Newspapers / The Charlotte Democrat (Charlotte, … / Aug. 23, 1864, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of The Charlotte Democrat (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
t .A I." St' . - A FIGHT NEAR RICHMOND. The Yankees and Negroes again slaughtered. A severe fight took place on the Charles City road, near White's Tavern, below Richmond. It ensued from a determined effort by the enemy to force oar lines covering Richmond on those ap proaches. Several assaults wera made upon oar lines, and at one time a position was gained by the enemy; but he was driven back and the position was reoccupied and maintained. The enemy Was .driven across White Oak Swamp. This affair occurred an Monday the 15th, and Burnside's negro troops led the charge. They are said to have been slaughtered furiously, tba car nage exceeding the late disaster at Petersburg. - Oar loss was small. But among the dead are Brig. Gen. Cbamblks and the brave Girardey, lately promoted to command a Brigade in token of .distinguished merit. From the Richmond Examiner of the 18th. ye have little to add to our yesterdayts account of the battle of White's Tavern, or Darbytown, by one of which names if will be known in history. The particulars come in slowly. It will be recollected that the official despaten from the battle-field, which we published yester day, and which was written just after the repulse of the enemy, stated that "the enemy made a de termined attack on out line between the Darby town and Charles. City roads, and at one time broke through, but ho was repulsed and our original po sitions re-occupied." The enemy made a "deter mined attack." We .call attention to this phrase ology with a purpose. The phraseology was weighed and considered when the despatch" was being penned. A "determined attack" by a great army like Grant's is a meet serious, a tremendous thinor. That determined attack we repulsed, and sreat cause have we to be thankful to the God of battles, who, through the means of our ever gallant soldiers, gave us the victory. A portion of the Yankee press, that portion call ing themselves the knowing and scientific, have been insisting, since Grant's failures to take Pe tersburg, that the true and only military route to Richmond was by these Darbytown and Charles City roads. Egged on by this learned .clamour, Grant determined to try these roads. After much manoeuvring and demonstrating upon New Market Hill and Dutch Gap, he sent the mainI)Gdy of his force?, all that could be spared from the garrison ing of his long line of intrenchments, from Curies' Neck north to these two roads, and on Sunday, turning their faces west, made his grand advance upon our lines at White's Tavern and Darbytown. We received him in a hastily and recently con structed line of breastworks. By sheer force of overwhelming cumbers he for a time gained a de cided advantage. Ho broke through our line and took possession tT 'a .considerable extent of our works. He had enjoyed this possession but a very brief time when our troops", having Jbeen massed for the purpose, swooped down upon him and drove him out. We expected- him to renew the attack, but he did not, as we learn from an official despatch re ceived at the War Office at a late hour of the night of the battle. This despatch states that "the ene my did not renew the attack on our lines after 4 o'clock yesterday eveniDg. lia force oo the Charles City road, after advancing ta withia two miles of White's Tavern, was driven back across White Oak Swamp. Our loss small." The advance of the enemy on the -Charles City' road, here alluded to, is an advance made subse- ?ucnt to tho battle which terminated at 4 o'clock, le advanced as if to attack, but we, having fol lowed him after the battle, met him and drove-hits' across White Oak Swamp, which crosses the Charles City road some three mile3 east of White's Tavern. This terminated the affair of tha. day. We have no means of ascertaining the loss of the enemy in this latest experiment for the capturo of Richmond. Soldiers from the field, who were en gaged in the battle,- say we killed seven hundred negrdes. It is fair to presume that we killed at least half that number of whites. We make this difference between the estimate of the losses of the whites atd the negroes, becauso.it is well known the negroes are put by the Yankees what they, with n, horrible facetiousness, chose to term the post of honour, which simply means the place in which the unfortunate Africans are sure to be slaughter ed. The Yankees know the negro can only be brought into action when he finds himself in pret ty much the situation of the famous Light brigade, with bayonets to the right of him, bayonets to the left of him, and about double as many in his rear. When we hear of the slaughter of these black wretches it adds an additional zest to our pleasure to know that they are accompanied into action by certain white fiends, who act as their officers, and who the Yankee newspapers always say, and say truly, "suffer terribly." After the fact that we beat Grant on Tuesday, nothing gives us half so much pleasure as to announce that all the priso ners taken say that General Febrero, the dressy dancing master and puppy who commanded the negro brigade at Petersburg and in this last fight, is killed. We took in this battle about six hundred priso ners, most of them, have reached the Libby. Among the number was one negro who belonged to a gentleman of this city, who gave him a tre mendous thrashing on sight. Of our loss in this battle we have been unable to learn anything beyond the statement of the offi cial despatch, quoted above, which says it is "small." We have to mourn the loss of two of our gallant Generals Brigadier-General John R. Chambliss, of Virginia, and Brigadier-General V. J. B. G irardey; of Georgia." ; " - - ' . , ,.. FROM