moralization. It may be said that, with the pre-
sent plethora of paper money, such virtue as we
demand is not to be expected of any people made
up of merely human beings. But some such vir-
tue is necessary for any people whose duty it has
become to wage such a contest as ours; and if
the virtue is not spontaneous, it must be en-
grafted by the painful process through which we
are now passing. We cannot go through this
fiery furnace without the smell of fire on our
garments. We can no
no more avoid the loss of
property than we can the shedding of blood.
There is no family in the Confederacy that has
not to mourn the fall of some member or some

next year would furnish a more agreeable retrospect than the annus mirabilis of blunders which we now consign to the dead past."-MAJOR-GENERAL BUTLER, from his headquarters at Fortress Monroe, Va., issued a general order, dismissing several officers of his command for intoxication.

-THE rebel steamer Grey Jacket, while attempting to run out of Mobile Bay, was captured by the Union gunboat Kennebec. - PRESIDENT LINCOLN approved the "additional instructions to the tax commissioners, for the district of South-Carolina, in relation to the disposition of lands."

him by the confederate Congress, the rebel Secretary of State gave notice thereof:

"No passport will be issued from the department of state, during the pending war, to any male citizen, unless the applicant produce, and file in the department, a certificate, from the proper military authorities, that he is not liable to duty in the army."

-JEFFERSON DAVIS having approved the folconnection, and there is no family in the Confed-lowing rule, by virtue of authority vested in eracy which ought to expect to escape scathless in estate. The attempt is as useless, in most cases, as it is ignoble in all. A few, and but few, in comparison with the whole number, may come out richer than when they went in; but even they must make up their minds to sacrifice a part, and a large part, in order to preserve the whole. The saying of the stoic philosopher, 'You can't have something for nothing,' though it sounds like a truism, in fact, conveys a moral lesson of great significance. Men must pay for privileges. If they do not pay voluntarily, their neighbors will make them pay, and that heavily. Had those who employed substitutes to take their places in the army refrained as a class from speculation and extortion, they would not now be lamenting the prospect of a speedy furtherance to the camp of instruction. However just their cause, the manner in which too many of them abused the immunity acquired by money has deprived them of all active sympathy.

"We all have a heavy score to pay, and we know it. This may depress us, but our enemies need not be jubilant at our depression, for we are determined to meet our liabilities. Whatever number of men, or whatever amount of money shall be really wanting will be forthcoming. Whatever economy the straightening of our resources may require, we shall learn to exercise. We could only wish that Congress was not in such a feverish mood, and that the government would do something toward the establishment of a statistical bureau, or some other agency, by which we could approximately ascertain what we have to contribute, and to what extent we must husband our resources. Wise, cool, decided, prompt action would put us in good condition for the spring campaign of 1864, and the close of

JANUARY 1, 1864.

-A DETACHMENT of seventy-five men, composed of a proportionate number from each of four companies constituting Major Henry A. Cole's Maryland cavalry battalion, on a scout in the vicinity of Harper's Ferry, Maryland, were suddenly encountered, at a point near Rectortown, by a force of rebel cavalry, belonging to the brigade under the command of General Rosser. After fighting gallantly and until fifty-seven out of their number (seventy-five) were either killed or captured, the remaining eighteen made their way in safety to camp. Several of those who escaped found their feet frozen when they reached camp.

-COLONEL WILLIAM S. HAWKINS, of the "Hawkins Scouts," a leader in the scouting service of the rebel forces under General Bragg, was captured at the house of a Mr. Mayberry, on Lick Creek, Kentucky, by Sergeant Brewer, of Major Breathitt's battalion of Kentucky cavalry.—Ar Memphis, Tennessee, the thermometer stood at ten degrees below zero, and at Cairo, Illinois, at sixteen degrees below. A number of soldiers were frozen to death at Island No. 10.-THE Richmond Whig, in an article setting forth the condition of military and naval affairs at the South, concluded its remarks as follows: "Thus

which we could approximately ascertain what we | sixteen degrees below. A number of soldiers have to contribute, and to what extent we must husband our resources. Wise, cool, decided, prompt action would put us in good condition for the spring campaign of 1864, and the close of

were frozen to death at Island No. 10.-Tue Richmond Whig, in an article setting forth the condition of military and naval affairs at the South, concluded its remarks as follows: "Thus