SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1884. TO IHU mriox State Ckntkat/Committee Rooms, Mo. -llai Chestnut Street. --(Jut friends in every county and dis trict in Pennsylvania should immediately, without one day's delay, send to the State Committee a correct copy \ of their .whole ticket, giving plainly the name of each candidate for every office. All this must be done to ena-: blethe tickets to be prepared to send to'the several regi-' went* of the State. County Committees should also prepare-and send with the Commissions their several county tiokets, or send a special ageist with the“ Commissions to carry then. The Great Union Meetings. The immense Union meetings, last night are evidence of the unusual' interest the great struggle has' aroused.;,’ Never was po litical excitement more intense in Phila delphia, and never was public order better preserved. We are doubly proud of this, for Philadelphia is a Union city, and the enthusiasm of the thousands who thronged Union League Hall and the Musical Fund Hall, last night, leaves no room for doubt that in the coming election her loyal ma jority will be overwhelming. We publish; full reports of all the meetings in the city; yesterday, and it will be seenthat through- • out the State the friends of the Union are: active. At the grand meeting in Inde pendence Square to-night every loyal citi zen should be present. I.ook to the Polls. PhTuesday next we want a fair and a full vote—-the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth—and with this we. Shall be satisfied, whatever may be the re-; suit. To secure a true vote, the friends of the Union and fair play must spare no energy or trouble. That efforts will be made to poll false votes is unfortunately too probable, for the Copperhead party is in such a desperate condition that some of its members will not hesitate at any vil lainy which may promise to save it from overwhelming defeat. ■ Hon. Simon Came bon has reason to believe that the notorious ballot-staffers of New York will be active in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, and addresses the following circular not only to Union men, but to all who believe honest polities indispensable to the prosperity of thp people: UNiOi; State Oentrai, Committee Rooms, (No. IUS Chestnut street), : Pnit,ADSI,I'HtA, Oct. o, isot. TO THE PEOPLE OF PKNNSYLYANI A. "We have received information which makes ns be lieve that an attempt will be made by New York .politicians to stuff the ballot-boxes In certainlocali ties in this State. . V Now, we call upon all Union men, and all other persons who believe in fair dealing and honest voting, to watch., detect, and have arrested and brought to trial and punishment all who may engage in any such villainous practice, -The most certain preventive to frauds of this kind is to have an outside tally kept at each elec tion,poll. ■ , ■ 1 Bet this be done at every place. Siarow Oamebost, Chairman State Central Committee- A. W. Bbstedict, Secretary. We ask every impartial man wlio reads Jeff Davis’ speech, printed in this paper, ' if it is not a -virtual confession that nothing hut the success of the peace party can save the rebellion from speedy destruction. Those despondent words are doubly em phatic on the lips of the arch-rebel, who ■confesses that nearly two-thirds of his army have deserted the Confederate cause THE PRESIDENCY. THE GREAT UNION MEETINGS YESTERDAY AN IMMENSE OUTPOURING OF THE PEOPLE, A VAST CROWD AT UNION LEAGUE HALL. ADDRESS BY MR. JOHN W, FOMEF, THE REPUBLICAN INVISIBLES ADDRESSED BY DR, WM, ELDER. THE OPPOSITION AT CONTINENTAL THEATRE, Air. John Tan Riircn’s Speech foi' McClellan A LARGE. UNION MEETING AT? HARRISBURG, GOV. SEYMOUR AND DANIEL DOUGHERTY, THE MEETING AT UNION. LEAGUE HALL. Mr. .lobn W. Forney addressed tiio citizens or Philadelphia upon the issues of the present political canvass, at Concert Hail, last evening, la compli ance with aninvitation of the Union League. The.au , dicnce was very large, every.seat In the body of the hall and updn the platform being occupied, and even the aisles being fllljid. The utmost enthusiasm pre vailed. The Satteilee Hospital band was in attend ance, and upon atriking up the popular air, “ Rally ’ ’Round the flag,” the entire audience spontaneous ly joined in the chorus, arid followed it with vocife rous cheering. The scene was as inspiring as any we have witnessed during the present campaign. At eight o’clock Hon. Simon Cameron came for ward to introduce Mr. Forney, which he did in a few appropriate remarks., He said that it was al most unnecessary for him formally to introduce a gentleman so veil known to this audience as bol. .T, W. Forney, [applause,] but he would take this occasion to say that ho and Mr. Forney had long been friends, and had known’ each other' • intimately in Lancaster. Probably no other man had labored so earnestly to promote the success of the Union cause and of the principles which underlie this cause, and had'his counsels been per mitted to prevail with that bad old man, Buchanan .'[laughter], the country might have been spared the. . horrors of this desolating war. [Applause.] But, 'since it has’come upon us, we owe it to ourselves,- we owe it to our fallen comrades, we owe it to poste- J rity to bring it to a glotious?and honorable consum mation ; and he trusted, in conclusion, that every mother who had given up her son, every sister who ' had given up her brother, every wife who had given ' .upher husband, would endeavor by her influence and counsel to strengthen, the cause of the Union ‘ for which they were fighting, and secure the elec-; tion of the Union ticket on Tuesday, j Applause.] \ SPaBOH OV MB. VOBUBV. Mr. Forney then arose, and was receiyed with continuous applause. Ho said : Ladies akd Gentlemen : I thank you for the warmth of this reception, and I gladly accept the ; ' opportunity afforded by the courtesy of the magnifi cent organization whose hall I now occupy to bear my testimony to iis energy, its loyalty, Its devoted: and widespread patriotism. -[Applause.]M have' been through many parts of tHis State, and every*; where I havo seen the workings of your vast and -beautiful system. Next to the Christian Church— ‘the loyal Christian Church—l know no agency that has done more good for our cause. Isaythlsby .’way of introducing some thoughts that have occur red to mo as proper to bo said, and to acknowledge the high obligations that I, in common with all good men, owe to the Union League. [Cheers ] Without examining into the question how this war began, it is enough for us to know that we are not the authors of it. The hearts of the Southorn - conspirators were bo filled with malignity and arro gance as to induce them to refase all the magnani mous offers of the free States, and to incite them to the destruction of the only political organization by which their so-called rights had been maintained. ■ It is estimated that when the rebellion broke out there were four millions of human beings in bond age in the South; and It has been further estimated -that at the end of the century this number would; ■ have been more than quadrupled. Let us Imagine the condition of our country. With nearly twenty ! millions of slaves in the South, and a consequent Anorease In the numbers and wealth of their owners,; the foreign nations of the earth, now so anxious to • see the Republic dismembered, assailing and mis ' representing our cause, because, in violation of our: ; professions. as a free Government, we continue to told human beings in bondage—tell me, how ion would it have been before a war far more bloody and far more terrible than the present would havebroken upon our land? Wo who have realized what the education of the Southern slaveholders has been since they have taken up arms against the flag ; we; . who have seen how they;fight for slavery, and how, ‘ Insaiiateis their hatred of the may have some idea of their strength at the end of two more generations. It is not a violent assumption to say, that having been strong enough to maintain a fierce and fanatical war against free principles, with but four millions of slaves, with twenty millions they ; would hot only have overran the freo States but have captured the Government itself. ; [Applause.] And this.anticipation seems to be reasonable, when we reflect upon the thousands of sympathizers with . slavery in the adhering States, and attempt to esti mate the additional thousands that would be ready! to co-operate with it In such an event. In view of this, I may regard it as a marked result of the war,; that we have compelled the statesmen of other na tions to recognize the main issue involved. It has been the habit of these statesmen, and particularly the men who govern Great Britain, to misrepresent Bind degrade our war. The Earl Russell told us,; In the beginning, that It was a contest for em-; pire- that we had no.other object than national aggrandizement. The London Times, speaking' the yplse of mercenary, weaving and spinning Eng-; land, Insisted that oar war was simply a question or tariffs and that the South was in arms because we desired to impose high duties upon iron, silks, and cotton goods. Mr. Disraeli has never manifested any special sympathy with.the North. The party of which he is a distinguished leader Is against America, and in the last Parliamentary struggle made the present ministry’s apparent friendship for Amejlaa ground of assault. This conservative aristocratic, Tory Disraeli comes forth and declares before a company of English gentlemen at an agricul tural dinner, that our war is for an emancipation of a race. I read an extract from his address at Ayles bury, on the 21st of last September: .-*J ’^J !e eriiaTicvpotjon of a race, the creation or the of^sTcmuf t llndependence, 1 Independence, or the maintenance neoni^n & Ar,wPil e ~ wh ?? eaus6s of tMs kind lead ShW+w,® ■ r lnto war i they must not be confounded cOTqmrath’ely small causes whlckhave the generality of European wars in Sis. e ™£ imca :,,. WhQn nations go to war to what they,, call rectify a frontier, or employ an army, these are causes necessarily of a brief duration, be cause their frontier Is rectified or not, and the army which wants to be employed has either a sufficient number (hot or promoted, and peace naturally takes place. But the issues in the Ameri can. war are vast and profound, and It is not to be supposed, when men enter Into struggles of that kind, they will throw them aside like children tired ofarew toy. Ithereforo have great hesitation In believing—X cannot bring myself to believe—that we are so near peace in America as Is supposed. The fact Is that there are occasions when the desti* nies of nations demand wars, when war Is the only solution of difficulties which perplex the ordinary means ofhuman wit. and the struggle in America Is a war of this kind.” When the Conservative opens his eyes and sees the truth as Ml'. Disraeli sees it, and as the Radi cals John Bright and Richard Oobden—[cheers]— have proclaimed it from the beginning, we may well' believe that tho people of: England have reached a just conclusion in reference to our war. When dogged, obstinate England thinks thutf It will not be long before Europe follows her example. [Cries of “That’s so,” and applause.] I mark this, therefore, as one of the moat gratifying incidents of the present contest. In a-war for ideas: It is important that the sentiment of the world should be right. [Applause.] Ido not mean by this that we have the sympathy of the world j that, however welcome it might be, Is an abandoned hope. But we have the respect of the world, and a confession that our war is a war for ideas. When wa have taught foreign. Powers that grapes are not thistles— that figs are not thorns—that our principles are not questions of revenue and impost—when we have - taught them the lesson that Mr. Disraeli stands up before an English audience and frankly confesses to havo learned—l may well gather new hope for our country, its speedy triumph, and the: perpetuity of the principles for which ,we are: contending throughout the. whole world. [Loud cheers.] I confess my amazement in this view of the case, without considering other questions, when I realize that a large class of our own people array them selves on.theslde of slavery and against a txovora ment struggling to save Itself. All loyal men were unprepared to see the aristocrats of the South fight ing as they have fought for their institutions. The stupendous responsibilities they'assumed—the’ha zards they encountered—were as apparent to them selves as to us, and yet undaunted they grappled with the Eederal power, and, as 1 have said, 1 have stubbornly and desperately striven to maintain their ground. But it was a subject of graver won der that, realizing alike these hazards and re sponsibilities, so large a class of .non-slaveholders should have openly given their sympathies to the rebellion. Now, nothing is so clear to my own mind as the fact that General McClellan’s election to the Presidency.will not. only make , slavery paramount, Amt will necessitate a division and a sub-division of *the Union—[A voice—“ He’ll kill the Republic!”]