The New York Herald Newspaper, February 1, 1862, Page 6

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR, queens N. W. COBNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. Volume. xxvu. WINTER GARDEN, Broadway.—N Puovcuts. SALLACES THEATRE, No. 84 Broadway.—Tax Roap 0 kuin. LAURA KEENE’S THEATRE, Broadway.-Ovr Aent- ean Cousin. WEW BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery,—Cuenny ap Farr Brae—Dominique, THE DeskKTER—SuVEN Escares. BOWERY THEAT) ones. Alternoon and Eve. BARNUM' S$ AMERICAN MUSEUM, Broadway.—Day ae a Bvouing.—Onvina—Hirrorotanus, WHALs, AND OTHER C BRYANTS’ MINSTRELS, Mechanics’ Hall, 472 Broad- ‘Way.—W ano Struck Bity PATTERSON. HOOLEY’S MINSTRELS, Stuyvesant Institute, No. 659 Broadway.—Emuioriax Sones, Daxers. &¢. MELODEON CONCERT HALL, No. 539 Broadway. Bones, Dances, Buareseuxs, &c.—HoLipar tw iexuano. Bowory.-StICRxE3'S Nationan —Soxas, CANTERBURY MUSIO HALL, 58 Broadway. uRLEsQuas, &c.—Mazvia, THE NiGuT Own, - Dances, Br GAIETIES CONCERT ROOM, $18 Broadway.—Daawina Room Extuntainaxn: ms, BALLETS, P /ANTOMIMES, FARCES. ac. AMERICAN MUSIC HALL, 444 Broadway. —Sonas, Bar 37s, Pantowmes, &c.—P oR) i PAINTER. ORYSTAL PALACB CO: T HALL, No. 45 Bowery.— Bueiesyuus, Sonas, Daxcr: ~O' FLANAGAN AT THE Fain PARISIAN CABINET OF Wrox Broadway.— Open daily from 10 A. M. till pune a Sones. Dancis, ome HALL, “66 Broadway.—BuR.esques February 1,1 1368 . THE SITU. ATION. The recent successful achievement of Commo- dore Dupont’s and General Sherman's expedi- tion, in cutting off all connection between the city of Savannah and its principle defence—Fort Pulaski—may be expected to be followed up by still further important movements upon the fort and Savannah. The intelligence of this brilliant coup, which we published exclusively in our col- ‘umns yesterday morning, it must be remembered, comes from rebel sources—namely, despatches to the Richmond papers from Savannah and Augusta, Ga., and it may, therefore, be fairly estimated that the advantages gained by our troops are not exaggerated, and that when official reports reach us from the fleet itself we shall find the success still more complete. By later des- patehes from Savannah it appears that a fleet of emall vessels laden with provisions, and command: ed by the rebel Commodore Tatnall, was on its ‘way to supply Fort Pulaski when our fieet opened Gre on them, and after an engagement of only forty minutes the rebel veasels were beaten and returned towards Savannah. Undoubtedly our own side of the story will develope even a worse condition of things for the rebels than their organs ‘are disposed to admit. While the plans of General McClellan are being carried out at all points, after the fashion of the anaconda’s embrace—as described by the leading rebel organ at Richmond—the movements of the Army of the Potomac are still retarded by the miser- able condition of ther oads, which absolutely pro- hibits the advance of artillery, cavalry, or wagons Of stores and ammunition. Hence we have nothing of moment to record from that portion of the theatre of war to-day. General Butler's expedition, with the troops on board the Constitution, has been ordered to leave Hampton Roads as soon as possible for Ship Island, at the mouth of the Mississippi, and it is not improbable that she will start to-morrow. The men are now in excellent health, after their brie® Test at Fortress Monroe. The government is actively engaged in forward- ing projects for the capture of the rebel privateer Sumter, which has just been compelled by the Spanisk government to leave Cadiz, and has gone for protection to Gibraltar. Four steamers and three sailing vessels are now put on her track, and the Constellation is fitting out at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for the same duty. The career of this mischievous pirate will, therefore, probably be wery soon brought to a close. We are in possession of another interesting col lection of Southern news from late rebel news- papers. The Richmond Dispatch of the 29th has an elaborate editorial on England and the South- ern confederacy. It says that the only party in England which has hitherto presented any oppo- sition to the recognition of the Southern cause is the small, but mischievous, faction which is repre- sented by Exeter Hall, but which, even in that quarter, has been ‘much less considera- ble than was expected. It thinks that England never was so powerful as now; that with France as her cordial ally, she is mistress of the world; and if she avails herself of the golden opportunity presented in the present war: she will place her power and prosperity on a foundation that bids fair to remain immovable to the end of time. The Dispatch thinks that to sup- pose England will forego such an opportunity is to suppose she has no eyes to discern her own wel- fare, no heart to sympathize with herself, and no hand to strike at her enemies. The article con- cludes with the belief that England will yet recog- nise the rebel confederacy, and open the federal blockade. From the Bowling Green correspondence of the game paper, under date of the 22d ult., we learn that General Floyd has been