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N. S. MORSE. Chronicle & Sentinel w AUGUSTA, GA. wiomsdu >lOll mm; Fi'tini iftv at. . > "• 1 ■ .•- - . :r: — We Always <<t©p the Chr. i.k ic .*■ , i.vm. •; ). tnd ofth« yw*r, or th« f *r v.; .j, ; j,u : w to oootixiue It.it w« *• (! be v . tor-':i«.V your aUL-- iij> ! ■ c&sttwo wevksfisfo •* jvtl'.'i *;•;» We Cannot change vur. r.r i g her ueW. hb tisliUiCorioerm.i well ta his pi- -.: >. Xros*. Weekly Hate*.—Thepr'.M ofthe Wp- klt rv-- 41 H■ « nikilii:! dollars lor threy looifl , tv.. .... ■ Six mouth*. Hags! ! R«'*«!!! Toe papr-r Tr a!:< rs «vw»* rv:‘ rae« «it cotton iuen, 3 **., uid rop**, • in cv-r u •Ufhtto be ara« UMrr' Imrit, who - -.v-wy ; . fins he taueet from ail thy surround.hk cointry. Vs *v. . like te hear from any wLo whluiiG.-ri’.F.e to i>uy rng.-'t j mur.c paper forth* Chbcnicls <fe b£3ii:<jtL. On reetipt w* wjl! gtotfeprice, etc., eti. IMI-I.IA HKJt 1 O. >l' t.HOKH IS lilt: ARMY. DIBITS IH TH B SENATE, FEB. 3. Tint Senate resnm-d the con-ideration of the Wenate bill to provide for the employmint of ! free negroes and slaves to work upon fortifir.a lions and perform other labor connected with the defences of tlie country. The pending question Wing on apr ei ig to the ee n.i amendment of the House to strike out the clause restricting the number of negroes to be employed to thuty thousand ea tof tin- Mississippi liver, and ten thousand west ot that river. Mr. Orr said he should rote against the amendment of the House. Forty thousand negroes g<o be employed in the nriuy w.i the number recommended by the Excentive. If eighty or one hundred thousand had If r: recoirimeridcd he should have voted fur that number. But the bill bad given rise to the discussion of a subject which had excited tin public mind more than tinyolbcr whatever— putting negrot sin the army as soldiers, lu Km opinion, t.iis would be one of the. most fatal sups tbat could bo tnki u He believed our- soldiers would object t,o the measure to ; such a degree that it would Lave th<- effect i! disorganizing our ermy when the Yankees first, began to occupy our country. ’J here was a 1 great exodus of our slaves to the enemy’s lines. This continued until the Yankees began to en list the negroes as soldiers, when it almost tu tirely ceased. But the moment it was known tbat we designed putting them into our armies . they would leave by thousands. He believed the negroes were naturally cowardly, bu* il : It was simply a choice between entering one oi the other army, they would go to the Yankee iNU« hundred and ninety nine out of a tin,us s»nd would do so ' Mr. Oir then went on to show that cuanei path mi was a necessarv concomitant ol putting negroes into the army as soldo!s, and dwelt eloquently ufion the disastrous effect Upon our country that the emancipation of the slaves ,would entail. • - There was an Impression in the country Ik >t a laije Dumber of men were absent from the army with and without leave, if this opinion was incorrect, no one was bo much responsible for it us the President himself, who dutirg his unfortunate trip *o the South, made that most unfoitunato speech at M»ooq, wherein he satil that two-third:-- of the army was absent, and ODe-thiid ol those tli'O-thmls abiiellt without leave. Mr. Hill stated that the President never math- [ such a statement, the report ol tju- tveccii incorrect, and was so stated in the Georgia 1 pipers. The President raid that two-thirds ol j lhat army, the ar-ny of TVuuesse-fVere absent, Inany of i.keui without leave. The correction | Was made in the Georgia papers, but not by j authority. Mr. Orr repeated IhU- the [’resident’s ep- I. 1 at Macon, as leported, ate? even as stated iiy j the Senator, was the most nnf_."tunal • speech , ever made by any public man. The country, the ordinary nowspaper readers, understood hi in to mean that most of the absentees were uinP'Ut without leave, which was not a fact. In that, j speech ho had also aimed a blow’at General Johnston; saying that he hud put in command of the army of Tennessee a unu who won strike an honest and manly blow for AtUiuta; i that Sherman's cruipuign would bo more and - 1- troue than the retreat bi the army of ibo French umpire from Moscow*. Mr. Hill explained that he heaid the speech j ngd did not understand that the President | aimed any blow at Gen. Johnston. The whole | purpose of the speech was tp induce the permit: j to reevuli and support the ilniiy, and stating' what would be the result i( the people would i <lo so The c’nafje had been made that the! President designed to abandon G.-cigia to her late. For the purpose id lefuting the imputa- - lion, and not us a blow at lien. .Johnston, h. Stated that lie had placed a nltt.U at li'.e head oi the ftrmy who would strike au lu-m st :u,<! , maniy blow. Ifiheaimy of Tcuncvi-ee had been reervuted by the return if rile ab-u litre?, the result of Shernmn's campaign -would have ! been what the President predicted. Attar some further remarks about this speech j of the President, Mr • OrrsaSdUeu Johustcn was ; removed from the army ot the l'euucssee, and i nothing but disaster had ' followed. All the men and boys of Sauth Carolina were now in • the field to resist the advance of She.'toan It •yrould inspire confidence if lien. Johnston were in command there. A report had just reached hJm that Gen. Beauregard had been relieved frCm the command of the southwest and order ed to .command in South Carolina. This a.-Ggu tuent would he acceptable to the people < I the ; State. But. n" thought that Gen Johnston : should be given ah important command some where. He did not tifw whether there was much ot the army ot Tennessee lett. llj hop ed <hat Gen. Lee, now that hr. had been made General-in-Chief, would see to it tn.'t. General : Johßston'a talent and ’high military £euuts | •hould not be lost to4he country. Mr. Maxwell spoke in opposition to patting j uegroes into the army as soldieis. It involved j abolition of slavery. Ho could scarcely real- j iza that he had heard such a proposition dis cu«sed in the Confederate Senate. He did not believe that putting negroes into It.o armies would add to its strength, and us the amend ment of the House was understood to tend in that direction, he would vote Against it. Mr. Johnson, of Missouri, said he was as - touuded at the range this debate had taken , on this amendment. The question was uot ■whether we shall put negroes into the array as woldlers, but whether we shuli restrict to forty thousand the number of negroes to be put at the disposal of the commanders of our armies to cook, drive, throw up fortifications, xc. He was In favor of giving Generals Lee and Beauregu&ul whatever amount ot negroes they ohould find necessary. Another subject had been freely discussed : the restoration of Gener al Johnston to the