%\t |) xtn. FJRIDAY, JULY 10, 1883. THE SITUATION. 'So faT as the. mere impossibility of the rebel »jmy effecting an escape across the Potofeikd is .concerned, an assurance has been made doubly sure. Yesterday .; there was another copious fall of rain,-; and the fact did not fail to suggest the idea'' to many minds that Providence was favoring the cause of the Unidh, f by direct interposition. At the same time, it should not be forgotten that while these incessant rains must prove tatal to the hopes ,of General Lee, they will in terfere in some degree with the movements of General Meade, who, with the Maryland roads converted into mire, 5 must experience. some'delny and difficulty in moving .his ar tillery and supply trains. In the meantime, the rebels, having from twelve to twenty hours- start of him, and being more accus tomed to extraordinary marching, especially. when their safety is at stake, may be ■enabled to gain, a commanding posi tion which they can foTtify with earth works. It is known that they brought; -with them, a large quantity of artillery When they entered this State—our special advices state two hundred and forty pieces— and' if they have managed to preserve a considerable’portion of-it, as has possibly been the case; they can still make a stub born defence at any point they may choose to-fortify. Conceding that their force has been reduced to forty thousand men by the late-battles, it must likewise be conceded that’ this force, strongly entrenched, and ,\nerved with the fierce energy of despair, will be equivalent to an army of one hun dred and twenty thousand men, in different circumstances. Therefore, we must repeat the belief, expressed a fssw days since,'that .“ there are other battles to be fought; other 'privations and hardships to be endured; other victories as glorious to be won.” Such was the belief of General Meade, too, when he said, in his congratulatory order: ‘‘ Our task is not yet accomplished, and the commanding general looks to the army for greater efforts to drive from our soil every' vestige of the presence of the invader.” Perhaps one more effort wifi saffice to accomplish this; and such -will be the case, if wc rightly view the situation* which would seem to he clearly in the hands of General Mea.de. The Army of the Potomac is once more summoning up all its strength, and putting forth superhuman efforts to smite the enemy a. last fatal blow. When the struggle will lake place we know not; it may even now be in progress ; and at the furthest, it can not-be delayed beyond the present week. It is by no means certain at the present writing where the battle-ground shall be. Some incline to tbe belief that Williamsport -will be the field of contest. This point, it is rumored, is already being fortified by the enemy, who are said to number ftom seven to ten thousand men, under'Gen. Imboden, and who have the duty of protecting the ■supply-trains, which are being ferried across the Potomac. Williamsport, however, is not near so well adapted for defensive purposes, as South Mountain, and we incline to the 'opinion that the latter position will be chosen by General Lee; thus confirming the vague, unaccountable impression which more than a fortnight since took hold of the popular mind, that the Battle of Antie- tamwas to be repeated. There is no bet ter line of defence in Maryland or Pennsyl vania! So far as its natural advantages are concerned, the superiority would rest with 'Gen. Lee ; but as the scene of a former dis astrous engagement, the associations that mußt suggest themselves are not likely to be ‘..of a pleasant or inspiriting character. If the Army of the Potomac, broken in spirit a by continued reverses, weakened in num bers, and worn out by fruitless campaigns and wearying marches, could whip the flushed and victorious veterans of Lee in September last, can it fail to defeat his shattered columns now, upon the scene of its former triumph,—now that its ranks are full —now that it has the co-operation of General Couch's forces—now that it has just routed and so'badly cut up its old antagonist that he would appear to be weaker than he ever was before, and is certainly, cut off from all reinforcements and supplies; and now that he is in such a desperate condition, that even escape would be disaster, and defeat would be complete annihilation. Never before has the Army of the Potomac had such a noble, opportunity of gaining, by a single blow, immortal 1 glory for itself, and an honorable and permanent peace for the na tion. For,- what we have seen of the issues of the campaigns; in the West and South west convinces ns' that one more decisive victory in the East would terminate the war, and lead to a restoration of the Union. The Administration. This is a day on which the friends of the majr rejoice f n the many glories that now surround the Ameri can name, tve can see a realization of their duty and devotion. The .time was—and not many weeks ago—when fealty to the Ad ministration was a weary and solemn thing; for men'b'egan to look upon those in power as the cause of all our woes, and attributed the invasion of the State—the misfortunes in the Southwest—the inaction of Rosecbans —to wha t they were pleased to call the ma lign influences of Washington. Mr. Wen dell Phillips, in bitter and choice phrases, thanked God for, defeat, because we were unworthy, to secure victory, and chorused the angry denunciations of suih men as Fehnando Wood! The.extreme insinceri ty of such orators as Sir. Phillips may be seen in this—that jthe President they abuse and villify with so 'much energy gave them' emancipation. It is the part of mediocrity and baseness' to see no mo tives but the worst, and to suppose the absence of honor and truth in man, and the speeches of Mr.-Phillips are illustrations of this -feeling. A hundred reasons may he giyen for the victory of July. The first should certainly be the directing mind of the Department of War—another the courage of the Army of-the Potomac and its new commander. We might admit these things Without any particular, exhibition of gene rosity, and it is difficult to see how we can resist this admission ; but, to listen to the rhodomontade of Mr. Phillips and his fol lowers, we should suppose that the Depart ment of War was the only obstacle in the way'of victory, and if the army had never been troubled with generals and Cabinet, it might have gone to Richmond in an accom modation train. A newspaper press, of which the New York Independent and the New York World are the representatives, seems to rejoice in our victories as evidences of the blundering criminality of the Govern ment. Of*, course, the New York Herald docs the same thing, but, as nobody places any confidence in it, weonly allude to its opinions to contrast them with those of the .Independent. This latter journal takes the occasion of the victory to denounce Penn sylvania for her apathy, the Government for its “stupendous trifling,” and the appoint ment of GeneralMeade'cs “an official ac cident.” Such things are easily said; but arc they the words oi frankness and honor ? Not many days ago these writers - were clamoring for victory. “Give us Fue mont,” said one party, “and we shall con ■quer.” “Give us McClellan,” said an ther party, “ and. we.' shall be, saved !" Instead of calling upon the people to lay ; aside all feeling or care, and take up arms against the invader, they endeavored to sti mulate his energies and prevent the people from meeting him in a proper spirit. These were -the men wbo spent their time in writing petitions to the Government con taining impertinent demands, and endeavor ing to i ule when they should have attempt ed to save. These were the men who miet the enemy with words of despondency and reproach; who calculated the probabilities of submission within the sound of the - ene my's cannon, and fashioned flags of truce when they should have primed their mus kets. Hot one word of joy or hope was heard from them in the midst of the general gloom; they railed.at the thunder when they should have given their hands to the ship. Sustained by the people—by the men of all parties who thought inofe of their country than of their political organization, and more