The Express. — London, England, 1861-12-07 00:00:00

S ALLEN'S PATENT PORTMANTEAI7B and TRAVIILLING RAGE with Naar* LADLED WARDROBE TUN A*, DRIAMES, with taD ~DEM BOXER WRITINO and DIMMING CA and MO Mu gelldsa De for at cuathwatel travelling. Uluatrated eglaigue pest Alma Allesis li MA gerset garniture Catalogue 4 hatable Bed. Meek Drawees. ma man, Weaklutatt elands, INateara Re., o• t Ina J. W ALLIN. Waaatattorer Mal Patentee, 11 en 4 fl. Wash e lm& Leadwa. M.C. EA u-D E-V1 E. —This Pure PALE BRANDY, Is. per gallon. is demolietratesi, upon analysis, to be calmly fres hien aridity. awl very superior to recent ti.ess of C.ssse In Fr.114.h bunks. Ass. per Jos. or In n case for the country Pre Itallsral Carriage paid. No Agents, sad to lx •,Irtalned only of lILNLY HIATT aril Co., Old ilarnivars tUleri , Holborn, LC. H ARMONIUMS. -NEW MODEL CRAMER. /WA sod WOOD. IN. legent-dmi Cite Orireoo. I`o .. C9l wilverelsonsabs to•W;c1;i fey "Ito 1" Undo' liftln P.m must be at IL= ftaybabbliseb by Ts o Was& as Ye fag se ILITIOAIUIRE Tag swim*. rAmaLi - JAP3. —. Mr. Compton. —OUR AMERICAN C 01.7111 A. Mom. ifetharm. Bur tutor./ . Mrs. C. TOWS rii Inn Oliver. —MY A VNTS ADV IC L. Mr. Sothern. •aoil • KIM IN ink DAIL —Conaistuaw ai 7. Pal MIOMPrig. TIEII Immo:ME MERRY Invi3 OS WIN WAIL Ilessm. Vier, IL Wutd tam b. 0. Rohs, J. 0. sore, Sleact , nrs. Oanten Mims C. Lecteroa an I 113worty.—Asd EU SLUE JALILETS. Mann Maywood asKI Wheat; Moo& lading sad ihorsni. ST. LIMP% 1101 warn. • WIIITE JOIMMILL lsr. O. Tlelog sod Mks KAM Terry.—Tll POOR NOMINAL. Mr. A. Wigan. .—Ased THE WARDING /WNW& Mao. 0. Thing, Chirks. lames . Mir aarberS aid Mn. Mighows.—Comaimace at 7i. KILIT4IIIIII%. TEM Mingo, TUE BANDIT QVIZE. Miss E. Claylon.— L ""` L fr"r 04 DT sad X 4 I•E•Ta- 31 . Meek. matt.. C. tlleplun. -- r. J. iumplas. —AM Till W Li/OW MON. Mrs. S. Lam.— Cuuwassee K Gil wog WATIII AT WIDOW IMIDOL To Dg?-WIC. CI AR..... iiimrii.V. M. U. To-siatior —Nimes& Ilk 1taa..... aliessen,, GIL Um - - - - - LONDON, &ITURDAY, DEC. 7. By the arrival of the steam-ship Edinburgh at Queenstown we have intelligence, more or leas de tailed, from New York to the 27th ult. The eeizure of Messrs. Suomi. and Mssom having been made known there on the 16th, the facts had been before the American public eleven days at the date of our latest advice& The period, how- ever, had not been prolific of occurrences of a nature to throw light on the course of the Go vernment of the United States. We are told, indeed, that the "leading American legal autho " rities " declare the recent capture to be in ac cordance with international law. But as the only names given in support of this statement are those of Mr. Evzerrr and Mr. G. SUMNIa, of both of whose opinions we were informed by the last mail, the information is neither new nor im portant. Mr. Evearrr is a statesman well versed both in the constitutional policy and the foreign relations of his country; but we are not aware that his opinion can be appealed to as of peculiar authority on a question of public law; while Mr. Breeze's conclusions are rendered valueless by the circumstance that he has mistaken au essential fact. We need not suppose an undue bias of patriotiam in the formation of these gentle men's opinions ; we have only to recal the doubts and limitations which at first restrained and em barrassed some among us who were in nowise un willing to find the Americans in the wrong, to be reminded that there is at least material for argu ment on the American side of the dispute. The course of Mr. Lifteote's Government, however, will be determined not by the volunteered opinion of amateurs, however eminent, but by that of the responsible law advisers of his Ad ministration. And nothing has hitherto appeared to enable us even to guess at the probable nature of that opinion. We know the case well enough to see that in its widest generality it lace two sides ; but the question has been wisely narrowed in the demands of the British Government. No power, or agent of a power, can proceed to seizure under the general right of search and nevertheless decline the jurisdiction of a Prize Court. We do not believe the American lawyers will sanction such a pretension, and if not, there can be no difficulty in making a suitable apology. It is not eurprisCig that we are told that the imminence of this question is mating everywhere in the States an mummy feeling in the public mind as to the relations of the Federation with England. The good sense of the American people, as it has not been deluded, so it ought not to be misjudged by the silly braggart of one or two New York news papers. The friendship of Engisnil is not so lightly esteemed in the Union as some amoebas of the Slave Coufederacy are anxious to pomade ne. The notion that it could ever be a matter of policy with American statesmen in the present situation of their country to engage in a war with Great Britain is too preposterous to be entertained. General Scow unquestionably expressed the truth when he wrote : " At no period of our history has " the friendship of Great Britain been of more " importance to our people : at no period has oar " Government been in a oondition to make greater " concessions to preserve it. The two nations are " united by iuterelts and sympathies—oonuner " cial, social, political, and religious--almost as " the two arms to one body, and no one is so " ignorant as not to know that what harms one " must harm the other in a corresponding " degree." If the Cenarare fellow-citizens adopt his sentiments, as wo confidently expect, they have only to remember that those who would have friends must show themselves friendly. Let them in fiv.ure be prepared to do justice to our public conduct, and, since it is plain that their relations with foreign, and especially with European powers will henceforth 111111U101) unusual importance, let them begin, although late, to form the habit of looking at the acts of other governments in all their aspects, and no longer ex clusively in those which look towards Washington. If this had been done more frequently, if for in stance, when we recognised belligerent rights in the Confederates, it had been considered that pos sibly we might not be betraying a leaning, that we owed duties to ourselves, that we were placed in the alternative of making that acknowledgment or, treating as pirates the first Southerners who exercised the right of search on board our ships —an extreme course upon which the