fvunittin tpositorg.
WednesdaY , December 21, 1884.
tar Any of our patrons havih copies of the
!rat and second stunhers of Toe OLD FLAG will confer
a great favor upon the publichere by sending them to this
office. They are wanted to complete oar Mee. AA our
copies on' hand of those numbem, were burned by the
rebels.
Tar. Old Flag waves in decisive Triumph
again!, Loyal hearts are strengthened and
cheered in the holy work of upholding our
honored Nationality, and the crimsoned
histqry of Treason and Rebellion seems to
draw, to a close. Gen. Thomas has hurled
Hood from Nashville with great loss in
guns, prisoners and killedd wounded,and now pursues his shared legions
whb must retreat as men without hope,
for they have no line open to them that is
not beset with the britve soldiers of the
Republic.. Thus is, we trust, the lastsdes
...perste effort of traitors to regain Tennes
see and Kentucky foiled. and the Ohio
border is free.
Siniultaneously with the triumph of
Thomas we bear from Sherpian, for whom
the Nation has been most Solicitous for
weeks past. as it heard of him only through
the rebel press who had him ever just on
the point of destruction or capture. He
-.40w tells his own story in the simple,
truthful language of a tried
- and noble sol
dier, and his sweep through the very heart
of treason has been almost unopposed.
Hi is - now thundering at the gates of Sa
vannah, and declares the city to be " al
. ready gained." Thus in the fulness of
time has crowned the Right, and
Peace; won with honor for ourselves and
posterity, seems about to break In the
noontide of, brightness upon a faithful;
heroic people
WE have a special dispatch from Har
risburg stating that Mr. Meredith has filed
an opinion with the Governor adverse to
*the legality of both the returns from this
Congressional district, and neither will,
- therefore, be proclait ied elected. The ef
fect of this will be to charge the Clerk of
Congress, under the instructions of the
. House, with the decision of the case pri
marily ; and as the merits of the Contest
will enter into its determination there,
Gen. Koontz will be promptly admitted
without doubt. It must be borne in mind
that-the Governor haeno discretion in the
decision of such cases, as his duties in the
matter are purely ministerial, and must
be • governed strictly by the record ; but in
• Congress, where the question is open for
the failest investigation, the man for whom
a clear majority of the votes are returned
will be at once admitted, and Gen. Goff-
roth may appear as contestant if he feels
; aggrieved titereby. If held strictly to the
act of Congress, Gen. Coffroth is precluded
film a contest by his failure to give notice
, within the time fixed by the statute, and
if Congress is convinced that he has at
tempted a fraud to - procure a • seat—thus
avowing his want of confidence bine jus
tice of his cause—it is not improbable that
hey be summarily disposed of in that
way.
OUR RESOURCES LIS MEN.
Dniing the heat of the late Presidential
contest one of the strongest arements of
the opposition the war and the admin
istration, was the vast number of men al
leged to have been sacrificed in the armies.
Because the several calls for men made
gincelostilities commenced amount in the
aggregate to some nineteen - hundred thou
mind, it was persistently asserted that
more than a million of men had fallen by
disease and the casualties of war; and it
- was argued from that frightful data of our
sacrifices that our resources in men were
about exhausted. This was one of the
. many base and•unwaranted appeali to the
selfishness and cowardice of the people to
chill them in the ardor of their devotion
to their country's cause. •
Now the strife and rancor of the great
struggle belong to'history, and the people
with one accord bow to the verdict of the
Nation. We can therefore review the er
rors which intensified partizanship flung .
_upon the people, and there are few who
will not rejoice to know that-faithless lea
dens have sought to make them assail
their dearest rights. So:far from the Re
public being exhausted hi men by the 'war,
we find a larger vote, by one hundred and
fifty thousand, polled in 1864 than was
east -in the fierce struggle of 100.—
True may thousands have fallen sacrifi
cea„to the wickedness of treason, and ma
dny other thousands bear maimed limbs
and deep scars to testify to the heroism of
loyal men and the deadly desperation of
traitors ; but not one in twenty of those
who entered the service have yielded their
lives oh the altar of ourliberties, counting
all the sacrifices by battle and disease: e
The first call for troops was for but
three months, and out of the seventy-five
•thousand mustered into the service not.
• one thousand failed to return. The sub
sequent •calls for troops were for three
years. but one year, men were accep
ted from smite of the Western States ; two
years' • men w''gre• accepted from New
York ; ninet'n7tontlas were accepted from
Pennsylvania and the draft of 1862 was
for the tame period of service. All these.
men have been discharged, and new calls
had pbe made from time to time to fill
• thei places made vacant—not by the sac
, rifiqsvf war, but by theexpiption of the
perilds of enlistments. Burwhat is most
startling in accounting for the large calls
for troops is the singularly small number
of men raised under the consolidate4calls
for seven hundred thousand men in, 1863
and 1864. , It is a common belief duet that
call put from two to three hundred thous
- and men into the armies ; but we give
the outside number when we name fifty
thousand. The new conscription bill was
an experiment; and Congress, ever lag
ging behind the people in the work of stts
tabling the government, was sadly dwarf..
