The press. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1857-1880, May 24, 1861, Image 2

Vttss.
FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1861
Forever float that standard sheet!
Where breathes the foe but falls before us?
With Freedom's soil beneath our feet.
And Freedom's banner streaming o'er us!
FIRST Paaa.—The Edinburgh Review on Ame
rican Politics; A Letter from the Indian Coun
try ; A Card ; A Volunteer Navy and an Effective
Blockade; Orgies in the Infernal Regione over Se
cession ; Jeff. Davis at Pens:too/a ; Affairs at For
tress Monroe and in the Potomac; From Montgo
mery. Forum Penn.—The Battle in Hampton
Roads ; The American War Crisis on the Conti
nent; Army Intelligence : General Orders—No. 21;
More Southern Honor and Honesty; General
News; Marine intelligence.
Our Country Always.
The friends of the country must not deceive
themselves. The events soon to transpire will
command all their patriotism, forbearance,
and courage. The Southern Confederacy is
daily committing new outrages upon the Ame
rican flag, and daily challenging the scorn and
contempt of mankind. In proportion as it
excels in wickedness and treason it prepares
to detend itself against attack, and to strength
en itself in all its positions. Virginia has be
come its great base of operations. Texas has
fallen completely into its bands, by an act of
turpitude, usurpation, and cotruption, which
history cannot parallel. Fort Pickens is be.
leaguered by a constantly increasing army.
Hordes are assembling at Memphis to menace
Cairo, and to interrupt the free navigation of
the Magas' ippi. Even the Pennsylvania bor
der is threatened by this reckless banditti.
Baltimore is held in subjection by the armed
troops of the Government, and disloyal and
dishonest men are only prevented from carry
ing out their plans by the strong hand. Wash
ington is secure for the present, but is not en
tirely safe. Under circumstances like these,
the duty of the people of the loyal States be
comes a positive and religicus duty. The
voice of faction, bushed amid the popular ac
claim for our beloved Union, begins again to
be heard in certain quarters, and men who
only a few weeks ago fled, terror-stricken, be
fore an indignant populace, renew their ma
chinations. Some of them, under the cloak of
pretending to favor the Union, insolently de
mand a right to a share of the patronage of
the 'Government, and ethers, well known for
their open complicity with treason, are re
tained in important places.
When the bloody struggle commences all
these influences will either be openly or se
cretly enlisted against us. They should be
pointed out in time. We advise no assault
upon persons or upon property ; but we de
mand, in the name of our country, in the
name of our Union, and in the name of those
blessings which have been showered upon this
people, that all men in this, or in other free
communities, who are supposed to be disloyal,
should be compelled to show their hands on
the right side, or to pay to our Great Cause the
decent tribute of withdrawing from amongst
us, and'of casting their lot among those with
whom they sympathize. One traitor in these
times can undo the work of a hundred patri
ots. With the facilities offered on all
hands—our mails still carried to the South,
the letters written by spies in our midst sent
off unopened, while those written from the
South are rifled and sent here after , having
been read, our railroads carrying them to and
fro—there is no estimate of the evil that can
be effected.
We heard it stated, a iew days ago, that
some' of these men have even attempted to
tamper-with the volunteers enlisted under the
flag of the country, and that, on a recent oc
casion, operfFeCeidion was preached in one of
the camps where a loyal regiment — cordite:l%
to be quartered. Every day brings us intelli
gence of the imprisonment or the expulsion of
Northern citizens from the seceded Stites.
Whole families have been driven from Vir
ginia simply because they were of Northern-
Mtn.
Is it r not right, therefore, that those in our
midst who sympathize with the persecutors of
the citizens of free States in the South should
either testify their willingness to support the
Government or should retire at once and unite
their fortunes with the Southern Confede
racy ?
These may be regarded as intemperate or
imprudent counsels ; but in a short time these
who may complain of them will admit that
they were opportune and right. ,If a re
verse should happen to the American flag in
this struggle, plenty of men will be found, in
Philadelphia and elsewhere, to do their nt.
most to excite insurrection among our people.
Their purpose in this respeet need hardly be
avoWed it is known. If, on the other hand,
that flag should be victorious, they will shel
ter themselves under their former silence, and
so escape detection. What we demand is,
that the friends of this great Union should be
known, and that those who have any doubts
about supporting it in the free States should
relieve themselves at once by choosing be
tween the regular Government and the ban
ditti opposed to it. For every man thus
leaving ns we would he glad to exchange a
loyal citizen in the South, who is there living
in terror, and almost in chain's, because he be
lieves in the Union as it came to us from our
fathers.
What has Philadelphia Done is Sup
port the Government ?
This pertinent question is often put, now-a
days, and it is not easy to give a satisfactory
answer. Our State and city were among the
first to avow their anxiety to exert their ut
meat efforts on behalf of law and order ; but
the sturdy will of the people to do their whole
duty, as good and loyal citizens, has met so
many rebuffs, that there is great danger of our
falling far short both of our ability and our
will. The city of New York has given an ex.
ample of what can be done. In the report of
the Committee of Defence, published in the
papers of Tuesdaf, it is shown that fifty-four
(64) regiments have been aided and supplied
with arms and ammunition to the value of
V 55,479 ; with provisions and water-proof
blankets, $4,100; with subsistence while or
wedelns, clothing to destitute volunteers, re
cruiting stations, and uniforms, $272,975.79,
and that aid to 3,026 families has cost $34,300.
Much as has been done here, our labors are
far lass useful than these. Two committees
have for weeks been in frequent session, and
we have yet to hear of the first regiment that
has received any aid in all the great prelimi-.
nary expenses that mast be incurred bore 1 I
the United States can accept the men, or the
War Department take them in charge. The
'eresult has been that many thousands of our
best volunteers have gone elsewhere, to swell
the number and strength of other regiments,
sometimes 'singly, and sometimes by compa
nies. Humiliating as may be the effect upon
their and our State pride, as citizens of the
United States, we have reason to feel proud
of a vigor which outruns that of the consti
tuted authority, and a patriotism which defies
all red tape-
But there are large bodies of men Organizing
here as a Home Guard, in its broadest sense.
The volunteers offering for this service do
not mean to confine their efforts simply to
the defence of the city, but they hope to
learn their duty here, with no expense to the
General Government, so that when it needs
their help they will be ready trained, uni
formed, armed, equipped, and in an efficient
state of discipline. The Gray Reserves look
to the State for arms and eqtdprients, and
undoubtedly it will supply both. The city
has undertaken the charge of the Home Guard,
and we see daily and hourly evidences of the
anxiety of our citizens to enroll themselves
in that brigade. But we ought, Oven at thi s
time, to see the companies massed into regi
ments; we ought to feel and know that we
have armories ready for their use. We should
find a vigorous effort, on the part of the com
mander and his staff, to put themselves In
close and constant communication with the
men, to learn their wants and to supply them.
By these means every offer of our citizens
(and many have been made) would be ac
cepted and used to advantage. Constant in
sportier', regular responses to inquiries, it
thorough organization of all the branches of
a military headquarters, a patient and effi
cient execution of every-duty, and artnnxious
effort always to be ahead of the poilnlay
spirit, to guide it and to control. it, would
make our Rome Guard effective and usofel.
Unless such a course as this be soon adopted,
vigorously enforced, and well maintained, the
thousands of men now in arms and under
training may tire of purposeless efforts, and
in the hour of our utmost need we may bit
terly repent past delays and inefficiency.
Northwestern Virginia.
If the thinking men of Northwesten Vir
ginia will look into what took place in England
between the flight of JAXES the Second and
the settlement of the Goyernment in calling
WILLIAM the Third to the throne, they will
Ond much of example, much of precedent,
ranch of instruction, to guide them in the diffi
cult circumstances in which they are placed.
They are called upon to direct a revolution,
which has for its objects the restoration of
their liberties, the vindication of their inalien
able right of sell-government, the maintenance
of the Constitution of the nation and of the
State, to both of which they owe and are
willing to bear allegiance ; and, finally, the ex
tinction of a traitorous usurpation which has
overthrown those liberties, assailed that sell
government, and overturned those Constitu
tions within the limits of their ancient Com
monwealth. North America has never afforded
occasion for such action as that to which the
people of Northwestern Virginia, and of other
mountain regions of the Southern States, aro
called. They hold in their bands the future of
this country. Upon their steadfastness and
their wisdom hangs the hope of freedom. The
piasns of the South are dominated 6y the iron
sway of military rule, and constitutional liberty
is well nigh crushed out upon them; slaves
and masters, bond and free, black and white,
are yoked in common harness of slavery to
their military oppressors. The mountains,
thank God! are yet free. May they be so, till
the last syllable of recorded time.
From these mountains is to proceed, net
the reconstruction of the Constitution, but the
reconstruction of the States that have fallen
away from their obedience to the Constitu
tion, and their restoration to that obedience.
