UIOUT OR WBOXfi. W RETS RIGHT, TO BB KEPT SIGHT, WHEI WSOITC, TO BE PUT RIGHT. EDEXSBVBG: TIIURSDAY::::::::::::::::NOVEMBER 7. riianksgi vingr Proclamation. The following is a correct copy of Gov. Curtin's proclamation appointing a day of Thanksgiving, that previously published having been considerably mutilated : "PENXSYL VAX I A, S3 : . lathe name and by the authority of the Com monwealth of Penniylnhla, Andrew G. Vcsti.v, fjfoeernor oj rata wmmonwreaim. . ntOCLAMATIONV WHEREAS, every good gift i3 from above and comes down to us from the Almighty, to vhoffl it is meet, right and the bounden duty of everv people to render thanks for His mer cies;. "Therefore, I, ANDREW G. CURTI.N, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsyl vania, do reeommeud to the people of this Commonwealth, that they set apart THURSDAY,. 28th OF NOVEMBER NEXT, as a day of solemn Thanksgiving to God, for having prepared our corn and watered our furrows, and blessed the labors of the hus bandman, and crowned the year with .His goodness, in the inc?ea?e of the- ground and the gathering in of the fruits thereof, so that our barns are filled with plenty ; And for having looked favorably on this Common wealth, and strengthened the bars of her gates, and blessed the children within her, and made raea to be of one mind, and preserved peace in her borders; Beseeching Ilira also on be half of these United States, that our beloved country may have deliverance from those great and apparent dangers wherewith she is compassed, and that the brave and loyal men now battling in the field for her life may have j - i t y t f j l their arms made strong and their blows heavy, and may be shielded by His divine powej", and that He will mercifully still the outrages of perverse, violent, unruly and rebellious people, and make them clean hearts, and renew a right spirit within them, and give them grace that they may see the er ror of their ways and bring forth fruits meet for repentance, and hereafter, in all god liness and honesty, obediently walk in His holy commandment?, and in submission to the just and manifest authority of the repub lic, so that we, leading a quiet and peaceful life, may continually offer unto Him our sac rifice ot praise and thanksgiving. f v ") Given under my hand and the J seal V Great Seal of the State, at Harris ( -v- J burg, this Sixteenth day of October, in the year'of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, and of the Common wealth the ; eighty-sixth. A. G. CURTIN. BT THE GOVERNOR I - ' . ELI SLIFER, See. of the Commonwealth. ' i Our Government. The question of government ha3 always been a popular one, but it has become es pecially so to the people of the North since their brethren of the South have underta ken, by force of arms, to carry out their odious doctrine of Secession. "We believe we have not hitherto written anything bearing directly upon this topic, and it may not be amiss, therefore, to glance briefly at some of the principles which underlie the institutions of our Republic. Our government is an exceedingly com plicated fabric, aud well deserving of much more careYul study than it receives from a large portion of those who exercise the privileges of citizens. What, then, is the character of the pe culiar form of government which the founders of the American Republic aimed to establish ? It has been asserted by a "Southern gentleman," that "all government begins with usurpation, and in continued by force" but the great charter of our independence declares, that "government derive their just jMmert from the consent of the governed" Unquestionably the latter declaration is the corrtct one, so far, at any rate, a3 our own government is concerned. The "just powers" vested in the government of a free., republic, are neither more nor less than the result of a voluntary abandonment. of individual freedom a surrendering up at what can bo of no great value to the individual in return for the benefits of security, the enjoyment of. property, and the preservation of order. A government eo constituted is a union of the pcnple, for the accomplishment of mutual benefits and advantages, and without which they' can not be secured. Experience has shown thit th5 people of a country are ever iu danger of having outrages perpetrated up on them, by rapacious nations, aud of having (heir liberties imperiled through the ambition and avarice of their fellow men. The great aim of an honest govern ment, therefore, is to defend its people fruui these arjet kindred danger?, and this object was never successfully. attained un til after' the formation of" our Republic. It has been accoinpirshed through our insti tutions, in a. much greater degree than ar y other j and our pecpl.e, it capnot be r'icl h'ave enjoyed more security and more peace, and have endured less oppres sion than have those of any other country. All this results from the fact that our government is divided into different de