• erl by cowardly deference to popular prej
ndiees. and its Provisions therefore fell
far short of the pressing wants of the Na
tion. It produced 'money in abundance,
but not men, and it was only when the
necessity became so imperative that no
man could - shirk it without confessing
himself traitor, that an effective law was
enacted to fill up our shattered ranks•
We do not speak unadvisedly as to the
operations of the drafts made under the
•original conscription act of Congress; and
in order that the people may see what a
farce drafting was under the provisions of
that law, we give an official table of its
fruits in this district, and it must be borne
in mind that this district was ale the
average in the per centage of men actually
put into the service. The draft made in
1863 by Capt. Eyster presents the follow
ing results :
Total number drafted ...... 3,394
Paid commutation. ....... 833
Drafted men held to service • 168
Substitutes accepted • HO
Failed to zeport 434
Exenipted for physical disability.... 1090
For mental disability . 18
Only son of widow 79
Only sun at infirm parent 5......... 64
Elected by parents under 4th section. 61
Only brother of children under 15
years
in
Two brothers service
Fathers of motherless children un-
der 12 years 46
•
Convicted of Felony 1
In service March 3, 1863 179
Furnished substitutes in 1862 76
Over 35 years and married ' 70
Under 20 years 42
Non-residents ' - 39
Misnomer . 4
Enrolled twice 4
Totals
The draft of 1864 made in this dis
trict under the old law resulted even
more unfavorably in producing men. We
subjoin a statement of its results
Number drafted
Paid commutation
Drafted men delived at general ren
t-dexvous
Drafted men deserted before reaching
genertil,l•endezyous 35
Substitutes accepted and delivered.. 19
Substitutes accepted and deserted be
fore reaching general rendezvous_ 1
Arrested as deserters and delivered
at general rendezvous - 3
Failed to report 1005
Exempted for physical disability ... 591
For mental &ability 21
Over 45 years ofolge
Under 20 years of age
Non-residence-
°Aliertage
Misnomer 4 ., •
Duplicate enrollment
Discharged on account of required
number hating been obtained....
Two years in service,
Actually in service
It will be seen by the foregoing tables
that out of .6,560 drafted in this district
under the old law, bat 412 men were ac
tually put in the service-Amt one in six
teen. Had all the other sections of the
country responded, as did this district, the
call fur 700,000 troops would have far-,
nished less than 45,000 'men to the armies ;
but when it is conkidered that this district
furnished above the average of men inipro
portion to the nu4ber called, the people
can comprehend why a call for 500.000
followed the drafts of:1863--4 under the
original conscription law. In fact the
men furiii , thed wider the call for 700,000
did not fill the places of men withdraw
ing from the army by expiration of ser
-vice, and the efforts to raise troops left
the armies weaker than before the call
was issued. Nor has the new laW been
equal to the wants of the country. It
431 a
llowed fictitious credits for naval list
, meats and alleged excesses in various is.
tricts, thus exhausting 200,000 of the ;
and of the remaining 300.000 not more
than one-half have been furnished, main
ly because of the failure of the govern
-meat to enforce theexecution of the laws.
—Such is a lair statement of the actual
_operations of the various calls for troops ;
and it renders obvious the necessity for a
prompt enforcement - of the late drafts, so
.as‘tu compel' tlie•attendance of the thou
sands of deserters, and also explains why
another call for men is a necessity if we
would be fully prepared for successful
war, if the terrible alternative is forced
upon us by the persistent madness of trai
tors. While the failure of the calls to fur
nish the requisite number of men is a Na
tional humiliation, we have now the evi
dence of exhaustless resources and the un
equivocal expression of the peoge that
bothnien and means shallnot be wanting
to maintain for ourselves and posterity the
Union of oar fathers.
DER FADED HEROES.
The - first volume of Greeley's Ameri
can Conflict, prepared for the press in
186243, and issued early in 1864, is con
fessedly the most complete and valuable
history of the origin of the rebellion ever
likely to be, presented to the world; and
it has as few faults as any . other in its rec
ord of the war as far as it assumes to
chronicle its progress. -But a single plate
in that volunie, now less than six months
before the public, must appall even its aut!
thor at
, the rapi;dity with which . the he
roes of 186'2-3 have faded into forgetful!
ness. The volume in question has sever
al elegantly executed steel engravings,—
one giving the President and his cabinet;
another presenting "Eminent Opponents
of the Slave Power," commencing with
John Quincy Adams and ending with Sum,
ner; another gives the rebel chiefs, inclu
ding Davis and his leading co-conspire
tors ; another has a group of rebel .gen
eral-, commencing with Lee and ending
with Price, all of whom have worn only too
well for the cause of Right; but another
gives the conspicuous Union Generals of
the times in which the volume was pre
pared, and it is indeed a study now.
First and in . the centre of the group is
Lieut. Gen. Beott, who having outlived
his usefulness, dwarfed by the colossal
proportions of the conflict, and chafed at
the rising stars around him, retired with
more propriety than grifee before a single
victory had been achieved by the Union
arms. lie has since turned.tuthor, and
as usual added nothing to his great fame
by wielding the pen Next , in prominence
is Gen. Fremont, nto well nigh - swamped
the government and - Missouri both in his
adininistration of the Department of the,
West, and subsequently received a new
&lowland to signalize his military ability
by disobeying Orders, suffering defeat at
Cross Keys, and allowing Jackson to es
cape from the valley. Ifs was thereafter
withofit-a command until a convention of
sore-head's nominated him' for President
at Cleaveiand, when he did his best - ser:
vice to the country by resigning Ids
Hisnext best act was Mare-con
sideration of his purpose to oppose Mr.
Lincoln, and his zealous support of the
nominees of the Baltiniore Convention.
By hisside is Gen. McDowell,, said to be
n clever but "most unfortunate" officer.
He failed at Bull Run ; failed again in the
attempt to intercept Jackson after his de
feat of Banks, and failed finally at the
second Ball Run, after which he was the
Subject of „a, court of inquiry, and acquit
ted but reprimanded—that is "not guilty,
but he raMai't do it again!" \ He has since
been ordered to -California where he is
still on duty. Flanking Fremont on the
other side is Gen. Butler who has never
been defeated'or been guilty of a failure
as a military administiator, and has never
won a battle. There are 'few whcil&ve
won a more brilliant or enduring fame as
one of the great leaders of this war ; but
it has not.been by directing brigades, di
visions or corps in the field. Next is Gen.