army of Tennessee. He toffl no opinion on this subject hitnself, be cause he had no knowledge of jits merits, br he would state that every Missourian of the [ ■army 0 f Tennessee with whom he had can- j versed had told him that General Johnston was the only man who could revive the spir it of that army, and that the heart of every man in the army had sunk when he was re- j s»oved from its command. * Mr. Burnett said he had not lost the pride j Southern citizen, but this chief end was ; uaver&aC® from the Northern Government. It j this con hi he done without resort to negro j soldiers, he >ould say never pat a negro into the army. It N was convinced that there Was white mater .'a! enough i- the country, hV would vote against negro t-<dd;ara, but he was not convinced of it, and. if called »a aooli-- tionist. he was in gooji company General b**, and many other distinguished officers, ki -vored putting negroes into the army. Tiie material of which the Yankee army was com -paced «u Irish, Germans and negiws It was thepoliey of the enemy, having issued a proc lamation of universal ©mancipation, they pur in th- an y ti’l the able bodied negroes in sthecjuntry they overran it. ’J'he portions ofry : *)d by our armies in 18(12 was now gurrb-r . r.i by negro trer-ps. the slaves of that country. I:i t ! - opinion it was with ns : imply i«. .. jo win‘her ws sbotid put the ■ negn...s into onr armii-s. or to leave them to swell iho limbec of the enemy. .V -. •: ti said all the disasters to the Mirny -f IV nee-'see had been the direct const ipicir cs of tL- n moral of General Jobnstm, and in* b- F- v ! i ic les’.oration would be bail-, i-i with j»y bj the army, lie did not. know whether th* Pud dent knew the tiu'h, hut he wr-nld do what h« could to enlighten ldm. lu couclii'.'on, he said the question of ■ rs was not'prc. and -ally-before thp Senate Whenever it i hoaVi le, te would vote for it as a military urc-.-fsity. The i te hc’og t :teh. the amendment was r<j.-cted —yens 0, nays Id. Tin so •• „voted in tho affirmative were Mc'-rs P own, Burnett, Dortch, Henry, Johnson of Missouri, Simms, Sparrow, Vest and Watson. * Tiio.te who voted in tho negative were Mesers Bi.aer, C.;pert:n, Garland. Haynes. Hill, Maxwell, On, Scmn-.es and Wigfa’.l. 'ihc rem-iin'mg ememdments were then con sidered, and with three exceptions, agreed to. Jfct .ie a vote was taken on the bill, Mr. Orr of South Oarol ca, moved to recoceider Die v.j|e iiy which the second resolution was con cu ifeil in. He did not wish ro change hi svote, but had ms !e the motioii that one of the Seo aiors frtmi M r i .-ippi (Mr. Watson), wh’o de sired to express his opinions on the sal jact of that omendoiont, might be heard. On motion oi Mr. Capertou of Virginia, the Semite resolved in secret Bessioa. l.iliic.TE IN TUB HOUSE, FEB. 3. Mr Atkin?-, of Tennessee, offered a series of resolutions as a substitute for those offered on Wtdissdfay by Mr. GhoisoHjr of Virginia. If will be rycoliccfced that the resolution of Mr Oholsou declared that the people of the Conti d-i ate States have ever been, ami are now ready to make peace on terms honorable to belli partli r; yet it is die judgment of this Iloun.i that, while we should manilfst.a v.ill ii:g-.to treat for peace, we should not omit vigorously to prepare fur war; thatin the judg ment oi the House this preparation can be best made by using every effort to place at .once in the army every man liable under our laws to render military service, by causing the eom mis. -siy, quartermaster and other depmtments to be nduiiiiisteiird with renewed energy and increased le-'-iviiy ; and situ-e Genet id Lee has. ia in made G' luniil-iii-Chicf by assigning un der him cur in at and mp.d acceptable generals to F. :• m-.niniand of scpavite nruiieg, and by c-ioii.g to ugibiie the pi.dicy of employing ne gro troops. Tbe it soUrtions offered by Mr. Atkins, cs a substitute, were as folllowsj "Hi solved, Tiiat aiming the slaves in our ciiu.-a-. upon a promJsu of emancipation' is in coi lliot with w-cll established principles, and Uterefore should not bo dene. “licsolved, That the character of the war which tire cm my i.t waging against us and the immsn.-o resources which ho is bringing to b -ar for our subjugation, justifies and n quiies that wo slinnld exhaust all the resources within our reach raUicr tliunsuliinit tow ) l-‘rrible a fate. ‘•Unsolved, That between and usii.-g our slaves in our delence, every princi ple of justice and self-preservation requires i.-.c inner; and therefore wo should at once put one bundled thousand slaves, between the ugoa of seyenteeu au.-J-foriy five, in the field; aud, in order to jpajie Itieui ejfeclive, and to immediately intcicst all’ of opr soldie sin the iuiii.ilion, it is expedient that the* government should pinchaso all ibo jluves thus put in the army, and give to each wlii'o soldjer now in the r.rmy, m who will joiu the army within three nie-.l'is alter the enactment of a law in iiccciril.'.nee with fkesc resolves, a slavo, to be right and properly, to bo forager free from the ciaiins ol any' nad all persons, and tlnjtUW only to 1.,; delivered by eoKErr abandoning his | eyt.vvUliout have, ia wti..!.' c,the title shall reveit to the government ” Mr. Boyce, of South Carolina, mov. it that l'.e 110ic...g0 into si-orot sets.on upou the con sideration of the resolutions, hut the motion dul not prevail. Jhe subject being taken up, Mr. Conrad; of Louisiana, proceed' and t • address the House, di recting lifs arguments prim ipa'iv in oppesi tiou to tho resolutions of Mr Gholson. At thociinciusion oi Mr. Conrad’s rcmaiks, Mr. Honan, of Fhuida moved that the resolu ti ns lie inferred to the Committee on Military a ll'ai which was so ordered. l ice «jm; at fiuk s.v (savannah. The New York Herald of Feb. 3 contains a long account of ti c late disastrous (ice i'ti Sa vannah. More than two hundred Luihditigs v.vso bnviH-.1. Several pet sens were killed aud wounded. From tho Herald we make tho aunexc.l extracts : COMMENCEMENT e-l rap. fire. About eleven o’clock the fi e commenced on Hu; iTorth • of Tcb’.iy sheet, between Ami and 8 Gall streets it broke out in the sta We of Mm Ann liocieli. Whether this fife vns the wotk of au incendiary or purely acci dental has not yet b en demonstrated. Some assert that it was rebel.bauds which applied tin; torch, ufiil it may be well here to rentalk ihat stsong evidence Lais been adduced to car i v out tin,- i ic- 1 . There are also many other i eiieuvi?'s brought forward to prove that i the tire v.as simply ifi'e result of Accident. EXTENSION OF TOR HUB. Half hour frail the commencement Gjcnd tiie flames leaping furiously, from buikUug to building, file Fi'.vinen came within a few huudie 1 yards cf flic fire, but hearing tbat one „•» dm buddings contained a largo amount of aimfituiition and