NEWS FROM ALL NATIONS,
—S. L. Hyde, a United States detective
connected with the Provost Marshal's office in New
Haven, Conn., Wednesday on returning
home about 10 o'clock, asked his wife to get some
cartridges that he might reload his revolver. As
she started to comply with his request the hammer
of the weapon slipped from his lingers, and the pis
tol went off, the ball entering the heart of his wife.
The unfortunate woman sprang forward, exclaim
ing "I am killed—kiss me before I die," and in a
moment was dead.
—The Penobscot Indians now number
2fifi males and 2:54 females. More than one-tifth of
their voting population have gone to the war, and
consumption, a disease formerly unknown, is now
carrying off many of the tiibe yearly. Those that
remain gain a sustenance by bunting and fishing,
and also by the less primitive occupations of farm
ing and basket-making.
—A memorial to President Lincoln, rec
ommending the Hon. Thomas M. Howe, of Pitts
burg, for appointment of United States Secretary
of Treasury, signed by the Governor, Heads of De
partments and Members of the Senate and House
of Representatives of Pennsylvania, will soon be
sent to Washington.
—A very dangerous fifty cent counterfeit
note is in circulation. The Washington Chronicle
says that good judges are unable to detect the diff
erence withont very close examination. The paper
is somewhat thinner, and that is, probably, the
best test to try them by.
—The President has commuted the sen
tence of Joseph Bent, whose execution was as
signed for Friday next, to imprisonment for life.
Bent is a Portuguese sailor, and was convicted of
killing a shipmate named Silversmith on the high
seas.
—The House committee on Elections
reported in favor of admitting Mr. Bonseau to a
seat as Representative from Louisina, and have de
cided to report in favorof admitting Messrs. John
son and Jacks as Representatives from Arkansas.
—A large gray eagle, with a bell round
its neck, has made its appearance near Portsmouth,
New Hampshire. It is supposed to be a bird which
was formerly a pet at Cape Porpoise, but which
was set adrift, with a sleigh-bell attached to his
neck as a punishment for his frequent raids upon
the chicken-coops.
—New York is to have a new and mag
nificent State Capitol on the site of the present
one in Albany. It will be constructed of white
marble, and cost £3,000,000.
—There was a story in the papers a few
weeks ugo that the Rebel Generals Rhoddy, Chal
mers and Morrow, had sent to our hues in Tennes
see a proposition to abandon the Confederacy and
return to allegiance. A correspondent at Nash
ville, after very careful investigation, pronounces
the story a sheer fabrication.
—The Secretary of the Treasury has com
menced paying the troops. Gen. Schofield's army
has already been provided for, and the Secretary
commenced signing the warrants for the pay of the
Army of the Potomac. It is expected that all the
other armies will be paid as rapidly as it can be
done with safety.
—The editor of the Newark Journal, re
cently convicted before a civil court of publishing
articles interfering with and discouraging the draft,
was Monday fined £IOO.
—Senator Trumbull and Representative
Wilson, of lowa, and Dawson, of Pennsylvania,
compose the joint committee to wait upon Presi
dent Lincoln and inform him of his re-election,
also notify Andrew Johnson of his election to the
Vice Presidency.
—Further information in reference to the
Bordeaux steamers said to hive been obtained by
the rebels is looked for with interest. The Danish
minister, Mr. Ruasloff, denies the report that the
vessels were sold to the rebels by tlie Danish Gov
ernment. This information has been obtained from
an authentic source.
General \\ inder, the notorious beast
and keeper of rebel prisons, died in Richmond a
few days since. He was the fit tool of a brutal
conspiracy, treated Union prisoners like dogs, and
will ever be remembered as the most beastly de
velopement of the slave-holders' rebellion.
-A dispatch received Thursday after
noon by Butterfield's Overland Express, announces
the re-opening of the stage route from Atchison to
1 )enver City and to California.
—The Legislature of Delaware rejected
the proposed amendment to the constitution by a
three-fourths \ote in the Senate and a two-thirds
vote in the House.
—Sixteen hundred and ninety suits have
been brought against the city of New York for
damages done during the riots of IS<!3. The am
ount claimed is about £2, ">OO,OOO.
—The Lower House ot Legislature at
Alexandria, ratified the anti-slavery amendment to
the constitution with only two dissenting votes. The
Senate ra'ified it unanimously.
—Public meetings were held in Rich
mond on Thursday, to consult upon matters of
peace and war. Hunter, Benjamin and Gilmer
made violent speeches ; the former stated, that
President Lincoln had said it rested with Congress
to decide whether rebel States conld return as such.
Rev. 11. 11. Garuett, (colored) preached
in the hall of the House of Representatives, in
Washington, on Sunday—the first colored gentle
man to do so.
Among the bills recently passed by the
Missouri Legislature is the following : " Providing
that any person whose husband or wife has been
engaged in the Rebellion against the United States
shall be entitled to a divorce on proper application
to tile Courts."
—Lieutenant Governor Jacobs, of Ken
tucky, a few days since, took ground in favor of
the ratification of the constitutional amendment
by that State. He said, "Kentucky is bound to
become a free State tlirough tlie choice of her peo
ple, and delay in settling the question can only
com plicate the process by which she will reach that
destiny."
—Hangman Foote, who is now en route
to Europe, positively refused Mr. Seward's request
to take the oath of allegiance, stating that he
would never return to the Confederacy, that it was |
a failure, hut h< could not renounce his own con- 1
duct. Permission was then given him to leave for j
Europe on parole, not to return during the war
withont permission.
