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C|e Journal. WEDNESDAY MOBNING, MARCH 16,1864. B. A. CASSIDY, ------ Editor and Publisher. AMY M. BRADLEY. - - - Proprietor. OUR VOLUNTEER AGENTS. The following persons are announced as our agents at the places standing in connection with their names, and are authorized to receive subscriptions and con tributions for Th k Soldiers' Journal : Miss Amy M. Homans, East Vassalboro', Maine.. Mr. George B. Randlett. Richmond, Maine. Mr. Gurdon Bradley, Little Falls, N. Y. Mrs. Joseph Ames, Cambridge, Mass. Mrs. James Ward, Bellefonte. Penna. Miss Mary P. Locke, Charlestown, Mass. William Ames, 20th Conn. Vols., Camp Agent. Hartzell & Brishin, Printers, Canton, Ohio. We still Invite the co-operation of our friends every where, to increase the circulation and influence of our paper. All Communications, and other mail matter, in tended for Tiik Soldiers' Journal should be ad dressed to 244, F Street, Washington, D. C. PROSPECTUS. "■THE SOLDIERS' JOURNAI-," PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AT RENDEZVOUS OF DISTRIBUTION, VA., RECENTLY CONVALESCENT CAMP, VA. At the subscription price of ftS.OO per annum, payable always in advance. Single copies —five Cents each. The proceeds resulting from its sale to be devoted to a fund for the maintenance of the orphans of soldiers who have fallen, or may yet fall in defence of the cause of the Union. Its primary objects will be to promote the interests, of the soldier in the ranks. To this end it will contain all necessary information as to the methods of keep ing in good order their accounts with the Government. The soldier in hospital will find in our columns in structions how to procure pay and clothing when en titled to it; what are the requisites exacted by the Government when furloughs are granted; and dis charged soldiers will be put in the way of procuring prompt settlements of their accounts without the in terference of claim agents. Aside from this THE SOLDIERS' JOURNAL will contain interesting original and selected reading mat ter. It is the intention of those engaged in its publi cation to make its pages lively and readable, and it is believed that the varied talent pledged to its support will enable it to take at least a respectable rank among the Journals of the country. Southern Braggadocio. Although the Southern politicians have always been proverbial for their unblushing effrontery in magnifying the bravery of the people and mate rial resources of the South, as well as their de preciation of the moral and intellectual stamina and physical wealth of the North, the late ad dress of the rebel congress to the " people of the confederate States," surpasses anything we have yet seen for gross misrepresentation and verbose braggadocio. They endeavor to proA'e by a long and fallacious system of argument that the South is entirely guiltless of any responsibility in the inauguration of the war, and charge upon the North the sin of usurping "their rights," and subverting the intent of the Constitution, by elect ing a President against their wishes. Oh, outrag ed innocence! How virtue has been abased by the invasion of the sanctity of Southern Institutions by the Northern mud-sills, small fisted farmers, and greasy mechanics! This precious production of chivalric indigna tion emanates from what is called the first—and if we are to judge from the mad ravings of its members, it is fair to presume—the last regular congress of tho confederacy. They assert that inasmuch as the Northern people were unwilling that they should enjoy the blessings of their pe culiar institution under the old government, and were constantly and persistently encroaching apon "their rights," they had no alternative but to withdraw therefrom, set up for themselves, and, only wished to tae " let alone." Their first act was to seize upon all the public property Avithin the so-called confederate States, including all the forts and arsenals, which the patriotic foresight of Floyd stocked to repletion with all kinds of arms and ammunition. When Major Anderson, with his heroic garrison of less than a hundred men, refused to yield to the mandate of the traitor Pickens, his place of ref uge was beleaguered with a force of about five thousand " sports " of the patrician South, and when they found that their usual braggadocio Avould not avail to frighten him out of Sumter, they opened fire upon the soldiers and property of the United States, Avith guns and ammunition stolen from United States arsenals. The result of this overt act of rebellion was received with a flourish of trumpets and shouts of chivalric de fiance and triumph throughout the confederacy, and close upon the heels of the announcement of the evacuation of Sumter, came the manifesto of Jeff Davis proclaiming that the South did not mean war, and called the world to witness that they only wanted to be " let alone." After almost three years of the most devasta ting war that has ever been known to civiliza tion, during which they have frequently resorted to this subterfuge in order to blind the people whom they have so grossly wronged, they add another insult to the intelligence and forbear ance of their impoverished and humiliated con stituency in the form of an address that is full of sophistry, treachery, and falsehood.— This address is evidently the parting salutation of the soon-to-be defunct confederacy, and al though its death-pangs may be very acute, and prolonged for a time, its dissolution is none the less certain. That the "time of the end" is ra pidly approaching is clearly foreshadowed in the general dissatisfaction which everywhere pre vails throughout the South, produced by the sweeping conscription, unsound monetary sys tem, and utter prostration of every department of internal industry, to say nothing of the abject suffering and poverty which the war has entail ed upon the people. It will require something more potent than a high-sounding manifesto to restore public confidence and unite the people of the South in their crusade upon human liberty and a sound political system. They are fully convinced that the loyal States are determined that the government of our common fathers shall not be destroyed, though it cost the last dollar and cause the sacrifice of the life of the last loyal man in the nation, and seeing that the further prolongation of the war can only be attended with additional and unnecessary expenditures of life and treasure on both sides, and result in the final submission of the confederacy, they are about ready to choose the "lesser of two evils," and submit to the government from which they attempted to withdraw their fealty. Of one thing Aye feel certain, that the confederate congress has issued its last address, and as it has been the sal utatory, it is confidently expected that it is the valedictory of that distinguished legislative body. ■ | m Lieut. Gen. Grant arrived at Washington on Tuesday of last week, and was everywhere re ceived with the most enthusiastic demonstrations of popular favor. He visited the White House on Tuesday eA'ening, and his reception by those there assembled is described by an eye-witness as having been the "most furious, coat-tearing and button-bursting jam " that was ever wit nessed in the East Room. On Wednesday he was closeted with the Secretary of War and Gen. Halleck for several hours. On Thursday he vis ited the Army of the Potomac On Friday eve ning the General left for the West. Slavery in Virginia. On Thursday last considerable curiosity wo* awakened and some little commotion created in camp by rapid and heavy artillery discharges in, the direction of Alexandria. Being ignorant of the cause of this unusual proceeding, many be gan to think that Mosby had come within range of some of the forts, others that it was a salute in honor of the arrival ot Lieut. Gen. Grant, at Washington, and another class supposed that it Avas a jollification OA r er favorable news from the army. Since then we have learned that it arose from none of the causes designated, but from an infinitely more important occasion. Tho loyal legislature of Virginia, now in session at Alex - andria, adopted, with but a single dissenting voice, on that day, the following articles, as an amendment to the State Constitution: 1. Slavery and involuntary servitude, except for crime, is hereby abolished and prohibited in this State forever. 2. The courts of competent jurisdiction may apprentice minors of African descent on like con ditions provided by the law for apprenticing wdiite children. 3. The General Assembly shall make no law establishing slavery or recognizing property in human beings. It was befitting that such an action should be announced by the booming cannon and the mer ry chimes of bells. It was the proclamation of liberty to the oppressed bondmen of Virginia, and the tidings of freedom, which, on Thursday last, reverberated among the hills of the Old Do minion, and were echoed back from tlie shores of loyal Maryland, will, in due time, make the southern confederacy resound with their inspir ing peals, bringing joy and gladness to those who have for years been oppressed with a more gall ing and servile than Egyptian bondage, and sounding terror to the hearts of their taskmas ters. Who would have dared, on the 11th day of March, 1861, one week after the inauguration of President Lincoln, to propose that " slavery and involuntary service, except for crime," should be "abolished and prohibited in this State for ever?" To have done so would have aroused a feeling of chivalrous indignation which could have been satiated only with tho " vile abolition ist's" life. Mark the change which three years have wrought. A legislative body, composed of Virginians, the majority, if not all of whom, were three years ago the owners of slaves and advocates of the institution, now solemnly and upon their oaths, declare that the further per petuation of African Slavery in this, and all other States of the Union, is incompatible with the spirit of our government and institutions, and that negroes, like all other human beings are, and of a right should be, forever free within its limits and jurisdiction. We would, and con fidently anticipate, that before the 11th of March v 1865, one week after the re-inauguration of Presi dent Lincoln, the guns of every fortification throughout the South would announce that the loyal legislatures of every Slave State in the Union had adopted a similar amendment to their Constitutions. Then will our government arise,, reinvigorated and disenthralled, and march for ward to the accomplishment of the great mission for which the God of liberty instituted, and after thoroughly purging, has saved and re-established it. Let the loyal men everywhere rejoice and congratulate each other that Virginia is free, m t i A Large force of Rebel Cavalry attacked nine ty-three men of the 3d Tennessee at Panther Springs, Term., our loss was two killed, eight wounded, and twenty-two captured. The Rebel* loss was thirty killed..