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* * VOL. H. . UNION STATE CONVENTION. Pursuant to the following call, a mass meeting convened at the Saxton Souse Hall, in Beaufort, S. C., May 17,1864, at 10 A. M., and was called to order by H. -G. Judd, Esq., who stated1 its object and read from The. "Free South" the caD, * it ^ -* f1' > as follows : - ? _ ?m m WT ? A J| tiBll IVI a VIUVU omtb VVH>V<I>mwa>? A MASS STATE CONVENTION is hereby called to assemble in the town of Beaufort, S. C., at 10 o'clock, A. M., on Tuesday, May 17,1864, for the purpose of selecting delegates to represent the Union people of South Carolina in the National Convention which meets at Baltimore, on Tuesday, June 7th, 1864. The people of this State, without distinction of party or color, " who desire ; the Unconditional maintenance of the ' UNION, the Supremacy of the CONSTI- I TUTION, and the complete suppression .of the existing REBELLION, and the i CAUSE thereof, by vigorous War, and by I i .-all apt and efficient means," are invited to assemble in person or by represents- ; J lives, and participate in the choice of Sixteen suitable persons as delegates to represent the State of South Carolina in the Baltimore National Union Convention, -which meets on the 7th of June next, to I nominate candidates for President and j Vice-President of the United States. Every male inhabitant, twenty-one * years of age, who has resided in the state jix months, with the intention of making it f kixhon is, is invited to participate in'the I proceedings, and is eligible to the offioe MANY C1TIZEN& After which he nominated the Hon. A. D. Smith as Chairman, which was unanimously carried, and Messrs. Sonle and Bennett were called upon to conduct the Chairman to the chair. Messrs. J. P. Wilkes and S. W. Ely were nominated and elected as Secretaries. After which I prayer was offered by Rev. S. L. Harris. The following gentlemen we& then nominated and elected Vice Presidents of the Convention :?Dr. Knox, R, Soule, Jr., S. W. Bennett, J. 0. Alexander, G. M. Wells, Col P. Dunbar, H. G. Judd, * ^and Francis Low. ^ . The Convention then resolved that a committee of five be appointed to draft .and report resolutions expressive of the ( 1 sense of the meeting, when the following gentlemen were appointed by the Chairman Messrs. E. '-G. Dudley, H. G. " ? t> m 1:?? T> Tr. a /I T IXJCICI, XV. luiuuuauU)Xt. uviuc) ??. ? u v. R. Dennett. The committee retired, when ad lresses were liiadfc by-fte President, ' EtefetA. ?D. Smith, Major ?. J. Porter and Mr. Knox, when the Convention took a recess until two o'clock P. M., to await the report of the committee on resolutions. ^ . a * t. The Convention reassembled at two P. M? and was called to orderbjr the President. The Committee on Resolutions not being ready to report, the Convention listened to remarks by Col. Ashbnrn, of Georgia, at the conclusion of which the report of the Committee on Resolutions was receiyed and read by their Chairman, E. G. Dudley, Esq., when the Convention resolved that the -report be accepted, and the resolutions acted upon separately. The following resolutions were adopted r ' Whereat, The National Union Committee have issued a cull for a National Union Convention to asserable in Baltimore on the 7th day of June next, for the purpose of nominating suitable men to be elected to the high Offices of President and Vice President of the Unite.d States; and Wherea*, there never before in the hiftory of oar country have been interests at stake of sach momentous importance as are involved in the ? afcnes of.the next four years. And W her ecu, it ia emir S aently fitting that South Carolina, from whose traitorf etis counsels and evil example so many of the woes ' " *>*w?finntniF shonld. f 91 AC &IDICI CUC I2?UUJ1 OA ^ ivaavr ?T M WMM,V wr. sow that a portion of the revolted State is inhabited by ! : hose ivho have never swerred from -their devotion to 1 the true principles of liberty, and to the flag which is/ their recognized symbol, take part in the endeavor to place at the head of the Government those men whose sagacity and patriotic effort shall best and soonest end the unnatural straggle and establish the reign of justice and right throughout an undivided ana restored country, therefore, 1st. Aessiwvf, That we, the free, loyal citizens of South Carolina, in Convention assembled without distmstion of race, party or color, plant ourselves upon the broad principles of the Constitution of the United States in its origlial purity, taking for our platform the Declaration of Independence. 