The press. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1857-1880, July 22, 1864, Image 2

E4t tirtss.
FRIDAY, JULY -22, 1864.
Naar We can take no notice of anonymous commu
nications. We do not return rejected manuscripts.
lirVoluntary correspondence is solicited from all
karts of the world, and especially from our different
military and naval departments. When used, it will
frbe paid Tor.
The Irresponsible Peace Proposals.
Upon what basis is peace to be made ?
By whom is it to be offered ? Peace we
must have by the acknowledgment of the
union of the States, for this is the grand
formal admission which we fight to extort
from the South. Peace which comes hand
in-hand with the division of the Republic
we are resolved to treat as a more dangerous
enemy than war. There is no danger that
such a peace will ever be desired by the
North, unless all its victories are undone
by some colossal defeat, and the faith in its
own vast superiority of strength found to
be a delusion. Every day proves that
by war we can compel such a peace as
we need not be ashamed to have written
in our history, and it Would be folly, it
would be suicide, to abandon this certainty
for any negotiations with the rebels which
do not include as their first stipulation the
'admission of every principle which is
now inscribed on the banners of our
armies. This is not all. The peace
the country desires must not be the
work of unauthorized men, must not be
the result of unofficial and irresponsible
consultations with the enemy. The digni
ty, the honor, the prosperity, the very sate
ty of the country depend not only upon the
nature of the peace - we'are to establish, but
upon the way in which we, make it.
If these words be true to the spirit of the
North, and we know they are, we protest
against any recognition by our Govern
'cut of such peace proposals which
Messrs. SANDERS, HOLCOMBE, and CLAY de
sire permission to make. These gentle
men admit that they are entirely unau
thorized by the recognized leaders of
the rebellion to make any proposal& They
act independently ; they dare not 'pledge
themselves that the Confederate Govern
went has any wish to make peace they
dare not advance one step, except as private
individuals ; if they go to Washington by
the permission of the President, they do not
involve to the slightest degree the Govern
ment for which they profess indirectly to
speak. But if the United States Govern
meat should stoop to divluss the terms of
peace with these irresponsible, men, it com
mits itself to a policy which will
,be the
wonder of the world. It will be forced to
define its intentions; to make conditional•
:promises ; to declare its terms. It will give
'the rebels every advantage ; it will reserve
none. Then, when it stands committed
before the world to certain terms of peace,
it may find that the rebel. Government will
contemptuously refuse its offers, and deny
that it ever dreamed of accepting them.
'GEORGE N. SANDERS brings no offer of
peace from the rebel leaders ; he prof
fers his own opinion of what his au
periors are willing to agree to. The ,
United States cannot discuss the subject
with him and his companions without -fof
getting its own dignity, and the interests
of the people it represents. This, the
President very plainly expressed when he
wrote that the Executive Government
would receive propositions coming "lay
and with authority that can control the
armies now at war against the United
States."
Wait. If these proposals hate been se
cretly suggested by the leaders of the re
bellion, with a sincere desire for peace,
they will be formally offered by them in
good time. If they do not desire peace
and 'Dion, this irresponsible embassy
would only entrap the United States into a
ridiculously false position. In either
event, the right course is plain, and
it is a profound satisfaction to know
that the Government has adopted it. it wiii
not discuss the peace question with irrespon
sible and self-appointed ambassadors. If it
should ever be compelled to sink so low in
the estimation of the world, it will cer
tainly not be now, when the very citadels of
the rebellion arc invested by our armies,
and Atlanta is about to fall. If JEFFERSON
DATIS wants peace let him ask for it. If
Mr. HOLCOMBE is angry that a great Go-
vernment will not treat with a mere politi
cal adventurer, le may vent his rage as he
pleases. He writes as if, he were an af
fronted statesman, being in truth nothing
more to our Government than the most
ignorant soldier in the rebel army. Of his
existence, of his proposals, it has not been
properly informed. 'lt will admit no offers
of peace from those who have no right to
make them.
Atlanta and Richmond.
Our grand armies are now before the two
great strongholdS of the rebellion, Atlanta
and Richmond. The probability that they
will fall may be calculated by the moment
um with which GRANT and SHERMAN have
accomplished their difficult tasks, and
brought the two cities to siege. If the re
bel papers claim that Richmond is impreg
nable, and affect to laugh at the proposed
capture of Petersburi, no such security is'
felt by the journals of Atlanta, whose pub
lishers aro even now, if we may reason
from apprehensions expressed a week
ago, " folding their tents like the
Arabs," in order to steal away: at
a moment's notice. Though Atlanta is,
of course, strongly fortified, its fall is, per
haps, more than probable, as SHERMAN'S
movement has already placed it at its
worst disadvantage, under the guns of the
Union army. Should a portion of our force
be able to operate brilliantly in its rear, we
may expect greater results than the capture
of a city. Beyond Atlanta is probably no po
sition that is so thoroughly defended. It is
the citadel of Georgia, and its capture is
almost equivalent to the conquest of the
State. Atlanta has been a great store
houie and foundry for the rebellion in the
West, and, independent of its moral value,
will be an irretrievable loss.
If the leaders of the rebellion do not yet
tremble for the fate of BichmOnd, they
have great reason to be anxious concerning
that of Atlanta. The fall of this city is
one atop more toward determining the fall
of Richmond, as the loss of Georgia
will be the loss of Virginia. The war
has too far progressed for the world at
large, or the South in particular, to
believe the foolish story that JounsTort
and LEE have retreated with disastrous
battles to draw their antagonists into traps,
The situation looks very much the other
way. Nor does the recent invasion affect
the calculation that Richmond will fall.
if not intended chiefly and generally
for the purpose of obtaining supplies, this
movement was a most culpable blunder on
the part of some of Lnu's most trusted offi
cers, who failed to make any appre
ciable retaliation upon our own capital.
The quantity of supplies which the
rebels bore away with them, and which
were captured or destroyed on their
retreat, must tell the whole story of
their success and failure. GRANT has not
been moved from his purpose, nor is
Richmond relieved of its peril. The
three attacks made upon SHERMAN'S lines
near Atlanta, and so disastrously repulsed,
predict our triumph from the rebel weak
ness. 'With its two great pillars thus
threatened with overthrow, we cannot ima
gine that the situation of the Confederacy
is otherwise than desperate:
'Tim men who arc to marshal the oppo
'aition to the Government, which is to
meet at Chicago, have just made a flat
footed declaration against " arbitrary ar
rests" and " conscription." This will
frighten none but their friends. General
McCLELLAN wouid find it difficult to stand
upon a platform which repudiates his
cherished acts and opinions. Let it be re
membered that General MCCLELLAN pro
posed to the President a conscription in
1861, and is responsible for the largest in
atance of arbitrary arrest known to the
war—the seizure of the Maryland Le
gislature.
"Au Extraordinary Mission."
Our usually reliable and intelligent con-.
temporary, the Inquirer, as well as the
New York Times, publish with much de
tail and enthusiasm the account of "an
extraordinary mission" which has recently
returned from Richmond.'' - It seems that a
Colonel JiquEsEr—or JAciunss—(we aro
neither responsible for the orthography or
the pronunciation of this unusual name)
and Mr. EDMUND KIRKE have been all the
way to Richmond and back again. As
Mr. " Enmulin KIRKE" is the assumed
name of a writer of hooks, the story of the
mission would have been less like an ad
vertisement if Ids real name had been
given. Yherefore, although we find it im
possible_ to doubt an authority as reliable
as the Inquirer, and as there are no Cum
berland coal mines near Richmond or Pc
tershurg,, we can have no suspicions, and
make these suggestions that we may more
completely understand this " extraordina
ry mission."
The readers of this narrative will remark
the air of poetry that surrounds it. An
" individual" makes his appearance, "an
honored guest" who is "a rare Elvis enough
to make a sensation even amid the leaden
and languid heat of a Washington sum
races day." The individual is named
Colonel JAQUESS, or JAQUASS, a colonel and
" parson also" of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. This is the Times' story. The
:Tnquirer does not allude to the parsonship,
but tells us that the Colonel is " pleasing in
his address, although somewhat reserved in
his manners." According to the Inquirer,
Colonel JAVESS, or JAquiss,.left his com
mand in the West and "'essayed his mis
sion to Rebeldora." He was accompanied
by " EDMUND KERKE," and unlike GRANT
or SnERvAN, " found no difficulty in en
tering the Confederate lines." "In fact,"
and here again we quote the Inquirer,
" every courtesy was kindly extended to
them as they journeyed toward the capital."
While at Richmond the Colonel, "at his
own request," was placed under guard, and
"at the same time allowed the freedom of
the city." In addition to this singular and
anomalous courtesy, the Colonel was
lodged in the Spottswood House, which,
to use the elegant phrase of the Times,
is " the crack hotel of Richmond."
Here we are no longer permitted to fol
low the Times' correspondent, whose
rhetoric seems to have suffered from
the ruthless and practical scissors of the
night editor. The Inquirer's writer has
been more fortunate, and accordingly we
have a description which convinces us that
the many stories of Richmond, and Libby,
and Belle Island are fabrications, and that
the capital city of the Confederacy is a
charming place. "He was assigned," says
this gorgeous writer, " elegant apartments
at the Spottswood House, the best hotel in
Richmond. During his stay of three days
he fared in the most sumptuous manner._
His table groaned with the choicest of the
market, and the most savory viands were
laid out in profusion before him. All kinds
of meats and vegetables were served up an
the most recherche style, and brandy at sixty
dollars a bottle, and wine at fifty, were not
wanting to complete the richness of the
entertainment. Gold spoons and forks"
(where were the knives ?) "also added by
their glitter to the board so festively spread."
