The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-01-28

When we find the leading abolition organs.
East and West playing the same dismal tune,
we must conclude that there is some meaning in
| their music
ACTIVITY OF THE REBEL PMvATEER5 MoKE
Federal. LOSSES Al SEA.--By the Northern
Light, which arrived here yesterday from New
Orleans, touching at Key West ON its way, We
have the statement confirmed that it was the
Alabama that engaged and destroyed the fcde-
raj gnnboat Hatteras. We also learn by the
same vessel the destruction Of a Boston brig,
the Estelle, off Tortugas, by the Oreto This is
the third rebel privateer which is now at sea,
and it is commanded by man possessing even
more daring and energy than Se,nmes- Cap ain
John Newland Mafit, formerly Of the United
States Navy--who seems determined to create
quite a. great sensation on the ocean as his
father did in the pulpit.
1t will be recollected that when some months
since, the Oreto ran into Mobile, the Secretary
Of the Navy had Commander Preble dismissed
the service for not exercising due vigilance
in preventing her breaking the blockade; but,
curious to say, after she had succeeded in safely
accomplishing her object, Mr.. Weles took no
pains to prevent her getting out again. although
the department was fully apprised Of the fact
that she was being heavily armed. with view
to prey on our commerce. So little attention,
in fact, did he pay to the information, that
when claim was put In by the Spanish govern
ment for the burning Of the Blanche, he with
drew the federal gunboat Montgomery from
the blockading squadron and brought her
North, thus leaving the Oreto every facility for
making her escape. With management like
this we must expect to find the rebel priyateers
rapidly multiplying and the losses to our CON-
merce becoming daily moro numerous. II as
sumes still more serious aspect when we hear
Of our armed vessels being sunk and destroyed
through similar negligence, and when the su-
periority that we had maintained in this respect
over the rebels is being snatched from us by
their skilful tactics and superior energy and
daring
The CARNIVAL OF Our TROuBIEs.-It seems
an odd sort of philosophy which seeks comfort
for trouble in dissipation; but there is nothing
which people run SO readily to when they come
to grief. Thus last winter, when the cause OF
present, and when the magnitude of the struggle
was but imperfectly appreciated, balls, parties.
and social enjoymeRts of almost every kind
were suspended, and long faces cultivated.
Now that the war has been going on for
couple of years, that exchange is at lG0, and
that paper dollar will purchase very litile
more than half what il formerly did, we
have become one Of the most dissipated and
extravagant of communities. Balls parties,
dinners and weddings take their daily course
with us as If the nation was in the enjoyment
Of undsturbcd prosperity and peace. In fact
we have never known winter in which social
gayety of every sort was pushed to greater
lengths than in this. We're we ourselves to ac-
cept but 1.-THE Of the invitations to public and
private entertainments that just now crowd our
table we should have but little time and less dis.
position left for the discharge Of orr duties.
Nor is it merely in these social distractions
that the mind Of the community seems to
seek relief. The theatre. the Opera and the
concert room all attest by the crowds that
nightly I'LL them the disposition Of people to
forget the cares and anxetes that oppress
them. And strange to say, when the uncer-
tainties of the future more than ever dictate
prudence in personal expenditure, and when
heavy taxation would necessarily be supposed
to curtail it, we have never known more extra
-vagance displayed in household furniture and
dress. Our dry goods stores sell a richer class
Of stuffs. our jewellers more costly class Of
ornaments. and our upholstersrs more expen
sive furniture, than they have hitherto been in
the habit Of disposing of. Even the arts,
which usually languish in time of war, are feel
ing the revivifying influence of this disposition
towards extravaganza. More expensive pic
lures have been sold within the last six months
than during the previous eighteen. Much OF
this is to be attributed to the uncertainty which
people entertain as TO the future No one feels
sure of what he possesses whilst the govern
ment is thus recklessIy gambling away the ma
tional resources. Under such circumstances is
il any wonder that the general dependency
should seek for relief in these eytravagances!
They are unmistakablo evidences uf deep dis
turbancs in peoples faith in regard to The
future.
OrR ONsmsEs BADLY REGtlArEp.-An acct
dent which occurred yesterday makes rs the
more anxious that our suggestions as TO placing
conductors or money takers on all the Bread
way stages should be adopted by the different
lines \ gentleman on horseback was iammed
between two omnibuscs and narrowly escaped
being crushed TO death The horse was serious
ly injured. The acciden, occurred from The
fact that the driver Of one Of the omnbsses
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