The Marietta semi-weekly advocate. (Marietta, Georgia) 1861-????, May 07, 1861, Image 2
Early in Ar»ril the attention of the whole
country, as well a* that of the Commissioners,
was attracted to extraordinary preparations
for an extensive military and naval expedi
tion in New York and other Northern ports.
These preparations, commenced m se< resy,
fr an expedition whose destination was con
cealed, only became known when nearly com
pleted, and on the sth, Gtb and 7th of April,
transports and vessels of war, with troops,
munitions and military supplies, sailed from
Northern ports bound southward. Alarmed
by so extraordinary a demonstration, the
Commissioners requested the delivery of an
answer to their cflleitil communication of the
twelfth of March, and thereupon received on
the eighth of April, a reply dated < n the fif
teenth of the previous month, from which it
appears that, during the whole interval,
•whilst the Commissioners were receiving as
surances, calculated to inspire hope <f the
success of their mission, the Secretary of
State and the President ofthe United States
had already determined to hold no intercourse
with them whatever ; to retu-e even to listen
to any proposals they hal td make, and had
profited by the delay created by their own
assurances in order to prepare secretly the
means f>r effective hostile operations.
That these assurances were given, has been
virtually c nfe-sed by the Government of the
United States by its sending a mes-enger to
Charleston, to give notice of its purpt sc, to
use force, if opposed in its intention of sup
plying Fort Sumter. No mote striking proof
Xjf the absence of good faith in the conduct
of the G >vernment of the United States to
wards this Confederacy can be required than
is contained in the circumstances which ac
companied this notice. According to the
usual course of navigation, the vcsseiS com
posing tiic expelit’on designed for the relief
of Fort Sumter, might be expected to reach
Charleston harbor on the 9th of April, jet
with our Comtnb stoners actually in V\ ash
ington, detained under assurances that notice
ishould be given of any military movement,
the notice was n>t addressed to them, but a
messenger was sent to Charleston to give the
notice to the Governor of South Carolina, and
the notice was so given at a late hour, on the
Bth < f April, the eve ofthe very day on which
the fleet might bo expected to arrive. That
this maneuver failed in its purpose was not
the fault of those who contrived it.
A heavy tempest delayed the arrival of the
expedition-, and gave time to the commander
of our force; at Charlesion to ask and receive
the instructions of this Government. Even
then, under all the provocation incident to
the contemptuous refusal to listen to our
Commissioners, and the tortuous course of the
Government of the United States, 1 was sin
cerely anxious to avoid chusion of blood,
and directed a proposal to bo made to the
commander ot Fort Sumter, who ha 1 avowed
himself to Lc nearly oit of provisions, that
we would abstain from directing our fire on
Fm t Sum er if he would promise not to open
fire on our forces uni. bs first al tacked. 1 his
propi ual was refused, and the couglusion was
reached, thul the design o! the Unite I States
was to place the b s ieging force at Charleston
between the simultaneou-. fire 01 the fleet and
fort. There remained, therefore, no alterna
tixe hut to direct that the fort should at once
be ieduced.
This oidi r wa> execute 1 by General Beau
regard, with the skill and success which were
naturally to be expected from the well known
character ol that gallant officer; and although
the bombardment lasted but thirty-three *
hours our 11 tg did not wave over its battered
walls, until after-flic appearance of the hostile ,
fleet oil'Charleston. Fortunately not a life:
was lost on our bi le, and we were gratified
in being spared the nece-sity of a useless ,
effusion of blood by the prudent caution of
the < ffi ers who ci mman led the fleet, in a' -
staining from the e'idently futile effort to en
ter the harbor fi r the relief of Major Ander
ton. I refer to the rep rt ot the Secretary
of War and the p pern which accompany it
for further details ot tins brilliant ass >ir.
In this connection 1 cannot re.rain tram n
Well-deservi d tribute to the t o le S He, the
eminent soldierly qu dities of wloe pci.:-
wore so eonspicu'ti-ly di-plajed in the j >rt
of Charleston. For months they hal bee
irritated bj the spectacle of a ! rtress he d
within their principal harbor, a- a s a' ling
menace against their peace and io lepe ulence.
