The Confederate union. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1862-1865, March 10, 1863, Image 2

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^: it-a Veiuer#«f t&vs .blood ~ i«, an ancestry New England 'am for Sdme yeajfi 4raen» rarely limit'd* Hfefe or else* irR^rr^^Jfv whoffv of Southern —-j, ... r ^„.. « , of Pennsylvania Scotch-!*' Meu now control*hef politics and » Blight cross — —^ jrisn, would spBuk^lt «ord to tlie West and the South, in behalf of New ears ago, in Jjhe controversies, England. Sir, somcye midst of high section#! and speaking as a Western man, I said some thiygs harsh of the North, •which now, in a more Catholic spirit, as a United States man, and for the sake of reunion, I would recall: My prejudices, indeed, upon this subject are as strong as any man’s; but in this the dav of great national humiliation and calamity, let the voice of preju dice he hushed. Sir, they who would exclude New England in any reconstruction of the Union, assume that all New Englan ders are “Yankees” and Puritans; and that the Puritan or pragmatical cle ment, or type of civilization, has al ways held undisputed sway. Well, sir, Yankees, certainly they are in one sense; and so to old England we are all Yankees, North and South, and to the South just now, or a little while ago, we of the Middle or Westerm States also are, or were Yankees too. But there is really a very large and most liberal and conservative non- Puritan element in the population of New England, which for many* years struggled for the mastery, and some times held it. It divided Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut, and once controlled Rhode Island wholy. It held the sway during the Revolution, and at the period when the Constitu tion Was founded, and ior some years afterward.—Mr. Calhoun said, and very justly, in 1S47, that to the wis dom and enlarged patriotism of Sher man and Ellsworth on the slavery question we are indebted for this ad mirable government; and 'that, along with Patterson, of Mow Jersey, “their names ought to be engraved on brass, and live forever.” And Mr. Webster, in IS30, in one **f trtofSe grand historic word paintings in which he was so great a master, said ol Massachusetts and South Caro lina: “Hand in baud they stood around the administration of Washington and rtlt hisown |S -re„t #rn) loan on them tor support” Indeed, sir, it was not till some thirty years ago that the nar-'j row, presumptuous miu fanatical spirit of the Puritan element began to reappear in a form very much more aggressive and destructive than at first, and threatened to obtain abso lute mastery in church and school and State. A little earlier it had strug gled hard, but conservatives proved too strong for it, and so long as the great statesmen and jurists of the ire injiigli places, State and Federal, wiiff; twenty years ago could not have been chosen select neon iff old Massa chusetts. But let l»er remember at last her ancient renown; let her return from vainglorious admiration of the stone monuments of her heroes and patriots of a former age, to generous emulation of the noble and manly vir tues which they were designed to commemorate. Let us hear less from her of the pilgrim fathers and the May Flower, and of Plymouth Rock, and more of Roger Williams and his com patriots, and his toleration. Let her banish now and forever her dreamers and her sophists and her fanatics, and call back into her state administra tion and into the national councils “her men of might, her grand in soul” —Some of them still live—and “she will yet escape the dangers which now threaten her with isolation. Then, sir, while I am inexorably hostile to Puritan domination in reli gion or literature or politics, I am not in favor of the proposed exclusion of New England. I would have the Union as it was; and first, New England as she was. But if New England will have no union with slave holders; if she _ rtreis upon Cape altimore, tire now queefily city* seated then upon the very boundary of two rival, yes, hos tile, Confederacies, would rapidly fall iflto decay. And now. sir, I will not ask wheth er the North-west can consent to se- peration from the South. Never* Na ture forbids. We are only a part of the great Valley of the Mississippi.—There is no line of latitude upon which to separate. The South would not desire the old line of 3G deg. 30 min. on both sides of the river; and there is no natural boundary East and West. The nearest to it are the Ohio and Missis sippi rivers. But that line would leave Cincinnati and St. Louis as border cities, like Baltimore, to decay, and, extending fifteen hundred miles in length, would become the scene of an eternal border warfare without exam ple, even in the worst of times. Sir, we cannot, onght not, will' not separ ate from the South. And if you of the East who have found this war against the South and for the negro, gratify ing to your hate or profitable to your purse, will continue it till a separation be forced between the slaveholding and your non-slaveholding States, then believe me, and accept it, as you did not the other ’ solemn warning of years past, the day which divides the North from the South, that self same day decrees eternal dirorce hetweev the II cst and has appo!tde4 foi* iiS ainong the nattocs of the tiiohvei of Snglajni, Fraues and the tbe earth, *,- 1 other great povrereof Europe, in withhold* And now, sir, It it be the,will of the sec* | ing recognition so long from the Confed* tious to miite, then upon what terms !