The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-04-06
New York, Monday, April 8, 1863.
THE SITUATION.

THE SITUATION.
Most important news, if true-and it was fully
believed yesterday by prominent officers of the
government-has reached us from Fredericksburg,
whittier it arrived from rebel sources. The intel.
igence Is that the bombardment of Charleston by
our land and naval forces combinedi commenced
on Thursday and that the city is now in the pos.
session Of our forces, under General Hunter and
Admiral Dupont. 1t is said that these reports are
definite and positive, and are entirely credited by
those in Washington who are in possession of
facts relative to the contemplated attack which
would amply warrant such a result.
major of the rebel General Stuart's staff was
captured recently near Dumfres, upon whom the
charge of having acted as spy in our Potomac
army lies heavily, which, if it can be substantated,
will probably lead to an ignominious death. The
army continues quiet. The enemy still show them.
selves in large force on the heights. Snow was
still falling yesterday and the cold was intense.
We give to-day the important report of the joint
committee of both houses of Congress on the con.
duct Of the war.
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.
Captain Reeve, Of the brig Grace Worthington
which arrived at this port yesterday, from Belize
Honduras, reports that on the afternoon of the
10th ut. fire occurred at Belize, which continued
until the night of the 18th, destroying five hun
dred buildings in the business part of the city.
In another column of to-days paper will be
found q statement from the Nicaragua Transit
Company, in reference to the recent seizure of
their steamboats, and other property by the local
government, for the alleged cause of q non-fulfl-
ment of their contract. As the news Of the
scizure-which we published yesterday-has pro-
duced considerable agitation the statement of the
company will no doubtbe read with correspond.
ing interest.
General Sherman ordered the destruction of two
thousand head Of cattle and large quantity of
forage and grain on the plantation at Deer Creek,
of the rebel General II. r. w. Hill, one Of the
largest planters and slaveowners in the South.
The amount Of internal revenue in Rhode Island
will be two millions of dollars per annum. This
is pretty well for the smallest State in the Union
Asparagus, tomatoes, green peas and new pota
toes were in the San Francisco markets as early as
the 10th of March.
in Middletown, Connecticut, on Thursday last, in
their attempt to prevent by violence, Miss Dick
iason from addressing the people of that place.
There was an increase of marriage licenses
granted in Baltimore last month of dfty-three
over the number granted in March last year. The
excess is accounted for by the fact that the con-
scription law exempts married men on the first
call between the ages of thirty-fve and forty-fve
NJ Axtl .,tr;. H.
seat in the Canadian Parliament by a vote of that
body, offered himself again a candidate for the
vacancy to the voters of Essex county, and was
defeated in the election by lfty-one majority for
Mr.. John O'Connor his opponent. Mr.. Rankin, it
will be recoected, at the breaking out Of the re.
bellion, was commissioned by our government
colonel of the Michigan Lancers, but resigned at
the time of the Mason and Slidell excitement.
Some time before the adjournment of the last
Congress Hon. Martin F. Conway, representative
from Kansas, received resolutions passed by the
Legislature Of his State strongly condemnatory Of
his course in the House. Mr.. Conway returned
the resolutions to the Secretary Of State with the
expression Of his " most profound contempt" and
closed his letter by saying.-" shall ask the PEG.
pie, in their next election, to say whether I am
traitor or not; and in the meantime spit upon the
resolutions"
Hon. Joshua r. Bell, who has received the Union
nomination for Governor OF Kentucky, was formerly
an old line whig, and as such represented the
Fourth district in the Twenty ninth Congress. In
1859 he was the Know Nothing candidate for Co
vernon, in opposition to Bcrah Magoffn, and was
beaten in the canvass by nearly nine thousand
votes.
The late fire in Richmond destroyed between
seven hundred and eight hundred hogsheads of to-
bacco. and quantity Of Confederate storcs-iu
all valued at nearly million of dollars. The loss
OF the rebel government was two hundred and az
~ thousand dollars; that Of the state OF Virginia
was two hundred thousand dollars; and the ba.
lance Of the loss was sustained by the planters.
large emigration 10 the State OF Illinois Is
taking place from the States Of Virginia, Tennes.
see Kentucky aud Missouri. The stations on the
Illinois Central Railroad are crowded. with fam.
Ses arriving from the states afflicted with the war.
There was more o. mness SATURDAY, In the gold aud
stock markets Cold sold iJ6 closing 1T about i55.
Stocks we're generally : per better EVcl iugo
"a inactive, A. the eioss lie rate was lc9I. Iso