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el)c W cckln (Eonstitutioimlist BY JAMES GARDNER. from the Mobile Register and Adeertiier. litters from vicksburg. Vicksburg, Feb. 15, 1863. The main topic of conversation on the .HiTeets yesterday was the passage of the gnnboav during the preceding night, and singularly enough no accou-t could be given of the craft, further than that she went down. So intense was the dark ness that the sentinels at the water battery could not make her out until she was within a few hundred yards of our guns. She bad Men the precaution to float down with the current, hoping no doubt, to quietly pass by unobserved without turning a wheel. The moment that she was dis covered and heard the orders from our officers to man the guns, she got up a full head of steam and ran for dear life until she was lost in the darkness beyond our guns. A difference of opinion prevails among the offi cers tn command of our guns about her being struck at all or not. Those in charge of the water battery above, declare that she escaned clear without a scratch, while at the lower batteries it is claimed that three shots took her fair and square. There is but little doubt that she escaped and has gone down the river. She is evidently a fast craft, m she did some of the tallest kind of running after our batteries opened on her, and it may pos. sibly be that it is one of their messenger boats, sent down to see how Geaerai Banks is getting along at Port Hudson. If this move can be regarded as an index to the plans of the enemy in operating against this point, we may now count with some degree of certainty that an advance from below may be ex» peeled It is not known whether any troops have been sent to the lower end of the peninsula, but it is very likely this has been done. Our officials evidently expect an attack to be made very soon, and all tha't we care about letting the enemy know is that he will not find us asleep, no matter what hour he may select to pay us a visit. Saturday evening a heavy ram set in, which continued uninterruptedly all night and up to 12 o’clock on Sunday. No military movements were practicable in such weather, and nothing was observed, owing to the fog, which obscured ens tirelv our view of the Tankee camp. The cons tinuous sheet of lightning all night was too un propitious for the enemy to attempt the passing by of another boat. Up to 12 o’clock to-day everything remained quiet. Obsbrvanda. Vicksburg, Feb. 16, 1863. Nothing has yet come to hand regarding the boat which ran the batteries on Friday night. Her mysterious disappearance down the nver leads to the impression that she must have been a messenger boat, and was sent below to commu nicate with Com. Farragut and Cen. Banks, It is very likely that Gen. Sherman and Com. Porter are anious to have the forces below Port Hudson come up and assist in taking Vicksburg, and that this craft has been sent down there to ascertain what the prospects ate of getting any aid from that quarter. ’No other explanation has yet been arrived at; and it may turn out that the boat was a little pigmy concern, that could hardly be seen in the day tithe, much less on a dark night. Owing to the heavy rain on Sunday morning, | nothing could be witnessed of the enemy. An ■ occasional interval ot a few minutes of clear skies ! would reveal the fact that about the usual num- ; ber of steamers were at the anchorage above, and I considerable steaming behind the bend of the ■ river indicated the approach of more vessels. ‘ The water is now daily gaining on the peninsula, ; and the Yankees are already isolated from the ruins of DeSoto City, the water intervening be tween it and their camps. There is yet a con siderable amount of ground in the vicinity of the camps, but it the rise continues it will inevitable | result in driving them away from there, and thy : prospects are that this wiil take place very soon. ; Judging from the active preparations now go- ' ing on in a certain quarter, it is believed that the i officers in commnand here have got in possession of very important knowledge about the point of assault, and no one is left in doubt as to where that point is. If the Yankees have a desire to meet with a warm reception in their visit to Vicksburg they wiil most assuredly be not disap pointed ibis time. While it is provckingly tedious to witness the presence of the enemy within a few miles of the city, and no attempt is made to hasten on the des cisive struggle, it is greatly to our advantage for them to waste their tim in idleness, while we can improve it by additional fortifications. The enemy is evidently tn a dilemma—no practicable point within reach to land bis foices.and no hope of taking the place by an assault from