PETERSBURG. The occasional discharge of a rifle was all that broke the stillness along the lines yesterday. From the extreme right to the" extreme left such quiet " prevailed that a stranger if not otherwise inform ed, would almost have formed the idea of a truce existing between tho armies. ' The fact is revealed beyond all doubt that the enemy's force has been greatly diminished. At every point alcrng the lines, his troops are seen in very limited numbers, and everywhere assume the defensive. . . , " Efforts have again and again been made by our batteries on the right to-elicit come reply from the Yankee artillerists, hut without avail, ncoa'iinnollrr a shell or two may bo sent towards oar works, but not often. Such b the practioe of our gunners, that shot and shell are sent through the very em brasures of the Yankee forts, without bo much as . arousing-the shrinking inmates. Petersburg Ex press, 17th. Operations im Shehman's Rear. it is stated that Wheeler has destroyed the bridges across the Etowah and Qostanaula rivers and burnt the track the whole way from Marietta. A Urge amount of stores are said to have fallen into his -hands -at llesaca, which was destroyed after our cavalry had appropriated all that jras'.needfal to them. At last accounts, the report says General Wheeler was rapidly marching in, the direction of jOaltonywaere an immense amount of stores, both subsistence and prdoance, has been congregating Tor sometime- LETTER PROM THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. '. . . The following letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, to . the Governor of South "Carolina, will be found highly interesting to the public: Richmond, August o, lob4. To His Excellency Gov. Bonham Dear Sir: Your very kind and encouraging letter of "30th ult. was received ' yesterday. If it shall prove to be my happy fortune, through the Divine blessing, to contribute in any degree to the welfare of my country, I shall be more than compensated for all the labors and anxieties to which I have beer ap pointed. Expressions of confidence and good will on the part of my fellow-citizens, such as you have been good enough to convey to mV, are most grate ful and encouraging. I regard the. Treasury of the Confederate States as most peculiarly the treasury of the people, and there is nothing in the power of man that would so soon restore it to a condition of case and prosperity as the universal and generous support of our people. There is nothing in its present circumstances to inspire alarm, but, on the contrary, every motive lor coniiaence. An an pervading causo of embarrassment and distress has been the character of our legislation. However patriotically intended, it is not to be denied that the measures adopted by. Congress for the reform of the currency had the unhappy effect of inspir ing the public mind with feelings of fear and dis trust as to the course that would ultimately be pur sued in relation to that part of the public debt that is represented by the Treasury notes. Ap prehensions of ultimate repudiation crept like an all-pervading poison into the minds of the people, and greatly circumscribed and diminished the pur chasing power of the notes. There were many distinguished and patriotic men in Congress, who earnestly believed that the great, if not the sole, evil of the. currency, was to be found in its redundancy alone. And reasoning from thi3 premise, they inferred that a correspon ding reduction of this large volume of the pur chasing medium, would produce an immediate re duction in the price of all saleable commodities. Others entertained a different opinion, and believ ing that the purchasing power and value of these notes had a critical and sensitive dependence up on tho confidence and good will of those Nvh'b were called upon to exchange their substance for them, insisted that a reduction of the quantity, by any measure that disturbed the confidence of the peo ple in the good faith of the Government, would lead to universal distrust and still greater deprecia tion. The majority was unhappily found to be of the first opinion; and it must now universally be admit ted, I think, that the policy that prevailed was erroneous, and the consequences precisely such as had been predicted by those who opposed it. The immense reduction effected by the tax of 33 J per cent, levied upon the currency, and by the process of compulsory funding, produced very little effect upon the prices of commodities. Everybody re garded with distrust a new issue of notes of the same character as the last, and resting for their support as a circulating medium upon the same pledges,-which had ended in disappointment be fore. That this is the true difficulty we have to en counter, I think every candid person must now allow, and I cannot refrain from indulging the hope that a new and sounder policy will govern our future legislation. The patriotism of Con gress is not to be called in question, nor are we at liberty to doubt their willingness to renounce any policy that may be proven, by experience, to be erroneous and mischievous. 'Our people at the. same time, should not be silent, and in. this re spect the patriotic citizens of tho great and suffer ing Commonwealth of Virginia have set a nob' example. On mv arrival in Richmond. I found that the commissioners of prices had fixed the schedule rates for wheat and corn at $30 and $24 per bush el, respectively, for the months of August and September. The feeling of disappointment and alarm, with which I was inspired by this circum stance, you can easily imagine. This painful feel ing was, however, soon changed for one of renew ed confidence and hope, by the farmers of Virgin ia. Public meetings were held in the agricultu ral counties, and resolutions adopted, boldly avow ing the impossibility of maintaining the public faith, if the Government were forced by the peo ple to pay such paices for supplies, and patriotical ly insisting upon a reduction of the standard rates, and their establishment upon a. basis sufficiently low to inspire confidence in the currency. The result was, that the commissioners re-assembled and reduced the schedule prices to 7 J for wheat for the month of August, and 5 for September. A wiser and more patriotic course was never pursued by any people, and I would respectfully appeal to you, as Chief Magistrate of our gallant and patriotic State, to suggest and eocourage sim ilar meetings and resolutions, on the part ofour own people. I have an abiding confidence that a general and well established belief in the intention of Congress, under no circumstances of temptation or trial, to shrink from the observance of the most rigid good faith in the money dealings of the Gov ernment, will enable us to overcome all our finan cial difficulties. That such is their real intention, I cannot doubt: but this determination should be i encouraged and supported bv the niibliV. dera tions of our people, expressive of their own reso lute will to foster the credit of the Government by the establishment of low prices, and by the patri otic support of its Treasury. Whatever differences of opinion may have existed in the past, or what ever errors may.be. supposed to have been com mitted, may now be buried in a common grave. We are making a new start in our finances, and under circumstances by no means unfavorable or discouraging. The expenditures of the Government arc of two classes; those incurred abroad, and those incurred at home. In respect of the first, there has hither to been little embarrassment, nor is there any rea son to expect greater difficulty in the future. Our foreign supplies will probably be procured without making any addition to the public debt. The ma lice pf our foes having raised the price of cotton to 30d. per pound in European markets, while the depreciation of our currency enables us at the same time to buy at home at less actually than 4d., it is plainly seen that it can be no difficult task to draw from our enemies, and from the comDlacent spectators of this atrocious war, the means of sup plying all our foreign wants. - This would leave us, then, only our domestic debt to deal with, an d when it is considered that all that is asked of our people, and all that the Government is called up on to pay for, is simply their surplus productions, and their services in transportation and mechanical and other labors, who can doubt the ability of the people to bear this burthen? If they gave all that is asked, without compensation, they would give at best.no more than their surplus, and would be no poorer for the gift. ' How, then, can their con dition be made worse bv receiving the monev and the bonds of the Government, in place of receiving nothing: T hope, my dear sir, that you may agree Wjth rjte in the opinions and sentiments I" have expressed, and may join with ane in the effort to give a new and generous impulse to the public sentiment upon this great topic of our national affairs. I do not think. ihat planters and farmers should alone be called upon to declare in favor of lower prices; manufacturers, railroad companies, and every great interest of the country, should contribute to this reform. Let us content ourselves with more mod erate prices and keep down the public debt; and not by extorting the highest prices, swell the pub lic burthen and disturb our confidence in the virtue and the resources of the Government. I remain, dear sir, yours, with, great respect. G. A. TRENHOLM. THE NAVAL FIGHT WEAR MOBILE. Correspondence of the Wilmington Journal. Mobile, Ala., Aug. G, 1864. Messrs. Editors: Early on yesterday morning, as the sun rose to dazzle the cloudless sky, the enemy's fleet were observed tojbe in foil tide of preparation for a de monstration against Fort Morgan, the principal work of the defences of this city. The rapid ex change of telegraphs, and the constant plying of boats to and from Admiral Faragut's Flag Ship Hartford, 'gave assurance that the hour for action was at hand. At six A. M. their line of battle commenced to move two deep; first were two tur retted monitors, followed by two iron-plated dou- ble-enders, then the Hartford, with a small steam- er on ner on eiae, ner near siae Demgwcii protect ed with chains, run from stem to stern aira below her water lines; the small vessel was evidently in tended to render her assistance if required. When near abreast of the Fort, the monitors, 'double enders and Hartford opened fire. which led along their entire line. The Fort replied with vigor and good precision, as one of the monitors, commanded by A. M. Craven, sunk almost instantly. Three men swam to the Fort. Craven jumped into his boat and pushed off; only one man succeeded in getting with him, the balance of one hundred and eighteen men went down, the water closing over them like an angry wave breaking on the beach. Immediately inside the Fort lay Admiral P. Buchanan, of Hampton Roads celebrity, in his iron clad ram Tennessee, of six guns; the Morgan, Gaines and Sefma, side-wheel wooden vessels of six guns each, which were in line of battle, and at once opened fire upon the advancing enemy: and here the sight was magnificently grand to see; broadside after broadside poured into the enemy, who now numbered fourteen sail inside the Fort. But it was soon manifest that our little squadron of four vessels could not long contend against so powerful a fleet. The contest had now lasted about two hours, both parties lessened their fire as if by consent. Buchanan run up his signals, "follow the mo tions of the commanding officer;" "sink, but don't surrender," on' which the engagement re-commenced with greater fury than before. The Fort was then out of range to do much injury. TIie Gaines had a shell in her magazine, and another in her bread room, which caused her to leak badly .-r-Sbe was fast settling by the stern, and Soon went down in three fathoms water, with seventeen shot in her hull. She Was commanded by Lieut. John W. Bennet, of Maryland. The Morgan was attacked by a frigate, from which she retired while fighting, into shoal water. . Her enormous adversary could not follow, and she' escaped with very little damage. In this latter engagement the monitors and the two double-cnders surrounded the "Tennessee;" her steering gear was struck, which left her tio manageable; her smoke-stack was so perforated with shot that it fell overboard close by the deck, . and this prevented the possibility of making steam, and tilled her gun-deck with smoke. Then, aha not till then, did this brave old veteran surrender; neither did he quit her deck until shot down. A despatch from his Surgeon, D. B. Conrad, describes nis wound as a fracture of the thigh, which may require amputation. In this engagement the Old North State fur nished one Commander, P. M. Murphy, of the "Selma," who fought his ship against the Hart ford (sixteen guns,) with much skill, until all hope of victory vanished, and then as if madness drove him on, he ran up, fired a broadside into herj and surrendered. Thus ended an engagement which will be long remembered, and cannot fail to find a high place on the calendar of history's page. i left the fort at 8 P. 31., just as Admiral Far ragut sent in a flag of truce asking permission to bury his dead near the fort, and to send his wound ed to "Pensacola." Gen. (Ramrod) Page refused, and hence their dead were thrown overboard.. . - In the latter part of the engagement, a little steamer called the Philippi attempted to pass the fort, but a shot disabled her, killed one man, and cut the leg off another, which they left behind in their' haste to abandon her. They were thrown overboard before we fired the vessel. The casualties in the forf are very slight, being two killed and five wounded, all the enemy's at tention was given to the fleet of Buchanan, with slight long range fire upon the Fort. One of our men escaped, from whom I obtained the following list of killed and wounded. In the former the killed are E Killeny and John Silk, Lt. Comstock, Ex. Officer, J K Murray, Master's mate, W Hall, Gunner's mate, and ten men. Wounded Admiral Buchanan, J C Conncll and Wui Rogers, Engineers, and Captain Peter M. Murphy and fifteen men. By this man I learn that all our wounded are gone to Pensacola. "IVY GREEN." Mosby s late Exploit The following offi cial dispatch, received at the War Department, confirms the account of Mosby's recent exploit near Berryville, Va. " ' . " "Colonel Mosby reports that he attacked the enemy's supply train near Berryville, on the 13th instant, captured and destroyed seventy-five load ed wagons and secured over two hundred prison ens, including several officers, between five and six hundred horses and mules, upwards of two hun dred beef eattle, and many valuable stores. A considerable number of the enemy were killed and wounded. .His loss, two killed and three woun ded." Berryville is the court-house of Clarke county, and situated in the northern part of the Valley of Virginia, about eleven miles from Winchester. The captured train was conveying " supplies to Sheridan's forces, near Strasburgr. ; . Horse-Thief Captured. Capt. Samuel E. White, of the Distillery, rode into town Sunday evening and hitched his mare, a very fine animal, in a lot, out of public view, and attended church. When he came to get his mare to return home, she was gone; and tho circumstances would admit, of no conclusion other than that she "- was stolen. Mr. Aldrich being on the Western train yesterday morning going up, passed a man a few miles from Statesville tiding as he believeed, Capt. White's mare. Oo reaching Statesville, he procured a. warrant and an officer and teok a position to inter cept the rider. In due time he came along and was. nabbed, and is now in Statesville jail. Capt. White gets his mare -the printer a feoffor adver tising, Mr. Aldrich the reward for arresting and i the thief .tha hickory. Salisbury Watchman. LOCAL METHODIST MINISTERS. HABEAS CORPUS. Wm. n. Cunnitifffim vs. Peter MaUett. ; . This is' a proceeding under a writ of haleas cor puss in which the petition, return and proof, present the following case: The petitioner is, and 'has been for' five or six years, a local preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, duly licensed as such, according to the rules of his, church. It is a part of the discip line of this church that the license of a local preach er must be given by the Quarterly Conference) and signed by the President of the Conference; and must be renewed every ecclesiastical year. Alocal preacher is a minister of his church, and his duty is to preach and perform such other duties as may be assigned" by his presiding Elder or preacher in charge; But Until be is ordained as a deacon, he cannot administer the sacraments of his church. He is not entitled to any salary or pay for preach iD", or for the performance of his other ministerial duties. The petitioner was, prior, to the 17th day of February last, and has been ever since that time, located at the city of Raleigh, and has been constantly ' and regularly engaged in preaching every Sunday alternately, to two congregations in the country near Vhe city, and at the hospitals, and also performing other ministerial duties, by attend ing class-meetings, &c , all under the superinten dence of Dr. Craven, his preacher in charge. He has received no salary or pay from his church or his congregations, but has supported himself from the income of a hotel in the city of Raleigh, of which he is the owner and manager. , . Having been enrolled as a eonscript and carried to Camp Holmes, the petitioner claims to be dis charged under an act of the Confederate Congress, ratified on the 17th day of February, 1864, which grants all exemption from military service in the army of the Confederate States, to "every minister of religion authorized to preach according to the rules of his church, and who at the passage of this act, shall be regularly employed in the discharge. of his ministerial duties." The commandant of conscripts for this Stato denies his right, and in sists upon retaining him in custody as a conscript Tinder a regulation adopted by the Bureau of Con scription, to the following effect: "If the party is a regular licensed minister authorized to preach ac cording to the rules of his sect, and that is his only business, he is entitled to exemption. If, how ever, he depends for support on any other busi ness, even if he should preach regularly, he is not entitled to exemption." That the case of the petitioner is obviously with .in the letter ef the act of Congress, cannot be de nied. He is according to the polity of his church, a minister of religion duly authorized to preach and he was at the time of the passage of the act of Congress regularly employed in the discharge of his ministerial duties". He is, therefore, - entitled to be exempted from performance of military ser vice, unless the Bureau of Conscription is author ized, by law, to make a regulation other than that prescribed in the act of Congress, by which he' snail be neid as a conscript; or in construing the words of the act, the Bureau has adopted a con struction which is in accordance with its spirit, though not within its strict letter. I cannot find in the act any authority conferred upon the Bureau of Conscription to frame regulations upon this sub ject; and I cannot suppose that it sets up a claim to an independent power of legislation. In making provision for carrying the act into effect, the Bu reau must ascertain its meaning, and in doing so, must necessarily put a construction upon its lan-. cuasre. That construction, though, is not conclu sively binding upon the persons upon whom the act is to operate, lor they have an uncounted right to appeal to the courts of law for redress, and it is J the decisions' of such courts alone which can final ly settle the disputed point. The true and only enquiry before me, then, is-, whether the Bureau of Conscription has adopted the proper construction of the act in question, according to the intention of those who framed it that is, according to the reason and spirit of it? I have already remarked that the case of the petitioner is obviously within the letter of the act of Congress. This being so, it is incumbent upon the government to show that'it is not also within its reason spirit, for it is the first among the fun damental rules for the interpretation of laws, to construe words in their usual and most known sig nification. If the words Jbe dubious, then we may resort to other means for ascertaining the will of the Legislature; amon which is that of consider ing the reason and spirit of the law, orthe cause which moved the Legislators to enact it. See I Blac. Com. 59 and 61. Supposing, then, that there is some dubiousness in the meaning of the act under consideration, let us enquire what was the motive which iuduced the members of Con gress to pass it? About that there cannot be the slightest doubt. Most manifestly, it was to afford to all who should not be called into the field, to the men, women and children who should remain at home, the services of all the ministers of religion, of every grade in every denomination, who were duly authorised to preach, and who, when the act was passed, were regularly employed in the dis charge of. their ministerial duties. Can any good reason be given why these ministrations may ot be useful and productive of much good, though" rendered by unpaid ministers? In the ecclesiasti cal polity of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, the local preachers form, as I learn, the most numerous class of their ministers. They oc cupy an important, though it may be an humble held of labor, and are deemed essential in the scheme of that church, as furnishing the means -whereby "the poor have., the gospel preached to ttlem." The fact that they take nothing from the coffers" of their church for their support, renders that bodymuch more able to sustain those who are laboring in the higher grounds of the ministry. These unpaid ministers are thus enabled to effect much good both by what they do and by what they abstain from doing. In working for nothing of an earthly nature and supporting themselves, they give, as well said by Messrs. Winston and Lewis the counsel for the petitioner an illustrious exam ple in St. Paul, the greatest- proacher whom 'the world has ever known, who worked with his own hands at his occupation of a tent-maker, that his support might not be a burden to the churches at Corinth and Ephesus. See Paley's Ilorae Pauli nalea, ch. 3. No. 6. Has this great apostle ever been considered, as having forfeited any of his rights ss a preacher by reason of such forbearance and self-denial? On the contrary, has ho not fur nished to all succeeding ages an additicnal proof of the divinity of his mission and of the siocerity of .'.his devotion -to it, by showing that amidst the severest of trials, persecutions and afflictions, he labored not for the riches and honors of this world, but for the temporal and eternal good of his fel low men, and for thatcrcwn of glory which his faith assured him was laid up for him in heaven! ' From these considerations I am led to believe the ground upon which the Bureau of Conscrip tion would exclude from the exemption contained iu the act of the 17th February, 1864, that class of preachers to which the petitioner belongs, was not within the contemplation of Congress, and ought not, therefore, to control the decision of the question now before me. But there is, no doubt, another class of minis- ters of religion, having authority from their respec tive sectr-to preach, to whom it might, perhaps, be properly applied. I allude to those ministers of different denominations who, being iq affluent cir cumstances preach occasionally and from time to time as tneir ministerial services may oe requirea, without receiving any compensation therefor. In analogy to the case of Urantham, U Jones to, in which it was-decided that under the act of the 11th Oet1862, a mechanic was not entitled to exemp tion" from military service unless he followed a trade as his regular occupation and employment, and not when be worked at it only occasionally and at odd times. It may be that sueh ministers of religion should not be eiempted under the act of February 1864. Cases of this latter kind were probably in the minds of the Bureau of Conscrip tion, when they adopted the regulation to which I have referred. But it is manifest that this class of cases differs essentially from that in which the petitioner is embraced. We have in this State an act which requires that the rites of matrimony shall be-performed by Justices of the Peace, or by "ordained ministers of the gospel of every denomination" See Rev. Code of 1856, ch. 68, sec. 12. I feel quite sure that there is not a Judge in the land who would for a moment himself feel at liberty to decide that a marriage was void, because the ceremony had been celebrated by an ordained minister who d6 pended for support upon some other business than that of his ministry. The conclusion to which I have eome in favor of ihe petitioner, derrrea- additional' support from the fact that under the act of Oct. 1862, which is almost in the precise terms of the last act, no person holding the same position in his church as that occupied by the petitioner, has, so far as I have heard, ever been enrolled and called into the military service as a' conscript. My-order is that the petitioner be discharged, and that his costs be paid bv the defendant. WM. H. BATTLE, J. S. 0. Chapel Hill, Aug. 8th, 1864. t ' ; East Jennkssee. We learn, says the Colum bia Carolinian, that Col. Rowan, with 250 men, has just returned from a successful raid into East Tennessee, where he destroyed the splendid rail road bridge, 780 feet long, over the Tennessee river, at Loudon, captured 75 prisoners, brought away 700 pairs of blankets and 200 uniforms, be sides destroying a considerable number of wagons and other property. The movement would have been a surprise but for the treachery of some per son, who revealed the plan to the enemy and caused them to be on the alert. A fight ensued in conse quence, during which we lost five killed and twelve or thirteen wounded, and the Yankees suffered' a loss of about forty killed, besides a number wound ed. Our forces consisted of soldiers recently ex changed, and started from a point near the Ten nessee line. ; An English married lady has consulted her law yer on the question whether, haviog married her husband for his money, and that money being all spent, she is-not a widow, and at liberty to marry again. Decision reserved. TAX IIY KIND. Office P. Q M., 8th Coxgressioxal Dist., ? Charlotte, N. C, August 5th; 1864. J The following named persons have been appointed as sessors of Tax in Kind for this District: Union - County. V. T Chears, J. D. Stwart. Mecklenburg Catoarrus KoWaa Cat?wba Lincoln Gaston Cleaveland J. J. BlackwooJ, W. M. Stitt. T. II. Robinson, L. C. Kirkpatrick. J Thomason, W. M. Kincaid. F. Li. Herman, J. M. Brown. J. C. Jenkins, David Kincaid. W. V. McGinnas, A. K. Rutlegc. Jesse Jenkins. No tax produce will be delivered before assessments, and. as the service demands promptness in the collection of the tithe, I call upon the people to go to the assessors at their places .of business, or meet them at appointed places and make their estimates just as soon as they are ready. Wheat, oats, rye. hay and wool, will be assessed togeth er and constitute the first class of estimates. Corn, buck wheat, rice, Irish potatoes, cured fodder, molasses, cotton, peas, beans and ground peas, will be assessed together and constitute the second class of estimates. Bacon will be assessed immediately after the 1st of March. 1665, and con stitutes the third class of estimates. Tobacco will be as sessed after the 1st of May, 1865, and constitutes the fourth class of estimates. All articles except molasses, will be assessed by weighf, and farmers will save trouble by being prepared to inform the assessor the weight of all grain and long forage. Every one who lives within 12 miles of a collection de pot on railroad lines, is required to deliver Lis produce at such depot, even though an interior depot be nearer. As sessors will pay particular attention to this. . Each farmer will inform the assessor at which depot of collection he will deliver his produce, and the assessor will endorse the name of said depot on the back of the estimate left in the hands of the farmer 'The farmers will see that the produce is delivered at said depot, and no other, and all that any one estimate calls for, should be delivered on the same day certainly in the same month. Farmers will al ways take theii estimates with them when they deliver pro duce, so that tho agent may receipt them. The necessities of the service demand that we forward all produce to the army as fast as possible, especially shell ed oats just at this time. To this end, assessors are called upon to go forward with their work as fast as possible, and agents of collection are hereby directed to collect as soon as the assessments shall have been made, being guided by the estimates in tho hands of the farmers, and turn over to the nroDer officers as heretofore. I know that alj that is necessary to insure a prompt as sessment and -delivery of the tithe, is to inform the patriot ic people of this District that the public service requires it. S. M. FINGER, Cpt & P. Q. II., 8th Cong'l. Dist. N. C. August 8, 1364. 3t. IVOTICC. Having qualified as Executrix of tho last Will and Tes tament of the late James G. Wilkinson, at the July Term 1864, of Mecklenburg Couuty Court, all persons indebt ed to the. estate or said testator - are reqmrea to come for ward and make payment, and those having claims against the same are required to present them for payment within the time prescribed by law, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. N. J. WILKINSON, Executrix. Aug 8. 1864. ' t STRAYED, ' From the subscriber, ' near Mount Mourne, Iredell county, about the last of June, two Filly MULES, one a two-year old bay; the other yearling black. When they left my premises, they had on yokes. Any person taking up said Mules, or giviDg me information con cerning their whereabouts, will be liberally rewarded. NEILL McAULEY. Aug. 8, 1864. 3tpd. Headquarters ReserTe -e, IV. C.,7 1st, 1864. Extract. Raleigh, Au General Orders No. 4. Captains of Senior Reserves, in the several coun ties of the State of North Carolina, where Companies have been organized, will assemble them, at their re spective Court Houses, every Saturday at . 12 o'clock, for drill and instruction. By command of Lt. Gen. Hoimks. JNO. W. HINSDALE, A. A. G. Aug. 8, 1864. 7t. . Dry Goods, Groceries, Hard ware. &c. The Sale of Messrs. Elias k Cohen as heretofore ad vertised, is postponed until Thursday the 25tb of Au gust, when I will sell, positively, to the highest bidder, a valuable stock of Dry Goods, Hardware and Groce- The sale will continue from day to day until the en tire stock is disposed of. - - - To Government Agents, Merchants and Fanners, a rare opportunity is here offered, as many articles will be found amongst the etock worthy the attention of buyers. , July 18, i54. . " PUBLIC ACTS Pasted U tli9 first Session of the 2d Congress of the Confederate States. AN ACT TO AMEND THE TAX LAWS. . Coneresar of the Confederate States of Amerir. j do enact, That the firt, recond and third tectioni of ne io itrj additional taxes lor me common de. : "ce and "W?" of ibe Government," approved 17th February, 18J4, be amended and re-enacted, to a i read as-follows. to-wit : ,. Section 1. That, iu addition to tbe taxes levied by ihe "Act to lay taxes for the common defence and to carry on the Government of the Confederate Statei" approved April twenty-fourth, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, there shall be levid from the 17th day 0f February, 1864, on the subjects of taxation bereioafter mentioned, and collected from every person, copart nership, association or corporation, liable therefor taxes af follows, to-wit: ' I. Upon the value of alt property, real, personal and mixed, of every kind and description, not herein after exempted or taxed at a different rate, 5 per cent: Provided, that from the tax on the value of property employed in agriculture shall be deducted the value of the tax id kind derived therefrom during the same year, as assessed under the law imposing it, and de. livered to the Government, whether delivered during the year or afterwards, including the bacon, deliver, ble after, and not prior to, the assessment of the tux on property employed in agriculture as aforesaid: ami. the collection of the tax on such property shall be &u. pended after assessment, under the order of the Sec retary of the Treasury, until the valte of the tithe to be deducted can be ascertained, and when so ascer tained, it shall be the duty of the post quartermaster to certify, and of te district collector to deduct, tho value of such tithe, and any balance found due may be paid io bonds and certificates therefor, authorized by the "Act to reduce the currency and to anthorize a new issue of notes and bond," in like manner a other taxes payable during he year: Provided, Thai no credit shall be allowed beycod five per cent. II. On the value of gold and tilrer ware and plate, jewels, jewelry and watches, ten per cent. III. The value of property taxed under this lection shall be assessed on the basis of the market value of the 'same, or similar property in the neighborhood where assessed, in the year I860, except in crbci where lands, slaves', cotton and tobacco have been purchased since the first day of January. 18C2, iu which case the said land, slaves, cotton and tobacco eo purchased shall be assessed at the price actually paid for the same by the owner: Provided, That land purchased by refugees and held and occupied by them for their own use and residence, shall be assessed ac cording to its market value in the year 1860. Sec. 2. That section second of an act entitled "An act to levy additional taxes for the common defence and support of the government," Approved 17th Feb ruary, 1864, be, and the same is hereby, repealed; and it is hereby declared, that all the property ani assets of corporations, associations and joint stock compa nies, of every description, whether incorporated ornot, shall be assessed and taxed in the same manner, anJ to the same extent, as the property and assets of indi viduals; the tax on such property and assets to be as sessed against, and paid by, such corporations, asso. ciations and joint stock companies: Provided, Thnt no bank or banking company shall bo liable to pay :i tax anon deposites of money to the credit of, and sub ject to the checks of, others: Provided further, That the stock, shares or interests, representing property or assets in corporations or joint stock companies, or as sociations, shall not be. assessed or taxed: And provi ded further. That all DroDertv within the enemy's lines be, and the same is hereby, exempted from all taxation so long" as it remains in the enemy's lines. Sec. 3. That paragraph one of section three of an act entitled "An act.to levy additional taxes for the common defence and support of the government," ap proved 17th February, 1864. be, and the same is, here by amended and re-enacted, so as to read as follows: Upon the amount of all gold and silver coin, gold dust, gold or silver bullion, moneys held abroad,, or bills of exchange, drawn iherefor, promissory notes, right?, credits and securities, payable in foreign conntries, five per cent to be paid in specie, or Confederate trea sury notes at their value, as compared with specie at the time the tax is payable; the relative value of spe cie and Confederate treasury Dotes; for the purpose f payment under this act, to be fixsd by regulations to be prescribed by the Commissioner of Taxes, nnder the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury. Sec. 4. That section sixteen of the "Act to amend hm act entitled An act to Irty taxes for the common de fence and carry on the Government of the Conic derate States,'" approved 17th February, 1864, be, and lis same is hereby, amended, so as to read as follows: I.' The income, property and money, other Ihnu Confederate treasury notes, of hospitals, asylums, churches, schools, colleges and other charitable !nati -tions, shall beexempted from taxation nnder the pro visions of this act, or any other law. ' The property of companies formed nnder the act entitled An act to establish a volunteer navy,"thall be exempt f;cm tax ation, except on the income. II. That paragraph 6, sec. 7, of the same act, be and the same is hereby amended by adding thereto as follows: "If any person shall fail to make due return, as re quired by said section, of the income or profits taxed nnder any law of Congress, or in. case of disagreement with the assessor, to submit the same to referees, as provided by law, or shall fail or refuse to pay the tax thereon, within such time as sLall be prescribed by public notice, by the district collector, under the di rection of the Commissioner of Taxes, such person shall be deemed and held to be in default: Provided, such person shall not be deemed and held to be in de fault, who may fail, or has failed to make payment, or due returns, in consequence of the presence or inter ference of the enemy, or the absence or neglect of the officers charged with the assessment and collection of taxes." Sec. 5. That this act shall nol be so construed as to subject to taxation corn, bacon and other agricultural products, which were produced in the-year 1863, and in the possession of the producer on the 1 7th of Feb. 1864, and necessary for the support of himself njid family during the present year, and from or on which taxes in kind have been deducted and deliveredor paid. Sec. C: That section 4, paragraphs 1 and 2, of the act approved 17th February, 1864, entitled "An act to levy additional taxes for the common defence and support of the Government," be so amended as to levy an addi tional tax of thirty per cent, upon the amount of all profits made by selling the artices mentioned in the said paragraphs, between the 17th day of February, 1864, and the 1st day of July next, which additional tax shall be collected under said act. Sec. 7. That on all treasury note of the old issue, of the denomination of five dollars, nottchanged for now iaana irini In tliA 1st ilur of Jinuirr. 18C5. and which may remain outstanding on that day, a tax of one hundred per cent, is hereby imposed. Sec. 8. TLat section seven of an act entitled "An act to levy additional taxes for the cosamon defence and support of the Government," approved 171b February, 1864, be, and the same is hereby,' repealed, and the fol lowing inserted in lieu thereof: I. That the first section of the "Act to lay taxes for the common defence and to carry on the Government of the Confederate States," approved 24lb April, 1&6J, is suspended for the year 1864. II. In all cases whe,re a tax is levid on Income de rived from property, real, personal and mixed of every description, on the amount or value of which an ad valorem tax is laid, the ad talortm tax shall be deduct ed from the income tax: Provided, That in oo case shall lees be paid than the ad valorem tax. III. Ia the assessment of income derived from man ufacturing or mining, there shall be deducted from the gross income or profits, the necessary annual repairs, not exceeding ten per cent, on the amount of the ia come'derlved therefrom. And, In addition to the de ductions now allowed by law in the assessment of In comes derived from any source, the following shall b. made, namely: TL. Confederate taxes actually paid by the owner on sales made by him, and the commissions actually paid by the consignor or shipper for selling, and in the production or manufacture of pig metal or other iron, the cost of 'fuel. - Sec. 9. That ajl citizens oi any one or ine uonieae rate States, temporarily residing in another State, shall be liable to be assessed and taxed its the State or dis trict in which be may temporarily reside; and it shall be the 'duty of all such who have not heretofore made return of their taxable property to the district assessor where they may temporarily reside, within thirty days after the passage of this act, to make such return; aad any one liable to "be assessed and taxed at aforesaid who shall fail or refuse, within the said period of thirty dayi to make such return, shall ' be - liable to all tbe pains and penalties imposed by the laws of tbe Cgnftd erate States in such case. - AmoTiD Jane 14. ll4. H J ti ft mm-
The Charlotte Democrat (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Aug. 23, 1864, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75