The press. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1857-1880, December 06, 1861, Image 2

:;•rtzs.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1861.
EXTRACT FROM THE LAST SPEECH OF
STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS.—" The conspiracy
to break up the Union is a fact now known to
all. Armies aro being raised, and war levied
to accomplish it. There can be but two aide■
to the controversy. Every man must be on the
side of the United States or against it. There
can be no neutrals in this war. There can be
none but patriots and traitcrrs.”
A PAM FOR THE CAMP AND FIRESIDE
FORNEY'S WAR PRESS.
CONTENTS 01 NO. 4, FOR SATURDAY, DE
CE;VIREII 7,
.—Splendid Portrait of Major General
EIiGEAV;Z:
G evrge D. N celellau
A WAR BKlActl— ,, By the Way."
WAr. FOETRY.-31.- I,nrq plan of Deanfort—The
e Mother—Up With the Flog—The Adventures of
the C. S. A. Coinmisrionrs—The Traitor's Work—Slialc
,pea re on the Tinos.
EDITORIALS.—The LateA War Newi—The Presi
deaf% Message. &c., &c.
CONCRESSIONAL PROCEEPINCS
THE LL LETTVInt 111.031 OCCASIONAL
Action of Conere,—The Aristocracy of the South—The
Memdtge and olds of the Secretaries—Genera! Don
Carlos Itueli—lhe feeling in Congress on the Shivery
question.
SPECIAL CIiERESPLINDENUE FRON
Op:-nine of Congress—The Iteading, of the
SPI ('IIL Pimp' TCIIES PIWIIf TILE CAPITAL.
Movement by Gentral cCall's Dhision—Post
Olio, Order—Au Unsuccessful Reconnoissance—Work
for the Provost 2lsrshsl—Bohliere for the 44 Union"—
Elated States Supremo Court—Army Appointments—.\
TfOgiUnit of Dom - Artilltry—nravy Gialcus for T..-
ant4gef...—Col4re6s—Meers. Gwin, Benham, and Brent—
AVinkk Quarters—Post Office Orthrs: Treasury Notes
Ao 1,0 EVCOTIA—The Ringgold Regiment—A Demonstra
tion en kite- Polemo,-99:6 PMEdnllO3 NingfEtn_Traft‘
/•ury• lledealptbm—A Bccounoissance—The Rebel Pick
rts—Deaths of Penns) lvanta Suldiera—Geueral Don Car
los Buell—Oh to nuhville.
'ELIE6I7O P.llO. —l,Lf
7rl ember& of the I' oltkA States Senate o 1 House of Re
presentatives.
riamic DOGYMENT:3.—The Preeident'a Annual
Itta-,,age to etomrt,,--nepott of kLe gJAPOiIIt.S. of WIIP
Report of the Secretary of the Navy—Report of the
Postmaster General.
NEWS FILOM TILE SJUTIL—Tho Affairs at Fort
Eaton: Tbo 'traction in Tenoesoce; The Clioriefitiot
Courier Opposes the II Black Flag"—The rrisonera at
Richmond—Commodore Tattlelf Attacks the Federal
Fleet in Cockspur Roads: The Yankees in Possession of
Varsaw—Miksonri and the Confederate States—Tennes
see Preparing for an Inyasion—The Eight at Pent:wax:
Opening of the Th 111: The Firing of Friday—Commence
ment of the Second Day's Fight—A Desperate Stravle
T:Npected: Pensacola "Mut - mi.:ly Fortified—lnsurrection
airy Demon.txrdlezz,—.Vo,l,lllo, IPPrili64A(Tho Throat_
coed Attack on Canottols—The Rebels Alarmed—Con
scription at the Scuth.
FBOM KENTUCKY.—GeneraI Bueil and the Be
nin-rid of NilSlEriite—The Fiowlislt
Spirit of the end Nelson's Brigade—Rumors:
A Ficion Man Ect urns from Buckner's Army, where he
had been Prisoner : The Forces at Bowling Green—The
Burning of Union Men.
PROII 315.SOURT._tienoral Frice's Army Moving
Towards Kansas—Tlw Country Devastated and Deserted
—Proclamation of 'General Price—Rebel Outrages in
Northeast Missouri—Fremont's Body Guard—General
Halleek's Pelicy of Campaign: An Advance Down the
River—The Secessionist Rllled—MevAA
Bane Released on Parole—Brilliant Skirmish at Salem:
The Friemy Punted.
THE EATY.—Our Forces in South Carolina—Letter
T 51.44 Ifliihd and Milan lload—Letter front Port
Bo) al—T) bee L.laud Occupied by Our Troops—Tylice
Islam], Georgia—The Stoue Fleet, or Eat-hole Bouad
ron"—The "Camp Kettle"—Contrabands—Gen. Burn
bides Expedition — Tlw,4loeisAppi xpedition.
311SCELLKNEOUP...—Itints to 'Volunteer Officers—
Report of the Con.miesioner of Lands—Gen. McClellan,
hi Regard to the Obeervance of the Sabbath—Large Car
goes of Cotton Shortly Expected from the South—Onir
Two :totes Left—Western Virginia State Com - mu...—
The Seventy Thousand Stand of Arnie Sent to California
by Floyd—The Armament of the Niagara—Colonel
Crogban—Capture of a Privateer.
WAR WIT_ .ALetter that Slidell might have written
—A • Southern Lute Letter—A Praying Match—Poetry
in the Army.
LOCAL LNIELLIGENCE-FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL
NEWs-IVERELY REVIEW OF THE MARKETS-CATTLE
DiAlttiET, ecc
- Sirgle Copies for sale at the Counter of The Press.
Titans :---One copy, one year, $2; Three copies, one
year, $5; Five copies, one year, $B.
THE LATEST WAR •NEWS
The intelligence of the victory of Parson Brown
low over a large body of rebels, at Morristown,
Tennessee, will be read with intense delight in all
portions of our country. The previous adviees re
ceived from him indicated that he had a force of
about three thousand men under his command, but
he was in the vicinity of so large an army of the
rebels, and be bad so little reason to expect efficient
aid , or support from the main body of the Union
troops, that there was apparently little reason to
suppose he would hazard a battle. The most that
COuld have been reasonably hoped was, that he
would be enabled to find a safe refuge among the
mountain fastnesses of Eastern Tennessee. But
1,6 has bravely turned upon his persecutors and
the enemies of the Union, and made them blanch
with fear and consternation. Morristown, where
the battle was fought, is situated in Jefferson
county, and is a station on the line of the Virginia
and Tennessee Railroad, about forty miles east of
Knoxville. Tnis bold blow will doubtless be pro
ductive of most important consequences. It will
place, at least temporarily, a portion of the main
artery of the rebels under the control of Union
men, and enable them to seriously damage it. It
will arouse the enthusiasm of the hardy and patri
otic mountaineers of Eastern Tennessee to the
hiffilfigt pitch ; and send thousands of them allow
lug into Parson Prowntow's camp. On the other
hand, the rebels will doubtless be incited to a pitch
of frenzy, and will make such desperate exertions
to capture his forces that they may yetbe ccimpelled
to flee to the borders of Kentucky. But, however
this may be, such sterling and undaunted patriot
lam earmot and will not long be left unaupported.
The firmness and heroic determination of Parson
Brownlow and his noble compatriots shines out
like a beacon star amid the black night of Southern
treason. When millions, who were bound by every
sentiment of honor and patriotism to stand by the
noble Government that had protected them and in
sured their prosperity, proved faithless, and turned
their parricidal hands against their country, these
mountain heroes stood firm. And now their leader
proves that he can not only teach freemen their
duty, but that be can wield the sword et' the soldier
as ably as the pen of the undaunted editor. Hence
forth his name will forever be enshrined in Ameri
aan history one of the moot devoted, acuminous,
and determined of American patriots.
It must have been evident from the outset of the
rebellion, to most of the sensible men of the South,
that Secretion was little better than a synonym far
self-destruction, and the logic of events day after
day trinket this fact more perceptible. Not only
rArg 11 ins of present prosperity destroyed in the
seceding states, but they are now seeking to matte
their future hopeless. A New Orleans paper con
tains this paragraph :
There has been some talk of entirely preter
misting the planiirg of cotton-seed the next sea
son ; that it will be the wisest policy for cotton
fields to be turned into corn, wheat, and potatoes.
Then we shall have a large over-production, and a
complete surfeit of products perishable in their na
ture, while cotton will maintain its own without
deterioration. A division of planting or raising
can be successfully carried out—that is, much less
than usual can be planted, and cereals and escu
lents in general be largely increased, also beans and
peas. among the most lILITCELSOMLbIe and unwise
s.uggestionsrecently broached is that before the Le
gislature of 31 - 6,issippi, to prohibit, by statute,
any ration -say/ front being planted -until the
iment crap 6. sold. This reminds us of fu,l
and fiddlesticks."
Joseph 11. Senn, of South Carolina, has been
appointed postmaster at Port Royal. The details
of the office have been arranged, and mail matter
will be despatched by sea from New York. Letters
for Tybee Island will be despatched to Port Royal,
and thence to the former place.
The follotviag letter has been forwarded by the
Secretary of fl - - to Captain Wilkes:
NAVY DEPARTMENT,
November 30, 1861.
firdhte, Comnetoat:l4 , Um tell
States 'steamer "San Jacinto," Boston.:
Stu : I congratulate you on your safe arrival.
, and especially do I congratulate you on the great
public service 3 ou have rendered in the capture of
- ti. robot MAMA and glidsll
have been cot spicuous in the conspiracy to dissolve
the Union, and it is well known that when seized
by you they were on a mission. hostile to the Go
vernment and tLe eountry,
Your condor= - -. - fixing these public enemies 072.?
',narked by int‘.... 6 cuee. ability, decision, and firm
ness ; and.has the emphatic approval of .this Lte l .
pertinent.. It is .not necessary . that I should,. in
thin eimmuniealinmrwhich is mtended to be one
of congratulation to yourself, officers, and crew—
express an opinion on the course pursued in omit
ting to capture the vessel which had these public
enemies on board, further than to say, that the for-
Learastee eXesol.ed In this instance mutt not he rtar=
crated to constitute any precedent hereafter for in
fractions of neutral obligations.
I am. respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
tnecta WELLEg_
The annual message of Governor Pierpont to the
legislature of Kanawha or Western Virginia is an
intending document. He deolares that the sita
owe 'nil - 101l bee atm:awl thy ranimotrucava b.
