Int ,eratil. CARLISLE, PA. Friday, February 'l2, 1864. 6. M. PETTENGILL NO. 37 Park Row, New York,, and 6 State St. Boston, are our Agents for the HERALD I thole cities, and are authorized to take Advertise ments and Subscriptions for us at our lowest rates. The People's Choice for President, ABRAHAM LINCOLN. The People's Candidate for Presi dent, Abraham Lincoln. The Administration of Abraham Lincoln began under difficulties and dangers such as never before had threatened the existence of our Government. Under the imbecility of the preceding Administration, a rebellion had been pormitt. d to foster and grow, until it bad reached fearful proportions. Our peo ple long aunt:tenet Jmed to war, and our rulers to its counsels, ethod perplexed, and it seemed helpless. No ono appeared to know, at lettet, no one ventured to suggest the moans where by theltates in Rebellion should be brought back to their allegiance. An additional per. plexity arose from the threat of other States to secede, should the Government attempt to force back these already in Rebellion. Com promise was tried, and compromise failed; in fact, secession continued. Thus dark and gloomy was the prospect, and thus affairs glided on until the Confederates struck the fatal blow at Sumter. By this daring and fratrioidal act, the Confederates declared war against the Government of our Fathers.— Then came the President's Proclamation, call ing upon the several States to furnish men to grapple with this monster army. This act of the President, bold and determined, but right and necessary, was hailed with it joyful re sponse throughout the length and breadth of the loyal States. Men seemed to feel that the critical period between national destruc tion and conservation had pa-sed. The army of the Republic and that of the Rebellion pre pared to moot on the field of contest. With what has transpired since, we are all famil iar. Dark days and bright days for months, and we may almost say years, seemed to al ternate, until within the last six months we have reached the beginning of the end Nor has this Administration been obliged to strug gle alone against the Rebels themselves, but also against every manner of foe at home and abroad. Foreign mediation has threatened, 110030 defeation connived, and even the coun elle of friends been embarrassing, because though equally honest and earnest, they have been inoongruous and diverse. Through all these difficulties and dangers, Abraham Lin coin, supported by the army of patriots in the field, has led us now depressed by de pair, and now• buoyant wiih hope to the dawn of an honorable peace and restoration We know what another would have done; we know not what he has done McClellan would have done this, and would have done that, but in wality never did anything save waste away the army of the Potomac in the swamps of the Cbiokahominy. Abraham Linceln has done all that mortal man under the circum stances could have done. His line of policy has been straight forward and decided. At one time, one party, at another time another, seemed to prevail in his counsels, but, in renal ty,neither the conservative nor the radical par. ty as they respectively name each other, ct.n trolled Abraham Lincoln He studied well the demands of the hour, and on these he based his action. Ile saw, from the begin ning, that the cause of dissolution would have to be removed; and when tee events of the war justified it, and nut until then, came the Emancipation Proclamation, which one single measure has been productive of more gold than all before it, and over which radical and conservative 80 long couten led And then came the arming of The negro, which all new I agree is a tower of strength in our cc use.— He has been decided, but so mild in his treat ment of enemies that many whom party pre judioe once made hate him, now love him, and we learn from deserters, that even the Rebel authorities are obliged to exercise the utmost precaution in preventing the circula Lion of the Amnesty Proclamation through the ranks of their army. In fine, to Abraham Lincoln's straight-forward policy the Ame• rioan people are indebted for the present bright prospeots of a speedy and lasting log peace. Politicians wont to the Chicago Convention to nominate either Seward or Bates, but their combinations and intrigue were set at naught by the determined and enthusiastic prefer ence of the People; and Abraham Lincoln, unthought of by the political Gamester, came fortiarom that convention, the People's can didate. And to day, he is more than ever the popular favorite. His name has become a hcipsehold word. While the people respect and almost reverence the abilities of Messrs. Seward. Chase, Banks, Butler, and Grant, while they owelhem an eternal debt of grat Rude for the patriotic and effective manner in which they have performed their respec live parte in the suppression of this wicked and unprovoked Rebellion, no one can fail to perceive that the loyal mass turns with a quiet but determined preference toward our present Executive, as their standard bearer in ,the coming campaign. He has satisfied them that, while the neceesities-of the war have thrown a greater power and porrogative into his hands, than any previous:ruler ever exercised over ue,—he will not only never in trenoh upon their liberties, but that he will also protect them against the tyranny and in• trigtte - of those why - would - advance to - ptiwer Geer their trampled rights. It is in conform ity with this universally popular preference that we.to•day place his tame at the head of our °alums:ea the Union Candidate for the Presidenoy in the ,00ming