Built in part with their w.i nt in y, its oust -
dy was confided, with their own vo .--e.it to an
agent wh > held n > p war over t iem otli- r
than st.c't sis they ha ! I'ti’tiU fives -Icb'g bed
for their own bemti . intended to be used by
that agent far tkvir own pro ecti n against
foreign attack, they saw it fie ! with pci-is
tent tenacity as aments .f iff ice t i cst
them bv the very g-ver ; meat w.ii.-hthey ha I
CSiablishe If >r tl.eir ova pr- recti hi. 1m y
had bole gred it fi r mmtl s—felt entire
confidence in their power to capture it—jet
yielded to the icquin incut’. < f <•i-vipi. e,
curbed their im; itiemc. subm.tt 1 w.th >ut
complaint to the in tiecustomed hardsli )8,
labors and privations of apr > >a ted siege;
and when at length their | atleitcv was re
warded by the s gaol f-r a’ta *k, and s.i ■ re-s
had crowned their steady and ga tatit cn
duet—-even in the very moment of triumph—
they evince 1 a ehivalr us regard f r the f. cl
ings of the leave bitt ui.t »rtut ate officer wl ■ >
had been c mpe’del to lower ins dig. All
n-.a ■.f suit- ns ot exult.ni n ae.e ebe... d in
his presence.
Their Commanding G v neral ,w.h t’. e r e r
d33* pr >va. and tie < sa tof his _ -vcc’a
jnent. retained tr ui imp »i »g a y twin*
ti at c n d won d the -e isiti nt ot i u- C-n..«
numder .fti e f rt. 11* w.i- permute Ito re
tirw with the hcuor» ' war, t•• -a.ute s fi«g,
to de. Art t.-e dy W.-.1 ad h.- c u.i .i. a 1
csKorud to uiv vcjo.i in winea hsj etn-
S»-MS3O^X^ 1 UV r 3®XB3E3C.3Cji' 1 5?’' j^^JC^X? r C^CZ!-Z^ lf 3(? 1 3E5.*
harked, with the highest marks of respect
from those against whom his guns had been
so recently directed. Not only does every
event connected with the siege reflect the
highest h nor on South Carolina, but the for
bearance of her people, and of this Govern
ment from making any harsh use of a victory
obtained under circumstances cf such pecu
liar provocation, attest to the fullest extent
the absence of any purpose beyond securing
their owu tranquility, and the sincere desire
to avoid the calamities of war.
Scarcely had the President of the United
States received intelligence of the failure of
the schemes which he had devised for the re
inforcement of Fort Sumter, when he issued
the declaration of war against the Confedera
cy, which has prompted me to convoke you.
In this extraordinary production, that high
functionary affects total ignorance of the ex
istent e of an Independent Government, which
possess rig the entire and enthusiastic devo
tion of its people, is exercising its functions
without question over seven sovereign States
—over more than five millions of people, and
over a territory whoso area exceeds halt a
million of square miles. He terms s.>veregin
States “ combinations, too powerful to be sup
pressed by the ordinarv course of judicial
proceedings, or by’the powers vested in the
marshals by law.” He calls for an army of
seventy-five thousand men to act as a posse
comitatus in aid of tl.e process rd the courts
of justice in States where no courts exist,
whose mandates and decrees aren it cheerful
ly obeyed and respected by a willing pc >ple.
lie avows that the <u first service to be assign
ed to the forces called out,'’ will be, not to ex
ecute the process of the courts, but to capture
forts and strong holds situated within the ad
mitted limits of this Confederacy, and garri
soned by its troops ; and declares that “ this
effort” is intended “ to maintain the perpe'u
ityof popular government.” He concludes
by commanding “ the persons composing the
combi: ations aforesaid,” to wit: the five mil
lions of inhabitants of these States, “to retire
peaceably to their respective baodes within
twenty days.”
