\ = I N'N 1 \ ( L r ; I ; 0 familp to Agriculturt, fittraturt, ,Scitila, Art, foreign, fOomestir nub @turd )utritifitutt, ttf. ESTABLISHED IN 1813. THE WAYNESBURG MESSENGER, PUBLISHED BY B. W. JONES & JAMES S. JENNINGS, WAYNESBURG, GREENE CO., PA gx OFFICE NEARLY OPPOSITE THE PUBLIC SqUARE..LII IP 3 /Pi Sit a Et ' Elunsentrrisn.—sl 50 in advance; $1 75 at the ex piration of six months; $2 00 within the year; 62 50 niter the expiration of the year. ADVERTISEMENTS inserted at $1 00 per square for three insertions, and 25 cents a square for/Ith addition id insertion; (ten lines or less counted a square.) 00- - A liberal deduction made to yearly advertisers. Jos PRINTINO, of all kinds, executed in the best style, and on reasonable terms, at the "Messenger" Job office. .1111 agatsbur fiusirass Garbs. ATTORZIETSI 4. •. PURMA N. .I. O. RITCHIE. PURMAN Si RITCHIE, ArToßrays Waynesburg AND COUNSEUM, W..IS AT LAW, • ID — All business in Greene, Washington, and Fay ette Counties, entrusted to them, will receive prompt attention. Sept. 1.1,1861-Iy. it. W. DOWNEY, attorney and Counsellor at Law. Office In Led with's Building. opposite the Court House. Sept. 11,1661-Iy. DAVID CRAWFORD, Attorney and Counsellor at Law. Office in Sayers' Building, adjoining the Post Office. Sept. ii, 1861-Iy. C. A. BLACK. JOHN PABLAX. BLACK & PHELAN, ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELLORS AT LAW Office in the Court House, Waynesburg. Sept. 11,1861-1 y. PHYSICIANS DR. D. W. BRADEN, Physician and Burgeon. Office in the Old Bank Building, Main street. dept. 11, IE6I-Iv. DRUGS DR. W. L. CREIGH, Physician and Surgeon, And dealer in Drugs, Medicines. Oils, Paints, &c:, me., Main street, a few doors east of the Bank. Sept. 11, 1,861-Iy. M. A. HARVEY, Druggiot and Apothecary, and dealer in Paints and Oils, the most celebrated Patent Medicines, and Pure Liquors for medicinal purposes. Sept. 11,1861-Iy. MERCHANTS WM. A. PORTER, Wholes :1e and Retail Dealer in Foreign and Domes tie Dry Goode, Groceries, Notions, &c., Main street. Sept. 11, Itd3l-Iy. GEO. HOSKINSON, Opposite the Court Nouse, keeps always on band a large stock of Seasonable,Dry Goods, Groceries, Boots and Shoes, and Notions generally. Sept. It, 1861-Iy. ANDREW WILSON, Dealer in Dry Goode, Groceries, Drugs, Notions. hardware, Queensware, Stoneware, Looking Glasses, iron and Nails, Boots and Shoes, Hats and Caps. Main street, one door east of the Old Bank. Sept. 11, 1861-Iy. R. CLARK, Dealer in Dry Goods, Groceries, Hardware, Queens ware and notions, one door west of the Adams House, Main street. Sept. VI, 1861-19. MINOR & CO .) , . Dealers in Foreign and Domestic Dry Goods, Gro trerietr, Queensware, Hardware and Notions, opposite tne Green House. Main street. Sept. 11, 1861-Iy, . CLOTHING N. CLARK, Dealer in Men and Boy's Clothing, Cloths, Cassi metes, Satinets, Hats and Caps, &c., Main street, op. polite the Court House. Sept. 11, 1861-Iy. A. J, SOWERS, Dealer in Men and BOy's Clothing, Gentlemen's Fur nishing G 4 ,048, Boots and Shoes, Hats and Caps, Old Hardt Building, Main street. Sept. 11, 1861-4 m SOOT AND SHOE DEALERS J. D. COSGRAY, Boot and Shoe maker, Main street, nearly oppositel the "Farmer's and Drover's Bank." Every style of Boots and Shoes constantly on hand or made to order. Sept. 11, 1861-Iy. J. B. RICKEY, Bnot and Shoe maker, Sayer's Corner, Main street. Moots and Shoes of every variety always on hand or made to order on short notice. Sept. li, 1861-Iy. GROCERIES & VARIETIES. JOSEPH YATER, Dealer in Groceries and Confectioneries. Notions, Medicines, Perfumeries, Liverpool Ware, &c., Glass of ail sizes. and Gilt Moulding and Looking Glass Plates. erCaeh paid for good eating Apples. Sept. 11, JOHN MUNNELL, . Dealer in Groceries and Confectionaries, and Variety Goods Generally, Wilson's Nem Building, Main street. Sept. 1801 BOOKS, &c. LEWIS DAY, Dealer in School and Miscellaneous Rooks, Station- Airy, Ink, Magazines and Papers, Wilson's Old Build ing. Main street. Sept. 11, 1861-Iy. BANK , - FA MERS' & DROVE RS' BANK, WAynesburg, Pa. . - JRBdE 11001 C, Pres't DIDCOUNT D•Y, WEDNESDAY Vat. 11, 1861-Iy. SADDLES AND HARNESS SAMUEL