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8 O U T H K B ,'tsr. O o N F T? D B R A O Y -
0«U£tB (^auU&mty
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J. HBNLY SMITH,
EDITORS A»D PROP Birrs a*.
■• — „ smart* wiw
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA:
SUNDAY. APRIL 12. 1863.
C Banff* «* T«rm*.
'Ihe.m.abiu.eoBWWhfcnIt to u mach imporalble
to publish • n«ir»p*per previous rate* as It is to
in rliim pro?i«ion* md goods At old prices. There
ere only two alternetiTes-^to suspend, or edrence oor
tarma- Either w. know will tall heavier on our
natrons; but cannot be more regretted by them
thaaiu. But necessities »u*t be met a* such, and
we hare deeided,for the present, to advance rates and
continue publication as long a* circumstances will
justify; and leave our patrons to decide on thoir own
coura*. . .
Newspapers heretofore hare made such tmsll ad*
vincas, compared with all other ariefes,that the pres
ent increase win probably be cons dered extravagant*
but a moments reflection will show th-t the propor
tionate advance don not exceed that of any cotntnod
lty that can be bought; while the comparstive ad*
▼ance in all artlc es of prime necessity is much great
er tb«n that now proposed in the case of nowtpapers.
Alter the present issue, we will publish the dally at
•2 per month, or $6 lbr three months, which is the
longest period for which subscriptions will be receiv
ed. We will rrceire subscriptions lor the weekly at
>1 pet month, or >1 for three months, which Is the
longest tune lor which subsoript'oos will be received.
This limit on time of snbscr ptions will be a groat
meonrenleea alike to publishers snd subscribers, but
a* we do not wish to incur pro*pective liabilities with
out assurance that we will be able to discharge them,
we hare adopted what wr consider the safest policy
for both partive.
The supply and price of materia'* for the iranufac-
ture of paper, and the capacity of the mills hare not
been such as to supply previous demands, and now
the largest paper mill in the South hat been destroy
•d by fire. Under these circumstances It is not im
probably that papers will soon begin to suspend pub
lication.
We can only aerare our friends that it will afford ns
pleasure to return to old customs snd prices st the
earliest practicable day.
Editorial Correspondence.
MoitMsmu, Ga, April 8,1803.
Since my letter from Augusta,! have made flying
visits to Savannah and Columbus, and arrived here
last night at 11 o'clock.
Our railroads are generally located so a* to run
through the most sterile regions of the State. On this
account, a traveler has not a good opportunity to form
a correct judgment of the terming operations of the
country from observation. I however have seen but
one field plan tod In cotton in all mv travels. I find
that yesterday the House the second time defeated
the hill to restrict the planting of Cotton It will pro
bably be defeated in the Senate also. Thi* is perhaps
well. I have no doubt that with a favorable season
there will be more corn made than '•an be disposed of
or used inany way, except in making meat. I also
And that the farmers all over the Southern and mid
dle portions of Georgia, are generally planting bnt
email quantity of cotton -very' few planting aa muoh
as the three acres to the hand already allowed by law.
I repeat, our farmers have but to know their duty and
they will do It.
The deepest interest is everywhere manifested in
the contest now going on at Charleston. I was In Sa
vannah Sunday evening wnen the first despat-h%om
Gen. Beauregard announced the expected attack. It
was on last Wednesday, I believe, that a number of
transports of the Yankees came into Stono river, and
on Sunder four of their war vessels crossed the bar,
with a large number outside, It was than evident
that an attack was to be made, and at once reinforce
ments were called from Savannah.. Gen. Walker’s bri-
gad* went over between mldn'ght on Sunday night,
and daylight Monday morning, and I learn that oth
ers have followed.
. One regiment of State troops was attached to Walk
er's command, and wont over to Chsrletton. I learn
that one Captain in the regiment objected to going out
of theState, but the Colonel told him he could go to
Chari es ton or the barracks, as he chose. He went to
Charleston. II to proper to remark that both the
State regiments are now in the Confederate service,
paid and subsisted by the Confederate Government
and most likely will remain there the greater portion
of their term of service. They are no expense to
the State, and will not be while under Confederate
gto to cheerfully contribute her propottlon to tne sup
port of the war by taxation, and further resolving that
the Confederate Government has within its reach am
ple resources for conducting its foreign exchanges and
making foreign pnrclmses, in the article of cotton,and
rccommcndiug-that the obstacle to the delivery of this
article be removed by obtaining in Europe, advances
upon a pledge of the cotton, and then wing these ad
vances to procure a fleet with which to keep open at
least ona Confederate port. So much by way of pre
liminary.
When the subject came up this morning, Mr. Lester,
of Cobb, moved to am«nd the bill of the majority of
the committee by Inserting $200,000,000, the sum men
tioned by Congress in the above quoted section of the
currency act, instead of $5004>00/)00, and insert $23^55,'-
813 93-16-43, as Georgia's proportion instead of the pro
portion of $300,000,000 named in the bill. This was
carried. He also proposed a proviso as an amend
ment, that the bonds so indorsed should not be sold in
the Confederate States for less than $128 tor $100 of the
bonds, nor in Europe for less than $33 for$lOOofthe
On the meeting of the House this morning, “Cousin
John” called'up thefbill to i incorporate the Atlanta
and Roswell Railroad. This mad i* to ran from At
lanta to Boswell Factory—as far as possible, on the
route of the Air-Line road. It to an Important enter
prise, properly located looking to future Operations,
and I loam will soon be built. The bill was passed
unanimously.
