THE Puifibies
rmjgHlD DAILT (SUHDAYS KXOEPTXD).
■T-JOHN W. FORNEY,
onifm.'iro. 1 m south fourth street,
THE DAJULV PRESS,
FltXibv Ckktb I'i'.ti Webb, payable to the carrier,
■ Mall.d to Bnb.«rn:orn out of the Oityui SavRyUoLLABC
Pi a Inn, Thbbb Bomiabs' akb Fiptt Oehts fob Six
Mouths. Oxm Dom/Ak aud SKVBKTT-riVu Gsirra ros
Tebbi Mouths Invariably in advance Tor the time or
tlerod. >
MW" AOTerUtemenH inserted at the usual rales. Ox
HUMS eonstltnte a aware,
' VHK tal-WEEKbIf RRKSS, ,
Mailed to tubsorlberaoat of ttie flifv at Fnrs Romaics
ln advance.
BOOK AND 'JOB' PRINTING,
A o°Mi>.-LiETE
- steam: -poweh
SPRINTING OFFICE.
Confidently relying l upon tlie patronage of a generous
and appreciative‘public, we have, at xreat expense,
procured all 'the necessary Type, Machinery, new
Presses, etc,, to organize a
COMPLETE PRINTING OFFICE,
Cully furnished with all the facilities for es,cating
eyery description of Printing, from the
SMALLEST CARDS
LARGEST POSTERS.
Clieajilj", Kxpcilltlously, •
AN B IN A S UPEBIOR STYLE
Orders are respectfully solicited for Printing
PAMPHLETS,
BILL HEADS,
CERTIFICATES,
ENVELOPES,
HANDBILLS.
CIRCULARS.
NOTICES.
MANIFESTS.
BILLS OF LADING.
LETTER HEADINGS,
NOTE HEADINGS,
And .Terr other, description of
PLAIN AND ORNAMENTAL PRINTING,
TChicli Professional, Artistic, Mercantile, or Mechanical
* pursuits may require.
Ws possess, superior facilities for printing large Pos
ters for THEATRES, CONCERTS, OPERAS, PUBLIC
BIBETINGS. and RECRUITING OFFICES,
IS BLACK OR FANCY COY.ORS,
AXD FOR ILLUSTRATING THEM WITH
BEAtfTIFUL AND ORIGINAL DESIGNS.
We also desire to call special attention, to tlie fact,
{hat in flonseauence of the want generally felt for con
venient . •
ADDRESS BABBITS,
We ; have made arrangements for coating them.on the
reverse With a Mucilage similar to that used on Postage
Stamps, which is the most adhesive preparation ever
-discovered. All difficulty, about fastening them to
ageir iB tirdsavoitied,- as'the 7 gttnimed~’Blde "nQed"only
%e moistened to insure its firm adhesion. ADDRESS
LABELS of this description are in almost universal
OS6 among the. merchants of England.anA those who
have used them in this city estimate highly their use
fulness in avoiding trouble and delay, in the prepa
ration ,of packages for delivery, whether they are
forwarded by distant points or supplied to the local
‘trade. Give them.a trial.
ft®- All orders, by City Post or Mail, will'receive
Wroinpt attention.
RINGWALT & BROWN,
STEAM POWER PRINTERS,
Nos. 11l ana 113 SOUTH FOURTH STREBT.
CLOTHING.
tfVVVYYYYYyYYb'S’y"VV' uVVV ' s/v "' ,r ' yvvvv ' v
JOHN XSLLT,’ afs., ’
T AILORj
•IU XHHOVED 789 U 1033 OHEBTITOT STBBIH
EDWARD P. KEUCjT’Si
149 South THIRD Street;
Wh»r» h» ,w»ant« to former sation, *nd th»»abll,
ffli* mdTUitMU of a STOCK OF GOODS, acmai It not en
ilMrior.to anr In tha city—th, skill and taste of himself
Had IDWABD P. KELLY, the two test Tallora of tie
•ttr-Htt rrtM»mu«h lower than any other irat-elau e«ta-
Mlehment of the «Hy. apl-tf '
■RLAOE CASS. PANTS, $5,50,
" - At 704 MARKET ttreet,
SLACK CASS. PANTS, $5,50, At 704 MARKET Street.
LACK CABS. PANTS, $5 50, At7M MARKET Street,
SLACK CASS. PANTS. $5.50, At7o4 MARKET Street.
'RLACK CABB. PANTS. $5 50, At 704 MARKET Street,
GBIGG ft VAN GUN TEN’S, No. 704 MARKET Street.
GBIGG & VAN GUNTEN’S, No,7O4MARKET Street.
GRIGG & VAN GUNTEN’S, N 0.704 MaKKBT Street.
GRIGG & VAN GUNTEN’S, No. 704 MARKET Street.
GRIGG ft VAN GUNTEN’S, No. 704 MARKET Street.
jnh22-6m ...
army goods.
1776. 1863.
F X. A G SI!!
81LK~FLiGS1 ! .
BVNTIKfi TIAGBI
BURGEES.
.. PERAMTS, '
UNION JACKS.
STREAMERS:
m XJ N T I N Gr !
BED, WHITE, AND BLUE.
EVANS & HASS ALL:
. MILITARY FURNISHERS,
]yl7-tf 80. *IS ARCH STREET, Philadelphia.
A BET HATS, ARMY HATS.
ABO L, PU & KIG EN,
No. 6/9 North SECOND Street* >
Philadelphia,
Manufacturers of all kinks of
FRLT HATS*
&ftT6 on hand alarms assortment of all the various and
, most approved Bfcyles of
ARM *£ HATS.
Orders by mail fr>m antlers or jobbers, will be
promptly filled at the lowest rates. je3o-3m
GENT'S FURNISHING GOODS.
1 AND 3 N. SIXTH STREET,
PHIii&DRIfPHIA.
JOXH 0. ABB 180 Vi
(foskskly j, bub* hoobb.l
IMPORTER AST) DEALBB ’IB
GENTLEMEN’S FURNISHING GOODS,
majtofaotUkeb
OF THE IMPROVED
PATTERN SHIRT.
'ffumn,
COLLARS.
SATISFACTION GUARANTIED. '
VINE SHIRT MANUFACTORY.
•*- The «Bb«ejrib»r would iayiie attention to Ul
. IMPROVED CUT OF BHIRTS,
whloh he makes e epeolalty in hi. hnainua. AIM, (OS
ttuUrreeelTinc,
NOVELTIES FOB GENTLEMEN'S Wmi
J. W. SCOTT,
aiNTLBMEN’S FURNISHING STOBI,
80. Sl* CHESTNUT STREET,
(»*)-« • Torn - tom Jwlow th. Continental,
DRAFTS,
PROHRIMMES.
PAPER BOOKS,
POSTERS,
LARGE SHOW-CARDS,
BLANKS,
CHECKS,
LABELS,
Philadelphia.
THE COPARTNERSHIP HERETO
the nndergigned, under the-’
haine of NORTH, CHASE. & NORTH, is this day dis
solved by mntnal consent, GIBSON NORTH retiring.
■The business of the firm will he settled, by the remain
ing partners. - ,
, ■ (GIBSON NORTH.
General Partner*, < FLINT E. CHASE.
(EDGAR L. THOMSON.
.j,’ Special Partner, J. EDGAR THOMSON.
Philadelphia, July 11, 1863.
rjOPARTNERSHIpT— THE UNDER
’V; signed have this day formed e. limited partner-
£ ,h # rarne and style of CHASE, SHARPE, A
5 for .the purpose of continuing the IRON
..FOUNDRY business at the old stand. No. 800 North
• SECOND Street.
~ (FLINT E. CHASE.
General Partners, < CHARLES SHARPE,
(EDGAR L. THOMSON.
Special Paitner, J. EDGAR THOMSON.
: Philadelphia, Jnly 11,1863. jyll-tillanl
UNDBBOLOTHING. tu.
my22-t<*4
VOI* 6.—NO. 303.
MILITARY NOTICES.
XTEADQUARTERS OF COMMISSION
“i-JORU. B. COLORED TROOPS, flo.lfclO CHEST
NUT Street, Philadelphia. ,
The following is the official order .authorizing the re
cruiting of Colored Troops:
Headquarters of the Army, Adj’t General's Opptcib,
• Jane 17, 1863.
GENERAL ORDERS N0.‘178. "
• Major GEORGE -L. STEARNS, Assistant- Adjutant
General United States Volunteers, is hereby announced
atj Recruiting Crmmlssioner for tho United States Colored
Troops, subject to such instructions as he may from
time to time receive from the Secretary of War.
By order of the Secretary of War:
(Signed,) E. D. TOWNSEND,
_ „ . ' * Assistant Adjutant General.
To Major Geo. L, Stearns, Ass’t Adj’t General u, S.
Volunteers- - . ' '
The undersigned is prepared to issue the proper au
thorization to colored men id enlist recruits for the
Armies of the United Btates. He will receive applica
tions from those desirous of being made commissioned
officers, and transmit the same to the Board of Inspec
tion at Washington, and will be glad to give fall in
formation on all matters connected with this branch of
the service to those who mayseek it.
: The undersigned has the co-operation of a Committee
of sixty citizens of Philadelphia. The Agent of the
said committee is 8.-S CORSON,whole likewise the
Agent of the undersigned. ■«-.
CAMP WILLIAM PENN, at Gheltoa Hills, has been,
selected as the camp for instruction, and Lieut. Colonel
LEWIS WAGNER placed in command of it. All re
cruitß will be mustered in by companies of eighty men,
and hy;squads, and immediately uniformed, equipped
and sent to the camp.
; Squads of men will fee subsisted until companies are.
completed by the committee of citizens, at such localities
as their agent may designate. . •
. Papers m the interior of the State will copy this ad
vertisement one time, and send the paper containing same,
with bill, to these Headquarters.
Communications by letter will be promptly answered.
GEORGE L.STEARNS, Major and A. A <?.,
Recruiting Commissioner for U. S. Colored Volunteers.
ie29-tf
« THE INVALID CORPS.
BY GENERAL ORDERS No. 105, from the War De
parrment, authority is given for creating a military
. organization, to be composed of such worthy officer*
arid soldiers as may have become disabled from wounds
received in service, or from disease contracted in the line
of duty, and to be called the INVALID CORPS.
As it is to be composed of VETERANS who have become
more or lesß crippled in the service of their country,and
have produced evidence of worthiness, this will be em
phatically a CORPS OF HONOR, reckoning among its
numbers many of the noblest and most gallant sons of
America, brave relics from every battle-field of the war,
gathered nnder the fostering protection of a grateful Go
vernment. - • '•
-It is to be NATIONAL in Its character, having no re
ference to States; hence an applicant, furnishing the ne
.cessurv qualifications, may be received by any provost
n arshal appointed under the enrolment act, whether in
his own or in another State.
Its officers and men will be designated, as a mark of
distinction, by a uniform peculiar to .themselves, and
their duties will be such home service as they may be
capable of performing, thus relieving many thousands
of able-bodied troops whose services are needed in the
field. •
One office has been open for a few weeks, for the enlist
ment of invalid discharged soldiers, at No SCBLombard
street, Philadelphia. This is now closed, and. another
oponed at No. 343 South T HIR'D Street, Philadelphia,
adioiuing the office of Captain LEHMAN, Provost Mar
shaLof the First Congressional District.