M'ALLISTER, saddle. Harness and Trunk Maker, Main street, three A fyon west of the Adams HoUse. dept. il, 11161—Iy. TOBACCONISTS HOOF' ER &-SAGER, slifittectigers and wholesale slut' retail dealers is Tehacco, Se ass and Snuff. Seger Cases, Pape., &c., Wilson's Old Buildlng, Alain easel. pt. 11,1861-.4y. FOUNDRY. DUNN & DOWNEY, At'Alie Waynesburg Foundry, on Greene street, er i osolkintiAtlY 9 11 / band Cooking and Parlor Woven, Castings. and Oasainp of all binds. • as 4' ' ft IAS & Ces •; 4 OTYPE a—NO P.MOTOGIIRAPII TISTS, • Up SUAril lemii p 1 7 • RN of wolabook, Tnzv'as gone—the watch-fires they have set Glow round the mountain passes yet; Out through the darkness of the night They flash a silent, flickering light. They shine on victory's distant track, Whence none, alas ! for me comes back ; They let me bleed to death, to night, True sentry, on the field of fight ! Hushed is the tumult of the fray, The powder smoke is blown away; Faint, broken shouts fall on my ear, My comrades are all far from here Yet, though my comrades all are far, There gleams full many a: golden star, And angel bands light up, on high, The eternal watch-fires of the sky. On, comrades, brave, to victory I Farewell, ye banners, high and free I I can no longer be with you ; Another camp is near in view! • White banners, in the moonlight spread, Float through the heavens above my bead, Slow sinking now I see them wave And flutter o'er a soldier's grave. O loved one, 't is the thought of thee Alone weighs down this heart in me ; Yet weep not, love, be this the pride That bravely at my post I died! The Lord of Hosts, unseen, on high Leads out the armies of the sky ; Soon shall He call my name out clear, And I, true sentry, answer: Here ! MOBOOW A FIRE-DOOMED OITY. Or all the cities of the modern epoch, and perhaps in ancient times, Moscow has suffered the most fearful ly from. fires. In 1536, it was nearly consumed, and two thousand persons perished. But this calamity was trifling to the dismal catastrophe of 1571, when beleaugered by the Tar tars. They fired the suburbs, and a furious wind carried the flames into the heart of the capital, which the inhabitants could not quit except to die by the sword. A Dutch merchant, who was present at the scene, and whose account is preserved in the ILarleian mss., speaks of the event as like a storm of fire, owing not only to the wind, but to the streets being "paved with great fir trees set close together, oily and resinous, while the houses were of the same .material.— Thousands of the country people had taken refuge in the city from the public, enemy. The poor crea tures ran into the market-place, and were "all roasted there, in such sort that the tallest man seemed but a child, so much had the fire contract ed their limbs—a thing more hideous and frightful than any can imagine. "The persons," he adds, "that were burnt in this fire were above two hundred thousand"—an exaggera tion, doubtless, but an indication of a horrible incident. A still more stupendous conflagra tion was the burning of Moscow in 1812, owing to its increased extent. If attended with fewer horrors, they were sufficiently rife, for all who could not fly—the sick, infirm, and wounded—inevitably perished. Up on the approach of the French in vaders, and the loss of the great bat tle of Borodino, it was determined to abandon the old capital of the czars; and on Sunday, Sep. 15th, its three hundred thousand inhabitants were suddenly aroused from a sense of se curity by a peremptory order to gait their houses, while the Russian army of defence filed through the midst of them in full retreat. On the mor row, the officers of the government and the police withdrew; the prisons were thrown open; and none were left but the incapable, and those who remained to execute the secret orders of the authorities. Toward evening the advance guard of the enemy ar rived, and before midnight Napoleon was in the Kremlin. The city, with its churches and palaces of semi- Asiatic architecture, rising above an immense mass of private dwellings, must have presented a strange, sol emn, and even awful spectacle to the new-comers. Not a Moscovite was