The New York Herald Newspaper, May 7, 1862, Page 6

8 NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1862—TRIPLE SHEE NEW YORK HERALD. | ‘ior asserts that the Bimperor Napoleon had as- JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. OFFICE N. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS, TERMS cash inadvance. Money sent by mail will he at the risk of the sender. None but Bank bills current in New Yorke THE DAILY UERALD, two cents per copy. $7 per annum. THE WEEKLY HERALD, every Saturday, at six cents per sep, oF $3 per ammo, the Europes Bastion ery Walvealny wa gts ber cony. BA per anni foamy part 0 ren Britain br 86 12 tonny pare of tl toch to include pastage; the Balorn Hilo he ut ith tnd 21st "cach months at siz copy. 0: per annum. Th fe wait AEAALD, on Wednesday, at four cenis per er vn WT UNRAKY CORRESPONDENCE, containing important nes, solicited from any Quarter of the world; if used, will be Uiderally paid for. UK FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS ARE Panricucancy Requmstap 70 Seal at, Lerreus anv Pack- ‘AGES SENT Us. “VO NOTICE taken of anonymous correspondence, We donot weburn rejected reattons, ADVERTISE! Tereweiced every day: advertiacmente in- ected ia the Weer Hinvco, Pawity Hitap, and in the California ami Ruropean E htion JOB PRINTING Tccocuteduaith neatnese, heapmees and: dee No.125 AMUSEMENTS 1S EVENING, WALEACE'S TREATEE. 4 Breadwag.qctux: Lore LAURA KEENB'S THEAT! Four. NEW BOWERY THEATRE, OuvTZ—Uxexs S1X—JALK SUMP RD. ‘Broadway.—Rxason 4xD OLYMPIC THEATRE, war—Frouios or THe F BaRNUM'S: AMERICAN MUSUM. Broadway.<Com. Nor—Living Wuain, &c., ar hours.—FLowEEs or QMs Fonkst, afternoon and eveul BRYANTS’ MINSTRELS, way.—cUGeD ATH. CANTERBURY uusIc HALL, Broad: Dancrs, Bunuusanes, £0. ae Tee Hall—172 Broad- PEOPLE'S MUSIC HALL, 45 Bowsy.=So: Buruxseves, &e. Me as EN, NOVELTY MUSIC HALL, 616 Broway,—tvsrcury- ‘Tal Concert, SGT PARISIAN CABINET OF WOSDERE 505 Broadway. — ©pen daily from 10 A. M. tl mar TRIPLE SHEET. ” Sew York, ‘Wednesday, May, 1862, THE SITUATIO;, ‘The despatches from the Army of t Potomac @re now very anxiously looked for, 4 greedily @evoured as soon as received. Genera¥cClellan reports that on his arrival before Willitsburg he found that Joe Johnston, the rebel geral, was ‘im ~@rent of him with a strong fte—pro- Dably mach larger than his own. He al states thst the rebels intend disputing everytep to Bichmond. He, however, intends t> rewe his @riginal plans, which have been somewhinter- fered.with, but inthe meantime will run 4 risk ‘oC holding the rebéla in check. The prospes are that the battle here will be & bloody one, afwith fegard to the forces engaged and the results. be @etermined will be of more importance thamny Bike contest since the days of the elder Napoon- A battle has taken place near Williamsburg,nd &@ brilliant victory has been achieved by aw forces. General McClellan's despatch, whiclis ‘Up to ten o'clock on Monday night, reports as,J- Towa:—Gen. Hancock has taken two redoubts ad repulsed Early's brigade by a charge with ve bayonet, taking one Colonel anf’one hundred ade ‘Ofty prisoners, and killing at least two Colonels ad ™any privates. His conduct was brilliant in te extreme. I do not know our exact loss, but feir thit General Hooker has lost considerably on ow left.” The detailed accounts of the fight, and the sletc! of the military lives of thetwo Generals vill found of great interest by our readers. , The Union gunboats have been up the rver as faras West Point, and have reported the river Blear of obstructions. They captured several sebel transports on their way, and destroyed others. Doubtless; by this time, the forces under General Franklin have reached their destination, tad will soon be, if they are not now, actively en- gaged with the enemy. The despatch received from Fredericksburg Gives a denial tothe stock jobbing reports that sirculated through Wall street yesterday;to the iffeet that General McDowell was in Ri¢hmond. By that telegram it would appear that his troops gre now about for the, first time to take mili- Sary possession of the former tity, and sonsequently have not yet moved very far in ad- ance of that position. The fag of the Union now germanently waves once more over the public buildings of Fredericksburg. General Steele reports that there are but few rebels in that part of Arkansas where he now is, and gives hopes of their speedy capture. The rebel marauder Morgan, with a force Of ybout one thousand cavalry, attacked @ small body of Union troops at Pulaski, Tennessee, on Friday ast, and after a fight of two hours and a half, luring which the rebels lost six killed and two wounded, and our troops lost two killed, three wounded and one missing, the whole force was mken prisoners. The prisoners were released on varole and are now in Nashville. The rebels out- sumbered our forces four to one. On Monday morning General Dumont, who had jent a strong cavalry in pursuit, found and attack. a the anited rebel cavalry under Morgan and Vood, at Lebanon, and utterly routed them, after tilling a great number, capturing one hundred nd fifty prisoners and nearly all their horses and gms. The fight lasted an hour and a half, md the rebels fled, closcly pursued by