The Express.
London, England, 1863-08-24 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 24, 1863.

FRANCE.

(most ova owe coaszseoesszst.)
ilarcaaae Enorera.
Despatches from Roam were received yesterday,
and sent off to the Emperor at Chalons by a special.
courier. Prince Gortchakoff shows himself to be
in no harry whatever to reply to the despatch of
the three powers with the identical conclusion,"
which you will have bad telegraphed from the
Courtier du Di/attache. The French official press
has been quite out in its calculations on this sub-
ject. It fixed the 12th, and then the 13th, as the
day on which the despatches would be delivered at
St. Petersburg. Now, we are on the 22nd, and the
news is that Prince lortchakoff has fixed no day
for their reception. The Czar instead of troubling
himself about diplomatic notes, is inspecting. his
fortifications. The nation takes upon itself to
say that Russia will not reply to the despatches
till next month.

The Emperor prolongs his stay at the Chalons
camp a day longer than was intended, and will not
be at St. Cloud till Wednesday. On Thursday he
will preside at a Cabinet Council, which is ex-
pected to be particularly important, because all the
ministers, many of whom would naturally be
holiday making at this time of the year, are ordered
,not to go far away from Paris. K Fould, who for
tea years has never failed to preside over the
council-general of Tarbes, has this year appointed'
a deputy, "being retained in Parrs on the Em-
peeor's service. M. Drouyn de Lbuys, re-
nouncing the conge which be wanted to go tq
is merely going to take a short run to the council-
general at Lon ; and it is announced that M.
Boudet, the Minister of the Interior (who intends
to open in person the council-general at Laval), will
be absent so short a time that the appointment of
• minister ad interim will not be necessary.
Mr. Slidell, the Confederate envoy, had long
interviews with M. Drouyn de Lhuys on Thursday
and Friday.
It is confirmed that the Emperor and Empress
will go to Biarritz about the 29th or 30th instant,but
it is thought they will not stay there so long as in
former years.
Baron Ricasoli has arrived in Paris, but only, I
believe, for treatment of a long standing malady of
his eyes, and not with a view to sup negotiation
withthe French government about the eventuality
of his again becoming Victor Emmanuel's prime
minister.

Two more prosecuted journals, the Journal det
Haut Rhin and the Journal de Bedfurt, have been ac-
quitted. These repeated refusals of the judges to
sanction press prosecutions are highly significant.
The Ville de Paris, bearing the lag of Vice-
Admiral Rigault de Genonilly, commanding the
squadron of evolution now at Ajaocio, has so se-
verely damaged her engine that it has been found
necessary to send her to Toulon for repairs. The
admiral will probably go on board the Alexandre,
and remain in the Ajaccio roads till the end of the
fine season. The Moire, iron-clad frigate, has just
relieved the Castiglione in this squadron, and has
taken a considerable part of the crew. The Cas-
tiglione will go to Toulon to be disarmed, pursuant
to the new regulations, according to which the num-
ber of wooden ships in the navy is to be gradually
diminished in proportion to the number of iron-
clads built to take their places.

