The New York Herald Newspaper, March 15, 1862, Page 4

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NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR ‘OFFICE N. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS, TEKWS cash im advance, Money sont ty mail will beatche viske’ the sender, "Noa but Bank bila current in New York Ter Ph or fuse eentenee ain gang Lng $3 per anmwa ; the Moropean ‘Edition te Winery, As cents perecopy; $4 ranma 6 ary part of Great Britain. SeRirnis elfen on the Lo Ith ond het? such month, atsis ‘copy, oF $2 75 per annua. ih PaMiL® HEALD, on Wednesday, at four cents DO Ys Ue tan CORRESPONDENCE, containing important mews, solicited ents : ‘any quarter of the world; #f used, willhe ferally pard for.” Bam OUR FORKIGN CORRESPONDENTS ARE PanticULARLY ReQuns&p 70 SEAL ALL Lerrens anv Pack: AGER SENT OB vo VOTICE taken of anonymous correspondence. Wedono return reiet "ADVERTISEMENTS renewes every sevted in the WEEKLY Human, Famicy 3 advertisements ine RRALD, and in the California and Furopean Editions. JOB PRINTING executed with neainess, cheapness and de AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. NIBLO’S GARDEN, Broadway.—How to Pay tam Rext— CoLteRn Bawa, sed ie WINTER GARDEN, Broadway.—Tae BrLus OF THE Sxason. ~ WALLACK’S THEATRE, No. 84 Broadway.—Loxpox AssuURANCK. LAURA KEENE’S THEATRE, Broadway.—! : cAmvuy; Om, THN PEEP OF Day. pines tba NEW Bol TRE, Bowery.=0'Nean me THEA’ Grear—Co-Lean Bornk—Ow, BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—Sticaner'’s NattoxaL Cimous. Afternoon ani Eveuing. BARNUM’S AMERICAN MUSEUM, Broad Nurt—Livinc wus, Witz, fo. at all Sapax ano, Kavanave, afternoon and evening. CoM Urs BRYANTS' MINSTRELS, Mechanics’ Hall, 472 Broad way.—Down ix OL K-¥-xY, HOOLEY'S MINSTRELS, 8: it Broedway.—Eraiorian Soncs, ent ates, No. 659 MELODEON CONCERT HALL, 539 Broadway. Dances, BuRLksques, &¢.—CoxtRanany CONVENTION, CANTERBURY MUSIC HALL, 585 Broadway.—So: Dances, BuRLEsquxs, £0.—TxavcuRATION Baw - GAIETIES CONCERT ROOM, 616 Broadway.—Daawina Room Byrertainments, Batiets, PANtoMinas, Fances, ao. AMERICAN MUSIC HALL, 44 Broadway.— Yours “Pouicy OFnice— Pave Axe soi ey Os BOLE CRYSTAL PALACE CONCERT HALY, No. wery.— Buuixsaves, Soxas, Daxons, ac.—Fwoceomase en PARISIAN CABINET OF WON!) ‘Broad: Open dally from 10a MUSE. ae OS Broadway. NOVELTY MUST 6 ay jm HALL, 616 Broadway.—Burtrsavss New York, Saturday, March bs, 1962. THE SITUATION. General McClellan reviewed a division of the army in the vicinity of Manassas yesterday after. noon, and as he rode along the lines he was greeted by the most vociferous cheers and the wildest en- thusiasm. The spirit of the army is represented as exceedingly fine. The men are full of anxiety to be led into immediate action. A fugitive from Rappahannock, probably the village on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, thirty-seven miles from Gordonsville, came into the camp of the Ira Harris cavalry yesterday. He statea that there were 40,000 rebel troops in town when he left, and that they continued to pour in wildly and hurriedly, under the impression that the Union army was in pursuit of them. General John- ston and other rebel officers were dining at the tavern when he left. He states that the road from Rappahannock to Manassas is strewed with muskets, knapsacks, haversacks, blankets and provisions, flung away in the retreat, and that gumbers of soldiers lay fainting and exhausted by the roadside. Affairs in the West go on bravely. The Presi- dent received a brief but significant despatch last night from Brigadier General Strong, that “New Madrid is ours.” Hence the advance of General Bragg. with his command of 10,000 rebels from Pensacola, which was supposed to be intended to reinforce New Madrid, comes too late. Despatches from Cairo last night state that the rebels abandoned New Madrid on Thursday even- ing, leaving a quantity of guns and stores behind them. Some fighting took place between the rebel gunboats, under Captain Hollins, and our siege batteries, in which we lost twenty killed and wounded. The loss of the enemy is not known, as they carried off all their dead and wounded with them. It was reported that Island No. 10 had also been evacuated by the rebels. The United States frigate St. Lawrence, from Fortress Monroe, with a portion of the officers and ctews of United States sloop-of-war Cumberland and United States frigate Congress, arrived off the Navy Yard at Philadelphia, yesterday afternoon, where she istorepair damage sustained in the late battle from the rebel iron clad-steamer Mer- rimac. We learn from Winchester that @ portion of our pickets, thrown out on the Strasburg road on Thursday, came into collision witha party of Ashby's rebel cavalry, while our men were moy- ing into the town with some teams laden with hay. The cavalry made no charge upon them, but some shots were exchanged on both sides. Colonel Ashby’s cavalry are supposed to be protecting the rear of General Jackson's army on their retreat to Strasburg. The rebel General was said to be in person at Middletown on Thursday morning, a point five miles north of Strasburg. The Senate appears to be awake to the neces- sity of providing iron-clad war steamers for the gavy. A bill was introduced by Senator