Genera! Dumont. A report is current in Chicago that Corinth jas been evacuated by the rebels, and that our orees are in possession of the place. One re~ jort states that General Pope's army occupied the ebel works on Sunday last. Jeff. Thorspson is said to be prowling about in Western Kentucky, with one thousand mounted Dilowers, committing depredations and alarming the quiet country people for their personal safety. Hie is reported to have met a company of the Ne- Draske cavalry and scattered them in all directions. + The news from Port Royal is to the 3d instant. The United States gunboat Hale attacked and cap- Yared the rebel battery at the junction of the Dahoo and Pow Pow rivers. The rebels fled as Boon as the gunboats came within three hundred yards. Our European advices by the Edinburg and Gamm: contain some interesting matter rela- {ive to the position of American affairs abroad. ‘The Porig gorspepoudent of the London ddvyer | N.P., with ~ The exigencies of the cas¢, combined with this. sured Mr, Slidell that if the struggle in the United States did not terminate in six months his govern- ment, with that of England, would feel bound to interfere. The spread of destitution among the cotton spin- ners and other ‘‘mill hands” of England, in conse- quence of the closing of some manufactories, and the “‘short time’ economy of the capitalists, was becoming wider in its range, and more aggra- vated in its character every day. It was quite evident that the government and aristocracy were sorely puzzled to know what to do with the ‘‘fear- ful mass’? of pauperism—as the London Times terms it—which stands behind the unemployed heads of families. The savings, credit and, in many instances, household property of most of them had disappeared, and they had no alterna- tive but the workhouse or pauper emigration, pro- vided cotton jcould not be had from the United States more abundantly. A vessel h: -catyo ofthe staple. éncourags caused some. persons.to. openly: embark in the ventire of; Sitting out steamers et Hull and Places, with the intention of despatching them-against the blockade at Charles- ton. We have the particulars of three cases of this description—the Hero, a large Baltic trader— having sailed already on her mission. The recapture of the British ship Emilie St. Pierre from an American prize crew, by her Eng’ lish captain, and her arrival in Liverpool, with the federal seamen in irons, caused quite a sensation in the commercial world. The St. Pierre was from Calcutta, and was taken by the Union steamer James Adger, off Charleston. She was being navigated to Philadelphia by a prize crew, when her commander—a Scotchman—although having only four men at his disposal, disarmed, ironed and confined in the hold sixteen of our men, took control of the vessel, and ran her to Liver- pool—completing a romantic incident of the war in a fortunate manner both for himself and his em- ployers. The London Times announces the termination of its special correspondence from the army of the Potomac, and endeavors to cover the retreat of Bull Run” Rassell from the United States. It alleges that Russel! was very popular with all par- ties—General McClellan, the Union army, and the rebels; but that the Washington Cabinet feared his “independent” criticism, and the President sent him away. The Times claims that the late pfophet enjoys a world-wide credence. as a ‘‘his- torian.’* a CONGRESS. iin the Senate yesterday, a resolutiow calling for ‘pil te officist reports relative to the battle at ‘Pittsburg Landing, was laid over. The Homestead bill was taken up, atid passed by a vote of thirty- three toseven. The bill incorporating the Wash- ingten and Georgetown Railroad Company was briefly discussed. The debate on the Confiscation bill was then resumed, and finally the subject was referred to a select committee. The Finance Committee reported the Internal Tax bill, andit was ordered to be printed. After an executive session the Senate adjourned. In the House of Representatives, a bill was re- ported appropriating $2,500 indemnity to the off- cers and crew of the Spanish bark Providencia, il- legally detained by the blockading squadron. A billto punish frauds on the government by fine and imprisonment was referred to the Judiciary Committee. A resolution directing the steps to be taken for the impeachment of West H. Humphreys, Judge of the United States Courts for Tennessee, for high crimea and misdemeanors, was adopted. The Pacific Railroad bill was passed by a vote of seventy-nine to forty-nine. Mr. Segar was admit- ted a member from the First district of Virginia, and took his seat. A resolution declaring F. W. Lowe not entitled to represent California, was adopted. The Nebraska contested election was discussed till the adjournment. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. The steamship Edinburg, from Liverpool on the 23d and Queenstown the 24th of April, arrived at this port yesterday evening, bringing over five hondred passengers. Her news is one day later than the report of the Hammonia, which was pub- lished in the Heraup yesterday morning, Our special correspondence from London, Paris, Ber- lin and the port of Lisbon, with the compilation from our files by the Hammonia and Edinburg: given in our paper to-day, make up a most inte- resting history of the important events transpiring jn the chief countries of the Old World to the latest moment. The Liverpool cotton market, on the 24th ultimo, closed firm, with prices unchanged. Eight thousand bales changed hands. Breadstuffs were quiet and steady. Provisions were very dull. In London, on the 24th ultimo, consols closed at 93% a 94 for money and account. American stocks were dull. A French squadron was to sail from Toulon direct for Naples on the 26th of April. The fight- ing between the Turks and Montenegrins still con- tinned. It is said that Austria is preparing to re- duce her army to a great extent. We have news from South America dated at Buenos Ayres the 14th and Rio Janeiro the 26th of March. The Legislature of Buenos Ayres had finally approved of the project authorizing the convocation of @ national Congress, empowered to reorganize the government of the republic and appoint a place for the reunion of the States. The English and French Ministers in Montevideo pre- sented an ultimatum to the Executive respecting the payment of the claims of both governments. The united debts—amonnting to four millions of dollarsmust be liquidated in thirty years, the bonds bearing five per cent interest. There is no- thing important from Rio Janeiro. The United States transport Daniel Webster, from Shipping Point, with one hundred and eighty invalids and sick from General McClellan's army at Yorktown, in charge of Dra, Grimes and Smith, of the United States Sanitary Board, arrived at this port yesterday. The American ship Screamer, from the Cape of Good Hope March 4, put into Plymouth, England, April 23. Her news is ten days later than that brought by the last mail steamer. Lung sickness had broken out badly in Hamegulana, Sir Walter Currie had been successful in his negotiations with the chief Kreli, the latter having accepted the offer of being taken under British protection, General Fremont, with his wife, his danghter and son, and the members of his staff, left Wheel. ing on the 3d inst., in a special train of three cars, for New Creek station, enroute, it is supposed, for Monterey, in Highland county, Virginia. Samuel 8. Mills and Thomas 8. Piggot, former. ly editors of a rebel newspaper in Baltimore, called the South, have been released from Fort McHenry, on their good behavior. ‘The tebel papers in Western Virginia, which stimulated and hounded on thg work of disynign at arrived at.Liverpool frem Nassau,. the breaking out of this God forsaken rebellion, were the Wheeling Union, Parkersburg News, Clarksville Register, Fairmount Virginian and Philippi Jeffersonian. Now where are they? The Erie canal is represented as now being in good navigable condition. Twenty boate were launched at Rochester on the 2d inst., and a num- ber of the largest class are yet on the stocks, nearly ready. Mr. John Gilmary Shea, a well known historian’ appeared before the New York Historical Society last evening, and read a paper on “The Negro Plot in 1741,” to a very large and intelligent as" semblage, in which the reader was frequently in- ‘errupted with well merited applause. The election campaign for the October canvass has fairly opened in Indiana, and Jesse D. Bright, who was expelled from the United States Senate for alleged complicity with Jeff. Davis in his work of rebellion, is already in the field with his seces- sion sympathizing ticket for State officers. The ticket thus put forward is composed of the follow- ing names :— Secretary of State—James S. pata: Treasurer Mathew L. Brott. For the: latter ‘office the Convention had aomi- ‘+ mated Milton B. Hepkins; bat, a9.the company into: taste, he withdrew-his namo, end a substitute-was- provided. The object of-Mr. Beight is to cn. ), deavor to keep up-the organization of the secession domecracy, and if possible te secure a majority in the next Legislature, in order that he may regain his seat in the United States Senate. But it re- quires no sagacity to see that he will be doomed to disappointment. Hundreds of the old line de- mocracy have already forsaken his standard, and a large number of the democratic journals in the State refuse absolutely to support the ticket. A Union Convention has been called, to meet at In. dianapolis on the 18th of June, and this gathering will embrace all the conservative men of both par- ties, who will shape their course in such a satis- factory manner as to eventually leave the Bright secessionists and abolitionists high and dry upon the bank together. Mr. F. Byrne, associated with Mr. J. T. Brady, yesterday sued out a writ of habeas corpus for John W. Butler, proprietor of the American Hall, 444 Broadway, and his barkeeper, both charged under the ‘Saloon act.’’ The accused preferred remaining in custody, in order to test the question of the constitutionality of the law, which will be argued before Recorder Hoffman in a few days. The case of Haynes, first mate of the slaver Nightingale, was commenced yesterday. It is the same voyage as that for which Westervelt was tried, and in which the jury could not agree. A large number of jurors were excused, on the ground that they could not conscientiously find a verdict of guilty in any case where the punishment was death, unless for the crime of murder. The Board of Supervisors met yesterday, when the Commissioners of Harlem Bridge sent in a bill, amounting to $4,569 01, for expenses incurred in constructing Harlem Bridge. The salaries of the Commissioners’ chief and assistant engineers, &c., for the last month, amounted to $2,050 33, and the labérers’ Pay roll for the same time amounted to 9395: 18. The Comptroller submitted s ‘tabular statement of the total. expenditures’ on county accoutit, including’the Stato taxcs and support of the Metrépoliten police to the 30th-alt: “Fhteex: penditures amounted to. $1,358,29048, leaving a balance of $3,697,911 49 unexpended. . The Board confirmed the appointment of Mr. James M.Mac- gregor for the office of Superintendent of Buildings. ‘The bill for Coroners’ services for the quarter ending on March 31, amcunting to $4,047 87, was ordered to be paid. The Board then adjourned until Tuesday, the 20th inst. The annual sermon before the New York Uni- versalist Association was preached last evening by the Rev. Dr. Flanders, in the church corner of Bleecker and Downing streets. His text was taken from the 4th chapter of St. John’s Gospel and the 35th verse. The discourse was entirely of a religious nature. It was intended to show that during no time in the world’s !:istory has the influence of religion been so slight and so ‘littlé felt as at the present; and he closed with an eloquent exhortation for his hearers to become earnest workers in the work of redemption. The business meeting of the association will be held at half-past nine o’clock this morning, in the base- ment of the seme building. The Sunday school anniversary exercises will take place at three o’olock this afternoon, in the Rev. Dr. Chapin’s church, on Broadway. ‘The stock market was again vory active yesterday, and the prices of some of the Western shares were higher. The chief favorites wore Rosk Island, Toledo, TMiinois Central, Galena and Erie. Goveraments were unchanged. Exchange was dull at 114; gold lower, clos" ing at 1025 a 102%. Money was abundant at 4 0 5° xport of produce for the woek was $1,931,209. ‘The cotton market was quiet yesterday. The wales in small lets did net exceed 100 bales, scarcely sufficiom to make a market. The transactions, however, were based upon middling uplands at about 27c. @ 27)¢c. Tho re- ctipteof flour were larger,aud the market was.heavy and lower, having closed at a decline of 66. a 10c. per bbl. Wheat was heavy and rather lowor, with limited sales. Corn was in fair request, with sales of Western «at 560. @ 67c. in store, and at 5Ti¢c. a Sac. de. livered. Pork was higher and more active with freo sales on the spot,at $13 for mess. 600 bbis., for Jane delivery, were sold at the same figure. Prime was Selling at $10 0 $1025, Sugars were firmly held, which pended to check sales, which embraced about 300 bhds. Gubag at fall prices. Coffee was quiet and no sales of moment were reported. The stock embraced 125,111 bags of Rio, and 186,482 mate and bags of all descriptions, Freights were firmer. Flour was taken to Liverpool at 2°. 4344. @ 2s, 6d., corn in bulk at 73¢d., and wheat at 8d. 83;., and provisions at 25s.a 2%s, 6d., and flou, to London at 28. 43¢d., with provisions at full previou rates. Tae Emancipation Question Sonvine Irsetr.— Among our Washington despatches will be found a communication from a correspondent who has recently visited Manassas, and who describes the contrabands as pouring down there in shoals from the’ rear of Banks’ and McDowell's columns, from sheer inability of their masters to keep or feed them. If this state of things continues, and the rebels perse- vere with the war, the emancipation question will not be as long of solution as President Lincoln’s measure contemplated. The ad- vance of the Union armies will not only clear the border, but the cotton States, of their entire slave population. The extremists North and South had better take heed in time of this dan- ger. Unless they speedily come to terms the war will pinch both of them in a way that they have not bargained for. A Lesson ty THe Ant or War.—We notice that General McClellan has determined to make his rebel prisoners pick up the torpedoes and loaded shells distributed sbout the rebel forti- fications at Yorktown and along the road to Williamsburg, his is am excellent idea, and we shall be glad to have it strictly carried out. Already we have lost eight or ten brave Union soldiers by this cowardly and treacherous de- vice of the rebels, of putting man traps about their deserted fortifications, and we think it) about time that they should be hoist with their own petards. Perhaps if a few rebels are blown to pieces with these concealed torpedoes we shall be able to infuse some idea of the pro- prieties and humanities of wart into those traitors who run like sheep before our brave troops, and wreak their weak revenge by setting cowardly traps to destray the ugwarw, Fanatical Excesses, North and South. Considerable alarm is expressed in some quarters lest the destruction of cotton and tobacco, which has been grdered by the rebel authorities wherever we have obtained advan- tages over them, should become general, and thus deprive the world of their