The New York Herald Newspaper, May 16, 1864, Page 4

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These rates make the WERKLT Hisnatn che cheapest publication in the country. ‘Ibe Fvnorgay Eprion, every Wednesday, at Fiva cents fer copy, $4 per annum to apy part of Great Britain, or &G to any pert of the Continent, both to include postage. ‘The Catrorsia Eprriom, on the 34, 13th and 234 of each ‘month, at Srx cents per copy, or $3 per adoum. VOLUNTARY CORRESPONDENCE, containing import- ‘Put pews, solicited from any quarter of the world; if used, will be Mberally paid for. gg- Ovum Fommacs Coxnzs- TOMDENTS AKE PARTICULARLY REQUEITRD TO SEAL ALL LT SERS AND PACKAGES BENT UB 'NO NOTICE taken of anonymous correspondence. We Go not rotura rejected communications. Volume XXIX .,.+0 +Me. 136 AMUSEMENTS THIS 18a, IDLO'S GARDEN, Broadw WALLACK'S THEATRE, Broadway.—Monar. WINTER GARDEN, Pavpr Micss' Bor. Broadway.—Ausrican Covsix— OLYMPIC THBATRS, Broadway.—Saram i Paris— Unrnoixcien Femate. NEW ROWERY THEATRE, Bowory.—Jack Suzrranp— Nick or tax Woops—Turn itim Ovr. BOWERY THEATRE. Bowery—Tas House Taat Jace Buit—Hotitevem Bait—Cartain Kyo. BARNU Dwanrs, Gor—at MUSEUM, Broadway.—Two Giants, Two moe Wass Is lt, &c., at all hours, BuLrux. BRYANTS MINSIRELS, Mechanics’ Hall, 472 Broad way.—BTHorian Soncs, Dances, BuRLESQUES, &c.—How 4Rk YOU GuEmNnacns? WOOD'S MINSTREL HALL, 514 Broadway.—! fence, Dances, &e.—iiaxpy ANvY. he aaa BROADWAY -_ Tricky THEATRE, 485 Broadway.—B:qusa AMERICAN THEATRE, No. 444 Broadway.—] Paxrowiuis, Bumiasgues, &0.—Dcuatanead. BALON DIABOLIQUB, 685 Br dway,—Rosgser HEtirr, NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway. Contosries aso Lecronus, from 9 a Me il WOE ae HOOLEY'S OPERA HOUS! Brooklyo. — Force, Dances, BURLESQURS, ye wee ma WITH SUPPLEMENT. New York, Monday, May 16. 1864. THE SITUATION. According to Mr. Stanton’s bulletin, dated at a quarter past ten o'clock last night, the latest official news from the Virginia battle flelds isto seven o'clock yesterday Morning. There was no serious fighting for the past two days. The army skirmishing was going on all day Fri- diy. General Lee’s army ts on the right bank of the Po river. By a0 official despatch received at the War Department from the Geld at Spotteyvienia Court House, dated six o'clock Saturdsy morning, we learn that during Friday ight s movement was made by the Fifth aad Sixth corps 0 our loft, and an attack was to bave been made on the @vomy at daylight; but no sound of battle had been beard drom that quarter, Thig mancuvre was intended to place our forces io ‘Leo’s rear, and compel him to retreat towards Lynob- ‘Durg; but the enemy evidently was not in that direction, Qs DO sound of battle was beard during Saturday at Belle Plato or Fredericksburg, which affords ground for infer ence that Leo bad retreated during Friday night, before he advance of the two corps. . A despatch from our correspondent at Belle Plain, at ire ‘o'clock yesterday morning, says that both armies ‘Changed positions somewhat on Saturday, and sboyt seven P. M. our artillery opened beavily on the enemy Qear Spoitsyivania Court House for about an hour. The Tesuk was not known. It has been raining incessantly, and the roads are in a sad condition of mud and mire. One of the most brilliant feats af the campaign was abe cavalry expedition of General Sheridan—announced in our columns yesterday—which started on the 9th instant. It wound up on the 13th at Bote tom’s Bridge, from whence the Genoral bas since joined General Butler at Turkey Bend, after passing between the first and second lines of the @uemy’s works in front of Richmond, de‘eating the rebels several points, and doing vast destructioo to their rail roads, depots, bridges and millions of rations. We give a splendid map in another column, upon which is faith- Tully traced the route of General Sheridan and the dif- ferent points be visted. His operations, the results of which were of a most ruinous character to the enemy ‘o taeir present critical condition, may be briefly summed up. Starting from his headquarters on the 9th, General Sheridan marched around the enemy's right flank, and on the evening of that day reached the North Anna river, without opposition, During that night he destroyed the depot at Beaver Dam, three largo trains of cars, and one hundred cars, two fine locomotives, and stores, amounting in all to one million and a half of rebel tations ; also the telegraph and railroad track for atput ten miles, embracing several culverts ; Tecaptured three bundred and seventy-cight of our mon, jocluding two colooels, one major, aod several other officers. Next morning crossed the South Anoa at Grand Squirrel bridge, tnd went oto camp On the following day he destroyed locomotives, cars, @overnment stores and six miles of railroad at Ashlend, @nd then pusted on in the direction of Richmond. At Yellow Tavern be tell in with the rebel cbief J. EB. Stuart, and, after ao obstinate fight, vanquished his command and drove them over the north fork of the Chickabomiay. In this skirmish two pieces of rebel artillory were captured, an@ Stuart himself was wound. e4—mortally it seems, for the Richmond