DEMOCRAT,
AND -BLOOMSBUEG GENERAL ADVERTISES.
LE.VI L. ME, Editor.
"TO HOLD AND THI5I THE TollOII OF TRUTH AND WAVE IT O'ER TIIE DARKENED EARTH.
$2 00 PER ANNUM.
VOL. 15-NO. 45.
BLOOMSBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY, PA., SATURDAY. JANUARY II, im. VOLUME 25.
COLUMBIA
"
4
4,'
v
4
:-(
j
COLUMBIA DEMOCRAT,
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY, BY
LEVI L. TATE.
XN DLOOMSBURO, COLUMBIA COUNTY, PA.
0 F FTC E
in lAi ntic flrtrfc IBMiltg, opposite tie Euhangt, iy tide
Ml Court Iloute. Vtmocratle Head Quartiri."
TERMS OP SUBSCRIPTION.
81 00 In mlvance, for one copy, for tlx month!.
1 75 In ndvnnce. for Olio cony, ono vcar.
3 00 If not paid within tlio Brsuhrco months.
S 55 If not paid within tlio first tlx mouths.
3 SO If not paid within the year.
K7" No subscription taken fur leu than six 'months,
nud no paper diicontinued until all arrearates ihall Im a
teen paid.
E7- Ordinary AovsitTiscMMTa IniettoJ, and Jon Work
xicutod. at the cstabllshcclpncek
Select Woctvii
From the Now York Ledger.
The Game of Life-A. Homily.
it JOHN a. a ixx,
There't a game much In fashion 1 think It'i called
ucAre.
(Though I never hav played it, for pleaauro or lucre,)
In which, when the cards aro In certain conditions ,
The playeri appear to have changed their positions:,
And ono of them cries, in a confident tone,
"I think I may venture too it tloiiil"
While watching the game, 'tis a whim of the hard's,
A moral to draw from'the skirmish of cards,
And to fancy he finds In the trivial strifo
Home excellent hints for the llattlo of Life ;
Where whether the prize be a ribbon or throne
The winner is he who can "go it alone I"
When great Galileo proclaimed that the world
In a regular orbit was ccastlesfly whirled,
And got-rioi a convert for all ofhispains,
Hut only derision and prison and chains,
"It moves, or all that 1" wns his answering tone,
For he knew, like the Earth, ho could "go it alone I"
When Kepler, with intellect piercing afar,
Discovered the laws of each planet and star,
And doctors, who ought to have inuded his name,
Derided his learning and blackened his fame,
"I can trait " ho rnpllcd, "tillthe truth you shall own;'1
Tor Ik felt in his heart he could "go it alouo 1"
Alos I for the player who Idly depends
In the struggle of life, upon kindred or friends;
Whatever the value ef blessings like these,
They can never atone for Inglorious ense,
Nor comfort the coward who finds, with a groan,
That his crutches have left him lo"go it alonel"
There's something, no doubt, in the hand you may hold,
Health, family, culture, wit, binuty and gold
The fortunatcowner may fairly regard
A, each in its way, n mont excellent card ;
Yet the game maybe lost, with nil thoso for your own,
Unless you've the couraga to "go it alone I"
In tinttto or business, whttover the game.
In law or in love, it 1 ever the same i
In the struggle frnowcr, or tho scramble for pelf,
Let this be your motto "Jltl) on Ycurtilf!"
Vat, whether the prize bo a ribbon or throne,
The victor Is he who can "go it nloue I"
Select iiHiscellauiL
Many Facts in Small Compass.
The number of languages spokon is 4,004.
Tho number of mon is about equal to tUo
number of women. Tho avcrago of hu
man lifo is 33 years. One-quarter tlio
before tho age of seven ; one-half before
tho ago of 17. To ovcry thousand per
sons ono only reaches 100 years, and not
nioro.than one in fivo hundred will reach
80 ycacs. Thcro aro on tho earth 1,000,-
000,000 inhabitants. Of these, 311,333,.
