The New York Herald Newspaper, November 20, 1862, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR, UPFICEN, W, CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS, TERMS cash in advance. Moncy sent oy mailwill be at the rish of tne sender. Noneiut Brwk ovlla current in New York THE DAILY HERALD. to centeper copy. $7 per annum THE WEEKLY H&RALLD, every Saturdin, at #12 cents per op 0 $3.7 annum the European Edition -very Wednenioy, ee combs per COPY: annum of Great hritain, ws 13 tony port of Ube Continamh, bath te tnctace pratage, the ‘California Edition on the st, Mth and 21etaf each month, ut six cents per con. 0° $2 18 ner anova THE FAMILY HERALD, on Weanesday, at four cents ver sopy, oF $2 per annus Volume xxvn AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. NIBLO’S GARDEN, Broadway.—Vor-av-Vent—Diver- TIsSRUBNT—GOLDEN £Go—iuaee Firing TRareee, WALLACK'’S THEATRE, Brosdway—CLanpxsrine Man Buck WINTER GARDEN, Broadway.—Famy Orc.e—Macio Joxe—lnisn Tex. LAURA KEENK'S VU FINGTON—COLLEMN Baw NEW BOWERY THEA’ . Bowery—Daata Piaxk— Bivsskin—Rovwens or tax legate, RE. Broadway.—Peq Wor- LED, BOWERY THEATRE. bowery.—Jaox Cape—Tuz Twin Buoriens—Basvay OF THN BLACK MINE, BAKNUM'S AMERICAN MUSEUM, Broadway.—Esqut- sux LxpiaNs—Commonore Nett, CoLonep Trorican Fisn, 4&c., Wall hours, J avvRetr, afternoon and evening. RYANTS’ MINSTRELS’ Mechanics’ Hall, 472 Broad STHIOPIAN SONGS, Berueseves, Datcgs, tc.—Hicn CHRISTY'S HOUSE, #8 Bones, Da: Lack Bb. OPERA + KO. BL WOOD'S MINSTREL HALL, 514 Broadway,—Ermoriaw Bones, Dances, &.—O rm kL10. PALACE OF MUSIC, Minstinis—Sowas, Daxc 20 Broadway.—Exuinition or HALL, 615 Broadway,—Daawing DERS, 563 Broadway. — Brooklyn.—Erntortan A Sons, Da BULLESQUKS ae New York, Thursday, November 20, 18! BE SITUATION. The departure of the Army of the Potomac from Warrenton on its advance towards Richmond, is said to have been very ably conducted by General Burnside. The present movement and position of the ermy are understood to be precisely those j prepared hy Gen. McClellan some months ago. The position which Gen. 2 places Lim nearer to Richmond by two days* march, then Gen. Lee with his rebel army, and ‘he Union reserves under Sigel are actually bearer to Gen. Burnside, than Stonewall Jack- son’s forces are to Gen. It appears probable that Burnside may bring on o decisive action—apon ground more advantageous than General Lee would have selected for hin— before Jackson can come up with reinforcements from his position in the Shenandoah valley. The movement should be, and possibly will be, both rapid and decisive. The people will await the tesult with some anxicty, Large bodies of rebel cavalry pickets were visi ble yesterday in the vicinity of Harper's Ferry, and it was reported that Stonewall Jackson's in fautry were concentrated in force at Bunker Hill. It was conjectured that they contemplated & speedy attack. We have some news of interest from the South- west. Cotton is now coming into Memphis freely, and in large quantities from points along the line of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad as far out as Corinth. The steamer Platte Valley brought up a load of nine hundred bales of cotton to Cairo a few days ago, which is the largest single load that has arrived since the breaking ont of the rebellion. This was all she could carry at the present stage of water, and she was compelled to leave a large amount on the Memphis levee, awaiting shipment, Tho impression prevails at Memphis that cotton will now come in there as rapidly as steamers can be found to briag it away. West Tennessee is now about free both from the regular armies of the rebels and guerilla bands. The iast vestige of the latter were routed and driven in confusion across the Tennessee, near Fort Henry, a few days ago by General Ransom. General Foster has furnished an official report of his Jate movements in the castern countics of North Carolina, in which he was not successful, a fact which he attributes to the superiority of the enemy's numbers, the want of supplies, the bad- ness ef the roads and tue severity of the snow storm. The details of this expedition have been given before in our columns. Among other intelligence just received from Lee. Hlavana by a late arrival, we have an account | furnished by the Diario de la Marina, of the case of the steamer Blanche, which was burnt on the | coast of Mariano, Cuba, some time ago. It ap- pears from the Diario’s statement, that our Minis- ter at Madrid disowned the action of the United | States vessel in the premiscs, and that Mr. Seward did the same in a conference with the Spanish Min. ister at Washington, and offered ample reparation. It happens, however, according to the facts, that, while it might have been very well for Mr. Seward and the United States Minister, at the Bpanish capital, acting under his insirections, Probably, to disavow and tender reparation for the act of our officer, there was really nothing in the matter to disavow or make reparation for. The Blanche, with British colors flying, ran ashore, and Captain Hunter, of the United States gunboat Montgomery, sent a boat's crew to render her as- wistance. Her