any one tell us how the Inquirer
sar escape the charge of traitor, seces-
sionist, &c., that has been heaped upon
us for saying things about those in high
places not half as bad as this, There is ev-
dently a weak point in the Administration
somewhere. We have said so ah along, and
denounced it in very mild terms in compari:
son with the above. But the Central Press
saw no difference between the Adminssira-
tion and the Government, and therefore de-
nounced us as traitors. Do they see the
difference now between those who adminis-
ter the affairs of goveinment and the gov-
ernment itself, or will they charge this dis
astrous defeat upon the government. We
want to know.
* On to Richmond.”
We have fought and been beaten. God
forgive our rulers that this is 80; but it is
true and cannot be disguised. The Cabinet
recently expressing in rhetoric better calcu-
lated for a love letter a fear being drowned
mn 1ts own honey, is now nearly drowned in
gore, while our honor on the high seas has
only been saved by one daring and desperat
negro, and he belonging to the merchant
marine. The sacred soil of Virginia is
crimson and wet with the blood of thous-
sands of Northern men needlessly shed.—
The great and universal question pervading
the public mind ‘is, shall this condition of
things continue ? A desemated and indig-
nant people will demand the immediate re-
tirement of the present Cabinet from the
high places of power, which, for one reason
or other, they have shown themselves in-
competent to fill.—N. Y. Daily Tribune,
July 23,1861.
Listen to that infernal old scoundrel, Hor-
ACE GREELEY, as he expresses his disappro~
bation of the Administration, for having
made an attack upon the enemy in his
strong hold. But two weeks ago the same
Horack GREELEY (editor of the leading Re-
publican newspaper--the Tribune) lustily
cried, <‘On to Richmend.” and was so much
dissatisfied with the tardiness of the veteran
Scott, that he threatened to have him ousted
{rom the position of Commander-in~Chief of
our Army. Scott has listened to his croak-
ing and to that of the President’s Cabinet,
and made the attack as they desired. Now
GREELEY says, “We have fought and been
beaten. God forgive our rulers that this is
80.”” We would suggest that he first pray
God to forgive him for the part he has play-’
ed in hastening the conflict, and at the same
time not forget to ask pardon for having
instilled into the Northern mind ideas of an
irrepressible conffict, and provoked sugh re-
sentment in the Southern mind, as to render
a peaceful solution of our national difficulties
impossible. In fact, had it not been for
Greerey and his followers, we might to-day
have been a peaceful, happy people. Let
all remember GREELEY, and hand his name
down to posterity as a culprit, whose hands
are stained with a nation’s blood.
The Bangor Democrat says :—¢ At length
the people are awakening to a sense of the
dangers and calamities that threaten them.
They begin to be aware that the prosecution
of this frightful war must end in the de.
struction of their freedom. In its progress
all the guarantees of liberty are trampled
under foot. The iron heel of a military des-
potism is already upon the necks of thous-
ands of their fellow countrymen.
The absence of the Editors on publication day
will account for the errors in our last week’s pa-
per.
The Great Facts Demonstrated at Ma-|
‘nassas,
The Returned Volunteers.
We have carefully refrained from saying
anything of an inflammatory nature in re-
gard to the infamous wrong perpetrated up~
on the returned soldiers, because it only
wanted something of that kind to serve as a
torch to fire and explode the mine upon
which we have been standing for the last
few days. Now that the danger 1s over,
and quiet has been restored, we feel free to
speak.
The Administration at Washington, as
well as the State Administration, knew pre-
cisely the day on which the terms of the
different regiments would expire, and if they
had made the proper arrangements, each
regiment could readily have been paid off
and mustered out of the service six hours
after its arrival in this city. Instead of do~
ing this, however, two regiments arrived on
Sunday, the 21st, ore of which was quar-
tered m the Capitol, :and the other scattered
about town. Others fellewed, uutil Capitol
Hill was literally covered. 1t was found
that there was but one Paymaster here, and
he not prepared to pay out any considerable
amount. The officers called upon the State
authorities; and they in turn telegraphed to
Washington, when a dispatch was received
by John A. Wright, early on Tuesday morn~
ing, sigued by Paymaster General Larned,
stating that two Paymasters would be sent
fo Harrisburg as soon as they could get the
money out of the Treasury. Paymaster
Sallzda, on Wednesday, paid the First and
Fifth, which exhausted the amount he had
on band.
