The New York Herald Newspaper, May 5, 1862, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. ‘OFFICE N. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS, TERMS cash in advance. Money sent by mail will be at the rial ef the sender. None but Bank bills current in New York AMUSEMENTS TIS BVENING, MIBLO'S GARDEN, Brosdway.—Tua Bxousxrnass, WINTER GARDEN, Brosdway.—Tum Howoasice. uMAMLAGK'S THEATRE, 04 BrosdwayvaLors ur 4 seems. KEENE'S THEATRE, Broadway.—Resom anv BOWEEY THEATRE, Bor was Witdwunkss—Dank FERIsOEUTE—! Waroumau. OLYMPIC THEATRE, 485 Broadway.—Naw Onuzaxs— Goupmy Axx. Camm Cock oF aNCR AND THR BARNUM’S AMERICAN MUSEUM. Broatway.Cox. Nore—Liviva Wuatm, a0, a: al Uoura—!roWeus oF ‘vam Founs?, afternoon and cvening. BBYANTS' MINSTRELS, ‘Way.—Kuucep tatu, NIBLO'S SALOON, Broadway.—Gorescaa.e’s Coxozat. “CANTERBURY MUSIO HALL, 68 Broadway —Sow:i Danozs, Buiasaues, 40. i diatis. aioe Hall 472 Broad- PBOPLE'S MUSIO HALL, 45 Bowery.—So: : Bowery.—Sonas, Daxcas NOVELTY MUSIC HALL, 616 Broadway.<! > “ § way. INSTRUMEN. PARISIAN CABINET OF WON! Broadway.< Opea dally from AMUSE Me Brondwar. New York, Monday, May 5, 1862, THE SITUATION. Yorktown is ours, with all its defences, seventy- one heavy guns and camp equipage. The enemy Completed the evacuation of the place on Saturday night, and our troops entered the place four hours after the rear of the rebel army marched out. It ia said by deserters that the order for evacuation was docided upon on Wednesday by Gen. Robert Lee and Jeff. Davis, who, after a close examina- tion of Gen. McClellan's splendid works, came to the conclusion that their own- defences were ‘antenable, and that the army must fall back on @ now position. The immediate necessity of the retreat arose from the near approach of General MoClellan’s parallels, and the damaging effect of his siege guns upon the enemy's works. The rebels have fallen back to # point on the Chickshominy creek, beyond Williamsburg, on the direct line to Richmond; but, as will be seen by General McClellan's despatches, his entire force of cavalry and light artillery are in close pursuit of them. General Franklin's division has also ‘eon despatched by boats up the river to West Point, where they must have arrived yesterday, and they will, therefore, be probably soon in the rear of the enemy. Some of our gunboats went up immediately, and kept s constant fire of shells upon the retreating army. Our troops are also in Possession of Gloucester. ‘The selection of the Chickahominy as a new line ef defence was evidently contemplated by the Febels some time ago, and was chosen from the fact that it is out of reach of our gunboats, which have filled them with terror. An article from the Bichmond Examiner, which we published on the 1st of May, and which we lay before our readers agein to-day, significantly announced that a battle would be fought at this point before the conflict on thepeninsala took place. Our map to-day,and the full descriptions, official and semi-official, which ac- Compeny it, will put the public in possession of the @lorious story of the fall of Yorktown, and wil, Mlustrate the forthcoming operations of both ar- mies in the vicinity of Williamsburg and Rich- mond. The resume, which we give in another column, of the triumphs of the past week, both in the West and on the peninsula of Yorktown, and in other quarters, presents a most satisfactory re- cord of our progress. Conjointly with the news from Yorktown comes the intelligence of a brilliant skirmish between General Pope's army and a force of 4,500 rebels of General Beauregard’s army at Farmington, Miss., oa which Pope's troops made a dashing assault on the enemy, and drove them from their works in disorder. The whole camp was captured, and our oavairy purstied the flying enemy in the disection of Corinth. We pushed on a reconnoiasance as far as Glendale, on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, and destroyed two trestle bridges. It is said that a few days ago one Tennessee and one Missis- sippi regiment of twelve months’ men stacked their arms, their time having expired, and refused te serve longer, though required to do so by the Gonscript law. Beauregard pui two regiments to guard them. The latest news from General Halleck, dated at Cairo yesterday, states that his advance is within two miles of the enemy, and is rapidly pressing for" ward. Skirmishes are constantly ocourring, but the onemy show but little fight. Four hundred Germans deserted from the rebels on Thursday and foined our troops. General Lovell’s army is said to be fortifying thetown of Grenada, Mississippi, and it is again reported that Beauregard is receiv- ing large reinforcements from the Gulf States. The condition of all the towns on the river is depior- able. Business is suspended, and the