BEDFORD INQUIRES. £!'• ■ - : m6 $ ■"•K ' - '■ ;; •;> y BEDFORD, Ea. Friday Morning, Feb 7 1862. "FEARLESS AND FREE." It. OVER—Editor and Proprietor. PRINTING OFFIt'E FOR SALE. As the editor and proprietor of this paper is anxious to settle up his business, running over a period of twelve years, he will sell the presses, types, good will, &c., of the establishment, on rtmonnble irrms. The BEDFORD INQI IRKB PRINTING OFFICE is ore of the best paying country establishments in the State, as there are only two papers published in the County, and at official and orphans' court ad vertising, is published by act of assembly, in both papers. The rates for advertising anil job work, nre as high as in any part of tbe State. There aie a largo quantity of news type, nearly enough tor two papers the size of this, and a splendid lot of job type, neatly new. This is a rare cbancc for one or two persons who wish to engavc in a good, profitable business. — Apply immediately. MONEY !' MONEY!—Next week being Court, will afford an excelleut opportunity for persons owing us to pay up. Wc need money, in fact, oust have it, and if you don't come yourselves, please send if. Subscribers, administrators, &c M please notice. BATTLE OF WEBB'S CROSS ROADS. Tbo place where Gen. Zoilicoffer wa3 de feated and killed, is kuowu throngh southern Kentucky as Webb's Cross Roads, and tbe battle should be called by that Dame. Mill Springs is nearly ton miles distant, and on the other side of tbo Cumberland river. A part of the engagement took place iu a field known in the neighborhood as *'l(l6 Old Field," and hence the suggestion that the battle should be called the battle cf Old Fields. But there is no doubt that "Webb s Cross Iloads" is the place that should give namo to tbo battle. The official statement made by Gen. Thomas that one hundred and fcurtcen rebels had been buried up to a certiin hour, has led tbo pub lic, proßo to expect exaggeration, to believe that this figuro represented the extent of tbe ! loss of the enemy in kilicd. We are, howev- , cr, assured from Hiurccs, says tbe Cincinnati j Commercial, "that we believe eutirclyjreliul-lc, j that not less than three hundred rebels were : left dead ou the ground. The official report of Gen. Seboepff's Brigade Surgeoo states that , one hundred and ninety dead rebels were bu- ; ried on Monday. A gentleman of this city j wiites that two hundred and cighty-tbree dead j bodies of rebels were found. Another who was on the grouud, informs us that be counted eighty-five dead rebels iu the old field, and that they were lytug thick in tbo underbrush in every direction. We arc convinced that the rebel loss in killed was very nearly if not aL together three hundred Various statements are made of tbe uainber of horses and mules taken. The evidence i 3 that at least fifteen hundred fell into our hands." The latest reports make the results of this battle still more important than the previous ones. Tbe killed of tbe rebels have reached to four or five hundred, judgiog frcrn the number left on the field and butied by oar troops. The proportion of wounded to killed is nearly always at least three to one; so that they probably amounted to at least twelve hundred. The Louisville Journal of Tours* day, week, says wo Lava taken Dearly seven hundred prisoners. This would make the rebel loss about 400 killed, 1200 wounded and 700 prisoners—total 2300. This is as heavy as the Federal loss at Bull lira. It is, indeed, nearly oue fourth of Crittenden's and Zilii coffer's whole force. It is D-J wonder that the tebeh ware pinia-stncken and fled in terror, leaving behind everything but tbo clothes they had OD their backs. \Y hen it is remembered that in achieving this victory, General Thomas lost only 47 kilicd and 109 wounded, we must give his army credit for splendid fighting. This battle sffjrds a fruitful theme for com ment. and a just cause fur exultation among the Union journals cf the country. The Oin • cinniti Gazette says that th 3 rebels engaged were the flower of the Confederate army, and that "they marched from their entrenchment* 10 attack General Thomas ten thousand strong. A letter found in thair cimp states their force in camp at teD thousand infantry, ono thou sand eight hundred cavalry, aud sixteen pieces of cannon. Alter their flight to their en trenchment* they brobtbly had as imnv men there as our Generals could have brought agrinst the position the next day. Their position was one of natural strength, and it would be difficult construct more formidable earthworks. The rebels wero as near to relief as our own ar my, and they were as abundantly supplied with provisions and every comfort. Yet tbis large army abandoned tbis strong position and fled, leaving everything—guns, tents, wagons, hor des, provisions aud baggage. Even the can non were not spiked. This beats everything iu the history of pinias. It nas if at the PUI Run panic our troops had abandoned ittlr entrenchments, munitions, and stores at A' Y.'ijflen, and continued their flight tq the North. Certainly tbe Bull Run panic is out done. At that battle General McDowell had eighteen thousand men ef ail arms. Of these about one-third were panic stricken and fleu from the open field. The rest withdrew in order. At Webb's Cross Roads the Con fed erates, nine or ten thousand strong, took flight | from a strongly fortified position, abandoning ! everything in their panic." ' ACCIDENT.—This has been an open winter, | but with mere skit and ice than for many 3ears —sud the pavements and streets have been very dangerous for pedestrians—and it is strange that accidents have not bceu more frequent. We ore soiry, however, to havo to rccotd ouo of Q teiicus cbartcler. As cur estimable fellow citizen, lion. W. T. Daugherty was re turning Lome some evenings since, he slipped on the ice, and iujurcd his node very much.— Rut, we are happy ta state, that ho is doing well, and lis numerous friends hope that be will soou be able to be r.bouc egaie. GODEY'S LADY'S BOOK.—This excellent i Magezine for Fcbimry bas been received. It is one of the best in the country. PETERSON'S MAGAZINE for February, is on ' our table. All who don't take I hie excellent work, ought to s übrcribe for it at ccee. The Richmond Dispatch, of Friday, shows that the rebels are much perplexed at their de feat in Kentucky. It saya:~ We regret to aay that tue report of the Federal victory in Kentucky conveyed to us on Wednesday night from northern sources, as more than confirm ed by intelligence received here at War Department. It appears that our defeat was more decisive tuaDcven Northern accounts had j led us to believe. This disaster in Eastern Kentucky, and the apprehension it has excited fer the safety of our connection with the South- i west through Virgioia and Tennessee, and j East Tennessee aud Virginia Railroad, and the possible interruption of our intercourse with the South, via Wilmiugtou and WeSdoa Rail road by the Burnsidc expedition, directs at tention to the vita! importance of completing the connection between the Richmond and Danville and North Carolina Railroad. A Washington correspondent of the New York Express, in a letter dated dan. 22d,says. "Your readers may set their minds at rest about any advance movement of tbo army of !he Potomac. Officers and their regiments and division? may receive orders to be in readiness to move at a moment's notice. General Mc- Clellan'? twenty-four baggige wagons, inclu ding arrangements for eating and slcepiug, with well matched, bright bays, may be iu good running trim. But an advance movement of the army of tbe Potomac at present, and for ninety days to come, is out of the question. The winter of this region has just commenc ed, and the roads arc frightful. A piece of hard ground upon which to manoeuvre 25,000 j men can scarcely bo found between this and ■ Richmond." Bishop Ames and lion. Hamilton Fish have been appointed by the War Department as Commissioners to visit Richmond and else where, to make arrangements, if possible, for the relief of those unfortunate persons who are prisoners among the rebels. Tits Charleatcwn Mereurv of a late date admits that tbe Cedar, Keys, in Florida, havo been captured by a Union expedition. By this ; movement wo hive gamed possession of the j western terminus of the Florida Railroad, which | connects the Gulf of Mexico with the Atlantic ; oceaus, and the rebels will hereafter be pre* j vented from transporting troops or supplies j over that road. An interesting letter froui a correspondent on board the flig-shipJNiagara, wtiicb forms part of tbe Gulf squadroD, states that the late bom bardment of Pensacola resulted in rendering the navy-yard useless to the rebels; in destroy* ing Warrington; and in dismantling Fort Mo- Rea. lie also asserts, on the aDtbority of the captain of a prise schooner, and of three con trabands, who escaped to the Niagara, that cut groes, free and slave, are be'ag armed in tie Cotton States to resist the Union forces. SPIRIT OF THE PRESS. A SMALL TRICK- The apportionment of the Representatives