Hale, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, yesterday, providing for the construction, under the direc- tion of the Secretary of the Navy, of an iron-clad steam vessel of not less than five or six thousand tons burthen, and of great speed and strength, to be used only as a ram, for which purpose 91,000,000 are to be appropriated; also, $13,000,000 for the construction of iron-clad gunboats, $783,000 for the completion of Stevens’ battery, and $500,000 for extending the facilities of the Washington Navy Yard, so as to roll and forge plates for the armored ships, This is proper measure, and we hope it will meet the prompt acquiescence of both Houses, . The rebel batteries at Aquia creek are not yet silenced. As tho steamer Achilles, from New York, was on her way up the river yesterday, six shots were fired at uer from the batteries on the creek, but they did her no damage, ‘The arrival of the Africa at this port yesterday, from Queenstown, enables us to publish the lead- ing points of the British “Blue Book,’ just sub- mitted to Parliament on the subject of the Ameri- etn blockade. This c.rrespondence shows that ‘the English Consul, Mr. Bunch, at Charleston, re. PoHted that the measure was ineffective, but, with NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1862. this exception, the great weight of evidence fur- nished by the communications of other British | civil officers, with that of several of her naval officers serving off the rebel cost, is in favor of the | excellent manner in which it was enforced. Mr. Mason’s latest letter to Earl Russell, which is given elsewhere, proves to what lengths the rebel agents went in order to im- pugn the blockade in the eyes of the English Cabinet; but Earl Russell’s despatch to Lord Lyons, also published, hag settled the matter fully and fairly in favor of the action of the Union Executive. Lord Lyons’ report to Earl Russell on the subject of the cessation of the system of “stone blockades”’ is also very satisfactory. In the House of Lords Earl Russell, in reply to Lord Carnarvon, stated that the replies of the British Cabinet to foreign ministers in London, on the subject of the blockade, were always given in the spirit of his letter to Lord Lyons. The high tory party of Great Britain, under the lead of the Earl of Derby, was greatly enraged at Lord Palmerston’s policy on this question. In the House of Commons, Lord Palmerston, re- plying to Mr. Wyld, said that at the present mo- ment the United States did not maintain as many guns on the coast of Africa as they were required todo by"treaty; but this was occasioned by the exigencies of the warin which they were engaged. He expressed his conviction that the federal go- vernment was anxious to co-operate effectizely with England in the suppression of the slave trade, and as a proof of its feeling in the matter he alluded to the case of, Gaptain Gordon, then under sentence of death in New York for engaging in the traffic. The rebel Commissioners in Paris are repre. sented as working with all their might to obtain from the French government a formal or even in- direct recognition of the confederation. They were greatly dispirited at the reception which M. Thouvenel gave Mr. Slidell. The home agitation existing in Paris had caused the Emperor to be less communicative with England, and it is said that the idea of intervention in America is post- poned completely for the time being in conse- quence. It was the lieutenant, not the captain, of the Sumter who was arrested at Tangiers. The Liverpool Mercury contains a curious state- ment concerning the affairs of Mexico, The writer cratic tone that he assumed. They said:—‘‘Ce gail. lard Plon-plon c'est un brave garcon. All that he says goes right to the heart. He speaks like an angel."’ The Prince delivered another address in the Senate in opposition to the temporal power of the Pope, &c., notwithstanding we find him the héro of the students, heretofore supposed to be controlled by the clergy also. The want of employment existing in the manufacturing districts, as well as in Paris, taken in connection with the report that the municipality of the capi- tal should suspend most of the public works for want of funds, produced same very significant gatherings of the traders, as well as movements towards those portions of the city rendered fa- mous asthe stand points of former revolutionary outbreaks. The Legislature rejected the proposi- tion of the Emperor for a pension and hereditary dotation to General Montauban, who commanded the French army in China, and this action excited much displeasure in the mind of his Majesty. King Victor Emanuel had recovered from a slight indisposition. The struggle for the over- throw of the Ricasoli Cabinet was about to be re- newed. The French and Piedmontese parties have resolved to take up what they call the King’s quarrel with the Baron. Great agitation con- tinued to prevail at Naples and throughout South- ern Italy, but the English Cabinet had denied that the King of Italy had issued a most cruel code of governmental rule—just attributed to him—for the inhabitants of the Neapolitan territory. The representatives in Paris of Otho, King of Greece, declare that the military insurrection, or revolu- tionary movement, which