The Sun. — London, England, 1863-08-22 00:00:00

NEW YORK AND THE BAHAMAS. There was published yesterday a very interesting and important Parliamentary paper upon the in terference of the Federal Government with the trade between these ports. The correspondence opens with a letter from Lord Lyons to Earl Russell, dated Washington, May 20, 1862, stating that he enclosed copies of President Lincoln's Proclamation and Treasury regulations, din virtue of which the ports of Beaufort, Port Royal, and New Orleans were to be opened to trade on the Ist of the following June, and that the bleckade, as regarded those ports, was from that date so far to cease that commercial in tercourse with them, except as to persons and things and information contraband of war, might be car ried on subject to the laws of the United States and to the regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. S. P. Chase, in his order ap pended to the Proclamation. Those regulations set forth that to vessels clearing for foreign ports and destined to the ports opened by the Proclamation, licenses would be granted by the Consuls of the United States upon satisfactory evidence that the vessels so licensed should convey no persons, pro perty, or information contraband of war either to or from the said ports. It is, moreover, stipulated that the licenses thus granted should be exhibited to the collector of the port to which the vessels might be respectively bound immediately on arrival, and, if required, to any officer in charge of the blockade; that on leaving either of the said ports every_ vessel sho u ld b e requ i re d t o h ave a c l earance from the collector of Customs, according to law, showing that there had been no violation of the conditions of the license, and that any violation of those conditions should involve the forfeiture and condemnation of the vessel and the cargo, and the exclusion of all parties concerned from any further privilege of entering the United States during the war for any purpose whatsoever. The regulations further prescribe the form of the license to be granted, and intimate that the existing blockade must be regarded as remaining in full force and effect, as previously established, save as relaxed by the Proclamation in favour of the ports particularly mentioned. Then follows in the correspondence a second letter from Lord Lyons to Earl Russell, dated Washington, May 26, in which he encloses an ex tract from a despatch which he had received a day or two previously from Mr. Bayley,Governor of the Bahama Islands, on the subject of a report which prevailed there, that the Customs authorities at New York had determined to prevent or impede the exportation of ordinary supplies from that city to the port of Nassau. Lord Lyons adds that he had directed her Majesty's acting Consul at New York to ascertain and let him know as soon as possible whether there was any foundationfor such a report. and in his next despatch he transmits a copy of a letter written to Mr. Bayley by Messrs. Adderley and Co., complaining that a bond had been ex acted from their agent by the Customs autho rities at New York, restricting the disposal of a cargo of coals shipped for Nassau. The Messrs. fidclerley, while fully admitting the right of the American Government to make such cus toms' laws and regulations as they think fit, contend that such laws and regulations should be of general application, and that Great Britain, being placed by international treaty on the footing of the most favoured nations, the American Government had no right to single out any particular British colony and make regulations applicable to that colony alone. The circumstances which led them to make these remarks are stated in a letter to Mr. Bayley, dated Nassau, New Providence, May 12, 1862. Lord Lyons, in forwarding the letter to Earl Russell, encloses copies of an Act of Congress ap proved on the 20th of May, 1862, conferring on the Secretary of the Treasury extensive powers to lax _ pose restrictions on trade, with a view to prevent supplies being carried to the S3uthern States, and accompanies a sub3equent despatch, dated June 2, with copies of the instructions given by the Secre. tarp of the Treasury to refuse clearances to vessels laden with contraband of war or .other specified ar- ticks, as well as to vessels believed to be in fact bound to Confederate ports, whatever might be their ostensible destination, or which happened to be laden with merchandise of whatever descriptions in cases which there appeared to be imminent danger of the cargoes coming into the possession of the insnrgents. Having transmitted this information, Lord Lyons informs Earl Russell, in a despatch dated the sth of June, that he had received the report of acting Consul Edwards, whom he had instructed to in- quire into the truth of the statement brought under his notice by the Governor of the Bahamas, that the Customs' authorities at New York had deter• mined to prevent the exportation of supplies to those islands. Mr. Edwards, in the report mentioned by Lord Lyons, states that the Customs' authorities at New _ . York had upon several occasions thrown serious im• pediments in the way of shipments of coal and or• _ - dinary merchandise to Nassau, and had even in some cases where the goods were already embarked, and even cleared, refused to permit the vessel to go to sea until the goods had been re-landed. Then follows a despatch from Lord Lyons to Earl Russell, containing a copy of a circular ad dressed to consuls of the United States by Mr. Seward, with a list of the articles which, as contra- band, were to be refused clearances from the ports already named. Next in order is a despatch of June 21, from Mr. Stuart to Earl Russell, forwarding a letter from Mr. S. P. Chase, stating that the re strictions on coal had been enforced by collectors, under orders from the Treasury Departmant, alike upon domestic and foreign shipping clearing to ports north of Cape St. Roque, on the eastern coast of South America, and west of the 15th degree of longitude east ; and that all restrictions to trade would be removed when the necessity which had rendered them imperative should cease. A despatch of Mr. Edwards, given at length, enu merates several cases of recent occurrence, the date being the 26th of June, 1862, in which British inte rests had suffered injuryat the hands of the Customs' authorities at New York. Among other cases he quotes that of the China, which arrived at New York from Liverpool on the 18th inst., carrying a ( j u antity of merchandis e , i n t rans itu for Nassau by the Royal Mail steamer B r iti s h Q ue en. Matters writing arriv e d a t thi s p o i n t, we find Mr. Stuart lows informally to Mr. Seward as fol- " d ear sir "Washington, July 1, 1862. on the 20th ult.ia t ou did me the hon our t o f orwar d to me of the Tr easury ha raeript of a letter which the Secretary certain restrictions addressed to you upon the subject of whlch h e had thought fit to impose upon the export of vari ous articles l of commerce to Nassau and other British possession, have duly transmitted a copy of Mr. Chase's letter to Majesty' Russell, and Lord Lyons had also furnished to her Majesty's a copy of the Act of Congress under which the Secretary of the Treasury becomes atilhorised to exercise extraordinary powers in re spect to the export of merchandise United States. Such being the Cuero:. the ports of the anticipate any instructions which her Majesty'sis not m y wish to Govern. meat may decide upon sending to me question ; but as further interfer ence witr Bnritl th . e subject in sh co mmerce of a most annoying and injurious na t ure has sin at New York, I trust you will permit me to subu ele•toccurred to you as contained in the accompanying copies ofth a e facts de spatch, and its enclosures, which I have received from the British Acting Consul at that port,and to add a few informal observations, having reference to the question in an int • erna tional point of view. It appears, then, that British vessels lawfully trading between the port of New York and th e British West Indies are in some instances refused clearances at the former port, and that in others they are detained and searched, and required to reland portions of their cargoes, after having been regularly cleared with full knowledge of the articles on board, or to give bonds that no part of the cargo shall at any indefinite time be used by the enemies of the United States- According the the Treasury instructions these proceedings are left entirely to the discretion or caprice of the collector of c us t oms , or to the suspicions which he may choose to entertain as to the ultimate or indirect desti nation or employment of the cargo ; and that subordinate officer is thus enabled arbitrarily to interrupt the trade be tween Great Britain and the United States, and even be tween Great Brit a i n an d h er W est I n di an possess ions, as in the case mentioned of the merchandise brought to New York by the Royal Mail steamer China for transshipment on board the Royal Mail steamer British Queen. I was not before aware that the interruption of the legitimate trade of a neutral could be effected otherwise than in the manner and to the extent