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(garlu Count]) pins. eThTgrouby, Editor, Proprietor & Publisher. "'BLAKELY: WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3, ISG4. The Editor having been abneut for a week, is the cniy excuse we have for the delay of this issue. Wo had a faint idea of intimating, in our last issue, that a certain bridge on the Fort Gaines road was very much out of order. We hope the Inferior Court will eec to thi3 matter, before we feed it our du ty to speak plainly in regard to it. We learn that a man by the namo of Washington Johnson, who had deserted from the Army, was killed a few days siuce, in Miller eouuty, by a youth named John Sims. Russel Harden was also killed, in Wood rille, 22d ult., by a young lad named Pyues. ♦ » ♦ In our telegraphic column it will be seen that exempt ions are entirely done away with, except for Congressmen, (first of course,) State Legislators, the President and Gov ernors of States. By a careful reading of the telegram, however, we have concluded that it should read, “ Congress, State Leg islatures, and such officers as the President and Governors of States declare necessary to administer the Government." We give it this version to keep some of our friends from '* going up a spout.” —■ ♦ ■ At last accounts the Yaukees were still washing ammunition on Charleston. They were firing on Sumter during tho night of the 2Sth, when 123 shells were thrown, 82 of which burst in und around the fort; two parrot shots, also, struck the fort. Nobody hurt, nor was any damage done the fort. On the 29th the flag staff w»s9hot down, but replaced by,three of tbo garrison. The bombarduieut continued up to the night of tho 30th. Two slightly, »ud one severely wounded, on our side. —* ♦ » We are much gratified to see a disposi tion on the part of farmers, in some of the Counties, to keep the prices of provisions down. It has been suggested to hold a Convention, in Macon, for that purpose, and we hope and trust that it may he done. It is true that there are a great many who would accept the last cent they could get for any tiling they have for sale; but wo hope that there is enough patriotism left in the hearts of the “ honest yeomanry” of the country to establish the lowest rates they can afford, and then frown down the man that attempts to hold for higher pri ees. Can the South ever be subjugated? This is a strange question to find way into & public print, but it needs answering, from the very fact that there arc a few timid, and also jl few ignorant persons, in the country who were whipped before “ mut ton eoru ” time of the first year of the war. llovv any man cau contemplate the hor rors ot such a condition—the contumely and insult that would bo heaped upon him —and the disgrace that would ever follow his children, is more than we cau diviuc. Wc are glad they arc few—we are proud to k;iov. that they are ignorant and timid. God has never intended the Southern peo peoplc to be subjugated ! True, thousands of our sons, brothers aud husbands have fallen, and many bitter tears have been shed, and still the enemy requires more sacrifices—more blood—more tears. But the noble youths of our country are taught —yea, the very feeling is instilled in their nature, that the last life drop must be poured out for their country rather than • submit to subjugation. The nobic hearted women of the South arc untiring in their exertions to supply the wants and alleviate * the sufferings of our brave boys in the field. They are as determined to day as they were at the cla rion s first blast, and no peopU uuder Heav en, ever were, or ever will be subjugated, who fight in a cause like qurs. Tho ene my may buru our house?; sack our towns «ad cities, and lay wa/te our fair land ; bat our cause is just, And He who “ tem pers the wind to t>e shorn lamb,” will surely avert subidjation. / » The War Tax. - This being a subject that our readers are particularly interested in, we propose show ing some of the good and bad features of the bill now before Congress. From the synopsis published in the papers, generally, we find that Congress, instead of levying a strictly ad valorem tax, seeks to reduce the abundance of Confederate money by taxing thirty-three per cent, of profits, in business first of January, 18G2; five per cent, of money, ten to twenty per cent, of debts paid and twenty per cent, of agricul tural products. It is true that it looks like the easiest mode of reducing the cur rency, but is it just? If the planter could be allowed to pay five per cent, of what, he is actually worth in Confederate money, in stead of being harassed by Tax Collectors every month, and then by Post Quarter masters until he gets his tax in produce delivered, he would be saved a great deal of trouble—the currency would be immedi ately reduced, and its value greatly appre ciated. It would leave that poftioa of ag ricultural products, which would in all prob ability lay and rot in some of tho govern ment depots, in the barns and smoke houses of the farmers, to be sold to the govern ment hereafter, at prices to correspond with the improved value of the money. The tax of five per cent, of tnoney on band seems to be the fairest feature of the bill, because there need be no sacrifice of property to pay it, but thirty-three per cent, ou profits, although at a glance it looks like every one would admit its fans ness, is fraught with the greatest evil to that class of tax payers. It must not be presumed that trading men have much idle money on hand, at any time. Those who have made money since the war be gan have either invested it in land and ne groes, or some other species of property. Now, if only one third of this property were required of the tax payer, he could easily afford to loose it; but this is not what the bill proposes to do. It requires