United States Government itself has not ventured—if these things had been remembered in the Union, as surely it was worth while to remember them, moth dangerous misconception, much groundless passion would have been prevented. But we have news from the South as well as the North by this maiL Mr. Jarrnasoe Davis has delivered another message to the Confederate Congress. Mr. DAVIS is angry at the loss of his Commissioners, but not so spry as not to perceive what advantage m►y be drawn from the irregularity of their capture. It is not, however, quite true th►t "the claim of the United States "to seize them in the streets of London would " have been as well-founded as the asisme of the " Trent." Hod Commander WUJJIII taken the vessel se well as the Commissioners and carried them before a Vri , e Court, nobody would have said the act was illegal. And when, like Mr. ) i THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER ,7, 1861. SLIDELL, in the act of his capture, he adroitly associates the protection of the Commissioners with the honour of our flag, it may be time to observe that our action is prompted by what is due to our own self-respect, and that we are doing no lore fur Messrs. SLIDELL and Moos, than we should do for Mr. FILEDERWIL DocOLAB, or any other negro taken out of one of our ships under similar Mr. DAVIS announces that the military means of the Confederates are stronger now than they were at the commencement of the struggle. We should have supposed this ass matter of course, as it is usual for armies to grow larger in war. There can now be no hesitation in admitting that the people of the South have developed military resources for which no one was prepared a year ago to give them credit. The magnitude of their army, and the compara tively small sacrifice at which its members have been withdrawn from their homes, casts a new light on the capacity for mischief of a community loosely bound to civil life, and devolving its industry on an alien and subject race. At the end of seventy years of self-government the South has no material or moral progress to set beside the glorious history of the North ; slavery exhausts and ruins the soil, and brutalizes the white race upon it. But it facilitates the pro duction of armies for the extension of its nefarious power. The fact is curious as a phenomenon of modern society ; but it has an interest more than speculative for States which like England have possessions in such lawless neighbourhood. Mr. Davie observes that after seven months the Federal forces have failed to extend their occupancy of Southern soil, and at many points have been driven to act on the defensive. This is not just how a European observer would expect to see the military situation described. North Carolina has been the seat of a Northern force for several months, and South Carolina has 12,000 or 13,000 Northern troops on her soil. But how are we to account for Mr. DAVIS'S utterly changed tone f He is surely thankful for small mercies, when it is matter of congratulation with him that he has lost so little ground. We feel uo delicacy in reminding him, for Southern newspapers are doing the same, that the military policy of the Confedera tion was not originally defensive. At this moment the public journals of New Orleans and Richmond are accusing the incapacity of the generals and the imbecility of the administrators of the Confederacy, because the onward movement which has been universally expected is not made. But in truth there is nothing surprising in the immobility of either side. Each appears very mysterious to the other. Each overrated its own power, and under rated that of its antagonist. But while the South makes no way, and does not even hold its ground, the North is rapidly increasing in strength, which it manifests in new enterprises. The South has been able to do more, much more, than we expected ; but there is every reason to believe we know the utmost it can do. As long as the North is induced by a pedantic and fastidious feeling to abstain from piercing the South in its vulnerable side, as long ea it hesitates to strike at the institution of Slavery, it will make but weary progress. But let it resolve to make an end and for ever of the curse of the Western continent, and the power of the Confederates will collapse like a pricked bladder. The statesmen of the North are rapidly ooming to see that this course must be taken ; and it will be taken. Foreign intervention might post pone the issue of the struggle, by imposing truces upon the combatants. But the American con tinent is the destined home of the freeman, and the battle in one form or another will rage as long as a single slave is on its soil. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. AMERICA. LIVEZPOOL, S►YDaD►Y. The Edinburgh, from New Yost on the 24th nit, arrived here thin morning. It is understood that no communication has been made by Loed Lyons to the Federal government concerning the Trent affair. The New York World says : The arrest of Messrs. Slidell and Mama, with various antecedent and current events, conspire to force on the American government the consideration of the status of the rebel Confederacy. With respect to belligerent rights, it cannot be longer postponed. A case has arisen which can only be decided by the rules of in ternational law relating to belligerent rights and obligations, and in which we lose • great advantage if we do not come& to the South the belligerent character which has been recognised by foreign nations. The right of visitation exercised by Captain Wilkes is an act of war, and war presupposes two belligerent parties If we are not prosecuting war against • belligerent power, our cruisers have no shadow of a right to detain vessels of • neutral power and search them on the high seas. The New York Albion, s British organ, says : What the British may do or demand is s serious question, not yet to be dismissed quite so easily as the press affects to believe. We must say, however, that if Britain sought • pretext for bringing oa war, as she is perpetually accused of doing, there is now au opportunity for her to claim such reparation as would not be granted, and for pushing the dispute to hostilities. The New York Herald says : The government has decided to treat Messrs. Slidell and Mason, in all respects as to close confinement and fare * like criminals guilty of the highest crimes against the laws, until full assurance is given that Corcoran