gljt Vrtss. MONDAY. JUNE 3. 1861 float that standard sheet 1 Where breathes the tee bat tails before us? With freedom's soil beneath ear feet, L e d pi...edema's banner streaming e'er us: Speech of Jefferson Davis at Rich The leader of the traitors, JEEFEitsori DAY'S, after his arrival at Richmond, on Wednesday last, made a speech to the crowd of Secession ists who surrounded him, in which he had the impudence to say, ig I look upon you as the last best hope of liberty; and in our liberty alone is our constitutional government to be preserved.” The basis of all republican free dom must necessarily consist in the peaceful triumph of the constitutionally-expressed will of the majority in the selection of rulers. The greatest danger to all republics consists in the disposition of lawless and ambitious men to attain power by farce contrary to law, and in the event of their failure to gain su preme control of a whole country to attempt by filmy expedients and disguises, or by open rebellioe, to divide it and to acquire a domi nance in such sections as possess a majority of people favorable to their cause. Bad men, in all ages, have been only too ready to adopt. devices of this kind, and this is the chief rea son why so many republican experiments have failed ; why the people of Europa have been taught to believe that stable and esta blished monarchical governments were ne cessary evils to guard against the machi nations of turbulent leaders; why the at_ tempts in Mexico and in the South American States to imitate our example have, in most Instances, proved lamentable failures ; and why a large amount of intelligence, of self-con trol, and of genuine patriotism are considered absolutely necessary for the preservation of republican institutions. Yet Jirszasos Davis, as the avowed leader of the Southern conspiracy, as the chief engineer of the most wicked, causeless, unfounded, and malignant Movement against free institutions and the cause of human liberty that has ever beep made since the world began, has still the hardihood, with the fall knowledge of the load of guilt that weighs upon him, and of the in famy of his associates, to tell his co-conspira. ton that be looks upon them scas the last beat hope of liberty," and ci the only agents by whom our constitutional Go vernment can be preserved." It is difficult for the imagination to conceive of a more in famously untruthful position than that whisb he this assumes. if he did not feel that the mass of his audience were extremely ignorant of all true ideas of constitutional liberty, and so wrapped up in their attachment to the in stitution of African slavery as to make pro fessions of devotion to it the only standard by which all political questions and the status Of politicians should be determined, he would not have dared to make so false and foolish au assertion, even to his most devoted adherents. Southern Opinions of the North. A gentleman who hag recently travelled through the Southern States, and conversed with many of the people of that section, and the soldiers connected with tbe Southern aunty, says that they are 'utterly incredulous In regard to the reports they hear from the North in reference to the number of men who have volanteered to serve the national abuse, and the money and other resources at our command. We are not astonished at this. The masses of the Southern people are at beat but poorly informed on any subject, and they have for a long period been grossly deceived by their leaders about the character and posi tion of the Northern people. They have been taught to believe that nearly all our wealth was derived At a_ that :the moment she einamr against what was supposed to be her capacious purse, oar very existence would be endangered, and that we could no more subsist without her lordly and munificent patronage than live without air or wafers The evident delu sion involved in this doctrine will, however, speedily be dissipated, even though the se verest financial blow we have suffered arises from the fact that hundreds of milliona of dollars in merchandise and in Money that the North, out of her abundance, has advanced to the South in her thinly-veneered poverty and des titution, is not now collectable, and that In reality this haughty traitor section is at this moment indebted to us for nearly all the signs of prosperity which exist throughout Its do minions. . Another fallacy extensively believed at the South is that while the chivalry" are all mo dels of courage, the people at the North are essentially cowardly, and utterly incapable of encountering in arms the Southern forces. The course of events, up to this period, if it could be well understood in the South, would go far to destroy this tayorite idea, but a pitched