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Affairs in the United States.

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.


From Baltimore.

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.

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