— leaving the only concrete section that which rejoices in slavery, and making of the flourishing and over powering North ana Northwest a number of separated principalities, each hating the other, with intense political and personal animosi ty. The election of General McClellan—what ever he himself may Intend or say—however patri otic he may claim to be—and I am willing to admit that he has no design or desire to yield to the enemies of constitutional liberty-? would be a decla ration on the part of the Amef ican people in. favor of a dishonorable peace and a . degrading disunion. [Loud cheers.] It would be’ more than this.* it would be an invitation to foreign . Powers to intervene. And why should they not In-" tervene when the American-people, fully aware of their obligations in this tremendous struggle, de liberately pronounce for a candidate who is everywhere advocated by the friends of a hu miliating surrender to slavery, beginning with Fernando Wood and Vallanuigham fa hiss] and ending with John Tan Buren and Hora tio Seymour—a candidate In . whose behalf there Is so much solicitude among the rebels themselves that it requires all the efforts of their sympathizers here to restrain the expression of their wish that he may be triumphant. I believe that the hope of the election of George B. MeOiellan is stronger among the armed enemies of the Re public than it Is among those who are not armed—[A voice, “That’s true!”]—that It is a more controlling element in ; the rebel army than in the army of their Northern'sympathizers. I may be answered that these Indications should be considered in the light of peace with the Union, in the event of Mr. .Lincoln’s defeat. The answer is conclusive. While Mr. Lincoln is continually offer ing peace with Union to the rebels [applause] j they have never once indicated their willingness to accept his proffers. Scarcely one of the leading men around General McClellan has ever indicated any other de sire than to destroy the present Administration, and to give the supremacy to those who are fighting against It. [Applause, and cries of “True, irue!”] The rebels regard General Mc- Clellan as their representative man in 'the North. We all -know /that ho was a pupil of Jefferson Davis, reared In his school, his favorite and Ms friend while he Was Secretary of War. And we also know that the organs of Davis throughout the South daily appeal to the people to stand by what Is called the Southern Confederacy until the result of the Presidential election is known. What better terms could General McClellan offer that •would be acceptable to our enemies than have been offered by Mr. Lincoln ? [Applause.] I answer no terms bat the terms of separation; and these are better only because they would be more acceptable-to the rebels. We can best understand General McClellan’s -relation to this vast subject when we reflect that there Is. not a rebel in arms and not a rebel unarmed in.any Of the South ern States who has.not become .more defiant since ■his nomination lor the Presidency. At the moment 'lam speaking,the treasonable element in'the Dis-> trict of Columbia is nearly as insolent as it is in the city of Richmond ; -and the-same- may be said of Kentucky, Missouri,, and JMarvland, -This element had to be restrained heretofore by force of arms. These States have been held in the Union by the strong hand of power; y et, notwithstanding the pros perity whichhas resulted to all three; notwithstand ing they have been • saved fronuflre and- sword- by ■Mr. Lincoln’s Administration, the Secessionists per sist in their clamor as loudly against -him as if he had' constantly and consistently oppressed them. Passing through the.city of Baltimore a few days ago, on my way to speak in Pennsylvania, this thought was presented to my mind with startling force. Baltimore never was so prosperous as at the present moment. She reminded mo of Philadel phia;.and on my journey to the town of York, where I spoke night before last, I looked with de lighted surprise upon the splendid mansions sur- ; rounding the “ Monumental City,” and not only surrounding it, but extending for miles beyond the depot- Vast granite structures, recalling what‘l had heard of tee English baronies, with magnifi cent lawns, carefully preserved: villages smiling with contentment and peace: hundreds of laborers | engaged along the whole line. This, I said, is one of ! the evidences of Abraham Lincoln’s despotism , [Loud cheering.] What a different picture would have been presented had the theory of James Buchanan and Jeremiah S. Black; been assented to by Mr. ! Lincoln. [A laugh,] The theory that while seces sion itself was wrong, there was-no power in the Government to resist it, or to save tho Government, This city of Baltimore would have been laid in ashes; Maryland would have become the Flanders .of America; and fiom the Susquehanna to the Po tomac, all over this Empire State of the’Sou'th, we should have had nothing but a devastating, desoiat *pg: war of firc and of blood. And the wavs of-con* diet would not only have consumed the mate rial prosperity of Maryland, but must Inevita-, bly have rolled into the border counties of Penn sylvania, , repeating with ten-thousandfold her rors the burning of Chamberg&urg and the shell mg of Carlisle. I have not seen’ Louisville or St. Louis, but I know that which is true of Balti more is also tree of them. In New Orleans,new, , and healthy prosperity has taken the / place of the . corrupt and decaying wealth that formerly grew out of slave labor. [Applause.] Now, when the people, North and South, who see these things, still. ccntend that the Administration to which “we are Indebted for them should be put down, why should not foreign Powers Intervene In the event of the election ,of George B. McClellan ! Tney pant to , raise the blockade. They know that. there are hundreds and thousands of bales of cotton'ready to be sent to their markets-/and, also,-that their ambitious designs in Mexico and Canada • would be favored by the destruction of the Union. • Observe that, while France has seated herself among the divided States of Mexico, to make a despotic Union there, England, heretofore so fear ful-of consolidation in, .Canada, encourages the union of the.Ganadian Provinces, and wishes to seat a foreign prince on the new American throne; yet both, with earnest and satanic industry, toil to di vide the American Union. [Cries of “Never.”] The honest friends of Gen. McClellan should think ol there things, for I believe many thousands, unless they do think, will give him their votes, in November next, in the belief that he would honorably terminate the war and “restore tltW'u 02 ”,,- What sort of terms could General hi SP-fwt <5 0r , lil , 0 , Southern rebels 1 Imagine him about to. take his seat In • Washington, sur rounded by such advisers as Mr. TaUandiuham Sir. Wood, Btr. Reed, [hisses], Mr. Fits ; ter, and Mr. Horatio Seymour, [Laughter.] Ima ;gme him entering the office of President and dictating his new policy. [lronical laughter.] Wa will suppose that the events of the war will be as they are now. /The Union armies have possession of a large portion: pf the Southern territory—our ..fleets still control the coasts—oilr ’ currency is still healthy—our bonds are still ruling the market -at Bremen and Hamburg. He must, adopt: the doctrine of the Chicago platform, for his election binds him to It. - [Cries of “ That’s so.”] That platform tells us that the experience of war .having ll failed,” there must be an: armistice. We can imagine what the effect then would be by the effect now. Of course there could be no cessa tion of hostilitlesfthat did not imply a withdrawal of our troops from all the Southern States, the suspen sion dl the blockade, tie surrender of Memphis, and. New Orleans, and. Knoxville, and Vicksburg! and’ Beaufort, In an instant this vast, depleted South-' ern Confederacy, perishing from Inanition, with famine In the fields and starvation on the hearth stone, wouM suddenly have new blood sent through its veins by the enormous supplies of European goods that would enter the hungry ports of- Charlestonf Wilmington, and Mobile. The aban doned territory of Tennessee and Georgia, where Union men are protected by our; armies, would’ •be at once overrun by guerillas,and every man who had taken the oath of allegiance to our flagwould be murdered, and his family.made homeless. The plantations that are being cultivated in South Carolina, and Louisiana, and wkick now supply labor and broad to thousandsofpoor protected freed men, would be resumed by their former owners, and the men we have sworn to protect in liberty would return to a bondage more appalling than before. . This would be the beginning of the aroiistiw to ■ wards correcting the mistake of these “ four years of failure.”. In other words, ali that we have gained byfouryears of war, he would throw away, .[dries of • * 5 It can’t be done.”] The second andfinal step ol the armlßtlce would be the recognition of the Confede racy, because, in the event of its proposal, tho South would be strengthened Into new life, and tho North, even giving an exaggerated idea or Its-resources - oould hot be expected to begin a new war on the same scale as that inaugurated in 1801: so that,"in this proposition of the CMoago plat-’ form In a frank way, we find that, by the simplest test of reasoning, it amounts to nothing more than an abandonment of the warfor the Union and /the; recognition of,the Confederacy as the .controll ing power of the American continent. What would tho new President do with the public debt! Here is a question that interests every one .within the sound of my voice. You. laboring man with your hard-earned, and carefully-saved five twenty-bond; you capitalist, with the resources of /long years of genius. and thrift and toil locked away' iu the national loan—yoii are interested in. this’ question. The new President, In repairing the mis °* Mr. Lincoln’s “four years of failure,” - ?uS,!„,'wT tanly repair his financial policy. He is Eis d eTOAAt O o.Sf e th ®, « lib and hackneyed phrases of starving - journals)—[laughter; ?« re<3 S 08 010 I )ric «s-of all eommo : shan’be and 1 ariffs, so; that sugar ’ fhEv werE In n.A d ,i Va - ae l and tea and wines as they were In the days of peace: This is a verv pleasing prospect, and if it were in the poweref a McClellan to realize it [laughter) I woulff reaard him as having one good, argument in ihvnr iff n« election. But themew President could onlyredeem-' this promise by dishonoring and repudiating tiw’ debt. [Cheers.] Remove taxation’ and tariffs and -you thus destroy, the sources of payment-the means whereby you capitalist and you laboring man are enabled to draw your semi-ahnualinterest In gold. This Is the only way In which the new President could keep hla promise. He certainly would keep his promise, for he is.an honorable man [laughter] ; and-therefore, my friends, upon Presi dent McClellan’s honor would depend the money you: have saved by years of genius and toil. Now, this; may seem to be an extravagant argument, but I am, merely following the logic of the Democratic writers.; It is only doing General'McClellan and his friends: the justice they ask to say that they would at once' discard the debt which Mr, Lincoln's four- years of Who ™t«l h «t!. 6cr ? atea!a ? a 1 therefore ask you ■!™S. If eeri «“l B i2 consider the financial pros with Tvr t ff?iei?H A i^ nl3tratioft - Thns you see that, f l ,,! 11 P° W6r > we could only have a >oin§?« * d rebellion and a repudiation of Mr. Ltn- S T fi . an ? la l P oll °y- How wlUitba with Abra iuun-Xuicplii bi his new term 1 He has grown with the nation and strengthened with its strength. [Loud and long-continued cheering.] lhe lessons of this time have not been lost upon him, and their fruit will ripen. [Renewed cheers.] He knows the people, and we,' the people, know him. [Cries of “We love him,” and cheers.] Ho has stood by the side of the patient during the high burning agony of disease—he has saved life and preserved strength—he has thoroughly learned each part of the system—every vein, artery, and sinew. Shall we now, in the time of convalescence, send the physician away—[loud criesof “ No, no!” “ Never!” ana cheers]—and oall in this New Jersey quack— [laughter]—to trifle and experiment with the pre cious life?" [Cries of “ No! no!"