the gun boats, and the water rising so rapidly that be is compelled to make a demonstration very shortly, for the of having an excuse to retire. By means of his overwhelming numbers he exo pects to storm our batteries and swallow up every thing in his way, thus forcing the few Confede rate troops to retire before bis approich as they would flee from the irresitible avalanche of lava from a volcano. But these are all Yankee cal culations, and their object is too well understood . to afi’ect any of our troops by the monster demon stration when it comes off During the night and morning everthmg remained quiet, and the rain still continues falling, making the season exceed ingly unpleasant for military op'rations. Obsbrvanda. YANKEE SOLDIERS STOPPED FROM READ ING- An order has been issued prohibiting the cir culation of all newspapers in the Yankee Army of the Potomac until further orders. In com* menting upon the order the “ World” says ;f This is a very strange movement, and one it will be very difficult for the Administration to justify before the country. The soldiers are also American citizens and have a right to know what is going on in the world. Os course it is obvious way this order has been issued. The all but universal dissatisfaction of the country with the negro policy the radi cals are forcing upon the government is very clearly indicated by the newspaper press, and the feeling is quite as common in the army as elsewhere. Tae administration hopes by this means to prevent a knowledge of the growing discontent from reaching the soldiers, for tear it would affeet their morale. But in this, as in otnar measures, civil and military, the administration shows its want of common sense and foresight. It is not tbe newspapers that are to blame for the State of feeling throughout the country and in tbe army ; Mr. Lincoln’s advisers are responsible for that. It was changing the war for the Union into one for abolition that bas done all the mischief, and while this policy obtains matters will grow steadily worse. The absence of newspapers will increase and embitter the feelings of the soldiers, who will learn all the government wishes they would not lesrn from their private correspondence and report. _ Disastrous Firs.—Wa are sorry to chronicle, says the Telegraph of the 21st, an extensive fire in Macon. About six o’clock yesterday morning a pile ot fodder in tbe rear of Messrs. Hayden & Goolsby’s extensive Livery Stable was discovered to be on fire, and in two hours after about one half tbe entire block fronting on Walnut and Second streets was consumed. The buildings burned were Stubblefield’s stables, Hayden & Goolsby’s stables, the warehouse and oflices occu pied by T. R. Bloom, Esq., a dwelling occupied • by Mrs. Wrigley, another owned by Mrs. Mcßey nolds, all the extensive buildings attached to tbe tool and agricultural implement manufactory of Nathan Weed, Esq., together with a good many outhouses, Ac., belonging to all the buildings con sumed. VALLANDIGHAM IN NEW JERSEY. Vallandigham made another one of his sensa tion speeches in Newark, New Jersey, on Satti-* day last. He said ihat “1 remember that it was in lhe city of Newark, a little more than two years ago, that I first gave the pledge to any portion of the peo ple of lhe United States that I never would con« tribute, by words or acts, to the shedding of one drop of American blood in a civil war.” He believed that a reconstruction of the Union would take place in bis day. Nobody now be* heves, after two yeuts of war, that we have ac complished. or can by this accomplish, the restoration of the Union, except Win, H. be ward. He sees everything in lhe color of the rose. I believe that lhe war is now conducted for the abolition of slavery. That cannot ink* place until the Government itselt becomes a uespo'ism. I don’t choose to sail my precious inheritance and boon of political and personal liberty, for which the fields of New Jersey were stained with blued, for lhe purpose of giving liberty to tbe negro. (Great applause ) There is now a parly who assumes that the war has failed, aud urge a separation of the States. I abhor that party. There is another who behave that the war has failed, and dosiia to try lhe ex periment of bringing the Some back to concilia tion aud compromise. lam one of that party. (Great cheering.) Seventy-five out of every hun dred of men of the Northwest are in favor of a cessation of hostilities and a commeucumem of tbe experiment of restoring the Union by constitus tional measures. (Cheers.) There is a third party, who call themselves the conservative party, of which William H. Seward is to become the leade —lhe same William H. Se-vurd who was tbe author of the phrase, “irrepressible conflict;” the man