for this State is mado every seveu years. Iu the year 1850 Bedford and (Jamb ii a* Counties wore made to form one district, allowing those two counties two Representatives, la 1857 Bedford and Suuierret Counties were added together, and now form one District. In the fall of 1851, just after Bel far J, and Cambria were connected, Mr. Cesnna was a candidate far tbe Legislature iu tbe Democratic party; he electioneered in tho3e two counties, and was elected and occupied his seat. If tbo apportionment is unconstitutional oow it was so then, but the gentleman ssid nothing about it. Last fall be was again placed upon the ticket for tbe same office iu tbe counties of Bedford and Somerset, which now form the district. Ho accepted tbe Domination and wont before the people of those two counties asking ihem for their suffrages as their candt dale for tbe Legislature, lie went into Som erset county and wauled to make, we are infermjd, a "bargain and sale" with one of the candidates of that county, but tbe gentle manly proposition was rejected, and unfortu nately for Mr. Cessna be was defeated by tbe popular vote of those iwo counties. As Mr. Cessna is a man of some good qualifications of character, having thai of energy predomi nant, he pursued soar: other courso tb?n BEDFORD M through the public vuiee, if not a nice one, of reaching the point at which he was driving.— It appears, from tbe decision of (be committee, that the constitutionality of the apportionment allowed him a small kcotholo through wbiob he could reach a seat in tho Legislature, al though tho free and intelligent voters cf the district, that he was so anxious to represeut, spoke aloud and said, through tbe ballot box, tbat he was not their choice. Granting, then, for the sake of the argu ment, that tho apportionment was unconstitu tional: did Mr. Cessna act as a fair, candid and honest una should have done during the last campaign? Did he then inform the peo ple, whom he was asking for bim, that they could not legally do so? Did lie pretend to ruu as a candidate of Bedford CGUDty OU-M ly? Did he iu any way refuse to accept th| nomination from the two counties? Did be then say he would contest the seat of whom soever might ha returned from the District, if elected from Somerset county] No, he did not; but, alter endeavoring to gain a seat in the Legislature, under an apportionment that|he now alleges is unconstitutional, and foiled, he takes the advantage of (bat uncon stitutionality and frustrates tbe very dostrioe that he so zealously pretends to uphold— that a majority shall rule. The body that makes laws can repeal or modify tbern, and that body has, through the power given the committee, selected by lottery , said that he was legally en titled to (he seat instead of Mr. Householder. This may be tbe case, we will not pretend to argue it, but is be as justly entitled to it is n question for the peblio to settle for themselves in tho future.— Franklin Repository. . Mil, CESSNA, Mr. Cessna, the Member from Bedford Coun ty, is lucky, and Mr. Cessna, as a general rule is sharp. But Mr. Cessna iu an address just issued to the people of Bedford county, has proven that he, Mr. Cessna is a most consum mate demagogue, as witness the following: "You are not, for tbe present session, at least, mere servants ol the citizens of Somerset coun ty, and bound to comply with their demands." ! Again, "There will probably bo soma nttend l ing this contest. ' * * * Having j | become enlisted in this controversy, I intend to sec it out, and whatever bill may be presented a galnst tlietcounty, I intend to funiise the money to pay." Patties are very nearly assimilated in strength, iu Bedford county, aud with a nomi nal democratic majority of oue hundred and fifty, the Republicans very .frequently elect a porttou of tho county officers. Since the for mation of this Legislative district , the Repub lic-ins of Bedford county have always elected their own candidate, and—except in this last instance—tun him within a few votes of an election. And|yet because tbe few lacking votes were supplied by Somerset, is urged that tho people of Bedford are the servants of the citizeus of Somerset county. Bah! Mr. Cessna, that was a very dirty little appeal, in tended to invoke a very dirty little predjudioe against Somerset county whoso vote you so lately sought. As to the expenses incurred by tho contest. They were just none at ail. Tbe facta were a grecd upou between tbe contestants, no wit nesses were needed, aud no expenses to the j county wero incurred. Mr. Cessna's ostenta- j tious exhibit cf his purse, is therefore, but i another little trick to catch the groeo-hcrns. j Holding his eat by the tenure bo does, in our j humble judgement a modest reticence on the , subject, would much more become bim, than u i rlatant exbibitiou of himself through:the col- j utuas of tho press.