In the meantime, the retarned soldiers
were without food or shelter, and some of
them were reduced to the necessity of beg
ging to keep from starvation! When the
people of Harrisburg learned this fact they
came forward with a will and energy that
will redound to their credit for all time to
come, and fed the hungry and took the sick
‘into their houses and cared for them. Hous-
es were thrown open and basket after bas-
et of provisions was carried to the hill. Nor
was this done by the rich men of the place
alone, but hundreds who were scarcely able
to afford it, in a laudable determination that
the soldiers should not want, gave to the
last. We may incidentally mention the
case of a pocr laborer who exhausted the
money he had laid up to pay his rent in
supplying food for the volunteers. The au-
thorities on the hill finally got their eyes
opened, and in order to remedy matters, af:
ter the men had existed without rations for
three or four days, served out hard crackers
and raw beef—raw beef, when they had nei-
ther fire nor cooking utensils.
While this state of things was going on—
while the men were reluctantly living on
the charity of the citizens of Harrisburg, it
was given out that several Paymasters had
arrived from Washington with money.—
This was on Thursday morning, and every
one thought paying off would be commenced
at once 3 bat the day wore away and no-
body was paid, neither could anybody ac-
count for the delay. On Friday a number
of officers called upon one of these Paymas-
ters for information, when some were an-
swered evasively aud others were informed
that he would pay when he was ready.—
These men had all their muster rolls pre-
pared, and did everything in their power to
get their men off. Some proposed paying
ofl their men themselves, and others wanted
to give a power of attorney to other parties
to draw and receipt for them, but the Pay-
masters refused to proceed in any other way
than the regular method, whenever they
were ready.
Thus matters stood until about 4 o'clock
on Saturday afternoon, when a large number
of the volunteers congregated in the Market
square, who had expected to spend the Sab-
bath at home, became clamorous—some of
them exceedingly infuriated. An effigy,
labelled ‘Paymaster,’ was hung on the
lamp post in tront of the Jones House, which
was set on fire and consumed amid the huz-
zas of the soldiers. While the conflagration
was going on, the 12th regiment of reserves
marched in from Camp Curtin, and charged
down Second street. The returned volun~
teers being without arms, gave way. The
cry was then raised—“To the Arsenal for
your arms !” and the crowd commenced
rushing in that direction. The- 12th went
up Third street at double quick time, and
succeeded mm surrounding the Arsenal before
the volunteers could get any arms out of it
-—a fortunate circumstance which certainly
prevented bloodshed.
Soma of the volunteers got an old dis-
mounted cannon, and drew it down to the
square on a dray, with the avowed intention
of “blowing up the paymaster.” It was
subsequently taken back.
The threats to hang the paymaster were
very fierce, and the Jones House, in which
he was stopping, was guarded by soldiers of
the 12th regiment.
Order was finally restored on the promise
to pay yesterday morning, and the paymas-
ter was as good as his word. He commenc-
ed operations on the 2d regiment at the
United States Hotel at 10 o'clock, and con-
tinued throughout the day, and will continue
to-day until all are paid.
The soldiers throughout conducted them
selves with great forbearance, considering
the cruel manner in which they were treat-
ed, and we here declare, from conversations
wo heard, that it was the kindness and lib-
erality of the citizens cxtended to the sol-
diers that prevented a serious out break, in
which we all would have suffered more or
less.
The Administration at Washington will
have some difficulty in explaining away the
cause of this outrage. To acknowledge the
incompetency of the officers appointed would
strike too near home. No other cause can
be assigned, or we are grossly misinform-
ed.
Many of the soldiers, if cared for comfort
ably, and paid off promptly, would have re
entered the service without leaving the city.
The treatment they have received will not
only prevent them from going back. but it
will militate very much against raising new
levies. The men that were here will soon
be scattered over the State, and their state-
ment will not be without weight.
They talk of a day of retribution, and we
think it will come—not only one, but a num-
ber. Every election day will be a day of
retribution for years to come.—Patriot &
Union.
"National Debts.
If Lucifer himself had beea solicited to zid
human villainy m concocting a scheme that
should effectually enslave the masses of man-
kind, and render them mere beasts of bur-
den to a privilidged few, he could have in
vented nothing more effective than the mod-
ern system of public debt, whereby those
who produce nothing live in idle and luxu-
rious ease at the expense of the preducing
classes of society.
