The Express. — London, England, 1861-05-21 00:00:00

PARIS FIRST CLAM and LONDON PRIZE vauua. WATlllatnolN &ad NiocrorN, osourtmiTHA and JIM' LLIAILN. lialuderinry. 16. 11. until& street. W C . N 0 T1.....-4.o.lo.hturobt dors at la the •iculu 00.1 ea 1i01ur.1.6)• at I 0 %. KA. LoVSEL'S HYDROSTATIC TEA :upi COFFEE rEacteLA pm —I to 106.040 reps. str..ng and Wight, In • arms< tot dra4 red •j. NM.) r , IJ. Yr, ',very 11..sek . Ins wnt trew —J ILLIA. swot, Cansou.street, E. C. HARMONIUMS -NEW MODEL.- tit%%l r.P.ALS. i 0... 20. ttesenc-drevt. Tilt •xin,oo. ro coftworoN DINTS. LAverthansents Litethlea for •• TO* Express" London It vetting • .t the ~Olne, 10, itoutsriostreet, by Two 2 exalt on the Ss, of pubilailim BA It lUMILEL 11114 EvrArso, BLACK SFIKKP. Kamm flurkgt.mn. Compton. awl Mare Mra C. YotukE. WM.... , tlr.. " -. Ur. INlnter. m.l Misa towel. —And TAM MILLFJL AM) yrs —cudioram at I. rarrciowlk vrenon, MARRIED A N NMA MEM Mears. Ry.lvr Kw' • I **‘• Morr au. Ilraih. —TRUTH AND YIiTION r %Lathe.. WllKllr•nnne . *hawse. Leclerc.. an.l 11.arr11.—.Uul NCRAERY CHICK WEED. Mr. Whlallennalx. BRITANNIA. 71114 firming. nix • NNfill. Mrolatnes W. Cranford. X Tsrindil. and n. Linn —Sinning Mr. W. M. Parkinson Xr 11. 'Pins) —Tr: MrsnELTiOV. Inn 61111 E. Miss X. Jacobs smiths Little Wunder.--Aii:l ZIVGARELLA. Mrs. R. Ifouunr. Mall WATER AT LONDON DRIOOI. T 1 DAT —Morning, Ilk Aftensoro, Ilk 37.. To-Oennow —llorolna. .41. O .... Afternoon, Oh. LONDON, TUESDAY, MAY 21. Tl►.ac must he something very intoxicating about the pleasure of driving, beating, and selling a fellow-creature, when people who wore never in a position to hold a slave in their lives, out of mere hatred of the principles of civil and social equality, stretch their sympathies over a thousand leagues of ocean to meet the slaveowncra of Georgia and South Carolina. When this Seces sion movement broke out, we felt quite sure that the friends of reaction at home would not be able to restrain themselves from proclaiming it • movement on behalf of freedom. They have forhorne longer than we expected, bat it seems they can hold no longer. Without stopping to inquire by what miaerablo process any Englishman could so pervert and muddle his traditional notions of liberty, we will look at what the Secessionists are doing, and implies what are the principles and institutions of that Covemment which they have earned so much praise for setting up. It certainly seems strange that a section of the American communityof which the world never hears save when it tars and feathers or hangs some white man, a missionary, or traveller from the North, it may be, accused of abolitionism, should suddenly conceive a passion for liberty. It is only partially intelligible when we remember a certain sense of ! the word which our race has left some five hundred i years behind. Wu must go to feudal times, when high-spirited barons flew to arms to vin- , dicate, against • too humane and inquisitive 4 central power, their liberty to harry a helpless local impulation with toll and tax and dungeon, i to find anything like tho ideas of free dom which the Secessionists profuse. Per- ; hats the nearest approach to an assertion of the Mlle principle in our own times was the well known demand of a great English Duke during 1 the agitat' of the Reform Bill, who said of his tenants and their votes, "May I not do what I " like with m f i e , -,i f" This was thought at the time very revolting ; but it is the faintest echo of the old spirit, once deemed chivalrous and gentlemanly. Yet the old and modern claims are the same. Utica let one portion of society resolve to build up itself—whether in wealth and luxury, or in liberal culture, makes no moral difference—by the deliberate sacrifice of another section, consigned on system to per petual degradation, and its character is made, no matter whether its Government is called republi can or monarchical, whether its victims are black or white. Formerly the slave-owners of the South regarded their position without complacency, as one for which they were not responsible, and which they were simply to nuke the beet of until a door of escape was open. Such is still the feel ing of the better men of the class. But it is a state of mind inimical to the entire theory of the new Gevennuent set up at Montgomery. In the new Confederation slavery is sacred, blessed, myste rious, inettable. Modern civilization has gone quite satiny on this matter, and the seceders of the South will correct its aberrations. To accomplish this the basis of the institution is laid deep in the funda mental laws of the Confederacy. It is • part of the new Southern Coustitution that no law shall be made denying or impairing the right of pro perty in slaves; the general Government is in all its jurimliction required to protect slavery. And no wonder, considering what slavery is to be and do for the law-makers. Hear the Hon. Mr. Huss, one of the ablest and most distinguished men in Georgia, and a moderate and sensible man, as sense and moderation go now-a-days. The hon. gentleman, speaking at Atlanta, was elo quent on the superiority of a society which abandons productive industry as a dishonouring occupation to another and subjugated race. "We " have none of the incentives to riots and violence " that the people of other nations have. We " shall never have any bread riots nor pauper " mob violence. Such scenes will never disturb "or disgrace this country. Wu have no pauper " population, and nu •efcrior Messrs among its. " This stratum, which is found in society in all " other countries, is filled by our negroes, who " are net degraded, but elevated, by being as " signed that position, and who are compelled to " work and maintain themselves from being " paupers, whether they will or not." Thus relieved from the necessity of toil, the Southerners are to show the world what the An glo-Saxon race is capable of becoming. " Our " prospects for the future are great. We shall b e " a benefit to all the nations of the earth and be " ourselves. The radical element, which hung sa " a weight to impede our progress, we have cut " off and loft. Wu shall have the greatest im " provement of our race, and constitute the most " elegant society on earth. We shall have society " that will charm the world by its