to be seen; not a chimney smoked ; not a sound was heard. An uncloud ed moon illuminated those deserted streets, vacant hotels, and empty palaces. " How doth the city sit solitary that was full of people." Scarcely were the French estab lished in their new quarters, when smoke and flames were observed is suing from houses closely shut up in different districts. By Tuesday even ing, the 15th, the fires had assumed a menacing aspect, distracting by their number the efforts made to quench them, while a high wind rapidly con nected them with each other, and wrapped Moscow in a vast sheet of flame. Midnight was rendered as bright as day, for at that hour ' at the distance of nekly a league, Dumas could read the 4lispatches forwarded to it by the lilt of the burning metropolis. Thirtridislisismd hixtrift, isrterilitiousamlpribeira eeliikakeintt 'fourteen thousandinteriOr stskiibiSoo% =I grrlut ffintry. THE SENTRY. PROM THE GERMAN OF LOME% Pint 9 ; tutting. WAYNESBURG, GREENE COUNTY, PA., WEDNESDAY, .JANUARY 1, 1862. ( were reduced to ashes. The private loss is supposed to have exceeded thirty millions sterling. " Palaces and temples," writes haramsin, the Russian Historian, "monuments of art and miracles of luxury; the re mains of past ages, and those which had been the creation of yes terday; the tombs of ancestors and the nursery-cradles of the present generation, were indiscriminately destroyed." Napolean shuddered at the sight as ominous of a series of disasters, and was compelled to de camp precipitately. Much mystery has been affected with reference to this transaction. But there can be little doubt that, as it was intended to dislodge the French, it was the work of Rostophchin, the governor, carefully prepared for, with the full consent of the cabinet of St. Peters burgh. He was observed to bring along with him, on joining the army, a number of fire-engines. On being asked why he had brought such things, he replied that had " good reasons for doing so. Nevertheless," he added, " as regards myself, I have only brought the horse I ride and the clothes I wear." " By their own hands their much•loved homes were fired, By their own hands their thouPand fanes expired; Fierce burn the flames, that waft to yonder skies, The incense of the patriot's sacrifice. The wide bazaar, within whose stately walls, A kingdom's ransom fill the golden halls, Rich as the fabled Phcenix' funeral bed, In one full blaze of perfumed flame has fled ; Tower kindles tower, and fires on fires arise ; To aid the dreadful death the tempest flies, Speeds with the swiftness of the mountain storm, To where the Kremlin rears his iron form ; With wreathed flames his regal towers are crowned. While hollow whirlwind. dance and moan around." It is a curious fact that, the year after the fire, seedling aspen plants sprang up everywhere among the ru ins of the city. That tree is very abundant in Rusia, particularly in the woods around Moscow. The seeds had been wafted by the winds; and if the inhabitants had not return ed to the site, it would speedily have become an immense forest.--Leisure Hours. The Effect of Pardon. In the garrison town of Woolwich, a few years ago, a soldier was about to be brought before the commanding officer of the regiment, for some mis demeanor. The officer entering the soldier's name, said, "Here is —, again; what can we do with him; ho has gone through almost every or deal ?" The sergeant-major, M. 8., apologized for intruding, and said, "There is one thing which has never been done with him, sir." "What is that, sergeant-major ?" "Well, sir, he has never been forgiven." "FOR GIVEN !" said the Colonel. "Here is his case entered." "Yes, but the man is not yet before you, and you can cancel it." After the Colonel had re flected for a few minutes, he ordered the man to be brought in, when he was asked what he had to say, rela tive to the charges brought against him. "Nothing, sir," was the reply," "only that I am sorry for what I have done." After making some suitable remarks, the Colonel said, "Well, we have resolved to forgive you." The soldier was struck with astonishment, the tears started from his