Staunton Spectator

The North is growing hopeless in this war--everyday shows it. The recent debates in Congress, and the discussion of the more influential of the radical press, show on the part of the North this lack of confidence in its ultimate success. The Chicago "Times," a strong conservative paper, taking this view, says:

The administration have no hope of conquering a peace. A part of the Cabinet never supposed the emancipation proclamation would have any other effect than to bring disaster and defeat. If any part of the Cabinet ever believed it would prove of any practical benefit in the war, they are now undeceived. They now know the utter hopelessness of the war under the proclamation.

Shall Union-loving men be required to give their treasure and blood in a crusade that is not only hopeless, but if the restoration of the Government be its object, is destructive of that object. When this administration acknowledge their defeat, when the abolition leaders in Congress confess that the nation is bankrupt, and success impossible, when the chosen newspaper organ of the party asks in despair for but ninety days more of trial, when the abolition pulpit announces that our destiny is not in our own hands, but in those of "God and the negro," shall we still pile the debt at the rate of $4,500,000 a day, and still send armies to new fields of slaughter.

Every life sacrificed in such a war is a murder by those who carry it on. Under no circumstances can any people be required to give life and treasure in support of a hopeless contest. We have sacrificed enough of blood--we have brought upon ourselves enough of desolation--there are enough of homes where light has gone forever--and our efforts should now be directed where they may reach the purpose for which the war was begun.

We must enforce the will of the people--the obedience due to the constitution--the demand for peace.

On the 10th inst., in the House of Representatives of the Confederate Congress, Mr. Hodge, of Kentucky, obtained leave to introduce the following preamble and resolution:

Whereas, Information has reached this Congress of the passage by the Congress at Washington, D.C., of a bill for the enlistment of negroes, as soldiers, in the armies of the United States, which armies are to be engaged in the further invasion of the Confederate States of America; and, whereas, the Constitution both of the Confederate States and the United States recognize Africans and their descendants as property; and, whereas, we cannot consent to any change in their political status and condition: Therefore,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instruced [sic] to inquire into the expediency of bringing in a bill providing the proper forms for the disposition of all negroes or mulattoes who may be captured from the enemy, in such manner that those of them who are fugitives from their masters may be returned to their rightful owners, and those for whom no master can be found shall be sold into perpetual bondage, for the purpose of raising a fund to reimburse citizens of this confederacy who have lost their slave property by reason of the interference therewith of the enemy.

Mr. Hodge addressed the House in favor of his proposition, afterwhich it was agreed to.

We understand that the military officers have been impressing the grain, meat, & c. of the farmers of this county, and have been allowing them prices greatly below the market value. We do not know that there is any legal authority for such impressments at all, as we know of no provision having been made by Congress for such impressments. We do not believe that persons should be allowed to hoard a surplus of supplies when they are needed for the subsistence of our army, nor do we believe that they should be taken from the owner without allowing him the local market value of them. Any man who has more than is needed for his own family, and who refuses to sell to the Government for the market value in his locality, should have his surplus supplies impressed, and the Government should allow him full and fair compensation. If the Government would do this, there would be no objection to impressments properly made by the proper authorities, and it would be seldom necessary to resort to impressment, for the great majority of farmers would rather sell their supplies to the Government than to private individuals. Let the Government adopt this policy, and there would be no necessity to resort to impressment, except in reference to those who hoarded their products with the view of obtaining a higher price at a future day, and for such there would be no sympathy, and no dissatisfaction with the Government officials created in the community. If the farmers shall have a guarantee that the fruits of their hard labor will not be taken from them at less than a fair compensation they will cultivate as much land as possible, but if they are to be subject to impressments which will not allow them half price for their products, they will not cultivate more land than is necessary to supply their own families. We hope that Congress will pass an impressment bill which will guarantee to the farmers their rights, and we hope, as we believe they will, that the farmers will use extraordinary efforts to raise an increased quantity of all the supplies necessary for the subsistence of our gallant army. The farmers have a great and patriotic duty to perform as well as the soldiers.

It will be seen by the communication published below that there are at least two of Gen. Jackson's "tried soldiers" who seem to be anxious to entwine the myrtle with the laurel which decorates their brows. They represent themselves as "good looking, intelligent, refined and tried soldiers," and "expect" their fair correspondents to "possess similar qualifications." This county contains a great many fair and lovely ladies who possess the first three qualities mentioned, but we do not know that it contains any who are "tried soldiers." But these young candidates for matrimony need not be discouraged, for whilst the ladies are not "tried soldiers" they may be willing to try soldiers, for a very general impression prevails that ladies have no power to resist the fascination of military buttons. These "tried soldiers" should remember that, in matrimony, the ladies are never volunteers, but always require to be enlisted and pressed into service. Though they never volunteer, they make the most faithful soldiers, for they never desert.

Camp Winder, Caroline County, Va.,
February 20th, 1863.

MATRIMONY. Two young gentlemen, who are both good-looking, intelligent, refined and tried soldiers of Jackson's army, are desirous of commencing a correspondence with any young ladies who may have a view to matrimony after the adjustment of existing difficulties. Of course the lady is expected to possess similar qualifications.

J.J. SIBERT,
JAS. K. POLK,
Company I, 5th Va.

The Exemption Bill was passed by the Senate, on Wednesday last. As it is quite lengthy, and has to undergo the revision of the House of Representatives, we deem it unnecessary to occupy space by publishing it in full. Its provisions differ from those of the act of last session in sev-particulars [sic]. The clause relative to the exemption of those unfit for service in the field provides that their bodily incapacity shall be "ascertained by a surgeon of the army who is not a resident of the part of the country from which those he is called upon to examine may have come." It also provides that persons so examined and declared unfit for duty "shall not be afterwards subject to be again examined and enrolled." How many times have they been examined already?

The clause exempting the judicial and executive officers of the State Governments specifically exempts the Judge of the Supreme, District, Superior, Circuit and Probate Courts, the Chancellors of State Courts, and Sheriffs, and excludes Justices of the Peace.

Persons appointed by the officers of the Executive Departments, since the 16th April, 1862, and who were liable to military service when appointed, are excluded from exemption.

Presidents or conductors of any railroad company, or train, who fail, neglect, or refuse to furnish seats or drinking water to sick and wounded soldiers, not to be exempted.

"One editor of each newspaper now being published, and such journeymen, printers, engineers, pressmen, stenographic reporters and mailing clerks as the editor or proprietor thereof may certify upon oath to be indispensable for conducting the publication," are to be exempted.

Manufacturers of various classes specified, are exempted on condition that the Manufactured articles shall not be sold at a net profit not exceeding thirty per cent. per annum on the net capital invested.

Two new clauses relative to the police of slaves, and to the protection of families not less than ten in number on any farm, are embraced in the bill.

These are the principal changes made in the Exemption Act passed in the last session.