4
0
BY S. J. ROW..
CLEARFIELD, PA., WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1862.
VOL. 8.-NO. 46.
ii ii It lylik
HOPE.
v( The brightest joys soon die away,
The fairest pleasures fade ;
And life itself is but a day
Oft times of gloomy shade.
The joyous smile of baby glee
.. . Beaming in infant's eye,
Soon turns to deepest misery,
. Or quickly passeth by.
tlope'only guides us through the night
Of worldly strife and woe ;
Making adversity seem bright,
With sunlight's fostering glow.
. Brighter and bl ighter let Hope glow
i Hum injr uunncaai ncari ;
llope on Hope ever, then below
Bo of thy life a part.
THE GREAT BATTLE BEFORE RICHMOND.
. ' ' " Full and Graphic Account.
The following account of the great fight be
tor,e Richmond is from a correspondent of the
Philadelphia Tress, and is dated July 4th :
No point in all the former front of the army
Was niore eagerly watched or strongly guarded
Mian Mecbauicsville. On-numerous occasions
I have told you of its importauce. The enemy
Here equally with us aware of the great Feder
al advantage the posession of Mechanicsville
are, and General McCIellan had Jong ago 10
aolvcd to make use of '.heir anxiety lor its re
possession in order to secure the safety of the
movement across to the James river. Certain
indications of an attempt at . crossing were,
. therefore, bailed with delight, and every
' means resorted to to blind the reLelsas to our
real wishes, but at the same time to get them
over. Union and Secession coquetted long at
bai pass, but Union at length triumphed, and
on Thursday afternoon, June 2G, at 2 o'clock,
the enemy threw their bridge across the stream
and the first ranks cautiously passed it. The
-news of this was. of course, instantly tele
graphed to General McCMIan, and ten min
vtes afterwards the extreme . left of the army
was on the march to White Oak swamp and
the James river. The great movement had
commenced.
Finding the ground not Rear so hotly con
. tested as they had expected, the rebels threw
vtst numbers across the stream, in order the
more quickly to bear down our opposition. A
. brigade of General McCalPs Pennsylvania
Reserves met them and bravely fought them
. for hours against a body of troops ten times
. their number. They fell back, however, as no
bravery could withstand the torrent, until they
camo upon the ballance of the Reserve divi
' alon, two brigades, and a brigade of General
Porter's corps, commanded by General Mar
tlndsle. This was most welcome aid to the
Jaded troops who sought it. Rifle pits and
seme slight entrenchments also proved an ad
ditional means of defence, and Colonel Sim
mons' regiment, the 5th, with Colonel Jack
eon's 9th, were the first to rush upon the foe.
Here the rebel advance, which had been made
lor two miles, was checked, and brilliant
charges eoon broke their columns. A few
.moments more and the gallant Reserves were
driving Secession pell raell into the Chieka
hominy. At dusk they rested on their arms
the victors of the field, a few artillery shots
being the only sound of war, and in the silence
of evening proceeded to the sorrow ful task of
burying the dead. Every regiment of the
corps was terribly decimated. Colonel Sim
mons lay dead upon the field, where he and
his regiment had so immortalized themselves.
Dead and wounded, Federal and rebel, lay all
about, and with saddened . hearts the brave
Pennsylvanians proceeded to the task before
them, placing each loved companion, who had
that day sealed his patriotism with his blood,
in the rude but honored grave of the soldier.
Rebel watch-fires surrounded them, and the
distant tramp of rebel reinforcements could
constantly be heard. No man passed that
night in other mien than sorrow.
However, at two o'clock on Friday morning,
June 27, these brave troops, who were effec
tually checking the rebel advance at the "Sev
en Miles to Richmond" cross-roads, received
orders to retreat. With great reluctance they
started down. the road to Gaines' Mill, four
miles distant, knowing as they did so, that
they were leaving a position in which they
could hold at bay a huudred thousand men.
Slowly they came, making very short marches
and very long halts, their way lighted by a
vast pile of burning knapsacks, left behind by
General Forter. The enemy soon discovered j
the retreat and poured along after, thousands
to the rear, filling up the space which the ad
vancing front left vacant. They deployed in
to the fields, skirmished on all sides, and
spread out as far as the river would allow
them on the one band or our harrassiug caval
ry on the other. The Federal plan seemed to
be to give the rebels its much annoyance as
possible ; firing cannon at them as far as pos
sible lrom their crossing places at Mechanics
ville. It being well understood that this was to be
onr course of operations, by nine on the morn
ing of Friday the rebels had com down to
and were in full possession of Dr. Gaines'
house and all the neighboring highlands.
