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1 ~tim ir nnwii riirw.-—u_llj-li—i__i i- _ .
I>V N. S. MOUSE & CO.
(Chronicle ft Sentinel.
J *
r K HMS.
TjIK WEEKLY I'llllOYM l.r. A. hI,\T!>KL
15 l'lllil.lSllkO EVERY WKBNESLAV
AT FUIK OOLLAIIH FOR SIX MltVniH
A’.WAVfi IN’ ALVA.V E.
\VK!.i;i.V AUVKRTI-tIMJ lIVTKS
Oumtsnt Aiin.tti ,*!«wn puVi-:-f<l Is Ui« Weekly wI!
ba eh ir*a/U»eutf o*te“r.Ma ;ine-.Mhinv'*lon.
HrnOiAL So i: . > will hf ). I l,..rty -*• * nr.rfor » h
niertlnn.
MxMiAAM.Pf crnfiad Fvaeau N-.• i on* 4 oltar os- i, |
o«mr*«».Vaii- a fart) . ml.fßrlii.e f.,r on* .—»t.-n L j
•$HL*r Dollyor tt>*k r. Wbrt O' 'tv—y No(!< e w*. |.i, I
-tahe.l In I). »t>4 Wrekly - «:«l» 1.. o.
• COtf.AG it) THEIR »»i
The 2}c«r .rid rib.eiimi as folio-. •.
!ii reffirnnee to U ■ present state of society in
the Yankee metropolis :
-The faot in our people want excitement
pas-timo. Nightly they crowd th* theatres
ami concert roometo f siwi), * Mir !«rj<-"t ih-a
tree draw crowded hotre-s will) tire Won! in
different play*. The m inogers attribute Hies, i
over It owing audiences to the merits of theii
performances. 'i hey are midtak'n. Ihent i
jnitv of these plays ure mediocre; hut tie
pubf.c must be diverted, must draw thong t:
auil hence Wall* k's e in pimluee any I'ebaidi it
pleased ; Niblo's Garden plays which are not
those ( ,f the future, or the present'either, strict
1> speaking , the Winter Garden icural (llamas
in which tint public only applaud the villous
anil iegret tin ; r untimely detection ; the Ulym
pic time-honored burlesques—lho-e 'of Hie
pint the long ago—and still the public will
crowd these piuces, and neve murmur at the
sameness of the dpcs tide or dteam ol change.
W'fiy doe; this d,Hire for di.ersion exist ' Why
tiiid apatliy t.s to tlie nature ol the amusement
Hiiuoly because the p «/;•- are Horn awl ill ut ease;
their minds are Irmhied ; oiey are ditujmted unit
•and amflgfc/ u>Uh ike ictr, Us scvutilvus pros
titution into <ttt electioneering agency, its he
iug'm .do the lever to (delate th- nigger above.
the white man. ltd being made the cloak for
every specie.; if plunder II I'-pcat, the ’»•(,
ft'ei urt aun'ijel, <lis jiistul and u)jii ,<l''l, ni\>\ they
(Tew-i our piacea ot a.itiucmeiit as mrny utl
happv beings fly to dunk to drown sorrow or ,
•hums.
Tho New York Tb'rriM is very poor authority
for any statement v.-hne Ivive not the
immiK of refilling it, if false. It can misrepre
sent turd equivocate a* readily as any journal
v.-Uioh .vo have over known. It avoids usually.
bowuf.T. Ih-s wlitch are m> transparent that
they must be delected by everybody. Anil t
would not make tins statement touching tl e
disjust of the war ami tha trouble anil sorrow
which prevail In consequence, nil lew there wi it
good groun 1 for tho assert on.
We have no doubt tho Herald gives it-t a cor
rect repi escalation of the state of feeling whit h
prevails among itio masses in NewAork. it
exlii its h great change even from whit was
manifest a tow months ago; an 1 compared
with the temper wh ch nuiujated the public in
the beginning of the war. it amounts to a revo
lution. If in August or September, lhtil, the
Herald or any other newspaper had said that
the people “were ißsgusted and annoyed with
the war and resorted to placer of amusement to
rtrowti their sorrow an’. -!*«*.(.'. th« public e»
tion would have dtatvn down upon tho oiler <1
(IfR paper (ho wrath of an i veiled mob; or tie
proprietor would have been waited upon I y
some olii ror, who at tho tap <>l .Mr. t-eward s i
ball had been ordererl to lake him into custody j
Then tho public sentiment w.. . “any nr.or who j
■peaks against the war is a traitor at h--u*t, rtriti i
■hail meet a traitor's doom'Then there was !
pne loud and m id . rv for the lrlood of rho rcb- ■
*> who had raised their fwnlcid.il banc's
to overthrow “the mod. i g* voruuient oi tin*
world;' and wo to the man who then talked of
the war os an.annoyance. Surely “a change
hit conit* over the spir it of that dream when
a jouro and which habitually puts popularity and
patronage before rectitude and honor, finds the
former promoted by giving currency to ruclr
sentiments as wo have quoted above.
We are not surprised (hat our enemies begin
at length—according to the showing of their
own newspapers —to be annoyed aud disgust
ed. Certainly they ha\ e enough to make them
■o. With a debt already hanging over them of
two Ufimsand millions of dollars; with one
hundred amt twenty-four thousand widows
whose husbands have perished in tire service
asking for pensions; with gold at a premium
exceeding any tiring which it has attained at
any time sin a* tire war; with the lucrative
trade of the Confederate Stu'es utterly alitn
nted, with the bones of their men moolderir g
on a hundred battle Helds; with thousands ot
their follow eiv't;: * . languishing it. our prisons;
xvitli their comtUiico in large part expelled
front tho seas by our gallant navy; with the
best people in the civilized world crying out
tdiarne I Shame t as they look at tho vindictive
and barbarous war which they have waged
against us; above all with four hundred thou
svud Confederate soldiers yet confronting them
after their unparalleled sacrifices of blood am!
treasure— we think they have good reason to
be *• disgusted,’’ and to seek in tiro mirth and
diversion of tlio play house deliverance from
the lashings of an accusing conscience.
V*"<j confess wo look with no small satisfac
tion ujw i anoU a picture of Now York society,
a* that which we have f it nished our readers in
the extract above. Not indeed that we areglad
to hear that our enemies are crowding then
places of amusement, but that the war is so
*• annoying and disgusting that they.teel the
need of relief We shall do all iu our power
to increase this annoyance and disgust, and we
hope that it may become so intolerable
4 iur enemies may be compelled to seek relief
not in operas and theatres hut in hea-ty re
pentance for th dr sins and in doing unto us as
they would have us do unto them.
A Bold Xlovs— Nliermaa s movement aero-s j
the cjntro of Mississippi is certainly one of tin* j
boldest which this war has developed, and it
successful, will give him a reputation for dat
ing and foolhardiness second to none iu the
F*knil army U will be equivalent to a bid
forth#Presidency. H.‘ will l- toasted, feted,
lionized; much patrioti-iu will effervesce in
speeches, much liquor flow, and blatant brass
will discourse countless “ llail CoUttablas aud
“ Yankee Hoodies. - ’ L» .t if ho loses there will 1
be none so poor as to do him reverence, the ,
veriest cur iu the streets will meet with more
favor fix >tn his master thau he.
Although we are unadvised of tha exact po
sition. of our forces —and would not disclose
them if we knew—there is such atone of con
fidence amoug o3r leaders in that section, and
the prees seem so hopeful, that we ate persuad
ed ail is going well. If wo cannot leant all
that is transpiring ou the military chess-board.
It is because a wise reticence is manifestly the
true policy. T ine will very soon develop the
whole affa r. The next few days are big with
events. We shall soon see whether Sherman'*
raid i* ta succ od or not.
