tip Lancaster inteUtgatar
4.110. SANDZIRRON. EDITOR.
A. lIANDSLESON. Asseslats.
LANCASTER, PA., FEBRUARY 17, 1863
Ars. mrriteraii,k Clo.l Ammirmnot Aumui, , ST
park Ravi Nsw Sorg, and 10 State Mum&Borton.
&M. PRIZINGILL 4 . Co., are Agent, te r The Loweatkr
imatmaorr, and the most Lohnoltdit and largest thumb.
keg Nawmi In the United Nita arid Ma Outadmu—
nay are anthar l sad'to <unbar* form at our lomat rata
Mails I Autote, 1065 Broadway, New Tack,
are authorised to 'roadie admuttsameuts for The
rime, at our lowest ratan.
Bir•Jomm W73812:111 AIMMTUare AGENT IS 10ditiol at
N 0.60 North 6th atreet,..Phltadelphia. He ',authorized to
modulo adrertimmonta and subamlytkom for The Laneader
hidlimos%
S. B. Nam, No.l Saoßay's Building, Court St., Boston,
U our authieed Agent for receiving
tbs adNew s ver m tisments, te—
V. B. Palms, ri en. Agent, N.
B. c a." orner Fifth and Chestn Ame ut St reet s, Pbßadelphla,
outlasted to receive inbeeriptions and advertisements for
Ma paper, at our lowest rates. His receipts will be re.
prados payments.
OURFLAG
Now our flag is flung to the wild winds free,
Let it float o'er our father land,
Aud. the guard of its spotless fame shall be
'Oolumbla'a chosen band.
"CLING TO THE CONSTITUTION, AS
THE SHIPWRECKED MARINER CLINGS
TO THE LAST PLANK, WHEN NIGHT
AND THE TEMPEST CLOSE AROUND
HIM."-DANIZL WEBSTER.
The Special Message.
The Message of Governor CURTIN
TA the Legislature, on Thursday last,
is a curiosity in its way, and reflects
no credit on the Executive either as
a literary production, or from the
doctrines, with one notable excep
tion, which it avows. The exception
is in the unwilling admission that
Congress alone possesses the power
to suspend the great writ of, habeas
corpus. Thus far we agree with the
Governor in his implied condemna
tion of the unconstitutional acts of
the President, and we think he is en
titled to some credit for the admis
sion he has made. But for the bal
ance of the Message we have no
word of approbation. What, can it
be possible that the Chief Magistrate
of the great State of Pennsylvania
has no word of condemnation for
the arbitrary and illegal Military ar
rests which have, time and again,
been made within the limits of his
jurisdiction ? Can he not throw a
shield of protection over his own
fellow-citizens ? Is he not clothed
by the people with ample powers to
assert the dignity of Pennsylvania,
and to say to the General Govern
ment that here, within the limits of
this ancient and loyal Common
wealth, where the laws are in full
force and where the Courts of Jus
tice are open and unobstructed,
every citizen shall be protected in
all his Constitutional rights ? And
yet he has failed to do so in the
Message which we publish in another
column. Would Governor SEYMOUR,
of New York, or Governor PARKER,
of New Jersey, have done so ? Nay,
verily, they are made of sterner
stuff than to
" Bow the pliant hinges of tie knee,
That thrift may follow fawning."
But the most singular thing con
nected with this singular - document
is the time selected for sending it to
the Legislature. Was the Governor
oblivious to the fact that most of
these illegal arrests were made prior
to the meeting of the Legislature.—
Why, then, wait until six weeks of
the session had elapsed, before com
municating his views to the repre
sentatives of the people, and then
couch his sentiments in rude and
offensive language to the great mass
of the people ? The Message was
neither well-timed nor dignified—to
say nothing of the craven spirit it
exhibits, and is alike discreditable to
its author and to the great State
whose executive head he is for the
time being. In his quiet moments
we think the Governor will be
ashamed of his own' production, as
many of his political friends already
are. Even FORNEY gives it the " cold
shoulder," and when he disapproves
this act of his model Executive, who
can approve ?
THE quicar.ar OF THE WEST
The manes of the Federal steamer Queen
of the West, in running the blockade of the
Vicksburg batteries, is reported by Captain
Ellet, her commander. He states, however,
that she did not escape wholly unscathed.—
The cotton bales which constituted a part of
her protective armor, were set on fire by a
shell from the batteries on shore, and the
flames epread so rapidly, that " the dense
smoke rolling into the engine room suffocated
the engineers." The fire was finally ex
tinguished by cutting loose the burning bales
and pitching them overboard: In the mean
time, the Queen was struck twice in the hull
by the enemy's shots, but above the water
line, and one of her guns was dismantled and
ruined. A later despatch from Cairo, states
that she subsequently went down the river
nearly to Port Hudson, and succeeded in sink.
ing three steamers loaded with provisions,
and in capturing fifty-six persons.
POLITICAL PREACHING
It seems that even in some' parts of New
England the people have begun to be weary of
so much4olitical preaching. A notable case
is that of the "Old Congregational Society" of
New Boston, Litchfield co., Conn., where Dr.
Lyman Beecher so- long preached. This So
ciety, at a recent meeting, passed the follow
ing sensible resolution :
Toted, That the
. pulpit committee of this
society are hereby instructed that whenever
they employ a minister of the Gospel to preach
in their meeting-house on the Sabbath, they
shall first inform said minister that he is em
ployed to preach the Gospel truth according
to the Bible doctrine, Christ and Him cruci
fied, and that only. That he is strictly prohi
bited, by a vote of this society, from delivering
any discourse pf any description upon the pre
sent war, and that he shall not allude to the
matter either in prayer or sermon.
lir We refer our readers to the card of
Messrs. Wsmon & Yon, Bankers, 25 South
Third street ; Philadelphia, in another column.
They are both thorough-goink, intelligent
business nen, and affable and courteous in
their'-Manners. Mr. WALTON was the late
Trensarer of the 11. S. Mint at Philadelphia,
end Mr. Yoe was formerly Chief Engineer of
the old Columbia and Philadelphia Railroad.
"While I am writing upon this. matter, I
will take occasion to add that there is not
another city North of Mason and Dixon's line
wherethe Mayor would have been so thorough
ly dead to every sense of courtesy find retro
tability auto refuse a welcome to such alnan
as Gen. R. The Mayor seemed to studiously
avoid even a sight at Rousseau. - Why was
this? Is Rotisseark too sound a democrat—
and too vigorous in. hie prosecution of the
war against those infamous traitors whom be
characterizes as -"liars who could teach ..the
deVil "—to be palittable.to the 'very question
able political sensibilities of the Mayor ?
'Tie a burning shame that our city which has
sent forth so many noble, patriotic sons to
fight the battles of this great and good coun
try—could not 'have a man as its chief mag
istrate who would eitend the hand of fellow
ship and welcome to a General, who had so
brilliantly led those sons—some to victory,
and some to death I but all to glory I"
We clip the above from a com
munication in the Express of the 9th
inst., signed " Contributor." We
do so, simply to show the baseness
which must actuate the Abolition
scoundrel who indicted it. ' The
writer either did not know what he
was writing about, or because he
was asked to contribute twenty-five
cents towards defraying the expenses
of the Fencibles' Band, felt himself
so muchaggrieved that he gave vent
to his spleen by wilfully and deliber
ately slandering the Mayor of the
City. It is true that funclionary
was not present at the Black Repub
lican serenade to General ROUSSEAU,
(gotten up by the leaders at that
particular hour in the evening for
the purpose of breaking up the
Democratic meeting then in progress
at Fulton Hall, but which they sig
nally failed to accomplish,) but that
he either "refused a welcome to,"
or " studiously avoided even a sight "
of the General, is notoriously false
and unfounded. And we appeal for
the truth of this declaration to Col.