—* eratu States ; the South and the North are Sir, between the South and most of the ; both indebted to them fora great public States of tlie North, and all of the cst, ^ service. The south has proved her ability there is but one object in controversy— to maintain herself by her own strength slavery. It is the only question, said Mr. j and resources without foreign aid, moral Calhoun twenty years ago, of sufficient or material. ’And the North and the West magnitude and potency to divide this j—the whole country, indeed—these great Union ; and divide it it will, he added, or-j powers*have served incalculably by liold- drehcli the country in blood, it not arrest- j mg back a solemn proclamation to the ed. It lias done both. But settle it on ; world that the union of these States was the original basis of the Constitution, and ;ive to.each section the poweV to protect finally and formally dissolved. They have left to us every chance for reunion ; itself within tjip Union, and now, after tlie j and if that has been tlie purpose of Eu- terrible losions of the past two years, the gland especially—our rival so long ; inter- Union wifi be stronger than before, and, | ested more than any other in disunion and indeed, endure for ages. Woe to the man-, | the consequent weakening of our great North o' South, who, to the third or fourth ,maval and commercial power, and suffering* generation, should teach men disunion. [ too, as she has suffered, so long and severe And now the way to reunion ; wliat so • Iy, because of this war—I do not hesitate easy ? Behold to day two separate gov- to say that she has performed an act < is not content with “the Union as it was,” then upon her own head be the I the East. responsibility for secession. And there j Si*. our destiny is fixed. There is not will be no more coercion now. I, at ! °oe drop of rain which, descending from ieast. will be exactly consistent. I ,Iie heavens, and fertilizing our soil, caus- Andnow, sir, can the Central States « !t to yield an abundant harvest, but flows into tlie Mississippi, asm there, tmn- New York, New Jersey and Pennsyl vania, consent to separation 1 Can New York c-ityf .Sir, the trade ot the South made her largely what she is. She was the factor and banker of the South—cotton filled the harbor with fhioning and her banks with gold. But in an evil +»>n foolish. I will not pay bad, “men of GotUau.," VOl . sua ded her merchant princes—against nt. first lesson in business—that she could retain or force back the Southern trade by war. War, indeed, has given her, just now, a new business and trade greater and more profitable than the old. But with disunion, that, too, must perish. And let not Wal 1 street or any other great interest, maritime, liiamifbnM,, .... ... o that it shall have power enough or wealth enough to stand in the way of reunion through peace. Let them learn one and all, that a public man who has the people as hi! support, is stronger than they, though he may not be worth a million, nor even one dollar. A lit tle while ago the banks said that they were king, but President Jackson speedily taught them their mistake. of ernmetits in one country, and without a j unselfish heroism without example in his- natural dividing line ; with two Presidents . tory. Was such indeed her purpose/— and Ctbincts, and a double Congress ; and Let her answer before the impartial yet cadi under a Constitution so exact!}* j trifiunal of posterity. On any event, after similar the one to the other, that a stran- | the great reaction in putdie sentiment in ger coild scarce discern the difference.— j tlie North and West to be followed after some time by a like reaction in tlie South, foreign recognition now of the Confederate States could avail little to delay or pre vent final reunion, if, as I firmly believe, reunion be not only possible but inevit able. Sir, I have not spoken of foreign arbitra tion That is quite another question. 1 think it impracticable, and fear it as dan gerous. The very powers—or any other power—which have hesitated to aid direct- ’v or by force, might, as authorized Was eter folly and madness like this?- Sir, it k not in the nature of tilings that it should so continue long. But ivliy speak of ways or terms of re union lo.w ? The will is yet wanting in both sections. Union is consent and good will and fraternal affection. War is force, hate, revenge. Is the country tired at last of war ? Has sufficient blood been shed, treasure expended, and misers in flicted in both the North and the South ? What then? Stop fighting. Make an ar- Jure both armies to a fair and sufficient peace establishment. Declare absolute rlins mistice—no formal treaty. Withdraw i arbiters, most readily pronounce for it at your arm) from the seceded States. iTe- | la.'ff. Y cry grand, indeed, would be the tribunal before which the great question of the Union of these States and the. final free trade beiweeu the North and the ! destiny of this continent lor ages should South. Iiuv and sell. Agree upon a j be heard, and historic through ail time the Zollverein. * Recall your fleets. Break I ambassadors who should argue it. And if with the waters ot the mighty river, tl p your blockade. Reduce your navy, j both belligerents consent let the subjects Restore travel. Open up Railroads. Re- ; in controversy he referred to Switzerland, establish the