The New York Herald Newspaper, January 3, 1862, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIEIOR. OFFION MN. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. TERMS cash im advance, it: sent by wait will beatthe © the condor, “None tut Bank calle surrent in New Yoru THE $47. HERALD. two cents per cop. $7 per annum. THE WEEKLY HERALD, every Saturaay, at ee tls canis percopy ‘Si per annum to any part af Great Hetiaie, so cana ‘a « BRET e any par oe Corre, Bah fo Fachute rota the iow om the Lt, 11th and 2st @/ euch month ut si entener |, $2 75 ver annum. THE FAMILY HEALD, on Wednestiy, at four conta per «“ 1, ow S2 per annum WoluNtAKY CORRESPONDENCP, containing important ews, solicited /rom any quarter of the U: af used. will be Koeralty part for.” aap OUR FouiaGx ConResron Dents ARB Partn Re@vusreo To Seat att Letters anp Pacx- A GiU NOLICR taken reapont NOLICE taken of anonymous co: dence, retven communities 20 evalu “AD VERPISEMENTS reneioea vary day: inementa ine erted én ’ advertisem: Hunan. Fawmey Henan, and in the Editions. ‘ond Purenean Californie JOB PRINTING executed with neatness, cheapness and de AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING, NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway.—Pnor, Heruann. RB GARDE: Consmoniver Couxisn jroadway.—Tikes or KILLARNEY— OKN TO Goon Luex. WALLACK’S THEATR: . rm] wee TRB, No, 844 Broadway.—PLayixG LAURA KEENF’S THEATRE, Broadway.—Lrrrix Tox Rovinson Cxvsox NEW BOWERY THEATS: ARGS RANY LIND—LOT —Mazerra—Macic BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—Sticxxrr's Narionat Cirevs. BARNUM’S AMERICAN MUS Bvening.—Onprya—Hrrororaxus, ‘iOSTTImS. BRYANTS'’ MINSTRE} way.—UA Baro in Masch HOOLFY'S MINSTRELS, ni Broadway —Erusorias Soca, Dances, ke at No. O80 NIBLO'S SALOON, Broa RungeRs.—Aflornoon aud even! MELODEON CONCERT HALL, No. 53 y— Sonas, Dances, BURLEsvEs, &C—Diata. Agana bad |. Broadway.—Day and WALE, axD OrueR Cu- chanics’ Hall, 472 Broad Peak Fawny Betws, CANTERBURY MUSIC HAtL ANCES, Buxixsques, &c.—Mons. GAIETIES CONCERT ROO! Boom Ewtxatainwents, BALL? rs, 535 Broadway.—Songs, ECUALUNRAY, AMERICAN MUSIC HALL, 444 Broadway. . cats, PaNTomimns, Cae CRYSTAL PALACE CC Bumixsqurs, Sonos, Daw: PARISIAN CABINET OF WONDERS, 563 Open daily from 10 A.M. P. MS Broadway.— HALL, No. 45 Bowery.— at Por Pi. NATIONAL MUSIC HALL, Chatha’ strect.] auEs, Sonas, DANcs, &0. Atteravon and eo Procite = 5 a HALL, 616 Broadway.—Burizsquxs, New York, Friday, January 3, 1852. THE SITUATION. Messrs. Mason and Slidell have taken their de- parture for England in the Dritish war steamer Rinaldo, which arrived at Provincetown on Tuesday aight. They were taken from Fort Warren by the tugboat Starlight, ut eleven o'clock on Wednes- day morning, and put on board the Rimaldo, to. gether with their secretaries, Eustis and McFar- land. ‘The Rinaldo suiled for Europe at six o'clock on Wednesday evening, the wind at that time blowing a perfect hurricane. The Trent affair is thus conclusively settled, and in a manner so en- tirely satisfactory to the British Minister at Wash- ington, Lord Lyons, that hia government cannot find fault with the prompt and conscientious action of Secretary Seward. Our nows from the Upper Potomac shows that considerable activity exists on both sides near Harper's Ferry, Point of Rocks, Leesburg and Frederick, although no engagement has taken place. Contrabands from Culpepper, Fairfax, Loudon and Fauquier counties continue to flock into General Banks’ headquarters, and are sent on to General McClellan. The rebels are said to be augmenting their forces at Leesburg, where they are erecting strong works. They still make de- monstrations at Dam No. 5, but without effect. Our Parrott gun at that point is doing some dam- age among them. Our news from Port Royal, by the Ariel yester- day, is interssting. The British steamer Fingall attempted to run the blockade at Savannah, but was foiled. She got ready to make her way through Warsaw Sound, but information having been received from a deserter, the gunboat Otta- wa was despatched to the Sound, and on her arri- val the rebel mosquito fleet of Tatnall came down toattack her. After a brisk engagement a shell was put through Commodore Tatnall’s vessel, when he retired. The escape of the Fingall was thus frastrated. A Spanish schooner without a ne, but laden with a valuable cargo of Havana segars, shoes and other stores, was chased, run aground aud burned, at Cumberland Inlet, on the (5th alt., by the boats of the Bienville and Alaba- ms. Her cargo was taken off. The crew had previonsly fled to the woods. Three thousand men for General Butler's expe- dition were put on board the Constitution at Bos- ton yesterday, and are expected to sail for the douth to-day. The firat hostile step of the allied expedition igainst Mexico was taken on the 17th ult., when the Spanish troops from the fleet landed at Vera Craz, took unopposed possession of that city and the fort of Sax Juun de U oa, and hoisted the Spanish flag over the city and the fort. We have received in detail the history of the entire affair by the steamer Columbia, from Havana, which ar- tived at this port yesterday, and we give it in full (n our columns to-day, The rejoicings in Havana on the receipt of the news were most enthusiastic The British bark Express, of Hull, for New Or- leans, loaded with 6,500 bags of coffee, arrived here yesterday as a prize, having been captured by the United States sloop-of-war Vincennes. She took in her cargo at Rio Janeiro. Some idea of the way the Southern people treat the release of Mason and Slidell may be found from the fact that the Norfolk Day Book of the 31st ult. consoles itself that England will not be