Wool, who watt earnest in the cause of the
govenunent, but whose infirmities of years
unfitted him to grapple with the despera
tion of the foe. He is retired. Next is
Gen. Halleck, who filled the measure of
militarynmbition by reaching the position
of Commander-in-Chief of the army, only
to sink into forgetfulness as chief of staff
before two years had passed. next is
-Gen: Minter, who - failed at Cluirlestok,,,
and repeated failure in the valley,althongh
a brave .and true soldier, and is now witth
out a command. Next to him is Genefal
Burnside, who has won and lost more than
any other of our military leaders, and who'
is widefir beloved for his gallantry and
"manhood. He too is now without a corn-
Oland.. 'Next comes Gen, MeClel an, who
rose higher and fell lower than any other
in the history of the war. lie too reached
the coveted three stars, but never adorned
them with victory, and having turned
upon the Nation's cause to-gratify ambi
tion, he. surrendered his sword on the day
his countrymen consigned him to the past.
Next isjGen. Hooker, the brilliant, brave.
erratic hero of several campaigns, and, the
great failure of Chancellorsville. He more
than redeemed himself in the Atlanta cam
paign, but believing himself aggrieved by
the,promotioh of Gen. Howard oven him
_after the - death of Gen. McPherson, was
assigned to a purely administrative com
mand in the West. Next-we have Gen.
Andersim, who won the gratitude of the
Republic by his manly-defence of Sumter,
but was compelled by declining health to
retire` from active service. The group fitly
closes with Gen. Buidl. who - after a bril
liant victory at Shiloh, surrendered Ken
tucky, and ended his career by an open
avowal of his sympathy with the enemy.
--Su s ch were the heroes of the Union
cause in 186'2-3 as the faithful historian
chronie'les them. Where are they now',
But one of them—Gen. Butler—is in the
'field td i day in front of the enemy—all the
others have brightened and in turn paled_
before the rising stars around them. Grant
is now the Lieut. General; made so with
the hearty assent of the Nation. Then he
was inidisgrace, and saved fromdismissal
only by the, unfaltering fidelity of-Presi
dent Lincoln. Sherman had -about that
time been appointed to command in Ken
tucky, and after a few weeks - trial was
ordered by Gen. M'Clellan to report at
St. Louis because he was considered in
sane He is just now emerging at the
Coast from the most brilliant campaign
in the historyl)f warfare. ; Meade has since
won his Gettjsburg and led the Army of
the Potomac thronghthe deeply crimsoned
shadoWs of the Wilderness to the James.
Sheridan was then a captain of cavalry ;
Rosecianz and his. 'aka and Stone River
were yet in the uncertain future. Thomas,
Hancock, M'Pherson and, Sedgwick were
but division commanders; Warren and
Conch had not more than reached bri
gades ; and many of those upon whom the
great cause relies to-day, had scarcely
won their eagles. We trust that Mr.
Greeley's next group of Union Heroes will
neverlneed revision ; but the one before
us needs it sadly.
- 3394 3394
3166
3166: 3166
WE . believe that the Democratic candidates
for Congress, President Judge and Legislature,
have a majority of all the legal votes cast within
their respective districts. The majorities claimed
for the Abolition candidates, are 68 on Congress,
122 on President Judge and as high as 168 on
Legislature.. Well, in the country of Bedford
alone, there are enough illegal (not merely infor
mal) returns from the army, taken in ponnection
with the fraudUlent votes which can proved, to
wipe out any of these majorities; This we con
fidently believe.-!.Bedforsi Gazette.
POSSIBLY the Democratic candidates
have received a majority of thelegal votes
—not knowing to the contrary we do not
positively affirm that they are not entitled
to the places for which they were candi
dates'; but we do affirm that when the
Democratic candidates resort to insolent
perjury and fraud to procure 'a prima fa
cia right to their seats,•they do not mani
fest much confidence in the justice of their
cause, The author of the foregoing arti
cle7-Mr. B. F. Meyers—was one of the
Democratic candidates for Miserably, and
certainly knows that the law - in express
terms forbids return judges to reject any
part of the votes returned to the Prothon
otary, but he starts out in open violation
of the law and now, when defeated in a
fraud, appeals to the same violated law to
give him his seat. If in a contest he can
show the votes to be illegal he alleges to
be so, he will undoubtedly be admitted ;
but he has certainly not bettered his case
by starting off in an entirely lawless man
ner.
OIL AvEsverEvre.—The Pennsylvaida Impe
rial Oil Company advertised in today's paper we
regard us the most desirable investment now to
be had in Oil stocks ut the original price. It has
careful and tried business Men iu its board of di
rectors, who mean to prosecute the devehipmEnt
of the valuable - lands of the company with the ut
most vigor, and the stock, with the present tide
of the Oil business, cannot fail to be very profit
able. i This company ha Oil wells on three dif
ferent tracts of their land, so that they can devel
opeWilh entire confidence that they will be well
rewarded.' The present revenues of the company
from Oil guarantee a, handsome dividend on the
capital stock. True, even with these flattering
prospeen, men may fail to profit by the invest
ment, but if the Imperial stock fails to be very
profitable and to advance rapidly on the market,
iranidin Vapositerv, qambashing, pa.
then must nineteen-twentieths of all other similar .
stocks prove totally worthless. We commend it
only because we have, after a careful inquiry into
its organization and resources, invested_in it as
the most desirable now in the market. Over sev
enty-five thousand dollars of the stock was taken
in this place during the last week, by our leading
business men.
DE. R. R: REED, of Washington, Pa., died at
his residence on the 15th inst. of email-pow. He
was eminent in hizs_profession, widely beloved as
a citizen, and has filled several important official
hush acceptably to his people and creditably to
himself. - He represented the Washington and
Beaver district iu congress; was chosen to the
Legislature in 1863 and re-elected in 1864—in
both instances we believe against his own wishes.