prescribed by the international law of blockade, an.d as Great Britain has declared herself to be a neutral in the present state of war, and has granted belli gerent rights, which have been accepted and utilized by the United States, she seems clearly entitled to claim for her commerce exemption from any interruption not in accord ance with the principles which usually apply to neutrals. It is difficult to suppose that a belligerent may without any blockade at all, upon mere suspicion or belief, possibly ill founded, that certain merchandise will ultimately find its way into the enemy's country,cut off the trade of neutrals, either in whole or in part, from ports of which it is in un disturbed possession, This would be a cheap and easy sub stitute for an effectual blockade. When, however, such a novel substitute is applied in its application to a particular nation, whether on account of the geographical position of its territories, or for other reasons, the case becomes one in which the neutral thus invidiously injured has just grounds of complaint, as of an unfriendly, if not of an almost hostile act. In the particular case now reported by Mr. Edwards, peculiar grievances are recited, which it cannot be the de sire of the United States Government to apply to the legiti mate trade carried on from the United States by British subjects in British bottoms to British ports. The hardship connected with the bonds required by the collector of cus toms is forcibly explained by Mr. Edwards that I need not specially refer further to it. The facts stated in the protest of the master of the William H. Clear, relative to the de tention and search of that vessel, show, if true, an indiscreet zeal and want of courtesy on the part of certain subordinate officers which you will doubtless look upon as deserving of censure. But I venture to recommend the whole question to your favourable attention, feeling convinced that you wl be anxious to redress any manifest injury towards Great Britain, trusting you will remember that my present obser vations are merely informal ones, intended and having e i n h friendly consideration of yourself and Mr. Chase, h g y no means in view to provoke a discussion upon points have been already referred to my Governm,,n which s l Tu a A v ß ai T l,. , & , c. W. Next in order comes the first despatch of'Earl Russell to Mr. Stuart: — “Foreign-office, July 18, 1862. co c n r s e i w d considered, in Lord communicationHerMwajitehstyt'hs Government the law v the e Lyons' despatches of 20t h and 26th Ma y and 2d and s th c June respectively, relative to the restrictions placed upon the export trade of the United States, and more especially that from New York to the Bahamas, in consequence of the in structions given bythe Secretary of the Treasuryof the United States to refuse clearances to vessels laden with contraband of war or other specified articles, as well as to vessels which are believed to be in fact bound to Confederate ports, or which are laden with merchandise of whatever description, when there appears to be imminent danger of the cargoes coming into the possession of the so-styled Confederates. I have now to state to you that her Majesty's GoVernment are of opinion that is competent to the United States as a belligerent Power to protect itself within its own ports and territory, by refusing clearances to vessels laden with contraband of war or other specified articles, as well as to vessels which are believed to be bound to Con federate ports, and that so long as such precautions are adopted equally and indifferently in all cases, with out reference to the nationality or origin of any par ticular vessels or goods, they do not afford any just ground of complaint. But her Majesty's Government are unable to understand how the refusal of clearances to vessels laden with ordinary merchandise can be justified upon the mere assumption or surmise of some imminent danger of the cargoes coming into the possession of the insurgents;' unless, indeed, there be reasonable ground for alleging and believ ing that some Confederate port is the true destination of said vessels or of their cargoes. Under so vague and indefinite a pretext as that of imminent danger of the cargoes coming into the possession of the insurgents,' any kind and amount of arbitrary restrictions on British trade might be introduced and practised. With reference to the measures that appear to have been taken by the United States Government as to the trade with the Bahama Islands, her Majesty's Govern ment consider that a distinction ought to be made between shipments of coal and other articles ancipitis usus, the export of which may have been prohibited as contraband by gene ral orders of the United States Government to any places within geographical limits, and shipments to the Bahamas or any other part of the British dominions of provisions and other articles of innocent use not prohibited or made contra band by any such general order. The prohibition of the for mer class of shipments is public and general, and it falls equally upon the shipping and commerce of all nations, and may be justified upon the ground of the ex'gencies of a bel ligerent. But her Majesty's Government cannot so regard the interference of the New York Custom-house with the ordinary exports to the Bahamas of dry goods, plain and printed fabrics, &c., shoes, medical drugs, flour, and pro visions. Trade between the United States and the Bahamas is regulated by the Treaty of 1815 between the United States and Great Britain, the stipulations of the Treaty having been extended to the Bahamas in 1830 by the mutual acts of both Governments. By the proclamation of Presi dent Jackson, dated the sth of October, 1830, pursuant to the Act of Congress of the 29th of May, 1830, it was ex pressly declared to be lawful for British vessels from the Bahamas to import into the United States, and to export therefrom, any articles which might be imported or exported in vessels of the United States. This engagement is still in force, ana any FL olaibition of or ialtel apoa to of ordinary commodities, net contraband of war, from New York to the Bahamas in British vessels is plainly inconsis tent with that engagement, Her Majesty's Government cannot, therefore, in the absence of any evidence, that the articles in question were destined for the so-called Confede- rate States, pass unnoticed the general restriction which has been imposed on their export from New York to the Baha mas, and I have accordingly to instruct you to address a representation on the subject to Mr. Seward.—l am, &c., " RITSSELL." We are at this point furnished with letters from Messrs. Chalmers, Guthrie, and Co., and Messrs. Shorter and Co., of London, addressed to Earl Rus sell, in which it is stated that, trading as British merchants, they had shipped from Liverpool toNew York by the Canard steamship China, which sailed on the 7th of June, 1862, sundry goods in transit to Nassau, that these goods did not come under the designation of contraband, but that they had never theless been seized by the Federal Government on the ground that the merchants of Nassau might re sell them to parties who might ship them to the Confederate States; that they had waited patiently for a return mail from Nassau in the hope that the Federal Government would reconsider what ap peared a very arbitrary and illegal proceeding, but that it seemed they had no intention of allowing the goods to go forward in the usual course of commerce; and they therefore entreated that the English Gpvernment would take such steps as they might deem necessary to obtain the release of the goods, as well as compensation for the loss their detention had naturally caused. In reply to these representations Mr. Layard states that " the matter is under the consideration of her Majesty's Government." On the Ist of July Mr. Bayley, writing to Mr. Stuart, encloses a memorial addressed to him by the heads of three firms in Nassau, representing in a forcible light the great injury which was being done to British trade by the proceedings of the collector of Customs at New York, while there is a letter of Mr. Canard to Mr. Chase, dated June 19, in which he begs that the subject of the transhipment of part of the cargo per the China to the British Queen might receive its earliest consideration. Mr. Stuart subsequently, on the 21st of August encloses the following de spatch of Mr. Seward to Earl Russell : "Sir, —I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the Ist inst., in which, und er the instructions of her Britanni c M a j est y's Government, a representation made to me on t he sub j ect of cl earances of vessels and car goes from New York t o th e Bahamas. No time was lost i n submitting your note to the Secretary of the Treasury, who referred it to the Collector of Customs at Ne w York for ex , planation. I now have the honour to enclose to you a copy of that officer's report o n the sub j ect, and to state that , as his proceedings therein set forth appear to have been in strict conformity with the instructions of the Treasury De partment, his conduct has been accordingly approved by that department. I, howeve r, give you the collector's reply for the better information of your Government as to the exigencies which have rendered the proceedings complained of necessary in a crisis of great public danger. The exclu sive order is applied to the Island of Nassau only, because there is no complaint of abuse of neutrality laws elsewhere, and not at ad invidiously or because it is a British posses sion. The is a measure adopted for the public safety, endangered by insurrection, and not at all as in any sense a measure of trade, and I think it justifiable on the same grounds with the inhibition of certain exports referred to by the British Government. So soon as the abuses which have rendered the order necessary shall have ceased i b t willbe atonce rescinded. I shall, however, cheerfully tow a further consideration up o n the subject if your Government shall require.