Ciy Vrtss. TUE: 4 DAY, DECEMBER 9, 1862 4a- We can take no notice of anonymous cominu nications. We do not return rejected manuscripts. • .04 - Yeluntary correspondence solicited from all parts of the world, and especially from our different military and naval departments. When used, it wilt ,he paid for. .111 r. Se ' ward. 7 B Diplomacy. )Ve print to-day elaborate .and compre hc•ntive extracts from the correspondence of the Secretary of State with ou• ministers . abroad, but more particularly with our minister at the English Court. It is an in teresting chapter in the history of this war for the - Union, and it will be read with great eagerness by the people of America and Europe. We need only look at the public document •containing this correspondence to see how impogant the American question has become in the eyes of foreign Powers.' The correspondence with the English Court embraces over three hundred pages, and iu this correspondence there are two hundred and sixty-one despatches from the Secretary of State to Mr. ADAMS, not to speak of vo luminous letters- to Mr. SruAnr,' Lord LYONS, and others. Many of these de spatches are length, and prepared with great care, covering many points of in ternational law, explaining the different movements of the army, controverting false impressions, and discussing the gravest questions of social and po litical economy. The chaste and elevated style of the Secretary of State was never seen to more advantage than in this cor respondence ; and many passages will be remembered and preserved among the finest compositions in our literature. The ques 7 lions discussed are numerous and grave, for the Cabinet of England has been a captious and unreasonable neutral. The doings of Mr. Buxcn, the Charleston consul; the blockade • the contraband trade at Nassau • E4;land with her escape ; — tliFliTiagitlia the draft; the emancipation proclamation; the case of the Emily St. Pierre ; Mr. GLAD - - STONE'S speech, and other questions of im . portance, arc all discussed and determined. • It is rarely that we see such an amount of labor from a single public man, and the Secretary of. State need ask no greater monument to his fame than this diplomatic correspondence: It is of course impossible to make any but a genertil reference to a .correspondence so voluminous and complicated. Although these letters embrace only a year of time, many_ . of the events to which they relate have been almost forgotten. The impres- • sion we receive from a careful perusal of the whole volume* that of perfidy and dissimulation on the part of the English, and an earnest desire to satisfy just demands of that nation on the part of ,the Administra tion. We see the spirit of friendship per vading every letter of the Secretary of State ; we look in vain for any reciprocation. The case •of • the Alabama, .as detailed in this correspondence, is a flagrant illustration of the want of English faith. We see this vessel built in an English port,. fitted out in English storehouses, and permitted to mount cannon and , sail from the dock. Mr. ADAMS appeals again and again to Earl RUSSELL to interfere. That nobleman procrastinates and asks for evidence. Evidence is furnished, and the solicitor of the Crown is taken sick ! Be fore he recovers the Alabama is gone and an order is then issued directing her detention! We particularize the case of the Alabama, because it is thoroughly treated in these letterS; and because it is the best instance of the injustice of England. Altogether, .we see in these letters the existence of a nervous and unsettled feeling between the two.countries.. The Secretary of State keeps his temper and does not forget 'the respect due to his position. This, it must be said, i* s at times a very difficult matter, for the un ceasing animosity of England is so apparent that no indignation of the Secretary would create surprise. We have also a brief summary of Mr. SEWARD'S correspondence with the other foreign courts. We could wish that more friendship to this country existed at many of these courts, and cannot but regret the indications of growing sympathy with the rebels that we see so frequently manifested. That this sympathy has not become active and troublesome is due to the masterly statesmanship of the Secretary of State. Thus far he has sustained the honor of the Republic before the world. He has shown the rulers of Europe that while the Rephb lie . desires peace at any possible, price, it is abundantly able not only to repress domestic I reason but to punish foreign insolence. The Indian War in Minnesota. "We trust that .there *ill be an immediate response to the resolution of Mr. Senator WimmisoN, calling for the documentary eVidenee in the possession of the Govern= ment against the condemned Indians of Minnesota. The Indian war Was such ' a brief episode in the bloody tragedy now being performed, that it imssed away without ex citing public attention. We know very little of - what really took place in those distant and nameless Indian countries of the North. west. In the protest of the Minnesota dele gation we see nothing but. the just resent ment of kind4learted and charitable gentle men. It is an outburst of indignation very natural and proper, but still unsatisfactory to those who know very little of the subject, and are anxious to be well informed. Ac cording to our own Vague ideas, it seems that in a distant agricultural district, on the imme diate frontier of :Western civilization, two peoples were dwelling. They Were the re presentative races of America—men of the Present and men of the past, men of art and men of nature. There was a sparse popula tion, from the Eastern States and some of the over-burdened districts of Europe, of free, hardy, and ambitious white men. They had gone into the new country with the axe and the plough, and having hewn logs enough to build a home for their little ones, had ploughed the land around it, and raised a crop of corn. They held the outposts of our advancing ci vilization. .In their rough way of life they had done much . / towards benefiting them selves, • and . making one another happy. They had schools and churches; and county .newspapers in plain, if not elegant English, were beginning to appear. • A few years more, aM these men would be the fathers of a great State, with populous cities and well tilled, farms, and a large delegation of Con gressmen. Another race of men lived at their side and were their neighbors— a strange, 'mysterious, haughty people,., whose barbarous and savage pride seems to have been sweetened and softened by adversity and perseetition. The lords of all this mighty continent—with a history which to student 'has ever been able to trace—a wild, fierce, and implacable nation—the leaders in many a well-fought war ; :with customs and hit's, a literature that was written on hidden stones and barks•of trees, with a quaint take and a ' reckless prodigality of gold and thing is left of what they once were but some sweet namee;for States and rivers, and - ; an occasional remembrance of a midnight niasseCre. . • e bud been ]ed • to think that in no part of our Territories were. these tii - o,ineeii more anikaiiie than in Minnesota. ;.•The v " friendly. Stouk'.' . :lS a familiar phrase ~ t o those Who Tend the current literatnrn.of #46, (lay. • The Government agents May not • haVelotind them as mane , other :4,00 further' south, but-'they still had 'shown. :Aid ; they:Were not insensible to the .kind• - . 41ess .the.V bad received frbin the Goiein ...inehtrarins had been arranged for Adm,. Jimises' had peen built, and no intinehea was :spared to make . them respectable citizens. The humanizing proeeSs failed in many es sent wars. • Tlininteuse vanity of rho In- • dinit'; etinneter made: hint Value a 'scarlet cnaliirore than a hundred green acres, and his own passionate soul fonnd- the hunting groUnd of his ancestors and the happy, land of the. Great Spirit ~in thesinebrinted dreams •of adult erated'rnm. WhiCh tin, the, white man drinik:thade• the red . ' , Man mad.' Ills frenzy look oftentimes a ridiculous, and occasionally a tragic, turn. He laughed and danced grotesque dances, and screamed his war songs, and rubbed his fiite with ochre and gamboge, while shrewd white men gave him more rum and scarlet trinkets, and repaid themselves in neglected and fertile acres. The tall of such a creature from the virtues of his woodland life to the vices of the city and Settle ment was rapid, and, in a few years, the proud possessor of acres, where thc deers were .wont to dwell and die' before his arrow, was a wandering vagabond about stable-yards, eating crusts of bread and craving for whisky. This is the story of the intercourse between the two races, as we have unfortunately seen it too often illustrated. , But, occasionally, we have a fearful outbreak, like this war in Minnesota. The Bend in the Indian charac ter comes to life again, and he sets out upon . the wild work of devastation, desecration, dis honor, and death. Its saturnalia is but tem porary. There is a rising in the settlement, a hUrried ride of a cavalry company from the nearest post, a brief skirmish, the mur der of half a tribe, and Peace. Then comes the old life again. Rum, trinkets, madness, death—all the while retreating to the setting sun, while the white race advances into the new domains. We look upon this war in Minnesota as one of these mad and brutal outbreaks of the Indian character ; and we think when the history is known it will be nothing more than a new chapter in an old story. The Sioux is an Indian with all the vices of the Indian, and, we arc inclined to think, the victim of Saxon rapacity, and his last rebel lion is one of the most terrible that history records. Men were murdered at their fire sides, by their .ploughs, in their homes— women and maidens of tender years were dragged into captivity, and to a fate, corn pared with which death itself