The New York Herald Newspaper, December 24, 1862, Page 4

a EW YORK HERALD. JAMES GURDUN BENNETT EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. qrros 1M, W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. Uinbanapannnnndannas ‘TRRIB cash in advance. Money sent by mail wil! be ‘at tho risk of the sender. None but Bank bile current in ‘Now York taken. THE DAILY HERALD, Tunce cents per copy. , THE WEEKLY HERALD, evory Saturday, at Five conts per copy. Annual subscription price— oe Any, larger number, addressed to naraes of subscribers, BA GO cach. An oxtra copy wil! be sent to every club of ton. Twenty copies, to one address, one year, $95, and Q@ay Inger number at same price. An extra copy will be Beat to clubs of twenty. These rates mate ae Weesut isnaty the cheapest publication tn the cowry: ‘Tho Kvrorean Evition, every Wednesday, at Vive cents per copy; $4 per annum to any part of Groat Briteia, er $6 to any part of the Coutinent, both to inelude Postage. ‘The Caraporma Bormow, on ie Ist, 1th and 2ist of eek month, at Six conte per copy, or @3 per annum, Avranrumamats, to o limited sumber, will be inserted 42 the Waexty Heraco, and in the European and Call- fornia Editions. VOLUNTARY CORRESPONDENCE, containing tmport- @at eows, solicited from any quarter of the world; if (ased, will be liberally paid for. ag~ Oor Fortian Cox- SASTONDRNTS ARE PARTICULARLY REQUESTED TOSRAL ALL LER @ERS AND PACKAGES SENT US. NO NOTICE taken of anonymous correspondence. We Go vot return rojected communications, AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. SIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway.—Favst anp Manauanire WALLAOK’S THEATRES, Broadway—Cunraat. Pane. WINTER GARDEN, Broadway.—Lixrs or Krvuaxxzr— Oonnmoricus Courtsmir—Iwo BoxNTCastiss, LAUBA KBENE'S THEATRE, Broagway.—Broxpztre. NEW BOWERY FABATBE, Bowery.—Haniseuin Jack Suerranp—Sarts C.avs—iv s. OVER: SOWERY THEATRE, Bowe: Wieagp nxirr. BAGNUM'S AMERICAN MUSEUM, Broadway.—Duies. 8 PeUrORMING BransdiianT GtRi, &c., at all hours, Counean Bown, at $ and 7} o'clock P. M. BRYANTS' MINSTRELS’ Mechanios’ Hall, 472 Broad , — Gongs. BoruBsquas, Dances, &6.—Biick ~Srrax—Rep Gxour— WOOD'S MINSTREL HA! Gouge, Dances. 46.—Dino BUOKLEY 8 MINSTRELS, Pelace of Music, Fourteenth .—Bratorian Soncs, Dances, &c.—Lucnetta Bonata near MENAGERIE, Broadway.—Livisag Witp 514 Broadway.-Ermrorias AMERIOAN MUSIC HALL, No. 44 Bat ests, Parroxtuss, Bueiesgrus, &c. - Pai hutans “i PARIGIAN OABINET OF WONDERS. 568 Open dally trom 10.A. M. tl 10 PM. bah “ (HOOLEY'S OPERA HOUS = aneey om ‘K, Brooklyn.<Bracorias THE SITUATION. “Mo firing has occurred'on the Rappahauock for @overal days, The pickets on the river banks con. tinue to exhibit a frieadly disposition towards each other. A flag of truce was sent across yesterday with a communication to General Lee, but the object of it had not transpired. Intelligence from the posts down the river is to the effect that the febels have considerably strengthened their forces ‘ear Front Royal, and that they mainiain a con- traband communication with their Northern friends, via the Potomac and Mattapony creek crossing the peninsula and Rappahanock at Lecds, about thirty miles below. ‘ ‘The Congressional Committee on the Condact of the War, entrusted to report upon the late disaster at Fredericksburg, presented their statement of the affair in the Senate yesterday. It carries out in @ great measure the history which General Buraside gives in his official letter to General Halleck, and confirms the assertion that no one ( responsible except General Burnside himself, who admitted to the committee that he goted on his own judgment entirely, that he believed he would oapture the enemy's works; but on attempting it found it impossible. He stated also, it appoars, that he took command of the army against his de- fire, and had previously refused the position; but, n consultation with General McClellan and the OMhooes of his own ata, who advised him that it was lis duty as@ soldier to accept it, he finally Gideo. We give the roport of the committee and “the testimony they clicited very fully in our columns to-day. It embraces. the evideace of Gonerals Buruside, Hooker, Sumner, Franklin, Woodbury, Haupt, Halleck aud Meigs. ‘The President has issued an address to General Burnside's army congratulating thom on the yalor displayed at the late battle of Fredericksburg. Be assures them that, although they were not suc- cessful, the attempt was not an error, nor was the failure anything but an accident. This does not coord exactly with General Burnside’s admission du his official statement, though the concluding por- tion is entirely consonant wth that officer's report, when the President says, ‘‘Condoling with the mourners for the dead and sympathizing with the Geverely wounded, I congratulate you that the tumber of both is comparatively so small.” General Burnside takes an opportunity to cor- Feot several errors tn the printed form of his de- @patch. The most important is inreference to the wounded. Hoe ssys:—'‘The number of our wound- @4 was stated at about nine thousand, and the Gumber receiving hospital treatment at sixteen fundrod end thirty. Both of these amounts arc @eeeg. On the authority ef Dr. Letterman, our Medical Director, the whole aumber of wounded betwoon six and seven