Here the Grapevine bridge crosses the Chick
ahominy river, debouching in the midst of
General Smith's forces on the Federal side of
the stream, and if the enemy were to change
their minds and come across if, or, by sending
a detachment across, were to attack General
Smith and make a junction with their own
forces just above him on that side of the river,
it would jeopardize the whole army. So Gen.
Slocum's division was ordered out at an early
honr to guard this bridge. They marched to
the flat at the extreme end, and Gen. New
ton's brigade crossed, the others bivouacking.
When General Newton had passed through
the trees bordering the river, he saw the ene
my in full force on the hills above, and imme
diately returned to report his observation.
The division lay there until noon, when it
was ordered to return towards camp, but one
brigade was subsequently wheeled about whilst
on the . homeward road, and again halted on
the flat.
At noen c.inonading commenced, from one
side of the river to tho other. Gen. Smith's
batteries had several huge columbiads mount
ed, which played with splendid accuracy upon
the rebels surrounding the Doctor's house.
Every Federal gun'which could bo brought to
bear was Bred at them, and their artillery, of
bich they seemed to . have but few throwing
shell, endeavored, but without effect, to si
lenee these terrible batteries. General Por-
ler, too, whose troops were now the opposing I
force, on their own side of the river, upon
their approach sent shell after shell into them,
all with the most telling results." At two
o'clock, on Fiiday afternoon, the rebel line of
battle commenced at the river's edge, just at
Dr. Gaines' house, ran up the hill to it, then
across, and curving around the Fcdeaal
troops, seemed to bear away off back into the
country. Thousands of their men were de
ployed on the hill sides, a Federal battery,
taken across a corduroy road above Grapevine
bridge, bring into them with deadly effect.
Skiimishers and picketers fought in the flat,
and so it was all the way up the hill and back
to 4he woods. Musketry rattled unceasingly,
and the enemy seemed to be met strongly at
all quarters. Pcrter'sand McCall's troops by
on the hills bordering the Chickahominy, at
Woodbury bridge, a mile or two below Grape
vine, their horses grazing under the trees, and
the men in line of battle. This fight was al
most purely an artilleiy one, excepting among
the skirmishers, whoso rifles maintained a
constant cracking. Infantry, excepting as
reserves or supporting parties, were but little
used. There was some severe infantry fight
ing, however, but it was only a prelude to the
great buttle which gave that day such a bloody
name.
At 3 o'clock in the afternoon the Grapevine
bridge and the one above it were destroyed,
the 'Jut h Pennsylvania' and 3d Vermont break
ing down the former. Trees were thrown ;n
every way to obstruct a passage, and in a few
moments such an imnas.sjble Lanier was rear-
ed ol logs and trees and brush, added to the
streams 'ji water and swamp, that no force of
the enemy could have passed it i'i a week.
Thus were closed these entrances to our lines,
and by this destruction . every passage-way
across the stream was obstructed, from Me
chanicsville down to the y'oodbury bridge,' a
distance of lully six miles. The brigade then
followed the other two which had gone oil" to
wurds camp at noon. -
But their road through towards the camp
had not led into' it. The whole ol Gen. Slo
cum's division were taken across Woodbury
bridge, and General .Magher'a Irish Brigade,
brought over from Sumner's corps, followed.
They advanced to meet the enemy, and then
commenced Friday's feat ful contest. McCall
and Porter, and Slocum, and Meagher, drawn
up in line of battle, awaited the enemy's ap
proach. The former had fought him all day,
and were wearied with their constant exer
tions. Still they .lid not lug. They held the
field until reinforcements came, and showed
the most heroic bio very. Then, with the or
der they retreated, Slocum and Meagher tak
ing their places, and on a field' already stewn
with dead and dying recommenced the battle.
They first confronted the enemy at five in
the evening, a mile distant lrom the bridge.
This was the bloodiest scene of the whole
day's fight. The rebels were dejdoved on the
hills, and our troops brought up lrom the low
lands to cheek them had to do so under a fu
rious stoim ol round shot and musketry.
Charge alter charge was made full to the ene
my's centre, when they flanked us with a
cross fire of rourd shot. We held our place,
however, each man firing as swiftly as he
could, lying on his back to load his i usket,
and turning over, or rising to his knees, to
fire it. The enemy, at the end of the contest,
did not reply to our volley. Thus it remain
ed until du.-sk, when we Were ordered to re'rc.at.