Leave of absence was granted by wholesale to a
large number of members. This to an unfavorable
season for the Legislature to meet. Nearly every
member has pressing business elsewhere than at this
pent.
A resolution passed the House granting to the Hon-
David Irwin $3,000 compensation for reading proof; in
dexing, and supervising the publication of the new
code.
The special order of the day was taken up, which is
the p-oposiiion to indorse the bond* of the Confede.
rate States. It to a su-ject of the greatest magnitude
and Importance, and has excited more than nsual In
terest. The gallery of the House was crowded with
adies and gentlemen, anxious to witness the dlscns-
slen. Congress has already provided for this indorse
ment, no doubt under the influence of Mr.Memmiar
si's views. One section of the “currency bill" which
was published In the Oostxdsxaot immediately after
its passage, to as follows:
flee. 8. That the Secretary of the Treasoyy be au-
thoriaed to sell bonds hearing six per cent-interest per
annum, payable aa hereinbefore -directed at par for
Treasury notes issued since the first day of December,
1882, to such of the Confederate States as may detore
to purchase the same, or he may sell such bonds when
guaranteed by any of the States of the Confederacy
upon such plan as may be determined by the Secretary
of the Treasury, for Treasury notes upon *uch terms
as he may deem advisable to tne highestbiddder, and
not below par: Provided, however, that the whole of
such bonds shall not exceed 1200,000.000.
Ho doubt this plan of State Indorsement is fully
adopted by the Confederate Government If so, it
will account for tha tardiness or Congress in passing
the Tax and Assessment bills. I fear the Confederate
Government desires to worry along with this indorse
ment scheme, without levying a tax at «U. This, in
mjJudrmatLt, to but a temporising policy, which will
only involve ns in still more serious difficulties. This
measure if adopt- d, will not do more than bring tem
porary relict; if It does that. Ita good is only appar
ent and not real, and win aoon break down with a
gr rater crash than that which wa are sow approaching
Nothing but a heavy tat In some shape, levied and col-
tooted every year, can bring any p-rmunent relief.
The subject ml referred to a Joint committee of both
houses of the Legislature. The majority of this com
mittee reported in favor of this Indorsement, and
brought forward a bill to Indorse $500,000,000 of Con
federate bonds yet to be issued, confirming to the
South Carolina plan. - The bill makes it the duty of th*
Governor, when applied to by the Government of the
Confederate States, to indorse the guaranty of the State
of Georgia upon the bonds of the Confederate States
to the amount of $53,139,325 &s 8-43, being the propor
tionate share of the $500,000,000, according to our rep.
rtsertatlon fat the House of ~
Mtosauri and Kentucky out of the calcutatioa.
The minority of this committee recommended to
ConsTfis* to levy and collect such a tax -s will be nec-
••“T 7 malntainanee of the public credit and
for the public defense, without daisy: pledging <jeot-
Mr. Stephens, of Hancock, moved to amend Mr.
Lester's amendment, to rend so the bonds so Indorsed
should not be sold for Confederate Note* for loss than
$120 for $100; and when sold in a fora’gn market for
any other return or consideration, or for specie or ster
ling exchange it should be for not less than $85 for
$100. Mr. Lester accepted the amendment.
‘•Couain Join” hoped the House would vote down
the amendment.
Mr. Seh'ey, of Richmond,thought the indorsement
was proper If so, it was improper to put restrictions
or conditions upon It.
Mr. Black, of Floyd, moved to strike out the require
ment that the bonds should be sold for not less than
$120. He thought this condition was a slur and a stab
on the credit nf .the Confederate States. He was op
posed to Georgia sHtrng up her credit above that of the
General Government. It would have a bad effect
abroad, and not effect the sale of the bonds, which
would bring all they were worth In the market, any
way.
Mr. Schley moved to appoint an agent to see that
the bonds ind-med by the State we e properly disposed
o£ but withdrew it after some discussion.
Mr. Stephens moved an amendment that the indorse
ment be null and void whenever the Confederate Gov
ernment shall fefl or refuse to pay th* interest on tho
bonds so guaranteed.
Mr. Norwood, of Chatham, offered as a substitute for
Mr. Lester's amendment, providing that the bonds thus
Indorsed shall not be sold, except at the highest mar
ket prioe that can be obtained. He thought the
amendment was not business like. It reminded him
of a boy try ng to lift himself np from the ground by
hto own strength. It was trying to lift Georgia’s cred-
above its natural weight, and could not be done.
Mr. Candler, of DeKalb, moved to lay all the amend
ments on the table for the batonoe of the session. He
fitvored the Indorsement and wanted it done , without
any conditions. Every one of them would be damag
ing.
Mr. Bigham, of Troop, was opposed to the indorse
ment. He thought It would do much harm and no real
permanent good, but if it were dons, the proposition
of Mr. Candler, should be adopted. These amendments
and conditions signify suspicion. He had no want of
confidence in the Confederate Government and no fears
of its failure. There was no ground to fear and no
lack ot mrass. AU that the citizens of Georgia and all
the oth«r Slates possessed, was bound for the redempt
ion of the Confederate indebtedness, and Congress had
the power to taxthe property of the people to their last
dollar, if necessary.