satisfied with the simple surrender of Mason and Slidell, but will demand the surrender also of ‘aptain Wilkos and Lieutenant Fairfax, of the San Jacinto, to be tried for piracy before an English court, and also the raising of the blockade of Southern ports and the removal by the United States of the obstructions to Southern harbors: The Day Book concludes that if all these demands are not complied with the rebels will have the pleasure of seeing their enemies wiped out; and if they should be granted, they will have their inde. pendence at once secured. The Charleston Merewry says that the schooner Prince of Wales, while atfompting to run the blockade at Georgetown, 8. C., with a cargo of salt from Nassag, N, P., was chased end driven ashore by a Union cruiser, and was set on fire by her crew to save her from capture. We learn by a despatch from Richmond to Nor- folk dated 13th ultimo, that the rebel Congress me¢ on Monday. Messrs. Thomas and Burnett, from Kentucky, were sworn in. General Stuart's report of the battle of Dranesville was ordered to be published. The rest of the business was transacted in secret session. The mails of the Norwegian brings our London | files of the 19th of December, a day later thanthe papers received by the Etna. Our extracts, pub- lished to-day, show that the public mind of Eng- land entertained very grave doubt, even then, as | tothe profit or glory of a war with the United | States. CONGRESS. Both branches of Congress transacted business yesterday, but in neither house was there a quo- ram of members present. In the Senate petitions were presented for the ema icipation of slaves under the war power, and for the establishment of a line of mail steamers between San Francisco and China. Mr. Kennedy presented a resolution from the State of Maryland protesting against interference with slavery in the States by the general-government. A bill relative to the administration of justice in the District of Columbia was presented by Mr. Grimes and re- ferred. Mr. Sumner offered a resolution, which was adopted, that the President be requested, if not incompatible with the public interest, to transmit to the Seuate all the pondence which has taken place since the Con- gress held at Paris in 1856, relating to neutral and igerent rights onthe ocean. A bill providing for the appointment of sutlers for the volunteers, and defining their duties, was introduced by Mr. fered a reso- with reference to an in- force; also a resolution as to she number of cavalry ments authorized to be raised, where they are stationed, and if it would not be advisable to con- vert those not yet mustercd into se into regi- ments of infantry—both adopted. Sceretary of War was requested to furnish copies of the re- poris of the Surgeon General and Sanitary Com- tiission on the health of the army. In the House of Representatives a resolution was adopted. calling on the Secretary of War for in. foration why certain regiments of New York Volunteers now in Washington are not provided with arms, and whether any legislation is neces- sary to enable the War Department to farnisharms to tke troops now in the field. A bill providing for the defence of Philadelphia aad the Delaware river was introduced and referred. Mr. Vallandigham offered a reaolution calling on the Secretary of the Treasury for information respecting the national debt and revenue, but it was objected to and was not receved. Both honses adjourned till Monday. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. The United States steam transport Ariel, Captain corres- Terry, arrived yesterday morning from Port Royal, which place she left December 28. The news by this arrival from the HzxaLD’s correspondent will be found of general interest. Everything re mains quict, except now aud then exchanges of compliments between the federal gunboats and Fort Pulaski, The work upon the fortifications was rapidly progressing. The gunboat Alabama followed a Spanish schooner which run the block- ade at Cumberland Inlet, Georgia, causing the crew to beach her. The contraband vessel was aubsequently visited by a boat's crew from the Alabama. She proved to be a fine fore and aft schooner, evidently Spanish, without name, colors or papers, and loaded with a very valuable cargo of coffee, Havana segars, shoes and other miscel- laneous stores. Observing a steamer coming down Cumberland Inlet, with the evident intention of cut- ting our boats off, Captain Lanier despatched anogher boat with orders to fire the schooner in case that she could not get off immediately. Ac- cordingly the boats were loaded with coffee, segars, shoes and fruit, and the doomed schooner was soon wrapped in flames, the officers staying by her long enough to see that her destruction was inevitable. From the French West Indies we have news Gated at Martimque and Guadaloupe on the 28th of November. Business continued dull, but the exports would increase if there were more vessels to carry them. From the Ist of January to the 31st of October, 1861, the exports of sugar from Mar, tinique were 3,770 casks (each 500 kilog.) leas than during the same period of the foregoing year; and from Guadaloupe 4,847 less. It is, however, cer- tain at present that the total produce of Martinique will prove to be about the same it was in 1860. Telegraphic communication between San Fran- cisco and New York was resumed yesterday, after an interruption of eight days, caused by severe storms and freshets. Itis stated that more pre- perty has been destroyed by the recent freshets than by aH the freshets heretofore since California has been settled by Americans. Business between San Francisco and the interior of the State was cr.