333 dio ovcry year, 91,8i)4 tlio every day,
' 7,780 every hour, and 00 per minute, or
". one every second. These losses aro about
' balanced by an equal number of births.
1 Tho married are longer lived than the sin
gle, and abovo all, thoso who observe a
sober and industrious conduct. Tall men
live longer than short ones. Women have
. 'more chances of lifo previous to the age of
fifty years than men, but fewer after.
' Tho numbor of marriages aro in propor
tion of 70 to 100. Marriages aro more
frequent after tho oquinoxes, that is, du
ring tho months of Juno and December.
iThoso born in Spring aro generally moro
robust than others. Births and deaths aro
Jmore frequent by night than by day.
f
I How a Curate Becamk a Rector.
vArehbishop Whatcly, in his "Annota
tions on Bacon's Essays,1' relates tho fol
lowing 'anecdote : "A curato of a London
pas'uh, of most, exemplary conduct, was
accustomed to remonstrato very freely
' with any of his pcoplo whoso lifo was not
what it should havo beeu. Thoy wishod
much to get rid of him, but could find no
pretext for complaint, either to tho Bector
or the Bishop. They thereforo hit upon
jjjthis cunuing plan : They drew up and
'signed a memorial to tho Hishop, setting
forth tho admirablo character of tho eu
'wrato, lamenting that his eminent worth
6bould not bo rewarded, and earnestly
''recommending him for tho proferment.
Soon after, this very
living qutto unox
pectedly becamo vacant, whorcupon tho
as well
deserving, lio appeared to be, prcsontcd
.f, i'fhira to it, informing him of tho memorial,
r?Tho good man thanked his peoplo with
,. - 1 I n " " 1- -1 f
tearful eyes, rejoicing that thoy had taken
in good part his freedom of speech, and
assuring them that ho would continue all
his life the coarse which bad won their an -
rebtion."
literal & Political,
BE MARKS OF
HON. THADDEUS STEVENS,
In Congress, December 10, 1801, on the
Bill to Raise a Volunteer Force for
Kentucky,
Mr. Ssevens. I riso for tue purpose of
statiDg the reason why I must vote against
this bill, Itis estimated for by no De
partment of tho Government. It is call
ed for by no Department of tho Govern
ment. I think that if this House mean
that the war shall be carried out to a suc
cessful termination, it must be done in
such an ceonomical manner as that tho
people shall not become alarmed, and that
it shall not have to be abandoned before it
is finished. Tho ouly way to guard against
that is to u?c economy, and to restrain tho
expenditures of the Government within all
possible bounds, consistent with carrying it
on properly.
Now, sir, tho House ought to know
something about what it will be called on
to appropriate, according to tho estimates
sent to us. The Committee of Ways and
Means will have to report a deficiency bill
even after Congress appropriating S318,
000,000 last July. Wo shall havo to ap.
propriate from one hundred and sixty to
two hundred and fourteen million dollars
more to mako up the deficiencies for this
fiscal year. Wo shall also havo to ruport
a bill making an appropriation of S-113,.
000,000 for next year. Wo will thus have
to appropriate more than six hundred mil
lien dollars, without the addition of a sin
gle dollar beyond what is estimated for.
Now, sir, that in itself is alarming. I con
fess 1 do not sco how, unless the expeuscs
aro greatly curtailed, this Government can
possibly go on over six months. If wo go
on increasing expenses, as we have been
doing, and as we propose to do by this bill
the finances, not only of the Government
but of the whole country, must give way,
and tho people will bo involved in one gen
oral bankruptcy and ruin.
Now what-docs this bill propose to do ?
Wc have already in tho field an army of
six hundred and sixty thousand men. 1
am told that eighty thousand of these, arc
in Kentucky, constituting the command of
General Buell. If that be not enough, it
is most remarkable that out of tho six hun
dred and sixty thousand now in the field,
enough cannot bo spared to guard Ken
tucky I had hoped that Kentucky was not so
much in danger. Wo had a rose-colored
view of tho state of affairs in Kentucky in
tho President's message. Ho informed us
that Kentucky had mado such progress
that she was now ablo to take caro Of her
self. Wo were told that Missouri was in
the same category, and would never more
bo overrun. Wo were told the same thing
in respect to Maryland. But now it seems
to be thought that unless there is a contin
ued military occupation in Kentuoky, when
tho Army of tho country has driven, tho
enemy from tho State, her own citizens
would not bo sufficient to guard her. Sir,
if they be not sufficient, let her havo as
many more troops as she calls for. In
God's nauio, I would not exposo Kentucky
to any danger. I had never supposed
thcro was anysueh danger there a that
suggested by the gontlemen from Illinois,
Mr. Lovejoy But if there bo any dau
ger that tho troops there aro not sufficient
to guard tho State, after tho enemy has
been driven off, let tho Government order
just as many more as Kentuoky requires.
I can well understand how, if tho troops
aro withdrawn, thero will be an immcdiato
rising of tho rebels thero. I havo no doubt
that if our Army wero to be withdrawn
from Maryland, sho would be thrown iuto
secossiouin a week. I do not believe any
thing about tho loyalty of the Maryland
people. I do not know how it is that Ma
rylaud has seven regiments in tho service
of the United States and nono in tho rebel
service . I do understand whero tho Pres
ident gets his facts which ho states in this
respect. I believo he is laboring under a
hallucination of miud upon this subject as
fatal as that of Samson under tho manip
ulations Delilah.
But, sir, as I said beforo, if thoy want
more troops in Kentucky, let moro be sent..
l understand thero aro six huudrcd and
sixty thousand men under arms somowhero.
, I do not know whero thoy aro. I do not
i -
sco their tracks. I know they aro lying
about somowboro, whero thoy can bo very
well sparod. Thoy aro doing nothing.
Let them be sent iuto Kentuoky to guard
tho country thero while- our troops are
marching beyoud tho State,
, But now we are asked Uiat a novol kind
of foroe shall be rained of Monty thousand
men. Wo are asked that tho President
shall exercise over them a powcr,which by
the Constitution is conferred alono upon
Congress, to impose rules and regulations
in regard to tho composition of that forco,
that ho may convort theso twenty thousand
mon from infantry to mounted rifles. Do
gentlemen know what thoso twenty thous
and men will eost tho Government for a
year ? If thoy arc infantry, they will cost
8120,000,000. If thoy aro mounted men,
you all know, who aro familiar with the
operations of this Government, that regi
ment of mounted men costs SI ,500,000 a
year. I ask this house if thoy arc prepar
ed to add to tho burdens their constituents
now havo upon thorn, and which they must
bear, twenty or thirty million dollars a
year more, unless there is some imperative
necessity be shown, I canuot vote for this
bill.
As I said before, there is no call by tho
Administration for these troops. I do not
doubt what the gentlemen from Kentucky
Air. Wickliffo says is truo as to the state
ment made to him respecting tho views of
tho War Department, and I am not blam-
ing him for asking' the passage of this
bill ; but if tho Department require these
twenty thousand additional troops,let them
scud a requisition hero showing there is a
necessity for them, and for adding twenty
or thirty million dollars to our aunual ex
penses, and to the public burdens, and I
shall reluctantly voto for it. But until
then, although I have tho highest respect
for the gentleman from Kentucky, aud for
the Committee on Millitary affairs, yet I
cannot voto ono dollar for another troop to
be raised beyond the six hundred and .six
ty thousand now in the field until tho ue
oessity is shown by some one further than
it has yet been shown While I am reluc
tant to vote against any bill which the gen
tleman from Kentucky desires, I cannot
bring it within the lino of duty, as I re
gard it, to voto for tlits bill. If ho will
urge the Department and the Commander-in-Chief
to send troops now in sorviuo into
this state, I hope thoy will gratify him.
I have no doubt his recommendations will
havo that potency which they ought to havo.