—l have, &c., " WILLIAM H. SEWARD." The collector of Customs, Mr. Barney, in the reply alluded to in Mr. Seward's despatch, endea vours to justify the course which he took, and, in doing so, say s It may not be inappropriate here to enumerate some of the leading causes which have led to this state of affairs of which complaint is now made by her Britannic Majesty's Government, and I would therefore call your attention to the significant fact that the trade of this port with the Bri tish West Indies during the last year exceeds by far that of any former period, a comparative statement of the exports to that point during the first quarter of the years 1860 and 1862 showing an excess in favour of the latter period of 400,000 dols. Extraordinary large shipments of goods to Nassau, the principal port in said islands, have been made during the last year, of a character entirely different from those of former years, and such as were not suited to the wants of the inhabitants. Nearly all vessels arriving here from that portwere p freightedattemt at concealmentwithtbepridu has beenotionofthe rebel States, and no made by any of the traders with regarl to the place of 4P' 4 - =; ~;'. r~+^ x THE StT LONDON, SATURDAY EVEN/NG, AUGUST 22 2 1863. "4g hin Nassau. their origin, or the manner of their r, f r eighted traders becoming more bold, their vessels we. e - 4 4tee in here with cargoes suited to the wants of the b.. - -na rebellion against the Government, were cleared tr. Nassau, and in some instances went directly to Brazos, on the Rio Grande in Texas, or in another case the British schooner Time, owaed by H. Adderley and Co., of Nassau, as shown by the letter of our Consul at that port, dated on the 6th of May last, discharged her entire cargo into the rebel steamer Cecile, then lying in the harbour of that port, awaiting a favourable opportunity to run the blockade to Charleston. It is a very generally acknowledged fact, and fully established by letters from our Consul, as well as by the marine reports of the Nassau papers, that the port of Nassau has been for the last year, and still is, a rendezvous for both armed and unarmed ves sels sailing under the British flag from ports of England laden with arms, ammunition, and assorted cargoes; their destination, in many insta , n , H ces iß , a A s:h ß o l in Nz b y y , th c e ol l l e e t c t t e o r r s ., a , nd papers referred to above, being Charleston, or some other' port in the so-called Confederate States.—l have, kc. • Then comes the following communication from Mr. Stuart to Mr. Seward : " September, 1862. The undersigned has received instructions from her Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State to address to the Secretary of State of the United States a further re presentation respecting the restrictions imposed by the United States Government on trade between New York and ports in the British West Indies. The undersigned is instructed to say that her Majesty's Government consider the question to be one of great importance, and that, how • ever desirous they may be of making every allowance for the difficulties of the position of the United States' Govern ment, it is impossible for them to acquiesce in the system of interference with the legitimate trade of Great Britain which is now practised by the United States authorities, such interference being not only in contravention of the existing treaties between Great Brftain and the United States, but being also contrary to the established princi ples of international law. It appears that British vessels lawfully trading between New York and the Bahamas are in some instances refused clearances at New York, and in others, after having been regularly cleared with full know ledge by the United States' authorities of the articles on board, are detained and searched, and are required either to re-land portions of their cargoes or to give bonds that no part of the cargo shall at any indefinite time to be used by the enemies of the United States, and these proceedings are not claimed to be prescribed by any general law or regula tion of commerce, but are avowed to be wholly discretionary with the Collector of Customs, to be enforced by him when soever he shall entertain the suspicion and belief that the real destination of the cargo is mediately or immediately to some port in the possession of the enemies of the United States, or if he shall be satisfied that " there is imminent danger that the goods, wares, and merchandise of whatso ever description laden on such vessels will fall into the pos session or under the control of the insurgents,' &c. The Collector of Customs in his report of the 12th June states that ' in the exercise of the discretion devolved upon him as an officer of the Government of a Sovereign people, he had prohibited the shipment of coals and dry goods and shoes, and quinine and other drugs, and tin-ware and munitions of war, and sundry other articles to Nassau and the West Indies, and to other foreign ports, when he had reason to suspect that they were intended by individual enterprise or the special contracts of British subjects to contribute directly to the welfare of the enemies of the United States.' The undersigned is instructed to state that her Majesty's Government cannot call to mind any principle of interna tional jurisprudence, nor any precedent approved by inter national law, to justify such interference with the trade of neutrals. The undersigned would submit to the considera tion of the Cabinet of Washington that trade between Great Britain and the United States—at least as to ports and places in the undisturbed possession of the United States— is not in any degree affected by the state of war in which the United States are engaged; and moreover that trade between Great Britain and an enemy of the United States —the former preserving a strict neutrality or indifference between the belligerent parties—can be affected only in the manner and to the extent prescribed by the international law of blockade. The United States Government will ad mit that shipments similar to those now subjected to inter ference, from New York to Nassau and other British ports, if made in time of peace, could not be prohibited without giving manifest cause of just complaint to Great Britain, especially while such shipments remain open to other na tions not having with the United States treaties of a more favourable nature. It follows that to prohibit such shipments to British subjects while permitting them to the subjects of other nations is to assume a state of quasi hostility to Great Britain on account of geographical or other circumstances supposed to mix her up with the interests of the enemy of the United States, &c. • • • The President cannot expect that Great Britain should al low British trade with her own colonies by way of the United States, or the trade between her own colonies and the United States, to be fettered by restrictions aad condi tions inconsistent with the treaties between the United States and Great Britain, and repugnant to international 1..... Her M ajesty Government p,rppet, therefore. that the President, in the exercise of his discretion, will prohibit the imposing of ail such restrictions and conditions as have been complained of in the present note." To this note Mr. Seward returns the following re ply : " After considering the arguments of Mr. Stuart in the most careful manner, it is not apparent to the undersigned that they invalidate the Act of Congress, the substance of which has been recited. By the law of nations every State 's sovereign over its own citizens and strangers residing within its limits, its own productions and fabrics, and its own ports and waters and its highways, and generally within all its proper territories. It has a right to maintain that sovereignty against sedition and insurrection by civil preventives and penalties and by armed force, and it has a right to interdict and prohibit within its own borders ex portation of its productions and fabrics, and the supplying of traitors in arms against itself with materials and muni tions, and any other form of aid and comfort. It has a right within its own jurisdiction to employ all the means neces sary to make these prohibitions effective. It does not ap pear to the undersigned that the United States have Bur- rendered this right by the convention between themselves and Great Britain which has been