In addition to this, the Times tells us that the
happy Colonel had "chicken, turkey, mut
ton, and all the viands," and that, on vi
siting the Libby Prison, "he was agree
ably disappointed by the comparatively
comfortable condition" in which he found
our poor friends and brothers. What a sad
world this is, and how given to lying I
Here we have been duped and trifled with
by designing people, who even brought
us pictures of agony—photographed men,
whom to look upon was misery. Colonel
JAquEss or JAQtrASS lifts the veil, and we
see Richmond in its true light. For is - not
his story not only written but printed before
us in large type and without :expense?
Hereafter we place no faith in photographs
or Sanitary _Commissions.
The Colonel flair Mr. jErrrEnsox DATIS
"He still remains blind in one eye," says
the Inquirer, " but sees very distinctly out
of the other, which is quite evident from ad
manner in which he has managed the re
bellion." According to the Times, Colonel
..T.kquEss or Jaguass must have found
Dads in a melting mood, for " when he
left, Davis took the Colonel's hand in both
his, shook it warmly and cordially, and
stated that, leaving out of view the present
struggle, he had the highest respect for his
character and aims." What was said we
cannot learn. "The nature and subject
matter of the conversations between him
self and the rebel President are not proper
for present publication," says the Times.
The Inquirer says : "We opine, however,
that Mr. Davis cannot at present be argued
into the consideration of any terms of peace
which do not have as their cardinal principle
the recognition of the Confederacy"—for
which piece of information we should be
happy to thank Col. JAQUESS Or JAQUASS,
but Mr. Davis has written it in twenty
messages. The Colonel's bill, says the In
quirer, " was over five hundred dollars in
Confederate money, but he found himself
unable to give the slightest reward for so
distinguished a hospitality." We must
confess this statement gives us much con-
cern. 'That an ambassador who was as
well treated as Col. JaquEss or JAiltrAss,
and for whose character and aims Mr. JEF
FERSON Davis himself " had the highest re
spect",—that such an ambassador, we repeat,
should be unable to pay his bill, is a very
lamentable circumstance and will seriously
embarrass his mission. We arc afraid that
our confidence is fast failing in Colonel
hquEss or JAquAss. Row can we ever
hope to conciliate the South if even our
ambassadors drink the brandies and wines,
and eat "the chicken, turkey, and mutton"
of unsuspecting Virginians without being
able "to give the slightest reward?" Smaller
things than this have estranged communi
ties, and with the prejudice against the
Yankee character now existing in Rich
mond this mistake is most unfortunate.
Perhaps it was a matter of conscience with
Colonel JAQUEss or JAQuass. We are
told that " there can be no doubt of his un
swerving loyalty and honesty," and of
course no loyal man can ever give money
for rebel liquor. The Colonel has, there
fore, merely surrendered _his conscience to
his country, and we trust the President will
see that the bill is paid in the new treaty of
peace.
Tim following paragraph, which we
take from a late number of the Richmond
Examiner, furnishes a likely story of the
happy character of the patriarchal in
stitution. We have heard before that
emancipated blacks with arms in their
hands were willing to go back and die
in the service of their masters, but here
we have a case, on the veracious testimony
of." one of the first" journals of the Con
federacy. For the first time, also, the
Northern ignorance of the black is con
trasted with his Southern intelligence:
"Yesterday a solitary negro defender of 'the
"best government the world ever saw," and 'at
tached to the 22d Pennsylvania Reserves, was re
ceived at the provost marshal's office, for transfer to
the bosom of his companions at the Libby. Ho was
recognized as a former slave of Messrs. Rawlings Sc
Bro., of Norfolk, Va., and greeted with a " How de
do, roam," several of his Norfolk acquaintances,
among them Detective Caphart. Ho was equipped,
as the law directs, In the hateful Yankee blue,
which Is enough to make a Southerner slay a regro,
no matter how harmless he may be. The negro al
leged that ho had been in the service some six or
eight months, he thought, but did not know exactly.
They kept thorn so Ignorant they could only tell by
counting the number of suns that went over them.
Ho begged to be sent back to Ills master, and said
ho would willingly (tieback there once more. While
at the provost marshal's office, the negro soldier
was put through the drill by some of the officers, and
ho went through It with alacrity and no little skill,
animation being imparted to hts evolutions by the
threat that he was to die in half an hour if ho did
not perform well."
•
This story would doubtless give some
grim amusement if told in Gen. BURN
SIDE'S corps, and perhaps our black vete
rans might take a hint in tactics.
Tan PaIIifeYLVANIA STATU AB9O
- will meet at Altoona on Tuesday, August
2d. The meeting promises to be one of Interest.
Excursion tickets will be issued to teachers and
others attending the meeting by the East Ponnsyl-
Tanis and Lehigh Valley Railroad Companies, and
free returns' , will be granted to the delegates over
the Pennsylvania Central, ,the Delaware, Lecke-
Wenn& and Western, the Philadelphia and Read
ing, and the North Pennsylvania Railroads. A re
duction of fare is expected upon several other roads
if the State,
“Wm. IS. Reed's Lettere Opened.”
A. writer in the Now York World, whom
we strongly suspect to be Mr. WM. 8.-REND
himself, arraigns the Administration for
what ho calls " Post Office Espionage."
There are no less than three columns given
to this business, with head-lines in the New
York style. Among these head-lines are
such amusing and suggestive phrases as
these : "Post-office espionage," "Govern
ment officials violating private correspond
ence and robbing the mails," "Another
national humiliation," "The most con
temptible act of a contemptible Adminis
tration." Then, in detail, we have serious
stories told about McCr.unrdix and FRE
MONT having their letterS opened, and "a
well-known Democrat and a fast friend of
ItIcCLELLN" being treated in the same.
way. The editor of The World also assures
his friends that he has lost a great deal of
money in this same way. This we take to
be au ingenious and commendable method
of accounting for the poverty of The World.
A in ore appalling case than all is this
"When Mr. Hal was wrresponding with Wm.&
Reed, of Philadelphia, their correspondence was
regularly detained and opened. Mr. Reed, it will be
remembered, has been the victim of arbitrary arrest by
the eldminittration, on one occasion, for exercising his
constitutional right of free speech."
This paragraph we reprint in order that
our friends may have an opportunity of
giving the oppressed and harassed Mr.
REED their: sympathies. It suggests that
our ex-District Attorney desires to make
some cheap capital by recording himself
as the victim of an arbitrary arrest, and to
impress upon the minds of those in. NOW
York who do not know the man the belief
that he is important`enough to be a subject
of special supervision. According to this
indictment, the only Democrats whom the
Government deems important enough to
watch are District Attorney HALT and ex-
District Attarney REED, Gem McCEELDAIt
and ex-Gen. FuEmoivr, a Mr. Ilwrox and
"a well-known gentleman," the editor of
The TForid and Mrs. FREmONT. We must
admit that this conspiracy needs watching.
Mr. JEWETT and *roux COCHRANE need
only to be added to it to place the Govern
ment in extreme peril.
We are curious to know something about
these "opened letters" of Mr. REED.
How the ex-District Attorney can find
time to write letters, since he left the law
business, or, rather, since the law-business
left him, and took the editorship of an ob
.
scure, starving Copperhead newspaper, is a
wonder to those who know his industry
and fluency. What were all these. letters
about ? - Probably on police business—
grateful recollections of the time when the
pedantic attorney harangued listening ju
ries on the immorality of theft and petty
larceny. As we all know. that Mr. REED
left the Quarter Sessions with regret, and,.
as the scene of his many triumphs, he still
looks forward to a return, we can imagine
the fund of incident, observation, and sug
gestion these "opened" letters must have
contained. He Wouldfind in Mr. HALL a
congenial. correspondent, for, if police re
collections became vague and insipid, the
pleasures of apostasy would be full of in
terest. Mr. REED could certainly give us
some new facts about his betrayal of the
old "Whig party, and Mr. HALL might
write a charming lettermpon how he he
came a Copperhead. Above all, Mr. REED
should tell us about the " arbitrary arrest"
which the article in The World asks its rea
ders to remember. When was Mr. REED
arrested ?—and on what charge ? It is said
that GEORGE IT., in the days of his dotage
and folly, and especially wan deep 13.1
cups, imagined he had , been at Waterloo,
and had led the bloodiest charge of
that bloody day. Has Mr. REED'S imagine.
tion - made him a victim, in spite of the Ad
ministration t Or are we to understand
the writer ip The Tro-r/d as making u deli
,
sate and pertinent suggestion ? However,
unkind it might be, Mr. REED'S career
would justify the sttspicion.
American Literary Weeklies.
