Progress of the War.
We are indebted to a friend for files of Northern papers for a week previous to and including the 17th ult. They contain many items of interest not included in the latest papers.
We give a summary below:
The Northern press on the mediation Ws the "Tribune" is Clad the proposition is virtually Dead — the "times" Isn't Satisfied about England — the "Herald" Perfectly Contented.
The Northern journals are discussing the late mediation news with much vigor.
The position of
France attracts most of their attention.
The New York
Tribune says:
‘
The news from
Europe by the Arabia settles the question of mediation and of intervention by the
European Powers in our affairs for the present, at least, if not altogether
Russia holds back,
England refuses, and
France alone is willing to interfere in what is none of her business.
That both
Russia and
England are wise, they, happily, are persuaded, and we are confident that
France will be led into the path of wisdom, though it may be against her will.
Should the
Emperor propose to adopt a policy in which he would find no backers in the other great Powers, it might possibly lead to new complications from which it might not be easy to extricate himself with honor and credit.
So shrewd a ruler will not fail to foresee such a possibility, and conclude that the safer and wiser way is to let us alone.
The apprehension of any interference on the part of European Powers in the war in this country has not of late been much felt; but so long as it remained a doubt it was a painful one.
There will be a sense of relief now at its positive removal and the nation will feel all the stronger in the sense that it confronts all the possible difficulties of the case in the suppression, pure and simple, of the
Southern rebellion.
’
The New York
Times remarks that ‘"it is at last verified that the
French Emperor has seriously meditated intervention, and has actually proposed to the
English Government a joint offer of mediation to stop the
American war;"’ and the
Times then says:
‘
The fact that it is
Minister Drouyn de L'Huys, so recently taking his place in the
Emperor's Cabinet, that initiates this movement, is significant, almost sinister, as indicating the willingness of the
French Government to interpose its influence to stop the war, at a moment when all the advantages in a military aspect, are in favor of the
Union--when its armies are largest and most efficient, and prepared to give the finishing blow to the rebellion.
This disclosure is not in accordance with concurrent testimony from
France during the war and up to the present time.
We had been led very generally to believe that no Government in
Europe' was more firmly fixed in the view of the utter impolicy of meddling with the
American rebellion than that of the
French.
The divulgement at last of the consultations that have taken place between the Governments of
England,
France, and
Russia, in regard to American affairs, will be beneficial to all parties concerned; and we suppose we on this side of the water are most deeply concerned of any. It will give a definiteness to American policy that will leave the Governments of
Europe no room to doubt what will be the result when they shape and indicate their own course.
Whatever is done and said hereafter will be done and said with a distinct understanding of the very grave issues involved.
The proposition of the
French Emperor, it seems, was to unite with
England in an offer of friendly mediation in the
American quarrel.
We were to be asked, perhaps, to submit to their judgment the question whether the seceded States should be recognized as an independent Government or not. In view of the fact that English Ministers hold the opinion that the American Union is a nuisance that ought to be abated, the nature of their ballot on our destiny, if once placed in their hands, will not be doubted, while the offer of the
South to both
England and
France of perfect free trade, on the recognition of its independence, would hardly leave the latter a wholly disinterested umpire.
The reply of Earl Russell to the circular of
Drouyn de L'Huys discloses more than at first strikes one.
He declines to join the
French Government in the proposed mediation--first, because as he avers, there are as yet no signs that it would be received by the United States Government with favor; but, secondly, (and it seems to us mainly,) because that, ‘"up to the present time, the
Russian Government had not agreed to co-operate, although it may support the endeavors of
England and
France."’
We do not wish to suspect the
English Government of malevolence toward us, verging to unfriendly demonstrations, but we do not like that phrase in regard to
Russia.
If it is ‘"moral suasion"’ only that
England was contemplating, in what respect was the absence of the ‘"active cooperation"’ of
Russia a balk to mediation, provided that Power ‘"supported the (moral) endea- vor"’ of
France and
England?
Was there anything contemplated in the contingency of the utter rejection of mediation that rendered the ‘"active co-operation"’ of
Russia a desirable thing to have?
