Later from the North.
We have received Northern papers of Thursday last, the 9th instant.
Gold was quoted at 196 1.8.
Sherman's March — where the Yankees think he is.
The Yankee news from
Sherman is not very clear.
The latest news from
Wilmington says:
‘
General Schofield was understood to be still maintaining his advanced position some ten miles from
Wilmington — It was supposed that he would not hazard a further advance until something definite in relation to
General Sherman's movements could be learned.
’
A letter from
Wilmington says it is the
Confederate plan to fall back to
Goldsboro' before
Sherman, and there concentrate and whip him. The writer says:
‘
But these nice plans are spoiled almost coincidently with their conception.
The line of which
Goldsboro' would be the great centre is already flanked by
Schofield's possession of this point and
Newbern.
Moreover, intelligence is at hand as I write that
Sherman's advance has already reached the Cape Fear river, sixty miles above this point. His movements have, as usual, been altogether too rapid to admit of the contemplated concentration.
’
[The writer had not heard of that little whipping
Bragg gave the
Newbern force last week.]
Another letter says:
‘
From
General Sherman nothing positively has been heard since the 24th of February. He was then at
Camden, on the
Wateree river, one hundred and ten miles, on air line, southwest of
Fayetteville, or about one hundred and twenty-five miles by the main travel road through
Cheraw.
His cavalry are almost certainly in
Fayetteville by this time, and the infantry in close proximity.
Supplies will await him at that point should he touch it, sent up the
Cape Fear river by
Schofield.
’
The
Yankees captured
Georgetown, South Carolina, a little town on the coast, and in the official report of it the naval commander says:
‘
I have directed
Commander Creighton to proceed carefully up
Black river, and have dispatched the tug
Catalpa, with
Lieutenant-Commander Henry and
Ensign Glass, prepared to open communication, by the army code of signals, with
General Sherman, who is said to be some twelve miles off.
’
Officers from
General Schofield's army, who left
Wilmington the 1st instant, bring the important intelligence that deserters and refugees who came into our lines on that day reported that
Florence, South Carolina, had been evacuated by the rebels on account of a flank movement by
General Sherman, who was moving in the direction of
Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Affairs in Wilmington — the business to be done by "loyal" people.
A letter from
Wilmington, North Carolina, dated the 25th ultimo, gives some account of that city under Yankee rule.
It says:
‘
The stores are not open as yet, however; and for the present considerable confusion prevails in private households owing to the scarcity of supplies.
But all this will be arranged in a few days, when the marketmen, storekeepers and hucksters receive the requisite authority to resume business.
It is understood that all citizens previously engaged in business
who bring proof of their loyalty will be allowed to re-open their stores.
If the test were merely based on the condition of their willingness to take the oath of allegiance, at the present time all the stores would be again doing business.
But
General Schofield is determined that
only those who have been loyal, and not those who have been convinced into loyalty by the capture of the city, are entitled to such privileges.
’
Yankee report of a victory over General Early.
The
Washington Chronicle of the 9th says:
‘
Reports by a scout confirm the victory before announced of
Sheridan over
Early.
The battle, it is stated from
Winchester, took place near
Waynesboro', and the result was the capture of one thousand three hundred prisoners, including forty officers, eight pieces of artillery, and over one hundred wagons.
Sheridan was still in pursuit.
’
A letter from
Grant's army says:
‘
It is known that the rebels have drawn four brigades out of the lines in our front, but whether they have been dispatched to
Lynchburg or up the other railroad towards Louisa and Orange Courthouses, has not been ascertained.
Remembering
Sheridan's daring on former occasions, they may have felt con to put those troops in the de and west of
Richmond, lest conclude to ride roughly into and sabre its belligerents in the
’
Great mass meeting in New York — the other side of the Picture — the dreadful draft to be Enforced in the City.
The New York
Herald has some eighteen or twenty columns filled with the proceedings of the grand Union meeting there on Monday last.