Campaign.. We *el assurecl.of his nomination, and , equally assured of his re-election, and the promiseof the boor is that he will then be President of the ga.atest again united ; prosperous and hap• py. Willy the destruction .of the cause will come the' emir of the Rebellion.' Upon the ruins of slavery will up a system of free-labor ,which at a day hot far distant, will bind together the different- pursuits of the ,North sqd _tlie South in a bands of common in 'tercet,. Thou will grow up a fraternity .of feelinx, the lose . o f those we lovedi but strengthening the brotherhood of those who are left wi eojoy 'the' Ilherty and the cowry,' for whiob tb;ey. died. RECONSTRUCTION As the waning strength of the Rebellion in dicates that the bloody conflict in which we are now engaged must soon terminate, the minds of the people necessarily turn to the recanstruction of the Government and the means to be employed to restore its authori ty throughout the entire land, and establish it upon a permanent basis. On this impor tant question there are but two plans pro posed. One is that set forth by the President in his Amnesty Proclamation, and the other is the one , advanced by the croakers for "the constitutional rights" of the Rebels, common ly known as Copperhead politicans. Their scheme for the settlement of our difficulties amounts to this. whenever a majority of the Rebels now in arms against the Government shalltlay down their arms and elect state of ficers, members of Congress, and express a desire to return to the Union, they shall be restored to the privileges and benefits they have so long despised, and that the war, on the part of the Government shall immediately Cease. This scheme, like a new town in the far West, looks admirably on paper, and is a most ex cellent one for electioneering purposes. But its appearance, and its utility to the Copper heads are not quite sufficient I.p commend it to the favor of a people, who have suffered for three long years from the effects of the treason of Slaveholders. Let us examine the practical workings of such a scheme for re construction. Suppose next month all the States in Re bellion were to held elections, for the purpose of choosing State officers, and members of Congress. We know that they are not only under the influence of the men who have been the leaders of the Rebellion but that their in fluence would be supported by the military power of the Confederacy. What would be the result of such an election? Manifestly the choice of these very leaders for the very highest offices under the reconstructed Gov ernanent. Acceid(ng to the theory of the Democracy, we ll n •n arc bound to receive them agate it,to the very posit i• us they held when they betrayed the Go,eruinent into the hauls-of.traitors. - Leteher Governor et Virginia, Toombs Governor of Georgia, and Jett. Doris of liH-..3,11)1,1, wh it assurance • would we have that in three mouths front the date of reconstruction we would nut have a second rebellion? Give the Rebels S ates, to day, such a delegation to Congress and such state Legislatures as must mevitably be elect ed, under the influence and control of their present leaders, and we shuuld have the farce of secession followed by the bloody drama of .rebellion just as 80011-11$ the _players felt- 8U I ficiently rested from the fatigue of the present performance to commence again. And is this to be the fruit of the enormous sacrifices we are making? Is this mighty struggle to preserve the life of our Government to result in reinstating to power and place the weu anti the institatiods (oat have done their ut most ta,destroy it? Do turn in their person al affairs adopt such a policy as this ? to the man who has betrayed the hitere , t of his em ployer again taken into his employment and confidence ? is the clerk who.robs (Ile money drawer again (trusted wi.h the Keys? or is (he um who has committed a deliberate mur der, furnished with weapons and allowed hi, freedom iu order that he way have the “con stitutional" privilege of cmitoitting the same offence again? Such conduct on the part of au individual or a community would be mad ness, and yet a similar treatment of the men who h-ve robbed our treasuries and inur dered the brave defenders of our Government, is regarded as eminently wise, constitutional anti conservative. Contrasted with this toed scheme, recoil) mended not for the pdrpose of establishing the Government, but to aid demagogues in re.uscitating a party cr .slied to death by the weight of popular indignation, it the plan of safety, awl wisdom, proposed by the Pruei dent. Ceder the Amnesty Proclania( ion. those who have been deluded or forced into rebell ion are restored again to the protection of the Government, on their taking an oath to sup port all the measures for the crushing of the rebellion, unless those measures shall be ju dicially declared unconstitutional. Whilst this offcr.of pardon and amnesty is made to the men who have been deceived by their leaders, those leaders are left to the punish meat legally due to conspirators and traitors. This then is a proposal which must necessa rily exert an influence to bring back the plain people of the South, to their allegiance and at the same time prevent the possibility of the leading traitors taking advantage of the clemency of the Government, and rlacing themselves in a position to enable them a gain to destroy it. This is the direct tenden cy of the Amnesty Prticlamation. Indirectly its effect will not be less beneficial and im portant. In connection with the linattneipa tion policy of the Administration it will ef fectually destroy the institution of S avery and forever deliver the country from this only cause and source of discord and treason Let all true men therefore give the President's plan for recou•tructurn their most earnest support, as it presents the only hope of 21 speedy and permanent settlement of our trou blee. • THE NEW DRAFT PR9vO3T :kIAIIBIIAL GENERAL'S OYIICE, WebiIINOTON, Feb. 1, 1864. Yo Major F. TowssENn, A. A. P. M. 0., Supt. Vol. Recruiting, Albany, N. y. ; The President's order of this date (copy herewith) for a draft on tenth of March, for five hundred thousand men, after deducting all who may be raised prior to March first and not heretbfore credited, is equivalent to a call for two hundred thousand men, in ad dition to the three hundred thousand called .for Detober-seventeenth.