broke out lately in Nauplia, had been entirely suppressed. Other accounts, however, state that the insurrection was spreading. The State Senate at Albany yesterday passed the bill limiting the terms of State prisoners, and allowing them to earn commutations of their sen" tence; also, that to prevent county supervisors holding any other county office. Notice was given of 8 bill for the appointment of a Receiver General, Favorable reports were made on the bills for the relief of savings banks, and to consolidate the several acts relative to the district courts of this city. The resolution of compliment to General Scott was debated and referred to a select com- mittee. The Church Property act was debated in Committee of the Whole House, and had progress reported on it. In the Assembly favorable re- ports were made on the bills to prevent the sale of swill and adulterated milk; to confer the inspection of steam boilers on the Metropolitan police; to amend the Tax Collection laws; relative toour city tax assessments; to prevent bribery at elections; for a railroad in Tenth and other streets; to regulate pawnbroking, and to aid the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad. An adverse report was made on the bill requiring railroad companies to furnish a seat to every passenger, and it was recommitted. A new Metropolitan says that, according to a letter from Madrid, Gen. Prim has written despatches to O’Donnell, com- plaining of his false position in that country. He says that he undertook the command on the ex- press understanding that the command in chief of the allied expedition should devolve upon Health bill, designed asa substitute for all previous propositions of the same nature, was reported. A minority report against the bill to allow aliens to hold real estate was made. The bill for the better regulation of the New York Fire Department was reported complete, and ordered to a third reading. The bill for the reorganization of the State mili_ him. He asks to be recalléd. Admiral Rubal- eaba, the commandant of the Spanish naval forces, had withdrawn and thrown up his command in disgust; and General Gasset also in- sisted upon being replaced. These two officers are allied to General Serrano, the Governor of Cuba; hence, as is alleged, their animosity against General Prim. Marshal Serrano’s indignation knows no bounds. He writes to say that unless his successor be at once appointed he shall return and leave Cubs to shift for itself. The govern- ment in Madrid acceeded to his demand by the ap- pointment of General Dulce to the post of Gov- ernor of Cuba, thus giving Prim another ground of complaint, for that lucrative post had been held out to him. 5 CONGRESS. In the Senate yesterday, the resolution reported by the Committee on Naval Affairs, giving power to the Secretary of the Navy to settle the accounts of contractors who have failed to fulfil their en- gagements, was passed. A resolution was pro- posed, but objected to, to give the President ad- ditional power in the control of military affairs, and a bill to provide for the construction of ad- ditional iron-clad gunboats, and for the completion of the Stevens battery, was introduced and re- ferred. A bill favoring the confiscation of the property of rebels was also introduced and refer- red. The bill for the settlement of certain Louisi- ana land claims was passed. Several private bills were passed. Bills were introduced and referred giving the President control of the gunboat ap- propriations, and for the regulation of the army corps, and then the resolution in favor of expelling Senator Powell was taken up, when Mr. Powell addressed the Senate at length in his own defence, replying to the remarks made by his colleague, Senator Davis, on the preceding day. Along debate ensued, and the resolution was defeated, by eleven yeas to twenty- gight nays, when the Senate adjourned. In the House of Representatives, the Senate resolution of thanks to Commodore Foote and his tia was debated, and referred to a select commit. tee. A motion to consider the prohibitory amend- ment to the constitution was defeated. Considera- ble other business of minor interest was transact- ed, when the Assembly adjourned. The rebels have been particularly unfortunate with their generals, Since the commencement of the war they have fost the services of the following number:— Killed... Captured. Resigned Total. ..sccccececccenestressersansrrenes ‘The Union army haa lost but two—one killed in battle and one died. The following named cities and towns have been taken from the enemy since the commencement of the present year:— Elizabeth City, N.C Huttonaville, Va. Edenton, N. C. Romney, Va. Winton, N.C. Florence, Als. Bowling Green, Ky. Godar Kors, Fia. id, ‘Mo. ee Sotumbus Paintville, Ky. Nashville, Tenn. Clarksville, Tenn. Dover, Tonn. Fayetteville, Ark. Bentonv'lle, ma Harper's Ferry, Va. Big Bethel, Va. Paris, Tenn. The following rebel forts and fortifications have also been captured since the 1st of January:— Fort Johnson, Va. Columbus Fortifications Ky. Fort Beauregard, Va. Bowling Green do. Ky. Fort Evavs, Va. Mill Spring do. “Ky. Pig’s Point Battery, Va. Roanoke Isiand Battories. Shipping Point Battery, Va. ElizabethCity do. N.C. Coekpit Point