telegraph. Re-unitc your i Russia, or any other impartial or incorrup- express companies. No more Monitor's j tibio power or State in Europe. But at and iron clads, but set your friendly j last, sir, the people of these several States ibutc, under the same government steamers and steamships again in motion. | here, at home, must be the. final arbiter of flag, to its home in the bosom of the Visit the North and West. Visit tlie j thisgreat quarrel in America; and the pen- finds its way at last to the Gulf of Mexi co. And we must and will follow it with travel, trade, not by treaty, but by right, freely, peaceably; and without restriction or tribute, and Gulf. Sir, we will not remain after sep- J South. Exchange newspapers. Migrate. | pie and States of the Northwest the inedta- aration from the South, a province or ap- } Intermarry. Let slavery alone. Hold [ tors, who shall stand like the prophet be- pendago ot the East, to bear her burdens | elections at. the appointed times. Choose 1 twixt the living and the dead, that the ia'ted as wc a”- ’ nor hemmed in and iso- a nett - President in ’64. And when the j plague of disunion.may he stayed, could we long C rVuiain 'a g° s P el of P cace sha11 have descended j Sir, this war, horrible as it is, But wherever wc go, married to The | frona bcaven , ,nt0 tbo ' lr hearts, and ( taught us all some of the most important ' » of abolition and of hate been ! and salutary lessons which ever a people expi . m ct )t.*-- ’.-*>-«*y and the church learned. meet again m Christian intent \ First, it has annihilated, in -twenty and South. Let the secret orders and months, ail „ nd pernicious tlieo- voluntary associations everywhere reunite i l ies and teachings oi'aJwfi'irtnjgsi To 1 'facts an'riie more. liudwtUrisnis^s i and .... Whig and Democrat parties survived, * Next, railroads assumed to be king; and i it made but small progress, though .John Quincy Adams gave to it the strength of his great name. But after their death it broke in r.s a flood, and swept away the last, vestige of the ancient, liberal and tolerating conser vatism. Then evc-rv form and devel opment of fanaticism sprang up in # runk and most luxuriant growth, till abolitionism, the chief fungus of all overspread the whole of New England first, and then the Middle .States, and finally every State in tlie North west. Certainly, sir, tlie more liberal or non-Puritan element was mainly, through not altogether, from the old Puritan stock, or largely crossed with it. But even within the first ten years after tlie landing of the pilgrims, a more enlarged and tolerating civiliza tion was introduced. Roger Williams, not of the May Flower, though a Puritan himself, and thoroughly im bued with all its peculiarities ot cant and creed and forms of worship, seems yet to have had naturally a more liberal spirit; and first, perhaps, of all men, some three or more years before “The Ark and the Dove” touch ed the shores of the St. Mary’s, in Maryland, taught the sublime doctrine of toleration of opinion and practice in religion. Threatened first with ban ishment to England, so as to “remove as far as possible the infection of his principles;” and afterwards actually banished beyond the jurisdiction' of Massachusetts, because, in the lan guage of the sentence of the general court, “he broached and divulged di vers new and st range doctrines against the authority ot the magistrates” over the reiigons opinions of men, thereby disturbed the peace of tlie colon}', be became the founder of Rhode Island, and, indeed, of a large part of New England society. And, whether from his teaching and example, and in the persons of his descendants and those ot his associates, or from other causes and another stock, there has always been a large infusion throughout New England of what may be called the Roger Williams element as distinguished from the extreme Puritan or May Elower and Plymouth Rock type of the New Englander; and its influence till late years has always been power ful. Sir, I would not deny or disparage the austere virtues of the old Puritans of England or America. But I do be lieve that in the very* nature of things, no community could exist long in peaqe, and no government endure long alone, or become great, where that element in its earliest or its more recent form holds surpreme control. And it is my* solemn conviction tleat there can be no possible or durable reunion of these States until it shall have been again subordinated to other and more liberal and conservative elements, and, above all, until its worst and lryjst mischievous develop ment, abolitionism, has been utterly extinguished. Sir, the peace of the Union and of this continent demands it. But fortunately those very ele ments exist in New England herself; and to her I look with confidence to . secure to- them the mastery* within cotton once vaunted largely his king- ship. Sir, these are only of the royal family—princes of the blood. There is but one king on earth. Politics is king. But to return: New Jersey, too, is nund closely to the South, and the South to her: and more and longer than any* other State, she remembered both her duty to the Constitution and i.or u.aicM tn me union. And 1'ennsyl- vania, a sort of middle ground, just be tween the North and south, and ex tending also to the West, is united by nearer, if not stronger ties, to every section than any other one Stafy, un less it be Ohio. She was—she is yet— the kev-stone