supplies of these necessary staples for a couple of years to come. No fears should be entertained on this head. The orders thus given will be but very par- tially acted upon. They will be treated with about as much respect as the silly letter pub- lished some little while ago by Cobb, Toombs and two or three other crazy rebels, advising the Southern people to burn their towns and dwellings sooner than allow the Yankees to take possession of them. Inflamed by bad whiskey, and maddened by disappointment, the men who have dragged the South into this slough of despond are capable of urging upon its people the most frantic excesses; but, although the latter have allowed themselves to be dragooned into the war, they are not -} demented: to this suicidal point. It should. be recollected that the -amoant.-ef cot- ten end +tobacco burned ‘on the coast bears ‘but... -amall fractional proportion to'the aggregéte stock on hand.of both. ‘What-, ever could beremoved into ‘the interior has’ been, in every iastance, immediately sent there on the approach of the federal forces, and the general collapse of the rebellion will find it untouched. To assume that the planters and other holders of these staples will act on the incendiary recommendations of men who are vested with an authority of such short probable duration, who have no property themselves to lose, and who are prepared to run away and de- sert them at the first convenient opportunity, is contrary to all experience of human nature. We have seen how the efforts to burn the towns about to fall into our possession have been re- sisted in almost every instance by the inhabi- tants. The same conservative spirit will be exhibited by the planters, once they are as- sured of protection from the drunkards and tyrants who now hold the fate of their property in their hands. But whilst we charge these excesses to the account of the misguided men who have already so much to answer for, let us not shut our eyes to the fanaticism of those on our side who, at a time which calls for so much forbearance, are doing all they can to exasperate to the highest pitch the biter feelings that the war has pro- voked. The conduct of Senator Wade’s com- mittee, in publishing their report on the barbarities said to have been committed on our wounded and dead ‘by the rebels after the battle of Manassas, is inexcusable. It can serve no purpose but to inflame still further the ran- cor that exists between the two sections, whilst in other respects it is equally contrary to good policy. Admitting that the statements ia the report-are true, what object do- the com- mittee propose to themselves by giving them to the: world? Are. they so-blinded by their hos- tility againet the South as not to see that what reflects.on the. civilization. and humanity: of its people may also be taken te reflecten our- aeclves? People abroad will not stop to draw the distinction, and will set down to the account of democracy the excesses of a few fanatics drunk with the fury of an insane hatred. Have we no minds among us similarly diseased, and who, for the sake of an abstract idea, would see thousands upon thousands of lives sacri- ficed—nay, humanity itself perish—rather than forego for a moment the gratification of their infuriate passions? Let us remember that this unnatural war is not going to last forever, and that we shall, North and South, again fraternize as one people. Out of its bitterness and its resentments let us try only to preserve the memory of the gallantry and soldierlike quali- ties that mutually distinguished us. At all events, whatever we may think of each other, let us not furnish those against whom, by and bye, we may be conjointly called upon to take up arms, with reproaches so foul against our good name as a people. Asoxition Attacks on Ovr Geverats.—The brilliant success of our armies in every quarter dorely afflicts the abolitionists of the Sumner and Lovejoy scheol. They see in the success that has attended the labors of our generals the speedy crushing out of the rebellion, and the restoration of the Union on its former basis. Here is where the shoe pinches, and the cause of all the bluster of the abolitionists in and out of Congress, and th¥ir continuous attacks upon the generals, nearly all of whom are constitu- tional Union men, and therefore labor for the speedy and effectual crushiag out of the rebel- lion, letting slavery to take care of itself. Our generals and two-thirds of the army being con- servative men, the abolitionists are unable to use them to carry out their grand theory of negro equality. Hence their ravings in Con- gress and elsewhere. From present indications there is every rea- son to believe that the rebellion will be soon brought to an end, and the Union restored on a constitutional basis, leaving with the several States to take care of slavery as it best affects their interests, by accepting or rejecting the emancipation policy of the President. This does not commit the President to the protection of slavery; it does not commit the North or the Union armies or generals to @ slavery policy, but leaves it where it belongs—with the States affected by it, as they and their interests may determine. Srock Spgcutations Iv Wai. Srreet.