papers since an- »sounce bis death from s guvsbot wound. Having pos aeacion of the Brockeltown road, ® part charged along , the pike and captured the first line of the enemy's works round Richmond. During the night General Sheridan marched th: whole of Lis command between the first and second lines of the avemy's works on the biutls overlooking the line of the Virginia Ogotral Railroad and the Mechanicsville turn. pike. Findjng the works too strong for an assault be recrossed Meadow the Chickahominy, repairing the broken bridge under & beavy fire of artillery, and driving the quemy 04 (ac ua Gaines’ Mille, The rabag came vub [oud HERALD. MONDAY, NEW YORK xn | their sroond tineot works and attacked Generain Croc ard | wuson, but were-repuised, aud driven beck ww tneir de- feve 6 On the ath the wh ily command encamped at Bottom’s Bridge. after accompliching tho most eplondid cavalry movement of the war. At thre o'clock on Saturdyy aftern-on Sheridan formed @ junction with Butler's army at Turkey Bend on the James river. Be | hole loss was mot over three hundred in killed, wounded and unlseiog. ‘There is nothing later from General Butler, The fine map above relerred to includes all tho vicinity and tbe location of bis army, as well as the scene of operations of Gereruls Meade, Sheridan, Kautz, and Lee. General Sherman bad been actively engaged all day Saturday with advantage on our aide, but without a de- cided result up to eight o'clock in the evening. We give a sketch in another column of the life of Goneral J. E. B, Stuart and the active services which he rendered the rebel cause since the war broke out. Thanksgiving services were yesterday porformed in Triaity church in this city for our recent Union victories in obedience to the request of the Right Rev. Bishop Potter. Dr. Vinton preached the sermon, and alluded to the different battles, In which the armsof the republic were triumphant. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. ‘The steamsbip City of Cork, from Queenstown on the Qd of May, reached this port yesterday moraing. She landed about six bundred passengers. Our European files by the City of Cork aod Africa are dated to the 24 of May. The papers contain very Inter- esting nows and news details. ‘The correspondent of the London Poet, in Rome, writing on the 20th of April, reports the grand reception of the Emperor and Empress of Mexico by the Pope, ana states that it afforded matter for surprice to mapy people that the United States Minister and Secretary of Logation, Genera! Rufus King and Mr. Clinten Hooker, should have been present on the oocasion, considering the decided op- position of the American government w the establish ment of a European monarchy in Mexico, Our specia! correspondent at Stratiord-on-Avon, far- nishes us a most interesting account of the grand festival and fetes with which the tercentenary anniversary of the birthday of Shakspere was celebrated in his native town. The anniversary exercises, banquet, balla, the- atrieals, and otber appropriate enjoyments occupied a ‘week, according tothe programme, The Kingston, Jamaica, Journal states that two young men, batives of the island, bad been kidospped from a Jesuit College in New York, and, as was feared, forced into the United States navy. Tho Journal says that the head of the college ecknowledges the loss of the boys, and suggests this casualty in accounting for them. Wo have files from the West Indies, dated at Kingston, Jamaica, on the 6th of May. The sugar crop promised well. The general health of the island of Jamaica was good. We have news from Turks Islands dated to the 8th of May. About seventeen thousand busbeis of salt bad been shipped in the week, The stock on hand was very limited. Price, eleven cents. The Turks Islands Stand- ard, of the 23d of April, says:—"We learn that a Spanish war vessel bad captured the schooner Forward, on her way from Porto Cabello, St, Domingo, to this port, with acargo of tobacco and eleven passengors—most of them belonging to this island, The schooner Eliza bad also Deen taken and carried into Porto Plata by a Spanish cruiser, We learn nothing further relative tothe revo. tution, neither is there any news of the proposed expedi- tion from Havana to Monte Coristi.”’ The obsequies of the late Brigadier General James C. Rice were celebrated yesterday afternoon at Rev. Dr. Adams’ church, corner of Madison avenue and Twenty- fourth street. The church was thronged by the relatives and friends of the deceased soldier, who died while bravely leading his command against the enemy at the sapguinary battle of Spottsylvania. An eloquent funeral sermon was preached by the pastor, Dr. Adams, who paid a Digh tribute to the memory and gallant services of the lamented deceased. Among the distinguished miii- tary mes presenton the solemn occasion were Generals Dix, Anderson and Sandford, besides a large number of distinguished civilans. ‘The twenty-first sermon in the Christian Union series now being preached in the Church of the Puritans (Dr. Cheever’s), was delivered last evening by Rev. L. N. Rice, D. D., formerly of Kentucky, now of the Fifth avenue Presbyterian church, The discourse was a learned