The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-01-07 00:00:00

foreign ant Colontat intelligence.

FRANCE.—The Paris correspondent of the Daily
NetCB sends a piece of information from that city which
lie believes to be true, and which, if so, is of great la,-
portanoe. It is to the effect that, whatever be the
result of the 'Trent -affair, France and England have
agreed to make &joint representation to the Washington
Cabinet that the alckade of the Southern ports is not
effective, and thirthe Governments in question will
therefore disregard it.
THX Eget:eon's Nsw 'FBAS'S SPIECH.—OH Jan. 1,
according to custom, the Emperor received the Diplo-
matic Corps at the Tuileries. The reception took place
early in the afternoon. Count Kiaseleff presented the
united congratulations of the Diplomatic Corps to his
Majesty. Lord Cowley was prevented (row being pre-
sent. The Emperor, in reply, thanked the Diplomatic
Corps for their good wishes, and raid that the past year
was remarkable for events which have shaken several
States and caused great mourning among some sove-
reign fsmilies. "Let us hope," said the Emperor, in
conclusion, " that the present year may be more
suspicion* fee the welfare of the people; and the sove-
reign families."
The official reception by the Emperor of the French,
on New Year's Day, was a very taine affair, and of
course, all the more gratifying on that account.
Nothing seems to have been said relating to foreign
questions pending, and little beyond what was merely
formal and unmeaning respecting domestic affairs.
His Majesty told the Senate that he counted upon that
body to aid him in perfecting the constitution, at the
saws time reminding his hearers that the fundamental
basis upon which it rested, that is, the Imperial will,
was not to be disturbed. In addressing the Corps
Legisliseif lie trusted that the latter would see in the
modifications he had introduced into the constitution a
fresh proof of the confidence he reposed in the
deputies; and in replying te a deputation of the clergy
his Majesty complimented them on their piety and
virtues; on their appreciation of the distinction between
the things that are Cresar's and the things that are
God's, assuring them that they might always rely on
his protection and warm sympathy.
PRUSSIA.—On New Year's-day, General Wrangel,
In the name of the Prussian army, presented the custo-
mary congratulations to the King. His Majesty, in
reply said, "I sin convinced that the army knows what
sentiments I entertain towards it. Primus can calmly
behold whatever events may arise from the state of
thinp in non-European countries, because her army
stands ready, firm, and Seined," In replying to the
congratulations of the Ministers his Majesty mentioned
the heavy losses which the Royal house had to lament,
and said, "Th. met year has been marked by many sad
events. The year now eornmencing has likewise a serious
aspeet,because the state of things in Gertuany,in Europe,
and, in fact, in the whole world, presents eventualities,
the possible development of which renders it our duty
to be prepared and to stand united topper, and this
shall certainly be done."

AMERICA.—The American papers which have come
to band coafirm, upon the whole the prospects of
peace. Here and there traces of the old war spirit are
discernible. The men who spent the previous fortnight
in bluster and bravado find it hard now to assume a
more reasonable tone; but the public mind is evidently
mush calmer, and men have brought themselves to non-
eider the surrender of the prisoners as • not improbable
thing. One reason for this may be the difficulty they
Ind in prosecuting the war with the Confederates. By
every mail we are assured that the rebels are on the eve
of being put down; and every mail reports the two
parties just as they were before. The two main armies
still remain inactive in front of each other on the
Potomac. How the Southerners bear the suspense we
do not know, but the murmurs of the Federal. rise up,
loud and frequent, and it is doubtful whether General
X'Clellan will be able to resist the clamour much
longer. Elsewhere we have the usual reports of inde-
cisive skirmishes; one rather important Kettle is said to
have been fought in Western Virginia; but it Jihad to
believe the Northern account of the action. Accordieg
to them the Union general, who is not even named,
with a force of 750 men under his command, gained a
deeisiee victory over General Johnson and 2000 rebels,
set fire to their camp, and chased them out of Western
Virginia; and all this wei done with a loss of only 30
men, while the Confederates loot 200. We suspect we
shall have another version of this affair ere long.
The most extraordinary document that has yet been
Issued in connection with the war is the proclamation of
General Phelps. who it appears has obtained the oom-
mend of a Federal division on the banks of the
Mississippi. He announces to the slave-holding
i popula-
tion of the South-West his opinion that slavery s incon-
sistent with the American constitution, and that it is as
bad, of all things in the woeld, as an Established
Church. His proclamation, indeed, reads exactly like
one of those puerile disquisitions on the natural rights
of man with which the philosophers of the first French
revolution used to amuse themselves. It would be
'serious to know who is responsible for the appointment
of these generals.
It appears that the eonfiegration in the City of
Charlestown was • very disastrous affair. A large
portion of the city and most of the public buildings,
churches, /cc. were burnt to the ground. The Con-
federate Legislature has voted a sum of money to the
municipality for the restoration of the buildings. The
conflagration itself looks like the act of incendiaries;
and if the people there suspect it to be the work of the
n a terrible fate will await the suspected parties.
egees Hansa steamer which arrived at Southampton on
Friday has brought one day's later news from America
than the Africa. We now know the feeling in New
York on the 2lstol December. It does not appear that
Lord Lyons had on that day officially communicated the
demand of the British Government to the Washington
(tablet*, thrinkb doubtless Informally it was well known
to them. The substance was, at all events, well known
In New York ; and its effect on the war j,urnals was
most extraordinary. Aowastomed as we have of late
been to fickle and capricious impulses of the New York
mob and its great organs, we could not have believed
that the swelling words of vanity which they have
dinned into our ears for the last fortnight or three
weeks would so utterly and completely collapse at the
near approach of danger. It is almost impossible to
convey any idea of the readiness with which these
paper bullies eat their words and retract what appeared
to be their most earnest conviction. Captain Wilkes,
the whilom national hero, is now discovered to be an
Imbecile blunderer; the capture, to the legality of
which all the lawyers in New York, and Edwin James,
foremost in infamy, were ready to swear, is now ad-
mitted to be indefeasible; the rebels who, once
in the national grasp, would never be let go, are now to
be dismissal with honour. Amid the general dust-
licking, it is positively refreshing to come across the
sulky growling of the New York Herald, who protests
that America, after all, only yields to compulsion, and
that when they have subdued the rebels, they will then
exact aniple vengeance from England for this hamilia.
tion. England can afford to wait.
The news of the war in America is of minor interest
in the presence of our own prospects of peao4 It
happens that the rumours at least are more numerous
then usual. Among them is the report that 1300 Con-
federate troops in Missouri finding their retreat cut off,
surrendered with all their baggage to the Unionists. It
Is said, too, that the Confederates have evacuated
Galveston, the principal town in Texas. But the most
important of all Ha rumour that the President proposes
to conclude • treaty with Mexicw, by which, in con-
sideration of certain advantaged, America is to pay off
the pecuniary demands of England and Franca. We
are glad to learn that money is so plentiful with the
Federal Government.
ROME—From Rama we hear that Antonelli is op-
posed bitterly to the occupation of Alatri by the French.
This is likely enough, as the object of the occupation is
to check that lawless brigandage which the Papal
Government, in the interest of the ex-King of Naples, is
known to support. The Cardinal, it is said, has inti-
mated to General Goyon that if the place in question is
to be occupied by the French, the Latter must do so by
force. The National Ronien Committee inaugurated the
new yeas by posting up bills announcing that the issue
of Roman Consols effected by the Pontilicial Govern-
ment after the 27th March, 1861, would never be recog-
nised by the Italian Government, as, from the moment
the Italian Parliament declared Rome to be the
capital of Italy, the temporal power of the Pope legally
terminated.

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