eyes—he wept. The Colonel, with the Adjutant, and the others present, felt deeply, when they saw the man so humbled. The soldier thanked the Colonel for his kindness, and retired. Tho narrator had the soldier under his notice for two years and a half after this, and never dur ing that time was there a charge brought against him, or fault with him. Mercy triumphed ! Kindness conquered! The man was won ! [A very rare easel' GENERAL SHIELDS ACCEPTEL—We learn with satisfaction, says the Tribune of Tuesday, that General Shields, of California, has concluded to accept the Brigadier Generalship offered him by the President. He sailed from San Francisco on the 11th instant for Panama, on his way to New York, and may be expected there about New Year's. The Irish Brigade is already in the field, the last two regiments having taken their departure yesterday, so that when the General arrives he will find, his command awaiting him. STEEPLES OF SAVANNAH IN VIEW. —Letters from Port Royal say that from our vessels, riding at anchor in Warsaw Inlet, ten miles from Savan nah, the steeples of that city were plainly visible. Were Sherman ready, the city could be easily cap tured. The deserters and contrabands bring information that all the people on the coast have fled into the interi or, except wreckers, who are fero cious. One deserter said old Tatnall was so much affected, while telling of affairs at Port, Royal to some la dies at the dinner table of the Pu laski hotel, that he burst into tear* or-Han: Jeremiah gt. Black has bees 43101344 **nib' Ibr the Sillrieme Oeere. Rebel Forces in the Field. The recent Messages of the rebel Gov ernors, and other official documents put forth by the State authorities, enable us to form a pretty correct estimate of the strength of the rebels now in the field. It is, leaving off odd hundreds, as follows: STATE. AUTHORITIES. • NUMBER. Georgia• • • —.• •Governor's Message 27,000 Louisiana -Governor's Message 25,000 N. Carolina• • • • •Governor's Message 19,000 Virginia Governor's Message 83,000 Tennessee Governor's Proclamation ..... • • .35,000 Kentucky Estimated 10,000 Missouri Price's Proclamation 5.000 Alabama ..... • • Estimated • • • • - • • • • • • • ........... 22,000 Mississippi Vicksbnrg San• • - •• • • • .......... 2 0 00 Florida • • - • • • • •Estimated • • • • • - • • - • - • ........... :0,000 Texas Estimated 30,000 8. Carolina• • •Governor's Message 35,000 Arkansas Report of Adjutant of State 24,000 Marylaud Estimated• • • • 3,000 • Total 349,000 The Enemy at Oentreville. A contraband, who came within our lines the other day, reports that the enemy has, at Centreville, a fort or earthwork for every letter in the alphabet, and designated by the let ters, also a strong fort called Beaure gard, and one called Davis, besides another not yet finished, and un named. The forts are cennected by rifle pits, and the embankments are so prepared that the field artillery can be wheeled into the embrasures, the caissons being disposed in the rear. There is a drill of the artillery every day in placing the guns and caissons in position. There are four guns to each fort. In Fort Beaure gard there are three rifled guns pointing down the Fairfax road.— There are two regiments of colored men at Centreville, under the com mand of Jordan, an old colored vet eran of 1812, having been a drmmer boy under General Jackson. Ono of these number eleven hundred.— Two other colored regiments were sent to Missouri since the last battle there. These regiments are com posed of both free and slave. They are not allowed to do picket duty, but are drilled and encamped separ ate from the white men. Their offi cers are all white men. A SCENE IN CONGRESS. Mr. Conway, of Kansas, rising to a question of privilege, alluded to a dialogue between himself and Mr. Fouke, on Thursday. The former had included the battle of Belmont as in the series of defeats to our arms. Mr. Fouko had ineffectually asked Mr. Harding, who had the floor, to yield it to . him, that he might in his own language nail the falsehood to the counter. Mr. Conway had ex plained that he obtained his inform ation from the newspapers, and, as