—There has been a regular rush for stocks in Wall street during the last few days, resulting in a general rise of everything bearing that name. While the stockjobbers and brokers are having a high time purchasing on a rise, the proprie- tors of the steckjobbing journals of this city have gone to Virginia to ascertain the prospects of crushing out the rebellion and the consequent additional inflation of stocks. No doubt these managers and proprietors of the stockjobbing newspapers have been sending home private advice to their accomplices in Wall street, and, like Bull Run Russell, have been urging them for sevoral days past to act es though they had heard “good news.” Srocksospino JournaLisM.—Already the stock- jobbing journals are beginning to show the cloven foot. Some time ago such papers as the imbecile Times tried to write down stocks by making cowardly predictions of our defeats. Now, having secured a full supply of stocks at a low price, they try to get up a great sensa- tion upon the old news about Mercier’s visit to Richmond, the motive of which was disclosed in the Heratp three weeks ago, and they hope thus to influence the stock market. It is trouble wasted, however; for the stock market is buoyant enough, and our victories will keep i so. ‘mond was published in the Hxnatp.of April } Boheme of Napoleon:to ally himself with: this ‘The Bogus Enterprise of the New York Times. It used to be a favorite dodge of swindlers and pickpockets to roundly abuse a man after robbing him, in order to convince any stray Policeman who might be in the neighborhood that their victim was a ruffianly scoundrel, and that they, being gentlemen of exemplary virtue, had felt it their duty to knock him down and give him into custody for an attempt at rob- bery and assault. The “Little Villain” of the Times, who is perfectly well posted in all the tricks of the Knights of the Pave, has adopted this same device to cover up his newspaper thefts and swindles. It is his ordinary prac- tice first to steal our news and our opinions, and then to attack and berate us, with a great show of virtuons indignation, as if we had beon guilty of the very errors of which we had just convicted him. An extraordinary instance of this brazen effrontery may be found in the com- ments in yesterday’s Times upon M. Mercier’s visit to Richmond. The néws that M, Mercier had gone to Rich- 16. The mext'dey, April 17, commenting editorially upon this news, we disclosed the country against Engiand, and then explicitly stated:—“Now, the objoct of the visit of Mercier 48 to toll Jeff. Davis and his Cabinet that they must submit at once; that if they-do not France will take part with the North, and settle the affair very soon. But if the Southern leaders will lay down their arms the Emperor of the French will interpose to save their necks. This reasoning will probably be successful.” Two days after, on the 19th of April, we devoted an editorial to M. Mercier’s mission, remarked upon the curious interest it had excited, ex posed the fallacy of the various rumors of its connection with cotton or to- bacco, and then proceeded to say:— “We adhere to our theory that M. Mercier, from the Emperor Napoleon, has gone to Richmond asa peacemaker, We are very much strength- ened in this opinion by the fact, which has come into our possession, that before leaving Wash- ington on this mysterious enterprise M. Mercier was closeted for two hours or more with Mr. Seward, our Secretary of State. We dare say that from this conversation the French Minister went away entirely satisfied that the govern- ment of the United States intends, in any event and against all difficulties, internal and exter- nal, to prosecute this war to the complete resto- ration of the territorial ‘integrity of the Union;’ and we presume, too, that M. Mercier has for some time been convinced that the Southern confederacy of Jeff. Davis is a failure, and is rapidly fading away, like a castle in the clouds. That Louis Nupoleon has lately come to this conclusion we have every.reason to believe; : and we know that the.conclusions and the ac- tions.of, Louis Napoleon are very apt to Zo to- gether, When he divines the drift of passing events: in other nations he proceeds to meet them; ‘a: the vigilant guardian of France. Hence it is our belief that M. Mercier bas gone te- Richmond as a peacemaker; that his’ busi- ness is to advise Jeff. Davis to abandon this hopeless rebellion, and to rely upon the good offices of France with the government of the United States in behalf of a liberal amnesty, and to warn him, on the other hand, of the possible intervention of France against himself and his confederates; if they, in a spirit of bar- barous ferocity, shall extend their resistance to the Union to the criminal extremity of wasting by fire our Southern cotton, tobacco, sugar and rice crops, which are so essential to meet the common wants of mankind.” To the conclusions thus expressed we have of course adhered, and have since repeatedly expressed them editorially, although, in ac. cordance with an invariable policy, we have given our readers the benefit, in our news columns, of every reasonable rumor upon the subject, so that those who could not accept our solution of the Mercier mystery