Duchman, Lieutenant Hartman,
Lieutenant Reese, Messrs. Haldy,
Hopple and, many other gentlemen
who are cognizant of the fact that
the Mayor did call, not once but
twice to see the General ;
~that the
second time he had a somewhat
lengthy conversation with him in.his
chamber, and that the Mayor then
and there expressed his regret that
the General's health was not such as
to justify a public demonstration in
his favor.
The Abolitionists wanted to make
a little political capital out of the
serenade, hence they fixed upon 8
o'clock as the hour. Had they se
lected either 6 or 9 o'clock, which
would have answered just as well,
and as they were requested to do,
the whole Democratic meeting, with
the Mayor at the heed, would have
been there to do honor to the dis
tinguished soldier whom we all so
hiodily esteem. But this did not
suit the ulterior design of the Abo
litionists, and being foiled in their
main object—the defeat of the
Democratic ticket the next day—
they now resort to their favorite
weapons of slander and defamation
of Mayor Sanderson.
STEVENS , NEGRO BILL
We subjoin the vote or the negro bill on its
final passage by the lower House of Congress
on the 2d inst. As this bill, providing for
the arming and equiping of one huhdred and
fifty regiments of negroes, is a pet measure of
the administration and the Abolition party,
the vote is important, and will„no doubt be
frequently referred to hereafter. Six con
servative Republicans voted with the Demo
orate against the bill, to wit : Messrs. Gran
ger, Hale, Kellogg, Horton, Woodbury and
Thomas, Mass.:
YEAS—Memo, Aldrich, Alley, Arnold Ashley,
Babbit, Baxter, Beaman, Bingham, Blair, Pa.,
Blake, Brown, Va.; Buffington, Campbell, Casey,
Chamberlain, Clark, Colfax, F. A. Conkling, Con
way, Cutler,
Davis, Dawes, Dunn, Edgerton, Ed
wards, Eliot, Ely, Fenton, S. C. Fessenden, T. A.
D. Fessenden, Fisher, Frank, Gooch, Gurley,
Hooper, Hutchins, Julian, Kellogg, Mich; Lansing,
Loomis, Lovejoy, Low, M'lndoe, M'Kean, M'Knight,
M'Pherson, Marston, Mitchell, Morrill, Vt.; Nixon-,
Noell, Olin, Phelps ' Cal.; Pike, Pomeroy, Porter,
Rice,
Me.; Riddle, Rollins, N. :11. Sargent, Sedg
wick, Shanks, Sheffield, Shellabarger, Sherman,
Sloan, Spaulding, Stevens, Train, Trimble, Trow
bridge, Van Horn, Walker, Wall, Wallace, Wash
burn, Wheeler, White, Ind.; Wilson, Winslow, and
Worcester-83.
NAYS—Messrs. Allen, Ohio; Allen, Ill.; Ancona,
Bailey, Biddle, Blair, Va.; Clements, Cobb, Cox,
Cravens, Crisfield, Crittenden, Delaplaine, Granger,
Grider, Hale, Hall, Harding, Hamson, Holman,
Ind.; Horton, Johnson, Kellogg, Ill.; Kerrigan,
Law, Lazear, Leary, Mallory, May, Maynard,
Menzies, Morris, Noble, Norton, Odell, Pendleton,
Price, Robinson, Rollins, Mo.; Shiel, Stiles,
Thomas, Mass.; Thomas, Md.; Vallandigham, Vib
bard, Wadsworth, Webster, Whaley,•White, Ohio;
Wood, Wiakliffe, Woodbnry, Wright, and Yeoman
sogeb In the House of Repres.eritatives, at
Harrisburg, OD the sth inst., Dr. PATTON, the
able Demooratic member from Greene county,
presented the following series of resolutions:
Ist. That in the opinion of this House, the
present bloody and devastatine civil war could
and should have been averted.by the adoption
of the Crittenden Compromise, or some other
measure alike just and honorable to all sec
tions of the country.
211. That the whole responsibility for the
failure of such pacific measures rests upon the
dominant party in Congress, who were united
in opposition to any such peaceful adjust
ment.
3d. That the object of the war as unani
mously declared by Congress in July, 1861,
was to restore the Union and to vindicate the
authority of the Government, and not to con
quer or subjugate the revolted States, or to
interfere with their domestic rights and insti
tutions.
4th. That it was upon this pledge, and
with this definite understanding, that vast
armies of our patriotic fellow citizens rushed
to arms in support of the Government and
laws.
sth. That as those solemn pledges have
been violated, and the whole powers of the
Government have been turned to a ruthless
crusade against the institution of slavery,
therefore
Further Resolved, That until the adminis
tration recedes from its unconstitutional, in
flammatory and despotic proclamation of
January Ist, 1863, and returns to a policy in
the conduct of the war sanctioned by the Con
stitution, by justice, by patriotism and hu
manity, it can have no further claims upon
the loyal State of Pennsylvania for men or
other means of carrying on the war.
A LILLIPUTIAN WEDDING.—The marriage
of General Toni Thumb (Mr. Charles S. Strat•
ton) to Miss Lavinia Warren, was solemnized
in Grace Church, New York, on Tuesday lest,
the 10th inst. The gentleman is twenty-five
years of age, thirty-one inches high, and
weighs twenty-nine pounds; the lady is
twentyone years old and - thirty two inches in
height. There was great excitement in New
York an the occasion, and the papers devote a
large space to particulars. Miss Minnie War.
ren, ,the bride's sister, acted as hridesmaid,
and little Commodore Nutt as groomsman.
Miss Minnie is sixteen years of age, twenty
five inches high and weighs nineteeen pounds.
The Commodore is twenty-one years of age,
twenty-nine inches in height, and weighs
twenty pounds. A small affair to make so
much fuss about.
tar A clear, smooth, musical voice is half
the attraction in many beautiful women. But
a harsh, shri 11, shrewish voice certainly has
nothkrig admirable about it. To dispel cough
or hoarseness, Bryan's Pnlmonio Wafers are
incomparable. Only 25 cents a box. Bold
by Kanfinan & Co., East Orange greet.
NEGRO SOLDIPILIN-miTHE DEOILILDA.•
TIPP OF OUR RAGE AND COUNTRY.
The motive of bringing forward the bill for
the enlistment of negro soldiers is obvious,
An emancipation war will never be fought by
the truly patriotic, and Christian population of
the North ; the time is fast approaching when
no inducement will keep in the army that large
majority of its rank and file which will not
fight for the negro; the radicals have no idea
of exposing themselves to the perils of warfare;
Greeley's 900,000 and Andrew's •" swarms,"
which they alleged to be only waiting for the
*emancipation policy, have not manifested the
least sign of stirring; and there really seems
nothing left for the Abolitionists but to call
upon the negro to put on arms for the cause
of his people.
We need not say that this terribly degrading
resort would be entirely needless, if Gree
ley and Andrew would only make their boasts
good, neither of whom have yet issued a sum
mono for the purpose. Governor Andrew, it
is true, has obtained "authority" from the
Secretary of War to• raise troops of African
descent in this State ; and if he is able to en
list a . single regiment here, or half of it, now
that the question is one of downright fight,
we will agree to give him credit for the very
great exertions which will be indispensable
for him to use to insure success& As for
Greeley, so far as we have seen, he has not
made a solitary allusion to his " three times
three hundred thousand," tine* the proclama
tion came out.
We say the project is a degrading one—
Aloft will make our latest posterity blush for
us—that we had so little manhood in us as to
call to our aid on the field of mortal strife, for
the defence of " the land of the free and the
home of the brave," a race of inferiors' to do
for us what we, confessedly, by adopting such
a measure, have not the spirit, energy and
wisdom to effect for ourselves. Truly, the
men who concocted and voted for such a bill
can only be taken to have reached the lowest
stage of human degradation and dishonor.
Such an argument need not be pursued into
details, for the whole force of it occurs at once
to any man with a spark of manly feeling in
his bosom.