thousand. About one half of these age receiving treatment in the hos- pitals.” General Foster sends @ checiing despatch from North Carolina to General Halleck, reporting the Successful progress of his expedition. Ho states that he fought four engagements, and cach time with triamph—one at Southwest Creek, Kinston, Whitehall and Goldsboro-—and that he barned the Failroad bridge at Goldsboro and Mount Olive, and ‘tore up several miles‘of the track of the Wilmipgton and Weldon Railroad. ‘. Our*Newbern correspondence to-day contains an interesting account of the fight at Kinston. One of our new iron-clads—tho Montauk~ left Brooklyn Navy Yard yosterday, and proceeded fea, On her way to some evens of future use and glory. Bhe was commanded hy Com Worden, the gallant officer who lcd tho Morivor Wio potion against the rebel Merriman NEW "YORK HERALD, WEUNESDA!, DECEME and was so terribly wounded during that brilliant engagement. Captain Hallett, of the schooner Mary E.-Man- gam, arrived yesterday from Dominica, reports that on the night of the 27th ult., while entering the port of Rosean (or Charlotte Town, as it is sometimes called), on the southwest side of the island of Dominica, he was fired into by the rebel stoamer Alabama. Two shots were fired and then the Alabama bore away, On the night of the lat instant, when passing the island of Guadaloupe, Capt. Hallett sayshe saw the Alabama making signals to the shore, and the next day he saw her anchored close in to the Isnd, apparently taking in provisions. . CONGRESS. © In the Senate yesterday the annual report of the Secretary of the Interior was received, also the report of Hon. Reverdy Johnson on Gencral Butler's administration of affhirs at New Orleans. A bill was introduced and referred to the Judicia- ry Committee making certain amendments in the Judicial system. A bill was also introduced amending the Pacific Railroad and Telegraph act. A resolution was adopted extending the powers of the committee appointed to invesi/zate all matters connected with the vessels chartered by government for the transportation of troops. Mr. Lane, of Kansas, gave notice of a bill to authorize the raising of a force of two hundred regiments of negro soldiers. Mr. Saulsbury’s re- solution in reference to the alleged sending of Mo. ryland troops into Deluware at the last election was discussed for some time, butno final dispost- tion was made of it. The Committee on the Con- duct of the War presented their report.on the re- cent battle at Fredericksburg. The Bankrupt bill was then taken up, and its consideration occupied the remainder of the open session. An executive session was held, after which the Senate, in accord” ance with the resolution adopted.by the House on Monday, adjourned to meet on the 6th of January, 1863. Ta the House of Representatives the Senate bill to improve the organization of the cavalry force was passed. Mr. Pendleton, of Ohio, moved to have placed on the Journal thes entire protest of the thirty-six members against the President's sus- pension of the writ of habeas corpus, but the House negatived the motion by 74 against 20. The Ways and Means Committee's bill providing for the executive and judicial expenses for the year ending with June, 1864, was reported and made the special order for the 5th of January, 1863. An adverse report was made frem the Post Office Committee on the rezotation to grant assessors under the Internal Revenue law the franking pri- vilege. The samo committee also reported a bill, which was passed, authorizing the Postmaster General to establish a postal money order system. A resolution was adoptedijpstituting an inquiry re- lative to the conduct of Census Superintendent Kennedy. The bill relative to the Sioux and Da- cotah Indians was taken up in Committee of the Whole; but, when the time for taking a vote ar- rived, there was not a quorum present, and the subject was Iaid over. The negro question was then discussed: fer some time, after which the House edjowned, to meet on the Sth of January, 1863. * BISCELLANEOUS NEWS. Governor Andrew, of Massachusetts, las sent a cirenlar letter to all the troops from that State now in the field, threatening to deprive the faml- jies of all those who enlist in the regular army of State aid. Charles 8. Benton !s the conservative candidate for the next Congress, in the Sixth distriet of Wis- consin, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of ; Luther Hanchett. W.D. MoIndoe is the republi- can nominee. The citizens of Troy are preparing a grand re- ception for Geu. Wool on his return home. The Board of Supervisors held a session yester- day afternoon. The Mayor sentin a conmunica- tion vetoing the resolutions in reference to the new | Court House. Accompanying the message was a | paper from Mr. Bronson, Corporation Counsel, giving his opinion on the legal bearings of the question. Another communication was received from the Mayor vetoing the ordinance authorizing the payment of certain bills. for expenditures in connection with the Harlem bridge. The Presi- dent of the Pollce Commission sent in a communl- cation asking leave to appropriate $20,000 to furnish the new police headquarters. The report of the Excise Commissioners was received. Some other business was transacted, Ynd the Board then adjourned till Fridey afternoon. The Board of Aldermen