At first, our artillerymen did good execution,
but it is said that afterwards they murdered
many of our own troops.
Too high praise cannot be given to the noble
conduct ol Gen. Sykes' division ol regular
troops during this day's contest. For six
hours they bore the brunt of the battle, and
some of the grandest charges, most honorable
to ourselves, most terrible to the enemy, were
made by this body. They allowed no stain to
fall upon the bright escutcheon of the regular
auny. The 93th and 9Gih Pennsylvania regi
ments were also in the battle, and behaved
most gallantly. The latter was the last to
leave the ground, the brigade commander
riding away after ordering it, but Col. Cake
being reluctant to follow. A Federal' battery
was standi ig hard by, and on its commander
being asked why he was preparing to leave, ha
said there was not a single infantry soldier
to support him. "The 9tiih will do it," was
the universal cry.
Col. Goslin,of the 93th did his duty brave
ly, lie, with Major Hubbs, was wounolod
latally, and 1 am sorry to say both have since
died. The OGlh had three ollicers wounded
Lieut. Ellerick, since died, and Lieutenants
Albert S ay lor and' Ernst Sauorbiej', though I
not dangerously. Every field and company
officer of the Otith, with the above three excep- j
tions, came safely out of the contest, and ;
Lieut. Col. Town, of the 93th, is also safe. A ;
thousand of wur men must have been killed j
and wounded in that day's contest, and the
loss ol the rebels is beyond all calculation.
By midnight, on Friday, all our troops were
safely across the river, the killed and wound
ed, excepting the latter who managed to get
over, being left in the enemy's hands. Wood
bury bridge was a pile of ruins by daylight,
and the railroad ' bridge twelve miles from
Mehanicsvilie, was the first unobstructed cross
ing below that town.
Whilst ono side of the Chickahominy saw so
much blood and battle, tho other was not al
lowed to rest quietly. Duiiug all of Thurs
day and Friday the most terrific cannonades
rent the air. Our artillerists, aware of the e-
vacuation tliey were so soon to mane, unew
that they could best cover it by fierce and fil- j
rious shelling. In tho midst of all this ball
playing, ou Fiiday, two Georgia brigades ;
came upon lour companies oi me uuii xxew
l'ork ami three of tho 49th Pennsylvania, who
were picketing in front of Fort Davidson, ou
the extreme right of our position. Our Ave
hundred Unionists fought bravely, making
scores of rebels bite tho dust. We, of course,
retreated but it was in good order, and with
living colors. Gen. Lamar of the rebels, was
killed- and a colonel and lieutentaut colonel
lLlll 1
The !
and numerous privates taken prisoners
bravery of this skirmish, against vastly, supe- j
nor numbers, cannot oe sumcieuny pi.uuu
The week was full of noble deeds.
Friday night found every regiment in the
army resting on its arms, momentarily ex
pecting an attack. The retreat was to be
made by first sending away tho wagons, be
ginning at the left, aud goiug around to the
risht. aud then tho troons from right to left
rr.,.r;., t ou i, ,.,;n I....1 . !
O I
were sent oil, picketers and rear guard alone
rmAininir. All alonsr th front demonstrations
were made bv infantrv and artillerv to blind !
the enemy. 'Marchecountertiiarches, feign-!
ed attacks, and every sort of military manoeu
vre were made with endless prolusion. The
foolish enemy never for one moment suspect
ed our real design, and thinking these move
ments demonstrations ugainst them, made for
the purpose of weakening the effect of their
fancied turning of o;.r right wing, continued
concentrating their entire army on the Chick
ahominy, sending tens of thousands of troops
across it as reinforcements lor the advancing
j column. Deluded rebeldom little suspected
She was send iliS the flower of her qrmv iiwiir
from her enemies, and that the hundred thou
sand "men she had. across the Chickahominy
had no other foe to tight but a few helpless
men, lying iu an old house opposite Woodbury
bridge. "
Saturday commenced the evacuation of the
right wing, which was slowly, though suiely
maae. White House, and alt the stores there,,
w hich could not be carried away, were burned.
Thiity thousand Federal muskets were thrown
into the Pamunky. The mail came through
that morni: g with newspapers, and Bottom's
bridge and the railroad bridge were destroy
ed as soon as the train passed over. Ail day
the rear guard was marching and counter
marching, still blinding the enemy, a .id in
every skirmish with his forces gaining a vic
tory. Thousands of wagons were sent oil on
the road past Savage station, through White
Oak Swamp, towards City Point, oti the James
river. All the sick and wounded who could
wa.k were sent along with the teams the
helpless had to shift for themselves. 1 enlist
! -'! that day in the squad who hunted up the
sick, aim seiittueiu away, and at nignt was
with the extreme rear at Woodbury bridge.