He will be seriously missed in the House this
winter.
The Case of Koontz and Cotfroth—Argo.
=tents of M'Ciure and Sharpe—Nice Le
w Points—The Case Not Decided—The
Organization—State Treasurer.
Correspondence of the Franklin Repository.
HARRISBURG, Dec. 19, 1864.
The Congressional conteit in your .district has
been the subject of much deliberation in official
circles here during the last week, and caused con
siddrable anxiety in outside political circles. It
is not claimed that, on the merits of the case,
Gen, Coffroth has any right to the plate, or at
liast to the return ; but as the return i judges at—
turned to violate the lair and their oaths and rc
ject part of the vote cast. various complicatiothq
have grown•out of it. : Attorney General Mere
dith, who knows neither friends nor r pneinies in
the discharge of his official duties, decideddu the
case of Fuller and DRAVSOB in_ the 21st district,
that it was the duty of the return judges to cora
isute the vote and certify who was elected, and he
held that the Executive is butts ministerial officer
in the matter, and can do nothing less or more
than proclaim what the judges have certified.
But in the case iu yohr district the Democratic
return judges in their, - anxiety to- defraud Gen,-
Koontz gut of the return, so bungled the job that
they have not even the advantage of the technical
.plea that would have given than the right to have
Gen. Coffroth prociaimedby the Governor. They
were not content with merely throwing out suffi
cient of the army vote to elect Gen. Coffroth, but
they seem to have liked the business of cheating
when they got their hands in; and while they were
throve ing out honest votes they probably concluded
that they would do it on a scale of some magnitil.
ceuee. Accordingly they did not strip with the
rejeetion of certain rainy returns in Adams and
Bedford ; hut they omitted the entire vote of Som
erset in their return, and thus certified Geu. ‘,3otf
roth elected to the Governor by about 1,000 ma-
'
jority. •
The ease was heard on Wednesday evening last
by the Attorney General, the Governor and the
Secretary of the Commonwealth. Gene. Koontz
and Coffroth were present. but the former had
Mr. McClure as counsel, and the latter had Mr. ,
Sharpe, and they made the arguments fir their
respective clients. Mr. Meredith at the outset'
decided the Coffroth return to be 'fatally difee
five," tis it did not even pretend to give a return
of the vote of the district. It is a matter of re
cord that Somerset is part of the 16th Congres
sional district, and the Coffroth return entirely
omits the vote of that county. Mr. Sharpe-vir
tually admitted the omission to, be fetal, and de
clared that ho had no knowledge of the omission
until hie attention wag called_ to it in the aro
merit. Gen. Coffroth thenceforth was by consent
beyond the pale of the Executive proelatuation, '
and the question remaining for detennination was
whether Gen. Koontz had a . legal certificate. Mr,
M'Clure is fisted that the return of Gen. Koontz
was signed by three competent return judges—
by Mr. Will, of Somerset, whose competency
was not questioned; by Mr. Winter of Fulton,
who had met at the proper time and place, oted
t• count the army vote as was his duty, and signed
a certificate embracing the - vote of the district
that was confiyeedly a true return; and by Mr.
Wilhelm, who was properly elected on the first
day of the meeting of Vic return judges and had
never resigned, per had the convention of judges
ever re-considered the vote by which he w ‘ as cho-
sen. He said that Mr. Winter's S'ubsequkit dis
regard of his duties by joining in a conspiracy to
make a wrong return could not vitiate his first
certificate, which gave a•trile and lawful return,
while his subsequent certificate was false and
fraudulent. He showed, also, that the only law
that provides for the election of a return judge is
the old statute that fixes the first Tuesday atter
the election as their day for meeting and discharg
ing their duties, while the law of last year-provi
ding for a subsequent meeting to compute the
army vote, is
,silent on the subject of a return
judo, and evidently designed the duty to be per,
formed on the first day. Mr. Wilhelm's election,
he contended, Was therefore legal; and when once
elected ho could-not by passive submission ciente,
his place. He was thereby chargedwith an im
portant trust involving the interests of the people,
and he could surrender it only iu a perfectly legal
manner. He did not do so by resignation, nor
did the judges displace him by a re-consideration
of their vote—thereftire the subsequent election '
of Mr. Laker was void because there Was DO such
place to fill. The fact that Mr. Orr, a clerk to
the Board, assumed to give the judges legal ad
vice to the effect that the first election was illegal,
in order, as subsequent events prove, that judges
of a different political faith might be cherien to
consummate a fraud, did not affect the . question,•
even although the ; judges assumed the advice to'
be lawful and acted upon it. The first election
being in accordance with - the law, all subsequent
action on the subject was of no effect, for the duty
bad already been peribrnied. Mr. 3l'Clure con
tended, therefore, that Gen. Koontz's certificate
was signed by three - comPetent judges—a majority
of the board, and he was entitled to be proclaimed
elected.
Mr. Sharpe controverted the positions taken by
Mr. M'Clure==particularly as to the legality of
Mr. Wilhelm's election. He' insisted 'that Mr.
Wilhelm's election on the first day was void, an
the return could not he delivered on that day, and
he held the subsequent election of Mr. Laker
to belawful and hisliets as binding in the case.
He argued also that Mr. Winter's signature to
Gen-Koontz's return was not a, legal acthe
having been misled to act in that meeting and to
sign the return, and referred to Mr. Winter's af
fidavit in support of his position. The ease was
argued with considerable earnestness on both
sides, but with the utmost' good feeling. After
the argument, each of the candidates gave the
other a written assurance that he might contest
without the usual notice in case he was excluded
from the proclamation.' This wavendered
cesiaryy by the fact that time had theltselapsed fur
a contestant to give flue notice repired by the
act of Congress. Mr. Meredith has not yet de
cided the case. -
It seczns settled now Wet Hon A. G. Olmstead,
of Potter, will be-the Speaker of the House, and
Wm. H. Kemble; Esq., of Philadelphia, the . State
Treasurer. Mr Moore peremtorily decline& a,
re-election. The old Clerks 7 Mi.. Hamersly in
the Senate, and Mr. Benedict in the House, will
bo re-elected without a contest, and most if not
all the subordinate officers of both houses will be
continued. Applicants . for 'those positions will
save time, money and disappointment by aban
doning their pretensions for a more convenient
season. HORACE.
