7
i ffauhlin tpozitovg.
WMNE,SVAY, DECEMBER 30, 1883.
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at, Agency. ' IirCLURE & STONER.'
7 ; ger JOHN K. SHRYOCK is txuthorized to
.14wiefre Subscriptions and contract for Advertisements
tee the 11.EPOHISOUT In the Eaetern titles. .
SINGLE copies of the REPOSITORY can
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:pers. Price five cents. Persons ordering
single copies t 6 be mailed must enclose a
two cent postage stamp.
, WE invite the, earnest attention of the
people ,to the Order . of Gen. Couch in our
. advertising columns, giving notice that, af
ter the sth of January next no more than
. $lOO bounty will be paid to volunteers.—
'Until that time the bounty of $402 will be
• paid to all veterans re-enlisting in the ser
vice. It is now'Well settled that new or
• l; anixations will not be formed in raising
ArooPs, and experienced soldiers who Con
template re-entering the service, Should do
:150 before the sth_of January, and receive
the large bounty. The government evi
-1 dently intends to report to drafting' after
that' date for all men !needed, and our nine
znenths' men will be embraced in the enroll;
%cent.
MEETING OF TIieLEGISLATVRE.
- The new Pennsylvania Legislature will:
i' ' meet on Tuesday next. It embraces rather
more than the average amount of legisla
•
tive talent, and when onee.fairly organized,
' will, we trust, malicia working arid credit
' able history for itself. In the Senate the
two parties will be a tie-16 to 16, owing .
' to the absence of Maj, White, Senator from
• Indiana; who is now a prisoner in Rich
mond. He was captured when Milroy- re
treated from Winchester, minas been held,
notwithstanding the special efforts made by
the goVernment to effect his exchange, sole
ly &cause the rebels knew that his return
will give the Union men a majority in We
Senate.
The Senate is always an organized body.
• It is necessary that it should be so in order
to provide for 'the contingency of the deith
of the Governor,' in which case the Speaker
of the Senate takes the Executive chair.
Hon. John' P.- Penny; "of Allegheny, was
ehosen Speaker at' the close of the last
sion, because Speaker Laurrenceretired from
the Senate, and it was necessary therefore
to elect a successor who held over for the
coming session. It is usual, on the meet
ing of the Senate, to proceed to the election
of a Speaker. The custom has been ac
cepted, just as ie the custom of the Spea
ker to resign at the close of ,the session,
even:if his time dOes not expire, and we
doubt not that it will be obseried atlthe
coming meeting of that 'Ay.' But if the
Senate fails to elect, as we presume it'wiJl,
is it to be regarded as a body wanting in
organization ? So will the Democrats pro
bably declare it, bit we do not for a mo
rent accept such a conclusion. If the Se
nate should fail to elect a Speaker, is the
chair vacant for all purpo'ses? j If Governor
Curtin should die or resign, would not Sen
ator Penny become Governor? We think
that no eane man would deny his right and
duty. to assume the Executive functions in
that case : ?nd if he be Speaker for that pur.
pose, for what purpose 'is he ;not Speaker?
--This case has a parallel •in the ciise of
the House in 1849. The two parties stood
tie—:so to 50. Gov. Packer was nomina
" ted by the Democrats and Hon. Henry S.
- Evans by the Whigs ; and several days were
spent in fruitless ballotings: The Whigs
- offered the Democrats the Speaker, propo
sing to take the clerk, and divide the su
`,. berdinate officers; but the Democrats refu
sed all terms and adhered to their distinc
tive organization. The Whigs, rather than
have the House disorganized, finally elected
" Packer without any arrangement whatever
ea to other officers, and the Democrats re
tained all of them the entire session. -We
do not expect the Democrats to ad - thus
courteously now, although they are confess
edly in the minority, and are given power
to retard the progress of legislation solely
.ibiseause one of their associates has been
evened from them by his gallantry in de
" Atatliogacommon Nationality. Were they
40 italitate Ow generosity of the Republican
Councilmen of Brooklyn in 1861, who be
,caste equal •in strength to the Democrats,
by the 'absence ,of Col, Wood, who was in
- the' 58111 E14 tileY W4ld concede the organi
, Cation . 113 4utt case 4ke .B.epnblicans re
fused to take ,adyantage.of Arena°, of
CaL Wood, and allowed the aklogoto to
6>l sll thoirAffiees9itst,esithejworoom4,
- Rot if they attempt toratard the Qrffitaits,
Am of the &nate, by s iokipg to concede
eloction of SpeAkei .1 0 9 4 oxiz i Abqp Apo
Union men have no - catstse left them but to
stand upon their extreme rights. Fortu
nately Speaker Penny can he in no sense
objectionable. He is a high-toned. honor
able Senator, and commandr3 the unbounded
respect of all his associates regardless of
party lines. If they will not concede his
election, then it must be manifest that they
mean to embarrass the government to the
utmost extent of their power. thatease
the resignation of Senator White must be
delivered and a new Union Senator be had
in his place At the earliest possible moment.
