The New York Herald Newspaper, December 8, 1864, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS THIS RVENING, porxsr THEATRE, Bowery.—Wus Bor—Tus Fors anpy Maccine. ADWAY THE. Lirs—Pro ris or NIBLO’S GARDEN, Broadway.—Coomis Soogas. WALLACK’S TREATRE, Broadway.—To Manax Ox Borto Mazee—Rowat Fericrry, WINTER GARDEN, Broadway —Hauuse. XMPIC TRE. Broadway Jo OL r10 JURATAS . Breatwen. Bt. Guonce amp rae EW BOWERY THEATRE, Rowery —Ros Ror—¥: odietat amp Mus, Peres Wiutentaa or rae Toms 2 BARKUM'S MUSEUM, Brontway.—tunce Manxorn a avrouarors. Du.uatic Puaronusscs—Der and Pom m . Breans. MAGADEMY OF MUSIC. Fourteenth ane. SET RSs Mechanics’ Hall, 472 Broad. —Eraiorian Soxgs, Dances, Boucusques, 4c —Lus treet —Repefit of — rs. Afverncona—Loxpox Seesnanens ive OL FoR BcaxDaL ‘WOOD'S MINSTREL HALL. 514 Broadway —Tus Biace ee Bag—U. 8, G.—Ermoriax Sonos, Dances, Ac. AMPBEUL'S MINSTRELS. 192 and 201 Bowery — ‘Vinten sxp Exciring Dimianca or Eruioriax Oppirims— anp GanveR, GALLE DIABOLIQUE. 585 heen —Rossrr Ariss. BOPE CHAPEL, 73) Broad Wool "s Bous- ‘sours or Guass Buowsns Ors YAN AMBUROH & CO.) MAMMOTH MENAGERIE, 589 and 541 Broadway.—Open from 10 A. M. to 10 * HIPPOTHEATRON. Fourtegath street.—Doo axo Mox- BRT AcToRS—EquxstRiaN, GraNastic aND AOROBATIC EN- WERTAINNEDTS. ane ee HALL, 806 Broadway.—Arrencs Warp a Tam MORMOXS. AMBRICAN THEATRE, 1 No. 44 444 Broadway.—Barcers, ‘anromimes, Buuitsaves. ‘&c.—La Starve Bianc. VaNNUCHI'S MUSEUM, 600 Broadway.—Movina War Figunes, VARIBTIES, 37 and 39 Bowery.—Batiars, Pantominns Sones, Busumhewas, 20. 7 ap Kew Yerk, Thursday, Dec. 8, 1864. =e = THE SITUATION. From Washington we learn that the government bas Peliadie tmformetion that Sherman’s main army had on Friday or Saturday last passed Millen, without having fhad any engagement with the enemy, except the two or three skirmishes of small detachments, aiready reported. Having passed that place, be wil! find no oppo. Weition between him end that point on the sea- Coast for which be originally set out, and where sup- ‘Plies for him will be found wheu be arrives. The rebel ‘Papers report the arrival, withia four miles of Milles, on ‘Friday lest, of what is supposed te have been bis mam fore, Rebel telegraphic communication with the place ‘was broken eff on the afternoon of thet day, and had not Deen restored up to lest Monday. ‘Tbe latest Richmond Papers express the délief that Shermon is moving to Strike the coast at Darien, fifty miles south of Savannah. ‘The armies under Generals Thomas and Hood still fomata confronting engh other tp the vicinity of Nash. this, as the men be had captured had been sent ‘and were beyoad his control. Hood's head- Joattors wore oa Tuesday six milee south of Nashville, Rousseau and Milroy bold Murfreesboro, which amply garrisoned and defended for any rebel attack. A Dody of the onemy assaulted a biockhese near that place em Monday, but were driven off with the loss of six pieces Of artillery and a number of prisovers. The two brigades of Union troops who were out off from the maim army at Jobvsonvilie, on the Tennessee river, bave arrived safely et Clarksriile, Teno, Im the armies of the Potomac and the James the picket fring, which is still kept up, and the occasionst exchanges between the opposing batteries, are ali that disturb the quiet, On Monday there was some artillery firing by the Ninth corps guns and the rebels opposite and between the Monitors and the Howlett House battery, but without causing any casualties on the Union side. The Tenth and Fighteenth corps have been consolidated, and are koown as the Twenty fourth corps, of which General Ord has as fumed command, The corps of colored troops, under Geveral Weitzel, is numerically designated the Twenty Gfth. General Meade presented medals of bonor to a Dumber of son-commisstoned officers and privates of the Beoond corps on Tuesday. No intercourse w! ver with the enemy or exchange of newspapers is now allowed in either army, under severe penalities. We bave received inteliigeuce of some additional work of the privateer Olustes during her visit off Saudy Hook ‘im the beginning @f last month. It appears that, in addi- Mon to the vessels announced at the t'ns, the Olustee @aptared, on the 8d of November, sixty miles irom Sandy ‘Hook, the sbip Arcole, Captain Bonham, which left New ‘Orleans for this port on the Zist of October. This intelll- @enee ie conveyed in a letter from Captain Bonbem, now tm rebel confinement at Florence, South Carolina. Ho av particulags regarding bis vessel, whether she ‘was burned or what became of her. This he was probs Diy prevented doing by the rebel officers of the prison. ‘The cliy of Detroit is again greatly excited by antic! pations of s raidon i from Canada by rebels who are Grid bo be now perfecting their organization, The civil end military authorities of the city are making every Preperation to reesive the raiders. Extra police have ‘Deee placed on duty, and arrangements are making for the eorolment 094 arming of the militin CONGRESS. fa the Senate yesterday a bill was introduced author. faxing the United States Mistrict Court of Indiana to hold a