Apparently contradictory as are the terms
of this singular document, one point was un
mistakably evident. The President of the
I’uited States called for an army of seventy
live thousand men, whose fh'st service was to
be to capture our forts. It was a plain decla
ration of war which I was not at liberty to
disregard, because of my knowledge that un
der the Constitution of the United States the
President was usurping a power granted ex
clusively to the Congress. He is the sole or
gan of communication between that country’
and foreign powers. The law of nations did
not permit me to question the authority of the
Executive of a foreign nation to declare war
against this Confederacy. Although 1 might
have refrained from taking active measures
for our defence, if the States ofthe Union
hud till imihitod the action of Virginia, North
Cai olina, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and
Missouri, by denouncing the call for troops
unconstitutional usurpation of
power to which they refused to respon 1, I
was not at liberty to disregard the fact that
many of the States seemc I ipiite content to
submit to the exercise of the power assumed
by the President of the United States, and
were actively engaged in levying troops to be
used fir the purpose indicated in the procla
mation.
Deprived of the aid of Congress at the mo
ment, I was under the necessity of confining
my action to a call on the States for volun
teers for the common defence, in accordance
with the authority you had conli 1 ■ I to me
before your adjournment. 4 deetne lit prop
er further to issue a proolamati >n invitin
applications from persons disposed to aid our
d-'ence in private armed vessels on the
high seas, to the er d that preparations might
be m i le for the immediate of letters of
m nque ami reprisal, which you alone, under
the Constitution, have power to grant. I en
tertain n > d aht you will e incur with m-' in
the opinion that in the absence of a fleet of
public vessels, it wdl be eminently expedient
to supply their place by priv ite armed vessels
s.» happily styled by the publicists of the I ni
te 1 S ares " the militia of the seas," an 1 so
often and justly relie 1 on by them ns an effi
cient an 1 admirable instrument id defensive
warfare. 1 earnestly rec tumen 1 the immedi
ate passage of a law authorizing me to accept
tin numerous proposals already received.
I cannot close this review of the aetsid t ie
g .vornment of the United States without re
t : rin>- to a proclamation issued by t ier
President under date of the l‘?:h ins*, in
which after declaring that an insurrection has
broken cut in this cmdeleraey agiinst the
2;>vernm<nt of th? Unite I Stites, he an
nounces a blockade of all the p >ns of these
State . and tare reus to pnnis t a pT.rei ;dl
persms who shall in dost any ve-sel Oi ta
Unite I States uil *r letters of m v pi' is •m? i
bv this (» ivern umt. N itwithstaiid ng the
aiithenti-ity of this pro>l imati m. you will
concur with mJ th it it is hard to befieve it
c.ml I have em mate I fr »m a Pre-ide it of th *
United States. Its a mou i?e n at o! am’r?
paper bloekade.is smn.inifestiv a violation of
tho law of nations that it would seem in
credible that it could have been issue I by
auth uity—’ Ut cone ' ling this t » b«‘ the ease
t».> far as t’.e Executive is concerned, it will
l»e diffimlt to satisfy the people of these
S’iites -.hat their late coni-, lerates will sanc
tion its declnr.r ms. wdl determine to ignore
too usigts vs eitilise l nations, an I will in
augurate a war of extet miu ui n on both
si :es, bv trvati g as pirates, open enemies
a ting un ler the authority of c mini ns
Usued by an organ z• 1 government. If such
p. lam.iti a u - issued, it evii'd only have
b ea published Ua ler the sudden influence
of j m, and we may rest assured mankind
will be spared the horrors of the conflict it
Fcems to invite.
For the details of the administration of
the different departments, I refer to the re
ports of the Secretaries which accompany
this message.