met last evening. The report of the Comptroller, containing his estimates of appropriations required for the fiscal year com- mencing on the lst of January, 1863, was reccived. The total amount is $7,098,587. The report was referred to the Finance Committee, and after the transaction of some routine business the Board adjourned till Friday evening. An adjourned meeting of the Board of Conucil- men was heid last evening, when @ communica- tion was received from the Mayor, vetoing the ve- solution suthorizing the purchase of the Fort Gansevoort property. It was laid over, under the qwies. A resolution was e@dopted directing the Comptroller to pay to the Sixty-ninth regiment, now at the seat of wer, under the command of Col. Mathew Murphy, the sum of $10,000. This definitely settles the question as to which organt- zation is entitled to be considered the §ixty-ninth regiment New York National Guard. The Board adjourned until Fridsy evening next, at four o'clock. The market for beef cattle was substantially the same as last week. Good cattle were active at Bye. a SYe., and comoion were duli at prices varying from Sc. upward. Pregaium cattle sold at loc. a 11Y%e., and were quickly taken. All the stock sold. Milch cows were steady, Veals were in fair request at 40. a 6c. a 6c. Sheep and lambs were active at #3 @ $7 for common to good and $8 a $16 for faneies. Swine were active at 4c. a Stee. for corn fed and dc. a 4}¢c. for still fed. The total veceipts were:—5,012 beef cat- tle, 613 cows, 433 veale, 7,924 sheep and lambs and 35,154 swine. The City Inspector's report states that there were 350 deaths in the city during the past week— a decrease of 21 as compared with the mortality of the weok previous, and 99 less than occurred during the corresponding week last your. The re- capitulation table gtvea 3 deaths of aleoholism, t of disease of the bones, joints, &c.; 49 of the brain and nerves, 7 of the genorative organs, 8 of the heart and blood vessels, 145 of the lungs, throat, &c.; 40f old age, Sl of diseases of the skin and eruptive fovers, 1 prematare birth, 44 of diseases of the stomach, bowels and other digestive organs; 23 of uncertain seat and general fovers, 4 of di: of the urinary organs, and 11 from violent causes. There were 212 natives of the United States, 6 of England, 79 of Ireland, 24 of Germany, and the bafance of various foreign countries. Tho stock markot wae dull yesterday, Coyernments were a fraction Detter, but railway shares were a shade lower, The amount of business doibg is small, Gold was dull at 182 8 5¢, closing at 18944, Exchange was inactive at 145 a )4. Money was rather oasy at 0 per cent. Cotton was in more demand yesterday at steady prices, Flour was anneually quiet and much depressed, though not quotably lower. Most kinds of grain wero more active, andeellers bad any gxisting advantage. Sugars was heavy aud rathor lower. “Metals, wits; naval marca, hemp, spices, fieh, FT ed and whiskey were {gh auoted cheaper.” re. paldnbe tnd only? on ly. foberen and | were Geir” Frovekia ‘wh +f viele. ‘The Wer and the Administration—The Demands of the Country and the Dan- Gere of Delay. Within the last two weeks we have had two of the most remarkable, exciting and momen- tous events in the tempestuous and doubtful voyage of the present administration—the great saster to our army at Frederiokgburg, and the consequent Cabinet imbroglio at Washington. The defeat of our army—-the most thoroughly discipliued, the most com pletely equipped, and the most powerful ever massed in one body on this continent—{s confessedly due to a serious mistake in the plan of attack upon the enomy adopted by our Commanding General in tho field, and the disturbance in the Cabinet was the result of embarrassing disoords among its members which have not been remedied; and yet things remain as they wore in both the Cabinet and thd army. It is reported that, in the conference of the Senate Committee with the President on the Cabinet question, he said that what the country wanted was military auccess; that with that nothing could go wrong, while without that nothing could go right, and that he could not perceive how any modifications of his Cabinet could improve our chances in the field. Mr, Lincoln was right in saying that what the country wanted was military success, but wrong, we apprehend, in the idea that this success does not, te any material extent, depend upon his Cabinet. ‘We think that all our military failures and disasters of the last eighteen months may be traced directly to his present ministerial family and to the matign radical influences con- trolling it. We donot except even this diabo- lical blunder at Fredericksburg from this in- dictment; for, notwithstanding General Burn” side’s magnanimous: assumption of the whole responsibility, we believe that this blunder may be charged to the change of the plan of the Virginia campaign by the War Office, with the removal of General McClellan. At all events, since this disaster, what the country wants now more than ever is mili- tary success, Indeed, with an army of a mil- lion of men ia the field, and with.a navy equi- valent to half s million more, the country im- peratively demands, and has the right to de- mand, success, The active armed forces of the rebellion do not exceed half a million, and they are clothed in