The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-11 00:00:00

ADMIRAL WILKES AND THE BLOCKADE.

The following is the article from the Nassau
Guardian of the 22nd ult., alluded to in the tele-
graphic summary :

The incident of Thursday afternoon should be known in
England, for its consequences may be most momentous.
Admiral Wilkes approached our harbour and signalled for
a pilot. Pilot Lloyd went out, carrying (by the governor's
directions) his ezoelleocy's proclamation of the 11th of
March, and informed the admiral that he could not
bring him into port without the special permission
of the governor. The admiral replied to the effect
that he would not ask it, and would come in without it.
However, he did not come in, but bore away to the north,
and there lay off at the distance of a marine league from oar
shores. Previously to this, while he was standing off near
the lighthouse, the garrison boat, with the Fort-Adjutant,
and the boat of the Barracouta, had put off with the express
intention of communicating with him ; but the admiral, in
a signally discourteous manner, moved off so as to avoid '
communicating with them.
Of course enough is known of Admiral Wilkes to favour the
conjecture that neither the Queen's proclamation nor any
respect for international usage will prevent him from acting
with haste, rudeness, and violence. The consequence of
such action may be most disastrous, for it is not to be pre-
sumed that the government will tolerate any attempt of his
to come into port in defiance of her Majesty's orders. He
will not be allowed to come in, and his conduct may ulti-
mately embroil his country and England in a war.
We wish to draw the attention of the English people to
the condition in which the people of this colony and Ber-
muda are placed. The ports of both colonies are virtually
blockaded. Innocent vessels are chased, brought to, and
searched. There is no sufficient protection of English
vessels between Nassau ►nd Bermuda, nor is one English
man-of-war sufficient to protect our out islands and the
port of Nunn. Recently, as we are informed, English
vessels have been tag= close to the Abaco Cays. And
now, to crown all, the blockading squadron is planed under
the command of an offloer notorious for his precipitation,
his contempt of laws and usages, and for his deep dislike
to England.
It is impossible that, in this state of things, some very
serious collision should not occur, or that very serious
damage should not be inflicted on English ships and pro-
perty. The only means of preventing either is to have an
efficient force in these seas. We have complete confidence
in the zeal and gallantry of Captain Malcolm, his officers,
and crew. But the Barracouta cannot be here and off
Abaco at the same time. And an insufficient force is to men
like Admiral Wilkes only a temptation to violence and
offence, and such violence may most materially damage the
property and damnify the interests of English merchants
and shippers.
We trust, therefore, that feelings of self.interest, if not of
patriotism, will animate the merchants of England to urge
upon their government the necessity of keeping up an
'Adequate force here, and that the sympathies of England
will support and uphold the local government in any mea-
sure which the precipitation of Admiral Wilkes, or men
like him, may compel it to resort to for the vindication of
English honour, and the protection of English property and
posseesions.

MEETING OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

A large democratic ratification meeting of the
supporters of Matthew T. Brennan, for comptroller,
and of John E. Develin, fur counsel to the cor-
poration, was held on the 28th ultimo, at the
Cooper Institute, New York. August Belmont
presided and made a speech. He was followed
by Mr. James T. Brady, who, after speaking
in favour of the election of Mr. Brennan,
discussed at some length the national questions of
the day. In regard to the attitude assumed by
England, he declared that while he re-
garded war as one of the most unfortu-
nate calamities that can befall any nation—
while he decried war and hated its consequences—
he hoped, if God did not order to the contrary, and
England did not behave better, that the two divi-
sions of the country might be united some time,
to give her a taste of the American quality. He
would appeal to the South, if they had any lingering
fondness for the Union, to come back in God's name
into the Union, shake hands with the democracy,
and in less time than the most hopeful prophet could
suggest, the democracy would have the control of
this government, reinstate .the constitution, and
have the Union as it was, with all its rights,
powers, and privileges. He declared his belief
and hope that the necessities of the government
would devolve upon it the duty of calling back
M'Clellsn ; but, whether called back or not, he
wanted the opposition to be informed that the
democracy had always carried forward the fights
of this country, and meant to carry out this
one to its most triumphant results, always keep-
ing the constitution of the United States in
advance. He pointed to the fact that, while
there was no increase of destitution in the North by
reason of the war, England, in a time of profound
peace, had, in the single district of Lancashire, a
population of 300,000 on the verge of starvation.
In conclusion, he said that, however disintegrated
the country might appear to be, if the South
would only do something to the utter prostration
of their leaders, and come back into the Union, all
the stars of the old flag would glitter as brilliantly
as they used to do, and shine on through the long
lapse of ages for ever and ever.

GENERAL M'NIEL AND PRESIDENT DAVIS.
In reference to the retaliatory order recently
issued by President Davis the New York Herald
says : _ _ _

General M•Neil, under whose orders the ten bush-
whackers were shot at Psbnyra, is only a militia general,
commanding a portion of the borne guard of Missouri. Not
being a regular United States officer, of courts the general
government is not responsible for his acts, and the recent
threat of retaliation made by Jeff. Davis will probably be
withdrawn when this fact becomes known at Richmond.

The New York Times has the following on the
same subject :

General M'Neil, who ordered the execution of ten Con-
federate prisoners at Palmyra, Mo., some "time since, and
whose surrender is now demanded by Jeff. Davis, is re-
sponsible for his action to the Missouri State authorities,
under whom he holds his commission. The Leavenworth
Enquirer, of No►. 21, states that he has been surrendered
to the rebel authorities, first having been put in irons, but
the statement is doubtless premature.

THE FRENCH PROPOSAL OF MEDIATION.

In regard to the French proposal for mediation
the Washington correspondent of the New York
Herald says :
I am informed that Yr. Seward looks upon the proposed
mediation of the French government as the act of a friendly
power, containing no propositions calculated to alter in the
least our friendly relations with France. He thinks the
unfavourable comments of the prom on that subject are due
to the imperfect translation of the French text—a transla-
tion which, in his opinion, does not do justice to the idea of
the Emperor. This idea is simply to manage an interview
to the belligerents, without prejudice of what they may do
afterwards. As to prevent a continuation of the war, or to
exercise the least pressure upon any of the contending
parties, one way or another, directly or indirectly,
there is no manner expressed or hinted at in
the document. In other terms and to nee
familiar comparison, I will say that Louis Napoleon's let-
ter is an invitation of a 'sovereign to other sovereigns to
invite the North to have a little conversation with the
South, and tie iionth to have a little conyenation wits the