recited. It is true that by the first article of the convention of 1815 British merchants have liberty fully and freely to come with their ships and cargoes into ports, rivers, and places within the territories of the United States, and to be protected in their commerce there; but this right is expressly restricted to the ports, rivers, and places only into which other foreigners are permitted to enter, and in which they are permitted to reside and trade ; and they are more over expressly declared, while entering, residing, and trading in such ports, rivers, and places, to be subject to the laws and statutes of the two countries. So, by the third article of the convention of 1815, it is stipulated that prohibitions shall not be imposed on the exportation or importation of any articles the growth, produce, or manufacture of either country; this stipulation, however, is not absolute, but only a stipulation that any such prohibition shall extend equally to all other nations as well as Great Britain. Tne law of Congress seems to be free from the special objections which are raised by Mr. Stuart. It does not confine its prohibi tions or its requirements to British vessels trading between New York and the Bahamas, but applies them to all vessels of all nations, including the United States, wherever trading, whether with the Bahamas or any other part of • - the world. The prohibitions and requirements are not tin certain as to the authority which prescribes then or the I rm of the prescription, but they are declared and promul gated in solemn enactment by the Congress of the United States. The conditions on which the prohibitions and re- quirements are suspended are not left to caprices, suspicions, or beliefs, but they are dependent on satisfactory evidence of ascertainable facts. They involve no question of neutral rights, because no neutral has or can have a right more than any citizen of the United States to do an act within their exclusive jurisdiction which is forbidden by the statutes and laws of the country. The Act has nothing to do with the blockade of the insurrectionary ports, because it con fines its prohibitions and requirements to transactions oc- curling and to persons residing or being within the ports actually yosseased by the United States and under their unquestioned protection and control Fully admitting the principle for which Mr. Stuart so earnestly contends, that all proceedings and even regulations and laws of the United States which affect foreign commerce must not discriminate to the prejudice of Great Britain, the undersigned finds no adequate grounds for supposing that the principle is violated in the regulations. The instruc tions issued on the 14th of April and the 18th of May, prohibiting the exportation of coals to ports within geographical limits, which leaves freedom of export to more than one-half of the world, may seem to furnish ground for exception. But the prohibition applies to all American and all foreign merchants, vessels, and cargoes, as well as to those of Great Britain, and to all the States which are situated within the assigned limits, as well as to British de pendencies situated therein. It is understood to be an ac cepted maxim that no law reaches in effect beyond the point where the reason of the law fails, especially if the law so extended should be productive of injuries without object and without compensation or benefit. There is not the slightest reason to suppose that the insurgents of the United States could in any way derive a benefit from the exportation f anthracite coal to Archangel, or to Shanghai, or to Japan. Nor is it manifest that the British nation, its merchants and vessels, do not, in common with other na tions, their merchants and vessels, derive benefits and ad vantages from the exports permitted to all ports, of what ever nation, beyond the limit assigned by the Secretary of the Treasury. Nevertheless the President, desirous to re move all possible grounds for misconstruction, has directed that these two instructions shall be rescinded, so that the case will stand altogether upon the Act of Congress and the general instruction of the Treasury which have been recited. In regard to the special proceedings of the Collector of the Customs at New York which are complained of, the infor mation presented to the undersigned is vague and uncertain, there is no satisfactory evidence in the papers under consi- . - . deration that he has in anycase denied a clearance or exacted a bond which involved any infringement of the law of Con gress and the regulations of the Treasury. This Govern . _ meat will cheerfully examine upon its merits any case of infringement which maybe presented to it, and will promptly render the redress which shall be due, if the complaint should be sustained ; it will further cheerfully instruct all its collectors that, in performing their duties, they will be governed by not merely the letter, but the spirit of the re . ~ t iOnS of the Treasury and of the Act of Congress, so as gul“ no injurious or invidious discrimination to the to make rest Britain." in his desp a t c h to L ord Lyons of the 17 th o u replies seriatim to the argu ments advanced by Mr. prejudice BeWard, and winds up by saying,— t of Earl R l :e D e : Ce e r The conclusion come to by her Majesty's Government upon the whole matter is, that there has been a serious vio lation of Article 1 of the Treaty of 1816, which it is ad mitted, is now to be read as extending to the British West Indies. It has been attempted to disguise that violation of treaty under pretence of the right of domestic legislation. Her Majesty's Government, however, contend that the case is not really one of domestic legistation at all ; but is one in which the forms of domestic legislation have been made sub servient to an endeavour to control a particular branch of neutral trade as carried on, not within the territory of the United States, but in the proper territory of the neutral Power; that it is, in fact, as to such British goods as have been stopped in transitu from Great Britain to the Baha mas, an embargo, for causes not justified by international law ; and,as to innocent and lawful exports from the United States, a denial of the commercial intercourse guaranteed by treaty, except on terms to which no i n d epen d ent f ore i gn nation could consent without compromising the rights of neutrality and her own sovereignty within her own do minions. In the conclu din g paragraph of hi s l e tt er , M r . Seward seems to draw a distinction between the actual pro ceedings of which her Majesty's Government have com plained, and the abstract terms of the Act of Congress and Orders of the United States' Treasury, with which her Majesty's Government have no concern, except so far as they may be made the pretext for any violation of the treaty rights of this country; confining himself to the defence of the latter,and professing to be, as to the former, as yet but imperfectly informed. Her Majesty's Government do not conceive that any real doubt or obscurity can rest upon the ta fa i c n ts ed ; especially B iallyaarftneeryt,hee l b e r t o t ad era. an ir d h g e ene d r i a a l tin a o v t o io w n a , ls con-how ever, now drawn by Mr. Seward may justify the hope that although the proceedings of the New York Custom-house towards the Bahamas trade have not been hitherte disavowed or condemned by the United States' Government, the remonstrances of her Ma jesty's Government may, nevertheless, have the practical effect of preventing the continuance or repetition of similar proceedings in any future case in which British trade may be concerned." Mr. Seward comments on this despatch at con siderable length, and says he, must again declare that he is unable to find in the papers which the discussion has produced any evidence whatever that the Act of Congress had been administered so as to apply invidiously or even discriminatingly against Great Britain. Subsequent to this despatch, there is one from Lord Lyons, enclosing a copy of a letter addressed to Consul Archibald, by the firm of Tootal, Broad hurst, and Lee, British merchants, Manchester, carrying on business at New York, complaining of the difficulties thrown in the way of the shipment of goods hence to Nassau, and the correspondence concludes with the following despatch from Earl Russell : "Foreign-office, July 18, 1863. "My Lord,—You will have learnt from my despatch of the 10th ult., that as her Majesty's Government saw reason to hope that their representations respecting the interference exercised by the United States Government with the trade carried on between New York and the Bahamas would not remain without effect, they had not considered it necessary to continue the controversy with t hat Government. In this expectation, however her Majesty's Gov ernment are disappointed ; f or i t would, appear from. the representation of Messrs. Tootal, Broadhurst, and Co., which accompanies your despatch of th e 22d u lt . , that the interference of the . United States auth or i t i es w ith this trade is still persisted in, and I have accordingly to instruct you to address a fresh remonstrance on this subject to the United States Govern ment.