.A camp has been opened near Harrisburg for the re-'
ception of all recruits for this'corps enlisted in this
State, whore comfortable quarters are furnished,and the
recruits uniformed, armed, and equipped, The follow
inginformation concerning this corps is published by the
War Department, viz:
“The term of enlistment in the Invalid Corp 3 ‘hall be
three years, unless sooner discharged. It.is further an
nounced that no officer or'ealisted man shall be entitled
to oi receive any pension, premium, or bounty, for en
listment or re- enlistment, or service in the Invalid
Corps. Claims for pensions or bounties, which may be
due for previous service, will not be invalidated by en
listment in the Invalid Corps; but no pensions can be
drawn, or accrue to the benefit of any man, during his
service in said corps. The officers and men will be orga
nized into companies of infantry, of tha same strength
as is now authorized by law for the United States in
fantry.: . -
4 * The officers and enlisted men will receive the same
pay andallowances . now authorized .b> law for the
United States infantry, and will be paid in the same
manner.
* * Men enlisted in, or transferred to, the Invalid Corps
will be subject to the Articles of War. Army Regula
tions, Ac., the other BOldiers, and will be re
quired'to perform all duties within the limit of their
physical capacity, as laid down in the Rules and Regu
lations for that corps; but for the convenience of service
they will he selected for three grades of duty. Those
who are most efficient and able bodied, and capable of
using: the musket and performing guard duty, light
marches, &c., &c., will be assigned to companies of the
Ist Battalion, # Those of .the next degree of. physical effi
ciency, including all who-have lost a hand or an arm, to
the companies of the 2d Battalion. Thoso who are the
: least effective, and including all who have lost a foot or
- a leg. to the companies of the 3d Battalion, r
‘ Companies of the Ist Battalion -will be employed
mainly as provost guards and garrisons for cities, out
may be assigned to forte, field works, and railroads near
the cities and other important points. They will be
armed with muskets, and will not be liable to active
campaigns with the field armies.
“ Companies of the 2d Battalion will he armed with
side-arms only, and will be employed as guards of
buildings,hospitals. &c., and will have companies of
the Ist Battalion on duty with them when the use of fire
arms may he necessary.
;*The companies of the 3d Ba 4 talion will be armed
with side-arms, like the 2d Battalion, and will be-em
ployed in hospitals as cooks, nurses, ward masters,
clerks, orderlies, &c,, &c ; the officers of these compa
nies doing the duties of military assistants at the hos
pitals.” '
For further information, discharged soldiers are In
vited to call at 943 South THIRD Street, or at the office
of any provost marshal acting under authority of the
enrolment act. . E. "VV/’MATTSEWS,
v Major Ist Penn’a Artillery and
je2s-dtf -Sup'tß. S. Invalid Corps for Phila.
jj REGTJLAR ABMY.
H $402 BOTJNTY-$4O ON ENLISTMENT,
ffl Recruits waited for the 12th U; S. INFANTRY. For
apply to
.iyll-lm*
SUMMER RESORTS.
JJELXjEVUE HOUSE,
NEWPORT, R. 1.,
ia iroiY OMSK BT)K THE SEASON.
This house has been very much improved, and is now
In hue order. Bvery exertion will be need to make this
The lending and Favorite House
Of tils delightful watering place. '
jyl4-lra TUTNAM & FLETCHER,
QOLU M B I A HOUSE,
CAPE MAY.
This first-class Hotel is now open ior the reception ol
guests.
Communication daily by Railroad, and every othet
day by Steamboat.
J. F. CAKE,
PROPRIETOR.
REA BATHING.
*3 NATIONAL HALL,
CAPE ISLAND, CAPE MAT, N. J.
This well-known Hotel is now open for the reception
of its numerous guests. Terms $lO per week. Children
under 32 years ol age and servants half price. Superior
accommodations ana ample room for 200 persons,
jeao Igt AAEON GARBBTSON, Proprietor, _
TJEDLOE'S HOTEL, ATLANTIC CITY,
-*-* N: J. —Jit the terminus of the railroad, mi the left,
beyond the depot. This House is now open for Boardert
and Transient visitors, and offers accommodations equal
to any Hotel in Atlantia City. Charges moderate. Chil
dren and servants, half price.
49* Parties -should keep their seats until the cars ar
rive in front'of the Hotel. . jel9-2m
T IGHT HOUSE 001 TAGE,
■ . - ATLANTIC CITY.
This well known House is now ope a for the reception
of guests Invalids can he accommodated with rooms
on the first floor, fronting the ocean. Splendid drinking
water on the premises. Magnificent bathing opposite
the house. No bar. JONAH WOOTTON,
, je!9*2m - Proprietor.
CUEF HOUSE, ATLANTIC QITY,
Ky Uj>» TorahYr
J WIIS BE OPENED ON JUNE ISth.
A good Band of Music has been engaged.
Those who wish to engage Booms will pleare address
B. S. BENSON, Surf House Atlantic City, N. ; J. ieB-2m
(CHESTER COUNTY HOUSE.—THIS
private Boarding House, corner of YORK and PA
CIFIC avenue, Atlantic. City, convenient to the beach,
with a beautiful view of the Ocean, is now open for
boarders, and will continue open all the year round.
Prices.moderate.
je!9-2m " J. HEIM, Proprietor.
TTNITED STATES HOTEL,
V , LONG BRANCH, N. J„
Ip now open for the reception of visitors. Can h.
reached by Baritan and Delaware Bay Railroad from
foot of TIKE Street at 7.30 A.M.
je6-2m* , . . .. ■ B. A. SHOEMAKER.
“ r TBE ALHAMBKA,” ATLANTIC
■*" ct n- h T . J., a splendid new house,' southwest
corner of ATLANTIC and MASSACHUSETTS Avenueß,
is now open for visitors. The rooms and table of * ‘ The
Alhambra" are nnsnrpassed by any on the Island. There
is a spacious Ice Cream and Refreshment Saloon attached
to the house.. Terms moderate.
. C. DUBOIS it S.'J. YOTJNG,
jyTO-lm - Proprietors.
(BRESSON SPRINGS.—THIS 'D B.
LIGHTFUL SUMMER RESORT, immediately on the
line of the Central P. R. R., located on. the summit of
the Allegheny Mountains, 2,300 feet above the level of
the sea, will.be open for the reception of visitors on the
10th day of June, 1863, and will be keptopen until the'
. ißt of October. '
The water and air at thle'point poebobs superior attrae
tions. : The analyses made in the laboratory of Professors
Booth, Garrett, and Camac, of Philaielphla, show the
existence of valuable mineral elements, the waters of
some of the springs being of the iron or chalybeate class,
and others containing, saline or aperient salts. Pare
mountain water abounds; and the guests will also he
e applied with mineral waters from other springs, such at
Blue Lick, Bedford, and Saratoga Waters.
Ample facilities for bathing have been provided, new
plunge and donebbaths erected, and Hot and Gold Bathi
can at all times he obtained.
The grounds, walks, &c.. have been blghlyimproved,
and are of a varied and picturesque character!
There Is at Gresson Springs a Telegraph Office and two
daily mails from Philadelphia and Pittsburg and inter
mediate points.
Excursion Tickets can be obtained at the Office of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, corner of ELEVENTH
IM HJJHCEn EinotL
rorinnEflrlnronDttiiiOfl aswrw
, GEO. W. MUTsIsTIV,
146-ifta GifWfeAß.Springs. Oambria Go.. Pi.
COPARTNERSHIPS^
TYIS SOLUTION—THE FIRM OF
HBNRT 'BOHLEN &CO composed of the late
Brig. General WILLIAM HENRY CHARLES BOHLEN
and the undersigned, was dissolved on the 23d of AU
GUST, 1862, by the death af the former.
N, v. w , A , n „ GEORGE K. ZIEGLER.
Philadelphia, July Ist, 1863.
THE UNDER
" • -J SIGNED have associated themselves together under
the firm. of.HENRY:BOHLEN Jt GO., for ihetransao
tionofthe same Mercantile Business carried on by the
previous firm of that name. - GEORGE K. ZIEGLER,
8. E. BOHLEN.
Philadelphia, July ist, 1863. jyl-lm
THEFIRM OF YARD, GILLMORE, &
1 CO., is dissolved by the death 1 , of JAMES C. GILL
MORE.
Tlie business will he continued by the surviving part
ttein, nnderthe firm of EDMUND YARD & CO. ■ , r
EDMUND YARD,
JAMES S. FENTON, *
_ LUCIUS P. THOMPSON.
Jnne 30.1563. - - jyl-tf
025 goldthorp & CO, 025
„'Manufacturers of VAO.
_ Tassels, Cords, Prineeß, Curtains," and Jornituri
91mps, Curtain Loops, Centre Tassels.
Picture and Photograph Tassels, Blind Trimmings.
Military and Dr«* Trimmings Ribbons, Neck Ties;
«tc.. etc,. No. MARKET Street,
mye-da .. Philadelphia,
“THE LESSONS AND OBLIGATIONS OF
An Address by Mr, J, W* Forney, for the
Benefit of Charity Hospital, Delivered at
Mbicftl Fund Hall, PliUatlelpHla, Tues
day Evening, July 31, 1863, !
Mbflt of.the thoughts whioh I shall now have the
honor to utter were to have been spoken in this
hall three weekß ago, but in deference to an appalling
emergency, and to the consequent universal sus
pense and agony, it was deemed proper to postpone
this manifestation until to-night.
If we search the page of history, we shall vainly
seek for y twenty-one days which have been so
crowded with startling* and bloody events, as that
lapse of time beginning on the first of July and end
ing with this evening, the twenty-first of July. As
we look back over this short period, and count all
that has transpired of weal and woe, of triumph and'
tumult, of life and death,,of despondency and de
liverance,of joy and grief, we shall be able, in some
degree, to anticipate the profound interest which ;
this BOlemn and suggestive record will excite
among the nations of the earth. It is said
by those who. have been rescued from, sudden
death, that in the midst of their awful peril,
the thoughts and emotions of years were con
centrated into the few seconds which seemed to se
parate them for eternity, and we may conceive their
sensations by remembering. how we waited and
watched —how our hearts rose and fell, from the
gloomy hours when the rebel myriads poured in one
revengeful horde, over the smiling borders of Penn
sylvania to the present moment when they are
trailingtheir stricken banners and shattered columns
back to the Confederate capital. Who wiil ever
forget the .change from the overpowering anxiety
that apprehended die aster, to the delightful ecstasy
that welcomed victory 1 Can we ever erase from our
memories the scenesof the last fourth of July, when
the despatch: of General Meade, announcing the
defeat, of the rebels, was read in our public places,
and the Budden and electrical rising on the suc
ceeding Tuesday, the seventh of the same mouth,
when the intelligence of the fall 'of Vicksburg
was proclaimed to the expectant multitudes'in
our streets 1 Nor were these all the deeds that
made these twenty-one days so memorable. One
triumph seemed to tread upon, another’s heels,
so fast they followed. Gen. Rosecrans has driven
Bragg .literally, from Tennessee; Banks has cap
tured the rebel force under Gardner, at Port Hud
son; Prentiss has s expelled Price and Marmaduke
from Arkansas ; and Sherman is besieging and giv-'
ing battle to the forces under Johnston. The Mis
sissippi river is open from its souroe to the Gulf of
Mexico ; and soon our advancing columns will be
in possession of nearly every strategic point in the
Southwest. The proud and boastful armies that
have slaughtered our friends and brothers will then
be scattered and 'disorganized, leaving the authors
of the rebellion to contemplate the fulfilment of the
prophecy of Jefferson Davis himself, when he sub
stantially declared, some months ago, Tliait the loss
of Vicksburg and Port Hudson would be the prac
tical overthrow of the “ Confederacy.’*
, ■ But as we rejoice over these wonderful achieve*
merits, we are called upon to grieve for .many who,
at the beginning of this month, were in health and
in life. More widows are mourning Tor,their lost
husbands: more families are in despair, because
those who have been tkeir stay and support have
gone from them forever. The brave and gifted Rey
nolds, the Chevalier Bayard of Pennsylvania, the
ornament and pride of one of the noblest families in
our State, poured out his heart’s blood in the initial
battle of the border, on.tlxe Ist of July, and was car
ried to his native home, robed in the flag under
which he died, and buried on the anniversary of Ame
rican Independence,amid a vast concourse of weeping
friends. The gallant Colonel Taylor,- of Chester
county; the intrepid Irishman, Colonel Kane, of
Philadelphia, and others,' equally courageous andi
self-sacrificing, gave their lives for their country,
and are now sleeping in honored and unforgotten
graves. , * ’
The excellent charity, in aid of which I speaks
to-night, thus finds more work upon its hands; and
the gentle ladies, whose benevolent labors have
shed sueh a lustre upon , the name of American
woman, will now- have still more sacred dutieß to
discharge. But is this aIU Would that it were,
Would that the story might end here. Too happy
for our national renown, if the veil of oblivion
could here fall before the historic gaze, so that
the dreadful tragedy, in a neighboring city, which
now seems to us a hideous and unnatural dream,
might : forever pass from human recollection!
