The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-04 00:00:00

AMERICAN SLAVERY AND THE FRENCH

PROTESTANTS.

The French Protestant clergy to the number of
7150 recently addressed a letter to their English brethren on
the subject of the leer in America. They urged that the
menses of the cause represented by the Confederate States
" would put balk the megrims of Christian civilisation and of
humanity a whole ceotary ;" and called upon the ministers
and piston of all denominations in England to take the lead
111 calling forth "a peat sod peaceful mani-
festation of sympathy for the coloured race so long
oppressed and despised by Christian nations." The
following reply was adopted by • conference of ministers
held in Loudon, and presided over by the Hon. sad Rey.
Baptist W. Noel, M.A. —"Dear brethren,—We, wham
names are undersigned, share in your views, rejoice in your
seal, and are thankful for your exhortations. It is bouour
able to France. and to French peotestantism, that you so
heartily wish the destruction of the slave system, which
makes 4,000,000 of Degrees wretched ; which debases
their masters ; which has been a vast calamity to a great
protestant nation, and which dishonours Christ, by
whom professed servant, it is upheld. Like yourselves,
we feel a deep comparison for the slaves, who are a part
of the human family ; we wish by all means in our
power to discourage those who are seeking to found an
empire on their degradation ; and we wish success to all
just and humane measures for their deliverance. With
these sentiments we beg to assure you that, following
where you have so nobly taken the lead, we shall do what
we can to accomplish those benevolent objects to which
you invite our attention. Accept our fraternal wishes
that you may enjoy the favour and blessing of God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord." We are informed that
upwards of 1,580 ministerial signatures to the reply have
bees received by the London and Manchester Emancipation
Societies, and that large numbers continue to be received
every day. The signatures include many clergymen of the
churches of England and Scotland, and nonoonLe mist minis-
ters of avail denomination.

itILIOIOUS TOLERATION IN SMYRNA.—Ahmed
Pacha, the new gowereor•geoeral of Smyrna, has jolt
issued an important proclamatioo to the inhabitants of that
district. Is this doeumeat a paragraph relative to toleration
and religious liberty is especially remarkable. It runs :-
0 Whoever shall dare to utter offensive language against a
religion, whatever it may be, or to insult any person on
account of his religious faith, shall be condemned to the
humiliation of walking through the streets of the town with
a placard suspended from his neck, and shall also undergo
all the punishment which the law inflicts."

GaZignani says that the " merry month of May"
opened in Pans like dark November, the sky being overcast,
and a cold wind prevailing. Will it mow? was the question
generally asked, sod most venous recommemed fires and
resumed their warm wrappers. •

THI OUTWARD AMI&ICLN MAIL—The Royal
Mail steamship America arrived at Queenstown at 10.30
L. yesterday. She embarked the wails, passengers, and
latest telegrams, and proceeded fee Halifax and Boston at
4 p.m. All well