The reasons of a practical nature against
the bill are plenty as blackberries. Nobody
doubts that black men may be brave and often
are so ; but one thing is certain, that neither
black nor white soldiers can be so, unless they
stand upon some footing of equality ; and this
can never be in any army composed of both
races, except when the dependent is fighting
with and for his master. On the other hand,
the idea that anybody but a madman or a
scoundrel would think of arming one hundred
and fifty thousand negroes to serve in a single
body, or in any number of considerable bodies,
or that the expectation could be entertained
by anybody that a few white officers, unable
to restrain white soldiers from crime, could
hold black ones in from the most horrible bar
barities—argues a degree of truly inconceiva
ble infatuation.
Indeed, the whole thing is preposterous from
the start, and we shall only be saved from the
ferocities which might ensue from attempting
to carry such an act into operation, by its utter
impracticability.
It is as idle a scheme as Mr. Lincoln's
proclamation which be said beforehand would
not free a negro, and which has not freed a
negro.—Boston Courier.
WHAT PHILLIPS SAYS
The following is a quotation from a recent
speech of WENDELL PRILLIPd in New York
City :
"On the first day of the present month he
announces in the name of the nation that na
tionality is henceforth liberty, and that the
nation is henceforth to be wholly free. (Ap
plause.) It is not a step onward; it is turn
ing a corner and launching into a new chan
nel. it is not the punishment of treason; it is
the inauguration of justice. He loads his
cannon with broken fetters and fires them from
the bastion of absolute justice. (Applause.)
The Union, in other words, launches on a new
channel. She undertakes to say that the sys
tem of slavery is incompatible with the perpe
tuity of the republic. The Union announces
that doctrine, records it on her statute book,
and henceforth the motto of the American cit.
inn is, Liberty to the slave or death to the Un
ion I"
The Albany Evening Journal, a Republi
can paper from which we have quoted several
severe articles against the radical abolition
policy, copies this extract and says: "This
is sufficiently explicit. The man who speaks
by authority for the abolition press, says
henceforth the war is not to be carried on 'to
punish treason,' but that we are ' launched
into a new channel ;' and that the motto is
' Liberty to the slave or death to the Union.'—
It will, we presume, be admitted now, by
Republican journals that have failed to 1113
derstand us, that our 'logic' is sound: The
war is not ' to punish treason,' but to liberate
slaves, and the motto is—' Liberty to the slave
or death to the Union.' And at this turning
corner' we part company with abolition."
"We part company,' says Mr. WEED,
" with abolition." Then you part company
with the administration ; for no fact is more
apparent than that Mr. Lincoln follows where
Mr. PHILLIPS leads. Who can doubt that
there has been for months a complete under
standing between these worthies ?
THE REQCIREMENT OF STAMPS ON ORIGINAL
PROCESS DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL.--JUdgo
Barnard, in a case in the Supreme Court of
New York, has declared the Stamp Act passed
by Congress July 1, 1862, unconstitutional,
So far as it relates to requiring stamps upon
original proceedings in the State courts. In
the case of Walton against Bryenth an order
had been obtained to vacate the proceedings
on the ground that the summons had been
filed without an adhesive stamp, the defen
dant's counsel contending that the provis
ions of the statute rendered all original pro.
ceedings invalid and of no effect unless
stamped.
Plaintiff's counsel argued that Congress had
no powor to interfere with the proceedings of
the State courts. It was doubtful whether
they had the power to impose the penalty of
$5O ; but if they could render the proceedings
in State courts invalid, they usurped a power
that was illegal and unconstitutional. If they
could impose a duty of six cents upon a sum
mons, they could, upon the same principle,
lay a duty which would amount to a prohibi
bition, and thus paralyze the whole system of
administering justice in the State tribunals.
The court decided to dismiss the order. Con
gress had no right to interfere with the pro
ceedings of the State courts. In hie judgment
the provision was illegal and unconstitutional.
Congress might impose a penalty, but could
not invalidate the proceedings of the State
courts. This case will soon go to the Court
of Appeals, and probably to the Supreme
Court of the United States, where the impor
tant question will be finally decided.
THE FRENCH MINISTER
In response to a resolution of the Senate of
the United States requesting President Lin
coln to communicate to that body the charac
ter of the suggestions made by Mr. Seward,
as Secretary of State, to M. Mercier, as nar
rated in the letter of the latter to M. Thou
venel, and which induced M. Meroier to un
dertake his well known mission to Richmond,
Mr. Seward has replied. He states emphati
cally that no suggestions were made by him
to M. Mercier "that induced, were designed,
or calculated to induce him to undertake a
mission to Richmond in April or at any other
time." Mr. Seward further declares that M.
Mercier " was not then, nor has he or any
other person ever been authorized by the
Government, or by tho Secretary of State, to
make any representations of any kind or any
subject to the insurrectionary agents or so
called authorities at Richmond, or to bold any
communication with them on behalf of the
Government."
A PATRIOTIC CLERGYMAN.—Rev. JOHN F.
MEREDITH; Chaplain of the 50th Regiment of
Pennsylvania Volunteers, preached two ser
mons in Minersville on Sunday last, in which
he took occasion to give his audience
his views on the manner in which the
war has been conducted. Mr. Meredith
has had ample opportunity of observing
the evil effects of the policy adopted by the
abolition administration, and does not hesitate
to speak his mind fully and freely on all sub
jects connected with the war. The removal
of General McClellan he regards as one of the
most suicidal aots that could have been com
mitted. Mr. M. went to the - war a thorough
going Republican, and we are glad to know
that he has detected the hypuorisy of the
abolitionists, who have arrogated to them
selves virtues which they do not possess.—
Potlrot 7 / 4 Standard of Saturday.
LOCAL DEPARTNICNT.
INAUGURATION OF MAYOR SANDIRSON—
rumor ow Orrr 0771C128 —Mayor Sienzzeols was Inaug
urated In presence of the City Councils and a large number
of citizens, in the Common Council Chamber, on Tuesday
last, at 2 ceckck. P. M. The oath of office was adminis
tered by WILIZAII Caucuses, Esq., Recorder of the City,
after which the Mayor Ilelitteral the following
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
Mi Pagioneuv: Having been again elected, and for the
fifth time,-to the Mayoralty of the City, Tenter upon the
duties devolving upon me with alull purpose to discharge
them with an eye single to the Public good, and for the
beet interests of the tax payer* who are more direetly con
cerned in the fsithfnl admlniaiiition of the City Govern
ment. To be again honored by a confiding constituency
with their suffrages fills my heart with profound gratitude,
and it will be my purpose and aim, a kind Providence
assisting me, to so conduct the affairs of the municipal
government as not to impair the public confidence.
Chommatz3 or was Commas: It will afford me much
pleasure, as it is my duty, to co-operate with you in furth
ering the interests of the City. The finances are in a
sound and healthy condition. The fended debtbf the ter
poration is being gradually extinguished by the operations
of 'the Sinking Fund, and is now but a small fraction over
s3oo,oo9—having been reduced in all $41,88078 since the
Fund was established by Ordinance of 20th of April, 1819.
In keeping the interest of this Fund intact and making It
sanders In the accomplishment of its legitimate puma*, I
have bad the willing and necessary aid of the excellent
ffinenee Committees of Ckunacile for the last four years,.
and I hereby Um publicly avow my obligations to them
for their zeal and efficiency. It should be our bush:teas, as
the custodians of the people's treasury, to husband the
resources of the City—to use all proper economy in the
public expenditureb—and to - vigilantly guard every dollar
of the funde entrusted to our care. That government is
the best administered whit Is the cheapest, taking into
view the wants and comforts of its citizens; and every
appropriation made by Councils should be faithfully has
banded and -ftrully expended by the officer/ in whoa.,
hands it may it placed. All necessary improvements
should be promptly and entetantially made, but they
should be done at the least possible cost to the corporation,
and no monies should be expended without a correspond
ing benefit to the tax-payers. You will pardon me, Gen
tlemen, for adverting to this topic. The Chief Executive
Magistrate has no voice in the legislation of the City, nor
has he any control in shaping the appropriations; but he
feels, as every good citizen should feel, in these tronblons
times, that economy should be the order of the day in our
National, State, and Municipal Governments, and there•
fore an allusion to it will, he trusts, not be considered out
of place on the present occasion.