BcroiDS —Mrs. Some- s. the Post Mbt.-es* at
Rowes' i’nmp, Ga., committed snicid* on Sun
day night. No a.use as.djj tea lor the act.
Supposed to be inprae,
THE ,\m DEPAIUMS'T.
/.*■;—rf fn*» the Joint Belt* Gmm-Hee lo In
' < dig at.- the Management of the .Yury I) :nirt-
The Joint Select Conniitteo cf the Senate
j and 1 fence of Representatives, “appointed to
j investigate ihe administration of the Navy Ile
; paituunt, under its prevent head, with power
j to send for [s-isons uud papers, find to report
1 tlie iesu!t of Raid investigation to the two
Homes, respectively,” ask leave to report—
| That in n<vordaii<« with the instructions
! contained in the resolution for their appoint
ment, thoy l ave called tvetore them many per
-nn-. engagixl ill the naval and military service,
: ami as contractors and e'nployeee, as well as
| others in civil life, supposed to have huowl-.
! edge of the matleis to be iovestigated.and have
j examined many [xipeis among the archived of
j tlie Navy Hepartment. in order to inlortu
| Lhcrn-eives of the manner in which tire Depart
! uient Jus been administered. They have
• I.*, iiiforin ttion wherever they supposed it
! old be found, and have iuviled it from all
v.-t o could give it. Tholaige number ol wit-
rie--es and voluminous record; examined, pro
irti ted Hieir siitingd until near the close ot the
fast session of Congress, when they found it
m:ce>-ii:y to print the testimony, that each
member might review it before making a re
nin t, and that the two Houses might be en
abled to decide whether the committee had
| Im med a just judgment anil attained a proper
conclusion. All the testimony deemed mate
rial mid proper to l»e publbhed will he lound
in a voimneof nearly 500 pages, printed during
the last recess of Congress, whkli they here
wth .submit its part of this report. The various
laws relating to the navy, the reports of the
Secretly, (which have heeu confidentially
communicated to Congress,) and the tide.- and
orders given by him, although coining under
the review of the committee, they did not
think it necessary or proper to print.
Tie* committee conlined their examination to
the domestic operations of the Navy Depait
ment. They intended to investigate its foreign
operations also, and to impure who were Rent
as agents to foreign countries, to purchase ves
sels, .what instructions were given them, what
funds were furnished them, what übvlaele.-t they
en wintered, ami what were the results of their
respective missions. But the Secret,uy and
the President deemed it inconsistent with the
public inteicst and the good faith of the Govern
ment to furnish such information, us its publi
cation would imperil those in our servlceabroud.
arrest ilieir labors and defeat their efforts to
serve us; and the committee concurring in
those views did not pi ess such inquiries.
It is due, in this connection, to state, thatthe
Secretary of the Navy offered to send before
the committee a gentleman who bad charge of
the foreign contracts and of the correspondence
id ding to them, who could inform us, confi
dentially, of their character and results, and
that he offered all Information uuder his con-
tr.rl and every facility for obtaining it he could
employ touching the domestic utt.iirs of the na
vy, whenever called for by the committee.
it will appear in the printed testimony here
with .submitted, that the committee have inquir
ed Into everything relating to tho materials
and the operations of the Navy within theCon
fedt-rali* >’tales; the moans and resources lor
budding a navy; the "efforts-to purchase or
build vessels and to obtain ordnatme and ord
nanie stores; tlie number aud kind of vessels
purchased or built, of whom purchased or by
whom built; the contracts for them aud how
compiled with; the contracts lor war vessels
now pending; the vessels owned by the Gov
ernment when the Navy Department was organ
ized and the number aud kind now owned by
it; tire naval dt'fenos of the Mississippi river
and onpcctally of New Orleans, ol the Cumber
land, Tennessee and J«mes rivers, and of the
city of Norfolk; the circumstances connected
with the destruction ot die Virginia, the Louis
iana, tho Mississippi, the Arkansas and other
gunboits, tho causes sf our naval disasters and
..I t!r.* f il.in* oi our navy to meet the public
expectations.
i lie committee do nr t deem it necessary to
review nil tho facts relating to these top es, or
to exprisr llieir ooncliuiou upon each of them,
.s tlie testimony is herewith presented, and
may lie read by all who desire I lie *rformation
it furnishes. They think they will discharge
their duty by expressing the general result of
IHoi»lnvestigations. They are gratified that
they can state that, after long, patient, and
careful investigation, they have found nothing
in tho administration of the Navy Department
that justifies any censure of Mr Mallory. ,
Mr. Mallory assumed tho oflioe of Secretary
of the Navy at the beginning of the Provis
ional Government, aud organized its Navy De
partment. It then had n i navy, no vessels of
war, and, indeed, not a vessel of any kind
There were but two navy yards .in tire Confed
erate States, aud hut Htle ship timber in them.
Wo had hut a small number of shipwrights, or
ol persons possessing the skill or handicraft
necessary to the construction of vessels ot war.
We had but few seamen, anil no commercial
school for training seamen. We were especially
deficient in lire machinery for propelling steam
vessels, aud iit the means lor its construction.
We had nut the iron, the iron works, the
loundries or rolling mils, the work shops or
the skilled workmen, essential to the comple
tion of formidable skips ol war. But seven
steam war vesse's had beeu built iu the
States now forming the Confederacy since tlie
war of lsl‘2. Engines for but two of these were
contracted for in these States, the heavy lor
sings of which were necessarily cdetracted for
elsewhere. The entire machinery for such
vess-ls had not beeu constructed in these
states. Our means and resources for building
i uavv were so small and iuconsiderab e, com
pared with'the naval power aud resources of
'he enemy, that many patriotic .men doubted
lire wisdom of an .attempt to construct a navy.
While our means of building hulls, engines
ind machinery, aud of equipping and manning
efficient ships’of war were thus limited, the im
mediate and hourly demauds upon ail the work
shops of the country lor ordnance aud ordnance
-tores reduced them sldj more. Thus the shops
at Norfolk Nav y yard, after they -came under
the control of the’ Secrets»y of the Navy, were
laigeh engaged in the manufacture of gun
carriages, shot, shell. «Xe., for the army, and in
mounting and supplying guns.
We have had to labor under the most unto
ward and i mb ir. assiug circumstances. Men had
U>eu employed as ship wrights, who had never
served an apprenticeship, or built'a vessel, or
even worked on one, be,cause skill aud ej*)*)-
rience could not be commanded. All the labor
ot materials requisite to complete and equip a
war vessel could not be commanded at any one
point of the Confederacy; but the machinery
for propelling it, or some part of it, or the ord
nance or orduanoe stores, had to be transport
ed to the rations and distant poiuts where the
hulls were being built. Thus in the construc
tion of the Mississippi at New Orleans. the la-
K>i. skill and resources of different parts ot the
Conledcracv were necessarily invoked: her iron
was rolled at Atlanta, portions of her machine
ry and equipments were made at Norfolk, while
ihe main sbatt*and ordnance and ordnance
stores were ituule at lUchmoud.
: In order to sheath the hulls of gunboats, we
have been obliged to use such scrap irqp. old
and rejecte l sugar mills, and other discarded
! ii on as could l>e gathered up; and to propel
the a have been constrained to use the engines
and boilers of dilapidated steamboats. Hence
1 it has h ipitched that some of our gunboats have
’ proven Inefficient because of their machinery
i | and sheathing.