rags, indifferently armed and fed upon half rations, The very large propor- tion of the Union soldiers slightly wounded in the late terrible battle affords some evideace of the inferiority of the small arms of the rebels. With all the superior forces and resources at hand on the side of the government, and with a degree of bravery on the part of the Union soldiers not execeded by the Old Guard of Napoleon, the country has the undoubted right to demand of Mr. Lincoln that this rebelifon shall be put down, and now, while we have the army andallthe advantagese| of the winter season for active Southern cam- paigning. The fate of this adratuistration, if not of the Union, depends upon.a winter carapaign which will settle the fate of Jeff. Davis and his con- federates. We have now the men and the means fully eqital to the work;* and meantime our national debt is increasing at the rate of dome three millions of dollars a day. Bix month+ more at this rate—and with our depre- clated and still depreciating paper currency— will wreck the administration and the country among the quicksands of universal bankruptcy, unless in the interval sonfe redeeming com- pensations in the way of military snocesses shall be gained, including the removal of the rebel government from Virginia. Our latest advices from that quarter are that “all is quiet on the Rappahannock.” This is suggestive. It is oreating the apprehension that General Burnside is to go into winter quar. ters, and wait forthe sickly swamps and im- passable quagmires, which, with the return of spring, will be among the obstacles disputing his march to Richmond by any route he may choose to go. Butit may be said that those strong rebel defences on the heights of Frede. ricksburg must necessarily delay for some time the resumption of active operations on our part We, however. cannot perceive that itis neces: sary to take those works in order to get to Richmond. There are other roads and routes to the rebel capital, and the only available one, after all, we think, will be found to be that of General McClellan, by way of the James river, from Harrison's Landiag. The country, in any event, demands that the overwhelming wilitary forces we have now afoot] shall not be frittcred away in petty ontor- prises by small expeditions and in exhausting delays by our sain armies. How many men, at the usual percentage of cathp diseases, &c., will six mouths take away from our active forces? How much will the army be reduced by next May from the expiration of enlist- ments? Have Mr. Secretary Stanton and Gene- ral Halleck thoroughly looked into these im- portant considerations of late? One would hardly think so froia the distribution of their numerous little expeditions around the edges of the rebellion, which will amount to little or nothing while Richmond remains untouched. But what hope have we of any change of this tedious, eostly and profitless programme with the retention of the present Cabinet and manag- ing heads of the War Office in power? They will adhore to this fruitless syste of fighting around the extremities of the rebellion, and the winter will probably be wasted, and the spring will return without any decisive results. They will continue their foolish and ruinous negro experi- ments and expedients, and the strongholds of the rebellion will remain uatonched. In a word, the present Cabinet has signally failed in an effi- cient prosecution of this war, will again most probably fail, and ought to be dismissed. Pre- sident Lincoln truly says that “what the eountiy wants is military success.” We say the country rightiully demands it, but that we can hardly expect it until we have a Cabinet which will beaunit in making the emancipation of the negro a aecondary question and the overthrow of the rebel armies the main object of the war Fraxce ann tHE Sovrs.—We publish in an- other column a letter from’our Paris correspond- ent giving some startin details as regards the movements of Napoleon in the matter of recognition of,the Southern confederacy and the plans of his Majesty and Davis’ representative, Slidell, for a grand division of spoils to he con- quered by the joint power of Trance and the South. Immense tracts of country are to be captured and divided and mutually secured by perpetual treaties: in fact the whole scheme is such a one aa would put to ebame the wild- est plots or plans of the world renowned and paely execrated and ¢ondomned filibuster Villigm Walker. That bok? =f was shot for his misdeeds, What punishment should be awarded to the Glibusters Napoleon and Davist We published yesterday = page of high- ly Interesting extracts from the Richmond papers, giving their account of the great battle at Fredericksburg. To-day we publish several editorial articles from the same jour nals commenting on. the event and expressing their opinions as to the effects which the disas- ter will produce upon the final issue of the struggle. They evidently regard the defeat of Burnside as the turning point in the war. It was stated in the accounts which we pub- lished yesterday that General Lee, who is usually sedate and reserved, could not cantain himself after the battle, and gave expression to his exultation in no measured terms. In the samo way the Richmond Examiner, generally 80 grave and grim, in an article under the cap- tion of “On to