2d. Rttolvtd, That we here and now constitute our-selses one cotjs of the great army of occupation to ' podsess the land which our brave trbops have conquered from the enemy, and consecrate the same now 1 and forever to freedom. And here let the world take note that slaves cannot breathe in the free lands of Bjrt Royal. "They touch our shores and their shackles tall." 3d, ilrsolved, That this jiret free State Convention In South Carolina, assembled at Beaufort, on this 17th iaj. of May, ISO4, will elect the full number of dele4 * ' '1 1 y.'i.u 1 :* i/sT- < ' n , ,u?l ut . ? ' > *'/. " 1 .4 01 \ THE FREE SOUT??BEi pates to which we are entitled, sixteen citizens. good men and true, to represent the State of Sooth CafWjM in the Convention at Baltimore. 4th. Renoired. That these delegates from the people be Instructed to Teptesent that portion of the State which has been restored, and which pars fealtv and allegiance to the Federal Government; broad deep and j permanent iounaauons are now Demi; iaia on wmcn cirU> and religions liberty may stauif for the coming ages. 5th. Resolved, That in the "irrepressible conflict" now going on in this country the wicked days of concession to slavery andof complicity with that "Sum of all villianies" are past, never to return. Cth. Resolved, That we view F'ith intense satisfaction the action or the Government in arming and sending to the field thousands of colored troops, and that we rejoice that by act of Congress and the decision of Attorney GetwrnHlates tWJr win at last have justice done tbein in the matter of their pay. 7tb. Revolted, That Port Royal, which includes the town of Beaufort, Is, by the proclamation of President Lincoln, a free port, open to the world, and conse. qnently should be Subject to no restrictions whatever upon its trade and commerce any more than are laid on Boston, New York or any other free port in the United States, and that we will use our lasst endeavors to have ail such restrictions removed. Sth. Resolved, That it should be the policy of the Government to encourage and help on the emigration of the citLzeafltf the North to a 1.1 portions of the conquered termor Of the South, so that the lands won by our troops shall l>e forthwith taken possession of by the loyal people of the South in conjunction with those of the*North, reserving, however, lands for the soldiers of the Union Army, and also taking special care to consider the solemn fact that the people freed bv the incidents of this war are turned homeless and landless .upon the world; and that it is the duty of the Government to pfovide them adequate homesteads at the minimum Government price to enable them to become, as they are anxious and competent to become, not only selfsustaining and self-governing, but tax paying citizens. Wh. JJeeolred, That we have the highest confidence in the ability, integrity and patriotism of onr Chief Magistrate, General Rufus Saxton; that he has especially devoted himself to the help and snccor of the poor and oppressed race in the Land, and that the least of those ready to perish have never appealed to him in vain. That since the assumption of his functions as Military Governor he has brdrebt order oat of chaos, encouraged and_protected legitimate commerce, administered equal and exact jastice. and so far as his powers have extended has labored with good success in preparing the way for the speedy establishment of civil government. 10th. Resolved, That while wc recognize the fact that there are difference of opinion as to the man best fitted to receive the nonftation of the Baltimore Convention for the "Presidency, we are content to acqnlese in its W tknt foil An u'hnm mav tlth. Ruolctd, That in onr judgment the time has now comfrfbr the dill status of South Carolina, or that portion ofitlojal to the Union to be exactly defined, and for its citizens to claim the attention of the Government : that we arc much in need of courts of justice and the civil officers pertaining thereto, and that we especially need the appointment of a suitable person to act as United States Judge for the District of South Carolina. Amending the 10th as follows, by adding " that four delegates be elected at large, and twelve representing the State. Also an alternate to each." A motion was then carried that the delegates be openly nominated and elected viva vooi, and the following were chosen : DELEGATES AT I.AKGZ. AI.*Ek2?ATES_ Brig. Gen. R. Saxton, Capt. J. E. Thorn dfke, Hon. A. D. Smith. Capt. L. W. Mctcalf, MaJ. Edmund J. Porter, Francis Low, ' E. O. Dudley. ' S. W. Mason, ll nnxoATra. % at.tkrnato. 8. W. Bennett, K. Thomas Robert Small, , Richard McCurvey, James G. Thompton, E. K. Collins, Henry G. Jadd. Joseph P. W likes, Jno. C. Alexander, A. S. Hitchcock, L. Rivers, Sergt. Williams, S. W. Ely, Arthur Sumner, S.C. Millett, t: ' T. C. Severance, S. A. Cooley, G. B. Wrtlman, Henry Haynes, Ed. Colvin. Col. P. Dunbar, C. CLE' jbina, t B. K. Lee, Jr? G. M.;Veils, .. On motion, the Chairman was directed to appoint a Committee tt> solicit subscriptions to defray expense of the delegation, and the following were named:?S/ C. Millet, Henry Bran, W. Uv Tacjcaoerry, S. W. Ely, H. G. Judd. It was then resolvqj! that the delegation elected act as an Executive State Comi .' \ f : | mittee for the ensuing year, and also resolved that a vote of thanks be tendered , to the proprietors of the Saxton House for the use of their haA' br the Convention. The Convention then adjourned sine die. . , A. D. SMITH, President of Convention. 