6
Proceedings of the Republican State
Convention.
The Republican State Convention assent
bled on the 4th instant at the Athenaeum.
It was called to order by Daniel Rohrer,
Esq., Chairman of the Republican State
Central Committee.
~ On motion of Mr. J. B. Gilfillan, of Hen
nepin county, Hon. H. G. O. Morrison, of
Dakota, was elected President pro tem., and
he took the Chair, and expressed his thanks
to the Convention.
Doctor Foster, of Ramsey, nominated
Jared Benson, of Anoka, as temporary Sec
retary, but Mr. Benson declined to serve,
aDd nominated A. C. Squires, of Anoka,
and he was elected.
Mr. J.- N. Murdock, of Wabushaw,
moved the appointment, by the President,
of a Committee on Credentials, consisting
of one from each -Judicial District. The
motion was adopted.
The President appointed as follows: J.
N. Murdock, Wabashaw ; Hubbard,
A. Nessel, of Ramsey ; L. M. Brown, of
Scott; H. Austin, of Nicollet; Par
ker.
Mr. Burt, of Washington, moved the ap
pointment of a committee of one from each
Judicial District, on permanent organiza
tion.
The motion was adopted, and the Presi
dent appointed W. H. Burt of Washington,
Dr. E. E. Braun of Ramsey, M. W. Ser
geant of Winona, J. B. Gilfillan of Henne
pin, Geo. W. Greenleaf of Steele, and D.
C. Evans of Blue Earth, as the committee.
Dr. Foster, of Ramsey, moved the ap
pointment, by the Chair, of two from each
Judicial District, to forma Committee on
Resolutions.
The motion was adopted, and the com
mittee was appointed as follows :
Second— Dr. Thomas Foster and Judge Coo
per.
First—J. L. Armington and C. T. Whitney.
Third —M. W. Sergeant aud Geo. F. Rotter.
Fourth —\V. M. McNair aud Stearns.
Fifth —Levi Nutting and Fred Driscoll.
S:xtli —H. Austin and J. W. Stewart.
On motion the Convention took a recess
until three o’clock p. m. «,
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Convention was called to order by
the President.
Mr. J. N. Murdock,of W abashaw, Chair
man of the Committee on Credentials, re
ported the following gentlemen as entitled
to seats in the Convention :
Ramsey County— Hon D Cooper, Dr Thomas
Foster, Dr E E Braun, Andrew Nessel, E H
Burritt, Charles Lienau, M D Clark, J F Boge
mann.
Hennepin— J S Pillsbury. J B Gilfillan, Ed
gar Nash, J B Bassett. W \V McNair, A II Ben
son, A G Austin, Asa Keith.
Washington -Wm H Burt, Louis Hospes, A
E Jacksou, N C Draper.
Dakota— J P Naglee, C N Whitney, A M
Hayes, J L Armington, N N Thompson, H G 0
Morrison, C A Baker.
Anoka— Jared Benson, A C Squires.
Olmstkad— J A. Leonard, D. Blakely, B F
Perry, C C Cole, W K Tattersall. M VV Clay.
Wabashaw— S Doughty, N E Stevens, J
N Murdock, H H.Butts, C W Hackett, D C
Estes.
Winona— Norman Buck. C F Buck, W W Sar.
gent, C H Blanchard, D C Patterson, Charles
Benson.
Sibley— M J Severance, Adam Buck, Jr.,
Jacob Coons.
Houston— Edward Thompson, George F
Potter, E Fowler, H B Laughlin, A W Pierce.
Fillmoke-.-H C Day, J C Easton, C D Sher
wood, J M W heat, F Henry, R A Murray, J
H Caulkins, J M Creas. L M Uuderhood.
Cakvek— B M Kennedy, Martin White, T D
Smith.
Freeborn —A B Webber, Henry Thurston, J
A Robson.
Blue Earth —B F Smith, J M Thompson. D
C Evans and W W Clark.
Faribault— J A Keister.
Meeker— Jesse V Branham, jr.
Kandiyohi— T C Jewett.
