American citizen. (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, May 04, 1864, Image 1
VOLUME 1. The American Citizen, "IS published «Terr WHnesday In th* borough of Rutlen bj Tnosivs ROBI*SONA C. K. A.NDKRSON 011 Main utrcet Opposite to Jack's Hotel —offire up Atairn in the brick' ormerly occupied by Kit Yetter,asa store TERMS:—SI 50 a venr. If paid in advance. or within the first six month*; or $2 if not paid until artur the expira tion of the first nix month*. n*TP.IOF Anv».BT!Sixo:~o oe no |j (teu Unes or | Isss,) thro* iwrfiiiiw . fi no ; Every subwunent l . M rtlon, 2ft Busin'"*s cards • j| n( . s w f eiS f or one year, inclu* dln~ paper... v..fi 00 Card ,»f lo linen or taw 1 year without paper .....4 <") Vt' "l"«nn f.»r six month* ? ~ V?c »l«n»o f..r onu y«*s 12 00 Ueotann f.»r six months <!coWmnf.rot,e year -J 00 , j for tlx month* & °0 j | tvlfnin for one year ; 60 00 THE SWORD CONTEST. The announcement that the Fair was to be finally closed on Saturday evening caus ed thousands to visit the building during the day. At the opening hour a rush was made at tho ticket offices, and for sonic time it required an extra force of ticket sellers to supply tho demand for cards of admission. By one o'clock the buildings "~ % were*fttM-ftf people, most of' whom came to witness the th e army sword i the crow u, at en., ,/plort was so | deusc that">Wlil JU J ul it almost impossi ble to reach the desk"wTiei~e f hi')' were to deposit their green backs, and register their preferences in favor of their favorite gen erals. One after another the voters came on; and at every announcement of "One hundred more for McClellan," or ' Anoth er hundred for Grant," the crowd c heer ed, the applause being about equally di vided, as the name of cither General was mentioned. Hots were frequently offered that "Little Mac" would win, few Grant men being found sanguine enough to ac cept these wagers. Atone time Grant was gaining rapidly, and the friends of Mc- Clellan looked gloomy. Then the an nounccmeut of 81.000, received from Bos ton. in favor of McClellan, was received with three times three cheers; that gave an additional impulse to the voting, and induced a better feeling among those who a moment before had been denouncing the Executive Committee for deciding up on closing the contest by secret balloting. At two o'clock the open voting closed.— The book-keepers having counted up the money, announced the vote thus far as fol lows : llsnnml McClrllnn 11,TO Lieut. Uoueral ttrant. ..«... 9,617 McClellan* majority .... 2,266 Cheer upon cheer greeted thisannonnee ment, the crowd soon after vacating the Army and Trophy Department, and con gregating around stand No. 11 in the main salon. Here a w'oodwi box had been pro vided, surrounded by a number of police men. who courteously explained to voters how to deposit their ballots. Severalgeti tlemcn 011 the inside of the stall furnish ed lead pencils, paper and envelopes. The vers took out theirgreenbaeks, wrote on i'hh of the pieces of paper the name of theGeneral they desired to vote for, fold ed the money and ballot together, placed the package in an envelope, sealed it, and it in the box. So the voting went on, slowly at first, by degrees bccoui *■ »' exciting, as the crowd standing •round became more reconciled to this plan of ending the exciting contest. La dies dressed iu silks, and ladies dressed in calico, deposited their votes, taking their turn with tho men quite as readily as if they had been accustomed to the elective franchise all their lives. As each vote was deposited it was greeted with a varie ty of remarks. A lady who deposited a plethoric envelope, was told as she retired, "That another hundred had gone in for Little Mac " A small boy who putin a thin envelope, heard a McClellan man be hind him grosrl about that "youngster vo ted for Grirat." "Putin your money against it. if you don't like it,"was the prompt .reply of the young voter, as he mingled with the crowd. At dark the ex iciteiuent around stand No. 10 was intense. Tlte ballots came in rapidly, every voter auxious to put his envelope in the box be fore the closing hour. At half-past sev <n, oue of the gentlemen, watch iu hand, announced the flying momenta. The crowd visibly increased. Two lines of po licemen kept an open passage way to the ballot box. "Three minutes to eight," a lady votes, another