PeuiiHj Ivania ConsrefsMiiioii.
It will be interesting to future histo
rians to know how all the members of the j
thirty-eighth Congress voted ou the na
tional questions that came before them.—
It is interesting to now
to know how their representatives vote on ,
such questions, and we shall, therefore, j
occasionally make a record of their votes ■
in these columns, in addition to the record j
given in the regular reports- of Cong res- j
sional proceedings. La»t» Tuesday Mr.
Baldwin, of Massachusetts, offered the ;
following:
WHEREAS. The organized treason hav- ;
ing its headquarters at Richmond, exists
in defiaitt violation of the Federal Consti
tution, and has no claim to be treated oth
erwise than an outlaw.
WHEREAS, This Richmond combina- j
tion of conspirators and traitors can have ;
no rightful authority over the people of :
any portion of the National Union, and
no warrant for assuming control of the
political destiny of people of any State or
section thereof, and no warrant but that
of conspiracy and treason for any nssump- j
tion of authority whatever; therefore.
Resolved, That, any proposition tone- j
gotiate with the rebel leaders at Rich
mond, (sometimes called the authorities
at Richmond,} for a restoration of loyalty !
and order in those portions of the Repub
lic which have been disorganized by the
rebellion, is, in effect: a proposition to.re
cognize the ringleaders of the rebellion as
entitled to represent and bind the loyal
citizens of the United States, whom they
oppress, and to give countenance and sup
port to the pretentions of conspiracy and
treason ; and, therefore, every such prop
osition should be rejected without liesita- i
tion or delay-
Mr. Copperhead Cox. of Ohio, moved
to lay the preamble and resolution on the
tabic, but this failed, and they were car
ried by a vote of 89 vpas to 21 nays.—
The Pennsylvanians voted as follows :
Vetis —Messrs. Broomall (U), Ivelley
(U), A. Myers (U), L. Myers (II), Scho
ficld (U), Stevens (U), Thayer (U), Tra
cy (U), Williams (U). —9.
Nays—Messrs. Aneona (Op), Denison
(Op), Miller (Op), Randall (Op). Strouse
Absent or not Voting —Messrs. Bailey
(Op), Coffroth (Op), Dawson (Op). Ilale I
(U), Johnson (Op), Lazear (Op). MeAl- i
lister (Op), Moorehead (U). O'Neill (I.). \
Stiles (Op).—10.
A little later in the day, Mr. Copper- j
head Rogers, of New Jersey, offered a
long and tedious preamble and resolution 1
meant to be an entering wedge for a peace
proposition to the rebels, which was laid j
on the table by a vote of 78 to 42. The j
vote of the Pennsyl on the motion
to lay on the table was as follows:
Yeas —Messrs. Bailey (Op), Broomall j
(U). Ilale (I'i, Kellev (I'), A. Myers
(U), L. Myers [U], O'Neill [IT], Seho- j
field [U], Stevens [U], Thayer [l*], Tra- j
cy [IT], Williams [II]. —12.
A'ni/s —Messrs. Aneona [Op], Dawson
[Op], Denison [Op], Lazear [Op], Miller
[Op], Randall [Op], Strouse [Op],—7.
Ah.ient or not Voting —Messrs. Coffroth
[Op], Johnson [Op]. McAllister [Op],
Moorhead [U], Stiles [Op].—s.
From the voting on these propositions
and from former votes we can state exact- j
ly who are the war men and who arc the !
peace men in our delegates in Congress. J
Mr. Moorhead, of Allegheny, who was
absent, is of course a strong war man.— i
Mr. McAllister, of Blair, also absent, has !
voted for every war incisure anil against !
every peace measure Ibat has been brought
up when he was in tho House. The otli- j
cr absentees. Coffroth, Johnson, and Stiles ,
are peace Democats. The delegation may i
therefore, be classed as fyllow. :
UNION AND ADMINISTRATION MEN.
Mr. Broomall. 7th.
" Hale,; 18th.
" Kelley, 4th.
'• Moorhead, 22d.
'• L. Myers, 3d.
'• A. Myers, 20th.
Mr. O'Neill. 2d.
" Schofield, 12h.
" Stevens, 9th.
" Thayer, sth.
" Tracy, 13th.
" Williams, 23d.
WAR DEMOCRATS.
Mr. Bailey, 15th.
| Mr. M'Allister 17h.
PEACE DEMOCRATS.
Mr. Luaur. 24th.
'• Miner, 14th.
" Randall, Ist.
" Stiles, oth.
" Strouse. 10th.
Mr. Aneona, Bth.
" Coffroth, 10th.
'• Dawson, 21st.
" Denison, 12th.
'• Johnson, 11th.