National debts, by which the millions are
bound in abject submission to the rule of
what are ¢alled the *“monied classes,”
should be termed, as they are in fact, mort-
gages on the bodies and souls of unborn
generations of men. And ‘however repul-
give may seem to us the habitudes of Feud-
alism, when the helpless people were openly
plundered of the proceeds of their toil by
the armed retainers of the lawless Barons,
it may be doubted ifit were not preferable
to that atrocious system of modern times,
that accomplishes the same ends through
the fraudulent contrivances of public cred-
its and national debt. At all events, it is
certain that ¢* kings and nobles ” in our day
are far less powerful and iofinitely less
mischievous than are the ¢ rag barons’
who speculate in stocks, and bind the toiling
multitude in slavery a thousand times over
‘more hopeless and more degrading than any
mere physical force could impose on them.
In England, where this system of slavery
may be said to have had its origin, and
where 1t has been carried to the most fright.
ful extent, there are now ten millions of peo-
ple unable to read or write their names,
who though they are called Christians, have
scarcely a conception of Christianity, who
in short buried ina profound animalism,
never have nor ever expect to have a dollar
beyond their weekly wages, and whose high-
est hope in life is to be able to keep out of
the poor house and to be buried at their own
expense. What a destiny! What a doom
not for inferior negroes, but creatures like
their oppressors, whom God made the equals
of their kings and queens, doomed genera-
tion after generation to this darkened and
hopeless animal life, like the beasts of the
field that surronnd them! The mortgages
on these blinded and outraged being amount
m all, to about five thousand millions. One Sh
thousand million were incurred to crush out
the American Revolution of 1776, to prevent
the glorious and immortal truth declared by
Jefferson, that all (white) men are created
free and equal, ever being embodied in a po-
litical system. Three thousand millions
were incurred to crush out the same truth
and to overthrow Democracy in PFrance.—
Finally, another thousand million wys laid
on posterity to benefit Sambo (2), to egual-
ize races, to thrust aside distinctions fixed
forever by the hand of God, and secure‘ im-
partial freedom ’’ for negroes.
If the laborer earns five shillings a day,
he must first pay the interest on these
mortgages before he is permitted to buy a
crust of bread or a glass of ale. He must
pay ten pence on the American debt, then
thirty pence on the French: debt, then ten
pence for Sambo’s benefit, and perhaps four
pence more for the anual support of a
« gplendid government,’ and with the re-
maining sixpence he is permitted to pur
chase bread for his wife and children. Thus
every day of his life this poor, toiling, help-
less, blinded and abject wretch pours out his
sweat—his life-blood—not for the enjoyment
and happiness of those he loves, but, to pay
the interest on thosé atrocious mortgages on
his body and soul, "which were contracted,
perhaps a century before, and which the ig~
norant and credulous crowd dignify with the
title of national debts.
Fortunately for us, indeed for al] humani-
ty, ‘American slavery’ has saved our own
millions of free and thrifty citizens from this
hideous monster. Southern slaveholders
have directed our national policy, and being
producers thomselves, they have always
waried against that infernal system of debt
and taxation which, in England, has work-
ed out such frightfull consequences, and re-
duged the hapless millions into mere beasts
of burthen. Jefferson, Jackson, Calhoun,
Hunter, Davis, &c., have thus far saved the
toiling millions of the North from these ten-
dencies ; but if the anti-slavery disunionists
still continue to oppose a peace and carry
on the war until they’ in breaking up the
Union, the Sewards and Camerons will
govern the North, and then it can only be a
question of time when the toiling millions
are reduced to the condition of the working
classes of the old world.—Day Book.
ee ee A A prem.
Tre Rigar MAN, &c.—A Pennsylvania
coal dealer went the other day to the engi-
neer’s office in Washington, for the purpose
of obtaining a contract to supply the navy
with coal. He found a Joune gentleman
there who did not know the difference be-
tween anthracite and ocannel coal, and who,
on being asked what kind of coal was used
in the navy, very pompously answered that
¢ the navy department always buys coal
which will generate steam.”
‘The Barbarities of War.
Many frightful atrocities are alleged as
having bech committed by the rebels upon
the persons of Union men falling into their
hands. Federal soldiers have been ruthless-
ly murdered on the field of battle while im.
ploring quarter, and even the persons of the
dead hacked and mutilated. There is prob-
ably much exaggeration about these stories
and in some instences they are no doubt
pure inventions—but if the war in which we
are engaged was not attended with greater
barbarity than usually occurs in conflicts
between different nations, it would be an
exception to the history of all civil’ wars
since the world began. They have been
proverbially the most cruel and barbarous.