The State 'Department has furnished the
necessary instructions for three Commission
ers who have been sent to England, France,
Russia, and Belgium since your adjournment,
to ask our recognition as a member of the
family of nations, and to make with each of
those powers treaties of amity and com
inerce. Further steps will be taken to enter
into like negotiations with the other Europe
an powers in pursuance of your resolutions
passed at ‘the last session. Sufficient time
has not yet elapsed since the departure of
these Commissioners for the receipt of any
intelligence from them. As I deem it desir
able that Commissioners or other diplomatic
agents should also be sent at an early period
to the independent American powers S >u h
of our Confederacy, with all of whom it is
our interest and earnest wish to maintain the
most cor lial and friendly relations, I sugsest
the expediency of making the necessary ap
propriations for that purpose.
Having been officially notified by the pub
lic authorities of the State of Virginia that
she had withdrawn from the Union, amide
sired to maintain the closest political relations
with U 3 which it was possible at this time to
establish, I commissioned the IL>n. Alexan
der 11. Stephens, Vice President of the Con
federate States, to represent this government
at Richmond. lam happy to inform you
that he has concluded a convention with the
State of Virginia, by which that honored
commonwealth, so long and justly distin
guished among her sister State-, and so dear
to the hearts of thousands of her children in
the Confederate States, has united her power
and ner fortunes with ours, and become one
of ns. This convention, together with the
ordinance of Virginia, adopting the provis
ional constitution of the Confederacy, will be
laid before you for your constitutional action.
I have satisfactory assurances from other of
our late confederates that they are on the
point of adopting similar measures, and I
cannot doubt that ere you have been many
weeks in session, the whole of the slavehold
ing States of the late Union, will respond to
the call of honor and affection, and by uni
ting their fortunes with ours, promote our
common interests, and secure our common
safety.
In the Treasury Department, regulations
have been devised and put into execution for
carrying out the policy indicated in your
legislation on the subject of the navigation of
the Mississippi river, as well as for tiie Col
lection of revenue on the frontier. Free
t ansit has been secured for vessels and mer
chandise passing through the Considerate
States; and delay and inemvenienco have
been avoided as far as possible in organi
zing the revenue service fi r the vari >us rail
ways entering our territory. As fast as ex
perience shall indicate tl.e possibility oi im
provement in these regulations, no effort will
•be spared to free commerce from all unnec
essarv embarrassments and obstructions.
Under your act, authorizing a loan, propo
sals were issued inviting subscriptions for
five millions of dolla.s. and the i till was an
swered by the prompt sfibscrip.ion of more
than eight millions by our own citizens, and
not a single bid was made under par. The
rapid development of the purpose of the
President of the United States to invade our
soil, capture our forts, blockade our ports,
and wage war against us, induced me to di
rect that the entire subscription shoul 1 be
accepted. It will now become ne e-sary to
raise means to a much larger amount to de
fray the expenses ol maintaining our inde
pendence and repelling invasion. I invite
voitr s|>eeial attention to this subject, and the
financial c nv 1 itioii of the Government, x?itn
the suggestion of Ways and means for the
supply <>f the Treasury, will be presented to
y. 11 in a separate c >nimut.it allou.
To the De part met it of J u-tice j on have e >n
fi led not only the organization an 1 supervis
ion of all matters connected with the courts
of j istive. but n's > those coni.eeted with
patents and with the bureau of public print
ing.
Since your a Ijournment all the courts, with
the exception of th Be of Mississippi and
Tex as, have been organized by the a; points
ment < f Marshals and D -trict Ait ric js. and
are n'W prepare I for the ix res? of ti.cir
functions.
In the two State’just name 1, the gentlemen
Confirmed as judges dt cline 1 to a’Cept the
appointment, at d t o i ominnti i.s have yet
been made to fill the v icincies. I refer you
to tl.o rep rt of the Att -rney General, and
concur in his recminicndati m f>r immediate
1< gisl.ition. e-pec al y on the subject of patent
rights. Eirly pr .vision sit id ibe made to
secure to the subjects of foreign irnti..in the
full enjoyment of their property in valuable
inventions, and to extend t > our < wn cit z i *?
protection, not .nly for their own inv t nti-ms. |
but for such as miy have been as-'gi.e,’ ;
them,or hereafter be assigned by persons not
alien enemies.
