Newspaper Page Text
Ui'o array ofth* Confederate Ts iUS
fened io secret calendar.
HOl'sK.
TWp bill reported from Cominit
tei; to regulate future exemptions and repealing
those at present existing, was taken up and dis-
A bill was submitted to provide disabled offi
cers, non-commissioned officer*, musicians, pri
vates aid seamen, which was ordered to be
printed.
A bill for the relief of tax payers In certain
cases was referred.
The House then went into secret session to
consider the Report of the Special Committee
on the currency.
SEXITS—JAN. 7.
Mr. Issi el an, Miss., rose to a pecrsonal expla
nation. lie stated tliat in one of the morning
papers the title of the bill introduced by him.
yesterday, was misreported. The bill did not
propose to authorize the President to suspend
the writ, but to make the suspension the result
of direct legislative enactment.
The following bill was introduced and refer
red • “A bill to be entitled an act declaring all
persons owing military service to the Confeder
ate States, and who voluntarily depart beyond
the boundaries thereof, without the written
permission of the President, with intent to
abandon tie same, alien enemies, and subject
ing such persons in all respect* to the laws in
relation to the Fame. . , .
y bill to be entitled an act to declare certain
persons alien enemies and to sequestrate their
‘states—referred.
A bill was introduced to provide for the pay
ment of the printing of the report of the joint
committee to investigate the administration of
Navy Department. Alter a statement from Mr.
Clay, the bill was passed, it appropriates *2,-
'Jbe special committee aj po nteii at the last
(tension of Congress, presented a lengthy report
setting forth the advantages of full and regular
official reisirts of the debates in Congress, etc.,
accompanied by a resolution authorizing a con
tract to bo entered into with one or more skill
ed reporters, and prescribing their duties, etc.
The report and resolution were laid upon the
table, and ordered to be printed.
Tin- Finance Committee reported back, with
up amendment, the bill to authorize the issue
of certain bonds in payment to the Florida
Railroad Company. The bill was placed upon
'' 'Huf same committee also reported back the
"House bill to authorize tlie cancellation of cer
tain Confederate States bonds, and the substi
tution of others for them. It wits stated that
o,e Secretary of the Treasury, on the requisition
of the Secretary of the Navy, hail issued m Oc
tober, 1802, $2,000,000 bonds, which were sent
abroad, but bad not been disposed of. Tlieob
ject of the bill was to authorize tlie Secretary
of the Treasury to issue other bonds, to be dis
posed of here when evidence is produced of the
i uir’cllatioii of the bonds heretofore issued.—
The bill was mad and passed.
Tim House bill to authorize the appointment
of m, Assistant Secretary west of the Mississqi
pi, was reported back with *n amendment and
placed on the calendar.
The President laid before (be Senate a com
munication from tlie Secretary of the Navy, in
response to a resolution calling for certain in
formation in regard to the confiscated credits
of alien enemies. .
Also, a communication from the Secretary oi
State of the Provisional Government of Ken
tucky, announcing tlie re-election ae Confeder
ate Senator of I Jon. Win. Simms, for the hill
term of six years.
HOUSE.
Tin* Committee on Indian Affairs reported
iKvktbe bill to appropriate SIOO,OOO for the
use and bcueflj of th» Clsei'okee Indians. Jlio
hill was rend a third time and passed, and sent
forthwith to the Senate.
A resolution was offered that during the pres
ent session, until tlie currency bill is disposed
of, any member desiring to offer a bill or reso
lution may file the same with the Clerk, and
the Speaker, if he approve of it. may refer it
to the appropriate committee. Tho resolution
■was lest.
The Senate resolution of thanks to Maj. von
Hoick, of tho Army of Northern Virginia: and
the hill from the same body to declare the
meaning of an act to lay taxes forthe common
defence, &c., wore appropriately referred..
'l’ll,, untlnishad business being the bill to
conseribe persons in the Confederacy claiming
to be citizens of the United States.
A resolution was adopted that a committee
of three members be appointed to impure into
certain charges of corruption made against a
member of tliis House.
The House went into secret session to con
•dder the currency bill. , „ ,
la the House on Wednesday, the 6th, a reso
lution to invite Gen. John It. Morgan to a
privileged scat on the lloor was adopted.
The following preamble and resolution were
also adopted :
Whereas, Acts of outrage are represented to
liavo boon perpetrated by order of tho military
commander of certain negro troops in the ser
vice of tho United States, recently invading
North Carolina, upon the persons of most re
spectable ladies ami others in contempt of the
practice of civilized States of war. Thcrefoio,
Resolved, That a committee of five bo ap
pointed by the Speaker to inquire into and re
port the facts to the House, aud to recommend
inch action as tho dignity* of Gie Confederate
States may require iu view ol such conduct.
A message was received from the 1 resident
with his approval of the bills to put an end to
exemption by substitution and to till vacan
cies from certain Indian nations.
SENATE—JAN. 8.
Tbo President laid before the Senate a com
munication from Governor brown, of Georgia,
concerning resolutions of the Georgia Legisla
ture expressing a determination to prosecute
the war with the utmost vigor. The commu
nication and documents wore ordered to bo
printed. , , . ,
On motion tho Senate resolved into secret
session, and, the door being re-opened, ad
journed.
HOUSE.
The Speaker announced the appointment of
the following Committees : Committee to en
quire into outrages committed by the enemy in
North Carolina— Messrs. Smith, ot North Caro
lina: Holcombe, of Virginia; Smith, of Ala
bama; 11. W. brace, of Kentucky; and bell of
Missouri. Committee, authorized by Mr.Foote's
resolution, to into the charge of cor
ruption against a member ot the 1 louse Messis.
Lj*ons, of Virginia; McQueen, of South Caro
lina. and Atkins, of Tennessee.
The House then took up tor consideration,
as unfinished business, tho bill reported from
the Military Committee repealing existing and
regulating future exemptions. Amendments
won 1 proposed and the lull discussed till tho
House went into secret session on the currency
question.
SENATE —JAN. 9.
A muhlver of joint resolutions of the General
Assembly ot Georgia were presented and refer-
A resolution was adopted that the Piesident
be requested to inform the Senate whether or
not the line officers of the army, heretofore en
trusted with bounty money for recruiting pur
poses, have accounted therefor; and, if not,
liow many of such officers have failed to render
their accounts and to communicate the names of
those who have thus failed, and the amounts,
unaccounted for, and when and from whom
such amounts were received.
The Committee on Finance reported a bill
making allowances for officers of the Navy, un
der certain circumstances, and to amend the
net providing for the organization of the Navy,
approved March, 1861.
Tffio bill was put upon the calendar and or
dered to he printed.
On motion tho Senate resolved into secret
legislative session.
HOUSE.
Mr. Ilartridge. of Ga., made a personal ex
planation. In one of the morning papers, the
name of ft member from Georgia was wrongly
mentioned in connection with the subject of the
Mjle ged corruption of a member of the House.
The House resumed consideration ot the bill
proposing to conscribc foreigners and all per
sons claiming to bo citizens of the United States.
*Phe committee to whom it was proposed to re
commit the bill were instructed to report a bill
allowing those who claim foreign residence, or
to be aliens, ample time to leave tho country.
»md. on failure to leave, to be brought into the
military service of the country in the army.—
The motion to recommit was then carried.
The Speaker laid before the House a commu
nication from the President, transmitting an
estimate, from the Secretary ot the Treasury,
of the amount necessary to be appropriated lor
lhe Cherokee Indians, and recommending an
appropriation for the purpose.
Also, the report of General K. 8. Ripley, of
military operations in various places, and sev
eral other official reports. *
The communications were laid on the table
and ordered to be printed.
A letter was presented from Brig. Gen. llen
ry*A. Wise, endorsing the views expressed by
<3en. Hardee and others in their communication
relative to filling up the army, aad approving
the elective system of officers. Laid on the ta
ble and ordered to be printed.
The Committee on Ways and Means, report
zhl a bill to make additional appropriations for
thoi upport of Government for the fiscal year
ividing 30th of Jun?. 1864.
The select committee reported back joint
(Moluiioa* |n relation to the ww», without
aruendmtjul ; they ’.j. i»2 then LI,LVu up (1.. 1
passed.
The following additional resolution was
agreed to :
“Resolved, That the Senate be, and is here
by, requested to appoint a committee ot , to
act jointly with the select committee of the
House, for the purpose of preparing, on behalf
of Congress, an address to the country.”