- tirely suspended, The steamer Golden Age had left San Francisco for Panama with $590,000 in treasure for New York, and $170,000 for England.~ Our extracts from Southern papers in to-day’s Heraxp will be found interesting. We tranafer to our columns an elaborate review of the Southern situation, from the Richmond Examiner of the 26th ult. In alluding to the present rebel government it says:—‘‘It exhibits a want of prescience and en- terprise, a lack of the larger statesmanship and ability to comprehend the nature of the move- ment they were in. Its policy has been a series of makeshifts, which have been annihilated by each succeeding wave.’ A correspondent of the Rich- mond Dispatch writing from White Sulphur Springs, Va., under date of the 12th ult., Saye, in reference to the late federal expeditions on the Southern const: —‘ These visits from the Yankees are having the worst effect possible.’’ The Hon. Francis E. Rives died at Petersburg, Va., on the 26th ult. Gen. Halleck has released sixtcen slaves, the property of rebels, from the St. Louis prison, where they had been corfined under a State law: and set them at work for the goverament to pay for their clothes. The powder mannfacturing company at Benning- ton, Vt., are fuifiiling a second order for one thousand barrels ef gunpowder for the govern. ment. Captain Sloan, of the bark Oregon, which ar- rived at Neuvitas, Cuba, from Havre, on the Sth ult., reports being,chased by a fall rigged armed bi hile near the mouth of the harbor of Neu- vitas,on the morning of the Sth. The bark out- sailed the brig and entered the mouth of the har. bor, when the brig hauled off. The Marshal received instructions from the Secretary of State to release Wm. M. Abeil and B, L. Hayden from Fort Lafayette. The Board of Councilmen held ‘a short session last evening, and after acting upon a few rontine papers adjourned to meet on Saturday evening. The regular meeting of the Commissioners of Public Charities and Correction was held yester- day. The business transacted was of a routine nature and related to the arrangements and alter- tions incidental to the close of the old year and the beginning of the new. The receipts from the 2th to the Sist of December amounted to $1,442 99. The number of persons admitted to the institution during the week ending on the 28th of aEW {ORK HERALD, FRIDAY, JaNvaKy 3, 1662, Rg a PEL i ee sane December was 1,580, and the number remaining there at that time was 9,409. 3 The cotton market was firm yesterday, while the sales were light, having been confined to about 250 » 300 Dales, closing on the basis of 37. a 38c., with some chance lots slightly under the inside figure. Flour was firm, but not active, and for common and medium grades prices were slightly higher. Wheat was firmly held, while sales were moderate and at full prices, especially for good winter and prime white: the latter was scarce. Corm wag less buvy- ant and firm, while sales were moderate, ctuping hoavy at G4c. a 65c, for shipping lots of Western mixed. Pork was heavy and sales light, while prices were unchanged. Sugars were steady, with sales of about 200 thds. and 1,025 boxes. Coffce was steady. A sale of 2,500 bags of Rio was made at 19c. Java was held at 25c. a 26c., and Maracaibo and Laguyara at 22c. a 24c. Tho imports of Rio at this port the past year amounted to 651,627 bags, leaving a stock in this market, on January 1, 1862, of 44,017 bags, against 38,507 bags on January 1, 1861. Freights were unchanged and engagements moderate, The Crisis of the Rebellion=The Army and Congress. Our Southern rebellion is now reduced to the low condition of a very sick man, whose waning life from hour to hour is sustained by artificial stimulants. A few days ago the central organs of Jeff. Davis at Richmond were jubilant over the prospect of an alliance, offensive and defen- sive, with England. Their immoderate joy over this anticipation betrayed the desperate straits to which they are driven in their efforts still to bolster up their sinking cause. With the de- livery back to the “insulted flag of England” of Mason, Slidell and their secretaries, this hope of immediate English intervention is taken away, and Davis and his ruling confederates have now no other consolation for their deluded followers than the prospect of a recogrition by England and France, should the Confederate States in this revolt continue to hold their present ground a month or two longer. They have never counted upon achieving their own indepen- dence. From the inception of this rebellion down to this day the managing conspirators have relied, not upon Southern gunpowder, but upon European intervention for Southern cot- ton, as the guarantee of their deliverance. Upon this expectation this rebellion was con- trived and put in motion, and herein lies our greatest danger. England is now moved by two powerful motives of hostility to the United States. Her cotton factories are languishing for wan! of the raw material, and she desires only a plausible pretext to strike for it, in order to strike at the same time for the destruction of & great and growing commercial rival. France, also, is an extensive consumer of raw cotton and deals very largely and profitably in Vir- giuia tobacco. We cannot, therefore, with any safely, permit this rebellion to maintain its pre- sent ground beyond the limitation of one year; for should it hold its own beyond that time, England, and perhaps France, may conclude they bave given us a sufficient term of grace, and that the day has come for the recognition of a Southern confederacy. Assuming, there- fore, that, in the seitlement of the Trent ques- tion, we have secured at least an armistice from England aud France, we must promptly