The New York Herald Newspaper, February 14, 1865, Page 4

t ' NEW YORK HERALD. ; JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR OFFIC ¥. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. " qERIMS cash in advance, Money sent by mail will be ut the risk of the ecnder, None but bank bills current in Not York taken. "Wine nalcY MERALD, Foos conts per copy. wubseripuion price $14, i SHE WEEKSY HERALD, every Saturday, at Five ‘vents per copy. Annual subscription price:— Annual } Postage five cents per copy for three months, + ABy lary: r ou uber addressed to names of subscribers G1 50 each. An extra copy will be sent to overy club Often. Twenty copies, to one address, one year, $25, end any larger number at same price. An extra copy ‘will be sont to clubs of twenty. These rates make the Wasxly Henaxp the cheapest publication in the country. Volume XXX... .No. 44 “\4MUSEMBNTS THIS EVENING, ACADEMY OF MUSIO, Irving place.—Ir4uuux Ormna— Fea Diavoww. NEW BOWERY THEATRE, Rowory.—Oncan Gainpzn— Mx. axp Mus. Peter Waire—Brown amp Surtu, WALLACK'S THEATRE, Broadway.—Gaxa or Lira, OLYMPIO THEATRE, Broadway.—Tuz Srazets or New ‘Fors. jOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—! Tnot—Mi ‘atou—Sreotax Baesuoos, vneiier ibiainga cas NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway.—Apgizxye. BROADWAY THEATRE, a puPaus bar. isa acide WINTER GARDEN, Broadway.—Hamusr. yRARNUMCS MUSEUM. Brosdway.—Two Maxxorn Fat ues—Living SkKLLTON—Dwaar—UiaNt Bor Jussy Venx—Day and Evening, gage BRYANTS’ MINSTRELS, Mechanica’ Mall, 472 Broad- ray.—ETMIOPLAN SONGS, Danvés, BURLESQUES, 40.—Live WOOD'S MINSTREL, HA’ New Youu—Tus Vuar But. SALLE MsLaycs Broadway.—Sraeets or irmiorian ‘Soxes, Daxcss, Be. DIABOLIQUE, 58 Broudway.—Ri " Vivsia«t VAN AMBURON & CO'S MAMMOTIT MENAGERIE GBYand 641 Broadway.—Open from WA. M.tolWr. M.S ’ MEATRON. Fourteenth street. —Eqvesrnra, (GrmdastiC 48D ACKOBATIC EXTKRTAINMENTS—MOTHER 40038 AMERICAN THEATRE, No. 444 Broadway.—BaLuats piyoues sd tx gres. &o.—Hanvest Home. —— HOOLEY & CAMPBELL'S MINSTRELS, 199 and 201 Bowery.—SonGs, Dancks, MuaLasques, du.—BLack BRigaDs NEW YORK MUSEUM fp = open vt ase ee ANATOMT, 618 Broadway. — + "ANNUCHI'S MUSEUM, 60 Broadway.—Movina Wax Frapnss. nd Now York, Tuesday, February 14, 1865. a THE SITUATION. Ono of our Paria correspondents furnishes us a startling plece of pews, He statés that the two formidable naval rams Sphynx and Choops,, built at Bordeaux, France, some time ago, have been fitted out in the most complete manner for our Southern rebels, with the heaviest class of guns and ful! crews, and, under the new names of the Stonewall and the Bapidan, wore to sail in tho beginning Of this month, from a little island off the coast of Franco, for this port, It was botioved that they were of so staunch a characier that they would experionce no diffi- oulty in passing all the batteries in our harbor and com- tug right upto the city, which it is reported to be de- igned by their commanders either to lay under heavy @ontribution or to destroy. This scheme is said to have been concocted and assisted in tts prosecution under a ecoret treaty between the Emperor Napoleon and the Jol. Davis government, In Sunday's Henatp we an- Bounced the fact of our Consul in London having fhformed our government that one of these vessels was Jroparing for » trip across the Atlantic. Wo are told Phat the government is now anxiously awaiting further dntolligenco regarding tho matter, which it may find in Our cotumns this morning. ‘The report that the city of Mobile has been evacuated | by the rebels is confirmed by officers from the national forces in that vicinity who arrived in Washington last night. They state that hundreds of deserters have come off from tho city to our army and fleet, and that all of those aro unanimous In asserting that nearly all the rebel troops have left, and that the cotton and such military stores as could be transported have beongent into the taterior.. ‘They say the place will be surrendered without resistance whenever a demand is made. The officers and mon of the national fleet were busily engaged in re. moving obstructions in the harbor, and expected to be able to get their vessels up to the city by the lst of March. Major Genoral J. M. Schofield, formerly connected with tho army of Genoval Sherman, and lately commanding eorps in that of General Thomas, has assumed command of tho Department of North Carolina, This places him at the hend of all tho military forces now operating in the vicinity of Wilmington, Is is expected that General Terry, the hero of Fort Fisher, will havo command of a corps under Gonoral Schofield. Affairs remained quiet on Capo Fear river at the date of our latest despatches— the 9th Inst. ‘The immense increase in the number of desertions from the rebel army of General Lee since the failure of the peace negotiations shows plainly that all the statements Of the Richmond Gascons regarding the renewed eptrit of thoir soldiers and their increased desire to Sight the war out agefalse. Two hundred of Leo's mon arrived at ‘Waahington on Saturday and took the oath of allegiance, ‘and 4 till larger number yesterday. It ts said that nothing but the severest reproestvo military measures prevents much larger numbers of them deserting, The oxtracts from rebel newspapers which we publish this morning will be found very interesting A corres. pondont of a South Carolina paper who has beem over the route of Goneral Sherman's march through Georgia fs surprised to find that thas officer dealt so leniently ‘with that State, and consoles himself with antioipations of the samo gentle treatment