It will save trouble and speculation to 1
* cut out and preserve this classification for
future reference. The position of cacli
member has been deliberately defined by j
~ himself in his votes iu the House. Our j
readers in the First District arc especially
asked to observe that their representative. j
.\lr. Samuel J. Randall, has lost no op
portunity of ranking himself with Fer
nando Wood. Cox, and their copperhead
associates.— PhiUa. Bulletin. . '
CfiT The following is a sample of tho
tone of the Copperhead press at the North,
which is equally afraid with the Richmond
rebels that the President's proposition of |
amnesty will findrfavor at the South.—
Could anything be more atrocious than
the subjoined extract from the Chicago ;
Timr-i:
"Perhaps the South will consent to those j
terms. If she does, the degradation they
offer will not be half as severe as should In '
inflicted upon a people who cotdd accept
that degradation If she docs she. in not
Jit to be in the Union upon terms of equal
ity with other States, or to exercise any
political privilege of any name or nature.
If she does, her people should be compelled
to change situations with their slaves, and
be governed only by the overseer'slash.—
No tme American could propose such deg
radation to fellow citizens, and the fact
that they have been made is proof that
thoir author is either insane with fanati
cism or a traitor who glories in his coun
«try's shame. If the Confederates are not j
dogs, they will free,arm and marshal their ;
slaves for conflict by offering still greater |
bribostlian are offered them by Abolition- :
ista before they will think of submission to j
the Presub nt's terms. Tliuy are suoh as j
no patriot or true Unionist, or one who
respects the memories of those who found
ed the government, or the honor of the
American name or character, could wish
the South to accept.
tef Tho National Democratic Commit
tee have dccideii upon Chicagoas the place
and the 4th of July as the day for hold
ing the National Convention to nominate
$ candidate for President
The I>oa«I-I>o<*k In the ftenate.
Correspondence of tho N. Y. Tribune.
Pa.. Jan. fl, 18ft4.
An occasion of especial interest to this ;
State as a member of the Union, indeed
to the whole Union, has arisen in the Sen
ate of this State. Our recent October
election not resulting so decisively as it
did in your State or permitted the
Democrats—alias Copperheads—to raise \
their crests in proud defiance of the pop- ■
ular will. Thus they, because of »n acci- |
dent, are to-day holding the loyal men of j
this State at bay, disregarding the popular
will, and assisting most effeotively the in- j
Jcrests of Rebeldom..
The cause of this dead-lock in the Sen
ate is owing to the fact that a Senator j
from Indiana and Armstrong Counties—
Major 11 enry White of the 07th Pennsyl-1
vania Volunteers—was taken prisoner on
the Monday morning's fight which took
place upon the retreat of Milroy from j
Winchester. lie was taken iii conse
quence af a fall from his horse. It will be
remembered that the whole of Kwell's
corps, under the three able division com
manders. Hhodes, Early, and Jones, sur
rounded and forced out Milroy. 11c re
treated. leaving all his sjege and field
guns behind him. The retreat began, as
I have bad good reason to know, before
daylight m" the morning. At daybreak
the advancing column met the enemy un
der Rhodes three miles south from Win
chester. on the Martinsburg turnpike.—
During this melee Major White was cap
tured. He has been retained ever since,
though a Rebel Major Jones, after giving
his parole, went to Richmond, confident
he could effect an exchange from liis pier- |
soual and political influence in the South,
lie failed but came back and delivered him-
up to the authorities at Washington.
Brig.-Oen. Meredith, then Commissioner
for Exchange of Prisoners, asked for an
especial exchange for him because of his
importance as a witness in the Milroy
Court of Inquiry. Commissioner Ould is
reported to have replied with hi 3 digitals
in front of his probosis, a la Dan Rice
amid the sawdust, that his importance as
a J fitness was felt at Harrisburg, and not
at Baltimore, His sympathizers seem to
think so at this point. Major White's de
tention i.s of immense importance to the
Rebels, if they and their Pennsylvania
Senatorial conferees can thereby disorgan
ize the Government of a Northern Com
monwealth like ours.
The Copperheads here have undertaken
to force the loyalists into terms of eomprQ- ]
mise upon the inferior officers of the Sen
ate. Indeed, lleister Clymer, their ae- '
knowledge! loador in the Senate, offered I
this proposition to the Union men openly j
in his place. The leader of a party in a
grave body, clothed with extraordinary
potters so far forgets the dignity of his po
sition as to barter openly for such minor
places as clerkships, while a fellow Sena
tor is languishing in dungeon depths be
cause he went forth to the defence of the
Republic!
Our Senators have manfully stood to j
their position. They hold that as they
are legally in the majority, in no ease |
should they yield. Senators Lowrie, Wil- j
son. McCandlass. and Champneys have j
made strong speeches upon the various |
points embraced, holding that under our j
Constitution the Senate is a perpetual bo- J
dy ; that as the Speaker of that body, in I
case of the death of flic Governor, occu
pies that office, his own as Speaker is, ex
necessitate rei, perpetual, and can only be
vacated by death, incapacity or resigna
tion ; that Senator Penny (by the way
one of the ablest Republicans in the State)
having been elected speaker last session,
holds over, per force of 'circumstances,
until his successor is legally elected. No
answer can be made to the philosophy and j
logic of this reasoning.