officers, upon seeing the appreach of the bont, get their vessel on fire, probably with a | viow to obtain a claim agaiust our government for fhor loss. Such we believe are the facts in connce- tion with the destruction of the Anglo-rebel | Bteaner Blanche in Spanish waters, By the Anglo-Saxon, off Cape Race, we have Hews from Europe to the 7th instant—ono day Bator, Mediation rumors in American affairs were cur: Tent in London on the 7th instant, ; ‘The subject of neutral rights and free flags was Bnxionsly discussed in political and mercantile circles in Groat Britain, in connection with the aval raid and fitting out of the rebel privateer ¥No, 290." The London Post, the organ of the government, Wuggents that the late inaction of the army under BeCletlan was caused by the success of the rats at the Ponnsylvania and other Northern The Post thinks thas if the democrats i uer t umphs and increase the numerical Broadway.—Eraioria } DEXS, ide now occupies | NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBRE 20, 1862, : force im Congress, “the probabilities of a speedy | The Cuming. Regents of ee Secretaries | ‘The Hinglish Press Upon the 4x*erican Departments. zr Acvording to custom, the Secretaries of the | Much surprise, we might say indignation, * various departments will make their annual | justly been expressed in this country at the reports at the opening of Congress on the first course pursued by the leading English journals peace will be much enhanced.” The special correspondence of the London Times from Richmond, dated on the 8th of Ooto- ber, contains a lively but one sided report of the position of affairs in the rebel capital, as well as of the military spirit and prospects of the Confederate troops. The writer _ denies that any Union sentiment exists in Virginia, and asserts that the South can never be conquered, as the conflict has now assumed the character of a war of races—the rebels being, in his opinion, the superior people. General Scott's letter to President Lincoln had produced a very decided sensation in England. The rebel steamship Alabama had been spoken to the southeast of the Bank of Newfoundland by an English vesse! from New Brunswick. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. The steamship Anglo-Saxon, from Londonderry on the 7th instant, passed Cape Race yesterday morning on her voyage to Quebec. Her news is one day Jater than the advices by the Etna. Consols closed in London on the 7th instant at 9344 a 935% for money. There was an abundant supply of money. Breadstuffs were quiet and | steady. The provision market was dull, The Li- yerpool cotton market closed quict on the Tur instant on the quotations of the advance experi- enced during the week. The Bank of France had advanced its rate of interest to four per cent. The ‘arian govern- ment claims the right of succession to the throne of Greece, with a federal union, including the pro- vinces of E: saly and Macedonia. The Russian government approves of the last named project. ‘The “Provident Institute and Bank of Deposit” of Victoria, Australia, had stopped pay- meut in the sum of $1,500,000. he steamer Bio Bio, from Havana and Key West, artived here yesterday morning. ‘The news she brings from the former place and from Mexico is of great interest. The Spanish papers speak hopefally of the peaceful settlement of the ques- tion of the g of the steamer Blanche, the Co nnent being h of Hi na is good. From Mexi- co we learn that a severe nortler had prevailed ; along the coast, destroying a good many vessels. | More French trovps had arrtved; but the move- ments of the army were very slow. The Mexicans | were fortifying themselves at Puebla and the city of Mexico, and seem determined to resist the French to the last. Comonfort, with 5,000 men, | was near Mexico city. { By the arrival of the brig Robert Moore, Cap- tain F, Ugtchkiss, we have news from Demerara to the 29th of October. There was a large amount ; of American produce on hand, and the market | was very dull, The sugar crop will be large this year. The general health of the city was good. There was great anxiety to obtain colored laborers for this colony from the United States. Very libe- ral offers have been made by the colony to that class of persons. Secession sentiments prevailed there. The rebel steamer Kate, from Wilmington, North Carolina, with a cargo of cotton, arriv- ed at Nassau on the 4th instant, having passed the blockade. . We have files of the Jornal do Commercio and the Correio Mercantil, of Rio Janeiro, to the 10th of October. The Rio coffee market for the week ending 9th of September was almost devoid of business, but had recovered from its languor, and sales to some extent were effected at an advance of 100 reis, principally in the new descriptions. From the 7th to the 23d 73,700 bags changed hands, of which 8,600 were for the States. In freights for the United States there was not much doing, but still the few vessels loading would have no difficulty in obtaining their cargoes. Freights in general were somewhat firmer than at the end of last month. At Bahia about 500 to 600 bales of cotton from the interior (about three