Mr. Lester wanted to give the indorsement if it would
do the Confederate Government any good—otherwise
he was opposed to It. If It would not strengthen the
credit ef tho Confederate States and thereby enable
them to procure money upon better terms than with
oat it, h* wav opposed to the indorsement. He did not
want sneb action as. would give no material advantage
to the Confederate Government and break dawn our
own credit, hence the limit* and conditions proposed
by him.
Mr. Candler's motion was then carried by 61 to 49,
Mr. Stephens moved to amend that the endorsement
should be null and void if the Confederate govern'
mant should be overthrown. Laid on the table for
the present.
Mr. Bigham then moved to substitute the recom
mendations of the minority of the joint Committee
for the bUl of the majority, before tho House.
Mr. Hargrove of Floyd, moved to toy the minority
roDort on the table for the present. Lost—yeas St,
nays 85.
Mr. Bigham then proceeded to address the House
in favor of his motion to adopt the minority report in*
staed of tira majority. He made an able and forcible
speech. 1 can give only a few points. He said wa
were already bound primarily, as individuals, for the
d-bt to. tha extent of the last dollar we had. Then
why should we indorse it in our State capacity? What
additional guarantee would or could it possibly give?
Suppose these indorsed bonds were taken to an Eng
lish merchant or banker to be sold. This merchant
or banker already knows that Congress has power by
the constitution to tax the people to pay Its liahiUties,
and he asks wAy are the bonds thus indorsed f What
ondis it intended to subserve ? Has it really made
them any more secure? Is it not an attempt to prop
up the sinking credit of the Confederate government
by a pretense? Is there anything real in it? WiU
not an investigation bring conviction upon his mind
that these questions must be answered in the affirma
tive, and will not this bring down our credit with a
crash?
If It give the Confederate government no addition
al resource, it cannot strengthen its credit; it would be
a work of supererogation and need not be given.—
Unless it gives additional resources— place msans at the
disposal of Congress which cannot now be reacned or
made available by taxation—it must be a pretense; and
it will look to the British merchant or banker like an
attempt to perpetuate fraud.
There arc two ways of doing business. One is by a
plain, straight forward, bold and resolute cours, that
shrinks from nothing that is just and necessary to the
certain accomplishment of the dewed end. Another
toby a temporising p-'.licy that adopts expedients for
the time being, that will give only temporary relief
and postpone the evil to a future day, while the disease
Is daily becoming more aggravated and more deeply
seated and ineradicable. This proposed indorsement
with all the glowing benefits which is expected by
to result »rom it, to' only a tempo rtaing.patchwork
policy.- It to well calculated to hide from ss the real
condition of our currency and indebtedness, but its
Ugh expectations will turn to ashes upon our lips.
Th* old-fashioned, undisguised, straightforward way
of doing business, was the only correct one—the only
that could be sucsessful; that was to husband our
resources, and tax the people sufficiently to pay the
interest on the bonds at least. Congress already had
unlimited power to do that to the extent of the neces
sity. Why not exe seise It, and not resort to tempor
ising expedinta and patchwork that waa deceptive;
would only postpone and not prevent the evil d*y nor
avert the impending calamity, and that would only
fearful'y aggravate the evils that are now spon us,
when the crash come l We must face the matter; walk
square up to tha work and do it resolutely, fearlesslti
and effectually. While we are blockaded nothing but
a tax canreheve us.
Mr. Bigham then referred to the old revolution and
the financial history of that day. Daring that long
war,both the systems her* advocated were tried, and
history bad recorded the results. They first adopted
the temporising policy similar to that now proposed
which had the effect this would have if adopted:-
Thia policy was perhaps unavoidable at first, owing to
their circumstances. They had not the power to tax
the people. It was one of tae defects which was rem-
edtod by the wise men who framed our Constitution
They had seen the evil in its operations and severely
felt its effects; so they gave Congress power to tax the
people to support the government This power Con
gross has. Let it exercise it
Mr. Bigham then referred to the British govern-
msrt -which had a paper currency and a suspension
of specie payments in the Kingdom during a period
of near twenty-five years, passing through two wars,
aad also one of the most depressing financial periods
of the world’s history—fr m 1T9T to 1822—but main
tained her credit respeetaVy all the while fay a wise
system of taxation and revenues, which promptly met
the interest on the government’s indebtedness.—
There was some depredation from redundancy and
suspensions. This was unavoidable from its large is
sues, but none from discredit, or a fear that the gov
ernment woo'd never redeem its currency.
Mr. Bigham paid a glorious tribute to the wisdom,
forecast, patriotism, and statesmans' ip, of ViceFresi-
dent Stephens, who,while the government was still at
Montgomery, urged that it buy np enough cotton with
which to purchase in Europe a fleet of the best, war
vessels that ccnld be built, and with them keep our
-ports open,through which we could send our cotton to
Europe and receive back such goods os th > govern
ment and people were in need of. If this had been
done, we would not now bo in so deplorable a condi.
tion with regard to onr finances.- We would not he
suffering so for supplies, and our people would not be
corrupted bv pursuing a trade that requires stealth—
vessels to come in snd go out in the night—that assists
to depreceate onr currency, and is every way corrupt
ing to our people.. Oh that that gr at, wise and g'od
man’s counsels had been heeded 1 and the' sooner we
adopt them now the better.
