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From the North.

From our Northern files we extract the following items:


From General Buell's army — How the Federal and Confederate pickets Amuse themselves.

Camp Near Battle Creek,
Five miles East of Bridgeport,
August 6, 1862.
The camp of the Kentucky 11th and 26th is opposite that of the Confederate Helm's cavalry, many of the men upon each side being intimately acquainted. Every conceivable kind of conversation occurs between the two parties, the Confederates generally being more saucy and defiant than are our men. The enemy seem to be very well aware of the fact that our army have been short of subsistence, and often shout, ‘"Boys, you're only on half rations; we have plenty to spare."’ Both parties exchange newspapers, and we frequently read the Atlanta and Knoxville journals. The modue operandi of the exchange is novel, each party swimming to the middle of the river with a newspaper in his mouth. An exchange of coffee and tobacco is often made in somewhat the same manner, the parties always shaking hands before separating.

Witnessing such friendly exhibitions and honorable meetings, it is sometimes questionable in one's mind if war really exists. But if you walk along the shore a short distance you will see some fellows amusing themselves by merely pointing their guns at Secesh objects, making use of some such expressions as the following: ‘"But couldn't I pop that but on-nut off that stump;"’ ‘"Lord, how quick I could send that gray back below;"’ ‘"Fut an ilegant shot for a feller like meself;"’ ‘"How quick I could jerk that follow's head off of its hinges;"’ and divers other expressions which urge me to believe that all exhibitions of friendship are transitory in fact.

And equally ludicrous transactions occur upon the opposite side, the following being their stereotyped expression: ‘"How is all our Yankee friends to-day?"’ ‘"How much did you find at Corinth?"’ ‘"What did you do with those twenty thousand prisoners that Halleck took there?"’ ‘"How do you ever expect to cross this river?"’ ‘"How long do you expect to keep the railroads open?"’ ‘"Next time we get after you we'll drive you to--!"’ ‘"How about Richmond?"’ ‘"Where's Fremont?"’ ‘"Have you heard from Beauregard?"’ while ‘"Bull Run"’ is the general salute.


When will it terminate.
[from the St. Mary's (Md.) Beacon.]

This question, which to a reflecting mind would seem to be one of vital importance to the American people, is now seldom asked and never answered. It seems sufficient to be known that a war exists, and that it is being fiercely and vigorously prosecuted. The questions of time and cost, which were regarded as serious ones in the commencement of hostilities, are no longer subjects of alarm to either Mr. Lincoln or his supporters. The old periods of sixty and ninety days have passed away without the accomplishment of the promised results of Mr. Seward, and with them, it would seem, what little of reason and justice that might have once been possessed by the Northern people. Defeats which should have sobered, seem only to have maddened them, and the advancement of despotism seems their only object and arm. A war for the Union, upon the basis of the Constitution, is no longer the contest they are waging. Oppressed Unionists at the South they are no longer seeking to relieve. The maintenance of the laws, least of all do they battle for. On the contrary, they are striking at the very foundation of these officially promulgated and self imposed propositions. The emancipation of the negro is now the battle cry, and devastation and ruin mark the foot-prints of the invader. Fanaticism is the watch word, and stealth and robbery are its allies and its followers. Plunder and outrage are the order of the day, and a Federal General has even proclaimed a public license to his vandal cohorts. They are to subsist, as far as practicable, upon the people they have invaded, and are to detain all the negroes that may come into their camps. They are to seize horses and other property to an extent limited by their own judgments, and are forbidden to protect private property in future. No such order preceded our march into Mexico, nor can its enforcement be justified among civilized people.

In the border slave States still loyal to the Government affairs may be said to be in no better condition. The appearance of a Federal uniform is generally the precursor to a negro stampede or a plundered hen roost. The war upon public opinion has broken out afresh and with renewed fierceness and vigor. A mere expression of opinion is a passport to the bastile, and the habeas corpus sleeps as soundly as ever. Neutrality of position is no longer to be tolerated, and the oath of allegiance or banishment are the alternatives to be presented. Mr. Redpath, we are told, is even now transporting negroes from Aquia creek to Hayti, without even the institution of the inquiry as to what locality they belong. Some of these negroes are no doubt from Maryland, and the property, mayhap, of ‘"loyal"’ people; yet the Government says naught in condemnation or reproof. The confiscation of the property of Maryland ‘"traitors"’ is a subject of ordinary discussion at the North, and, we have no doubt, is seriously contemplated by the Washington Government. To what end this measure will lead, and what will be the result of this modern modus for restoring the Union, the future alone can develop. We respectfully submit, however, that the South will not be likely to yield with this fate hanging over her. If wrong in the beginning, despotism and misrule have placed her in a different position, and Northern malignity and fanaticism must at least share the responsibility for the evils that this war has wrought.

But, we proposed to inquire in the affect, when this war would terminate? We have, heretofore, predicted its end more than once, but we now acknowledge that we have not been a prophet. We have relied much upon foreign intervention, but we have now but little faith in the promises of kings. It is now patent to us, that, without a reaction in the sentiment and temper of the North, we shall be at war for some time to come. A hatred more virulent than that of the Montagues and Capulets has been engendered between the two sections, and it seems each day to increase in unnaturalness and ferocity. The South cannot now yield with safety. If the North can with honor. Under this condition of affairs, we cannot look forward to a speedy change in Northern temper, or hope for a speedy peace.


Affairs in Alexandria.

Alexandria, Va., Aug. 16
--The Commissioner of the Revenue, in conjunction with one citizen from each ward, by order of Governor Pierpoint, the loyal Executive of the State, is now engaged in enrolling the citizens of this county, preparatory to the contemplated draft. There will be many, doubtless, anxious to evade that process, especially those of Secession proclivities. The children of Israel, of which we have a considerable portion, dislike the idea of shouldering arms to support the Government. But they must forego all petty differences or partialities at the present time, and face the music.

We are looking for a large increase in the forces in Fairfax as the new regiments come forward. --The healthfulness and salubrity of the good old county render it exceedingly desirable for the Government to quarter them there. The officers will have no difficulty in making good selections, if they will confer with the Union people of that vicinity.

The renowned Christ Church, in which Washington and his family worshipped, is opened for Divine service at 11 A. M. and 2 P. M. every Sabbath. The public are always welcome.

A day or two since we had a sale of wagons and horses from rebeldom. The former sold for from seven to thirty dollars--damaged horses brought seventy dollars, mares sixty-five to seventy dollars, and colts thirty dollars--to be sent to Pennsylvania. The sale was then stopped.


Sick and wounded at Alexandria.

Alexandria is becoming like Washington — a vast hospital. Six hundred of the wounded from the battle of Slaughter's Mountain have already arrived there, and 500 more are at Manassas and will arrive to-night. Eight hundred convalescents have been within three days forwarded to other hospitals or sent to their regiments, and 500 or 600 more will be similarly disposed of. In all the hospitals of Alexandria — a dozen or more — not a woman is acting as nurse, or in any way alleviating the wants of the sick and wounded.


John H. Morgan.

A correspondent of the Louisville Express gives the following description of Morgan as he appeared at Georgetown:

‘ He mingled unarmed among the motley crowd collected to view the great bugbear of the age. His dress was plain, with no military insignia but a sin- gle row of buttons on his well fitting cavalry jacket of mixed green and gray cassimere, which he wore unbuttoned. He wore no vest, and had on a black silk watch-guard and diamond pin. His hat was a black felt, pinned up on the left side, and ornamented with a crescent of quilled work in porcupine or palm leaf. His carriage was graceful, but all the time he seemed more busied in looking after his command — the minutest details of which seemed not to escape him — than thinking of the figure he cut.

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