e t nuddin `44pooitorg,
W,SllesSay, JannarY IS, 1865.
TUE WAIL
Within the past week very little that is
new has occurred. On the morning of
January 7tlic,the Indians to the number
of 1500 attacked the station of the Over- 4
lsnd mail company at Julesbtsg, Colorado
Territory, and succeeded, in destroying
the building and furniture, together with
a large amount of telegraphic material,
bat were finally repulsed by our troops,
numbering some 80 men, with the assist
ance of the citizens. Our loss was nine
teon soldiers and citizens killed, while of
the Indians thirty-five, including a prin
cipal chief, were killed. The bravery of
our little force alone, prevented a general
massaore of all the Whites in that region.
In the South-west there has been some
little activity among our troops. General
Grierson has again been breaking the con
federate shell. He' left Memphis 'on the
21st of December last, with a force of 3000
Cavalry, and' striking into Miagissippi met
a force of rebels Egypt, on the Mobile
and Ohio Railroad.. A sharp fight ensued
which resulted in the defeat of•the rebels
with - the loss of their General, Holcombe,
killed, and 500 prisoners. He then pro
ceeded westward and struck the Missis
sippi Central Railroad, destroying 30 miles
of it, together with .fi t evertil locomotives
and 50 cars. At Grenada he destroyed
extensive cloth and shoe factories, and
then turning his face homeward arrived
safely at Memphis, the point of departure,
bringing with him a considerable number
of captured
_horses and mules, and the
usual contrabands.
In ,Arkansas it is reported that the re
bel General Thayer was about surrender
ing his battalion to the Union forces.
Price's army is also reported to be quar
tered in. Arkansas, in a very demoralized
condition, the whole conntr ybeing filled
with his stragglers and deserters.
Hood, with the kemains of his army, is
said to.be fortifying himself at Corinth,
Mississippi, and to be engaged in repair
ing the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, a work
which, if all accounts be true, will occupy .
a month or two of his valuable time, al
fiTys proViding Gen. Thomas allows him
'ta -work- unmolested, which is not probe-.
ble, unless Thomas can accomplish some
thing more profitable in another directive
which is intimated to be the case.
We have no news from Sherman except
throngli,rebel papers,,and by them he is
reported moving upon Charleston, S. C.,
by way of Grahamsville, in the same State.
lugood time we shall hear that Charles
ton is in his possession, the only question
in our mind at present being whether he
will show the birth-place of treason the
same lenity he did Savannah. We doubt
it, and the loyal North would not judge
him harshly if he did not. ,
The attack a p Wilmington proved a
failure, and in Zonsequence Gen. Butler
has been relieved of hiei command, which
would seem to imply that he was respon
sible. But asan investigation is about to
be made by the Committee on the Con
duct of the War, we suspend judgment on
the affair. The rebels, however, will
hardly have much room to rejoice, as it
cannot be long before Gen. Sherman will
be in that neighborhood, an then Wil
mington is closed as a port 'of entry for
blockade runners forever.
In the Army of the Potomac, beyond a
few picket skirmishes, every thing is quiet,
waiting the appointed time for the bat;
grand rally of the armies of freedom
against the black array of barbarism and
treason in their last and strongest hold.
But although the season , prevents a ny
active army operations. still the cause of
right and justice moves on. Within the
past weelt Missouri has unconditionally
abolished Slavery, and her Governor has
sent a special message of glad-tidings to
the Governor of every loyal State, that
Missouri, regenerated and disenthralled,
has entered with them anew upon the race
for civilization and empire. A movement
is being made in Kentucky and Tennessee
to the same end. and no long period will
elapsebefore they too will be ranged under
the banner- of freedom. Men of all par
ties appear to be opening their - eyes to the
conviction that truth must prevail, that
the sentiment of the people cannot be re
sisted, and , that that sentiment E is nearly
unanimous against Slavery and will short
ly be completely so. In Congress the con
stitutional amendment for the abolition of
Slavery requires bat six votes to pass it of
the necessary two-thirds. Many Demo
crats who last session voted against it now
support it, as also do many Democratic
.papers formerly opposed.. The amend
ment will certainly, however, be passed
at the next session, as there will be a large
majority in ita . favor, without asking sup
port from Democrats. •
And this strong sentiment of our people
for the abolition of Slavery, with the
avowed,convictionthat such abolition will
settle the war, and all vexed questions
between the States hereafter has not been
without its effect in. rebeldom itself. It
was revealed clearly to the southern peo
ple for the first time by the result of the
fall elections, and since then its effect.has
been apparent in the despondent tone of
the press and speeches of prominent men.
"Straws show which way the wind blows,"
and for the first time in the history of the
rebellion a possibility or its failure is ad
mitted. Governors of several of the most
ifinPortant States have flatly refused to
obey pertain edicts of Jeff Davis', and lat
terly he has been frequently and violently
denounced by influential newspapers in
hi own capital, and by prominent men'
on the floor of the rebel Congress. Petuie
resolutions have been nintroduced into Con
, ress, and the legislatures of different
states, and rumors of peace movements
are prevalent. Degertioni from the rebel
armies are largely on the increase, and the
people in the sections occupied by our
troops seem not only content but anxious
to live under the protection of the old flag,
their hankering after the flesh pots of
Egypt being greater than their unanimity
to die in the link ditch. Altogether, the
Amin:it aspect of things is decidedly ea
couraging for tul, and it - can only be our
own fault if another emnpaign does not
restore peace and the supremacy of the
government.
lIEVISION OF TILE CABINET.
The re-electiorrof Mr. Fessenden to the
Senate points conclusively to a change in
the Secretaryship of the Treasuryon the 4th
of March, and among the many rumors,
one that bears some evidence of probabil
ity, is that Mr: Seward will surrender the
Premiership to return to the Senate, and
that Senator Morgan will take the portfo
lio of the Treasury. Since some change
is inevitable, there mill be an earnest ef
fort to effect a general recast of the Cabi
net with the view to increase its harmony
and efficiency.
In the formation of Mr. Lincoln's cabi
net in 1861 he committed a grave error in
calling men abOut him as constitutional
advisers solely because they had attained
prominence as competitors for the Presi
dency. That it was done as, in his judg
ment at the time, the besf way to recon
cile the various conflicting claims of rival
pressures, we do not doubt ; but it result
ed in satisfying but few and in a discord
ant and consequently most inefficient min
istry. Men have been cared of almost all
diseases but the Presidential malady. If
any one has ever been "discharged cured"
of that infirmity, this side the "City of
the Silent," we should.be glad to have the
particulars of the ease; and Mr. Lincoln's
cabinet of 1861 turned out to be, in the
main, so many competitors for the succes-_
sion, and as but one of them. in the most
fortunate result possible, could succeed to
Mr. Lincoln's chair, it needs no profundity
of logic or mathematics to prove that on
at least one point there was a conflict of
opinions, interests and efforts in the cabi
net. The result was that one by one they
dropped out as they were with more or
less delicacy informed that "that time has
now come," and but two of the original
cabinet now remain—Messrs. Seward and
Welles, and they are both classed as doubt
ful for the new Ministry. Cameron went
out for Stanton in 1862 ; Smith give way
to Usher in ISM; and Blair, Bates and
Chase were succeeded•by Denuison, Speed
and Fessenden in 1864. _ •
Mr. Lincoln will enter his second term
under essentially different • circumstances
than surrounded him in 1861. Then he
had a party that had just attained its first
success, - arid a country distracted with
threatened 'dissolution and no land-marks
by which to save it. He -haR to move
with the utmost caution, ever defering to
expediency alike in politics and in his ef
forts to save our Nationality. Hence his
discordant cabinet, and hence, also, the
care and doubt that marked the adoption
• of every new measure deemed essential to
the safety of the government. Now, how
ever, Mr. Lincoln has been re-elected with
out being especially indebted.to any man
or set of men, and he can afford to cease
dispensing shadows to inordinate ambi
tion. He has no competitor to fear ; no
combinations in or out of his own party to
defer to, if be but keeps his eyes steadily/
fixed on the salvation of the Republic.
He hasbeen instmeted,by the Nation
he has done well heretofore, and to con-'
'dime to do so hereafter with as math im
provement as possible, and he can laugh
at the petty freaks, ebulitions and threats
of wounded vanity - . and trust himself and
his • great cause with confidence to the
people.
In 1861 politicians claimed to make cab
inets for their own selfish endsi They
had labored to gain the victory, and cla
morously demanded their reward. We
once heard the wearied and disgusted
President declare, when office-hunter.,
were crowding about his door, and treason
was running riot in - Charleston and even
threatening the very capital, that he seem
ed like a man who was renting out rooms
in one end of a mansion while the flames
were devouring it at the other.
however, the offices are filled—few if. any
changes can be required. and the unanim
ity of the Nation in charging Mr. Lincoln
with the Executive, functions for another
term, place him above the demands of
small place-hunters. He was elected to
save a Republic—to complete a holy work
to which he had been faithful. and not to
dispense tubs to political whales either
great or small.
We faithfully reflect the united senti
ment of the sincere and earnest men who
sustained Mr. Lincoln's re-election; when
we say that the country wants a cabinet
appointed solely with reference to its abil
ity, fidelity and efficiency in the great
work to be performed by his administra
tion. A cabinet is wanted that .will, first
of all, be a unit on the leading measures
essential tothe successful prosecution and
early and honorable close Of the war, and
in the second place be a unit with itself.
The time was when the cabinet of Mr.
Lint - oin wpb disgracefully discordant. and
so forgetful of the proprieties of honorable
station as to fling their dirty linen in the
• face of the Nation. Cabinet officers did
not speak to each other, but only too often
of each other for their own credit, and
such a thing as a general cabinet council
was unknown for months. This running
sore of the administration was in time
healed, and perhaps as soon as it could
be done without confronting new dangers.
Then the great cause of the people was
clouded with doubt; the succession was a
bone of contention at which every unbal
anced official was grasping, and the ruin
of the present administration Was deemed
the - first stepping-stone to rival success.
In due time the people were aroused to
the grave issues involved in the efectioh,
and with a unanimity unprecedented in
our modern struggles, Mr. Lincoln was
re-nominated and re-elected.' 1
Delicate and solemn. a s were his duties
in the beginningol hisfiret administration,
they will be no less so in the new one.