he did not at that time hear the of fensive remark with distinctness, he now desired to know whether Mr. Fouke intended to make the charge of falsehood personally applicably to him. Mr. Fouke, of Illinois, replied that he never heard of any newspaper paragraph to that effect, excepting in the Chicago Tribune, which was afterwards contradicted. He then made a brief statement of the battle of Belmont, to show that it was un kind in Mr. Conway . to insist on characterizing it as a defeat. He would permit the gentleman to make the application of the language he had heretofore uttered, as he (Mr. Conway) was the only judge iu the matter. Mr. Conway, in reply, said Mr. Fouke had refused to avail himself of his generosity; he submitted to the candid judgment of the House whether such conduct did not clearly manifest a deliberate purpose to bring on a personal collision without cause, and whether such conduct was not unbecoming a member of the House—but rather that of a blackguard and scoundrel? (Sensa tion.) Mr. Richardson, of Illinois, imme diately called the speaker to order, saying this was not the place to set tle such difficulties. (Cries of order, order.) Mr. Fouke wanted to say one word in reply. Mr. Stevens of Pennsylvania, and others, objected; they had enough of such things. The Speaker informed Mr. Fouke that no debate was in order. Mr. Fouke, amid cries of order, was understood to say that Mr. Con way was a disgrace to the nation and to humanity. Here the matter end ed in the House. ves-The latest news from Mexico is interesting. The Mexico Extraor dinary (newspaper) of the 28th pub lishes quite an eleborate article on the circumstances that led to the present disturbed condition of affairs between Mexico and the Allied Pow ers. The condition of the country, is represented as deplorable. Rob bers exist on the highways and by ways—even in the principal streets in the city of Mexico. The feeling in the interior against foreigners is growing more and more bitter. Gen. Doblado is looked upon as the chief man in the present crisis. General Urago has assumed command of the army of the east, and General Tapia is to command the defences on the line of Tampico. The Spanish Gov ernment has decided to increase the expeditionary force to 20,000 men.— They have ngOtiate4 a JoaUf one Alban' of dater!' with the apaufeia Bank of Havana. RETURNED TO HIS ALLEGIANCE —A letter from an officer of the Gulf block ading squadron, received by the Con necticut, states that a naval lieutenant named Baker, who forgot his duty to his flag early in the rebellion, has re cently returned to his allegiance, and has joined the Gulf squadron. He is thoroughly convinced that he made a great mistake in joining his for tune with that of the rebels. The I writer of the letter adds : " There are doubtless many others in a simi- I lar state of mind, who - would forsake the enemy if they had an opportuni tsr THE WAR WILL BE SHORT.-HOR. Schuyler Colfax, of Indiana, writing from Washington, under date of the sth inst., says: "In justice to Gen. McClellan, the Commander-in-Chief, whom I met on Monday morning, and had an interesting conversq,tion with, I must state, that he repeated to me with emphasis a former decla ration, that the war should be short, although it probably might be desper ate, and that he saw the way clearly through to success iu conquering the rebellion." GENERAL SUMNER.—The injury sus tained by General Sumner on Satur day afternoon last, which gave rise to a prevalent rumor of his death, was by no means as serious as was first thought. He was riding at a rapid gait, when his horse stepped into a foot hole, and falling, fell heav ily upon him, jarring and bruising him greatly, but not so as to endan ger his life. His condition has since been constantly improving. He Is expected to be out again in two or three days. Mrs. Douglas and Her Children. Very few people indeed, says the Detroit Free Press, have been placed in a more trying position and sacrifi ced more for the sake of the Union than has Mrs. Douglas. She has per sistenly refused to entertain the prop osition, forwarded to her by a special messenger, under