Newspaper Page Text
The Weekly Constitutionalist.
BY JAMES GARDNER
From the Field and Fireside.
A SKETCH.
BT XEXIA.
In a handsome house iu one of our most
charming country neighborhood*, a young lady
sat one morning reading. Tho room she occu
pied contained every luxury that the most fas
tidious taste could desire, or wealth procure.
The lady, too, was not the least attractive ob
ject in the room; her glossy curls were black as
night, her eyes dark and lustrous, and her
hands were formed in Nature’s most symme
trical mould; her attitude, too, was very grace
ful as she half-reclined in a largo eisy-chair.
She was reading, but not very intently, when a
young lady entered, who, after embracing her,
exclaimed:
“Why, Anna, what have you been doing to
your rooml never saw such a place of con
fusion 1”
And well might she say so, for every one of
the beautiful articles of furniture, and pretty
ornaments of the room was out of place; even
the lady's dress was put on carelessly.
"Oh! Bessy," said Anua, “I got my room in
this condition looking for my book, and you
know what kind ol servants I have : they are
worthless when there is no ose to direct them,
and my house-keeper left me yesterday."
“But why not do it yourself, Auna? Ido
not see bow you can read in such a room ; I
must have things iu order around me, or I can
not enjoy a book."
“Arrange »y room myself, when there are
more servants in the house than can find em
ployment! Indeed! I shall do nothing of the
kind; 1 was not made to work."
“I am not sure of that," said Bessy. “I have
been thinking lately, Auna, that eyery one is
made to do some work ; and 1 think ours is to
keep our homes in order, and make them com
fortable and pleasant for our fathers. Does
Ur. Grahame like to Bee a room like this ?■"
“No, indeed 1" said Anna, “Papa scolds if
he even finds a book out of the library, unless I
am reading it. But I cannot work like a ser
vant.”
“Well," said Bessy, “let me show you how
I can work."
Bessy was a priviledged character in her
friend’s house, and, accordingly, after ringing
for a servant, she went to work, and her dili
gent hands soou restored everything to its prop
er pluee; she made the servant help her, so
that she could do it alone another time. She
then chatted awhile with Anua, and left her
looking much less indolent lhau on her arrival.
Anua said she was gomg to have tho drawing
room ‘put to rights,’ but before sbe reached it
two gentlemen were announced; she performed
the duties of her toilet with more care than
usual, uud then went down to entertain her
visitors. We will leave her there for the pres,
ent.
Bessy Hastings lived near lug friend (both
lived in the country,) and she had come over
on horseback, attended only by a groom; she
and Auna were distant, cousins, and loved each
other tenderly notwithstanding the difference
1® this tact so
acquaintance: but Bessy had excellent p,:.i
cipies, wiiich had been Justified into her mind by
her mother. True she was quite young when she
lost that mother, but her precepts were never
forgotten by her dutiful child, and Bessy had
now nearly conquered her natural indolence.
Anna's mother was more worldly, and had
thought more of her daughter’s manners and
accomplishments than of her heart, so Anna
herselt was more worthy ol pity than of blame;
her mother died when Auna was only fifteen.
Thu two cousins had to attend boarding school
for several years, and had been keeping house
for their fathers only a lew- weeks when our
story began. Their servants were young and
inexperienced, and Anna’s housekeeper was not
much better lhau they, and Mr. Grahame had
dismissed her. On her departure, Anna had
taken her book, and had done nothing except
read ever since ; the servants had taken a holi
day, so it is not to be wondered at that heroic
) gant bouse was becoming disordered.
We wifi now follow Bessie and see how she
keeps house; she had insisted on having no
housekeeper, and her proud father cou'd deny
her nothing, though he told her he feared she
was not strong enough for what she had under
taken : but Bessie had shown herself equal to
her task, and she bad trained ber servants so
well, and set them such an < .cample of indus
try, that she now had very loth trouble with
them, and on the morning of her visit she had
left them to put the house in order without giv
ing them any directions ; sue jliud gone by a
short bridle path, and had not mot the gentle
men we left with Anna. When she reached
home she found everthing iii order, and alter
arranging eome flowers in the drawing-room
vases she went to the library and sat down to
read. Sbe was not personally like Anna, for
her eyes were brown aud soft, and ber hair
golden brown, while her face could rival the
lily and the rose She looks very pretty as she
sits there in her little rocking-chair, not looking
so lauguid as Anna, but quite as graceful, one
little hand hall buried iu her hair, tlio other
holding her book. She read awhile, and then
thought she would practice, but before she
reached the drawing-room visitors were an
nounced; she received them with her custom
ary grace, and. as they were the same we left
with Anna, we can easily continue our story by
eaves-dropping a little; a very reprehensible
practice iu most people, but writers are privi
ledged characters. After they had left Bessie :
"I cannot tell how it is,” said Charles Bel
mont, who was a stranger in the neighborhood,
“but even on so short an acquaintance I think
I can decide which of these two ladies I had
rather intrust my future happiness to."