Tate is a bare outline of some of the leading points
of this truly great speech of Mr Bigham. I have not
attempt d a report of it,nor to give his exact language
on any point—only to give a few of his leading ideas.
It was listened to with profound attention—sucli as is
seldom seen in a leg Blative assembly
Mr. Lawson, of Putnam,- followed Mr. Bigham. The
length of this letter will prevent my giving an out ine
of his remarks. He was followed by Mr. Taylor, of
Chattooga, in a few feeling and earnest remarks in fa
vor of the rndor»emeot; when the house adjourned.
The subject was discussed all day in the Senate —
Speeches were made in opposition to the indorsement
by Hon. John M. Jackson, of Whitfield, Hon. J. L.
Seward, of Tho'masvdle, and in favor of it by Hon.
Wm.Gibson;of Augusta, and Hon. D. A. Vason, of Al
bany. J. H. S.
Foreign. News.
We take the following items of foreign
news from onr Richmond exchanges
NEWS FROM WESTS BN VIRGINIA—“THE EIGHT”
at point pleasant.
Philadelphia, April 2, 1853.—A special
dea..atefa from Cinoinati, da tea to-day, says ;
On Monday last, Maron 30.h, Jeukins’ rebel
cavalry dashed into Point P.Busant, Va., at
the month of the Kanawha, gamed posseMion
of the Conn house, fired seven houses, plun
dered others and burned several thousand
bushels of government corn.
Volunteer aid arrivediromGailipotis, Ohio,
and the rebels were driven off, with tne lorn
of five killed and thirteen prisoners, who
were refused parole and taken to Gailipolis.
Telegraphic communication is out off along
the Kanawha from Charleston to Point Pleas
an ..
The government steamer Viotor No. T was
fired into at Hall’s Landing, forty miles above
Buffalo, on the Kanawha. One man was kill
ed. The boat was completely riddled by mus
ketry fire.
Tne Victor No.' 2 -and General Meigs finally
succeeded in reaching Gailipolie. the Victor
and B. C. Levi are sull up the Kanawha, and
it is rumored that they are captured by the
rebels. >
Cincinnati, April a, 1803.— The iate at
tack on Point Pleasant, Va , was made by two
hundred and fifty of Jenkins’ cavalry. They
ranaaoked several houses and stores, and burn
ed 7,000 bushels of coru belonging to the
government; and .were finally driven out, af
ter a conflict which lasted several hoars.
additional about the port Hudson engage
ment.
The New Orleans correspondent of the
Herald, gives the following account of-the ef
feet of our shots on the 1 ankee fleet in their
attempt to pass this point:
The officers of the Mississippi say that up to
tLe tho time she ran ashore she bad- been struck
but three times, and had sustained no injury
whatever; but aa lOMUsttohinmin nieiioatcaa
the enemy got her ranee, and nearly every shot
told mth more or lece effect. The ship was lit
erally torn to pieces. She was being raked irom
forward aft and irom aft forward. On her star
board bow, beam and quarter a peiiect hail of
shot and shell was poured into her- All the
p i>s qr the aisruoard side were knocked into
•■re .indiimrly all the staiboard battery Was
a..mounted. Captain Smitli and Lientenant
lfowey were tin. 1. st to leave the seip. She had
been bred both forward and alt, and Lieutenant
De.eey waa in the coat at the port gangway,
waiting for the Captain, when the latter ex
pressed tire-wish the wardroom should be exam
tued once more to see if the fire kindled there
was burning properly. At this insian*. a heavy
shot, striking the starboard aide of the ship,
passe 1 entirely through her, coming out within
a toot of the stern of the boat in which Lieu
tenant Dewey was sitting. It was oily neces
sary ioi him to iook through the hole tha^ the
shot had made to aaccrtain that the wardroom
was in a blaze, and or reporting such to be the
case Captain Smith was satisfied, and left the
good old ship to her fate.
* ♦., • * w * * m
The Monongahela had her steering gear shot
away, and the Ktneo, which vessel was lashed
alongside of her, had h»r rudder post and head
of the rudder ahot away. Both sbips, becoming
thus unmanagable, ran into the river bank, the
Monongahela grounding first. The momentum
waa so preat that when the Monongahela stop
ped the Kineo broke from the taste alongside,
and also went ahead into the river bank, and
waa hard and fast ashore: Her commander
Lieutenant Commander Waters, nothing daunt
ed, went to work very coolly and got hia vessel
afloat under tho terrible fire to which he waa
subjected, and succeeded also in pulling the
Monongahela off—the latter vessel having been
strutk while ashore po less than fil'y-tWo times.
Hired * Substitute to Stay Behind.
We have heard, says the Columbus Enquirer,
of many cases ol men liable to .conscription
hiring substitutes to take their places in the
ranks; but 'he instance reported below ia un
common and noteworthy. The young volunteer
who hired a substitute to .stay behind with the
ordnance wagon, while he hastened to take part
in the fiaht, was Seaborn Williams, of Tusks-
gee,.Ala , a very modest and retiring but cour
ageous youth of less than eighteen years, who
was killed in the treat fight near Murfreesboro.
