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THE "WILMINGTON JOURNAL. I COVFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA. WILMINGTON, N. -O., SATDBDAY, JANUABY 9, 1861. Th Sun No Malta Oar Troops In Horthern Virginia. At nme o'clock this forenoon the sun was seen dis tinctly by the naked eye, a fact for which even we our Bolves, who are near-sighted, can vouch from personal knowledge. As yet there are no maila from either North or Sooth, owing, no doubt, to the weather. The rails must be perfictly caoted with ice, a9 is every piece of wocd, metal or etone about town. Of course if this is the case here on the seaboard, it must be still more so in the interior. We must abide our time with what patience we can muster up. AWvm't it dark last night ? could it Lave been dark er ? We think not. A transformation ia apparent this morning in the appearance of the trees and shrubbery. All tho?e cot quite denuded of their leaves, and some that are, claim affinity inform with the weeping willow, their twig and branches', which formerly pointed up wards, being all turnfd down droopingly, owing to the great weight of frcz?n water which they have to sus tain. A little more and some of the loftier evergreens, Laving bent as much as their nature will allow, must break. Seme slender twiga which we examined this morning" looked like long icicles, with a thin thread run ning through them. And yet the actual cold is by no means intecs? very little, indeed, below freezing point. The mud in the streets i3 still mud and the moat disagreeable sort cf mud. In no place ia the surface of the ground suffi ciently hardened to make the walkiBg good. The cold rain, as it falls slowly on the trees, fences and other ex posed placea where ice ha3 already formed, becomes chilled a very few degrees ani adds its weight to the froaea mass. Some year ago the Wilmington and Weldon R. R trains were considerably detained in passing on trestles cr embankments throujh certain swamp3 on the line, the trees on each side, made heavy by the ice accumula ted on their branches, having bant down to the track, getting in tb.2 way of the cars and even some branches wholly broken down getting on the rails themselves. It is not improbable that this may be the case to-day, and, perhaps, for soma days, for the weather gives no sign of moderation or even of change. It is trjing to be deprived of our usual mail facilities. It is not easy to get oat a paper wholly without ex cbenges, rcmiading us of the Egyptian brick-making of the children of Israel, to whom Pharaoh would give no Etr3w lor they put straw in tkeir brick in thoss day3, that is, their sun-dried bricks or adobes which both the Assyrians and Egyptians used for many purposes in their dry climate. Uut thi3 is only a petty annoy ance compared with that to which those are subjected who Lave to bide the pelting3 of the pitiless Btorm, and we allude to it simply by way of explanation, and not of complaint. Speaking of cold, we had the pleasure yesterday of moeting cne of our young friends, Captain Poisso? just from the army of Northern Virginia, which he left on Monday last. It was snowing then, and " cold as blaz33," bat th3 men were cheerful, and upon the whole comfortable. Owing to the wise and fortunate provi, eion made by North Carolina in getting goods for hit troops tbrcugli the blockade, the want3 of her soldiers were generally supplied. Notice had been given that shoes end blankets would be distributed, in which arti cles a deficiency had heretofore existed. In this con nection much credit is due to Governor Vakck, and it is chcerfully'aceorded by us. It is really refreshing to mark the hearty and cheer ful tone of our joung men who occasionally get a furlough irom the Tarmy of Northern Virginia, to visit their homes here. It stands out in Etriking contrast to the querulous tone of too many at Lome, who have borne no hardships and exposed their persons to no dang2r3. All honor to our noble boys from whatever section of the State or of the Confede racy they may have come. This town and this section need not be ashamed of their representatives in the fisld. Many, too ir any, sleep in honored graves, al though no monuments yet mark their resting places ; but there is reason to be thankful that so many still survive, and, we trust, will survive to wear the honors they have eo nobly won. Daily Journal, Sth. Going Off. We Euppose that some parties bav-3 gone: and that others will go off to avoid the conscrip tion, or to escape the existing troubles ; but we think, in fact we know, that our cotemporarie3 at a distance are greatly mistaken in supposing that, many of them will leave through the blockade. The orders on that head are altogether too stringent, and their enforcement here too strict to permit that game being carried on. In fact we do not think that " Baron Konig " is not the only party who feels aggrieved by General Wiiinxci, or that the unbending firmness Cf that officer has not indeed made enemies among those who had made an angementa to leave the country. lVr3ons canr,ot leave the country through this port unless they have a perfect right to do so. Those liable to service will fiud the blockade through Wilmington a second Jordun, in that it is " a hard road to travel." Parties will be .much moro apt to seek an exit through the enemy's lines, if at all. After they have done so they will find that they have- jumped out of the frying pan into the lire.- It will be seen that Coagrcss has taken the matter earnestly in hand, and will apply the most stringent measures in regard to property, etc. "Hekmes," the Richmond correspondent of the Charleston Mercury, writing under date of the 1st instant,- savs : At tho "War Department it is believed that tho main at tack of the enemy will be upon Wilmington, and such is the opinion of the N. C. delegation. What preparations have been made to defeat this or any other attack xn the coast from Wilmington to Savannah, 1 cannot say. New Orleans. The very name of the Crescent City once brought to the mind only .thoughts of victo ry and visions oi glory. The laurels of its ancient de fenders are still green, nnd the deeds of their sons on many a battle-field during the present war show that they are not unworthy of their illustrious descent. Still, although no dishonor attaches to the people of Jfew Orleans, recent events, which Lave subjected it to at least as galling a tyranny as that which it escaped J neany nny yean ago, cause wougnta or bojtow and humiliation to mingle with those feelings of pride with which the anniversary of the battle cf Chalmette used only to be hailed. Well, this is the 8th of January the anniversary of a day ever memorable in the annals of the country. Ita glories should be kept in remembrance to stimulate the men of the present day to emulate the exertions that acmevea mtin, ana 10 aeep alive hope, Dy showing that nothing is impossible to brave meu fighting for their country. In thi3 spirit the Louisianians, now denizens of the town of Wilmington, celebrate the day, and keep np the old aesociation. Daily Journal, 8th. No Nobthers Maii. vet The detention on the Wilmington & Weldon Road yesterday was caused by a tree which had broken down and fallen across the track, Home fifteen to twenty miles from Wilmington The engine afid tender of- the mornmg down mail train werettrown oil the frack,and the en gineer and fireman pretty severely thengh not dangerously injured. No body eke was hurt, which was providential. It ai V mnoxre flbasceb to mark the mannei j J wuicu uie appuimiueui. ui.uur idiiuw vuimii, uuu. Gko. Davis, to the position of Confederate Attorney 4 General is received by the press of the country. Hit merit and qualifications are "reoogaised in a most kindly and liberal spirit, generally, indeed without exception, bo far aa we have Been. For many years we knew Mr. Davis as a political opponent, we being a supporter and he an opponent of the Democratic party, until the occurrence of the cir cumstances which, culminating in the present war, si lenced the voice ef mere party in every patriot's breast, and merged all other feelings in those of devotion to the Confederate cause, and anxiety for ita buoccbs. It is due to Mr. Davis to say that in all that time ha could never be classed as a mere politician, nor did we ever know him to indulge in bitterness or vituperation against the membe: s of the party opposed to him. When delegates were sent to a peace conference by a Legislature con taining a decided Democratic majority, Mo Davis was elected cb OLe of those delegates. While serving in that capacity Le became convinced of the certainty and imminency of the crisis, and on his return to Wilmingtoa addressed an immense audience in the Theatre, proclaim' ing his convictions of the hopelessness of any attempt at conciliation, owing to the fixed determination of the North neither to respect the sacred rights nor listen to the past demands of the South. We recollect the cc ca3ion as though it were yesterday. It was a very few weeks before the issuance of Mr. Linoolh's pro olamation, which set the seal upon the matter, and closed the door against the hope of reconciliation with even the roost hopeful. Mr. Davis was chosen one of the first Confederate Senators from North Carolina, drawing the short term, lie was choeen by a Legislature having a large Demo cratic majority, and life-long Whig though he had been, was supported by the representatives from such ex treme Democratic counties as New Hanover, Duplin, kc, &c. That was bad for Mr. Davis. Those by whom he v. as supported were willing to throw aside party, end did throw it i.vde they would not obey thi beb.sts of a certain rule or ruin clique they op posed making party issaes therefore they were called by ih Is clique " destructives," and Mr. Davis, as not eitLe. bowiog down to the clique aforesaid, calling it. self c ii3crvative," although in fact he was more tru ly conservative than it, nor cursing and denouncing those with whose principles he agreed, although they were called " destructives," was marked for destruction by the conservatives who ruled the roast last winter. lie was turned out sans ctremont. The reception which his nomination to a cabinet appointment has met with from the Senate and the country, shows that neither agree with the Holdenite party of North Caro lina in their war upon public men, whose only fault is devotion to their country. Ve allude to these matters with no disposition to ect, " for party purposes," upon theemmtnt gentle man (Lion. Wm. A. Graham,) who succeeds Mr. Davis in the Confederate Senate, but simply to illustrate the character of parties as they now stand in North Caro lina, ani to show how unjust is the stigma endeavored to be cast upon those sneeringly denominated " daetruo tives." Mr. Davis, never a Demoerat not an original secessionist, but, on the contrary, one who held on to the hopes of the Union until all hope had failed, was elected by a Democratic Legislature a so-called " Des tructive" Legislature, and turned out by a conglomerate so-called "conservative" Legislature! Let the facts speak for themselves. Die is appointed to the Attorney Generalship by President Davis, with whom he never ca3t a vote under the old government, or while old parties existed. And yet President Davis Is denounced daily and hourly as a mere partisan 1 Again, we say, let facts epeak for themselves. A Cros-Kytil Mule. A gentleman advertising in our paper a few weeks since for a stray mule described said animal as cross eyed, which it no doubt was. But the idea of the croes eyed mule haunted us. We once dreamed of it. But in cur dream it was an untrustworthy animal, and kep twisting and turning itself around, getting drunk. and appearing with the same crossyee, arrayed (it, not the eyes,) in the garb of a federal major general, and calling itself B. F. Butler. And yet our dream did injustice to the mule, for though resembling Butler in the obliquity of its vis ion, it never epbke a bad word in ita life never got drunk never stole jewelry never insulted ladies, or very seldom. And if ita father wa a jackafs there are worss animals than the aforesaid steed of Balaam. The donkey is neither mean, cowardly nor ferocious, Butler is all these, and more too, therefore Bctlkr is a worse " beast " than the mule, or his father the jack ass. We tik pardon cf the cross-eyed mule, for com paring him, even in a dream, to the cross-eyed hyena of si i - t u iew uneang ana monour. f fc'uusiltutea and Exemptions. 7i3o far as we have heard from our troops in the army or N orthern V irginia, the feeling in regard to putting in the princifls of substitutes is universally and strong ly for that measure. This is due less to any calculation upon the subject, so far as a knowledge of its necessity for tilling up the ranks is concerned, than from a belief that men Lave hirtd substitutes that they themselves might speculate, and thus take advantage of the neces sities of soldiers and their families. That this is bo in too many cases, cannot, we fear, be truthfully denied. To say that it is so in oil, would be to go too far, as all unquanneu denunciations or sweeping assertions are apt to do. While we agr ee with the general sentiment that, as things have turned cut, it is unfortunate that the substitute laws were enacted at all, we feel convinc ed that there have been cases in which they have ope rated beneficially to the community; and, if they could be confined to these, would still operate beneficially. The matter of exemptions does not appear to be so generally decided upon among the soldiers ia the field. 1 hey all know that the Railroads must be kept up that this is as much a military necessity as the putting of men in the field, for without them armies could neither be moved nor supplied. They all knew that to make the supplies which the roads transport, the in dustry of the country must go on. They all know that we are greatly deficient in skilled labor. These con siderations must be apparent to all men of common sense, the true ground is that no exemption should be granted as a personal favor, but simply upon the ground that the person left out of the army is of more benefit to the country out of the ranks than in them. Congress, after all, will probably pass some exemption law.- It is simply question whe ther Congress shall define the grounds and limits of ex emption, or leave them to be defined by the Executive. In eithex case, we shall not call in question the motives of Congress, for arguments may be brought forward in support of either course, but it seems to ua that the ieatiment of the country would favor the mode by con Pgressional enactments, rather than by Executive regm. lation. The man who got out ot bed this morning calmly and without a shudder, is a dangerous character. That man can have no sympathy with or feeling for himself, and if a man don't feel for himself, how can ha be expected to feel for others ? , Most people took it coolly how could they do other wise ? Nothing but a stern devotion to principle oar lied any man throngh the necessary and accustomed ablutions. Every now and then through the night, a crush told of the breaking of eome limb, or the fall of some tree, overburdened and pressed down bj the weight of ice. Night before last was a night, as we remarked once before. It would have struck anybody tf common Sense tint any other body of common sense who had a roof to cover him would be under the cover of said roof, yet, strange enough, away after eleven o'clock we heard some party Or parties " tquet ling " and snortling around in a promiscuous manner, causiog us to get up and look around for the " 3re." - We are happy to say that we did not und it. With an exclamation some thing like mitt-pond energetically pronounced; we went to sleep. From the Dnblia Natoa. STov. 7. " TUB AMERICAN WAR. ANSWER OF WILLIAM SMITH o'HRIEX TO GENERAL MEAGHER. Killakney, Oct. 2S.I8G3. My Dear Smyth I perceive thit our friend T. F. Meagher, not satisfied with having inaie, in America, a series of bril iant orations in favor of a coatmuauce ot the civil war that has raged duriuac nearly three years in the United Statta. ha peat a dispatch to Ireland which ia evidently ir.teojed to induce Irish enrgrants to enlist under the Federal banners upon their arrival in America. I perceive, also that you have endorsed the opiriius contained in that dajM'ch with your approval. Ntverthelsas, I addr. es this communication to you in full confidence that you U . give 'o the public au op portunity of considering :'k88 that ai totnliy at var iance with those which have been put forward by you and by Gen. Meagher. Two-years ago I ventured to address sach ot the po liticians of Anjeriae; as have shown a disposition to pay respect to my opinions an earnest prayer that tht-y would submit to amicable adjustment the questions which had rent in twain the United States, rather than that tbey should continue to massacre each other. My suggestions 'sere received with difefence, but I can scarcely complain that tbey were not adopte 3 when the mediation of the Ei peror of the French was declined by Congress iu terms which indicated that any offer of this kind would be considered intrusive. Whilst such a spirit is evinced by tlie Federals, those friends of America who desire to witness the termina tion of this war are Bilenced; and I "should not have broken this silence if Gen. Meagher had not made an appeal to his fellow-countrymen, which, if left unanswer ea, might induce many thousands of Irishman to pacrL flee themselves in a contest for which their in'erveution is not demanded by any obligations of duty. p I cennot calculate at less than 200,000 the number Of Irishmen wholiave already fallen in this horrible warfare. These men have fallen in the prime of life in. the vigor of youth and strength. Had they fallen in contending for the freedom of their country, their memory would have been consecrated in the annala of patriotism. Their heroism would have been admired even by those who hate our natioi but truth compels me to say that these brave men are now regarded as mere mercenaries, who, for the sake of a handful of dollars, enlist themselves in a etriie, the sole object of which is to determine whether one-third of the citizens of the States shall be governed according to their own free choice, cr shall be coerced to submit to a connec tion and to a Government which they repudiate and abhor. I shall not inquire how many of thes3 Irishman have been induced by the eloquence cf Gen. Meagher to fling thenuelves into a premature grave, but I fed convinced now, as ia 1861, that if the Irish population of .Ameri ca had thrown the weight of their influence into the cale in faver of peace, the miseri s of war, which have devastated a region that ten years eince enjoyed a great er amount of material prosperity than any other portion of the globe, might have been averted. I felt it 'o be my duty to take issue with Genera! Meagher on this point, immediately alter his first ora tion in Boston in favor of the war. My remonstrances were at that time unavailing. He raised his brigades ! Where are they now I Yet I feel convinced that tLe time will arrive when all Irishmen will regret that my advice did not prevail over the exhortations ot vur elo quent and popular friend. Nothing but a sense of duty could place me in an tagonism to a comrade who shared many ot my hopes and dieappointmeflts ; but as tbeie are some in Ireland, and in America, too, who pay attention to what I any, I feel it to be incumbent upon me, at a time when thou sands upon thousands of Irishmen are quilting our shores, to declare that it would be infinitely better for them to remain at homjt, earuing a shiliing a day than to be seduced by the glitter of military trappings by the solicitations of crimps and manibrokers or by tbe invocation of the mcst splendid oratory to perish as mercenaries m the ucholv strife which now delates the States of America. Gen. Meagher complains thtt the Irish peop'e have identihad themselves wnh the Orangemen nun -oriesol England in their sympathy with the rebels of the South This charge proceeds from a misconception of the state of feeliner that prevails in this country. There- ure few Englishmen or Anglicised Irishmen who do not njoic u t: i .i i Northern tnd Southern States, because they were ac customed to feel that the growth of American po wer under the union was so rapid as to become ixtrcinefj formidable to England. On the other baud, the painotic party in ireianu deeply regret trie sever ance of thessiSUtes, because they found the in creasing streSk& of the United Siutes a guarantee against EngTsh oppression, which s under various contingencies, ni'gfct be u.(ul for the protection of Ireland. But after this war had un- hapily broken out when, from the curse of events, it became manifest to all mankind that there is between aoutn ana iNoriu an alienation of -eel mi? which cmnot be reconciled when it became eviuent that the South. evenif conquered could be retained in connection r.iih the North only by coercion then the lovers of human freedom the upholders of the right of self government becan to feel that though the dissolution of tbe Union might be a great calamity, its maintenance by snch means aa are t-iaployed by Russia in order to retain Po land under subjection, would be a greater evil. loste-ud, therefore, of hounding on the combatants to mutual destruction, we earnestly pray that the Americans may settle their d flereccts by amicable adjustment, even though the separation may be injurious to us. Permit me further to observe that, whi'st the patriots of I. eland deeply lament the elestruc'ion aud rapine which now desolate America, those Englishmen who hat the Americans and they are not a frw rejoice; to witness the fury with which U.e Northerns coniiuu-i to carry on the war, because the exhaustion of re3ources which war produces to both the contending parties, strengthens the . relative ascendancy of English pow er. Those Englisbm.n, also, who hate Ireland arid they are not a few are delighted to find euc'h r nao as Meagher stimulating his lellow-counlrjmeu to ru-h into the shambles in which butchery awaits them. 1 Ley know that every Irishman who has fled to America is an enemy of England. Naturally, therefore, they re joice when they Itarn that ttoe number of their enemies is diminished weekly by tbe operations of a relentless war. We, then, who wish for pea'cK are entitled to re but the- charge of Gen. Meagher by declaring that he is acting a part which is acceptable to those whom be calls the " Orangemen and Torie3 of England." An impression prevails in the minds of some of our deluded fellow-countrymen to the effect that General Meagher ia exciting them with euch earnestness to take part in the civil' war of America, with a view to pre pare them for an invasion of Ireland. A mere absurd mode of preparing them to attack an enemy was never devised by the imagination of man. It is not told how many Irishmen who enlisted m the Southern armies have been sent into another world by Meagher's bri gade ; but it has been stated I believe on his own au thority that he carried twelve hundred fine ycung Irishmen into the battle of Federicksburg, and that he brought out of that engagement unharmed only two hundred and fifty. Could the worst enemies of Ireland desire that the Irish should be spurred to destruction by lnfatuatioa more insane than that which tbu3 in duces Irishmen to butcher each other in this accursed wart General Meagher excuses ua on the ground that we are ignorant respecting American affairs, and abstains from imputing base motives to our desire that peace should be restored in the -Western world. Folio wine his example, I will not impute to him improper motives for the course which be has adopted. Had he received the honors which are due to his eloquence and to his gallantry, his motives might have been questioned, but we have been led to believe that Meagher, as well as Shields has been treated with much indignity by the Federal Government, and whilst we wonder at the for giving disposition that has been displayed by our gal lant Brigadier, we feel bound to dissuade our country men from entering a service in which they will be placed foremost in every post of danger, and last in every dis tribution cf honors and emoluments. But t our oratorial friend spares us. he shows no such decorous reserve towards the Southerners, who were accustomed to receive with kindness and hospi talitj th9 utiles of Ireland. Upon them heexh&ujta the copi us vocibulary of vituperation which he com mands. Now, it is not forgotten by mt at least, that when, in 1854, the Know Nothing pariy of the North ern States sought to prescribe tr-e Irish-born popu'a tiou, the Southerners, with Mr. Wise, the Governor of Arii2iuia. at their h ?.d, co-operated with tha nobler aririts of the North, iu crushing that mischievous fac- tioD. It is not forgotten by me that nowhere did I find a kindlier feeling to-vrd. Irelar.d than at Chart e- ton, whet e the names f ShieM and of Meagher "were mentioned with an enthusiasm ttiai. they wuuld have failed to eicite among tbe p:r'y to which Meagher ha? lately surrendered buns It. Tn the letter which voc have recently publithed, Gen eral Meagher repeatedly designates the Southern rebels as aristocrats. Now, I aarunabk to discover upon what manifestations of Southera feeiirg he founds thia urna that tr.fi session is an aristocratic, and not a popular movement. It seems to me that there has sel dom ixea an insurrection, which has, with such uoani mity, embraced til classes of society as the s cession ot tbe Southern States. If this be so, it is unworthy of a states nau to condescend to raise prejudices against the Soutbtrneis by calling them uristocr ts. It is tbe more ir.fionaiatent because he taunts tbe Emperor Napoleon with being p parvenu, and because it ia well known to h-.a (rindsth General Meaebor himself feels it to be tfr.;usr i A hnnnrahlp nrir! that h-3 is descended from riw, i. fa nf fitfrrin. For mv Dart. I believe tuat the t rm aristocrat is just as applicable to the Northern es it is to tbe Southerns, and I have been told th.it tha moceyed ari3tocracy of New York are more parse proud and overbearing in tLeir manners than tb rich-t-st and most aristocratic planters of the South. I do no; loumi this remark on my own observation, for I ex perienced nothing but courtesy in all parts of Americl. But General Meagher wholly mifund. rstanis the nature of Irishmen, if he supposes that tie cu raiie in the ir minds a prejudice against a party by calling tl.em aris tocrats. Au Irishman naturally loves tue "old s ock" nor is this surprising, for many of our peasantry feel that though they have lost property and station by the fidelity of their ancestors to their country and to tb.ir religion, stdl as noble blood flows in their veins a.s tbat which is to be found amongst the proudest potentates of Europe. The Southerns may, therefore, accept wkh prioe the designation aristocrats, and Irishmen will hoo or thrm the more on Recount of tbjrf appellation, when they learn tbat many of the most prominent families in tbe Scu'-h quitted the richest homes of England and Ireland because they loved religieus and political free dom better than the deiights which belong to ariatoera tical indulgences iu the land of their birih. Gen. Magkr ts more sure of exciting amongst ua prejudices against the Southerns when he calls, them slaveowners than when he designates tLetn as aristo crats. 'I he Irish people feel an invincible avers:on to the institution of slavery ; and if this war were realiy a war of emancipation, there would be few iu Ireland who would not pray for the success of the Northerns But no one knows better than Gen. Meagher that the present war is not a war for the emancipation of the slaves, but that it ia a war which i3 carried 'm for the purpose of upholding the Union. No e ns kn'ws bet ter than Gen. Meagher that a large majority or those who are fighting in the ranks of the Northerns regard the ab'jiitionists of slavery es a mischievous and fanat ical faction tbat this majority would continue to up hold aud enforce the detestable " Fugitive Slave Law," and ell tha Oiher appliances incidental to slavery, pic vided that the elavoholding States would return to the Union. Hud it been a war of emancipation, CocgvecS would have seized the opportunity afforded by the se cessiju to enact and promulgate tbe freedom of every slae iu the United States. Bat it has done no such thing. It has authorized President Line !o. to declare tbat the slaves of rcbela, over when ho has no 'sway, are free, but -tbe slaves of the loyal upholders of the Union, who are subject so the legislation of Congress, are stilt consigned to everlasting bondage. No one knows belter than General MeaaLer that thc coi dition cl'the emancipated slave iuthe North more humiliating io a sensitive spirit than the enforced sub jection wr.ieh is maintained in the South, fie knows that, with a few individual exceptions, the Northern Em.mcip itor will neither eat, pray, nor travel wita men oi color even though they baas well educated und re-tuKd a the most accomplished of tho whire popula tion lie knows that the President has held cue no other hope to the emancipated slaves of tho Sou'h than that of compulsory removal to some lard distant from tbe homes of their childhood. He knows that the con dition tvnd prospects of tha emancipated slave are such that of the many millions of slaves to whom the present war ha3 afforded an opportunity of fleeing from servi tude, oily a few thousands have sought to escape, though tbey have been stimulated, by the Northerns, not only to flee from their masters, but u 3 to plunder and to massacre the families ame-Dgst wl. m they Lave lived from their infancy, lie has yet to learn that the Southerns may prefer to trust themselves to their slave's rather than submit to Northern domination ; and that beforo this horrible struggle sha1! be ended we may wit nets the invasion of the North by balf a million of ccl oi ed troops, armed and led by their fanner masters. Gcd forbid that I should say a word in favor of sla very. The one redeeming advantage which I have con templated as a possible result of this conflict is, that il may induce tl n Southerns voluntarily to emancipate their slaves ; but I will not allow my countrymen to be so misled by grand ilequent vituperation as to believe that this present war is a war undertaken fur the aboli tion of ulavery in America. As for our friend ileai-hcr himself, I have no reason to soppose tbat he ever objoc tJ to be the ?:?3t or the friend of those " who grow c'e k and hau6ty on the-veat of tbe block ? kin ;" and if, like fc me of bis ft iends at Mobile and Charleston, he had inher: ed an estate to WhLh a few hundred slaves were attached, I am by no means convinced that ho we u!d emancipate them. Hiving thus endeavored to disconnect from the main" rjae-tion at issue the various fallacies and prejudices by which it has been surrounded, I now td Jress myself to tbe question whether Virginia, uaroima.ueorgia, Ala baldt, Mississippi and the other seceding States, bav or have not a natural and indefeasible ncht to determine wfcat form of government is most conducive to their in ttrent, ar.d acceptaole to their feelings. This appears to to rae to be a qiestion which does not atmit ot argu ment on the part of those who; like i'. F. Meagher have contented that Ireland andPoisid have a mora richt to withdraw hern the domination ot Ancland cr ot Ku-sia. There ia, perhxps, no part of the world io which the nrpH-miv of metropolitan dominion is loss felt than in Cunada, vet Gea. Meagher would riot deny to the C;n adians tbe right to declare their independence,-or to as sociate themselves with the htatt-s ot America. It i$ djfQclut, therefore, to understand by what proee33 ot reasoning be can sati3'y himseif that Ireland enjoys pucb a right that Poland e; joys such a right that Canada enjoys such a right 'hat Australia er-joys such aright; buc the States or America, wnic i never, Jur a moment rdi: em'shed th.1 title ot sovereignty that beion?? to them individually, might to be -debaned tiom the cr j )y ment of a similar ri-'ht. With very questionable t.iste he gives, instead of an arunv:El Mice Jote, in which he relates a private cuLVcraaLi on that was held at New York by Mr. Toombs, a distinguished Southern, whose sympathies with Ireland and Irishmen have been unreser vedly exhibited. This conversation 13 given as second hand. Gen. Meagher did not hear it himself. The in let ence whichrhc wishes his readers to draw from it is, that the chieTuen of the South stimulated the secession movement solely in order to preserve lor themselves a monopoly of the ;eflic? of th2 Southern States. Now, I may be allowed to set off conversations which I heard myseif against thosa which General Meagher re ceived through report from a friend. When I wa3 in Georgia, in tbe year 1859, 1 had the pleasure of spend ing two days at tbe house of Mr. Toomb3, and two days at the bouse cf Mr. Stephens, Vice-President of the Confederate States. (Jar conversation naturally turn ed much upon the relations which then existed between the Northern and Southern States. My hosts, one of whom had retired from i-ub'ic life, said nothing that could induce me to think that their minda were effect ed by considerations conuected with official patronage, but they complained much of the calumnies which were daily vented against the Southerns by a portioj of tbe Northern press. They speke wi h indignation cf the incentives by which their slaves were encouraged to re volt against them they complained of the injustice, commercial and financial, which the Southern States underwent, as a consequence of their connection with the North tbey EDoke of the Secession as a probable contingency as an event which would probably impose upon them many sacrifices ; but they stated tbat these sacrifices would be accepted by the South as an alter native preferable to a continuance of the relations which then subsisted between the Northern and Southern States. These conversations were held more than a year be fore the election of Mr. Lincoln at a time when, ac cording to Gen. Meagher, the Southerners were occu pants of all the influential positions of the General Gov ernment. I do not remember that the interests connect ed with official patronage were brought into discussion, but, even if they had been brought forward, I do not conceive that any imputation of lawless ambition and lust of power," of " eslfiih and insatiable ambition," i could be found upon the introduction of each elements into the consideration f this question. Let us suppose that, in 1782, the Irish patriots had. learned that, in stead of the amicable adjustment which then took place by a concession of the demand? of Ireland, tbe Urilish ministry had appoi ited a Lord Lieu ecant in Ireland wbo would uudoubudiy have tided all official stations with Englishmen, or with Irishmen who were Oj'p .'Sod to the national interests would Meagher have re proached them if they had made the appointment of such li Lord Lit untenant a casus belli, and had subject ed to tbe arbitrament of the so;d the "questions tbat were then at is?ue between England and Ireland? Neither is Mr. Toombs io be blamed for havir.g taken into account this element in c-msidering the relations between the Southern and Northern States of America. Equally unieaeouable are tbe reproaches with which the Southerneis have been assailed, because at the time of the secession they took possession of the 'oris and arsenals which were situated in the Southern territory. These fortB and arsenals belonged as much to the Southerners as to lte Northerners, and as the secession naturally gave to tte Northerners the arsenals and dock-yaida, which were situaied iu the Northern Sta-es, so it gave to the Bcmherneis thode which aie situated in the seceding States. If .the lrit-h insurrection of 18-iS, had been suec.su!, would not General Meagher have laughed tv iscoru aoy une who should have re proaehtd hita lor taking e?ses8iou ot ,pike Inland, be cause it was called by the KngVinh a British fort. Fort Slimier stands in rwLtion to Charleston in a posi tion exactly similar t: that which m r-eeupied by Spike Island rn relation to Coik. L--t it not be f apposed, however, thr.t 1 write thope puges with a view to justify the Secession. When I ma e a tr ur in the Southern States cf IS'orth America in 1859, I rarne ly itnpli.-n d :ny Southern friends to renounce ilu: id.a of a separation, which cou'd not fail to be disastrous to them, as wed us to the ,vbo!c of the Republic. When I learned that, mstend of endeavor ing to obtain redress for real or imagicary gritvaneas by peaceful negotiations, the forces of South Carolina had fired upon. Fort Sumter. I thought it extremely nturt-l that the inhabitants of the Northern States should meet force by foree in the maintenance of the Union. Mr. XI. W. iieecher asked an auditory in Lon don last week whether EngiL-hmcu would or ought to tolerate- the secession of Kent from the political unity which i-ow holds together the several counties of Eng land. I answer without hesitation that such a se?es sioii cught to be prevented by force1, whilst Knt enjojs equality of rights wi-h the other inhabitants of Britain ; and though I maintain, speaking theoretically, that Sou'h Car- lioicr Maine erj ys a right to withdraw from .he Union, yet, as a practical question, it is not unnatural that the other members ot the United States should endeavor to prevent by toree a secession which may be irjuriou-3 to the whole Union. But eince, after a uc-.: sioo cf bloody engagements, it ha been seen that ?. h it oppesred at first to be the whim of a single State id th-j deliberate resolve of several rniiiiona of people ice it l aa been steu that, though contending under many difficulties and disadvantages, the Southern leaders have displayed more able statesmanship and more skillful strategy th&u hav? been exhibited by their adversaries when it 13 manifest thut they possess !1 the (jaalificitions which render a people fitted for self governmentan attempt to coerce ti em into enforced subjection becomes nothing k-s3 than unjustifiable and intolerable tyranny. At tbe time when, in 1861, 1 ad dressed a letter on il.iz subject to .v!r. Seward, it was Baid the Northerns that the war wou:d be ternii".attd iu three mouths ; vet now, alter tbe l-?p?e of thirty months, it is doubtful whether Washington is not exposed to great er darger than is to be apprehended by Richmond or Charleston ; and although tha Northerns hold military occupation of many important posts iu the Southern territory, they do not appear to hae ree'onei'ed to their dominion any important section of the inhabitants of the revolted Staged. Tbe question, then fore, recurs which I put to Mr. Seward iu 1861 : Assuming tbat you will, sooner cr later, conquer the Southern States, ho? do you propebe to govern them ? If you leave to them the rights of self-government, which they have hitherto erjoytd, they will be more dangerous to you as uaw.Uing associates than they could Le in the guise of open ene mies. There iO'iuna, therefore, no other policy by which thf to territories can be governed ex cept that which was formerly adopted by England to wards Ireland, and which is now practiced in Poland by Mcuravkff and Berg, under the sanction aud approval oi the tyrant Alexander. Th.:3 ie the policy cf confis cation, devastation and extermination. That lean and hungry adventurers should covet tbe rich possessions of the Sou'hem planters, end urge forward a system of confiscation and extermination which will resemble the p'antation cf Ulster and tbe cruelties of Cromwell, is t-xtremtly nitural; but it is a rvectacle painful and humiliating to all lovers of freedom to find one cf the representative men of the Irish re.ee himself an cx'Ie and a Catholic vindicating a c:,uree of policy similar to that which expelled the natives oMreland from their possessions arid f.om their homes. I have spent much time iu analysing the letter of General Meagher, because, although it is addre?aed to a private iriend, it was evidently written as an appeal to, the public opinion or this country. Though it is overladta with cumulative epithets of declamatory m-vec-ive, it is a production which Las evidently been prepared, with Cure and dc-seivcr; a di ill crate response. In U:u itspect it contrasts 'avorably with au election tqait) recently addressed by Air. Meagher to tht- electors ot Ohio ia opposition io the cia'in? ot Air.- Vall uidig hum, in vhese person all the righ's wLica belong to a free ciiiz-n have been violated. Sad. ind.ed, "3 it to me to find that our comrade, who was once th3 cham pion cf Lumiu liberty, ha3 enlisted himself as tho de tender of every s.nt of tyrannical usurpation T. F. Meagher, the youog tribune, once the champion of his country's freedom, has become tho advocate of a system of Govcroment which carries into tlLct its policy By fuspendiug the writ ot hibeas corpus, and there by fcubjecticg the personal liberty of every citszen ol the United estates to the caprice ot a single ruler of his minions. By eoireiiig into the ranks of tne Federal army, through the i;.?Lrumenta!ity of conscription, all who cannot aCerd to purchase the.r deliverance by au enor mous lan.-'Oin ; ;iid by drivir-g, ui.d-er ine terror of mil itary execution, uvwiliirg coeir'eripts into Held of battle Where they perisii fr a cuu-i.e waieh is not sanctioned by the approval ol their own consciences. By S'Spersclir-'g the rights which, under the constitu tion of the Unite 1 Suites, were guaranteed tj cacu in dividual State. Lastly, by fra-ernLung wish the tyrant of Ilussia, who is at this moment 'engaged iu carrying into cfle.t sucii a ty.stefii of measures ugains the noble Polish na tion, as Las won for him, and for all who abet him, the execration of mankind. Ales I that we cheuid e ver have witnessed such back Eliding on .the perl of an Iris'i patriot ! If such be the rebuke of Kepublieuti freedom (20 ca led) in America, we shall soon learn to Le rcctmcilcd to the worst forms of European dcoti-m. flow d. fie ?nt u career lay open to our f.iend. P03 seosing the love and confidence oi several iniiliocs of Americans, .native as well as Iri3h born, he might have applied his persuasive diction to ti e restoration of peace, instead ol urging these milli ng to Ding their sons into the fire which now bams before the altar of Aloloch. He might have taught the Canadians to look to Amer ica for a model of political institutions, and for aa iden tification of i.itensts, instead of repelling tkera bytke taxation, by the conscription, by the monopolising tar iffs, and by the l-.-s-j of personal liberty, which have fol lowed, as consequences from this civil war. He might have gladdened the heart of all who belonged to the op pressed nationalities cf tbe world by nobly vindicating the cause cf hunnn freedom on behalf of those who suffer in every ciime, instead of standing foremost amongst those who welcome to America the emissaries of tbe cruel despot who now tortures a brave and noble rcc9. The enemies of Ireland will rejoice that be has made such achoi .e between these alternativee; but though he mav find defenders and apologists amongst a few attach ed friends, our heada droop with shame when we find one of our chosen chitfs thus lending the support of his great abilities to the cause cf the oppressor rather than to the protection ot the oppressed. Io no one Lai the language employed in America upon many occasi ns by General Meagher since the cemmtnerment of this war given more pain than to myseK; and since he boa invited an expression of lbs opinion of his country men, 1 no longer feel myself at liberty to preserve si lence. Eirnestiy, therefore, do! warn ail those who are about to emigrate from Ireland asamst taking any fart in the disastrous contention which is now going oa in America, even tnouga mey may roe tempted bv tbe rhetoric of one of Ireland's most gifted sons to fling: iueaa3eive8 into ine aovsa in waicn eo many wno nave gone before them have perisheJ. Believe me, my dear friend, very eincerely your?, William Smitu O'Bhisn. P. . Smyth, Esq., Irishman. The followiag comment upoa Mr. O'Brien'e letter - ?rzSrr!SS!!r!!g will eive seme idea of the effect which may b. nntiek pa ted from it : KlLBRONBT. Rrttitrevor TCvtr A 1 e-i' Io the Lditor of the Irishman: Dear Sir r Permit me to expresa publicly my mt ificaticn at the appearance-of Mr. O'Biieu's lctt r ui. the American question. When I lead the itutcr ad dressed by Mr. Meagher to Mr. S.nyib, which w n published in the Irishman, of the 17th October, I f,';t tbat it was a document that required an answer on t,. part of 'he pe ple of Ireland, it was an appeal to -i;i, opinion from an Irish exile. whos5 briMbmt talents U t.1 heavy puff 'Tings have given him very btooej chima m . on Irish sympathy. And it has been answerul by t!,. man who, beyond all others, is best entitled to etv,,!, tuc inou uanuu. j yvu inz ij'u ainw 01 inr Atl:'ri can war, as upon almost every other political question thp RPnf 1 niortj rf Kim "V Ttplir cirri tK.. ,-t, ..:.. the great majority of the people of Ireland. He h ,; representative man of the lrru'j nation, ua tny a L any emperor, king, president, or prime minister f u, v of the lnelependeut nations of the world. And. if ', nation lies in baa.; eubjection under the foot oi th.- i eigner, at least we may boast that not the proudest ui free nations has a manlier representative than ou'h Mr. O'Brien replies to Mr. Meagher f: unkly, elt lih r ately, exclusively. Whatever Mr. Mwghir bun ; u forth p.s an argument 1 examines wi h courtly I , refutes with dignity. He tells the real meaning n: i Object of the wer now re.ging in Americ.i, the renl ci, at stake betwevn N erth and South, the it.fiuvncr u. ! the fortunes of the Irish abators of the w r, ar.d ; , part which be recommended the Irish to take when i. American trouble commenced. I believe he spe-.iks t;.c tn nd of the great majorily of those ot Ida eoun'i vm-:, who think for themselves open the horrible Kiibj et. For my own part, I fear that I could n: t write h, i, such teaiper-upon that subject. 1 am, heart and s ; v.: a partem of the Confederates in this w.ir. And to' me it is misery to think of the hundred thousicd ot my countrymen who have tnken up arms to kill the in :, , the South, ar.d insult their women, and lay wast" th- ; home;', in order Jo force them to submit to a yule i they rtfu'ie. I am, dear sir, truly yours, John Maiui TELEGRAPHIC Krporta of tJie Irs Ac:m-Ih1oi. ntered according to the Act of Congrtfn, in Hie va L)3, by J. S. THftASHKR, in the Olcrk'w OfEor of the H trict Court of the Confederate States for tho Norltera DiJttict of Georgia. Fl'Oil NORT1IEBN VJEGINIA. Changs C. II., Va., J111. Fth. 18 t Snowfall to tLo depth cf four itches kbt rdfht. lie weather is milder to-day, at d tha snow dinapj carit c,. Ulauketfi aud overcoats are needed for the soldiers. No mil itary moveraflnt.of any kind. CAPIUBB OF YANKEES. ltrcnjio.vD Jan. 8th, Wi. A telegram f rom (Jen .T,ec atinonuoes the capture, iu Ilr dy Ccuoty, of one Inndrcd and twecty-ilvo (IM)catti.-, . lundred and twenty-five (125) mules, nr.d two Iukcm : (200) prisoners. The despatch doc-H r ot stt? who euirw . ded th3 forctB making the capture. GEN. MOfkGAN IN BICUMuKO. EicnjaohD, Jan. 8th, 1 Gsn. Morgan, Lady atd tafl arrived.heio laatriiht hh . it eleen o'o'ock from Danville. .He wao received at t!. -pot by a committee of tho City Council and et-curt; 1 to ; Biillard Hon.-ie, here a nainher of disticgniBhtvl ol'ru-t acd ciyiliaus awaited hia arrival, lie vras conduced t !.. reception room, where ha received the warm greeting , old friend') and new acquaintances. This f ores 0011 (h-bi-ru! Morgan, &cccmpariied by the Major, wa3 escorted V i battalion of iuiautry to the City IJill, in fio;it tf whir, a 1 iffinienac crowd had assembled. At noon Gcd. Moiga.-i v. introduced to the conomrse by tha Mayor. He ciun- tot ward, amid prolonged cheers, and said : F.i!low-c. t .-, I thank you for thia reception. I hope that ray future 0 rc r will prove that I ara not unworthy of the LoEor you have done me. Again I thank jou forihia m&ni'ehtuiion oi 'ku.i! iieaa. Brief speeches were made by Gonlu. A. 1. 11:12, J. K. li. Stuart, and Branch, Judge Kowc, Gov. Havre ft Kentucky, Fx-tfov. Letcher, and others, flea. Morgan w.c then escorted back to tha Ballard House, where ho ri ce 'ved DiimoiouB calls. Ha ia ia fiao spirits aud exct hc-ahh. CONFEDERATE CONGULSo. IJicnMOKO, Jon. 8th, 1 Nothtiig of importance transacted in tho Senate il f ; session, and we at into secret session at an early hiw. In the House tha bill to repeal exemptions was tak'-u n; acd discussed duiing all thd coxnirg hours, -'evorkl Ei; tiorjs to postpone tnd recommit it were made, and va.-i jin amGtdraents proposed. Tho Lcur for the speei;l order a rived beioio any important action was taken, and tho Hon c wc-jt icto secret session. TLe discussion devekpf t'. fact that strorg oppooiti jh exi3t to panting to kwrpi: c n bill, and it is telitved it will be greatly modified bci'oic it ia finally tvUi on. The arguments cf ecwral rmi.'K" ibis EQoriicg against placing mch power in the hm.il one or two men, oa 1o E.ay who r-hill ci eh!l i.ot 1 j ( x ir.pi were pecu-iarJy cwKt-bt aud iraprciatve. .iter the k .-ret eession was ovt a bbl Wiic pievotcd fw d rtfjrit.I tu prs hibit volunteer asdJ, on Generate' tti ff, of tt.cn I.'ahk- 1., conscription. FItOJi CHP.I.kSTON. CHAULLTOy, J.iLl. 8, 1 1 No news. ITo Ciing to day. Tho Yankees are b: . pairing diuiiaprcs to their batteries caused by tho : to ; . N.. change ia the llsot. Lrct(!on of rUUila ut tlee (ubcriiutorSc-.! ?(...:. i. Gov. rultli iUHlies u f'iref.'l. The cfiicerfi of the several militia i-x'imcuM o iV'.'1 -mood, and ti c officers of the Public (Jaird, alt u r command of Col. Thomas J. K':cv?, lorrrie-u ia Jro;:t (f the City Hail Tuesdiy mornic ubnt 1L o'clock, un l preceded hy the Armory Hand, waited upon oviti 't rfmiih. Colonel Evans, io a neat and appro;,. :c speech, tcudend the scrvice-3 of the uiiliin to the :j ,v e:mor whenever they were ncedd tor the dei'encw e! city. Ho reerroti, briefly, to the pronpt uuiam r, which the officers and men composing the varioei- 1 matid-i, had always respocdod to every Euiflmon.-; 1 . ' upon them, ard clcsal by s-ajing, that the ikw ( v error would alwajs tied thc:n ready uLd willing t ' tRcir duty wt eu c vlltd upon. The Governor from the steps of the rijoi,io.i, briefly, bat pointedly, to the ronarks ol the C ! -He thnnked them fur 'the pleasant eurpri-c. ii w..i alwuja glad to m3et hia fcliuw-citizr-cs, and ta!!v ! over matters with them in the good old Virginia stjit il past koowltdge of the militia force, and th; ,atrio'i gentlemen composirg the various commandd, gave him no reason to doubt tiieir fidelity, cr thit tit 7 won!. 1 1.. ' 10 chee r fully rtepond when called upon. He hail o:: in ihi gord e'ld days loi g past, watched the vofuutrr fore; of th'a city, going through the various military tvoiutiouH, during their paradc3 on the public fcfj ian lie hud cicsdy watched their proticiency in the thi I. with a peculiar satisfaction, for he then had an innate feeling tha.t wbert their good old mother cah'd wprv.i tbeni to beat back a rothleaa, invading foe, no laattt r when it cim;, they woald not be f und laggards in tl -race for glory and honor, but would be read when o il elnPn- : , . . . J am one 01 ititw, nam iu uuvcrcnr, wno Lave bv: aniKy;d at ehis accondary life, which 1 am culled np.'ii to ieiud. I had rather be in the field with, thot-e bravr men, whose patriotism I have ceen tested more than occe, in the fiery furnace.- I love the rucaofmyoii brigade, for I know them to ba good men and tru " ready to do or die for the holy cause in which are engaged. But still, gentlemen, ycu will u!wj;. find rxe ready and willing to do my duly, in wfutt v'r position I am called upon to occupy. J la only ok the support of his fellow-countrymen, whom he lr.' v; wer willing to sacrifice all to aid in beaticg bue'e t1 hirelicga of Vackeedom. He reverted briefly to the atrocitica comniit'r 1 s . the Vandals in the State cf N. C, and called upn-i people everywhere to bear those things efcadilyiti r:,iM ! He exhorted the people everywhere in and cut of ti army, to do their whole duty, to strike bod.'y ad vig orously for " God and cur country," and tnerc wei'i be no doubt that an All wiee God would, in hia ou good time, bleta tia with peace and independence Tie cfScers were then marched into the rccepti' r. room, where thej were Beverally introduced to the 'i -ernor. After a few momenta spent in friendly coimrrv. the battalion waa filed out and dismissed, the l..n ; meanwhile playing an inspiring1 air. Gen. Bheckineidgs. It is a mistake, as has IkiTu stated in soma of the journal, that Gea. lireckinrul. hus been reliev.d of hU command in tbe army of leu nessee. Cottox. Middlings were quoted as firm at SI cents in New York 00 the 30th December. liteck pepper and qainine at $2 52 a $2 CO per ounce.
Wilmington Journal [1844-1895] (Wilmington, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 14, 1864, edition 1
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