shell, they did not deem it pm lent to remain long iu the vicinity. Then it was that the fi >me», cot meeting with any impediment, careered wildly ou their mission of destruction and death. TUE ARKP.NAL EM’I.CSIOS' of tub shells. At twelve o’clock, midnight, the fluzes had reached Granite H-iii, Lpm. r of VvVsc Broad and Broughton streets. This had been used by the rebels as an arsenal for shells nod am uuuiitiou. audit was known ihit,a large quan tity ci the former was then stored iu the build ing. . About ten minutes after twelve the first sheil exploded cm the startled ears of lire iu habituntsof Savannah. Tho explosion was ’ followed immediately by several others, which continued hanging away at a thundering rate fora period of at least two hours. With the exception of the military on duty and a few citizens all the city had retired to rest. When aroused by the explosion the people did not or could not uaderetuuu the cause of a tu mult. The noise bore a Btroiig resemblance ;to the movements of a tierce battle. While the fire gained headway the explosions became more rapid and continuous, leaving ground tor the suspicion that the combatauis were | drawing merer and nearer. But on donning I ihe’r ciofes and rurhitig into the open air the ! It nth burst upon iffi-tu. OPERATION'S CF THE SIIKLLS— ACCIDENTS AND IXOI DKXTS. It is a providential fact that some deaths 1 have not occurred from the explosion of tho shells. From account; which I gleaned amid 1 the ruins of the fire it wrald appear that some fifteen or twenty persons had been either I burned io death or killed outright. Reports : are current that large numbers have been j buried u der the falling walls : but no facts J kid yet transpired to substantiate the asser tion. It is true, however, that quite a num ber of persons have bet-n wounded by pieces of i sheik A tew of these I have seen, but' none whose injuries will prove ol a fatal character. > AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY2f,’IB6S. Pieces of shell weie found in some instances two miles from the‘arsenal. 'Jhustrteis lead ing to the locality were strewn -with lragmeufs cf those dangerous mistilcs Several houses and a number c.f trees bore undoubted marks ot the vifitatioc, while iion rail ings and pave mets were torn from their repositories and piled in evtry direction. Hundred* «>f people “were in the streets, sad some had the daring to ' g-> witlim r, short distance of tfc« lire : but sev eral paid deariy for their carol essness One young man bad bis aim shattered dangerously, while another received a severe £ ranture of the leg. £ome others were troubled with scratches and narrow escapes, through West Broad street,Reading to the river, the shi lie fell thick and fast, and the streets became wmll sprinkle < with the fragments. THU SCENE AT NIGiIT--TIIE CUT AROUSED. When the fire burst into its full magnitude the sceue presented vrasone of ffet.ee.and thrill ing grandeur. No pen can fully dost ribe, nor any artist properly delineate the awful majesty of the picture. The night was cahnosd clear. Fortunately there was-no strong wind blowing at the time. By standing on an elevated po sition (which was somewhat dangerous) you had an excel ent view of the whole scene. Some of the dud's burst high in the air, carry ing destruction, and. in some ca?cs, death, with them. The lurid flames lit up the horizon for miles around. The sparks ot tire flew through tho air over the entire city, and in several i»- stano-s fired buildings at its extreme end; but no great injury is reported as having resulted from these missiles. Throughout the city all was confusion and a’.ami. The citiz-ns rushed hither aud tbnher in every direction; the mil itary were oidered under arms and patroled the streets, guards were placed on ea-h.coiner, haif-dressed rae?i and women stood in the Ihroroughfares and at house entrances, while terror was depicted on the countenance of each citizen. The belief that the arsenal con tained a large quantity of gunpowder strength ened this terror, and every moment the terri ble exjftoiion was expected to shake the city to atoms Some simple individuals who were far removed from the scene of the tire ventur ed the assertion that Gen. Hardee had come back to the city and was thundering at the gates for admission. NARROW ESCAPE OF GEN. OPOVER. General Grover, now post commander ot the city of Savannah, had a narrow escape fiorn receiving serious injuries. He was stand ing on the stoop of his headquarters, when a heavy piece of shell whizzed p ist his head. It could not have been more than two inches from him, and had a propelling force of no mean strenglli. Had the uenural been stand* ing in a different attitude, the probability is that he would have bet-n stricken dead ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO CAUSE AN EXPLOSION. A keg of powder, wit!? the head oft’, was found stationed cn tho sidewalk, opposite the arsrna! in Whittaker street, on the night of the lire. There were thirty tons of gunpowder in this building. BY THE FIRE. ft was indeed a pitiful sight to see the linn* dreds of unfoa’.unate women and children who have been cist upon the cold c-haVity of the world by this conflagration. On Hie night which I write about the air was bitingly cold, the ground damp. Those people, who for the past two years have been sufferers by the war, were in a lew short hours bereft cf their roofs, their furniture aud llmir clothing—thrown out into the streets of Savannah, without a place to lay their heads or a Waulo-t to proti ct them from tho chilling blasts of a Southern climate. Huddled on street corners and in doorways, they looked the very p’etures of distress.. Their l*i!e faces and-tattered garments would move a heart of stone. Women carried youhg in fants at their breasts. The plaintive cries of those innocent babes, aa they nestled close to their mother’s breast, spake but too plainly of the misery and .wretchedness of t''e time. A few had carried their bedc’olhea into the street, and, wrapping them around their bod ies, lay on the sidewalks. Others bad brought out some little household luxuries, such as Pointings or other ornaments (some o those prooaLlj !“dd iu memory oi a deceased rela tive), over which they C a, 'ofully stood guard. There was little noise made by those p opls.—• The women stood piotiordcsi ingroups, scarce ly speaking a word. It was a grief n.i a wretchedness too powerful fqf expression.--- The damp wind played raeicil sslv around them, while a number seemed totally uncon scious of what was going ou. It was a sad bight., and one long to be remembered. 