The account which we copy is from a lettet from
the Captain of bis company, which formed a
part of the 45ih Alabama regiment. Capt. Aber-
combie writes:
‘-The day before the fight I received an order
to detail a man to stay with the ordnance train,'
to bring up ammunition, when it waa needed, to
the company. I detailed Seaborn. I noticed
why he was there. He replied—“1 have hired
another man to stay behind with the wagon, and
if you will let me, I prefer to be with the com*
pany in the fight to-day.” Unwilling to morti
fy him, I consented to bis stay. • • * * •
He was conapicuou- for hia almost reckless dan
ing and courage, and though immediately fronts
JJng the enemy’s artillery, which was but a few
yards from us, and waa sweeping lanes through
oor ranks, he boldly and fearlessly, pressed
straight forwaid, while some others would at
tempt to seek some shelter from the intervening
trees. His aim seemed to be the first to plant
a victorious banner upon the enemy’s artillery.
1 had watened him fur some moments with feel
ings of pride, which soon strengthened into the
highest admiration for such a display of un
daunted courage. But he whs too conspicuo
a mark to pass unscathed through the shower
balls and canister that the enemy was rainti
upon us; and just as the enemy was gi''
way, a fatal .ball entered his bowels and pa
through them. He fell, but looking up from the
spot consecrated by a brave soldier’s lall, be*avr
the enemy flying in dismay and his comrades in
hot pursuit to avenge his fall.”
Oor Special Ulchmoni Correspondence.
Richmond, April 7, 1868.
Messrs. Editors: The political complications
in Europe, now deemed, by all intelligent ob
servers, inevitable and imminent, will have an
unfavorable effect upon the foreign relations
of the Confederate States. Whatever differ
ence of opinion there may be among our peo
ple in regard to the real disposition of Eng
land towards us—a subject on whioh I have
never indulged a doubt—there has been no
reason to call in question tho earnest and sin
cere desire of France to interpose her frien i-
ly offices to put au end to the war, nor to mis-
■ ake her intention to prosecute to their logi
cal results the measures to that end, she had
so auspiciously begun. The next foreign mail
may bring us intelligence of a general Euro
pean imbroglio, in which Prance will play a
prominent part, while hngland, secure as she
now se ms to be in her nperetridoua neutral
ity, m»y, sooner than she expects, find a Po
laud of ner own in the land where sleeps the
ma> tyred Emmett, whose epitaph is yet un
written. ’ These events now orowding upon
the opening drama of Eur >pean politics, may
exert an un avorable effect upon onr foreign
affairs; but they will, it the same time, exer
cise a most salutary iofluenoe on our domes
tio relations, in dispelling deluaivahopes, and
mincing, in Congress as well as among the
people, a more active and healthier spirit of
soil-reliance. I have before me the Washing
ton Republican of last week. Never before
have I Been so many lies crowded together in
the same space; the most mons'rous, bareia ed
and malignant. It announces a victory at Kel
ly’s Ford, where we chastised them until 'hey
recrossed the Rappahannock; a victory at Port
Hudson, where we repulsed their fleet with
heavy loss; victories at every point where it is
known we thrashed them, burned their gun
boats and drove them back, yelping and howling
like famished wolves. Among tne advertise
ments, in this paper, is one from J C. M tguire.
Auctioneer, announcing the sale, on government
account, of sundry piles of manure, payable in
Treasury notes.
Tne irnpociiion of a tax on certain articles of
chamber furniture, by the tyrant Nero, was
made the subject of one of Juvenal's keenest
satires. What would >he virtuous old Roman,
were he now living, say ot the tyrant Abe, who
is forced to expose to public sale the offal of his
stables as a means io continue a war of robbery,
subjugation and pluoder ? And this the despia-
able, low-bred usuper that has found an apolo-
f ist and an advocate in the British Secretary for
oreigtl Affairs, Lord John Russell. In no
other light does he place himself, in the esti
mation of the nations of the earth, by the re
cently published correspondence between our
Commissioner, Mr. Mason, And himself Mr
Mason has represented the Confederate States
with ability, and as mu :h dignity as any man
could maintain in the humiliating position in
which he has been placed; but the annals of
diplomacy may he searched itPvain for a paraiel
to the cold-hearted, quibbling and insulting
manner in which this ill-bred aristocrat. has
spoken, through their representative, to nine
millions of freemen in a death struggle for life,
liberty and honor If the people of England
sanction or endorse the infamous hauteur with
which Russell has treated our Commissioner,
refusing even to accord him a brief audience,
then, the character of the Southern people must
be sadly changed if twenty cemuriee will suffice
to blot from their memory the burning recollec
tions of British indignity. After such an expose
as has just made its appearance in the papers, it
is i o be hoped that our Commissioner will be, et
once, recall) d, snd every English Consular agent
in the Confederate States ordered to pack up an
go.
The Treasury Department is daily crowded
with note holders of the 8 per cent issue, and
so great is the rush for bonds that the applicant
has to wait two or three days, after depositing
hi* money, before the Register can complete the
bond. It there were no new issues, the out
standing notes would soon disappear under the
present actively of the’funding process.