who first signed his band to the warrants for arbitrary arrest. Shah the Democratic party be reduced for one moment to strike hands with those who desire to change the purposes of the administration, and bring it back again to a war for the Union, when the whole people united cannot accomplish any* thing before the 4th of March, 1865 ? Wiil the war continue during that lime ? (“Never, never,” from all parts of the room.) Will you send out your sons again to the battle-field? (Overwhel ming cries, “No, never 1”) Shall they be con scripted to carry on this war for two years more, and for the negro ? “No, never 1”) Shall we do this with the vain, futile, absurd, and most un founded hope that after the fourth of March, 1865 ; after four years of such war as God Al mighty never permitted to scourge any land, you will go back again to a war for the Union ? (“No, no.”) The people cf America must chouse now tbe alternative. YANKBB CONGRESS. The conscription bill was up in the Yankee Sen ate on the 14tb. It was thought a final vote would be had on the bill Monday. Carlile, on Saturday, introduced a \>ili in the Yankee Congress providing that Lincoln’s proc lamation, after lhe popular ratification of the act making West Virginia a State, shall not be issued until certain counties, now under rebel control, have been allowed a free and fair opportunity for voting upon such ratification, viz; Boone, Logan, Wyoming, Mercer, McDowell. -Pocahontas, Raw leigb, Greenbrier, Monroe. Pendleton, Fayette, Nicholas and Clay. if-Vr* We clip the following from the Chatta nooga Rebel of the 20th ; Ths Situation. —Increasing confidence is ex pressed ou all sides in the ability oi our forces to hold their own on the Mississippi. Tne indica* tions which reach us through Northern sources corroborate the testimony transmitted to us from our own side. The canal—so highly vaunted and so reliably esteemed, so worked at and so hoped from—is a failure. The waters have flowed over the low lands of the Louisiana shore, mandating camp, cannon, equipage ana Yank«e in a like deluge. Our batteries are constantly cocked and primed, defying attack. .Everything fares illy with the enemy, aud, what with desertion, disaf fection and discouragement, the situation before Vicksburg looks, and is, truly dismal. From our front in Middle Tennessee, we. get the usual num ber and variety of sensation reports. • We inter from this that there has been Tess doing in that quarter than usual, since the dash ot Gen. Forrest on Franklin, chronicled by us a few days ago. From Beech Grove, we have a correspondent, who gives us an item of cavalry practice Oa the eves ning of the 10 h inst. Cupt. D. E. Myers, ot Bu ford’s biigade, wLo commands the regularscouis, with thirty-six of his men, dashed into R-ady ville, where a- brigade of lhe enemy were so-.s tioned, charged them into their entrenchments, killed and wounded several, and took two prisons ers. With bis field glass, be i-xauiined their tors tifications, and then dashed out again without the h as of a man. The rains have been almost incessant here for two or three days past. Tbe country is complete ly flooded, aud we bear of one bridge—the Look out Bridge, about five miles below here on tbe N. & C. Railroad, being completely washed away. We are happy to be able to mention m this con nection that mail communication between ibis point and Brideport on tbe Tennessee, will be uninterrupted, as Gen. Wm. B. Bate, command ing this District, has, with commendable energy and foresight, arranged fi r the transportation of the mails and also ot all soldiers returning to the field by steamboat. Tbe steamer Point Rock was detained here yesterday, and other vessels will, we understand, be immediately ordered into the service, until repairs are effected at the bridge. By this arrangement there will be no occasion for delay of returning soldiers at Chattanooga. A citizen of Clarksville, wbo arrived here Tues day even ng, states that no reinforcements bad passed up tbe Cumberland for Rosencranz, up to the time he left Cterksvills. He states that a number of transports passed up but only a small gnard accompanied each vessel. The excess of prisoners on our side is not so large as generally estimated. On authority of Mr. Quid, the exchange agent of our Government, it is stated to be not more than 15 to 20,000 in our favor, and is less now than before the battle of Murfreesboro.' A gentleman arrived here a few evenings sines, wbo has recently passed through the Federal lines, end whose name we withhold for personal reasons, brings the information, that in a recent trip through Kentucky and the North-western States, be noticed great dissatisfaction among the soldiery and citiz-ns, with the war, and a general outcry and clamor for peace, He states that of the three regiments at one camp of instruction in Illinois—only two hundred remains—the others taking advantage of the reaction among the peo ple, to desert in whole squads. A Cross is tbs Sky.