follows, then a small boy. One mqre vote by a young lady who las rapidly written her ballot, and then the polls are declared closed. The pine .box is lifted up by two stalwart police -4UCO. The crowd <<lieer and surge around them. Other policemen open a passage way for the geutlemen in charge of this preciotis receptacle of greenbacks, which is borne triumphantly through the main saloon to the Armory, where the Commit tee appointed to count the ballots are as sembled to perform their duties. The box is deposited on the table, where it remains in full viear of all present while the Com mittee organize. Those admitted into the room, besides the Cuinuiittee, were a few members of the Executive Committee of the I'air, the reporters of tho press, Mr. Tiffany and several of his clerks, a num AMERICAN CITIZEN ber of policemen, &c.—in all about thir ty persons. The Examining Committee then proceeded to the business of electing Mr. Wilson G. Huntas their Chairman. — Mr. Joseph P. Howard, of Tiffany's, was selected as Secretary. Arrangements were then made for proceeding with the exam inations. Mr. J. B. Wright was to open the envelopes, Mr. Wui. Kcmble would announce the votes, J udgc Daly was to re i eeive the money, and Mr. Wm. 11. Webb would return the ballots to the empty en velopes. and endorse thereon the votes, and place them for future reference in an other box provided for the purpose. By the time these arrangements had been made the Seventeenth street box arrived, in charge of some policemen. This box having been placed upon the table, tho cover of the Fourteenth street box was unscrewed and takeu off, and tho first en velope taken out, opened by Mr. Wright, and passed to Mr. Kcmble. This gentle man read "one vote for General McClel- Jan," and passed one dollar to Judge Da ly. Mr. Webb having endorsed the en | velope. another was takeu from the box, and thus the work proceeded for two hours and a half. In the Fourteenth street box tho eighty-two soldiers belonging to the 69tli regiment deposited their votes for McClellan. - Three large banking firms voted 8500 each for Grant. Other votes ranged from 83 to s'2so for Grant. Mc- Clellan's friends voted in sums of 81 up to 8400 —this latter amount coming from cit izens of Detroit. The Union Square box was next opened. The first vote drawn was from the "Loyal men of New York," 2,007 for Grant. Next came 83,000 for Grant, from a "Loyal New Englauder," I followed by S2OO for McClellan. Eleven I hundred "loyal men of New York" were again registered for Grant. Then three hundred and twenty-five "loyal men" of Chicago voted for Ulysses S. Grant. Af ter these, "sundry persons" in one pack age recorded one thousand votes for Grant. A ton dollar vote for McClellan came next. Then the sensation of the evening occur red. An envelope wasopened containing a check for ten thousand dollars, and a note requesting ten thousand votes to be recorded for Lieutenant General Grant, , from "ten loyal men of New York."— Every one in the room were convinced that Grant could not be beaten, and al though the proceedings were watched with interest, nothing else of a sensational char- I acter occurred. Fourteen more envelopes were opened, and some 300 more votes recorded, the majority being iu favor of Grant. After the last ballot had been read, the money was counted, and the result fig ured up, as follows: LlentPiiant-Oonornl (fruit........ .'!0,2yl MiyoMleiifral MrClelliin ... I Grant's majority.- 15.752 Tt was then arranged that the Chairman should announce this result from the Mu sic Gallery to the crowd in the Main Sa loon. Accordingly, tho Committee, es corted by a largo force of policemen, as cended to the balcony. As they appear ed in front, deafening cheers arose from tho people below, who crowded up until a dense throng of several thousand per sons were gathered there. When silence had been restored, Mr. George Griswold Grey announced that Wilson (!. Hunt, Esq., would proceed to announce the re sult of the vote for the army sword. Mr. Hunt then read the total number of votes cast, and then gave the number recorded in favor of Gen. Grant. The cheering that greeted the announcement was deaf ening. It seemed as if the roof of the building would be lifted upbodily, by tho volume of sound that came from the crowd below. Cheer upon cheer rose upward, and resounded through the immense build ing, until the noise filled the uttermost parts and extended to the streets beyond, from whence came back the feeble echoes of the crowd outside, who enthusiastical ly cheered without knowing for whom.