The New York Herald Newspaper, July 9, 1863, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PKOPRIEIOR. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. It is now ascertained that the numerical strength of General Lee's army, when it entered Pennayl- vania, was ninety-five thousand men, Seventy- five thousand passed through Hagerstown, and the balance went by the way of Hancock. The Rochester Grays, an artillery company, be | have been ordered to the forts in New York har- bor. The thirty days militia who went from this State for the defence of Pennsylvania are to be credited and accounted for in the coming draft on OFFIOE N. W, CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. TERM@ cash in advauce. Mouey sont by mail will atthe risk of the sender. Noue but bank bills current in New York taken. THE DAILY BERALD, Tags ceate per copy. THE WEEKLY BERALD, every Saturday , at Five coats | the basis of three years of service—thatis, thirty- Annual subscription price:— aix men counting as one. - Our veteran soldiers, or those who have been to + & | the war, must not be deceived in regard to the 8 | government bounty of four hundred and two dol-" lars offered for re-enlistments, If they join new organizations they will not get this bounty. They Any larger number, addressed to names of subscribers, | Must enlist in old regiments, or in what ia termed $1 5Ocach. An extra copy will be sent to every club of | the BPS rg. ete will be timited to a i ecified number of regiments. ton, Twomip onplens eee Peery woe ree: BATE the draft is announced to take place in Massa- nag eeqeremtan ch Maan ene. an exten. cogs WE Be chusetts and Rhode Island immediately. Those went to clubs of twenty. These rates make the WxmaLy first to be called must be between the ages of Human the cheapest publication in the country. twenty and thirty-five, and all unmarried men be- ‘The Evaorsam Epmon, every Wednesday, at Five conts | tween thirty-five and forty-five years. If the war per copy; @@ per annum to any part of Great Britain, | continues this class must be exhausted before the or @G to any part of the Cdhtinent, both to include | Others are called upon. In Rhode Island it is said postage, that fea baiyes ya base about one-half of the men oom, © first class. ‘Teo Seeerenach: Herren, fA Aa: Of) SD aot, SE 9F Two Geesead three hundred dollars have been each month, at Six cents por copy, or $3 per annum. Apysnrrsxxmnrs, to a limited number, will be inserted raised in Virginia, Nevada Territory, for the Irish relief fund. 4m the Waxxry Hemanp, and in the European and Califor. Bia Fditions. per copy. Postage five cents per copy for three months. A shovel handle factory in South Wayno, Maine, was burned on the Ist instant, with forty outbuildings, stores, mills, factories, &o. Loss sseseseseeseN@. 188 | $10,000. In consequence of the speculative demands of coal dealers, consumers are olubbing together and buying their coal by the cargo, at about seven dollars for the long ton. The fruit prospects in New Jersey continue to be good, is A special meoting of the Board of Education was held last evening, when, by a two-tliirds vote, they rescinded the resolution adopted at their lagt meeting, to withhold the signatures of the Presi- dent and Clerk from all warrants drawn by the School Trustees of the Ninth ward until those officers shall have restored Miss Kate McGean to the school and class from which she was expelled for refusing to sing the abolition hymn entitled the “ Battle Hymn of the Republic.” It will be recollected that in the summer of 1862 a writ of habeas corpus was applied for to bring the Police Commissioners of Baltimore, confined atthat time in Fort Lafayette by order of the THR WEW IDEA, 480 Broadway.—Tux Dreaw. —Greuw | Sovernment, before Judge Garrison, of the County Monstex, Court of Kings county. Sheriff Campbell attempt ed to execute the writ, but, being met by armed “Cuntosrtigs ano Lectures, from 9 A. M, till 10 P.M. men at Fort Hamilton, was unable to do so, and "1 “HOUSE, Brooklyn.—E: made a return to that effect. The matter rested son Soom, Seoemnanee aa ’ until recently, when counsel for the Commissioners — —= applied for an alias attachment in the arrest of New York, Thursday, July 9, 1863. Colonel Martin Burke, commandant of tho fortifi- = cations at the Narrows, an’ \ hich has been grant- THE SITUATION. ed by Judge Garrison. The writ has been placed The news from the armies of Generals Meade | in the hands of the Sheriff; but no return had been and Lee to-day is most important. A despatch sols up-to: laat evening: ‘The stock market was irregular yesterday, generally from Frederick last night says that our forces oc- | jowor in the morning and better in tke afternoon. Gold upied Hagerstown yesterday “‘after a fight;’’ but | fel! to130, closing at four P. M. at about 130%. Exchange was 144340145. Money was very ensy. bo Derdionlars are given. A battle probably of s | ",, ‘was dull, and quoted down to 6éc. a 580, for coisive character is imminent to-day. middlings, yesterday. Flour and wheat were inactive at : A freshet, amounting to an absolute flood, has | much lower prices. Corn was fredly purchased, but at a prevailed in the Potomac, Monocacy and Patapsco ee rare = soar regents garry rivers and all the smaller streams yesterday, ow- | mand for provisions ran mainly ‘on pork, which was some- Ing to the heavy