assigned to the com- msnd of a division of the rebel army, and will leave Bowling Green in a few days for an “important point.” The correspondent denies that General Marshall’s command has been @sbanded. On the contrary, he insists that he gained an important advantage over Colonel Gar- field’s Union force. The Dispatch admits that the aggregate force of the rebels now in the field is but two hundred and fifty thousand, and thinks it good policy for tho rebels to employ a smaller force than the federals, By so doing it insists that they can husband the men, supplies and finances, in proportion as the federals lavish and waste theirs, It thinks that they can keep the number already mentioned in the field thronghont the war without trouble or exhaustion of their strength. The same paper states that the dividing line between the North and South is in a fair way to be determined by agencies more potential than military force. It suggests that the natural boundary between the two Powers would, in the absence of other causes, be settled by the condi- NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1862. tion of slavery; and, except in the case of Dele- ware, the slave States would all go to one side, while the free States went to the other. Aserious accident occurred in Richmond on the 27th ult, by the explosion of a government laboratory, which was attended with fatal results. With reference to the operations of our stone fleet, the Charleston Cowrier says:—“On the 25th inst., the weather having moderated, some of the steamers of the Lincoln fleet towed to a position on or near the Rattlesnake Shoal several of their old hulks, which were soon afterwards sunk. They continued this work up to yesterday evening, when they had placed five of their wrecks on the bottom and had four others ready, which were no doubt filled with water on the 26th.’’ The steamship Cahawba, which arrived at “this port day before yesterday from Port Royal, towed two of the second stone fleet from the lat- ter place to Charleston bar, where she ar- rived on the 25th ult., as stated in the Charleston Courier. A heavy gale springing up from the northeast, and the weather being thick and squally, the sinking of the hulks was delayed until the following day. On the 26th, those in charge of the stone hylks commenced dismasting and sinking them in Moffet’s channel, so as to form a more perfect blockade. Some time was spent in sounding out the channel, which was done by the gunboat Pocahontas, and boats manned by the navy. The steamers Cahawba and Marion com. menced towing the vessels to their respective places, but the steamers, finding that they drew too much water, were compelled to anchor them near the Rattle Snake shoals. Up to the time that the Cahawba left, they had sunk six out of the fourteen, ,and were to sink the remainder that night. The Africa brings very important intelligence, dated on the 19th instant (two days later), relative to the new phase in which the rulers of England and France were then disposed to consider the American war question, with a view to founding a basis for a common line of policy towards this country while engaged in the suppression of the Southern rebellion, The Mason and Slidell case having come to an end, the ‘‘ Allies’? now vehemently object to the stone fleet blockade of Charleston harbor, and hint that in consequence of this act the entire blockade of the Southern ports is likely to be im- pugned by the great Powers of Europe, with a view to its annihilation. Farther than this England has openly broached the idea of an Anglo-French “intervention” in our afftirs, having for its object the “ pacifica- tion of the federal and Confederate States of North America.’” In support of this the London Observer—a government organ—at the latest mo- ment, cites the precedent set in the case of the in- terference of England, France and Russia in order to putan end to the war between Greece and Turkey in 1827. The writer ominously reminds us that the refusal of Turkey to accede to the propo” sitions of the neutrals brought on the battle of Navarino, in which the Turkish fleet was destroyed. It is alleged that the rebels of the South will glad- ly accept of this intervention, and it is left, as we interpret it, to be inferred that the recusant sec- tion of North America will be regarded as the Turkey of the present day. The tone of all the English journals points to a speedy objection to the blockade, an attempt at a direct European in- tervention on this continent, and a recognition of the independence of the South by France and England. One of our Paris correspondents reiterates his opinion that Napoleon will take the lead in this matter, and, judging from the articles in the Paris Moniteur with reference to the blockade, and the compliments paid to the Emperor by the London papers for his action on the American question, we entertain the opinion that his Imperial Majes- ty’s mind inclines in favor of the rebel cause. Liverpool still continued to be placarded with papers calling on the people not to accord any public reception to Mason and Slidell. The pre- sence of Slidell was anxieusly looked