partments, each intended to check and halamvi the other. The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law, and is ho declared in that instrument, as framed and ratified by the people of each btate. It withholds to the several states, all but the specifically granted powers, and dis tributes the exercise of these between the Legislative, Executive and Judicial au thorities. Thus, the President, as Commander-in-chief, has the direction and control of the military power, but he can use it only in accordance with the provis ions of the Constitution and the laws; and without the consent of Congress he can have no supplies to render it efficient. Congress,, as i3 well known, is composed of two bodies. One of these represents the people, and the other the State, and either is powerless to act without tho con sent ol the other. Paramount to Congress is the Supreme Court of the United States. To that judicial tribunal is given the power to expound the law, and especially that supreme law called the Constitution, and when its decisions and interpretations arc rightfully made, they are entitled to the 5x. - ... r t. I square into the rebel camp. AYeif, i'.-t It is in a ri i teit tli prof r.r that, tho nnwppi ' t the exercise of his functions, he is subject to many salutary cheeks. This is very well, and tends to show the wisdom and foresight which characterized the fraiuers of our glorious Constitution. It will be generally conceded that the administration of James Buchanan had quite as much power in their hands as it is safe to trust to such ambitious rulers. In the present - - i crisis, however, we could almost wish that iVbraiiam Lincoln had greater power than that conferred upon hun by the Con stitution, as we feel confident it would be judiciously used ; still we would not desire to see the power of the office enlarged, be cause if his successor should happen to be a reckless or desiguing man, he might use itlo deprive the people of their liberties. One of the great excellencies in our government is, that the Federal Constitu tion provides in itself a mode for its amendment, in which such an object may be attained peaceably and readily, and yet not without proper care and deliberation. How unwise and impolitic-'thcrAfore in the people of the South to resort to secession and rebellion as a remedy for their fancied grievances, rather than the peaceful mode of redress here pointed out in the Consti tution ! Bear in mind we offer no argument against the "right of secession." We ut terly repudiate and ignore all such trum pery, and if we did not, the time to argue with the knaves who assert the monstrous heresy has long since passed. But, sup posing such "right" to exist, how wicked and unpardonable in its advocates to at tempt to enforce it. by an appeal to arms, without first endeavoring to attain their ends through legal and constitutional means ! It seems to us, that, if there is one place in the infernal regions, set apart expressly for the worst men the world has ever seen, that place will be occupied by the villains who are now attempting the overthrow of the federal government. The Traitor Breckinridge. We publish elsewhere, an article from the Louisville Journal, touching the resig nation by thi3 vile traitor, of hi3 seat in the United States Senate, and we ask our readers to give it a careful perusal.. We especially recommend that our neighbor of the Democrat & .Sentinel give it at least a casual reading, aud should he like the style and temper of it, to insert it in his columns. It may give his readers some adequate idea of the sort of man he sup ported for President-last year a man whom, so far as we know, he has never yet said aught against, though he has been plotting treason for years! Last winter after the work of secession had fairly com menced ; when its high priest3 were medi tating forcible resistance to the inaugura tion of Mr. Lincoln, and many a knife was being whetted for the fray, it was eloquent ly asket' by a Democrat, in Congress, if the candidate of the secessionists, Hon. John C. Breckinridge, did not favor these plot, and if he were uot fur a dismember ment ot the Union, why. did he not speak out? Why not lift his potent. voice above the storm, and say to his followers: "Stay your hands. Imbrue them not in fraternal blood, orinthe blood of your government!" In the name of liberty, in the name of his ancestors, in the name of humanity, he was beseeched to do so Had he no mother to plead with him as Coriolanus had? and would it have been i. ,i -I, i i -. i j . 