But for Heaven's sake do not let us go on
piling mountains upon mountains of debt
and taxation, until the nation itself is final-;
ly destroyed in the operations of this war.
Management of the Wav.
Wo learn from Washington that tho'
joint committee of Congress appointed to
inquire into the management of the war
meets with little or no success in its hives- '
tigations. Tho Commander-in-Chief of tho
army declines to give the Committee an
audience at present to discuss tho Ball's '
Bluff disaster. Not having tho resolution
under which this committee was appointed
beforo us, wo aro unable to say whether itj
contemplated only an investigation into the
onuses of tho disasters to our arms, or.
whether tho Committee is designed to act i
as a supervisory junta to control tho futuro I
operations of tho Commander-in-Chief.
If tho latter power is granted or assumed,
it is evident that this Committee may bc
como, in tho hands of politicians, an in
strument of much mischief and disaster.
Tho same uneasy class of politicians who
forced the Government into tho Bull Run
fight, aro impatient for another advance,
and if pormitlcd to havo their own way
would precipitate tho army into another
defeat before tho close of another week.
Tho Commander-in-Chicf is naturally
jealous of such interforenco with his plans,
and it is not surprising that ho has iutor
poscd obstacles to an investigation that
can accomplish no good, and may work
incalculable mischief.
Good Enough to be True. Tho
Washington correspondent of tho Buoyrus
Farmer says, that in a privato conversa
tion with tho President tho other day, ho
asked his opinion of tho courso of tho
Northern Democracy in tho prcsont crisis,
and ho reports tho following reply :
'Tho honest old Railsplittcr replied,
with a blush, that "their patriotic support
to tho Constitution and Union is just what
ho expected from tho followers of Demoo
raoy that if thoy had not rallied to tho
support of the stars and stripes thcro would
havo been no government left us." Said
ho, "If tho Dcmooraoy had served mo and
my administration, such a trick as Mr
Corwin and myself svod tho Admiuistra
tion of Mr. Polk during the .Mexican War,
wo should now bo in the hands of Jeff Da
vis. At .the time wo were traitors to our
country, and gave aid aud comfort tho Mcx
ioaus ; aud if our countrymen wero to treat
us now as wo treated them, wo should bo
wcloimcd with bloody hands to hospitable
Tho Emancipation -Question in
'Congress.
Without waiting to rceeivo tho Mess ago
of tho President or tho reports of the
Secretaries, without knowing what policy
had already been adopted by tho Govern
ment, and was now in operation, tho Rad
icals of tho two Houses of Congress, on
tho first day of the session, precipitated
before both Chambers tho question of
Emancipation. Tho process was as Logi
cal as the attempt itself was reasonable I
"Whereas," the resolutions generally ran,
"Congress has no power to emancipate
slaves, resolved that our Generals shall
recruit them into tho army and declare
them free.'' Tho non srquitet is as appa
rent as it would be in fact if the proclama
tion for tho negro allies wero sounded.
They would not follow to tho call.
Wo are wearied with tho pertinacity of
folly with which tho factious leaders of a
minority attempt to forco tho delusive and
fatal policy upon the county. Wo shall
not argue tho qucstiou of right, for they
heed not right; nor of the Constitution,
for they mock it ; nor of expediency, for
they arc incapable of understanding it.
But if Congress distrusts the power of
tho 000,000 white soldiers in arms, in dc
feaco of the Constitution, and of tho vast
Navy of tho Federal Government, and
must needs recruit from the black popula
tion, why not commence at tho North ? If
blacks aro needed for soldiers, why not
marshal tho free blacks to the rescue, in
stead of attempting this tardy and circu
itous method of rallying slaves to our
standard. There aro a00,000 frco blacks
in thu toytl States, and an army of So,
000 might easily bo supplied from their
numbers. To get the same force -of able
bodied meu from the slave population, wo
would havo to take within our lines,- and
support till tho close of tho war, eight times
tho number, counting women, children,
tho deerepid and incapable. The burden
of such a population would bo immensely
greater than that of any similar number
of tho most expensive troops we now have,
even on the most extravagant estimate
What will it cost to sustain a population
of 200,000 slaves during tho war, fed
with daily rations as the "contrabanls" at
Fortress Monroe now arc? The elements
of tho calculation arc to bo found in that
experiment, and it is in the power of tho
Government to givo the results also. Wo
venture to sa.y that there never was a body
of men, outside of tho established Alms
Houses, so unproductive and wasteful and
useless, as the laborers at Fortress Mon
roe, and their largo dependent families.