for in Paris» while the London Herald, the organ of the opposi- tion, attempts a defence of the public character and conduct of both the envoys, in order to render them acceptable to the people of the two countries. England is progressing with her preparations for an immense naval and military display in South America. Twelve hundred tons of shell and shot were shipped at Woolwich, on the 17th inst., for Canada, and a number of transports were lying off in order to take a like freight on board. Orders had been given for the manufacture of two mil- lions of Minie bullets weekly at Woolwich, to go on until countermanded. Admiral Sir R. Dacres, in the frigate Edgar, ia to join Admiral Milne at Halifax. The British government has removed the pro- hibition of the export of saltpetre. The financial policy of Secretary Chase is again assailed in the most vehement manner by the lead- ng London journals. CONGRESS. In the Senate yesterday, a petition in favor of a bankrupt law, and several in favor of emancipating slaves, were presented and referred. Resolutions of the Legislature of Towa, in favor of an armory at Rock Island, Illincis, were presented. The bill striking the names of rebels from the pension roll was passed. The bill providing for the inspection by naval officers of troop transports was also passed. The bill prohibiting American citizens from engaging in the Coolie traffic was passed. The report of the Conference Committee on the Consular and Diplomatic Appropriation bill was accepted, and the bill passed. The joint reso- lation appropriating thirty-five thousand dollars for the conveyance of articles for exhibition at the London World's Fair was discussed, and rejected by a vote of 17 yeas against 22 nays. A bill to secure the completion of the Southwest branch of the Pacific Railroad was introduced and referred. The consideration of the resolution relative to the expulsion of Senator Bright was then resumed, and Messrs. Johnson, of Tonnessee; Foster of Connecticut, and Kennedy, of Maryland, made speeches on the subject. In the House of Representatives, the considera tion of the Treasury Note bill was postponed till Monday morning next. The Indian and Post Omco Appropriation bills were reported and referred, and the Consular and Diplomatic Appropriation bill passed. The Committee on Commerce were directed to inquire as to the expediency of pro- hibiting the exportation of oak timber. Resolu- tions were adopted calling on the Secretary of the Treasury for a copy of the contract for the general delivery of foreign goods in New York, and for @ statement of the salary, fees and perquisites of the Collector, Surveyor and Naval Officer of the port of New York during the four years preceding the commencement of the term of the present incumbents of those offices. The Commit- tee on Military Affairs were instructed to inquire into the expediency of placing contracts for army and navy supplies, including arms, under the rule and government of military law, or the rules and articles for the government of the navy, with power to punish for fraud and infidelity. Resolutions from the Legislature of New York relative to taxation were referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. The Committee on the Judiciary presented a report, accompanied by a resolution, that the se- veral railroad companies which have received from States grants of public lands made by acts of Congress for the purpose of aiding in the construc. tion of the roads of such companies respectively, are required to transport the property and troops of the United States over their roads free of toll and all other charges whatsoever. A brief debate ensued, but no vote was taken. In Committee of the Whole Mr, Kelly, of Pennsylvania, delivered a speech complaining of the tardy manner in which the war is conducted. Mr. Dunlap, of Kentucky, in the course of his remarks on the object of the war, stated that at the extra session in July there was no intimation or declaration here that this war was to put down slavery. When {five Illinois regiments were told that this was the object they stacked their arms, saying that they were called out only to suppress the rebellion. Mr. Arnold, of Minois, thought there was a mistake about that, and believed it not true. Mr. Dunlap gave Colonel Logan, a member from Illinois, as authority for his statement. Mr. Menzies, of Kentucky, confirmed this by saying that Mr. Logan privately so stated inthe presence of half a dozen members of the House. Both houses adjourned till Monday. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. In the State Senate yesterday, several petition, were presented; among them one in favor of in- creasing the pay of the volunteers and reducing high salaries of officials. Favorable reports were made on the bills amending the act making appro-, priations for the support of the State government during the current fiscal year; to amend the act for laying out this city north of 155th street; amending the Brooklyn and Newtown Railroad act, and others. A bill for the better protection of gas consumers was noticed. Among the bills intro- duced was a new Metropolitan District Health bill. A message was received from the Governor, in reply to resolutions of the Senate requesting in- formation on certain points with regard to the military affairs of the State. The discussion of the resolution favoring the ex. pulsion of United States Senator Bright was con- tinued at considerable length, and with much spirit; but the Senate adjourned without reaching a vote on the subject. In the Assembly a large number of petitions were presented, of which about a dozen were for the incorporation of “The New York and Brooklyn Carrying Company.” The report of the Quarantine Commissioners was presented. It contains numerous suggestions, which will be found noticed in our report. Nearly the entire morning session was occupied in the continuation of the debate of the national tax resolutions, and they were finally adopted, in about the shape in which they were originally offered, by seventy-nine yeas to twenty-eight nays. The Africa, from Queenstown on the 19th ult., and the Bavaria, from Hamburg and Southampton on the 15th ult., reached this port early yesterday morning. Both vessels experienced most exceed- ingly severe weather, which caused much damage to their upper works, on the voyage. The Bavaria had four men swept from her decks and drowned, and three others disabled from injuries produced by the violence of the storm. The news by the Africa is two days later than that brought out by the Anglo-Saxon. In London the funds on the 17th ult. were dull, and lost a slight improvement which was perceptible on the day previous. Consols closed at 931% a 34 for both money and account. In the dis- count market the demand was rather better. Messrs. Baring, of London, —American + tocks without change or business. The Liverpool cotton market was dull at a decline on the 18th ultimo. The week’s sales made up 40,390 bales. Specula- tors took 17,700 bales. The export demand for American, for shipment to New York, was a very important feature, and in the week amounted to 7,268 bales. Flour was firmer, but still difficult of le. The Emperor Napoleon had been slightly wound- ed in the neck by a few grains of stray shot from the fowling piece of a companion, said to be the Marshal Duke of Magenta. Italian politics were without material change. M.Chigi, the new Papal Nuncio, and a very able man, had arrived in Paris. The Russian persecution of refractory Poles had not abated in Warsaw. ‘The foreign news received by the Africa had the effect of checking sales of cotton yesterday, which were con- fined to about 125 bales, part at 22c. a 32ic., while holders continued to demand full previous prices. The market, howover, was unsettled, and prices regarded as somewhat irregular. The Liverpool brokers’ circular of the 17th January gives 83,000 bales as being at sea from India, and none from America; while last year, at the same time, there were 250,000 bales of American and 85,000 do. India on the way at sea. The aggregate stock in the number of bales was greater than it was last year at tho same time; but in the number of pounds it was less. ‘The Africa's news imparted more animation and firmness to breadstuffy. Flour was more active, and improved full five cents per bb!, Wheat was also in better re- quest and with more doing, while prices wero rather higher. Corn partook of the better feeling, and gales were made at better prices for iots in store. Pork was firm and tolorably active, with sales of new mess at $12 8734 a $13, and of prime mess at $1275 for Western and $13 371; forcity, Prime was at $025 .9$950. Su- gars wore steady, with sales of about 1,250 boxes and 100 hhds., at prices given in avother place. Tho Mesers. Stuart’s prices for thoir refined goods will be found in another column. Coffee was quiet. Freight engagements wero fair, and rates without alteration of moment. Armed European Intervention in the United Stat The news from Europe by the Africa, which we publish to-day, is not only of paramount interest, but sufficient to stir the blood of every American. The republic is threatened with armed intervention in its domestic war by the chief maritime Powers of Europe. Our well informed Paris correspondent—whose letter will be found among our European intel- ligence to-day—says he has information on the highest authority that Napoleon will very soon recognise the independence of the Southern confederacy, and that he has pertinaciously urged this measure upon the English govern- ment. There is good reason to believe that England, afraid to act on her own responsibi- lity, is only too glad to be asked. The Moni- teur of January 19 announces that the number of partisans in England for the recognition of the Southern confederacy increases, and that there is no doubt that many will advocate this measure in the approaching session of Parlia- ment. Indeed, the London Herald strongly urges upon the government the immediate re- cognition of the Confederates, in order that it may have the merit of anticipating the action of Parliament in the same direction. But this is not all. The recognition of independence is only the first step in the programme. France and England are well aware that