FIELLOW Cmizass. We have fallen upon evil times. Dark
and portentous clouds bang gloomily over the political
horizon. The sad condition of our distracted and bleeding
country calls loudly upon every patriot to step forth and
aid, In every possible way, In restoring the old Unio'n as
founded by our fathers, and thus bring back the halcyon
days of peace and prosperity to the land. My firm belief
is, that every true-hearted man in the North and In the
South anxiously longs for the day when we shall all pay
homage to the same old flag,' and when, under the benig
nant smiles of a kind Providence, we ehall again be one
people—with one Constitution, one Government, one djue
tiny. But to accomplish this, and unite the people of the
loyal States as one man, the Constitution of the Hotted
States most be respected in all its provisions. It is an in
strument which was framed by the statesmen and patriots
of other days, and was intended to operate alike in peace
and in war, In prosperity and adversity, ehedding Its
blessings, like the dews of Heaven, on the high and the
low, the rich and the poor. Brit the citizen is to be made
secure in hie person against illegal arrests, and to have his
property protected from unnecessary searches and seizures.
He is to be free to express his opinions respecting the con
duct of our rulers; and, In addition, the freedom of the
press—the great bulwark of liberty—is guaranteed, 30
that the acts of the Government may be freely com
mented upon—to be praised where they merit praise, to be
censured wham censure is deserved. By it, too, the writ
of habeas corpse, handed down to us from our British an.
restore, is held sacred, and its provisions and inestimable
benefits extended to every citizen. These are all Conati•
tutional rights, and whilst it is the duty of each and every
Individual to cheerfully stand by the constituted authori
ties of the Nation in the enforcement of the legitimate
authority of the General Government, he should not be
required to surrender any portion of his liberties or rights
under the Constitution as a free American citizen,
nor will such degradation be willingly submitted to.
' In this connexion permit me to Bay that, so far as my
magisterial functions extend, I shall endeavor to protect
all our citizens In the full enjoyment of their legal and
Constitutional rights—believing, as I conscientiously do,
that in a loyal community where the Courts of Justice are
unobstructed in their operations, where the laws can
always be enforced, and where every man is entitled to all
the privileges of American citizenship, the military should
always be held in subordination to the civil power. At the
same time I conceive it to be the duty of the civil magis
trate to aid the military authorities in the legitimate dis-
charge of their duties, and this I shall cheerfully do.
We are all, I trust, my fellow citizens, for the Union as
it was and the Constitution as it Is. We are fcr the Geyer°.
meat as established by our fathers. We ask no better.
We want to see the rebellious States brought back to their
allegiance, with all their constitutional right. guaranteed
to them. If they prefer to have African slavery continued
amongst them, as a local institution, they are entitled to
have It—lf they choose to emancipate their slaves, so be It.
It is a question for farm to determine—not us. Any other
course on our part would not be conceding to them the
same right that we enjoy under the Federal Constitution ;
they would cease to be co-equal and sovereign States, and
become mere dependencies of the Government.
Lancaster City is loyal to the Union, and she has fur
'limbed more brave hearted, patriotic men, who have cheer
fully went forth to tight the battles of our beloved country,
than, partial'', any other city of the same popialation north
of Mason and Dixon's line. She has done so, because she
believed the war was to be prosecuted for the restoration
of the old Union and the supremacy of the Constitution,
and for no other object.
I have said thus much, my fellow-citizens, not because I
think National question. should enter Into our local muni.
eipal contests, but simply for the reason that these ques-
Goes were made the issue by the press of this City prior to
the recent election. I have now discharged my duty in
this respect, as briefly as I could, and, again thanking you
and the rest of my fellow-citizens fur the high mark of
honor you and they have voluntarily conferred upon me,
I shall detain you no longer, but proceed at once, under
the oath I have taken, to commence the faithful perform•
ante of the duties devolving upon me.
The Mayor was greeted with much applause at the cm:l
-ett:lgoe of his address.
Councils then proceeded to the election of the various
City Officers, with the following result:
City Treasurer—Henry C. Wentz.
City Solicitor—Samuel' H. Reynolds.
Superintendent of Water Works—Rugh Dougherty.
Street COmmissioner—Henry Stumm
City Regulator—James C. Carpenter.
Assistant Regulators—Georg. Gundaker, Geo. Albright.
Meisenger to Councils—John Dora - art.
After the adjournment of the Convention, and when
Councils had reconvened in their separate Chambers, the
Presidents announced the following
STANDING COMMITTEES.
Finance—Select—Messrs. Zabm and Rathvon. Common
S.hober and Fitzpatrick. .
Water—Select—Mesara. Itengiar, Evans and Kline.—
Common—Messes. Shobar, Ringwalt and Ye'sley.
Street—Select—Memars. Deaner and Trout. Common—
MoFars. Lechler and Rutledge.
Market—Select—Mesers. Long and Kline. Common—
Messrs. Pyle and Smelt . ,
Fire Engines and Knee—Seleet—Mosars. Evans, Kline
and Long. Common—Meears. MacCionigle, Swilkey and
Baer.
Buchanan Rellef—Select—liessrs. Zahm and Long.—
Common—Messrs. Wittßogor and Scheurenbrand.
Police—Select—Mcasre. liengV,r, Trout and Evans.—
- • - •
Oommou—Noesra. Deichlen Swilkey and Pyle.
Lampe—?elect—Meeore. Deaner and Trout. Common—
Diemen, Fitzpatrick and Seheurenbrand.
. . .
City Property—Merere. 11..thvon and Rangier. Common
Mreers. Yoleley end Baer.
GONE TO NABHVILLE.—Mr. LEWIS HALDY,
one of the Committee, left the city yesterday morning for
Nashville, Tenn , having In charge the bountiful Stand of
Colors, a girt from our citizens to Col. Ilambrielat's
meat. lie also took with hint a west number of Istters and
small package. for the men from their relatives and friends
We wish him a pleasant journey and safe return.
THE PHILADELPHIA SUNDAY MERCURY.—
The Mercury, the best Sunday paper In Philadelphia, can
now be had regularly every Sundae morning from Mr.
Santulli Hammer, News Agent, No. North Queen et—
It contain. the latest Telegraphic and all other news up
to the hour of going to press, and Is a live. paper In every
respect. Success to it.
Trig PENNSYLVANIA RAILEOAD.—The total
receipts of the Pennsylvania Railroad for tb. pool year
amounted to ton millions three hundred thousand dollars.
Its running expenses are only about forty per cant. of this
sum, and after deducting interest on bonds, &c., Re net
receipt. are the millions of dollars.
READING AND COLUMBIA RAILROAD. —The
following °Meer. of the ilteadlng and Columbia Railroad
Company were elected af the annual meeting of the CoM
pony, held on the first Monday in January, 1863:
Prosident—Wllllam G. Cue, Columbia.
Directors—C. S. Kauffman, Columbia; Ephraim Hershey,
Columbia; Michael Clepper, Columbia; Samuel Small,
York; William McConkey, Wrightsville; Bates Grubb,
Mount Hope; Nathan Worley, Manhoim; John Hostetter,
Maohelm ; Frederick Leiner, Reading; Isaac Eckert, Read
ing; John McManne, Reading.
At a stated meeting of the new Board held on Wednes
day, Feb. 4th, 1863, they unanimously re-elected J. B.
Tshudy, of Litie, Treasurer; John A. Sheaff. of Lancaster,
Chief Engineer; and Geo. F. Brenemsn, of Lancaster, So
licitor. Tinsels are excellent selections:
To ATTEND CHURCH.— Lodge No. 43, A. Y.