production, and was listened to with the deepest interest. No allusion was made to national affairs, although he maintained that civil apd ecclesiastical affairs should be kept separate, 1t is a significant sign of the times whea ministers berctofore known as conservatives sit side by side with @ mao whose whole IXe hos been devoted to the promulgation of the most radical and fanatical eas. ‘The anniversary mecting of the Caited States Christian Commission was beld last evening in the Academy of Music. Addresses were dclivered by several eminent gentlemen, The Commission have two bundred and twenty-five delegates in the field, attending to the wants of the soldiers, acd have sent for their relief, within the past few days, over twelve bundred boxes of hospital stores, They desire to raise for present necessitics a fund of one hundred thousand dollars, and of this between twenty ana thirty thousand dollars were subscribed iast evening. Following the example of other bodies, the spiritualists bave split, After the adjournment of the regular Con- vention om Friday might the radicais organized an suxiliary Convention, which was in session on Saturday and yesterday. Uriah Clark, of Boston, was elected President. Resolutions were adopted favoring s more formal organization of the spiritualiste and the sending of delegates to 8 national convention to be held at Chicago in August. The speakers comprised the leading mediums, and eloquent addresses were made by Mrs. E. M. Spence, L. C, Clark, Appa E, Doubleday end Messrs. Tookey, Lbvelapd, Dr. Hamilton, aod others. Sirong speeches were made against the reports of the Convention as thoy appeared in the daily journals, the only exception being made in favor of the Heratp, which was recognized os the leading newspaper In the United States. The superior philesopby of spiritualism was reaffirmed, apd the Con. vention adjourned, after establishing ® social platform recognizing the equal, social and political rights of ail men and women. The Sixth and Seventh avenues railroad companies have refused to grant the request of their drivers fora reduction of the hours of labor, and, the latter refusing w work under the old arrangement, a new lot of men were placed on the cars of those two lines yesterday. In anticipation of attackson the new employes by the old ones, policemen yesterday kept guard in cach of the cars of these roads. The Fullerton contempt matter comes up on certiorari in the Supreme Court, genoral term, this morning. The question now turns upon the jurisdiction and authority of Judge Garvin to discharge Mr. Fullerton on habeas oor- pas, after bis committal for contempt by Surrogate Tucker. Tue Ress Gevxerat Lonostreet.—This officer, one of the very bravest and most skilful and thoroughly schooled and experienced in the rebel army, has been the most unfortunate of any general on either side participating in so many battles. He was first driven to the right about by General McDowell at the first Bull run, and but for Stonewall Jackson and Joe Jobnston his military career would then have probably ended. He figured as a secondary character in the bloody Peninsula campaign of 1862, and signally failed in bis notable North Carolina expedi- tion of the same year. He fought terribly but disastrously to his own troops at Antietam and Gettysburg; he did nothing very remarka- ble at Fredericksburg; hie corps was cut to pieces by General Themas at Chickamauga, and he was baffled and thoroughly beaten at all points by General Burnside at Knoxville. From his last repulse near the old battle ground of Chancelloréville he is reported to have been borne off mortally wounded. At all events, he is a very remarkable example ofa great soldier of many battles and many dofeats, and without a single victory that can be called his own. Lee anv SrovewaLt, Jackson.—It is a aug. gestive fact that since the death of Stonewall Jackson nothing but misfortunes have attended the army of General Lea. dm est from “the Front"—The Situation of Lee's Army, According to our late front,” in Virginia, wi advices from “the are down to tea o'clock yesterday morning, General Lee had halted in his retreat on the south side of the little Po river, which crosses the roads to Ricb- mond near Spottaylvania Court House. There, in a good defensive and strategical position, he evidently intended to try the fortunes of an- other battle if closely pressed; and an hour's canmonading from our eide on Saturday even- ing had admonished him to prepare to fight or fall back early in the morning. His purpose would seem to be @ stubborn tesistance at every stream on the line of his retreat; but we suspect that the exhausted condition of his army, the removal of his wounded, his limited tranaporta- tion, and the heavy condition of the roads from the late soaking rains, have brought him to a stand. It is necessity, and not policy, that has stepped him. His depots of supplies established between his army and Richmond have been destroyed by General Sheridan, and his railway lines south and west have been seriously damaged. He can get no reinforcements from any quarter, and hie am- munition and provisions on hand must be nearly