VOLUME 1. Army t'ormpondencc. ('AMP IN THE FIELD. Virginia, Oct 27, 18G4. MESSRS EDITORS: —A few copies of your interesting and valuable paper, find their way to our camp each week, and they are always eagerly sought after and perused with pleasure and interest, and with an especial interest have we peru sed the open fearless and candid criti cisms you have made through the col umns of your paper, upon the course pur sued by Major Thos. McLaughlin, since his retftu from the army, to his native county; and furthermore, wc believe that your criticisms and opinions, coincide ex actly with those of tho loyal people of Butler county. Hut while such is the c isc, perhaps it would not be uninteres ting to you and your readers, to know what soldiers who arc yet in the service, expo-' sed to all the trials, hardships aud dan gers which soldiers arc called upon to en dure, think of the conduct of the man, who will go out and tight for a season in defense of a certain cause, and then re turn homo and array himself with a par ty who have been and are, upon their own acknowledgment, the direct oppo nents and enemies of that cause. And just the long and short way of telling it is, that we think it a very unmanly, un generous and unpatriotic deed. Soldiers : frequently find much time for thought and reflection, and it is with the closest scrutiny they look upon the conduct of all men in public iit'e, but more especial ly is such the ease in regard to those men wh h ve at one time arrayed themselves to defend tho honor of their country.— As you have traced the Majors military career it will be unnecessary for us to | do so at any great length. Wc go back | a little more than threo .years. Treason had reared its head ; traitors were inarms our flag insulted and our country endan gered. Thousands of our brave country men sprang to arms to defend their homes their flag and their country, and amongst these, the Major at the head of a Com pany. He served his country then, for a period of about three years. Hut wheth er his heart was in that service or not, (iod and himself alone can tell. Thus far we can perhaps say all right. He then retires from the service, pleading as an excuso, advanced ago. Well even #tiis we could pass over. Hut now comes IS the place where the shoo The Major had always been a Democrat at home ; but the Democratic party occupi ed" a very different position then than it did at his return home. It had not then laid itself down to grovel in the dust and "lick" the lect of its country's enemies, j The old beguiling serpent slily slips up j aud plants himself lit the Majors ear and whispers, "now Major, you have always been a Democrat, you have been out in the service of your country for a consid erable time, ami have made a pretty nice ' . thingofit. You have become quite popu- ! l.ir with the people. You have got a nice \ handle to your name, and more than that. ! you have received considerable benefit in : • I a pecuniary point of view, and now w hen i you have returned home, having gained so much, you will certainly not leave your old party even if it has fallen far below the position it held when you last met with us. and is arrayed in direct opposi tion to the cause for which you have been battling." The temple prevails, and in a fatal moment, the Majoryields. Hut alas Major that moment sealed your doom.— Think you that your follow soldiers from Butler county, can ever for get It, never, no never. "Ye cannot serve God and mammon," and"he that is not for us is against us." HEAD QUARTERS,CO. A, (3th Pa. H. A. MANASSAS JUNCTION, Oct. 29, 'G-fe Messrs Editors : —1 had expected long ere this to have written you, but moving has prevented it, you see where we are. On leaving camp Reynolds, Sept. 15th, our Reg. cauie to Washington and was sent up the Potomac aud across the Chain Bridge into some Forts on the hills of that clasic stream. Thence in a few days by foot aud rail, the Gth "Heavy Artillery" (acting very much like the 212 th infan try) moved to Fairfax Station, on the A. & A. R. R. 17 miles from Alexandria, there we lay, at least part of us, until af ter the oluotion. which in our company, resulted in polling about 82 Union and 10 disunion votes. During our lay at Head Quarters, wc seut out daily train guards, aud one squad of these from our company, (A,) Co. F, and D, comrnan manded by Lieut. McCandless, of my Co. when in the front, got into a muss aud if ■ we may believe,the conductor uud eugim er did more for the safety of the train than all of one of the battallions of Gal lops men. about which so much blowing has been in the Pittsburgh papers. The day after the election, we with another company, came to this place, and lnve fised up