The Express.
London, England, 1862-10-18 00:00:00

HIGH HAT= AT LONDON BRIDON.

Tine D1T1:17f0r4746gii.25i-s.:.7.liiir;;;TaTialt. ss.
To4aoszoll—Morateg. 101. 40ak. 110. 15m.

LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18.

Ties American mail once more tells of severe
fighting. The expected attack by the Confederate
forces under Placa and VAN Dom was made on the
3rd inst., near Corinth, Mississippi, and resulted in
disastrous failure. After a two days' struggle,
in which both sides suffered severely—the Federal.,
as at Antietam Creek, losing many officers—the
Confederates were utterly routed. The last that
was beard of them was that, being sharply
pursued, they were throwing everything away in
their flight. The other military movements re-
ported are of inferior importance, but such as
they are, they are favourable to the Federal.
The fighting near Winchester, predicted in
telegraphic advices by the last steamer,
is not mentioned now, but instead we are told
that " Southern newspapers say that the Federal
" are again preparing to move on Richmond
" via Fredericksburg." Although the journals of
Richmond have often shown themselves well in-
formed, we do not believe that the experiment of
dividing the Federal army and advancing by two
lines upon Richmond is about to be repeated. It
appears, however, that on the spot an advance on
Richmond by the Federal" is not considered so
chimerical as it would probably be by the friends
of the Confederates at this distance.
The Committee of the Confederate Senate has
been considering President LiNcout's procla-
mation, and how it may best be met.
Among the various propositions we do not
find one in favour of taking the generous
course of attaching the slave to the Confederate
cause by raising hie status. On the other hand,
we are informed that, while refusing to make the
negro a soldier, as President Liscour is doing,
while denouncing death against Federal officers who
may command negro soldiers, it has been seriously
proposed at Richmond to reward negroes for the
murder of Northern soldiers. Such is the despera-
tion of the baffled slave-drivers, who thus gra-
tuitously parade their barbarism before the wor'd.

THE London swindler has tried many schemes
for feeding upon ignorant victims, but none have
probably fed him so well asthe sham Loan Societies.
By starting on the assumption that one half of the
world are fools, and that a large proportion of that
half are generally in want of money, he has been
able to extract the largest amount of plunder
with the least possible amount of risk. Without
the courage of the burglar, or the physical strength
of the garrotter, he has arrived at far more profit-
able results by merely dodging behind a screen.
Under cover of the " Good Samaritan Loan and
" Discount Association," or some title likely to
inspire equal hope and confidence, he has attracted
unwary dupes from every quarter of the country.
With a little capital, no scruples, and a large
share of low cunning, he has founded a business
which nothing seems able to destroy. Exposure
may follow upon exposure with little or no effect.
Persistent prosecutions may secure one member of
the gang, but another springs up directly to supply
his place. Victims wearied by paying "inquiry
"fees" which bear no fruit may be taught prudence
in time, or may learn it from heavier looses and
the warnings of magistrates, but still a fresh flock
is always ready to be fleeced. A cer-
tain number of weak but respectable people
seem to have formed themselves into a society
for the encouragement of scoundrels, and we can,
therefore, hardly wonder that swindlers increase
and thrive. It appears from a hundred cases
brought forward in the course of the year that
such swindlers have only to ask and to have.
They merely shake the boughs and the willing
fruit drops into their ready mouths. They enjoy
an unwholesome security, because the law is un-
certain, because prosecutions are expensive, and
because people who have been swindled often ob-
ject to be paraded as dupes.
A swindling loan transaction has this pecu-
liarity, by which it may be detected in its earliest
stages : the lender always wishes to borrow or re-
ceive, the borrower always wishes to give or lend.
The founders of " Good Samaritan Loan Offices"
appear quite as often in the back alleys of the
money market as "struggling tradesmen," re-
quiring • little timely assistance, as they do as
benevolent " capitalists" ready to give a little as-
sistance. The " make up " is different, but the