of the general danger than of their favorite major generals—tire Administration continued calmly to do its duty, to meet every danger as it developed, and to labor con stantly for the public good. It is possible they might have labored more efficiently ; that McClellan or Fbemont might have performed marvels, and that if the counsels of Mr. Wendell Phillips had been fol lowed the war would now be at an end. It is possible, too, that: General Meade may; be very incompetent, and that his campaign in Pennsylvania is something of a failure ; but we do not think so, nor do the people entertain such an opinion. They see .great results, and they thank God for bavin o ' given their soldiers strength to accomplish these results. They thank the Administra tion for having so directed their valor that victory, has come. thank their public servants for energy, and courage, and forti tude, and they hold themselves ready and anxious to do greater battle for the safety of the Republic, and to make greater sacrifices that the nation may be rescued and redeemed. The Conscription. > : Washington despatches state that the conscription act is to be speedily enforced, and that three hundred thousand men will be called upon to serve their country. The levy is to be made.upon the .Congressional districts,' instead of upon the States, as has heretofore been the case. The new method is a decided improvement upon the old. In a draft by the General Government, the purpose of which is to procure soldiers to fill the national armies/ and ’ all the machinery of which is under the sole con trol of the national authorities, there, is not the slightest reason why the States in their individual character should be called upon. Such a call would not only be unneces-. ■sary, but it would be improper, and at variance with those principles of govern ment upon which the integrity and strength of our Union must depend. It is as citizens of the United States, as loyal Americans, that we are called upon to lend our aid to those whom we have placed in power by an expression of our will, and upon whom we rely to deal with the emergencies that have -arisen to jeopardize our dearest interests. The Government does not call upon us as Pennsylvanians, or as Jerseymen, or as New Yorkers, but as citizens of the United States. ■A nd having a voice and representation in Congress, which, though not: the fountain head of power, is certainly the fountain head of its expression in this land of free dom, it is most appropriate, and most in keeping with our character as a people having a nationality, that we should be called upon as an American constituency to assist the Administration in the holy work in which it is engaged. " We have somewhere seen it stated, upon authority presumed to he reliable, that in the event of a draft being ordered for four hundred thousand men, the quota for each Congressional district would be 2,220.' As it seems that but three bundred,thousaml men will he required to finish up the war, the quota for each district most probably will be 1,665 men. The census of 1860 gave Pennsylvania twenty-four representa tives in Congress, or, in other words, twen ty-four Congressional districts, and the quota of this State, by a simple arithmetical process, would consequently sum up 39,960, or say forty thousand men. The question next arises whether the sixty thousand men called; out a few weeks since, by proclamation of the Governor, are to be credited against this quota ? We do not think:such is the intention of. the Go-' vemment. These men, constituting' the armies of Generals Couch and Brooks, are militia ; they are enrolled as a State force ; they have enlisted only‘for the defence of their own homes. And, although they are now co-operating with the Army/of the Po tomac, and deserve the highest praise for the prompt and noble' spirit with which they responded to the call of duty, the service they have already rendered to the country can hardly he expected to exempt them from the remaining claims upon their patriotism, -to which, in common; with their fello w-citi zens throughout the loyal portion of the Union, they are subject. In protecting the _soil of Pennsylvania from invasion, they have behaved most nobly; but there are still other obligations, quite as sacred, 'Vest ing upon them and awaiting fulfilment obligations neither cancelled nor, impaired by the enlistment for ninety days, “unless sooner discharged.” - There are many sanguine, easy people, who imagine .that with the crushing defeat of Lee, the fall of Yicksburg, and the con tinued flight of Bkaoo, the necessity of a : conscription has passed away. There are a few who are willing to believe that the war is virtually at an end. In the experience of so many past disappointments tquehing the ■duration of the war, we are not disposed to be so sanguine, although we think the pros pect to-day is more cheering than it has ever tow siwiuisi Aim iiluuilti iitiYt; at laao fliai peiged, and the "peep o’ day ll lias eome; but yet we do not stand as we hope soon to stand, in the glare and splendor of full noon. The horizon is flushed with the golden dawn of victory, and the path that will lead us to honor and to peace is so brilliantly illu mined, that we can no longer hesitate or be : misled, or suffer ourselves to grow faint and weary by the way. But the road that lies before us may be longer than it seems, and there may even yet be pit-falls that we have not passed. Having struggled on so far, it would be a fearful thing if, some unexpected obstacle should interfere to block our way, or some new danger should assail us in the rear. These things arc not probable; but it should be enough for us to know that they are possible, unless we take timely means to guard against them. Those who would now prate of peace, when the victory is but half won, are more to be feared as enemies to their country than the men who, with sword and torch in hand, invaded the soil of Penn sylvania. They would have us go back, to the starting-point of our fearful journey, and would make the rivers of precious ■blood that have been shed, the millions of treasure that have been poured out with la vish hand, a vain and barren sacrifice. Their aim is insidious; their counsels are fatal. Rather than utterly perish, let us not heed them, but, taking counsel from the voice of prudence, prepare to receive with confidence and turn to the beat account whatever of good or evil fortune may be in store for us. English legislation and Irish Interests. English legislation for Irish interests has never, resulted in benefit; and yet, unless the alternative of revolution is adopted, it is only through the action of Parliament that Irelanjl can Be freed from her woes. Ire land is, and has Been for generations, the J>eggar of the world; and it is an anomalous fact that, though possessing all natural ele ments of strength, she exhibits a pitiable and almost unparalleled spectacle of weak ness. The British Government has, found no way to check the emigration of the peo ple, or to develop the industrial resources of the country. The act of 1860 is found inca pable of settling the vexed questions of the proper relation between tenant and landlord, yet Parliament has just rejected a plan which might have resulted in the re-estab lishment pf those relations on a wiser and ju9tci-; baps. Mr. Maguibe recently moved, in the I louse of- Commons, that inasmuch as the measures of 1860, intended as a final set tlement of'the claims of the Irish tenant, have- proved wholly "inoperative, a royal commission should "be formed to inquire into “the state.of the agricultural classes of Ireland, and to suggest such improvement in the relation between landlord and tenant as may seem .