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H
THE COUNTRYMAN'.
St
institution of slavery. For the European na_
tions would have endeavored to use our slaves
as soldiers, and we would have had Seward
himself protesting’ against this, and even he
would have gotten to be a pretty good pro
slavery man.
We don’t believe that it is yet too late, to
avail ourselves of the elements of American
hatriid to England, and her allies. It is, at
least, worthy of a trial by our statesmen. Last
week, just as one messenger left our sanctum,
bearing to the compositor the article in which
we contended for a union of Americans to rule
America, another stepped in, bringing a tele
graphic synopsis of an article in the New York
Herald, to the same effect with ours. This in
spires us with hope.
In the mean time, we should add, with all
speed, about a half million of negro soldiers to
our army, and offer the yankees the alternative
of having these negroes to fight for them, or
against them. We believe this thing can be
managed—that this card can be made to tell,
mi the hands of skillful statesmen. If the yan
kees force it upon us, let us give to our negroes
their towns, their villages, and their cities, for
plunder. Wc don’t wish to do this, Heaven
■knows. God forbid that it should be so. Hut
if the yankees will have it so, upon their heads
be the consequences.
Hut let us try, faithfully, the diplomacy of
the Monroe doctrine, and of the dogma that
Americans must rule America. Let us raise,
once more, the war-whoop of the Know-Noth
ing wigwam, and pray that it may ring from
Maine to Texas.
Richmond, Jan. 24.—“We have received yan-
kee papers of the 20th inst.
Wall street was much excited, on the 19th
inst., by the report that F. P. Blair had return
ed to Richmond, with a programme from Lin
coln, in favor of appointing commissioners, to
meet at City Point. Everybody, who had any
thing to sell, was selling at a sacrifice, in many
cases, under the conviction that the war was
about over. In a day or two, says the writer,
they will probably have occasion to bemoan
their credulity. Gold opened, on the 20th, at
J89i.
mobile, Jan. 24.—A special despatch to the
Mobile Register, dated Senatobia, Jan. 23, con
tains the following summary of Memphib pa
pers, of the 21st inst. :
Thomas has arrived at Eastport. A move
ment, to attack the flank of Hood’s army, will
take place within a fortnight.
Meagher, with several thousand troops from
Chattanooga, is reported to have arrived at
Nashville, en route to join Sherman, at Savan
nah, via New York.
Sherman is reported marching on Charleston,
or Brauchville.
A raid on Memphis, by Forrest, is expected.
Dana issues permits, at Memphis. Over thirty
thousand bales of cotton-permits have been is
sued, in Memphis, in the last fourteen days.
“Headquarters Army of Tens.,
Corinth, January 23.
Soldiers: At my request, I have this day been
relieved from the command of this army. On
taking leave of you, accept my thanks for the
patience with which you have endured many
hardships, during the recent campaign. I am
alone responsible for its conception, and strove
hard to do my duty, in its execution. I urge
upon you the importance of giving your cor
dial support to the distinguished officer who
now assumes command, and I shall look with
deep interest upon all your luture operations,
and rejoice at your success.
J. B. Hood, General.”
• Richmond, January 24.—“Frank
Blair has returned from Washington,
and is still here, endeavoiing to ini
tiate negotiations for peace. Col.
Singleton started for Washington, to
day, but the flag of truce boat was
compelled to return.
The legislature of Virginia adopted
a resolution, on the 7th instant, de
claring that the appointment of Gen
eral Lee, to the command of all the
armies of the Confederate States,
would promote their efficiency, and
operate powerfully to reanimate the
spirits of the armies, as well as the
people of the several states, and in
spire increased confidence in the final
success of our cause.
This resolution was communicated
to the president, who, in reply, says :
‘Virginia cannot have a higher regard
for General Lee, or greater confidence
in his character, than is entertained
by him. General Lee has always
expressed his inability to assume com
mand of other armies than that now
confided to him, unless relieved of
immediate command in the field, or of
that now opposed to Grant.
‘In conclusion, the president assur
ed the general assembly that, when
ever it shall be found practicable, by
Gen. Lee, to assume command of all
the armies of the Confederate States,
without withdrawing him from the
direct command of the army of North
ern Virginia, he will deem it as pro
motive of the public interest to place
him in such command.’ ”
Stragglers.—Late, and reliable
information from Tennessee, is to the
effect that a large portion of the men
who straggled from Hood’s army, du
ring his late retreat, are making their
way out of Tennessee, in large num
bers. An officer of high rank, who
came out of Tennessee since Hood’s
army crossed the river, assures us thgt
on all sides of his line of march, he
could hear of stragglers, who were
preparirg clothing, shoes, etc., for the
winter campaign, and that but few, if
any of them, who had ever belonged
to the army, had any idea of remain
ing in the yankee lines. Fifty joined
him on his way out, and all along the
road, he could hear of numbers who
were about to move towards the ar
my.— Rebel. »
“Nothing from abroad is indispensa
ble to a brave, and determined peo
ple. Upon our own resources we
must now live, and support our cause,
and we can do it, if we are really in
earnest, and determined to ‘fight it
out like men.’ ”
Recognition.—“ The Montreal
correspondent of the Tribune writes
as follows :
A few days ago, a letter dated at
Paris, was received here, by Sanders,
from A. Dudley Mann, with accompa
nying despatches for the rebel govern*
ment, conveying the assurance that
Napoleon had determined, either with
or without the co-operation of Great
Britain, to recognize the confederacy,
soon after the reinstallation of Mr.
Lincoln. This intelligence, of course,
has made all the rebels, who have
been treated to it, very jubilant.
The letter from Mann had not
been in more than eight and forty
hours, before a rumor obtained cur
rency, and created no little excite
ment among the natives, that the
French and British governments, act
ing in concert, would recognize the
confederacy immediately after the 4th
of March next.”
Petersburg, Jan. 31.—“General
Gram sent a flag of truce, today, an
nouncing that our commissioners
would be received at five, this after
noon. Accordingly, at that hour,
Messrs. Stephens, Hunter, and Camp
bell proceeded out on the Baxter
road, and, under flag of truce, enter
ed the enemy’s lines, in front of
Wise’s brigade, of Buslirod Johnson’s
division. They were received by
Colonel Hancock, of Gen. Grant’s
staff, and conducted to a special train
of cars awaiting them in the rear.
The commissioners will be enter
tained at Grant’s headquarters, to
night, and start for Washington to
morrow. Mr. Stephens’ servant is
permitted to accompany him. Col.
Hatch, assistant commissioner of ex
change, accompanies the commission
ers, as secretary. During their pas
sage, the breastworks of the enemy,
as well as our own, were crowded
with soldiers, witnessing the novel
event.”
“Northern papers contain but little
of intertsst. The chief topic with
them seems to be the Blair mission,
in which they express very littlo
faith. They cite the testimony of
Sherman, to prove that the south is
not barren of subsistence ; exhibit no
little chagrin that the proposed expe
dient, of arming the slaves, has pro
voked alarm in the north ; and, upvin
these two items, construct an argu
ment that President Davis will re
fuse any ‘honorable’ terms—that is to
say, will refuse to vote himself out of
existence, and the south into submis
sion.”