the msMM&m ?.. . ...Ml L, 7 .. .* 1jgg"gfiHBgl gggHgigq; .'V1I..JJ 'I P hLrr-rjv v ' "KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, AND THE URESIS THE ROYAL THRONE UPOIT WHICH SH SITS, A$T ^NEDTHRONMONARCH."'' r-; -' ^ '* '.? T s ' " _ .*., ' _ * **'' ' '*J ' * V ' ?ls j J. T. HEBSHMAN". III I ? Proclamation by President Davis. The Congress of'.he Coufcderale States have, by'? joint resolution, invited me to appoint a das:of public fasting, humiliation and prayer, -with thanksgiving to Almighty God. U is our solemn dnty, at all times, and more eaf^ially-in a season o^public trial and adver sity, to acznowieage our dependence on iiis mercy,.and W bow in 1mm bio submission before His (ootetool, jcoufeseing bur manifold sins, suppiieatjng Ilia g^aoions. -pardon, imploring His jpi*ine belp, and doroutly rendering thanks for^o many and groat blersiugs which He has vouchsafed to us. < - Let the hearts of our people turn contritely and trustfully unto God ; let us rocogniao iu His .Lojii.:.: T : J ' - r ?.S .1 1 crw?ivijiiju juiuu j.ue cunucuon 01 a r aifler> aim subjaiaivelv pray that the trials and sufferings which ftavo so long borne heavily upon us, may bo toroed away by his merciful lovu; jhat Hia sustaining grace bo given to our people, .and His divine wisdobi imparted to our rulers ; that thaXord of Hosts "will be with our armies and fight for us against our enemies; and that lie will graciously take our cause into His cwti hand and mercifully establish for us a lasting, just aucLboporable peace and independence. not forget to render unto His holy flame the thanks and praise which arc so ju?$y- duo fpv IXis great goodness, and for the many mercies winch lie lias extended to us ataid-lbe tr.afs and sufferings of protracted and bloody war. . ' N&ftyihercforo, I, Jicr-sansoN Davis, President of the Confederate States of A-mcrica, do iisno this, my proclamation, appointing Fkidav, tlic tenth day of March next, as a day of public fasting, [lumiiliatidQ and prayer (with thanksgiving,) for ''invoking the favor anil guidance ot Almighty God**' and I do earnestly invite all soldiers and citizens to observe the same in a spirit of rcycrctic^ penitence and prayer. Given undemiy hand and the seal j ) of the Confederate States, at Rich| L* 8". j- mond, this 25th day of January, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred*nd sixty-five. jrffehson pavjb. By the President; J. P. Benjamin, * Secretary of State. The, Cry / the Gold Pickers, that was wont to toQcd so high keyed and musical along Biebniond's streets?' Gold, gold, get any gold for sale!" like the trade cry of the street, rags, bicker* has kfl at'once changed. Lb .one of dold^?fi^itoh-r-Mc5old, goldj who wants to byy nj.gold, to dayf- Gold ia tumbling abbnt their welt-attuhed ears, and with it is tumbling the airy castles of wealth of those who sacrificel" kavs (TPiillemen who arrived ' from below last evening state that heavy skir1 niisliing was going ou all day at McBride's Bridge, obout seventeen miles from Graham's i Turn Out. Graham's Turn Out is seventeen miles thid | side of Branchviile. Our informant did not learn the result of j tic fight. - Exchange or Prisoners.?A despatch | from Washington to the Northern papers says , it appears from a communication of the Secretory of War that the.entire subject of an exchange of prisoner.* is now placed in the hands of Licutcuant General Grant; and that, although orilv partial exchanges have thus far bccD made, there is reason to bcliere a full excharge will rood be effected. Tiie Tallahassee.?T4ie enemy's ncw.-papers have falsely reported the Tallahassee as captured, says the Richmond "Dispatch."? She ran iijto Ni*w Inlet just after the capture of Fort Fisher, when discovering that 6ouie important change, he knew not then what, had occurred in the military situation, her commander (Captain Maftit) put to sea, and made good his escupel He touched the South Carolina coast and put ashore a messenger with despatches, who has reached Richinoud. The nose, if any, brought by this messenger has not been made public. . No Moitif PRw.ttr>M4r.s?Tlv? font tUof_ -sonala" have appeared in both Northern and Southern papers, has tended in a measure to mitigate some of the horrors of civil war.; but it aeeips f(pm the latest Northern at-goum^ that Geo-. DiJt, in order- to give additioi^ J show of authority, has interdicted thfa- yxftiy" less interchange of friendly greetings betaken non-combatants and prisoners and their friends. A a U- ~1 ? C.I J L. xxo ?iv vuitiui gaiu siyjiy vu buo uaitie-uciu, uu BcernB determined to emulate the example of BuTLEa in ruling with a rod of iron such .unarmed civilians as misfortune locates in his military department. , A gentleman who was with the -army on Sunday, at Petersburg, when Messrs Stb-; rH ens, IIuNTKa i.l passed through oiwJines, nu Wasl^gton, imtormstiic 'Sentinel tlinC the* shouting along both lines was prolonged and enthusiastic. -It would, indeed, be deiightful if there were any room to hope that the Washington authorities are prepared" fur such terms .of peace a3 would allow the soldiers to* disperse. Once before the acclamations of the two armies \?src united. When they lay confronted at