rains. Property toa considera- | Whatfirmer. Tho inquiry for most other commodities dle extent in cattle and crops was destroyed. | WM Toeriotet. _The freight engagements were tight. ur of Preside Lt "1 ‘The prospocte af retreat for Gen. Tao's army ove | ‘MD, SSSA want so Mesvere che Union? Consequently diminished. The position of his forces | ‘The rebellion is thrown upon its beam ends tp to noon yesterday would seem to show that | among the breakers, and nothing can save it his line of infantry was drawn across from Funks- | from going to pieces. With the demolition of town, Md., to Falling Waters. Inthe rear of this |the army of General Lee, which is now ap- line the enemy were endeavoring to get their am- | ‘parently reduced to a certainty, and with the Jnunition and artillery across the river on canal bch pe - Mgoriaesh igibed i the canes a ‘ort Hudson an e rebel army 01 boats and other contrivances; but the prospects of places, the work of reducing the remaining succeeding were very small, considering the state armies of Jeff. Davis becomes as simple and Df the river and the absence of pontoons, which, easy as that of suppressing an Indian outbreak it is said, even if the enemy had them—and that is on the Western frontier. In fact, Genoral very doubtful—could not resist the current. It | Meade, with the Army of the Potomac at Get- ‘was thought that General Lee would make a stand | tysburg, settled the fate of the rebellion. So between Hagerstown and the river, and at a | decisive was the pressure against itin the South- late hour last night it was reported that | West, hoe the saveace of me into — vania, that upon the issue of his campal le- Be oe Mee (ree mene toes pended the fate of Jeff. Davis and his Southern confederacy. This campaign bas resulted in adefeat and retreat sq disastrous to Lee that there is hardly the possibility of an escape for one-tenth of his late grand army beyond the Volume XXVIII ..... AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING NIBLO'S GARDEN. Broadway.—Tus Doxs's Morro. WINTER GARDEN. Broadwav.—Nivz Pornrs or TH —Wantep, Ore Tuousann Mitiiners—A Revise LAURA KEENE'S THEATRE, Broadway.—Wives or ‘Panis—How 10 Avorw tux Drart. NEW BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—Caxracit’s Min- praxis 1x Kruioriay Bonas, Daxoxs, dc. BARNUM'S AMERICAN MUSSUM, Broadway.—Gem. ‘om Tava any Wirk aD Com. Nutt, at all hours San- joav's Orxna TROUrE—Afte:noon and Evening. BRYANTS' MINSTRE! lechanics’ Hall, 673 Broad way.—Eruigrian Soncs, BoRtmsqums. Dances. 26.—Cuaw Boast Brxr. cis WOOD'S MINSTREL BALL, 514 Broadwar.—Ermiorrax “Pomcs, Daxoxs. &0.—Tanout EXCURSION AND Panonama or tax Nonta Rivar. IBVING HALL, Irving place —Tax Stemorticon. NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway.— probably be the scene of another terri- ble conflict. It appears pretty certain that no portion of Lee’s army has crossed the Potomac up to this time, and that he is resolved not to give up the campaign in Maryland without another | flooded Potomac. general engagement. Our cavalry, meantime, In view, then, of the important fact that the under Buford and Pleasanton keep making attacks | Work of putting down the armed forces of the on Mis flank» si teat. rebellion may be considered substantially ac- The fullest details of the battle of Gettysburg pany rte th ageconr Seialone te. slde. are given in our coluinns to-day from our corres- of a speedy and harmonious restoration of the pondent on the field, and are well worthy of a care- Union? The position for good and evil which ful perusal. President Lincoln commands at this momen- An order has been just issued by the President | tous juncture in our history is a position of for the calling out of 300,000 troops at once under | extraordinary power and of surpassing gran- the Conscription act. deur and responsibility. Does he still con- The surrender of Vicksburg to the Union forces | *emplate the restoration of the Union under of General Grant—if it needed any confirmation— our existing federal constitution, or has it be- is amply confirmed now. On the 3d inst., at eight come his fixed purpose to pursue the war for the more distant object of o'clock in the morning, Major General Bowen and based upon the PrscriatBedgner oc Colonel Montgomery entered General Grant's lines | slavery? Assuming that he still aims at nothitg blindfolded under a flag of truce, with a proposi- | beyond the submission of the rebellious States tion from General Pemberton to stop the effusion | to the Union, and knowing, as we do, that Mr. of blood by appointing three commissioners on | Lincoln isa humane man, and not «lover of each side to arrange terms. General Grant replied | bloodshed, we think that the time has arrived that such an arrangement was unnecessary; that when he may advantageously consider and act upon the proposition of an amnesty to the an unconditional surrender of the garrison was : people generally of the rebellious States, on the only proposition he could accept, but at the condition of the return of those States, the same time that he and his officers were | within a specified time, to their allegiance to ready to testify to the distinguished gallantry with | the government of the Union. which the defence of Vicksburg had been con- Let the leading conspirators, managers and ducted. “On that afternoon General Grarit met | actors in this rebellion be excluded from the General Pemberton between the lines, and after | benefits of this amnesty; but let the masses of hour's consultation settled the surrender, | ‘he Southern people and ke helpless rank and ral Pemberton urged that the soldiers might file of the rebel armies be invited to their old mee batt b allegiance, with the assurance of forgetfulness be paetueeeenes gee eee eon ‘| of the past and the protection of the constitu their lines. Our previous reports do not indicate, | tion for the future, including the important however, that General Grant assented to this pro- | {tem of slave property, and the remaining armed - The number of prisoners, wounded, &e., it | forces of Jeff. Davis will be broken up and aid, will be eighteen thousand, of which twelve disbanded without further bloodshed. A gene- thousand are in fighting condition now. The im- an eral Southern popular reaction in favor of sub- mediate canse of surrender was said to be the ex- | Mission and peace will speedily put an end to the war, and send into exile Jeff. Davis, his haustion of and ammanition and the |, pr " i i Sahm 3 Cabinet, his Congress and all his most guilty Fetiare of duliseton to cunls to.<keir ares | fellow conspirators in this disastrous experi- The victory of Gen. Prentiss over the tebols at | mont of their Southern confederacy Helena, Arkansas, which we announced yesterday, | We would not, however, in the meantime is fully confirmed by more recent information. | advise a suspension of the business‘of the draft. he number of prisoners taken from the enemy | On the contrary, although no new levies of | was twelve hundred, while th killed and troops may be needed to put an end to the re wounded amounts to nearly six handred, maining armed forces of the rebellion, a new The people of Kentucky mppear to } ae. | levy, under the pages bl ae Jaw, to the extent pably excited still about the intention of the robely | OF three hundred thousand men, will surely exert a prodigions moral effect in dispiriting | and demoralizing the rebel leaders, in breaking up all their plans and calculations for further resistance, and in ‘convincing their exbausted people of the uselessness and folly of apy fur- to overrun the State. On the 6th inst. they wore paid to be within fifteen miles of Lexington, and the people were making preparations for a gene. yal fight. NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 1863. ther efforts for that moonshine delusion of | the business of the conscription proceed to the | extent of a new levy of three hundred thousand men, in order that the military and political leaders and the people of the rebellious States may the more fully comprehend the hopeless- ness of their struggle to break up the Union, and that their only alternative of peace and | ealvation is submission to the supreme authori- | ties of the United States, Under the amnesty we have indicated, and this new levy of three hundred thousand sol- diers, it is hardly possible that the planting and other substantial interests of the South will consent any longer to sacrifice their young men as food for powder, or to be plundered and impoverished by their falling despotism at Richmond. Indeed it is much more likely that, adopting the peace proposition suggested by Mr. Secretary Seward to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, the poople of the “so- called Coiifederate States” will proceef to the election of members to the Congress of the United States, in order that they may bave & voice and the great advantages of a practi- cal balance of power in the legislation of Congress for the permanent reconstruction of the general government in regard to the peculiar institutions and industrial interests of the South. Finally, with the rebellion extinguished, and with internal peace and the Union fully re- established, we shall have the land and naval forces at our command—a million veteran soldiers and a hundred thousand experienced, warlike sailors—and we shall have the op- portunity, upon sufficient provocations, for a final and decisive settlement with England and France in regard to American affairs. What- ever may be thé views of the administration upon this subject, we predict that, with the restoration of the territorial integrity of the Union in the interval, the Monroe doctrine will be brought to bear in our approaching Presidential election against the intervention of Lowis Napoleon in Mexico and the perfidi- ous neutrality of England in the matter of this rebellion: First of all, however, we must have peace at home and the Union restored; and in view of these paramount objects we believe that the policy we have suggested will substantially restore the Union with the reassembling of Congress. Tas Peyowa Batrnz—Wuat Ovcat to Be Done.—It is evident that Lee and his army are not yet finatly disposed of. He is, like a wounded lion, at bay in the vicinity of Wil- Niamsport and Hagerstown. What ought to be done to “render assurance: doubly sure and to take a bond of fate?” The Governors of Penn- sylvania, New Jersey and New York ought to send General Meade every available man at once, and the federal government at Wasbing- toh ought to do the samo thing. The rvtrent of Lee into Virginia, in direct line, is intercepted by the rising of the Potomac. A great battle is impending, in which, if the rebel general is de- feated, he cannot cross the adjoining fords, and his army must be destroyed if enough of force is brought to bear upon him. If he is not too much used up in the coming fight to. retreat at all, he may escape up the left bank of the Potomac and cross at Cumberland. But then that would give time to the Union forces to cut him off ef- fectually from Richmond and from every part of the Southern confederacy. This is the time to strike home. If Lee escapés, it is only be cause the federal government and the Governors of States shall not have done their duty to the republic. By all accounts his army is terribly crippled. To allow a crippled army to escape South from Pennsylvania, with such numbers of troops and means as our authorities possess, would entail lasting disgrace upon the country. The capture of Richmond is of small account compared pith the capture of the army of Lee. To captu ichmond would probably have no more effect on the rebellion than the capture of Nashville or New Orleans. But to destroy Lee's army would be to inflict the fatal blow from which it could never recover. Justick To Our Brave Derenpens.—We are pained to see about our streets, either invoking pecuniary aid or hawking small wares for sale, numbers of our poor maimed soldiers, some having lost an arm, others a leg, and others again so enfeebled as to be scarcely able to drag themselves along. Most of them, on being questioned, have a tale to tell of arrears due them by the government, and of long and vex- atious delays in their liquidation. The fault, we believe, does not lie so much with the War Department as with the regimental organiza- tions. Inthe regular service we do not hear of any complaints of this kind. The system there insures an adjustment within a reasona- ble time of all such claims. In volunteer regi- ments the captains, whose business it is to make out the pay rolls, are in the majority of cases either so neglectful or so ill qualified by education for the task as to be unable to com- ply with the requirements of the Departr ent. The remedy for this is either to exact, as an in- dispensable condition to promotion to that rank, such an amount of clerkly ability and Giligence as will insure the proper perform- ance of the duty, or to throw upon the shoul- ders of the regimental paymasters the responsi- bility of making out the company rolls. On board our vessels-of-war there is never any ob- stacle to the regular payment of the men, The fact is due to the appointment, asa matter of rigorous rule, of @ properly qualified purser. Let the same plan be adopted in our volunteer service, 80 that an end may be put to the shame- ful delays which are prpductive of so much in- convenience and suffering to our brave de- fenders. A Punto Meerine ror Prace.—Now is the | time for peace making. It is legitimate to talk | about pegce now that we are victorious, The | mercbanta of this city ought to hold a public meeting at once, and send a committee to President Lincoln to urge him to offer an am- | nesty to all the rebels, except Jeff. Davis and | the other leaders, if they will lay down their arms and return to the Union. We ore ¢feto. | rious, and can afford to be magnanimous, ‘The | rebels are badly beaten, and will Probably ac- cept our terms. It ia a@illy to talk about a war of extermination or annihilation. We have bad fighting enongh to convince the rebels that the Union must and shall be preserved, Let us | now invite them to re-enter it and bury the hatchet. Who will make the first move for this | meeting? It ongh® not to be a niggerhead affair or a copperhead affair, but a genuine expression of the sentiments of our mercantile classes. As such it cannot be without its influ- ence upon public events, and its ori 8 will merit the eratitude of the country. | Southern independence. We say, therefore, let) mtand His Cabinct Specohi- Upom Oar Victories. Tn response to a serenade, given iu congratu- lation upon our recent victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, President Lincoln, Secretary Seward, Secretary Stanton and Genera) HalTeck made speeches in Washington on Tnesday evon- ing. We published a report of these speeches in yesterday's HrtaLp, and we must confess that we were greatly surprised at their tone and tenor. Secretary Stanton and General Halleck did not disappoint us. We expected that they would take advantage of the occasion to make them- selves more ridiculous than ever, and they ful- filled our expectations. Secretary Stanton’s oration was a sort of vindication of his famous “Spirit of the Lord” letter, interspersed with some ailly balderdash about “the sneaking traitors and copperheads of the North, who would be driven hissing to their holes.” his language is characteristic of the Secretary of War, who is probably the smallest specimen of a pettifogging politician now in office. After thus indulging his spleen over victories which he has done his utmost to retard, Secretary Stanton “took pleasure in introducing” General Hal- feck, bis rival in imbecility and inoompetenoy. Generat Halleck, with his customary modesty, claimed all the credit of our victories, saying that General Grant had been under his com- mand for the past two years. After thia sublime exhibition of self-conceit, the General-in-Chief, who isno general at all, endorsed Stanton’s buncombe about copperhead traitors, and then retired without the slightest reference to