Under a spread eagle, the following crazy caption is printed:
Union--The Monster Metropolitan Celebration — Nearly a Million of Rejoicing People in the
Streets — Immense Patriotic Display — The Stars and Stripes on Every House — Brilliant Civil and Military Pageant — All Former Processions Totally Eclipsed — The
Line Ten Miles Long — The Army, Navy, City, State and the Rest of Mankind Represented — Striking He on the Route — Horses with
Hoop- Skirts--Elephants Dressed in the
American Flag--"The Camels are Coming"--A Ship
Sailing on Wheels — Showers of Good Things — Wines, Whiskey, Coffee, Cigars and Cheers Distributed Among the Crowd — The Monitor in
Broadway — Splendid Turnout of the Firemen — The Meeting — Speeches of
Generals Dix,
Averill,
Cochrane and
Walbridge;
Messrs. John Van Buren,
Judge Pierpoint,
D. D. Field,
S. B. Chittenden,
A. Oakey Hall,
Dr. Lieber and Others — Magnificent Pyrotechnic Exhibition — The Bombardment of Sumter Over Again — Naval Engagement Between the
Merrimac and Monitor — Union Square in a Blaze of Light and Glory — E Pluribus Unum.
The procession seems to have been merely a grand advertising van, in which the
sewing-machine men and others advertised their wares.
The speeches occupy but a short space in the account
General Dix congratulated the people that the war would be soon over, and the
Union, with "all its ancient boundaries, restored" without slavery.
He then drew up a long list of grievances against
England.
Judge (Governor?)
Pierpoint followed.
He thought it idle to talk of peace to the
South.
It would never re-enter the
Union except it were conquered, and that must be done.
Mr. John Van Buren expressed the hope that when the rebellion was suppressed an opportunity would be given to practice love and charity toward our misguided brethren of the
South, while the country marched forward in a career of prosperity which would be the envy and admiration of the world.
[Great applause.]
Mr. Dudley Field wanted to see
Major Anderson back at
Fort Sumter with that "old flag, " and seemed to think that the great end of the war. After that is done--
Let us struggle with all our might--first, to scatter the last rebel battalion, and then to bring on again the reign of peace, and order, and law; to establish on immovable foundations the one nation and the many States; to make each supreme in its proper sphere; to build up defences, which no man may break, around the person of every human being, of whatever party or complexion, and to transmit to our descendants this double government of ours, with all its rights and all its guarantees, as we hope it will remain, through innumerable ages.
In another part of the same paper we find the following heading:
A Draft Threatened — Will the Citizens of New York aid in Arresting such a Calamity? --The
Assistant Provost Marshal-General calls upon Them — The
County Volunteer Committee Appeals to Them--Ten Days Allowed to Increase Recruiting — Over Thirteen Thousand Men yet to be Raised.
The
Herald says:
‘
The Committee on Volunteering have issued an appeal to the citizens of New York city and county to aid in arresting
the calamity of the threatened draft. --Thirteen thousand men have yet to be raised to fill the quota of the county.--The committee state that
the people are lukewarm, and those who have the means have rendered them no considerable assistance.
The fund for paying volunteers
is nearly exhausted, and in order to avoid a draft it is necessary that the bonds of the county issued for the purpose of paying volunteers be taken immediately, and that the people at once lend their aid to increase volunteering.
Brigadier General Hinks,
Acting Assistant Provost-Marshal, has addressed a letter to the
Volunteer Committee, promising every means of cooperation and assistance consistent with the interests of the service to fill the quota by volunteer enlistments.
He also promises that the draft shall not take place within the next ten days, and it now only remains for our citizens — those who have the means by providing substitutes, and those who have not, by becoming recruiting agents — to each and every one exert himself to prevent the threatened draft.
’
The New Orleans
Bee of the 26th ultimo publishes a private letter from
Matamoras, dated January 30, stating that up to that time the
Mexican and rebel authorities have been simply polite and friendly,
Generals Mejia and
Slaughter having crossed the river in civil dress and dined with each other; but yesterday
General Mejia and staff, in full uniform, entered
Brownsville, where
General Slaughter awaited their visit with his whole command, under arms, and gave the visitors and artillery salute of twenty-one guns.