The Copperheads resist all appeals.—
They even went so far as to refuse a vote
of thanks to Oen. Grant and the bravo
Army of the South-West-, offered by Sen
ator Lowrie. Tho vote stood sixteen to
sixteen. And this under the miserable j
pretext that the Speaker was not occupy
ing his scat according to the customs of
the past. Speaker Penny so far conduct
ed himself with remarkable prudence and
sagacity. All attempts (however ingeni
ously put,) to jostle him from his balance !
have so far failed. Two days have trans
pired in fruitless balloting. I have thus
given you a brief but correct resume of a
contest which threatens to protract Itself
indefinitely, and clog most seriously the
working of State Government. It the
worst comes to tho worst, I presume Gov.
Curtin will do as Gov. Morten of Indiana
did last year, appeal to the loyal capital
ists of the country, and carry through suc
cessfully the financial affairs of the State.
En Passant, I may state that Gov. Cur
tin is about to sign the re-charters of a
number of State banks, passed at the ses
sion of 1868. HE has withheld his offi
cial approval until now. Some of the
Republican Senators bitterly oppose this,
holding that every corporate institution of
this kind should he compelled to bank uu
der the Federal banking system of last ses
sion. They think that every dollar sought
■to be invested in such a corporate capaci
ty, should be contributed towards the sus
tenance of the National Government.—
This is, perhaps, the correct policy as
things now stand.
I notice here to-day Senator Trumbull
of Illinois, Mr. Eldridge of Wisconsin,
and "Matt" Carpenter of Milwauke: they
were presented to the Governor. Speaker
Penny, and other official dignataries, and
seemed to enjoy their contact with the
mixed Anglo-Celt-Gemarnico blood of the
old Keystone State. Their stay was but
short. I presume they were returning to
Washington.
HARRISBURG.
A LAUGHABLE OCCURRENCE. —Among
the Fourth of July incidents in Newark,
the following, which we fiud recorded in
the Daily Advertiser, is worth transcri
bing :
A lady at -the corner of Broad and Mar
kot sts., was standing on a barrel, the
head of which gave way, and she fell in,
completely hiding the barrel with her ex
tensive skirts, exciting much merriment
among the spectators. She was extrica
ted from the unpleasant position byiipset
tiiyj the barrel.
B&" Toothbrushes sell at Natchitoehes,
Louisiana, for twenty-five dollars in rebel
currency, and gold is valued at one dollar
for eighteen dollars in note?
I ?hc JUnmcan d'itimi.
I
THOMAS RORINSON, 1
| CYRUS E. ANDERSON, l MltorSl j
BUTLER
U I.l>\l:Sl> V A\. SO. 180 I.
/to" " Liberty and Union. New and Forever, One
and 'separable."—D. Webster.
FOR IN 1864 :
IRRIIKin IJXIOLS.
In looking over the construction of
the House Committees, it will be seen that ,
our members come in for a Lions share, j
Mr. Ilaslctt, is chairman of the commit
tee on printing. Mr. Negley, is chair
man of tho committee on tho Library; he
I is also one of the members of the Judi
ciary General, one of the most important
committees of the House. I
They are, also, both found on several j
other committees. This, beside being
creditable to themselves, gives them great- j
er facilities for advancing whatever meas
ures they may have in charge.
JJST We notice in perusing the proceed
ings of the Legislature, that Mr. Negley,
of this county, has " read in place," the '
following bills; il an act to revise and '
continue in force, an act to graduate lands j
on which money is due and unpaid to the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."
Also, an act relative to tax Collectors ,
in tlic county of Butler.
Also, an act relative to post mortem ex
i animations in the county of Butler.
We have no doubt these bills are all
proper. As to the first, without it, or i
something in its place, great injustice j
would be done; and it is to bo hoped,
should it become a law, of which we en-
I tertain little doubt, as it is but just that
j all interested may avail themselves at once, i
1 for it will soon become the imperative du- ;
ty of to have this laud business
closed up.
Tlic Uran.
We wish to call the especial attention I
of all interested, to the advertisement of
.
; Captain Pillow. U. S. Recruiting Agent. !
| for this county, wliich appears ,n our pa
j per t )-day, as also, to a communication
| from him. which will be found in another
j column.
As the time for enlisting under the j
large bounty regulation, is extended to j
the first of March, it is not likely that the |
draft will be made till then ; it is also like- ,
ly'that all districts which have not then
made up their proportion of the call, will
be drafted. It would also seem that per- I
sous volunteering, can go in for any local j
district they choose. Those districts which
give large bounties are sure to get re
cruits enough, while those that hesitate,
will run a great chance to come behind, i
Is it not advisable therefore, that all should I
| move at once, and if possible, let each dis- I
trict secure recruits within its own boun- :
dary? Why not call a meeting in each 1
township at once, and learn what the sen
timent of the people is ? Let all move j
harmoniously at once, and let Butler
county avoid the impending draft.
tfiS Just as we were going to press, we j
received an official statement of the quo- |
| ta of this district under the approaching i
draft—we hasten to lay the number allot
ted to each district of this county before j
our readers, we will give the whole table j
next week, including the number subject j
to draft in each class.