-] You know that In a disease nothing is more dangerous lhan a re lapse; and, under McClellan, I dread the relapse of death. [Loud cheers.] Let us have Abraham Lincoln for four years more—[long-continued cheer ing]—his experience, his patienoe, and his cour age, Let us have Grant, and Sherman, and Sheri dan—[renewed cheering]—and no resuscitated and expensive failures, whose military records may he found in the court-martial archives of Judge Ad vocate Holt. [Laughter and applause.] . Let us have uncomplaining generals and patient admirals [applause] who obey orders and do not presume to give them, save to subordinates. Let-us have men without re venges to appease at the expense of the pub lie welfare, i [Applause.] Let us continue to have the magnificent financial system of Mr. Chase [cheers], and see if we cannot pay the debt we have honora bly incurred; Let us have a peace bravely con queredand justly made [cheers]—a peace with Union —a peace with freedom [renewed cheering]—a peace: which shall not bring with It the exaltation of Jef ferson Davis and the recognition of his Confederacy. This peace alone Abraham Lincoln can give. [Ap plause.] Her has pledged himself to give it; his army, his navy, his officials, his party are laboring to gam it, and his triumph in November will be the triumph of that peace. [Vociferous applause.] It would seem, indeed, as If some wonderful hallu cination had fallen upon what is called the Demo cratic party ; and; in speaking of the Democratic party, I do not speak of the men who are misled, but ef the leaders who mislead them. Nothing seems to soften their hatred of the ; Government. The arguments in favor of prosecuting this war—the fact that the war was precipitated by the slave holders—that every effort was made, even by the Republican party, to satisfy these -same-slave . holders—these arguments and facts fall upon cold and impassive hearts. And, as-if still further to show, how much more they sympathize with rebellion than with freedom, have ®you noticed, that whenever a meeting Is called to raise money for the families of our poor soldiers in the field, to supply the needs of the women widowed and the children - orphaned by the war,/«(i of : these leaders ever make their appearance l As a striking proof of this assertion, I refer you. to, the recent meeting held in your own altyafter thb barbarous 1 burning of Chambershurg by the Attila of the forces 5 of sla very, an outrage unsurpassed in modern or’ ancient warfare—a meeting was held at the Board of Trade rooms In this city for the purpose of raising means to assist the poor men and women turned out of their homes by the chivalry of the South, and not only, turned out ofthelr homes, but whose.hmoas were burned before their very eyes; In other[days, If a Southern townhAdbeen destroyed by accident, our whole population would have arisen to supply and relieve the sufferers. But at that meeting, balled under circumstances of unparalleled Interest, not a single Copperhead appeared [criesof “shame;”], and but one recognized Democrat. And I mention his name to his distinguished honor—John O.'Janies -.[loßg.continuea cheering], had thecour&ge to show his face. If you will contrast this studied neglect of the humanities of the war; in other words, if you will reflect upon the manner in which the leaders of the party, who would unseat Mr, Lincoln and the! Government itself, in Novem ber, with the miserable cry, when they are remind ed of their indifference to the cruel treatment of our prisoners in the South, that this Is the result of the refusal of the Administration to leave the negro soldiers in chains and In-prison, and to exchange only ;the whites, you realize how mueh sincerity there Is in any of their professions. Keeping to this same point, of the manner in which our prisoners are treated in the South, let me say to you that there are paroled soldiers in Philadel phia at this moment, who, If their lips could be unsealed, would give such, a description of the savage atrocities, perpetrated upon our brave men In prison as would excite the coldest heart, and put aside all incredulity. - You have no doubt read.thc remarkable publications of the Sanitary Commission, [applause,] giving detailed accounts of these horrors. When I was a boy. I was greatly exercised by reading what was . called “Bellly’s Narrative.” It turned out to bo a. fiction. It was 1 a book written by an’ American, who alleged that he and a number of other Americans had been thrown among; the Arabs, and who drew such a picture ol the treatment of theso Captives as made my young blood curdle. ‘ What was fiction in his caseisrealityinours. [Applause.] The reports of the Sanitary Commission, and the reports of the Com mitteo on the Conduct of the War, will be read in after days with surprise and Indignation. And these reports, be it remembered, do not depend upon partisan witnesses, and ha ve "not been made by par tisans. - The Sanitary Commission IS not a partisan organization, and the indictment of the Committee on the Conduct of the War was signed by Republi cans and Democrats. [Applause.] These things alone should go to our people, and should be che rished by them as so many, arguments 1 impelling them to their duty.in October and November. In considering the great question involved in s this struggle, allow me to dwell, for a moment, on the charge that the measures of Mr. Lincoln’s Adminis tration have retarded the war, and have not only retarded it, but have made lt-a failure. And here, I think, General McClellan 1 may bo named as the chief accuser [applause],, for after the battle of Harrison’s Landing he wrote a most arrogant, que . rulous, and presumptuous letter to President Lincoln, in which, becoming a politician for the first time, he also became the organ of those who were against the Administration, and arraigned the President on the same grounds that are now, so patent in the mouths of the enemies of the Government. Day after day, the charges started by General McClellan in this, letter are rung by his followers, and yet, do you ob serve that, notwithstanding these allegations, not withstanding the complaints of the so-called Demo cratic candidate for the Presidency, notwithstand ing the criticisms of his supporters, we have had.more victories since he hasretire&fromthc command than ever before. [Long-Continued cheering.] Admitting that these measures were-hurdensome, oppressive, uncon stitutional, it would seem-that bur armies have nTot felt them to be burdensome, or oppressive, or un constitutional; that they have fought and won either because of or in spite of them. Observe, furthermore, that not .a single victorious general has ever Indulged in the querulous censures and whining of General McClellan and his friends. -If I had the timej-I would present a contrast- between the letters of the victorious Grant—[applause]— and the victorious Sherman—[renewed applause] and the letter of unvlctbrlous-General McClellan, to which I have referred. These two states men—heroes like Admiral Farragut—[cheers]—the great Yon Tromp of modem times—see no dis tinctions, between the enemies of the old flag. , They do not select among the men who are opposed to the Government, and when Grant and Sherman write, they write not only with their pens, but with their swords. [Loud obeers.] Why, ladies and gentlemen, the experience of this war 13 the most marvellous in human history. Rebellion broke upon us like an unexpected tornado. Those who brewed It knew that it was not anticipated by those who had to resist It, but found'the nation defence less, the Government betrayed and deserted, and the resources, which are the vitality of a people, diverted into the channels of treason, while the new incumbent in the Presidential chair, constitutionally elected, found himself without an army or a navy, and almost without a treasury.' And yet; from that pa rted to the present,"obstacle after obstacle has had to he Burmounted, and the measures deemed radical at first were, found too moderate at last, until now we stand before the civilized world,,with all* the loyal States protected, with the finest and largest army on .earth, and-with such a navy—as in the event of our certain triumph it must be—the most formidable and perfect military maritime organiza tion in the world." [Cheers,] The radical mea sures of Mr. Lincoln’s Administration are sold to have retarded the vigorous prosecution of lhe war. "What do you .suppose General-Jackson would have done hao he founds himself in the posi tion occupied by James Buchanan, when the conspi rators would have destroyed the Republic 1 What would he have dona with slavery the moment that he discovered that slavery was the feeder and almo ner of the rebellion? First of all,' he would have hung the men who originated this foul conspiracy '[loud cheers]; and, secondly, he would have abo iiehed the entire institution of slavery—[long continued applause]—not only by a proclamation, but by our fleets and our armies. The Demo cratic party has never hesitated to take the most radical and extreme measures when the occasion demanded; and the very men—and in - this I do not speak of the old Whigs who now-have charge of the Democratic organization—[laughter] —who are- complaining of the so-called unconsti tutional acts of Mr. Ltncoln’3 Administration, were themselves in the fore-front among the approvers and applauders of Gen. Jackson’s refusal to obey the decree of Judge Hall: of the forcible Belzure of Cuba, if Spain refused to sell it torus; of the previous annexation of Texas ; and, if I may be permitted to refer to it, of the bold and.fear less manner In which he dictated lhe over throw of the United States Bonk, If Mr. Lin coln had not acted upon what is called the decisive policy, he would have been unworthy of his posi tion [applause and cries of “ That’s so!”] and the rebellion would have prevailed. But I contend that -Mr. Lincoln is in no Bense what is called a radlcal man; on the contrary, he is conservative—conserva tive ia-the regard that he does not hesitate to op pose what are called exacting men of his own party, and to welcome, what are known as the patriotic men pf other parties. The truth is that all the diffi culty he has had from his .own political friends has grown out of his refusal to comply with their peculiar personal demands , upon him. And while I honor them all, beginning with that noble specimen of humanity, old Ben Wade [applause]; while I honor them all for having accepted the alternative, and having put behind them their own griefs for the purpose,of maintaining the common cause, yet I assert,that it is one of the chief-claims of Mr. Lin coln to the support of the American people that he could rs6and before and hold back for a-while these hold and able men and adheie to ills own policy— [applause]—not a fixed policy, because in a war with our own flesh and blood, with our own hone and marrow, that which may be regarded as right to-day "may have to be changed to-morrow—but a policy, which acted upon this idea; -a policy inspired by this idea. Thus he has had a standing offer of peace to the rebels. Mr, Lincoln is not one of thosewho adhere to a single idea, and who, like Dr. Sangrado, because he had written his book to; treat his patients in a certain way, refused' to alter his theory, although his patients died. [Laughter and applause.] He adapts himself to the inevitable circumstances of the hour. He is for the Union with slavery or without slavery, and while he never Will return a freeman to slavery [cheers], I believe that he will gladly welcome the South back to the Union, upon the basis of paying.them for all their slaves [applause], if they agree to abide by the old covenant. It is unjust to say that his measures have been radical, butlt is true to say that they have been necessary. [Applause.] He has not acted upon a. theory, but upon a fact.. What he has done has not been because he has studied It out in books, but be-■ cause he has read it in the grim and terrible expe riences of war. And strange to say, the most ra dical men of bis own party have, at last, come to tills belle/, and the most conservative of other par ties have, in a certain sense, become the most radi cal. lam very confident, ladles and gentlemen, of our complete triumph in PennsylvanAon Tuesday next, [loud cheering, which continued several mi nutes,] but it Is right.to be frank when I tell you, every man and woman in this audience must do his and her best to secure this triumph. [Cheers, and cries of r “ We will.”] I have never known so much religious enthusiasm en the part of the friends of the Government as to-day. In all I have seen and heard during the present canvass tills"sentiment has been patent and uppermost. And when I reflect upon the amount of good that can be accomplished' by the Radies of the land—[applause]—upon the . amount of the good they have done: upon their sacrifice for the cause of the 'Republic, in giving their sons, and brothers, and husbands to the armies; upon their heroic constancy in the hospi tals [cheers.] —and in the ten thousand cha ritable associations which constitute one of the won ders of the war —I lcel inexpressibly encouraged in the belief, if they will aid the good cause; In other words, if they will Impel those who are not fighting,, ana over whom they have, influence, to support the candidates of the Union party on Tues day next, that we shall undoubtedly succeed, by a tremendous majority. [Renewed enthusiasm.] And the same may he said, only -with stronger emphasis, of the vast interests that must be destroyed, should the Union cauße be defeated—the interests of finance, of religion, of society—the interests Of corpo rations, Of railroads,of banks, and of every other con ceivableandinconeoivable Interest. And yet, with all IheEe influences at work, it is a sad and a stern fact that never at any period have the enemies of the Union been more active. They seem to be infu riated. Every Union victory dispirits them; every Union defeat fills them with exultation. A letter ; which I received this morning from a distinguished gentleman in Maryland tells me that the Union men of that State earnestly and hopefully look to Pennsylvania, and begs that Tor God’s sake .we, will not let the old Keystone slip out of the Federal arch. [Cries of “Never!” “She’ll stand true,"and cheers.] Now, while I solemnly believe that foreign Powers, in their anxiety to break the blockade,and to-' secure the destruction of the Republic, have sent millions to effect the election of Gen. McClellan, Jam equally well convinced that all the money In the world and “all the wealth of Ormns and of ind” could not overthrow this Republic. [Loud cheering.] It is right— lt our duty to be oa THE PBESS.