.eho
State Government is greater than was anticipated
originally by the mont DAnguing_ lie denounces
the rebellion in -try forcible and energetic terms,
and maker• en eloquent appeal to all wavering men
to support the Union. lie draws the following
"fearful picture of the poeitiort of inr, 5 1.4. which 10
nyder the control of the Secessionists :
"If we turn our attention to that portion of the
State which is yet under the control of the rebel
i.,--overrnent . , we will find its condition lamentable
indeed. 1 have embraced all the sources of infor
mation in my power to ascertain the truth respect
ing it. There seems no reason to doubt that nearly
all the able-bodied men between the ages of six
teen and sixty have been forced into the Confede
rate army, including thousands who are at heart
true to the Constitution and the Union. I need
not mention that our public improvements, rail
roads, canals, bridges, and public buildings, have
been destroyed wherever the Secession tames have
had control of the country. Repine and plunder
have marked their path ; and men arrogating to
themselves a superior civilization, derived, as
they ray, from the existence of negro slaver? ,
utto.vtg hay& nhandoned the rules of
11.,!. made nor , S:11'1D114,
scene of indiscriminate and useless destruction.
'• A large proportion of the slaves have been sent
farther South for security. All the live stock within
the rebel lines have been ached ter the lime of
their army. Farms have been stripped of horses,
wagons. fencing, and timber, and the houses of the
people of blenkets and even clothing—whatever, in
short, that could be made useful to the soldiers.
The property of men linflPirt or supposed to bo true
to the Union bas been taken wittiont compensation,
and they regard themselves fortunate if their lives
are spared. The property which is pretended to
be paid for is paid for in treasury notes of the Con
r<,u—to it tee; es in bank notes issued an the
deposit of such treasury notes. This cur
rency, even at Richmond, is already at a discount
of not less then thirty per cent., and the papers
there are seeking to maintain its credit by de
.ounclittst the penalties of death or eonfiscation
age hist merchants and bankers who make any dis
tinction between such notes and coin. Yet this
circulation is really valueless. If the rebellion
fails to sustain itself, the notes must go down with
it. If it succeed, from the immense amount issued,
and the character of the leaders. we may safely
assume the repudiation of the debt to be inevitable.
The President of the Confederate States, it will not
be forgotten, was for many years the leader of the
..,- 1 .0,11.1.1.tt rawly le Itiositisippi.o
Secretary Welles' Report
The annual report of the Secretary of the
Navy is et once important and intorosting-..a
contribution, in fact, to the history of the
country. We shall take leave to draw atten
tion to Fotne of its statements and suggestions.
The nation will observe with satisfaction
that the gallant conduct of Captain Wmrcigs,
in removthg the rebel pseudo-ambassadors,
SmDkir. and liti_ksom, from the British mail
steamer Treat, receives the fullest approval
and endorsement from the Naval Department.
Filirly and plainly' stating the facts, Secretary
WELLES declares that "tare prompt and de
cisive action of Captain WILKES on this occa
sion merited and received the emphatic _ap
proval of the department, and if a to gm
rous forbearance was exhibited by him, in not
capturing the vessel which had these rebel
enemies on board, it may, in view of the special
circumstances, and of its varbitk motives, he
excused ; but it must by no means be permitted
to constitute a precedent hereafter for the
treatment of any ease of similar infraction of
neutral obligations by foreign vessels engaged
in commerce or the carrying trade."
This is precisely what TILE PRESS has said,
on every OdeaSion when it diseusSed the eon.
duet of CaptainTußns. .It is very gratify
ing to find Secretary WELLES taking a posi
tion of such firmness and strelgth; by pro
claiming that Captain WILIIEg, when he eap
tured MASON and SLIDELL, would have been
justified in also capturing the vessel which
violated international neutrality by conveying
them.
Mr:: WELLES speaks very decidedly, also,
upon another subject, the discussion of whieh
has Somewhat occppieit 414 excited the pub
lic mind, of late. Mentioning the fact- that
"fugitives from insurreetionary places have
sought our shipS for refuge and protection,"
Mr. WELLES adds that his instruetion as to the
proper disposition to be made, of those per
sons has been, "that, if insurgents,
_they
should be banded oyor to the custody of the
Government ; but if, on the contrary, they were
free front any voluntary participation in the
rebellion, and sought the shelter and protec
tion of our : flag, then they should be cared
for and employed in some useful manner, and
might be enlisted to serve on our public ves
seis or in our navy yards, receiving wages for
if such employment could not
be furnished to all by the navy, they might be
referred to • the army, and if no employment
conbt be found for them in the public :service,
they should be allowed to proceed freely and
peaceably, without restraint, to seek a livelihood
in any loyal portion of the country. This I
nave considered to be the whole required
duty, in the premises, of our naval officers."
No mention is here made of the color of such
fugitives, so that we take it for granted that
Mr. WELLEs intended this instruction as to
their treatment to apply equally to black and
white. Whatever course in this matter is
taken by the navy, will M taken, of course, by
the army and by civilians.
It is intimated that the efficiency of the
navy ma y be increased by creating more
grades. Thus the lieutenant-commanders, a
grade used during the Revolution, may be
employed as first lieutenants, and in the com
mand of the smaller classes of naval vessels.
Further, it is recommended that a grade to be
designated Flag-officer be established (the
number limited to seven), to command the
squadron to which he may be assigned, the
appointment (except when the officer receives
the thanks of Congress; on the recommenda
tion of the President, for gallant conduct in
battle), to cease when he hauls down his flag.
This last is a .good recommendation, and will
remove the annoyance long complained of by
our naval officers, of the inadequate honors
paid to our national flag, when an American'
squadron is saluted by foreign vessels. But
we regret that ; instead of the title of Flak
officer, that of Admiral, borne in almost every
other navy in the world, had not been sug
gested. It would at once denote the actual
rara and position of the officer—lf we have
Generals on land, why not Admirals on the
sea, as other countries have ?
The report Mentions that the public yards,
in their capacity of construction and repair,
were found so inadequate to the task of build
ing the required number of vessels, that many
vessels belonging to the mercantile marine
had to be purchased (the readiest way of ex
temporizing a navy), and that though eleven
thousand mechanics and laborers have been
in the daily employ of the GoyeViiiiietit at the
different navy yards in building and preparing
vessels, and equipping and arming them for
service, still the Naval Department has had to
resort to private ship yards and outside labor.
Contrary to our expectation, Mr. Wetnes has
omitted to suggest so obvious a remedy for
this as the enlari2ement of the Nary Yard of
Philadelphia. Nature, making this city the
centre of her two great products, iron
and - coal, would seem to have specially
marked it out as the best place, on der Whole
seaboard, for a Navy Yard. At present, na
val architecture, for the Nation, is crbwded up
here into an area of from ten to fourteen acres,
while the New York navy yard (at Brooklyn)
covers forty-five acres, and that of Boston is
still larger, we believe.
Strikingly important is the view, given in
this Report, of the present condition of our
Navy, as compared with what it was, when
President Luccoitx commenced his Adminis
tration, last March. Our Navy then Cen§l.§ted
of 42 vessels, carrying 555 guns and about
7,000 men. It now consists of 261 ves
sels,, 2,557 guns, 218M1 tons, and 2 4 4,Q49 Men?
This result of indefatigable labor, untiring
energy, and exhaustless wisdom, was arrived
at in nine months. It is inferior, of course,
to some of the great European navies, Whi6li
have literally taken centuries to mature to their
present expansion, but, as the world never be
fore saw an army swell, in a few months, from
16,000 to nearly 700,000 men, as ours has
done ; so, never before has a Navy been cre
ated in so short a time as ours has been, It
would seem, indeed, as if the real greatness
and the mighty resources of this great coun
try were unappreciated, almost unknown, even
by ourselves, until a crisis of difficulty sud
denly developed them.
These who may have sighed over the re
ported capture every now and then, of our
Merchantmen by privateers, may desire to
know what stands on the other side of the ac
count. Mr. WELLF.9 reports, 6, Since the in
stitution of the blockade one inmdred an
fifty-three vessels have been captured sailing
under various flags, most of which were at
tempting to violate the blockade."
The : augmentation of the Navy : extends to
quality as well as to number. Three iron
clad 'ships of different models are reported as
In ei.tirse ef being constructed, under skilful
and experienced naval officers, and, no doubt,
will report themselves, by and bye.
Finall7; acknowledging—the loyalty of the
officers and men of the navy, Mr. WEr.r.as
truly says, cc Courage, ability, unfaltering
fidelity, and devotion, to' the cause of lheir
country, have been the genet* tied rielk char
racteristies of their conduct in the arduous and
intpaptatit MlVVit`.4 with tvikielt they have been
entrusted. I state, with all confidence, that
in their hands the historic renown of the
American nary has been eleyatcd and aug
mented."
THERE can be no better argument in favor
of the Administration than the simple and OM
plicit paragraph of Mr. Secretary CAMERON in
his report. cc The interval of seven months
has been spent in preparation," says Secretary
CA3mitox, seven months of preparation ren
dered necessary by the appalling proportions
this rebellion has assumed. We commenced
the war at a disadvantage—traitors in control,
traitors in all the departments, a weak instru
ment of the traitors in the Presidential chair;
our arsenals stripped, our treasury depleted,
false sentiment pervading the country, a
fierce cabal in arms against its peac.i. This
was the relative position of the Republic and
the rebellion, and this has made the seven
months of preparation necessary and proper.
We have been summoning imp our energies—
we have been preparing to strike the blow.
When it falls its effect will be final and
crushing.
LETTER FROM OCCASIONAL."
W,ABIIINOTOrf, beGt 0, 1601.
The defeat of Fernando Wood as Mayor of
New York is the latest and best indication of
the patriotic telPper Of the people, Ire WAS
the boldest enemy of the Government and the
war in the free States, and it is believed that
if he bad been elected he would have seized
upon the first opportunity to give some prac.
tical evidence of his treasonable purposes. It
is stated by those who claim to know that, if
it had been a contest between Wood and Up
dyke atone, the majority of the latter would
have been thousands instead of hundreds.
Loyal Democrats are everywhere discarding
untrustworthy leaders. The ties of the old
organization are being rapidly weakened, and
it only requires a few more such letters as
that of Colonel Biddle, and a few more such
rebukes as that administered to Wood, to
complete the good work. But for all this,
the late Breckinridge conspirators are not
idle, They are even now at work to se
duce all Democrats who hate been elected
on Union tickets to the State Legisla
tures of New York, Ohio, New Jersey, and
Pennsylvania, back into the organization.
What an outrage such a coalition as this would
be! These men were chosen by Republican
votes, with the aid of citizens of their own
belief, and upon the distinct platform of
sustaining the Administration in the most
vigorous prosecution of the war. In Ohio,
the Republieans magnanimously threw their
votes for that fearless Democratic patriot for
Governor, David Tod, and new I hear that
the Democrats in the Legislature will recipro
cate this generosity, by assisting to re-elect to
the United States Senate the indomitable Ben
jamin Wade. No doubtful man should receive
the votes of any representative in these Legis ,
latures. If the spirit that produced the defeat
of Wood, and the election of Tod, is honestly
maintained, we shall be able to rescue the Go
vernment from all' the perils that surround
it; but if there is bad faith on either side,
the active sympathizers with treason in the
free States will be able to recover their lost
ground. What these men desire is to divide
the earnest friends of the Union, and, when
this is done, to force a dishonorable peace; to
bring back the seceded States on the basis of
some disgraceful compromise, and . ; in effect,
to restore the despotism from which we are
now flattering ourselves that we have escaped.
