Valley Spirit

Reprints a speech given by James Guthrie in Louisville, Kentucky on Washington's Birthday. Guthrie advocates granting an amnesty for Confederates who give up their arms and acknowledge the supremacy of the Constitution. As for the leaders of the rebellion, he argues that he would try them before tribunals but would also act in the spirit of forgiveness. He believes that the punishment the leaders will receive from the hands of the people they tricked into joining the rebel cause will be worse than anything the courts could dole out. At the same time, he argues vigorously against a program of confiscation of Confederate property and attacks Republicans in Congress who propose such a course.

Senator Carlisle argues against a bill in the Senate that proposes the confiscation of Confederate property, particularly slaves, and the financing of a colonization effort for freed slaves. He states that the war does not suspend Constitutional guarantees of property. He believes that Northern senators who support a confiscation bill are deliberately trying to fan the flames of sectional conflict, and thus are as bad as secessionists. He also adds that he believed an amnesty for all Confederates except the leaders would end the war in ninety days.

A synopsis of the debate in Congress over Lincoln's March 6 message to Congress, which proposed that the federal government aid states in the gradual emancipation of slaves by compensating slaveholders for their losses. The main speakers featured in the debate were border state congressmen such as Crittenden of Kentucky and Crisfield of Maryland, who argued that the way to conciliate the border states was not to attack their institutions but to leave them alone.

Attacks Lincoln's proposal to emancipate the slaves in border states. The Spirit believes that Lincoln virtually admitted that the Confederacy is a legitimate institution. The paper fears that the administration has thus essentially given up on the cause of reuniting the Union. It goes on to accuse the Republican Party of being satisfied with disunion and quotes a number of statements from Horace Greeley's New York Tribune that support the departure of the Southern states. Greeley's opinion can be taken to represent Republican opinion, argues the editorial, and thus voters should look to Democrats as the true party of the Union.

Attacks the "vile renegade" Forney for attempting to revive the split in the Pennsylvania Democrats between the Breckinridge and Douglas wings. It goes on to note that the Chambersburg Times, a "servile imitator," is faithfully following Forney's lead

Insults the editor of the Transcript for his recent attacks on the Valley Spirit.

The Spirit lavishly praises the ability and courage of General McClellan and attacks those who suggest that McClellan be removed from power to allow President Lincoln to take charge. The article cites at length an extract from the New York Tribune that questions McClellan's lavish expenditures on equipping an army that has not yet seen battle. The Tribune also claims that McClellan deserves absolutely none of the credit for any of the recent victories of the Union army.

Pokes fun at early Confederate hopes of an invasion of the North and points out that the Confederates now seem to be "advancing backward" toward the Gulf of Mexico. If they think that they are luring the Union armies into a trap, the editorial continues, they are mistaken, for "General MCCLELLAN'S 'Anaconda' is too wily a snake to walk blindly into any 'trap' that the Secesh can invent."

Reprint of a speech given by General McClellan to his troops on March 14, informing them that movement is imminent and asking them to trust in his leadership.

Describes the Union advance into Winchester, Virginia and claims that the troops were given a warm welcome by the townspeople. Two-thirds of the people in the area are supposed to be Unionist, but have been compelled to bow to secession pressure.

The East Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Church appointed ministers for the Frederick and Carlisle Districts at a recent conference. Local clergy include William Harden, Presiding Elder of the Frederick District, George W. Cooper of Waynesboro, S. M. Hansock of Greencastle, G. W. Boyd of Mercersburg; J. S. Murray, Presiding Elder of the Carlisle District, J. A. Price of Mechanicsburg, and Allen Brittain of Chambersburg.

On the morning of March 9th, General McCook's camp on the Franklin Pike south of Nashville was attacked by a company of Confederate cavalry. His unit sustained several casualties. The attack was repulsed, and was joined by men from Col. Stumbaugh's regiment, camped nearly a mile away. The Union army accumulating at Nashville is supposedly anxious for forward movement.

The Democrats of the South Ward of Chambersburg will meet at the Public House of D.W. Beaver to form a ticket for the Spring election.

Reports that 45 counterfeit notes have been put into circulation in the area and gives a lists of banks, mostly from Pennsylvania, on which they are supposedly drawn as well as a description of the notes.

Reports on a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on a bill sponsored by Mr. Ashley of Ohio, similar to one proposed by Senator Sumner, that would declare certain seceded states as non-existent and reclassify them as territories. The bill was tabled on a vote of 65 to 56. The article notes that Rep. Killinger of Pennsylvania voted with the "conservative majority," while a number of Pennsylvania Republicans voted "with the Secession minority."

The report of General Samuel Curtis regarding the Confederate assault on Union forces at Pea Ridge, Arkansas. . The outnumbered Federals had received advance warning of the attack and skillfully parried the Confederate thrusts, eventually routing and scattering the attackers, who were under the command of General Van Dorn. Union losses were reported to be 450 killed and wounded, while Confederate losses were a thousand killed and wounded, including General McCullough, and a thousand captured.

Previous reports of the capture of Winchester were erroneous; the Confederates still hold the town. The town of Berryville was the village discussed in the report published earlier.

John A. Smith and Anna Elizabeth Hoke, both of Peters township, were married on March 6.

William Hoke and Harriet Dickhout, both of Peters township, were married on March 13.

James Crawford of Chambersburg died of consumption on March 11 at the age of 21.

Helen Antoinette Carbaugh, daughter of John and Mary Carbaugh, died in Upper Strasburg at age 11 days.

Susan Cormony, widow of the late Samuel Cormony, died on March 11 at Cetre, Franklin County, at age 57 years, 3 months.

Anjeline Rosenberger, daughter of Levi and Sarah J. Rosenberger, died at age 1 year, 9 months and 15 days in Horse Valley, Franklin County.

Helen M. Foltz, daughter of M.A. and Charlotte S. Foltz, died at age 9 weeks in Chambersburg on March 14.

Miss Eliza McCarr died in Upper Strasburg on March 6 after a lingering illness at age 42.

Reports on a speech by Frederick Douglass denouncing colonization, which, the article points out, means that the abolitionists would welcome the former slaves to come to the North. Douglass argues that slaves have the will and ability to become equal. The article notes that Douglass's position is not "gaining many proselytes just now."

A report theorizing that the Republican attempts to declare seceded states non-existent is a plot to install abolitionist territorial governments.

Reprints Lincoln's first three executive orders of 1862. The first set February 22 as a date of general movement of Union forces, including the Army of the Potomac, against Confederate targets. The second, dated March 8, ordered the reorganization of the Army of the Potomac. The third, dated March 11, relieved McClellan of command of departments not directly under his command. General Halleck is given command of troops west of Knoxville, Tennessee, and General Fremont is given command of troops west of the Department of the Potomac and east of Halleck's Department.

Reprint of a resolution introduced in the Kentucky House of Representatives that swears allegiance to the Union but protests any attempt to divert the war into one for the emancipation of the slaves.