(HE D3LLA?I AND FiFTY CENTS PER ANNUM INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE. TOW ANDA: Thursday Morning, May 21, 1863. | 411 is t c 11 it 11 coit s. 1 The Conscription Law. i Causes of Exemption— Instructions to f Provost Marshals. The instructions for Provost Marshals and ! o ,l„rs under the Conscription Law are about | to be issued by the War Department. The [ lolloping is an extract from the regulations in j regard to the ex-, mptiona : The following diseases and infirmities are ! t | lo se which disqualify for military service,and for which only, drafted men are to he " reject f,l a < physically or mentally unfit for the ser vice,'' viz : ]. Manifest imbecility or insanity. 2. Knilepsy For ibis disability the state me nt of the drafted man is insufficient and the fuct iiiiisi he est Alili>htd by the duly attested affidavit of a physic an of good standing who j has a'tended him in a convulsion. 3. Paralysis, general or of one linb, or cho- j rea: their existence to he adequately deter j ruined 4. Ai'cute or organic diseases of the brain I or spn al coi d : or of the heart or lungs ; of, l!;o sionnich or intestines ; of the liver or j spleen ; of the kidneys or Gladder, sufficient to j have impaired tlie general hcaltn, or so well i marked u> !o leave no reasonable doubt of the ' Uiin.'s iiifftpaeity for military service. j ( 1 finned consnmptiou ; cancer ; ancur j ism uf the large arteries G Imc'tra'e and extensive disease of the | skin, wleeli " ill necessarily impair his ellicien- ; ry as as t'du-r. 7.i ci.fetl feebleness of constitution,wheth er 1111lirai or acquired. b Si-iofid.i 01 eonstitution:d -ymphiiw,which I ,N re--led treatment and seriously impaired I,is e.< r .1 hen it'i. <l. il i'n;: nut and confirmed intemperance or sel tarv vice, in degree sufficient to have ma tt-:: d!v ennobled the constitution. 10. Chronic rheumatism, unless manifested bv positive change of structure, wasting of trie ulf- cted limb, or pufliness or distoition of the j.iiuti des not ex- nipt. Impaired motion of die joints and contraction of the limbs al leirrii to uri*e from rI. umittism, and in which tiie nn'ritioii of the limbs is not manifestly im |m:r:-(l, are to lie proved lie examination while in Mat.- uf tu ic- hesia induced by ether only 11 F iin, wlfther simulating headache, new .'ga ; 1 r any of its forms, rheumatism, lum iiiii'i, or . if ctions of tlie muscles, bones or • mi's 1-;; Nynipioiu of disease so easilv pretend t-.i dial it 1- not to fir- admitted as a cause for ! 1 x.■: 1 jiti ui liiri-'-s accompanied with manifest j (.;■rai gi'iueiit of general lu-al;li, wasting of a ; limb, or oilier positive signs of disqualifying | local di-.*:;se. 12 if- -*t injuiies or diseases of the skull, r > -is-oi.iuj: impairment uf the intellectual fa etiiii. s, epilepsy, or other, maifest nervous or .'p isiumiie symptoms. 13. To Ml 1 iss of si.rht ; loss of sight of t.zU: eye ; cataract ; loss of crystallite lens ol ii<iht eve. If (J her serious diseases of the eye mfT-ct its ty and use, eg. : chronic opth u.'uii. fi-tul.i liichrjmalis, p'osis, (if real), cc tr-IJI: HI, entropion, Ac. Myopia, unless v< ry decided or depending upon some structural 1 .age in tbe eye, is not a cause for e-xemp Hi a. 15. Loss of nose ; deformity of nose so great BS sv!ion.dy to obstruct respiration ; ozena,de -1 ■ i.d'!.' upon entries in progress. lti Complete deafness. This disability must not be admitted on the mere statement of tin* dratted man, but must be proved by the exis tence of positive disease or by other satisfac tory evidence. Purulent oltorrhuii. 17. Caries of the superior or inferior maxil la of the nasal or palate bones, if in progress; lift palate, (bony ;) extensive loss of substance of the cheeks, or salivary fistula. 18. Dumbness ; permanent loss of voice ; not to be admitted without clear aud satisfac tory proof. IP. Total 'oss of tongue ; mnfillation or partial loss of tongue, provided the mutillation be extensive enough to interfere with the ue cos-ary use of the organ. *2O. Hypertrophy or atrophy of the tongue, sufficient in a degree to impair speech or de guidon ; obstiuute chronic ulceration of the tongue. 21. Stammering, if excessive anil confirmed —to be established by satisfactory evidence, under oath. 22 Loss of a sufficient number of teeth to prevent proper mastication of food and tearing the cartridge. 