M., will commemorate the 132 d birth-day of WASEITNOTON,
on Sunday next, the 22d inst., by attendloß divine !service,
at. 3 o'clock, P. hi., at the Duke Street M. D. Church, Rev
Mr. MDRIIIDITEI'II.
REV. G. 11. lIARN.—The reported death of
Rev. 0. 11. HORN, formerly pastor of the Union Beth,l
Church of this city, Is contradicted. A Wooster (Ohio)
correspondent of the Church Advocate, who)ro the reverend
gentleman was stationed previous to entering the army,
refers to the matter as follows: ‘. Brother Her n is not dead;
he is simply wounded in the thigh, and was taken prisoner
by the rebels at Vicksburg. One of his comrades came
and spoke to him, to whom he gave his watch and puree.
and requested him to give them to hie wife. These are all
the facts we know, and If he is dead he has died since the
battlo, and of course we know nothing about It. His
wound, it Is true, was a severe one, but if he received the
care due him, ho will doubtless recover."
A SOLDIER'S OPINION OF " THE MOST
Woantr."—We have received the following communication
as a Soldier's reply to an article in the Inquirer., headed
"The Most Worthy," having reference to the candidates
for the Mayoralty in the late Municipal Election. The
communication was written by a member of one of the
Lancaster companies In the lst Pennsylvania Reserves, one
who hse been all the time with the Army of the Potomac,
and who was severely wounded in one of the battles before
Richmond:
THE MOST WORTHY.
Robing Into the bunk of one of my fellow soldiers this
morning, I espied a newspaper. On picking it up I saw it
was the "Lancaster Inquirer." Perusing Its columns I
noticed an article headed "The Most Worthy." I read Cho
article,
and, to my astonishment, discovered it was pub
lished for the purpose of doing injury to our worthy Mayor.
Mr. Write said: " Let every man do his duty, and neat
Tuesday will tell a tale that will make our bold soldier
boys, throw up their caps and hurrah for the Most
Worthy,' in every loyal camp along the front from the At
lantic to beyond the Mississippi. Send them this good
news from home. It will tell them that we believe in men
who think as they do, who appreciate their trials, their
dangers and their sufferings in the cause of the Republic."
How truly the Abolition Editor spoke, for the "Philadel
phia Inquirer" of the 4th brought us the good newrithat
Mayor SANDERSON was re-elected, which did send a thrill
of Joy through the hearts of the brave boys in the three
Lancaster companies in this Regiment.
Mr. WE/35 also said that two-thirds of the men In the
army (rat Lancaster are Abolitionists. I will simply state
that he is greatly mistaken, for' at least three-fourths of the
men in this Regiment are loyal Democrats. Such news
from home as the re-election of loyal-Democrats to impor
tant positions encourages no. We then know you are doing
your duty at home, as well as we are doing ours here; but
news such an the Emancipation Proclamation, the Negro
Soldiers' Bill, Illegal Arrests, Ac., dieheartens us. We are
compelled to bellere we are flghtlag to free the negro, and
not for our country.
So long es our beloved General is kept away from us, so
long will defeat after defeat meet our arms. When Mn
CLILLON was torn from ns we felt like newly-made orphans;
we were lost. and since then have been wandering through
the rugged hills of Virginia, sometimes meeting the enemy,
but only to be defeated—other times sticking in the mod
with nothing to eat, all for the want of Generalship. Can
not our loyal people at home devise some plan to have oar
General restored to to nab?
It is evident we will fight much better when' we have a
man that we can place confidence in. How could we have
confidence in BURNSIDE, who has no confidence in himself?
He told the authorities at Washington that he did not feel
competent to take command, yet they insisted on it, and
what was the result? 15,000 men killed and maimed for
life. Is that one of the important war measures taken to
suppress the Rebellion? If it is we want no more meas.
urea of that description.
Keep the ball moving, loyal Democrats of the North, and
six months more the flag of Democracy will wave in every
State and County from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Wipe
out Abolitionism, and that alone will end the 'Rebellion.
' • A SOLDTKEL
Cate iruz Hsu, Plan, Va, lab. 6th, 1868
WASHINGTON'S BIRTH-DAY.—Will there be
any public celebration of the anniversary of Washington'a
Birth• Day in this city? We see no movement u yet among
oar, citizens looking in that way. The FIA comes on Sun
day next, and if any thing is to be done, it should be at
tended to without delay. Perhaps the different churches
will take the matter in band. Bev. Mr. Muutorrn, of the
the Duke Street M. E. Church, is to preach a sermon to the
Free Masons in the afternoon of that day, and, it may be,
that other clargymen.wlll'also deliver discourses appropri
ate to the °Guidon. ' We trust something will be done.
WAS AND PEACE PROPOSITIONS IN
THE NEW JERSEY LEGISI.AT URN.
names, Feb. 11.
A number of resolutions were offered in the
House to-day relative to war and peace propo
sitions. A remonstrance was received from
Bergen county against Mr. Halsmail's peace
propositions.
Mr. De Smith offered resolutions of a peace
character, reiterating, in substance, the reso
lutions of Senator Randolph, and the adding
of a resolution providing that Theodore
Runyan, Jacob R. Wortenby, Abraham Bron
ing, Henry Y. Green, John S. Dorry and
Moses Bigelow be, and are hereby appointed
commissioners to proceed to Richmond to as
certain whether the States now in arms against
the United States Government will consent to
re affirm their adhesion" to the Union, and
recognize the authority of the Oonstitotion ;
and, if not, on what terms or conditions ami
cable relations under one United States Gov
ernment can be restored between them and
the other States.
That we invite the co operation of our sis
ter States in the fraternal mission hereby
enacted—that the President of the United
States be, and he is hereby requested to fur
nish to said Commissioars, the necessary
safeguard to enable them to proceed in safety
upon their journey.
That while relying on no temporary expe
dients and no political combinations, we feel
that we are bound to the Union by indissolu
ble ties, and will cheerfully share its fate and
future, ready to perform our appropriate part
in the preservation whenever or wherever oc
casion may 'call, We regard the men who
are embarrassing the Government and dis
couraging our soldiers, as the most skilful
architects of ruin that the world ever pro
duced, who proclaim to the world that the
great experiment of a repregentative Govern
ment has failed.
A third resolution was offered, as follows :
That, as an act of justice to our dead who
have fallen on the side of law and liberty,
and as a duty we owe the brave men who on
the field sustain untarnished the honor of our
State, while others conspire at home, we ap
point General Winfield Scott, Major General
Ambrose Burnside, and Henry W. Green,
Chancellor of New Jersey, Commissioners, to
proceed to Washington, with instructions to
urge upon the President of the United States
sleepless vigilance and determination to put
down and crush out this rebellion against the
Constitution and the Union ; and, if need be,
to,call upon the people to come to the rescue
of an imperiled and suffering nation.
All these various resolutions were referred
to the Committee on Federal Relations, and a
caucus is now being held to agree as to what
policy shall be adopted in the midst of these
conflicting views.
SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM TEE GOV-
In the House of Representatives, on Thursday
last, the following message was received from Gov.
Curtin,:
RXECVTITE CHAMBER,
kLA.anisunna, Feb. 12, 1863.
To the Senate and Rouse of Representatives of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania :
GENTLEMEN: I desire to call your attention to •
subject of moment:
When the present infamous and God-condemned
rebellion broke out, Congress was not in session,
and the occurrence of such a state of things not
having been foreseen in former times, no adequate
legislation had been had to meet it; at the same
time—the life of the country being at stake—it ap
peared necessary that some means should be taken
to control the small band of traitors in the loyal
States so as to prevent them from machinations
which might be injurious, if not fatal, to the national
Under these circumstances the General Govern
ment resorted to the system of military arrests of
dangerous persons, and, having thus commenced
acting under it, have continued (at long intervals
in this State) to pursue it. The Government of the
United States acts directly on individuals, and the
State Executive has no authority or means to inter
fere with arrests of citizens of the United States,
made under the authority of that Government.—
Every citizen of Pennsylvania is also a zitizen of
the United States, and owes allegiance to them as
well as (subject to the provisions of the Constitution
of the United States) he owes it to Pennsylvania.