for South Carolina The Richmond Fzaminer of the 10th instant, in an article on Bouthorn railroad connections, sndeavors to rhow how Leo's army may be supplied from North Carolina and Goorgia without the assistance of the Weldon road. The Tagisiaturo of Coorgia is to convene in extra session to- morrow, CONGRESS. ‘ In the Senate yesterday the bill establishing mat! Steamship service between Sag Francisco and China ‘was pased by a vote of twenty-five to eleven. It Buthorizes the Postmaster General to contract for twelve Found trips por yoar betwoen the points mentioned, Commencing on the ist of January, 1867, A remon Btrance from Baltimore against the passage of the Bankrupt bill, ond e petition from New York ta favor of ite passage, wore prevented, The report of the oonfer- @nco committe on the Freedmon’s Burean bill was read, nd the subject was then Inid acid The House joint Fesolution reducing the duty on imported printing paper from twenty to three por comt was then taken up. After @onsiderable discussion the duty was fixed at fifteen per Cent, and the resolution was adoptods It now goes back to the House for concurrence. An executive session was beld, and the Senate adjourned. Im the House of Representatives @ joint resolution ap. \propriating twenty-five thousand dollars for a contract ‘With William H. Powell, to paints picture illustrative of NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1865.: some naval victory, to be placed at the head of the grand stairway of the Capitol, was adopted. ‘The Military Com- mitteo were directed to inquire into the truth of the reporta of destituion among the contrabands in ant around Washington, and to suggest measures of relief. A set of resolutions requesting the President to make peace with the rebels, and a series in favor of a vigorous prose- cution of the war, and against any more peace missions, wore laid on the table. The House then went into com- mites of the whole, and resumed the cons.deration of the bill amendatory of the Internal Revenue act. Amend- ments exempting Bibles, testaments and prayer books, ‘and secular and religious school books from duty or tax, Wore agreed to, and the House adjourned. The Secretary of the Treasury has sent to the Commit- tos on Ways and Means his financial plan, which embraces ® project for raising the sum of six hundred millions of dollars, on bonds bearing six per cont interest, or less, as Circumstances may require; bat thor is {0 be no addition to the currency in any shape, The committee will, it is ‘understood, report upon this subject at an carly day, THE LEGISLATURE. In the State Senate yesterday a communication from the Contracting Board, covertag numerous petitions from boatmen and boatowners, in favor of abolishing the pre- sent contract system for repairing the canals was re- ceived. The bill amending the charter of the Long Island City Water Cempany was ordered to a third read- ing, A bill was introduced to legalize all sales, assign- ments and transfers heretofore made by the Comptroller of the Banking Departmont, with the consent of the banks depositing the same, by virtue of the act of 1838. ‘In the Assembly bills were noticed to incorporate the Niagara Ship Canal Company and to {mprove Baltic street, Brooklyn. Bills were introduced for a railroad in Queens county, to incorporate the Unica Gaslight Company for Kings and Queens counties, and for the improvement of Park avenue and Powers street, Brooklyn. Bills incor- porating the Olympic Club, and the Loyal League Club, New York, were ordered to a third reading. Messrs. David Dudley Field and Alexander W. Brad- ford, the commisstonors appointed, together with the late William Curtis Noyes, for the codification of the laws of the State, under the act of April 6, 1857, having com- pleted their labors, yesterday presented to the Legisla- ture thoir ninth and final report. They have reduced into @ systematic code the whole body of State laws, di- vided into three portions, distinguished as consisting of political, civil and penal acts, suggesting, in annotated form, according to the injunction of the constitution, such alterations and amendments as they have doomed Proper. Thoy have been engaged in the work for eight years, and they day that when they undortook the task no code of the common law of Amorica or of England had ever been attempted. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. No orders havo yet been received at any of the provost marshals’ offices in this city for proceeding with the draft to-morrow, and the fimpression is pretty gencral that there will be a postponement, for a few days at i least. The officers say they will bat commence drafting until they receive furt®or directions from Washington. ‘The police Yesterday afternoon made a raid on the recruiting booths in the City Hall Park, and destroyed some of them and closed up others, it being understood that their proprietors wore engaged in recruiting men for othor localities, in violation of State and city laws. Later in the day a meeting of the Supervisors’ Volunteer- ing Committee was held at the Mayor’s offloo, at which it was rosolved to allow those having charge of these re- cruiting tents to continue business if they will promise to recruit only for the city and county, giving bonds to that offoct. A heavy penalty is also attached to a violation of thoir obligations, which, with the large bounties now paid by city, will insure us a very large number of recruits dally. At the Supervisors’ Committee rooms yesterday volunteering was very active. Aletier received in this city from Mexico states that ex-Senator Gwin’s scheme for the colonization of the Northern States of Mexico has failed, owing to it being his design to introduce into the country as colonists largo numbers of our Southern rebels, to which Max!