Latest from the North.
Northern dates, of the 31st ult, contain some interesting news.
The capture of the
California steamer
Ariel, by the
Alabama, is the most important, though it would have been more to. If she had treasure aboard.
This she had left behind, through fear of the very thing that happened.
The news of her capture credited a great sensation in New York and
Washington.
Her commander.
Capt. Jones, went to
Washington to make a report of the affair.
The following are the particulars:
‘
On the 7th of December she captured the
California steamer
Ariel, with her crew and one hundred and forty marines.
Her officers, after giving up their side arms, were paroled.
Lieut. Low, of the
Alabama, boarded the
Ariel, took possession of all arms and equipments, $3,000 in Treasury notes, and $1,500 in silver.
The
Ariel brought no gold, for fear of having it captured.
Having destroyed all the sails of the
Yankee steamer, and removed one of her steam valves, she was bonded for $125,000, and the cargo and freight for $135,000 more, making a total of $260,000, the whole to be paid to the
Confederate authorities within thirty days after the establishment of the independence of the
Confederate States.
’
The underwriters in New York after the perception of this news doubled the risk on
American vessels, raising it from 2½ to 5 per cent. The armed steamer
Connecticut was to be sent to
Aspinwall for the treasure there.
News of War Movements.
There was a fight at
Dumfries on Saturday last, between
Gen. Stuart and three regiments and a section of artillery on the part of the enemy.
At this point the
Herald says
Stuart was worsted, though it also says he captured one gun, but was compelled to leave it.
Stuart also had a brush with
Col. Candy, at
Occoquan, in which the
Yankees sustained considerable loss.
Stuart next made his way to
Annandale, by way of
Bull Run and
Wolf Run; thence to
Vienna, which place he passed through at midnight. The
Herald says all he got was some sutlers' wagons and some ambulances.
The
Herald reports that Fort Hudson has been captured.
The retreat of
Gen. Hatch across the
Tallahatchie is confirmed.
Gen. Morgan made a successful raid to
Elizabethtown, Ky., on the 27th, and drove the troops from their stockade defences, capturing six hundred prisoners, and so destroyed the Nashville and Louisville Railroad, the
Herald says, as to suspend communication by this line for at least thirty days.
Banks's expedition had arrived safely at New Orleans, and the
General has assumed command of the department of the Gulf.
The
State of Texas has been added under the new
regime. Banks issued an order on the 16th announcing that he had assumed command.--On the same day he dispatched a fleet and a strong force to
Baton Rouge.
The place was garrisoned only by a few Confederates, who retired upon the advance of the gunboats.
The
Herald states that the C. S. steamer
Florida, with a crew of one hundred men, had succeeded in running out from
Mobile in the darkness of night, unseen by the blockaders.
The
Herald says ‘"four of these piratical crafts are now scouring the seas."’
The
Washington Chronicle, of the 31st ult., says
Stuart and his cavalry crossed the
Potomac on Monday night, and Tuesday morning were twelve miles this side of
Point of Rocks.
The
Chronicle supposes that he will burn the
Monocracy bridge, dash into
Frederick, destroy the stores there and move to the western part of the
State, destroy the stores there, and then recross into
Virginia.
It says the
Potomac is rising, and hopes the whole party will be captured.
The Governor of
Missouri has sent in his message.
He says that his State has furnished 38,000 men to the
Federal cause.
He also recommends gradual emancipation.
Gens. Blunt and
Herron have taken
Van Buren, Arkansas, capturing 100 prisoners, three steamboats, and camp equipage; killed six Confederates and wounded a few.
Proceedings of the Northern Congress.
After an adjournment of a week, the
Yankee Congress met again yesterday.
The proceedings of the last day before the adjournment are interesting.
We give some extracts:
The
Vice President laid before the Senate a message from the
President transmitting the report of Hen.
Reverdy Johnson,
United States Commissioner at New Orleans, with regard to the return of $800,000 to the agent of Hope & Co., by
Mr. Forstall.
He says the circumstances attending the payment, and the object of
Mr. Forstall in depositing the coin with the
Consul of the Netherlands, are stated in their depositions, and so clearly, and with such evident frankness, that it is impossible to doubt their truth.
He states that the deposit in question was made to preserve the faith of the bank with the
State of Louisiana, whose bonds were the basis of the capital of the bank; and gives a history of the alleged harsh and illegal measures of the pretended Government to compel the suspension of specie payments by the New Orleans banks and to legalize Confederate currency, involving, on their part, only "submission to tyrannic power threatening its more tyrannical exercise," after resisting "as long as they dared," at the risk of every dollar of their coin.
At the coming of the
Federal troops, fearing the anarchy of the populace, and the possible license of the troops, the money was placed in the hands of the agent of Hope & Co.