’
The
Herald thinks the intelligence important, ‘"because it now bears an official stamp,"’ and says:
‘
According to the official papers now laid before the world,
England has emphatically refused to join the alliance, and correctly doubts if
Russia will have a hand in the matter.
She prefers her neutrality, with the hope that the North and South will finally succeed in destroying themselves, when she can step in and gather up the pieces for her own aggrandizement and power.
Thus the matter stood on the 16th of November. It is clearly manifest from these developments that intervention never had any strength in
Europe, and the recent conclusions of the rebel journals in regard to
European recognition appear to have been based upon correct information.
This news, of course, banishes in the
South all hopes of foreign aid and comfort.
It will be of service to the rebels.
It will show them the folly of persisting in their rebellion.
It must convince them that, unaided they cannot withstand the overwhelming power of the loyal States.
Let this lesson from the three Great Powers, bitter as it may be to the
Southern leaders, have its influence with the people of the seceded States.
They may now abandon all hope of outside assistance.
Whatever view we may take of the conduct and policy of
Napoleon on this great question, we are indebted to him for being the means of setting at rest, officially and decidedly, the idea that had taken possession of many minds that the leading Powers of
Europe would interfere in our domestic affairs, and thus destroy us as a nation.
’
The special
Washington correspondent of the New York
Herald expresses the belief that neither
Mr. Seward, nor any one connected with the
Foreign Department, may have been taken unawares by the
French offer of mediation to
England and
Russia in our affairs.
He says:
‘
If I am well informed, the State Department has received at different times, through the agency of
Mr. Dayton, an account of the dispositions of the
French Government in reference to our affairs, which could not leave any doubt as to the ultimate design of the
Emperor.
I am much mistaken if there is not now on file in the archives a report of
Mr. Dayton, of April last, giving the details of a conversation he had with the
Emperor of
France, in which it is stated that ‘"although his Majesty expressed the most sincere desire for the restoration of the
Union, he nevertheless hinted that, if at the end of the summer campaign the
Federal had not obtained some decisive advantages, he would be put to the necessity of yielding to the repeated demands of the
Confederates, and to receive
Mr. Slidell."’ At the same time he warned
Mr. Dayton that, should he be compelled to receive him, the
North ought to see in this step a determination on the part of
France to inaugurate a new policy with the
United States.
This communication must have, of course, informed the State Department of what takes place to-day.
A great uncertainty prevails in political circles as to what will be the course of action of the
French Government after the refusal of
England.
Will the
Emperor wait for the good pleasure of the
English Cabinet, or will he act alone?
His understanding with
Russia is in a more advanced state than his understanding with
England, and is he likely to act conjointly with the Ozar?
Such are some of the questions now discussed among politicians very anxious to know, as you may well imagine, the development of the Napoleonic idea on that subject.
It is said in high places that the desire of the
Emperor is to obtain from
Mr. Lincoln an armistices of six months, and the opening of one of the
Southern harbors to allow French vessels to take a supply of cotton.
’
The "so-called" Confederate Government.
A British subject, in
Philadelphia, has written a letter to the
British Minister at
Washington, begging him to intercede with the Confederate Government to prevent the destruction of ships bearing certificates of British property by the ‘"290."’ The
Philadelphia papers publish the following reply, received from the office of the British Minister, from
Mr. Stuart, acting in the absence of Lord Lyons:
--I have received your letter of the 7th inst., in which you suggest that I should make an application to the
Government of the so-styled
Confederate States with reference to the reason of British property on board American vessels, in consequence of the recent proceedings of the war steamer
Alabama, and that I should furnish you with a letter of protest, for the purpose of protecting some merchandize which you have shipped on board the American ship
Lancaster.
While greatly regretting the risk to which British property is exposed, by being shipped in belligerent vessels, it is not in my power to accede to either of your suggestions.
You are aware that the so-called
Confederate States have not been recognized by her Majesty the
Queen, and for that reason I should not be justified in entering into communication with the
Government of those States except under special instructions from her Majesty's Government.