- Do-everything-poi sible to fill this as well as the former call, and secure action at once, in anticipation of the enact votes, which Will be announced from this office as soon as possible. JAMES B. FRY, P. M. G. The less reputable portion of the Opposi tion Press deliberately, persistently falsities the recent call, pretending that it is for Five Hundred Thousand Men in addition to the call made last Full. Then they acid this. Half Million to all that have been called (not raised) hitherto, including the three months' and nine-months men, and make a sum total of over Two Millions. This is a part of the machinery whereby they hope to discourage the People and break down the War for the Union: They will fail, for the ?topic have made up their minds to go through r and. the gate's of Jeff. Davise'ado 'minioni:shall not prevail itgainet them.., .FREE LABOR VERSUS SLAVE .LABOR. ' Out of 700,000 people in the State of Mary land, says the Baltimore American, there are —or rather were-12,000 alaveowners—a small minority with an exceptional interest. It is not pretended by these proprietors of bone and muscle, when they retiLeate into the shadow of their innate and sincere con victions, that Divine sanction can be aeoorded to such a monster of evil by any correct or rational interpretation of Scripture. When they yiel i candid and honest response to in quiry they do not justify.its wrongs or con. oeal its inconveniences. They acknowledge its failure as an economic system of labor.— In grasping it, then, with' such desperate en ergy, they are neither influenced by high ruor al considerations nor by a disposition to count the cost, but simply by supreme seltiseness, by the desire to domineer over an inferior race, to make what was originalls a social or - domestic system political machine to main min aristocratic privileges—to aggrandize the few at the expense of the many—in brief, to promote what Hobbs calls "self-interest "well understood?" But is it well understood?— Viewed in the light of economy, or expedien cy, or advantage over free labor, certainly not. The facts are stereotyped, but they are as true now as ever—old, and yet oven new— and it is worth while to revert to them coca sionally, and to commend them to considera tion. His Excellency, Francis Hinelts, Governor General of the Windward Islands, British West Indies, a statesman of profound research and experience, who has made the labor ques• tion—as a question of political and social economy—the sifoject of the closest investiga tion, gives in a published letter the following practical comparison between free and slave labor in the Island of Ilarbadoe-t " As to the relative cost of slave and free Ittbor in.this colony, 1 can supply facts on which the most implicit reliance can be placed. Til , y have been turnished to me by the pro pt icier of an estate containing three hundred acres of land, and , ilut.ted at a dislanCe of a bout twelve miles from the shipping port flu , estate referred t I reduced dorm , slave ry uu annual average of 110 ogshead , of su -gar of the present weight,' - and itltluired 230 slaves I is now worked by 90 free 1:01.11"(q6 —GO 010115 and 3.1 under 10 years of age It+ average product doting the lust seven years hits been 194 ht.gsheads. The total C.,81 of labor hiss been ,Ct - 70 165., or £3 19. 2d. per hogshead of 1:1,700 pounds. The average of pounds of sugar to each laborer doting slavery was 1,1)43 pounds, and during freed° 060 pounds To estimve the 004 of slave labor the value of 230 slaves must be ascm wined, and I place them at what would have been a low average-1:50 sterling each —which would make the entire stock amount to•Ttl'oU0: - Tkis itt a six per cent. interest —which, on such property, is much too low an estimate—would give 1090; cast of cloth ing hood and medical attendance, I estimate at 13 IN. waking .0305. Total coot 11,495. or 110 121. per hogshead, while the cost of free labor on the same estate is under 1:4." If there is any errors in these figures, it is on the site side. It is not likely that at the pet iod alluded to any West India slaveholder would have valued his slaves at so low an average as $250. Less likely is it that the cost of maintenancp, clothing, medical atteu dance nod depreciation could be computed at small a figure as $l7 - per annum: facos and cmiparisons can he It ought forward from all the sugar and cotton planting States. When such state ments come from sources of unquestioned re liability, cud especially from the planters themselves, we have no right to doubt their fairness. Much less have we reason to doubt, since the united testimony and experience of all who are interested in the question confirm If such are the facts in the planting States, with which the industry of Maryland has nu identity, how touch more over whelmingly irue of slave labor in a State like ours, whose manulacturing, commercial and wining, as well as agricultural, industry is identical witu lbut of the great free labor States In the ownership of slaves not only is large capital necessatily involved at the out. set, but a salary must be paid to an overseer to compel the slave to work. How much more p“liiic it would be to divert this capital into other channels. This investment not only cramps the slitveowner to the extent of its value, but chills the spirit of general and use ful enterprise by (mantling the system of slave labor and the profits of slave cultivation to a limited number of wealthy individuals. The slave is indolent, listless, apathetic.