The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-12-15

CUUBLTfufTng tEe NnFV 9ar-
den of America have at last come to look u pom
our Union as no longer desirabIs-ays as no
longer sndurdbie
The sp,rit of the American Union has been
uepaIung oy SLOW but sure degrees for nearly
whole generation, and now, we fear. il is
gone The cold, lifeless, and dPcaying form.
alone remains. soon To he hurried away by the
mere formal execution of plans of secession
already conceived aud ma'ured
THE POSITION OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
Senator WigfaIi, of Texas. an extreme di.-
unionist, defined In his speech Thursday the
intentions Of South Carolina:
South Carallna, he assured the Rapublicsn
Senators. would be out OF the Union before
this day week. Immediately on the passaga
OF the seeding ordinance Minister PIenipo-
tsntiary and Envoy Extraordinary accredited
TO the United States Government would bs
dispa tched to Washington, ulIy empowered
To negotiate for the recognition of the SOW
eregnty of South Carolina, which would
bring up the ques ton as to her right to secede
The forts at Charleston may remain in nos
session of the United Safes B." for a mi nu te for
an hour, for a day, or eyeL for a month"; until
action has been taken on the sui biect by the
government at Washington. But ne assured
Senators that if he envoy OF South Carolina
was not received, aud the demands of that
State fer recognition complied with her GAL
liant sons would seize the forts and send those
who came 10 resist Nh, m " with bloody hands
to hOspi table graves" This declaration made
given 1t, is another cause of the depression
that pervades the friends of the Union to day.
AFFAIRS IN LOUISIANA.
BATON RoUUE, Dc. 11.-Fhe bill providing
for the election Of delegates t the State Com
yention 10 be held at Baton Rouge on the 23d
OF January, has passed both Houses. In the
House strong effort was made to put the
question, Convention or no Convention, be-
FIRE the people.
The Military bill passed both Houses, ap-
propriaing $500 coo; providing for the ap
pointment of a Military Commission and Mill
tary Bureau; also. fer The organization of
volunteer companies and armIng the same,
and for establishing military depots. The
Military Board will be convened immedia lately,
and some one will be sent To purchase arms
The amendment OF the House forbiddIng the
purchase Of arms at The North by the Board
was lost. The bill of the House confisca ling
all Tue geOds arriving from the Northern
States after the Let OF January, and applying
the proceeds of the sale of the same To ihe
purchase OF arms, referred TO a Joint
Committee. and created considerable fun.
The Legislature adj 1urued Till Tomorrow,
when it Will probably finish its business.
BATON ROUGE, ID C. l2.-Tle Seuate passed
the Convert tIUn bills after an eloquent oppO-
sition speech by MIR. Randall Hunt. Mr.
Writ Adams, OF Mississippi, was introduced
TO the JOINT Session, and made a speech an
Douncing the action of Mississippi, and ask
lug the cooperation OF L Lluisiana, which was
cordially received. The nall was crowded.
A bill 20 appoint Commissioners to the sister
slave States created much discussion, but
lost. A resolution requesting the Governor
To communicate to the Governors Of other
Southern States, as to the condition of the
country, was adopted.
BATON RoUGE, Dec. l2.-The extra session
Of The Legislature has adjourned sine de.
ALLEGED PRESCRIPTION AT WASHINGTON.
letter from Washington says:
1t is stated here to-day that Postmaster
General Holt having observed one of his
Palmetto rad
him as 10 what it meant He replied that tie
was in favor Of secession; W whereupon he was
informed that he need not return to his desk
that his successor would be immediately an.
pointed. Il. b Rhodes, a 81 500 clerk in the
Patent Office, al ayowed stcess iunist from
Mi>siesIpl /, on the ther had, has been graut-
ed six weeks leave OF abser ce, 10 go home TO
serve as member OF the Secession Conven-
uJn.
PRAYER FOR THE UNION.
At the close ef his sermon, on saturday last,
the Rev. Isaac Lesser, OF the Portuguese Sypa.
gogue, in PhIladeiphl gave utterauce IT, the
following prayer: @, l. ri God of our fathers
W. bPscech Thee 10 listen 10 our prayers iu De-
half of these 5 lates Grant, If 1t be PnY will,
that their Union may be preserved en'Ire and
that nothing may disrupt the bonds which
unite this Republs. Give wisdom to those
charged with he admiuis tTatiOn of The Gov
ernmeDt, that they may be animated with the
spirit OF COuGiliatlou and truth, so that by
their m modeTatIon and counseIs the evil which
now appears TO Impeud over this land rnsy be
speedily disSIpated, and peace and brotherly
love resume their sway over the minds of The
people. Let us also entreat Thee to be with
The National Council now assem- bied in The
Capital of the land that their deliberations
may be conducted with q sincere desire to DO
justice to all; that they may be enabled 10
heal the discord which has lately been mani
Tested, and save the Republic from ruin.
But ifIt has been decreed from before Thee
that the cup of confusion snail not pass away
from our lips, and that we are doomed TO drain
irs bitter contents, then do Thou, o Father ut
Mercy, stay the hand of y!uleuc-, and suffer
not tDat the opposing factions shall enkindle
the torch of war, and Dip their hands III bro
lheTs' blood.
Permit not death dealing armed ships to
carry destruction on The coasts OF the Atian tic
or Pacific, aud avert the calamity OF hostile
armies sweeping with violence, rapine and
m uTder, over the fields and cities OF this couu-
try.
Do this for the sake of Thy servants. Abra-
ham, Isaac and Jacob, our fathers; do IL tor
tbs sake of Toy attributes OF mercy, which
thou didst reveal 10 Thy prophet NJ ses, when
he stood bef re Thee OF the rock at Horeb, ard
saw Thy goodness pa before him. And let Thy
indignation be removed from us, according 10
Thy promise then made, inasmuch es Thou
art the all-powerful Que, merciful. gracious
and lOns-sufferlug, who are abundant in tor
giving inIq uIty aud II tce be deemed unwOr-
Thy of this favor, do ii tor the sake of Thy
Holy name, by which we are called. Amen.
RETALIATION.
The VicksbuTg Wing OF Dec 7th has the fol-
lowing = AS the steamer Prince OF Wales
landed at onr levee yesterday morning, il be-
gan TO b. whispered about that Cairo officer
was on board, with q Louisianlan, under
rest, whom ha was taking To Illinois The
prisoner was named Alexander Norton, of the
firm of Norton j Macautey, who had been ar
res ted under u r. QUESTION from the Governor
OF Illinois. a crowd assembled on the wharf
boat, marched on board the Steamer released
Mr.. Norton and took him ashore Mr. Rear
n, thH ffi1a m hQ n ptarR ion nf 7
b. Butler, suffered no violence, but was al
lowed TO take the cars for his home. The
crime OF Mr.. Norton we do not know, but We
believe the motive of his rescue was intended
as retaIiatory to the North.
A MISTAKE.
The Petersburg Express of yesterday has
the following:
Day hreak, yesterday morning, disclosed to
the view Secessi N flag waving in the bTeeZp
from the top of the majestic Bell and Everett
pole, at the corner of Toird and Boluugbrook
streets. About half past eight a committee t
Wings proceeded 10 the pole and without
much ceremony pulled down the blue bunting,
and carried IL away captive into an adjaceu /
restaurant, where the heal hs If Virginia, the
South and the Union were respectively drunk,
and he flag deposit ted in g sale corner, where
IL will await the demand of its owners. The
Secession flag has blue field with a s. ngle
white star in the centre. Many mistook this
for the "I.one-Star' flag of Texas which 1t
is not generally known, is A type of the Anne
rican flag, with the exception that in The blue
field there is but Que slar-all the stripes,
however, are attached.
PUBLIC BURNING.
As we walked along the other day, says the
Cutnbert Reporter of the Sth, we saw Captain
piatt coming out of the bookstore with his
arms full of Harper's Weekly Magazine, fol-
lowed by Mr. Chas Seavy, clerk in the book
store, with torch in his hand. After suita-
BILE ceremonies, these semi-aboiition prints
were COMMITTED TO the flames Mr.. Seavy is
from the North. but he came forward yolun-
tarily on the occasion, and willingly supplied
The torch TO the pile.
HOW THE PREACHERS STAND.
The Macon Telegraph says that vote was