Later from the North.
the released Confederate Prisoner — reports from Pope's army — affairs in the West--excitement at Washington, &c.
We have received Northern papers to the 30th ult. In Baltimore, Tuesday, all the Confederate prisoners in the city jail were embarked for Fortress Monroe, to be exchanged. They were escorted by a company of the New York Seventh regiment, The prisoners, except those sick from long confinement, were cheerful and in high spirits. The prisoners in the Old Capitol Prison, at Washington, were released on the 30th, and sent South. The news from McClellan's army is not important. The General himself is reported as spending all of Monday last in visiting the different hospitals and ‘"speaking words of encouragement to the sick and wounded." ’ The correspondence from Fortress Monroe, dated the 29th, gives the following:
‘ Dr. Williams, who has been a prisoner at Salisbury, N. C., for several months, and who arrived here on Saturday, having been unconditionally released, states that during ten days after the battle in front of Richmond, 18,000 rebel troops passed through that town on their way to Richmond, and that more were on their way. The Doctor's window overlooked the railroad depot, giving him a good opportunity of ascertaining what was going on. These troops came from James Island, South Carolina, and Easton, Georgia.
Among other facts, the Doctor ascertained that there were 11,000 troops at Charlottesville awaiting transportation to Richmond; that 30,000 conscripts had been raised in each of the States of Tennessee and Georgia since the 9th of July, and a proportional number in other extreme Southern States--He heard the Adjutant of Col. Godwin, who commands the post at Salisbury, and who had just come from Richmond, state that the Adjutant of Gen. Hill told him that the rebels had 170,000 troops engaged in the battles of the seven days. He was accompanied by Dr. Stone, who was taken prisoner at Bull Run, and who corroborates the statement so far as relates to the movement of troops.
On their way up to Richmond they passed long trains of empty cars on their way South. If these statements are true — and there is every reason to believe they are — it shows that the rebels are staking their all on this State, by concentrating within its borders an overwhelming force.
Fortress Monroe, July 28.--Some days ago, as was reported in this correspondence, information was obtained that there was a large rebel force being concentrated in the neighborhood of Petersburg and along the banks of the James river, between the junction of the Appomattox and James rivers and Richmond. On Friday, the 25th instant, when the Union prisoners were being conveyed from Richmond to City Point, at every side track and turn-out they passed trains of cars laden with rebel troops headed towards Richmond, and some rebel officers offered as an apology for bringing down our prisoners in freight cars that they were using all their passenger cars in moving troops to reinforce Jackson.
It is more than possible that this was all merely a movement intended to disguise the fact that the rebels are now in strong force between Richmond and the Appomattox river, and that they are still collecting forces in that direction. What strengthens this news is the evident pains taken to inform our prisoners and officers in charge that the movement of troops was to reinforce Stonewall Jackson.
An amusing incident is told, in connection with Gen. McClellan's interview with the returned Union prisoners, on board the State of Maine, at Harrison's Landing, last Saturday. Passing by an Irishman, the General said: "How did you like being in Richmond?" "Wait a bit, General, and I'll tell ye. If I had me way wid em, I'd put all them Secesh — of — in a house, and I'd fill the house up wid straw, and I'd set the straw on fire, and burn 'em all to--,d — m 'em." The General smiled, and walked on.
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From Pope's army.
A dispatch from Pope's army, dated July 29th, says that scouting parties are sent out dally, and that it is ascertained that Ewell, with from 20,000 to 30,000 men, is reported to be ‘"in force from Gordonsville through Orange C. H. to Stanardsville."’ There was a review of Gen. Banks army corps on the 28th at Little Washington, at which the ‘"magnificent artillery arm"’ attracted much attention. --No trade is allowed between Washington and Pope's lines.
From the West.
The Cincinnati Commercial, in alluding to the fact that two companies of the 2d Kentucky regiment were captured on Monday of last week, by Forrest's cavalry, on the road between Nashville and Murfreesboro', thinks that ‘"it is high time that some of the squads of our troops, who are surrounded and gobbled up by the guerrillas, should do some little fighting before they surrender."’From Cairo we learn that the federal troops stationed at Bolivar, Tennessee, had a skirmish with the Confederates on Sunday last, but although this fact was known, no particulars in regard to the affair had been received. The same telegram also reports that the Federal troops have evacuated Grand Junction, Tennessee, that place being now in possession of the Confederates, who also occupy, it is said, ‘"almost all that portion of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad which lies between Memphis and Corinth."’ A special telegram to the Chicago Times announces that the Confederates have entered the town of Humboldt, Tennessee, and now hold the Mobile and Ohio Railroad to that place.--They have torn up the track for some ten or twelve miles.