VWhat a comment upon the triumphs of the Union
army! what a return -for the precious blo&d
shed_in defence of .the_ Kepublic! An affluent
and populoue city, in the midst of abounding pros
perity, individual and collective—a.city upon which
a generous Government has bestowed in lavish pro
fusion its choicest gifts—falls suddenly into the
hands of an insensate mob, which, driven forward
by cold-blooded leaders, who safely avoid the storm
they raised, and inflamed with false and dreadful
heresies, Beizea, without pretext, upon public and pri- -
vatc property.; takes human life without provoca
tion or discrimination: temporarily disarms the offi
cers of the law, and defles-the laws themselves, and
is only finally crushed by the interposition of that
authority which had just previously chastised the
rebel enemy on the field of battle. This is neither
the time nor the place for criminations; although
it is well to remind the authors and instigators of this
fearful.catastroplie, that theirfate must bethefate
of all who have attempted to destroy the buttresses
of society and government, and to establish upon
the ruins of order revolutionary and irresponsible
tribunals.
WM. SERGEANT.
Captain 12th Infantry.
839 S FRONT Street.
We, in Philadelphia, have had bur own experience
in past days j and who that recalls the destruction
QlPennsFlvanifl Hall in 1839; mid the outhreakfi; and
fiMß&gfi, aflfi conflagration, in may ana July or ibu,
both the work of unreasoning mobs, will not agree
With me that these tragedies brought shame and dis
grace upon our city, and shame and disgrace to those
who sanctioned or assisted them? How far the fell
spirit of discord in New York would have progress-'
'ed, had not G;od, in his infinite*mercy, vouchsafed a
succession of victories to‘ the Union arms under
Meade and Grant, He alone can know. Let us,
therefore, in humble thanksgiving, recognize
His presence in these'dread hours, and let us al
ways remember that nothing but the stout, sturdy,
and enduring valor of the army of the Republic,
under the favor of Providence, prevented the rebel
hordes from burning and desolating Pennsylvania,
from the Susquehanna to- the Delaware, and from
the Delaware to the Ohio ; While, at the same mo
ment, the infuriated disciples and followers of bad
men in New York were putting the torch to that
splendid metropolis, and carrying the banners of
rapine, riot, and destruction from the banks of the
Hudson to the shores of Lake Erie. Indeed, all
the evidences prove that this frightful carnival of
arson, robbery, and murder, was planned upon the
earnest hopes that General Meade would -be de
feated, in which the foes of the war, and the
friends of the slave tyrants in the free States, were
to inaugurate revolutionary governments to/oust
the duly-elected public authorities, and to invite the
intervention of foreign despots to complete the de
gradation and downfall of liberty on these shores!
Monstrous as the bareldea of such an expectation,
and Buch a tragedy is, the fact is unanswerable and
patent, and mußt cover the mob itself; and the
wretched men: engaged-in it, and above all, their
reckless leaders, with everlaßtingodium. In fchisplace
we may draw a. wholesome comparison—one which
loyal men and women can now lay to their hearts,
as they contemplate : the period of which I speak,.
and exclaim, in reply to the accusations of
desperate demagogues, that none , of the fear-'
ful responsibility for these acta attaches to them.
I refer to the demonstrations which took place in
the great cities after the fall of Sumpter, more than -
two years ago. The patriotic populAce, inspired
with a religious enthusiasm on the one hand, and a
bitter hate of treason on the other, rose in their
might, not to deßtroy, nor to kill, nor to burn, norto.'
spoliate, but to compel, by their presence, a recogni
tion of the peril of the Republic, and of the duty
which all good citizens owed to the Republic. When
they visited the residences of men supposed to be in
different or faithless to these sAcred considerations,
they demanded but one thing. They asked for no
gold or jewels; they gloated with no bandit’s envy
uron tie limns anil onmfort imeifl Miafoia than
eyes, But tssy iniistaa tfiat all Amarlaana irmiui
ishfufl the AhsetieAß flag j ana when this was aene,
however reiuctautly, they retired in peace to their
homes, content that they had done nothing to dis
honor themselvesfbut muoh to strengthen their Go
vernment. That waß a holy rising, and produced
the beßt results. But it left a sting in the hearts of
bad men 1 , and a stern resolve that, come what might,
they would be revenged upon the' patriotic people
who had extorted from them an eleventh-hour
fealty to a Republic which had so generously foster
ed and protected them. To gratify this malevolence""
against the Government and its friends; the'fiends
of riot and murder may be unchained on the first
favorable opportunity, and the great cities of the
North ruthlessly surrendered to the flames.. Bat
God appeared to us in season,"and gave us a double
victory over these combined enemies of free institu
tions. .
Al { ancient legend describes the experience of a
great king, who, more than a century after the
death of an illustrious ancestor,—one who haddis
e4-himßelfon mft ny a gory battle*field—paid
a visittohis sepulchre, and directed that the coffin
in which he was conveyed to his final resting
place, should be opened, in order that he might
realize how much time had left of what was once a
noble and imposing figure. Nothing remained bufca
handful of :white dust. But the glory which encir
cled the name of the statesman and warrior had
survived, and the monarch who was bo proud’of
being one of the descendants of so great an ances
tor, was suddenly recalled to the consciousness of
how little-life is worth that is not ennobled by
lofty deeds: and how priceless is that renown
which results from heroic devotion to country. •
In these startling, stirring times, living, as we do,
_in the midst of events such as no nation has ever
experienced, we are. constantly reminded of the
willingnesswith which our fellow-countrymen sacri
fice their lives on. the altar of patriotism. Two
years ago we shuddered at the bare idea of war, and
_pow the 'most peaceful have become so -accustomed
to it that they read over the bloody details of every
battle, not with indifference, but with a stern f*ith
that every loyal soul that haß gone out upon the
' field of strife 3s now pleading the cauae of the Re
public before the Deity himself. It is no longer a
question with ns whether we are ready to enlist un
der our. country’s flag, but when we shaUgo to its
defence. Never could the beautiful lines of Dr.
Muhlenberg be more justly quoted than now, for
“ It is hot all of life to live,
! Nor all of death to die.’’
v The aotiQDs oi the UUwtrioua desd sweetly bio*.
FRIDAY, JULY 34, 1803.
THE HOLE.”
PHILADELPHIA, FRIDAY, ,1111,Y 24, 18(13,
Bom in their dust. Ther§ is not a poor mother who
lias lost her only son, r.or a desolate widow who
mourns at the stricken hearthstone for her departed
husband, that does not cherish, with an exclusive
and sorrowful pride, the story of how they fought,
and how they fell.
I am here to-night to talk to you upon the obliga
tions and lessons of the hour: and I, propose to
apeak with the frank freedom demanded by the re
sponsibilities that, surround us.
Among the lessons and duties of the present awful
controversy,*non.e is sweeter than that taught in the
Union hospitals. Florence Nightingale made her
self a name that will never die, and her example has
encouraged thousands of her countrywomen. If we
cauDOt have with every brigade or division a Joan
of Are, to inspire the soldiers and to lead them to
victory, our wives and daughters will, and do, ad
minister to the wants and comforts of our sick and
wounded men. The presence of a woman in a sick
chamber, she of whom the poet has said:
‘' When pain and anguish wring the brow.
A ministering angel thou. ”
Such a presence is a balm to the severest suffering,
brightening and hallowing the place, making more
easy the couch of pain, smoothing.the way to death,
or gladdening the delicious hours of convalescence.
But how such a presence must-be felt and enjoyed
by the stricken soldier, far away from friends
and home, dreaming of his wife, his mother or
hia sisters,' apd wishing for their gentle minis
trations !„ Oh! if all that has been done by our
countrywomen in this work of charity- could
be gunfolded, the civilized world, much as it has
been surprised at the .stupendous manifestations
of this war, would stand amazed. "We of the sterner
-sex boast of our contributions and of our sacrifices,
but where, in any age, where, in any country, could
such b sight be witnessed; as that which may be
daily enjoyed at the.foot, of. Washington street, in'
this, city ’ A 3 the first regiments, proceeding to the
seat of war, were passing through Philadelphia,
it was the women of the First district that came but
of their dwellings and offered them; not-merely
the. tribute of personal attentions, but-the very
food ;,that .was on their tables; —feeding and re
freshing them on their onward march,.until, at last
that which was the outburst of feminine enthusiasm
and devotion; organized itself into two rival insti
tutions'whioh have reflected immortal credit and
renown upon those who initiated them, and upon’
the city of Philadelphia,'and the State’of Penn*
Bylvania; and there iB n© BOldier, either the
.one that goes to the battle-field, or he who
returns, that will . not in hia midnight watch,
on his weary march, and in the . thick ’coming
gust of conflict, or as he relates the stories of the
war by his own fireside, recall with tears and thanks
the manner in which he was received' at the volun
teer refreshment saloons in the city of Philadelphia.
Some of the descriptions of the endurance, patience,
perseverance, and courage of the women of this war
would baffle belief, if we did' not know them to be
true." It is not merely here in Philadelphia, where,
you have been bo profuse in your patriotic efforts
to relieve the sufferings of those in your hospitals,’
where your fairs have blossomed and bloomed, as
well with the beauty of those who have originated -
them, as in the'magnificent results that-have re
warded their exertions, that woman has displayed
her natural benevolence and charity ; but there are
cases, and thank Heaven there are many cases; in
which gentle, fragile, and unprotected women—un
protected save by their own chastity and purity
have not hesitated, even in.thc red throat of battle,
to sit by the wounded soldier, and to cheer him on
hiß way to God, or to assist in alleviating the dread-
he has endured. Only a. few days ago
a beautiful lady, from a borough within half an
bouris ride from Philadelphia; returned from a seven
months’ experience with the Army of the Potomac.
She was accompanied by her husband, and only left
the.army, because it had received.marching orders.