—l am, &c., RUSSELL," horrible one. It appeared that the young woman, the pci slner at the bar, lived at a poor lodging at Eccles with her infant child. On Monday night, the 15th June last, she left her lodgings, taking her child with her, and she was seen with it near the river at half-past 11 o'clock that night. She did not return home till 8 o'clock next morning, when she had not the child with her. On being asked what had become of the child she said she had given it to a woman whom she did not know to bring up for her. This account not being deemed satisfactory she was taken into custody by the police, and she then made a statement to them that she had tied a stone round her child's neck and thrown it into the river, at a spot which she afterwards pointed out to the police, and that she had done so at the instigation of a man whose name she mentioned. The river was dragged, and at the spot pointed out by the prisoner the body of her child, with a stone tied to its neck, was found, as described. It was elicited from one of the wit nesses that the prisoner had complained that her father had repeatedly forced her to 'gave incestuous connexion with him, and had at last turned her and her baby out of doors to starve. The defence urged was that the treatment the prisoner had received from her own father and her wretched condi tion and prospects had had such an effect on her mind that in a fit of wretched despondency she had done what she had done scarcely conscious what she was about, The learned judge having summed up, The jury found the prisoner guilty of wilful murder, but with a strong recommendation to mercy. His Lordship said he would send this recommendation to the proper quarter, and then, deeply affected, passed upon the prisoner the awful eontence of death in the usual form. This makes the fifth prisoner sentenced to be hung at these assizes, another prisoner having anticipated his fate by hanging himself in his cell before his trial. POLICE INTELLIGENCE.---Aug. 21. GREENWICH. Thomas Alium, William Smith, and William Lamb, constables of the M division of the metropolitan police were charged before Mr. Traill with assaulting two young men named William Thomas and Benjamin Woodnutt. Mr. Wontner appeared for the complainants and Mr. Lewis for the defendants. The complainant Thomas, on being sworn said that he resided with his mother, a shopkeeper, at 13, Millpond-street, Bermondsey. On the night of Saturday, the 25th July, about half-past 12, he was returning home accompanied by the complainant Woodnutt, at the house of whose sister they had been staying at supper. When near Millpond bridge the defendants Allum and Smith, whom he knew as plain-clothes constables, came up to them, when Smith said, " We have been looking for you," at the same time applying an offensive epithet to them. He asked Smith why they had been looking for them, and also why such an expression was applied to them, when Smith struck him a violent blow and knocked him down. On getting up and saying he knew them to be policemen, Smith took something from his pocket and struck him, again knocking hi m d own, and cansing his eye to bleed. Smith and Allum then left and walked across the road. He was bleeding from the wound to his eye at the time, and called out " Police!" After walk ing about 50 yards, Police constable Lamb, who was in uniform, came up, and on t e lli ng hi m th e y had been ill-used by two constables in plain clothes he ordered them to move on They asked if that was all the satisfaction they were to receive, and he pushed them along. He then went to the house of his mother, and on knocking at the door Lamb came up and threatened to lock him up if he did not get in doors. The street door was opened by his mother, and he walked in, Lamb forcing his way in after him, and pushing his mother out of the way. On going behind the counter Lamb endeavoured to pull him out, and, finding he could not do so, he sprang his rattle, and some constables came. He was kicked in the side by Lamb, who also took hold of him by the throat, and on being got outside he found himself covered with blood. At the time ha was first assaulted by Smith he was perfectly sober. In reply to questions put, the complainant said that when the charge of assault was preferred against him at the station he attempted to make a complaint of being assaulted by Smith, but there were several con sta bl es t h ere , w h o prevented his doing so. They put their hands over his month several times, and told him to hold his tongue. He and Woodnutt were afterwards locked up, and Mr. Maude dismissed the case against them. Benjamin Woodnutt gave confirmatory evidence, and said that on asking Smith why he had struck Thomas, whose eye was bleeding, he was knocked down by Allum, and that on getting up both he and Smith ran away. As he was abput to enter the house of Thomas he received a violent blow on the back of the head, which caused him to fall on the pavement, and rendered him insensible. He had no recollection of anything for an hour or two after being taken to the station. Thomas Scott, a lighterman, said he was re turning from work on the night in question, and saw the complainants assaulted and knocked down by Allum and Smith, who ►hen walked away. Com plainants called out "Police," and the constatle Lamb came up and pushed the complainants. Wit ness saw a woman open the door of the house at which Thomas knocked; feeling unwell, he did not atop any longer, but went home. Fanny Woodnut, of 9, Paradise-row, Rother hithe, and Ann Thomas, mother of the complainant Thomas, gave confirmatory evidence. Mr. Lewis suggested that as two distinct assaults were alleged the defendants should be permitted to be examined on oath for each other. This course was agreed to, and they were examined apart from each other. The statement of Lamb was that he found the complainants creating a disturbance, and that on requesting them to leave Thomas used a vulgar expression and refused to do so, and that Woodnutt having struck him in the chest and knocked him down they both ran away; that he then pursued them and overtook them at Thomas's mother's house, when Thomas struck him and dragged him into the shop, and that on springing his rattle Allum and Smith came to his assistance, as also police-constable 309 M, and a civilian. The defendants Allum and Smith said they were on duty together, and hearing cries of "Help," and seeing a crowd, they ran to the spot, and found Lamb inside the shop, as also both complainants. They both denied the assault upon complainants, and also that that they had spoken to the constable Limb previous to hearing cries for help. Inspector Moore, who took the charge against the complainants, gave it as his opinion that they were both drunk. No charge against the constables was made at the station. Mr. Trail said he had given very great considera• tion to the case, on account of its importance to the public, and his opinion was that a very flagrant case of assault had been proved against Allum and Smith, and if it had been satisfactorily shown that they had had (as was suggested) a conversation with Lamb, and put him on to the complainants, finding that they (the constables) had committed an assault and were known, he should not deal so lightly with the case as he was then about to do. Lamb had, however, been guilty of a gross violation of duty, because, on his own statement, he had taken into custody Thomas, wno had not committed an assault upon him. It had been a rule laid down by hi m now for nearly a period of 30 years that for assaults committed upon constables, except when grievous, where the offender's name and address were known, that the constable should not act in his own case, but proceed in the ordinary way by information. This rule, he believed, the Commissioners of Police might thi nk had acted upon. With re g ard to Lam b , he should impose a fine of 40 5 ., leavin g it to th e Commissioner s afterwards to dea l with him as the y fit, and with regard to the other defendants he was prepared either to send the case to itghhetprefer.sessions or to deal with it summaril y as they might The defendants consulted with their solicitor, and elected to have the case sent to the sessions, upon which Mr. Trail then ordered the defendants to be corn m itt e d for trial at the next Old Bail ey sessions Full benefit of reduced duty obtained by pur chasing Horniman's pure Tea; very choice at 3s 4d. and "High Standard" at 4s. 4d. (formerly 4a. Bd.), is the strongest and most delicious imported. Agents in every tow n supply it in nackets. The Cologne Gazette announces that the railway train which left that city in the evening of the 17th went o ff the rails between Bingen and Mentz, when several per sons were'killed. The stoppage caused by the overturning of the carriages has probably delayedthe arrivalof letters and journals from Frankfort. ADVERTISEMENT.]