After dinner the rebel flag was raised and the
Mexican General and staff removed their caps and saluted it — the
Mexican General making a speech, in which he said the
Confederacy would soon be recognized, and concluded by inviting the rebels to a grand banquet at
Matamoras, and promising to also salute their flag with twenty-one guns.
The importance of this affair consists mainly in the fact that
General Mejia is the
commander in-chief of the
Mexican armies, and is therefore the next person-age to the
Emperor.
The inauguration ball at
Washington appears, from the accounts of the
Yankee letter-writers themselves, to have been a very complete exhibition of rowdy vulgarity.
We copy the concluding portion of a description of it given in the New York
Herald:
‘
The President and
Mrs. Lincoln did not dance, nor did the grave
Secretaries trip the "light fantastic." There was a court set, however.
Vice-Admiral Farragut,
Major- General Banks,
Congressman Arnold, and an
attache of one of the legations, danced the Lancers together.
Miss Buchanan, daughter of
Commodore Buchanan, of the
Boston Navy-Yard, and
Miss Wilson, of
Chicago, were in this set. An admiring crowd surrounded the party, and they danced with a grace and spirit unequalled by any others of the large company.
The notabilities did not keep together or dance together, but mingled freely with the crowd.
Some of the distinguished people were conspicuous from their absence.
Neither
Secretary Stanton,
Chief Justice Chase,
Senator Sprague nor
Mrs. Sprague were present.
These absentees were noted, and the political bearings of the fact discussed.
Indeed, every incident had its political significance in the opinion of many.
Because
Senator Sumner escorted
Mrs. Lincoln, it was presumed that the
President had endorsed his reconstruction theories.--Because
Captain Robert Lincoln escorted
Miss Harlan, it was supposed that
Senator Harlan is to go into the
Cabinet.--People said that
Chase and
Sprague stayed away because
Surveyor Wakeman had been confirmed.
Politicians now catch at such straws.
A nod from
Mrs. Lincoln is considered equivalent to an appointment.
’
This suggests a few words about the gossip of the ball.
As
Andy Johnson passed, a gentleman remarked to a radical
Senator that the
Vice President, in his inaugural speech, had disgraced his party and the country. "Well," said the
Senator, "we don't regret it, for he has no chance now for the Presidency.
He has killed himself off." Another gentleman added that "
Andy Johnson was not inebriated on inauguration day, but had rehearsed his speech to a lot of Tennesseans the night before." It was generally noticed that the
President did not recognise
Andy Johnson, nor were they seen together.
In spite of the reports to the contrary, not one negro was a guest at the ball.--Nobody could have objected, probably, had they been present, for this was a thoroughly abolition ball, all of the old
Washington aristocracy refusing to attend.
But either the inclination or the ten dollars was wanting, and the colored race was unrepresented.
Just before 12 o'clock the
President was notified that supper was ready.
The Presidential party then retired in the same order as they entered, and a rush was made to follow them.
Policemen kept back the crowd, and the party got safely out of the ball-room and were ushered in the supper room by a private entrance.
Then the doors were thrown open to the guests, who dashed in pell-mell in dreadful confusion, ladies being crushed against the walls, or dragged half fainting through the crush.
Men tried to tear down the temporary doorway.
The table was cleared almost in a moment, and after the first ten minutes the waiters could bring nothing except for a fee. In an hour there was nothing left to bring.
At least half the people went away hungry.
There was no attempt to keep order.
The committeemen were not to be found, and the policemen were insolent and inefficient.
It was impossible to get in or out of the supper room or near the table.
No wines were furnished with the supper and but little water.
The coffee room was shrewdly located at the other end of the building, where nobody could get at it till supper was over.
The floor was covered with the
debris of the supper.
All the dresses which escaped spoliation below were spoiled here.
The ladies were very angry — so were the men.--Some bullied, some bribed the waiters, and some ate the remains of other people's suppers.
The mass surged to and fro like a sea. Plates were broken by dozens.
There was a general mess.
The President's party feasted at the upper end of the hall, and, having finished, attempted to pass out. But
Andy Johnson's plebeians were savage with hunger, and would not make way for anybody.