An exchange of prisoners is to go on.
General Grant was beiore the Committee on the j
< 'onduct of the War on Saturday, and stated that
lie had effected an arrangement for an exchange,!
uimi for man and officer for officer, according to the :
old cartels, until one or the other party has exhaus
ted the number they now hold.
—General Grierson lias been appointed a
major general by brevet.
—The Wilmington (Y C.) .Journal of a
Lite cl&t£ buys that sh.ttl have made their a]j>er
uiice in that market, at SI r>o per pair in specie. .
What they would be worth iu rebel money does not
appear.
—The whole number of sick and woun
ded in the different military hospit >ls throughout
the country on the 31st of January last, was a little
over seventy-nine thousand.
—General Grant appeared iu the House
ot .Representatives on Saturday, was escorted to
the Speaker s stand, and was introduced by the
Speaker, lie was received by loud cheers, both
born the tioor and the gftlleriee.
Bradford Reporter.
Towanda, Thursday, February 23, 1865.
GOVERNMENT MONEY.
The next error we shall notice, prominent
in the catalogue of blunders, that have
misled the money critics of the newspapers,
sets forth that the present difference be
tween specie and commodities generally, is
wholly attributable to the depreciation of
our circulating medium. This is the bliud
est misconception of all, and the least ex
cusable. For there is no better settled law
of trade, than that the value of a commod
ity is regulated by the demand and supply,
and this is entirely ignored in this assump
tion. Take,for instance,that of labor,and of
cotton. Will it be contended that the absolu
tion of labor by the armies, would not have
advanced the price of that article without
any addit ion to the volume of currency ? Or,
would cotton remain at eight and ten cents
per pound, and its fabrics bear the same
proportion in price, in the present scarcity
of that material ? Do these interrogations
not make manifest the inexcusable blind
ness of those who are writing against our
government currency, urging that its de
preciation has caused the whole advance
on commodities.
Mr. BROOKS, of the New York Express,
who has been one of the leaders in this
tirade against the financial policy of the
government, in some remarks made in the
Lower House of Congress recently, assert
ed that there was no demand for specie in
England during her memorable suspension
of specie payments. The object of this as
sertion was, first, to make a point against
our government for requiring the customs
to be paid in coin ; second, to show that
the law prohibiting speculators in coin was
inoperative ; and third, to avoid the infer
ence, that as England would do without
specie payments, and at the same time not
advance the price of commodities, so could
ours. But Mr. BROOKS' statement is far
from the truth. Coin was scarce in Eng
land at the time referred to, and it was this
scarcity which caused the suspension, aud
caused also the flow of this article to that
point. The government required immense
amounts of it—much more than our cus
toms absorb, and more than her customs j
produced—to keep up WELLINGTON'S army
in Spain, and to pay the enormous subsi
dies to Austria, Prussia, and other king
doms in Europe, where the Bank of Eng
land notes would not pass ; and she employ
ed the ROTHSCHILDS, and other bankers,, to
procure for her by purchase, in all portions
of the continent, Spanish milled dollars—
the principal coin of Europe at the time
in order to meet her engagements. These
are outstanding facts of history, yet editors
and congressmen, will boldly declare that
during these trying times in England, there
was 110 demand for specie. The reason why
coin, and other commodities, did not ad
vance to two and three times their ordinary
price, although they did rise to fifteen and
twenty per cent., was owing to three reas
ons chiefly. The first of these was, that
there were no hanks in England, outside of
the authority of the government, that could
flood the country with irredeemable paper.
The next was, that the law of Parliament
prohibiting speculation in coin, was strict
ly respected, the assertions of the uuinforni- ;
ed, to the contrary notwithstanding ; and j
the last, and the most important reason
was, the absence of a heavy monied pow- 1
er which opposed the government's opera-,
tions, and the war she was waging against;
France. There all were united against the
common enemy, and all supported the gov- i
eminent, in word and deed. Herein lie the !
points of difference between our condition, i
and that of England at the beginning of the :
present century, and not as Mr. BROOKS j
tries to make out. We make free to assert j
too, without fear of successful refutation,
that had there been no State Banks to flood
the country with irredeemable paper, and j
no enemies to thwart the financial opera
tions of government, commodities general
ly, would have had no advance beyond that
incident to the supply, and the demand.
But, Mr. BROOKS alleges further, "that
the Bank of England Notes were received
every where throughout England, creating
no demand for gold," and in the next sen
tence he says, "gold rushed into England
to pay for exports." So there was no de
mand for gold, yet it was needed to pay ex
ports with. How comes this ? If there
was no demand for gold, how did it coine
to rush into England ? Will gold go where
it is not wanted ? What a clear idea of
the laws of trade this gentleman must have?