to four arrobas each), made their appearance in the market, and were bought up at 21,000 reis per arroba. Brown sugars con- tinued in demand, and prices were firm and look- ing up; sales had been effected at 1,850 reis to 1,950 reis for regular qualities, and 2,000 reis per arroba for superior. Whites were neglected. There had been no supplies of coftee from Cara- yellas. A demand for cocoa had sprung up lat- | terly, and lots of regular quality readily found purchasers at 4,400 reis per arroba. Stocks of hides on hand were increasing, no sales having transpired for some time, and quotations were nominal and flat. There is no, political news of consequence. ‘The Board of Education held their regular fort- nightly meeting last evening. Mr. N. A. Calkins was clected City Superintendent, in room of Mr. Seaton, the present incumbent, and Mr. William Jones was re-elected Assistant Superintendent for the term of two years, at a salary of $1,800 each, Mr. Waterbury moved that Mr. 8. W. Seaton be | elected to the position of Assistant Superintendent during life, at a salary of 1,000 a year, which was carried. The Board transacted a large amount of routine business, and adjourned for two weeks. Alderman Boole was yesterday nominated for Comptroller by the joint Tammany and Mozart | democratic conventions. It was believed, how ever, that Mr. Boole will decline the honor, and that Judge Barnard will be nominated in his stead. | The case of John Crawford, a private in Col- | Duryee’s Zouave regiment, indicted for man- | slaughter, in cansing the death of a man named | George A. Doherty, on the 7th of October last, occupied the attention of the Court of General | Sessions during the whole of yesterday. Ata | jate hour in the evening the jury rendered a ver- dict of guilty of manslaughter in the third de- gree, and recommended the prisoner to the mercy of the Court. Sentence will be pronounced on Saturday. The Commissioners of Emigration met yester- day, when the following statement was submit- ted:—Number of emigrants arrived froin the 12th November, 1561, to the 12th November, 1862, 66,867; arrived since to the 19th inst., 1,427-—to- tal, 68,294; arrived up to same date in i861, 62,793. Number of inmates on Ward's Island in 1862, 591; in 1861, 781; in 1860, 796; in 1859, 740. From the treasurer's annual statement it appear- | ed that there was a balance on the Ist of January, 1862, of $3,816 05; aggregate receipts to Novem- ber 12, 1962, $159,836 94; received since to No- | vember 19 for commutation of passengers, &c.+ $4,606 77; disbursements, as pet previous accounts, | to November 12, 1962, $140,323 99; balance in bank, $27,834 77. | Stocks were lower yesterday morning, but better again | in the afternoon, closing strong ata slight decline from yesterday's prices. Gevernments were firm. Money was quick at 6a percent. Exchange was dull at 1444 8146. Gold closed at 190% bid. The trade tables of the port for the mouth of Vetober will be ready to-day, and will appear in to-morrow’s Hau, Cotton was loss freoly inquired for yesterday, specula- tors baying withdrawn. Middling opened at 70¢., but Aropped to 69c., with sales of 1,000 bales, clogtag beavily, Flour fell of in price 0, per barrel, wheat 1c. & 2., and corn 1e, per Dushel, with less entensive transactions, the decline in gold and sterling exchange baving had an unfavorable influence on the market. There was an improved demand for pork, whigh Gloted at $13 a$19 1244 for mess and $11 50 $11 6254 (or prime, with sales of 2,100 bbls, all told. Barrejiod beef was quiet, while tierce beef was quite | active, 1,500 tiorces jrime mess and India mess having | been disposed of, Lard was beavy at 00. a 10c., with pales of 1,200 packsye#, 800 boxes bacon changed hands ymer rates, A fair basivess was reported in sugars, | as lve 16 Olle, leather, Aish, tobace, aud dosirable lots Of wool. C at (or which T = is = = = a i 4 & Monday of the ensuing month. Never since the towards the North, Slanders and misrepresen- foundation of the government have the prin- | tations, all more or less gross, have teemed cipal officers—the Secretaries of War, the Navy in the columns of the London Times, Morn- and the Treasury—been in a position to prosent such important documents for the consideration of Congress and of the nation. They are looked forward to with profound interest; for they are chronicles of the greatest events in modern times ; and, were the officials equal to the task, these reports would be the most interesting State papers ever laid before a deliberative as- sembly. Never was there so grand a field for statesmanship or such a magnificent scope for eloquence. Never was so great a cause at stake, or one that so extensively involved the wel- fare of the human race. We fear that, with such unequalled materials, the reports will fall far beneath the gravity of the situation and the dignity and importance of the subjects. Yet, even as it is, these documents cannot fail to p sess more than ordinary interest for the country and the world. The dry facts alone, if presented in an intelligible form, must speak volumes. We will not expect from the Secretary of War a history