The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1865-06-24

Kirby Smith has promulgated farewell
address 70 his late troops. He says that he
went to Houston to concentrate the troops
OF his department, and then negotiate for
terms honorable to soldiers and citizens
Failing in this he proposed to fight it ont
When he reached Houston, he found his
Texas soldiers. disbanded and hohneward
bound, having first appropriated the public
property. He says to his forces Soldiers,
am left a ccmmand der without an army-a
General without troops. You have made
your choice. twas unwise and unpatriotic,
but it is final. pray you may not live to
regret 1t. The enemy will now possess your
country, and dictate his Gwn laws, Your
present duty is plain. Return to your fami-
hes. Resume the occupations of peace
Yield obedience to the laws. Labor to re-
store order. Strive both by counsel and ex-
ample 10 give security to life and property"
After which touching counsel, erit Kirby.-
Then comes the Governor of Texas, p. Muir.
rah. who calls upon the people to sustain
the lone star flag as the flag entitled to
their allegiance and duty, and declares that
IT good terms can be procured from the
United States, he will ''bow to the destiny
that returns Texas to the American Union"
The Gov. has called an extra session of the
Legislature of Texas, to meet at Austin in
August, and has ordered an election for del.
egates to State Convention, to be held at
the same place July 10. He has also directed
the sherffs to distribute all Rebel property
among the people. Meantime the Rebel
soldiers at Brownsville have seized and i'm
prisoned the Rebel General Slaughter, in
default of receiving their back pay. Per-
haps the Governor will relieve the General
by distributing some Of the Rebel property
among his soldiers.
The argument Of Mr. Doster, counsel
for Payne and Atzerott, before the Military
Court on Wednesday, embodied some de.
velopments OF an interesting and important
character The argument in Payne's case
was of the nature of an apology. The guilt
OF the prisoner is confessed and his sanity
admitted but it was urged upon the court
that his antecedents and training were such
that he acted upon conviction that he was
doing right in attempting to STAY the leading
members OF the Government, and this fact
ought to modify their views respecting his
proper punishment. He was, in the opinion
of the learned counsel, heroic fanatic
In the case of Atzcrott Mr.. Doster put in a
statement, made by the prisoner, admitting
that he was one of the conspirators who had
agreed to capture Mr.. Lincoln, but asserting
that when that plan was abandoned, and as.
sassination adopted, he (Atzerott) refused
to have anything to do with it, and SO told
Booth. He excused his failure to notify the
authorities of the plot by alleged fears of
Booth and the other assassins. The state
ment shows positively that Atzerott was in
the plot, and that Booth assigned to him the
task of assassinating Mr.. johnson. The
probability beyond this, is that he was a
willing co-opetator, but that his courage
failed when the crisis arrived, and he fled
from the city.
On Saturday last beautiful American
flag was presented at Lowell, to the State of
Massachusetts. by Colonies Morris and Ty.
son, of Gov. Bradford's staff, on behalf of
the State of Maryland.
The whole number of troops sent North
and West, from Washington, since the great
review, is a trife under 155, 900, of whom
about half have gone home to be mustered
out. There yet remain, within circuit of
fifteen miles of the city, not far from seven.
ty.fve thousand.
"A Rebel Colonel named Gayley, the
author of the 81 200, 900 scheme for the ASST
nation of President Lincoln, which was pub.
l,shed in nearly all the Southern papers
during the war, is now imprisoned at Fort,
ress Monroe.
President johnson has appointed An.
drew ). Hamilton, of Texas, to be Provi.
sional Governor. of that State, and James
Johnson, of Georgia, to be the Provisional
Governor of Georgia. Their duties are sim.
liar to those Of the Provisional Governors
of North Carolina and Mississippi.
John Mitchell, who does not want
pardon, and hopes the President will not
put him to the trouble of declining to re-
ceive one for his treason, arrived at Fortress
Monroe, on Saturday, and was assigned
quarters in that work.
"A flock of butterflies, four miles long,
passed over one of the inland towns in Cal
iforna recently for the North