We do not believo the people aro rich
onough to support such a body of prison
ers ; or that the suffering citizens of the
North will patiently abide tho idea that
while Government leaves them to their
bitter fato of hunger and cold, it is mani
festing paternal indulgence and bestowing
its liberal bounties upon the vagrant pop
ulation of the South, whom it has invited
into idleness. And then when the negro
class has sucked its millions from the
Treasury, tho mastor class is to havo its
turn 1 How many millions will this take,
and who but tho Northern laborer will
havo to pay them I
AVill tho Northern soldier stand, side
by side, in the ranks with the black freed
men T Try it ! Let tho experiment bo
mado with tho soldiers recruited from tho
black population of tho North, beforo we
rush iiito tho experiment of a general levy
of troops at tho Souh. Tho Northern
negro, if freedom is an advantage, is tho
better man of tho two, and is certainly
better educated, and disciplined, and tolf
reliant. What would bo tho fate of a brig-
ado ofilacks, officorcd by their own class,
or even by whites, and marching to battlo 1
What would be their discipliuo, their tone,
thoir courngo, anJ to what extcut would
they tlevato or depress tho warlike- senti
ment, and esprit de corps of tho Army I
We ask these questions, but wo seek no
answer, Every man can auswor them.
The country has alroady answorod them,
Not a Stato has sent n single blaok man to
tho defenco of tho country. Tho Govern
ment has asked for none, and will accept
nono, It is a moro trick of words, a de
lusion and falsehood, to talk about recruit
ing our armies from suoh a source. Re
duced to its real meaning, tho action of
Congress is this an invitation to tho
slaves to divert ihuir ma.'-to'-a, with tho
promise that Goverment will support and
ireo thorn if thoy do. Behind this invita
tion is tho hiddci! incitement to scrvilo in
surrection j but tho fanatics of Congress
havo not yet resolved that supornal folly
and erimo iuto words. Thoy hopo that tho
qulok oar of tho nogro will catch tho
that ho will hasten to the lines of our army
and seek his promised roward, with ho
blood of his master and mistress and chil
dren dripping from his knife ? and thoso
who havo not toned up their minds to ttiix
expectation, hopo at least that tho fear of
such an impending horror may drivo the
South into submison.
It is but a new delusion, another so
quenco in that long lino of falla cics,
which underrating tho energies and the '
power of our adversaries, has led us from
ono error to anothor, in a long career of
disappointments and calamities. Albany
Argus,
Mason and Slidell Gou'o.
Wo are informod that Messrs. Mason
and Slidell wero finally delivered up this
forenoon, aud left Fort Warren at about
11 o'clock. The arrangement for their
return was very quietly made, and noth
ing wa3 known in this eity in regard to
tho affair untill tho hour arrived for their
departure. The steam tugboat Starlight
was employed by tho Government to con
voy the prisoners to Provincetown, Capo
Cod, whero they are to be transferred to
the British gunboat Rinaldo, which ar
rived at that port last night.
In accordance with tho abovo plan of
releasing tho rebels, tho tugboat Starlight
left this city shortly beforo 10 o'clock this
forenoon, and stopped at Fort Warren,
where she took on board Mason and Sli
dell and their two Secretaries. After re
ceiving their baggage, &c, the tug pro
ceeded on her way to sea, leaving the fort
about 11 o'ciock. The whole affair was
conducted without any display, in perfect
quiet, and in the ordinary manner of con
veying passengers. Tho tugboat will prob
ably reach Provincetown this afternoon,
and the prisoners will bo transferred with
out delay to the British gunboat.
