General McClellan and Colonel Rosecrans, commanders of Union forces in western Virginia, achieved a decisive victory for the Union on Thursday in a battle near Rich Mountain. Although the specifics of the battle have yet to come to light, it appears as though McClellan captured hundreds of Confederate troops with only minimal losses on his own side, possibly due to a surprise flanking attack from across the mountain. This will likely prove crippling for the Confederate war effort in western Virginia, where the tide has been shifting in favor of the Union for months.

The Union achieved a similar victory at Laurel Hill, also in western Virginia, where men led by General McClellan and T. A. Morris routed a Confederate force led by Robert Garnett, forcing them from the region. They are expected to retreat into central Virginia, possibly joining up with the main Confederate force at Manassas Junction.

Union commanders in Martinsburgh, in northwestern Virginia, have issued orders for the entire Union force to move tomorrow toward the Confederate force about twenty miles south in Winchester. Union troops have been gathering in Martinsburgh for weeks, and more continue to pour in by the day; the New York Times estimates their number at 23,000. Despite the sizable confederate forces in the area, many analysts believe that Union troops now significantly outnumber their Confederate counterparts in northwestern Virginia. Union commanders are likely trying to make the most of this advantage while it lasts.

A Federal Judge by the name of John Catron has issued a ruling that is sure to please the President and his supporters. Following May’s Camp Jackson Affair, in which a group of state militia under the command of Governor Claiborne Jackson were captured while preparing a secessionist advance on the city, the men taken prisoner had appealed to the Judge for their release on the grounds of habeus corpus. In yesterday’s ruling, Judge Catron denied their appeal and their contention that the right of secession is guaranteed under the Constitution. He declared all men planning rebellion against the government to be guilty of treason and therefore unfit to be released from their imprisonment.

Elsewhere in Missouri, General Lyon, commander of the Union forces in the state, has issued an order that the St. Louis State Journal halt publication immediately. The Journal has taken positions favorable to Governor Jackson. The paper is likely to comply with the order.

Wires from Missouri report that a skirmish took place near Monroe between a group of Unionists and men loyal to Governor Jackson. The details have yet to be reported in full.

Despite the recent extension of the naval blockade to further Southern ports in the past few weeks, the measure has proved less effective than hoped, as numerous Southern ships have managed to evade the blockade without difficulty in the past week. The New York Times raises concerns that the ineffectiveness of the blockade may cause foreign nations to deny its validity, noting that that the British navy requires the following three conditions to be met if a blockade is to be recognized:

1. No port is blockaded efficiently if any vessel can enter or depart from it unknown to, or in spite of the guardian men-of-war.

2. An efficient, blockade necessitates the complete cutting off of all maritime ingress or egress, except in regard to harbor islands, having no outlet to the sea, save under the guns of the fleet.

3. The escape of the third vessel from the blockading squadron signalises the invalidity of the blockade.

Under these conditions, the blockade may be viewed as invalid by foreign powers, necessitating renewed attention to maintaining the strength of the order.

Although Illinois has yet to see military combat as a result of the war, the state has recently been battered by harsh weather. Northern Illinois has been hit with severe thunderstorms, which produced a tornado that caused immense property damage to farms and houses in that part of the state. Fortunately, no deaths have been reported.

In the News:

• Official reports from the Union victories at Rich Mountain and Laurel Hill are provided by the Philadelphia Inquirer.
• The Richmond Daily Dispatch has the latest news from Arkansas, where state troops are heading north to reinforce retreating Missouri Governor Claiborne Jackson
• The New York Times discusses the appointment of a Louisianan bishop as Brigadier General in the Confederate Army.
• The Weekly Mariettian provides a glossary of common war terms to aid in the understanding of war reports.

Commentary:

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch provides a Southern reaction to the recent comments of the president.
• The New York Times examines the Southern fondness for direct taxation rather than tariffs as a form of raising revenue.
• Although the Union has yet to score a decisive victory in battle, the Philadelphia Inquirer discusses what has already been gained by the government in the pursuit of this war.
• The Pittsburgh Daily Gazette and Advertiser provides a brief overview of the progress of the war so far.
• The Richmond Daily Dispatch looks at France’s recognition of Italian independence, believing it will soon be followed by a recognition of the Confederacy. This view is strongly opposed by the Quincy Whig Republican.
• The New York Times calls on Northern businessmen to help finance the war effort so as to bring a quick end to the war which is stifling American business.
• The Sacramento Daily Union analyzes the French recognition of a state of war between the North and South.

Murder!

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch covers the alleged murder of a wife by her husband.