inhabitants are flying into the interior. In 8 few days we may prepare to see an impor. tant commercial result from these successive victo- ties—the capture of New Orleans, the evacuation of Yorktown and the disastrous plight to which the ,tobel army in the West is reduced. It is announced toy Becretary Seward that Mr. Lincoln will very soon issue & proclamation declaring all the lead- ing ports of the South open to the trade of the world, apon which event the restoration of the commerce of the country as it existed ante bellum may be expected, and the most mischievous efforts of the rebellion be at an end. The circulars is- ned by Mr. Seward to the foreign ministers and published in our columns to-day, opening the mail Communication with the Southern porta, are but the proliminaries of the President's proclamation @eolaring the reconstraction of commercial rela- filene with the Bouth. G@oenoral Canby bas hada decisive eagagement @@th the rebels at Povollo, on the Rio Grande, end completely touted them. The captare of the entire force wee lcminest, as they wero entirely MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. ‘The news from Mexico, by the steamer Roanoke, is of the highest interest and importance. The tripartite alliance of England, France and Spain, for the destruction of the liberties of Mexico, is now virtually at an end; but France alone has under- taken the hazardous work of forcing a monarchical government on the unwilling people. To this end, and under very specious excuses, War has been declared against Mexico by the French plenipo- tentiaries. President Juarez and General Doblado have expressed the firm determination of resisting their Gallio invaders by avery means in their power, but offering still to continue negotiations with the Spanish and English. General Lorencez, the new French commander, says that he is re- sponsible to his Emperor for his action. The Spanish troops were all returning to Havana, and the French, according to an agreement made with the Mexican government, were removing their forces back to Paso Ancho. The Mexicans charge the responsibility of hostilities on the French, and General Prim, in withdrawing from the imbroglio, says that history will judge between the actions of France and Spain. President Juarez @ays firmly that he will repel force by force. He had issued a call on all citizens between the ages of twenty and sixty to rise in defence of their homes, and they were flocking to his banner from all quarters. We have interesting news from Havana by the Roanoke. There had been a considerable num- ber of arrivals of Southern vessels at that port from New Orleans, principally. laden with cotton. There were not less than ten thousand bales on hand when the steamer left. The business in segars has been very brisk, Health very good. Our correspondent in British Honduras, dating at Belize on the 17th of April, gives the particu- y9r8 of the loss of the bark Honduras, from New York, near Ruatan, with an account of the treat- ment which her captain and cargo experienced at the hands of the wreckers and marine judges of the coast. His statements indicate that the in- surance companies concerned in the vessel and her freight should inquire into the proceedings as affect- ing their interests. Provisions rated very high in Belize, flour having run up to $30 a barrel at one period. The governments of England and Guate- mala were about to build a road, to be used in common, from the city of Guatemala to the town of Yazabal, which is situated on the lake at the head of the river Dulce. The weather was finer and sugar was being made in large quantities, Employment, at good wages, can be had in Hon- duras for fifty thousand American “ contrabands.”” The sympathies of the Hondurians go with the rebels in North America; but if the war causes the abolition of slavery they will endorse it. When the government buildings were stolen by the rebols in New Orleans there was a balance in the mint in that city belonging to the United States of $389,267, and in the Hands of the Sub- Treasurer of $121,238, making a total of over half @ million of dollars. Quite an interesting and appropriate sermon was preached last evening by the Rev. Dr. Krebs, at the Fifth avenue Presbyterian church, on the Presbyterian foreign missions. The reverend gen- tleman took his text from First Thessalonians, se- cond chapter and sixteenth verse. An abstract of the annual report of the board was also read, showing that the aggregate amount of the re- ceipts is less than was acknowledged last year, owing partly to the sums received from legacies and from the government on account of Indian schools being less, and also to the withdrawal of contributions by churches of the so-called seceded States; but the amount received from churches in other parts of the country is in advance of the amount received from the same sources last year. The receipta were $176,939 47, the expenditures $177,892 32, leaving a balance against the trea- sury of $952 85. ‘The annual sermon of the American and Foreign Christian Union was preached last evening by the Rev. Kingston Goddard, D. D., of Cincinnati, at St. George’s church. After the usual evening service, which was read by the Rev. Dr. Tyng, the Rev. Dr. Goddard ascended the pulpjt and selected his text from the nineteenth chaptr of Revela- tions and eleventh verse. The sermon described the power of the Word of God as the great in- strumentality in the bands of the church for con- verting the world. The preacher stated, in the first place, that Gospel succeee depended upona practical acknowledgment of the great principles that are interwoven with the gospel system. He’ then proceeded te show what those principles were, under which discussion he laid down as ad- mitted facts: First—That the world was finally to be converted to the knowledge of Christ. Sécond- ly—That no form of existing error can, therefore, successfully resist the Gospel. Thirdly—That the glory of Gospel success will accrue to Christ. Fourthly—The instrumentality used must be such as not to interfere with the result. And lastly— The great instrument to be used is the Word of God. The annual sermon before the Church Anti- Slavery Society was preached by the Rev. Dr. Cheever, at the Union square church, last evening. The building was comfortably filled. The rever- end gentleman selected his text from the 119th Psalm, the 144th verse. The discontse was a orous one, and, as usual with the sermons of this preacher, wax redundant with assaults on the cita- del of slavery. He regarded the emancipation of the slaves in the District of Columbia as the only true victory of the war, and insisted that no peace should be made with the rebels unless slavery be altogether extinguished. Last evening the American Bible Society, the Union Theological Seminary, the American Female Guardian Society, the American Seaman's Friend Society, the American end Foreign Christian Union, and the Board of Foreign Missions, of the Presbyterian church, held their anniversary meet- ings, and reports were made of their operations during the past year, their progress and present condition. We have interesting reports of the pro- ceedings of the different societies; but the prees of news on our columns this morning compels us to defer their publication. The Board of Aldermen will hold the first meet- ing of their May session this evening. The tobacco crop in Missouri this season will quadruple the amount raised in any previous year. The stock market on Saturday was rampant, ag all classes of securities were higher. Government sixes sold at par and ata premium, for the first time since the war broke out. Pacific Mail rose to 118, closing 116%; did; Contral to 67, and obher stocks tn proportion. Mo. ney was easy at 4a5 per cont. The limit ($50,000,000) fixea by law to the deposits at the Sub-Treasury wee reached at one P, M.,and £0 more its can be re. ceived until the law is altered. The Sub-Treasurer exchanged another million of 7.90 fetes for gold. Fx. change closed firm 0 118% © 3%. Gold was beiter, closing at 102% vid The cotton market was comparatively quiet. Asueual m Saturday, but few spinners were in the market. The same vague feeling regarding the posslbility of some in crease in sipplies—though exactly in what way, or by ‘what means, no one seemed to ve fully satiafied in bis own mind—cntinued to overbang the market and eheck sales, while the stock has become exceedingly light amd confined to comparatively few hands. The seles Yesterday: were confined to about 800 falng, in mail lots, ot 9730.0 266, of p ite, ly at the inside figure for middling upiseds, ‘The four market was less active and buoyant, though ‘without shange of moment in quotations, Wheat was inactive and the demand jimited, while suppifes con. tinued to be light. Corn was in moderate Pequest, with oales of Western mixed, in store and delivered, at 680. a 606., with Jersey and Southern yellow at 683¢c. & 590, NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, MAY 5, 1862. of the Umion Arms. The evacuation of Yorktown, and its ooou- pation by the army of General McClellan, with the capture of all the defences and heavy guns of the enemy, is the great news of the day” From all the accounts in our possession, it is evident that since Tuesday morning our siego batteries have been so far finished as to open fire upon the enemy in reply to occasional firing from their defences, and that their guns were silenced by the superior weight and pro- bably the number of our artillery. Sorties have, since last Tuesday, been made by the enemy on our troops, and on Thursday they again opened their batteries upon our lines. The bombardment of Yorktown and all the enemy’s defences by our forces, on land and water, must have taken place on Friday and continued through Saturday, by which time the destruction and devastation caused by our concentrated fire upon the rebels must have rendered their defences untenable. Their rear being open, they had but one course to pursue, which was to retreat as rapidly as possible un- der cover of the night, leaving all their heavy artillery as trophies of this important and glo- rious victory. The magnitude and importance of this blow, and McCleflan’s success, may be better understood by recalling to mind the fall of New Orleans and General Lovell’s retreat therefrom, and more especially the precisely similar results which occurred after a year’s siege by the Allies before Sebastopol. The Russians were bombarded until their defences were no longer tenable. At night they retreated, crossing to the north shere of the harbor unobserved by their enemy, al- though commanded by the most skilful gene- rals and engineers of Europe. Neither the allied fleets nor armies could prevent this re- treat; yet the victory was gained, and Pelissier and his generals were the conquerors of a be" sieged line of temporary earthworks precisely similar to those that McClellan and his generals have now eo gloriously captured at Yorktown. We may hope that the results will prove as disastrous to our enemies as in the parallel case in the Crimea; but, like the latter, there is no room for discontinuing our best exertions until unconditional submission Is obtained. Nor does it appear likely that General McCletlan will pause in his onward movement; for, at latest accounts, he was following up the rebels on the route towards Williamsburg, where, it will be remembered, they had sct a vast number of negroes to work on the in- trenchments some weeks ago. A force of pro- bably twenty thousand cavalry and artillery are in rapid pursuit of the enemy, while. as General McCle‘lan states in his official de- spatch, he has cent Franklin’s division, which was already on shfpboard ready for some other portion of his operations, to West Point, whero they probably arrived yesterday afternoon, and are now cutting off the rebels in the rear. That the evacuation of Yorktown and the assumption of a new position on the Chickaho- miny was a foregone conclusion with the rebels we think is manifest from an article in the Richmond Hraminer of the 234 ult., published in these columns on the Ist iust., and re- produced to-day. There it.is announced that where our gunboats cannot operate in cen- junction with our land forces, and the line of Chickahominy creek ig pointed cut as Corinth;” and thus, when Genezal Lee and Joff. Davis made an observation of General Mo(le}- lan’s works on Wednesday, they decided that “Yorktown was absolutely untenable, and the evacuation was at once ordered. The same policy was pursued by General Beauregard at Corinth. He, too, has taken up some position out of reach of our gunboats; and, altbough he has a wide area to operate in, he has, ix fact, no outlet for his army, because he is completely surrotinted. With General Mitchel between him and the Atlantic séa- board, and New Orleans held by Cieneral But- ler and Commodore Farragut, he cannot move, Neither is there any line of escape for Davis’ forces near Yorktown, save one; and the pro- bability is that, before they can accomplish a transportation by that long route, the army will be broken up and demoralized. That all hopes of availing themselves of the Merrimac have been abandoned by the rebels is pretty certain. The resignation of Commodore Tat- nall, when ordered to proceed with her round to the York river, is proof positive of that fact. Thus we open to-day a most eventful week with the glorious nows of the fall of Yorktown and the preliminaries of disaster to the rebel arms which, ere long, must bring this odious rebellion to a close. “our Tue Orerations or Our Navy.—The splen- did operations of our navy, both on the coast and in the interior rivers, since the opening of the campaign, have done all the officers and men connected with that service immortal ho- nor; and when the history of this rebellion is written, on the record will be found—if faith- fully done—a just appreciation of the valor, energy and pluck of our sailors, and the patri- otism and sagacity of our naval officers. All through the West, almost on every ficld where a victory was won for the Union, the gunboats played a conspicuous part. At New Orleans, Fort Pulaski, Fort Macon, on the Potomac, in the Gulf and at every coast defence which the government has repossessed, the navy bas distinguished itself in e remarkable manner. Twelve months ago the United States had comparatively no navy, and the world never dreamed that at so short a no- tice the service could have been organized with such thorough effigjency. It is but another evidence of the vitality of this country and ite people, and furnishes @ significant lesson to those foreign nations which were disposed ¢o WAAGIIONS YE SORNGLT $2. RRTRER Whe stay ‘Toe Dolan vree (esmed. 