“Is it possible ?" said bis friend, somewhat
ironically. “Why you do not mean to say that
you are ever going to give so priceless a gem
into any woman's keeping? I venture to say I
can guess who has smitten you ; it most have
been bright-eyed Anna, for," said he, with a
mischievous glance at Charles, "I remember
you never liked what you called ‘doll baby
beauty.’ ”
“It is true," said Charles, “Miss Grahame’s
eyes are most sparkling, but Miss Hastings lias
intellect in hers, and I think she has more real
life about her, for, except when Miss Grahame
was actually speaking, there was a listlessness
about, her altogether out of place in the country
on this bright morning. She looked as if she
aid not enjoy life, though surrounded by every
thing that can make life desirable. Her parlor
AUGUSTA, GA.. WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEB. IS. 18G3.
too, was more like a curiosity shop thau a
haudsome drawing room; I wanted to hear her
play, but there were so many things on the
piano that I was afraid of the confusion that
must have followed my request.”
“She has very little energy,” replied his
friend, “but she is a very beautiful and iutelli
ligent wornau, and I think her cousin will, iu
time, inspire her with some of ber neatness and
industry. But what is your opinion of Miss
Hastiugs '!
"A most charming lady.” said Charles, "and.
unless I ain greatly mistaken, the loveliness of
her mind excels, if possible, the loveliness of
her person. I think her intelligent and accom
plished, and, from the appears uce of her house,
she must be neat aud industrious. I never
heard any one sing so sweetly."
“Hurrah I" cried his friend, “you are irre
trievably lost, Charley. But, to apeak seriously,
you have oulv echoed my own opinion ; I think
her the very first woman in tho world iu all
the particulars you have mentioned."
“Why have you never addressed her, then?”
said Charley, "no woman could refuse you.”
“Bossy is no flirt,” replied his friend, “and I
well know that, though the best of friends, wo
can never be more to each other. Her only
brother, Frank Hastings, has been iu Europe
for some years, but be is uow expected home ;
she says I have almost supplied his place during
his absence, aud I love her now as if she were
my sister. I believe you will love her Charley,
and I love you both well enough to wish you
success in your suit. I shall always be a bache
lor."
The sequel is soon told Charley Belmont
wooed and won lovely Bessy Hastings. Her
influence over Anna was such that she soon be
came ashamed of her indolent habits, and in a
few months ber home rivalled Bessy’s in neat
ness. When Bessy’s brother arrived, he re
newed his acquaintance with his handsome.
Cousin, and when Bessy had been married three
mouths, she welcomed Anna to her splendid
city home as her sister. Anna often says she
is indebted to Bessy for bor husband, for Frank
would never have wanted a wisp who could not
make his homo a pleasant one.
Let ali young ladies remember that industry
and neatness are as great an ornament as n
pretty face or an accomplished mind.
PLANT CORN.
O;r planters and farmers throughout ‘he Con
federacy slmird plant large cr..ps i.l grain this
reason. There is a null cam supply u; cotton
wilhiu the country for all our warns, and ihtre is
no necessity for planting another crop this year;
but corn is scarce and our whole auentu n should
be uluiust entirely devoted to the raising ~| :arg.>
crops. Tile armies tn the Held tattling lor our
independence must he fed, end the people at
Inline must sot t.i it that they are will tea and
clothed. We c imuieud the following trom the
Charleston Mercury;
Match is near at hand, and throughout the
Conledeiate Stales the practical quc-ltou I what
is to be planted lor tit .seas 11 ol ’G9 ions be de
cided concerning every held. The count! ■ it
may,be gltufc wid • ■ '' -Ti-W -a •
pi f .