Besides tne deficiencies and difficulties, we j
have been obstructed in our operations by the |
invasions cf the enemy, whereby we not onlv !
tost our navy yards anil much of their machine- I
ry and ship timber, but were compelled to de- 1
stroy gunboats quite completeil, and steum
boats whose mactiinery might have served us,
to prevent them from iking captured bv the
enemy. Hence the destruction of the Virginia,
l.ouisinnia, Mississippi. o tthe vessels in Laks
ponchartrain. Bayou St. John, the Yazoo and
Mississippi rivers and elsewhere.)
But had we been able to command all the
workshops and material, artizaus and seamen, j
requisite to construct a navy equal in size to
that of our enemy, still we should have begun j
the war upon t’hj most unequal terms. The
euemv bad a powerful navy to in-gin with; we
hti none laider the l". 6. Government the
Southern Stutc* have made great aud generous
! sacrifices to promote the maiitime interest of
| iha North, while the great reeouice* of naval
wealth and [rower were ignored; aud wLeu we
entered u|>on our struggle for independence, wo
fonud ourselves confronted and, our waters in
vaded by a powerful nary which had. with our
. aid, been fostered ted developed lor over s^ty
AUGUSTA, GA„ WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH 2, 1864.
yenrs, and which, in addition tosurdler vessels,
readily converted to war uses, from a great
commercial marine—comprised 37 steamships,
minv cf them the mi»t foamidable on the oeeau,
and." 57 sailing vessels, with an aggregate of
j 3,178 gjins, all under the guidance of naval
j men and seamen whose professional attainments
i and nautical ekiil were unsurpassed. The ene
| mv’s vast naval resources, great commercial
school for seamen, numerous artisans and vast j
workshops, enab ed him to augment this fornii- !
dablo foiee with a rapidity uneqtwled in naval j
history ; while the naval resources of the world j
were also opened to him. It would have re- J
1 uired many years, even under the most fivor- j
able circumstances, for us to have built and )
equipjied a-many and stt.’h vessels us the ene
my began the war with.
The committee make these observations, not
merely in justice to the Secretary of the Navy,
hut to correct the public judgment, which has
bt-eri founded, at least in part, upon ail exagger
ated estimation of our means, or undeserved dis
estimation of the Secretary, or of naval officers,
or of contractors with the Department. 'The
testimony does not furnish any sufficient grounds
lor imputing the shortcomings, failures and dis
asters ol our Navy to the Secretary. On the
contrary, it shows that lie has been vigilant, in
dustrious and energetic in employing the means
withinhis power to purchase and to build a navy.
Due ot Ins first acts, after entering upon his
duties, was to call the attention of Congress to
the rapid and radical changes in naval warfare
which had taken place within a few years, in
displacing the “wooden walls” that had been
relied on for attack or defence, with gigantic
iron-clada. He early took means for construct
ing an iron-clad navy. An oiSeer was sent
throughout the Confederate States to examine
and'report the mean# of manufacturing and pre
paring iron armor ami heavy machinery. Oth
ers were sent to the United Ntates, to Canada
and Europe, to purchase or build suitable vessels
for immediate use. The building of armored
vessels was began in the hope of compensating
byAheir individual strength for our great inferi-
ority to the enemy in tlie number of war vessels
and of seamen and marines. The time, labor
ami material necessary to construct a single
heavy armored may be judged of
from the following example: The Merrimac,
one of the ships sunk and partially destroyed by
the enemy on abandoning Norfolk, was raised,
and although the main point of the hu[l and the
boilers and material parts ot tho machinery were
uninjured, *ight months of uninterrupted labor
of as many workmen as could advantageously be
employed, aided by the workshops of Richmond,
were, necessary to get her ia fighting condition
as an iron-dad. Work upon her, under orders
of the Nfivv Department, was commenced on the
1 tth of July, 1861, and she fought the memor
able battle of Hampton Roads —a battle which
at oncorevolutionized naval warfare—on the Bth
of March, of 1863, before she was entirely com
pleted. And yet Constructor Porter says, “the
yard at Norfolk was. worked up to its fullest
capacity. Everything was properly organized,
ami the officers were constantly on tlie spot di
recting operations and pushing forward the
work. Tlie Secretary of the N'avv in order to
stimulate operations, offered inducements by
way of additional pay or rewards to work after
.lark and on Sundays. In short, he offered every
encouragement that was calculated to excite
them to more zeal and energy.” By letters and
by telegrams he urged the oncers of the navy at
New Orleans and other important points to
spare neither men nor money, and to work day
and night in completing gunboats, preparing
ordnance stores and getting ready to attack or
to meet the enefcry. The credit of the Navy
Department at Now Orleans was impaired for a
short time for the want of money to pay lire em
ployees; but this is not imputable lo Mr. Mallo
ry. His requisitions were made upon the Treas
ury in due time to have supplied adjust demands
against the Department. Tire causes of this
tinancial embarrassment are explained in the
correspondence between himself and the Secre
tary of tho Treasury, which is embodied in tho
testimony. It does not appear by tire testimony
that work on any vessel, or for the navy, at any
time or place, was delayed or suspended by the
default ol the Secretary of the Navy. He has
ordered courts of inquiry in every instance whqrf
there was probable cause for attributing qur de
feat or disaster to the defu-iency’or delinquency
of an officer of the navy. IJe has invited con
tracts for building gunboats wherever they could
Ik- soonest and best built, and most advantage
ously employed His contracts scene to have
been judicious and to have been properly enforc
ed. Contractors have in some cases failed to
complete rheir work within the time stipulated;
whereby tire expectations' of the Secretary have
been disappointed arid his plans defeated. But,
on inquiry, it has been shown that they failed to
comply with their engagements in consequence
of unforeseen causes beyond their control, and
not through any infidelity or want of diligence.
Inasmuch as there has been much misrepre
sentations and crimination of lire Secretary of
the Navy, and of the Messrs. Tift, because of
their failure to complete and to save the Miss
issippi, it is hut sheer justice to say that these
gentlemen are not related by blood or marriage,
in any degree, to Mr. Mallory; that they under
took to construct their vessel without pecuniary
reward, and prosecuted the work on it with rare
industry and energy and with extraordinary dis
patch ; that their loyalty, patriotism and integ
rity are unquestionable, and that neither they
nor the Necretarw-are censurable tor the incom
pleteness of that vessel when the enemy reach
ed New Orleans, or for its destruction.
’ Their operations were delayed from a want of
iron, which the Navy Department could not
possibly supply as fast as it w r as demanded. In
deed, neither th<‘ Government nor the people
have been able to meet and satisfy the great de
mands of the army and navy for iron. The ?>'a
vv Depatment lias, far a long time past, employ
ed agents in many parts of the country to gather
scrap iron in cities and on plantations, to relieve,
in some measure, its necessities.
'The reports of the Secretary of the Navy have
not been published, from motives of sound policy,
and hence ihe operations of tliat department are
not generally known. It is not deemed proper
now to publish all the facts which should be
presented, in order to a full knowledge and just
appreciation of the management of the Navy
Department. But it is not improper to state
that the Department lias erected a powder mill,
which supplies all the powder required by our
navy; two engine boilers and machine shops
and five ordnance work shops. It has established
eighteen yards for building war v ,-ssels, and a
rope—walk, making all cordage, from a rope yarn
to a nine inch cable, and capable of turning out
8,000 per month.
Os vessels not iron-clad, the Department has
purchased and otherwise acquired and con
verted to war vessels .... 41
Has built and completed as war vessels - 12
Has partially constructed and destroyed to
save from the enemy - - - - 10
And has now under construction - - 9
Os iron-clad vessels it has completed and has
now in commission - - - - 12
Has completed and destroyed or lost by cap
ture - 4
Has in progress of construction, and in va
rious stages of forwardness - - -20
It has, also, one iron-clad floating battery pre-
I rented to the Confederate States by the ladies of
j Georgia, and one iron-clad ram, partially com
pitted and turned over to the Confederacy by
! the State of Alabama.