But he goes on to say, "that England, at
the commencement of the war with France,
had the carrying trade of the world." The
object of this statement is, to magnify the
specie income of England. The statement
however, in only partially true ; but, con
ceding the fact in full, England did not, at
the time referred to, receive as large a sum
in coin from customs, as does the United
States at pieseut, from the same source ;
and this fact materially blunts the point
Mr. BROOKS would make. He say-s, also,
"that on the first of January last, our im
ports were as two to one, against our ex
ports in gold and silver." We suppose that
by this is meant, that we buy more than
we sell, aud have the difference to pay in
specie. This is, however, not so bad as
England, for she sent out nearly three times
as much coin as came into the kingdom
through the channels of trade. The last
statement we shall notice in this budget of
of blunders, is, "that throughout the twen
ty-two (it was twenty-six) years of specie
suspension in England, the circulation of
the Bank of England was limited." Pray,
Mr. BROOKS, by what was this circulation
limited? During the suspension, the cir
culation of the notes of that bank ran over
thirty millions ot pounds sterling, and the
loans of the government to over twenty
eight millions, and what the private, com
mercial discounts were we have no means
of knowing, but they must have been con
j siderable, judging from the external and in
ternal trade of the country at the time. —
Taking then, the circulation and discount
items, we have a footing for not less than
sixty millions of pounds sterling of these
inflating materials from the Bank of Eng
land alone ; and adding to this the circula
tion and loans of the other banks of Eng
land, which cotemporaneous history says,
was equal to that of the government bank,
and we have, for that small government,
the enormous sum of one hundred and twen
ty millions of pounds sterling, equal to
about six hundred millions of dollars of our
money as the medium of exchange. This
is very much larger, in proportion, than
ours is at present. Then, when we take in
to account the fact, that labor, and all oth
er commodities, are higher with us, even
in ordinary times, and with a specie valua
tion, than in England—requiring for this
reason, more capital to represent these
commodities, —this proportion is largely
increased. This does not look much as if
the circulation of paper in England was
greatly limited, at the period under con
templation. Besides, when the last war
between England and France broke out,the
Bank of England had over eight millions
of pounds sterling of her notes in circula
tion. As the necessities of the government
increased, this circulation was advanced to
thirty millions, as already stated ; and that
which is remarkable about the matter is,
that these notes were at a tew discount
when the circulation was at thirty, than
when it was at fifteen millions.
We have thus adverted briefly to some of
the grosser perversion of the parellels of
history which have become prominent in
the financial discussions that have grown
out of the condition of the country, and
have attempted to give to them a correct
interpretation, and a truthful bearing. We
regret to have it to say, that these perver
sions have not been without deleterious in
fluences on our financial condition. For
had past experience been better understood,
the blame for the inflation of the currency
could not in so great a measure have been
thrown upon the government, as has been
done.
The Washington Star of Wednesday says:
" About two hundred deserters from Lee's
army reached this city on Saturday even
ing, from City Point, where they took the
oath of allegiance. They were provided by
Provost-Marshal-General Ingraham with
passes to go North. They represent the
different Southern States in rebellion. They
said that they had been waiting to hear
the result of the mission of Stephens, Hun
ter and Campbell ; that the prevailing im
pression in Lee's army had been that we
were going to have peace, and that the
war was over. Upon learning the very con
trary of this, on the return of the Peace
Commissioners, they determined for them
selves to fight no more, and accordingly
seized the first opportunity to escape and
reach our lines. They state that the dis
satisfaction among the troops in Lee's ar
my at the failure to make peace is general,
and that it will be shown in the number of
desertions that will immediately follow, un
less some very severe measures are taken
to prevent it, which they think it almost
impossible to do. They assert that Lee's
army is not only subsisting on half rations,
or what would be considered half rations
in our army, but that his men have suffered
terribly during the late severe cold weath
er fur want of sufficient clothing. They
become more and more discouraged at this
state of things when they behold the Yan
kee troops so comfortably attired.''
teS~ The passenger express-train on the
Pennsylvania Railroad, which left Pittsburg
at 4:3") on Saturday afternoon, met with a
serious accident when within a few miles
ot Johnstown. The train was coming
round a curve in the road, which is over
shadowed by a huge mass of ruck, covered
by great icicles. The sleeping-car, which
was the third from the rear of the train,
ran off the track, broke the coupling which
fastened it to the car ahead, and swung
around until it lay directly across the track,
with one end up against the overhanging
rock. The great mass of ice, which had
become somewhat thawed by the rain and
moderate weather of the few days previ
ous, came crushing like an avalanche into
the sleeping-car through the end that lay
up against the rock, making it almost a
eomplete wreck. No one was killed, al
though the car was filled with ladies aud
gentlemen, many of whom were in their
berths. Although there were perhaps
twelve or fifteen persons hurt, the majority
of them slightly, among whom were Gen.
J. K. Moor he ad, member of Congress from
Pittsburg, and bis two daughters.
THE board of officers to investigate and
report upon the cause of the explosion of
the magazine in Fort Fisher, have made
their report to Gen. Terry. The opinion
of the Board is that the explosion was the
result of carelessness on the part of persons
to them unknown It appears from the
finding: First. Immediately after the cap
ture of the Fort. Gen. Ames gave orders
to Lieut-Col. Samuel M.Zcent, 13th Indiana
Volunteers, through C'apt. W. lluekins of
the 4th X. H. Volunteers, A. A. A. General
Third Brigade, Second Division, to place
guards on all the magazines and bomb
proofs. Serond: Lieut.-Col. Zeent command
ed on the northwest corner of the fort next
the river, following the traveres round,
and placed guards on thirty-one entrances
under the traverses; the main magazine,
which afterward exploded, being in the
rear of the traverses, escaped his notice,
and, consequently, had no guards from his
regiment or any other.
Third: That soldiers, sailors, and mar
ines, were running about with lights in the 1
fort, entering bomb-proofs with the lights,
intoxicated, and discharging fire-arms.
Fourth: That persons were seen with
lights, searching for plunder, in the main
magazine, some ten or fifteen minutes pre- i
vious t<> the explosion.
THE REBEL CONGRESS OX ARMING SLAVES.
On the subject of arming the slaves, the
Rebel Congress has not acted wisely, in
j our way of thinking. They do not free
! them or put arms into their hands, nor in
i any way attempt to compete with our gov
j eminent in securing their affections and
gratitude. They acknowledge, that to at
: tempt to do so would be futile , as the nc
-1 groes would rather tight for the Union,than
for the rebellion. The law authorizes the
| rebel government to impress the blacks,
! except that not more than one in five agri
j cultural or mechanical slaves of any one
owner shall be taken, to the total number
of thirty thousand east of the Mississippi,
| and ten thousand west of that stream, to
: be employed in menial labor, as cooks,
, teamsters, waiters, laborers on fortifications,
j Ac. lr the event of their loss their own
j ers are to be paid their value. Free ne
groes are also liable to general impress
! ment for the same service. In the debates
| on the passage of this bill, DAVIS was de-
I nounced in the Rebel Congress as an abo
! litionist, and the policy advocated by DAVIS
I find LEE of arming and freeing the slaves,
I was condemned as suicidal to the South, and
; one which would convert the Rebel States
into a San Domingo. Thus the rebel govern
| ment, and the rebel armies, are beaten in a
j policy upon which they had bent their ut
i most efforts, and which though desperate,
| they have evidently regarded as the last
remedy for their desperate case. They are
beaten. The Rebel Congress will not give
up slavery, to save even the confederate
cause, including the neck of their distin
guished chief, JEFFERSON DAVIS. Perhaps
it is well it is so. The fact is, the rebels
I have now arrived at that point where to
j stand still is to be crushed, and to move in
either direction is to exhibit their weakness.
To free the slaves, and by them obtain in
dependence, would convert the confederacy
j into a black republic—a second San Dornin
jgo ; and yet, uot to free the slaves, is to
leave their government without enough
men to maintain itself.
SEWS FROM EIROPE.
The steamship North American, from
Liverpool, Feb 2, via Greeneastle, Feb. 3,
arrived at Portland Tuesday, bringing
three days later news from Europe.
The announcement of the capture of Fort
Fisher produced a profound sensation in
England. There was a considerable im
provement in American securities.. A long
interview of Minister Adams with Earl
Russell, on Jan. 28, attracted attention.
The Morning Post of London has advices
from Mexico which allude to the rumored
cession of Sonora to France. A prelimin
ary treaty was said to have been conclud
ed at the end of November.
Austria and Prussia are still negotiating
about the future fate of Schleswig and
Holstein. Prussia strongly urges her naval
interests on the northern frontier, but will
only act in concert with Austria.
FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, D. Feb. 9, 1865.
MB. EDITOR. —The all-absorbing topic here since
I last wrote you, has been the special Conference
held last week in Hampton Roads, off Fortress
Monroe, on hoard one of General GRANT'S trams
port steamers, between Messrs. ALEX. H. STEVENS,
Ex-Judge CAMPBELL, and It. M. T. HVNTER, on the
part of the so-called Confederate Stateif Govern
ment, and President LINCOLN and WM. H. SEWARD,
Secretary of State, of the United States.
The ultimatum said to have been presented by
these rebel agents is reported to be, immediate re
ts ignition of their so-called Confederacy as an in
dependent Government. This was promptly met
by a refusal to treat with them upon any such terms,
and the conference separated, after an arrangement
for an exchange of our men now held as prisoners
by the rebels for an equal number of Confederate
| prisoners of same rank held by us.
j The arrangement for an exchange of prisoners,
j if carried out, will well repay the visit of the Pres
| ident and Secretary of State. The result of the
I talk about peace, is what might have been expect
i ed ; and the President acted wisely in not perniit
-1 ing the rebel agents to conic to Washington, where
their ears could be reached by designing politici
! ans. Tliey have returned to Richmond no wiser
| than they came, so far as any observations they
j were able to make, or any communications they
I were able to hold with sympathizing friends are
| concerned on this side their lines.
It is perfectly apparent that the leaders of the re
-1 hellion do not intend nor desire to have peace
short of the recognition of their claims for separa
tion. It is not to them we are to any dis
j position to return to loyalty : they intend to fight just
' as long as they can hold together a sufficient num
ber of their misguided followers to maintain an
army of sufficient force to present even a feeble re
sistance to the onward march of our victorious ar
mies ; and when they are unable longer to do this,
and the masses of their people have suffered from
the mad folly of their leaders to such an extent as
to satisfy them, that they are the victims of a set
of wicked men, ambitions only for their own ag
grandizement, and refuse to longer bear arms in
their defence ; these leaders will flee from the
country and take shelter in Mexico under MAXIMIL
' ION. or scatter away to live out the remainder of
their miserable existence under the protection of
some of the governments of Europe. All the in
formation desired from the masses of the people of
the rebel .States, seems to indicate pretty certainly,
that this culminating point in the rebellion is near
ly reached, and that before the lapse of six months
the rebel leaders will find themselves without an
army to fight their battles ; the peace missions of
GRANT, SHERMAN, SHERIDAN, TERRY, FABIUGUT, POR
TER. and WINSLOW will have accomplished their
work, the most desperate of the rebel leaders will
have fled from the country or been captured in the
attempt, the masses of the rebel soldiery will have
laid down their arms and taken shelter under the
President's Amnesty Proclamation, Slavery will lie
forever abolished in all the States, and we shall!
have peace, and a restored Union, upon a perma
nent and enduring basis. Yesterday in the pres
ence of both Houses, the electoral vote of each of
the loyal States was opened by the Vice-President
of the United States in pursuance of the forms of i
law. At one o'clock p. M., the Senators filed into
the House two abreast, headed by the Vice-Presi- ,
dent and Secretary of the Senate. The galleries j
were crowded more than full of fair ladies and ear
nest manhood, and the corridors were thronged
with an eager multitude vainly seeking admittance, j
The floor of the House was invaded by spectators, i
and even the sanctity of the reporter's gallery was
disregarded.
The will of the people having been recorded,and j
the count concluded, Mr. TBUMBXLL, teller on the 1
part of the Senate, formally announced the
vote, and the Vice-President repeated it to the Con- j
ventiou, declaring ABRAHAM LINCOLN the President
and ANDREW JOHNSON the Vice-President of the
United States for four years from the 4th of March,
1865. Then came an outburst of applause from
the vast assemblage, when the Vice-President de- 1
flared the Convention adjonrned, and the Senators
left the Hall as they had entered, the House as on
their entrance, rising to their feet. Thus ended
the proceedings by which the chief officers of our
Government for the next four years are designated
for their responsible trust.
In the way of legislation, not much has been per
fected of special importance to your readers since
I last wrote yon.
The hill for the amendment of the revenue laws
is under consideration in Committee of the whole
in the House to-day, and as soon ns passed, I will
give yon a synopsis of its details.
The amendments to the enrollment law passed
the Senate yesterday, but as I have not been able
to get a reprint of the bill, I am uninformed as to
its details. The House will take it up soon, when
I will be able to give you its provisions:
The Bankrupt bill is in slut", quo in the Senate,
and will probably remain so to the close of the
session.
Preparations are being made for the inauguration
ceremonies of the 4th of March, on a grand scale.
How different is the aspect of our national af
fairs at this time, as compared with their condition
four years ago, when the President elect could not
approach the Capitol without peril of his life from
covert rebels. ♦
Let every loyal heart bless GOD aud take cour
age. COMB.
FROM HARII IS BUII G.
HARRISBDBO, Feb. IN, 865.
Mit. EDITOR :—The ratification of the Constitu
j tional Amendments have taken up considerable
! time in the House, notwithstanding there was a
| clear majority in favor of the Amendments. I irst
i each body, that is Senate and House, passed a res
• olution of its own. This gave the members an op
-1 portunity to make speeches pro and con, but the
law requires that the ratification should be by a
< joint resolution, so that all that had been done, ex
cept the speaking, was of 110 consequence, the
j thing must he done over again, and 011 the evening
i of the 7th. there was an extra session of the House
to have another debate upon the identical resolu
■ tions that were discussed and adopted about a week
j before, but these were joint resolutions, the others
j were individual.
Well no matter, there is plenty of time, and there
were several more speeches that were spoiling to
be delivered and sent through the state. The
\ speakers on the Republican side, or in favor of the
1 resolutions, wore KELLEY, of Washington, NEGLEY,
! of Beaver, STTBDEVAKT, of Crawford, BFIJDIMAN, of
Philadelphia, I)ENENS, of Lancaster, and MARSH, of
Bradford : those 011 the Democratic side or in op
position to them, were HAKES, of Luzerne, MES
MNER, of Berks, BOYER, of Clearfield, and XVEAD
MAX, of Bucks. The speeches were not lengthy,
but were much to the point. The whole ground
; having been gone over in the first debate but little
! new could be said. The resolutions passed finally
by a vote of sixty, to thirty-three. On the first
| vote eight Republicans and four Democrats did not
' vote, on the last, three Republican and four Dem
! oeratie votes were wanting. Were I member of the
' Legislature, I would rather have lost any othqr
j vote of the session than the one that helped to rat
' ify the Amendment to the Constitution which for
| ever abolishes slavery. The Republicans not vot-
S ing at tbe last vote, were BI ROYTN, of Venango, who
was at home 011 account of affiction in his family,
j KOONCE, of Mercer, and STACK, of Allegheny; of
j the Democrats, NELSON, of Wayne, SHIXIER, of
Northumberland, and BARB, of Clarion. It is pre
sumed that these members were all absent. Their
children, or at any rate their grand-children, will
rejoice, some day, that their ancestors did not vote
; No on these resolutions.
i The remarks of Mr. MARSH, of our county, wer e
j among the best made upon the occasion. They
( were not intended for oratorical flourish but an Un
varnished statement of facts, made in a plain com
mon sense way that will commend them to the
good sense of all who read them. I herewith send
a revised copy of the speech, which I hope you
will publish.
The quota for this State, as made by General
; FRY, is giving general, if not universal dissatisfac
j tion, that and the bounty law is attracting a great
deal of attention in the Legislature, and consum
-1 ing most of the time. The United States Land
i grant is again before the Senate and House. The
1 Agricultural College folks and the Presidents of
several of the other colleges of the State are stir
| ing. each to advance its own interests, by this
| grant.
j On the evening of the 14th there was an exliibi
j tion of the pupils from the institution for the edu
cation of the blind. The affair was highly credi
table to both pupils and teachers. This, and kin
i dred institutions, are receiving large sums from
j the State each year, and it is usual for several of
| them to present their inmates before the Legisla
i ture each year. Surely no reasonable or bum" 11
man can object to the amounts given to these in
stitutions which have for their object the allevia
: tion of those who God has deprived of their sen
j ses, however large 1 hese amounts may be.
I ARTEMIS WARD jr., gave the citizens of Harris
burg his experience among the Mormons, in lee
j tures 011 Monday and Tuesday evenings. I did not
attend but was told that he was witty and some
what instructive. Such lectures will do to listen
to once but they soon become stale. The wit will
be laughed at when first heard, but heard the
j second time becomes silly. It is studied wit, which
is in reality not wit, but burlesque. The former,
i to be genuine, must burst forth from the mind as
if by explosion, it must leap out of the mouth be
fore the person speaking is aware of it, but if it is
1 studied, it betrays its origin and want of true
j "mother if it " aud generally carries with it a sting
ing under current of ill concealed malice. X.
FROM CARLISLE.
CARLISLE, Feb. 14tli, 1805,
MR. EDITOR : —Having just returned from City
Point, I thought a description of the journey might
interest some of your readers. We started Febru- !
! ary the 6th, with one hundred and eight recruits j
for the 45th P. V. Arrived at Baltimore the 7tli in j
a very heavy snow storm. Baltimore is a very busy j
place; thousands of soldiers stop here for rest :
from most of the Northern states. The Western J
volunteer, attracted niv attention the most of any, I
they were just from Sherman's army aimed ready '
for action at any moment. Their old coffee cups ;
and smoky looking uniforms, tol.l us plainly that 1
they had seen some rough places. They were 011 I
their way to Washington, joyful as so numy school
boys. They were led by a veteran officer who made j
a short speech to them, assuring them that they !
were going to get their twelve months pay which !
was due to them.
From Baltimore we took the transport George
Wemes for Fortress Monroe, passing Fort Federal
Hill, Fort MeHeury, with their huge guns overlook
ing the waters for miles. .After a cold ride of sev- |
end hours we reached Fortress Monroe, where the •
Peace Commissioners were assembled. The most, I
or best peace moves that I saw here, was a shop!
where sabers, guns, Ac., were manufactured. The j
Fort which is being built 011 the rip-raps, are splen- j
did walls of stone, which will stand foT ages.
At this place we only stayed a few moments, but ,
long enough to loose twelve bounty jumpers from |
our county, or representing some of our Bradford
men. They jumped off the boat while the guard ;
were busy seeing to some conscripts, to make them
comfortable. A moment more and we were going
rapidly up the James river, which shows the effects j
of war. The noted Florida still lies nearly under
water at Newport News, and the country joining
the river looks as if "Massy had up and run
away."
The old Jamestown, on James Island, was a des-1
elate place ; the oldest church in the United States, (
with its adjoining grave yard, looks as if no one
had visited it for years. The walls were perforated j
with shell, and the ruins that remained, only j
marks the place where once stood splendid build- ,
ings Tlie plantations were minus fences, and j
' where the houses were left, the darkies hail "moved j
| their things to keep it while massy was gone." The
river is well guarded with gunboats, while its banks
i are in some places a tented field. A few hours
more, and we reached City Point. The wharf was
crowded with soldiers and government stores. I
was muidi surprised to see what a mass of supplies
was used here each day, hundreds of negroes were
busy carrying bags, boxes, Ac., from place to
■ place, using their darky talk, joking each other,
j We left our men here, and after a short but inter
; esting visit, started home. Knowing that Grant's
headquarters were here, I inquired which building
he occupied ; a cloth tent was soon pointed to,
simple, no useless display or expenditure to be
seen. I asked an old veteran what he thought of
! the peace movements, he replied that " it was not
' worth a d—n." At that moment the roar of a oan
j non came down from the front, '' that is the
j peace commissioners we are going to send them."
|We were soon on board the I T . K. Mail boat bound
j for Washington.
j It was warm, no snow to be seen, and one could
; not but feel proud of our army as he looked over
| the tented fields. I saw the Bucktail brigade as
j they came from the front; they had just come ofl
the battle-field and the burnt powder was still 011
their loyal faces ; the band played, and the ring
ing of bells, and whistling of engines filled the air
with music. I was much pleased to see the dar
kies work, some, while they had an idle moment,
they were trying to spell some words in a primmer,
which they seemed to prize very highly. We run
to Annapolis when- we found snow and the weather
cold enough to make the fireside more pleasant
than an out doors berth.
I see there is to le another draft in our county,
j I hope this act in regard to paying substitutes
! their bounty may be one of value to the govern
! ment.
Bounty jumping is followed by a class of deser
: ters which are only a disgrace to our government.
I It only remains now for the people to stand firmly,
1 and liberty shall crown our land. CHARLIE.
LATEST WAE NEWS.
CAPTURE OF COLUMBIA, S. 0.
WAK DEPARTMENT, (
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 17, 1865. f
i Maj. Gen. Dix : The announcement of
the occupation of Columbia, S. C., by Gen.
' Sherman, and tiie probable evacuation of
| Charleston, has been communicated to the
j department in the following telegram jnst
. received from Lieut.-Gen. Gran:,
EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
Cm POINT, 4:45 p. M., Feb. 18, 1865.