— Several minutes were thus occupied. Then amid comparative silence the M'Clellan vote was announced. Another burst of cheering succeeded, interspersed with a few hisses, which were promptly drowned by repeated cheering. After this the Committee retired. Below the scene was an exciting one. The crowd did not dis perse. Excited iudividuals denounced the secret balloting. The Grant men ar gued with them, until at one time it was thought that a breach of peace would oc cur. Fortuuately the Drum Corps now appeared, escorted by the police, who di vided the crowd. The band master gave the word—the drums spoke in thunder tones, drowning the angry voices and war ning those present that the hour for the fiiittl closing of the Metropolitan Fair had arrived. In a few moments the drums ceased—the gas was turned down, and al though some of tho noisy politicians still remained, the crowd wasgonc. In fifteen minutes more only the privileged few re mained, rejoicing that the evening had passed without any untoward scene to mar "Let us have Faith that Right makes Might; and in that Faith let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it"— A - LINCOLN. BUTLER, BUTLER COUNTY, PA., WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 18S4. the culmination of a contest unparalled in the annals of history. The total amount received up to the closing of the Fair will not fail much short of one million one hundred thousand dol lars. To this is to be added the value of the goods on hand, and the money that may be realized by the sale of the build ings and decorations- The Navy Sword vote, at the closing of the polls, stood as follows: Commander Rowan 402 Admiral K.trragut. 33J Rowan's majority l3O m «•» I'liilnut liropy During 11M* War. We learn from the New York Even ing Post that a gentleman of that city, Mt . Hartley, has compiled a small book, preparad with great labor, and which is a nioet striking exhibi i n of the philanthro pic exertions of the American people du ring the war. Beginning with a descrip tion of the state of the nation at the time the war broke out—the financial embar rassments, the military deficiencies, the inexperience of those in authority, and our supposed inability to eucounter the burdens and sacrifices of a condition of protracted warfare—the author proceeds to narrate the spontaneous and voluntary efforts undertaken to provide for all the necessities of the crisis. lie gathers from official and other au.thctic sources a narra tive of all contributions offered by the peo ple to the support of their armies, and to the solace of the sufferers by the war as far as the statistics were accessible to him. It is probable that his compilation, as far as it may be defective, errs by what it omits rather than what it includes. We append the resume of its contents as given by the I'oxt:—J'it Is Gazette. "We learn from it that the total con taibutions from States, counties and towns, for the aid and relief of soldiers and their families, has amounted to over one hun dred and eighty-seven millions of dollars, (187,2011,608 02,) that the contributions for the care and comfort of soldiers, associa tions and individuals, has amounted to over twenty-four millions, ($24 044,865 96;) that the contributions lor the same time for sufferers abroad has been 8380,140,74- and that the contributions for frcedmen; sufferers by the riot of July, and white refugees have been 8639,614,13; making a grand total, exclusive of the expendi tures of the Government, of more than two hundred millious of d011ar5,§212,274.