within their borders will, in consequence of | State, nor with the citizens of any State. On repeated Northern aggressions, separate themselves and withdraw from the Federal Govern ment. South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, and Louisiana have already, by action of the people, assumed this attitude. Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland will probably pursue the same course by the 4th of March next. Your people, in their institutions, productions, latitude, and natural sympathies, are allied to the common brotherhood of the slaveholding States. Our people and yours are natural allies in war, and friends in peace. Your country is salubrious and fertile, and possesses the highest capacity for future progress and development, by the application of "slave labor." the other hand, the faith of the United States is solemnly pledged to the Cherokee nation for the protection of the right and title in the lands, conveyed to them by patent, within their territorial boundaries; as also for protection of all other of their national and individual rights and interests of person and property. Thus the Cherokee people are inviolably allied with their white brethren of the United States in war and friends in peace. Their institutions, locality, and natural sympathies are unequivocally with the slaveholding States. And the contiguity of our territory to your State, in connection with the daily social and commercial intercourse between our respective citizens, forbids the idea that they should ever be otherwise than steadfast friends. I am surprised to be informed by your Excellency that "it is well established that the InBesides this, the contiguity of our territory dian country, west of Arkansas, is looked to with yours induces relations of so intimate a by the incoming Administration of Mr. Lincoln character as to preclude the idea of a discord- as fruitful fields, ripe for the harvest of aboliant or separate action. It is well established tionism, free-soilers, and Northern mountethat the Indian country west of Arkansas is banks," as I am sure that the laborers will be looked to by the incoming Administration of greatly disappointed if they shall expect in the Mr. Lincoln as fruitful fields, ripe for the har-Cherokee country fruitful fields, ripe for the vest of abolitionism, free-soilers, and Northern harvest of abolitionism, &c., and you may rest mountebanks. We hope to find in you friends assured that the Cherokee people will never willing to cooperate with the South in defence tolerate the propagation of any such obnoxious of her institutions, her honor, and her firesides, fruit upon their soil. And, in conclusion, I and with whom the slaveholding States are. have the honor to reciprocate the salutations willing to share a common future, and to afford of friendship. I am, sir, very respectfully, protection commensurate with your exposed your Excellency's obedient servant, condition, and your subsisting monetary interests with the general Government. As a direct means of expressing to you those sentiments, I have despatched to you my aidede-camp, Lieutenant Colonel J. J. Gaines, to confer with you confidentially upon these subjects, and to report to me any expressions of kindness and confidence that you may see proper to communicate to the Governor of Arkansas, who is your friend and the friend of your people. Respectfully, your obedient servant, HENRY M. RECTOR, In response to the above, Ross wrote at some length, expressing the regret and solicitude of the Cherokees for the unhappy relations existing between the two sections of the country, and hoping for the restoration of peace and harmony. The concluding part of the letter is important, as exhibiting the loyal feelings of the Cherokees to the Federal Government: JOHN Ross, A correspondence was more recently opened between the rebel commander of Fort Smith and Ross. The letter of the former exhibits the solicitude with which the rebels of Arkansas await the attitude of the Cherokees: HEAD-QUARTERS, FORT SMITH, May 15, 1861. SIR-Information has reached this post to the effect that Senator Lane, of Kansas, is now in that State raising troops to operate on the western borders of Missouri and Kansas. As it is of the utmost importance that those intrusted with the defence of the Western frontier of this State should understand the position the enemy is likely to pass, I feel it to be my of the Indian tribes, through whose territory duty, as commanding officer at this post, and in that capacity representing the State of Arkansas and the Southern Confederacy, of which she is a member, respectfully to ask if it is your intention to adhere to the United States GovernThe relations which the Cherokee people ment during the pending conflict, or if you mean sustain toward their white brethren have been to support the Government of the Southern Conestablished by subsisting treaties with the federacy; and also whether in your opinion the United States Government, and by them they Cherokee people will resist, or will aid the Southhave placed themselves under the "protection ern troops in resisting any such attempt to invade of the United States, and of no other sovereign the soil of Arkansas; or if, on the other hand, whatever." They are bound to hold no treaty you think there is any probability of their aidwith any foreign power, or with any individual ing the United States forces in executing their hostile designs. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, J. R. KANNADY, Lieut.-Col. Commanding, Fort Smith. Hon. JOHN Ross, Principal Chief of Cherokee Nation. In his reply, Ross, under date of May 17, quotes the interrogatory part of the above, and concludes: In reply to these inquiries, I have the honor to say, that our rights of soil, of person, and of property, and our relations, generally, to the people and Government of the United States were defined by treaties with the United States Government prior to the present condition of affairs. By those treaties relations of amity and reciprocal rights and obligations were established between the Cherokee nation and the Government of those States. Those relations still exist. The Cherokees have properly taken no part in the present deplorable state of affairs, but have wisely remained quiet. They have done nothing to impair their rights, or to disturb the cordial friendship between them and their white brothers. Weak, defenceless, and scattered over a large section of country, in the peaceful pursuits of agricultural life, without hostility to any State, and with friendly feelings towards all, they hope to be allowed to remain so, under the solemn conviction that they should not be called upon to participate in the threatened fratricidal war between the "United" and the "Confederate" States, and that persons gallantly tenacious of their own rights will respect those of others. If the pending conflict were with a foreign foe, the Cherokees, as they have done in tinies past, would not hesitate to lend their humble cooperation. But, under existing circumstances, my wish, advice, and hope are, that we shall be allowed to remain strictly neutral. Our interests all centre in peace. We do not wish to forfeit our rights or to incur the hostility of any people, and least of all, of the people of Arkansas, with whom our relations are so numerous and intimate. We do not wish our soil to become the battle-ground between the States, and our homes to be rendered desolate and miserable by the horrors of a civil war. If such war should not be averted yet by some unforeseen agency, but shall occur, my own position will be to take no part in it whatever, and to urge the like course upon the Cherokee people, by whom, in ny opinion, it will be adopted. We hope that all military movements, whether from the North or the South, will be outside of our limits, and that no apprehension of a want of sincere friendship on our part will be cherished anywhere, and least of all by the people of your State. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN Ross, Principal Chief, Cherokee Nation. J. R. Kannady, Lieut. Commanding, Fort Smith, Ark. With the above Ross enclosed a letter signed by several residents of Boonsboro', Arkansas, inquiring whether he intended to cooperate with the Northern or Southern States, and hoping to find him and his people allies and active friends. The concluding part of this communication grows more hostile in its tone, and says:-" But if, unfortunately, you prefer to retain your connection with the Northern Government, and give them aid and comfort, we want to know that, as we prefer an open enemy to a doubtful friend.” Again Ross expresses his neutrality in the troubles between the two sections, and says:A residence of more than twenty years in your immediate vicinity can leave no room for doubt as to my friendship for the people of Arkansas; but if my present position does not constitute us 66 as active friends as you might desire us to be, you will not surely regard us as an enemy. You are fully aware of the peculiar circumstances of our condition, and will not expect us to destroy our national and individual rights, and bring around our hearthstones the horrors and desolations of a civil war prematurely and unnecessarily. I amthe Cherokees are-your friends and the friends of your people; but we do not wish to be brought into the feuds between yourselves and your Northern brethren. Our wish is for peace; peace at home, and peace among you. We will not disturb it as it now exists, nor interfere with the rights of the people of the States anywhere. War is more prospective than real. It has not been declared by the United or Confederate States. It may not be. I most devoutly hope it might not be. Your difficulties may be ended soon by compromise or peaceful separation. What will then be our situation if we now abrogate our rights, when no one else is, or can just now be, bound for them? All these questions present themselves to us and constrain us to avow a position of strict neutrality. That position I shall endeavor honestly to maintain. The Cherokee Nation will not interfere with your rights nor invade your soil, nor will I doubt that the people of Arkansas and other States will be alike just toward the Cherokee people. With my best wishes for you personally, I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your friend and obedient servant, JOHN Ross, Principal Chief, Cherokee Nation. PARK HILL, May 18, 1861. To Messrs. Mark Bean, W. B. Welch, E. W. McClure, John Spencer, J. A. L. McCulloch, John M. Lacy, J. P. Carnahan, and others. Doc. 115. BEAUREGARD'S ORDER. HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF POTOMAC, COLONEL:-Mr. George Johnson, special agent of the Quartermaster's Department, is sent to Loudon county for the purpose of collecting wagons, teams, and grain forage for the use of this army. It is expected that he will have no difficulties whatsoever; that the loyal citizens of your rich county will be glad to have an opportunity thus to furnish supplies for our army, which has so gloriously maintained the independence and sovereignty of Virginia, and driven back in ignominious flight the invaders of her soil. But, at the same time, all classes of your citizens must contribute their quota; therefore, if necessary, it is expected that constraint must be employed with all who are forgetful of their obligations. By order of GENERAL BEAUREGARD. county. Doo. 116. LT.-GOV. ARNOLD'S PROCLAMATION. To the People of Rhode Island :— Doc. 117. GENERAL PATTERSON'S MOVEMENT. CHARLESTOWN, Va., Thursday, July 18, 1861. THE army, under Gen. Patterson, has been rivalling the celebrated King of the French. With twenty thousand men he marched to Bunker Hill, and then-marched back again. What it all means Heaven only knows. I think it would puzzle the spirits of Cæsar, Saxe, Napoleon, Wellington, and all the departed heroes, to make it out. The reason currently assigned is that the enemy had been largely reinforced, and had strongly intrenched himself at Winchester, expecting the attack. The old story. It is said he had over 20,000 men and 22 cannon. I don't believe it, for the simple reason that like all the other reports of the saine kind which have invariably turned out to be false, it rests entirely upon public rumor. Our scouts and pickets were never sent sufficiently near to ascertain the truth. But another significant fact about which there is no doubt is, that the enemy had felled trees and placed fences across the road in such a way as to delay and embarrass the march of our army, which showed no desire to meet us. Another cause to which I hear attributed the failure to march upon Winchester is that the terms of most of the Pennsylvania regiThe national arms have sustained a tempo-ments will expire in about a week, and it was rary defeat. This reverse is the more sad to feared they would refuse to advance further us that it is accompanied by the loss of so after their term had expired. This I believe many gallant officers and brave men who held to be a libel upon the Pennsylvania troops. I the honor of Rhode Island second only to their do not dispute that many, even the large malove of country. jority, desire to go home when their term expires, but that men who voluntarily took up arms at the call of their country would lay them down in the face of the enemy, I do not believe. On the contrary, the fact is notorious that the men now, as heretofore, long to be led against the enemy. I assert, without the fear of contradiction, that had it been left to the troops, their decision would have been unanimous to be led to Winchester. Colonel John S. Slocum, Major Sullivan Ballou, Captains Levi Tower and Samuel J. Smith, and Lieutenant Thomas Foy, of the Second regiment, and Lieutenant Henry A. Prescott, of the First regiment, have fallen. So far as yet known, this completes the list of fatal casualties among the officers; that of the privates is not yet received. The State will embalm the memory of these noble men, as it preserves the fame of its heroes of revolutionary days. This reverse calls for renewed and vigorous effort on the part of all loyal citizens to tain the Federal Government. Therefore, I, Samuel G. Arnold, LieutenantGovernor, do hereby call upon the good people of this State to come forward without delay and volunteer their services in defence of the Constitution and the laws. That there is dissatisfaction and a desire to go home on the part of many, I have already admitted, and their dissatisfaction is to be atmain-tributed in a great measure to the course which has been from the first pursued toward these men. They have been hardly used, poorly clothed, poorly fed, compelled to endure day after day the monotonous hardships of camp life. There has been an unconcealed want of confidence in them on the part of the commanding General, and no interest has been taken in their wants, their feelings, or their sufferings. They have seldom been reviewed by him, and scarcely ever addressed, except in the way of rebuke; and we have had none of those stirring addresses, (like Napoleon's or McClellan's,) appealing to the patriotism and arousing the enthusiasm of the men. All this has been from the first ignored, and even a parade made of treating the men as hirelings and inferiors. All this has contributed to pro Arrangements will at once be made for the commandants of the several military companies to enroll men to serve for three years or during the war, unless sooner discharged. Let the response to this call be prompt, decided, and such as will show that the martial spirit of our State is alike indomitable in victory or defeat. SAMUEL G. ARNOLD, Lieutenant Governor. By His Honor's command, duce this lukewarmness on the part of the prise. We met not a single enemy, not even a troops. But I believe the right spirit is still solitary horseman, and the march was peramong them, although a little dormant at pres- formed without the occurrence of a single incient, and all that is wanted is a leader in sym-dent worth noting. We arrived here about pathy with the cause and with the men to noon, and I do not think were very warmly draw it out. I do not mean in this to preach received by the inhabitants. This part of the insubordination. I believe in strict discipline, country is strongly tinctured with secessionand so I believe do nine men out of ten who ism. The men say little, but the women (God have been a month in the ranks. Men soon bless them!) can't keep their tongues quiet, learn that when in large masses strict discipline and will let the cat out of the bag. is really for the benefit of all. But discipline is a very different thing from indifference, ill usage, and contempt. To-day the Second Massachusetts regiment marched for Harper's Ferry, and this whole column, it is expected, will soon be moved there. -N. Y. Times, July 26. A correspondent of the Philadelphia Press makes the following statement :— This town contains about 1,500 inhabitants, and is the pleasantest place we have been in since leaving Hagerstown. It contains many But to return to the statement of facts. On fine private residences, but most, indeed all, of Monday morning the army marched in two the principal inhabitants, being secessionists, columns from Martinsburg to Bunker Hill-have left. Their mansions are used by the the second and third divisions taking the Win-chiefs of departments. Gen. Patterson has his chester turnpike and the first division a road head-quarters at the residence of Hunter, parallel to the turnpike and about a mile to Esq., State's Attorney, (and, I believe, a nephew the left. Each regiment carried its own pro- of the Senator.) Col. Crossman, Deputy Quarvisions, (and wagons, of course,) and had a termaster-General, has his at the residence of supply for five days only. Occasionally we an officer in the secession army, whose name I could see the enemy's pickets galloping off, cannot just now think of. and three were captured and one killed. When near Bunker Hill we passed their encampment, and on arriving learned that about 500 rebel cavalry had passed through, some hours before our arrival, toward Winchester. No other force was between Martinsburg and Winchester, and there had been none there for a week. The report and prevailing belief the HAGERSTOWN, MD., July 25, 1861. day we arrived, and until late the next day, SIR-You will confer a favor upon the were that the enemy were preparing to leave friends of justice by giving space to the accomWinchester. In the evening, however, it leaked panying statement. I make this request in beout that information had been brought to head-half of Pennsylvania, whose commanding Genquarters that Johnston had been largely rein-eral has been accused of dereliction of duty. forced from Strasburg, and was intrenching The following is based upon the information himself as though determined to make a stand of citizens of Berkeley county, Virginia, well at Winchester. Then came the order to be known to me, who, having been impressed in ready to march at daybreak, and the men and the rebel force, deserted therefrom: many of the officers thought, of course, it was to be upon Winchester. But those doubted who knew that no sufficient supplies had been brought for an advance far into the interior, and who had observed that all day Sunday the large trains that had been for a week hauling the supplies to Martinsburg were hauling them back to Williamsport. At the time the first advance into Virginia was ordered General Johnston's force numbered over 14,000 men, and had attached to it a park of splendid artillery. General Patterson's command did not exceed 11,000 men, and he had not over eight pieces of artillery, which latter were taken from him, coinpelling the return of our army to Maryland. The second advance was made by 9,000 men, and not over ten guns. General Patterson knew from information derived from scouts, deserters, &c., that Johnston's force exceeded his own, and the result of a battle with him was deemed by the General and army officers more than doubtful. Upon our arrival at Bunker Hill we had not one man more than 18,000 men. This calculation is based on the assumption that each regiment numbered 700 fighting men. This, however, is too liberal an estimate, and after deducting the sick, and the camp guards, it will The army marched in one column from be seen that we could not have brought more Bunker Hill to this place, Gen. Cadwalader's than 14,000 men into the field Our artillery division in front, Col. Thomas' brigade the ad-numbered eighteen guns, all of a small calibre, vance guard, and Gen. Keim's division bring- with the exception of four pieces. We had ing up the rear, flanking companies and cavalry five companies of cavalry. being thrown out on both sides to prevent sur It was amusing to hear the remarks of the men as they were marching out the Charlestown road. They seemed to know that they were not marching the direct route to Win chester. Some said the enemy had put up intrenchments on the road, and this direction was taken to get in his rear. Others thought that only a portion were taking this route, and that other divisions of the army were marching on the direct road. Even after arriving at Charlestown there were many who thought they were on the way to Winchester. Despatches from the War Department showed that the advance of McDowell's column would commence Tuesday. On that day, General Patterson was at Bunker Hill, having driven Johnston's cavalry into Winchester. That evening scouts brought information that Johnston's force had been under arms, anticipating an attack from us. They numbered from thirtyfice to forty-two thousand men, and were drawn up in line one mile north of their intrenchments, wherein there were mounted sixty-four guns. This statement of the enemy's force has been since confirmed by all our accounts, by every deserter, and by Samuel Webster and John Staub, Esqs., both well-known Union citizens of Martinsburg, the latter being a leading lawyer of the place, and a Union candidate in the spring for the Legislature. Both gentlemen had been impressed in the secession force. Mr. Staub escaped in the confusion of the march from Winchester to Manassas. Immediately after the return of our scouts, a council of war was held, at which it was decided unanimously that the force should be moved to Charlestown. The reasons for so doing, as given, were that a position at Charlestown would preclude the possibility of Johnston's going on the left of Beauregard and marching on Washington; again, that Patterson would be on the line of the railroad to Harper's Ferry, and could, therefore, better receive supplies and reinforcements; and, lastly, that in the case of the three-months men refusing to remain ten days beyond their time, the army could fall back on Harper's Ferry. Upon our arrival at Charlestown, the volunteers were sounded on the subject of remaining ten additional days. A vote was taken, and but four regiments consented to stay. The reasons given by the men for refusing to remain, were that they had been badly treated by the State, that their pork was unfit to eat, their clothes ragged, their feet bare, and that they received often but two to three crackers a day. These were the reasons given by the men; not one word was said by them touching Gon. Patterson. I appeal to the officers (who did not themselves oppose the remaining for ten days) to sustain the accuracy of this statement. Gen. Johnston left Winchester. Could Gen. Patterson with eighteen thousand men (many of whom would be free to return home in a day or two) follow and offer battle to a force of forty thousand men?-recollecting that he was to offer battle only when success was at least probable, with any degree of prudence. Had le done so, a battle would have been inevitable -an overwhelming defeat certain-and the road to Washington open. He could not prevent the march to Manassas, but he could prevent Johnston's advance on the left to the Capital. Gen. Patterson then fell back on Sunday morning to Harper's Ferry; two-thirds of his force would leave him in a few hours, and he must select the best place for protection to his force of less than five thousand men, which he did by taking position at the Ferry. Had Manassas been attacked on Tuesday, victory, doubtless, would have been ours, for Patterson had Johnston cooped in Winchester, expecting an attack from us, which supposition was caused by the reconnoissance made by our force. The foregoing is based upon information whose reliability can be vouched for by Col. Longnecker, (commanding the fourth brigade,) and by every general officer under the command of General Patterson. In sending this to yon, I am actuated, by a desire to do justice to my adopted State, whose brave and slandered son has been so foully attacked. AN OFFICER TENTH REGIMENT OF PA Doc. 117. MISSISSIPPI SECESSION ORDINANCE. ADOPTED JANUARY 9TH, 1861. THE people of Mississippi, in convention assembled, do ordain and declare, and it is hereby ordained and declared, as follows, to wit: That all the laws and ordinances by which the said State of Mississippi became a member of the Federal Union of the United States of America be, and the same are hereby, repealed; and that all obligations on the part of said State or the people thereof to observe the same be withdrawn; and that the said State shall hereby resume the rights, functions, and powers, which, by any of said laws and ordinances, were conveyed to the Government of the said United States, and is dissolved from all the obligations, restraints, and duties incurred to the said Federal Union, and shall henceforth be a free, sovereign, and independent State. Doc. 118. CHARLESTON PRESBYTERY. MEETING AT COLUMBIA, S. C., JULY 25. AT the meeting of the Charleston Presbytery, the following preamble and resolutions were unanimously adopted: Whereas, The relations of the State of South Carolina, of ten other adjacent States, and of the people thereof, with the other States and people previously composing the United States of America, have been dissolved, and the former united in the separate and independent Government of the Confederate States of America, thereby making a separate and independent organization of the Church within the said Confederate States desirable and necessary, in order to the more faithful and successful fulfilment of its duty to its Divine Lord and Master; And whereas, The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, by the adoption of a paper known as Dr. Spring's Resolutions, ignoring the estab |