—PHILADELPHIA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1864. THE MEETING AT MUSICAL FUND HALE. A highly appreciative and intelligent audience assembled at the Musical-Fund Hall last evening, on the occasion of a .lecture, on the issue of the day, by Dr. William Elder, a well-known orator and dis tirgulshed citizen of Philadelphia. Upon being in troduced he was received with great applause which, bavtog subidea, he spoke as follows : SPKKCIt OV Dlt. ELDER, V . . The orator of the evening commenced his remarks by a reierpnee to the importance of the great issue ot the day—in which wob contained all otlfer issues— the maintenance of the Union of the Stater He them reviewed the proceedings of the Convention which framed the Constitution of the and particularly the position of those membeis took a prominent part in the deliberations of that Convention. He continued: ' ; The Congress of the Confederacy, sitting at New York, having adopted the Constitution, sent it bv .an express messenger to Philadelphia, at which place it was received within twenty.four hours The Legislature of Pennsylvania had-resoived to ad’iourn on the day succeeding that On which'this document reached them, and itwas feared that by reason oftheir adjournment a delay of one year would be Una voidable before that Constitution could bo sub mitted to the people of the State. But they hurried it through the Legislative halls, and its opponents, consisting of such men as William Findlav of Westmoreland, {no relation to the Fihdlay who was subsequently Governor of Pennsylvanial Whitehill, of Lancaster,’and others, whose 'names the world will very willingly let die, were astounded and paralyzed In view of the rapidity and zeal with which the measure was carried through the House. But we will go further into the .history of those day s. George Mason, of Virginia, In the Conven tion which considered the Constitution, declared thathe would suiter his right hand to drop from his shpulder before he would put his name to that document. This was the language of the grand father of the fugitive slave law. James Biadison, thena young man and scardely known,, but after wards universally recognized as the great ex pounder of the Constitution, and John Marshall, were the main supporters of the constitution in t irgtnla. The herculean labor, of - counteracting the prejudices of the people or'Virginia was mainly undertaken by Marshall. They -were* sustained, and finally the question of the adoption ..of the Constitution was carried in the affirmative by a majority of ten in a poll ,of about two hundred votes. Audit is with a feeling- of exultation and pride that we view the position of Alexander Hamil-i ton. Among the delegates from New York his is the onlyname to the document. Yates and Lansing were his associates, but they retired from the Con vention in the middle of its deliberations, and went home to protect against; and array .their state in opposition to it. George Clinton,; afterwards Vice: President, then Governor of, the State, threw the whole weight of his Influence against it. But • their are times when the divinely-inspired and divinely empowered come under the category of those of whom it is said “ one shall chase a thousand and to’ o Put ten thousand to flight.” Livingstone and Hamilton were there. ■ The Convention consisted of forty-six men pledged to reject the Constitution,' and twenty-three In Its favor. Hamilton and Livingstone went into that Convention with the odds of two to one against them, yet, notwithstand ing this fact and the opposition of one Melanethon Smith, the leader of the opposition party,' the Con stitution was finally adopted by a majority of three votes. The speaker narrated at length the circum stances connected with the adoption of the Consti tution, and the proceedings of the Convention or ganized for, that purpose. Jle then said : Is it pos stble that we, in this day, shall wrangle over trivial matters, while. tUe maln question is at issue before the people ? We. hear from some men that the pre ■ sent Administration, on whose re-election depend the permanency of our success and the safety orour condition, have violated the Constitution in innu merable ways. These allegations come from the mouths of those who have solemnly averred that that Constitution did not, present-any means by which it- could he preserved—[applause]—that it did not contain in any provision a liie-preserv ing power. Their complaint is that the men who are endeavoring to maintain that Constitution are violating it. They are willtag to yield to the spirit of discord, secession, and revolution all that it asks, and allow it to accomplish all the mischief in its power; and yet they still profess to regard and reve rence tbatvery Constitution for which we are strug gling. But this rebellion,ls not without precedent. There were thirty, three States in the Union when cne-third of them were supposed to -secede. It re minds me that when the dragon made his secession from the upper world he took one-third of the stars of the heaven with him. Now; we must not be un worthy of our .sires, nor scruple at the cost of t his war., It may be that our patience has sometimes flagged;.but if we,could see the result of a pro longailon of this strife, I have no doubt we would be abundantly gratified. I believe.that If those rebels who have made war on the Government had been reconciled in the beginning, they would have been brought back with slavery and the institutions of former days, and we would bo compelled to’ undergo the same troubles ana difficulties that we have a Heady repeatedly undergone. Before the war broke out I was wining to conciliate; that is, I would not have required any of the States to surren der their institutions, though I would never have . consented to the spread of their pestilence nor the insolence of their domination. I did not feel called upon to invade the South in order to free the slave, though I knew the poison was rankling there. The Administration took this view: and there never would have been a negro soldier had the battles of the first year settled this great struggle. But' if I, now read the signs of the times aright, I gratefully accept the prolongation of the war. Hamilton was twitted for having assented, as a member of the Con vention to Iramolhe Constitution, to. the proposi tion embracing the property representation of the slaves in Southern States ; that is, the three-fifths; representation. He answered'in all good con-; science (and If, ever there was a downright, uncom promising Abolitionist, it was 1 he,) that without It we could not have had , a Union ; that the Union could not have been formed , without that conces sion. And now, after, a lapse.of . seventy-fiveyears, ‘ we find that the Union cannot be heldjtogether with that.concession.; [Applause;] ; [The speaker was here Interrupted by thb arrival 1 of the Republican Invincibleß, who entered the hall in large numbers; and were "enthusiastically re ceived.] --■■■'-■' ■ ■■ ■ Slavery has ever exercised a maiigninfluehce upon - the Government. When Hamilton was a member : of Washington’s staff, he had occasion to direct the' attention of the Commander-in-chief to the fact that the Southern States had sot filled the quotas of troops assigned them, and then suggested that they should: make up the deficit by sending their slaves to the battle-field. On this sub ject he says: “Notwithstanding the pleasure and. honor which I . experience'in being a .member of your, family, (meaning the staff of the Commander-In-Chief), I would willingly take the command of a body of such troops, In the confidence that they would bear themselves upon the battle field with credit, against any troops to which they might be opposed. I make It an indispensabla:oan aition. of course, that they receive their liberty with thoir .swords.” , 'Washington -replied that the sug gestion was impracticable. One reason was that the slaveholders, did not want to part with, their property, and another was that the employment of the slaves in the army might produce disquietude among the slaves at home. And'thus this sarno malign influence has, exercised a control of the ■ Government fromthat day to "this. Having for some time been : conversant with at least one de partment of this Government, I think I may say, without exaggeration; that heretofore the Govern ment has been administered solely in the interests of slavery, and that, we were completely under the tyranny of -King Cotton. Upon the breaking out of the war scarcely one man in this nation knew anything of our domestic relations,' or could do more than conjecture the extent and na ture of our ;resource«. Independent" "of the South, The only documents from which: any information was to be derived on these points were railroad re portß'and reports of boards of trade. 1 From this do mination I believe we are now-permanently deli vered. There was a time when I could not have been Induced to believe that a Yankee would ever pull a trigger upon a Southerner, or that the slave holding power would dare to fire upon the flag. But .that has now come to paßs, and it is my,firm belief that this people will now insist that the demon of slavery .shall’,be,exoTCißed,’.,lf, However, such a •peace Is constructed as implies a violation of the faith of the nation to the black men who have fought ”on ourbattle-flelds, I will he willing to' turn Indian and.remove io the Northwest. [Great aoplause.] If, however, reconstruction could be accomplished With any, compensating' return for the expen diture of so|muoh*blood and treasure, I would 1 not Insist on my own opinions, but cheer fully succumb to the good of the whole people. The debt of the Government is a mere bagatelle in the grasp of our country.' [Applause.] The speaker now referred to the former debt of England, when even Adam Smith himself expressed great doubts whether that Government could survive it;, he was decidedly of the opinion that it could not stands much larger debt, and must sink under the weight of it, ’ and yet this great poli- i tical economist, and author lived to sec the debt thieo times as heavy, and the Govern ment better off than it was belbro. The .speaker, had hooks, papers, ■ letters, volumes upon volumes, all filled with a-continual howl about the debt of England; yet England' sur vived it all, notwithstanding Tray, Blanch, and Sweetheart joined in a long-continuediyell, when England .emerged fromthe war with' Napoleon the' debt was forty cents on the dollar; but, under the rising influence of the wealth of the country, the' burthen of the debt was soon reduced. The debt of England now is about four thousand millions, or about eleven per cent, on the value of the property. The debt of the United States-is lessthan two thou sand millions at the present time. The! rebels and their sympathizers set upa howl about the enormous debtor the country! that it must sink. They proudly assert that the expense of the Government is three millions ;ser day, when they know they tell a lie. It is aHe of malignity and treason, and ,-he had. no words'sufficiently strong to condemn it. [Gfeat applause.]