News of December 22nd

Otago Witness, Issue 641, 12 March 1864, Page 3

News of December 22nd

,Xt ~ Wew Yobk, December 22ud. A New Orleans letter to the " World," dated the 13th says, " Up till to-night we have nothingfre,h from the Rio Grande, but cur frees have all left the Teche, and there are uo t.oops but a small garrison at Brashear, this side of the Bny 1 do not know that anything is expected from lexas just now, though possibly there may be It is repo ted here that Magruderis at Cooinbus .on the Colorado, with a large forc9, and that it the Federal army enters the interior, its progress will be disputed. It -will not, in my opinion, have navigable waters very soon. iViagruder was fully appiised of the in'ended attack on the Hio Grande and rather invited it, with the hope of embroiling the United States w:tn France. A Havana letter say* that Comonfort was murdered by his own countrymen, and that the Maximilian regency is virtually dissolved by the action of the Archbishop of the city of Meyico. The Archbishop insisted oa the restoration of the Church property, which had heen confiscated and distrib'ited'by Juarez. This was refused, so his Grace not only retired from the royal council, but excommunicated evaiy person, French and Mexican, who opposed himfrom General Bazaine and Almont down to the drummer boys of the liberating army. The cathedral doors are closed against *H parties. SSSi Wa r NegPet ? sunoutt ded the building with 3000 ;o!diers, planted his cannon at the doer, n» ci ™ ed admissiou within a certain time, rnnf ls . llc P,^«a admitted the pious bsljigerents officiated at the mass, and gave them an official benediction. Doblado, the Governor of Guanajdato has declared in favor of Juarez Vmuarn was hostile to Juarez. Afejia, Berthier and Bazauie had advanced the Franco- Mexican army to lmcortant positions. The latest reports li°l% bt 't ll D lomi1 omin 8' 0 via Savannah, reoreaeqt towards the heart of the insurrection, and that they are likely «o subdue it. A special "Times" letter, th.it was received to day irom a distinguished officer ot the fleet off Charleston, says :-3o far as visible, the only obstructiona jn Charleston . Harbor are a double Hue of piles across the ohaane', from Port

Pinckney to the middle ground. From there to Fort Johnson there is an openins 1 ol about two hundred feet. The writer think* the obstruc tions can beeaMy removed by tbp Monitor?. A special te'egram to the *' Herald," date" Washington, 21st December, says:— The aJ journed caucus of the Democratic members of Congress to night transne'ed no impoitnnt bmi ness. General Auger made a trip today on the railroad as far as Bull's Run, for the purpose of inspecting the road and providing- a<pin t raids by the enemy. The bridges werefonnd to be in pood condition. Measures hw been adopted that doubtless will prevent anther descent being made upon tbe line within this department. Guerillas and small squads of rebel cavalry still infest the country l.eyo d Manawis Depredations upon Government property between that point and the Kappahannock,are oi frequent occurrence. The Missouri question has been settled. Rosencrans will be spnt to t St. Louis, and Curtis to Kansas, displacing Swing. A special to the " World," f om the headquarters of the army of the Potoma.j, 2l«t beconiher. says :—": — " As far as I can judge, the rebels have not changed their positions. Our men have made for themselves most comfortable quarters, impervious to frost and snow.'* A special to tbe " Tribune" says :— " The arrangement by which all matters connected with the exchange of prisoners have been turned over to Genera! Butler wiJl be permanent. General Meredith, who has hitherto been concluding Uin exchange, has been ordered to report to him. A fiag of truce boat was to leave Point Lookout to day for City PoiEt, with a thoußind prisoners on board, in charge of General Butler, in exchange ,for whom he will offer to receive a thousand of our prisoners, now suffering in Richmond. The secessionists of Baltimore, who still have direct communication with the South, profess to have information that I> c's army is to winter at or near Hanovfr Court House. The troops there have already commenced the construction of winter quarters.

Cincinnati. 22nd D ceraber. A messenger from the Gwernor ami LegWa ture of Kentucky left Frankfort yesterday for Washington, to request the President to postpone the draft until corrections are made in the enrplxnent pape r s. Delegates have left Frankfort for the National Convention of Conservatives at Philadelphia. General Kiraball, recently in command at Little Rock, pasged through Indianapolis yesterday for Washington. He represents that immense Union meetin/ja are being held in all portions of the State, endoising without reserve all the Act* of the Administration for the suppression of the rebellion, and recommending that a Slate Convention be called for the reorganisation of the State Government without slavery. New York, 22nd December. The Government has decided that the safety of American vessels leaving this port requires that no person be allowed to leave, as a passenger or otherwise, or any American vessel, without fl st receiving a passport from the Marshal of this district. It is understood that a gunboat I 1&9 already been stationed at Sandy Hook to intercept all vessels leaving this port by that outlet, and another at Thrcgg's Neck, to examine vessels leaving by the Bound, with instructions to detain such as are without pnßses. Any one pan obtain a proper passport who can have his loyalty vouched for. The adoption of tlis stringent measure is probably to prevent a repetition of the Chesapeake affair.