— Somerset Herald. i A VERY LITTLE TRICK- The counties of Bedford and Somerset elect their Representatives by a joint vote—that is, tho oaudidate presented by Bedford and tho one by Somerset are votsd for in both counties, aud thus elected. George W. Householder, was elected from Bedford last fall, fairly aud honestly, his competitor being one John Cess na. This tnaa Cessna, itching for notoriety, or perhaps the §7OO pay, contested Mr. House holder's seat, on the ground that his election i was illegal, from tho tact of Bedford and Sotn- ' erset counties voting together. What readers j this outrage mere aggravating, is+ho fact that 1 Cessna accepted a nomination from both coun- ! ties., electioneered in both counties, had ticket* ' printed in both counties with bis own and ! the Somerset county Democratic candidate's uauie upon them, aud they wero voted iu that i way. Besides all this, Ces-mx was elected i from Bedford end Cambria counties to the t Legislature, once or petbups twice, aud if Householder's election is illegal now was not his own election illegal then? Thus out of his own mouth bo has convicted himself, and if he has reiuiiuiag a small amount of con science, be will rcfuud the salary he then drew, ! and according to his own showing must ille gally hold. This outrage moots with universal coodem* ' nation, and wo betide those who have beou ! engaged in it, should they ever corns again 1 bet or a the people.— Hunt. Jour. LETTERS FROM OUR SOLDIERS. _ 1 CAMP CURTIN, Jan. 27th, 1862. MR. EDITOR:— Our company has been for j some time faring sumptuously as a oonsequencc j of a most extraordinary treat from the citi zens of Colerain* Tp., in the shape of a num ber of boxes, seemingly about bursting with the luxurious daiufies which they contained. The open boxes however made an imposing aoeno that was really reiciviog; there wero the best served turkeys aud chickens, sausage truly tempting to the appetite, from 60 to 70 i pounds of fine golden butter, the most tuagnif- j teent sweet-cakee, the finest pics and eoores j of other articles that wouid have done honor j to the table of Dives. For all this festal enjoyment we are in- , debted iu great part to John Shoemaker, who' had the exquisite Kindness to collect the ar ticles and bring them tu camp. Then again, to tho good paople of ltainsburg and vicinity who so kindly remembered us iu their literal douaiious. it was uot a dinner, but a series of din ners. Tuere is certainly nothing more cheering to j a volunteer abroad, than for him to feel that j Lo is not forgotten at home, tbit there are | kind hearts there whose sympathies aro still with him, hearts that throb in anxious solioi- ; tuJe at bis privations. Then, too, these, feasts contrast so beautifully with the usual crackers ! and bacon. Do not infer for an instant that i we wish to enter a complaint against our ra ; lions, not by uoy means; iris not that we | love cur crackers aud bacon the less, but be cause we love turkey &0., more. Be this as it utay, we as a company, shall j ever look back ou thg citizens of Oolcraio | with the happiest reminiscences. Perhaps the | only return wc will be able tcwpiake for all these favors is, to do our in the service of our country, wbicb wo shall endeavor 10 do with promptness. It would perhaps not be out of place here to notice an error iu a former article as to the [number of our regiment. It is the 101 st, and | WOt the 107tb. Please note the error as it ■bay be of consequence to pcrsous writing to the company. J. H. L. fuvestigatioc of Hor§e Contracts, &c. The Government Contract Investigating Committee ere now engaged upon tbe subject of alleged frauds in the vicinity of Washing ton. They discover tbat tbe same horses have been twice sold to the Government, aod supers intendents and inspectors bribed to certify tho soundness of borsos, and sometimes selling j tbern to private parsons. Also, tbat the enor- I mous amouots paid by tbe War Department for i transportation bad induced strong competition among the railroad companies, so that many Colonels in the West have received each from §ISOO to §2OOO as a bonus. Also that soma sutlers are making §3OOO per month aud that