We have an update on the fate of Miers W. Fisher. The Norfolk Argus reports that the rumors of Fisher’s capture are incorrect. He apparently postmarked a letter at Eastville stating that he returned home safely. Southerners have been quite pleased with this news.

George Thompson, the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Judge who was unwilling to sign an oath of loyalty to the Federal government, has been stripped of his post . There will be an election to fill the vacancy on August 13.

Kentucky continues to symbolize the back and forth pull of this war on the country. Yesterday, in the case of Brady and Davis vs. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Judge Muir of the Kentucky Circuit Court ruled against the plaintiffs, recognizing the right of the national government to interdict freight to the South. While this decision will no doubt spur outrage among the seceded states, it is likely to also incur the disapproval of some of Muir’s statesmen.

In Missouri at about two o’clock p.m. yesterday, secessionist forces under the command of Brigadier-General Harris attacked a camp of Federal troops under Colonel Smith . There were 600 Union troops defending the camp and as many as 1,600 secessionists troops attacking. Despite their numerical advantage, the Southern men were repelled. Harris retreated to Monroe, where he and his men took part in another skirmish in which they were also unsuccessful. More troops have been sent to reinforce Colonel Smith’s position in case of additional attacks.

It is not uncommon in the North to read articles or hear speeches calling citizens to fight for the Star Spangled Banner. The flag has, not surprisingly, become a symbol of the Union the North seeks to preserve. However, Southerners are taking it upon themselves to point out that this national flag is not the banner under which the Founders fought for independence, nor is it the flag that was flown during the war of 1812. Instead, this iteration of the symbol was adopted in 1818 from a design of Captain Samuel Reid. Unionists contend that, despite the change in design, the current flag still represents what the country’s founders were fighting for. Secessionists have mocked this belief, stating, “There was nothing in its adoption to render it sacred in the eyes of anyone, and there has been nothing in its history since to make it so. This professed devotion to the flag of the Union is pure bunkum.”

In the News:

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch reports on the destructive conflagrations in Boston.
• The New York Times presents updates on the Matthews and Walton murder trial.
• The Press looks at the recent trends in the Philadelphia money market.
• The Pennsylvania Daily Telegraph discusses recent arrests in the state.

Commentary:

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch discusses the laws of war.
• The New York Times looks at how the soldiers respond to those who are labeled traitors.
• The Press presents its thought on the flag of truce.
• The Pennsylvania Daily Telegraph talks about oppression being the end of rebellion.

Arts and Culture:

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch publishes a poem entitled “The Boy That Enlisted Today.”
• The New York Times discusses that many designs have been submitted for C.S.A. postage stamps, but none have been manufactured.
• The Richmond Daily Dispatch advises baking cordial for the soldiers and provides the recipe.
• The Press looks at the recent exhibition at the Lombard Street Girls’ Grammar School.

Runaways:

• $10 Reward: Negro boy, aged about twenty years. Goes by the name Jack Simns.

Military Notices:

• “The 4^th Company of the 1st Battalion of the 19th Regiment of Virginia Militia, will parade on Friday, July 12, 1861, at 6 o’clock p. m., corner 6th and Canal streets, for drill, and for the election of Captain, 1st and 2d Lieutenants. This muster is required by law, and absentees will be fined to the extent of the law.”

Obituaries:

• Mr. Simmis and wife were burned to death on the night of July 3, leaving behind seven children.
• Mrs. Fanny Longfellow died yesterday when a match or piece of lighted paper caught her dress and she was enveloped in flames.

Following yesterday’s update, Colonel Richard Thomas, the “French Lady,” has been indicted by the Grand Jury of the United States District Court on charges of piracy and treason. He is now in jail. We have received no report detailing the length of his sentence.

Up to this point, Kentucky has been firm in her neutrality. However, as such a decision will not necessarily be respected, the State may need to take up arms in this struggle. While the thought process has been that neutrality would keep the State free from controversy and spare the citizens of the area from the horrors of war, President Lincoln has recently stated that neutrality is not an option. He states that the choice to remain neutral would “tie the hands of Unionists and feed the insurrectionists.” As such, he can not support Kentucky’s current position.

Not surprisingly, in response to this, the South is urging Kentucky to raise arms against the Union. Some have chosen to make their stance known. The Reverend G. B. Overton, of the Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, left Louisville a few days ago with volunteers for the Confederate army. He is not the only Kentuckian to be drawn to the fight of the South, while some stand staunchly behind the Union. Mr. Mallory, a representative of the Louisville District, spoke before the House of Representatives yesterday. In his speech he declared his support of the Federal government and that he planned to vote that all men and money needed to crush the rebellion be made available to the Union.