In a communication to Tux Pans of the 17th
instant, the idetcwas advanced that Northwest
ern Virginia might, assume to be the Virginia
of the United States, and be recognized as
such.
What is Governor Mumma to the loyal
parts of Virginia, more or other than Darns
the. Second was to that portion of England
that was loyal to the civil and ecclesiastical
constitution of that country? What is the
existing Legislature; what is the existing
Convention of that State, to the loyal parts of
Virginia, more or other than bodies, which,
having renounced the allegiance of Virginia to
the Federal Constitution, and overturned the
Constitution of Virginia herself, have thereby
forfeited all countenance of their authority and
acts, on the part of loyal men Virginia hav
ing been dragged into rebellion by violation
of all law, those portions of that State which
do not mean to aid in that rebellion should not
Stand too nicely upon mere technical, legal,
and formal grounds, in extricating themselves,
and, finally, the whole of Virginia, from the
meshes of the frightful net of treason cast
over them and her by the leaders of the
Cotton States, and by their alders and abet
tors in the tidewater counties. Let not the
Northwest tie its own hands because it cannot
find a precisely parallel precedent for its pre
sent ',imitation. Hake a precedent That is
the very need of the hour.
• Why not, let the Convention, which is to
meet by adjournment at Wheeling, issue writs
of election into every county of Ptrgsnia, for
the 'election of a new Legislature and Gover
nor, and whatever other officers are needful, to
meet and be sworn in at Wheeling, in.place of
such as have given in their adhesion to seces
sion 7 A provisional Government of some
kind cannot, in the meanwhile, be avoided,
but it should be as short-lived as possible. It
is only needed for the time required to put the
old constitutional machinery, thoroughly dis
embarrassed of the now-fangled devices of trea
son, which bad brought it to a dead stand.
still, in motion.
There_mey be some opposition on the part
of existing
acting tinder commissiontyle - gil re4r;rcifteal
enough upon their face. - But the question tor
such,persona be de you or do you ndt recog
nize the rebel-authorities at Richmond? If
fhey do, they can act no longer. It is just
the position of authorities in the colonies in
1776. They held valid commissions from the
King or the proprietaries, or whatever was the
appointing power, but these commissions were
superseded by the people when they assumed
their inherent sovereignty by the Declaration
of Independence. A committee of public
safety, or a Convention, or some other neces
sary revolutionary representative of the peo.
ple, purged the public service of all who did
not recognize the true sovereign.
The writs of the Convention, sent into the
secession counties, would not be noticed. No
elections would be held in those counties tin
der them. Not so In the loyal counties.
They would elect the necessary officers, but,
of the Legislature, not a qnornm, probably, of
either house, according to the Constitution of
Virgitia. There would be a hitch at the start.
Circumstances, however, override all laws, at
times. Constitutions and laws are made for
men, not men for them. It would be as if
fonr-filths of Virginia were hold by a foreign
enemy, or were sunk in the sea. What was`
left would not, therefore, cease to be Virginia,
or to be governed by the Constitution aid laws
of Virginia. The legislators, who could meet,
would go on and paas all such laws as were re
quired by the public needs—would raise re
venue, preserve the organization of society,
maintain the peace, elect United States Sena
tors, and do every other act and thing that per
tained to Virginia to do, for her own good and
for the good of the United States. The start
might be feeble, and even halting, but being
started, the reconstruction of Virginia would
be rapid and sound. Sustained by whatever
appliance of power was necessary to maintain
the movement and to advance its object, one
county after the other, that hesitated or was
hostile at first, would range itself under the
government at Wheeling. Under its own self.
government, that splendidregion would rapid
ly develop its vast natural resources; popula
tion would ponr in ; wealth would superabound ; •
and Western Virginia, if, happily for her, the
rebellion should last a few years, would come
out of it the actual controlling power in the -
State. Rightly followed up, this rebellion will
open to that region the door for the redress of
all its wrongs.
Putting aside the idea of forming a new
State, let Western 'Virginia boldly enter upon
the work of reforming the old State. Whose
opinions or feelings are with secession, or
whose heart or head or hand fails him in un
flinching loyalty to the Union, is against the
work which the loyal men have beforeAltout
to do. We taut give way to one wtio can be.
-trusted. Triiason teaches at the other end of
the State how to deal with its opposers.
Loyalty may learn from treason how to deal
with its enemies. Let no enemy, nay, let no
lukewarm friend of the Union, exercise any
executive or judicial function. The line is
easily drawn. Whoever is on the other side of
it IS a public enemy, and so to be treated.
Acting on some such line of conduct as that
which is thus faintly sketched, the good and
true men of the loyal counties of Western
Virginia cannot fail. They will have on their
aide the logic of the sword, which is power;
the logic of the law, which is reason; the
logic of God, which is faith and truth and
right. How can they fail?
Tun ntreirrros of the traitors in arms against
the Union are as frequent as their inconsisten
cies. They denounce the negro race as ser
vile and inferior, and yet enlist them in their
may. If the people of the free States called
their colored population into theirs, there
would be a howl in the Southern despotism
from the Potomac to the Rio Grande. Hun.:
drat/ of millions of dollars have been ex
pended out of the Federal Treasury to remove
the Indians from the Southern States, because
of their atrocities upon the whites ; and yet it
is the boast of the ehivalry of Virginia that
they now have companies of these savages in
their midst, who are ready, with rifle, toma
hawk, and scalping-knife, to make. war upon
the loyal people of the Union There is an
eloquence in destiny, and we shall not be sur
prised if the very men who have invoked the
negro and the savage against the flag of our
country should discover that ":their blifedy
instrnetiona have been returned to plague the
inventors."
The Telegraphic Coup D'Etat.
The Albany (New,York) and dirges
of Wednesday, after, denouncing the seizure
of the archives of the American Telegraph
Company, usellthe following language
"The nest step may be to setae all the lettere to
thest officee, Ed open , and reed them. This
would po be quite as justifiable as the tleignie of tete
graphic despatches. The nubile mind of England
was startled, a few years ago, by the discovery
that the post office bad been violated in a few th
iamine by the ElovornMent, end suepectea letters
bad been opened to obtain information. A storm
of indignation was poured upon the head of the
Minister who sanctioned this violation of private
correspondence. If the President has done what
the Tribune above alleges—and wo repeat, wetlnd
no other anthority for the statement—we do not
hesitate to denounce the not as a high-handed
outrage, unexampled under a free government,
and only congenial to a despotism "
Our able cotemporary, in its anxiety to do
injustice to the Administration, chooses to
forget that the measure it denounces was
simply an act of protection. Mr. LINCOLN
and his ministers can act upon no narrow
theory of retaliation or revenge, and, there
fore, will not descend to the depth of degra
dation of the Southern conspirators by imi
tating their seizure of the postal system, and
their rape of the letters sent from the free into
the slave States. Nor is it intended to ex
pose private correspondence, whether sent by
telegraph or by post. The object of the
Government, in the seizure alluded to, was
simply to ascertain from the records of the
telegraphic company who Lave been in con
stant and recent association with the enemies
of the Union. The .67/as and argus forgets
that this act is intended to protect the Re
public. It may be regarded as a "high
handed outrage, unexampled under a free
government, and only congenial to a despo
tism," by that newspaper, but we beg to say
to the a. ¢ J. that it would have been much
more consistent if this sweeping censure had
first fallen upon the head of the miserable
banditti now arrayed against the flag of the
Union in the conspiring States.
The Position of Tennessee.
The position of Tennessee is a peculiar
one, but a strong . Union feeling still an.
doubtedly exists in that State. For the
present she is apparently tied hand and foot
to the Secessionista, because a military league
has been formed by a commission selected by
her Governor and an authorized agent of
JEFFERSON Davis, which nominally places all
her effective military strength and resources
under the control of the latter. An act has
been passed, too, appropriating $5,000,000 to
arm the State, but how or where the money is
to he raised nobody seems to understand.
The Governor has refused to issue a pro
clamation for an election for members of the
American Congress which is to meet on the
4th of July next, so that probably Tennessee
will not be represented in that body at all, un
less by Hon. ANDREW JOHNSON, in the Senate.
All this looks bad enough. But, on the other
hand, an election is to be held on the Sth of
June, at which two distinct propositions are
to be anbmitted•to a direct vote of the peo
ple—viz : 1. es' Separation " or cc No separa
tion," which is to decide whether a majority
is for or against a disseverance of Tennessee
from the Union; and 2d. cc Representation "
or c; No representation," which is to decide
whether they wish to be represented in the
Traitor Congress. It is believed that a large
majority of the people of East Tennessee are
in favor of the Union ; that Middle Tennessee
is about equally divided, and that the Seces
sionists are in a large majority in Western
Tennessee. There is no doubt that a large
vote will be polled against Secession, and 'a
still larger vote against any union with the
Montgomery conspiracy, as some who favor
a withdrawal of Tennessee from our Union
are opposed to linking their fortunes with
Davis & Co. We believe thien substantially
the position of Jonx BELL.