"I -•tour lit ..... . I i I .■. r at*v;-r.
; nets. And, on tho *in !•, «>ur r«-n •urc.tM ' might
be greater. Hut as a present weapon .»t de-ence
in u gigantic and terrible struggle tor indepen"
• itnee, a scant production o! cotton may be used
to teach an ignorant and mimical woihi i Ml>
p.Ttauce of t ticat* Confederate Ma cs to its j
pentv and Happiness, and to compel then unwil
ling justice. I is rot a time q i hlion >i mono
muiting and moneyed r some - or !i country.
The present amount ol cot'ou on hand mav .um-r
in tile markets of the world just as much as u
another crop were added o the r»upp v ; yet « ven
ii it greatly increased :,e future, in.ii..-> <»t tin
country, whtcii *<• dee n doubtful., it .»«.<•* not at
all 1 1 dptiv that anotiu-r ciop will aid us in the
acliievenn.nt us uur ludepeudeuce or shorten the
s«rnggio. This is the great olj.-cf. All eU* is ui*ig
nriicdtit Cotton is a great political engine, ami
up ti the supply or withholding < t it depend rot
prosperity or n.i-eiy of mi Duns in n,e quant
neutral nations o( Europe 'ih- i one- sineu aud
oitinm.il neutrality again-t i.s i.« rodoucOng to
their great detriment. The screw tightening,
and it is our policy to stand st:li -t* regards c .7-
ton, and let the hctew run down to ipe lowest
turn endurable by the Abolition Government* « I
Europe. T iey are interested in our planting' a>
much as we. Who can do without cotton the
longest? It is only a question ol endurance, in
"buh t:;e people ol the Ccu ederate States ut
e.tsf will not starve.
We, therefore, uust that large crops of corn
will he everywhere planted, not only because.')!
i> n r wise to plant too much cotton,'but because
with ftor large armies in th»> fiein. there is need
ol producing much food. Most* tour troops lire
fanners, who cam.ot thi> rear plant. O'ldt.s
must plant a dou-Je quantity. ’!».«• quotum of
l«*od is now important, and v* ry < should be
taken to put it above and beyond doubt for the
coining year. It is the duty of patriotism, and
i» a vital matter.
t-fiT* VVeclip the following paragraphs from
the Richmond (Va.) Dispatch, of Feb. 11 ;
Skirmish on tiis Rappahannock.—On Friday of
last week there was a pretty severe skirmish at
Rappahannock budge, between a body ot the
enemy who had been sent to destroy the bridge
aud a detachment of Hampton's cavalry. The
enemy Lad partly succeeded in accomplishing
their put pose when our men came upon them,
and a brisk.fight drove tbeui off, with the loss of
four killed, eighteen or twenty wounded, and
thirteen prisoners. Our toss one killed, seven
wouudf-d, and two missing. The bridge was not
a very substantial one, find can easily be repaired
in a lew days.
From Fredericksburg. —There was nothing of
importance from General Lee’s army last night.
Our correspondent writes us that tine Federal
cavalry deserters came across the river above
Fredeiicksburg Monday, bringing with them
nothing more extraordinary to tickle the t on
federate appetite for news than the report ot Lin
coln's death. This is light material compared
with the majority of deserters. The writer sug
gests that as Hamlin is half nigger, he would
make a good successor to Old Abe.
The Exemption Hill Disposed of in the
House. —The House of Representatives vesterdav
gave the quietus to the Exemption hill” rep- rted
from the Committee on Military Allaire, and a 1
the amendments connected therewith. Alter ex
pending two weeks in its discussion, and adopts
ing a large number ot amendments, the House
deliberately defeated the measure by a vote
nearly approaching unanimity. I: will be recol
lected that an act Was passed some two weeks
ago repealing the most objectionable clause of
the existing exmption law. The action of the
House, yesterday, leaves the bill enacted at the
last session in force, except so much of it as has
been rescinded by the adoption of the bill re
pealing the clauses winch gave color to discrimin
nation and class legislation.
From the United States.