- milian objected. United States Senator Edwin D. Morgan, of this elty, was yesterday nominated to the Senate by President Lin- coln as Secretary of the Treasury, to anporsede Mr. Fes- senden; but, upon Mr. Morgan’s peremptory refueal to accept, his namo was withdrawn before it was brought up for confirmation. I! is expected that Mr. McCulloch, Comptroller of the Currency, will be nominated by the President for the position to-day. In tho Board of Aldermen yesterday a communication was received from the Mayor tn reference to the danger of storing petroleum within the city limits, and suggest- ing the adoption of an ordinance forbidding the storing of any greator quantity than five barrels in any ware- house. A resolution was offered tendering the Legisla- tive Committee any of the public parks or equares upon which to orect a State House, should New York be solected ax the capital, The annual return of the Sixth and Eighth avenuo railroad companics wore received from the Comptroller, showing the year’s receipts of the former to be four hundred and sixteen thousand five hundred and fifty-six dollars, and of the latter four hun dred and seventy-six thousand one hundred and fifty-four dollars. Tho Board of Councilmen met yesterday. A resolu. tion was introduced to amend the ordinance prohibiting the sprinkling of salt on thi jous railroad tracks by railroad companies so as to allow the Mayor to grant permits te have salt put on swiiches and turnouts, The paper was referred to the appropriate commities, The Mayor sent in a communication recommending the pass- age of an ordinance forbidding the storing or keeping for sale of petroleum in its crude state in quantities ex- cvoding five barrels in any building within the fire limita of the city. Hs Honor alluded to the recent catastropho in Philadelphia, and urged the immediate adoption of the ordinance. It was referred to the Commiiteo en Ordinances, A resolution was adopted authorizing the purchase of a stand of colors fur each volunteor reg! ment, at a cost not to exceed three hundred and seventy. five dollare for each regiment. A resolution was pre- sented to authorize the City Inspector to contract with Danie! Gallagher for the removal of night soil, which was laid over, An important resolution was offered in the Board of Supervisors yesterday and adopted. It urged tho superior claims of Now York for tho State capital, and offered tho now County Court Honse for » Capitol butlding. This ts Valentine's day, and, though the custom of aofiding missives of love as well as of hatred and annoy- anee, has become less and less generally observed on each recurrence of this anniversary in latter yoars, sti, Jedging by the pictorial displays of the shop windows for some days past, # is evident the shopkeepers are satisfled the day ts not to be entirely unnoticed. There is every reason to beliove that they, as well as many of the chosen Valentines, will not be disappointed. ‘We had a beautifully clear sky during all of yesterday; Dut the weather was excessively cold for this latitude In tho earlier part of the day, the mercury at seven o'clock fn the morning being only five degrece above zero, In the afternoon the temperatare was much less severe than in the forenoon, the air being just sufficiently sharp to make oetdoor amusements exhilarating. The snow which foll on Sunday afforded good sletghing, notwith- standing the drifting, and up town and all the avenues leading towards the upper portion of the island presented scenes of the most animated character, being thronged With all classes of runner conveyances, On many of the omnibus routes, too, the stages were superseded by sleighs, which were constantly fillod with crowds of merry passengers, In the case of Banks vereus Tibbets, where the plain- tiff sued to recover the costs of a former suit on a bond, the defendant yesterday requested Judge Leonard to re- move the cause to another court, on account of the prejudice which he believed bis Honor entertained to- wards him. The Court denied the application, and or- dered an taquest to be taken, Tibbets subsequently got astay of proceedings from Judge Barnard. In the case of Manning & Deforrest versus Allen Kamak, before Judge Daly, in the Court of Common Pleas, where the plaintiff sued fore difference of seven undred and elghty-eight dollars and thirty-one conte on gold delivered to the defendant, the jury yesterday rendered a verdict for the plaintiff for the full amount Claimed, and recommend’ that the attention of the Grand Jury be called to the manaerin which the de- fondant gave his testimony, they expressing suspkions that he had perjured himself, The case of Bernard Friery, charged with killing Harry Lazarus, in Houston street, on the morning of tho 3d ‘ult, was again called on yesterday im the Court of General Sessionn The day wan spent in endeavoring to obtains Jury from the panel of ene thousand citizens summoned, Counsel for the prisoner challenged the entire array of Jurors; but bis challenge was overruled by the Court, A large number of those who presented thomselves were declared Incorapetent, they having formed or expreased fan epinion on the guilt or innocence of the accused, and @ the hour of adjournment oaly one juror bed beea ee Shaw eee Gt cepted and sworn, The Court will again proceed with the case at ten o'clock to-day. The extradition case of the Russian government against Frederick Hille alias Ferdinand Voighiman, wasagain