It is strange that in the Ifnited States, .A
country where every village has its own
newspaper, where every city has several
magazines, where journalism, the fourth
estate, has such unprecedented power, it
seems imposiible to establish a first-class
literary weekly. It cannot be said that we
are so eager for news, or so engrossed with
business, that we cannot maintain such pe
riodicals as the London Saturday Beeiete,
or the Athenaeum. Literature has no de
votees more earnest than the American
people, and that the need of a great litera
ry weekly, ranking with the Atlantic
Monthly or Harper's Magazine, is deeply
and 'widely felt is shown by the many,
attempts to establish it. Marty years
ago, EDGAR A. POE did his best to
supply the want, and failed. The enter
prise of N. P:Wrmrs and the late Gsoneta
P. Monnts resulted in the Home Journal,
which, though still prosperous, has ceased
to be a literary power, being now a litera
ry newspaper, giving much interesting gos-,
sip and information, but wielding little
original influence. The brothers Dirs . -
=lex fifteen years ago,published the Lite
rary World, which,-with all its ability, did
not interest the reading public. Later, The
Century, a New York weekly, was
begun upon the grand scale of an eight
page paper, largo as the Landon Times,
and possessing a magnificent corps of con
tributors. It had the advantage of one of
the ablest newspaper men in the country as
its manager, Mr. TUO.EAS McEratiTtr '
ono
of the projectors of the Tribune, and now
its publisher. Yet it fell surely but
slowly; in a year or two its form
was changed and its size diminish
ed ; it was sold, suspended, and resumed ;
then it became an army and' navy journal,
and finally expired in the arms of pub
lishers who had more ambition thancapital,
and leaving scarcely one reader to mourn
its fate. The Century was of all these fail
ures the most brilliant and successful. But
we need not add to the list, further than to
say that the Bound Table, the latest "great
literary paper," was this week suspended,
not to the surprise, though doubtless to the
regret, of its patrons.
Very few bankrupts candidly admit their
ruin ; their embarrassments aro only tem
porary. We do not suppose the Bound
Table is bankrupt, but may be pardoned
for saying that its proprietors exactly imi
tate the course of most of the other papers
we have alluded to. In fact, they go so far
as to declare their paper, "as it stands
to-day," to be a success, and that they are
well satisfied with its circulation and adver
tising patronage. The inquisitive public
might naturally wonder why then is it sus
pended. It is not Usual to abandon suc
cesses. The proprietors anticipate this
inquiry, and answer it as follows;
" Why, then, is the Round Table suspended I The
solo and only reason coasists In the uncertain
financial condition of the country, Which so affects
the price of everything necessary to the making of
a literary paper that its conductors doom it Im
prudent to press the enterprise while the war and Its
burdens ehall continuo. However the opinions of
men may differ as to what the future has In More
for us, we think there is a very general agreement
that, with the absorption of the strength and wealth
of the country by the ravager of war, the prices of
all necessaries and commodities must greatly ad
vance, while all articles that are In any way re
garded as luxuries the people will be compelled to
dispense with. The conductors or the Round Table
are most certainly disposed to share any , burdens
that may bo Imposed upon them as citizens, but
they cannot feel it to bo their duty to carry, their.
enterprise into so dubious a future.",
Again we must ask pardon for indulging
in a gentle laugh. We do not doubt that
the reasons given arc sufficient, yet they
would justify the suspension of any paper
in the country. The uncertain financial
condition affects the price of everything
necessary to the making of a news journal
far more than of a literary paper. Our
current expenses of telegraphing alone
would have made us shudder four years
ago. But the literary paper is not
obliged to pay one cent ,for news,
while the dailies must make enormous
and constantly increasing outlay or fail to
satisfy the public. A literary periodical has
to pay advanced prices for paper, ink, type,
type-setting, press-work, etc.; but these are
the common expenses of journalism. The
increased salaries of its contributors cer
tainly bear no comparison with the in
creased expenses of news-getting. The in
ference then must be that when a literary
paper falls it is because the war diverts at
tention from literature, and that the news
papers, with all their new burdens, are pro
fitable because of the immense demand for
news. This certainly livould justify tb.o
THE PRESS, PI FRIDAY, J ULY 21, 1864.
Round Table in suspenaion, but when
wo laughed, a few sentences back, it
was because that paper distinctly
declared itself a success, and satis
fied 'with its subscription list and ad
vertising patronage. It is abandoned
simply because the future is dubious, not
because the present is troublesome ; and
this reason, though it increases our respect
for the prudence of its managers, does not
inspire us with admiration for their brave
ry. A "great literary paper" will never
have the confidence of the public unless
the public has the confidence of the paper.
We, therefore, refuse to admit that the
.Round Table, according to its own state
ment, had good reason for suspension, and
are astonished that its proprietors consider
the future so alarming that a "successful"
paper cannot prudentially dare it.
Undoubtedly one reason why the Round
Table did not so decidedly succeed that it
might prudently have dared a future of
which no brave American is afraid, is tho
fact that it was not purely a literary paper.
One of its leading contributors was General
McCLum.AN, a gentleman understood to
be a Presidential candidate; and - while it
profes.sed to be, and was in some measure
independent; its opinions were perceptibly
influenced by the party in opposition to the
Administration. It was an able paper in
many respects, and though it promised at
first more than it afterwards performed, it
maintained a high position. As one of the
best of our literary periodicals its cessation
is to be regretted, but its failure should not
discourage those who still believe that a
great periodical can be established which
shall be a permanent expression and proof
of the ability of American writers and the
appreciation of the American public.
Tuouurr the freedom of the slave is one
of the antipathies of those who are oppo
sed to' the Government, we find no objec
tion made to recruiting State quotas from
the slave States. Even Governor Sur
asoun, who desires to be consistent by
withdrawing all State action from such a
connection, virtually admits that it is a
good thing for counties and cities. The
N. Y. Express, which is also willing to ac
ecpt the black substitute for the white
man, is vexed at the predicament, but con
soles itself by "rolling over :"
" The world moves, and the Express moves with
it, The negro is the axis now of this once white
man's world, and the Express would be a blockhead
if it did not roll Dyer and roll round with it."
A NEW WAT TO TIIIM Alf EIONEST
PENITY.—An individual in Nev York,
calling himself " Louis Phillip," adver
tises for subscriptions for a IiIeCLELLA2t
sword.
The Administration have never had before them
for consideration any proposition from the rebel au
thoritles relating to pacification, nor is it known
that any such has been received, and whatever ma
be the facts concerning the reported conference at
Niagara, the presumption here is that while there
has been no formal action on the part of this Govern
ment looking to initiatory measures for a negotia-
Lion of imace, it is not indisposed to hear from Ni
agara or elsewhere whatever prominent rebels,
acting either as volunteer or authorised commis
sioners, may hare to say regarding this important
subject, without, however, committing itself, to the
consideration of any proposition or views which may
be suggested. The National Republicnn, com-
menting on this topic, says " Major HAT may, eon
verse with people In Canada upon his own re
sponsibility, but he is not there In any official cans
city, nor has the President-made, nor does he, pur.
pose to make, any proposals to, or compromises
with, the rebel officials -at Richmond, or their, real
or assumed agents in Canada or elsevrhore.
It is officially announced that hereafter the United.
States postage charge, without regard to distance,
on letters addressed to or received from the British
West Indies, Cuba, Aspinwall, Panama, or any
other foreign place or country, to and from which.
dikerent rates of postage havenot been established,
by international postal convention Or arrangement;
will be ten cents the single rate 01 half an ounce or
tinder, 'which must be prepaid on letters Sent, and
collected on letters received.
Also, that the United States postage charge on
newspapers and other printed matter sent to, or, re.
co :red from the countries and places referred t o -
future be as follows ; On newspapers twp
cents each ; and the established rates on pamphlets,
periodicals, „LI other articles of printed matter;
which must in like manner be PrePaid en matter
sent, and collected on tter received.
nostage charge upon -
In future, the international-
Tor Now;
all of '
all letters passing between the -
Brunswick and any part of the United fates, with
out regard to distance or route of colaveynn:". °,
be ten cents the single rate of half an ounce or unt::. r,
prepayment optional.
A short time ago a , T5O-counterfeit note was sent
among other paper to the Treasury Department.' It
is only tolerably well executed, hut is calculated to
deceive a mere casual observer.
_The Treasury has
also specimens of counterfeit fifty-cent notes, lioth
engraved and lithographed. A careful comparison
with.the genuine will show their spuriousness.
TEE STATE QUOTAS.
The quotas under the recent call for 600,000 men
have been sent to the respective Governors. The
quota of the District of-Qolumbla is nearly 3,000.
There is now an excess of 450 over all former
VIE POSTAL MONET-ORDER SYSTEM
Arrangements are being made to organize Me
postal-money-order system. ~Some weeks will un
avoidably elapse before it is put into operation,
owing to the particularity and care required to'per
fact the machinery to-Insure complete euccesi,
Acting Third Assistant Engineer WILLWX 7.
MOFFITT, of the navy, has recently been found
guilty, by a court martial, of deserting from the
Boston navy yard and from the U. S. steamer
Admiral, at New York, and has been sen tenced to
be reduced to the rating of a first-class fireman, to
serve for the term of two years, and to forfeit all the
pay due him.
TIIE SETEN-TELLIITY TREASURY NOTES
It has not yet been decided whether the seven
thirty treasury notes to be issued shall be coiver
tibia into five or six per cent. United States honds.
The latter description will probably be determined
by the Secretary of the Treasury.
