The weekly union record., 1864-01-30
News of the Week.

News of the Week.
The most important and gratifying news
/ from the East, this week, are the accounts that
come from all parts of he Confederacy Of dis
affection and desertions in the rebel army. a
dispatch from the Army OF the Potomac says
the soldiers Of Lees army are anxious to grasp
at the earliest possible period the olive branch
of peace held out by the amnesty pvoclana-
tion. From twenty-five TO forty deser,ers come
into the picket lines Of the Second Corps, and
Is many 70 the Third Corps, daily, notwith-
ing four sAirmish lines have been thrown out
49, the rebels to prevent it," It is also stated
that ss7gEal prominen. rebel citizens ard
officers-oue Of them -ssEiaeiy known ex
foreign Minister-are negotiating 4e come
within our lines under the Presidents amnesty
proclamation. \ Chattanooga dispatch Of the
DIST says the rebel orders requiring soldiers TO
serve for three years or more are causing hun
drcds to desert. Fifty six came in in one squad.
The rebel army occupies its old position at
Dalton. and is believed TO number no more than
10000 men. The Tennessee and Kentucky
troops are cncamped in the center, under guard.
1t is positively known that they are killing
their test mules for subsistence. The Times
publishes q translation of letter from
Frenchman, formerly in the rebel army, in
which, after giving gloomy account Of the
rebel situation, the writer concludes that the
days of the Southern Confederacy are mum
bered, and its backbone broken.
Little Rock advices, dated Jan. 10th, state
that the Convention which assembled on the
Slh had about completed its labors. The
greater part of Arkansas was represented. An
article forever prohibiting slavery was adopted
with but one dissenting vote. The Constitu
ton is to be submitted to the people on the
second Monday in March, at which time the
State officers and members of the Legislature
will be elected. The qualification OF voters is
that prescribed by the Presidents procama
tiOn. Loyal citizens say they will be able 10
poll twenty thousand votes for the Constitution.
Fears had been entertained that Longstreet.
having received reinforcements was about to
advance against Knoxville, but il appears by
later advices that the rebel preparations con
templated great raid through Tennessee and
Kentucky, to get horses aid supplies. Il was
reported that John Morgan had seven rcgi-
ments Of cavalry in readiness for the stealing
expedition.
The rebel Major General Vance had been
taken prisoner in an engagement in East Ten
uesSo. on the I4lh.
Gen Butler has recently cm?loyed lis lin
tied forces in making destructive raids upon
rebel property along the James river
Rebel papers announce The sudden aad segi-
Gus i'lness Of Alex. II. Stephens
i Richmond paper Of the 22l states that
JeT Davis house had been robbed ard set On
f~, but the flames were cx,iugnisbed before
much damage had been done JeTs "honsc
Of this tabernacle" is evidently in prccarious
condition
James b. Clay, the degenerate son Of an
;llusinous sire" departed this life on the 9th
inst at Montreal, Canada The remaining sons
OF the great American statesman are loyal to
the Government their father so dearly loved
Gen. Meade, who has been i'll in Philadel
phia, is recovering.
Gen. McCernand has been ordered to the
Department Of the Gulf. under Banks.
The Ways and Means Committee in the I.
Senate have agreed to recommend an appfo
priaiion OF a hundred thousand dollars to defray
the expenses OF calling out troops in several
Border States.
Considerable indignation is felth throughout
Minnesota at the course pursued by the British
authorities in furnishing the Sioux Indians
with ammunition and sending them back TO
make war upon the settlements.
\ firm iu San Francisco having tclegraphed
10 Senator Conuess, desiring to know whether
the excise tax on liquors will apply to stock in
private stores. and whether it will pass Me
Senate received an affirmative reply. Whisky
has declined to so cents in New York.
FRRE STATE CoxvSSTIoS,- The Free State