special session, which was referred to the Judiciary Com- mitten, A DIN! to extend the time for the completion of Abe Metropotivan Railroad of Washington was laid on the kebie, The proceedings of the Geveral Amembly of Lewsiana, in the election of Mesers. R. King C:tier and Charles Senith, as Senators from that State, were pro. sented, Logetber with « remonstrance, aligned by tity * their fellow citinens, on che mubject, and the creden “the applicants fo, aamieeton to the Senots. Pena pedintment of the Committee on Elections, te * mation will be referred, the pepersin the \ ore ordered wo be printe Mr, Powell offered a re- ration calling for the report proc-edings of the ite the conduct of at Paducab, Ky., Which was Inid of the table till the announcement of (Whe standing Commitiers The Senaie then adjourned. Se the House of Representatives, Mr. stevens’ bill to epecalation in cole and bullion was iaid om the fy vote of BevENIY-three agningt Afty.iwo. Bille for tao extablishment of & line of mail steamers to China, for the onto of mineral lands, for the paturaitzation of eaters, and for a mavy yard at Cleveland, Unio, were inwedeced and feferred. A resvlution providing for ee commiion ve taves. wernt « 6 sso uhhime, eredveat New York and Halifax reapectively today. The Coeds curries cows one weet later. ‘The Newburg rleamed\p Bavaria, Captata Teabe, from Hemborg ine L3ib end Sootbempton the 16ih of Novem: ber, rescbed this pert yeuterdey. The Raveris ex- pe enced beery westerly geiee Curing the whoie voyage. Het pews bus bres set ipared ‘We have reosived Sies of Bermeta papers to the 234 elt, whieh contain intereetin, accounts of the voyage of = revel privaiser Chickameuge from Wilmiogtoa to St, Georges, during whieh she captured seven vonsels, She went to nes again from St. Georges of the 16tb uit. ‘The doings of other piraitos) aed bieckade ruuning vessels are ales ebrowi ied The ewciors chosee at (he recent Presidential election fo ail the loyal States met yesterday aed cast their voles for President and Vie President of the United States ‘The place of meeting i each State was the capital thereof, All the electors woud for Mr. Lincole for Previdest and@ Mr. Joneeon fer Vice Presiaent, except those « bose® in New Jersey, Kentucky and Delaware, who cost thetr ballots for Gemeral Mc(ieltam and Mr. Pendleton, The criminal business of the United States (treutt Oourt was opened yesterdey, Judge Shipmae presiding The majority of the cases for trie! sre of an unimportant char. acter, principally for pasting coucterfett currency notes, Violations of the postal laws, opening leviers, kc , and that popular offence, stealing from ihe Nevy Yard. Yes- terday two mea, arraigned on indictmepts charging them with stealing from the Brookiyn Navy Yard, pleaded guilty, and were sentenced—Jobo Nee for three months, aod Wm. Acker, Jr., to two months’ imprisooment ©. W. Rend, Uoited States Marshel of San Francisco, Arrived in this city yesterday, baving in his oustody asa Prisoner Patrick Doyle, agaiost whom the Grand Jury Of this district found ® true bili of tadictment some months ego for passing @ counterfeit $50 greeuback. Doyie was out om bail, bat decamped, and, bis where. abouts coming to the knowledse ef the United States District Attoraey, a bench warraot wes issue! for bis errast in Califorcia Tne case of Issac Evsall ve. Jemos and Erastus Brooks, of the Bzpres, where the platatiff sue! to re cover damages for the publication of an alleged libelous article, whiot characterized bim as one guiity of biack- mail, was tried for the third time yesterday in the Su- perior Court, and resulted im @ verdict of $300 damages for the plaintiff. Edsall was formerly om the police, but was dismissod by the Commissioners on the charge of taking a reward without written permission, This the Express characterized as blackmail, and, the editors re fusing to mako the apology demanded, the above pro. Ceedings were instituted, ‘The live) suit of ex-Mayor Opdyke vs. Thurlow Weed, which was on the calendar of the Supreme Coart, otreit, Defore Juice Mason, yesterday, was mot reached; but will probably be calied to day. Martin 3. B. Allen brought « sult agatest the city on Monday, i: the Supreme Court, cirouit, for one thousand dollase damages, in consequence of injuries sustaiued by the upsetting of his carriage in the Bowery in ‘February last. Tho accident, it was claimed, was caused by the negligence of the authorities in permitting a beap of Tubbish to remain in the strect opposite the German ‘theitre. The jury appeared to think that the city was uct responsible, however, and brought im a verdict for the defendant, ‘The whole of yesterday was occupied te the Court of General Sessions in the trial of an indictment found agrinst Louis Swartz, for a felonious assault and battery | upon Mrs. Esther Soydecker, at 510 Third avenue, on the | S0th of October. Bhe complainant testified that she was Attacked by Swartz, his wife and three boys and beaten ‘with sticks, while the defendant's little sone flatly coe. wedicted her statement, Judge Rasec' dovided that the Sugaioes part of the charge covid not be sustained, and ‘the prosecution eckc’ for a verdict of simple agsautt and watery. | epen 8 verdict ote tote hour te the afternoss. ee Th Sigs eas ‘wtenae Aenea won GAL REGAIN enc Won yesterday, ut the Atlantic itocms, ‘ara & Co, The cotton, of whiou there were Dales, brought from $1 20 to $1 27 8 pougd, enae! tteelf has been parchased by the governmeat fer uations! Purposes. . The Board of Education met last evening. The Com mittee on Elections and Quelifcations reported in favor of confirming the nominations for Schoo! laspectors sent ia by the Mayor, The name of 8. . Buckbee, of the Seventh district, was sent back to the committee, and the rest of the report was adopted. The claim of Tuomey & Fider, for $6,319, for lees alleged to have been sustained io falling @ contract for beating Ward School Mo, 1, in the Fourth ward, was after debate, allowed. A convention of delegates from azsoctations of tobacco manufactarers and workers im tobacco, representing cities to various portions of the country, was in session yesterday at the Cooper Institute. About three thousand persons were present. The object of these gentlemen is to agree upoo some plan to be aid before Congress for a modification of the internal taxes om tobacco. They will meet again at the same place at ten o'clock this ferencon. ‘A number of the principal delegates bad a supper inst Bight at the Astor House. Eawin ¥. Monyea was required togiveone thousand dott bail yesterday, in the Tombs Police Court, to answer the complaint of Mr. Heary W. Fells, who alleges that Monyea stole from bim, on the night of the 25th ult, adiamond breastpin worth between three and four bua. dred dollars. William Brady, Andrew Campbell, Leonard Johnson, Edward Sherman, Patrick Sharkey, Jesse Ferree and Heory Myers, were all arrested and yesterday arraigned before police justices and required to give ball to answer of voting illegally, or attempting to do #0, fous parts of tho city, at the charter election on is the anniversary of the Immaculate Concep tion, and it will be celebrated with rolemn religious cere toriles in ail the Catholic churches of the city. “The Society of Associates of the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Scieuce and Art’ was fully organized at the Cooper Institute on Tuesday evening, and rules and regulaticos for the government of the essociation were adopted ‘The gold market was excited yesterday, and the price was run up at one time to 243:4; but later it declined to 23034. The stock market was active and higher. Gov. eroment securities were strong, ‘The advance ju gold rendered the markets firmer yes terday. Foreign merchandise was held firm, but prices id not show much change, In domestic produce there was @ general improvoment, Cotton, petroleum, ko., were decidedly firmer. On ’Change the flour market 4 100. a 160, higher. Wheat also advanced 2c, a Sc., while corn was a shade casier. Cate were firmer. Pork advanced $2 a $2 50 per bbi., and was Active, while beer was steady and firm, Lard was Ke. higher, with an increased demand, Whiskey unsottied, while (reights were active and rather firmer. Tiwei.y Svcorsrion to our Patriotic Crit. ZENS—CHRISTMAS DINNER PORSBERMAN'S ARMY.— It was an excellent idea to send a Thanksgiv- ing dinner to our soldiers and sailors on the James and along the Atlantic. It was fully ap- preciated by the brave fellows. Now we sug- gest that a splendid Christmas dinner be pre- pared for Sherman’s grand army. It will be just in time. The gallant and hardy meno of the West will be a little tired, after tueir march of three hundred miles through the rebel region, and a good dinner would be relished by them in more ways than one. Let the preparations begin at once. Ter Cuanren Exxcrion.—The election on Tuesday passed off very quietly. There was but a single row in the whole city. Our citi- 2008 appeared to agree to stay away from the polls. Not fifty thousand votes were polled againet one hundred and ten thousand in No- vember. This shows that, although we are in- terested in ® Presidential election, we care nothing for our family affairs, which cost us fifteen millions of dollars per annum. The Citizens’ Association elected only two of its candidates. In most wards the only use of this aseociation was to divide the respectable votes and elect the machine candidates. It will be our own fault if we suffer from increased mu- aloipal taxation this year, Mr. Lincoln is very emphatic and explicit in bis Message in reference to his war and peace policy. He ssys:—“On careful consideration of all the evidence aocessible, it seems to me that no attempt at negotiation with the insur- gent leader (Jeff. Davis) could result in any good;” tbat “he weuld accept of nothing sbort of the severance of the Union;” that “he docs not attempt to deceive us;” that “between him and us the issue is distinct, simple and inflexi- ble;” that “it is an issue which can only bo tried by war, and decided by victory.” This is the truth and the true policy. Mr. Lincoln is right in reaffirming it, and right in bis conclusion that, “judging by the recent canvass (the Presidential election) and