nearly all the sutlers South of the Potomac sell liquor, with the knowledge of the officers; that is smuggled in boxes marked "Govern ment'" and "Hospital stores," or packed in barrels marked "beef." The resolution introduced by Hon. E. Mc Pberson to inquire into the contracts which bad becu awaruod for the board of disabled horses during the winter, has shown that iu the ieport ot General Meigs, Colonel ilucker had made a contract with George Ratntdeil to feed them twelve pounds of oats per day at 45 ceuta per day. Ilucker alleges that this high price was paid leeause tbe contractor was an honest man, and it was better to pay a fair price and be certain that the horses were well oered for, than to let them to some one that would starve them. Unfortunately, howaver; an investigation shows that this contiaator had relet them at 25 cents per head and. stipulated that they were to have eight pounds of oats per day, in* stead of twelve. Mr. Mcpherson's resolution however, his almost entirely broken up those speculations, which in this one Hue, would have iobbed the treasury of tens of thousands of dollars before spriog. Chambersburg Dis~ patch. The Horse Coniract. The following is t Hon. EDWARD MCPHER SON'S letter to Quartermaster Gcu. MEIGS in regard to tbe letting of tbe Horse Contracts : IJOCSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, \ Jan. 2*2tl, 18G2. \ Gesebat. :—Accompanying your letter to the Secretary of War, of Dec. 31, 1861, trans mitting a reply of Brig. Gen. Van Vliet ro tbe resolution of tho House of Representatives call ing for copies of all contracts made for feeding disabled horses daring tho winter, is a copy of the contract made Nov. 23d last, between Col. D. H. Ilucker, (by direction of Gen. Van Y r lit), and George Raoosdell, of Pennsylvania, for feeding (such ie the extraordinary descrip tion of the number,) "1000 horses more or less." One of the provisions of this contract is, that iiamsdell "shall feed or oauso to be fed to cacu and every "horse" thus committed to hiiu a daily allowance of (14) fourteen pounds of hay, and (12) twelve pounds of oats or com, for which ho was to receive 40 cents compensation per day per horse, to be paid uu der eert iiu conditions. 1 have before me a letter from Samuel Dur boraw, Esq., CDC of the most intelligent and respectable citizeoa of Adams county, Fa., who has some of these horses, and who, in ref orcnco to this point, states that the receipt he gave Rautsdcll, requires him to givo the horses one peck of oats, and (15) fifteen pounds of hay, each, per day, at a compensation of 25 cents per day for each horso. These are the terms OD which as I have good reason to be lieve, and a< easily can be proved, ail the horses, 525 in number, confided to lirmsdell, have been subject—the contractor with a view apparently, to inako a clear profit of 371 per cent., without an investment, asking the sub contractors to feed 50 per cent, less grain than he agreed with Coi. ilucker to furnish. Gen. Vau Vliet, in his letter to you, Dec. 221, defended himself for making this con tract, without giving public notice thereof, by the eonsideratiou that he desired to avoid hav ing those horses takeu by a person who would make tuoaey by "starviug the animals"—a difficulty uc considered inseperahlc from the lowest bidder system. I submit that bis epe oitic hue wholly failed. The third item of the contract makes full compliance with items, a condition precedent to payment. There are, also other conditions named clscwbero iu the contract. I respectfully suggest, that as to the past, this ceutraot should be considered strictly, that it should have no future to one who has thus exposed himself to reprehension. I am of the opiniou that, if you can spare an officer of integrity for two days, he can vis it the farmers who have these horses, and that, fur a slight advance upon the prices they DOW receive, they will consent to feed the quantity of grain required iu KamsdeU'a con tract, and that thus the Government will save a considerable sum of money, tbd horses will sooner become ready for service, and what ever profits, if any, may be realized, will go to (hose who do the work, aud deserve them. 1 have the honor, General, to be your obe dient servant, EDWARD MCPUKRSON. Frig. Geu. M. U. Mfiigs, Q. M. Gen. Tbe greatest blesßiog of the aga, is the dis. ccvery of a perfect cure for Rbeumitistn, Gout aud x>'euralgia, and the pernicious effects of Mercury, which is effected without any incont vcnioucc, or tho use of ioternal medicines.