If you will closely watch the signs of the
times, you will soon begin to realize the force
of this suggestion. We cannot be too vigilant
in the face of this new peril.
While the friends of the Government are
rallying around the President, and endeavor
ing to strengthen his hands in the prosecution
of the war, the enemies of the cause are labor
ing industriously to create the impression
throughout the country that there has been a
discrepancy between the President and the
Secretary of War. The message of the Pre
sident is merely a general summary of the
reasons governing the action of the Executive
in administering the affairs of the country ;
while the specik remedies proposed by the
Secretary of War are, after all, to be left to
the military authorities. No loyal man, what
- ever his positidn may have been, can fail to
agree with the action of the patriotic Demo
crats. Mr. Bancroft tells us that cc if slavery
gad the Union are incompatible, listen to the
words that come to you from the tomb of
' Andrew Jackson : The Union must and shall
be preserved.'" General Butler, in his Rox
bury speech, says fi if our army's march
amounts to subjugation, let those that sowed
the wind only repent because they have reaped
the whirlwind." General Burnside, a life
long Democrat, asks the pertinent question,
cr Are we to allow this slave farce to remain
without endeavoring to turn it to our own pur
peses 7" while the opinions of John Cochrane,
strong as they are, only show how earnest
and sincere these Democratic leaders are in
the determination of the slavery question.
This may to called the attitude of the entire
Democratic party. Our mission is not one of
emancipation, but if the alternative is slavery
or the - Union, no one will hesitate in making
his choice in favor of the Union, even if
slavery should be destroyed. OCCASIONAL.
Public Azixiiei r
ffieiit§.
ACADEMY or Mvstc.—Last evening Dona Isabel
Cubes appeared at the Academy in two characteris
tic dances. Cubes is a Spanish lady—and married,by
the way..with very dazzling eyes, and a form that
might literally be designated as ravishing. She ap
peared twice, but was each time encored, and made
the most advantageous display in the divertisement
of "La Flor De Sevilla," In the latter dance her
extraordinary flexibility of body was instanced, and
showers of bouquets exemplified the passion that she
had awakened in the house. Dressed richly, but
modestly ; and exemplifying in her moticus ell
voluptuousness, elegance, and grace, the new
danseuse will probably crowd the house during
Mr. Forrest's engagement. To-night Mr. Forrest
appears as Damon,
JOHN GILBERT'S BENEFIT.--TO•Dight Mr. John
Gilbert, one of the most versatile and talented of
comedians, will take a benefit at the "Arch."
Three pieces will be enacted, in two of which Mr.
Gilbert 'will appear. In certain descriptions of
characters he has no rival, and in all he has been
acceptable. The friends of a legitimate and enthu
siastic comedian will rally around the Arch to-night
to assist Joint, Gilbert.
WA LN VT-STREET THEATRE.—Mr. Clarke had a
crowded house last evening, and will appear to
night in two leading parts. Mr. J. B. Roberts wig,
appear on Monday evening in " Faust and Mar
guerite."
CONTINENTAL THEATRE.- 4 ` The Cataract of the
Ganges," with all its thrilling spectacles, scenes,
and processions, will be performed to-night, having
hnd a very favorable career, and always greeted
'with approbative shouts. The houses have been
good from the beginning, and the piece will har•e §
long success.
APPLETON'S RAILWAY AND STEAM NAVIGATION
QVIDE.—We have the December number from T.
B. Peterson and Brothers. It includes the now
railway arrangements between New York, Phila-
delphia, Baltimore, Pittsburg, Harrisburg, Elmira,
and Washington. Of all Railway Guides, Apple
ton's is the most reliable,
SALT: THIS AFTERNOON.—Fine engravings, &0.,
at Thomas & eons' auction rooms. Now arranged
for examination, coS catalogues.
LABOR. SALE EXTRA VALUABLE REAL ESTATE,
at the Exchange, on Tuesday next, comprising the
first-class sugar refinery of Messrs. Eastwick, a
'valuable oil factory, a ground rent of $12,050, sad
a large amount of valuable real estate, by order of
the courts, trustees, executors, &0., to be sold
peremptorily, ON EldTertiSCLUclitg.
loguea to-morrow.
LARGE SALE. OF FASHIONABLE CITY-MADE
etzenitta, c.--Tho early attention of purohatiers
is invited to the Large Assortment of fashionable
city-made clothing, embracing 275 lots of seasona
ble and desirable garments, to be peremptorily sold,
catalogue, for cash, commencing this morning,
at 10 o'clock, by Myers, Claghorn, .k Co., auction
eers, Nos. 232 and 234 Market street.
Tom New York
Nkw - roux, Dec. b.—The boiler used in the
building No. 375 Broadway, occupied by J. Lan.
sing, dealer in cloaks, exploded this morning. The
vault under the alley way was destroyed, with a
sonsidernble logs of properly, hut Roue of life.
The Seventyfifth Regiment of New York velum.
teers . will be sent to Fort Pickens aboard the
steamer Baltic.
The Chamber of Commerce has adopted a memo•
Biel - requesting the President, to send two of ilioPe
armed vessels to the coast of Europe, for the pro
tection of our commerce against privateers.
Pierre L. Pearce was arrested in this city to-day,
on a ppliontlon of the District Attorney of Boston.
Ho is charged with fitting , ont the slaver .Dr.cu.,
from New Bedford.
Regents of the Smithsonian Institute.
WANtizierox, Deo. 5.--I,Tiss-Pessidant Hamlin
has appointed Senators Pessonden
. ana, Trumbull
regents of the'Sndtlisonian Institute, to flit the va
cancies calmed hy the death of Senator Douglas and
the tam 9f 11111914.
THE PRESS.-PHILADELPHIA, FRDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1861.
LATEST NEWS
FROM WASHINGTON.
IMPORTANT ORDER FROM THE STATE
Our Generals must give Protection to all
Fugitives Item the itenels.
The Disposition to be made of
Rebel Property.
APPOINTMENT OF AGENTS BY THE
GENERAL FREMONT DISOBEYS ORDERS
01111 , 1fil Dil244lliSnig. A6eampaliyhm
the President's Message.
GLORIOUS NEWS FROM TENNESSEE,
Parson Brownlow in the Field
with Three Thousand Men.
HE FIGHTS HIS FIRST BATTLE AT MORRISTOWN.
THE REBELS ACKNOWLEDGE THEMSELVES
TOTALLY ROUTED. ,-.;
An Important. Arm3r Order from
- !OP ! 4 ! YTO ! 00 , o' -
The Union Refugees to be Quartered and Fed
py th knease of the Secessionists.
A BATTLE EXPECTED SOON
INTERESTING SOUTHERN NEWS.
SOUTH CAROLINA PLANTERS BURNING THEIR COTTON.
Fright Among the Rebels at Memphis
szOW.6IOII2WORTN AINYUT TrE Ontkitierr
Special Degpfttehoe to 61 The Prow?)
A resolution was passed by the house, last July,
inquiring if any, and what, legislation is necessary
to increase and extend the trade and commerce of
the United States with foreign countries. The
President, in response, says he Is not aware that
any legislation of the character suggested could
now be wisely adopted, beyond such as has been
already recommended in his annual message, and
further can be effected until the trott.:
ties to be submitted to the Senate shall have been
ratified.
A question of importance was raised. in Ale joint
United States and New Grenadian Commission to
day—namely, Whether the latter Republic is
liable, under the treaty, for the payment of dama
ges growing out of the Panama riots, or whether
the business of the Commission is merely to ascer
tain the amount of claims fur future' action. Mr.
CARLISLE, for New Granada ; maintained the latter
proposition, and Messrs. Cox and DEAN, of Ohio,
for the claimants, the former.
The commissioners being divided in opinion, they
have sent fer the umpire, Judge T.Truent.
It seems that General FREMONT left St. Louis in
violation of orders. He was directed to remain in
that city to await the further directions of the Pre
sident.
It is the intention of the Hon. JOHN SHERMAN
to call for all the papers and correspondence rela
ting "to the m9rotoonto of liteneral ParrnitlOn,
and especially to his raucli-talked-of withdfural
front Charlestown to Harper's Ferry.
Chas. J. Faulkner to be Exchanged for
Mr. Ely.
CHAELEs J. FAULKNER, Of Virginia, will be re.
leased from confinement in Fort Warren on his pa
role. The letter has probably already been mailed
far that purpose. He will proceed immediately
south, and procure a similar release of Hon. AL
FRED ELY. If not successful in that errand, ho
lute pledged himself to return to custody in thirty
days.
Review of Col. Birney's Regiment.
Col. ElnNnY'S regiment ? the 23ci Philadelphia
Zouaves, after their parade to-day, was reviewed
by the President and Secretaries CAMERON and SE
WARD. The appearance and discipline of the re
giment was the subject of high commendation.
Important Order from the State Depart
ment—The United States Protects Fu
gitives from the Rebels.
DEPARTMENT OP STATE,
WANNLNOTON, December 4, Lek.
GENERAL : I am directed by the President to
call your attention to the following subject :
Persons claimed to be held to service or labor
under the laws of the State of Virginia, and actu
ally employed in hostile service against the Go
vernment of the United States, frequently escape
from the lines of the enemy's forces, and are re
ceived within the lines of the army of the Potomac.
This Department understands that such persons,
afterwards coming into the city of Washington, are
liable to be arrested by the city police, upon the
presumption, arising from color, that they are fugi
tives from service or labor.
lly the 4th motion of the net Of COMtregg Rib
proved August 6, 1861, entitled " An net to confis
cate property used for insurrectionary purposes,"
such hostile employment is made a full and suf.-
dent answer to any further claim to service or la
bor. Persons this eiss - pleiad end marking are re
ceived into the military protection of the 'United
States, and their arrest as fugitives from service or
labor should be immediately followed by the mili
tary arrest of the parties making the seizure. Co-
Mof this columnnicatton will he refitto the
ayor or tbo oity of Washingtoni and to the Mar
shal of the District or e.oumbia, that any collision
between the civil and military ...thorities may be
avoided.
I Ain, Genova, your very oballiant servant.
Wk. U. 52117.A.RD.
To Major General GEORGE B. McCLni...4z; ) Wash-
ington :
Disposition to be Made of Rebel Property
—Appointment or Agents by the Trea
sury Department.
The Secretary of the Treasury has just issued the
following general regulations relative to securing
and dlipailisg of the property found or brought
within the territory, now or hereafter, occupied by
the United States fortes in the disloyal States :
U. S. TREASURY DEPARTRENT,
W.Laninamon, Nov_ Mt 1881_
In order to the security and proper disposition of
the productions of the soil, and all other property
found within the limits of States or parts of States
declared to be in insurrection against the United
States, end now occupied, or to be hereafter Deem'
pied, by the troops and authorities of the Union,
the following regulations aro established :
There shall be appointed by the Secretary of the
Treasury, with the approbation of the President,
agents to reside at such posts or places as are or
may be occupied by the forces of the United States,
whose duty it shall be to secure and prepare for
market the cotton and such other products and pro
perty, as may be found or brought within the lines
of the army, or under the control of the Federal
authorities.
