Raftsman's journal. (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, July 30, 1862, Image 1

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    BY S. J. R0.
CLEARFIELD, PA., WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1862.
VOL. 8.TCO. 18.
THE NEW CALL FOB VOLUNTEERS.
BT OUTER WENDKLL HOLMES-
Listn, young herors ! jour country is calling !
Time strikes the hour for the brave and the true !
. Now. while the foremost are fighting and falling
Fill up the ranks that hare opened for you !
Yon whom the fathers made free and defended,
Stain not the scroll that emblasons their fame !
You who? fair heritage spotless descended.
Leave not your children a birthright of abamo !
Star not for questions while Freedom stands gasp
ing! Wait not till Honor lies wrapped in his pall !
Brief the lips meeting be, swift the bands clasp
ing "Off to the wars !" is enough for tbom all.
Break from the arms that would fondly caress you !
Hark! 'tis the bugle-blast! sabers are drawn !
Mothers shall pray for you, fathers shall bless you.
Maidens shall weep for you when you are gone !
Never or now! cries the blood of a nation -Poured
on the turl where the red roses should
bloom ;
Now is the day and the hour of salvation
Never or now ! peals the trumpet of doom ! .
Never or now ! roars the hoarse-throated cannon
Through the black canopy blotting the skies ;
Never or now ! flaps the shell-blasted pennon
O'er the deep ooze where the Cumberland lies !
From the foul dens where our brothers are dying,
Aliens and foes in the land of their birth,
From the rank swamps where our martyrs are
lying
Fleading in vain for a handf ul of earth !
From the hot plains where they perish outnum
bered. Furrowed and ridged by the battle-fields' plow,
Comes the loud summons ; too long you have
slumbered.
Hear the last Angol-trump Never or JJow !
BZPORT OF COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT,
For fchool year ending Jane, 1862.
School Houses Within the year, for which
this report is made, three new houses were
built in Boccaria, one in Boggs, one in Gov.
lngton,two in Decatur, one in Girard, one in
Huston, three in Lawrence, and two In I'ike.
The Directors of Curwensville purchased a
second hand Methodist meeting-house, had
it fitted, up, making two first-class school
rooms they however failed to properly seat
them, (that this was a judicious investment
of funds is very problematical, inasmuch as
they owned at tho time a first-class building
lot), making a total of 16 new houses built
within the year. Thoso built in Covington,
Decatnr, Huston and one In Pike, are first
class. Most of the other new houses built this
year are at best but second-class. If an addi
tional fifty or one hundred dollars had been
.cKnded op ah house, they would be first
class for our county j and as in other things,
the best article In the end is tho cheapest to
liave done so would bo economy. We havo
yt too many cold, uncomfortable houses,
though sorflo boardsofDirectorsdeservegre.it
credit lor tho Improvements they have made.
Thv average length of 117 houses is 25 64 feet,
longest 36 feet, shortest 18 feet; average
midth of 117 houses, 21.77 icet, widest 80,
narrowest 21 j average heighth of 117 houses,
HZl feet, highest 14, lowest 7. Wood is used
In 70 houses, coal in 53.
Furniture. Most of the new houses have
sufficient and desirable furniture, though in a
few instances Directors have failed in this re
spect. Nearly all our old houses ate hut
jKorly supplied with furniture j improve
ment in this respect is now being made in
some districts.
Jypatatui. Eight houses have no appara
tus ot any kind. In forty the blackboards are
nllrely too small to answer a valuable pur
pose. The others have sufficient black sur
face to answer all desirable purposes. Tho
two new houses in Decatur have a black sur
face different from any thing of tho kind in
the county ; and should it not crack and scale
off, will answer the purpose intended better
than any thing 1 have seen. In several schools
I found maps of the United States, and a few
charts and a globe each in two schools, belong
ing to the teachers. The Houses in Boggs,
31 orris and Graham are furnished with Or
rvns' school cards.
Graded Schools. We have no graded schools
except in Clearfield and Curwensville, and in
them it is not very strictly adhered to. Clas
sification is observed among us when a suffi
ciency of books are on hand.