Never in my lile did an evening pass with
such solemn grandeur as that one spent at
Woodbury bridge. Ou the Federal side a
solitary company of cavalry guarded the end
of the destroyed bridge, and soldiers burned
the lew valuable articles which were lying
about. Camp-fires were lighted as for a "vast
army. Stragglers, tired almost to death, lay
on liie ground sleeping, each marked le.tturo
sum imo a period rest. j lew wagons were
still there. The vast plain, once filled with
all the pageantry ol war, was stretched out be
lore me dotted all over with (ires, but having
save that one cavalry company, not a single
uumaii oeing upon all its suriace. Across
the river, brightly reflected upon the clouds,
where the lights of the rebel camp, and their
lorces, with no one to oppose them, no doubt
were as they had been for many hours previ
ousiy, underarms upon tho bloody field which
bore so many ol their dead.
At ten o clock on Saturday evening, ' tho
last of the Federal army had left Woodbury
bridge, and wele i:i lull retreat for White Oali
bwamp. lhe night was dark and cloudy,
threatening rain. Thousands of strag? lint;
soldiers were mixed up with tiie wagons, ami
as wo proceeded, regiment alter regiment,
lrom all parts o! tho right wing, joii ed us
in , - . i ii . .
iiirougu a wilderness ol wood and swamp,
the close and damp atmosphere almost snllo
eating us, we went rushing over logs aud
stumps, the men running to keep up with the
wagons, and the wagons jolting aloi g in the
uio-t outrageous maimer. Midnight brought
us to Savage Station, and here was the hist
Horror ol that night's journey. Savage Sta
tion was a largo depot ol commissary stores,
aud an imm.-nse hospital.- Sheds and tents by
scores had ueen erected, and Were failed to
overflowing with the sick and wounded, whom
exposure md battle h'd rendered heirless.
The poor soldiers, far too numerous to receive
anything like proper care lrom the very lew
surgeons who were at their posts, lay on the
ground in heaps, hugging each other for
warmth. Officers and men, high and low,
were all reduced to the same level that night.
Each was waiting to have his wants attended
to, and all, I am glad to say, amid the terrible
scenes which surrounded them, bore their ag
onies with patience. This horror, however,
was nothing to that winch next morning saw.
When the rear guard camo up, the enemy
pressing them on all sides, the entire hospi
tal was turned out. Sick ami wounded were
told to shift for themselves as they best could,
and those who could not get into the few am
bulances which were there had to walk for
ward, or if possible, persuade some surly
teamster to carry them oa his overloaded wag
on. In gloomy squads tho lame and halt
limped oil towards the James river, the groans
of poor suffering humanity almost stifling tho
words of encouragement which the slighth
wounded gave. They shifted for themselves,
and many did it by lying down by the roadside
to die. hen the enemy came there a few
i hours aftel'wards, even their barbarity must
I have been modified by tho terrible appearance
ol Savage Hospital. Dead and dying soldiers
; covered the ground. The ashes of commissary
i stores, blown about by the wind of that Sab
i bath morning, shrouded them, and the ex-
plosion of a railway train, laden with amurii
! lion, which was sent shrieking through tho
i woods, was the knell sounded lor all.- That
' railroad htation will always be a sad spot in
t my recollection. For terrible sights and
j scenes, the world has not its "equal.
From Savage Station all the way to James
I river, the retreat had to be conducted by a
single road, which crossed the stream border
ing White Oak Swamp by a rude log bridge,
so imbedded in mud that every wagon had to
bo assisted at the crossing, aud many stuck
last. Over this one road, a vast army, with
all its baggage, had to pass, fhc reader may
judge of the contusion ol the passage, when
tee thousand wagon
head ol cattle 'were
count. White Oan
tee thousand wagons aud twenty-live hundred
two small items in the ac
Swamp bridge is some six
miles f re iu tho station, and lrom one eud of
the road between them to the other wagons,
horses, soldiers, cannon, pontoon boats, cais
sons, ambulances, and everything conceivable
for the use of a moving army, were standing
in a perfect jam. An ollicer at almost every
iep urgeu memou. xweuiy rows o, aSoUa
s'oou siuo iuo, musics ea uvi
lmiilkin ' and ollicers suoutimr. Uiuel was a
O -----
second time seen ou earth, and over all could
be heard Gen. r ltz Jouu Porter as no urged
his horse up a hill shouting to a wagoner not
to stop up the entire road. Ou we came to
White Oak Swamp, passed it and a lew miles
beyond the partv I walked with lay down oa
' the ground, completely fagged out, and slept
'during the heat of the day. Thou--:
sands of soldiers lay around, belonging" to
every regiment in the army. Maiue and Penn-
- ... I J . ....