To enable such agents to fulfil the duties that
will devolve upon them, the military and naval au
thorities, under proper instructions, will render
such military preteetion'and aid as may ba raquirod
to carry out the intentions of this Department.
Persons held to service for life under the State
laws, who may be found within such limits, may
be employed by the said agent, who will prepare
lists einka-rscias the names, sex, anal condition of
such persons, and, as near as may be, their respec
tive ages, together with the names of any persons
claiming their services, which lists shall be in tri•
plicate—one for the military commandant, one for
the files of the agent, and one to be itrouvdiatay
forwarded to the Secretary of the Treasury.
The persons so listed will be organized for syste
matic labor in securing and preparing for market
the distinn, rick end ethesprodnats found within
the territory brought under Federal Control. Pay
rclls will be prepared and a strict account of the
labor daily performed by each person entered there
on, fur which a proper compensation shall be al-
MPH(' and paid to the Isiborern. Tuc allount of
such compensation will be fixed, in proportion to
the service rendered, by the agent and approved
by the military commandant and by the Secre
tary of the Treasury,
An inventory of all horses, mules, and other
stock, vehicles of transportation, and other pro
perty, wil be carefully made, and a copy 'transmit
ted to the Secretary of the Treasury signed by
mob agent,
Rebel kroperiy.
A record of all products taken possession of will
be made, and these, of each plantation, kept die
tinet. When prepared for shipment, the packages
will be tlxinlymarked and numbered, so as to be
easily distinguished. An account of all provisions,
of whatever character, found on each,plantation
will be taken, and such provisions will be used, as
fur el may be 1104PEarYi for the sustenance of the
laborers • thereon. Any dedoteneles of subsistence
will be supplied by the United states Commissary
neon the requisition of the agent, to whom they
will be charged, and for whieh will•aocount.
The cotton and other articles, when prepared for
market, shall be shipped to New York, and au far
as practicable, by the returning Government trans
ports, and all shipments shall be consigned to the
designated agent at New. York, unless otherwise
specially directed by the Begretery of tbo Troaegry.
A carefully detailed aeoount will be kept by the
agent of all supplies furnished by the Government,
and of all expenditures made. Each agent will
transmit a weekly report of his proceedings to the
BY TEEJEGRAPI-I.
DEPARTMENT
TREASURY DEPARTMENT
LATEST FROM MISSOURI
General Halleck
LATEST FROM KENTUCKY.
IN MISSOURI
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 1861.
Qor Foreign Commerce
The New Grauadian Claims.
General tremont
General Robert Patterson.
Secretary ohe Treasury, and render his accounts,
iu dUPikilionthly for settlement.
All rap' one, bills of lading, a0.,11”v01.e.g,
be eountersted by the military commander, or
by such cm as he may designate for the purpose.
Each age will eo transact his business and keep
his 11646411501 W as little injury Ut puttibit muy
accrue to I , ate citizens, who now maintain, or
may, withineasonable time, resume the character
of loyal chins of the United States.
Fnn the Lower FC49lrnao.
The Dry('Vet came up this morning to the navy
yard, and rorts all quiet below. The coasting.
vessels wertoming freely. One of them passed
the hosvie4lf the rebel batteries yesterday in open
daylight 'eV ;lout inolestalion. The Ilarroet Lane
and Jacob !11, last night, went down on a recon
noissance rar the rebel batteries. The Anacestia
goes down Id lies off the rebel pins crory night,
on the looktt for the rebel steamer Page, which
once in a wile comes out into the Potomac and
pounces on nue unsuspecting steamer.
The Cali ds L 1 .071 came up from the lower
,
Potomac 01 isgar, l'onvoy Dig eluYarl
which were.oaied with Government stores. The
E.,ipress lir as Liverpool Point, with stores for
General Sitir.as' brigade. She took down two
hs.lloo.s. wiish was deapatehed to Port
Royal, andtbe lithe: left at Chlekamoxan Creek.
The ResohEr also mrived last night, bringing up
Commander IlariniLL, flag officer of the lower
Lientenani A. D. UnitaETA had been transferred
to the Hrovet Lem and has taken command of
the flotilla Lf the Totomac, in place of Captain
Oa A YEN, win has ben relieved.
WMO4lOOll ' Plows and Gossip.
There is nal:ling if much interest stirring to-day.
The reportsreeeiret at the Department this after
noon from Meng the lines represent everything
quiet. As asual, several large reconnoitering par
ties started out this morning. They found that de
tachments 41 rebels had appeared in sererei &Lees
visited as Tuesday.
The committee of the 'louse having in charge
the contestd election CUB of LEHMAN and BUTLER,
from the First District of Pennsylvania, it is under
il66d, 515 &tut kringing their labors to a 0108 e,
The testimmy on behalf of Mr. LEHMAN was con
cluded in omtuitteo this morning. It is presumed
that the qntestant, Mr. Bosun, will conclude
to-morrow! The reknit of the committee may be
looked for n the early part of next week.
Private iroCtorn, of Company G, Third Ponn
syliania, 4eil in camp this morning. Captain
itonitina rrn in We city this •eeetilag, waiting acz
r angements to have his remains forwarded to his
friends to-morrow. The deceased was from Mount
Airy, Phithlelphia county.
Rm. i'D:Linm D. Itai.t.nt- ...d. some roveikdo
remarks in e n 011913 this morning ix favor of put
ting the D aware river in a proper state of de
fence.
Capt. WIG. BNRIOEIT, Of Company 75, Thirteenth
Pennsylcsula Volunteers, who shot private THOS.
O'RotTEßal of his company, in November last, for
mutinous conduct, has been honorably acquitted
by tu a utr i , wtta, ho ai,;:rus,ALta. It um
clearly shorn that the deceased brandished a knife,
threatening the captain with his life, before the fa
tal shot ivas fired.
, /Ur. those's Report
The Secritary of the Treasury will not have his
report really before Saturday, if indeed he can sub-
Mit it on ad +by D4l, CnAaF: reports directly to
the'llouse.i The Secretary of War and Secretary
of the Trel l aury report to the President.
freparations for Winter
General IRCALL'S division improved the furs
weather yesterday in building huts for winter
quarters. They go in bodies into the forests, fell
large trees, and split them into planks, with which
they are building very comfortable cabins. The
forests yestergay were deprived of many a due oak
tree, valued highly, no doubt, by the owners of the
soil.
The Removal of the Southern Congress.
It iS certain that a bill was presented to Congress
to remove the seat of Government from Richmond.
The opposition which was manifested against it,
however, defeated the project.
The Pennsylvania Reserves
General DieCALL's Division of the army hare all
returned to their quarters at Langley. They found
no =eheis is their resent retionnoissanao towards(
Dranesville. They brought home large quantities
of forage.
Deaths of Pennsylvania Soldiers.
The following deaths of soldievs have occurred
since our list report
CHARLES SLITFM, Company E, Fifty-second
Pennsylvania 'Volunteers, at Camp Dodge.
MATTnnu - CAVANAGH, Compaby I,F6nYth
sylvania Volunteers, at Seminary Hospital.
B. W. BALLARD, Company H, Forty-fifth Penn.
sylvania Volunteers, at Seminary Hospital.
°Ward ALLYATiIIER MONGAIis Company .ilj
Twelfth Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, at Camp
Pierpant.,
A Bill fok The Confiscation of the Pro
perty Otnebels, :Anti giving Fieed.oiii. to
the Persons they held ex Slavery.
The' following bill was brought in, agreeably to
notine, by Mr. TRUMBULL, of the Senate ; and re.
ferred to the Committee on the 'Judiciary, in the
melon of. to-day :
Be it exacted, efe., That the property, real and -per
cyery hind NI , haUoever, awl wheresoever situ
ated, Within the limits or the United Stases, belonging to
any person or persons beyond the jurisdiction of the
same, or to any person or persona in any State or dietriot
within the United States now in a state or Insurrection
and rebellion against the authority thereof, so that in
either ease the ordinary process of law cannot he sewed
upon them, who shall during the present rebellim be
found in arms against the United States, or aiding and
abetting said rebellion, shall be forfeited and confiscated
to the United States; and such forfeiture shall take imme
diate effect upon the commission of the act of forfeiture;
and eli right, a;-.d
the ace, together with the right or power to dispose of or
alienate his property, of any and every description, shall
instantly cease and determine, and the same shall at
once vest in the United States.
Soc. 2, "Ind Os itfarfacr enacted, That every person
having claim to the service or labor of any other person
in any elate, under the lawslliereof, who, during the
present rebellion, shall take up arms against the United
States, or in any manner aid or abet said rebellion, shall
thereby forthwith forfeit all claim to such service or la
bor and the pereons from whom it to claimed to be due,
commonly calla a slaves shall ipso facto, on the com
mission of the act of forfeiture by the party having claim
to the service or labor as aforesaid, be discharged there.
from, and become forever thereafter free persons, any
law of any Mae, or of the United States, to the contrary
notwithstanding; and it shall be the duty of the President
of the United States tomake provision for the transporta
tion, colt nizatlon, and settlement in some tropic M. country
beyond the limits of the United States, of such persons of
the African me, made fres by the provialona of this act,
as may be willing to emigrate, having first obtained
the consent of the Government of said country to their
protection and settlement within the same, with all the
rights and privileges of freemen.
E'EC. 3. And be it further enacted, That It shall be
the duty of the President of the United States, as often SS
in his opinion the military necessities of the army, or
the safety, interest, and welfare of the United States in
regard to the suppression of the rebellion shall require, to
order the seizure and appropriation by such officers, mi
litary or civil, as he may designate for the purpose, of
any end ail of the property, real and peremed, conflscated
and forfeited under and by virtue of this act, situated and
being in any district of the United States, beyond the
reach of civil process in the ordinary course of judicial
pr9ceedings by reason of such rebellion, and the sale or
other diem:dine of mid property, pr so much of it as its
shall deem advisable.
Sae. 4. And I,e it further enacted, That it shall be
the duty of the officers so designated to make to the Pre
sident full reports of their proceedings under such orders,
which report obeli be filed in the office of the Secretary
of the Treasury and all molars received on the sale of
the eentiteated property of any person as aforesaid, after
a deduction of the actual and necessary expsnaos at
tendant thereon, and the payment of the just claims of
loyal creditors of such person, to be allowed by said
officers, of all of which a particular account shall be ren
a-ed, the United .4tatee Tramp";
and a separate account of such moneys shall he Rept
under the nt.es ef the "Rebellion Fund," ft.rad a full re•
pert thereof shall be presented to Conee.oB at its next re
gular session, and at each session thereafter; and the
said rand shall be held for the benefit of such loyal citi.
mans as may have been despoiled of their property by
said rebellion, and shall be paidout to them upon proof of
lose, and the amount thereof being duly established in such
manner as Congress shall hereafter provide ; and the ex
cess,.lf any, shall be applied to extinguishing so mush of
the debt incurred by the United Mateo in the eneproodien
of said rebellion.
. SEC. S. And be it fuether enacted, That, In ease any
of the property so seized and appropriated, or sold as
belonging to rebels, shall, in fact and in good faith, have
belonged at the time of the passage of this act, and at
the finis ef Melt ataure, to a loyal eitim of the United
States,.emh loyal citizen may file in the office of the
Secretary' of the Treasury, at Washington, within sixty
days from the date of such seizure, such petition and
proofs as he may think proper, and on due allow
nice of lie claim for restitution by tech authority, anti
in such winner as Congrirs may hereafter direct, such
loyal owner or his lawful heirs shall 1,0 entitled to the
restitution of such property, if the same shall not have
been sold,or its value at the Hine of its seizure, if it shall
have bees sold, together with an allowance, case of
the restitution of the property, or of its value, in the
discretion of the authority awarding the same, which
allowance shall not exceed five per conturn of the value
of the property so reclaimed, and the payment of such
value and allowance shall be made from the said " Rebel
lion Fund," in preference to its appropriation to any
other lintleam
See. 6. -40dhe ftfurlher enacted, That fur the purpose
of enforctig the forfeiture specified in the first section of
this act, it property situated and being in loyal States or
districts, to which case ouch proceedings shall conform,
ilp ilvftr it may be, to the proceedings in cases of forfeit
llre arldng nutter the rt-Tepoo law," iand, in all cages,
the property condenineil, whether real or personal, shall
be sold, and the proceeds thereof shall be applied, and an
account, as provided in the fourth section of this act , and
any Perim] discharged from service or labor, and made
free, as Ramified in the wand section of this act; in any
district ,of the United States in which the ordinary
course of judicial proceedings is not obstructed by the
reltellios, may institute proceedings in said District
Court, it in any other District Court of the United States
uhaeo Via pawn so dim:tetrad may at the Mlle bet for
the pitipote of establishing the evidence Of hit or her
freed* on giving such notice as the court shall pre
scribe ;land the several. District Courts of the United
States tre hereby invested with power to issue all pro
cess. niether mewl ur 10 do every other mat
ter 110,1101,5 t necessary OW proper to carry out the pur
pose of this act.
SO. T. And be it further enacted, That any person
duly cciwicted of the crime of treason, in addition to the
ponishmebt now prescribed by law, shell forfeit to the
'Coifed Stales all his pet-sonal property. of whatsoever
nature, 'within the United States and also the right to
the possossiou, rents, is4nes, and profits of his real estate
within the United States. for and riming MO natural life'
t he proterty forfeited by tads :o.rtion to be disposed of
under the direction of the court before whom the eon
-it-mien see trear , nn is taw% in a.. 0101110 ms.nner, and the
proceeds to be applied in the acme way, as provided in the
sixth section of this act.
Important (anent, Documents Accom
panying the rreeident'slmage.
OUR FORISIGN 'ABLATION&
yalnixoroa, December s.—The parlors relating
to fortign eirairs,aocumpanying the President's
message` COTCT -four hundred and -twenty-five
Pages.
lECRETARY BLACK'S LAST CIRCULAR
The volume opens with the ciroulur of President
BUOMODIt'S aeoreCury ot &ale, Black, dated the
28th .pf February last, addressed to our ministers
abroad, in which, after briefly setting forth the po
liticacOnditioxi of our country nt that time, the fol.
lemn eVietenc!aooeur:
gi is notiziaprobable that pgrsens elsiming to
repr • era the States which have tints ittemptal to
thre off their Federal obligations wilt seek a re_
I cognition of their independence. In the event of
such an effort being wade, you are expected by the •
Psmidant to use such means as may, in your judo'•
meat, be proper and necessary to prevent ita sue-
CCM Your particular knowledge of our political
institutions will enable you to explain satisfactorily
the ogees of our present domestic troubles, awl
the grounds of the Rope entertained illak entire
harmony will soon be restored."
SECRETARY SEWARD'S CIRCULAR.
Next follows Smeary fiuu - caur's circuler, dated
March 9th, 1891, also addressed to. all the ministers
of the United States. lfe says he is entrusted by
the President to inform them that having assumed
the Administration of the Gorornutout is pursu
ance of an unqueationed election, and of the direc
tions of the Constitution, he renews the injunction
which the previous Secretary has mentioned, and
' , awl upon the exercise of the greatest possible di
ligence and fidelity on their part to counteract anti
prevent the designs of those who would invoke fo
reign intervention to embarrass or overthrow the
Republic. The President entertains a fall confi
dence in the speedy reeloritlioit of the harmony and
unity of the Government by a firm yet just and li
beral bearing, co-operating with the deliberate and
loyal action of the American people.
The Secretary further sue ;
"Any advantage that any foreign nation nddltt de
rive from a connection that it might furor with:thy dis
satisfied or discontented State or section, even if not al
together illusory' would be ephemeral, and would be
everbelenccd ivy the mile it would suffer from to dissev
tinlire Or the Union, witole raanifeA policy roall
se it has always twin hereto?ore,. to maintain
peace, a liberal commerce and cordial amity with oil
other unbolts, and to favor the establishment of a well
vnivro Government over the whole American continent.
fo - Nor do we think yin rxa c
rate oar natio-Ina
lance when we claim that any political disaster that
should befall us, and introduce discord and anarchy among
the States that have so long constituted one great, pacille,
prosperous nation, under a form of government which '
hits approved itself to the Ivaco and confidence of mono
kind, might tend to disturb and unsettle the misting sys
tem of government in other parts of the world, and arrest
that progress of improvement and civilization which
marks the era in which we live.
"The President expects that the ministers will be
enema in transmitting to the Stale Patinae - f any
formation they may receive on the subject of the at
tempts which have suggested this communication."
RIME r OF NEUTRALS IN MARITIME WAR—P6O
- TO ADOPT THE PARIS TREATY.
'Next follows 0 eircaiar from Secretary- to 41,0
Ministers of the United States in Great. Britain, France,
Russia, Prussia, Austria, Belgium, Italy, and Denmark,
in which he says :
"The advocates of benevolence and human progress,
erteratraced by the slow, though marked, meliorations of
the barbarities of war which have been obtained in
modern times, have .been recently engaged with much
assiduity in endeavoring to effect some modifications of
the law of nations - in regard to the rights of neutrals in
imiritinv war," lie recites the diplontatic history of our
Own country on that fothject, and inotrak:to them to as
certain wbethor those Governments are dispose - I to enter
into negotiations for the accession - of the Government
of the United states to the declaration of the Paris Con
gress, with the conditions annexed by that body to the
- • .
It the Governments are go dispoged the ministerg will
enter into a convention to that effect. The Secretary
concludes by saying: "It is presumed that you will
need no specie! explanation of the sentiments of the Pre-
Skint on this subject for the PlifPUSe Of M4 l lOlllB the
necessary conferenceswith the Government to which you
are accredited. Its assent is expected on the ground
that the proposition is accepted at its suggestion and in
the form it has preferred. For your own information, it
will he sulfirient to say that the President adheres to the
°pinto:, 011i,Mlittel he my predeeestur, Mr. Morey, It
would be eminently desirable for the good of all nations
that the property and effects of private individuals not
contraband, should lie exempt from seizure and con
, &cation by national vessels in the maintenance of a war. I
If the time and circumstances were propitious to a
prosecution of the negotiation with that °Week In
he would direct that it should be assiduouely pursued.
But the right season seems to have passed, at least for
the present. Europe seems, once more, on the verge of
nuite general wars. On the other hand, a portion of the
MOO raised the standard of insurrection,
and proclaimed a Provisional Government, and, through
their organs, have taken the had resolution to invite
privateers to prey upon the peaceful commerce of the
United States. Prudence and humanity combined in
persuading the President, under the circumstances, that
it is wise to receive the lesser good offered by the Pei 44
Congress, without waiting indefinitely in hope to obtlin
the greater one offered to the maritime nation's by the
President of the United States.
PRUSSIA. •
Mr. Seward, on March 22d, itti, addressed Minister
Judo, that, white It is the intention of the Pe...ldea to
maintain the sovereignty and rightful authority of the
Union everywhere with firmness as well as discretion,
he, at the same time, relies with great confidence on the
werkingof the agencies which the Secretory mentions to
resign, the beemeety and union of the States. But to
this end It in Of the greatest importance that the disaf
fected States shall not succeed in obtaining favor or re
cognition from foreign nations. It is understood, ho
says, that the so-railed Confederate States of America
bare sent, or are about to send, agents to solicit such re
66Ntlition in Europe. Although there is no special rear
amt for supposing Prussia to be one of the nations to
which application will be made, an almost electric politi
cal connection exists between the severaliCapitols of
Western Europe, and therefore your most efficient and
efforts must be put forth directly, and even indi
rectly, to prevent the anrcees of that iii- s tarreA. design.
He concludes by say log, "These instructions are
given because it is our first and most earnest desire and
expectation that Minister Judd will avoid all possible
forms of offence and irritation, and will, on the other
load, erdsever to establish the most friendly and cordial
relations with the Government of the King, of Prussia.
With this view. Minister Judd will assure his Majesty
that the President and the people of the United States
entertain sentiments of the highest respect and sincere
goodwill for bit 'Majesty - and the people of Prussia."
Pk-Minister Wright, under date of May ge, says I It I
have, since my return, had it long interview with Baron
Von Schleinetz, the Minister. of Foreign Affairs, who,
whilst he expressed the earnest sympathy of his Govern
ment aith the American people in their present frau
bles, not only because of the effect of such disturbances
oPoo soioioOgi'S of Borers. hot also on Remind of
the intimate relations between the two countries, owing
.
to the - presence of a large German population the
United States, gave me the most positive assurance that
his Government, from the principle of unrelenting <mea
-1 ;talon to evolutionm - ; o n ,rolontg, would be one a
the last to recognize any tio ,facto g,evertunent Of the dis
affected States of the American Union."
In another despatch, Mr. Wright says: "On the re
ceipt of your circular dated the twentieth of April. I Mr
mediate's, 50161 upon the Baron do Sehleinete, Minister
of Foreign Affairs, who had received the proclamation of
the President, and he at once pronlpii - informed me that
in his opinion no apprehension need be entertained as to
Prussian subjects engaging under the authority of the
miscalled Confederate States in filling out privateers, ur
in any manner interfering with our commerce "
In another despatch Mr. Wright says:. , Prussia will
take efficient steps to sustain the Government of the
United States in the protection of - property and com
merce, and will do all she can, consistently with her °W
ei:Want to other Governments. to sustain the Government
of the United States in the protection of property and
commerce; and will do all she can, consistently with her
obligations to other Governments, to sustain the rigorous
action of our Government in maintaining bewared order."