consumed. General Sheridan’s powerful cav- alry column, completely successful In accom- plishing the important work assigned it, after penetrating the exterior line of the defences of Richmond, has joined General Butler and Ad- miral Lee on the James river, and the immedi- ate danger to Richmond is thas immensely in- creased. Lee must push forward at ence te the rescue or he will be too late to save him- self, even by s rapid retreat; for with Rich- mond io the hands of “the Yankees” his army may as well be disbanded at once as to hold the field for a single day longer. If, from his broken up railroads and broken down horses, and the miry condition of the com- mon dirt roads of the country around him, he can- not move at present and must run the hazards of another battle, then, in all probability, he will be compelled, in his next move, to give a wide margin to Richmond. General Grant, mean- time, is repairing his losses in every way. His army is now nearly if not quite as strong as on the day it entered “the Wilderness.” He feels perfectly sure that the game is in his hands, or he would not have detailed Sheri- dan’s heavy column of cavalry to the support of General Butler. The obstruction of mud may delay him a day or two; but rainy weather and miry roads in Virginia are no serious im- pediments to the soldier who has had a whole summer’s experience in moving @ great army over the swamps of the Mississippi river. Tee Lavies’ Anti-Extravacance Mretiva.— The ladies of the late Sanitary Fair will meet to-day at the Cooper Union for the purpose of discouraging, by the expression of public epin- ion, the lavish expenditure which character- izes the hour; the wearing of costly foreign fabrics, jewels and so forth, and in fact extrava- gance in dress, equipages and luxuries genera!- ly. We have no doubt that the few worthy la- dies who set this movement on foot will con- scientiously practise what they preach; that they will deny themselves many things to which they have been acoustomed, and will, ifne- cessary, become as simple in their garb as Qua- keresses and as quiet in their babits as nuns; and we wish them every success in their efforts, hoping that their example may fructify and that the fruit may be good. But we do not see how they are to influence the shoddy por- tion of the community, who never wore dia- monds before, nor silks nor fine velvets, nor magnificent hate with all their sumptuous glit- ter and promiscuous horticulture. We fear that the reform will not reach the inner circle of this class of people, who have suddenly be- come millionaires by furnishing bad beef and bad coffee to the soldiers and broken down horses to the government. We shall look with some interest to the ef- fects of the movement in the Park, the thea- tres, the opera house and the fashionable watering places. We shall endeavor te ob- serve whether the dashing ‘‘four-in-hand” will diminish to a modest pair of. bays; whether opera cloaks and diamonds may be valued by hundreds instead of thousands; whether Broadway will not be swept by as su- perbly attired and pretentious étreet-cleaners asever, and whether “fashion” in borrowed plumage will not flaunt it at the watering places with more than its usual extravagance. We are afraid that these good ladies are not equal to the task of reforming sboddy. They are working ina field quite as new to them as to the general public. As for the advantage the movement may be to the government, in cutting off the supplies from import duties, we do not see it very elearly. However, we wish the enterprise godspeed; for it was conceived with the best intentions. Mopern Miurrary Parases.—We have struck upon new phase in our military des- patches which is quite characteristic of the age and the rapid go-aheadativencss of the people. In olden times great military commanders were wont to transmit the news of their victories in lengthy and pompous despatcbes, full of ver- biage, often tedious, and not quite compre- hensible. Imperial and imperious Cesar set the first example of brevity in his haughty “Veni, vidi, vici;” but his example has not been much followed. It was attempted in jest to manufacture a briefer despatch, by attributing to Sir Charles Napier, when he captured Scinde, in the Indian war, the single word, “Peccavi”— Ihave sinned. It remained for our generals to coneoct quaint military phrases—brief, forcible and unequivocal despatches, such bat of Perry on Lake Erie—“We have met the enemy, and they are ours;” or the emphatic expression of Old Zack—“A little more grape, Captain Bragg;” or Grant’s memorable declaration to Buckner—“I propose to move immediately upon your works;” and bis recent despatch— “I propose to fight it out on this line, if it takes all summer; and Hancock’s satisfactory announcement—"I have finished Johnson, and now Iam going into Early.’ Then we have General Ingalls’ bulletina, of quite another ebaracter, but equally terse—"We made a tea MAY 16, 1864.