Capt. Gwen, of the gunboat Tyler, reports that on board of his boat, during the engagement with the Confederate ram Arkansas, he had eight men killed and sixteen wounded. He accuses Lt. Hunter, commanding the Queen of the West, of cowardice. The latter is charged with running to the fleet for protection without firing a gun, notwithstanding he was signalled to come to the aid of the Carondelet.
The fight with the Arkansas.
A dispatch from Memphis to the Chicago Times says that Captain Gwen, of the gunboat Tyler, reports 8 killed and 16 wounded on his boat during the late engagement with the Arkansas. It adds:He accuses Lieut. Hunter, commanding the Queen of the West, with behaving in a most cowardly manner, having made no effort whatever to bring his vessel into action. The officers of the Lancaster say the Queen of the West was the first boat that discovered the Arkansas, and ran for protection to the fleet without firing a gun, and in disobedience to signals to come to the aid of the Carondelet, while the latter was engaged at close quarters with the Arkansas.
Dispatches from Washington.
The telegrams from Washington say great results are expected from Halleck's recent visit to McClellan. Monday was a busy day with the ‘"war managers."’Gen. Halleck was long closeted with the President; and Secretary Stanton, and Gens. Burnside, Pope, Meigs, and Thomas, Adjutant General, were not idle. Gen. Pope did not leave to day. It is said he goes to-morrow. He has been and is waiting for the conferences and instructions necessary to a proper understanding of future movements. Mr. Stanton is earnest in the support of Gen. Halleck, and has placed at his disposal all the resources and power of the War Department, and the President, though consulted upon, and evincing deep concern in every project, has virtually relinquished to the General-in-Chief the entire control of military affairs.
It is also said that Halleck stopped the ‘"digging"’ in McClellan camp on his arrival there, ‘"ordering spades to the rear and muskets to the front."’ It is telegraphed that--
Steps are taking to bring loyal blacks by the hundred from the Valley of the Shenandoah within the lines of General Sigel's army corps. To what military purposes they are to be devoted is not known.
In Pope's plan of campaigning, it is said--
The notion of defensive warfare is not entertained; hence his soldiers already dream of the capture of Jackson and his force, instead of a retreat across the Potomac. It is probable that a battle will occur before the week is out, unless Jackson means simply to push a small force rapidly up the Shenandoah Valley to destroy the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, calculating upon an escape down past Moorefield and Franklin.
Whether drafting will be resorted to as a means of promptly furnishing the number of troops which have been called for by the President, appears to be still a matter of doubt. The authorities at Washington are said to be adverse to ordering a draft by proclamation, but are nevertheless willing to leave it to the discretion of the Governors.
A Tremendous scare at Washington.
The feeling at Washington about Jackson's expected raid in that city is intense. A few nights since a sentinel, four miles from the city, hearing a drove of mules approaching, fired his piece and ran in, the mules at the same time running out. A correspondent of the New York Express says:‘ Their disorderly retreat, however, did not allay the excitement; the impression had gone out that a cavalry raid, under the command of the ghost, perhaps, of the departed Ashby, was the advancing party; the signal gun was fired, and the long roll beat; ‘"there was hurrying to and fro of brave men,"’ and ‘"mounting in hot haste."’ As daylight intervened, the horse which had been shot was found, and one of the shoes taken from the hoof served to trace the source from whence the stampede came. It was found to be the farm of the widow lady hereinbefore mentioned, and although it was soon made manifest that the Confederate cavalry raid was nothing more than an escape of animals from her pasturage, extreme caution induced the authorities to cause the arrest of all the parties, white and col-
ored, on the premises, and report them to the office of the Provost Marshal, some intimation having been given out that a formidable cavalry scouting party had been entertained by this lady.--Subsequent examination, however, has proved the scare to have been all occasioned from a horse scare. The adventures of the night are not such as would embellish history, and those badly scared would have the matter ‘"dried up;"’ but it has leaked out, and these things always bear telling.
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Another "Dangerous" woman.
The special correspondent of the Philadelphia Press at Fort McHenry gives the following information about Miss Susan Archer Tally, another of the female spies:‘"Among the recent prisoners of this fort has been, until the 28th of June last, a lady, Miss Susan Archer Tally, of Norfolk, who attempted last year to take a coffin full of percussion caps through our lines to Richmond, alleging that the dead body of her brother was in it. Suspicion being excited, the coffin was opened and the lady incarcerated. It was afterwards found that she had acted as spy between the pickets of the two armies. She was closely confined in her room during the day, with the exception of a walk in the balcony before her window, and a stroll around the ramparts, for an hour daily, with the officer of the day. She was about thirty years of age, and a very good amateur artist. She took from memory a very good crayon portrait of General Morris, commanding the fort, and presented it to him. Liberty having been given her, she has returned to her home near Norfolk."’
The alliance of the Cherokee Indians with the Confederate States.