of the blunders and failures, and how, according to the testimony of the Prince de Joinville, the interference with the co-operating army of McDowell xt the decisive moment lost Rictimond to McClellan, and with it the lives of thousands of men -in the seven days’ battles on the Chickahominy, in the subsequent campaign of Pope, and in the two battles of South Mountain and Antietam, all of which would have been prevented had a june tion been permitted between the Army of the Rappahannock and the Army of the Peninsula. Nor is this all. Many thousands more lives are yet to pay the forfeit of the tremendous blun- der of the politicians, to say nothing of the vast amount of additional treasure which must be expended to accomplish the object of the war. We do not expect that Secretary Stanton will elaborate these fatal errors, or that he will touch upon the frauds of army contractors and the generals who aided them to cheat the so!- diers and the government. But itis to be hoped that he will set forth the magnitude of a war in which a million of men have taken the field on one side alone—a war which will proba- bly cost three thousand millions of dollars be- fore it is brought to a close—a war in which comparatively raw troops have displayed the cool courage and skill of veterans, baffling all the calculations of the military critics of Europe. The Secretary 6f the Navy has a grand record, not for himself, but for the coun- try. We hope he will in some measure do it justice. If by some miracle he should do this, the two anda half per cent to Morgan, the contracts for worthiess vessels, his dila- toriness and want of energy in destroying the Merrimac and the batteries on the James river, which resulted in forcing McClellan to proceed by York river, and take the wrong side of the Chickahominy, together with the Secretary's supineness in attacking the principal Southern seaports, and allowing the privateers of the enemy to play such havoc with the commerce of the country, may be forgotten for a little while. Let him tell the world that, in des- pite of the red tape of his department, an improvised navy sprang into existence like Minerva in full armor from the brain of Jove, and that such is the ievolution it has produced in the art of naval warfare that by a single battle it has rendered useless five hundred millions worth of the war ships of the maritime Powers of the earth. He has an opportunity for the most thrilling descriptions of the brilliant deeds of Dupont, Farragut and Foote; of the capture of Fort Hatteras, Roa- noke Island, Port Royal, Fort Pulaski, Fort Donelson, Memphis, New Orleans, Fernandina, Corpus Christi and Galveston. And Secretary Welles might foreshadow more formidable iron- clad now built or in course of construction, and the still greater captures that await their operations. Let Mr. Welles make it known that such a navy, under such circwunstances, is without a precedent in the history of the world: .and all in the face of the old fogyism of the Navy Department and by the genius of indi. vidual enterprise. But whence have come the means for such vast organizations by land and sea? Let the Secretary of the Treasury answer. Let Mr. Chase proclaim that he started without a dollar for a warof such magnitude ; that the peo. ple of the great commercial cities and towns of the North, particularly New York, supplied him, on the spur of the moment, with $150, 000,000 ; that they have since taken his loans and put into circulation his demand notes ; that they gaye him good advice, ignorant as he was of the duties of his office, but that in refusing to follow it he has made shipwreck of the finances of the country. Had he paid the same attention to the proper management of his own department that he did to intriguing in order wo disarrange the movements of the Army of the Potomac, and to turn the war from a struggle for the restoration of the Union into an aboli- tion crusade, he might have been more success- ful as Secretary of the Treasury. But it is not too late to repent and reform. He can tell Congress that there are still ample resources in store, and that he and they may turn a new leaf. By postponing taxation, the true basis for the demand notes, he per- mitted the currency to be depreciated and deranged ; but the Tax bill will now soon be in full operation, and, according to Commis- sioner Boutwell, it will produce $250,000,000 per annum, notwithstanding some telegraphic assertions to the contrary. Mr. Chase can show that with this magnificent income any amount of loans for carrying on the war ean be raised on advantageous terms, and that the currency can be restored nearly to par in one week. If Secretary Chase will make an honest con- fession he will proclaim that he “ has done those things which he ought not to have done, and left undone those things which he ought to have done, and that there is no health or soundness in him ;” but he will not represent tfe country as deficient in means, or unwilling to contribute them to the support of the war. Let him ac- knowledge that it is owing to his management that there is upwards of fifty millions due to the army. Let him, if he