. In conclusion, the, speaker exhort ed the people to stand by: the Government—to ; stand by the graves of the heroic, slain-in battle, and resolve to redeem the country from"' the foul demon of discord, and remember that .it is an im possible thing to estimate the value of-anything particularly,like that of this Government, which fi above all value. The distinguished speaker here re tired amid great applause. : , " , SPEECH 02* DAYID PAUL BROW2F, ESQ. ! ■That distinguished orator, David Paul Brown, Esq., having accompanied Dr. Elder to: the Hall, 1 was loudly called for,and in response thereto he delivered, an extempore address, during which he was loudly and enthusiastically applauded. He said that he really did not come to the Hall to-night; to make a speech, but rather as a listener, and he was glad to say that he had been.hlghly entertained by the speech of Dr. Elder. There; Is a time t% speak and a time to be silent, and he thought, after such a great speech as had just been' delivered,: that he ought to be silent. [Shouts oi “No ; give; us a, speech,”) Well, continued the speaker, i “I am born for your use and mustobey, and,as long as you insist, I must say. something.” . The distin guished gentleman: now delivered a very happy speech on the present and future prospects of the’ country, Its inexhaustible resources, its gigan tic power to defend itself, and still continue to,feed, whenever It may be nccessary,-the famine-struck people of the Old World. Our ships, bearing aloft the glorious stars and stripes, have been freighted with the substantial necessaries of life, even since the pre- - sent calamitous; and dreadful *war commenced, and sent on their voyages'of mercy to foreign lands. [Tremendous applause.] Though we havo a war foreigners seek our shores, like thousands be fore them, and, of all persons in the-world, they ought to be the last to forsake the Government that fed them abroad, and now feeds thenfhere. [Re-; newed applause;] .They, should bothe vary first to ; assist In the great struggle for .nationality; [Ap plause.] They, should not doubt the power ot the Government, for he who doubts is already half a traitor. The speaker now proceeded; at consider-' able length, to: advert to the Union, estimating It' above all value, and, in conclusion, reminded. thei audience that in two or three days a decisive blow would have to be struck, and all should remember that as goes Pennsylvania, so go the other loyal; States. [Tremendous cheers.]; The keystoqe of, the arch must bo kept In its .position of loyalty to the Union. [Applause.] Let Philadelphia do its duty, and all will be right. [Applause.] New York is called the Empire;City, lot'lt be so; Philadelphia is the Union City and nothing else. [Great applause.] We are a President-making city ; we are not only able to make them, but give them-most, loyal.support.;: [Renewed"cheers.] If ever the people wore called upon to support .a Pre sident,; they are called to .support Abraham Lin coln now in the hour, of our country’s need. After a few more remarks of a patriotio character the speaker retired amid great enthusiasm; HALL OF TILE KEYSTONE CLUB—EAR(tE DEMOCRATIC MEETING— SPEECH BY JOHN VAN BTJREN. The Continental Theatre, now the hall of the Keystone Democratic Campaign Club, was orowil ed last night, the ladles forming a fair portion of the audience. The speeoh of the evening was deli vered by John Yan Buren, Esq., of New York.- He onr guard incessantly and vigilantly; but, la dies and gentlemen, there are some things whloh cannot' he accomplished. To us the simile of the Infamous Judah F. Benjamin, since so sig nally illustrated In hts own career, Is a self-evident truth, that “the men who attempt to crush this Union are like silly Indians who shoot their arrows at the sun In a vain desire to extinguish it ” r Ap plause.] In this holy faith I rest my heart and repose my hope. [Uoud and long-continued cheer ing, amid whloh the speaker retired.] Mr, Briggs, of New York, followed in an elo quent and effective speech, after which the great meeting adjourned. _ 'was introduced by Colonel MoCandloss, the presi dent of the elub, and .was received with uproarious, long-continued applause; once subsided, It was re newed again and again. The shouts, cheers, and shrill whistles were accompanied by'the excited gesticulations of the hundreds engaged in the uproar and the fluttering of the handkerchiefs ot the ladies. The whole made up a scene that must have been very grateful to Mr. Van Ba ron. Silence restored,.Mr. Ym Buren jnade a few introductory remarks about the deep solicitude he felt in the issue of the present contest; his gratifica tion at the spirit and numbers of the Democracy in Philadelphia,and his belief that the days of President Lincoln’s Administration were numbered; and said that, to use the language of Mr. Lincoln in a recent letter to-Mr, Blair, “the time had come!”. [Laugh ter and applause.] He proposed to entertain them at no great length, with some remarks, not original, but such as he dare say nearly every one of them had already heard, in regard to the conduct of this . Administration and its treatment of the people of the States which are to take part in the next Presi dential .election. Other speakers were to follow him, who, he was happy to say, were better calculat ed to instruct and amuse them, but hecould not deny himself the pleasure of malting a few suggestions, a few views of the present condition of the country. Now we were engaged in a war which has lasted some three years and a half, which-has brought the country ah enormous debt, and has causecla vast destruction of life. It was still continuing, and at its termination, which must come sooner or later, we wouid flnd a peace which would bring to us grief and anguish. But sad as this is, there are other ; questions. Was the continuance of the war a tma tter of necessity 1 Was it prosecuted with vigor, ability, wisdom, and patriotism ? Was it not pro tracted for partisan or political purposes 1 Was It not made far log-roiling schemes, and marked by gross incapacity? [Applause ] When the Presi dent camo into power we had $65,000,000. The Secretary of the Treasury now apprises us that.we are in debt $2,000,000,000. [A voice— s4,ooo,olo,ooo.] If the taxes and the legiti mate claims made against the treasury were re cognized, if the unpaid creditors • were satisfied, it would reach $4,000,000,000, as my friend has said. ; Add to that the money expended in every ward, ; county, and township, and we have an enormous accumulation of debt, necessary. If you please, for bounties to volunteers and other expenses con nected with the war, all independent of municipal and county taxation. We have a war in.which there is now a daily expense of three millions of dollars, and we have an army hard on to a million, sup ■ ported and provided from day to day by taxes paid by you and I. For the last three years the debt has accumulated at the rate of a thousand millions a year, at least, and if there is not a change of Admin istration it will continue to Increase at least as rapidly in the future. [A voice—“ We will have that.”] I hope so. Now, remember the war has not been prosecuted for the general good. Politics, and not patriotism, has been the distinguishing feature. -The information given to the Government at th 9 outbreak of the war, concerning the military mea sures required, given by wise experience, only have resulted in blundering, from the fourth of March, 1861, tonhe present cay—in a vast destruction of life, and an enormous accumulation of debt. Yet he, who is the source- of all this. Is modestly pre sented to us for another four years’ lease of power. [Laughter.] They were no doubt all familiar with the letter addressed by Lieutenant General Scott, to the President, on the 4th of March, 1861,' in which he apprised the ’President that it required, for the prosecution of this war, an army of 250,000 m en; that it would necessarily occupy two or three years ; that it would require $250,000,000 a year ex penditure before it could be brought to an end. No attention was paid to it. 75,000 -men were called out, the riot act was read to the South [laughter], warning them to disperse [renewed laughter]; we were assured that the war would be over In sixty days, and the President gravely de clared that “nobody was hurt;” [Great laughter.] Mr. Seward, on the banks of the Mississippi, was shoutiDg there at the top of his voice, at, of; course, a reasonable distance from the seeneof danger. He dies out: 11 Who’s afraid 7” [Great laughter and applause.] I was afraid [laughter and applause], for I had realized what would be the result. Now, • there had been born, by this war being commenced, a desire to be near no danger from the enemy. G'eorge B. McClellan [cheers] was put at the head of t£e army, and called upon to furnish a plan of campaign. He did furnish it, and entered upon it. Now, whal did he see. He thought it was aspecimen oi themlserablemahagementoithis Administration. From that time up to this day, no effort seems to have been spared to embarrass him. Ifit were their object to destroy McClellan, and not the rebels, they have made a struggle by which they hive won for themselves great credit. [Laughter.] But what can be accomplished without “ our’ aid 1 Now the “time is come” when we are to discuss that subject. Now, when Gen. McClellan started for Richmond, . he had under him three corps d’armee, from: which were withdrawn, before the close of the campaign, the divisions of Generals Wool, Blanker, and Mc- Dowell. They were all taken from him when he was in the act of battle with the enemy, on his way to Bielimohd. In defiance of this, he arrived nearer to Bichmond In July, 1802, than Grant is to night. I might say, as a distinguished gentleman said: “ He came asnoar to Ricfimondas the rebels have been to Washington since that time.” For what do you suppose this was done? I have yet to show you that it was done somewhat for the protection of the sacred person of the President, and partly because the capital was in jeopardy. But this was needless, since the rebels never would have -taken: him he was more useful to them where he is; [laughter and ap plause] ; and partly beeauso General McClellan’s policy and his victories might gain him confidence • irom the people, and Abraham’s lease for four years’ of power m the capital would be In danger of not being renewed. [Laughter.] He desired to destroy the leading military man by being governed by the the action of the Administration. What else has been done? He has kept up a steady, trade of swap-: ping horses. [Laughter ] The President says this: is not the time to swap horses. There is an election . near, and he modestly tells the people to hold on to him even if a better horse should present himself and tempt them to let him go. Why, he.has done, nothing but swap himself.: He swapped McClellan for Pope, and Bull Bun’s fatal field followed. Then he exchanged Pope for McClellan. Then followed the splendid victory of Antietam, [Applause,] This was the only good exchange ha ever: made. Then he exchanged McClellan for Burnside, -Then followed the bloody reverse of Fredericksburg.' Then Burnside for Hooker, and Chancellors* ville was the result of that trade. : Hooker gave way to Meade, and Bleade" to Grant. ,Thts theory of changing and superintending; the officers of the army did not satisfy Idm, so he must make changes in the Cabinet. He' swapped Chase for Fessenden and Blair for Dennison. But ■ I think the most extraordinary dtoings of the Presi dent are his epistolary efforts. [Laughter.] Tired of swapping, he .writes letters, and he is determined to make this change'most extraordinary. Inhis letter to Mr. Blair he tells him that he Is the best 1 -and most intimate and most trusted friend that he ? ever had in the world. He tells Mm that he was the best officer that was oyer connected with, the - Administration. He’ has hot a ,word cTcomplaiht to make against him. We would suppose, as a necessary consequence, that he would retain such a man forever. But-no; he tells him,-instead, “it wduld be a relief to me if you would go.” [Great laughter and; applause;]. A relief to part with a most,trusted friend—with the best offioer-he evor had about him, with not a single com plaint to make against him ! [Uproarious Taugh ter.] It has been publicly rumored, too, that he is about to swap Stanton for Banks, but that may not be true, for surely there is nobody of so small-value as to be swapped for Stanton. [Laughter.] Now, I think the argumen t of swapping is against him. What further has he done in the course of the prose cution of the war? Yon all recollect as well as Ido that, at the outbreak of the rebellion, there was ho diversity of sentiment in the country but a steady de , termination to put It down. In the city of New: York a meeting assembled at UDion Square. Every man there was united—whether he was-of a . political : party or not—and energetic in his determination to support the Government and to behold the Union preserved. What has produced the