A few• regiments of volunteers from the
State have proceeded on their own respon
sibility to Virginia, to join the traitor forces
now in arms there, and General PrtLow is
collecting. a considerable body of troops in
Western Tennessee to command the Missis..
sippi, and to threaten Cairo, but it is scarcely
probable that he will venture to attack it since
such , ample preparations bave been made to
give him a warm reception in that quarter.
The Secession feeling in Tennessee has
been artfully kindled by many,fidse reports;
but the great body of-the sensible and sub
stantial citizens of th%
; 14410.1 `.they lire
determined to give expreineonrto their senti,.
manta at the ballot-box.• If they cannot pre
vent the ratification of the rash measures of
the Legislature, they will still exercise a pow
erfal moral influence, which, in due time, will
produce important results.
Eastern Tennessee, like Western Virginia,
apparently needs but a little aid and en
couragement from the Federal Government
to render her perfectly loyal.
Hr. Russell, the Correspondent of the
London 44 Times."
When news came that an emissary of the
London Times, its great Crimean correspond
ent, Hr. ReasELL, was to shape his course this
way, the loyal people of the United States
felt that then, at least, the ignorance of Eng.
land, as to' - the eg situation" here, was to be
dispelled ; and as the period grew more
stormy, and war leomed near, we almost felt
as if Fame, as special trumpeter, was coming,
to herald all our glory. Mr. RIIRSELL arrived,.
and the currant of events all but.paused, lest
they might not be worthy such an interpreter.
kir. RUSSELL, if we understood might, came
to tell the truth. If he had sought It in its
fabled abode, a well, his view of the political
horizon could not have been more circum
scribed, as his first account of affairs evinces.
What little pulse bad he grasped, while he
missed the throbbing of the nation's giant
heart? He made mistake after mistake. What
of New York now? Where are now those in
different people, who could scarcely be kicked
hard enough to make them fight, so much did
they esteem trade and comfort? Conscious
strength, calmly reposing, he mistook for im
potence. He came to soar above us all—far
above the reach of our prejudit's—and he
grovels. la it possible- that the notice of
King Cotton has blinded him ?
The first impression, kr. RUSSELL thought,
that would be. produced by the news of the
fall of Sumpter, would be a great commotion
among the stock-brokers in Wall street. Will
any one be so kind as to tell us whatthe stock
brokers did do, when they heard of it ?
Resszn. never imagined that it might be just
possible that the loss of. Fort Sumpter would
a gain in power to the Government, as it
turned out.
Mr. ReasELL has not any better term to ex
press the relations of the two parties in this
rebellion than the echigh-handed parties on
both sides." He says that cc the withdrawal
of the permission to market was all but an act
of war." Remarkably noteworthy, this, as an
act of war, when batteries about Fort Sumpter
had been erected, reinforcements had been
denied, and the rebel flag waved in Charleston
harbor. As far as his description of the or
ganization of the militia of the United States,
and of the material of that of the District of
Columbia, is concerned, we have little to say,
excepting that we think that a correspondent
from the United States, visiting London to
take notes during an imminently near approach
of a french invasion, would hardly be treated
with the courtesy that has met Mr. Regent,
if he indulged in anything like the same lati
tude in his remaxka. We would recommend
him to inspect the troops at present in the
District.
The concluding sentences of his letter, re
lative to the capital and its value, considered
politically and strategically, are the only ones
which are tolerable.
We have made these few notes, in glancing
over the. letter« It only shows how a man e
may be a very good reporter of such a cam
paign as that in the Crimea, andyet utterly fail
to take in the it animus" and subsequent
moves of such apolitical embroilment as ours, -
in the short time that Mr. Rosan a. has be
stowed upon it. He same here with a great
name; lot .him beware, lest be return shorn
of it. _
WEIVP.II3I Vienna.-The returns of the
election held' in' Virginia yesterday, from the
Northwestern part of the State, show that the
opinion which has heretofore been universally.
entertained of the devotion of that section to
the Union was correct, the vote cast for seces
sion being very small. Few or no returns
have been received from Eastern Virginia, but
as it was ovsrnm with Disunion soldiers, no
fair expression of public sentiment was possi
ble, as no Union man could, without perilling
his life, declare his attachment to the noble
.Government which the departed great men of
the Old DOOlll/1911 were so largely instrumen
tal in forming.
TIE PRESS.-PMLA.DELPHIA, FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1861.
WASHINGTON 001DIMIONDENON
Letter *gip 46 0oeftetonal.”
(Correspondence of Theirrssal ,
Wasicurareir, May 23, 1861.
Although we are NO „near virginia, and Gnome
her bountiful shores and green fields at any •'ma.
ment of the day, there is a strange Ignorance in
regard to her movements among the outside world.
Whether she has fortified the Potomac. how many
of her forces are oonoealed behind the foliage that
looks so inviting to the common eye, what is the
exact condition of their troops ?all s these things
are subjects for thenioet general speculation.. One
day it is positively stated that Arlington Room
are Crowned by an irresistible battery ; then that
the alarm of her picket on the other side of the
Long Bridge will bring thousands of men to resist
the troops of the Republic should they attempt
to page over it, and then that the splendid
farm of Mr. Roach, from whose back porch
you can look into the city itself, Is the
scene of warlike preparations of great meg.
nitude. But nothing is certainly known. I.
have, however, so much confidence in Eteneral
Scott as to believe that he has allowed no Strate
gic point to pass unnoticed, and that while the
people are left in the dark as to the movement-of
the enemies of the country, he has regular and so.
curate information of all the movements of the con
spirators, and faithful maps of their entire plan of
action. Resting, as we do, in the olorteoiouitness of
being secure in our present position, and hailing
the troops that surround us as so many patriotic
deliverers, in a moment we may be called to arms
or attacked by an enemy which may be within
gun shot in great numbers.
i nto gathering of the Secession troops in Virginia
is undoubtedly intended to operate as a threatup.
on the Federal authorities at this point, and; With,
the railroads in that State completely in the hands
of the Secessionists, may be thrown, alined at any
time, within a short distanoe of Washington city.
That portion of Virginia nearest the capital is,
unquestionably, strongly secession ; and if Gan.
Scott r sisal deem ! it wise to send in a out/latent
force to expel thole who are supposed to be may
to make an attack at the first fitting opportunity
we may have a conflict of - a serious oharatitai: - ;
There are men now here -who contrive to furntell
to the Diennionieta daily information of the pre--
oeedinge of the Administration. Many facilities
are olfored to snob men, and it is almost as difficult
to detect them as it is easy for them to act in cow
munioation with the rebels. •
Some °animas stories are told of, the mannerin
which the veteran Commander•in-chief
information of the preparations and plans of the
Beeemionists. Although nothing is made public,'
I think when the annals of these times tome to be
written more than one Harvey Birch will befettlit
to have been employed on tha right side, and more
than one brave American woman ready.to sacrifice
her life to her country.
The Botraves are anxious for authority to move
upon Alexandria. Indeed, a thousand men could
be found whe would be willing to pay handsomely
for the honor of being the first to make a dash
across thcaPotorcao. 4.4 But Monsiver Da Mangrat
is a patient man, and can afford to wait," said
Richelieu to a fierce young soldier. at his side. All
ingood time. When the blow falls it will fall ter
ribly. Those folvilians who are now in such hot
haste, counselling General Scott to extreme mea
laces, will probably not be as anxious to see the
war go on as they are that it should commence. -
I observe i some harsh cortunents upon Gen; Cad
walader because he Invited Col. Geo. P. kane, of
Baltimore, to the camper the Pennsylvania troops,
near that city, a few days ago. The sensitiveness of
the Massachusetts men; who will never forget-the
memorable 19th of April, when a savage assault
was made upon them by the Baltimore mob, is well
known, and Colonel Kano has fallen under the es
pecial displeaeure of =tiny who regard, and justly
regard, that assault with intense indignation and
horror. Ido not proprse to discuss whether, nn-'
der such Oimumstarees, General Cadwalader Was
right or wrong in asking the presence of-Colonel
Kane at his headquarters What I desire to say,.
Is simply that I have full confidence in General
Oadwalader himself. Ho is not only a soldier and
a gentleman, but having taken- the oath to suppoq
the Government in its present policy, every . in
einuation to the effect that he is notirilling to oafty,
out his instructions to the uttermost is, in lay
.
opinion, exceedingly unjust. There arcemany
persons serving under the flag of the , countiy in
the regiments quartered here, and elsewhere,
who voted for. Mr. Breckinridge the. last
Presidential election, some of whom have;ston- - -
neotions and relatives in the Boathean States ,
All such men entered into the- - clamps*, in.
which they are engaged snitka ,.. Ingtotedge_
that they were to be . untooditio* Ira* me n ,
rind When th,ey stoote to sniport the saute 'M4.4
could not snake any reservations consistentWath .
integrity orunthfieletity.. The worst and xnetatunit
of all things is to attempt to sow the serill'of
faction among brave men engaged in a good 0400,"
Such is the attempt to anspeat.tite leaders of eur,,
army,.and to discuss the politics of ,their men.,
Thete are, no doubt, many tkur worthy - of -wan
s
who lode upon thriiii2i4se
too strongly rtlfrObittati - ,
care, in our disposition to criticise, tofiniestigatiqi
and censure, that we do not do injuittimt and erldiar
striving to serve the good cause, that , we-do not
expose our own divieious and weahrines
same time- ' GOCABIONAn.
Letter from "Asa TrettehartLo.'..
(Corresponderme of The Piton.]
. WASEILICOTON, May 22, itgliEr,
One of the moat amusing spectacles whiel'ire
see •aa me saunter leisurely.
..through the lesefre-:
quented streets, or in the outskirts of•theeity, will
be immediately recognised, or at least mime ted;
by quoting an old nursery rhyme peauliarb:
gestiva•aid apropos :
" Who comes here?
A grenadier. ,
What does be want? Allot of beer.
Where's your money?
I forgot.
Get you gone, you drunken sot I"
A soldier "true blue" will take a glass of grog
now and then.. It usually follows that one-".nip it :
serves only to provoke another, and so, present ly
away goes his wits to the right-about, leaving hitt
-poor weak legs' and clumsy body to take care of,
themselves as beet they may. Now, when' t Soldiei!
is drunk his ideas of chivalry, like his wit,Aries to!
the rear, while the humbler and more natural traits
march into his face. Thus, yesterday I meta paid;
very top-heavy indeed, levying contributions in
tobacco and small change on the patelotismof
passer by. While I was gossipping with them a
carriage drove past, from which an officer's heed
issued with a threatening ;Make. Buddenly the two
dish& off down a cross-s treet as fast as their .we l d
dling legs would carry them. The ;con mends,of
the officers on the subject of begging are as exPli-
Olt as the promises of the. men are =equivocal.
But when the lads get Out—out of Catilp and like
wise out of money—s bit of silver mimes in very
welly, just ae the palate is getting dry. I asked
one of these fellows, whom I
_met down town last.
night, if he was from camp. "" Yea, sir," he te
nded, "two miles from it, praise be to God.;
can't you lend me a quarter ?" - Hie ready witl lf
not his patriotism, deserved the " tiller."
Another amusing sight I. looked at, only a few
minutes ago. A company of New Jerseymen,Wf
Col Miller's regiment—l think, one of the Om*
den companies—were marching through the du
along Pennsylvania avenue.. When they got.
the corner of Bleventh street, they met a troop
little, black-stained hoot-blacks, parading in MO going into Camp.
heroic. Forthwith the soldiers belted, order There le a general amend= otirtaips frOM the
the bootblacks to "set to," and, in a few ty, and the indications are that every regiment
be in camp in a few days. This affords those
nutes, there might have been teem by apa ,
spectator, about twenty. five of these mode ego congregations of men =me desirable quer
grotesque followers of the brush actively e es than could possibly be obtained within this or
gaged, to the high delight of a large crowd, f' other city, while. it relieves our drafts and
Wont
fishing the leather of geodmatuted follow °walks from the constant crowds to which they
era of the drum, from whom they received a 'been subjected, to the Inconvenience of hoop
ral requital. It was a queer, comical
spectacle, indeed. - . . ' • .city Railways. •
" Tell our folks at, home," says Captain M. 4 e access* rOdwaya is severely felt
phy, of Colonel Patterson's , regiment of Washisiton. 'Our" " Megnificent
Iranians, " that we are well, and doing welt ." are a severe tax upon the time and funds
The same officer reqieste Me to correct art error t'business men, and especially those who have
one statement in The .Press concerning the sections with the Departments. There is a
sage of the troops through Baltimore. They we . Tong deaire that the Government would
not escorted by Bilis' battery, as stated, b sly establish horse railways on the streets be.
marohed alone. They were impeded by no o een the Departments, and from the navy yard
stacles, and arrived here safe. They are now h et the avenue to Georgetown. The me
and hearty in camp,near the ;Worms, wheri now idle in the regiments would mush
hive just'taken a "litp " with them. I must d '.Ter :.employment, and the enterprise could never
(dare them as fine a set of fellows es ever Isa .` accomplished at less cost than now. Let us
As pleasantly lomtted, as men can be outside the ye railways is the word and the very general
own threshold, I do not wonder at the content leling throughont the metropolis.
saw on every face, and the healthful, good-materiel
ausrepresentations.
smile whickweleemed cur party on all sides. A gentlemen who ham, within a few hours, as
' Ass Titanottlien. ved from Georgia states that the most absurd
. ,
Wasursoron, MaY23, latillmori are circulated in reference to Northern
The death of Colonel Yosburg startled me. B
milieu, who, in the absence of their husbands
a few days ago4osaibly but a few hours before to the war, are literally suffering, while obit.
-
his attack—l dined in company, with him, sat no ll are dying with hanger. The old story is
him at table. He was apparently in excelle ived of Mr. LtscoLa'simbeellity from
health, was cheerful, and even buoyant. I foul, nicotine-es, and everything outside of Dixie's
him a most agreeable dinned. companion; seu lad is falling into ruin. In the face of these re
tain!, intellimMt, and affable. He was a tan ts, simple Southern eitieeng might feel a curio
handsome man, of clear, transparent oomplexio to know how the matt who never tastes slime
and black whiskers. His manners were those is Gould suffer from. intemperance, or why Mrs.
a cheerful reserve at first, but as acqueintat ident DAVIS and Mrs. General Bnatmenann
progressed he grew cozily at home with you, o rusticating in the suburbs of the beautiful city
rather (I should speak in the Past Mule) such wa yr.t, some fourteen miles front Boston, Mass.,
Colonel Vosburg. The occasion of my meetis n the North is suffering from famine and the
him was his visit to the Irish regiment. As th th flowing with , abundance. _
~
commander of what had been an American, anti' Appeintments.
Catholio regiment, his presence was indicativeh he President has thini day appointed Mr. Jas.
the cordiality of sentiment which 'pervades 4. . r judge of the Court of Claim', in place of
military quartered in this city: " This is my Ps •ge Scannonotrou, resigned.
and only military visit," be took pains to tuarre . S. BLitt, of New Hampshire, Is appointed a
Colonel Coreoran, "from my own people." It. as class clerk, and F. A. FORTBII a second.class
big tut. too. I m id scarce rum. when 'au tin the Sixth Auditor's office,
informed of his sadden death, that it could- Arrivals from Philadelphia, Pa.
bly be true. But such is life—f r ail, , tickle, d tWiltard's—J. Dickson, B. 8. Goddard, Ft.
If
uncertain. . :
:,, ,J. D. Banker, it. F. Simmons, H. L.
When dinner was eaneluded, Poicual Car. n, kir.
gave him a full.dreas parade, when ha reelfed ..od's—asorge Whitely, E. J. Morris, L.
the Sixty-ninth. Ile expreased great deli at ; , - all, ilenry,Ximbell, James Jones, John.
a l
the appearance and bearing of the men, re k- . 7 , W. F. Johnson , J. B. Montgomery, David
ing that " you Irish were born to make rs "it. H. Miller, Miss Lutemen, Miss Mason.
of." The men, In their turn, were equal e. rog'u'e--J. C. Kelley, W. M. Greiner, (I. H.
'third at the opportunity of arraying the ~ es ci, H. A. Pica, C. L. Ingraham.
before Colonel Vahan. It had boon whi . arsenal—J. Woodruff, A Plank.
about that .he was eoloneit the Divinity -first
"Do ye mind that, my ladit'.. - vtdipered an or
duly ; " show him your decent Oeltle blood,
now." And, indeed, they .didc =A - braver more
Imposing corps, better drilled, equipped, and eon.
ditioned,:eannot . ,
It leoked , quier to see Colonel Vcisburg martin
lag dawn the glee or the Irish, arm-in-arm with
Father 11Vioney, (I believe the ohaplain's name,)
readying the salute of those patriotic Irish Catho.
lice. It showed how partisan feeling bee °two•
rated with the prinolple which animated it.
Patriotism is now the cry. Foreign or native, it
makes no difference—it is our country.
Every rite has been paid the remains of Colonel
Vosburg. The whole of the! Irish regiment fol•
lowed hie bier. Numbers of citizens, too, joined
the procemien. Hie loss meets universal regret.
His friends all speak of hie promise in the most
Confident way, and the general opinion le, that the
army has lost one of its beat officers.