Buffalo township, 11; Clinton tp., 9; !
Middlesex tp., !>; Adams tp.. 9 ; Cranbcr- j
rv tp , 9; Jackson tp.. and Harmony. 12;
Zelienople bor.. 4 ; Forward tp.. 9 ; Penn
tp.. 7; Jefferson tp., aud Saxouburg. 12;
Wintield tp., 10; Clearfield tp.. 8; Sum
mit tp.. 7 ; Udtler tp., 8 ; Butler bor.. 14;
Coimoquenessiugtp.. 10; Lancaster town
ship. 11; Muddycreek and Portersville, 9;
Franklin township and Prospect, 13;
Centre township, 8; Oakland township.
9; Donegal township and Millcrstowu, 9;
Fairview township, 10 ; Concord town
ship. 8 ; Clay township, 9 ; Brady town
ship. 5; Worth township, 10; Centre
ville and Slippery Rock township, 10;
Cherry township, 7 ; Washington town
ship. 11; Parker township, 10; Alleghe
ny to rnship, 8; Venango township. 8 ;
Mar.on township. 8 ; Mercer township, 5.
Titi i: IM:KOIsu.
Up to the commencement of our pres
ent unhappy civil war, the courage of the
present generation had not been tested.
Away from scenes of conflict, enjoying
the blessings of peace, our constitutional
rights gauaranteed and respected, we were
sometimes led to believe that Scott had
drawn too largely ou his imagination, when
describing the courage of the ancient Sax
on and Gaul. But since the commence
ment of our present troubles, we have seen
so many exhibitions of true courage, that
nothing seems incredible.
We have been led to these reflections
from reading an adventure of the 14th
Pennsylvania Cavalry, comma'nded by
Lieut Col. Wm Slakeley, formerly of this
place, as given by a correspondent of the
Pittsburg GatcUc
The Colonel found himself and his gal
lant band almost surrounded by vastly su
perior numbers—like Fitz James, when
one shrill blast of Roderick's horn peo
pled the glenn,
u On right, on left, above, below.
Sprang up at once the lurking roe "
But like him, his courage was sufficient
j for the emergency. It is highly gratify
i ing to the Colonel's friends to know that
j he bore himself as a gallant knight.
The following is the correspondence :
MARTirrsßrnc, W. Vn. Jan. 6,1*64.
We arrived at (his place on the 3d inst.
much gratified in fiuding a resting place
after our terrible march. The 14th Penn
sylvania Cavalry had a fight with the reb
el Gen. Wm. L. Jackson, at Jackson riv-.
| er, on our retreat from Salem. On the
; 14th of December, whilst our (Gen. Avcr
j ill's) forces were retreating, the 14th Pa.
j cavalry. Lieut. Col. Win. Blakely, com
manding, were placed in the rear of (he
ambulances and trains. Gen. Averill
having captured a rebel courier with rebel
1 dispatches, from which he asccrtaiend the
i location and numbers of the different reb
| el forces, and in consequence of the immi
nent danger, he was compelled to move
much faster than the train could travel.—
The 14th Pa. cavalry, in charge of the
| train, was about 12 miles in the rrtir. and
reached Jackson's Gap about 11J o'clock
I i'. M. This Gap is a deep narrow defile,
; about throe miles in JeOgtli, passes through
ihe mountain and conies out at Island
Ford Bridge, Jackson river. Gen. Jack
! son had crossed the mouth of the Gap at
i Ihe Bridge. lie also placed a considera
| hie force of Infantry at the other end of
i the Gap. Three of our ambulances
I (which just came up) were captured, with
Lieut. Col. Paisley, of the Bth Va., Capt.
Markbright, A. A. G. Ist Sepcrate Bri-
gade. and Lieut. McAdams, commanding
the ambulance corps. In consequence of
! the darkness, and stubborn resistance of
j the rebels in front, we decided to await ;
daylight.
| The night was very dark, and our men
J frequently came in contact with the rebels, j
I and many hand to hand conflicts occurred,
i The rebels really had us surrounded and
j were iff much superior force. The night
| was cold, fires could not be lighted, and
our men almost perished. Gen. Averill
! supposed tliax we were captured, and
burnt the bridge to keep the enemy from
pursuing him. The bridge was burned
about daylight. Jackson then withdrew
his forces from our front and concentrated
them on our right and left and rear, with
the evident determination of driving us
1 into the river or compelling us to surren
j der. The rebels then made a vigorous at
tack upon us with three regiments of in
i fantry, one battalion of cavalry and three
j pieces of artillery. Our regiment was on
| ly six liuqdred strong. The contest raged
} furiously for an hour and a half, when the
j rebels ceased firing, and sent the folio ving
dispatch to Col. Blakely by a flag of truce.
lieAIHirARTERfI COXPRDIRATR FORCES, "1
JMIBM RIVER, NORTHERN VA., J.