for the winter, this being the AMERICAN CITIZEN. second time already. Our men are in a healthy condition, although there is some Ague, they are much more healthy • than a month since. You are doubtless aware that on the 25th of Sept. we had two men died, one ltobt. A. M'Candless, of liutler county, the other, Wm. Swartz of Clarion county; both sudden. Any soldier who votes Mac, belies his action, and shows that he was either figh ting for money, ambition, or because he could not help it. No man who believes he did right in acting soldier, can believe' he is doing right in voting the Mac. aud" Pendleton ticket, and I would put tne question to such and ask them to vote as the} - expect to render an account at last. Let such men solemnly ponder their act, and I know some who should tremble.— Hut I leave them to their conscience. W. It. HUTCHISON. Contentment. The reason why, comparatively, so few of mankind are truly happy, is, that in stead of taking a little trouble to search out the secret oi true happiness before commencing the search, they at once be gin the pursuit by rushing blindly on to wards some darling object which enlists their feelings, the acquisition or posses sion of which to their imagination is the summuni bonumoi felicity. '1 he great est good is, to their minds, comprised in the gratification of their selfish wishes, tlappiness is the aim of all mankind ; it is the prospective state which each individ ual is endeavoring in his own way to reach, yet how' mistaken the path which is al most universally chosen. True happiness must be found in one's OWJ bosom. The foundation of it must be laid by a diligent and persevering cul tivation of a spirit of contentment under all circumstances and in every vicissitude of life. It is in vain, in this chengeful and trying world, to build upon any oth er foundation. Conteutment is really de pendent upon no outward circumstances; if we cannot find it within ourselves, uni versal experience has proved that it is to little purpose to seek it elsewhere. If discouteut is fostered in the heart by the indulgence of a fretful spirit under every adverse circumstance, it would make no difference, though fortune lavished its choicest favors, and gold came down in showers, this world would be a desert ; whereas to the poor cottager, who toils for his daily bread'in whose bosom reigns a spirit of' calm peaceful reliance upon Providence, and a holy resignation to his will, this world is fair and lovely Even where life is so crowded with burdens that it seems no longer desirable for its pos sessor, it may yet be esteemed for the blessings it is capaWo of bestowing upon others. How then shall this inestimable bless ing. this sweet spirit of contentment un der all tho accumulated ills of life—be procured? Tho first and fundamenta requisite to its attainment is, to cultivate a spirit of patience; or in other words a spirit of resignation to the Divine will. Impatience under any circumstances is a warfare against Providence, and to mur mur against natural events, is to affront Ilim. It is fancy, not the reason of things, that makes ufe so burdensome to us. One of the most distinguished trait 3 in the character of Socrates was a tranquil ity of soul, no misfortune, no injury, no ill treatment could ever disturb: and as it is supposed that lie was naturally of a hasty, passionate temper, his mildness and calmness were the effect of his endeav ors to .subdue and correct himself. In this lie exemplified, by his conduct, the important truth that the passions give en ergy to character, and the conquest of them gives dignity. Epictetus, one of the most renowned of the heathen phers, reduced all his philosophy to two maxims, viz.: tosufferevilswith patience, and enjoy pleasures with moderation. He compromised it in two words—'-Bearand forbear." Ariosto had an inscription over his door in Ferrara, in these words— "pnrva sed apta mihi," small, but suffi cient for me. There are feir situations in life in which every thing can be brought to coincide with one's own wishe?) consequently the causes of discontent and uuhappiness are innumerable and the illsof life keep most persons always tossing on the tumultuous billows of dissatisfaction. Poverty an noys many; the cares and vexations of wealth trouble others. Some are groan ling under the shaft# of slander. Many fear a bad name, but few their consciences. Plato says—" when men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody will believe them," which is truly the best method to be pursued . for the defence of character, aud more convincing than volumes of eloquence. Various ideas have been formed respect ing the true nature of happiness, both in ancient and modern