elegance--ell " our white population educated and intelligent, " with peace mid plenty smiling over our happy " land." And all this glory and bliss will be due to slavery as protected and developed under the new constitution. The results to huma nity, of course, will be proportionately great. Such a grand spectacle must tell upon the outer world. So Mr. Hut premeds ;—" Slavery is right, and "if left to ito own course, the world will be con " rimed of this truth. he rectitude is undeniable, "aid ib duration is that of human want. Slavery "will ultimat:dy be its own logic to the mind, its "own power in the earth, and its own bayonet to seis e foes. This day will come. It may be de " layed by wars or commotion, but it will come. "Our example—our progress and good govern- THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 21, 1861. " rnent will carry conviction to the whole world. ' "Five years will not have rolled around before "the Northern people will consent for slavery to "go to the Canada line, if by it they could get us "back lute the Union. They do not understand "this matter. Let us, by our example, brush "away the clouds of ignorance which now so befog "them." Now, all this is simple and coherent enough as a theory. It cannot be carried out; for compul sory labour is not and cannot become sufficiently productive to supply for all the white men in the society where it prevails those wants which modern civilization inspires. And if it could be done, affrighted Christendom would recoil with horror before the spectacle of a state founded on principles essentially Pagan. But as a scheme it is intelligible to transparency, and it is far leas astonishing that it should be proclaimed in the Slave States than that anybody reared amidst institutions of popular freedom should hail its proclaimers as champions of liberty. tVhen we read that the seceders of to-day are but carrying out the pr i nciples of WASHINGTON, .lEl+- 11:R80N, and PATRICK moray, the explanation is at hand, that a man may invoke those venerable names without knowing very accurately what those who bore them thought about Slavery. But Englishmen who do not write can tell, without the aid of Pislviicx, the difference between liberty and an arrogant lawlessness, and we ask our friends in the Free States of America not to believe that because their struggle is hero and there mis represented for party purposes in England, the English people do not thoroughly understand the nature of the contest in which they are engaged. administration in reprd to the unhappy disturbance* exisli ing in the country. The path of executive duty has, thus far, been too plainly marked out by stern necessity to be mistaken, while the solemnity of the great emergency and the responsibility it involves, have extinguished in the public councils every emotion but those of loyalty and patriotism. It is not in the hands of this administration that this government is to come to au end at all, much less for want of harmony in devotion to the country. M. Thouveners declaration that the United States may rest well assured that no hasty or precipitate action will be taken on the subject of the apprehended application of the insurrectionists for a recog nition of the independence of the so-called confederate States is entirely satisfactory, although it was attended by • reservation of views concerning general principles applica hle to cases that need not now be discussed. In the un official oinversation, Mr. Faulkner says that he himself ex. pressed the opinion that force would not be resorted to to coerce the so-called seceding states into submission to the federal authority, and that the only solution of the difficul ties would be found in such modifications of the constitu tional compact as would invite the seceding states back into the Union, or a peaceable acquiescence in the assertion of their claim to a separate sovereignty. The time when them questions had any pertinacity or plausibility has passed away. The United States waited patiently while their authority was defied in turbulent assemblies and insidious preparations, willing to hope that mediation, offered on all sides, would conciliate and induce the disaffected parties to return to a better mind. But the case is now altogether changed. The insurgents have instituted revolution with open, flagrant, deadly war, to compel the United States to acquiesce in the dismemberment of the Union. The United States have accepted this civil war as an inevitable necessity. The constitutional remedies for all the complaints of the insurgents are still open to them, and will remain so. But, on the other hand, the land and naval forces of the l'nion have been put into activity to restore the federal authority and to Nave the Union from danger. You cannot be too decided or too explicit in making known to the French government that there is not now, nor has there been, nor will there be any—the least —idea ex isting in this government of suffering a dissolution of this union, to take place in any way whatever. There will be here only one nation and one government, and there will be the same republic and the same constitutional union that have already survived a dozen national changes and change, of government in almost every other country. These will stand hereafter, as they are now, objects of human wonder and human affection. You have seen on the eve of your departure the elasticity of the national spirit, the vigour of the national government, and the lavish devotion of the national treasures of this great cause. Tell Y. Thouvenol, then, with the highest considera tion and good feeling, that the thought of a dissolution of this union, peaceably or by form, has never entered into the mind of any candid statesman here, and it is high time that it be dismissed by statesmen in Europe.—l am, ■ir, respectfully, your obedient servant, (Signed) Wit. H. Bzwann. To William L. Dayton, Esq., lie. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS TO THE AMERICAN MINISTER IN FRANO& Imperfect statements of Mr. Faulkner's inter view with M. Thouvenol, the French Minister for Foreign Affairs, ooneeniing the application of the commissioners of the Southern Confederation, having found their way into the press, the Ameri can government has consented to the publication of the cormipondenoe : (No. 119.) Legation of the United Mates, Paris, April 15, 1861. Sir,-1 called today upon M. Thouvonel, at the Ministry of Foreign AlTairs. and was promptly admitted to an interview. Agreeably to your request, I handed to him a copy of the inaugural address of President Lin coln, and added that I was instructed by you to say to him that it embraced the views of the President of the United States, upon the diffi culties which now disturbed the harmony of the American Union, and also an exposition of the general policy which it was the purpose of the government to pursue, with a view to tho preservation of domestic peace, and the main tenance of the Federal Union. Here M. Thouvenel linked if there was not some diversity of opinion in the cabinet of the President as to the proper mode of meeting the difficulties which now disturbed the relations of the states and general government. I replied upon that point I had no information ; under our system the cabinet was an advising body ; its opinions were entitled to weight, but did not necessarily compel the action of the President. The executive power was by the constitution vested ex clusi% ely in the President. I said that I was further in ntructed to assure him that the President of the United States entertains a full confidence in the speedy restoration of harmony and unity of the government by a firm, yet just and liberal policy, co-operating with the deliberate and loyal action of the American people. M. Thouvenel ex. presse■l his pleasure at the assurance. I further said that the President regretted the events; going on in the United States might be productive of some reseible incon venience to the people and subjects of France, but he was determined that those inconveniences shall be made as light and transient as possible, and so far as it may rest with him, that all strangers who may suffer any injury from them shall be indemnified. I said to him that the President thought it not impossible to appeal would be made before long by the confederate I Mates to foreign powers, and amongst others to the govern ment of France, for the recognition of their independence. That no such appeal having yet been made, it was premature and out of place to discuss any of the points involved in that delicate and important inquiry ; but the government of the United States desired the fact to be known that whenever any such application shall be made, it will meet with opposition from the minister who shall then repre sent that government at this court. I said to him that my mission at this court would soon terminate, and I should have no official connexion with the question which it was anticipated might arise upon the demand of the confederate states for recognition of their independence ; that my place would soon be supplied by a distinguished citizen of the state of New Jersey, a gentleman who possessed the con fidence of the President, who fully sympathised in his pub lic views, and who would doubtless come fully instructed as to the wishes and views of the United States, and that the only request which I would now make, and which would close all I had to say im the interview, was that no proposition recognising the permanent dismemberment of the American Union shall be considered by the French government until after the arrival and reception of the new minister accredited by the United States to thin court. M. Thouvenel, in reply, said that no application had yet been made to him by the confederated Mates in any form for the recognition of their inde pendence ; that the French government was not in the habit of acting hastily upon such questions, as might be seen by its tardiness in recognising the new kingdom of Italy; that ho believed the maintenance of the Federal Union in its integrity was to be desired for the benefit of thej people of the north and south, as well as for the inter ests of France, and the government of the United States might rest well assured that no hasty or precipitate action would be taken on that subject by the Emperor. But whilet he gave utterance to these views, he was equally bound to nay that the practice and usage of the present cen tury had fully established the rights of de facto govern ments to recognition when • proper case was made out for the decision of foreign powers. Hers the official interview ended. The conversation was then further protracted by an inquiry from M. Thouvenel when the new tariff would go into operation, and whether it was regarded as the settled policy of the government? I told him that the first day of the present month had been prescribed as the period when the new duties would take effect ; that I had not yet examined it, provisions with such care as would justify me in pronouncing an opinion upon its merits ; that it w►n condemned by the commercial classes of the country, and that I had no doubt, from the discontent manifested in several quarter', that the subject would engage the attention of Congress at its next meeting, sod probably mime important modifications would be made in it. The finances of the government wens at this time temporarily embarrassed, and I hail no doubt the provisions of the new tariff were adopted with a view, although pro bably a mietaken one, of sustaining the credit of the trea sury as much as of reviving the protective policy. He then asked me my opinion as to the course of policy that would be adopted toward the seceding elates, and whether I thought force would be employed to coerce them into sub mission to the federal authority. I told him that I could only give him my individual opinion, and that I thought force would not be employed ; that ours wan a government of public opinion, and although the Union unquestionably possessed all the ordinary powers neces sary for its preservation, as had been shown in several partial insurrections which had occurred in our history, yet that the extreme power of the government could only be used in accordance with public opinion, and that I was satis fied that the sentiment of the people wait opposed to the employment of force against the seceding states. So sin cere was the deference felt in that country for the great principle of self-government, and so great the respect for the action of the people