a flag of truce; from the Governor of North Carolina, ask ing that the two sons of the late Sen ator Douglas be sent South to save their extensive estates in Mississippi from confiscation. If she refused a large property would be taken from the children, and in her present redu ced circumstances they may thereby eventually be placed in straitened circumstances. Here, then, was an appeal made directly to her tender regard for them, which, if she should refuse, would work disastrously against them in after years. But her answer was worthy of herself and of her late distinguished husband. If the rebels wish to make war upon de fenceless children, and take away the all of little orphan boys, it must be so, but she could not for an instant think of surrendering them to the enemies of their country and of their father. His last words wile:'Tell them to obey the corittitution and the laws of the country," and Mrs. Douglas will not make herself the instrument of disobeying his dying injunction. The children, she says, belong to Illinois, and must remain in the North. ' Illi nois and the North, we take it, will see that they are not sufferers by the devotedness and patriotism of their mother. WHY HE IS NOW A UNION MAN. A very intelligent Maryland gen tleman, who has always been a Dem ocrat, and in the last campaign was an ardent Breckinridge man, was in this city last spring, and was at the time one of the most ultra Secessionists to be found. He shortly afterwards left here on a business tour through South America, and returned a few days since. He is now in favor of preserving the Union at every haz ard. When asked what caused the change in his views, he replied that a few years since he was through South America, and, as a citizen of the. United States, was everywhere treated with the highest considera tion and respect. This time every thing has changed. In every little State of Central and South 'America he was insulted, and when he spoke of his nationality was laughed at and fannted with the rupture here.— "You talk of the United States," said they; "you have no country now : you who have been so boastful. You are no longer in a condition to fit out filibustering expeditions,and prey upon your weaker neighbors. You will soon be as weak as .the weakest." Our friend was so forcibly struck with the contrast between his posi tion as a citizen of the United States a few years since and now, that he is.iu favor of any and every effort and sacrifice to preserve the Union. —Washington Star. ViiirA Washington letter affirms that President Lincoln has expressed himself very decidedly within a day or two as favoring a cautious, pacific policy towards foreign Governments at this peculiar time. "One war at a time!" was his remark to an impet none genitleman who was endeavor ing to show the power of this coun try to beat England Ina Conflict upon o slimes, should such a result ensue. England and the Slidell Affair--The Proba- ble Course to be Pursued. PHILADELPIIIA, December 19.—An editorial in this morning's Herald says: "Notwithstanding the flying rumors that the Cabinet at Washing ton had decided unconditionally to surrender Mason and Slidell, we are in a position to state that no such conclusion has been come to by the Administration, inasmuch as no such demands have been made, nor had any communication whatever upon the subject reached the President or Mr. Seward up to eleven o'clock last night, either from England or from Lord Lyons." The Queen's messenger had not arrived in . Washington up to that time, nor is there the least intention on the part of the Cabinet to deliver up Mason and Slidell under any cir cumstances now contemplated. The excitement in England does not appear to create any alarm in the mind of Mr. Lincoln or his con stitutional advisers. On the contrary, they are said to take the matter very easy. PHILADELPHIA, December 1.9. The Times' specials of today say that the course of the Government towards England is to be conciliatory, so that our putting down rebellion may not be interfered with. Our Government does not desire a for eign war, and will do every thing fair to avoid it. If