He had then to meet a most wanton, wick
ed and gigantic rebellion. Ile had to turn
a great people from their accustomed
paths of peace to war—now he will have
to turn them from war to peace with the
unity, the honor and the might of the
Nation enimpaired in the estimation of
the people and the world; and he must
• have a cabinet for this mighty work that
• is frilly equal to the task. • Let him discard
locality, -if need be ;
,trwlted friends of
an imperiled .Country . ,can thereby' be
benefttted; and let him.call about him
those, and those only, who will command
the confidence of the Nation, and who will
join him, with a singleness of purpose, to
exercise the highest order of • intellect to
give to ourselves and t&posterity the gov
ernment of our fathers, nobly rescued
from treason by our brave warriors, and
founded in renewed power by most en
lightened and patrititic statesmanship.
THE PROPOSED AMENDHENT TO THE
CONSTITUTION.
A resolution proposing an amendment
to the constitution of the United States,
by which to abolish slavery throughout
the country, is now before Congress. That
such a resolution will sooner or later be
adopted, thereby referring this most vexed
and vexatious of all public questions to
the States themselves, there can be no
doubt. The triumph of the Uniori party
in the elections of October and November
last, secured this beyond a peradventure;
-and the opposition b withholding their
support from the resolution at this time,
can only effect a short postponement of
the issue. It has-already passed the Sen
ate and was being discussed in the House
last week, when, for some reason, the fur
ther consideration of it was postponed for
-two weeks. ' A three-fourths vote being
required for its adoption, its fate-in the
present Congress rests entirely in the hands
of the opposition. for without their assis
tance the friends of the administration are
powerless to effect its passage. While we
cannot expect the whole body of the op
position to give its support to this meas
ure, we still hope and trust that a sufficient
number will be found who, regarding only
the - best interests of the country, will re
fuse to.withhold.theirs. The constitution
ality of the resolution cannot be doubted,
neither can its policy be questioned: If
adopted, it simply refers to the people
themselves the question whether 'slavery
shall survive or perish, and with them,
and not Congress, will rest the responsi
bility. If such action on the part of Con
gress should result ultit»ately in the adop
tion of an unwise ,policy by the people, or
iu any way work injury to the nation,
the people will have been the authors of
their own grievances and can blame only
themselves. Congress will have acted
only within constitutional restrictions, and
have performed a duty required of it by
the people themselves. But: as we have
said, the wisdom of the measure admits
of no question. .
That our Government cannot east part
free and part slave, has long been the
conviction of runiay, and the last four years ,
of destructive and exhausting war ought to
have been sufficient to establish its truth
fulness in all minds. It is With Slavery
as any , other evil: plant it is any Christian
community aud. a struggle is inevitable.
It is a party in the great conflict of ages
between right and wrong, and while this
conflict can be nuxLitiedtrid in a manner
directed by the government under which
it exists, it cannot be entirely suppressed.
In order to eflect this the- moral convict
ions Of the people would first have •to bir
Oblittrated; and the moment our Gevern
mentaidertakes to interfere with the con
victions of its people, that instant its
character is changed and on the ruins of a
Republic is founded a Despotism. It fol
lows from this that the only condition of
perfect peace and harmony in this free
Government of ours, is the abolition of
slaver2, -- It has been the parent of all our
woes and unless extirpated now will yet
be fruitful of strife. It is a relic of a bar
batons age. and is as much out of place in
our civilization - as heathen mythology
would be. The christian world has pass
ed its condemnation upon it aml the histo
ry of our national progress shows that
while it has been a hindrance to our na
tional prosperity, it has also degraded DB
in the eyes of the world. Let us get rid
of the mighty incubus now and the great
est work of the future historian will be,
to account for the fact that we suffered it
to exist so long. Its grave has been dug
by its own friends and if we but decently
inter it, the people of the South' ere long
will be slowest to wish its resurrection.
Let the great criminal die. ,
IT is notstrange that the public should
await impatiently the result of any move-
ment which- has pence for its object.
War, at beSt, is- a calamity. It imposes
grievous burdens and makes fearful exac
tions. Knowing this, our Government
was slow to engage in it. Her right to
exist was in question and she only sub
mitted
it to the arbitrament of the sword
after all peaceable means of adjistment
had been exhausted. The fourth year of
the war is fast drawing to a dose, and the
end is not yet attained. Although, as at
,the beginning, the first and chief desire of
the people is peace, yet they have never
_faltered in their determination to maintain
the existence of this Government, and to
vindicate its honor, even though it should
be through a continuance of war. If by
peaceable means the same result could be
attained, thus saving to the nation its
precious blood and treasure, it would be
most grateful. A termination of this
Bloody struggle by peaceful means, there
by securing the blessings of freedom and
a restored Union, would gladden every
heart in the land. But we are not hope
ful of it just yet. The same spirit that
necessitated war in the beginning has ac
tuated the minds of the chief conspirators
during its continuance, and unless the
waning fortunes of the Confederacy have
at last driven them to despair and flight,
our chief dependence must be in our faith
ful and heroic armies. Unless it has be
come evident to Davis and his co-workers
in treason that their best efforts now can
result only in failure, and that escape for
them is impossible, no adjustment can be
effected with ;them 88." Q in the manner
proposed by Gen. Grant. They are des
perate men, engaged in a desperate un
dertaking, and will abandon it only when
compelled. What then can be reasonably
expected from Mr. Blair's visit to Rich
mond, supposing him to have gone there
as is generally believed, to secure for the
nation the peace that is so earnestly de
sired? If such he his minion he goes
egg /midis ittepaoitorn, - 41,1)ambasburg, pa.
doubtless as a self constituted mediatori,.
carrying no terms froth our itentment
which havenot been repeatedly published
to the
,7orld. We are unwilling to be- -
lieve anything else. These terms have
been open to the rebels for months and
they could at any time have availed them
selves of them had they chosen to do so.