■ necessary and expedient.” This very sensible proposal was the occasion of earnest debate, was honored by the oppo sition of Lord Palmerston, in an' unusually long speech, and finally defeated by a vote of 128 to 49—conclusive evidence that Ire lind' lias nothing further to hope from her rulers. . ’ . , It is unnecessary to state, what all the world knows, that the condition of Ireland is a disgrace to modern civilization; and that the chief responsibility rests upon the Eng lish Government. But the persistent refusal of that Government ’to take the simplest steps toward the removal oi admitted evils is so sublimely selfish, so magnificently stupid,, that it never ceases to excite univer sal admiration. We must remember that the Commons rejected no definite objection able measures to change the. system of legis lation, for none were offered, but a simple proposal to institute an inquiry. Is inquiry so much dreaded by the English Govern ment! If the act of 1860 is really a true basis of improvement, will a royal commis sion not prove its theoretical value, and therefore increase its practical usefulness ? Unquestionably, in the refusal to adopt plans which merely contemplate the possibility of reform, which may result in lasting be nefit, and cannot end in injury to either nation, England has given renewed proof of the profound apathy and injustice of her Irish legislation. The arguments upon which the opposition to the motion of Mr. Maguibe was based almost defy analysis by their Vagueness. It is impossible to re fute assertions which are too slight to bear examination, or to make a logical reply to sneers and- sarcasm. The undoubted fact that the act of ~1860 lias not made a particle of difference in the condition of the country, but that the agricultural interests of Ireland are still in a state of abject depression, is very feebly met by the orators of the Ad ministration. Lord Palmekston patheti cally complains that the English Govern ment is unjustly condemned because it has -pleased. Providence to inflict three bad sea sons upon Ireland. We may infer frqm his ..argument that the rains are entirely to blame, and that, unlike the people of other agricultural lands, the Irish are only sure of exemption-from famine, on condition ‘that “the weather permits," . Indeed, Mr. Maguire aptly replies to this -brilliant"-" effort, that the Government, “is always ready to go into partner ship with Providence”—with the important exception, doubtless, that when the harvest is bad Providence is wholly to blame, but that when it is good, the credit is entirely due to English legislation. In fact, tbe theories of the noble lord may be described as a plea for the necessity of famine, or starvation made, easy for eight millions of people. The London Times ridicules Mr. Maguire on the ground that while he declares the present legislation to be an utter failure, he does not propose any satisfactory substi tute. We think that tlie gentleman from Tipperary fulfilled his duty when he pointed out.the evil, and asked the Government to make proper inquiry as to the best means of removing it. The Irish members of Par liament- have been generally distinguished 'for eloquence rather than statesmanship, but the most inexperienced legislator would scarcely be , ignorant that the best way to secure thes defeat of any measure of reform would be to candidly propose it to the party now in power. The Government admitted the evil, and assumed the responsibility of removing it, when, in 1860, it undertook to reconcile the interests of landlord and tenant. No)v that the miseries of three years have proved the impotency o£' that legislation, it would be far more dignified and honest for the Government to admit its blunder, and to seek to remedy its consequences, than to make a scapegoat-of Providence, and de nounce, as the sole cause of • Irish suffering, the unjustifiable and scandalous behavior of the -ridiculous Irish rains. Thc'Dlscovcry of .the Sources of the Kile, For two thousand years the Nile has kept her mystery; rivers that flow in other planets hid not-their sources more closely, from human knowicdge than did this Egyp tian stream. * The builders of the pyramids were'ignorant of the sources of the mighty, stream upon whose banks Isis and Osiris were worshipped; the secret baffled the search of centuries, and the calculations of science. Men who could declare the existence of celestial orbs, whose light not- even tele scopic-vision could detect, knew nothing of the lakes which fed the waters of an Afri can river. The mystery of the Nile Was one of the last secrets of the*earth, and how well she has kept it, the wonder and de light which attend upon its discovery de clare— “ An ultimate dim Thule, Out of space, out of time.” The sources of the Nile have ceased to be, and the revelation of their position is not the least of the many brilliant achievements of geographical exploration which distin guish the present century. We may form some faint idea of the excitement which stirred the fifteenth century, when the exist ence of another continent was announced, from the peculiar feelings with which we hear of the solution of this antiqiiated prob lem, and though the discoveries of Speke and Grant can never be classed with that of Columbus in importance, yet, in certain respects, they arc scarcely less interesting to the imagination. Captains Speke and Grant recently gave brief accounts of their discoveries before the Koyal Geographical Society, in. London, and were received with marked enthusiasm. The .jlJfflAulHan af itaMAfrAUhir lit a A (kb: in inti- rivr enhance the glory of the achievement. The inhabitants of most of those outlandish countries, whose boundaries are marked upon no map, seem to regard the white tra veller as a species of game, unprotected by game laws. The daring explorers met with the most tantalizing obstacles, and were re peatedly turned back in their course, or held as prisoners, by the barbarous kings whose worthless realms they invaded. Cap tain' SrEKE has narrated some very amusing incidents of his interviews with these ty rannical old monarchs, whose royalty would not save them from the lash and the stocks, were they once within the reach of the strong arms of Southern slaveholders. In fact, the' difficulties which impede the progress of the traveller in the Uzinza country seem to be a parody of the restric tions which provoke the traveller in Chris tian lands. The extremes of civilization, and barbarism meet in the passport systems of Africa and Europe. Many of the tribes Who live along the borders of the Nile, having no better method of killing time, spend their lives in a cheerful state of war, . and the traveller who is treated well by one belligerent discovers that he has thus earned the hostility of all-the others. The great difficulty of travelling in Africa furnishes another proof of the detestable influences of slavery, and the inherent opposition of the system to the interests of science as well as those of morality, for Captain SrEKE declares that even among the most intellec tual and friendly tribes he met, lie found great, distrust of white men, occasioned by the enormities of the slave trade. .Persevering, however, in spite of all ob stacles, the adventurers at last readied the great lake Nyanza, out of which the Nile undoubtedly flows, traversing from its source to the Mediterranean a distance of over three thousand geographical miles, nearly .one-tenth of the circumference of the earth. The Nyanza itself is fed by a large stream falling from the high lands in. the west. The discoverers have no doubt of the navigability of the river, though its course is repeatedly interrupted by falls, of which the largest discovered is but twelve feet high: The description given of the peoples who inhabit the interior of the con tinent is very interesting, and affords ample opportunity for comment. Captain Sheke discovered a decidedly intellectual race of tall, well-made men, with straight noses and curly hair,, which he believes to be Abyssinian with a strong admixture of the Hindoo! It is important to know that there are whole tribes of Atheists in Africa,, who THE PRESS.