svivania weui IU UOU lOeiUCl
jew lorn
j forgot her exclustveuess in the embraces of
"little Delaware, and Michigan gathered leaves
to shade the weary brow of many an Lastern
soldier. Thus passed Sunday morning,
and
early in the afternoon I again started off on
my weary tramp, amid confusion and haste,
to lay my tired body in a fence corner and
pass the night.
The most prolific imagination cannot realize
a true view of this great retreat, and pen-pic
tures avail very little in its description. On
Sunday morning the rebels discovered our re
treat, and sent thousands upon thousauds of
troops after us. All of our secrecy and strate
gy had gained us but the time between mid
night and morning, and when each F deral
soldier was tired enough to lie down anywhere
in search of his so-much-needed rcstj rebel
cavalry and artillery cam a rushing after him,
and with weary step he had to wheel into line
of battle. The most heroic bravery was the
rule thioughout the army in battling against
the rebel guerillas who infested our rear.
Slocum fought until his men dropped down
from fatigue, and Hein'zelman relieved him.
Hooker camo to the rescue of Hcintzclman,
and the impetuous Kearney charged into the
very ceutte of the rebel lines. In every en
engagement the enemy were soundly beaten,
ami our rearguard, first one army corps and
then another githered laurel upon laurel in
the hundred skirmishes of th t retreat.
It was in this series of brilii int buttles that
Generals McCall ami Meade were wounded.
In Monday's light the Reserves fought Jike ti
gers against the enemy, and when they re
treated, literally cut to pieces, lrom the field,
General McCall was left behind, wounded,
and, no doubt, a few moments more saw him
a prisoner to the enemy. General Reynolds
was also taken, but I am glad to say, was un
injured. General Meade, though badly woun
ded, was borne from the field by his troops.
General Seymour now commands' the rem
nant of that fine division, once the pride of
Pennsylvania.
Tiie march was fully protected. Not a sin
gle valuable article fell into the enemy's
hands. Thousands ol dollars Worth ol prop
erty was destroyed because it could not be
carried, bi the rear-guard kept behind the
last wagon, not allowing a single team to fall
into the enemy's possession. Food was burn
ed, ammunition blown up, whiskey and mo
lasses barrels broached, wagons, with horses
dead by the wayside lrom sheer fatigue, weie
burned, or had every spoke and axio broken.
Soldiers threw away their knapsacks, but at
tentive fatigue parties piled them in vast heaps,
and their ashes mocksd the rebels, whose ut
most exertions were too feeble to secure them.
Muskets lying in ditches were bent and bro
ken. Not a single article ol aH thrown away
by that grand army" on its grand retreat could
be uselul to tho rebels. Fire and water, the
knife and the axe did their work, and did it
well.
Still the enemy pressed us, and through all
uio nignt the jaded army with its baggage
had to be urged on. A vast herd of cattle
passed me early on Monday morning, and, just
after it, a drove of a thousand rebel prisoners.
1 started early, and again witnessed Sunday's
learful scenes. Wounded and sick limped
along, many a onj lying down to sleep his
last sleet) under the grateful shade of the
roadside woods. The same contusion of wag
ons, and soldiers, and cannon, ami the para
phernalia of war, blocked the passage; and,
in addition to lhe rebels thundering behind
us, and the long, weary, dust- way before,
hunger and thirst began to stare- us in the
iace. lhousands had thrown awav'thcir hav
ersacks, containing all their food, and not a
bite could they procure. Not a stream or a
spring could be found anywhere to quench the
thirst ol the poor soldiers. They lay on the
ground drinking from ditches filled with mud
and filth. Wells, dug with their hands, some
times furnished a scant supply
But it was noi one-tenth enough for the ar
my. Horses died from thirst, and were left
lying where they fell. Everywhere could be
hoard tne cry for water, water, though above
it sounded loudly the voices of tho officers,
who urged every one forward. Monday was
far more terrible than Sunday. Hunger and
thirst came to the aid of Secession, in tho in
fliction of deep and painful wounds upon the
Union army.