'J he locality of the lire was considered as one of the most respectable in Savannah—- JJeaily all the places consumed were private residences, so that there must have been, a large number of tuitVrers. Had the weather been ot a milder character their suffeiicgs won hi not have been of so grievous a character. But Savannah has not seen such a eald snap for thirty years. Dur ing a period of eight . days the weather has been exbcaely cold and damp. TIiaYONIsOLID.VTION UtLL. The following, is the bill for re-organizing the army as it passed the Senate Jan 23: A Bill (o authorize the*consolidation of com panies, battalions and regiments. The 'Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That whenever any companies which are novv in the service shall be so redu ced as to number lesv, than thirty-two men, rank and tile, present and tit fer duty, and' when it shall tie proved to the satisfaction of the Secretary of War or of the General com mnading the department or the army in which said companies may lie serving, that- they can not he lv.-'u ted to she number within a reason able time, tiie General commanding said de ’p qtiaent or army may, under goneyal regula tions to be issued by tho Secretary of War, consolidate such companies. Sec. 2 That new ceinpiaiss may be organ ized from the uon-coyamissioned otneeis and privates of the companies thus consolidated, if they arc from tiie tamo State ; having the nu.uber, rank and file now fixed by law, and the commissioned officers of said companies thus oiganizsd shall bo, one Captain and one First and one Second Lieutenant, and the non-commissioned -officers, four Sergeants and four Corporals. Sec. f}. That companies, if they are from the same State, may be organised into battalions and regiments, and officers of said companies, battalions and regiments shall l>e immediately designated and placed oa duty therein by the General commanding the deparlmentor army in which the companies before consolidation may have been serving. Officers thus designated shad continue to serve until officers shall be appoint ed by the I’resideut, by aud with the advice and consent of the Senate, and all selections of officers made by the General to command said new organizations,or appointments by the Pres ident therefor as herein piovided, shall be irom the commissioned officers of the companies, battalions, or regiments irtmr which the new organizations were formed or from such non comraisssoued officers or privates thereof as may have been distinguished for meritorious and soldierly conduct or for valor or skill, and the certificate of Colonel commanding the battal ion or regiment la which said uon-commlssion ed officers or privates may have served that they have so distinguished if approved by the brigade and division commanders, shall be suf ficient proof thereof. Sec. 4. That the officers of companies, bat talions, and regiments which may be disband ed, herein prov. Jed. and who may not be se lected and%ppcinted as required by this act, shall de dropped from the rolls as superanm erry officeis, but such officers may withiu a reasonable time, to be fixed by General Orders to be issued by the Secretary of War as to troops in the States east of the Mississippi river, aud by the General commanding the department west of the >T --d pi river as to trorpa there in. organize themselves into companies, but taiio; sand regiments, the i flivevs to which Shall be appointed by tba President with the advice andwmseat of the Senate, or said offi cers may Vilnnt •-•* into any company belong ing’to the department in which they last served, or to the Stare* rr. m which the company or regiment to which the said officers be longed may have come, of any arm of the service, and ad. ofti vvs who may within thirty days after the due ol '.he order consolidating the company, battalion or regiment to which he may have belonged, volunteer and enlist in such new ©Tg'in'zuicn or in other compa nies, as authorized h-Tein, shall receive from the time they were dropped as s-u pern urn era ries for twelve mouths, pay at the rate their grade cntitlts them tout the time * Hey were s6 dropped. Sec, 5. That bereifter all vacancies in the efficekof 2d sectieii tie filled by selection in the manner puir. >‘l out by the 3d section ot this act»an I ait U.evs who may have belong ed to the ccnsoliiLtod orga:flzTtiOn.s, and who may bo appointed to the same grade i:i the new which they held in the aid organizations, shall take rank from the date of their first commission or appointment; and hereafter, should the tew companies organized under the provisions of this act become reduced iu numbers so as to h ivo less than thirty-twp men. rank and file, present and fit for duty, and the vacancy should occur in the office cf second lieutenant, tue same shall not be titled, and should it be reduced below the number of sixteen, then a vacancy iu the dike of first lieutenant shall not ire filled*. Sets. 6 That the offices of adjutants #ml en signs of batbd!im;s and regiments are hereby abolished, and hereafter the officer command ing a battalliou or regiment may assign any subaltern'of the Sr.io belonging to liis com niand to terve as adjutant; and said subaltern, whilst so serving, shall lecoive, in addition to his pay and allowances, thirty dollars per month; aud the officer commanding shall also assign, to act as cojor -bearer, a non-commis sioned officer or private from his command who may be distinguished for mtußorrous or sol dierly conduct, or for valor or skill, and said non commissioned officer or private, whilst so acting, shall receive the pay ol a first lieu tenant. §ec. 7. That tl<e name o! battalions and regi ments organized under the provisions of this act shall be the name of the old battalions and regiments (rom which the new weie formed, and the colors of .he old-st battalion or legi ment terming the new, shall bo the colors of the new organization and tho colors of the other battalions and regimen's sh ill be trans mitted by the Secretary of War ter the Gov ernors ol the respective Stab s, with the state ment of the b.Uilos in which the lnitaliou or regiment to which they belong may Lave borne a part. Sec. 8. That all staff , line and other officers who may not have any command, or who may not at any time be on duty lor a pei'.od ex ceeding thirty day, unless they belong to the invalid corps, or ore. prisoners-of war, or are oi wounded, or absent liy leave of the Secretary of War or the general commanding the department or army to which they belong, shall be dropped from the roils and held to seivice as noiv provided .by law. Provided, That the President lie and lie is hereby author ized to assign any officer thrown out of com mand by the opeiaHon of this act to vacancies in tho staff, with the rank held by them in the line. Seek Prisoners of war, sixty days after their exchange, avail themselves of the pro visions of the fourth section of this act; and hereafter when commisioned officers of com panies, battalion? or regiments may fco