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- 'ally from thi* dismay. ' * tutioi.s of his lrney how -11 "trough Xortl> (-•aro ma, the fugi ’ ideut appears to have conceived t Ve if.rriative of venturing- to the South* th,> a ‘ reach of the forces of Taylor Forest in thr hope of reviving the ar " J . (i f fj n > Confederacy within a for' 11 J ; J cmited territory.' *' Surely these statements do not shew '• w.pnt and ignominious flight of the m, M *** bhow. A man who was flying in* l ." t | v a „d ignominiously from danger, 1 or real, would have had no care f ) h ; iS officers or Inenas; would have | no time to look “sadly” at the mis ;:r(lnes surrounding him: would not have been “the first to rally 7 ' from the (I , lli:i y which had seized the party; •voul'i not have conceived the alternative .[ill maintaining his cause on a distant !■ ction of the Confederacy, and argued that alternative with his followers. No, ; ,i' These very extracts refute Mr. inaeeu. j Pn-lurds logic, and condemn the posi f , which he assumes; but that writer is Ilo t satisfied with thus destroying his unfortunate assumption; and so goes on tins*to thoroughly annihilate them, and t 0 vindicate Mr. Davis from his unjust and unmanly attacks: A! Abbeville Mr. Davis resolved upon council of war. It was composed of ,j lt . jj ve brigade commanders, and Gen. Braxton Bragg (for the year past the '•military adviser” of the President) was admitted "to this last scene of the deliber ations of the Lost Cause. In the council Mr. Davis spoke with moo than his accustomed facility and earnestness, inspired by hope, but with out volubility or extravagance, lie made a statement of surpassing plausibility. The South, he declared, was suffering’ tgiin a panic; it yet had resources to con tinue the war; it was for those who re mained with arms in their hands to give an example to reanimate others; such ■ui act ol devotion, besides being the most sublime thing in history, might yet save the c untry, and erect again its declining resolution. ‘lt is but necessary/ lie said, 'that the brave men yet with me, should renew their determination to continue the war; they will be a nucleus for rapid reinforcements, and will raise the signal of reanimation for the whole country.* No one of the council answered him at length; the replies of the commanders were almost sunk to whispers; the scene was becoming painful; and it was at last agreed that each in his turn should an nounce his decision. Each answered slowly, reluctantly in the negative ; the only words added were that though they considered the war hopeless, they would not disband their men until they had guarded the President to a place of safety. “‘No/ exclaimed Mr. Davis, passion; ately, ‘ [ will listen to no propositions lor my safety. L appeal to you for the cause of the country.’ Again he urged the commanders to accept his views. “‘We were silent/ says Gen. Basil Duke, one of the council, * for we could rot agree with him, and we respected him too much to reply/ “ Mr. Davis yet stood erect, raised his bauds tu his head, as if in pain, and sud denly exclaiming, ‘ all hope is gone! ' Tied haughtily, ‘I see that the friends dtne Eolith are prepared to consent to her degradation;’ and then sweeping the * ompony with a proud and despairing police, he attempted to pass from the room. “ but the blow was tou much for his t'ecble organization. His face was white with anger and disappointment, and the l <hst ot unshed tears was in his eves— [cais which pride struggled to keep back, ur sentiment, that all was lost, went ■ lruu g - h his heart like the slow and raeas "rd thrust ot a sword; as the wound sunk lnto ’b it; left him speechless ; loose and tottering, he would have fallen to tiie ■ w"., had not Gen. Breckinridge ended , seeile by leading him faltering from '•* ''Ui. In a dead aud oppressive •a once tiie deserted leader, the fallen c ,:'b soured a decent retreat for agonies " t* ars only could relieve.” 