The Express.
London, England, 1856-03-28 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 28. 1856.

THE AFFAIRS OF THE UNITED STATES.

NSW YOKE, Nairn 11, 1 p.n.
I need not speak of our international relations in
this latter, for the ides that a war between the United
States and England is likely to take plasm is met with
ridicule and contempt by oar beet people. In the
present electric movement of the press the people of
both countries get ahead of the government in •
knowledge of facts, and I am glad to be able to
assure you that in nose of the great commercial
movements of New York does the apprehension of a
possible collision between the two countries produce
any serious effect.
The prim) of breadstuff' in America is even now
gradually falling, before the great avenues of com-
munication with the central and distant parts of
the country are opened. Prices were so exag-
gerated by the Eastern war that many men made
fools of themselves. The following statement
made in a leading journal illustrates the circum-
stance I allude to. A farmer in Canada West,
who had 800 bushels of wheat, which he had an
opportunity to Dell at the high prices of 1834, chose
to keep it, with the belief that he would sell it at a
greatly advanced rate. When he found that wheat
had declined 40 cents a bushel, he went to the hack
part of his orchard and hanged himself. Another
farmer, near Loudon, io Canada, who had with great
care preserved the products of his fields for thrc
years, and refused to sell at the enormously high
rates of last autumn, has sow gone mad, and has been
sent to a lunatic asylum. We are sorry that people
go mad because of their folly, but in America we are
"'ways glad when we learn that bread la everywhere
cheap.
Very seldom, and perhaps never, in the history
of our commerce have we had to record so extraordi-
nary a fact sa lam now about to state. Luring the
months of January and February we have bad a
greater amount of tonnage delayed in its voyage to,
Europe than at any time before The average of
voyage" in oar marches' vessels has been longer
than we have known since the improvements that
have been introduced into the commercial marine of
.notlern nations. But nue by one ships that had
been looked for from 60 to 100 days have come in
safely at lest, and the number of losses and wrecks
during this terrific winter has been much smaller
than was anticipated by our underwriters.
The Secretary of the United States Treasury will
soon lay before Congress • bill based on the recom-
mendations of his last report, in which, I am pri-
vately informed, be will recommend a reduction of
duties on wool and other raw materials, while he will
press upon the attention of Congress a general dima
nation in the number of schedules and materially
increase the free list, which will simplify the present
system. At the same time, it is supposed that by the
payment of the Texas debt of seven millions and ohe
Mexican indemnity of three millions, with the bills
already introduced to increase our military and band
strength as recommended by the Secretary of War,
we shall disburse all that embarrassing surplus in the
treasury which has given such ceaseless torment to
Mr. Guthrie.
President Pierce bee, in his message and through
his frie ode, recommended the abrogation of our treaty
with Denmark without the concurrence of the House
of Representatives. Senator Sumner, of Massachu-
setts, some days ago delivered • very able speech on
that subject, in which he accused the administration
of a flagrant violation of the spirit of our legislative
system in attempting to get absolution 'rum the
higher house of the national legislature for abruptly
changing any of the established Jawed the republic.
The majority of the present House of Representatives
is inimical to General Pierce, and it is alleged that he
wishes to deprive the house of its rightful participa-
tion in the action of the government, in order to
avoid the serious opposition he is likely to incur by
assuming to override the popular will in forcing
through his own measures. Senator Sumner'is reso-
lution was panted, however, in the Senate, and the
President received a severe rebuke thereby.
The refusal of the London underwriters to pay the
insurance on the American telegraph cable that was to
be laid down to Newfoundland has been severely criti-
cised in this country. The Americans are doubtless
more hasty in their judgments than the English;
but it is unquestionably true that the cause of British
insurance in the United States has been martially
injured by the extreme care, not to say illiberality,
with which American looses are adjusted in England.
The Atlantic Mutual losurasce Company of New
York paid upwards of four millions of dollars for
losses under its policies during the year 1855. In no
single instance was there any litigation. So far as
the English company wish to effect insurance in the
United States, it would contribute materially to the
accomplishment of their object to satisfy our people
that their losses will be speedily and liberally ad-
jested. The Atlantic Mutual Company, of which I
spoke, divide from thirty to forty per met.
dividends ; and it has been universally true of our
companies that those which display the greatest
promptness and liberality have always bees be Ms
most flourishing condition.
Yesterday General Cass, the Michigan Kinston ht
speaking on the National Defense Bill, went into an
elaborate review of the state of feeling on both sides
of the Atlantic in reference to the relations of Eng-
land and the United States. General Cass has often
displayed • somewhat belligerent spirit towards
Great Britain, but his speech yesterday was so
entirely moderate in its tone, coming from the quar-
ter it did, that it will be likely to meet with very
general approbation in this country.