—PHILADELPHIA, FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1863. liaye no religion, and do not belieye‘in the existence of tlie soul. ' i These discoveries destroy many geogra phical superstitions, and afford glimpses of lands that have been locked-up in mystery since the creation of the earth. Though the -world has no reason to expect immedi ate commercial advantages from the know ledge so daringly extorted from this ancient home of darkness, it would be wrong to suppose that the discovery is merely “ the solution of a curious "problem.” It is not easy to measure the importance of great ge ographical discoveries; practical results have 'hitherto invariably follo-wed all similar vic tories over our ignorance of the planet on which we live, and the fact that the foot of a civilized white man lias trodden upon the shores of the mysterious Nyanza pledges Europe and America to make worthy use of the advantage. When Columbus leaped upon the shores of the New World, he claimed • by that act the continent for Spain; Speke and Geant, in like manner, have claimed the depths of Africa for Christianity and Civilization. Mr. Charles Mackay —the New York correspondent of the London Tima ', and one of the dreariest and most malignant libellers of America ever sent from England—is giving his leisure moments to the composition of verses and rhymes. The latest cHusion is entitled “ Cassandra,” and possesses a political application to this country. The concluding lines are as follows. We . print them as prose, as we do not see that the change makes any difference : “ And When-priests at their mouldering altars no longer have faith in the doctrines they preach for the lucre it brings them ; and scarcely conceal fro a* the people the fact that they prophesy falsely—a time. a time for .blood to flow, and the earth to stagger to and fro. Woe to the nations! woe to them! no Special Despatches to “ ThiTPress.” The Captured Rebel Battle'-tiaigs. Thirty-one rebel battle-flags, which were captured by the Union forces in the recent battle at Gettys burg, have been brought to this city and deposited in the War Department. Most of them are much perforated with balls, and others are very bloody. One of them is a silk flag, with the device of a rising sun on it. They v were, taken mostly from Virginia and North Carolina regiments. ’ -/A Draft' lor 300,000 Men, It is Btated in circles likely to be well informed, that the fir.at draft under the national enrolment act will be for three hundred thousand men. It will be mßde bo soon sb the enrolment shall be completed. The quotaß of a number of districts are already as signed. , ' The banking house of Swunry Si Huyck closed their doors to-day, with the proßpeot of an-early re sumption of business. ‘Contract. - - The stationery contract for the State Depart ment has been awarded to Pninv & SoLOiCOKS, of this city. The Star states, on what it terms the most reliable authority, that the enemy’s loss in the battles on this side of the Potomac, up'to this time, is 25,000. Capture of the English - Schooner Frolic. Lieut. Commanding English, of the United States gunboat Sagamore, off'Crystal Florida, under date of the 2lst uit., reports the capture of the English schooner Frolic, with a cargo of cotton and turpentine, . ' The Mission of Alexander H. Stephens* The following is the correspondence relating to the mission'of Alexander H. Stephens and Robert Ould to Fortress Monroe: r ■ Fortress Monroe, July 4, 1863, TJ. S., Steamer Minnesota.—2.3o p. M. Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Nav y: The following, communication is Just received from Mr. Stephens, who is on the flag-of-truce boat, which has arrived above, I shall inform Mr. Ste phens that I await your instructions, before giving him an answer: • CONFEDERATE STATKB STEAMER TOKEEDO," . • . In James River, July 4; 1803. Sib : As a military commissioner, I am the bearer of a communication, in writing, from Jefferson Da vis, oommanderan-onief of the land and naval forces of the Confederate States, to Abraham: Lincoln, Commander-in-chicf of the land and naval forces of the United States. Hon. Robert Ould. Confede rate States agent of exchange, accompanies me as secretary. For the purpose of delivering the communication in person, and conferring upon the subject to which it relates, I desire to proceed to .Washington in the .steamer Torpedo, commanded by Lieut. Hunter Da vidson, of the Confederate States Navy; no person being on board but the Hon. Mr. Ould, myself, and the boat’s oUlcers and crew. Yours, moHt reepeatfullv, • - ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS. S. F. Lex, A. R. Admiral... . - '• v ANSWER. - • Navy Dbeautmknt, J.uly 4, 1863. Acting Rear Admiral S. P. Lee, Hampton'Roads : >. The request of Alexander H. Stephens is inad missible. The customary agents and' fehannels'Rre adequate for all needful military communication and conference between the United States forces and the: insurgents. v • Secretary ofthe Navy.' News It om Richmond Papers* Washington, July -9.— The Richmond Dispatch, of July 6, has been" received here. It" contains, the following from Lee’s army: Winchester, Va„ July 3, via Staunton, July. 6.— Passengers who have arrived here from Martins burg say they were told by Moseby’s men that it was reported that Lee’s army was marching toward Baltimore. The enemy’s .tents have disappeared from Mary land Heights. Atlanta, July 3.—There hag been no raid.on the railroad in East Tennessee. Atlanta, July 4.—lt is considered certain that Morgan has played havoc with Rosecrans’ rear. An important movement has taken place in General Bragg’s army, but' it is not prudent to mention the particulars. . Atlanta, 4.—Bragg’s headquarters are at Bridgeport, Tenn. The river will be the future line ,of defence. It is supposed that Huntsville and the Memphis rail road will be abandoned. Bottom’s Depot, July 6 —via Jackson, July 4. Our. cavalry were skirmishing all day yesterday, near Ed ward’s Depot, with Osterhaus’ troops. Our loss iB two killed, and we captured sixteen prison ers. The enemy are firing a national salute this morning. .The negroes are constantly returning to their mas ters from Grant’s army. They report that the Yan kees .expected to make another assault to-day. The enemy were engaged yesterday at Baldwin ferry. The despatch says that Jeff. Davis had recently a severe attack of illness, but will in a few days en joy his usual health. He is rapidly recovering. - The same paper says: “Vice President Stephens, it is said, has gone to Fortress Monroe by a flag-oF truce boat. .One story is that his;business is to see about the exchange of prisoners. - : “Another, that it is to inform the Federal Govern. • ment that if private property is not respected iii the ContateMfi Stilfii/iDfl.thfi rulfii of oivilM urnr* fareitiiQtlp lomDliea with, our fOFBQO latliQ North will r6o4iv9 instructions to retaliate in kind.” Extracts from Richmond Papers* “Exit;Hooker.”— Under this head the* Rich mond Dispatch.ende&vovß to make fun over the “ six green graves made side by side ” of Scott, Mc- Dowell, McClellan, Pope, Burnside, and Hooker, and goes on to speak of Lee as the voracious Vir ginian' who has already swallowed down, several Federal armies, and whose appetite, is not yet satis-- fled. Meade is warned to beware, for beforehe gets hiß army organized the voracious monster (Lee) will swallow it also, and then move on to Washing ton'and take it in at one gulp. The Dispatch ad vises Meade to tread lightly over the aforesaid six gnen graves. *• •• ■ The Dispatch says: The capture of Brashear city by Gen. Taylor is one of the most important blows that have been struck in the Southwest since the war commenced. It is but ten miles above the city of New Orleans, and if it be held, as it‘ can be, it will be impossible to feed the city by means of the Mississippi. Everywhere in Louisiana our forces seem to be cleaning the scoundrels out. We hope to see the .Confederate-flag waving over New Or leans before the summer is over. The Dispatch, in an editorial, presumesthat only'a portion of the rebel army was engaged in the battle of Gettysburg, aa the main body la supposed not to have been in that immediate neighborhood, it claims that, be the caseas it may, they hare gained a great victory. The Dispatch concludes aa follows : “ The fact seems to be that a division of the army haß kept the whole Yankee force at bay for two days, and that Gen. Lee is rapidly concentrating in the neighborhood of Gettysburg. In a few daystare expect to hear that Meade’s army has been defeated and probably annihilated.” . ■ Cairo, July 9.