Battery, Va. FortificationsatSt. Simon's, Fort Clinch, Fis, a. Fort Henry, Tenn. Fortifications at Manassas. Fort Donelson, Tenn. Batteries at Aquia Creek, Va. Fort Pulaski, at the mouth of Savannah river, which will soon, if it has not already, revert to its original owners, was seized by the rebel authori- ties of Georgia on the 2d of January, 1861, and has been occupied from that time to the present by persons in rebeilion against the government and laws of the Union. The-fort mounts one hundred and fifty guns, aud is capable of garrisoning eight hundred men. It cost the government in its con- command was passed by a unanimous vote. The resolution of thanks to Lieut. Worden, of the Monitor, was referred to the Naval Committee, The Pacific Railroad bill was reported to the Honse, and made the special order for Tuesday next. The bill authorizing additional clerks in the office of the Boston Sub-Treasurer was passed. The Tax bill was taken up, and an amendment per- mitting States to assume their separate quotas waa rejected; but no final action was reached, and the House adjourned. . Both houses adjourned over to Monday. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. The Africa, from Liverpool on the Ist and Queenstown on the 2d of March, reached this port yesterday morning. Her news is two days later than that received by the City of Washington. In the Liverpool market cotton closed, on the 1st instant, quiet, with the quotations unchanged from a trifling advance on some descriptions of American. Surats, which were going freely into consumption, were also dearer. Messrs. Richard- son, Spence & Co. report that the American staple has “ decidedly fallen into the second ranks,” both for consumption and export demand. Bread- stuffs were dull and provisions steady on the Ist inst. Pork and bacon were rather easier for buyers on that day. Consols closed in London, on the Ist inst., at 9334 a 9344. American securities were firm, Our newspaper files and letters by the Africa prove that Paris—consequently France—was deeply excited by a very serious political agi- tation which appears to have three distinct sources of supply—viz., tlc effect of the legislative debates the want of employment existing among the artisan and laboring classes, and the n of the Emperor's government. ‘s speech in advocacy of the prin- volution produced a great effect on the masses. The Prince liad just received quite struction $923,869, with an additional amount of $138,032 for armament, making a total cost of $1,061,891. There are but three more extensive fortifications south of New York, and those are Fortress Monroe, at Old Point Comfort; Fort Cal- houn, at’Norfolk, and Fort Morgan, in Mobile Bay. A “skirmish’’ between a Union and secesh picket took place near Alexandria last week. The Union man, whose name is Melvin Hutchinson, belonging to the Second Maine regiment, while on duty as a picket, and being in advance of his comrades, was met by a secesher, who put his gun to his head and ordered him to surrender. Hutchinson seized the bayonet of secessher’s gun, which was imme- diately discharged, blowing off two of Hutchinson's fingers. The rebel shen turned to reload, but be- fore he could do so he was shot in the back and fell instantly dead. Hutchinson is in the Mansion House Hospital, in Alexandria, doing well. Paul J. Wheeler, the Union candidate for Gover. nor of New Hampshire, has been elected to the Legislature. There was @ reaction in the gotton market ak 63 and prices recovered full half a cent per lb. Ne importance are known to be on their way to this port from any quarter. The transactions footed up about 600 bales, a good part to spinners, closing firm on the basis of 27i¢c. @ 28. for middling uplands. The Liverpool Brokers’ circular of the 28th of February (three days before the sailing of the Africa) gives the stock of American cotton in that market at 170,880 bales, against 693,540 at the samo time last year, and the stock of India at 224,440, against 110,620 Inst year; 20,700 Brazil, agains, 7,060 last yoar ; 24,470 Egyptian, against 33,700 last year; total, 462,460 bales, against 854,400 bales of all kinds Inst year, The only increase in the foreign growth ,outside of the United States, has been from Brazil and India, while Feyptian has fallen off, and that from tho Wost Indios nearly the same. Much of the American svock in L poolis said to be of inferior quality, and that co ble lots, counted as stock, are owned in Manch left on storage in Liverpool. Flour was in m te de. mand, chiefly from the home trade, wifile prices wore an ovation when crossing from the Place | tmehanged. Wheat was irregular, thofigh with rather da Palais Royal to the Tuileries, where | mF? doing. The sales wore mainly confined to parcels the ministers were engaged in conference | fom this and the adjoining States. Corn was unchanged, while sales wore fair. Pork exhibited more spirit. The sales embraced new moss at $13 504 $1375, and new primo at $10 75.0 $1087%4. Sugars wore steady, with sales of 900 hhds, and 1,100 boxes at Cull prices. Coffee wes quiet and firm, while, in tho absence of salon of moment, quotations were somioal. Froights were un- chpoged, and pogagemepte were mOderety, with the Emperor; and a number of atu. dents intended to watch for him