cap tured by the enemy, the general commanding the department or army to which they belong may designate, or tho President may appoint, other officers to till their places, as provided in this act, to serve with tempoiary rank aud com mand, to be held only until the return of said officers so captured. *>ec. 10. When regiments, but tuitions or com panies shall have been consolidated, under the provisions of this act, no subsequent con solidation of the same shall be made, unless by viituo of laws hereafter to be passed. H it) MAXAUKMiSKT iS -I'Hti 8’ OFFICE UkPiHHieivr, [From tile Richmond Examiner, j The postal system ol the Uonfederacy is, in one respect at least, very imperfect; te wit, iu the fact that no ppovisT-n is made for trans porting the mails beyond the points of break age iu railroads while they are undergoing re pairs. If the absence of mail communications were the source ot met o social and public in convenience, it might be endured withpatfeuce, and exposed as ope of the psisforlquOa inherent to flic condition of v. ar. i’ it at present it is an evil of mote serious woium.t; aud \yiieu we consider tho large extent of country how de prived of regular mail cc-mnuiiicaUop with tlia Confederate capital, it is uoe of gn at magni tude. * The loss of mail facilities is chit fly calauii toua in its effect upon ti.o lone of putflic suni ment, aod upon the morale of the people We too often hear of demoralized troops, but wo do not sutfirieutly appreciate or takesutit olent pains to avoid, the gieater evil of demor alized comrauoitie.s A’.distinguished member of the House of R pressniativus spuke truly the other day, in alluding to the part which Uu press had borne in this struggle ; ‘ lie be lieved it had been a power)ut auxiliary in the prosecution of tho .war. It had a fmrushed the great arguments of tjm justice and light of our cause; it had held up to the people '.(je. horrois of ftuhjugition;'it had cheered them iu the hour ol despondency; it had built up a healthy' sentiment at home; it had been the means o driving thousands of desetters back to the Ar my; and he would say that he believed it had adjed, by its wholesome influence, a hundred lold more men to the service than the aggre gate number cf ali its eijitois aud employees. He believed that its influence in a smuggle like ours cou and not be cacuiated ” The influence of the press in sustaining the spirit of the people is stiik.ugly exemplified in the districts which are temporarily and pifved of the mails. The moment that these cease, rumor assumes control of the popular mind ; and, as reports ot what is gohig on in the fields of war and diplomacy are always exaggerated, the public fueling is subjected to constant al ternations of exalted hope or exaggerated de pression, which almost invariably eo.i in set tled incredulity and despondency It'has be come notorious throughout the Confederacy that the press is not only the only-ource of reliable and intelligible news, but that it is the chief agent in sustaining the spirit of the country, and inspiring army an 1 people with the determination and persistency which char acterise and support the present struggle. The constable interchange of opinions and ntelligence between the different sections of a country is ntftessary to the maintenance of a united public sentiment, to concerted action and to Unsuccessful prosecution of any public enterprise. If a part of the ejmmuaity be cut off from intercourse with the residue, it ceases, of necessity, in a greater or less degree, to sympathize with it; public opinion loses much of its energy, and the control both of the law and government is greatly relaxed. Those districts of the South which lie beyond the reach of the regular are the ones in which straggling is most considerable,, de°eiters seek theit hiding places, and the conscription ceases to be practicable. These are the districts in which the people, overrun by the public ene my, plundered by lawless men, and harrassed by alarms and aeal dangers, gradually become worn out with the war, aud long for peace on any terms. It is not generally known into what a dilap idated condition tho mail system of the Con federacy has fallen. To a cettain extent the interruption and contraction ol the mail sys tem is unavoidable: it cannot be expected th it toe ma'is shall reach regions lying within the enemy’s lints, or immediately exposed to Lis in iursions. But il would haidly be an exag geration to say that three fourths of the area of country which has test its tegular mails has tost them in consequence of official neglect. If a bridge or a few bridges of a great railway bo destroyed by accident or the public enemy, no provision is made for transmitting the mails beyond the nearest point of interruption; and,, until iho breakage is repaired, alt the country beyond it remains lor weeks or months without mails, trom a failure to provide, perhaps only a single wagon or team tor hauling the mail bags only a few miles, or probably only a few hundred yards, around tho eiatus. * A simple provision in the contracts of rail road oompani- s, requiring them, ia the event of bridges being destroyed, to transmit the mails by wagons at, least two or three- times a we-k around tho points of breakage, would correct the evil, and restore to regular commit iiiciitiqn and sympathy with the Goafcderacy great, aud important districts oi country now grovelling in outer daiki.oss a prey to wild rumors, victims of despondency, in 'imminent danger of relapsing into indifference in the present struggle, and anxiety for peace on any terms. Tne public inconvenience,w ould he a sufficient rea-'ou for the correction of this evil; but the public danger ami misfortune resulting from it imperiously require a remedy. 0i:« Congress —The editor of the Lynchburg Virgiffian has been to Richmond. During his his visit he “surveyed men and matters.” Here is what lie thinks o f Congress: A few days sojourn at the capital gave us an opportunity of witnessing the doings of Con gress. No man of ordinary penetration could enjoy this privilege without being pain fully impressed with the conviction that" our representative men, with comparatively few exceptions, are not equal to the crisis, and, therefore, totally incapable of directing a great .revolution like that which has tasked the en ergies of this people for nearly four pears past. The great body of them might do in tho piping times ol peace to look alter appointments and attend to the ordinary affairs ot their constit uents before the different bureaus ot the Gov ernment; but they are not men for these times. With the exception ot Graham and two or three otheis in the Senate, who look like Sen ators —with Hives and a, few rising members in the House, the body is excessively mediocre. In point ol’ability and