If he be unlawfully deprived of his liberty, his
only redress is to be had at the hands of thejudiciary.
In such times as the present, it is more than ever
necessary to preserve regularity in official action.—
Great efforts have been, and are perhaps still being
made, by persons blinded or ill-disposed, to throw,
us into a state of revolution; that is to say, to
create anarchy and confusion, and ultimately to
bring about the destruction of life and property
among us. Any irregular, much more illegal, inter
ference by your Executive, with matters which, by
the Constitution, are not entrusted to hie cognisance,
and especially any such interference with the action
of the Executive of the., United States, or with the
functions of the judiciary, would be, in the existing
crisis, emphatically dangerous, it would have a di
rect revolutionary tendency—in fact, it would be to
commence a revolution.
The courts of justice are open, and no doubt all
personal wrongs can be properly redressed in due
course of law.
I do not know how many arrests of the kind here
inbefore referred to have been made in Pennsyl
vania, as I have at no time been privy to the mak
ing of them ; but I believe that they have bean few.
I was under the impression that there would be no
necessity for more of them, otherwise I might have
referred to them in Illy annual message ; but recent
events having shown that this impression was erron
eous, I deem it my duty now to invite your atten
tion to the subject.
The contest in which we are engaged is one for
the preservation of our own liberty and welfare.—
The traitors at the South hate the great body of our
people who are loyal, and hate and bitterly despise
the few who are ready for submission. Unless the
rebellion be effectually suppressed, we must lose our
pride of country, the larger portion of our territory,
and the elements not only of greatness, but of pros
perity, and even of security to life, liberty and
property. Notwithstanding all this, it is, I fear an
undoubted truth that& few wretches among us, false
to all our free and loyal traditions; false to the
memory of their fathers and to the rights of their
ohildren ; false to the country which has given them
birth and protected them; only stopping short of
the technical offence of treason ; in the very mad
ness of mischief are actively plotting to betray us;
to poison and mislead the minds of our people by
treacherous misrepresentations, and to so aid and
comfort the rebels, that our fate may be either to
abandon the free North and become hangers on of a
government founded in treachery, fraud and insane
ambition; or at best, to dissolve the Union under
which we have prospered, and to break this fair and
glorious country into fragments which will be cursed
by perpetual discords at home, and by the contempt
and ill-usage of foreign nations, from which we shall
then be too weak to vindicate ourselves.
That such 'offences should be duly punished, no
good citizen can doubt; and that proper legislation
by Congress is required for that purpose can be as
little doubted. Whether such legislation should in
clude a suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in
any and what parts of the country, is a question
which belongs exclusively to the legislative authori
ties of the United States, who, under the Constitu
etitution, have the sight tri, determine it. That
great writ ought not to be upended unless to the
wisdom of Congress the present necessity shall ap
pear to be urgent.
Therefore, I recommend the passage of a joint
resolution earnestly requesting that Congress shall
forthwith pass laws defining and punishing offences
'of the class above referred to, and providing for the
fair and speedy trial by an impartial jury of per
sons charged with sash offences, in the loyal and un
disturbed States, so that the guilty may justly suffer
and the innocent be relieved.
LIGHT FROM DARK PLAC6S.-oocaeionally
we get light from the darkest of dark places.
In the debate on the militia law of February
sth, from which we yesterday took Mr. Carlilt, s
speech. we find then following remarks from
Mr. Sumner :
" If we would have fewer political speeches
less talk about the negro, and turn our energies
to the suppression of the rebellion, we should
soon see good results.
While for once we agree most fully with the
Senator, we think it a great pity he had not
found it out before. We have entreated this
same thing of him and of Congress, and petit
Lions have gone up to this effect, but in vain.
But how he " drops the negro" may be seen
by the bill introduced by him into the Senate
yesterday.—Boston Courier.
EXTRAORDINARY CATTLE.-Mr. A. R. Paul,
of the Western Market of Philadelphia, has
purchased two cattle raised and fed by Henry
and Thomas Kirk, the celebrated cattle feed
ers of Ohio, that exceed in weight and quality
any ever produced in this country. The lar
gest bullock ever converted into beef in the
United States weighed 2,452/ pounds, and
made clear meat of 71/ pounds for every 100
lbs. of live weight. It is computed by good
judges that they will make 73 pounds to the
hundred. This would make the pair together
weigh, dressed, 5,256 pounds, or 2,628 pounds
each. There was lively competition among
the Western market victualers to secure these
cattle for New York city, For that pair of
bullocks, Mr. Paul paid the sum of $1,200:
A FAT Jos.—The Mary Benton, a little
Connecticut river steamer, has been sold to
the Government for $52,000. She cost, when
new, only $30,000. and the Government has
paid her owners $27,000 for the pee of her for
the last six months. It wcnld be interesting
to know how the purchase ifioney,WilB divided.
--New Haven Journal.
[Prom the Cincinnati Enquirer, Web. 10th.]
THE FEELING IN THE. SOUTH.
WESTERN AUNT.
ON BOARD STEAMER SIOUX CITY,
MILLIEEN t s BEND, Jan. 23.
lb the Editor of the Enquirer:
I hav6 been favored by a fellow-soldier with
the inclosed copy of a letter written by him
to a friend of his in Providence, R. I. It is
long, but I think .worth perusal, and if you
deem its publication likely to aid in the cause
of truth, it is at your disposal, from an old
subscriber :
BEAR FRIEND E—:
STRAXIIR Sioux CITY,
Nercazorr, ARK., Jan. 16. ,
I am about to do what will probably cost
me your friendship—write an honest letter.
Not that I have hitherto written" dishonestly,
nor that you are accused of hating oandor,-in
itself considered. But candor upon the theme
I shall treat of, differing, so widely as I now
do, from your well known views upon the
same topic, can not fail to overtax your
patience, involving writer and epistle in one
irrevocable anathema. But the fact is, I can't
write at all without being true to my nature,
which has become deeply stirred with shame
and indignation by my country's follies; how
deeply stirred this letter win prove, since even
your good-will is not a bribe rich enough to
prevent my writing it.
Like many other Republicans, who, loving
the whole country, and deprecating coercion
as the most likely means of sundering it for
ever, were yet firm in their allegiance to the
old flag, however loth to see it committed to a
wrong policy, I long strove to justify this war,
employing for that purpose all my little stock
of learning and skill, both as a theologian and
an amateur politician,
though I had the
decency always, as my friends know, to keep
polities entirely out of my Sunday lectures.
When the increasing needs of country seemed
to demand the sacrifice, I heartily throw my
person, as well as my voice, into the tide of
carnage, willing even to die that the' Union
might live, and ready for any policy looking
to that end, in the spirit of the dangerous
maxim, "All's well that ends well." The
negro—having studied him in real life, not in
the pleasing fictions of the Beeohers—l knew
too well to care about disturbing him, unless
as a convenient makeweight, to be thrown
into the scale when better means should fail.
I was proud of our regiment—had some linger
ing faith in the President—and somewhat
more (though hardly full confidence) in the
wisdom and virtue of our Generals. Thus I
went forth in hope, trusting mainly in God
and our vast numbers for success, and proud
to find en many old friends rushing with me
to the field.
This was six months ago. Anybody with
open eyes, campaigning even three months in
the Southwestern army, ought to learn some
thing that could not well be learned at home.