December 20,1 SIC), A. M. )
|To Com'ill/ Officer Fcth rql Forces :
j SIR : The bridge is destroyed in your
| front, the river cannot bo forded. Your
j retreat is cut off, and you arc completely
j surrounded by my forces. I have direct
ed a cwsatiyn of hostilities for fifteen liiin
: utes and to prevent the further effusion of
j blood I send this, under my flag of truce
and demand your immediate, uncondition
| al surrender.
I have the honor to be yours very rc
j spctfully, your obedient servant,
WM. L. JACKSON, ,
Brig. Gen. Comd'g.
! To which Col. Blakely made the fol
j lowing reply:
lIEADQr IRTERS LTTIL ?A. C.IV., *}
JACKSON RIVER, W EST VA., ■
December 20,1863. j
Brig.-Gen. H°»i. L. Jackson, Command
j in l / Confederate Forces :
j SIR : I have the honor to acknowedge
the receipt of your demand for my "im
■ mediate, unconditional surrender." I ad
mit that I am surrounded by your supc
i rior forces, on my rear, right and left
| flanks, and that an almost impassable gulf
j menaces my front, but I cannot, even un
! der these circumstances, comply with
! your demand, and I will sacrifice my own
< life and that of every true and brave sol
dier under my command, before I surren
i der to a coward and li traitor.
With due respect, yours, etc.,
WM. BLAKELET,
Lieut. Col. Commanding.
I At this time we supposed that we would
j be compelled to abandon our horses and
j cut our way out, over the mountain, on
i foot. The enemy again opened fire upon
us with artillery, and commenced advan
cing his lines. . We held him in cheek
until we burned our ambulances and train
and then commenced retreating up the
river bank, by a mere cow path, in search
!of a ford. By seizing a citizen and com
petting him to find us.a ford, we finally es
caped by swimming Jackson river, with
j the loss of one officer wounded, three men
killed, four drowned and four wounded.
When we reached Covington, a distance
of five or six miles, \Vc found that Gen.
Averill had burned the bridge. We
swam the river Again and finally overtook
our Brigade on the Allegheny .Mountains,
at 12 o'clock Monday, midnight. On
clothes were frozen and our sufferings were
intense. We hail traveled six days and
1 nights almost without sleep or rest, and
without food except what was gathered on
our route, through a very poor section of
| country. V.
LoL" 1 SVILLK.' JaT liV—\t Massey
Creek. on the 13th, a part of Col. M'Cook's
j cavalry attacked the Bth and 11th Texas.
| routing them, killingfourteenof them, and
i taking forty-one prisoners.
ALBANY, N. Y.,Jan. 15.—The Semite
' to-day passed, by a unanimous vote, the
resolutions of the Assembly, proposing a
change in the State Constitution, so as to
allow the soldiers in the field to vote.
PHILADELPHIA. Jan. 15.—The Demo
cratic State Central Committee have called
a meeting of the State Convention of that
party, to be held at Philadelphia on the
23th of March.
a@*Gen. Meigs is back at the head of
the Quartermaster's Bureau again. So
ends the speculations about his suspen
j eion or removal.
The Slate Sciinlc. * *
This body is still unorganized ; the re
sponsibility of this unusual delay, must
rest with those who attempt to take .id
vantage of the absence of Maj. White.—
We don't feel at liberty now to even guess
how this matter may terminate; but ex
pect by this time next week, to be able to
surmise what course will be taken to ex
tricate the senate from its present uuliSp
pv position. .
That our readers may understand fully
the position our party occupy in reference
to the organisation, we give below
marks of Senator M'Candloss, made 011
sixth of the present month. They need
116 eulogy from us to recommend them to
his constituents. lie said :
At this time. Mr. Speaker, I nm prone j
to believe that time is of little consequence. !
The Senators on the other side of this floor ;
have taken the responsibility, in opposi
tion to the will of a majority of the peo
ple of Pennsylvania, to hold out agaiti t an
organization of this body j and with those
gentlemen rests the responsibility. Mr.
Speaker, they say to as that there will be
no organization here until the dog days, !
A\ e say to the gentlemen on the other side
that in the Providence of God there will j
bo no organization here until Gabriel blows
his last trump, unless the miniority yield,
and that organization be in accordance
with the will of the majority as expressed
at the polls at the last October election.—
We have a right to this organization.—
The people of Pennsylvania have said to
the llepublican party, 'you are the guar
dians of our interests, and to you alone wc
will commit them.' Would wc not be
recreant to our places here, would not our
constituency denounce us if wo compro
mise 1 and bartered away our rights at t his j
time ?