'ruiin iro. lie win mi me measure ui ins of the Prcsideut is limited, and that, ml too much for him, to s&yf'Mrither, you hav6 saved Rome, bntr lost a son -. ...... But no. Breckinridge would not speak. He would not utter a word in behalf of that Union which had honored him so much; -he would not utter. a word in con demnation of the miscreants , who were seeking its destruction. He kept his lifja hermetically sealed on this vital; this all absorbing topic; But treason was rank ling in his breast all the while; indeed, it may be said that . ; "The vulture of treason feeds In. the bosoms of such men." Of all the scoundrels who have directly or indirectly participated iu the business ot secession, we consider Breckinridge the worst. His term of office as Vice Presi dent did not expire until several months after the work of secession had practically been commenced, and he immediately took his seat for a full term in the United States Senate. Had he been inclined to do right, he could have made these posi tions tell mightily in behalf of the Union. But, with his oath to support the Consti tution yet fresh . upon his lips, heAi.w at to sell himself to the enemies of his country. And now, after prostituting his high office to the dirty business of collect ing information to be used by the rebels, and making his treason so apparent that he dare not go back to "Washington, he resigns his senatorial position, and goes Jt t mi en it.. f - r - i i ,i lniamous career in uue season, uuu uuutr a wise economy of Providence, he will go down To the vile dust from whence he sprung, Unwept, unhonored and unsung. Put Tbem Through. Privateering under the letters of J?Jjquc of Jeff. Davis is piracy, and the penalty of piracy is death. A number of the scamps engaged in this nefarious business having been tried and convicted in the United States' Courts, the cjuestion arises, what disposition will be made of them by the government? That they ''ought to be iiunz, and well hunjr at that, will, we feel sure, be the general feeling in the North ; but then there are other consider ations connected, with this matter which must not be overlooked. It is well known that there are a num ber of brave and good men from the North now imprisoned at the South; and, as our government cannot exchange prisoners, without tacitly acknowledging the inde pendence of the Southern Confederacy it is quite likely that most, if not all of tnese unfortunates will be detained thereuntil peace is in some way re-established.1 It is feared, therefore, by many, that the South would retaliate upon these men, if our government should inflict death upon the piratical convicts; and it is urged that a humane administration ought rather to permit the guilty to escape their ileserts, than to involve the innocent and vorthy in rum. It is not always practicable to unih bold violators of the law promptly, without inflicting great distress upon iniocent people, and we readily admit the trying position of the administration in the prem ises. But, upon the whole, we think the majesty of the law ought to be vindicated, and these malefactors punished. "Every tub should stand on its own bottom." The government has now an opportuniiy of setting an example of showing the igno minious ate which awaits all who jould trample upon its laws with impunky j-and wre hope it will embrace it. These convicts are not only pirates but traitors ! land ought to swing, let the consequences be what they may. Fiat justitia ruat c'xlum say we: "Let justice be done thouga the heavens should fall." Fremont Removed ! The latest news, received yesterday, in dicate that Gen. John C. Fremont, com mander of the Western Military Depart ment, has received an unconditional order from Washington relieving him at once from his command. The intelligence cre ated intense excitement and indignation among his officers and men, many of the former signifying their intention of re signing at once. His successor has not yet been designated. m m flgyThe agents of the Government, says the New York correspondent of the Philadelphia Ledger y are still busy in buy ing up steamers and transports wherefore it may be inferred that the great naval expedition now on its way to Seccssiawill be followed by others in duo time. i ... The Senate and Representative chambers of the State Capitol ar -kdp undergoing a complete renovation, pre paratory to being fitted up for the next Legislature, on the 'first Tuesday in Jan uary. f" Brigadier General Thos. W. Sher man, the commander ot the great N aval Expedition, is the founder of the colebra ' ted "Sherman's Battery." " ' . - r t- f Resignation of Gen. Scott. :The following letter from Gen. Scott, announcing his purpose of retiring from the command of the army,, was laid before the President on Thursday afternoon : '"HEAD-gt'lRTEBS OF THE ABKY. . .Washington,, Oct.. 3t,,lSGl-. fa 11 To Hon. Simon Lameron'iScc'y of War ;: "Sir For' wore than 'three 'years I have been unable, from a hurt,' to mount a horse or walk more than a few paces at a time, and that with much pain. Other and new infirmities dropsy and vertigo admonish me that a repose of mind ami body, with the applicances of surgery and medicine are necessary to add a little more to a life already protracted mu:h beyond the usual span of man. It is under such circumstances made doubly painful by