Ttachtrs profession, and age. Tho whole
number of applicants for the teachers profes
sion examined in the county, during the year,
was barely suIicient including twelve hold
ing county certificates, and excluding six to
whom certificates were denied to sup,.ly the
rchools of the county. No teacheis found
qualified in every respect to entitle them to
lull professional standing. Tho average age
of 125 teachers employed during the year is
21.E8 years, the youngest 17, the oldest 07 ;
of whom 51 were females and 71 males; all
with the exception of G were born in Penn
sylvania, but not much over half of them born
in our own county. Citizens of Clearfield
counfy,we should grow more teachers, and de
pend less upon a foreign market for a supply.
F or advocating this measure, I have, by some,
been called selfish.
Visitations I visited every school that was
in session in the county once, with one single
exception ; 23 twice, and a few a third time ;
average duration of visits 2J hours. Deliver
ed a short address in 104 schools; spent 232
days, and traveled 2372 miles on official busi
ness. In many districts one or more of tho
teachers dismissed their schools and accom
panied me to the next, taking, in some in
stances, a portion of their scholars with them.
This had a salutary effect on all parties. In
many instances one or more Directors accom
panied me at visitations. These visits have
been made a means to find out teachers quali
fications to impart instructions to others ; ex
animations can do but little more than ascer
tain their literary acquirements. Ofthefre
floency of visits by Directors, citizens and
teachers to the schools, I can give no reliable i
account, though I bave notes of numerous
Visits by these personages.
Secretaries I do not know what campeusa-
tlon Secretaries receive, either as recorders of
jninntea or as District Superintendent : tho
'tter office, with the duties properly perform
eJ. is of lasting benefit to the schools.
Intitules. Where Institutes are organized
'n District l,t bey hold two meetings per month,
either central or circular ; they are attended
j7 11 the teachers of the district ; by some
from adjoining districts, when tho distance is
jtt too great, and by the county Superinten
dent when practicable. The good, effect of
Mio Institutes are felt by all in attendance
that cure anything about them.
Moral Instruction. The Scriptures arc daily
read in all our schools, except 2G ; other de
votional exercises in 33; moral instruction by
example In 5(5.
SomeJiranches. English grammar nnd in
tellectual arithmetic received more attention
tho past year than ever before, though in a
number of schools they are lamentably neg
lected ; excuse, deficiency of hooks. Teach
ers should have the element withiu themselves
and give instructions without books, instead
of forever complaining of a want of them.
Composition. This very important branch of
education is much neglected ; though a few
teachers deserve credit for requiring it of
their more advanced pupils twice each week.
With another few it is a mere farce ; they re
quire something to be written, but give no
further attention to it. '
Progress With 12 exceptions teachers have
given better satisfaction than I thought they
could do. There being so many beginneis I
did not look for great things. One fact how
ever I discovered, that a few in their first term
gave more complete' satisfaction, than a liKu
number with considerable experience. The
latter class will not I presume feel themselves
much flattered by this anouncement.
Examinations. My practice is to combine
the oral with the. written, but chiefly the for
mer. After the oral excorcise in English
Grammar, 1 give a few correct and a few in
correct sentences to each teacher, or slips of
paper, and require them to tell mo ami the
audience, ail they know about them, or what
they would require of their pupils In like cases.
So in Written Arithmetic, require a solution
on paper, have the teachers reproduce the
questions cr problems to the audience togeth
er with f ho solutions and the reasons therefor.
I encourage tho timid, commence with easy
questions and generally have about the same
kind for tho whole class. True, if a teacher
answer with great facility, 1 propound some
thing of greater difficulty. II a teacher
answer an easy question with only the same
facility that another answers a more difficulty
one, I do not give the former as high a figure
as the latter. My reasons for adopting this
course have been derived from experience.
Qualifications. I do not think the average
estimate of teacheis qualifications this year is
so good as last, though some are d cidedly
iHjtter. My reason is so many new ami inex
perienced candidates in the profession.
females. The proportion of. funnies em
ployed and result of their teaching as com
pared with last jenr remains about tin- same;
though 10 have better scholarship and teacli
with greater success than last year.
Summer Schools. Seven Districts h id sum
mer schools, eithei by subscription or other
wise. It is expedient and is desirable th it
summer schools whuro they hive them should
commeuce after harvest and bo continued
through the winter under charge of tho same
teacher. This frequent changing of teachers
is a great hindrance to the progress of our
schools. A medium teacher is better than
frequent changes.
