The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-02-14

ing arms. The only question to be decided is.
how many of the five thousand remaining would
volunteer, without bounty, TO go to the war.
Commodore Robert r. Stockton will not, under
any circumstances, allow his name to 60 before
the New Jersey Legislature in connection with the
Office of United States Senator.
- Both houses of the Legislature of Pennsylvania
have passed an act cedng to the United States
League Island. provided the government will es-
tablish navy yard there. League Island is in the
Delaware river. just above its junction with the
Schuylkill. and is included in Philadelphia county
Nicholas Longworth, the great Western wine
grower, who died in Cincinnati on the 10th inst,
leaves property valued at fifteen millions Of dol
lars. Mr.. Longworth was eighty years old.
In the Court Of General Sessions yesterday John
C. Long. charged with committing arson in the
second degree, by setting fire to the premises No.
3s2 Blocker street. was acquitted by a verdict Of
the jury.
The will of Andrew H. Mickle, formerly Mayor
of the city, has been admitted to probate without
contest The testator's estates, which were large,
| are distributed among the members Of his family.
The stock market dull yesterday morning. without
much change in prices, but much better, with more
activity, in the afternoon. Money was worth SIX TO
seven per cent Gold Huctuated between lb5 and 166,
| closing bid. Exchange closed at17ik
The cotton market was DUH and heavy yesterday.
There doing In breAdstus at advance Of 10c
on -four. and 10. &c. wheat Corn also shade
nrmer The grocery market brsksr especially for
Rio coffee the sales Of which were 100 bags Pork was
less inquired for but was steady while most other kinds
provisions active and nrm Tho sales Of whisy
large from CSC. 6sc The demand good tor
WOOL taow and tobacco. but not active the principal
kinds Of foreign merchandise There heavier freight
| engagements for British ports.
Mr.. seward's Reply - Lssis Napoleon's
Peace Propessls-Ths Crisis ana tho
Administrations.
The mastery reply Of Mr.. Seward to the ex-
tra0rdinary peace experiment lately proposed
by the French government will command the
universal approval Of the loyal States and of
the loyal people Of the rebellious States of this
Union.
Louis Napoleon, sincerely deploring the cot
ton famine in France resulting from this war, is
sincerely an advocate for peace. Failing in his
endesvors to induce England and Russia to join
him in an effort Of mediation, he advances di-
rectly the proposal to our government Of q con-
ference at some neutral place without inter-
| ruptlQn TO the wary between representa-
| tives Of the Union and the rebellion, and
modsstly expresses the opinion that such 9 con-
ference would most probably open the door to
peace, although it might involve the recogni-
ton Of Southern confederacy. Now there Is
an cir Of conading generosity In this PROPOSE
ton which might excuse It's absurdity but for
the opinion which it thus conveyed, that we are
wasting time in any further attempts to enforce
| the submission Of the rebellious States to the
Union, or to reclaim them in any way. Mr..
Seward, in view Of this singing suggestion In
thevery amiable despatch of the French Minister
Of Foreign Affairs, treats his proposition with the
| spirit and emphasis which the occasion demands.
He informs the French government through
Mr.. Dayton that what Mr.. Drouyn dc Lhuys
suggests is that "this government shall appoint
commissioners to meet on neutral ground COM
missionsrs Of the insurgents.' This proposition
Mr.. Seward justly defines - one for entering
into . diplomatic discussion with the insurgents
upon the question whether the authority of the
government "shali not be renounced, and whe-
Their the country shall not be delivered over to
disunion, to be quickly followed by ever in
creasing anarchy" Any overtures involving
| such contingencies are of course, pronounced
utterly inadmissible. Louis Napoleon is in
formed upon this point that there is not the
least ground to suppose that anything but q
| separation Of the Union would be accepted
by the representatives of the controlling
actors in this rebellion in tho conference suK-
gested, and that, on "the other hand, this 60
vernment has not the least thought of relin-
gushing the trust which has been confided to it
| by the nation" Of re-establishing the Union in
| its integrity.
| Having thus emphatcally dismissed this re-
| commentator from France for peace confer
once between commissioners from Washington
and commissioners from JEFF. Davis, Mr.. Seward
reminds the French government that the Con-
gress of the United States il the appropriate
body for peace conference between
the representatives Of the loyal and dis
| loyal States Of the Union and, with Louis
| Napoleon thus admonished, We shall probably
| not be disturbed for some time to come by any
further efforts on his part ~ . mediator in be-
half Of peaceable separation of the Union.
In this correspondence Mr.. Seward amply
sustains the high reputation which he has
| achieved ~ sagacous patriot and enlightened
statesman In the management Of our foreign re-
lations, beginning with his original instructions
Is Secretary Of State to our Ministers abroad
II he has learned that in the outset he was too
sanguine touching the suppression Of the rebel
lion, - We have oil been taught BY tho severe
experience Of this gigantic struggle, he remains
undismayed and mistaken - to the Hnal issue.
We apprehend, however, that, ~ II was in the
beginning 30 At this day, to some extent,
the administration fails TO grasp the dimensions,
the difficulties and tho dangers Of this rebellion.
Experience has proved that President Lincoln
has one man in his Cabinet equal to bis position
and the exigences Of the day. With men of
corresponding capacity, sagscity and consist