The Express.
London, England, 1865-08-29 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING. AUGUST 29. 1866.

AMERICA.

(unsa's

(Per the Oft el Bake, yid Oreohlemma
NEW YORK. Mawr 19, Momenta.

The Constitutional Committee of the Mississippi
State Convention has reported in favour of the
State Constitutional Amendment, abolishing
slavery. A memorial has been presented to the
oonveution, praying that steps may be taken in
Mr. Davis's behalf, and protecting against the gar.
risoning of the State by negro troops. The ordinance
prohibiting the legislature from passing laws im-
posing' any civil disability, punishment, or for
of estate upon citizens engaged in
the late civil war, or for political opinions occasioned
thereby, has passed through a firso reading. The
Maine Democratic Convention has endorsed Pre-
sident Johnson's reconstruction policy.
_

. -
The Shenandoah was spoken June 23 near Cape
Thaddeus, steering N.W., Sowards 'the direttion is
which a fleet of 60 whalers were known to be pre-
viously. The Elan Francisco merchants have peti-
tioned the Government to despatch a steamer la
pursuit of the Shenandoah.
The financial excitement caused by the late

failures has considerably subsided, and confidence
is gradually reviving. The importers, bankers,
and traders have offered ,000 dais. reward for the
apprebensiou of Edward Kitchum.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
NEW YORK, AOOOBT 19, Mounza.

Money easy. Gold. 144. Exchange on Lon-
don, 156 k ; on Paris, 3.00. Stocks slightly
firmer. New York Centrals, 91 ; Illinois, 1221;
Erie, 821 ;5-20 United States Bonds, 1061. Cotton
slightly firmer ; Middling Upland, 43. Flour good
inquiry. Wheat steady. Corn quiet. Crude
petroleum, 320. ; refined ditto, 52c.

MUSIC.

MR. AT MELLON'S CONCERTS.
?resh interest has bean given to these entegisin-
mgts by the re•appearance of Mdlle. Carlotta Patti, vitae
Togfaliar stile of brillutat enoalisatioa has found sash Mgt
fames with the general paha& The following was die
programme of the brat pert el last sight's oreeirk
" selected," accord* to the asermasesseak. "from MS
works of the Italian 111111111161/ :"

___ and Euphonium,
Messrs. Hughes lad
(Horn Obbl gato, Yr. Cr.tirryst.)
I=ao&th IN ra I ties , ••1111 • • Oases.
PolHa del mle kik,"
(Manor Ferranti
Fastaela.-Vkdta...olello" (Traasertbed by leasif Isati*
Overture.. Wink= Te arr. 'qv"'
"O ei, Isar anise ifibids di
Chipmn*. • Zambia!
It is true the oompossea bus at doing WIN 1101105
birth, but the principal selected were prodded
far,. t:T:inreach stage, and by no means Imply
slay tation of the Italian school. The *see,
Is its ill of modem or earapasatbrely 1101111111.
dezewie whereas, an Italie sales*. should ropedy
woe of this poet mama sprawl over the last two
esmlcirlee wed a half of the musical history of that nation.
Ideeedver, fantasias and arrangements for the display of
polo brirtrCimentalists are namely admissible as specimens of

Overture. •' Nam

the composers whose ideas ere subjected to that free mode
ci adeptatioa. However, although scarcely an illustration
ci the Italian school, Mr. Mellon's programme contained
much that was intereatiog aid varied in style. The
overture to Notirinahal, the production of a emit;
over-rated composer, might easily have been ter
placed by a better composition —it is a pre-
teritieus mixture of pompous inflation and puerile
prettiness, quite unworthy to find • place in the same pro-
gramme with Reeeini's magnificent prelude to Tell, and Cho-
!labial's au overture to Anacreon, which is almost u Preach
in manner ea Weigh its composer bad been of Parisian
instead of Florentine origin. Mr. Codes march Is bril-
liantly and effectively scored, to which, rather than to any
originality, la to be attributed the impression which it gene-
rally makes. Although scarcely • plagiarism, it is impos-
eible on hearing it to avoid Wag reminded of the episode in
Mandelssohn's march in Athalie. Mr. Carrodues fantasia
was • masterly exhibition of artistic skill, all the
enormous difficulties of "doable stops,' octave pas-
sages, harmonics, and other intricacies in which
the piece aboutall, being surmounted with an ease
and self-command which only belong to a virtuoso
of the first class. The performance was received with en-
thusiastic applause. The warlike duet from Bellini's opera
was tamest es extraordinary, as a display of mastery over
two cumbrous brass instruments. But enthusiastic as the
applause had hitherto been, it was as nothing to the storm
of welcome which greeted Mdlle. Carlotta Patti on her first
appearance ; and this agile was far mermaid by the frantic
delight which was called forth by that lady's long-sustained
high D flat and the shake on that sad the note above. No
usequerpr returning from a greatvictory, which eh Quid ensure
the future peace and 1/offence a nation, could have met with
meter triumph than these yowl legs elicited at the Royal
Italian Opera-house last might The brilliant roebucks' of
MAU*. Carlotta Patti will doubtless prose as equally
attractive feature with the " classical ' nights, and ill the
promenade as effectually as the names of the groat coin.
poses. Fuller the hones maid not be than it was last
sight ; • result in this eau certainly attributable to the re-
appearance of this popular sager. The second portion of
the uncut included the instrameatal. ealectiou from
L'Africaine and a new waltz, "Nay," composed by Mr.
( Hellos besides vocal solos by fildlle. Csr:otta Patti and
&gear 'Ferranti, end • piacioforte fantasia by Mdlle. Marls
Krebs.

ROYAL ALHAMBRA PALACE..

The "holiday season," with its beat and its
excursion attractions, so fetid to the prosperity of most Lon.
doe theatres, has evidently had no evil effect upon this
establishment, for we return from our sea-side trip and our
continental tour to find its "auditorium" crowded to the
ceiling, and its stage filled with a Dew and brilliant Meriden
ballet. When Mr. Strange opened this house list Christ-
mu be made ballet one of its leading features, and he justly
shims for it the title of " the firstspectacular ballet theatre
in Europe." The law, at present, will not allow bite to
amaze his five thousaud sightly visitors with pantomime
stories like those given on the off opera nights at the
Berlin opera house, but in all matters of spectacle—in
masses of gel-looking, sweetly-dressed damsels; in in-
genious evolutions, graceful dancer, cud effective scenery,
he is not behind the greatest ballet theatre in Europe.
The new Russian ballet Is obviously founded on the skat-
ing divertiosement ie the PropAite, and the groupies/ of the
dancers is very creditable to Mr. Boleti°, the stage manager.
Au a spectacle it is equal to the Indian ballet, and superior
to the Spanish ballet which preceded it, while it is distinct
from the celebrated "focal divertissement," which still
holds its place in the bills.
In addition to times billets the usual mwic•hafl per.
formanoes are given, and many performances peculiar to the
circus—sn institution which appears to have gradually died
out of Ragland. The internal arrangements of ►he Wham-
bea—always good—have been improved in a way which
merits special notice. The whole vast basement df the
building has been fitted up with washing-places for gentle.
men, like those found at the Crystal Palms, with barbers
sod ahoolii.oks in atteedance,whileample accommodation le
provided for ladies in the upper part utile building. Such an
sample ought to be imitated, more or less, by all the
managers of London theatres. Bazaars have been opened
for the sale of gloves, esu de Cologne, &c., and the whole
place, ceder Mr. Strange's energetic maaagement, may be
shown to foreigners as the meet gigantic and perfect toff
Morgant in the world.