There is yet another group of Kentuckians who continue to strongly assert their neutrality. The Louisville Journal states, “We have, for the sake of peace amongst ourselves, and in a spirit of the highest and most enlightened loyalty, assumed a position of neutrality during the war, whether the war be offensive or defensive, long or short, disastrous or successful, and duty and policy alike require us to maintain the position in good faith.” With these differing opinions within Kentucky and the pressure being exerted by both the Union and Secessionist forces, the ultimate course of the State remains to be seen. We are likely to hear more as events unfold in the upcoming days.

Southerners have been subjected to an unfortunate rumor regarding Miers W. Fisher, the delegate from Northampton to the Virginia State Convention. It is being said that Fisher was captured by Abolitionists on his way home on the Eastern Shore and that he is now being held prisoner by General Butler at Fort Monroe. They have been unable to confirm this intelligence thus far. Any information anyone can provide would be appreciated.

There is a new incentive to fighting for the Union. Mr. Holman, of Indiana, has offered a bill which, if passed, will grant bounty lands to certain officers and soldiers in service of the United States. All those who have been serving since the 12^th day of April this year and will receive an honorable discharge after no less than sixty days, shall be entitled to a warrant from the Department of the Interior for one hundred and sixty acres of land. Three hundred and sixty acres will be given to those who are in service before the 1^st of next month and remain so until the military forces of the United States are disbanded or the individual is honorably discharged due to wounds or sickness incurred in service. The bill also contains provisions for the widows and children of those who perish in the fight.

Notice to all those residing in Richmond: “Those who wish to enjoy the luxury of ice water can do so by applying at King’s ice-house, south side of the Dock, where Mr. Hitchcock has in store a cargo of the best Northern ice.” Such a treat is not likely to last long. We encourage all those interested to make their way to the ice-house quickly.

In the News:

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch reports on weather and crops in Alabama and Georgia.
• The New York Times details the recent tribute to Major Anderson.
• The Press announces the capture of a rebel slaver and privateer in Haiti.
• The Altoona Tribune offers updates on the events in Missouri.

Commentary:

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch discusses the late Governor Ellis, of North Carolina.
• The New York Times looks at the treatment of the army and fugitive slaves in Mr. Lovejoy’s Resolution.
• The Huntingdon Globe prints correspondence from the Army.
• The Press publishes a letter out of Harper’s Ferry.

Arts and Culture:

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch lauds the influence of smiles in the current situation.
• The New York Times critiques the show at the Winter Garden.

Runaways:

• $40 Reward: Two Negro men, Sam and Washington. “They were seen with some of the Volunteer companies, going in the direction from Richmond to Yorktown.”

Military Notices:

• “The Commandants of the 156th Regiment, Greene, 2d Orange, 2d Madison; 5th Culpeper, thRappahannock, 44th and 55th Fa 27th Prince William, 56th, 57th and 132d and 60th Fairfax counties, will immediately out the entire military force of their and report with it to Gen. Beacr at Manassas Junction, or at any other point or he may be each man arm himself description of arms and ammunition he may have or can procure.”

Obituaries:

• Dr. Thomas Nelson, the eminent physician, died at his residence on the morning of the 6^th.
• Maria Louisa, wife of Alfred Alley, died on the 9^th.
• Grosvenor C. Williams, in the 36^th year of his age, died in New York City on Wednesday morning.

The “French Lady” has been captured. As many of you will remember, we reported the seizure of the steamer St. Nicholas by Secessionist forces on July 3. There was some dispute regarding which Southern officer dressed as a woman in order to hide himself away on the ship until the time to strike arrived. We appear now to have confirmation not only that the man in disguise was Captain Thomas of St. Mary’s County, but also that he has been captured. Lieutenant Thomas H. Carmichael and Mr. John Hornes apprehended him in Baltimore on July 9.

Mississippi is preparing itself for warfare. Governor Pettus recently called on both state and county officers to collect all arms, rifles, and shotguns and send them to Jackson. Non-functional arms are also wanted, as they will be repaired once they reach the capital. Pettus also advises citizens to arm themselves with double-barrel shotguns to be ready to fight at an hour’s notice if needed.

While Mississippi is urging its citizens to arm themselves with shotguns, there have still issues with side arms in other parts of the country, due in large part to the increasing number of deaths caused by accidental shootings or drunken brawls. In response to the public outcry, the following resolution was adopted at a meeting of the Common Council in Richmond on Monday:

Resolved, That the Mayor be instructed to impress upon the commandants of the various posts on the suburbs of the city, the propriety of requiring men to divest themselves of side-arms on leaving camp.