Davis, and the wily conspirators who sur
round him, understand these terms as well
as Mr. Blair. and we cannot expect the
latter to argue them into an acceptance
of what they have heretofore rejected.,
Failing in this, he must hope for some
concessions from there which; we repeat,
can•dnly be expected when every way of
'escape from a doomed city is closed, and
they are in the hands. - -of the man who ac
cepts nothing but an unconditional stir
render.
But Mr. Blair's mission can do' no harm,
possibly it may do some good. Lil:e the
Kirke -Jacques mission before it, , if bene
ficial to no .one, else, it ; may be..to some
magazine publisher. Kirke's visit gave
to the public an interesting article; we
hope at leapt this much from Mr. Blair's.
We will be disappointed if any greater
results be achieved.
Ma. MEvEas, of Bedford, was one of
the Democratic candidates for Assembly
last fall, and coming out rather . short of
votes, he was considered defeated by the
people in general and Messrs. Ross and
Armstrong in particular. . But Mr. Mey
ers, thinking that some things might be
done as well as others, procured a confes
sedly false return from two of the return
judges, and atter having thus insolently
violated the law, demanded a seat in the'
legislature in the name of thelawi but the
legislature promptly admonished him to
stay out of the House until he should be
elected, or at least come within range ef
an election. The result of the action of
the House was to qualify MMus. Roes - and
Armstrong, and, pat Messrs. Meyers and
Findlay - in the position of contestants if
they believed they had any claim - to the
seats. But this Am edy they did not choose
to avail themselves of—knowing as thei
did that it would result in an. exposition
of their frauds and make their efforts to
reach seats in the legislature consum
mate-villainv a matter of record. Rather
than face an investigation they withdrew,
and in order to. divert attention from
their own wrongs, Mr. Meyeo devotes a
column or two of the Bedfor i d Gazette to
personal defamation of the chief editor of
the Rl:Postati . . To this mode of war
fare the Gazette is welcome to an' entire
monopoly, and until, it .preteuds to contro
vert the facts stated in this journal and
by its editor in the House, the subject : is
dismissed. If Mr. Meyers assumes That
ti-e have Wronged him either in these col
umns or in the House by the statements
we haVe given of Lis case,-and will give
the best defence he can make on his own
side, we shall give it publicity if he will
iu turn copy our reply. If he wants the
truth to get to the people. we can think.
of no better way of accommodating him.
ff not—his billinsgate will harm no one,
unless it is still possible to. harm himself:
Br an almost unanimous vote the Con
stitutional Convention of Missouri, •on
Wednesday last, declared for freedom.
The moment the vote was announced the
shackles fell from ever• slave within the,
State. Missouri * thus secured for herl
self the power anegreatness which long
since: would have beeithers under free in
stitutions. Her natural resources when
developed, as they surely will be by her
free labor, must place her in the front
rank of States, for in distributing ; favors
nature was prodigal with her. With the
return of peace her material prosperity
must increase ? so that Missour: ten years
hence will little resemble Missouri of the
present day.
—The following congratulatory messa
ges passed between Gov. Curtin and Gov:
Fletcher, of Missouri :
JEFFERSON CITI", Mo.,'Jan. IL
Tot. of Pennrykanin :
Free Missouri greets her oldest sister.
T. C. FLETCHER, Gov. of Mo. .
To Hid Exectlenear, T. C. FldeAer, Governor of Illielouri
Arneson. Cag
Pennsylvania, the first-born of freedom, wel.
comes her disenthralled sister State of - Missouri,
redeemed in the agony of the nation, amid the
throes of wanton ' rebellion. Her offering of li
berty comes baptized - in her richest blood, and
will be accepted by a faithful and free people as
one of the crowning tributes to her matchless he
roism and sacrifices ti.) preserve and perpetuata
our common nationality. A. G. CURTIN,
Governor of Pennsyliania.
THE REMOYAL -OF GEE. BUTI.EIti-By
the order of the President, Major General
Butler has been relieved of the command
of the Army of the James In another
column will be found his farewell address.,
It is evident from this address, that the
cause of his remoal was ,his conduct as
commander of the Land forces in the ,
re
cent attack on Wilmington. Whither he
acted wisely or unwisely on that occasion
can only be known when the complete
history of the expedition and attack shall
have been published. The . high' fribute
he pays in his address to the patriotism,
valor and skill of his army, is richly de
served. Its success on ninny occasions
leis thrilled the nation with joy, and grat
itude to it anti its commander, while its
patient endurance of severe Ovations and
fatiguing duties have challenged 'the ad
miration, and ‘connhanded Stir it the 84-
patthy of the whole country. The com
mand of - this army devolves upon Major
General E. G. 0. Ord, a tried soldier' and
skilful commander. While two are not
prepared to question the wisdom of Geu.
Butler's removal, we may -be permitted to
express the hope that-his eminent abilities
will not be lost to the service ;of his coun
try, and that the Army of the James will
not suffer from the change.