Hoarding round. The plan of "hoarding
round" has a bad effect upon teachers and
scholars. It is expected that teachers will
converse in every family, and if they do to
any great extent, their studies must be neglect
ed ; and it their studies are neglected the
schools must suffer. Besides it is next to im
possible in this county for females to board
round consequently their services must bo dis
pensed with in winter. Five dollars per month
among farmers is about a fair price lor board.
Troublous times. The troubles of the times
have not efiected injuriously public sentiment
in respect to tho importance of education,
though the pist year some thought we could
not possibly raise funds sufficient to pay
teachers and were willing to dispense with
schools for the present. Directors however
persevered and opened them in every District
iH the county with two exceptions; the peo
ple acquiesced and all now appear satisfied. 7:
Prospects. Lumber (our staple) having
brought a good pric-, the growing crops give
evidence of an abundauco harvest, and this
gigantic, wicked and causeless rebellion hav
ing probably reached its meridian, prospects
have brightened and schools will be opened
as heretofore throughout tho county.
Oitr wants. We want more good teachers,
a greater length of school term, more regular
attecdanco of pupils, and a better co-operation
of parents with teachers to secure and
maintain good government.
Defaulting Districts. Ferguson and Law
rence bad no schools in operation within the
year; and Woodward only one out of three
in that district ; they of course forfeit their
share of State munificence; I do not expect
reports from thoso Districts.
Suggestions. I believe great good would re
sult, if teachers were required to make month
ly reports of their schools to the couuty Su
perintendent, as that officer is now required
to do to the central oilice. I do not mean
that any of the duties of that officer would or
should be diminished by bis proposal ; on the
contrary they would be increased. I hold
it would bo a good plan in this county, where"
the best teachers are not abundant, to have
the same teacher take charge of two schools
on alternate days, in all localities where
schools are not too remote from each other.
About one third of our teaching force could
be dispensed with, the best being retained.
The term being extended over a period of
eight months teachers could allord to take a
little less wages than where the term is only
four months. There need be no excuse lor
absence; children having half their time to
labor and do what was needful to bo done at
home.
Policy proposed. Teachers having failed to
respond to my invitation for normal instruc
tion, my plans now are to unite two or three
adjoining Districts, when practicable, and
give instructions in some branches, at the
close of examinations, and to encourage or
insist upon teachers reading and studying
more educational works, they being now quite
abundant. Jesse Bboomall,
Curwensville, June, 1862. Co. Sup't.
It may be perhaps hard to decide which is
tho most destructive the mortar in the battle
field, or the mortar in the drug store. :
i A wag lent a clergyman a horse which ran
away and threw him. and then claimed credit
lor "aiding in spreading the gospel."
When a woman intends giving her beau tho
mittens she begins by knitting her brow.
REMARKS OF JUDGE KNOX,
On taking the Chair as President of the
Peoples State Convention, held at Ilarrisburg,
July 17th, 1802.
The gentlemen of the convention will please
accept my thanks for thair kind partiality in
selecting me to preside over their delibera
tions. I rejoice to be hereto-day, acting in
concert with the true and loyal men of Penn
sylvania, regardless of former political asso
ciations, and recognizing at this eventful time
as the only true tests of fellowship and com
munion, love of country, devotion to the A
merican Union, a fixed and unalterable deter
mination to uphold and sustain the Govern
ment of the United States, and to resist to the
death the armies of that Government when
ever and wherever found. ("Applause
I rejoice especially to be here, because I
can in this way evince my desire to strengthen
the hands of that honest man and patriotic
statesman, the President of the United States,
to cheer him on, and to bid him and his trust
worthy counsellors God speed in their noble
labors for maintenance of our Government
and the preservation of our country. Ap
plause. Yes, gentlemen, it is to me a source of great
pleasure to be able to declare that, in my
judgment, the men at the head of our Nation
al and State administrations are, in this terri
ble crisis, doing their whole duty, and are con-
sequently entitled to our entire confidence
and our warmest support.
I envy not that man who cannot now look
beyond the platform of his party, to the stand
ard ol his country.
The question is not now which political par
ty shall administer the government, or what
men shall fill its offices, but it is whether there
shall be oflices to fill or a government to ad
minister, and until this momentous question
is settled, for one, I shall act with the men
who are the most in earnest in their efforts to
destroy this rebellion, and tho most determin
ed, signally to punish the rebels, their aiders
and abettors.