AMERICA.
Tberoyal mail steam-ship Bootie, Captain C. B. Z.
Judkins, which sailed from New York on the 12th
instant, arrived in the Mersey on Saturday morn-
ing, rid Queenstown, where she landed mails and
passengers.
Governor Seymour having written a long letter
to President Lincoln, requesting that the conscrip-
tion might be suspended in New York, the follow-
ing answer has been sent to him, in which, as will
be men, the President intimates that his wishes
cannot be gratified.
Executive Manakin, Washington, August 7.
Me Excellency Horatio Seymour, Governor of New
Yet*, Albany, N.Y.—Your ooMnealliCatioll of the 3rd
instant has been received and attentively 000sidered.
cannot consent to suspend the draft is New York, as you
request, becalm, among other reasons, time is too important.
By the Imes you send, which I proems are correct, the
twain" districts represented fall in two classes of eight and
four respectively. The disparity of the quotas for the draft
in these two clams is certainly vary striking, being the
difference between an average of 2.200 in one class and
4,864 in the other. Airman that the districts are equal
cue to another in entire population, as required by the
plan os which they were made, this disparity is such as
tnerequire attention. Much of it, however, I suppose,
will be mounted for by the fact that so many more preens
At for soldiers are in the city than are I. the country, who
have too recently arrived from other parts of the United
States and from Europe to be either included in the ceases
of 1860, or to bare voted in 1862. Still, making due allow-
ances for this, I am yet unwilling to stand upon it se an en-
tirely sufficient explanation of the great disparity. I shall
direct the draft I. proceed in all the dirk** thawing,
however, at first from sack of the four districts, to wit; the
Second, Fourth, Sixth, sad Eighth, only 2,200, being the
average quota of the other ekes. After this drawing, than
four districts, and also the Seventeenth and Twenty-ninth,
shall be carefully re-enrolled, sad, if you please, agerita of
yours may witness every step of the orgasms. Any deficiency
which may appear by the new enrolment will be supplied 11l
a special draft for that object, allowing due credit for vir
knitters who may be obtained from theme districts renew
lively during the interval ; and at all points, so far am con-
sistent with praoeioal oouvwisnoe, doe credits shall be gives
for volunteers, and your excellency shall be notified of the
time fixed for commencing • draft in each district.
I do not object to abide a decision of the United States
Supreme Court, or of the judges thereof, on the coluditution-
silty of the draft law. In fact, I should be willing to
facilitate the obtaining of it. Bat I cannot went to lose
the time while it i being obtained. Ws are onntending with
an enemy who, as I understand, drives every able-bodied
man he can reach into his ranks, very much as • butcher
drives bullocks into a slaughter pen. No time is wasted, ne
argument is used. This produces an army which will soon
tern open oar now viatorioue soldiers already in the field, if
they shall sot be sustained by recruits as they should be.
It produces an army with a rapidity not to be matched on
our side, if n first waste time to rtexperintent with the
volunteer system, already deemed by Congress, and palpably,
in fact, so far exhausted as to be inadequate, and then more
time to obtain a court decision as to whether a law is oar.
@Motional, which requires a part of thou not now in the
semi,* to go to the aid of the., who are already in it ; and
still more time to determine with absolutes certainty that we
get those who are to go, in the precisely legal proportion
to time who are not togo. My papoose is to be in my action
just and constitutional, and yet practical, in performing the
important duty with which I am charged, of maintaining the
unity and the free principles of our common country.—Yolir
obedient servant. A. Liscou.

The following is a second letter from the Presi-
dent to Governor Seymour upon the same subject :

Executive Mansion, Washington, August 11,1.861.
To his Facellenee Horatio Seymour, Governor of New Tagil.
Tours el the fltla with Jedge-Advostekleeeral Water-
bury's:sport, was meshed M-day. Asking you M renameber
that I oomider time as beiag very important, both to the
general came of the country aid to the soldiers in the field,
I beg to remind you that I waited at your request from the
Ist until the 6th instant to receive your communicaticn
dated the led. In view of its great length, and the known
time and apparent are taken in its preparative, I did not
doubt that it oontaised your full case as you desired to
present it. It oontained the figures for twelve districts.
omitting the other nineteen, as I supposed bemuse you found
nothing to complain of as to them. I answered accordingly.
In doing to I laid down the principle to which I purpose ad-
hering, which is, to proceed with the draft, at the same time
employing infallible slam to avoid any great wrong.
With the cominneication recei►ed to-day you send figures
for twenty-eight districts, includiag the twelve sent before,
and still omitting three, for which I suppose the enrolments
are not yet received. In looking over the fuller list of
twenty-eight districts, I find that the quotas for sixteen of
them are above 2,000 and below 2,700, while of the rest
six are above 2,700 and six are below 2,000. Applying the
principle to these new foots, the Fifth and Seventh districts'
must be added to the Mar in which the quotas have already
bees reduced to 2,200 for the first draft ; and with these
hut others must be added to those to be enrolled. The
coned mse will then stand : The quotas of
the Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, aid Eighth
districts, fixed at 2,200 for the first draft. The Provost-
Marshal-General informs me that the drawing is already
completed in the Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth,
Twenty-second, Twecty-fourth, Twenty-sixth, Twenty.
seventh, Twenty-eighth, Twenty-ninth, and Thirtieth dis.
trims. In the others, except the three outstanding, the
drawing will be made upon the quotas as now fixed. After
the first draft, the Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Smooth
Eighth, Sixteenth, Sevenths**, Twenty-first, Twenty-fifth,
Twenty-ninth, and Thirty-first will be re-enrolled, for the
purpose and in the manner stated in my letter of the 7th
inst. The samB principle will be applied to the now out-
standing districts when they shall come in. No part of my
former letter is repudiated by nation of not being restated in
this, or for any other came. —Your obedient garnet,