The following letter from John Ross, Principal Chief of the Cherokee nation, is published in the Northern papers. This settles the question as to the alliance of that nation with the Confederates:
Sir: Your communication of yesterday, dated from headquarters, Indian Expedition, camp on Wolfe Creek, under a flag of truce per Doc. Gilpatrick, has been duly received, and in reply, I have to state that a treaty of alliance, under the sanction and authority of the whole Cherokee people, was entered into on the 7th day of October, 1861, between the Confederate States and the Cherokee nation, and published before the world. And you cannot but be too well informed on the subject to make it necessary for me to recapitulate the reasons and circumstances under which it was done. Thus the destiny of the people became identified with that of the Southern Confederacy. There is no nation of Indians, I venture to say, that has ever been more scrupulous in the faithful observance of their treaty obligations than the Cherokees.
Allow me to further appeal to the history of my long public and private life to sustain the assertion that my policy has ever been to preserve peace and good feelings among my people, and the observance of law and order.
The horrors of civil war, with which this beautiful country is threatened, are greatly to be deprecated, and I trust that it may be averted by the observance of the strict principles of civilized and honorable warfare by the army now invading our country, under your command. I cannot, under existing circumstances, entertain the proposition for an official interview between us at your camp. I have, therefore, respectfully to decline to comply with your request. I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant.
The Journal of Commerce on the Confiscation bill.
The New York Journal of Commerce has a long article on the Confiscation bill, recently passed by the U. S. Congress. It utterly denies any right of the United States to emancipate a slave under any circumstances, and adds:‘ The Confiscation Act proceeds upon the assumption that for offences against the United States, Congress can act on the legal condition of other persons within a State, and change that condition, against the State law.
*** If those who are in the condition of slavery under the law of a State can be declared free by Congress for the crime of the master or owner, then it is only necessary for a single offence to be committed in any State against the United States, to enable Congress to exercise control over the legal condition of any or all of the inhabitants of that State.
If this act had undertaken to forfeit the property right of the master to the United States, to be sold like any other right of property, then it would at least have been a practical law. But when it undertakes to say that certain persons who are slaves under the law of a State shall have their legal condition changed, although they commit no offence, and do not act against the United States, it is clearly a usurpation which furnishes a direct motive to the slave States for continuing their resistance.
The attitude now assumed, therefore, by the Federal Government is this: For an offence against the United States the legal condition of certain persons in a State, under the State law, who have not committed any offence, is changed, against the will of the State, and they are to be taken out of the State, also against its will, and transported beyond its limits and to a foreign country. If Mr. Jefferson Davis, or Mr. Benjamin, or any other leader of the rebellion, could have devised legislation better adapted to consolidate that rebellion, they are more cunning than we had supposed them.
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A Big job undertaken.
The Hartford (Ct.) Times has the following about the ‘"big job"’ the North has undertaken:‘ The fatal practice of underrating the enemy seems at last to have been discarded. We hear no more of the desperate poverty, starvation, rags, latent Unionism, or even the ‘ "skedaddling"’ of the Confederate soldiers; the note is changed, and those presses that were, only a few months ago, persistently busy in convincing their readers that the squelching of the rebels, and the war generally, was now a mere holiday amusement, have now taken another view. They now think it is a serious business. The Courant, of this city, says: "We did undertake a serious job when we undertook to bring the South back into the Union. Better realize it at once, and realize it now, if we have not realized it heretofore."
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The news from Alabama.
The Washington correspondent of the New York Post says the news from Northern Alabama ‘"does not put the Department in good humor."’ He adds:‘ It is calculated that the enemy has destroyed fifteen millions of dollars' worth of property within the last thirty days, or half a million per day.--These successful raids will compel General Halleck to change his plans in the West. No Government can long endure such losses as have been entailed upon us by scattering our army over a line of a thousand miles. The system was adopted under the supposition that Beauregard's fine army was entirely destroyed. It turns out that the bulk of that army is still in the Southwest, and the rest is at Charleston and Richmond. The national troops will be forced to concentrate upon two or three very important points, and give up the attempt to run long lines of railway.
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Financial.
The New York Post, of Monday afternoon, says:‘ The week opens extremely quiet in Wall street. The stock market is almost at a stand-still, and both buyers and sellers seem to be playing the part of Micawber, "waiting for something to turn up." The transactions in stocks are very light, and in the absence of exciting rumors or news of any kind prices remain almost stationary. There are few stocks pressing, and equally few orders to buy, the commission houses purchasing only small lots of investment bonds and sound dividend paying shares. As was anticipated, the speculation in gold is much curtailed by the action of the board of brokers, in prohibiting time sales, the business this morning not exceeding $100,000, which is less than one-tenth the amount dealt in for the previous ten days. The opening sales this morning were 117 but at the close 117 was accepted. The foremost of the list is Pacific Mail, which rose under purchases on buyer's option to 112. Afterwards 111½@111 2/4 were the quotations. State stocks are dull, but without material change in price. Missouri sold at 46 @ 46½ of Tennessee there were no sales--50¼ bid, 50¼ asked. The Government list is dull and prices steady. The 7.30 notes are firm at 102¼@102 7/8. Oregon War Loan 97; six per ct. certificates 98¾. The coupon bonds of 1881 are a shade better than on Saturday, 99 @98¼. At the close the market was weaker, New York Central selling at 92½ @92 2/4; coupon 6's at 99. Dutiable demand notes are quoted at 106½@107; silver 110@112. The exchange on London is steady, with no pressure of bills on the market. First-class bills are quoted 129@219¼.