would aspire to be a pa triot, take upon himself the entire responsibility of failure, and declare that with euch boundless resources never were 80 poor results achieved. With such an army aid such a navy, and with such enormous resources; with the sinews of war which the people have been ready to supply, the rebellion ought to have been long since crushed, and the Union and peace re- stored to a distracted country. Such means and appliances in abler hands would have sufficed for the conquest of half the world, ing Post, Herald and Daily Telegraph We had for time immemorial heard much about English love of fair play and aterling honesty, and were perhaps half inclined to place reliance upon the existence of those quall- ties. That belief has vanished, and in ite stead we have acquired a knowledge of English de- ception and humbug, and have been taught that our “Cousins,” as they dubbed themselves, are | but underbanded hypocrites, with twice that worship of gold with which they have ever taxed us, and with none of our bold, straightfor- ward, above board manner of dealing with friends or fees. English love of fair play is a myth, and England sterling honesty but a name. We know that glorious exceptions exist to this le ; but they do not alter that rule; they only the more clearly define and establish it. How- ever, it is not our purpose here to enter into a disquisition as to English morality; we merely | intend to point out some reasons for the course | pursued towards us by the English journals above named and show nn thar hynaa: ey and haired both to North and South. We will begia with the chief among the brawling sheets in question, and will pre- mise that all the world acknowledges the London Times to be the vilest of newspapers. Owned in great part by the Rothschilds, it is used by those financiers for the furtherance of their moneyed schemes, and hence is worthless to the English public as a guide upon matters appertaining to the money market. It is useless for us to adduce in proof of this statement any other fact than that the Times published, some two years since, false news from Russia, which ruined half of London, and that the people burn- ed the paper in the streets. The stockbrokers were nearly all ruined; but the Rothschilds gained the thousands they lost; so the latter were content. For months the Times subsided in its financial reports, and the indignant public forgotits crime. When our rebellion first broke out, however, the Jewish bankers saw a fine opportunity for speculations in our country; but they wished to deter all competition; so the Times began its course of lying, of false prophe- cies, of concocted telegrams and infamous correspondence from our cities and camps, and made every effort to injure our cause. The Times at once espoused the traitor Davis and his government, and extolled his successes and magnified our reverses. Does the Times real- ly wish that the South should gain a separate government? No; it bates the South and North alike, and cries “On, on, fight, fight,” but in the hope that we may fatally injure each other, and that the prosperity and advancement we gave so great a promise of may be stayed forever. Let the South go to-morrow, and their pretended friend, the Times, would at once attack them, and rail abont the “accursed institution.” Did not the Zimes insult Mason and Slidell when we gave them up? Did it not call them “slave- owners,” and assert that they were in favor of the slave trade, and that they should be treated with silent contempt? And does not the Zimes ~now, that it thinks it were not safe to prate about intervention, fearing the English govern- ment might be tempted to do so, cry out “No intervention; let them alone; they will soon ruin themselves; there is no need of intervention.” The Times is net the friend of the South, or of the North, or of aught on earth save those greedy bankers, and as such we dismiss it with the contempt it merits. The Morning Post is the organ of Lord Pal- merston and the organ of Napoleon III. It manages to reconcile the duties of these seem- ingly antagonistical parts by very close sailing to ghe wind and by being as stupid and uninte- resting as possible; by taking no positive stand upon any subject, save the American rebellion— and in this it has carte blanche from both parties— and by publishing one day Palmerston’s views, and the next day those of Louis Napoleon—with this difference; Palmerston has the honors of a leader; Napoleon has to pnt up with the Paris correspondence. But this is strictly fair, as Palmerston pays more than the Emperor does: To illustrate our statement we will cite an ex. ample. England wishes, or pretends she does, that Italy were united and independent. So the Morning Post publishes one of its long drawn, tiresome homilies upon the benefits to arise to England and mankind in general were Victor Emanuel master of Venice and Rome. To siul- tify all this a Paris letter is concocted meeting all the arguments of the leader, and proving beyond a doubt that it were far better that Italy be not united, and that the Pope should remain at Rome. In this ingenious manner Palmerston gets his