The Express.
London, England, 1861-12-27 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER

his reign has NsroixoN 111. acted at home and
abroad so much in accordance with our ideas of
sound and elevated policy as he has recently
done. The mode in which the Commercial Treaty
has been steadily worked out, regardless of cla-
mour on his side of the Channel, and misrepce•
sentation on ours ; the gradual concession of con-
stitutional forms and financial rights, coupled with
the avowal of a necessity for retrenchment in
armaments ; and finally, the honourable and
far-sighted course pursued in reference to America
—all these render us less disposed than ever to
dwell on its grave faults and still worse nature and
origin. But we cannot witness the exhibition of such
an act of weakness as " the warning" sent to the
Jo,,rtial des Dihats without regret. NAPOLFA)N 111.
owes everything he has, or hopes his son may have
hereafter, to the manifestation of high courage
and of imperturbable &immunity in the midst of
enemies. How is it that he does not make up
his mind not to be afraid of the press ?

THE REPLY FROM AMERICA.

- 0---

It is now pretty certain that the despatches for
Lord Lyons on the affair of the Trent cannot have
reecho' Washington before the lfith, as the Europa,
which took them out, passed Cape Race on the 13th
inst. Mr. !lowan', it is understood, would have
notice of those despstches for a couple or three days
before they were delivered to him in due form, and
then a week was to be allowed before the final
answer of the Federal government was required.
This would bring the time ap to the 24th or 25th,
on which latter flay the Europa was to leave Boston,
to arrive in England on the tith proximo.
The Africa, which will be due on Monday, will
bring news from New York op to the 18th inst. ;
that is, two or three days after the Europa would
be almost certain to arrive nut. The Iles patch of
M. Thuuvenel on the affair of the Trent, dated the
3rd nod. was probably sent out by the Teutonis
or the day of Washington, which left England
on the 4th inst., and would reach New York on
the 18th inst. General Scott, who left England in
the Arago on the 11th, would reach New York
just about the time for the final answer of the
Federal government to be given to Lord Lyons.
The steamers New York, Anglo-Saxon, and the
Glasgow will be due the latter end of next week,
and will bring news up to the 21st inst. The
Hausa took out the London journals of the 27th
ult., the day after the news of the Trent affair ar-
rived in England.

INTELLIGENCE.

THE DESPATCH TO LORD LYONS.

A Hamburg letter of Tuesday says :
" Yesterday the English merchants held a meet-
ing in the Assurance Saloon of the Bourse ; Mr.
John Ward, the English charge' d'affaires, in the
chair, fur the purpose of voting an address of con-
dolence to the Queen. At this meeting Mr. John
Ward, after giving sonic explanations about
the Nashville, read Earl Russell's note
to Lord Lyons on the affair of the Trent.
This despatch is worded with great moderation. It
describes the seizure of the Southern couuniassioners
in the terms of Captain Williams's report to the
Admiralty. It makes no mention of the opinions
of the law officers of the crown, of which so much
has been said in the newspapers, but simply and
explicitly characterises the capture of the commis-
sioners as au infraction of the law of nations,
and an insult to the English flag. It de-
clams that the cabinet of St. James's, con-
sidering the friendly and cordial character of
its relations with the United States, cannot doubt
for an instant that the captain of the Situ Jacinto
must have acted without authority from hi, govern-
ment, and feels confident that the latter will not
husitate to take the only step possible under the
circumstances—namely, to release the prisoners

without delay, awl to make suitable reparation for
the insult offered to the British flag.

STUTTOARD.

It has been mentioned that the Fint Chamber
at Btuttgard had adopted the Catholic Church Bill
in the form definitively adopted by the Chamber
of Deputies. The article relating to the jesuits
ran thus :

" Nevertheless the government shall not in any
case have the right to permit the order of the
jeauits, or any order or congregation allied to it, to
settle in the country without being authorised
thereto by a law."

In the same sitting the bill providing that ci%il
rights are independent of religious persuasion was
passed by 24 votes to 14. The effect of this bill is
to emancipate the Jews.

AMERICA.

NEW YORE, Dec. 14.
(Per City of Baltimore, vii Queenstown
and Liverpool.)
The New York Herald of to-day, in reviewing the
situation, says :
The official report of General Harvey Brown relative to
the late brilliant fight et Fort Pickens is given in full is
our columns to-day. It is a plain, succinct, and soldierly
statement of the whole affair, and confirms it an an un-
doubted victory for the Union arms. Fort Pickens remains
unhurt. Fort IPltaii was sadly shattered by our fire, and
the town of Warrington and part of the Pensacola navy-
yard were burned.