and other officers In the hands of the rebels shall receive the treatment due to their rank and position as prisoners of war. The government has also oome to the determination to bang every prisoner duly convicted of piracy on the high seas, and will hold the prisonm now in captivity, including Messrs. Mason and Slidell, answerable for any barbarity committed on the prisoners of war in the Southern prisons. The New York Times says : No government could be more positively bound than the British government Is boned by its own most peremptory direct and authoritative decisions to admit the legality of the capture of the rebel ensimaries. If, however, that mhos Is minded to construe abstract principles in a hostile muse, there is just a sufficient element of vagueness in the matter to make it open for her to do so. The whole question is in that interesting condition to make the action of the British government • palpable test of its disposition towards the United States. It is hardly necessary to say that we await, with perfect friendliness as with perfect calmness, her yoke in this matter. The New York papers of the 24th ult. state that active preparations for important movements were being made at Fortress Monroe. Meeare.Slidell and Mason reached Boston har bour on the 23rd November. THE SOUTHERN PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE TO THE CONFEDE RATE CONGRESS. The following is the text of President Davis's message to the Confederate Congress : TOTHZ CONOILEM or TELE CONFEDERATE &ATM The few weeks which have elapsed since your adjourn ment have brought us so near to the close of the year that we are now able to sum up its general results. The re trospect is such as should All the hearts of our people with gratitude to Providence for His kind interposition in their °shalt. Abundant yields have rewardcd the labour of the agriculturist, whilst the manufacturing industry of the Confederate States was never so prosperous as now. The necessities of the times have called into existence new breaches of manufactures, and given a fresh impale. to the activity of those heretofore in operation. The means of the Confederate States for manufacturing the ascsmariss and comforts of life within themselves istresse as the conflict continues, and we are gradually lassomiog inde pendent of the rest of the world for the supply of suoh mili tary stores and munitions wars indispensable for war. The operations of the army, soon to be partially inter rupted by the approachins winter, have afforded a pro tection to the country, and sled • lustre upon its arras, through the trying vicissitudes of more than ear arduous auspaign, which entitle our brave volunteers to oar praise and our gratitude. From its COMIDOXIC•1011M ap to the present period the war has been enlarging Its proportions and expanding its boar/iris' so as to include new del& The conflict now extends from the shores of the Misspeaks to the confines of Missouri and Arizona, yet sadden Gale from the remotest points for military ail have been met with prompts... enough not only to avert diameter is the face of inperier nemben, bat also to roll back the tide of in. vision from the border. When the war einninseind the enemy were poisoned of oarsman strategic points and strong plains within the Confederate States. They greatly =- ended us in numbers,in available resources, and in the arm pits. necessary for war. Military establishments had been long organised, and were completed. The navy, and, for the most part, the army, once common to both, were in their pangolins. To meet all this we had to create, not only an army in the fees of war itself, but also military estahhah. meets ainsgaary to equip and platy it i• the geld. It night, indeed, to be a subject of gratulation that the spirit of the relenting sod the patriotism of the people have anabledlles, under Providence, to grapple successfully with theme difficulties. • enocenien of gherkins victories, at Bethel, Bull Run, Iliaassar. Springfield, Lexington, Leesburg. sod Belmont, bin shocked the wished invasion which gamed of gain and W Wallowed lost of power brought upon our soil, and hes preyed that Ramberg cease to avail when directed spirt a penis fighting for the sacred right of selfirovern mat end the privileges of freemen. After seven months of war, the gamy have sot only failed to extend their own. piney of oar soil, but new states and territories have been added to our confederacy ; while, Weird of their threat ened 111/Mil of unchecked conquest, they have been driven, at were then me point, to assume the defensive, and upon a fair compariem between the two belligerents, as to men, military man; and financial couditiou, the Confederate BMWs are relatively numb stronger now than when the ehruggle esnammeed. ease your adjournment the people of Missouri have con ducted the war, in the face of almost unparalleled difficul ties, with a spirit and success alike worthy of themselves end of the great PODS in which they are straggling. Siam that time Kmeturky, too, has become the theatre of active hostilities. The Federal forces Lave not only refused to acknowledge her right to be neutral, and have Insisted upon making her a party to the war, but have invaded her fur the purpose of attacking the Confederate Stated. Out rages of the most despotic character have been perpetrated spoil her people. Born of her most eminent citizens have boon mixed and borne away to languish in foreign prisons, without knowing who were their accusers, or the specific Merges made agaiost them, while others have been forced to abaudon their homer, their fami'les, and property, sod ✓eek a refuge in dietaot lands. Finding that the Coedsdiode States were about to be invaded through Keetaciry, and that her people, after being deceived into mistake, security, were unarmed and in defter of being subjugated by the Federal forces, our armies were marched into that state, to repel the enemy sod proveut their oocupatioa at certain etrategic points, which would have given them great advantage is the eontoit—a step which was justified not only by the smemities of self-defame on the part of the Confederate States, but oho by a denim to aid the people et Kentucky. It was saver intended by the Confederate goveromeat temper or comes the people of that state ; bat, on the contrary, it was declared by our generals that they would withdraw their troops if the Federal govern ment would do likewise. Prockelatios wee also made