The Senate has passed, over the President’s
veto, the bill relating to sea coaBt defenses. It
was represented during its discussion, in both
Houses, that this was a favorite bill with Gen
eral Beauregard, and as such it doubtless re
ceived a larger share of interest, if not of sup
port, than its merits could reasonably lay claim
to. It legislated nothing new—it merely pro
posed an increase and transfer of certain 'heavy
artillery regiments in South Carolina ‘which
could have been more easily as well as more
regularly accomplished through the Commander-
in Chief, if be were satisfied of the propriety of
doing so. The bill will scarcely run the gaunt
let of the House. In the Senate the veto was
sustained by both the Senators from Georgia,
Messrs. Dortch, Mitchell and Phelan.
on net profits, and as to produots of all kinds,
suoh os ootton, tobacco, rice, wheat, corn,
pork Ac., the principle of the Lavitical law is
recognized in the levying of a ty the on each,
after % sufficiency is reserved for domestic
use It is thought that this bill will also he
quire a committee* of Conference. There is
before the S.- iate a proposition looking to an
increase in the export duty en cotton, and the
laying of a like duty on tobaco, rice, and oth
er export staples. This is but just and pro
per If cotton it king, there is no good rea
son why it should be r all the burden of ex
port revenue. While such duties must be levi
ed, let thorn bear equally on all our trading
products. A bill bos passed the House in
creasing from Jann&ry 1, 1863, the. pay of
non-commi-sioned officers and privates 'our
dollars per month. The bill direotiog the Ad
jutant General to send to Congress copies of
all General Orders issued from nis Bure tu, ha--,
on motion of Mr. Clay, been indefinitely post
poned in the Sena'e. This is an important
bill passed by the House, spmetime siuee, and
should not be thus unctremomou-dy sbuffl -d
off the calender. No action basyet been tak
en. in the Senate on the bill making the tele
graph a part of the postal system of the Con
federate States^ A resold inn is bo'ore the
Senate to have evening sessions. They have
tried i> in the House, but &eld m a quorum is
present. * x Gov & Col Arm. Smith, of the
9th 'Congressional District of Virginia, has
resigned his seat in Congress, lie still com
mauds bis regiment ia the field, and is a can
didate for the position of Governor
CHEROKEE
The Senate bill to exempt from conscription
mail contractors, and nnder certain limits
tiojis, mail drivers, was amended in the
House by excluding from the privilege, con
tractors on routes less than ten jniles. The
Senate disagreed to the amendment, and a
Committee of Conference has the matter now
in hands. The amendment of the Houbo
shows how little the members of that body
know about some matters on which they fre
quently pretend to be thoroughly posted
Some of the most important mail routes in
the Confederate States are under ten miles—
may be less th-n three miles. For instance,
a conneciog rente between two railr-ads—
from a point on a railroad to the postoffice—
perhaps at the county Court H u use. The
Orange and Alexandria Railroad oasses with
in three miles of Fairfax Court House. Here
is a route only three miles, yet as important
to 'the people of the county &e if it were'
one hundred The bill, it Ib understood, was
frame t after consultation with the Postmaster
General, on whose recommendation the sub
ject was first brought to the attention of
C-ingress. To be effective it must embody
all his suggestions. There is,. perhaps, no
man in the Confederacy or out of it mure fa
miliar with tho complex machinery of the
Contract Bureau of the Department than its
present Chief . Before submitting to Con
gress the question of exemption at all, the
Postmaster General doubtless thoroughly
considered, in oonjunotion with this officer,
the wnole subject, and narrowed down the
privilege to within the smallest limits con
sistent with the exigencies of the postal ser
vice.
Vlr. Foote received but feeble encourage
ment in his effort, a few days since, to raise a
joint oommittee to consider, daring the recess,
the question of trastfering the Capital of the
Confederate Government to some other city,
less beset than Richmond by extortioners,
and harpies and where a man could get a
moderate dinner for something less than ten
dollars. Governor Foote’s resolution to that
end was voted down solely for military rea
sons. Some few weeks since, Gov. F. adven
tured on an expedition to market one bright
morning just to satisfy himself as to the ex
tortionate prices of boarding-house keepers—
I met him on his return with a pullet in his
hand about ss large ss a medium sized apple,
for whioh he paid six dollars. The resolution
for a transfer of the seat of Government is
bound to be renewed at a more propitious
season. Many members already speak of At
lanta, as the permanent seat of the Confeder
ate Government.
The Senate substitute bill dora not meet
with muen favor in the House, nor does the
House tax bill make any encouraging head
way iu the Senate. The Senate committee
was reported an entirely new bill in the shape
of a substitute for the bill as it came up from
the House, changing the entire basis of taxa
tion
Tile Capture ot our Seaport*.
Every indication points to a determined
effort on the part of the Federate against our
80iports. Though their first attempts may
meet with disastrous repulse, they arc aware
of the fictitious importance which would be
attached to success—both by the universal
Yankee nation and by European people who
arc not aware how little the capture of our
seaboard cities would affect the result of the
war.
8hould the enemy be successful in the im
pending or any future attack, it is well
enough to consider if - their success will
bring them any nearer their cherished object,
subjugation, or will materially aff-ct our oa
paoity for carrying on.the war. 1 he organi
zation of our-c mntry differs widely from that
of all otheri. The capital of en European
nation is its heart, and when that is reached
by an enemy the nation is subdued. When
Paris was taken by the Allies, France ear
rendered, and all serious resistance ceased;
when Bonaparte entered the capitate of al
most every European nation, Europe lay
prostrato at his feet. But our oivfc organi-
tion.is widely different. We have capitals—
little interior towns where Legislatures meet
.and Presidents and Governors reside, but
around which there is no centralization of
power such as exists iu other countries- We
have seaports only important as such, conve
nient places for the inlet and outlet of goods;
nothing more. When we lose these we lose
only a comparatively small spot of territory—
a larger } rottortionul number of nnocent
families', are driven from' their homes and
made to suffer the evils of war, but we do
not approximate subjugation so nearly as we
should were we driven from places where
there are no cities, but which are of infinitely
more importance in a stretegetical point of
view. The capital of the United States fell:
into the hands oi the British in; the war of
1812, yet the oountry was very far from
being subdued. The same enemy took Sa
vannah and Charleston in the first revolu
tion, yet the war went on, generally with
success to the patriots, amid the woods,
hilte and swamps of the up-country.
