The Express.
London, England, 1861-05-08 00:00:00

AMERICA.

PRIVATE LETTERS.
The following are extracts from the letter of an
American lady just received :

New York, April 22.

We have all been so much occupied with national affairs
the past two weeks that every other subject almost is ex-
cluded. I cannot begin to give you any idea of the intense
excitement that prevails here, but will only begin to sketch
a little of it. Yon might almost imagine yourself in a
foreign country if you could 1141 the groups of
people msemblcd in the streets ; soldier; moving
about, recruit' mustering at different stations, and
the departure from the city of the regular troops for %eh-
inseam It is really a curious sight—and a wonderful sight
for New York. The steamer, which left on Saturday last,
has taken out the full accounts, probably, of the great
union mass meeting which took place on Saturday. If oath*
Persia of Wednesday evening will. Such another metes never
has been witnessed in New York. I cannot pretend to
describe it; suffice it that our poor country is in a most
distracted and unhappy state, and now it seems impossible
to tell where it will all end. We had a window in Fermi-
man's-buildings in Fourteenth-rarest on Saturday, and such
a crowd never was seen in New York. Four large platforms
were erected, and speeches made from each. On the gate-
way of the park people stood and harangued the mace. On
the steps and from the windows of P's-buildings oleo, people
spoke to the crowd, and as for the display of booting, flags,
kc., it exceeded any description. Not a private house, or
even church, store, or anything, but is covered
with lags, and every creature—man, woman, and child—
wears a rosette or tricoloured ribbon. Yeeterday (Sunday)
wee no Sunday : people were too much excited to think of
church. In some churches " The Star-spangled Banner*
was sung. On Saturday evening I was at the Philharmonic
Concert Academy of Music It was so crowded that there
was scarcely a steadies place left. Some one called
for " The Star-spangled Banner," and it was played by the
orchestra, and sung by the whole house standing. After-
ward, immense cheering for fifteen minutes.
The old lag-staff was placed in the hands of the statue
of Washington, Unionsquare, on Saturday. The glorious
7th Regiment, or National Guard, the pride of New York,
left here last Monday. It is composed of young men from
the best families in the city ; and was truly a sad sight.
E— is among them—his mother feels dreadfully. • • •
There is no reliable communication between the north and
south. Railroad bridges are torn down—telegraph south
of Washington in the hands of the southerners, and above
in the heeds of our government Of course you will read
all the accounts of the evacuation of Fort Sumter by Major
Anderson. I had a good look at him today on Broadway—
he walking along quietly, but soon it was known that Major
A. was on the pave, and such • shouting, cheering—end soon
he was surrounded and unable to go on. Be is to have a
tidal, a mock one, of course. All I hope is that the south
will get such a whipping that they won't forget in one while.

The folio • is an extract of a letter from a
gentleman in n, to his brother in
Glasgow, dated April 23 :

My dear Brother —I have your lines of sth April, re.
wired yesterday. Your remarks about the inefficiency of
our government come at a time when the government le
patting forth every energy to sustain itself, backed up by
the united yoke of all the free states, with a rushing to
arms with such promptinr and eslerityas astooishea every.
one. The call of the President was segued on the 15th
and ere six days had elapsed Massachusette had called
r sad sent forward four regiment+, one of which was
together sod sent forward four regiments, one of which wee
m Washington within four days (a distance of 700 miles),
but mot ell some bad fallen and their blood been abed in
the streets of Baltimore by the mob. This was on the an.
nivireary of the 19th April, 1775, when the fint blood of
Massachusetts was shed in the war of the revolution. I
seed you some papers which will give you the latest news.
I lune never seen our people so united and determined.
The free states are united shoulder to shoulder : every
press, every pulpit are so. Money is poured out like water.
Tines hundred millions of dollars have been offered to the
government by New York and Boston alone. Our city is
full of military passing south. Brother L.'s son George hie
lieutenant of a fine volunteer company ; he
Cebeles a cadet, is well drilled, and fully equal to the post.
My son-in-law, Mr. 8., is going as lieutenant-colonel of
Zoaaves this week ; he has studied and practised military
tactics several years, end is very accomplished. The enthu•
Bean is unbounded, the fading sod action united and
intense all over the north.

