The Invercargill Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1868.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 23, 30 December 1863, Page 2

The Invercargill Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1868.

TrW* te;th<HngtiHets-of ( tbe"land Which gave Kirn b'irtU, President Lincoln shows a decided partiality fur "bunkum '* "of'ajveiy revolting kind, - In* the .midst of the most sanguinary war ever waged between two civilised, nations, -^a war, which, in a hundred, ways, has retarded the progress of. his country, — he sets apart a day of general thanksgiving for all Americans, at home and abroad, for (he signal manner in- which it has pleasteti' Providence ef late to bless and prosper the American nation. Setting aside its deliberate blasphemy, there is Something exquisitely ridiculous, in the manifesto to which we allude. Had he appointed a day for humiliation, or even a day of rejoicing that the defeat of the armies of the North had "not been so complete as it might have been, there would have been a semblance of reason in the proceedings but to ask his countrymen to return thanks whilst enduring the horrors of a civil war, to which he had mainly contributed, is simply absurd. Living in this far-off corner of the globe, American news reaches us slowly. The " thanksgiving '* is by this time over, but we Will hazard an opinion that the call was not so unanimously responded to as President Lincoln could have wished. There is not a man in the Northern states who, by his eloquence, by his money, or by his personal service as a soldier, has helped to prolong this most unnatural struggle, who might not with truth make use of the words of a certain great and warlike King: "Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly." That very many, even amongst the roost rabid Abolitiouists, are of that opinion the events of the last six months but too surely indicate. There is, in spite of all that may be said to the contrary, a growing feeling that the prolongation of the war is doing nothing but weakening the power, and destroying the prestige of the North. In every city, in every village, we had almost said in every house, in what are 1 now called by courtesy the United States, some one is absent, who will never again fill his accustomed place, and doubtless there will have been great rejoicing and great thanksgiving iv those households i on the day set apart by President Lincoln. War, either in a bad or good cause, produces similar results, in this respect, and the Coufederates have also their long list of killed and wounded ; but it must be borne in mind that the termination of the war cannot be said to rest with them. They are not the attacking party ; they are only defending themselves against the Northerners, and without going into the question as to which side is right in the abstract (though the original Constitution of the States speaks plainly emugh on that poiut), the most reasonable way to judge of the matter seems to be on the ground of expediency. Does the past lead ua to suppose that the arms of the Federals will be finally successful, should the war be prosecuted to the point at which one party or the other must acknowledge itself irretrievably beaten ? We are unable to see that such a consummation is to be looked for. It is true that the Northern States h3ve a far larger white population ; it is true that they have greater facilities for supplying themselves with arms, ammunition, and all the materiel of war; but those are not the only considerations. Their credit is already pledged to a far greater extent than that of the South. Their losses in the various sanguinary engagements which have taken place have been, proportionately to the numbers engaged, greater than their opponents. They are fighting for an idea ; the Confederates are righting for a something far more substantial — t&eir political existence for were they to fail, they would become slaves in almost as true a sense of the word as the negroes who new work their plantations. We have said that the past conduct of the war does not augur that victory would finally rest with the Federal-, in tha event of the struggle being continued. The mail which brings us the news that President Lincoln bids his people return thanks for the great prosperity of the American nation, also tells us of a great battle in which a Northern army under General Rosecrans was ck feated with immense loss by the Confederates, who are said [to owe their victory more to their I superior tactics, than their superiority [of numbers. The fight lasted two days. : On the first, the Federals contrived to I hold their position, though all accounts I concur in stating that their strength was terribly shaken ; on the second day they were thoroughly beaten, and had it not been for the strenuous exertions ' of General Thomas, would, in all probability, have been totally destroyed. Nor is the Chickamauga Creek the only place where the Confederates appear to be gaining great advantages. Fifteen thousand prisoners are said to have been taken at Shelbyville, a position between Nashville and Chattanooga ; [and five hundred at M'Minneville, besides a quantity of biggage. On the Mississippi the Federals have also been defeated with a loss of fifteen hundred prisoners. In short, turn which way we will, we meet with tothing that does not convince us that President Lincoln's day of thanksgiving must have been anything but a day of rejoicing. Meanwhile, Henry Beech er has been making the tour of the English Provinces, winding: up with JSxeter Hall, and with a xabid sort of eloquence endeavoring to enlist the sympathy of his audiences by assuring them that the whole difficulty hinges upon the | " Slave question,'' a task which he by no means accomplished to his satis- ! faction.