in the great, but now crumbling, arch of the Union. She is a border State; and, more than that, she has less within her ol the fanatical or disturbing element than any of the States. The people of Pennsylvania are quiet, peaceable, practical and en terprising without being aggressive. They have more of the honest old English and German thrift than any other. No people mind more diligent ly their own business. They have but one idiosyncrasy of speciality—the tariff; and even that is far more a mat ter of tradition than of substantial in terest. The .industry, enterprise and thrift of Pennsylvania are abundantly able to take care of themselves against any competition. In any event, the Union is of more value many times, to her than any local interest. But other ties also bind these States —Pennsylvania and New Jersey, es pecially—to the South, and the South to them. Only an imaginary line se parates tlie former from Delaware and convert this Maryland. The Delaware river, com mon to both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, flows into Delaware bay. The Susquehanna empties its waters, through Pennsylvania and Maryland, into the Chespeuke.—And that great water-shed itself, extending in Norfolk, and, therefore, almost to the North Carolina line, does belong, and must ever belong, in common to the Cen tral and Southern States, under one government; or else tlie line of separ ation will be the Potomac to its head waters. All of Delaware and Mary land. anj the counties of Accomac and Northampton, in Virginia, in that event, follow the fortunes of the Northern Confederacy —^In fact, sir, disagreeable as the idea may to many within their limits on both sides, no man who looks at the map ami then refleets upon history and the force of natural causes, and considers the present actual and the future prorublc position of the hostile armies and navies at the end of this war, ought for a moment to doubt that either the Statesaud counties which I have named must go with the North, or Pennsylvania and New Jersey with the South. Military force on either side cannot control the 'destiny of the States lying between the mouth of the Chesapeake arid the Hudson. And if that bay itself were made the line, Delaware, and the Eastern shore of Maryland and Virginia, would belong to the North; while Norfolk, the only capacious harbor on the South-Eastern coast, must be commanded bv the 1 *>*■- at-y. lint wherever we go, married to the South or the East, wc firing with its tfiree- fourtlis of the territories of that valley’ to the Rocky Mountains, and it may fie to tlie Pacific—the grandest and most mag nificent dowry which bride ever had to I*’fylien, sir, New England frtfed at last from the domination of her sr.pliisters and dreamers and bigots and restored to the control, once more of her former liberal, tolerant and conservative civilization, will not stand in the way of the reunion of these States upon terms of fair and honorable adjustment. And in this great work the central free and border slave States, too, will unite heart and baud. To the West it is a necessity and she demands it. And let not the States now called Confederate insist upon separation and independence. Wliat did they demand at first ? Secu rity against Abolitionism within the Union. Protection from the “irrepressi ble conflict” and the domination of the absolute numerical majority. A change ■ of public opinion, and consequently of po- j litical parties in the'Noith and West, so that their local institutions and domestic peace should no longer be endangered.— And now, sir, after two years of persistent and most gigantic effort on the »;irt of this* .,aiiiiuiaurti?uu tu compel tnem to submit, but wi ll utter and signal failure, the peo ple of the free States are now or fast be coming satisfied that the price of the Union is the utter suppression of Aboli tionism or anti-slavery as a political ele ment, and tlie complete subordination of the spirit of fanaticism and intermeddling which gave it birth. In any event, they are leady now, if I have not greatly misread the signs ol the times, to return to the old constitutional and actual basis of fifty years ago—three- fifths' rule 'of representation, speedy re turn of fugitives from labor, equal rights in the Territories, no more slavery agita tion anywhere and trails!; pud temporary sojourn with slaves without molestation in the free States. Without all these there could be neither peace nor permanence to a restored union of States “part slave and part free.” With it the South in addition to all the other great and multiplied bene fits of union, would he far more secure in her slave property-, l>cr dcnicstu. iusiiiu- tions, than under a separate government. Sir, let no man, North or West, tell me that this would perpetuate African sla- vePv. I know it. But so does ihe Con stitution. I repeat, sir, it is tiic price of the Union. Whoever hates negro sla very more than he loves the Union, must demand separation at last. I think that you can never abolish slavery by lighting. Certainly you never can tiil you destioy the South, and then, in the language, first of Mr. Douglas aud afterward of Mr. Sew- government into an im perial despotism- And, sir, whenever I am forced to .a choice between the loss to my own country and race, of personal and political liberty with a!! its blessings, and tlie rnvoluntaiy domestic servitude of the negro, I shall not hesitate one moment to choose the latter alternative. The sole question to day is between the Union witli slavery, or final disunion, and. 1 think, an archy and despotism. 1 am for the Union. It was good enough fir our fathers. It is good enough for us and our children after us. And, sir, let no man in the South tell me that she has been invaded, and that all tlie horrors implied in those most ter rible of words civil war, lias been visited upon her. I know that, too. But we, al so of tlie North and West, in every State and by thousands, who have dared so much as to question tlie principles and policy, or doubt the honesty of this admin istration and its party, have suffered every thing that the worst despotism could in- flltf, except only loss of life itself upon tlie scaffold Some even have died for the cause by iVr band of the assassin. And can we iorget 1 Never, never. Time will but burn the memory of these wrongs deeper iuto our hearts. But, shall we break up the Union ?— Shall we destroy the country because a us urping tyrant have held possession and pervaded if to the most cruel of oppression? Was it ever so done in any other c mntry ? In Athens ? Romo ? England ? Any where? No, sir; let us expel the usur per, and restore the Constitution and laws, the rights of the Slates, and the liberties of the people ; and then, in the country of our fathers, uuder the Union of our fath ers, and the old flag—the symbol once again of the free and the brave—let us fulfil the grand mission which Providence has mi'l aiguinents could not* have untaught in half a century. We. have learned that which impel us together, their fullest j say. Let time do his office—drying tears, . the South is not weak, dependant, n—■ ,l ® r * dispelling sorrows, mellowing passion, ; prising, or corrupted by slavery, luxury A (JilfiAT $t'CC£63 B? VAN BOSK CUATTa$bc6A, March 4.—Sen. Van Dorrf attacked tha enemy at Franklin in tue e jgi,t een South of Nashville, SumW s wmc - WUI ' f aval, 7 aD( V i £ bt 1 artillery, captj s were , , n g three thousand Federals with stores some movement ! wa g 0US belonging to Wheeler’s bi-Gaikf froth the retiring salt boiler# end Other* whom they had met on their way from the citv. Some said the Montank alone had engaged tlie fott and also fired on the Nashville, which being unable to e had been fired by her crew. Others of opinion that the Nashville had been set ) pniripments. on fire by the shells from the Montauk— j T heenemy captured several ferarin* There appeared to be some movement ! belonging to Wh““'"-’- about one o'clock among fho gunboats | uca ° r Wartrnce on tlie 1st. which were lying at a distance of five or j Tlie Yankees continue to commit d„ six miles.from our position, aud, as the tide , pret l at ions around d/urfresboro’. A citizen was nearly full, wc thought it probable , of R n ,l ier f, >r d was taken out and whinned that the enemy might contemplate anoth- j b or( ] er 0 f Federal officers. ™ er attack on the fort. Wo waited till i about half-past one, when we observed ^DORN SMuTORY COMPLETE, one of the gunboats leave her companions ! Ciiattanooua, March 4.~Confirmato- and steam off down the river, taking a ry reports have been received of Van course in the direction of I’ybee, doubtless Dorn s successful raid in I ranklin. He is to communicate their operations to head . now in possession ot that place. Thirty- (iiiarters. When she was out of sight wc nine wagons were captured with stores returned to the city. Federal loss one thousand killed and It was not until yesterday morning wounded. Our loss heavy. Number of p ris . that we learned anything of the particulais oners a en • ' of the destruction of the Nashville. It Approved by John k. Jackson. Brig, appears that the steamer having j;ot cn - _ , aground in the Reach on Friday, was ob- served by the enemy, and a tew shots jieliinond, March 3d* Northern dates were fired at her by the Montauk on ot the ^/th have been received. Friday evening. The Nashville being LONG LIVE ABRAHAM! unable to get off, and the crew being forced OUR PRESIDENT LINCOLN TElI- to abandon her, ths Montauk, favored by j PORARY DICTATOR a curve in the river, took a position which * brought her in easy range, and opened fire Under this head the New York He on her again on Saturday morning, hitting declares that measures lately pawed - her some eight or ten times, when she took Sfyf - and others that w.ll bmgmf l a tire from the shells and was entirely con- ^ l11 practically in vest LificoTn idg sunned, with her valuable cargo of cotton P?™*’ of a dictator, baUjMungft ..... and all her stores. After the Nashville the shgtest danger of an abuse of power had been on lire some time, a quantity of h Y n ^ ambitious purposes, Ac- powder on board, some two hundred cepting the plea of imperious necetfcity, i pounds, exploded, blowing out the stern v ; e cheerfully consent to the^transforma- of the steamer. Her guns and shells ‘.on of the President into a temporary^ were loaded also exploded with a ” r * . » •• which was heard in the Tr L U™ ar „ r,vaI fy™ Uort^Roy# the specting Foster. that a terrific repoit, city. Thus terminated tie .staff Herald has further inforr 1U» icrminaiea tl.e crier rf.H.e Rattlesnake,” .hid. wo Icily Itnped ** was soon to be converted into a sea seipent ,, », , i -v- i .i .an,. if.... P u 1 G&u. otcvenson unde to iila ,r ue the Yankees on the ocean, ilei 1 » , , ,, I paraging negro troops, owners sustain a heavy loss in tue res.-el pi 1 p- l , . , and her machinery, while private parties Cba . r,e « L ' ,?«*». late second officetqfl t„e„ lmn,lr,.,l Lies Of cotton fye pm afeer Retnbution, is m the old ltol, to be tried as * spy. The negro soldier bill has not passe? the Seriate. YANKEE CONSCRIPTION. MORGAN’S MEN MAKE ANOTHER DASH. lose .some nine hundred bales of cotton which had been shipped on board of her.— The loss being divided among many, will not be serious to any, and we have no doubt that the owners of her cargo would have cheerfully submitted to a much grea ter sacrifice to have secured her escape to sea. Gorernor *Hrown at his Farm.—Agon tlcman who left this citv last week, to s» Gov. Brown on some olhcirii i> iV-r/’V:'- t 1 Governor, to pro would c - 1 “ " n small >£. a ness, was J * uN GSTREET, MARSHALL A VT ‘ the residence of the IORREST MOVING r '"~ ■i to L; a farm, where lie , r -._ , , m On his wav thither he vitle, March 2.—Northern dates and passed a large numerous . trt the 24th have been received here. It is expected that as soon as the Con- anJ makini herb and grhss aud tree grow again upon the hundred battle fields of this terrible war. “But this is recognition.” It is not formal recognition, to which 1 will not conseut. Recognition now*, and attempted permanent-treaties about boundary, travel aud trade, and partition of territories, would end in a war fiercer and more dis astrous than before. Recognition is^a ! solute disunion; anil not betwe'"*^^* 10 slave and tlie free States, but ** ltb ® e l a * ware and Maryland as par* °f the North, and Kentucky* and Missouri as part ot the West. But, wherever the actual line, every* evil and mischief ot disunion is im plied in it. And, for similar reasons, sir, I would not at this time press hastily a convention of the States. The men lio would now bold seats in such a convention . , , ... — -win agreed to attend, come together full of the hate and bitterness inseparable from a civil war. No, sir, let passion have time to cool, and reason to resume its sway. It cost thirty years of desperate ami most wicked pa tience and industry to destroy or impair the magnificent temple of this Union.— Let us be content if within three years, wc shall be able to restore it. But certainly wliat I propose is inform al, practical recognition. And that is pre cisely what exists to-day, and lias eXist- j ed, more or less defined, from the first. Flags of truce, exchange of prisoners, and all your other observances of the laws, forms and courtesies of war, arc acts of recognition. Sir, does any man doubt to day that there is a Confederate govern ment at Richmond, and that it is a ‘’bc!lig- ereni?” Even the Secretary of State has discovered it at last, though lie lias writ ten ponderous folios of polished rhetoric to prove that it is not. Will continual war, then, without extended and substan tial imctcsu, uiivlso tlie Confederate States any the less a government in fact? “But it confesses disunion!” Y'es, just as the surgeon, who sets your fractured limb in splints, in order that it may be healed, admits that it is broken. But tlie and idleness; hue powerful, earnest, wa-’ like, enduring, seifsupporting, full o f ' ;n ® r - gy, and inexhaustible resou* oS * ^. e have been taught, and J ' v . C0I,ies J s openly, that African -avery, instead of being a source *T”’ fe . akne!j f t0 .. tbe Sou f tb ’ is one of h- ‘ na * n cIemeHts of strength; and 1*"‘ cC ,bc ‘'military necessity,” we told, of abolishing slavery in order to suppress the rebellion. We have learned also that the non- slaveholding white men in the South, millions in number, are immovably attach ed to the institution, and are its chief sup port ; and Abolitionists have found out, to their infinite surprise and disgust, that the slave is uot “panting for freedom” nor pining in silent but revengeful grief over cruelty and oppression inflicted upon him, but lianivy, contented, attached dooply iu ins master, and unwilling—at least not eager—to accept the precious boon of freedom which they have proffered him*— I appeal to the President for the pioof. 1 appeal to the fact that fewer slaves have escaped, even from Virginia, in now nearly ten years, than Arnold and Corn wallis carried away in six months of inva sion in 17>1. Filially, sir, we have learn ed, and the South too, what the history of the world ages ago and our own history might have taught tis, that servile insurrec tion is the least of the dangers to which she is exposed. Hence, iu my deliberate judgment, African slavery, as an instution, will come out of this conflict fifty* fold stron ger than when th§ war began. * The South, too, sir, has learned most im portant lessons ; and among them, that personal courage is a quality common to ail sections, and that in battle the men of the North, and especially of the West, are their equals. Hitherto there has been a mutual and most mischievous mistake upon both sides. The South overvalued its own personal courage and undervalued ours, aiul we too readily consented, but at the same time she exaggerated our aggregate strength and resources and under estima ted lier own ; and wo fell into the same error; and lienee the original and fatal government will have failed to “crush out I mistake or vice of tiro military policy of the rebellion.” Sir, it has failed. Y'oti ! the North, and-which lias already broken went to war to prove that we bad a govern- j down the war by its own