1 us this the role of ‘‘an obscure, mean iu 8 1l ; ve : ” “a deserter ?” Would a base, tinpiincipled, cowardly chieftain have , u "* up lor bis cause, and urged its fur “e‘ ’b-uense, when his own advisers and , silent and despairing around ' lm ‘ And, therefore, Jefferson ‘ tU "■ by this single extract, stands re (.)ie;'le''i llum any ignominy that Mr. J ‘'h mis pen would place upon him. lv Uas tbe “patriot’s devotion,” the * v bravery, the soldier’s honor; and W'. in the language of his trauucer, ,ie Sl nncnf (hot all v:as lost, went through his heart like the stoic and, meas ured thrust of a sword /” Mr. Pollard, to add to the charge of Mr. Davis’ infamy, asserts that “ he did not forget the gold in the Treasury; that, amounting to less than forty thousand dollars, it had been proposed, some days before, in Congress, to distribute as- lar gesses to the discontented soldiers; but -Mr. Davis had insisted on reserving it for exigencies, and it was now secured in bis baggage.” I here seems to be so bare an insinua tion covered up in this statement that we might pass it by without further notice; but Mr. Pollard Las himself furnished the best answer to such an insinuation, and we give it in lieu of further consideration: Ihe soldiers (those who were with Mr. Davis and party,) were discharged ; but they clamored that they bad no money to take them home What of the Treas ury gold that remained \v:as divided among them." Following the ex-President in his sup posed ignominious flight, the Southern writer lor the Northern magazine, em braces Mr. Stephens, the Vice-President in his hatred; asserting that Mr. Davis passed through Griswoidville. the home of Alexander 11. Stephens, where he re mained two or three days, without Mr. Stephens coming near him, or sending him token or message. Griswoidville is not Mr. Stephens’ home; and, hence, this charge falls to the ground. Nor do we believe that Mr. Stephens would have so slighted the fallen Chieftain if he had remained two or three days near his home. But we are dealing now rather with the charges against Mr. Davis, and believe that we have, from Mr. Pollard’sown statements, vindicated him from Mr Pollard’s own charges. These charges are neither Wi eal nor just ; and must recoil in popular indignation against the Southern man who made them. We regret them for Mr. Pollard’s sake, tor we entertain a heartfelt wish for Southern unitv and •/ Southern justice to Southern people. That there were errors in the conduct of the late war, we will not deny; but that the leader and men who fought that war were knowingly and wilfully guilty of these erros, we shall at all times and under all circumstances, deny, and to de fend them all, from the highest to the lowest, whether against open enemies or pretended friends, shall be one of the highest as it is one oV the pleasantest du ties winch we have takcu upon ourselves. ’ We might review this singular produc tion of Mr. Pollard’s pen still farther, but we have not the time nor the patience, and shall conclude it with the following extracts from Mr. Alfriend’s excellent Biography of Jefferson Davis : “ President Davis received the intelli gence of the disasters while seated in his pew in St. Paul’s Church. * * * Mr. Davis immediately left the Church with his usual calm manner and measured tread.” “ Pending the negotiations between Generals Johnston and Sherman, Air. Davis was earnestly appealed to bv his attendants to provide for his own safety, in the event of the failure to obtain terms from Sherman. * * * Apparently regardless of his personal safety, he was reluctant to contemplate leaving the country under any circumstances.” Air. Mallory, in giving an account of this so-called ignominious retreat of the President, says : “ Air. Davis, who was more generally known by the soldiers than any other man in the Confederacy, was never passed by them without a cheer, or some warm and kindly recognition or mark of respect. * * * Hitherto, as has been already said, his coming along his selected route was known to the people miles in advance. * * # Schools were dismissed that the children might upon the roadside greet him. Ladies, with fruits and flow ers, presented with tears of sympathy, were seen at the gates of every home stead, far in advance, awaiting his ap proach ! * * * IPs escape from the country and a secure refuge in a foreign land, sustained by the respect and affec tion of tin? Southern people, were within his own control; and lie might have rea sonably looked forward to a return to his native Nate as a result of a change in her political status at no distant day. But he refrained from embracing the oppor tunities of escape which were his by for unc or by Federal permission •BABISJM fEI I©!! 