thirty-three per cent, of his profits. If, therefore, he has made thirty thousand dol lars since January, 1862, aud invested it in property, tho consequence will be, that he must sacrifice the property in propor tion to the appreciation of the money. If the money gets to be worth three times its present value, it is plain that the whole of his property must sell to bring ten thou sand dollars, which will be about the amount of his tax. We have no doubt but that a tax of five per cent, ou all property, and an extra tax of ten per cent, an all profits, would suffi ciently reduce the currency, in less than six mouths, to purchase five times a3 much with it as we could to-day. The Editor of the Savannah Republican writes to that paper, from Richmond, that the military bill now under consideration, in the house, and which has already passed the Senate, “ extends the conscription age to all able bodied citizens under fifty-five years of age and over eighteen ; those over forty-five to be employed in home duties, such as the Quartermaster and Commissa ry departments, enrolling officers, provost guards, for towns and cities, guards for railroad lines and bridges, find such like employments, those now engaged in them to bo transferred to active duty in the field, together with all persons enrolled under forty-live years of age. The exemption |jst isjinlargsu upon that originally report ed to the Senate by the Committee. It embraces ministers of regular congrega tions, physicians of thirty-five years and over, who have been seven years in regu lar practice, teachers of established schools of twenty scholars, one editor to each news paper published prior to the 16th of April, 1562, togethev with such journeymen prin ters as he will swear are absolutely neces sary for keeping up his journal (book keep ers, mail clerks, reporters, engineers and pressmen are not included in the bill as it stands,) one shoemaker to every three bun* dred inhabitants, to be over forty-five years of age and selected by the county courts. These are all the exemptions, though a dis cretion is vested in the President and Sec retary of War to detail such persons as may be required by the absolute necessities of tho community. The bill will likely pass the House without any material change.” —■ We wish the Inferior Court would have a certain bridge fixed, on the Fori Gainej read (communicated.) To THE EDDYTSR OP THE NUSE : De*r Sur —l want to giv you a little dialog hilt with me au one of my nab era last week jest to sho you how Korrttpt we're all git ten. We wersettinon my uew groan fence, and I says to him, says I, “ Bob, how is it that you were so rantankerous to git in to the war, at first an now so fidgety, fun teria round, to Keep out? “Well Tobe," says he “ you no when Davis first blowd his horn (now you no I always was parshal to horns) for volunteers, I pitched in in a perfect fit of patriotism but I had’nt bin in long before I cum out with a perfeck caso of rooinvtisin which is almost certiu to ful ler them sort of fits. Then the doctors rit me about seven sheets of foolscap sertiffy cates, but I Kep gitten better an better an at last one of them fellers that goes about coverd up with brass buttons, said I’d bet ter report to the army sergent. It seemed to me that lie ment something by what he said, so I cut rite out to the sergeuts offis. I found thar about a duzzen fellers lookin like they’d bin tried for sum crime and waiten for the judge to'pass sentence on cm. The sergent was a Kweer lookin chap himself, and was so deef he could’nt hear himself sneeze, and when he asked tne what my disces was, I said roomytism. Says he “ I’m a little hard of heerin,”—so the next time I hollered out roo-my-tis-um ! purty loud, au then the sergent says “poor feller, his lungs are almost gone—l—jest—can —heer him—say —KonsumpsAun ! Like a darned fool I waa jest gwine to holler a 6*'b "hen a feller standin by that node the rope 3, says “ my frend, you’d better take Konsumpshun for you’ll uever git thro on roomytisum, unlest you can make yer jiuts swell uiorin they do." So I conclud ed to take konsumpshun, and when I got back home, I drunk vinegeer an Kawfed about rite smart, but for all that I could’nt keep from eatin sassenges, and gitten fat. About this time Brown called out all the men over 45, in his state servis, but I got outen it by tellin the enrolin man that I wer under 45, an belonged to Davis, and bo you see I cum cleer—but the darned war dogs are always on yer track. Jest as soon as I dun that Davis called for ern from 40 to 45—but you see I was a leetle to smart for him too, for by that time I was a leetle over 45, an belonged to Brown. I tuck a noshun, howsumever, that the en rolin offiser didn’t bleeve I was that old, an evry time I’d git wher he was, he’d be snuffin the breese, jest for the world like he wa3 “ smellin of a rat," and I begun to smell that very same artickie, an went an put in a substytute. TheD I node I was all rite. I burnt up my sertiffyeates, tbrode away my Kauf meddasin an Kwit rulbia my jints, and jest about the time I was git ten as fat an sassy as ever, Kongrcss made a law to put us all in agin what had sub sty tutes. Now 1 toil you, I was in a tite agin—but I 'did’nt stay [tite long—l was too patriotick to see our army sale for want of men, so I let my overseer go to the war an I got a dstale to oversee the place my self." “ Well Bob" say.s I, “ don’t you have to swar something when you do that ? " “Oh yes" says he, “ I’ve practised that so much, here lately, under the Kon federate tax kollecfcor, that I can do it now “ off hand y\ I did’nt ray nuthen more, but,hit set me to studyin how the morals of peeple wer *0 Korrupted, by this everlastin, “off bund, swarin. Why sir, when I giv in my tax, I swore four or five times, in less than five minutes. I got a lisence to spec ulate, manufacture, peddle and re tale, an when he conies agio, I intend to git a li cence to detale , and then my fortins made. No more your frend, Tobe Donkey. A new disease of fearful futility, says the Rome Courier, has recently made its ap pearance in our community. We believe the physicians call it Mencngelis, and say pathology is an inflamation of the base ot tho brains and the spinal nerves. Tho patient is attacked with a chill, accompa nied with severe paiii in the head, partic ularly in the back part, and in the spine. Thc-[head becomes drawn back, and the pa tient experiences pains in the neck similar in kind to lockjaw, and generally becomes deranged in mind. The disease generally proves fatal in from twelve to thirty hours. The disease is not considered contagious, though it may possibly prove «*pid<wiiwd Some twenty persons have fallen victims to the malady in this vicinity in the* past three weeks. Richmond, Jan. 20.—1 n tho SenaUtD day the injunction of secrecy wjui removed? from the Military bill passed by that body on the 16th iustant, which provides that all white male residents of the Coufodorata States between 18 and 45 shall be in ser vice during the war. All between 45 and 50 shall enroll within such time as the President prescribes, and all failing to bo enrolled to be conscripted into the army ia the field. Ail details for Provest and Hospital guards in the service of the Quartermasters, Commissary, Nitre and Conscript Bureaus, agents, clerks, etc., shall be taken from 45 to 55 years of age, now in the army, and below the age of J 5 unfit for field service. All exemption laws are repealed, except mail contractors, and the following substi tutes : All unfit for servicej members cf Congress, State Legislatures, and such of ficers, President, Governors of States, de clared necessary to administer the govern ment, Ministers authorized to preach on the 10th of April, 1862, or/e editor to each newspaper published ou tbe 10th of April, 1862, regularly published and beeu editor ever since, and Printers, one apothecary to each store engaged at that time, and regu larly since, physicians over 85 in regular S>ractice seven years, Teachers continuous y engaged for two years, one overseer oo each farm of twenty field hands, sole prop • erty of minors insane femesoule or persons in service, provided such overseer has been employed since the 10t’n of April, 1862, and no white male adult on tbe farm not liable to service. One person on each Government, contract with certain restric tion, any Quartevmasier, or Commissary not in the field, Provost Marshals, Nitre, or Enrolling officers, who snail employ say one liable to service between 18 and 45, to be cashiered. This is the principle fea tures of the bill passed by the Senate. Richmond, Jan. 80.—The Roue® to day passed a bill that tl/e act to put an end to substitution shall not apply to any far mer or planter engaged on the sth inat., in the production of grain, provisions or family supplies. The principal provisions of the bill, heretofore reported, passed by 44 yeas to 81 nays. Also passed a bill that all officers, soldiers and seamen perma nently disable in the line of duty, be retir ed, but rank, pay and emoiuraennts to con tinue till the end of the war, or as long ui they continue on the retired list. The Sec retary of War may assign them to such du ty as they are able perform. Ail-vacancie* caused by retired officers shall be filled the same as if caused by\aeath or resignation. The House in open session all day, from which it is supposed to have taken action on the important matters in secret session. Morristown, Jan. 29.—Major Geoer«. al Buckner has arrived here. Gen. Long; street’s headquarters have been moved to this place. The enemy attacked Gen. Mar tin with a superior force beyond the French Road on Wednesday, and after a severe fight compelled him to retire with a loss of 2 pieces of artillery, and- 200 men kill ed, wounded and missing. Morristown, Jan. 30.—Gen. Maris* attacked the enemy on the 28th, and after a stubborn fight drove them from the field'.. They retired in the direction of Seviers ville. The enemy’s cavalry have undoubt edly been reinforced. Persons from Knoxville represent Small Pox raging there. ♦ The amount of talent absorbed in the newspapers of this country is prodigious. Any one looking over the exchanges of a widely circulated journal cannot but be im pressed with this fact. The cleverest men ail over the land arc connected with the newspapers—whose columns aro full of ideas, which, if they would bo elaborated, would make the fame and fortune of poli ticians and authors. In fact we often meet with thoughts carefully dressed up in mag azine articles, or listen to them uttered by public speakers, preachers and -lecturers, that wc remember of having seen before, rudely jotted down in some leading article, or perhaps only half developed in a para graph. Newspaper writing suits the A merican cast of mind, and the' American dislike for protracted application to ono theme. It requires quickness, brightness and energy, but energy in fits and starts, jerks of genius rather than labored cul ture ) many a raw but clever young man can'l'eadily write a telling article, and yet is iueapable of schooling his faculties to tho production of an essay or a volume whose excellence should be at all commen surate with the promise of his paragraph*. Gen. Forrest. The Chattanooga llel»il learns directly from Mississippi, that Gen Forrest, after various gallant exploits and three severe engagements, with superior forces of tha enemy, had arrived safely in North Mis sissippi with about 6,000 men, of whom 3,000 were unarmed, There were plenty of arms at Okalona, and his.whole force is probably by this time fully equipped. Tbe command was in high spirits ar.d w?U *c-on be actively c