Intelligence from Frankfort, Kentucky, reached Cincin-
nati yesterday that the Union men were in hourly expecta-
tion of an attack by a Confederate force, numbering from
8,000 to 15,000 men, while only 5,000 Union troops' were
there to resist them.

General Thomas was pressing on to take Zollicoffer in the
rear, but from reports just received that the letter was re-
treating, after some short picket fighting, it was feared that
General Thomas would not nucceed in outflanking him.
General Crittenden was said to be at Cumberland Gap
with 15,000 men. Twelve of the mortar boats attached to
the Mississippi Union squadron left St. Louis for Cairo on
the morning of the 10th.
The commerce of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers has
been plead under strict military surveillance, and no boat
will be allowed to take freight or passengers unless commis-
sioned by the military authorities. All owners of boats sod
officers thereof must take the oath of allegiance to the
United States gavernmenß This measure has been adopted
by Gee. Hillock, in order to prevent aid or communication
of aay kind being carried out with the vessels.
The latest news from General Price places him still at
Osceola, with from 10,000 to 15,000 men, intending in a few
days to move northward. General Slack's division has
crossed the Osage river, sod another division was crossing on
Friday last.

Prom Bt. Joseph (Mo.), Dec. 12, intelligence iv received
that General Prentis'a command was to move from Platte
City to Richfield on the 11th inst.

"A rumour reaches us (New York Herald) that
thet Confederate government had decided to send
to Europe Messrs. J. C. Breckenridge and Hunter,
of Virginia, but that our government having been
informed of this intention, warned the agents of
the line against conveying the rebel emissaries,
and that passage for those individuals was accord-
ingly refused."
This report comes from Halifax, and it is stated
that Mr. Cunard denies that he has received any
such warning.
Referring to the Trent affsir, the New York
Herald considers that, after the first burst of pas-
sion, England will look at the case atluily, and see
that the Federal government bas only been acting
on a law established by England herself. The Herold
anticipates also that France, from her jealousy of
England, will view the act of Commander Wilkes
with satisfaction.

The New Turk Timm of the 14th inst. argues that
the earliest and most irritating impression was
produced in England by the error that Captain
Wilkes acted upon direct instructions from the
Federal government. " When, however, the British
government and people learn that the act of Captain
Wilkes was only approved in the United States
after it was shown to have been done on his own
responsibility, and with every reservation of re-
spect and observance towards the English ;" the
New Turk Times considers that the matter will be
placed in a very different and much milder light.
The New Turk Tinos also has an article stating
that the accounts of the capture of Messrs. Mason
and Slidell were exaggerated, and says :
A

of what was said by the " Parser
of the Treat at Sea," and what by the officers
of the La Plata ashore, shows that beyond an
unverified and improbable story of Captain Wilkes
having after the seizure ordered Captain Moir
to go aboard the San Jacinto, and lay his vessel
closer to that audacious man-of-war, there is no
distinct allegation that the right of search was not
exercised with the utmost conceivable delicacy. And it
is enough to disprove the single charge referred to
that almost in the same breath with which Lieutenant
Fairfax is said to have communicated the arbitrary com-
mands of his superior, that officer is stAted by
the same report to have authorised Captain
Moir to proceed on his voyage, a liberty he could not have
exercised had he been charged with the preceding but
apocryphal instructions.

The eame journal quotes from Lieutenant Fair-
fax's report in reference to the conduct of Com-
mander Williams. Lieutenant Fairfax sap :

The mail agent, who is a retired commander in the
British navy, seemed to have • great deal to say as to the
propriety of my course, but I purposely avoided all official
intercourse with him. When I finally was leaving the
steamer be made some apology for his rude conduct, and
expreseed personally hie approval of the manner in which
I had carried out my instructions.

The journal is of opinion that the above consider-
ation will exercise a powerful sedative influence in
England, and says, in conclusion :
It is only seoweery that John Bull, after admitting our
literal adherence to law, should know bow anxiously the
very appearance of insult or outrage was avoided by the
American commanders, to have the last vestige of angry
feeling quieted. Th►t is no outrage which was not only
legally executed but not discourteously designed.
GREAT FIRE IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH
CAROLINA.
FORTRESS MONROE, Dec. 13.
(vii Baltimore, Deo. 14.)