its results, the purpose of the people within the loyal States to maintain the integrity of the Union was never more firm nor more nearly unanimous than now.” But what says he of the progress of the war? He tells us that “since his last annual Message all the important lines and positions then occupied by our forces have been maintained, and our armies have steadily advanced;” that “the most remarkable feature in the military operations of the year is General Sherman’s attempted march of three hundred miles directly through an insurgent region,” and that this bold movement “tends to show a great increase of our relative strength—that our General-in-Chief should feel able to confront and bold in check every active force of the enemy, and yet to detach a well appointed large army to move on euch an expeditioa.” We concur in this opinion, and we agree entirely with General Grant that the rebellion is a mere shell, and that its strength is nearly exhausted. We also share inthe gratification of the President at the remarkable evidence furnished in the re- turns of the late national election that, instead of being diminished, the population, the wealth and resources of all kinds of the loyal States since 1860 have been immensely in- creased, notwithstanding their enormous con- tributions for the war in men and money. Gratifying, however, as are all these positive proofs of the augmented strength of the loyal States, and the vastly diminished area and dis- tracted, impoverished, depleted and exhausted condition of the Davis confederacy, the ques- tion still recurs, what has the President to pro- pose in view of the speedy suppression of the disjointed rebel armfest We have now over twenty-six millions of people withia the Union lines, against less than five millions (over one- half negro slaves) within the lines of Davis. All things considered, the actual, positive, available strength of Lincoln against Davis is more than twenty against one. The war, then, should be at the farthest brought to an end within six months, and with becoming energy on the part of the administration it might be finished in three. Yet President Lincoln talks asif expeoting it to last another year. From all that is proposed by the Presi- dent for the assistance of General Grant, we might logically cenclude that the struggle is te be permitted to drag along through another circle of the four seasons. ‘Whatdoes Mr. Lincolg propose in his Message? More volunteers to@hable Grant in a general mevemert to pulverize the rebel armies? Nothing of the sort. He simply proposes to let Grant and his generals “keep pegging away.” As compared with his emancipation edicts, Mr. Linceln seems te consider the reinforcement of our armies a secondary questigna. Having decreed in bis proclamation of January, 1863, that all the slaves in the present rebellious States are freemen, he now declares that in his terms of submission he means to make that declaration good. We think he would have resolved much more wisely in saying less of his emancipation proclamations and more of the urgent necessity of a fresh supply of sol- diers, in order to briug this war to an end as quickly as possible. Whatever may be the recommendations of the Secretary of War, whose report in advance was endorsed by tho Executive, it was due to our armies in the field, to Congress and the country, that he should have made the vigorous prosecution of the war the leading feature of his Message. His omission of this duty, however, does not absolve the two houses of Congress nor make the absolute enforcement of the emancipation proclamation superior to the duty of dispers- ing the rebels in arms. Let this duty be dis- charged, and slavery falla with the “confede- racy.” There fs no further necessity for any solicitude concerning the abolition of slavery. The institution has become crippled and de- moralized beyond recovery. But there are several armies of Jeff. Davis still in the fleld. Their abolition is the first duty of the adminis- tration and of Congress. Important Prom Canana.—It will be per- ceived from the following order, just issued by the Canadian government, that the attempts of the rebels to obtain munitions of war in Canada, and bring them across the lines to be used ia hostile efforts against this country, are about to be effectually checked. Whereas, the dient that ‘the wire, or by inia guupwder aod m oles manufactured for the purpore of forming part J ay Kind or description of arma, or for tbe por; ing the same, from our province of Canada, Late meet probivited. z therefore, koow ye that we do, by ‘abd with ‘Une ad- our Executive Council. and by Uys owe royal pro Siamation, pronibit the exportation ‘rom eur province of Canada, or the carry ing of © jee or by inland navige- tion, in any maoner or atsoever, of arms, am munition or gunpowder or military OF Naval stores, oF any articles manufactured for the purpose of forming part of any kind oF description of arms, or for the pur pose of — the same (Of alt which our loving subjects are to take notice, and govern themesives accordingly. It was certainly quite time for this order to be issued, and, though late in the day, is an evidence of the convictions of the Canadian authorities that It will no longer be safe or judicious to allow our frontier towns to be assailed from a neighboring province, which professes amity, or to furnish the means by which robber raiders are enabled to destroy American life and property. We hear, on very good authority, that the St. Albans depredators will in due time be delivered up to meet the reward of their nefarious cconduct—an act of justice not only but of prudence. Sovutnern Sotprers.