when adopted under the impaling forms of state organisation and state sovereignty, that I did not think the employment of forte would be tolerated for a moment, and I thought the only solution of our dif ficulties would be found in such modifiustions of our constitutional compact as would invite the seceding states back into the union, or • peace able acquiescence i• the assertion of their claims to • separate sovereignty. M. Thouvenel expressed his opinion that the employment of force would he unwise, and would tend to a further rupture of the confederacy, by causieg the remaining southern states to make common muse with those which had already taken action es the subject. —I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, QUALM J. FAULZSIIi. HOD. Wm. H. Seward, Secretary of State. (No. 7.) Department of State, WashingtoB, May 4, 1861. Sir,—The desintehm of your predecessor. Nos. 117, 119, and 120, have been received. The Litter, acknowledging the receipt of our letters of recall, and announcing his in tended return, requires no special notice. No. 117 beam the date of Sth of April last. It contains only an exposi tion of Mr. Faulkner's views of the policy which the go vernment ought to pursue in regard to the disturbed con dition of affairs at home, but, at the same time, gives us no information concerning the state of affairs in Franc*. The instructions heretofore transmitted to you will show you the President's views on the subject Mr. Faulkner hes discussed, and these will be your guide, notwithstanding any different opinions your predecessor may have expressed or left on record et Paris. No. 119 hems date of the 15th April last, and cont a i n . a report of an official conversation, ►nd also of an unofficial one held between Mr. Faulkner and M. Thouvenel. In the former conversation M. Thouvenel asked Mr. Faulkner whether there is not some diversity of opinion in the cabinet of the President as to the proper mode of meeting the difficulties which now disturb the relations of the states and the peers' government. Mr. Faulkner, in reply, said that he had no information on the subject. The matter is of no great moment, yet it is desirable that there be no misapprehension of the true MAW of the govevament in the present emergency. You may, therefore, recall that con versation to M. Thouveners memory, and then assure him explicitly that there is no difference of opinion whatever between the President and his constitutional advisers, or amcng those advisers themselves, concerning the policy th►t has been pursued and which is now prosecuted by the MN Court. OSBORNE, MAY 20. The QUeVII, and Prince, and Royal Family, walked awl do co this morning. DeepatebeN were received yeatenlay at the Colonial-office from the Go* croon of Ceylon, Hong Kong, Australia, Malta. Gibraltar, and Bermuda. Dospatehe, wets sent to the Governors of Canada and Newfoundland. ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. (From the iferi•leee Semite). Him Royal Highness the Prince Consort line cemented to act as president of the Royal Agricultural liociety for scat year, when the great show will be held in the t's-park. The election will be meet likely v at the geoeral meeting of the society on Wednes day. This ou either sale no empty oumpliment, but a really auspi..iour omen for agriculture. The advance of the art well merits such oontenanee, and the Prince. own tastes point at once to him se the patron of such an occasion an the show oI 15ei'i pro mises to become. The world already knows of his royal highseas's success as an exhibitor '4 stock : but it is not everyooe who has had the delightful privilege of inspecting the pork homesteads at Windsor, or of seeing and hearing bow thorough an interest both her Majesty and her Consort take in the dilfereut phloem of the Home, the Norfolk, and the Flemish Farms. 'With an eulightened and enlarged mind well fitted to his positiou, the Prince gives everything io any way worthy of hi, attention a fair trial. We see this alike in the breeds of stock he cultivates and thedifferent ileseriptines of machinery he employs. There are those first favourites, the Wale Devon' at one farm, the Herefords at another, and the shorthorns at a third ; with, moreover, an especial piece for the dairy. The clay on which we had the pleasure of going round there was a new grarirutter on trial ; while one of gmith's steam cultivators has been at work at Osborne, and another of Fowler's at Windsor. Both the Queen and the Prince make it their care to see such inventions well Meted, and the royal pair are equally zealous in marking the im provement of the animals. the Prince is known to be a capital joke, and there is not a beast but that be has the history and value of at his command. With, then, his great abilities and natural predilection, we may repeat that him royal highness's anceptance of the president's chair should inaugurate a grcatyear for agriculture. It will be the sepecial duty of the society to make this worthy of him. There ie an 'wet Arcady attached to the meeting that needs but careful culuvatiee to grow and thrive as time progresses. GRAND CALEDONIAN FANCY DEMI BALL —The Wise vireo...es of this file met in committee at Willis's Room. yesterday afternoon, 10202, after some dimeasion, it wam arranged that the ball should take place on Monday. the 17th proximo, instead of on Friday, the 21st of June, se previously announced. There will be several fancy quadrilles, two of which are already undertaken —the High land quadrille by the Duchen of Roxburgh. ; and soother (not yet designated, by the Countess of Fife, whose interest in the ehsritics f.,r which this ball is got up will be well remembered. The Duke and Duchess of Argyll left Campden kill on Saturday last ea a visit during the holidays to the Duchess Dowager of Sutherland, at Chidden, near Maiden head. Their graces will return to town oa Monday next. The Marquis and Marchioness of Cholutondeley left Carlton fiouse-terrace yesterday for Westbrouke, on a visit to the this. Mr. and Lady Georgians Ryder. Count Maximilian Katerhasy has left the reed dame of the Austrian Embus, in London for Berlin, to be attached to the Austria's Legation in that capital. Count Blucher has quitted the residence of the Prussian Legation for Berlin. The count