— The rebels have' retired from the attack on Helena. ' Gen. Oglesby, who has just arrived here from Memphis, says the terms of the capitulation of Vicksburg were that the enlisted men be paroled and the commissioned officers retained as prisoners. Gen. Pemberton gives the number of men fit for duty at 12,000, and in the hospitals 6,000, but it is thought that the number exceeds these by live or six thousand. Arrest of Nathaniel Woltf, of Kentucky; Louisville, July 9.— Hon. Nat. Wolff, a candi date for Congress in this district, has been arrested by the enrolling officers of Owen county, and brought to this city, and. sent to General Burnside at* Cincinnati,-in consequence of having used the following words a speech to the people of Owen county: “This is a John Brown raid—a ivar against slavery—and I hope every Kentuckian will rise ln arms in opposition to it. lam for secession, separation, or anything against it.” Leavenworth, July - B.— General Blunt started oh the sth with all the cavalry he could raise, from Port Scott to Fort Gibson. Information received shows that Colonel Phillips’ Indian Bri gade was hard pressed by the enemy, 2,000 strong. The infantry regiments were marching to reinforce Colonel Phillips. General Blunt took no train, and will cross the Arkansas and offer battle. 1 Git ant and Meadk Promoted,— Gen. Grant has been commissioned a major general in the regu* lar army, and General Meade a brigadier general in the tame service. Poetry or Prose t WASHINGTON. ■Washington, July 9, 1863. Banting House Closed. loss of the Enemy, The Surrender of VicKshurg. The Indian Territory.' IHE CAVALRY FlfiHT AT MiMO, THE ENEMY DRIVEN FOUR MILES. THE GREAT BATTLE TO BE FOUGHT ON SATURDAY. - GEN. LEE’S HEMQMRTERg STILL AT HAGERSTOWN. MEADE AND COUCH CONCENTRA TING IN HIS FRONT. Five Hundred Wagons Destroyed by our Cavalry,' CSpecial Despatoi to The Press" 3 The battle of Boonßboro ended gloriously, result ing in a complete success for our cavalry. Gens. Buford and Kilpatrick fought the rebels all day, and drove them four miles to Mill Point. Our foroes took forty men. Among those killed on our side waß one captain, whose name is not reported. The enemyattacked us furiously, led by Stuart in person. Everything gives the assurance that the great battle between Meade and Lee will be fought on Saturday. Our forces hold the South Mountain passes. Cavalry Fight near Funkstown—Reported Death of General Kilpatrick." Baltimore, July 9, —The American has received Ihe following special despatch: Frederick, July 9.— Our cavalry here had a sharp fight with the rebels between Funkstown and Boons boro, about six miles thiß side of Hagerstown. The enemy were in heavy force, and our cavalry were compelled to fall baok to Boonsboro, with somelosß. • I regret to say that Gen. Kilpatrick is reported to have been killed, though some accounts say he is only wounded. . - The particulars of the fight have not been re ceived, but we learn that his command was entirely surrounded, and were compelled to cut their way through. The rebels are still on this side ofthe river, massed near Hagerstown, endeavoring to get their plunder and wagons across. Scouts of the 13th New York Cavalry,“who ar rived at Monocacy Junction yesterday afternoon, bring a report that the advanoe of the rebel column was crossing the river at Williamsport. If this be true,te heed look for no fight in Maryland. . • The impression at headquarters before it left here was, that the rebels had no means of crossing except some scows, on which they were ' sending over their wounded. A. day will probably show where the rebels are, and the probable location of the next battle-field. ' Considerable artillery firing was heard this after noon for about an hour in the direotion of Hagers town. It was probably our cavalry engaging Stuart’s. The latter has been very hard to find during the rebel retreat, and, according to all accounts, his oavAlry have lost the dash and confidence that once enabled them to rove around at will. * Our forces at Boonßboro report that the enemy’s were being thrown out nearly to that point, and en closing within their lines the battle field and the Shepherdstown crossing. The main force is, however, considerably west of this, and covering the three roads that concentrate.-at Wil liamsport, and the movement of our amyls such as will.to*day fully uncoyer the enemy’s position. Frederick, in a military sense, is quiet, though still crowded by the followers of the great army. : Seven hundred :rebel prisoners arrived yesterday from the front. They were the results of our active cavalry operations along the line of rebel retreat. Among the party areanumber of officers,and seve ral Baltimoreans. One of the latter is John Lem mon, a member of the Maryland Guards, who was arrested for cutting the halyards of‘the flag at the custom house soon after the 19th of April insurrec tion. Small parlies of prisoners, by tens and twelves, come in constantly. The whole number of prisoners reported at headquarters, up to this morning, was twelve thousand. 'Fuller information places our losses, in killed and wounded, in the three-days fight, at fifteen thousand. The rebel loss, in killed and wounded, will be at least five thousand in excess of this, i Reports* received at headquarters state that twenty-three hundred of the rebel dead had been buried by.our burying parties, and only two-thirds of the field of battle had been explored. The whole of their killed left on: the field will be in excess of three'thousand. The usual proportion of wounded to killed iB six'to one, which would make their .wounded amount to eighteen thousand. Without overstraining the estimate their total loss in killed, wounded, and prisoners may be put down at 30,000., - - Major General French has been appointed to the command of the 3d Army Corps. It will consist principally of troops from Harper’s Ferry and rein forcements which have .arrived here from other points.' • ' ' : '■ Colonel Lefferts, of the York 7th Regiment, haß been appointed commander of the post here. Colonel Reynolds having left to join his regiment, under General Pleasanton. The 7th are doing provost guard duty. Mountain House, near Boonskoro, July 9, — There has been no fighting this morning. ~ The fighting yesterday, near Boonsboro, was be-, tween .-Buford’s .and Kilpatrick’s cavalry and a’ party of rebel' infantry, and was conducted princi pally in the bushwacking style. ' •' Our troops fell back early in the day, but subse quently reoccupied the grounds. Artillery was used* on both sides. • • • There is no truth in the reported death of General. Kilpatrick;..... -.Mount Union, July 9.—Three hundred and forty rebels who were captured by our forces near Mer-' cersburg ..were brought , here to-day. Many are wounded and"in a suffering condition. They leave for Harrisburg to-night. THE COMMAND OF HARPER’S FERRY. Frederick, July 9.— Upon General Naglee’s reporting at headquarters, with troops from General Foster’s North Carolina command, General Meade immediately assigned him to the-command of Harpers Ferry. GENERAL COUCH’S TROOPS. Harrisburg, July 9.—There is no; information, official or otherwise, to warrant the report made by the correspondent of the New York Herald, that the rebel forces are advancing along the Cumberland valley against the troops under General Couch. Carlisle, July 9.—On Tuesday, Capt. Singiser, with forty men belonging to Col, Wynkoop’B regi ment of Pennsylvania cavalry, six months’ men, captured fifty rebels and three wagons, between Greencastle and Hagerstown. The Captain estimated that there were one thou sand wagons in the train, but his force was too small to accomplish anything more. The rebels were making in the direction of the Potomac, as rapidly as possible. .* The rains continued yesterday afternoon, but it cleared up before night. Our troops are being rapidly, thrown up the valley.' PARTICULARS OF THE CAVALRY ENGAGE MENT-GEN. KILPATRICK UNINJURED, [Special to the Baltimore American. ] Baltimore, July 9.