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Semi-Weekly Dispatch: March 07, 1862 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

The First Year of Mr. Lincoln's Administration
(Column 3)

Summary: Gives an account of the first year of Abraham Lincoln's administration.

Origin of Article: Philadelphia Bulletin

An Expedition to Eastport, Alabama
(Column 5)

Summary: Prints the report submitted to the navy department from Lieutenant Given, who recently conducted an expedition by gun boat up the Tennessee River to Eastport, Alabama. The report states that Union sentiment is strong South Tennessee and North Alabama.

Somebody is Lying
(Column 1)

Summary: Questions whether the Valley Spirit or William Yancey is telling the truth. The Valley Spirit has argued that the "Abolitionist Party"--the Republicans--drove the South out of the Union, while Yancey has written that the South does not fight to preserve slavery in the face of the abolitionist tendencies of President Lincoln, who they admit guaranteed that slavery would be preserved under his government, but to protect their political power.

Full Text of Article:

The Spirit has kept up a constant howl about Abolitionism, charging the present Rebellion upon the policy and acts of the Republican, or, "Abolition" party, as it calls it. This has been and is the burden of its weekly issue, mixed up with just such arguments against the course pursued by the Government to restore the Union as those used by the veriest Southern Rebels that now run unhung.

Somebody is lying--who is it? In connection with Mason and Slidell, the South has a host of agents in England and France to beg those Governments to recognize the Slave Oligarchy as an independent power. Among these agents is the notorious Wm. L. Yancey, of Alabama, and others equally base, who have addressed a letter to the British Parliament for the purpose of operating upon the anti-slavery sentiment of England, and thus prejudice our Government in our estimation, the better to secure favors from the English Government. In that letter these base traitors have, among other things, made the following honest and truthful declarations:--

"It was from no fear that the slaves would be liberated that secession took place. The very party in power has proposed to guarantee slavery forever in the States, if the South would but remain in the Union. Mr. Lincoln's message proposes no freedom to the slave. * * * * * * The great object of the war, therefore, is not to free the slave, but to keep him in subjection to his owner, and to control his labor through the legislative channels which the Lincoln government designs to force upon the master."

Somebody is lying in this matter, and we leave the reader to judge who it is. The Spirit says, but for the election of Lincoln and the fear of the South that the Republican party would abolish Slavery, there would have been no attempt at subverting the Government. Yancey says, "It is from no fear that the slaves would be liberated that Secession took place," &c.

Does not this prove most conclusively that the Spirit's assertions are most untruthful and reckless. The truth is, that as soon as the Southern politicians found that they could no longer control the Government, and shape its policy for their own benefit, at the expense of the working millions of the Free States, they determined to break it up.

The Tax Bill
(Column 1)

Summary: Provides a listing of the amount of taxation on specific goods according to the tax bill presently before Congress.

Full Text of Article:

The following is an abstract of the Tax Bill as reported to the House of Representatives, at Washington, on Monday last:

It provides for the appointment, by the President, of a Commissioner of Internal Revenue, with a salary of five thousand dollars. His office is to be in the Treasury Department, with a suitable number of clerks. The country is to be divided, as the President may direct, into convenient Election Districts, with an Assessor and Collector to to [sic] be appointed by the President for each District, who shall have power to appoint such Deputies as may be necessary. The bill provides for a duty

On spiritous liquors 15 cents per gallon. On ale and beer $1 per barrel. On stem and leaf tobacco 3 cents per pound. Do. to add when manufactured 5 cents. On sugars (according to value). 5, 10 and 20 cents per pound. On lard and linseed oil, burning fluid and crude coal oil 5 cents per gallon. On refined coal oil 10 cents per gallon. On gas per 1000 cubic feet 25 cents. On Bank Note Paper 5 cents per pound. On Writing Paper 2 " " " On Printing Paper 3 mills " " On Soap 5 " " On Salt 4 cents per 100 pounds. On Sole Leather 1 cent per pound. On Upper Leather 1/2 " " " On Flour 10 cents per barrel. All other manufactures, 3 per cent, ad valorem. Railroad passengers, 2 mills per mile of travel. Commutation tickets, 3 per cent. Steamboat travel, 1 mill per mile. Omnibuses, Ferry boats and Horse Railroads, 3 per cent, on gross receipts from passengers. On advertisements, 5 per cent, on amount of receipts annually. For use of carriages, annually, from $1 to $10, according to value. On Gold Watches $1 per annum. On Silver Watches 50 cts " On Gold Plate 50c per ounce. On Silver Plate 3c " On Billiard Tables $20. On Slaughtered Cattle 50 cents each. On Hogs 10 " " On Sheep 5 " " On Licences--Bankers $100 Auctioneers 20 Wholesale Dealers 50 Retail Dealers in Liquors 20 Retail Dealers in Goods 10 Pawnbrokers 50 Rectifiers 100 Brewers 50 Hotels, Inns and Taverns (graduated according to rental) from $5 to 200 Eating Houses 10 Commercial Brokers 50 Other Brokers 20 Theatres 100 Circuses 50 Bowling Alleys (each alley) 5 Wholesale Pedlars 50 Other Pedlars $5 to $20 Coal Oil Distillers, &c. 20 On Incomes, 3 per cent, on all over $600, deducting the income derived from dividends, &c., which are taxed separately. On Railroad Bonds and Dividends of Banks and Saving Institutions 3 per cent. On payment of all salaries of Officers, in the Civil, Military and Naval service of the U. S., (including Members of Congress) 3 per cent. On Legacies and Distribution Shares of the personal property of deceased persons, (according to the degrees of relationship) from 1@65 per cent.

And stamp duties on all kinds of legal and commercial papers, all patent medicines, telegraphic messages, and all goods by expresses.

The Tax Bill contains one hundred and five sections, and is one of the longest of any kind ever before prepared--months of preparation having been bestowed upon it.

Death of Brig-Gen. Lander
(Column 2)

Summary: Report the death of Brigadier-General Frederick W. Lander, the first Union officer above the rank of colonel to die while in active service.

France and America
(Column 2)

Summary: Prints the segment of the French Senate's address to the Emperor that concerns the United States civil war. Provides a number of reasons why France should not involve itself in the conflict.

Evacuation and Burning of Columbus
(Column 3)

Summary: Describes the capture of Columbus, Kentucky, by Union forces.

An Interesting Scene
(Column 1)

Summary: Relates that four or five thousand people turned out to see the Union troops cross the Potomac into Virginia the previous Sunday.

Origin of Article: Hagerstown Herald

Tax on Whisky
(Column 1)

Summary: Remarks that if it is correct that the distillers of the United States sell 600 million gallons of whiskey per year, the proposed tax of 15 cents per gallon on whiskey would mean an annual revenue of nine hundred thousand dollars for the government.

Spring Election
(Column 1)

Summary: Announces that Union voters of the North Ward of Chambersburg will meet at the White Swan on Saturday evening, March 15, at 7 o'clock to select a party ticket for the spring election. The Union voters of the South Ward will meet at the Indian Queen hotel at the same time on the same night.

The Two Projects
(Column 1)

Summary: Reports on two different plans in Congress for dealing with the states that have seceded.

Full Text of Article:

There will be a division of sentiment in Congress on the proper attitude which our Government should assume towards the States now in rebellion. Mr. Ashley, of Ohio, has a bill, which is on the basis of the Sumner resolutions, and has been approved by the Committees on Territories of the Senate and the House, which virtually destroys all State Governments, and establishes Territorial Governments in their places, without any power to legislate for the protection of slavery, which is thus virtually abolished. In opposition to this scheme is a bill offered by Senator Davis, of Kentucky, which provides for the punishment of traitors, but protects the loyal inhabitants of States in re-organizing their State Governments.--Each bill is declared by its friends to have the support of the Administration, but it is believed that the Cabinet are divided.

A Distinguished Duel
(Column 1)

Summary: Describes a duel at Fort Donelson between one of Colonel Birge's sharpshooters and a Southern soldier.