09 cotablish cop | the rebel army must withdraw to sowe peint | The Evacuation of Yorktown—Successes | Highly Important from Washington— Restoration of the Union—The Problem Solved. Within a few days from this date 4 pro- clamation will be issued by the Presi- dent, es announced by Mr. Seward in his circulars to the foreign Ministers, open- ing to foreign and domestic commerce the ports of Newbern, Beaufort, Savannah, Fornan- dina and New Orleans. From the date of that proclamation the great problem of the restora- tion of the Union may be considered as solved. Every one familiar with the history of the formation of the Union under the constitu- tion of the United States, and with the organi- zation of the federal government, knows, First—That the great leading object, which contributed more than anything else to the establishment of the federal government under the present constitution, was to form a system for the regulation of trade with foreign nations and between the States. This was one of the strongest arguments for the Union urged in the Convention, and afterwards in the Fede- ralist, and was the declared, ground of action by some of the States. : Second—The power and authority of the fed- eral government is not, never has beon, and, ‘ under the constitution, never can be, exercised within the States to much extent upon any- thing else than foreign and domestic trade, The whole federal machinery of government in the States comprises only the custom house, the post office and the courts. The commer- cial power—the custom house—is the chief in- strument or agency of federal government upon the States. The post office and federal courts are merely ancillary to the commercial power ; they might be left out altogether, and all the important functions of the federal government in the States would still remain. When the rebellion broke out its first grea blow was struck at the trade and commerce which the federal government had hitherto maintained between the States. Commerce with the loyal States was destroyed by the rebels. The state of rebellion necessarily compelled the federal government to cut off fereign commerce with the rebel States. While this condition of things existed there was prac” tically no Union; but when foreign and domes- tic trade is re-established then the Union is substantially restored, and all the important functions ever exercised by the federal gov- ernment are brought into action. The estab- lishment of post offices and of courts must soon follow, and, the advantages of trade and friend_ ly intercourse being appended, every tendency will then operate upon the feelings of the people in the rebel States to allay hostility and cultivate and restore friendly relations. The power of the government being firmly estab- lished at the ports and along the seaboard, it is against all experience and every principle of human nature for a trading people, who have once enjoyed the blessings of peaceful com. merce, to continue in a state of warfare. The rebel leaders threaten a system of gue- rilla war in the rebel States, and especially in the mountain regions, which will be exhausting and ruinous to the federal government; and they point with savage exultation to La Ven- dee and Spain ; but they forget the wide differ- ence between the inhabitants of the United Sintes and the people who have carried on a protracted guerilla wariare. The Spaniards and the French of La Vendee had never en- joyed the advantages afforded by the United States goverument; they had no commercial habits or commercial interesis ; their customs and nature were in accordance with the savage feelings that engender and keep up an irregu- lar warfare ; whereas, the passions that have brought on this rebellion are in conflict with the genivs and the customs of the people. Let the influence of the new order of things about to be introduced by the President's pro- clamation be considered for a moment. and it will be scen that the restoration of the Union and the re-establichment of the federal gov- ernment in the rebel States are already ina Great measure accomplished. The potts of North Carolina, South Caro- lina, Georgia, Louisiana and Florida are opened. New Orleans is substantially the port of Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas, Domestic and foreign commerce ‘is thus opened under the fing of the Union in every State. In each State commerce will be protected by