The New York herald., 1862-02-15

The details of this important victory have not yet
Missouri almost clear of the armed hosts of the
rebels.
We have received the official dispatches for
warded to the Navy Department detailing the
course of Commodore Dupent's expedition IN
the vicinity of Port Royal but the facts contained
therein have all been published before
Upon the whole we can present our readers with
satisfactory record to-day of our army and navy
movements.
The President has issued an order, through
he Secretary of War, releasing all political pri-
rs now in the custody of the military authori-
Ies in every quarter, upon giving their parole to
afford no aid to the enemies of the government
as the rebellion is now maniestly on the decline,
the severe measures resorted to in the beginning
are no longer necessary.
CONGRESS.
An amendment to the Army bill was adopted by
the Senate yesterday, giving the bounty allowed
to soldiers in case of DEATH to the relatives of the
deceased. resolution was also passed authoriz-
ng and requesting the President to dismiss from
the army or navy such officers as, in his judgment
were unsuited to the service or when the service
would be benefited by such dismissal. In the
House the Naval Appropriation bill was passed,
with an amendment appropriating fifteen million
dollars for building additional gunboats, as also
million for an ordnance foundry at Washington.
The Senate's amendment to the bill for the sup
preston of the coolie trade was concurred in by
the House. Mr. Wikof, who had purged himself
of contempt to the House by answering the ques-
tion propounded by the committee, was ordered to
be discharged from custody. Both bodies have
adjourned over until Monday.
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.
Much routine business was transacted in the
Legislature yesterday, but nothing of special i'm
portance. A motion to lay the excise question on
the table was defeated after an amendment had
been offered instructing the committee to report o
graduating scale for the sale of liquors by license,
and to provide for such restrictions as may best
snbserve morality and temperance. Among the
petitions presented was one for the repeal Of the
law exempting ministers of the gospel from taxa
ton.
The steamship Ariel arrived here yesterday from
Aspinwall, with s6l4.l46 in specie. The news
from Central America is uninlportant.
The United States gunboat Massachusetts,, Com
modore Melancton Smith, arrived at this port last
at halfpast nine o'clock, from Ship Island. The
Massachusetts, has on board the cargo Of prize
schooner J. w. Wilder, captured by the steamer
R. R. Cuyer, consisting of coffee, lead, leather,
&C., and likewise the cargo of schooner Gypsey,
captured by steamer New London, consisting of
103 bales of otton.
The United States gunboat Vixen, Lieutenant
Commanding W. s. Jones, from Port Royal 10th
inst, arrived at this port yesterday. She brings
no news.
Our files from Bermuda. dated on the 2sth and
29th ultimo, contain an account of the embarka-
ton of Mason and Slidell on board the La Plata
mail steamship, at ST. Thomas from the British
war vessel Rinaldo. It is said that the Rnaldo
was boarded in the port by an officer from
United States ship-o p-of-war-name not given-who
inquired if it we're probable our government
would surrender the rebel agents. Mason and
Slidel stood, lis sad in his sight, and the British
officer to whom he addressed the question replied
by saying "There are Messrs. Mason and Slidell."
the side and jumped into his boat in haste. The
West India division of the British North American
feet was very active in its movements.
The Bermuda Royal Gozette of the 2sth of ia
nuary says:-" We are sorry to learn that letters
have been received here from Hayti, via st. Tho
mas, mentioning that mos. of the immigrants from
Bermuda to that island had been i'll of fever, and
that the following persons had died, viz:-Messrs.
William Tucker. Albert Basden and Theophilus
Robinson.
The bark Thomas Dallett arrived at Philadel-
phia yesterday from Venezuela. She reports bu-
siness dull and the country in great commotion.
General Paez at the capital (Caraccas) in
command of the national land forces, and was
about proceeding to meet the insurgents, and was
determined to show no quarter, in order to es-
tablish law and order on basis firmer than has
ever existed heretofore.
The ship Stephen Glover arrived at Boston yes
terday from Calcutta, with upwards of 5000 bags
Of saltpetre.
The British steamship st. George, Captain Wiley,
from Liverpool. arrived yesterday morning, having
on freight one thousand nine hundred and three
bales Of American and sixty.thrcc bales of East
India cotton.
A very patient and enduring meeting of the
Board of Aldermen listened last evening, for more
than one hour, to report, read by Alderman Day
ton, from the Committee on the Mayors Message.
Mr.. Dayton went elaborately into the laws Of the
city ofNew York, and severely commented upon the
reorganization Of the Board OF Aldermen, as pro-
posed by Mayor Opdyke, which he pronounced to
be mockery and fraud, and calculated to bring
the elective franchise into contempt and disrepute.
The workmen on the Central Park were engaged
during the whole OF yesterday in cleaning and
planning the ice which was in good condition; and
with prospects of frost last evening, the ball will
doubtless be up to-day.
The cotton market yesterday irregular, while the
sales embraced about GOO bales ulon the basis chiefly OF
CSC. zoe for middline 70 strict mddling uplaads.
Pressed ssss were made under these fgures and
Of this kind IL reported low 25e cash TO-
day, while some lots Of middng uplands reported
litto II be had unJer thc ahove aS,ra.