the unnatural and unjust rebellion now ra ging in the Southern States of our so late prosperous and happy Union, that I am compelled to request that my name be placed on the list of army officers retired from active service. As this request is founded on an absolute right, granted by a recent act of Congress, I am entirely at liberty lo say that it is with deep regret that I withdraw myself, in these momen tous times, from the orders of a President who has treated me with distinguished kindness aud courtesy, whom I Icnow, up on much personal intercourse to be patriotic, without sectional partialities or prejudices, to be highly conscientious in the perfor mance of every duty and of unrivalled ac tivity aad perseverance. And to you Mr. Secretary, whom I now officially address for the last time, I beg to acknowledge my many obligations for the uniform high consideration I have received . at your hands, tnd have the honor to remain, sir, your obedient servant. Winfield Scott." A special cabinet meeting was convened on Friday morning, at nine o'ciock, to take the subject into consideration. It was-decided that Gcu. Scott's request., under the circumstances of his advanced age and infirmities, would not be declined Gen. M'Clcllau was thereupon, with the unanimous agreement of the cabinet, no tified. that the command of the army would devolve upon him. At fur o'clock in the afternoon the cabinet again waited up on tjQ President, and attended him to the residence of Gen. Scott. On being seated the President read to the General the fol lowing order : "On the 1st day of November, A. D., 18G1, upon his own application to the President of the United States, Brevet Lieutenant General Winfield Scott is or dered to be placed, and hereby is placed, upon the list of retired officers of the army of the United States, without reduction in his current pay, subsistence or allowances. The American people will hear with sad ness and deep emotion that General Scott has withdrawn from the active control of the army. While the President and the unanimous Cabinet, express their own aud the nation's s3-mpathy in his personal affliction and their profound sense of the important public services rendered by him to his country during his long and brilliant career, among which will ever be grateful ly distinguished his faithful devotion to the Constitution, the Union and the flag, when assailed by a parricidal rebellion. Abraham Lincoln." Gen. Scott thereupon rose and addres sed the President and Cabinet, who had risen, as follows : "President This honor overwhelms me. It overpas all the services I have at tempted to render to my country. II I had any claims before, they are all oblit erated by this expression of approval by the President With the unanimous support of his Cabinet. I know the President and this cabinet well. I know that the country has placed its interests in this trying crisis in safe keeping. Their coun sels are wise ; their labors untiring as they are loyal, and their course is the right one. President, you must excuse me; I am unable to stand longer to give utterance to the feelings of gratitude which oppress me. In . n:y. retirement I shall offer up prayer to God for thio administration and for my couatry. I shall pray for it with confidence in its success over its enemies, and that speedily." The President then took leave of Gen. Scott, giving him his hand, and saying hat he hoped soou to write him a private letter, expressive 0f his gratitude and affection. The Prcsilent also added : "General you will naturally feel solicitude about the gentlemen of your staff, who have render ed you and their country such faithful service. I Have taken that subject into consideration. I understand that they go with you to New York. I shall desire them, at thtir earliest convenience alter their return, to make their wishes known to me. I desire j'ou, -however, to be sat isfied that, except the unavoidable priva vation of your counsel and society, which they so long, enjoyed, the. provision which will be made for them will be such as to render their situation as agreeable hereaf ter as it has been heretofore." Each member of the administration fhqi.gave his hand to the veteran and retired in profound silence. The following is the response of the Secretary of War, to the letter of Gen. Scott : - "Wib Dip't., "Washington, Nov. 1. "General It is my duty to lay before he President your letter of yesterday ask- incr to be relieved under the recent act of Congress. . On separating from you 1 can not refrain from expressing my deep re- gret that your health, shattered by long' service md repeated wouuds received in vour conntrCrs defence ; should, redder it necessary- ff-wr ,.h .fc3T retire; froggy ou 4 ,-h igh posit ion at t h i smonjenjjus. per4pd, j oilr hisrory.' ; Although you are , not to. rcmarn in aCriW'scn icc, v yet hope- that while I. continue m'charge'of the Depart-' merit over. v;lik-h 1' now preside, I