Neither do I feel at liberty to supply you, antecedently, with the protect which you desire, having no authority to issue such a document, and seeing no reason to believe that it would ensure more effective protection to your goods upon the high seas than the consular certificate with which you seem to have supplied yourself.
Shall the War Succeed?--a Dark Future.
‘"Shall the
War Succeed?"’ is the title of a significant article in the New York
World, of the 27th.
It asks:
‘
"Who to-day is hopeful of the success of our arms, of protracted immunity from foreign intervention, the conquest of an honorable peace and a reunited country, save only the radicals, whose machinations have thrice cheated us of victories whose lack of national spirit invites foreign insolence, and whose labor of years has been to belittle the value of the
Union which they now pretend to be alone able to save?
Who does not say in his secret mind that the future is unutterably dark, the hope of saving the nation feeble as never before?
Who does not denounce — friend or foe — the imbecility of the Administration the vacillations of its policy, the selfish intrigues of its highest members?
Who cannot trace to the beginnings of the radical policy which now is dominant around the green baize of the cabinet table the beginnings and the causes of all our past disasters and our present hopelessness?
The evils which the men who now away the mind of
President Lincoln combined with Southern extremists to bring upon the nation, the same men now labor to make irremediable.--But for them the country would never have been plunged into the present war. But for them the war might to-day be approaching its honorable and successful termination.
'Of the war, as now conducted, there is no visible end. Of the policy which now rules in the field and the council chamber, there is no issue, except bankruptcy, foreign intervention, separation, and a ruin of States and of people at which civilization itself stands appalled. "
’
The mud the Yankees are Contending with.
A correspondent writing from
Falmouth, opposite
Fredericksburg, on the 21st, says:
‘
A rain storm in
Virginia is a far different affair in its effects from one up
North, where, from the lighter character of the soil, it soon disappears from the surface.
But down here, where the earth is hard, cloyed and impervious, the water of even a few hours' storm seldom dries off in less than as many days.
Imagine the effect, then, of a storm of several days upon the road, with the difficulties of travel increased by the passage of every successive vehicle.
We are only in the beginning of our troubles now, with the roads converted into mud of putty consistency, and varying in depth from six inches to two feet. The once dry, and, in some places, almost parched surface of the earth, is converted into a grand plateau of streams and rivulets of dirty muddy water; rills have become brooks; brooks have become creeks, and creeks rivers, under the inundation from the clouds.
’
An
Aquia Creek correspondent of the
Tribune, writing on the 22d, says:
‘
Supplies of provisions and forage for the army are landed both here and at
Belle Plain — the mouth of
Potomac Creek.
The distance hence to
Falmouth is fifteen, and from
Belle Plain nine miles.--Owing to the want of a good landing at this point, most of the transports proceed to
Belle Plain, whence their cargoes are hauled overland to the army.
Only
Franklin's grand division is supplied from this locality.
If the tales of the teamsters are true, the roads must be in the worst possible condition.
That wagon trains can hardly worry over them is evident from the fact that both men and beasts in the army have been on very short allowances for the last two days. Officers have assured me that horses and mules have been without any food for forty hours. This is about the most inhospitable locality a mortal can be thrust into.
The involuntary solitary sojourners give very sorry accounts of their sufferings during the days of rain.
Another week will probably be required to bring the railroad in working order.
’
Meeting of brothers in the two armies.
A flag of truce, with 119 Federal prisoners, arrived at
Helena, Ark., on the 19th ult., and was received by the
Federal officer commanding.
A letter says:
‘
Among the officers accompanying the flag of truce was
a Capt. Rust, who, learning that there was in
Col. Vendever's command another
Captain Rust, belonging to the 4th Illinois cavalry, expressed great curiosity to see him, as he had a brother North from whom he had not heard since the war broke out, and possibly this
Capt. Rust might be the same, or be acquainted with him. But, judge of the agreeable surprise to cash to recognize the long separated brothers.
The kind hearted Col.
Vandever did all in his power to make their short meeting a happy one, so that when the time arrived for a separation it was not without much ill-suppressed regret, and many a wish that this war was over, that they bid adieu to each other — the one to fight for his country, the other to fight against him; but such have ever been the miseries of civil war.
’
Butler's Difficulty with the Prussian Government.
On the 15th of September, four citizens of New Orleans shipped on the Prussian ship
Essex $24.000 worth of their goods for
Liverpool, to avoid the confiscation act which went into effect on the 23d.
Butler refused to let the vessel sail unless the packages were taken off. The London
Times says of this transaction:
‘
The captain has made the regular protest, holding
General Butler responsible for damages, at the rate of $500 per diem, for detention, and all further proceedings must turn on the promptitude of the protection to be afforded him by his own Government.
Although a wide latitude has been given to the definition of ‘"contraband,"’ the world has never yet heard of family plated goods, shipped to a neutral and distant country, coming within its range; and if this new reading of international law is to be admitted or tolerated, there is not an article of human use which can be safe on the high seas.
When the
Federal Government captured New Orleans, they raised a cry that as they had thus restored that place to legitimate commerce, neutral nations could no longer complain of the absence of the means of trading, so far as these means could depend on the power of the
Union authorities; but a port whence bullion may not be shipped is practically sealed for all ordinary purposes.
The probability is, that as the Confiscation act, by which all the disloyal subjects of
President Lincoln are to be stripped of their property, was to come into operation at New Orleans on the 23d September
General Butler thought fit to disregard what might interfere, by seizing these articles (entered and stowed under the sanction of his own officers) in a foreign ship which was ready to sail eight days previously.
’
A Baltimorean in Fort Lafayette.
The New York
Freeman's Journal, in speaking of the confinement of political prisoners in Fort Lafayette, thus speaks of a distinguished citizen of
Baltimore:
‘
Our heart bleeds when we think of that venerable member of the
Baltimore bar,
T. Parkin Scott.
We saw this accomplished gentleman at Fort Lafayette, day after day, sitting down to the bad soldiers' ration — inferior and badly-cooked pork, served on filthy tin plates, accompanied by brown bread and a hot detection of burnt rye and molasses — without milk — called, by way of jest,
coffee.--His scant and thin straw pallet on an iron stretcher, was placed on the damp bricks of a battery, among the guns of the fort, and surrounded by men of every degree of social culture, and every kind of moral habits.
As an old friend, and as a brother Catholic, we had, and enjoyed, as full a claim to his confidence as any other of the prisoners.
But never did we hear — never did any other one hear--one word of wrath, of threat, or even of complaint, from this noble confessor.
He suffered for his
country, and, with a purity of intention that we regretted we could not emulate, he offered the sacrifice as a service to his God.
’
Expects to be Hung.
It is a pity that
Brownlow was disappointed in the following expectations, written from
Louisville on the 17th ult.:
‘
I shall start to day to
Nashville, and the last forty miles of the Journey of two hundred is by private conveyance, and rather hazardous, as
Morgan's guerrillas are continually arresting travellers in that quarter.
My judgment is against taking this risk; but I am urged to go in connection with the interests of
East Tennessee.
If I fail to write again, the readers of the
Press may know that the rebels have taken me, and may then infer that I have looked up a rope.
’
Northern advices have already informed us of the arrival of
Farson Brownlow at
Nashville, and that he had been addressing public meetings there.
Reception of Released political prisoners.
We find the following dispatches in the Chicago
Times:
‘
Burlington,
Iowa, Nov. 15.--
David Sheward, recently released from the Old Capitol prison, was welcomed here to-night by an immense concourse of his Union fellow-citizens, with torches, banners, and music.
On the arrival of the procession at the
Argus buildings,
Mr. Sheward made an eloquent speech, in reply to a welcome from
Gen. Dodge, after which he was serenaded at the
General's residence, whose guest he is.
Dubuque,
Iowa, Nov. 15.--
D. A. Mahoney, editor of the Dubuque
Herald, also just released from the Old Capitol prison, arrived this evening.
He was met at the levee by a large concourse of friends, who escorted him to his residence.
Quite a number of buildings were illuminated in honor of his return.
’
Reconnaissance to within twenty miles of Richmond.