weight—the ntent. With what result? To the people j belief that we could bring overwhelming of' the loyal States it lias, in your hands, [ numbers anil power into tlie lield and upon been the government of King Stork, but j the sea, and crush out tlie South at a blow to tlie Confederate States of King Lo ' 1 ' 1 s < 1 a gons, carts, &ewj in ,7 to the same mot passengers v**”' Pi1,p,p tn script bill shall pass the House there will destination* and w ie» ® • lar^e be a ca ^ f° r $00,000 men. It is expect- his surprise, he ‘ vehicles e( J tbat tbe soldiers whose time Is about number 0 f men aW women with vehicles . . ff j )em8elve8 as substi- of the sa.ni 0 description, were around the nxpinn 0 win oner inemseives as suosu corn cnbs and barn of the Governor, who tutfts for enrolling conscripts mgaged in distribution to them of . Trouble m Bank s army. Officers re- shucks, &C . in proportion to the signing—growing out of tbe introduction was corn size of their families and tl )e i r wants. of negro troops. Major Austin, Morgan’s Brigade, with one hundred and fifty men passed around MurficoeVioro’ and destroyed Murfrees boro’ and Nasltvillo road, and run a train of soldiers over an embankment. The Louisville Journal reports Long- Upon inquiring, the gentleman learned that those who had gathered there were the poor wives, widows and children of the soldiers from Cherokee county, among whom Governor Brown was distributing bis surplus corn. The sight was a most j strect> Forest and Marshall approacliin grateful one to our• traveler, who came •Lexin np ton. back to Atlanta impressed with the double conviction of Governor Brown being not only a good Governor, but a good man.— Tlie grateful tears which he saw in tlie eyes of tlie good women of Cherokee, who were 'being' made the recipients of Governor Brown’s patriotic liberality, made an im pression upon him which, he says, will be lasting, and which has taught him not to be ebarvin his charities in the future. Atlanta Intelligencer, March 3d. FROM PORT HUDSON. THE ENEMY' ADVANCING. The Fourth Attach on Fort XKCcAlIis- ter The Bnemy again Repulsed. As we anticipated tlie enemy attack ed our batteries at Genesis Point yes terday. The fire on the fort was open ed about half past sevetro’eloek from three iron-clad turret boats which bad taken position in front of the batteries and two or three mortar boats which were witluthe fleet some two miles below. The firing was continuous and brisk from the-iron-clads during the day, which was deliberately respond ed to by the garrison, which directed its shot almost entirely at the nearest iron-clad, supposed to be the Montauk. From Coffee Bluff we witnessed for hours the unequal contest in which Port Hudson, Feb. 25.—The Y'ankee force, 40,000 strong is marching towards Sorgansa. The advance guard, a thou sand strong, is at Fausce river, 12 miles from this point. This is deemed an im portant movement, and doubtless prompt steps will be taken to arrest it. LATER FROM PORT HUDSON. Port Hudson, Feb. 27.—Col. Mills’ Le gion, 4th Louisiana, Col. Hunter’s and Fenner’s Battery drove the Yankees from Point Coupee. The enemy ignominious- ly retreated at the appearance of our forces. Reported force at Baton Rouge 30,000. Pi-orlaniiilion !-t tbe President. It is meet that, as a people who ac knowledge the supremacy of the living God, we should be ever mindful of our dependence on Him; should remember that to Him alone can we trust for our de liverance; that to him is due devout thank fulness for the signal mercies bestowed on “But the rebellion will have triumphed.” j Better triumph to-day than ten years j hence. But I deny it. The rebellion i will at last be crushed out in the only way ; in which it was ever possible. “But no ■ one will be hung at the end of the war.” j Neither will there be, though the war should last half a century, except by the : mob, or the baud of arbitrary power. But , really, sir, if there is to be no banging, i let this administration, and all who have] done its bidding evcrywheie rejoice and ; be exceeding glad. And now, sir, allow me a word upon a i subject of every great interest of this mo- I ment, and most important it may be in its influence upon the future—foreign medi ation. I speak not of armed and hostile invention, which I would resist as long as but cue man was left to staike a blow at the invader. But friendly offer of an im perial power to stand as a days-man be tween the coutending parties in this most bloody and exhausting strife ought to be met in a spirit as cordial and ready as that in which it is proffered. It would be churlish to refuse,. Certainly it is not con sistent with the former dignity of this gov ernment to ask for a mediation ; neither, sir, would it befit its ancient magnanimity to reject it. As proposed by the Emperor of France, I would accept it at once. Now is the auspicious moment. It is the speediest, easiest, most graceful mode of suspending hostilities. Let us hear no more of the mediation of cannon and the sword. The day for all that is goue by. Let us bo statesmen at last. Sir, I give thanks that some, at least, among the Re publican party seem ready to lift them selves up to the height of this argument and to deal with it in the spirit of the patriots and public men of other countries, and of the better days of the United States. And now, sir, whatever may have been But twenty months of terrible warfare have corrected many errors, and taught us the wisdom of a century. And now, sir, every one of these lessons will profit us for all ages to come ; aud if we do blit reunite, will bind us in a closer, firmer, more durable union than ever before. out gnlluiit men, in then* opeu eartn- l)s . an d that by prayef alone can we hope work, received the concentrated and t 0 secure the continued manifestation of enfilading fire ot the Yankees, who that protecting care which has hitherto were securely housed in their “iron shielded us in the midst of trials and dan- safes.” The fire was kept lip with j gers.