The school for military instruction at the University of Virginia is off to a roaring start. One hundred gentlemen have already entered, and the school is receiving many more applications every day. Major George Ross, graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, is performing the duties of chief instructor of the corps, with Captain Thomas U. Dudley, Jr. serving as assistant instructor. Four Cadet Officers have been appointed, among them General Lee’s son, Robert E. Lee, Jr.

The new government in western Virginia is beginning to take form. John S. Carlisle was unanimously elected United States Senator on July 9. There were also several elections for other state officers on that same day. Increasingly large areas of the western part of the state are recognizing the new government; recognition from the rest of the state has not been so forthcoming, to put it mildly.

Judge George Thompson, a resident of Wheeling, where all these deliberations have taken place, is particularly vocal regarding his distaste for the decisions made about western Virginia. He is staunchly against the newly forming government, as well as the oath of loyalty that Lincoln and his men have recently created. Regarding the oath, Thompson said:

I refuse to touch the taint and grime of this oath, also, because the oligarchy at Wheeling is, in the main, composed of the drippings and leavings of the old party, to who very heart the offices of the Republic has become a corrupt, a degrading and a constant desire in their life pursuit of them through all forms of party and all changes of name, and all bargains and corruptions in the combinations of disappointed and greedy place-hunters to the last act of infamy and disloyalty to integrity and worth, the trade and sale of body and soul to abolitionism, and the instauration of negro equality on the soil of Virginia.

By all accounts, Thompson’s sentiments are popular throughout the Old Dominion.

In the News:

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch provides an update on the city’s defenses.
• The New York Times discusses interesting news out of the New Mexico territory.
• The Democratic Banner prints the President’s message at the extra session of Congress on July 5.
• The Lebanon Advertiser reports the discovery of lead mines in Buck County.
• The Press gives us the latest updates from the Indian Territory.

Commentary:

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch prints the address of M.P. O’Connor, Esq. to the Charleston Riflemen on the Fourth of July.
• The New York Times claims that secession is in its last throes.
• The Democratic Banner asks why Senator Breckinridge has not been arrested for treason.
• The Lebanon Advertiser analyzes the President’s message.

Arts and Culture:

• The New York Times reminds us that Raising the Wind will be performed at Winter Garden this evening.

Runaways:

• “From the Medical College the slave James Thornton, a Negro man about 25 years of age, 3 feet 8 or 9 inches high compactly and strongly built, weighing 160 to 175 pounds.”
• Negro named Abraham. “He is about 35 years of age, 6 feet high, and of a dark brown color, usually wears a handkerchief on his back and has a scar on his forehead or face.”

Military Notices:

• Wanted: Twenty men “to complete a volunteer company. Uniforms, equipment, etc. furnished free. Good board and comfortable quarters.”

Obituaries:

• Mrs. Eugenia E. Chalkley, 25 years old, died at the residence of her month in Chesterfield county on July 5.
• William Simmons, five years old, died in the residence of his parents, John and Ellen Simmons, on the evening of July 8.
• A man named Morgoar fell while cutting his grass, breaking a glass bottle in his pocket which punctured his leg, causing him to bleed to death.

Bearing a white flag of truce, Confederate Colonel Thomas Taylor entered Union Colonel Erastus Tyler’s camp in Virginia yesterday and declared he had dispatches for President Lincoln. At this time we know that the president received the papers and subsequently convened his Cabinet, but we do not know what message was contained in them. One Washington correspondent claims that he is “reliably informed” that the dispatches were “a proposition for a cessation of hostilities and a settlement of difficulties,” but is confident that no proposal would even be discussed unless it involved “the unconditional surrender of the rebel force.”

Congress is busy working to pass several measures that would assist the Lincoln Administration in rapidly crushing the rebellion in the Southern states.  Bills regarding lifting tariffs on imported weapons used for combating secessionists and another giving military volunteers the jurisdiction to enforce laws are both expected to easily pass.

North Carolina Governor John Ellis passed away over the weekend after an illness. We’ll have more details and information about Governor Ellis’s successor as it becomes available.

Confederate General Johnston recently increased his force of 16,000 at Bunker Hill by an additional 7,000 men, and some reporters predict that a confrontation will soon occur between these and Union General Patterson’s troops which remain camped near Martinsburg in western Virginia.

Famed entertainer P.T. Barnum suffered a serious injury last week after being thrown from his horse. Although he is expected to recover, “his nervous system is considerably affected by the severe injury.”

