The Express.
London, England, 1861-12-09 00:00:00

NEWS FROM THE SOUTH.

The Richnuna Inquirer, in an article on the
arrest of Masers. Mason and Slidell, says :
This extraordinary act of the Liacoln government must be
followed by important consequences. It is imponsible for

the English government without disgrace to fail to exact
the fullest reparation. If Commode'. Wilkes acted under
orders we do not see how Lincoln can possibly escape the
most serious complications with the English government. If
it be said that England, in 1812, claimed the right of
visitation of our national vessels and seizure of
our subjects on board, it will be replied that
oar government denied the right and resisted it with war,
and that England in consequence abandoned the practice.
Nay, so sensitive have we and so deferential has England
since been on this point, that even suspected slavers sailing
under oar flag have been protected by it from English
visitation, although we agreed with England in denouncing
the slave trade as piracy. Can England, after conceding
all this to our claim, and after hav:og so long
abandoned the exercise, if she has not disavowed
the right of visitation and !leisure, now submit to the hard.
ships of • theory the benefit of which was denied her, and
th►t, too, at the bands of the government which denied it??
Will she allow what still claims to be the government of the
United States to have the benefit and herself the dived.
vantage of both sides of the question? It is not possible.
England has acknowledged us to be a belligerent power,
and declared that she would maintain a neutrality. To
allow her mail steamer to be stopped on the ocean, and
persons taken from under the protection of her Sag by a
jurisdiction as to whose quarrel she is neutral, is as much
at war with all her practice and traditions IPA it is opposed
to her honour. England, like America, has ever been a
house of refuge among the nations, and a stranger under
her flag has always found the protection due to her own
subjects extended with all the generous sensitiveness of an
honourable host. Lincoln will have to apologise and re-
store the status, or fight. We sae no other alternative.

The Richmond Enquirer says that the Confederate
Congress has waled a bill for the removal of the
capital from Richmond to Nashville, and that the
Congress will soon assemble there.
The same paper confirms the statement of the
arrival of the steamer Fingal at Savannah.
THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA AND THE
UNION TROOPS.
The Panama Sta► and Herald of November 14
says :

A curious question as to the right of the United Stair
government to transport prisoners morose this Isthmus
arose on the ordeal of the steamer Orizaba at Shia
port from San Francisco, on the sth instant. It appears
that the day previous, on reaching port, Dr. Ger:ri, ez-Se•
nator for California, Calhoun Benham, and J. Brent, being
inspected of secession principle', their beggage was searched
at the suggestion of General Stunner, commanding
the United States land forces in the Pacific, who was pas.
"eager on board, who also ordered their arrest as political
offend's'''. On the animal of the steamer at this poet, friends
of Dr. Gwin informed the governor of the matter, at the
same time soliciting his interference to prevent the trees-
portation of the prisoners across the Isthmus, it being neutral
territory. General Herron, the New Grenadian minister to
Washington, concurred in the opinion that this govern-
cost should not permit political prisoners of a foreign
power to be sent over the road, consequently the governor
declared his intention to have them set ►t liberty on their
lasting. To effect this he sent all the force at his die.
Iposel to the railroad station, but the prisoners were aot
landed until the morning of the 6th, when the governor
again sent the police fore' to the station, with instructions
to the officer in command to demand their release. This
was done, and deduced by General Sumner peremptorily.
The polite ofibier, with a force of some 40 men, could not,
of course, offer resistance to 503 United States troops,
and General Sumner was ocioniquently at Ebert; to take his
primers with him. We learn that the governor hat
malted his protest against the proceeding, and that the
question has been referred to Washington.
Different opinions, mooring to the different feelings
prejudices of people, ►ave been expreesed in regard to the
right of the United States in this matter ; sad it may be a
very nice question. If might makes right, General Stunner was
certainly right for he had force enough to fight his way
aerate, and he carried hie point ; but as the matter hat
been sent to Washington and will undoubtedly be ably dis-
owned by the representative of New Cirenadathers, we shall
refrain from giving any opinion on the matter, and wait
patiently the decision width shall be rendered there in
reference thereto.

By late intelligence from Santa F 4 we learn
that New Mexico will furnish at once the 12,000
militia called for by the government to garrison
the different poste in that territory.

(LATESI' BY TELEOBAPH TO HALIFAX.)

NEW YORK, Nov: 28.

Beaufort w* still unoccupied on the 20th lust.
The Federsls have taken the Island of Tybee, at
the mouth of the Savannah river.

Commerce in Missouri below St. Louis will be
conducted by the Federal Government only.
A despatch in the New York Times states that
the withdrawal of the Fedural forces from Western
Virginia has commenced.
HALIFAX, Nov. 29.
H.M.S. Himalaya, from Portsmouth, arrived
here on the 26th inst.