the same evening,on his way from the Senate, to demonstrate by their vivats their hearty approvai of his con. duét. The blouses were most enthusiastic in their | adaniration of Prince Manoleon for the very amo. Our Abolition Disunionists and Thel: Masked Batteries Against the Admin- istration. The evacuation of Manassas by the rebels bas been seized upon by our Northern dis- unionists of the abolition school for a regular hue and cry against General McClellan. The Tribune, the leading organ of this disorgan- izing abolition faction, leads off, and the Evening Post, the World, and others of the smaller fry, join in the chorus. Among them he is denounced substantially as a miserable military impostor, a base and unscrupulous spoilsman, and it is broadly insinuated that he is very little better than a deliborate traitor. They say that, with his splendid and enormously expensive Army of the Potomac, he might have bagged the rebel army at Manassas in September last, in October, in November, in December, in January, and in February, and even in March; but that, through all these weary months, with his im- patient soldiers exposed in their summer tents to all the inclemencies of this dreadful winter, while he was enjoying his comfortable quar- ters in Washington, he deliberately waited and waited till it served the convenience of the enemy to evacuate their undisturbed winter quarters and their unmolested blockading bat- teries on the Lower Potomac. Against this budget of atrocious accusations, the facts and the developements of this war, since the appointment of McClellan as General- in-Chief of the army, will afford a sufficient an- swer. He was called to Washington at the instance of General Scott—and who can doubt his military sagacity? Since the retirement of General Scott, the place which he filled in the confidence of the President has been fully accorded to, and is still retained by, General McClellan. East, West and South, he has been the principal military adviser of the President in the organization, distribution and move- ments of our land and naval forces. We believe, too, that it will soon be made apparent to every sceptic that while the detention of the main rebel army at Manassas all this time has mate- rially contributed to our late great victories in the South and West, the escape of the rebels from Manassas without a battle will not retard, but facilitate, the final overthrow of the rebellion. We contend that the rebel Johnston at Centre- ville was too near our Potomac army to be kept in ignorance of its movements, and too far off to be taken by a forced march at any time. His detention and his retreat, we doubt not, have been timed by McClellan, and for a de- finite purpose, which will shortly be revealed. The President fully comprehends and approves it, or McClellan would not be retained in his command of the Army of the Potomac. But General McClellan’s management of the Army of the Potomac, good or bad, is not the cause of this abolition outery against him. His unpardonable sin, which obscures all his vir- tues, in the eyes of our abolition disunionists, has been, and is, his inflexible support of the “conservative war policy of the administration. Had he issued at any time an emancipation pro- clamation like that of Fremont, or had he shown in any way a disposition to join in an abolition crusade against Southern slavery as the proper object of the war, his mili- tary record, just as it stands, would have been applauded to the echo by our abolition fanatics. He has refused, however, to court the approbation of these fana- tics; he has treated them, in fact, with something like contempt; and the worst of it is, that in all this business he has had the confidence and ap- probation of President Lincoln. From the late speech of the immaculate Hick- man, of Pennsylvania, in Congress, on the Pre- sident’s constitutional emancipation policy, we can see that all these abolition assaults upon McClellan, Halleck, Buell, Sherman, Dix and other army officers guilty of conservative views on the slavery question, are really levelled at the administration. Hickman, bolder than his associates, has been carrying the war into the White House. Hecommenced it with his inqui- sitorial committee concerning the President's family, and he has followed it up with a malig- nant attack upon the President himself, as a man lacking the moral courage to be honest and explicit in defining his views upon slavery. But the New York Tribune and its con- federate abolition organs cannot afford the luxury ofa direct war upon the administration. They fight behind their masked batteries; but their purpose is the same—the surrender of President Lincoln to their demands. And what are their demands? A war for the extirpation ofslavery and the final dissolution of the Union. Our abolition disorganizers do not desire the restoration intact of our rebel- lious slave States to the Union, for those States will, if thus restored, destroy the ascendancy in Congress which this abolition faction now, to some extent, commands. “Emancipation or separation” is, therefore, the war cry of this disunion anti-slavery faction. They would lay waste the South by fire and sword, reduce our revolted States to Territories, or set them off to themselves