We continue onr selections from Northern
papers ol the tttb instant :
TUB RAlt ING OF THK CH.YFLiitToN BLOCKADK.
j The New Yo k Times thus conments on the
' Kite affair off'Charleston :
Some of our neighbors are expending a great
deal of industry and some little learning in di.-* i
cussing the question whether the rebel ram Pal
meuo i>;ate has actually brokm the Charleston
blockade or not. 'the enormous exaggerations ot
the rebel newspapers, in stating Hie tacts of the
case, leave very iitttie solid gronuu lor argument
up >n the suojecr; and the ofiiciul dispatches
though couched la the most extravagant language’
! throw an air 01 ridicule over the pretentions which
I they thernseives have put forward la connection
with it.
j All they have actually twine, is to compel the
j aunender of one vessel, and ‘‘disperse” the rest
j so that they could not be se<n lu a dense log.
If during this temporary opening of the gate unv
i foreign vessel had entered ihe harbor, they
j would have been protected in so doing, and to
: that tX.cut the blockade would have been raised.
, Bui so tar as appears, uo attempt of the kind was
j Aud bclore night our blockading vessels
i wore m position.
W c Deg to suggest to tbe Uovernraent th -t the
shut is! way of ending all these controversies
soiiut Ihe b.i.ctude, would be to take Charleston.
V.e have voa clads enough unemployed to do
it, and plenty of ottieers wi'o would gladlv un
dertake it. Tills und a few »;l,ei Southern ports
once in our possession, we .-hall Lave no further
•rouble in maintaining the efficacy ot t., : block,
ade.
The same paper has a despatch from Washing,
ton, which slates that “the reports iu regard 11
ihe encounter off Charleston harbor, being trom
Rebel sources, are duuhiless greatly exaggerated.
There has been no intervention of the blockade
and no such assumption will be ad.-mtled bv ihe
Government.
| The following telegram was teceivod on the
J O'.h, irom Fortress Monroe :
Gen. Dix is in receipt of rebel news from
Ohcrieston to the 3d lust., at which nine tii.t
port was thoroughly blockaded, the Federal irou
| clads lying inside of the tvoodiu vessels.
The former were not with tile fleet at the time
j of the attack ou the Ist iusi.
An attack ou the city was momentarily ex
pected.
A dispatch boat, with aa oflicia! account from
Admiral Dupont, is hourly expected.
The subjoined is a copy Ola special dispatch
to the Times:
Washington, Thursday. Feb. s.—There is rea.
sou to believe that the plans ol the Navy Depart
ment diu not conteinpla-.c the beginning of the
attack by oar ironaetads on Charleston or Sa -
vannah 1 r neatly a fortnight yet ; hut n is sur
mised lu mote than oue well-informed quartet,
that the recent daring 0,..-rations ot the icorla at
Charleston will be follow, d hr a swilter rcirilot
non than they expected, and the proclamation that
•he hluckede ol Charleston was raised, proved
truer then they thought.
TUB FIGHT ar FORT IK).\RLSON TUB IIBOBI.S TOTAL
LIT ROOTED
Cairo, 111 , Wednesday, Feb 4—Gen. Tuttle
received a dispatch this afternoon, stating that
the rebels at Fort Donelsnu had hem repulsed
wi'h considerable ion, and that the national loss
was horn forty to tiny The dispatch gives n
I luiliter par>icu!ars.
;
pteti--Jv driv*u -iff. * *
f Cairo, IliurMiay, Fob 5.—A dhsp.toL from
! m '--night • y« iha» the i; f hr Jasud
llr.m i to 8 o'clock iu i-te evening, v • , ; -i tit...
jre ,cls retired southward in gtc.it <iit; -ro.-j-.
I Their kt ltd is estimated a’ 2i‘o, am: \v >uaded at
•too. Our loss was two killed auJ 41 ;% .unded
and missing.
Nashville, Ten a.. Wednesday, Feb 4.—About
f» thousand cavalry, under Wheeler, S earns
l Wharton, attacked our loice at I o t D-mel
toii >* sumday, and were repulsed and uittriv
n uted.
(ion. Mitc'it II selects the quarteis of prominent
| stc .ss'onibt.-' for wounded rebels. F <ri\ five am
i tons qmrtered.
| Gen. Jiff. C.Davta’ division, with » cavalry
I origadv-, occupy Franklin.
torn IRON CLADS I kb KURD TO SKA.
; Washington, Feb. 4 —The Navy Department
ha., oiuerea the following in.n-clad vessels to be
prepared or a and sent South at once. It in
b Ji• v d here they can be all ready in four days.