In the News:

• The Philadelphia Press summarizes the latest national news.
• The New York Times has the latest from the efforts to track down ex-Governor Jackson in Missouri.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer has dispatches from General Patterson’s camp.
• The New York Times publishes the lengthy debate in the British House of Commons about sending military reinforcements to Canada.
• The Philadelphia Press provides accounts and opinions from secessionist newspapers on recent news events, including the skirmish at Martinsburg.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer publishes the Congressional proceedings.

Commentary:

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch ardently believes that “it is undebatable that the worst enemies Virginia has had to encounter in this war have been found among her own people.”
• The London Times discusses the “susceptibility of the Americans.”
• The Philadelphia Press sings the successes of the state’s “popular education” system.
• An editorial in the Danville Register decries the overly strict military discipline that undermines respect and esteem.
• A correspondent from the New York Times argues that the forces at Fort Monroe are neither prepared nor sufficiently armed to launch an attack.
• The Richmond Daily Dispatch analyzes Northern weaknesses revealed in Lincoln’s latest message.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer discusses whether military officers should be allowed seats in Congress.

Arts and Culture:

• The Philadelphia Press educates readers about “the explosive properties of kerosene.”
• The Atlas describes the life of a turtle who is at least 50 years old but may be much older!

Several sources are reporting unconfirmed rumors that former Virginia Governor Henry Wise was mortally wounded in a bloody battle that devastated Confederate forces in western Virginia yesterday. The Governor was reportedly traveling with a guard of fifty men, commanded by Captain Patten, when they encountered a company of Union soldiers. In addition to killing forty of the guards and fatally wounding Governor Wise, Captain Patten may have also sustained mortal wounds. While these reports remain unconfirmed, we have verified that a skirmish did occur near Fort Monroe, killing three secessionist soldiers. Another attack took place as troops from New York disembarked from a train at Harper’s Ferry. One Union soldier was killed and several others injured.

Ten thousand Northern troops and heavy equipment crossed the Potomac into Virginia yesterday, with an additional 10,000 projected to make the trip today and tomorrow. Military campaigns to push further inwards into Virginia have largely ceased for the moment to allow for the buildup of men and arms.

Utah remains unable to retain a Governor after their elected official, Alfred Cumming, abruptly abandoned his post for Georgia. Only a few weeks into the job, Acting Governor and former State Secretary of Treasury Francis Wootton has resigned the position because “he could not consistently hold office under an Administration whose acts he could not approve.”

Despite the political and economic upheaval facing our country today, immigration from Europe continues at unusually high levels.  According to immigration records from the past six months, the number of Irish immigrants has fallen significantly, most likely due to misinformation about the state of affairs in the United States. One reporter attributed the drop to the widely held belief among much of the Irish peasantry “that the people all over America are slaughtering each other like savages, and that they were fighting furiously even in the streets of New York . . . [and] that the inhabitants of New York had all taken to their heels and were running for their lives.” The North won’t see an immigrant labor shortage anytime soon, however, as German emigrants are happily filling the void. Not only have their numbers increased by several thousand in the last six months; on arrival, many German emigrants “boldly declare they have come to America to fight for freedom.”

In the News:

• The New York Times publishes the latest dispatches from Missouri.
• The North American reports on operations in western Virginia.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer describes the weekend stock market as having returned to its “general dullness,” after enjoying a post-holiday injection of “life and buoyancy.”
• A dispatch from the Mobile Advertiser brings news from Fort Pickens and the Mobile Harbor, currently under a Northern blockade.
• The Philadelphia Press has the latest news from Europe.
• The New York Times publishes the latest European immigration figures and provides analysis.

Commentary:

• The Philadelphia Press discusses the merits of the Treasury Secretary’s of plan of taxation that “the country will pay to crush this insurrection.”
• The New York Times highlights the importance of not losing Missouri to the Secessionists.
• The Richmond Daily Dispatch offers its take on the current dominance of the “Black Republican” party in Washington.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer looks into the possible “death of the ‘Sick Man’” in Europe.
• The Philadelphia Press argues that dire situation in France before the Revolution warranted many, but not all, of the actions taken by the revolutionaries.

Arts and Culture:

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch describes how various camps of Confederate soldiers celebrated the Fourth of July.
• The New York Times examines how the national conflict has taken a heavy toil on tourism to Niagara Falls.

Thursday marked the first Independence Day to be celebrated by a divided nation. Not surprisingly, these celebrations have taken on sharply diverging characters on either side of the divide. If any were unsure of the enthusiasm with which the Union and Confederate men view their soldiers and the war effort, they could put their doubts to rest after seeing the outpouring of patriotic activity this past Thursday.

