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j .pi j fi* t s N, S. MORSE. (jjproftide & finttkel ' TERM, THE WEEKLY (HHO.YICL k * 6 EXT* XEL ISP ÜBLISHE UEV ERY WEDWESDA \ XHHEEMOVTIH ?«00 81 X MOX lilts gijoo AT.WAY- IN AIWA Net * WEEKLY ADVEKTIMLV; UATI’K. OtBtJAII Anv 7 «■ ;.-.u ;,l. c dir.tkc Week*' ve har*t ouetlollar ulino each in.-*ert;oii. 3 r caiAtaXoT toss wll’bc 'll:;; erw dc - end twenty live cent* alinp.fo/jaci.i i*ert'.nr . M t-iaitece.DEAmi! i. Ifcstnu N' n< ' itvi ; o ;i ßie each. f>9iToAß»NoTic;i!>oiie(l>.!’nr jxt line f<>» t.r- it,: rrtio» eltheDallyor Weekly. V." i» ' ! e h'lihed Dally and Wo klj ■.. ,i, ir . ,tj« v * <* 51 V * r H'i > i Os a IlftS. 1,1 STUN STKi-UENS, OK JIANCI KK, In the Howie of Rey< ■ini'atir ■ of the (i. orgia Legislature, Rb. 23, 1 on lie. I'eopon tion to hold a Stale (■ nr- nil n. Tho special order of (lie <hv being the Sen ate resolutions doctoring i< in- tp-dient to c&\\ a Convention of (ho people of th i .Stale, Ur. Stephens, of Hanct ck, offrtd j-a a sntolituto a resolution to tho ell'ct th t*. the question of holding a Convention hon'd he referred to the people themselves. We have heretofore published all the :,': resolution*. Mr. Btephens then spoke sub* tan illy or, ! Blows. We do not pretend topis**; hi:; exact language or present the beauty and .:rua ry of the ad dress, or the structure and force of bin argu ment; but his views, his ideas, are correctly represented This great i;pc,*;ii was one of the most p.ow uful, convincing and conclusive in its reasoning and argument that wo over listened to: Mr. Speaker : Having introduced *a sub stitute for Uih Senate n • Inidoii, I desire to give the reason why Ida! ». I !uv • 4lono it in no party spirit, but wiili an ,-yc siig- f, to tjpi good of (tie great e.uise we ali Lave at hsart. Our success is the only-object J have In view. I leave no idea of i-.■uniyn no idle dream of recoil-tructioii i <l-» >.-,*, vriMt all my heart, in Hie language -,f one of our great Htatoßoinu in a recent a iiii, -<i, • tin wiili the Revolution.’’ The great at |■.* calami - ty that could be!all Ibis e nnitry would ho lor this revolution to slop now, and our people return to the embrace oi our las. In peat, sir, my single object i success hi this struggle and this carries with it indepi nduicc and the Sovereignty of tho Staten. But it in atketljwhv idi Cotfv idienadvisable? And More giving my u-p.onn for talking so i desire to disabuse the min is of some ineip hers ol this Ifuuse of u la 1 . iuii»,cssion tl’-it they arfi laboring under. We are told that a 45<uivention may be called let one p-.rp.-re, hut, beiug sovereign, when it : (mbles, it ns iy i act upon another - may take action on sub j jocta not contempiatod in the call, »?»d do great harm; that it may take the Statu out of the Confederacy, and that, the f gisiatnre j gantlet limit the powers of a Waive Pion. i Now 1 don t want- to take the , Statu out of ot»r Oottfcdeiaey. I dou’t want any sep wale Htatft action; 1 want co opm ,ttion and har mony inuong our people nud all the i ales, l wqnt every in in to come Up to the mighty work before us. I waut a long pull, a strong pull and a pull cll together, jn this contest. If ttie 1,-gislatun can’t lig-ii the power oj a Convention, t!i * people cm. Ibe idea, that wo cannot call a Com tad ion to av- on, au.«l con fine itself to a sin lo piiiy.iw, is ei raucous.— 1 deny it. The people are the Ruii'cc oi all poiVer. They avn sovereign -.’i'i tii . • i v>qm Hontatiyeri are not sovereign any--lict • N iili wr the Lpg.'.stotuve nor a ('-Vivciilinu i j any thing more thJU lopic.-cuintiv - of people tor special purpose !' • [■ •;* ■*• em't as iseinhle in Conveitli'Ui, and when they send •delegates they aru only •c. ,-.-i;t itic-v- of the ipeople; and when these demand s go beyond *he authority eon' ">el on tiu-u by the P '> pie, they are usurpers. Tim rielc.-.utos w> a Convention areas much linked iu In •.•is e v .-r cise ot power as yon or l am. Tib id -i is. on ly an illusion, a chimera, is arid uU-'.’ly explo ded by tho test. Tbftro is a tnty'oneeptlon about Mm -v -oti i whic h carried Georgia cut of the olil Union. It is said that it transcended J.bc purposes for which it was called, tied, upon subject* not contemplated. Tim purposes oi that Convention were not duple i > y were to consider the menmotor. (pi G.m of our re iations to the old ti oio *ffr .. .Id deride ■to take'Mio Sudv out ot t: ■ eld t u, do all needful things to ndiu i her to her new re lations. The only fhi; m whieh Mu? Uonven ■. tion dkl of doubtful autlunUy, wis aliming • our State CourMtuM-'n, and in this it on It proposedaimndn'enU l .-u'e.iii:o-e Mi-mi lo illie people, and If ifiir I.> .;!.ea , .n e • au aU 'Calling i Convent i m lev asp. > ilk and purpose. st.be people will ehiot and« i-. r ites i.i enti- ••.■!• and take action on that par;; .ular su’-j-a and ttboso delegates will he held in curia- to the Work which they will l 1 called to p Menu. Bat again: the impre.---.-iea * son lit In be made that a C.nne atiou wool l ia.e;..ar.de a connwr-revolution. B is raid that it is pro posed’tv lop oil or hike a>•v ;• • ut■• <ei Btitutionai powers of d-.e ‘'ro-ide and that such action would make sad bar - • w •; 0 uatitutiou. and be-a n» .vieve!-:.urn. u ini 1 achate of the Constdu* eu so es i ' curtail tloPre ’dent's powers l-.- i revolution : M t.re people wov’W be.ve l Coiive-.n. n end ■ n themodoofu.opo'aiur,; tk J . - ■ .-a perlor Court, r-ould te.it In tvvo.m -u: no Constitution now orovue- Hut l.y t.o>v■; h or shall, aj point them v; 1 ‘ \ ' V and consent of the ' tioa should chain:o 'kis ann prov.: » lor election by the people v oak. tuv. he a revolution? The Coii-tsi id.-’t ot t.:o f, ue Georgia provides for its s a a Im- m, a t _*o does the Confederate C . .-atmion tor tM amendment. It provides th . upon the de mand td any three States legally as euibha In their several Conventions, t engross shall sum hod a Convention of all the States to take into consideration such amend men t.-yo the Consti tution as the said States so-.dl c incur in log cestlng at the time when said demand ts made That is the mode pointed out. Tell me that is revolution ! If 1 proposed by vio.eace to overturn, disobev. or destroy the Cousntut-.on, then you would be justified ia v.-lhmr me I was inaugurating a revolution; but wnc.i l am obeying it—doing exactly as it prescribes don't tell me it is revolution. I uoa t propose that it should be changed by any other moue thau that poiut and out in the Constitution lt jjelf.* Let this cry of counter revolution cease It is unjust. I come cow to the reasons which l have »n favor of a Convention. When lam asked what necessity there is for it—what gi o 1 cau it do yn.t am told that it may do much Harm, l ask •wh%t harm can come of it ? It is said that it take Georgia out of the Couti. Jersey. — The Senate, in the adoption of the revolutions before you. says there is no danger of tbi*. The eeooud resolution states thai the people ot this State universally condemn The trims which liosoln demands. Where then is the danger j rogi and Ooavsatiou which the hrst resolution | :*eema to feat ? The second ol these rcsolu ! tioa= is a compacts aeswer to the first. Eat another says a Conrention will breed differences and disseatioos anoeg cur people. :Ah is this po ? I profess, and I err. siccere. ! that or,e leading object which I hare iu riew in favoring a Convention, is not to breed dis | sHitior.a, but settle existing differences. The and ?seniions already exist. There are serious ! differences in the public mind on several topics !—one i , upon the calling of a Conv- n’.ioo.— id; - G vernor was elected by a very large ma - oii; i the people of this State. You may y w; at you will of him, but he never stood aloneon auy importint qu/sliou of public policy. He has always had a considerable , body to stand with hirn. lie lias now, and be j wants a Convention. Some of our public men want a Convention and some do not Some of j our papers favor it while others object. The people d'ffer on this question, but in my judg | ureqt a large majority of them ravor it. it is a 1 (act that we differ on this matter, and we cau’t ;!‘ r this state of affairs by denying to the peo ple a Convention. Mr. Speaker, we will never carry on this v.' tr successfully till we learn to be honest, i frank and candid with ourselves. We must let the people know the facts. They can’t be abolished by ignoring them, nor created by I'.-isertiug them. This cannot, change them. These differences exist, wide spread and r d,ep among people. I want to settle them. The people can settle them; and when they are settled by them in Convention, In their sover eign capacity, then, sir, you wiil b»ve barmo nT'... When were our people ever more divided— when did party spirit ever run higher or was more bitter than for a short time before the State si ceded? Everybody saw that the only way to have karmonv was through a Conven tion. It was called; it spoke, audits voice was obeyed All parties then stood united on the platform the State Convention had given Ihein. And this union of parties-this set tling of differences—was not a mere hollow hearted one; it wa3 warm and enthusiastic.— Ido not say too much when I say, that* the co operationists of that day have no less sig nalized (heir devotion to the country on every battle-field than those who favored immediate separation and separate State action Again vie are and .vided in sentiment upon 'important questions. Let Georg ia speak, and quell the irform. She can doit. No other power on earth can speak authoritatively to her people. 1 want harmony. Ido not want discoid; but I tell you that you are wrong about the way to get it. Baton what suljecb do differences exist that it requires ii Convention to harmonize t here are two mentioned by the Coverno , which arc sufficient, ’ a justify the call for a I Convention; aud there is a third one, not men | tioned by hitn, but of uo less importance, in I my judgment. One mentioned hy ShcUovenior is the pu ! ting of negroes into the army. Mr. Benjamin, the Secretary of Slate, said ia his speech be fore the mass meeting at. Richmond, that this was the only policy that could save us in tills crisis. (leu Lee is s rid to favor it. Some oi the presses of the Confederacy are advocating it, wh ,le the general sentiment of this State is utterly opposed to it. Well, sir, it is a policy th >t is piegnant with result. My opinion is that it is freighted with as much mischief-as the Grecian horse was to the i'rojar.3. Other p o pic, whose i®triotisin i don’t impugn, think it a wise and beneficial incisure, ft is a ques tion that might to be settled. If this fs the ark of our salvation, Jet us get injo it and havo I Ire question sett’ed quickly. If this is the policy that is to save us, in the name of | common sense aud of patriotism let us adopt it It it is not the policy to be pursued, lot i bo quickly rejected. I wgnt harmony. Dis ferences exist. It is well lor us to recognise the fact and try to have them settled, and not act like thd ostrich, which hides its head in the sand mid vainly supposes ir is safe from its pursuers, because it canuot sae them. \ou may cry peace and harmony until you me black in the lace, bqt you know they don’t exist. They ought to exist, and ijo other pow er on earth but a State Couveutipu euu bring them to the people Rut I come to reason on this subject. Shall we put the tjogro into the army, aud if so, up on what conditions / Congress can’t answer this question. Every scheme which the advo cates <>f this measure have proposed bin the idea of emancipation with it This is the idea of the R resident, Mr. Benjamin and-the mi vo cal os of the meaainu iu Congress. This is said i tn be Gi«. Lae’s viejv, and some of the papers are holding forth the same idea. Nosv if Con ! gri r should dot his—shouldPpat the negro in - to the army and emancipate him f.»r faithful | Gei vice -it would be a, greater usurpationW».u» J ever was proposed in Hie old Congress. Our n< w Oonatitution is stronger on this point Mian the old pne was, and declares expressly that Congress shall have no power to pass laws im pairing the right to hold property in slaves. The L. -gisiaturo's of the States can’t do ties. ]ho Legisiatue cf Georgia cannot; and if it could, ii would not dare to do so without con sulting the people-. Nobody says the Legislu fijli-.! pui Jo ic. \Vho then can ? There is only 1 one power on pavth, and that js lhe people themselves. speaking through a Convention. Y'.'t here are meu opposing n Ommrntion, cry ing out harmony, unity and peace," while th y i are getting up dissentious and disputes about Ia policy, that can never be adopted without a i Conveelion. liut another reason why a Convention is ! proper, aid one that is presented by the Gov ernor is the necessity of a change ia the Con titution of the Confederate States relative to 5 r,e lodgment of the military power, which is now in the bauds of the President. And here I 1 don’t want to,be misunderstood, and if meu do misunderstand me, they shall do so wilfully • I come to speak freely .and fearlessly of tins i diave quitter. What has b:en our military i Ids,orv under the guidance of Mr. Davis A review of the past demonstrates lo my mind that it has been most unwisely and n,i<ehiev i eu'ly managed thus far. But lam met wilh cant ! “Do you set your | judgiiicn*up against that of President Davis J" Ami lam tauutf and with theory of “ Home I Generals’ 1 and such like. lam told that . I i must have no judgment in this matter. Anil I u-' you want someone else to judge for you? Who shad it be ? Davis and Lee? Why . Is it because'they arc better judges than we are ? . This is aliornt. \\ hen I consent, foi a man to judge for me, yon must convince iao that his 'jivlgmsat- is better than mine. You mn-i no- I cv-s -Vi'-V judge of the reasons he gives for his iudmielit, L-fti to ymnvly oa ft. Is it true u.ai a man who has no s.ars o r wreaths on his collar cannot pass jivlgment on the conduct of military matters ? The great- Albert Sidney Jelmaion said in that mouinlully beautiful let ter, wuich now even speaks from his grave, that it we s a hard test, but a just one aud the only correct one, that true merit in mi\itary matters must be judged by results. Now what are the facts ? Are we in as good a condition as we wj?ro when the war first ; commenced ? Have we as good an army and as much territory ? Where is it, east of the Mississippi river, that the enemy cannot do as he pleases, except where Lee’s army is loca ted—that oue green spot in all our military horizon east of tllO Mississippi ? And what are the results ot even that army's heroic deeds? It has wdn many glorious viotGries, and beat back the foe a hundred t’mjes; but iit has never borne any fruit. Somehow-all | the fruits ot Loe’s victories have turned to ashes updn our lips. What is the result ? It is not worth while to clc:e your eyes on th*se truths. Compare your country now with whu i it was two rears ago. - We have lately had al most an unbroken tide of disasters. These lj ivo driven the people to one ot two couciu I c oils either that there is a hopeless weakuess in our cause, or that it is miserably mismau | aged and mangled In its a daunistratioa.- AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH 15, 1865. Tb =re is no escape from this. Apply Gen. Sidney Jcnnston s test. All we have to do is to look at results ,But r, th«t it is easy to point opt b,".n'-. e —. after rfcej have been committed ; and a great and -*al is said about addressing lan gi - c -of hopefulness to the country, about croakeie. and painting bright jrictures of the future before our people. lam here to paint truthful pictures, Jet them be good or bad. I believe in the doctrine taught in the Scrip tures, teat we will never he saved until we .I’.ef to be right honcot. If the prospect is black, we mast look it full hr the face ; and • instead of making line speeches to the people we must m ike true speeches. Who are they who spread gloom ana despondency through ou;. the country? They are those who say our r.. ; i rirs have been a3 well managed as it was po:; ibie, and thereby give the people to con clude that the cause is bad. lire important inquiry is. can we yet be re deciii and, aud what \vi!J it require to do so ? I say wi #ur: and all we have to do is to make a wi.-e use of the means we have at our hands. lf_w- o‘this we will yet bs triumphant. I flunk :: is ia oar ptfwer, under God, to save our.-sives. If we have the wisdom and cour age to change our past tactics —to throw aside our follies—we will do it It we don’t, we will go down into irretrievable ruin. I don’t want such a fate to befai us ; but it we pursue the same system, which has been going ou from bad to worse, from the first, down to this how, b will cea'ainly be our fate. When wisdom is dmuaeded folly won’t do ; and when cool judgment is required, personal bickering will not answer. From the first we have pursued the mistaken policy of dividing and fc-ittering our forties, when we ought to have concentrated them. This policy lost us 1! 'terns Now Orleans, Island No. 10, Fort Do?clson, Vickkburg, Atlanta, Savannah and Columbia, and now Wilmington and E'-chmond are trembling >u tho balance. We set out w'iih the cant that the foul foot of the foe should never dmeer ite our soil, and have tried to defend every point of our territory with tnadequate foic?s. Lee has been sent into the enemy’s territory with an inferior army. In dividing and i ring to defend the coun try everywhere, wa have almost defended it no where. The highest wisdom consists in being able to distinguisn between the impos sible and the attainable in action. Wisdom does not nudettake what is impossible in the conduct of human affahs. * 0 Now say what you will, it was simply im- ' possible to defend all the points wc have at tempted to defen’i, and it should not have been tried Ncitiiorlhe good of the cause nor our success in the contest depends upon it. We have faded to use our own advantages as wc could have done. Lincoln has the advan tage of a great number of men, but we have a etili greater adva luge than this. We have a large extent of territory, ami wo are acting on the defensive. Lincoln’s mission is not to pp's through the country, but to lake posses- I Sion of and hold it. Shot man’s army passed through my country, but I never heard any of the people who were visited by him talk as If they were conquered. On the contrary they seem to be filled with new resolution to <lo whatever they can to » : d in repelling the foe and securing our independence. Liucoln’s policy, necessarily, is to occupy the whole - coutnry. Ours should, be to concentrate our forces rapidly and stike stunning blows on his divided armies of occupation. This,we have never done, and funster, almost unbroken, for some time past has Den the fiuit- the bitter fruit, of our policy. Lincoln is obliged to di vide ahcl scatter his whole army. Our policy is, not to try to keep the enemy off our soil, but to welcome them to hospitable -graves in it; not to keep them out, but to let them in an i bury them We have the ability and it js onr privilege to concentrate, our forces ami strike blows that will toll. I will illps t rate. Grant was threatening Richmond aid Sher man’was-threatening Atlanta, and each place was defended by foic.es inferior to theirs. The President' was urged by. the Governor of this State, by General Joe Jchngton, and Qen. G. \V. Smith, through a special messenger for that purpose, to send reinfoicements from Virginia to Georgia. Sherman stood ia a condition to be ex term mated. The President was urged not to try to do everything at onpe, but to exterminate Sh.-rmau first, and then turn upon Grant and serve him the same way. “|l«t then iiichtn u I would go up,” says one. It is a singular fact that forces could be spared- from Lee, and were sent up the Vail y, and on a raid into the enemy’s country at the time they were so much needed here, it is said that Early was sent after Hunter, but this is no! so. for Hunter had already been whipped by Breckinridge But if it had beep necessary should have let Richmond go up for tho time, to exterminate Sherman. The Tr< Bident's excuse for not sending troops was to. save Richmond. 'Her he saved it J Here in Georgia wo have eaten the bitter fruit of .Sherman passing at his leisure and spreading devastation through our whole State He has gone through South Carolina iu the same way, and is now in North Carolina—all this to save Richmond ; and it is not saved, and can not be. except on one condition, and that is by doing wh iV t should have been done in Geor gia 11 Sheira in Is not, checked in North Car olina, or Before he reaches Grant, Richmond is lost You made the excuse that .Georgia wf 3 abandon--i to save Richmond. Ido not com plain of the ; reference oi.Richmond over Geor gia. My complaint is a greater one than this: that a miserable, weak aud halting policy was adopted, whi h w.iil probably result in the Iq3S 'of both. The most favorable position for exte’-miifa ting Sherman’.s army was j-ist above Atlanta. Ho depcndi 1 upon a single line of railroad, three hundred miles, long, for his supplies. •The way to and > it was to concentrtae our' forces, tut the Fres dent divided thorn, as he always di i. It is jio presumption in any one to conclude that things have been managed unwisely, ft was mi error, from which the President could not bo persuaded Os driven. All the wisdom of Johns ton and the best men 1 in his command, and of numbers of states men and good i algos of military tactics was brought io bear upon him, but he remained immovable. You have, the result of it. The {hvsident wal begged and implored to send Forrest to destroy Sherman's communications, but refusal, a- he refused to send auy other assistance Auothor error w.\? the dividing of the army of Tennessee, and sending a part- of them to \ icksbnrg. Here Ponbertna with 80,ODD men went up Fher-t is alw ivs division to accom plish everyth:ag. and the result he ? • generally het-n either disaster or the accomolishment of nothing. Another great error 1? the notion that the president has about officering his army. Gen. Cobb, in his speech the other night, said that what we need is an army, and asked if a Con vention can furnish it. I say yes, it can. J say all ouf disasters is the legitimate fruit of the President s military policy, and this a Convention cau correct. The .policy of con scription, with all its untold evils, was inau gurated a*, his suggestion, aud one object was that he might select all the officers of the ar my. And more than this; there is something in the President s personal character and the obstinacy wita which lie adheres to his opin ions ot men that produces immense mischief. tje went let the army have - commander ot their choice, the soldiers of Alexander’s ar my tried bis sub ordinate Gcn?rn!« and deposed them. Caesar wanted no men to go with him into battle that wt- not satisfied with him as their leader; aud Napoleon's g.«at success wa3 owing in a great measure to nis rare faculty of winning the hearts and affections of his soldiers, and selecting subordinate Generals to com mand them in whom they had confidence. But Mr. Davis don’t respect the wishes of the soldiers. He retained Bragg in xoouaand of the Army cf Tennesr-je and I a3i not hsre o criticise the ability of a 3 a General, but to notice the fact That .‘be President kept him in commend agaisst tae notorious wish--? of tho urtny. snd would not relieve him till the General himself saw that ii-s usefulness was entirely gone and asked to he relieved In the game way the President kept Gen. Huger at Norfolk, and lost that pkee through his iacomDetency, and r do know lie was be sought aud inivorfcuned to remove him. His .short comings were particularly pointed out in detail to the President, but h-> would pay nomttention to them. I know that'a Colonel then commanding a Georgia regiment, now a General iu the army, wrote a letter iu which specifications of G .n. Unger's incompetence were distinctly set forth lie asked that the letter might" he laid be lore the President, only with a pledge that be should not be consider ed as speaking disrespectfully of his superior officers, as his whole obj; id was the country’s good. The President said he did not wish to see the letter and refused to read it, saying if General Huger was not an officer he did.not have one Norfolk wrsrtst-.' and he failed to remove him; and he never did remove him till Lee denounced him for Iris conduct iu the battles before Richmond. And the same thing may be said of Pember ton and Holmes. The army did* not want, either of them. Their complaints and dissat isfaction were loud and notorious, yet they, werd retained, and the President would not allow the soldiers to have their choice, The Army of Tennessee would not exchange Gen. Johnston lor any man on the face of the globe. He is their idol in whom they havo the most unbounded confidence. Yet at the most crit ical time, the President removed him and plac ed the army under tiio command of Hood, in ■ whose ability as a commanding General they did not have such confidence. This was done to strike an honest blow for the defense of Atlanta. When Johnston was in command of that army Sherman had seven corps but did not whip them. . Hood was sent off to Tmigessea with the whole army. Sherman took four corps of his army and went to Savannah, and Hood could not whip the other three corps, and Johnston was removed lor not whipping the whole system Here are stem facts. You cannot do away with them by shutting your eyes, neither can you create a different state of things ,by as serting it exists when it does not. The Presi dent will not be taught by experience, lie will not restore Johnston. The Army of Ten nessee ia discouraged and demoralized, not be cause they are not as good aud as brave men as any, but because they have been hacked and maltreated and their wishes disregarded until they have lost all hope and confidence of being able to accomplish any good on ac count ol' being kept, under Generals in whom they have no confidence, and used in a way they know Jlmy ought not to be, and yet the President refuses to restore «them their loved and lost commander. Isay this not in depreciation cf Gen. Hood. I have served under him, and I take- pleasure in saying that I consider him a soldier of ge nius apd unsurpassed gallantry. His misfor tune was one which would have been com mon to anybody else, and consist* diu iris be ing the successor of Gen. Johnston. Nor was* he guilty of any arrogance-or presumption in assuming the position. He foresaw iisexnbar-. rarsments, and joined officers of his army in earnest expostulation agauist its being conferred, on him. The President was resolved on Johnston’s removal. A ' successor was a necessity; add Gen. Hood’s acceptance, so far from being.presumption, was a magnanimous and heroic hazard of himself for tho good of his country. The necessity for (he misfortune was created by the obstinate prejudice of the President. It was it aid that when Lee was ppoint.ed Commander in -Chief he would restore John ston, Jaut (he President lms as much power now as before, aval Lee can’t restore him to his command. I want the Constitution changed so as to take away (his incubus, not only on the body politic and the army everywhere, bill. upon (lie great genius o! Lee. The President is an ob t.icie in the way of our independence. Jdc n’t assail bis motives; I attack his-policy and a trait of character which stands out a fact no oiious to the country, disqualifying him Jor the control bf men and tbo coin maud of armies. Ho, by his blunders ami mismanagement, is retarding (un success, as !