— This is the unavoidable result of the substitu tion of the whip fur thu natural and healthy stimulus of wages. The slave is proverbially more idle and lazy than the free workman, and the reason is obvious. The slave has no pride of character, no incitement to lift him above the blank and gloomy level of his de gradation; his moral' sense is blunted, his jilt pulses.aro snubbed, his instincts are sunk in the hopelessness of bondage. The free negro, like any other freeman, is urged by a desire to provide for his family, to educate his chil dren, to acquire property—in other words, he has a motive in view, and he finds some thing in life worth living for. The same is true here as elsewhere—compulsion excites resistance, reward stimulates exertion. "A slave," says Adam Smith, "eau have "no other intetest than to eat and masts as "much, sod work as little as he can." While be is sluggish and careless as to the mode, or amour, or result of his work, it is the freeman's interest to do his ,work thor oughly; while he is reckless as to the amount of material in the shape of tools, firm stuck and personal .clothing ho wastes, spoils or consumes, the freeman does his best to pre vent such deterioration. Tbeelayse has ever. recurring temptations todishonetity ; the free man is actuated by the higher motives which spring from self respect. Coulomb, the famous military engineer, made many shrewd obsersratious while en. gaged las the West ladies. Among othei 4 things, ho says; "Field slaves do only be• "trween a third and a halt of the work "des "patohcd by reluctant French soldiers, and "not more than a third of what those very -slaves would do, if urged by their "own in terest instead of brute foice." ' An English missionary in Ja.rnaioa, writing about the coffee plantations, several years ago says :—"The slays were dismissed front ' , their masters' work about 4 P. M., and the "difference in their gait and demeanor, be. "fore and after four, was very striking. DDo• "fore four, while employed in foreod labor 41for their masters, there was an apathy, a ”stspidity, atarelesaness, end want of nerve, "which ieemed invincible, except, by apse. ' , medic tensor. _But as soon as they-were "dismissed. to• work for thiamin* r they "were at once all life and activity, cheer "fully haslenint to the cultivation of the "grounds allotte, to them for raying their "own provisions." Let the Oligarchy who thus attempt to monopolize black labor give way to the ad vancing tide of enterprise, which is now re sistlessly rolling on ; let thousands of acres now lying idle be tilled; let steam, in its ap plication to the wonder-working machinery of the present day, lend its aid to the culture of the soil and the elaboration of its products; let the black laborer receive the hire of which be is worthy, and the emigrant come in to fill the large interspaces ; let them both, by increasing supply, increase demand, and thus give wings to trade and sails to commerce.— Let us hear no more prating about negro eq linty, believing, as has been well remarked, "that "if anybody is afraid of such equality, he "is not far from it already." Let us have no more nonsense about the dangers and iu conveniences attending the transition from slavery to freedom, knowing that any diffi unities consequent upon emancipation are temporary, and will gradually pass away, while the evils of Slavery are permanent and ever increasing. Thank God, the evening shadows aro already gathering around • a "custom more honored in the breach than the observance." Reports Concerning Richmond. We have very important and exciting in telligence (ruin Ric mond ; lute ligence which favors more of probability and truth than any we recollect to have received from that quarter for some time. The Richmond Examiner of Monday announces that the city is threatened by an Union army ; that on Saturday night the rebel pickets were attacked and driven with in twelve miles of the place ; that the York River Railroad was crossed ne it Dispatch Station, and that another large tTniou force was advancing front liarbantsville and Etllevsville. The Examiner says that the force cousins 01 ihree Inigades of infalitty,, four regiments of cay.dry, and 12 pieues.ot artillery, and that it is a!tn •ether Lou large for the par, (He ,of a iurrr rail. The force, which count thus stand belore Richmond on Monday, 'night, by a possilsile Ey, have advanced from Culp pper. But it would be only a possibility. The main rebel army was fruiting our army there on Satur day. We then Made a reconnoissance in force, and retired. Th.s lact serves to show that the rebel command must have been a ware of, and alive to every movement of the Union antis. They cMildhirdly allow them selves to be outgeneraled so greatly and gravely as must have been the case, tt the army which was at Culpepper on Saturday is menacing or marching into Richmond on Monday. A great battle could nut well have lieu fought on Sunday, and a war, It of inure than severity wiles accomplished be• fore the close un Monday. If the report is eoutirtried, we think it will be found that the assailing forces proceeded Iron Fortress Monroe and its vicinity, up the James river, and landed at -City P4)1111, that they cut the railroad to Petersburg, thereby depriving Richt/Toed of aid an I food. This having becy a done, the result would be merely a question of time. What length tit time would be required my se judged by the period which elapsed from the departure of Gen. Butler's forces from Fortress Monroe and the reported attack of Richmond. A few circumstances of past occurreithc may be profitably recalled at this moment, to strengthen the opinions which we are in clined to entertain. General Gilmore's troops were recently withdrawn from belore Charles ton, and brought north. As we naderstand, they could hardly have varied much from twelve thousand men—which would exactly satisly the three brigades, said by the Rich mond papers to have appeared there. Tire twelve cannon might have come from the same direction, n•id the four regiment of cavalry from Fortress Monroe. What ad ditonal number or men General 'Rutter might have been able to take with hint front the Fortress. to have collected from other points, cannot, of course, be known at present. If our reasoning is correce therefore, the as sailing force will have consisted of out lees than twenty-five thousand men, with twelve cannon, as the minimum ; will have pro ceeded up the James River to City Point ; from thence have marched to Petersburg, and from thence have pruee..ded agionst Richmond. A word may, perhaps, be hazarded as to the condition of Richmond :110! its lir-01.41We readieess to resist such an attack at this juncture. It will be remembered that a few weeks since there was an announcement. that Clem Pickett's division bad left Rich mond and gone south to attack'fien. Butler, or at least cut MI his comtounicattor at, New berm The main rebel army is also stated to have been at Culpepper on Saturday.— Subtracti g these numbers from the force which has garrtsmiel Richmond during the winter, and there could not have been belt a body which should materially exceed seven or ten thousand men. If now, by any happy combination of cir cumstances, General Butler could have learned of the departure of General Pickett, and the defenceless condition of Richmond, he might well have been induced to leave his southern Geld of labor, to desert New bern,- iind persuade General Gilmore to bid a brief farewell to Morris Island and the scenery of Charleston In this event, those troops which were detailed from Richmond to attack gevib - ern, would merely have put; themselves beyond call when the moat trying moment was reaehed,'and the most urgent demand of all the war was calling for their aid. Through this reasoning additional possibility is given to,the report. The origin of the report in a leading rebel paper; its straight forward subsequent his tory, and those considerations to which we have made reference, do not allow us to treat this statement as lightly as we have done most of its prAleci3ssors. Meanwhile, and , until the minor is en dorsed by something , better than - the best testimony which can now he. adduced in "its behalf, we can .hOpe that it. may be con firmed, and the head of the' rebellion occu pied try loyal and "patriot soldiers. The .present intelligence is assuredly the Most promising - and - hopeftil whiCii - We have had for along. time.. The Plots of the Democratic Minor ity in the Senate Handsomely Frustrated by the Honesty of a De mooratic Sheriff. Tne.last hope of the lactitionist in the Senate has been destroyed, and at ldtigth the way is clear, through the plots and the coun terplots of such miserable demagogues and tricksters as Clymer and Lainbeiton, to se cure the progress of the legitimate business of legislation. When the writs for an elec tion to fill the vacancy in the Indianna Sen atorial district were issued, it was confiden tially asserted, in copperhead circles in this city, that an election could and would not be held in that district—that the issuing of the writ was informal and illegal—and that the Sheriff of Armstrong county, a Democrat, would positively refuse to recognize the writ. These declarations were made on the strength of the plots entered into in-this city. The leaders of the minority in the Senate, were (let. mined that the Sheriff in Arm strong county should be used as a tool to carry out their base purposes, and still fur ther disgrace the State with the delay in the legislature. But the Sher,ff of Armstrong county appears to be an honest man, with too much integrity for the mainpulations of Clymer and Larnbertun. Be recognized the writ for an election, as issued by :nit-alter Penney, and accordingly we find in our Kit tatting exchanges, the proclamation 01 the Sheriff of Arm:ening county, fixing the elec tiui to 6 1 the vacancy in the dia net, to take place on the 19th inst. This puts an cud to the tnitehmati its of the minim') in the Sen ate. After the 19th inst. th -y will threw off the disguise awl appear in their true garb: Burr idbtt rg negraph. JEFF DAVIS s IIoDY SERVANT IN WASHING TON— WHAT lIE HAS SEEN ANII HEARD —Au "intelligent contraband, for nearly 20 years the body servant of Jeff. Davis, is said to have just arrivad in Wasbington front Rich fount! The New York butte publishes a utter professing to relate what be has seen and hear.d. IVe have the following extract : Ile says that. Jefferson D.ivis, in private conversation, is unreserved in urging the attantlotiantl Virginia, as a !Out of deleio, no