3. W. ( Retobt Couiiteous.?A Western paper vouches for the followingr?In of the upper townships of this county reside two farmers whose places are separated by a small creek. They aro well-to-do people, f bat diametrically opposed in politics, and each noted for the zeal with which he tiefends his sentiments, Mr. M being a straight uncompromising Union man, and Mr. S , a Copperhead. Meeting a few days before the election, Mr. S A/vnatorl his neighbor. saving:? "How is it, friend M , I hear that j there is a prevalent disease on your side of the creek?" I ' 'Ah!" said M ,' 'what is the disease?" "Nigger on tho brain," replied Mr. S. [ "Well," said M , "that is a mere trifle, compared with the malady on the other side." "Indeed!" exclaimed S , "apd pray what can that be?" i "Traitor at the heart!" retorted M. The hit was palpable, and the conversation "took a turn." Soft Soap is the material with which we are^lathertd before we are shayed, 4 ; . *;-li' [k. : < ' : ' 2 ; / ? >/ tf UJFORT, S.'C., MAY 21, 1864. FROM MORRIS ISLAND. Mokbis Islaxd, May llr 1864. Yesterday we bad on and around this Island quite an expenditure of powder andiron. At sundown the evening pre- , vious I- witnessed the filing of a volley from Chatfield and Putnam into Sumter. Putnam led the van, and her shell fell ? ' if faitly into* the fort and exploded there the others were only a few seconds behind, and all burst at nearly the same instant, some sixty feet in the air above that rain. The shower of iron from above and the explosion of those thirteen-inch 1 ponderous globes within must have af forded a decidedly impressive sunset salute. I think the rebs were a little mad, for the next morning (the 10th) Moultrie and battery Bee opened upon Chafcfleld with considerable violence. Their firing was rapid, but most of the shell fall short. 1 judge their best guns may have been re-! moved, or that they never had any very good ones on Sullivan's Island. About ten o'clock the Seoeswonville batteries commenced throwing shell into the woods on Long Island- for what purpose it would not be proper foe me to state. But they imagine we have, or intend to have, some batteries there, which > some day may be found to be uncomfortably near. I wish * all thesr fears had a solid foundation. Battery Green, and Purviance from near the mouth of Lighthouse Inlet, opened uppn Secessionville, and after some time the apparently fruitless firing ceased. Gapt. Hoyt, Co. A* 34th U. S. C. X, commands Purviance, and his colored artillerists I thought made as good shots as-any others. One of the deserters mentioned in.my last was from the city, and had been servant to a rebel captain for same months. He is somewhat intelligent and very oandid and truthful, at. least so far as- we have the means of verifying his statempnts. He confirms all other renorts in regard to tlie rutncrtps eUtect ot our upon the city. But a small part of the place is inhabited. Three shells have passed through the "fill's House." The other eleven were from a plantation on the Ashley river, some four miles above 1 the city. They represent the style of living among the chivalry as being of the highest order. , The arrival of another monitor here [ and some other marementein the navy ' indicate that some land of change or 6t i activity is near at har d. We may; within a few days, see scenes, similar to those (we witnessed last autumn.: > Last night a little. after midnight the rebels commenced eaiinonadingin furious style Long Isknd again. The wind continues high from day to day, the sea is rough, we get no mails, ' *-_x?_ a?: .3 tue sana is constantly nywg m uuiuuu storms, we get the blues,, and wish the war was over. In short, we are on Morris Island. Eight deserters from Johnston eame in last night They were artillerists, and | the best ripearing lot of rebels I have seen. Thwr report seven day's fighting in 1 Virginia, wffihT the advantage on Lee's side, but nothing decided. Lee has! 300,000 men,, and is fighting the fight of the rebellion. There is scarcely any troops about Charleston. Artemus Ward, in speaking of the newspaper of hie village, says that the "advertisements are well written, and the deaths and marriages are <xmducted with signal atfHity." ' A debating club lately discussed the important question, '-whether a rooster's knowledge of daybreak is the result of observation or instinct." A Dutchman's heart-rending soliloquy is described thus: "She loves Shon Mickle so petter as I, because he has got coopla tollars more as I has." A marriage notice in one of the New York papers last week, had the addition: " old style?cards and cakes." Opportunities, like eggs, must be hatched when they are fresh* , ? iST"'?