Will the Seventh return home? This is now the
cry. I heard a New Yorker tell a club of them the
other day that, if " they did, they would be atoned
in the streets." ' They say , they have no idea of
returnee. They are so comfortably located that
they need not desire to givp np soldiering so soon.
A little, colony 'could net be happier. Some of
the tents have little flower bode before them ;
Okamoto furnished with the most luxurious mm
fart. Many of the regiment have their doge along;
others keep oats. I saw a little member of the
feline race on the top of one of the tents playing
with the tassels of the flag " See that kitten,"
cried a lady near by. " Not at all, ma'm," replied
a passing soldier•bey, "a oat•a•mount :" The idea
of such fellows going home with their fingers in
their mouth is ridiculous. - • ASA TRENCH/LED.
- 1 4T'EST NE S.
By Telegraph to The Press.
PROBE WASHINGTON.
A
dal Despatches to " The Press."
IVABinNerchr - Mar23, 1881
The Celebrated Reef Contract:
Th. Hairlsbnig Telegraph, of Wednesday eve
just received here, contains the'.following
statement, donbtless.made on some malign antho
illy, not. known to the editor :
",The Oa:rotary of War has teeeinded the beef
dbrlzaet with George M. Lanmps, that has • been
tweeting so much sensation among the speculators
of the *country. It was alleged that by this con
tract, Leaman was to have made a very large
',amount of money ; but , when the contract came
properly before the Secretary of War, he at once
.eVioted it to the amount called for by the adver
tisement for the bid, which was only two thousand
head of 'cattle. The ()entreat had been made with
the Commissary of the War Department, without
:the knowledge or consent of General Cameron,
which acconnts for its extranganee, and which
will explain the conjecture it gave rise to, in re
gard to its legality. 11 hose in this city, who have
made the rumor of this contract the subject of SO
much unfair and unkind oommentation, will now
eve the opportunity either to recall their words,
or kave them stand aatbe record of their misrepro
elmtation and malevolence."
= Solutioh has been rumored and written In refer
ence to this beef oontraot, that a few apthorized
seer& may not be inopportune.
Mr. LAUMAN is one of four gentlemen who pro
posed to supply the Government with beef in the
darkest period of our difficulties, when the Balti
more mob had fired upon our troops, bad torn up
our railroads, and when 'General SCOTT himself
,41(1 not believe communications could be opened for
Many weeks. The Beceisionists refused to allow
the farmers in the neighborhood to supply our citi
zens with food. Every necessary of life rose at
once to the highest rates. So great was the panic,
that many who now eomplain of this beef centred
-fled overland from Washington, paying extrava
:mutt sums in order to get away from what looked
like the capture of the city The rates under
;which the contract was ow:opted by the Govern
',pent ara,. even nom, regarded as moderate. If
the cominunioations had not been opened the con
*-tractore.would base been ruined.
The contract was made with the regular Com
missary of the War Department, one -of the
sternest and Strictest men in the service, Captain
-Bays:min.
It wag promptly signed by General Gammon,
Secretory 'of War, who believed that the Govern.
markt, lad made a goad bargain in aeottrillg the
services of men who were ready to undertake the
-.great rick of •supplylng the troops and the oily
with beef.
It is-a perfectly legal and just contract, and up
to this time has not been abrogated or limited by
the Secretary of War. The parties stand upon
righta,• and rely Upon the Government to
fain them. •
The New- York Seventh Await the Or
dors ofGeneral Scott.
The`istew Tnrk Seventh iagitoont plane them- -
.6eiven af*a rbapPeal of General Doerr in regard.
' , to their Mare movements. The time for whioh
Were swortfin (thirty.dais) hes eoired, and
-:r•tra
eti, janialbliriiiitirtinrieenven.leMse `ta"tsie
ar DePartMtratt;' but the entire reglisrat of over
'fisuiteeithitttired' men place themselves entirely
-at the disposal of General Soorr. An evidenoe of
i titeir attachment to the cause of their country, is
e foot that they left New York at twelve hours'
0100, and were among the Ant in the National
elipital when it was threatened with invasion.
Another fact that evinces their continued .deaire
to aid the Government is thatlheir ranks, sines'
their arrival iii Washington, have been gradually
strengthened. The number of muskets in the
regiment has been inoressed from 991, counted in
the first arrival, to 1,27fi, newierthe camp, while
the whole number of men in the regiment, now on
the ground, is 1,4361 Theywere reviewed yeeter.
day by Adjutant General Thomas, and it was
then informally intimated that General SCOTT
cold probably „order the regiment to Long
I eland for , the purpose of drilling recruits ga ,
bored into the central encampments there. As
EIIME/
~ r uits are drilled much more etrectually by be
,
ugplaced 'iv the ranks of a welbdrilled company,
is arrangement would seem to commend itself,
.',lisially as the Seventh would still be under the
(lira of the General Government, and would- he
id in readiness to =rah to any point at six
urs' notice. Under all circumstances, however,
ey are entirely subject in their movements to
, era from the War Department.
be Beventhhave received a splendid Silk flag
.m Now York, contributed by the ladies there,
. formally presented to-day to the regiment,
th appropriate ceremonies.
's regiment is well provided for by friends at
me. Yesterday they received between eight and
ne hundred boxes, bales, and packages from New
rk, containing supplies, donations, gifts, do.,
embracing all the luxuries the market could
ord. In one case alone, to a single individual,
ore Was enough, according to a reasonable esti•
ate, to supply the regiment in rations for one
• . Their daily receipts are not much len than
ose of yesterday.
Troops in Alexandria.
ver 3,000 Virginia troops are concentrated in
exandria this morning. The immediate object
Io awe every citizen in casting his vote to-day on
ordinance of secession.
he report of a quad of Zonavea having taken
wit a Steession flag, in Alexandria, early in the
-ek, is not correct. The flag was removed from
,rieate building between Washington and Alex
.. ria.
FROM WASHINGTON.
FIFTY THOUSAND TROOPS IN VIRGINIA.
Large Arrival of Arms from Europe
at the South.
T2E33 SOUTI-17/SICZT
U. S TREASURY NOTES AND BONDS
GENERAL SCOTT'S POLICY.
An Immediate Invasion not Contemplated.
Wasaraoron, May 23.--A. letter from Virginia
Antes that there are between fifty and atzty
thousand men under arms in that 'State. They
are chiefly posted at Richmond, Norfolk, and
Harper's Ferry, or within hailing distance of
these points.
It is also stated that private advioes confirm the
report of large arrivals of arms at the South from
abroad. These were shipped from Europe early
in April, and consist of over 200,000 muskets and
rides and ample supplies of powder and peroussion
cape, and mashines for making the latter attiole.
A private company has been organised at Al ex
andria, Virginia, to convey letters to the North, as
after next week, all letters destined for the North
will lie over at that eity. All mail intercourse
with points north of Virginia will cease on the fthit
of J lane.
The Post Office Department has, as yet, taken no
soden in view of the contemplated Southern inde
pendent mail arrangemente.
The appearances indicate that separate offers for
bonds or treasury notes, and alternative offers for
the former at current rates, and for the latter at
par, will exceed the nine millions called for. The
desirahlanesa and importance of this result creates
some solicitude that it may not fail of being rea
lised.
Much speculation is indulged in as to the move
ments of the troops for 'restive service; but those
who, it is presumed, are Dist acquainted with such
matters, say that no invasion into the heart of any
State Is now aontemplated;that the operations will
be principally confined to the recapture af the pub
lie property, and in the maintenance of tho de
fensive works still in the 1)0813138E10n of the United
States.
Much deference is paid to the views of Lieu
tenant. General Scott, and it is known that he is
not restive to make any forward movement unless
with preponderating chances of success. There
may, however, be modifications of this present
policy, dependent on circumstances.
Joseph Casey, of Pennsylvania, has been ap
pointed a judge of the court of Claims, to supply
the vacancy occasioned by the secession of . Judge
Scarborough, of Virginia.
The President has also appointed the following
surgeons in the navy: Charles F. Fake, Samuel
P. Cowes, Haw. Shippen, William Lowber, Phineas
J. Remits, William D. Harrison, fibulae Martin,
Francis U. Grinnel, James Snddard, S. Allen
Bugles, Benjamin Freeland, Jacob S. Dungan.
Samuel Raymond has been appointed postmaster
at Andover, Mass., and Darwin Wells postmaster
at Paterson, New Jersey.
Colonel Thompson, formerly engineer-in-ohief of
the New York State Militia, who has been for two
months noting military movements, proposes to
raise and equip' a battery of mountain hewitsers,
at his own expense if necessary, and attach it to
some first class accepted regiment
This afternoon a national flag, the gift of ladies
of New York to the Seventh Regiment, was for
mally presented to that corps through General
Thomas, Adjutant General of the army. Colonel
Lefferts, in receiving the flag, responded. A large
concourse of persons were in attendance, among
whom was the President of the United States.
THE VIRGINIA ELECTION.
RETURNS FROM THE WESTERN SECTION
HEAVY UNION NLTORMES.
Wanzwita, May 23.—This city to-day gave
2 ; 595 votes against the secession ordinance, and 89
far its ratification.
Nothing satiefamory can be received tonight
from the Western counties.
BALTIMORE, May 23.—A few returner have been
received from Weatern Virginia.
A despatch from Grafton given the following no
the Note in that town Against seeession, 429; for
6410686i011, L
Taylor county will give about 700 majority
against secession.
Harrison county about 1,000, and Wood county
about 1,600, 'majority against sommaion.
Martinsburg, in Berkley county, gives about 700
majority against secession.
Deplorable Condition of the Pennsyi.
vault' Troops at Lancaster.
LANCASTER, PS , MILI 23.-Fore some time past
our citizens hays been distressed with the coon
;plaints made of the condition of the troops at
;Oaf Johnson—the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
timing contains a fill eirrisakt of the state of
affairs there, wbioh conflints all that has been said
about theca
So strong have been the grievances of the troops
.that the Express declares tkey will soon become
utterly demoralized, notwlthetanding the excellent
character of the men of which the regiments are
composed. Already two or three companies have
unanimously protected against appearing in dress
parade, and, but for the arrival of a quantity of
fresh beef- on Sunday, and a care for the honor of
their eaptain, - one of the companies would have
carried this protest into effect.
All this discontent is occasioned simply by the
shocking condition of the commissariat; which
serves to the volunteers rancid, and oftentimes,
pork in a state of pntreasenee, and an• entirely in
sufficient supply of bread. The following instance
will illustrate the condition of this department
With all economy, one oompany of seventy-four
men supped lest evening on less than fourteen
•pounds of bread alone, the pork being thrown away
as totally unfit to be touched even by hungry men.
The citizens of Lancaster county would oheer
fully help the troops if the official commissariat
was dispensed with; but they are not willing to ,
appear to sanction an evident abase, by contribu
ting to supply that which is paid for out of a libe
ral State Treasury. They are, however, deter
mined, out of feelings of humanity, as well as pa
triotism, to have recourse to the most energetic
measures to institute a reform. It is not known
definitely what party is responsible for the neglect.
From Harrisburg.
AEUMBUR6I-, May 23.—Lieutenant Colonel H.
J. Riddle, Assistant Adjutant General R. V. C., 18
detailed to promeed to Philadelphia to-night to
muster into the service of the State of Pennsylva
nia the twenty. six companies to which that city Is
entitled.
Bet one additional case of -malarious fever has
occurred at the camp at Ohambersburg since yes
terday. It resulted favorably.
Bo far as can be asoerteined, the ldth Regiment
of Virginians at Williamsburg have not yet at
tempted to crass to the Maryland side. They were
reinforced last night by a company of cavalry.
The Martinsburg Artillery, of six pieoes, will
positively arrive to-night.
Bitter complaints are received from Laneaster
about the commissariat at that point.
Three regiments of troops from York are , ex
peoted to ma rch to Baltimore, via Frederick, in a
few days.
Campbell's Flying Artillery will return to
Chamber:burg immediately.
A reconnoitring party has been sent into the
lines of the Virginians, detached from (01., Wtn.
Irwin's regiment.
Camp Curtin is in - good condition, and the
troop' in exeellent spirits
The Sanatory of the Commonwealth and Col.
Biddle will leave here to-night. for Philadelphia,
to muster the troops fronkthat city into the fitate
serrloo to-morrow.
From Chambersburg.
UNSVCCESSPIIL ATTIIIPT OP Till VIRGINIANS TO
BIIZI • PERRY BOAT
Camisassillid, (Pa.') May 23.—0 n Wednesday
'tight a party of Virginians attempted' to capture a
ferry boat on the Potomac, near Clear Spring,
Md. Notice was given to the Union men of Clear
Spring, three miles distant, Who turned out to guard
the boat.
During the night the Virginians seised the boat
but were fired upon by the guard, and when mid
way somas bad to abandon the prise, and estrape
in a skill. It has been reliably aseartabsed that
two of the Virginians were shot. The ferry boat
wee returned again to the Maryland shore.
No reinforoements have reached Williamsport.
All is quiet here. •
Kentucky.
FRasiczoaT, May 23.—1 n the &mate to.day, Mr.
Pratt offered a reeolution, whieh lies over for one
day, under the rules, that in ardor to advise the
next Legislature of the popular wilt of the State,
vote be taken on the gustation of Ehrooseion on the
Ant .
Monday of August next.
The Legislature will mijourn hi-morrow.
The House has oonourred in the Senate hill re
organising the militia and appropriating 51,000,000
for the arming of the Mato.
Louravir,Ln, Mhy 23.—The editors of theism&
lug daily newspapers of this oity have been sum
moned, by authority. to Frankfort, to•teatify in
regard to the arms brought into Kentuoky, to
motion, pertaining to Knights of the Golden dlr.
°le, and to the alleged eorreepondenoe of Governor
Magoffin with the Confederate authorities.
Military Movements in Canada.
Tenosro, C. W.. MaY 23.—The Leader says
there will shortly. be 60,000 Enfield rifles in the
province, and, in view of marauding expeditions
on the Canadian frontier from bodies of men who
will not be ruled by the' Washington Government,
recommend, that the militia be placed on a better
footing immediately.
The Prize Park Hiawatha at New York.
Nsw Yozus., May 23 --Ilse prize bark ifiastrat/sa,
whew capture is notiae4 in another despatch, an-
Dooming the arrival of the steamer Kerittrons
State, was brought into this port this evening.
eutitiiii News
WAIMINGITON, May 13:--The Charleston Courier
of Tuesday says :
" Lieut. Pleat, of the Confederate steamer Lady
Davis, on Sunday morning, when about ten
miles from Port Royal, lioarded the ship A. B.
Thompson, from Savannah, bound to New York.
This Teasel arrived at Savannah on Saturday, in
ballast, from Antwerp, and oleared immediately
for New York. Oa examining her papers, the com
mender of the Lady Davis found her clearance
was not properly aigned, and only vouched for by
the deputy clerk of the Savannah customhouse.
The chip was taken into Port Royal, and is de
tained to await orders from the proper authori
ties.
" Many merchants of Charleston are preparing
to visit European marts for personal selections of
supplies, and opening a correspondence and direct
trade."
A letter from New Orleans, dated the 16th inst.,
to a mercantile house in Charleston, says the ship
Ocean Eagle was oapteredjby Privateer Calhoun,
and conveyed into that port The Ocean Eagle
is said to be a Medfard•built vessel of about 800
tons, and is valued at about $20,000
A deepatoh in the Peteroburg (Va.) Express
dated Norfolk, Tueeday, oar; :
" The Yankee steamers opened fire agoio this
morning on our batteries at bewell's Point. Their
fire was returned with all the energy which pa
triots defending their own soil could bring to bear.
The steamers finally retired for a rest. No damage
was done.
gt Thia afternoon Lineoln's steamers returned,
and opened firo on fiewell'if,Point. There was heavy
cannonading for some time, when the Yankees, be
coming satisfied, retired with their steamers to the
mouth of the James river. No damage was done
on our side. The result to the Yankee craft is no
known."
Maryland Wilton State Convention
Bevramona, May 23 —The Union State Conven
tiers met in this city today.
It was largely attended by tbe city delegates
and meet of the emetic, of the State were repro
seated.
The proceedings were marked by a spirit of
great enthusiasm and harmony amnion
A aeries of resolutions were adopted in favor of
an unconditional Union, and denouncing secession
in the strongest terms, pledging the State to sus
tain the Government in the exercise of all its con
stitutional powers, for a vigorous, active, and Imo
easeful crushing of tie rebellion.
There were only two dissenting votes to these
resolutions. •
Arrival of the Transport Keystone
State at. New York.
NEW YORK, May 23 —The transport steamer
Keystone State arrived here this afternoon. She
brought a party of refugees from Virginia, as pas
sengers.
The Keystone Saco left Fortress Monroe on the
.22d.
The British bark Hiawatha, of and for Liver
pool, with a cargo of tobacco, - While attempting to
run the blockade, was seized, and a prise crew
placed aboard of her from the Minnesota.
The Keystone State has nearly one hundred
women and children. refugees from the South, be.
aides transferring a large number to the Baltimore
steamer Georgianna.
The funeral of Col. Vosburg was attended by an
immense number of persons.
Five regiments, and detachments of others, took
pert. Broadway was thronged with spectators.
From Boston.
DASTARDLY ROT OF YRS LATE . XIMINEIR OF TER
FRIG&TE 3fllBlB SIPPI
BOSTON, May 23.—The•frigate Mi.fsis.tipps re
turned to-day, having, when a few miles down the
harbor, discovered that her delivery-pipe had been
tampered with and rendered useless, by a joint of
gum and canvas being Inserted lostead of metal
pipe, by the late chief engineer, Michael Quinn, of
Virginia, and who lately resigned and joined hie
fellow-rebels. It will take a week to repair the
damage.