THE STATE LIBRARY.—The report of the State
Librarian is brief, but informs the Legislature that
the expenditure for books during the past yea"! was
about eleven hundred dollars, one hundred dollars
more than the usual annual appropriation; but as
there was a surplus from the p r receeding year, the
entire amount could easily be spared from the
Treasury for such a commendable object. There
are nnw in the Library about forty thousand vol-
Untei, more than are COntall4in any State Li
brary in the country, exceptVew York. There
are, however, only. two roounrWhich can be used
84 the Library proper, and consequently a large
ntradter of books are arranged -,in - eimaft in the
apartment occupied by the Ilxicutixa
Deparifient ;:mmze are on shelfee: in a BUlgkeNh
bond some are in the original boles i& - which
'they came into 'pie custody of the Librarian ; and
others, amounting in the aggregate to abolitsererj,'
thousand, among them a complete set of journals
and State papers of Pennsylvania, from the crea
tion of the commonwealth to the present time, are
stowed away in an attic, almost utterly inaccess
ible save to rats, mice and insects. During the
year the usual exchanges of State papers bare
taken place, and to the number of recipients have
been added Tennessee, with which commonwealth
the exchange has, during the war, been interrupt
ed. The efeccond volume of the catalogue will
soon be ready for the printer, and will be about
the size of the first volume.
fir. It J. Dopog, Provost Marsha/ General
of Pennsylvania, has issued circulars announcing
that by directipme t Teceiced from Provost Marshal
General Fry, the district qtiotali assigned by him,
under the call of December 19th, 1864, and an
nounced to the district provost rnarshale of the
State, bf letters from Maj. Dodge, dated Decem
ber .4th, are repealed, and that new quotas will
be established for the different districts by Janu
ary 31st, up to which time corrected enrollments
Will be received. They shoidd be forwarded im
mediately. It has heretofore been the custom for
the provost marshal general of the State to assign
the district quotas, and the district provost mar
shals and enrollment boards assigned the quotas
of their sub-districts.
THE Senate on Thursday, after much debate,
adopted by 01 to 8 the resolution to give notice
to terminate the CanadalleciPiocity. Treaty. As
it has already passed the Home by a vote nearly
unanimous, the President's signature is required
only as a mutter of form, and it Will then become
his Executive duty to carry into effect the will of
Congress, We suppose there is no doubt that the
measure has‘the hearty approval of the country.
' WE are indebted to Hon. William lli'Sherry, of
the State Senate, for public 'documents.
WASHINGTON.
Peace litunors—F. P. Blair. Sr., in Rich.
mond—The Amendment Abolishing
Slavery—The Removal of Gifu. Butler,-
. Provost Marshal Gen. Pry—Resolution
giving all Clerical Vacancies to Dim:
abled Soldiers—Petitions for Increase
of Pny.
Correspondence nc the Franklin Repository-
1 3 1.3,suriaros CITY, Jan. 1:3, 1E65.
Peactiind rumors of peace is at present a sub
ject of much gossip among all classes of the citi
zens of this district. There is very little founda
tion on which to base them flying sensation ru
-Mors. We know that the Senior 'Rini': has ar•
rived at the Spotswood House, Richmond, but
'what his object is in going there is a mere mat
ter of speculation outside of the President and
'his advisersi Some have it that he is gone there
to seeon What'tends the rebels will throw down
their arms. Others .that it is altogether on per
sonal matters of his own. As many valuable pa.
pers were taken by the rebels from Mr. Blair's
house, when they invested this city last July, the
latter looks. reasonable as one of the reasons of
his visit. To-day it is reported that a whole em
bassy of eminent rebels, beaded by A. H. Stevens,
have applied for perthission to visit this city.—
Until the Flair 'mission is' cleared up, there will
be no end to the number of absurd flying reports:
The further discussion of the Constitutional
amendment abolialcing slavery, has been poet
polled for two weeks from next Tuesday. The
prospects that it . will receiVe a two third Vote of
the present House is very poor. If it should not,
the New Congress will convene soon after the
4th of March in extra' session. The judiciiry
committee of the Senate has reported, that there
;JIM; iscr wowing. the President to give siat'
days notice, but that an extra session can be .
called at once: -
The removal of Gen. Butler has caused more
discussion, than the relieving of any other general,
save perhaps Di'Clellan. There is no doubt but
that the failure of the Port Fisher attack has most
to do with it. That affair will, soon be cleared
up, as the War committee have i:Cen - instructed
to investigate it at once, and Gen. Butler hasbeen
sent for to testify in the case. Porter throws the
blame on Butler, telling him at the time, after he
bad throwl. some hundreds of tons ,of shot arid
powder at the fort, all he (Butler) would have to
do, would be to go towards the Walls of the fort
With a few men and blow a few ram's horniabout
the wall, as did the Priests of old about the city
of Jerico until they fall down fiat. Butler sent
out and making an inspection of the work, found
not only, the walls standing, bat the inside of them
'filled with men, seeing which he retired, much to
the disgust of Porter. There is iiertainly-some.
thing needs investigation, and the sooner thecom
mittee let us have it the better. Gen. Butler is
determined to have a full investigation of the
whole affair..
The confidence of the public in the adminiatra
tion of Provost Marshal Gen. Fry is entirety des
troyed.. The absurdity of his decisions is riot only
rendermg him an object'of contempt, but work.
ing great injustice to many districts and counties.
According to a late decision of his, it mitterti not
how many men any particular district sent in be
fore Dec. 19; no credit is to be allowed for them.
Another decision, a substitute will be accepted
for , three years but the person putting him in is
only given a certificate of exemption for one
year. Again he telegraphs all over the country,
that a three yeaniMan is `s, three years man, a
two years man a - two years man, ttd a one years
man a one year man, and that is all he says, arid
no one knows now what he metals by it and it is
questionable. if he does know himself. All this
however may not ieeux strange when it is taken
into consideration that Gen Fry is no friend of the
conscription law. ' He pronounces itan obnoxious
enactment. Hence it cannot be supposed that
any public Officer will exert himself to render a
law of the laud agreeable to the people thereof,
When he declares he has ne sympathy with the law
himself. Inasmuch us he annoys the people
through his conflicting and unreliable decisions,
just so much he heaps obloquy upon a liw which
he dislikes. If any one doubts this, let Mit con
sider for a moment the acts of Gen. Fry and their
effects upon the people under and in connection
with this law since first passed by Congress.
Mr: Clark has introduced a resolution into Con
gress givincall clerical vacancies in the Depart
ments to competent. disabled discharged soldiers,
and that toile done as speedily ai vacancies can
be made without detriment to the service. This
is but justice and the bill should be at once adop
ted and its requirements carried out: Let those
who fight and defend with their blood the liber
ties of the country, enjoy such emoluments as the
government can give,
Congress is literally' flooded with petitions for
increase of pay, from every branch of the mili
tary and civil service. There is little prospect
of any of them receiving the increase, for it. would
require millions of dollars to affect anything that
would be of material benefit to employees, and at
present the Treasury is too empty and orders
on it for payment too numerous, to allow it.
SOUTHERN MERCHANTS PAYING ,THEIR
DEBTS AT THE NORTH.—We hear, with pleas
ure that a number of the leading merchanti of Sa•
vannah have already forwarded to this city funds
for the: part or whole payment of debts they owed
in this city. when the war broke out, and which
they' were then prevented from paying. Some
who have made but partial paymentet this time,
pave, we understand, given notice that they in
tend to clear off all them' obligations as quickly
possible.—New York Post.
orlran tam ! °
Hood ie reported to be pint into Attnter
quartets at Corinth,lfissisitippi. - -
—Beverly,. West Virginia, was attacked and
captured on the llth, by a force of rebels under
Gen. Honer. The enemy left soon after, bow
ever.,
--;-Deserters and contrabands, arrived at the
headquarters of the army Of the Potomac, report
that the 'libel cavalry Lave gone into winter guar.
ten at Rirksford, picketing to Ream's Station.
—lnformation has been received' at the Navy
Departmeint of the capture of the schooner Flash
off thelt of feaico,/ on the 27th of November,
by the Princess Royal. Het corgo was an an
sorted one.
—From the Army of the Potomac we have a
&Wel; stating that the rebels made another at
tack on the picket lino on" Monday week, before
daylight, and captured a few videttes on the.ri,ght
of the second division of thi sixth Corps.
—Army of the Potomac arices state that the
James river has risen to several feet above the
usual height, The high tide has mused an ?vet).
ing in the bulkhead of the Dutch Gap Canal, and
a stream eight or ten feet wide and several deep
now flows through it. Deserters whn have come
in report that forces have been sent from 'Rich
mond to 'North Carolina to meet Sherman.
—Gen Thomas, after marching South to Pu
laski, Tenn., suddenly eat loose from Nashville as
a base ; went to the Tennessee ricer, and,i, turn
ing eastward, marched up it towards ChattanOo
ga His object is unknown. Gen. Hood has
made a report of the battle of Nashvilee. He says
he lost filly pieces of cannon, but that his loss in
killed and wounded was small, He says nOthing
about prisimers.
- 7 1Ve have conflicting reports from Arkansas.
One is that our forces have- evacuated; Forts
Smith and ':Van Boren, for what reasons does not
appear. The Rebel army under Price (since
dead) ICU at Bragg Depot, on the Red River.—
Another story is that our troops have not left
Fort Smith, and will be required to remain there
to protect Government stores until the Arkansas
River is risen again so they can be removed.
—Sixty Indians attacked the overland mail ex
press near Julesburg, Colorado territory, and rob
bed the mail. The troops at Jalesburg went to
the relief of the white settlers in the vicinity, and
drove the Indians to the 111uffs, a mile back, when
1500 Indians made their appearanee and drpve the
troops back to the fort. The stage station and a
large quantity of. telegraphic material were then
destroyed. Thirty-five Indians were killed and
Our troops and citizens.
—The steamer Arago, from Port Royal on the
9th, brings reports which are important if cor
rect. It is said that several counties of Georgia
have held elections and declared in favor of a re
turn'to the Union by 'overwebning majorities. It
is also reported that the people are arming to pro
teci themselves from the rebels. - Got Brown is
,said to lie the principal prompter of these move.:
ments. These rumors are all published in the
Savannah Republican extra of the evening of the
7th.
-2t . f Gen. Griersou's recent raid in Mississippi
we have some particulars. The 'expedition, 3000
strong, left Memphis on the 21st ult. ArEgypt,
on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, there was a
sharp fight, in which 500 rebels were captured.