At one o'clock ou Monday I came in sight
of the James river, away off in the distance,
its muddy current swiftly coursing between
its low banks. How many hailed with de
light that glorious river which betokened the
end of our weary, terrible journey. The hill
top was lined with gazers who feasted their
eyes with the sight of the glorious stream.
The halt we made, however, was a very short
one, and altera dusty march of four miles wo
reached Turkey Landing, on the river. Here
I witnessed the most frantic irleo on the nart
of the troops. Soldiers would rush down the
hill-side and plunge into the stream in a per
fect frenzy of delight. Manv whose thirst
had been most excruciating for hours before,
standing neck deen in the water, diank to
their heart's content. The horses, too, were
relieved their wants were cared for, and the
hungry soldiers were tho only ones left who
were still in worse misery than the army gen
erally.
Tne enemy, finding that their boldest efforts
made no impression upon our slowly-retreating
rear guard, but that, on the contrary, they
only resulted in defeats, and capture of can
non and prisoners, on Monday conceived a new
design. A vast column was sent down the
bank of the James river, on the City Point
road, with the iuteution at first of checking
our advance to the river bank, or if too late
for that of flanking our rear guard and cut
ting it off. The movement was discovered
early in the day, and gunboats went up above
i urKey landing to shell the rebels so soon as
they were within range. Along oame the col
umn raising a terrible dust, and a half dozen
gunboats, aided by the signal corps, at once
set to work to cheek it. From three o'clock
until evening, they kept up a constant firing,
every shell falling among the rebeTs. Thou
sands must havo been killed and wounded,
aud a hasty, disorderly retreat ended tho
hopes ol any early achievement of the wishes
of the commander of that column.
A poetic
young man, in describing the
of a lot of goldfish, savs :
movements
They flashed and darted about like bright
hopes through a lover's braiu." That young
man should be looked to. He's been staying
out o' nights and sipping whiskey toddy.
Said a little girl to her mother one day
"Did they have newspapers before the war i"
"Why yes my dear," was tho reply; "but
why do you ask ? " "Because I should like
to know what they had to put in them."
THE CONSTITUTION.
The war has been raging mere than a year
and no one can see the end of it. People are
longing for peace to return. Every one has
an opinion peculiarly his own about what
would be the best course to pursue. One has
laitn m geitie means, another would carry
ou the war w ithbarbarious cruelty one would
give the entire management of the war to the
war power of the Government, another would
have Congress control every military opera
tion one would have Congress regard the
United States as one and inseparable, the other
would treat the rebels, aud recognize them as
a foreign belligerent power one would have
Congress legislate in a constitutional way for
the whole country, recognizing no division,
another would have it entirely disregard all
constitutional limitations, and yet all are sin
cerely honest in their convictions, and honest
ly believe t! at their peculiar notions are what
should be adopted by the Government.'
We are of those who are for maintaining
the Constitution in its purity, because we be
lieve the war to have been inaugurated for the
maintenance of the Government, the support
of the Constitution, nnd the enforcement of
the law s. Wo believe that it is only by virtue
of the Constitution that we have a right to war
against the rebellion. If we set the Constitu
tion at defiance and ignore all its limitations
we have no longer any bond by which to hold
the Southern States, and the war becomes a
war of conquest, and not a war for the right.
If we treat thtConstitution as a nullity we free
the South from all its obligations to the Union
and hereby acknowledge its right to form an
independent Government of its own liking.
Many in the South differ from us. Bishop
Pope may have thought he is doiug right in
taking
up arms in favor ol Secession, and
Bishop Mead may have thought he was doing
right when he commended to God the rebel's
cause which he styled a "righteous cause."
We do not agree with 'them, because we main
tain that under the Constitution they owed
the Government their support and adherence,
and hid no right to secede. But if we disre
gard the Constitution, and, because the rebels
violate it too, it becomes worthless as a funda
mental system of Government, and is not
worth the parchment on which it is written.
Without the Constitution what light is there
to prevent the country from being torn into
two or twenty pieces or independent States 1
If there is nothing stronger to hold the North
and the South together than mere matters of
opinion, why should they trouble each other?
why this terrible war I
It is by virtue of tho Constitution that the
Government claims the support of the South
as ol more importance than the principles of
States Rights, and State Sovereignty. When
the South said "Let us alone" we said "No,
you are bouud by the bonds of the Constitu
tion to remain in the Union, and the whole
power ol the Government will be employed, if
necessary, to keep you in it." But without
the Constitution what right have we to keep
a single State iu the Union 1
When we hoar of the rebel cruelties inflict
ed upon our soldiers, our indignation gets the
better of our judgment, aud we feel as being
justified in recognizing no law but the lex
talionis aud no right but the right of might.