their mere recognition of the independence of the Southern confederacy would ‘avail but little unless they proceeded by their active in- terference to make good that recognition. They know that the rebellion would soon be crushed if they kept hands off. Hence they are prepar- ing to follow up the first step by a second, and that is armed intervention in our internal affairs. This has been hinted at recently in the British journals, on the ground of humanity, in order to put a stop to the useless effusion of blood, the conquest of the South being an im- possibility; and also on the ground of opening to Europe the trade of the South, closed con- trary to the law of nations by an inefficient pa- per blockade. The “barbarities” of the war in general and “the stone fleet” in particular have been dwelt upon in the most pathetic strains, and Earl Russell himself, it seems has remon- strated with our government on this score. The kindred of John Bull with the people of the slaveholding South has also been urged by the organs of the British aristocracy as a reason for putting a stop to the war. But this was in view of an expected collision between England and the North arising out of the case of the Trent, and, as on this side of the Atlantic we knew that the matter had been | settled, we paid: but little attention to the beastly bellowing of the British lion. Now, however, the case assumes a different aspect. In despite of the settlement of the difference about the Trent question, the hostility continues, and is even aggravated. In fact, scarcely is the ink dry on the London journals an- nouncing the pacific solution of the dis- pute, when the Observer, an organ of the Cabinet, comes out in favor of the armed intervention of France and England “between the federals and confederates of North Ameri- ca,” and quotes the articles of the treaty be- tween England, France and Russia in 1827, agreeing to an intervention to put an end to the war between Turkey and Greece, and traces the successive steps taken by the three Powers with a view to that end—first offering their me diation, and, when Turkey declined their med- dling in her domestic affairs, then pouncing upon her fleet at Navarino. This is highly suggestive, considering the powerful naval forces of France and England now concentrated in the Gulf. But let us ex- amine a little more in detail what the Allies did in the case of Greece, and what the Observer says they will be called upon to repeat in the case of the Confederate States, On the 6th of July, 1827, a treaty was signed between Russia, England and France, the object of which was declared to be “to stop the effu_ sion of blood, and to effect the reconciliation o¢ the Turks and the Greeks.”’ The mediation of the three high contracting Powers was offered for this purpose, and the basis of pacification was to be the practical independence of Greece. An armistice was to be insisted on before the discussion of the terms, and if the Sultan re- jected this intervention the three Powers were to form international relations with the Greeks, by sending and receiving Con- suls, and thereby recognizing the insurgent province as a completely independent State. The offer of these terms was eagerly accepted by the Greeks in their extreme distress, but in dignantly rejected by the Sultan. He stated that the country which it was designed to with- draw from his rule had for centuries formed part of the Ottoman empire, and that those whom the Powers professing friendship to the Turkish government proposed now to treat with were rebels to their lawful sovereign. The Sultan appealed to history as offering no exam- ple of such interference, which was in violation of all principles of legitimate authority, and also of the law of nations, by which every inde pendent Power hasa right to govern its own subjects without the intervention of any foreign Power whatever. He declared, finally, his in- flexible resolution never to renounce his rights- The Sultan was right. In vain we look into the code of the law of nations fur any justifica- tion of such an intervention. The English jurist, Phillimore, indeed, defends it, but ad- mits it to be an exception to general rules. It is a principle which cuts both ways, like a two- edged sword, as the masters of Ireland, India, Canada and Algeria may hereafter discover- Accordingly it was put forward at first faintly and with hesitation by the diplomatists of the great Powers. They stated that their mediation was solicited by one of the contending parties. But the request of one only of two dis- putants is no sufficient ground for in- terference, especially if that party consist of revolted sybjects. Another ground was that they desired to stop the effusion of blood; and the third and main ground was the protection of their commerce in the seas of the Levant against the pirates whom neither Greece nor Turkey could restrain, on account of the civil war. Unfortunately for the validity of these two pretexts, the three Powers inter- vened just when the Sultan had acquired a de- cided ascendency in the war, and when it was clear that in a short time the contest would be over, and