In the ll6use Mr. Johnson, of Crawford,
will probably be chosen Speaker, and Mr.
Benediet,, of Huntingdon, Clerk. Mr.
Johnson is a gentleman of high character,
superior abilities and will make a dignified
and acceptable presiding officer. Mr. Ben
edict hai' been both Clerk and Member, and
will fill the place with credit.
Proprietocs.
One important duty el the legislature will;
be to pass the proposed-amendments to the;
Constitution, allowing; to vote ; and
also to make provision for submitting the
amendments to a vote of the people, at a
special election some time during the sum
so that the amendments may be adopt.:
ed in season for the soldiers to vote at the
October election.' This will be resisted
earnestly but as covertly as possible by the
Democtats; but they cannot defeat it if the
Union'tueri are true to their cause. This
done, the people will adopt the amendments
by an overwhelming vote, in spite of Cop
perhead politicians, and the opponents of
'the'governm en t in Pennsylvania will scarce
ly make a respectable show in the next
election. Altogether the next. session is the
•
most important in the history of the State,
and let every Union man be at his post all
the time. Eternal vigilance is the price of
Liberty,
FIRST IN THE FIELD.
M'Clellan's political friends have
reversed his military policy by bringing him
first into the, field for .the Presidency ,in
1864. True, he has not been made a can—
didate enough to hurt him . or any body else
seriously ; but he is nevertheless in the field,
favorally mounted, with a-hind-rider of the
most approved conservative sort ; and there
may be even two or .three papers in 'the
:United States sufficiently bold to espouse
the cause of the M'Clellan-Campbell ticket.
:Some weeks ago a self-constituted Com
mittee, styling themselves Conservative
Unionists, met in Cincinnati, we believe it
iias, and like the two tailors of Tooley
street, London, who resolved that "we the
People of England," &c-, they set about
the business of fixing up the disjointed af
fairs of the Nation. They had a sprinkling
of broken winded, spavined and heavey old
!pblitical nags_from the skirts of all the, old
parties—men who - had in turn left almost
- .every live political organization for said or
ganization's good, and with a solemnity be
coming a meetinf of Meparted spirits, they
resolved that the war should never have
begun ;- that •it should be stopped fratet
nally ; that the conservative:elemenk alone
could save the government, and finally, that
they were the conservatives. They; then
I called up a spirit named Geo. B. M'Clellan
that had entered the shades of death' with
one Woodward, about the 14th of October
last, and declared hina their candidate for
the Presidency. This done, they pronoun
ced their work good, and rested from, their
labors.. True, a Vice President is to be
elected with a.. President in 1864; blit flue.
110.reulean task of getting out one spirit as a
Presidential candidate so taxed their ener
gies that they adjourned to meet aiain ini
the city" of Brotherly Love last week, . Int
the mean time the papers noticed that theyi
had sat, talked, and nominated a candidate ;1
but as nobody favored_ the nomination, H
was too stupid, for a jOke, and too
tian viewed:from every stand-point to be,
treated as a serious matter.