During these long seven months, this wealthy and
fashionable lady, accustomed to all the refinements
and luxuries of life, devoted herself, night and day,
to the soldiers of one of the army corps, composed
mainly of Pennsylvanians, and, in good part, of
troops ...from her : own county. She set'an example
which aroused the whole neighborhood from which
she came, and by her correspondence with her friends,
and her. appeals to all she met, became at last
a ministering angel—and, no doubt, in these days of
cheap brigadiers, she would l have made a better com
mander than many of those who carry the stars upon,
their shoulders; and, when : she reached- 'Washing
ton, in answer to a question, whether she was tired
of her experience; her repTy was: “As soon as'the
corps finds r resting place after the next great b attle,
lny husband and myself will be found among them.”,.
• These;be the.triumphs of the Northern women:
These' are the comforts they bring to the wounded ;
these the wieaths they lay upon , the tombs of the
gallant dead. Nor is their charity confined to their
own. Unlike their former sisters in the South, who,
inspired by an inveterate: dislike of -the brave .men.
, defending the old flag, frequently refuse the ordinary-'
, civilities, .and are sometimes, betrayed Into expres
sions of hatred, they are as ready to attend at the
sick bed of the foe as if he had not been in arms
against their own fatherß and brothers, ’
The war has taught a great lesson to religious so
cieties. The Duke of Argyle, a member of the Bri
tish Ministry, could not refrain the avowal of his
.amazement that the Southern church should at
tempt to sustain Secession, on the ground that
■ slavery was justified as Divine; but that; astute
■ statesman should recollect that there are- cler
gymen, tin. the free as well as . in. the slave
States, who have not so cleansed their consciences
as to give a fervent and wholehearted support
to the Government, For my part, I cannot ima
gine' how any man wearing the livery of heaven
caneo consent to serve the devil as to hesitate to
give hia entire and . thorough services -to the
government in this great Btrife. If there is any in
terest that should be arrayed on the Union’Bide, it is
the interest of the Church. I care not whether that
is the Catholic or the Protestant Church;. There
are moral maxims as eternal and lasting as the
stars themselves—maxims which shine into every
. heart, and which can only be denied by those who
-are self*clouded and; seltdeluded, . Among these
are hostility to ingratitude, cruelty, falsehood, ty
ranny, and nameless infamous crimes; . and I : con
tend that this rebellion is the creed, the representa
tive, and the type of all thesevices. Why; then,
should,a minister of Christ; when he rices to speak
, to his flock, hesitate to denounce these vices? for,
if ever there was a ; conspiracy against God, and
against a‘ good government, it is that which
now opposes the American Union. Far more
infamous, therefore,'to me, is the smooth and
.politic priest who, in these dark .and . trying
days, so far forgets his country—and the country
that always protects and cherishes him—as.to avoid
denunciation of the rebellion, so that he may estab
lish a Eort of previous compromise with the devil,
to give him a cooler place in hell when he is ejected
fromheaven. Far more infamous, I say,'is Buch a
. creature than the poor rebel solaier who is forced
into" the ranks, and compelled to fire upon his
brother in the Union army. . . -
•< rßut teaches a .lesson also to.the judiciary.
I am somewhat old-fashioned‘in my notions about
the law. I think the best judge of military juris
prudence a long, lank Tennessean; called An
drew Jackson—a man who had.fche audacity to say,
and was applauded by the Democratic party for
saying it, that he construed the Constitution of. the
United States as he understood it! And this, too,,
in times of peace. He exercised-a' righteous
authority, I think, when; he removed the deposits
from the Bank of the-Untted States, and I could
wish that Boger Bi Taney, whom he called into his
cabinet, could remember a little of the experience
in hiß declining years as Chief Justice, .whichche', so
honored in General Jackson, when, he'-removed Sa
ffiUei in his quaint,
receptXjj'i-Gfsrreil to -
example at 3STew Orleans, whenheilclieri .Tmlgn Mall;
• —another manifeetatlon, so earnestly and frequently.
endorsed. In classifying the great lawyers of the
country, it gratifies me to know that every .vigorous
measure of the present Administration, including
the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, “ arbi
trary” or summary arrests, and all, havebeen sus
tained by some of the first legal minds in tbe-United
States. It seems to me that whenever a layman he
sitates about sustaining the Government in this
crisis, he can find consolation in reposing upon the
fact that such men as Justice Grier, of the United
States Supreme Court, Horace Binney, Benjamin V,-
Curtis, ■William Whiting, Edwin M. Stanton, John
M. Bead, Ifoah 11. Swayne, Thomas Ewing, James
T. Brady, David Davis, and others that might
he mentioned, composed almost equally of Demo
crats and Bepublicans who ought to know the law,-
behevc not Bimply in the justice of the action of the
Federal Government, but believe also that if. it had
not promptly acted, it would have deserved exoul
sion from the place it occupies. And those who, in
the face of' such authorities, choose to wander in the
darkling twilight that is shed from the small intel
lects of the judiciary, who believe that the Consti
tution of the United States contains ho element to
.protect itself from annihilation, should be classed
among those who deny that is the
nrßt law of nature.
This war.has taught us one lesson which, in com
parison .with others, rises almost to the dignity of
inspiration—l'mean it has taught us how to solve
the great question of human ■ servitude on the Ame
rican continent. No other subject ever so taxed
the intellects of philosophers and statesmen. They
saw the increase of the colored population on these
shores withundissembled dismay. They beheld the
growingpower of a lazy, corrupt, and cruel aristocra
cy i •»''power all the more.powerful because it fed and
fattened upon a .system, which* reflected contempt
and indignity upon a free government, which was
enabling them to master Administrations and Con
gresses, and to control the opinions- bfr large num
bers In other sections of the Union. They saw the
anomaly of four millions' of human beings in the
Chains of slavery, in a country aspiring to be the
refuge of all the hunted races the earth, a coun
try aspiring to be the example and the apostle of ra
tional, restrained, and- constitutional liberty. Ifo
such spectacle has everbeen presentedin-the history
of the world. Imßglne, if you please, England or
France holding a Bubject race in servile bondage,
would they not stand self-accused if, without , the
the slightest pretensions to Democracy, they hesi
tated to rid themselves of that which must at once
be a curse and a burden ?. Even. Russia, with its in
herited serfdom, and with its semi-civilization, has
latterly given a proof of sublime disinterestedness,
and paid anobie tribute to the sentiment of liberty,
by hghteningtbe burdens.of its own inferior ■ popu
lation. .
War came at last, with its trenchant blade, to out
the Gordian knot here, and now we are in the fore
front of a strife, which can never -chase until the
cause of it is cither fatally struck or wholly exter
minated. I know the'prejudices which this sort
of war must cut through and cleave'down—the
■ prejudices of race, the' prejudices of eaetejthe
wjuflioea or DoIiHCB. andi atiom alh .ffle weius
mm or iinaraDgoi bui aim’s mins mini diuiyi jj
lb not to tc expected thAt. so great « dis-i
'ease should be suddehiv cured. We can perceive
that it has almost brought this nation to it# death
bed ; that in the effort to, get rid of slavery, which
had wound itself, as it were, around, the very heart
of the .Republic, slavery, may tear the heart itself
away. Let me call your attention to one prejudice
of which we ought all to be ashamed; and that is
the prejudice against employing ana arming ne
groes lor the defence, of the Republic. Did
any man. ever suppose that this war‘could be
vigorously prosecuted, leaving the .institution of
slavery in tact? I will not ask a question which an
swers itself. Did any man or‘woman ever dream
that, with - and thousands' of liberated
men upon the hands of the Government, that Go
vernment : should simply-perform the duty of an
almoner—that of feeding these hundreds of thou
sands? .What shall we do with'the contrabands?
wasi the question‘frequently, asked more than two
..years ago. We are now answering that inquiry.
The Government, tired of the experiment of expend
ing. millions .for’ the sustenance of a brave and
healthy population; is exacting a return from them,
and is placing them where they ought to' have been
put at the very beginning of the war—into every
column of the American army, to do the work that
White men have been doing; to save the lives of
white men ; to enable white'men to remain at home
in-the various agricultural and mechanical avoca
tions; and, if necessary, upon their South
ern masters the indignities and horrors by which
they havejbeen oppressed. Had this course been
adopted tw o years thousands of white men,
who now sleep in death, would be the pride of their
•friends and the support of their families..:
* lam now.speaking to an audience
large'part, of ladies, and I wish those among them,
Who have permitted themselves to be misled by the
common cant of the hour on this important ques
tion, could go with me .to a Southern plantation,
and there witness the scenes which have* been de
scribed so frequently, and which, because of the
hideous truths related, have been generally discre
dited ;* white fathers selling their own children into
slavery, white mothers forced to witness 4he utter
degradation of their own huebands and their own
, eons, and: all . this perpetrated under, the sanction
of pretenßionß to gentility, to civilization, and
even to .Christianity. \Vhy, another generation of
submission to slavery; on this continent, another
generation of the increase of this institution- if it
had not brought dowm the judgment of God, must
undoubtedly have awakened the indignation, and
the inteifeience of foreign nations. Not only should
the American people at the'inevitable over
throw of this institution, but they should rejoice
that the colored men are'at last being employed by
the Government to take part in the war for it# pre-
serration. We shall stand convicted of ingrati
tude, »nd worse than ingratitude, if we do not de
termine t-bat everjunan, white or black, who fights
under the flag of the Union, shall be equally pro
tected; and that for every life taken by the slave
holders, for every colored person slain, if captured,
another life ehall be exacted. We must not attract
this population to out standard, ami fail to secure
to them all the rights and all .the privileges to
which, according to the laws of war, they are
manifestly entitled ; and we must remember, above
all, that we cannot-expect other countries' to de
nounce rebel atrocities committed upon the colored
soldiers of the Republic, .if we ourselves fail to
avenge and to retaliate upon these atrocities.
I have Just concluded a careful reading:of Mrs.
Fanny Kemble’s book, giving her experience of two
years’ on her husband’s Georgia plantation—and I
pronounce it the most powerful and eloquent argu
ment against, and expOsive of, American slavery*
ever written by a woman. There is hot a loyal
matron in the land that should. not readit herself,
and then commend it to her daughters.
Nothing.ia more unworthy than the clamor which
too frequently leads to. personal assaults upon the
• negroes, in our streets, and such tumults are certain .
to produce a -justiand a terrible retribution. Less
than twenty years ago it was axommoa thing for
ah Irishman to'be attacked in Philadelphia. Who
do'es not. recalljhat with regret? and what Irish
man. ehouhhvhot remember that, when he allows
nrtfiledv.by a prejudice against the
will be visited
upon-him>J.h»fobHs those who attacked
him ; in reader of history
dees not of the Hebrews
with ebfrow ? and can any one of
us deny that race is at last sure to be
vindicated',? ‘ Humanity is not a principle for to-day, .
butrfor all time, and we can no more ignore the fact
that the negro Is a human being than that, in this
country at r le»Bt,weare bound to proteot every man
who contributes . to the prosperity of the Republic,
whether he be a son of the Emerald ißle, a-child of
Israel, or a descendant of the African.
And now that we have had a new experience in
the sad events that have made New York city an
object of shame and reproach, we may realize an
other lesson of the dangers of prejudice against a
class, and .the,.terrible retribution that must over
take the spirit of the mob. I am hot one of those !
who charge the attack-upon negro men, women,
and children,' and upon colored orphan asylums, to
any nationality; for this is a crime so inconceivable
that I would rather leave the responsibility for it at
the door of the murderers and thieves tnat infest
every.great city. But I am. not without hope that
that bloody example, and-the universal horror it
has excited, will at least admonish one portion of
our adopted citizens the danger, of giving way to a
prejudice againßt an innocent and .inoffensive race;.
which is at once unjUßt, absurd, and inhuman.