—Governor Brown, of the State of Georgia, finds the necessity for soldiers so great and urgent that he has at one move emptied the contents of the Geergia State prison at Milledgeville into the Soutbern army. No one can find much fault with this. Mur- derers, thieves, awindlers, all the varieties of rogues, are good enough company for many of the men already in the Southera army, so the army cannot compleia, As fer the thieves, they might object to the manners and morals of some of the ehivalry they will find ia the army; but they probably will mot, singe (0 le better to bes man fn buckram than a man in But what a picture it gives of the power of the confederacy, whea we fied the Empire State of the South reduced so low that it re- quires assistance from its very murderers and ait ET YT eee The Havy Ordnance Report—Interesting and Curious Facts. ‘The annual report of the Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance of the Navy Department furnishes some very interesting and satisfactory atate- ments relative to that important branch of the service. It appears that there has been aa addition made te the number of guns of dif- ferent calibres since November, 1863, of 1,522, besides seven ten-inch solid shot guns and three thirteen-inch for the Monitors. During this war few ships’ guos bave been surrendered or abandoned to the enemy. The loss has, there- fore, been very small, and is confined mostly to that accruing from accident, as in the case of the Tecumseh and Commodore Jones. A new class of light thirty-two-pounders and eight-inch smal! bores for small vessels is now in course of construction. The general rule in arming ships-of-war is to put on board the heaviest and most effective guns they can carry with safety. For broadside, nine, ten and eleven-inch guns and Parrott rifles, in pivot, are used on our vessels; fifteen-inch guns for the turrets of the Monitors, and bronze howitzers and rifles for deck and boat service in shore. The armament of a first rate ship-of-war in the American navy is now one one hundred and fifty-pounder rifle and one eleven-inch smooth bore, in pivot, with forty-two eleven-inch smooth, four one hundred- pounders, rifled, and four howitzers in broad- side. The armament of vessels of other rates is in proportion. A first class Monitor carries four fifteen-inch guns in her turret. The iron- plated boats on the Western rivers carry three nine-ineb, four eight-inch, two one bun- dred-pounders, rifled, one fifty-pounder and one thirty-pounder. The chief of the bureau refers to the test of the value of pivot guns over broadside, as illus- trated by the fight between the Kearsarge and Alabama, where all the damage was done by the former arm; but he conceives that a mixed battery of both is the most perfect. It is stated that our foundries for the manufacture of ord- nance are entirely reliable for the performance of contracts, no diffculy being experienced in procuring all that is required. The matter of projectiles is fully discussed, and the conclu- sion is arrived at that spherical shot is much preferable to the elongated rifle shot. The question whether an iron spherical shot of large dimensions could be cast- perfectly solid has been tested recently by submitting a twenty-inch shot to two hundred and twenty- two continuous blows of an eight ton steam hammer, which it resisted with- out breaking. The value of grape and canister from smogth bore ships’ guns fs proved by the capture of the forts in Mobile Bay, where the embrasures were swept clean of the gunners by these projectiles. Referring to small arms, which are not as much used in the navy as in the army, breech-loading weapons alone are recommended; and a eurieus fact is stated in this connection, which shows that. either eur infantry are very badly trained in the use of the musket and rific, or that some extraordinary things oecur in the heat of a battle. On the field of Gettysburg there were 27,574 guns picked up, and of these 24,000 were found to be loaded, and half of them were double loaded. One-fourth bad from three to tea loads in, and many had five or six balls to one charge of power. In some cases the powder was above the ball, in otbers the cartridges were not broken at the end, while in one musket twenty-three balls, sixty-two buckshot, and quantity of powder were all mixed up together. To avoid such mishaps as these breech-loaders are recommended for the naval service. Among other suggestions in the report we might enumerate is one for the eslablishment of a guonery ship; another for the removal of magazines from the vicinity