The New York herald., 1865-03-20

| the same day
The heavy freshet and thaw nauguratcd by the rain
storm OF last Thursday night have caused immense
damage, extending through wide extent Of country.
The OF the deyastations OF tho food mnl-
tply Throughout States far east
as New Hampshire and as far west Mis-
souri,, the rivers have been swollen to extraordi-
nary height and the volume Of water and
celebrated currents have carried everything before hem
oyerlowng thousands Of Of lowlands inundatng
cities towns and railroads and sweeping OF vast amounts
OF property. Travel has been temporarily stopped on
several Of the main railways Of the country as also tee-
graphing some Of the lines One hundred miles Oh
the Erie Railroad and several miles Of tho New York
Central and other prncpa routes Of travel were on last
Saturday under water.
A large and enthusiastic meeting was held on last
Saturday evening In tho Sixteenth ward for the purpose
OF dovisng means to al the army quota by volunteering
Finance and arrangement committees appointed and
the meeting adjourned reassemble this evening in the
Eighth district room, OF Seventh avenue
and Twenty second street. meeting Of citizens OF the
Tenth ward further the samo object will be held this
| evening in the Essex market court room
Surrogate Tucker has decided tho question presented
by the wills Of Mrs Sophie Dayton deceased by
jecting them both, tho ground Of mental incompe
toncy. The deceased the widow Of Dr. Daniel Day
ton formerly Of this city, and very advanced in age
AT the making VIII sno HVeo WIN hoT
daughter Mrs. Cossman and this will gives all her prop
ery her daughter Subsequently she was carried away
from daughters residence to the house Of Mr. David
Harrison, In Williamsburg where the second will was
made in Mr. Harrisons favor The Surrogate declares
both wills to be void and the decedent to have died
intestate Under this decision her property which s
considerable in amount passes to Mrs Crossman her
daughter
committee OF our State Legislature who visited this
city during the past week at the request Of Governor
Fenton had conferences with Of our principal cap
talists which resulted In securing q subscrip-
ton Of than ten million dollars to
tho thirty million loan authorized by the
act OF tho past winter for the purpose
of paying bountics TO volunteers Besides the
ten millions taken there every prospect of speedy
completion Of the entire loan. The bonds ready,
and their distribution to the counties and towns will be
commenced this week. and no doubt give great impetus
TO recruiting.
The movement for city governmental and sanitary
form naugurated by the ministers OF churches
the previous Sunday was continued by some OF them
yesterday. Sermons on the subject were yesterday
morning preached to large and Interested audicnced at
st Thomas church, by the Rev. Mr. Morgan, and at the
Thiry-eghth street Unitarian church, by Rev. DR..
0sgood.
The trial Of Roger Lamb for the murder OF his wife viii
morning.
Portions Of the wreck Of an apparently now vessel, OF
three four hundred tons burden the Of which
could be rtaned were discovered on last satur-
day in Staples cove Cape Elizabeth coast Of Maine No
clue to the fate Of the the Identity Of the vessel
has been gained.
The bondholders Of the Marposa Gold Mining Company
held meeting at the office Of the company Saturday
last when was resolved that further delay in assert
ing their rights useless and that committee of three
be appointed take steps, by foreclosure otherwise
towards that end The present Board Of Trustees
tanned.
The Impending Downfall Of Jcn. Davis
Probable Evacuation or Richmond.
The two houses of the rebel Congress have
made short work of the late special message Of
JEFF Davis Of all his budget of proposed alb
soiute powers, they have granted him only the
suspension Of the habeas corpus, and have made
haste to adjourn. They are no longer in the
mood for the discussion Of impracticable
schemes and empty distractions Each man
has the more important business Of his own
safety to look after. II is probable that by
this time, excepting the Virginia delegation,
the members of Jef.s disbanded Congress have
left for parts unknown; and that the railroads
and common highways leading off towards
panville and Lynchburg are lined with the
moving non-combatants Of Richmond and
Petersburg.
This general exodus Of all useless consumers
would be demanded by the shortness Of Lees
supplies, whether stripping for fight or pre-
pairing for an evacuation. The recent restric-
tions imposed by Longstreet in the exchange
of newspapers, the consequent difficulties of
getting any papers from Richmond, the evident
uneasiness OF General Lee, and the suspicious
activity in his lines, as if preparing for heavy
battle, all taken together with the critical dam
gers of his situation, justify the presumption
that, if not already moving off his stores, artil-
lcry and materials of war, he is preparing for
a stealihy departure
Left to his own judgment, General Lee would
doubtless elect to make fight for Richmond,
so that, in the event Of finding the odds too
heavily against him, he might at least claim
the honors of a respectable capitulaticn. But
the intractable Davis Is manifestly determined
to keep the fold while he can hold the frag-
mcnts Of IN army together. He has, per-
haps, made the discovery that while
Richmond cannot be held by Lee against
he concentrating forces of General Grant,
tho wisest course il to withdraw in time, in
order to save Lees army. Thus Hardee, when
he found that Sherman was fanking him, pulled
up stakes and abandoned Charleston in order
to escape the fate of Pemberton at Vicksburg.
AS the opposing armies now stand we are
drawn to these onclusions:-First, that as the
evacuation Of Richmond by General Lee with
out fight may enable him to effect junction
with Joe Johnston at Danvilc, and hold the
field for some lime longer, this is the course
which is most likely to be adopted under the
influence of JEFF Davis still apparently pre-