But in our calm reflections we think diller.ent
ly. We expect the war to end and we want
to continue to enjoy the blessings of our noble
Constitution. What will it profit us if we
Conquor tne rebellion and have no system of
Government loft after the war is over i Shall
it be said that the war was carried on only for
the love of carnage and slaughter. God for
bid ! We believe it was inaugurated aud is
carried on for a higher and a better purpose.
We believe the Constitution will pass through
the ordeal uninjured and unpolluted. We be
lieve the rebellion can be crushed without
sacrificing the very foundation of our political
liberty.
Separationists and Secessionists are the
twin-enemies to the Constitution and both la
bor lor its destruction. We have repeatedly
declared our purpose to support the Constitu
tion and we intend doiug it against all the
combinations that can bo made against it.
To anathamatize tho rebel becausa he violates
the Constitution he vowed to support, and
wink at the Abolitionist who is guilty of the
same oflence is a system of ethics we wont en
dorse. If tne Constitution is wrong amend it
as is provided for, but until it bo amended let
us support it as it is. Indiana Register.
Gea. Rosseau on Slavery.
This meritorious officer, belonging to Gen.
nalleck's army, who is a native of Kentucky
and a slavehodler besides, made a speech in
Louisville recently, which we take to be a
fair expression of the sentiments and feelings
of Southern Union men generally. In order
to state the speaker's position in general, he
is for "the destruction of slavery j" as he is
for that of everything elie standing in the
way of success of the Union arms. To be
entirely explicit, he remarked that "if this
rebellion lasted another year slavery is cer
tain of being utterly destroyed." But we di
rect particular attention to the following pai-
agraph, a portion of which, comiug from a
loyal slaveholder, fighting lor the integrity
of tho Union, we deem woithy of emphasi
zing with italics. After announcing that tiie
rebellion was based upon a lie, the General
proceeded. Mark his words :
"There never was any cause for it. To be
gin and keep it up a system of wholesale ly
ing was adopted, and is pursued industriously
to this day. They could teach the devil him
self much ho never knew before about lving.
Wherever the army has zone it has met xrith this
fell spirit of falsehood. We have taken none
of their property ; we have excluded their slaves
from our lines ; when needed we have placed
guards of our soldiers around their houses to
protect them : and yet they persist in calling us
abolitionists and negro thieves. 1nd in spite
of our disclaimers and cur soldiers asseverations
to the contrary, of our words and our acts, they
have insisted that our object is to 0teal and lib'
erate their slaves."
"And if we fail to restore the Union "the
erlasting nigger" will be the cause of the
failure. They know what they say Is false,
yet they never cease repeating it. Behind
and before us this has been the cry of the ene
mies of the Government. Now, tho army of
Gen. Hallecii is eminently conservative, i
believe there is neither an abolitionist nor a
secessionist in it. If there is ono of either
faction, I do not know of it. So orderly, so
patriotic, and conservative a t-ody ol men I
believe never before assembled together.
1 hat army in its intercourse with the seces
sionists has pleaded and is still pleadiDg for
peace under the old Government, otieriuir to
...... O i .
oui oouiuern uretnern all they ever had, and
claiming nothing except In common with
them. They wait to take nothing from any
one, but desire that their Southern brethren
shall enjoy all their lights unimpaired. But
the negro is in tho way, in spite of all that
can be done or said."
"I have warned our Southern friends of the
danger of continuing it much louger : audi
tell yon to-uigit thai tf this war continues a
year from this d.nj, there will not be a slaro oi
this continent. The great revolution will take
care of itself tho dead will bury its dead
and those who are causing all tho bloodshed
and desolation around us, under the false pre
tesne that we desifo to free their negroes, will,
if they persist, one day find slavery snutfed
out as you snuff out a candle. Slavery is not
worth our Government. It Is not worth our
liberty. It is not worth all the precious bloo4
now being poured out for freedom. It is not
worth the free navigation of the Mississippi
river."