times. Indcod per haps no word since the creation of man has ever been made to answer to so many different meanings. This simple defini tion, however, seems to cover the whole ground. Happiness is that state of fe licity in which there is nothing to be desired. "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 BUTLEIi, BUTLER COUNTY, PA., WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1804. WIT AND WISDOM. To what tuue does the ocean sing ? Neptune. WHY is a cow's tail like a swan's bo som? Because it goes down. ONE who is half man, half dog, will bow to the rich aud bow-wow to the poor. WiiY do hens always lay in the day time? Because at night they become roost-ers. THE more we know the less wc say. — Aj; death a man arrives at immense knowledge, and doesn't open his mouth. WHY isn't a joint stock company like a watch? Because it does not goon after it is wound up. WHEN' does a severe cold resemble a brilliant idea ? When it comes into one's head suddenly. WHAT was Christopher Colon when LIE had only half got his growth ? A semi colon , of course. A LADY who sings in a choir, says she will marry a small man, because short metre hims are the easiest to get along with. IF a woman could talk out of the two cornere of her mouth at the same time, there would be a good deal said oii both sides. A MAN, on being told that a certain kind of stove would "safe half the coal," said, "I'll take two of them and save it all." " I HAVE gone into the silk business,"' said a man to his neighbor. " So 1 supposed, as I saw you reeling towards-home last night." WHAT is the difference between a per son transfixed with amazement aud a leopard's tail? The one is rooted to the spot, the other spotted to tho root. SOME mischievous wags one night pull ed down a turner's sign and put it over a lawyer's door; in the morning it read, "all sorts of turning and twisting done here." A LEARNED doctor has given his opin ion that tight lacing is a public benefit, inasmuch as it kills off all the foolish girls and leaves the wise ones to grow into wo mcu. A JOCKEY, who incautiously burned his finger by taking up his toast from the fire, and broke the plate by letting it Kill, observed that it was too bad to lose the (■late after having won, the heat. WE once heard a woman of the vorld say, " the state of widowhood is inconve nient, for one must assume all the modes ty of a young girl, without being able to feign her ignorance." WHAT is the difference between the Prince of Wales and a bombshell? One is heir to the throne, tho other thrown to the air. The Prince himself, ou hearing this, declared it to be simply a-bom-inable. out for people who are habitual ly suspicieus and ready to believe that others act from bad motives. In many cases the evil they attribute to others is only what they feci iucliued to do them selves. A WEALEIIY but weak-headed barris ter once remarked to Curran. that "No one should bo admitted to tho bar who had not an independent landed property." " May I ask, sir," replied Curran, "how many acres make a wise-acre ! " SHERIDAN had a very convenient for mula for acknowledging all the new pub lications that were sent him : " Dear sir, I have received your ex quisite work, and I have no doubt I shall be highly delighted—after I have read it." THE mind that has learnt things and forgotten them is on a superior footing to that which has never received the teach ing. Most things learnt may be partially forgotten in everything but tho training they have given. Cultivation is consis tent with a great deal of ignorance. A YOUNG pupil in the non resistant school of philosophy was once elected t■> the legislature, of course from one of the interior counties. True to his principles, he drew up a bill abolishing all punish ment for crime, and then prepared anoth er forbidding people to commit crimes. OLD Father Buslinell, of Vermont, used to say, that the best criticism he ev er received on his preaching was from a little boy who sat at his feet, looking up into his face, as he was preaching to a crowded house. As going on ve ry earnestly? the little fellow spoke out, " You said that afore." " PA, what is the interest of a kiss?" asked sweet sixteen of her sire. > " Why, really, I don't know. Why do you ask ?" " Because John, my cousin, borrowed a kiss lust night from me, and said lic'd pay me back some of these nights with interest." Assessors Precept. The following is a copy of the Precept issued by the Commissioners of Butler' county, to the Assessors of the different Districts in the county. All should read it, in order that they may act understand ing!