money’s worth, and so does Napoleon. The Morning Post, beside being the organ of the distinguished individuals above mentioned, has the honor of representing the milliners and mantuamakers of London; Gun- ter, the great confectioner, and, lastly, the English aristocracy. As none of these patrons are likely to take any interest in our affairs, the Post, to make a show of mental energy, abuses us with unrestrained virulence. We hope the exercise will do the Post some benefit, and we dismiss it, like the Times, with unmitigated con- tempt. The Herald of London pretends to be the organ of the conservatives. In England conser- vatism means old fogyism; and surely no better organ for that section of English society could be found than the London Herald. The London- ers call it the “grandmother.” Its violence, its ridiculous misrepresentations, its abuse of all nations that strive for progress or indepen- dence, marked it out as our natural enemy. As the organ of England’s most aristocraticy oldest, most conservative, most ignorant and supercilious nobility, the London Herald is just what such an organ should be—a nonentity. The Daily Telegraph is the penny Times of London: and is penny to itscore. It writes to please the lower—we were going to say the lowest— classes, and as a fitting tribute to such patrons it serves up daily a mess, an olla podrida, of blame, sarcasm, hatred and contempt for all that is not “English.” As a sole redeeming feature, the Telegraph has good foreign cor- respondence. Its abuse of us is futile and harmless. We will do the English people—the ~ineses — the justice to assert we do not confound them with the writers or readers of the above journals. Tue Cavsr or THE Raptcat Deveat—The re- publican organs seem to be very greatly dis- tressed ahout the cause of the recent over- whelming defeat of the radicals in this State. At first thay said MeQlellan oansed thia da- font. Then the Times declared becility of the administration mischief. Then Greeley discovered that Thur- dow Weed had broken up the party. Then some of the country papers announced that free Passes On the Central Railroad had beaten the republicans, Then the Republican State Com- mittee asserted that poor Greeley had com- pletely used up his friends. Yesterday poor Greeley retorts that the State was lost because the voters did not subscribe for the Tribune. ‘These family quarrels are decidedly amusing. Why not settle the question at once by admit- ting that the republicans were defeated by the popular vote? This ought to satisfy all parties, and prevent poor Greeley from puffing his Tri- dune at thé expense of his party any more. This city, in which the Tribune is published, gave the heaviest majority against the republicans, That fact shows the effect of the Tribune’s in- fluence, But then the Heratn is published in this city also, and had a very large finger in the recent political pie. Officers Absent from the Army. We are now promised new and stringent orders in regard to officers absent from the army. We are told that the President has put his foot down firmly, and will force such officers either to return immediately to their posts of duty or to incur severe penalties and almost insupportable disgrace. Such statements have heen made so often, however, that we must refrain from be- ing very sanguine about the matter, and would very greatly prefer to see the orders thus fore- shadowed, and to find these orders strictly exe- cuted after they are promulgated. It may be possible, after all, that the War Department really means business at Jast. and that we are to have an end to this disgraceful absenteeism. If so, the reform comes not 2 moment too soon. In Washington the approach of a great battle may be accurately predicted from the sudden increase in the number of officers in uniform about the hotels. If these officers were thus congregated to rush forward and assist in the coming battle, this fact might speak well for their courage and patriotism. Unfortunately, however, the tide always sets just the other way. Officers coming from the army, not of- ficers pressing forward to the battle field, cause these remarkable freshets of shoulderstraps which deluge the Washington hotel corridors just on the eve of a terrible conflict. How, then, is this circumstance to be interpreted? What does it argue in regard: to the courage and patriotism of our military men? , We sup- pose that careful observation would de- velop the same state of affairs in this city; but the fact is that there are such crowds of epauletted officers on our streets at all times that it is very difficult to perceive whether or not they increase when battles are in prospect. Beginning at the Astor House, around which these military men swarm in great numbers, you find all Broadway brilliant with new gold lace and showy uniforms, on any fine day during the week. Comparatively few of these officers are here on duty, and those who are have the ieast gold lace and the shabbiest uniforms. Indeed, it is a well established fact that our really ser- yiceable officers of the army and navy seldom wear their uniforms on the public street. You may pass on