The following resolutions were ottered and
adopted : *
Instructing the Judiciary Committee to en
quire what additional legislation is necessary
to sequestrate the property of persons between
eighteen and forty-five years of age. who resid
ed in the Confederacy on the Ist of December,
1806, and have gone out of the rea.h of our
laws in relation to military iervice.
Requesting the Secretary of the Treasury to
report what progress has been made in the col
lection of the tax authorized by tiie first sec
tion of the tax bill of lust session, and wheth
er it has been collected in Richmond, Charles
ton. Augusta, and other cities.
Requesting the President to cause to be furn
ished to the House the number of employees
in the passport office, their places of residence,
the ages, and the number not liable to military
service from physical disability.
The House then went into secret session on
the report of the Special Committee on the
currency.
senate— jax. 11.
/The following were referred : A bill to pro
vide for the investigation and settlement of the
transactions and accounts of Quartermasters,
Commissaries, Contractors, and other financial
and disbursing officers, agents and employees
of tlie Confederate States; for the relief of Win.
Bowles and Richard Bowles—authorizes the dis
missal of proceedings for the confiscation of cer
tain property in Buckingham county, Va., de
voted by James F. Sheppard, an alien enemy,
resident in New York, to the maintenance and
support of his nieces and nephews—the said
Wm. M. Bowles, and others, loyal citizens of
Virginia.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the
act authorizing the Provisional Government of
Kentucky to devote one million of dollars of
tlie appropriation of $2,000,000, of lfitli Janu
ary, 1862, to the purchases ot clothing for the
use and benefit of the Kentucky troons now in
the military service of the Confederate States.
The said act, originating in the Senate, had been
returned by the President with his objections,
and was made the special order for this day.—
The vote was taken on its passage over the
President's veto, and was determined in the
negative.
A joint resolution from the House of Repre
sentatives for the appointment of a joint com
mittee to prepare an address to tho country,
was concurred in.
HOt'SK.
Tho Spoaker submitted to the House joint
resolutions of the Legislature of Georgia in
regard to the war, transmitted by the Govern
or of that State. The resolutions re-adopted
and re-affirmed tlie joint resolutions of tlie Leg
iblaturo in loG2, and expressed the determina
tion of Georgia to stand by her sister States of
the Confederacy in prosecuting the war with
the utmost vigor ; and to accept no terms of
peace short of tho independence of the Confed
erate States. The resolutions were laid oil the
table and ordered to be printed.
T he resolution appointing a special commit
tee to investigate Federal outrages in Eastern
North Carolina, was amended by empowering
the committee to send for persons and papers.
Ah'j. Gen. John C. llreekinridgo was invited
to a privileged seat on tho floor during his
temporary stay in Richmond.
Thu unfinished business, the hill from the Com
mittee on Military Affairs in relation to exemp
tions, was taken up. The motion to recommit
the bill and amendments was agreed to.
Tlie House then went into secret “txliiGa to
consider tho currency bill.
Plion KNOXVILLE.
The editor of tho Atlanta Register has seen
parties just from Knoxville. From them he
gathers the annexed news :
The condition of Knoxville is gloomy indeed.
The streets are full of filth; all the fencing and
most of the shade trees have boon destroyed.
The citizens are suffering for food. Many
families aro entirely dependent upon the mis
erable rations doled out to them by tho Yan
keos. The Yankees themselves obtain their
supplies from Chattanooga via Kingston.
The Yankees have five small steamers run
ning on the Tennessee river, and say they have
four more building in Nashville lor the same
service. Four of these boats convey supplies
t<> Kingston From thence one of them plies
to Loudon, but can go no farther at present,
owing to the shells which Gen. Vaughn sunk
in tho channel of the river, and which they dare
not attempt to drag out for fear of exploding
them.
't he Foderals have the railroad in operation
between Loudon and Knoxville, and are lim
ning two broken down trains, which are their
chief means of transportations for supplies.
There are four army coips at Knoxville and
vicinity, nominally under the command (f
Foster, who pleads ill health for not reporting
for duty.
Grant, in person, visited Knoxville about the
last of December, and then went to tho front
near Plain's Cross Roads, to direct the move
ments in opposition to Gen. Longstreot.
The authorities at Knoxville have thus far pc
fused to permit Southern able bodied men, or
tlie families of rebels, to pass through their
lines South, but have* readily granted permis
sion and encouraged them to go North —but
those families who are unable to contribute
either able bodictl men or other aid and com
fort to the Southern army' are to be driven
South.
Forage is so difficult to procure that their
starved horses and mules are daily dropping
dead in the streets.
The infamous Brownlow had returned and
was making preparations for the re-issftte ot his
scurrilous journal; hut is less rampant than up
on his first advent, having lost caste both with
the Yankee soldiery and his tory neighbors.
But few Yankee troops on this side of the
Tennessee river—about two thousand only iu
till, scattered from Loudon and Kingston to
Cleveland—and these are in perpetual terror of
a raid by John Morgan, of whose safe arrival
in tho Confederacy they have learned.
The damage done by their incendiarism
while they were beseiged in Knoxville, is esti
mated at two millions of dollars. About one
hundred and fifty houses, comprising the whole
of the city north of the railroad were burnt.
Roth the depots, and the machine shop of the
\ irginiaaml Tennessee railrobd, are uninjured.
Only two houses were destroyed oil the south
side of the railroad.
The enemy’s programme for the future, as
far as the Register’s informants could learn it.
is to avoid lighting as much as possible, in or
der to have leisure to perfect their communi
cations with the bases of supplies, and with
the opening of the spring campaign, to hurl
two immense columns, one from Chattanooga
into Georgia* aud one from East Tennessee into
Virginia on Richmond.
FROM MISSISSIPPI.
The Mobile 'lYibutio states that information
has been received in that city of the landing
of one thousand Yankee infantry at Madison
ville. Their purposes are not known. • Some
think it is a portion of the force which i« to
attack Mobile.
Lieut. Sibley has succeeded in destroying
two of the enemy’s mills on the Pearl river*
and capturing and burning two of his schoon
ers under the guns of Fort Pike. He also
brought off both crews. There was no loss on
our side.
Gen. Forrest has so raised the spirits of the
people in North Mississippi, that one now heais
good Confederate talk from every fireside in
that section.
President Davis suspended the order for the
removal of able bodied negroes from North
Mississippi at the request of tho Governor. A
correspondent writing from that section says
that “leaving able bodied negro men in that
section is folly—sheer folly. When ever the
Yankees choose they can come in there and re
cruit tlieir negro regiments from our own (arm.
Persons holding on to these negro men now are
doifig themselves and the Confederacy great in
jury. They will not only lose their property,
but furnish negro soldiers for the Yankees.”
Gen. Wirt Adams, after a short and spirited
campaign, against the enemy near Natchez,
w hich is said to have been conducted with vig
or, aud in which he evinced great capacity as a
commander, has tallen back to Gallatin, to rest
and recuperate for a time. The Federal un
der Gresham. some twenty-five hundred sraong,
have returned to Natchez.
The enemy at Vicksburg are about seven
thousand strong Their troops, composed of
■ Americaffifctitizens of African descent,” are
said to be well drilled, aud perform garrison
duty well.
The pontoon bridge at Big Black railroad
bridge, washed away and has not yet been re
built. All crossing Is done in skiffs. A scout
repor s large piles of lumber at Big Black
bridge, but supposes it is for the purpose of
building winter quarters, etc.
Onr guerillas along the Mississippi are doing
good service by capturing stray bands of Yan
kees who may happen to land from Federal
boats, and by otherwise annoying the enemy.
A. N. Murphy, formerly editor of the llain
bridge Georgian, and more recently of Captain
Campbell's Siege Artillery, Las deserted and
gone over to the enemy.
pit On VUWIXJA.
It U rumored in RU bnmnd that Butler has
been displaced from the Norfolk department,
an ! Burnside had taken command there.
It is understood that the Governor of Vir
ginia will recommend to the Legislature the
organization of a certain State force for local
defence and the emergencies of the State.
It is said that about 2,000 Yankees were at
Front Royal, Warren county', in the early part
of last week, moving in the direction of Be;ry
ville, Clarke county.“ This is a movement of
the enemy more probably with the design of
meeting movements upon the part oi our own
forces. A portion of our troops in the A alley
were recently as low down as Bunker Hill.