battle or two are, perhaps, necessary to en tirely eradicate it. It is said that when one of the fugitives from Alexandria had retreated as far as Manassas Gap !unction, he met there a vaporing South Carolina soldier who ex pressed an earnest desire for a hand to baud conflict with five or six of the New York Zonares ; but his Alexandria friend gently re marked, "I have seen them, and can assure you that one would be quite sufficient to mo =pollee your attention." If brag and bluster could decide the fate of a battle we should be completely at the mercy of our antagonist', but, unfortunately for them, the argument henceforward is to be conducted with more substantial weapons. Mr. Ressurz says, in describing the in. scriptiona upon the tents of the soldiers who surrounded Fort Sumpter at the time he was at Charleston, that the favorite names were such as , 5 the lion's den," cg the tiger's lair," at the eagle's nest," cg Mare delight," &e. AU of which indicates a threatening brag gadocia spirit, which would be very effective in the old Chinese style of warfare of fright ening men by hideous faces, loud threats, and terrible noises, but which will be found of no avail against the well-drilled, hardy, and brave regiments of our Northern troops. The lUbiqnstous Befturegard. More curiosity and more uncertainty seem to existin regard to the movements and where abouts of General /brainteaser, than any other man In the ranks of the traitors. For some time the testimony seemed to be almost equal. ly balanced as to whether he was on this or on the other aide of the river Styx; whether he bad fallen a victim to his rashness at Charles ton, during the attack upon Port Sumpter, or had survived that conflict. Scarcely were these doubts solved, by'a general admission that he was still iu the land of the living, be fore perplexities arose as to the particular locality he intended to honor with his pre sence, and what gang of Southern ttdare devils" he proposed to lead on to destruc• Sion. One day he was in South Carolina, an other at Montgomery, on the next he was certainly known to be at Norfolk, while on another it was understood he was at Rich mond, and hourly expected to make a descent upon Alexandria. One ot the latest and ap "parently most reliable statements is that on the 28th day ot May he arrived at Memphis, to direct operations there, and that hereafter he will have charge of the movements of the western wing of the traitor army. Wherever he may be, if he is brought In conflict with our brave troops, at any point where no such in equalities of force and position as prevailed at Charleston, at the time Sumpter was cap tured, exist, and where there is a possibility emir success, he will be fortunate it he does not lose all the laurels, withered and contet p. tittle as they are, which be won in bia brutal assault upon a small, half-starved, and half. smothered garrison. It would be difficult to present a clearer end 2nore concise statesnent of the mews involved 2n this contest than that presented in the brief letter of the Rt. Rev. Awaits Partite, Epis copal Bishop of this diocese, in this day's raw• Naw Yaw, June 2 %•.The steamer Mina: sailed for Portsmouth, N. 21., to-day, where she is to be altered auto a gunboat. Menus be. purobsad h 7 the Germatussit. mond. market Every bale which grows between the Potomac river and Mobile bay may be given to JEFFMON Davis, but the block sding fleets in the gulf and along the Atlantic enlist will be more likely to transfer it Into New York and Philadelphia, as contraband of war, than permit it to be bartered in the streets of Liverpool and Manchester. Stripped of its rhetoric and nonsense, we consider this speech of kir. COBB the most deplorable statement of the Southern rebel lion which we have read. We begin to un derstand more fully the true condition of the Southern people. If Mr. Conles address to his fellow-conspirators means anything, it means that their counsels are divided; that they are trembling 'before the majesty of a patient, long-enduring, but now a justly angry /forth; that they haws anters Into a rebellion without counting its cost and its perils, and, finding themselves unequi to its presestition, they are preparing for a desperate and de- spairing contest. With these troubles at the threshold, what may these deluded people not expect in the progrera of the war Which they have forced upon the nation ? Without money, without men, without commerce, without a market for their crops ; with a rest teas, dissatisfied, and dangerous element of society in their midst; without the sympathy of a single nation in tho family of nations ; with hetdttiney and tear in their counsels at home; without even a cause to rally the hearts of their people—it