hinge' . tenable. That he hits heard Mr. I)tiis. in euuversat tun with coati tent ial mew tiers it the daoialleti guver uwent, lieCh:re fro tiacntly that \ I won, ..a I been u , e'l Ito . all it was oat ill ; that it ha prhvcd It 1,141 t Id ut tin tactise value, in Ica tang or wire Iruw litV 11 , C HMO Were holy pOIIIIC lit the urw ;!,o\t'l u,urol S't have I.ol • oalready . vrelt•k -, , ol then' laltor lie tug needed on the public iv,' to send till the valuable ante hottted tiegraes it ow Itich mow' 'dung the railroad to 1.) achittit t t, and also south lute Oeurgi t, which Mr Danis dt clares to be the nevi blur of delensive opera I tons Bui Get:end L•e, whom Jun d. het thes us lookillg very old, with his l nit a , w snow white, is pet eniptorily oppo,e , l to the ahand on:tient tieelareb that Virgin is sullieie wil L.y down their 1L1.41S it their Stiare - be given up iO the Ytetili'6,6 CoLi)s, ,Lti.l Tinto.vr L.)lott D use • /it IC 11 .3 810 , 1 , 1114 TrOdies, " hay lug propiqi their etlie ley by a test of many years. The Troches are highly reeoinulead ed and preteribed by Puy:tic:taus and Sur geons in the .‘.raiy. GEN. BUTLERS DEPARTMENT Bold laid 'Pon'ard Richmun —Attempt to Re het , (tar Prtsoners. —The' R,t 1,1 /rd Cons,' tie 01 ty CllBllCer fell. mps IV but T,vt Mt es of the Cdpet . !flaw At turned Witituat Spucial Dispatch to the N. Y. Trtlonio. A:3LIING Feb. 8, 156 1 h:um)unrcurespuudcnt ith Gen. 13u th_r's corninatid we have just received the follow ing highly important dispatch, dated FuitTaEs Ilusaue, Va., Feb. 1864. The expedition having returned, we are permitted to state the tellowieg facts: On Saturday moreing Gen. Butler s forces, un -der-co:lf:hand of istur, marched from Yorktown by the way of New-Kent, Court-llouse. The cavalry arrived at 2,, o'- clock yesterday morning at Bottom's Bridge, across the L'hickahominy, ten miles trout Rai:homed, for the 'impose , I walsiug it raid ill tiedeavot lug by a sur prnie to liberate our prisoners there. Tee cavalr,. leached the bridge at the time appointed, mart:mug ut luk hours, 17 Julies. .1 force ot intantry lollowed in their rear, lor the purpose of supportmg them.— It tits expected to surprise the enemy at Bottom's Bridge, who had for some tour, un ly a small picket. t ere. The surprise tailed because, as RIChIll,ll/1 A.l'llllllll f," 0. to-day , sots, “a Yankee d. serer grave iefformatiel - in lticeitniict Lit the tutendmi movemeet. rlle ellOmy hail felled it Log e tt a io uu t o f tilubi•r su as to hlo. It I/1.) and o .struct the Cords and make IL h u r Cur cav alry to Afti.r remaining at the bridge !ruin 2 o'clock until 12, Gen. Wistar joined them with Its iiiiantry, an 1 the whole object ul tlI surprise having been defeated, lien. Wistar returned to it his march lia to New-liens l_ttrt-Llot.se, h s rear Wile uunck d by the cueruy , but they were iepulsed witho.rt loss to us. A march by our iiitatitry, three regtineillB of %%limn were culur,d, of inure halt hO noses, , nas Wade t 1 iii huurs. the Cavalry innrched over 1111.11u11,8 111 ii) hours. '1:1,16 shows that II IS pii,tribot• it) Inalie a campaign iit i ir gtilta tit 1t KENT. 1:1'.13 El, ACC() N l'S The Richmond papers of Monday lime the lollowing: "RiclimoNn, Feb. S.—Richmond is threat env(' by ihe enemy. I itir pickets were driv en in on Saturday night lit Bottom's Bridge, 12 miles 11'1)111' R1(211111011 , 1. The enemy , crissed by York River Raillroad near De spatch Stall A large Mice massed at Daiklemitsville moved lorward to 'fallisville yesterday alternouit and wits then advanc ing. Their farce consisted of three brigades ol itilaiiiry, lour regtin alts of cavalry and 12 pica s of artillery. The enemy's 'tem in stration yesterday was probably intended as a reconnoissance preliminary to itll impor• twit collision to-day. Certainly the enemy has come in numbers which proclude the idea of a mere raid." LATER FROM NORTH CAROLINA Illovements of tho Rebels The Gunboat Underwriter Captured and FM= The Rebels Retreat from Kinston NEWBURN RELIEVED FROM DANGER Four - MoNnoc, February 4.-4 mmmen ger has just 'arrived from Newburn, North Carolina, with despatches to Major General Butler, dated February 2d-5.15 M. The post at Newport is attacked, and the Rebels have dm railroad between Newport and Morehead City. The post at Evans' is surrounded. Col. Jordan still holds Morehead City, but may be forced to retire to Fort Mticon. As long as we can .keep the river open we are well enough ell'. The ,Rebels captured by a surprise the gunboat Underwriter, and Destroyed her. •LATE+R. The Rotary Retreat to Klngatoa..- Newbern Relieved from Danger. . The' following- despaloh Toceived at-the War Department to day, serves to relieve any apprehensions as to the , safety of New. bern, and to explode the stories of the ene my being in its vicinity in overwhelming force: F0R499 MONROE, Feb. 5. Hon. E. M. Stanton, Sec't. of War: -Despatch received from Newborn, dated February 3d : The E emy has retired on Kinston. Newbern is relieved. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Maj. Geu'l. Commanding. The Rebate Retreating from Before Newbern. FORT MONROE, Feb. s.—The steamer Lou isa Moore has arrived from Newbern. She left there early yesterday motning, and brings a despaten from Gen. Palmer to Gen. Butler, saying that the Rebel forces were retiring from before Newbern. The flag-of-truce steamer left here to-day for City Point. THE WAR IN WEST VIR GINIA. THE RETREATING ENEMY OVER TAKEN. A BATTLE NA A R IIIOORFIELD New YORK, FEB. 4. —The Herald has re ceived the toile ing special despatch : HEADQUARTERS OF TUI AeNIX (.1 , WEST VIRGINIA, Ft b. 4.