Berkeley county, where they captured end
brought off a few prisoners.
Two privates stationed near Petersburg. A'a..
who absented themselves a short time since
for a few days, were taken out before the bat
talion and half of their heads shaved, in addi
tion to which one was sentenced to ride a wood
en horse for two hours each day' for a month,
and be confined in tho guard house for four
months. The other is to work on the breast
works for four months with a ball and chain
The Staunton Spectator says: Averill hav
ing paid a visit to the A'irgiuia and Tennessee
railroad, wc think it probable our forces will
return the compliment, by paying a visit to the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad. V e understand
that General Imboden has h : s present head
quarters in Winchester, and that Gen. Rosser's
brigade of cavalry has gone to Afartinsburg.
If the inclement weather does not prevent, we
may expect to hear some news of interest from
that section in a short time. AVe have not
learned the present location of the infantry,
but suppose they will be found in the right
place at the right time.
Gen. Early has captured a considerable
amount of property and a number of Yankees
in the Virginia valley.
The family of the late Dr. AVrighthas arrived
at Petersburg from Noifolk.
The meftury at Richmond, January C, stood
sixteen degrees below freezing point.
A Richmond paper says that scores of men
who have put in substitutes and whohavc made
money by the war, are preparing" to run the
blockade from that- city, and that wealthy
young bloods from the country arc constantly
writing to government authorities in the city
proposing to furnish any amount of slave labor
if they can only be taken themselves as “essen
tial to the management of the business.’’
At Richmond, Petersburg and other places in
Viiginia an abundance of ice is being boused.
On the night of Dec. 24 there was quite an
extensive raid made by detachments of men
from Generals Perry’s, Wilcox’s, Posey’s and
Wright’s Brigades, amounting lo between five
and six hundred men, upon the sutlers at Or
ange 0. H. One sutler, named A. Schetzinger,
lost nearly $40,000, about $35,000 of which
was in money, some SSOO or GOO of which was
in gold and silver; all of his clothing, even to
his bools, whichiie bad just pulled off. Anoth
er one, A. Grier, lost some SIO,OOO, which was
his pile, ami of course ho is now entirely minus.
They also relieved a one armed sutler of about
SIOOO. The provost guard very promptly turn
ed out lo suppress the raidfirs, and succeeded
in doing so after they had wounded several of
them, and some say that one of the number
was killed.
The Richmond Examiner thinks if the bill to
confiscate the property of those who have late
ly left for the North passes Congress that mil
lions will be added to the Confederate Treas
ury.
A gentleman recently from Norfolk, A r a.,
says that sundry individuals who fled from Pe
tersburg to avoid service in the army, and
made their way through our lines to Norfolk,
have gained nothing by Ihe change. In fact,
they have jumped from Ibo “frying pan into
the fire,’’ for it is stated that Butler has order
ed every man who arrives under such circum
stances, to bo arrested and placed in the camps
of instruction at Newport News, preparatory
to a full entrance into the Yankee army. It
would be infinitely better for these timid pa
triots to remain and fight in tho Confederate
ranks, under any and all circumstances, but
since it seems to be pretty well established
that they are to be foreed into the Yankee ser
vice as soon as they get under Yankee au
thority, surely, no one can hesitate about tlie
banner under which be will fight.
The late Federal raid to Charles City Court
House, Va., is said to have been gotten up at
the instance of a notorious Yankee scamp named
AVilson, who deserted from the enemy several
mouths ago, and had been received and treated
by us as a good and loyal man. A few days
before the raid he went back to the Yankees,
and there can be no doubt that lie fully ac
quainted thn enemy with the real condition
and disposition of all our forces in that section.
Anotlug lesson for us, which ought to be of val
ue in the future.
Tho Richmond correspondent of tlie Charles
ton Courier says that the President declares
that time will show that the Secretary of the
Navy so far from being the least energetic
member of tbo Cabinet, lias* done more work
perhaps than all of them put together.
A gentleman from abroad who lias just ar
rived in Richmond says the English govern
ment will let the Alexandria,go, but not tlie
rams. Ho also says the l’ope is heartily on
our side, and Cardinal Antonelli is as good a
Confederate as any Southerner.
Mr. Miles of S. C.. in a late speech in tiro
House of Representatives, called for retaliation
upon tho Yankees in return for their recent
barbarities at Elizabeth City, N. C.
The barbers of Richmond have struck for
higher wages and now charge one dollar for. a
shave and ditto for blacking boots - h§avy,
muddy cavalry boots two dollars.
When Gen. Lee was in Richmond, he re
buked a lady who gave him a fine dinner, for
her extravagance, saying that citizens ought
to be ashamed to indulge their appetites' while
soldiers in the field were living on a quarter of
a pound of baron per day.
The Richmond Examiner says the report of
the Confederate Commissioner of Taxes shows
that nine'y-seven counties ord nine circs of
Virginia have been assessed and returned, leav
ing fifty-two counties and two cities —Alexan-
dria and Wheeling—which have not been as
sessed or returned. In the northwesthern coun
ties, for apparent reasons, no attempt has been
made to appoint officers or to procure assess
ments. In other counties in the eastern part
of the State, where the people are loyal and
patriotic, collectors were appointed and had
'been given their bonds, but before the assessors
had entered upon their duties the invasion of
the enemy had arrested further progress. The
aggregate amount of assessment l'eturns* as
shown by tlie chlel collector’s final report, is
$548,164,215 01. The tax on this, at one half
percent., is $2,740,821 07. aud the net tux. af
ter deducting ten per cen-., is $2,466,738 97.
The amount paid by the State, as shown by the
Treasurer's books, is $2,125,000, leaving a bal
ance of $341,738 97.
During the Christmas holidays four young
ladies left Richmond upon a visit to their friends
in King and Queen county. While crossing
the Mattaponi river at Garliek's ferry, the boat
pole, of which there was but one, broke short
off in the handle; and the boat drifted with the
current nearly as far as West Point, when just,
as they came in sight of the Yankee gunboats,
they neared the- shore sufficiently to grasp the
branch of a tree, by which the boat was drawn
to the shore, and the young ladies enabled to
pursue their journey safely, elated at their near
escape from falling into the hands of the Yan
kt es.
The Danvflle Register says tlie smallpox con
tinues to spread among the Yankee prisoners
there. The number of cases is now three hun
dred. The fatality among the prisoners from
this and other maladies is very great. Several
wagon loads are hauled out the graveyard ev
ery day from the general besides those
who die of small pox. •
On Saturday. Jan. 2, the mercury stood five
degrees below zero at Lynchburg.
It is rumoied in the streets ol Richmond that
Mexico has recognised the Southern Confede
racy. If this is so Louis Napoleon has had a
hand in tlie matter.
A considerable number of negroes, stolen or
enticed away by the Yankees, and forced into
the ranks of their -army at Yorktown, Ya..
have become disgusted with “the entertain
ment to which they were invited," and are re
turning to their owners.
Gen' Samuel M. Edwards, of Loudon county,
Va., dieil recently at the advanced age of
seventy-five. In earlier years lie was one of
the most useful aad benevolent citizens of
Leesburg. His patriotism was as spotless as
his character, and was illustrated in his readi
ness to seize arms when the enemy approached
Richmond, and by his efforis to get up a com
pany of men like himself, of over seventy years
of age.
Adjutant General Cooper has issued an or
der, declaring that the hospital ration is fixed,
until further orders, at the same rate of issues
now made to soldiers in the field. If a greater
allowance is required of any particular article
not issued to troops in the field, special requisi
tions must be made therefor.
Since the maximum was knocked in the head
by instructions to impressing agents not to in
terfere with supplies on the way to market,
Richmond has been almost glutted with veni
son. ducks, geese, turkeys, fish, oysters, mut
ton. beef, and all manner of vegetables. Prices
are high, but there is an abundance to eat and
no thought of famine. , »
Gov. Smith, of Virginia, has given ten thou
sand dollars to be applied to the benefit of his
old brigade, now commanded by Brig. General
Pegrarn, Avery liberal donation.
?U65! TRAD sSf“fc{SSPl*|,
A -ate number or tho Little Rock Democrat
stales that Marmaduke has fallen back from his
adv anC' toward- that place, and joined Price
on the road from Camden to Washington. The
Democrat estimates their combined forces at
six or eight thousand. Marmaduke’s men are
scouring tho country in Federal uniforms to
detect Union sympathisers, many of whom have
been shot or hung.
