The Express.
London, England, 1856-02-13 00:00:00

AFFAIRS OF THE UNITED STATES.

(11LOX 0111

NEW YORK, Jan. 29.
Congress is not yet organised. Much as may be
said on the subject, it is doubtless true that the chief
reason why no Speaker hal been chosen is because
the country reposes no confidence whatever in the
President or his cabinet. Other reasons are mixed
up with these; as, for example, the difference of
opinion that exists between the Know-Nothings of the
south and a part of the Know-Nothings of the north;
end then there are three parties in Congress that
wish to maintain their identity and consolidate all
their forces preparatory to the next presidential
election. First, the Democratic party, which is to
send its representatives from every state of the Union
to Cincinnati next June, to nominate a candidate for
the presidency. Second, the Republican sr Free-Soil
party, which will be represented at Pittsburg, Penn-
sylvania, on Washiogton's birth-day, Feb. 22 ; and
lastly, the National Know-Nothings. whose delegates
will meet on that same birthday, Feb. 22, in Phila-
delphia. These parties are now represented in Con-
gress, and they will do their best to take care of the
interests of the various combinations of men which
they represent. It is a strange, and perhaps an
unprecedented spectacle, which now presents itself
to the American people—that 234 members of Con-
' gress, in the Lower House, should meet and ballot
128 times on three men, each the champion of his
party, without making one inch of progress in two
months. At first blush the impression would
be that it wss a very resolute body of
men ; that every man there had an indi-
viduality—a conscience—a law. And yet there
does not seem to be a single man who comes
out from that triangular line of antagonism with
qualities great enough to dissolve the chaotic mass,
and speak that magic word which will crystallise
the national sentiment upon a great leader. From
the beginning I have expressed the opinion that
Banks, of Massachusetts, would be the Speaker. I
think ►im the greatest man in Congress. Ho has
led his column up fifty days in succession—unbroken,
unterrified.

Mr. Buchanan, who has been anxious now for some
months to return home to enter the field ae the De-
mocratic candidate for the Presidency, is reported to
have succeeded at last in getting his successor ap-
pointed, ex-Vice•President Dallas. Mr. Dallas is a
courtly gentleman, of ripe learning and large expe-
rience in public affairs. A better man could not have
been found. It is said he has accepted the plans,
and will sail in a short time.

I am enabled to communicate to you what I deem
to be an important item of news, which has not yet
been made public in the United States, but as to the
truth ot which I have no doubt. It is to the effect
that the Russian Minister at Washington has from
the beginning of the war with Russia been clothed
with authority to offer to our Government every in-
ducement for the negotiation of • treaty of alliance
between Russia and the United States. His offers
have bees courteously declined, but solely upon the
that the United States would not feel justi-
lerriand making such a treaty with Russia, unless in
view of a war between us and England. Coincident
with the last instructions that were sent to
Mr. Buchanan, a bearer of despatches left for
Si. Petersburg, and these despatches it is absolutely
within my knowledge were of such a nature as to
give satisfaction to the court of St. Petersburg. The
bet step the United States would take in preparing
for a war with England would be the ratification of
as alliance with Russia. We have a rumour that
Spain is about to join the Western Powers, and the
consideration that the Allies offer to her is the pre-
servation of Cuba. The Allies made this offer put
'about one year too late. The people of the United
States are now upon another track. Filibusterism
is now drifting towards Central America. Nobody
any longer thinks of Cuba ; the very name seems to
have been forgotten. There has been more printed
in the American newspapers about Nicaragua
during the last thirty days than there has been
printed about Cuba for the last twelve months. No
attempt will be made now to disturb Cuba 11111011111 we
have a quarrel with Spain. The only point of col-
lision between as and Europe at the present time, or
in the immediate future, seems to be where we touch
England at Oreytown. It is certainly a long die
tacos to travel for each nation to hunt op a pretext,
or an occssioa for a fight.
We have recent intelligence from Japan, which
goes to show that our treaty with that country is
not worth a groat, and that we are entitled to no
trading privileges whatever under it, as they inter-
pret it. A fleet of twelve sail of American whalers
that visited Slouch to get supplies were treated in a
barbarous manner—all supplies were refuted. They
went to /Nevada under the protection ot what they
deemed to be a sacred treaty, which secured to them
at least the privilege of purchasing stores if they at
once continued their voyage. They asked for
these supplies, and proposed to pay for them.
They were not allowed to land except under
threats, and the officers in attempting to enforce
them appear to have failed: but the crews of the
ships helped themselves to what they wanted, pay-
s ing the pries that the merchants and hucksters
asked for their goods. A scuffle took place, and some
of the Japanese were shot. We had been informed
that two ports and ten miles around them were open
to all Americans, and that ships in distress and
shipwrecked American seamen would be kindly
treated, and sent back to their country, wherever
they might be found under the dominion of the
=of Japan. The impression is, that Com-
Perry did not accomplish much by the sego-
Widen of that treaty; and the impression mow is,
after still more inhospitable treatment than cur
seeming men have met with before, that we have
sit easount to settle with Japan; and lam informed
that some members of Congress have waited upon the
President of the United State', to ascertain whether
he has given this subject his attention, and in case
he has not, something will be done by Congress to
"overhaul" the matter.

The northern partof this continent is wrapped is •
winding sheet of snow, from six inehm to forty feet
deep. A new storm of unmitigated severity has
swept along oar west from Halifax to Texas during
the last forty-eight hours. It travelled 3,000 mike
in that direction, and in a due lies towards

the west it his buried the continent beyond

the lines of the telegte* Only twice during the
present century has sash a mass of snow and ice
rested upon the surface of this continent within the
temperate sons. Nearly all channels of intercourse
are stopped, travel is interrupted in every direction,
the coast has been strewed with wrecks. And yet, on
the whole, it wiU be a fine winter for America ; be-
cause when a great body of snow falls to the earth and
remains there foe a considerable length of time, the
earth is kept warm. The great staple crops
of America—lndian corn, wheat, rye, Ike.—come out
wish greater richness and abundaoce after snowy
winters. The frost does not penetrate so deep, and
ilit dissolves somewhat late in the winter we feel
assifideat of an early spring, which promises always
a fruitful harvest. New York and all its environs
exhibit at the present moment an Arctic picture of
wow and ice. None but the mightiest steam•tugs
that can be built now attempt to move through these
Arctic regions. Englishmen, Russians, Spaniard',
Californianrall are shivering in the hoar frost. No.
body but New Yorkers venture out of doors, except
under the spur of necessity. Your latitude is far
north of ours, but no Englishman who has spent his
life in the British Islands can have any conception of
the winter that ha. now poured down upon us
Arctic desolation.

The Yakima arrived at MariniLiu this sprain,.
with Mikes hea Coustrattrople of the 40, tad from the
Crimea of toe 2ad. ♦ Cautaatkople letter of the 4th says :
" • Ise teak plass us Saturday. ia the barracks arestard by
a deleeheent of the lick Ilealteh Dragesau No Has was
lea. TM buildiag, with the arms mad lotostsmasets ft
esatatred, was Melly destroyed."