-WITH SUPPLEMENT. strike today ;" “The o!d republic is firm. Bet your pile on it;” aod “We are bursting them up.” Now, these may be very peculiar and uncom- mon phrases with military commanders; but they are model military despatches after all, and suited to this fast age, as well as to the men whose “headquarters are in the saddle.” They tell the story better than a quire of fools cap or a mile of telegraphic tape. ti Candidate. The convention which is to meet at Cleve- tand, on the 3ist ef May, ought te be, and probably will be, the last of such political assemblages. The system of nomi- nating conventions has not worked well. Tt has given us poor Presidents and nearly ruined the country. Besides this, it has bred up and kept alive a class of low, corrupt and vicious politicians, representing nobody but themselves, eager to be bought with a price, and only influential over the unfortunate can- didate who bas to submit to the demands of these political ewindlers before he can even en- tertain the hope of a nomination, Now it is a characteristic of the American people to do away with whatever is useless and to discard whatever works badly. We are not surprised to find, therefore, a general disposi- tion to abolish the convention system and put an end to the nuisances it has created. There can be no better time than the present to carry out this idea. The political hucksters, who gave us poor Pierce and blundering Buchanan and loggerhead Linocola to afflict us, now pro- pose to reneminate Lincoln at Baltimore, and some opponent, of about the same calibre, at Chicago. If this be permitted we can only choose between the Baltimore incompetent and the Chicago incompetent. Under the old sys- tem one or the other of them will be elected, and we can jump out of the fryingpan into tho fire or out of the fire into the fryingpao, as we please. Of the two evils we can prefer the lesser—and there our privilege ends. But what isthe use of having any evil at all? Why should we not kick over the whole concern? Would it not be better to reject both the incom- petents? There is a way to do this, and that way is through the Cleveland Convention. To that convention all the war democrats, all the really honest and patriotic republicans, and all the national conservatives, of every sort, should go in person or by their represen- tatives. Atleast one hundred thousand peo- ple, representing the sentiments and wishes of the leyal millions, ought to be present at Cleve- land on the last day of May. Then let this People’s Convention nominate Lieutenant Gene- ral Grant for President, and General Fremont or Commodore Wilkes for Vice President, and the approaching election will be settled in ad- vance. There will be nothing left for the sham conventions todo. They will probably never meet, If they should meet, it will be to ad- journ sine die, amid the jeers and laugh- ter of the whole ngtion. Heretofore the politicians have nominated the Presi- dent, and the people merely elected him. Now we want the people to as- sert their rights and take both the nomination and the election into thelr own hands. The revolution that is now disturbing the country must deliver us from the tyranny of imbecile party backs. They never expressed the true popular will, and they never can. The inde- pendent press is the voice of the people, and that bas superseded the convention system. What folly it is, in times like these, for cor- rupt politicians to be prating about party lines, and party ties, and party platforms. The peeple want a man whose platform is his actions, and who has made his own record, instead of having it manufactured for him out of the rubbish of old speeches and old letters and rusty, musty, dusty, fusty Congressional documents. Such a man they have found in General Grant. No one cares what his poli- tics are, what bis record is upon the slavery question and the Maine law question, or what kind of a platform he stood upon ten or twenty years ago. They know that he has saved the nation, and that is enough to know. Having saved it, he {is not likely ever to betray it, or ever te submit to anything that will impair its greatness and tarnish ite glory. His politics—they are the constitution and the Union. His record—it will be found in the reports of his victories and in the hearts of hiscountrymen. His platform—he has built it as broad as the United States and as high as Lookout Mountain. We expect his election to be as unanimous as that of General Washing- ton and as beneficial to the welfare of the re- public. No one will vote against him, with the exception of shoddy contractors, whose palms iteh for government money, and copperhead peacemongers, whose hearts are (with Jeff. Davis, although their bodies are too cowardly to follow their hearts. Let every patriot who can possibly attend the Cleveland Convention be there on the 31st of May, and let those who cannot go send worthy representatives. We shall see what politicians will be bold enough to try to run the Baltimore and Chieago ma- chines, or take the field against a general who has never known defeat. —The People’s Tae Frvanciat Conpirion or Ecrops.