statenuansbip it hardly surpasses an Artillery gathering of the Virgin ia Legislature, during the time, now past- when every member of that body was legally elected and could claim a living constituency. One' cannot look upon this bociy and. then wonder that more than two months of the present ses sion have passed away, with little or nothing accomplished. The wonder is, or should be, tP.it such a collection of men could accomplish any good. Ta o whole States are represented there, by some sort of hocus-pocus, lhat have never been included in the Confederacy; whilst West Virginia, and portions of other States have representatives lhat owe their election lo a few soldiers captured here aud there throughout the Confederacy. These circumstances, it cm t bn admitted, wore not fivorab’.e to the composition ot such a Congress ns the times require; but the tide of revolution might have th own something bet tor upon the surface if tho people had been careful to-discover it. The conclusion is irre? s’t tible that we we have not such men in the country as the crisis imperatively demands; or tbat the constituent bodies have been sadly direlict in the selections they have iu most cases made, -—-—-—■ M>ItTHER.\ kX TR ACTS. A DCTY MR. LINCOLN OWES TIIE ARMY. . Having shown utter unfitness tor military command is his veceut operations against Wii miugton. Gen. Butler has been very properly relieved and ordered to Ids home in Lowell, there to await orders in due course through the Adjutant General ot the army. This is the polite way, we arc aware, oi informing incom petent Generals that their services will never again, ip all likelihood, l>e put into requisition; and perhaps this punishment for Butter’s fiasco at Fort Fisher might have been sufficient had not the iiiepresible lawyer soldier of the Bay State seen fit to. make ir.s “farewell orders io hL troops” the vehicle for a direct aod most damning attack upon the administration, and a bitter sober against the General in Chief ©f onr armies, well calculated to encourage mu tiny unfl discontent and positive revolt among tiie troops hour engaged in the attack upon Richmond, “i have letussd,'’ says BTitler, to wards the close of ifis bombastic order, ‘‘to order the useless sacrifices oi the lives es such goldiaiti, and l gm rei uved ot your command’’ —the inference here being obvious that a blood thirsty iftimiuistration, panting for the useless slaughter of its own men, has removed this pom passionate offiacr solely and wholly be cause ho would not he a party to these sangui nary and unproductive sacrifices. In tho next sentence the insinuation against Gen. Grant is yet more broad, palpable and insubordinate, where Butler says: ■‘•The wasted Wood of my men does not slain my garment*”—the very charge with which iho rebel journals and orators, both of Rich mi nd and New York, have boon endeavoring, to poison the -itiyalty ia the field during the past twelve months. We respectfully submit to the President that ‘soma punishment more severe than retirement to his-homo-in Lowell aud the society of the sturdy bricklayer 'of that place, should be awarded to Gen. Butler for tho unsoidier-like aud mutinous, sneers contained in the lastfia nigraph ot this precious order. For such a failure as that made by the Massachusetts mili tia-man at Cape Fear Island any commander in the French or British’ service would most certainly be court-martialed, and would be lucky to escape with simple cashier ment on the finding of his peers; but for an original offence of so grave a character, when aggravated by the turbulent and undisciplined spirit evinced iu such an order as we have quoted die more rigorous systems of all old military nations iiave prescribed an inexorable penalty tp which we do not care at present more pointedly to refer. This, however, we are assured of —that Mr Lincoln owes it to himself and to the coun try to resent tho imputation sought !• be cast upon Gen. Grant, by the dying- arrow of this Paitkeau warrior, and that Gen Butler, kav- mg received only the mild punishment of being relieved and sent, home for his, recent ridicu lous failure, should now be summarily dismiss ed from the service for having, in so high a place, set an example of mutiny and insolence, not only “prejudicial to,” but wholly subver sive of “good order and military discipline,” if suffered to pass without some such scathing ) rebuke. To a man of Gen. Butler’s cast of 1 mind remaining at home and safe out of harms j way is not likely to prove a very insupporta - ble infliction. He should be mustered out in an order reciting the same language we have ! quoted as the cause of his dismissal.—A . T. Hit-aid. _ Fayetteville, K th Mnrkct-Feb. 6. Bacon $0 per pound; Beeswax $5,50 per pound; Corn S3O per .bush; Cotton Si per pound; cotton yarns $50a75 per budeh: Coffee 319 per pound; Copperas $lO per pound; Flour s36op<ur barrel; Iron $6 per pound; Leather $25 per pound ; Nails $5 per pound; Peas SB9 per bush; Eye SBO per bush; Sbda sls per lb; 4 4 sheeting $5a5.25 per yard, Salt STotlOO per bush; Tallow $6 per pound. Telegraph. General Hagood was not wounded at Fort Fisher. He was absent from the army at that time. » 1 VOL. LXXIY.—-NEW SERIES VOL. XXIV NO. 8 FOREIGN EXTRACTS. THE EMAXCH’ATIOS'raOJEOT THE FOREIGN PRO TF.OTORATE.PCHF ME. [From Loudon Times, Jan. 16.] Some Southern journals express or echo a belief that slavery is the only existing obsta cle to the recognition of the independence of the Confederacy by the European Powers. Can that recognition be won or purchased by sacrificing the institution ? That sacrifice is Contemplated as possible, aud proposed as a politic measure. The Southerners have car ried a long step for the idea Which the em ployment of negroes in their armies seems to have originated. The plan of arm’ng negroes «s a measure ot defence, has made it still more familiar. The arguments for end against such a mea sure, the necessity for it, and the value tho ne ffro, would attacli to freedom as the reward of military service, must be perfectly well known to- tho white population of the Southern States. On these points they cannot cavity be deceived, but as to the effect of an offer to abandon slavery in its present form in propitiating the governments of Europe, the Confederate Status may easily deceive themselves. To any scheme of emancipation, effected by the South itself, England, as a nation, would certainly offer no word of opposition; on the contrary, we should rejoice in the change and wish it every success. But we know well that slavery is* not the only cause of the secession of the Southern States; nor is emancipation the real object of of the North in carrying on the war so persis tently. The negro and bis condition were only one among many causes of the rupture. The tendency of the republic to