The New York herald., 1862-07-28

for the release Of those who have so faithfully
served the Union cause, will meet with hearty
response throughout the country, and tend not
little to stir up the ardor of the people to
take up arms for its defence. We believe we
have about fifteen thousand rebels as prisoners,
and the rebels have about twelve thousand
Union soldiers confined in Southern prisons.
TIE OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE CAPTURE OF
New ORIEANs.-We have received from the
Navy Department copy of the official report
of the capture of forts Jackson and st. Philip,
and the city of New Orleans. The caption of
the work, which is published in octave form,
introduces the reader to the entire series of
brilliant actions which gave to the national
arms, on the 24th of fAprll last, possession Of the
great commercial city Of the South-up to the
time of attack and capture the most remote
from the scene Of active hostilities. 1t contains
plans, maps, diagrams and cuts Of forts Jackson
and St Philip, of the approaches thereto, of
the rebel rams Louisiana and Manassas, and
graphic and concise reports of the unparalleled
naval engagement which resulted in our COM
plete success and the utter discontinue of the
rebels. The work will be read with great in
terest, and we hail 1t as the first instalment OF
regular continuation of like reports of the war
from headquarters which we hope to see pub
lished from time to time This single work, in
itself, is vastly more valuable than whole tones
of the useless rubbish ordered by Congress
session after session, and which, costing
the country thousands and hundreds Of
thousands, is never read by the people
Nothing could give the country greater
satisfaction than to be assured that the govern
ment would Immediately issue similar author
lied publications for general information; and
such an assurance, while due to the people at
large, would be the most powerful incentive
to individual heroism that could be devised
just to the country, just to the individual, SOL
der and seaman. To the present time the
HERALD, and, in their lesser spheres Of public
usefulness, the other newspapers of the free
States, have been the only chroniclers Of devo-
ton to the country, of sacrifices therefor, and
acts of heroism which Grecian or Roman his
| tory, in the purest and best times Of those re-
| publics, only can produce rare examples Of.
| In the work to which we refer will be found
| the reports of officers commanding, speaking
| for themselves; their concentrations to the
| department Of subordinates in command under
them; Of the gallant rank and file; with the list
Of the killed and wounded-this to the latter
an honorable record for future reference, for
the former silent but deathless memento to
| Keep alive the gratitude of free and grateful
| people. We would recommend the govern
ment to at once undertake the publication of
| all official reports Of engagements between the
| national troops and the rebels, by land and
| sea, that have up to the present time taken
place. and to continue the same until the rebel
lion is finally crushed out, and thus bequeath
to posterity salutary warning towards the
| repression Of treason in the future and an as
surance Of success to all who stand faithful to
the Union, the constitution and the laws.
AN IMPORTANT DEcIsIoN-TREAsuRY NorEs A
| LEGAL TENDER FOR TAxEs.-A decision Of con-
siderable importance with regard to the le-
| gality of rendering Treasury notes in payment
| Of taxes was made in Chicago the other day. II
| appears that taxpayer offered the County
Treasurer $3.50 in gold In payment Of State
taxes, and $210 in Treasury notes in payment
| Of county taxes. The Treasury notes were re-
fused and suit entered against the party for the
amount. When the case came to be argued il
was urged by counsel that, inasmuch as the
State of Illinois, by legislative enactment,
makes it imperative to pay The State tax in
| gold, Treasury notes were not legal tender,
but that in the matter Of county and town taxes
no such obstacle existed, and the notes were
therefore legal and proper tender. This
point was raised by the States Attorney, and the
court accordingly decided that Treasury notes
were legal tender in payment Of county taxes
| and dismissed the case.
| This decision may be guide to taxpayers In
| other States, and it will, of course, impart tc
| Treasury notes SO much additional value as 9
safe circulating medium
L ---------
I GOLD AND BGEADsTUFTs-FULI CRoPs.-In
every quarter Of the Northern States the re
| ports from the grain crops are most cheerful
Indeed they are already gathered, and prove
most abundant. The corn is not yet harvested
but IL gives glorious promise Of plenty. With
such resource we cannot be long hampered
for want Of specie. The crops In Europe, on
the other hand, are all short, and they mus
have our breadstuffs in large quantities, which
will enable us to pay of our Indebtedness In