Philadklphia, 22ad December. By a gentleman who left Richmond on the 20th, we have the following later information. He snys: Richmond papers of the 20th hare despatches from Bristol, Tennessee, stating that Longstreet, with his army, was advancing, and no doubt a severe battle would be fcught in the vicinity of Jonesboro, Tennessee. Reinforcements from Colonel Jackson's and General Samuel Johnson's command are going to Longstreet, A cespatch from Meridian, Mississippi, reports that John .Tohnstone's army intends to rebforce Hardee. It is also rumored in Richmond that Lee will be pent to command in North-west Georgia, as the only hope of retrieving the heavy disasters to the rebels in that quarter. Hia army in Virginia has cone into winter quarters, except one division \inder General Early. Some excitement and uneasiness existed in the vicinity of Staunton, Virginia, in consequence of the near approach of Averill's command. Emboden and Rhodes were endeavoring to oppose Averill's farther advacce. and a fiffhtwas expected in that quarter, Id the rebel Congress, the substitute bill was abrogated, and all persons who have put substitutes in the army are compelled to go themselves. Foote continues his Bevere denunciation to the rebel Administration. It is rumoured that a Commissioner will be sent to the Court of Madrid in behalf of the the rebel Government. Fairfax Court-House, 22d Dec. General Michael Corcoran died this evening, from & fall from his horse.

Washington, 22nd December. The twenty million appropriation bill to pay bounties, which passed in the House yesterday, has also passed in the Senate to-day. This bill provides that no bounties, except such as are provided for by law, shaU be paid to any persons enlisted after sth January. That the money paid by drafted persons under the Enrolment Act shall be paid out on requisitions, as in case of other public moneys ; and the money as paid shall be kept in the Treasury as a special deposit applicable only to the expenses of drafts, and for the procuration of substitutes, and for these purposes it is hereby appropriated, M. Louis, 22nd December. The " Democrat's" (Port Smith) special of the 22nd says the rebel force which crossed the Arkansas, going northward, was under Standwait, Adair, and Quantrell. Captain Spillman, with a portion of the Indian troops, encountered them at Byrran Fork, Cherokee County, and fought them for four hours and routed them. The rebel loss is about Beventy, They flea in all directions, but the remnanta are doubtless Morganised. It is suspected their destination was the Kansas border. All quiet in front. NBwa of 23kd December. CHioAgo, 23rd December. In the House, yesterday, Holmen, from the Committee on claims, reported a resolution requesting that the first comptroller of the Treasury suspend further proceedings relative to th<s claim of Cormack and B-amsay, until further action of Congress. After debate, in which Morril moved to take the subject from the Comptroller's hands, the resolution waß adopted by a vote of 100 to 86. In the Benate, Joknson of Pennsylvania offered tbe following ;— M Whereas the Supreme judicial tribunal of the

State ot i e[i;iß>lania 'ler.med hi>lt-nin>; iliattiit nctofStith .March, 38 3. commonly calif a thi Uonscr.ption Act, is i-ositri y to (vioiaiive) the piovtsion* of the ConSititutiim. and jslhereroie null and vid ; i hereto! t» be h resolved iha r ;.t; .t it the &worn dalj of the Kvecuine Department either to uoqjk'soe in the <Kcis»ion of tint Suite, or drintr Hie qtieni'm inv^ivd before the Supreme Court of th; CniteJ Stairs f r ll.ial sii'ju.i'.iC.iiiou. and that if Cormier shall die"! r-u.'h legislation necessary, a hill *-Imll b^wrepaitu, not sulje.t to constitutional objections. 1 ' The ie*>lutiiou \w l.n.t on the Wile by a vote of eight against forty- five. New Y..RK, 23-* December.

A speial telegram to the ' Tribune" sv^ : — Gaueral B.uler telegraphs that tue »rut>uieDt telegraphed as pomiu-: fiom tl.e Kiclicaerd papers, that the Ironsides and two monitors were disabled off Charleston, is not tsue. Washington, 23-d December.

A special to the '* Tiuic" says :— Tae H >usp Committee on Ways and Sli'a-iH to-day finished the iVaval Appropriation Bill. V««y little reduction fiom the hstimaws were made by the C jmrnitke. It wns deiei mine i not to meet again untii after the holidays, v.fien th"y will tike up the recommendation* of the Treasurer.

The veteran retriruptits in the army of the Fotnmnz »re to have their Irunty money imm&i.i.udy The first instalment will hmoim: to nl»mt one hundrtd and fifty dollars per man. Thj number of men from th? army of the Potomac )e-cnlistol fur the wa r is over teu thousand.

The s.e.-timent< of senators re-pect'nu the three hundred dollar exemption bave ivlnliy cbang-d. They will strike out the exemption dniui, and not insert any amount in its place. The feeling in general ihut the army must be filled up ana the war vigorous? Pr becuted to the end.

Senator WiUon will soon intm!a'"e a Ml for the enlistment ot soldiers in the rebellious Stue*. Persons so enli-tine; may enter any repuient now in the field frcm the io^al Mates they may select. They d'6> ; re to get them in the veter.in regiments and at the same time open a large field from which the loyal State* can draw troo. s.

halt Laks, Deceiobpr '23.

Judge Smith, in the Probate Court, has sentenced Jason Luce, the murderer of Samuel it. Bnton, to be shot to death on ihe 12th January. The funeral of Jacob GooJing was largely attended on -unday afternoon. The remains were deposited in the city burial ground.