The New York Herald Newspaper, January 26, 1862, Page 1

, WHOLE NO. 9268. WHAT. THE REBELS THINK OF IT. Description of the Points A cessible of Attack. : THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST i | Hydrography of Albemarle and Pay- Meo Sounds, &e., &e., aad ‘Wasemmaron, Jan. 26,1863. | ‘The government is yet without official information from General Burnside’s expedition, but Assistant Secretary Fox, of the Navy Department, who is better calculated to judge of the position and probable success of the fleet ‘than any other man in the government, is quite confident that the expedition is safe, and hasere this struck a blow 4m rebeldom, at a point which, with the advance of Gen. Buell into Tennessee, will cut off all communication with ‘Virginia and the States south of it. | General McCielian interprets the absence of all news from the expedition by way of Fortress Monroe, under flag of trace, as favorable. If the expedition had proved ‘failure we should have soon heard from it, THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST. the Richmond Dispaton.)} the movements of tho | F H cui il iH I i s 5 4 3 ae me fi filiae Lalutge a ut bl ® iff z i r tie ne sail Esdep i i i i & | tt il i i should he get possession of sounds, of light draft. Roanoke mands the entrance to Albemarle Sound. There large. ‘or how defended we are un- i "Pamlico. He has been, it is said, taking ‘the most iemeasures for the defence of the towns and coast in his district. Much. apprehension exists in the towns reached by the sounds. We have a brief despatch from Murfrees Dorough, which states that the militia of the county ri had ‘been called out in consequence of the appear: of the Burnside expedition on the coast. It states ‘that the notorious C. H. Foster was guiding’ the it. The tion ‘of Roanoke Isiand by tho enemy will very much interrupt the transportation of supplies to Norfolk. But there can be no danger of an attack upon Norfolk from that direction, we imagine. It is to be hoped that if the now famous Burnside, who, like all expeditionary Yankees, is reported to be irrests- tible before the sets sail, really intends to beat up the quarters of the North State, that he will have courage and pluck te leave his ships and give our soldiers a fair shake. Nathing would be more agreeable. With such ‘aa extent of ‘froutier and no navy it would be silly to ex- pect or hepe that no landing could be effected by our ex- ecrable invaders. But when they do land all that we ask is that they:may penetrate into the country, and let us see what stuff they are made of. An invading army should do mo ‘less than this, and to do less betrays either ‘@ want cf confidence in themselves or a dread of our eel- diers. Speculation as to the purpose of Burnside will no dowbt oon be ended by the fact of his procee:tings. The partf ‘the coast of North Carolina menaced by the enemy inclades about half of its ocean front. The sounds im which it ie-supposed he proposes to conduct his opera- tions are rated from the oceau by aspit of sand, wax% a few'very narrow inlets. These sounds are | ‘by ewamps, save here and there points of land 8 little clevaied. ‘The arable land contiguous to the rivera émptyingiinto the sounds is fertile, and produces heavy crops of Indian corn; but the intervening country ehietly consiete-of pine barrens, valuable only for the tar- | pentine yielded so. abundantly by the pine forests. | The towns situated upon the rivers and at or near their | entrance into @he sounds are all-very moderate in size, -apd plain and.alifeshioned. The largest of them is New- ‘Dorn, situated on the Neuse river, some forty miles from southern beneterg thd Pamlicoound. It has a popu- that it toe, be presumed damage to be done if some are Newbern, Washing- the turpentine and lumber be any design simply Sook, to" the “ine le by . If we tothe in- rior, we find @o salient point nearer than Weldon. or @une other locality as far from the Sound, on the Wil- and Weldon Railroad. bi4 seizing the railroad, our communication with the South by that way may be im od. But tihe march to that road, some sixty or eaxenty miles, is ane of difficulty, incurring the danger @f &eing cut off, and nat therefore to be undertaken hight- lyer without some great end in -view, which we can Bardly see possible. ¥, . there is mo émportant Meld of operations in in the westward interior, we Burnside Expedition can be | after, umless it be to threaten Norfolk in the rear. That 38 a@ove on the chessboard that. may present pleasing expectations to our Northern neighbors; but the execu- tion of it is @ very different matter from the planning. Bt willie found that it je easier to take Norfolk in the fear on paper than by the Diemal Swamp, or at this sea- gon seane other dismal routes of swamp, marsh, mud and forest, @it only for the marohes of amphibia. By the canal of,course they canmot come to Norfolk. Any other Hine of march, if not obstructed by natural difculties at this season, is easily defensible. But ance more we suppose Burnside \will soon let us know @hat he means to do. BURNSIDE COMPLETES THE PROGRAMME— READY AT LAST. the Richmond Dispatch, Jan. 23.) ath woven his cvils.’ He hae carofully out for the envelopsment of his victim. The ats Fi i taue Hey { a: 35 if zed? sin inte there, wah the best pe fond military igh little miitys they cat do nothing the wi man they if «onimission, “We are to be assailed between Sevanaah and Charles- on, with all the power and energy of Sherman. ur rail- oad line is be oat, sae our ianeriee eotton Gutriese sa hat quarter penetrat a large ‘army. vandred thousands of slaves are to bees 4 ime that bom gee yd mature a - ~ io Jut Sherman aiready been onthe. Every auspice of the weather hans beamed upon jy enterprise. Tho government has supplied without Shemman and Burnaids are at their allotted | THE CAPTURE OF CEDAR KEYS. Its Geographical Position and Importance. The Mew Military Department of Key West. SKETCH OF THE COMMANDER, &., &e., de. ‘We published yesterday the newa of the capture of. Cedar Keys, Florida, by the Union forces. Tho intelli- gence is from Savannah, Ga., and was brought there by & person direct from Florida. In opder to show at a glance the great importance of the possession of Cedar Keys we publish a map of Florida, which points out its geographical position, showing the Keys, the route of the Florids railways, and all the important points in the neighborhood, both on the Atlantic and Gulf sides of Florids. ‘ Cedar Keys are a group of small islands on the west coast of Florida, situated pear the entrance of the Wacca. sossa Bay, and they are about eighteen miles ‘south or the mouth of the Suwanee river. To add to| ‘heir great importance, they constitute the western ter- minus of the Florida Railroad, and the possession of them by the Union forces completely cuts off one of, if not the the taking of Cedar Keys, has been effectually stopped, and a long and dangerous trip around the cosst is the consequence. 4 Suwaneo river, alluded to above, rises in the Okefinokee Swamp, in Ware county, Georgia, and in its ceurse passes ‘southern extremity Of Madison county. One’of its largest tributaries is the Withlacoochee river, that rises in Irwin county, Georgia, and, flowing southward into Florida, enters the Suwance at the gouthwest extremity of Hamil- ton county. This river can bewery easily watched by a THE NEW YORK HERALD. NEW YORK, SUNDAY, JANUARY 26, 1862. PRICE THREE CENTS. vessel, having daily communication with the. forces at Cedar Keys, stopping all travel in that quarter with the interior. Waccasorsa Bay is in the immediate vicinity of Cedar Keys, and affords a fine harbor for shipping. The town of Waccasossa lies some distance back of the Day. The Florida Railway, the western’end of which is now in our possession, runs across the State of Florida from Fer nandina to Cedar Keys, and affords the only communica tion between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, with the exception of the tedious and by no means safe passage round the State. It was originally built to effect this objéct by ex-Senator Yulee, who now commands the rebel forces at Fernandina. His name was originally Levi, and he is of Jewish extraction; but at the time of his entering the United States Senate, he,"by law of the Legislature, had his name changed from Levi to that of Yulee. Ho has st all times Deon most sntimately connected with the road, and the Prompt stop that has been put to the full passage of the route must be a fearful burthen for bim to bear. The other points in the vicinity are shown with a per- fect clearness, and the value of the position that we have gained by the seizure of Cedar Keys will be apparent by ‘@ careful examination of all the points shown on our map, The holding of one of the ends of the Florida road will stop further communication ina certain measure seross the State by the rebels, and gives us ® position ‘that may be of the most vital importance, THE NEW MILITARY DEPARTMENT OF KEY WEST. According to General Order No. 3, issued from the Ad- Jjutant General’s office, a new military department, to be known ‘ag the: Department of Key Weat, is constituted, with the following bounds:—Key West, tho Tortugas, and ‘the main land on the ‘West coast as far as Apalachicola, to Cape Cansveral on the east coast. Brigadier Gene- J. M. Brannan, of the United. States Volunteers, is as- tothe command. © « SKETCH