Tn« snips are the Keokuk, Nantucket. Catakill,
Sagamore.
The Secretary of the Navy has received lnlor
n.ution hat the Patapsro left Fortress Monroe
to join the other mailed vessels, 't hus all the
Ericsson batteries rnay be expected »o be eu 4 *
gaged in a fight before two weeks
[Our correspondent makes a mistake in tup*
posing that ail toe vessels named could be ready
four days.J
'I he following is u correct report of their pres*’
ent state;
V* .-sidK Where State of Forwardness.
Kockuk, New York, Ready in two weeks,
(.‘atskit, Greenpoint, Ready in two weeks.
Sagamotfe, <’hester, l’a , Ready in a week.
ntueket, Boston, Ready in a week.
Ot course extraordinary exertions, such us
prepared the Rhode Island and Connecticut,
might result in the completion of all these ships
within the space of ninety-six hours.—Km tor
Herald.
BIG DINNER IN CHARLESTON.
A letter from a distinguished ofliceriu the rebel
k army to a person in one of the Western S ales,
which was recently intercepted, contains au ac
' count of a magnificent dinner, given iu Charles
ton to Oapt. Dubuqaois, and bis officers, of the
French frigate Milan, and the French Consul,
Mons. St. Andre. It is described as being “a
magnificent affair.*' The following important ex
tract explains itself: “There were thirty ot us at
the table- Toasts were drank to tbe Emperor and
I Empress, and responded to by the French Consul
and Capt. Dubuquois, of the French friga’e Mi-*
| lan. They seemed to think there is n.> doubt that
alliance, offensive and defensive, has b* en made.
■ f >r will very shortly be made, by our Minister]
Mr. Slidell, with tbe French Government. 1 have
I also conversed very freely with the oflicers of
ller Majesty's frigate, the Petrel, now in port
i also, who expressed much faith in our being re»
| cognized during the mouth of February."
NO ELECTION in TIIK NORFOLK DI-TRICT.
The Committee on Elections, in their report
; against the claims of Mr. McLmid and his con**
1 testant Mr. Wtug, for a seat in the House ot
| Representatives trom the 2d district in Virginia,
; the district comprises Norfolk and ten other
j counties, in a (onion ot the precincts of
1 only four of which were the polls opened, the re•
: rnainderof the territory being in Rebel possession.
! Mr. Wing had »;41 votes Mr. Me Loud 045, Mr.
. Coi per 110. wi'h 10 scattering votes—a total of
1,402 in a district u*u; IJy (.oiling about 10,000
votes. The committee, therefore report in ac»
| cordance with their custom and tiiut of the House
| in similar cases, that this was in no just sense an
i election.
LATEST FROM VICKSBURG.
Cairo. Thursday, Feb. S—IIP.M.—Our forces
| at Vicksburg are now engaged repairing the
j crevasses ot last fall to keep the water out of
i camp.
I The water in the old canal is six feet deep, but
doing little execution.
The rebel force at Vicksburg is estimated at
♦>o,ooo. It is believed that this is the largest
number that can be brought to its defence.
A thousand negroes will be vent from Mem*
phis, to work on the canal.
Morgan’s whereabouts
Information has been received at headquarters
in Louisville, to the effect that ihe rebel John
Morgan was at Salem, a point on the Cumberland
River, between Nashville and Clarkesville. a few
days since, and that be has a large Cprce under
his command. At its present stage, his cavalry
could not cross the Cumberland without great
difficulty, and it is probably his object to cc>ope«
rate with Forrest in embarrassing the navigation
of the Cumberland river.
FROM NEW BERN, X. C.
A letter from Newbern states that an import
ant discovery was made there a few days since.
About a mile and a half from the citv. and
beyond a dense wood, it was ascertained, bv uc.
cident, that the rebels bad actually commenced
the erection of extensive earthworks, with a view
of shelling the place after the departure of the
expedition for Charleston. Precautionary meas
sure were ut once takeu to prevent the comple"
tiou of the under taking.
EMANCIPATION.
The first decision under Lincoln's emancipation
was made a few days ago in St,
Louis, by Judge Clover, who decided ir. favor of
us legality, and ordered the discharge of the
slave of a Southerner who had been arrested
under State law for leaving bis master. This
decision, it sustained, leaves Missourians with
out civil authority to reclaim their slaves.
m’clellan as a historian.
