The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-01 00:00:00

THE UNITED STATES.

(new AN OCCASIONAL COINISPONDINT.)
PHILADELPHIA, DEc. 13.
The feeling throughout the errantry now is one of
intense excitement and anxious depteesion. Money
—the mercury of the political barometer—is maroon
securities of all kinds have fallen ; a loan of the
central government cannot be negotiated ; and the
United States Treasury is empty. Howell Cobb, to
whose incapacity, and I may add, in the opinion of
the people, political unfaithfulness, this is due, has
resigned and returned to Georgia to preach d isuoion
the only thing which ought to save his bead. In
Washington the greatest terror prevails. It is felt
that the slightest spark may kindle an tuiquench-
able flame. In Philadelphia, the most conserva-
tive city in the Union, and the last tube influenced
by political excitements, old men shake their heads
significantly and expect the worst.
There can scarcely be a doubt that before March,
if not before January,South Carolina, George,
and perhaps Florida, and Alabama, will
have withdrawn from the Union. The most re-
liable men who arrive at Washington from the two
first states consider secession to be inevitable ; and
private letters confirm their reßorta. Business in
those states has almost ceased. The legislatures are
passing threatening and incendiary resolutions, and
providing for the defence of Southern prin-
ciples. The citizens are arming and dial-
ling. South Carolina expects to have an
available force of about 70,000 men; but
where she will obtain the means to support them
remains to be seen. The Western States refuse her
provisions on credit, and she cannot give money.
One of the strongest grounds for believing that
South Carolina and Georgia will withdraw is the
fact that most of their merchants owe large debts
in the North, which a dissolution will enable them
to repudiate.
, The principal source of danger is felt by all
parties to be that of a collision with the United
States authorities, and this it will be the policy of
the seceding States tO force, if not during Bnchanan's
administration, at the commencement of Lincoln's.
Such an event would instantly oommand the co-
operation of the whole South, for I suppose that
no slave State, however partial to the Union, would
suffer a Northern array to pars through her terri-
tories. The effects of a single encounter with the
governmental officers are too appalling to contem-
plate. The terrors of a civil war in which the morn
intense passions would be aroused, the probabilities
of a servile insurrection to add its horrors, the
possibility of an uprising of the untamed famine-
stricken moles of our large cities, present a prospect
for the future from which we turn with shuddering
dread. He who reigns over all—the Great Ruler
of nations—alone reads the future so terrible and
inscrutable to us. May He in His mercy avert—in
the nineteenth century, from a ohristian country—.
• struggle worthy of the darkest ages of mankind.
To inspire the Southern mind with confidence,
and endeavour, if uof too late, to induce the ineur-
rectionista to stay their contemplated prooeproceedings,
the city of Philadelphia has taken the lead in messi
sures of conciliation by a public expression of her
sentiments. An assembly of all the citizens was
convened by the mayor, acting under the advice of
the principal citizens, to meet in the square oppo-
site the State-honse--the scene of the Declaration
of Independence. The houses of business were
closed during the hours of the meeting, the courts
did not sit, union flags floated from the public
buildings, hotels, and private dwellings, while every
available stitch of bunting crowded the ropes of the
vermeils in the harbour. I have not long re-
turned from the meeting. The numbers were
immense and the cheering for the union enthu-
siastic. It is not improbable that 30,000 people
visited the square during the proceedings, who did
not stay owing to the chilliness of the weather and
dampness of the ground. I estimated that about
8,000 occupied the space in front of the stand at
one time.
Several prominent men, among whom was a jus-
tice of the Supreme Court, addressed the assembled
maw; the most friendly resolutions were passed,
and a convention of the states recommended. Since
then, I understand, a committee has been appointed
to visit the South, and tenure the seceding states
of the goodwill of our citizens—their readiness to
expunge from the statute-book any objectionable
laws and to enforce the provisions of the Fugitive
Slave Bill. But the feeling expressed by those
with whom I have conversed is, that it is too late
to mend matters. From the land accounts, South
Caroline will be out of the union in five days,
and you may expect at any moment news of the
most startling character. Mass meetings therefore
are not likely to effect any change in the intentions
of South Carolina. One of our greatest lawyers
here sagely remarked that, "Town meetings do not
stop revolutions."
Before dosing I may refer to one matter of pecu-
liar interest to your readers and to the govern-
ment . • and I can do so the more freely because it
has already been broached by one of the city papers.
I mean the possibility should the disunion prin-
ciple be established. that Maine, whose interests
and prosperity are intimately connected with
Canada, will attach herself to that noble colony.
Should this occur, it will give to Canada
what she so much ,needs, a winter seaboard,,
and constitute her in every respect one of
the finest countries in the world. I cannot
but think, however that the true policy at
Fm,gland will be to sustain the Northern states in
their separate sovereignty, and maiLtainnsg with
them ever the most friendly and fraternal intercourse,
to secure their goodwill and establish an alliance at
which despotism shall tremble and under whose
Care liberty shall be fostered.

Dec. 14.
The telegraphs of this morning import a better
feeling, in consequence of the concessive amend-
ments to the eonstitutionproposed in the commit-
tee appointed to confer on the President's weeder
and the state of the connta7. But the North will
hear of no concelaions beyond what hare already
bee n yielded, and the hope arising from tins news
is slight. •