Frcdoriflcsburg, a fine military band played in succession l anKee JLtoouie, L?ixie, anu otner national airs. These vror.e iff propria tel\ responded to by the two armies alternately.? But when tho band struck up Iloine, Stfeot Home, the opposing camps forgot tiiciir hostility anJ united in a vociferous tribute to the comiliOB^sentiment. Peace Or War? Peace rumors aud speculations, thickens au tumual leaves in Vallambrosa, pervale the atmosphere in which we live. The quidnuncs North and South are ou the look out, with.ears strained to catch every sound,'afid eyes keenly watching the thousuud jind one fautastic clouds that float on the hazy horizon. European canards are flying about,- Washington gossip is in demand, Richmond on dits coilimaud a higher premium-than gold or sterling excliaugc aud the tribe of speculators au4 extortioners, undisturbed by dreams of the conscript officer, tipd themselves tor onco uoDplussad and completely at Bea. What is the meaning of this gfbat commotion and uuscttiugof men's minds? Have dyspeptic old ladies beeu favored of lato vritll an extra allowance of prophetic'dreams and omens 1 Every breeze that blows from the North is redolent with vague pcrf.uncs of armistice aud negotiation.' Invisible envoys from-an 0:1 vinous European powers are lauding at dead of nigbt on mysterious shores, freighted with sealed despatches, and keep flittingabnit like ghosts between inscrutable Executives and mum legislators. L?e and Grant are picking up for Alexandria and Washington, and Mrs. Lincoln is preparing cards of invitatioh to a great dinner and ball for Jcflf. Da vis and ins cabinet. Uhc month, ninety days, one year's armistice is all but agreed tipon, and Stevens & Co., arc urruu-ing the terms of the indemnity ifhich Old ;-Vlie ngreC3 to -pay us for our stolen plate and negroes, and to strike an alliance, offensive .as-well as defensive, against the whole world'and- -the reslWjOf mankind, with the irrepressible Yankee nation, iu return for independence and peace. What can be iu the windj after all ? Has Lincoln been suddenly remiudod of somejipt, if not over-refined little story, suggeist-ive'of the possibility tlM^thc Yunkee dog, whilst grasping at thc^suudow of Southern subjugation, might lose the solid, yet substantial meat of Southern trade and.profits? Have the supernumerated statesmcu who control the destinies of England waked up to a dim perception of some (TreacTNemesis looxciwg uir lu ?l*o-fuu?.o, and do tbey begin to apprehend that tiro Yankee' lost for territory and pUn'der may a Northern direction, ifju*iated SouthI Is it altogether unlikely <.*at the profound dissembler aud far-see ug politician.who wields the power of-J/iiperia! France has never'been im^ posed upon bv the plausible gauljnoa and shal!..?* ft ? ? ifi/ioa i\f .Qhivi?i*il o t*il iklh K> l?a [un IbiUV^o VI wwnuiu w ? ~ ?- ^vj/w fcjlerably well pasted as ta the proceedings and iuteutions of the Yankee Congress anent his friend' at?d vassal Maximilian? Stranger things have como-to light in our daj, and people who believe in old proverbs say tiat .where there is so much smoke.there fain nust be a little fire, and that straws show the way tho ' --/ ' wjsd?lTlows. Thoy notice itm altered tone o? M the Washington. Chronicle and. Qfuer.Liijgoliy ^ papers, an l their unwonted pseans in praise of ; Southern pluck and honor.. They smilo aig- M ni&cantly when-old Mr. Hl.nii-'e anxiety abputJHfl his missing papers is mentioned, and with^^B Shermandike politeness, invite The speaker to^H ' "go and tell that to the-marincs."" Tbojturn^H the matter over in crery light and, aspect, and^H j work out the problem of peace entirely to^H 1 their own, if not invariably'to their, listener's I satisfaction. I ilUfc b'? JfUUI IU?/I UUUIUU^ UiUU-.IIJUH, UJOtwri' of fact philosopher of the Gradjriml order.?-c JB lit doesn't get .taken in by sucli stories and ar guments?not lie. *Like; Sir Charles Cold-. H : stream, in (He play, he has looked into tho ! matter, and finds "there is nothing in it."? i Seward and Lincoln arc at their old tricks/ I i- U? " ' trying to humbug everybody. They have no idea of yielding one jot or title of their "plat- M form," and Blair's mission,>3 well ra the con-^fl sequent embassy of Messrs. Stephen?, Huntej^H I and Campbell, arc only intended to | vast quantity of wool over people's eyes, bo^^^H ! North and South, whilst Grunt is awav" at Richmond, and Sherman id quicHflH j moving into the hear* of South Carofink^^^M i Thinks Davis is fully aware of litis, but had^^^^ | 1111 bi t* vim u wvmiocnnir v tu gia and everywhere c-lsc, that they have egrely humbogged and sold, that j all in for it, aud^in'ust do or die, without^^^^H more iionsonsc about "peace overtures'," jjSoraatio moves," an 1 "at para I estate action, Feels assured some people will be all the be^^H tcr fur tbi.' new disappointment,-and wilT pitj^^H i into the Yankees with a vi>n hereafter, inetcai^^H of perpetually finding fault with evcrybody^H ^atd helping nobody.. . Xbesc are the uncotu- I ! fortable 'uriej perhaps altogether mistaken views 1 of your pessimist, impracticable, old fogy 9 "looker on in Yicnnti." Ifc may be wrongs 1 and hb' more, hopeful antagonists, our sttn-^i irniiii! frii.n