Valley Spirit

This correspondent to the Spirit and Times begins by criticizing the lavish entertainments of Mrs. Lincoln and the reported exclusion of people who are not well dressed from the Presidential home. In other news, he reports work on amendments to the conscription bill, a proposal to extend the payment of bounties until March 5, and discussion of a direct rail line between Washington and New York that could possibly run through the Cumberland Valley.

The editors call for community leaders to exert themselves in procuring volunteers to fill up Franklin County's quota.

The editors attack the Lincoln administration and its Congressional allies for inconsistency on a number of fronts. Lincoln claimed to have the authority to suspend habeas corpus on his own, but then Congress passed a bill authorizing it and indemnifying those exercising that authority. If Lincoln had the power to take such action in the first place, why were the bills needed? Similarly, with the emancipation proclamation, Congress soon after produced a bill giving power to the president's proclamation. If Lincoln had the authority to free slaves in the first place, whey was this bill needed? Then, when the conscription bill was passed, volunteers dropped off, and the administration turned back to volunteering as if they had never advocated conscription.

The editors note the importance of this year's presidential election, but also report rumors that Lincoln, if defeated, may try to retain power, "backed by a negro army of 300,000."

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives recently organized itself, with Mr. Johnson, a Republican from Crawford County, as Speaker. However, the Senate, with an equal number of Democrats and Republicans, remains unorganized, though the Democrats proposed an alternation of the offices, with the Republicans getting the Speaker and Democrats the Clerk, and so-on down.

The directors of the Cumberland Valley Rail Road issued their 29th Annual Report. Included were the damages caused by the Confederate raids. These included: temporary construction of a bridge at Carlisle, $3,410.55; Estimate for permanent structure, $3,566; first temporary construction of bridge at Scotland, $727.35; second temporary construction of same bridge, $3,743.96; repairs of damages on bridge, $75; reconstruction of buildings at Chambersburg, $6,964.63; new T-iron, lumber, wood destroyed and stolen, $9,629--a total of $6,115.49 (less $7,845 for 224 tons of T-iron left on road). Damages to the Franklin Rail Road were: cost of reconstruction and estimate for completion of road, water tower, etcetera: $20,084.07 (less $5,167.65 for 147 tons of T-iron left on road). Officers of the company are: President, Hon. Frederick Watts; Managers, Josiah Bacon, Edmund Smith, W. H. Henderson, Thomas B. Kennedy, Thomas A. Scott, Thomas A. Biddle, J. Edgar Thompson, H. J. Lombaert, Daniel Gehr, Wistar Morris, John Hulme, E. C. Knight; Secretary and Treasurer, Edward M. Biddle; Superintendent, O. N. Lull.

Lieut. Colonel William D. Dixon, and Capt. Joseph A. Davison, of the 6th Penn. Reserves, have been at home on a short visit. The 6th has been in almost every major engagement from "Dranesville to Gettysburg," and its ranks are severely depleted. However, the editors hope the unit will be refilled soon.

The editors note the severity of the cold the past week and ask people to remember the troops in the field, "protected by nothing but a thin shelter tent, or doing guard duty among snow and ice." They then go on to note that the skating has been excellent.

The editors reprint extracts from the Pennsylvania School Report of 1863 and the report of Mr. Shoemaker, the former Superintendent. Five new school houses were built in the county last year, four in the place of old ones and one new one--one in Greencastle, two in Guilford, one in Montgomery, and one in Washington. There are 204 school houses in the county, 50 new ones having been built since 1857. The average number of scholars increased about 1200, though attendance fell off last year by 500, "occasioned by Stuart's raid." One hundred and thirty three of the teachers rendered general satisfaction, eighty three were medium, and nine were poor. The Scriptures were "read regularly, and used for purposes of moral instruction," in 193 schools. The prevailing public mood is supportive, "yet there are still some who are opposed to certain features of the system."

William Kunkel, a shifter employed by the Pennsylvania railroad, was killed near the round house by one of the trains he was separating. Kunkel was a former resident of Franklin County and brother-in-law of John Reasner.

Robert A. Lamberton of Harrisburg was appointed Deputy G. H. P. for the counties of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, and Lebanon. He was also appointed Deputy Grand Master of the Third Masonic District, composed of Dauphin, Franklin, Cumberland, Juniata, Perry, and Lebanon.

The delay in the passenger train on the Cumberland Valley Rail Road last Thursday noon was caused by the rear car running off the track when the train was backing up at Mechanicsburg. All the rumors in town about the accident proved to be greatly exaggerated.

Sportsmen are reminded that anyone killing a partridge after the first of January is liable to a five-dollar fine, and the editors add that "no true sportsman will violate the law."

The Lancaster papers warn of a new counterfeit in circulation--a photograph of the genuine five dollar note on the Union Bank of Philadelphia.

The Spirit reprints letters by President Lincoln, the Secretary of War, and the Provost Marshal General to Congress that ask it to extend the deadline for the federal bounty for volunteers. The letter writers state that they would rather continue to encourage volunteering than have to resort to a draft.

Mary Catharine Banker, youngest daughter of Mr. Andrew Banker, died in Chambersburg last Friday morning after a protracted illness, aged 16 years, 8 months and 2 days.

The Borough of Chambersburg desires a loan of $6,000 for the purposed of furnishing a bounty to volunteers to fill the Borough's quota under the last call. George Seilhamer, secretary of the Town Council, adds, "It is hoped patriotic citizens will come forward at once to take the above loan."

The Borough of Chambersburg will pay a bounty of $200 in addition to the regular government bounties to persons who will volunteer under the present call. The Town Council urges "patriotic citizens" to step forward so as to avoid the draft.

A collection of short articles from papers across the South. The principal article notes that President Lincoln has been forced to deal with the South as a belligerent nation, as humiliating as it must be to him and his supporters.