OF GENERAL BRANNAN. General John M. Brannan isa native of the District of Columbia, and entered the Military Academy as a cadet in September, 1837. He graduated im 1841, and entered the army asa Brevet Second Lieutenant of the Firet ar- tillery on the 1st of July of that year, and was promoted to the First Lieutenancy in March, 1647. He was distin. | through Florida and enters the Gulf of Mexico at the |guisbed tmshe battle of Cerro Gordo, and ‘was appoin Adjutaat in April, 1847. He was brevetod Captain in August, 1848, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the basties.of Contreras and Cheruburco, bis brevet ‘Dearing date Aygust 20,1847. He was severely wounded in the attack ‘Om the De Belen gate on the 18th of September of do same year. He was made a full Captain of,the Fist artillery in November, 1854. In the army lists of 1859, 1860 and 1861 his name stands last but one in the list of captains of the First artillery, immediately preceding the name of Abner Doubleday ; and in the list for September, OPERATIONS AROUND FLORIDA. The Capture of Cedar Keys--The New Military Department of Key West. eu } 1861, his name stands. only two higher in the grade of Promotion as to date of commission. On the 28th of December , 1861, he was appointed a Brigadier General of Volunteers, and on the 5th of December his name was sent in to the Senate by the President for confirmation. stint every appliance he could desire. But he has not adval into the interior. One single feint only has he made, and has been driven back by @ handful of our men, Had he pushed immediately into the énterior on janding, he might have accomplished some important advantage; but he has remained still and inactive so long that the way is now blocked. Our officers speak with entire confidence of :their ability to withstaul him. He has let the golden opportunity slip, and now ‘he must tight hard for every foot of ground that he advances over. He has solaced jhimseif with the belief that, by waiting and striking im concert with his colleagues in South Mississippi, Kentucky and Virginia, he couid still take Lee and his army at disadvatage. But that entire army will be there in his peth, whatever may happen in other quarters, and the time when it is at- tacked can hardly make the differenes between victory and defeat. Next in the grand round we find the expedition of Burnside, which, it seems, is \to strike at the sea- bard towns of North Carolina and cut off our railroad line between Norjolk and Petersburg and Charleston, This seems to ibe the pet naval expedition of the Yankees, from which they are ex- pecting greater results than from all others. So large an armament and so bumerous aibedy. oftroops may in- deed embarrass our cause in Eastern North Carolina; but it is quite certain that, if the Southern people had been allowed to choose the destination of this expedition for theenemy, they would have designated the very one which the enei himseif has ted. The coast of North Carolina, from Norfolk to ‘Wilmington, with its sand islands, shifting inlets and shallow sounds, its dis- smalswamps and everglades, its canebrakes and te bogs, stretching out for miles to the right and of river channels, constitute the most delightful Cretan labyrinth for the confusion and envelopement of an ene- any (© be found the world over. ly means of his vessels of shallow draft he may pene- pees the jungle and reach the firm and more elevated ; but Lyon in that case would be put in very great peril. masses hie:troops, we can mass ‘one likewise, and fight him successfully inland, or con- ne him arm ey ba the narrow channels of the riv- era. If ho scatters his forces, he puts it in our power to attack and beat them in detail. If he eut our railroad.connection with Charleston, abat does not ruin us; for-we shail soon have a better lineunder way far in the interior beyond his reach. scheme it seems is t get into the rear of Norfolk by shallow boats through the Dismal Swamp Canal, and to the railroad bridge at Weldon. The vataral defences of Norfolk, from the Albemarle Sound, are almost perfect, requiring but the slightest assistance of art, amd.as to Weldon, he will find it rather more difficult to reach it than to burn the bridge when there. ‘Ou the whole it may be predicted in safety, in.advance, that the damage to result to us from this.expedition, is not likely to reach one-fourth the cost.af the expedition iteclf to the enemy. The chances are, that for every million of expenditure in its outfit, it will mot inflict handred thousand dollars of damage to ourselves. If she enemy can afford to keep up the war by operations of this sort, jt is mathematically certain that we can afford to suffer our part of the mé without trouble, ‘This Burnside expedition completes the grand designs of McClellan. He is now entirely ready ‘‘to crush out the rebellion and to restore the Union.” The chanees.of suc- cos are against him. We linve scotched the snake on the Potomac; we did the same thing before winter set in in Western Virginia. We did it a the most summary manner on the peninsula in June. It docs not yet appear that we have not done it in Kentucky. The movements of the serpent are too any ve feeble on the coast of Mississippi to “—, decisive steps against him there as yet. We ha acotched the snake at Beaufort. Burnside js the last coil of the reptile, and if we can cripple and destroy him there our troubles may be set down as over; fur the enemy's treasury is now bankrupt, and without some great and brilliant success which will put him in posses- sion of cotton this war ee bie in A Ly! ——) fe have no ions inside; but @ prom; p-} vigorom ray of our people against this favorite oan df Ge ony will carry diemay and despair to qhe heart of the North. The Reported Peace Propositions. @umors have been current at Springfield and St. Louis that propositions of peace have been offered by Jeff. Davis to the administration, as well as to England apd France, ‘These reported propositions are as follows:— 1 ition of the Bout confederacy. 2; Absclate free trade between Northern sad Southera 3. Aurogation of the Fugitive Slave law & inuroduction of coslse Inbar to Sousern In addition to the above, a gentleman mony, St. Louis, in @ high official je the authority the stetement that he Union officers who claim Inferesting from Cairo. Caino, Jan. 25,3962. Since the return of the Union troops from Kertacky « detachment of rebel cavalry has visited Blandvilie and removed the county records to Columbus. ‘Tho Fifty-third [ilinot regiment and the Seventh lows regiment left to-lay for Smith's Lagding, at the mouth of the Cumberland river. NEWS FROM KENTUCKY, THE BATTLE OF MILL SPRING. Levisvmix, Ky.. Jan. 25, 1862. At Logan Cross Roads an the 15th instant the First Tennessee regiment was mext to the Tenth Indiana regi- ment, but tho fermer was ordered, with the Second Tennessee and Twelfth Kentucky regiments, to hold the Cross Roads, and therefore was not in tbe thickest or the fight. The report which has prevailed that Colonel Fry wa killed is false. ‘The wounds of Lieutenant Burt and Colonel M’Cook are not-serious, ‘Wotmore’s battery, attached to the Twelfth brigades Gemeral Carter, did most essential serviee in the field and in front of the enemy’s intrenchments, Ou Bunday evening the rebels in retreating burned four Gun carriages at Montinello, but their cannon and guns are scattered all over their track. General Thomas’ forces have not yet been heard from: It is enpposed that he will occupy Monticello. THE BODIES OF GEN. ZOLLICOFFER AND BALIE PEYTON, JR., EMBALMED. Lovisenix, Ky., Jan. 24, 1862. The ‘bodies of General Zollicoffer and Balie Peyton, Jr, ape in process of embalming ab Somerset. All ia.quiet below. NEWS FROM CENTRAL KENTUCKY. [Correspondence of a Louisville Paper.) Mowroupsviix, Ky., Jan. 20, 1862. ‘The flowing is a correct list of the staff of General Schoepff's brigade:— Brigadier General—Albin Schoepff. ‘Assistant Adjutant G tain T. S. Everett. Brigade Surgeon—Major W y Locusvitix, Ky., Dec. 30, 1961. (Extract. . * * * * . IV.—All officers arriving in the city will report in per- so darter, their samwes ond state the ob. t of their prosonce and the authority therefor. transient soldiers will report to the command: at the barracks. ‘By command of Brigadier General Buell. JAMES B. FRY, Acting Adjutant General Chief of Staff. Official—Oxrver D. Green, Acting Adjutant General. All ing ofeer News from the Rebel States. Camo, Jan. 25, 1862. By a flag of truce, copies of the Memphis Appeal of the 16th, 18th and 22d of January are received, from which we extract the following:— ‘The Little Rock Journal of the 17th inst., says that General Frost, the Camp Jackson prisoner, who has been on parole, is now at Jacksonport with one hundred ad- herents, awaiting recruits to join his gallant old chief, Sterling Price. ‘The British residents of Mobile have organized into « company for home defence. ‘The Confederate News, of Columbus, of the 16th inst., nas the following:— Colonel Neally’s regiment and Kendall's battalion left yesterday for Mayfield creek to search for Lincolnites. jt also intimates that half a million of dollars will be ent to that place for the payment of the troops, A letter from Richmend, dated the 16th inst., states that John K. Jackson, Colonel of the Fifth Georgia regi- ment, has been appointed a Brigadier General, and is in command at Pensacola. The Memphis papers