England demands Mason and Slidell, she must hereafter curtail her right of search. The Navy Department has sent or ders to have the "Constellation,", at Plymouth, and the "Macedonia," at Boston, when they shall have been refitted, to cruise in foreign seas for the protection of our commerce from privateers. Both are sailing vessels. Similar orders will be sent to the steamer "Wyoming," in the Pacific squadron, to cruise on the coast of China. The question was to-day informally discussed among a number of sena tors as to the propriety ofan adjourn ment for two weeks, and the senti ment, was very generally expressed that, owing to the present alarming condition of affairs abroad, Congress ought not to adjourn for more than three or four days. The extraordinary proclamation of General Phelps, at Ship Island, has excited the amazement and indigna tion of the President. Its revolution ary and fanatical spirit, and total disregard of the policy of the Admin istration, render his instant removal imperative. The only excuse offered for General Phelps is that he is cra zy. Washington, Dec. 19.—The Queen's messenger, and themessenger for the State Department, with dispatches concerning the Mason and Slidell af fair, arrived here last night. A Cab inet meafing was convened to-day to consider Ile subject. Proceedings in Congress. Yesterday, Harding, of Ky., made a noble and temperate speech on .El - Ilinaneipation resolutions, af ter witch Kellogg, of 111., moved that these, as well as kindred resolu tions, be referred to the Committee ,pn Judicary, which was agreed to by a vote of 77 to 07. The Government Contract Committee then made their report, and made several important economical suggestions. Considera tion of report postponed till Tuesday. Mr. Cox, of Ohio, reported a bill ap propriating $l,OOO as full compensa tion to the owners of the British ship Perthshire, in consequence of her de tention by the steamer Massachu setts, in June last, for a supposed breach of the blockade at Mobile.— The bill was passed, after a real and patriotic speech by its author, as an earliest that this Government will be as ready to indemnify for a wrong as to defend a right. A bill was report ed authorizing the Secretary of the Navy to construct twenty iron-clad steam gunboats, by contract or other wise. Ho stated that each would cost from $500,000 to $580,000. Af ter a brief debate, the consideration of the bill was postponed. Adjourn ed. Mr. Lincoln's Sentiments. A Washington correspondent says that Mr. Lincoln, last week, uttered the following words to a friend who had called upon him : "Emancipation would be equiva lent to a John Brown raid on a gi gantic scale. Our position is sur. rounded with a sufficient number of dangers already. Abolition would throw against us irrecovably, thefonr States of Missouri,.i.Kentucky, Vir ginia and Maryland, which it is cost ing the nation snob efforts to retain. We have our hands full as it is, and if there is to be any such suicidal legislation, we might as well cut loose at once, and begin taking up the arteries to prevent our bleeding to death." • GRNRRAL BANKRUPT LAW.--A spe cial committee was raised at the July session charged with the subject of a general bankrupt law, and there is good ground to expect favorable ac tion upon it. A committee of gentle men of the highest character, repro 'eating the Western and Atlantic NEW SERIES.--VOL. 8, N0:29. States, has been selected for the pur pose of urging the'speedy action of Congress on .the subject. A Mild 'Winter in Proved. Every year about this time, the question starts up as to whether there is to be a close or open winter, and the idiosyncrasies of the beaver, the squirrel, and other animals that are supposed to know a thing or two about the weather, are consulted as carefully as were the oracles of old. The Milwaukie. Wisconsin says, "But we think we have a sure thing this time, that it is going to be a mild winter. Joel Hood, the celebrated mountaineer, who has been all over the North-western territories, the Pacific States, and the Sandwich Islands, and who probably knows as pinch about the peculiarities of wild animals (not to say anything about. their furs) as any other man in the West, stakes his reputation upon the prediction that we are to have a mild winter, with the prevailing winds from the South for the next six months. He bases his knowledge upon the doings of the muskrats, beavers, and other animals that fall. He also says that it has been reduced to a certainty, by scientific and or dinary observation, thaol, whatever winds prevail when the equinoctial line is passed, they will prevail throughout the winter. This fall it was Southern winds and therefore he is certain they will be the pre vailing winds throughout the winter. The Cobra de Capello in Ceylon. A friend of the author's saw a man bit ten in 1854 by a cobra de capello, which he had seized by the head and tail. The blood flowed, and intense p;tin appeared to follow almost immediately; but with all -expedition, the friend of the sufferer undid his waisteloth, and took froth it two snake-stones, each of the size of a small almond, intensely black and highly pol ished, though of an extremely light sub stance. These he applied, one to each wound inflicted by the teeth of the ser pent, to which they attached themselves closely, the blood that oozed from the bites being rapidly imbibed by the porus tex ture of the article applied. The stones adhered tenaciously for three or four min utes, the wounded man's companion in the meanwhile rubbing his arm downwards from the shoulder towards the fingers. At length the snake-stones dropped off of their own accord; the suffering of the man appeared to subside; he twisted his fingers till the joints cracked, and went on his way without concern. Whilst this had been going on, another Indian of the party who had come up, took from his bag a small piece of white wood, which resem bled a root, and passed it gently near the head of the cobra, when the latter imme diately inclined close to the ground; be then lifted the snake without hesitation, and coiled it into a circle at the bottom of his basket.—Tennanes Ceylon. A Hint to Young Women. A sensible, prudent man knows how to estimate outside adornings and artificial smiles at their real worth, which is, in fact, very low. ITe knows that the gay, dressy flirt often makes a slatternly wife and a still worse mother ; that the girl who tries to make herself so very agreea ble and bewitching while angling fur a husband frequently turns out a very vixen when she has caught her fish; that the at tractions she exhibits in public are, in most instances, the very reverse that are to be seen at home; in short, that though she may be such an one as many young men love to flirt with, she is the very last whom prudence would select for a wife. A fe male whose sole recommendation is a pretty face and a showy dress, may excite a little attention ; but when it is discover ed that the attraction is external, and all its emptiness within, then the prudent man shies off, saying to himself, "This is not the girl to make a wife of."—BritioA Workman. A SAVING CLAUSE IN THEOLOGY.-At criminal term of the supreme court 'recent ly held in Lawrence, Massachusetts, a lit tle boy. six years old, was called as a wit• nese in an assault case. The district at torney having some doubts whether a boy of so tender an age knew the nature of an oath, proceeded to ask him a few questions. District attorney: "Little boy, do you know what it is to testify?" "Little boy; "I suppose it is to tell the truth." "Dis trict attorney: "Yes; but what would be the consequence* you did not tell the truth?" Little boy: I suppose I should be sent to jail." District attorney: "But would not God punish you?" Little boy: "No, I goess not; dad is a Universalist." EXPERIENCE IN THE WORLD.—I've had friends—plenty of them; fine, jovial fel lows, who would back me for all they were worth, as long as I was in luck ; and I never found one of them that I could de pend upon when the wheel turned. There was a time in my life, to be sure I was very young, when I thought a sworn brother would have seen me through anything. I have learned better since then ; but I don's think 4 owe those any thaOlat who iota& me the lesson,