-- great spirit by the valorous Yankees; In obedience to his precepts we have until about three o’clock, when their Urom time to time been ga-thcred together From the Savannah Morning News. March 2. Drxlruciion of Itir ,Xn«livjtlc. About lialj*past seven o’clock on Satur day morning heavy tiring was heard in ^he direction of Genesis Point, and the gen eral belief was that Fort JJcAllister had again been attacked by tbe enemy’s gttn- b*>uts. Tin* firing continued, though not rapidly and with occasional intervals, until about ten o’clock, after which time oulv a few guns were heard. About this time news reached tlie city that tlie Montauk had come tip within range and opened fire on the steamer Nashville, which, in at tempting to run up, had got aground on Friday in the bend of wliat is called the Seven Mile Reach, in the Ogeeche, a short distance above the fort,and that the Nashville was on fire. With a friend wc drove down to Coffee Bluff, on tlie Little Ogeechee, about ten miles from the city. Arriving at the point near the battery formerly occupied by Reed’s Flying Artill *ry,_we had a view across the marsh of the fort, the burning Nashville aud the enemy’s gunboats. The firing had ceased some two hours before, aud three gunboats, with the iron clad turret boat, liad dropped some three -miles below the fort, where they were lying at anchor, while an immense column of smoke rose from the Nashville, where she lay apparently, from our point of view, about a mile above the fort. Ail was still and the few spectators at the point who, like ourselves, had arrived after the firing had ceased, could give us no information farther than tl>e sports they had received energies seemed to flag. A little after 3 p. in., one of the iron-clads hauled oil’ and returned to the fleet. About this time the fire from the other two ceas ed, and shortly after the second iron- witli prayers and thanksgiving, and He lias been graciously pleased to hear our supplications, and to grant abundant exhi bitions of His favor to our armies and our people. Through magy conflicts we have now attained a place among the nations clad retired. The batteries now pour- which commands their respect; and to the ed a terrific fire upon the remaining enemies who encompass us around ami iron-clad, which, after remaining silent f eek our destructmn the Lord of Hosts ,. .. , has aganftlanglit the lesson of His inspired for full halt an hour, followed her word f TEkt the battle is not to the strong companions m their retreat.—As she but t0 whomsoever he willeth to exalt, •teamed down the river our garrison Again our enemy, with loud boasting of redoubled their fire, which was not the power of their armed and mailed ships returned bv the. retreating Yankees, threaten us with subjugation, and, -with Tlie last gun from the fort was fired at her when nearly out of range, a quarter to five o’clock. Tlie latest accounts we have from the batjery, are up to three o’ciock, evil machinations, seek even in our own homes and at our own firesides, to pervert our inen*servants and our maid-servants into accomplices of their wicked designs. Under these circumstances it is my privilege, to invite you once more to meet from which we learn that only two together and to prostrate yourselves in men had been slightly injured, and humble supplication to Him who has been one gun dismounted.' More or less our constant and never failing support in damage was no doubt, done to the lha P ast and t0 ''hose protection and works, but the repatrs w.ll becomple- B Tothisend> L Jcfferson Davis , Prefi - ted by daylight tomorrow morning, den t of the Confederate States of Ameri- wlien our brave boys will be read) to C!J) do j SS ue this my proclamation, setting give the Yankees another day’s, cuter- apart Friday, the 27th day of March, as tainment. . a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, All honor to tlie garrison at Gen- and 1 do invit e the people of said States esisPoint! They have demonstrated to repair on that day to their usual places what brave kilful artillery ex- KC® posed in opeu cattily works, can do y^i e i- c if* u j protection over onr cause, that merciful protection ove.r onr cause, invention H e w j|j scatter onr enemies, and set at naught their evil designs, and that He will graciously restore to our beloved country against the latest Y'ankee ofpatent iron safe life preserving gun boats. The attack will probably be renew- j the blessings of peace and security, ed this morning, with, -perhaps, in- , 1“*“^ whereof, I have hereunto set creased force (as they have another bal ' d at tbe ™ m i ron-clud Jo the'ir but ,he result j & yesterday has assured us, if it has not hundred and sixty-three. convinced the Yankees, that Fort McAllister, like Vicksburg,*is a hard nut to crack.—[A«tnt. Jeefeuson Dxvis. By the President:* J. P. Benjamin*, Secretary of Stattt