of large cities to the interior, somewhere convenient to railroads and water courses. The ordnance stores all over the country are said to be in excellent working order. They are located at Wasbing- ton, Baltimore, New York, Boston, Philadel- phia, Portemouth, N. H.; Pencecola, Key West, Port Royal, New Orleans, Mound City, Illinois (for our river navy), and Mare Island, Cali- fornia, for the Pacific squidrop. It is urged upon Congress to pass some mea u-es for the encouragement of the manu‘acture of nitre in order that we may be independent of foreign nations in this respect. It appears that there is but one laboratory making it for the govery- ment now, while four companies are employed making guopowder, of which we had manu- factured 1,525,000 peunds last year, although there were nearly 3,000 tons of powder ordered in 1861. Taxostx Nosiewen or ALL Grapes.—Counter- feit counts and bogus barons have always been plentiful everywhere, and especially in our American jails. The assumption of some grand title is «favorite dodge with European swindlers who can talk broken English, and it is therefore not surprising that one of these worthies is now before our courts on a charge of forgery. But it is a matter of some surprise that these fellows find such easy victims as they do. When will the people get over this delu- sion in favor of titles? There are fifty chances to one that a man who claims the title of count is not a count; for the real article does not pa- rade itself in that way. But supposing that he is one, what then? What isa count more than any one elec? They who trust a man with a title where they would not trust John Jones will God out that the title will not pay the bills, and they deserve tho lesson. Caneiess Wrirens.—The report of Postmas- ter Dennison shows an extraordinary amount of carelessness on the part of the letter writ- ing community. Three million fivé hundred and eight thousand three hundred and twenty- dead lettors were received during the past year—ovor nine thousand « day. Many of these letters contained money, deeds, bills of ex- change, drafts, checks, jowelry and other valu- ables. Some of them were misdirected, others not directed at all, dthers un- stamped and others only partially directed. Thousands of these dead letters were returned to the writers; but the great majority had to be destroyed. This statement ought to teach the public to be more careful in their corres- pendence; for the amount of suffering caused by these lost letters is incalculable, A S1omricawt Hort.—The great loss in rebel officers at the battle of Fraaklia proves that the rebel soldiers are tired of the war, and that thelr generale have te exp0ee thomscives in ob svad bas corres eel ui order to fnduce the men to fight. eaiceaat band, General Stanley says that our Gre was the most intense he had ever witnessed, and we loat no officers during the battle, These facts ere straws which show how the martial -wind is blowing. aa Bmps or 4 Faarnen.—The rebel papers of Richmond agree with the copperhead papers | 1s indicts Btates of tbe here in joking about the recent attempt to ae faite amram burn down this city. Thus birds of a feather flock together, and our hotel burning journals join in the laughter of traitors in arms. WEWS FROM WASHINGTON. | wtiucrtencmcset to be some check to pee ual Ly some Mr. Stevens’ Gold Bill Extin- legielation Baglin ames acrine guished. Fovoasider the vote by which the oll Committee of Ways and Means. sb. Mr. Stevens’ motion was vegatived, ‘Tbe vote by len the was referred was + Ob ngs Proposed Ad Valorem Tax on Sales | |. The auestinn shen recurring « moved to portpoue ils covsideracion for toa daya. of Merchandise, eBeaon towel iin tbe oie ‘was carr against follows:— = be | tesa ems nate ga ‘Wassunaros, Deo. 7, 1864: Ghetto areas, Sepemaly MB, STEVENS’ GOLD BILL KILLED OFF. Bon, Gagiien, Finck, Gans ‘The House to.day effectually extinguished Mr. Stevens’ | Kal telech, fernan, Law. Le. the gold bill, A day’s refeotion, and the rapid advance in | dleton, Miller. Morrie of BY gold premium, the principal reason for which was be- Som, elke ve Pru: Moved te be the action of the House yesterday, giving a | gifene, Smoun ae row . quan endorsement to the absurd provisions of the vill Wie Wampura’ of a of” Mats, wi convinced the majority of the danger of further tamper- pater Merers:. “xan, ing with the matier, After the empbatio action of the | Bi epee Doane is ai House to-day it is unlikely that any similar attempt will G ‘Grinnell nak medt with even a partial success during the preseot ses- Rote Kellogg ‘oe BY. ot N.Y.” O'Neil St ie ‘ joorbead, iia cee r Coun, (top.) of Oales a ahodaca ie ie ected aire lishment of an ocean steam United mans aad Siiten Mr. 81041 at ).0f Wie, ir. m, oo was adopted, that the Comm tia on sah viamelae instructed to {oquire into the ea; fection two, article ave, of the sree acntatives in Congress shall be aj several States which may be ined man io tbe Gh according to their respective number ‘and report 4 Ba or nag 2 aurecitng the a ore be art report to the Howe what eens have Tgovenlen a full and early exchange