Taking into consideration the poverty ot our
means, and the formidable naval power and
boundless- resource of our enemy at the begin
ning of this war, our people have no sufficient
cause for shame or discouragement in the opera
tions of our navy* NV hat has been, anu is being
done, to resist tiie enemy on the waters ot our
rivers and the sea. should inspire confidence and
excite strong hope that our navy will yet prove
efficient and worthy ally of our noble armies in
achieving our independence. It has already won
! the admiration ami applause of neutral nations
j for its gallant and glorious achievement. And if
! we should succeed in getting into service the
war vessels completed and iu progress of con
struction, the committee believe that our naval
triumphs will yet rival the heroic and brilliant
achievements of our land forces.
Since the last session of Congress one of the
members of this committee on the part of the
Senate, Hon. K. L. Y. Peyton, has died ; and as
the testimony haJ been taken before his death,
it was not deemed necessary or proper to ask the
appointment of another Senator lo fill hu place.
This will explain why’ tiiis report is signed by
1 only four Senators. E. Bakksdack,
Jamks Lvoxs.
Reserving my judgment upon much of the
general course of reasoning adopted in this re
port, I desire to empress my full concurrence in
the conclusion arrived at favorable to the Score- !
taryoftlu* Navy.
Wm. \V Boycs,
On the part of the House.
C. O. Clay, Jr., f’h’n,
* Ttios J. Skxixies,
A E Maxwkll,
James Phelan.
On the part of the Senate.
* Note—Some of the committee think that
the Mississippi was lost by want of energy and
diligence ol officers of the \o \ y at New Orleans.
COXFEOKft 4TE STATES ( ONGRESB.
•SENATE— FEU. 16.
A motion was entered to reconsider the vote
rejecting the bill relative to the exchange, etc.,
o.' Trans .Mississippi troops.
The Committee of the Judiciary, reported
■ liack the House bill to authorize the" payment
of mileage and salary to members of the Second
Congress of the Confederate Stales. The Jhill
was considered and passed.
't he same committee reported back, adverse
ly, a bill in relation to trading with the enemy;
a bill authorising the District Courts to award
a writ of mandamus, in certaiit cases; and-a
House bill (o facilitate the payment of deceased
soldiers’ claims.
Mr. Hill, in regard to the latter bill, said the
present law on the mbject was more simpleund
efficient than that proposed, and if its provis
ions were observed and carried out, the settle
inent of claims would be more expeditious. The
said bills were placed upon the calendar.
IMPBFSMENT OF MEAT.
The Committee of the Judiciary, reported
back the House bill to authorize the impress
m -nt of meat under certain circumstances. The
bill was considered and passed.
The House joint resolutions of thanks to the
Surry Light Artillery, McGown’s Brigade 8. C.
Vols , Peedee Artillery, and Poague's Artillery
batt.allion, were feveraly considered and unani
mously concurred in.
The House joint resolution declaring that the
provisions of the act increasing.the compensa
tion of certain civil officers and employees in
Richmond should apply to detailed clerks was
concurred in.
The Senate bill to authorize the creditors of
the Covetnment to receive their dues in 8 per
cent, bonds ; and the Senate bid for the relief
of Captain \\ r . W. Payne, of Ga, were severally
taken up and indefinitely postponed.
The Committee on Finance, reported a bill
in relation to the qualification of State colec
tors, which was considered and passed. It pro
vides that said collectors may bo within the
conscript ape. .
. The bill heretofore introduced to repeal fhj
act authoiiz.ng the President to confer tempo
rary rank and command for sen ici with vol
unteer troops on officers of the Confederate ar
mv was next taken up. Pending its consider
ation the Senate went into secret session.
HOUSE.
A joint resolution of thanks to the 37 th North
Carolina Regiment, re enlisting for the war,
was unanimously adopted.
A ievolution explanatory of the act approved
Apiil 21th, 1803. to lay taxes for the common
defence, »f - c. The resolution construes the act
to except from taxation the salaries of detailed
soldiers for clerical duty, and was adopted.
A motion was entered to reconsider tire bill
passed Monday, to increase the compensation
of .route agents of the Post Office Department.
A resolution was submitted to instruct the
Committee oil Military Affairs to report a bill
to increase the pay of non-commissioned officers
aud privates of the army. Lost.
The Speaker laid before the House the Senate
amendments to the Appropriation bill,
Mr. Jones, ofTenn., said he was instructed by
the Committee of Ways and Means to move to
'strike out the first amendment, anti substitute
$20,000,000 in lieu of $10,000,000, for the pur
chase of cotton, tobacco, naval stores, army,
navy and other supplies tor the rise of the Gov
ernment. The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Barksdale, of Miss , called up the unfin
ished business, which was the bill supplemen
tary to I lie several ucts in relation to the pub
lic 'printing, a substitute for the bill previously
reported. ~ The bill as amended was passed.
The bill provides that thirty per cent, shall
be paid on the actual cost of type setting, press
work, binding find ruling, tbo certificate oi two
disinterested practical printers to accompany
each bid, and the paper to be furnished by the
Superintendent of Public Bruiting. All con
tracts for printing must be approved by the
Attorney General.
On motion, the House then went into seerbt
session to reeeive-the report of the .Conference
Committee on the Currency.
Senate, Eer. 17.
The following were passed : House bill to
authorize the establishment of auxiliary bu
reaux of tire War Department west of the Mis
sissippi ; House bill to repeal act authorizing
the organization of bands of partisan rangers ;
House bill to authorize the promotion of offi
cers. non-commissioned officers and privates
for distinguished skill and valor ; joint resolu
tion of thanks to Gen. Longstreet and men;
thanks to Gen. Forrest and command ; thanks
to Gen. J. E. B. Stuart and command", House
bill to increase compensation of route agents
and special agents of the Post office Depart
ment ; r esolution ■ explanatory of tax act 6f
April 24th ISG3 ; to establish two bureax west
of the Mississippi iu connection with the agency
of the lieasury.
Tire special committee appointed to examine
into the administration of the Navy Depart
ment, submitted a report which was, on mo
tion, laid on the table and ordered to be prin
ted.
house, — feb- 16.
Nigdt Session. —The Speaker laid before the
House a number of Executive communications,
which were laid on the table and unbred to be
printed.
Senate bill relating to the appointment ot
general? and lieutenant-general, was taken tip \
and passed.
The Ho -.se having re considered the bill to in
crease the pay of route and special agents ot the
Postoffice Department, the bill was amended by
stiining out route agents, and again passed.
A joint resolution of thanks to the thirty
ninth Mississippi regiment, for noble sentiments
proclaimed at a meeting of tho commaud, and
for re-enlisting fbr the war, was passed unani
mously. _ ,
The" House concurred ia the Senate amend
ment to the bill fixing the compensation lor the
publication of the acts of Congress.
Senate l ill concerning the volunteer navy
was taken up aud passed. *
Senate bill to attach the county of Noxubee,
in the State of Mississippi, to the Southern ju
dicial division of said State, was taken up and
passed. .
The Committee on Military Affairs, reported
back a Senate bill to provide for retiring offi
cers of the army, and it was taken up and con
sidered.
HOUSE —FEB. 17.
A joint i ablution was adopted, recommend
ing Friday. April Bth, as a day of fasting, hu
miliatten'and prayer. . .
Various resolutions of thanks tore-enlisting
troops were passed.
The joint Select Committw to investigate the
management of the Navy Department, made a
report, which was laid on the table and ordered
printed. A minority report ot the same sub
ject was also laid "on the taole and ordered
printed.
The President’s veto of the bill to provide a
veteran soldiers' home, was called up, and on
taking the vote whether it should not be pass
ed over the veto, the House refused to pass the
bill—veas 20. nays 39.
The Special Committee appomted for that
purpose presented an address to the people of
‘he country, which was read. A resolution was
adopted that forty thousand copies be printed
ior distribution. H was ordered that the ad
dress be signed by all the members of the two
Houses of Congress." . , j , .
The Special Committee appointed to investi
gate* the recent outrages of the enemy in North
eastern North Carolina, submitted a report,
which gives an outline of the tacts proved by
evidence, of banging and burning, the arrest
aud cruel treatment of ladies and delenceless
cifisens, but recommended uo action. The r«-
I P ort anJ evidence were laid on the table uud
I ordered printed.
lhe following Senate bills were passed, A
bill to provide for retir ng oftieeis of the army;
; to amend an art to provide and organize engi
neer troaps to serve during the war ; to pro
vide tobacco for the'army; to create the office
of Ensign in ihe armv of the Confederate
States.
| Tlio following were also passed ; A bill sup
j plementaiy to the general appropriation bill;
to punish drunkness in the army ; to amend the
tax law ot the present session ; to provide for
the more disciplaiue and subordination of the
cavalry service ; to piovide for the compensa
tion ol non- commissioned officers and soldiers
f on delailed seiviee. •
| . Senate hill to amend the several acts in re
t gaid to military omirts, and tocreav courts for
divis ons of cavalry, was taken up and passed ;
but the vote was subsequently te-considered,
and the bill laid upon the table.
The House refused to coucur in the Senate
amendment to the bill iucieasiug the pay of
official age’.its of the Post office Department to
twenty dollars per day. The secoud amend
ment of the Seqate, lequiriug that the agent
shall be over forty-live *ears of age, was con
curred in.
SKNA'E. — FEU. 18.
The Committee of Conference on the dis
agreeing voters of the two If uses on the bill to
establish a bureau ol foreign supplies, presen
ted a report, which was concurred in.
Mr. Henry, of T’enu., (Mr. Orr in the
submitted the following resolution, which was
unanimously agreed to :
Resolved, 1 hat the thauks of .the Senate are
hereby tendered to tlie Hon. R. M. Hunter,
President protein, for the dignity, impartiality,
and ability with which he has presided over
the deliberations of tlie Senate dining the
present session.
Mr. Maxwell submitted the following resolu
tion, which was agreed to ;
Resolved, 'That a committee be appointed
to join such committee as may be appointed on
the part of the House of Representatives, to
wait on the President of the Confederate States
and notify him that unless he may have further
eomiimn cations to make, the two Houses hav
ing completed Urn business before them, ure
ready to close the present sesskrtt by an ad
journment.
The Chair appointed Messrs. Maxwell, Hill
and Henry as the Committee on the part of
the Senate
't he President pro tem, who was temporarily
absent, having returned to the Senate chamber
and„ resumed the Chair, Mr. Orr announced to
him tlie unanimous adoption of the complmeu
tary resolution introduced by Mr. Henry.
A message from tlie House of Representa
tives was received, communicating orticial in
formation of the death ot Hon. M. R. 11. Gar
nett, of Va; and a copy t>f the resolutions
adopted by the'- House of Representatives, of
which deceased was a member.
Eulogistic resolutions were adopted, and ap
propriate addresses made.
Mr. Hill, from tho jdint comm'ttee to wait
upon the President, etc., reported that the
committee had discharged that duty, and the
President lequestfd them to say that lie had
no further conitnunica-ion to submit. He ten
dered to Congress the assurances of bis high
consideration, and expressed the hope that by
the next meeting, we should find the country
relieved of the troubles which now environ us.
He wished the members a safe return to their
homes.
The Chair (Mr. Orr), then rose and said : The
hour having arrived for tlie termination of tlie
present session of Congress, tlie Chair announ
ces that the Senate stands adjourned sine die.
HOUSE.
Resolutions of thanks to re enlisting troops
were adopted.
The Committee on Accounts presented a re
portshowing the expenses of the House during
the session to he $58,617, of which SPOB,OO were
authorized during the last session to he paid oht
of the fund of tire present session.
The Committee of Military Affairs, reported
a resolution to correct the record of the War
Department in relation to the numerical desig
nation of the tub Kentucky regiment, which
was adop erl.
The same committee reported hack favorably
tha S--nate hill to establish a bureau of Poly
technics, which was placed on tire calendar.
The-death of the Hon. M. It. H. Garnet, late
.Representative from the Ist Congressional Dis
trict of Virginia, was form illy announced aud
appropriate resolutions adopted.
The Conference Committee in relation to the
disagreement ot the House to the Senate bill
to estai lish a Bureau of Foreign Supplies, made
a report, which was agreed to.
A message was received from the President,
through his Private Secretary, announcing his
approval of various bills anil resolutions.
A message was received from the Senate an
nouncing that a committee on the part of that
body had been appointed to wait on the Presi
dent and announce that, having completed the
bus'ness before them, they were ready to ad-
journ.
On motion a similar committee was appoint
ed on the part of the House.
Mr. Lyons, from the committee appointed to
wait on the President, repotted that the Com
mittee had discharged the duty imposed upon
them, and were requested by the President to
state that he had no further communication to
make to the House; to return his thanks to the
members, and wished each one a safe journey
to their respective homes; and to express the
hope that before the assembling of the next
Congress the country would he relieved from
the difficulties with which it is now contend
ing.
The speaker, after delivering an eloquent
and address, declared the House
adjourned nine die.
Difficuity between tub United States and
France.- Washington letter writers say that
difficulties between the United States and
France are brewing. A dispatch to the New
York World of Jan, 21, reads thus :
It is rumored in high official circles here that
we are upon the eve ol a war with France, ow
ing to the singular diplomacy of Mr. Seward
touching the questions glowing out of the build
ing oi Confederate ruins in France. It will be
remembered that Mr. Seward as-limed a very
bold tone towards the English Government al
ter lie discovered that the British Cabinet had
determined to detain L ord's rams and keep the
peace with this country. His high-sounding
dispatches were all written after the change of
policy in the Kuglish Cabinet was definitely un
derstood. Emboldened by his bloodless victo
ries on paper, it is undei stood here that he as
sumed a simii vr tone towards the French Gov
ernment, touching the Florida aud the escaped
steamer Kappuhauuock 1 and also with regard
to the rams which were known to be building
in France for tire rebel Government. His po
sition was so incautiously belligerent that he has
received a reply from Drottyte de Lbuys which
has put the Administration in a cruel predica
ment. r lhe United States must either abandon
its pretensions or go to war to maintain them,
this, it is stated, is the only iutrepretatiou
which can be put on ihe reply of the French
minister. Hence the panic in the gold market,
the call for live hundred thousand men, and Ihe
orders which have been sent to various naval
stations to fit out the iron-clads instanter.
Another telegraphic dispatch in regard to the
sitme subject says :
It is now alleged that the trouble between
France and the United States relates iu some
way to the special embassy which Mr. Win. M.
Evarts hud been sent on to lliat country. After
his services in the ram dispute in England, it is
known that he was instructed to demand of
France ihe surrender ol the belligerent rights
it accorded to the Southern rebels. Whether
tiie demand, for whatever course of action, was
based in a too peremptory tone, or whatever
may be tiie trouble, it is certain that there is
some serious difficulty with the French Cabinet,
so mu' li so as to alarm all save Mr. Seward
himself.