<t (l .‘imaging ihe curiae. Doii’t coma to life and sing hosannas to his praise, with the results of -bis policy before me, To*! might as well sing psalms to a dec I horse. lam tor the cause, and against all men who are in the way of its success ; and you cannot succeed, unless you are under ihe control of a man who is not controlled and guided in h : s conduct of af fairs by hii prejudices. The men in the army must have tee mm of their choir,“ for their commanding general ;*ayc, sir, and th-y must have all their other officers of their choice; Abolish your ruinous conscription law. It. has filled the country with deserters. Some ’counties in the late elections voted nearly as Strong ns they did iff 1 Still. These men say they went to fight the battles of freedom. This conscription policy puts m n iulo tho ar my as a punishment—fixing the .stigma of dis grace upoq the position of a soldier, when it Ought to be* one of honor. M-.n have been conscripted and pus, under bonds to stay at home and seli their produce at certain fixed prices beiow the market value! ’ They aie told by the Government ‘*l do not want you in the army; I want you to stay at home and raise provisions and let me rob you of them If you behave yourself right well i’ll let you stay at home, if not I’II sen! you to the army.” The Government has actually made the army a Botany Bay, gud supports it by plunder and robbery; and then holds up its hands aa*l say the army .is demoralized One great evil which we arc stiffjri«g now is the lack of any army. Why ? Ours is vast .ly inferior to the one opposed to us. One oi the greatest mischiefs of this military conscrip tion is tlje -example it has set the North.- Here again have vVe through our lolly, sac rificed the advantage, we pvU'3 l; ?«iC*cL ovei on, foes. If we had adhered to the volunteer system and making requisition on the .States, the North'never would have adopted conscrip tion.- It would have been to dangerous an experiment for them to undertake. They have had great trouble in enfolding it as it i : , and the New York riots is one of the- conse quences of it. If we had not set the example the North never would have-lYdlowid, and the issue would now be which could volunteer the longest—we for the defense of all that is dear, all that, is worth living for, and they for noth ing but the subjugation ot au innocent peoole. W r o have taught The North how they might equal us m means of getting men into the ar my, while they have vastly more men to put there; and I tell you, when you have reduced it to the principle of briQ(|iug men into the ars my as mere machines, «5d not as freemec- patriots, they have three time3 as many machines as we have, and as good ones too I believe that but for this policy, the was spirit at the North would have been broken down before now, and to-day our prespects would have been infinitely brighter they are. Another obstacle to our success is that ib policy heretofore pursued, bas broken down the coufi fence ot tbe country in the mili'ary capacity of the President. I do not speak of his motLvee, but the President has tailed, utter ly failed ; and as a leader he cannot any mure have the confidence oi the army or the coun try. When Bragg Lad won the battb. ot Uaiek amauga, the President was warned that the enemy might get possesiiou of 1. tokout Moun tain. lie said nothing would please him r t Iter than for them to attempt it. The very v on. which he uttered these words, the enemy took possession of Brown’s Fecry, which was i the key to the takm.c of ike c* .oil. rig B .-iulr; 1 have shown bo— imp rt nt ?! -t step **r.s. j Again Le?c'. : us, ir. hi? '-!> -r. spree!:. *':•:— •' Sb®rman wo*.: r bo cb i-:ei to rvk* re end ~:ri : when he dd, it would J •* ar th-: - .- re treat Well. Sh.reran he; gen? thro; -'• C- \r. - gia, South C.noKua, .and is goin r'tbrough North Carolina, and - r;> he v-po--. ; Again, he f-ri !in hi- h h:#> u spe c ; .f. j days ago, th Gi. the ai s ntces w*— , 1 r . , •he army, Sherni-au’n morcii .. .ce, , '-I would bo bis la-'-t ono, find I- *■ .• ii- • | reached this place, r!:-" n-ru*ha I ;•; ‘ through another Sr-atoa.ad ; t*uck .. ihi, J. How can the ; -pie or t?..- be ,*xpec't ted tj rely upon the predie.i oi :! •. : of men who make stidh a-s tL- ro ? Upr. can we expect iiucces-; tl.-n ugh suc-i biandm in • ;.r we have had, mid wiveh .i. <; m . -What is the value of a orvifcnr ilm! alt*.,; well, as we were told at 111- hruotd th * of: vr d.ay. when everybody knows i-* n-: ihu .. The men who tell r.u so arp u - e c ■ * : .1 lors. Tney are no! ofiuli-jd'to c-nr ci-r.ri.;, r-c in their present predteti:.*ds, Oi ih< -e a. ’ ■ in the past, or their skiffcmAyil sos * : , facts. A distinguished Senator from this State. h this hall a few nights ago, -made the same .kind of predictions, and also s ,id deficiency of supplies. Cm- pi.r-ple are; culled upon to .believe men ia tbes o predictions and statements, whose pas* pn dictions bare been so signally unfa!filial •. But my fiih'd rearoh for d-onci" a Conrt-r, • tion is one that hr nor m-mUnicd ».y >».->. (gov ernor In h?s message i : :•» for thu in por-e making a yon-a to tUc pivpo.d tions of ti.e State light‘s pion of the N=-r li. We are told that Lincoln lay?, cloo.-l the door of neghtiatiers.between vin aad ihs peo ple of the North. Oi.r 0.-ato , are t.. ■ our people to hate thb whok* North. We .a:- asked it v. o n which are imbrued ia our brut? •••*« Mo. as a everybody in the North had imbrued. Tjtr President in his late : K:.;!ii-i-ru!d •cpeech, tells the hole North lie wilt t . them that when they talk to us, they are talking to their masters ! The (Tie-:;:.)’ Con vention, ia its platform. said the United S' - ..s Government had no light to <•.*, fso tovt-n etn States. That principle carries everyth'ng-'in volved in this revokTion. It is Tilt i a-!: alt I want The sovereignty ;< the State*-is derived from the Dccltu ■ : That document asset! - InaWne 't i-irb-on Ooio nies were not one conodldatcd, itulopeniteftt nation, but. thirteen imho* : dent tv A, < r the war, George J!f aeknow!,- !,;■• ! :*> vjr'h do~ ’ pecdence, not its one eye; id’ . ; u ; -n*‘ f.nt as thirteen separate ;*nd ii.uje enumerating each one of i ; . m hy-n uir - This is-our birthright ' . W contending for find rh and this principle and the tor,.-!.; •• a i [ ask no more. -Wo c<fu thou : all the U form their aemvailidin; ;s id.-y pleufuj. A. great party at the North jilar.i i the ibeivt-s cn this principle. , Our iv.Wr!, . ’•nsdead <’•'* responding to i; and gi ■ T •mgourageiaent, rtnpcßd v a.i! Lake tho.nr d*nvn, and here we are! The Pi• ie»r. in his speech at Columbia, took pains io png him self in opp jition to this r'e c-.j if., L.l not even preserve silence,'but i, tiff noirMetri. COUid not, produee.peaee, 1 t-rv if • jj : -i attain' and only by ti:<> swoid; -and lv* •and : hi-’ suit to this injury,, by comp • p.-.-pd? of ■ the North to and ray In . the way to make thorn civil, wen t’> ivh’p them. Now what encouragement was Th.w to <>nr fiiends at the North?. But again, in his late Richmond speech he declares lie 'will teach them v ry scon that when, they talk to us, they will tali: t > their masters. Ido think the r-e .of such language by the President ia moH unfortunate, and the ft ails of it are: bad. The .State Right; men of the North and they are to-, re. ia large numbers—of'’fcuime want the Union r stored, b-.it tbqy contend that ! . P. dcrnl Government has no right to co• roe a powivign State. This Govern meat oug: it n c to eon • duct itself ks to* throw those men inn* the scale against us. It is said that the lute effort- at m-g -ti.-.t'on is a failure, turd there is nothin left us h tight; and'that FTnnualo Wood is to waiving his friendsh'p towards us and guar., to laneo- ) -u his war. flow can v:» expect the hoen.dsbip<>t such men and their'sops.oit of the pifneiplb; of the old revolution, when we alwudon them ourselves ? I want to see the South*tight !dih coin and bis policy, and in doing Ihis.'i waui just as much sympathy at the North as ».■* cm get. - I have no doubt Itfr. flavin piefn.a and the election of Lincoln to MeGlsl! in, yvlttoti is v« vy strange to me. Kurope is agaiast us on an-..' couut of bur institutions. The world h :;in*t us. When we get 'out -i<io of the bimaih of the Confederate States, there is not. a spot on th; green globe where, wo have as re. .ay ,y.nd a.- warm friends as in the North. Do you want to multiply our frkmh or ovr eneuii: s ? WiiTh is the host policy ? I want to xnu'tiply oar friends, and pirticularly in 1 .ine da’s domirions. When I see a man in the Nonii a .-aoi.-g ;no' principles on which Lincoln i u w■ hi - w.-.r, be he Yankee or not,.he ii my Li* nd. But we cH’edoue wi.lh the old i r ; in. Tk-.ie is a delriion on the pare of tho e who would be willing; to go back ikk> the Ur.ion. u-j if was. -That is an imj>.■ g;b;!i-y. The Union is gone ! It is dead ami Im -■! in p ..-it ami ean.iot be resuiaeeb.d ! a;,d I ;-.m uot, disp-* -.1 to labor in such a work. (Suppose that Ln-.coln should make a propusiiioa f-ir us io g-f vok into tho Union as it-wu and vou £ -!; and < to it ; would you #ot do so in. ha e >.pul l would dig up rhe corner stone ot Lie old Constitution and the ih-cXi; •:inn of ho!.*;-, a deuce of 177(1. 1 would- t.-ke out th-a'. one, and whin-that is done the whole fabric of, the Union tails. You might have som.-thiag gi .e, and .call it tho old Union, hue it won id not be. Such is an utter impossibility. * lam In favor oi holding out to tho . ' u the idea that we are willing to : fop ihe \v .r on conditions, .1 am not in fav- rof foimlo.- t ere am mg us a littlo negro-(,em y, t. T>-*' entirely isolated from ail it*t<he..i:t! ■ with ii.o on ide world.- I greatly prefer.tot-ake the T-uthwc t ern States into our Coni ■irravon. N: :• -.•• > u will not HtvUi - h-i ;U-. udh 1 -rn,. , .= • lV ! Hi; brue-d Iheli.- ,’ . bronn't h blood wb; . a refuse to t*!•:.• Kv-ntncSy and ail \ iv into oar Confederation - l them -.viui u:>, and I want Jli'-ylfT!! too. i ; .m r.f- * Lee t.. .-v 1 want the Nortbwc?\rn States with us. I would apply to this cue tto i -e w;-: maxim which eetti nt isjiu war ol t; : . ii. ; .... volution. Th preamble ■ treaty of peace w. .and. .-.-d !{• - . bloody coatee:, dtj*.. ; ihat ;. yi cages and mnt-iat can veil i ac* l* ;» ... solid foeuda i-.n f u pe«c-j between in. - is the language o' iuy le.-.eiiUioa--', "in my.' judgment, aivauug.M an rmimi B convenience rty,'ii:a tuat km States of this Confederacy and the great Northwest should _ be embraced in Borne sort of political a-socia-" tion. ; Suppose the war was brought to a eucnc-ssfal issue, and our independence ack-io’ i 1. would the work thepbodone ? Gentlemen .kUc !of circomscrlbiiig our iicaies. and m tk. , - i.fc | tie negro-ocracy for ours-iivc-a ouly. L ;h. ia | think seriously of the matter. We are <;- g | with a great contintataL quo: ion. Att.-r Ui -1 war, we will have to*live aiong-ide ot ih. States with which we are now at war,-.either as lrieuds or mn m- -. if me qiK -r;-.-n w - left to the Statesewtions. without any otteer v- n ifleill 'h'* 4ll lilc ’ r own in " C |j< J /ey would Jorm two coun ly;/ faiufej.itisof vitai impoit • / a should be tHe strongest A i, a structure that w !l en^- fcet us have the principle IT rates pan form treir al y their own conrenieuce aodiach r 6 wiil operate as a great YOU, LXXIV.----NEW SERIES VOL. XXIV NO. 11 j to*l.' .nimsfifig principle, that will pre vent any ] future aenfiicts or distractions. ! . aare-vre to be_educ * and to hate the people of ; tfcf None What good can come of it ? It w v:av, :£'.'rv':4' ruiCknsyian. H.teis an emana t;-*:i ; ombth. Oar oiators Like pains to Dx'- t *-■' t* -‘* ri -'’ut their-avarice, and at tire 1 titn!'! tels them'to hate Ihe p.-opfe of the i -North This B ait uuehristian-and damnable ■ dovriinc. I bel.tve God rules' this world ad* ! eofding to the pniickdcs ot life B-ble. Pwiyers n-n .* been road- tm our ... u days end thanks i gi» mg days for tau iorgivece.-s ol car national -uiis. y. o veil! not have this forgiveness till we are prepared tor it ia our hearts aud deserve i- \\ bile .ora educated in this idea of hat ing mat dad, I Tremble tor theresult, This is no an'.acceptable tiering upon God’s altar. I don’t y.’.-iUt to hear'p'aycrs that breathe out slaughter and death fmj inculcate the spirit -f hwied ; ancTwi!.;i 1 he.*..* then* ] toe: like tak •ing my hat and leaving the house Hue ! Are y-nu going to dbtcnrd’ Western Virginia, and ~ ' '-tecky, and-Maryland and ill ,-.ois ? I.am tree ty. nr:.eh’d:n that I am iu iav-.-ic. ; . ... 1 1-1; • : .«vtos .. me Valiev crlthe Missis.-ip |d, ii Ifiov can he brmuh; to*a rc-c.ignition of | the sound principle of State novOrcignty and j ackiiow iedg 'thoir error iff denying it to us.— Thin is all I want. If they will quit this war on ins aud ;v.knowledge the right of the States to do ns they plcgre—to form t-h( ir own rela linpa -ac'Sordm'g to the r ou ii incions anif I «}ui vviiiiag to Tuii.n with thonx. in ; an aHiiiuhe. iam not prepared to say. whether and vverrid b-i-b c st to form this alliance nudev a Coirstitn-rivin or a treaty; bui lain tree to say we ougut,' in one way or,the other, to form - ■ Mr.-Wright, of Coweta—l* uud.r.riood the gen; -ru-iii to s:q ha wasopnesiM to retmidu. j Mr.; \\ iight*-And reconstruction ? Mr.-- &h pm na - J am ultorly opposed ijo ro . eo:.: .-a a ri term is commonly under - i too‘i. ‘ . * Mr. Vi right—But I understand you now that yon would be waling to unite with alt cf the o:d Shu i' ; : for ii appeals iiiat you don’t object t:> assoniiito with auy i-hate because she has fought us id the war Ms. Stephens —Then you do not understand mo. Ido nqt object to any State lor that rea son; but I may object for other reasons. The '-.gentleman argues that because I don’t-object upon that g;-. and, then I can have no objec tioo-u;iou any ' t umid. This is about as good it gi.'iiw fr*i c mcltule Uut a plan is necessarily “wi;lij»g to. mawi >• tt W(fninn b. cau • lie has no phject-iou i-o her far the ground of porccnal vbeairiy, Hd may -he perfectly rdisliod with her p«ve,onal appearance a.id li an in/npera- ion nx her bfld.character. I imve r.ot s«!d :tf- all that l would be willing to etffbre.ee* the KarJerii States nor even tlic -.great Middle StatnMo tr»d’of r«- eo - .-KV'hig !he severe!g l a*ts, which once 'composed th > American Union- What I have fiaidu! tHitt Rqtiud i- uicysh: n!d admit <••!. ' vreat NotriivcCst into cur family associai-ions cu ,-u; h - i.-m-.ja.-t-.nent,-either under com ! ilo.ioaal or treaty refations. I woufel Bot’object to. taking in a flt ite solo Iv on tl > griiiHui that felfc has fought us. Tffie Biatvs to-form their alliances on the Ti-ouari ci tec-iprofal advantage and mutual cninVooiv.ro. 1-think we should have some -i. Ic.e wia '.our, dither by-eonztitiuhoi or treaty, . wit-i t-lie S':Cutes of the Northwest ; but I am no 5 now prepared to sayfwhicji is best. Our i: dura! l'uiiuson - aftei* tbo'uur vrquiro. that we r.bould hhvu sou-.;- such - nlfiriiiecs.. We are obliged to hafe"ftTWßiTthe people in the Missis sippi Vailey. While the Mississippi River flows whore God has placed it, th i people who, live along its banks spd arc fed from its great valley, must fise under some- regulated intercourse --r some established relations wi ,-h th-ir several States’ Iw< aid let the North know that we ary uot 'besotted by hatt?, and are ready to form and enter into such arrang; ment#. Whenever you do this,»you drive a wedge itfl-o Northern politics that: wifi split them to recces. • You will not have to fight. PTe people of the West any me re,* .a;. I (inly have 1.-ncoln and his party to fight. Th- n wo can teach *Lincoin (not the North) Gait when he.talks to ,ih he talks to his master. . ... To gay that w.b_ will tea ah the North that when its people talk to ns t hey 'are talking to their piasters, is like a small boy blustering in his father’s boot# and great coat. ,1 would let the people ot the Ninth.and North w out -.understand that we are -wil ling to lot low that-great principle' wherever, 'it-may lead ns. Do that, and you will got.peace, and get it on right’ inns —and f don’t want it on auv other. I went the same independence that uy w acknowledged by G-.-orge -III —the separ ate and .absolute independence of Georgia, Virginia, and*the other Btates—ea, h on# indi vidually Toat is what fare are fighting for. Ton mi t put-the peace-of this contiitent on a sound principle. If you don’t, it will be like the seed- which tell on stony ground when it does come- it will last lor awhile, but will ■soon be at an end. * I wish to make a few remarks on what has been said ol the lato effort at negotiations.— Gen. Cobb claims the remit as*a fulfillment of hie p' r.dictions ; L-akyet said it had done good —it had mdted our people. 1 think it has done good in uniting our people ia opposition to the r it!Hog, unjust and outrageous de - '•iu!ni--s oi Lincoln. . The.n geffCjetnen* pow make th "mselvcs and the .fo.r.uer advocates of negotiations shift position*exactly. Ttrey mis state the former p< riUons of the wsnlvtk and of pa. Ti--e.tr pp*d on was that an kffer so nego tiate. could do no good and. would do harm. Their present- as-'orlion, that it has retulted in nailing our ‘people, a w>nli:s»ioaLi t!p:-5v for mer error. Our former position was -not that we mou and g( ; pi u ■ from—Mr. but Uiai by his rejection oi it whi-n offered by us on proper terms, orn people would be kept united, his people would be divided and \w*uid be l ;-.' him out ami elect a man who would give us peace. In other words, that while tiou would not proi-iire immediate peace from Mr Lincoln, it would prepare the way for peace, and so would do good and not harm.— ,‘J he present v:■ riion oi these gentlemen, that the late inaugnration lias done good, is au in dication ot the position which we have occu ‘;pied upon tbi- snljwt from the beginning.— .None of the advocam;-. of negpti it on ever ex pected peace from Lin o!a. Beane few persons thought w-3 had nothing to do but to otter |K eanl we would get i;; but I aev i did.— > ihot was not the policy which the resoiutiens we adopted a y<- r ago lqbked to The truth is Lincoln don't want peace. lie has sini.-Uv designs upon the liberiy ol this continent. lie i not going to grant ua ps ce it he. can help it. I should not have offered peace when «our affairs had as much discoura ging appearances about them as they have now. 1 would Lave offered peace alter our t abound Richmond, Fiedericksburg, Ch-useel iorsviiie, Can kamauga, &c. It was on tneee occasions that I did think we onght to have of tercet peace to Line .-fin. Ho would of course I have rejected it, and 'that would have broken and .wn his p.'.rtj and built up a peace party at the North. * F : it : r . it to • sou commissioners even 1 vrlo-n we <h-‘. •• ■ ough we ought to have com menced t’:ff3 wo k before the Presidential elec tion. *v e orght to have espoused the Chicago platform, so as to. break down Lincoln with his own p i> : ". and build' up a brute flights party ■it the North, if you had done this and failed l > secure peace, thert I w mid have beed wil itug to stand convicted oi Laving misled our , it 1 were in the place of those persons who have all along boon making predictions and are now making acm, I would atop it and make no more, rust they said we would have no war. luen they said cotton was King and wouid so'oa end it, and that Fra use and Eng land would break up blockade. I miher think that our people now believe we na,e war, and that we nav e a blockade. ■ T’ aid that ' tho P®°P J « are “ot fit to-be trusted, aha we must not have a Convenfidn. n° is hr that seis up this claim f Let the* - inarmed. I am. willing to trust the people. t .ink nis right to trust them at anytime au«: on any question. 1 believe our people can ip united on the resolution I have-offered, and 1 iippiehend no reunion freni a Convention. ibi _r pi-aiier,. disasters are thicken inn upon us fc her in an is going towards Virginia to unite with vrrant agains: L„e. Thomas is again on ike move and may soon be Ufaioug us. Soon me c.arnor tor a Convention of the State, that was raised when Sherman was coming among us, ho raised again. When the cry is re newed lor the Convention, if you refuse it now, you wui have the painful consciousness of hav '“fi® , . as . il , n obstruction between the people vm r 8 ’ and the people will endorse . * ° u ve.dict or self-condemnation. THK,JHb.V» Ti\ Hhl.l*. ine annexed tax bill p issed the House of Representative Feb. 24: i io Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, Th it upon all subjects of taxation under existing tax laws levying taxes fpr the present year, •except as hereinafter otherwise, provided there shall bo assessed aiyl levied au additional tax of centum up on the present tax on the4auiesubjects of and for the year 1865, including the specific taxes and all taxes on sales during the year 1865, whether made before or after the passage of -this ait and not.expressly excepted or other wise provided by this act, which tax shall be payable in Confederate Ttreasury notes of the new issue at par, or in the certificates of in debtedness authorized by V-\n act to reduce th« ourrency and authorize a now issue of notes and bonds’ 7 approved February 17, 18tS4 Sat the rata of . ; ii)-j for every SIOO yf said certificates, but withoiit«anv aliowanco fur interest, and the same shall bo collected at the sume lime with the other taxes on the same under existing laws. And where any tax for 18(15 A has been collected prior to the passage of this act, the 100 per cent, additional tax thereon shall be collected as soon as practicable attar its passage, 2. in the year 1865 and in each succeeding year thereafter during the continuance of the existing war between tft*- United .States and the Confederate Slates, there shall bo leyied and collected the tax in kind on the products of property employed in agriculture as now provided by law, without deduction or abate ment from ihe assessed tax on the property so employed. 8. That, upon the failure of any person, co partnership, joint stock company, corporation, or any other association of persons, to pay the.* taxes levied by this act, at such times and places as-the collector may prescribe by public notice, Buck persons, copartnerships, joint stock companies, corporations or associations of persons, shall he deemed anil held as de faulters, and shad pay a penalty ot ten per cent, upm the amount due, and be subject to all tho provisions of existing laws authorizing tha seizure fynd rale of property for non payment of taxes. 4 If any State shall elect to pa.v the taxes imposed by this act upon its citizens, notics thereof must be given to the Secretary of the Treasury on or before the Ist of April next, whereupon ho shall estimate the probable sum of the tax for the State so applying and notify the Governor thereof, and upon the payment of not less than threu-imuiiis cn the siinr'sb es timated being made on or before the Ist, of JunS, 1865, it shall be thedu-'y of the Secreta ry of the Treasury to instruct the tax collec tors in the State so making payment to sus pend the collection of the taxes imposed by this act. And when the lull returns shall jiairo been i received and the true sum ot the tax hs oerlained, then the final settlement with the State shall be made and the sum of the remain der bo collected, and when paid the Secreta ry ol the Treasury shall give, notice that tha said taxes have been fully paid and discharged to the tax collector ol the mid State. Sec. 5 That where property (real or person al) has been injured or destroyed by the enemy, or the owner thereof lias been temporarily de prive 1 ol the ure thereof, or in the case of real estate, of the means of cultivating the same by reason'ot proximity of.the enemy, the assess-- incut. on such property may lie reduced in pro* portion to damage sustained' by the owner, pr the tax assessed thereon may' be reduced in the same ratio by the district collector cm satisfac tory evidence submitted to him by the owner or assessor ; Provided, that the families of sol diers in the array and those soldiers discharged or retired from active service in the field op ao» count of physical disability, and whose families composed entirely of white members, whose farms are cultivated exclusively by she mem bers of tbe family,' shall not be liable to any tax in kind. ♦ FROM VJHUIMA CJaptain Raphael Semmes has been made an Admiral and appointed to jJie command of the .James Sivpr fleet. In the sifce fight ia Virginia, Gen. Finnegan enticed the enemy into a trap and killed . five -hundred in one.corps. '# ' i lie enemy is busily ex tending a line of railway to his new position on Hatcher’s rue. Thence to his base at City Point. Grant will soon have a continuous rail, running at all points in close proximity to bis main lines.— He will, therefore, find no difficulty in trans ferring supplies from the wharf us fast as his steamers cun land them, and will be enabled ;o drop them at any campon the rente. ♦ '' ■ It is stated that the enemy is throwing up heavy works on the Brunswick stage tfoad, between Reams’ station and Monk’s Neck bridge, two miles below the latter place. The object of this is, probably, to strengthen their position there, that* they may. be the better able to .extend their lines ia that direction in the future.' 1 A man name Stebbihs, his wife, three ohil dren, and negro servant were burned to death at a fire in Richmond Feb. 21. The oldest son was’ away from home at the time of the firp and thus escaped the fate of the. others. The bodies were ail recovered, in 'a charred state. from Mississippi. G.n. Frank Gardner reached Jackson,.Miss., cn Feb. 18th. Brig. Gen. Marcus J. Wright has arrived at Grenada and assumed command ol the district of West Tennessee and North Mississippi, which is as follows: Beginning at the southeast corner of Lowndes county, Miss , thence west ward to the Mississippi river, along the south ern boundary of tbe counties of Lowndes, Oktibeha, Chickasaw, Carroll, Sunflower, and Bolivar; thence up the'Mississippi river-to Hickman, Kentucky; thence east by the State line and the Northwestern railroad to the Ten nessee river, up tbe same to the Alabama line and southward by the Alabama line to the be ginning. alia staff is announced as follows: Major L. L. Butler, A. A. G.; Capt. John A. Mitchell, A. A. G ; Surgeon H. B. Jones, no dical inspector; Lieut. Minor B. Harris. A. T. G.; aud Lieut. Eugene TANARUS, Harm, A'. D. C. FROM NORTH CAROLINA. A raiding party of Abe’enemy which threat ened Tarboio a.f.ew days Since has been driv en back. They only succeeded in destroying a few commissary stoics. The railroad ha# been cut beyond Goldsboro. * It is stated that Winnsboro S. C. was net visited by Sherman's troops. The Yankee prisoners at Florence wero paroled after being sent to Goldsboro, N. C. Western Kentucky and Tennessee are filled with roving bands fjom Hood's army.