Of prisoners of war. resolution lies over. MATURALIZATION OF SAILORS, Mr. angoto, (rep | ot, {ntroduced a bil! amendat of an act for the. O oAlgera | TE Ear ine PROPOSED TAX ON SALES OF MERCHANDISE. Mr. Odell’s resolution, instructing the Committee on Ways and Means to inquire into the expediency of laying an ad valorem tax on all sales of merobandise, is regarded es the ivitistion of am important amendment to the revenue law, apd the idea meets with favor, as one calculated to produce, with a moderate rate of taxation, a very large incroase of revenue, and in a mode which will be least feit, and will distribute the burthea more equally than any other method. THE LOUISIANA SENATOKS. ‘The credentials of R. K. Cutler and Charles Smith, elected to serve during the unexpired term of Benjamtu and Slidell in the Senate, were presented today by Mr. Morgan. The protest presented by Mr. Wade Is quite vo- luminous, and is signed by thirty prominent citizens of Loutsiane, It sets forth that the Btate was severed from the Union by the legally comatiteted authorities, and thas, the present State government being the creation of military rule, no civil representatives can be recognized by the federal government. It also petitions that the act ot Congress guaranteeing a republican form of govern- ment to States io rebveliioa may at once become a law. te OF MINFRAL LA! q , (rep. erat Tad. inode @ bill, which was referred to the Gomes Su on the Public Landa, proviciag VISIT OP THB SUPREME COURT JUDGES TO THE Se ora wim PRESIDENT. Committee on iensry This afternoon siz of the Assoeinte Justices of the, Fazer a eo United States Supreme Court (all now present in ey but who have been held for ¢bree youre. terme, but representing aquorum of toe court) made an. MAvY ¥. at . Bual formal call upon the President, The interview was | Mr. Lotpntrn KS 5 © Di ected briet and of a very social and agresabie character. peg be an Nora AMfates, Chief Justice Chase, sot yet having teken the oath of excma! oF wi Office apd entered upon hie duties, was not present. on ae ) Pig aie hes mows THB SBNATS STANDING COMMITT REA. copies of ee ries publned ts After a session of the Senate for ten m the Senate tow te the of prisoners, ‘ republican caucus met again to.day te arrange the com Fata rhs yoo red tmittees, It ie conceded that Mr. Wilson ts to. be bare val te Asie ea iste the aaged man of the Wer Committee, and Mr. Sherman at Vv! head of thefFinance Committes. The imabroglio about the | ., MF. Stevens, (rep.) of Fa cal ta, = Naval Committee is not yet settled. Mr. Grimes fs re, | could have no’ ; therefore the preambie gerded as the champion of the Navy Department, and [| be et dae hematin tanes Rome he wo Scan ienan ene faction insists he should be chairman; the other contends tbat Mr. Hale should ‘be retainedjin tbat posi. ton. His friend tosiés that be shail have an opportunity to dective It, which they promise in tis mame that he ‘will do. The friends of the Navy Departansat are averse, however, to his beteg agata tendered the positics, for foar that be may repadiate the pledges of bis friends and continue to annoy and embarrass the department, as be 414 last seasion, to the injury of the public servicn it seg 4 eee oy Be fore men te probable now that be will be laid ou the shelf peremp- | have been piace tm confinement a torlly, and Senator Grimes appoteted Im bis piace. ae Se ae in a, {HR WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE. pi rm neti bs tha dee oft Ho attempt to Gli the vacagcy im the Commitios of dspaper: p84 aaa jeune the rest! it'o8 chet elon, Ways and Means caused by (he resigeation of Mr. Sted Diss has yet bees made, I is not known ap yet whom the Speaker will appoimt. Mr. Littlejohn, of New York, ia promineatiy mentioned, either as the successor of Mr. Stebbins or Mr. Featon, whose resigeation takes effect on the 20th inst. MOSSY'S @UBRILLA OPERATIONS. Many of the loyal tehabitests of Fairfax and Leudos Counties are moving wishin our lines, Mosby having giv- en notice that be would burn the buildings of at! Union men witbio bis reach, in retaliation for tbe destraction of rebel property in the valley aud along the Manassas Gap Railroad. Doncties torcldiers enlisting, aud pay © compensate therefor, On motion ot ir. Oban "0 of ei) Y¥., R Copp.) teo of Ways and Meao iste iat isos expediency of Gxiog ene sey on merchandise of every description. The House thea, at hall-past one o’clock, adjourned. News from Fortress Monroe. ARRIVAL OF THE BLOCKADE RUNNER VIXEN—OAP- TURR OF A SCHOONER AND GTEAM TUG BY REBELS, BTC. Forrres Moxror, Dec. 5, 1866. ‘The recently captured bicckade ruvver Vixen arrived here yesterday afternoon from the Uluckeding fleet of Wilmington. The Vixen was capture! by the United poi gunboat Rhode Isiand. PREVENTION OF SMUGOLING. Mr. Nathan Sargent, Commissioner of Gustoms, who recently made atour of the gorthern borders, bas re- turned to Washington. His object was to give effect to the law to prevent smuggling across the lines and se far as possible to apply a corrective to existing abuses, FLOUR CONTRACTS. Sealed proposals wero opened to-day at the