- On Thursday last the spirit? met again
in Philadelphia, at the Continental
,Hote4
Bon. Amos Kendall, a beretived and wan=
dering spirit ever since the 4t kr ement,of
Van Buren, was chosen ; -to preside, and
aronnd him sat fully a stre of sobet polit
ical ghosts, all:nerved for:'!the task of pro . ;
ducing a candidate for 'Wie President. 4
They reviewed their work !lone at Cincia
nati, and seemed eontent ., Nobody had
declared for their nomination, and nobody
had taken the trouble to declare against it,
therefore they were satisfied that their work
had been well done. They then resolved
to add the name of Wm. B. Campbell, of
Tennessee, to their ticket for Vile Presi
dent. This _ was a ; judicious ghostly act.
He has been Congresstnan, twice Governot;
has been for the Union, "tun for the reb
els, and now again for the union since the
Unionists hold Tennessee ; and lie is of
course eminently.oonservative, and will be
come more so at any time if the relAs
should happen to get agorid hand again.
Being rather a variable spirit, with uhang
ing hues, from conservative Union to very
conservative Rebel, his nomination fitly
crowned the stupendous work of gettin.
out a pair of political ghosts for the Preiri
dential race of 1864. The ticket of the De
parted is therefore in the field, and but for
the fact that it has no organs, no electoral
tickets, no stompers, 'no supporters, save
among the dead, it might-figure respectably
in the " scattering" at the next election.
As it is;' it must be content with fulfilling
the scriptural phrase that "the Ant shall
be last"
TAE Fulton -Reputtiecan has hoisted the
name of Abraham Lincoln for PresiiiPPt
(ioy. Andrew for Vino President
411* -,franktin lacpositotp, Elettnibtr' 30, 'lB6l
• OUR REGRO TROOPS.
The Richmond Enquirer of the 17th inst.
solves the problem of negro 'prisoners by
frankly admitting that they have been mur
dered. j Speaking of the government send
ingnegro troops to the field it says : "Shotild
they be sent to the field, and be put in bat
tle, none will be taken prisoners—our troops
'understand what to do in such eases. If any
negroes have been captured during the war
we have not heard of them." Thus is an
scored , the repeated inquiries. of the North
'as to the fate of onaegro seldiers - who fell
into rebel hands at Milliken's Bend ; at Port
Hudion ; at Merris Island, and other places.
They have all been brutally murdered.
None have been eaptured" none will be
.taken prisoners," says the Enquirer, and it
boasts that rebel troops have been thbroug
ly indoctrinited with the fiedish ferocity of
the rebel leaders, for the same paper adds
—" our troops understand.what to do in
such cases."
Hitherto the gOvenmont has been unable
to get any official infortraation from the re
bels'as to the fate of our negro prisoners;
but the truth cannot now be long suppress
ed even in official circles. What course the
authorities will take we can't pretend to in
dieate ; but they will doubtlesi vindicate the
tights and avenge the wrongs of our negro
troops to the uttermost. To this the gov
ernment stands pledged not only by its as
ceptance of such troops, but by its formally'
plighted faith ; and it would not recede
froin it if it could ; it certainly could not if
it 'would. Every negro soldier, regularly
mustered into the service of the United
States, Who has been captured tinder the
National Flag, must be accounted for by
the rebel authorities, and wherein the com
mon dictates of hutimnity have failed ; -to in
sure justice to prisoners the terrible lea
talinnis must do its work.
The suicidal madness of the rebel loaders
seems to be without measure. We now
hold more than one-half .. their originally
claimed territory, with its property and
population; Fully 50,000 negro troops are
nOw regularly in service, most of them hold
ipg, military possession of the lands ,where
•
on they oncewere slaves; aiid should suc
cess crown the efforts of Gens. Grant and
Banks, not less than 100,000 more negro
•soldiers will be added to the army during
the next four or six months. These tops
gill be the military power of the 'govern
mentin the Sonthern States, where they
are acclimated, and will they be strangers
to
-the dictates of vengeance when they find
that they are to be murdered remorselessly,
if captured, as their comrades haiO been ?