is hard to conceive a prospect more dismal than that which opens to the view of the Rebels in the Southern Gonfederaey. Virz WELCOMS Mr. Fire Marshal ItAciintin back to his post, and congratulate him upon his recovery from his recent serious accident. He is a faithful and accomplished officer, and serves the city of Philadelphia in his important position as no other citizen could serve it. His modest card is published to-clay, and there is a practical force in till suggestions, which will commend them to every mind. The Fire Marshal reminds us that he enters upon the fifth year of ids labors, and certainly no higher compliment could ber paid to his industry and skill than the fact that, no matter what party assumed municipal authority, he has been continued in his position. We regard Mr. Busonesso as a model *Meer, and sincerely trust %Millie may long remain in the service of the city, whose interests he has so care fully watched, and whose welfare he has loved so well. !Ism Yogic, lane 2 —The steamer Thomas &mum Wild this morning for Fort Plasm with 40,000 feet of lumber, eight rifle eatuton, 2,500 bombe, 2,500 cannon ball., aa4 a large quantity of ammunition, 41. The Confessions al a Commutator. It le impossible to rejrits tbs. financial genius of Mr. Sows[ , - 'Toss. ex - g"eretary o r the Treasury. we had nearly .four 'Years Or Lie experievce at Washington, and accu.4. i ng iy properly appreciate it. Many of his theories are novel, and must not be too rlgid:y c riticised, bat, nevertheless, the ex-Secretary is a very great man. There is but one other man living of whom he may feel jealous, and that is Brigadier• General Jona B. FLOYD, ex- Secretary of War. In the material points of their relative greatness, we can, of course, de tect a marvellous similarity ; but impartial justice compels us to give the laurels to COBB. FLOYD only stole the moveables,—and did so in such a bungling manner that we actually regretted the genius of JACK SHEPPARD. Coma rose to the demands of the occasion, and de. pleted the Treasury in such a manner that it was almost impossible to replace the guns and ammunition removed by his unscrupulous partner. These exploits could only meet with ono reward—and their authors have received it. Mr. Cons was last heard from, on the 22d of May, in the town of Atlanta, Georgia. He made a speech, which we have before us in a Southern newspaper. We have no doubt the speech is authentic, for the is loud cheers" and gg prolonged applause " are scattered through it with so much abundance and inge nuity that we cannot fail to recognize at once the mastar-hand of the distinguished author. The most material fact of his address was the announcement that the Confederate Congress bad adjourned to meet at Richmond on the 20th of July. Mr. COBB then tells us that the reason which led the Congress to take this step was, to use his own poetic phrase: gg We felt that her cause was our cause, and that if she fell, we wanted to die by her;" which ex planation assures us that Mr. COBB is deeply impressed with the uncertainty of human life, and the immense resources and determination of the Republic. The ex-Secretary evidently anticipates an early call at Richmond, for he also tells W 3,111 a molo dramatic manner, which would have made his fortune in a minor thea tre : 4' When the hour of danger comes, we will lay aside the robes of legislation, buckle on the armor of the soldier, and do battle be. side the brave ones who have volunteered for tho defence of our beloved South ;" where upon, of course, there were gg loud cheers." as The anxiety among our citizens," says Mr. Cons, " is not who alail go to the wars, but who shall stay at home." Thls reminds us of the conscription days of the Emperor NAPOLEON, when a similar anxiety prevailed among the people of France, and gives wp an enlarged opinion of the prudence of the Southern people. Then we have Mr. Coss in melo- drama again. "" In Congress, the other day, I told them that if no other arm was raised to defend Virginia, noble old Georgia, proud in her love of independence, would rise up to a man, and, crossing to the southernmost bound of Abolitionism, would say to LINOoMI and his myrmidons, g Thus far, traitor, shalt thou come, but no farther.' [Tremendous applause.]" All of which is sublime, espe cially the gg tremendous applause," and sug gests a little innocent reflection. Why should Mr. Conn inflict his Scriptural rhetoric on the Southern Congress ? Is this boasted unani m-ty, after all, a deception ? Are the South Carolinians and Louisianians hesitating about crossing the James river, that Georgia should volunteer singly for the fray ? Has Mr. PERCY Prawn, abandoned his Ideas of reposing in the capital, and, instead of unfurling the Palmetto from the White House, are we to understand that the " heroes , ' of Fort Sump ter and Fort Pulaski now simply intend to content themselves with a position on the the as southernmost bounds of Abolitionism ?" The confessions of the Secretary make us cu rious. Graduallylir. Conn approaches his element, and we have him at length in the financial as pect of the question. 