A. Laacoix.

Some months sines the gunboat Isaac Smith was
captured by the Confederates in the Stone river.
Among the prisoners taken were three coloured
men. At the time the officers of the gunboat
were released these men were in close confinement,
and their release was refused, and has never been
granted. Upon the authoritative declaration of
the policy of the Federal government in such cases,
the Secretary of the Navy called the attention of
Mr. Stanton to their case, and it will be seen that
he makes it the occasion of a prompt enforcement
of the order. The President is evidently deter-
mined that the rights, as prisoners of war of all
who are captured while in the service of the United
States shall be respected, irrespective of colour,
otherwise the sternest retaliation will be exacted.
War Department, Washington City August 8, 1863.

Sir,—Your letter of the 3rd inst., calling the atteotioe
of this department to the eases of Orin H. Brown, William
H. Johnson, and William Wilson, three coloured men cap-
tured on the gunboat Isaac Smith, has received considera-
tion. This department has directed that three rebel pri-
soners of South Carolina, if there be any such in our pos-
session—and if not, three others—be confined in close cus-
tody, and held as hostages for Brown, Johnsoo, sod Wil-
son, and that the fact be communicated to the rebel autho-
rities at Itichmood.—Very respectfully your obedient sa-
vant, Entrur M. Breams, Secretary of War.
Hon. Gideon Walla, Secretary of the Navy.
The condition of military affairs is commented
upon an follows by the Wautinjton Star of the
10th inst. :

We are able to sawn the public that the military
prospect in every quarter is all that no be desired. AS the
information that bas reached here during the last forty.
eight bows treats almost exclusively of details that can-
not prudently be published, we are not at liberty to
print it, but bare no hesitation in stating that at no former
period of the war bare our military affairs been in so pro-
mising a conditioe as ►t present. Perhaps a thoomod oak-
scripts a day are already joining the army of the Potomac.
In a week the camber reaching it daily will be greater, we
apprehend. They go farmed In expensed spirits, and bid
fair to make admirable soldiers in a very brief time.

The news from Charleston is favourable. Every-

[Stamped, Id. Additional.]

thing goes on well The position of General Gill-
more on Morris Island is said to be stronger and
safer than ever. Although the Confederates keep
pouring in shell from Forte Wagner, Sumter, and
other fortifications, the protection to the Federal
troop; is so eomplete that their casualties for
many days bad been hardly worth noticing. The
new Irousides participated in the recent cannonade
on Fort Wagner, and finally silenced the Confede-
rate guns.

The New York Herald of the 12th says :
Oar retainer with the French government bz connexioa
with its moot policy in Mexico an occupying the swim
and earned attention of the government at Washington.
Several cabinet meeting have bent held in tektite: to the
ciststies, sad It appears to hen bees decided that the per•
meant crempstion d Mesh* by the Freed; shell net be
permitted, sad that the entire aheadosmeat el • Nepoleow's
policy there will be deomeded, nen at Oa hazard of a
war.

--•
'!be okl regiments in the Potoraao army are being rapidly
elm ay with oomeripts from some al the Northam States.

hays sdabliabed the fad that a kW

hese et m..l laYstey mad ravary is •1111 is the Mimeo
dee& aslisy. leak lie len was the rest et oar array is oar
ft shoeld abeam The bradivartere of Las ere st Oct.
daraville, sad the nails body of his army cse the line of the
Repidea. It is reported by priseless that 'Moses Chard

Lei W decidedly received Rani the cation
Reba, to the amount probably cl 15,000 sin, yell kb army
b sot es *bong am when he aremed tie Potosi' after the
land at ,Getayebarg. It hr boon oonnamaldy dkelnkhed
I by deaths and clesertima