The Express.
London, England, 1866-02-23 00:00:00

PRESIDENT JOHNSON AND THE

NEGROFA.

A delegation of coloured representatives from
different btates of America now in Washington to
urge the interests of the coloured people before the
government had an interview with President John-
son on the 7th inst. Among the members of the
delegation was Frederick Douglass. The President
shook hands with him first, and then with each of
the other members. The first speaker (Mr. G. T.
Donning) who addressed the President said that
the coloured people were not satisfied with the
amendment prohibiting slavery, but wished it to be
enforced by appropriate legislation. They cherished
the hope that they might be fully enfranchised, not
in one district alone, but throughout the land ;
anything less than that would be lees than their
just due.
On the day succeeding that on which this inter-
view took place, the delegation published a reply to
the President, in which they state their belief that
the views and opinions he had expressed were
"entirely unsound," and prejudicial to the highest
interests of the negro race and of the country. They
take exception to his attempt to base a policy ad-
verse to the enfranchisement of the blacks upon an
alleged hostility of the former slaves to the poor
whites of the South. They urge that he commits
an error in drawing an argument from an incident
of a state of slavery, and making it a basis for a
policy adapted to a state of freedom. They add :
Hardee, even it were true, as you allege, that the
hostility of the blacks toward the poor whites
must necessarily be the same in a state of freedom as in a
state of slavery, in the name of Heaves, we reverently ask,
how can you, in view of your professed desire to promote
the welfare of the black man, deprive him of all means of
defence, and clothe him whom you regard as his enemy in
the panoply of political power? Can it be that you would
recommend a policy which would arm the strong and cart
down the defenceless? Can you by any possibility of reason-
ing regard this as just, fair, or wise ? Experience proves
that thews are of Menet abused who can be abused with the
greatest impunity. Mee an, whipped °Betted who are
whipped easiest. Peace bet ease races is not to
be secured by degrading one rue and exalting
another; by giving power to one race and with-
holding it from another ; but by maintaining estate of
equal justice between all parties. On the colonisation
theory that you were pleased to broach very much could be
said. It is impossible to suppose, in view of the usefulness
of the bleak man in time of peace as a labourer in the
Beath and in time of war as a soldier at the North, and
the growing respect for bis rights among the people, and
his increasing adaptation to a high state of civilisation in
this his native land, there can ever come a time when he
can be removed from this country without a terrible shock
to its prosperity and peace. Besides, the worst enemy of
the nation could not oast upon its fair name a greater
infamy than to suppose that negroes could be tolerated
them in a state of the most degradiog slavery and
oppresssioe, and must he cut away and driven into exile for
no other cause than having been freed from their chains.

THE RECIPROCITY TREATY.

FAILURE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS AT
WASHINGTON.

The Toronto Globe of the Bth instant says
that there seems no reason to doubt that
tht final offer for the renewal of the Reci-
procity Treaty, made by Messrs. Galt and How-
land to the American government, has been re-
jected, and that the Washington negotiations are
at an end. It congratulates the colony that the
proposals of the United States have not been ac-
cepted, and expresses its opinion that the abolition
of the treaty must lead to the speedy confederation
of all the British American provinces.

CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS.—MALTA, FED. 22.
—The Poonab leaves at noon tc-elay for Marseilles, where
she may be expected on the 25th inst. The Mongolia left
at 8 a.m. to-day for Southampton, where she may be ex-
pected on the 3rd March. Outward Bombay Mail : The
Para, from Southampton on the 12th, reached Malta yes.
lierday at noon, and left at midnight for Alexandria.
THE BOMBAY (HEAVY) MAIL.—GIBRALTAR, FEB.
21.—The Massilia left here for Southampton at 8 a.m. to-
day ; 'seethe. good ; all well.
Qumesrowe, FRB. 22.—The Inman steamship
Etna, from New York on the 10tb iost,, arrived here at
IL3O p.m. to-day, with the mails, 115,882 dole. in specie,
and 123 passengers. She landed 19 of the latter, and pro-
ceeded at IL4O p.m. for Liverpool, Her news has been
anticipated.
SOUTHAMPTON, FRB. 22.—The North German
Lloyd steamship New York, Captain von Oterendorp, from
New York on the 10th instant, bee arrived. She brings
139 bags of mails, of which 41 bags are for London, and
129 ngers for thisport, Havre, and Bremen. The
New York brings on freight for England 111 bars of silver,
value 1133,500 dole., and gold value 63452 dole. ; and for
Bremen a fall cargo of general merchandise.
SOCIETY FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE FINE
Airm—Let evening Mr. Thomas Temple delivered an
interesting lecture on " The English ArtifiaLkl School of
Comedy," in which, after explaining his definition of the
term " be illustrated his messing by reference
to the works of Etberage, Wycherley, Congrevo,
brush. Farquhar, Farquhar, Goldsmith, and Sheridan, from whose
principal works be read examples. The lecture pve great
satisfaction to a numerous a many of whose task
past in an animated disson which it gave rise be.