, 1862-01-04
GoV. BLAIR CEAsuRES, TIE IsACrloy
OF THE ARMF,
Expeditions from Port Royal.
RURNsIDE'S EXPEDITION TO Op-
ERATE IN VIRGINIA.
Plain Talk by Horace Greeley In
Washington.
FROM WASHINGTON,

X
Secretaries Seward and Chase, in reply to
an application to that effect from Illinois, have
promptly offered their aid in procuring cotton
Eeeds from Port Royal for the farmers Of the
West.
committee representing the New York
banks, is expected here to-day, to confer with
Mr. Chase On bill already matured, authori-
zing further issue Of Treasury notes for the
temporary relief Of the Treasury, and also up
on another providing increased duties on iron,
spices and salt, and an excise duty on spirits,
tobacco and several articles Of luxury, which
will be introduced into Congress.
The Staunton (Va-) Spectator learns from :
Northern Catholic priest that Arch Bishop
Hughes has gone abroad, dcputed by a council
Of the Fathers, to use his influence to secure
tile intercession Of foreign powers in uellaH Of
peace and recognition Of the Southern Coo-
fcderacy.
A telegram from Charleston, Dec 29th, an
nounees the landing Of a Yankee force on North
Edisto Island, from Federal gunboats, for the
purpose, doubtless Of taking possession ofthc
Charleston and Savannah Railroad at Adams
Run.
A dispatch from Knoxville announces TINT
the East Tennessee ard Georgia Railroad will
commence running on New Years. Day.
The schooner Prince Of Wales, 1oadcd with
salt, while attempting to run the blockade at
Georgetown, s. c., was chased by 4 It Yankee
Cruiser" beachca and burnt.
Two new balloons for Government service
have been brought here by Prof Lowe.
Tho corps Of telegraph builders who have
finished the line from Frederick, ID, toWhee1-
ing, arc about to go to Budd's Ferry and build
a line and thence to Point Lookout.
Generals Foster, Reno and Parke, command
the brigadcs under Gen. Burnside; four OF
the best regiments here have been ordered to
Annapolis.
Mr. Grec1cy's lecture, tonight, was in.
mcnscly crowded The President and Secre-
tary Chase, with Secretary Cameron's family
and nearly half of Congress, were present.
Mr.Greeley boldly proclaimed that the real Oh
ject Of the war should be the destruction OF
slavery. Whenever he declared this to be
"the one sole purpose Of the fight" he was
Fehement|y applanded; as lie WIS also when
he cited the declaration Of Andy johnson that
ssrchcls had 10 right to own anything,'' and
pronounced it to he the enunciation Of pat
riot and the wisdom Of statesman.
The sympathy Of the audience showed that
as far South as Washington, the popular
opinion was in harmony with the opinions of
the lecturer
Two ladies, e1eellenuy youched for, sought
passes from Seward to visit Sick relations at
the South, They were refused because tic
rule is inhexib1c- Subsequently, it was dis
covered that they had rebel correspondence
and other contraband goods on their persons
Minister Corwin will probably return from
Mexico within month. He has been refused
leave Of absence upon his earnest request
twice repeated, and has Other causes Of dissat-
isfactlon with the State Department.
It is almost certain that the English will
occupy, if they have not already occupied,
Matamoras, with the design, it is feared, of
opening communication with the rebel States
by way Of Brownsville, exporting cotton and
importing contraband goods. Should such be
their intention, nothing but the natural obsta-
c1es of the country can prevent it from being
carried out, while Texns continues disloyal.
Curl Schu1z has asked and obtained leave Of
absence from Madrid, and is probably already
On lis way home. The causes assigned for
Ills return are purely speculative.
Gen. Mcclellan slept ten hours last night
favorable fact in q typhoid case. To-day he
sat up some time attending to business.
The report Of the Associated Press that the
French and British Ministers did not call upon
Secretary Seward on New Years day, was
erroneous. Lord Lyons with his whole 1ega-
ton paid his respects to Mr. Seward, as did
Mons. Mercier md the French attaches.
Mason and slidcn will 60 no further than
Halifax in the Rinaldo. There they will take
the Niagara.
Five contrabands. seeking asylum to-day in
the camp Of the SD Pennsylvania, and finding
it, report that the rebels are vigorously forti.
flying Centreyille and its vicinity.
There are the elements Of another SIidcI1 and
Mason case, in the persons Of Thomas Rogers,
Of Texas, and one Zachary, of New Orleans.
They were taken early In December, by our
Commodore Ridgely, OF the English schooner
Victoria, on her passage from Havana to Mat
amoras. Dispatches for rebel leaders we're
found in their pockets, and the fullest evidence
Of their being on an Grand hostile to the Uni
ted States. It is probable that the State De-
partmcnt will not wait for demand for the
surrender Of these men, but will speedily en-
large them.