Tho Rinaldo is a screw steam sloop-of-war,
00 horse power, mounts seventeen
guns, and is manned by two hundred hands
including tho ojficcrs. Her guns, thirty-
two ponnders.are on tho main deck. Two
of these cannon arc pivots, each weighing
over ten thousand pounds. The interme
diate deck is used for the accommodation
of tho officers, and is eouitortably fitted
up.
Th list of the officers is as follows :
Commander. Hewitt ; First Lieuten
ant, A. Arlington ; Second Lieutenant, K.
Turton ; Master, li. Smythe, Surgeon, A.
Archer, j Paymaster. A. Thompson : As
sistant Surgeon, A,
Nelson.
Boston Journal.
A Trcasouablo Affair.
A gentleman who attended tho recent
Iceturo of Wendell Philips in New York
city, informs tho Argus, of an incident
which aptly illustrates the cheractcr of the
audience, and shows it to have been fully
in harmony with that of tho speaker. His
oration was a complete farrago of treason,
one fifth of which, if uttored by a Demo'
crat, would havo consigned tho individual
instantlyto Fort Lafayette or Warren.
Tho incident alluded to is not reported iu
tho daily papers. At tho-closc of a treas
onable passage, whero Philips avowed that
ho was for tho Union now only because ho
hoped tho Coutitution would bo overridden,
a person iu tho hall colled out, "Three
cheers for Abo Liuoolu and the Constitu
tion !'' Tho responso was instant shout of
"Hustle him out !" and ho teas buttled
out, ignominiously.
Gen. Fromont was present, and when
over his name was uttered by the speaker,
this gang of treason-mongers and despisors j
of tho Constitution vooiforously appluuded, t
whilo Gen. M'Olellou's name was passed
over in utter silence. Fremont alone, of
all the Generals of the army, was juged to
have shown sufficient oont.cinpt for Cousti-,
tutional restraints, and enough of tho dio
tator, to suit this revolutionary conclave,
which reminds ono of tho clubs iu which ,
Robcspicrro used to rant, and sans culot
tes of Paris to applaud.
PiiEi'AiUNa Anotheii Causk of War..
Tho London Examiner, of Decembor
14th, is preparing for anothor causs btlli.
It says:
Supposing reparation to bo mado for
tho Trent outrago, and tho prisoners to bo
restored safe from Lyuch Law, whioh
seems too natural a eequenco to Wilkes'
law, icifl it not be for the powers of Europe
to consi'ltr whether the measures of the
N'jrlli. as taken against the South are con
sistent with the interests of civilization ?
Is it to bo cudurcd that tho United States
Govornmeut shall cko out tho inefficiency
of itsblookado by tho detestiblo moans of
vessols laden with stone, to be nuuk to
Gov. Tod aud (he Nrw:pni(T.3.
The peoplo of Ohio olocted David Tod
Governor of tho Stato, lost October, in
entire good faith, and with tho confident
hopo that ho would provo worthy of the
great trust. They awako now with tho
very unpleasant suspicion, in advance of
his assumption of tho gubernatorial robes,
that thoy havo "caught a Tartar." Gov.
Tod's persistent hunting down of tho
Cleveland Herald, which ho still nursuei
as a hound would a rabbit, is tho first act
in the drama ho marks out for himself as
Chief Executive of tho Stato. As Prcsi
dent of tho Mahoning Railroad, ho forbids
that it oven bo carried as express matter ;
and inasmuch as tho corporation onco ro-
fused to carry the U. S. Mails, it may bo
tucy will rcfuso them again unless the
Hcraldis excluded. Gov. Tod writes that
tho llerold wa3 "dangerous," and that the
"public good" requires him to attempt to
suppress it. Who mado him censor ?