The fortunes of war have thrown into
the hands of the Jeff. Davis'government
one of the Senators on this floor! When
our own State was assailed and about to be !
invaded by the rebel hords, the bold and j
strong arm of our friend, Major White
who holds a scat and is one of our peers
on this floor, was the first,away down there
at Winchester, to be lifted bravely and
boldly as that of asoldierand a man against
the common enemy. Being overpowered
by a superior force of the reljel liorflc. he
vas taken prisoner, and is now confined at
Richmond. Ileis sufferingall the distress
and discomfort incident to captivity in a
Southern dungeon ; he feels the want of
everything that is necessary to make him
comfortable; lie has for the time being
lost his right to a seat on this floor; and
yet gentlemen ou the other side say to
us organize. Why, the people of Penn
sylvania do not want an organization as
long as westaud a tie here. We can stand
up before the people of Pennsylvania and
say to them boldly "wc will not organize,
we dare not organize against your express
instructions;" and that people will say to
us, -well done, that is the instruction wc
gave you, and you would be recreant to
the trust reposed in you. if you yielded or
compromised with those whom the verdict
of the people lias stamped as unfit to man
age their affairs." We arc organized, sir.
This is an organized body; wo have a
Speaker, we have a corps of officers, and
are perfectly competent to go,on with busi
ness. If the gentlemen on the'othcr side
of the floor wish togo oil with tlie regular
business of the Senate they arc perfectly
at liberty to do so. But no; tlicy want a
share of the organization; they would be
gin at the head and give us one office, re
serve one office for themselves, and so on.
We say to you, gentlemen, you will not get
one ; we will stand here, if need be, for
ever in defence of our rights, as instruct
ed by the people of Pennsylvania. The
proposition is very much like that of his
Satanic Majesty when he offered our Sav
iour all ihe kingdoms of the earth and did
not own an acre. They have no right to
a share in'this organization ; hence wo say
to you, gentlemen, wc will stand here as
we arc until Major White or his successor
is here, and then we will be ready togo on
with business. Until that time I suppose
the wheels of legislation are stopped, be
cause on all matters of public interest six
teen gentlemen will voteagainst us, as they
have done up to the present time. We
stand before the people as an organized
body, with a Speaker in the Chair, and a
corps of officers ready and willing to per
form their duties. If you, gentlemen on
the other side, want legislation, all you
have to do is to offer your bills and vote
upon them, and legislation will move on
as it has ordinarily heretofore. If you do
not want legislation, then here we stand
until the dog days, or until doomsday, if
Major White or his successor does not ap
pear.
WHAT GEN. GRANT IS DOING. —The
New York Tiniest says :
Information reaches us now and then
from the Department of the Mississippi,
going to show what is being done in the
matter of opening and establishing lines
of railroad and water communication.—
Another line of railroad will soon be, if
it is not already, in full operation between
Nashville and Bridgeport, [or Stevenson]
Alabama. This is the Tennessee and Al
abama Railroad, which intersects the Mom
phis and Charleston Railroad at Hunts
ville,the latter forniinga junction with the
Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad at
Stevenson—thence over the track of the
latter, or by the river from Bridgeport to
Chattanooga. This gives General (Jrant
substantially two routes of rail communi
cation with his first secondary base. By
next month, through the moans of a rail
road from Nashville to the Tennessee
River, ho will have two reliable railroad
lines, and one waterline available a portion
of the year, (the Cumberland River,) with
his primary base, the Ohio River.
The supply question with (ien. Grant
has latterly assumed still greater import
ance. in view of the fact that our forces
in East Tennessee will hereafter draw their
chief supplies over the same routes used
by the army at Chattanooga. Thus it
will be seen that the task of feeding and
supplying the large fortes in the Depart
ment is fully as herculean as the task of
moving them. Add to this fact, the ac
cumulation of supplies necessary for an ad
vance in the Spring, and the increased
anny dependent on them which will be
concentrated for tho movement, and the
work laid out in Gen. Grant's Department
will almost be such as to give pause to even
his great energies. But all this will be
done
AHMI COBHESPOXDEJItE. ,
Escape From Iticlimoiid. | ,
The writer of the following letter was 1 (
born in Connoquonessing townsliip, But- I (
ler county, on the 24th of January, 1844. (
is an Orphan boy, an J was raised hv Mi's. 1 ,
Jane Brown. from the time he was nine ! (
months old, till the war broke out, in <
1800; he rolunteerod for three months : ,
under Capt. J. N. Purviance, of Butler; I ]
came home with the company at the ex- •
pinion of their term of enlistment; and ,
on -the 21st of August, he enlisted for (
throe years underCapt. Thomas M'Laugh- ,
lin ; Was taken to Washington, and its- .
waincd at Tenallytown all winter; went (
on the Peninsula campaign with General ]
M'Clellan; was taken prisoner on tlio 14th of j
April, 1861, while on picket, near York- ! ,
town, and conveyed to Richmond, where I |
he remained four weeks, when he, in com- ! ,
pany with many others wore paroled; he j j
went back to his regiment, and went thro' j )
the seven days fight before Richmond, but ! ,
could not be received into his regiment, ,
because ho was not exchanged; sometime ,
after he was honorably discharged from the j
service, and in August, 1863, he rc-en- {
listed in the 4tlu Pcnna. Cavalry; was in
the battle of Sulphur Springs, at which ,
time and place he was again taken pris- (
oner, as the following letter will show: ,
CAMP TYLER, NEAR BALTIMORE,
Monday, Doc. 21, 1863. I (
ME. SAMUEL RILEYS — Hear Sir:— l
seat myself once more a fico man to let j ,
you know of my good health, and '.scape j
from Richmond, and of tny sale arrival in ;
our lines at Wiliiamfburg. I conim 1
from the Pcmberton prison on the 11th of
this month, and got to our picket ■ at Wil
liamsburg, on the morning of the Mtl> ; !
since that time, 1 have been c .ming from
Williamsburg here. I will now give yo
a short history of my e cape (frrliieh w.i
all very lucky for mo, fir 1 Mood a good \ 1
chance to get my neck stretbed if they
had recognized me. 1 was asked "if my I
name was not K y," but I told thciu
not. I gave my name as AVin. Bennett. I
was taken on the 12th of October, and
got out on the 11th day of December, I
would not have been there as long as I was
but my clothes were so bad that T could
not trade them for rebel clothes, but our j
government .sent us sonic clothing, and I ,
was so fortunate as to get a new suit on j
the 10th, and on the same day I traded |
them for a rebel suit, and got 815 for my
bargain. The jiext day I went out to
draw rations for the room; there were j
about forty of us wont out to draw for the
whole prison. 1 had my blanket around !
me, and they did not notice my rebel suit; j
as we wore marching up to the cook house. !
I dropped the blanket to an old friend
who was just behind mc, and that second j
I wheeled round, and started right down j
along the column; the guard never noti-1
ced mo when 1 passed him, and off 1 went j
as bold as a sheep." Although [ was!
now out of prison, T had another hard
task to perform ; to get out of tile city j
and across tlic Chickahomany river, was \
as hard as anything I had done. I can't j
take time at present to tell j'ou all that 1 i
had togo through. 1 was fired upon at
the Chickahomany, and recaptured at !
New Kent Court House, and hadtoper
j form a job that I hate to talk about; but i
I was bound to be free, or die. 1 ran up j
on the picket—was within a rod of him j
when he saw and halted me. The night j
was very dark, but 1 was so close to him j
that I could not run without being shot.— j
I thought that I would " play nigger,"
and told him that I was a colored man, !
and my master lived in New Kent; but
lie stuck his face so closo to mine, that
he made out to see that 1 was no nigger. I
lie says : " Vou son a h—h. you'r no nig
ger." It went agains my jrain to be cal'-
ed a son of a b—h. but I bit my lips and
took it. \V ell, says he, " who are you ?" ;
; I am a Yankee, said 1, if you must know.
I told him I was a prisoner, &c. lie
laughed and said, \\ ell, I guess you won't
goto Yankcedom now, will you?" I
reckon not. says 1. He then wanted mo
to get on behind him aid ride to tlio re
serve pickets, but I toljl him I could walk
that far, but I acted viry lame. My feet
were extremely sore, aid I ,succeeded in
I making him believe that I could not walk
without the stick I lad. It was a good
hickory, and I made (lie bark fly off it on
his head, before we Vent ten rods. After
I struck him the firs #me. his horse stop
ped and stood ther< until I had dragged
him into the woods, then I took his pistol
and tied his horse to a tree, and went on
my way, but I would rather not have kill- |
ed him, but when I hit him once, I oould i
not quit until I waj satisfied that he would j
make no alarm. After that, I succeeded i
in getting past tljl? pickets without fur- 1
ther molestation or trouble, and thank '
God, I -will soon 'be back to fight them |
again. I could Let a furlough, but if I ;
t'xjf it. I would|break a resolution that I !
made when I ltft Butler. I will start for ;
my regiment tomorrow. Tell the friends
that lam free/ Yours, truly, XV. B.
CHATTANOOGA, TENN.
Dee. 3d, 1863.