This question is one for the relentleis friends
Qf'treason to answer. T.he.negro will make
all things even in time; and if he must
teach humanity to his arrogant foq by fear
ful vengeance. the crimsoned chapter will
be the work of the once mastsviiot of the
once slave. -
; CONGRESS was brought to an unexpected
test on the employment of negro troops
!last week, - by Mr. Harding, 'Border State
Copperhead. When the bill provlding for
bounties to volunteers was unden conside
ration, the ' friends "of Jeff Davis were
quibbling and dodging about as usual, when
.Mr. Harding, who don't disguise his rebel
proclivities, moved to amend by !providing
that no part of the fund
,Should be used to
recruit negro troops. It threw) the rebel
stool-pigeons into a fearful flutter, when the
yeas and nays mere called ; but the call was
insisted-upon and they had t 6 face the mu
sic. Fernando -Wood, the .leader of the
Peace men, bolted square and \ 'cited to pay
bounty to negro troops and withi him went
half a dozen 'Others from New Xork, Con
necticut,' New Jersey, includingi Bailey of
this State ; but'Coffroth and ;the Penn
sylvania Copperheads voted with Harding
against offering any encouragernent for the
enlistment of negroes. The 4mendment
was, however, defeated by the decisive vote
of 105 to 41. Will somebody remind Gen.
Coffroth that he is a membei o'f the Con
gress of the United States, and:, not of the
rebel Congress? 1 '
Isis great international pride fight be
tween the bully bruiser of England, Thoma.,
P. King, and John C. Heenan,fthe pride of
the American devotees of the manly art
Of sglf defence," came off near London week
before last, and ended in the defeat of Hee
nan on the 24th round . The betting was
•
largely in his favor for some tiMe before*
fight, and' on the ground until after the 12th
round' the odds of twenty to four were of
fered on him; but he lacked the eonsum mate
science and wonderful endurance of his com
petitor, and although he seemed to toy with
his antagonist at first, in the end endurance
and science won, and King staggered out of
the ring.leaving Heenan Sensless and his
face jellied by his terrific blows. Inasmuch
as both could not belmmiliated by defeat,
we rejoice that'lleenan has been discomfit
ted. We_think that any man who goes jo
far to make a • brute of himself cannot be
h. soundly pummeled.
I -
kr has been erroneously stated that ,all,
letters to members of Congress; niust be pre
paid: The transmission and rtceipt of mail
matter by them continues as heretofore under
the franking privilege, namely, free. All
correspondence, however, addressed to any
Executive Department, or 140 officer of it,
,must now be prepaid, oxcpting official
communications written by sopae 'officer of
the Departtpont or qp.qfficer imilpr its con
;0°1, or, respensihle to it, and 41 such cases,
under the wqrds +! Q, bulkiness" on the
en vi?lop?, the officer Must signhis name with
hii qW.441 deiggnation. ' •
GENERAL N'CLLELAN'S REPORT
Gen. McClellan's official report, covering
the.operations of the Army of the Potomac
for some fifteen months prior to November
7, 1862, has been sent to Congress and is
being printed. It covers 765 pages of fools
cap, and Would fill nearly 200 columns of
the RiPosrroitr-----We have seen only the
cOnclusioniof it, which seems to:be designed
to glorify 'himself at the cost of the, govern
ment, and probably to, help th 6 little polit
ical side-shows which are exhibiting hiM as
a Presidential candidate. His industrious
cultivatidn .of the personal pronouns will
strike thO most , -casual reader. We sul•
join the concluding portion of it :
I„shalVnot, nor can I white living. forget
that when I was ordered to the command of
the troops for the defend° of the capital, the
soldiers with whom I had shared so much of
the anxiety and pain and saffering of the war
had, not lost their confidence in me as their
commander. :They sprang to my -call with
all ancient vigor, discipline and courage: I
led them into Maryland fifteen days after
they had fallen back defe•ited before Wash
ington. They vanquished the enemy on the
,rugged sides of South Mountain. pursued
him to the hard fought field of Antietam.
and droye him broken and dispirited down
the-Potomac into Virginia. The army bad
need,of rest after the terrible experience' of
battles and marches, with scarcely an inter
val of repose, which they had gone through
from the time of their leaving for the Penin
sula, the return to Washington, the defeat
in• Virginia, the victory at South Mountain,
and again at Antietam.