up before United States Commissioner White yesterday, Is further hearing stands adjourned till Thursday next, at eleven o'clock, The trial of the famous Christy will was resumed be- fore Surrogate Tucker yesterday. The testimony taken related to the early life and career of Edwin P. Christy at Buffalo, before bis removal to New York and the estab- Mshment of bis nogro minstrelsy as an institution in this city, The Surrogate expecta to Gnish this trial during tho present month. In the matter of the state of the late Hugo F, Wellenkamp, the Surrogate has decided that the relation of husband and wife existed between the de- coased and the person claiming to be his widow, and that letters of administration belong to her in consequence. Tn consequence of the death of a near relative of Js. tice Moncrief there Whs no business transacted in the Superior Court (part second) yesterday, Bernard G. Schult was yesterday arrested and sent to Blackwell's Island for one year, in default of one thou- sand dollars bail to keep the peace, on the charge of dis- orderly conduct and carrying concealed weapons. An English woman named Lizzie Evans was yesterday committed for trial by the Court of General Sessions, on the charge of stealing two hundred and seventy-five dol- lara from a soldicr named William Dodd, while the two wore together in @ house in Prince street, on Sunday night. A man named Alexander Williams yesterday afternoon Teceived a dangerous wound from a pistol in the hands of another man, during an altercation between the two on the corner of Canal and Thompson atreota. ‘The United States laboratory at Astoria, Long Island, ‘was totally destroyed by fire yesterday forenoon, involv- ing 8 loss of about one hundred thousand dollars, This establishment had been fitted up by the governmont in the most complete style, for the manufacture and prepa- ration of modical stores for the national army and navy, ‘and at the time of its destruction contained large stocks ofthe very best qualities of drugs and medicines and costly machincry and materials, The origin of the fire ig not known. The Overland tolegraph, so seriously damaged by the Indians lately, is again repaired and in working order as far wostward as Denver, Colorado. Bands of the savages ‘aro still at different points on the Overland Mail route wost of Fort Koarny. They are estimated to number two thdtBand altogether, and there aro only two hundred | troops to combat them. A series of engagements; con- tinuing through six days, recently took place between Collins’ command and the Indians near Julesburg, Colorado, Tho steamor Commander, having a cargo of rice and cotton, bound from Savannah for this port, which re- cently put into Norfolk with loss of rudder and stern- post, arrived at Baltimore yesterday, Fifty thousand dollars in bills, six thousand dollars in gold and a large amount of government bonds were stolen from the Traders’ Bank of Providence, R. I., somo tine between Saturday night and yesterday morning. United States Senator and ex-Governor Thomas Halli- day Hicks, of Maryland, died in Washington yesterday morning, after several days’ illness. Tho oxpross train of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad, leaving Cincinnati on the evening of the 8th inst, met with an accident near Oakdale station, sixty-eight m!les west of Cincinnati, Three of the hindmost cars in the train wer) thrown from the track by the breaking of a rail. Several of the passengers were cut and bruised, and one man had hia shoulder dislocated; but none were seriously injured. One hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth of pro- perty was destroyed by fire at Richmond, Indiana, on tho 5th inst, On the 2d inst, « furniture and plough factory was barnod at Ottawa, Iilindis, entailing a loss of thirty thou- sand dollars, According to the City Inspector's report there wero 479 deaths in tho city during the weok ending on the 13th of February—an tucroase of 6 as compared with the mor- tality of the week previous, and 5 moro than occurred during the corresponding week last year. Of the deaths in the course of last week, 247 resulted from ucute dis- cases, 206 from chronic diseases, and 26 from external causes. There were 327 natives of the United States, 11 of England, 90 of Ireland, 45 of Germany, 3 of Scot land, and tho balance of various foreign countries, Smallpox is apparently again incroasing, 30 deaths from it daring the past week being reported, against 27 during the preceding week. = The stock market was stronger yoaterday. Govern- ments were a fraction higher. Gold was duil, and closed at 20634. The rise tn gold rendered the merchandise markets firmor yesterday, and what business was dono was at higher prices, Foreign goods were quiet, but held firmer. Domestto goods were firmer; but the amount of business consummated was quite moderate Cotton re- mains about tho sams. Petroleum was quiet, except for crude, in which there was a “corner,” and prices went up 2c.a30, On 'Change the flour market was quiet, but 100, higher. Wheat was inactive, but firm. Corn and oats ruled very firm; but the business trans- acted was moderate. The pork market opencd firm, but closed dull and Leavy. Beef and lard were more active, and a slight advance was established. Freights ruled quict, while whiskey was without decided change. The Rebel Secretary of State on the War Prospect. There wes a flaming war mocting in Rich- mond on Thursday last, over which Mr. R. M. T. Hunter (one of the late rebel peace commis- sioners) presided, and at which J. P. Benjamin, the rebel Secretary of State, was the principal speaker. From his official position and his in- timate knowledge of the resources, difficulties and deficiencies of the rebel States, his views upon the military situation at this crisis are not only interesting, but of more than ordinary value. Benjamin, it must be remembered, is o shrewd business man, though a rampant fire- eater of the school of Jeff. Davis, Yancey, Mason and Slidell. Hoe is just the man to de- clare what must be done to save it, while put- ting a good face upon # bad cause, This is the charaeter of his late speech. He rejoices atthe results of the late peace conference in healing all Southern dissensions, and in uniting the people of “the confederacy” as one man in favor of pushing on the war. He had enter- tained his hopes and bis doubts of that confer- ence, but he says:—“We knew (meaning Davis and his Cabinet) its failure would be the signal for a grand uprising of the peeple, which was the only element necessary to suc cess” “No Southern man ever dreamed such arrogant propositions as were brought from Fortress Monroe. Thank God we know it now. The people know, as one man, the path which they must tread or perish.” But having accomplished this “grand uprising of the people”—“the only element necessary to aucces#erthe rebel Premier discovers that many other things of more éubstaned ate badly needed. Ho says “we want means.” And how does he propose to raise them? By the simple process of taking. He says “I would take every cotton bale in the land”— “take all the cotton and tobacco and make it the basis of means, without which we cannot goon.” Nor does he stop here. He says “I want more; I want all the bacon—everything; flour, beans, corn, cattle, sheep—everything which can feed soldiers—andl want it as 0 free gift to the country.” Surely this will suffice? No. He “wants another thing.” He says, and says truly, that “war is a game which cannot be played without men. Where are the ment” And here, after looking over his statistics of the men (white men) lost by his confederacy, and the mep left in his confederacy, and finding no reserves, this rélieving volee comes from the erowd—Put in the niggers.” But the question recurs, how are they to “put in the niggers?” Benjamin has hit upon the plen. “Let us say te every negro who wishes (gaark that—“who wishes”) to co into the ranks. on condition of being made free, ‘Go, and fight, and you are free.’ If we Impress them they will go against us” Sambo must be tenderly treated. But this thing of arming must be dono, for, says Master Benjamin, “You (the Vir ginians) must make up your minds to try that, or eee your army withdrawn from before your town.” This is pleasant prospect. General Lee needs reinforcements, Secretary Benjamin says, “I know not where white men can be had. I tell you there are not able-bodied white men enough in the country. Do you suppose that we (Jeff's Cabinet) have worked night after night by this infamous gas light you have here, and not found out ‘this thing?” He has can- vassed the ground; he knows that the fighting white reserves of “the confederacy” are used up, and that Lee’s ouly chance for reinforce- ments is to “put in the niggers.” They must be volunteer niggers, too, and Lee must have twenty thonsand of them right away, or he will have to pull up stakes, and try the running tactics of Joe Johnston. This, then, is the situation of Joff. Davis, as presented to the people of Richmond by his faithful Secretary of State. The paper money, bonds, &o., of bis confederacy, being good for nothing—that bubble having exploded—the cotton, tobacco and provisions of the people of the rebel States within reach are to be seized as a new basis for some sort of a new treasury system. Next, the white reserves of the States within the milltary lines of Davis being ex- hausted, the black slaves of the planters, by separate State action, are to be invited to vol- unteer on a promise of freedom. Lastly, Vir- ginia must “put in the niggers” by this method, to the extent of twenty thousand, forthwith, as reinforcements to General Lee, or he will be compelled to abandon Richmond, asa place ofno consequence, and thus bring the whole concern to a sudden collapse. If, with this official expo- sition from his Premier of the cause of Jeff. Davis, as it stands, the masses of the people of the rebellious States are not satisfled that his condition is utterly hopeless, the impending evacuation of Richmond by General Lee, and the necessary flight of Davis, his Cabinet and Congress for parts unknown, will surely settle ; the question. The French on the Pacific. The ideas of Napoleon ILL have always been on a large scale. Long before tho imperial purple fell on his shoulders, or rather before it was even in the loom, he turned his eyes towards the New World, thinking, perhaps, after he had become the master of France, thero were other worlds than his own which, Alexander-like, he might conquer. Mexico was a step in this direction, and it is quite probable it has been, after all, but a cover to an original design to get a foothold on the Pacific, where the virgin ores of an immense country wore as yet unrifled. Dr. Gwin, his acoredited agent, turned up at the right moment to aid him in these designs, It will be obsorved that the Doctor has managed. to keep himself clear of all rebel complicities, Though once arrested ass prisoner, he was able on reaching Washington to make such oxplanations as to prevent his detention. On the contrary, effect- ing his release and reaching Paris, he became an intime of the Emperor. Thence he departed for Mexico; the annexation, by way of a mort- gago of five States; was arranged, and a