- 259 4G-) "It is no exaggeration to say that flitß is unparalleled in the history of nations; indeed, our limited reading of military an nals does not allow us to recall any instance in which the same thing has been so much as attempted. In England, during the Crimean war, and in Germany, during the struggle against Napoleon, both men and women did a great deal in contribu ting to the comfort and relief of their ar mies. It is in fact impossible that war should rage in any nation without exciting the sympathies of the people to a greater or less extent. But nowhere, we believe, have such spontaneous and systematic ex ertions been tnad& or such grand results acconfplishod as in the Uuited States. "But the real significance of these large contributions lies in the deep and almost universal devotion which they manifest, on the part of the people, in the cause of the war. All classes have taken part in them—the poor widow with her mite, the rich merchant with his thousands, the child of the Suuday school, the settler of the back-woods, the American roaming in distant lands " NAVAL. —Orders have been transmit ted to the commanding officers of the dif ferent navy-yards to expedite work on the various vessels in course of preperation for sea, and others are to be taken in hand forthwith. The fine steam frigate Sus quehanna, which accompanied the Niag ara on the cable expedition, is to be placed at the wharf at the Brooklyn Navy-Yard immediately to receive the necessary fit ting for commission. The steamers Au gusta. R. K. Cuyler. Mendoto, and others are to be hurried on; and the steam fri gate Ticondcroga, which arrived here re cently, will be sent to sea in a few days. Such of the double-endcrs remaining at New York as can be manned will be put in commission the moment they are ready. Five more iron-dads will be finished next month, and together with convoys, are to be detailed for active service. Beside these large vessels an entire squadron of small steamers is nearly ready to leave our navy-yards for different poinU on the Southern coast. ENGLISH GIRLS. —The English girl spends more than half her waking hours in physical amusements, which tend to develope, invigorate and ripen the bodily powers. She rides, walks, drives and rows upon the water, runs, dances, plays, sings, jumps the rope, throws the ball, hurls the quoit, draws the bow, keeps up the shuttle-cock, and all this without hav ing it pressed forever upon her mind that she is thereby wasting her time. She does this every day, until it becomos a habit which she will follow up through life. Iler framcas a natural consequence, is larger, her muscular system is in bet ter subordination, her strength more en during, and the whole tone of her voice healthier. Girls think of this. terit is a singular fact that the aston ishing power of water in converting one pint of milk into a quart was not known until a few years since. It is thought that a persevering milkman first made the discovery. THE APOTHOEStS OF BLAVERY. From England to the "OH Domain," The brokm 44 elite'' wandered. And fitat before old Mammon* shrine, Their time and gold was squandered. Too proud to work—they would not choose A Ptirltanlc favor, No! servile labor they would bare, — Bo fitted out a slaver." Or pit her /rati It fitted out Upon the gentian water, To bring to our fair land the bane. Of strife. rapine and slaughter, With ruthless hand from Africs coast, The innocent were plundered, And wide apart the fillial tiss Of brotherhood were sundered. To " christianize them" was their plea, Wbirh plea they did disparage. To christianize them—how could they " flans'' churches, schools and marriage. The Black his native talent lost, While hi- his thrall lamented ; And white men flushed with shining gold, Became almost demented. Saw nothing In the distant maze, But looming Eldorado's; Drunk with gold and tyranny, They turned out Tile bravado's. To force their Issues on the north. They fostered :'i j » faction, From which there 11 candidate, In times of great reaction. They bowed their heads toslarery'i will, Made quite a revolution, They deified it—called it a "Peculiar institution." Then reverenced it, because they had All other gods. forgotten : Av.'i set it up before the world I'pona till one of cottou, And ever since, have copperhead.-*, Of every age and station, Bowed down to it, an on it hung Their very soul's salvation. They worship it In various ways, Both openly and hidden: Forgetting wholly what is in The decalogue forbidden. PFTER POECtPINE. WIT AID WIBDOM. MEMORY — a bundle of dried timo. WHY is a ploughed field like feathered game? Because it is partridges. WHY is John Bigger's boy larger than his father ? Beca e lie is a little Bigger. FIRESIDE PHILOSOPHY.