BROTHER tV. — I received your kind J
letter day yesterday when I had ar-1
rived from t|e battle field; I have had a
very hard tiiie of it since the contest be
gan. The fist commencement was by a
feigned recoinoisance in force, on the left
and centre 112 next morning it broke out on
our extretjo right. Lookout Mountain. ;
where it raged until night, and by moon
light, (11 P. M.) when there was a lull 112
but let me mention here the interposition
of the God of Battles, who clothed tlio
crnggy summit of the mountain with a
dense fog, on which the deadly Sharp
shooters of Mississippi, (the flowers of tlio
flock,) were perched, to pick off our men
as they passed along under the cliffs ; but
their eyes were dimmed ; our men proud
ly advanced beneath the protection of tlio
Almighty, and open to our view ; when
our men had gainod the western side, and
came steadily advancing round the point,
oh. what a beautiful sight to behold them
as the cloud towered abovo them and the
dear old flag waved; you should have
heard the loud huzzahs that issued forth
frefm the forts below, which were loaded
with deadly missiles to hurl at the foe;
but now a sudden rush was made on their
rifle-pits and the shout went forth ; our
boys in them, and a sudden stillness again ;
but now they are seen again advancing
and shouting ; now again another shout
goes forth and the columns go at full speed
with glittering bayouets, and the trench
is ours; here'they skirmished for somo
timo, and part of our division was sent
down, drove in the pickets, threw a pon
toon across the oreek anil made a connec
tion with them up the mountain side,
where they remained all night; next morn
ing the hill and Chattanooga valley were
clear, and they had .concentrated their
forces on Mission Nidge, on the other side
of the valley, an I extending about five
miss. During this time Sherman had
eri'-nl (1c liver nl<vo i.nd tiketi one of
tli'' j c k #.r die lidge j M,e.man com
mence • h w k Cii.lv. ■'II I they kept e n
ccntririiig on heir ' lit. <ur left, and by
strategy our column* advance 1 to six points
by noun, ready to'-torm'ihc biitteiios and
(irons'work < on lie whole summit; tlio
timo arrive 1, the command given, and oh,
Ihcn the whole mountain sh'iok to its base,
with their batteries on the summit and
ours at tho base, it was a perfect shower of
ball* and cani-tcr; but our columns
advanced quietly along, and fiercely charg
ed their rifle-pits about one third of tho
, way up the hill ; another, tho same, and
then they were under covor of their fire ;
, finally they reached the summit and a
deadly strife ensued ; and the most dead
! ly silence reigned among the troops who
lay in reserve, in case of needed assist mice;
but a few moments, and the. Banner of
Freedom is seen floating over the Head
quarters of Gen. Bragg—their artillery
hushed, and only the shout of our men
I charging on the batteries, can be heard,
i and then a loud response of shouts from
| our place of abode ; but now the batter
ies are heard to belch forth again, and oh,
the intense anxiety, are our men repulsed'!
Are they all prisoners 1 Oh, no! we soon
found that tlio belchings were turned an
othor direction, and another shout went
| forth ; and soon till was still; but in tho
distance we could hoar some terrific mus
ketry fighting, but it was soon lulled bv
■ night coming on.
I was ordered to the battle-field, where
| I remained all night, till 5 A. M. came
' home and breakfasted ; received orders at
7A. M..to march with four days rations
from Division Headquarters; our Regi
ment remained in the forts ; and wo start
| ed in pursuit of the retreating foe ; went
up to tho summit of the ridtic, and oh,
the sights; the foe slaughtered all along
the ridge, and twenty-two of our own nicn ;
j descended, and passed through tho gap
and ascended another ridge which led to
j the old Chiekamauga ground, and arrived
at the river by night; btfilt a bridge by
• taking down a barn' and house, and wo
passed over early in the morning; ad
vanced two miles, and surprised the ene
my and took a battery; pros; ed onto
Graysville. pa sing all kinds of arms, field
pieces, caissons, ammunition, clothing, etc
in great quantities ; got to tho next creek
where they resisted; beat them and took
I four pieces of artillery, and one they tried
to throw in the wafer, forded, and wenton
, to Ringgold, where we had a most bloody
fi.:ht we lost hciv'ly took the Gap and
Mount .ii ly stoim got our wi unded off
and all am; utatiom ma e by midnight,
and sent all oar sick back to Chattanooga
bv noon the fallowing day; we took a
great number of prisoners, corn, flour,
wheat, corn meal, etc . etc., an I had plenty
of chicken and pig. and remained over
the day and night and then returned.—
To sum up, we have taken about 80 guns,
6300 prisoners, more coming in, and part
of the army yet to hear from : accept my
kind regfirds.
Yours faithfully,
A. M. BARNABY,
Ilospt. Steward, 78th Regt. P. V.
QUICK REPENTANCE. —At a Methodist
church in Newark, N. J., a member who
had formerly large " Southern connec
tions" proposed that tho church should
make Jeff. Davis a life member of the
Sabbath School Missionary Society.—
Even the boys and girls hissed the propo
sition, whereupon the member threatened
to throw them out of the window. The
" muscular Christian" subsequently apol
ogised through the public prints.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11.—The Demo
crats in the House, arc still disorganized
and are unable to agree, either on poli
cy or leaders. They have arrived at two
conclusions, however, that the army should
be paid in specie, and that they arc dowu
on proclamations