—A well defined cross was seen in the sky a few nights since. A correspond dent of the Wilmington (N. C ) Journal, writing from Kinston, N. C , gives tin following descrip» lion of the phenomena; The moou rose cloudless. At a little before 7 o’clock two bright spots, tome twelve degrees in •xteni, were visible, one North and the other South, and immediately thereafter a cross was seen in the heavens, the moon joining the four arms of the cross. "kbout half-past 8 o’clock the Northern light wens flat, bnt the cross and the spot to lhe South remained untibpast 10. when I retired. Can any one tell when tbe cross has appeared before since the days of Constantine, when tbe letters IUS accompanied the sign ? ’ AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY FEB. 25, 1863. THE ALABAMA. From the Kingston Standard. Jan. SO. The Alabama is consigned to Messrs. Charles Levy & Co., of this city, and is now receiving coals, Ac., at Port Royal, from Messrs. T. D. Pass & Co. She called into thia port to receive casual repairs. Captain Sernmes, we learn, waited on his Excellency, the Lieutenant Governor, in Spanish Town, yesterday. Several of the Confederate ashore in gray uniforms, and we learn that the prisoners will be left in charge of the American Vice Consul here. • We understand that in the encounter the Ala bama received some damage, and that several shipwrights and caulkers have be n dispatched to Port Ro;al to repair the damages. We gather the following additional particulars; On Sundavy lhe 11th instant, at ab mt 2% o’clock, the Brooklyn, sloop of war, twentysone guns, Com. Bell, lying at Galveston, Texas, diss covered a sail, wbieh she supposed to be a mere chantman running tnebloekade, and immediately signalized the Hatteras to give chase. The Hats teras pursued her until dark. Tbe Alabama then hove to and'awaited her approach. The Hatteras wt»« prepared, and all tbe men went to quarters. She bespoke the stranger, who replied she was “Her B-i'annic Majisty’s steamer Petrel." Capt. Blake, of tbe Hatteras, responded. In the means time, tbe Alabama attempted to manoeuvre to the stern of the Hatteras. While off the port quarter Capt. Blake said he would send his boat on board ; and while in the act of lowering the boat, the Alabama sent a blank cartridge astern ot the Hatteras. She hailed her and said she need send no bout, as she was tbe Confederate steamer Alabama. Captain Blaek then gave the order to fire, and tbe engagement ensued. In about ten minutes a hole was dis covered between wind and water in the Hatteras. Fire also broke out in the fore peak, in tbe lower deck, but was put out. A shot was sent through her steam chest. Bhe then surrendered, being completely disabled. The Alabama seat all her boats to take the crew off, and in a few minutes after this sbe sunk. Only the ship papers were saved. The Alabama made Port Royal in eleven days. A boat’s crew from the Hatteras, seven in num ber, is missing, supposed to have gone back to Galveston. Little personal injury was sustained on both sides. A Scene at St. Louis.—The following paras gru’ih is taken from a late number of the New York Times ; The boat from St. Louis just.in brings intellre gence of the arrival there yesterday of the rebel prisoners from Arkansas Post. An intelligent passenger informs me that there was a very nus merous gathering upon the levee to witness, and, us it proved, on the part of hundreds of open sympathizers, to welcome their arrival, and to make tbe occasion a kind of ovation to treason. Finding so many friends ou the dock, and so many manifestations of sympathy, tbe rebel prisoners gave vent to shouts and savage outcries of defi ance, which were responded to from the landing. One of the privates, more impudent and tonguey than the rest, volunteered to be spokesman for the crowd, and, mouutiri;-; a temporary rostrum, harangued the assemblage for an hour in the most exciting and treasonable language. He aps plied to the Yankees every term ot abuse and contempt which his peculiar vocabulary could furnish, without the slightest interruption from tbe officers in charge. Barrels of apples were brought down to the dock, tbeir heads stove in, and their contents showered among the prisoners. And this is tbe way we receave in a Union city red banded rebels, from the battle fields where the blood of brave men has flowed in the defence ot the Government. A Noble Sentiment.