The palinodes to peace, coming chiefly And only
from those in the free States, who can be justly ac
cused as having been the real, authors of this war,,
are.famong the dismal signs of individual degrada
tion. j Bishop Hughes put the case most pertinently,
when he said that peace for the present is out of the
question, because it takes two parties to make the
peSce; and up to thiß time only a small faction in
the free States has supported it.
Peace propositions are received in the South only
with contempt.and scorn; and are we to. continue to
make them in the face of their deliberate and con
temptuous.rejection, of shalld we—to use the figure
of a great Southern statesman now heartily co
operating with the Government party—shall We al
low the. slaveholders to spit upon ub and wipe the
insult away with our cambric handkerchiefs, and
ask them to repeat it V
Another lesson of this war is .that taught to us by
our soldiers. .Have you ever noticed that there are
•no demands for peace from the army—that there,
are no meetings held against the Administration ©f
the Federal ’Government in the army—no discus
sions and doubts as to the constitutionality of , cer
tain laws of Congress in the army ? Now, it seems ,
to me that'those who support' the Government in
fhe army have a right, if the right 'exists any
where,* to complain. This oonduot of the Boldier
shows ,that he is, in all respects, a philosopher.
He sees the foe face to face; he reads the
lineaments'of Blavery with unprejudiced eyes;
"because, with practicaß eyes, he knows that the
rebels are in earnest, and, therefore, he feels that
every movement that tends to weaken the Govern
ment weakens him; that every article in a news
paper assailing the President is, in a certain, sense,
an assault upon him, and that, next to the welcome
that is.extended to the spy who gives information
to the enemy; nothing is. bo weloome to the rebel
lion, and berice so hurtful to the army, as the efforts
'of men, in the free States who are constantly com
plaining of and calumniating the Federal Artminia
tration. You hear of no returned soldier advoca
ting Hie meaeureß which are acceptable to a certain
- ..class of: politicians in .our midst; unless, indeed, it
be one who, for eome eccentric purpose, allows him
self to forget that he once fought for a flag which
the sympathizer with Secession are daily defiling
; and denouncing. ,- -
> Let me illustrate this observation. -A few weeks
.ago r General Burnside caused the arrest of a some
what notorious gentleman Vallandigham.
Mr. VaUandigham' tried to become a martyr for a
long period, and at last, in order to prevent the suc
cess of his appeals to the people, and to stop the
, spread of a moat poisonous disaffection, the Govern
ment was compelled to sustain Gen. Burnside, and
to direct the translation of this companion and friend
of Mr.-Breckinridge to a more congenial clime:
whereupon we‘ had an explosion of wrath, and
. eiabbrate discussions 'against the despotism of
the Administration, but not a word of com
plaint; and not a -word of denunciation from the
' army. ; And why ? The army felt, that Mr. Yallan
digham was equally the enemyof the Government
and of the army, and they notonly thanked the Ad
ministration; ior his arrest,-but upbraided all who
opposed it in the free States.' Another banishment
of another man took place several years ago in an
other-country, and that , was the banishment of
YictorHugo.by Louis Napoleon. Yictor Hugo had
becomethe organ of Republicanism. His vigorous.
conscientious devotion to -eternal *
could not restashe saw the onward march
of 'despo.tiem in his native land, and he was accord
ingly expatriated. Civilization stood aghast at this
act, and yet the wily Emperor of the French was jus
tifieil iffmore than one quarter, because he believed
the tranquility of his dominions demanded the sacri
fice. Shall we be less lenient when we come to
deal with one who boasts of treason to liberty ? The
President, in his letter to the Albany Committee,
sums up Mr.Yallandigham’s casein a single sentence:
“ Must I shoot a simple-minded soldier boy who de
serts, while I must not touch a hair of a wily agita
. tori;Who induces him to desert? This 1b none the
leßßr'injurious when effected by getting a father, or
brother, or friend, into a public meeting, and there
working upon Ms-feelings until he is persuaded to
write, the soldierboy that he is fighting in a bad
cause, fora wicked 'Administration of a contempti
ble Government, too weak to arrest and punish him
if be. shall desert. : I think that in such a case, to
silence the agitator and save the boy is hot only
• constitutional, but withal a great mercy.”
This Sentence will not go simply: to the' American
soldier in the army, nor to'tbeAmerican sailor.on
the sea, but.unless we, are'iridefed imbruted and in
-sensate, it should overwhelm every demagogue who
assumes to place this act of the Government in the
category of crimes. .
But if this great struggle has aroused the solici
tude of all the irieuds of freedom in every part of the
earth, and the amazement of .those who have been
: accustomed:.to large military preparations and ex
peditions, its consequences have been more extra
ordinary- upon our own people-called to arms, as
"fcijey -werej for tjae <3 «af.e-P.g V oi -tbeLr- S.o-c-<AT-nm isn't IlciA
. their flag, at a cerlod when all they knew ol! war
were the brief aceountsin thfe nawap&pei'B (l&scrip.
tive of the operations of our small army—the whole
of which combined was not larger than a single one
of our present army corps. Peace and plenty, the
result of civil employments, and agricultural, com
mercial, and mechanical operations, found them
wholly, unfitted for the great strife which so
suddenly burst upon them, prepared for du
ring more than thirty years by that slave oligarchy
nerved and nourished, fed and fattened upon the
generous bosom of the Republic. Indeed, so aecus- -
tomed to tranquil pursuits, bo imbued with the idea
of ari 1 American brotherhood, and so full of the dan
gerous yet consolatory idea that even all the powers
of the earth, much leas an ingrate organization in
our midst, could not prevail against tbeAmerican
Union; that an entire year .may be said to have been
wasted before the American people iii the free States
• could realize that the assault oh our Government
on the part of the slaveholders was that serious, that
"Cruel, and that extended assault which every day’s
evidence shows it to have been.
; But mark: Qnce this truth became clear to their
minde, how their whole character changed! As I
Bpealc to you to-night, the fact that ours ts destined
to be one of; the greatest military nations in : the
world, and to remain so until this battle for hu
man-freedom has been decided, becomes startlingly
clear, Aa we dwell upon this great lesson, and
measure the dimensions of this stupendous rebel
lion,-let us .not close from, our eyes the at
tendant and the inexorable duty devolved upon
us. I have always believed—ever since the inhu
man determination of the rebellion had become too
true for denial or evasion—that, in a abort time,
every able-bodied man in the free Stateß that could
be spared from more important avocations at home,
would feel prompted to shoulder his,musket' and
.to make the war on our part so formidable
and crushing aa to -complete the catastrophe of
slavery and the vindication of freedom at the Bame .
time. But before we approach this high and holy
obligation, we must resolve to banish from every
society and community those criminations and‘re
criminations which, while disgraceful to ourselves,
. have served only to encourage and to delight the
common foe. There are men and women who de
■"plore the present war because of its bloodshed, and
who, on thiß account, would undoubtedly welcome
.peace on aDy terms. Is it possible that this class'
could flatter themselves that a generation which haß
• ODjoyed so much of the. beneficence-vouchsafed by
Providence, and bestowed upon us by the institu
tions umler which we live, would never be called
Upon to fight for those advantages; and if so
called would shrink from the good work? Wat
is always , to be deplored; but a great people
once engaged in it, and, as in our case, driven to-it
by the mad and measureless ambition of men who
aspire to destroy the only fabric of free government
in the world-such a people will-become the scoff of
thePations, if, when they take up the sword, they
fail to decide that it never shall be Bheathed until
the aggressor upon their, rights has been punished,
their integrity maintained, and their authority as-,
serted through and over every foot of American soil.
In fact, complaints of -this character must,-of ne-
CeßßltTi G6aBB ir WlYSttlfl Bil2rt£3 YfSF ?.!!'*
SBBimninms ms *— -s
apart from the higher am! more relixriOUß
questions involved, it will be folin<l to bfi fed out OWft
selfish intereetß, that which too frequently controls
men and nations, to extinguish every element of dis
cord in dm* midst, and to substitute for the criti
’Cismfe and censures of a party.of peace, the awful
*unity,the stern resolve,the spirit of self-sacrifice
and self denial; which characterize a .state of war.
The reason that the Southern people have appeared
to us like a consolidated mass, consenting to or ap
proving of the despotism that crushes them, is, be
cause they have been made to feel the horror&of war
at their own fireside; and because,' also, the bravery
of their own betrayers is gendered all the more suc
cessful in the temporary obliteration of oppres
sion against the rebellion by the presence of Federal
soldiers. ' " 4 , ' •
And now that at last we too have felt the brand of
the traitor, and have seen his atrocities at our own
thresholds, will we not co-operate in the great work
of uniting for the sake of peace itself)
Butthetruepath to peace must be opened and
• cleared by the victorious sword. The initials of the
settlement of our great troubles must be arranged
by such rgrim negotiators as Grant, Banks, Meade;
Kosecrans, Ben Butler, and Ambrose E. Burnside..
Others may advise the traitors, and may be ready to
compromise the principle: but those who have won
. the.triumph must be satisfied that they have not
fought in vain. My friendß, now when we read the
lesson and obligations of the hour, we may antici
pate a peace as resplendent as any and all of the
great achievements which have prepared the way
for it. The ruins of the rebellion are falling upon the
heads of the chiefs of the rebellion. Not alone are
these latter‘stricken on the field, but theirownpeo
p)e—that misled, misguided and betrayedpeople—are
rousing against them. Albert Gallatin Brown, for.
long years ibe rival of Jefferson Daviß, in Mississip
pi, and, though one of the best of all the fire-eaters,
one of the most ambitious; after a long career of
honorable office —Governor *»d Representative of
his State.and for many years a Senator in Congress
: —takes the oath of, allegiance to the old flag in the
new arid conquered department of United States
. Grant. William Aiken, the largest owner of slaves
in the world is in prison, because he has said
he would, rather lose his three thousand chat
tels than yield his love for the old Union.'
William Holden, the brother of the well-known
Ezra Holden, of the old Saturday Courier, in this
city, defies Davis and his crew in the columns of the
Raleigh (North Carolina) and has fired the
people with the idea that they must not and cannot
Eubmit to the atrocities of the rebel despots. Wm.
A. Graham, so spotless in private and bo eminent in
public life, insists that if secession from the generous
General. Government is right, secession from the
. conspiracy of Jtffetsou DavU eauaot be wrong*
Andrew .Tohryaoninas held the beat part of Tennessee
to the old flag r by the legions oUßoerecrana,
and the brave Parson Krownlow tells us that 20.000
East Tennesseoair are burning .to fight their way
out of their mouattrfua anr.? valleys, and to merch to*
Nashville, there fib consummate the allegiance and
restoration of thewltole State totheUnion. Mis
souri is ours foreveV; and seven years slavery
will be ctsansed from it* soiL leaving the limbs of
that mighty Commonwealth fread from the most ac
cursed fetters that ever boumi a great people;
Kentucky is liberated, because her own loyal'
leaders, while not approving all ©f Mr. Lincoln’s
policy*, dread the return of Buckner and Bur
nett and Breckinridge,, their owes former asso
ciates, as the* return of the cholera to a district
from which iif had been-extirpated.. Maryland is
so safe, and prosperous and loysfc, that even
the traitors wk» are permitted to remain within
itß borders do not at heart desire to see* the
rebels return, ©elaware/ though sorely besefr to
commit the sutaide of cutting loose* from the
Union, and from the State oP wMoh originally she
formed a part, is as constATxt tothe Union as tire
great river whose name she bears is constant in its
current to the sea. Before we* consider the present
and prospective condition of the Cotton States, let
us direct our attention to Old and New Virginia and
to the District of Columbia. Two great States have
been formed out of the so-called Old Dominion. In
the one the Union arms hold undisputed away, and
slavery has been prospectively abolished by the vote
of the Legislature, affirmed by an-icamenae majority
of the people.