separate existed from the day it was constituted, was seen, dreaded, and under certain conditions pre dicted by its first founders. Those conditions have been brought about, and a tier o civil »ar is the consequenoe. The negro was intro duced into the quarrel by an afterthought. Let Southerners offer to emancipate their slaves immediately, and propose it to the North as the sacrifice by which they are ready to pur chase its recognition of Southern Independence. Tne offer would be rejected as valuless, and submission and return to the Union would ne insisted on as the only conditions of peace. Every Ntate of Europe acknowledged the re public when it was governed by a constitution permitting slavery as fully as the Southern States permit it now. Why should its aban donment by the (Jonfcdcracy buy a recogni tion that is withheld for many other reasons ? Dwelling on this theme, the Southerners have indulged in speculations which induce a doubt whether they do not dream dreams and see vision-). That they would prefer, incase of the worst, to submit to any government than that of the North we can well understand;. but a “protectorate” of England, France or Spain can be only a strong mode of expressing a hatred of the Yankees. Wo know of no European Bower likely to accept such an improbable offer. England would certainly refuse the ndlt: France, with its recent Mexican experiefic-*, would, we think, “decline, with thanks.” And the idea of propitiating Spain, the most obstinate slavery supporting government in the world, by a proposal to abolish the system, is so eccentric as to throw doubt on Ihe-reality of the whole discussion. THE SETTLEMENT OF TIIE FLORIDA CASE. [From the London Herald, Jan. 18.] It falls but rarely within the province of the sober journalist to comment on such a despatch as that addressed by Mr. Seward te the Bra zilian Charge d‘Affaires at Washington on the subject of the Florida. Had [ho American Foreign Minister been called upon to address a letter of the sort to a representative of one of tbe great Powers, kfs tone would have been very different; his discretion, small as it rr. would have ceen sufficient to master liis habi tual disposition to insolence. But Br izil, com pared to the United States, is a weak power— one towards which he feels that it is not unsafe to assume an attitude of superiority as imperti nent as it ill-timed. Ip pretending to apologize for a most fla grant and lawless outrage upon a neutral ac - tion, he has endeavored to make it appear tbat Brazil, on the whole, ia in the wrong, and that the Government of the United States has just cause of complaint against her. Mr. Seward is obliged to eat the leak; but in following iu the footsteps, he is careful to imitate the exam ple ot his prototype, Ancient Pistol. He eais, and eke he swears. Gen. Early asks an Invest ioation. —M Sparrow, Chairman of the Military Committee laid before tbe Senate a communication from Lieut. Gen. Jubal A. Early, referring to tho fact that the Senate Military Committee had declined going into the investigation called by Mr. Orr’s resolution relative to “the reverses to our arms in the Valley ; ” expressing regret that the Committee had so declined ; stating that after all that had b*on said in tho and published, that in his opinion an investi gation into that campaign was necessary, and asking that it might be made either by the Military Committee or a Special Committee. — Gen. Early denies the insinuation made in the Senate and in the newspapers, that the re verses ia the Valley had been due to “apple brandy,” and “challenges the production of any respectable man of any grade or position who will state that he has ever seen him under the influence of intoxication in the camp, on the mar. h, or in battle.’’ He attributes the loss of the last iiattle — near Middleton—to the bad conduct of the troops, resulting entirely from the absence of discipline, an absence from which it results that our armies are frequently as much disor ganized by a victory as a defeat. Mr. Sparrow said the Committee was obli ged, from warn, of time, to decline making the investigation ; but it was due to General Early to say that nothing had come to the knowledge of the Committee iu any wav sub stantiating the reports circulated to the dis paragement t f that officer. He moved the com munication be laid on the table and printed. The communication was so disposed ot for the present. _ Louisrvxa Affairs. —A correspondent of the Mobile AdveFtiser, writing from Qliution, La., Jan. 22, says that Federals are sending troops down the Mississippi, estimated at 20,000. Their destination is unknown, but.it is sur mised to be Mobile. The Yankee “Legisla ture’’(so called) in New Orleans has elected Michael Hahn to the United States Senate to serve lor six years from the. fourth of March next, at which time Mr. Charles Smith’s ‘ term” expires. But Mr. Smith’s “term ' lias not yet commenced. He has not been ad - mitted to his seat—nor has Mr. Cutler. 9 hose worthy gentlemen are still dancing attendance at the doors of the Senate, arid cooling their bee’s in the lobby, piteously praying to bo ad - mitted, but coldly repulsed by the inf.idets. The same of House delegation. The Confederate Legislature -the real Leg islature—met at Shreveport-on the2Bdult. The ferries are closely watched, aud caution is necessa r y in crossing the river. I Things are going on badly ii the Trans- Mssissippi Department Seventy-five thousand men are there perfectly, idle. General Kirby Smith has done and will no nothing, and has accomplished no possible goqd Hie peo ple lock on jiirn with sullen indifference.— Most of the (loserters from our armies pass ibis route’, aud are a source of great annoyance to bur people. They are frequently in such strong numbers that they dety all authority, and pass unmolested. A company of thirty Texans said they were going home, and that nothing could stop them. Yice-Peesident bTEPHHts. —Tt,e Richmond Examiner of the Bth states that Vice President Stephens left that city on that day lor Geor gia. Unconstitutional Proceedings in North Carolina.— From the doings of the North Carolina Legislature, it appears that there lias been sonje high handed proceedings in tlyit State. Here are some resolutions on the sub ject which will explaiu the whole affair: Whereas, II has been represented to this General Assembly, that o:i vhe sth day of De cember. 18(11, llcnvy P. Bitter, a eitteen of tiio county of Chowan, was arrested at We ldon by Col. Pertiam, provost marshal, aud detained and sent to the city of Richmond by Col. P. C. Gail lard, and ttiere imprisoned until released orjdemand of the Governor of this State; and whereas, the grounds upon which said arrest U represented to have been made were of so fee ble .and unsatisfactory a nature, as to raise a reasonable apprehension in the minds ot all r good citizens, that the same outrage may lie perpetrated upon any one p'.issipg-the said post at Weldon; and where:.?, the harsh and cruel treatment of said Unary P. Ritter, by the au thorities at Weldon epresented to this Gen eral Assembly, can be view-’d only as a base and inhuman use cf power U> oppress and tor ture. under the pretence of routining suspected parties. Therefore, Resolved, That [he Governor is hereby in structed to institute an immediate and search ing inquiry into the circumstances of the ar rest and detention of the said Henry P. lUttcrf anil should it appear that said arrest was based on insufficient grounds, or that his treatment' after his arrest was unnecessarily liaisli and severe, lie should demand of the Confederate Government the immediate trial and removal of the saiil Col. PerliamandP if. Gailla:d, and all other officers at said post voluntarily concerned in any part or said transaction that was contrary to law and right, or unnecesSa-. lily offensive or cruel iu its. execution. Resolved, That the expenses attending this investigation be paid by the State, and that the Governor is hereby authorized to draw by warrant from the treasury such sums as may be necessary for tiie same. Mr. Benbnry, the gentleman who introduced the resolution, made the annexed rcmaiks : My object in offering these resolutions, with the accompanying letter, is to shew to this General Assembly the position tlmt.tho people of the eastern part of this Skate are placed in. After the fall of Roanoke Island a great many of the slaveholders frojn .that section moved their negio.'S to the west, and it is absolutely necessary that they should go to look after them once or twice in a year. Now sir, the on ly thing’thuso people ask for is right and jus tice, and I should tike to know of this House if there is any shadow cf justice in arresting a man on an anonymous totter. I should like lo know if there is any iff lug delegated to these men acting as provost marshals to act in any such manner. Our e .M tUniion provides that no man shall be carried beyond the limits of ibis State for trial. In the present c. 130, which is not the only one, wo find tb*. men have been arrested with out any evidence, and hurried beyond the lim its of the State aufl ihimnred in Castle Thun der or soma other prison equally as obnoxious, but in the present ca?c this gentleman was tried and no evidence could be produced. I think tbat justico would have required that ho should at ogee iiave been released, but instead of being released he was reminded to Caat'.o Thunder, where lie v;a, kept for three days longer. I think-Mr. Speaker, it is the duty of this General Assembly to express-their dis approbation of all such actio':-. Therefore, I Lope that these resolutions will pass unani mously. Exemption and other Matters. —iMr. Miles stated the number of exempts this side of tho Mississippi River, under the ditf. n nt clauses ot the present law, as follows: Physical disability 61JG8; State officers exempted by Governors, 18,785; ministers, -3,086; insane asylum manu agers anil nurses, 185; editors and employees of newspapers, 636; apothecaries, 6110; physi - cians, 3,71 ff; teachers and professors, 1,557; under the fifteen negro clause, 3,645; Quakem, Drunkards, &c., 893; mail contractors, 471 t; railroad employees, 1,982. Os tiie entire number of men exempted this side of the Mississippi, it seems then, that only six hundred and eighty-six are connected with the press. Os these,nothing tike five hundred aro fit lor service. In their present position they have doubtless—to use tae wprds of Mr. Ghot son in Congress—“accomplished far more in aid of cur struggle than an hundred fold' oi the number of its employees could har e done, ifaftrned and placed in tho fieid.” If taken into the ranks, there are none to take their present places, aud hence, an utter steppage of the press mast ensue. But the Constitution expressly prohibits Congress from making any law “abridging the freedom of speech or tho press.” And yet, in order to press into ser vice less than half a regiment of men, Congress is gravely reccotnmeuded to a law not merely “abridging” but utterly destroying tbe freedom of the press. It is most creditable to tiie Confederate press that it has been so well conducted, witii such an insignificant, draft upon the musclo and military material of the country. The power to exempt iis necessary employees must have been used quite conscientiously. Can any class ot exempts show as clean a record as this? Certainly it cannot be found among the exempted at the discretion of the military sauthorities, from the l’residcnt down. With a press whose members were detailed at the will <4 the President or of the Secretary of War—subject, on telling any truths unwel come to those in power to have thrir details revoked and to be placed in service at once any occupant of the Presidential chair could easily retain his position for life. How could there be any organized or general opposition to his plans, except through the agency of an untrammeled press'! By what other agency can corrupt, ambitious* or unconstitutional schemes he exposed and thwarted? lit en tho State Executives might as weil bo appointed directly by the President, as to give him pow er to silence any press, by whom a candidate obnoxious to himself was supported. IVe may well congratulate the country that Mr. tied don, who we.believe originated’this re markable recommendation, has given up tb '■ Secretaryship. President Davir. has placed 11 e vacant office into able and worthy hands. The despotic administration of the late Secretary has brought nothing but odium upon the gov ernment. Utterly inefficient in operating against the enemy—who went, unchecked, whither ho pleased—it had become well ningh intolerable to the people, by its harsh and in tolerable exactions. Thank God for tho change !—.S outturn Cultivator. ' , HEWB SUMMARY. By an order from Gen. Martin, the two sub- Sistricts heretofore known as the sub-district of Northwest Mississippi, and the sub-district of Central Mississippi, are hereby consolidated into one, which will be known as the Sub Dis trict of West Mississippi,” and Brigadier Gen eral Wirt Adams, commanding at pieient the sub-district of Central Mississippi, is assigned to the command of the new district. The Gorgas Mining and Mann ueturing Cc pany has been organized with a subscribed ca p ital of $1,000,000. The company is to operate » at Gorgas, once Nat. Clegg’s Mills, on Deep River, four miles above Lock v idle, •L. The loss by the late fire at M iriarta, Ila., wa . S2OO 090. Mr. Cox from the bpeomi Delegates, subject, frbm jg • Bra reported a bill for the r -• ! jphentssof dy, of B | ££■* currency. A M'SSfivSEss.” -* mously reccjnmfTi' 1 •“* t]