ARRIVALS OF REBEL PRISONERS
Rebel prisoners continue to arrive here In large
and small bodies. They one and all tell the same
story of the hopelessness of the rebel cause, and of
the despondency of the people. Quite a regiment
of them arrived last evening. Many of them take
the oath, and are furnished with transportation
North.
The following burials of Pennsylvania and New
Jersey soldiers, from the hospitals, wore reported at
Captain Moons's office :
Joe. Voices, 0,24 Pa. A rtillery;Jos. McCullough,
200th Pa ; Franklin D. Smith, E, Bth Pa. Cavalry
Henry Beater, F, 98th Pa. ; Joseph Orbon, F, 03d
Pa.; Daniel Vergson, H, 2d Pa. Heavy Artillery; J.
Harvey Burns. A, 130th Pa. ; John O. Bowers, D,
184th Pa.. Ambrose Campbell, A, 2d Pa. Heavy
Artillery; Emanuel Brubaker, B, 148th Pa. ; Jost, ua
ArmstronA E, 148th Pa I Henry Olark, A, Bth N.
J.; Win. A. Searight, 1, 118th Pa.
The Damage to the Chesapeake and Ohio
BALTIXOns, July 21.—The damage done to the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal by tho rebels in their
late raid is very serious. President Spates has just
returned from a trip of observation of the lino
beyond Harper'S Ferry. He found the Antietam
aqueduct, twelve miles west of the Ferry, practi
cally gone up, the raiders, as he i learnetl, having
had a force of nearly two hundred men engaged in
its demolition for about forty-eight hours. The
aqueduct is a stone structure,•and though the piers
stand as before, the masonry or the side walls,
forming the trunk, has been thrown off, and large
holes have also been dug through the bottom or
archway.
Much damage was done on all the loofa or the
canal between Antiotana and Williamsport ; also
comprising that region of the canal from which
comes the chief flour, grain, and produce trade.
Lock No. 40 is entirely destroyed, while the gates
of the others are generally lojured so as to be ren
dered useless at present. Beyond Cumberland the
damage is but slight. A great drawback Is the diffi
culty of procuring labor to effect the repairs In a
reasonable time.
PouOiliontwela, July 21.-A largo fire is raging'
at Castleton, seven miles south of Albany. The
Inhabitants aro in the fields watching the destruo
tion of their dwellings. It is feared that a large
portion of the town will ho destroyed.
. The fire at Castloton was first discovered in the
freight house of the barge company and spread so
quickly that it entirely destroyed that building, a
large hotel near tho depot, four dwellings, and two
barns. In the freight house was a large quantity
of hay and grain. Loss SSO,OOO ; insurance 110,000.
OLEVELAND, OHIO, July 21.—The repair shop or
tho Clevoland and Pittsburg Railroad eras burned
to-day. Tho loss amounted to $30,000. .
()Ara PAGE, N. F., July 21.—The weather last
night was clear, but to-day it is thick.. Nothing
was seen of the City of Baltimoro or Nova Scotian,
outward bound.
Botvroir..July 21..—The Europa arrived at 6.30 P.
M. Her malls will be due in Philadelphia on Fri
day at noon.
LAIINOII OY A WAY. 13TEANINR.
The magnificent War steamer Amoonoosae was
launched at the navy yard to-day.
BALTIMORE, July 21.—Flour quiet ; sales of 6,590
Milo. Wheat sellout 42 76 for Kontuoity white ; now
Southern Is very firm. Corn dull and. drooping.
Whisky dull and nominal at 41.40. Groaerioil dull
and unsettled.
WASIIING`rTON.
WASHIXOTOIf, July 21
TEE NIAGARA CONFERENCE
rEll" POSTAL CHARGES.
C 0131,^3.T.RFEIT EB2III ICES
A' NATAL DESERTER
INTERMENT OF SOLDIERS
Cnnnl.
Greet Fire at Castiet tttt t N. Y.
Fire at Cleveland
The Weather at Cape Race.
11310STON.
Ar.RITAL OV 71111 HUROTA
Mark elm by Telegraph.
THE WAR,
DEFEAT OF THE RETREATING
RAIDERS BY AVERILL.
Three Hundred Rebels Rifled end Wanda
TWO HUNDRED PRISONERS AND
POUR GUNS CAPTURED.
REPORTED ENGAGEMENT AT LEESBURG
THE RICHMOND .PAPERS ON THE RAID,
Brilliant Flank Movement by
General Sherman.
Rebel Communications with Richmond Savored.
I?iVEST3IENT OF ATLANTA NRAIILT COMPLETE
THREE REBEL ATTACKS REPULSED.
GUERILLA WARFARE IN /MISSOURI.
TRH PIRATE FLORIDA OFF CAPE HENRY.
THE REBEL OFFICERS UNDER FIRE AT
CUMMING'S POINT.
TIGOROVS SHELLING OF CHARLESTON.
TILE PERSIIIT OE TILE RAIDERS.
EARLY SEVERELY. DEVEATED BY AVERILL.
~ ...Wasurnovow, July 21.—A despatch from General
Himter reports the following, just received from
General Averill
NEAR WINCHESTER, July 20, 1804.—Breckin
ridge divided his force at Berryville last night, send
ing Early to Winchester and taking the other di
vision towards Millwood.
I attached and defeated Early, to-day in front of
Winchester, killing and wounding over 300 of his
officers and men capturing four cannon several
hundred stand of small arms, and about two hun
dred prisoners. •
General Lilly is seriously wounded and in, our
hands.
Colonel Board, of the 59th Virginia Regiment is
killed.
The cannon and prisoners have been sent to Mar
tinsburg.
The enemy's loss in officers is heavy.
The prisoners admit their force to have been five
thousand. The commands of Jackson and Iruboden,
which were present, aro not included in the men
tioned strength.
Us ORTED ENGAGEHEN'T AT DEESICURO,
WA'SPONOTO'n, July 21.—An orderly who arrived
here early this morning states that he left Fairfax
yesterday evening at 9 o'clock.
He reports that an engagement was going on be
tween the rebels and our forces yesterday at Lees
burg, and when he left the long roll was being
beaten.
GENERALS HUNTER AHD 'WRIGHT IN PURSUIT.
WASHINGTON, July 21.--It appears that General
Winter only asked to be relieved of his command in
tirartriavold a possible embarrassment to the Go.
vernment, and to facilitate Major General Wright
„i.n his movements in pursuit of the rebel army lately
invading Maryland. Further explanations have
shown that there was no necessity for this action on
the part of General Hunter, who will, therefore,
continue in his present position, in which already so
much service has been done.
Brigadier General Crook has been, appointed a
major general on General Hunter's very earnest
''recommendation.
The pursuit of the enemy and of, the enemy's
trains is being carried on by the furies tinder Gene
.rals Wright and Hunter.with great vigor and every
promise of large success. They are moving, south•
ward on parallel lines, and between them it is be
lieyed that little of the Maryland plunder will ever
.reach, the Richmond railroad& There was but lit
waybf food or stock to be stolen in Mary
land, and what little there was ,tha rebels were in
too great a hurry to collect systematically. Many
well-informed people think Early's men will be
hungry before they reach Richmond.
carver-a OP REBEL TRAXISTERS—WAHe;H TRAIN
DRSTROTSD — HISHAPH OP VP' D.AJDRI2S.
NS T ASIIINGTON, July 27„—Highty-one rebel pri
soners have been prenght hither from Sandy Hook,
Maryland. They State that they were In charge of
- out bf the invading plunder trains, and were over
taken near Snicker's Gap .by a portion of the par
.....suing force of General Crook. ASight immediately
-followed, but the train guard, finding it impossible
to save the train, destroyed it by fire and retreated,
leaving the teamsters and others at the mercy of
oll&forces.
A.letter received in Washington by an officer,
from Sandy Hook, 91d., states that many stragglers
4renethe retreating invading force come Into that
place. daily and surrender themselves. The men
aza-worn down by rapid marching, and many of
them l are shoeless, with their clothing torn into
shred&
The Evening Star learns from a citizen of Madison
county, V&, who has for some time been sojourning
in Fairfax county,that he has reliable information
showing that the rebel raiders met with so many
'i n ,:hrips, in getting away with their plunder from,
md r o a zid, that what they have managed to keep
will hardly ilepay them for their trouble.
TB DALTIKORt. ADD OHIO RAILROAD RROPENEI>-.
TER WHIRLS ALL. PRIVIUS FROM THR LINE.
BADTDAIORE, July.-21—The bridge& track, and
telegraph line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
to the West have all been thoroughly restored, and
the route is again fully opened for all passenger and
freight operations. General Hunter reports that
he has driven the rebels from Winchester, Berry
' ville, and all other points within forty or fifty miles
of the road, and no apprehensions as to its perfect
'safety are now felt. Tremendous trains of delayed
freight waiting at Harper'e Ferry to go West, and
at Martinsburg to come East, are being moved ra
pidly forward,and through travel to and from the
West is alai) actively resumed.
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
ARTILLERY FIRTNO ON TUESDAY
AVAsuinoroff,ly 2.l.—There was considerable
artillery practice In front of Petersburg, on Tues
day last, at which time my informant left. He
could not give any particulars, but states that it
was severer than any we have had since the late bat
tleS.