I repeat, gentlemen, that I have great con
fidence in Abraham Lincoln, and his chosen
counsellors, and 1 must be permitted to say,
that especially do I confide in tho clear head,
sound mind and honest heart of the Secretary
of War, Edwin M. Stanton, our own immedi
ate representative in the Cabinet.
I say this with a full knowledge that of lab;
a systematic attempt has been made to bring
this officer into disrepute, and to cause his re
moval from the high and responsible position
which he now so ably fills.
Every disappointed man. whether for the
opportunity of acrving his country with a ti
tle prefixed to his name, or for 1 mulshing the
munitions of war, at largo profits, visits his
vengeance upon the head of Mr. Stanton.
The friends of this oflicer cannot, of course,
complain of the most careful scrutiny into
his official conduct, and do by no means deny
that he ma)', like others, have committed mis
uses ; yet when it is seen that the most un
measured abuse is continually lavished upon
him and his acts; that he is In: Id responsible
for consequences, to prevent which has been
entirely beyond his power, and charged with
disasters arising from movements, which he
neithei counseled nor directed, it becomes
necessary to look for the causes which have
induced, and the motives which havo prompt
ed these attacks.
For myself, I believe he has thus been at
tacked, 1st, Because he is truly in earnest in his
determination to put down this rebellion, and
21, Because he performs his official duty
without fear, favor or affection.
Thoso of us who are pesonally acquainted
with Mr. Stanton, know that his intellect is of
the highest order; that he is possessed ot a
character for integrity , which even malice has
never d ired to question, and that what he un
dertakes to do, he does with all his might.
I do not say that all of his opponents or
those who counsel his removal from the War
Department, are either knaves or secession
ists; but I do say, that the Northern sympa
thisers with this wicked rebellion, with great
unanimity assert that Mr. Stanton ought not
to be the Secretary of War, and strange as it
may seem tho very patriotic gentlemen who
have no objections to contracts which yield
very large profits, havo also discovered that
the mannar in which he conducts his depart
ment is highly prejudicial to the public inter
ests. Add to this restiveness of the press at
the restrictions placed upon the transmis
sion of military news, and a certain bluntness
of manner which is the occasion of oflenco
being sometimes taken where none is inten
ded to be given, and you have the solution of
his alleged unpopularity, and the reasons why
he has thus been singled out for swift destruc
tion. To praise Gen. McClellan, whilst denoun
cing Secretary Stanton, is a part of the plan
of the rebellion sympathisers ; hoping there
by to create divisions and dissensions amongst
the friends of the Union and the supporters
of the Goverement.
I doubt that man's judgment who denies to
Gen. McClellan, great military skill, couplud
with the most ardent and enthusiastic devo
tion to that flag under which he marshals his
hosts for battle, as I question the sii cerity
and patriotism of him, who whilst exalting
Gen. McClellan, vilifies and abuses the Presi
dent and his constitutional advisers.
The true friends of our glorious cause, sup
port in their respective jurisdictions both Stan
ton and McClellan, for they are alike engaged
with all their great powers in sustaining and up
holding the best government that ever floated
on tho tide of time, and in crushing the most
damnable rebellion ,that ever men or devils were
engaged in, since tho arch fiend himself made
his impious attempt to supplant tho master of
Heaven, and to dethrone the Creator of the u
niverse. Applause.
Let us my friends beware of the devices of
these hollow-hearted,pretended friends, and let
the true men'of the nation, whether in the tent
ed field, or the council chamber, be upheld and
sustained, and let our denunciations be reserv
ed for those who are endeavoring to destroy the
government, and disunite the States. Our fath
ers constructed this government by long suffer
ing, and under great and terrible privations.
They cemented the Union of these States with
their life's blood, and thus raised and reared
the magnificent edifice, so that it should remain
a monument to their wisdom and patriotism for
ever and forever. Shall their sons permit the
destruction of this fair temple, and pass to their
children, not the glorious inheritance, which
thev received from their fathers, but a divided,
mutilated and dissevered estate, without "form J
or comliness," to be regarded only by the na
tions of the earth as a fit subject for scorn and
reproach.
