The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-12-23
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Me- VS. AND OTHER ITEMS.

NEWS AND OTHER ITEMS.
The army correspondent of tho %
lumbia Carolinids gives aglowing picture
of life in Richmond He says tho city ls
full Of people, and market well supplied.
he pays the following tribute 70 General
Grant: n: s,.r %. i.,gy. ply 5,z
Among all antagonists that have confronted
Gen. Lee during the Iavs gysn
than Gen. Grant. Although he has been re
neatedlv brought to the ground beaten and
discomfted. like reckless prize-fghter, he
has dashed again into the fray, and again suf-
Tered the modification of defeat, without once
and he still cings with deash-like tenacity. =
Gen. Dodge assumed command on
Saturday of the Department Of the Mis-
souri,. Gen. Rosecrans is ordered to re.
pair to Cincinnati, and report by letter to
the Adjutant General of the Army" " 'r
The Times Washington special says:
Establishments. in Hancock's corps are pro-
crossing favorably. Large numbers of
letters from veterans in all parts Of the
country are daily received. Indications
are that, in short time, the corps will re !.
ceise its full complement of men. ni f
The Macon Confederate says: can
order has been issued to repair the rail-
road and telegraph line to Atlanta. Many
citizens are returning to their homes, and,
it is to be hoped, not soon to leave them.
1t is impossible to ascertain the exact
amount of damage done to that city BY
the Federals, when leaving it, but the pre-
vailing opinion is that nothing but public
property was destroyed, and that private
residences are still standing" gie..4fr;t
A Washington correspondent; ,extols
the industry aud enterprise of the SER
geant-at-arms of the Senate, in forward
ing political documents to all parts of the
country, prior to the Presidential election.
The writer says:
The business of sending documents to the
army was almost wholly intrusted to him, and
nearly every regiment in the service can bear
testimony how we'll he executed the trust. In
round numbers here are figures of his work: :
to the Army of the Potomac, 200, 600 dOcu-
Inents Army of the Cumberland, 100, 0O0 !;
forces on the Coast, 10000; forces in the Val
lev, 10000; forces west of the Mississippi
100000 forces in the Department of the Gulf,
10000; forces near the river, $4,000. To this
aggregate of about 100000 may be added
$50 600 for handbills, newspapers, &c. In the
work he was much aided by Mr.. A. T. Cor.
man, Postmaster of the Senate 1t is believed
that at least 700,0 600 of these documents were
actually distributed. One lot of 40, 900 Is yet
no hat
Louis.
Jefferson Davis having recommend
ed that the rebel Congress should entirely
repeal the exemptions of ell classes, and
vest in him the discretion to detain such
as he may think fit to pursue their pro-
LESSONS, Governor Brown, of Georgia,
says: .-H'f.
wish, in advance, to enter my solemn pro-
test against this monstrOus proposition, which,
if adopted by Congress, will not only endanger
the success of our cause, by breaking the spirit
Of our people, which may precipitate counter
revolution, but may, and fear will, engender
strong feeling for reconstruction with the
odious government of the North as the only
means of escape from a worse despotism. I
therefore earnestly recommend the passage of
joint resolution by this General Assembly,
instructing our Senators and requiring our
Representatives in Congress to vote against
and use all possible influence to prevent the
passage of any such law.
"A speech of President Lincoln, at a
serenade last Tuesday evening, is reported
by the Washington papers as follows:
l believe Twill never live to be old enough
to speak without embarrassment when have
nothing to talk about. Laughter and cheer
ing. L have no good news TO tell you, and
yet have no bad news to tell We have talk
cd of elections until there is nothing more to
say about them. The most interesting news
we have is from Sherman. We all know where
come out at, cheers and cries. Hell come
out all right, and will now close by propOs-
ing three cheers for General Sherman and the
army. ..-.... .-..
The head of turtle, for several days
after its separation from the body, retains
and exhibits animal life and sensation. An
l'ishman had decapitated one, and some
days afterwards was amusing himself by
putting sticks into its mouth, which it bit
violently. A lady who saw the proceed
ings, exclaimed 81 e.
"Why, Patrick, l thought the turtle
was dead?" rf ,
80 he is, maam, but the cruykter's
mol sensible Of it," ~. 81
The November report of the United
States Mint in Philadelphia, states that
five millions six hundred and ten thousand
cents, and three millions one hundred and
forty-fve thousand two cent pieces were
coined last month. Where do they 60 to?
In reference to Mr.. Lincoln's use of
the word billion in his message, the Jour-
nal of Commerce says: '!'.
The English authorities. all, we believe, de-
fnea billion to be "million millions y while
the French use the word billion to express "a
thousand millions" Some American writers
of more recent date have inclined to the French
system Of notation, in preference to the Eng
lish, until the words billion and trillion have
come to have no precise meaning, unless ex-
planned by the connection in which they stand.
II we adopt the French definition, we shall
blunder greatly in reading the old English au-
thors, while the indiscriminate use of the
phrase is quite bewildering. The best plan is,
A4rl~n