Gen. Franklin has made a proposition to
Gen. Taylor for the exchange of all prisoners
captured in Louisiana this side of tlie Mississip
pi. and Gen. Taylor has consented to the ex
change.
Geo. Bee has written a letter stating that
Western Texas is well protected - by our forces,
and that the Federate will not be permitted to
land on the coast in that section.
The Federate have turned back from flieir
threatened advance on the interior of Texas,
and are now at Salnria Island.
It is expected that the Federate will attack
Galveston again soon. The commander of that
post says he is ready for them.
An attack has been made by a Federal force
on Roma, Texas. It was driven back.
Cotton is selling at Alatamoras at thirty-five
cents per pound. There is no difficulty iu ship
ping it.
Banks is a 1 ding the original owners of un
piessed cotton at Brownsville to recover the
same.
Banks has seized nine vessels at the mouth of
the Rio Grande, all under foreign flags. AVhat
will be the result of this high-handeil measure
remains to be seen.
The I<ederal force at Brownsville, numbers
about eight thousand.
The Federal force at Dawrin Point, Texas, is
about 18.000. Gen. Magriuler is preparing a
warm reception for them when they advance.
About forty thousand bales of cotton are at
Freeport, being shipped.
Gen. Shelby has made a successful raid into
Missouri. »
About ten thousand Confederate guerrillas
«ire scattered throughout Arkansas and Missouri.
They are a source of the greatest annoyance
to the Federate, fighting them upon every oc
casion. frequently drawing them into ambus
cade. and slaughtering them by wholesale.
The Federate along the Arkansas liver are
holding several posts, and are treating South
ern citizens most inhumanly. At Fort Smith
they have about 3000 men, one third of whom
are negroes. They have about one thousand at
Van Buren. They also hold the posts at Ozark
and Dardanellc. The troops" holding the lat
ter place aie those who have deserted our army
and are commanded by the notorious renegade
name Herington.
Quantrell and his men have already come
out from Missouri, and are Bonham.
1 Him MIRTH C VKOL VV.
There are several eases of small pox atßal
eig h, N. 0.
The Raleigh Journal says that tho first of
the new series of Holden’s treasonable public
meetings will be held at Smilhfleld, Johnston
county, on the 7th inst. The object of these
meetings is to call a convention to take North
Carolina out of the Confederacy. The resolu
tions, as correctly stated by tlie Fayetteville
Observer, were written in Raleigh by the trai
tor Ho den, and are now in the hands of his
tools in Johnston.
'Tiros. Goats, E--q., is fitting out an establish
ment. at Raleigh, N. C., for the manufacture of
cutlery on a large scale.
A severe concussion was felt in AVilmington
on the morning of Jan. 11. A light was also
seen down.llie rivera short time previous. The
shock it is thought was caused bythe explosion
of a magazine or the blowing up of a ship with
powder on board, either blockader or blockade
runner.
Hon. Wm. A. Graham, it is reported in a
North Carolina paper, has been tendered by
Governor Vance the appointment to fill the
unexpired term of Senator Davis, recently ap
pointed Attorney General. Mr. Graham’s reg
ular term as Air. Davis’ successor will begin
with the next Congress.
It will be remembered that the Yankee Gen.
Wilde captured and recently hung a Confed
erate soldier in Eastern North Carolina and
leit him hanging with a placard on his back
as a warning to others. Some of our men have
captured a white olfict r and two negro sofdiers
of Wilde’s command, and intend to retaliate
for the murder of their comrade at the inden
tical spot.
One of Butler’s orders commanding “all per
sons in East North Carolina between the ages
of eighteen and forty-five, both white and
black, to report to the General commanding
without delay, is placarded on trees. All per
sons in Eastern North Carolina who do not
ccinc forward l>y.the Ittth of January and take
the oath of allegiance and give their parole arc
to be seized and held as prisoners of war and
their property confiscated. Persons can leave
the lines within that time, hut they will be al
lowed to carry nothing with them except fif
teen pounds of meat to each member of their
families.’’ »
FItO.YI MiniiLETENMCsWKK.
The Marietta Rebel has cheering news from
the Cumberland river, in the vicinity ofOlarks.-
ville, Tend., from a gentleman who has just
come through tlie Federal lines. Captain
Bruce Phillips, formerly of the 14th Tenn.
regiment, and commanded that regiment in
the first day’s fight at Gettysburg, who re
ceived authority last Fall to recruit a regiment
of cavalry inside of the Federal lines, is now
in the section of country between the Cumber
land and Tetineisce rivers .doing serious dam
age to the foe. He has between 150 and 200
men, and has been actively engaged all winter
iu annoying the Federal garrisons at Clarks
ville and Fort Donelson, aud the working par
ties upon the North Western Railroad. -Not
long since lie attacked several thousand of the
armed negroes working on the railroad, killed
and Wounded a large number, and put the rest
to flight. Some of them whose masters lived
in Clarksville, had reached that place, and re
ported that their whole force had been scat
tered except those who were killed and wound
ed. and that they themselves were so badly
seared that they had been running for thirty
miles to get home. A few days before Christ
mas Caplain Phillips with fifteen men was in
the immediate vicinity of Clarksville. The
fact becoming known to the FedefKl comman
der at Clarksville, ho dispatched a party of
fifty-six to capture them. Phillips’ party am
buscaded them and killed seventeen and
wounded as many others. Only seventeen of
the party letumed to Clarksville. Capt. Phil
lips is a daring an<l*‘flic-ion t. officer, is entirely
familiar with the country in which he is now
operating, and will doubtless do much good.
FROM MEXICO.
A Havana letter says Gen. Comonfort was
murdered by his own countrymen, and the new
Maximilian regency was virtually dissolved by
tlie action of, the Archbishop of Mexico City.
'Hie Archbishop insisted on a lestoration of the
church pi nperty which had fa en -confiscated
and distributed by Juarez. This was refused,
and his Grace excommunicated every French
man and Mexican who opposed him, from Gen.
Bazoine and Gen. Almonte down to the drum
mer hoys of the liberating army. The Cathe
dral doors being closed, Gen. Negro surround
ed the building with 3,000 French soldiers,
and planting his camion at the door, demanded
admission within a certain time. The Arch
bishop admitted the pious belligerents at once,
and gave them Episcopal benediction. Gen.
Doblado, Governor of Guanajusto, had declared
for Juarez. Guadalajara was beseiged by the
Mexican forces under Mejia. Berlhier ami Ba
zoine had advanced the Franco-Mcxican army
to important positions. Gov. Vidaurri was
hostile to .1 uarez.
A dispatch from San Francisco, dated the
21st inst.. say,;: The French had advanced no
further interim-wards since occupying Queie
taro. The recent killing of Comontort had
aroused a feeling of intense bitterness among
the population. Accounts from San Luis Potosi
state that Mexican officers have returned from
tlie I nited States, where they have been sent
with commissions for purchasing and fitting out
of vessels of war, under letters of marque, to
prey oil French commerce. It is reported the
mission was successful.
General Negrete has succeeded General
Comonfort as Minister of War of Juarez.
FROM MISSISSIPPI.
A body of three thousand Yankees visited
Fayette; Jefferson county, Miss., lately, creat
ing great consternation and committing serious
depredations.
It is stated that a negro regiment in Warren
Cos . Miss, has mutinied and their white
officers, arid tli it a regiment of white Yankees
had been sent down to quell them and had
killed nearly all the negroes,
s Trains on the Southern Railroad Miss., now
run regularly through to Pearl River.
Forest's campaign in North Mississippi and
West Tennessee resulted most satisfactory. lie
took in seven hundred troops ami brought out
five thousand.
A correspondent of the Southern Recorder
says that the Legislature of Georgia, at its last
session, while hastily tampering with the code,
unintentionally repealed the law making mar
riage license a sine qua non. If this be so, the
people of this State are at liberty to go back to
the primitive ceremony of jumping the broom.
The damages done the Greenville and Co
lumbia railroad by the late freshet have been
repaired.
FHOM (iiURbEifOIV.
On Saturday and Sunday there was the usual
amount of labor going on at Morris Island,
and of oceusiinal tiring between the opposing
batteries. \ N
At about twelve o’clock on Saturday night
the enemy rpened upon the city. Eighteen
shells were thrown by morning, at intervals of
half an hour The bombardment was renewed
at 3 o'clock, p. m., on Sunday, and within an
hour twenty-eight shells were thrown, two
sometimes falling together. Another shell was
thrown at eight.
