The Waynesburg messenger. (Waynesburg, Greene County, Pa.) 1849-1901, January 01, 1862, Image 1

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    \ =
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,