terri- tory containing three hundred thousand square miles, with a population of six hundred thou- sand persons, the largest portion }é6ing Indians and halfbreeds, is now finder the imperial flag. Considering its propinquity to our posses- sions on the Pacific and our Territories more inland, but still near, we have before us a curious problem to solve and master. It would seem as if the negative support Napoleon has given the rebels has been with a particular object. Woe might suppose that ho foresaw a positive alliance with, or even an actual recognition of, the confederacy would not on!y be unpopular in Franco, but bring on | a war which would forever close his career on this continent. It would, therefore, be his better policy to let the Southern people hope aguinst hope, knowing they must | finally bo overcome, while the bitterngss of their temper would be, increased by their defeat. In this state of things Napoleon, anticipating it from the first, has opened an out- let for their escape from the Union on their own terms. All the disaffected, disappointed, unruly and unchastened spirits of the South may now find their way to Sonora and Sinaloa, Chihua- hua, Durango and Lower California. They can have a duke to govern them, and may indulge in all their anti-republican and monarchical tastes, They will escape the rule of the “hated Yankees,” and bow down their heads before rulers selected for thom by a successor of Charlemagne. This willall be very fine. At- tracted by the exemption from the doctrines of | equality, or rigid respect for the rights of man, they will find many followers; and their example will be followed by aa ever ready crowd of adventurers like those who, under a similar dislocation of Mexico, made themselves at home in Texas, Tho well known letters G. T. T.—“Gone to Texas”—will be replaced in the public eye by G. T. 3.—“Gone to Sonora.” Inall probability quite a population of furious exiles from political and all other kinds of justice will seon be found in these Franco-Mexican States, and will acknowledge their subjection to the French government at least for a time—certainty as long as they feel they need protection, But who does not foresee the ond of all this? In fast ® purely French colony is out of the question, The French people are not a colon- izing people. They have not at this day a single foreign settlement which is actually flourishing by emigration, or is of sensible advantage to the empire. Notin any of the few settlements now maintained by them in Asia, Africa, the Pacific and the West Indies—not even in Algoria, the most modern and on the largest scale—has the pomession ofa colony been of signal advantage. Even in Canada the descendants of the original French, whose leaders had at that day very large , views of empire, have never kept up their rela- tions with their origiaal home, nor advanced their social or political condition in this day of progress and material prosperity. ‘The States on the Pacific will owe thelr suc cess, if any, to other elements, and wi er elements will come an organization of their own. If, therefore, in the course of eventa, Mexico shall never be able to repossess herself of these territories, there will arise a nation with neither the Spanish nor the French lan- guage for its own, but the English, which will be the mother tongue of the large majority Who may choose to make that part of the continent their home. With this Anglo-Saxon specch we shall see Anglo-Saron laws and inatitutions, and an early conformity, in spite of themselves, to the epirit of liberty and law from which the population will generally have fled, In short, we shall sce a republic looming up on the Pa- cific, and a little later, a8 a new generation ap- pears on the scene of action, calling on the United States for a prompt admission inte the Union, etl This ts the inevitable course of events on this Northern continent. This great rebellion bas in vain exerted itself to stay their march. It is now settled that the great North Amorican States are to retain thelr homo- geneity, thelr power, their influence and their superiority. The disintegrating pro- cess of internal discord and perverse treason, by which other republics have fallen to pieces, have been repelled and successfully over- come by our own inherent strongth, by our own good sense and our far-secing patriotiam. The existence and the triumph of such principles, founded on such deep and hearty convictions, is the greatest event in all rocorded time, and must produce a resistless effect on all other peoples and nations, The offshoot of the French Emperor on the coasts of the Pacific will be but a transplant into the great American vineyard, and whatever fruit it boars will fall into our hands, We therefore see how another great’ portion of the Mexican territory, if the present scheme ts successful, will be as much a@ part of the United States as California iteelf. Let the Sonthern malcontents betake them- selves to Dr. Gwin as fast as possible. The shores of the Pacific, the peaceful waters which lave thom, may influence théir future conduct, open their darkened vision to the interests they have foolishly forsaken, and prepare them for a return to thelr fathers’ house at no very dis- tant day. “In this estimate of the future we have left out of view the future of Moxico and the personal fortunes of Maximilian. These will at best play & secondary part under any circumstances, while the principal scenes are preparing and the curtain is about to rise. This Napoleonic melodramas is intended for French representa- tion, but will only have permanence after it has been duly translated into our own vernacular and adapted to the American stage. Tas Dano-Revet Inon-Ciava on Taam War to THs American Waters—Tas Dorr oF THE Governuent.