enter upon the practical work of putting down this rebellion before the middle of April, or we may lose our present advantages of European neutrality. Gen. McClellan is evidently impressed with the necessity of a vigorous winter campaign, forits advantages are ours end its disadvantages fall upon the enemy. Hence our grand army of the Potomac has not been put into winter quarters, nor has our army in Kentucky or that in Mis- souri been permitted to indulge in the dispirit- ing idea of rusting in camp till spring. We are gratified with these signs of activity, and we are also glad to assure our readers that every column, division and detachment of our army, from Maryland to Missouri, are now thoroughly armed (excepting a regiment or so, here and there), well equipped, under the direction of able officers, and that all, in the bands of Gen. McClellan, are but the parts of a harmonious system of combinations. We are further grati- fied with the signs and evidences before us of adecisive blow to the enemy bofore long, which will be but the signal for a series of de- cisive blows along our whole inland and sea- board military line of twen hundred miles. Our soldiers, inspired with confidence ‘and enthusiasm, are awaiting their orders to ad- vance. They have passed the depressing effects of the Bull run disaster and-have learned how to deal with masked batteries. We have rea- son to believe, therefore, that the silence which precedes the tornedo is nearly ended, and that very soon the country will have some conclu- sive evidences of the grandeut of our prepara- tions for a general campaign from its splendid and decisive results. A single decisive defeat of the rebels, upon a grand scal defeat which it will be impossible to disguise—will do more now, in the midst of the pressure of the winter season, to bring them back to the Unjon than will two or three such defeats, if delayed till the return of spring. The winier, which is their weakness, is our strength, and we cannot and will not permit ite advantages to slip through our fingers. The country reposes almost unlimited confi- dence in the military skill, activity, zeal and discretion of Gen. McClellan. A universal feeling of relicf bas been imparted by the good news that he is recovering from his late serious illness, and may soon be expecied in the eaddle again. Perhaps within a forinight, with his fresh and vigorons constitution, we may find bim taking an active part in the field in the ful- filment of bis grand designs. We hope thiv may be so, and that before the expiration of the present month we shell have such news to send to England as will not only establish ler neu- trality upon an honest basis, but convince her ministry and her unscrupulous aristocracy that any further active sympathy or interven- tion in any form in behalf of Jeff. Davis and his confederates will be scandal in the public opinion of Europe. Meantime the two houses of Congress should constantly bear the important fact in mind that the suppression of this rebellion is costing us directly at the rate of six hundred millions of dollars a year, and hundreds of millions more in the suspension of the productive industry of the Union; that Secretary Chase demands relief from the hands of Congress, in some general reconstruction, upon @ national basis, of the paper circulation of the country; that this is not the time to be tinkering with the institution of slavery, but that it is best to leave it to a settle. ment between the federal government and the slave States after the restoration of those States to the Union. In word, the paramount, first and last duty of Congress, during this on, is to provide the ways and means, and to strengthen the army and the President in the prosecution of this war, and right away, 80 as to bring it to an epd with this winter's campaign. Tue Fridar or rms Caxapiins Svssipind.— As soon as 8 rupture between England and the United States seemed imminent, the Canadians were terribly glarmed. A complete panic seized them, and they began to make the most ludicrous preparations for resisting the invasion of the Yankees. The release of Mason and Sli- dell, as appears by their journals, has brought joy to their hearts. They knew that, in the event of war, their soil would be the battle field, and they would have to suffer like the people of Virginia, Missouri ead Kentucky. They were well aware they could not invade the Northern States, but would themselves be invaded, and the fighting would be all on their side of the border. Hence they were alarmed, and hence their flurry, excitement and confusion when the Northern States were cool and calm, from the consciousness of their own security and power. Again, the danger of divi- sion among themselves was developed. The friends of the United States and democratic government were sufficiently numerous to create serious alarm; for if war between Eng” land and the American republic were once in” augurated, it would be the signal for insurrec- tion and civil war in Canada, It is no wonder, therefore, that on receipt of the news of Mr. Seward consenting to release Mason and Slidell, the Montreal papers burst out into the most exuberant strains of rejoicing. The Witness of the 30th says:—“For tho last fortnight Canada has been passing through a war in anticipation. War, even in anticipation, isa fearful thing, and the assurance of peace was inexpressibly delightful to every reflecting mind.” The Montreal Herald of the 30th has an article to the same effect. It says:—‘We have never prinied any piece of news with co much pleasure as the announcement which reached us on Saturday night.” After the first relief, however, reflection suggested that the danger was not entirely past, and, accordingly, next day (the 3lst) we find the fears of the Montreal Herald again conjuring up scenes of war and blood. While in a long article professing the most pacific intentions, and showing that the interests of both countries are entirely on the side of peace, that both wrongfully accused each other of desiring and fomenting war, it yet “imputes all the evil of this unfortunate slate of things to the govern- meat of the United States.” It contends that “rod tape should have been thtown aside, and the captives should have been given up at once. The dclay destroys the grace of the act.’ Notwithstanding, the peaceful disposition of the writer, the article warns the reader that it is oniy “the immediate prospect of war that is terminated by the surrender of Mason and Slidell;” for, in despite of the mutual desire for peace, war is likely to break-out at last. The following prognostication is significant enough:— It must not bo forgotten that war and peace cannot be thus soparated from all other considerations. If the prescut Southern coufederacy can hold its own for a cer- tain iongth of time, those moat hostile to it must admit that it must receive national recognition. The blockade presents another aubject of conflict which, even in spite of the beat wishes on both aldes, may, from the clashing of interests, Jead to war. These are contingencies wh may bave a most sitiistor developement. The Montreal. Gazette is frightened from its propriety because the policy of the Northern press isto crush out the Southern rebellion first, and attend to Canada and the British empire afterwards. Itsays:—“The danger of war came very nigh us (Canadians), and we were almost wholly unprepared for it.” “The people of the United States will feel the surrender to be @ humiliation and an aggression to. be revenged.”’ “So long as they are armed (half a miblion of men under arms), we must be armed also, and prepared for all contingencies.” It is thus evident that the Canadians, although greatly relieved from anxiety and terror by the release of Mason and Slidell, are still haunted with undefined visions of war, and are trem- bling lest the instinctive selfishness and greed of the mother country should sacrifice them to her interests or ambition. Groecey 4nd Raymoxp oN SecreTaRY Szwanp.—Poor forlorn Greeley has become doubly unfortunate, these last few days, because the Heraxp finds statesmanlike management of public affairs in the Secretary of State. The disconsolate man cries his eyes out, and poinis, with spasms of agony, to our twenty years of opposition of Mr. Seward, and cannot compre- hend our praising him for anything. It is true that we have shown such hostility for a long period, but how on earth does Massa Greeley manage to infer from this what we were driving at? The Irish swineherd, who wanted to get his pigs to Dublin, drove them the other way. As poor Greeley is par excellence porcine in his newspaper instincts, how does he know but we have abused republicanism and its authors, in order to make him apd associates praise them? They would be sure to go like pigs in an oppo- site direction from that towards which their snouls were pointed. Once in a great while Greeley blunders into an evanescent inkling of our tactics, but usually he is all astray, as he will continue to be until he is covered up with ® tombstone. His “Little Villian” Raymond actually publishes articles to show that we were opposed to the surrender of Mason and Slidell, in order to make the government act the other way. How astute! When such pigs as Ray- mond and Greeley want driving, how delicious it is to be properly informed by themselves that thé? Hearn has only to follow the Irish swineherd’s example, to make them go just where it pleases. While we admit the wisdom and sagacity of Mr. Seward, however, and have done justice to his diplomatic ability, there is one point in his conduct of which we do not approve. This is his having withheld the documents from the press, and communicated them exclusively to that traditionary government hack, of the ante- diluvian period prior to railroads and tele- grapbs, the National Intelligencer. Furnishing his correspondence with the British Minister to auch an old broken down pensioner on treasury pap, instead of allowing it to be given to all of the newspapers alike was grave and serious error. He even declined giving a synopsis of it, to be sent by telegraph, ostensibly to prevent blunders. A fossilized method like this of treat- ing public affairs is censurable, and can com- mend iteelf to no one in this day of progress ond rapid movement of ideas. Sram’s Finst Brow my Mexico.—By intelli gence from Mexico, which we publish to-day, it appears that the city of Vera Cruz isin the hands of the Spaniards, and the flag of Castile waves over thé fort of San Juan d’Ulloa and tho public edifices of the town. Strange to say, the castle contained one hundred rifled cannon of newest pattern, and yet wag surrendered without a shot to the invaders. The Diarode la Marina, of Havana, eays:—* This is the first step towards the regeneration of the degraded tepublio of Mexico.” But it seally ~' * Sst WEW YEAR'S DAY OW THE (0 ~° blow eguinst the independence oi Mexioo-" "* first step towards her complete subjuga‘ion- The Spanish armies will advance upon the ois of | Mexico and take military possession of the whole country. It does not appear that any French or English troops were present during the land- ing of the Spanish force, but there can be no doubt that Spain is backed by England and France, and that they will sustain her with their arms, if nocessary, though, for obvi- ous reasons, they wish to have it appear that the expedition is purely Spanish. The real design of the whole proceeding is a death blow to the Monroe doctrine, and the opportunity of our domestic troubles is taken advantage of to initiate schemes of European en- croachment upon the American continent, which it is fondly hoped will at last be consummated by the partition of the republic among the royal robbers after the model of Poland. All that our government can do at present is to protest against the aggression. But the day will come when that protest will be made good with something sterner than mere words. Wuoxesare Aponrrion Joppinc—Greeiey’s Enporsement or I7.