As though in recognition of the holiday, the war has progressed extremely slowly this week. Even the minor skirmishing that characterized the past few months appears to have slowed. The only conflict of any significance occurred when General Robert Patterson won an easy victory for the Union forces near Martinsburgh in western Virginia. Troops elsewhere were busy taking part in celebrations. Federal batteries fired numerous salutes, even those located next to Confederate territory, as a reminder of the history and heritage of our nation.

Given the thin war news this week, the national capital has once again claimed the lion’s share of attention with a special session of Congress held on the Fourth. This session marks the first such meeting of the body since the Fort Sumter incident and the outbreak of the war. Much of the chamber’s time was devoted to the routine business that characterizes the inauguration of any parliamentary body: the election of speakers, clerks, and party leaders. However, its members also focused on the substance of the President’s address: the ongoing crisis, the origins of the war, military strategy and Lincoln’s request for Congress to grant him the powers necessary to carry out the war to the fullest extent. Although his speech contained few surprises, his plans hint at the direction the conflict may take. Indeed, they appear to foreshadow a number of internal political conflicts, particularly between the Executive Branch and the Supreme Court. This can be most clearly seen in his remarks on the war powers of the Executive Branch; he noted that many of the actions his Administration took in the early days of the war are of questionable legality. “The Congress, and not the Executive, is vested with these [war] powers”, he said, but then he defended his actions as a necessary and constitutional response to a “dangerous emergency,” before imploring Congress to “give [him] the legal means for making this contest a short and decisive one.”

The heavily Republican Congress received the President’s speech extremely well, which would suggest that he will have little difficulty winning congressional approval for an expansion of war powers. Nor is he likely to face censure for any actions taken thus far. The recent surge in patriotism and support for a robust war effort reinforces this notion. Any attempts to punish the President for taking action against the secessionists would likely be broadly unpopular across the country, a fact the President’s political opponents have no doubt taken into account. The Supreme Court, however, is relatively insulated from this popular pressure and has shown itself, in the Merriman case, to be willing to challenge the President on matters of executive power. Although it is too soon to determine what action, if any, the Court will take, it is clearly the Federal branch to watch, as it poses the strongest internal threat to Lincoln’s war aims.

Independence Day Orations:

• Henry James delivered an address on the social significance of our institutions.
• At Mt. Kisco, New York, Mr. Jay delivered an address on the “great conspiracy” and England’s role in the war.
• Richard S. Field discussed the meaning of the meaning of the Constitution at an address in Princeton.
• J.M. McDonald discussed the “Perfect Law of Liberty” in a speech in Iowa.
• Wendell Phillips, Esq. delivered a speech before the Anti-Slavery Society of Framingham.
• George H. Webster discussed the current state of the country before the Presbyterian Church of Eaton, Ohio.

From the Pulpit:

• The Ladies’ Repository provides its monthly analysis of scripture.

Commentary:

• The Atlantic Monthly has a description of the atmosphere in Washington during the recent influx of national troops.
• July’s DeBow’s Review examines the Confederate Constitution, comparing it to the U.S. Constitution.
• Last month’s most important news stories are reviewed in Harper’s monthly series on current events.

Arts & Culture:

• The Ladies’ Repository provides an account of Revolutionary war hero Marquis de Lafayette’s stay in prison during the French Revolution.
• A patriotic Southern song has been printed in July’s Southern Literary Messenger.
• The North American Review reviews a number of books concerning the geography and history of Michigan.
• This week’s Scientific American profiles the forge hammer and the naval steam engine.

News is slow today after the Independence Day celebrations on Thursday. The festive atmosphere has spread to the troops as well: Most military actions with exception of those in western Virginia and Missouri have been suspended as the soldiers celebrate with salutes and singing. Spirits are high,  although the usual fanfare is diminished somewhat by the absence of troops for parades in most cities.

Discussion of the President’s speech has occupied the majority of the House’s time since it convened on Thursday, but a good deal of time has also been spent on routine House business. The new House devoted considerable time in its first meeting on Thursday and Friday to elections for leadership positions. A number of men, including Congressmen Colfax and Blair, have put their names in the hat for the speakership. Colfax and Blair, however, withdrew their nominations following the nomination of Republican Galusha A. Grow of Pennsylvania, who has represented his state in Congress for ten years. Grow easily won the election because the Republican leadership wished to avoid a protracted battle. Grow is well regarded by his fellow party members, and he carries a reputation for strong opposition to slavery and secession. He is most notable for his staunch opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, as well as an incident earlier that year when he was attacked on the House floor by Rep. Keitt of South Carolina—an incident that precipitated a large brawl reminiscent of the chamber’s earliest days. Emerson Etheridge of Tennessee was elected to the Clerkship of the House of Representatives. Etheridge remains a strong opponent of his state’s secession and a firm supporter of the Union.

