From the North.
The subjoined extracts are called from the latest Northern papers received at this office:
A negro regiment to be Raised in Rhode Island--Gov. Sprague's proclamation.
The
Providence (R. I) correspondent of the New York
Tribune, under date of August 5th, writes:
The war is begun.
The bitter and terrible earnest has come.
What the
South has meant and done for more than a year, the
North has begun to do and is now doing in this smallest but largest hearted and most efficiently patriotic of all the States.
Draft the
President has said, and this stout word of real war is hailed throughout the few miles of the length and breadth of this State, as meaning that our
Generals shall take off their gloves and the rebellion shall be put down without ceremony.
The gallant
Commander-in-Chief of the hundred and seventy-four thousand and odd loyal inhabitants of little Rhody, has this morning answered with a word of thunder under the mild phrase of a
general order, which will live in history as the first step toward allowing the great slaveholders' rebellion to become what it has been so long struggling toward becoming — a gigantic suicide.
These are its words:
Providence. August 4.
General Orders, No. 36.--The 6th regiment, ordered by the
Secretary of War, under date of October 23, 1861, and orders issued therefore from this Department, No. 103, December 28, 1861, will consist entirely of colored citizens.
Enlistments will commence immediately.
Camps will be established under direction of
General Robbins, who is directed to organize the regiment.
The
Quartermaster General will furnish rations and equipments on requisition.
Our colored fellow-citizens are reminded that the regiment from this State will constitute a part of the quota from
Rhode Island, and it is expected they will respond with real and spirit to this sall.
The
Commander-in-Chief will lead them into the field, and will share with them, in common with the patriotic soldiers of the army of the
Republic, their trials and dangers, and will participate in the glories of their successes.
The Yankee Oath of allegiance in Virginia.
At a meeting held at
Woodville, Virginia, for the purpose of finding out who among its citizens were willing to swear allegiance to the
Lincoln Government, the following was the form of the oath submitted.
It is said that the number who were willing to do so was exceedingly limited:
Form of Oath.
I do voluntarily and solemnly swear that I will support and defend the
Constitution and Government of the
United States against all their enemies or opposers, whether domestic or foreign, and will yield full faith, allegiance, and loyalty to the same, any resolution, law, or ordinance of any State Convention or Legislature whatever to the contrary notwithstanding.
That I renounce all allegiance to the so-called
Confederate States of America, and that I will not in any manner give any aid, advice, comfort, or intelligence to the enemies of the
United States.
And further, that I will use all the means in my power to assist the
Government of the
United States in the restoration of the
Union, and the execution and enforcement of the laws now in force, made in pursuance of the
Constitution thereof.
And further, that I do this with a full determination, pledge, and purpose, without any mental reservation or evasion of mind in me whatsoever.--
So help me God.
The Germans and the draft.
The New York
Sun says:
‘
Of all our population, the Germans are the most singularly in the fog concerning the two levies of troops now impending, some thinking that the whole 600,000 men are to be raised per force and at once by conscription, others believing that recruits are coming in so fast that there will be no draft at all, and others, again, apprehensive that the whole burthen of the levy will be made to fall upon the poor laboring man. These latter claim in most determined language that the community must provide sufficiently for their families, or that the arming of several hundred thousand conscripts will place in the hands of these latter a power to procure the satisfaction of all their just demands.
The idea of forcing discontented or disloyal men into the ranks is severely reprobated.
That plan has been tried over and over again in the Austrian armies, and has ever led to military disasters.
Banishment of such, should they become dangerous, is the proper plan.
To support thousands of them in confinement is out of the question.
The majority of Germans now enlisting seem to be in favor of radical war measures.
A great number, however, who entertain other views, do not enlist.
’
Sale of captured bells at Boston.
The lot of church, plantation, school, factory, and other bells which had been presented by the patriotic citizens of the
South to the Confederate Government, but which were captured and confiscated at New Orleans by
Picayune Butler, were sold at auction, on the 30th ult., at
Boston.
A Northern journal says:
‘
The sale was numerously attended.
There were 418 bells in all. The greater part of them were cast at the
Buckeye foundry,
Cincinnati, though many were from foundries at New York,
West Troy,
Pittsburg, and
Louisville.
Among the number were several Catholic bells, cast in
France--one with the inscription, ‘"Fait par
Jean Bagin, 1785,"’ over a cross; another, cast at
Nantes, France, 1786; others cast in 1775, 1776, and 1783. One, very elaborately ornamented, from the First Presbyterian Church, Shrevesport, La.
Col. Thompson, before beginning the sale, read a note from
a Mr. De Peyster, of Duchess county, N. Y., who desired the privilege of purchasing a bell which he gave several years ago to the Episcopal Church at
Nacogdoches, Texas, founded by a friend of his,
Rev. Thomas Bacon, who was driven from the place on account of his Union sentiments.
The
Colonel improved the opportunity to make a stirring speech on enlisting.
The bells were sold in lots of from three to one hundred and eighty-seven, except the three heaviest sold separately, and a few others bought as relics and for individual use. The prices ranged from 21¼ to 31 cents a pound.
The bidding was spirited, and the amount realized was probably upward of $24,000. A lot of iron bars, for covering steamships and batteries, sold for $47 a gross ton. A lot of copper, consisting of bathing tubs, roofing, spouts, sugar boilers, &c., at 21¼ cents a pound.
’
The
United States authorities in
Newark, N. J., have seized a silver cup which had been sent to an engraver in that city to be marked as follows:
"
Stonewall Jackson.
L.
1862"
It is not known whether it is intended for some Ledge or Lodges, or whether it is a present for some child in Dixie the latter is probably the case.
The subject is, however, under investigation by the proper authorities.
Strong language — Lincoln Denounced.
At a meeting recently held in
Fairfield county.
Ohio,
Dr. Olds, a Democratic candidate for Congress, made a speech, during which the following language was used by him in reference to
Lincoln's emancipation scheme:
‘"I denounce
Lincoln as a tyrant.
He has perjured his soul.
He may imprison me, but I will still cry tyrant.
I denounce these acts of oppression as foul acts of perjury against the
Constitution."’
‘"And now, my fellow Democrts, I am going to have a vision, which, if it were not a vision, might be treason, but what I now say I say in sleep, and I am not therefore responsible,"’ * * * "
I see blood at the ballot this fall.
The President has issued his proclamation for 300,000 more troops, and Congress has passed a law authorizing him to draft them.
He will have to draft them if he gets them, because these cowardly Abolitionists will not enlist.
There is an election this fall, and they want to carry it. They want to draft Democrats; they will draft them to prevent their voting.
They have the power, and can so arrange it. You will not be cheated.
I tell you you will not submit to these wrongs.
You will see blood. If they attempt to arrest us and take us from our families to support an Administration in its violations of the
Constitution,
we will resist even to blood. If the Democrats don't succeed at the ballot-box they will succeed at the
point of the bayonet.
What I mean is, that
Lincoln's minions will surround the ballot-box this fall with bayonets to prevent Democrats from voting, and we will resist them with the bayonet.
The negro question — a Diversity of sentiment.
From the following extracts copied from Northern journals, it will be seen that there is a wide difference of opinion as to the most effectual mode to be adopted to crush the ‘"rebellion."’ The New York
Post says:
‘
Daniel S. Dickinson,
Francis B. Cutting,
ex-Gov. Boswell,
Orestes A. Brownson,
Gen. Mitchell,
Gen. Hunter,
Gen. Lew. Wallace,
Gen. Rousseau,
Gen. Dument,
Gen. Cochrane, and others of less note, make no concealment of their convictions that the war must put an end to slavery or slavery will put an end to the
Union.
These men were all Democrats.
They see that the outbreak of a slaveholders' war has changed essentially the relations of slavery to the
State, and they guide their minds, not by the old party traditions, or according to circumstances which have forever passed away, but by the light of existing events.
We of the
North can no doubt whip the rebels by arms; we can drive them out of
Richmond into the cotton States; we can pursue them through the thousand swamps of the cotton States into the
Gulf of Mexico; it would take time and money and life to do so; but we could do it all beyond a peradventure.
But the
Union would not be thereby restored.
The same elements of discord would still exist; the same fends would break out, and no permanent peace or permanent harmony would be possible until the respective social systems of the North and South are rendered homogeneous by the extinction of the only difference between them.
We must go on fighting for ever in this kind of desultory civil war, or else we must form coterminous States of diverse civilizations, which would fight no less perpetually; or finally, looking the problem right in the heart of it, resolve to restore the
Union on the only basis on which, after what has occurred, a restoration seems to be possible, namely the establishment of free institutions and a free system of society in all the component parts.
’
In commenting on the above the New York
Express uses the following language:
‘
We answer, in the first place, by asking what right — war right or constitutional right — has the
Government to make war upon loyal States like
Kentucky,
Missouri,
Maryland,
Delaware,
Tennessee in part,
Virginia in part, or upon loyal slaveholders or slaveholding States anywhere!
The right does not exist, either according to the laws of war or the
Constitution of the United States, which
President,
Judges, Cabinet,
Ministers, Congressmen, and all civilians have, before Heaven, sworn to support and obey.
The power does not exist, all but fanatics must admit, on the part of the
Federal Government to abolish slavery in a single State acknowledging the
Union.
The President knows and feels this, and, in addition, as he said in substance to two Western
Senators last week, he cannot afford to let the
Border States go out of the
Union, as the
Union would fall with their departure.
The ‘"fighting forever"’ will result much sooner from the policy of the Radicals than from any other cause, as its effect is to make neutrals of friends and enemies of neutrals, and to continue the war as long as there is a man or woman left to resist what is believed to be an interference with private right and public duty.
We say nothing of what is to become of the four millions of slaves when set free, nor of the fact that more negroes in such a contest would side with their masters than against them, but simply of the effect of the proposed policy upon Union men in slaveholding States.
’
The following is the version of the
President's remarks, as given by the
Washington correspondent of the Boston
Traveller:
‘
He had made up his mind not to arm negroes at present, and the intimation was given that he should probably never do it. He gave his reasons without any attempt at concealment.
He felt it to be his duty to keep
Kentucky in the
Union.
When
Kentucky should withdraw the
Union was lost, he said.
When she withdrew, 50,000 bayonets, now on the side of the
Union, would go over to the side of the rebellion, for when
Kentucky became, traitorous the border slave States would all be apt to follow her example.
’
Remarkable.
A Yankee correspondent, writing from
McClellan's army, communicates the following to the New York
Tribune:
Two rather singular cases of remarkable escape from living burial are related as having occurred subsequent to the
battle of Fair Oaks.
The body of a Colonel was found on the field and brought in Arrangements were made for embalming it. The process includes the use of galvanism.
The shock was given.
To the astonishment of all the
Colonel rose and walked forth.
The other case was that of a Colonel found dead on the field.
In deference to his rank he was brought to the hospital and laid among the dead.
His friends prepared to give him a decent burial, and were about to carry the body out, when the
Colonel rolled over, and in tones more like those of a man drunk than dead, called out, ‘"Ben, John, where is my whiskey flask? "’
The Burning of the Golden Gate.
In commenting upon the causes of the destruction of the steamship
Golden Gate, the New York
Times says:
‘
The disaster was wholly unexpected.
In the
Eastern Pacific half the terrors of sea travel are disarmed.
In July there are no frightful gales and tremendous seas to imperil the strength of the vessel.
Unless the pilot wander from a well defined course, there are no reefs nor shoals where he may be suddenly sunk.
So plain and secure has been the journey from
San Francisco to
Panama, that the voyager has come to regard it as less formidable than the crossing of an inland ferry.
But from the one danger of which no vessels is free, even when its ribs and their coverings are of iron, the boats of the Pacific Steamship Company are not exempt.
The Golden Gate was burned at sea. Nearly one-fourth of her passengers perished.
There was every chance to escape, had means of escape been provided.
Herein, as the case stands at present, there is a melancholy balance of reprobation due the
Company for thus declining to spare from its immense accumulations the means of ensuring the life of every passenger in the event of disaster.
The only apology must be that the safeguards against fire were so perfect that accident seemed impossible.
The fact seems to be otherwise.
On the books of the underwriters the
Golden Gate is marked as deficient in securities against fire.--Thus, not only did this opulent corporation, with its relentless monopoly of travel between the
West and the
East, decline to provide against the chances of the very calamity which has befallen the ship, but, as reckless of life as of property, it supplied inadequate facilities for saving the lives their parsimony imperiled.
The million and more of money the
Company loses by the fire is, perhaps, a just judgment for such criminal economy.
We speak, we repeat, on the single authority of the meagre telegraphic dispatch hurried across the continent.
It is sincerely to be hoped the particulars to come hereafter will mitigate the severity of the present verdict.
’
Sickness caused from "Exposure to a draft."
The
Newburyport (Mass.) Herald says it never knew it so sickly before at
Newburyport as it is now. The disease affects only males between the ages of 18 and 45.
The cases are very distressing.
Several have occurred where men have nearly lost their sight; they say that bad as they hate the
Confederates, they could not see one across the street, and spectacles are in demand.
Some are badly ruptured, but were never troubled by it till last week; and others are lame.
This disease affects the mind as well as the body.
They see war in a different light than formerly, and some of the foremost Abolitionists begin to think that they would be willing to abandon the negro if the war could only be closed at once.
This is a terrible disease and widely spread.
Another effect of the ‘"exposure to a draft"’ is thus noticed by the N. Y.
Tribune:
We are pained to notice a great decline in the price of one article of merchandise, and an almost entire stagnation in the business within a few days.
The late proclamation of the
President has produced this prostration in this business.
It has annihilated the trade in hair dye. The stock, goodwill, and fixtures of all the hair-dye establishments are for sale.
Nobody, except some ancient female, has used hair-dye since the call was made for all men ‘"under 45 years of age."’
Gray hairs are not only honorable, they are fashionable.
How suddenly some men grow old!
Secret organization in Indiana.
The grand jury of the
United States for the district of
Indiana have presented the secret organization of the Knights of the
Golden Circle as a treasonable organization, one of the obligations being that if any of its members should be drafted into the militia, they are to shoot over the head of any member of the organization in the rebel army who may exhibit the signal of membership.
The grand jury say there are 15,000 members of the order in that State.
The order was originated by some Southern fillibusters, and its purpose originally was to invade
Mexico.
As there is another field now opened by the rebellion, the members of the order will no doubt be found in the ranks of the guerrillas and their sympathizers.
The Baltimore
Sun, of the 8th inst., says:
‘
William D. Parker was arrested yesterday, on the charge of making a pair of slippers on which was a Confederate flag.
He was taken before
Gen. Wool, and discharged after taking the oath.
The slippers were confiscated.
William H. Gaultree was arrested on the charge of cheering for
Jeff. Davis.
He was released after having taken the oath.
’
Arrest of a female in Washington.
During the progress of the late Union demonstration at
Washington, it is stated that--
A lady in the crowd was arrested for ‘"speaking in a manner which annoyed loyal persons around her."’ After being taken by the provost guard to the guard-house, and an examination made, she was allowed to go on parole, the testimony to be submitted to the
Provost Marshal in the meantime.
Her friends, she said, were in
Richmond, but her husband in the
Federal army.
Miscellaneous.
Hon. Thos. F. Bowie, of
Maryland, arrested some time since on the charge of disloyalty, appeared before the
Provost Marshal, at
Washington, on the 8th inst., in obedience to a parole given, and was discharged on giving a further parole not to give aid and comfort to the
Confederates.
Cassius M. Clay is in
Washington.
At the late Union celebration in
Washington the employees of the
Government Printing Office came upon the ground in procession, headed by a band of music.
They were greeted with enthusiastic applause on their approach.
The statement going the rounds that
Miss Belle Boyd, recently arrested in
Virginia by
Lincoln's hirelings, is a sister of
Mrs. Chas. Jas. Faulkner, is said to be a mistake.
No relationship exists between them.
Col. Dyke, of
Stoneman, Mass., proposes to raise a regiment of colored men.
The City Council of
Baltimore have appropriated $350,000 to pay $100 to each volunteer in the
Maryland regiments enlisted in
Baltimore.