—Revo- lutions are ripe in Europe, because the majority of the great Powers have no money. They have squandered all their available resources and exhausted their credit for the sake of keep- ing up formidable standing armies. In such a condition of affairs revolutions must ensue. It was the knowledge of this inevitable result which caused Napoleon the Third to seek new revenues for France. He is aware that Bng- land has prospered, spite of her enorm debt, because she had colonies. He is aware that of all the European Powers Russia alone has great resources as yet undeveloped. He is aware that Austris, Prussia, Spain, and even Italy, have drained to the dregs their limited resources, and that :hese nations must undergo the dangers of revolution, because they are bankrupt. France is in the same position, and hence the determination of Napoleon to colo- nize, to get possession of great international theroughfares, such as the canal of Suez and the proposed railroad soross the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. With the view of making for France new resources Napoleon undertook the Mexican campaign, placing upon the new throne 4 puppet, whom he will displace at will—it be- ing his evident purpose to reap the benefits of the outrageous capture of so large a portion of this continent, made at a period when our in- testine troubles prevented our interference. The American nation is justin the infancy of its resources. We have vast untold wealth in our mining districts. We have boundless ex- panse of territory to settle and improve, and to us debt and present expenditure hot little evil. an bode A few years | of peace will see the country more than ever.prosperous, The poor and needy of the Old World will flock to our shores to fill the vast territory above referred to, and the revenues of our government will increase a bundredfold. The cessation of the war will be the signal for an immense movement in our commercial world, and # great and material prosperity will ensue. Not so in Europe, where the old monarchies have worn them- selves away. Disorders and revolutions must overtake them; and, as this government will once more assume its stand at the head of na- tions, we shall see the old rotten European edi- fice crumbling iato dust. Our Fighting igtes—Our “Physical Degeneracy.” Some years ago the London T¥mes published & curious ‘article seeking to prove that the Anglo-Saxon race on this continent had de- Generated, both morally and physically. As evidence of the first of these assertions it pointed to the corruption that was fast in- vading every part of the body politic, and as proof of the second to the lean, scraggy forms, sunkea checks and pale faces of American men and women. We should like to know what the Times thinks now. Have the ready saorifices, the heroism and the sublime patriotism that have marked the conduct of our people during the war done nothing towards altering its opinion of our moral degradation? And as regards our physical enfeoblement, has it seen nothing to induce it to qualify its viewst Its comments on Grant’s operations in Virginia will, we ex- pect, offer an answer to both these questions. Our contemporary, like the dupes of whom it | is the organ, is always to be found on the winning side. No terms will be too strong fer the admiration that it will express ef the endurance and pluck of our Northern soldiers; butit will add “this was to be expected from men of the Anglo-Saxon race. We are proud of the qualities they have exhibited, for they belong to us in common.” It is time that this latter illusion should be dispelled. The people of this republic have nothing in common with the English either in race or mental characteristics. We area people as strongly defined and distinct in oursolves 4g any that the earth has produced. Nocountry bas ever before possessed a population com- posed like ours. It is made up of the best blood and bone of half a dozen races, which are continually being fused inte it until their distinctive elements are lost. The result is seen in the unparalleled mental and physical Progress we are making. In the arts, in the sciences, in music, painting and sculpture, we are making strides such as have never before been witnessed. And our physical advancement is evidenced not merely by the stature and fine development of our men, but by their wonder- ful activity and endurance. ‘he records of all the military campaigns that have been fought since fighting has been reduced to a science offer no such spectacles of energy and disregard of bodily fatigue and danger as have been presented by our soldiers during the present war. In Europe an army is thought to have accomplished wonderful things when it has fought half a dozen great battles in a season. Here our armies fight a great battle every day in the week, and that in a coun- try where the natural difficulties of the ground increase the exertion tenfold. Nor are these qualities of the American race altered or enfeebled by climatie influences. The South- erner exhibits just as much endurance and fights just as desperately as the Northern maa, al- though he Hives under @ sun which in Europe would in iteelf insure physical degeneration. The war has contributed immensely towards developing the physical superiority of our people. Its influence will not pass away with it. The bundreds of thousands who have spent the last three years of their lives in the field, exposed