Three shells were thrown into the cify. on
Monday morning, between tlie houte of 11 and
12. ahd six in the alternoon. Fort Moultrie
and the batteries on Jamos Island replied with
effect. A shell lrom Moultrie was seen to burst
immediately over Gregg.
- The aneruv, since five o'clock Monday eve
ning, has kept up a constant fire on the city,
iud eating, it is believed, a design to continue
it steadily and without intermission as hereto
fore.
The number of shells reported thrown to
five o'clock Tuesday morning, was eighty-two.
There has been no casualties, although some
very nairow escapes were made. The shot
fired art mostly one hundred pounder Parrotts
and the small \Viard rifle shells. Our batteries
returned the enemy's fird deliberaterely, but
have not succeeded in silencing it —the enemy
having his guns and men very strongly protec
ted,
The bombardment of the city was continued
throughout Tuesday night and Wednesday, tlie
enemy's fire averaging about ten shots an hour.
One man, a German, whose name we could
not learn, while standing on the sidewalk, was
wounded in the right hand by a stone from
tho middle of the street, tore up by a shell on
AVednesday morning.
Fort Joliftson and Battery Simkins kept up a
steady fire on the enemy. The latter also
opened on our camps on James’ Island. Two
men wounded. One man. a member of
Captain Dixon’s Company, had his right arm
taken off.
About seven o’clock Tuesday evening, du
ring the shelling, a house in Liglitwood Alley,
three doors East of Meeting-street, was set on
fire by an incendiary. It was fortunately dis
covered by an officer of Major Blanding’s com
mand, and extinguished before it had caused
any damage. Tho circumstances attending it
prove that it originated from design. The offi
cer, while engaged in extinguishing the fire,
was shot at by parties in the vicinity.
A number of transports were reported pass
ing the bar Wednesday going South. A dis
patch from Hardeeville, dated the 12tli inst.,
says; “Our scouts report an increase in the
fleet at Hilton Head. Three ironclads compose
a part of the fleet.’ ’
Within a day or two tlie enemy have un
masked one or more light Parrott guns Ilian
they have heretofore employed. These guns
are’reported si;uated on the scarp of the main
work at Battery Gregg. They have also paid
more particular attention to Battery Simkins
and Fort Johnson lately, showing that our tire
from those batteries lias become exceedingly
troublesome.
In several instances of recent occurron ?e, the
Yankees were seen caarryilig off their dead and
wounded in litters.
Some new embrasures bearing upon Fort
Johnson and Battery Simkins have been open
ed in the last two or three days, and more ac
tive movements are expected. Whatever tlie
designs of the enemy, we are assured they will
not find unprepared.
FROM UPPER EASTTEKNB-tiEtf.
Longstreeets headquarters are at Russellville,
and the army have received orders to make
themselves as comfortable as possible for the
winter. Active operations are believed to be
at an end lor tlie season, and no movements
are being made by the enemy that threaten
the resumption of hostilities for the present:
It is said tlie army will be able to get suffi
cient supplies and an abundance of long foiage
in tlie valley of tlie Chickoy and French Broad
rivers.
The position is one of the most advantage
ous on the theatre of tho war. It is on the
flank of Thomas’ army. It threatens the ene
my’s communications through Knoxville and
Nashville. It is within thirty miles of Cumber
land Gap. It is on the East Tennessee and
Virginia railroad, which, wo understand, will
be completed to Longstreet’s headquarters in
three weeks, and thus, in case of emergency,
bring the army of Tennessee within supporting
distance of Richmond, It is in short, the con
trolling positien between Lee and Johnston,
and at the same time close enough to Kentucky
for tlie easy invasion of that State whenever
the signal may be given for such a movement.
We are pleased to bo assured that the suffer
ings in Longstreet's command have been gross
ly exaggerated by reports. But few of the sol
diers are actually barefooted, although many
of them have their feet cased in moccasins. A
large number of shoe-shops have recently been
established in Longstreet’s army, sufficient to
provide for it during the winter.
Maj. Gen. McLaws has been relieved of his
command, and ordered to report to tlie Adju
tant General at Richmond. The order reliev
ing Gen. McLaws, does not impugn his courage
or capacity, as we understand, but is based on,
disagreement between himself and- Gon. Lonf
street.
The casualties in the recent Knoxville cam
paign of Longstreot, it is said, will not exceed
twelve hundred men.
There is no uneasiness felt for Longstreet’s
position. The country between the Clinch and
Holston rivers abounds in strong points, capa
ble of easy defence.
A gentleman who left the Tennessee frontier
as late as December 28, says that a cousidera
ble engagement hail occurred between otir
forces and a body of Union men, or “tories,”
posted on the head of Cansby creek, in Cocke
county. Tlie enemy was dislodged after a
scathing fight, and pursued several miles
through the mountains.
The Yankees in Cherokee, Tenn., captured
two prisoners named Mr. John Mitchell and
Mr. Albert Colwood, who were turned over to
the Union men and murdered by them in cold
blood. The Yankee force numbered about
twenty-five hundred, and remained in Chero
kee two days, running off a number of slaves.
Information lias been received of the kill
ing, wounding and capturing of a force of
three hundred Yankees near Jonesboro, East
Tennessee, by our forces. A long wagon train
and three pieces of artillery were taken at the
same time. Jonesboro is thirty two miles be
yond Bristol, and ninety-eight from Knoxville.
FROM THE FRONT.
Gen. Johnston is said to have established a
new system of granting furloughs, which
works well. No regimental or company sffieer
cannot get a furlough unites leaves behind him
three the regiment or company, and
no private is entitled to furlough unless be
leaves thirty non-commissioned officers and
privates in condition for service, and one fur
lough issues for every thirty men in the com
pany. The result of this is a general and live
ly interest to keep up the effective force of the
army.
On Dec. 24th, Gen.-Vance had a brush with
some three hundred tories, on the head of Cos
by Creek, Cocke county. Tenn., some forty-five
miles from Asheville, N. C. The enemy wore
strongly posted, but after a few rounds our
men charged them and they fled, leaving three
dead, all their camp equippage, a number of
horses, and a few guns behind. Gen. Vance
captured six or eight of the gang.
gjTA lady just through the lines, informs the
editor of the Atlanta Confederacy, that the
Yankee? have gone into winter quarters, and
boast of their ability and intention to make a
forward movement on Atlanta early in the
Spring. She says the country about Chatta
nooga is entirely stripped of everything upon
which man or beast can subsist, but the Yan
kees have abundant supplies, which they bring
up the Tennessee river in steamboats.
It BU S SUMMARY.
The Government distilleries in Virginia alone
are reported to yield five hundred thousand
gallons pf whiskey. A single Government dis
ti 11 erv 1 isbury. North Carolina, is estimat
ed to hSve turned out two hundred and fifty
thousand gallons of the liquid poison within
the last year. A North Carolina paper states
that the Confederate Quartermaster at Salis
bury has recently been ordered to turn over to
the" Government distillery there thirty thou
sand bushels of corn to be manufactured into
whiskey. It is a moderate estimate that not
less than two million gallons of whiskey are
furnished the Government per annum.
The Provisional Council of Kentucky have
roeqptly convened, and amongst other things,
have passed a law by which they authorize an
election to be held, on the 10th of February
next, for representatives from-Kentucky to the
Congress of the Confederate States. - The act
requires nn election by general ticket, and per
mits all legal voters now in the army, as well
as refugees from the State, to vote, and pro
vides that officers of regimen's, 3rc., may cpn
dnet the election. It also requires* one repre
sentative to reside in each of the twelve Con
gressional Districts in the State.
A duel took place in LaGrange, Ga., Dec. 31.
Major Webb, of Stovall’s brigade, Breckin
ridge's division, and Caps Barretj;, -of the first
Missouri battalion, Patton Anderson’s division,
are the reported principals. The weapons used
were navy pistols—distance twenty paces. At
the second fire Major Webb was slightly wound
ed. whereupon the disagreeable matter was
amicably adjusted.
NEWS SUMMARY*
A refugee In UacoS. Ga.. who Raslout a large
fortune, and indeed all he is worth, except a few
negroes, proposes to be one of ten who will
subscribe $2,000 each to raising a fund for Mor
gan’s men, although, ho says, in his case, he
will have to sell one of his negroes to raise the
money. This is the right kind of patriotism,
and is worthy of being imitated every where.
