become more so from year to year) a guaran- | particular importance, unless it be the souring tee that their peculiar interests would not be of a large portion of the rations, which rensacrificed to sectional prejudices or fanaticism.dered them unfit for use, and much embarrassed Perhaps it might be sufficient to have a Northern and a Southern Section in only one House, leaving the other as it is at present. 7. Whatever plan, either of reconstruction or separation, might be adopted by the Convention, should only become binding upon the States, after being ratified by three-fourths of the eleven Confederate States, and also by three-fourths of the twenty-three United States. 8. The suppression of hostilities for three months, and the turning of men's thoughts to plans for mutual benefit instead of mutual destruction, would be almost sure to open the eyes of both sections of the country to the enormous wickedness of the war, on one side or on both, and to result in its speedy termination. This alone would be a great point gained, and would probably lead to a satisfactory arrangement of the main question at no distant day. -N. Y. Journal of Commerce, August 3. the remainder of the journey. During the night they lay at anchor off Watt's Island, and very early in the morning proceeded to the mouth of Pocomoke River, which empties into Pocomoke Sound. In two launches, each bearing fifty men, and one of them a 32-pound howitzer, they landed at Fletcher's wharf at five o'clock Thursday morning. A company of the Roanoke Rifles, who were drilling at the time of the approach of the expedition, were frightened and fled in consternation to the woods and fields in the rear of the house near the wharf, which subsequently proved to be the head-quarters of the company. The crews of the boats immediately effected a landing and pursued the retreating rebels a short distance. They then proceeded to search the house, and found a negro, who at first refused to give any information. After some threats, however, he acknowledged that the building was used as the head-quarters of a detachment of the Roanoke Rifles, and that two or three times a week they were accustomed to meet there for drill; that the captain of the company was James Fletcher, the owner of the place; that the first-lieutenant was a Mr. Crossly, who owned a house very near, and which was searched by our troops. In their search they also found Crossly's uniA secret expedition consisting of tugs Fanny, form. It was brought back, together with one Fanny Cadwallader, and Adriatic, two launches of the rebel guns, as a trophy, by Capt. White. and two batteaux, manned by forty of the In the barn they found five boxes, recently Naval Brigade, and bearing companies A, F emptied of rifles, also several from which uniand C, (Captains White, Winchester, and Lou- forins had been taken. It is only just to say ther,) of the Tenth regiment, left the fortress that the boxes were marked "from M. GoldWednesday morning, July 31. Their destina-smith & Co., Chestnut street, Philadelphia." tion, and the time of their absence even, so far as possible, were kept profoundly secret. The fact that three days' rations were taken, afforded the only clue that could be obtained in regard to the matter. Doo. 161. EXPEDITION TO THE POCOMOKE. A portion of the expedition returned last evening for more provisions, and on their way out, met the remainder which arrived here this morning. From one of the officers I have full details. The expedition had one rifled 32-pounder, which, as will be seen, did excellent exccution under the direction of Lieut. Tillotson, of the Naval Brigade, to whom belongs a high meed of praise for the coolness and accuracy with which he served the gun. The soldiers were armed with muskets. Four of the officers had rifles, and whenever they used them threw lead and consternation among the ranks of the rebels. The whole affair was in charge of Capt. Crosby, U. S. A. The object of the excursion was to seize arms and rifled cannon said to be in conveyance from Accomac County to the rebels, in spite of the blockade, and to see if any important defence had been erected by the rebels, as reported. Leaving the fortress quite early Wednesday morning, the fleet cruised during the day up the bay, without meeting with any incident of There was also an order found for assembling the Roanoke Rifles last Tuesday, together with a number of copies of Gilham's "School of Tactics," military books, papers, &c. A large quantity of oats, corn, and bacon was also stored in the barn. The bacon the soldiers were especially desirous of taking. This, Captain Crosby refused to permit, though his men had subsisted on a single ration for forty-eight hours. The next visit was to the sutler's. Here they found a number of glasses, which the officers had evidently just left in their hasty retreat. A portion of the glasses were partly filled with liquors, and a large quantity was found inside. There was a general stock of provisions, boots, shoes, and dry goods inside, not any of which the soldiers were permitted to touch by Capt. Crosby. Their hunger, though, finally betrayed them into the taking of some eggs and gingerbread, which when Capt. C. discovered, he compelled them to pay seven dollars as a remuneration. His conduct received much censure from those who accompanied him in these things, and the idea of a company of half-starved Federal troops being compelled to put their hardearned dimes into secession coffers in return for the necessities of life, when they were in the very head-quarters of the enemy, is certainly not one of the most pleasant for contemplation | them. Lieut. Tillotson, of the Naval Brigade, in the present state of affairs. Capt. Louther's company were now put in command of a bridge near by, while Capt. White was sent across with his as skirmishers in the adjacent woods and fields about. Scarcely had the movement been made, when a negro woman came running down with the intelligence that the rebel troops were advancing rapidly toward them from Temperanceville, about five miles further inland. The alarm, she said, had spread, and all the country around was aroused. Not many minutes after the crack of rifles upon Capt. White's pickets announced the presence of the rebels. Our men quickly collected together, and commenced firing in return. The enemy were scattered about firing with rifles from behind the fences and haystacks, or under cover of the woods around the open field where our troops had formed. As soon as Capt. White's men were in rank, he marched them out under the open fire and directly toward the locality whence the shots came thickest, loading and firing as they went. Four of the enemy had been killed, when they were gathered up by the rebels, who fled precipitately. One squad, numbering about fifteen, was chased at least half a mile, and our men were pressing on intending to pursue them to Temperanceville, when Capt. Crosby overtook them with the order, "Make the best of your way back to the fort as soon as possible! Not one of our men had been even wounded. The charge that had been made by them was a splendid one, and not a single soldier of ours showed any thing but bravery. The credit of the affair belongs to Capt. White and his company, and to Lieut. Ryan, who rushed on bravely at the head of about fourteen of the Naval Brigade. Lient. Ryan had a Sharpe's rifle, and with it shot one of the rebels down deliberately. The Federal troops took a number of muskets, caps, pieces of uniforms, &c., and had it not been for the order to retreat would have captured a large number of prisoners. I may here say that the uniform of Lieut. Crossly is made of coarse Kentucky jeans, green facings, and trimmed with the "sic semper tyrannis" buttons. In the afternoon, after the retreat down Pocomoke River, they took a prize schooner, and early the following morning the fleet started for Cherrystone Creek. Arriving at the wharf at the mouth of the river, they found the schooner Passenger. Her captain is also captain of the Cherrystone Guards, a company of rebel troops who rendezvous in the vicinity. They removed a number of things from the schooner, and then fired her and another lying near. They then placed a picket line along the shore. Scarcely ten minutes afterward a cloud of dust was seen up the road, and then a column of bayonets gleaming in the early sunlight. A moment afterward a ball from a heavy gun came whizzing down the road, and struck in the water a very little distance from in charge of our 32-pounder upon one of the launches, then sighted the piece accurately and sent a concussion shell into their very midst. The rebels then scattered into the woods. Our men upon the boats discharged their muskets into the woods, and the pickets having been taken on board, and several shots given from Tillotson's gun, Capt. Crosby again gave the order to retreat and the expedition floated down the river. The Fanny Cadwallader was found some distance below run aground, and all efforts to get her off were for a time unavailing. She was near the shore, and had the enemy known the circumstances, they could not have found a more favorable opportunity for attacking the expedition, and would certainly have sunk the boat aground and scattered the fleet, had they come in season. In a short time the order was given by Capt. Crosby to throw her coal overboard. Several of the men were detailed for the purpose, and commenced the speedy execution of the order. The Fanny was then attached to the Fanny Cadwallader, and had scarcely succeeded, after much effort, in getting her off, when Capt. White, who was again ashore with pickets, saw movements in the woods and a large white wagon approaching, guarded by several soldiers. The picket fell back to the boats. A few moments afterward a shot from a rebel howitzer was sent whirling toward the launch which bore Tillotson's gun, and a shower of musket and rifle balls fell among the boats. Tillotson answered the fire bravely and effectively. The action continued briskly for about fifteen minutes, the rebels firing from behind a sand battery and the trees. Their aim, however, was much too high and none of their shots scarcely but fell beyond. Some of the rifle balls struck the smoke-stacks of the steamers, and quite a number of bullets marked the upper parts of the boats. Not one of our men, so far as I am able to learn, was injured. The rebels had two howitzers playing mostly on the launch, where Tillotson kept up a heavy fire, finally dismounting one piece, and, for a time, silencing the other. Capt. Crosby gave the order to retreat, and at the same instant the rebels gave Tillotson a shell. He again fired, and the launch commenced the retreat. Again and again he fired in answer to the gun upon shore, as his boat moved off, until at last she was silenced. Tillotson, after the action closed, received three loud, loug, and hearty cheers for his bravery, and the expedition then moved off toward the fortress, where it arrived early this morning. The last engagement occurred at about 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon and continued more than half an hour. The prize schooner taken at Pocomoke River now lays in the harbor. She is a trim-rigged little craft, and it is regretted by our men that she was not as well stored as built. -N. Y. World, August 7. Doo. 162. TEMPERANCE IN THE ARMY. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AT THE MEETING HELD IN 1. Resolved, That, in the present solemn and momentous condition of our country, our army is our glory and defence, and that in this, especially in our noble volunteers, our sons and brothers, habitually obedient to all the moral and physical laws of their being, we have the greatest confidence. Our prayer is that, amid all the temptations and trials of camp life, they may be kept unharmed and uncorrupted, and that, when their term of service is over, they may return like the army of Cromwell, to be a blessing and not a curse to their country. 2. Resolved, That we rejoice in the recent act of Congress, imposing a heavy penalty upon all in the District who sell to the soldiers intoxicating liquors; also in the prompt and energetic regulations of our youthful commander, to preserve our troops from the snares of the grog-shops. The nation will approve of the severest action in every military district, toward such as for gain will debauch the army. 3. Resolved, That the secret transmission of liquors to the soldiers in camp, in packages of home comforts, by misguided friends, is as mischievous and deadly as it is dishonorable and base, and should receive universal reprobation. 4. Resolved, That in our intense anxiety for friends and brothers, we can never be at ease while they are liable to be led into battle by drunken officers; and we invoke Congress at once to pass a law which shall discharge every officer at the first conviction, whether in battle or on any other occasion. Doo, 163. CLAIBORNE JACKSON'S DECLARATION OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE STATE OF MIS SOURI. AUGUST 5, 1861. In the exercise of the right reserved to the people of Missouri by the treaty under which the United States acquired the temporary dominion of the country west of the Mississippi River, in trust for the several sovereign States afterward to be formed out of it, that people did, on the twelfth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and twenty, "mutually agree to form and establish a free and independent republic by the name of the State of Missouri." On the tenth day of August, eighteen hundred and twenty-one, the State was duly admitted into the Union of the United States of America, under the compact called the Constitution of the United States, and “on equal footing with the original States in all respects whatever." The freedom, independence, and sovereignty of Missouri, and her equality with the other States of the Union, were thus guaranteed not only by that Constitution, but by the laws of nations requiring the sacred observance of treaties. In repeated instances, the Government and people of the States now remaining in that Union have grossly violated, in their conduct toward the people and State of Missouri, both the Constitution of the United States and that of Missouri, as well as the general, great, and essential principles of liberty and free government. Their President, Abraham Lincoln, in avowed defiance of law and the Constitution of the United States, and under the tyrant's plea of necessity, has assumed to regulate com5. Resolved, That we most deeply sympathize merce with foreign nations and among the sevwith our patriotic soldiers in all their hard-eral States, stopping by violence our trade with ships and sufferings, and would do all in our power to alleviate them; yet as we know that in war intemperance often slays more than the sword, as science and observation prove that the severest toils are borne better without than with intoxicating drinks, and the severest wounds are easier healed, and as we know that the drunkard, whether dying in battle or coming home a burden to his family, is ruined for time and eternity, we do most earnestly exhort all our patriotic and self-denying troops, officers, and common soldiers, at once to abjure all intoxicating drinks, often composed of the most destructive materials, and by one simultaneous effort banish intemperance forever from the national army; and we do rejoice in the effort now made to supply each regiment with a thousand appropriate tracts, exhorting every soldier to beware of the bottle, to sign the Ellsworth pledge, and become his own master. This effort we will give not only our good wishes, but our substantial support. our Southern neighbors, and depriving our citizens of the right secured to them by a special, solemn compact with the United States, to the free navigation of the Mississippi River. He has usurped powers granted exclusively to Congress, in declaring war against the Confederate States; to carry on this unholy attempt to reduce a free people into slavish subjection to him, he has, in violation of the Constitution, raised and supported armies, and provided and maintained a navy. Regardless of the right reserved to the States respectively, of training the militia and appointing its officers, he has enlisted and armed, contrary to law, under the name of Home Guards, whole regiments of men, foreigners and others, in our State, to defy the constitutional authorities and plunder and murder our citizens. By armed force and actual bloodshed he has even attempted to deprive the people of their right to keep and bear arms, in conformity to the State laws, and to form a well-regulated militia necessary to the security of a free State. With his sanction his soldiers Declaration, it was hoped that the rights therein asserted would not be denied to her people. have been quartered in houses without the consent of the owners thereof, and without any authority of law. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, Her authorities also relied on the clause in and effects, against unreasonable searches and the very Constitution with which she was adseizures, has been habitually and grossly yio-mitted into the Union, asserting as one of the lated by his officers, acting under his orders. general, great, and essential principles of liberHe has utterly ignored the binding force of our ty and free government, "that the people of constitutional State laws, and carried his inso- this State have the inherent, sole, and exclusive lence to such an extent as to introduce, from right of regulating the internal government and other States, free negroes into our midst, and police thereof, and of altering and abolishing place them in positions of authority over our their Constitution and form of Government white citizens. whenever it may be necessary to their safety and happiness." But this military commander haughtily refused the consent of his Government to the exercise by us of these rights, which our ancestors in the last century endured an eight years' war to vindicate. He but expressed, however, the deliberate purpose of his masters at Washington and the people over which they rule; for his predecessor at St. Louis had, a few weeks before, formally proclaimed to our people that our equality with the other States would be ignored; that we should be held in subjection to the North, even though the independence of our Southern sister States might be acknowledged; that, to use his own words, "whatever may be the termination of the unfortunate condition of things in respect to the so-called cotton States, Missouri must share the destiny of the Union; that the free will of her people shall not decide her future, but that "the whole power of the Government of the United States, if necessary, will be exerted to maintain Missouri in the Union," in subjection to the tyranny of the North. He has encouraged the stealing of our slave property. In these and other proceedings the Government and people of the Northern States have unmistakably shown their intention to overturn the social institutions of Missouri, and reduce her white citizens to an equality with the blacks. In the execution of his despotic wishes his agents, without even rebuke from him, have exhibited a brutality scarcely credible of a nation pretending to civilization. Even women and children of tender age have fallen victims to the unbridled license of his unfeeling soldiery. He has avowedly undertaken to make the civil power subordinate to the military; and with the despicable and cowardly design of thus protecting himself and his accomplices, by binding the consciences of the unhappy victims of his tyranny, he has exacted from peaceful citizens, guilty of no crime, an outh to support his detestable government. To crush out even peaceful and lawful opposition to it, he has forcibly and unconstitutionally suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, and abridged the freedom of speech and of the press by subjecting innocent citizens to punishment for mere opinion's sake, and by preventing the publication of newspapers independent enough to expose his treason to liberty. These manifold and inhuman wrongs were long submitted to in patience, and almost in humility, by the people of Missouri and their authorities. Even when the conduct of the Lincoln Government had culminated in an open war upon us, those authorities offered to its military commander in Missouri to refer to the people of the State for decision of the question of our separation from a government and nation thus openly hostile to us. Those authorities relied on the principles consecrated in the Declaration of Independence of the United States, that, to secure the rights of citizens, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Missouri having an admitted equality with the original States which had made this The acts of President Lincoln have been endorsed by the Congress and people of the Northern States, and the war thus commenced by him has been made the act of the Government and nation over which he rules. They have not only adopted this war, but they have gone to the extreme of inciting portions of our people to revolt against the State authorities; by intimidation they have obtained control of the remnant left of a Convention deriving its powers from those authorities, and using it as a tool, they have through it set up an insurrectionary government in open rebellion against the State. No alternative is left us; we must draw the sword and defend our sacred rights. By the recognized universal public law of all the earth, war dissolves all political compacts. Our forefathers gave as one of their grounds for asserting their independence, that the King of Great Britain had abdicated government here by declaring us out of his protection, and waging war upon us." The people and Government of the Northern States of the late Union have acted in the same manner toward Missouri, and have dissolved, by war, the connection heretofore existing between her and them. The General Assembly of Missouri, the recognized political department of her govern the same county. They will all be taken before General Banks this afternoon, and held. The horses are of the finest Virginia stock, and are considered quite a prize. The prisoners will all be well treated, and profess to be good Union men. This is reliable, and will relieve the dulness of the war news for the last few days.-X. -Baltimore American, August 6. ment, by an act approved May 10, 1861, entitled, "An act to authorize the Governor of the State of Missouri to suppress rebellion and repel invasion," has vested in the Governor, in respect to the rebellion and invasion now carried on in Missouri by the Government and people of the Northern States and their allies, the authority "to take such measures as in his judgment he may deem necessary or proper to repel such invasion or put down such rebel-Colonel John O. Starkweather, of the First The following is a copy of the report of lion.' regiment Wisconsin Volunteers, relative to the operations which preceded the affair opposite Point of Rocks to-day, August 5: HEAD-QUARTERS FIRST REGIMENT W. V., CAMP STAKKWEATHER, August 3, 1861. Major Robert Williams, A. A. G., Harper's Ferry: Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority in me vested by said act, I, Claiborne F. Jack son, Governor of the State of Missouri, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of my intentions, and firmly believing that I am herein carrying into effect the will of the people of Missouri, do hereby, in their name, by their authority, and on their behalf, DEAR SIR: In compliance with my orders and subject at all times to their free and un- Messrs. Clark, Stone, Bennett, and Allen, of biased control, make and publish this pro- Companies E and F, Wisconsin Volunteers, visional declaration, that by the acts, and peo- crossed the Potomac, at Edwards' Ferry, with ple, and Government of the United States of a skiff, on the 1st instant, at about four o'clock, America, the political connection heretofore and concealed themselves until morning, in existing between said States and the people order to examine fully the ford and other surand government of Missouri is, and ought to roundings. Having secured the information be, totally dissolved; and that the State of that the enemy's pickets remained there in Missouri, as a sovereign, free, and independent force only during the night, and upon making republic, has full power to levy war, conclude the examination necessary, they were fired into peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, by a large body of the enemy, whose fire they and to do all other acts and things which inde- returned, retreating slowly to their boat, and pendent States may of right do. recrossing the stream without any casualty on Published and declared at New Madrid, Mis-our side. The firing was so close to the ferry souri, this fifth day of August, in the year of house that the same was by some chanco set on our Lord eighteen hundred and sixty-one. CLAIBORNE F. JACKSON, Doo. 164. fire, and, with the barn immediately adjoining, burned to the ground. The same had been used for a long time as a place of observation and security by the enemy, and from which their skirmish firing was generally conducted. On the following morning, at about eleven SKIRMISH NEAR POINT OF ROCKS, MD. o'clock, the enemy's pickets having been re BERLIN, Md., August 5, 1861. MESSRS. EDITORS: You will please announce in your morning paper that a sharp skirmish. took place this morning opposite the Point of Rocks, in Virginia. A detachment of sixty men of the Twenty-eighth regiment of New York Volunteers, stationed at our place, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Brown, crossed the river at this place last night and marched through the county, and came on a party of cavalry of Captain Mead's company, of the Confederate army, opposite the Point of Rocks. The Colonel, with his party, came on them about sunrise, and ordered them to halt, which was not obeyed, and they fired on them and killed three, wounded two, and took twenty horses, with their equipments, and seven prisoners. They brought them into camp this morning about ten o'clock, without getting a man hurt. Among the killed is George Orrison, of Loudon County. Among the prisoners are a son of Mrs. Dawson, one Mr. Drane, of ported gone, W. H. Langworthy and J. J. Smith, of Company E, Wisconsin regiment of Volunteers, and Wm. Moore, of Company O, Wisconsin Volunteers, again crossed, in order to complete the examinations, and when about concluded, they were surrounded and attacked by twelve of the enemy's troops, in a most daring and impetuous manner. My own, however, fell back behind the trees, after first clearing their way, where they remained skirmishing with the enemy for some time, and finally by a preconcerted signal they made a charge upon the enemy, routing them completely, killing three and wounding one. They then retreated to their boat, and recrossed, being protected by our troops, who had advanced to the water's edge on this side for such purpose. W. H. Langworthy was wounded by a musket ball passing through his side. He is, however, around to-day the same as usual. No other casualties. They are entitled to great praise for their daring and courage in making these reconnoissances, and for the good generalship displayed in attacking and routing an |