McClellan is iu Boston, iu response to an in
vital ion to visit Concord, he said that he was
‘•preparing a history of the Peninsula campaign,
to which he wished to devote the principal por
tion of his time.” For this reason he declined.
CONFEDERATE CONGRESS
SENATE.
Saturday, F b. 6, ISO 3
The Senate met at 12 o’clock, M , Hon. R M. T.
Hunter in the Chair:
Prayer by Rev. Henry A. Wise, Jr., of the Epis
copal Church.
The following bills were introduced and referred
to appropriate committees :
A bill toameudau act entitled an “act for the
sequestration ot estates, property and effects ol
alien enemies, and tor the indemnity of citizeus of
the Confederate States, and other persons aiding
the same in the existing war.
A bill tc authorise the issue ot hoods for fund
-1 lug treasury notes.
A bill to increase tho strength aud efficiency of
heavy artillery for coast defence.
. The following was offered and referred:
A j Jiut resolution proposing an exchange with
the several States ol ihe bonds ot ihe Conledei ate
1 S ates for the bonds ol the sain States.
Mr. Barnwell, trom the Committee on Finance,
i reported a bill to authorize the issue ol bonds
1 lor funding Tieasury notes.
1. The Secretary oi the Treasury is authorized
i ' to issue coupon bond> and cemhi a’es < t nek
’ | with interest payable - n .'.unuaily at tile year*
jly rate ol right per c.;n<. : such amount as may
• I-be mq'iured in exchangee for all IToasury cote*
'4 which <>•* now ."•/tici.-
I and also to ( .i.v lV»ra:iv -o; :;u;ou to sh *FV >
; due.- Loo wh'u-h mav ,vm ..• •
1 | hausting me on. hundred nuh, .r.
] 2. 11l .1 the S:-.retary is also author zed ro is
! sue coupon bonds :.r.d cefiiti.-a’ *> ol .o. c wan
interest ut tb * yearly rate ol seven per cent.,
payable seim-annually/or such ;:s mav oe t« quired
in exchange lot ail Tr a-orv notes which are tow
fundable in anvil per cent, bonds.
That the said bonds or c-*rt licntes F'dali be
exp!ess condition that the time oi payment mav
De extended l;Om li IK t< time at the p ensure of
the i:< nit-del ate State.-, to a perm-i not exceeding
twenty -In year > moir and ut the same ra’e ol
interest whenever the s.id securities shall be
-4 l’he until the 8 per cent bonds, authorized
by this aoi,« an be prepared, the Secretary shall
i-aue in then stead the b *nds authorized by the
act approved on the 12th of April, IMi 2, entitled
“An act to provide lor this means lor the sup-*
port ol the Government.” Passed.
T jc Supreme Court Bill cauie up in tho order
ol un fin lulled business, and the previous duv,
and the debate upon it was continued by Mr.
Jonusou, ot Georgia. At the conclusion of
Mr. Johnson’s argument, on m :tmn o! Mr. John*
son, of Arkansas, the Senate went into secret
session to consider the bill grunting transport*-.,
tion home uud back to the volunteers who en
listed lor the war. ,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The House met at *2 o’clock.
CHANGE OF RULES.
A risolutiou was adopted which restricts the
debate on all bills, resolutions and memorials
hereafter offered except that any member offering
a bill, resolution or memorial, shall have five
minutes for explanation.
Mr. Shambles*, of Va., offered a resolution to
exempt from taxation during the war ail refugees
who have been driven from their homes by reason
of the presence of the Northern army, which was
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Davidtson, of North Carolina, ( ffered the
following, which was adopted:
A* solved, That the President be requested to
inform this House what sum or sums ot money
have been vested or funded fox the Cherokee
Indians East of the Mississippi river out of the
“removal and subsistence fund,” under the treaty
of war, Echota of 1335- : fi by the United States?
When the same was so funded? When the intei*
est was last paid ? What legislation has hereto
fore been enacted by the Uuited States, and what
legislation is now necessary to carry into effect
the late treaty stipulations with said tribe ?