}', at'd be enabled to make correct re turns to the Assessor when he makes his call: The Commissioners of said County, To Assessor of in the County aforesaid-, Greeting: Pursuant to the several Acts o*" As sembly, in such case made and .provided, we, the said Commisssioners, hereby re quire and direct you to proceed forthwith to the placo ol abode of each and every taxable person residing within your and with your utmost diligence and abil ity to discover, ascertain, make out and return A just and perfect list of the names of all taxable persons in your arranging them in alphabetical order as "owners of real property," "tenants," or "single men," as the case may be, with a description of their property, real and per sonal, as a'i-0 the several objects, &c., made taxable by the laws of this Com monwealth ; the whole arranged under their appropriate heads, in the tabular forms hereto appended. You are further required to inquire and ascertain who, of the taxable persons with in your are residents, and who are non-residents, and to distinguish them in your return by annexing to the names of thenon-residents the letters N. U. Yoil are further required to inquire and ascertain who are aliens and who are nat uralized citizens, and to distinguish them in your return by atiuexing to their names the letter A to distinguish aliens, and in like manner the letters N. C. to distin guish natuialized citizens. You are further required to make a list of persons living within the limits of said liable to enrollment in the militia, to wit:—All able bodied white male citizens les'dent within the said of the age of twenty-one years, and under the age of forty-five years, excepting persons enlist ed into volunteer companies, idiots, luna tics, common drunkards, vagabonds, pau pers; and persons convicted of any infa mous crime; and in case of doubt respcc ing \he age of a person enrolled you will place his name upon said list and return a certified copy of said list to the office of the County Commissioned of said county As soon as the said roll or list is com pleted you will forthwith cause notices thereof-to be put up in three of the most public places in the said —t — which no tices shall set forth that you have ma3c a list or roll of all persons liable to enroll ment according to law, and that, a copy thereof has been left for record in the offi ce of the County Commissioners, whore the same may be seen or examined by auy persou interested therein, until the day when the Assessors and Commission ers shall meet to review the assessment of re# and personal property, or for appeals, on which said day the said Assessors and Commissioners of the county shall also meet to review said enrollment. Any person claiming that he is not liable to military duty on account of sonic physical defect or bodily infirmity, or that he is exempt lrom the performance of military duty by any law of this State or of the Uuited States, may, on or before the day specified in such notice, and not after, de liver to you an affidavit stating such facts on which he claims to be exempt or not liable to do'mi itary duty. Such affidavit may be made before any person authori zed to administer oaths; and you shall cause all such affidavits to be filed in the office oftheCounty Commissioners. When you have completed the assessment roll you will sign the same aud attach thereto an affidavit substantially as follows: "The undersigned Assessor A orssessors of the city, borough, ward, or township of in in the county of Butler, being sworn, or affirmed, say that they have made strict and diligent inquiry to ascertain the names of all persons required to be enrolled as liable to military duty, by the provisions of this act, residing in the district; that the roll hereto annexed is, as near as the deponent or deponents can ascertain a correct roll of all persons residing in said district, who are liable to be enrolled." You will then deliver said roll to the County Commissioners at their next meeting, and it shall be called the militia roll of said district; and also one copy to the brigade Inspector of the proper brigade. You will take an account of all real estate, viz: All houses, lauds, lots of ground and ground rents,mills aud manu factories of all descriptions, furnaces,for geries, bloomerics. distilleries, sugar-hous es. malt-houses, breweries, tan-yards,.fish eries and ferries, wharves, and all other real estate not exempt by law from taxa tion ; and you are further required to value all larms by the acre, inserting the price per acre scj irate and apart from the buildingsor impr vemcnts, which you are to value by thcni 'dves,mentioning wheth er they are log, fiume, stone or brick buil dings, and likewise the number of stories in height; and alf lots of grouud are to be valued the san e way. You