The Express.
London, England, 1864-09-08 00:00:00

LATABT INTMLIGENCIL

AMERICA.

By the Hansa we have files of New York papers
to the 27th ult.
The direct question of peace is scarcely alluded
to by any other paper than the New York Herald,
but the approaching draft and the meeting of the
Chicago Convention are regarded as together con-
stituting what the New York Times calls "the
crisis of the country."
The Richmond Dispatch of the 22nd ult. says "the
New York Herald advised Lincoln, the other day,
to send commissioners to treat of peace without

raising the blockade or withdrawing the troops ;"
but that it was nothing more than a trick to take
the wind out of the sails of the peace party; that "we
regard the cry which some of the press of the Con-
federacy is raising for peace as fraught with mis-
chief ;" that " nothing could have • more direct
tendency to encourage our enemy to persevere in
the iniquitous war he is waging against us ;" that
a compromise "is not possible, so far as we can see,
and so far as boundaries are concerned ;" that "the
Yankee government will not agree at this time to make
peace without a huge slice from these territories ;"
that "in Virginia it would insist upon what they
call New Virginia (West Virginia), in addition to
Old Point (Fortress Monroe) and Norfolk ;" that
"in Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, or Maryland,
they would claim the whole state," and that "else-
where their claims would be based upon the prin-
ciple of the uti posridetis." Then, as an answer to
all this, this Richmond paper says that "the go-
vernment of the Confederate States can make no
such treaty ;" that "it cannot cede any territory be-
longing to any of these States, each of which is a
nation—a sovereignty as distinct as Great Britain
or France ;" that the only peace it can make is that
of "the complete independence and integrity of all
the States"—that is, all the States claimed by the
rebellion, including West Virginia, Kentucky, and
Missouri.

The New York Herald thereupon advises Presi-
dent Lincoln to treat with the rebellious States
in detail, as with eo many independent nations, and
let him thus begin a new peace movement with
North Carolina. A majority of the legislature of
that State just elected is said to be in favour of
peace and reunion. " Let President Lincoln, then,
send down to Governor Vance liberal offers of
peace for North Carolina on the condition of ber
return to the Union—offers so inviting that her
legislature will jump at them ; and let these offers
embrace the request that Governor Vance will im-
mediately call his legislature together to consider
these peace propositions, and considering the pre-
sent commanding position of General Grant, be-
tween Richmond and North Carolina, the most
glorious results may be expected. North Carolina,
we believe, can thus be detached from the rebellion,
sad with this breach in the Davis confederation
his sovereign state right of secession will speedily
finish him and his mock confederacy."
The New York papers, democratic as well as re-
publican, deny that General Grant's campaign is
a failure. The Herald says :
Grant's great campaign has been the most suocesaful of
the war. He has driven Lee, with the finest army Scat the
Ceuta:Jersey ever had, or ever will have, up and down and
all over the state of Virginia ; he drove him from the Rapi-
dan to Richmond, and compelled him to go through that
city ee if for life to hold its dependencies on the other aide ;
tad be has again driven the greater part of Lee's forces out
of Petersburg and Richmond, and down the Shenandoah
Valley, to look for something to eat. Such failures as this
of Grant's are to re-est►blish the supremacy of our govern.
mat and pound the Confederacy to pieces ; and that is
what the friends of the Confederacy Lave to find fault with
in General Grant. Secession journalists in England, in
the Southern States, and in the Northern States, see
that if Grant continues in his present position but
a few months longer the Confederacy is done for.
They recognise in him the great man of this war. He has
shown in such instances as the choice of Sherman and
Sheridan a great knowledge of men. He has 'how!), as at
Belmont, that he could take a small force into the field and
handle it and fight with it splendidly. He hsa shown at
fort Hoary, at Shiloh, at Vicksburg, and at Chattanooga
how magnificently he can handle one large army ; and he
has shows in the present year with what comprehensive
ability he can direct the operations of several armies
spread over the largest theatre of war that was ever under
one man. And they know from them e►idences of his
ability that, if the government supplies him with MOO, be
will end the war before November. This is what distresses
the aecession press, and induces it to cry out wind
General Grant, in the vain hope that their clamour may
affect the Northern people.
The New York Times attaches the greatest import-
ance to the seizure and holding of the Weldon
Railroad by General Grant :
Its importaaos wine from the fact that it is a vital

triumph in the way of isolating Richmond, and cutting off
those lines of communication and supply which are absolutely
esesatial to its existence as the centre sod camping-greeted
of a great military force. Its value may be overrated. This
we do not desire. It gives ua no great immediate result.
It is by no means decisive. It may not be possible to hold
what we have gained ; for Lee is a performer in this play
of strategy as well u Grant. All we say is that we
have pined an important and signal moms, of a character
unite different from any of oar ether meat successes, and
which has the greatest bearings, and promises the beet re.
salts. We have mid this step is but one of several that
mast be taken ; bat our latest advice. from Warren inform
us that he holds his ground firmly, and late rebel advises
convey the gratifying and significust intelligence that he bea
already begun to operate upon the Danville Railroad—the
only one, sines the It. of the Weldon Road, which Rich-
mood now has cousecting it with the States beyond Virginia.
Let all true men be strong and hopeful. The end and
victory will come by and by.

The same paper has some very severe remarks on
the general attempt to avoid the draft. If, it says,

We were to judge of the disposition of the mass of men
at the North from the desperation of some of the efforts
which we wittier on the part of towns, counties, aid States
eves, to escape the dr►ft, we might fairly conclude that, if
it were possible, our next army would be entirely composed
of the sweepings of emigrant Alps, of negro slaves, aid of
any other refuse we could pick up, and—here is the worst
of it—of that noble remnant of the old army who,
faithful to the last, have gone back after three pen
of hardship and danger, to face the storm once more.
There is hardly • county in the North at this moment
which i• not busy sailing bonds in order to buy up for
service in the army the wont military material to he found
in the western world—foreign mercenaries and liberated
sham The call of the government for man is the signal,
not for • rash to arms, but for • prodigious seratchiag of
pens, and issuing of evidences of indebtedness." Every-
body who cau, take up his cheque-book—not his sword—
and meets the provost-marshal with • smiling patriotic face.
These are unpleasant things to say, but it is unfortunately high
time to say them. We have got to the point where ourdaepre
most be looked in the hoe and talked about. And one of the
first things to be said sod remembered is that the army in
the field is not Linoolo's army, but ours ; that the prose-
cution of the war is our affair, not his. And, having laid
this to heart, let us all be frank, and confess honestly that
• people in such a state of mind as the Southerners, with
armies of so much pluck, spirit, and eedurance, and so well
led, as they put and keep in the Geld, cannot be subdued
by say fares that is sot composed of the bale and sixes, of
the North ; that is sot composed of men who will fight
for love of the cause ; who have something more than •
soldier's reepeet for the flag ; and who are animated by higher
and better motives than any hired alien or Southern field
hand can ever be. The country has already made pro-
digious and unprecedented exertions in the raising of
armies; and if the fame sod credit of what it has
already accomplished were sufficient to rout Lee and Road,
we would strongly advise everybody to take his ease, and
go on making money. But Jefferson Davis knows per