Shall the language of England's groat poet
ever be applicable to this "America of ours ?"
"Land of the unforgotten brave,
"Whose clime, from plain to mountain's cavo,
"Was Freedom's home or glory's grave.
"Shrine of the mighty can it bo
"That this is all remains. of thee ?"
No no, heaven forbid, rather let us look for
ward to that day, when peace shall agaiu be
restored to our common country ; when no
government, or pretended government shall
be recognised by any part of tho American
people, except that government which was
presided over by Washington in its infancy,
strengthened ami perfected by Adams "and
Jefferson, Madison and Monroe, in its youth,
protected by the iron will and unflinching
courage of Andrew Jackson in its early age.
and now preserved from the attacks of a
traitorous brood by the strong arms and wil
ling hearts of more than five hundred thou
sand true American soldiers.
To this end, let us maintain our country's
cause with our treasure, and if needs be, with
our blood. Let us refuse all intercourse, po
litically and personally, with siich as are now
false to the old flag, and let us swear by our
manhood and our hopes of heaven, never to
yield to this rebellion, even though, in resist
ing it our hearthstones should become a deso
lation and our homes a dream. Applause.
The Lower Class. Who are they The
toiling millions, the laboring men and women,
the farmer, the mechanic, the artist, the in
ventor, the producer ? Far from it. These
are nature's nobility Gods favorites tho
salt of the earth. No matter whether they
are high or low in station, rich or poor in pelf,
conspicuous or humble in position, they are
the "upper circle" in tho order of nature,
whatever the factitious distinction of fashion
able society. It is not low ; it is the highest
duty, ptivilege, pleasure for the great men and
tho whole-souled women to earn what they
possess, to work their way through life, to be
the architects of their own fortune. Some
may remark the classes we have alluded to
are only relatively low, and in tact tho middle
classes. We insist that they are absolutely
the very highest.. Is there a class of beings
on earth who may properly be denominated
low ? If so, it is composed of those who con
sume without producing, who dissipate the
earnings of their lathers or relatives without
laboring or doing any thing themselves.
In the town of Lexington, in Kentucky,
lives a worthy doctor of medicine by the name
of S . The doctor is a very tall, thin man
and dresses in the "shirt and beanpole"' style.
A simple countryman was advised to call on
the doctor for medical advice. Whon he did
so S was not iu his office, aud Johuy Raw
getting tired waiting, commeuced looking
around. lie passed into the back room, and
the first thing that greeted his terror stricken
eyes was a skeleton, standing uptight, with a
horrid gain upon his skinless features. With
one bound Johnny landed in the other room
just as the doctor entered tho street door.
One look was enough, through tho window
went Johnny screaming :
"Go away ! You can't fool me! I know
you, if you havo got your cloths on ?"
One night, alter the countersign was on, the
quartermaster of one of the Pennsylvania reg
iments, endeavoring to cuter the lines, was
challenged by an Irish sentinel :
"Halt ! Who goes there ?"
"A friend, without the countersign."
"Well, what do you want ?"
"I am the quartermaster, aud I wunt to get
in to my regiment, and, not knowing thecoun
tersign, Fsuppose I shall have to go back and
get it."
"Is that all ? An' bo j.ibcrs, what's to pre
vint megivin' yo the countersign ?"
"Nothing, I suppose."
The anntinel gave him the countersign, and
tho quartermaster entered the lines with a
beaming face,. to tell his story to a circle of
laughing comrades.
Robert Ould, District Attorney at Washing
ton, under Buchanan, and a particular favor
ite of the ex-President, is at Richmond, act
idg as Judge Advocate of the court martial
being held for the trial of Commodore Tatnall
on the charge of destroying the Merrirnac. It
would be a curiosity to seo a statement of the
number of the O. P. F.'s officeholders who
are now true to tho country and the flag. The
list would take but a small space in a newspaper.
Well Put. A cotcmporary says : "Prob
ably when our people are drafted to go South
to encounter the bullets of the rebels aud tl.o
diseases of the swamps, tliey will come to the
conclusion that a negro is no better than a
white man that in this contest the colored
people have as good a right to bo shot as the
whites."
One of tho rebel flags captured by General
Curtis' troops, near Grand Glaize, in Arkan
sas, bore tho following pleasant mottoes :
"Run, nigger, run! or Lincoln will catch
you."