It was not surprising that:they were in a
large degree destitute of the absolute neces
saries to effective duty. Their shoes were
worn'out, their blankets.were lost, and their
clothing - wits in rags. In short the men were
unfit for activeserviee, and an interval for
rest and equipment was necessary.' -
When the slowly provided supplies came
to us, I led the army across the river: repo-*
rated, refreshed, and in good order and dis
cipline, and followed the retreating foe to a
position where I was ,confident of - decisive
victory—when, in the midst of the move
ment,• while my advancei guard was actu
ally in contact with the enemy, I was retool,:
ed from the command.
I am devoutly grateful to God that 124
last campaign with this brave army was
crowned with victor y, ,which saved 'a great
nation from the greatest peril it ; bad then
undergone. I have not accomplished my
purpose if by this report the Army of the
Potomac is not placed high on the roll of the
historical armies of the world. Its deeds
ennoble the belief to which it belongs. Al
ways ready for battle, always firm, steadfast
and trustworthy, I never called on them in
vain,-nor will the nation ever have cause to
attribute its want of success under, myself ar
under other commanders to any failure of
patriotism -
. or bravery in that noble body of
American soldiers.
• No man Can justly charge upon any por
tion,of that army, from the commanding
General to the'private, any lack of devotion
to the service of the 'United States Govern
ment and to the cause of the Constitution
and the Union. They have proved-their
fealty in much sorrow, suffering and danger,
and•throUgh the very shadow of death.
Their comrades,
dead on all the fields
where we fought, have scarcely more elaint
to the honor of a nation's reverence than
the survivors to the justice of a nation's
gratitude. •
The report covers the period from the 26th
of July, 1861, to November 7th, 1862.
A BRILLIANT RAID.
Gen. Averill has just made one Of the
most brilliant raids of the war in West Vir
ginia. We subjoin his offieial report:_
EDRAY, 'POCAHONTAS' COUNTY, WRST
VIRGINIA, Dee. 21, via BEVERLY, Dec.
To Maj. Gen. Halleek, General in Chief.—l
have the honor to report that,l cut the Vir
ginia and Tennessee railroad at Salem, on
the 16th inst., and have arrived safely at
this point with my command, consisting of
the 2d, 3d; and Bth Virginia Mt:hinted In.
fantry, 14th Pennsylvan a (Dobson's) bat
talion'of cavalry, and Ewing's battery.
At -Salem three depots .were destroyed,
containing 2000 barrels flour, 10,000 bushels
wheat, 100,000 bushels shelled corn, 50,000
bushels oats, 2000 barrels meat, several cords
of leather,looo sacks of salt, 31 boxes cloth
ing, 20 bales cotton, a large amount of sad
dles, equipments, tools, oil, tar, and various
other stores, and 100 wagons. The telegraph.
wire was cut down and posts but.ried for
half a mile: The water stations, turn-tables
and three ears were burned, and the track
torn up and rails heated and destroyed, as
much as.possible in six hours. Five bridges
and scveraiculverts were destroyed over an
extent of fifteen miles. *A large quantity of
bridge timber and repairing materials were
also destroyed.
My march was retarded occasionally by
the tempest in the mountains and the icy
roads. - I. was obliged to swim my command
and drag my-, artillery with ropes across
Crog's creek seven times in twenty-four
hours. On my return I found sir separatel
commands under Generals Early, Jones, Fitk
Lee, Imboden. Jackson, Echols arid McCous
tin, arranged in d line extending from
Staunton to Newport, upon all the'available
roads, to prevent my return.
I captured a dispatch from Gen; Jonei to_
Gen. Early, giving me the position, and that
of Jackson,' at Clifton Forge and Covington,
selected to be caraied.. I marched from the
front of Jones to that of Jackson during ,the
night. His outposts were pressed in at a
gallop by the Bth Virginia mounted infantry,
and the two bridges across :Jackson's river
saved, although faggots had been piled ready
to ignite. ' My column, about seven miles
long, hastened across, regardless ofthe enemy
until all but my ambulances, a few wagons
and one regiment had passed; when a strong
effort was made to retake the first bridge,
which did not succeed. -
The ambulance and - some sick men were
lost, and by the darkness anddifficulties the
last regiment was detained up:in the opposite
side until morning, when it was ascertained
that the enemy seemed determined to main
tain his position up the cliffs which overlook
ed the bridge. I caused the bridges; which
were long and high, to be destroyed, and the
enemy immediately changed his position to
the flank and rear of the detachment which
was cut off. I sent orders to the remnant to
destroy our wagons and come to me across
the river or over the mountains, They swam
the river, with the loss of only four men
drowned, and joined me. •
In themeantime the forces of the enemy
were concentrating upon me at Coliseum's,
on every available road but oue, which was.