has vacated his diplomatic appointment, to be attached temporarily to the household of the King of Prussia. _ . Lady Miirtlaiinthaa limited cards for a ball, in Lowadeusquarr., on the 11th pmximo. Luly °Wife's ball bits been announced by mis -14. for Thursday, this 13th proximo ; it should be Friday, tip 14th Julia The Right Hon. B. Disraeli and Mrs. Disraeli have left Grasrenor•pte for Httglienden Manor, Bucks. Mrs. Hampton-Lewitt'', ball is tiled for Friday, the ith of June, at 25, Groavenorequare. Count Alexander Strogonotf, the Prince Boris Oalit:in, and the Prince Waasiltehikoff have left the Claren don Hotel for 'Wis. The British chaplaincy of Amoy, China, has bees coeferred upou the Rev. John Kay Beater, LA., formerly of Sidney Susses l'ullego, Cambridge, Curate of Christ Church, Doecaster. The government have commenced improving the fortification@ of leandown, in the laid of Wight. The pre• rent fort ie to be enlarged, and four new forts are to be erected. The Dublin papers contain a lengthened report of the " Extraordinary Special Yeetiog " of the Atlantic Steamboat Company, held in Loudon on Bxturday after noon. A deputation from DulAin apacared at the meeting, and rt was resolved that another effort should be made in the Home of 'ornmoes to retain the ruleidy, for the meeting conkl not persuade themselves that it wee actually goo,. If it wan, however, they were determined to recover it. In the maintime, the ships are to siert at the sp• pointed time% for laseenger traffic. The maddest thing about this unfortunate undertekieg is the fact that so many pemons iu Ireland lad invested in it tho savings of a life of induatry aud economy, all of which they have lost.. It is bored that the Liverpool @tamers will not caw to call at tjoectwitown and Loodowlerry, even if the compe tition of the ail way Company should cease. . . The Melbourne papers just come to hand give an account of an enormoua meteor that fell in the neighbour. hood of Holland or the morning of the Ith of March last. When find seen at fleelong it was in the south west, its 'dupe was that of a came, the base being foremost. The light we, intro. , . n , embling that of meltiug iron. The meteor left ialtitol 3 trice of light like the tail of a comet. At we place a sulphuric smell was peroeived. There woe no disturbance of the magnetic element at the time. The state of the weather was very peculiar. The heed was very oppreselve and had been so for several m e w ling .lays. The meteor appeared to come out of • thin white cloud. When it fell to the ground it exploded with • loud noise and enveloped a MAU who wee near in a cloud of smoke. The man wail struck on the knee, which warn slightly injured. When it fell the earth was deeply furrowed for about 12 yards. Extensive deposit's of guano have been found in the innumerable islands and islets near Tacniania. The deposits are rich in the phosphate.. A company has been formed for supplying Australia. and Mauritius with the guano. It is expected that the discovery will supersede the guano of South America, in Australia. ,At FRANCE. PARIS, MAT 21. The Moniteur of to-day says :—"The Italian papers publish a letter alleged to have been ad dressed by the Emperor Napoleon to Prince Murat. This letter is a mere invention. Although the Emperor disapproved of the letter published by his cousin on the affairs of Naples without his per mission, his Majesty has by no means withdrawn his friendship from him." ITALY. TURIN, MAT 20, Evmaxa. In to-day's sitting of the Chamber of Deputies, Signor Minghetti, Minister of the Interior, stated that administrative difficulties existed in the Nea politan provinces, but that there was no political danger. The number of Italian soldiers killed and wounded in the suppression of brigandage sines the oth April, is under thirty. The municipal elections are everywhere pro ceeding regularly. The number of persona voting is numerous. SPAIN. MADRID, M•T 21. An official declaration has been made that Spain will not re-establish slavery at San Domingo. MADRID, Mir 20. The Queen has signed the decree for the annexa tion of San Domingo to Spain. DENMARK. COPENHAGEN, TUESDAY, MAT 31. The Dajbbidet of to-day mays :—" The majority of the soldiers who were lately called in will be allowed to go on furlough at the end of the presen t month. "Three-fourths of the army will then be placed on a peace footing." PORTUGAL LISNON MAY 20. The King opened the Cortes to-day. The speech from the throne was not of political importance. His Majesty stated that a loan would be con tracted for by Portuguese capitalists. He raid alio° that the financial state of the coun try was satisfactory, and that the colonies required the attention of the Cortes. AUSTRIA. VIENNA, MAT 20. The Emperor has granted a full anicesty to all those persons who had been omplouned for poli tical crimes by the military authorities of Trieste. RUSSIA. ST. PETEMBITIKI, NAT 20, EvrnNo. Although the Neva has been already opened for navigation, it was to-day suddenly and thickly covered with ice coming from Lake Ladoga. Many vessels have been damaged, and many barges, laden with grain, sunk. Thu losses caused are very considerable. SYRIA. MARIIEILLES, MAT Adviceit have been recei;olll;i;iroinlieyront to the 14th inst., stating that Diem')lat Bey had been found deid in hie prison. THE OUTWARD INDIA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN MAILS. SOUTHAMPTON, Mar 20. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam ship Ceylon, Captain Erase, sailed hence today at 2.30 p.m., with the mails for Gibraltar, Malta, Egyt, Aden Ceylon, India, China, Australia, New Zealand, - kc., gether with 1015 passengers, including 20 who romed rid Marseilles. Amongst those embarking from that port are Major Simpaon, Major Thomas, Colonel Reid, Colonel Macduff, Lieut.-Colonel hf °stags, Captain Chalmers, Ensigns Cotton , Danbury, Macleod, and tlunpbell, Amistant-Surgeon Shaw, Rev. Mr. Gardner, and Lieutenants Brand, Vaughan, and Russell. R.N. Amongst those passengers proceeding rid Marseilles are Captain Phi lips, Dr. Fletcher, Captain Sinclair, sad Capt. Taylor. The Ceylon took out on freight 949 boxes specie value 249,026/. 12s. 6d., far the following viz. : Ceylon. sovereigns, 2,000/. ; jewellery, 141. g r at . aa, sovereigns, 3,9871. ; silver. 21. . • gold thread, Lea/. Calcutta, bar silver, 169,2 '. x3/ .. 2a. fod. ; dollars, ' 10,500 f. ; jewellery, (tW. 10s. Hong Kong, dollars, ' 17,6111 f. ; jewellery, 1,21301. Shanghai, dollars, 32,67;/. ; bar silver, 1,2701. • watches. 115/. 10e. Od. Foochow, dol. 5,600/. ; watches, lO'V. Hobsou's Bay, jewellery, 1,8. V./. Mc 6d. Sydney, silver ociie eoot. bronze coin, '2.W. ; jewellery. 9M( • also for Calculi*. 1 box decorations value 1.5901. ; and a 'full cargo of puma merchandise for various destinations. The Official aa:ettc of Turin publishes a Royal decree enacting that all gold and silver coin of the kingdom shall henceforth bear the effigy of the King, with the in scription "Vittorio Emmanuel. II." on the obverse, and "Regno d'ltalia" on the reverse. On the copper coin the inscription round the head is to be " Vittorio Einrmintiele de &Italia," and on the reverse there are to be two branches el oak and laurel entwined, surmounted bye star. EXPRESS FROM PARIS. CHALLENGE TO A DUEL BY PRINCE MURAT TO PRINCE NAPOLEON:- (11011 OUR Owl PARIS, MoNDAT EVINING. Prince Murat has sent a challenge to his cousin Prince Napoleon, on account, as I understand, of a paragraph in the Opinion Nagionole (given below), which the actual Grand Master of the French Free masons attributes to the inspiration of his imperial rival for the office. The Emperor, who heard of the matter, ordered the Prince Napoleon not to fight, just as he did in the case of the Duke d'Aumale ; but Prince Murat repeated his challenge in the most taunting terms, and telling Prince Napoleon that he did not admit the Emperor's jurisdiction in affairs of honour between persons of their rank, gave him notice that he should be upon the ground to-day, and fully expected to meet him. This information, nothing of which is yet known to the public, reaches me from a sure 110111"00. The following is the passage in the Opinion Nationak above referred to. After reproducing Prince Murat's decree against M. Riche Gar don, editor of the Masonic journal the Initiation, it says : Events have rapidly succeeded each other since then. As the elections take place on Monday, the 20th, the authority which was bent on perpetuating its existence bad no time to lose. Yesterday, therefore, on a report addressed to his royal highness by the grand-officer charged to represent him, Prince Murat decreed the provisional suspension of 11 members of the legislative assembly of the order, whom the report styles factious, and whose open oppo sition might have disturbed the election. But the very abort time that remains to elapse before the election further aggravates the position of the lodges thus deprived of their representatives. The Grand Master is named for seven years ; it is therefore most essential that all the lodges should be represented at an election, the result of which may be of such vast importance to the whole order. We may also mention here that the course taken by Prince Murat was the cause of the great schism three years ago in the lodges of the United States. The election of another Grand Master in his place would, no doubt, tend to the establishment of unity in freemasonry. The influence of the order is very powerful in America, and it is easy to understand that the return to unity is a matter of the highest moment to an association based on the dogma of universal brotherhood. It has always been usual in France to choose the Grand Master from a member of the reigning family, and generally speaking the election is for life. But Prince Murat, who, perhaps, expected by this time to be King of Naples, requested that he might only be elected for the seven years which have just now expired. The result of the new election will not be known till to-morrow or next day, but there can be scarcely any doubt that Prince Napoleon will be chosen. He has attained the rank in the craft of a Rosicrucian, which here is a necessary qualification for the supreme office. Murat is said to be terribly " cunning of fence," and the friends of Prince Napoleon are alarmed for his fate if he should be so imprudent as to place himself within reach of his incensed adversary's sword ; in all probability, however, the latter will implicitly obey the Emperor's commands. I hear this evening, but too late to verify it, a report that M. de Flahaut, the French ambassador in London, has just come to Paris to receive per sonal instructions from the Emperor relative to the Syrian affair, Which it seems still perplexes diplomacy. I Lave good reason to believe that the French government and Count Cavour have come to at complete understanding with regard to the evacua tion of Rome. Recent letters speak of extraordi nary military preparations making by Count de Mende, which are inexplicable upon any suppo sition than that the Pope means to garrison fur himself the small domain which it is proposed to leave him. The extraordinary fear of Orleanism betrayed by Count de Persigny's circular is thus represented by M. Gueroult in the Opinion Ntaionaic,:: The Minister of the Interior is at once the friend of sound democratic ideas and the loyal servant of the Emperor. In this double character be will allow us to tell him that we do not share the sentiments which prompted the circular. Why seize and suppress the pamphlets of the Orleanist party? Wbat is there in • discussion with the policy of 1840 to be so much dreaded? Why by measures of seventy protect that policy against public opinion, and thus render it impervious to criticism? That policy is not so old but that the country can well remember how it lived and how it fell. Has it now become more formidable because of a coalition with the legitimists, by whom it is detested, and the clergy, by whom it is despised? To do the policy the honour of being &frail of it is to lend it • greatness not its own : it is a drawing•room opposition, a defunct deg, it rests .upon no souvenirs, it is an oligarchy without prestige, a staff without an army, an equivocal regime which has no antecedents to boast of, and yet turns its lack on the future. What is there in such an opposition to alarm the govern ment? There is one sure way of having nothing to fear from Orleanisni, viz., to abstain from filling the mayoral ties and prefectures with its adepts; to appeal to the country and auk it for • Corps Legislatif leas foreign by date and origin to the questions of the day ; and further and above all, to make the imperial policy, whether home or foreign, more decided, to distinguish friends from enemies, opposing the one and energetically supporting the other, not as happens but too often in the provinces, to leave friends in opposition while enemies are in power--in short, to put an end to the doubts and hesitations of the country by marching with a firm 'top towards ► definite object. On these conditions the government has nothing to fear from Orleanisin or its pamphlet.. It may allow them to circa. late freely, and even give them the hospitality of the Mon,leur. It is not by these pamphlets that it will perish. The Bourse might as well have been closed to day, so little business was there doing. The Bente closed at 69fr. 30c. (with a rise of Sc.) for cash, and at Saturday's price, G9fr. 40c., for account. Mobilier rose lfr. 23c. In railways scarcely any change. The Monifeur de la Matte says :—" A Belgian journal has stated that Vice- admiral Chooser, Commander in-Chief of the French Naval Forces in the Chinese fleas, was about to be recalled, and that France did not intend to follow up the expedition in Cochin China. Wo have good mason for affirming that both these statements are alto gether unfounded." " On Saturday night," writes a correspondent of the Athena-ma in Genoa, "we maw a new ballet, 1 Biaisoki ere i Neri , taken from Uncle Tom's Cabin ; it was pretty Bad amusing, and contained a new fea ture. When the blacky is reading his Bible, the scene opens to a vision of heaven, and a song is beard with harp accompaniment, which had a most original effect in a ballet. The prima donna, who rag it, was called out ; and being dressed in a white muslin wrapper, looked quite in character. The ballet ends with a grand ball, when the eleg►nt ladies in blue and pink have, am partners, niggers with white cravats and waistcoats, and woolly hair. It is truly a ballet-master's Idea of perfect future felicity and emancipation from slavery—the ecstatic privilege of dancing with white ladies." - The Bishop of Celle in Tuscany having on the Sad but. published, in allusion to the approaching national festival, a circular to all the clergy of his diocese, threaten ing with immediate suspension a diriais any priest who should presume to celebrate any sacred rite for a political parpome, the clergy of Poggibonsi have replied in a protest, dated the 12th, declaring their firm intention of performing service on the occasion of the said national festival, which is to take place on the first Einnday in June, and that they intend to place themselves under the protection of the King's government against their ~p iritual head. AMERICA. __.__ The New York Tribune of May 8 has the follow ing on " the situation of affairs :" At the hour of going to press we have no precise informa tion of any military movement near Washington. There is a report that General Cocke, who commands the rebel ginians, intends to take up a position en the Potomac, oppo. site the Federal city. He professes, however, to have no hostile intention, and to be acting only on the defensive, to protect the soil of Virginia from invasion. Of course, the Federal government will pay no regard to his professions,aed will keep a sharp watch on his movements. His force can. not be strong enough to menace Washington, but even a small body of troops may do much mischief by a sudden dash on a weak point of our line of defence. Meantime troops continue to pour into Washington. Among others, the 214th Regiment from this state, composed entirely of Germane, arrived there yesterday. The force now assem bled in the Federal city is, we believe, the largest body of American troop. ever collected at one point. The detachment at the Relay House, under General Butler, are busily engaged in fortifying their position. It is now said that there will be from that quarter, and from the Pennsylvania side, a concerted movement on Baltimore before the week is out. The resources of that city in pro. visions, clothing, and munitions, would be of immense value to the rebels, and it cannot too soon be occupied by a force sufficient to hold it against all enemies. The indica tions are that the rebel commanders in Virginia con template a movement which shall bring them into the rear of Washington, and enable them to co-operate with their friends in Maryland. From Pensaeola, by way of Montgomery, we get the in formation that General Bragg is " progressing" rapidly in his fortifications, and is nearly ready to open the attack on Fort Pickens. His troops are said to be in good spirits and sanguine of success. These reports, however, are probably coloured to serve the purposes of the rebel leaders. Other accounts, from more trustworthy sources, state that Bragg has only 3,000 men, very poorly equipped, and suffering from sickness. Whatever may be his force, Fort Pickens, with its present garrison, cannot be reduced except by a protracted siege. From Cairo we hear rumours of attacks to take place shortly, but there is no evidence that the rebels in that quarter h►ve concentrated a forte adequate to the assault of so strong a position. The garrison there are vigilantly watching the rivers, and have already captured several steamboats with contraband goods on board. Meantime, the warlike spirit of the people continues to manifest itself in the most patriotic and impressive manner. The northwest has already mustered fur service 230,000 volunteers, and offered them to the government. From every part of New England and the middle states companies are moving towards the appointed places of rendezvous. The papers publish a long message to the Mont gomery Congress (which reassembled on the 29th ult.) from President Jefferson Davis. In a secret session on the ith Virginia was ad mitted into the southern confederacy. We have important advises from New Orleans by the steamship Daniel Webster, which vessel sailed from New York with a cargo consigned to New Orleans, but took it back to New York, having barely escaped capture and confis cation by the secessionists. While at the mouth of the Mississippi the captain of the Daniel Webster ascertained that extensive preparations bad been made at New Orleans for going into the priesteering business—a joint-stock company, with a capital of several millions, having been formed for that purpose. Letters of marque, it was stated, bad already been issued for the Calhoun, the N. N. Webb, and the Matagorda, and the steamer Savannah had been purchased and fully armed. The notorious yacht Wanderer had also been pur chased, and was at Havanna' when the Daniel Webster touched there. These vessels are pro. bably now cruising in the gulf, unless they have been taken care of by the United States' vessels there. The postmaster at Washington, Florida, was shot on the 19th April for delivering to Lieutenant Sleminer all the mail matter dropped into that office, including the letters written by confederate soldiers to their friends. A PROTEST BY CARDINAL ANTONELLL The Gazette du Danube gives tho following as the text of a circular addressed by Cardinal Anton°lll to the diplomatic body : The violent invasion of the greater part of the state of the Holy See, undertaken by Piedmont, has ' on the one bawl, the character of a liegmat violation of the temporal sovereignty of the Pope, and, on the other, the stamp of an epoch belonging to the most unhappy and most deplorable in history for the serious injuries which the church has ex. periunced. The world knows to satiety the history of the divers &eta of hostility that the Pontifical State has had to undergo at the hands of the invading government, through the numerous public representations which have been made, not only by the Holy Father, but also with unanimity by the sacred ea. clesisatical pastors residing in the usurped provinces. Among the afflicting things with which these representa tions have been occupied, is the decree which that govern. meet has published, and which has for its object to suppress the convents and other religious corporations, in osier to appropriate to itself the funds of these establishments. That decree gives proof of a complete alliance with the plundering tendencies of the revolutionary spirit, and affords besides a proof of the monstrous contraliction of all the fundamental laws which the invaders preteudeii they wished to put in force in the said provinces. After the possessions of the Laid convents had missed. in consequence of the violence which had in a despotic manner taken the place of the rights of others, into the Dower of the usurping government, the culminintnitiou which, under the illusory title of the Ecclesiastical Treasury, proceeds in acairdance with the instructions and the wishecof the same government, has recently made known to the public that it intends to alienate the landed property which had been thus usurped. Persons who wish to sequin, such property will have to take steps accordingly. At the mme time the announcement made known the conditions of sale. Now the possessions of the said religious communities and corporations funnies a part . of the patrimony of St. Peter, the projected sale is equivalent to a spoliation of *eche siaattml property. If we consider the matter from this point of view, which is the only true one, it immediately becomes clear that from motives of justice and equity people can never lend themselves to such sales, because it would be necessary, in that cane, to tithe contracts with the trienrper respecting property taken from others. Added to this is the consideration, altogether especially applicable to the present case, of the beet known canouical laws, which, protecting the integrity sod inviolability of the patrimony of the church, strike with special reprimands and other penalties the usurpers of ecclesiastical property, as well as those who in any way whatever lend a hand in dm usurpation and take part in the ugliest and sacrilegious act. But independently of these considerations which are im posed on the conscience of every catholic and of every pet ,en who pommies the sentiment of right and justice, and which ought to appear of the highest importance, we have as a redo to follow the solemn words pronounced by the Holy Father in his coodstorial allocution of December 17 cf last year— words which bare attained publicity through the press, and in which his holiness has complained and pro tested against the said unfortunate decree, and at the same time has condemned and declared cull tied void all the men susses which the invading government hail up to that tune taken to the detriment of the rights and palimony of the church and to the injury of the religious communities, and which it might still take. From this declaratiou th,re re. suits to satiety the effecteal default au.l the absolute nul lity of every title whatever proceediog from the tau is of this entirely incompetent and usurping government. The solemn act of the Pope would form, by reason of its authority, and of the publicity which has been given to it, a document more than sufficient to prevent any eoes to whatever country or whatever rank, or whatever coalition he belongs, from the illegal acquisition of property arisiog from the said spoliation. Nevertheless, sou in order further to attain that object, and to cut short all pretests and eventual justifications which foreign purcluaers, especially, of ecclesiastical property of this kind may set up, the Holy Father has desired that this matter abould be the subject of an official com munication to th • booourable persons who form the diplomatic body accredited to the Holy See ; they are re quested to call the attention of their respective g wet 'meets to this grave and delicate subject, with a view to such steps as they may think it suitable themselves to take. to give the above tnentiooeil declaration of the Pope, and the warning which results from it, greater and completer pith. licity to their states, that people may thus avoid entering into contracts for the acquisition of property the title to which, for reasons aforesaid, would be null and void. To this end, the undersigned Cardinal, Secretary of State, hastens to transmit the present note to your euellency, according to the orders given by the Holy Father, request. pug you to make use of this note in conformity with the sentimental of the Holy Father. He takes advantage of this occasion to express particular consideratioe for you. (Signed) AIiToYELLI. I ~~ I ' I