23 Incurable deformities or loss of part of either jaw, hindering biting on the cartridge or proper mastication, or greatly injuring speech ; a chyiosis of lower jaw. 24. Tumors of the neck, impending respira tion or deglution ; fistula of larynx tr tra hea —torticollis, if of long standing and well mark ed. 2"). Deformity of the chest sufficient to im pede respiration, or to preven' the carrying of Bruis and military equipments ; caries of the ribs. 20 Deficient amplitude and power of ex pansion of chest. A man five feet three inch es (minimum standard height of the tegular army) should not measure less than thirty inches i 1 circumference immediately above the topples, and have an expansive mobility of not less than two inches. 27. Abdomen grossly protuberaut ; exces- P; vc obesity ; hernia, either inguinal or femo ral. 28. Artificial anus ; stricture of the rectum prolapsus mini. Fistula in auo is not a pos itive disqualification, but may be so if exten sive or complicated with visceral disease. I 29. Old and ulcerated internal hemorrhoids, if in degree sufficient to impair the rnau's effi ciency. External Inemorrhoids are no cause for exemption. 30 Total loss or nearly total loss of penis ; epispadia or or hypospadia at the middle or uear the root of the penis. 31. Incurable permauent organic stricture of tlie urtba, in which the urine is passed drop by drop, or which is complicated by disease of the bladder ; urinary gstula. Recent or spasmodic structure of tbe uretha does no' exempt. 32 Incontinence of urine, being a disease frequently feigned aud of rare occurrence, is not of itself a cause for exemption. Stoue iu the bladder, ascertained by the introduction of the uietalic catheter, is a positive disqualifi cation. 33 Loss or complete atrophy of both tes ticles, from any cause ; permanent retenti >n of one or both testicles within the inguinal ca nal ; but voluntary retractiou does not ex emnt. 34. Confirmed or malignant sarcocle hydro- j ce!e, if complicated with organic disease of the | testicle. Varicocele and erisoeele are uot, iu themselves, disqualifying. 35. Excess*ve anterior or posterior curva ture of the spine ; caries of the spine. 36. Wounds, fractures, tumors, atrophy of a limb, or chronic diease of the joints or bones that w< uld impede marching prevent continu ous muscular exertion. 38. Anchylosis or irreducible dislocation of | the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, or ankle joint. 39. Muscular or cutaneous contractions from wounds or burns, in degree sufficient to pre vent useful motion of ihe limb. 40. Totnl loss of a thumb : loss of ungual phalanx oi right tnumb 41. Total loss of two fingers of same hand, j 42. Total 10-s of index linger of right hand. 43. Lass of tiie first and second phalanges of the fingers of right hand. 44. l'ermam nt extension or permanent con- ; traction of any ii-iL" r except the little finger ; all the fingers adherent or united. 42. Total loss of either great toe ; loss of any three toes on the same toot ; ali tlie toes joined together 46. The great toe crossing the other toes ' with prominence of the attienlation of the me tatarsal bone and first phalanx of the great ! toe. 47. Overrid'ng, or superposition of ali the toes. 48. Permanent retraction of the last pha- ; ianx of one of the toes so that tlie free border i ..f the nail hears upon tlie ground ; or flexion ! at a right angle of the first phalanx of a toe upon a second with antictiolosis ot this articu lation. 49. C'lub feet ; splay feet, where tlie arch IN so tar effaced that the tuberosity of the sca phoid bone touches the ground, and the line ot station runs along tiie v.hole internal hot- j der ot the foot, with great prominence of the ! j inner ankle ; but ordinarily, large, ill shaped | ' or liit feet do not exempt, j 50. Varicose veins of inferior extremities, i j if nut large and numerous, having clusters ot ; knots, and aseouipauied with chronic swelling | or ulcerations 51. Chronic ulcers ; extensive, deep aud ad- . in-rent cicatrices of lower extremities. 52. No certificates of a physician or sor j geon is to be received in support of any point j in '.he claim of drafted men t*r exemption i from military service, unless tiie facts and j -tati meiits therein set forth are affirmed or i | - worn to before a civil magistrate competeut ! to administer oaths. 