would have been a dear and welcome blessing. We could not conceive such horrors as those containesi the report of the delegation from Minnesota : " The Indians have mur dered in cold blood nearly :or quite one thousand of our people"—'' burned the from the porc - b - rgram-u .r n ir Senator and two Representatives:from Min nesota. Added to these were outrages which the pen cannot detail. Refined and beautiful girls die violent deaths in shaine and horror, with a helpless and dying mother as the only witness of the atrocity. The limbs of little boys arc mutilated, and their persons fear fully wounded and disfigured. Over one hundred and fifty miles this work of horror and death extended, and, as it seems, with out any serious effort being made to over throw and punish the wild ruffians. Something must be done to punish these savages. We may feel restive at the threat, that unless the President orders their exe cution " the people of Minnesota will dis pose of these . wretches Without law," but we cannot blame a people who have suf fered so Much for talking with such fierce sincerity. Let the Indians Who have ruur .dered our brothers, and dishonored our sis ters, die. We may even hang the three hundred, whose Jives are forfeit, and it will be but a trifling expiation: With all our dislike to capital punislunent, and the disinclination to deliberately hang , three hundred men on any charge, in :this case we withdraw any sympathy-we could pos sibly have. Every accomplice in this fear ful work should be punished even to death. But this is only a work of vengeance, and we are not called upon to inflict vengeance alone in our dealings with the Indians of Minnesota. We cannot hang the whole Sioux tribe. Every guilty one may die, but hundreds will live, with thousands of other tribes as treacherous and blood-thirsty as those condemned to death: What hu mane and. Christian policy must We • adopt towards this proud and vanishing race. ' We cannot massacre them nor drive them into the sea. They must not mas sacre us. There must be no more raids upon the border like the recent foray upon Minnesota. We must protect our own people.. flow to make the white man se cure and the.red man harmless is a . problem 'which it will . require the wisest statesman ship to solve. We shall better understand the 'whole question when we read the evi dence asked for by the honorable Senator from Minnesota. We shall then know the real history of this war, 'and perhaps we shall discover the causes leading to the massacre, and the impulse that turned these savages into so many demons. More than all, We may be enabled out of these lessons to shape a policy:which will hereafter con trol the Indian-race to its:own advantage. It would, indeed, be a' blessed chance, and whoever gained it would justly deserve to be ranked among the . wisest and most hu mane statesmen of the age. Our Relations with France--Highly teresting Correspondence. WASRINOTON, Dec. e.—The foreign correspon dence, under the head of France, covers one hundred and thirty-four pages—the letters extending through this year. In a letter of June last of Mr. Seward to Minister pay ton, he says : France has the right to make war. against Mexi co and to determine for herself the cause. We had no right and interest to insist that France shall not improve the war she makes to raise up in Mexico an anti-republican or anti-American Government, or to maintain such a 'Government there. France has disclaimed such designs, and we, besides re posing faith in the assurance given in a - frank, honorable manner, would, in any case, be bound to wait for and not anticipate a violation of them. Circumstances tend to excite misapprehensions and jealousies between this Government- and that of France, in spite of all the prudence we can practise. On our part we studiously endeavor to avoid them. You will, therefore, be fully authorized in assuming that-this Government does not aspire and has no responsibility for assumptions of a different charac ter made by the press. When we desire explana tions from France—when an occasion shall -, have ar rived to express discontent, we shall communicate directly and explicitly with M. Thotnieneithrough your good offices. Dlr. Dayton to Mr. Seward, on October 14, in ac knowledging the receipt of the proclamation of the President of September 22 . , says : You may look immediately for- the most mis chievous efforts from portions of the foreign press to.pervert and misconstrue the motives which have promptedjhe proclamation and the probable conse quences which will follow it. You must not be surprised if another spasmodic effort for interven tion is made, based upon the assumed ground of hu manity, but upon the real ground that emancipation may seriously injure the cause of the South, and will interfere, for years to come at least, with the produc tion of cotton. But whatever may be the motive which prompts emancipation, or the immediate conse quence which may follow it, the act will remain, and this cannot fall, in the end, to commend itself to the enlightened conscience of . the . Christian world. Mr. Seward, writing to Mr. Dayton mi October Seth, says the views he is about to express should be Understood as official, and may be made known to the French Government. In the course of his letter he remarks that it surprises the President that the expectations of a recognition of the insurgents .are still lingering in European capitals in view of the disappointment and failure of the campaign, which, by its successes was to prepare them for that hos tile measure. The people do, indeed ? desire peace and repose, as they have all along desired these ob jects,• hut the first voice has yet to tie raised in de mand for peace at such a cost as a loss of the Union, or even of an acre of the broad foundation that it covers. after discussing the whole subject, he concludes as follows : The European impuLses favorable to the recog nition of the insurgents are due chiefly to 'the earnestness with which they have announced their resolution to separate. In this respect, they can surpass us. We, the loyal people of this Lnion, are less demonstrative. We are necessarily so. Time works against the insurgents and in our favor. Reason and conscience are on . our side ; passion alone on theirs. -We have institutions to pre serve, and responsibilities world-wide and affecting future ages to discharge; they have none. They are at liberty to destroy, and trust to future chances to rebuild; we must save our institu tions not- only for ourselves but even for them. I trust, however, that even if the early operation's • Of the Government left room for any misapprehen sion on the subject, the decison and the energies which this Government and the loyal people have put forth, within the last three months, will satisfy Europe that ive are not only a considerate but a practical, persevering people. It is time we should be understood there. In one sense, a generous one it is true, as Earl Russell has said, that we are fighting'g for empire. But the empire is not only our own already, but it was lawfully acquired and is lawfully held. Extensive as it is, none the less is every part our own. We defend it, and we love it with all the affection with which patriotism in every land inspires the human heart. It has the best of institutions; institutions the excellence of which is generously, /mil even gratefully, conceded by all men, while they are endeared to ourselves by all na tional recollections, and by all the hopes and desires we so naturally cherish for a great and glorious fu ture. Studying to confine this unhappy strwale within our own borders, we have not only invoked no foreign aid or.sympathy hut we have warned fo reign nations frankly, and 'have besought them. not to interfere. We 'have practised justice. towards them in every way, and conciliation in an unusual degree..r But we are none the less determined for all to he sovereign and to be free. Wdindulge in - no menaces and no deflances. We abide 'patiently and with' composure the course of events, and the action Of the nations whose forbearance we have invoked, -scarcely less for their sakes than for our own. We have not been misled by any of the semblances of impartiality, or of neutrality, which unfriendly pro ceedings towards us in a perilous strife have been put on. When any Government shall incline to a new and more unfriendly attitude we shall limn re vise with care our existing relations towards that Power, and shall act in the emergency es becomes a people who have never yet faltered in their duty to themselves, while they were endedvoring to Improve the condition of the human race. • RUSSIA. The correspondence from and to Russia is not es pecially interesting. Minister Caasius M. Clay, in a despatch to Secretary Seward; dated in Japuary last, writes, among other things :"Union with us;' with equal rights; should be uttered to the Usnadi ans, and the lives and property of friends leturedi; Dien and money eltould be acqt ato Irciand t India;; and all the British dominiong all overthe world, to stir up revolt. Our cause ifijust, andivengeance will sooner or later overtake that perfidious aristocracy - ." Minister Cameron to Secretary Seward, in a de spatch of June last, after describing - his audience with the Emperor, says: "The Emperor was exceedinglyplain, frank, and unostentatious in his demeanor. The unusual length of the interview as well its the unaffected earnestness and sincerity of his "expressions, gave evidence that he desired to make special manifes tation of his friendship for our country and Govern ment. Both on entering and leaving his Cabinet he gave me his hand with cordial famillarity. This practical experience of the good faith of these pro fessions of sympathy with the - United States, which RUSSIA now makes, as she has heretofore made, not only unimpaired, but strengthened by tke. acknow ledgment