"War to tho knife, and the knifo to the
hilt."
'Death to home traitors."
The shipment of Pennsylvania rock oil or
petroleum, from this country to Europe, dur
ing tho first six months of the present year,
amounted to considerably mora than one mil
lion of dollars.: This for a trade that is in its
infancy, is a large business. ;.
An old farmer tells us that it is a singular
fact that there aro few or no crows now in tho
country hereabouts. They have all disappear
ed. Where havo they gone J To the horrid
banquet in Virginia I Hartford Times. -
"Well, Sambo, how do you like your new
place?" "O, berry ' well, Massa.". "What
did you have for breakfast this morning V'
"Why you see misses biled tree eggs for her
self and gave me de brofF."
The farmers of the southern part of Illinois
are now in the midst of their harvest. It is
thought that the quality ot the new wheat was
never better, and the yield is abundant
The power of sympathy on children is won
derful. No one can do anything with them,
who docs rxo know bow to awaken U.
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE "JOURNAL.'
Camp nkar H arrisons Landing, Va.
i
July 13th, li02.
Dear liow : I iio not propose to give you
full details of the terribly contested battles
which have so recently taken place on the
Peninsula. Much of their interest would bo
absorbed by the deductions whicil you, ami
your readers, have already drawn trom the tho
scores of published accounts. Many of those
accounts however. I .am sorry to say, do
gross injustice to portions of our men, while
others, who have more regard for truth and
who do not make such heavy drafts upon the
imagination, seeK to do justice as Ur as
they go, but the exact truth will never bo
known uitil it is divulged through the proper
channel from official sources. However, I
concluded that "it would not be inappro
priate to communicate, at this time some
incidents, which in a local point of view, may
be of some interest to 3-our readers, though
they may not be entirely new to many of them.
I shall also endeavor to give you some gener
al Ideas of the feeling and opinions of the
men, so fir as my observation extends, in re
gard to tho seven days lighting aud the deduc
tions drawn therefrom.
From ail tho trying scenes, of this series of
battles, the Penu'a Reserve corps has emerg
ed, thinned in numbers, but covered with
glory, and calling down the encomiums of
impartial observers who witnessed their un
flinching bravery, from beginning to cud. At
times, when borne down by uu immense pre
ponderance ot numbers, they were compelled
to temporarily f ill back, bu in turn they as
quickly rallied ami hurled back the bristling
tide of their adversaries witli terrible slaught
er. Its brave anil efficient commander, who
was ever present in the thickest of the fight,
has won for himself immortal honors. His
unassuming manners and unexampled cool
ness, as it were in the very jaws of death, had
endeared him to the command which, under
his management, had become so proficieut iu
all those attributes which go to make up the
perfection of the American soldier. His tem
porary loss at this time, with other brave aud
accomplished officers, has left a void in the
hearts ot their followers which will be difficult
to fill. But, while their commanding talents
and fertility of resources claim our admiration
and respect, wo should not forget thoso of the
lino who are equally deserving of honorable
mention. Their deeds of valor too, entitle
their names to be inscribed high up in tho
roll ot achievements in the work of crushing
out this rebellion arid in reestablishing the
supremacy ot the constitution and the laws.
While there are so many of this class equally
deserving, it would seem invidious to particu
larize, but 1 cannot refrain from adding my
humble testinioney to the bravery of some of
thoso with whom 1 have been associated;
Yet, there aro others in whose welfare I feel a
local pride, and whose coolness and intrepidity
entitle them to the special admiration of
many of your readers.
In tho death of Capt. H. Easton of Battery
A 1st Penn'a artillery wo have lost a brave
commander and a true Patriot. When over
powered by the force of numbers on the event
ful Friday which terminated his cxistance
when those around him were falling back, and
there seemed to bo no hope that the foitunes
of tho day could bo saved he was summoned
to surrender, but ho scorned the summons
aud replied withharacteristic bravery, "Nev
er !" aud a moment after be was shot through
tho heart. His little band however, contin
ued to Gght on, but were soon overpowered
aud forced to retreat. Sergeant Reece ol Clear
field county was taken prisoners but through
tho negligence of the guard and influence of
bad whiskey, ho managed to slip through
their fingers and escape. Captains Siniih and
Larimer, not satisfied with merely leading
their respective commands to bat'le, demon
strated, practically their heart felt interest in
the cause by fighting all diy with their rifles.