might have all the ‘circumstances from which to deduce theories for themselves. The Times, in common with our other contemporaries, violently attacked us for the articles we have quoted, and lavished the most absurd and ridiculous epithets upon us for holding such opinion. In afew days, however, the World concluded that we were right, and on the 21st of April published a long editorial, adopting our views, but mixing them up with a great deal of its own. silly riibhish about the Pope of Rome. The Times continued its abuse, how- ever, until yesterday, when, imagining our articles forgotten, and seeing a chance to operate upon. stocks, the. “Little . Villain” came out with a long despatch, dated Washing- ton, but really written up from our columns in the Times office, and with an editorial which is a mere paraphrase of our own—the very ideas, words and order of arrangement being pal- pably stolen. The only original sentence in these conspicuous, double leaded articles in the Times was false, and was to the effect that the Heratp had declared that Mercier would “bring French fleets and armies to the aid of Davis.” It is thus that our con- temporaries get up their special and excit ing news; for the information which the Hera.p gave its readers on the 17th and 19th of April the World copied on the 21st, the Times re- vamped for May 6, and the 7ribune will repub- | lish some time next month. Now, as newspapers cannot be copyrighted, we are unable to prevent, and find it useless to complain of, this gross plagiarism. We can only pity the readers of these slow journals, who are compelled, in this fast age, to be three weeks behind the rest of mankind in the matter of news. Fortunately, however, these readers are very few, and are becoming beautifully less as the public is better edu- cated. A long experience of sach meanness has made us perfectly indifferent to the thefts of our jobbing contemporaries, and we are quite content that the small fry newspapers of this city, Boston and Philadelphia shall eke out their scanty means of subsistence by steal- ing our news and hashing up our editorial We must insist, however, that our contempora-" ries shall rob without abusing us. The Times does not make its plagiarism less evident by inserting a false statement about our opinions; nor was Beauregard’s cipher despatch—first published bythe Henatpand afterwards copied by the other papers—less authentic because the Tribune, Times and World hastened to pronounce it a forgery. Let our contempora- ries steal like gentlemanly ruffians, and be as courteous as Gentleman Jack, or as silent as is the Tribune about its jobbery. If they will do this, and give our opinions unadulterated and in full, we will lend them our old types, to save them trouble, and recommend their pa- pers to all persons who are unfortunate enough opt to he able to obtaja the Ugratyp. ENLARGEMENT oF THE CaNALS FoR THE PassAGm or Gunvoats.—The Legislature of this State before its adjournment enacted a law giving permission to the general government to en- large one tier of the locks on the Erie and Oswego canals of this State, so as to admit of the passage of gunboats to the lakes. This, taken in connection with the movement at Washington to connect the Mississippi with Lake Michigan, is one of the most iwportant measures that has been brought forward in the last year, and we trust that Congress will not adjourn without ordering the work to be done with the greatest possible despatch. Our treaty with England prevents our having more than one gunboat on the lakes, and that only a small affair, while she is so situated—having a canal around the rapids in the St. Lawrence, every foot of which is in her own territory—that the moment there is any difficulty between the two nations and hostilities commence she cam send a fleet of gunboats through to the lakes, and, before we can build boats to compete with _. her, can bombard and burn all our dourishing cities and towns on the lakes. Thus,while'the treaty binds each nation to one gunbeat; Great -should-war break out between the two nations this adwantage will be seriously -felt.et every point onthe shores of our inland seas, It is, in fact, stated upon good authority that a num- ber of gunboats have been in the course of construction during the winter on the Ottawa, whence they can be run down to the St. Law- rence, near Montreal, and thence through the canal to the lakes. We notice that the Philadelphia papers are very much alarmed at the project of enlarg- ing these canals and opening a passage for gun- boats from the Hudson to the Father of Waters. Like everything else, they look upon it with jealous eyes, and imagine that they see in it a great reduction in the transportation on their railroads. What, we ask, has that to do witha great measure of public necessity? Must Buf- falo, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Chicago and the other flourishing cities and towns on the shorea of our lakes be left defenceless because, for- sooth, their protection may divert traffic from the railroads leading to Philadelphia? That view of a.question of so great national impert- ance is characteristic of Philadelphia, and is, therefore, not unexpected; and we dare say Congress will