From our Northern files, of the 1st inst., we give some additional intelligence:
What the Confederates will do in the West.
The Philadelphia
Inquirer, of the 1st, has the following editorial under the caption given above:
‘
When men are in desperate straits and before they are about to abandon their cause as hopeless, they make desperate resolves; the "one more effort," is apt to be attained with unwonted energy, and is proportionally the more dangerous.
Just such, as we have often shown, is the rebel condition at present, and just such is the manifest tendency of their plans.
Threatened invasions of
Eastern Kentucky and
Southern Tennessee, by a movement of
Longstreet westward, and by a northern movement from
Alabama, seem to indicate a purpose to make one more herculean effort to transfer the war from their own blasted and desolated fields into regions of plenty.
We should not, therefore, rest content with what has been done, or lull ourselves into security that the end is so near.
They will not give up without another and a harder struggle.
There are plans to be thwarted, new combinations to be met, hard battles to be fought before we reach the end. They have at least two hundred thousand men in the field, and the forced conscription of every arm-bearing man, which they are now ruthlessly carrying out, will swell those ranks before the winter is over into a formidable mass.
If we have four hundred thousand let us remember that we stand towards them in the attitude of besiegers, occupying an exterior line still, and that we should have, all other things being equal, a much larger force than theirs.
To this end the cry of every General in high command is, men!
Let our present force he doubted, and let us work in these precious months of winter to prepare an overwhelming advance in the spring, or earlier if need be.
’
Every effort the rebels have made to invade the loyal
North has been a failure, but we think it not unlikely that they will try again in the spring, and in the directions we have indicated.
Of this we believe our most distinguished officers feel tolerably sure.
How is such a plan to be met?
By extreme vigilance at every point for the present; great mobility in the troops, rapidly reinforcing any threatened point; but, above all, by counter plans; by new incursions upon them as soon as may be.--We are forced to be content at present with that apparent inactivity which merely masks vigorous but silent preparations; but we are sure that the
spring and
summer of 1864 will constitute an eventful period, the issue of which will depend on ourselves.
To those who listen to syren voices which undervalue the foe it may be disastrous.
To those who think nothing has been done, while everything remains to be done, and who grow more energetic, more vigorous, more determined, as we near the end, we predict a speedy and complete success.
We have received the intelligence that
Johnston's army has fallen back from
Dalton beyond
Kingston, and probably to
Atlanta.
At a glance this seems to accord with our general view.
They have sent additional forces to
Longstreet, feeling sure that just now
Grant's principal attention is directed in that quarter, and that he will hardly advance southward on their line of retreat.
We are informed that
Morgan, who it was rumored threatened to cut the communications between
Chattanooga and
Knoxville, is really going to make a raid in
Eastern Kentucky with seven regiments of cavalry.
Knoxville, and raids from it in every direction, form the present field of chief interest.
There the eagles are gathering.
Affairs in New York.
A letter from New York, dated the 30th ult., gives the following intelligence afloat in that city:
‘
The
Paris correspondent of the
Daily News, you will see, has started a story that the
Emperor of the
French is about to renew his offer of mediation in our civil war, and that he has been moved to that proceeding by the influence of a Committee of French manufacturers, representing houses in
Lyons, St. Etienne, Mulhouse, Rouhais, and
Strasburg.
This is probably a romance manufactured in the secession mint in
Paris for American circulation.
The correspondent of the
News is understood to be on intimate relations there with persons who could not set their feet in New York ten minutes without being subject to arrest for treason, and you may judge, therefore, of the motives suggesting the circulation of the story.
’
The lovers of scandal had some material to work upon in the suit of
Caroline L. Nixon against
James Nixon, in the Supreme Court
Chambers for divorce.
Judge Barnard, a few days since, granted a decree to that effect, it having been shown that the husband had been carrying on a criminal correspondence with
Isabella Cubas Blaseo.
Since the divorce of
Mr.Nixon and
Mrs. Nixon it seems that the lady last mentioned has also commenced a suit against her liege lord.
The iron clad fleet in course of construction in this vicinity will be ready for service, it is expected, before the 1st of May.
Puritan will be ready in six or seven weeks from now. The
Moduc, a light draught monitor, will be launched about the middle of April.
The
Naubue, also, will be launched at about the same time.
At
Secor's yard, in
Jersey City, the
Manhattan and
Tecumseh are being finished with all possible dispatch.
The former will be ready in about a month.
The
Browne Street Court-Martial to-day developed further evidence of the frauds practiced by certain recruiting agents, in order to obtain bounty money.
Of the fact that a number of French sailors were "kidnapped" from the French man-of-war in this harbor, a while ago, there would now seem to be no reasonable doubt.
Among the witnesses on the stand was
Capt. Marivault, of the gunboat
Zisiphone, who gave testimony by means of an interpreter.
The city and county tax for the current year, it is officially announced, will be $13,000,000. Taxpayers, it is pleasant to know, will be called upon to contribute 2 per cent on the valuation of their property, for the support of the local government; in other words, about thirteen dollars a head for every man, woman and child on
Manhattan Island.
Ada Clark, sometimes called the "
Queen of Bohemia, sails for
California in the steamer of Wednesday next." She goes thither for the benefit of her health.
Death of a Yankee Brigadier.
The Philadelphia
Inquirer, of the 1st, says:
‘
Brigadier General Stephen G. Champlin, died at his residence in the town of
Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Tuesday last.
He was born and educated in the
State of New York, but commenced the practice of law about ten years ago, in
Grand Rapids.
He was appointed
Major of the Third Michigan Volunteer Infantry on the 13th of June, 1861, and served at the
first battle of Bull Run with credit.
He was soon after promoted to the Colonelcy of his regiment, over the
Lieut.-Colonel, and was commissioned General of Brigade on the 29th of November, 1862, for gallant services on the
Peninsula, where he received a wound which ultimately caused his death.
At the time of his decease he was post commander of the military district of
Cleveland, Ohio.
’
A letter from
Baltimore, dated January 30th, has the following intelligence of interest from that city:
‘
Some suppose
Mr. Joyce and young
Frank Nicholson, who returned and were re-arrested in New York, after being sent South, will eventually be allowed to remain here altogether on their parole.
Their alleged offence, being editors of the
Republican, was in publishing the "Southern Cross" song.
They are, however, strong Secessionists.
’
Numerous witnesses are coming forward to testify in the case of
Col. Fish.
Maj. Halpner seems to give full satisfaction in his administration of the provost marshalship.
An unusual number of Southern refugees are daily arriving here, taking the oath.
They tell doleful tales of suffering.
Matters have been quiet here to-day and void of much news.
An unusual number of vessels are arriving since the bay and harbor opened, making business brisker and furnishing abundant supplies of oysters, wood, and other indispensable products.
The small pox still prevails, but it is considerably abated and confined generally to unvaccinated children and those of careless habits.
A large proportion of our citizens have taken the precaution to be re-vaccinated.
All the clerks in the First National Bank of
Baltimore have been appointed, and the bank is vigorously preparing to commence active business.
Its prospects are highly flattering, and movements are on foot to organize a second and probably a third National Bank here.
It is believed the Legislature will pass a law authorizing all the local banks to adopt the national system without materially interfering with their existing organizations and privileges.
Beast Butler and the Southern authorities — Serious charge against Lincoln, etc.
A special correspondent of the Chicago
Times writes from
Washington as follows:
‘
The Government has received official information from
Richmond to the effect that the
Southern authorities will not recognize the beastly
Butler as an officer, and that they will hold no communication with him on the subject of the exchange of prisoners, or on any other subject.
You will remember that I stated in a recent letter that such would be the action of the Confederate Government.
Butler's conduct at New Orleans was so beastly that the Confederate Government were compelled to pronounce a decree of outlawry against him. If, by any chance, he were to fall into the hands of the
Southern soldiers, he would be hung on the nearest tree.
This is the reason why he is not regarded like other officers in our army by the
Confederate authorities.
And this is the reason that
Butler can be of no use as an agent for the exchange of prisoners.
If the subject of the exchange of prisoners has been entrusted to him the
Union soldiers in the
Southern prisons will be a great deal worse off than before.
And if "the
Government" is really desirous to effect the exchange of such prisoners (which I doubt) they will have to take the matter out of
Butler's hands, and commit it to some officer whom the
Confederates will recognize as a gentleman.
Above all things, before a regular exchange of prisoners is again commenced, the Administration will have to retract
their absurd dogma about negro troops.
When that obstacle and
Butler are both out of the way the exchange of prisoners will proceed regularly.
’
It is time that the eyes of the people were fully opened to the vast extent, and to the full depth, of the atrocious designs of the Administration, in reference both to the next Presidential election and to the manner in which they have determined to dispose of the lands embraced within the territorial limits of the
Southern States.
On both of these subjects new facts are coming to light every few days.
There was a great deal of meaning in the speech of
Mr. Seward, made some time ago, in which he spoke of
Mr. Lincoln's having been elected
President of
all the States for four years, and having been robbed of his right to act as
President in fifteen of them.
It will be remembered that
Mr. Seward declared in that speech that the people
owed it to
Mr. Lincoln to re-elect him, so that he could have his rights!
One of the
Republican Representatives from
Illinois advanced the same views in a public address delivered here a few evenings ago. But he put it upon the ground that "
Lincoln ought to be allowed to complete the great work of emancipation which he has so well commenced." Let the readers of the
Times observe well the language of
Greeley mentioned at the close of my last letter.
All these men are intimates of the
President.
They have had his car daily.
They are imbued with his views.
There is a perfect accord between what they say and what the
President intends to do. And in all they say there is nothing about the constitutional obligations of the
Federal Government towards the States; nothing about preserving the
Union; nothing about winning back the love of the people of the
Southern States by securing to them their rights by constitutional guarantees; nothing about restoring to the people of the
North their lost liberties; nothing even about "our dissatisfied fellow-citizens of the
South," as
Mr. Lincoln at first called them.
About all these things
Mr. Lincoln and his advisers care nothing.
What they care about is to enrich themselves by prolonging the war and retaining themselves in power.
What they talk about is the nigger.
Their war for the negro will only result, so far as the latter is concerned, in the misery and starvation of thousands of that unfortunate race.
It would result in the extermination of the whole race, but for the fact that it will never reach one fifth part of them.
All their loud professions of philanthropy for the negro are only used to cover up their own selfish purposes.
Wendell Phillips wants the estates of all the
Southern people to be confiscated and divided among the negroes of the
South.
Mistaken zealot though he be, he, at least, is sincere.
But it is not so with the Sumners, the Greeleys, the Beechers, and the Lovejoys, who direct and control the actions of the
President.
These men clamor for the same thing.
But they know that, even if the
Southern people are subjugated and exterminated, and their lands parceled out to the blacks, the latter could not retain them long; and they trust that ultimately by some legislative Republican jugglery, those lands will revert to them.
That is the secret motive with all the men who are clamoring for this wholesale robbery of our fellow-citizens at the
South, and for the division of their estates among the negroes.