We do not suppose that the enemy will ever
take possession of C oar lesion, Savannah or
any other seaport, for all the skill of man, end
all the valor of which human nature is capa
ble, will be exerted in their defense But an
ticipating the woTst that can happen, that by
some stroke of ill fortu e that no skill or
bravery can guard against, they should oh
tain possession of th ise cities—the result will
benefit them nothing, and we very much doubt
if it would be productive of serious evil to us.
We should be driven from the coast like the
Whigs of 1776, but our abilities to prosecute
the war would be in no great degree dimin
ished. Those oities now defend nothing that
cannot be defended without them. A* strata
gio positions they are unimportant, compared
with Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Frederioksburg
or Tnllahoma. We perhaps receive some ben
efit from the import of goods through the
blockade, but the general benefit hes lo ,ig been
very questionable—^vessels loaded with muni-,
tiona of war have met, of late, with singular
ill-luck, and the other goods which oome
through safely add very little to the comfort or
convenience of the people at large.
As a point of honor, and on account ut the
bad prestige abroad among people "who can
not undo stand that, with us, when a chief
city is lost all is not lost, and also on ac:
count of the encouragement it would afford
the enemy, we should deeply regret that any
one of our seaports should fail into their
hands, but we cannot perceive bow any mate
rial inj ary to the cause of the Confederacy-
can grow out of the event. As we have said,
we have no idea the cities can be taken, or if
taken, oan be permanently occupied by the
enemy. Bat granting the worst, our capaci
ties lor' defense would be but little diminished.
Oar intercourse with outsiders may be some
what impeded or diminished, bnt onr people
have already learned to do without foreign
luxuries, and to manufacture for themselves
all the implements and materials necessary to
carry on the war. There is no occosies,
therefore, to be frightened from onr proprie
ty by any sad news which may oome from the
coast.—Chron. & Sen , 10Ut.
•*A Fearful Potratt.”
Und r this impressive head the Philadel
phia Sunday Meronry publishes the following
extract from a letter of a staff officer in one
of the brigades of Sherman’s Division of the
army of the Southwest. It is written in camp
oh the Tallahatchie river, and the Mercury,
was “decidedly opposed to, and used all his
influence against what he considered the ab
surd and suicidal policy of promoting rebel
property.” The le ter says.
I believe the time has oome wnen 1 am a-
shamed to acknowledge that I belong to the
Union army. Of all the disgraceful proceed
ings that lever witnessed, I think what I
have teen on this march caps tho olimax.—
Two thirds ol Sherman’s army is oomposed of
new troops from Indiana, Illinois and Wis
consin, and they have come down here with
the intention of burning and destroying, and
well are they carrying oat their intentions —
The whole line of our march ia one continued
soene of destruction. Private dwellings burn
ed, women and children driven out of their
bouses, and even the olothes stripped from
their backs, to say nothing of acts committed
by the soldiery which would almost make the
blackest hearted libertine blush for shame.—
This very day I have witnessed scenes from
which I turn with loathing and .disgust.—
True, stringent orders have been issued
against thi
fernal rascals in the presence of his whole di-
visio.n, but whether he will resort to any such
striDgent measures remains to be seen, j
always blamed Union Generate for guard in,-
rebel property, but I now see the ueoeasitv 01
it. Not so much to save the property faut'our
own safety demand? it. Three weeks of sue 1 ,
unbridled license would rein our army
I tell you the truth, when I say. we ai„
about aa moan a mob ao ever walked the face
of the earth. It is perfectly friehtful If j
lived in this country. I never would lay down
my arms while a Yankee remained on the soil
I do not blame Southerners for being sece?
sioniBts now. I could relate many thine*
that would be laughable if they were not ?o
horribly disgraceful ? For instance, imagi-J
two privates in au elegant cafrage. hol mgfo,.
to some wealthy Southern nabob. «ith a splen
did span of horses ridincr in state along the
road we are matching over, with a negro
coachman holding the reins in all the style 0 f
an English nobleman, and then two small
drummer boys going i» ai a 2 40 pace, in un
ele ant buggy, with a feet horse, and the bog
gy loaded with a strange medley of household
furniture and kitchen ntensils, from an ele
gant parlor mirror to a nair of fire dogs. »u
of whioh they have “cramped” from some
fine house, which from sheer wantonness they
have rifled .and destroyed Hundreds of such
scenes are constantly occurring along the lj no
of our march, as ridiculous and absurd, as
they ore a burning shamo to the army of the
Union
excesses, but l fear they will do
_ _ no good. The only sure remedy is for Gen.