te all the fatigues of campaigning, cannot relapse again easily into the easy and indolent habits of city life. They will seek fresh opportunities for indulging the tastes thus acquired, and will in turn bring up their children in a healtbful and natural way, fitting them either for the labors of the agriculturist or for the duties of the soldier. Henceforward we are to bea first class military nation, and every effort will be made to keep up the physi- cal standard required to enable us to maintain that position. The gymnasinm, the drill ser- geant and the swimming school are every- where becoming indispensable features of our system of education. Such is the degeneracy that gives our Europén critics so mach concern. It is predacing its fruits. Let them beware of them. The Park—The Fiowers in Bloom. ‘The wet weather and the strike of the. drivers on two of the city railroads prevented the esual attendance at the Park yesterday. The vegetation was, howev bright, green and refreshing, and the trees are now get- ting into leaf. The swallows and other spring birds are to be seen and beard all over the grounds, which are cer- tainly becoming very attractive, Ihe promenade, or mall, {s boing widened about four feet on each side, giving to the walk eight feet formerly covered by grass, The following flowers, im addition to those already re ted, aro now in bloom in the Ramble and ot the Park — Mardi ‘Acer 0 platanus... Asculus bippocastanum . Aquilegia vulgar ‘Ariewma tripby lium, ‘Azalea nudifiora. . Cynoglossum sempervirens... E Cytisus Iaburoum.. ptera. Nex aquifolium, cum var. Lonicera semperviren: Lonbera xylosteum. Upright Magoolia fraser}, ved cucum| Magnolia Umbre! Umbrella geotin” — Lycium Europe Barbary box thorn. Polemoniam cgruleum Gre Polygonatum D\floruam Potentilla Canadensis Arrow wood, Mapie leaved arrow wood, Sloe black haw, ‘Thyme leaved spoodwell, . Dwar biackberry. Viburoum pranifolium.. Veronica seapyiiifolin VYaecinium Peansvivanic Wasuuarom, May 15, 1666 THE PORBIGN DIPLOMATISTS AMD THE REBBLLION. Some of the forciga diplomatists bere, whese eym- pathios have not been altogether with the having despaired of the success of the rebellion, are said to bave embraced the platiorm of the peace and to be urging reconciliation by the withdrawal of the President's emancipation proclamation. The copresenta- tives of Eagland and France, however, are said te be Very discreet upon this subject. THR SEVEN AND THREE-TENTHS TREASCRY MOTE, i 3 g ge ay $500. The three years August 19 and October 1, 1861, and become just 19 and October 1, 1864. Holders of the tmmediate exchange for six per cent bonas, coa- pons, drawing interest from Ju'y 1, 1864, up to which date interest will be paid without delay on the t! notes at the rate of egg: yr cent per acnam, The interest found to be due on.t! : H i bonds which are exchanged for the principal of the three teen’ notes will be issued, drawing interest from July 1, , the date up to which the throe years notes pest: can coa- tled, and will be transmitted veniently of which the foil yore, eae ish the te w low y wi be D ts hie Philadelphia, Boston, Balti. ‘The subscriptions to the ten-forty loan reported to the ‘Treasury to May 14 amount to $48,064,900. THB BENDITION OF SLAVE TRADERS: It is understood that an arrangement has been entered {nto between our government and: thatof Spain for the parpose of rendering up slave traders who escape from Cuba to the United States, and from the United States ta Cubs. Tm this connection the arrest of Col. Jose Augustis Ar guolles is significant. DEATHS. died here yesterday. Hon. Charles B, Calvert, of Maryland, Representative in the last Congress, died suddenly of paralysis, om ‘Tnureday, at bis residence in that State. THB OREDENTIALS OF THE REPRESENTATIVES PROM ARKANSAS. ‘The credentials of Colonels Jacks and Johnson, a8 Re- Prosentatives from Arkansas, are: before the Compittes on Elections. TRANSFERS FROM TRE ARMY TO THE NAVY ACTIVE. Notwithstanding the activity of our army, transfers te tho navy are still going on, and large numbers of seamem are being forwarded to Philadelphia weekly. NEWS FROM KEY WEST. Naval and Military Affairs in Florida— Tne Biockade Runners still Busy—The Har » &e. By the arrivai of the United States transport Thames we have pews from. Key West, Fla., to the 9th inst. OUB KE¥ WEST CORRESPONDENCE. Key Weer, Fia., May 7, 1864 More Prises Captured—Colored Troops Sent to the Maine land—Influz of Bleekadz Runners—Arrival of Refs. gees—Engineers Recommended for Promotion, de. Since the date of my last letter the following prizes have beon captured and brought into this port:— Schooner 0. K., from Havana, beuod for Matamoros oatensibly, by the United. States. supply steamer Union, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Conway in command, be tween Charlotte’s Harbor aud Tampa Bay, on the 26th ult, She bad a general cargo on board, and was brough® io by Acting Kusign Wilkins, as-prize master. Sehocner Miriam, Ward master, from Havana, cleared for New Orleans, by the United States steamer Honey- suckle, Actiog Ensign Sears commaading, with a general: cargo. Captured on the 29th ult. Sloop Oscar, op. the Ist