The Washington
Star, of the 27th ult., says:
‘
The reconnoitering party sent out a few days since by
Gen. Negice from
Williamsburg towards
Richmond penetrated as far as New Kent Court-House, twenty miles from
Richmond.
They had a skirmish with a small party of the rebels, killed two and captured six, and also several muskets and small arms, abandoned by the rebels in their flight.
’
Arrested as a spy.
Lieutenant L. Wise, a nephew of
Governor Wise, was arrested by
Col. Shanks, in his camp, near
Calhoun, Ky., some days since.
He had come into camp under the pretext of wishing to sell a horse.
Letters from rebels, conclusively proving him a spy, were found upon his person.
While in prison at
Owensboro'
Colonel Shanks, by keeping an eye upon him, succeeded in securing a letter in cypher, written to him by
Governor Wise, and addressed to the care of
Selby Lee,
Wheeling.
He was sent to
Louisville in irons, and will be treated as a spy.--
Washington Star.
An entertainment was given in New York last week to
Gen. McClellan.
The New York
World says:
‘
Among those present was the
Mayor of
Halifax, who made a very cordial response to a complimentary toast to the
British colonies.
The
Mayor alluded to
Commander Maury, who was in
Halifax a few days since with his son, (after running the blockade via
Bermuda and
Nassau,) and who declared very publicly that he was visiting
England to take command of a Confederate vessel-of-war.
’
Miscellaneous.
The completion of a new fort was celebrated at
Harper's Ferry on Monday.
Miss Atwell, of
Pittsburg, broke a wine bottle over the fort and named it Fort Geary.
Capt. Fletcher, of the 14th infantry, was master of the ceremonies.
Col. Van Buren, of the 102d New York volunteers, delivered an appropriate address.
James Dixon, Republican, of
Connecticut;
Reverdy Johnson, Conservative, of
Maryland;
Wm. Sprague, Democratic Republican, of
Rhode Island, and Solomon Foot, Republican, of
Vermont, have been already elected by their respective State Legislatures to serve in the United States Senate for six years from 1863.
A large quantity of clothing was shipped last week from New York to the Department of the Gulf, for the fugitive blacks there who are in the employ of the
Government.
The clothing is gotten up very cheaply, and is issued to the blacks at cost price, the amount to be deducted from their wages.
The New York
Post says that there is a movement on foot for the dispatch of two or three shiploads of provisions to
England for the relief of the starving operatives in
Lancashire.
Eminent shipping men and merchants have taken the subject in hand, and it is proposed to send one vessel immediately.
The recruiting offices in
Philadelphia are to be closed, and the recruiting sergeants are to leave for their respective regiments at once.
It is said that the recruiting offices throughout the
State have generally met with but indifferent success for some time past.
Galignani's
Messenger, of
Paris, of the 1st of November, says the brothers Cattabene (one of whom was implicated in the Parodi robbery,) are said to be forming at
Turin a legion for
America, with the authorization of the
Italian Government.
Mrs. Edwin James has filed a suit for divorce against her husband, on the allegation of adultery.
Mr.James and
Mrs. James have been living separate for some months past.
The tragedian,
Mr. Edwin Booth, commenced an engagement at the
Boston Theatre on Monday night. He appeared as Hamlet, to an overflowing house.
Four thousand men are still lacking from the quota of
Michigan, and
Governor Blair has issued imperative orders for a draft, to commence on December 30th.
The military Court of Inquiry into
General Buell's campaign convenes at
Indianapolis during the present week.
General Buell has prepared a full defence.
The recent heavy rains have so raised the water in the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal that several boats loaded with coal have reached
Georgetown, and a number of others are on their way down.
General Magruder's command is
Texas, in which he supersedes
Brigadier General Harbert, of
Louisiana.
The Houston
Telegraph speaks of it as a popular appointment.
The charter election at
Norwalk, Conn., on Monday, resulted in the choice of the entire Democratic ticket, by a large majority.
There is a rumor current in New York that
Gen. McClellan is about to become a permanent resident of that city.
Gen. McClellan visited
Gen.
Scott, in New York, one evening last week.
