The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-12-23 00:00:00

THE PRESENT ASPEM OF AMERICAN

APPAIRS.

According to the Tintes' " hhineY market"
correspondent, the commercial letters received
from New York during the past week, represent
that the President's message had created a very
feeble impression among the financiets and stock
dealers. The confusion and uncertainty in the
money-market had been illustrated by fluc-
tuations in the premium on gold, so rapid
and extensive, as to impart a gambling Character
to all transaction*. On the ist of December
the quotation had declined 281, with
every appearance of a further fall, but in
afternoon of the same day, without any new
occurrence of importance, it advanced to 81t,
thus affecting to the extent of 3 per cent, every
credit operation. On the sth instapt singler
movements were witnessed, the prermuln being
33 in the morning, 84 in the inichlle of the day,
and 31t at the times. Under these circum-
stance., there waif the constant sense that the
increase of the existing paper issues which it was
believed could not be' long avoided might pro-
duce extraordinary results. It appears that the
leading English merchants at New York had re-
ceived with. satisfaction the nettre Of ttiglabd
having declined to .jOirt Prithet ie the proposed
offer of mediation. At present, they say, it
would certainly have been repelled, while, as the
symptoms are plain that there is an increasing
party who are getting more and there tired of
the war every day, it is Tab pOsslble that if the
North meet with WS better ;Mama (during the
next SO days than hall recently betel ablated, an
attempt of the Etnopten PnWerts ti inotnotis
peace may than be VeCeiVea in a much milder
spirit. The eager desire for peace rendered it
possible for the speculators occasionally to cir-
culate with effect reports in that direction, and
for a short time a rumour had actually obtained
partial credence that the South had made over
tures. Disappointment contineed ti be hilt at
the absence of an important intelligence From
the army, and the Ws that it Is intended to re-
move General Biwnside was still current. In
the West, the growing dislike of the war is said
to boa, strongly apparent as at New York, and
some of the leading politicians in that region inti-
mate that if it should last until the new Con-
gress meet in December, 1868, they wiji endea-
vour to bring it to a close by offering the Sonth
ample guarantees against itirerfereVeb, and, if
that should fail, by 'testing to tecoginze their
independenca, *ith the hope that after an
interval nf peace a new union might be found
practicable. We do not wonder that with a
large portion of the public, especially in New
York and Philadelphia where abolition has few
friends, and where the leading men both in
politics and commerce, have always been closely
connected with the. South, the reports of a
possible compromise should find Willing ears.
But how do matters really tithhd I So far as we
can judge, there nettles no reason to believe
that the south has faltered one iota in
it. ptirpose to obtain absolute indepen-
dence. According to the latest accounts
from Richmond, all classes are as fierce in spirit
and as confident As ever. Unceasing preparations
for the new campaign are going on throughout
the whole of the Confederacy ; prredsiOns are
being collected and powder made in large quanti-
ties, small arms factorie, are full of activity, and
everywhere preparations axe making to show an
I undaunted front to the enemy. The banks of
the Rappahannock are bristling with cannon, and
General Jackson is supposed to be threatening
the Federal communications. On the other
hand the Mississippi squadron bas set out to
capture, if possible, Vicksburg, and thus obtain
the entire command over the whole length of
that river. ' General Butler, at New Orleans,
is plundering the people to the largest extent
• imaginable, and the Washington Government is
sending recruits to all its armies as fast as cir-
cumstances will permit. There is, therefore,
as much hatred evidently on both sides against
their opponents, and as great a determination
' on the part of the South to gain its indepen-
dence, and on that of the North to secure the
integrity of the Union, as there was twelve-
months' ago.

DORCHESTER. PrrettED CORN Mstixtrr,
Saturday, December 20. —A bout the usual average
attendance. Wheat trade firm, with an hardening
tendency at late rates. heat malting barley was in
request, at last week's quotations ; secondary and
grinding qualities difficult to sell. Oats a dull trade,
and prices unaltered.

Casts'fleas Cass& The purveyors of pied
cheer in the town of Dorchester have this yezr lost
none of their former laurels in the provisions they
have made to enhance the festivities of the present
Christmas. The show of meat and poultry at the
whole of our principal butchers has been greatly
admired, the following list of which will give some
faint idea of the feast in store for the inhabitants of
this ancient borough and neighbourhood during the
present festive season. Mr. Hayward, 10 fat
Somme six-teeth Down wethers, bred and fed by
Mr. W. Manfield, 5 Hampshire Downs, of the
" Watercombe" breed, bred and fed by Mr.
Saunders; 10 Sussex Downs, from Mr. Alner of
Godmanstone ; 7 fat oxen and heifers, and upwards
of 100 geese and turkeys. The poultry displayed by
this gentleman were exceedingly tine,—the turkeys
being very superior. -Mrs. Luke Groves had &splendid
show of fat pigs—net of large size—but very thick,
&c. They were particularly admired for the fineness
of the bone. On ingoiry we learned that they were
bred and fed by Mr. Manfield, and that they were
a cross between the wild boar and Chinese varieties.
Mr. Yearsley's exhibition consisted of three
excellent heifers, bred by Mr. Taylor of Barely
farm, near Ilehester, and one bred and fed by Mr.
James, of Mappowder ; two excellent lambs ;-
several very floe sheep from the folds of Mr. Taylor,
of Berely, and Mr. &elfin, of Bockhampten ; and
some splendid Portlanders. His show of turkeys
and geese VC &11 unusually large and. linei Mr. Look
displayed a splendid ox, bred and fed by Mr. Caines,
,of Berson, some very fins short.horn heifers) from