present change? In my bumble judgment, the leading measures and the extraordinary proclamations- oi the President . have produced the, change. These proclamations by which the freedom-of the slaves was ..asserted against constitutional law, and not only the freedom of the Blare within his power, but also all those who may have been likely to come within the power of hts armies, though not by his own. What was4he effect of these proclamations? They divided the North instantly, and united the South just as instantly ; in: their consequences giv ing strength ana union to those who hated the Ad ministration, iand taught the States not yet in rebellion to rebel. These were acts of the Ad ministration which wanted in wisdom. Without constitutional authority such a - measure ;was calcu lated to, prolong and intensify the troubles of the country; Again, when there was nothing to work on in the war he found that somebody-must ;be ar rested. These arrests- caused exasperation at the North. They were made in a manner unknown to us. At; the time, whatever may have been thought of the propriety of the conduct of the war, these arrests, followed up hy-consigning his -prison ers to FortgLMayette and Fort Warren, from wMch v they were subsequently discharged'by Mr. Dix or others, or by the superintending officers of the .forts, surely , exercise un favorable influence upon our opinions of him. He took just such a course as would exasperate the Northern people and prolong the war, and produce division and dissension here. To these were added acts of- confiscation without number of the property of those who were just as loyal as those who thus acted, and quite as patriotic.: as any in; or out of the armies who assisted in the prosecution of the war. Newspapers were seized, their editors confined in prison, or their publication suspended., In the city of New York this was done to the only two Demo cratic papers in the city. The same thing was done mtbiscity. ' There' was ho occasion Joranyoneof these acts, no wisdom in these exercises of authori ty on the part of the President, which served clear ly to produce exasperation in.the North. And now, iellow-cittzens, this Administration, wMch has boa! guilty of these acts, has reached, as I have said, near to the close of its term. [Applause,] I believe, and everybody should bear me witness before-proceeding, that these arrests have been confined solely to ■Democrats, ■ [Assent.] Now Ido not mean to say there have not been individual instances where an arrest was; justifiable ; but a Republican can say what-he pleases, anytMng he likes, against the President of thef United States.' There is Fremont He has denounced the President Severely In that letter, of his—his letterof acceptance. [The speaker v here quoted an extract from the letter asserting that the war had been prosecuted with neither vigor nor success ; that outrages had been committed on personal liberty ; that the Administration wanted honesty and firmness of purpose, &c.] What'a . task Mr. Fremont undertakes in marking out the course he himself has pursued. [Laughter.] And again: I have taken occasion' to say that Mr.Hn coin has manifested a want of capacity. Now, Ido .not insist that the President should be a.military ; man; that is not necessary, but if ever there was a : time in the history of the country when such ’ a President was required, this is exactly the time. But though . I do not say that a mililaiy .man is necessary, yet if ho is a ci vilian, I would like to see him conscious of his military ignorance and not claim the sole right i to conduct military operations.[Applause and rlaughter.] Mr. Lincolnj lt can .be very truly said, is not a man of any great military capacity. [Laughter.] But totally regardless of this, the general impression, he has another opinion of him self. He concluded to take charge of the armies of the Untied States, and conduct the military opera-' tions from the President’s house, hundreds and thousands of miles from where he stands. 'I do, not think, on the whole that the history of military operations during the rebellion corres pondswith the extraordinary method of conducting? them,.or with the extraordinary matters laid down in the letters of the President, or genoral orders, to McOlellan, when he took Command, and he (Lin coln) took charge of the prosecution of the war, 'I will take the liberty of reading to you one or two? orders-one or two of his letters~in order that vou may exactly understand, the; skilful propriety and Ingenuity of “ Plan.” [Laughter.] He started With a “plan,” Feb. 3d, 1862. The speaker then quo ted from the letter of the President to Maj. Gen. Mc- Clellan, speakiDg of a plan for the capture of Rich-; mon.d, in which the President said his plan would be to attack Richmond “by way of the Chesapeake,; the Roanoke river, and the Rappahannock, atthe terminus of the York river railroad,” and tiro pounded to McGtellan the following questions: “If you give answers to the following questions, wo may be’ able to decide between my plan and -yours.”; These questions the speaker read with a peculiar' emphasis and intonation that excited great laugh ter. “ Does not.your plan involve: a greater expend!- tore of time and money than mine?' 1 [Laugh-' ter.]- - -r' Eaeh of the fivo fincstions were read amlu laugh ter. The speaker then continued: I trust McClellan found time to answer such questions as these,'all hinting the great advantages of “ my plan” over “yours, ,r but I do think that l when a commander of ah army in the Bold was in vited to answer such interrogatories, and enter into* discussion about “ my plan,” the enemy need not have feared'serious danger, [Laughter.] . Now, 1 after having taken charge of the campaign, ho be gan to Issue military orders from the white House,: which he (the President) called “general orders,”' 1,2,3, &e: I would like to read 1 and 2 to you, but you, will read them yourselves, but his “ plan No. 3,” it ■ Is due to him to tell you. After his orders to the Armyof the Potomac to take Richmond by the way of Chesapeake Bay [laughter], he ha d another “plan;” whether it was comprehensive or not is not the question. After exciting Presidential or ders from the White House, when he was tired writing letters showing “my plan,” he wrote to McClellan-on the 26th of May, 1862. The sneaker read this letter, in which the President said: , “What impression have you as to the entrenched works you have to contend with in front of Rich mond! Have you got near enough to throw shells into the city ?” {The tone of the speaker In reading the sontenoe italicised, oxclted great laughter.] Me. Van Burbn.—No wonder he removed Mc- Clellan/ : After the grand and glorious victory of Antletam, the President, like a great many other military men, who are always somewhat behind In a battle, [laughter,] and always manage to be somewhat ahead in the pursuit, [renewed laughter,] wrote to McClellan thus: Washington, September 15, 1802—2 45 P.'M. [laughter,]—Your despatch of to-day received. God bless you, and all who are with you. Destroy the re bel army, if possible!! [Excessive .and long-con tinued laughter.] , • . Now, there was “my plan,” which nobody could object to, provided McClella n had been given an op portunity of trying to do it,-but he was relieved from his command, and General Burnside was put in his place. Fellow-citizens, if the time allowed, I could keep you for hours listening to the extra-or dinary epistolary productions of this remarkable man. [Laughter.] More extraordinary in “my plans” than in his arrests or his proclamations, and yet, extraordinary -as he is; there are calls for a change, which" shall be mado.' [Cheers.] It seemed to me that there could be no mistake as to the decision to which the people would come when the-end of this career came to be reached. I never had any misgiving that any support given to Mr. Lincoln’s Administration could contribute to its continuance; but to guard against accident, I said, two years ago, at a meeting la New York, that I should vote for George B. McClellan for-the next Presidency. [Applause.] I did not think it necessarry to say that I was willing to do that because he would . be the nominee of this conven tion or that convention; but I am glad to think that that assemblage that met at Chicago, repre senting the Demociatieparty of the United States, as well as the conservative men of the country, with reflection, consultation, and deliberation, presented his name as eminently worthy of the suffrages of the people for that high office. , [Applause ] I know General McClellan, I may say, quite well— though at the time so maiiy discussions took place in regard to him, in which I had a part, I had never seen him, or had any inter course with him. I believe him to ba an able and capable soldier. I have supposed him to be 9 true patriot, and I know him to be a. cultivated and accomplished [gentleman (applause); and when we elect General McClellan I can assure you that'we will have a lady and a gentleman In the White House (applause)—and my opportunities of observation have not been such as to make me be lieve we have such there now. We will have a wise, prudent, and experienced soldier, who will direct operations in the Held, while they are necessary, with skill, with j udgment, and with humanity, and how will stop it at the first instant it is . practical to stop it with’honor. [Cheers.] You'have a man who has already declared to you what are his con ditions of peace, for he say 3, the Union is his condi tion of peace, and nothing more. Whatever may be your opinion, or the opinion, perhaps, of some amongst you in regard to the importance of prose cuting the war for other and different purposes, I believe with the declaration of Congress, Introduced by Mr. Crittenden, that the only true, legitimate, attainable, results that can be effected by the prosecution of this-war, are, that the rebellion is to be subdued, the States to be allowed, to return to their allegiance to the Union, and secured In their, constitutional rights after their return, as they were before they went out. [Cheers.] - This is the plain issue on the port of ‘the Candidate for the Presidency "of the United States presented by the conservative citizens of the country. On the other hand, Abraham Lincoln tells us, those to whom it may concern—and I take it we are those whom it does concern [laughter]—that he will re ceive no proposition of peace unless it is accompa nied with the abandonment or slavery. No w, fel low-citizens, assume that to be so; he has directly violated the law of this country, as he imposes conditions,,.unknown to the Constitution,- and pledges us; the people, to the prosecution of the war to an extent, and with a destruction of life and treasure, from which It seams every humane man must recoil with: horror. Do any of you suppose that the people of this country would consent to prosecute this war for the mere purpose of abolition 1 And it is proposed to abolish slavery where! In Maryland, Delaware, or Ken tucky, all of which are loyal to the Union? No: hut It is designed to abolish slavery in the very States with which we are at war. Thissoheme strikes me as one pledgingthe people to a coarse upon which the people will put the brand of their condemnation at the coming election; And he will reeive no com missioners of peace. . What country has ever shown a disposition to receive no commissioners of peace, in order to conclude a disastrous waf ? Gen. Wash ington did not think it beneath his dignity to re ceive comfeiiSioners at the time of the whisky Insurrection. But General ’ Washington was no guide for Abraham Lincoln, because he was a man of inferior military ability. [Laugh ter.] Let me point my Republican friends to Mr. Lincoln’s message to ; Congress, appointing General McClellan to the command of the armies of the United States. He said he did it at the suggestion of General Scott, and that it was approved by the people. Now, the Ex-Postmaster General informsus that no later than jast before the assembling of the Chicago Convention, Mr. Lincoln was treating with General McClellan, urging him to take a military command, provided he would turn his face on Chicago. Sir. Blair might have gone further, and said that not very long ago General McClellan was offered a high position and be supported for the successor to Lincoln, if he would give up his claims to the Presidency at this time. [Laughter.] Of course, he is too much of a soldier to accept these terms. General McClellan is known to the country, and he is loved by the country. There Is something in him which I cannot desoilbe, but which the people appreciate. Modest, self-denying, and bravo, he is lovod by citizens and soldiers alike. -The. Republicans intend to defeat General McClellan, they say, by the soldiers, and they do hot conceal the fact that they are going to do it by fraud. But you cannot cheat the sot dieis. [Applause.] II they are not hoard, and if their votes don’t reach Washington, it is probable their muskets will. [Tremendous applause ] This is to be a fair election. It must be a very fair election, or, my .word for it, the people will not submit to' It. [Renewed applause.] I was brought up with a set of men who never were used to being cheated. The care-worn sons of toil, who compose the Democratic party, have acquiesced in all the evasions of the Constitution by this Admi nistration. They have nobly sustained tho country in the hour of-its greatest trial. Talk of this war being prosecuted by Republicans—talk of the vic tories in the field being their victories.