53 The exempts under the first provisions ' of section 21 of the act for enrolling and call , j nig out tlie national forces, etc, will generally ; j t>e sufficiently well known to tlie board to oh viate the imee.-sity of evidcene with regard to j them. Should, however, the board consider 'it tif-cissary in any case, tiie cornmis-ion or certifi -ate of office of any person claiming ex j emption under the provisiou mentioned may i i be r> quired to be shown. I 54 To establish exemptions under the sec j ond, third, fourth, fifth and sixth provisions ol I section 2 of the nct.for enrolling and calling ont the national forces, Ac., the board shall I require the affidavits of the persons seik : ng to 1 fie exempt and of two respectable men (heads j of families) residing in tiie district, that the ; man in question is " the only son liable to | military duty of a widow dependent on his ! labor for support," " the only son of aged or ! infirm parent or parents depending on him for support," or otherwise, according to the par ticular provision of the section under which tlie exemption is claimed. These affidavits will he made according to the forms hereinaf ter prescribed, and must in all cases be taken before a civil magistrate duly authorized to administer oaths. These forms of affidavit ' shall be published by the board of enrollment in tlie new-papers of the district, for the infor mation of the public, when a draft is ordered 90. Persons claiming exemption from enroll ment must furnish clear proof of their right Jto sucti exemption. They will be enrolled where the proof of their exemption is not j clear and conclusive. Kay A country editor denounces these afil'c tions upon him who neglects to pay the prin | ter : May 243 nightmares trot quarter races over Lis stomach every night. May Lis boots leak, his gun hang fire, and Lis fish lines I break May a troop of printer's devils, lean, | lank and hungry, dog iiis heels each day, and a regiment of eats caterwaul under his win dow each night. May the famine stricken giiost of an editor's bal'y haunt his slumbers, and hiss " Murder "' in his dreaming ears.— May iiis buckwheat cakes be always heavy aud his calf-skin wallet light ; his suuer kraut j cooked without " speck,'' and his rye coffee have no cream or sugar. In short, may his daughter marry a one eyed pedler and his bus iuess go to ruin, aud be go to—the legisla ture. Pound Masters in Hornellsville, X. Y. pound their own eowe. m There is fair prospect for a 'general ' war iu Europe. PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY AT TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., BY E. 0. GOODRICH. General Stoneman's Raid. All accounts of General Stonemau's recent raid into Virginia, which extended over a pe riod of nine days, agree in representing that it was unquestiooauly one of the most brilliant and successful chapters of the war. A detail ed history of tlie movement has not yet ap pered in any of the public prints, and that which we print below is not ouly grapic in description, but is correct iu all its particu lars. On the 13 ultimo, General Stoneman, with a portion of his cavalry command, moved up the left bunk of tbe Rappahannock, with the intention of piercing the enemy's lines at tlie most favorable opportunity, then, if possible, cut bis line of communication, and destroy public property wherever found. On the 14th, the first of a series of rain storms commenced, causing the liver to become so swollen as to render crossing impracticable until the 28th ult., and even then a pontoon bridge was'used. Thus the weather detained tlie expedition for fifteen days In the meantime tlie fords at different points were tested, foraging parties were sent across the river, and several skir mishes took place without any important re sults. On Wednesday, the 29th ult, the whole force was again put in motion and cross ed flic river at Kelly's ford without opposition. General Averill immediately moved bis divis ion to tiie Orange and Alexandria 11-atlroad, where two regiments of the enemy were met, and a ,-kirmish took place, terminating by the enemy retiring towards Gordonsville. In this encounter ouly two of our men were wound ed. General Stoneman moved the main body of his command across Fleshtuau's river, and eu campad for the night in an opm field, du ing a heavy rain storm. AI this point the enemy made a dash upon our pickets, but did not alarm the camp. Thursday morning early General Buford crossed the Itipidni, two miles below the Racoon foid (Morton's ford), and advancing up tlie opposite bank, caused a force o! sixteen hundred rebel infantry, with one piece of artillery, to leave in great haste rom Racoon ford, where soon alter General Gregg cro-sed with hi> division. Here a lieu tcnaut and thirteen privates of a rebel artile ry company were captured. Near this point an annv-bcef contractor was overhauld, and $28,000 in Confederate bunds taken from him. A rebel engineer, with a wagon load of ma terial, was aiso captured on the road. the whole force encamped at night one mile from tlie river. Friday morning, heard cannonad ing on the right, which proved to he General Awrili's command having a little fight with tlie enemy at Rapiiinn Station, 011 the Orange and AleX im.ria Railroad. '1 iiis was the last General Sloin-man heard of General Averill. Next day, got close upon tbe heels of a large rebel force at Orange Springs, who, to escape, abandoned wagons, provisions, A-'.; captured a lieutenant ol Jackson's stall, retunring from leave cf absence. At night camped at Green wood, just outside ot Louisa Court House. — The town was surrounded, and Col. Kilpat rick took possession ol the place at b o'clock A. M„ May 2d, without opposition, captur ing a lew rebel soldiers. Luc citizens were astounded to find the place in possession of the Yankees, and oveijoyed when they be came convinced that the Yankees were ready civaliz- d human being, and that fhey had not come to murder men, women, and children in cold blood, as was firmly believed, and sup plied tiie troops Ireely w.th victuals and drink. The track of the \ irginia Railroad, connect ing Gordousvilie and Richmond, was destroy ed at d iL'ivut pVmst for ten miles, two trains of cars burnt, telegraph wires cut and destroy ed, uud some commissary stores were also ap propriated. Dm ing the night,a detachment of llie l<t Main Cavalry, doing picket duty five miles up the Gordonsville road, was attacked, and had two men killed. The enemy disap pear, d the inomeut a brigade advanced, after firing a few shots. On the afternoon of the 2 i, the command moved on through Yanceville to Tiionipson's Four Conors t rom this point detachments were sent out in different diree tions. O.ie party destroyed a portion of tlie railroad between Gordonsville and Cuarlotts vilic ; another, consisting of four hundred men, under Colonel Wyndham, proceeded to Columbia, on the James river,where the Lynch burg and R.chmoud canal crosses the river An unsuccessful attempt was made to destroy the aqueduct. Five locks were destroyed, the banks of the canal dug away at different points; three ca nal boats, loaded with materials for the rebel army.juud five bridges, were burned. A large quantity of commissary stores, medicines, Ac., were also destroyed, and several hundred hor ses were captured. A party, under Captain Drummoud, of the 51li cavalry, reached the river between Columbia and Richmond, and destroyed locks, net fire to a budge across tlie James river. General Gregg pro ' ceeded to tlie Fredericksburg and Richmond ! Railroad, and destroyed, at Ashland, the de ! pot buildings, railroad track, a train of cars, | provisions, and telegraph. lie sent a detach- I rneut to burn tlie railroad bridge over the j Souih Anna, but it was strongly guarded by ! infantry, and the party seut out fell back.— J General Gregg returned to Thompson's Four j Courtiers ; but a portion of his command, un der Col. Kilpalrick, moved eastward to the Central road, destroyed the bridges on that road over the South Anna, captured and de stroyed a train of cars, culverts, and the rail road track ior miles, aud then passed down to the I'cuiusula. Another portion of General Gregg's com mand, under Col. I)avis7l2:h Illinois, crossed both roads nearer Richmond, destroying rail roads, telegraph, bridge over Brook river, and railway trains. A detachmeut of Gen. Gregg's command also burned all the turnpike bridges over the South Anna, to prevent the enemy making a tiuuk movement, and catching Gen. Stoueman in a trap. Monday morning, the 4.b, IlamptoD and