Richmond,” ridicules the whole movement from the beginning of the war to tho present time, calling it ‘am screaming farce.” These journals ridicule our generale, but consider Burnside as the greatest failure of all, inasmuch as he compelled his men to maroh against Lee’s position “over oleared slopes, without a brush, tree or wall to shelter them from the rain of grape and minie.” They conclude that Burnside will have to bivouac on the bar- rens of Stafford, instead of having Fredericks- burg, with its wharfs, for his winter quarters; ox, more probably, unable to obtain supplies conveniently where ho is, on account of the bat- teries established below him on the bluffs of the southern bank of the Rappahannock, he will move to Urbanna to obtain subsistence on the northern neck for half his army, while he sends the other half to the Carolinas or the south side of the James. Such are the speculations of the rebel press, Indeed, they aay that off cial despatches have been received at Richmond from Lee's army stating that there are already symptoms of Burn” side’s army moving to the Potomac. By this time the rebel general has probably found out that these symptoms are deceptive, and that a portion of the federal army merely shifted its position @ little farther back to ob- tain good camping ground. But jumping to this conclusion serves to show how thoroughly imbued the leaders of the rebellion in Virginia pretend to be with the idea that the Union game is up and that the back bone of our cause is broken. So confident are they of this that they talk of sending large detachments from Lee’s army to squelch Foster and drive Dix out of Norfolk, to defend Mobile and overwhelm Banks; and it is even hinted that Washington Is to be jeopardized by another attack, because “the law of Lincoln ig still in force on the banks of the Potomac.” They hold that Burnside’s late movement was but part of a concerted plan, and that his column boing the central pivot, the crushing blow it has received will shake the whole fabric, and that “the moral effects of the victory may be fairly considered a new and powerful element along the whole line of war.” Zn fine, they regard the army in Vir | ginia as not only the finest in the world, but invincible, and General Lee, who leads it, and General Joe Johnston, to whom fs assigned the command of the Army of the Southwest, as the greatest- military leaders of the age. Now, to undeceive them it will be necessary that Burnside’s army resume the offensive im- mediately, instesd of going into winter quar- ters. Thus they will soon learn that the dis- aster at Fredericksburg is not irreparable; that it is not to be added to the list of the de- olsive battles of the world, and that it is no more than battles lost by Hannibal, Napoleon, Frederick, Washington and other generals, and to be compensated for hereafter by overwhelm” ing victories of the Union arms. Activity dur- ing the winter is imperatively demanded in order to efface the prestige of Southern success, and to baffle the schemes of European recogni- tion of Southern independence, to say nothing of Napoleon’s designs of intervention in our quarrel, if an opening is given him by our apathy or the flagging of the war. Two things are essential to the safety of the re public—the one is a vigorous prosecution of the war, and the other is the overthrow of the radical element in the Cabinet, by confining the policy of the war to the legitimate objects for which it was inaugurated by the Prest- dent’s proclamation and the resolution of Con- gress. By pureuing this course ultimate suc- cess is certain. By departing from it failure is asineviiable as fato, and the blood and trea- sure of the country will have been shed in vain. Tae Japanese Fuyp anp THe Powicr.—At the last meeting of the Police Commissioners a decision was arrived at in reference to the fund donated to the force by the Japanese envoys which bears out the strictures that we recently had occasion to offer in connection with this subject. The Commissioners instruct their treasurer, after paying to such members of the body as have declined to assign their interest in the fand their equitable share in it, to band over to the Commitice of Police who have charge of the families of the policemen who have enlisted in the army of the United States the sum of $12,000. It has boon asserted, and not as yet contradicted, that the signatures to the petition demanding the appropriation of this latter sum to the purpose indicated were obtained under an implied threat of dismissal from the force in case of refusal. Whether this will be carried out in regard to the men who have insisted upon having their share of the fund remains to be seen. The history of this whole affair fe a curious one. The original sum given by the Japamese ambassadors to the police was, if we mistake not, $20,000. Tho total amount now acknowledged to be in the hands of the Commissioners, with interest to November, 1861, 10,914,650. What has become of the balance? And what, again, are the motives for holding over the fand such a length of time and then secking to divert it toam object on- tirely different from that intended by the do- nors? If the families of the policemen now serving in the army wore left unprovided for we could understand the desire to appropriate it to their use; but it should be borne in mind that every member of the force has contributed the sum of ten dollars, and gives in addition two dollars # month from his pay for a fund for this purpose, and that, with the sums subsoribed by the citizens, it now amounts to something like $75,000. To forcibly compel the mem- bers of the force to allow their share of thé Japanese gift to be added to this fund seems to us not only unnecessary, but unjust. There must be some strong motive to necessitate steps go harsh, and in the absence of any explanation the public will be apt to place their own con- atruction upon them. One result of this will probably be to lead them to inauire mora olosely into the di ition of the larger fund, of which the Japanese gift is to form part Mutrrazy Courts or Inqumr—Tum Porrmr Oasx.