Broadway geuerals and colonels, celebrated in many battles; but by their dress alone no one could distinguish them from ordl- nary citizens. A second lieutenant, connected, perhaps, with a company not yet recruited, be- longing to a regiment not yet organized, flashes by, however, glittering as if he had been through a shower of gilt buttons and yellow tape, clanging his sword so as to frighten all the poor omnibus horses, inflicting dreadful damage upon the ladies’ dresses with his long spurs, and impressing every unsophisticated person with the idea that he is either General McClellan or Halleck, when in truth McClellan and Halleck are remarkable for the entire ab- sence of military finery in their personal habili- ments. We can very readily excuse the vanity of young officers who wish to show their new sol- dier clothes and inform the world that they have oined thearmy. What we cannot excuse is the mpropriety of selecting Broadway instead of he battle field as the place for this display. Murat glittered with stars, orders and decora- tions; but it was at the head of his troops, charging upon the enemy. We hope that the orders to be issued by the War Department will be rigidly enforced, and will soon put an end to this shoulderstrap nuisance. We trust, also, that many of our Broadway officers will take the hint and push on to the wars before the orders are issued. If necessarily detained here, let such officers wear their uniforms. as seldom as is compatible with their duties. People read in the papers of offi- cers absent without leave, having disgracefully | deserted their commands, and are very apt to believe that these showy officers on Broadway belong to the number of these shameful absen- tees. Even the ladies have ceased to admire those soldier boys who ate not bold enough to win their spurs before wearing them so conspi- cuously. Athorough reform in this matter of absenteeism would greatly benefit the army, relieve the community and exonerate from un- just suspicions officers who are obliged to remain temporarily in the city; for if no officer were allowed to be absent causelessly we should at once understand that all who are seen about the city are here upon important military business, and should respect them accordingly. Tue Navy Derartwent Broinntxe To Wake Ur.—The Navy Department is beginning to be aroused to the fact that the United States Navy is in want of all the fast vessels that can be obtained. It has in consequence withdrawn the steamers Connecti- cut and Rhode Island from the beef ard passenger business, and ordered their im- mediate fitting out as active cruisers, Had this been done a year since we should have had more captures of Anglo-rebel steamers to record. The Nashville, Ella Warley, Kate and many others would not have made so many successful |" trips; and it is safe to say that not one-half the arms and munitions of war shipped from Eng- Jand would have entered the Southern ports had the Connecticut and Rhode Island und simi- lar vessels been cruising off the Bahama Islands during the last winter and spring. Again, when the Alabama was first heard from, destroying our merchant ships, these two steamers, had they been properly fitted out and manned, could have been at once sent in pur- suit, and, in all probability, would have fallen in with the pirate as she pursued her course to the weatward. But no; one was at the extreme western station of the Gulf squadron, and the other was not far off. However, it is never too late to do well, and their being fitted out as cruisers even at this late hour may lead to good t00 lotig” in the hands of the dockyard men, but will be rep, ted as having sailed within a week or two, at the »."8ti for delay now of an hou may enable Sema, "* reach a new cruising ground where he win ,>¢ for a time safe ‘frem attack. esa a Tar Importance ov Key West 48 4 Muutany anp Navan Sration.—When will éttr govera- ment fully realize the immense importance of Key West as a military and nava\' station? It pos- sesses the same value to us that Gibraltar does to the English; tor while the latter is the key to the Mediterranean the former is the key of the Gulf of Mexico. Key West is the hea dquarters of all our squadrons and armies in Qhe Gulf, and must remain 80; for its geographic.\! posi. tion gives it advantages not possessed by any other point on our Southern coast. Its harber is unsurpassed, and accommodations can al- ways be had for more than fifty thousand mes, should the government determine to send them to that station in view of operations further to the westward. The yellow fever visits the place sometimes, but not oftener or in a more malignant form than at Galvesion, New Orleans, Pensacola, Savannab or Charleston; and as for general health it far surpasses either of those places. Key West should at all times be kept upon a war footing. The commander of the post should be a thorough military man, and it should never at any time or under any ci stances bo left under the control of such nas the —_ present commander—a man who is not a soldier, and not capable of governing in any cupacity. Regular mail communication should be at all times