March 10.—A party of “over one hundred citizen guerrillas” entered Mayfield, Ky., and after pillaging the stores and severely wounding one of the citizens, left, carrying away their booty.
—Governor Joseph E. Brown’s annual message was read in the Legislature of Georgia, It concluded as follows:
“Lincoln has declared that Georgia and other States are in rebellion to the Federal Government, the creature of the States, which they could destroy as well as create. In authorizing war, he did not seek to restore the Union under the Constitution as it was, by confining the Government to a sphere of limited powers, They have taken one hundred thousand negroes, which cost half a million of whites four thousand millions of dollars, and now seek to repudiate self-government—subjugate Southern people, and confiscate their property. The statement of Lincoln, that we offer no terms of adjustment, is made an artful pretext that it is impossible to say when the war will terminate, but that negotiation, not the sword, will finally terminate it.
“We should keep before the Northern people the idea that we are ready to negotiate, when they are ready, and will recognize our right to self-government, and the sovereignty of the States. After each victory, our government should make a distinct offer of peace on these terms, and should the course of any Slate be doubted, let the armed force be withdrawn, and the ballot-box decide. If this is refused even a dozen times, renew it, and keep before the North and the world that our ability to defend ourselves for many years has been proved.”
—Pilatka, Florida, was occupied by the Union forces under Colonel Barton. The force, consisting of infantry and artillery, left Jacksonville on the transports General Hunter, Delaware, Maple Leaf, and Charles Houghton last evening, and, under the direction of good pilots, reached Pilatka at about daylight this morning. The night was densely dark, and a terrible thunder-storm added not a little to the difficulty of the passage of the boats up the tortuous channel. The troops disembarked at sunrise, and found but few of the enemy. The rebels probably had only a small cavalry picket in the town, and on the approach of the Nationals it was withdrawn, and the place given up without firing a shot on either side. The town was found entirely deserted, except by three small families, who professed Union sentiments, and desired to remain at their homes.—The rebel iron-clad war steamer Ashley was successfully launched at Charleston, S. C.