of our national trial, afforded ..'most pro found gratineat ion." • SPAIN. VA* Horatio J. Perry, charge d'affaires for opaia, treats upon Mexican and other affairs. In ri"? - snatch dated March 30th, he narrates his intervie with Mr. Calderon Collantes, and continues: "But the position of Spain towards us had from the beginning differed from that assumed by Eng land. In the royal decree of June 17, 18G1, he had carefully Abstained from insisting on the word belli gerent as and legitimately applicable to both Parties in the contest in the United States ; but it was a civil war, and a war extensive enough, and important enough, to call for some rules of conduct to be laid down by her. Catholic Majesty's Govern ment for the Spanish authorities and Spanish sub jects to observe. The war was a fact, and ho had merely taken cognizance of the fact, and proclaimed that Spain wished to have nothing, and would have nothing, to do with it." The minister from Spain. Tassara, in October last, verbally communicated to Mr. Seward the substance of a correspondence which had been made to him by the Captain-Greneral of Cuba, to the effect that a • United States cruiser had chased an English and neutral vessel into the maritime limits of Spain, • driven her ashore, committing at the same time. other acts of aggression and violence against not only subjects but even the authorities of the Queen of Spain in that island. • Mr. Seward informed Minister Tassara that he Was authorized to renew to him the assurance con veyed to. his Government that no delay shall be made by this Government in ascertaining the merits of the complaint, and in awarding to'}Spain and to Any other parties who may be concerned in it, if the facts presented shall not be adequately controverted, all the redress and all the satisfaction which the law of nations, or the treaties of Spain and the United States, or even the comities due between friendly nations : shall require. • AUSTRIA. Minister Motley wrote to . Secretary Seward, in October last, as follows: "The Government of the Empire to which I have the honor of being accredited has never hinted at any desire of interference or made any ostentatious proclamation of ' neutrality' between • the Govern ment bound .to• it by treaties of amenity and com merce and an imaginary nation which has no exist ence save in the vision of domestic treason and foreign malice." Minister Marih writes from Turin, in January last: "In no part of the continent was the sympathy' with the Government of the :Union at the commence ment of the rebellion so strong, or so universal, as in Italy. Although that sympathy is greatly weaken ed, it is not yet lost, and I trust that events are near at hand which will restore it to its original strength, ----r 4, m_the_Goynent in its disposition to Minister Corwin, in a despatch Fo' ---- S'eCr•efary ST; ward, dated September 28, says: "Recent events in France. and elsewhere on the continent of Europe, all tend to render the conquest and subjugation of Mexico by French power impracticable. How much of carnage will be required to restore the supposed damaged prestige of the French arms, remains to be seen, but this being accomplished, I confidently an ticipate a treaty, good or bad, for the Republic, by which all French questions with Mexico will be for the present adjusted." The entire correspondence covers a thousand pages, including interesting letters from Brazil, Por tugal, Turkey, ,Switzet/and, Central America, and other countries in which we have ministers. WASHINGTON. Special Despatches to 66 The Press." WASHINGTON, December 8, 186'4 The Capitol. The work on the capitol extension makes speedy progress. The iron plates have been placed on one side of the dome almost to the top, and those for the rest of the surface are lying in the area in front of the building, read - to be raised and fastened in their places. On the RepresentatiVes , aide preparations are being made to build the arch ;in the grand staircase. the blocks of marble have been prepared, and they only have to be fitted to their places. On the senate extension. an immense derrick has been erected, and two of the large columns with their capitals.been put in. place. The arch of the staircase is partly completed, and the masons are en gaged in building the steps. The galleries of both Houses daily show rt sprink ling of risiters, many of whom are ladies. Secession Tactics. • It seems to be the intention of Messrs. Cox, VAL• LANDIGIIAM, PENDLETON, & Company, to, throw every possible obstacle in the way of legislation in the House of Representatives. One or the other of them is always prepared with some piece of non sense to occupy the time of that body. Prominent Democrats have told me that they regard the con duct of these men as most childish, and unworthy of the objects which the Democratic party is supposed to have in view. Judge of Supreme Court. DAVID DAVIS, of Illinois, was to-day confirmed in executive session of the United States Senate, as Associate Justice of the- Supreme Court of the United States. More Prizes. The Navy Department has received information from Rear Admiral LEE, commanding the South At lantic blockading squadron, at Hampton. Roads, of several, captures made :by the blockading forces off Wilmington, North Carolina, and the neighboring coast. He says, on the 30th of November, the United States steamer Mount Vernon captured the schooner Levi, Rowe, of and from Nassau, N. P., and pur porting to be bound for Beaufort, No . rth Carolina, with [a cargo of salt. She was at the time standing in for New Topsail Inlet. . On the 3d of December the steamers Mount Ver non and Cambridge discovered two schooners near New Inlet. In obedience to a signal, the former gave chase to and drove ashore one of the schooners, when, after being fired, she filled with water, and the sea made a complete breach over her; while .the . Cambridge overhauled and captured the other schooner, which proved to he the Emma Tnttle, of Nassau, with an assorted and contraband cargo. On the same day, the United States steamer Day light, off New Topsail, captured the schooner Bril liant, of Nassau, loaded with about 300 bags of salt. Her master made a written statement of his inten tion to run the blockade, under instructions from the vessel's owner, Mr. WAYNAN, of Nassau. On . the night of December 3d, the steamer Cambridge captured the schr. J. C. Roker, from Nassau, loaded with salt, the master of which also made a written statement of his intention to violate the blockade, under instructions from: the owners, Messrs. 1.A. - N.*- - nzas Soss, of Nassau. The J. O. Boker and Brilliant Were sent into Beaufort, being unsea worthy. The Levi Rowe and' Emma Tuttle were sent North for adjudication. Up to the 4th of Novem ber, therefore, the list of vessels captured off Wil mington and the adjoining coast, since Septem ber Ist, includes one steamer, two barks, two brigs, and fifteen schooners, making a total of twenty vessels, of which six have been sent North as prizes. The others, with the exception of one, which sprung slesk and filled, were chased ashore and destroyed. . The Porter Court-Martial. in the court-mnitial in the. case of General RITZ JOHN PORTER, General POPE was recalled by the court to-day : which put questions to him for informa tion, explanatory of portions of - his former testi mony. The counsel for the accused asked permis sion to question him as to whether, in case General PORTER came upon the enemy's front in force and in position, instead of upon his flank or rear, he would consider him justifiable in not attacking in obedience to the order to attackjiis flank or rear, but the court ruled out the question. Capt. DRAKE DE KAY was examined with re ference to the time at which General PORTER obeyed the order of the 27th of March at one o'clock A. M., testifying that he moved at four o'clock A. M., and that he . saw General ?MITER and his staff using great exertions to get out of the way. of the wagons, which impeded the march of his troops. McDowell Court of Inquiry. In the McDownLL court of inquiry, to-day, Mr. BELA CLAnir, of Fredericksburg, was examined. His testimony was to show that Gen. McDowspL, when in command at Fredericksburg, released• a man named LITTLE, a lawyer there, who had been passing to and fro on horseback within the. Union lines, playing the part of spy for rebels. Gen. Burnside and his Correspondence. Mr. LAMNED, private secretary of General BURN-. SIDE, says that the large number of letters addressed to the General upon private and individual matters, to which his personal attention is expected or re quired, are not the least of the labors which occupy his time. Were it possible, he would gladly respond to each and all of these friendly letters; but the de mands of the service render this impossible. While he offers this as his apology for any seeming neglect of his numerous correspondents, lie expresSes the wish that the General may be spared, as far as pos sible, all demands upon time and attention, except ing such as relate to the public service. Death of Gen. Churchill. General SYLVESTER CHURCHILL, of the U. S. army, and late Inspector General, died here last night, aged eighty years. General Cllunclur.r. entered the army, from Ver mont, in 1812. He was appointed inspector general, with the rank of colonel, in 1841. He was brevetted' a brigadier general in ISIS for gallantry at Buena Vista. He was put on the retired list, September2s, 1381. General On URCII 11. T„ when in health and younger, was au able officer, and he ivas Universally . esteemed in the army. . . . Naval Orders. The following officers have been ordered to the Eltenm sloop-of-war Sacramento: Lieut. Command ing CARP'ENTEIt, Lieut. Ity_tx. The following to the Monomg)hola: Captain Mc- Acting Master MAR EX)Uii K. • • 1.).v. rEr. H. MliftiNY, of Riyriey, Ohio; has been riilpointed assessor of the Sixth district under the tax law. • " Generals Mott and Prinee. • Brigadier Generals Mori' and Pitille% have been ordered to report for duty with the Army of the Potomac. Resigned. Capt. E. W. IVlrrcnrmr., quartermaster of volun. teers, son of the late Gen. MI - ctn.:Lt., has tendered his resignation, which has been accepted by the President. Consul to Martinique. EMMA); untirm, of Pennsy/vanin, has been nominated to the Senate as Consul to Martinique. Destructive Vire at Harpers Ferry. ITANPER'S FERRY, Dee. 