—The St. Albans raiders were fast week dis
charged by the Court, at Montreal, for want of
jurisdictlon.
HARRISBURG
WASHINGTON
Gobi Weather nail linenr—Bebribesertion*
—Gen. Grant in the City—Major General
- Crittenden—Gen. Ilianeork's New
—Chief Justice Chase—Congreat i gr:
Moo to W of
inte the Us e r q iltuoy of Potomac Going
inuart e rs.
CorreT9adence of the tranktin Repository.
WASHDIGTON env, Dec. IA test
The weather for' the past week has been in
tensely cold. The snow that fell over a weelrago
still covers the ground, which for this season of
the year, in this climate, is considered remarkable.
This cold snap. came unexpected, causing -much
suffering among the poor, and' in the army. The
First Brigade, of the Sixth Corps, were on the
march from Winchester to this city, andlost some
ten men from cold. Othtir deaths among soldiers
are reported ;
' , Whether the cold weather has the effect of aid
ing desertions in the rebel ranks in our front, I
cannot say, but, certain it is that quite a number
-come in every night. The Matilda brought up
from the front yesterday, eighty-eight. Several
of them are from the rebel ram Virginia, lying
above Butler's canal. The Matilda also brought
up over three hundred contraband men, women
and children, which is a' portion of the slavei that
followed Warren from his late movements on the
Weldon Railroad:
Gen. Grant is at Willards, having come up with
his wife, who with several ladies, were on a visit
to City Point. They arrived here on the dispatch •
steamer Mr - Martin, last evening at six o'clock.
Mrs.. Grant hashben about a Week sojourning in
the army, and now returns to her home in the
,North. It is not expected that Gen.. Grant will
remain in the city longer than this evening. A
great man): people,. curious to see the General,
have congregated abbut the halls, stairs and di- .
' room door Witlards, eager to get a sight
of him. He avoids all tlniplay, and very few have•
yet seen him.
Geu. Crittenden , was assigned to a com
mand iu the army of the Potomac—which he
deemed inadequate : to his taldt4lachaglim in a_
subordinate position to junior officers. This he
considered too much for his dignity, and with his
' staff—resigned' their commissions which were
promptly accepted. There is going to be a yeg,
ular weeding out in the army' of Generals unem:
ployed. There cannot be too_many. If there is
no place_ to assigri them too, why should the
country be at the expense of tens of thousands of
dollars—merely to keep them Generals, because .
they received a commission 7 If they are worth
lens as Generals—dismiss them at .once. As I
stated in a. Former letter, Gen. Brant is the father
of this excellent movement which is about to re
ceive the sanction of Congress.
Gen. Hancock's new Corps will be full at an
early day. Many enlistments have already take,l
place. ' Gen. Brooks is president of the examiniq
board, for -the commissioning-of officers for the
Corps. They commenced examining applicants
yesterday. As rapidly as officers are commis
sioned they will be sent into the several States on
recruiting service. Now is the time to raise local
bounties to add to the large government bounty
and induce as many 'veterans as-possible to enlist
each one so doing, as they are exempt-from
draft, will be a gain on a future call, which will.
certainly be made, Maims the army is recruited
with volunteers by next March or April. "
- Yesterday Chief Justice CIiSSA,WILS sworn into
office, and at once entered upon 'the duties per
taining to that high Position. The court room
was crowded with members of the bar, Senate and
House and toti , citizens among whom were quite a
number of ladies, all anxious toseis this important .
inauguration. After all there was very_ little to
be seen - The venerable Associate Justice Wayne
entered the court room first, next Caine Mr. Chase
and following the rest of the Associate Justices.
The clerk read, the commission signed by Presi
dent laitcoln and attested by Secretary Seward.
Mr. Chase then with his right hand raised read
aloud in a distinct and clear voice the ohth of of-.
See, and at its close Justice Wayne added "SO - help
you God" to which Mr. Chase bowed. The Juil
ges then all took theirplaces and proceeded tobu
siness._ ,And this was all of what a great many
people had been anxious to see for some time.
Congress will adjourn over from next-Thursday
.untill the day after New Year. In expectation
of this, there has not been mammy arrivals at the
Hotels. •
For all the weather is miserable and the roads
rough, there is no sign of the Army of the Poto
mac going into winter quarters. On the contrary
there is every reason to belieVe that active moye
uiehts of some kind are on hand and will shortly
be commenced. Gen. Sherman has reached Sa,
vannah, - the place aimed at. one week sooner than
he expected. Where he will next turn up re
mains to be seen, but Undoubtedly themoremenks
ofthe Army of the Potomac depend at presentto
a great extent on the success of Sharman dating
the next week.
SIV3I6II.ABY or WAR NEWS.
—The diaarge of the' St. Albans raiders is
said to have caused much indignation in Canada,
and dispatches from - (4hebee,"Montreal and To.
ronto say that the course of the Judge is severely
denounced.