Instead of taxing land, the ta* is laid Sherman to shoot about a dozen of these in
cur Fort. *ud the Fleet.
tkuoe our lust issue the enemy has made no
movement of importance iu this vicinity. o n
the Stono his operations seem to progress
very slowly, as if he were awaiting the issue
of the final contest between the iron fleet »ud
the batteries of our harbor. The Monitor .
six in number, with the Ironsides, still lie ni
anohor within the bar, und at a distance of
about three miles'southeast from FortS imter
Whatever the motives for their delay m.-ij >«,
there aro good reason's for believing that ihej
wilh not depart until they have made one
more effort for the reduction ot Charle too.
During Wednesday afternoon many pieces
of .the Keokui’a furniture, with the spy
glasses and other effects of her officers, were
wa-hed.ashore on the Morris Island beach.
Most of these articles, when found, were
covered with clotted blood. That our lead
ers may - have oorreot information of the
strength .and oharacter of the iron vessel we
have sunk, we append a minutn d.-soriptioo
of the Keokuk, taken from a New York pa
per of December last:
The Keokuk, the inventic u of Mr. C. W,
Whitney, an iron merchant of this city, is of
an entirely novel oonBtruotion. Her dimen
sions are as follows: Length over all, in
cluding the ram Of five feet, 159 feet 6 inche ;
breadth of beam 36 feet; dep h of hold, 18
feet 6 inches; draft of water 9 feet. Her
sides present a very peculiar appearanoe,
being constructed at an angle of 37 degrees,
so as to cause the shot to roll off. With the
exception of a few inches of wood-on deck,
which is locked so as to keep'it tight, some
minor pi oes between deck?, and the neoessa
ry joiner work, the vessel is exclusively
built of iron, with an armor extending some
four feet below the water line, while her
flush deck is about five fr et ab.>ve the water
line. <
The hull of the vessel, including framo and
beams, are exclusively of iron. It ia con
structed of half-inch rolled iron plates. Three
keelson run the whole length, Iwhilo two bul
warks, fore and aft, form an inner vessel,
which enables the struoture to float, should
the outside be riddled with shot. Two bul
warks—one fore and aft—can be filled with
water in fifteen minutes, and emptied in forty
minutes, so aa to settle and raise the vessel&■
wanted in aotion as much as one foot. There
compartments also serve as a security against
a leak oaured by the wrenching off of the ram.
The hull iB covered with an apmor of bars of
four one-inch iron sot edgeways, one. inoh
apart, and between each-a strip of yellow pine,
over which are three five-eigth inch plates,
the whole riveted with inoh boils, with
eight countersunk heads of about one foot
apart. ‘
The vessel has two fixed turrets,. mob car
rying one gun, pierced with three port boles
each, but the gun is on a revolving slide.—
They are built on a base of 1-2 inch relied
plates, and covered in the same manner aa the
Unll, thus obtaining for the turrets a thickness
of 6}- inches. The port holes are provided
with heavy shutters, so constructed as to
work in two halves. Tne slides for the guns,
whioh will be 11 inch oalibre, are plaoed 20
inchee belOW the'level of the deck, whioh se
cures * greater height for the turrets, whioh
are of a conical form, 20 feet diameter at the
base and 14 led at me top. Their length is 8
feet 8 inches. They are strongly breoed by
five 1-inch iron bars Bet edgeways. The size
of the porrs allows the guns 10 degrees verti
cal and 8 degrees lateral range. The ventila
tion of the turrets is admirably provided for
by an arrangement by which the lower por
tion ofthe turrets can be opened, and as.there
is a oommunicainn between the two turrets a
draft is produced, which removes the foul air
generated inside.
The vea3el_mll bo propelled by two propellers
and two engines ol live hundred horse p *wer.
Boih rudder und propeller are-guarded by en
overhanging guard of wrought iron on the rfier
pert.
Mr. Whitney, who had conceived the idea or
building this vessel about four weeks after the
outbreak of the war, is quiie sure of success,
both As regards easy navigation and proof against
shot. She requires.a crew of 100 men. and can
carry in her magazines 200 U»inch shuis, 15b
lteinch shells, and the necessary powder&c
The propellers and engines of the Keokuk are
sa arranged aa to allow one to work forward
while the other can be reverted, so as to turn
the vessel on her own pivot. Tne guns nf the
ship are worked on a pivot similar to the ar-
rangemeift of the pivot guns on a gunboat. The
ship sits on tiie water with all the grace ot a
regularly built wooden vessel, thus putting at
rest all the fears expressed by many nautical
men that she could not float. -
The army correspondent of the Savannah
Republican, in describing the scene on the Bat-,
tery during Tuesday’s fight, says:
The conflict was witnessed by thousands
oi spectators from the Battery promenade
and from the house ti ps. Among the vest
throng. there assembled I did not encoun
ter one who expressed any doubt os to the
result. It was a magnificent spectacle. Th«
white puffs . f smoke issuing from the port
holes of the iron-clads with a tongue of fire
in the centre, the solemn walls kept up bv
these bugs monsters as they wheeled past the
fori,, the fantastic festoons of smoke that
garlanded the heads of tbs forts and slowly
floated on to the north, the bursting of 16
inch shells in mid air, and the deep booming
oi th? titanic guns engaged-in the conflict,
the- appearanci of 4he Con-ederate rams,
Qbicora and Palmetto Siato, steaming ener
getieally up- and do*n their chosen fighting
position, the silent city, and the breathless
multitude wh > crowded its housetops and
promenade, made up a spectacle at once
grand and imposing.
Charleston Mercury, April 10/A.
See oar new terms.