'l.—A fire broke out in the guard-house, where rebel iirisoners were con fined, last night. Two Government buildings were completely consumed, including the Government te. legrsph office. Loss about o'4ooo. Most of the con tents were saved. A magazine, was in danger for sometime, and some of the gunpowder was removed. • Thp ipilitstry ia{►tered the tire, - , 711; PEESS. - PHILADELPHIA; TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1862. ITALY ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. Sufferin g of the T roops—Efrect At of thr Cold Snap on the quart ermeistees Depart anent --Soldiers Building Huts--No Move nt It eported. HEADQUALTERS Aunty OY THE POTomAC, December B. Reports from,tge river stn Hotta note several deaths from exposure during the past forty-eight hour* Large quantities of supplies are preventedittom landing at Acquia and Potomac creeks, by Li low water And ice. The . latter is fully twei;inclicis! . ic Notwithstanding this, the army generallyaitiProvi sioned for twelve days ahead. Credit is (Me to the army quartermasters and commissariffOr their energy in overcoming great obstac tft- nd massing the supplies now on hand. There has been no movement importancefo da y. Many regiments are industriously* engaged in erecting huts as if preparing to spend the winter hereaboutil. The impression, however, is prevalent that • the present quiet will be of but short duration. ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND. The Disgraceful Surprise at Hartsville, Tenn.—Further Porticulzu•s—Morgau Cap tures a Federal Brigade, its Stores, Tennis, and Two Gnus—The First Operation of General Joe Johnston, &c. The following additional details of the battle of Hartsville, Tennessee, (of which we published an account, exclusively, in yesterday's Press,) have been received, and give some idea of the extent and nature of our loss, but eve no reason fox; the surprise of our troops: NasnviLLE, Dec. ;'l.—The following additional particulars have been received: The 39th Brigade, Dumont's division, consisting of the 1131 th Illinois Regiment, Colonel Moore coin manding the brigade; the 10th Ohio, Colonel Lim bergi,Nicklen's Battery, and a small detachment of the 3[i Indiana Cavalry, were surprised at daylight ou Sunday morning, at Hartsville, by General John Morgan, commanding three regiments of . cavalry and two of infantry. After fighting for an hour and a quarter our forces surrendered. and the enemy burnt 'our camp, cap turing nearly all the brigade, train, and teams, and burning what they could not carry away. Two guns of Nicklen's battery were also captured. Our loss was between fifty and sixty killed and wounded, who were left on the field. The rebel loss is not re ported. The gallant Lieut.. Col.. Stewart, of the .d Indiana Cftway, And Col. Moore'were among the captives. Major Hill, of the 2(llndiana Cavalry, was wound ed, but' not dangerously. He says that half of our infailtrY fought well, but the other half soon broke. Col. Harris' and COL K'iller's brigades were sent in pursuit, put the enemy had forded the Cumberland river, and were out of reach.. A few shells sent after, themmtuard &Wild retteat._______:_— „, prlSMrit it was no tne air was more disg - raceful to us, as Hartsville was a strong position. • On Thursday, a lieutenant colonel of Davis' divi sion was captured while skirmishing. Two regi mental quartermaSters of Gen. Palmer's division were also captured while foraging. Thirteen wa gons, with mules, on a foraging expedition, were captured on Saturday. A deserter from Murfreesboro reports that Cheatham and Breckinridge were, there with 15,000 troops. Buckner was at Shelbyyille ; Kirby Smith was sick, at Manchester. 0 - en. Joe Johnston was certainly at Mtirfreesbovion Saturday. - INDIAN TROUBLES IN MINNESOTA. The Dllimegotirma Attempting to Take the Law' Into Their Own Hands—Proelaina tion Of the Governor. ST. PAnr,, Minn., Dec. B.—A body of a hundred and fifty citizens, armed with hatchets, knives. and other weapons, forced their way through the guard last night, with the avowed intention of murdering the Indian prisoners confined at Canip Lincoln, Mar- Icato, but they were surrounded and captured. They were subsequently released on parole. The Governor has issued a proclamation, urging the people not to throw away her good name by acts of lawlessness; that the people have just cause of complaint by the tardiness of Executive action, but they ought to find reason for forbearanCe in. the ,ab sorbing cares which weigh upon the President. If he should decline to punish them, then the case comes clearly within the jurisdiction of the civil au thorities. DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA; No Election Ordered—Reason Not Clearly Detined—ACurious Statement About a Fe _ • (lend Evacuation of the State—Healthiof the Troops Good, &c. NEWBERN, N. C., Dec. 1, via Fortress Monroe, - Dee. '7, 1862.—1 n consequence of !Me strong' opposi tion of the free-labor party in Eastern North Caro. line, who, with no grounds given for nullifying the President's proclamation,lM election will be ordered for Representatives to the Thirty-seventh Congress from this State. Petitions, however, are in circula tion for an early election to the next Congress: ....- It has been disoovered that it is the intention o the United States Government to abandon imme 4liatcly all that portion of North Carolina lying eastward of the Weldon and Wilmington Railroad... The health of the officers and soldiers in this De partment continues remarkably good. fever at Wilmington is slowly abating. ARMY . OF THE FRONTIER. liint Iznatt And Marmaituke Attack General Blunt at Cane 11--They are Repulsed Twice, and will Probably Retreat..Gene rad Herron :Marching to the Relief of Gene ral Blunt--Further Bettina of the Battle of Cane 11111, &c. ST. Lotus, Dec. 7.—Adviccs from the Southwest ) received here to-night, say that .the enemy, under Gene. Hindman and Marmaduke, 25,000 strong; at tempted to force Gen. Blunt , rpositionnt Chine Upti Ark., yesterday, but were driven back. • This morning they drove in the pickets of General Blunt's command a distance of three miles ; but on the arrival of reinforcements were again repulsed. General Blunt is of the`Opinion that this demon stration of the enemy is made to cover their retreat, as they were felling timber all night, probably for the purpose of obstructing the road and preventing pursuit. General Blunt has held the enemy in cheek for four day. General Hertores command will reinforce him to-morrow. .PAItTICIJLAIIS . OE !Mk bXiiS BA.trtLE OF CA1413 HILL ST. Louis, Dee. 4.—The following, dated at "Headquarters Prat Division Army of the Frori=.' tier, Cane Hill, Nov. 30th, 1862," has been received ' at the department headquarters ~ • 4 "General Marmaduke- continued his light all. night after the battle of the 28th inst., and istiow in Van Buren, Arkansas. General Hindman was ex' 7 , pected to reinforce him at this place on the evening' of that day. Prisoners, of whoni I captured twenty five, state that Marmaduke's force was eleven thou sand. They were compelled- to abandon two pieces of artillery disabled by my batteries. A number of their officers are killed, among them a Lieut. Col. Monroe, of a Texas regiment, and a Captain Martin, of an Arkansas regiment. " The notorious Quantril and his band were en gaged in the light, with Col. Shelby and Emmett McDonald commanding the rear guard in the retreat across the Boston Mountains. They fought. despe rately.' Some of Quantril's men were killed, and others taken prisoners. My loss in killed is live, and four more were mortally wounded, one of whom, Lieut. Col. Jewell, 6th Kansas, has since died. Lieut. Campbell, Kansas 6th, was taken prisoner. " The loss of the enemy in killed was about seven ty-five. They carried most of their wounded off the field, and sent them to houses on the right and left of the road and battle-ground. "All regret the death of Lt. Col. Jewell, as he was a brave and gallant officer. "Two contrabands arrived to-day from Van Buren, who state that Hindman, with 12,000 infantry., crossed ' the Arkansas river from the South on Tuesday last,' for the purpose of moving up to reinforce Margie duke; but they have now all returned to their hole: . "My transportation has just come up. I oc cupy the same position occupied by MarmadOke when I attacked him, and intend holding it. Re apectfully, " JAMES G. BLUNT,Hrigadier General.,, STATES IN REBELLION. . . Richmond Dates to the 6th—Pront :Pretle ricksburg—Datt I e Imminent—Expedition to Wilmington North Carollifa Ucgiala ture—Trne to the Confederacy—Advance Upon Peteraburg—Eieiting Reports from South Carolina—Attack upon Georgetown Expected, &c. BATTLE EXPECTED ON TILE RAPPAILANNOCE. FORTRESS Paozrnon, Dec. 7, via Baltimore, Dec. B.—Richmond papers of Saturday have been re ceived here, and contain the following interesting items of news : The Richmond Dispatch says : "The: •reports . re ceived from Fredericksburg yesterday indicate that some severe skirmishing occurred in the . neighbor hood of Port Royal yesterday morning, but With what result could not be learned. " The general aspect of affairs is represented to' indicate a battle. "The columns of the enemy have been moved to the front, and much activity is observable along: their lines." GENERAL EMORY'S . EXPEDITION. The Richmond Enquirer, of December 3, says : "Two deserters, just in from Washington, North Carolina, report an Abolition fleet at Newbern, and that Washington is to be attacked this week)) • UNPGLINDED RIU'ORT. The report of the skirmish at Cove Creek is um; founded. FRO IL TENNESSEE. KNOXVILL'E, Tenn.