—The inquiry in the case of General Por- ter atill drage its slow length along, tiring thoge present with its dull details, and furnishing scarcely @ paragraph to the reporters. The “astounding disclosures” promised by the Tribune have, as we. predicted, ended in smoke, and the evidence on the part of the prosecution has closed without a single fact having been elicited which can be said to damage the ac- cused. No one acquainted with the character and services of General. Porter supposed that anything could be made out of the charges preferred against him. It was not, in fact, General Porter, but General McClel- lan, who was put upon his trial in this inquiry, After the latter was dismissed from the command of the Army of the Potomac, un- able to find anoying in his conduct that could direotly justify his removal, his persecutors fancied that, by bringing Porter before « court of inquiry, they might light upon something to show that McClellan had. been intriguing against Pope, and was not therefore entitled to the confidence of the army or the country. What has been the result? Thaf the evidence taken in the cases of both Porter and McDowell places the conduct of McClellan in a more patrlotic and disinterested light than ever, and shows him to be head and shoulders above all those who were . Iéagued in this miserable con- spiracy against him. But {it proves something more. Nobody who reads it can fail to be struck with the recklessness with which the im- mense resources placed at the commaifd of the government for the prosecution of the war were frittered away and wasted by the men who now seek to visit the consequences of their aots upon our bravest and most capable officers, History will do justice to both through the me- dium of these inquiries, In provoking them the radicals have perpetuated the memory of facts which are as damning to themselves as they are creditable to those whom they seek to incriminate. Taz War anv rae Caristuas Hormaxs.— We trist that our readers will be prompt to re- member the demands which the war makes upon their benevolence during these Christmas holidays, when every heart should be warm with charity and every pocket open to relieve the distressed. There has never before been a winter in which there seemed to be so little poverty and destitution in this city, and if Sec. retary Chase would pay the soldiers their wages the greater part of our poor population would be very comfortably provided for. By means of the admirable allotment system, and through various local societies and impromptu organizations, the families of our soldiers are generally well taken care of, and, consequently, we remark this year an unusual absence of beggars in our’ strcets and at ows doors, It should be considered, however, that these societies have to be kept in funds, and those who wish to lend to the Lord by giving to the poor should do all they can to replenish the treasuries from which many of the wives and orphans of the brave men in our armies draw their chief support. Next to sending donation’ directly to the treasurers of these societies, we know no betier way of accomplishing this end than by patronizing the many fairs now open throughout the city for charitable objects. our readers will purchase their Christmas gilt, at these fairs they will not only secure the presents they wish, but will also do something towards assisting the poor, the widows and the fatherless. Without charity Christmas loses its chief charm. A Tarvr Act or Justice.—We see that a re- solution has passed the House of Representa- tives declaring it asthe epinion of Congress that the Secretary of the Treasury should take immediate steps for the payment of the sumg due to soldiers, and that preference be gtven to such elasses of creditors over all others. It ia time that a pressure of some kind should be brought to bear on the Treasury Department to compel it to do that which its own sense of justice should have prompted it todo long since. There are now, we believe, over one hundred millions due the army, and the reasons assigned by Mr. Chase for postponing the pay- ment of their arrears are the less com- prehensible, when we understand that on the Ist of January next an old debt of the United States of about three millions of dollars, then due, will be paid in specie— a proceeding entirely unnecessary, and which will give to the Wall street speculators a pre- mium of over thirty por cent. The resolution to which we refer will, we trust, remove any scruples that Mr. Chase nay onteriain as to the