—Avoid medicines: they always aggra vate chronic complaints, but Du Barry's Delicious Health Restoring Revalenta Arabica Food, which saves fifty times its cost in other remedies, invariably cures them, restoring perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound lungs, healthy liver, pure blood, refreshing sleep, functional regularity, and energy to the most disordered or enfeebled. We extract a few out of 60,000 Cures :—Cure No. 58,216 of the Marchioness de Br6h an, Paris, of a fiver complaint, wasting away for seven years, debility, with a nervous palpitation all over, bad digestion, constant sleeplessness, the most intolerable nervous agitation, and dreadfully low spirited.—Cure No. 1,771. Lord Stuart de Decies, Lord Lieut. of Waterford, of many years' dyspepsia.—No. 49,832. "Fifty years' indescribable agony from dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma, cough, constipation, atulency, spasms, sickness, and vomiting.—Maria Jolly." —Cure No. 46,270. Mr. James Roberts, of Frfmley, Surrey, o f thirty years' diseased lungs, spitting of blood, liver derange ment, and partial deafness.—Cure No. 47,121. Miss Elizabeth Jacobs, of extreme nervousness, indigestion, gatherings, low spirits, and nervous fancies.—Cure No. 54,816. The Rev. Jas. T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, "of indigestion and torpi dity or the liver, which had resiste i all medical treatment." In tins. 1 lb., 2s. 9d. ; 21b., 4s. 6d ; 51b., lls. ; 121 b., 225. ; t4lb 405.—Barry Du Barry and Co., No. 77, Regent-street, London ; also Fortnum and Mason ; and all Grocers and Chemists in every town of the United Kingdom. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. NORTHERN CIRCUIT. —LIVERPOOL, AUG. 21. CROWN COURT. (Before Mr. Justice Blackburn.) James O'Brien, aged 26, was indicted for having, on th e 20th of Jun e , a t Liverpoo l, feloniously killed and mur dered Elizabeth Callaghan. As the name of the deceased was not positi ve l y k nown, t he prisoner was also indicted for killing a person unknown. Mr, Deighton and Mr. Sainuells appeared for the prosecu tion, and Mr. Pope defended the prisoner. The prisoner, it appeared, shortly before the 20th of June, a rr i ve d i n t hi s port, an d about four o'clock on th a t morning he met w ith a wom an named Mary - Ann Math ers, i n Lime-street. Th e y went to deceased, in No. 5 Court, a putdi.-huaa. and had ale, after which th ey p ro ceeded to the house kept by the Spitaifields. The woman rem a i ned with the prisoner until he fell asleep, when she took is. out of his trowsers pocket. At that time there were five half sovereigns and some silver in his pocket. The woman went downstairs and procured some ale, which she, the deceased, and some other persons in the house drank. She repeated this sever a l times, taking in all about 6s. After this the deceased found that four half - s overei g ns had been taken out o f the went upstairs, and s e e n a fter M ather f ollowed her, and prisoner's pocket. Sh e awoke the prisoner, who got up and accused the deceased o f robbin g him of his money, hut she denied it. The prisoner then left the house with Mather,and, after visiting a publichouse, they went to the police-office,and informed a constable of the robbery, but he said that the police could do nothing for him, and he th en went aw a y, ev i dently much dissatisfied. 1 he y again visited several publi c h euse9 and returned to the police-office, e, when the p ri soner requested the officers to have all the parties in the hous e apprehended ; but the police told him that they could d o no such thing. The prisoner then left , saying that he would have satisfac tion of his own, when the constable told him that he must not carry out this intention or he would get him se lf i nto trouble. The priso ner, accompanied by the woman Ma ther, then went to a cutler's shop directly opposite the police-station, and purchased a sheath-knife, a n d b orrowed a stone, on which he sharpened it. The woman, fearing he was about to commit some act of violence, made a motion to the shopkeeper for him it up, let th e pr i soner have the knife, but he would not give up, as he said he had paid for it. They then left the shop and took a cab, the woman telling the cabman to drive to H o th am-street ; but the pri soner said "No, drive to No. 5 Court, Spitalfields." The cabman drove them there and the prisoner went up the' court, when he met the deceased, who th rew h er arms round his neck and called him her s wee th eart. They went into the house, and the prisoner sent fo r h a lf a gallon of ale, and as he was generous chap to come b ac k and treat you after being robbed of £5 ?" to whi ch one of the wom en re pli e d, " Y es , a m a I did not think you were so generous." Th e p r i soner th en shut uarb cbe h ds e e her d door,m r in the hisand drawin g breastwr parthe the knife he had ju s t befo re h rushed upon the deceased, and t of the stomach. She f e ll o ff purchased from l o e the chair, and was conveyed to the N or th ern H osp it a l, where she soon after died, The prisoner after he had stabbed the deceased left the house, and got into the cab, telling the driver called tothetakehim away; but as the cabman had h ear d cr i es f "Murder thought there was something wrong, and he policeman he saw and gave the pri s o ner o h firstep into custody, when the knife was taken from him. The prisoner was sober, and appeared perfectly calm and col lected. The jury, after a few minutes' consultation, without leav ing the box, returned a verdict of guilty of wilful murder. His Lordship then assumed the black cap, and proceeded to pass sentence of death in the usual terms, at the same time telling the prisoner that he had been found guilty on the clearest possible evidence, and that ho need not enter tain any hope of mercy on this earth. The prisoner, who conducted himself with great propriety and evidently felt the position in which he had placed him self; was then removed frora the bar. George Gibson, aged 39, was charged with having felo. niously murdered his wife on the 21st of June, at 55, Circus street, Liverpool. Mr. Proston and Mr. Potter appeared for the prosecution, and M r. Littler defended the prisoner. It appeared that the prisoner lived most unhappily with his wife. About 7 o'clock en the night in question he re turned home under the influence of drink and asked for his supper, to which deceased replied that he had not provided her with the means to get any. Some words ensued, and the deceased struck him a blow on the face. Later in the evening the deceased was going into the house, when the prisoner rushed out of his room. The deceased called out, " Oh, see what he has got in his hand I" and immediately afterwards she gave a scream and ran into the kitchea,when it was found that she had been wounded in the side, and WAS bleeding most profusely. The prisoner, after inflicting the wound, returned to his own room, where he was apprehended with a long chisel in his hands, on which were mar ks of blood. An att emp t was made to convey the deceased to the Infirmary, bat she was too weak to move, and, after suffer ing most acutely, she died on the 27th, six days after the injury had been inflicted. For the defence it;was urged from the evidence given by the medical men, that the deceased might have died from natural caus es; b ut should the jury be o f op ini o n that it was occasioned b y th e violence of the Pr i son er, the evidence brought forward w ou ld j ust if y t h em in returning a verdict in flicted the manslaughte r , as i t was ev id en t a t the time he the wound he was through drink bereft of his reason, and did not know what he was about; or, to use the words of his wife, "he appeared as if he was going mad, through the effects of drink and dissipation." The jury returned a verdict of guilty of manslaughter, and His Lordship sentenced the prisoner to be kept in penal servitude for the remainder of his life. Elizabeth Benyon, aged 17, was indicted for the wilful murder of her child, Joseph Benyon, aged 12 months. Mr. Higgin prosecuted, and Mr. Pope defended the pri soner. This case in its circumstances was a most painful and SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS, IMES.