inst, by the United States schooner Fox, Acting Master Chase n-command, from Ss. Marks, bound to Havana, with: nincty-three bales of cot+ ton on board. On the same day the schooner Spunkey, by the Unite@ ‘States schooner Beauregard, Actiog Master Healy in com- mand, with nine bales of cotton on board. fhe Spunkey has been sent to Fernandina for adjudication. With the exception of the ease of the Miriam these several captures are devoid of interest, aad the vesseis and cargoes will be condemned by default, save the one named fhe was boarded two days before the capture, when, her papers appearing to be all right, she wae al- lowed to proceed on her voyage. She was, however, kept ia view by the Honeysuckle, when, having altered her coarse in a manner to excite suspicion, she was agala poarded and brought In here for adjudication. The case inst. with a reinforcement of colored Cg be mato- and, where, I am not permitted to tell. @f the Second colored United States regiment, bas gone to command in person. aoe General Woodbury ang Captain Bawens, hie Adjntant General, accompauy the expedition. Weare in daily expectation of jntormation which will enable us to judge of the stuff the colored sol- diers are made of. pa pa ‘oe ab L tant, ith gh al Tad mpa Bay, on jostant, w: rebel deserters—on board. These aes ay of a superior description to the refugees ueually brought here from the continént, They are smarter in appearance, and, what is important, they brought their worting tools with them, in the shape of serviceable muskets. This lotter will be taken by the United States supply ‘schooner Rachel Seaman, Acting Master Potter, which are on the 4th instant Pensacola, On ber be captured the British schooner Maria Albert, from Havana, with an assorted oargo. The prize wa sent to New Orleans for adjudication, The bark Mary Stetson, Alleo, from Pensacola for New York, arrived here on the 4th inst., with the loss of her mainyard, which, in falling, carried away hor boats and stove her water casks. Damages were promptly repaired, and sbe left on the Sth lost. Key West at present contains @ goodly number of block ade runners. You meet them atovery turmiog. Thore ie nO mistaking them jor any otber specimon of the venus home; tor a blockade runner can be as easily discov: “(Dy the cut of bis jib,” as a Tribune man by the shape bis hat and the fashion of bis sbirt collars. The Board of United States Naval Engiveors, presided over by Fleet Engineer Zellor, which convened at thie Place on the 19th of March last, to examine for promos ton such candHiates from the Engineer corps in the Fast Galt squadron, as register the required amount of sea servieo which entities them to an examination for pro- motion, has completed ite labours. The following are the mes of those who passed their examination satisfac- ily, and are recommended to the Navy Department for promotion:— ‘Third Assistant Engineer Charles Jabez Coney, for Second Assistant Engineer. Third Assista Engineer Jared K. Botsford, for Second Assistant Engineer. Third Assistant kngineer Henry Holmes, for Second ‘Aseistant Engineer. Third Assistant Engineer Jonathan M. Emanuel, for Second Assistant Engineer Third Assistant Engineer James Long, for Second Assistant Engineer. Third Assiatant Engineer John Fornance, for Second Apsistant Engineer. Third Assistant Engineer James B. McNamara, for Second Assistant Engineer. Third Assistant Engineer Robert A. Wright, for Secon@ Assistant Bogineer Third Assistant Engineer John Franklin, Jr, for Second Assistant Fogineer. Third assistant Engineers Long, Wright and Fraok!io Delonged to the fingship Powhatan, of the West India squadron, The Powhatan happened to stop hero whie the board was in session. Kav West, May 9, 1864. Blockade Runners in Havana—Ewcaye of the Harriet Lane from Galveron, fe. Information bas been received from Havana that the Harriet Lane, which was captured by the rebols in Gal- veston bay, on the Ist of January, 1863, has succeeded tm escaping from that port witha cargo of cotton for Ha- vana, whore she is now lying. Her armament has been removed, and she is now employed in running blockade, On the 7th inst., as the United States steamer Mousey suckle was runaing into Havana, she found borselfiy company with another steamer. She proved to bo the Nockade steamer Mat from Galvoston, tensa, te onming fundred and Atty Bales of cotwn om board, As the two vesseln wore passing the Mi He ‘8 man op board the Matagorda held up ® handful towards tho Honeysuck!@, calling out doris: fanely , “God damn you; you didn’t get thes: and fifiy bales!” ‘nile jo Havana the Union and the robe) vessels Iny as lovingly together as a dog and a oat that bad become accustomed to each othor. ¢ ‘Another steamer, called the Isabel, supposed to have abouteven hundred bales on board, has also got into Havana from Galveston. ‘Among the vessels that contrived to run the blockade of Gaiventon is the Lancaster, She‘was chased by & large steamer, and, as she nad not reached Havana om the 7th, it was su sho had been captured. Two shots were fired at the Matagorda, both of which tool effect, Sho escaped, however, Colonel John Harris, commanding the Marine corps, — }