In tbefother, with Richmond as its centre or capi
tal, the rebel power is making its- last stand^but
dearly has Eastern Virginia paid for its sincere-or
compelled opposition to the Republic. Its deso
lated homesteads and devastated fields,-and scatter
ed peoples, are the witnesses and confirmations of
the atrocities of the traitors-aDd the- predictions of
the patriots. Yet even from this- stubborn strong
hold of treason representatives and senators will be
present in the next Oongrees-of the United States,
and this without the expected- conquest of Rich
mond. Of the District of Columbia, with your
Federal metropolis as the centre, I may say it is the
citadel of liberty, and is,*in my opinion, as impreg
nable a.s Gibraltar. And it'may also be said, with
just pride and; strict-truth, that under the opera
tions of principles-and practices wholly incidental
to and resulting from Washington has be
come one of the most prosperousof freecities. You
who have not lately visited your own political me
tropolis should go there to see how much better
freedom helps a people than slavery. The men who
assisted this “foul rout” have gone off, some to
Secession and others -to Europe, leaving the city
and the District of Columbia controlled by a
new race of bold and progressive spirits.
Turn we now to the cotton region and the Gulf
States. Here, indeed, is a sight to blast the eyes of
traitors, and to uplift the hearts of loyal men. With
the exception of Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama,
and Mississippi, there is scarcely a cotton or rice or
Bugar State that is not in the control of the Govern
ment or of the Union people; and how long these
will continue to acknowledge; the rebel sway, when
Dahlgren has taken Charleston and Farraguf Mo--
bile, will require no prophet to anticipate. Do not
be surprised if Arkansas. Texas, Florida, and Lou
isiana, by conventions of their ppople, Bhall soon
revise their State Constitutions, and abolish slavery -,
forever, and ask readmisßion into the Union as free
and loyal Stateß. -These are the signs of victory and
of peace ,* ! and they are .to be accepted, not because
they promise national triumph; but because they are
the surest guarantees of perpetual reconciliation and
a substantial and lasting restoration of the Union.
These, too, are the trophies and teachings of the war,
aDd its results up to this moment. While they will
gladden the people ot the loyAl States, and the loyal
people of the slave States, they will carry terror to
the foreign despots and the foreign revilers of free
institutions, and to the'authors and instigators of
the rebellion. How sadly Jefferson Davis and Alex
ander H. Stephens will read in these manifestations
the realization of their own predictions, as to the
fffect of an attack upon the Amerioan Union, in the
days when they were not afraid to show their grati
tude to their country l And with what a dreary and
bitter feeling of shame the enemies of free institu
tions in England will read of the discomfiture of the
rebel forces ! Friends, if the duty of the paßt hour has
been one of sadness and devotion, the present lesson *
is one of joy. The cause of the Republic never
looked brighter, and it only requires us to be true to
ouißelves andto ourcountry, and to continue smiting
therebel hordes with the stern hand of destruction to
makevictory becomplete. FromtMs dutynonewho
desires to be respected in life andhonoredinmemory
can escape. You, ladies, who sit so quietly here on
this pleasant Bummer evening, who have brothers
and husbands and fathers in this war: and know
what a struggle the parting has been, and the weary
suspense before and after every battle—you have
done much, and you can do more. In the gentle and
tender ways of life, alleviating pain, smoothing
away sorrows, encouraging the soldier in the field
and making loyalty in man, the best recommenda
tion to your regard arid love—you can be heroes
in.the nobleßt and highest sense of heroism. For it
is not in blood and*death, nor in the gorgeous mimic
ry of war, nor even in the warrior’s valor and tri
umph, that the -truest heroism rests. I speak to the
pure, deep, everlasting, ceaseless spirit of love, that
lives in the heart of woman, that has been the type
and source of. our civilization, when I appeal to
you to give yourßelveß to this cause, to encourage,
* and gladden, and strengthen the soldiers of the coun
, try. Beas the mothers of the Revolution—as the
mothers of England in the time of Cromwell—
as the mothers of France when the tyrannies ;
of Europe threatened it with destruction for
daring to be free—as the mothers of the ancient
times, whose virtues and bravery Illuminate the
faded memories of Greece arid Rome. I ask you to
continue your devotion—nay, even-to surpass it, in
your efforts to unite the friends of the Union, and to
cover our flag with the glory of honorable peace,
Wehavebut to work a little longer. The hour is
full of meaning; the darkness is past, and the dawn
is at hand.. The splendor of coming Peace streakß
the horizon. The contest has assumed a majesty
* that amazes the world, .
We are at last the champions of liberty here and
liberty every where—of that great sentiment of uni
versal liberty whichT believe will come to us as
with the blessed millennium of God. .
Ladies and gentlemen, let us see the Hour in . its
true grandeur, and let us proudly meet itß duties and
obligations, so tbat when therPreaent becomes his
tory wc and our posterity may look back with pride
upon the part we were prompted to choose in the
agonizing trials of the Americanßepublic.
Second Regiment Bine Reserves.
Camp Adjoining Hagekstotvk', Md,
July 18, 1863.
CCorresponden.ee* of The Press]
I have seen in the Baltimore papers, and others,
statements strangely confused, with regard to the
fight:with the rebels here, in the latter part of the
afternoon of the 13th inst., in which the “ Blue Re
serves” of your city, bore a prominent and honor
able part. The matter, in itself, was;a very simple
affair, and with your permission I will state it as it
occurred. The Blues were in the advance brigade
from Harrisburg to Hagerstown, and.their marches
were among the roughest, most arduous, and
trying of the whole war. They were literally
such a character, taken together-with the nature of
the country, the incessant rains, both day and night;
the swollen streams and mountain torrents, and'the
utU* wx&t sf sk altar, sii&ftli&s. and maaju af tsani.
portation, as to have afforded the regiment, in the
course of a few weeks, all the experience and priva
tions of hardened veterans of many campaigns.
Late in the afternoon of the 13th Inst,, the Blues
reached this place, and marched to the bivouacking
ground selected for them. They had marched
through torrents of rain, by a circuitous route, from
Waynesboro, a distance of some thirteen miles.
Thy had had nothing to eat during the day, but a
cracker. Whilst stacking their arms on their arri*
val here; an order came from headquarters, for them,
to move. They disencumbered themselves, on the
instant, of everything but their ammunition accou
trements, seized their muskets and marched. They
knew they were to go into instant action, but where
or with whom they knew not. Marching at quick
pace through mud and mire for about a mile and a
half, they united with a smallhody of cavalry, under
the command of Gen. Kilpfttrick, and were ordered
to act with the cavalry, who had dismounted, and
deploy with them from the road into the open field,
and charge the enemy as skirmishers. This order
waß promptly obeyed, and the whole regiment of the
Blues advanced from portion to position, firing as
they advanced. The enemy, whose position was on
a ridge of high ground, and a very strong one, being
hardly pressed, brought up a battery of artillery,
andfornearly an hour played it upon us, with every
\ariety of shell, shot, and missile,
; The Blues still advanced, discharging volley after
yoHey as they moved forward, and so well did they,
in conjunction with the cavalry, direct their fires
upon the enemy’s gunners as to'cause the battery to
•fall back under cover of the ridge, and cease firing
altogether. Our forces being without artillery, kept
up their fire, the Blues with their muskets, and the
cavalry with their rifled carbines, and still moved
forward till night set in, when; they were recalled,
by.order of Gen;;Kilpatrick. -The Bluefl, in entire
order, took up theu* march back to their selected
camping ground, from which they had been so sud
denly called, when, rb they supposed, they were
about to get a long-coveted rest for their wearied
frames, after their severe and exhausting day’s
march. The night was very dark and rainy, and
they reached their camping-ground about 10 o’clock,
and there, covered with nothing but the heavens,
and without food, took up their rest, 4
The casualties of the regiment, so far as I have
yet learned, do not exceed sixteen. These were all
wounded, and one only whose wound, it is thought,
may prove mortal. The cavalry, as well as our in
fantry—the Blues—behaved with great spirit and
gallantry, and were complimented by General Kil
patrick on the field. Since then, the following com
£"*._l <*>“<!.*? imoej Ly 4L«
general of Ike _ division—Sen. W. 3?.- Smith—and
, read at the head of the regiment, as directed :
HEAX>qT7AHTBRS, IST DIVISION,
Department op Susquehanna, July 15,1863. .
General Order, No. —. —The general command
ing, in taking leave of the Pennsylvania troops that
have been under, him, cannot do so without ex
pressing his admiration of the zeal and fortitude
with which they have encountered so many hard
ships during their recent campaign, and he especially
commends the bravery of the troops engaged with
the enemy on the 13th inst.
By order of Gen. W. F. SMITH. '
Preston O. F. West, A. A. A. G.
This complimentary order has.highly gratified the
men of the “Blues,” who, in reality, deserved it.
There were no troops engaged with them, save the
small squadron of United States cavalry before men
tioned—either aa reserves or otherwise. The fight
was their own, exclusively.. The cavalry, acting
with them were dismounted and relied upon their
carbines alone, as the Blues did’upon their muskets. 1
All behaved well, and the skirmish was eqceedingiy
spirited. All the odds of position, numbers, and
long, old soldiership, being oh the sideof the enemy.
Yet, still, ours was the advancing and assaulting
party. During the night the enemy abandoned their
works and retreated to the Potomac, andrecrossed
it into the “saored soil,” but not without a severe
disaster, ibflicted on a brigade of them by Gen. Kil
patrick’s corps.
Their casualties in [the skirmish referred to are
riiDknown to us; but an examination of the field,
since made, Bhowß, by various insignia left behind,
that their loss was not inconsiderable, and that they
were driven from all their out- lying positions to fake
up a final stand within their permanent works. ‘
■ • ' . - « •
SIGNIFICANT.—The editor of the Fulton Re
publican, at McConnellsburg, says that, while the
rebels occupied tbat town, his office was pointed out
to them by the Copperheads as an Abolition con
cern. Several of the officers called upon him,’and
asked to see his files. After examining them,'the
lieutenant in command said: “Lsee, sir, this is a
Republican newspaper; you advooate a vigorous
prosecution of the war, and are'in favor of sustain
ing your Government in-every thing. I like, to set a
man one iking or the other Taking several copies of
the paper, they left without molesting anything in
the office, to the great indignation of the Copper*
tads of that place,
THREE CENTS.