Under an act of the late session of the Ala
bama Legislature, Gov. Walts has determined
to issue two million five handled thousand dol
lars in State Treasury notes ot large denomina
tions. These notes are to aid in paying appro
priations of the General Assembly. They will
he ready for delivery in the course of a mouth
or six weeks. The notes are required, by the
act, to be signed by the Comptroller and State
Treasurer. Ihe act leaves it optional with the
State to fund them in five per cent. fitate bv“4»*
VOL. LXXVIIL —ISEW SERIES VOL. XXViIL ML
REPORT
Os the Comm Utter on Schedule of Prices, for Au
gusta.
Mr. Editou : A large number of tho Commit
tee appointed by a Public Meeting of the citi
zens of tiiis county assembled on the 6!h day of
tho present month, and to whom the duty was
assigned of agreeing upon aud publishing "a
schedule of fairly remunerative prices” for “ar
ticles suited to army subsistence.” beg leave to
report through me that they have proceeded to
discharge that duty according to" the best of
their ability, and recommend the followiug
scale of prices for ail supplies furnished to the
Government :
Bacon, last year’s, Uneivh'ble) per lb. $2 75
Bacon, new, “ •_> jp
Pork, tfc.t, <• “ j go
Pork, gross, “ “ i io
Beef, nett, •• “ r,o oa iop
Crnm. “ per bush 650
Wheat, “ “ £0 00
Peas, <• “ 7 op
Dats, <■ “ 4 50
Fodder, “ per 100 lb 650
Shucks, “ “ . 400
Flour, “ perbbl 110 a1 25
Corn meal, “ per bush ti 50
Potatoes, sweet, “ “ 4 00'
Lard, “ per lb 2 75
Sugar, brown, “ “ 3 00a 400
Salt, domestic, “ 45c a 50
Ch. Sag. cane syrup “ pergal 500a 800
Hay, . “ per 100 lb 6 50°
Leather, upper “ * per lb 600
“ sole, “ “ 5 00
“ harness, “ J‘ 500
Lumber, merchantable*, pr 1000 ft. 80 00
The Committee have' instructed me to say
that these prices chiefly, have been adjusted
witii the aid of information received, as to re
cent sales by holders of such articles to officers
of Government, in our city; but that the sched
ule should be considered as subject to revision
when the currency shall be materially affected
by the recent act of Congress, say after the Ist
of April next. lam also instructed to remind
our fellow citizens that the prominent object of
this effort is to render unnecessary, if possible,
the action of impressing officers among ns; and
that if our recommendations be accepted in the
right spirit, we have reasonable assurance that
there will no longer be employment for these
officers in this community.
E. Starnes, Chairman.
A Spirited Proclamation. —Gov. Watts, ot
Alabama, lias issued the.annexed sperited proc
lamation to the people of that State :
Fellow Citizens of Alabama—Our foes have
commenced the attack on the water defence of
Mobile ; their army said to be thirty thousand
strong, has marched across the State of Missis
sippi, and on the Western border of Alabama,
confronted by Gen. Polk, threatens to invade
the State. General Polk needs the support
which brave hearts and.stout arms can give.
Your property, your firesides, your wives and
children are in danger, unless this army of our
hated foe lsrepulserl. Are you willing, tumely
to submit to tire boastful pride of our enemy ?
If you have the spirit which always glows in
thehe*rtsof freemen, you will not hesitate;
you will show by yonr acts, that freemen know--
how to die, and not to falter, in defence of
their homes and hberties. Ido not ask yon to
incur dangers, I am not willing to share with
you. I ask you to come promptly ; come will-*
ingly. I will go with you to tire battle field
and there await the fate no brave man fears.'
Alabama must, Alabama shall be defended.
All of the county reserves who are willing
to share in tho glory of defending the State
will report themselves without delay, to the
commandant of the second class militia < f each
county. The commandant of the second clas3
militia in each county, will, without tlelay,
call together his command. All who will vol
unteer, may organize themselves into compa
nies, battalions and. regiments. 'Those who will
not volunteer in ten days after notice, will be
ordered into camp, with all their arms and
equipments, ready to obey the orders from the
Adjutant Genmal ot the State. Gen. Joel Riggs.
All volunteer organizations will be received at
Selma by Col W. M. Smith, one of my Aids,
and arms an-1 ammunition will he furnished.
Atrocities in North Alabama— An office
from north Alabama gives the annexed account
of some of the atrocities of the Federal* iu that
section:
About twenty five Yankees, headed by one
Ben Harris, a tory from Madisou county, crossed
the Tennessee river into Beech Island, a tid cap
lured Benjamin Raden, an old man, his son,
his nephew James Raden and bis son, and an
otlrermau whose name is forgotton—all piivate
citizens—and shot them, killing four dead*, and
threw them into the liver, three of whoso bodies
were afterwaids found. The fifth caught hold
of some bushes, when Harris ordered them to
cut iris head off with their sabres, but could not
reach him; he then ordered them to knock his
brains out with a fence rail, and failing in this,
they fired two guns, and he dropped his head in
the water as if dead, aud the fiends, supposing
him dead departed. The same crowd- went to
the house of Madison Richie, the conscripting
officer, and took him out of his bed and drove
hint in front of them some t*o or throe miles
to Paint Rock river, anil made him wade in
about midway aud shot him, putting seven halls
through his body. These were unoffending
citizens, Benjamin Raden was an old man, sixly-
three years old.
They hung an overseer —who had summarily
taken the oath of Lincoln—his sole offence con
sisting in assisting his employer to get his
stock act oss the river. They put a notice on
the tree that it would be death for any one to
take his body down.
They went to P. Rollins, formerly a Captain
in (Jol. Hele’s regiment, who had resigned in
consequence of ill health, and robbed him of
several thousand dollars—giving him ten min
utes to cross the 'Tennessee river, and threaten
ing to hang him and leavehim hanging till the
buzzards should pick liis eyes out, if he evxrr
returned. They have issued an order for all to
take the oath, or leave their lines.
Yankee Enlistments in England. —The New
York Times has a l«>ng editorial article head
ed “ Rebel Enlistments in England,” in. which
it complains that vessels have not only been
built for tiie “rebels” by English workmen
and with English, money, but that they have
been manned by English crews, recruited in
England by “ rebel” agents. Os this' United
States Minister Adams complained to Earl
Russell, who retorted with the charge that ihe
Northern Government had been guilty of re
cruiting on British soil. This Adams promptly
denied. He. declared that no authority had
•been given by tne United States to listen to
any proposals to enter its service, or to make
any engagement. He had no reason to believe
that any American citizen, in England, clothed
with authority, had ventured to act in any oth
er way. The denial may f»; correct as far asi£
goes. The thing no doubt has been done se
cretly and clandestinely, as might have been
expected while Lincoln is'President and Seward
prime minister in the States of the Noith.
This denial by Mr. Adams was 'followed by
the following letter from Earl Russell, winch
the Times characterizes as- very extraordi
nary.’’ Although nearly a year old, it has but
t ecentlv come out: .
Foreion Office, April, 20, 1803.
Sir.;—With regard to tha complaints which .
yon have made, from time to timer, of'Britisb
sailors who have entered the Confederate ser
vice, I have to remark thaft no steps have hith
erto been taken by the United States authorities
to prevent British subjects Irom entering the
military or naval serviae of the United States.
Mr. Seward has. ou tiie contrary, justified tn
measures used, provided there were 001,1
ry or intimidation, tc» induce British sane -
enter the Federal service. . , (h
You will readily -perceive the just!ice of
request lam abbufc to make, nacu J, vj r ifcish
fore you repeat your comp lamte that
sa lors have entered tie semce of the stwca
ed Confederate States, you will fuinlsti ar e
with proofs tbafall British subjects serving m
the Federal army rmd navy have been discharg
and that orders have been given not to eu
bator engage such person* to serve in arms
contrary to the tenor of Her Majesty’s proda-
the honor to be, with the highest con
sideration, sir, your most obedient, humble
servant. Rcssell.