Mr. Chambers, ol Mississippi, from the Com
mittee on Military Affairs, reported back the bill
introduced by Mr. Vest, of Missouri, with a sub*
Stitute, which is as follows ;
The Congress of the Confede r ate .States do en
act, That an act entitled “An act, in relation to
the transfer of troops,” approved September 23,
1862, be and the same is hereby repealed, and
that it shall be the duty of the Secretary ot War
to transfer any private *>r noncommissioned ofii**
cer who may be in a regiment from a Mate of the
Confederacy other than his own to a regiment
from his o vn State, whenever such private or non
com mis.*-lone i officer may apply for such transfer;
and it shall not be necessary, in ordtr to obtain
such transfer, to secure the conse t of the
country, regimental brigade, division or corps
commander to whose command such private or
non-commissioned officer may belong, or to which
he may apply to be transferred, but it shall be
sufficient to require the applicant to report to the
commanding officer of the regiment to which he
applies to be transferred, by whom he shall be
placed in ihe company of his choice iu that regi*
ment, unless such company shall be a ready lull
to its maximum, in which cose the commanding
officer may place him in anv other company of
that regiment: Provided, That t‘-is act shall
not apply to any oue who has enlisted as a sub**
stitute.
VOL. 16- No 7
Mr. Head, of Kentucky, moved to amend as
follows:
“ Sbc\ 2. That whenever the Secretary of War
sha'J grant a transfer, ugreeably to the above pro-*
vision, to any soldier in the service, he shall fur
nish transportation als*.'' Adopted.
The bill was then i>as»ed as utueuded—yeas.
30 ; nays 33.
Mr. Ralls, of Alabama, entered a motion to
reconsider the vote, by which the bill was
passed.
Kenner, of Louisiana, from the Committee
on Ways and Means, reported a bill to fund the
currency, which was ordered to be printed, and
made the special order ot the day for Tuesday
next.
On motion of Mr. Foote, the Hou»c resolved it<
sell into secret session upon Foreign Affairs, and
having re-opened, aijour’ned.
I from the Chicago Time*.
IS RECONSTRUCTION POSSIBLE ?
Jefl. Davis asserts in his message that the re*
construction ot the Union is impossible. The
Governors ot the seceded States have asserted
the same thing. The several Legislatures of
those States sustuiu the Governors; the rebel
press scout the idea ot reconstruction, and the
mass ot the Southern people are ’now bits
terlv opposed to the old Government and Union,
iirre is a population of five and a half millions
of whites, as sagacious, enterprisiug and deter*
tinned as any on earth, controlling from three to
four millions of negroes, who with their labor
may justly be counted as effective in defensive
waflare as the whites, making an aggregate of
nine millions, inflexibly opposed to the federal
Government, and asserting their independence.
The government has waged a war upon them for
two years with all its*energies, ana it is now as
lar from success as at the commencement of the
struggle. Its exhaustion h:tR not been as great
as theirs, because of its superiority of resources
but it has been equal to theirs when comparing
the uieun9 of the parties a: the outset. ' What is
now to be done 'f
Shall wo grant the independence they assert,
and consent to dissolution ? In the loyal States
none but those who have steadfastly made war
upon the old government, and prayed for its
overthrow, entertain any such idea. Shall we
continue the war when the obstacles to success
are seemingly insurmountable? It these obsta
cles were real, instead of unreal—if the most
formidable of ihern might not be removed by
change of policy that so fru* from being dishorn*
orah c, is demanded alike by justice ana the lovai
public sentiment—then interest aud buuiamtv
wuuia require instant negotiations for peace. We
believe the re-establishment of the government is
a mutter tor o\ir determination, and not that of
tae Confederate iesia*rs. Reconstruction in the
present altitude oi the belligerents can < nly be
accomplished by the ex'ermination of the nine
| millions of inhabitants, white aud black, in the
Southern States. It is madness to dream of this
result.
Rut when restoration is offered in such a man
ner that the interests of b th parties are mam*
iestly subsetved by it, „nd the honor of each
preserved, wol the people of the South reject the
offer, and saenbee themselves to the ambition and
malevolence of party leaders V The answer to
I the aseereratior - ot th-* Abolition proa that ii>
terms ot peace -av** ttio-e that involve dissolu
! tw*u oe list ned to by tbe South, is to be
j i Mind in ine.V' < oe prajr. t truth, that if such
j be the tact—it the S nth s unnherabiy pi edged
I i.:s p«*-mou—the .* .r mou d instantly cease,
I as the subjugation of the South is an impossi-
I bilrv. 1
j Uut how is »; Kiitwn ihut recou ’ oct on upon
: '.v . ■ C • -U>Wl
\ n■; • l with ?t - chances. preferred f The terms
Ino • '< *r-*d t»y nt- govern meat v.« knew they"
. v.-j ‘ rofi 1 . T'he d* rs a ration* trade bv them
• i«ai ih.c." it; i .u-tVj'ttf.i are O-tseiJ uj *n fit—
i t t i: • j>»- -nr -flirt tv ill mi ami
' c h- cli:*tigfd. l> v s o .ii h s Dies-
Dm* laci i s evide-.it. ia- hostility a the South
! inward theFedrii' Ujvcnumni may east iy
;be or . aiii •be ffenug t«*ni;> hat p* » : v-: tbeir
; iiitefe :s and h n limn by rieclar .lions of po'i
,cy that, t; cnfuited, wia <h>”<v -he;? t: s
; and degrade them b--t< ! • ? li • world
from the ChtrU»t > .U./oiry, t\ >. V,
IRON
! I is u well ascertained tact that So tub Caro-. •- a
I bus within her bosom the purest iron me* that
j cau be found «if on the gi«*be. Commencing m
, Spat tunhurir, aud running through the up; or ] < r
| lions of Union and Yorx D.-incts, there ex st r
! beds of the hneM nnguetic. hematite and iim nite
! ores. In 1854 Professor Shepard examined the
j non ore beds of tins region, and declared toe iron
j equal in quality to the best Swedish and R i -im.
i In 1849 samples of this r n were seut to Wa-' x
j ington and tested at the Navy Yard. In strength
it wae declared superior to any other iron ever
tested there* In 1657 tome specimensot South
Carolina iron, sent t<» Europe from the Nesbit
Works, wore made into steel at Sheffield, and
pronounced equal to the celebrated iron from the
Datinemoru mines oi Svved r..
So great a variety of rich iron ores exists a >-
where else on this continent; yet. strange to sav,
the manufacture of iron has never prospered in
our State. The great obstacle has been the scarcis
ty of luel and the lack of transmutation to a
market. There are now three Iron Compauhs in
the State; the South Carolina Manc acturiag
Company, at Hurricane Shoals, on he Pac<det
River; the Magnetic Iron Company (the old Nes«
but Works), at Cherokee Ford, Union Dwtr t,
Broad River; and the King’s Mountain Iron Com
pany, in York District, two miles below the Cher
okee Ford, on Br *ad»River. These companies,
we believe, are now in full blast, and are fur
nishing a large am -unt of tue indispensable
metal to the Government and to the planters in
the upper port on o» the State. The Magnetic
Iron Company has b» en sending down to one of
our large foundries a hne article of pig iron, to be
cast into a mammoth gun, which w ill leave its
murk upon the tirst Yankee iron clad that may
venture within its range.
We trust that, the iron interest in this State will
take deep root during the present blockade, and
become one of the most flourishing branches of
home manufactures. We notice that a charter has
been obtained from the Legislature for a railroad
from Shelby, N. C., to the iron region of our State.
This road, when built, connecting with the North
Carolina Railroad, will euable the iron masters to
obtain an abundant supply of mineral coal, and
will also place them within reach of the ftiarketa
lof the world. With these nquisites and the
I necenstrv skill m manufacturing, we see no reason
I why South Carolina iron should not c inpete with
| the English and Swedish article
[ Pko.m Below.—All is Mill quiet on our coast,
| though it was repottedf that a vessel having the
appearance of an iron clad came into our river
yesterday afternoon and up to Fort Pulaski. This
would seem that operations are designed here as
well as at Charleston.—Si ßinnah Republican.
From the best intormauon we can gather
the Federal force at Raton Rouge is from 15 000
to 20,<X»0. principally raw soldiers, and about two
thirds of these ‘‘suing with a bung.” Ranks is
afra d to make an attack, and we think the time
dicidedlv auspicious for our troops to march upon
the place aud take it .—Jackaon Crisis.
Oj W ednesday, while some soldiers, belong-*
~ D* \° the Prison at Genesis Point, were amus
ing themselves with an nnexpl >ded Yankee shell
I B e*l>h>ded, woundiug two of them severely and
, killing one instantly. We did not hear the nimes
I °i *he killed and wounded men.— Sav. Sew§,