—The rebel commissioner of exchange having
declared all' prisoners delivered for exchange or
paroled up to Nov 25 exchanged, the War De
pfirtraent has isaned a similar order concePaing
our prisou6is. ' '
--Gen. Dix his issued an order in relation - to
raiders from Canada, in view of the discharge of
the-St. Albans raiders, instructing commanders
on the frontier,, iu case of further depredations
by persons acting under commissions from the
rebel authorities, to shoot down the perpetrators,
if it is necesaari, to cross the Canada line to
capture them, and id no- ces - e are the prisoners
to he surrendered, but'are to be sent to headquar
ters for trial and court martial. -
—After permitting Hood to approach Nash
ville and go through the preliminaries of laying
siege to it, in the midst 43f a winter storm, with
his army exposed to the fury of the elements,
General Thonun; has at length sallied forth and
attacked the enemy in force, and with determined
energy and success. The victory seems to be do.
cisive,? the rebel ,army being driven hve miles
from its intrenchments, with the loss of seventeen
guns and fifteen hundred prisoners.
--GeneradSheiman has been heard from through
Unions sources. Admiral Dahlgreen notifies the
Navy Department that he his received a commit.
mention from Sherman'ti army, which was a few
miles from Savannah, and in fine—spirits. Under
date of Dec. 12, Admiral Dahlgreen announces
the arrival of Captain Duncan', a scout bearing a
communication from General Howard, which
says: "We have metwith perfect success thus
far. The troops are in tine spirits, and near by."
Capt. D. states That our forces were in contact
with the rebels a few - mites outside of Savannah.
,The steamer which brings- the dispatches reports
that, when outside of the harbor, and too late to
communicate by signals, the whole- fleet began to
to fire a salute, nnd•the vessels were being deco-*
rated with flags.
—Gen.' Warren's Capedition has returned.—
Its object was to break up the rebel supply route
by way of the Weldon Railroad to Stony Creek;
whence supplies were wombed to Petersburg.
On Wednesday morning the• column started on
the JerUsalem road. At a pointl9 miles from
Petersburg the Nottoway. river was crossed; and
thO troops bivouacked for the night, On Thurs
day morning our forces again started, and on
reaching a point two miles beyond Snows Court- 1
house Some cavalry were encountered, butsverei
driven hook. Tho destriintion of the vsilread
was then commenced by burning the bridge
across the Nottowayotnd the road was destroy
ed to Jarret's Station. Fridai afternoon the ad-
Vance reached point near Hieksford, where the
enemy was found in_ considerable force, vßith a
battery.: An attack eras deemed impracticable
but the line of works on this side of the Meherrin
river-was captured, and the depot was destroyed.
The troops camped in the vicinity for the night,
and next morning started on the return. The
move is considered one of the most successful of
the campaign. All the depots on the route were
burned, as well as numerous /mills, barns find
dwellings from which guerillas had fired on our
I II
, F1.117A
The Lioperi
week, has met with a very rapid sale among a
'class of 'substantial men. It has most valuable
_lands with Oil already developed on three differ
ent tracts, and with ample machinery ready to
push developments with the utmost rapidity. • It
has much the largest reserved capital of any Com
pany on the market, and, has men of character,
capacity and energy in its management. We be
lieve that it cannot fail to be a regular dividend
paying stock; and investments may be made; iu
it without rilik of loss, and with 'a fair prospect of
a rapid and large advance in the value of the
stock. ; Unless the Oil business breaks down—a
`result just abo;it as likely now as that an earth
quake will submerge the whole Oil' region—the
Imperial musthave a' most successful career.—
The stock is still for sale at the original price.
Over .vp,ooo of the stock was taken here last
week. -
The Sterling Oil Company closed its books last
week, and the stock at once advanced. An ad
vance was freely offered here during the past week,
with - butlittle disposition on the part of the hold
ers to part with it. It now commands - $3 - per
share—an advance of fitly per cent. .
The 'Cherry Run and Pittsburg Petroleum Oh
Company is advertised in our columns, and a lint
ited number of shares can be bad:from Mr. Jacob
Hoke in this place. Its capital is small, but it
seems to have a good basis and promises well.
Its lands are well located, and will probably de
velop profitably.
The popular impression that Oil investments
are but bubbles is a serious error. Trite, a large
-majority of the investments made in Oil Stocks
will be totally lost, and half the balance will prove
profitless ; but judicious investments in this tempt
ing channel of trade must pay very largely. When
it is considered that Oil is now au article of ex
port to a very large extent ; that the demand at
1 . 1 orne•and abroad is steadily increasing more ra
pidly than the supply . ; and that the products of
the Oil wells of this State now exceed the entire
prothicts-of our Coal and Iron mines, the magni
tude of the Oil business will be appreciated. Its
yield in 1063 was over $53,000,000, and the year
1864 Will present a large increase. Still the de
mand is greater and the price higher. It is a
mistake, therefore, to assume that Oil investments
are but tempting bubbles to catch .the unwary.
Oil is now one of the substantial staples of Peuh
sylvania; and four-fifths of- all the Oil produced
on the continent is produced in Venango county.
Virginia, Ohio and 'the Western counties are all
producing Oil; but their combined yield does not
exceed one-fourth the yield of Venango county
I alone, and the main yield of Venango is from Oil
Creek and Cherry n.
The floOd of bo companies now on the mar
ket, . and daily swel ng in number, of necessity
brings disrepute u n legititnaie oil investments.
Most of them have lands of little or-no value, and
never wilispay a dividend. They: are but specu
laticins for gentlemen on • the first floor—those
whO sell the stock, and when once disposed of
the 'stockholders are left to take care of them
selves. There is, however, one safe rule by
which to determinesuch investments—never buy
Me stock of a corporation that hay not 'producing
property. If it has Oil already developed, then
there - is some guarantee that future developments
maybe successful.