Subdsiat- ence Department for four, Ibe bide ranged between $11 70 and $12 60 a barrel for cash,and from twenty to twenty Ove cents additional if payablo in certificates, FALL OF A BRIDGE AT HARPER'S FRARY. The new common road bridge across the Potomac, above tbe railroad bridge at Marper's Forry, fell this afternoon while three government teams were crossing it, The pier in the centre of the bridge gave w: Precipitating the bridge aed teams inte the river. Of the drivers were badly hurt. endeavoriag to rum for English manufacture, iHigence reached here this afteraoon of the and destruction of a gutler seu oner and the tug Liste Freeman Inst 0} chored off the mouth of the ream about seven mills above party of rebels, purports aod & portion of the crew of the Florida, The rebel twelve in number, under the lendersbip of an ‘omeur dressed in the uniform of the rebel navy, The suiler schooner was Gret captured; and ber crew, boing sar prised while in their berths, made no resisiance, rebels theu adroitly captured the Lizzie Freeman tn fame manner. Tho crews were paroied, Two THIRTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS. BBOOND SESSION, Senate. Waseinaton, 6, 1864, SPECIAL apteon OF THE rors, trata Sinakt baci or Mr. Laws, (rep.) of Ind., introduced a bill to authorize the holding of a special ression of the United States Dis trict Court of Indiana, which was ordered to lie upow the table uptil the announcement of the commitices, aad then to be Preferred to the Judiciary Committee. TRE MIROPULITAN RAILROAD. Mr. Moenm,, (rep.) of Me., presented a bill to extesd the time for the completion of the Metropolitan Railroad of Washington two years, Ordered to tie upon the table, ‘THE ELECTION OF UNITED STATES SENATORS IF LOUIMANA. ‘The Presivant pro tem. laid before the Senate a com- munication from Governor Habn, of Louisiana, accom. Poutataoe in toe" atone ‘King Culler ad Cherian nN e jutler ‘Smith as Senators from th ta Mr. Wave, (rep) ) or Onin, pres Presented & remonstraoce, 1, 1006. Asia aniied today, with thirty.tee pacaengers erpool avd aixteen for Halliax, ous $23,000 in epecie for Ube Lormer place aad siio00 Concert at Ninto’s BaLoow.—The concert of Mile, ia- genie Barnetobe, the young pianiste, will take place at Niblo's Saloon thie evening. She will be snsisted oy Madame D’Angr! and Messrs. Moileabauer and Abella, On, Ream ov Paewwevivawia.—The lecture om this subject, by Benjamin K. Brown, was postponed lest Bumerousiy signed by citizens of Louisiava, on the sub- ject of the election of Mesers. Cutler and Smith as Seua- tora from that State. ‘The mail steamer GENERAL PATNR’S CONDUCT AT PADUCAM, KY. carrying aemall number of passengers and $766 .006 Mr. Powatt,, (opp.) of Ky., offered @ resolution that the | gold. -) only Lt 141 te for New York. The re Secretary of War be requested, Mf not incompativie witt | mainder is for Kngiand aed Panama. the public Interest, to communicate to the Senate a re- port of the proceedings of the court martial Hated d Investigate the conduct of General Payne’ while com. manding at Paducah, K Ro upon the table until o'cloce A. M —Now. 2591, 2803, 2505, 2807, 2800 nine reenlation wad ord vis, 2015," a7, 910,’ 2088, jhe ansouacement of the 2008, 2906, 2000, 291 verte aoe 2023, 2026, 2927, ‘art 2.—Court opens at tee @'clock A. 'M.—Nos 2811, 2877, 1863, 2514, 88, 1686, 1978, 2474, 2516, 1963, 1800, 2652, 101 10, 1879, 2674, 1338, 2506, 2000. pa owe mr street. — Court opens at ten o'elock A. 9749, 3004, 2617, 1901, 2734, Tash, ZatT. 84d, 1408, 145, 967, 2080, 2776, Cy |, 1683, 299T, 1151. rir Mr. Monaan, (rep.) of N. Y. @ arose, and sald :—I desire to presént the oredentials a ‘Charles Smith and R, King Cutler as Senators elect from the State of Lovisians. I do not pro) that these persons be now sworn in ae members of this body. Tho Senate will be much better informed and qualified in relation to ail t 10ge edpnected with the election after they snail have been Commos: as Count—Taiat, Tene —Part 1 sere, carefully examined and reported upoo EA a yee - Wil Friday, Dec. Part 2.—Nos, 681, 270, 158, thie body. 1 shall therefore propose, when aa, 17, a 170, 681, 564, 402, 440, 460, toe are tentiomen inted, that (be credentials of the be reforred to the Judiclar tte, UMBULL, (rep.) of Hil —I ‘inderstand that the pa- perr just submitted by the President pro tem. are copies of the proceedings of the General Assembiy of Louisit and are some’ yoluminous, As it isnot proposed (ake any action at this time | move they be orde:ed to be Mr, Wape—Thoro are arguments on the subject alse a 1 move thet all documents on the subject be rin Ls The motion was wa or ram parenore ‘THR LAWS OF WORRABES ‘The Parsipant pro tem. presented to the Henate oopies of a the laws of the bie A Nebraska, On motion of Foster, (rep.). of Cone., the Senate ft half-past (wolve o'clock adjoursed. House of Representatives, ‘Wasurworon, Deo. 7, 1864. mn, erayene’ aiT-oote BrecuLARYS Bat Lam On ram Me, Buaurn, (tep.) of Me., end the House yesterday re- ferred to the Committee of Ways and Means tne bill of (he qoatioman from Proeerivenia (Mr. Stovenst to prt At uae ,