shall at times be permitted to avail myself of :the benefits ot your counsels aud sage experi ence. "It has been my good fortune to enjoy a personal acquaintance with you for over thirty years, and the plcasantest relations of that long time have been greatly strength ened by your cordial and entire co-operation in all the great questions which have occupied the Department and convulsed the country for the last six mouths. In parting from you I can only express the hope that a merciful Providence, which has protected you amidst so many trials, will improve your health and continue your life long after the people of the country shall have been restored to their former happiness and prosperity. I am. General, very sincerely, your friend and servant. "Simon Camf.hon, Sec'y of War. "To Lieut. Gen. Winfield Scott." On Friday, the noble old soldier, ac companied by the Secretary of the Treas ury and the Secretary of War, left Wash ington for New York, from whence he will shortly depart for Europe. His fam ily is now in France. KlilKnry Collection of lie tits. The decision, of Judge Freeze, if con firmed by the President, will be a prece dent of vast importance. Messrs. Bowen, Humes & Co., of New-lork, and Messrs. M. L. IJalJowcll & Co., of this city,-have sued Witmcr & Co., of Alexandria, in the Provost Court, for debt due them. Gen eral Porter is the Provost General, and J. 11. Freeze, Assistant Adjutant-General V. S. A., is the Provost Judge. The decision is unequivocal that the goods remaining at Alexandria, part of them having been removed, shall be given up to the plaintiffs, that they make pood their claim, One of the partners of Wit mer & Co. wa3 present, and defended the case. The principal ground of defence is that the court had no jurisdiction in the case, and the defendants ask that if the decision be against them, the matter be referred for final adjudication to the Pres ident of the United States. Judge Freeze decides that he has jurisdiction, that Al exandria is under martial law, and other courts suspeuded, there would be no re dress for honest creditors if the Martial. Court refused to act, and that this would be giving aid and comfort to the rebels, by allowing them to retain the property of loyal citizens in ther hands. He refuses to allow quibbles or delays, but suspends the decree of tho court for five days, until the President can be consulted. The question is one of great interest and importance. The military power is gradually overshadowing everything, not withstanding our traditionary dread of standing armies. It is truly remarkable that the abuses have been so few. And yet there seems no escape from the con clusions of Judge Freeze. Justice must be done in the best way we can". A state' of war is an anomaly, and we cannot al low advantage to be taken by traitors of quibbles to e.-cape justice. We shall look for the decision of the President and Cab inet with much interest. liuying Hay. We have been much pleased with the course of General Cameron in stopping the exorbitant charges of certain specula tors at Washington. Unless some of our officers are greatly belied, vast sums of mouny have been spent, very unnecessa rily, in paying high prices for every sort of article purchased tor the army in that portion ot the enemy's country through which our troops have passed. This has proceeded sometimes from an amiable dis position to show that the Government was paternal and not oppressive, and sometimes from a culpable weakness, which allowed itself to "be imposed upon for want of mor al courage to resist. In Washington recently, it is said cer tain speculators bought up all the hay that was to be had and refused to part with it except at high prices. After several trials at negotiation, avarice still holding out against decency and propriety, the Secre tary of War ordered the hay to be seized in as large quantities as was needed, and hten assessing it at the fair market value of forage, directed so much and no more to be paid to the owners. We hope to see this example followed. There has been too much disposition to prey upon the Government. A little skill, common sense and moral courage would save millions of dollars to the nation. tfQm The National Intelligencer has a letter from au officer in the United States ship Powhatan, in which the writer says: "My opinion is that the Sumter will final ly turn pirate against all commerce. She has a crew composed of all nations, the greater portion portion being Portugese, Spaniards and English !" BL-Returns from New York indicate the success of the People's Union Ticket by a heavy majority. The election was held -on Tuesday. s,?No war news of interest has trans pired the present wcok. Resignation frjrccl5? We have lieard that r '' ridge h as "published-rc1 people entucfy, idatedS 1 ? Green.