The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-08-05 00:00:00

AMERICAN NEWS.

By the arrival of the Kangaroo we have
&dykes, rid Cape Race, to the 22nd ult. By the
accounts brought by the Hibernia to the
we were informed that the Confederates had
given up, for a time, all thoughts of an attack
upon Nashville; now, we are told, that they
were within five miles of that city, and that the
greatest excitement prevailed. The arrival,
therefore, of future mails will be eagerly looked
for. At the present time, however, the political
is more interesting than the war news. Presi-
dent Lincoln has signed the Confiscation Bill—a
measure calculated to exasperate the South to
the last pitch, and to render re-union on any
terms short of complete subjugation impossible.
The Bill passed the House of Representatives on
the 11th July, and the Senate on the following
day, by large majorities. It was hoped, that
the President would either veto it in tote, or
materially modify it by voting some of its more
stringent provision.; and the latter course he
has so far taken, after having vainly sent a
mesage to Congress suggesting modifications,
which the Republican party, who constitute the
majority, decline to adopt. The President has,
however, on his own responsibility, deprived the
Bill of its retrospective character; and he has
limited the terms of confiscation to the lifetime
ef the owner of the confiscated property. Should
the Bill ever be acted uponj a plentiful crop of
actions will be sown for OA next generation of
lawyers. The powers given:by the measure are
for the confissation of the property of "rebels"
to the use of the Government and army, with
the exception of slaves, who are to be set free;
treason is made pubishable by death, or at the
option of the President, fine and imprisonment;
and no runaway slaves are to be returned to their
owners unless the claimant take the oath of
allegiance, and prove that he lisa never aidedthe
rebels. Results other than those which the
authors of this extreme meastire contemplate will
probably soon make themselves apparent in the
alienation of many parties qn the Border States,
and in the increased virulence=if such increase
be possible—of the Southern enmity against their
"Yankee oppressors." That the Border States
are not at all prepared to have their "domestic
institution" interfered with is shown by a
majority of their representatives having decided
against President Linoolg's. abolition scheme.
The President's appeal to the )3order States,
we are told, in favour of the measure, was
most urgent. He considered that its adoption
would relieve him from the pressure of the
Abolition party, thus indicating that he favours
the emancipation of the slaves as a convenient
Government expedient during a time of great
difficulty ; and therefore he, almost hat in hand,
urged the Border States to submit to a modified
and gradual emancipation in consideration of
the difficulties by which he was sturounded.
The scheme offered compensation for their
slaves; the Confiscation Bill affords induce-
ments to slaves to desert their owners, by im-
posing all sorts-of difficulties upon their recovery
to servitude. The Militia Bill which has passed
Congress will probably almost immediately re-
ceive the Presidential assent. The measure
provides for the employment of negroes in all
sorts of military and naval service. A Govern-
ment so ill off for men will not be inclined to
I Part lightly with any likely nigger who may
place himself at their disposal. This same
militia bill deals with the recruiting difficulty by
reducing the time of service for 100,000 volun-
teers to nine months, with twenty-five dollars
bounty, and a month's pay in advance. He ap-
prehended that all these inducementa and more
will be needed; for volunteering is apparently
going on very languidly, in spite of the warmest
appeal of posters, press, and orators, and the
substantial backing of State as well as national
bounties. The American papers are evidently
speculating on a rupture with Europe, and in
such case, they say, France will make Guaymas
the key of her operations. That the financial
difficulty- is beginning to be severely and popu-
larly felt in the scarcity of a metallic currency is
shown by the promulgation of an act authorising
the issue of postage and other stamps for cur-
rency; and prohibiting banks from issuing
bills for less than one dollar. Altogether the
American horizon seems to be darkening rather
than otherwise, and the end of the "difficulty,"
to all human appearance, is as far off as ever.