—The intelligence that two rebel fron-clads had left, or were about to leave, the French coast for American waters is confirmed by our Paris correspondent, whose letter we publish this morning. Our Consul at Liver- pool confirms this statement to our government, and implicates the Danish authorities. It isnot unreasonable to expect their appearance on our coast almost at any hour; and the damage they may commit, if our men-of-war and mer- chant vesagls are taken by surprise, will be in- calculable: It,is the duty of our goverament» therefore, promptly to make arrangoments for their reception and capture; and, furthermore, to seize.such of the Danish West India posses- sions as may be calculated to indemnify us for their being permitted to be fitted out under the fing of the Danish government. It may not be necessary to seek reparation as Great Britain once did for an alleged similar offence against intornationa] comity, by battering down Copen- bagen and destroying the Danish fleet; for the Danish West Indies are most con at hand, and St. Thomas would make an admirable recruiting station for our North Atlantic and other squadrons. We can spare a large naval forco for this purpose without interrupting the efficiency of the Southern blockade; and Ad- miral Farragut and Admiral Porter would find an easy task in occupying every rood of Danish territory in American waters. This should be done promptly, and then European govern- ments would be made to understand that wo had ceased being trifled with, and wore deter- mined to exact speedy and full reparation for every violation of existing treaties with foreign Powers, ~ - Buostm On. Comranres—A Word TO THR Wisz.—The recent discovery of oil wells in the interior lands of Pennsylvania, Western Virgi- nia and other States, has, beyond doubt, been one of the greatest events of the time in which we live. That a new source of wealth, so vast and unlimited, should have been suddenly developed in our country in the very midst of the most desolating war that the world has seen, is a matter for which the nation has a right to rejoice. Of course, we always knew that petroleum in immense quantities existed on this continent, Our inexhaustible coal mines afforded proof df this; for wherever there are great deposits of coal, oil is certain to be found in more or less abundance. But tho oxtraordi- nary development of the wealth in oil exhibited in some of our States within a very few months has surpassed all expectation. As in all cases of the kind, an army of sharpers and acute specu- lators has arisen to turn this, wealth to their advantage, although possessing no right or title to It themselves, While solid and substantial companies for the exploration and full devel- opment of oil property have been established upon proper and correct bases, ephemera] and rotten concerns without number havé also sprung into belng with the spontaneity of the flow of the oil itself We have frequently warned the public against placing any conf- dence in the vain pretensions of these bubble organizations, [ike the great South Sea adtieme—known to the whole world—and like many other similar impositions that have fol- lowed since those days, these bubble oil compa- nies will suddenly burst and ruin all who Af foois enough to have anything to do with them sal -: In our money article published yesterday any one might have seen how extensive ie the business that is being done in the matter of oil companies, legitimate and illegitimate. It was there shown that there are now in existence, and in the course of formation, no less than five hundred and forty-three which is more than double the number of ffowing wells, with an aggregate nominal capital of over three hundred and fifty-six millions of dollars. Can any reasonable man reby upon such a sudden inflation of ofl wealth as is here reprosented? Is it not easy to sco that there must be some gigantic bubble somewhere? What is there to pay an interest on such an enormous invest. ment as is here put down upon paper? These are matters on which all capitalists and men of business should reflect before committing them- selves to wild speculations which may tarn out not only great failures, but sources of serious loss, We draw public attention once more to these facts, that all may be guarded against fraud and degention. WS PR PARQ ‘ SS. nee TAH OS The Southern Sttustion—The mental Condition of the Southerm People as fcon By General Lee. General Lee, in some words on the military situation of the South, draws attention to the fact that there is & worse want in the eonfede racy than the want of men, and » weakness more dangerous than any weakness that arises from the laxity of discipline in its armies or the failure of its finances. The want of men is bad enough—aad there must be a bitter want of men when the South proposes to put negroes in white men’s places, after insisting for se many years upon the immeasurable inferiority of the negro, The want of men is bad, indeed, alnce it reduces the South to stand, with Lee's one army, against the united armies of Grant, Sherman and Thomas, The want of money fs bad enough also, and the whnt of every article of war matériel. But if these wants were the worst, General Lee considers that the confede racy might still hope. They, howevor, are net the worst. The worst want of all {s a want of heart, a ‘want of that grand spirit that will resolve to com quer, and will consider no alternative. Sueb is the present want of