-theRebef- -headquarters h i haV.ee,err.xrrtal)le:togt:6bht been more fortunate and giV" 1 insight' into its coritehi'.i,. j? 0? ridge says it is written artne'-fit J68 since his 'cxpulsi6a -froBrhome tta at could place- hisjfeet, irn .thejaoil of r tucky. Tbis a most impudect t. n of the truth, for he never was from heme ; ha left Lexington iJ bv his -uilty fears of amJ .J?11 treat was lighted by eu vy the burniag of his complicit; J consciousncsss treason. When the mock Ft .l,fJ i walks down stairs when he sees rre firms inakirif for feir-linn W;iv, j ' .P" ct ti jiiu uuirn in the same spirit Dreckinrie his seat as a member of the Senate of'Sl United States,'-saying, "LexcLaft proud satisfaction a term of jeLn the United States Senate for the inn of a soldier." This is the bluster ' J ?? "Ancient Pistol," for we ,11 the service of the ex-Senator, if he gfrTes at all, will be in some honorarv TwsWn. with sword and on a charger. Our t Louis cotemporary says the adore void fill two of its columns, and is made up 0f misrepresentations. Breckinridp there is no longer a Senate of the Fim-a dates wunin me meaning and spirt of the Constitution "the United States to longer exists the Union is dissolved." But Kentucky is still one of the United States ; his deceived and betrayed consti tuents are still loyal; they recopnitt proudly the existeuce of the Governiceni of their fathers, and they, deny that the Union is dissolved. Bywhat arnnst can Mr. Breckinridge assert that' the Union is dissolved now more than it was in Au gust last, or that the existence of the Uni. ted States has been imperilled since the session of Congress, when he occupied hii scat as a senator of the United States from the State of Kentucky, and drew his par f.-om the Federal Treasury for his serricej! If Mr. Breckinridge believed, when l took the Government's gold, that theUai ted States no longer existed, and that tin Union was dissolved, he acted like a petty larceny thief and a swindler. He.lnoir'i that his course is indefensible ; he is self convicted of tho vilest treachery to' tie State which has honored hiin ; and, beinj unwilling to face the indignant people of Kentucky, he has sneaked away f rem their presence, and, surrounded by cutthroat! and thieves, incendiaries and felons, as i body guard, has issued his impudent man ifesto. . . ,.- We do not care particularly about see ing the text of this last dying speech and confession of John C. Breckinridge. We know that he cannot justify his conduct, but that he has the insidious talent to conceal his real purposes beneath flitter ing sentences and honeyed words The Republican calls them "frivolous and en justifiable excuses for a bad act. But the trial and condemnation of Mr. Breck inridge were held and pronounced before the jury of popular opinion months ind months ago. While he was holding th second office in the gift of this people and presiding over the Senate of the iVited States ; while he was afterwards a eaadi date for the Presidency, aad while he exercising the duties oi a United State Senator, he was plotting to betray -hi country and was in league with the icf- the Government. Of all the persons eagaged in this nefi us work, ho achieved the lowest depth nous of degradation, for he allowed himself ti be used as a fourth candidate, to distract and divide the vote of the couLtry, with the full confidence that it would lead to the election of Mr. Lincoln, and thus pre sent to the Southern malcontents a pretext for their acts of secession. While thosa who were his fellows in this treachery left their seats in Congress, he remained there, and gave aid to them in opposing every appropriation oi men ana laeau the rebellion, although ir was menacing. within five or six miles, the very Federal Capital where he was sitting. nan " more deeply and terribly responsible fur. the blood and pilhure and crime and horro. of the last six months, He '. he knows that he guilty as the first fratricide, and lie i ffcm vengeance that awai's him. - He 13 r . u-ee from his native State, with the bran upon Iris brow and the gnawing vutare . remorse at his heart. His fate trill be thtf of a traitor. . In the la?t battle, Borne down bv th fijing. Where mingles war's rattle With rroans of the dying, There shall hi be lying. Monster of perfidy, infto.BVSk his name will be eternally linked ' those of Judas aud Arnold, andvtcVd, tory seeks to recount the damning aec of those who have entitled themselves u the execration of mankind, that naew be foremost in the scroll, which was dot bv nnp who. in the verv spirit of tne demon, thought it "better to than servo in heaven. LouisvdU ' Oct. 29. ' ; ma.Na nfiws haa been ' heard of tie great- naval expedition that eaue d e wardly last week, 'ine nee. - , gestever dispatched on a ff,nnuJ.Ktew in this continent, and will mti make itself felt when it strikes. u tou is supposed to be) the destination. Comnv is rnrcmpllprl n 1-. j j , aj aj1Qe tae tin rowed robes of-authority he does it" -l a constrained grace "as a wcILV-.j.1
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