Many instances of personal heroism might be
noticed, but I have not time and space fur them.
The men are in good spirits and ready aud
willing again tor tho fight, when the proper
time arrives for our gallant chief to give tho
word, iu him they have the fullest confi
dence and believe that he is fully able to per
form all be promised them in his 4th of July
addiess. The soldiers do not think they were
defeated as some miserable alarmists would
fain havo the masses believe. Far from it.
But, on the other hand they believe and know
that on every successive field they were vic
torious. They also believe, that every spot on
which a battlo was fought, was chosen iu ad
vance, and by the most tkilful Generalship
the enemy was led to that spot and whipped,
and held there till such timo as McClellan
had his trains at a safe distance ; nnd then
were they again permitted to advance upon
our columns, only to sacrifice their lives to
the unerring fire of our veteran soldiery.
There seems now to be an almost magnani
mous feeling, that tho plan of the campaign
should bo somewhat changed. There is a
universal murmur among our soldiers in ref
erence to the Government being so chary of
tho property of rebels. But it, seems as if
the Government was influenced to look upon
their property as something to sacred to be
molested even by those who aro pouring out
their life's blood to put down this unholy re
bellion. The idea that our nidi must stand
guard for tho protection td rebel property
while they themselves aro in arms for tho de
struction of the very principles for which we
are fighting, is simply ridiculous. They have
shown by their treason that they have forfeit
ed right , to protection, and, iustead of pro
tecting their property, we should take advan
tage of every means in. our power to strength
en our cause at the expense of the traitors.
If the Government would crush out this ro
belllon, and do it speedily, it must employ
all the means at its command, and we are
glad to know that the future is brightening.
Already are we beginning to witness the con
centration of public opinion, upon this vital
point in tho management of this war. The
healthy opinions of Fessenden, Wilkinson,
Sherman, and a host of others, find a hearty
reponso among' the soldiers of this army.
Our men would hail with gladness the mo
ment, when their duty in the trenches could
be relieved by the thousands of unemployed
negroes now within our lines, who would be
eager to demonstrate their loyalty to the
Government, and their repugnance to traitors,
by their, willingness to accept the offer as
soon as it would be tendered them. Let
those who are opposed to this plan, from a
tenderness to meddle with the sacred article,
stand from under. This is Dot the timo to
speculate in the interests of this or that po
litical faction ; for the time bus now arrived
when all our concentrated et'orts are nede"l
to restore our beloved country to its former
glory, and to throw around it such safeguards
as will prevent the sceu of to-day from oc
curring at any future period, however
mote. Yours truly, W. K. B.
A MORE VIGOROUS WAR POLICY.
From the Nashville (Tcnn ) I'nion. lltli.J
We are of the opinion that the war may be
more vigorously prosecuted by several olhT
important additions to our policy. And it ap
pears perfectly clear to n that we should -void
impoverishing and weakening our fi iends.
and that we should impoverish and weaken,
our enemies. We should relieve and aid the
loyal, and we should cripple the disloyal in
both cases, for the safely o the common
wealth. This rebellion was unnecessarily and
wickedly brought on against tho earnest en
treaties of the loyal. It was plotted and plan
ned and precipitated by men of fortune, ami
the still'erers are tho loyal w ho c m prise ninety-nitre
one hundreths of the mechanic, sma it
farmers and Itboriug men of ti:c nation. On
the other band, less than l'H,IHKI cirn fire
sixths of the slaves of the col ion Stales and tktsi
are all but unanimously traitors to the govern
ment. We know something of this personal
ly. Now, hitherto we hive tcen burdening
the loyal people to clothe and leed sn army
made necessary by tbu conduct of traitors, and
on the other hau l so far have we been from
making reb-ls feel the burden of tho war that
McClellan, BuelF, and hundreds of other Fed
eral officers have guir.h veer the field i
cribs of notorious rtbcls to protect I hem front
the depredations of our soldiers. ht jus
lice is there in this? When a party bling
suit iu court and looses it who pays the cost t
When A assaults B, is not B"s property coLtis
cated to a certain amount? Wliydoweuot
subsist our armies on the provisions of the
reoels and quarter our soldiers in their hou
ses ? Why is it that we treat the vilest trai
tors who ever cursed the glob with more len
ity and even fawning servility than was ever
seen, before in any contest ? The Louisville
Journal regrets what it calls the radical idea ol
impoverishing the enemy, and calls it "insane
and ruinous." Well, in reviewing tho course
of some of our generals there ate several oth
er things which might be more fitly styled
"insane," and we devoutly trust that they
may not ultimately be "runious." Insane!