the condition of the Levant restored to whatit had been for centuries. It isin a similar crisis that two of these Powers now pro- pose to intervene under similar pretexts. On the 20th of October, 1827, the combined squadrons of England, France and Russia sud- denly and stealthily entered the Bay of Na- varino, where the Turco-Egyptian fleet was moored, and without warning was preparing for hostile action. The Turkish fleet, though overmatched, gave battle, and fought with heroism and desperate valor for four hours, till the Sultan’s magnificent armament was de- stroyed. The result was momentous. Ibrahim, the Sultan’s lieutenant, retired from the Morea to Egypt, with the chief part of his army, and a division of French troops, landing under Mar- shal Naison, completed the independence of Greece. By this “untoward event,” as the Duke of Wellington termed it, Turkey was left defenceless before Russia, and it cost within the last few years a bloody war with the Muscovite by his former allies who had helped him to ac- complish it. This intervention was the less excusable as the Allies had but recently interfered to put down another revolution in Europe. In the case of Belgium and Holland, in 1830, they encouraged the revolution, and, by recognizing the inde- pendence of Belgium, violated their own treaty of Vienna, by which they had guaranteed the union of those two States—that treaty by which the royal robbers of Europe had cut up and parcelled out kingdoms at pleasure. In the troubled waters of China these allieg recently fished. They are now interfering in Mexico, exhausted by her long wars; and they propose to interfere next in the United States, when they are not exhausted at all, but are on the eve of crushing the rebellion—the very consummation they want to prevent. Their policy is to break up a powerful maritime rival, and to give a blow to democracy. Their motto is divide et impera; and so they intend to play over again the game they played in Greece. The Observer remarks that there will be no Navarino this time, because, forsooth, the in- tervention would be gladly accepted by the Confederates, would give satisfaction to every man in the Northern States who has anything to lose, and would be approved by the whole world. Let not the Observer be too sure in its reckoning. That the Confederates, in their des- perate circumstances, would as gladly accept such mediation as did the rebellious Greeks, when they were nearly subdued by Turkey, we have not the slightest doubt. But the parallel is not complete. Turkey is not the United States. There are two sides toa bargain. Let not the organ of the British government imagine that, because we yielded to the demand for the surrender of Mason and Slidell, which was only in accordance with the uniform record of this country, and in harmony with the rights of neutrals, which our statesmen have always ad- vocated, we will therefore tamely submit to an assumption of a right to meddle in our internal. afiairs, contrary to the well established princi. ples of international law. It is not true that foreign intervention would give satisfaction to’ any cgnsiderable number of persons in the Northern States, nor is it true that “the act would be approved by the whole world.” It would be reprobated by the people of every nation as a highhanded outrage, and would only receive the sanction of despots. Turkey was compelled to succumb because she was an effete nation, with the three leading Powers of Europe against her, and with no friends to depend upon for aid. This is not exactly our condition. We are a young and vigorous nation, with vast resources, and, instead of the same three Powers being against us, we will probably have one of them—Russia—on our side. Russia apd the United States would prove more than a match for the two Western Powers. Nor will the Northern Powers—Prussia, Sweden and Denmark—take any pgrt in the lawless Anglo- French movement. “Our government,” says the Observer, “and that of France, will be called upon to repeat what was done in the case of Greece. No one can doubt our power, or the beneficial effect of such an intervention.” That the governments of Fzance and England have already been “called upon” by the emis- sarics of the South to repeat the drama they performed in the case of Greece is extremely probable; but that they will be called upon by a single Northern man we emphatically deny. “None will dispute our power,” quoth the self-complacent journalist. Let him not lay that flattering unction to his soul. It will be disputed to the last extremity. And so far from the effect of such an intervention being “beneficial” in stopping the effusion of blco4, never did blood flow till then; for the area of the strife would be extended all over Europe as well as the continent of America, and all na- tions would mingle in the world-wide conflict. Newspaper Taxation. It is a little surprising that those abolition journals which have been all the while crying “blood,” “give us battles,” “onward to Rich- mond” and the like are now the very first to back down when they are asked to submit to a tax upon newspapers in order to help pay the