— We are satisfied us to its adaptation to those heretofore iuourablo complaints, and take pleasure in calling tbo attention of our read ers to the advertisement in auother column of our paper, of Doctor Leiand'a Anti Rheuma tic Fund. *flm THE EKU'TION OF VESUVIUS. DESTRUCTION OF TORRE DEL GRECO. NAPLES, D:C. 28.—The DESTRUCTION cf a j city which numbered 22,00(7 inhabitant* is *c f startling a fact, that 1 trust that 1 shali not weary JNO by sending some statistics which I j have this week gathered on tiio spot. Cover ' ed with snow rooming ashes still like a tec horse power factory chimney, with a rained ; city lying at its feet, such is the spectacle which • Vesuvius at tbiL moment presents. Unable to | restrain my curiosity to know what was passing i behind the clouds of ashes which intervened between us and the mountain, I went dn#n again oh Tuesday last, and directed myself to the committee who bad been sitting iu perfor mance since the Bth iost. The municipal buil ding, a fine old historisal edifice of the time of the Arragous, bad bpeu destroyed, so that tbe committee was sittiug in a suppressed mojtas try on the outskirts of tbe town, and not on the bed of old lava. Ths cloisters and the i stairs were filled with squalid misery which had come there for relief, and the Syndic acl his coadjutors, to whose courtesy 1 am moch indebted, gave me the following information: out of a population of 22,000, 15,000 are fu gitives. Between 50 and 60 bouses have al ready fallen, 320 are falling, the rest are more or loss injured. Out of 11 churches, four on ly are uuinjured; but there is another fearful source of danger—the sulphureous exhalation? which arc emitted iu every direction, and which render bouses in other respects comparatively safer are unhabitable. By those exhalations, five or six persons, and all the animals, such as cats, dogs, mioc and birds, and the fishes in tbe sea, have already been killed. Iu fact, two-tbircia of tbo city have been destroyed,— Tfco committee begged me to appeal to the British public in their behilf at least to Ital ians resident in England, aod then sent two of their members to accompany me again over the city. I must confine myself to suoh uew fear lures as I have not yet described, and they are of great interest. My companions took mo through a long lane, on either side of which the houses were on tbe eve of falling, down to an orange garden boloDgiog to one of thorn, at tbe farthest extremity of which gaped a crater 20 feet widoandas many deep. Blanks were thrown across; and gettiug upon theui I looked in and saw the walls of a church which had been destroyed in 1798, graves whioh bad given up their dead—for the skeletons had been removed as soon as discovered—and tbe fres coed walls of the inner chamber of some house. The smell of sulphur was hero strong, and yet stronger, almost insufferable, ia the streets through which I afterwards passed. Dead aui mils iay lur: and there, and amidst these tigns of inortaiity and sign-posts of daDger, which tne: the eye at every turn, while the soil was still heaving beneath our feet, while Vesuvius was throwing out more violently than ever, aod at midnight, only tbe poor who had returned had fted from their bouses, alarmed by another shock, 1 met some persons coming in with their household goods on their back. A few stops brought ins to tbo sea, which was boiling furi ously for some distance like a cauldron, not the effeot, as I thought at first, of springs of fresh water gushing up, but of volcanic action, and the smell of the gases escaping was so in tense that I found it necessary for safety to cover uiy face with a handkerchief. Hera I mat ray friends (Japoci, Guisoardi, and Balmi er!-, who bad come over as a scientific commis sion to make investigations. They bottled up the gases oft the spot, which they reported to be carbonic acid and carburretted hydrogen. How loDg the eruption might continue Balmi. en had no uieao9 of calculating; it was gotDg oQ Jta violently as ever, anu his sismograpb was always registering. From Sunday until Mon day iuorutcg at 5 A. M., there had been eight shocks, atJ der. Provisions, blankets, money to buy beef cattle, and ratious in largo quantities havo been sent to them. Replies were uide to OpotheyoLolo by Gen, Hunter, Col. Ccffia and Major Cutler. The brave old warrior was deeply impressed with the interview, and departed folly convinced that the "pale fooes" woold sustain his peo ple with the full foroe and power at the com mand of "the Great lather,"