.^ ."Wo are compelled to omit •everal articles. ,of local interest, including the tetter of dur RvTerton .'oorrespandent,' which did mot come to hand/until too late tai publication .'_ »i-" --. \ »„ > AnumbeW the friends of JSr H. &» Fen ton met at theSotitblandClub on Mondayjjteht (Mr^Francw in the chair) for the "purpose of presenting btra,.with a testimonial. Tne testimonial— which consisted of a s handsome buggy -and harness imported by Cobb and Co.— the Chairman in an appropriate speech intimated to Mr. Fenton was ready for his acceptance. The recipient having duly acknowledged the mark of the esteem of his friends, a pleasent evening was spent. The proprietor of the Waihopa Hotel offers a varied and amusing programme of sports to come off on New Year's' Day, which, iP the weather proves favorable, will, no doabt, be well patronised. ■ We understand' that arrangements have been made for a return match being played on the Cricket Ground on New Year's Day, between the married and single Elevens." For the last two nights the Theatre Royal— such we understand is the title of the new theatre in Conon street — has been filled, despite the unseasonable and stay-within-doors weather we have had. Thatcher's promise of varying hia programme of songs every night has had the effect of bringing good audiences, who appear to derive considerable amusement from hearing the news of each d y humorously versified, by Thatcher, who lets nothing that occurs of any moment escape him. Madame Vitelli also agreeably introduces different aire every night, the justly deserved applause of the audience being repeatedly so demonstrative as to compel an encore in several instances. We would, however, deprecate the system, now so much in vogue, of demanding triple encores, as it'not only entails too much exertion on the singer, but also frequently deranges a programme of performances for the evening.It will be observed . by an advertisement in another portion of oiir columns, that the second annual examination of the scholars at the Gram' mar School, will take placa to-day at the school room, at 10 o'clock. ProTi the Argus of the 14th instant wo learn that "competition for the trade between Melbourne and Otago has become somewhat keen, various newly-arrived srcam«vessels having been placed on that line. Messrs M'JMcckan, Blackwood and Co. maintain the service with four vessels — the Alhambra, Aldinga, Gothenburg, and Omeo j and the opposition ships are the Hero (ihe property of a newly-organised firm, for whom Messrs Bright Brothers are agents,) the City of Hobart, the Souchays, and the Queen — the latter having taken the place of the Elinn, now trading to the western ports of this colony. The first result of this competition has been the reduction of the rate of freight on goods from COs to 45a per ton." The next result must naturally be the reduction of the passage money, which is at present far too exorbitant. Our attention has been drawn to the dangerous condition of the Bluff Road, particularly at that portion between O'Brien's and West's, and that pirt on the Invercargill side of West's. Alternately with stumps and other obstacles of an equally dangerous kiud, are chasms deep enough to bury an engineer and a large staff of assistants. On Monday lasfc, a meeting 1 of a somewhat interesting character, was held in the school-house, Carapbelltown, J. N. Watt, Esq, R.M., presiding. The object of tho gathering wa3 to ascertain the probable number of the rising generation who would become pupils of Mr Evans, the schoolmaster. A good many ladies and gentlemen were present, and the jureniles who also mustered pretty strongly, were regaled with tea and cako to their heart's content. The London correspondent of The Belfast NewsLetter says : — A tradesman in Piccadilly has made an astounding discovery. As a benefactor to mankind the result of his researches entitles him to take rank with Copernicus, Galileo, Hunter, News ton, B'»lton, Watt, Stephenson, Davy, or any (or all) the p bilosophers who have surrounded their names with a nimbus of glory. This distinguished person has met the wai.t of the age. He has discovered a crinoline which won't get into eccentric or unbecoming angles when ladies get into omnibuses or press through crowds. Tiie article in question is called the " Ondina, or waved jupon," and the inventor thus describes its wonderful properties: — " Itdo<>3 away with the unsightly results of the orJinary hoops ; and so perfect are ihe wave-like bands that a lady may asuend a steep stair, lean against a table, throw herself into an arm chair, pass to her stall at tbe opera, or occupy a fom-th seat in a carriage, without inconvenience to her»elt or others, or provoking the rude remarks of the observers, besides removing or modifying in an important degree all those peculiarities tending to destroy the modesty of Englishwomen ; and, lastly, it allows the dress to fall into graceful folds." To be able "to modify in a peculiar degree all those peculiar ten 'encies to destroy the modesty of Englishwomen " is itself a magnificent achievement, for which the inventor deserves a statue in Trafalgar-square and a monument in the Soho Bazaar ! [Such an invention would be invaluable in Invereargill, where the " rude wind " takes such liberties with this necessary article ot feminine apparel.] The reporter who in newspaper parlance " does the theatrea " /or the Bendigo Independent, sums up an evening's entertainment in the following brief but expressive manner: — " Ltckuji. — 'Romeo and Juliet' waro murdered at thij theatre last nigh*.* Yesterday one or the workmen engaged on the railway works near the Mokomoko, met with a very serious accident while excavating. A large quantity of •fvrOJl falling in on him inflicted such serious bodily injuries that it was found necessary to remove him to the hospital. The charge sheet at the Resident Magistrate Court, on Monday, only contained the name »f one offender : — Richard Wright, charged by the police with conducting himself in the street SO 8B to provoke a breach of the peace. It appeared that the man, on the day following Christmas Day, had been in Esk-street, more than ordinarily elated by liquor, and with the intention of realizing the sports of " Boxing D »y, " according to the "Fancy's" definition of the term, had been in" dulging in a little street pugilism. His opponen managed to escape the constable, and get away » but the defendant was captured and locked up. The Bench inflicted s penalty of £1 . The Launceston Examiner of the 15th instant has tbe following items of news : — " The s.s. City ■ of Launceston, which leaves for Melbourne this afternoon, will take amongst; other cargo, the first shipment of Tasmanian made furniture which has left this porfc. It consists of about seventy packages of chairs, tables, &c, all made of Tasmanian wood* — chiefly lightwefod — afc the steam manufactory of our enterprising fellow townsman, Mr A. J. Green. It is to be hoped that thia venture will meet with the success it deserves, and be the means of opening up o new' branch of trade with the neighboring colonies." ' A meeting was held on Saturday, at noon, for the purpose of electing the Mayor of Launceston for the ensuing year. Alderman Meyere having been placed in the chair by a majority of votes; and scrutineer* having been appointed, the election was proceeded with. It resulted in the appointment of Alderman Barrett to the Mayoralty The votes were— For Alderman Barrett, 4 ; for Alder-, man Douglas, 3; for Alderman Cjhon, 1; for Alderman Murray, 1. ■