The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-22 00:00:00

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CI AY ILIIILIT.

TEI F.VIN/NO, A Glinior SPECULATION. Messrs.
F.trreo, Brad, Bolen, Clark. sad C. Mathews: Mrs. E. Fits-
-TIIE GOLDEN FLUCL Mr. C. Mathews.—CODL AS
A CUCUMBER. Mr. C. Mathews.—Aad LITTLE DAISY.

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SZITANIIMA,

Os Serrenke VoiutLeiTaili.and In the Evening. the New
Pantomime HICKORY. DICKORY, DOCK. lira A. Lane and
Honest. Penton raid& —The Marvels of Pent. Tag ORICAT
GHOST lt/TECf.—irthur and BertramL —The Pa ry Fountain.

HIGH WATIM AT TA)NDON i&IDOL
Tim DAT I.forotog. Ob. Ow.. .Aftermeen. •h. 7.
To4lOl.llOW Morning. Oh 35. AMa•M► Ob. Slisi.

LONDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22.

THE Confederate Congress met at Richmond on
the 7th inst. It could not but be a gloomy meet-
ing. Members were there from all parts of the
territory claimed by Mr. Davis, but not one of
them could report that in his State the cause of
Secession was prosperous ;—not one could say
that since last year a portion of his State had not
been recovered to the Union. Slowly as it seems
to the natural impatience of spectators, but with
surprising rapidity if we consider the vast
area of the military operations, the dimensions
of the Confederacy are contracting, and careful
observers, who have always rated Mr. SEWARD'S
prophecies at their just value, are now computing
the probable existence of the Secession Government
by months. Mr. Davis's address, so far as we
have it, reflects all the gloom of the situation.
Vicksburg, which Mr. Davis promised his friends
in Mississippi to defend to the last, is gone, and
with it Port Hudson. East Tennessee, from which
he declared he would expel the Federate if it
took the whole Confederate army to do it, is per-
manently lest, and there is no more to be said
than that the people of the Confederate States
will resist to the death. But here the
weakness of the Confederate Government
is betrayed. Mr. Davii is quite justified in say-
ing, " The enemy refuse proposals for the only
" peace possible between its. The only hope for
" peace now is in the vigour of our resistance." As
between him, his ministers and generals, and the
Government of the United States, this is a correct
account of the matter. But every day makes it
plain that the interests of the Southern people and
the Richmond Government are not so identical aa
Mr. Davis assumes, and in State after State it is
found that there is a peace possible between the
Southern people and the powerful Government
under which, until lately, they enjoyed prosperity.
We have ofteu shown from the Richmond news-
papers that there is a strong party in the South
desirous of peace by a restoration of the Union,
and last Friday we produced evidence of the same
fact from testimony furnished by the correspondents
of a contemporary friendly to the cause of the South.
The people of the South were. carried into a gi-
gantic enterprise by their leaders without being
first consulted ; they have been harried with
levies, conscriptions, requisitions, and impress-
lonia, and a is t9lerabl,y cleat that, having become
convinced that Secession is • failure, they will
make no more sacrifices for it than they can help.
It is this fact, the unelastic, passive, indolent dis-
position of the people, that is distressing theConfe-
dente Government. Having previously manifested
itself politically, it now appears in the army. This
was seen in an especial manner in the demoraliza-
tion of the troops at the battle of Missionary Ridge,
in which the Confederates were driven from •
position deemed impregnable, with the loss of
only one thousand killed and wounded. The
great number of desertions to the Federate on that
occasion has also made a painful impression. The
Rkhmend Whig, commenting on these matters,
observes, "We are getting into deep waters, and
" a feeling of dread is shaking the souls of the
" people." Of the persons in office—those who
have led the Southern States into their present
predicament—this is no doubt true enough. But
if the feeling were very general—if the people at
large believed that this was, as President Davis
says, a war for " home, liberty, and independence,"
it would not be necessary to resort to the violent
measures by the aid of which the Richmond Go-
vernment maintains itself.

ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIIITY.—There is now
to be seen in the garden of this society. atSouth Kensiagtoo,
a hunch of fruit of the West Indian bewail (masa Caves-
(SAW of unusual size. It is sft. io eireorcfereuce at the
broad end of the bunch, and weighs 861bs. (5011:e., we be-
lieve, being reckoned a very fine bunch). Most people are
under the impression that it take. a very long course of
years to get fruit from the Wilma in England. The fruit
mow in the Horticultural Garden may dispel this notion.
Mr. P. Hird, F.R. H.S., Byfieet, Surrey, who hag sent
the fruit for exhibitioo, received some smell plaids from the
West Indies is September, 1862, sod under the skilful earl-
tore of hie gardener, Mr. Carr. ose has produced this enor-
mous fruit. Is fact, the bunch is little leas io size than the
tree which produced it. The plant is now 4ft. 6io. In height,
and the hooch about Mt. This bunch of fruit, which bad
to be carefully supported while on the tree, is now is the
cooservatory. uoderotand that it hi deitioed for pre-
sentatioe to the Qineo, so that an eerly visit will be meow-
sary before it is taken from the garden. Apropos of tropi-
cal froita—three very interesting panitiogs are now to be
seen is the council-room, by • M. Goons, who having
passed much time in tropical countries has painted most
of the remarkable fruits and flowers. Those now in the
society's room are carefully and faithfully executed repre-
seatetioa• in oil of these obifcts, and good as works of art.
SOUTH KcNsinoTow bloastar.—The north court
barn bees cloned for some time, in order that it may be re-
arranged and decorated. The works ere sufficiently ad-
vanced, so that it will be re-opessd for the Christmas
holidays. The designs for the flames of William of Wvkii.
ham Cimabue, M. Angelo, Wren, and Hogarth, lobe ex-
ecuted in mosaic, are placed in the eolith court. The
constructive forms, and other parts of this court, have bees
decorated by Mr. Godfrey Sykes, who his also prepared a
design for the Prince Coeisort's aortrait, to be executed is
mosaic. Doing the week ending 19th December the
visitors were as follows :—On Monday, Tuesday, and
Saturday, free days, open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
6,432; Wednesday, Thursday; sad Friday. iftdeste
days (admission to the public 6d.). open from 10 a.m. till
4 p.m., 1.316 • thee!, 7,771. Prom the opening of the
'museum. 4.854105.

THE 61.0alliT VACATION.—The Chancery raca-
Coo will commence on the 24th infant, sod terminate on
the rith of January, both dais ineusive.