D. H. Lee, with two brig ades, attacked about sixty of the sth ' on picket duty uear Shanuoti Hill. 4 "REGARDLESS OP DENUNCIATION PROM ANY QUARTER." of the rebels was met by counter charge ; tbe rebel advance was temporarily repulsed, hut rallying, captured seventeen of the sth Cav alry. Our force captured thirteen of tlie en emy. Gen. Baford advanced upon the enemy with his command, but they fled. The night of the 4th, General Gregg mov ed to near Yanceville, and was followed to that point, next day, by General Stoneman, with General Baford's command. Ilere a man, a native of North Carolina, came into camp, who had been concealed for a year to avoid serving Jeff. Davis. Near Y'anceville, seven teen C. S. A. wagons, with mules, were over taken and captured. Ou tiie sth,| the retro grade movemeut commomced, and, cross ing Racoon ford, the whole command arrived at Relly's ford Friday morning, the Bth. Thus the command ot General Stoneman remained neatly nine days within the enemy's lines, visited nine different counties, destroyed all lines of communication between tlie rebel capital and the army on the Rappahannock, so that they cannot be used again for weeks to come ; destroyed the Lynchburg canal, on whose waters ore transported all the provision raised in the rich valley of the James, aud from which source alone the rebel army in Virginia receives more than half its supplies ; captured several hundred horses, and destroy ed a large quantity of public property, all with only the loss of two men killed, aud not over fifty wounded and prisoners. The people in tiie counties visited have had a good look at live Yankees, aud found them neither sava ges nor bandits. Thanks to the good management of the commanding general, the people whom lie vis ited will have but little cause of complaint at the invasion. Private property and private persons were nowhere interfered with, except in such cases as are recognized by all civilized nations. The people, at the same time, were astounded and gratified ; astounded, in the first instance, to see a Yankee force in their midst, and gratified to find us a civilized peo ple A lew Uii ion families were met with. These could not restrain their tears when they saw the dear old flag again. The negroes joined the column in Hocks, and begged to be taken awo v. Some of tfipse poor people were so overjoy- i ec* that th*y went inlo hysterics; others knelt • in tlie street and prayed, thanking Jesus for sending the Yankees. All these people tell the same story : their masters had told them that if the Yankees came there they would lie sold to Cuba, branded, and many of them would be murdered in cold blood. They did not believe it. The negroes everywhere gave valuable in ftrmatiou, aud acted as guides. Hearing of our approeh at several points, they sat up all night and baked batches oi bread, which was passed out to the soldiers, with milk, water, and whatever else they had, wilh unstinted hand. Mr. Cyrus V/, Field on tlio Atlantic Cable. At Philadelphia, recently, Mr. Cyrus W. Field spoke for a about three-quarters of an hour. Thompson was in the chair, and Lorin Bioilget, E-q , secretary. One of the tables ou the platform was covered with specimens of cables used iu different parts of the world.— The address could scarcely be called a lecture. It was exceedingly interesting, abounding, as it did, with allusions to the experiments, sue cesslul, or otherwise, which had been made with respect to submarine cables ail over the | world. In the commencement of his remarks he I said that ou iiis return from India to England he had stopped at Juba Idaiul, in the Red | Sea, the first point, of telegraphic communica -1 lion with London. A gentleman there was ! exceedingly desirous to telegraph to that city. lie was irble to do so, and the message deliv | cred in fourteen minutes. It a telegraphic cable were once established between this coun try and England, tbe benefit of the result can only be approximated in computation. Throughout the discourse the speaker alluded to the efforts which had been made here and elsewhere, and made remarks akin to those made by most ot the prominent speakers on the subject in every country. The directors of the Atlantic Telegraph Company believe that this important work ! committed to their charge is ut length fully ripe lor