pay but little attention and to care much less for the jealous ravings of the smallfry Quaker City editors. The great success that has attended every trial of the gunboats during the present war . has effectually decided them to be far superior to fortifications, even for defence; and let thie system of canal enlargement now broached in Congress be carried out, connecting the Hudson. with the Mississippi, and the construction of the appropriate iron- clad. gunbonts, and we will he. in @ position to defy the combined. fleets and. Farmies of the world, The-project is in every particular feasible and practicable, and the. safety: of our commerce: upon the lakes de- . mands the speedy construction of this. work. The ill feeling engendered towards England by her course towards the North since the commencement of the rebellion, her secret attempts to help the South and break up the Union, do not augur harmonious feeling be- tween the two nations in the future; and the first step for Congress to take to prepare the | nation for any and all emergencies is to make the necessary appropriation, and direct the en- largement of the locks on the canals of this State, and the construction of the canal coa- necting Lake Michigan and the Mississippi. Next to the passage of the Tax bill, this measure is of greater public importance than any other before Congress, and we hope ta cbrenicle its final passage at an early day. NEWS FROM ROM WASHINGT ‘On. Wann, May 6, 1863. THE SENATE'S AMENDMENT TO THE TAX BILL. ‘The report of the Finance Committce of the Senate upon the Tax Dill is accompanied by an amendment, offered by Senator McDougall, one of the committee, as a substitute for the whole bill. This bill proposes te Sraiee revenue from the following sources:— First.—Capital, active and circulating, to be reached by a tax on sales and transfers, and on receipts of some classes of business, aa hotels, &c.—one hundred and tem millions. ‘Second—Capital, fiaed and realized, income duties on interests from interest paying bonds and securities—tem millions. ‘Third—Excisos on spirits, malt liquor and manufac- tured tobacco—forty millions. uurth—Duties on legacies and inhoritances graded rom one to eight per cent—sovon millions. ‘The system of the payment by ad valorem stamps is adopted throughout. ‘The officials employed to be:—First—A Commissioner of Internal Revenues at Washington to supervise ail. Second—Inspectors in the several districts, with depu- ties, to be appointed by them. Third—A Stamp Agent in each district,or more than one if necessary, for the disposal of stamps. ‘This is substantially the system recommended by the New York Chamber of Commerce and the Boards of ‘Trado of Boston and Philadelphia. It is claimed that it is less expensive, less complicated, and affords reasonable convenience to the public; that this mode of collection will be lesa folt, and that it affords complete checks from tho parties paying all the way upto the Commissioner, and that it will collect the tax for less than three per cent. Senator Simmons will introduce am amendment tothe Dill reported by the committee, modifying that portiom which affects the manufacturing interests. Numerous amenaments were made to the House bill, im order to perfect its machinery, and it is understood that the Committee of Ways and Means agree to thom. ‘The Senate Committee on Finance have reported abou, two hundred and sixty amendments to the House Tax bil, aftor having heard the representatives of delegationg representing various interests. Among the amendments they have stricken out the tax on all rectified and mixed, and increased that on distilled spirits to twenty cents per gallon, to be collected at tho distilleries; but not to operate upon the stock on hand previous to the passage of this act. The tax on domestic wine is stricken out, Lager bir and other malt liquor remain undisturbed. Three per centum is proposed on the gross receipts of ratiroads, steamboats, ke.; thirty instead of fifty cents a head on cattle, adding five cents on calves; tobacco, twenty cents per pound, cigars, from ten to thirty-five, according to quality. ‘The tax of one cent per pound on cotton was strieken out, and schedule A, taxing pianos, watches, carriages, &e., nearly all stricken out, retaining the tax on biltar® tables and dogs. Tho commitice have not changed the mode of collection, but have modified the section in the act of the Sth of August for raising $20,000,000 by tar. and making the provision applicable for one year. ALL WELL AT WILLIAMSBURG. Senator Foster recoived a despatch to-night from Gen. Fitz John Porter stating that evorything is working wely, with tho army at Williamsburg. THE REBEL DEFENCES AT YORKTOWN, Gentlemen of this city who visited Yorktown immed ately after the evacuation state that the position was a strong one, and the works very formidable, A membery of Congress, who examined the place thoronghly, saya that all tha enemy's largo guns were left in position, thore being but one ombrasure vacant, where, from. ap- pearances, it was doubtful if a gun had ever beon mounted, Tho prisoners captured at Yorktown converse Crovly respecting the war, except that thoy refuse to alive information about tha strength of GeneralJoaq os “i