The command then struck westward, destroying
.30 miles of the Mississippi Centralßailread, sev
eral locomotives and fifty can. At Grenada ex
tensive cloth and shoe factories were destroyed,
and at Bankston a few horses and mules and some
contrabands were captured. • •
--:-Generel Sherman's advance guard is slowly
moving from the Savannah river towards Chaffa
ton. A large part of his army has been transfdr
red tram Savannah to Port ItoyaL and whilitone
column moves north from Hardeeville which
place was evacuated .by tfie - rebels; another ie
marching from Hilton Head. Both columns are
moving toward Gtahamsville, thirty-four miles
North of Savannah. They march along the roads
between the sea coast and the railroad, and the
rebels gradually retreat before them, making but
feeble opposition. On Friday week New river
'was crossed, and Sherman's advance was fifteen
miles South of Grahmusvftle! Wheeler's cavalry
were immediately in front of Sherman's troops.
—Throughout the march of Sherman, the ad
vanes of the 17th Corps was covered by the 'rust
Alabama cavalry. This is a.large regiment, made
up of the Unionists of north Alabama. Ithas been
in existence since the first occupation of Hunt&
vine, and has become a most effieient organization.
On the entire march - it was only necessary to bring
up infantry to its support on one occasion. The
regiment wages a system of war peculiar to the
forces recruited from such material. Nearly
every MIIiI has suffered fearfully in person or
property, or in the savage cruelty , inflicted upon
their families. Every man has private wrongs to
redress. The war which such men wage brings
terrible retribution with it.
—Gen. Thomas, in a dispatch dated Dec. 29,
says : " From the best information I have at this
time, Hood's losses, since he invaded the State of
Tennessee, sum up as follows: Six General offi
cers killed, six wounded, and one taken prisoner'
at Franklin—thirteen in all ; and about six thons ,
and men killed, wounded and taken prisoners at
the same battle. On the Bth halt, at Murfrees
borough, he had one general officer wounded, and
about one thousand men killed and wounded, and
two hundred and seven taken prisoners, and losing
two pieces of artillery. • In the two battles of the
15th and . 16th inst., before Nashville, he had
one lieutenant general severely wounded, one
major-general and three brigadier-generals, with
four thousand four hundred and sixty-two officers
and men made prisoners, besides losing fifty-three
pieces of artillery and over three thousand stand
of small arms. During his retreat we have cap..
tared fifteen more guns, and from fifteen tndra'
to two thousand prisoners, and a large number of
small arms have been picked up by the way." •
PERSONAL. :1
—Brevet Malden. Crook has been dude a full
Major General.
—John B. Gough, the , lecturer, has an income
of PDX) II year.
—Major General Sickles and staff j sailed for
California on Friday.
—General Sheridan was oncea newsboy. That
'as when he learned how; to go to preis Early.
—Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas MS been 4
pointed to the vacant ;Major Generalehip in the
regular army. ' •
—Henry Ward Beecher's salary has been in
creased by the Plymouth Churchk,..of: Brooklyn,
from $7,500 to $12,500.
—General Godfrey Weitzel has gone to Cincin
nati to get married. This additional proof of his
courage was not needed.
—General Steele La's been relieved of the com
mand of the Department of Arkansas; and is suc
ceeded by Gen. Reynolds.
—Geneial Scott iznot the oldest General in the
world. A London writer says Lord Combermere
is entitled to that distinction.
L-hfajor General John A. Logan has gone to
Savannah to re-take command of his old corps,
now led by General Osterhans. _
DE
—Major General Warren is absent from the
army on a fifteen_day's leave, Gen. Crawford
commanding the 5h Corps in the interim .
—General George B. McClellan arid his ftwally.
are in Philadelphia, making a fireweil visit to
their relatives priorto their deParturei for Etirope
Jaiwary. 18 0 1865.
—Mrs Henry B,l"epte arrived at Alamandrla on
niday. She states that her huslaislisnnder *l6
rest in Richmond on account of hie recent speech
in the rebel Senate. z:
—Some political friends of Man. Reuben E.
Fenton, Governor of New York, laat week,pre
sented his wife with a beantifid set of Victoria
china, valued at gtsgo. -
—The Crawford Journal (Meadville) erges
the selection of Hon. Joseph J. Lewia.as the rep.
resentative of Pennsylvania in the Cabinet of
Mr. Lincoln after the fourth ofltfarch next.
—Brig. Gen. Rowley lies resigned bis position
in the army, and is about to engage in bminea in
Pittsburg. The General was promoted front Co
lonel niter the first battle of Prederieksbug." '
—The, newly elected Governor Penton of New
York, was formally a Democrat and voted for his
predecessor, Gov. Seymour, three timer for the
same office of Governor, , and sustained him during
the first two years of his administration.
—The Union colleagues of Hon. Thaddeus Ste
rens in the House of Representatives, addressed
a note to him requesting the use of his name in
connection with the Secretaryship of the Treasury,
but Mr. Stevens in reply declines the honor.
—lt is said that . A. T. Stewart, of New York,
lately paid an income tax of $250,000 upon s net
income of $5,000,000. Be does a- business of
$30,000,000 a year, and has 14,000,000 -invested
in real estate. A. T. might retire on his -income.
—The President has approve4the joint resolu
tion tendering the thanks of the People - and Con
gress to Maj. Gun. 'Millard T. Sherman, and the
officers and soldiers ef his command, for their gal
lant conduct in the late brilliant movement *rough
Georgia.
.—The wife of Gen. Grant has been presented-by
the citizens of Philadelphia, with iresidence cos
ting $OO,OOO and the widow of Gen. D. B. Bir•
ney, with a home costing $lO,OOO while $20,000
have been invested for her benefit. Good for the
Quaker City.