Our bOis have been learning, and I don't
claim to be duller than the rest. Ergo, my
faith in President Lincoln has changed from
a grain of mustard-seed to a perfect nonentity;
my trust in Union Generalship has ,dwindled
to the verge of despair, as the machinery by
which officers are made becomes more bare,
and their characters, when made, more visible
and notorious. Noble exceptions there are,
but these are the men that soon resign, or find
themselves court martialed. My sentiments
touching the black idol have changed from
good natured indifference to downright die
gust ; and I need hardly add, my hopes of the
Union are reduced to a mere hope in some new
political dynasty, which I shall now pray and
toil for with all the zeal and industry my
nature is capable of.
Were I alone in these painful discoveries, I
ixtight be inclined .to distrust my own judg
ment, or at least to repine in silence. But
when I find the same views and feelings per-.
vadiog our whole regiment, and every other
we are brought in contact with, vented in
louder and still louder whispers, burdening
the letters to every home, seasoning the broth
at every mess-table, and deepening the mur
murs around each bloody grave—when I know
all this, I have no longer a pretext for feigning
ignorance of facts which, if men could ignore
them, would cause the stones to cry out. -
What are we fighting for? In the name of
reason and humanity, what is the sublime re
sult, which can justify year after year of sack
cloth at home and butchery here, of neglected
fields but thick strewn Golgothae, of empty
Churches, crammed hospitals, deferred bridals,
accelerated bankruptcy, and the ever-length
ening line of pensioners, who for a paltry
stipend and a puff of praise, must hobble arm
less, eyeless, footless, to the pauper's grave
F,,r what were these things begun, for what
must they continue, without even the remote
prospect of an end ? Nobody knows. But
from the many conflicting rumors on the sub
ject, we may examine four of the more com
mon and plausible ; each and all of which,
instead of justifying the war, are conclusive
reasons why it should be condemned, and at
once abandoned.
Firstly. We aro fighting, it is said, to cram
the pockets and wine cellars of a commissioned
aristocracy, whose reign and reveliogs must
end when peace removes their shoulder-straps.
Gladly would I pronounce this a mere slander,
hut—l promised to write an honest letter.
D aibtless there is just enough truth in it to
demand this one remark, namely : That such
cause of warfare, however agreeable to the
privileged class alluded to, can not always
satisfy the rank and file on whose blood they
are supposed to fatten. Even glory grows
irksome at last, when consecrated by no higher
aim than the aggrandizement of tyrants. I
have heard that bayonets could be turned
upon their employers, but I never believed
that.
Secondly. We are fighting to abolish slavery,
the Union to survive or perish as emancipation
may direct. This, too, has truth in it for a
large class in New England, and for a few in
the West. To them Caucasian 'blood is so
inferior, when compared with African, that
we can afford to drain its richest arteries that
Pompey may call himself ; free, though notori
ously as incapable of true freedom, (which
implies self-government-and self-support,) as
the parrot is; of true eloquence. Theorists
may whitewash as they will. Our army has
seen the black elephant as he is, and we are
forever cured of Uncle Tom's Cabin. To fight
in such a crusade is a freak worthy alone of
idiots and madmen. •
Thirdly. We fight to restore the Union,
slavery to stand or fall as the interests of the
Union may demand. So we wore told, and so
we believed six months ago. Grant that such
is indeed the fact. We shall best succeed by
conquering ourselves—in other words, by
throwing down the sword and fire-brand,
trusting to the listening car, the instructive
tongue and the faithful .breast. No Union can
be valid br lasting until cemented by the union
of hearts ; and to say that we can rivet South
ern hearts to us by hacking them to pieces, is
absurd in terms an well as in fact. A nation
great as ours, in wealth, population, arts, arms
and commerce, can afford to be equally so in
magnanimity. And a Christian nation might
well set an ,:ample to the world by dealing
with her unruly children upon Christian prin
ciples. Rom. xi', 17-21.
A. G. OURTIN
Finally, we fight simply to humble and cir
cumscribe the South, whose growing wealth,
power and territory, excite the jealous fears
of the New England States. This opinion,
though held by very many in the West and
South, I can not entertain for a moment. If
in this I am deluded, and such be the real
origin of our troubles, then the Union army is
sure of defeat ; for crime can not prosper, and
war from such motives is crime of the most
damning type. Better share amiably the
glory we can not prevent, than to play the
part and share he doom of Haman.
I will not speak of the demoralizing` effects
of war, nor even enlarge upon its physical
horrors, as a further cause for being isick of
the present struggle. Mercy to the anxious
hearts at home, already convulsed at ate bare
suspiCion of the hell behind the scenes, forbids
us all to unfeld the secrets of our prison-house
—even if human ranguage could unveil the
worst, as, thank God, it cannot. Leaving such
gleams of Pandemonium for the hollow eyes
that are compelled to bear them daily, or to
close on them only in the last chill sleep, I
confine this letter purely to the intellectual,
phase of the war questions, where we find
enough, and more than enough, to justify the
almost mutinous anxiety for peace that fills,
as I have said, the heart of the great South.
western army. You may say we are home
sick ; I trust in God those of us who have
;homes, love them too dearly ever to forget what
we have sacrificed, or to forgive the Adminis
tration that could so needlessly, yea, wicked- '
ly, tear us from their hallowed circle. For me,
however, the taunt is powerless, death having
left me no earthly home to sigh for. Yon may
call us cowards. Our blood has washed out
the foul aspersion upon every field where we
have been brought to the test. Indiana, espe
cially, has no indulgence or northing to crave
et the hands of history. Her record in this
war is one blaze of heroic deeds, only dimmed
by the want of cause equal in splendor to the
conduct of her sone. The Eighty-Third Regi
mot, in its brief but arduous careero'has won,
absolutely, the finest reputation in the servioe
so acknowledged by older regiments, and by
Generals in nowise predisposed to flatter us:
Personally, I am not very brave, but my place
now is at the Quartermaster's desk, where,
except by sympathy, I have no concern about
the dangers of the van. Yet I am a man with
friends in the ranks and a heart in my bosoin• '
a man to whom the mothers, wives, sisters,
and children of those friends look for news
from the fray, and whom they justly hold re
sponsible for at least the mortal welfare of
many who came with me to the field. Oh,
God 1 that I should ever have aided even by
a breath, to rush into, the shamble s so much
good material for so poor a cause.
If this expiatory offering—for I shall make
the confession to them all—can lessen, even
partially, the guilt of the past, I shall die
content, even though hung for saying what
we all do know. If spared to reach home,
however, I shall devote myself, with wiser and
humbler zeal, to the gospel of peace, leaving
war to brute beasts, and striving, in deep con
trition, to " go and sin no more."
As ever, your true friend, •
J. H. CLEVELAND.
TIIIRTY•SEIENTII CONGRESS-SECOND SESSION.
Mortnex, February 9.
The Senate received from the War Department a
report from the paymaster-general, showing the
reasons why certain regiments were not paid up to
the 31st of August. The report was ordered to be
printed. Mr. Harris presented the resolutions of
the New York Assembly in favor of the reduction of
the duty on printing paper, and a resolution in favor
of a bankrupt eat. A memorial was received from
bankers and merchants of New York asking that the
notes of the government be received for customs
duties. The Military Committee reported a bill to
organize a signal corps during the present rebellion;
also a bill for enrolling and sailing out the national
forces, which provides for scarcely any exemptions.
Congresmen are as liable to be drafted as ether citi
zens, and the bill declares that the first draft shall
be made front all persdtts between the ages of eigh
teen and thirty. Mr. Sumner introduced another
bill to raise additional soldiers. A resolution was
adopted requesting the government to furnish the
Senate information relative to the amount of govern
ment cotton sold in New York since the commence
ment of the blockade, together with the amount of
commission and storage, and the names of persons
interested. Another resolution desires the Presi
dent to commu n icate the character of the suggestions
made by Secretary Seward to M. Mercier which in
duced the latter to visit Richmond, and what repre
sentations the French minister was authorized to
make from the federal government to the rebel au
thorities.