in a separate confederacy, in order to retain hold upon the power, the spoils and plunder of our federal government. Presi- dent Lincoln has shown @ remarkable degrée of forbearance towards these desperate and un- scrupulous abolition conspirators. He would be fully justified by the country in making a wholesome example of some of them, for they are now the only enemies which his adminis- tration and the armies of the Union Have to fear. Jowsine IN GovERNMENT ConTRACTs SroP- Pep. —On Thursday Wall street was thrown into a state of high excitement by an order from the War Department putting a stop to all govern- ment contracts for the army. It was supposed that Jeff. Davis and the other Confederate chief- tains had laid down their arms and that'the war was atanend. But it turns out that this is by no means true, and that the rebels still mean to fight. The reason for the order is therefore very different. It appears from the last war bulletin that the suspension of the con- tracts is preliminary to an investigation into jobs as flagitious as any perpetrated under the auspices of the Navy Department, in- “cluding the Morgan affair. Instead of allow- ing two anda half per cent jobs, or any other kind, to go forward under the sanc- tion of his department, and then defending them before Congress, the Secretary of War blocks the game at once, and issues a commis- sion of two honest men, Messrs. Owen and Holt, to investigate the alleged fraudulent transactions, with a view to the condign pun- ishment of the parties. That is the way to do business. There is plenty of rascality to be dragged to light, and some extraordinary devel- opmentse may therefore he expected. A law ovat to be pagsod by 6 to unis ane! capital felony any fraud upon the government in time of war. It partakes of the nature of treason, inasmuch as it gives aid and comfort to the enemy. : The Proposed Tax Upon Newspapers. The proprietors of the abolition journals of this city, anxious to escape paying the expenses of a war which they have brought upon us, are organizing a strong lobby to effect the reduc* tion of the proposed tax upon newspapers. By combining with disaffected persons of other pro- fessions, who also think themselves too greatly taxed, these journalists have succeeded in ar- ranging a very formidable opposition. The pa- pers mean to keep very quiet about this matter, in order to avoid the public obloquy and contempt which will result from the initiation of such a movement; and we therefore warn members of Congress to be on their guard against these tax- reduction lobbyists, who are striving to accom- plish secretly what the papers they represent dare not advocate openly. It is very natural that the abolition journals should desire to escape the Nemesis of taxation; but, upon the general principle of impartiality and the special fact that they have caused the war, the country insists that these papers shall be taxed. We find it currently reported that Secretary Chase is preparing # tax bill in lieu of that offered by Mr. Stevens, of Pennsylvania. We have no doubt that Secretary Chase's bill will be very good; and, for our own part, we see nothing decidedly objectionable in that now before the country. The really vital point is the immediate passage of a tax bill in some form or other, and the question of the accepta- bility of the bills offered can better be settled by discussions in Congress and by the press than by perpetually framing new schedules of taxation to be objected to by interested parties as soon ag completed, and then followed by other new bills equally objectionable. Let some tax bill or other be put upon its passage, and it will soon be corrected and amended, whether it be originally drawn up by Mr. Stevens or Mr. Chase. It is perfectly nonsensi- cal to suppose that all parties will be satisfied by any bill; for the best legislator never can arrange a tax of which every man pays nothing and every man’s neighbor or rival pays all. But if a tax bill is impartial it will satisfy the country at large, and that is the only thing re- quired. Listening to every grumbler never yet enabled a man to go right. If Secretary Chase or any other framer of tax bills designs to satisfy everybody, he will find himself in the same condition as the man who took so much contradictory advice about riding to market that, towards the end of the journey, he made a donkey of himself, and carried the very beast he should have been comfortably straddling. We believe that a heavy tax upon news- papers is a necessity of the war, and one of the best, most feasible and least objectionable means of raising a revenue. But, besides this, there is no other tax possible which will so greatly and so permanently benefit the country. The advocates of a reduction of the tax say it is shameful that the press of the United States should have to submit to taxation, just as the press of aristocratic England is to be relieved from this burthen. Fine words these, but they butter no parsnips for us. England is not now engaged in a costly war; and, what is much more to the point, England is not about to abrogate newspaper taxes. If she did, the swarm of Jacobin journals which such a measure would breed would involve England in a revolution in less than twenty