—Ex-Gov. Pollock has been appointed Vice.
President of the Pennsylvania Colonization Soci
ety, vice Dr. R. R. Reed, of Washington county,
deceased. The society, at its meeting on Tues•,
day, passed resolutions of regret at the removal
by death of Dr Reed.
—Maj. Gen. Ord, who oneteeits Gen. Butler in
the Army of the James, is a native of Maryland,
a Catholic, and a graduate of West Point, where
he war a elms-mate of Gen. Halleck. His resi
dence is Carlisle; Pa. Preiious to the war he
served in California, and is said to have been ultra
pro.alovery in his views.
—Aaron E Cragin, the newly elected United
States Senator from New Hampshire, for the term
of six years from the 4th of March neit, was tmira
in Vermont in 1821. He is a lawyer by profes•
.sion, was a member of the Legislature of New
Hampshire from lea to 1855, and was a mem
ber of Congress from 1857 to 1859. . • •
—Richard Yates, the new United-States Sena
tor from Minnie, is a native of Rentudhy, where
he was born in 1818. He served •in Gongrvis
from 1851 to 1855, as a representativw-frommi
nois, and was chosen Governor of that State in
1861, for the term of four years, which hat Just
expired:- His Senatorial term will close March
4th, 1871. - .
—Hon. Edward Everett died on Sunday morn
ing at four o'clock, at his residenee in Summer
street, of apoplexy, His age wasseirskit y years
and about nine months, Mr. Everett addressed
hie fellow citizens at Faneuil Hall on Monday
week last in aid of sending provisions to Savan
nah, and during the afternoon of that day was
present in court in reference to a claim for dam
ages against the city of Charlestown for the over.
flowing of a porthin of his estate in Medford by
the construction of a dam on Mystic River.
On Tenaday ho became affected:With quite a is.
cold, but neither his frier* ~ n or ,Jantaelf
deeemed it serious. On Saturday everriagle
appeared almost as well as usual, and retired to
bed declining to trouble any one to ?email with
him. About three o'clock on Sunday morning his
horse-keeper entered his room and found him
sleeping naturally. An hour later she was alarm
ed by hearing a heavy fall in his room and found
him lying on the door breathing heavily. A phy
sician was promptly summoned, but beforahisar
rival Mr. Everett died. The event was announced
in nearly all the churches at the commencement
of morning services, and created a profound feel
ing of sadness. Shortly after noon the be& of the
city and suburbs were tolled. Mr.-Everett'a
neral will take place at noon tomorrow.
POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.
—The New Hampshire Democrat!' have nomi
nated E. W. Harrington for Governor.
—kir. W. D. Stewart has been elected U. &
Senator from Arkansas for six yeah from the 4*
of Mareh next. , • •
—Hon. James Guthrie baleen elected , b)
teed Senator Arra from Kentucky. IP.
ponent was Gen. Rousseau. •
—Gen. James H. Lane, Union, has beativ.
elected to the United States Senate from mdisaik
for six years from March dth. -
The Congressional vacancy in theßew irark
delegation arising from Gin. Fenton's resignation
will not be filled, but left to the ne xt general elec-
Lion. _
—The Kentucky Legislature las adopted its
elution' in faior of emancipation, the consent of
the owners being obtained; and conipetusatioa
made.
—Daiiel B. Norton (Union) of Whiono Coun
ty has been elected United States Senator from
Minnesota, to succeed Morton S. Wilkinson, and
serve for six years from the 4th of March 'ant !
The Union Convention of-Washington county
has nominated Joe. D. Welsh as the candidate
for Assembly in place of Dr. Reid, deceased.
The election mill be held on Tuesday, Janitary 24.
—Resolutions have been introduced in both
Houses of the Kentucky Legislature declaring for
the immediate abolition of slavery. The Gover-
nor recommends gradual emancipation in ,his
message. • .. • -
—After a three days debate; the Tennessee
Constitutional Convention on the evening of the
16th, passedwithout dissent, a resolution abolish
ing and prohibiting slavery in the State. It also
passed a resolution forbidding the Legislature to
recognize property . in man, and requiring corn
pensatian to owners of slaves set free also a res
olution abrogating the declaration of the State
Independence Military League of 1861 with the
Confederate States, and all laws made iopuren
awe thereof. The propositions are to he snb•
raided to a vote of the people on February 2241,
and an election for State officers is to be held
March 4th.
—The Union Convention of Tennessee met at
Nashville last week, and nominated W. G. Brown
low-for Governor by acclamation. A delegate
asked if he would accept the nomination, wham
upon he responded in the following langualle:—
"Gentlemen: I settle the controversy by
answering you that I will accept. (Applau se.]
I cannot be ew,ted to do anything more,
certainly lou to do no less than tender to you,
as a convention, my, sincere and unfeigned thanks
for the honor and distinction you have Conferred
on me.
, " I will not speak to you gentlemen, but what
you lack in speaking; if the people ghoul& tat*
the nomi n atk, a 3 w ig try to make up in OWs
and ante, and God being my help, if you will send
up a legislature to organi z e the mauls, and or
ganise other necessary business, I will put an end
to this infernal system of guerrilla fighting in the
State, in East, Middle and West Untwist* ii
we have to shoot every man concerned." pond
and long continued applause.] •