—Our forcos have °Vena tion the enetny at a turd near Moorfield, in Hardie county. The enemy evidently intends to dispute the passage of the river. Our lorees are in pt,shien- The aitil:ery have just ope .ed. „ SOUTHERN NEWS. Bombardment of Charleston Rebel Movements in Mississippi and Tenn BINE The Bombardment of Sumter and =I W A SI! 1 NIiTON, Feb. s.—The Richmond .Centi,,e/ of Muialto: last save : tattnissitater Ottld has latt.tly visited City Puirtt, hut it, .ittl no °tie there authorized to malse ally-arrangements with-him as to pris- 'lwo steamers, the Pet rind Hercules, have run the blockade into Wilmington. Monthn, Jan. 30.—A sp ci .1 despatch Irons Ok Jana, Miss.ssippi, says the Ist Miss. d-tsinpi ltegimend ehtered Corinth this morn ing and captured a quantity of arms, etc.— The Y ,users left as they entered. Cita ht.EsnoN, Jan 30.—The bombard ment of Sumter ceased at, dark last night. One hundred and fifty shells were thrown, 01 which one hundred and twenty-nine I,,sArnOt. The bombardment was_reuewed I morning with an 80, 100, and a 200 pound Parrott, and tt 10-inch Columbia. The Ilag•stalT was shut di wn.yesterday, hut has been replaced by the garrson, under a raj id and accitrate fire. The men repeat edly waved the llig in the face of the ene my, and waved their hats in triumph atter hoisting the litg. The bombardment has continued all day. The fire. was mostly di rected ag.tinst the western wall Three per sons only have been wounded since the bum bard cut commenced. Later. CHARLESTON, January 31 . —The enemy keeps' up the bombardment of Sumter by day but ceases at night. No damage of con- I sequence has been done to the tort. The lire upon the city was renewed at 9 o'clock on Saturday night, the shells hver aging one every ten minutes, and on Sum , ter every five minutes. From Tennessee. MORRISTOWN. Jan. 30.—Gen. ?darting at tricked the enemy on the 28th, and after a stubborn fight drove them from the field,— They retreated in the direction of Seiver— ville. The enemy's cavalry have undoubt edly been reinforced. THE WAR IN EAST TENNESSEE Nn :-:iyns 01 the Enemy trevim.x, Jan. 23, P. M.—The day has pas-ed without any fighting un the immedi ate front. G merul Sturgis is some distance out in Sevier county, and if he has had any engagement to-day it is too soon to expect any report of It. Gin Rebel force which came down last night, un the !meth side of the river, fro:n Strawsberry Plains, disappeared before day light, and a re.:onnoi,tance, under General Ferrero, which went out eight miles horn the city, lound no signs of them. They captured a drove of eight hundred bogs.— There can be little doubt that this column of the Rehels has fallen back to join the main body in French Broad Valley. We are without news front Marysville, where cannonading was reported to have been heard, and where Wheeler is supposed to have made a dash. Colt s Pistol Factory Destroyed by On Severn] LlveS Lost —Great Destructlot) Property—Loss 82,000,090. IlAuTrolio, February s.—Colt's pistol Inc tor) is w Haines. The loss will be immense zieveral lives have been lost by the telling of the roof of one of the buildings. The ace are not yet known. The loss will, it is thought, exceed one . Jpillion dollars. Further Fartteulmrs [By the People's Tele•greph lines, 23 S. st LlAtarottn, reb. 5-8.30 A. AL—A fire broke out in Cult's pistol Ltetury at about filteen minutes past eight o'doel: this morn g, and the building is now burning luri nusly. The chances 01 e.xtinguishing the Nunes are but small, a..d the loss will be 1111 IntliSe. [Second Dispatch.] ll.AuTroun, February 5, 9.15 A. 11.—The fire is said to have broken out in the polish ing room in the old buildings. At this tone the old buildings are enthely destroyed, ai:d the fire is spreading to the new factory. It is said there is cutoiderable powder stored in the building connecting the old and new buildings together r and an explosion is ap• preheuded, consequently little can be done to arrest the progress of the Ihmes. [By People's Line, 23 , South et,] • [Third Devatch.l Flear•Fonn, Feb. 5, 94.5 The oldest and latgeet building lacing the Connecticut liver is a mass of ruins, and there appears to be but one wall on the north lido standing.— The fire has been arestedin . the eminemini buildi g, and hopes are now entertained that the new building will be saved. The office, a largo building Separate from the others, is new in dames. - The Latest-.-The Fire Subdued. •ElettiToitu, Feb. 5-10.30 A. 11.—The original building of " Colt's Pulent Vire Arms' Manufacturing Company," was de stroyed by lire this morning, with all the ma ehinery and a large amount of other prop erty. The building was 600 feet long by 560 feet is width, which' with the office, a large three-story building, was aleo,destroyed. The new building in which the Minnie ri fles are, wade was .saved.. Seventeen hun dred wo4calein are employed . , in the :estab lishreen4 :hag_ of Whore-lave Ants_ 7 been throvin_ouf - of employment: Tbeloss is at le,aet half a- of . the machinery alone was vlued at that sum.— It is insured for $ 650,000 in New York and New England offices. The Loss HARTFORD, Corm, Feb. s.