The patent office l.usincss i« much m re
extensive an 1 imp r an’ than hal been an
ticipate.!. Theapplicati ns f. r patents, al
lh ugh confine 1 under the law exclusively t,. ,
citizens of our confe l-ra< y. already average
seventy per reontli, showing the necessity
for the prompt organizati n of a bureau ol j
patents.
The Secretary of W .r, in his report and
panting d ' fey® full inf r-
nnteer. a 1 pr o i-i mal—ra s.-d ar. 1 called
for under the several d ts • f Congress, their
Qrgon .7--:ion and distribution. Also, an ac- j
count, ot the expenditures a.ready made, and ‘
the further estimates .or the fiscal year end
ing on the 184 i Fein uary, 1862, rendered
necessary by recent events. 1 refer to his
report also, for a lull history of the occur
rences in Charleston harbor, prior to ami in
cluding the bombardment and reduction of
Fort Sumter, and ofthe measures subse
quently taken for the common defence, on re
ceiving intelligence of the declaration of war
against us made by the President of the Uni
ted States.
There are now in the field at Charleston,
Pens; cola. Forts Morgan, Jackson, St. Philip
and Pulaski, nineteen thousand men, and
sixteen thousand are now en route for Vir
ginia. It is proposed to organize and hold in
readiness for instant action, in view of the
present exigencies of the country, an army
ot one hundred thousand men. If further
force shou d be needed the wisdom and pat
riotism of Congress will be confidently ap
pealed to for authority to call into the field
additional numbers of our noble spirited vol
unteers, who are constantly tendering service
far in excess of our wants.
The operations of the Navy Department
have been necessarily restricted by the fact
‘that sufficient time has not vet e.apsed for the
purchase or construction of more than a
limited number of vessels adapted to the
public service. Two vessels pure ased, have
been named the ‘‘Sumter” and “ Macree,’,
and are’jow being j»epared for sea at New
Orleans with all possible despatch. Con
tracts have also been made at that city with
two different establishments for the casting
j of ordnance, cannon shot and shell, with the
view to encourage the manufacture sf these
articles so indispensable fir our defence, at
as many points within our territories as p s
sible.
I call your attention to the recommendation
of the Secretary for the establishment of a
magazine and laboratory for preparation of
ordinance stores and the necessary appropria
tion for that purpose. Hitherto such stores
have usually been prepared at the navy yards,
and no appropriation was made at your last
session for this object.
The Secretary also calls attention to the
fact that no provision lifts been made for the
payment of invalid pensions to our own citi
zens. Many of these persons are advanced
in life, they have no means of support, and
by the secession of these States have been de
prived of their elaim against the Government
of the United Stages. I recommend the ap
propriation of the sum necessary to pay these
pensioners, as well as those of the army,
whose claims can scarcely exceed seventy
thousand dollars per annum.
The Post Master General has already suc
ceeded in organizing his department to such
an extent as to be in readiness to assume the
direction of our postal affairs on the occur
ance of the contingency contemplated by the
Act of 15th March. 1861. or oven b 00...-. ;r
desired by Congress. The various books and
circulars have been prepared and measures
taken to secure supplies cf blanks, postage
stamps, stamped envelopes,mail bags, 1 >cks,
keys etc. lie presents a detailed clas<ifiea
tiou and arrangement of bis clerical force, ami
asks for its increase. An auditor of the
treasury for this department is necessary and
a plan is submitted for the organization of his
bureau. The great number ami magnitude
>f the accounts of this department, require
increase ol cleri al force in the accouri ing
branch in the Treasury. The revenues of
this department are collected and disbursed
in modes peculiar to itself, and require a spe
cial bureau to secure a proper accountability
in the administration of finances.
I call your attention to the additi mal legis
lation required f.r this Department, to the
recomraeiidatioTi for changes in the law fix
ing the rates of pes‘axe on newspapers, peri
0 licals, and scaled packages of certain kinds,
and specially to the recommendation of the
Secretarv, in which I concur, that you pro
vide at once for the assumption by him ol the
c mtrol of our entire poa'a! service.