11101CMOND PiPBIIB OP TEM RAID—AELIIIVAL OP
=ll
WAsarno•rox, July 21.—Richmond papers of the
ISth instant have been received here. They are
almost exclusively filled with extracts from Northern
journals concerning the raid into Maryland, and
express doubts as to the reported capture of Wash
ington.
Several escaped prisoners from Richmond, be
longing to Massachusetts regiments, hate arrived
here. They state that most of the prisoners oap
tured during this campaign of General Grant are
in Richmond.
We hear from Grant's army that rain fell nearly
all day on the 19th.
DNATIM OF SOLDIERS-REPORTED ItBIIEL EXPADI-
TION TO POINT LOOKOUT
Fonmass No:mos, July 20.—The following are
the deaths of Pennsylvanians oecurringln Hampton
Hospital:
D. L. Doughty, 65th Penna.; John Brown, 65th
do.; William Mister, 65th do.; William Beers, 11th
do.; Hiram London, 16th do.; Stephen Colledge, 2d
do. Artillery.
Several refugees arrived at Point Lookout yester
day from Richmond. They report that two armed
transports are . being fitted out at Wilmington, N.
C., with arms and ammunition to proceed to Point
Lookout to arm and liberate the thirteen thousand
rebel prisoners now at that place. No fears are enter
tained of their success.
TIIE WAR IN THE SOUTHWEST. •
THREE ATTACEB OE SHERMAN REPULSED.
WASHINOTON, July 21.--The National Republican
SETS:'
The Government has receirod despatches from
Gon, Sherman this morning, announcing that tho
enemy assaulted the Union lines three times yester
day, and were repulsed each time, with little loss
to us.
Most of our men fought behind earthworks, and
hence our small loss; but the enemy came out of
the defences of thc; city (Atlanta) to offer battle, and
being more exposed suffered greater loss.
ANOTHER YLANN. MOVEMENT—COMMUNICATIONS
WITH RICHMOND CUT.
Naerivium, July 21. [Special to the New York
Herald.]—General Sherman has, by a brilliant
flank movement in the teeth. Of the enemy, who
were strongly posted at Atlanta, and by a rapid
movement thrown an army to the left of Atlanta' _
upon the railroad at Decatur,. thus severing the A NEGRO COIMMITION.
rebel communications with Richmond. . The negroes of this city and the District of Co.
On the 17th the ,army moved to within live miles tumble hare, through some of their representative
of Atlanta, the left, under General McPherson, men, issued a call for a National Convention to be
occupying Decatur. The enemy appeared to be in held here on October 4th. "The present state of our
force in the woods about the city, our army occupy- country," they say, " together with tho claims of
log a line forming the arc of a circle, northeast of universal humanity end universal freedom, and the
Atlanta. favorable developments of the providence of God,
On the 18th, General Hooker's corps was going pointing to the liberation and enfranchisement of
Into position on the left of MoPherSen. Other troops our raco, demand of us to be united In council, la
wore marching to extend the line stllifurther South- her, and faith." If this Convention is hold as pro.
ward. posed, hew strange will be the contrast between
The army is in most encouraging condition, and times separated only by a few months ; for It was
the Investment of Atlanta must eventuate only in its scarcely more than a year ago when a white man
surrender. lecturing upon Abolitionism in this same city. was
Nothing has been received here to indicate that threatened with mobvengoance—n vengeance which.
Johnston has reinforced Richmond. On the eon- would doubtless have been wreaked, had not a few
tram it is believed that Johnston cannot move of his friends sat behind him upon the platform, so
South Of Atlanta, and that his army will be forced armed that they might repel violence with Tiolonco
into the works of that place. if needful ! That the "friends" of certain gentle-
LATKR.—RepOrtit from General Sherman state men so amicable toward their well•choson " broth
that Johnston yesterday moved out of Atlanta and ren of the South," will scowl hatefully, and !mime
attacked the left wing of our army at Decatur. Tho cate curses upon the blacks, is not to be doubted ;
assault was made with groat vigor, and resulted in but the day when their throats were efficacious, and
a bloody repulse, the rebels retiring to their works. their deeds of violence were supported by a barbaric
It is not known whether the attack was made to and debauched public sentiment, is over.
cover a retreat by the Macon road, or Intended as a MISCELLANEOUS.
Bally In the hope of defeating us. Mr. A. J. Williamson, editor of the Now York
The destruotion of the ltosewoll factories has been Dispatch, and one of the recently removed tax com
a severe blow to the rebels. missioners, has been for some time inearoorated in
THE REIVELS IN KENTUOKY. Ludlow-street jail, for Contempt of court, having
Loamy' July 21.—A despatch from deolined delivering certain bookstand documents as
Ackersville says that a barge containing eight lion- ordered, to the new board. Mr. Williamson, with a
tired barrels of coffee belonging to the Government, commendable spirit—if the cause be worthy—re.
which aecompanied the steamer St. Louis when she mains deaf to all Commands and entreaties, predbr
,
was boarded, roll into the hoods of the rebels and ring Imerisomnent to violating his own , ideas of pro
mos destroyed. prioty. There Is a tinge of the old Roman about
Last evening the rebels took the engine of our the editor. An application for the release of young
construction train at New liavon, on the Lebanon Fulmer from Fort Lafayette has been made by his
branch road, tired herlup, opened the throttle r &IVO, father. The ease will be beard to-morrow.
and let her run wild towards Lebanon. MARINE LIVERWORT:UR
MEMPHIS Al/VICES. Arrived—Steamer New Jersey, from Newborn,
Canto, July 20.—The steamer City of Alton, from with 200 mov of 17th Maas. Reglinaut.
Muni hie, boa mTITui, with fifty bales of cotton (or
St. Loofa. The Memphis papora contain no addi
tional dotolls from Gouerol A. J. Bmith's expe
dition.
MOVEMENTS OF OttERTLIAS.
ST. JORXP/I, July 20.—Thoruton's guerillas, near.
ly five hundred strong, wore In Carroll county to
day, and will probably make an Wort to cross the
Missouri. river. General Fiske is pres,m; Thom
bard, but bin force is insufficient to effect much.
Tho loyalists are flocking to his standard, however,
and North Missouri will sOon be a hot place for
bushwhackers.
A dvices from Chflßoothe state that Thornton was
twenty miles south of there this morning. He told
his men he was goiug to Howard county, but It is
hollered that he will try to cross theldlssourl dreg'
and get south. A scout sent south from horn reports
Some three hundred gue"rillas near Bloomington.
Gen. Fiske's appeal islreing rapidly responded to.
KANSAS ()rye, July M..—On Sunday, Captain
Noses, with forty.seven men of the 2.11 Colorado Re
giment, while scouting near Fredericksburg, in Clay
county, came upon a party of three hundred bush
whackers. The advance of the rebel party wore
dressed in Federal uniforms and correctly replied
to the challenge of our Mon, but, their whole force
Immediately afterward charged upon our troops and
a bloody little light ensued, Captain Moses finally
ordering his men to retreat. The rebel loss was six
teen killed and four wounded. We lost six killed
and four wounded. Captain Moses had five bullets
through his clothing, and had his horse shot four
times. Mojor Richards, with two hundred and fifty
men, immediately pursued the guerillas in the- di
rection-of Knoxville, •In Clay county, when they
broke into small bands and took to the. bushes.
-DEPARTMENT OF TUE swum:
TIM WELLY:I(3 08 CHARMIZTON-IMBEL OBBIOERS
UNDER FIRR--THR 'FLORIDA OYF CAPY. /f /WRY.
NEW Ironic, - July 21.—Tbe transport steamer
Fulton, from Pert Royal . July 17th i arrived hero
this morning, bringing , 'later news from Charleston
harbor. She towed the transport steamer America,
vr lath is disabled.
General Saxton has arrived on board the me
ton, together with IiCT. G-. Newcomirand Chaplain
Moore.
CI =I
On the 18th instant, southwest or Cape Fear, the
Fulton spoke the 'United Stades gunboatG' ettysbarg,
which reported the pirate Florida forty miles north
of Cape Henry. On the 19th,.thirty miles north of
Cape Hatteras, Hie Fulton exchanged, signals with
another gunboat cruising.
TILE REBEL OFFICERS UNDER FIRE.
The fifty rebel officers sent to Charleston harbor
to be placed under fire, in retaliation for a similar
act of the rebels in Charleston, have been sent to
Cummings , Point. They will occupy buildings put
up expressly for them.
Fort Sumpter has been:subjected toanother Tory
heavy fire from the Morris Island batterfiSs.
The shelling, of Charleston Is continued; some•
times 30 or 40 shots a day are sent into the city.
Nearly all our troops have returned from the re
cent expedition:
A party of six or eight refugees lately came
through our lines, who state that the Union pri
soners are treated in the most inhuman manner by
their captors.
By flag of trace to Pert Royal ferry Charleston
papers of the 15th instant hare been received.
They contain a report to the effect that the rebels,
forty thousand strong, were skirmishing around
Fort De Mossy. They also report that one corps of
Sherman's army had crossed the Chattahoochle,
and that Johnston was falling back on Atlanta.
The Palmetto Herald glres an account of the recent
expedition to John's Island. The rebels made two
furious assaults on our forces, - but retired without
heavy loss.