an army and by a fleet. Law is planted in each State. Protection to all loyal citizens will be secured. How long can such a people as the inhabitants of the South hold out against such astate of things, where everything is to be gained by returning to their loyalty, and eve- rything lost by continuing in rebellion * Besides, in each State there is a federal army, Its supplies will constitute a large domestic trade; its presence will bring together Northern merchants, mechanics and farmers, and will in- troduce and firmly establish them in a region from which they have hitherto in a great mea- sure been excluded. This will also stimulate the trade and manufactures of the Northern cities, What can resist such influences? To foreign commerce the great avenue is opened at New Orleans for the staples of the South and the Southwestern States. The foreign greed that bas prompted sympathy with the rebels will speedily discover rebellion to be its only antagonist, and thus every foreign as well as domestic interest must speedi- ly be turned against the traitors who have brought on this war, and whose personal ambi- tion and safety are the only things in the way of restoring commerce and civilization to their accustomed channels. Is not the problem of a restoration of the Union already solved? by authority and under the protection | have hitherto eo manfully held is métely the fe federal government, with foreign nations | Teealt of fresh scheme on the part of the and between the States.. That commerce was ebolitionlsts to prolong the war. destroyed by the rebellion, and its restoration, under the authority and protection of the fede- ral government, restores the Union. Our Lossrs ar Prrrssura Lanpiva.—It will be recollected that when we published our account of the battle of Pittsburg Landing— the first that reached the North—our corres- Pondent estimated the losses in killed, wounded and missing at 18,000. At the time it was thought that this estimate was exagge- rated. As the official reports come in, however, it is curious to find how closely they bear out the calculations made so immediately after such a terrific battle. In another column will be found an estimate from another correspondent at the same point, founded on these reports and on his own investigations. From these it appears that our actual losses in killed, wounded and missing were 13,508. Our killed were 1,600, ‘whilst of the enemy we buried 8,200. Could we but know the number that were interred by Beauregard immediately after the firat day’s fight, it would probably swell it up to 4,000. These facts go to show the conscientiousness with which our correspondents have fulfilled their duties throughout the campaign. In but few instances have any of their statements been convicted of error by the official reports sub- sequently published. A Gexerat. or THe Goop Op Times.—Fre- mont’s operations in Western Virginia remind one of those days of cautious strategy when military leaders only acted on precedent, and studied whole campaigns before venturing a move. Those were the times when a certain King of France gained an enduring reputation in another mountain department by his skilful hillside mancuvres. With only ten thousand less troops than that royal commander pos- sessed, Fremont bids fair to win equal fame. His head must indeed be occupied with mag- nificent strategic combinations when he allows the loyal people of Western Virginia and East- ern Tennessee to bescourged by small bodies of bushwhackers and guerillas, when he could 0 easily put an end to their sufferings. With a fourth part of the force which he has at his disposal, General Mitchel would, ere this, have cleared both districts of the enemy. The great military plans with which Fremont’s head is filled do not, however, leave him leisure to occupy himself with such unimpor- tant features of the campaign. If we only wait long enough we shall no doubt witness some important results from his military cogitations. But, in the meantime, is there not a danger thatthe war will come to an end? Tax Repossession or Our Forts.—We pub- lished yesterday a highly graphic account of the capture of Fort Macon, which formed an- other interesting chapter in the history of our progress towards regaining possession of the forts and defences which were seized by the rebels at the opening of the war. There re- main now in the hands of the enemy only two forts of the least importance to be taken—Fort Morgan, at the entrance to Mobile, and Fort Samter, in Charleston harbor. There is an in’ significant fort at Wilmington, and another at Galveston, it is true; but they are of no ac. count, and will, of course, ultimately fall, and then our government will have regained all the coast defences. The next step on the part of our military and naval officers will, no doubt, be to follow the example of Commodore Farragut, at Baton Rouge, and repossess themselves of all the government arsenals. Devorion or THE Reset Troops to Kine Jxvr.