The City Council of Atlanta has fixed the
salary of tha Marshal at $3,500; his deputy
$2,500 ; and the first and secondTiieutenauts of
Police at 2,000.
Moses Wright, of Cherokee county, lias giv
en 1000 bushels of corn to poor families who
live within six miles of his residence.
The members of the Atlanta Fire Depart
ment at a late meeting, adopted a resolution
appointing a committee of five to draw up a
plan by which the Fire Battalion may be held
together as a military organization, its term of
service being nearly expired.
Last week a pork butcher hav'ng a stall in
the Savannah market, purchased a hog for $lB5
From this hog he made the following sixles :
Lard, $450 ; Hogs Head Cheese. Sl5O ; Bones,
$25. Total. $625. Profit, $440. This mail
boasts of what he has done publicly.
The principal railroads in the Confederacy
are now sedulously engaged in endeavoring to
increase their stocks, and to provide for tlie
contingencies of future service or loss. In dif
ferent parts of the Confederacy iron is now be
ing provided and rolled for machinery and tlie
construction and repair of locomotives and rol
ling stock. The Secretary of AVar has recom
mended that skilled nftchanics be-furnished
from tlie army for some of the more delicate
machinery needed by the railroads. The rail
road transportation Is of incalculable impor
tance to the Confederacy. Shut off’ from the
sea, and with command*>f very few of its riv
ers, the Confed “racy is dependent, almost whol
ly', on the railtoads for communication and
transportation.
•a'l'he Bureau of Conscription, under instruc
tions from the War Department, has determin
ed, with refercuce to mail contractors, “that
the cause of exemption should exist at the
time that military service is claimed. If a per
son otherwise subject to conscription, before or
at the time of enrollment, claims exemption
by reason of being such a mail contractor as
is mentioned in the act, exemptioh must not be
refused, even though the contract was obtain
ed since the passage of the act. If the con
tract is obtained subsequent to the enrollment,
the party virtually becomes a member of the
army, and a release from service is of the na
ture of a discharge from the army, which is not
contemplated in the act of Congress.”
It commenced snowing in Atlanta about
twelve o’clock on the night of Jan. Gtli, and
continued until nearly daylight in the morning.
This is the first snow of tlie pittscnt winter.
Tho trains on the East Tenn. & A r a. road now
run to Zollicoffer, and will pass over the new
bridge at that place this week. The bridge at
Carter’s is said will also be finished next week.
It seems to be the policy of the Government
to put the road in running order as far as Mor
ristown immediately. _
Seventeen prisoners escaped fiom the bar
racks in Atlanta, Monday night, Jan. 4, nine
of whom were Federate and the rest Confeder
ates. Among them was Col. Cliff', of tlie 7th
Tenn., (Federal,) who was taken while bearing
dispatches to Gen. Thomas. One of the pris
oners was in chains. Two among the Federate
that escaped were deserters from our army,
and had joined the Federate. Two of tlie Fed
erate have been arrested. The escape was
made by digging under the walls immediately
under the guard post.
Tlie Small Pox has broken out at the Atlan
ta barracks. Tne nftmber of cases is not large
as yet.
It is important for our people to know that
the mails which go through New York are ex
amined. The only safe way of sending letters
is via Bermuda, lo go into the British mail to
Halifax.
Under the authority of an Act “to provide
for the issue and sale of State Bonds, and for
other purposes” approved the Bth of Decem
ber, 1863, bids will be received at the Execu
tive Department, at Montgomery', until 12 M.,
on the 20th day of January, 1864, for $600,-
000 of 6 per cent. State of Alabama Bonds,
SI,OOO each, having twenty' years to run from
the Ist day of February, 1863, renewable at
the pleasure of the State, with coupons at
tached lor interest thereon, payable annually
at the State Treasury oa the first of February
in each year. The Department, however, re
serves to itself the right to reject all bids which
shall not prove to he satisfactory. Upon all
bids which may be accepted, the person or per
sons offering tho same will ho allowed until the
Ist of February thereafter to make payment
for the same at the State Treasury and receive
the bonds as bid for and accepted. Said bonds
may be paid for in Confederate States Treas
ury notes.
Mr. AV. J. Park, of Jackson county, informs
us that among his porkers recently slaughtered
lie had one which weighed 425 lbs., and anoth
er 386. They were less than two years old.—
These are the kind of porkers worth raising.
Cahavvba, Ala., is tlie headquarters for parol
ed and exchanged prisoners west of: the Army
of Tennessee. A prison for Yankees is also lo
cated there, in wLich several hundred Yankees
are confined. The camp of paroled Confeder
ates has several hundred occupants. Col. 11.
C. Davis is commandant of the post.
At Columbia, S. C.‘, Jan. 11, the mercury
stood at twelve. This is the coldest weather
experienced in that place since January, 1835,
when it stood at four.
The extensive foundry and machine shops of
Dixon, Albright & Cos., Snow Camp, N. C., were
burned to the ground on the night of Dec. 18.
Loss heavy. No insurance.
Snow fell at Petersburg, Va., on Wednesday,
Jan. 6. . ■”
Persons out from New Orleans during the
past week, bring intelligence of the recapture
off ort Jackson by the white Yankees from
their colored brethren.
It appears that the great river, lhe posses
sion ot which was to divide the Confederacy
and connect the affluent valleys of the North
west with those of the South, from Lake Mich
igan to the Gulf of Mexico, of the value of
which the enemy made so many boasts, which
made the vain Yankee’s heart swim with
testacy at the fall of Port Hudson and Vicks
burg, is destined to be to the enemy only an
evil. Recent advises from Mississippi state
that almost every day witnesses the destruction
of some boat attempting a passage between St.
Louis and New Orleans. A correspondent
states : “I think it will bo impossible to run a
transport from Columbus to New Orleans unless
convoyed by a gunboat, and even then at
great hazard.’’
A few days since Mr. Clay Bedell was shot
dead in Greenville, Butler county, by Mr. Tay
lor, who, killed Mr. G Bedell, the father,'some
months ago. Mr. Bedell’s gun missed fire, and
he was shot several times by his opponent.
W. B. Johnston, Esq., of South Carolina,
who was appointed agent to the record the
names of soldieis from that State who have
fallen during the war, reports satislactory pro
gress. His report, made up to the Ist ot No
vember. shows an aggregate loss of 4,089 men,
of which number 2,239 fell in battle or died
from w'ounds, and' 1,850 from disease, inclu
ding a few from accidental causes.
Ten thousand pairs of shoos have been order
ed from Richmond for the supply of the bare
footed soldiers in East Tennessee.
Elizabeth Stillwell, of Henry county, Ga.,
celebrated her ninetieth day, a few days since
by spinning eight cuts of thread and reeling
it.
The amount paid for government printing
the past year was $264,50135.
A correspondent of tlie Petersburg Express
says that out of 4,000 Yankee prisoners at
Danville, Va., 1,000 are sick with the small
pox.
A blockade steamer called “Denbigh” has
run into Mobile.
The Chattanooga Foundry managed by
Thomas, Webster & Cos., has been re-establish
ed at Griffin, Georgia, and is tnrntng out large
quantities of castings for the Government.
HThe coast of Florida, so deeply* indented
with small inlets, is guarded by a “mosquito
fleet,” consisting of a large number of sloops
and schooners armed with from one to four
gnus each. The rendezvous of the Yankee
fleet is at Key West, and consists of 42 vessels,
summing up 17,941 tons burthen, viz ; 1 frig
ate, 3 sloops of-war, 14 steam gun-boats. 9t»arks
11 schooners, and 5 sloops, carrying 113 guns,
from six pounders up to two hundred poun
ders.
It is rumored that our Government has or
dered the negro soldier takcu in North Caroli
na, to be hanged upon the exact spot where one
of our Confederate cavalry was hanged, throe
weeks ago, by the ruffian Gen. Wilde.
The appointment of Hon. George Davis of
North Carolina as Attorney General, is giving
universal satisfaction in Richmond.
It is now said that Mr. Seddon has no inten
tion of resigning as Secretary of War.
The New York money market lias become
very unsteady and excited owing U> the news
that the Bank of England has rais jdtbe rate
of interest to nine per cent—a rate almost un
precedented,
SOBTIIEBS
Panama hud six months ago ihroe thousand
inhabitants—fifteen hundred of them have died
with the small pox.