- Why, if the Republicans alone had prosecuted thi3 war Jeff Davis would now be watering his horses in Gooes Creek. [Laughter and applause.] Isay that this election: will ba a fair one. I hope so for the honor and safety of the Republic. I announced to yon that I did not intend to-night to treat you to a speeoh. - I wish to reserve my strength for work that lies before me in my own State. We are wait ing to Snow what: Pennsylvania will do on Tues day. [Applause.]. If the election here should result In a success, the struggle hereafter will tea matter fOTm jiltis .trying, to the passions of .ordi nary men to find their means, raised by taxation, contributed to the: support of oonlractors, who are attempting the overthrow® t the Democratic party, and procure' the continuance of the war-.for their own purposes instead of for th'e public good. We' know you have to encounter the whole patronage of the Government; we know you have to face the whole terrorism of the Government, and that you bear it alone; but so much the more ho nor for ‘ yeaso : much more distinction for the gallant citizen-of this ancient State,‘whieh has never in the history of past political contests, with but,one exception, failed to respond to the call made upon it to stand by the Constitution and the Union In .the selection of President of the United States. [Applause.] If the Keystone of the arch stands firm now, all will be well, and more than well in November. You deprive ns, you deprive your brethem in their own. States, of all honor in this contest by assuming the responsibility and proclaiming beforehand • the victory that is to follow; but if, perchance, you falter now, then let me tell you the State of New York and the Democratic States of this Union whieh we hope to have by our side will never call upon you to aid m the triumphant election of McClellan to the Presidency. Wo are prepared to sustain him with a unanimity and strength altogether une qualled In-the past historv of political contests. . Other speakers followed, and a banner was dis played, called the “Banner of Democracy,” which is to be presented to tho ward in this city which will give the largest Democratic majority on Tuesday. GREAT MEETING IN H ARRISBURG. SPEECH OF DANIEt DOUOHERTV—A OHAUSSM TO GOYEHSOIi .SBYSIOBB—BE REFUSES TO DEBATE WITH MR. DOTTCHERTT. ' : [SpecialDespatch toThe Press.] ; ' ; . ; llakkisbckc, Oct.lRS4. The most magnificent outpouring of patriotic and . loyal people this county ever witnessed is'now in .'progress. The wildest enthusiasm prevails. Daniel Dougherty made a powerful speech. Cheer followed cheer, and the impression he left is permanent. Rev. Walker Jackson also made a thrilling address. A, J. Herr, Esq [ presided, and made an eloquent opening speech. Dauphin is alive. Her majority will be at least twelve hundred. Mr. Dougherty challenged Governor Seymour, ol New York, todis etiss the great political questions; but lie-declined because he was not among his friends. It is greatly regretted that Governor Seymour declined Mr. Dougherty’s challenge, and his refusal Is considered evidence of his unwillingness to have the question fairly argued before the people. The following is the Correspondence: - : ' “Harrisburg, Oct. 7—4J< o’clock P, M. ' “Sir: I have just arrived in town, and learn that you are announced to speak this evening in front of the Buehler Hoiise. In your speech as published in the Age of yesterday, occurs the fol lowing passage: ‘I stand before you to-night most terribly Impressed; with the magnitude of the great issues now to be tried before the august tribunaiof the American people. I stand before you an earnest man. I may hold mistaken; views, but God knows I stand before you to-night to utter, no word which is not prompted by the deep conviction of my judgment.’ I, too, •am anTeamest man, terribly impressed with the magnitude of the great Issues to be tried by the august tribunal of the American people, I therefore sug gest that we discuss these great issues this evening before the same audience. =1 cannot speak in-the open air, and, therefore, invite you to meet me at the Court House—a spacious hall; the largest In the , city. Please give me an immediate reply, in order that the required preparations be at once made. “ I have the honor to be,- with great-respect, your obedient servant, ‘ Daniel Douaana-iT, “Jones House. “Hon. Horatio Seymour, Harrisburg.” ■ The above letter was presented to Governor Sey mour by Joshua, M. Wiestllng, Esq., secretary of the Dauphin county Union Committee. After con siderable delay, Mr. Wiestling was enabled to de liver the letter of challenge to Governor Seymour That gentleman read the letter, and then, after a moment’s hesitation, he said he thought it would be in bad taste to discuss the questions in the man ner proposed, as he was a stranger ‘in Harrisburg To this the secretary replied, Mr. Dougherty was also a stranger. . The Governor remarked that “ the bearer of the letter could see that It was not in good taste,” but he was politely Informed that the ques tion of good taste was raised by him, and hyhimlt must be settled. The Governor positively declined giving a written declination of the challenge. B. UNION, MEETING IN MONTGOMERY ■■■ I: . - . COUNTY. ■ [Special Despatch to,tlie Press I .- ZiEGLERYULK, Oct.7.—A large and .enthusiastic meeting of the friends of Lincoln, Johnson, and ’Liberty was held In this place last evening. Dele gations from all parts of the county were present. The meeting was addressed by Robt. W. E ishbaeh. Esq., of Greenville,'William T. Smyth, M. D., John Birkenblno, Esq., and H. A. B. Williams, of Phi ladelphia. Songs wero sung, and the greatest en thusiasm prevailed. The meeting adjourned at a late hour amid cheers for Lincoln, Johnson, and the whole ticket. UNION MEETINGS IN SCHUYLKILL OO GREAT ENTHUSIASM—SPEECHES BY JUDGE SHAW »O2ir A2TD LIN. HiRTHOIiOMEW. [Special Despatch, to The Press J ", Pottsville, October 7 Judge Shannon, of Pittsburg, spoke to-nte-ht‘at St. Clair. An audience of some five thousand were collectetrt During the; course of his speech he took occasion to attack that of Governor Seymour deli vered last night at Reading, in which he (Seymour) stated that 11-President Lincoln was elected one million of men from the North would convoy Gan McClellan to Washington and seat him in the Pre sidential chair. As a surgeon lays'open to the bone the flesh of the subjeot he is dissecting, so Judge Shannon to-night dissected the hydra-headed mon ster of tho so-called Democratic party. The meeting w as of a most enthusiastic character. Heretofore Schuylkill county has been intensely Democratic,’but’ the feeling-is changed, and hun dreds of men who never before attended an Admi nistration meeting came out to attend the one at Mahanoy City to-night, where Lin. Bartholomew : spoke to avast audience. The meeting was of a more spirited character than any held Ini Schuylkill county for yeare past. The wildest enthusiasm pre vailed, and at the conclusion of the meeting . Judge Shi nnon and Mr. Bartholomew were called forth and crowned with wreaths of flowers, presented by a fair grl who, two years ago, sacrificed the choioa of her heart on the altar of her coumry. THE WAR. VICTORY IS GEORGIA. DEFEAT OF THE REBELS AT ALATOONA Sherman Protesting Ifis ComiMications, FOBRIST CORSEBEO BY OUR FORCES, HIS TRAIN CAPTURED AND HIS RETREAT CRT OFF BY GUNBOATS. A BATTLE EXPECTED NEAR FLORENCE, ALA, TXJJd WAIL IN; MISSOURI, PRICE REPORTED AT CASTLE ROCK. The Rebels in Front of .TeJl'erson City. SHERIDAN STILL AT HARRISONBURG. OFFICIAL GAZETTE, GENERAL SHERMAN PROTECTING HIS COMSTfiStr CATI OKS THE ' REBEL (fIi.VEKAL FKEirdfi , DE FEATED WITH HEAVY /.OSS—FORP.EST IN A TIGHT PtAOE—HIS EETEEATVCHT- OS’l’ BY GE‘ ' KEEAX,| SIOEGAH—GEHEHAt BHEKMAX STILT, AT HARRISONBURG A SOW . OP GENERAL 51E1C.3 KILLED BY BUSHWHACKERS. - / Washington, Oct. T, 11.40-A. M.—ln a recent despatch it was mentioned that General Sherman was taking measures to protect his communica tions from the rebel forces operating against them. Despatches received last night show the fulfilment of this expectation. Major General George H. Thomas was sent to Nashvsllo to organize the troops in his district ana drive Forrest from onr lines, while the attention of General Sherman was directed to the movements of the main rebel army in the vicinity of Atlanta.' On the 4th of October -the rebels had captured Big ShanSy, but were followed up closely "by 'Sher man. On the eth a severe engagement was fought by our forces under General John E. Smith, and. the rebel forces under General French, in which the rebels were driven from the field with heavy loss, leaving their dead and wounded in our hands. The details are given in the following despatch from" General Thomas: DESPATCH PROM GENERAL THOMAS. - Nashville, Oct. G—11.30 P. 81. To Hon. E. M,Stanton, Secretary of War: The following telogram is just received from Chat- tanooga: General Smith, who left there yesterday (sth Inst.), telegraphs that the enemy retreated last evening from Alatoona, moving in the direction of Balias, leaving his dead and from 400 to 000 wound ed in our hands./ Our loss is about Kio hilled and 200 wounded. , Tho railroad bridge near Ringgold was washed away yesterday. . S. B. Moose, a. a. G. The Besaca bridge will he repaired by to-morrow, and the trains will be able to run asfaras Ala toona, going via- Cleveland and Dayton. Nothing further has been heard from Sherman since .my last despatch of yesterday, but the retreat of the enemy towards Balias indicates that he was closeupon their rear at Alatoona. Have not heard from Generals Rousseau or Washburno to-day, but presume they are pushing! Forrest as rapidly as" the condition Of the .roads will admit. ' "WO. have had. heavy and continuous rains for the last five days, render ing the roads . and streams Impassable. Have just recoived' the following despatch from Gene ral Granger, dated 5 Huntsville, October 5, xo P. M.: The courier reported drowned In'cross ing Elk river Is in. .'He lost the despatches while crossing the fiver. He reports that two rebels were captured yesterday, who say that they left Forrest at Lawrenceburg the night before, crossing south. General Morgans advance was skirmishing with the ..enemy this A. M., on Shaw’s Greek, he being unable to cross the creek oh account of high water. Ho hopes to be able to cross by to-morrow morning, when he will push them still further on. ! The Alabama Kaiiroad.will be repaired from here to Pulaski in one week. George H. Thomas, Major General, Another and unofficial, despatch reports as fol lows: “ Telegraph repaired to Alitoona to-day. The action yesterday was severe, French attacking with Ms divlslomjt.opo strong, rand..srfiß"ering heavily, leaving his killed ana wounded in our hands, to the number of 1,000, while wo lost only 300. , The fight lasted six hours altogether.” From Florence we hear that Morgan has Forrest cornered, lias captured Ms transportation, and that the gunboats prevent all retreat across the Ten nessee.. . ■ .V ? \ Satisfactory reports of the operations in progress before Richmond and. Petersburg have been re ceived, but theirdetails are not at present proper for publication. . A despatch from Gen. Stevenson reports an officer of Gen. Sheridan’s stall just arrived. Gen. Sheri dan was still at Harrisonburg. His supply trains were going o'n all right, occasionally interrupted by guerilla parties, the only force on the road. This officer brought in the remains of Lieutenant John R. Meigs, of the Engineer Corps, and only son- of / Brevet Major ::, General Meigs, quartermaster general, who was killed by bush whackers on Monday last, while making a mili tary survey. In the death of this gallant officer the Department: has occasion to deplore no ordinary loss. Last year he graduated at the military acade my, West Point, with the highest honors, at tho head of Ms class, was commissioned as a lieutenant of engineers, and immediately sent into the field. He performed meritorious and dangerous ser vices during the Last year on the fortiflca. tioris at Baltimore, at Harper’s Ferry, and at Cumberland, and was made chief engi neer in- the Army of the Shenandoah. In the campaigns he accompanied the army under Sigel, Hunter, and Sheridan. In every position he gave proof of great professional skill, personal courage, and devoted patriotism. . Ono of the youngest and brightest ornaments of the military profession, ho has fallen an early victim to mur derous rebel warfare. ' General Rosecrans reports that General Ewing made good his retreat to Rolla, losing only a few stragglers, and the killed and wounded on the way were very few. From the number of the wounded rebels, the enemy’s loss will not fall much short of a thousand hors du combat. / Edwin M. iSTAiraoir, Secretary of War. OISEB4I. CKAXT’S ARMY. ALL QUIET ALONG THE LINES—OUR FORCES STRONGLY POSTED. -Washington, October 7.