The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-08-12
SPEECH OF GOV SPRAGUE. OF RHODE
ISLAND.

'ol EGNh VI HOF. SPRAGUE, OF RHODE
ISLAND.
The following extracts are from the address of
Governor Sprague on the opening of the extra
session of the Rhode Island Legislature on Thurs
| day last. 1t will be remembered that he COM
manded the troops Of his State at the late battle
| of the 2lst.
After stating that he has been induced to call the
Legislature together to see if they were willing to
continue their liberal course in support of the war
which he says will be long one, he adds:
| we nave been IN error as TO the strength of the
! enemy and as to the long and persistent course
which has been pursued by the South tending to-
wards this point; while we have been occupied in
! our business they have been creating revolution.
We were under the impression that they we e lack
ing In all the resources which go to raise and main
tain armies. Whereas, in almost every particular
we have found them superior to ourselves; we have
found not only the physique OF their equal to
ours but their clothing, their arms, their subsist-
! encs and their means of transport ation-every-
thing that goes to make up military eiiicencv, su-
| peror to ours. And when we have been obliged
to be the attacking force, marching under a South
ern sun, exhausted. without provisions and with
out shelter, they have been eucamped and in fort-
ned positions III a country unfriendly TO US and
friendly to them, where they could receive infor-
NATION OF every movement of ours, and we could
learn nothing whatever as to theirs
The probabilities are that in case on the re-
cord OF the worlds history has an army been called
into the held possessing little knowledge of the
strength and position of the enemy; and, such be-
ing the case, it was impossible for any troops in the
position ours found themselves, to have sustained
themselves Tor any considerable length of time 1t
has opened ths eI es OF the country to the mmensi-
ty of this struggle, and in that view of the subject
the result may be bearabe.
Everything that grateful State can do for her
cons who are willing to sacrifice themselves in such
cause should be done; but it is important that the
State should know its ability, and should have at
IT'S resources TO avenge the defeat those
they sent at first, for If you nearly exhaust your
the outset, find nIv lac
able to continue to support those that YOU have
already placed in the field.
TROUBLE WITH FoRgrGN PowERs The Washing
ton correspondent Of the Philadelphia Ipquirer
writes | telegraphed to last nj hit that Lord
Lyons had laid before the President a written state
ment OF the number and names Of the vessels that
had passed the blockade of the Southern ports,
with the declaration that England could not regard
as etfrctua blockade conducted ain such a m an
ner. now learn that the French Minister inined
with Lord Lyons in the communication; and that it
was, indeed, joint paper, in the nature of pro-
test, on the part OF the representatives, of France
and England, against such an Intellectual ATTEMPT
to blockade the Southern ports. 1t cannot be de-
MED that this matter has now assumed a very
u grave aspect. The presence on coast of row.
erful English and French feet, shows that these
nations in earnest in the matter; and is in it.
self an insult that would not submit to in ordi-
nary times 1t is idle to doubt any longer the hos
t'Ie lnten Mons OF these two powers England sees
IN the present distracted CONDITION of the country
the opportunity she has long waited for, to humble
our national pride; and the French Emperor will
join hands with her in the attempt Cor the reasons
indicated in a former letter.
The facts contained in the communication of the
English Minister cannot be denied. The blockade
has been not0rIouSly Ineffective, and therefore no
blockade at all.
The CoMET IN THE SOUTHERN HEMIspHERE.-It
will be recollected that within a lew days subse.
S quent to the unexpected apparition of the great
comet of July, astronomers professed to have ex-
planned the mystery of its sudden advent by the
: peculiar position of its orbit.
Their statements were accompanied bv distinct
prediction that we should soon have accounts of
its having been in the southern skies several
weeks before it h, came visible to US.
letter received from DR.. MOesta director oil
the National observatory at Santiago. Chill, COM
, municates observations upon ga brilliant comet
which made its appearance since the beginning oi
this month" The letter is dated June l7th.
t Comparing the positions with an ephemeris o
$ tEe late comet, they found to be substantially
identical; the predicted place on June l2th differ
e Jog by ess than halt degree from the true: the
: motion also corresponds both in direction and
amount, that ne doubt can be entertained of the
identity of the two. The cOm.t therefore seen
as a brilliant object in the southern hemisphere
at least three weeks before it made its appearance
in cur northern latitudes. in perfect accordance
with astronomical prediction.-Boton DaiJy Adj
rertiscr.
TOUCHING ISCDENr OF THE BATTLE FIELD-
A letter received this city from Atlanta, Ca,
gives this incident of the battle at Stone Bridge:
IA staff officer from Charleston, engaged In the
battle of the 2lst July, says:
al rode out the day after the battle to view the
ground, and passed piles of dead in various posi-
tinns. Under a large tee | saw a body lying,
f very handsomely dressed, with a fancy sword and
a handkerchief over the lace. 1t attracted my Gu
rloslty. stopped, removed the handkerchief, and
saw one OF the hands0mest faces | met with,
OF bov not more than twelve or fourteen years
old His appearance and dress indicated high So
cial position; probably he was temporary aid to
f some general officer. To ascertain who he was, l.
ip.1 his
which was written,
> s.James Simmons. New York. From his loving mo-
ther My sonremember thy Creator IL the days of thy
, youth
"G wished very much to take the body away,
but | was six miles from quarters on horseback
and it was impossible. .'"-N. Y. Post.
GENERAL BEAuREGARD OF CANADIAN DESCENT
The Courier du Canada of Monday last contains
the following paragraph relative to the Command,
er of the Southern forces:
} "The grandfather of Gen. Beauregard, Com
; mander of the Southern army, was a Canadian
His name was Pierre TOutau, and he emigrated Il
New Orleans from Batiscan in the dis let OF Three
Rivers. AT New Orleans he made a fortune auC
rapidly acquired considerable influence among the
French population of Louisiana, As reward for
his political services, he obtained for his an
admission as cadet into the Military Academy at
, West Point The son figures in the books under
the name of Pierre G. Toutan; In the meantime me
he purchased an estate near New Orleans, Whlcn
! he called Beauregard When his son obtained ms
commission as an officer in the army, he cast ASIDE
the humble name of Toutsn, adopted the more aris-
e | tocratic one of De Beauregard, and thenceforth
Y subscribed himself pierre Toutan de Beauregsrd.
!, sorTHRRY PRIvArEERs.-The New York Herald
: ives the following list of privateers whose names
It are known:
Steamer Coffee, steamer Sumter, steamer Wm
H. Webb, steamer Calhoun, steamer Music steamer
t. WiuslOw, steamer Gordon, steamer Marion steamer
. ! McRae, steamer st. Nicholas, brig JEFF. Davis
Z schooner Dixie, schooner Petrol (suuk at sea,
: = schooner Savannah (captured,) schooner York.
Besides these, four others have been seen whose
f names are unknown, to say nothing of those o.
. which nothing has been yet heard, but which are
undoubtedly afoat along the coast or in MD
ocean, or near the shores of countries Where oul
/ foreign trade is chiefly carried on.
A match for flOO a side has been made betwee'
the renowned old yacht Alarm (now schooner
d. the property of Mr.. Weld and the well-knowl
N America, bought by Mr.. Deasy, since her return
le to England from Saw annah. They were to ss
r over the usual Cow es regatta course. The SOt
v, | ult. was the day appointed for the race