-The late great speech of C. L. Vallandigham con‘ains the following pas sage, worthy of commemoration and imitation— These were my convictions on the 14th of April. Had 1 changed-them on the 15th, when I read tbe President’s proclamation, and become convinced that I had been wrong all my life, and that all history was a fable, and all human nature false in its development from tbe beginning of time, I would have changed my public conduct also. But. my convictions did not change. I thought that if war was disunion on the 14th of April, it was equally disunion on the 15th, and at all times. Believing this, 1 could not, as an honest man, a Union man, and a patriot, lend active support to the war; and I did not. I had rather rny right arm were plucked from its socket and east into eternal burnings, than, with my con victions, to have thus defiled my soul with the guilt ot moral prejury. Hir, 1 was not taught in dial sctioil which prod ims that “all is lair m politics.” 1 loathe, abhor and detest the execra ble maxim. I stamp upon it. No State can eu» dure a single generation whose public men prac tice it. Whoever teaches it is a corrupter of youth. What we most want in these times, and at all tunes, is honest, and independent public men. Tbe man who is dishonest in politics is not honest at heart, in anything ; *nd sometimes more cow ardice is dishonesty. Do right, and trust to God, and truth, and tbe people. Perish office, perish honors, perish life itself, but do the thing that is right, and do it like a man, 1 did it. Certainly, sir, 1 could not doubt what he must suffer who dare defy the opinions and the passions, not to say the madness, of twenty millions of people.— Had I not read history? Did 1 not know human ature ? But I appealed to Time, and right nobly hath the Avenger answered me. I did not support the war; and to day I bless God that not the smell of so much as one drop of its blood is upon my garments. Sir, I censure no brave man who rushed patriotically into this war; neither will I quarrel with [any one, here or else where, who gave it his honest support. Had their convictions been mine, I, too, woald doubt less have done as they did, With my convictions I could not. GEN. JOHNSTON AND JODY PAXTON- i We heard of a little incident yesterday that , may profit some of our Northern foes if this paper fall into their hands, and thay will take the trou ble to peruse it General Joe Johnston was receiving his friends at the Lamar House on Sunday. He was eur» rounded with many gallant officers who had call ed to pay tbeir respects, and conversation was at flood tide, when there came a smart rap at the door. Au officer, shining with gold stars and gold lace, opened tbe door; and there stood a venerable negro woman with a coarse sun bon net on ber head, and a cotton umbrella under her arm. “ Is this Mr. Johnson's room ?’’ asked the Arne ric*n lady of African descent. The glittering officer nodded assent. “ Mister Joe Johnston’s room?” Assent again being condescended, the swarthy woman said, “ I want to see him.” In she march ed, sans ceremonie, and familiarly tapped the great military chieftain on the shoulder. He turned and clasped her ebony bands in his, while she for a moment silently perused his features. At length she spoke : “Mister Joe, you is getting old.” What followed? We cannot record the con versation, but we do know that as the General affectionately held his old nurse’s band, aud an swered her artless inquiries, large tears rolled down his soldierly cheek, and among the dashing and reckless officers who witnessed tbe interview, “albeit, unused to the melting mood,” there was not a dry eye. We mav say, tn the words of a well known plaintive Ethiopian ditty, “the tears fell down like the rain.” The venerable negress who made the comman der ot the Armies of the West cry like a. baby, was Judy, slave of Dr. PaXton. who had “toted” Joe m her arms when he was not a General, and ‘nobody knew that he would be.— Knoxville Reg. FROM THE NORTH. The following interesting summary of news is from the H'erald of the 14th instant: Dispatches from Cairo announce that the levees on the Mississippi side of the 'river, twelve miles below Helena, at Yazoo Pass, have been cut by our feces. They have also beeu cut at Greenville and on the Louisiana side, .opposite Lake Provi dence. A barge loaded with coal is said to have run the blockade at Vicksburg on Sunday. Tbe railroad between Selina and Meridian is completed, so as to enable the rebels to carry their troops to Vicks burg at a short notice. The Emperor of France was endeavoring io perfect a new plan for mediation or intervention in tbe war affairs of the United States, with, it was said, tbe view of promoting a peace between thelNorth and South. M. Drouyn de L'Huys had aaaressed a circular to the French Ministers in London, Berlin, Vienna