It is believed that rebel troops have been with
drawn from either Johnston or Lee, to the number
of 10,000, to defend Charleston.
TIM INDIAN WAR.
GENERAL BULLY BUILDING d :SEW FORT—HOSTI'LII
INDIANS SEEN 1111 FORCE-.COONOILA HELD WITH
ST. Lows, July 21.—The steamer Yellow Stone,
from the Upper Missouri, reports that Gen. Sully's
Indian expedition was at the mouth of Cannonball
river, building a new fort, to be called Fort Rice.
Hostile Indians were seen in force between Fort
Rice and Fort Union, and a large number are said
to be some miles back of Fort Rice. The officers of
the boat say Sully is Severely condemned for inac
tivity, he keeping his troops, five thousand in num
ber, building torts, when be ought to be huntingand
ersing the enemy, and express the opinion that
SP will not have a collision with the Indians.
Father De . Smet, who was aboard the Yellow
Stone, had two counoils with three hundred Sioux,
near Fort Bertholon, who expressed an anxiety to
make peace with the whites. Twenty-six men, Ida
ho miners, came down on the Yellow Stone, with
over two hundred thousand dollars in gold each.
MIFORNIA AND THI SANDWICH ISLANDS.
The Sandwich Island Constitutional Con•
vent/on—The Nevada Convention—Or.
der of General McDowell.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 20.—Sandwich Island ad
vices to June Vail say that a majority or the mem
bers elect to the Constitutional Convention are op
posed to changes in the Government.
Liberal contributions are being made to the Sani
tary Commission.
The. Nevada Constitutional Convention has re-
jected the proposition to aid the Pacilto Railroad,
and adopted one providtnr, for taxing the products
of the mines.
General blcDowell has issued an order requiring
passengers on ocean steamers to give up their arms
to the captains, and to permit the examination of
their baggage. The object is to prevent the proba
=agar of attempts to take possession of steamers
on this coast by ydrateS Sailing 18 passengers.
'rue confession of one of the recently arrested
stage robbers implicated some prominent men, and
leads to the suspicion of secession designs.
BEltllif DA.
Movements of litoeltade-RunnerS
NEW YORR, July 21.—Bermuda papers to the
13th inst., received here, furnish but little news.
From the 4th to the 11th inst., five steamers ar
rived there from Wilmington, N. C., with an aggre
gate of three thousand bales of cotton, and a large
quantity of tobacco. Threo steamers cleared on
the 11th ibr Wilmington.
The steamer Little Hattie had returned in Ells.
tress from being chased by a Federal gunboat.
NEW TORK
Special Correspondence of The Press.
N.sw YoRK, lily 20,186!,
DEATH OE NATHANIEL HARSH, ESQ
Nathaniel Marsh, president of the Erie Railway
Company, died at his Staten-Island residence on
the evening of July 18th. Mr. Marsh was a native
of Haverhill, Mass. After graduating at Dart
mouth College, he undertook the study of the law.
Subsequently, however, he removed to this city, •
where he assumed a position upon the editorial staff
of the Express newspaper. When John Lorimer
Graham became postmaster of New York, he ap
pointed Mr. Marsh the first assistant in his office.
Upon the conclusion of this employment, the secre
taryship of this Erie Railway Company was given
him. This position he held until his appointment
as receiver of the road, and was subsequently ale.
vated to the presidency by the directors. The pre
sent prosperity of the line is, in a great degree, due
to the strenuous efforts and the line executive
ability of Mr. Marsh. Upon his assumption of
the office of receiver, under decree of the Su
preme Court, the company stood upon the
verge of manifest ruin. It is said that a certain
gentleman who had preceded him as president re
ceived the unheard of salary of *2.5,000:per annum
in consideration of his services in negotiating cer
tain European loans. Whether this enormous ex
penditure helped or did not help to reduce the com
pany's treasury to its then low ebb and paucity, it
is very certain that its financial affairs were hope
lessly involved. The freight of the line had been
diverted to others. Debts had accumulated, and
interests upon the heavy mortgages were unpaid.
Foreclosures had already been commenced, Indivi
dual judgments were being enforced. In some In
stances the fuel along the line had been attached
thereunder. The employees were clamorous for
payment of long• standing arrearages. Prejudiced
against the leading officials, whom they chargedi
rightfully or wrongfully, with maladministration,
their resentment knew no bounds. Upon one oc
casion, hearing that a certain prominent officer
intended making a tour of inspection along the
road, they prepared tar and feathers for his especial
behoof, and would doubtless have employed them
had not a conductor divulged the plot. The officer
deferred his tour, and the glutinous article was
never put to its appropriate use. Upon the very day
that the referee was appointed under one of the
foreclosure sults, these employees stood prepared to
stop the trains. Wiser counsels prevailed, and the
appointment of Mr. Marsh overthrowing the old
administration of affairs, the matter was amicably
settled. Thereafter the complexion of things grew
brighter.
Mr. Marsh possessed business qualifications of a
high order. His attention to tho company's Interests
was absolutely persistent ; so much so, indeed, that
he paid his life as the penalty. Worn out by unre
mitting labors, he died, a man prematurely old•and
overthrown.
THE REBEL PEACE PROPOSITIONS.
A Euro Conduct to Washington Akked For.
LETTIR FROM PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
TIM AUTINRIZED AtiENTS ON 711 g HEBBL GO-
YEFESMENT WILL WS ithextrzir.
No Negotiatiogs with Irresponsible Persons
TEDIGNANT PROTEST OE THE K 33-
BEL EMIBBAItrES
Iluir.rer.o, July 21.—The correspond crice•with . tecr
rebel spats shows that 111. essrs. Olay, Holcombe, and ,
Sandere asked, on the 12th inst., of Horaco Greoley r
the protestlon of the President or the Secretary or
War to visit Washington.
G resley, on the 18th, understanding they were
the bearers of a proposition from Richmond' look
ing to peace, tendered a sato conduct of the Presi
dent.
They replied that they were not aoOrcdtted with
such propositions, but were in tho confidential em
ploy of their Government, and felt authorized to
declare, if tke circumstances disclosed in this cor
respondence were communicated to Richmond, they
or other gentlemen would be invested with full
powers. They seek a safe oonduot to Washington,
and thence to Richmond.
1N r. Greeley answers that the state of facts being
materially different from that understood to exist
by the President, it was advisable . for him to com
municate by telegraph with the President and obtain
instructions.
After some further correspondence in relation to
Mr. Greeley's communication with President Lin
coln, the following was received from the latter to
the Hon. Horses Greeley :
EXEOUTI VIC MANSION,
WASHINGTON, Jill] 18, 1864
To Whom it May Concern:
Any proposition which embraces the restoration
of peace, the integrity of the Union, and the aban•
document of Slavery, and which comes by and with
authority that can control the armies now at war
against the United States, will be received and con
sidered by thus Executive government of the United
States, and will be met by liberal terms on other
substantial and coliMeral points, and the bearer or
bearers thereePshall have safe conduct both ways.
Major Hay, on the 20th, in a note, asks Holcombe
and others, if they have any communication to send
to Washington by him.
Holcombe replies on the 21st, regretting that ho
had been delayed by any expectation of an answer
to his communication delivered to the President of
the United States, adding that the communication
was accepted as the response to the letter of Messrs.
Clay and Holcombe to Mr. Greeley, and the answer
hip been transmitted to that gentleman.
The letter to Mr. Greeley says, after alluding to
the tender of safe conduct to Washington, on the
hypothesis that they were duly accredited from
Richmond as bearers of a proposition looking to the
establishment of peace: "This assertion was sc . -
cepted as an evidence of an unexpected but most.
gratifying change in the policy of the President--a
change which we felt authorized to hope might ter
minate in the conclusion of a peace mutually just,
honorable, and silvan tageous to the North and South.
Exacting no condition but that we should bo duly
accredited from Richmond as the bearers of a pro
position looking to the establishment of peace, thus
proffering a basis, for a conference as comprehensive
as wo could desire, it seems to us that the President
opened a door which bad previously been. closed
against the Confederate States for a full inter
change of sentiments and free discussion. of con
flicting opinions and an untrammelled effort to re
move all causes of controversy by liberal negotia
tions. We, indeed, could not claim the benefit of a
safe conduct which had been extended to us In a
character we had no right to assume, and had never
affected to possess ; but the uniform declarations of
our Executive and Congress, and the thrice-repeated
and as often-repulsed attempts to open negotiations,
furnish a sufficient pledge that this conciliatory ma
nifestation on the part of the President of the United
States would be met by them in a temper of equal
magnanimity.
"We had therefore no hesitation in declaring that
If this correspondence was communicated to the
President of the Confederate . States,: t ho would
promptly embrace the opportunity presented for
seeking a peaceful solution of this unhappy strife.
" We feel confident you must share our profound
regret that the spirit which dictated the first step
towards peace had not continued to animate the
counsels of your President. Had the representa
tives of the two Governments met to consider this
question, the most momentous ever submitted to
human statesmanship, in a temper of becoming mo
deration and equity, followed, as their deliberations
would have been, by the prayers and benedictions
of every patriot and Christian on the habitable
globe, who is there so bold as to pronounce that
this frightful waste of individual happiness and
public prosperity, which is daily saddening the uni
versal heart, might not have been terminated; or
if the desolation and carnage of war must still be en
dured through weary years of blood and suffering,
that there might not at least kayo been infused into
its conduct something more of the spirit which
softens and partially redeems its brutality I Instead
of the sate conduct Which we solicited and which your
first letter gave us every reason to suppose would be ,
extended for the purpose of initiating negetiationi
in which neither Government would compromise its
rights or Its dignity, a document Is presented
which provokes as much indignation as surprise.