—Under the authority of a proclamation from: Jefferson Davis, General Kirby Smith, through his Provost Marshal, has issued a gene- ral order to the rebel troops in East Tennessee, declaring that any officer who shall use con- temptuous or disrespectful words against the President, or other authorities of the Confede- rate States shall be cashiecred, and any non-com- missioned officer or private committing the same offence shall be court martialled and punished. The bonds of attachment between the rank and file of the rebel army and their leaders must be close indeed when it is found neces- sary to resort to such stringent measures as these. The only parallel that can be found to such a muzzling of the army is that afforded by the acts of the Committee of Public Safety during the Reign of Terror in France. The Richmond editors had better look out. Their turn will come next. Wuereé 1s tue Great Barriso Navy!—The Carruze or Reoet Parvareers.—te is alike satisfactory and remarkable, that while victory is following upon victory on land, at almost every point of the theatre of war, our naval squadron is thinning out the dangerous rebel fleet of privateers along the coast No less than four fine steamers belonging to tho rebels were brought as prizes iato the ports of New York and Philadelphia on Saturday, and seve- ral smaller oraft are still on their way in charge of prize crews, some of them contain- ing valuable oargoes. This fact speaks well for the activity of our navy, and, in combina- tion with the repeated defeats of the enemy om land, must have e most disastrous effect upom the morale of the rebels. Again, we leara from Europe that, coincident with the total de- molition of all hopes of diplomatic success there, the privateer Sumter, the only naval re- presentative of Rebeldonr in foreign waters, has been sold at.Gibraltar, her crew disbanded and her officers returned to Eogland. Thus, both on land and sea, at home and abroad, the rebellion is falling to pieces. IMPORTANT FROM WASHINGTON Vigorous Movements of the Administration. Interesting Circulars from the Secretary of State to the Foreign Ministers. Southern Ports to be Reopened to the Trade of the World. The President’s Forthcoming Proclamation, ker, hes key A ‘Wasmmaton, May 4, 1662. IMPORTA‘T OIROULARS FROM MR. SEWARD TO THE FORKIOx MINISTERS—SOUTHERN PORTS TO BE RE+ OPENED TO TRADE. 1s is stated to be the intention of the President to issue & proclamation in a few days opening the ports of New- bern, Beaufort, Savannah, Fernandina and New Orleans to the trade of the world. This important measure will release the administration of any international embar. rassments, and largely tend to restore the entents cordiale between the two sections of the country, The following two important circulars, addressed to the foreign Ministers, will show the extent of the coa- tempiated measure :— Derantuane or Stars, Wasuincron, May 2, 1868. Sm—I have the honor to state for your information that the mails are now allowed to pass to and from New Orleans and other places, which, having heretofore been seized by insurgent forces, have since been recovered. ‘and are now reoccupied by the land and naval forces of the United States. It is proper, however, to add that @ military surveillance 1s maintained over such mails, as far aa the government finds it necessary for the public safety. Tam, sir, your obedient servant, WM. H. SEWARD. Drrarruast or Stats, Wasaircton, May 5, 1863. Sm—I have the honor to state, for the information of your government, that a Collector has been appointed by the President for New Orleans, and that the necessary preparations are being made to modify the blockade se far astopermit limited shipments to be made toand from one or more other ports which are new closed by blockade, at times and, upon conditions which will be made known by proclamation. Lam, sir, yeur obedient servant, ‘WM. H. SEWARD. THE RUMORS OF FRENCH INTERVENTION. There is authority for stating that there is not a shadow of foundation for the story in circulation relative to French intervention, or an armistice with the re- dels, &o. IMPORTANT EVENTS EXPECTED AT CORINTH. ‘The War Department at noon to-day received adviess from General Halleck, from which it is toferred that im- portant events will take pj in the neighborhood o¢ Corinth within the next t three days. SENATOR WILSON ON THE EVACUATION OF YORETOWM, Senator Wilson, Chairman of the ‘.. .ry Committee, characterizes the affair at Yorktown as a defeat of MoCiel- lau, and is unsparing in his denunciations of the General in the hotels this afternoon. He says he has known all along that the enemy had no such foree as has been reported, and that their position had no strength. He has known all winter that everybody, except himself, has beon bumbugged in regard to the strength of the rebels in Virginia; and, if his opinions on the subject are correct, he might have marched the regi- mont he raisod in Massachusetts to Richmond with but English boast about its “hearts of oak” and ! little opposition. The objest of his disparagement of the wooden walls of Old England is reduced to ee The London Tunes of recent date has a long article all ‘aboat the British navy, in which the magnificent wooden ships-of-war, the seventy-fours and one hundred and twenty gun ships, and all the rest of them, are completely igndred. Only four vessels are alluded to as comprising the great navy of England, and these are the iron-clad ones. Al- lusions are made to the fact that they are now just commencing to get a navy. This is surely a wonderful revolutionsbrought about, too, by American ingenuity and skill. Like « bank- rupt just whitewashed, Jobn Bull is about to begin business afresh in the matter of building war ships. « Reser, Bousast—A few days ago we re- ceived and published a bombastic reply to the demand of Commodore Farragut for the sur. render of New Orleans, signed by one John Monroe, Mayor, declaring that he would never surrender the great Crescent City te a parcel of Yankees. gButthe next news we heard wasthat the magnificent city of the South was actually held in subjection and occupation by a single battalion of United States marines. We publish- ed yesterday an account of ® communication from General Lawton to the City Council of Savannah, declaring that he would never sur. render the city—-a heroic resolution, whieh we are told the City Fathers avowed their deter- mination to sustain. By a parity of reasoning, then, we conclude that we shall soon hear of the surrender of Savannab. Axoraer Apo.ition Donor.—One of the abolition organs in this city yesterday publ a telegraphic despatch from Washington, stating that the members from the border States are preparing to quit Congress in a body, in despair at the course things are taking there. This is great humbug, If any clase‘of Unionists has shown more loyalty than another, it is these very members from the border States. The statement that they are Moy abgut, ty devgrt the postin whigh ¢ [coat atis weight, except among the clique who have banded together to destroy McClellan, and who have deolared openiy shat the war must be carried on with @ view to the next Presidency. ¥ Tax BILL. ‘The Senate vill teaniian baye determined to report the Tax bill to-morrow, oF Tuesday at Carthest. They bavo been unable to make many important changes contemplated, and will probably leave whiskey and to, bacco untouched. It is a singular fact, worthy of note in Congress, that no remonstrance from any quarter has been made against a hightariff upon these articles; but the dealers and manufacturors are all in favor of placing it at the highest figure. This will probably be dose either in the Senate or by a committee of conference CLOSING OF STORES. Acumber of stores in Alexandria are closed, the pro- pristors having refused to take the oath of allegiance, which has been administered to all persons doing busi- ness there. COMPLAINTS OF SOLDIERS, ‘The soldiers here complain of the partiality shown the contrabands, who are quartered in Duff Green’s row, for-. merly the residence of Webster and Evorott, while the white men who come here to fight for the country are quartered in cheap and uncomfortable barracks. THE MAILS FOR NOVA SCOTIA. On and after the 1st of June noxt all letters . the United States and addressed to Nova Scotia MM be required to be prepaid by United States postage stamps, at the existing rates—namely, ton cents for all distanees not over three thousand miles from the frontier line, and fifteen cents for greater distances. All letters received from Nova Scotia after that date will come fully prepaid, ‘and are to be delivered wkhout further charge. MOVEMENTS OF THE MERRIMAC, Fortress Mownom, May 4, 1862. ‘The Merrimac made her appearance beyond Sewall’s Point at one o’clock to-day. She stopped off the Point, and up to this hour, (four o'clook) has not changod her location, She is not attended by any ts, a8 usual. It is supposed that it ie not her intention to vieit ug to-day, The Monitor and othor vessels of the naval floot are all in readiness for action on short nofice, and are hoping’she will come down. The supposed design of the enemy is to ondeavor to prevent any i tion up the Jamon river to out off (he retreat (rom York- town. Throo deserters arrived hore thie morning im @ rebel sohooner. They report the evacuation of Mulberry 7 | wlgad ond Jegmeuvown early yeetatay morning,