national piper for his military music. They want all the pomp and circumstance, blood and thunder, battles and sieges of war, but they do not like to pay the shot. We are afraid this is another indication of the fact that abolition editors are as mean and unpatriotic as they are unscrupulous. The abolitionists themselves admit that they have been the cause of this war, and, indeed, are beginning to glory in the mischief they have made. Why, then, are they not willing to pay for it? They have been all along urging the most extreme haste and undue forwardness in our military operations; and they know that hasty movements are always expensive in preparation, (for there is no time for econo- my,) and still more expensive in their exe. cution, or their lack of it. Why, then, do the abolition editors refuse to help pay this ex- pense? They confess that they were wrong in advocating that attack upon Manassas which has added months to the duration and millions to the cost of the war. Why, then, are they so backward in assisting to pay the cost? They know that the imprudent purchases made by themselves, their relatives or friends for the government, and the contract frauds in which either they or their political favorites were in- terested, have increased largely the pecuniary outlay necessary. Why, then, are they unwill. ing to help pay that outlay? Their pockets cannot be at fault; for the abolition journals are always insisting that they are very suc- cessful; that gold pen enterprises do not de- note pecuniary weakness; that the Legislature is not their resort because of any lack of means; that Cummings did not share his army ale with them. What, then, is at fault? Is it their patri- otism ? Why, one who read and believed the siute ments of the abolition newspapers about their desire for war, and about their own prosperity, would have imagined them standing ready and eager to be taxed, as, in certain countries, roaste ducks are said to fly about, carrying knives and forks, and diligently quacking, “Come and eat us!” But, now that Secretary Chase seems dis- posed to avail himself of the kind invitation, the abolition editors change their tune, and cry loudly, “Don’t tax knowledge!” Tax know- ledge! Why, if the newspaper tax were ap- plied—as it ought, in strict justice, to be—only to abolition newspapers, it would not be know- ledge, but ignorance, impudence, vice, immo- rality, fanaticism and trash which would be taxed. If this plea about taxing knowledge is to be raised at all, for the sake of truth and modesty let it be raised by some news- paper which imparts knowledge to the people, and not by the quack doctors of the Times, the spouting financial wretches of the World or the crazy negro-worshippers of the Tribune, whom a tax upon knowledge would never reach, unless, indeed, it were a tax upon knowledge of our army movements, treasonably published for rebel benefit. No, ® tax upon newspapers is justand right, and should be immediately imposed. No pa- triotic newspaper would refuse to pay a quar- ter or a half a cent tax, or more, if required, upon every copy issued. Yor ourselves, we are willing to pay, and to pay without grum- bling, any tax the government may think fit to levy upon our circulation; for the knowledge conveyed by newspapers must and ought to be taxed, in this emergency, just as largely as the knowledge employed in any other busi- ness—and we hold that all sorts of business should be taxed, Let the abolition journals toe the same mark, or quietly decease. Tue Hunter AnD Lane Inprocrio.—We have all along believed that General Jim Lane like the long lane of the proverb, would have a turn, by and by, and General Hunter seems to have given it to him recently. Ina general order, which we published yesterday, Major General Hunter announces that he in- tends taking command of the Southern over- land expedition in person, unless expressly ordered not to do so by the government. This pricks Lane’s balloon nicely. For some time Lane has been bragging that this was “his” ex- pedition, and that he was to command it and do what he pleased with it. Now he sinks into the comparatively insignificant position of one of nine brigadier generals under Major General Hunter. The public could scarcely hear more welcome news. Congress and the country have been disgusted for months with the bragging and boasting, the pompous assumptions, the false reports of conversations with the President and the general Munchausenisms of this swag- gering, jayhawking, bushwhacking border ruf- fian, who has won for himself the appropriate though inelegant nickname of “the blower.” From the style in which ke talked about “his”? plans and “his” soldiers; the way in which he threatened to free and arm all the negroes he met, whether the administration liked it or nots and the manner in which he promised “his” soldiers a negro apiece to enable them to “play gentleman,” it began to be understood that there were two commanders-in-chief of our armies, and that President Lincoln’s com- _ mand ceased at the Mississippi, where Lane's began. We have no doubt that Old Abe, having endured the impertirence of this impu- dent fellow