It further appears that the Prussian Minister of Com
merce 1.61.1.4 n notiAca:ion, concluding with +ln', 4.eitlii
ment of privateers in the ports of this country is forbid
den by the laws of the land, as it is known to the mercan
tile community."
Mr. Judd, the successor of Mr. Wright, writes in re
lation to bin presentation to the King, and of his hind re
ception.
Secretary Seward, under date of August 12, 1861,
writes in reply to another communication front Minister
Judd: "Tour conduct in relation to the subject of nego
tiation' for Fora convention with the Government of Prussia
on the subject of the rights of neutrals in maritime le sr,
as referred to in that paper, is approved."
GREAT BRITAIN.
Secretary Seward writes to Minister Adams, in the
course of Ibhitli ineractions 4 0 says:
"Thin Freeland neither looks for nor expects any
actual and permanent dismemberment of the American
Union, especially by a line of latitude. The improvement
of our many channels of intercourse, and the perfection
of our scheme of internal exchanges. and the incorpora
lion
or Loth of them into A Ainftt APattin of foreign elm
merce, concurring with the gradual abatement of the
force of the only existing cause of alienation, have car
ried us already beyond the danger of disunion in that
form.
"The so-called Confederate States, therefore, In the
opineM or The President, are attempting what will prove
a physical impossibility. Necessarily, they build this
structure of their Government upon the same principle
by which they seek to destroy the Union—namely, the
right of each individual member of the Confederacy to
withdraw from it at pleasure and in poem"
In another part, the Secretary says:
"In short, all your arguments must belong to one of
three classes, namely:
"First. Arguments drawn from the principles of public
law and natural justice, which regulate the intercourse
01 equal estates.
"Secondly. Arguments which concern equally the
honor, welfare, and..happinese of the discontented States,
and the honor, welfare, and happiness of the whole Union.
"Thirdly. Arguments which are avian y coneervative of
the rights and interests, anal "tearing
sentiments of the
United States, spa just ‘E.irupon Vito rtgbis,
interests, and sentiments of Great Britain, and all other
nations."
And Ream, Secretary Seward says: "The President
w eseet regard it as inconsistent with his habitually high
consideration for the 99Yrrillnellt, and the people of Great
Britain, to allow me to dwell longer on the merely com
mercial aspects of the question under discussion, in
deed, he will not for a moment believe that upon the con
sideration of merely financial gain, that Government
could be induced to lend its aid to a revolution designed
to overthrow the inatitutiona of this country, and in
volving Ultimately the dentrociiim of the liberties of the
American people. The President will not dwell on the
pleasing recollection that Great Britain, not a year ago,
manifested by a marked attention to the United States
her desire for a cordial reunion which, all ancient prom -L-
A - ices anti passions britan bur led, shalt Le 0 pled tie Mt-
Pint interest and sympathy- forever thereafter. The
United States are not different to the circumstances of
a common descent, tali - gunge, customs, sentiments, and
religion, which recommend a closer sympathy between
thenneires and Great Britain, than either IhiShc ("Wet
in its intercourse with ally other nation, The United
States are one of many nations which have sprung from
Great Britain herself. Other such undone are using up
various parts of the globe. It has been thought by
ninny who have studied the philosophy of modern his
tory profoundly that the success of the nations thibi tit
-riving their descent from Great Britain, might, through
ninny ages, reflect back upon that kingdom the proper
glories of its (Mil great career. The Government and
people of Great Britain may mistake their commercial
iiilereftf] belt they cannot become either unnatural Or
indifferent to the impulses or an undying ambition to ho
distingnisheu as the leaders of the nations in the ways of
civilization and humanity."
[We are compelled to omit the conclusion of Secre
tary Seward's circular until to-morrow.]
INTERESTING SOUTHERN NEWS.
Fright of the Rebels at Memphis.
CAM, 111., Dec s.—The following items are
from the Memphis papers of the 211:
Gen. Tres-assent publishes a long communication
in the Memphis Appeal, showing the insufficiency
of the rebel defences at and above Memphis. He
says : " Columbus once lost,. and the Fedora's
would have no trouble in marching directly- to
SlesupSts. MempLis is small* IsPezhasiesi and
indefensible."
He calla upon every male eitii,en of the State to
enroll,. and threatens all who die not with death.
Ilia rebels are sending ihoircetkin to NeroLi Ala
bama for safety.
Coffee is voted at $1 per peel &in Memphis, and
there is none to be had.
Bacon is quoted at tiO cents, end other provisions ,
in proportion
Dec. s.—Tke Memphis paper•;.
which contain the ne'w* of the Great vickory
son Brownlow , seem detembeed to give theirrend
rre 21i1 th.. sll>ky* of it:1 , 1941141.y 1%.1er54
reverses, among which ere tin) following :
Tint lien. 15 41 -nourl, 6.1 611 i Atfnntge,
inery's force to pieces, taking ktontgontorypriao4er,
That Gen. McCulleeti bad surrounded Gen. Si,
al, et Sedalia ? and it wee believed the latter would
be forced 10 Fririender or be out to pieces.
Thot . o en. Price had crossed the Gasconade river,
ni,vre for St. Louis, the people everywhere [look
ing t 9 f pprorti and it vino believed that ha would
have an army of Oo,ooo.toofore Touching
Ranting of ZM►on Men , in TRnuessee
CAnto, Dec. Moraphis papers skate,
that Ilenr7 Fry and Jitoob DI. lieneltor. Unioutaid,
were bung at Greenville. Tenn., on the 31 of Nat
Tauber, for bridge burning.'
GOOD NEWS FROM TENNESSEE!
PARSON BROWNLOW HEARD FROM.
THE REBELS TOTALLY ROUTED
BY HIM.
BATTLE AT MORRISTOWN, EAST TENNESSEE
CAIRO, Ili., Dee. s.—The Memphis Ara[anent,
of the 211 inst., cuntaino thu following:
A large body of - Unionists attacked the Coda
aerate pickets at Morristown, in East T001108:00,
yesterday, killed a large number of the Southern
troops, and completely routed thou,.
Major General Crittenden has arrived at Knox
ville to take command of the Confederate furues.
LAT l!lt —A special despatch to the Merophi;
papers of the 2d gives an account of it grunt battle
at Morristown, East Tennessee, between the Fed&
ral forces, under'Parson Brownlow, and the rebels.
The battle was fought on the tat December. The
kvacrofi were victorious. The rebel despatch
goes so far as to term it " the first Union victory."
Brownlow had 3,000 men. The rebel force is not
estimated.
The rcut of the rebels wa,z total, according to
thoir own clinving,
South Carolina Planters Burning Their
Cotton.
IGIIARI.BSTON, C., Nvy. ;;C) (vta Memphis anti
Cairo).—Patriotic planters on the seaboard are
hourly applying the torch to their crops of cotton
and rice. Along the Coast there is one sheet of
name and smoke.
Many military companies at New Orleans are
volunteering for thirty days' service at Columbus,
Kentucky.
The War in Kentucky
Casorcatcrr, Dec. 5.—A Frankfort despatckto
the Commercial Advertiser says Zollicoffer is on
tho south sidu of Cianktorind rirsT, u9lllll Rik§
from Somerset, with 7,800. men, and some good ar
tillery. Gen. Schol' is on this side, and will be
ready to engage him as soon as the river, which is
swollen, recedes_ A fight is expected soon.
From Port Royal.
NEW YORK, Dec. 5.—A letter from Port Royal
soya that ono of the quartormnotoro, 911 his 9111 re
sponsibility, has get forty cotton ging at work. The
negroes receive 3c per pound for all the marketa
ble cotton, and have gone into the businegs with en
thegiesm.
NXXIIITII CONGRESS-FIRST SESSION,
WASHINGTON, Dumber 5, 1861
SENATE.
Mr. RICE, of Minnesota, naked leave to record hit
Tate an the expulsion of Breckinridge, as he was absent
. I..eaTc hying gramtc.i, }re..
Mr. SUMNER, of Massachusetts, offered a resolution
to print ten thousand extra copleaot the President's mes
sage and accompanying documents. Referred to the
Comndltee on Printing.
-
Yr. SUMNER presented the petition of citizens of Ha,
verhill, Massachusetts, that the slaves of rebels be libe
rated unconditionally, and tlm slaves of Union men on
fair ra3ntent.
Mr. CBANDLER, of 'Michigan, offered a resolution to
appoint a eonintittee of three to inquire into the disasters
at Dull Run ano . - ardrs' rerry • -
Mr. LANE, of Kansas, moved to amend, and insert
Springfield, Wilson's Creek, and Lexington.
11r. CHANDLER hoped that the resolution may not
be emended.
Dir. LANE Redd that a man most entitled to honor
writhed at Wilson's Creek, and perished because he was
not relieved when he could have been. The people want
to know why the gallant Lyon was sacrificed ; why regi
ment* were tent to Cairo instead of to the relief of Gen.
Lyon ' and why the army moved at 9. tread's pace to rein
force Mulligan, The jun& wanted names, aud, in his
Whin, WCMId not have to toots Tar ror the moo
pent itU d the sacrifice of General Lyon.
Mr. Lane's ainendintnt was not agreed to.
Mr. GRIMES offered a snbstitnte, to appoint a com
mittee of two members of the Senate and three members
of tha house to favobtigatC the cat= of all tlto giqP*e*
to our arms.
On motion of Mr. FESSENDEN, the subject was post
poned until th-niorroiv.
Mr. WILSON, of Illas?aehnsette, gave notice that ho
should to-morrow introduce a bill to abolish the sutlers
PtWinthhtg.
Mr. GRIMES, of loaii, moved to take up the resolu
ticio to investigate the case of Colonel Miles. He said
lilt the court of inquiry proved that Colonel Miles was
inflsxicated to a certain extent, enough to justify Colonel
Richardßon i n applying the epithet to him, but not enough
to remove him from
11.t1COMInitnii. He wantod nil the
facts of the case to go to the people. The rethdution
was agreed to
Dlr. TRUMBULL, of Illinois, introduce! his hill for
confiscating:the property and giving freedom to the
cloves of rebels. [Pee another column for this important
bill.)
SPERMS or MR- TRUMBULL
Mr. TRUMBULL, of Illinois, said, in presenting this
bill to the consideration or the Senate: I desire to RC,
conically it with sonic remarks explanatory of its char
acter and the principles on which it Co booed.