Hon. F. M. STANTON, War Department:
The Richmond Dispatch of this morning
says :
Sherman entered Columbia yesterday
j morning, and its fall necessitates, it pre
j sumcs, the fall of Charleston, which it
j thinks has already been evacuated.
U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.
CITY POINT, Va., Feb. 18, 1865.
Hon. E. M. STANTON, War Department: The
" following is taken from to-day's Richmond
\ Dispatch :
THE FAIJ. OF COLUMBIA.
Columbia has fallen. Sherman marched
! into and took possession of t.ie city yes
terday morning. The intelligence was
1 communicated yesterday by Gen. Beaure
gard in an official dispatch. Columbia is sit
uated on the north bank of the Congaree
i River, just below the confluence of the Sa
i luda and Broad Rivers.
1 From Gen. Beauregard's dispatch, it ap
i pears that 011 Thursday evening the enemy
| approached tfte south bank of the Congaree,
! and threw a number of shells into the city,
j During the night they moved up the river,
i and yesterday morning folded the Saluda
1 and Broad Rivers. \\ bile they were cross
! ing the rivers our troops under Gen. JBeau
. regard evacuated Columbia. The enemy
i soon after took possession.
Through private sources we learn that,
two days ago, when it was decided not tu
I attempt the defence of Columbia, a large
quantity of medical stores, which it was
thought it was impossible to remove, were
; destroyed. The female employes of the
I Treasury Department had been previously
| sent ofl' to Charlotte, South Carolina, a hun
j died miles north of Columbia. We pre
sume the Treasury lithographic estoblish
ment was also removed, although as to this
I we have no positive information.
The fall of Columbia necessitates, we
presume, the evacuation .-f Charleston,
, which, we think likely, is already in pro
j cess of evacuation.
It is impossible to say where Sherman
j will next direct his columns. The general
j opinion is that lie will go to Charleston
: and establish a base there ; but we confess
j that we do not see what need lie lias of a
j base. It is to be presumed be is subsisting
1 on the country, and he has had 110 battle to
| exhaust his ammunition. Before leaving
Savannah he declared his intention to
j inarch to Columbia, thence to Augusta.land
thence to Charleston. This was uttered as
a boast and to hide designs. We arc dis
posed to believe that he will next strike
at Charlotte,which is a hundred miles north
I of Columbia, on the Charlotte and Colum
bia Railroad, or at Florence, S. C., the
junction ot the Columbia and Wilmington
and the Charleston and Wilmington Flail
roads some ninety miles east of Columbia.
There was a report yesterday that Au
gusta had been taken by the enemy. This j
| we do not believe.
We have reason to feel assured that
nearly the whole of Sherman's army is at
; Columbia, and that the report that Scho-j
Held advancing <>n Augusta was untrue.
LATE REBEL NEWS.
We have Richmond journals of the 15th j
from which we take the following items of
news :
AFFAIRS IX SOUTH CAROLINA—WHEELER BEATS !
KILPATRICK NEAR AUGUSTA.
ihe Dispatch says : " We have, for some
days, been in doubt as to what force Sher
man had sent in the direction of Augusta.
This doubt has at length been solved. It |
seems that while his main army advanced
toward Branehville and Charleston, lie sent j
Kilpatrick and his cavalry to demonstrate j
against Augusta and to break up the Char-1
leston and Augusta Railroad. From official l
dispatches received at the War Depart
ment, we learn that on last Friday Gen.
Wheeler attacked Kilpatrick at Aiken, on
the Charleston and Augusta Railroad,
twenty miles north-east of Augusta, and,
after a considerable engagement, drove 1
them five miles in the direction of Branch-!
ville.
"An official dispatch, received from Col-,
timbia yesterday, states that in consequence
of the enemy having occupied Orangeburg ,
in force, our troops have abandoned Braneh
ville. This is, in effect, the same state
ment as made by us yesterday. Our troops ;
have, by this time, no doubt fallen back to
the Congaree River, which with the Wa-1
teree forms the Santec. Columbia is situa
ted immediately upon the right bauk of the j
Congaree, 30 miles above its confluence'
with the Wateree. If our troops fall back
behind the Congaree, the enemy will be
able to shell Columbia from the south bank •
of that stream. We also learn that the j
Congaree and its tributary, the Saluda, are
both easily fordablc above the city. This
disposes us to believe that our troops will
seek to give battle before crossing the Con-1
garee."
RUMORS ABOUT THOMAS.
Rumors are numerous at a time 1
there is little real information of tlx /
mcnts and designs of the enemy. \\ 3
the past fortnight Thomas' army ha- j
reported moving in almost as many ( j' 1 1
tions as there are points to the
Tiiere has been a persistent rumor ti,' •" J
portion of his army designs to COM,,'
.with Grant around Richmond, either !,• i
rect rcenforcement of his lines or by a 1 - I
ment in Northern Virginia. All that i- \
ficially or positively known of such a ]
sign is that a portion of Thomas' arrnv 1
undoubtedly been transported to AVaslii- *
ton or the lines of the Potomac ; and tl
Gen. Early reports that one of' his so I
had captured papers showing an arrai
| ment with the Baltimore and Ohio Railr I
| Company for the transportation over t '
road of u twelve thousand men." A
THE PFTERBBI/RG EI.VE.S.