are requi red to assess all coal lands as follows : 1. In all cases where'the surface and the coal are owned by the same person or persons, the assessment must be upon the laud including the coal. 2. In all cases where the surface and the coal are owned by different persons, the surface must be assessed to the owner or owners of said surface, and the coal must be assessed to the owner or owners of the coal, separately. All horses, mares, geldings, mules and neat cattle, over the age of four years. All mortgages, money owing by solvent debtors, whether by promissory note, pe nal or single bill, bond or judgment. All ai tides of agreement and accounts beariug'interest, owned or possessed by any person whatsoever, except notes or bills for work or labor done, and bank notes. All shares of stock in any railroad or insurance company, or buildiug and loan association, incorporated by or in pursu ance of any law of this Commonwealth, or any other State or Government. All shares of stock in any unincorpora ted loan or banking institution. All public loans or stocks whatsoever, except those issued by this Common wealth and the Government of the Uni ted States. All monies loaned or invested in any other State, together with the amount of said respective objects of taxation, and the amount per ceut. of the dividend or profit annually accruing or received there from respectively. Al! household furniture, including gold and silver plate, exeaeding in value siioo, owued by any person or persons, c irpora tion or corporations. All pleasure carriages, both of two and four wheels; all salaries and emoluments of office; all officesand posts of profits, professions, trades, and occupations. Jfey The aforementioned objects of taxation are taxable for Count// awl State purposes : the following for State purpo ses alone, to wit : All gold lever, or other gold, watches of equal value. All other descriptions of gold watches and silver lever watches, or other silver watches of like value. Every other description of watches of the value of 820 or upwards. All trades, occupations and profess ions (except tho occupation of farmers) over and above §2OO. All salaries and emoluments of office created by or held under the Constitu tion and Laws of this Commonwealth, or created by or held under any corporation, institution or company incorporated by this Commonwealth, wherein sueli-salaries or emoluments exceed S2OO. All annuities over 8200. except those granted by this Commonwealth, or by the United States, and upon all property, real or personal (not taxed under .exist-' ing laws)' held, owned, used or invested by any person, eompauy, or corporation, in trust for the use, benefit or advantage of any other person, company or corpora tion, excepting always such property as shall be held in trust for religious purpos es. We especially enjoin it upon you (as by laic and your oath you are bound) to as sess aud value all personal property and other objects made taxable by the laws of tliisCommonwi altli, within your said , whether for State, county, or other pur poses, at tho rate or price, which you shall, after due examination and consider ation, believe the same would sell for, if sold separately and singly at a bona fide sale, after full public notice; and that you rate all offices posts of profit, profes sions, trades, and occupations at what you shall believe to be thcae tual yearly in come arising therefrom. In estimating real estate subject to ground rent, where there is a provision in the ground rent deed that the lessee shall pay the taxes on said ground rent, you will assess the laud to tho owner thereof, and at its full fee simple value, and in such cases you will not assess any on said ground rent: but where there is no such provision in the ground rent deed you will assess for taxes the full value, and not the annual rent, to thc.owner of such ground rent; and in -such case you will also assess to the said lessee tho real estate subject to ground rent. And you are also directed at the time of making tho assessment in your to require every person, every firm and partnership, and e President, Secret ' Cashier or Treasurer of every company or corporate body, subject to taxation therein to deliver him a statement in writing, or partly printed and partly writ ton, showing „the aggregate amount of money due and owing by solvent debtors to such person, partnership, firm, com pany or corporate bodf. whether on mor tgage, judgmeut, decree, bond, note, cot tract, agreement, accounts and settle ments in the Orphan's Courts ayd Courts of Common Picas, and other ac counts,except ing running or book accounts of merchants or others for goods sold or wcik done, and excepting