— The rumored death of Gen. Kilpatrick, I am* happy to state, is not true. Col. Lansing, of the7th Michigan Cavalry, who has just come in from the front, reports that he waß unin jured. The fight yesterday, between Funkstown and Boonsboro, took place about Bix miles this side of Hagerstown, and was finally a success for us. Our cavalry and artillery attacked a large* rebel force of cavalry and artillery. The latter were sup -ported by infantry, and at first we had to fall back. . General Buford’s cavalry brigade then dismounted. General Buford charged on the at the head vf liia Onvjng'tbcm ont of tlie'woodHj Genera! KjJjmtnck then made a charge ififa tfro mounted regiments, and drove the rebels before him for six miles. Our loss was fifty killed and wound ed, while that of the . rebels was a hundred, besides fifty prisoners.. From the same source I have obtained' the follow ing particulars of the latest cavalry operations: - On Sunday, Gen. Kilpatrick captured a rebel train at Monterey, a few miles .weßt of Emmettsburg, taking-1,876 prisoners, 179 of whom were commis sioned officers. On the same day he had a. brisk fight with the rebel Gen. Stuart at Smithaburg. On Monday General Kilpatrick made a dash on Hagerstown, and found the rebels, there in strong force. He fell back, fighting-bravely all-the way, towards 'Williamsport, to join Gem Buford. After a hard fightjthe rebels attempted to get be tween Buford And Kilpatrick, but they finally suc ceeded in forming ajunction, and both .divisions re tired during the night. Our loss was not serious, considering the great force of the enemy and desperate nature of the fighting. ’ . ; .. The rebels have an immense number of wagon trains parked at Williamsport. They are estimated as'high; as three thousand.. They have no bridge river, and.. Are using bcowb for the pur- of crossing their trains and their plunder. On Tuesday there was’no fighting, and our cavalry came back to Boonsboro. . Up to noon today only. Blight skirmishing has been going on between theannies. Shippknsbubo, July 9.—The armies of Generals Meade and Couch are rapidly concentrating in front of the “Army of Virginia.” The' headquarters of General Couch are at this place tonight. The news from Waynesboro shows that a portion of Lee’s.army is only three miles from the forces under Gen. Smith. . The enemy’s cavalry paid a flying viait to-day to Green castle, probably for the purpose of watching our movements and gathering supplies; Lee’s headquarters are Btill believed to be at Hagerstown. s - Exciting events are likely to transpire within the next two days. Bckxnsboro, July 9.— There have been no active operations on our front to-day. “ After the cavalry fight of yesterday, the enemy drew in their forceß toward Hagerstown, and formed a line on elevated ground extending from Funks town on the right, to the bend of the river below Williamsport, thus uncovering the Shepherdstown crostiDg. wV; Our scouts and reconnoitring parties report that Lee Is entrenching his front,and drawing ammunition from his train ; on the Virginia side, and making -general preparations for another battle. It is con tradicted to-night that we have a force on Lee’s line of retreat in Virginia. It is not likely that a gene ral battle will be delivered tomorrow. T* B. . f ’ HAimisnuno, July 9— Midnight.—No intelligence from the seat of war, either official or otherwise, has been received here tonight/ The telegraphic wires to Carlisle and Shippensburg have not been in order since U& o’clock tonight. The trouble is west of Harrisburg* ' Nuw Yobk, July 10-1 o’clock A. M.—The Times has received the following special despatch: Middletown, July 9. The number of wagons destroyed by our cavalry Is over 500. Buford destroyed 200 on Monday, Dahl gren destroyed 170 on the same day, and on: Satur day and Sunday Kilpatrick burned, oaptured,: and destroyed between 200 and aoo. Fully, one-third of t | the transportation of the rebel army has been do- troyed, and the damage tc them is fully twice what they were able to carry out of Pennsylvania. Yesterday the enemy pressed our cavalry back upon at sundown threw a few shells into the place. Buford then dismounted his whole command, and fought the rebels on foot for. two hours, finally driving them clear baok to Antietam creek. From a captured letter we learn that the enemy are trjiog to Bhove a portion of their force and wounded across the river at Shepherdstown. ' General Pleasanton will stop/that to-day.-The rebels have run a greater portion of their trains into the valley near Williamsport, and covered them by artillery posted on the eouth side of the Potomac, The prospect of another collision increases. Washington, July ,-9.—The following been, received at headquarters : “ Middletown, July 9. Nbwbern, N. C m July 7, via Fort Monroe, July S.—Major GeneralH.-W, Halleck , General-in-Chief : I have the honor to report that the cavalry sent from here July 3d, under Col. Lewis—3d New York Cavalry—have aafely.returned, haying successfully accomplished their mission, and without loss. NORTH CAROLINA. .They destroyed, twisting the tails &c., by Gen Haiipt’s plan, two miles of the railroad at Warsaw. Also, destroying for five more miles all the culverts as well as the telegraph. At Knoxville, Duplin odunty, an armory was de stroyed, with large quantities of small arms, and commisß&ry and . quartermaster stores, whioh were burned. About 160 Animals and some 30 prisoners were captured by them, and some 100 men and 300 negro women and children came in with them. ' J. G. FOSTER, Major General Commanding. The War in North Carolina. Fortress Monroe, July Bth.—The following despatch has been received from the Associated Press correspondent. Newbem; N. 0., dated July 6th: Lieut. Col. Lewis, of the 3d New York Cavalry, ia in command ofthe cavalry'force now penetrating the interior of this Slate, being a part of the expedition which left Newbern on the morning of the'4th inst. General Heckman, who is a very superior officer, is in command of the other portion of the expedition. He will doubtless give the enemy battle near King ston, when he will compel him to remain, so that ColonahLewis may be able to carry on his opera tions at pleasure. The latter will, doubtless, have travelled several hundred mileß into the enemy’s •country, and accomplished his"mission, before this despatch reaches it destination. General Foster expected to accompany this expe dition in person, but was unable to do so, having received intelligence from Fortress Monroe, soon after leaving,'which caused his return to Newbern. The expedition cannot be otherwise than a grand success. ‘ Invasion of Indiana. Ikdtanavolts, July 9.— Gen. Morgan’s forces, composed, of_infantry, cavalry, and artillery, and numbering from 6,000 to 8,000, have crossed into In diana and captured Corydon—our forces falling back. . The rebelfl are supposed to be marching on New ‘Albany and Jeffersonville, where large quantities of supplies are stored. \ Troops are being organized throughout the State and sent forward rapidly. Business is entirely , suspended, add citizens are forming themselves into military organizations. A regiment hat been.raised here since last night. It is reported that two citizens were killed at Corydon when the rebels .entered the town. Indianapolis, July 9.—Morgan is still in the vicinity of Oorydon, The greatest excitement prevails throughout the State. The militia are coming rapidly under the call of the Governor for 60,000 men, and they will be under arms and marched to the place of rendez vous in twenty-four hours. A Michigan regiment arrived to-night, and another regiment, together with a battery, is expected to morrow. The determination is, that Morgan shall not escape. The border counties are under martial law. Louisville, July 9.-— Eleven rebel regiments, ag gregating 4,080 men, with ten pieces of artillery, in cluding ten howitzers, passed the Ohio atßrandene .burg yesterday, and encamped last night near Oory don, Indiana. They are commanded by John Mor gan and Basil Duke. Morgan stated to several that his destination was Indianapolis, .but this was not credited. Considerable excitement prevails in New Albany, the inhabitants believing that Morgan is approach ing . On leaving Brandensburg, Morgan burned the steamer Alice Dena, but gave up the J. T. McCoombs, which arrived here thiß afternoon. A fire is now visible in the direction of New Albany. Operations of Gen* Dix—Communication Cut between Richmond and tee’s Army. . Fort Monroe, July 9.