1 Jio This is the language of one of his at tendants, Mr. Secretary Mallory, and to which Air. Alfriend, his biographer, adds: “ The solicitude of Mr. Davis for the safe ty of his family, led to his capture.” Thus refuting - the calumnies of Air. Pollard, and vindicating the character of our martyred ex-President, we leave the subject, only asking our readers to pe ruse the article which we have thus criti cised, assured that they will share our regret and mortification at its appearance, and agree with us, that, while abroad it may injure Air Davis, here, where he is known and loved, it will detract not one laurel from his brow or one leaf from the garland of glory which a grateful but de feated nation has woven around his name and his deeds. NEW YORK CORRESPONDENCE OF THE BANNER OF THE SOUTH. Christ mas in New York—High Ch urch ism—A “Midnight Mass’* at Si. Al ban's—The Ceremony—The “Rinks" Skaters and Skateresses—The Cos tumes and Scenes — Handed's Messiah —Superb Performance — Gen. Grant and the Radicals—Prospects of a split—The Tenure of Office Law and the Indian Bureau — Will Grant be beaten ? — l)u Chadlifs new work on Africa —Obi Superstitions - “Tyrone Powers ” sends Greeting to the Read ers of the Banner of the South. Banner of the South : Os late years the observance of Christ mas has become much more extended in this city, and a curious reason is assigned for the increased respect. Under the old Dutch regime the festival was kept up in full proportions, but as the slow and easy old burgher was rooted out by the wiry Puri tan from the East to wffom Christmas was a superstitious, and even ‘‘Papistical” ob servance. Thankgiving became the great day ol the year. Then as the foregn element, which is largely Catholic, became more and more prominent, the holyday was once more brought into honor, and now the Christinas time is almost as much of a festal season as in England or the South. With this little historical sketch let me turn to some of the con comitants of the day ju,:t passed. To properly usher in the -‘holy tide” there were sundry services at midnight in the churches, the chief in point of interest being a “midnight Alass,” as it was called at St .Alban’s, the highest of all high Church. Here, punctually as the clock struck twelve, a faint sound of singing in the vestry was heard; nearer and nearer it came, till at length the head of a ritual istic procession of the first magnitude appeared. First came a small boy in a red envelope, lidding a white silk banner aloft; then some boy choristers; then a “ crucifigerf or little fellow with a huge cross; then more choristers; then two boys with long, lighted candles; then another banner; then another ‘‘crucigerf bigger than ’totlier one; then three “Priests,” asr they call themselves, though in reality min isters of the Protestant Episcopal Church; these gentlemen, it is to be noticed, wore the square, flat, blackcap, usually worn by celebrants in the Catholic Church; the tail of the procession was brought up by a string of white robed boys, whereof one would get ahead of the rest in his singing. Moving slowly to the front of the chancel the procession went in and the “Mass” began. The ajfar was hand somely decorated with flowers, lit with over an hundred wax tapers, and canopied in evergreen. To the right and left were ranged the “ crucijigcrs ,” choristers and banner bearers, Os these, one held a standard of white silk, having embroid ered upon it a crimson and gold cross ; the other had also a white silk standard, but on it was a fearsome thing. On re flection I am inclined to think it was meant to represent the rising sun of right eousness, the fact that there was a circu lar object with rays diverging therefrom, leading to this impression, but at some distance it certainly did look like a Me dusa’s head, with the hair standing per fectly straight under the influence of a powerful shock of electricity. The Epis copal service was read very much after the manner of the Catholic Alass, the clergyman holding up his hands and in that position delivering the lesson from the book held before him by an assistant Incense was liberaly used, silk, satin, and gold lace were in the high ascendant, the music was very line, and, altogether, as an exhibition of the spectacular, the St. Alban’s midnight Mass was a success. Next day the “rinks” divided attention with the churches, a “rink” being a large ball where theiicor is of ice for the bene fit of those who wish to skate without encountering the chilly blasts that howl outside. Fancy a mammoth bath tub with the water in it frozen, and you have an idea of a “rink.” There is one here' that is three hundred feet long, and on this the skaters glide about, while around the sides are seats for the accommodation of spectators. There being a price of ad mission the “rink” is more select than the skating grounds of Central Park, and in them, therefore, it is possible to see the latest agonies in the way of skatorial fashions. The men usually appear in excessively short coats, pants so tight that it is a wonder the material admits, without fracture, of the rapid movements the limbs they enclose are called upon to make, round woolly hats without brim, and, in about three cases in five an eye glass. Ihe skahstesses rejoice in abbre viated robes, innocent of crinoline, and generally of a very aggressive hue, as bright red, green, blue, or even yellow. Some ot these are trimmed with white fur, and generally a muff is suspended by a cord passing around the neck, so that it can be used or no as occasion may re quire. 1 bus accoutred,, and both being eqnipped with bright, shining skates, John Adolphus seizes Araminta Jane by one or both hands, and then puts his legs in motion, while Araminta, nothing loth, gives a lurch toward Adol phus, and performing a spider-like leap, locks arms with him and darts off into space. On the public skating ponds in the Central Park these elegancies do not obtain, but for all that there appears to be a huge amount of amusement among participants. Beside the regular skating, there is a species of recreation in vo<>ue foi the use of timid fair ones, which con sists in inserting them in a chair which has skates fixed beneath it and, then, as tilt* damsel thus reposes, her escort seizes the back of the chair and, skating behind it, pushes it about with extreme velocity. Some of the skaters are very swift and can put a first class trotting* horse to his spet dto keep up with them. The Cen tral I ark ponds, it should be mentioned, aie Lee to all, whenever in order, a fact which is notified by hoisting a black ball to the top ot a flagstaff on one of the buddings in the park, whence the expres sion, “the ball is up,” to denote that skat ing is allowed. 011 Christinas night Handel’s magnifi cent Oratorio of the Mcssiali was per formed in full, by the Harmonic Society, as lias been tiie custom for seventeen years past First produced in 1741 and now, consequently in the one hundred and twenty-seventh year of its popularity, tnis grand effort ot music is peculiarly appropriate to this season, treating, as it does, ot the advent and mission of the liedeemer. When performed before King George 111., it is related that, at the Haf lelujah chorus, the monarch and his court were so affected that they involun tarily rose to their feet, audit has thus passed into a custom for all audiences to do likewise at the triumphant song which proclaims “the Lord God Omnipotent reigucth.” This was superbly given, as also, the wild aria , Tift trumpet shall sound, where, as the mystery of this world is announced, the hall rings with | the sound of a trumpet like the war cry ; of an army to battle. There are some evidences in the politi cal world that the ultras of the Radical party are about to lock horns with Grant, even prior to his entrance in the Presiden tial office. It is the well known wish of Grant that the care of Indian affairs be taken from the Interior, and be given to the War Department, but, so far, the hos tility to that measure of the Sumner stripe, has prevented the change. Next to that comes an intimation on the part of Graut that he will veto any appropria tion schemes for the benefit of the “rings” that swarm in Washington, and that he wants the Tenure of Office Act repealed. The intimation of economy is, of course, sufficient to array against him all the vast lobby interests that are so po tential with Congress, and the enmity of these is not to be despised. As to the repeal of the Tenure of Office Act, there is evidence that Congress will refuse point blank to accede to the wishes of the President elect. It is argued that if he is in accord with the party he will not care to go outside of this law, if he is not, teen it is as necessary to restrain him as it was and is, to restrain A. J. The point involved in the Act is, as the reader doubtless knows, that the Presi dent cannot, at his mere will and pleas ure, remove Federal officials, as has been the usage, from the foundation of the Government. The immediate purpose in passing it was to prevent President Johnson front turning out the adherents of the Congressional policy; but beyond this the a*ct is of importance as it virtually transfers the executive patronage to the legislative branch of the Government. No one can be appointed, under the Con stitution, unless tue Senate confirm, and by the Tenure ot Office Act no one can be removed without the concurrence of Congress. This, as will be seen, gives that body the power to admit, and, vir tually the power to eject, and this juris diction is, in effect, one that controls the entire patronage. What the Usue will be of the split, remains to be seen, but, as stated, the weight of evidence is that Grant will be beaten, at least so far as this present Congress goes. Du Chaillu, the adventurous French man who spent so many years in the in •Cl |° l ° Africa, hunting the gorilla, has jus pu is lied a book here which singu iar v confirms the existence in that land - v. i "n superstitions that have from tine v line (eu alluded to in the public DV H * /tu a o DOW 0,1 the in crease in llaH l and the South. One day, he re lates, he heard there were some magical ceremonies going on in a hut in°the village where he was staying, and on parting the reed walls beheld three with ered old hags performing the rites before some idols and charms, or monda, as they call them, in the shape of sculls of ani mal.?, iish bones, anti the like. Being* discovered, he had to flee for his life, and it was only by the interposition of t ie Chief, whom he had concdiatcd. that he was spaied from the wrath of the old hags and their female adherents. This letter being the last, in this year, of the writer, to the Banner of the South, he cannot but, in drawing to its close, avail himself of the holvday season, to say to such as—in the old-tashioned phrase of our country folks—have “read utter Ivrone Powers with any liking, that he tenders them his best wishes for the New Year, and would bid them be of good cheer, for, if signs fail not, a better day is dawning for an oppressed and dis tressed land. Let them but keep up a stout heart, stand like the anvil to every stroke, trust in God, and keep their pow der dry. All will be well. Tyrone Powers. NEW ORLEANS (LA) CORRESPONDENCE OF THE BANNER OF THE SOUTH. .4 Merry Christmas ami a Happy New lear—The Holidays in the Crescent City—The President's Amnesty — The Olympic Theatre—lts Destruc tion— The Sisters of Charily—The Great Grain Elevator. Editors Banner of the. South : A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, to the Banner and all its readers ! May each anniversary be merrier and huppicr on Earth, and be followed by an eternity of happiness in Heaven ! May the whole world be tilled by “ men of good will,” so that all shall par ticipate in the angelical benediction of “ Peace on Earth.” Christmas Eve and the Holiday itself, were about as piercingly cold days as we have in this latitude. Cistern and hydrant faucets were frozen tight and many jars and pitchers were burst by the swelling ice within. During the long Christmas services in the Churches, numerous chil dren, and delicate persons were over come by the intense coldness, and had to be carried out for relief. Ou the streets all was Tte and gaiety, the little folks reveling in the delights of news boys and noisy fire-crackers, while the “children of a larger growth” were (piite as joyful in their merry greetings and social entertainments. Some inno cent folks were actually made happier by the repeated intliction of the .Presi dent’s pardon, to which they have be come so habituated since the war, that they cannot now enjoy any holiday thoroughly without a repetition of the accustomed dose. Afyeryour property has been pillaged and your destruction attempted by a horde of ruffians, it is certainly refresh ing to be visited periodically by the leader of the gang with a gracious tardon for your daring to be alive in their presence! Alter all, though puerile, it is a pleasant bit of pleasantry on the part of the Pres ident, and is not worth carping at by those whom it pretends to affect; but, at the same time, it will doubtless cause a howl ot demoniac rage from the bloody hounds at his heels in Congress. Our city was much relieved early in the week, by the disappearance of one of our temples of infamy, yclept the Olympic Theatre, which was happily wiped out of existence by a purifying conflagration. This vilo den was one of the most pesti lent schools of dissipation and immorality that cursed our city, as many families, once happy, can now mournfully testify; and its destruction is hailed with delight by all good citizens. According to the hand-bills, its chief attractions were choice segars, prime liquors, and stunning dancing, all accom panied by “pretty waiter-girls ;” the re sults may be imagined. During the in tensely cold weather the past few days, many minor fires have occurred, mostly resulting from the faulty flues yielding before the unusual heat that comfort re quired. 0- 1 r dauntless fire brigade, nowever, has managed to answer every call with such success as to prevent any serious losses. The Sisters of Charity having charge 5