—The Cliff's Renegade Regi ment is devastating hlorgan county. • N ORTII OAIWISNA LEGISLATIME, ON TILE UNION The following resolutions unanimously passed the house of Commons of North Carolina, on Thursday last: ittio/vcd, That the 'Confederate States have the means and the will to sustain, and' perpetuate the Government they have establiehed r and to that end North Carolina is determined to. contribute all of. her power and resources. Resolved, That the separation between. the Con federate States and the United States ie final, and that the people of North Carolina will. never con sent to a reunion at any time or Upon:any tering. Resolved, That we have full confidence in the abi lity and patriotism .of his Exceilency, President Davis, and that his administrational entitled to "the cordial support of all patriotic citizenii. Bcso/rord, That we heartily approve of the policy and the conduct of the war, set forth.hy his Excet lency, Gov. Vance, in his- inaugursiaddressand Mes sage to the Grand Assembly, amithat he:owlit to be unanimously supported in the manly and patriotic stand he has.taken for our independence. EXCITING NEWS IROM soon" 'CAROLINA • • The Richmond pa pers of Si4urday say:: "Official despatches from Gen. Walker, at Poco tallgo, say that. iv fleet of twenty vessels sailed on Friday last from Hilton Rend:. . "Georgetown or Wilmington is the point .arrived at. "Our troops were evetywhere put-under march ing orders, to be ready For a mere at the shortest notice. " Several large vessels passed Charleston hartioe.- ' on Stinday, going southward. • It is . thought that they have gone to aid the Gulf squadron in :an at tack on Mobile. - ! 4 f Five additional vessels were oft' OharlestOn • bite On Siuntity,' and six blockaders oft Stono I'otut.' l . • XXXVIIth CONGRESS-•Third Session. *ARRINGTON, December 5, 1862 SENATE. Petitions. Moor& FOSTER, SUMNER,' DIXON, LA THAM, FESSENDEN GRIMES, and KING, severallypresented petitions in favor of a general bankrupt act. al" willowp (U.), of Indiana, presented a me morial from Gov. Morton, of Indiana, praying for an increase of , pay for the common soldiers. Re ferred to the Committee of Military Ailliirs, Mr. HALE ptep.), of New . Hampshire, presented a petition protesting against the action of the Ad visory Board of the Navy. lie also gave notice that he should introduce a bill to abolish the grade of medical oillcers , in the navy. Surplus Army Officers. - - Mr. NESMITIif (U.), of Oregon, W offered a resolu tion instructing the Secretary of ar to report to the Senate the number and rank of the aids-de-camp appointed under the net of Congress, Mt, and also the number and rank of those appointed drawing pay and not in active service. He said that, accord ing to his estimate, there were about fifty-colonels, thirty-four lieutenant colonels, two hundred and twenty-one captains drawing pay and not in active service, drawing, in the aggregate, pay of $13,230 per month, and sl6B,76o'per annum. The country is full of them. He knew one colonel who was practising law, another running a saw-mill, and another keep ing a lager-beer shop, and many others campaigning about hotels and drawing money from the Treasury. The resolution wits adopted. Mr. WILSON ('Rep.), of Massaehusetts t offered a resolution instructing the. Secretary of 1% ar to re port to the Senate the number of major generals and brigadier generals now in the service, and how they are employed. Adopted. State of Ilissona4. .Mr. WILSON (Rep.), of Massachusetts, offbred resolution instructing the Committee on Military Afikira to inquire into the expediency of providing, - liy law, for the more effectual suppression of the re bellion, and seeitringtranquility in the State of Mis souri. Adopted. °Feral lOUS of the Army of the.Potomete. Mr. SUMNER (Rep.), of Massachusetts, offered a resolution that the call upon the Secretary of War for correspondence, tee., relating to the Army of the Potomac, be extended so as to embrace all such ope rations since the first movement of that army. Adopted. , . Middies nt the- Naval Academy. Mr. McDOUGALL (Dem.), of California, offered a resolution instructing the Secretary of War to in form the Senate whether any Congressional district of the - United States has more than two midshipmen in the Naval Academy, and if so, by what authority, and under what law they were thus appointed. Adopted. Sol:try:of Senator Thomson. Mr. FOSTER (Rep.), of Connecticut, offered a joint resolution to pay the widow of the late John R. Thomson the amount due him as Senator. Mineral Resources. ; - ; Mr. LATHAM. (Dem.), of California, introduced A bill to provide for the development of the mineral resources of the United States and its public domain. Referred. Arrest of Delawareans. , Mr. SAULSBLTRY (D), of Delftware, called up the resolution relating to the arrest of certain citi zens of Delaware. Mr. WILSON (Rep.), of Massachusetts, objected to the resolution. He said there might have been . - Doine mistakes in these , arrests, but there were many ,tebre, men who ought to have been arrested than Government was especiall3 - 'valuithlt - phMt tion to citizena, yet in no other free Government was. the citizen liable to arrest at the discretion of any and every omcer. He urged the adoption of the resolution at some length. Mr. DOOLITTLE (Rep.), of Wisconsin, 'said he understood that in all these cases of arrest, the offer of liberty had been made, if the persons arrested would take the oath of allegiance, but it had been . refused. There had been complaints made that the Government had been too lenient, and that many who had been simply imprisoned had not been hung or shot. He would like the resolution to lay over. Mr. SAULS.BI.IR.Y said he had referred to these two persons because they had never heard any charge against them. They had been arrested in a loyal State, and for no offence whatever. Peagyable citizens in Delaware and Maryland had been ar rested, and dragged from their homes, and he thought they had at least a right to inquire into the matter.' There was no disposition to oppose the Government at all. Bankrupt Act. After further discussion, the Chair announced the special order,to be the bankrupt act, which was informally laid aside. Mr. FESSENDEN (Rep.), of Maine, from the Committee on Finance, reported a bill concerning the judgments in certain Suits brought by the United States, which was amended and passed. Amendments to the Constitution. Mr. DAVIS (Union), of Kentucky; offered ajoint resolution, proposing certain amendments to the Constitution to alter the mode of the election of President and Vice President the United States, as follows: • • That the President and Vice President be elected in the following manner : Each State may . , within thirty days next before" the time appointed for the election of President, in any mode adopted by the State, nominate to Congress one candidate, and on the flist Monday of February next, before the expira tion of each Presidential term, the two houses of Con gredpi shall meet together as a convention in the hall of the Houseof Representatives, and all the candidates nominated by the States within the preceding thirty days, not exceeding one from each State where no minations shall have been authenticated to Congress, shall- be before said' convention candidates for the ,Preildency, and thereupon the said convention shall proceed, under the supervision of the presiding offl ,'cers of the two Houses, to vote, br open ballot, from 'among the said candidates, for President, and when any one, shall have received the number of votes equal to all the members elected and appointed by both Houses of Congress, he shall be declared by the Presidenti of the Senate to be elected President of the United States. • • In all eases where balloting shall have continued in this mode through five days, Ando) election shall have been effected, on the sixth day it, shall be re sumed, and after each ballot the officers presiding shall drop the candidate who has received the small est number of votes, or two or more candidates who have received an equal number of votes and less than all the others ; and the balloting shall be so continued among the remaining candidates until one shall re ceive the majority aforesaid, and thereupon the Pre sident of the Senate shall Announce him to be elected Prsident of the United States: The .Convention shall then proceed in the same manner from the re maining candidates to elect a Vice. President of the United States. Whenever it may occur in the voting for Presi dent or Vice President that all candidates but two had been dropped, the balloting between them may) if necessary to make an election, continue two days longer, and if then no candidate shall have received the required number of votes, the officer presiding over the convention shall report the state of facts to the Supreme Court of the United States, and it shall thereupon pronounce which two candidates shall fill the office. Vie amendment was ordered to be printed. M iseellnueous. The ()HAIR laid before the Senate a communica tion. from the Secretary of the Treasury, in .answer to a resolution calling for the amounts paid for pro secution andlitigation of land titles in California. Mr. ANTHONY (U.), of Rhode Island, offered a joint resolution, increasing the bonds of the superin -ondent of pilblid printing tolorty thousand dollars. The bankrupt bill was then taken up and read at length. On motion of Mr. FOSTER (R.), of Connecticut, It was postponed till Thursdny,.tlmr . lBlll, and made the special order of that day. •.on, motion of.llr. SUMNER (B.); of Massachu setts, the Senate went into executlyc session, after .which it adjourned, HOD§.E_OP 11P.PRESENTATIVMS-. The