From Washington

WASHINGTON, March 5.

The rebel congress have unanimously adopted a preamble and resolution, setting forth that whereas the U. S. are waging war with the avowed purpose of compelling the Confederate States to reunite with them under the same constitution and government, and which only tends to consolidation of general government and a consequent destruction of the rights of States and the results attained by separation, and whereas the two sections can only exist together in the relation of oppressor and oppressed, because of the great preponderance of power in the Northern section coupled with a dissimilarity of interests therefore

            Resolved, That this Congress do solemnly declare and publish to the world the unalterable determination of the Confederate States to suffer all calamities of a most protracted war, but never again to politically affiliate with a people guilty of an invasion of their soil, and butchery of their citizens.

Mr. Faulkner denies in a published letter having made a Union speech at Martinsburg.

The Massachusetts 2d occupy the court house at Charlestown, where John Brown was tried.  The regiment, while marching thither, broke forth in the John Brown chorus.

It is rumored that Mr. Toombs is to be made Lieutenant General, and put in chief command of the rebel army, and that he will inaugurate offensive warfare by throwing an immense military force into the free States.

Practical men estimate the franchise of the Pennsylvania avenue railroad as worth half a million dollars annually.

Maj. Meyers, the head of the signal corps, has invented a rocket which carries up a parachute and leaves it in the air to descend slowly, displaying colored fires, scarlet, red and white, at intervals.  The arrangement of these and the time of burning being indicative of the words and phrases.  Also to facilitate night signaling, he has invented colored lights termed Asterisk signals.  Successful experiments were recently made at midnight.

Mr. Foster’s cotton land cultivation bill passed the Senate this morning, by the following vote:

Yeas – Anthony, Chandler, Clark, Collammer, Dixon, Fessenden, Foot, Foster, Grimes, Hale, Harlan, Howard, Howe, King, Lane, Morrill, Pomeroy, Sherman, Simmons, Sumner, Teneyek, Trumbull, Wade, Wilcox, Wilmot and Wilson of Massachusetts.  Total 26.

Nays – Browning, Carlisle, Cowan, Davis, Henderson, Kennedy, McDougal, Pearce, Powell, Rice, Saulsbury, Thomas, Wilson of Missouri, and Wright.  Total 14.

Mr. Harris was in his seat, but did not vote.

Mr. Doolittle left the chamber three minutes before the vote, having first voted against a motion, to postpone the special order for the purpose of taking up the bill.

Mr. Carlisle of Va., made a proslavery speech against the bill and indicated his opposition to the President’s message.

The Senate in executive session to-day confirmed Brigadier Generals St. Geo. Cooke, Butterfield, Graham, W. T. Ward, Pain Sykes, William W. Richardson, Stanley, Burns, Rousseau, Reno, Fitz John Porter, Plummer and Davis.  A general disposition was shown to reject Brig. Gens. on McClellan’s and Halleck’s Staff.  Gens. Morgan, W. K. Strong, Lockwood, Sickles and Gorman were all passed over.

The Senate military committee, had under consideration a bill for a railroad from Washington to Baltimore, through the upper counties of Maryland, by which the fare shall be reduced from $1, to seventy cents.

The Secretary of the Navy has addressed a letter to the naval committees of both houses, urging the necessity of the construction of more gunboats.

The bill providing for the carriage of mails to and from foreign ports, as reported from the committee on post offices and post roads, vessels clearing from foreign ports for the United States are obliged to receive mail matter placed on board by the American Consul or the postal officers at such ports.

NEW YORK, March 8.

Specials this morning are very barren of real news.  The Tribune’s dispatch says contracts for the transportation of army supplies for the next two years, from Fort Leavenworth and Kansas City to posts west of those points, including all Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, were to-day awarded by Gen. Meigs to Irwin, Jackson & Co., the former contractors, their bid being regarded as the one most favorable to the government.

Times’ Dispatch.

The more the President’s message is discussed, the more difficult it is to define the position of parties in regard to it.  One great point however, is gained.  The subject is universally discussed with more calmness than ever before characterized a question about slavery.

WASHINGTON, March 8.

Commissioner of Indian affairs, Dole, has returned from the West.  While in Kansas and Nebraska the Indian chiefs called upon him and tendered the service of their warriors for military service, but these cannot be accepted.  Our six thousand loyal Indian refugees from the Cherokee country are in the lower part of Kansas, in their retreat thither from the superior forces of the enemy.  They threw away everything which impeded their stampede.  The panic among them at the time represented as frightful.  These Indians being in a destitute condition Gen. Hunter supplied their immediate necessity.  Com. Dole telegraphed the Government authorities, and through his representations Congress passed an act for their relief.

The Post Office Department received a letter from Nashville to-day, dated the 3d inst., in which it is stated that the special agent, Markland, on taking possession of the Post Office in that city, found the rebel postmaster had stripped it of every article of property, including blanks, locks, mail bags, time, scales, keys, &ct.  The agent had managed to get the mails from Nashville to Louisville.  The letter adds that the Federal officers and troops have again agreeably disappointed the secessionists by their good behavior and deportment.  Others are mad because the officers and men will not commit acts of violence or perpetrate some outrage of some kind.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, March 10, 1862, p. 1