— The operations of Gen. Dix’s command, at the White House, and on the Peninsula, have been very successful. All direct communication between Richmond and Gen. Lee’B army has been cut, and a large number of troops ip and about Richmond, that would, other wise have gone to reinforoe him, have been de tained. Bragg Still Retreating* Cincinnati, July9.—A special despatch to the Commercial , dated Tullahoma, July 8, says Bragg yesterday retreated across the Tennessee river and destroyed the splendid bridge at Bridgeport. Strag glers from the. army say that Bragg’s forces are demoralized, and • the army is crumbling as It re cedes. ' i NEW YORK CITY* [SpecialCorrespondence of The Press.] New York, July 8,1863. The news of the surrender of Vicksburg set the city afiame with enthusiasm. Coming first from the benighted and somewhat unreliable regions of Cairo, people were inclined to doubt the intelligence, especially as it was stated to be “perfectly trust worthy.” The editorial fraternity, However, being Wiser and better than the mobility, placed full reli ance on the despatch, and it' in letters both fat and respectable. As speedily aa the rumor sped through the streets, hosts of excited citizens be sieged the newspaper offices, or thronged the side walks, eagerly discussing the subject, and specula ting upon the probable results which might be rationally calculated upon in case the news should prove The successes of General Meade, and the probable culmination of his brilliant cam paign, were also vigorously, canvassed. At this time, the Btreets wers literally choked with throngs, each member of which, despite the fact that “eter nal sunshine settled on his head,” struggled franti cally up to the bulletins, gazed for a moment with eager, protruding eyes, grinned with confident de light, then sank back into the crowd, like a corked bottle submerged in the waves. Small men, of cho leric and gouty habit, stood no chance whatever, and their only consolation was found in burrowing fiercely into the ribs of their neighbors blessed with more elongated skeletons. In the midst of all this bustle, this crowding and bustling, the bulletins put forth fresh blossoms in the guise of that ominous and infallible word “ official.” In an instant, the very heart of the populace seemed to leap to its' throat. Cheers, frantic and loud, reverberated through Printing-House Square* and Nassau street * hats spun through the air in fierce gyrations, and the mighty masses churned and eddied together, until their strength seemed exhausted, and the uni versal larynx hoarse with shouting. .Such a scene has never been witnessed in the city since those mad and feverish days when the first vo lunteers went filing in solemn, phalanxes through our streets, on the way 1b protect the national , ca- P«! iavwiOßi |*SB snsias?if«ast! YVHvitti viiv ftfflij w ffiHrjsTt Bis litifti aanssa IB . ab impromptu cwnirai, wliisn miglrt bare lea an uninitiated stranger to infer that the Italian taran tulahad seized upon the populace, and spun it off into crazy calisthenics. The excitement was more than temporary. Frm the newspaper offices, the throngs, receiving vast accessions at every step, rushed pellmeD to the Park, where a salvo of ar tillery was being fired. Flags were displayed froth the steeples and public buildings, as well as from the roofs anil windows of private residences. In. the evening, the theatres exhibited the Bame scene of excitement; and, indeed, everybody and everything, seemed permeated therewith. Wall street at once fell into a pleasant little panic. Gold dropped six per cent, bringing the quotations to about 132, with the. promise of a further decline. The stock maiket gave evident indications of much dyspepsia and- indigestion, and some leading lines of railroad securities were badly handled. ' As a ge neral thing, even the hard, calculating "badgererß in frothy speculations were too much elated by the glorious news to show any* decided . spirit of querulousneßS at the sudden results. The effect upon the Copperhead community was decided and plainly visible. The venerable olive branch was dragged out from obscure corners, and freely flourished on behalf of our misguided brothers inarms. Now was the time for a magnanimous North to offer the hand of friendship—at least until the South could recuperate its shattered energies, and prepare for war upon a grander scale! The sense of the community was certainly in favor of the olive branch; but the application was to be es pecially over the head and shoulders, after the man ner of severe flagellations. If Davis & Co. desire to receive it in this fashion, they will probably be indulged not only upon the banks of the Potomac, but at Port'Hudson. it has been suggested that the city be illuminated in honor of our victories 5 and in all probability the suggestion will be promptly acted upon by our citi zens. Jersey City will celebrate iu this matinee to night. THE DRAFT is now imminent, and may possibly take place du ring the present month ,• although it is doubtful if the preliminaries will be so far completed as.to ena ble the commissioners to proceed before August. Recent orders from the War Department to 001. Nugent, provost marshal, urging the necessity of a speedy return of his lißta to Washington, have al ready stimulated him to fresh efforts in the prose cution of his duties; and copyists are now at work night and day in preparing their duplicates. Some doubt has been expressed, whether, in view of our successes, it will be deemed requisite to enforoe the conscription. These very successes, however, are doubtless that which has induced the Government to-urge the matter, to completion. Fresh. troops may keep -the rebels running, since the veterans have'started them, almost as well as though they were seasoned by a campaign; and the Administra tion, wisely appreciating the fact, is acting in ac cordance therewith. _ GOVERNOR SEYMOU R, it is asserted by common rumor, intends to effect the removal of the police commissioners of this city, without reference to Mr. Blauvelt, This is a plea sant way of severing the Gordian knot. The Demo crats. who fare constantly demanding a technical trial for every traitor, should, by parity of reason ing, condemn the Governor for suoh anact of ag gression as relieving-the loyal commissioners, while constituting himself judge, jury, and accuser. Bxtb perhaps ! do not understand tho rationale or Demo cratic philosophy, and therefore am merely offering an impertinent suggestions v Rebel Outrages in York, Even-handed justice appears to have been admin istered in large doses to the ohivalrous Knights of the Golden Circle in Pennsylvania. A corre spondent of the Washington Chronicle gives the fol lowing account of the manner in which some of the disloyal oitlaensof York were treated by the rebels: Notwithstanding the heavy loss which the rebels inflicted on York oonnty, one oannot avoid laugh ing at the way the Copperheads have been treated. The rebels, it seems, took particular delight in making sport of them. Mr. B J — M was one of their victims. They, went there during the night and took Mb horse. Next morning they calledagaia, be fore breakfast, before Mr. M. had discovered his loss, andasked aim at how much he valued his hoFse. He-told them about $BO. They then made him pay for it, and also deliver up his pocket-book. He soon discovered that he had been doubly s windled. The rebels then went to Mr. ana found that he had sent his horse away. They made him pay sixty dollars for sending it away. Mr. K— ■, who lives beyond the Harrisburg turnptke-gate, ran out to meet them, telling them that he too was a rebel. Thereupon they ordered him to deliver to them his pocket-book, and guide them around the country. The latter especially he did not like to do. Then they threatened to hang him, arid commenced mak ing preparations, when his wife came and paid them twenty dollars to obtain his release. They let him go; but threatened to come back and hang him if they lost tbeir way. . The rebels did not know what to make of the peo ple of Codorus township. They said whenever they went into a stable the owners came and began making all manner of signs with their fingers, and muttering strange words, as though they wished to exorcise the rebels, who did not understand the signs ; and the poor, deluded farmers lost their horses, though they had paid their dollars to the K. G. O. They are said to be very angry : with their party leaders in town, who are now endeavoring to make their enraged followers believe that the inva ders were “not the rebels, but TAncoWs hirelings.