execution. They have 'he fullest cou- I fideHce in the sufficiency of the scientific and practical facilities which now exist for testing, submerging', aud working long deep-sea cables. This confidence aud these facilities have in creased and bten matured during five years of careful consideration, inquiry, and experience; and being brought forward on the present oc casion in conjunction with advantageous and well-digested business arrangement, the direc tors have faith iu the establishment of perma ncnt and efficient telegraphic communication between Europe and America byway of Ire laud and Newfoundland. An enterprise so important, and now become so comparatively easy to accomplish, appeals uot only to the great commercial interests of Europe and America, bu: to the sympathies of all classes in both countries ; its benefits to peace and civilization it is impossible to estimate. Messrs. Glass, Elliot, A Co., of London, have laid 4, 090 miles in 30 lines,all of which are iu work ing order, except that in shallow water, be tween Liverpool and Holyhead, which was dragged and broken by the anchor of the Rbval Charter, in 1859, and has since been taken up altogether. They undartook to sub scribe and pay up in cash to the prsent new capital sum of £25,000 ; and if selected to manufacture the cable, they wiil allow thi company to pay weekly for the materiuibying labor employed about the makinsnd nothing of it, charging no profit theju machinery, nor for the use of their wjj''during the progress of for the personal, "nor until the cable is com tlie manu£%ssful. When, however, the cable pleteien properly laid and efficiently worked .toring ooe month, the first instalment ol prof it is to be paid. This profit is to consist of Atlantic shares, credited as fully paid up, to the value altogether of twenty per cent, cpon tlie actual cost of material and labor disbursed by this company in the above weekly pay ments, the shares being divided into twelve equal instalments, and deliverable to contract ors by one instalment per mouth. Inc pay ment of profit is thus spread over twelve month ; and in case of failure the contractors stand to lose not only their proGt, but their investment of £25,' 00 iu the company s stock. That they do uot look forward with any ap prehensions of such a result is apparent, both from their offer and from the result is appar ent, both from their offer and from fact.that ail the cables laid by them, including those iu the deepest waters, have been perfectly suc cessful. Careful surveys on behalf of this company have been made by the British Gov ernment off Ireland and Newfoundland re spectivelv. The supposed preciption cliff about 300 miles from Ireland, which has been urged in depreciation of that rout is found to be a descent equal throughout, and or no greater pitch than would allow the working of locomotive up ar.d down it, while the hot torn is everything that can be desired, the soft inu l of which it is composed being of a nature continually to increase in depth, aud certain iu a few years to so cover the cable as to pro tect it from external influences. Ou the New foundland side a dgep channel exists from the approach to Trinity Bay a place calk-d New Fclicau, where there is every facility for land ing, and by adopting which as terminus, up wards of forty miles of cable will be saved.— Tnia company possesses the exclusive right of landing telegraphs on tlie entire Atlantic coast of Labrador, an 1 on the coast ot New foundland, i'sinee Edward Island, and tlie Slate of Maine. It also possesses agreements with the entire telegraphic system of Ameri ca, undertaking (or the latter to connect ex clusively with this company, and covenating in some in-tauces to r turn each week.in cash, as a discount for tiie encouragement of the Atlantic Company, 49 per cent, of the charges received by them for messages over their lines to or from the cable. A revenue of £50,000 a year is expected from this source alone, and, together with the $14,000 a year subsidy agreed to lie paid ny the British Gov ernment, and the same by that of the I uited States, must be added to tbe ordinary traffic returns of the company. Respecting the amount of these returns, the directors desire every one to judge for himself. They merely appenn a calculation showing what would b" the result if the