By the arrival of a flag of truce it is ascertained
that a telegraphic despatch to the Norfolk Day-
book, from Charleston, South Carolina, states that
a fire broke out in that place on Wednesday night,
which wax supposed to have been the work of an
incendiary. At the date of the last dispatch,
o'clock Thursday afternoon, the fire was still burn-
ing. The theatre in Broad-street, the Institute,
and other public buildings are stated to have been
destroyed. The fire swept across Broad-street.
Assistance was sent from Augusta.

LIVERPOOL, Tx ItRADA T.

The steamer North American, Captain Borland,
which left Portland on the 14th inst., and called
off Londonderry last night, has arrived here.
The Richmond "Acquirer says that the Southern
Congress, while in session, passed a bill admitting
Kentucky into the Confederacy. The admission is
complete, as commissionera were appointed at
Russellville; and empowered to act iu behalf of
Kentucky.
A bill has been introduced into the Confederate
Congress, prohibiting the importation of negroes
from Africa.

The Alabama House of Representatives has passed
• bill legalising the suspension of specie payment
by the Chartered Banks of the State.
The report of the superseding of General Price
by General Heath is denied.
The Governor of Mississippi has made a call
upon the inhabitants for arms.
A Cincinnati despatch states that the town of
Nashville, Tennessee, was in a high state of ex.
eiteinent on the fith and 7th inst., owing to an
attempt being made to draft citizens into the army.
The indignation of the people was intense. A
riot broke out in the Fourth Ward, and four police-
men who attempted to quell the mob were shot
dead. The mob rushed to the capitol to attack
Governor Harris, who fled to Memphis. The
papers on the next day announced that he bad
gone thither ou business.
The hospitals at Nashville are filled with the
sick. The number was estimated at from 8,000 to
10,000. The prevailing diseases were small-pox
and pneumonia. The troops front Texan, Louisiana,
and Mississippi suffered most.

27, 1861.

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

Ivor ou. owl,

PARIS, TIMADAT Evmac.

The Cm•ruporulamee Bet'her speaks of a rumour
that an attempt had been made to assassinate
General de Goyon at Rome, and that one of his
aides-de-camp had received two poniaril wounds.
It is curious, if this news is true, that the tele-
graph should have said nothing about it—but
sometimes telegrams are suppressed.
Prince Napoleon, whose journey to London has
been repeatedly delayed by various circumstances,
will, it is now amid, positively go early in January.
IL Le Play, the president of the French commit-
tee, cannot make his arrangements for the Universal
Nahibition until the prince arrives.
The rise in Consols, occasioned on Tuesday by
M. Thouveners despatch, has not been reflected on
this Bourse, which shows great weakness. The
Rent: opened with a rise of about 10c., but lost it
when Consols came I lower, and closed at 67fr. 15c.
both for cash and account, with a fall of 10c. and
be. Mobilier fell bfr., and the Italian Loan 35c.
In railways there was scarcely any change ; Lyons
fell 2fr. 60c.

The weather yesterday and to-day has beeu more
favourable to the vendors of toys and ,Itrennes on
the Boulevards, than they have had for many
years past. There is a cheerful dry frost, not
intensely cold, with a blue sky, and little wind.
But, although a great many people are out, com-
plaints of the dulness of business are general. The
stalls where cheap articles are sold do better
than the shops. There is skating in the basins of
the Tuileries.

A banker of Rennes, M. T—, committed
suicide in a bath on Friday last.
According to despatches received to-day in Paris
the Spanish force before Vera Cruz consists of 36
ships, and 8,000 troops fur landing. It continues
to be supposed that Marshal Serrano suddenly
quitted Havannah in ignorance of the convention
by virtue of which France, England, and Spain
were to act together.
The Corriere Mereantik of Genoa announces the
rare occurrence that all along the coast of that
province the fruit-trees, having previously blos-
somed for the second time this year, are now laden
with a second crop of fruit. As the country
people, however, do not expect to see it ripen,
they are now gathering it for the purpose of
selling it to the confectioners for candying.
I Apples and pears have attained the size of a
walnut, and plums h►lf or a third of their usual
size. Under the mild climate of Genoa the cir-
cumstance of fruit-trees blossoming a second time
is of frequent occurrence ; but there are a few
instances on record of such second blossoms
becoming fruit