A letter from a Boston shipmaster at Havre says
the ship Matilda, of Charleston, Capt. Connor,
which arrived there on April 29th, had the pal •
matte flag flying, but she was not allowed to enter
the dock until she bad hoisted the stare and stripes.
The Massachusetts Legislature adjourned this
afternoon. Most of the members, Individually,
contributed to pay the Missouri volunteers
B. F. Thomas was nominated by the People's
Convention to-day, to succeed lion. Chas. Francis
Adams.
Nebraska Territory.
Sr. Lours, May 23 —Ex•Governor Black, of No.
braska, who has been in the city for a day or two,
left this evening for Pittsburg, where he will pro
bably take some active part in the present military
movements. He reports that considerable apprr.
Imam exists in the Territory of Indian hostilities
during the coming summer. The Sioux and Chey
ennes have joined for the purpose of waging war
against the Pawnees, which will involve the whites,
as the latter tribe are principally within the settle•
ments.
In PiOW of this. and also to afford protection to
the frontier forts, the Indian agencies, and the
overland emigration, which promises to be nun ,
Busily large this year, Goy. Black strongly urges
that a regiment of volunteers be raised. and mae•
tared into the United States gerviee, and stationed
in different parts of the Territory. Ile had al
ready willed the attention of the War Department
to the necessity of such a movement, and consulted '
Eieneral Barney in relation thereto, who, it is un
derstood, approves of the plan.
litkriti rig of a Cottoa Ship -at - Nea7
', Orleans.
New Ormaaxs, May 23 —The bark General
Taylor,..bound hence for Bordeaux, ,with - _ a oareo
!77'l~alTlr'~iT.~?~~ TR'
A Secret Mission.
Loinemrar. May 23.—Capt. James W. Abert
arrived here iresterday'en an %India:fleeted minion
from the Federal Government.
l araSeizure of Southern Bank Notes
Nsw YORK; May 23.—Fifty-two thourand - do
Tare' worth of notes, for the Whitfield Bask, of Da
ton, 43a., were oohed hero to-day.
Markets by Telegraph.
Envy Oarmarrs, May 23.—There have been. no Wee
of any moment in the Cotton Market to-day. Freights
in European vessels have advanced to 13‘d. Float' has
advanced-to $3 1p bbl. Corn 700576.3. Men rork $23
ego. Whisky 140‘0160.
Cis eisii.Xl. May 2.3 —Flour is in fair demand at -84 BO
1214 Eft, Whisky 123‘c, Mess Pork nominal atslam.
There was nothing done either in Bulk Meats or Bacon
to-day, except a eale of BO hhda of seder at nic. Lard
dull at 83io. Exchanges dull at fi cent. Currency
harm
Another Revolution.
We had exhibited to u yeeterday at the " Goa
tinental " a breeelt-leading gun, the invention of
Mr. Louie Evans, a . young mechanic and sound
Union man, of Western Virginia, which strikes us
as a complete resolution in gun-making. Military
men, among whom was the late unetWiable nearer
tory of War, have long since decided that the
breech-loader was not only a denderatum, but
must eventually become Megan of the regular ser-
vice ; but all bteeoh-loadere heretofose invented
are so complicated, and, consequently, so liable to
get out of order, that they have never been intro
duced into the general service ; and, Indeed, these
objections have caused great prejudices amongst
military men against this kind of arm. But it
seems to us, and we learn that it is the opiaion of
every manufacturer and connoisseur who have
examined Mr. Evans' gun, that he may truly ez
"Eureka !" -
We are aatiafted that hie gun is simple in its eon
atruction ; not liable to get out of order; can be
loaded with either cartridges or ammunition in
less time than any other gun, and either at the
breech or muscle ; no danger of accident from pre
' mature explosion and can be loaded when the
soldier is in any position, even when in quick
motion on horse back Another advantage is, that
any ordinary gnu or mtisket can have this im
provement added, using the same look, stook, and
barrel. It is also applicable to small ordnance, 6,
12, or 24-pounders, as well as side anus.
Mr. Evans' object is to form a company of enter
prising gentlemen to engage in the manufacture of
his gun, and to take contracts from either the Go
vernment or individuals to alter guns. He has
secured hie improvement to himself, by the proper
measures, at the Patent Mee. We sincerely be
lieve that this is an minimal opportunity for per
sons of means and energy to embark in an enter
prise which will pay, and may possibly make them
untold wealth: for, if the gun is as valuable as it
appears to be, it will not only beptirohased by the
Federal Government and the different States of
the Union, but it will be patented and saleable in
all the European Countries, many of which coon
will be, if they are not already, engaged in de
structive wars.
[For The Press.]
M. Sl:tiros : In your . article, this morning,
upon the now magazines, von direct attention to
and give a quotation from the paper in the Atlan
tic Monthly," Concerning Things Slowly Learnt,"
by the "Country Parson," or, as he is better
known to Fraeerian readers, A. H. H B. I agree
with you in the estimate you act upon the contri
butions of, this pleasant moralist, but desire to ask
'an explanation upon, one matter connected with
the present essay. I find it In the May number of
Fraser and In the June number of the Allantle.
TO be sure, the June number of the latter is diets!.
bated here rather earlier than the reoeption of
Fraser for May by °le•Atlantio readers, but, it
appears to me that if, by an arrangement between
Fraser and his contributor and the At/antse peo
ple, the articlee are to be published in both. maga
zines, they should be published In the lastie for the
same month, as is the ease with ,‘ Agnes of Sor
rento," in the Atlantis - and Corr/Ail/. Otherwise,
it gives to the Attantsc the, doubtless nndeeeryed,
Appearance of appropriating from a British maga
zine without giving due °milt._ W. El.
Two SPLINDID XXHIBITIONS &Menthe IX Owe.
—On Monday evening will comment* the exhibi
tion by means of the stereopticon, with which our
readers are all familiar— the bombardment of
Fort Sumpter, burning of Norfolk, navy yard,
and other scenes of interest connected with the
present civil conflict. Sanderson's pane
rains of the ItllErtill war—the interest of both in
creased by meebanical and chemical effects and a
good band of mimic.
,LArttin B.tii or Hortans Ann QUI
Harkness will hold on extraordinary and very e:•
tensive male of horses, ay.. on Satgrday morning,
at the Sasser, oomprising several entire earth
lishments, ineinding snatched, family, and trot
ting horses, and some very desirable single•harness
and saddle horses, and a large oolleotion of car
riages and harness.
Walla OF llotreizaLw.'wwwwwww.—Thle morn
ing, at 10 o'elook, Mears:. Mu& Ekat, No. 914
Chestnut Streeti will sell a large seeestmest of
hew:bold funalture.
Highly Important frail% New Orlea
several Northern ships Captured
(From the New Or!eans Bee, 18th.]
Several ships from Northern ports have,s
w.
predicted would be the care, bean aaptureo,4,,
were yesterday brought up to this poet. Ti"
three prince were . fire ones. taken by the ste t
o °l
chip privateer V. H. Ivy. The remak e of the g n ,
forty-eight hours work may be ret down at abO;
$300,000 Pretty !port look for our Wit oretm,.. -
LOOKING OUT FOR OALOUCTA 13111p5
[From the Now Orleans Crescent, Ally)
There ere one or two valuable cargoes of o ti,
outta goods now due on our coast. Thu g or
are owne d chiefly In Boston, and It was br u t
about yesterday that the excursionists .tere look.
log out for them. There toe several toe gk o
Republican merchant vessels now due from t o .
reign ports It would not surprise cs t o ou
lee
ourexrelonists would be paying their reeNc%
to hem.
PARTICULARS OF TIIR OCEAN EAOLL
CAPTURE.
[From the Boe 17th?
Last Wednesday night, as we were nav e m
u
time, but were in no hurry to make nublis, the
privateer Calhoun, fated out in this pert, hottese4
to the Bailee on her important work ; ulster vele
mend of the daring and veteran Captain j uk
wilsork, having on board of his vessel several 6,
pieces of cannon, and one hundred intreril ze tz ,
provided with small arms and everything
ry for a successful cruise in the Gulf n o
trat
fruits of 139 C faleriOil were very soon pielle t ;
without moats opposition, and Were brought to :be
city yesterday morning in the shape of a ! o mit,
tiel bark, the Ocean. Engle, from Portiatd,
Maine, with a cargo of :3,147 casks of lime, w orth
several thousand dollars, independent of Me vale,
of the vessel
Captain Wilson having rent the Occan
under a prize crew, set out again for the Golf after
sundry other crafts, which, from acoonzte ob•
tained, he had hopes of capturing near the 13 4 11 0
and some of which he, no doubt, caught last night:
and will sand up this morning. Let the good WA
be prosecuted vigorously, arid imitated by other,
STILL ANOTHER!-CAPTURE OP THE Burp
JOHN JARVIE!
