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/ • t , 1 1 ■ ftw i ■ - /6r, tiie ! fi i our t service t - in the army, and _<ißii»utfi a force snffl ,Ar to a Hucoeeulul termi _,fi eulom-meat of the con- 1 <thd a ligoiouH system of dis >rmy, would effect these objects m, therefore, to bo onr first duty /very effort to recruit and maintain Armies, before re >rti; the expe arraing our black popu:Mon, Have ,00 ? We can ,ec ly ..,-wer in the cive; while cur country notoriously yis with skulkers from military service ,a absentees and deserters from the army.— ■so confess that we cannot execute the most necessary laws, nor enforce th-■ military die cipline essential to the very existence of an' army, is an admission that we are not prepared to make. Such an admission would imply an tter want of vitality i.i both the civil and mil .iarv administrations of the country. If such were the condition of a country, even in time of peace, it would <i of atrophy—but in the midst of war and revolution it would be equiv alent to terminating its exist aco by suicide. We do not believe that the i oufederato states are in this deplorable condition And if such wore the demoralized end'prostrate stale of the free white citizens of thte Contedei aey in vain might wo expect to be elevated and made to stand cfect through the assistance ot our negro slaves. Without a proper tone, spirit and sen timent among our peopie—will out a strict en forcement ol and prompt obeli,nice to law ■without an inllexibSd adherence to those mili tary regulations which Ur' experience of all countries.has si) twit t be iudis i-ui.ablo to tlie efficiency of armies—our cause is hopelessly lost. But let us consider the specific proposition „efore us. We do not believe that the arm ing of our slaves will add to our military strength. It will not be contended that the negro possesses naturally any of the attri butes of a soldier. - lie is. constitutionally timid. He has neither fortitude, constancy nor endurance. He is excitable and may—es pecially when maddened by liquor—make wild assaults,"and reckless charges But he lacks coolness and .steadiness, which are more than a match for impetuosity. It is said that the enemy has made good soldiers of negroes. This is a disputed* point. It may well be doubted whether • they have ever decided the fate of a battle, It is said that if we do not arm our negroes tho enemy will. This can only be true in regard to those in territory oc cupied or overrun by tho enemy. And since the policy of arming them has been pursued *by the enemy, the negro men, so far from flocking to them, seek to keep out of their way. But if we determine to arm them, and thus compel them to fight on one side or the olher, they will, in the great majority of cases, prefer to fight under the Yankee banner. The enemy offer them present personal freedom and, in the event ol success, the freedom of their families and race. In addition to this they hold out to them the promise— however illusory it may prove—of perfect (quality with the white man —and a proprietary light in the soil upon which they were born, quid to which their local attachment is so strong. It is not freedom at •'he North- in a strange hind and an uncon genial climate, that they promise them—but freedom, equality and ownership of the soil, in then ncurve South. Can we offer them any of these inducements ?. Congrecs has no pow er to guarantee them ev&a their personal free dom. That is.a matter over which the States’ alone have control. The Confederate govern ment clearly have norm. Will the States agree to this ? In several the organic law, and in most, statutory enactments forbid it. But suppose the consent at' ytlxpStates obtained to Homo measure mcipijfijion, is it likely that any of thetn •:! go as far as the Yankees won!1 prom. . “ -And would not any measure of-t .. : : -u oven if confined to such a- i. uf;lit faithfully for us daring tiio war—lm a slab at tin, intuitu tlon of si-very • ifi Vv hat would be tho-ef feet iij a t tii. o s iicii un ] ; Millcal fabric of tin'u*' l , ... ‘ >* i our tuidst one or two hundred a- i t :co .lr-gsous—trained to irthfl inured i , d;ut;;ei ..... 1 TmTlituized to scenes oi bio,,'! uud carnage '! Would they be willing to re mam forever disfranchised ? Wou'd WO . Ver ba wi ■nug o admit them to the right oi oit /• u hip T Would they not al ways be mi element of danger, discord and weaker.*? Th<- 'c are questions which pre sent a iretnendotv, problem let solution. The imagination recoils from its consideration We have only ipu briesly to allude to it. How too, it may well be asked, can wo hold out trcvdour to the slave as a boon or reward, when the deu oce of the institution of slavery has alw ys b. on based upon the 'argument that it was the proper and natural condition of the negro—that it was his happiest and best con dition—anil that the tender mercy of the aboli tionist would be cruelty to him II avo we the arms; clothing and food neces sary for converting any largo portion of cur slaves into soldiers 1 We have difficulty in supplying our present armies, even moderate ly, with these essentials. Will the negro tight tor us half fed and half clothed, as our noble and heroic soldiers have frequently done : The juemy will givO him as much buoun, mobi-.-u-s, jottee, sugar and win key as he can consume, lie will furnish him with line clothes and mili tary trappings and tinsel. These are powerful appeals to the strong animal instincts of the negro. They must necessarily have a gw it ntUieuce with him. There aro.no mom s adapted to his nature which the eneiuy .cannot l ring to operate upon him more cogently than we can. 13ut granting, for the sake of argument, P , he negro may be made something of a -oid-cr ami kept faithful to us, would h•be as va'-ua ble in that capacity as he would be in twd oultuie ? Can we afford to withdraw him from the cultivation i.t the sod ? The-nun slaves lost since the heginuimr oi the war, 'ey •c’ztue of the enemy i>r by a! - . ndiug t!i .»m*my, is iiMr.vUocly vnd iho majority f those an* nb c bodkd mules. We have au t u orize<i tnoetupu'- ... ’ of one i’i tiv . of those t euntmnig at, cooks, te ousters, pioneer labor are, &o . with oiu urtnies. We , .unot abstract a still larger proportion without emlaugering the supply of subsistence both for our array and home population ihe -übseutri-- uud de t erters sc*tteted over t :;e country, whom by the bill of the majority of il* commit te we • unless that we despair of returning to the ranks- and for whom we thus propose to rub stitute negroes— are not only non-prod urn > ut wasteful consumers. When we cr-n -hi all this, vreViO justified n exp : crave doubts whether the ag vurcurU uvjiir ot the ountry can stand the iiirtaurc*miimtion winch the employment of slave- a s soldiers would ne - cessitate. We will not attempt to.give •statistics, lor which our data a r etoo i:y; '-‘-fleet, tor- urmk the aspect ot the question just presented, ope entitled to the nmst seiious eonsuiemtio- or ihe House In this connection it is not im proper to call attention to the fact, that so soon as you inaugurate kto policy of arming he negroes, there will boa general disposition ouong them to escape the pos.fi hi ify of mid tarr service, aigi the result will •- wTll abandon their m\ -cut occupy, - ns in it panic, and either join ti e enemy u ; choice of evils, or becojrte •‘rui.v.ways,’-’ j vt r ,-. * themselves in the weed-, mountains and swamps. Here they will gradually unite themselves with the rov 0 . u of desertets t./»t infest many parts ot he country, and be come a ter r> . - tooted population at homo P eorr 1 '.on from various quarters has reached u ■ t. .. < . ■ mere agitation of the .question Ims ; ■ ‘ re.my can c .l many ne groes to desert their OV. ; ihd passage of any law on the subject wil l greatly stimulate uidi a movement amor.g them. We dread the effect of tit-3 mtv. «re upon the country. It will t* •-* to iisheartor. it as an evidence that we are iOaicul to ae but» x j einUv, and compelled to try H uououul and Experiment as a dernier resort. » .’tur that it •- an experiment, and most i .'.alv<jca**v approach ft with misgiving, if t . with apprehension. It 4 question the j * station of wuicii has airtgdy excited division tid dimension among ur The adoption of jtolicy by Congress will produce party strife ad perhaps sectional lines among us. ol toe Staten wjli further it, others will ■ noose by their >eglakai«H. 'i'wo ®f the States ij»ve already, through lagNtoterea pr<»*ed Uuanacivee ft- 1* ft *c*ld bant, u that, the States with sparse slave pop ulations-favor, while those with dense slave (inference may spring up among us not un like in its character that which in the old L’uion divided the free and the slave States We dread the etlect of the measure upon the army. We do not know how the policy will be acquiesced in by them. To make a soldier of the negro is to a certain extent to put him on an equality with the white soldiers. When we make the negro belligerent he becomes an integral part of the great contest in which wt areeDgaged. The battle-field levels distinc tions. . It-will be difficult to preserve the rela tive status of the negro and the white man hitherto so jealously distinguished, after they have fought mud bled together on the same hard fought field. How far or how soon our white troops will bo reconciled to the neces sary and inevitable association is a question ol exceeding djubtand delicacy. There is an objection to the particular method of obtaining negro soldiers, provided by the bill reported by the majority of the committee which ought not to be overlooked Lt provides that they shall be voluntarily con tributed by their owners. This is likely tojgive rise to much jealousy and heartburning throughout the country. One owner win con tribute liberally, another not at all. * This inequality will still more embitter tue party feeling which the measure will be certain to engender. If we are determined to employ ne gro troupe, it would be far better, far mor« just and equal, to take them by impressment in equal ratio all over the country—as fs done in the case of negroes employed as teamsteis or to work on fortifications, <fcc. This may be considered by many a minor matter, but we consider it a grave objection to the committee’s bill. We have endeavored point out, as far as the limited time allowed us would per mit, some of the prominent arguments against the policy of arming our slaves. We believe it to be suicidal and ruinous. It sounds the death knell of slavery, ;&d with it of all that is conservative in Southern institutions and most valuable in our political and social system. A democratic republic, without the balance wheel, which our disfranchised laboring class aifords, must soon degenerate as the experi ence of the Northern States has proved, into a raobocratic despotism, in which individual liberty and freedom of opinion are swallowed up and lost. , vVe believe that the arming of our slaves will not add to our present military strength. To rely upon it is to lean upon a broken reed, that will pierce our side. The minority of the committee, therefore, re commend the adoption of the following resolu tions : Resolved, That the employment of any por tion of our slave population as soldiers is un necessary, inexpedient and unwise. Resolved, That the States alone have control over ihe status of the slave, and that the Con federate Government has no power whatever to modify or change it. * William Porch er Miles, Thomas S. Gholson, W. N. H. Smith, Julian Hartridqe, Stephen H. Darden. L.I.’VCCIJt’H HAUtiUKAL ADDHHSS. Fellow- (Jovmtvyfnen —At this second appear ing to take the oath of tho Presidential office, there is less occasion for an. extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement, somewhat iu detail of a course to be pursued scented fitting and proper Now, at the expi ration ot four years, during which public de c arutions have been, constantly called forth in every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attent ion and engross e the en' rgiesof the nation, little that is new could be presented. Tuo progress of our arms, upon which all eho chieffly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself, audit is, I trust, reasona bly satisfactory and encouraging to aIL With high hope tor the future, no predic tion in %'gard to it is ventured. On the occa sion corresponding to this four years ago, ail thoughts tvere anxiously directed to an irn pending civil war. All dreaded it. All sought to avoid it. While the inaugural address was being deft vered from this place, devoted al togeiher to saving the Union without war, in surgent, agems were in seeking to des troy it; without war, seekmg to dissolve the Union and divide the effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war. But one of them would make war ranker than let the na tion r-utvive, aud the other would accept war rather than let it perish, &ud the war came. One eighth ol the whole population were coi o.-.-d laves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in tho Southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and power - ful interest. All know that this interest was somehpw the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate and extend this interest was the object for which the insur gents would rend the Union—even by war; while the Government claimed no right to do move than restrict Ihe ot it. Neither party expected ot the war mag nitude or the duration which it has already at tained Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict, itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph and a result less funda mental and astounding. Both ru.-td the «ame bible and pray to the s.'.tne God, and each invokes His aid against the other, lt may seem strange that any man should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces; but le us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayer ot both could • lot be answered—that of neither fans been an swered fully. The Almighty has his own purposes. “Woe 1 unto the world because of offences, for it must iK uis bo that offeuces come; but woe to that nu.u by v. fipm the offence cometli." It we should suppose that American slavery is one ot those oticnqes which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having 1 continued through his appointed time, He »tw ,V; - to remove, that He gives to both N u tit and South this terrible war as the woe due n> those by whom the offence came, shall we discern therein any departure from those Divine attributes whicn the believer in a liv iug God always ascribes to him? Fondly do we hope—fervently do we pray that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away; yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman’s two hundred aifd fifty years of unrequited t il shall be sunk, and until every drop of biood drawn with the lash shall be paid by an o bet drawn with the sword,as was said three hundred ;• ears ago, so stiii it must be said ‘ ; lte judruie its of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.’’ With malice towards none; with charity for ail; with firmness in the right, as God gives 11s to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind ap the nation's wounds, to care for him who snail have come from the battle, and for bis widow, and his orphan. To do all which m y ixihieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. t uo.u VlilfiLVU. jhe enemy have torn up the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad fiom Harper's Ferry to Martins and are laying atrack from Cumberland to Frederick City y v *,s Mollit Bear of >Torth Carolina, was ar es vd la feqldie* flothas in Richmond a lew ! days s uet*. Tee condition of the ground in Virginia pre vt...- the movements of troops around Eich : mend. K-j y . \V 11 Boykins, a nuicli esteemed min ■■sv.er of Norfolk, was foully murdered in the -1 reels of that city a few nights since—being •'..ot through the head by some unknown per son r i “, h 1 Ist Banner.— The Banner is an v- xi.eiiei.. l lucrary as well as religious weekly, -v.a<.ied with t.ovl ability,and printed in i oie best style of the art. For terms etc., see ! card. —jimqii Jtessenger, A LKTTKH Tv Eon. A. H. Stephens: Sir It is in no spirit of compla. kindness that 1 venture to address ye long continued acquaintance, and the in personal kindness existing between us, exc* tlte idea oi rnv seeking to impair your weir merited influence. The bane of our country, io its bet:er diy c wms the almost universal practice, by it* publi-■: men, of the arts ot the demagogue While you may not wholly have ,p ,i tL** nenl contagion. lam sure you never teugiH j-iir ua'tve tegud tot truth, nor been ie utm.'iiidiui of wh u was justly due the ch" ic *r ol a gentleman You have filled with credit to yourself, and profit to your country, many important oubiic trusts. But none have you ever filled of greater importance than that ot (te mmtssiouer, in the tecent con feree:*! with President Lincoln and his Secre tary of State. A painful impression exists that in Iho published report of the Commission ers, there is a failure to state the precise in gtruoti -ns under which they left Richmond,, and the exact teims of settlement suggested by M*. Lincoln. No-one, from President Davis down to the most ignorant, ever supposed that Mr L ncoia dare, «ven if so individually dis posed s far disregard the feelings of the peo p . „f’ the United States, as to entertain a pro pobu Jor peace based on the recognition of the fnd penderree ot the Confederacy. You will p . ; , me, for asking you whether you de pa i dm ytfhr great mission with any hope of ou' mi eg such a concession? If you did not, m<t vout instructions left you no discretion, ’.,1 -U independence was first yielded, why di 1 I , , . ;)»»-nt to undertake the hopeless task? A : k row that the Congress ot the United states, by a constitutional majority of two i p,i o’(d eacli House, have enacted an amend meat, os more technically speaking, proposed an amendment, of the Federal constitution, abolishing slavery throughout the Uuited Uii.es This amend nent, when adopted by three loirrth- of the Slates, will become a part ot tho fundamental law. But, until it is so adopted by three iourins of the States, it is no i art of the oinstitution Mr. Lincoln contin ues to it gurd all the States as still belonging to ihe Union, and therefore, subject to its cor.sti tulion and laws. While you and 1 may think, that, to effect such an amendment as the one referred to, (t is necessary to secure the affir mative V(>t i of three-fourths of all the States, to b<*. affected by it—others umy insist with plausibility at .least, that derelict States, ie~ fusiug to exercise the constitutional privflego of voting, a concurrence of three-fourths of the acltug States will be sufficient to secure the adoption of the amendment This, I take it, is the Lincoiu-Seward construction. It is believed by many poisons, that in no event, w. u and the Federal authorities consent tor tne States in which the Confederate gov ernment. new holds unquestioned sway, to par ticipate iu determining the proposed amend ment of the Constitution of the United States. You are 'presumed to know ihe views of Mr. Lincoln,on this subject. If#tr. Lincoln re . ally desires the retro u of the seceded States to the Union with all tueir former constitutional rights, including, necessarily, the power by vitt led etfo: t to defeat the proposed amend ment ol the Constitution, I t ike it for granted you are awate of and. The country labors tinder Ihi impassion that in the peace conference no .let ms of settlement were tolerated by Mr. Lin coln, short of unconditional submission to the laws of * the Union, including the abolition amendment, as a fact accomplished. If this impression be erroneous, it is due from you as a man of honor, and a lover of truth, to cor reel it. i cannot possibly know what are the facts, but L wish to kuo v them, and the coun try is emitted to know them. If the Commis sion ol which you were ami tuber originated hi no higher or holier purpose than to make proposals that were known to be wholly un tenable, .and that would certainly terminate in rejection amt failure, t en was the motive an unworthy one, and the poor, wretched, hop ing soldiery anil people were cruelly trilled with. *• Borne have suspected I hat the Blair mission, and its apparent success, was only th‘eff' (t ot the '• two clever oues’ : Lincoln and Davis,) to overt each each other, and pro duce a stale (*f inovt perfect unanimity amongst their respective peoples. If this was their iiim, they It ive both achieved a temporary suc cess, and the work ol death m us t proceed on a grander and more awful scale You are famil iar with all the facts, arguments and expecta tions of success in obtaining peace ; and you know how much or how little of sacrifice w«6 offered bv either party to arrest this horrible war. Gan you not consistently with ycur offi cial obligations inform the people? We find on the return of Mr. Lincoln to Washington, that for some reason, an Inroad is made info the rauks of the opposition, and that such men as Fernando Wood, and your old friend Mr. English of Indiana, are ready to strike hands with the administration for the prosecution of the war What produced this extraordinary change? It must have been the conviction that liberal terms for a return to the Union bad been offered the seceded States, and promptly rejected. You can tell whether or not such t rms were offered. The truth ought to be known. Ou tho other hand, on your return f?t Rich mond, the deep disappointment of our people at the failure of your negotiations, was sought to be soothed by ttie accompanying telegraph ic announcement that “ Mr. Stephens would soon return to Georgia, and stump the State." Yon have returned, but I do not hear of you on the stump. Yon hre a modest man, and perhaps have not confidence in your ability to lead armies You are rt sagacious man. and know that the people desire "deeds, not words, and hence, perhaps your sileDce. I do not even hear of your co-operation with Mr. B H. Hill and Gen. Cobb at* Macon They were prompt in meeting the Legislature, and most energetic in at ou ting the indignant patriotism of the people Some suggest that it is easier to harangue than to fight. But this is invidi ous I taV it for granted that the Senator ha 9 left his civil duties to | anticipate in the perils of war by the side of the illustrious gen eral in whose shadow he now reposes Geor gians will rejoice at the auspicious tmion of two such champions, and even laggards and deserters will come forth from their hilling places to follow them to the field. Your high sense of justice, and your unaf fected love of your kind, induce me to hope that you will favor us with a reply. With sentiments of high regard, I remain your obedient servant, An Old Constituent. Items from Fort Gaines, Ga —A negro man tiie property of Rev J Wood, who resides near Cotton Hill, was hung at Fort Gaines on Friday the 24-h ult, for an assault with intent to kill te!-! tuns ter and a Mr.Sealy, on Saturday, the 18th ult., was aiter runaway son of the old ne *gro. Tho bov. to escape the putsuing dogs, thought he would go home, but as he approach ed the house, they caught him. Mr. Sealy dismounted from his horse, and commeuced fighting the Hogs off, when the boy’s father, who was cutting wood by, up and gave Mr Sealy a blow on the back of his be«d which broke the outer table of the skull. Par son Wood then ertered. when tho negro turned o; U’ni aud broke his collarbones. Mrs. Wood approached with a drawn pistol, when the ne gro mounted Sealy's horse and fled. He was caught on the following Monday above Cuth bert. He fought till the last and was badly torn by the dogs Mr. Sealy is improving and bids fair to get well. A negro roan was put in jail on Sunday, the 26tWnlt., for fighting Mr Cohen to whom he was iiired, and who was endeavoring to cor rect him. A considerable fire occurred on the night of the 21st ult., which burned the dwelling occu pied by Dr. O’Conner, the two other houses and about twenty head of hogs. Great vigi lance saved contiguous buildings. The fire o riginated in a livery stable through careless ness. — Columbus Sun- A dispatch from Montreal says, that in the last trial of the St. Albans raiders, several wit nesses testified th-t the prisoners were in the Confederate service, and their commissions were sworn to as genuine. One witness testi tied that a majority of the prisoners had been at Chicaeo, where five or six hundred Confed erate soldiers bad collected to release the pris oners at Camp Dongias. This expedition fail ing, two others were organized, one of which was the St. Albans raid. This witness said they were instructed to report to C. C. Clay, Confederate commissioner in Canada. ' C n- G‘or \ i/urb&tor* of V thereof tor the > ttud establish he . K... fcte _i __.a Company die number of Director necessary tor .t qu tmn to transact business, an<l forolitet j.ui (h. m.--; relative to said Company. 2. A''t to relkve fax pave > from S»‘ite and county taxes tor tiie vear 1801, in certain cases 3 Act to increase. the per diem pu> of Teachers entitled to the beiefit of the j. oor school fund of this State. 4 Act to limit the tax to be imposed upon the '’itizens and tax payers of the city ot Mari - etta, in said State 5 Act to refund all taxes payed by hirers of negroes on the same in certain cases * 6. Act to legalize administrations made un der letters granted frsin wrong counties in certain cases 7. Act to increase the compensation of Re ceivers of Tax returns and Tax Collectors tor the y ( ar 1865, and thereafter until altered by law. 8 Aot for extending time for paying rax of D. H. B. Troup, and others similarly situ ated. 9. Act to amend the 1752 Section of the Code ol Georgia. 10 Act to add the countv of Worth to the South Western Judicial Circuit and to change the time of holding the Superior Cout t of said county. 11. Act to authorize Executors, Adminis trators and Guatdians in those counties over ruu by the public enemy to make their annual returns in any county m this State to which they may remove, and for other purposes 12. Act to -incorporate the Metropolitan Telegraph Company, and for other purposes therein mentioned. 13. Act to amend an Act to incorporate an Insurance Company in the city of Savannah to be called the Southern Insurance and Ttust Company, passed 17th December, 1861,and to sanction its reorganization. 14. Act to change the line between the connth sos Merriwether and Coweta, so as to include the residence of B. P. Hill in the lat ter 15. Act to change the line between the conaties of Chattahoochee and Stewart, also to change the line between Glasscock and War ren. 16. Act to change the line between the counties of Pulaski and Telfair. 17. Act to legalize the election of Commis sioners for the totou of Madison, held on the 10th day of December, 1864. 18- Act to change the line between the coun ties of Wayne and Pierce. 19 Act to repeal an act entitled “An Act to change the county lines between Marion and Taylor, and the county lines between Coweta and Heard," assented to December 27, 1857, so far as relates to the county line between Coweta and Heard. 20. Act to repeal an act entitled “An Act to alter and change ths oath f tax payers in this State,” assented to Dec. 14, 1863. 21. Act to prescribe the oath of tax payers for the year 1865. 22. Act to amend an Act to incorporate an Insurance Company called the “Home Insur ance Company," approved Bth December, 1863, and to sanction its reorganization. 23. A#t to amend the charter of the town of Sparta, in said State. 24. Act to amend the laws of evidence in re lation to the gaming laws of this State. 25 Act to authorize and require tho record ing of deeds, mortgages and other instruments that have been heretofore recorded, and when record of the same has been burned or de stroyed; and to authorize the recording of deeds mortgages and other instruments iu coun ties iu this State which have been, or nuiv hereafter be, occupied by the public enemy, and for other purposes. 2G. Aot to amend an aot of the 14th of I)e comber, 1863, authorizing the Treasurer to issue certificates of deposit for certain Treasury notes. 'll. Act to alter and amend the act iuc->r porating the town of Fort Valley, in tin :u --ty of Houston, so as to invent the eointnuSdion ers of said town with lull power to regulate or prohibit the retail of spirituous liquors within the corporate limits ot the same. 28. Act relative to juries. 29. Act t» alter and amend the Code of Georgia, that the provision of sections 4792 and 4T93 shall apply to and be of force in the city of Columbus, allowing judgment entered as in case of appeal. 30. Act to repeal an act assented to April, 1863, entitled an act ti changt the lines be tween the counties ot Randolph and Calhoun, so as to embrace in the county of Randolph lots of land Number 210 211, 246, and 247, in the sth distrist of originally Lee, now Calhoun, jn the county of Raudolpb.. 31. Aet to amend the charter and oorpo rate laws of the city of Miliedgeville, as to the mode of clothing aldermen. 32 Act to alter and change the corpo rate limits of the town of Perry, in Houston •ounty. 33 Act to prescribe the tax on banking corporations and all incorporated companies using banking privileges in this State; also, to relieve the banks and other incorporated com panies fiom a double tax levied upon the same in 1864. 35. Act to allow certain tax receivers a reasonable time to make their returns 36. Act for the relief of persons elected to Civil ofliees in this State, and for other pur poses. 36. Act for the relief of tax collectors from whom State and county funds have been taken by tho public enemy. RESOLUTIONS. 1. A resolution appointing a joints commit tee to examine the condition ot the peniteni ary, and report thereon. 2 Resolution authorizing the Treasurer to rent an offioe in the city of Macon. 3- Resolutions itquestirg the authorities to suspend the order to take iron from the Macon and Brunswick Railroad. 4. Resolutions relative to the pay of the members and officers of the General Assem 5. Resolutions relative to repairs, etc., on the State Penitentiary. 6. Resolutions requesting his Excellency the Governor to allow the officers of tkte Gen eral Assembly to purchase cotton cards. 7. Resolution authorizing the Governor to furnish members and certain officers with Wa ters’ pamphlet. FROM MU % ICO. The reported expulsion -of the American Consol from Matamoras appears to be confi.fin ed by his arrival at the Southwest Pass lhe latest news Irom Matamoras is that the Americ&u Hag has been hauled down by some unknown party. The assigned reasons for the Emperor Max imilian tor delivering the passport to the Amet ican Consul at Matamoras i# the non-recogni tion of the French-Austrian authorities in Mex ico by the Government of the United States. It iB reported that Gens. Caraval and Corti nas are marching on Matamoras, where Gen. Mejira, with 4,000 troops awaits their attack. Gen. Hurlburt has ordered that no permits fer vessels or merchandise be granted for Mat amoras until further orders. $ Advices received in New York through private sources from Mexico state that the war in the United States is attracting tie special atten tion of the Imperial Goverewnent. The po lice are directed to arrest all who express their sympathy with the Union cause, and one man, named Valders has been sentenced to a year’s imprisonment for speaking favorably about the United States and predicting the speedy end of the rebellion. The Imperial Treasury is constantly getting lower. The hostility of the church party to the Em peror Maximilian is on the increase. Tbe friends of the Jurist cause here refuse to give credence to the reported defeat of Por firio Diaz at Oaxaca. — Gen. Palmer, commanding in Kentucky, an nounces bi 9 poliny. will in no material degree differ from that pursued by Gen. Burbridge, the enlistment of negroes to be vigorously prosecuted, no State troops to be enlisted or allowed within the State. V Mil P . if* IIILII l Hi BILL Fxfcoravs: DJii’Artmext, j MILLEDOKYILLti, Ga,.,! '- Oil 13 1, ISOS. j '] oil! to amen ian act for the re- otgani .i • of the M itfa o this State, assented t,> Due.- m:ter lib, 1?63, w.-s passed as so 1 ice an his ti on 2,i urduy up. at D'-c i! : hu.;, t, that I h• I no opportunity to x inline uai aov upon , prior to me djoutntaent 1 the Genera: As sr-.uhiy. which occht'red a. few moments aiiet •he «uiolted hill was delivered to me at the Executive Department. 1 have stoci rea and carefully considered this bib: ami, wii e lapptove U.a portion of it winch provides lor me reng .n z ttioii neces sary to tid iut* command of sapernnmeiary officers, and eb 'tion by those to tie command ed, of .the officers neco. xary to command the or ganizations which it may be imfktr nt to con soitdate, as the t fficers now iu command were elected prior to tne receipt of their c. minis sious, and ot that pat of the bill pro vides tor the organ zutou >1 a Military Goyrt : there are other provisoes ot the bill which 1 cannot approve, because I am of op nion they would greatly weaken -he Militia force of the State. As lam üblig dro sign or reject the bill as a whole, cue question presouied tor my consideration is, will its passage tesult mmo.e benefit or more injury to tlu service. After dareful exam nation of the whole bill, I am satisfied it will weaken the orgauination much more ay its exemptions than it writ strengthen it by placing what supernumerary officers there are, io tue ranks Tue bill exempts from active military (er vice ali processors of colleges, all teachers who had been such tor tour y ejrs previous to the wav without requiring that they be now engaged iu teaching; and all physicians who have been for seven years iu the regular practice ot tLetr professions, it also exempts ail boys b-l a- t-i sixteen and seventeen years of age, trotn ail military duty, either on t.h -active list, ov in their counties at home with the resetves The records of the Adjutant and Inspector General’s utfiee show that there were 4,474 of this class enrolled in Utc State when the Aiili tia were reorganized. This number is proba bly more than ten tim s as many as the whole number ol officers whe would be reduced t > the tanks by the re-organization. Ot this class some whose physical development is defective are unfit for active service • These have been discharged by the Met! eni boards. There are however, a large uuuiucr ot those between these ages who nave been found by experience to be able and willing to do valuable s* vice. The Battalion of Cadets are generally boys from litteeu to seventeen years of age, and u is well known that no troops in tlie service, during the campaign trotn Miliedgeville to 8a vaunalv, and thence to Augusta, endured it better or acted with more distingu.shed g tl lautry, under the tire of the ent-rny liie same i#true of many ot this class who were iu Gen eral Smith’s Division, who endured camp iile as well, and acted their part with as much cred it as any troops in service. Details of a number of physicians sufficient to do the necessary practice m each county have been made u, on the application of tne Justices of the Interior Courts, i'ue exemp tion of those who now belong to the Divis on ot Militia would therefore weaken the organ ization, without a corresponding benefit to the community. All necessary professors in colleges, and teachers, can also he detailed or exempted when it is uhqwn that they will be more serviceable at liornt; while those not so, though they may have been teachers lour years previous to the war, can be useful in the th id. lt may be a great inconvenience for any or ali ot those persons and classes to leave home; aj it is for the detailed agricultural Ist, the blacksmith, the shoemaker, the miller, the tau uer and other classes, which the tyli does not exempt. But our late sad experience Im shown that we must depend mainly upon fn Militia for the piotectiou of the Btate ; and -t becomes our duty to require, in great t m u geneiea, the services of all who can bear arms. While we require the old men over fifty years of age, to do police and other duty iu tlieu re spective counties, the bill proposes to relieve boys between sixteen and seventeen, who are generally more active and able to endure latigue, from all obligation to discharge even this duty. As the passage of the bill wbu’d so far re 7 duce the Militia force as to render it inadequate co the necessities which required izttion, and which doubtless, influenced ihe LegUlatare in their determination to keep the .Utliti 1 lor Suite defence, I fee; it my duty to withhold my sanction from it, while I regret that the portion of it which won and have been beneficial cannot become a law, without the objectionable parts above enumerated. Joseph E. Brown, Governor. The Curse op the Country. —The greatest curse of the country—that which has en tailed upon us more injury than all the advan tages secured by the armies of Lincoln —is the spirit of speculation that has grown up in the land. Already have we observed that the re suit of the peace negotiations has been eized as an excuse to advance prices—not real values —generally, and now that the war threatens au indefinite prolongation, we have no - iouffi but there will be another attempt made 0 < re liance the price of all things in tho subs? - tonne liae, and thereby create an amount of suffering and destitution among the people hitherto tin exampled in our history. We agree without - coteinpqvary of the C ■*, lumbus Times in his estim -te of the sp tit of the sprcu’ators who thus take advantage «:>■ tne fears and necessities of the peopie. Bo heart less are mauy of this class, bo eager to take ad vantage of every turn in the wheel of our po litical fortunes, so eager to amass princely : s tates, even though such wealth should be aeon mulcted by scrambling over the graves of our dead patriots, or in hearing of tne cries of the penniless widows and orphans that tbey wT! not scruple to take advantage of the waning prospects of peace, to depreciate the vatu-; of our money, and double the tariff on all articles of produce iu their hands Is there no vein of patriotism in the carcasses of such leeches that can be aroused into life ? Is there no chord of compassion in their hearts tf*tt can be touch ed ? No feeling of commisseration that can t»« awakened? Are they determined to sacrifice all on the altars of mammon ? Since the first of January, the price of flour, meal, corn, wheat, potatoes, beef, poik, lard, and in fact almost every article necessary to sustain the life of man and beast, have nearly doubled; and there appears to be every dispo sition lo go on in this upward scalp without pause. What is the cause of this upward teu deuev? Provisions seem as plentiful ais they were two y.,-ars ago. The volume of currency ha: been decreased and will no doubt he con tractor! suii further. Why then should flteie be such an unquenchable mania for accutntnu lation? Let everybody, for Heaven’s sake, try to keep prices down u- living rates, It will be far more honorable at tho end of tli- j war in the sight of God and man, for each oi os to stand before the world without one cent, than to revel amid neaps of weal ch secured at the expense of all that is noble and gene: o us in man .—Montgomery Appeal. To What are We Drifting. —The demora lization of the times continues. Men who were strictly sober four years go, now get (tyunk wituout any regard to conscientious scru ples. M6c who were formeiy considered para gons of honesty, can now steal without a blink of the eyeyor a palpitation of the heart— steal little things ofteb without the slightest justifiable pretext, through mere wanton maliciousness. Men who would once have blushed at the conception of an obscene thought or the utterence of a profane word can now abandon themselves to the indulg encejof these things with a gusto that eclipses the most desperate instances of profanity and vulgarism in iormer years. Avarice, lust, in temperance, inhumanity, Sabbath desecration, profanity, pilfering, hold high carnival. To what are we drifting ? Life, property, domestic tranquility are insecure. Even the house of God is often prostituted , and the sa cred right to worship God, is not secere from interruption. To what depths is man capable of descending? Without the restraining grace of G "and of law he would sooji approximate the lor. ast fiend in the abominations that make up he II Verily, without reform we can never expect the favor of Heaven —Columbus IWMi. The Democracy 5f Connecticut have re nominated Judge Seymour for governor, and the whole State ticket of the last State cam paign. utlii .\i.VVei. and j Geu iltdiitzelman, who- lias been so joun :;_r in When dug for some mouths, has been • hiedto Cu re. the British Minister th Washington deuies the report that his Government has sold a man of war steamer t > the rebels. be steamer Brilliant was tired into by Coa ted rate goerUias below Oonion, ou her way fiwin Steshv tie to Cairo. Tbey followed her live, miles down Use river, 1 equeutty firing. A number of shots passed through the pilot house and toxas. 0 eof the bandies of tie pilot's wheels was shot off, aud the bedclothes iu ttie officer:.’s ioouu severely riddled, but no one on the boat w. 13 auit’. A Confederate named Joseph McJoan'dl, a captain iu tie Geotgia St .te Militia, was sent t.i the prison at bandusky, Ohio. A short time since he took the amuesty oath as pie scribed oy Lincoln and was released a few days ago he a dived at Dalton %nd asked per mi.-stou to pass through the lines there to go to his home in Cherokee county, Georgia The Provost marshal of the district immeadi ately returned the dispatch, ordering that the man should no' pass through The amnesty only allows rebels to return to their homes atter they have taken the oath, when their homes are within tiie F deral lines. The L uisvtlle Journal says, immense quan tifier ot bridge timber for tiie raitroaes in Ten nessee, Georgia aud Alabama are daily trans ported through Louisville by tlu government. Tne time- r # pine, aud comes from tho forests ot Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Gen. Leslie Combs was knocked down and robbed a lew nights ago iu Frankfort. Henry Ward Beecher’s salary for this year lias been fixed at 5> 12,500. A young girl thirteen years old, has been ur te-uxJ m Liuuisyilie, Ky., for killing her la t.uei by giving him poison iu his food. A New York telegram says that forty tlious au l peisous whose'names had been enrolled tor the draft m tha t city cannot he found. "A New York mechanic has invented what promises, to prove a formidable weapon of war m the snipe of a combination of sabre and six shooting revolver. # The sabre is of the regular length, aud iu the cip of tho steel hilt hits the charging part of a six shooter, which revolves iu the usual manner aud discharges the balls through ati aperture bored in front ot the guard, coining opposite the thumb when the sabre is grasped in lire hand.' Judge Euo, who was the successful Whig candidate lot Lieutenant Governor of Califor nia 111 1853, is now iu the Sacramento Coun ty Hospital. He lias become intemperate aud very poor, and ot late has subsisted by begg iug. . Gen. Patterson has published his report o! tne famous Winchester campaign, where Joe Johnston so manceuvered his men as to put Piitteisou on retirement ever since, it is an elaborate deienso of his operations, and a la bored attempt to prove that ;he battle of Bull Ruu was iost through no fault of his. Gen. Patterson pioduces|iu this pamphlet a letter President Lincoln, who wnte 3 : “I am unable tq,see tuat you could have done anything else than you did do. Y"#ur h’auds were tied; you obeyed your orders aud did your duty, and I am satisfied with your conduct.” Gen. Thom as, who was m Gen. Patterson’s command at that time, also upmoves of his conduct. Ttie St. Louis Republican understands that the Kiowa, Cauxanche and Apache tribes of In dians on the plains, have had council with the Indian agent iu pursuance ol an expressed de sire tor peace. A day had been appointed for a council witu the military authorities to de cide the matter. Pending the decision theie agreed to, the Indians anJto remain quiet.-- ! arc now posted near the border ol Texas file Memphis Argus reports that gangs of thieves continue their nightly depredations in G,e country* arountl N ishvflle, robbing tl% citizens of their money and stock. Sometimes the parties ate dress, and iu the Federal uniform and sometimes in citizens clothing. A New York dispMch of the 18th sayfi fight ing in Mexico wstill active. Juarez's guerillas shot every French soldier tbey. captured. Ihe Legislatures of New Hampshire and Vermont both have passed resolutions calling upon neighboring States to co-operate iu ef forts to restore; he fisheries ot chad and salmon, which in former years yieidde bountiful sup plies .of choice food. These fish have entirely disappeared from most of the Eastern rivers. An order from the Yankee headquarters at Little Ro«k, dated January 16th, directs that in as much as Uioso “persons living within the army lines, aud enjoying the protection of the national forces, who have declined to declare there adherence to the government," all such shall tor removed beyond the lines unless they avail themselves' of the privilege of taking the oath. ' Lieut. S. B Davis, formerly l&eper of tho prison at Andersonville, Ga., who wasarrest < (1, in,,; and convicted a short time since by a ntiiUury court martial iu the North of being a rebel spy, end who was sentenced to he hung at J ihe: - u’: Island, had his sentence commu .i*e by t.incoln to imprisonment at hard labor, during the war, at Fort Delaware. At tlie time <A his anest. as our readers are probably aware, Davis acknowledged that he was bearer of dispatch- s from Canada to tlie Government t Richmond, but protested against the charge made against him of being a spy. • Confederate guerillas are said to bo quite numerous around Clarksville. Some of litem recently e-qttmed have been shot. '■ Sev rul hundred cavalry appeared in the vicinity of Nashville. Gen GHletn has just returned from Knox vil’»- and reports everything quiet in that sccifr.'tt, except some cavalry roving over the country, which are unable to do much dam age. Military matters in the Department of the Cumberland are said to be quiet. The Yankee c va’ry were ail at Eastporr, Tenn., at fast ac counts. • The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, lend ing out jrora Knoxville, is being repaired for a hundred miles beyond that city. A correspondent of the New York Herald, speaking of Gen. Hindman joining Maximilian says : Hindman had got into Matamoras from eight bundl 'd bales of cotton, which he had sold io an English house at thirty-live cents per. pound, and received a draft on Liverpool for the amount, A Yankee ccxespondent writes that the win tr-r mortality among the black people and en listed soldiers in colored regiments has bee»* very great. It averaged during Decent her and part of January, twenty *a day. Fifteen of these were contrabands. The weather is hard upon the half clad, half fed, a:nl half boused blacks. According to • Yankee correct indent there have been between December *lstti and January 28th, in the various hospitals at Nash viiie. 1,500 deaths, by faT the g.eater part having lice a from wounds hi battle. The sol ders cemetery contained a total of 11.500 Yan kee dead. - p ‘ Bt. Louis is required to furnish 8,400 map its her quota under the late call, for »00,000 which is more than two-thirds of her voting population, and as large a number as there ara abie-bodied men in tho city. During themonth of February, an expedition of the enemy went up the Ouachita river, La.. and destroyed a large amount of property. The passenger train which left Nashville on the morning of Feb. 17th, on the Nashville and Decatur railroad, was captured by a squad of rebels at Spring Hill, * twelve mile3 below Franklin, Tenn. There was a great meeting at the Capitol in Washington last Monday night, in behalf of Joyiu elugees from the South. Postmaster Gene,. I Dennison presided, and interesting speeches were made by Rev. Dr. Thompson, of New Y'ork; Col. Taylor, of Tennessee; Sena tor Doolittle, of Wisconsin; Gen. Garland and others. The commission has branches at Chi cago, St. Louis and Nashville, and will imme diately send supplie»f chothing, etc., to Ten nessee, Arkansas aau other States. The Knoxville Whig says that Bradley coun , ty, East Tennessee, is literally overrun with Confederate guerrillas and bushwhackers, who are robbing and murdering' Union citizens. They shot Wm. Hunter, of Georgetown, but a few nights ago. They cut the telegraph wires, .captured a lot of horses and run them off to Murray county, where they make their head quarters. Recruiting is going on in Ohio rapidly, that is of ail accounts are correct. Bahclu of Natural Bru.ue, Fn*.—ln the 1 ■' - . (-sc Journal oi Match 11, we find the annexe ace uni oi i :e batlte which occurred near Nat . M Bridge t 1 that State : Attune o’clock ou Siturtlay night Inst, n- vs wa . eceivYu ;n la i a .lessee Y un k««s, 1,400 Btro .g . bad ia ided trotn their licet at the ::t. I*i. t vk’« 1 tght House, and wcie matching m : r .- -t s._-a of Newport; vh.-n the Coufi'dr ate tosces iu that neigh bo thoou, under the to itn mu of Col. G W Scott, wa re gallantly opposing them and chick'ng .be.- u.iva ce, aud that iheir object was probalw) l» make a forced march upon Tallahassee au-r burn and destroy the place, or turn the battu 1 ns of St. Murks and take permanent posses sion and > stabhsh them elves there. The alarm w s given, and the note ot pre paration sounded throughout the whole tuty aud coqnty, and w»;t.s extended 'o tho ortie.- counties. The militia Wire ordered out, au.i au unanimous add iuvinci ie response was made to the c.-iii- Every tuau and boy capable of bearing anus was at bis post. Never, since Ho cotntuouc. ment of the war, have the peopie exhibited a greater spirit. One company of Cavalry marched nearly sixty miles in twenty four hours. Others marched ou foot tinny and forty miles to overtake their companies who hau gone ahead, aud in a very short 1 in-* a sufficient force was on the way to the u mo* of action to meet any force tlie enemy hud there. Gol. Scott was hardly pressed by the enemy and retired to Newport and burned the bridge* theie. The enemy finding it impossible to force a passage of the river at that place, march and in the direction of tho Natural Bridge. Reinforcements having arrived, at daylight on Monday morning our forces cncouutOiCtl the enemy at the Natural Bridge, about seven or eight miles aiiove Newport, ou the St. Mat ks liver The action lasted for several hour#, when tho enemy were completely repulsed ami. driven back to their gunboats, with a Joss < f 400 killed, wounded and prisoners. In tho action we lost, three killed and twenty two wound and Among tiie kilted, we are sorry to mention Capfc. ii Lv. Sisumaus, of 2d Flor ida Cavalry-, a brave and skillful officer. The names of the other filled and wouudod will be found in auo'ker place Gen Samuel Jon was enriy upon the field and has piovi u liu-.u ' .m able officer That brave veteran Gen. W. Miller, n command of ttie Reserves, took a prominent part iu the action, and contributed materially to the victory. VVe have beaten the enemy again in Florida and di iviit them from our soil, and with tiie help of God if it is iu the power of man to keep them from ravaging . ur homes, our men will not permit them to do it. At the time of our writing the Yankee have re-embarked on their transports, a few of which remain in the oay oppo.-ite the Light House. The enemy were commanded by Gen. New ton. Two deserters were shot, after trkvi h-j? court martiai, who were captured in Yankee, uniforms. . One of them was recognized »£, the man who shot the Adjutant of the s;m ond Florida cavalry at the time of his desor tioa. Col J J Daniel Had a leg and arm injured by a fait from his horse. The Cadets from the Florida State Semiuasy were ii the fight, and behaved in the most gal lant manner, i heir praise is on the lips of all who took part*in the tight. Twenty tour prisoners were brought to this city last Wednesday evening. Two whites and the balance negroes. One of the whites is a. Lienten ml. A citizen of Newport, who was taken pris oner during their retreat and held until their re-embaikatiou, to prevent his giving informa tion, says that the Yankees admitted a loss of 400 in the sa,e battle. They carried off most of their wounded. We are indebted to C<>l G W Scott for thu annexed list of casualties among the Yankee officers. Every officer engaged i j tho fight at Natural Bridge was either killed, wounded or taken prisoner: Killed : Lieut Col I'earsol), Major Lincoln, Adjutant General of Coin maud. Captains Tracy and Carpenter, Lieuls Murphy and Moore.-.*, Wounded: ttrig Ueii John Newton, inarm and thigh, Col Townsend, mortally. This Nkuuo Soldier Bill — Annexed is the ne gro soldier bill as it passed the Senate. It is enti tled “A bill to increase the military force of the ContedenUe States The Congress o 4 the Confederate States of America do enact, That in order to provide additional forces to repel invasions, maintain the rightful possession of the Confederate States, secure their independence and preserve tbeir institutions, the President be and is here by aadhoi ized to ask for and accept from the o vners of slaves, the services of such number o able-bodied men as he may deem expedient! for and during the war, to ' perform military* service in whatever capacity he may direct. Sec 2. leneral iu-Chief be author ized to organize the said slaves into compa nies, battalions, xegiments'and brigades, un der such rules and regulations as the Secretary of War may pi esc ribe, and to be commanded by such officers as the President may appoint. Sec. o. That while employed iu the service, the said troops shali receive the same rations, clothing and compensation as are allowed to other troops iu the same branch of the service. Sec 4. i'liat if, tinder the previous sections of this act, the President shall not be able to raisa a sufficient number of troops to prosecute the-war successfully, and maintain the sover eignty of the States and the independence of the Confederate f-tates, tlien he is hereby au f thorized to call on eacch State, whenever he thinks it expedient, for her quota of three hun dred thousand troops, in addition to those sub ject to military service under existing laws, or so many thereof as the President may deem necessary to be raised from such classes oi the population, irrespective oi color, in each State, as the proper authorities, thereof may deter mine :-Provided, That no more than twenty live per cent, oi tiie male slaves between the ages of eighteen and forty-five in any State shall bo called lor under the provisions of this act. See 5* That nothing in this act shall be con strued to authorize a change in the relation which the said slaves shall bear towards their owners, except by the consent of the owners and of the S ates in which they may reside, and in pursuance of the laws thereof. Robberies in Rubseli, County. —We are in formed that three men, iq tbe guise of Con federate sol,tiers and who represented thetrf*- selves as cavalry, being mounted and armed called near night on Tlmnday last at tho house ot Mr. Tate, in Russell county, about eight miles from Columbus. They asked Mr T.’s permission to go in his bouse and warm to which he readily consented. While sit ting around tbe fire, one of the 'party drew on* a> orse pistol and showed it to Mr. Tate, remarking those were the kind of weapon they had to use. and that he desired to swap it for a lighter one, and at, the same time asking Mr. T. if he ho ! one Upon Mr. T. answering in the affirmitive and- hewing his pistol to hirn at tho request of the soldier, the latter sudden ly exclaimed, ‘ We have your arms;, we now want your gold and are determined to have it, Upo 1 being informed that he had none, they then asked if he did not have Confederate money, and made the old gentleman give up what be had of that. The party then broke open his trunks, and took what clothes they .wanted, and then broke open his smokehouse and treated that in the same manner. We also learn that they treated a widow lady, living in that neighborhood, in a some what similar manner a night or two before.— Columbus Sun. FROM MISSISSIPPI. —* Two transports came up within nine miles of Canton, Miss., a few days previous, to remove the cotton which had been placed on the banks for government purpose. Our troops were commanded to let them alone. Gen Taylor has issued an order that “in future the field and line all com mands. within this department will be person ally responsible for damages committed by their soldiers upon public or private prop erty” The new Confederate commander in the vicinity of Natche? has prohibited and taken measures to stop trading between the country and the city Seventy boats loaded with Yankee troops have gone down the Mississippi during the past lew weeks.