of the desire to respect the neutrality of Kentucky, sad the intention to abide by tie wishes of her people se soon as they were fres to express their opinions. These declare. g or were approved by me, and I should regard it as one of the beet effects of the march of our troops fob Kea tacky if it should end in giving to her people liberty of choice and a free opportunity to decide their owe destiny according to their own will. The army has been chiefly instrumental in prosecuting the great portent in which we are engaged, but the navy has also been effective in fall proportion to its MGM. The I moral alma, deprived to a great extent of as opportusiki to make their professional skill available et sea, have served with commendable zeal and gallantry se More and epee Wend waters, further detail of which trill be found in the reports of the Secretary of the Navy and Secretary of War. In the transportation of the mails maw difficulties have arisen, which will be found fully developed in the report of the Postmaster-General. The absorption of the means of transportation for the movement of fro= military supplies, the insufficiency of the rolling stock of railroads for the accumulation of badness re sulting both from military operations and the obstruc tion of water communication by the presence of the enemy's fleet, the failure sod even refusal of contractors to comply with the terms of their agreements, the difficulties inherent in inaugurating so vast and complicated a system as that which requires postal facilities for every town and village in a territory so extended as ours, have all combined to impede the beat direct( I efforts of the Postmaster-General, whose zeal, industry and ability, have been taxed to the utmost extent. Some of these d'fficulties cm only be over come by time and an improved condition of the country upon the restoration of peace, but others may be remedied by legislation, and your attention is invited to the recom mendations contained in the report of the head of that de partment. The condition d the treasury will, doubtless, be a rubject of anxious inquiry co your p►rt. lam happy to say that the financial system already adopted has worked well so far, and promises good rese'te for the future. To the ex tent that Treaso•y notes may be issued the government is enabled to borrow money without interest, and thus foci litotes the conduct of the war. This extent is measured by the proportion of the field of emulation which these notes can be made to occupy. The proportion of the field thus occupied depends, again, upon the amount of the debts for which they ere receivable, and dues, not only to the Confederate and State governments, but also to corporations and individuals, are payable in this me dium. A large amount of it may be circulated at par. There is every reason to believe that the Confederate Treasury note le feat becoming such a medium. The pro. vision that thole Dotes shall be convertible into Confede rate dock, bearing eight per cent. interest, at the pleasure of the holder, insures them against ► depreciation below the value of that stock, and no considerable tall is that value need be feared so long as the interest shall be punc tually paid. The punctual payment of this interest has been secured by the act, passed by you at the last session, Imposing such a rate of taxation as must provide sotracient means for that purpose. For the summed presecntion of this war it is indispose able that the means at transporting troops sad military supplies be furnished, as far as possible, in inch manner ea not to interrupt the commercial intercourse between our people, nor place a check on their productive energies. To this end the meow of transportation from one section of our country to the other must lie carefully guarded and ins• proved ; and this should be the object of anxious care on the part of the State and Confederate governments, so far as they may have power over the subject. We have already two main systems of through trans portation from the north to the south—one from Rich-- mad, along the seaboard; the other through Western Virginia to New Orleans. A third might be secured by completing a link of about forty miles between Danville, in Virgiais, and Greinsborough, in North Carolina. The con struction of this comparatively short line would give us a through route from north to south in the interior of the Confederate States, and give us access to a population, and to military resources, from which we are now, in a great measure, debarred. We should increase greatly the safety and capacity of our means for transporting men and military supplies. If the construction of the road should, in the judgment of Congress, as it is in mine, be indispensable for the more successful prosecution of the war, the action of the government will not be restrained by the constitutional obi jeotion which would Wads to a work for commercial pur poses ; arid attention is invited to the practicability of s ecuring it. early completion, by giving the needful aid to the company organised for it. construction sod adminis tration. If we husband our means, and makes judicious use of our resources, it would be difficult to fix a limit to the period during which we could conduct a war whist the adversary whom we now encounter. The very 'Hotta which he makes to isolate and invade us must exhaust his means, whilst they serve to complete and diversify the productions of our industrial system. The reconstruction which lie seeks to effect by arms becomes more and more palpably impossible. Not only do the causes which induced us to separate still exist in full fern, but they have been strengthened, and whatever doubt may have lingered in the minds of any must have ben completely dispelled by subsequent events. If, instead of being a dissolution of a league, it were in deed • rebellion in which we are engaged, we might find ample vindication for the course we have adopted in the neon which are now being enacted in the United States. Our people now look with contemptuous astonishment on those with whom they have been so recently associated. They shrink with avenion from the bare idea of renewing such a coneexion. When they see a President making war without the anent of Congress—when they behold judges threatened because they maintain the writ of h►beas corpus, so sacred to freeman—when they see justice and law trampled under the armed heel of military authority, and upright men and innocent woman drugged to distant dun geons—when they find all this tolerated and applauded by • people who had bemire the full enjoyment of freedom but • few months ego, they believe that there must be some radial incompatibility between such • people and them ' eaves. With such a people we may be content to live at place, hot the separation is furl, and for the independence we have asserted we will accept no alternative. The nature of the hostilities which they have waged spinet us must be characterised an barbarous whenever it is understood. They hove bonalirded undefended villages, without giving notice to women and children to enable them to escape, and in one instance *elected the night as the period when they might surprise them must effectually whilst asleep sod unsuspicious of danger. Arson and rapine, the destruction of private houses and property, and injuries of the most wanton character, even upon non combatants, here marked their forays along their borders and upon our territory. We ought to have beets admonished by these things that they were disposed to make war upon us in the moat crueland relentless spirit, yet we were not prepered to see them fit 1 out a large naval expedition with the °catered purpose not Daly to pillage, but to incite a servile war In our midst. If they convert their soldiers into incendiaries and rubber, and involve us in a species of war which claims non-com ' barer, women and children, as its victims, they must ex pect to be treated as outlaws and enemies of mankind. There are certain rights of humanity which are entitled to respect even in war, and he who refuses to regard them for feits his claims, if captured, to be considered as a prisoner of war, and must expect to be deah with as an offender against all law, human and Divine. Bat not content with violating our rights under the law of nations at home, they have extended these injuries to tw within other jurisdictions. . The diatiuidahed gentlemen whom, with your approval at the last eassioa, i cuinuti.aioned to represent the Con federacy at certain foreign coerce, have been recently seined by the captain of a United Stites ship of war, on board a British steamer on their voyage from the neutral port of Havana tu England. The United States have thus claimed a general jurisdic tion over the high sea% and, entering a Britian ship, sailing under its euuntry's fiae, violated the rights of embassy, for the most part held sacred, even among barhariana, by seising our minister* wallet under the prukction rod withia hbs dumiuions of a neutral nation. These gentlemen were u much nutter the jurisdiction of the British government, upon that ship and beneath its flag, as if they had been on its soil, and a clam on the part of the United States to seize them in the street' of L on d on wou ld Wire been as wall founded as that to appre hend them where they were taken. lied they been male factors, and citizens even of the United States, they could sot have been arrested ou • British ship or on British soil, unless under the express provisions of • treaty, and &wording to the forms therein provided for the extradition of criminals. But rights the most sacred seem to have lost all respect in their eyes. When Mr. Faulkner, • former minister of the United States to France, commissioned before the wassina of Virginia, his native state, returned in good faith to Wash ington to settle his accounts and fulfil all the obligations into which he had entered, he was perfidiously united and imprisoned in New York, where be now is. The vases peeing confidence with which he reported to his govern ment was abused, and his desire to fulfil hie trust to them was need to his injury. In conducting this war we have sought no aid and prof fered no Minium* offensive and defensive abroad. We have salted for • recognised place is the family of nations ; bat in doing so we have demanded nothing for which we dld sot offer a fair equivalent. The advantages of intercourse are mutual among nations, and in seeking to establish di plomatic relations we were only endeavouring to place that interoonree under the regulation of public law. Perhaps we had the right, if we had chosen to exercise it, to sak to know whether the principle, that blockades to be binding must be effectual, so solemnly announced by the great powers of Europe at Park, is to be generally enforced or applied only to particular parties. When the Confederate States, at your last session, be came • party to the declaration reaffirming this principle of international law, which has been recognised so long by publicists and governments, we certainly supposed that it sou to be universally enforced. The customary law of nations is made up of their practice rather than their declarations, and if such declarations are only to be enforced in particula r instances at the pleasure of those who make them, then the commerce of the world, so far from being placed under the regulation of 'general law, will become subject to the caprice of those who execute it or suspend it at wilL If such is to be the °ours* of nations in regard to this law, it is plain that it will thus become a rule for the weak and not for the strong. Feeling that such views must be taken by the neutral nations of the earth, I have caused the evidence to be col lected which proves completely the utter inefficiency of the proclaimed blockade of our met, and shall direct it to be laid before such governments as shall afford us the mesas of being heard. But although we should be benefitted by the enfome meat of this law, so solemnly declared by the great powers of Europe, we are not dependent on that en forcement for the successful prosecution of the war. As long as hostilities continue the Confederate States will exhibit a steadily increasing capacity to furnish their troops with food, clothing, and arms. If they should bs formed to forego many of the luxuries and some of the comforts of life, they will at learnt have the consolation of knowing that they are thus daily becoming more and more independent of the rest of the world. If, in this process, labour in the Confederate States should be gradually diverted from those great Southern staples which have given life to so much of the commerce of mankind into other channels, so as to make them rival producers, instead of profitable Cue tamers, they will sot be the only or even the chief losers by this champ in the direction of their industry. Although it is true that the cotton supply from the Southern States could only be totally cut off by the sub version of our social system, yet it is plain that a long continuance of this blockade might, by a diversion of labour and investment of capital in other employments, so diminish the supply as to bring ruin upon all those in terline of foreign countries which are dependent on that staple. For every labourer who is diverted from the culture of cotton in the South, perhaps four times u many elsewhere, who have found subsistence in the various employments growing out of its use, will be forced also to change their occupation. Wink the e'er which is waged to take from us the right of self-government can never attain that sad, it remains to be seen how far it may work a revolution in the industrial system of the world, which may carry suffering to other lands as well as to our own. In the ressatime, we shall continue this struggle, in humble dependence upon Providence, from whose searching scrutiny we cannot conceal the secrete of our hearts, and to whose rule we confidently submit. For the rest we shall depend upon ourselves. Liberty is always won where there existe the unconquer- able will to be free, and we have reason to know the strength that is given by a cooacious sense not only of the magnitude but of the righteousness of our cause. Richmond, Nov.lB. JEFFERSON DAVIS. (atom's IIIIXOWL) THE EAST. PARIS, Dsc. 7. The Moniteur in its bulletin of to-clay says : " A letter from Beyrout, which we publish in our columns to-day, confirms the news of the arrest of Joseph Karam. "Fnad Pacha and Daoud Effendi seem to have acted on this occasion in accord with the European Commissioners assembled at Beyront in order to insure the execution of the new organisation of the Lebanon, which has received the sanction of Europe." " Various incorrect reports," says the Army and Nary Gazette, "have been circulated respecting the regiments supposed to be under orders for Canada. The only battalions at present under orders are the Ist of the Rifle Brigade and Ist of the 16th. No doubt more will follow u soon u transport can be obtained, and the course of the American government is more decidedly apparent. The roster for service stands thus i—lat battalion 15th, 96th, 36th, 55th, 76th, Ist battalion 11th, god battalion 12th, 58th, 45th, Ist battalion 10th. It is probable, however, that some of the new battalion, would be seat out after the first sic we have named. The brigade of Guard* next for servos consists of the let battalion Grenadier Guards, now at the Tower; 2nd battalion Coldatreams, and 2nd battalion Soots Fusilien, both at Wellington Bursas." At noon yesterday, thirty-one members of the Iston Volunteer Corps had signed • letter, addressed to their commanding officer, in which they desire it to be made known in the proper quarter that they are highly indigaant at the seizure of Medlars. Slidell and Mama on board the Tient, and express their " united will• levees sad readiness, at • few minutes' notice, to proceed to defend our Queen, and flag, and country." if the Baotou volunteers are resolved to " proceed to defend" the national honour, we (Mancluster Guardian) feet their views rm only be mat by the`• enlisting into the Mariner, or joining one or other of the mimesis ordered to Canada. The Canard steamship Persia, which has been chartered by government for the conveyance of reinforce ments to Canada, will will, along with the Australasian, in about 10 days. The destination of both vessels will pro bably be the Biviere du Loup or the island of Bic. Considerable anxiety prevails as to the period which will be allowed for mail oommuoication with Ame rica, in case of a declaration of war. This matter, however, has been well provided for in • convention concluded be tween the two countries, dated the 15th December, 1848, when Mr. Polk was President of the United States a n d Lard Palmerston was at our Foreign-office. By this it is stipulated that, in case of war between the two nations, the mail packets of the two services shall continue their navigation " without impediment or molestation until six seeks after a notification shall have been made on the part of either of the two government., and delivered to the other, that the service is to be discontinued, in which case they shall be permitted to return freely and under special protection to their respective pone - A Vienna letter states that the Duchess de Berry is on the point of purchasing property in Styria for the Duchess of Parma, who intends to take np her residence there. Advices from Athens date that Dousioe, the young man who lately male an attempt on the life of the Queen of Greene, has been condemned to death. The Thtlitre Francais, Paris, has received from the Minister of State • present which will soon be placed iu the new green-room of the theatre. It is a full length por• trait of Madlle. Rachel, painted by G4rOme, and which has already been seen in several exhibitions. The orders given for coloured glass windows for the new churches now being built in Paris amount to 1300,0001 r. ! The Constitutionuel announces that lately Mgr. Manlier. Bishop of Niemen, on his return from a pastoral tour, was received by his clergy at the cathedra., and cons plimented on hit recent latter to the Minister of Public Worship. A vicar-general addressed the bishop, and ex pressed the utmost contempt for the authorities. The bishop then ascended the pulpit, and compered M. Soared "to the reptile which wounded St. Peal in the heel at Malta." The Constitutionnel makes the observation tbat " Hp. Planter has terms of sbuae at the service of every one, and be lavishes it on the minister as freely u on what be cells ' miserable pamphleteers.'" Mr. Burtt, of the Iteconl Office baa again arrived at Southampton in charge of the DOomeday Book, for the purpose of having its account' of the counties of S o l o T4, Haute, Middlesex , Cheshire, and Laaaaahire, by Sir Henry Jamee's pboo-zieoccraphic process. he episcopal church at Fairfax Court. house, in Virginia., has been destroyed by the Confederate sad Fed.- nil troops. The church was one of the oldest in the limited States. It war built by Lord Fairfax, sad the pul pit end altar were constructed in England. It was in this church and at this altar that George Washington was Mak& THE CANADIAN PRESS ON THE TRENT SEIZURE. (From the Quebec Oh ronielc) The tone of the extracts from the British and American press we this day publish—extracts taken from one day's mail—jnetifies the impression that war betwee n England and the United States has now become highly probable. Mr. Seward's letter to Lord Lyons, and his cir cular to the governors of the states, have been felt as they were intended ; that is as an insult and a menace. The out rage committed in the British waters of the Bermuda passage by the San Jacinto, in forcibly taking two Southern commissioner from beneath the protection of the British flag, will be listened to with indignation by an already irritated people, and if the reparation which will be demanded be refused—as from Mr. Seward's unreason ing foolhardiness we suppose it very likely will be--the American Secretary of State will have fulfilled the darling object of his life, and succeeded in involving two kindred people in deadly strife. It is not difficult to foresee what the immediate consequences of such an event would be. Great Britain would recognise the Southern Confederacy and make with it an offensive and defensive alliance. Vessels bearing the Star and Stripes would be swept from theorem, and even from the lakes of the interior. The blockade would be transferred from the Southern to the Northern mast-line. The South, which would supply cotton, and Britain, which would receive it, would both profit by the exchange. The North, deprived of its navy, and forced to withdraw its armies from its Southern to its Northern and ?Astern frontiers, would collapse financially and comfier. daily, and be speedily forced to make an ignominious pesos, recognise the independence of Dixie's land, and perhaps yield a state or two, to be annexed to Canada. The Lincoln cabinet, if they were sane, would see all this. But they do not, or they would not act so stupidly towards England. And we can only account for their acts on the supposition that they are out of their right mind, and afford examples of the truth of the classic saw, that " whom the Cods want to ruin they Bret make mad." But while the result of the war on the empire at large would be what we have sketched, while we hardly re in what way strictly British interests would materially suffer, the sass would be very different as regards particular pro. viers. British North America, whether on the Pacific or the Atlantic slope, would have to bear the brunt of the fight which would ensue. Canada especially would have to pay the penalty of her loyalty to her parent star, and be made the battle-ground of the contending powers. Would it not be well, then, to act up to the oft reiterated advise at the commander of the forces, General Sir F. W. Williams, and do our best to preserve peer by brag prepared for war? Not only should hie excellency and the other imperial officers here stationed represent to the home government (if they agree with our reasoning) that there are not sufiicient troops here to defend the province summarily ; but the militia authorities tooahould bestirthemselves. It needs bur's few words from them—it requires bet a phrase from the Com mander-in-Chief of the Militia—to set 20,000 men drilling. The words should not be rashly spoken, and then authori. ties ought to know better than we what the state of British international relations is—but if it in critical, it is their duty not let war find us unready to defend our homes. We have • provision in our Militia Act authorising the formation of engineer corps. Ought we not to add them to our active force? Matters might be so arranged that the whole of the frontier, or, at any rate, the most important points of it, could be fortified by our own volunteers, under the direc tion ol the Royal Engineer department, at the tare cost of materials. Burlington Heights, London, Taranto, the line of the easels, and a point or two on the railroads leading from the States into Lower Canada, maiden be weds strong enough to delay an enemy's advance. If war should be declared, such preparations would be of vast service. But we still hope that the reflecting portion of the Americans will find means of checking the mad career of their misguided statesmen, and that we may be able to con tinue working out uninterruptedly the development of our country's wealth and resources. (From tin Toronto Herald.) Every Canadian must have seen, with the utmost indi,k nation, the arrest of Medan. Slidell and Mason, the Confe derate States =humidors, by • Federal naval officer, on the high seas, from en board • British siesmer, just after leaving Bermuda. This offence against the laws of the seas, as now recog nised by all civilised nations, is an insult to which Great Britain cannot submit, not merely if she desires to be mis time of the sea, but if she desires to maintain the ordinary honour and dignity of a first class power. Even the Man chester men, though they care nothing for the honour of the country, may feel indignant when they see that they themselves might be placed in the awkward predicament of Messrs. Slidell and Meson. This arbitrary and high handed measure on the Kiss is just of a piece with the suspension of the Habeas Corpus,and other tyrannical measures at Washington, and •ill destroy the lad vestige of sympathy that the Britons hos had for the Federal' ; it being evident not only that they are not fighting for freedom, but that they do not under• stand the first principlel of it, or, if they do, they throw them aside, whenever it suits their pride, ambition, or interests. The honour of England, as well as the interests of the world at large, require that this outrage should be promptly resented, even at the risk of war, the klia chaster men to the contrary notwithatandiog. A war m the parted Great Britain with the Federal (not the United) States would be short, sharp, sod decisive, and swat bees but one result—their severe humiliation—a lesson they would not forget for the next half century. We do trust that the spirit of England will be roused by this gross insult, and that no commercial consideration will interfere with that actiou which national honour imperatively de manila We shall be glad to find the Washington govere meat disavow this set, and release the prisoners, but if net, the sooner war is proclaimed the Letter, as the Yankees seem determined to force it on us, and we had better have it at the time most convenient to ourselves and must in convenient to the enemy. Canadians are reedy and willin; to take their part in the contlict, and to assist in vindicat tog the honour of the British flag. Every Canadian feels this last outrage as a personal insult. (From the Toronto Globe.) _ Let it be conMided that Commodore Wilkes was justi- Bed In stopping and overhauling the Trent because he sup posed that despatches were on board, and there is no limit to the annoyance which Yankee captains may give to British steamers plying to New York or Portland. TM Norwegian may be stopped on her east outward voyage, and every bag and every trunk may be ransacked for Southern despatches ; and so on without limit. The pre tended right is boundless in its application. We (Atheamum) are glad to be able to contradict the rumour that Mr. Charles A nderssoo, the South African Explorer, sad author of "Lake Ngasni" and '•Tbe Okavango River," had suddenly died. Letters from him, dated Cape Town, October 7, have just been received, according to which be was about to start for the anterior. On Thursday next, the Society of Antiquanci will begin a new series of special exhibitions, after manner of those which last year gave so much pleasure to the fellows and their friends. The evening will be devote! to early and curious bock', from the introduction of print ing down to the seventeenth century, on which Mr. Tile wil read a paper. Many choice examples will be cer teibuted by Mr. Tite, including some beautiful works iron the Paris press, block-books, books of devotion, Carat works, a series of Shakapeara quartos, a Coverdate bible, and many other rarities. The Dean of Windsor, ea we (Athencrum) haft has privately invited some distinguished arcleologi , tio visit Windsor Castle, and subject ita lions to • more mat and minute examination than has )et been made. SI:. Parker baa been looking into the structure ; Mr. MO' Jones into the books ; Mr. Albert Way at the figures ilia. magnificent west window ; Mr. George Scharf at the crf ,, , collection of historical portraits; Mr. Glover at the num , besriuga of the Knight. of the Garter ; and Mr. Woodwirj into everything. Mr. W. West has succeeded Mr. Leigh Mum! ea stage .manager to the Royal English Opera, GO' Garden. It is rumoured that Her Majesty's Theatre 111 positively open next season under the direction of IL Ey tiler, of Madrid. The lessership of the St. James's Theatre hit . paned out of the hands of Mr. Alfred Wigan into 004 Sussex Millbank, Faq. Mr. and Mrs. Wigan will, we ISO day Tines) believe, shortly leave the stage of St. .11 ,14 having entered into a series of starring engagements in country. They will return at Easter. In the mela Mr. Charge Vining and Miss Herbert will head the 0: 0 * puny, which will be considerably reinforced. elk Court. WINDSOR CANTLE, Din. 6. The Queen, aecompenied by Prisons Alio., drove out tbi. morning la a cerrlegeend-feer, atheeded by the Lady la Wading arid Lord Alfred Paget ♦ easeseiMee el the Lords of her Majesty's Most ilowour able Privy Owned held a =satin yesterday at the Council elks. Pmeiet—The Duke of Somerset. the Duke of Newcastle. Secretary Sir George C. Lewis, the Mammalur d the Exchequer, the Right Hon. Sir Thomism Prismatic, the Right Hos. now N. Headlaw, mad the Right Hon. Robert Leee. Thar Lase/Lips won Weeded by the Queen's Advoode, do Attarasy•Gaseral, tad the Bolieitor•Geoera. kr. Helps, the elerh, and Kr. lierrieoe, the deputy clerk al the Ono& landed. ifer Majesty's Comatiolosers fcc the International Eshi• Wks el 1862, hob terseing et their offices in the &read yesterday. The Chevalier de Schwarz, Austrian Chief Coomissiciesr, beg as interview with her Majesty's Commissioners at their •aS yesterday. The Cheacelloi d the Exchequer and Mrs. Gladstone ion Leaden yesterday, for liewerdes Cost's, Chester. Dsertstalter were received yesterday at the Colonial Of.. tees the Counenr of Malta, sad hem the 140114 1110 Com• seienioner 4 the bullet lake & Despetobin wore sent to Ur genereor d Maeda. PILIICI AIM= LZUPULD. —A private letter hem Nies says :—" Prime Alfred Leopold has been at Owns§ dose the 1 ith ult. The party wan obliged to Were slowly by meson of the fatigue of Sir Edward Bowater, who asoompasies him, and who is sob yet quits wormed. It le staled that the Prises wises Idainelf with Lath* He le exposed hen woos, and oleo the PAD*. MI Wales, on his way to Egypt arid Syria." Marquis Th u and MatolLioneio do Bossuzionte, Coact Areesteine, acid Bares Be} have Wm their de parture from the Brawerick Hotel,Jermysetreet, for Paris. The Earl of Portsmouth has been eariinialy ill, at hie reskirees. Eggesford Hesse, North Devon. We lawn that hie lordship is now programing hymns*. The Right Hon. Sir Edmund Head, Lndy Head, and the Massa Mad have removed from rerrancies Betel M their taws residence I. Chestriunwhee. Augustus Clifford has left town on a visit to Ns Duke of Daveaahira, at Chatawottla. The following are among the latest arrivals at • Lecrad's :—The Turkish Ambassador and family, the Decree of Leeds, the Earl and Countess of Gainshoreuh, the Marchiouess of Queensberry, the Earl and Counter 01 Meath, Count J. sad Lady Cecil DeWeld, the Countess of Dyssrt, Lord and Lady Meehan; Mr. and Lady Edith Heetiegs. the Countess of Crams" Mr. sod Mrs. Dram lard, Sir George Mama;, he. The Herald has reason to believe that the reservatire elector of Finsbury will bar the opportunity of supporting a ceaservative candidate at the spprcachieg election. Ou Thursday evening Mr. Paget, the senior re presentative of Nottingham, received the hospitalities of his constituents et the Exchange-tuff. The ohmic was ossupied by the Mayor. Alderman Birkia. sod he was es p. ported on his right by the principal guest. Mr. Judos Yeller was sot prompt, so iettotatisa baring bees 7011111101 from him, to the effect that his primes esigY be regamis4 as a breech of etiquette. Ou Saturday last the Rev. William Henry Walker, was Militated to the rectory of Norton, to the comely of Norfolk, cc the monolith= of W illiam CuUett Reynolds, of Oren Yarmouth, I. the same county, geatlemaa, and Jacob Reyoolds, of Liverpool, la the county of Laseaster, pattsmaa. Oa Woilneedey lad the Rev. Charles Philip Paul Jodrell, IL A., was instituted to the rectory of Wramp harken, in the sourly of Norfolk, on the preesetatiou of the Hew. Henry Philip Manhain, od Ripon Hall, in the same county, clerk. Commander Williams, R.N., the Admiralty arse of the Trout, has romivod a MAW from the govern mout improving of his ark& co on that mu] the B 7 to as etetui, raid to temptio street., The Mitchel pick a gent-sty betas t wont do was oopl amid it w Mai On