[Prom the Bee, 37th.]
The privateer Masse captured a prize at or sem
the Belize, which was brought up yeek. r a„ .
aom p aw y with the prize eaptured by the Catt 6 6.
This was the ship job; larvis.
ENGLISH PICTOEIALS.--FrOM Mr. Callender,
newspaper agent,. South Third street, we hoe the
illusireeted London News of May 11-6 splendid
number, with artiatleni supplement, containing
portraita of the hie Presidents of the Royal
Academy of London, and eight other engra►le se
illustrating the history of that Institution, lye
also have the Illustrated News of the World of
the same date, with portrait supplement engrav e d
on steel.
Cortcap.r er Music Ar. FUND 13.11.4 —This rift
ing a benefit concert will come off; for the pare
of uniforming the Municipal Guard, No. i Th e
performers win include Madame Johanneen, Mtn
Henrietta Shaw, Mr. J. J. Frazer, Mr. Add (
Birgfeld, Mr John M. Brans, Mr. Carl °tenser.
Mr. W. Stoll, Mr. W. IL Cross, kit., and the p ro .
gramme is attractive and well selected.
'l.' E C Y.
Presbyterian General Assembly, 0, s.
SEVENTH DAY.
The Assembly opened its proceeding! yesterday
morning with a large attendance.
The Rev. Dr. Brown led in prayer.
Dr. Jacobus, from the Judicial Committee, ma&
a report directing that the appeal from Little Fa
New York, against the Synod of Albany, be dig.
missed.
The report was adopted.
Dr. Hodge= preeented a communication irks
the Board of Trustees of the Assembly, reaom•
mending that some , persons be appointee in place
of Messrs. A. Miller and Carnoohan Otter pint
were also contained in the communication, aSEc
was docketed
Several judicial oases came up. They will le
acted on hereafter. The order of the day wee then
called. It was the report of the committee en
the annual report of the Board of Foreign Xi!.
alone.
Dr. Dickinson read the committee's report.
Section 1. Approves of the action of the Boort
of fdlealose.
2 Refers to the death of six missionaries.
3 Refers to the satisfactory results of tae you's
work, notwithstanding the decrease in India.
4. Speaks of the diminished receipts, but does
not advise retrenchment until the Church EM bet
it is to he aooomplished.
5. Recommends that the present missionariertc
continued another year, even if the means now
be increased.
6 Commends the cause to pastors and aharabes.
7. The minutes found all right.
8. Nominations for new members
The Secretary of the Board of Missions, Rev.
Dr. Lowrie then took the floor, and in a speech of
some length showed the operations of the Beard,
the vast fields it has to traverse, the able and he.
roio men, sent out to the perishing heathen, sod
the financial ditfietilties with which the Board has
had to contend. Bo pressing is the debt that the
Secretary could not even promise to send out two
persons who had asked to be sent to India since
the Assembly mot. The expenses in these eases
would be but five hundred dollars, and yet the
Secretary felt that he must wait the pleasure of the
Assembly is the matter. The speaker else, dwelt
upon the influence of woman In the spread dap
Gospel in Chine; India, etc., and he rejoiced in the
lemon taught to the heathen by the elevation of
innla the ino l, --.fte of tige Ofmel in
closing, al - Wreaker =aired a propa4„ i %atm.
mate success of the cause of minions. He said
we Nab the flag of our country hung out every
where to day. Well, Ido not objeot, for I lore
that flag—but there is another flag hung out by
the Gospel. It is the flag of the arose, and under
It all the nations will gather.
Mr. Hopkins, of Indianapolis, offered a resolu
tion supplementary to the report of the commit
tee. It, in substance, urged further and moos
generous contributions to the cause of missions,
and that, if necessary, the people transfer their
contributions from the other Boards to• this one,
until its embarrassments are removed.
In advocating hie reeelutioa, Mr. BI areesrl
that we had better let the other Boards want e
little so that we could meet the neueseildes of the
Board of Maidens. He further remarked that,
anises the brethren who eontrol the other Board!
were able to clear up everything, as rather Lowrie
had done, the people of the West attend wide
them ee they ought to be sustained if everything
was right.
Mr. Horace Holden, of New York, took the
floor. Me began by Baying that the Church did
not reach the masses, and no other Church except
the Roman Oath°lie %arch did Be went on to
show why this wee, abet which he alluded, with
acme bitterneee, to the reckless way in which
charges were bandied about in the AssamMy in
regard to members of tt 4 o Boards lie mid thitif
mob charges were made against him be would ask
a committee of inquiry, or resign. Eon as it no,
hie heart had been pained, and he bad retired
from the. Assembly to weep at the exhibition of
personalities he had seen here
The Rev. W. A. P. Martin, a foreign mitelenetY,
said that there was wealth enough in this snotty
to carry forward all our groat religious outer
primes He did not wish a pebble octet in the lay
of any cause. He wished all our noble Bootie to
be sustained and carried on abreast. Let ne mate
no more retrenchment in foreign mission, In say
event, for It can least be made there.
The resolution of Mr. Hopkins was then with•
drawn
The report of the committee was then taken np,
and each section was disonesed reparately, In brief
remarks by several apeakers, until the adjourn
ment.
ArTZRZCOON 8X6610.21
The afternoon's proceedings were opened with
prayer by the Rev. Dr Ball.
Mr. Baker offered a motion that the fart, in.
stead of the last, half hour of each day should be
spent in devotional exercises. Not agreed to.
The eider of the day was taken up, being the
report of the Committee on Synodical Records on
the Synod of Pittsburg.
Considerable debate ensued upon the expression
in the minutes as to ao•ordinate secretaries
The exception was, after some time, etricken
out.
The committee also reported, through Dr. Ber'
gen, upon the records of Synod of South Caroline,
which had been sent on by express. They stated
that they had found them correct, and that South
Carolina still belonged to the Old Sobool Freer
tartan Church; that some resolutione, very disre
spectful to the Government of the United Mites,
had been offered at a meeting of the Synod, but
had been laid on the table, and that a resolution
was adopted providing that a committee be el )-
pointed to prepare reaclutlona expressive of the
sense of the Synod of &nth Carolina, and that the
committee afterwards reported a series of reecho-
Vous expressive of friendliness towards the Prost'
terian Church throughout the United States.
There wee nothing in them casting an y Wipe
upon the United Slides. The aot'of 2818 had been
adopted by the South es well as the North, but
now was virtually rescinded.
Mr. Anderson commenced a speech, arguing
that such was not the ease, that the act in question
was not rescinded, but he gave way for the order
of the day.
Devotional exercises being the order of the day,
the Moderator read the 111th hymn, which was
sung by the entire Assembly.
Dr Bunions offered a prayer, after whiob the
Moderator read a few passages from the Psalms.
Dr- Junkies made a abort address, Alter rhich
pert of the 69th Psalm was sung.
The Assembly soon tiler adjourned, with sing
ing the Doxology.
MALICIOUS MISCITIEF.—Throe young tamp
named Charles young, Henry Roaoh, and Joseph
were arrested, a night or two &mow O 0
one of the wharves in the uppe r part of the ci ty .
upon the obarge of malicious =goblet. They were
naught in the ant of rolling a burningAar barrel to
the tilde of a canal boat, evidently witn the Inten
tion of firing it. They were also charged with the
larceny of a small boat found in their possession.
The prisoners were committed for court, by Alder
men Beater.
MONSIEUR. ALEXANDER WOLOWSRI, the well
known pianist and composer, after a enemata'
course of musical instruction by hie new and AM.
Oiled metbod, given in New York, intends re
turning to Philadelphia next week. We are cer
tain his numerous friends and pupil', will be happy
to receive this intelligence.
ACClblim.—Mbert LOWEUE4I3, aged thirty
two years, attached to the eeoond Reghnot of
Ohio volunteers, broke his arm yesterday morn•
log, by falling from the top of a oar, shortly after
leaving Suffolk Park. no wee taken to the Penn
sylvania Hospital.
TEX CUSTOM HOUSK.—Yesterday the Son.
Wm. B. Thomas, collector of the port, closed his
labors of receiving appliconts for *Soo and their
friends. For seven, days Mr. Thomas be, Ovoid
Ma entire time end attention to these interviews.
MISSIONARY MICNTING.—A meeting was held
last evening, in the church at Broad and Penn
Square, to consider meant; to advanee the cause of
foPeigll Mini/DD. tioversl eltort addressee were
delivered. The Divine blessing Was Invoked on
the deliberations
FATAL RESULT.—A man named Phillip+,
who had hit log fraotarod a few days ago at Point
BrerzA Park, by a bank of gravel rolling upon
bhp, died At the Hospital yeaterday, from the rf•
foot of hie Iniarim.