The hope expressed at the commencement
of the struggle that it would prove and ex -
ception honorable to civilization and christi-
anity, appears destined to disappointment.
We have witnessed men at the North
counselling the indiscriminate execution of
rebel prisoners, regardless of rank or their
measure of criminality —whether they were
instigators of rebellion, or its dupes, or men
forced to take up arms against their inclina=
tion. We have heard men who professed
to be civilized crying out ‘no quarter to
rebels taken in arms —and the proposition
has been seriously made thata gallows
should accompany the Union army for the
prompt execution of priscners after their
conviction at the drum head. Such attro-
cious suggestions are disgraceful to humani-
ty—and served to illustrate how soon war
‘can pervert the heart and arouse the latent
ferociety of human nature. . But, thank God,
‘this murderous policy was mot adopted.—
The Government had a better appreciation
of its duty snd more mercy upon its own
army than to inaugurate a system of execu-
tions which would have consigned the brave
men, whota the fortunes of war made pris-
oners of the rebel army, to an immediate
tnd 1gnomonious death.
These complaints of rebel barbarities
come with exceedingly bad grace from those
who have themselves advocated the prompt
hanging of all rebels. Did they expect that
the hanging would be all on one side? Did
they believe that the spies lurking about
Washington would not inform the rebels of
the treatment they were to receive in the
event of capture ?—and dnd they expect that
the knowledge of the fate in reserve for them
would dispose the rebels to treat Union pris-"
oners with more humanity ? Nevertheless
those who have protested against the hang’
ing process, and pointed out 1ts consequen:
ces, have a right to demand that Union pris-,
oners shall be treated with humanity, and’
that the Government should compel the reb-’
els 50 to treat them by severe lessons of re’
taliation, if nothing else will answer.
rr red AA Apes.
A Few PLAIN QUESTIONS TO ‘WHICH TEE
Punric1s WAITING FOR AN AMSWER.—It is
said that the panic on Sunday originated id
the teamters, who were out of place.
The Public asks—who placed them there?
That the panic was aggravated by alarms
of a gallery of civilians, present to see the
OW.
The Public asks-~who gave them passes t
That many of our officers were appointed
to commands with which they were wholly
unacquainted. ’
The Public asks--who is responsible 2
That ignorant civilians were placed in
commands which they disgraced.
inted them ?
The Public asks—who ap)
That the senseless objurations of the T'ri-
bune led to a premature attack. |,
‘The Public asks—who is so weak da to be
influenced by Greeley ?
In a word, evil does mot do itself—some
one is to blame for it ; and the American
people demand to know. whose short com-
ings have led to their disgrace.
THE LATEST NEWS.
Our readers can believe just as much of
the following war news as they have a mind
to. We do not give it for facts —simply as
REPORTS
WasniNGTON, July 28, 1861.
Henry Birch, a well known slave dealer,
and said to be a rank Secessionist, who drove
Harry Magraw and Arnold Harris to Bull’s |
Run, for the purpose of recovering the body
of Colonel Jas. Cameron, returning this
ovening. He says they drove out the day
they left left Washington to the battle field,
and that the bodies were still lying about on
the ground untouched, but none could be
identified as Col. Cameron’s. They also
visited all hospitals, but could see or hear
nothing of the remains, but received positive
information that he was killed. They then
all went down to the Manasses Junction,
meeting with no serious interruption. At
that point Magraw, who was well acquaint-
ed with the rebel commander, Gen. Johnston,
sent for him. After some delay, a filo of
rebel soldiers came up and took the party
prisoners. Johnston would not hold com-
munication with them. ¢
Jefferson Davis was telegraphed at Rich.
mond to know what disposition to make of
them. An answer came back, * send Ma-
graw and Harris here, and release Birch.”
Birch was accordingly released to-day.—
He says he heard nothing from Harris and’
Magraw until yesterday, when he received, |
a message from them that. they were in jail
in Richmond —that Harris would probably
escape soon, but that Magraw would be
kept until the war was over or he was ex:
changed.
Birch says the rebels have only burried:
about eighty of the dead, and they werd all
thrown into one pit. They left our corpses
lying all over the fields, woods and ravines:
untouched, except to take off what clothing
they wanted. J ;
Gen. McClelland’s withdrawal fromthe’
army in Western Virginia will’ not change
or delay the prosecution of the campaign