To Charles Franc® Adams, Esq.
Several cajjes of tfiy final 1 pOX haru OCCUriqd'
in Richmond.
FROM \OUTU GEORGIA.
SPECIAL COnStSSPONDEXCE CHRONICLE A SENTINEL
Position of Affairs — Sherman's Mmements
j Thoughts on the limes—Sinedl pax at A'-nxr
j thus— Weather, etc.
Dalton. Feb. lib
Since yie departure of Gens. Breckinridge
and Morgan, the trout ba.-> collapsed into a state
of universal quietude. Everything is calm.
No news. No exc'teraent of any kind.
Grant it is conceded will make no move in
our front til! Sherman shall have fulfilled bis
work—the capture of Mobile —or bis glorio is
repulse. The latter alternative it is hoped
will be the end of the audacious attempt lo
penetrate so far into tlie Interior. Yet it is
somewhat feared that the very audacity of the
movement, may superinduce irresolution and
bring about a partial success ot the plaus of
the enemy.
The great fault ot tho Southern temperament
is contempt of danger, am} an under estimate
of both the strength and chivalry of their foe.
It is a fault which leads naturally to negligence
in pieparing for the future, inactivity in making
up the details of a campaign. Too great reli
ance is placed in natural courage, former suc
cess, patxiotisin &c., without the proper ener
gy. Before the end and! this war every human
being must do their whole duty. It is a com
mon conviction that if every man and woman
in the Confederacy would do his or her whole
duty, the war would be very soon ended, and
that it is dereliction of duty that protracts
it. If every straggler, if every soldier in the
ranks would stand square up toewhat tlie times
demand ; if every officer woul IjlaitlifuUy dis
charge the duties resting upon him, il every
planter would work to feed the army and
the Buffering families of our soldiery ;
if every merchant would cease to extort ; it
every civilian not legitimately out of service,
would go the ranks ; if every mother, sister
and wife would work in her sphere for the
cause, and use licr influence to encourage and
impel all within her acquaintance to their duty,
•it would present a spirit of determination which
would convince the Lincoln glynasty that sub
jugation was an impossibility.
The moral spectacle presented by so unani
mous and earnest an effort for the greatest boon
that an oppressed people could seek, would
make cravens of a foe who dare to invade the
dominions of such a heroic people.
Nothing later from Knoxville except that the
mortality of the enemy from small pox is on
the increase.
The weather this morning is bitter cold witii
appearance of snow, Ice an inch thick was
made last night. N.
CONFED RATE PRISONERS IN InNONVJI.I.E. The
following extract honl a correspondent in the
Atlanta Register will give our readers some
idea of tho treatment Confederate Prisoners
received in Knoxville :
Confederate prisoners in Knoxville are
shamefully, barbarously treated. No fires
were kinkled in the prison cells and wards
during the bitter cold weather of January and
February. Gen Carter when advised of the
fact, by one of our ladies, condemned such bar
barity, but the superintendent of the prison,
one Lieut Kbaw, an Ohio shoo milker, was
utterly devoid of all human sympathy. Pro
visions were scarce; broad was made of wheat
brail, and hardly enough of that to allay the
pangs of hunger. There was a better supply
ol bacon, but the prisoners had no*fires to cook
it. Their rations were necessarily sent to, fam
ilies to be cooked. But for the generosity and
kindness of true .Southern women every prison
er would have perished by hunger .and cold.
Many died for want of food and fuel. They
had no blankets; of these they were deprived
when first taken prisoners. Forty blankets
were taken from as many of our men when they
were captured because they were marked
“U. S.” At first the ladies were freely permit
ted to visit our. soldiers in prison: finally the
pi ivelege was denied them and the prisoners
received nothing except what passed through
Shaw’s hands. During the intensely cold
wheather many of our soldiers suffered with
pneumonia, aud many died without ever having
seen a physician. Alter the ladies were denied
the privlege of visiting the tail, nothing was
known of occurrences within its walls. Ilow
many died from neglect, cold, and hunger, can
never be known. One man was found frozen
to death in prison.
Inhuman Treatment. —Rev. Isaac Lewis, a
Methodist minister who for forty years has been
a preacher of the Gospel in Knoxville, died in
that city lately# During his last hours he was
subjected to the moat inhuman treatment by a
Federal soldier. The following is from a letter
describing the affair :
The evening before he died the privacy of bib
quiet bed-room was invaded by tire lude knock
of the Yankee soldiery at iris door. One of
them, when the door was opened,! mini red with
an oath “if that old rebel spy was,not dead yet
the house is wanted for a hospital.” lie was
told to come and see for himself. He entered,
and nothing awed by the presence of Mrs. Lew
is and her daughters standing in tears around
the hen, lit* rudely came forward and felt the ex
tremities of the dying man, and for three hours
remained by his bedside impatient to see him
draw his last breath. Death soon came to re
lieve him from this unwelcome intrusion. In
words scarcely audible to bis indignant aud
deeply bereaved family, ho calmly whispered,
“Bit still—say uothidg to him—l will soon be
beyond their power and their malice—where
the wicked cease from troubling— and tire
weary are at rest. ” So died another martyr to
the Southern cause. For tiiree months he had
suffered Horn Yankee tyranny and insolence.
The city where his long life had been spent was
under a seige, in want of fuel and subsistence.
His sods were in the camp or the field, and his
wife and daughters soon to he turned out of
home upon the cold charities of strangers and
enemies. Under these influences he sickened —
under'these savage circumstances he died.
Suffering of Confederate Prisoners.— The
Chicago Times in remarking on the late cold
weather at the North speaks thus of the suffer
ings of the Confederate prisoners confined neai
that city:
Ihe suffering and tortures endured by the
Confedeiate prisoners was beyond the power of
pen to portray. Unaccustomed to the North
ern climate and coin lake and prairie winds,
their light Southern garb was a poor protec
tion against the ordinary temperature of the
elements. But with the winds maddened into
fury, the air filled witk freezing snow, they
suffered as no people ever suffered before.—
I Through the crevices of their thin board bar
racks, the wind whistles as if in very mockery,
bringing the snow in such quantities as to cp
er the floor and beds upon which, they '
sleep. So desperate was the.r cond.t.on that
they were compelled to sleep by f( j re _
viding off into squads of tour, ‘ •.t, thebf vn-
Ure to their cold berths covering ‘he bkm
kets of the four, while tbe,oth ■ p eaoh did
fire. Thusmturns of tto braye the
these poor n ’ o, ‘ als “ ® ’ ca3C s, the snow had.
ingo f thastom. JnmuyM the blankets of
frequently to lheir ingenuity, they
the sleepers. _ WHim all d numbers of them
could not keep expos ure of this dreadful
v ,11 suff-r f om tbo T(J ad(l to the hor .
fiton "/thMr sirindion. many of them were
rick and the wailing wind and searching cold
added fresh terrois to their sufferings.
The Impendin'*. Revolutions.— The New I ork
Nows the organ of tiie Wood Democracy,
speaking of the usurpations of the Lincoln ad
ministration, says: ......
Is it probable that the people will entrust
power t« snch maaiacs again? No! It would
he shackling themselves with a wors *. torment
than even the old naan of the sea was to Sin
bad. This Administration has been a heavy
burden to can-y, but, like Siubad. the people
have botne with it quietly, if not patiently, un
til the opportunity has come to throw it oil.
It has been Bterally made drunk with P° wor ’
and the people must seize the moment, at the
next eleciion, when its grip relaxes, to fling on
the i tcubaa," and stand once more bafore the
world as freemen. Then, is ewery indication
that this wiJl be done. U the peop»«* **
alone, a revolution of opinion will effect * •
U is Attempted to overage and coerce.the®,
then another kind revaUßion is the only
nUenwtive.