* *. :>l' r: .J ; i>: ' n.' .V' , i 1 ? W* ' \ - ? NO. 19. Colonel Mesebjr Outwitted. The following uomes to us from a relia- ble source, and the truth of the facts related mar be Tehed onr? Colonel. Moseby, the guerrilla chief, has become famous, and his dashing exploits are often recorded to our disadvantage; but even he meets with his match occasionally. . ., <, On Friday lost, March 25th, Captain E. B. Gere, of the Griswold Light Cavalry, was sent out with one hundred and twenty five men to the neighborhoods of Ber- - ryviiie ana Winchester en a scout, ana encamped at Millwood, some six or eight miles from the former place. \ After the men had got their fires built, Sergeant Weatherbee, of Company B:~ Corporal Simpson, of Coptipanv H, and a private, went some two mi les from camp to get supper at a farm-hous e, and, while waiting for the long-delaye tl tea, were surprised to find several revol vers suddenly advance into the room, t ?ehind each pair of which was either Colon el Moseby, a Rebel Captain, or a Lieu tenant, all rather determined men, with "shoot in their eves," who demanded the i in mediate surrender of the aforesaid Yank* ?es. The aim being wicked, the three 21; iters saw they were "under a cloud," and *o quietly gave up the contest. Colonel Moseby was much elate d by bis good fortune, and required his pi "isonera to follow him supperless on his roi mds to his headquarters at Paris; the p rivate, however, while pretencEng to get his horse, hid himself in the hay and escaped,. Moseby not daring to wait and hunt him \ up. On the way to Paris the Colonel am oised himself by constancy taunting his p risoners with questions:?"Were they with: ?, Major Cole when he thrashed him at l'p? ~ perville?' "Were they with Major Smllivan, of the 1st Veterans?. when his m ien ran away and Bft him?" "How did they fancy his grey nag??he took thatrfrora a Yankee lieutenant" "Didn't the Yanks dread him more than they did the regular Rebel cavalry?" "How did they (the prisoners) like his style of fighting?" and a hundred such remarks, that indicated the man as being more of a vain braggart than a hero. He was, in the meantime, engaged in gathering his men with the avowed intention of attacking Captain Gere's force at daylight, and, ii possible, of cutting it to pieces. His followers live in the farm houses of London, Clarke, and Jefferson -, counties, and are either Rebel soldiers or * * Union citiaeng, as the case require. He would ride up to a house, call Joe or ' Jake, and tell them that he wanted fchem^ . at such an hour at the usual place; to go and tell Jim or Moee. Almost every farm. turned out somebody in answer to his call, proving that these men, with the certified oath of allegiance in their pockets, and with passes allowing them tocome in and go out of our lines at will, are not only in sympathy with the enemy, but Are themselves perjured Rebels. When they arrived at Paris, Colonel Mbseby dismounted and stepped into the house where he had his headquarters,,1, leaving nis pistols fit the holsters. The lieutenant,'with drawn revolver, watched the prisoners while the captain endeavored . d?% A II a IM>111 4a ImLa iaj uiiu on uiuciijr w uuir wic IIUIOCQ* , Corporal Simpson, who Had been Ynark-^,--* v' ing the road for future use, and had . been > long Woking for it, saw his chance antL. pretended to tie his horse, bat really pat--* ting his foot into the stirrup of Moseby's-f saddle and laying hold ofcone of the overlooked pistols. The Lieutenant detected^ the move and fired at him* when Simpsonv shot him through the heart with tins weapon he had secured. The cap tain . turned round and fired, and Cotondl Most* . by came to the door to see "what all thr .t row was about," just in time to he ar a bullet whiz unpleasantly dose to his head, that he tired at him, '"just for Lik -k," as he and his comrade left, yelling 1 ,ack: "Colonel Moseby, how do you lilar . onr style of fighting? We belong to tie . 2ist New York." And away they wens leaving Colonel Moseby dismounted, m outwitted of his best horse, saddle* istols, overcoat, two Yankee prisoners, an^ at least one vacancy among h?conu aissioned officer* Corporal SimAn ro* je twelve miles to the camp, closely follor ^ed by the sergeant, and gave Captain G* re no tice of the enemy's intention' ^ that they thought best not to pitch u ] at the appointed time. The captured horse is a ' very fine one, and with the arms, equip? iente, kc., are still in the possession of Simpson. Wa believe it is the intention of tha regiment j to buy thorn from the ' Government and I to present them to the ' 'Yankee Corporal who beat Moseby out o f his pet nag." Captain Gere return ed to camp at Halltown, Saturday afte rnoon, having captured Lieutenant \Vysong, of the 7 th. Virginia, the succor *or of Captain Black- ford, a noted guerrula, who was killed by a sergeant of the 1st N, Y, not long sinoe^