Late Northern news.
The following summary is made up from late New York papers received at this office:Statement of a released Federal prisoner from Richmond — his stories about the Union sentiment among our citizens.
From the following statement of a Yankee prisoner, who has been recently liberated and sent home from this city, our readers cannot fail to be amused. It is a little singular that one of these Lincoln minions should find out during his confinement so much more about the sentiment of our citizens than any of our own residents who are at liberty to mingle freely among the community. It is idle to place any reliance in their stories, however, and we only publish it to show how easily the Yankees are humbugged: Washington,Feb. 21.--The following communication was received to-day by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. It contains intelligence of the highest importance: Baltimore,Feb. 21.--Capt. G. V. Fox, Assistant Secretary of the Navy: One of the released prisoners, who has been confined at Richmond seven months, gives unmistakable evidence of the fact of a strong Union organization at Richmond. The Union men claim to be 3,000 strong, and say that they are eagerly waiting and longing for an opportunity to fling out the Stars and Stripes. Out of seventeen fortifications erected around Richmond, only one is armed, and the city could be taken easily. Desperate efforts were making to get recruits for the army. The rebels admitted that, unless they could secure the services of every male Virginian between eighteen and sixty years of age, they must yield Virginia in thirty days. The Union men have leagues regularly organized, with signs and passwords. Many acts of kindness were shown at every possible opportunity to the prisoners. Our informant had a handsome gold guard chain presented to him by some ladies. The gift was accompanied with an anonymous note, in which was expressed the hope ‘"that the links in the chain of the Union would soon be more firmly united than ever."’ Union men also informed the released prisoner that the army at Manassas was falling back; that from three to four regiments were daily arriving at Richmond, and that the Tennessean were going to Tennessee, and the Carolinians and others to their respective States. He also understood that only some thirty regiments would remain at Manassas. The news of the surrender of Fort Donelson had a most disheartening effect at Richmond, but cheered the hopes of the Unionists, who say they want it to be known by the Federal Government that they are ready to welcome the old flag and fight for it.From Washington — the Confederates falling back — expedition near Vienna, &C.
From the New York Herald's special Washington dispatches, of the 20th instant, we make the following extracts: Information has been received that the rebels have in part fallen back from Centreville. This has been obtained from scouting parties from several of the military divisions who reported this morning, and who all agree in the statement. It is supposed the rebels are influenced by a military necessity, being apprehensive of the cutting off of their supplies. A detachment of the 14th regiment New York volunteers went out yesterday, Lieut. Col. Skillen in command, beyond Falls Church, in the direction of Vienna, to protect a gang of laborers engaged in moving railroad ties to be used in building the railroad now being constructed between this city and Alexandria. The rebels offered no opposition to the removal of these ties, as it was supposed they would. Several vessels availed themselves of the dense darkness last night to run the Potomac blockade. On Tuesday eighteen, bound upward, ran safely past the rebel batteries. Most of them, loaded with Government stores, are now lying at Alexandria. Information received here shows that the iron-clad gunboats on the Ericsson plan are thus far satisfactory to the official inspector. A trial trip to Fortress Monroe is contemplated. Colonel C. C. Washburne, of the 2d Wisconsin cavalry, has received leave of absence from his regiment, now in camp at Milwaukee, to join the staff of Major-Gen. Grant. Lieutenant Kingsbury, of Griffin's battery, was to-day transferred to the command of the 5th Massachusetts artillery. Lieutenant Kingsbury is a graduate of West Point. He was formerly on Gen. McDowell's staff, and was in the Bull Run battle. A few days of such warm sunshine and strong southerly wind as prevails to-day will dry up the roads across the river. Our Potomac army hail with delight these meteorological changes, giving promise of an advance movement, to which they have long been looking forward with earnest hope and expectancy. Lying passive so long in winter quarters, and having now no hand in accomplishing the splendid victories daily crowning the Union forces along the Southern frontiers and in the South and West, is deeply galling to them. A belief that to them will be entrusted the honor of giving the final deathblow to the rebellion, and the chance to win victories and glory before the war ends, alone inspire patience and undiminished confidence in General McClellan, who they know, when the right time comes, will give the order of ‘"Forward, march!"’ and the coveted opportunity to signalize their patriotism on the battle-field.Release of State prisoners.
Washington, Feb. 21.
--The following prisoners of State will be released on the 22d instant, by order of the War Department, on their parole of honor to render no aid or comfort to the enemy in hostility to the Government of the United States, in accordance, with the terms of the Executive Order, No. 1, of the War Department, dated February 14, 1862, in reference to political prisoners:
From Fort Lafayette.--W. T. Carter, Guy S. Hopkins, Daniel L. Waddle, Geo. W. Jones, N. S. Reneau, J. M. Ogden, Theodore O. Leavy, Robert Huckier, C. H. Marriott, Thos. Quigley, John Haigins, G. R. Burnett, Wm. Smith, Robert M. Raison, Edward C. Cottrell, E. H. McCubbin, J. Q. Coleman, J. R. Runnell, P. O'Brien, Wm. Perry, A. Thompson, Rutson Maury, E. M. Jones, George Julius, J. Garwell Guthrie, Christopher Lederidge, J. M. Perkins, Thomas Matthews, David Chall, Richard Lewis, Isaiah Hutton, Patrick Brady, Thomas Broot bank, R. C. Holland, J. P. Swain, Wm. Grosse, J. H. Weaver, N. Strong, J. Smith.
From Fort Warren.--J. R. Barbour, B. Barton, R. I. Truman, J. A. Douglas, P. F. Newton, G. Shackleford, F. D. Flanders, James Brown, Edward Bawm, Ed. O'Neil, Wm. St. George, Charles Kane, Wm. H. Gulchill, J. Hanson, Thomas T. F. Rainn, J. R. Flanders, W. W. Raw, A. De Costa, Wm. H. Hindor, R. S. Guinn, S. F. Newton, E. Gibon, Parker H. French, E. C. Myatt, Geo. Van Amminger, J. English, Wm. G. Harrison, Robert M. Dennison, W. T. McCune, H. M. Warfield.
From Fortress Monroe.
Fortress Monroe, Feb. 20.
--Gen. Burnside is negotiating with the rebel authorities at Norfolk for their release.
No further advance had been made by Gen. Burnside, nor was any immediately expected.
The gunboats had returned from Elizabeth City.
All the fleet were at anchor off Roanoke Island.
An immense amount of trophies has been captured, including the splendid State flag of North Carolina, worked by the ladies of that
State; also quaint and antiquated arms, old swords and sabres, and flintlock muskets, shotguns and pistols, rusty with age.
Fortress Monroe, Feb. 19.--Three thousand five hundred stand of arms were captured at Roanoke Island by Gen. Burnside, and seventy-five tons of ammunition.
The steamer Alice Price arrived at Hatteras in good condition, and, with the steamer Louisiana, had gone to Roanoke.
Gen. Burnside's troops have nearly all been re-embarked.
The revised list of killed and wounded at Roanoke Island and at Elizabeth stands as follows: --Killed, 50; wounded, 222.
This includes the losses in both army and navy.
The wounded are doing very well.
The rebel prisoners are awaiting arrangements for being paroled.
Their officers had been sent on board the Spalding.
The prisoners number two thousand five hundred and twenty-seven.
The French Admiral and his staff came from Norfolk yesterday.
Another letter from Colonel Corcoran.
Captain John Breslin, of the 69th regiment New York State Militia, has received the following letter from Col. Corcoran: Columbia, S. C., Feb. 3, 1862.
My Dear Friend:
Although I have not written to you since my captivity, my apparent neglect has not been occasioned by a want of the very warmest affection, which has and will remain unaltered under all circumstances.
If the relative positions of you and I could or might be reversed, I should consider myself very ungrateful if I would not endeavor to have a few lines reach you to cheer you in your confinement.
But I did not intend any of my Iimited space to be used in recrimination.
I had the pleasure of hearing from my dear friend Capt. Kirker, in almost every letter, that you and family were well.
I often think of little Katy and Mary, and the many happy evenings I spent listening to and witnessing their sportive talk and plays.
I wish you to say to them that I have rings and crosses for them, which I shall send by the first opportunity.
I have been most infinitely rejoiced at Lieutenant Connolly's release.
His bravery, his conduct and the care and attention he bestowed on me ever since he stood by my side on the 21st of July last, has given him an everlasting place in my love and esteem.
I feel the loss of his society, for he possessed the most cheering influence over my spirits.
He will call upon you and give you many little particulars.
I have not heard from him since he left nor from New York later than 31st December last.
I hope you see Mrs. Corcoran occasionally.
I wrote to her on the 7th ult., also to Captain Kirker on the same day and on the 20th.
Please present my love to Mrs. Breslin, Mr.Masterson and Mrs. Masterson, your brothers, and Mr. Smith.
I wrote to Father Mooney, but have not received a reply.
Please remember me to him in the kindest manner; also to Lieutenants Hare, Dalton, Butler, and Capt. P. Kelly, and believe me your most obedient friend,
My Dear Friend:
Dion Bourcicault and the Abolition press of America.
The following letter from Dion Bourcicault, addressed to the editor of the New York Herald, will be found interesting: I have been informed that a paragraph has appeared in the New York Times and the Evening Post to the effect that I had ‘"displayed the Stars and Stripes over the stage of the Adelphi, in London; but on the arrival of the news of the Trent affair I had displaced the flag of the Union, and raised the Confederate colors in its stead."’ This statement is untrue from beginning to end — a pure invention — and, I regret to add, not the only falsehood which has been published concerning me in the American newspapers. Hundreds of similar paragraphs were showered upon my successful path while I resided in the United States. I took no notice of them, nor would I trouble you to correct this instance had not the falsehood been brought forward in the United States Court with a view of prejudicing a jury. In descanting on the above paragraph, the same journals add that during my residence in America I realized a large fortune, which I owed to the generosity of the public. I beg to say that I never owed anything of the kind. I owed it to my own hard labor, my own ability and good conduct. If the New York public came in large numbers to my entertainments, they did so because I gave a better entertainment than they could find anywhere else, and I should pay them a very bad compliment if I thought otherwise. Permit me to remark that the press exercises a very degrading influence upon the stage when it encourages actors to believe that success in their profession is owing not wholly to their exertions, but to the generosity of the public. No professional man works harder than the actor, nor earns his money more honestly. Why, then, should he alone be called upon to receive his honest wages as if he had not earned them, but as if he was in a measure favored by being paid by those who had bought the fruits of his labor? Is it to make him cringe before the theatrical critic, who professes to be the doorkeeper of public favor? With great respect for the press allow me to reply — nonsense! With all your power you cannot make a bad actor a good one; nor persuade an audience, who have been bored with a dull performance, that they have been greatly amused. You may deceive some few outside, but you can impress very little on the public at large, whom I find quite capable of knowing good from bad without any assistance. These sentiments, I have always expressed very candidly, and they have aided in earning for me the enmity of many scribblers on the American press, who did not relish my independence of them. I shall continue to read their paragraphs with much amusement, nor even ask you to keep their inventions within bounds until, as in the present case, they exceed the very wide license claimed by these journals for freedom of misrepresentation. Yours, very obediently,
Dion Bourcicault.
Dion Bourcicault.
Saltpeter Shipmentts from Calcutta.
Boston, Feb. 21.
--A Calcutta letter of the 4th ultimo says that the ship Daring, for Boston, and the bark Patmos, for New York, with cargoes of saltpetre, were ordered to discharge it.
The letter adds:--The ships Sarah Newman and Art Union, for Boston, and the bark Lillie, for New York, now going down the river with saltpetre on board, will also be ordered back for the same purpose.
Conviction of a Murderer.
Boston, Feb. 21.
--The trial of Alvin Finch at East Cambridge, for murdering Mrs. Cohoon and daughter, resulted in a verdict of guilty.
A new trial is proposed on the ground that Finch did not commit the murder from delirium tremens, but under defined insanity.
Illness of Secretary Stanton.
Washington, Feb. 21.
--Secretary Stanton had another attack of vertigo last night, superinduced by his unremitting attention to the business of the War Department.
He was unable to receive visitors on business to-day. 