do not contain @ word about the battle at Somerset, Ky., and the defeat and death of Gen. ‘Taliseoffer. ‘The Memphis papers aleo say that federal money is at twenty-five per cent discount in New York. Governor Jackson was a¢ Mew Orleans the week before dant. Jeff. Thompeon has again appeared on the Missouri border. He visited Commerce yesterday, with a force of eight hundred men, completely sacking the honges of the Union citizens of that place. An expedition wil; eave Bird’s Poms this evoning i» pursuit of the ma- radttiore. DISASTROUS FIRE IN BRIDGE STREET. ‘Potal Destruction of a Five Story Storage Store=Loss about $300,000—Terrific Ex- Plosion—Several firemen Injured, &c. About five o’clock last evening smoke was discovered issuing from the third @oor of the storage store No. 2 Bridge street, running through to Pearl street, owned by R.H. Wyatt, The alarm was promptly given, and the firemen were soon at the premises, but owing to the crowded condition of the floors they were unable to get the water directly upon the flames. The fire burned fiercely, and soon extended to the upper floors and from one end of the building to the other, when it became evi- dent that the entire building and its contents would be destroyed, notwithstanding tho indefatigable exertions of the firemen. About eight o'clock, when the fire had extended into the cellar, an explosion took place with terrific force, in- Juring several firemen. On Pearl street the windows of the opposite buildings were shattered, and about twenty firemen knocked down; fortunately,only one man was injured, named Louis Hart, Foreman ef No.1 Hose. Ho was severely injured in bis leg. Considerable consterna- tion existed for a time, as it was feared that others were also injured. (On Bridge street the explosion wes of more apparent force. The cornice andgutter ef a building on the op- Posite side of the street was torn off, and several large pleces of timber thrown into the yard. Between twenty ‘and thirty persons were knocked down, and others con- siderably frightened. Assistant Engineer Wm. Hacket received a severe contusion in his leg. He was taken home by his friends. Messrs. Harrington and Doanell, members of No. 6 engine, were each considerably bruised, and a member of No. 5 Engine had his Jeg. broken. There were other firemen more or less injured, but we could not jearn their names. Another of the Assistant Engineers had his lantern knocked into pieces, leaving the ring on his arm and tearing his coat, but for, tunately without doing him any injury. The explosion, it is supposed, was caused by whiskey stored in the cellar, of which, it is said, there wore nearly 2,000 barrels. At about eloven o’clock the wall on Pear! street fell thus completing the destruction of the warehouse and its contents, which six hours before contained perhaps half a million dollars worth of goods. The owner of the store, Mr. Wyatt, resides at Factoryville, Staten Island. He left the city by the four o’clock boat, consequently our reporter could obtain no particulars as to the owners of the goods nor the insurances, nor the value of the Property destroyed. Tho total loss, however, it is said, cannot be less than $300,000, and it is supposed to be fully insured in city insurance companies. How the fire originated or from what cause is not known at present. Arrival of the City of New York at Hali- fax—The Steamship Canada. Hauiax, Jan. 25, 1962. ‘The steamship City of New York, from Liverpool on the 8th, via Queenstown on the 9th instant, arrived here at twelve o'clock last night. Her news has alrea dy boen telegraphed over tho wires from St. Johns, N. F. The steamship Canada, from Boston, also arrived here at twelve o'clock last night. She reports experiencing very heavy weather, She sailed at four o'clock this morning for Liverpool. The Eighth New Hampshire Regiment. Boston, Jan. 26, 1862. The Eighth New Hampshire regiment, Colonel Fearing, arrived from Manchester this afternoon, and is tempora- rily quartered in Faneuil Hall. The storm prevented tho transportation of the regimen, to Fort Independence. Non-Arrival of the Old Point Boat at Baltimore. Barons, Jan. 25—10 P. M. ‘The boat from Old Point has not yet arrived here. She is undoubtedly detained by the storm. Obituary. Mrs. Carnarixe Anmw died in Baltimore, on the 21st inat., aged 118 years. She hal been confined to her bed for three years. Mrs. Arbin was born in Philadelphia in 1744, and ‘lived to soe her fitth generation, with great greatgrandchildren. Her youngest child is now living, at the age of about 78 years. Her fathor, who was ot Ballunove, was at the battle of Bunker Hill. Abrabam Storm, a wealthy and prominen’ citizen, died at‘ his residenco in Iarrytown