, Ne . w ® f rom st - Domin.ro is favorable to the
Spanish invaders. Gen. Puello, iu command of
the reserve column of Gen. Gandara's corps,
had a battle with the rebels on the 25th of No
vember, in which he was completely successful,
killing sixteen and wounding many of the ene
my. lie also captured two flags, a large num
ber ot prisoners, and arms and equipments
Col. Gatan, in command of a column of tlie re
serves, had a battle with the rebels on the 28th
of the same month, at Anton Sanchez, and dis
persed them, with heavy loss. Gen. Santana
fought them on the 29th and 30th, at Santa
Cruz de Llamosa, completely routing them on
both days, taking a f w prisoners, their arms
and equipments, aud nineteen horses.
. Chattanooga dispatches announce that Grant
anticipates much trouble from Confederate
guerillas this winter.
The Bahama Herald, of the 16th, says that
business iu Nassau has been rather dull this
week, lew articles other than cotton cards, al
cohol, prints and thread being in gener il de
mand, and they only from the large margin
they offer to shippers. Receipts and exports
have both been light, but altogether the mar
kets have never been in a healthier condition,
cor the balance of the present “moou,” wo do
not expect much movement in trade. AVe are
happy to record the safety of the steamship
Gem, now lying in a neighboring port, where
she was forced to put in through stress of
weather.
The number of Confederate prisoneis in
Yankeedotn is about forty thousand, of all
grades. Tho Now York Times says Lincoln's
amnesty proclamation will soon be presented to
them. The Times thinks about thirty per
cent, of tlie entire number will take it. AVe
think the Times mail and all other Yankees
who think as ho does will find -themselves mis
taken.
The Federal draft is being rigidly enforced
against all able bodied citizensof Memphis. Tho
only means-of evading the draft was to volun
teer, and this poor privilege was taken away
after tlie 12th of December. Forty of the lead
ing citizens managed to escape in one night.
It is remarkable, says the Boston Traveller,
that notwithstanding all the avenues we have
opened into tho planting States, most of the
cotton received at the North is that which
has run tho blockade or been captured in the
attempt. In the first three days of the present
week, of 2,110 bales received at New York, 773
bales came from Matnmoros, 383 bales fiom
Cuba, 105 from Nassau, 72 from Carthagena,
etc., and only 671 bales by railroad from the
interior, and 250 by sea from New Orleans.
We are importing from foreign countries much
more than we are exporting, and notwithstand
ing the price of the staple keeps pace with that
of gold, the exports from New York are merely
nominal.
Gen. Foster has established his headquarters
at Knoxville.
A dispatch dated Dec. 19, represents every
tiling quiet in Knoxville.
Nothing new in military affairs in Chatta
nooga.
A dispatch from Charleston, dated Dec. 18,
states tliaUhe Ironsides and three monitors,
while attempting to pass the obstructions, tie
came entangled. The Ironsides will have to
he abandoned. Two ol the monitors aro bad
ly disabled.
Any one who looks at a large map of the
Mississippi river can notice, just below Vicks
burg, an immense bend, enclosing a space of
the shape of a horse-shoe, with the keels
pinched dose together. The Federal Govern
ment lias taken possession of tlie property,
and is to establish a camp for? the collection
aud employment of negroes. At the neck of
the peninsula, less than half a mile across, an
entrenchment will be thrown up, and a suitable
guard of negro troops will be kept to defend
the pljice against Confederate guerrillas.
Admiral Lee reports to tho Federal Navy De
partment at Washington that during tho past
month but one vessel has run into Wilmington
(!!!) “and that rebel statements to the contrary
arc simple fabrications to tempt speculators to
try the experiment.” This is another Federal
untruth.
Fifty-four officers, ranging from major to
lieutenants, have lately been dismissed from
tho Yankee army of the Cumberland, for all
grades of offences, cowardice and drunkenness,
disloyalty, Sc.
Gen. McClellan’s report was sent to tho Yan
kee Congress Dec. 23d. It tills 756 pagei. The
closing part assumes a vast amount of credit
for the successes of tho grand army ol the Po
tomac.
Rev. Daniel Waldo, who hast attained the re
markable age of one hundred and one years,
preached at the Presbyterian church, in Fulton,
New York, Oct. 11.
The shipments of cotton from Memphis,
Tenn., from October 19th to December 29th,
were 22,610 bales.
The New Yoik Tillies says that Lincoln's pro
clamation of “pardon” is shortly to be offered
to the Confederate prisoners in their hands.
Governor Seymour, of New York, lias remo
ved the Metropolitan Police Commissioners, on
Hie ground that the report lately made to him
by the Commissioners about the July riots is
“sectarian and partisan, and shows that the
Comm ssioners have departed from the impar
tial and dispassionate position of public offi
cers, and lost their usefulness.”
The new Northern draft has been postponed
until the 15th of January, j
The number of emigrants who arrived in New
York during the last week was 2,620, swelling
the number for the year 1863 to 155,223, against
76,305 for 1862.
There is nothing new from the Federal army
of the Potomac.
Gen. Meade was in Washington, Dec. 30.
Only one train a day now leaves Washington
for Meade’s army.
Seward lias returned ta Washington from a
visit to New York.
'lhe, health or Chief Justice Taney is im
proving somewhat.
Butler, it is said, is very indignant at the ac
tion of the Confederate Government iu refusing
to exchange pi isoners, becauso he was the
agent of the Federal Government.
Butler is sending the Norfolk Ministers who
will not pray for him and Lincoln into the
Confederate lines.
Middling cotton sold at efghty-one cents per
pound in New York, Dec. 30.
The Federal newspapers admit that one o
their supply tifllns, bound from Chattanooga
to Knoxville was captured by our troops near
Charleston, Dec. 29.
According to Northern accounts Gen. Forrest
and his troops are very annoying to the Feder
al forces and destructive to railroads in West
Tennessee.
Confederate guerillas have become very an
noying to the Fedeials in Middle Tennessee.
Northern papers say staunch friends aided
John Morgan in his escape, from the prison
door to the Confederate lines.
The Federals are working the railroad from
Nashville to Bridgeport to its utmost capacity.
Five new steamboats are being constructed at
Bridgeport to increase transportation facilities.
The Long Bridge at Bridgeport and the one at
Running water, it is stated, will be completed
soon. Railroad communication will then be
open from .Nashville to Chattanooga.
Chattanooga IdUer writers #tate that when
Grant gets enough supplies at that place, he
will make a forward movement.
Mr. Davis, from Kentucky, said in tlie Fed
eral Senate 4h« other day, that “a member of
the House informed him that there was a ma
jor-general who said that if Lincoln was de
feated in the next Presidential election, he
would not surrender the office.” Mr. Davis
also said that “if Senator Lane, of Indiana,
would come to him in the strictest confidence
he would givffhim the name of the major-gen
eral, and that of his informant.”
The Chicago Times in speaking of Lincoln’s
late proclamation and the terms proposed in it
says, “if flic South consents to then}, the deg
radation they offer will not l>e half as severe as
should be inflicted upon a people who could ac
cept that degradation. If she does, she is not
fit to be in the Union upon any terms of
equality with other States, or to exercise any
political privileges of any name or nature. If
she does, her people should lie compelled to
change situations with the slaves, and govern
ed only by the overseer’s lash. No true
American could propose such degradation to
fellow-citizens, and the fact that they have
been made is proof that their author is either
insane with fanaticism, ora traitor who glories
in his country’s shame.
The Louisville Journal thinks there is no
hope of justice being done either to the North
or South as long as Lincoln remains in power.
Washington correspondents of several of the
Northern papers are condemning Lincoln, and
using very bitter language about the. course
pursued by him on the exchange question.
The Federal Congress is endeavoring to con
coct a plan to stop speculation in gold.
The Chicago Times' Washington correspond
ent says the Federals have not been iw success
ful as Ihev claim in East Tennessee. He claims
the official reports prove the correctness of his
assertion,
Amendments ok hie Cods.-The Macon Tele.