— The intelligence re ceived from General Grant’s army to-day is that universal quiet prevailed on Wednesday night and yesterday morning up to ten o’clock, when the mill boat left City Point; : . ... ■. v Our forces on the south side are within sound and sight of the railroad, and in a strong position, caps ble, it is said, of resisting any rebel assault. - It ap. pears that the enemy are not using that railroad to any considerable extent. THE SHESASBOAH TAIEET. OPINIONS OP THE CHARLESTON “ MERCURY” .ON EARLY’S EXPEDITION"" AND BIS DEPEATS—SE VERE CRITICISM OP THE REBBL MILITARY Po " LtCY. ■. '• Washington, Oct. 7.—Piles-of the Charleston (S. C.) papers, Including those of the 28th ult., have been received here. The Mercury contains a letter from Richmond ad mitting that «the situation” is serious. “ Fisher’s Bill,” Ibe correspondent says, «ls,the strongest po sition In the Shenandoah, valley, and Earlyhas been driven from that, and to insure deliverance we must call out and concentrate every available man ” The Mercury ’says: “ Whbn Early assumed the aggressive and crossed the Potomac into Maryland we ventured- to express, the opinion that such a movement, could produce nothing but evil to-our cause. The subsequent burning down of Chambers burg, and the military flourishes about Wash ington, only confirmed our fears. Time has passed on, and now we see realized tlie fruits of this expedition. The army It raised is in the valley of Virginia before General Early., it has do feated him In two battles. Nor is this all. These two [battles have aided powerfully In the enforce ment of the draft now; going on in that country, and will thus add tens of thousands more to bur enemies in the field. To our comprehension it was clear that Early’s expedition Into Maryland was like that of General Longstreet to Knoxville. It w:as-a part of that hind of policy which has continually clogged our success, and destroyed its fruits before they are realized. It is this which has cost us the half of Georgia. General Hood was faithful to-it when ho sent all his cavalry away, and insured the fall of Atlanta.” SHF. WAR IS THE SOUTHWEST. THE REBEL DEFEAT AT ALATOONA—THEIR DISAP PEARANCE FROM THE PLACE—FORREST’S TRAIN CAPTURED. Chattanooga, Oct. 7.—The rebels have disap peared from Alatoona. Our victory there yesterday was complete. The rebel surgeons surrendered their hospitals into our hands, with from 400 to 800 rebels wounded: ; . Gen. Cross was slightly wounded in the. cheek; also, .Col. Ellett, -of the ,4th Minnesota, in the left thigh. : ‘ . ' An entire division of the rebel army, under Gen -French, made the attack on Alatoona. • Lieut. Armsier, of the 12th Wisconsin Batterv lost a log. ' ■ . - •• •" tel6grapliea from Bridgeport ■that the gunboat Gen. Thomas has arrived from Decatur, Alabama, with the news" that Forrest’s tram had boon captured, that our- forces are be tween Mm and the shoals, and that the eastnv'"’' falling back toward the river. Jeers THE REBEL KILLED AND WOUNDED LEST m : HANDS AT ALATOONA—SKIRMISHING WITH BOTOBD—FOBHSST REPORTED MOVnrS FLORENCE, AL A.—A BATTLE EXPECTED Nashville, Oct.7.—ln the fight near AlatJ" on the 6thinst,, our forces completely vannula tie rebels, who retreated precipitately, our hands between 400 and 800 killed and woumL 1 ® ■ Skirmishing occurred all day yesterday, at g??\ Creek, between a. force .of United States under General Morgan, and a rebel forea^^ 3 Buford. ■ - V - - St It is-reported that the rebel Forrest is en route Florence, fromLawrenceburg. A later despatch reports; that a large f otte United States troops is near Florence, and a |, IU , was momentarily expected. 1-8 MISSOURI. BEBBI, SASSAGE OF THE O3AOE HIVES SS Wr . BD BT OTJB TKOOBE—»EE.\MO%VBK AT COtrtiAjJj' St. Louts,' Oct. s:— Official.advices say t , Price’s main rebel army attemptemptod to C r tLe Osage river at Castle Kock to-day, but »!? prevented by a force or our troops stationed on *h opposite side, between whom and the rebels flAt -<ing had occurred, but with what result was n known. The'recent rains have swollen the 0; 3 ’» and Price will probably try to cross at someth' higher up. The reports that several hundred rebels j,., crossed the' Missouri river Into Montgomery eijunt are unfounded. General Blower arrived in » a j( time at Ccurant Point. His movements will be announced-to the enemy by himself. 3 THE ENEMT IN FRONT OF JEFFERSON CIT7-.3ri.rn, WTXSON AND BIX SOLDIERS IN DANCER OF BK is j| EXECUTED IST TII2 REBELS —r.ETALIATOUT jie, i BURES TAKEN BV OF.NERAL hOSECRANS. * St. Louis, Oct. T.—The enemy appeared beft ts Jefferson City to-day, but in what numbers or wit. ther a battle has been fought cannot be learned headquarters to-night. Major Wilson, of the 3d Missouri six of ids men, captured .it Pilot Knob, bare baj a turned over for execution to the notorious guerfl) Tom Reeves, for the alleged billing of some of ti latter’s associates in Arkansas. General Eoseeranß has a rebel major and 'step goners to be sent in irons to the Alton prison, a; kept In solitary confinement till the fata of Mi]' Wilson is known. Tbe rebels are to receive {; same treatment as Major Wilson’s mem The damage done to the Paeifte Railroad fa a . known/ It is estimated at $300,000, exclusive of t[ loss ol' bnsiEess of the road until it is repaired. HEFAHTMEN® OF-THE SOUTH, tTNTTED ‘'STATES SUBGRONS BELEASBD FBO2I jjf, PEXSOITMEKT. , New York, Oct. 7.—The steamer Arago, f Msl Fort Koyal on the 4th Inst., arrived at this port to. flay. ■ ■. ■■ ? . The following assistant, surgeons, and other cffi. cers of the United States army, who wore heW prisoners by the enemy, hftye been exchanged. J. Nickerson, assistant sturgeon, 16th ConneeHc, K. Bay, assistant surgeon, 1 Ist New York hr goons. W. McPherson, assistant surgeon, 101st Permi. G-. Z. Buty, assistant surgeon j 110th Bean, W. J. Craigen, assistant surgeon, 23 District Columbia Volunteers. J. H. Denny, assistant surgeon, 2d Mass. Art. J, Q.. A. Meredith, assistant surgeon, 103 d Peni H. S. White, chaplain, sth Rhode Island An. 0.. Dixon, chaplain, 16th Connecticut. The following officers had been paroled by a rebel authorities: Capt. I>. B. MeKibban, nap, S. Infantry ; Oapt. E. E, Smith, of the 19th; Oaf J. E. Miehener, or the 85th Pennsylvania, and idea, tenant Amory, of the 2d Massachusetts Cavalry, FORTRESS -.HOXBOJB. ASBITAI. FBO3I VATPAItAISO—BEATHS OS' ?BSJ. STLYAITIA^S—ARRIVAL OF IYAR VBSSELs-Cit;, MA3.S PROHIBITED FROST 001113 UP TH2 .ja; StlYBR# FcKTitESS Moheqe, Oct. s.—The Chilian ba Tabor, from Valparaiso; arrived here to-day. S exchanged signals, on August 20th, in latitude deg. .4 min., long. 31 deg. 10 min., with an Amerir bark steering southeast, showing a white flag w “14 48” in the centre. On August 21st, in latit® 23 deg. 9 min., long. 34 deg. 26 miri., she spake r English ship Ccssipore, of Liverpool, from Sam. land for Calcutta, forty-five days out. @n Oetol Ist, in latitude 38 deg. 20 min., spake the brig Ko: Bay, of Bangor, Blaine, from Philadelphia for Pc Boyal, S. C., eight days out. Tfie Tabor is eighty-five days from Valparal bound to New York. Among tkB list of deaths la Hampton Hosj : Inoe tie last report are the names of tlio foil Pennsylvanians: C. J. Oarler, 58tli Penna : Jo. Keller, 3d Penna. Artillery; Eli S. Raker. s> Penna. '■ - ' The United-States frigate Colorado arrived, anchored at Hampton Koads at X o’clock this at; noon. The Wabash arrived this afternoon. October B.—Orders have been issued to da) Mbiting civilians from passing up the James from this point. The new iron-clad Bfahopae, from IS'ew Grit arrived hero this afternoon. The steamer Menohaiisett arrived from Point this afternoon, hut brings no news of m: from the army. WASHINGTON. WASBOITGWOtf. 0«. _KO .CiyiLtASrS- TO GO TO the wbosz No more passes to visit the army front vr! the present, be issued to citizens. IKTERYIEVf BETtVHEK 6EK. BASKS AX - ' ' PRESIDES!!. Gen, Bakes had an interview with the Pr< to-day. AGENTS NOB THE PURCHASE OF COTTON pointed. •Special agents nave been appointed Tor tt chase of cotton on Government-account, the being to encourage the. sending to market i crops in the territory under rebel role. The ! lations.of the Treasury Department trill be etas in conjunction with the military authority following are the names of the agents: Geo?.f Botutit, of New York, at Memphis: 0. N ns, of Missouri, at New" Orleans, ana ( AdaOilS, of Kentucky, at Nashville. Tit named will resign Ms present positional Sixth tor of the Treasury to accept of that appall THE GOVEKKOR OF KOTA SCOTIA. Major General Dora, the Governor Gem Nova Scotia, dined with the Secretary of St? teiday, and, among other courtesies, the T authorities here afforded him facilities fat the camps and hospitals in this vicinity. ■ THE SEVEX-THIRTY EOAS. •The subscriptions to the sevea-tkirty loaa, past two days, as reported to tlis Treater; ment,. amount to $1,188,000, TEE MAILS IN MISSOI'BI. The Postmaster at Quincy, 111., Ms teitgs tie Post Office Department that the Hans" St. Joseph EaJlroaa, recently injured Q raid, has been repaired, and the mails hon: ter place have been received at his office, m mails for the West forwarded. No mails hsi lost,!going or coming. OFFICIAL SEDATIONS CONTINUED WEI CONSTITUTTONAL, GOTEEKMEXT OF ICO. This Government continues its official with ths Liberal or Constitutional Govso- Mexico, anjt the President has recently rec; Jose Soeero -Prieto eonsnl of thatEepubiii port of San Francisco. THE SOUTH ATLANTIC BLOCKADING It appears, from an official statement raes the Navy . Department to-day, that the Ki lantle Blockading Squadron has, from At 1563, to October Ist of the present year, os. destroyed fifty vessels. Most of these were fit blockade-runners.. PEKSONAL, Thtcriow Wbsd and H, J. Eaymosd si city; rumor Has it in connection v^fift peace commission. - : Assistant Secretary of the Treasury H asi has returned to his post, after tiro weeks’' Arrest of .illeged Conspirators fUauapolis—Escape of 11. 11. jiosi I'rlson. INDIAKAPOLIS, Oct.'7.—The military sat hare arrested J. J. Bingham, editor of tire > Horace Hiffron, es-colonel of an Indiana res Andrew J. Humphries, and L. JP. Milligan. 1 with being connected with a treasonabls zation. c The evidence in the case of A.H.B* commander of the Sons of Tdberty, noff before the military commission, disclose* portent facts relative to the purpose of * zotion throughout the Northwest. Dodd effected his escape from the thi tfce prison at four o’clock thli morning, hj a tojjo lornlshod by his friends outside, of one thousand dollars was at once off®* airest, and it has since been increased to 1 sand dollars. Indiana State Fair. Istoakapolis, Oct. ".—The State am Commission Fairs, held in this city dnrin? j are progressing satisfactorily. The wea®* the first part of the week was unfsvaratk now very fine, aind there was an imtneas < visitors at both places to-day. Among J guished visitors were Major Gen. Josef’ Major Greh. Logan, and Hon. Andrew J' The Bilxtakd ToumrAiiEKT.— -Hr. feated Mr. Hewes yesterday by 179 runs of Mr. Palmer, 14, 22, 23, 25, 31, S' of-Mr. Hewes, 26,22, At; average, 10,V gomery then won of Mr. Plunkett; aftei game, the loser making 492 points. SB runs were 49,23,58,31,24, 32 ; Mr. iff® 21, 2b; 29, 21, 23, 29, 51; average, 6}£. niig Mr./EStephe won of Mr. Ryall, tH lug him a hard struggle, and scortn? Mr. Estephe’s best runs were 21,90,20,« 34, Slj'Mr. KyaU’S, 25, 68, 20, 24," 38, 9K* The game between s'• Mr. Kelms was not finished in time f° :; being : begun late. The interest of the K increases dsdlyi On Tuesday next S»* Kavanagt, and the winner of the mates A.TTSACTIVE SiLS Of CABPETIKCSj &C., &c , This Dat.— Tke attention o' is requested to tiio choice and desirably of Crossley’s’ English tapestry damasfc stair, superfine ingrain, fiat, 1 ' and Dutch hemp carpets, druggets, &0;j to be peremptorily sold b? months’ credit) commencing this Sato “ Oct. Bth, at 11 o’clock precisely, & Co., auctioneers, Hoa. 232 and 23* * West Jersey Railroad I*’* ‘ quested to call the attention of l sl * o, * t important changes which will tal;0 I'' riing arrangement of the trains on . commencing SlowUiy WBk - ’
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers