The New York Herald Newspaper, January 18, 1864, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. ‘ JAMES GORDON BEUNBTT, EOMOR AND PROPRIETOR Orrtes ©. W. CORNER OF FULTON AMD NASSAU STS. ‘TERMS cage im advance. Money sent by mail will be at the rig Of the sender. None but bank bills current in New York taken. THE DAILY HERALD, Tunas coats per copy. ‘THE WEEELY HERALD, every Soturday, at Five cents [per copy. Annual subscription price: Ove Copy... 92 Postage Gve cents per copy for three months. Any larger aumber, addressed to names of subscribers, @t GOeacn An extra copy will be seat to every club of t ‘Twenty coptes, to one address, one year, $95, and ‘@ny larger cumber at same price. An extra copy will be % clubs of twenty. These rates make the WEEKLY mean the cheapest publicarion in the country. ‘Tho Bvsorsas Erion, every Wednesday, at Fivz cents ber copy, @4 per annum to any part of Great Britain, or 86 to any part of the Continent, both to include postage. The Caxrorss Epmon, 08 the 34, 13th and 234 of eagh oath, at Scx cents per copy, oF $3 per annum. Wotame XXIX ..045.00505 0+. erevereere ee NO. 17 AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. ACADBMY OF MUSIC, Irving Place.—Gzauax Orzea—~ TavynarosER. NIBLO'S GARDEN, WALLACK’'S THEATRE, Broadway.—Tas CLanprstixe Maratace Broadway.—Connir Soocan. MINTER GARDEN, Broadway.—Ticeer or Leave OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway.—A Butt 1x 4 Cains Buoe—M agarea. NEW BOWERY THEATRE, Caro—Ars tue Woaty's a Stace, Bowery.—Mazerra— | BOWBRY THEATRE, Bowery —Rao Woman axp Hen Doas—Lorv Lover—Jonx Worrs = \ BagNua’s MUSEUM, Broadway.—Frexca Graxe, fant Give. Giant Boy, Lintirotian Kinc, GEN, GRan7, ge Several pours, “Ticest or Luars Max. AtSand 73g BRYANIS' MINSTRELS, Mechanica’ Hall, 472 Broad. eee Sones, Dancus, BURLESQUKS, &c,—UNCLE jam GRANT. WOOD'S MINSTREL HALL, 5ié Broadway —Ermiort. Goran, Davces BomBatcnoad EXxrosion eal AMERICAN THEATRE, No. 444 Broadway.—Batu1 Tastowrwus, BuRtesques, &c.—lovuse Tuat Jack Buri. BROADWAY AMPHITHEATRE, 485 Broadwar.—Gre. x ano EquestRiaX PxkrogMaNces. Afternoon and veuing HOPE CHAPEL. 71S Rroadway.—Tar ewalienon or tun UxvEnse. ere rion Cer NICHOLAS HALL, Broadway.—Minnor or tne Re- RLLION : | NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 918 Broadway.— ‘@ vmsosetrgs asp Lectuans. trom ¥ a. M.'tilll0 P.M. { BoouErs OPERA HO Brooklyn. —Earorias iE, FOnGs, Danogs, BoRtxsquns, &¢ wk, Monday, Jannary 18, 1864. ADVERTISEMENTS FOR THE COUNTRY. Advertasemonts for the Werxty Hxrarp must be band. e601 before ten o'clock every Wednesday evening. Ita Erccutation among the enterprising mechanics, farmers, dmorchaots, manufacturers and gentlemen throughout the Pountry is increasing very rapidly. Advertisements in- ferted inthe Wanxty Hrato will thus be seen by a large Portion of (uo active and energetic people of the United Beaton, THE SITUATION. Alf the reports with reference to the rebel Gene- gal Stuart's attack upon Leesburg are pronounced €o be entirely unfounded. Not arebel has been een recently within forty miles of that place, as & cavairy reconnoissance of Colonel Lowell effi- bicatty testifies. General Kilpatrick has gone to ‘Washington in relation to some new cavalry com- and to which it is said he is to be appointed. ; There have been some rumors in the Army of ‘he Potomac that it was to be reorganized and consolidated into three corps, and also that an {independent corps” of fifty thousand men was to ‘De placed under the command of a certain fighting everal, with a carte bianche to take Richmond in "the best way be could. ~ { General Grant arrived at Louisville on the lth instant from Knoxville, having made the Journey, with his staff, through Cumberland Gp, in the midst of snow and with mach dan- Ber. He selected that route in order to see the ®ature of the country and the probabilities of sup- plying General Foster's army by that way. While fat Lexington he was cordially received by the People, but refused to make any speech; but con- Rented himseif with showing his diminutive person, fed whiskers and keen, bright eyes to the citizens, Dy mounting on a chair. * An officer who has just escaped from the Libby @rivon, at Richmond, reports that the government officials ther¢ are strongly disposed to avail them- Gelves of Mr. Lincoln's amnesty and take the oath ‘of allegiance to the United States government if Chey can get am opportunity, which is not at all Probable at present. | General Bragg’s army in the West is said to be wholly demoralized and scattered through the wountry. The whole number of rebel troops west the Mississippi is 34,000, of which 17,000 are @avalry, under Generals S. D. Lee and Ferguson. { MISCELLANEOUS HEWS. { The steamer Ariel, Captain Wilson, from Aspin- Ml, arrived at this port yesterday. She brings Migence of more than usual interest, de- Railed in the letter of our correspondent from ®eanama. On the Sth of December a fire occurred Bo Santiago, Chile, the fatal results of which are without parallel in the history of the nation. No less than two thousand persons, for the most females, were burned to death in a church an hour. ‘Our advices from the seat of war in Ecuador and low Granada are very meagre. The position of both armies was not much changed since our last as Mosquera was still on the left (southern) de of the Chota, and Flores at Ibarra. An ar- itibe of ten days was agreed upon between the Generals (on the 11th 6F 12th). Mosquers 4 released all his prisoners, after having treated em very kindly. He and his troops had further ‘ed private property, and behaved them- ves 80 well that there is very little bitter feel- in Ecuador against them and every hope that settlement may speedily be arrived at. The expedition to Tumaco had returned. ‘The steamship Teutonia, from Southampton the of December, redched this port yesterday Her news bas been fully anticipated. A notice appeared in the papers on Saturday yesterday to the effect that at the church of Rey. Gardiner Spring, D. D., “the National 'e Relief Association would introduce to congregation, at scven o'clock, three white ve children taken from the schools in New Or. , and also a colored man whose forehead was with the initials of his late owner's ." At the appointed hour s crowd of people outaide the church, but the doors were NEW. YORK. closed, and it was announced that no services would be held. ‘The ehare market continued strong on Saturday, with & the seven and three-tenths Treasury 106% & 107. Money was comparati some cases usurious taterest was demanded There was very little change io the general aspect of commercial affairs on Saturday. As usual, comparative- ly little business was done, save to a fow leading articles of merchandise. Tho trafic in goods dealt in on ‘Change was fair, the favorable tafluence exerted by the Scotia’s news being still felt. Some articles were rather lower; Petroleum was more active end firmer. Freights were active and very Grm. The Question Between Denmark and Germany. The latest advices from Earope show that England has at last openly taken a stand on the Schleswig-Holstein affair, and has virtually protested against the occupation of these Duchies by the Germans. As this question bids fair to embroil the nations of Europe in a struggle, we deem tt of importanee .that the public should have as clear an ynderstanding of it as we can obtain from the mass of contradictory matter which now floods the European journals upon the subject. We append a map of Schleswig- Holstein and explanations, h will, we hope, enable the reader to come to &@ just conclusion in the matter. From the earliest time the province formerly and even now frequently called South Jutland (Sonder- Jutland) has been Danish in language, manners and political institutions. It was on the Eider, its southern frontier, that King Godfrey fought against Charlemagne. It was on the Siie, on which the town of Schleswig is seated, that the apostle of the north baptized the first Danes, &c., who became Christians. During the vicis- situdes of the Middle Agea the Kings of Den- mark often gave portions of Schleswig, or South Jutland, in fief to their brothers or sons, who occasionally formed alliances with the German counts of different parts of Holstein, and fomented troubles in the State. In 1721 Schleswig, returned entirely under the imme- diate domination of the, King, was indeed re- stored to the Danish crown, aad was recognized and guaranteed as Danish by France and Eng- land. Such it has remained from that time to the present day. Some of the Banish mon- -archs in the present century, with the view of attaching Holstein to Denmark by means of Schleswig, organized a part of the administra- tion of the latter country ia common with that of Holstein. A representative constitution having been granted to the duchies in the year 1846, a conflict of races was inaugurated soon afterwards between the German population of the Schleswig Holstein and the Danes. This continued with more or less intensity to the year 1848, when the German element in the duchies, aided by sympathizers from the Ger- man confederation, expelled the.Danes. The Danes soon afterwards-recoverod the greater portion of Schleswig, and finally the authority of King Frederick the Seventh was re-estab- lished in both duchies by various conventions held in 1850 and 1851. In accordance with the compromise of 1852 Schleswig preserved its separate ministry, its superior tribunal, its pro- vincial representation and legislation, &c. The provincial assemblies of Holstein were re-established by the constitutional law of June 11, 1854; those of Schleswig by that of February 15, 1854. The representation and legislation common to the whole of the monarchy were settled by the common con- stitution of October 2, 1855. During the first two sessions of the common representative assembly (Rigeraad) the Holatein deputies attended. But, feeling annoyed because they could not exercise superior and preponderating influence, and because, like members of other provinces, their number was in proportion to the population they represented, they ended by absenting themselves from the Rigsraad, by organizing in Holstein a systematic opposition against the government, and by obtaining ac- tion favorable to their pretensions’bn the part of the Germanic Diet. Influenced by the reit- erated menaces of the Confederation, the Danish government consented, on the 6th of November, 1858, to abrogate, as far as Hol- stein and Lauenburg were concerned, the com- mon constitution of October 2, 1855, which from that time naturally remained in force in Denmark and Schleswig only. Thereupon the Diet of Frankfort declared itself satisied and suspended its coercive measures. The Danish government continued, by conciliatory mea- ures, to endeavor to propitiate the factious party of Holstein; but all its efforts failed. The death of the late King of Denmark, Frede- rick VIL, gave the Germanic Confederation an opportunity to trump up a claim to Schles- wig-Holstein and Lauenburg in favor of the Duke of Augustenburg. It is needless to add that this claim is made without a shadow of right and in the face of the treaty of 1852, to which Prussia and Austria were parties. It is evident that, spite of these facts, the Germanic Confederation seems determined to rob Chris- tian IX. of these provinces. Unaided Den- mark can accomplish nothing with her two mitlions of people against thirty millions of Germans. But Sweden and Norway are with Denmark, and it is believed that mot only England, bu: France, will side with the weaker party. What course Prussia and Austria will pursue it is as yet difficult to say. The govera- ments may desire to stand by the treaty of 1852; but the people are firm in their deter- mination to break the treaty, and it remains to be seen whether they or their rulers will be the more powerful. Underneath this excite- ment there is a strong current of revolutionary feeling apparent, which induces the people of Germany to force the action of their govera- ments. We await the developments of this question, fraught with menaces against the peace of all Europe. Pace on Sranvation.—The editor of the Daily Progress, publisbed at Raleigh, N.C., speaks right out ia meeting. “Peace,” says he, “ean alone prevent starvation.” Then, after showing that all the Southern masses are starv- ing, the editor goes on thus:—“The masses of the honest, hard working people bave been de- ceived aad misled long enough, and they will not suffer and endure always. Peace they want and peace they will have.” This is the tone of | the whole article, which we publish elsewhere and which will repay perusal. It is strange talk fora rebel editor; but it is no more strange than true, Evidently Joff. Davis and bis fol- lowers cannot long withetend this’ daily pro- gress in starvation Women Oblldcon Barned to Death. iy We published en account of a ce taatrophe at Santiago that in the whole history of horrors is almost without a parallel. Full particulars of the melancholy event will be found in this paper, It appears that in one of the churches of San- tiago—oalled the Church of the Compania, be- cause it had formerly belonged to the Jesuits, er Company of Jesus—the festival of the Im- maoulate Conception of the Virgin Mary was celebrated with great pomp on the 8th ultimo. The church was extensively decorated with painted canvass, gauze, flowers, &., and, as the ceremonies were to be continued at night, ar- rangements were made for an immense illumina- tiog, and for a display even more grandly theatri- cal than that made in the daytime. Doubtless there wases much competition for places in the church as we have seen in our own city under somewhat éimilar circumstances, and, a3 usual inf all such cases, the favored ones were the women, and especially the women of the better class—the “beauty and fashion of the Chilean espital’—the “elite of the city”—the “female portion of the most refined families.” But few men were in the church, and it was 80 crowded with the women and children that many went away unable to get in. At a given hour the church was illuminated with twenty thousand lights, and five thousand of these were from camphine lamps. All who have seen Murillo’s picture of the Immaculate Conception will remember that the Virgin’s feet are.on a crescent moon. An attempt was made to illustrate this over the altar, and the moon was a transparency with lights in it. Thus the fire was brought almost in ac- tual contact with the inflammable material of the decorations, and thus the grand specta, was converted into a grand auto da fe; for one of the lamps lighted the cloth, or burst, it is not certain which, and ina moment the whole altar was in ablaze. Those who were near the door and blocked up the passages did not see how serious it was, and kept their places, in the expectation that the fire would be put out, while those nearer the altar pressed dgwn and pushed over those nearer the door,in the exertion to escape, and thus in the panic all became inextricably massed and crowded at the doors,eo that it was impossible for those within to get out. Another door that led out through the vestry room was opened, and some tew escaped by that; but the church authorities immitdiately closed it, aud would let,no more through, in order that they might by that passage carry out and save their gingerbread finery. In about an hour ‘the roof, which was of wood, had‘falien in, and the dreadful tragedy was over. Two thousand bodies were taken out of the ruins. Our readers may remember the occurrence of a not dissimilar catastrophe in the Richmond theatre many years ago; but there are some circiamstances of horror in the present case ‘that quite eclipse that, and all other catastrophes of a similar nature. Narorxos tHe Turgp ann Casan.—The Emperor of the French is engaged in writing a “Life of Cesar,” and for months—we might say for years—this work has been talked about, vaunted and extolled in Parisian circles, until at last public curiosity has been aroused, and the author may indulge in the hope that his book will bave a great sale. There are persons. who seoin this solf-im- posed literary task a farreaching ambition on the part of Napoleon III. There are those who assert that all this study and research into the history of the great Roman is but the prelude to a claim on the part of the writer that he is descended directly from Owsar, through Charle- magne, and that all talk about later dynasties is bosh in the face of this imperial and great descent on the part of the Napoleons. It is a subject of much remark in Paris that the busts of Cesar are counterparts of those of Napoleon the Great. In the present Napoleon’s study there are two busts, the one of the Ro- man general Cresar, the other of the great Corsican, and you cannot tell one from the other. Before the glory of the descent from 80 illustrious an ancestor even the warlike deeds of the “Petite Caporal”’ fade, and henoe we find the Nephew of his Uncle ignoring the military, and insisting upon the imperial, great- ness of his relative. The Parisiaws-say that Napoleon III. has placed the Cresar-like statue of Napoleon the Great upon the Colonne Vendome with an eye to business, as it will be a capital advertisement for his long prom “Life of Cesar.” - Tux Lars Devevormests or Conrcrrion iy Oxricz.—The radical journals bave meade futile efforts to excuse or palliste the astounding frauds which have been committed latelyyby im office, and which are now coming to light with unwelcome rapidity. Some of the journals we rofer to assert that the wrongs in question were begun during the time that another party was in powcr, and that they have just cropped out. This is indeed a pitiable apology for the crimes committed. The party which now. holds office was put there to do away with the corruption of those who pre- ceded them, not to outdo them in villany; aad such excuses as the radical journals make will but exasperate the people and caus@ them to determine upon # change which shall this time be efficacious. New men must come in and sweep out these Augean hotbeds of corruption and disloyalty, and, above all, there must be at the head of af- fairs a man of single purpose, unbending, stern and determined, who will crush without mercy those who betray their country that they may revel in ill-gotten gains. That man is Un- cle Sam Grant. When he shall have assumed the Presidential dignity we shall hear less of frauds and corruption, for he would crush the offenders without mercy. We may well, uo- der existing circumstances, long for Grant and reform. Taat Message 70 Dick Busrexn—We again call upon Dick Busteed, the lawyer, the poli- tician, the patriot, the brigadier general and the judge, to give us some information in re- gard to that message which Charley Lanter sent him from Paris, snd whictMr. N.C. Trow- bridge promised to deliver to him. How did heknow Lamar? What was his intimacy with Trowbridge? What was Lamar’s message? | Hop did he answer it? Who is Onmmack? Who was that stunning 'F. F. V., of easy virtue and great beauty? What was that singular ordet which Trowbridge sent to Parist Come, General Judge Busteed, toll the public and the Senate all you know about it, and do not pre- varicate The Re. Raltstment of Ou: . Popular tumults ere common enough in bis- tory, and are o in exact proportion tothe ignorance of the people in whose history they-occer. Paris has hardly tion” since the tenth century. But thote grand popular movements or that not even the most ill-disposed chronicler could designate as tumulte—those great assertions of the vitality and spirit of « people that the nation feels greater and prouder and better for—are exceed-' ingly rare. In the course of the present war we have had in this country several of these. We had the first when our was a8- sailed by the shots fired at Fort Sumter—shots, that, like the arrows of Alcestes, took fire as they flew, and lit up at the North s blaze of national enthusiasm whose like the world never saw till then. Several others have broken out when the government called for tmen; but the last of ‘these spontancous expressions, of tho people seems to us to be the greatest of all. Enthusiasm was natural to us at’ the com- mencement. We were s proud and brave, peo- ple; we had faith in our governmental system; we were ready and determined to sustain: it, and we went into the war with theeame energy | featares. and earnestness that had hitherto characterized our pursuits of other objects: But few knew the hardships of war; fewer still dreamed of the magnitade of the struggle upon which we were about te enter, and none contemplated the cost. Such considerations, therefore, did not dampen our natural ardor at that time, and the people came up from the cities and from our numberless villages—from the church, from the schools, from the courts, from the mines, the factories and the farm houses—and offered their services to the country. Now, however, we have been at war over two years, and the peo- ple. know what war is; yet when the coun- try calls again for men we see the very men who know best what the hardships of war are as ready to answer the call as they were at firat. Complete armies, upon the very eve of the expiration of the period for which they took arms, re-enlist for another term of service; and this is at the simple request of the govern- ment, and all in perfect good faith and honor. Ali the men who thus re-enlist know perfectly well that in a few months more they could go to their homes and families honorably, for they have before this seen regiment after regiment go home s0; but they do not want to go home and leave this struggle. They are determined’ to see it out, and they enter again nobiy_and freely. Here ia a spectacle of devotion to the country’s cause not only without a parallel in any history, but beyond what even the Utopian dreamers would bave imagined. Contrast this readiness of Northern men to sustain the country with the present spirit of the Soutbern people. Disgusted with the re- sults of their mad attempt, with their leadera, and even with their cause, the men of the whole South are anxious only as to what terms they can make, and the men in the Southern armies desire only to get away. *Deserters come into our lines by thousands, and would come in still greater numbess if they had the chance. Southern armies are now filled by a conscrip- tion that takes every man who can stand upon his feet. And that is their condition; while hero every few days a re-enlisted regiment comes bome, and the men go to-their families— so that there is a complete disintegration of the body—and upon the expiration of its leave the regiment comes together again and returns to camp a perfect unit. Suppose a robel regiment thus sent home, what would become of it? Its men would be joined to the two hundred thousand stragglers from the Southern arniy, and its name would be heard oo more iu the rebel camps. No circumstance that has occurred is calcu- lated to have a greater effect upon the Southern people than this readiness of our soldiers to re- enlist. Southern leaders bad counted upon the expiration of the time of our three years men, and upon the difficulties of a draft to distract our cause; and thus disappointed, the gloom of deapair will settle upon even the most san- guine and bring us nearer to the end. A CHALLENGE From Secretary Wees.— Secretary Welles has issued the following challenge, through his Assistant Secretary, and it was read before the Chamber of Commerce on Saturday last:— Navy Deranraent, Wasmvarow, Jan. 18, 1864. Guo. W. , Esq., New York:— Mr Daan Sin—Tho. charges against the Navy Devart- meat for building slow Bteamors is best answered by a comparative public trial, and I am authorized by the to make its to run one of our vessels feeuinat the tealect, sido-theot steamer im the country, American. The Adriatic, Illinois, Fulton, Kagle and somo of the Cunard line are, | believe, in New fork only class of ater, Te epectfully, Gv. POX. Mr. Grinnell made such an indignant speech ‘upon this challenge that the Cham- ber of Commerce did not accept it. The Secretary wants to run his steamer Eutaw against the Adriatic, Illinois, Fulton, Eagle, or any steamer of the Cunard line. We propose that the Secretary shall select three steamers like the Eutaw aod match them against the rebel steamers Rappahannock, Alabama and Florida. If our steamers overtake those of the rebels the government may pocket the stakes. ‘This is » much fairer trial than that offered by Secretary Welles, who will find, if he ever gets awake, that bombast and braggadocio will not catch the rebel privateers any sooner than gov- ernment vessels of nine knots an hour. Now let the Secretary toe the mark and prepare for this ocean race. Owsequics of Deceased Members of the Tenth New York Volanteers. Anant, Jan. 17, 1964. ‘The obseqgisn of the deceased members of the Tenth regiment, who died while in the service of the United States, in the Southwest, took place to-day, and wore very imposing. Among those participating in the oremonies were the Governor and staff, the Twonty-fifth and Tenth regiments, the Iavalid corps, the Fire Depart moat, and the Fifty-first regiment, Colonel Legendre, who have re-enlisted and are on their way from the Weat to New York to recruit. ‘ Fire in Beston. Boeron,; Jan. 11, 1964. A ire this morning, at 23 Tremont street, esused dam- ‘age amibunting to $6,000 or $10,000, Mr. Papanti, a Veacher of dancing, and Restesux & ‘ties, were the principal sufferers; mostly Re-Election of bemater Grimes, of Iowa, Cancago, Jan. 11, 1864. ‘Tho lows Legistatare in joint session at Des Moloes yesterday . re-elected Hon. James W. Grimes United States Senator by a voto of 126, six democrats voting Cor Mr. Jonainga, of Dubuque. t bcepdetentebaaant iN saipe,ioo and Gurl the worse asain D, MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 1864. A INTERESTING FROM WASUINGTON.| THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. ~ Wasaurarom, Yao. 17, 1008. TOR GmNARAL caansore oF Ti NEW meOL ENT ‘The Enrolment bili now before the Senate will probably, Pass thet bedy to-morrow, and be seat to the House for Coneurrence. It corrects some of the faults in the present Act, and tte object is to render more efficient the opers- oe of the present law. The only persons specifically ex- ompted from the draft are the Vice President of the United States, the Judges of United States Courts, the heads several Executive Departments, and the enrolmentand draft are merged tnto-one, which is made Wo tnclude persons betwoenwhe ages of twenty and forty- five years, credits to be given to cities, towns and wards, 0 as Lo equalize as far as possible the dtaft throughout each district. The commutation is increased to four bun- dred dollars, those who pay it to be exempted from the present draft, but Hable to be called upon in the next. Ia othor words, they are in the condition of a re- served clags, Drafted moa may, tf they prefer, be transferred to the navy, such transfer being credited to thelr respective locallties, Alterations are mado in the details of the old act for conducting the Graft, and attorneys or agents are restricted to the fee of $5 for preparing the Gecessary exemption pepers. The biti has not yet been perfected by tho Senate, but it will pass that body with the’ above prominent i n THE RBADMISSION OF ARKANSAS TO THN UNION. Adologation from Arkansas, composed of Dra. Kirk- wood and Boloach and ,Messrs. Snow and Mills, a¢com- panied by General Gantt, bas arrived bere to endeavor to make arrangemonta for the return of tho State to the Union, and the erasure from her escutcheon of the stain Of rebellion, They will have an interview witt! the Pre- ident to morrow. DESIRES FOR AN EXTENSION OF TRADS IN /NORTH CAROLINA AND LOUISIANA. Loyal men living outside, our lines in North Carolina and Louisiana are urging upoo our military auth rities the policy of allowing trade in all articles not gtrictly contraband of war between their districts and the cities occupied by our forces, They represent that were such privileges granted an 1ncrease of Union sentimens, would result, caused not only by a better appreciation of the motives governing the (oderal government in putting down the rebellion, but by identi6cation of interesta with the North. An extensive (rade is now carried on sur- reptitiously through {be numerous bayous in Louisiana, and the people beycu our lines receive from smugglers almost every article they desiro, but at enormous prices. Hundreds of bales of cotton bave been secured in this illicit traffic by smugglers, and it is stated ‘that wero trade reopened under vroper restrictions the amount of goods that would go tothe inhabitints would exceed those now received by thom very little, while the érans- mission of contraband news would not be rendered at all more certain than at preseot. Family supplies thus, it is claimed, would not render any aid to the rebellion. while this restoration of legitimate trade would ia a very groat measure prepare the way for reconciliation. INFLUENTIAL REPUBLICANS’ DETERMINED ON / TOR REMOVAL OF SECRSTARY STANTON. * A fresh and formidable movement Is on foot to procure tbe removal of the preseut Secretary of War, whose im- perious mode of administering tuat department and over ruling the Presideut himself has aggravated his unpSpu- larity to such ® degree that many of the most influential supporters of Mir. Lincola aro about'to demand a change in the War Departimeot aa the sine qua non of thair co- operation in his re-olection. THE FIVE PER CENT TREASURY NOTES. ‘The printing presses ia the Treasury Department aro worked to thoir umd capacity day aud vight priotiog the new five per ceat interest, beating-notes. “Fifty mil- diong of them aro.now ready, and on Monday the Treasury Department will commence stamping them and paying them out to the public ereditors. The atiticipated -de- mand (or them in oxchadge ‘for currdacy, through the agebcies, bas proved a failure... 39 s00u a3 ‘a safficiont #mount 0° the notes shall be printed they will bo substi. tuted: for tho ‘legal tenders whioh are Jocked up in the Sub-Troasury io Now York and othec depositarics, thus liberating ovor one hundred millions of greenbacks fog the paymout of the arm7 aad navy. The amount of un- satisflod requisitions now befvre the Secretary of tho Treasury exceeds one millioa of dollars, and, as this can- not be met by loans further than is cow derived (rom the five-twouty bonds, aor by immodiaio tixation, the sole dependence of the department is upon the rapid printing Of these five per cent iaterest-bearing aotes. THE TAK ON TOBACCO. ‘Tho following is understood to bo the conc!usion arriv- ed at today by tho Committes of Ways aud Moans con- corning tho amgle article of tobacco. The law which ‘hoy will report will provido:— 1. That ail manufacturers shall take out special license. 2 Bonds of registry shall be kept. 3. Fach manufacturer shall keep an accurate account of all maoufactures, to which he shall make oath weekly. ‘The following is said to be tho rate of internal revenue agreda upon, subject, of course, 0 be allered in Commit- teo-of the Wholo:— Ou cavendist; plug and twist manufactured of ali kinds, Bot including fue cut, snuff, segars or sm king, prepared with all thé stems tp, or oxclusively stems, 30 congs a | cape Wey ape 8 pound. jue cut, ia bulk, exceedi if pound, 30 cents Fine cut, in tia foil, &c., one ounce, 3 c@Mta per package. Fine cat, im ta foil, 000s, 6 CeMts por Pack. oe ee eee r “Fino cat, ta'tia foil, ke., tres ounces, 7 coats per pack age. Fine cut, ia ta foul, &c, additioaa ounce, 2 coals per Segars worth not over $10, $4 per 1,000 Sezars worth not over $15, $5 per 1,000 Segars worth not over $20, $6\per 1,000. Begars worth aot over + 87 per 1,000 Segara worth aot over $30, F gah 9 Segars , $10 per 1,000. Segare- worth not over $59, $15 per 1,000 ‘Sogars worth over $50, $20 per 1,009. THE OOURT MARTIAL OF SURGHON GaNtRat HAMMOND. Surgeon Geoeral Hamm. od ia atill paralyzed from the effects of the accidvat with which he met whilem the Wost. It is kuown that as carly as tho 8th of December last he asked, both from the Presideat and the Secretary of War, acourt martial or court of inquiry to examino the charges agaiost him, and thia has cow been gr: b Members of the Sanitary Commission also pressed ‘Wich proceedings as a matter of justice to Surgeon General Hammond, io whose skilland administrative powers thoy expressed to the President their highest confidence. The charges, it is waderstood, are aolawful sod frauduleot practices in the conduct of the Medical Bureau. ARRIVAL OF DISTINGUISHED MILITARY GENTLEMEN. General Harney arrived bore yesterday, to take part in the court martial convened for tne trial of Surgeon Gens- ral Hacemond. General Buell is here to day, to attend the obsequies of his stepdaughter, who died on Friday last. Among the artivats today is Captain D, B. Williams, of the staff of Major General MoCook. VOLUNTRER ADVICE OF CITIZENS TO THB MILITARY COMMITTEES. &c., two The mombors of both the Military Committees of Con- grees have received large numbers of letters, the writers volunteering suggestions or advice as to what should be the features of the amendatory earolment bill, many of these evidently desiring it should be so framed as to ex- empt themselves from the draft. THE BUSINESS OF THE PENSION BURBAU. Tn response to a call from the Senate Committes on Military Affairs, the Commissioner of Pensions bas fur- ished the following report of the condition of business ia his office, under the act of Jaly 14, 1862:— On examiner's desk, not acted 6a. ‘Total applications to January 1, 1864.... From these statements {t will be seen thas 28,657 cases (more than one-third of the whole aumber) have been finally acted oa. More than another thira ($9,009), acted On sofar 08 properly within the power of the office, are Golayed by the fatlure of claimants of their atcorneys to eupply ceseatia! omissions of gecessary evidence In snp port of the same. These cases bave cost tbe office much moro labor than those finally disposed of, The whole umber on the Reaminer’s dese upacted oa, If properly Propared and the evidence complete, would be Gnally ‘Adjudicated 1a lees them one month. OHANGR OF ORDWANON IN ER WasmiaTON DE. Orders have been tseucd to remove from the defences of Washington all the serviceable twenty-four and thirty: two pounder to the Arsenal for the purpose of rifling thom on the pattern, thereby rendering thom as effective as any rifed guns of the same calibre, Fight took bow iieern will be substituted Cor Whom in the Cortid- catioes, Mr. William Young's . “ ARMT ov TEE Potowsd, /, 106. A RBcOsnVOGRANOE Ln BRABOW OF avatar. Colonel Lowell. commendiog © caveiry brigade near Fairfax Court House, who weat out on an extensive re Connoissance in search of Stuart's rebel cavalry, has ro turned, after an advance to Suickersville, Berryville aaa Leecaburg, and found a0 traces of that famous and once formidable body of fighting horsemea. At Vieans, where the rebels made a demonstrative a day or two since, all was quiet this morning. All isquiet, too, at Mitchell's Station, Culpepper and Warrentes to-aay, , JOLLY RECRUITS FOR MANE REGIMENTS. Colone! Burnham, of the Sixth Maine regiment, deli- f vered at Alexandria this morning three hundred and seventy recruit for Maine regimeats, who wore as roligk- . some, (rolicksome, gay and bappy a8 children when just let loose from school. They seemed to fact that the rebellion is exbausting itself, and eppearea delighted that they were to bave the privilege of ones in the hitherto victorious Army of the Potomac. * TER RUMORED REORGANIZATION OF THE ARMY. =” There have been rumors for the past fow days of ere organization and consolidation of this army into three Corps, equalling ta that respect Lee’s corps, commanded by Longatreot, Ewell and Hill. F AN INDEPENDENT COMMAND OF FUTY THOUSAND. ‘Tero is also @ rumor that an independent commana of gome fifty thousand men Is to'be given on of the opening of the-spring campaign to one of thd best