Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-12-30


distrus. and abuse of president Davis
the whole South would soon "seethe will
sedition, mutiny, anarchy and violence.
The seethins has begun. Defeated vii
lains inevitably quarrel among them
selves and vent their vexation in mutua
reproaches. This is just what is now
going on at Richmond. Foote of Ten
nessee has Withdrawn from the rebel con
gress in disgust, declaring the rebellion
failure and throwing the blame upon
Davis. Davis's trials have brought on q
severe attack Of neuralgia; Gen. Lee /.
reported to have been seriously wounded
at Petersburgh /; the rebel disasters in
Tennessee and Georgia have been re-
ported at Richmond, and general confu,
sion and CONSERVATION prevail there.
In the house of Representatives on
Saturday, a resolution was offered for
sending commissioners TO Washington to
negotiate for peace, ard it was stated
that Gen. Grant had in advance given
permission 10 such commissioners TO pass
his lines. Foote of Tennessee, formerly
known in Congress as "Hangman Foote,"
in a speech on the currency bill, announc
ed his withdrawal from Congress in dis
gust. He said the confederacy was on
the verge of ruin; that congress was
building up an irresponsible military des.
potism, the like of which was never be-
fore sten on the earth that its policy
seemed TO be to crush out dissatisfaction
by armed violence, and that ten days
hence, freedom of deliberation would be
effectually extinguished in the congress.
He threw the blame Of the peIilous mill,
tarv situation upon Davis; the unjust,
unwise and criminal displacement of Gen.
Johnston from the army of Tennessee,
and the transfer Of that army to Nash
Vile, lie said, had opened all southern
Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama TO
the army of Sherman; Fort McAlIister
had fallen, and Savannah is about to fall /
while the fate of Charleston is only de. |
ferred few days later; Hoods army
has already met with disaster at Frank.
lin, and is fatally compromised-Foot
had not then heard of the complete defeat
and route of Hoods army below Nash.
Ville--and presidential interference ia
the cause of all these dire mischiefs.-
Foote wanted to know, if Hoods army
should be destroyed, which he considered
90 probable, and Thomas army came
'ound 10 Richmond in ships, as he believ-
ID to be the intention, what will be the
ate of Richmond? Foote said in clo-
sing his remarkable speech -
as this the proper time to talk about
Is this the time to refuse
% entertain a proposition looking to an
peace? So think many in this
house, who constitute a majority but so
10 not ! think. Sir, | have spoken out
ny views fairly and explicitly, and now
wish to say to this house, that the course
# events here and elsewhere has been
ecently such that shall deem it duty
which owe alike to my own character
md the principles which have hereto
ora steadily maintained, TO Withdraw
rom this body altogether. am a free
nan. and the representative of freemen,
nd know not how to legisIate in chains.
will no longer be responsible for meas
Tres adopted in secret sessions of this
'ody, which my whole soul abhors and
ny whole understanding condemns. -
This, as have already said is perhaps
he last time that ! win address this body, :
# discus5 the questions here under con
liberation. shall withdraw to some Sc
.uestered spot, where | can enjoy little
epose and freedom from taxation If ,
disturbed in my retreat by the hand Of
ppression, I will seek in foreign clmes
hat happiness which l consider is denied
D me here"
With this ohjurgation, this cry of de- s
pair, this malediction against the great {
.ader of the rebellion, and this prophet I
, declaration of its Fastening DION, Foote n
hook the dust from his feet, departed Il
ON the rebel congress, and abandoned n
ne hopeless cause. n
The Richmond papers say that the :
oGfederate senate also had stormy o
,cret Session on Saturday, and it is be- !,
eyed the bill 10 arm the negroes was +,
Assed by a nearly unanimous vote. 1t s.
also noticed that for some days every II
Die bodied negro had been quietly seized o
I'd hurried off TO camps of instruction fl
1t the negroes had got a hint of what
as going on, and were stampedirg in |,
eat numbers TO the Union lines. The IL
edmond Wing accuses Gen. Kirby o.