** iVIr. J— — L — thought he would look after his farms on Tuesday, when the rebels had left. He took his Bon’s horse, and started out on the Carlisle road. When he was out three or four miles, a party of rebels came along and quickly relieved him of his horse; leaving .Mr. L—— sitting in his wagon in the middle of the road. No sympathy is felt for him. ' ■The rebels acted shamefully after leaving York. All along the Gettysburg turnpike road they plun dered private dwellings, exacting heavy tribute from some. . The French Ministry'. The change in the French Ministry is officially announced as follows: M. Billault, vice Walewski. -Minister of State, fif. "Baroche. Minister of Jastice. M. Broudet, vice Persigny ...Minister of the Interior. M. Durey..... Mini&ter of Education. M. Behic Minister of Acrictilture, Commerce, and Pablic Works. M. Bouher. .... President of the v Council of State M- de Moray.... .........President of the Corps Le " gislatif. Persigny and Walewski are, therefore, out of office. The new members of the Ministry are mostly men wfro have taken no distinguished part in.affairs. The decree nominating M. Billault -to the poßtof Minister of State places among his functionstbose exercised by the ministers without portfolio. Part of the functions appertaining to the Ministry of State are transferred to the Ministry of the Em peror’s Household, and another.part to the Ministry of Education. Public worship is assigned to the Ministry of Justice. The direction of the Moniteur will be one of the duties of the Minister of the In terior. • . The following explanations follow the decrees an nouncing these ministerial changes: “ The plebiscitum upon which the constitution of 1852 is based, in rendering the ministers responsible to the Emperor alone, was intended to put an end to those struggles of parliamentary, ambition, which were a constant source of agitation and weakness 'to previous, governments. “ Without Id the slightest degree diminishing the strength and freedom of action necessary to power, the Emperor, by the decree of the 24th November, wished to give to the great bodies of the State a more direct participation in the general policy of his Government j but this decree did not modify the fundamental principles of the plebiscitum of 1852, which could only be changed by a new plebiscitum. “ The more affipic and more complete discussion of •public affairs before the Senate and Corps Legis latif,iedto the creation of ministers without por& folios—that iB, of ministers not personally con cerned with the facts discussed. “By to-day’s decree the Emperor substitutes for them the minister entrusted with .the relations of the Government towards the great bodies of.the State, so as to more solidly organize the representa tion of the views of Government in the chambers, without deviating from the spirit of the constitu tion. ' - “The Minister of State, released from all ad ministrative functions, and the minister who pre sides over the Councilor State, are henceforth, in conjunction with the members of that council, entrusted with the explanation and defence of the questions brought before the Senate and Corps Le gielatif.” The (Case of the Alexandra* The London Daily News, in an article comment ing upon the recent decision in the case of the sus pected steamer Alexandra, utters this warning in the ear of England: “After atrial of three days’ duration a jury has decided that there has been no violation of the foreign enlistment act in the case of the Alexandra. It mustnot be assumed that this decision is final, for both the. Attorney: General, on the part of the Crown,'and Sir Hugh Cairns, on the part of the defendants, have tendered what is technically called a bill of exceptions, so that the courts will, notwith standing the verdict, be called upon to determine* whether the Chief Baron Pollock’s view of the law is correct. * * * “If the Lord Chief Baron is correct, the whole diplomatic action of the British Govern ment has been aseries of mistakes during the last: eighty years and more. The demands made by the British Government upon the American Govern ment, even, within the last ten years, have been ex travagant and unjustifiable. And 'the*readiness with which the American Government has complied with our demands to x stop the equipment of such vessels as the Alabama, in American harbors, has been utterly mistaken. These .are results. It is true that no decision upon the construction of the foreign enlistment act is to be found in the records of any of our'■courts.'-. It may bethatwhea the . question comes to be solemnly argued before the full bebch the judgment of the chief baron maybe over ruled. If it be supported, the consequence to this coun try in any future war may be more serious than many people in the heat of the present controversy seem to anti cipate.” - ' ' General Halleck’s Speech. A few sentences of General Halieck’s speech on the victories of the Fourth of July have been re ported among our telegrams. Thefollowing is the speech, as it was heard in Washington: It is now nearly two years since I took command of the army in the West, during which time Gen. Grant has served under my orders. During that time he has fought fifteen battles, and won fifteen victories. [Cheers, loud and long.] On no single occasion has that'commander and that army been repulsed. He -is now three-fourths of the way down the Mississippi, or was on the Fourth. To day or to-morrow he will be in Port Hudson. [Cheers.] The enemy talked of watering their horses in the Delaware, as Beauregard had said he would water his horses in the Tennessee. [Laughter.] He did not water his horses in the Tennessee, nor has Lee watered his horses in the Delaware, be cause Gen. Meadejwas between him and that river. [“ Good:”] Union men and Union horses will very soon drink the waters of the Mississippi from its source to its mouth. [Applause.] A MURDER.—One of the most cold-blooded and atrocious murders, which it h&B ever been ourpainful duty to record, took place In the 11th concession of the township of Richmond on Sunday evening last. The perpetrator of the crime iB about twenty years of age, a Canadian by birth, about the medium height, and of low mental calibre. His name is Zachariah Fralick. a son of Mr. Peter Fralick,a near neighbor of the father of the murdered girl. It appears that this young man, or young brute, as the result proved him to be, had been for some time paying his addresses to Miss Elizabeth York, which he alleges were well received at first, accom panied with promises of marriage; but latterly, for some reason, she appears to have turned her at tention to another, lover. . judging from remarks which fell from his owa lips, this feeling of jealousy, and the goadings of his associates’ taunts, exasperated him to revenge. KnowingthatMiss York was on a-visit to her uncle’s, who lived about fifty rods from her father’s residence, he availed himselfof the opportunity to carry out his merciless-design. He appears to have waited on the roadside until Bhe was returning home, between: nine,and ten o’clock at night, ana accosting her, put his arms around her person in an endearlDg manner, when she Mapped him in the face with the back of her hand. Prisoner says this made him angry, and he struck her with his fist, then picked up a large stone, beat her with it until he stunned her, and finally threw her#ver the fence to keep the hogs from devouring her. He then went home, but told no' one of the occurrence until he was arrested on. suspicion the following day, when his clothes were ■ still besmeared with her blood. "When asked by the writer if she made any demon »# one. of their officers, and at the same time designated* point* where arms and liquor could be fo'an