course he should pursue in regard to the liqui- dation of the claims of the-army. There are thousands of office holders under the govern- ment, beginning with those in Washington, who can, if necessary, be made to take their turn of expectancy, whilst those who are braving death and untold hardships in the fleld receive at least an instalment of the arrears that are due to then, News from San Francisco. San Fraxcivoo, Poo. 22, L Arrived, shia B. F. Hoxie and Audubon, fre York. Sailed, steamer Herwan, for Panamn, with 560 pacsen- gers. The Sonora, on Saturday, took 100 passengers and 230 bales of wool, It bas been raving fast for two daya, thoroughly satu- rating the ground for the first time this year. Arrangements have been completed betwoen the Cen- tral Pacific Railroad and San Jose Railroad by which the opposing interests have been harmeuived for building the Pacific Ratiroad from Sam Francisco, via San Jose, Stock- ton, Sacramento, Placer and Nevada counties, aad via Trocke to the eastera bound of the State, Great confidence {a felt fn the qariy completion of tbe work to Washoe, over a route enough loca: Dusinese to pay good dividends. Whe Weather Throughout the Casntry. rn EV PTEL EY 128) 7 A.M: |16.00/30. Ww bya Mild & ody, 23} Mi. 20.00) . ’. 23} 15.00 . [Cloudy, 23] § A.M. 188,00 . [Mild & clay. 28] 8 A. 00] Mild & hay. SAMI ‘Cold. 8 A.M. 154.00) » 1238) 8 AM. had 23] § A.M. |47.00) 123} 9 A.M. 31.00) 123} 9 A.M.)29.00) Bost 128) 9 A.M.|38.00) 23) 9 ay 134.00 New ‘oric .. }25) @ 4.38. /36.00; Philadelphia. }23} 9 A.M. [30 .00, Washington. |23) 9 A.M./38.00 Cleveland. ..|23] 8 A.M. |38.00/29, } award of Commissary Contracts. Baruimone, Deo. 23, 1862. Contracts were awarded to.day by the United States Commissary hore to parties in this city for 1,000 bbla prime mess pork at $15 75, 1,000 bbis. beef at $9 98, 900,000 Ihe. yellow coffee sugar, at $12 20a $12 40, MoKeone & Co., Philadelpnia, were awarded 60,000 Iba. hard yellow soap at Te; 60,000 Tha, do, at $6 98 por 100 Iba. Ws FROM WASH 'NOTON, ‘THE BUS6O-AMBBICAN PACIFIC TELE APE. ‘The Secretary of State has communicated t Oongress unpublished correspondence between the Btate Dopart- mont and our Minister to Ruscia relative to th’? tele- graphic line from Moscow eastward to the Amoor."iver aud the Asiatic const, and thence, by the joint effort of Russia and the United Siates, to San Francisa¥ Portions of the line in the Russian empire have 4 been completed. Mr. Bayard Taylor writes that agent, Mr. Colling, is awaiting the answer of the Kmpere ! to the proposition to extend the line castward to the: Amoor river. THE M’BOWELL COURT OF INQUEFR- Iu the McDowell Court of Inquiry to-day General Sigek ‘was orosa-examined, This examination had reference more particularly to the causes of projudice which he might bo supposed to have against General McDowell, te’ connection with the remaric that officer is alleged to have mado te one of his (Sigel’s) sfaif, Witness acknowledged this remark to be bis chief reason of complaint, but there were others, “it being @ personal dispute,’ whick he did not wish. to mention. One was thas, having sent an asid-decamp to General MoDowell during the march from Gainsville to Manassas, to make m report, and inquire the causeof a firing heard on their left; the officer was grossly insulted by him in the presence of his (McDowell's) staff; but he (Sigel) did not so much re- Gard this as an affront to himselfas toa womber of hie staff. Govern! Sigel next recounted, in the order of date, the movements whorein ho thought General MeDewell Raa been tardy in co-operating, For instanoe, when Jackson was aliowed to overcome Shiolds, escap® Freniont, and te rejoin the maim @rmy of the reBels contending against General MoClollan near Richmond. He @lso sccm McDowell of leaving Getieral Banks at thé battle of Codae “Morntain with only 9,000 mon-to withstand alone 26,008 Of the enomy, even after bota he (McDowell) and Pope had been warned of their approach. Phe Court thon adjourned CANAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE BAST AND : war, Thero was @ large meoting on Monday at the National Hotel of business men of the Northweat and the Bastt who are now in this city, witha view to compare notes and enter upon united and systematic efforts lo procure Such an enlargemont of tho canal commuaication betwees the grain growing West and the commercial and manufac, turing points upon the Atlantio seaboard, as that the value: of breadstuffs snall not ba absorbed by the cost of railroad transit. This economic view Is as tmportant for military consideration as the suggestion ia Congress for tho deepe ening of the canals, roas to allow of the passage of gun. beats from the seaboard to the lakes, and from the latter to the Mississippi. If there is to bea contracted contess touching the navigation of the Mississippl, it follows that there should be a vast artificial water oommunicrtion be- tween ihe States of the West and the Atlantic cosst. APPOINTMENTS OF POSTMASTERS, Among tho recent nominations for postmasters are the Following: Nathaniel Low, at Dover, N. H.; Daniel M. Whitney, Green fay, Wis. ; Fmerson St. 