deemed impracticable, but by which I crossed
over the ton of the Alleghenies with my com
mand, with the exception of four caissons,
which were destroyed in order to increase
thertaarns of the pieces. My loss : is sir men
drowned, ono officer and four men wounded,
and four officers and ninety men missing.
We captured.about:!oo prisoners, but hare
retained but 4 #fficers and 80 men, on account
of their inability to walk. We took also
about 150 horses. My men and horses have
subsisted entirely upon a - very poor country.
and the officers and men have suffered cold, -
hunger and fatigue with remarkable for,
titude.
My command has marched, climbed, slid
and swam miles since the Bth inst,.•
W. W. AvsaiLL, Brig. Gen
THE PRESIDENCY.
The Philadelphia Isiorth Americin k in. an
article on the next Presidency, dechirea in
favor of the re-nomination of *T. Lincoln.
It says.:
Aside from and in addition to these things,
there are reasons and influences with Mr.
Lincoln whiell•are not possessed by any of
those who might be named in opposition to
him. 41ere military candidates would en
counter some objections, in some sections,
syringing from the very nature of their cm
inenqe, which - might nut involve, other qual
ifications . even more desirable. Civilians,
unacquainted altogether with military mat
ters.' would, or might be, deficient in that
military knowledge which is no-W, and. will,
-for argreater or lesser period, continue to be
useful. bli.• Lincoln comprises that degree_
of military knowledge which is needful, with
out that amount which renders its possessor
rincipally a military man. He knows the
history already written—the objects now
sought—the means which - are possible—the
objections - which can be urged. And he
knows these things from no circumscribed.
field, hut from the very highest standpoint.
Can more be said for any one-? -
Undoubtedly, the itt4itunanimous opinion
possible is the reqdirement for the ensuing
election. Our - remarks seek to indicate only
some of the reasons which can be adduced in
behalf of a nomination which seems', to us
most natural of all. and which we think
would unite the popular feeling throughout
the loyal States. There is a sufficiency of
time in which to discuss this matter before
the National Convention shall be assembled.
It *ray requires-that the matter be opened,
pro and con, and all opinions digested in the
light of the most sound and patriotic feel
ings, to reach a conclusion whose correctness
will be verified by the people's. verdict. -Gen.
Grant may, possibly, have warmer friends in
some portions of the west. Gen.-Bunks may
be more potentially urged in New-England.
Is there any man who will command more
of the confidence of the people anywhere,
any man whose mere nomination will make
a greater weight in behalf of theZnion; . ,any
man who will more assuredly sacrifice indi
vidual 'interests to the general good; any
man who will command a higher. degree of
- foreign respect than that one who has super
added to some of the most excellent charac
teristics of Jackson, others which- Jackion
was never called, upon to exhibit.
HARRISBURG
.
Gov. ,Curtin in New Tork—Hi. Health—
The Coming Message—PennsylVania
Einances-u:Adltitant General Russell's
lleport—The Organization of the Men
ate—Senator Penny—Hon. EU Miller—
Hon. Win. M. 'Meredith.
Correspondence of The Franklin Repository..
HARRISBURG, Dec. 28, 1808
Gov. Curtin went to New York last week
to remain some days under the care of his
surgeon. He was utak breken down by the
late exhatisting butArilliant contest, and he
needs medical, care , and repose before he en
ters upon the incessant labors incident to the
session of the legislature. He is not in a
condition of health , that should necessarily
create alarm; but he sadly, - needs rest. Alas!