In th'- military orgmization of the States,
I rovision is ma le for Briga lier and Mujor
Generals, but in the a m. of the C nfel-nate
Stales, the highest gra le is th it ot Brigade r
Ge eral. Il -nee it will n > douLt somet.ines
occur that where tr-ops of the Uouf d -raey
do duty with the militia, the G -neral selected
for the command, ami po-sos.-c 1 of the view
a 1 purposes of th’s Government, will b:>u
perseded bv an offi -er of the militia not h iv
ing the same alvautages. To avoid this
e ntingem-y in the least objectionable man
ner, I reeo.nmr-nd that additional rank b -
given t > the Gen. of the C mfcderate army, and
i- ncurring in the policy of having but one
gTo'ie of Generals in the army of the Confe 1- !
eracy. I recommend that the law of its organ- !
iz ition be amended, so that the grade be
that of General.
To secure nth rough military education,
itisdecmcl essential that officers shoul 1
enter upon the stu Iv of the pr .session at
an carlv period oi hi -, and have co* nent i"y
it.struction in a mditary d-IiOj!. Umil so. h
echo I siia 1 beestablis iel, .t is rec mmen b-1
that cadets be appo ute 1 and attached to
companies until they shall have attainei the
age and have acquired the knowledge to fit '
them f r th? duties of lieutenants.
I also call v ur attent ou to an omission in
the law organ zing the army, in re! iti m to
military chaplains, and recommend that pro- !
vision be made for their app fintment.
In conclueion. I congratulate you on the
fact that in every portion of our country,
there has been exhibited the ra -t patriotic
devotion t> mtre >mm n cause. Transporta
ti n <•< in; antes have freely tendered the use ,
of their lines f>r tro-ps and supplies. Th*
Presidents of the railroads of the Confe ler
acy, tn company with others who control j
i lines of communication with States that we
hope soon to greet as sisters, assembled in
Convention in this city,and not, only reduced
largely the rates heretofore demanded sot
mail service, and conveyance of troops and
munitions, but voluntarily proffered to re
ceive their compensation at these reduced
rates bonds of the Confederacy, for the
purpose of leaving all ihb pest urces of the
Government at its disposal for the common
defence. Requisitions fox troops have been
met with such alacrity that the number ten
dering their services have, in every instance,
greatly exceeded the demand.
Men of the highest official and social posi
tion are serving as volunteers in the rank-'.
The g avity of age, and the zeal of yonth.
rival each other in the desire to be foremost
for the public defence; and th High at no
other point than the one heretofore noticed,
have they been stimulated by the excitement
incident to actual engagement, and the hope
of distinction for individual achievements,
they have borne what fir new troops is the
most severe ordeal, patient toil and constant
vigil, and all the exposure and discomfort
of active service, with a resolution and forti
tude such as to command approbation and
justify the highest expectation of their con
duct when active valor .-hall be required in
place of s+eady endurance.
A people thus united and resolved, cannot
shrink from any sacrifice which they may be
I called on to make, nor can tliere he a reason
able doubt of their final success, however
long and severe may be the test of their de
termination to maintain their birthright of
freedom and equality, as a trust which it is
their duty to undiminished to their
posterity.
A bounteous Providence cheers Us with the
promise of abundant crops. The fields of
grain, which will, within a few weeks, be
ready f>r the sickle, give assurance of the
amplest supply of fund for man, whilst the
• corn, cotton, and other Staple productions of
i our s .il,aff >rd abundant proof that up to this
period the season has been propitious.
We feel that our cause is just and holy
we protest solemnly in the face of mankind
that we desire peace at any sacrifice,save that
of honor and in ependence ; we seek no con
quest, no aggrandizement, no concession of
any kind from the States with which wo were
lately confederated; all we ask is to be let
alone, that those who never held power over
us, shall not now attempt our subjugation by
arm' s . This we will, this we must resist to the
direst extremity. The moment that this pre
tension is abandoned, the sword will drop
from our grasp, and we shall be ready to
enter into treaties of amity and commerce
that cannot but be mutually beneficial. So
long as this pretension is maintained, with a
firm reliance on that Divine Power which
covers with its protection the just cause, we
will continue to struggle for our inherent
to Pvoo.l 'pnnJnnnn qv u l )V-
ernment.