and St. Petersburg, di recting them to sound the feeling of the Cabinets of these countries upon the propriety of tendering simple counsels to the “belligerent parties in Washington and Richmond,” advising them to name commissioners charged to examine, “with or without an armistice,” the basis of a settle, ment. The London Shipping Gazette of the 28th of January inquires what will be Napoleon’s alter native if his latest project for an allied interfere ence is rejected by the other great Powers? The Gazatte says: “It may be taken for granted that the offered negotiation will be rejected at Washington ;”and asks, what follows tbe compulsory cessation of hostilities, or a maritime war with lhe North ? Can this country afford to let the French Etn. peror proceed alone in his American policy ? or is be acting upon an understanding with her Majesty’s Government ? The steamer Georgiana, the tender of the Ala bama, was in the harbor of Holyhead, England, and went to sea on the 24:h of January, oound for Nassau. She has a formidable crew of rough looking men ot almost every European national ity. Sbe mounts twenty-eight guns, and carries out a quantity of tea and other necessaries for the use of the crew of the Alabama. A letter from Holyhead says: Her crew—rather numerous, by the way—were all bearded like bards,'and reminded the bystand ers forcibly of Cooper’s heroes. She is bound for America, and looks just the thing for running the blockade. On the 26th of January the clipper ship Eliza Bonsall, Captain Stalker, arrived at Liverpool, from Nassau, with about 1,500 bales of cotton.— The cotton was brought to Nassau by the “block* ade breakers.” The operation of the Russian military conscrip tion or draft in Poland eventuated in a general and widespread uprising against the authority of tbe Czar in the ancient kingdom. The movement may be called a national military revolution. A general massacre of ull tbe Russian troops in the country was planned for the night of the 22d of January, and in order to effect it attacks were ev erywhere made upon tbe detaehments of sol diers sepmately cantoned. Tbe Poles killed ail the soldiers they found in the bouses where they were billeted. The telegraph Wires in the neighborhood of Warsaw were destroyed. Two thousand con* scripts lately enrolled deserted and assembled at different points. Three centres of insurrection were in this way so med by bands, each about one thousand strong, ine in the direction ot. Minsk, eight versts from Warsaw ; the second at Blouie, and the third at Pultusk, One ot these bands was dispersed, the others after having crossed the Vistula, effected a union with troops of insurgents that had assembled in the forests of Nasieich. Combats had taken place, in which a Russian colonel was wounded and a general kill ed, and the whole kingdom of Poland was de. dared in a, state of seigu. The garrison of War saw was increased to forty thousand men. and the latest dispatch from St. Petersburg says; “Vv arsaw is quiet.” It was by no means certain, notwithstanding, that any decided impression has been made on tne insurrection. Prim had resigned his commission as Director General of Engineers of the army of Spain. He will devote himself to tbe lead oi the progressive political parly in tbe kingdom. The Dublin Freewau has reports from the counties ot Sligo anti Tipperary, Ireland, which show that the distress amongst the laborers, small farmers and middle class storekeepers in these localities is exceedingly intense, wide-spread and every day tending more and more to the'r actual pauperism, exile or death. Tne Liverpool cotton market on the 29th ultimo, "as irregular and prices easier. Quotations were barely maintained. On the 28th of January the market experienced a decline of oue halt of a penny. ,Breadsiuffs were quiefaud steady. Pro visions were steady. Consuls closed in London on the 29 h of January at 92J4 a for money. Some of the radical Republican journals state that ten regiments of negro volunteers could be raised in the -State of New York. Let us exam ine the colored population, and see how near this statement comes to the truth. According to the census of 1860 there were then 40,000 negroes in the State, and they may now number 50,000. Os these one half are females, leaving 25,000 males. Taking from this last number the old, the sick, the infirm and the children, and we shall only have one in five of the 25,000 capable of bearing arms. The only question to be decided is, how many of tbe five thousand remaining would vol unteer, without bounty, to go to the war. TRICK OF THB RBBEL AGENTS IN RICHMOND. We find in the columns of the Paris journal La Patrie a statement which is published tor the pur pose of inflaming the minds ot the French