executory contracts and agreements, where posses sion has not been delivered to the ven dee, under such contracts or agreements, and excepting notes, contracts or ac counts for work or labor done, and bauk notes, whether payable on demand, or at any specified time, past, present or future, or whether the time of payment be spe cified or not, and whether containing an agreement to pay interest or not whether written or verba] ; and also the amount of all shares of stock held or owned by such person, company, firm or corporate bo , in any bank, institution or company, now or hereafter incorporated in pursuance of any law of any other State or Govern ment, and all payable loans or stocks what ever, except those issued by this Common wealth, and all money loaned or invested on interest rn any other State and the several items aforesaid, composing such aggregate; but you are not to require a statement of notes discounted, or held by any bankinginstitution. You are also directed to obtain from each person, the President, Secretary or Treasurer of each company, and some member of each firm or partnership, from whom statements may be required as aforesaid, within fifteen days aiter you shall make such requirement, a certificate over his proper siguatuio, accompanying such statement or statements, that the same is true and correct; and if any such person, member of firm or partner ship, 01" oSicer of such company or cor- poration, shall refuse or neglect to fur nish such statement as is required bythe provisions of this act, tho Assessor shall proceed to make out, from the best mean ? he may be able to obtain, a statement or statements of money or stock specified as aforesaid, owned by such person, firm, partnership, company or corporation. And if, in any case, (from tho besi in formation within your power, to be in quired for aud obtained by you.) you shall fail to obtain a correct or special descri] - tion of the aforesaid property, then you are to return the aggregate value there of, as nearly as you can ascertain the samo; and iu all cases of estimates made by you, where practicable, they shall be made as you would appraise the same in payment of a just debt duefrom a solvent debtor; and if any person whoso person al property, trade, oocupatiou or profes sion, or office, taxable as aforesaid, shall, before you have completed your assessment, make oath or affirmat ion that the value of their pr operty, as aforesaid, does not ex ceed a certain sum or sums to be specified in such oath or affirmation, then you shall value such personal property, trade, occu pation, profession or office, at the sum or sums so specified, and no more; and make a return of this Precept, and your pro ceedings had thereon, to the County Com missioners, at their office in Butler, on the day of , A. l>., 180 And lastly, at the end of your dupli cate, you will certify to us Miat you have executed this Precept, in all things as re quired. Married the Wroug Lady, Love is a very uncertain thing, and it is not safe to bo too certain of the symp toms until they are unmistakeable. The following will explain our meaning: Vienna has been stirred up, lately, by tho comical result of a strange love story. It seeuis that iti the house of ono Jlerr Kuhnc, ateacherof languages, Dr. Kant a young lawyer, happened to make tho acquaintance of a lady, burdened with some property aud thirty years. The la dy, being particular interest in the young, shy, and rather abashed man of law. She made love to him, in fact, very strongly, and persuaded him to visit her at her house. But, alas! he loved another lady. One evening, while conversing with the doctor, she said: " With your favorable idea of mat rimony, may I ask if you ever thoughtof marrying yourself?" Dr. Kant sighed, and his eye resting on the ground, hesita tingly muttered in reply: "I have already thought of marrying,and made my choice, but " "But!" the lady hastily inter posed.—" But," he continued, " the lady is rich, very rich, and lam poor. lam afraid I could hardly aspire to her hand, aud rather than allow myself to be taxed with sordid designs, I will bury my pas sion in my breast, and leave it unavowed forever." At an early hour of the fol lowing day she, however, betook herself to a solicitor, and, in legal form declared her wish to present aud hand over as his sole property the sum of 150,000 guild ers—(£ls,ooo)—to Dr. Kant. When the document had been signed, counter signed, and duly completed, she sat down in the office, and, enclosing it in an ele gant envelope, added a note to the follow ing effect: " Dear,sir—l have much pleas ure in enclosing a paper, which I hope will remove the obstacle iu the way of your marriage. »Believe &i