Certainly not the pcoplo. Thoy would not
even havo made him Governor had they
suspected suoh things a week beforo tho
election. The press of tho entire State
except tho local rivals of tho Ilrruld, who
reap a temporary benefit by its short sales
denounces this act of Gov. Tod, and
well thoy may. When ho is Governor,
tho Lord only knows what newsnaners in
the Stato will be safe. Chicago Tribune.
Wo are glad that tho infamous policy of
tho arbitrary suppression of newspapers
has at last been applied in a caso to touch
tho Republicans "on tho raw." It was all
right, just, patriotic and glorious as long
as it was applied only to Democratic pa
pers ; but when ono of their own' treason
able organs is mado to feel tho grasp of
arbitrary power, they are very indignant
and denounce tho act and its author with
deserved severity. The Cleveland Iler
allss offence was tho porsistent defenco of
Fremont and severe denunciation of his ro
moval from command. This was no crime
and not half so "danccrous" to tho Dublin
interest a3 Mr. Tod's despotic and lawless
conduct
Yet wo see no reason whv Tod
should be denounced for doing in one case
just what Seward has been doing in a
hundred cases, and been praised therefor.
Tho question of tho Tribune in regard to
Todwbo made him censor?" may as
pertinently be aiked with reference to So-
ward. Roth havo eommiifnJ nfw, ..
ward. Both havo committed offences mer.
iting confinement in a peniteutiary. But
Tod deserves tho greater puniihmont bo
causo he professes to bo a Democrat, and
has gone to thecxtrcmo of Republican des
potism from motive of interest just as a
few "pro-slavery" Democrats havo become
ultra Abolitionists from motives which us
ually govern mere mercenaries and sol
diers of fortune, Ar. II, Patriot,
Speakisq Plainly. An article in a
recent issuo of the Nortii American con
tains the following paragraph :
"Wo speak plainly because it is necess
ary to do so. At the vory timo whon the
people have looked for retrenchment, and
tho Secretaries of the Treasury, the War
and the Navy departments have earnestly
advised it as requisite to enable tho Gov
ernment to meet its expeuscs, tho Van
Wyck Committeo has laid baro tho fact
that untold sums havo been squandered on
wretched contracts, illegal and monstrous
commissions, and by a thousand other va
rieties of that gonteel robbery which goes
by such names as peculation. I seems to
us that there is at this crisis anothor moro
expressive and far moro appropriate desig
nation for these offences, and that is trea
son. The rebel who fairly stands up iu
the ranks of a hostile army wo know how
to contend against ; but the secret enemy
in our own ranks who goes with us merely
to bag the publio money and stoal away
to somo more congenial climo with it, who
cloths our soldiers in rags and gives them
rotten blankets to shield them from tho
rudo wiutry blasts, is ho less guilty than
the open aud avowed rebel of that erimo
which tho Constitution defines as 'giving
aid and comfort to tho oncmy ?"
Tua Colokep People Auminc. Wc
aro glad to seo that the colored peoplo are
ninvine. find it taliknlv flint. !n n fnw lot-a
thoy 'will complete a strong military organ-
nuuuu, 4uu tuiuiuu cuuipany in iiamax
is very efficicut, and ono of the best there,
Montreal Uazette.
The colored pcoplo in .Canada, for tho
most part, aro fugitives from tho slavo
States sent thither by the Northern Ah
olitionists. over tho U. G, R, R. It savs
as little for tho negro's gratitudo as for
his opprcciation of tho blossingj of "froe
dom," that ho should thus bo showing an
inclination to tako un arms, ns it wjhi
Christmas in "Washington.
Thcro was a general observance m
Washington of Chtistmas day, all secular
business being suspoiled. The utrcot
crossing wore guarded by a few mounted
and foot soldiers, to be ready to unnress
any dinturbanccs, tho city being visited by
hundreds of volunteers, somo of whom
wero arrested by tho Provost Guard for
being absent from thoir camp without leave.
All tho drinking saloons wero closed at
night. As it was agreed that tho meeting
of both houses of Congress on Thursday
should bo simply a matter of form to ad-
journ over till Monday,noarlyall tho Sena
tors and representatives had left tho city.
