The New York herald., 1865-04-09

Council for especial observance In this city
The Merchants Committee TO arrange for proper ce-
bration OF the recent great national triumphs, held
another meeting yesterday ut the Custom House The
address 70 be presented 10 President Lincoln requesting
him to appoint day for thanksgiving throughout the
country aud resolutions OF thanks all the officers and
sold crs OF our armies were read and unanimously
adopted The address 70 the President will hang In the
rounda Of the Custom House for some days. where all
citizens who desire 10 sign will have an opportunity 70
do So
Tho Special Committee Of the Common Council ON the
Fire Department yesterday, Alderman Ryers In the
chair Chief Engineer Decker, John r. Platt President
and other prominent members Of the Fire partmens
present. and stated that they intended TO test the
legality Of tho law recently passed BY tho Legislature
for paid Fire Department. and asked II the Common
Council would provide counsel TO conduct the suit The
committee replied that the only counsel whose service
was at their disposal the Corporation Counsel and
that they could not promise that in such suit
The 6eigrist habeas corpus case which has been 70
ferred TO about dozen times in these columns, was up
agan yesterday before Judge Barnard Of the Supreme
Court It Chambers application 70 make the cnid
the ward Of the Court The mother claims that Seigrss
s an improper person TO have charge Of the boy and
wishes to have him apprenticed out 70 somebody ese
The Court ordered testimony 70 be taken tho point Of
Mr. Segrists incompetency TO take OF tho youth.
the case Of James Robertson Frederick Furne
wherein the plaintiff sued 70 recover four hundred DOL
lars the value OF trunk left In charge Of defendants
bookkeeper, was tried. There considerable test
mony taken some Of which was conflicting. Judgment
rendered for the defendant with ten dollars costs
Our Park yesterday received interesting addition to
Its geological collection consisting Of three Cape bufa
loes captured Columbia, South Carolina, by tho
fosgers Of General Woods division of the Fourteenth
army corps during General Sh, recent grand
northward march. Tho lis arrived here yesterday
from Morchead City, N. c., on board the steamer Hud-
son.
draft took place yesterday for the deficiency in the
quota OF the Second ward Third Congressional district
Brooklyn. One hundred and eighty names, including
the one hundred per cent, were drawn.
Advces from Mazatlan, Mexico, to tho 4th Of March,
via San Francisco contain contradictory statements re-
gasding the movements of President Juarez One ac-
count says he is still at chihuahua, surrounded by his
ministers and all the assary concomants Of his off,
cal position, exercising his legitimate functions, who
another that he his way 70 the Pacific
coast whence he would sail for Washington, via San
Francisco An imperial naval expedition, supposed for
Guaymas had sailed and force OF imperial troops had
advanced into SinaIoa
The Missouri Republican, Of the 9th inst says letter
has been received from me nber Of tn, Ninety anth
Illinois infantry, stationed at New Orleans, stating that
all but hundred and seventy OF that regiment per-
ished in storm, the 28th ult while on board trans
port in the bay Of Mobile
The overland mail between Salt Lake and San Fran
cisco has resumed It's daily trps The first mail from
the former city the interruption arrived at the latter
on the 9th inst Fs'w
Tho stock market reacted slightly yesterday, and
closcd duh Governments were quiet and shade lower.
Gold hrm at the opening but closed heavy l4sH
Tho I~,urd rlot
active The lowest ppicerwss 14s.s, and the higho~t
14s,s.
There good feeling in commercial circles yester
day. and the markets generally buoyant The firm
ness in gold impars greater confidence, and It In the
general impression that prices have reachd the lowest
point Business very cautious, however and
before making ventures On Change flour was
In limited demand, and 10c. l5c lower Wheat was
trile rmer, with rather more doing Corn scarcely
firm, while oats ruled steady The pork market con-
tInucd dall and heavy Beef 10 moderate request
at prcviovs rates. Lard was lsc. higher with an i'm
proved inquiry Freights dull and vhiskey was
lc = &c. lower, though more active
The Situation In virg inia-Lee's Present
Object.
Our news Of the operations in Virginia is
somewhat meagre to-day; but ii gives us the
one important fact, on the authority Of General
Grant, that Lee has been "pushed from the road
toward Danville.n This is important in view
of the possible present position Of General
Johnston. Five days ago Jobnston's army was
at Raleigh, about one hundred and twenty
miles from Lees present position; and he was
at that time, doubtless, informed of Lees
defeat, and may even have put his army in
motion TO join Lee. II it were agreed-as it in
all likelihood was-that Lee and Johnston
should meet at some point on the Danville
road south of Burkesvillc Junction, Johnston,
80 far as time and distance 60, could have
reached that point by this time. 1t is, there
fore, very satisfactory to know that Lee has
been pushed aside from the possibility Of such a
junction, and compelled TO run another way.
Lee had two objects in view when he began
his retreat. His first was 10 unite with General
Johnston. Johnston has forty thousand men,
and Lee, ut that time, had forty thousand more;
and with an army OF eighty thousand men Lee
might very reasonably try one more great
battle, and he would be an adversary that no
one could afford to despise. But his part Of
the eighty thousand has almost melted away,
and he can never join Johnston. His second
object now, therefore, becomes the main and
only one. This was to affect the negotiations
Judge Campbell, and, il is said, Mr. Hunter also,
remained in that city--and doubtless did 10 by
arrangement with Davis and Lee---to reopen ne
gotiations with our government. Such negotia-
tions have been opcned and are in progress