the Southern people, The worst weakness is that which induces the whole populace by common consent, by an epidemis influence as if they breathed a poison in the air, to fall into s “foolish despair.” The words “foolish despair” are those said to have bees used by General Lee, and they are his deserip- tion of the present mental condition of the Southern people. Despair is perhaps always foolish, and that is the reason why argument will not reach it But that widespread despond- ency which amounts toa national despair ts often very real and is an absolute power in his- tory. It is the ccndition of nation when the spirit is utterly beaten out of it, Itis the hope lessness that renders all effort useless, _ Davis may write and rail, and Hunter aad Benjamin, and the rest of the kennel, may take up the cry, but there is no power in their weak voices to stimulate ® people that have fallen into the apathy of « “foolish despair.” |'Thelr voices have been heard too often. They are the arch deceivers who have drawn the Seuth- ern people into their present position; who are the very causes of this condition that they can- not cure. This despair is perhaps more res- sonable than any that ever before took hel& upon a people. The North carries on the war and will not give way, and the Southera leaders, with their yokes on the necks of the people, force them ferward once more and they gee no exit but annihilation, They haxe not the courage to face it, and hence tho “fooliah despair” that General Lee sees wherever he goes. It would scem as it there was no neces» sary triumph for mere material power. Foam teen thousand Corinthians and Syracusans in Sicily destroyed cighty thousand Carthagenians. ‘Thirty thousand Greeks on the Issus vam quizhed, in open combat, two hundred thousand Persians; ond as panio fears are not obsolete, ft may be considered as probable that Lee's seventy thousand might yet gain a very im portant battle. But of what use would it bet Would it overcome a great, confident and courageous people like this at the North; er would it keep, up s people who have reli quished all hope and stand waiting for the end in foolish despairt If Lee could beat Grant it would not save the rebellion. The fate of that gigantic outrage is written in the “foolish despair” that has settled on the Southern peo ple. Victory now would come too late, =. _ Mempens oy CONGRB#? AND THE Newsraran Press.—A few days since a city evening paper commented in rather caustic terms upon the course of Mr. Rice, of Massachusetts, in the House of Representatives, in regard to the duty on printing paper, and the matter was referred to by that gentleman, whereupon Mr. Thaddeus Stevens, of Pennsylvania, indulged in vitupe rative attack upom the newspaper press geae- rally, and moved for the expulsion of the roporter of the newspaper in question from his seat in the reporters’ gallory of the House. Mx, Rie rejoined by exonorating the reporter pers sonally from blame, urging that, as a reporter or correspondent, he should not be held respom- sible for what was stated editorially in the paper with which he was connected. But Mr. Stevens did not agree with this. He said there must be some way of reaching newspaper editors, and punishing them for their “insolence” in orith cising the doings ef the members of the House. We care nothing for the merits of the cage im point; but we object to this wholesale denun- ciation of the newspaper press by any member of the House of Representatives, particularly by one who uses such foul language as that of this representative from Pennsylvania. We have only to refer to the report of a recent debate in the House to satisfy ourreaders that no respectable newspaper employs, in discus» ing public matters, language so coarse and inde cont as that uttered by this Pennsylvania Solos, But this is netall. We deny the right of Me. Stevens to arraign before any tribunal a power like that of the press of this country in the manner he does. If it were not for the whole some and vigorous criticisms in the public jour nals upon public measures we would soon find the demagogues who now infest our halls of legisla- tion plunging the nation into « vortex of inex tricable confusion, corruption and disaster. We have enough bad legislation as it ia, even with the aid of the newspaper press in exposing the intrigues and imbecility of legislators; and the people are not prepared to submit to any im fringement upon the liberty of the press thaé may entail the peep» ee rotten impene trable curtain, of th tes in Congress upom public measites, Inotesd of maligning ie editors and reporters of the public press many of the legislators should extend to them avery meed of courtesy; for if it were not for them they would never survive one session of Congress, but be allowed to drop into thaé utter obscurity from which it is pity and @ shame they were ever allowed to emerge by ® eredulous and confiding constituency. ‘Tum New Stare Carrrat—Waens Is It ro Bu Locaren?—A proposal to remove the capital of tho State of New York from Albany has met with mach favorable attention in legtlative and other circles. But, although frequently discussed, nothing hes been done to make the proposed. change @ practical and decisive one. Several committees have been appointed and eve dence taken on the question; but still no change has occurred. We are now glad lo see that = move fs at lost being made in the right direction. The Board of Supervisors of this city yesterday unanimously voted in favor of offering, as the new Ospitol, the splendid marble building now being erected in the City Hall Park, and which it ia axpacted