It bears no feature of resemblance to that which
was erlEinally offered, and Is unlike any paper
which ever before emanated from a Constitutional
Executive of a free people, being addressed 'to
whom it may concern.,
" It precludes negotiations, and prescribes In' ad
vance the terms and conditions of peace. It returns to
the original policy of no bargaining, no negotiations,
no truces with rebels, except to bury their dead, until
every man shall have lain down his arms, submitted
to the Government, and sued for mercy. What may
be the explanation of this sudden and entire change
in the views of the President—of this rude with
drawal of a courteous overture for negotiation, at a
moment when It was likelr to be accepted—of this
emphatic recall of words of peace just uttered, and
fresh blasts of war to the bitter and, we leaver for the
speculation of th%so who have the means orlinclina
tionito penetrate the mysteries of his Cabinet, or fa
thom the caprice of his imperial will. It is enough for
usito say that we have no use whatever for the paper
which has been placed in bur hands. We could not
transmit it to the President of the Confederate
States without offering him an indignity, dishonor
ing ourselves, and incurring the well-merited acorn
of our countrymen. Whilst an ardent desire 'for
peace pervades the people of the Confederate
States, we rejoice to believe that there are few, if
any, among them who would purchase it at
the expense of liberty, honor, and self-re
spect. If it can be secured only by their submis
sion to terms of conquest, the generation yet unborn
must and will witness its restoration. If there be
any military autocrat in the North who is entitled
to proffer the conditions of this manifesto, there is
none in the South authorized to entertain them.
Those who control our armies are servants of the
people, not their masters, and 'they have no more
inclination than they have the right to subvert the
social institutions of sovereign States, to overthrow
their established constitutions, and to barter away
their priceless heritage of self-government."
lIARRISEFRO.
The Militia Law—State . and National
Banks —Aid for Soldiers• Orphans—
Co issioners for Recruiting in Re•
bel States—New State Bank.
[Special Despatch to The Press.
HAJIRISBWRO, Itlly 41,1364.
The new militia law of the State will be amended
at the August session of the Legislature, so that it
can be put Into immediate effect. The reason why
It has not been enforced is because. it contains no
provision allowing the Governor to make an enrol
ment, but requires the regular assessors to perform
the duty. If it had not been for this Section, Go
vernor Curtin would long since bare taken steps to
organize the militia. 'Unless the law is amended In
August, the assessors will not make-any enrolment
until November.
An act which was passed at the winter session,
enabling State banks to come under the national
banking law, is also imperfect.
The State agent for the disbursement of $50,000
appropriated by the Pennsylvania Railroad Com•
pany for the education and maintenance of sol
dier's orphans, has devised a plan whioli has been
approved by the Governor. Its prinolpal features
are as follows
First. Perrone entitled to the benefit of tho act
children of either sox, under the age of fifteen,
whose fathers have been killed or died In the United
States naval or military service, and , who are de
pendent on their mother or on charity for support.
Second. Applications (in a certain form) must be
presented to the common-school directors of the dis
trict in Which tho orphan resides, to be thence
transmitted (if approved) to the Superintendent, at
Harrisburg, whb will, if the child is itocepted, order
its admission into such school as. he may deem
proper, due regard being had to-the reltglous
faith of the family and the ago and abilities
ofs the pupil. Orphans will be clad in a uniform
dress, supplied with comfortable. lodgings, and
food, and receive a mental and .phyalcal training
commensurate with their need. The children under
six years of ago will be sent to any fitting school In
the State, and those over that age to some one in
stitution to be selected In each of the twelve normal
school districts.
The Auditor General Is preparing the notes of the
"National Bank," a now orgoniaation just started
at Pottsville, under the State .tree banking law.
About thirty appointments. of commissioners to
obtain recruits in the rebut States have already been
made. Those commissioners receive no pay from
Pennsylvania. The majority. of them will enter at
once upon their duties, aetho Executive desires that.
all possible haste mats be used In securing the quota
of the State.
ALBANY.
RECRUITING 2X REBEL STATES-REFUSAL OF
00V. SEVXOUR 2C% AVPOIXT AOE:STS.
ALBANY, July 2l.—Gorernor SayIIICUT will not.
appoint State agents to recruit in the Southern.
States. Be does not boliere this to bo•wise.or prac
ticable. If cities or counties choose to pay bounties
and appoint agents for recruiting scab soldiers,they
can do so, and the State authority will giro thorn
such facilities as the act of Congross directs..
Tnx 1111N1)1tED.DAY 8 MEN LIAIILE TO DRAFT.
ID answer to an inquiry by Governor Seymour of
Provost rdarrhal Fry, ho Is Li:den:nod that the hue
tlrecklnys volunteers are liable to the draft, but their
hundred days' service wilt be credited to theta DX
their term of service under the draft.
111RUAK 11i TIM IiRAIt CANAL 1113PAIIIED.
The break in the 'We canal is repaired.
Tile young hub , pupils best 'Buffalo schools are
tO reedy° prizes Or ttle loaves 01 broaiL"
We have been permitted to copy the following he
treat from a letter written by Mr. J. A. Hamilton,
Of Sweet Alr, Maryland, to a relative of this silly.
It exemplifies very clearly the "chivairoNr" eon
duct of the rebels, as well as the brave and deter.
mined spirit of the Union men who were unibrttNaM4
enough to tall into their hands;
On Monday night, at two o'clock, I was awaken,ad
by tLe galloping of horses and the rattle of sabres,
and was soon ordered to come down, by a squad of
Oilmen+ cut-throats. There being no male person
but myself about the house, there was, of course,
nothing to be done but obey. Upon stepping out
among them, I was called by name, and asked
whore my horses were. I replied, "There is one fa
the Held. , I
had sent all the rest to a secure pisee
in the woods, and should have done so with this,
but he would not stand tied, and tad to be left t•
his late. "Get him up. Is It your sorrel ho
Prianil" Caine next. "No." " Where lake 1" "I
have sent him away, to avoid your capturing him."
" Now, d—n you, we will burn you out for this."
They concluded first to catch the other horee, \Wait
they did. They next demanded my blooded horse
again. swearing I should produce him. I refusing,
the officer called for some matches. We were thew
on the way from the stable to the house. I en
deavored to diskuade them from burning the house,
end they finally ordered me to hand over three hun
dred dollars as a ransom for the sorrel. Here they
got my Hamilton blood up, and I positively refused
to produce the horse or pay the money, and told
them if burning was their only alternative they
%light burn.
Suddenly they determined to hang me, or make
ma yield. The officer called on a private tor a rope,
which he brought; but, ending me not to be scared,
another of the party suggested that burning the
honer, would hurt ad— Yankee worse than hang
ing brim. Meantime I had called Emma and her
sisterto take the children out of bed and to a platy
of safety. The rebels then deliberately tired the
corner of the house three times, and having de
manded some blankets, and robbed me of 32,3, whisk
I Lad en my person, they left, swearing they would
return text night, and charging me to have Priam
there. Accordingly next night, having sent the
women and children away, I garrisoned the homer),
with three more determined, well-armed men,
and waited for the rebels, but they did not some.
Poor Charley proved as obstinate with the rebels as
he was In the hay-field when you were here, and
after getting him as far as tho road, they slot him
through the bead.
To the Editor of the IC Y. Tribune:
Sin: Never having seen any contradiction to the
assertions ache Newyork Herald and ocher papers,
ever ready to cavil and find fault with every sot
of the Government. that the removal of Col. Bow
man from the supeiintendency of West Point wan
on account of his having permitted Gen. Dlcelellan
to deliver the address at the.recent laying of the
corner-etoneof the monument to be erected in honor
of the fallen. heroes of the present slaveholders' re
bellion; and as many persons friendly to the Go
vernment have been deluded into the belief of those
assertions, I would briefly state a few facts in re
gard to such removal, learned by me Ituring a recent
visit to West Point. By inquiry of officers and oth
ers, I learned that the delivery of the oration by
McClellan bad nothing to do with Col. Bowman's
removal, as evidenced by the following facts :
Over six months ago the removal of Col. BORIIIIIn
was determined on, and Gen. Wright received etil
dal notification of his appointment as superinten
dent of the Point. .
AISRAHAX LINCOLN
This appointment was distasteful to Gen. Wright,
and the order for him to report at West Point was
therefore countermanded, or held in abeyance. The
fact of the appointment of Gen. Wright in b.is place
was communicated to Col. Bowman, since widen he
had been in daily expectation of receiving an order
for him to report elsewhere.
On the death of the lamented Sedgwick, Gen.
Wright was ordered to take command of kis eorpe,
and is now in the field with our noble army In front
of Richmond.
It therefore became advisable to appoint Seise
officer as superintendent, and General lower was se
appointed, he being incapable of active service is
the held by reason of wounds received in the ier
vice of his country.
Such le a brief statement of facts, and the publis
may draw their own conclusions as to the matives of
the Herald and papers of that ilk, in publishing sack
assertions. Union.