peo ple against the North. The Patrie says it finds “in an American correspondence, worthy of en* tire belief, the announcement of a fact which will create great satisfaction in France and England. Delegates from tbe seceded States have met and decided to send twenty millions of francs, four millions of dollars, asu participation in the fund for the relief of the working classes of Europe. Mr. Jefferson Davis has demanded from President Lincoln the authorization for the export of cotton to tbe above namad sum, which will be sent to Southampton, Nantes and Havre. Such an action is worthy of all praise. It proves that the Con* federates appreciate the close association between their interests and those of our working classes. It.remains to be seen whether the government at Washington will allow European vessels to eater the Southern ports for the purpose of loading with the cotton in question. We may surely hope that such permission will not be refused.” RUNNING THB BLOCKADB OF THB POTOMAC. Lord Hartington and Col. Leslie, who recently run tbe blockade from Virginia into lower Mary land, came near being captured by the Potomac flotilla. The third one of the party, however, Rev. D. R. Weimer, who was crossing the river in Another bout, was arrested and brought to Wash ington. On his person was found a pass from General Winder for all three of them. Lord Hartington, it is understood, could have immedi ately crossed the lines under flag of truce; but the extension of a similiar privilege tojCol. Leslie, he being a British officer, was necessarily delayed THB PRISONERS OF STATE TO HOLD A CONVENTION. The prisoners of State who suffered incarcera’ tion in the various forts and prisons of tbe United States Government, have formed themselves in to an association for the purpose of concerting plans to obtain redress for their grievances. They are to bold a grand convention in this city, on the Bth of next March, when the subject of tbeir wrongs will be fully discussed, and some ‘plan to obtain satisfaction will be agreed upon. VOL. 16-- No 8 PROM THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY. A dispatch to the Herald, dated Baltimore, Feb. 12th, says— A dispatch from Brigadier General Kelley, dated Harper's Ferry, to-day, to Lieutenant Colonel Cheesbrongh, Assistant Adjutant General, says— Yesterday, aboat one o'clock, a squad of Baya lor’s rebel cavalry attacked a small scouting party of the twelfth Pennsylvania cavalry, from Rear neyville, of twelve men, near Smithfield, killing one, wounding twa, and capturing four men and several horses. About fonr o’elock. P. M., my scouts from here fell in with the same partv a few miles south of Charlestown, and after a running fight of several miles recaptured our men and horses, and cap tured Lieutenant Biylor, two of his men and sevs eral horses. PROM VICKSBURG. A dispatch from Cai-o, dated the 13th instant, says : Tbe steamer from Vicksburg, on Monday, 9th inst., reports that a harge loaded with coal ran the blockade Sunday. By the way of Tuscumbia it is reported that the enemy have moved a large part of the army of Virginia to Vicksburg, aud also taken all the garrison of Mobile except 4,000 for police duty. The railroad from Selina to Meridian is'com pleted, thus enabling the rebels to rapidly con* centrate their forces at Vicksburg. REMARKABLE SERMON FROM BISHOP CLARK, OF RHODE ISLAND. LOUD PRATER FOB PBACJk. From the Hartford Times. As an evidence of the change efffone that is noticed in such political sermons as are now preached, we present to our readers the following extract from a sermon, delivered a few weeks ago by Bishop Clark, in Grace Church, Providence, before an immense congregation. One year ago the Bisbsp, like many others who forgot their calling, was as fervent for war. Similar clerical changes of feeling in regard to the war are ob« served hereabouts. Bishop Clark’s text was from Lamentations, v. 16 ; “The crown is fallen from our heads. Woe unto us, tor we have sinned.” After a reference to the sad picture of reverses which the prophet describes in the Book of Lamentations, the Bish op proceeded to show the application of his lan guage to the condition of our country. We have fallen upon evil days and the heart of the nation beats with agony. Ido not wish to say a word that shall deepen the gloom—we must look the tacts in tbe face, we must be willing .to see where we stand, and what dangers threaten us. The crown of prosperity has fallen from our heads. There is no suspension in the operations of business. There are many who are making monev as they never did before. By a single turn of the wheel sqme find themselves rich who were poor yesterday. There could never be a better time for shrewd and daring speculation. Money is-a drug, and when a man has made his halt a million, he does not know what to do with it, for he feels that there is no paper which may not be rigs in a year, no stock which may not have a stand still. Nothing is safe but gold and land, and the former can be bad only at ruin ous rates, and the latter may yield no income.