Monongalia— V P Kennedy.
Dodge— W McMicken, C Atherton, James
Winters.
Rice— J H Parker, D W Albaugh, Charles
Taylor, Levi Nutting, J S Fuller.
Steele— A Chambers, Geo W Greene.
Sherburne— F E Baldwin.
! Scott— H W Stone, Fred Driscoll, W Mc-
Minders, Henry Wells.
Wright— W G Butler, Ralph Vorhee*, F H
Widstrand.
Waseca— D P Johnson, P C Bailey.
NicoLLET-Martin Williams, H Austin, Wm
Schimmell.
Le Sueur —G W Stewart, C Saunders, Thos
McDonough, S G Butman.
Mower —John S Lacy, S Snow.
Stearns- S H Gibbs, O D Webb, C T
Stearns.
aiken —N Richardson.
Benton— -G V Mayhew.
Brown —Wm Pfaender, R Fischer.
Chisago —N F Taylor, F H Pratt.
Douglas— James H Vandike.
Isanti —O F Smith.
Gooduuk— L F Hubbard. W D Hale, H M
Stauton. J Going, Haus Johnson, L U Garrard.
Morrison— Jonathan Taylor.
Mille Lac—John H Allen.
Todd— BS Hamilton.
St. Louis—J R Carey.
McLeod —P W Savage.
The report was amended and adopted.
PERMANENT OFFICERS.
Mr. Burt, of Washington, from the com
mittee od permanent organization, submit
ted the names of the following gentlemen
for the officers of the Convention :
President —Hon. David Cooper,of Ramsey.
Vice Presid nts —A. M. Hayes of Dakota, J.
F. Boggaman of Ramsey, C. H. Blanchard of
Winona, Jared Benson of Anoka, A. Chambers
of Steele, and D. C. Evans of Blue Earth.
Secretaries— D. Blakely of Olmsted, and A.
C. Squires of Anoka.
The report wa9 accepted and adopted,
and on taking the Chair, Judge Cooper
made a few appropriate remarks.
PLATFORM.
Dr. Thomas Foster, from the Committee
ou Resolutions, submitted the following
majority report:
Whereas, In the present honr, onr national
existence and that of civil and political liberty
are alike imperilled. Therefore,
Resolved, That in presenting the candidates
this day nominated, we go to the peopie upon
the issue, viz.: That this Government shall be
sustained and the Union shall be preserved;
and that for the attainment of these ends we
pledge an unfaltering support to the National
Administration in its efforts to suppress this in
iquitous rebellion by the earnest and vigorous
prosecution of the present war.
Resolved, That we cordially invite all who
who regard the preservation of this Union as
the great object of present desire, to unite
with us in a common effort to save the best
government known among men.
Resolved, That we concur in and endorse the
tollowing seniiments recently promulgated by
that distinguished Democrat, Major General
Benjamin F. Butler, of Massachusetts, to wit:
“That in a state of rebellion we would con
fiscate that which is used to oppose our ai ms,
and take all property (so called) which con
stitutes the wealth of the rebellious States,
and furnishes the means by which the war is
prosecuted, besides being the cause of the war;
and if, in so doing, it should be objected that
human beings were brought to the free enjoy
ment of life, liberty and the pursuit of happi
ness. 6uch objection might not require much
consideration.”
Resolved, That we are opposed to any and
all compromise with traitors; but whenever
they are once put down and the power and
integrity of the Union fully asserted and rec
ognized, then, and not before; we are willii'g
to have considered any grievances under the
Constitution which loyal citizens, South or
North, may present, and if justly alleged, to
see them redressed in an adequate manner.
Resolved, That we learned with exultation
and pride of the gallant conduct of the “Min
nesota First” on the fatal field of Manassas ;
and we have confidence that their future as
their past career will do honor to Minnesota
and confer glory upon themselves.
Resolved, That the present State Govern
ment has been marked by a careful, wise and
economical administration of the affairs of
Minnesota, and its members eminently deserve
from all parties the high meed of praise:
“ Well done,—good,—and faithful.”
The minority of the committee then sub
mitted the following:
The undersigned would respectfully state
that they concur in the resolutions offered by
the majority of the Committee, except the
third resolution. They would therefore rec
ommend that the same be stricken out and the
following inserted iu lieu thereof :
Resolved, That in defence of the Union and
the Constitution we have been forced into an
unnatural war; and while we regret the neces
sity, we believe it our duty to use all [lawful
and constitutional] means in our power to de
stroy the resources, confiscate the property,
and weaken the power of the rebels.
All of which is submitted.
GEORGE F. POTTER,
H. AUSTIN.
The reports were accepted and the com
mittee discharged.
Dr. Foster moved the adoptiou of the
majority report.
Mr. Morrison moved to amend by adopt-*
iog the minority report, as a substitute lor
the third resolution.
Mr. Burt, of Washington, moved to
amend the resolution by using the following
words: “That it is our duty to use ail con
stitutional and lawful means,” &c. The
amendment was accepted.
Dr. Foster hoped the minority re
port would not be adopted. He thought
if the third resolution was stricken out
there was nothing to mark the Republican
from any other party—it would be better
to give up the pretence of beiDg a republi
can party. It would not do to adopt solely
the war platform of the administration; it
became the Republican party to take a step
in advance
Mr. W. W. Clark, of Blue Earth, hoped
that the third resolution would be stricken
out, and not let our enemies take us at a
disadvantage. “Great God! what is the use
of resolving that we are Republicans.”
The substitute was then adopted—yeas,
50, nays, 42.
Mr. Fuller, of Rice, said if we went to
the people with nothing but the Bell-Ever
ett idea we are swamped.
Dr. Foster moved an amendment to the
preamble, making it commence thus:
“Whereae, the evidences of the past and
present unite in proclaiming the justice and
patriotism of the principles for which the
Republican party,” &c.
Jared Benson opposed the adoption of the
report. The convention was cailed to make
nominations for State officers, and nothing
else.
The preamble of Dr. Foster was then re»
jected, and also after a scene of confusion
the report as amended, by a vote of yeas,
56, nays, 42; but the vote of rejection was
reconsidered—yeas, 50, nays, 49.
Mr. Benson then offered the following
as a substitute for the preamble and first,
second aud third resolutions of the majority
and the resolution of the minority:
Resolved, That in the present condition oj
our National affairs, it is the duty of all patriots
of whatever political faith, to rally to the sup
port ot the Government in the vigorous prose
cution of the war until treason is driven from
the land, with the motto of “ The Union, the
Constitution, aud the enforcement of the
Laws.”
Dr. Foster said if that was to be the
platform of the Republican party it was a
eunuch platform.
Mr. Nutting, of Rice, made an earnest
anti-slavery speech. He intimated that if
Mr. Benson’s resolution wa9 adopted the
party would lose its important anti-slavery
element. He avowed plainly that the ob
ject of the war should be the abolition of
slavery, and if that was not to be the ob
ject what is the use of longer prosecuting
it ? On the simple question of the enforce.,
ment of the laws, the war was not worth
prosecuting, and the rebels never could be
subjugated. We must remove the cause of
the war—if you do not go in for that you
must let of the party. You cannot
afford to steal the platform of the rotten,
stinking Union party. I beg you, in the
name of God, not to take that mad, that
fatal step.
Mr. Benson explained that he did not
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT
propose to abandon any of the distinctive
principles of the Republican party.
There was then for a long time a scene
of great confusion, but Mr. Benson’s
amendment was finally voted on and lost*
yeas 26, nays 72.
The members having become wearied out
with the wrangling, were then in a good
humor to acce'pt of anything, and
Dr. Foster moved the adoption of the
majority report, just as it was introduced,
'and it passed, yeas 84, nays 31.
The Convention then adjourned until 7
o’clock P.M.
EVENING SESSION.
The Convention was called to order by
the President.
THE NOMINATIONS.
Mr. A. B. Webber, of Freeborn, offered
the following:
Resolved, That Alexander Ramsey, Ignatius
Donnelly, J. H. Baker, Charles Scheffer and
Gordon E. Gole, be nominated by acclamation
as candidates for the several State offices which
they now respectively occupy.
The resolution was received with loud
cheers, and passed with but one dissenting
voice, and the gentlemen named were de
clared unanimously nominated.
Dr. Clark, of Blue Earth county, Mr.
Keith, of Hennepin, and Mr. Cole of Olm
stead, were appointed a committee to wait
on the Governor and the other officers nom
inated and conduct them to the floor of the
Convention.
The following gentlemen were appointed
by the Chair a committee to nominate a
State Central Committee: Messrs. E. E
Braun, J. A. Leonard, J. H. Parker, J. M.
Thompson. W. H. Burt, and Jared Benson.
The committee appointed to wait upon
the officers nominated, returned with the
Governor, who acknowledged his nomination
in a speech of some length.
Lieutenant Governor Donnelly also ac
knowledged the honor conferred upon him
in a brief remark, that if elected he should
endeavor, as heretofore, to do his duty.
Hon. J. H. Baker wus then introduced,
and made quite an eloquent speech.
Hou. Charles Scheffer made a very neat
and appropriate response for his nornina
tion.
The Committee appointed to nominate a
State Central Committee, reported the
names of the following gentlemen as the
Committee :—R. F. Fisk, W. L. Wilson
and Andrew Nessel of Ramsey; C. T.
Whitney of Dakota; D. Blakeley of Olm
sted ; J. B. Gilfillan of Hennepin East;
Geo. W. White of Waseca ; R, B. Smith
of Blue Earth. D. Rohrer of St. Paul,
was then added, and made the Chairman of
the Committee.
The Convention theu adjourned sme die
Land Warrants
To the E itor of the Pioneer aud Democrat
Sir : We have received from our cor
respondents in Washington the following
reply to our inquiries respecting the report
ed decision of the Secretary of the Interior,
on blank assignments of Land Warrants,
by which it will appear that purchasers of
Warrants, assigned iu blank as usual, run
no risk, providing the Warrants have never
been stolen or in other ways dishonestly ob
tained. They should be purchased only
from responsible parties. As this is of in
terest to parties in the country, please pub
lish the letter. Respectfully,
THOMPSON BROTHERS
Gentlemen : We have had a very satisfac
tory interview with the Secretary ot the Inte
rior this morning, in relation to the question of
blank assignments of Warrants, to which you
have called our attention. He authorized us
to say that inasmuch as Congress had not, in
his opinion, made Land Warrants negotiable,
his decision was only intended to protect bona
fide owners of blank assigned Warrants which
may have been stolen or otherwise improperly
obtained; that he did not mean to interfere with
the buying and selling of blank assigned War
rants; and that he saw no reason why the bus
iness could not go on as before; that the lo
cator, at the time of makiDg the entry, could
insert his name, and of course the question
could not and would not be raised by the Gov
ernment as to the validity thereof. If, how
ever, a contest was made in cases of warrants
improperly obtained, such assignment would
be declared void. His object was to announce
a general principle, which could only be ap
plied to warrants after the location. At the
time of location the officers of the Government
would not stop to inquire when the name ot the
assignee was put in, and it could never be ques
tioned except when raised by an adverse claim
ant. If it should be shown by the warrantee
after location that the assignment was made in
blauk. without his knowledge or consent, it
would of course be declared void, as no title
could pass in that shape.
If, however, a valuable consideration was
paid, notwithstanding the assignment was
in blank, the case would be referred to the
courts, to determine the right of the parties.
4. biank assignment made without the owner’s
authority has always been void; yet, by cus
tom, the Oove-nment bas never required proof
to accompany the location, as to the time when
the name was inserted, but permitted them to
be received, unless a question was raised, as
before stated, by an adverse party. Practi
cally, he repeated that the decision did not
change the former ruling of the Department,
except in cases where a contest arose. Hence,
while the Department cannot officially an
nounce that it will approve of blank assign
ments, no obstacle will be thrown in the way
of their location, and such will be recognized
by the local Land Office as heretofore. VVe
therefore can perceive no reason why the value
of warrants should be in the slightest degree
affected by this decision.
—The National Intelligencer is inclined
to the opinion that so far lrom our military
men dreading the approach ol Lee or Johns
ton by way of the Upper Potomac, it is
one of the very experiments which they
would like to see attempted.
THE “NEW SIXTY-NINTH.”
GREAT IRISH FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK.
Speech ot Capl, Thomas Francis llea-
gher.
From the Commercial Advertiser of Friday.
Never in the history of this classic resort,
Jones’ Wood, has a crowd so large and so
enthusiastic been gathered within its sacred
precincts, as yesterday. The day was ded
icated to the honor of the gallant Sixty-
Ninth, to the accumulation of a fund for
its widows and orphans, and to the general
hilarity of that gay and rollicking class of
population, ordinarily known as“the Irish.”
Yesterday, if never before, our Irish friends
showed that they could meet iu enormous
masses and yet preserve the peace. There
were fun and noise and “ scrimmages,” but
no harm was done.
Indeed, Hibernia was out for a jubilee,
and a rare old time it bad. Jones’ Wood
was full. From the fence to the river, ev
ery square rod had its occupants. Young
Ireland was out in full force. At least
thirty thousand persons were present, and a
large sum must have been realized. Dan
cing was the order of the field ; everywhere
the fiddle was heard, and everywhere the
“ jig ” was in progress.
The prominent event of the day was the
speech of Captain Thomas Francis Mea
gher, an eloquent, patriotic and manly ap
peal for the Union, for the country, and to
the duty of our Irish citizens. Want of
space forbids the publication of the speech
entire, and we therefore subjoin a lew ex
tracts. Air. Aleagher said:
There are eyes clouded and gushing with
bitter sorrow in the desolation of spirit, in
homes where winter has settled in the ze
nith of summer, while we stand here blessed
and gladdened with all the warmth and
beauteousness, with all the promises and
fruitfulness ol this propitious liouraud con
secrated scene; and there are little hearts
that have grown big and heavy in darken
ed rooms, waiting and praying for footsteps
which once were cheerier to them than the
songs of the bird which greets the rising
sun, but which shall never wake again the
echoes of the expectant house. Iu the
name, for the sake, in tenderness and com
passion, in proud regard and duty to those
whose husbands and fathers, fighting in the
ranks of the Sixty-ninth, were slain in the
battle, sealing their oath of American citi
zenship with their blood—whose doorways
are now hung with blackest mourning, and
whose table miss the industrious hands that
once furnished them with bread—in the
name ot the widowed homes of the dead
soldiers of the Sixty ninth, we, who claim
these soldiers as our brothers, and though
they were the poorest of the earth, would
be prouder of them than the haughtiest
priuces are of their ancient diadems and
domains.
But what of the cause in which our
countrymen fell that day? Was it urgent,
was it just, was it sacred? Never was
there a cause more urgent, more just,
more sacred. The assertion of the Nation
al authority, derived, as it is, from the free
wills and votes of a majority ©f the citizens
—the conservation in its integrity of that
magnificent expanse of country over which
a common constitution has thrown its
shield, and along the frontier and at the
gates of which a common treasury has
planted forts and custom houses, and the
flag which no foreign hand as yet has ques
tioned with impunity, the enforcement of
the laws Of Congress, the sworn compact of
the States, the inviolability of the ballot
box, and the decisions that proceed from it,
the sancity of the official oaths, the ac
countability of the public servants, the
mo3t precious fruits of the Revolution, the
claims of posterity, the progress ot Democ
racy, its consolidation and ascendancy, the
glory of the New World. Behold the
cause in which those lives were ofiered up.
Will the Irishmen of New York stand
by this cause, resolutely, heartily, with in
exorable fidelity, despite of all the sacrifices
it may cost, despite of all the dangers into
which it may compel them, despite of all
the bereavements and abiding gloom it may
bring upon such homes as may this day
miss the industry and love of the dead sol
diers of the 69tb, but in some measure to
console and succor which the festivities of
this day have taken place. For my part I
ask no Irishman to do that which I myself
am not prepared to do. My heart, my arm,
my life, is pledged to the national cause,
and to the last it will be my highest pride,
as I conceive it to be my holiest duty and ob
ligation, to share its fortunes. I care not
to what party the Chief Magistrate of the
Republic has belonged. I care not upon
what plank or platform be may have been
elected. The platform disappears before
the constitution, under the injunction of the
oath he took on the steps of the capitol the
day of bis inauguration.
The party disappears in the presence of
the nation, and as the Chief Magistrate,
duly elected and duly sworn, is bound to
protect and administer the national proper
ty for the benefit of the nation, so should
every citizen concur with him in loyal and
patriotic action, discarding the mean per
suasions and maxims ot the local politi
cians, and substituting the national interest,
the national efficiency, the national honor,
for the selfishness, the huckstering or the
vengeance of a party. To me, at all events,
the potency of the national government, the
honor and glory of the national flag, are of
infinitely higher value than the Regency at
Albany, the Tammany Wigwam, Mozart
Hail, or the Pewter Mug. Nor shall out
cries on behalf of the liberty of the press,
or the liberties and immunities of the citi
zen, restrain me in the active allegiance I
owe the nation and its Executive, now that
the rights and authority of both are jeopar
dized. The integrity of the national do
main, the potency of the national governs
meat, the reputation of the national arms,
the inviolability of that tranquil system of
election, without which no popular govern
ment can have legitimacy, consistency and
force—these considerations are far dearer
to me, and I claim them to be of far more
vital consequence than the liberty to pro
mulgate sedition, or the liberty to conspire
Such liberties must succumb to the de
mands of the crisis, the public safety, the
discipline and efficiency of the army, and
the attitude of the revolt. Within the
range of the laws, the police, the courts, the
proprieties and interests ol the community,
let them have full swing in the days of peace.
But in time of war—above all, in time of
civil war—the supremacy of the govern
ment should be the sole grand object—and
to this end martial law should be the higher
law—and the only one in undisputed force.
The national government has suffered more
from the patience, the leniency, the magna
nimity it has practiced towards its enemies,
and those who are in sympathy and league
with them, thun it has done from the cour
age, the science, the fierce energy of those
who have taken the field against it, and
victoriously shaken the banner ol revolt
and repudiation in its face.
The masked conspirators of the North
are infinitely more criminal and mischievous
than the bold and armed recusants of the
South—and Democrat as 1 am—spurning
the Republicanism of the Chicago Conven
tion as a spurious creed—having no sympa
thies whatever with the men in power other
than those which should subsist between
the citizen and his government, I would
promptly and cordially approve of the
severest measures the President might
adopt to paralyze the treachery which°iu
this and other cities, under various liberal
and beneficent pretenses, has been, and is
still at work to undermine and overthrow
tlje legitimate magistracy of the nation,
I)o I not speak in the name of the Irish
men of New York—and they are counted
by tens of thousands—when I speak these
sentiments, and deciare in favor of these
rigorous but imperative proceedings ?
(Enthusiastic shouts of “ That you do !”)
Were I met with u negative, I should re
mind my countrymen that the English aris
tocracy, which is the dominant class in
England—to which the navy, the church,
the army almost exclusively belong, and
which is, in fact, the political opinion, the
Parliament, the sceptre and the sword of
England. I should remind my country
men that this aristocracy is arrayed against
the government at Washington—and that
as it was dead against the revolution, out
of which arose the liberties and nationality
of the United States, so it is now in hot
favor of the revolution which sets at naught
those liberties, and against that nationality
directs a fratricidal blow.
Be it with Irishmen, at all events, the
lessoD, the incentive, the animating convic
tion, the rallying battle cry in this tempes
tuous time. Every blow that, with the
shout of “Feac an bealac” clears the way
for the stars and stripes, and plants that flag
wherever it has a prescriptive right to float,
deals to this English aristocracy a deadly
mortification and discouragement—depriv
ing it of new allies and resources—and thus
so far avenges and liberates the island of
which it has been the persecution, the crip
pling fetter, the recurring famine, the per
vading blight, the social caucer, and the
rank source of the poverty and slanders, in
spite of which her children make their foot
ing good, and assert themselves abroad.
Which beiDg so, let us, who hail from Ire
land—we, who have taken an oath of loy
alty, not to New York, not to Alabama,
not to Massachusetts, not to Kansas, not to
any ODe isolated State, but to all the States
that build up the powerful and resplendent
Union which the sword and counsels of
Washington evoked, which the phis
losophy of Jefferson approved, which the
headstrong honesty and heroism of Andrew
Jackson preserved, which the great argu
ments of Webster rendered still more solid,
and which the loving patriotism of Henry
Clay, whose precepts and example still ani
mate the sons of old Kentucky, commended
to the heart of every true American—let
us, at all events, who hail from Ireland,
stand to the last by the stars and stripes,
the illustrious insignia of the nation that, of
all the world, has been the friendliest sanc
tuary of the Irish race, and in going forth to
battle for the American Union agaiust do
mestic treason and the despotisms of Eu
rope, let the Irish soldier take with him the
assurance, which the scene here before us
justifies, that, should he fall, neither his
wife nor little ones will be forgotten.
To say that Captain Meagher was freely
applauded, but faintly expresses the wild
shout 9 of enthusiasm and the cries of “hear,
hear,” which greeted every sentence. Never
had a speaker a more responsive audience.
The “New Sixty-Ninth’" was born yester<*
day, and it will start at once into vigorous
life.
Front Missouri.
St. Louis, Sept. 2.
The Democrat has advices directly from
Gen. Jeff. Thompson’s camp at Benton,
Scott county, to the effect that all the rebels’
baggage at that and other points is being
hastily removed to New Madrid and that
Thompson’s and Hardee’s commands would
attempt to affect a junction and (all back
on Sykeslown, the terminus of the Cairo
and Fulton railroad, where it is supposed
they would make a stand and give General
Frentiss battle. x
The combined strength of Thompson’s,
Hardee’s and Pillow’s commands are esti
mated at 30,000. Reports were current
yesterday and to day that Gen. Prentiss
had surprised a camp of Missouri rebels
near Bloomfield, Stoddard county, and had
taken eight hundred and fifty prisoners with
out firing a gun, but they need confirma
tion.
Private dispatches announce that Pro
vost Marshal McKinstry has been promoted
to a Brigadier Generalship.
—The secessionists have so hemmed in
East Tennessee, that it is scarcely possible
for a Unionist to leave the State, or to send
a letter across the border. Parson Brown
low, when last heard from, was preparing
an editorial, denouncing the traitors more
vehemently than ever.
EAST TENNESSEE.
HORRIBLE PERSECUTIONS OF THE UNION MEN.
From the Louisville Journal.
DESPOTISM AT NASHVILLE
N obody is now permitted to come from
Nashville without getting his character
vouched for, making oath to say nothin*'
detrimental to the Southern Confederacy 5 ,
and obtaining a passport.
Persons living immediately around Nash
ville cannot go into the city on business of
any kind and return, without passports.
Residents of Nashville cannot, without
passports, go out ot the city limits— cannot
even cross the bridge.
Our secessionists talk about restraints
and constraints in Louisville. What do
they think of Nashville and all the other
cities and towns of the Southern Confede
racy ?
Correspondence of the Cincinnati Gazette.
Camp Robinson, Kv., Aug. 25.
I have just arrived here from Alorgan
county, East Tennessee. I left there on the
19th. Before my departure the secession
ists had commenced their depredations, and
were ravaging the counties of Scott, Roane
and Am ersou. Persons aud property were
alike attacked. In Auderson county they
have taken from the Union men every spe
cies of property that they could lay their
hands on, and also killed several persons.
In Scott county ‘hey have taken possession
of Huntsville, the county seat, and robbed
the stores. In Alorgan county they have
perpetrated acts of a similar character, yet
still more atrocious. Union men have been
shot from the woods, stores have been com
pletely cleared of their contents, and worse
than all, a worthy aud wealthy Union lady
was whipped most cruelly by these mis
creants, alter they had stripped her house of
all its furniture and all the provisions they
could find. •
All the Union men of East Tennessee *
who could get away have forsaken their
homes. Oid and young have tied alike, a
great proportion of them hurrying With
out waiting to collect any of their goods,
without money, and iu many cases but
scantily clothed, borne of them have been
able to cross over into Kentucky, but the
remainder are still concealed m the moun
tains hoping to elude tne rebel pickets, and
join their lrieuds there.
When I left home, some twelve hundred
secessiouists, on horseback, were ravaging
the counties of Scott and .Morgan, accom
panied by two hundred well arraad negroes.
Before this they have doubtless done an in
calculable amount of mischief. Will not
the Government, without delay, send aid to
our unhappy State ?
From the Ciocinn&ti Commerc al, 30th.
THE CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN EAST TEN-
NKaSKK
Mr. W. B. Carter, of East Tennessee, is
now in the city. He is a gentleman of high
standing, who has been a lile-iong resident
of East Tennessee. 11 is lather also was a
Tennesseean. lie is a slaveholder and
identified with the South by every social
aDd material tie that binds a man to his
home ; and for no crime but that ot loving
his country, and unalterable attachment to
the Union of these States, he is an exile,
lie has refused to be wheedled or driven
into the South Carolina conspiracy, and is
therefore driven from his native State by
the desperadoes who own the chief conspir
ators at Richmond as their masters.
The account which he gives of the con
dition of the peo; le ol Eastern Tennessee,
is heart-rending. 1 he exiles from that por
tion ot that State number thousands ; and
there are hundreds now being hunted by
the secessionists like wild beasts in the
mountains. History records no persecution
ol a people more remorseless and appalling.
There is literally a reign of terror among
those who are unwilling to give up their
country and submit to the destruction of
the Union and the loss of their liberties.
They have felt, and with reason, that
when the Union was destroyed, their
liberty would be sacrificed to a des
potism as intolerant, cruel and desola
ting, as any that has ever been formed
when bloody trea-on flourished over
the ruins ol a nation. Air. Carter
knows personally huudreds of cases in
which citizens have been compelled to fly
from the hordes of min ons of the secession
conspirators. Alany of his neighbors have
been reduced from affluence to beggary by
this persecution. They have been com
pelled to leave their families, and all they
had in the world, and fly in the night to the
mountains, to save their lives. The alter
native—that of volunteering to fight against
their country —they were too patriotic to
regard as possible. “ Camp Dick Kobiu*
son,” in Garrard county, Kentucky, has
been and is a camp of refuge for their ex
iles. Air. Carter is personally well ac
quainted with men lately of property
and distinguished social position in
Tennessee, who are now in that cump, hav
ing left their families and farms to the mercy
of their enemies, and escaped by mouutain
patb3. Some of them walked fifty miles a
day over the mountains and through laurel
thickets, thus evading the secessionists sta
tioned at the passes. There were six hun
dred Tennesseeans at Camp Dick Robinson,
and nine hundred at Birboursville—all mus
tered into the service of the United States;
The nine hundred collected at Barbours
ville, are under the command of Lieut.
S. B. Carter, of the United States Jsavy, a
Tennesseean, aDd a brother of the gentleman
who gives information. They are
expected at the camp in Gerrard county
to day. They will swell the number in
camp to four thousanf, and if the Kentucky
secessionists will have war, the number
will soon be near twenty thousand. It may
be thought that Air. Carter’s report of the
condition of affairs in this State is highly
colored. We have reason to believe that
the coloring is tame in comparison with the
facts. Certainly, the Government is bound
by every consideration of bonor and inter
est, to sustain the loyal people of Tennessee
with all its power and to the last extremity
—Hon. Andrew Johnson and General
Robert Anderson were at Cincinnati on the
Ist instant.