how three brief years have told on our hon
ored Executive. I remember well the day
he stepped into the Hall of the House in
March 1800, amidst the deafening applause
of the Convention, to give his formal accept
ance of the Gubernatorial nomination just
then awarded to, him. His step was elastic ;
his cheeks blooming with health ; his manly
form was erect,, his voice clear as the trump
et's note, and his graceful and thrilling ora
tory told how perfect health and all the vigor
of youth were ou his side in the fearful con
test then before him. Since then three years
of most incessant toil ; of most anxious, ,ex
hausting care; of most fearful responsibility,
have . passed away ; and his head is silvered,
his step less elastic, and his genial face much
care-worn ; but his labors - and anxious care
are still unremitted; and his whole energies
are given to maintain the honor and welfare
of the State, and to preserve our threatened
Nationality. When - the historian comes to
record - the heroism that has rescued .the Re
public from the hands of traitors; Andrew G.
Curtin will stand among the most efficient
• d faithful of those who, in the Cabinet
.nd in the Field, have saved our imperiled
Institutions.
His last annual message of his first term
'will be delivered to the legislature us soon as
it is organized, and it will present a -record
for Pennsylvania of which every loyal heart
will be proud. Our finances in the midst of
this gigantic war and with all the vast de
mands . upon the resources of the State, will
present h most flattering balance-sheet, and
the credit of the Cornminwealth is to•day
second to the credit of no other State, and
better, if possible, than-that of the National
government. The 'report of the Treasurer
will show an available' balance of &vol. s2„ r
000,000 in the Treasury, while but half that
sum will be ntteakity to meet the February
interest; and the fbrth-cothing report tf
Adjutant General Russell will show that
Pennsylvania has done more than her whole
duty in responding to the calls of the gov
ernment for men to meet the. murderous
-traitors in the field.
The organization of the Senate will prol a
bably be retarded by the Democrats. It
should not be so, but they will most likely
be indifferent to every demand of courtesy.
Senator Penny, the present Speaker, and
who will be the Union candidate by acclama
tion, is the first man in the Senate, in point
of ability, and all the qualities which make
up an efficient, faithful and dignified legisia
tor. He has already served five sesaionF, and
no man ever commanded more general re
spect from both aides of the Senate; .and• it
would be but an act of justice for theDpno
erats to concede his election, ezpeciallY as L}ip
Majority is - diss ipxited by 314. White'. being:
a prisoner...in, enemy's hands. Some
years ago witenlbe Senate stood 10 to 17 th , o
Whigs allowed Senator M'Cusland Co be'
chosen by withholding several votes ; subse
quently Senator 3fetthins was elected by
Democrats withholding votes,. and no. mvm
ever SAM more worthy 'of such a courtesy
_than is Senator Penni, Will such men IA
Clymer, Hopkins and Wallace, attempt to
defeat the organization rather than concede
Mr. Penny the election he is thornily om-:
titled to ?, We shall see.
Hon. Geo. W Hamersly will be cOntintica
as Clerk of the Senate. He is the 14t•Clefic
over called to that:position, and is confessed
ly the most economical officer the . Senate has
had for many years. He has been-Clerk of
the Senate at various times since 1838 i was
a•member of the House in 1859, and has
been Clerk again during thc last two sessiontki
His expenditures during those two years
weite not more . than one-half the expendl
- the same time by Mr. Russell Evorett
his immediate predecessor, ant in all tbe
qualifications necessary for the position he is
pre:Cininent. He is of course , gt - faithfid
Union man.
It is conceded, I believe, that Bon. Eli
Slifer, Secretary of the Commonwealth, and
Hon. Wm. M. Meredith, Attorney General.
will be continued in their respective positions
by Gov. Curtin,. They havii so discharged
their arduous duties as to win the confidence
of the people of the State, 4d it "Would fie
most difficult to supplant then with meh
equally efficient and acceptable. M. Slifer
baa been two years in the House; three - in
the Senate; three years State Treasurer, and
now three years Secretary of the Common
wealth ; and in every position to which lie
has been called he has more than vindicated
the• partiality of his many friends. Mr.
Meredith has filled-a wider sphere ;:hria been
Legislator, member of the Constitutional
COnvention, Secretary-of the Treasury, ‘ no
Attorney General and has for many years
stood confessedly at the head of the -bar Of
the State. He, has been of most essential
service ,to the Common wealth in the collection
o;f out-Standing claims, and has commanded a
measure of respect for 'his official acts and
opinions hitherto unknown in the history of
his Department. ,
'l i ds expected that Goy. Curtin will return
here early this week.- - Oztvss.