Following their crossing of the Potomac earlier this week, General Patterson’s forces are now encamped at Martinsburgh in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. General McClellan’s forces remain further to the northwest, perhaps three days from Patterson. Following a few small skirmishes with the forces of Confederate General Jackson, Patterson’s troops pushed further south, while a weakened Jackson has encamped about ten miles south, along the road to Winchester, where a significantly larger Confederate force is gathered.

Cyrus McCormick, inventor and patent-holder of the McCormick Reaper, has applied today for a renewal of his patent. The renewal application has been extremely controversial, as critics accuse McCormick of attempting to extend an “oppressive monopoly” to the detriment of American farmers.

In the News:

• The Philadelphia Inquirer has printed a recent report by Secretary of War Simon Cameron discussing the progress of the war.
• The New York Times has printed a transcript of Rep. Edward Everett’s recent speech at the New York Academy of Music.
• The Richmond Daily Dispatch has printed an account of the recent fighting in Martinsburgh, Virginia.
• The Columbia Spy reports on a recent skirmish near Cumberland, Maryland.
• The New York Times reviews the city’s Fourth of July celebrations, with a special feature on the fireworks display.

Commentary:

• The New York Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer take opposing views on the merits of President Lincoln’s recent speech before Congress.
• The Richmond Daily Dispatch discusses the growing importance of balloons for military scouting operations.
• The Quincy Whig Republican argues that the lack of Northern trade will force the South to shift much of their land to growing corn rather than cotton to avoid starvation.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer notes that nearly all battles thus far have ended in a retreat by the Confederates, but draws a distinction between real and feigned retreats.
• The Quincy Daily Herald is extremely critical of Rev. Henry Ward Beecher’s abolitionist Fourth of July sermon.
• The Richmond Daily Dispatch accuses the Lincoln Administration of abrogating the right to petition due to a recent incident in New York.
• The Sacramento Daily Union describes the Southern rebellion as “a revolution without cause and without the least provocation from the Federal government.”

Accidents:

• The New York Times reports on a number of accidents involving young boys and firearms.

The Fourth of July has come and gone. While there were certainly celebrations in commemoration of the date eighty five years ago, it can not be said that the day was not changed by the current situation. The city of Richmond reflects on the nation’s anniversary with the following:

The day was observed in this city with all the wonted patriotic feeling which hailed it in former days, if anything, enlivened by the reflection that we are now engaged in a great struggle of a second Revolution for the maintenance of the principles of the Declaration of Independence of ’76. The morning and evening salutes were fired and the military paraded. There was not, however, the usual feasting. There is to time for that now.

There have been some interesting updates after the meeting of Congress yesterday. Asbury Dickens, the Secretary of the Senate, has resigned his office. It is unknown, at this point, whether this action was his choice or if Dickens was ousted. We suspect that it is the former, as he has been increasingly unable to attend to business in the office due to infirmities. Dickens has served as Secretary since 1836 and cultivated a reputation as being an able, faithful and upright public officer. There is no reason to believe that he would have been asked to resign his post, despite the seeming suddenness of the decision.

News is just reaching us regarding the destruction of the steamer Cataline. It has been a transport between Fortress Monroe and Newport News. General Butler and his family had just landed from a trip to Newport News, when the boat was set aflame. There is no hope of saving the vessel. It is a stroke of luck that the crew had time to escape.

The carrying of side arms in public is cause for alarm in the South. The dangerous privilege is extended to soldiers, but the public is requesting that authorities prohibit such carrying in, at least, the streets of the city. There have been too many accidental deaths and unfortunate brawls with fatal results. Less than two weeks ago, Mr. Joseph T. Hough, Clerk of the Court of Union County, N.C. died as a result of an allegedly accidental shooting by James Richards of the 24^th. Saturday last, a man by the name of William O’Brien shot at John Reisback after becoming intoxicated. Missing Reisback with all three shots, O’Brien succeeded only in shooting a passing lady in the foot. Reisback responded by stabbing O’Brien twice, fatally wounding him.

Such tragedies must be prevented in the future. As one reporter states, “Let it never be said that a soldier of the Southern army has lost his life by an unhappy accident, or taken that of another in the heat of passions, provoked, possibly, by a hasty remark or undue excitement.”

In the News:

• The Philadelphia Inquirer details the accidents resulting from fireworks during the holidays.
• The Richmond Daily Dispatch reports on Confederate Treasury notes.
• The Press discusses the extra session of the thirty-seventh Congress.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer takes note of a slave trade conference.
• The Central Press conveys the latest updates from Washington City.