long enough, has a hand or foot in his present summary squelching. As far as the expedition is concerned, Lane knew as little of good generalship as he did of good manners or good grammar, and the public will be glad to hear that the position he assumed is to be filled by an able, experienced and trust- worthy army officer. As for the rest, we trust that Lane and his abolition admirers are be- ginning to learn that the country has a Presi- dent who can make himself obeyed, and a po- licy which is identical at the West and East alike, and in the overland as in any other expe~ dition. It is the general opinion that General Lane talks too much to fight well—barking dogs seldom bite—and we are sure that he will be shot for mutiny if he carries his present tactics into the military service. Fracpvtent Contracrors.—The dishonesty of government contractors is proverbial, and we have had some prominent instances of it in the equipment of the recent naval and. military expeditions to Hatteras Inlet, Port Royal and Pamlico Sound. Wherever an opportunity for defrauding the government presents itself, it seems to be the first rule of a contractor’s conduct to take advantage of it, or, in other words, as the war cannot last for- ever, to make hay while the sun shines. To such an extent has this species of cheating been car- ried that we think it would be avery good thing for the country if immediate effect was given to the proposed bill to hang and confis- cate the property of contractors discovered in the perpetration of frauds resulting in the injury of any portion of the army, such as by the sale of unsound provisions, and to punish with im- prisonment and confiscation of property only those guilty of less serious offences. In the case of the Burnside expedition it has been proved that gross misrepresentation was practised by those furnishing the vessels of the fleet. Mere river freight boats were painted black and called gunboats, and vessels that were said to draw only seven and eight feet had a draft, as was afterwards discovered, of fourteen feet. The water casks turned out, in many instances, to be kerosene oil and cam. phene barrels, and the water they contained was consequently unfit for use. Such vessels as many of the hundred and twenty-five comprising the expedition ought never to have been sent to sea under such circumstances. They were unfit for the purpose, even without the draw- backs of being short of coal, il!-ballasted, and with defective machinery. That the expedition, in all its details, was not more carefully inspect- ed before its departure, isa reproach to the government officials concerned; but for the wil- ful frauds of the contractors implicated there is no excuse, an1 we trust that the matter will be thoroughly investigated, and tbe crimes of con- tractors visited in future with the punishment which such rascality deserves, Mos Goverxment.—So much rer been written by LL.D. Russell and others to fill the minds of the English people with the idea that this country is ruled by a mob, that the absence of any mob interference whatever in the scttle- ment of the affair of the Trent seems to have astonished as well as disappointed the British press, contradicting, as it does, all its predic- tions on the subject. We remember how Mr. Russell prophesied that the mob would not allow Mason and Slidell to be given up, what. ever Mr. Seward might think, and how again he said that if they were given up the Union would be dead from that moment. These predictions have proved quite in keeping with the one telling us that before the end of last December all the banks would be involved in the mael- strom of general financial ruin; or that which he made soon after his arrival in America, to the effect that the North would never be aroused to take up arms against the South. The English journals, finding their repeated assertions contradicted by the pacific and statesmanlike settlement of the Trent difficultys now appear both surprised and disappointed, and fling their abuse at the New York newspa- pers and things American generally. The hos- tility of the English press towards us is, indeed, even more virulent since the receipt of the news of the surrender of Mason and Slidell than It was before. The mob, a favorite nurse- ling of British journals, having proved mythi- cal, they still find plenty of substance to fall back upon, and their attacks upon our institu- tions and press are truly edifying. Rarroap Facinittes Between New York ann Wasnmotoy.—The bill giving the government control over the railroads and telegraphs has both houses of Congress, and only awaits tho President’s signature to become law. Considering the large outlay and the time that would be consumed on the construc- tion of adirect road between New York and Washington, the President should at once de- clare the existing routes military roads, and compel them to connect so as to run through trains, without transfer of passengers or freight, the whole distance. The time occupied in travelling from city to city should not exceed six hours at the outside. ‘This will do for present emergencies. But it will not obviate the neve