—A few days ago the chief organ of abolition and of Fremont in this city had along editorial article, in which it de- nounced, in the most unmeasured terms, the official corruption connected with the army, and recommended the shooting of the contrac- tors and the hanging of the officials so high that they might be exhibited asa spectacle and an example to the nation. In reply to this virtu- ous indignation against army corruption in general, but against no individual in particular, we called the attention of our cotemporary to the report of the Van Wyck Committee, and made some extensive extracts from it, giving names, dates and facts, assworn to in the testi- mony. We proved that the most wholesale, flagrant and barefuced jobs were those for which the chieftain of the abolition faction, General Fremont, was directly, officially and personally responsible. We called upon the Tribune to publish the report, in order that its Teaders might see who were the actors in the drama. Instead of publishing it,'the Trivune comes out in a long article defending Fremont and endorsing his atts in general terms, with! out replying to the specific charges which are on official record, and from beginning to end of this article there is no mention whatever of the report of the Investigating Committee of Con- gress. It is as completely ignored as if it did not exist. Will the Joseph Surface of Spruce street spread the report before his readers, or will he continue to suppress it and at the same time play the part of the hypocrite by publish. ing vague, aimless denunciation against fraud and swindling? We venture to predict that the Tribune will never dare to show its readers the Van Wyck report. A Day Wrrnovr a Newsparer.—What an outery is continually heard about lying news- papers! Every one reads them, and every one abuses them. The public treats them as cer_ tain pagans did their gods, alternating between worship, and infliction of the rod. Look, how- ever, at the effect upon the community of a single twenty-four hours, without the informa- tion which the daily press conveys. On the 2d of January no paper was issued, and during the day that intervened between the Ist and the $d the most mischicvyous and absurd reports were promulgated with no authority to con- tradict them. General McClellan was positively asserted to be dead, and the news ran like wild- fire from grog shop to grog shop that General Buell had been routed in a great battle in Ken- tucky. The few who disbelieved had no power of refuting these pernicious stories. Had there been even one of the two hundred and thirty editions of the Express, they might have been put a stop to. As it was they con- tinued until extras were cried through the streets yesterday morning, and ereated, in cer- tain circles, quite a panic. So, after all the railing and abuse with which newspapers are assailed, they are very useful things indeed. They may occasionally be deceived themselves, or fall into errors, but then they are the very first to correct them, and their absence would leave the community at the mercy of every ly- ing quidnune. The loss of them for a single day was sufficient, on Wednesday, to involve the public in total darkness. Axoruen Word Avovt Rewsritin Cmovea- TIoN.—A correspondent of the Journal of Com- merce, from Washington, tells the readers of that paper, that, having felt interested in the controversy respecting the circulation of New York journals, he had taken the trouble to in- quire of the néwspaper agent at the national capital, what The relative proportion was of papers of this city distributed there. He found he says, that there were four of the Heaatp sold’ for one of the Tribune or Times, and that the World bad no circulation at all. The affiliations between the latter paper and Treasury nibblers, make up, we presume, for anything it may suf- fer from the insignificant fact of its baving no readers. Every one who visits Washington knows that there is a perfect scramble every night for the Heratp, while numbers of the other dailies of this cily are sought for at com. paratively rare intervals. And so it is every- where else. A Yovrnrcr Fevaxorsn at Facit—The World takes us to task on some points of finan- cial philosophy. This is exceedingly indiscreet. Is it proper for our youthful contemporary to take us to task, in its babyhood, on so grave a subject? It was only weaned the other day, after having had for man midwife the incom- parable Cummings, concerning whose acocss to two millions of dollars of Treasury pap the report of a Congressional committee has re- cently given us abundant information. The World bad better give us the financial philoso- phy of ite own sucking infancy, with especial reference to the developements of the Van Wyck Committee, before it pokes its juvenile toes into imaginary contact with the corns of its neighbors. ‘Tue “ Ocronoon” at the BROOKLYN AcapEMy oF Musio.