— We have a sc» t of hectic prosperity, but the vita organs are diseased. We have an abundant cur rency—because it is fictitious, a “promise to pay,” which every knows it is a lie. The show ol pros perity that we have cannot last long. We are blowing the buble larger and larger every day, and it grows thinneras .it expands. D‘glistens glori usly in the sunshine for a moment, but it will burst suddenly and vanish into space. We have ceased to accumulate the true material of prosperity, producing and manulaciuring abun dantly. Every one knows that soon the supply will be much larger than the demand, aud we are speculating upon the impending calamity. This is not the worst. The temptations to fraud are irresistible, and many men, of whom we hud expected better things, are yielding to the lernpta ion. The most discouraging thing in the presen; alarming crisis is the tact that so many loyal citizms are improving the opportunity to amass enormous profits by fraudulent specula tions upon the miseries ot the country. I have seen the results of this ia forms that made men’s blood curdle with indignation. I have se..in sick and dying men in our hospitals furnished with supplies tor which the contractors were paid a generous price, and tbe poor creatures turned away with loathing from the nauseous substances laid upon their hot and fevered lips. Here at the North we abolished slavery when it ceased to be profitable ; but down to the present time tbe very name of Africa is a term of indig nity and reproach. We cast contempt on him be cause he is weak. We exclude him from every station of responsibilities, no matter wbat bis qualifications may be, and we would be glad to get nd of him altogether, if we could. * I hold no Utopian views upon this subject. I never believed that the relation of master and slave is of necessity a sin. I always thought that evil needed to be carefully and judiciously hans died. Again, we have sinned as a nation, in the per- . sons of our representatives and rulers. Is it the wise forethought and sober judgment aud delib erate wisdom of the community which deter* mines who shall be our rulers? How are they nominated? How are they elected? How do they conduct themselves after they a?e elected? Do they never take bribes ? Do 'they represent the country or the party which elects them ? Do they decide every question by its merits? Are they always sober, temperate, chaste, free from all obscenity and profaneness ? Do they always utter their honest cenvictions ? Whenever a measure is proposed for action, do they ask. “Is it wise, and is it right?” and so determine how they wiil vote. Alas ! the crown of glory is fallen from our head and there is no hope for the country until the people arise in their might and say, “We will no longer have profligates and fools to rule over us.” The descent has been so low that it is considered an impropriety to speak of the subject in a Chris tian pulpit. Politics mean party, and this is out of place m the house of God. I think the world have clearly enough that w« are weak. We are not weak in numbers or resources, but we are weak in that efficient action which come* from faith, earnestness, self denial, and unity of purpose. We have made many awful sacrifices to no purpose. We follow up nothing so that it tells substantially upon the final issue. The fault is laid here and there eve*, rywhere, and there are none so positive in their censure as those who know nothing of the facts. O that the unity of the nation might be reetored in the bond of perpetual peace 1 We will sacri fice everything but principles for this. ♦ * * Blow from the South, O winds of God, and bring us the tidings of reconciliation and love I Blow from the North, O winds of God, and carry back the message of fraternity and peace! Scatter the darkness, roll away the clouds, and give unto us all once more the sunshine of tranquil rest 1 Un der the shadow of thy wings we make our refuge O God, Give Us Pbacb! Yankeb Account of thb Fight at Fort Don* elbon.—Lient. Fitch, commanding fleet on Cum berland river, in his official report of the fight at Fort Douelson, says 4,500 rebels, under Forrest Wheeler and Wharton, were cut up and routed by gunboats, and thwarted in their purpose of capturing the Federate at Dover, who were out of ammunition and entirely surrounded. 140 rebels were buried on tbe field, and the wounded were left in tbe hands of the Federate.