'Johnabury, Vb.; niel Kellogg, Jr., t.; Dar Brattleboro, Wt.; Hezektah : Naylor, Pekin, lil.; Ephraim ear, Lansing, Mich.; Jong Rowe, Portamenth, Ohio; Cilnton Cutlom, Meedville, Pe.t feed Bakor, Princeton, N. J.; Harvey Palmer, Nilem, ich, THE BXPRESS COMPANIES AND THE TAX LAW. The principal express companies of the country Gave united in presenting to Congress alleged grievances under the Tax bili, amounting to from seven to thirteon per cont of gross receipts, praying that the tax may be mad@ obo per cent. a 2 THE MIAMT IPMEAN ANNUITY. It is ascertained that $36,100 of the annuity of the Miami Indians for 1654 and 1855 was carried to the ear. plus fund and has not been paid. NOMINATIONS BY THE PRESTDENT. Wm. Breok, of Massachusetts, hag been nominated te the Seuate as Consul-at Hankow, China, and Atexander ‘W. Randalt, of Wisconsin, as First Assistant Postmaster General, tu place of Kasson, resigned. ‘ ARMY MATTERS. Lieut. Giles Bulscock, of the Ira Harris Light Cavatryy has rosignod his position, on account of ill health, ané has been honorably discharged from the service. Capt. James A. Farrish,late of the Beventy-ninth rege ment, who was taken prisoner at the first Bull run fight, and retsased with Licut. Dempsey, after ten months, j™prisonment,* has been appointed paymaster in the United States Army. REWARD OFFERED SOR NAVAL DESERTERS. Tho Navy Department offers @ reward of one hundre@ doliars for Michael Reardon, of New York, Acting Secon Assistant Engineer, who desertod from the Monticolle; and fifty dollars Cor Jeremiah Regan, who deserted from © “ho Delaware. NAVAL ORDERS. Acting Assistaut Surgeon Charies 8. Eastwood bag been ordered to the ship Shepherd Knapp. APPAIRG IN PHM CHEROKEE COUNTRY. Recent information from the Cherokee Nation discloses @ shocking condition of affairs there—the loyal and ais. loyal Indlang slaughtering one another, the government Severed and a new one organized by the rebel party, which ia in the minority. THE PROVISIONS MADE POR THE COMFORT OF WOUNB- ED SOLDIERS. *The thoughtful provision on the part of Medical Dt- rector Letterman, for the removal from the fleld of battle and (he subsequent care iu the temporary hospitals of tha wounded, rendered far less necessary than heretofor® supplementary assistance. The records of facts ot both surgical and medical character respecting the wounde@ aro unusually complete, and will afford valuable data Cor Statistical research. . THE SOLDIBRS’ CHRISTMAS TURERYS, Mrs. Lincoln received on Monday the large quantity @ turkeys, chickens, &c., purchased for her in Cheater coun- ty, Penusylvania, to be donated to the bhospitaishere for Christmas dinuer. ‘Tho snperintendonts of each hospital are invited to present themselves to-morrow aad asus day at the Execative mansion and receive an ample quota for the benellt of their pationts, MM. SAULABURY’S RESOLUTION. , Senator Lane, @f Indiana, made an effort on Monday show somo cause why the reeplation of inquiry if Sr, Saulabury, of Dolaware, as to the arbitrary arrests in ite State should not be adopted. INTERESTING FROM THE SOUTHWEST, Further Particu in Te the Rebel Rate eaces Casco, Dec, 23, 1863, A Cairumpecial despatch gives the following additional in regard to the revel raid:— The force consisted of a full brigade, with six pieoay of artillery. “They first crossed the Tennosece at Clifton, forty-eight mites from Jackson, and marched direct w Lexington, whore they were met on the 18th by two feae Fal cavairy regiments, with two pieces @f artillery, unde® Colonel Ingersoll, wlio had been sent ‘rom Jackson againgy them, A battle of three hours ensued, fa which the Untoniste were forced to give way. Our loss was seven killed, tem wounded, and one hundred and twenty-four capture@, Rebel lose, thirty-five killed and wounded. They cap, tured our artillery. During the rebel march northward thoy were attacked several times from the south by a force supposed to be those who csca ped from Lexington. Last night the rebels commeneed thelr retreat, having approached within seven mites of Columbus, The da- ‘raage done the road in not as great aa might be suppesed. Several bridges were burned; but, threaghout, the tree, ties are all safe, The damage wil! probably be repaired 1n two weeks. General Sherman's diwiaion, it is reported, embarkeg on transports at Mempbie on Saturday, Thior destination je dither Vicksburg or a flank movement on the rebols af Grenada, in which vicinity they baye concentrated @ arge force. ainst General Wi sults meron for False Imp: MR. CAMERON'S PROPERIY ATTACHED. {From the Baltimore American, Dec. 22.) Mossrs. Hovry M. Warflokl, Charies Howard and s. Teackle Wallis, who hayo recoutly been rol from confinement in Fort Lafayette, on Mriday instituted pro- eoedings in the Superior of this city, before Jur Martin, each to recover $20, dat 1, for false imprisonment and detention in ‘tress Monroe, from General Wool, who wae the commander of that post at the tine of the arrest of the above named jes. ‘They all that they wore detained eleven ‘by General |. The notiee of the fact of sugh antes being instituted was served on the General ow Friday "the game partieg, with others from this olty, havo, 1% ned, tituted proveeaings in tl Me ioet teh. Ben00 Camere, for ‘alleged falso arrest imprisonment. It ia stated that attachments have \ mainet the Interest hold by. him in the Northert Goneeat jlway Company, consisting of stock, Rey 4 to secure the payment of a large sum rosulting from the anticipated yardiet in the several cazom