PERSONA V,
A. telegram from Fairfax Court House an
nounces the death of the brave Irish-Ameri
can soldier, General Michael Corcoran. lie
died from injuries received' by a fall from liir
horse. For some months before his death
he was iteComrnand of the division formerly
under Brigadier. General Rufus Ring, our
present:minister to Rome. Corcoran was
born in k-arrowkeel, county Sligo, li.eland.
in 1827—descended from an honorable and
patriotic Irish dock—claiming distinct 'rela
tionship to 'the renowned Earl of .. 4 1.,uean ,
(Gen. Patrick Sarsfield)—the I t ravest,evroffi
of his'day—through, his great Irandmather.
who was fourth daughter of William Fitz
gerald, of Cloonmore, in the county of Ros
common, and great grand-daughter of the
gallant Sarsfield. At nineteen,after, having
received a good Englip education, be en
tered the Irish constabulary establishment.
serving for - three years. In the "advance,'of
the army, under McDowell u l p - Un Marassie..
the "Irish" 66th, under Colon o 4l Corenrae.
was brigaded under the comniand orCol.
(now Major General): Sherman. -
lant7 'displayed by the regitneAt at the bat
tie of Bull Rnn, remembered with
pride and pleasure by - revery true and loyal
American. It at this battle! that Con
coran was made a prisoner. , The constanr.7
and firmness with whichbe endured the ma
lignity of the rebels during his imprison
ment, and the threatened _ dangers that he
has so boldly faced, rather than proVe recre
ant to country-tual his loyalty, are too
fresh and green in all the minds of our rea-'
dens to need any further comment from us.
As a reward; and n just.one for his conduct.
hp was • made a brigadier general, his com
mission dating from the day of the battle of
hull Run—viz; July 21, .1861. Uteri*
into active service sg'Jn, Gen. Corcoran dis
tinguished himself in East 'Virginia ; under,
Major General Dix, defeatingthe rebel Gen
eral Roger Pryor ,on the Blackwater.
Suffolk, ho was second in command under
Major General Peck, and led a number of
highly sucvessfal movements. He has not
latterly taken" a part in decisive actions, but
has filled a position of rpojisitality.
• Gen. Grant has flrtilieA at Nashville, and
Sherman is expected ;there shortly. •
. _
Mon:roles Gold Tens Are now sold nt, tAsi
same prices as before the conimencenient of the war t
his Is entieely owing to the Manufacturer's improve
ments in machinery. his preaent large Retail Bushier.
Cash-In-Advance system; fur, .until he cointneactel
advertising,his business wan done on Creel* sad &frit' ,tty
with the Trade.
The Morton Gold Pens are the only ones sold at old
prices, ea the Makers of all other gol d pens charge- it*
Prenthru on the Gold, Government Tax. £c.; but Mortals
has in no case changed hie prices, Wholesale of
Of the greatriumbera emit by mall to all pads of the
world during the past few years, notone in a thousand
hattstled to reach Its destination in safety; shoring
that the Merton Gold Pen can be obtained by any coos,
to every part of the world,-at the same price, prolog.
only excepted.
Reader, you can have en enduring, storeys ready, and
reliable Gold Pen, exactly adapted to your bend and
style of writing, which will do your 'writing vastly
cheaper than Steel Pens; mid at the present almost
uniVersal Iligh•Pressure Pride of everything, ion earn
have a Morton *old Pen cheaper, in proportion t 8 tbs
labor spent tmoil it and material need, thin any other -
Gold Pen in
,the World. If you want one, CsO
A.13f0ar05,N0.25 Maiden Lane, New York.' or inane*
stamp fur circular. deC2•dw!
-GELviriciLs keeps the largest assortnieM. pf
Groceries a 144 nousekeeping artlaos hi town. Her OWN
cheap pt Wholsult) and 'Antall.
• Bu your Kerosene Oil Iron} pelwinicS,
• agentfor one of the best Oil COmpanies.in ,
:altar eolle the boo otj Ain:44o4le
e