—A round of pleasure sometimes renders it difficult to make things squaro. AN exchange calls young men who stand round church doors to watch young ladies as the congregation is going out, " the Devil's Pickets." AN Army Chaplain, preaching to his soldiers, exclaimed : " If God be with us, who can be against us ?" "Jeff Davis and the devil!" promptly exclaimed one of the boys. " GRANDMA," said an intelligent but crafty child, "doyou want some candy t"— " Yes, dear, I should like some." " Then goto the shop and buy me some, and I will give you a pari." " I ONCE," said a friend, "saw a regi ment of Tennessee negroes on a parade, and when they came to the" right dress," with tho whites of their eyes all turned, " it looked just like a chalk murk." AT a Printers' festival the following sentiment was offered : "Printers' Wives—May they always have plenty of SMALL CAPS for the heads of their little original articlos." A QUACK says the surest way to get rid of your corns, is to rub them over with toasted choese, and let your feet hang out of bed fur a night or two, that the mice may nibble them. If the mice do their duty the remedy will be sufficient. • AN editor attending church the other Sabbath, for the first time in many years, stopped at the entrance, and looking in vain for the bell pull, deliberately knock ed at the door and poJitely waited till somebody opened it and let him in. " I WONDER where those clouds are going?" sighed Flora, pensively, as she pointed with her thin, delicate finger, to the heavy funeral masses that floated la zily in the sky. " I think they are going to thunder !" said Swipes. A BABB singer, with a bad voice, was corrected by the conductor of a choir, who said to him, — " Sir, you are murdering the music I" " My dear sir," was the reply, " it is better to murder it outright than to keep on beating it as you do." A WITTY lady and a gentleman were discussing the interesting subject of wo man's heart. Mr. A., growing warm, ex claimed, — " Madam, let me tell you, facts arc very stubborn things?" " Sir," coolly replied Miss 8., " what a fact you must be." CHARLES M. BEECHER, of the Catta ragus Freeman, New York, has been drafted. In announcing the fact, he says: 44 Why should we mourn, conscripted friends, Or qnakeat Draft's alarms? Tis but the voice that Abr'm sends, To make us shoulder arms I" " MAMMA, Lucy says this is my birth day," said a sunny-faced little boy a few mornings since. " Yes, Dicky, you are seven yeare old," replied the mother. " Will the stores keep open to-day, mama ?" " Yes, my son, but school don't!" GORDON, just returned front a certain district in the country, says that ploughs have no sale there. The hogs are so long snouted tliat the fa/mers plant a corncob on one side of a field and piggy on the other, and by the time the latter reaches the cob there is a splendid lurrow. If a stump happens in the way it is split. Army Correspondence. ANNAPOLIS, MD., Friday Morning, April 15, 1864. KDS. OF CITIZEN : —Lively times in this town now, about thirty regiments are hero; two colored regiments left for the South last Saturday, and another, the Ist Michigan, leaves to-day. Gen. Grant was here on Wednesday, left in the afternoon for Washington. Two brass • bands sur renaded him and Gen. Bnrnside at the City Hotel that night, but Grant not be ing present, was absent, and had the best of them. Last night, Murdoch, the great tragedian, read in the Navy Yard Chapel, for the benefit of the Hospital Band.— Gen. Burnside and Gen. Washburn, and their staffs were there; the entertainment was good, but was not so much apprecia ted as other performances. Three thou sand soldiers are delighted every night by Mrs. Dan liice, who shows them a well bred Horse, a well trained Dog, a Mule that won't ride, and a man that can't, but altogether, what the soldiers call a "bully circus." Tho amuses about five hun dred soldiers every night, with low com edy, and white men who could not per form better if they had been born black. I love to see the soldiers enjoy themselves, for soon Gen. Grant will open a show,and another scene awaits them. Last night, just after tho circus closed, a soldier of the 50th Pa., was shot dead near the Post office, I am informed by a Lieutenant of the oth N. H., by no means an uncommon occurrence in this town.