The following extract of a private mercantile
letter from New York draws an instructive picture
of the lamentable rage for war which has seized
all classes of American society, and which has
turned even the soberest heads :

Although quotations ere given above and miss have been
made, yet within the past three days matters have come to
• stand still. We are compelled to give a gloomy account
of the present and of prorpecth for the future. For the
first time iu the history of this country, the capital (Wash.
ington) is threatened by • large army of rebels. Telegraph
and postal communication is wholly suspended with the
South; all points south of Baltimore being is the hands of
I the reboil. The government is straining every nerve to
stem the tide of tradition, anarchy, and revolution. Oar
city and State are full of armed men all pouring to the war.
Fifty thousand men are expected to be in Washington
within a week. New York has itself sent 7,000 men. On
Sunday tables were placed on the side walk to sign the
names of volunteers ma. Churches were unattended. The
city and shipping are in a blaze with the stars and stripes.
Ninety men out of • hundred have rosettes of red, white,
and blue covering the hat, breast, or coat. Private houses
are covered with Sags. Enthusiasm is at fever heat. Ten
times the men that can be taken offer their services. Mir.
chants, mechanics; darks, lawyers, labourers, clergymen,
brokers, all are going or gone. Young men are giving their
employees ten mteutee notice, and the employers are con.
tinning pay and blew until their return. Gentlemen worth
a million dollars are going as privates. All differences of
position or opinion are ignored. Money is freely and lib'.
rally supplied for the war. The pluck of the Anglo-Saxon
North is roused. We are all agreed to put. down trams
and rebellion and to support our government

THE CONGREGATIONAL UNION OP ENGLAND AND
WAlNa.—The annual assembly of this important body wee
held yesterday morning at Falcon-square Chapel. Thalia%
G. 8. Minll, the president of the Union for the current
year, read an important paper upon the present especte of
congregationalism in relation to other bodies. The Rev.
G. Bmitb, the secretary of the Union, read the animal
report, which, after some remarks by Dr. Vaughan, wee
adopted. The Rev. 8. Martin was appointed chairman of
the Union for the next year. The minutes and delegate*
having dined together, Mr. S. Morley moved a resolution.
urging the friends of the Union to use their influence with
the liberal members of parliament to frustrate the designs
of the advocates of church-rates, and to effect the imme-
' dime abolition of au impost so unjust and so uoscriptural
in its character. The resolution was seconded by the Rev.
R. Ashton, and was unanimously agreed to.
R•donti CHURCH AND CHAPEL UNION.—Lot
evening the eighth annual meeting of the supporters of
this union was held at Exeter-ball, the Earl of Shaftesbury
in the chair. On the platform were Mr. Joseph Payne. Dr.
Adams, Rev. Mr. Baynes, Rev. Mr. Barker, and other&
The secretary, read the report, which regretted that, not,
withstanding the work to be done, the union bad not se-
cured that amount of support it had a right to expect from
the Christian and philanthropic public. After giving • short
account of the labour and difficulties the institution bad to
contend with, the report concluded with en earnest appeal
to the friendsof the movement for extended support. The
chairman rose and said, he for one, notwithstanding the
despondiog tone of the report, did not feel discouraged.
He looked on this union as the necessary sequel to the
ragged school movement, and by perseverance on the art
of its friends he had no doubt it would ultimately
be as succemful. They had only to look at the greet
improvement in the conduct of the poorest portion of
the working close, am evinced by their behaviour at the
religious services in the theatres, and at the open-air preach-
ing& Formerly, their behaviour would have been noisy sod
blasphemous, now It was attentive and reverent. This was
owing to the exertions of such mottles as this. Let them not,
therefore, be discouraged. The uol,le lord coucludid by
pledging himself to unite his exertions with the committee
of the union to make those labours more succesaful. Tt•
chairman having left the chair, his place wan filled
by Mr. Joseph Payne. The adoption of the report was
moved by the Rev. Mr. Baynes, incumbent of Whitechapel•
and seconded by the Rev. Mr. Barker, baptist, of Black•
friars-read, and carried. Several other gentlen.es having
addreaned the meeting, it separated after a collection for
the funds of the union, and • vote of thanks to the
chairman.

ETAT TEMPERANCE DEMONESTRATION AT EXETIIII-
itALL—The order of the ".Sons of the Ploenix," a society
of teetotallers, formed on the model of the Foresters ;tad
Orldfellowe lodges, in conjunction with the " Rocbabites,"
• society of females on the same system, held a temperance
demonstration in the large mom at Exeter-ball last even
lag. The body of the hall was well filled by the "Beebe-
bite" sisters, while the raised rent* cud platform were
occupied by the " ?hinds " brethren, who mustered
at:only, wearing their regalia. Mr. John Gunn" coals
whipper, presided and after • very sensible speech, deacrib-
tog hem fanner stale, sad the blessings he had experienced
thee 15 Pews' teetotalism, was followed by Messrs. Hoskin,.
Holt, Smyth, Grandy, Palmer, Allen, Wilson, and Reynolds.
members of various trade., who oarrolx.rated the chairs
mares remarks. The meeting was brought to a close by
the singing of a temperance hymn. The proo.‘ediugs ware
arranged and conducted entirely by working moo, and were
characterised by strict order throughout.
RIMPENING or Tilt BRTTISH DirsErm.—This Jay
the British Museum was reopened to the public-7d)s
walkers! collections as well as the reading-room. after he'll
been closed for the anal spring recess since WelneelaY
last.