on the 22d inst. EFFECTS OF THE RECENT STORM. A terrific storm of wind from the northeast, accom- panied by a fall of snow, sleet, hail and rain, set in on Friday evening, about nine o’clock, and continued up toa late hour yesterday, causing considerable damage to property in the city, and to the shipping at anchor in the bay. Asa natural consequence, the city yesterday pre- sented a most dreary and desolate appearance. The wind, which whistled through the streets with the utmost fury, drove signs, awnings, baskets and ashes boxes about without any respect for persons or places, and the snow, which had fallen pretty heavily during the night previous, kept constantly dissolving into the most impassab!e slush and muddle puddles. Wa- terproof boots, overshoes and india rubber coats were powerless against the penetrating effects of the thawing snow and driving rain, and few could stand upright ex- cept such as might have been accustomed to feats of zam- Pillaerostation, The streets fronting on or near the rivers on the north and east sides of the city, were pretty well flooded, and basements, cellars, &c., were of course mado tenantless by the influx of water. The old fogy stages wore even slower than usual in thoir rate of locomotion; and even the city railroads, in default of the salt sprinkling, were driven to the use of snow plooghs to clear the tracks of the resisting barriers. Some of the cars could scarcely got along with six horses. The tides ia the North, East and Harlem rivers, were very high, overflowing many of the piers and docks, and sweeping away a large amount of valuable property. We are in- formed that the pressroom of the Journal of Commerce was so extensively flooded that the ordinary presses could not be worked, and printing accommodations had to be found elsewhere. At high water yesterday great difficulty was expe- rienced in getting teams on board at the various ferries, in consequence of the ascent of the bridges. ‘The ship De Witt Clinton, at anchor in the North river, ‘was in contact with the ship Marmion, and sufferea some in her upper spars, losing her foretopgallant mast, &c, The ship Elwood Walter, with troops on board, lying at anchor at Quarantine, collided with the ship Autocrat; but by the assistance of the steamtug Achilles they were separated without damage. Most of the vessels in the North river dragged anchors, The screw steamor Osprey, Capt. Kenny, from Provi- dence, arrived yesterday morning at half-past eight o'clock, reported the gale at east northeast in Long Irland Sound, and very heavy. ‘The Sound steamers City of Boston and Bay State did not arrive at the city tilt half-past four P. M., and the Metropolis at seven P.M. Tho City of Boston left on her return at half-past five, the others probably during the night, THE STORM IN BOSTON. Boston, Jan. 26, 1862. Anevere storm of sleet and snow commenced last night, which changed into rain this morning, and which con. tinues to fall heavily. Boston, Jan. 25—0 P. M. The severe rain storm still continues here, rapidly melting the snow in the streets, which present the ap- pearance of a minature deluge. ‘TREMENDOUS GALE IN WESTERN VERMONT. Troy, Jan. 25, 1862, A tremendous gale prevailed all through Western Ver- mont this morning. As the train which left Troy for Rutland at s quarter past seven A.M. was five or six miles above Bennington, in the town of Shaftsbury, Vt., it encountered the gale while passing an embankment about thirty feet high. One of the cars was broken from the coupling and thrown by the force of the wind down the embankment. Dr. H. Dwight, of Boston,» passen- gor, was instantly killed, John Robinson, the road master, was severely injured and will not survive. One other man and two ladies were slightly injured, Rvorewent.—The citizens of Newark, N.J., have been thrown into a state of excitement by the discovery of an elopement, which took place last week. I that the gay Fothario ts « Seot-hman, a married man and father of « famfl: cooming enamored of a German woman, obtained !: © | t flee with him to other climes.’ The gai' + tiving completed all their ie wi susp cion of their in- tom New way to family wh irday Iwet, and @e HOW un t nis Algo married, and lea o Kurope. | behind her, NEWS FROM THE SOUTH. Falsification of the Federal War Policy. THE MENDACITY OF THE SOUTHERN PRESS Proposal to Obstruct the Southern Rivers and Harbors. Account of the Late Fight at Prestonburg. GOVERNOR LETCHER ON A SPREE- He Gets Drunk and Makes a Beast of Himself. Another Rat Hole Fleet Off Charleston Bar. Subscriptions to the Cotton Loan Falling Off. Stampede of the Rebels on the Lake Coast of Louisiana. ‘Telegraphic Despatches to Rebel Newspapers, ae, Ree, ke. ‘We have received another interesting collection of late Southern newspapers, among which are the following:— impliedly recognized by the refusal to restrain it. ‘The Northern government assert a prerogative which was ex- preesly refused, and is, therefore, clearly usurped. And with this further diference—the Confede- rate States have fullen back upon their rights of sovereignty solely for the promoticn of the safety and happiness of their people—eacred objects of every government. ‘They simply retired from an unpro- pitious ip. ‘They committed no aggression on the remaining partners, and designed none. They de- sired*peace. They wished to leave peace behind, and to Ty peace with them, The Northern States, however, are not asserting their separate rights, and the full enjoyment of their own resources ior ‘happiness ai rosperity—they are not assailed; but they are fightyng for the aavaniages which they deriv: tion with us. Our motiveis liberty—their's is rapacity. They, thereiore, assert dominion over us. independence acknowledged, they avsail ours. The Union which their injestice vestreyed, their avarice aud their Just of power would replace by the sword of conquest. It anpears, therefore, that if we are possibly liable to the charge of revolution, the North certainly is; that our Tevolution was an aggression upon no ono, and had in view a good purpose and aicred duty; while that of the North cousists in the usurpation of power for purposes of aggression, and with design to aid to their own resources by taxing ours, The spirit of our revolution was patriot- ism, and the banner was peace; the spirit of theirs is tyranny and robbery, and their banner the pirate’s tag. Tt is thus that we stand betore the world. If our revolution secesd, a new coniederacy takes its: stand among the nations of the earth, prosperous and happy, and contributing to the prosperity of others. The Corona Australis will shine among the constellations. ‘The North will be left to test in peace the eflicacy of those ideas of which she is enamored. But if the revo- lution of the North succeed, the world will have gone back more degrees than were marked on the dial of Ahaz. America will witness the novel sight of one peo- ple ruling and ing and plundering auother, and unit, utterly impossible of disintegration for any cause. ‘The constitution will have been replaced by a despotism, of which numbers wit! be king and the Northern mob the interpre tolerabie that the ingenuity of man could devise: such rulers, the most odious and disgusting that foot on the neck of the unfortunate, the South pealed to Heaven , and is standing on her deliverance. ‘Where is the man, woman or child, in all our bounds, who has not said, and does not say, in all resolve, and from the utmost de; of the soul—nail Eig to the mast, and let us win this fignt or go down fighting. Who is he that does not spurn vory idea of yielding the struggle, and recoil from the infamy ‘would follow ns from the bedy of death? And how have these our enemies prosccut waged agetast us without authority, and sigue? They claim that we are their fellow citizens they deny us the rights of citizens. They hold hardships of belligerents, but they deny us the belligerents. They view Us in both charactess, for pur- poses of and cruelty, but in neither as respects their duties towards us. Holding us.as enemics thoy blockade our ports, they pillage farms, seizo private pro- perty, burn dwellings, and send vast fleets and armies to destroy us. Holding us as citizens, they imprison non- combatants, arrest us on the charge of treason, and claim the right to try for their lives those found with arms in their hands, Nay, going beyond the cal usages of the most they arrest men without a charge. telling them wherefore, or giving them « heart hurry them away to distant prisons. They seize them while in the performance*ef sworn pubhe take nae at fon pe oe oe eit families. ‘The; this without law and against law. Nay, carr: ferocity into those precincts hitherto sacred by} fame of a Haynau, they thus arrest and thus imprison helpless women, and visit upon them disgust indecencics. In one thing they have halted for a time, have not yet ap ied the Inch: Jet them have the af F to eo =~ that the little children have es- caped the attentions of this paternal t. Babes have been stopped in the streets of Baltimore, in ibe armn of their nurses, because the colors of their ee as. i i Slidell, the Northern gavernment claim that they were trai itizens and that they contraband of war. They acted, however, without either manicipal or belligerent license. The deed over which the government exuited and the mob roared with delight was perpetrated and applauded through malice and wa