44 We not only need soldiers," he says, a but we must have ties sure to carry on this war." Very true. Wa can't have a war without soldiers, and we can't have soldiers without money, and, ac cording to the ex Secretary, the South is in need of both these material elements. It wants everything, it seems, but officers ; and yet, amid all its necessities, we see a degree of magnanimity which can hardly be appreci .aed. When governments want money they do not genera:kr.-- .-.-_nniited_expe rience of human nature has impressed us with the conviction that a man will take all he can honestly get, and especially waea in need. We find, at last that welVe mistaken, and are under obligations to Mr. COBB for dis pelling the impression. "Private contribu tions have been offered to a vast amount," he says, but the Government does not require contributions from Individuals. No donations are necessary." An ordinary mind would quail before the problem in political economy this statement presents ; but in i lr. Conn we have no ordinany mind, and see how readily he solves it : cs I will tell you what you may do. Those of you who raise large crops of cotton, when your cotton is ready for market, give it to your Government at its market value, receive its bonds, and let it sell yourproduce to Europe tor the specie to sustain our brave 'boys' in Virginia. This was agreed on at Montgomery, and we promised to throw out the suggestion, that the people might think about it." , This suggestion, which was not received 1 with "tremendous applause," also induces another train of reflection. Where are all those enthusiastic rebels who took the fifteen million loan at par? Where are the faithful, honest "chattels" who begged to have their little accumulation of hard-earned gold changed into bonds ? Then, again, why not pay the brave ef boys" in Virginia with bonds? if they are anxious to die for the Old Do minion, they might easily be persuaded to receive her bonds, and if the people are so desirous of enjoying the blessings of a Confe derate Government, they will surely forego the privilege of circulating Northern gold and silver. There is another consideration, also, which escaped the mind of Mr. COBH. What is the use of cotton when the South has no Magnanimity of the North. One of the sublimest spectacles this world aa has ever beheld, deeply fraught with moral significance, is the exalted and honorable magnanimity of the Northern soldiery, as ex kAhtted ~in every step of this memorable na tionaln - z i t an .. cture. If Southern statesmen d p were not hoplesaly abandoned to a most deplormic, judicial blindness, they could not fail to discei..;t. and to ground the weapons of their rebellion, s.a return to their homes, like good and loyal cltizenb,4, pun,, the avocations of peace and industry. Beginning with Fort Sumpter, how patient and iforbearing was the Government to wards the misguided Charlestonians, exercis ing towards them the gentleness exhibited by an over-indulgent parent towards a wayward and spoiled child I lied Goverment been so disposed, the redoubtable BEITIREtunn could not have laid one stone upon another, in the erection of his offensive batteries, but the hot shot and shell of the gallant ANDERSON would have dispersed him and his rebel band, as chaff is scattered by the rude blasts of the whirlwind. The Government, however, forebore—waited patiently and long, expecting that right and reason would resume their empire—and, alas I at last fell a victim there to its own noble gen rosity. The same is true of Fort Pickens. It was in the power of the United States officers to have broken the egg of danger while in the process of incubation; and sent the rebels howling over the sands of Florida. But here, too, they have been dealt with as kindly as any fond nursing -mother ever dealt with a per verse and angry : progeny. So that, if Basco and his rebel band shall now take Pickens, they will owe it ten thousand times more to the generous Indulgence of the United states au thorities than to any courage or prowess of their own. Look next to Baltimore. Bad the South been in the place of the North, under such monstrous and aggravated provocationi, her unofiending citizens barbarously murdered in• the streets, when they gained the ascendency they would have raked such a city from pillar to post, leaving not one stone upon tbe other to tell the tale. But behold the generous and humane forbearance of the North! With entire possession of the city by its troops, and with Fort ilicilenry commanding its every street and house, it remains to this hour unin jured and unmolested. Nay, more than this.