Semi-Weekly Dispatch

Slavery in the District of Columbia has engaged the attention of Congress for some time past, and during a debate in the Senate, the other day, upon the subject, Mr. Davis, of Ky., and other Southern men, in opposition to this righteous and desirable measure, as though it conflicted with the rights of the Slave States, remarked, that the South would resist any measure of emancipation," and that Kentuckians would die in defence of their rights." In reply to this "dying in the last ditch" bombast, Senator Wilson, of Mass., said:--

He would tell the Senators that the day for threats and menaces from the champions for threats and menaces from the champions of slavery had passed by in the Senate, and the Representatives of freemen are not cowardly enough to shrink from the performance of their duty by the dogmatic avowals what Southern men and women would do.

The existence of Slavery in any part of our country is a damning blotch upon our national reputation as a free people; but that the presence of the hideous monster should be permitted longer to disgrace the Federal Capital, is without excuse or palliation. Congress legislates for the District, and can control the whole matter. If the present Congress should, therefore, adjourn without signifying to the world that Slavery is condemned by the American people, by its abolition in the District, regardless of puerile threats from any quarter, as a people, we must stand before the nations of the earth condemned as approvers and supporters of the monstrous crime.

The Pittsburgh Catholic, in an article in this week's issue, takes decided grounds on the slavery question. It says: "We are glad to perceive that there is much likelihood of the speedy abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. We believe there is no constitutional difficulty in the way of such a measure. If it can be done without infringing on the constitutional rights of Southerners, it ought to be done. Slavery always was a disgrace to the national capital, but the reasons that justified its toleration there, exist no longer. Negro slavery, as it exists in this country, has no rights, for a wrong can have no rights. I must, however, be tolerated by the general government, and by us, simply because it is not our business to interfere with it. It is strictly a State institution, or, we should rather say, a State sin. After stating that we must bear with it in those States where it exists, however we may bewail its existence," it adds: "We can, however, remove the dung that is at our doors, no matter who put it there; and, accordingly, we want slavery removed from the gates of the capitol of this free republic."

Cincinnati, March 24.--Wendell Phillips attempted to lecture at Pike's Opera House to-night.

He commenced by avowing himself as Abolitionist and a Disunionist. Persons in the galleries then hissed, yelled and throw eggs and stones at him, many of which hit him. The hissing was kept up for some time.

Finally Phillips made himself heard, and he proceeded until something again objectionable was said, when the storm of eggs was renewed. The aim, in many cases, was good. Still Phillips persevered, and a third time was hissed, and a third time egged and stoned.

The crowd from the galleries then moved down stairs, crying "put him out," "tar and feather him!" with groans for the "nigger Wendell Phillips." While proceeding down the middle aisle towards the stage, they were met by the friends of Phillips, when a fight ensued.

A scene of indescribable confusion occurred. The ladies in the audience were screaming, crying, jumping over chairs and falling in all directions during the skirmish.

Finally Phillips was taken off the stage by his friends, and the audience moved out.

A friend has permitted us to publish the following extract of a letter written by a brother in Philadelphia, who has, within a few days past, returned from a visit to Kentucky. The desolation and suffering that he refers to within the vast theatre of Rebel barbarism, must be truly heartrending, presenting a striking contrast of the condition of the people in the desolated region in Kentucky with that of our own highly favored inhabitants of Southern Pennsylvania:

Philadelphia, March 22.

Dear Brother--I arrived home on last Monday, and, taking all things into consideration, my trip to Kentucky was much more successful than I anticipated. I got down as low as Bowling Green. The Rebels, after holding that town or five months, with the strongest fortifications I ever saw, and between fifty to sixty thousand troops under the generalship of Johnson, Hardee and Buckner, were obliged to evacuate their strong fortifications and the town, not without, however, destroying forty per cent. of the houses, burning the bridges, stealing horses, mules and wagons. Of their army, some four thousand died, and were indifferently buried, littering the deserted places of their encampments with a large accumulation of animal and vegetable offal. The stench from these sure sources of disease is absolutely sickening, and will produce typhoid or some other malignant fever. The country is devastated for fifty miles around, and not a fence or bridge is to be seen. The vandalism of these scoundrels cannot be exaggerated, and you have only to see the picture of desolation to be convinced of their thieving, rascally and destructive policy.

The feeling among the people is growing daily, and the hatred is intense between the loyal Union men and women and the Southern rights people, as the secessionists call themselves. Families are broken up, and no intercourse is had between loyal and disunion neighbors. Even the Church is being divided, preacher against older, member against member, and a general disposition among congregations to quarrel over our nation's troubles, although two-thirds of the population of Kentucky are Union without an if or a but, the balance, one-third, being strong secessionists.

In view of the destructive Rebel policy referred to in the above extract, would any citizen of Franklin county, who has thus far enjoyed security of life and property, listen to the croaking of the Spirit, and murmur at the prospect of future taxation which will enable our Government to crush out this monstrous Rebellion?