Nnw - TottE, July 20, Mt
The Cincinnati Commercial of the 15th inst. owl
tains the following In reference to Gen. Hunter's
campaign, which It says is " from a reliable soureee.
ir One thing is sure—Gen. Crook tared the army s
as much so as Gen. Thomas seven the army during
the memorable contest at Chickamauga. The lees
of the entire command will probably be seven hun
dred killed, wounded, and missing, one hundred and
fifty wagons, fifteen hundred head of horses and
mules, six pieces of artillery, and eleven caissons—
the two latter items lost by sheer carelessness and
gross neglect of duty on thepart of somebody.
General Hunter Is not a Napoleon by any means.
while General Crook was the "King Bee" of the
expedition. We lost Lynchburg by inexcusable
delays, and could have taken It easily ferty.eigkt
hours before we got there ; and we might hare beee
there had we not remained at Lexington two days.
The Virginia Military Institute was burned, with its.
valuable library, philosisplicol and chemical apparatus,
relics, and geological specimens ; nothing was saved.
Washington College was sacked and its fine library de
strayed, autograph letters of Washington carried of.
&c. Mrs. Governor Letcher's residence was de
stroyed by fire, she having only ten minutes to get
out, and only saved , what was contained in throe or
four trunks and boxes. I saw this myself. Tit* In
stitute and Mrs. L.'s residence were destroyed by
order of General Hunter. The sacking of Wash
ington College was done without orders, bat
winked at by the same official. The lady principal
of the college went to General H., informed Mal
of the proceedings, and asked for protection, which
was flatly refused. Gen. Crook protested against
the destruction of private property, but without
avail. It was as great an outrage as the burning of
the library at Washington by the British in 1812
Were but half the truth known In regard to this
exPedltton, it would damn some officers forever.
lied it not been for General Crook, our retreat from
Lynchburg would have been a complete rout aitd
terrible disaster.
The Relapse into Barbarism in NissenrL
The Western malls begin to bring us details of the
destructive guerilla operations In Northwestern Mis
souri, of which we have bad brief telegraphic reports '
the sew days past. These details show that the hor
rors of this guerilla warfare In that portion of oar un
happy country have been underrated ratkor that
exaggerated. Occasionally whole villages are give&
to the toreh,and the wretched lahabitants,after tieing
fleeced et their property, are compelled to seek shed
ter, with their wives sod little ones ; in the forests.
Among the most flourishing towns, thus destroyed,
was Platte City. it was nut thus destroyed by gue
rillas, however, but by Federal troops, for the al
leged reason that its inhabitants were sympathizers
with the rebels, and gave encouragement to the
guerillas. At Camden, (on the Missouri river,)
scenes of the most horrible character wore enacted.
The St. Louts Herald says :
Once In possession of the town, a sad scene of de
struction and pillage commenced, such as we hope
never again to witness. Several of the citizens were
arrested and taken to headquarters. Houses were
burned and pillaged, and the heavens, for =llea
aronnd, were liphted with dames. Late' into taw
night the tires continued, and again in the morning
wore renewed. About two-thirds of the town was
destroyed, but the line Seminary buildings were nit.
harmed when we left.
At the time our forces entered the town they were
told that there were a number of men hid in the
hemp house, then in flames, having been Vest by
Thornton, in which ho had a number of guis, and
it is supposed that three of them were burnt with
the building, and the bodies of two dead guerillas
were cast into the flames and also consumed. We
hear it estimated that over twenty men were killed
belonging to the guerillas, and only one man killed
and one wounded on the part of the attaskiag
fosces.
The file residence of Dr. Thomas, living at the
edge of town, was a smouldering heap of ashes, se
we passed in the morning, and it was tbported that
the Doctor had been taken out and shot. He was
an old man, bore a good character, but it was rap
ported that he had visited a sick g.nerllla, hence his
tate. Previous to the report of his death, a stead
of the 15th Kansas were in possession of his house,
which they gutted and then tired, and only waited
to get the Meter to leave a lounge upon whisk• lay
his sick wife, to blow his brains out, and we are' oC
the opinion that they accomplished this bloody
work before they left. Other citizens In the neigh
borhood, no doubt, shared the same fate.
One O lvis, formerly of the militia, who kad joined.
the guerillas at Platte City, was captured, having
his leg broken. He recognized one of his captors,
and called him by name, and received in reply :-
"Olvis,.you aro in d--d ba d company." One of the
party then held him up, and another placed his ear
bine close to the prisoner's head, tired and the soul
of Olvis was in the presence of his Maker.
McCormick, the prisoner named above, was
marched into camp and placed under guard. About
8 o'clock a report was circulated that we were at
tacked, when the guard immediately shot the
_pri
soner. or, as they said, "disposed of lam." Col. ord
then addressed the men, and said that, as the gueril
las gave no quarter he would do the same ; tnat he
neither asked any nor gave any, and ordered the
men to sleep upon their arms, and not to straggle
from their camp.
[This Colonel Ford does well to deal sharply with
guerillas, as murderersand thieves, but he does nob
do well to make the innocent suffer for the guilty.
Burning down 'villages, and driving their defenots
less inhabitants (women and children) into, the
woods, is not war. .1t is barbarism.]
A Erase Maryland Loyalist.
Col. Bowman and Gen. McClellan.
Gen. Hunter's Campaign.
Beaurrectioulsis is Chicago.
some two years since, says a Chicago exchange,
the head of a very respectable family of this city
was taken from the scenes and turmoils of this
earthly existence to another, and it is to be hoped,
a better world. His body, according to the coarse
of nature, remained behind en terro firma, and was,
In due titrjp, deposited in the family lot in the " 01‘
Cemetery.. Hero the family and friends of the de
ceased gentler an rested In the cherished belief that
his last. remains were being resolved Onto their kin
dred dust, and often did Choy repair to the hallowed
spot,
"Wherein they saw him Quietly blamed."
to sit beneath the funereal willow and water with
their tears the dowers on the grass-grown mound.
But the relatives of the deceased had selected a new
place of sepulture in- Graceland Cemetery, which
they designed as a family burial place for their own
and the euceeeding generation, and thither they re
solved to remove the remains of the deceased. Ac
cordingly, about a week since, on the day appointed
for the opening of-the grave, preparatory to the
removal of the remains; the family repaired to the
old cemetery In order to take a view of whatever
should remain of the hallowed features of the de
parted husband, father, and. friend. The grave •
opened, the coffin—but little decayed—was raised
from its place. Its extreme lightness was a subject
of spontaneous remark from all. The lid was um
screwed, and the relatives of the deceased gathered_
around in tearful silence. Their consternation oars•
be imagined but not described, when, as the coffin
was uncovered Instead of the mouldering remains
of the departed, there was unveiled to their sight
nought but a mass of rotten, decayed shavingsoeith.
which the coffin was neariy_fdledi
Not a vestige of the remains of the dead therein
deposited two years since were visible. The appear
ance of the coffin and Its contents, indeed, in.:lasted
that the body had not long been suffered to rest
therein, but had been removed shortly after burial.
Of course; no clue could or has been obtalnod-ta the
perpetrators of the outrage, neer some two. years
old, and the family of the deceased must forever re
main ignorant of the last reSting.place of hiaeakeS.
Alter this, what family can rest in peace,in the be
lief that the remains of deceased relatives. are re
posing calmly in their peaceful cerentrnts, and
within the tombs supposed to be hallotaed. by their
presence I
A Pinstrons Fxnr.—The 011 City Register do
scribes a feat performed by Professor SAL Allen on
the 4th of July. The... Register statestlat Allen, wan
is not a professional gymnast, croseed the Allegheny.
river on - I.,ity's Fezry wire ' an inch, repo, suspended•
on a pole at each Weal the river, the rope befog :
eighty feet high and one thousand long, and not
guyed in any manner except by
- the wire of the fury
boat. The professor's apparatus la deSerlbtd atoms,
slating of a deg-staff set Into the end of- a place.of
ordinary new gas.pipe, surmounted by an eight.foot
flag. This stair was' thirteen feet above and nina
teat laelow the wire. To the lower end of this was a
balance weight of seven and three-quarter pound&
This staff was run uron the toped' the 'lvire,by means
' of a pulley-wheel not fastened In any way'ao : the ware.
The pro*sor walked over, the liegistor says, by.
pressing: against this apparatus with his balance
pole.
Writer KIM) Of PLI6O/3 IS TMSI - 4161113.111:1 S. MI,
mons, of No. lOS Greene street, appaared before Jus
tice Dodge.and made affidavit that t having seen as
advertisement in which Jacob T. bmith, of No. 17k
Spring streak offers to give steady employment to
any person who may deposit 1..100, in, his hands, be
made application and deposited the required WOO,
and was thereafter paid $5 weekly; that no busi
ness was transacted at Smith's place, and that save
ral other persons who had paid smith 4,teo each
were there, with nothing to do; that he has been
robbed In Smith's house, on several occasions, of
sums which amount to $l,OOO, and ttet he believes
that Smith's place is kept open merely for swindling
purposes. Officer McArthur, of VAO Fourteenth pre
cinct, arrested Smith, and ho was hod in goo bell,
—/V. Y. Jourttoi of Cvonfrce,