traffic be sufficient to keep the cable at work at a very moderate rate for a period in each year equal to an average ot one hundred and seventy five whole days, rather less than half of the year. They would addi tionally remark that, owing to tlie difference in longitude between Europe and America,the cable must necessarily be open day and night. As regards the speed of workiu/ that may be expected, scientific men agree, one and ali, in "Stating that twelve words per minute as a minimum can be telegraphed throughja proper cable between Ireland and Newfoundland. In laying the cable between France and Algiers, it became necessary ou two occasions to recov er or pick tip in the deepest water several miles of cable of which had been submerged. On one occasion, when about thirty miles off Cape St. Sebastine, in a depth of 1,250 fath oms, and very rocky bottom, sixteen miles of cable were recovered, a fault cut out, and the cable relaid with perfect success. Tne end of the cable between Corfu and Otrnnto was 10-t in 450 fathoms off the Island of Frano, near Corfu. It was grappled for aud recovered, and the line completed. A Proclamation. Ry tlie Prcsidcitt of the l.'uited States of America. WHEREAS, The Congress ot tlie United States, at its last session, enacting a law, en titled " An act for enrolling and calling out the national forces, and for other purposes," which was approved on the third day ofMaich last : And whereas, It is recited in the said act that there now exists in the United S'.ates an insurrection and rebellion against the author ity thereof, and it is under the Constitution of the United States the duty of the government to suppress insurrection and rebellion, to guar antee to each State a republican form of gov ernment, and to preserve the public trau quiiity : J?ic£ whereas, For these high purposes a mil itary force is indispensable, to raise and sup poit which all persous ought willingly to con i tribute : And whereas, No service can be more praise worthy and honorable than that which is reu ! dered for the maintenance of the Constitution I and the Union, and the consequent preserva ! lion of free Government, i And whereas, For the reasons thus recited, ; it was enacted by the said statute that " all able bodied male citizens of the United States, I and persons of foreign birth who shall have declared on oath their intention to become cit i izens under and in pursuance of the laws | thereof, between the ages of 20 and 45 years," j with certain exceptions not necessary to be ; mentioned, are declared to constitute the na j tional forces, and snail be liable to perform | military duty in the service of the United i States when called out by the Presideut for that purpose : -nit j And whereas, It is claimed by and-be ages ' of persons ol Lrc-igu birth, wive heretofore specified in the said act. mention to become declared ou oath t.C pursuance of the laws citizens, uude&mtes, and who have not exor of tbe Uc'ght of suffrage or any other poli- • cisei'rauchise under the laws of the United j States, or of the State thereof, are not abso ! lutely included by their aforesaid declaration of intention from renouncing their purpose to j become citizens, and that, on the contrary, : such persons, under the treaties or law of mv- ! tions, retain a right to renounce that purpose aud forego the privileges of citizensliip and residence within the United States, under ob ligations imposed hy the aforesaid act of Con gress : VOL. XXIII. —NO. 51. I Now, there-fore, to avoid all misapprehen i sions concerning the liabilities of persons con -1 corned to perlorm the service required by such enactment, and to give it full effect, T do here -5 by order and procla'm.thnt no plea of alienage will be received or allowed to exempt from the obligations imposed by the aforesaid act of Congress any person of foreign birth who shall ! have declared on oath his intention to become a citizen of the United Stati*. under the laws thereof, and who shall be found within tho j United States at any time during the continu : anee of the present insurrection and rebellion, ! at or after the expiration of li e period of six ty live days from the date of this proclama ! tion ; ror shall any such plea of alienage be allowed in favor of any such person who has ;so as aforesaid declared his intention to be come a citizen of the United States, and shall | have received at any time the right of suffrage or any other po .tteal franchise within Jthe 1 United States, under the laws thereof, or un der the laws of any of the several States. In witness whereof, i have hereunto set my j hand and caused tue seal of the United Stales | to be affixed. 