—We need not say much in behalf of the merits and claims of the National Rifle Association. Everybody knows how much it has done, what spirit it has imparted to this martial exercise, what generous emulation it h as i nsp i re d . I t took us up a nation of bad shots, and it has made us a nation of good shots—we mean as rifle shooters. Rifle shooting was, indeed, in its most elementary stage in this country when the Association took it under its patronage, encouraged the practice of the rifle, in stituted public exhibition days, and brought it be fore the country as an important exercise, gave it a national character, and converted it into a powerful and substantial aid to our Volunteer corps and our military position in Europe. Ciper gala days at Wimbledou were indeed the successors of the old crossbow contests, when our ancestors used to meet in the open spots of their forests and aim their rival bolts at the target. It is acknowledged that these holiday rivalries were the foundation of a great deal of our success in war in those days. Our crossbows shot with deadly effect into the French ranks. It was plain even then that the sturdy independent spirit which was bred:by popular games and trials of skill and strength was more than a match for mere drill and regularity of array in armies composed of feudal serfs who haa never been accustomed to feel them selves anything more than belonging to their lords. The crossbowman was at home with his weapon, and had the spirit of a man who had con tended with his equals and knew what he could do. We all remember the opening scene of the Festival of the Popinjay in "Old Mortality," where the " competitors discharged their fusees and carbines in rotation at the distance of sixty or seventy paces." He whose ball brought down the mark " held the proud title of Captain of the Popinjay for the remainder of the day, and was usually escorted in triumph to the must respectable change-house in the neighbourhood, where the evening was closed with conviviality." These were the " Wimbledon days" of two centuries ago, when the firearm wa s an i mprovement on the old cross bow, just as the rifle now is an improvement on fusee and carbine. The appearance of the holyday field, in the 17th century, was a great contrast to one of our 19th century fete days, and we should see, if we could reeall the past, a great difference between the elegant display of a Wimbledon meet ing and a scene in which " the Lord-Lieutenant of the county alone pretended to the magnificence of a wheel-carriage—a thing covered with tarnished gilding and sculpture, in shape like the vul gar pictures of Noah's Ark, dragged by eight long-tailed Flanders mares, bearing eight insides and six outsides." But the two exhibition days answer much the same purpose, and each is in its own century a scene which feeds the properly martial spirit of the country, and keeps the nation up to the mark in the use of its weapons. And each of the two exhibitions, moreover, does this in a way congenial to the temper of the nation, for there is nothing that breathes more freely than a pub lic trial of skill, every can doing his best, and the world looking on to reward with its cheers and approval. It is this kind of spirit which despotic countries want for their armies and cannot give them. Why is the Emperor of Russia at this mo ment freeing his serfs? Because, among other things, he finds that serfs are not the stuff of which the best soldiers are made. It is a military need which Russia wants to supply. She finds she is weak in war for want of the spirit of independent free men in her armies. Her troops are perfect in drill, and her massed columns advance upon the field with the precision of machines, and look as they approach like moving blocks ; but the English soldier can fight in line without support at his back; the Russians cannot. That is all the difference be t weep an army that extends its arm and grasp and an army that contracts it, an army that can use its whole strength and an army that can only use part of it. The National Rifle Association, we say, encou rages and fosters this free strong spirit in the coun try—a spirit which, without being itself military. ia the foundation of a military spirit, and forms the basis of our armies, the reservoir which feeds and supplieE, them. There must be something moving popularly, a stir it the mass who live at home, in order to produce the regular soldier in sufficient quantity, and the:professional spirit must flow out of a movement and current which pervades society at large. The Association does more than this, be cause it teaches the use of a weapon which is abso lutely essential to modern war. You may be a brave man, a high spirited man, but you cannot fight unless you know your weapon. The Association has produced that power which is the first need in war—that of men hitting what they aim at. We are confident, then, that this Association deserves pub lic support, and we are sorry to say that it now needs it. An official statement of the finances of the Asso ciation, w hich we insert in another column, shows that the annual income is something above £2,000, while the annual expenditure is above £B,OOO. " The difference, happily, has hitherto been made up by prize entries, pool and sighting targets, and by admissions to the enclosure at Wimbledon." But, as these gentlemen go on to say in their appeal, " these are at best most uncertain sources of income." They add, "we venture to think that an association such as this ought not to be left thus dependent on chance for its continued existence; and that, having been established to give per manence to the Volunteer force and for the promo- tion of rifle shooting, it ought not to be compelled, as now is the case, to extract by all manner of de vices from those who come to Wimbledon the money necessary for its support." We entirely agree in this statement, and think it only due to the great services of this Association that its support should rest upon a more regular and stable footing than it does now. We are apt to forget when consider. able effects are produced, and effects upon which we congratulate ourselves, that there is an organi zation underneath which is expensive.Butwwille are be confident that the appeal of the National Rifl e A s _ soc i a tion, now that it is openly made, liberally responded to, and that the public will see the claims of the Association in their true light. HERALD.—Ifthe people of New York are sanguine as to the prospects of the war, it appears that the generals of their armies do not share in their antici pations. Who can have confidence in men who have no confidence in themselves ? And hqw can the sol- La d r i eeeer ready y t n w ct oe i d t t hut to the g b o a ocpdk oheartin ee u dG n a d ey e n r eo rr t a h bl e aHt l t e el aeodkpeerr When sent in his resignation. Now that Lee is concentrating his forces on the Rappahannock General Meade, the more fortunate successor of Hooker, thinks it is high time that he also should retire from the scene. When Perseus held up the head of Medusa his enemies were turn,d into stone. There must be something very awe-inspiring in the proximity of this stern Confederate soldier. The Northerners catch a glimpse of him across the river—their hearts turn into water, their knees knock together, and their courage oozes out at their fingers' ends. We are told that Gen. Meade has twice tendered his resignation, and now insists on its acceptance. What is, in sober earnest, the meaning of this? Is an officer, who has hitherto shown much determi nation as well as capacity, and who has been well spoken of both by friend and foe, to be supposed so distrustful of his powers that he dares not try again the issue of battle, so despairing of his country's cause that he will not again bare the sword in her de fence? Or is he to be accused of the unsoldierly mean ness of fear ? Perhaps an explanation of this sin gular circumstance may be discovered, which will, to some extent, transfer the blame from his shoulders to those of his superiors. When the armies met at Gettysburg the Federals had all the advantage of a friendly country, of sure communica tions, of a position chosen by themselves. After all, the result of the three days' fight was a drawn battle, in which the losses on both sides were pretty eqaal. If this was the case on Northern soil, the balance is likely to be against the Federals when the scene is once more transferred to the old battle-ground of Virginia. The Federal army of the Potomac is reported to be disorganised and de moralised. How do the Northern administrators, Mr. Stanton and General Halleck, propose to re cruit it? They are making a thorough rearrange ment of the commands, which will probably set all the regiments at sixes and sevens. They are filling up the 1)1w :es in the ranks by drafted men and substitutes, who are so new to the business that they have yet to learn the manual exercise. The absurd proceedings of these men, who think they can conduct the war from Washington much better than their general in the field, their interference with his plans, and their method of re cruiting his army, may be the causes which have led to Gen. Meade's threat of retirement. It is supposed that his place will be supplied by Gen. Grant, the hero of the Mississippi, very popular just now at New York, with the same kind of reputation as that which led but a few months since to the promotion of " fighting Joe Hooker" to the ct ief command. Il the large reinforcements which have been sent to Charleston have been withdrawn from the army of the Potomac, it will serve still further to weaken it. Tne Confederate army, which lines the Rappahan. nock and the Rapiden from Fredericksburg t o Gordonsville, is being reinforced by return troops from Richmond and from the army of Bragg, While Federal iron-clads and big guns are ex . hausting themselves in the attempt to reduce the Atlantic stronghold, Gen. Lee may be Watching his opportunity of crushing the army of the Poto mac, when Washington will be at his mercy. Meade has been startled by the omens which have preceded every victory of the Confederate army. The guerillas of the enemy are scouring the country in his rear, and Mosby rides about unchallenged between Alexandria and Fairfax. The dispositions of Lee's army seem to us to indicate that he is about to assume the offensive ere long, and we may hear by any mail the tidings of a battle that has revived once more the drooping spirits of the Southerners, and sent down to zero the overweening confidence of the enemy. The army of the Northern republic which, in February, 1862, was reckoned at nearly a million of men of all ranks, in August, 1863, amounts to scarcely 350,000. Its loss amounts, by the confession of Northern writers, to the amazing sum of 600,000 men in 18 months. If we search for causes of this terrible diminution of strength, we find them in the wide-spread operations of this war of subjugation, not only in the great battles in which 20,000 or 30,000 men have fallen at a blow, but in the multitudinous skirmishes and petty en counters, the losses in fatiguing marchings, the malaria of a hostile climate. e are the less sur prised at the total sum when we hear that it cost the North just 70,000 men to take Vicksburg, a little Mississippi town, where a garrison of 15,000 were taken prisoners. During the last 18 months the North, at an enormous sacrifice, has not even kept up the balance of success on its side—it has , certainly failed in its attempt to subjugate the South. Supposing that no great disaster occurs to arrest the progress of its arms —supposing that its exchequer is not exhausted by the war expenditure of 250 millions sterling annually, it will yet take several years to break the spirit of its antagonist, and put an end to all resistance on the part of the South. But can the men be found to do it ?