-. It has become the happy recipient of unnum bered favors from the hands of the very men whose companions were slaughtered in its streets! Glorious victory! worth more _than thousand battles, had they even equalled Marathan and Waterloo; Then, again, look to Alexandria. A brave leader of Northern troops is basely assassi nated at mid.day, for no other offence than the removal of a hostile flag under the very shadow of the Capitol of our country f The comrades of the fallen hero-martyr, by thou. sands, hold possession of the city, with its int. mense public and private resources, and at their mercy are all its streets of handsome houses, accommodating more than eight thou sand MIS. Under such, a provocation, run• ming like burning liquid over every fibre of the soul, what would our Southern brethren have done ? We hesitate not to say, they they would have reduced such a place, ren dered memorable by such deeds, to ashes, be. fore the setting of the sun. But, by the sub lime magnanimity of Northern troops, of Zeman. dria stilt stands, and, if its citizens will only cease from their wicked rebellion, they can return to their homes, and not a hair of their heads will be injured ! These displays of the magnanimity and for bearance of the North, when its brave troops have had it fully in their power to upturn the strongholds of the rebels, as with devastating ploughshares, we point to with feelings of mingled pride and exultation. With the irre sistible logic of incontrovertible facts, they refute the affirmation, so assiduously plied upon the Southern mind, that the Northern troops'are nothing more nor less than so many Goths and Vandals bent upon invading their country, and plundering and pillaging their' property. A baser and fouler misrepresenta tion was never conceived or uttered, and we must be greatly in error if the masses of the South do not soon discover how egregiously their ambitions and designing leaders have betrayed and deceived them, and if they do not turn their weapons upon Mem, instead of trin. -.lMnt Letter Irom 4 eCiccasional. 79 1001'nePondeuse of The l'reee.) WAEIRLIGTON, June 2, . 1881 Many of our beet-informed observers begin to think that there Will be no serious reelstenee to our troops in Virginia, and that the poliey of re treat will be maintained by the Dininionists, as far more agreeable than a crushing and inglorious de feet. Tiais is not my opinion. The conspirators must tight. That Davis, Stephens, Mallon, Hunter, and Slidell, bitterly realise their blunder, I not only believe, but I know it. We have only to recall the reluotance with which Davis left the Benito and the Union; the conser vative speeches of Stephens, up to the vary mo ment of his disgraceful desertion of the cause of his country; the timid treachery and double-faeed logic of Hunter; the Forager that immense ass and bully, Mason, whose issumptions of superiority were in ridiculous contrast to hie own transparent ignoranos—to find the evidence of this assertion. But these bold, bad men are already suspected by their dupes. They have slava been dis trusted by a great party in the South. And, as debt, deepair, and utter gloom begin to settle upon the Seeesidon came, those who were forced into tAts ensue will demand that Davis and his Directory shall do something or go to the well. Bear in mind that the idea of a di Tided North and a united South has been dispelled. It has been reversed. We have no Andrew John son in the free States, no Emerson Etheridge, no Prank Blair, no Sherrard Clemens, no George D. Prentice, to divide our solid column, because these men, when they speak and act in the South, speak and aft against a foul and festering wrong, and bemuse the ereed of the people of the' loyal States is that of honor, gratitude, and liberty. But in the seceded States all le distrust and doubt. Ths other slave States are more than divided, be cause these who there °ppm secession will do it alike with the ballot and the cartridge-box. Renee a bold forward movement is demanded at the bands of Davis and his set, to save theineelves. xou see that Davis has at last reached Richmond. He is there in bad health and worse spirits. He is there a broken-hearted, bankrapt man. All his chiefs are sick sr sullen. There is not one martin the whole cobs& that is not either ashamed or disgusted with him. self. They look upon the movements of the North with terror and with horror. They behold the awful power of the Government of the United States, now