— ‘To-morrow afternoon the ‘‘Octoroon”’ will be presented to the Brooklyn people, at tho Academy of Music, Miss Kimberly personating the Octorvon. The house was crowded on New Year’s night, and no doubt the piece will prove equally attractive as an afternoon porform- ‘ance, Our Brooklyn friends noed no longer come to New York to enjoy themselves as long as the Acadomy re ‘mains in their midst. Haraway gives St. Ann’s church for Deaf Mutes a bene. fit this (Friday) evening, at Niblo’s. The church needs gpocial aid at the present time. The deaf mutes are in. ‘@4ted and will receive tickets at the door from the reo- tor of the church. . Mas, Barwer Wiuisams takes a fe roll benefit this evening at Wintor Garden, Mr. and Mrs. Barney Wil- 1 will Lon hema @ of the most A poiradelpaty r) city, ‘Appear noxt a pain oven te Baltiaore. A Namber of Calls Made on the feewPhe Bew Theatre for Ladies—Both Ponds Great Crowd. . Agroeably with the annoincements made on Wednee ay" 29FDIN8, both ponds of thé Central Park were throws open on NOW Year's day for aii use of the skaters. Sooth after dawn (aS Renwick yigy ed the lower pond and hoisted the “Star 4m the, Signal that the ie@ could be used; after WhICE he walked to &"° UPPr pond and. raised the same colors, hauliag down thoaa, "Stinary ban- ner of danger. As soon as the flag was thrown tothe breeze up went the ball, and the signal alt right?” qwaa76iVeD, to tho joy of those who had for soma time waited, nF equipped, on the platforms and steps vf the refreshmen'¢ houses, One man who had made up his mind to be first ‘on the ice, succeeded well, for his runners gcarcely touched the slippery surface before a very tend por. tion of bis body did likewise, to the no small amusement of the by-standers, oneof whom remarked that bethoughs “that stroke very good for the Orst hour of daylight ig 1862.” ‘The ice was not in very good condition, but every visit- er could see the authorities bad done thoir bost to render it as ploasant as possible for the skaters. A theatre has been erected om the north end of the pond for the especial use of the Iadies,who can sit in this building and watch the operations of the skaters on the whole of the upper pond, and be at thesame time sheltered (rom tho northerly winds, The building is about ferty feet Jong, and is fitted up with five rows of scats, urranged one above the other, and capable of Lolding, in the aggregate, about one hundred persons. This arrangement will be much appreciated, from the fact that during last seasom tho ladies had to stand aloug the bank, or scat themselves on the steps leading to the ice, &c., to observe the skaters. In consequence of the thaw that set in yesterday morn- ing, tho upper pond had to bo closed by one o'clock P. M., to prevent danger, but on the lower pond skating was al- lowod till dark. Those who were obliged to leave the former soon made their way to the latter, and no fun was enjoyed. Thore were no accidents throughout the day but one, and that caused more amusement than pain. A boy, ying full tengtd on the ice, was trying to imbibe some of the iiquid element through a hole in the surface, when he mace a slip, and went farther into his drink than he in tended, No great harm done. ‘The number of visiters to the Park on New Yoar’s day was about fifty thousand, ten thousand of whom were spectators only, the reat boing shaters. The scenc was @ lively one. Wo op rits areallowed to be sold on the Park, but should any one slip into the water, and require the stimulant te keep out the cold, it can be procured outside the Park. The nearest place from the upper pond will be by way of the Seventy-second streot gate of the Fifth avenue. In censequence of the thaw there was no skating te speak of on any of the suburban frozen lakes on Now Year's day. SKATING YESTERDAY—BALL UP. ‘The ice in the Central Park was very good yesterday. Both ponds were thrown open for visitors; the ball wat up, and about ton thousand persons enjoyed the pleasuré of skating. The wind was vory high, which would be am a‘ivantage to good skaters, many of whom wee seen scudding under bare poles before the blast. The ladies, howevor, did not, apparently, like the breeze so woll ag the gentlemen did, for but iew were present. Porbaps they were maikng calls. Ther wili be (weather permite ting) skating to-day on beth ponds, and the baii will acain be mounted aloft. The prospects now are better for & good skating season. Arrival of Congressman Ely. HIS RECEPTION BY, AND SPEECH 10, TOE OFFICERS OB THE OLD SIXTY-NINTH AND OTHER CITIZENS—THS UNION PRISONERS TO BR RELEASED, ETC., ETO. Congressman Eiy, of Kochester, recently released from the hands of the rebols at Richmond, having parte’ ken of the hospitalities of the tobacco factory for oves five months, arrived in this city from Washington at eight o'clock last evening. He arrived by the Camdes ‘and Amboy route, and, taking the boat at Camden, pro ceeded to New York, where he was due at six o'clock; but, owing to a low tide and-rough weather, the boat wal unable to make her accustomed landing, and it was fully eight o'clock bofore the distinguished gentleman set foo on shore at the Barclay streot wharf. Here Mr. Jameé Connelly, brother of Lieut. Connelly, of tho Sixty-ninth, who was also a prisoner at Charleston, but is now released; took him into his wagon and drove him to the St Nicholas Hotel, where Mrs. Ely anxiously awaited ho® husband’s arrival. Tho interview was very aifectingg ‘Tho following officers of tho Sixty-ninth were praent pay their respects to Congre:sman Ely, togother with a number of citizens:— Quartermaster Tuily, Captains Kirker and Dempsey: and Lioutenants Breslin, Canton, O'Boyle and O'Hare. A band was present in the vestibule of the St. Niche las,andas soon as Mr. Ely made his appearance the musicians played the ‘‘Star Spangled Banner” and othe; popular