pon- toon trains. Only the popular enthusiasm over such victories as Gettysburg and Vicksburg could make such speeches endurable. But, while we were not at all disappointed at the ridiculous bombast of Stanton and Hal- leck, we did feel a pang of regret that President Lincoln and Secretary Seward did not rise to the dignity ef the occasion and deliver speeches worthy of statesmon. The opportunity was great, and such another may never occur again. The best army of the rebels, commanded by their ablest generals, had just been defeated and routed by our gallant soldiers, fighting under a new leader and against superior num- bers. In the midst of the general rejoicing over this splendid success, the news arrived that the greatest rebel stronghold, the Gibraltar of the Mississippi, had surrendered unconditionally on the Fourth of July—a day now doubly memorable in our bistory. Thus the East joined hands with the West in the most brilliant triumpbs of the war, and the rebellion, doubly beaten, needed, perhaps, but a few words to utterly suppress it. Neither President Lincoln nor Secretary Seward spoke those words. The President is an honest man, and a well meaning man; but he lacks the statesman- ship requisite to appreciate and use events dur- ing a national crisis like this. Secretary Soward, with a cast-of mind not very dissimilar, has the same incapacity. If either or both of thom had added to their congratwations upon victory a few words of conciliation, an invita- tion to the seceded States to return to the Union, an offer of amnesty to all except the rebel leaders, who can tell what the result would have been? The effort might have failed; but it waa worth trying. It might bave succeeded, and then the consequences would have been glo- rious alike to the President and the country. At any rate, the opportunity should not have been altogether neglected. No European states- man of any calibre would have overlooked such @ chance to add a triumph of diplomacy to the trinaphs of arms, and end the war without fur- ther fighting. The speeches which the President and the Secretary of State did make compare very un- favorably with those which all sensible men expected them to deliver. The President ear- nestly endeavored to talk-without saying any- thing. He spoke of the Fourth of July, and merely mentioned our victories. He acknow- ledged that the theme was glorious, but ex- cused himself for want of preparation. He said something about all men being free and equal, which the abolitionists will misinterpret into a new emancipation proclamation. This is @ fair synopsis of his remarks, and, “ having said this much,” he appropriately concluded by saying that he “would now take the music,” asif he regarded the national melodies as a dose of medicine. The speech of the Secretary of State was hardly less namby-pamby. He declared that he had been in favor of peace until war was inevitable, And had now chosen Andy Johnson, of Tennessee, as his file leader. He avowed his willingness to shoulder a musket if necessary, although be knew that there was not the slightest possibility of his ever being called upon to tread the war path, and was equally aware of his inability to be of any service on the tented field. He insisted that we had attained the beginning of the end of the war; but, in- stead of saying something to bring about this consummation, he immediately relapsed into those offers to volunteer (after the fighting is over) which, in men of bis age and standing, are not sufficiently patriotic to avoid being lu- dicrous. We hope, however, that what the President and Secretary Seward did not say in their speeches the merchants of New York will say through a public meeting. A prompt offer of an amnesty to all but the leading rebels may now end this bloody war. The abolitionists are determined to urge on the conffict until slavery is annihilated and the slaveholders ex- terminated. Waged with this object, the war will continue for twenty years to come. Now is the time for conservative men to interfere, and to secure the fruits of the war in the form of a substan'ial, constitutional peace. The rebels are already routed. A speedy recon- ciliation will also rout the abolition faction. The Union, thus relieved of both its enemies, will be more prosperous than ever. Go Ow wrrn tHe Drarr.—We see that seve- ral papers are recommending that the draft sbould not be enforced, in consequence of our re- cent victories. This is absurd. The draft should go on, and a new army be prepared to take the field, In case of any accident we should then be ready to reinforce our present armies imme. diately. Recruiting is now quite a and the more ten we fecralt the fewer we shall have todraft. Put it is hardly proba’ hat we can | reeruit all the troops we require, and stopping | the draft now may bring upon us the misfor tunes which Wilson, Stanton and the other abo- | to three feet above the load line, wod inelioing tnd litioniats precipitated when they stopped en- listments some time ago. We have this war to settle up and the French to drive out of Mexi- co. Consequently we need all the soldiers we can obtain, and we are glad to perceive that a call for three hundred thousand men has just been issued by the President, to be enrolled under the Conscription Act Tux Romoxs ov 4 Koxorsan Iwrervenrion.