1 Done at the City of Washington this, the eighth day of May, iu the ji-.ir of our Lord one thoic-aii'l eight hun i dred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-seventh. ABRAHAM LTXCOLX. By the Prwideit, VVM. H. SSWAKD, Bee y of Btate. Letter from Virginia. AMR POTOMAC BKIPCK, Va.,) May 10, 1-s A great deal of anxiety prevails through out the North, at the present time, about the brave array of the Potomac, -o lately engaged in one of the deadliest conflicts of this rebel lion. brought ou by a crazv faction of the as . J airing "Southern Chivalry."*' ■ . The failure (or defeat if you wish to call it) —came rather unexpected to our brave array, which had ail confidence in "fighting for , HOOKER." Two years' men and nine months' men whose time of service had expired, went into the fight like good fellows, and many a man whose heart beat high with the expecta tion of reaching home and meeting his friends and relatives, fell, only hoping, in their last moments that we would be victorious,and the ; Union preserved. Great courage and dairing was shown by the commanding oflie< rs, especially by General HOOKER, who was in the hottest of the bat tle, cheering his men on. The cause of our failure has been attribut ed to the right place—the eleventh corps— ! which fell back almost panic stricken, similar to the Bui! Run affair, when ottr cavalry brig ade came un at that critical moment and turu i ed the tide of affairs, and saved the retreating ; columns from utter annihilation The Dutch , men that " fights mit SIGEL," again rallied to the contest, but with little effect. Such would not have been the state of affairs if they only had their favorite General, (SIGEL,) to have led them. The rumor here to night is that Gen. SIGEL | lias been ordered to report to Gen. HOOKER. : If such is the case the eleventh army corps will undoubtedly retrieve their good name auci come uj> to the scratch next time. Gen. Sickles' and Gen. Sedgwick's corps suffered heavily in the engagement, by press ing too far into the enemy's country. Fred ericksburg and heights were taken by our for ces and re taken again by the Rebels, not be | ing in our hands forty-eight hours. Most of the fighting was done in the centre and on the ! right at Chancellorville, a small town at tho right of Fredericksburg. Chanccllorville is now no more but will fill a place in history. We took a great many prisoners—one whole Gcoigia regiment captured at one time. They were so drunk that it was sport to see them : com in, hardly able to walk. One of them had the kindness to tell us that he thought we could get to Richmond, if we would follow his directions, which was this : " Two Mills to go over, one Tjngs'rcet to go through, and a Stonewall to get over, and thru we would bo in Richmond," but cur boys think that they can get there without going over theso impediments, for Gen. Sioueraau's command was within a few miles of there, and dou't re port anv such obstieles in the way. The 141 st Regiment, mostly from Bradford county, suffered severely They only muster , 200 men at present. The 114 th Regiment, (Philadelphia Zouaves), suffered also. They , are tigers to fight. After a trial of onr skill with the rebels, and about 10,000 or 15,000 less men .jtg tho again across the Rappalrv'Afipl', nothing hav position we wepo.Sned on onr side, liie re ! ing beeu none in very good order, and all Ihise to Gen. Hooker fjr that. Ihe most ; of the boys that are left feel weary and tired after eight days marching and lighting, but we are again ready for the conflict. Respectfully, P.F.CLARK, 17th Pa. Cavalry. ttST* llowel Cobb says but two thing stand ! stand in the way of an amicable settlement of the present national difficulty—only two i things : the landing of the pilgrims aud orig ! rial siu." tgk,Antiquity is man's authority born somo ages before us. BRAGG claims one thousand six hundred prisoners, with all their horses and rifles.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers