The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-02-16
REBEL REPORTS.
CAPTURE OF BRANCHvILLE


Richmond papers of Saturday, Febru
ary IL, arrived tonight. They virtually
confirm what was telegraphed you last
night, to the effect that Branchville had
been occupied by Sherman's forces. The
Daily Dispatch says that the place was
probably evacuated, as three columns
seemed to be moving OH it, and had de
stroyed the railroads between Branch
Vile and Augusta, between Columbia
and Branchville, and between the latter
place and Charleston, thus destroying
the three important railroads which ell
ter at that junction. These papers say
thew have no information from Charles
ton, but seem to intimate that ruuAOrs Of
its evacuation are not improRable.
ARMING THE SEGRoEs-IMll fTANT DIS
CUSsION IN THE REBEL CONGRESS.
In the rebel Congress on Friday, a
brief but important debate took place i'll
both Houses, on the question OF armlng
100000 slaves. In the Senate, Mr. Old
ham, of Texas, introduced bill to that
effect. Mr Wigfall, Of the same State,
spoke briefly OF it, and said that carrying
ont of emancipation by arming the
slaves, would be destructive of the gen
eral organization of the South, and he
was opposed to it. Mr.. Maxwell, of Flor
ida, said no bill could be introduced arm
inc the slaves that would meet his ap-
probation Mr. Oldhams bill was re
ferred to the Military committee without
further debate.
In the House of Representatives, Nj
Barksdale, of Mississippi, said on >ni-
lar bill, that it simply provided Tor arm
ing slaves as Lee might direct, Ill order
that the Confederate cause might be
saved.
Mr. Wicksham, OF Virginia, moved to
indefinitely postpone the bill He
hoped his motion would prevail, 50 that
the question ofputting the slaves i'll the
army, on an equality with white men,
mig ght be settled forever. In hisopimios
neither the people nor the army, would
submit to such monstrous proceedings,
and the day that order goes forth from
the War Department, carrying into et-
feet the provisions of such a bill, the
death of the Southern COntederacy is
sounded
MI Leech, of North Carolina, exclaimed
that's So. The bill was finally referred
To the Military committee
STIRRING UP THE WAR SPIRIT
The Richmond Sentinel of February
llth, in concluding long editorial says:
I'VE should be unworthy ofall that Is
honorable in the name of American, did
we seek refuge from the loss OF lite, or
property in a base submission. Let no
man deceive himself We could make no
treaty with the enemy, even fol recon-
struction of the Union unless we treat as
equals"
sCoLDING THE CRoAkERS
The ITkig, of the llth, d epictsi Ill
long editorial, the result OF submission
to the North, and then alludes as follows
to the crOakers III Richmond:
The traitor i'll heart, the incurable
Yankee whose mouth has been hushed
while all went well, may GO home this
night with the distinct consciousness OF
the fact that there is not true South
ern man. whether i'll the army or out OF
it, who has the remotest idea Of permit
| ing his mother, his sister, his wife or his
daughter, to be reduced to slavery for
| the sake of saving the treasures accumn-
lated by those who have kept out of the
army The basest and most sordid OF
motives can not rule us athome, still less
can they be allowed to impair the eff
cheney of our brave soldiers ill the field,
OF in the trenches. These soldiers must
he fed, clothed, paid and reinforced, and
until this is done, it will he wise in all
Yankees to keep their mouths shut
Who whispers peace, though it be with
faltering breath, in his back counting
room, is in danger We will not say
what that danger is, or how near it
hangs, but it is the great danger, and it
is no further OF than the trenches which
contain men, whose mothers are threat
ened with degradation, not to be atOned
for by the snapped necks of all the Yam
KEGS in this Confederacy"
AL ABAMA ANTICIPATING VISIT FROM
THOMAS
The Richmond Whig, of February llth
has the following: