4i0 
IjSlI* 
BEC. 17. 
fjtol fine-porter. 
NEWS DEPARTMENT. 
ROCHESTER, N. Y., DECEMBEE 17, 1864. 
The Army in Virginia. 
A correspondent writing from the head¬ 
quarters of the Army of the Potomac on the 
6th inst.- say9 that yesterday at daylight the 
5th corps, with the 3d division of the 2d corps 
and two divisions of Gregg’s cavalry, started 
south. They were heard from yesterday, and 
had crossed the Nottoway, on the Jerusalem 
road, without meeting opposition of any conse¬ 
quence. They crossed on pontoons which they 
took up after crossing. 
Deserters state that Mahone's division was 
sent out to meet our advance corps, but as no 
firing has been heard in that direction it is 
not believed that any engagement has taken 
place. 
Dec. 9.—A reeonnoitering force went out on 
the left this P. M.. striking the rebel pickets on 
the Vaughn road, driving them over two miles, 
where they had breastworks erected, and where 
they made a stand. 
Skirmishing continued some time, when the 
object of the movement having been fully ac¬ 
complished, the expedition returned. 
Our loss was seven wounded; that of the 
enemy not known. 
Some of those who accompanied this party 
report that heavy firing was heard in the direc¬ 
tion of Stony Creek, which indicates that fight¬ 
ing was going on between Gen. Warren and the 
enemy. 
Reports are current that the evacuation of 
Petersburg by the rebels may be looked for at 
an early day. 
The He raid's Army of the Potomac corre¬ 
spondent of the 9ih, says that on Wednesday 
night, owing to the annoyance by rebels firing 
upon working parties on the Dutch Gap Canal, 
portions of three regiments of colored infantry, 
and a portion of Martin’s 5th regular artillery, 
under Gen. B. C. Ludlow, crossed to the north 
side of the James, drove back the rebels and 
effected a lodgement at the upper terminus of 
the canal, where they intrenched themselves, 
thus protecting the laborers oa the canal. 
Rebel batteries subsequently opened upon the 
position, but did no harm. 
A dispatch from the army before Petersburg 
dated the 7th inst., says this has been rather a 
calm day along the lines in front of Petersburg. 
Some little firing was indulged in on the right 
of the line, but the artillery on both sides was 
very quiet. 
Considerable activity prevailed on the lines 
north of the James river to-day, but the rain 
storm which Eet in early this morning seems to 
have put a stop to whatever changes, if any, 
were intended. Firing was kept up at Dutch 
Gap all day as usual. 
The Tribune's Washington special of Dec. 10, 
says a few days ago Gen. Stevenson, commanding 
the post of Harper’s Ferry, sent out a scouting 
party of thirty men in the direction of Water¬ 
ford, Loudon county, to watch Mosby, who was 
reported by citizens to be preparing for a raid 
into Maryland. At Waterford our cavalry 
struck the head of Mosbj’s force and a skirmish 
immediately ensued, in which we lost seven 
men killed, wounded and captured. The rebels, 
who outnumbered us three to one, lost equally as 
many, if not more. 
Among their killed was Capt. Montjoy, one 
of Mosby's ablest officers. At Leesburg, on 
their return, the party gobbled up a member of 
the rebel Gen. Gordon’s staff who was visiting 
a lady. 
Department of the South. 
The Savannah Republican of December 1st, 
says it mentioned in a previous issue that a 
force of Federals hud landed in Broad River and 
were advancing on the railroad in the direction 
of Grahamsville. 
Daring the night the Confederates had trans¬ 
ported an effective force to that point, which, 
uniting with that already on the ground, 
marched forward under command of General 
Gustavus Smith, of the Ga. State troops, to 
meet them. 
The Republican says the Federal troops num¬ 
bered live thousand meu with 16 pieces of ar¬ 
tillery. 
Smith was attacked at a place called Honey 
Hill, three miles from Grahamsville. 
The Confederates had only 1,100 muskets and 
seven pieces of artillery. The fight lasted till 
dark. “ We,” the paper says, “ repulsed every 
attack, aud dually drove the enemy ’s right and 
center, but the loft stood unmoved at the close 
of the action. 
The rebels received re-enforcements, but not¬ 
withstanding their boastiDg, admit it was a 
drawn battle. 
“ Last night, the 30th,” the Republican says 
“ seven or eight transports loaded with troops 
were going up Broad Liver, which gives as¬ 
surance that the fight will be renewed to-day.” 
Department of the Gulf 
A letter from New Orleans, 26th, via Mis¬ 
sissippi river, says Gen. Canby is rapidly re¬ 
covering from bis severe wound, and is now 
able to attend to bis official business daily. 
Gen. Ullman is now in chief command of all 
the forces at Morganzia. 
Min’s celebrated 2d Mass. Battery is now sta¬ 
tioned at Morgan zia. 
On the 25tb ult., Acting Lieut. Thatcher, 
commanding the gunboat Gazelle, was murdered 
by rebels, while ashore on an island below the 
mouth of the Red River, and his body terribly 
mangled. The Mississippi River has risen 18 
feet at Morganzia In one week. 
AFFAIRS AT WASHINGTON. 
The President’s Message was sent to both 
Houses of Congress at one o’clock P. M., on 
the second day (the 7th inst.) of the session. 
Like all similar State Papers, the Message does 
not meet the approval of both political parties 
either in or out of Congress. While a portion 
of our politicians regard President Lincoln’s 
policy best calculated to bring back the balmy 
days -which characterized our happy country- 
previous to the winter of 1860-61, another por¬ 
tion — equally patriotic — believe exactly the 
reverse, — that, the country will be plunged 
into bankruptcy and irretrievable ruin, that 
the fates of .Ancient Rome aud Greece are 
but the prototypes of the downfall of our Re¬ 
public,—that Batyrs, jackals and other doleful 
creatures will make both day and night hideous 
among the debris of a once mighty but over¬ 
thrown and defunct political structure. We 
give only the four closing paragraphs of the 
Message, which foreshadows, as all will see, the 
administrative policy of the President, in regard 
to the great question now agitating the country: 
“In presenting the abandonment of armed 
resistance to the national authority on the part 
of the insurgents as the only indispensable con¬ 
dition to ending the war on the part of the Gov¬ 
ernment, I retract nothing heretofore said as to 
Slavery. 
“I repeat the declaration made a year ago, 
that while I remain in my present position 1 
shall not attempt to retractor modify my Eman¬ 
cipation Proclamation, nor shall I return to 
slavery any person who is free by the terms of 
that Proclamation, or by any of the acts of 
Congress. 
“If the people should, by whatever mode or 
means, make it an Executive duty to re-enslave 
such persons, another and not I, must be their 
instrument to perform it. 
“ In stating a single condition of peace I mean 
simply to say that the war will cease on the 
part of the Government whenever it shall have 
ceased on the part of those who began it.’’ 
The Secretary of the Treasury reports the 
cash receipts into the Treasury during the last 
fiscal year (to the 30th of June) at $884,076,646.77; 
disbursements, $865,234,087.86, which leaves a 
cash balance of $18,842,658.71. The public debt 
on the 1st of July last is reported at $1,740,090,- 
489.49. The resources for the coming year (to 
June 30,1865,) the Secretary estimates at $788,- 
354,947. It is calculated that the debt will 
be increased, should the war continue, $500,000,- 
000 more. 
The Secretary of the Navy’s report shows 
that the Navy, on the first day of the present 
month, consisted of 671 vessels, having a tun- 
nage of 510,392, and carrying 4,610 guns. This 
is an increase of 83 vessels and 167 guns since 
December, 1863. 
The officers and meu now on duty number 
61,000—officers 6 , 000 , men 45,000. There are 
six squadrons on duty, viz; the West Gulf, Ad¬ 
miral Farragut; East Gulf, Commodore treb¬ 
ling; South Atlautic, Admiral Dalilgren; North 
Atlantic, Admiral Porter; Mississippi, Admiral 
Lee; and Pacific, Admiral Pearson, besides the 
Potomac Flotilla, Commodore Parker. 
The West India .Squadron, as an organization, 
has been discontinued. 
The consumption of coal the past year in the 
Navy has been 500,000 tuns. 
The blockade extends along a coast line of 
3,549 miles — a greater extent than the whole 
coast of Europe, from Cape Trafalgar to North 
Cape. 
The Iron-clad Fleet has been increased to 
seventy-one vessels. They carry 375 guns, all of 
heavy metal. 
The number of prizes captured during the 
year was 824. Eighty-eight of these vessels 
were steamers. 
The gross proceeds from condemned prizes was 
$14,393,250, and the expense $1,287,158. The 
balance of $13,190,841 was divided equally be¬ 
tween tbe captors, as prize money, and the 
Government, as a naval pension fund. 
There are 1,609 persons on the naval pension 
roll, and they received $159,659 during the past 
year. 
Tbe pension fund on the 1st of January next 
will amount to $7,000,000, yielding an annual 
income of $420,000, sufficient for the entire pen¬ 
sion roll. 
The Navy Department has cost $280,647,201 
in four years. Of this aggregate $85,733,292 
were expended last year. 
The available resources for the fiscal year 
ending June ?.0tb, 1865, are $139,289,059. The 
balance on hand at the beginning of the present 
year was $30,082,244. 
Secretary Welles says the blockade of the port 
of Wilmington is more difficult than any other 
on the coast of the United States; that the Navy 
is ready to attack Wilmington as Boon as there 
is a land force to co-operate. 
The withdrawal of a large part of our land 
forces from the islands in Charleston harbor bad 
necessarily put a stop to serious demonstrations 
against Charleston, and thrown upon the iron¬ 
clad fleet the burden of insuring the safety of 
the coast and retaining the harbor. Rear Ad¬ 
miral Dahlgren bas kept his vessels where 
Admiral Dupont and others said they could not 
be kept, for the j^ast seventeen months. 
He refers to the destruction of the pirate 
Alabama at length; to the capture of the forts 
near Mobile; the vessels building; the Navy 
Yards; the enlistments; the honors, and appa¬ 
rently everything else relating to the Navy 
which is necessary for the guidance of Congress. 
The Secretary of the Interior reports that 
4,221,342 acres have been disposed of from the 
30lhof June, 1863 to September 30th, 1864, The 
cash receipts for the sales of public lands, in¬ 
cluding homestead and location fees, were 
$1,019,440. A large part of the land granted by 
the Government was to holders of military 
warrants, for railroads, to persons acquiring 
farms under the homestead law, and to those 
holding “ agricultural script.” Tbe quantity 
of public lands surveyed, but not disposed of, 
on the 30tli of September last, Secretary Usher 
reports to be 133,517,587 acres. 
The mining interests are reported as very 
encouraging. A moderate tax is recommended 
to be imposed upon miners and the products of 
the mines. It is considered advisable that land 
be granted to secure the construction of roads 
to and in some mining districts now almost inac¬ 
cessible. 
The Union Pacific Railroad Company, since 
the adjournment of the last session of Congress, 
has expended move than half a million of dollars 
upon the main line of the road from Omaha, 
westward. One hundred miles have been per¬ 
manently located, and forty miles are in process 
of construction, The branch road in Kansas 
is built forty miles. Work is suspended on 
account of difficulties which, it is hoped, Con¬ 
gress will remove. 
The Indians during the past few months have 
given the Department much trouble. A differ¬ 
ent policy, in some respects, is recommended. 
There are 51,135 pensioners on the rolls. Of 
these 5 are revolutionary soldiers; 1,418 widows 
of revolutionary soldiers; 22,767 army pension¬ 
ers; 25,483 orphans and mothers of army pen¬ 
sioners, aud 1,505 sailors. The pensions last 
year amounted to $4,695,376, and 1,812 bounty 
land warrants, representing 286,960 acres of 
land. Of the whole amount expended for pen¬ 
sions last year, $3,500,000 wore granted on 
account of disability or death resulting from 
tbe service in the war of the rebellion. 
It is estimated that over seven millions of 
dollars will be necessary to meet the claims 
accruing under the pension laws during the 
current fiscal year. 
The inventive genius of the country is stimu¬ 
lated rather than depressed by the war. Last 
year 6.740 applications were made for new 
patents; 989 caveats were filed; 29 applications 
for extensian were received; 4,843patents were 
issued, (including re-issues,) and 40 extensions 
granted. The finances of the patent office are 
in a prosperous condition. Receipts to Sept. 30, 
amounted to $208,571; expenditures $212,453. 
The volume on population of the last census 
has been printed and distributed, and that on 
agricnltuie is nearly ready for distribution. 
The Post-master General reports the revenues 
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1864, at $12,- 
438,253; the expenditures during the same 
period, $12,6-14,786. During the past year 
stamps to the value of $10,574,329 have been 
issued. 
On the 30th of June there were in the loyal 
States and Territories 6,083 mail routes in opera¬ 
tion with a length of 139,173 miles. Total cost 
of mall transportation, $6,365,222. 
There were, June 30tb, 28,878 post-offices 
in the United Mates, including 8,902 in the dis¬ 
loyal portion of the country. The aggregate 
number includes the suspended offices. During 
the year 619 post-offices have been established, 
788 discontinued, and 211 changes of names and 
sites; 4,713 post-masters have been appointed. 
The number of dead letters received and ex¬ 
amined during tbe year was 3,508,825. 
Hon. Salmon P. Chase of Ohio, bas been 
appointed Chief Justice of the United States 
vice Roger B. Taney, deceased. The Presi¬ 
dent sent to the Senate the name of Judge 
Chase for appointment on the 6th. The Sen¬ 
ate immediately confirmed the nomination. 
— ■ - »r4 —-- 
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE OF NEW YORK. 
The Electors of President and Vice President 
of the United States assembled in the Senate 
Chamber at Albany, on Tuesday, tbe 6th inst, 
at 4 o’clock P. M. The Secretary of State 
called tbe College to order. The roll of mem¬ 
bers was then called, and the whole number (33) 
were found to be present. The usual oath of 
office was administered, and on motion of Hon. 
Preston King, Horace Greeley of New 
York city, was elected President. William 
Bristol of Wyoming county, and Hiram 
Horton of Franklin county, were chosen Sec¬ 
retaries. The College being duly organized, it 
adjourned till the next day (the 7th) at ten 
o’clock, 
On re-assembling, pursuant to adjournment, 
and prayer being offered by Rev, Mr. Williams 
of St. Peter’s, the President announced that the 
College was now prepared to proceed with busi¬ 
ness. Messrs. Pelt on of New York, and Stkb- 
bins of Monroe, were appointed Tellers. The 
roll was then called, and all the Electors an¬ 
swered to their names. 
Tbe members then proceeded to ballot for 
President of the United States—each Elector 
depositing his vote as his name was called. 
The Tellers announced, as tbe result of the 
ballot, that Abraham Lincoln of Illinois, had 
received thirty-three votes. 
A vote was then taken for Vice President of 
the United States. The Tellers reported the re¬ 
sult to be thirty-three votes for Andrew John¬ 
son of Tennessee. 
James Tkkwilliger of Syracuse, was ap¬ 
pointed Messenger to convey the resultof tbe bal¬ 
lot to the President of the United States Senate, 
Washington, and B. M. Bradley to convey the 
same to the Judged the Northern District of 
New York. A Committee was also appointed 
to deposit one copy of the result in the Post- 
office in Albany, directed to the President of 
the United States Senate. Each member of the 
College then affixed his name to three certified 
copies of the result, as the law directs, the cer¬ 
tificates placed in envelope- and sealed by the 
President and delivered to the Messengers aud 
the Committee. The certificate placed in the 
hands of the Committee 'was immediately de¬ 
posited by them in the Post-office. They re¬ 
ceived a receipt from the Post-master for the 
document, and produced tbe same to the Col¬ 
lege, which soon after adjourned sine die. 
- f - 
The West.—B ut little bas transpired “Out 
West,” of a military character, the past week. 
NEWS PARAGRAPHS. 
Attorney Gen. Speed has been appointed 
only for the unexpired portion of Mr. Bate’s 
term, .until the fourth of March next. He is 
in politics an Old Whig. 
The Stars and Stripes have lately been planted 
on Mount Baily, Nevada. The summit of 
Mount Baily Is nine thousand four hundred 
and seventy-eight feet above the level of the sea. 
On the 1st inst., a new side-wheel steamer 
was sunk in Charleston harbor by one of our 
gunboats, while attempting to run the blockade. 
All on board were taken, except the captain 
and pilot. 
A great Northwestern Fair, for the relief of 
the freed colored people of the South, opens at 
Chicago December 20. All the leading clergy¬ 
men of the Northwestern States join in the ap¬ 
peal for it. 
The will of the King of Wurtemburg (lately 
deceased,) contained only seven short para¬ 
graphs. Some men who have but an acre to be¬ 
queath, make more of a fuss than this one who 
left a kingdom. 
Another draft wa9 made in Washington on 
the 7th, to fill the quota of troops from the Dis¬ 
trict of Columbia. Among the names drawn 
was that of S. P. Hanscom, editor of the Na¬ 
tional Republic. 
Two hundred and fifty-seven acres of land, in 
a certain portion el' West Virginia, were worth 
two years ago $267. Two weeks ago, a million 
and a quarter of dollars were paid for the same 
land. “Struck ile.” 
Elizabeth Washington, a great-grand 
niece of the immortal Washington, died at the 
National Capital a day or two since. Had she 
lived a few days longer, she would have com¬ 
pleted her ninety-second year. 
At the Corlies steam- engine company’s works, 
Providence, on Saturday, the largest quantity 
of molten iron even used at one casting in 
New England —34 tuns—was moulded into a 
hundred-inch cylinder for the works of a gun¬ 
boat. 
Ezra Ciiartell of New London, long known 
for his philanthropy, commenced on the 5th to 
supply the poor of that place with 3,000 loaves 
of bread per month. He is now 89 years old, 
and each year increases his Christian benevo¬ 
lence. 
A lot of camels were 60 ld at auction last 
month in Virginia City, Nevada, for prices 
ranging from $100 to $200 in gold per head. 
The camels make excellent pack animals and 
cost next to nothing to feed them in that part 
of the country, filled as it is with the sage 
brush. 
A London letter in the New York Tribune 
says it is broadly reported there in financial and 
political circles that half the rebel debt is held 
In England, and if it is not paid eventually, half 
of the British money-bags will collapse. This 
is the secret of John Bull’s adherence to the 
Confederacy. 
Gen. Thomas Francis Meagiier has re¬ 
ported for duty to Gen.. Steadman, at Chattanoo¬ 
ga, and the Gazette of that place says he has 
been assigned to the com maud of a provis¬ 
ional division, composed of troops from the 
various corps, who, from whatever cause, did 
not accompany General Sherman on his cam¬ 
paign, 
Kossuth has three nephews in the Union 
army—Colonel L. Zulavsky, who, when Gen¬ 
eral Asboth was disabled in the late engagement 
at Mariana, Florida, took the command and 
brought the action to a successful close; Maj. A. 
Ituttsing, commanding the First Florida cav¬ 
alry, and Lieut. E. Zulavsky, in his brother’s 
regiment. 
Gen.’ Sherman's father-in-law, the Hon. 
Thomas Ewing, expresses great confidence that 
“ Cums will come out all right.” This is the 
family appellation, abbreviation from his middle 
name Tecumseb. The General, by the way, 
was married in Washington, when his father- 
in-law was Secretary of the Interior, he then 
being a Captain in the regular army. 
General Sherman 19 described by a Chap¬ 
lain as a man with a gaunt look — about as if he 
got hungry when a boy and never got over it 
A nervous man, never quiet, pulling his whis¬ 
kers or buttoning his coat, or twisting a string, 
or rubbiug a finger—never quiet, but with a kind 
of look in his face that reminds one of a panther, 
if he gets angry; Fiery, keen, powerful and a 
genius. 
The rebel prints are howling loudly over the 
“devastations” of Sherman. They admit that 
he is sweeping everything before kiin; admit¬ 
ting that, they admit everything. The fact 
that he cuts a wide and clear swath, proves 
that he is taking thingB leisurely, and is confi¬ 
dent of coming out all right. If he were hard 
pressed, he would not bo likely to stop long on 
hie way to destroy barns and cotton-gins. 
Gov. Brown, of Georgia, is reported to have 
released all the convicts from the jails and peni¬ 
tentiaries, put arms in their hands and sent 
them out against Sherman. What a foe to pit 
against our brave boys, and what a ‘‘moral in¬ 
fluence” this army of thieves and cut-throats 
must exert I It reminds one of the emptying of 
the prisons of Paris during the great Revolution, 
and dubbing the inmates with the titlo of 
“Soldiers of the Republic.” 
■ - 1 - » * ♦ 
Gen. Sherman’s Whereabouts.— It was 
reported last week that Sherman’s army had 
reached the sea-board; but later advices go to 
show that such is not the case. The rebels 6till 
think, however, that he will succeed in reach¬ 
ing the coast, and very probably pounce upon 
Savannah. So far aH we can learn, Gen. Sher¬ 
man is making slow but sure progress. 
List of New Advertisements. 
Row’s Premium Cheese Vat—H. & E F. Cooper. 
Empire Wind Mills—Mills Brothers. 
Mnnro’s Ten Cent Novels - Geo. Monro & Co. 
Rochester Express- O. D. Tracy «ft Co. 
Mn“on * Hamlin'- Cabinet Organs— Gibbons & Stone 
A Strange Story—B< ads AS Co 
Get it for ynnr jtnjs—Walk, r. Wise & Co. 
Demorcat's Illustrated Monthly-W. J. Demorest. 
Special Notice— Frank Baldwin. 
Commission Merchants—Cooley <85 Opfivcke. 
Pewoy’s Colored Fruit Plates—it. M. Dewey. 
Potatoes for Sale—H, A Gatlin. 
Farm for Sale—Wm. Mile*. 
First Class Farm for Sale of 120 Acres. 
SPECIAL NOTICES. 
Atlantic Monthly—Tieknor A Fields. 
Onr Young Folhs-Tlcknor & Fields. 
<JI)£ Ncros dfanbenner. 
— There arc 50,000 John Chinamen in America. 
— A headless child was lately horn in Missonri. 
— An extensive watch factory 1s to be established at 
Chicago. 
— The Sultan of Turkey has prohibited the Circas¬ 
sian slave trade. 
— Philadelphia will commence I8E5 with a debt of 
over $41,000,000. 
— Capt O. F. Hall, the Arctic explorer, was at Rome’s 
Wclcomo, Augnst 27. 
— Nova Scotia and New Brunswick oppose the new 
Canada confederation. 
— The King of Prussia Is chief of all the lodges of 
Freemasons in his kingdom. 
— Tom Thumb and ifls lady are now holding levees 
at St James ralace, England. 
— Oberlin College (Ohio) catalogues SOI students, 
40!) gentlemen and 892 ladles. 
— Kerosene Oil applied to the parts affected, is the 
latest remedy for rheumatism. 
— There is an Irish temperance society at Globe vil- 
lngc, Mass., with 00 members. 
— A dancer in one of the Cincinnati theaters died 
lately from drinking Ice water. 
— A steamer arrived at New York on Monday week 
with 1,088 emigrants on board 
— The coffee, cotton and indigo crops of Central 
America are very large this year. 
— Sledging began in Russia Sept 2Sth—the earliest 
winter known there for ten years. 
— Three hundred disbanded California volunteers 
have re-enlisted for actuul service. 
— The Richmond Enquirer complains that the whole 
South is infested with Yankee spies. 
— The Detroit Advertiser says the low stage or water 
in the western lakes is something remarkable. 
— The Indianapolis, Pittsburg, Cleveland and Bell- 
fontalne Railroad Companies have been consolidated. 
— The Chicago Historical Society is about to erect a 
lire proof building for the better security of its collec¬ 
tions. 
— Mrs. Henry J. Brongh of Hartford, Conn, was 
lately burned to death by the overturning of a kerosene 
lamp. 
— N. C. Trowbridge, a convicted blockade-runner, 
has been sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment at hard 
labor. 
— An approaching Insurrection in Austria, Galicia, 
and Hungary is positively predicted by one of the Paris 
papers. 
— With 21,616 more ramifies than Philadelphia, New 
York had, in I860, 23,601 fewer dwellings to shelter 
them in. 
— F. L. Burr, an editor of the Hartford limes, lately 
injured his hand by a vasty nail so badly as to become 
delirious. 
— A brother and sister met in Lowell, Mass., Thanks¬ 
giving day, who had not seen each other for more than 
forty years. 
— The Illinois soldiers are raising a fund for the 
purpose of purchasing a residence to be presented to 
Gov. Yates. 
— Gottschalk, the famous pianist, is about to give 
his farewell concerts here before leaving for Havana 
and Mexico. 
— One New York butcher has recovered $5,000 from 
another New York butcher for calling him a “black 
muzzled thief.” 
— Amos Green, alleged to be the Grand Commander 
of the Hons of Liberty in Illinois, is now lodged In a 
military prison. 
— Applications for pensions are now presented at the 
rate of live thousand per month, and the rate is con¬ 
stantly increasing. 
— A Philadelphia firm Is in luck with a lot of ladies' 
belt buckles, left over, twenty-eight years ago, and now 
just the rage again. 
— The minimum standard or height for recruits for 
the volunteer service has been fixed by the War De¬ 
partment nt five feot. 
— Wm Burr, the inventor of the casemate iron-clad 
system, died a few days since at Greenfield Hill, in the 
Slate of Connecticut 
— A law suit was recently terminated In Hungary, 
which had engaged the courts in that country one hun¬ 
dred and eighty years. 
— It is said that a black traveling bag Is one of the 
most uncomfortable articles of luggage one can carry 
to New York at present. 
— The first quaker that has been drafted in Portland 
has been accepted, and submitted with no outward 
demonstrations of reluctance. 
— The marine losses Tor November amount to -12 ves¬ 
sels valued nt $ 1 , 937 ,tot), and of this number eight 
were captureo by rebel pirates. 
— Notwithstanding the heavy tax on tobacco, cigar 
dealers assert that the demand for the wood has in¬ 
creased rather than the contrary. 
— One hundred clerks arc detailed every night from 
the War Department Rifles, at Washington, for guard 
duty since the incendiary alarms, 
— The latest illustrious Englishman who has visited 
our shores baa given it a* his opinion that onr youths 
are smoking themselves to death. 
— The “ fragments ” of the Thanksgiving least to the 
soldiers at tho Lovell General Hospital, R. I., were 500 
turkeys and two barrels of apples. 
— The trade of Montreal and Quebec has largely de¬ 
creased within the lust year, principally owing to the 
low price of breadstuff* In Europe. 
— Geu, Sheridan in early life was a news-boy. An 
exchange says he is now somewhat like the publisher 
of a morning paper—he goes to press Tarty, 
— A petition from 50,000 citizens ol Illinois wifi be 
presented at the coming session of the legislature of 
that State for the repeal of the Black Laws. 