— Earl Russell las most explicitly denied the alleged proposal by the Emperor Napoleon for 4 joint intervention in the affairs of this country by England and France. It is now apparent that Mesars. Lindsay and Roebuck were endea- voring to work upon public opinion by their unfounded siatements, and that they were merely seeking the attainment of personal benefit in the matter. Mr. Lindsay, it is well known, is largely intereste¢ in commercial transactions with the South, and be of course desires the recognition of the confederacy. Mr. Roebuck, who is ever anxious torattract the at- tention of the public to himself, acts in concert with Mr, Lindsay on the recognition scheme because he is aware that upon that subject the Euglish mind is greatly agitated, and because he is ever seeking to connect bis name with some prominent topic. us It is well that Karl Russell should’ have so speedily and effectually settled the affair. We are perfectly. convinced that England will never side with Napoleon, in interfering with this country—no more. than she would act in concert with him in the Mexican expodi- tion, England fears trouble with the Americaw people, and will avoid it carefully. Her states- men are well aware tbat, sooner or later, Napo- leon will find that his Mexican scheme must end |. disastrously fot him, and they will keep clear of complications on this continent. The machi- nations of the enemies of this government in Europe will fall to the ground powerless when the glorious victories we have just won are made known there; added to which the Polish question, with all its complications, will soon entirely absorb the attention of European diplomats, and we shall hoar no more of inter- vention or mediation. Derenck or Tae Harsor.—With all the depredationa upon our commerce along our coasts and almost within sight of Sandy Hook, there seems to be little or nothing done to prevent these piratical vessels from entering our harbor. . There is great negligence some- where, Let not our authorities imagine that the recent success of the Union armies places us, out of danger. The war is not yet ende is the career of the semi-British rebel privateers brought to a close. The danger of their visit to our harbor is as great as ever, and no time should be lost in making preparation to give them a reception that will settle their hash if they venture near our port. Now that Gov- ernor Seymour is in this city, he should move in this matter, and see that all necessary pre- parations are made without delay. If he has time to spare from his labors as subscription agent of the Weekly Argus, let him devote that energy towards perfecting the defences in our bay that he did in forwarding troops: to the aid of Pennsylvania: Poor Prerce.—Ex-President Pierce made a sity peace apeech in New Hampshire on the Fourth of July. The greatest error the democ- racy ever committed was in nominating so shallow a political charlatan to the Presidency. It was this very man who loosed the floodgates of war by opening the slavery question after it bad been closed by the wisdom of our ances- tors. The leading measure of his administra- tion was the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, which was a breach of faith, and which had the effect of giving vitality to the republican party, who, intoxicated by their success, held dalliance with the revolufionary radical abolitionists, and even permitted them to control the policy of the whole party and the administration. Poor Pierce ought to be forever silent, and either jump into Winnipiseogee Lake or call on the rocks of the White Mountains to cover him. He opened Pandora’s box, whence issued the bitter sectional strifes and heartburnings and all the horrors of war that have afflicted the land for the last two years. STATEMENT OF A REFUGEE FROM REBELDOM. Our Beaufort Correspondence. Bravrort, N. C., June 30, 1863. The Refugee's Means of Information and Jowrn-y to the Union Lines—The War Levies—War and Pood Sup- plies—Army, Navy and Defences of the Rebels at and near Wilmington, dc. A refugee from the South arrived hore last night from Nowbern. He is a German by birth, claims to be a citi zen of Maryland, and says he is and has ever been a Union man He appesrs quite intelligent, and much con fidence is placed in his statements. ‘The followme is his account of himself — When the rebellion broke out he was at work at his trade, marbie working, at Mobile. Early in May, 1861, be jeft there, travelling vorthward (i!! he reached Rich mond. At Richmond, for some reason unknown to him- self, be was refused permission to cross the rebel lines. In June, 1861, he left Richmond and went to Wilmington, where he has remained most of the time until the 2ist ‘ostant, when be left for the Union iines. Ho has beon conscripted Phree times; but by claiming to be a foreigner he got off the first and second time; but at the last con- ‘scription, which took place on the 20th instant, though he had bought a sick German's certificate of foreign citizen abin. whose name be had assumed, it would not answer— he bad to go into the army or to jail. On tho 2ist, getting three hours liberty from his cuards, who were taking him to the jail, he took advantage of it to got. through @ friend, ® pass, under a new name, to go to Weldon. Secreting himself on boafd of the cars #0 as not to be seen vy those who would recognize bim in Wi!