As its title imports, it is a hill for confiscating the pro
perty and giving freedom to the slaves of rebels. It pro
vides for the absolute and complete fc.rfeiture forever, to
the United States, of every species of property, real and
personal, and lihrlCOOEfef §itinito Within the I.J sited
States, belonging to persons beyond Bic juriodiction of
the United Mates, or beyond the reach of civil pfocees in
the orainary mode of judicial - Proceeding in c'2l2eoPnEs
of the present robelllon, who, during. 4 , :
existence, Az ,
,
arms against the United titater, or in any wise
aid or abet the rebellion. This forfeiture to bo en
forced against property in the rebellious districts
throngh the military power, and sgainet property in
other portions of the UuLted States in which the judi
cial newer is not obstructed by the rebellion, through
the courts, and the proceeds of the property of each in
dividual seized and forfeited, subject to the just claims of
his loyal creditors,
to be held for the benefit of loyal citi
sent, deopolled of their property by the rebellion, and to
defray the expenses incurred in its suppreision. The bill
also forfeits the claims of all rebels, and those who give
them aid and comfort, to the persons they hold in slave
ry declares the sieves thus forfeited free, and makes it
the duty of the Preeioent to provide for the colonization
of such of them :tummy be willing to go, in some tropical
country. where they may hare the protection of the Go
vernment and secured in all the rights and privileges of
freemen. The property belonging to traitors ' or those
giving them comfort, who moo - be convioted by the judi
cial tribunals, is to be forfeited on their conviction; the
realty for life, and the personal property forerer. These
sea ties main features of the hill I have introduced, itc.
companied with the details necessary to accomplish the
objects dictated.
It will be observed that a distinction is made in the
mode of forfeiture of rebel property in districts under in
myrectiertary control, and that which may be found in
districts within the reach of the process of las, in be or
dinary forms; the forfeiture in the one case to be en
forced through the military, and in the other through the
judicial power. This is a matter of necessity, for it
would be impossible to enforce the forfeiture through the
enets in disc; lota wheee thojeloiebil sewer wan overborne
by the rebellion ; and if not impossible, it would, in my
judgment, be clearly unconstitutional to enforce it in any
other way in districts where the property seized was
within the reach of legal process.
So; Wadi in the case of a conviction for UMW, Th 9
property of the traitor within reach of the court can only
be forfeited by the court—the personalty forever, and
the real estate, ender the Cnstitution, for life only. The
power of Congreso to pass a bill of this character is, to
my mind, unquestionable. But Ido not place it on the
ground Which has Leen tavat.e..l in sonic ~uarfer4, Oaf,
in times of war or rebellion, the military is superior to the
civil power; or that, in such times., what persons may
choose to call necessity is higher and above the ConStittl
tion. liesessity is the plea of tyrants; and if our Consti
tution cooed to 000roto 11w noemeet a person charged
With its observiture thinks there is a necessity- ro vioiste
it, it is of little value. So far from admitting the oupe
riority of the military over the civil power in time of war,
or that there is any necessity that it ehould be so, I hold
that, under our Constitution, the military is as much
eobjeet to the eabtebl of tide evil power in war as In pease.
The powers of Government under our system are three,
of which the military is not one. It is merely Incident to
the others, :old subject to ono of these, the legislative.
without whose permission it can have no existence; and
when called into being by the action of Congress, it is by
the Ceuetitution expressly made subject to ouch =dee '
Congress shall prescribe for its government. When, there
fore, our armies, to raise and support which Congress has
express authority under the Constitution, go forth to sup
press insurrection, and in doing so shoot down rebels and
desolate their abodes, as they CCinstitatiniftllY men they
are as Mich subordinate to the civil power as when en
gaged in a holiday parade in time of peace; and contra
band properly seized and appropriattol by the military
in insurrectionery districts In suppression of the re
bellion, is as legitimately taken as if condemned to
forfeiture by the judicial authorities in districts in
which judicial process wee not obstrncted. I want no
other authority for putting down even this gigantic rebel
lion than such as may be derived from the Constitution,
properly interpreted.
It is eeriest even tettbie great emergency, and the mere
eau study its previsions, the more it is tried In troublous
times, the greater will he oar admiration for the Mara.
meat, and our veneration for its authoro. As unpopular
as the avowal may be for theinowentamong the thought
lee., I declare that I em for suppressing this monstrous
rebellion areorilinet to lam) and in no other way ; and I
beitevr, that G. puree has only to discharge its dusy, Islet
the army perform its with energy and activity, to bring
the war to a speedy and successful issue.
We are fighting to maintain the Constitution, and it
especially becomes us, in appealing to the people to come
to its Footle, not to violate it eursolres, How are W 9
better than the rebels, if both alike set at naught the
Constitution 1 I warn my countrymen, who stand ready
to tolerate any act done in good faith for the suppression
of Who rebellion, not to sanction usurpations of power,
'which Dilly liereetter become precedents for the destruc
tion of constitutional liberty.
The Corietilution declares that Congress shall have
power "to declare war" and "make rules concerning
captures on land and water;" "to raise and support
armies-'' "to provide and meintain a navy ; tee make
rules for the government of the lend end HOY.' forces i to
provide foe calling forth i t
o mmilitia to execute the lax, of
the Union; suppress insurrections acid repel invasions,
tend' to make all laws which shall lee necessary and
proper for earrying into execution the foregoi lig powers."
Acting antler these grants of power, Congress has pro
villvil fini bringing into service more than half it million
of nien, who aro now engaged in suppressing the insnr
reetion,. an t has, to wane extent, made rules fur rte go
vernment of these forces, which, as far as they go, are
°Wearers' science them; but, in the absence of any regu
lation ao So how the army is to be used in suppressing the
ia ' surreeriors, etc cenuneruf woold beet illeva9 intim
such use at it, consistent with the rules of civilize,i war
fare, as Ile believed must be conducive tee the service of
the Stave, and best moculated to secure the end for which
it was culltd into being, upon the principle that every
mall allirlded9ll with fur le1119111)11191/t of mail
ip presented
to be invested with all the pettier necessary to enablehim
peribem the service. Henri , the power of an army in
the suppression of an insurrection, to seize, imprioon, or
shoot the insurge sts, to desolate the country they (neve-
Dl;.io 814111 And appropriate, for the time Leine, their
pi merry, and tree the persons ille/ lewd ne Lso. , isno, is
ample and complete under the Conetitotion se that of: ,
a court, in peaceful times, to arrest, imprison, try, melt
eo 111113,e a murderer.
Toot ihr jic iieisl tribunals Lace no right 11r. mater Ice
fleturfers with the some in she caercleo of Its
suppressing an insurrection, either by homing writs
habeas moue or otherwise, is apparent from the fact
tbat tee only ground on which the military authority
can be invoked at all is, that, the judicial tribunal being
:Noboru@ end incompetent to the mils, the jlpliSjiil our
thoi unt
rityerls at the , very point where the military
i
and offVU as, a delicate unestioo to deter--
amino this particular point, and decide in what tocalliteo
the m ilitary, slid iii what judicial authority. should'hoottr
Wily. This the Constitution has left to be provided; Sox
etutrottg, lit' declaring that it shall here over to
eallforth the militia to auunress insurrection.; and, cutt
ares,, seas a ter the adoption of the Conohtlition o peerool
on am motto' io Mg the president to call forth. llietoril tia
for that purpose, whenever the laws of lis.Unlted, States
were obeiructed by eontbinationotoo powerful ton be one
preeeed the oistiusr.y course of lac3eiel
and by au art peesed at the first scoolon of the present
Congress, the President is authoriztol o in certain, ceseo s to
declare lie inhabitante of a 'Stitt, or part thereof, in is
state of immuneßon, and make Otto the ammo to sup
press it.
The respolosibilitY, therefore, of-deteemboing when and
in what districts of the United States tbertailitari power
may be need tee suppress a felollion, is devolved by Coe
grim on the. Executive; and when the military power is
palled into reunleitton, the judicial authority can no
more ieleitere with its action than can the military wltit
the judicial tribunals In flutes of peace. Under certain cit.:
efilliSlittleeS, either may be called to the aid of the othea.
The courts sometimes make use of the military in skint
this execution of their powers, and the military would,
aiitt..i4ty to Stake stet of .iti,ltelat
tribunate in tlistricie under insurrectionary control,
should they be deemed a proper moans by the Qatari
lower to aid is allPPretteing the rebellion,
In each cane the power called to the aid of the other,
whether it be the military in time of pence to the ae•
distance of the judicial, or the judicial i n times of robot_
lion to the RlAlNtance of the millutril would be aulfordi
nate to the power milking the call, In accordance Will/
these principles, it has been my object, in framing the
bill under coneideration, to distinguish between the pro
perty on whirl, the military may operate, and that cub
iert tojudiciui control. end c'early to tterttle the jurisdic
tion of tech, confirming the seizure net nu-nature or
property situated in districts of the tufted States
under insurrectionary control to the military power,
and its condemnation and forfeiture in other por
tions of the United States to the judicial power. Which
ever tom takes hall of 11.7 property within its .ioris
diction would, upon principles of comity, retain
poiriession till its final dieposition, upon the acme prin
ciple as that of two courts of concurrent .ntriadic
lion—the ono whisk first seta Possc , ‘ , don of
affi.oling 4.111a4. pr , eutitta nr propertr, is nnritlnd to otitis
jurikilirtion until Its filial disposition. It is upon this
principle, also, that pPritone captured by MO military
au
thorities in inhurrectionary districts, as prisoners by the
military power, without interference with the courts. till
their cams are finally disposed of, notwithstanding this
nifty fro for polrinienti of knfolil NA1146118 of Stara,
he brought within districts where the judicial power is in.
fall Op4ril Hon.
Having ehown that the military rolled forth under this
ennollolion, In 41111, , 9 , 1 inearrection, In CO VP4• , I
tciil, oil the PA% er necmgialy to the cud coneht"id with
It,. . of warfare, it follows that if tarots
artnlea may oven cnnflaeate an enemy's property, the
right of the 'United States to do it in the case of the re
bels is unmirrtionahle, inr sorely no war wee O'er more
Fllloeinll4 than the one now being waged by the rebels for
the overthrow of this Government.
That' Stilfly e • Fduiii i.f treatment we would
!keys A right to mdetal to foielgn athilmt. The right of
seizure tun] confiscation of the property of the enemy an
prize of war is a settled mitudion of international law,
which has been affirmed by our own Supreme Court. In
The Mile of Drown vl4. tilt. United States, reported in the
h r!--1„ p>„.,r (h.,-
vernment, Vin &add is onkel-Mined. That war gives to
the sovereign full right to take the persotisand conflecab3
the property of the enemy, wherever found, is conceded.
The mitigations of this rigid rule, which humnne and wise
..f times LAVA introilffead to ttroettea, clot
more , or lesa affect the exercise of thlg right. but cannot
impair the right itself. That ramnius undiminished, ROIL
when the sovereign authority shall choose to bring it
iiito operation, the judicial department must give effect
pi, 191, will, Rut until that will shall be expresaed, no
power of condemnation can exist in the court."
That case also decides "that the power cf confiscating
enemy's property is in the Legislature." Wheaton, in
commenting on the case, says : "The property cannot ho
wired :mil condemned as prize of war, without come legitt-
Wil , ,nprr;for its confiscation. The court
bold that the linS of Congress declaring war was not Anal
an act. That declaration did not, by its own operation,
in vest the property of the enemy in the Government as
to support judicial proceedings for its seizure and con
fiscation. It vested may a right to confiscate, the asser—
tion of which depended on the will of the sovereign
power."
Mtwara to the transfer of private rights of property,
Wheaton holds this further languacre: 4, It Ts competent
for the national authority to work a transmutation,
total or partial, of the property helon4ing to the van—
qutbi,e.i party; aml, it ecimilly coneinc46l, the tact
must hr taken for right. But, to work ouch it transfer of
proprietary rights, some positive and unequivocal act of
contiscaVon is essential." Most of the nations of Eu
rope acquired title to territory they possess by conquests,.
and private perms have derived their WIN from that of
the Government thug obtained.
According to the modern usage dilations, private pro
perty of alien enemies on land has not generally been.
forfeited, but the right of forfeiture in unquestionable,
P,11) pin' a eifercised, if nece,ary, to secure the putt
tams or the 'war, or in retaliation for forfeitures try the
enemy.
The rebels whenever they have the power, have seized.
and confiscated the property of loyal men, and this, ac
cording even to modern usages as between independent
Wiens, tathld isitte to the United States the right
to confiscate In turn. Much more would they pos
sess that right as against rebels, who have
calLle
leesly taken up arms against that Government. Tho
right to free the slaves of rebels would be equally clear
with that to confiscate their property generally, for is
es property tint they profess to Ltd then Lot so sits a
the most efficient means for attaining the end for which
the armies of the Union have been called forth, the right
to restore to them the God-given liberty of which they
have been unjustly- deprived, is doubly clear. It only
remains to inquire' whether, in malting 1140 0f 1444
means to crush Mitt wicked rebellion, it Is policy to con
fiscate the property of rebels, and take from them the
support of unrequited labor. Can there be a question on
this point
Who does not know that treason has not gained
strength by the leniency with which it has been trenied.
We have dallied with it quite too lug already. Instead
of being looked upon as the worst of crimes, as it really
is,it has come to be regarded a trivial offence, to be
atoned for by a promise to do so no more. The despoil
an of MIA Milan's, the onnapirotill wittinict , the Poaeo
of a nation, the plunderers of the public property, the
amassing of liberty, when they have fallen into our
hands have been suffmed to escape- on taking an oath of
allegiance, which many have not scrupled to violate tie
first opportunity.
Thousands of industrious and enterprising business
men t nye been rninca by ibis rebellb.n. Moro then
twenty millions of la ople now eontrilenting of their
mains and their blood to its suppression ; more than
half a million of men, as noble spirits no ever trod the
earth it, martial array, now encamped in tents and
uniltrareing the hardships of winter campaign ; thou
sands of °there now contirtrl in pristine, and tome in
dungeons, by the rebels; the blood of the disinterested,
the noble-hearted, the dauntless and heroic Lyon ; of the
gifted, the element, the brave, and patriotic linker; and
of the hundreds of other loyal citizens nnii true men ebe.l
lit rebel liable, still uplifted for the alinuilittr of then
sands more, and the destrirtion of free government—
these, and a thousand other considerations, all demand
that the authors of theta ealamitie., and others yet to
follow, if they Lave the power to inflict them, should ha
made to suffer, both in their persons and their property,
for the enUrlliOnti crialve they Lave been and are Coni
waiting against private rights and public liberty.
Besides, sir, not to confiscate the property of rebeisis
to offer it premium to disloyalty, so long as they, when
ever in power, confiecate the property of loyal citizens.
Under Melt a policy, the rebel's property is mfr, let wive
will triumph, while the man true to his allegiance, hie
country AO his flag, is, if within their power, despeilea
of all lie possesses ? ruder such a policy, the path of
safety for property is to place it on the road to treason.
In it any wonder that, under such a policy, treason,
which at fleet had lint a partial foothold in such States
as Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and
Virginia, has spread till in some of them it now has com
plete possession. The loyal citizen, in all the States
where the rebels have sway, knows that the penalty for
an avowal of his allegiance to his country in the for
fatties pf all he has' addle, if ks fasmiart hit alias
gianee ; Istaperly ik dike protected by friend and foe.
If we cvt-4,1 bring this war to n snccessfid tame, it is
high Niue ;t irni i,i~'r OS terrible to the enemies as to the
friends of the Republic. 76re.f. sectifitr to coirPt
rn.4c,rs rel.]. fo lifita against the Communal (Ira
cruelty and peril to loyal citizens stengglintt for the
preservation of the Union and maintenance of constitu
tional liberty. They who deny their allegiance to the
Government bare no right to claim its protection. Let
66h.a, 4a affm l / 4 1 Its deal with them and
their property as their crimes deserve. prosecute the
war with vigor, and it will soon be brought' to a success
ful issue.
It cahoot be that twenty milliona of pimple, armed in
defence of coniititutionnl liberty' are to be ingt,yJee
then tine•fonrth their number, tinting for the overthrow
of free government, the establishment of an aristocracy,
and the perpetuation and spend of human slavery. But,
Nvhilo fighting this battle in behalf of constitutional
liberty, it behooves na especially to see to it that the
tionglitntion raegvem no detriment at our handl.
_ .
IRIVe will have gained but little in euppresaing the insur•
rection. if it be at the expense of the Constituttom for
the chains which the bondman wears are none the lighter
because they were thrgtal by his own and not anr4her'e
bands. - As we expect to come ant of this contest with
our ling fa :soft complete In n.ll. 16 propoition4, exit to
stripe erased or et star obscured, so let us preserve the
Constitnlion perfect in 141 its parts ' with all IN guarantees
for the protection of life and libert y unimpaired, and the
instrument itself rendered doubly- dear t from the fact that
it line been eacredly mnintained and lirnTen PM to any
emergency, under circumstances the most trying to whirls
a nation was ever subjected. Then, when this struggle
is over, we will have an assurance that our Girmernment
is stronger titan et or before, and that constitutional
liberty is established on a foundation which no human
power will ever be able to bU6Tert
The bill was °Hera to be printed and referral to the
Committee on the Judiciary.
Nr. CLARE', of New Hampshire, gave notice that he
shmild offer an amendment to the tunitive-slave tint,
Tho @onto thou wont lota oktinutlve onion' and gab.
sequel fly adjourned until Monday.
lIOVSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The SPEAKER annnunc•ii that the varstneins in se ,
vend tif the etandine committees ha 10 been fiUnl na tvl—
lows :
On Nays and Means—Messrs. Hooper and Maynard,
On the .Tudiciary—Mr.
On Territories—Mr. Stir].
On Indian Aftairs—Mr. Phetto, of Colifornia.
Puldia fillip, of Tivginia.
On Military A ffotre—Mr. Dunn.
Commifteee on the Establishment of a Western Armory
—Mr. Kellogg, of Illinois.
On the Muffle Railroad—Mr. Sarceaut.
Mr, GVZf7tl T of Qto, offered a resolution, which
Wad adopted, requesting the Coninsittee on the Judiciary
to inquire if n telegraphic cell...m*4llp of the press has
been established in this city, and, if so, by whose autho
rity mot by whom it is now controlled, and report if such
eel:eon:hip line net been need to restrain wholesome
criticism and diectwetioth while its professed mid lan
dable object boa been to withhold from the enemy infor
mation in relation to the movements of the army.
Mr_ STEVENS, of Pt nnsylvanin, submitted n series of
resolutions, referring the rarions branches of the Presi
dent'S message to the appropriate standing committee,.
Mi. AIfIUILII, of 1114ncia, tnavoil that the pet ra.
lilting in the defetiee3 end fortitleations of the event likes
and harbors be referred to a select committee of nine
rrembera.
The question was debated, whether it should be thus
referred, or to tho Committee on Military Affairs.
It was contemled ono., skim }hat the gUitt. Wag and
Northwest shouldnot I.e igsismel, and on the other that the
subjecrof defences concerned not a section, but the entire
country. The question was finally referred to a select
committee by ten majority.
The resolutions of Mr. St'Srens, as thus emended, were
Inn BLAIR, of Missouri-, introdneed n reaointioll NA.
ferringthet portion of the meseago fa relation to the colo
nization of slaves taken frt m armed repels to a select
co endure of seven members. which wag, lulopt,d in Com
mittee of the Whole on the State of the Union, hilt will
afterwnrao reiected t thefforans.
Mr. LOVEJOY, of Illinois,. introduced a bill proposing
to repeal all laws requiriiwr passes to persons of color
going northward, to take Immediate effect. Referred to
the Committee on the District a Colombia.
- • .
. ..
itir• lIIMSLON, of 1 ,, ,n,y(v.r.hi., fhtiquitterd a hill
providing fora board of. C0M121154011P1 .14 ti , reVigi. and
codify the ggneral statitt.e of the United State'. Re
ferretilo the Judiciary Granulitic.).
Tho Howe then adjourntti tilt nondar.
Department of the•West—Army Orders
Sr. Loris, Dec. s.—General flalleck has issued
lengthy general orders in reference to affairs in this
deportment, the principal* points. of which are as
follows : Lieutenant Colonaf B. G. Farrar has been
appointed Provost Miushal General of the depart
ment.. The commandin officer of districts, posts,
and corps are dirtctesi imarrest and place in con
finement all persons . in. anus against the Vatted
Status, or who give aid., assistance, or encourage
ment to the enemy. AM property belonging to such
p eroanfil w hich pm l be used by the army, will be
taken possession of for that purposei and all other
property will be examitted by a board of officers
ami sold, according to. tike army regulations. All
ppm found in disgpfse., as pretended loyal °W
seas, or under false pretences, within our linos,
giving information to. or communicating with the
enemy, will be arrested, tried, and shot as spies.
Persons nut employed or enlisted in the garde('
at the so-called Conettleirote Slates who commit acts
of hostility will nnt,he treated as prisoners of war.
hut punished as criminals and be shot, or loss so
voroly. pun:stied, .accordin g to the rules of war. In
consequence of lar,go numbers of Union families and
non-combatants braving been plundered and driven
from their homes is destitute condition, thousands
of such persona. arc now Muting their way to this
city, and the provost marshals are directed to
ascertain the condition of the persons who are driven
from their beams, and, under the military law of
tiamil. - 4 thest in the, Mune, and food
and clothe them at the expense: of avowed Seces
sionists, who,. although they drama themselves rob,
and plumbs, give aid and encouragement to abet:
SUSI, heti al titile fallow-rebels.
Tim Western Virg as Convention.,
Wrrretuto, Deo. 5.--The Convention Willa,:
aloiteleed the vete= of voting vita case triAlt-
Logirlatare, substitutivg, that of 'voting by ballot.
Mr. Burley, of Marshall oc.unty, offered aresolu
lion to inquire into the expediency of rewiring ( att
attorneys to take the oath of ellest'atite t 11114.
allowing no perso to sne in the 00=44 who, is dis
loyal to the Government.
Reath uf . RQlnr4 .I.,amme.ii, of fittlttnielte..
BALTIMORE, Deo. s.—Rabort Lammact, a wail%
knpRR Inerclp4 of DaMIAMI OA lad olata•