"In spite of your entreaties, the issue will
be cruelly thrust upon you, aud you will be
forced to decide between slavery md yovr wires
and children. As for mo, I am ready for tho
responsibility. A Southern man as I am,
born and brought up in the South, with all
my sympathies w ith the South, I could not
hesitate one moment when the issue is prevented
between the uiszer and the Government of mr
fathers. 1 am lor tho Government of the Uni
ted States against all its enemies. I will not
consent to become a slave that the negro may
be kept a slave. I will not sacrifice the hap
piness of my wile, children, aud lriends ; the
welfare of my beloved State, and the glory
of my conutry on an alter dedicated loan
"Ebony Idol."
SPEECH OF MS. NO ELL. -In
the House, Mr. Noell, of Missouri, la
speaking of confiscation, made a good speech,
and among his remarks wo find the following :
"Having said this much, r. Speaker, ia
relcrence to the constitutionality of confisca
tion, I desire now to say a few words in rela
tiou to the policy of it. I claim to have in
my -bosom as much of the milk of human kind
ness as most men ; I claim to possess as broad
a charity as most men. I am perfectly will
ing, for one, to forgive the past. I am wilt
ing to say to those who have undertaken tr
destroy the best Government Oil t!-lsl f:P( f
the earth, "I forgive you. Go and sin no
more." I am willing to do that; but wheu I
get there, my charity and mercy stop. I am
not willing to say to them, "Go, and doasyu
have done, in the full consciousness that w
have no law that cau be practically executed,
and that will punish you." 1 am uot willing
to expend the whole stock of my charity and
generosity upon those who have plundered,
robbed, and murdered tho Union mnofmy
own section. I am unwilling to say to them,
"Continue in your hellish deeds, and you shall
rest secure under tho protection of the law
and of the Constitution." I know something
about their generosity ; I know something about
their mercy. I know how my own poor con
stituents, whoso hearts were not infected with
this crime of treason, this sentimentof treach
ery, were treated at the hands of these men j
and yet I say I forgive them for what they
have done. I seek lo do nothing against
them from motives of revenge. I ask no
idemnity for tho past; but in the name of my
outraged and loyal constituents, I do demand
at the hands or this Congress security for tbe
future ; and I say, if the Government of the
United States is not strong enough, and Las
not courage enough to punish crimes against
its own authority, and to protect the loyal
men who have stood by it in the hour of its
darkest trial, it is a Government unworthy the
allegiance of a free and brave people. Sir,
when 1 say theso things, I say them in no
spirit of revenge ; but I take tho broad ground
that ten loyal men are entitled, in any given
State, to more consideration than a million of
traitors, and, so far as I am concerned, I will
undertake to carry it out in every vote and
every act while 1 have the privilege of occu
pying a scat upon this floor.
"I say, sir, that so far from this bill produ
cing mischief in tho border slave States, it is
the only means by which our loyal people can
be protected. Why, sir, it is a common thing
for these men, as soon as the overwhelming
force of the United States troops gets out of
sight, to run back into our settlements and
burn our houses, drive our wives and children
from their homes, and strip them of every dol
lar's worth of property they have upon the
face of tho earth. Meet them again, and they
laugh in your face, and tell you there is no
law by which they can bo "pumshed. You
cannot bang five hundred thousand men.
That is impossible. Such a law cannot be ex
ecuted. No one knows better than they do
that such is the case ; and if we do not reach
them iu the only way in which we can reach
them through their property they will con
tinue to commit these disloyal acts and mur
derous crimes. I believe that if wo had pas
sed a confiscation bill at our extra session In
July, and those men who ow n property in that
country had known that there was a law in
force Miich could be executed against them
effectively, and which would be executed
against them if they continued committing
these outrages againtt the Government, mncfi
ol the miachief they have perpetrated would
have been arrested."
What Will K.lll Worms. A corrcsron
dent of the Orleaus American gives the fol
lowing, w hich w ill be of interest to many of
our readers : "Noticing Kerosene recom
mended to destroy the worms infesting- tho
Gooseberry and Currant shrubs, I found, on
examination, a Gooseberry bush literally cov
ered. I put about one gill of Kerosene into
one quart of wat.-r, and put it in a sprinkler
and wet the bush. Tho next morning nearly
every worm lay dead under the bush and oa
tho limbs. Next day, not a worm was to be
seen. I found a few on an adjoining currant
and gooseberry bush, but two applications
cleared them oil. I then put about two gills
of Kerosene into two gallons of water soap
suds or wash water is the best applying tho
same to one dozen large bushes two or thret
timos, and have kept them clear of worms.
Care shoifld be taken not to apply too muck
Kerosene." '