The President's party were thus forced to enter an alcove between the cases of models, climb up stairs, and emerge upon a sort of balcony above the heads of the crowd, where they could look down upon the struggle for viands.
Nobody cared to follow them now. The President and others of the party spoke in severe terms of the disorder.
Mrs. Lincoln said it was a "scramble." "Well," said the
President, "it appears like a very systematic scramble." This was his only little joke during the evening.
After that he grew serious, and wanted to go home.
The party crowded along the narrow balcony, descended another stairs, and passed out quietly, without being noticed.
They at once proceeded to their dressing-rooms, without re-entering the ball-room, and without being attended by a single outsider.
In ten minutes they were dressed, and at precisely 1 o'clock they left the building by a side door.
Their departure thus unceremoniously excited no comment among the ravenous throng inside.
Andy Johnson's plebeians paid no more attention to the other distinguished people after supper time than they did to the Presidential party.
Most of the aristocrats had gone home, and only the commoners remained in force.
General Banks stood solitary for a quarter of an hour.
The
Vice-Admiral, his smiles gone, roamed about discontentedly, and soon stole away.
The ball did not close, it fizzled out, like a poor piece of fireworks.
After 2 o'clock the people were still eating off of plates which had been used before, and drinking from each other's cups.
The end of the inauguration cere monies was not at all creditable to those concerned.
Although many distinguished gentlemen and elegant ladies were present during the evening, the majority were of the other stamp, and had never before been seen in
Washington.
A letter from
Nassau says:
‘
Three steamers have arrived here from
Charleston since my last — the
Chicora (formerly Let Her Be), Coquette and Little Hatty.
They came in on the 16th and 17th instant.
The Little Hatty, on her eastward trip, was fired into and two of her men were wounded; but she reached
Charleston and returned.
These steamers brought out cargoes of cotton — in all, about two thousand bales. The Rattlesnake was wrecked while entering
Charleston harbor.
The captain and crew, having first set her on fire, escaped and returned to this port in the Little Hatty.
The Rattlesnake, with her cargo, was completely destroyed.
General Preston is still here, expecting to leave in a day or two for
Havana.
There are now in the harbor upwards of thirty five blockade-runners lying idle.
Their average cost was £40,000, or over $400,000 each in greenbacks, representing a useless capital of over $15,000,000.--The
Fanny arrived yesterday from
England, on her way to the
Confederacy, but finds her occupation gone. --The steamers are leaving
Nassau every few days for
Havana in search of employment.
’
Miscellaneous.
A man named
Clemens has been arrested and committed to prison in
Washington on the charge of having made threats to assassinate
President Lincoln on Saturday last during the progress of the inauguration ceremonies.
A Philadelphia dispatch says intelligence has been received there that the
United States Minister to
Venezuela has been charged with attempting to smuggle goods into Porto Cabello, and that great excitement has been caused thereby in that town.
The
Venezuela insurgents have possession of Maracaibo, and are said to be importing war munitions from
Europe.
An extra session of the
Yankee Arkansas Legislature has been called by
Governor Murphy, for the first Monday in April, to consider the constitutional amendment to abolish slavery.
The citizens of
Oswego held a meeting on the 7th, at which the
Mayor presided, for the purpose of adopting measures for the better defence of the city from the anticipated rebel raid from
Canada.
A sufficient force had been detailed from Fort
Ontario to patrol the streets at night.
It is understood that
Lincoln will not sign the bill regulating trade between the loyal and revolted States and repealing the act authorizing the appointment of cotton agents.
The
Vice-President did not make his appearance in the Senate on Wednesday in consequence of a more severe attack of his incoherent ideas yesterday than on Saturday last.
The President on Saturday took the oath of office with his hand on the open Bible, according to custom.
Mr. Middleton, the
Clerk of the Supreme Court, had opened it, but without premeditation, at the fifth chapter of Isaiah.
On Tuesday next the people of
New Hampshire will vote for State officers and for Representatives in the new Congress.
The oil fever in
West Virginia is on the increase, and land is changing hands by whole counties.
Many tracts have been resold two or three times within the last three months--double the cost price at each sale.