years. What has caused this civil war but the pernicious utterances and revolutionary agitations of the demoralized abolition press? Are there no peculiar social or political institutions in England which areas easily vulnerable and as susceptible of revolu- tionary agitation as our slavery question, or that other question of agrarianism, or the equal distribution of property, which the abolitionists threaten to agitate as soon as that of slavery is settled? With such an example as this country before them, does any one suppose the English statesmen are about to put their heads into the same trap which now galls and wounds us? By no means. Hitherto we have allowed every agitator to rush into print and propagate his ideas at the smallest possible expense, and we are now reaping the fruits of our folly in a civil war, which appro- priately crowns, and must forever end, the long line of destestable isms advocated by a de- moralized press. England is too wise to allow her chartists the same dangerous privi- leges we have given to our abolitionists, and her reward is a loyal peace. We must be wise enough to learn from our own mistakes, and while we can never consent to make our press a government toy, like that of France, we must consent to purify journalism by taxation. With heavy taxes to pay, it would require a large capital to start and maintain a newspaper, and capital is always conservative and loyal. Thus, without a government censorship, and without in any way interfering with the liberty of the press, we should at once quietly, legally and effectually suppress all revolutionary organs- The' government would be better supported. The morals of the people would be improved. Politicians would become respectable. A thousand burthensome expenditures for such jobs‘as Corporation advertising would be retrenched. Newspapers would then become the means of educating the public wisely, and the press would adopt and sustain a higher and more honorable tone. Not only the present necessities, but also the future interests of the country, therefore, de- mand a heavy tax upon newspapers; and if Con- gressmen will but shut their ears to the threat- ening blusters of a few black mailing, abolition editors, who are lobbying against the bill, and will soon give us a good, large tax, the country will thank and reward them, long after such foredoomed journalists and their papers are forgotten. Revivat or Business iN THe Sprinc.—From the increase in our circulation and advertising, and from the movements in trade circles and upon the street, it is evident that the business of the country will be largely revived when the spring fairly opens. Indeed, the general pros- perity of the nation is amazing, when we con- sider how great and costly a civil.war is now in progress. Except those branches of trade which were exolusively Southern, no depart- ment of business seems paralyzed by the war. Our foreign importations have fallen off only about forty per cent, and this is more than com- pensated for by the increase in our exports and internal manufactures. This war, now being vigorously prosecuted, is an evil which supplies its own antidotes; and, looking either at the present or the future, we may congratulate onrsolvesaipon gyt flourishing condition. Monitor and Merrimac marks the dawn of # new era in naval warfare. It has opened eyes to the superior advantages of vessels over the old fashioned wooden walls, and floating steam batteries over stone forts, Our ideas of naval forces have undergone in @ day a change that centuries of mere theoretical calculations would have failed in producing, But we have discovered no new principle. Wé are simply going back to the mode of warfare adopted by the Romans and Carthagenians only our motive power is different from theirs. They used battering rams, and had their Merri macs, but not driven by steam. We have all the appliances of superior science, and can make our engines of destruction more terrible than anything which the ingenuity of man has before devised. Of what use are our old ships of-war and present seaboard fortifications against the monsters that rained their iron bail in Hampton Roads? Of what use would all the unmailed fleets of the world be against half a dozen of such invulnerable batteries defending, for instance, New York harbor? But it is not to this continent alone that the effect of the engagement referred to will be confined. The naval Powers of Europe will in future direct their attention to the construc- tion of only iron-clad ships and floating bat- teries, and the old style of building men-of-war and harbor defences will be exploded for ever. As we have been the first to discover s0 we shall be the first to profit by this new feature im naval warfare. We shall proceed rapidly with the construction of mailed steam batteries, and in a short time be in @ position to defy the navies of the world; for, supposing England or France to build any number of vessels of that character, they would find it impossible to send them across the Atlantic; so that they would, at the best, only have their Warriors and La Gloires to operate against impenetrable armor, and the chances would be much in favor of their hulls proving anything but im- penetrable to our wrought iron shot. Tae Broapway RatroaD—A Newsraret anv Lossy Jos.