— He died as is usual in such cases, with the hospitality of Annapolis, around his neck in the form .of a canteen full of whisky. I know nothing of the circum stances or cause, except it was whisky. There are 1493 patients in the Hospi tals of this post; 81 died last week, but everything is gay in Annapolis. Patients, by flag of truce boat, go di rect to Baltimore now, to leave room here for sick of 9th army corps. AMERICAN SOLDIER. Camp, 02d Kegt. P. V., NEAR BEAI.TON STATION, VA., April 11th, IHO4. MESSRS. EDITORS : —Thinking that the friends of those who belong to the G2d would bo auxious to know how wo are get ting along; I thought I would send you a short communication. Wo are enjoy ing ourselves as best wo can under the circumstances; as bad weather forbids all out-of-door sports at present, such as we have in good weather. It has been rain ing here almost constantly for the past four days, which renders the roads almost im passible. We are daily expecting orders to pack Knapsacks and move to the front, as it is rumored, that tho Veteran Reserve Corps is going to relieve us, from the tiresome duty, of " Rail Road Guarding." Some excitement prevails here with re gard to the Presidential Campaign now aboutopening. Many of the soldiers say, " they would vote for McClcllan, if there were no better men, than he;" but they consider honest Old Abe. a better man than Mac consequently Little Mar is left in the dark here. We want a man that iH tried and true for President, and there is none that has shown more loyalty to our cause than Lincoln. Why should we substitute for him, a man whose loyalty is doubted by every patriot in the land ? Copperheads and Traitors may vote for M' CleOan. We Loyal men will vote for A. Lincoln. G. W. F. Co. D, G2d P. V. Horrible Itntcherjr. Columbus, Ky.,is a small town on ths Mississippi, a few miles below Cairo. A rebel fort oalled Fort Pillow was built there at the beginning of tho war, but was not long held by its builders. Its name was afterwards changed to Fort Halleck. This fort has been garrisoned by six hun dred of them colored. On Tuesday it was attacked by Forrest, with six thousand men, and, after a brave defense, was cap tured. Nearly the whole yarrison, whites at well as blacks, was immediately bvtch ertd. The horrible details will be found in our paper today. Paducah is also said to have been attacked and taken. It seems to us that General Drayman, or whoever commands at Cairo, is crimin ally at fault for allowing this butchery to take place. It is now two weeks since For rest made his appearance in Western Ken tucky, and yet it appears that no attempt has been made to guard against an attack by him on Columbus, or a repetition of his attack on Padncah, which was so gallant ly repelled by Col. Hicks. The rebel has had a fearful revenge for his repulse.— We trust that he and his inhuman follow ers may yet be overtaken and served just as they served our brave boys at Ft. Pil low.—Pitts. Gaz. S6T" There is a wonderful Hindoo chess player at present in London. He plays three games blind-folded, and wins. At the same time he plays a game of cards, and wins. During the game a bell is touched every one or two seconds, and he gives the number of times it has been touched. A man stands behind and throws little pebbles one by one against his back; these, too, he counts; and after the games are told he recites a poem in per fect rhyme which ho has composed during the sitting. FOREIUN NEWS. NEW YOHK, April 27.—The fol lowing is a summary of the steamer Pennsylvania's news, which sailed from Liverpool the day before the City of Baltimore: It is stated that all hopes of saving the steamship City of New York is abandoned. Garibaldi arrived in London on the 11th instant, and met with a tremend ous reoeption. The crowd exceeded anything that was ever known. The I)aily Neict gives a report that the Solicitor General has given an opinion that every register sharehold er in the Atlantic trading Company, of the great blockade running Scheme, will be guilty of a misdemeanor, and the foreign enlistment act which pro hibits equipment of transports to be used by belligerents. Arch Duke Maximillian received the Mexican Deputation on the 10th inst. In a speech lie said that as the people of Mexico, by an overwhelming ma jority, had confirmed the resolution of notables, and as the French Gov ernment guarantees the independence of Mexico, and the Emperor of Aus tria consents, solemly declared his ac ceptance of the proffered crown, lie expressed his great gratitude to the Emperor of the French, who had brought about a solution of the Mex ican question. The Emperor of Austria permits the formation of a corps of 6,000 volun teers and 800 sailors for Mexico. The new Mexican loan of eight mill ion poundst erling, at G3 will be open ed on the 15t instant. Wasiiinoton, April 27.—Prepa rations are nearly completed for the accommodation of 20,000 additional sick and wounded. llumors are afloat that the rebel seat of government is to be removed from Richmond, and that Gen. Lee is about to fall back behind its de fences. The sub-Committee on the Conduct of the War who were sent to investi gate the Fort Pillow affair, telegraph that they have completed their inves tigations, and will return to-day or to morrow. Retaliatory measures are expected. Re-Enustko Veterans to Aprii. 15 m.—The following are the numbers of veterans re-enlisted for three years, as reported to April 15th: Maine, thirty four hundred and ninety-seven; New Hampshire, twelve hnndred and fifty-three; Vermont, fifteen hundred and sixty-seven; Massachusetts, five thousand nine hundred and ninety four; Rhode Island, eight hundred and ninety-three; Connecticut, thirty four hundred and ninety; New York, six teen thousand eight hundred and nine ty-four; New Jersey,twenty-eight hun dred and thirty eight; Pennsylvania, sixteen thousand five hundred and for ty-six; Delaware, four hundred and four; Maryland, seventeen hundred and eighty; West Virginia, twenty two hundred andninety-nine; District of Columbia, one hundred and eigh teen; Ohio, eighteen thousand three hundred and twenty; Indiana, eight thousand two hundred and fifty-seven; Illinois, thirteen thousand seven hun dred and ninety-five; Michigan, four thousand six hundred and seventy nine; Wisconsin, four thousand and sixty-three; Minnesota, eleven hund red and fifty-one; lowa, six thousand five hundred and twenty-nine; Mis souri, eleven hundred an seven; Ken* tucky, twenty-three TfUndred and six; Kansas, two hundred and ninety-sev en. Total, one hundred and eigh teen thousand and seventyseven. BOTH branches of the legislature have passed the bill providing for a special election through the State on thejiritt Tue»day in A ugunt next , at which the people shall decide whether the pro posed amendment to the Constitution permitting soldiers to vote shall be adopted, The Legislature is to meet %!-the 23d day of August to receive the returns. Unionists of Lexington, Ky., have purchased the office in which the Ken tucky Loyalist way published, and i have made arrangements for issuing this week the first number of the Na tional Lmionist. It will be ably edited and have a decided influence in moul ding public sentiment in the heart of 1 Kentucky in favor of unconditional ' loyalty. HQ, The iron-clad frigate Ironsides ■ has fired since she has been in service 4,- 361 rounds; has been hit 241 times; has only had one inaa killed; lias not been seriously injured, and is probably the best iron-clad vessel in the world. ) m* ■» i gkff" A Washington telegram says that : the Republican members of Congress are , confident that the constitutional amend i ment prohibiting slavery, which has pass ! eb the Senate, will receive a two-thirdi i vote in the House. REMONSTRANCES from many of the • leading railroad corporations of the . country were presented to the House ; of Representatives on Saturday 'gainst the extension of the Goodyear patent. NUMBER 20.. NEWS Blf TELEURAPH. ST. LOTTIB, April 14.—A correspondent of the ft urn who was aboard the steamer Platte \ aley at Fort Pillow, gives even • more appalling description of the fiendish ness of the rebels than do onr Cairo dis patches. Many of our wounded were shot in the hospital, while the remainder were driven out and the hospital burned. The morning after the battle, the reb els went over the field, and shot the ne groes who had not died from previous wounds. Many of those who escaped from the works and hospitals, and who de sired to be treated as prisoners of war, as the rebols said, were ordered to f\ll into the line whon they were inhumanly shot down. Of three hundred and fifty color ed troops, not more than thirty-six esoaped the massacre, ind not one of the officers that commanded survived their deaths. The loss in the 13th Tenn, is 300 killed; the remnants wounded and captured. Uen. Chalmers told this correspondent, although it was against the policy of his gfrvernment to spare negro soldiers and their officers, and that he had done all in' his power to stop the carnage, at the same time he said he believed it was right. Another officer said our white troops would have been protected had they not been found on duty with negroes. While the rebels were endeavoring to conceal their loss, it was evident that they suffered severely. Col. Reed commanding a Tennessee reg iment. was mortally wounded. Two or three well filled hospitals were a short dis tance in the oountry. CAIRO, Apnil 15.