Two Weeks Araongst the Hospital Carnpß
at Gettysburg’*
To the Editor of The Press:
Sis.: It would not be possible, if politic, an£ not
politic, if possible, to convey to the readers ofThc
Tress, an adequate idea of.the terrible ssenes There'
witnessed during a two weeks* sojourn among Che’
hospital camps at Gettysburg. My purpose is nofc\
to harrow up the feelings of those who mayhavfc*
friends there, but simply, if possible, to stSfr up the
good people of this city and State to renewed exer- i
tionsin the*preparation and forwarding of hospital’
stores for the benefit of the brave men who have-
Seen wounded in defence cf their country,
leaving Philadelphia on the evening of the sth
of July, in company with several gentlemen having
in charge 1 somc , ;fffty-three boxes of stores, coctri*
bulrd by the citizens of the Fourteenth ward, we
proceeded to the battle-field by way of Harrisburg
and ©arlißle. At the latter place, as* might have
•been we* were subjected to unnecessary
and vexatious delay by the difficulty cf procuring?
passes for ourselves* and transportation for our
stores. For these delays we hare great'reason to
thank the youDg gentleman who acted aff provost
marshal afCarHsle. Arriving at Gettysburg- Berne
hours in advance of the- supplies, we proceeded to
make inquiry in regard to the point where hospital
stores wei'e most needed. With nearly twenty
thousand wounded men- within fiver miles of us,
there would’appear to have been little difficulty in
determining-where to begin; and yet; by common
consent, the 2d Army Corps was pointed outrto us
as the field where our supplies and labors were most
required. Ladies met ua in the street, begging us,
for God’s'sake, to go to- the 2d Corps, ay the suffer
ing there wae* terrible; This determined us, and
on the.following (Wednesday) morning, taking-life
whole of our otdres with us; amid torrents of fall;
ing rain, we sought the camp. We founcTit located'
about four and ahalf miles south of Gettysburg; on
the east bank of Rock creek, and at the distance of*
a mile west of the Baltimore turnpike.
Vivid as had been the descriptions given of the
sufferings of the wounded at this camp, they were
far. from an approximation even to the reality.
Such a sight as presented’ itself,, as we entered the
camp, has been, I hope, rarely witnessed. On every
Bide lay the wounded; the dying, and the dead;
Thefain fell in torrents, rendering a paßßage way
through the camp impossible, without wading-ankle
deep in mud and water. Some of the wounded 1
were sheltered by tents—others enjoyed such-pro
tection as a gum or woolen blanket would afford,,
while others still were destitute of any shelter.
Hard as this may seem, it was unavoidable. So
:completely had communication been broken off by
the destruction of railroad bridges by the rebels,
that it was utterly impossible for the Government
supplies of shirts, drawers, blankets, and tents to
reach these campß at the time of which I write.
Everything had been done ‘ for the poor fellows
which was possible, with the limited means of
transportation; and to tfce immortal honor of those- •
brave soldiers be it said, not a murmuring word
fell from their lips.
Our stores were Boon unloaded, stimulants- were
called for, and supplied in abundance, and, in a very
few minutes after our arrival, every wounded man
on the ground was served with a warming draught.
Then followed demands for bandages, shirts,
drawers, blankets, in fact every thing that could
possibly contribute to the alleviation of suffering,-
Those who came with us in the capacity of nurses
immediately set to work. "Wounds were dressed
which, in the pressing emergency, had not been at
tended to for days. Hundreds of loaves of -bread
were Bliced, buttered, and apple-buttered, : and diß-.
tributed through the different wards. Tubs of le
monade were made, and emptied as fast-as-made*.
Bucket upon bucket fulTof milkpunch .was served
out amongst the wounded, and everything don©
which humanity could suggest and the means at
hand would allow to render the condition of the men .
more comfortable.
Finding our stores rapidly diminishing under
these repeated heavy requisitions, we made applica-.
tion, through Col. Bingham, of this city, to Adams
Express Belief Company, for such supplies as they
could furnish. Our request was granted at a word, ■
and during the whole of our stay we received from
this company all the supplies'we asked for. Requi
sitions were also, made upon the United States Sani
tary Commission, through Ur. Dwinell, the surgeon
in charge. These were promptly and bountifully
filled. In addition to these the Fourteenth-ward
Belief Association forwarded 49 boxes more, making
in all one hundred and two. The Patriot Daughters of.
Lancaster ; Mrs. E. W. Hutter, of Philadelphia;
the Ladies* Aid Society, or York ; the Ladies* Aid
Societies of Middlesex, Cumberland county; Taney-.
town, Maryland ; Washington, Pa.; Marietta, Pa. 5
and other places, sent us seasonable stores by wagon
loads, so that up to the time when we left we had
abundance for all applicants. During the latter,
part of our stay, the agents of the Christian Com
mission who had been operating in the third -divi- .
vision, (ours was the first and second;, joined their
stores with ours, thus swelling our, stock considers-.
bly, and adding greatly to the efficiency of our work
ing force.
Some fifty personswere engaged at different times .
in the good work of distributing stores to those who -
•needed them, dressing- wounds, writing letters for
dying men, speaking words of holy, cheer -and com*,
fort to the suffering, and in every possible way stri
ving to alleviate the overwhelming distress which
prevailed s everywhere. Among them were-many
clergymen, a large number of delegates of the Chriß
tion Commission, volunteer surgeons, and citizens,
drawn to the spot by curiosity, but who, on.learning •
the great demand for- help, entered heartily into the
service, and pushed on the good work with earnest
ness. After a week of " unremitting-labor, things
began to assume a more comfortable aspect. Cloth
ing, in large quantities, had been received from the
various societies; the Government stores had ar
rived; blankets were furnished to all not already
provided; the slightly wounded' having been
transferred to city hospitals; the amputations
nearly ; all performed, ' and the surgeons were
enabled to give more attention to the severer cases.
The wounded were, raised from the ground;and. ?
placed upon stretchers, straw became more abundant,
chloride of lime -was scattered * freely through the
gabjb, neutralising the fiteneh which had. hacoma
almost unbearable. Lar§e coolil3§ Sl&V&fi 4&ll4<I !
into play, kin Ahearted women were busy day and
night preparing vast quantities of corn' starch, tea,,
farina, toast, beef soup, coffee, and other little deli
cacies for the wounded. In a word, things looked '
better, and when we left, (Friday, July 17,) we were
pleased to observe that'all the men were cleanly
dressed and under| shelter of tents. . Many of theße
poor fellows will die. God pity them. They de
served a better fate; and yet it is glorious to die bat
tling for a good cause.
; Our camp was visited by Mr. Gutekunst ,of this •
city, who.came there for the purpose of taking pho
tographic viewß of the most interesting points on
the memorable battle-field of Gettysburg. He took a •
fine picture of the rebel hoßpital camp, adjoining
ours; also, one of our supply tent, with the hospital
tentsjn the back ground.
"Who is prepared to estimate the vast amount of
suffering alleviated by such organizations as the Sa
nitary Commission, the Christian. Commission, and
the various aid societies, who had their stores and
representatives amongst the hospital camps at Get-'
• tyaburg l But for their promptness and attention,
thousands of men who will now recover, would have
died. Let this fact encourage them, and so long as
there is a possibility of another great battle, let them
not relax their efforts. Do not walt-until the battle
has been fought and the men wounded, but have •
everything in readiness to be sent to the field at a
moment’s notice. \
A word more, and I have done. Many unkind
things have been said of the people of Gettysburg
and vicinity. These sayings are not only cruel, but
slanderous. It would be impossible to conceive of
greater kindnesß or attention than has been bestowed
upon the wounded by the citizens. Every house is
a hospital, and almost every woman a soldier’s nurse..
Two weeks sojourn in their midst, and a large per
sonal acquaintance in the town and vicinity, enable
me to Bpeak knowingly upon this point.
I am, sir, very respectfully yours, S.
' Philada., July2o,lSC3.
The Councils and the Draft*
To the Editor of The Press:
Sir: "Will you be kind enough, to insert the fol
lowing suggestion ? It is, doubtless, well-known to
all our citizens that there is at present pending be
fore our City Councils ah ordinance providing for
thepaymentof the “commutation fee” of every poor
man thst is drafted. The object of this ordinance
is, in the plainest term by which we can express it,
nullifications for it actually sets at nought the object
of the Conscription Bill passed by the Congress of
the United States, (the highest legislative body of
the land), by depriving the Government of thewiea
wliisli itßssflsi Mi cal ! e 9 for *° aa p-
Kifsa ass rr*rf¥“--
although but ». boy, would, suggest to some of our
S)emdci-&Ue Mends in the Gouh&liS, hhd tb thfe lftfeSi--
bers in general, that if they wish to show their love
for our poor men, .they had better pass an ordinance
appropriating the $3OO to the families of the poor
men that are drafted, instead of “ buying the men
off” themselves. Why, sir, I know of several of
the humble class of families who would be infinitely
better off if the head of the house was away in the
army, provided, however, the mother had the means
of feeding herself and her children; for- the fathers,
while at home, do nothing but drink and abuse their
wives and children. Councils would, by this means,
not only show their love for the poor man by caring
for his family, but they would also Bhow their patri
otism and their loyalty by helping the Government
in getting the men it needs, by inducing those to go
who would otherwise, perhaps, think of resisting,
and by just in such a proportion as this diminishing
the incentive to riot or disturbance. If $3OO be
thought too much, they could fix the bounty for the
families to suit themselveß.
■ ■ I am, sir, yours, respectfully,
Philadelphia, July 22,1863. W.
An Important Auxiliary in the Operations
of the Christian Commission*
To the Editor of The Press.
Sis: $Te have just returned from a brief visit to
Gettysburg and Hagerstown. Amid the scenes, of de
solation and carnage, which fill the heart with sad
ness, it is pleasing to find that so much is done to
alleviate the sufferings of the sick, and wounded, and
dying. Foremost among all the agencies’at work
stands the Christian Commission, whose noble object
it iB to administer not only to the relief and comfort
of the body, but also to communicate instruction
and consolation to the soul.' Bytfhe unpaid labors
of its delegates the Boldier is visited on'the battle
field and in the hospital, and the stores furnished by
the benevolent are dispensed personally, so. that
there may be a certainty of their reaching their
proper objects. There has, however, been great dif
ficulty In the operations of the Commission, ftom
want of facilities to. reach the field of action, and
the wounded, dying soldier mußt lie for many pain
ful hours, and often dayß, without the assistance
which he needs, though relief is near at hand, if it
could be conveyed to him. It is very difficult, often ’
impossible, to prooure wagons or horses from the
Government, or from persons in the neighborhood,
and in the meantime the brave men who have fallen
in the conflict are suffering and dying. The Com
mission Bhould have transportation of its own at its
command, in order to reaoh our soldiers promptly.
"We have been glad to hear that arrangements have
been UMlt to meet this n.ecewitj', & wagon ft
THE WAJB PRESS,:
(PUBLISHED WEEKLY.)
The Wax’ Press wilT be sent to subscribers by?
mail (per annum in advance) at gg
Three copies " “ *•>*«* 50*
Fire copies " «... 80S
Tern * .. .» ..DUMre
Larger Clubs than Ten will* ba charged at the same
rate, §1.50 per copy.
The money must always aaeompany the order, and
in no instances can these terms he deviated from, at
they afford very little mare than the cost of Vie vayer.
Postmasters are requested to act as Agents Css
The Wax Press.
To the getter-up of the Club of ten or twenty, os
extra copy of the Paper will he given.
t f B P“ lte j l horses have been purchased f
e ,? f about twelve hundred dollars!
ODe gentleman has subscribed fifty dollars for this
purpose*. Are there not twenty.three more who
would give each a similar sum, that the entire
amount mav fie raUed without drawing"upon the?
treasury of .tne Com mission 1 Our business men,
who know" the importance of a prompt delivery, can
perceive at once how useful, we might rather say
indispensable, such a conveyance must be. Will they
cot give their "To give quickly, is to give
doable,” is an o*d proverb, and in no case more ap
plicable than in regard to the suffering soldier. Let
tbe fifties come in at once. .Toaeph PatteTson, Esq,.
Western Bank, nouthwest corner Fourth and Cheat.
;nut streets, is the treasurer. q.