flow insane to impoverish your foe and cut
the sinews of his strength? How insaDe to
seize upon his crops and support ours at no
expense, or very little, while we reduced him.
to starvation ? How insane to tell the toiling
millions of the loyal States, whose kindred
are pouring oid their blood in defence of the
government, that the rebels who tn-gan shall
foot the cost of this unholy war? How niin
ous to lessen the. amount of taxation by hun
dreds of millions? Who plough ;for tho reb
els? Who sow and cultivate for the rebels ?
Who fill their granaries with breadstuff's and
prepare their meats I Who dig their trench
es, throw up their embankments, construct
their forts and plant their cannon ? Who, in
all that pertains to the outfit and support ot
an arruj- are its bone and sinew, without whose
aid the rebel armies never could be collected,,
and without whom they could not remain in
arms one month ? We answer, the slaves of
tho rebels. They are the life-blood and the
breath of the rebellion. The loyal men of
the nation are fighting against negro power.
It seems to us absurd to say that tod-priv
the rebels of this right arm of warfare, is con
trary to civilized w arfare. Starring out is an
old and universally recognized rule of war
fare. Cut oil' your enemy's provisions when
ever you can. If you can reduce him no
other way, or it you can even do it more ea
sily that way than any other, do it by hnner
and thirst. It would puzzle a casuist to thow
how starving your enemy is more inhuman
and uncivilized than sticking a bayonet is bis
body, or shooting a lull through his had.
And for fear some constitutional man might
object against the legality of depriving rebel
ot their fda ves, we will quote tho opinion ot
Hon. Robert Mallory, of Kentucky, on this
point. He declared recently in Congress:
"I think the slaves of southern rebel
should be used, as our armies advance, in all
menial service, such as boating and assisting
on fortifications."
If it be "radical" to take tb slaves of the
rebels trom their masters, it is equally o to
appropriate them to our use, as Mr. Mallory
advices; and if their labor will benefit at it
is plain that it must bo even more beneficial
to the rebels, inasmuch as our soldiers are in
ured to work, and the rebel officers and sol
diers are not. As to Senator Browning" jeer
at "paper bulletins" of confiscation, &c, they
are wholly out of place, inasmuch as we don't
desire that sort ot work. Wo want to see it
carried out in practice. And let it be clearly
nuderstood that if a negro escapes the dutch
es of a rebel master, and gets within our lines,
treason shall never have his assistance again.
It is Senator Browning, and those who patro
nizo Cooper Institute meetings, where the
conservatives,"Resolve and re-resolve, arvl
die the same," who are more liable than we
are to the charge of waging war with paper
bulletins. Nor is there the least reason for
saying that this policy would exasperate the
rebels. No one who has watched the devilish
malignity of the rebels in Kentucky, where
tho Federal forces have been stationed for
months and catching the runaway negroes of
rebels, w ill feel tho slightest fear on this
point. The rebels are about as mad as they
can be and tho class wo want to strike at in
tend to stay mad. It is our policy to shove
these men from their present ambuscades ol
neutrality and force them into open hostility.
We can fight a thousand impoverished rebels
iore easily and safely than w e can contend
against tho intrigues and plots of one hundred .
rich rebels w ho are ostensibly neutral. For a
more vigorous prosecution of the war and its
early and successful termination, we advocate;
1. The immediate increase of our army to
1,000,000 or more if necessary, so tbat we
can rain regiments upon rebel soil.
2. Subsist them off the rebels.
3. Never protect rebel property or graot
compensations to traitors.
4. Weaken the rebel strength fci all possi
ble ways; take away their resources of sub
sistence especially, laborers included.
5. As our lines advance place the estates ol
rich rebels at the disposal of the Federal gov
ernment, to be devoted to defraying the et
pensos of the war.