A report from Petersburg that the em H
; was massing a heavy force on our left
the vicinity of Tayl .r's, is discredited. T 1
■ 1 ctersburg L.rpress says that our wor. f
j are so strong east of that city, that ; ?
j combined Vuikee army could not sueo. r
fully storm tliem, though defended !• I
comparatively small force.
FROM GRANT'S ARMY.
WASHINGTON. February 1;
Information from the Army of the p., 'I
mac states that the djspatch of the j,,. |
' instant, announcing the execution of.Fat
L. Hicks, was a mistake, as his sentc 1
! was suspended by the President until
; tlier orders.
All is quiet in the army of the Potou I
Occasional artillery duels, however t,
place betweeen the batteries near tin \ \
pomattox. Deserters from the rebel ;
have been quite numerous for some \ a
j past, no less than twenty-five coming w |
|in our lines on Wednesday morning f
present their usual dirty,ragged and Im
j appearance. Their first question aim -•
| ways is, "Where can we get rations
severe storm commenced on Tuesday n.
! which threatened to continue some tin,. , tl
Generals Humphrey and Wilcox have
i 011 short leaves of absence to conn- V •
i
i
CURIOUS RUMORS FROM RIU'IIMOY
BALTIMORE, Ft-bnarv ]* •t.M
The American has a special de-; Jl
; from Annapolis, which is as follows :
j " 'lhe flag-of-truce boats New York a
Leary arrived here this morning, with
thousand five hundred and eighteen p-
I nion soldiers and one officer from 1; |
mond.
j " The condition of the men is mm i,
ter than those who have heretofore an ; j
| Only one hundred of them had to b< -
the hospital.
"A report was current in Richmond v |
the men left that Sherman had been •
ed, and that Beauregard had been kill .ji
TROUBLE WITH MEXICO.
ST. LOTUS, February
The Republican has a special desj
from Cairo, giving the following imp. r: *. I
intelligence :
Late advices from New Orleans •.
that the Mexican General Mejia, cm:
ding at Matamoros, has entered int
rangements with the rebel authoritim
1 which all refugees from Texas are to L
turned and immediately t<> be conscri;
into the Rebel army.
General Mejia claims that in taking • 1
step he is acting under the order- of • |
j Emperor Maximilan.
General Canby is said to have sent u
to General Mejia that he will retaliate M
taking and holding Mexican officr
! hostages for cverv refugee returned t •
j rebels.
SIXTY THOUSAND PERSONS DBOWNEII "
INDIA-
Later advices reveal the full extent .'l'l
the disaster inflicted by the terrible mj
iin India. A Calcutta letter to the Lor
Times, just received, says :
I see that the news of 12.00(1 per
having been lost in the cyclone was:
ceived with incredulity in England. T J
; estimate was wide of the truth, hut
; because it vastly underrated the calanr 1
. As every one who knows this country v
j readily conceive, there is no possibilit
ascertaining precisely the loss of life
! cause hundreds might be swept away
I leave no trace behind. But we are U s
without data for arriving at a conclitsi J
and it has now been calculated that th<
I cannot be fewer tlian 60,000 persons dr •
l ed or otherwise killed by that fearful st
In the island of Saugor alone, before:
1 cyclone, there were 8,200 persons. T. • •
are now about 1,200 ; nor have any left
Ito go elsewhere. Seven thousand w>
carried clean away by the storm wavc-
All up the river the population has I
- swept off, it not in the same proportboj
in very large numbers."As will be anti.
! u 'd, disease is raging every where—eholu .
fever, and small-pox. The epidemic for
which I have mentioned in previous lettu
this year, depopulating whole districts
. magistrate told me the other day that
| had been riding through a village in wi
there was hardly a grown-up person left - •
They had died without hope of assistai.
without medicine, without food—for '
| crops are rotting on the ground in nut 1
places here the salt water rushed in 1-
! Bengales are in a deplorable plight,and' |
[ zcmniders increase the general misery
turning the ryets out of their lints bee . • •
they are behindhand with their rent?- J
I There is money enough here to give r.
' —such relief as can be got for money- 1
1 But human means seem quite powerless
stop the awful diseases that are walk |
through the land, carrying thousands i
fore them. The native feels himself
I wraps himself in his blanket, says it is t r
and so perishes. In this enormous pop
lation—let it be remembered fhat hero
Bengal alone we have at Least forty-fn
million of people—the few Europeans 0>
only do good here and there, and yet if
solely by Europeans that good "is heir 1
done. The rich .native will not help •
countrymen. God gave him liis money.;. j
God intended him to keep it. That is" pre
ty much his mode of reasoning. Soino J
times the fever strikes him, and then " 1
abject terror lie offers English doctors -j |
fee of five hundred rupees to come an
visit him. lu a recent case ofthat sort.!
Man—who was worth about four ntillU" ;
sterling—had refused to give a pice to t
poor after the cyclone. When death v.- |
at his throat he altered his mind, and pt v; 'fl
ised large benefactions if lie recovered - ;
He was not spared to add falsehood t n'
cruel service.
J©" Capt. Beall, the Lake Erie I'iral'
was not executed 011 Saturday,having
respited for a few days, on application
his mother, who is now with hiui. '
Military "Commission which has recent') j
tried and convicted Beall will roasend'le ;l!
Fort Lafayette on Monday, and procei'
with the trial of Richard Cobb Koitnol) ||
alias Stanton, one of the men charged wit' l J
being in the hotel burners' plot.