The following is a comparative statement of the condition of the banks of New York city from July 19 to July 26:
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July 19 | July 26 | ||
Loans | $148,827,423 | $149,768,293 Inc. | $940,870 |
Specie | 31,926,609 | 33,064,575 Inc | 1,862,026 |
Circulat'n | 9,155,301 | 9,244,953 Inc | 89,652 |
Deposits | 120,485,977 | 132,427,178 Inc | 2,941,201 |
the following is the regular weekly statement of the Philadelphia banks, as compared with the previous week:
July 28 | July 21 | ||
Cap. st'k | $11,716,775 | $11,716,775 | |
Loans | 33,383,373 | 33,086,808 Inc | $296,565 |
Specie | 5,579,783 | 5,613,724 Dec | 33,937 |
Due from other bk's | 5,306,984 | 5,219,445 Inc. | 87,539 |
Due to other banks | 5,919,294 | 5,794,325 Inc | 124,969 |
Deposits | 24,764,286 | 94,485,817 Inc | 278,464 |
Calculation | 5,055,276 | 5,005,583 Inc | 9,693 |
Baltimore, July 29.--There were no transactions in State or Government securities to-day.--For Maryland coupon 6's 1870, 104 was bid, 105 asked, and for the inscribed on of the same year
104 was bid, 104½ asked. From some unexplained cause, there was a marked decline in city securities — the 6's, which have been selling for some days at 103, suddenly became extremely dull at 101, and although there were large amounts offered the only sales reported were $900 6's. 1890, at 101, and $200 do. do., 1875, at 100, the closing rates were for 1870 100 bid, 101 asked; 1875 100½ bid, 100½ asked; for the new issue of 1890 101½ was bid, and for the old issue 101 bid, 102 asked; for the Park stock 102½ was bid; and for the 5's, 1838-70, 86½ was bid.
American Gold.--There were no sales at the Stock Board to day. Bidders offered 116, but sellers were firm in demanding 116¼.
New York Stock Market, July 29.--U. S. 6's 1881, coupon, 98½; U. S. 6's, one year certificates 98¼; U. S. Treasury notes, 7 3-10, 102¼; Tennessee 6's, 50; Virginia 6's 52; Missouri 6's, 46; North Carolina 6's, 65; Gold, 116½.
Miscellaneous.
New York fashionable society has had a ‘"sensation,"’ in the elopement of Mrs. Schooler aft, of Geneva, N. Y., a niece of Secretary Seward, with Dr. Beattle, ‘"her physician and intimate friend."’ The absconding lady is a widow, and the Doctor leaves behind him a wife and family. They took passage in a late steamer for Europe. The worst of the joke is that Mrs. Beattle gave a grand entertainment in honor of Mrs. S.'s departure for Europe, little thinking that she was about to ‘"come the grief"’ through her friend's charms.The correspondent of the New York Express announces that by the evacuation of James Island all chance of approaching Charleston by any feasible land route has been abandoned The Federal troops have also retired from Edisto Island, and now only hold Hilton Head, Beaufort, Pulaski, and their immediate dependencies.
In a speech at Boston last week Hon. Chas. H. Clark (son of the present Governor of Texas) said he was with Gen. Houston in his last moments and he died with the ‘"good old flag" ’ about him It has not before been stated that he was dead.
At St. Stephens, New Brunswick, the Herald. the only paper published in that province that favored the Federal cause, was mobbed on the 28th and the type thrown into the river.
The funeral of ex-President Van Buren was largely attended. Gov. Morgan, of New York; Hon. Governor Kemble, and others were mourners at Kinderhook on the occasion.
Gen. Sherman, at Memphis, has ordered that no more gold shall be paid for cotton, and venders refusing current funds shall forfeit half their cotton.
Thomas Comer, a well-known actor and musician, died on Monday evening at the Broomfield House, Boston, aged 72 years.
The Rev. Messrs. Ford, Baldwin, and Elliott, of Nashville, were sent to the Indiana penitentiary on the 29th.
A man, for ‘"advocating Jeff. Davis and chivalry,"’ was ducked in a pond on Boston Commons last week.
There are said to be about two regiments of Federal deserters straggling about the State of Wisconsin.