rapidly developing, with amazement and wonder. They know that their only safety is in fight, and fight they will,,even if it is but one battle, and that their last on earth. Public Amusements. Wainut-atreet Theatre dialled ite dramatic, sea. son on datnrday, and wilrliirdecinpled, Oda week, IV noisy and Campbap'si (legee) Maitrele. Prides Fantail' atbefore, . - - hicDonmish's Olympia Theatre, Race street, is --the only house now open in this city where the drama is performed Mrs. Rate Ryner hu a benefit there this evening, at whieh three plays will be represented, besides singing and dancing. There will be performanoes at the Academy of Moto two evenings this wash-on Tuesday, a musleel soiree in aid of the Volunteer Fund, and en Thursday a Conoert, by the Hancock Girls' Grammar School, in aid of the same fund. At the Assembly Rooms, every night this week, and on the afternoon/of Wednesday and Saturday, Sanderson's Panorama of the Russian War will be exhibited, as wall as pictorial representations of the Southern Rebellion—that is, nimbi-Lantern "lowa upon a large seals. Theis lasi are repertcd to be very good. Lacs 703/TIVII BALM 07 Pasaca DRY Goons, Ittaboals, &a., 701 CAUL—The early attention of purehasere IS requested to the choice assortment of french, German, India, and British dry goodi, embracing 743 lots of desirable fancy articles in ribbons, embroideries, alike, cotton, !Inane, and worsteds, portsomonnalee, eta., to be peremptority sold, by catalogue, for oaeb, commencing this morning at 10 o'clock, to be continued the large r pert of the day, without latermlnion, by Afyon, Claghorn, * Co , Nos. 232 and 234 Market street. THOMAS tt SON'S SALIM THIS WILIOK.--Tosoday— _ Superior furniture, Broad street• Wednesday—ltalian marble, South Fifth street. Thursday--Farniture. Including elegant silver plate, at the *notion store. Friday--Bnoutor'l ;al% larniture, Germantm, rAw*See ostalognoa and advertimemento of no foot gales. Bales of Woke and reel estate at the Exchange every week during the brighten lemon. In Jane, Jai) . and Angulo, only ocoulonal gales. For pro perty to be sold 11th lout., gee advertisements. The Western Mall Seized by the Her• per 4 a Ferry Rebels. BALturess, Jima 2.—The rebels at Harper's perry Named the Western mall coming east this magas and emptied the mail oar. TITE PRESS.--PifILADELPMA, MONDAY, JUN 3, 1861. LATEST, NEWS By TeiegiSph to The Press. Special Despot Ohm; to - The Press." Military AspeCiof the City. , A. week ago nearly - all tin. troop bad left the city for Virginia, or had gone into encampments 4 n the suburbs. The arrival of seven full regi me"'.. during the last six days hay again filled our Waste In.. glittering bayonets; and, In point of drill, e quiPmeu'.• sad minute detail in preparation for active serv ice, to, regiments recently arrived are unquestionably superm. to a large proportion of those who arrived at an earn.. day: . Jell, Davis, Wigfall, and Toollint,, A Northern man, just , arrived front Richmond, who worked his way through . by the aid of passes from Governor LETCHIR, and whosestratography of. the Southern forces is by no meant flattering, says that this trio of Southern /eaders were at the Spottswood House, in Richmond. Jars. Davis and his aid, WIOFALL, arrived on Wednesday, an d reviewed the troops on Tharaday. The soldiers are in three encampments in the suburbs, and do not exceed 3.000 troops in ell, at Richmond. The braggart leaders were, as usual, full of ostentation, and asserted that any one of their men was equal to five Northern men in a fight. The Skirmish at Fairfax Court House. Tour previous reports are correct, with the ea oeption of the number killed and wounded; and as far as the other slde is concerned, we shall have no reliable date by widish to ascertain the number of the killed and wounded. That Ave were made prisoners, we know to be a fact, as they were brought to this city, and banded over to General Mansfield. The Engagement at A.equia Creek. The official report of the engagement at Accsia Creek was reoeived at the Navy Department late Saturday evening, and publiehed in tAo.4s.Unday Mornspqr Chromele. The steamers thomas Free born and Anaeosita oompletely idleneed the three batteries at the terminus of the railway, and Irina prevented from gnawing those on the height above only from the fact of their distance and elevation. No lives were lot on ship-board, and only One roan was wounded, _though the report states that thel shot from the enemy dropped "on board or about us like hail for nearly an hour." Though not in the official report, it is a feet, as I have it from re-, liable authority, that Lieut. Pantinnottits; not at I taohed to the vessel, but casually on bosid, lad mai bet knooked off by a ball I