The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-03-21 00:00:00

DORSET COUNTY EXPRESS

DORCHESTER, TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 1865.

NOTES OF THE WEEX.

Froin America we have President Lincoln's
inaugural address on entering on his second term
of office. It says that neither party, four years
ago, expected the magnitude or duration which
the war has already attained, or antitipated that
the cause of the eontliet might cease before the
conflict itself, It expresses a belief that the
nation is being punished for the sin of slavery,
and that the stain of it will probably not be
obliterated until every drop of blood, drawn by
the lash, shall be paid by another dream by the
sword. It announces a firm determination to
continue the Oar against the South, but indicates
no policy, and makes no allusion to foreign
relations. General Sherman appears to have at
last received a check. It is stated that on the
24th ult, a battle less fought near Salisbury
Plain,between General. Sherman and Johnston.
The former divided his army into two columns,
one marching on Salisbury, and the other on
Raleigh. Johnston attacked the first oolumn
between Salisbury and Tadkin Rivet and an
indeci.ive engagement emitted. At first the ad-
vantage rested with the Confederates, but
Sherman succeeded in joining his two columns,
and repelled Johnston's attacks. Johnston then
crossed the Tadkin, effected a junction with his
main force, and awaited Sherman crossing the
river. Since that nothing authentic of Sherman
' was known, but it was conjectured, on tolerably
good authority, that he was about fifty miles
north of Charleston, and moving towards the
sea coast Admiral Dahlgren was nI6O in the
same locality, and was trylh to effect &junction
with Sherman. This disposes of the reported
junction of Sherman and Schofield, as set forth
tia a former telegram. Schofield, it now turns
out, haa with his Federal forces been repulsed
about ten miles from WilmingtOn, apparently in
an attempt to mope northivards. A report had
been published by Mr. Secretary Stanton, on
the alleged authority of four Confederate
deserters, to the effect that Federal General
Sheridan had defeated General Early, and that
the latter' with his entire force of 18 000 men,
had been forced to capitulate. No confirmation
bad been received four days later, however, and
it is believed to have been published merely to
increase the popular enthusiasm during the re-
joicings attending Mr. Lincoln's resumption of
office. General Grant is still unable to move,
owing to the muddy state of the country..
The Confederate House of Representatives
ham passed a resolution authorising the arming
of negroes tendered by their owners' and the
Senate of Virginia had authorised the Governor
to call for volunteers among the slaves and free
negroes for the defence of Richmond and the
other threatened points The United States
Consul has been expelled from Matamoras,
owing to his refusal to recognize the Emperor
The rumours, which have lately been in circu-
lation relative to the existence of a secret artiolh
In the September Convention,are daily becoming
more credited at Turin. It is believed that this
secret article makes provision for the cession of
Sardinia to France in the event of Rome be-
coming the capital of Italy. A new paper, called
L' has been brought out in Turin by a
political party, who maintain that the arrange-
ment in question forms the bowls of the Franoo-
Italian treaty. This journal violently attacks
the transfer of the capital to Florenee, and con-
demns the policy which dictated the conclusion
of the convention. The aemi.onicial journals
hare, On several ocoaaions, denied the soiertions
of L' stlpi ; but this paper urger that there is
but one way of convincing the million that there
Is no truth in itz statementi, namely, that the
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