- mington, he came to Weldon. and then on foot. through woods and swamps, he found his way to Newborn, Mak- ing himself known to the military authorities there, hd prefeesing to have © knowledge of how the Anglo- Febel steamers tun the blockade into Wilmington, he was sent down here, and ts now on board of the United States steamer State of Georgia—which vessel is herefrom New Inlet, coating ship—and will go down to the blockade on her. ‘When he left Wilmington there were seventeen steam. ers—biockade ruvners—lying at the wharves there, five of which are owned by tho rebel government. All Ove drought field ariiiery, which be counted on the wharf bimsecif, togetber with the flold carriages, caissons, harness, &c ; another came in loaded entirely with powder, another brought, with other merchandise, three hundred cases of Enfield rites Several brought cargoes of bacon, which had found its way there from Cincinpat! vie New York, Liverpool, Nassau and Rermuda. He was told @ few days before be left that there was bacon enough in Wilmington to last an arwy of one hundred thousand men a year. The wharves and warehouses were fall of shot, abell, provisions and cloth ing, all of English manufacture and produce, or putebased by them for the rebels. Ihe male population there i# moatiy foreign, Ali the natives fit for military duty bad volupuarily gong or bad heen conseripted into the rebel armies, except thone who bay and sell to the rebel government. Of the gunboats there he has seen but haen was ready for sea and the otper was nearly ready. had heard of two others somewhere bad no other knowiedge of them afloat mounted five guns, but was pi Dut ox ahe was 80 low in the water they did not think it sare to mount but five. fie bad mensured the length of one-of which He } thie cratt when. b aud said it wos ove hundred nnd sixty or sevent in length She Mea flat bottom | Craft, with aides inclining ous at thirty oF forty decrees the sane to the top Ler aides of ChPee foot « ith two rob fi e wa 1 ' 1 siores ou hear b bot he doubted if the @ with coal ar drew ten The railroads ip that vicinity Were worn o por day 1m and out, and a sveed of ton miles por Ail that could be ran ea tiem, Three weeks sin giles out of Wilm ington, a trestio work over @ ravine gave way. A train of oars filled with soldiers was precipitared into the ravine, and four hundred men wore killed out right and many wound o+. ‘The Cape Fear river is iived with batteries, and they Have four schooners londed with stone to sink in the ehannel if ron-elad’—o which they have great (ear attempt to go Op, Abd ALA Darrow place in the river they have a heavy cable all ready. with buoys attached, which they cam siretch ecrosa the river igan hour, Abresst of , division it, on each bank, are heavy batteries, The only defences of’ the town are Ov the river. ‘There are but few troops im the vicinity, ‘The river batteries aud cablo be has himself seen, also Lhe schoonera, IMPORTANT FROM WASHINGTON! Enforcement of the Conscrip- tion Law. An Order Issued Calling Out Three Hondred Thousand Conscripts. Farther Developments Respect- ing the Rebel Overtures to the President, &., ‘Wacinmarow, July 6, 1868: THERE SUNDRAD THOUBAND CONSCRIPTS ORDERED’ TO THM FIRED. An order hasbeen issued for three bundred thousand ‘conscripts, under the recent Conscription law, Some dig- tricts havealready made up their quota, but tho com- soription Is to bo enforced every whore alike, THE MISSION OF MR. ALEXANDER H, STEPHENS, THE REBEL VICE PRESIDENT. Somo-of the slow contemporaries of the Harauy charae- torize the account of the attempted mission of Mr. Alex- andor H. Stephens as a ‘‘atrange story,’ “sensation,” &a. The account ia strictly true, with the exception of the rebel gunboat, which should have been the Torpe‘o, in. stoad of the Dragon, The story was current at Fortress Monroe, and had thoir correspondents been wide awake they might. perhaps, have sent an account of the affair. The following statement is derived from an official source: On Bunday, the 6th inat., the Secretary of War received ‘a despatch from Col. Ludlow, the United States Commis- sioner for the exchange of prisoners of war, attached te tho ataif of Maj. Gen. Dix, to the effect that aloxander HL Stephens, Military Commissioner for the Confederate States, had presented bimself in a Confederate steam. er to Col, Ludlow, as the bearer of a oommu- nication in’ writing from Jefferson Davis, the Commandor of the land and naval ‘orces of the Confede- rate State’ of America, to Abraham Lincoln, Commander- in Clef of the land and navai forces of tho United States of America; apd that be desired to proceed in the same confederate steamer to Washington to deliver the sai@ communic.tion, attended ouly by Robert Ould, as secre- tary, for the purpose of conferring upon the subjects of the aforesaid communication, and by the officers and crew o€ the said steamer. The Secretary of the Navy on the same day received a similar despatch from Acting Rear Admiral Lee. in com- mand of the United States squadron in Hamptos Roads, On Monday the Secretary of War and the Secretary ef the Navy respectively answered to Colonel Ludlow and Roar Admiral Lee, that ‘the request of Alexander H. Stevens ts infidmissable. The customary agents and channels are adequate for all needful mititary communi: cation and conference betweon the United States forces and the insurgents. THK RRORNT GPERCHES OF GENERAL BALLEOK AND SKORETART