We hope_ to see the coming legislature take
prompt action to break up the hundreds of bogus
Oil companies now defrauding the'people, They
should be required to make stated exhibits under
oath of th& revenues, accumulated funds, &e.,
and thus ge the public some protection against
these systematic swindles. Banks are required
to do so, and there is no good reason why Oil
companies should not show their solvency in the
.sauie manner. Such a measure judiciously
frained, would drive the bogus corporations from
the market, and : give just value and credit to
sound and legitimate companies. Some eight or
ten new Oil corporations were started in Phila
delphia during the last week, and toe do not see
one that has producing property! All are mere
lotteries, with scarcely a chance in a thousand
for the stockholders .
We give in oar advertising columns the official
notice of GOV. Curtin that the Bank of Chambers
burg has complied with the enabling act of this
State, and is now an authorized banking corpora
tionander the title of the National Bart of Cham
beflburg,
The National Bank of Chambersburg — givea no
tice in our columns to-day that 7-30 and 10-40
got . ernrnent bondi, can be had there at par, and
that all other government secaritiee will be bought
and sold at market value.
Pohl was sensibly effected by the brilliant vic
tortes of our armies in Tennewe and - before Sa
vannah. It fluctuated from 2,35 to 2,15 on lion
day, and closed at 2,15—a decline of OA per cent
in one week.
—The Mowing- is the latest quotations of the
sales of stocks and bonds in Philadelphia :
BONDS.
109 'Reading 61.1 ' 135.
103 Penna. R. R. Ist wort.. 110.
110 Penna.Th R. 53 mom 107
1174 Phila. 6'e, 1 1 .1 1124
95 Phila. ti's, new 99
9M Phila. & Erie R. R. We 101
RAILROAD STOCKS..
664'Phila. & Erie R. —OB
. eentral R. R 54j
U. S. 5.80's
1.7.'8,
U. 8. Gs,
11,, 8, Ws coupon...
U. S. Certificates
Yonne. s's eettpcm.
Panne. R. R..
Iteadink - R. R.
("DAL- AND OIL STOCKS
Fulton Coal 71
ITig Mountain Cietl- - 51
'N."l', & Mid. Coal 11
Omen Mt. Coal 4
N: Carbondale 2
Feeder Darn Coal. -.-- 1
Clinton Coal. 1
Basler Coal 10
Dlatoond Coal 18
Swatara. .
8
Monoeaey Iron . 101
Penn Mining 211
Connecticut. 1
Keystone Zino ' 11
Earelslor 011 1 ea
Big Tank 2
Continental
21
Farrell 2 i
011 Creek a
Maple Shade Oil 38
lit'Cllntock 011 5
Pennxylvania Pet 2
Perry Oil. 41
Mineral Oil . 014
Keystone 011 2
Venting° 011,... . : .... f
II aloe Petroleum 1 49'
Beacon Oil 1
Seneca 011 Gf
Organta 011 • 11
Franklin Oil 1.1 1
Ilocre's Eddy 011 If
. T.
—II, R.
. •
Pennsylvania Imyerittl..' 5
Sterling . 3
!Ming Oil : . .... .e: -. . -. ... 101
Pore Pnrm Oil 1 -
Densmore 71
Dolma 81
Mallhenv .... -.. .... i 51
Roberts oil 2
Ohnxtend. 2
Noble & Rehm:lnfer .. • 91
Illbburd 2
Story Farm - 21
Bruner If
IPetroleum Centre...... 31
Rgbert 3!
Hoge Island 1
Allegheny River 1
Curtin 15
Phila d•. Oil Creek li
Bull Crock 3
i tlemnosin 1
I Com Plantar 71
Briggs 5
Rock Oil 3.1
Tan Praia ' 31
Globe En;sin 1
'Solluy'ltill Oil Crook... 2
Walnut Island 31
Eldorado 2
' St. Nicholas - 41
Drinkard 1
'Caldwell - -s
—Henry ... SchOoleraft„ the Indian historian,
died in Washington, on Sunday, aged seventy-two
_years. He was born; in Watervliet, N. Y,; edm.
sated at Union College, same State; • afterwards
studied chemistry, at Middleburg, Vt. He also
taught himself Hebrew, German, French, Geol
ogy, &o. Removed west, and was appointed In
dian Agent at Sliult St. Marie, Michigan, in 182.
Since 1847 ho has resided in Washington, and had
been confined to his library for. seventeen years
by.paralyeds. His mind was unimpaired to the
last. -
—=Capt.4ohn A.. Winslow, of the Kearvarge,
Was given a complimentary dinner at the Conti
nental lad week.
December 21, 1864.
TRAD_E.
the market lad
FORTY-NINE GUNS CAPTURED !
OVER 5.000 PRISONERS TAKEN!
OFFICIAL REPORT OF GEL THOMAS!
Go. Shuman Besiek Savannah
Uls Triumphant :►larch!
HE iCSTRONGER THAN WHEN HE STARTED!
He R.S,gards Savannah "Already Gained!"
Treason, Tottering to its Fall!
fireLhave tun'? wave of Union victories to record.
Loyallearts will be gladdened; faithless men will
tremble for their perfidy to a noble country, and
traitors in arms must be appalled by the terrible
retribution their wanton war has brought upon
themselves.
Gea. Thomas, after drawing Hood to the very
gates of Nashville in order to render him as help.
lea's a 4 possible, turned upon him and routed him
after a desperate conflict, capturing over 5,000
prisoilers, forty-nine guns and thousands of small
amts.'! - The following is his official report:
HEAD-QUARTERS DEPARTMENT (W THE CUMBERLAYD,
El& Miles from Nashville,
Dec. 16.1864, 6 P. M.
To the President of the Melted Star-, Non. E. M. Stanton.
and ,Lieetehont-General - Grone
This army thanks you for' your approbation of
its conduct yesterday, and to assureyou that it is
not misplaced, I hare the honor to repoit that the
enemy has been preig.ed at all point&te-day in his
line 'of retreat to the Brentwood Hills.