Tho publio functionaries of all erades.
sought relaxation in social amenities', "anrl
tho soldiers onjoyed relief from all excent
indispensable duties, aud. fasting upon tho
tumcs pica and knick-knacks, w'mle wag
on loads of which had been proviood bv
their friends. Notwithstanding tho privi
leges allowed, tho almost entire absence of
drunkenness was generally remarked.
Our soldiers across tho Potomae cmav
tf
cd a general holiday. Dress parados wero
the only military duty required. A largo
number had their privato Christmas din-
ners, speeches and music. Most of tho
tonts were tastefully deeoratod with over-
greens ana otuorwise rurally ornamented.
.at, uamp iiuuerneiu, Jdall s Hill, there
was a fantastic parade of tho Ellsworth
Regiment, whioh caused ereat merriment..
Each man was grotesquely dressed, and
the usual order of movements are carefully
reversed. There was a mook trial of tha
officers, and othor doings, which served
greatly to entertain tho men and their
friends, who wero in attendance in largo
numbers.
S From a speech of an hour's length
made by Mr. Conway, Republican mem
ber of Congress from Kansas, wo extract
the following :
"Tho report of tho Secretary of tho
Treasury tells a fearful tale. Nearly two
'mmU" UUarS Wl" naral moro
million dollars a day will hardly
6UfllC0 t0 C0VCr cx,sllDS Pentaros
a n yar and a half our national
acbtn tl,c ,Tar continues, will amount to
000000)000 Illls 13 l lmmemo sao:
wc.arp makiug for freedom and Union;
T y' " lt T '? b s1uandcrcd
"ablorfngo and a cheat ? For ono I shall
NOT VOTE ANOTHER DOLLAR
OR MAN for tho war untill it assumes a
different standiug, and TENDS DIRECT-
Lx TO AN ANTI-SLAVERY RE
SULT. Millions for freedom, but not one
cent for slavery."
A lew days ago an officer in tho Armv
of tho Potomac published a lettor in tho
H'ashingtou Star, giving notice that if this
war were to bo converted into ono of eman
cipation of tho negroes; thero would bo t
general resignation of tho officers.
Finn AT THE GOVEUXMANT STABLES,
Washington Nearly Two Bandied
Horses Burnt to Death Washington,
Dee. 26. To-uight a firo broke out in tho
Government stables, near tho Observatory.
They contained over six huudrcd horsos,
between one huudrcd and fifty and two
hundred of which perished. Of a train of
one hundred and two horses belonging to
a Massachusetts regiment, ouly cloven wero
it is eaid, saved ! Some of tho animals
wero so shockingly burnt that it wa's
judged humana to shoot them iu order to
i: .1 i- . i ,
rcuuvu mem iroui incir auueriugs. it is
supposed that tho conflagration iesulted
from carelessness. So quickly were tho
flames communicated to tho various racks
filled with hay that th'o horses in tho stalls
wero nearly all at the samo timo suffoca
ted. Tho sceno was sickening and offen
aivc.
The remainder of tho horsos not imme
djately near the fire were cither looted o
broke their fastenings and wildly ran in
diffcront directions, but wero pursued"'' by
t-quads of cavalry with a view to thoir
capture. A largo quantity of harness and
a house occupied as a dwelling by the
teamsters were also destroyed. This largo
loss affords au additional argutqont for the
employment of steam firo engines, whioh
has long been contemplated.
Moro Now Blanks.
Deeds, Summons, Executions, Seiro Fa
cias, Stato Warrants, Commitments, Qapi
ascs, School orders, Exemption, Judgment
with Singlo and Doublo Notes, etc., just
printed and for i&lo at tho offioo of the
Columbia Democrat,
Connecticut Democracy. The Do-
"mocraoy of Connecticut havo oalled thir
n State Convention to roe'et st Middletown on
..lt.,a 12th nfV-W
'