In the House most of the session was taken up by
consideration of the Western and New York Canal
Construetion and Enlargement bill. After an ex
tended debate the bill was rejected by a vote of 01
to 71. Mr. Dawes, from the Committee on Elections,
reported against the credentials of John It. Rodgers
and Lewis McKenzie, the former claiming agseat
from Tennessee, and the latter from the Seventh
district of Virginia. The reported of the proceed
ings may be found on the second page.
TETESDAT, February 10.
The Senate passed the bill for the organization of
the post-offme department. Mr. Foster offered a
resolution, which was adopted, requesting the Presi
dent of the United States (if not incompatible with
the public interests) to lay before the Senate any
correspondence which has taken place between this
government and the government of France on the
subject of mediation, arbitration, or other measures
looking to a termination of the existing civil war.
The national currency bill was then taken up, and
Mr. Sherman spoke in favor of its passage. Several
amendments to the bill were rejected, but no vote
was taken on the bill itself.
On motion of Mr. Arnold the Rouse Committee of
Ways and Means was instructed to examine and
report on the practical operation of the excise law
upon the interests of manufacturers of limited means.
The report of the Committee on Elections in favor
of admitting Messrs. Hahn and Flanders as repre
sentatives from Nen Orleans was then taken up and
a brief debate had thereon, but without taking any
definite action.
WEDNESDAY, February 11.
In the Senate Mr. Sherman presented a joint reso
lution of the Legislature of Ohio, protesting against
the proposed enlargement of the canals of Illinois
and New York. Mr. Wilson, of Massachusetts, re
ported adversely on the bill fur the construction of a
marine cable, and asked that the Military Commit
tee he discharged from farther consideration of the
bill to construct a military and postal route from
Washington to New York. The Committee on the
Judiciary reported against the bill to amend the
fugitive slave act, and reported back the bill to allow
the United States to prosecute appeals and writs of
error without giving authority. The bill for the
removal of the Winnebago Indians from Minnesota
was passed. ' The bill to increase the number of
major and brigadier-generals was called up and dis
cussed until the hour for the special order, when the
currency bill was taken in hand and debated with
warmth and at length. Amendments offered by
Messrs. Harris, Arnold, and Sherman were adopted
during the debate. The Senate adjourned with the
understanding that a vote sbouid be taken at 1
o'clock on Thursday.
In the House Mr. Crittenden, from the Committee
on Foreign Affairs, reported a joint resolution to
facilitate proper representation of the industrial in
terests of the United States at the International
Agricultural Exhibition in Hamburgin July next.
It appropriates $lO,OOO for the transportation of
articles to New York, thence. to Hamburg and back,
to be returned free of duty ; and also $5,000 for the
salaries of a commissioner and clerk. After some
debate it was set aside for consideration in the Com
mittee of the Whole. Bills authorizing the territo
ries of Nevada and Colorado to form Constitutions
preliminary to their admission into the Union as
states were reported by Mr. Ashley. The bill to in ,
corporate the National Association for the Relief of
Destitute Colored Women and Ohildren was passed.
The Louisiana election case was postponed until
Monday. Debate was resumed on Mr. Calvert's
amendment to the naval appropriation bill, provi
ding that the appropriation shall not apply to the
seventy-six acting midshipmen appointed during the
recess of Congress, and that the said midshipmen be
discharged from the service, which was eventually
agreed to. Without coming to a conclusion on the
bill the House adjourned.
THURSDAY, February 12.
Mr. Chase's banking bill passed the Senate by
vote of twenty-three to twenty-one. The bill to
aid the State of Missouri in emancipation, was taken
up and debated i,Hezt,nso. An amendment by Mr.
Sumner was adopted to reduce the amount paid for
each slave emancipated from $3OO to $2OO. The
substitute reported by the Judiciary Committee was
adopted, and the bill then passed by a vote of 23
against 18. At the evening session Mr. Lane,_ of
Kansas, introduced a bill to admit Nevada,
Nebraska, and Colorado as new states. The bill to
increase generals was passed with an amendment,
limiting the increase to twenty major and fifty bri
gadier-generals.
In the House Mr. Frank presented the resolutions
of the New York Assembly recommending the re
duction of duties on imported printing paper ; also
those in favor of a general bankrupt law. Consid
eration of the bill to indemnify the President for
arbitrary arrests was postponed until Tuesday.—
The fortification bill was passed, with an amend
ment providing $200,000 for the fortifications of
Washington.
FRIDAY, February 13.
In the Senate several petitions were presented for
a camp hospital and ambulance corps. Mr. Wilson,
from the Committee on Military Affairs reported -
back the bill to raise negro soldiers, with the recom
mendation that it do not pass, because sufficient
authority for the purpose is granted in the act passed
last July. The bill to withhold the pay of officers
absent from duty was else reported back. The bill
to provide for ways and means to support the govern
ment was then taken up, and amendments were
adopted making the interest on notes authorized by
the bill and certificates of indebtedness hereafter
issued payable in green-backs instead of coin ; else
reducing the amount of the notes to be Weed to one
hundred and fifty millions, instead of three hundred
millions. A proposition to reduce the proposed tax
on the circulation of the banks from two per cent.
to one par cent, for two years, and two per cent.
afterwards, was adopted by twenty yeas to seven
teen nays, aftef a lengthy debate, in which the
question of the relative loyalty or disloyalty of those
in favor and those opposed was principally discussed.
The bill was then passed by a vote of thirty-two to
four.
The House took up the naval appropriation bill,
and concurred in the amendment that while the re
bellion lasts there shall be one additional midship
man Id' each congressional district in the loyal
states ; and also the ameodment making an appro
priation for a floating dry dock in the New York
navy yard of sufficient size for raising any of the
vessels now built. Information was directed to be
given whether some plan cannot be devised by which.
-the one hundred dollars bounty can be paid promptly
to the families of deceased soldiers. A' hill amen
datory of the several confiscation acts, providing
that the court rendering judgment upon tcondemned
property shall first provide for thepayment from the
proceeds of any bona. fide claim of any one who
shall not have participated in disloyal practices in
connection with the property, was passed. A bill to.
provide comfortable homes for poor, disabled, and.
discharged soldiers was referred.
SATURDAY, February 14.
In the Senate several petitions ware presented for
camp hospitals and ambulance corps. Mr. Wade,
from Committee on Territories, reported back the
bill to provide a temporary government for the Ter
ritory of Montana. Mr. Wilson, from Committee
on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the peti
tion of Dr. W. T. G. Morton, asking compensation
for the use of either in the army, made a report of
facts, without any recommendation. Mr. Collamer,
from the Committee on Post Offices reported the
bill to establish certain Post Routes. Mr. Howard,
the bill to increase efficiency of Hospital Department
of the army, Referred to the Committee on Military
Affairs. Mr. Carlisle offered a bill supplementary
to an act for the admission of West Virginia into
the Union. Referred to Judiciary Committee. Mr.
Howard, from the Committee on Military Affairs,
reported back ;he bill to enlarge the Canals, Fox
and Wisconsin rivers.
In the House Mr. Dawes, from the committee on
Elections to whom were referred the credentials of
Jennings- Piggot, claiming a seat from, the 2nd
Congressional District of South Carolina, and protest
of 0. H. Foster, against his claims, made the report
adverse to Mr. Piggot. Mr. Morehead, from tha
Committee on Naval Affairs, reported a bill Ao.
establish a Navy Yard in Western waters at St. Louis.
The bill was referred to the Committee of the Whole
on the state of the Union.
FROM SAN FRANCISCO.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 10.
John Conners was finally elected Senator,
receiving ninety-eight out of a hundred :and
fourteen votes. He was formerly a Douglas
Democrat, and latterly a member of the Union
party. The unrelenting feud bet.ween the
friends of Congressman Phelps and Mr.
,Sar
gent prevented the eleotion; of is Senator Of
Republican antecedents, in accordance With
the political bias of a large majority :irt?thes
Legbaliture.