—that is the question. The fighting population of a State is reckoned at one in six of the whole population. As there are 18 millions of people in the North we may suppose three millions of possible soldiers who would recruit the army for six years, supposing the loss to be half a million annually, the pre sent rate. But of these three millions, at least two-thirds are occupied in trade and agricul ture. If we take away more than a third of the able-bodied men of a nation the result will be a col lapse of some branch of industry, the ruin of thou sands of families, and a sensible loss to the revenues of the state. It appears to us, then, that the North is already near the end of its recruiting power. This result is seen in the universal opposition to the draft, the serious effect of which is felt now that the idle and supernumerary population has gone to the war, and substitutes are only to be procured at a price so enormous, that most of them who are drawn must leave their homes or be ruined. There has been an exciting correspondence as to the le gality of the conscription between Governor Sey mour, of the State of New York, and President Lin coln. The people of this State have forced their governor to this protest, and the resolution of the President, if persevered in, may lead to a contest between the Central and State executives, which will shake to its foundations the insecure edifice of the republic. Volunteering, it seems, does not serve to make up a tithe of the losses of their armies. Mr. Lincoln wants men to conquer the South, these men are not to be had, and the Southern recruits, whom the Federal soldiers have driven from their homes to take part in a desperate war, threaten now to make up a host which will press upon the Northern remnants with irresistible force. COUNTRY MARKETS. ~ LIVERPOOL-FRIDAY. At this day's market there were few buyers, and all classes of foreign wheat have been exceedingly unsaleable even at a decl:ne of from 2d to 3d per cental on the prices of last Friday. Flour a slow trade, and must be quoted 6d per barrel and sack lower. Barley and peas steady at former rates. Oats id to ld per bushel cheaper for Irish. Oatmeal is down 6d per load. Beans have advanced 6d per quarter. Indian corn unaltered in value from Tuesday. The market closed depressed. NV AKE FIE LD—FRIDAY. New wheat was 2s to 3s per qr lower than the quotations of last Friday, with a steady consumptive demand. Old wheat may be quoted at a slight decline. Other articles were unaltered. STAMFORD—FRIDAY. Wheat came freely to hand to-day, consisting principally of new samples, but the demand was heavy, and prices receded 2s to 3s per qr. The crops look very favourable. —White wheat, 46s to 48s; red, 43s to 46s per 36 stone. Barley, malting, 36s to 39s ; grinding,. 30s to 32s per qr. Oats, 22s to 26s per 24 stone. Beans, old, 41s to —a per qr. ; new, 39s to —s. DUBLIN—FRIDAY. The weather continues most favourable for the harvest, and to-day the business was dull for old grain. Prices are still nominal. We had a large supply of new oats and a few samples of new bore, but sales slow. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Wheat, white.. 11 otol2 0 Beans.. .—o to 0 Do., red lO oto 11 0 Bere Do., new .... oto 0 Rapeseed Barley Oats Do., black —oto 0 Indian corn .. 68 to 7 0 BRISTOL SUGAR—FRIDAY. The market this week has been more active for raw and refined sugars, and about 1,000 hhds of Barbadoes and De• rueraras have been sold at full prices. In rum a tair de mand at steady prices. COAL -- Prices of Coal per. Ton a' s. . Bower's West Hartley.l6 d 9 Carway and Duffryn Malting .. 12 0 ranfield Moor Butes 12 6 Eden Main ..16 3 West Hartley ........ 17 0 Wylam ............ 16 6 Buddle'sWest H ar tl ey 16 9 Hastings Hartley ....16 6 Cowpen Hartley ...... 16 9 North Pelton Ga5.....13 3 Holywell ............ 17 6 ARKET. the close of the market. Walls End. Haswell.... lB 0 Tunstall ...... l5 9 Hartlepool. l7 6 South Hartlepool 16 6 East Hartlepool 17 9 Trimdon Hartlepool 17 6 Trimdon Thornley l6 0 Kelloe .. . . ...... l6 9 South Kelloe l6 9 Braddyll's Hetton 17 0 Heugh Hall 16 9 Hetton 18 0 South Hetton 18 0 Stewart's 17 9 144 ; sold, 107. Rus ,a End sel s W H ll et s ton . 17 0 KeiperGrange 16 6 Ships at marks' Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS ,DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton Aug. ---* via Marseilles .. Sept. 12. .3razil and Cape Verds, by British packet. Sept. 3 . Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena.. Aug. 29. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton. Aug. ---• via Marseilles ...Aug. 27. Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton India (Cal cu tt a ) , an d Ceylon, via Southampton Augg. --.— via Marseilles Aug. 27. India (Bombay), via Southampton Aug. 25. via Marseilles Sept. 4. Portugal.... Sept. 3. Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Aug. —. Newfo un dl an d via Marseille s A ug. 27. Oporto and Vigo .. U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. pack e t Aug. 2 7 . by U.S. packet by Canadian packet Aug. 21. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe ........ Sept. 10. Bahamas, via New York Aug. 27. Mexico 8 ....Aug. . , All parts of West Indi es , i nc l uding Chili pew , Pe 1 Aug. California. an d B r iti s h C olumbia.. .......... 2B. [ADVERTISEMENT.]-llolloway's Ointment and Pills. - Domestic Remedies.—There are two periods, especially in woman's life, which require for safe passage, judgment, and attention. Irregularity is apt at those critical times to take place and to lay the foundation of future disease. Holloway's Ointment well rubbed over the defective organs will soon restore them to the full performance of their natural functions, and completely relieve the system of these first seeds of disease. The Pills, safe in antion and effective in result, should likewise be taken, es they contribute use of R s Y these domestic r eme di es prevents nervousness, often serious' ne s erysipelas, d ro p s y, an d a h ost of similar al?. disorders. By ex p e lli ng a l l impurities they ma i ntain a clear silky complexion. Births. BAXENDALE.—On the 20th inst., at Whea tharapstead, the wife of R. B. Baxendale, Esq., of a daughter. HDEEA.RD.—On the 21st inst., at Daloon, Mrs. john S. Hubbard, of a son. RICKARDs J. Rickards On f a d .— theaughter. 21st inat,, at E psom, the wife of E. , o RICHARDSoN.—On the 20th inst., at Blackheath, the wife Esq., of a daughter. of Guildford Barker Richardson) Marriages. DAviEs—OwEx.-- On the 20th inst., at Holy T r inity Church, Islington, Griffith Davies, Esq., of Lonsdale square, Islington, to Martha, only daughter of the late Owen Thomas Oen, Esq., of St. Paut's.place, Canon' bury. EARLE—ROLLESTON.—qu the 19th inst., at Maltby, the, Rev. Joh n E arle, rector of S'wanswick late Fellow of RoOriel, to J ane, youngest daughter of the Rev. George Heston, vicar of Maltby. Deaths. BOILEAV.—On the 19th inst., at 40, Grove-place, Bronlr ton, Mo cs. P . E. Boileau, artist, aged 83. LRI DELL.—O n th e 20 th inst., at 8, Victoria-road, Keno sington, Frederick Leo Bridell, Esq. FOOT. —On the 18th inst., at Dublin, Lundy Edwd. Foot Esq., barrister-at-law, aged 72. GILES.—On the 18th inst., at Willoughby Rectory, Sarah Elizabeth, wife of the Ven. Archdeacon Giles, age d 40. RING.—O n the 18th inst., at Brocklands, Blanche Edith, youngest daughter of the Hon. Locke King, M.P. RAPHAEL.—On the 18th inst., at Tunbridge-well s , .1 .012 !, 1 Nathan Raphael, of 42, Princes-squar e , B ayswater, age" 28. STANLEY.—On the 19th inst., at Ponsonby Hall, Edward Stanley, Esq., aged 73. WRl.cll.—On the 20th in s t., a t R eading, Richard Welch, aged 58. London : Printed and Pubfished by WILLIAM ANDREWS' of No. 112, Strand, Print er, at THE SUN O ffi ce No. 11' , Precinct of the 9avoy, in the Strand, in the tut 22, 1803. Middlesex.— Saturday, Aug 8. d.