Brigadier-General Hatch, of Wilson's Corps of
Cavalry, on the right turned - the enemy's left, and
captured a large number of prisoners, numbernot
et reported. Major General Schofield's Corps,
next On the left of the cavalry, carried several lulls
and captured many prisoners and six pieces of
artillery.
Brevet Major-General Smith, next on the left of
lajor-General Schofield; carried the salientpoint
the enemy's line with MeSlillan's brigade of
Ai Arthur's division, capturing sixteen guns, two
Br adier-Generals, atid about two thousand pHs
one rs.
Brigadier-General Garrard's division ofSmitles
command, next on the lett of McArthur's diviS
ion,- carried the enemy's intrenchments, captur
ing all the artillery- and troops of the enemy out
the line.
Brigadier-General Wood's troops, on the-Prank -
lin Pike, took up the assault, carrying the enemy'et.
intrenehnaents, and in his retreat captured eight
pieoes of artillery and something over six-hundred
ners,- and drove the enemy within one mile
of the Brentwood mu Pass.
31Sjor-General Stedman, commanding detaelt-
Menti3 of the different ; armies of the militarydivis- -
ion of 'Mississippi, most nobly supported General
WoOd's left, and bore a most honorable part in.
the operations of the day.
1. have ordered the pursuit to be continued in
the aionnng at daylight, although the troops are
very Much fatigued. The utmost enthusiasm pre
vail&
. I must not forget to report the operational of
Brigadih- General Johnson, in successfully driv
ing the enemy, with the cooperation of the goso
boati under Lieutenant Commanding Fitch, from
their established batteries on the Cumbertami riv
er, below the city of Nashville, and of the success -
of Brigadier-General Crnxton's brigade; hi cover
ing and returning our right and rear, in the oper
ations of yesterday and to-day. -
Although I have no report of the numberufpri
simers captured by Johnson's and Craxton's com
mands,' know they have a large number. am
glad to be able to state that the number of 'pris
oners captured yesterday greatly exceeds the man
ber reported by telegraph last evening.
- The woods, fields and intrenchments are strewn
with the enemy's small arms, abandoned in their
rerreat." In conclusion, lam happf to state-that
all this has been effected with a small loss to,l*.
Our' loss does not exceed three thousand, and litry
..few - (Signed) GEO. H. THoatas,:-
Major-General Commanding
haye also the most cheering news from
Sherman. Notwithstanding all the rebel congrat
ulations that he would be cut off andbagged on
his march for the coast, he is now before Savan
nah ! and insures the govenaineut that he has had
a pleasant, leisnfly march, with abundant sup.
plies, and that he regards Savannah as already
gained. The. following is his official dispatch:
11. 110AILD "DANDELION," 0...1.11A1k - SOUND,
Dee. 13, 1864,-11.30 P. M.,
To -day. at SP. M., General Hazen's Division '
of the Fifteenth Corps carried Fort McAlister by
assault, capturing its entire garrison and stores.
Tina ,opened to m the Ossabaw Sound, and I pull.
ed down to this gun-boat to communicate with
the Beet. Before opening communication we bad
completely destroyed all the railroads leading into
Savannah and invested - the city. The left is on
the Savannah Ricer, three miles above the city.
and:the right is on the Ogecelice, at King's Bridge.
The army is in splendid order, andequal to any
thing. The weather has been fine and supplies
abundant. Onv march was most agreeable, and
we !were not at all molested by guerrillas. We
reached Savannah three days ago, but owing to.
Fort McAllister we could not communicate, but'
non' we h; , ve McAllister, and go ahead!
We have already captured two boats in the Se.:
vaninth River, and have' prevented their gun-.
heats from coming down. I estimate the u
!Alen of Savannah at twenty-five thousand and
the,garrison at fifteen thousand. Gen. Ilardee
commands.
We hare not lost a wagon on the trip, but
hare gathered a large supply of mules, negroes,
horos, &C., and our ten os are in. far better eon
ditien than when we started.
first duty will be to clear the army of all
urpius negroes, mules 'and horses. '
IVe have utterly destroyed over two hundred
miles of railroad, and consumed stores and pro
tisieng that were essential to Lee's and Hood's
arudee.
The quick work made of Fort McAllister, sad
the opening of comrmtnication with oar fleetadd
consequent independence of supplies, dissipates
all their boasted threats to head are off and
starve the army. I regard' Satannah' as al.7ady.
gained. Team truly,
W. T. SHERMAN, 3laj. Gen.
Ho* EDWIN d. STANTON, Serrtaty of Ww.
EVERY CHURCH MAY RAVE
seeing marvelous that a thin strip of metal, an
inch and a halflong, can be made to vibrate so as
to Produce a full smooth, and sonorous tone, which
can:scarcely be - distinguished, even by a practi
-ceidear, from that of an-organ pipe; yet this is
the 'result attained in the Cabinet Organs made
by Mason & Hamlin, of Boston. Reeds have
ceased to produce "reedy" sounds, and the most
delicate and Ihatidious tympanum may_luituriste
in the silver tones modern instruments, ape
eiony th ose from the thctory of hi at H., who
have, indeed, dune much toward the marvelous
change and improvement referred to.
- The Cabinet Organ was introduced by this firm
and is A decided improvement upon the Melodeon;
having greater power and variety, and being more
easily supplied with wind. As its merits become
known, it musthe widely introduced. -- It is, in
fact, a very efficient church organ brought within
A small compass, not easyto get out of,oriler,and
sold at a very low price. One hundred and sev
enty dollars; or even less, will now furnish a fine
accompanying instrument, much surior t o the
piano-forte for sorted music; while three, four or
livn hundred dollars procures an instrument with
cot - r „ pen at og iy greater variety and advantages,
Every Sabbath-school may now rejoice with an
orgim, and even feeble churches, maY "play anin-: •
strums, ' the praise of God.—New Vork.E.p;
amuse.
iAO