—The Tribune, Times, and other journals in this city, now going rapidly to ruin, have fastened themselves on a gigantic job now being engineered in the Albany Legislature, im order to keep them from sinking. We refer to the Broadway Railroad, which is worse than the gridiron job which caused so much indignation last year. It is estimated as being worth five millions. Mr. Stewart offered one million for the privilege of laying a railroad in the street, yet it is proposed to give it to a company for $75,000 per annum—a sum which, insignificant as it is, would never be paid. This monstrous job it is expected to carry through the Legis- lature by the influence of the lobby, and to surrender to Tom, Dick and Harry men, some of whom do not even reside in the city and are unknown to the citizens, a valuable privilege without any adequate consideration. Why should those men make fortunes at the publio expense? And why should sinking journals be kept afloat by the complicity of the Legislature in such swindling operations? Above all, why should the people be thus forced to sustain journals which they will not read, but, on the contrary, detest and abhor? If it be proper to make a railroad in Broadway, let the privilege be sold, after advertisement, to the highest bid- der, like ferry leases, for the public benefit and to reduce our enormous taxes, instead of giving @ monopoly of it to a few individuals who have no claim whatever to such lavish favors. Let us be just before we are generous. Tar Trune aND THE War Departuent.—We invite the sorious attention of the War Depart- ment to the letters attacking General McClel- lan and the Army of the Potomac which ap- peared in Thursday’s Tribune. We submit that tbey are of euch a character as to imperatively demand the immediate suppression of that infa- mous sheet, and the summary arrest and impri- sonment of its editors. If such articles about our generals and our army are allowed tobe published with impunity, Secretary Stanton may as well give up any idea of being a censor of the press. There is more aid and comfort for the rebels, and more injury to the Union cause in one of those letters, than in all the utterances of the “peace organs” and all the information given by premature publications of military plans and movements. No government which respects itself can permit such attacks when it claims to at all control the press. Mr. Secretary Stanton is energetic enough upon occasions when a little judgment would have done as well asenergy. Let us sce what course he will take in regard to the Tribune, which is condemned by the judgment of every loyal citizen. ‘Tap Gorrscmate Ineravcrion Mamixkes.—Some alteras tions have been mse in the programme of these perform” ances. Seats may, under the new regulations, be secur- @4 free of charge, for one or all three matiness. The admission will be one dollar to all parts of the house. ‘The matinees will be given at Irving Hall, as it requires a room of large dimensions to enable the pianofortes to bo placed in the centre, The first of these entertain ments takes place on Tuesday, March 18. On the provi- ous evening (Monday, March 17,) Mr. Gottschalk wild give a grand evening concert at the Acadomy of Music. E:zoant Coustay Saat ror SaLs.—By an advertisomont elsewhere inserted, it will be seen that the splendid country residence of E. K. Collins, Esq., in o\vered for alo, It consists of three hundred acres of finc arable land, ® substantial mansion in @ lawn of lofty shade trees, with gardens and conservatories complete. This is a rare chanee for the acquisition of magnificent proper- ty, the value of which may easily be redoubled. A great advantage to parties engaged in business in this city is, that the place is only eighteen miles distant by railroad. Persons desirous of avoiding the fogs and detentions of joebound rivers will also find it advantageous to examine « this property. Sornens Fraxcaises at Nino's SaLoow,—On0 of Juignet’® | charming French soirees is announced for Tuesday eve- Ding next, the 18th instant, at Niblo’s Saloon, in which | Madame Laurette and Messrs. Juignet, Edgard and) Thoirny will participate, The programme includes the comedy of “ Le pour et le Contre ;’ a chansonnette aud the vaudeville of “Un Service o Blanchard.” The! tickets are placed at one dollar. nT ‘Tus Fortress Monnom Tauzgrara Lins.—Tho providen- tial complotion on Sunday last of the telegraph line to Fortress Monroe i@ mainly due to the zeal and oxiraor. dinary éxertions of the superintendent, Mr. Hoiss, who, togothor with his assistants, worked night and day in order to bring it into working order atthe earliest pos- sible moment. ‘Tho efforts of Mr. Heiss woro vory efficiently seconded by Captain Schellenger, of the steamer Thomas Jeffer. son, and Daniel T, Evans, one of the branch pilots of Baltimore. ———— ‘Tae Sixt Prowmmane Concent of the Seventh rogiment National Guard Band will take plage this evening at the Armory. New Hampshire Kilection. Conon, NE reh HL, 14,4902 Roturns are received from all but sighteon n the State, The following ‘in the vote:—Berry, 31,014, Stark, 27,480; Wheeigr, 1,553. Berry's majority is aot far trom 2.000,

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