—The Secreta ry of Colt's Factory, states that two millions of dollars will not cover the loss by the fire this morning. There was $400,000 worth of ffnishecr work. ready for shipment, and about $1,000,000 worth of other work in ye rious stages of completiob, besides the cost. of the machinery destroyed. FROM WASHINGTON Clothing for Soldiery Editors of newspapers throughout the United States, will doubtless confer a favor on the soldiors in the field, as well as their friends at home,. by giving :publicity to' the following : As ACT to amend the laW prescribing the articles to be admitted into themails of the United States. Be it enacted by the Senate and House or Representatives of the United States America in Congress assembled, that articles' of clothing, being manufactured of wool,' cotton, or linnen, and compri . sed in a pack: . age not exceedinv; two' poundsin weizht, ad dressed to any non-corn isstoned officer or ; private serving in the armies' of eh* United' States, may he transmitted in' the mails or the United States, at the raid of eight cents,• to be in all cases prepaid, for every four ounces, or fraction thereof, snhj-sct to such regulations as the Post-master General mai prescribe. Approved, January 22, 1864. Strengthening the Armies Urged The tioveruors and other prominent men of the Western and Middle States, are urg ing upon the Government. by letter, memo riuls and representative delegations, the im perative necessity of increasing the armies or the Union to a strength that will enable ns to resist and heat hark the wave of South ern aggression which will roll northward and westward with the first days of spring. They urge that the object of the Sonth in its last desperate effort will be to protract the war, and that it should be our efforts to close tho rebellion before the Ith of July next. They especially urge this as a measure of economy. h that the protraction of the war will incredibly intream the finan cial proldem. They offer every facility in their power to increase the army at anycost, The Seerf;ifirV of War and General Halleck are laboring to impreBi upon Senators and Concrresvmen the vital importance of carry ing out ibis pri• , ciple.— Washington Corres pondence Trip. The Arkansas Convention I COTT 014110 ell ea u( the N. Y. Trlbuno.] The following important letter has been rece•ivedl here LITTLE ROCK, Jan. 17, 1861.—T0 Dr. John Kirkwood —Dear Sir • The Conven• !io n is'.(irriposed of most respectable men from various parts of the State. Some thir ty counties elected delegate.. 111 fifteen of them they voted at their ordinary precincts, without the presence of a single soldier.— Nearly 60(10 votes were cast. They are in session now, have engrossed the Constitu tion, and made Arkansas free forever—thank God ! There was only or.e disc, nting, voice, Jarks, from Helena. lie was in favor of gradual emancipation. In great haste, yours &c.. W. M. FISH BACK. The Bulletin says: "By a friend who arrived this morning from below, we have late an interesting information from Little Rock tt nil its neighbot hood. The State ('on• vention was coral' fling its labors with great assiduity. It had elected lion. Judge Clay ton Provi,iotril Governor of the State The wive resides in the netg,hborhoqd of Fort Smith. lie is a Unionist, of unspltted in tegrity. In the Convention that adopted the seorssion ordinance for Arkansas, .Judge Clayton was the only man who voted against it, an act of patriotism t t hat was the cause of his expulsion from that body,_ "The ladies of Little Rock are preparing a grand supper and ball for the benefit of the poor. It is expected to be a fine affair, Ecitnn anb Counttl glatters. TEMPERANCE.—We are glad to learn that the Temperance movement ree-ntly started is advancing in a manner most satiety fa, tory to its most ardent friends. If ever there was a wide field ftr its god work, this. Borough and County afford . one. CEI ußcu DEnicATtoN.—The new Meth odist Church jecently erected in West Fair view will be ciediCated on Sunday. ..28th jest, The services will be conducted by B:iahorr Janes, assisted by Rev. Dr. McMurray, Pre siding Elder of the district. The public are invited to attend. UUtt QuoTA--Many persons seem anxious to know why it is that our Borough authorities are taking no active measures for filling up our quota under the last call, The reason is simply this ; it is believed tbab if we get the credits due us from veteran . enlistments in the field that it will be more than filled. Al .d surely none are more worthy of our local bounty. FIRE.—A fire broke out between three . and four o'clock on Wednesday morning, in the slaughterhouse of Mr. George Murray, and, notwithstanding the efforts of our vari ous fire compalies, who were promptly on the g round and labored most as,idnously, consumed the slaughter ho use, together with doing serious damage to two or three frame dwelling houses adjoining, the property of Mr. Senseman. GRAND CONCERT.—The panda Musical Association will give a COneert in Rheem's Hall on Thursday evening Febru ary 18th 1864, for the benefit of the Soldiers Aid Society. The Concert will consist of Choruses, Solos, Quartetts &c. The Asso c's' ion has succeeded in securing the services of as excellent Orchestra. The proceeds will he ,distributed within the Borough.— Admission 25 cts. Doors open at . 6k. Con- eert to commence at 7f. Hatt.—The great COnabi:l natloon Troupe of Messrs, SNITII & HAM,. will most positively appear" to-aight. and:to morrow night. The company was advertiScd to appear in this City. some time since, bid was prevented from fulfilling their engage. meta here on account of the sickness of Mr- Txrc I.l4yEs He luto entirely recovered, and will be on hand tml:tight, we would advise, our citizens, to pay this company a visit, tie they are highly spoken of by the press else-. where. Mr. SAM 11/taus, another splendid; dancer is attached to till, company, IrT'Orders for Coal or Dauber solkolt. ed through the Poot , Othee, arrangomente bay ing been made with Me PeetmaettSeto °hermit the poetOge on nine to,ue. orders pun/. tually filled. DELANCY & BLAIR._