Commentary:

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch ponders if the North will sue for peace.
• The Pennsylvania Daily Telegraph discusses the intense quiet at Alexandria.
• The Press publishes an interesting narrative entitled, “A Day with the Indians.”
• The Philadelphia Inquirer prints correspondence from the Jersey Brigade.
• The Central Press talks about Independence Day in Bellefonte.

Arts and Culture:

• The Press discusses the grand military display in Baltimore yesterday.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer prints a poem, entitled “Independence Day.”

Military Notices:

• Quartermaster Gen’ls office: “All persons having Claims against this Department are hereby notified to present the same for settlement, on or before the 16^th inst., to the officer contracting them, or to this office in duplicate, properly authenticated.”

Obituaries:

• Mrs. Tanguy de la Bossiere died Friday morning last at the residence of her nephew, at the age of ninety-nine.
• Sergeant Henry C. Hanes has met an untimely death through his duty of ascertaining the position of the pickets of the enemy.
• Owen McCarty, of Captain Jackson’s regiment, was murdered in Memphis on Sunday afternoon.

Today marks the eighty-fifth anniversary of the creation of the nation. It has been stated that this holiday is “about the only act of veneration for past memories that the North and South can perform in common.” The prevalent sense, however, is that we can not celebrate this holiday in the usual style. War has stripped us of the luxury of a great many of our traditions. The fight of the founding fathers does seem to be of particularly significance in light of the present situation. Both the North and the South lay claims that they are upholding the ideals of those long-ago men; The North through the preservation of the nation which they worked so laboriously to create, the South by asserting that the value of independence trumps all others.

As the focus in the North is on the preservation of the Union, it is understandable that many efforts are being made to facilitate the most traditional celebrations possible. A regimental size, silk national flag has been prepared by the citizens of Baltimore. It is meant to be presented to the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment today. Also, in observance of the holiday, there will be no issue of the New York Times tomorrow morning. The Press will not have its customary break in service for the holiday, due to the meeting of Congress, the movements of the army and other exciting events. This paper addresses the difficulties of celebration:

Our national anniversary occurs at a time when we are surrounded by difficulties of an unprecedented character, and when domestic foes of our institutions have dared to make a treasonable assault upon our liberal and beneficent Government, which was never anticipated by the Fathers of the Republic. Although the exigencies of the conflict may prevent many from celebrating the day in their usual manner, the outburst of practical patriotism which it has evoked in this period of trial and danger is the most acceptable and conclusive evidence that could be given of the perpetuation of the spirit of ’76.

In addition to condemning the assembly of the Federal Congress in Washington, the Richmond Daily Dispatch voices the opinions of many in the South when it says, “It is a sufficient tribute to it that we are engaged in the maintenance of the principles of human rights and the liberty it announced, and that we are ready to sacrifice our lives and all we have in the effort.” In this vein the day will be met with whatever merriment each individual deems fitting. We do, however, support the following caution: “Let no one indulge too freely in “bumpers,” even though they be drank to the memory of the Departed Union.” There have been too many accidents in recent weeks as a result of such activity.

Though we may speculate, we shall never know what those who came before us would say about our current predicament, any more than we can claim to predict how the future will remember us. For now, both sides can be content only in their belief that they are doing what is right for the present.

In the News:

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch reports the seizure of a peace petition in New York.
• The Press details yesterday’s New York Markets.
• The New York Times discusses the expected movement of troops towards Manassas Junction.
• The American Presbyterian focuses on news of the struggle.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer conveys updates from Fortress Monroe.

Commentary:

• The Richmond Daily Dispatch prints Bishop Davis’ thoughts on the war.
• The New York Times looks at the Unites States export of cotton.
• The Press discusses the opinions of newspapers regarding the rebellion.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer details how the city shall celebrate the holiday.

Arts and Culture:

• The Press announces a Grand Union Fireworks display on the corner of Arch and Twenty-First Sts. tonight.
• The American Presbyterian publishes a poem entitled, “A Song for the Time.”

Military Notices:

• Henrico Liberty Guard: “Any persons wishing to join an organized company, that proposer to enter the service of the State as soon as the ranks are full, will meet with the Henrico Liberty Guard, at Company “G’s” Hall, Church Hill, on Friday evening next, at 8A ½ o’clock. Uniforms free.”
• Richmond City Guard: “Attend a drill of your company, at Military Hall, on Friday afternoon, at 6A½ o’clock, in full uniform. Every member is expected to be present.”

Obituaries:

• Patrick Smith, residing in Newark, N.J., died on Saturday from hydrophobia, the result of a dog bite two months past.