Committees. The. SPEAKER announced the appointment of 'Air:McPherson, of PennsylVania, to till the va cancy in the Committee on Military Affairs, in place of Mr. Blair, of Missouri, and Mr. Yeatman, of Ken tucky, 'on the same committee, in place of Mr. Jackson, of Kentucky, deceased. T. A. D. Pessenden, and Walker, of Massacht setts; were appointed to fill vacancies on Committee 'of Private Land Claims. The other standing committees continue as here tofoie. Ashley Investigation. The SPEAKER appointed the following special committee to investigate the charges derogatory to the character and standing of Mr. Ashley, of Ohio; as published in the Toledo Blade and other pa pers, viz : Messra. Blake, .of Ohio ;. Shanks, of In diana; Noel, of Missouri;• Casey, of Tennessee; and Haight, of New York: Indian ' Affair/. On motion of. Mr. EDI%IONDS . (Rep.), of New Hampshire, it was resolved that the Committee on Indian Affairs be instructed to inquire whether any further legislation is necessary in relation to the In dian funds held by - the Government, and to report by bill or otherwise. General Buell. On motion of Mr. ROSCOE CONKLING (n.), of New York, the President was requested, if, in his opinion, not incompatible with the public interests, to transmit to the House the list official report of Major General Buell. Pay of the Army. - • , Mr. VAN WYCK (B.), of New York, introduced a bill to provide for the immediate payment of the clothing lost in the service by soldiers of the United States, and a bill increasing the pay of privates, non commissioned officers, and MllBlOlB,llB. Both of the bills were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. . Indemnity for Losses h Suspending Writ of Habeas Corpus; Mr. STEN - ENS (Rep.), of 'Pennsylvania; intro. duced a bill to indemnify the President and other persons for suspending the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus, and acts done in pursuance Thereof, as folloWs : • Whereas, on the 4th of :March; 1861, some of the 'United States were in-insurrection, and a rebellious condition of the public safety required the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus to be suspended, and several arrests and imprisonments made in' conse quence thereof. .dnd whereas, There is not entire unanimity in the branches of this Government as to the right of de claring such a suspension of the writ: Therefore be it. enacted, That all such suspensions, arrests, and imprisonments, by whomsoever caused to be made, shall be confirmed and made valid, and . the President, Secretaries, and heads of departments, all concerned, or advising such acts, are hereby in demnified and discharged in respect thereto; and all indictments, informations, suits, prosecutions, and proceedings whatever, commenced or •to •be com menced against the President or any other person, are hereby discharged and made void. The second section requires that during the exist ence of the rebellion the President shall be and is in vested with power to declare a suspension of the writ of habeas corpus at such tunes and in regard to such persons as, in his judgment, the,public safety may require. .111 r. vALL,INDIGHAV(D)., of Ohio,' objected to the second reading - of the bill Oherefore ' under the rule,. the question occurred , " Shall the bill be re jected The House refused to reject it by a vote of 31 yeas against 90 nays. : The bill was then read a second time; • . . Mr. STEVENS moved to postpone the bill till next Thurtality, and make it the special order of that day. VALLANDIGHAM objected to making it the special cyder. Mr. COX Weal.), of Ohio, desired to refer it to the Judiciary Committee. Mr. STEVENS .then reeked that the bill be put on its passage. The main. question vas then ordered—yeas 33, • nays 47. OLlii (Bey.), of New York, expressed his sur, prise thatany erection should be made to the post ponement oti the bill, when an opportunity for its dis cussion would be afforded. If it was postponed till ..next Thursday it could be examined with the care and wisdom which the House should bring upon so im portant a subject. What he objected to specially was that 8, measure of such great _importance, and upon which there was a diversity of opinion, should be hurriedly.thrust through the House. The President had authority by law to exercise all the power he had exercised in regard to the writ of ha beas corpus. He concurred with the gentleman from Pennsylvania PD. Stevens) theta bill of this chit racter was proper. But while he thus concurred, , he should regret if the bill was hurried through the House.wiftiout probably ten members 'knowing its legal Provisions. It,was discreditable to the House and the%country, and he should feel ashamed to re turn to his-constituents and say that Congress had paesett an act without permitting a won!, yea or nay, to be said on the subject. He hoped, for the matt of the House and the country, that the matter ..irould 'be postponed. If'or himself, he was ready to: meet the question at any.time. hlr. VALLANDIGHAM (Dem.), of Ohio, said he bad objected only to the bill being made a special order. • Dlr. OLIN replied—l did not say you had made :any other objection. Mr-COLFAX (Rep.), of Indiana, differed from ,Pdr.olln. He did not thitik the inunediate passage of the . bill would be discreditable to the i ns t elt d. o f this, it would , be creditable, The (Ines. Lion has. been discussed all over the land as to :whither the. President .had power to buspiul'ftte privileges of the writ of 'tubes* corpus during the rebellion. He stood ready' to vote for the bill to indemnify him, and hoped it would pass at once. Mr. STEVENS was about addressing the House on the miblect, when • VALLAIWJGHAM railed" the guestion that Mr. Stevens had no right, under 511 e rule, todosm Mr, STEVENS asked that he Might be allowed three minutes to explain. Mr. VA_LLANDIGHAM objectedi unleee others should have a similar privilege. Mr. HOLMAN (Dem.), of Indiana,.moved to• lay the bill on the table, Not agreed to--yeas 44 nays fO. Mr. STEVENS remarked that it had not'been his intention to put the bill upon its passage at the Mae he introduced it. He' hail asked for iis postponement till Thursday, and that it be made a special order. Gentlemen who knew enough of the bill seemed unanimously determined to make it a special order. lie presumed that they thought that no time was ne— cessary to examine its provisions, in order to arrive at a correct understanding-of them. Still, feeling as the gentleman from New York (Mr. Olin) did, that it would look better to , have a few days to examine the bill he was willing to afford time for that put', Pose. lint 'being prevented by gentlemen on the other side, he had made up his mind that the bill should not fail by any such objection as had been in terposed. He would demand the previous question, and adhere to it. He would not have said , anything in relation to the contents of the bill had he not - seen it stated in some of the newspapers that the bill as sumed to indemnify everybody, who, during the time of the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, has presumed to make an arrest in the name of the Go vernment. The bill had no suoh absurd provision. It provided that the President and members of his Cabinet, and those who. have made arrests during the rebellion by the virtue of their authority, shall be indemnified. It went no further. Mr. THOMAS (Rep.>, of Massachusetts, was un derstood to Say that he did not object to the bill be cause it would indemnify the President, but as it now stood it left those who were-unjustly and illegally imprisoned without a remedy. Mr. COX (Dem.), of Ohio,.remarked that it would be eminently proper for the gentleman from Penn sylvania to withdraw the demand for the previous question, and, instead of having the bill passed in indelicate haste, send it to the Committee on the Judiciary for examination. Mr. STEVENS expressed his thanks to the gen tleman from Ohio for his advice, but he had become so provoked with the conduct of the gentlemen on the other side that he did not receive their advice with kindness. Mr. COX rejoined that the provocation was upon the action of the people during . the late elections. Mr. STEVENS, resuming, said, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Thomas) would find, on examination, that he had drawn his bill precisely according to English precedent, and had used pre cisely the language of the indemnity bills of the two -last centuries, as passed by the British Parlia ment, with the exception of confessing the Me gallty of the acts of the President in the premises. He had not confessed such illegality, for the rea son that - the Attorney General and Administration held that the President, without such a bill as this, had full authority to exercise the power of such acts. Therefore,- it was not a remedy for anybody. A remedy ex isted only where there was a wrong: If the Pre sident had the right to suspend the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus,and under such suspension arrests took place, this bill could do no harm. He, however, repeated that there was a doubt upon the subject. He doubted the authority of the President to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, excepting from absolute necessity, when Congress was not in session; but when Congress was in ses sion, then in - Congress is the sovereign power, and of the rrCallielra -- N (Dem), of Illinois, asked whether, liCtregv"Elli - or - inr - ouvaaing postponed till Thurs day, a discussion would then be allowed or stifled' .11.1 r. STEVENS replied thatif the bill had been postponed there was no intention to call the pre vious question. The object of the - motion was to allow of a discussion. But the privilege was not permitted, and the friends of the bill were com pelled to place it on its passage now. He did not choose to put it in the power • of its enemies, and the enemies of the Administration. He repeated that he had carefully - copied the bill from the • precedents of the English Parlia ment. He had not added a word. with the exception of what was rendered necessary by the present circumstances of the country. Whether the Attorney General and other gentlemen were right in their opinions, this bill conferred nothing •addi tional, and could do no harm. If the President had not the power to suspend the privilege of the writ, he should now be indemnified for doing so at the time of our extreme peril, and when* traitors were found in every household and township, North and South. The bill was then passed under the operation of the previous question—yeas 90, nays 45—as follows: YEAS; IFessendeu S C (R) Fessend en T. A. D. (Rep.) ;Frauchot (R.) Frank (R.) Gurley (R.) Hale (IL) Harrison (U.) Hlckinan (IL) Hooper (R.) Horton (R.) Hutchins (R.) Julian (R.) Kelley (R.) Kellogg (R.) Mich. Kellogg (R.) 111. Lansing (R.) . Loomis (It) . Lovejoy (R.) Low (U.) McKnight (R.) Moorhead (R.) Morrill (R. ) Me. Morrill (R.) Vt. Nixon (R.) Noell (DJ Olin.