FOBKIUN ITKMS
! A pair of shears, weighing twenty four tons,
Ilia.; been built at Birmingham, England, for the
Russian Government, lo be used in a large iron
works in the neighborhood of St. Petetsbnrg.
It lias a power of pressure equal to 1,000 tons,
and can cut to pieces a bar of cold imnjialf a
foot square. The blades are of cast steel, and
they me operated on by hydrostatic pressure.
These shears are said to possess double the
power of any setSierctofore constructed.
The Scotsman says Hint the number of steam
ers that have ‘eft tire Clyde since the blockade
of the Confederate poits was commenced is up
wards of sixty, and their purchase price amounts
in the aggregate to 41700,000. in many cays
vess.els were sold at half more than their orig
inal cost. On the Whole they have paid their
owners very well, some of them being a sour< o
of great profit to all concerned.
The remains of a gigantic animal of thp bear
species lias been dug out of a land slip near
Talbot, in New South Wales. The animal, when
alive, must have been ten feet in length, four
and a half feet high, and must probably have
weighed over a ton.
The richest individual in England is the Mar
quis ot Westminster, whose daily income is es
timated at $5004.
The Rothschilds, four of them, are the rich
est house in Europj. Their income is estima
ted at $9,000,000 per year, or SIOOO an hour.
The Liverpool Post says that the great topic
of the East India press is, of course the Ala
bama, her late manoeuvres and probable future
tactics occupyiu > much of their space. The
American flag, however, is fast disappearing,
ships taking shelter under that of l’eru, Prus
sia and Portugal. Risks in American bottoms
ure point blank refused by Eastern insurance
offices, and by this mail only one gship is re
ported loading under the American flag. Mean
while the cause of all this consternation is qui
etly cruising in the Straits ol Sunda, patiently
wai ting for coming prizes.
The Paris correspondent of the Herald states
that the recent debates in the French Legisla- •
ture have excited the revolutionary element to
a degree unknown for several years past, and
that a small spark would easily produce u po(>-
ular explosior.
The Great Eastern has been sold at auction
for 130,000 pounds.
The cold weather of January was terrible in
Europe. In parts of England the ice was nine
inches thick out lie Ist of January.
The Dublin Statue to Goldsmith has been in
augurated by Lord Carlisle.
The following loans are now ill the European
markets seeking capital : Russia. 200.000,OOOf;
Spain, 75,000,0001'.; Italy, 200,000,000f. ; Swe
den, 181,500,000f. ; |Denmark, 30.500,000f. ;
Prussia, 52,500,000f.; Greece, 200,000f.; Ger
man Diet, 42,500,000f.; and Austria, 250,000,-
000.
The Federal Rjj Grande Expedition.—Let
ter writers to lhe New Yoik papers do not think
much of the success of Banks’ Rio Giande Ex- •
pedition. They are of the opinion that he has.
accomplished nothing—that's all. The New
Orleans correspondent of tlie New York World
comments thus ;
Yotr must abandon any great expectations
from the Rio Grande expedition. It has accom
plished all it can do as against the rebellion,
and, until the arrival of troops at Matamoras,
nothing new will occur in that region. After
some little time, a France Mexican force will
appear iu tho rear- of Matamoras, and all the
interior of tire Stale of Tamatilipos will declare
for the intervention. Matamoras may hold out
for months; but the towns up Die river will go
tor trade arid intervention with Texas, and the
wagons and carts will take the direction of
Tampico or Sotoda Marina, under convoy, if
necessary. The bus'ness then done will be al
together in neutral soil and under neutral (fags;
safer than any ever yet done at Brownsville;
nearly as expeditious, and iu these times of ex
pense, about as profitable. If you talk of send
ing troops up the river to prevent it, you will
please them hugely, because you put yourself
on a par with the rebels in difficulty as to sup
plies and distance from the base of operations.
Take it all in all, we have won an elephant in
the Rio Grande.
What the “Old Flag’’ is. —Bill Thompson,
the notorious bushwhacker : n East Tennessee,
was captured lately fry our troops, and execu
ted upon the spot, The Yankees have a high
opinion of the love these bushwhackers have
for “tire old ling.” From a paragraph iu the
Bristol Gazette we take the following descrip
tion of the “old flag" that Thompson was fight
ing for :
1113 house and premises jvere searched, and
vast quantities of stolen goods were found se
creted in boxes around the house. These box.
es were filled with china and glassware, bed
clothes and wearing apparel, and the boxes were
concealed under brush heaps and old logs, &e.,
some distance from the house. Fargo quanti-
ties of leather were found, bearing different
marks, as il it had been taken from several tan
neries, and in an unfinished state. Many arti
cles were identified by the owners and taken
away. It appeared, on investigation, that this
monstrous development of Unionism in the per
son of Thompson has been reduced to a regu
lar and organized.form of robbery; for all tho
witnesses- Tories and Southern men—concurred
in the statement that he nud his gang of rob
bers bad only robbed the he rises aud tanneries
of decided and avowed Southern men.
Judging from the acts of most of the Federal
leaders we think all of them are fighting for tho
same “old flag'’ Thompson was.
An Exciting Navat.Chase.— The Baris corres
pondent of the London Times, under date o
Jan 12 gives the annexed acccount of an ex
citing naval chase which took place off tho coast
of France ;
An exciting chase took place a few days sineo
off the port ot Brest in consequence of the
commander ,of the Federal corvette Kearsago
mistaking the French war steamer Renaudin
for the Confederate steamer Florida. The
Kearsage was cruising off Ushant, watching for
the Florida, having received orders to attack the
Confederate steamer ou her quitting Breast.
The ItenamU.i, whh i. “*y r i„-.J-.
was going out to sea. and was passing groise
when the Captain of the Kearsage gav e chase.
French navil authorities, and proved to them
Smt the Captain of the American steamer may
that tne cap k hj j H( j velg ary in Irencli
water "‘of which he is not well acquainted with
the boundaries.
The Port Admiral of Brest has consequent
ly given orders that the steamship of-the-line
Wagram shall watch the movements ot the two
shins and prevent them from engaging ia
French water*. The Florida, moreover, is not
yet ready for sea. She made a trial tr.poa
Jan Gtb, and steamed as lar as Oonquet. Iho
trial was most satisfactory, and the log gave a
speed of thirteen knots an hour, even with tho
goulet —The Confederate corvette Rappahan
nock Is still in the port of Calais, undergoing
repairs.
Yankee Cultivation cf Cotton.— -The Abo
litionists are not entirely satisfied with their at
tempts at cotton culture. A Government Su
perintendent of a fine “confiscated” estate on
Port Royal Island, in writing of his prospects.
Sa> lt is mv duty to correct a statement made
in my last letter, which would be sure to mis
lead, and which, at the time, the letter was
written, I had every reason to believe correct. I
there stated that the Government would, in all
probability, realize 7000 pounds ginned cotton
fro in the cotton fields on my twef plantations,
comprising forty seven acres. There will he
nothing over 1,000 paunds ginned cotton.
There are three reasons for l Ins entire lack of
manure, the lands being much worn ; late
iil inted'cotton on account of poor seed, mak
ingVplanting to a great extent necessary,
and the* fact that on one my plantations, cou
tainin- thirty-two acres cotton, the hands were
aknosfall rice plan ers, being broad people
from the Santee a year ago last July-the cot
ton plant being of such a delicate nature that
it requires experienced hands to culture it
! ...pH. I must say from certain know edge that
the best cotton crops on this Island will tb *
i soar average about 500 pounds seed cotton to
j lu acre, which is a trifle lew than half a crop