The Express.
London, England, 1865-10-20 00:00:00

AMERICA.

NEW YORK, Ocr, 7, Naos.
A great mass meeting of freedmen was held at
Edge field, Tennessee, on the sth inst. Among the
speakers was General Fisk, of the Freedmen's
Bureau, who congratulated the negroes upon their
freedom, and exhorted them to adopt industry,
sobriety, and integrity. He hoped the black man
would be put in the jury-box and on the witness
stand. He announced that within a week he had
sent some seven hundred negroes to different parts
of the State to work for wages with their former
owners.
At the general convention of the Episcopal
Church at Philadelphia a resolution was adopted
giving thanks to God for the appearance of dele-
gates from three of the lately rebellious Stake, as
atoken of the futuga completereunion of the church,
North and South.
The Wirz trial progresses at Washington. Seven-
teen of the 120 witnesses for the defence have
already been examined, and much testimony taken
contradicting emphatically the evidence prodnoed
by the prosecution. George W. Reynolds, formerly
of the Federal army, and a prisoner at Anderson-
villa swore that there were numbers of
good springs on the grounds, and that the
emaciation of the prisoners was caused, not by
starvation or ill treatment, but by sickness. Fur-
ther, that there was plenty of money among the
prisoners, who engaged in business among them-
selves, some as barbers, some as bakers, &c.
There were twenty barbers' shops open at one time.
Eligible sites for business upon the principal streets
of the camp were bought and sold by prisoners,
and tobacco, butter, honey, eggs, fruit, meats, he.,
were sold by the prisoners to each other. But
while this was going on, prisoners having no money
suffered from want of clothing, &a, when their
companions had among them at times over half a
millson of dollars in United States currency. An-
other prisoner swore that on one occasion Wire
ordered a Bottler out of camp for extortion, and
told the prisoners to help themselves to his goods.
Numerous other witnesses, formerly prisoners at
Andersonville, swore that they never heard of any
inhumanity on the part of Wire beyond the use of
rough language towards the prisoners.
General Robert E. Lee was last Monday Widened
President of Washington College at Lexington.
Virginia. The ceremonies, at the request of the
general, were of a very unostentatious character,
although the people had prepared for him a grand
ovation. The college is to be immediately enlarged,
as applicants for admission number thousands.
Judge Caton has published the following "card"
relative to the statement of a conversation between
him and General Grant upon the Mexican question :
St. Nicholas Hotel, New York, Oct. 6.
I regret to we in the papers of this morning my same
connected with a report from Philadelphia, In reissues to
the alleged conversation with General Grant about Mexico.
While I am sure that Mr. Smith would not intostionally
misrepresent, even by a shade, be contend, misunderstood
the pwt of my conversation with him, if be is correctly
reported. I was never is a nein with Gime& Grant, to
my keowledge, to or from Ciscitmaii. I use bad a casual
conversation with General Grant, iu which Mexico was
alluded to, and of this I spoke to Mr. Smith in a general
convereatioe on the cars. General Grant in no way tali-
mated to me that it was the purpose of the government to
interfere in Mexican affairs. Ousel oonvergatioes, main-
tained merely to while away time, are too liable to be mis-
understood or miusoollected, and inferences or surmises
inconsiderately expressed are too liable to be taken as
statemeete of facts to be made a sate foundation for even
sensation reports. By allowing me this denial you will do
an act of justice to General Grant es well se mysslL —Yaws
truly, J. D. Cm&

ATTENTTID ESCAPE OF • CONVICT AT OLIVIA%
—At an early hoar on Wedusday mooning last one of the
convicts at the St. Mary's convict fistablishoset, Chatham,
named John =toe, who is modelle* • leogthesed
of Neal servitude, attempted to make his escape in • very
daring manner during a thick fog which prevailed at the
time. Is the mares of the morning a perty of convicts had
been engaged in seloadMg a bergs Hoopide the works sow
is progress at St. !gam's Island for the enlargement of the
dockyard, Hilton being among the Dumber. Taking admin•
tags of the dense fog the convict eucoseded in eludieg the
vigilance of the warders and keepers, sad slipping over the
side of the berg* into the water. His inteetioe Appian to
have be.. to have swam armee the harbour to near Upnor
Castle, where there is a think wood through which be might
have succeeded in 'Alias clear away. After swimming
some distance the fog prevented his seeing is which
direction he was going, and his thick, heavy omelet clothing
sg Med with water, be became frightened, and
oho t.d fir amietano• Altacet directly after he bad e
from the barge he was mimed, and a boat immsdiatsr7V
patched to capture him. In the meantime the convict's
arise atiaseted the attention of some WaillnAlle, who im-
mediately rowed to hie amistathe, sod by them he was
tarup is a drowsing Atte. Oa being taken as shore
es fcethwith mauled to the convict prima, where be
will TOOSITO the punishment cm convict. attempting their
escape. the only convict who boa asseseded is making hie
escape tram the maybe prima, Chatham, did so dark!, •
deem fog emend years skies, sad shire& these have bees
seveeel &Seaweed amps% the ocavisti have is 511 Cal"
been meaptured.
Atarp sugar refinery in Greenock was on Wed-
, sesday HUrecoe totally destroyed by lire, damage to the
amount of 90,0001. befog bone.