(R.) Patton (R.) Pike (R..); Pomeroy (R.) 'Porter (It.) NAYS. Allen (D.)Ill Grider (IL) Ancona (D.) Harding (U.) . . Bailey (D.) Pa Holman (D.) Clements (U.) Johnson (D.) Cobb (D.) Knapp (R.) Conway (R.) Law (DJ Cox (D.) Lazear (DJ Cravens (D.) Mallory (U.) Crisfield (U.) Menzies (U.) Crittenden (U.) Morris UM Dunlap (U.) Noble (D.) English (1).) Norton (D.) Fonke (D.) Pendleton(D.) Goodwin (R.) Price (U.) • Granger (R.) !Richardson (D.) I • Report of Mr. Chn Aldrich (R.) Alley (R.) Arnold (R.) Ashley (R.) Babbitt (R.) Baker (R.) Baxter (R.) Bingham (R.) Blair (U.) Va. Blair (R,). Pa. Blake (R.) Brown (U.), Va. But Milton (R.) Burnham (R.) Campbell (B.) Casey. (U.) Chamberlain (R.) Clark (R.) Colfax (R.) ConklingF.A. (R.) Conkling R. (B.) Cutter (R.) Davis (R.) - Delano (R.) Duell (R.) Dunn (R.) Edgerton (R.) Edwards (R.) Eliot (R.) Ely (R.) Fenton (R.) "Mr. CLARK (R.), of New York, from the Cern mittee on Printing, reporied a resolution, which was adopted, that ten thousand copies of the report of the Secretary of the Treasury be printed. Mr - 7 7 VVIOKIJIFFE (U.), of Kentucky,- offered a resolutidOwhich was adopted, instructing the Com mitte.e"Of;Ways and Means to inquire into the ex: Pedienek.of amending the direct tax law so as to re. peal the clause requiring manufacturers of spirits, beer, and porter, to make certain returns of mate rial, etc. interned Revenue. Mr. STEVENS (R.), of Pennsylvania, from the Committee of Ways and Means, reported a bill em powering the collectors, assistant collectors, asses sors, and. assistant assessors, appointed under the tax' law, to administer the oath, etc. The conside ration of the bill was postponed till to-morrow. . The Rebellion. Mr. HICKMAN (Rep.), of Pennsylvania, intro duced a bill for.the suppression of rebellion, treason, and insurrection. and for 'other purposes. It %Vas referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. Admission of West -Virginia. Mr. BROWN (U.), of Virginia, and Mr. BLAIR (U.), 'of Virginia, severally presented memorials, numerously sighed t asking for the admission of the State of West Virginift.into the Union. New Re-c-enue Mr. STEVENS, froin the Committee of Ways and Means, reported a bill providing revenue for the aupport.of the Oovernme4.. It was ordered to be I.wantail-azul.rancklit rn it '— • • - • Union Resolutions. Mr. WRIGHT (Dem.), of Pennsylvania, submitted a resolution declaring that the rebellion in the se ceded States, against the Government ; the laws, and the Union, was deliberately waged without rea sonable cause, the constitutional omapact being per petual,' and no State having the power to secede; that it is the duty ofthe Government to put down the re bellin, restore the Union under the Constitution, etc. Mr. LOVEJOY (Rep.), of Illinois, moved to lay the resolution on the table. Not agreed to—yeas 42, na 69. 'he consideration of the resolution was postponed till to-morrow week: Tax on Advertisements. On motion of Mr. McIC.N.IGITT (Rep.), of Penn= sylvania, the Committee of Ways and Means were instructed to inquire into the expediency of modi fying the tax law so as to dispense with the tax on advertisements. Tax on Resolutions:. Mr. MORRIS (Dem.), of Ohio, offered a resolu tion, which was adopted, amid laughter, instruct ing the Committee of Ways and Means to inquire into the expediency of amending the tax law so as to require every member of Congress offering a reso lution, to affix a ten-cent stamp. • Relief and Protection of Loyal Citizens: Mr. WICLIFFEE (U.) introduced a bill to pro tect and grant relief and protection to the citizens of the loyal States Whose property and slaves have been wrongfully taken, seized; and abstracted by officers and soldiers of the United States. Removed that the bill be referred to a special committee. He said that it propoked to gather the evidence in such cases. Not only soldiers, but railroad employees and others, had seduced n%rroes from their masters, and' colonels have refused, at the point of the bayonet, to return them. He spoke of- negroes being brought to Louisville by army, and of being detained for jail fees.. It-was his desire to ap ply a reihedy to this state of affairs. ' Mr. LOVEJOY (Rep.) expressed his surprise that, when the - life of the nation is flickering in its socket, the gentleman brings in the negro ! negro ! He (Mr. Lovejoy) would aid in no legislation by which to return those who have escaped from the lash of despotism. The remarks of the gentleman remind ed him of Patrick Henry's story of John Took run ning through the army . - crying " beef ! beef!" [Laughter.] - Noiv, When the death-rattle of the nation is heard,: the gentleman exclaims "negro! negro !" As for liiiaself, he ekpected to pay those loyal slaveholders who emancipate their slaves. The bill was referred' to the Committee on the Judiciary. , • , • • Repairing. Damagca. On motion of Mr. MENZIES (IL), or Kentucky; the Coninrittee on•Clainis were histriieted - to ascer tain and adjust the damages resulting from the na val and military. operations :in Kentucky, since the Ist of February; 1 61.. • President's Messag e. On*motion of! Mr. STEVENS (Rep.), the House went into Committee of the Whole on the 'state of the Union (Mr. Dawes in the chair) upon the Presi-7 dent's message. Mr. STEVENS offered a resolution referring the different branches of the message to the appropriate eommittees, . Mr. It ICHARDSON (Dem.), of Illinois, proceeded to review the message, observing that it was re markable for what it save, and still more ieuntrica ble for what it delfts.. one-half of the twenty one pages is devoted to the negrO. :Therel ; was no page, no sentence, no f to the 'bravery and good conduct of those in the . Reid fighting to main tain the flag and the Constitution of the Union. No sorrow was expressed for the , lamented dead—no mention made of the maimed and wounded—no sympathy was eXpressed for the wittoOs. and the suf fering orphans made in the progress of this'war, which could have been avoided by . honorable com promise if the President and hislnends had desired to avoid civil war.. The sum and substance of the-message was to tax The white man, mortgage hint and his posterity for-, ever, to free, feed, clothe, and colonize the negro. 'When our people, anxious for the restoration of the 'Union and the return of peace, kook to the ntessage ,te see What infonmation they could get on that sub ie'llt could draw only by inference that the war .wou 'he l t dind in thirty-seven years, provided all the President's plans were adopted by Congress mid the people. But, then; the. President gave the consola tion that most of us would be dead by that time. Every propOsed change of the Constitution was for the negro. No proposition was, made to change the Constitution fov the benefit of the white; or to per petuate the Union of these States by preserving the .Constitution of the country. The people will, in due time, compromise for the benefit of white!men, and not for the negroes. had hoped that the .President would- so conduct himself that he might accord to him his support; but he had hoped against hope. The President had violated the pledges he made in his inaugural address., by his prochunationt of the 2(1 September. In the course of his reumrks,• he said that the * effect • of the proclamation was net to restore.the Linton,. 'hilt only to free the negro, Reviewing the military. events of the year, he vindicated the course of Gen,. McClellan, saying that he was remove*not beeau,se of his incompetency ns a leader, but because be re :.fused, to endorse the-emancipation proclanilition. The Republicans had been running the Rouse and the departments of Government.foethe Speaking of the bill which mks passed toklay, in deninifying the President and. Others from the con sequences of suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, hesaidc o u r t s w ill no t sanc ti on this reckless and tyrannical exercise of power: The .dernlnant party, he cl. - aged, had violated the, Oen, Mitution and the lac,:e. , • • 'Mi. Hutchins, of Ohio, Obtained the flop* .; • Thee'conunittet rose at 4 o'clock,and the ifouse, e 'adjourned. •• COVNTERFEIT POSTAGE CURRENCY.--It appears that there are counterfeit fifty-cent notes of the new postage currency in circulation. They are said to be well executed, and should be guarded against. The following easiipmated :narks will ena ble holders to detect them : 1. The paper is thinner than the . genuine. 2. The fire faces of Washington vary considerably from each other in the counterfelt—sa much so that two or three of them, if standing alone, would hardlyy taken to be portraits of lirostiington--while on the genuine they all closely reseretsle eacieother. 3. The linked letters "11. $.," under the middle face of AVashiogton is the counterfeit, do noir show - the lower end of the "Sy?" inside of the leg - of the " IT," while in the genuine they do. This mask-is easily seen. The border round the lettering - and" 60" on the back of the counterfeit is dhrk, and the lines are crowded, while' in. the genuine the border is open, with a line of light dots running throug-h‘ the middle all the way rotted. In the counterfeit this middle line is almost :invisible, while in the genttine it is so distinct - air to catch the eye at once. INSFECTION OF GOTEItrimENT iTARNE:Ft. —The harness rattnufactured in this city for the Go vernment is hereafter to be .sent to the Schuylkill. Arsenal, and there inspecteil. This is a reform which tvill•prove-beneticiai to•the•interests of the Govern ment. There are still• other - articles, such as army wagons, covers, &c., that might also be sent to the Arsenal and there• inspected and be placed under the military storekeeper. The proposals for wagons, like those for harness, should call for their delivery and inspection at the-United States Arsenal. FINANCIAL AND C4IMMERCIAL. THE MONEY MARKET. PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 8, 1862. Business opened to-day very bristly on the street, and the general feeling was one of relief and satis faction at the course Mr. Chase is pursuing. If Congress will act upon his suggestions prices of stocks and Governirient securities- may fall ,some what, but the benefit tn. the- country, in the shape of a sound financial condition, will more than balance any depreciation of national 'loans, The values of the necessary commodities- of life must likewise de crease, and where the better class of the people would be slight losers, the larger and poorer class would be great gainers.. We do not see that any important depreciation' will' follow " an act to pro vide markets for the sale of United. Mates bonds." . They will pay six pee cent..interest in gold, which, just. now, is more than any good security on the market. The difference only will be the urgency of the case being taken advantage of by. speculators to cry down the issues. If the Government bonds are worth fifty cents on the dollar they are worth one hundred cents. Wealth can only be measured by its productiveness ; hence, if the United States can pay her interest when they are only mar ketably worth fifty cents on the dollar, she can pay it when worth one hundred cents; and if •she cannot pay at all they are not worth even fifty cents. The danger to them will be simply the large amounts it will be necessary to keep upon the market in order to raise-in part the necessary funds for carrying on the war; but even this difficulty ---- sr - in -,,,,,,,, i-sonin—rv - on - r — caprrinisrs, — nntr-tnitens - of surplus means, would come actively forward and in vest it.' We hope a strong effort will be made to in fluence the next Congress in favor of the loan mea sure. The subscriptions to the popular five-twenty year loan, at the office of Tay Cooke, Esq., exceeded one hundred and twenty-five.thousand dollars. The interest being payable in gold, and the ease with which they may be converted at any time, make them a very 'desirable investment, and we look confidently forward to larger figures during the next few weeks. . • Gold was very active and firm to-day, ruling at 131, with a slight advance on this fieure at the close. Old demands rose to 127, and continued firm. quar termasters' vouchers were a shade lower. Certifi cates of indebtedness were without change. The robbery in, Mr. Spinner's office, Washington, caused a flutter among dealers, but the remarkable signature of Mr. Spinner will insure the safety of future buyers. Money is active at six per cent.: a few transactions noting lower, and some., higher figures. The stock market WaS moderately active, and prices without much change. Government sixes were a shade weaker, seven-thirties rising ; holders were stiff. State fives .sold at 939.0; no change. New City sixes improved ;14. Camden and Amboy 'sixes, 1870, sold at 103. Long Island sixes sold at par, an advance of M. Pennsylvania Railroad, Ist mortgage, rose.M ; the 2d do. were active at 105, an advance of M. Schuylkill Navigation sixes, 1882, were steady at 653.. Philadelphia and Trentim Railroad sixes sold at 104. :West Chester Railroad eight per cent. scrip sold at 60. North Pennsyl vania chattel scrip at 71. Elmira chattel at 45. Elmira sevens fell off ;!.f. North Pennsylvania sixes M. Reading bonds were steady. Lehigh - scrip rose M ; the shares M. Reading shares were dull at Saturday's figure, closing at 37% ; was 3( lower ; Pennsyl vania was active and rose M, selling at 663,1 ; Elmira sold at 19 ; Norristown was steady at 61 ; Little Schuylkill at 25 ; Beaver Meadow'Sold at 65%, an advance of 3z on last sales ; Long Island and Cata wissa were steady. In passenger railways very little was done, Arch-street selling % lower, which was the only transaction ; Tenth and Eleventh im proVed ; Chestnut and Walnut Z. Manufac turers' and Mechanics' Bank brought 24% ; Me chanics! 25.4.; Philadelphia 116 ; Merchants! and Manufacturers', of Pittsburg, sold at 82. The market closed steady, $38,000 in bonds and 800 shares changing hands. Potter (R.) Rico (R.) Mass. Rice (R.) Me. Riddle (R.) Rollins (R.), H. H. Sergeant (R.) Sedgwick (R.) Segar (U.) Shanks (IC.) Shellabarger (R.) Sherman (R,) Sloan (11.) Spaulding , (R,) Stevens (R.) Stratton (R.) Tntin (R.) Trimble (R.) Trowbridge (R.) Van Horn (R.) Van Valkenbnrgh (Rep.) Walker (1/,) Wall (11.) Wallace (R.) Washburne (R.) Wheeler (IL) - White (R.) lnd, Wilson (R.) Windom (R.) • Worcester (R.) Robinson (D.) Il Sheffield (D.) Shiol (R.) Smith (D.) I Steele (D.) N.Y. Steele (D.) N. J. Stiles (DJ Thomns(R.)llDis: Ira Da ildigham(D Voorhees (D.) White, Ohio. (D. Wickliffe (U.) Woodruff (D.) Wright (U.) Yeoman (IT.) c. - =OOO-i00 , 4, 1 .:y A x.n.. cv .- d oco7:cn=-...2 . e.5.00.2pear . x-;;.. at s rcA4 F ' 1:: i 5Ft 'E -'l47l>S. F, F. m cgX ,, pm c w- w i ti . 0 4 . gl ?...- A• 'll. 't. - ' F ;' ; • .: .g R 5 : 5 Z a 5•-•' g • =. :e.- ..... .is - • ..:•• r:..'. ;47 .... I . ''::: Q 0 a r. 17- 1 Mini :,.. ttna1......§ i: ,I 4 P, EirgrsHg§§§l§§g§§ , l3 .il • I " . S. .1-N.P 3 ,." g• M - s§ErV.l§ltVatin g t' A. iafiV 7, , q g P . .,tattOri ff gsillgark . g P 4 : - 31 gg - igtSfataii - § tggn 7 5 X te ~ -.• .•,xg.t. k gpv e .;_t=itl43;..2 ':-; g4, , ' ii gPgEgP§ - argne S Ag§ 7 q 4 tt CD r :z.V . 1(% .. ': w w .-, ,-i ce ..—,, , a to ran #papestm -, 2g,i,.. - 44.6'ree4.0t.' g•- - ‘ , •k o• E ggknEgVi§b. " §inti§ F g '1 i " . .:' tidt! 1(12 . E 1 ... ..;•,,,,..1.e.141 . 4 p= P.' Pki.-A-PtIA-F.Mv2.O.WIT:s Vc.'m b §§vailtligimag " d- ''' g - P:Q l .i.bv , c , *".ftk F. cs a , -....6'cig..46Maiodaroi 2, A .s. 4. . p : 0,...0m....w 4........14 .i.74!,1.- 1 ,7 4 . .. 2 47r;:a5kgt1:t85;t. 4 2 , 1i;%1s (;•• ' T4 ln i= t w,.s2 Pig.lss 4:- AVir-z3gszt - E - R ;-.'" m ._.= , uantsea..sl.a.mi., s z. December 1 $2.3,142,759 45 32,213,063 73 The following statement shows the Condition of the banks of Philadelphia at various times during present year : January 6 .. February 3 3farcb 3. April 7 Nays Juao 2 July 7 Autzust 4 September 1 October 6 November 3 " 24 December I. • Dnexel & Co. quote : . United States Bonds, 1881 103 X 104! United States Certificates of Indebtedness 87 97X United States 7 3-10 Notes 1033 104 Quartermasters'. Vouchers 4- 5 Orders for Certificates of Indebtedness.. 2;40 29,C Gold • 3042 31X Demand Notes 28x, 27X Messrs. M. Schultz Sc. Co., No. 16 S. Third street, quote foreign exchange for the steamer Africa, from Boston, as 'follows : London, 60 dayli a days Paris, 60 days sight 3 days Antwerp, 60 clays sight... Bremen, 60 days sight..... Hamburg, 60 days sight... Cologne, .60 days sight: Leipsic, 60 days sight ...• Berlin, 60 days sight...... _Amsterdam, 60 days sight. Frankfort, 60 days sight larket dull, The following are the trade tables of the port of New York for the week ending December 6th. For thn weak. Dry Ronda General inorchmidise '1%,11 . 11 for the i53;4611,993 1,699,7b3 1,530,330 Proviously reported 219,179,567 117,10),621 162419,CC0 Since January 1 . 11M6,640,372 118,799,547 163,625,349 EXPORTS OF'PROPUCF: -4-XD MERCHANDISE. • 1,560. ' 1:161. 1562. Tor the week • .$1,971,G9) 2,5.1.9,411 3,903,91,3 Previous:ly. reported— 90,586,036 in,667, 155.550,047 Shire January *2147,718 12.4,517,273 142,=965 PAPONTS OF SPECIE. For the week •. - - 10141 1 45474673 Siuce As • usual, this table exhibits apparent: excess of exports over the imports, which is very satisfactory, to our feelings of security; but the true state of the. case will reversethe figures: The exPOrt, figures: are based upon United States notes, the impiirt table upon gold, making a difference of thirty Per:cent,. Thus, if the imports figured at • $1,800;00(k arid the imports at $1,300,000, an . apparent ,lulyantage: of $300,000. in. favor of the exports exists, but thaly per cent. an $1;800,006 it $480,000, leaving $lBO,OOO against the export side.. Renee, the purports still exceed the exports. The•NeW York Etienigg.Pot of to-day.says The market•opened hefore theboard at about the' closing prices of.. Saturday a.4 - elhoon.. There *ere • sales gold atl3lX ancl.l3lX, with, that bld. Erie sold. at New York Cfentral at ICWe I , At 'the boazd the. market , opened heavy , on Go3remments, and continued throughout the Hat, with the single c.ception of Pacing Arad. • 7 The closing in•iceaon the ; first call wore for 'United States coupons C 2 1881, 101; registered, of 1331, 96P43 certificates of indebtedness, 97; Tennessee, 54; Vir ginia, 62; Nostit Carolinas, 63; Missouris, Mg; Californias, 1 - 4; Canton, 1.73, ; Dolaware and Hud son, 112; Peralsylvania Coal, 115; Cumberland Coal, 13; Pacific Vail, 121 X ; New Jersey Central, .1024 ; Erie, 613(i preferred, 9234 ; Hudson, 733(2 2 / 3 4 . ; 1 31 : 7 0erred, ackg ; Reading, 75; Michigan Cen tral, fWI Michigan Southern, 313 X ; Uarantied; ; Panama, 160.; Illinois Central, 77X ; Cleveland &