DEPARTMENT OF. THE GULF,
HI. w * Sumuder of Port Kudstm-Banka'
Campaign—Treason iu NeW Orleans*
TL’c:detallß of the capitulation furnished by coir©*
sponi-ten I a add little of value to the information r&»
oeived Already. Some observations consequent on
the aucNTeas so far achieved are interesting. We ex
tra ct from letter in the Times:
WISDOM IN NOT ASSAULTING PORT-
HUDSON
Ai c ter the two attempts made to reduce Port Hud
son l*y a land assault, cr rather the reconnoissancea
in foi ce to that effect, on the 27th May and 14th
June, Gen. Banks Bhowed great, judgment and hu
maaif3 ’ lc B °t attempting it seam until he had .fully
invests d ..he place by a series of irresistible ap
proach! a. .
Biswi sdominthismatterisproi^ffhofonlybythe
vsryd/fSI cult nature of the ground we found Within
the-fortft cation—-full of deep and impenetrable ra
vines, w2i» ere a very small force could oppose a large
one—but i>y the testiraonvof Gardner himself. It is
really pSerasurable to look back now and see how
much blVsot 1 has-been saved that would have been
uselessly apfo ed.
Genera? 33 ardner says, (and I give vou this as no
idle goasrpv’ but 1 snow to be so)—that Vicksburg
only made difference to him of three days. That he
had made mind to surrender at the expiration:
of that time/ and that any serious demonstration
would have ns> ought out a flag at any moment. . We
learn from this., that the glory of Port Hudson is not
to be Bidden ra the larger but fuller one of Vicks
burg, out must stand upon its own intrinsic indi
viduality ; a result of certain irresistible combi*
nation/and 1 , neti the mere sequence of a previous
disaster to the rebels.
General Gardner alBO 1 says that the very day cur
lines closed hi on him—May 24—brought him, by a
courier who came through safely, a positive order
from. GeneralJofaiston to evacuate'thepost This shows'
the wonderful rapidity and dexterity with which.
General Banks* wheeled Bid army round from Alex
andria and Batonßouge upon the unsuspecting rebel
. chief, and phould never be lost sight of in forming &
faiT estimate of this very brilliant - military move
ment.
GEN. WEIT2EL»S OPINION.
I hare just had the pleasure of meeting tee gal
lant Gen. Weitzel, a man who knows- more of this
part of the country, has haa more to do with it, and
understands the calibre of the foe he has to meet,
better, perhaps, than any other man rn the whole
army. He has no more doubt of speedily'sweeping
the.rebels out of this whole section of country, than
a vermin destroyer has in the efficacy of the powder
he is about to sprinkle among hie pests. ■ 66 Bat we
must do it leisurely and coolly,” says the general.-
“ Had I twenty thousand men to move against tbe»
now, X would not wish to do so, for they would-run
faster than I could overtake, and bo getaway among
their bayous; but let our gunboats have time to
get round and shut them in, and FII bag the whole
erowd of them.”
REINFORCEMENTS NEEDED.
But while we know the gallantry of-our troops
ae d how far we can depend upon them, you mußt re«
member that we cannot hold the State of Louisiana
without troops. General Banks can make his few
little loaves and fishes go as far as moßt men* but
the Government has no right to be setting him to
perform miracles with them. Not only* are we be
ing depleted by the nine months’ men, but let us not
tempt Providence-by counting too much that the
immunity from disease with which He has blessed
us so far will be continued forever.
Do the authorities ever pause to think -of what
our position woule be. if an epidemic were to break
out in our armvl And do they know the danger oF
such an occurrence happening! Said an eminent
surgeon to General Aueur, in mv-hearinv: “In the
second or third year of service in this climate, we
may safely count that but of 10.000 men, 5.000 could
not be found fit for dutv I”
How then are we to hold our acquisitions down
here 1 -By the easiest process in the world; by gar
risoning every post as fast >as we- seize it. hy- black
. troops, while our white soldiers are removed to
climates more congenial and wholesome for them.
Had the time we have spent in smothering down the
absurd prejudice against the negroes, and stupidly
arguing whether they could fight or not, been zeal
ously spent in recruiting them and putting muskets into
thdr hands, who is to convince that we should not
fcaye had force sufficient to holdßrashear from the
enemy, as well as the whole country recently over
run by General Banks, but now to be reconquered?
That General Banks is fully alive to the vast im
portance of this question, nobody doubts; but if
.every one bDew as well as thosedo who have an in
side peep into the construction- of our armies what
a vast amount of unreasoning and ridiculous preju
dice a commanding general has jo overcome in his
subordinates, the wonder would be, not that General
Banks has not done more, but that he has been able
to do anything at all toward organizing the colored
regiments, upon which our strength down here will
fce’ultimately found to depend almost entirely.
THE REBEL FEELING.
"While standing on a cliff, calmly and pleasantly '
contemplating the fleet of busy steamers already
sending up their well-accustomed noise and smoke
under our newly-conquered territory, and
the beauty of the Union nag as its-graceful form
waved sharp and clear against the blue sky, a rebel
captain, gaily dressed—(the officers were all arrayed
as if for some grand parade)—came up to me, and
said, thoughtfully—
u It is a long time, sir, since we have seen so many
vessels lying there.**
“Yes, sir, and I am glad of it, for your flake at
well as ours,” I replied.
“How- so 2” he asked, in a sonfewhat surorised
tone. ' -
“Because,” said I, “ it looks to me-very much like,
the beginning of the end, and that is ; what we all
wish to see.”' •
“ The end is very far off vet,” he continued in a
proud manner. “In the first place, !no not beiieve,
even now, that Vicksburg, is lost to us; and you
never yet knew.a rebellien of such magnitude to-fail
in achieving its object.” ■
“Nbr did you ever know a rebellion so causeless
and unnatural to succeed,” was my reply. “If you
were like Poleß or Circassians, and we Russians,
trying to crush out your existing nationality—if. this
were a war ot religion or of races, I could imagine it
lasting-through many, many years. But it is not so.
Instead of trying to crush out yout nationality, we
are merely fightingto prevent you from crushingout
our mutual one ; aDd every acre, every liberty we
save from destruction is as much , yours as ours.
.War for such a cause was never waged before, aud
therefore cannot last. When a few more decisive
successes like the present shall have proved beyond
all doubt to tlie-Southern DeoDle that ttiaosmao of
Efimrotiuu ib utiuriitioucicsj! nitiuii. wo bmh nil
be glfld tr> meet Again as citizens of a common coun
try? greaterfer the v**Ty ordeal throuefc which-it has
passed. The only difference will be that slavery, the
cause of all -this trouble, will have died during the
progress of the war.
“ We shall see,”‘said the Captain, cither unwil
ling or unable to maintain his position farther. • “ I
suppose you will allow-we-defended our-position
here well.”'
, “TOO well,” I replied ; I think a great many good
lives, on both sides, might have been saved bv sooner
surrendering a place which it must have been evi
dent you could not possibly retain.”
“ We should have done so.” he candidly avowed,
“only we were all the while hoping for reinforce
ments.” -
After a few more polite remarks I left him for
another part of the field. He was a young officer
from Maryland, and said he had Dot seen his home
for three years. Surely, never were more- splendid
zeal and courage exhibited in a worse cause. •
NEGRO PRISONERS.
One more point, ancHl close my remarks about the
capitulation, of Port Hudson. I am sorry to say
that rumors are afloat, borne out, unfortunately,
too strongly by facts, that our colored soldiers who
have fallen into the hands of tbe rebels*have not
received the treatment recognized by civil nations.
In .other words, we.covJd find no negro prisoners in
Part Hudson, and there were none in the hospital. The
simple question is, Where are they? I leave each one
to draw his own conclusions, merely saying that I
consider this a matter fully warranting the investi
gation of our authorities, NEMO.-
A PLOT IN; NEW ORLEANS. :
I had not been many hours in-New Orleans before
my attention was drawn to a most infemal.attempt
on the part of a portion of the-French population
here to embroil us with foreign Powers. Here is
the literal translation of r a document, written in
French, and eigned-by a large number of French
men, which has been presented to M.'Fsueonnet,
the vice consul of France.. What use he-has made
of it I know not: but it is very evident what steps
our authorities should take in the matter. One of
the ringleaders in this piece of wholesale treason is,
I am told, oneColoijel Ferrier:
New Orleans, 2d July, 1863.— The undersigned
French citizens, residing in New Orleans, have the
honor Of informing you:
That the : antagonism which exists among the dif
ferent classes of the population of this country seems,
to them, to have assumed formidable proportions.
That meetings are held, speeches made, and publi
cations spread abroad, the tendency of' ail which i*
to bring about a conflict between theblackand white
raceß. . / v
That, in the event of these reiterated 'appeals to
theTegroes to rise beiDg- listened to by them, the
persons and properties of the undersigned would be
p’aced in serious peril. ;
That this danger is increased by-the.'cbndition in
which the undersigned are placed-by the orders of
the Commander-in-chief of this-
has taken away all the arms with which they could
defend themselves. -
That circumstances may at any moment arise.
OkMS gwiagte tki ilmstUMgl tkrlMaa elites
boobs to oiiQoimtep tho enemy, OBmevaeimion or
this place after some enfcagemeatj in which the Na
tional Government might be found perfectly unable
to afford the protection which the undersigned have
a right to demand.
For these reasons they address, themselves .to
you, Mr. Tice Consul, to beg of you .to submit to
the Govemment-of the French Emperor the critical posi
tion in which we are placed—the. actual state of
things in this city—and to entreat of you to suggest
to our Government the necessity of sending to the
Mississippi several vessels-of-war, to. afford them all
necessary refuge and protection, or any other means
that-may suggest itself to you for- arriving at the
same ends.”
How long would the parties. fulminating such a.
paper against Napoleon be permitted at large in the •
streets of Paris V We know life, of Geh. Bowen if
the authors are not put-in limbowfefore twenty-four
hours have rolled by.
A WRETCHED CARGO.—A few days since Gen.
Mitchell, commanding .at Nashville; peremptorily?
ordered all the prostitutes, in, that place to leave
within twenty-four hours. On the day following one
hundred and six of the frail ones, were shipped fbr
Louisville on the Government steamer Idahoe.
On arriving at the latter point Gen. Boyle* ordered
the Idahoe to Cincinnati, with her cargo., Sha ar
rived here yeaterday noon, landing outside 3&f seve-.
ral empty coal barges lying.at the Newport fwharfi
Gen. Boyle furnished, a military escort, wb©\ are oh
guard, to prevent these women from: going ashore.
While .on the trip several escaped from the, boat—«.
one by swimming ashore in the night. On? arriving
here the company numbered eighty-eight womenand
six children. An increase is hourly anticipated in
the number of the latter. Several of the women
have served , in the Federal* and rebel ranks, one
having performed the dutieß of a gunner, with our
artillery at Fort Donelaon, The majority in
veterate chewers ©f -tobacco, and u up to. snuff.”
Up to last night, we understand, the. military au~
thoHties had hot decided relative to the disposal of
this cargo of frail humanity. It is possible they
may be ordered back to Nashville. The majority
aie a homely, forlorn set of degraded ;creatures.
Having .been hurried on the boats by a military
guard, many are without a change of wardrobe.
They managed to Bmuggle a little liquor on board,
which gave out-on the second day after leaving
Nflahville. Several became intoxicated and indulged
in a free -fight,- which resulted without material
damage to any of the party, although knives were
freely ueed. They are nearly all strong rebel sympa
thisers, and boast of their Southern blood. Two
other steamers have also left Nashville with similar
eargOM,—ifefiviiJe JJfsjwfds,