kept up between New York and » Key West as much as between New York and Fortress Monroe; for one is fully as important as the other. Koy West is the great harbor of refuge for all our Guif commerce, and for this reason, if no other, it should be at once placed in a condition, and kept so, to af- ford protection to the vessels of our merchant marine who might by sudden hostilities be compelled to seek refuge under the guns of its fortifications. ® We hope government, while watching and protecting all other points, will not forget one of the most important--Key West. Let a pro- per commander for the post—for it must neces- sarily in future be uader military control—be sent there at once—one knowing enough to return the salute of a foreign man-of-war-—and the place be treated in all respects as it de serves; for to lose Key West would be to lose the control of the Gulf coast of the United States, and the means of affording protection to the immense amount of property afloat in those waters. A Winter Camparcn For Ricumosp—No Ma- LARIA.—Since our attention has been drawn to the fact that, after the first sharp’ frost, and thence till the return of spring, there is no ma- laria in the Richmond peninsula, we have be- come convinced that the winter is the proper season for an advance upon the rebel capital. We need not remind our readers that the in- tense dutimer heals, with dae exhala- tions from the swamps of the Chickahominy» were more fatal to the army of General McClel- lan than all the casualties of all the bloody battles of that campaign. Had his troops been favored with the splendid condition of health and physical activity of the present army under General Burnside, we have no doubt that Gene- ral McClellan would have mastered all oer obstructions, and celebrated his Fourth of J na in Richmond. But the deadly fevers of swamps of the Chickahominy, superadded to ali the other difficulties enumerated by the Prince de Joinville, tarned the scales in favor of the enemy. This powerful ally of the rebels—the summer pestilence of the Richmond peninsula—having disappeared, now is the time for active military operations in that direction. As for the roads, they cannot possibly be worse on the peninsula than they were last summer. We dare say that they will be much better in December and January than they were last May and June, and that the frosts of winter will harden over many a slough sufficiently strong for artillery which could not be passed in summer without bridging. And, again, as in Southeastern Vir- ginia a heavy snow storm is a very extraordi- . nary visitation, Gencral Burnside has nothing to fear from snowdrifts. But, above all, aa | winter is the only healthy season for our North- “ ern troops in the Richmond peninsula, we ex- pect that General Burnside will avail himself of this paramount advantage for a decisive set- tlement wtih the rebel army in that quarter, and move onward as fast as possible, Four Hexprep Waconroavs oF Necrors.— It appears that among the captures made by the late successful expedition of Gen. Weitzel, from New Orleans down the Bayou La Iourche, were four hundred wagonloads of negroes—or say four thousand contrabands, allowing ten to each wagon. The rebels had been gathering them up to carry them farther into the interior, or perhaps to Texas, or perliaps with the intention of slipping them over to Cuba. At all events, with the numerous gangs of negroes which had found their way to his lines, Gen. Weitzel, with these reinforcements of four hundred wagon- loads, left by the retreating enemy, was over- whelmed with Africans. What was he to do with them? He wrote to Gen. Butler to advise and relieve him. In response, Gen. Butler has issued bis in- structions; but we have yet to learn what they are. Hehas probably recommended that they be turned over as free laborers to the leyal Union planters of the neighborhood, or some- thing of that sort. What else, under the pre- sent laws of Congress, is to be done with these cumbersome legions of slaves, as they continue to pour into the lines of our advancing armies, we cannot divine. President Lincoln, in view of his emancipation proclamation, will realize the neosssity of some special recommendations the subject in his annual message. If the forthern States will not have these Southern negroes, if they are not wanted in the army, and if the colonization scheme has already collapsed, they must, under some new system, be retained where they are found, or be turned adrift to take their chance. We turn them over to the special attention of President Lincoln. cocteainenaiammntapoe Mitatary Oratons AT A Discount.—Wo are glad to find that at least two of our leading have refused to allow themselves to be seduced into oratorical displays. In spite of every effort, the speech hunters have not been able to draw out General McClellan, and General Banks now proves ani equally obstinate subject, ‘These generals docline banquets, decline public receptions, decline invitations to speechify. AIL that the pubiis know of General MoVlellan‘e remulta. It ig to be hoved they will not remain | intentions is mee rumor or cuss ork, All < «4 » . it ‘