airs. ‘About haif-past nine o’clock tho above named delegates from the Sixty-niath regiment proceeded to the room of Mr. Ely, who received them. individually in the moag cordial manner. Quartermaster Tully, on bebalf of the delegation, wel, comed Mr. Ely from bondage in a few appropriate re ki mur Ely responded in a conversational tone. He re marked that between himself and ol Cor+ coran the rig bonds re fmnaaie. guise No one could doubt for a magmen ¢ Colonel's bravery or the ue diace evitcod by him in his present trying conditi He regretted to say that he (Mr. Ely) was the first man who drew for Colonel Corcoran as a hostage for Smith; and he ventured to say that if thero was ro hanging to be done the Co‘cnel would be the first to safe fer. He algo said that the Colone! was in good health and spirits when he last saw him, aud he hoped the day was ‘ot far dist=nt when he would be restored to his family. ‘The delegation then withdrew with hearty expressions for the welfare of Mr. Ely, who sbortly after appeared om tue first landing of the hotel, and addressed those assem- Died to receive him below as follows REMARKS OF CONGRESMAN BLY. Mr. Exy said:—G ao trap sojourn ip distant city 1 . through @ prolonged o Bfinement, to so conduct myself that neither my pa- triotism nor my patience could be calied in question, and Lom rejoiced to believe that this cordial reception is im sy proval of my course. (Cheers.) I hesitate not to ay that, with sight exception, the treatment shown me by my captors has been all that | could look for under the cireumstances, and my release was attended with cour- tesies which i can never forget. Yet language cam- net oxpress to you the eagerness with which, in common She my fellow prisoners in the Richmond tobacco fac- tory, watched “the door that looketh toward the aught every sympathotic menage »¥ Mi people; nor can | describe the re capital substitute Nort ia giadly ey. meopie would and tho flag which a misguided ra.) ‘the greet- but the cireum- for the glorious Stars y ‘Stripes. AS 4 ings of friends aro at all times gratefoy, stances under which we meet to-night add v0 the pleasure with which I receive your congratulations. Tx Fojviced to again staud in the chief city of the Expire State, which has done so much to holpon tho great contest for :he Union and the government. (Cheers.) Even in my itty prisonment I have been constantly reminded of its nobie® gontributions to the army marsbalied in defence of the old flag. (Loud applause.) My prion hours have beeo relieved of much of tlieir tedium by the society of brave soldiers from New York. (Applause.) Corcoran, whe Jed the intrepid Sixty-niath t noble cee's at Ma asses, went with me to Richmond, and there remained for two months, or more, until in close cuntinement af Charlesion. (Choors.) Wod, of your sister city of Brooklyn, war my companion, until dragged toa felon'® cell, to be held fike Corcoran, subject tv the treatmen’ awarded the rebel pirates. ‘To the jent and heroic endurance of these distin uished officers, and that of all the captains (rom Fm pire Stal ell ag those from other parts of the U ear cheerful testimony. (Cheere.) Wehavea inion, I be right to glory in the conduct of these gallant men. On the fleld and in the dungeon they havo never failed to manifest @ spirit of true and uudaunted patriotism worthy the warmest admiration. .) Let us re. metnber them in their lonely eelis, aud hope that at the earlicst moment consistent they may be restored to their homes and friends. (Loud applause.) Geutlemen, 5 am jed that the vast army committed to the trusty hands of General McClellan has too much te do, ‘If 1 have learned anything in tho past it ig that we fight people terribly in earnest, The cry of Palofox at Saratoga— War, even to the kpife’—is etill their cry. Firm in the belief that we seek their subjugation, they have waxed desperate, and neither life nor treasure will be spared to prevent the advance of our arms. A rebollion so extensiveand zealous as that which now reigns throughout the South can _ be overcome by the best and strongest efforts ot @ unit orth. We must, as one man,shoulder to shoulder, heart to Leart, forgetiul of party, of prejudice, of all but country, join with the government in its exertions for the preservation of the republic. Soonly may we, by God's ood help, restore the national banner whence it has bees rudely torn; and, by couquest, win euduriog peace, and establish ovr power to cope with traitors at home as sue- cesafully os we have with foes from abroad, (Loud cheers.) ‘At the conclusion of his brief address the speaker re- tired to his apartinents araid applause. THE PRISONERS TO BE nee nrasrtermasten ‘The Hon. Me. Ely, in conjunction with Murphy, of the Thy ‘oighth New York regiment, who ‘was (nken prisoner at seaay 6 bacon > whe and subsequently escaped, suce Jail, art ant of the govorument at Washington for tho ox change of the following prisone!s bow in Richmond jail. They may be expected to have their freedom in eight or ten days-— Connolly, New York Sixty ninth regiment. Hentensat Booth. se Wisconsin regiment, Joell, New York Seventy-nimth regi- Lieutenant Camp! ment. eoant , New York Second regiment, eutenant Hamblin, New York Second regiment. Captain Mangon, New York seventy: ith regiment. Captain Sprague, Ohio Sevewth regi tain McQuade, New York Thirty-eighth regiment. received to-night thas the last, {gentleman is dead; but an endeavor wi mado, to suvetitute for him Lieutenant Irwin, of the New York, Gacond Foqivacat.] Captaia Hunt, = ae mmm h, New York Fighth regiment. ohan Sil , New York Seventy-ninth regiaeat, who is reported to be on his way home. Tieutonant Hart, Indiana ‘Terentioth regiment,