Jefferson Davis.
Montgomery, April 29. 1861.
From tho Southern Federal Union.
COMMUNICATED.
Nomination for Governor.
Messrs. Edit rs: Permit me through
your columns, to suggest a m >de of making a
nomination for our next Governor. It is
thi<: Lot every voter at the election to ho
held the first Tuesday in July next, on the
adoption or rejection of the State Constitu
; tion, endorse on his ticket the name of the
person who is his choice for Governor, with
i the understanding that the two receiving the
j highest number of votes, shall be taken in
■ the 0 -tober election, as the people’s candi
j dates for Governor.
This plan, if carried out, would have a good
effect, in many ways. In tho first place, it
would insure ft fufr expression of the popu
lar will ; a result which, by tho ol 1 conven
tion, or caucus mode of nominating, was
seldom obtained. Tn the next place, it
would have no tendency to hnrroft- tip dead
Gmios, or "I l party animosities ; but would
leave the pe >ple, as they now are, undisturb
ed by p flitie d strife among thein«°lvO', ar d
United as one man. against a conun >n foe.—
Harmony of political sentiment among our
selves. just now, is bar lly '•eeottdary, in im
portance. to any other consideration.
W hen two candidates s'lall have 1 een se
1-ete I in this wav, their names should tro be
fore the people in a quiet way. without any
canva-sing by either or by their re«pecti’ e
friends. L-t superior qualifications, fitness
f»r the high tru t, be the only criterion for
choosing between them. For on’, I wish to
ignore the ol I partizan sophism of “claims”
—that this or that p •lltical weather-cock has
i r’oiois up-n the public for office. I recog
ni-<- no sii'-h principle. No man lias claims
on the pu lie for official preferment. The
i public may have cbiims upon the citizen
and a right to call him t > oc-upy places of
pitb'ie trust: in other words, the people may
He-tow the offi e upon the citizen, but the
eit'zen cannot, bv litth f or through h:s
friend -1 , the offi -e <7 <
I appreheml. Messrs. E litor j , that this plan
of nominating f >r G »veru »r, wdl be distaste
ful to none but those asp rants for the Gub
ernatorial chair, who, imagining they have
• •* claims” to the offi e. ar', afr ail of the p o
ple. Bat what say you of the plan ?
HARMONY.
New Flour—Fl-ur tnanufae’ured from
Texas Wheat, of this year's growth, has been
received at Gilv-st-m. Twenty* days from
da’e we expect to have new fl >ur from Geor
gia wheat.— Sivannah Neirs.
.....
A military company composed of na
tive Kentuckians has been formed at New
( Orleans.
Frid iv AlinATiiy 10.
Tennessee.
The Legislature of Tennessee has ordered
fifty five thousand troops to be raised and
has appropriated five millions of dollars for tho
cause of the Confederate States.
Still they Come.
In addition to the list of 214 Volunteer
Companies in Georgia to be found in our pa
per, says the Southern Recorder, there have
been forty-nine companies formed, and to
which commissions have been issued by the
Governor, within the last thirty days, ma
king 263 companies ready for the field— a
force of not less than 18,000 vigorous men,
now anxiously awaiting orders to strike tho
common foe. There can be 50,000 more rais
ed in less than a month, should the exigen
cies of the service demand this contribution
from Georgia.
££'fr*Tlle Adminis ration called seventy
five thousand men into the field, not to defend
Washington, but to retake the property of
the United State in the limits of the Confed
erate States. Up to this time the agents of
the Goverment themselves have destroyed by
burning and otherwise public property worth
at least ten millions of dollars, at Norfolk-,
Harper’s Ferry, &c.
Meeting ofthe Home Guards
Marietta, Tuesday, April 30, 1861.