—N0 boats arc allow ed to leave here for points below Colmnbus since the first news of the Fort Pill©* af fair. The attack on Paducah yesterday proved to be a mere raid for plundef, made by a conple hundred men who were shelled out by the fort and gunboats. Affcrocoupying a portion of the city in squads about an hour, they left, taking away a number of horses and considerabla plunder, leaving behind a half dozen killed and wottnded No one hurt on our side. Several guns captured by Forrest at fort Pillow were spiked before falling into his hands and others were turned upon the gunboat No. 7, which, being exhausted of ammunition, having fired some three hun dred rounds, was compelled to withdraw Although only tin clad she received but slight injury. Gen. Jjee arrived, and assumed com mand at the beginning of the battle, pre vious to which Chalmers directed the movements. Gen. Forrest with his main force retired after the fight to Brownsville, taking with him the captured funds. While the steamer Platte Valley lay under a flag of truce taking on wounded, rebel officers, among them General Chal mers, went aboard. Some of onr officers showed them great deference, drinking with them and showing them other marks of courtesy. Prominent among them is said to have been Capt. Woodruff of the 113 th Ills. Infantry. NEW YOBK; April 12.—A special dis patch from Fortress Monroe reports a da ring attempt on Saturday morning to blow up the if. S. steam frigate Minnesota, An apparently floating spar approached her; and getting near was ascertained to be a boat containing throe men. The lookout warned them off, but they pushed boldly for the frigate, and in a few mq-, nients an explosion similar to that of 20 cannon was heard. The vessel shook as if paralyzed, and the crew were tumbled out of their berths and hammocks. When the confusion subsided, orders were given to pursue the daring rebels, but the A"(f- > niiral's dispatch tug on picket were too far off to be of any use, as the marauders rapidly disappeared in one of the many creeks in the James river. Thedamage by the torpedo was trifling, and has been repaired. The commander of the tug has been put under arrest, for not keeping steam up at all times, as re quired by the regulations. NEW YORK, April 12.—The steamej: Metropolitan has arrived, with Hilton Head advices of the 6th inst. The PaJ metto Herald bus Florida advices or the 1 Ist. The steamer Maple Leaf, \vhi(e re returning to Jacksonville from Pabitka. on the Ist, struck a rebel torpedo which blew off her bows, and she sunk in ten minutes. Two firemen and two deck hands were lost. All the passengers were saved, but they lostjtheir baggage. ' Two or three regiments made a. rcc reconnoissance, on the 2d inst., to the Jacksonville road, which resulted in a skir mish with the rebel pickets, five miles ! from the town. A regiment of loyal Floridaiis is being 1 organized. WASAINGTON, April 26.—0n Wednes ■ day, Capt. Wm. Riddle, of the 6th regi l ment Veteran Reserve Corps, discovered . a man lurking in the vicinity of Laurel ' Hill, Md., about eighteen miles out on the Baltimore road, under very suspicious cir cumstances. The Captain arrested him, and, npon being questioned, lie gave his i name as Lieut. Geo. Taylor, of Mosby's guerrillas. He was this morning locked i up in the Old Capital prison, i The subscription to the Ten-Forty Loan, : reported at the Treasury to-day, amouuts to $1)07,000. Lieutenant Commander Be Haven has I been ordered to the command of Tallapo ! na. A desperate encounter occurred to-day • between Hole-in-the-Day, the Chief of i the Chippewas, and Look-Around, one of his young warriors. The latter fired a pistol, the ball entering near the right ear of the Chief, passing round his head and ' coming out of bis mouth. He lies in a ! critical condition. Look-Around had bis ' jaw injured with a pocket-knife is tfefg bands of Hole-in-thc-Pay.