Mr. Lane, of
Kansas, gave notice of his intention to introduce a bill to raise two hundred regiments of infantry, composed of persons of
African descent, to aid in suppressing the rebellion.
On motion of
Mr. Hale, the
Select Committee of the Senate, appointed on the 22d inst., to inquire into the matter of chartering transport vessels for the Banks expedition, were also instructed to inquire into the matter of chartering transport vessels for the Banks expedition, were also instructed to inquire into the manner of the employment of transports generally by the Quartermasters of the army, or by the agents of the War Department, the rate at which they were engaged, by whom, for what purpose, and for how long a time.
The resolution of
Mr. Saulsbury, calling on the
Secretary of War for information relative to sending troops into
Delaware at the time of the late election, came up.
Mr. Grimes said that if troops were sent into
Delaware he presumed it was for the purpose of preserving the peace, but the
Senators from
Delaware had asserted that they committed violence; that part he was content to inquire into.
Mr. Bayard repelled the idea that the troops were properly there at all, unless called to its aid by the
State, influencing, or affecting as their presence did, the elective franchise.
The discussion was continued until the close of the morning hour, when the bankrupt bill came up as the special order.
House of Representatives.--
Mr. Pendleton rose to a question of privilege.
From the reading of the journal he found that the protest and a portion of the resolutions offered by him yesterday was not entered upon the journal.
He claimed that the protest, being a part of the resolutions, should have been entered and the journal corrected, for the reason that an important and essential part of the resolutions did not appear, and, second, because by the action of the
House the
House had determined to entertain the question hereafter, and it ought to be put on the journal.
The Speaker overruled the question.
Mr. Pendleton appealed from the decision of the Chair.
The decision was sustained by a vote of 74 to 20.
Mr. Wilson sent to the
Clerk to be read a letter, purporting to have been written by
J. C. G. Kennedy,
Superintendent of the Census Bureau, addressed to
Jacob Thompson, late
Secretary of the Interior Department, which was read with the accompanying resolution.
And whereas, The said
Kennedy has written other letters and hold communications exhibiting a want of sympathy with the
Government in the present struggle.
Resolved, That the
Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire whether the said
Kennedy is the author of the said letter, and whether the other statements are true, as reported to the
House, and of all the facts communicated in the several letters and statements, and whether he is still retained in office, with power to send for persons and papers, and to examine witnesses.
Adopted.
Mr. Morehead offered a resolution that the use of the
Hall be tendered to
James E. Murdoch for the purpose of giving a reading, the proceeds of which shall be applied to the relief of sick and wounded soldiers of the
United States.
Mr. Wickliffe objected, and desired to make an explanation.
The
House refusing consent,
Mr. W. persisted in his objection.
The bill to improve the organization of the cavalry forces was taken up and passed.
Mr. Wickliffe withdrew his objection to
Mr. Morehead's resolution, understanding that
Mr. Murdoch was a gentleman in every sense.
He had feared the applicant was some such man as
French, who had desecrated this
Hall on the Sabbath day.
The resolution was then passed.
The
House then went into Committee of the Whole, and
Mr. Allen, of
Illinois, addressed the committee in explanation of resolutions offered by him some days ago instructing the Judiciary Committee to inquire by what authority the agents of the
Federal Government had introduced negroes into that State in defiance of the
Constitution of the
State, and what remedy should be provided.
Mr. A. denounced this action as a great outrage.
His resolution was not intended for buncombe, but for serious consideration.
His colleague, (
Mr. Lovejoy,) true to his negro friends and false to the
Constitution of the white people of his State, had objected to its introduction.
Mr. A. read the acts of
Illinois prohibiting the ingress of negroes, and, defining the rights of the
State, contended that
Mr. Secretary Stanton and his agents, who had taken negroes from Southern owners and flooded
Illinois with lazy blacks, had committed gross and flagrant violations of law, which were emphatically condemned by his people.
His constituents demanded that these negroes should be deported.
He condemned severely the conduct of the Administration in neglecting the claims of white men and taking especial care of the blacks, overriding in behalf of the latter the rights of the States.
Mr. Vallandigham explained the resolution offered by him yesterday, and said that it was an exact transcript offered in the British Parliament in 1797 by the
Marquis of
Granville.
The committee rose and the
House adjourned.
The piety of the Confederates.
A Baltimore correspondent, writing to the
London Index, says:
‘
But before I close I must tell you of the beautiful humility and heroic piety which seemed to pervade the hearts of all the
Confederates I saw. I have never seen a strong religious sentiment so generally prevalent as I find it among them.
Of twenty men with whom I conversed one afternoon, seventeen were professors of religion, and the eighteenth said he was a man of prayer, and looked to God as his protector.
A plain, unlettered
Georgia boy said: ‘"In all my intercourse with these
Yankees, I have never heard them allude once to what God can do. They talk about what twenty millions of men can do, and what hundreds of millions of money can do, and what their powerful navy can do; but they leave God out of the calculation altogether; but, sir, the
Lord is our trust, and He will be our defence."’
The Rev.--was with me during a part of my tour.
He was asked on one occasion to lead in prayer, in a barn filled with wounded, near
Sharpsburg.
After a season of most solemn and affecting devotion, a young man called the reverend gentleman to his side, and said: ‘"I am dying, sir; but I am not afraid to die, for I hope to go to heaven.
Nor am I sorry that I have been slain in battle, for I would willingly sacrifice a dozen lives if I had them for such a cause as we are fighting for."’
’
Time and again I heard the 124th Psalm quoted: "If it had not been the
Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us; then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us. Blessed be the
Lord, who bath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
Our help is in the name of the
Lord, who made heaven and earth."
They are not given to vaunting themselves; there is nothing as all of the spirit of bravado about them; and so far from manifesting a ferocious disposition, they very frankly confess they are tired of the war; but at the same time they are animated by a determined resolution that, God helping them, they will never be subjugated.
When one of them was asked if he did not fear that the prodigious armies now organizing against them would utterly overwhelm them, he replied that, "with God above, and
General Lee at their head, they feared nothing that man could do." History, sir, furnishes no legends more touching and glorious than are exhibited in the sacrifices and endurance of the
Southern people.
Such a people merit the admiration of the world, and deserve to achieve their independence.
Pardon me for saying so much, but incident after incident arose in my mind, and so clamored for relation that I could not sooner stop.
The neutrality of the English people as explained by a Yankee correspondent.
The
London correspondent of the New York
Times, under date of November 21st, writes:
‘
The report that
Mr Secretary Seward has written to
Mr. Adams, blaming the
British Government for its complicity in the fitting out of the
Alabama, caused a small flutter and considerable indignation on the
Stock Exchange.
The
English have wished to be perfectly neutral as between the two belligerents.
They recognized the
Confederates as belligerents in the beginning in their own interests, expressly that they might sell arms, ammunition and ships to both parties, and their only regret is that the blockade has prevented them from carrying out their intentions of neutrality with perfect impartiality.
There is a keen regret felt in every
Englishman's pocket that they have been compelled to be unfair to the
South, and that they have sold ten times as much contraband of war to the
North as they could to the
Confederates.
Their consciences have pricked them to that degree, for this compulsory partiality, that they are now fitting out a fleet of the fastest steamers that ever crossed the ocean, expressly to run the blockade with munitions of war. These are small, sharp steamers, of light draft, made of steel plates, all paddle-wheel and funnel, that will run off twenty knots an hour, and that no blockading vessel can think of taking.
The success and impunity of the
Alabama will also lead to the fitting out and arming of a dozen more, if the war continues; and the answer to any complaint will be, "Didn't you help
Russia in the Crimean war?
Did not
President Pierce assert the right of
Americans to build ships and sell ammunition to both parties?
How, then, can you complain of us for doing what you did, and justified?"
"Besides, you have bought artillery, powder, everything you wanted, in
England, without hindrance.
Why should not the
Confederates do the same?
You call
Capt. Semmes a pirate; but he is no more a pirate than
Stonewall Jackson is a brigand; and you treat him according to the rules of war. A Confederate naval officer is entitled to the same consideration as one in the land service.
You take Confederate and neutral contraband cargoes wherever you can. Why may not the
Confederates do the same?"
’
This is the answer that will be given to
Mr. Adams.
If
Capt. Semmes has had the misfortune to capture a British ship in mistake his Government will pay for it.
The distress in
Lancashire deepens.
The bounty of a nation will be exhausted in palliating the suffering.
Surat cotton comes, but it cannot be worked to profit.
The
English are beginning to see that
Lancashire is ruined and the cotton trade itself, unless they can get cotton from
America.
Hence the protest against the war — hence the protest against the Abolition policy of the
Government.
England is less abolition than she was a year ago. Never was any measure more universally denounced than that of the proclamation.
The freedom of the slaves in
America is the ruin of the manufacturing interest in
England.
Lancashire has built up and extended slavery.
Out
off from that it is ruined.
Sentiment is a very fine thing; but
Englishmen know the beauties of bread, of beef, and beans.
They blubbered freely over Uncle Tom's Cabin, but never bought one bale of cotton she loss, and are ready to take all they can get.
Manchester is the centre, heart, and soul of
American slavery.
Manchester has grown rich on its profits, and participates in, its reverses.
Can you expect sympathy from
Manchester in an effort to destroy it?
If so, you reckon without your host.
Miscellaneous.
Brigadier-General Henry Prince has been assigned to an important command in
North Carolina.
Horace Greeley has been summoned to
Washington.
Rumor says he will be tendered the command of a negro brigade.
Great dissatisfaction exists in the army in regard to the enlistment of negroes.
Gold was 133 in New York on Monday.