Ata meeting of the dome Guards of the
City of Marietta, this day at 4 o,clock, P. M.
The meeting being called to order by the
Chairman.
On motion of E. T. Hudson, the chair ap
pointed a Committee of five consisting of
E. T. Hudson, Col. John Hill, John G. Camp
bell, V. 11. Manget and John S. Wright, to
draft rules, by-laws, regulations, &c„ and to
appoint a day for the election of officers to
organize the said company, &e. It was on
motion also, of E. T. Hudson, that Samuel
Lawrence was added to the above committee.
When it was.
Resolved, That each should earnestly urge
and invoke a full attendance of the meetings
in future by the members as well as all others
friendly to the cause.
The meeting was then, on motion of Mr.
Carroll, adjourned until Tuesday the 7th May,
4 o’clock, p. rn., next.
SAMUEL LAWRENCE, Prcs’t
W. W. Carroll, Secretary.
Public Mectinj;.
Friday Ev’ng, May 3d. 1861.
Recording to previous notice, a respectable
number of citizens of tho neighborhood met
at Noonday Church, and organized by calling
E. C. Harris, I'Dq., to the Chair, and request
ing Mr. B. F Latimer, to act as Secretary.—.
by tho Chair, to be to raise a company of
“ Homo-Guards” that they may be drilled and
ready for any emergency.
A motion was made and carried, to enroll
the names of those who wish to join the
company. Major George Miller, about eigh
ty years old, headed the list, together with
many of our oldest and best citizens, to-wit;
Hartwell Jones, Maj. L. A. Brooks, Thomas
Fowler, John Allen, Isaac Boring, William
Groshatn and man j others to the niiniber of
sixty-foiir. The company was organized by
being divided into four squads for the pur
pose of drilling, and the following officers
were appointed : George Roberts, Instructor;
Reuben Latim r, Captain; W. A. Austin,
Ist Lieutenant; John Durham, 2d L entenant;
W. S. Robinson, Ensign ; Isaac Boring, Or
derly Sergeant, and A. A. Winn, Clerk.
After the meeting adjourned, it was pro
posed by A. A. Winn, one of tho Central
Committee, that those who wished to con
tribute to the provisional county fund, could
! now do so, when in a few minutes $650 was
i subscribed for that piirp/ se.
E. C. H ARRIS, Chairman.
B. F. Latimer, reefetary.
Treachery in the Navy Yard.— A day or two
since it wa -5 diseoier<*d that ■* largoquantity of
bomb-shells, which the Ordance Department,
his boon eng ago 1 in mimifa Muring for some
time past, ha l been fi led with a mixture of
sand and sawdust. It is suposed to have
been db ie t>y Win. Thompson, a pyrotech
nist, who left the yard a few days since and
enlisted in the S >uthern army. A man named
Ludwig, keeper ofthe magazine at tho Navy
Yard, al-o lift the city a few days since to
j 'in the Southern army, and is also suppoeed
to know something concerns'ig the matter.
[A'ot/7<z/aZ Intelliyi nccr.
Condition o f Washington. A Washington
letter H iv--: “ The condition of Washington
financially is terrible. Notes of the city
banks cannot be pass' d except at a discount
< f from twenty to twenty-five per cent. The
stores are all being closed, and life is now the
only con-id' ration, the all-absorbing topic.
Every possible means is being adopted f ,r the
departure of citizens. Business is entirely
sn-pended. Gold is at an immense premium.
The hotels will ail close by the early part of
next week. Every one is aux ms to fly, but
rnaHy have not the means to depart. Carri
ages are in great demand, the price being
more than m e dollar per mile. People for
merly rich are now bankrupt, and leave with
what they can. This is not th” case in Wash
ington al me. Parties fr >n» the S lUlhern States
are cotitinii illy passing though here to the
North, many it: private conveyance, rm st on
f .ot. The terrible inconveniences /.fcivil war
are being felt in earned.”— Alexandria Ga
»tie, 30th nt-
4