goneraia ia the army, who will be authorized to ‘take Richmond is bis own way and at bis own timo. ‘THE ORSTITUTION OF THR REOEL LEA's TROOPS. Si deserters from the Ninth Alsbama regimout and _ four contrabands came into our lines near Mitchell's Sta- tion yesterday moroing. They forded the Rapidan, and their clothes were frozen atiff when they reached, ow: pickets. Two of thom, not more than sixteen years” old had beem in the service only three months. One of them had been.in tho rebel army nearly three years. They represent that starvation threatens the rebel army. Some of those men were almost barefooved; but two ot them had blankets, and only one had.s baversack. They were very hungry, and, when rofreshed with ‘coffee, bread aud meat, expressed surprise that we bad eomuch toeat. They have had no coffee before for months, and have not had meat more than twice 8 week. Were it not that their officers tell them that ifthey desert to us they will be put into the ranks of our army, and then,jif re. captured by the rebels, will be shot, thelr | oom. pany would make an effort to come cver, Nine mon o their regiment were shot only a few days since for trying to desert. When these six deserters were asked if thoy wore.will- ing to take the oath of allegiance thoy roplied that that was what thoy camo into our lines to do//and seemed gratified that they could do it. RESUMPTION OF PICKET FIRING BY THE REREIS, * Picket firing was suspended by agreement made under a fag of truce two or threa weeks ago; but yosterday our cavalry pickets were fred on near Mitchell’s Station, though without effect, RROKLA BAGGED BY TUR FIRST NEW YORK DRAGOGHE. Eight companies of tho First New York Dragoons, ua dor command of Major Scott, mado a reconuoissance to Sporryvillo, returning next afternoon, with a rebel oap- tain, a lieutenant and four privates as prisoners, Capt. Culbertson, of Company H, captured tho lieu. tenant, who belonged to the Sixth Virginia cavalry, un der the following circumstances: —It having been hinted that a rebel officer was visiting a house twormites from Woodville, on the Sporrysville Pike, Capt, Culbertgon pro coeded thence with his command. In one bod where twa ladies were be suspected a third person was secreted ‘aad proposed to investigate. The ladies protested thas oothiag contraband was there, and the old geatloman as- aured the Captain ou,his honor that there was no Confede- rate ow the premises, and therefore no neod of searching. Captain Gulbertson’n oficial sent, however, overcamd his ry, and be found the rebel lleutonadt under the bed, with « lady lying upon it and‘on each side of him, t Captain Brittain, with a squad of men, at thé came time surrounded another house, where they discovered a captain of thy. Little Fork raagers perched oa the ridge pole, Liéutenant Schlick, with Company K, Captured throe rebel privates in apother direction, aud Captain Godfrey another. They also captured six bornes, and @ contraband followed them into-camp with a seventh. Major Scott deserves groat credit for the ot bia commend in this expedition. They were out . eight hours,s0d ail but two hours of that time werein = > the saddio. = ANEW CAVALRY COMMAND FOR GENERAL RILPATIOOE. Gonorat Ktipatrick (eft for Washington tha evening ce aspecial train, ft is conjectured that his visit to the =, capital has some connection witha new and important cavalry commaud to which rujnor assigns bim. The Reported Raid of Staart« Barromonn, Jan. Mf, 1864, ‘The report that Stuart was ear Leesburg on a raid ts unfounded, Major Cote Tespatches from General Kelley state that of the Maryland cavairy, has roturned to bis hepdquert- ers from a scout to Leesburg. and the report that/Goneral Stuart was there with a large cavalry force for the par. pose of anattack on Point of Rocks, or on aby other place in the possession of the government, is: entirely uofounded. Not amarmed rebel was seonor hoard of within forty 7% ¥Y The Fire tu Duane Street. “- 75: ‘Thetesses by the cg tn Dunag stress om Gatartay night are larger thaa re, ‘The ts covered by ia3urance tn almost all of the tn amounts varying from $5,000 to $16,000 each. The ftames of tho companies our rep was unable to ob tain, as the policies of the parties are in their’ safes, and they are unable to give the mames correctly from The ioeu of Moases, fs Hahapabare to eatin. od. at $800,000; fo send of 4 : B Ph — a eae) ; ; insured for abous ‘The damage to the stock of Benkard & Hutton by water iarinin rata aire aries See eee PRIte rh wall Tams thst 98, 907008 oS ited.-‘A. Bobose has lost about $600: insured for $700 In but tt te dam tognrence Company. ‘The origic of the fro is not known at supposed to ‘second originated tn the office on THE FATAL CASUALTY TO FIREMAN BURRIDOR. Mr. (George W. Burridgo, the fireman who was kilicd at the fire in Duane street, on Saturday night, waethirty- oue years of age, and a native of this city. He bad been Une tthe nore of Memes, Werke ‘rites Deceased lived at 164 Wooster cashmere MaDe, mp 's Tui ‘the be Seavoyed to Whine Yume, Wentteaer cous, or tater. Aspecial meeting of the Fore Pty PR ge ware eats Soe Salling of ae Landoetecry nok tirorpes tk ea 9