SKWARD—NEOLEOT OF THE NAVAL COMMANDERS ON THE MISSISSIPPI. The speech of Genoral Halleck bas been severely com- mented upon as an ungevorous effort to appropriate te himselt some portion of the glory of the surrender of Viokeburg. The remarks of Mr. Seward last night have given grave offence to the radicals, and have renewed the torrent of invective which that faction has lately heaped upon him. It is & subject of remark that in all the speeches made inst night of the popular demonstration here over the fall of Vicksburg no mention whatever was made of the part taken by the navy in the opening of the lets- nissipvi river. It ea little singular that the distinguished apenkers forgot not only the co-operation of Admirals Farragut aud Porter in the reduction of the rebel strong: holds recently, but that even a yoar ago Commodores Farragut and Davis bad opened the whole Mississipp! river above and below Vicksburg, and importuned the military commander of that department to spare a tana force of even five thousand men to obtain possession of ‘and bold Vicksburg. ARREST OF ORNBRALS. During the tast few days several generals have been in Washington without leave, some of whom havo been ar- rested. General Nagiee was called upon on Sunday night 0 account tor bis presonce here without leave, but his explapation was satisfactory. He Rad come up with a di- vision of troops from North Carolina whose time bad ex- pired, but who wished to serve under him in Ponnsyl- vania as long as a rebel remained under arms aorth of the Potomac, and his business in Washington was merely te ascortain the position he was to occupy and the disposi- tion to be made of the troops. General Hooker was called to accountability for his Presence here without leave on Monday, but ne is to be allowed to remain in Washington, and will resume his old quarters at the Insane Asylum, where be resided while undef treatment for the wound reovived at Antictam. He oxprésses an anxiety to be assigned to active duty, and 8 willingness to assume any p sition whitever that will place him in the field. His friends say that if not restored: to active duty be will retire from the service. MULTIPLICATION OF TELRORAPH FACILITING. From prosent appearances we are not likely-im the future to suffer for lack of sufficient telegraphic accomme- dations. Whatever restrictions may be placed by Beore- tary Staaton or bis assistant, Mr. Lynch, upon the trane- tmission of intelligence by telegraph, there ts to be ample Provision made to insure the prompt transmission of such business as may be allowed to go over the wires, In a@ dition to the facilities afforded by the Amorican Telegraph. Company, the Independent Telegraph line, has just been completed. This lime has been in process of construction for the past two years, and hes two ungalvanized iroa wires . the whole distance. The offie in this city is under the man- agement of Mr. A. B. Taloott, receutly one of the army, correspondents of the Heratp, who has heretofore besa weil known in this community as the Manager of the American Telegraphic office here. This line has already opened offices at princ'ps! points apon the route, and will no doubt increase ite facilities, should ite business require ‘such mcrease. Tn addition to these, another company entitled + the People’s Tolegraph Company’ has commenced the construction of @ line of two galvanized wire algo from Portland, Maine, to Washington, with offices at. Portland, Boston, New York, Bal\imore, Washington ané. other principal imtermediate ci:tes, Of this line, A. A. La- vett, formerly the consor of military intelligence in this city has been appointed general nixmager, a position for which fourteen years’ experience in similar positions eminentiy qualifies him. Dering the year that he bas acted as tele- graphic censor Mr. Lovett has administered the dutios ek bis unploasant office imoartiaily, and with a disposition to make it a6 little troublesome and offensive as possible, . consistent with the execution of bis instructions from thes War Department and tue interests of the military serviee + in whiclvhis syccessor, Mr. Lynch would do well to imi him. Alaree force Is at work upon this line, and it will rapidly pushed forwart to completion. It is now nearly completed from Boston to Harttord. and the work is wei! onder way from fartfort to Now York om tho Fastert; On the Soathern division it is rapidly progrems hog between New York and Trenton, N. J.,and beawgesh Philadelphia and Havre do Grace, and t ie expected ‘that { the entire liue from Washington to Portiaud will #®/ com feted and in working onder within two of three mothe f The 11nd is designed to bo fest class in every Feapect, a 14 far superior to Moot of the Ines now working inft'auy country eae ines can all bo roade to pay, 16 a Quem yo, (or the consideration of thew proj getare then, of and owners. SKORRTARY CFASH COMING NOMI, red hore that Seeretary Chast will go North ie a fow days in regard to Onancial matiers, OF course he sin all ‘he money he wants von the best terme Tae SUAREND on VIORSEOKG fm the receipt of the news of tho oder Vick#bumy United States Mar- kha! Murray raised, at his house y Twanty-aecond atroet, a beatiful svk Union fing, wie y had been presented him by Secretary 4@ purpose of celebrating our“ mort decis The banner still hangs om ; the Marabai s Viale” thonan * the ery tity } still they come