8 uph pnb.isliot, the following brief svnopsii
ot the alterations oi the Code by the hot Leg
islature: s
Section ICSS is repealed, and tho law re
stored as K stood before the adoption of the
Lode. And it is right; for the omission of a
mere formality ought not to affect the legiti
macy of the issue of the marriage, or disturb
the rules of inheritance. This was the effect
of this section; for, in the ai scnce of a li
cense it declared the marriage void. Under
the old law any person who performed tho
marriage ceremony without license or publica
tion o; banns, forfeited s.'■()') to be recovered
by action of debt in any Court of competent
jurisdiction; and was also subject to a fine,
upon conviction, on indictment of not less tlian
sdffd or more than SSOO. These penalties arc
still in force, and are well calculated to prev.nt
any person from celebrating the marriage
Ceremony without legal authority.
Executors and Administrators are row rc
quu e,A make inventory, and appraisers to
appraise teal estate as well as personal prop
erty.
Persons holding bands for titles from deceas
cu A emlors. an a the hhirs of deceased A’endees,
can get deeds lrom the adiuinisti at or anil ex
ecutor. by order of Court, bv giving- fifteen days’
notice to nil parties concerned, instead of three
Months notice by publication as heretofore re
quired. q*
Executors, Administrators and Guardians
may give notice of sales in any gazette which
bis a general circulation in tin* county where
the property is located, in lieu of advertising
in the gazette in which the county advertising
was done, as required by section 2518 and 19.
Section 11.*9, which abolished the offences of
Eore.ilailing. Regrating and Engrossing, is re
pealed: and those offences as they exist at com
mon law. revive! and adopted. Persons guilty
of these offences are punishable by t he Superior
and Corporation Courts by tine, not exceeding
the value of the goods forestalled, fee,, and im-
prisonment. Forestalling is defined to be every
practice or device, by act, conspiracy, words or
news to enhance Ihe price of vioiuale, other
provisions and merchandise.” Anil regrating
is defined by the same authority, in the same
words. 3d lVmv. Just. 196, Bae. Ab. h., and
Russ. Or. 169. Any practice, by any of tho
incans mentioned, which lias a tendency to en
hance prices, such as "spreading false rumors;”
“buying things iu market before luarketdiours;’’
(Bouv. Dio.) or “ buying and selling again in
the same market, or within four miles of the
place; or buying or contracting for articles on
the way to market; or dissuading persons from
carrying goods or provisions there; or persuad
ing them to advance toe price when there.”—
(111. Com., Vo'. 3. 128,) and chine within tho de
finitions of forestalling and regrating.
Engrossing is “getting into one’s possession
or buying up largo quantities of corn or other
dead victuals with intent to sell them again,”
(81. Coni. vol. Ith, 158,) the word market does
not necessarily moan market bouse. The term
certainly embraces, in its meaning, the entire
limits of the cify. Here then wo have a law,
which, if properly enforced, will shield tho
consumer against accumulated profits, and put
an end to unlawful speculation.
After the firstSday of June next, all persons
over 21 yoaijt of age, who are not physically
or mentally unable, a*e liable to serve on ju
ries, except piaclising"attoineys. By the Code,
persons over (iff ye is of age were not liable to
jury duly, and others were exempted fiom va
rious causes. .
Amendment, to section 611, regarding Rail
road companies and contractors to pay tho
road overseer $2 50 per day for tlie exemption
of each hand from road duty, instead of $1 Off,
as heretofore inquired.
Section 633, which exempted road commis
sioners from “jury, patrol, militia, and other
road duty,” is repealed.
Section 2287, which prohibited the creation
of trust estates “for any male person of sound
mind,” is repealed.
The evidence of a charter of a private manu
facturing company, l y section 1930 of the code,
consisted of a copy of the declaration and affi
davit, with the addition of the time and man
ner of publication, by (lie clerk. Tlie amend
ment makes an order of Court essential; and
the evidence of tlie charter now is a certified
copy of the declaialion, affidavit, certificate of
publication and order of Court. (
Persons violating section 1855, which is in
tho following words; “Tlie owner should keep
his slave oi his own premise or within his
o a’ji premises or within his control. He must
not permit him to labor or contract business
for himself, except upon holidays, or upon his
own premises. Nor shall any slave be. permit
ted to hire or rent any house,, room, store or
land, on his own account or that of another
slave,’’ —are subject to lino at the discretion of
tiio Court. This amendment does not say
wlnaw* in., liuo riiall he re,— l -y -;, ;i
action, or approved on conviction upon indict
ment? It may he inoperative because of tho
failuie to specify the remedy, This section is
not among the penal laws, End the amendment
’s therefore open to construction.
Sec. 3, which provides that all acts passed
by the General Assembly, unless specially pro
vide,] for otherwise in the acts, shall take effect
and be obligatory only from the first day of
July next, succeeding the date of their passage,
and section 12, which provides that the repeal
of a repealing act, shall not be construed to re
vive the former act, unless such appears mani
festly to have been the intention of the Gen
eral Assembly—are repealed,
Deeds are now admitted to record with tho
attestation of a Notary Public in writing and
without his (Sticial. This, amendment also
prescribes thocatlis of Notaries Public.
Loss ok tub Steamer Virginia Dare.—Tlic
Charleston Courier gives the annexed account
of the loss of the new blockade steamer Vir
ginia Dave:
The now iron steamer Virginia Dare, Captain
Skinner, from Bermuda, in attempting to run
the blockade.at Wilmington, about 5 o’clock
on tlie morning of the 71b hot., was discovered
by two of the blockading squadron, who im
mediately gave chase. The Dare van down the
coast hotly pursued by the Yankees, throwing
shells every few minutes, until, on approaching
Georgetown, about 2 I’. M.. the blockading
steamer off that port threw herself directly iu
her path, and also commenced firing. Capt.
Skinner thereupon turned his vessel’s bow to
tlie shore, and ran her on the beach about six
miles from Georgetown—the passengers, offi
cers arid crew escaping in the boats. Two
launches were sent from the Yankee steamers
to take possession of the Dare, but one of them
was swamped in the su:f and three of her crew
were drowned. The other one succeeded iu
boarding the vessel, and after remaining on
Ijoard for-a short time landed on the beach,
where they had been lmt a few minutes when
they were surrounded by a detachment of our
•cavalry, and the entire party, consisting of a
Lieutenant, a snboidinate officer aud twenty
four seamen. made prisoners.
The three Yankee stcamcis then commenced
shelling most furiously, and succeeded in set
ting the I tare on fire, imL the tide being out, the
Confederates boarded he.i and extinguished the
flames. Next morning the" baffled pursuers
again vented their impotent spite by throwing
shells, which was continued, without doing any
damage, until the evening, when they with
drew, completely baffled in their designs, and
with the loss of a considerable portion of their
crews and two tine launches, which are in our
possession.
Capt Skinner deserves much credit for the
courage and seamanship in eluding his pursu
ers. During tlie chase of nine hours upward of
a hundred shells were thrown at his vessel*
many of which passed over her, and five passed
between the steam funnels.
The Dare bad an assorted cargo, which is now
being landed on the beach, anil will he nearly
all saved in good condition.
The Indian Territory. —Reports to Congress
of our Indian service are very interesting. A
letter from Stand Watie, principal chief of tho
Chorokees, represents tho terrible sufferings of
tho loyal portion of lids people, who seceded at
the time of the John Ross faction and declared
in favor of the Ccnfederacy. He says
nearly every able, bodied man among the Chera
okees is doing service in the army, in a major
ity of instances, their families have been rob
bed of everything, leaving them utterly desti
tute, ana only too glad to escape with their
lives; they are scattered over the Creek and.
Choctaw nations and in the State of Texas; a
census will soon be made cut of their numbers,
it will probably not fall short of six thousand.
It is proposed to colonize tin so families at some
point convenient to Uie provision market of
Texas. Home arrangement will here to be
made to provide them with shelters and elotli
j„‘, The Cheibkees have, by 'an ordinance re
cently adopted by their convention, undertaken
to provide for their own destitute people, and
their agents appointed for this purpose can ac
complish but little good without money.
- In view of all the circumstances which have
surrounded the Indians during the war, especi
ally the Choctaws, Chickasavvs, Cherokees,
Cracks and Seminoles, that so many reverses
have heretofore attended their efforts to defend
their country; that a large portion of it lias
been overrun; that th- ir troops have been ir
legularly paid and badly clothed; ami that the
Yankees have plied them with every tempta
tion, the attachment manifested by then*, de
spite of these distractions, for the Confederate
Government is indeed remaikable and admira
ble. —-Richmond Ejcvnintr.