The Express.
London, England, 1861-06-01 00:00:00

TO TIT =WOE or TIT 11101116
NEW YORK, Xhr 18.
Snt,—The present condition of our public affairs
is precisely this. There are w and near Washing-
ton more than 00,000 troops, and 100,000 more eve
mustered at various oti er points ready to be in the
field in thirty days. Half of them are even sow in
marching. order. Large reinforcements have been
thrown into Fort M'Henry, Fort Pickens, and
Fort Mouros, and they are supposed to be im-
pregnable. The blockade is thoroughly enforced,
and quite a, number of vessel. has been captured by
our various squadrons. At Cairo we have a well-
! fortified position, with 5,000 good troops and a
large supporting force Within a few hours' distance.
It is understood that the President will make a
demonstration at Harper's Ferry or Norfolk, or
both, Withiti ► wesk or ten day!, and we think this •
quite pokble, for there is soon to be a
peopular Vote taken in Virginia on the adop-
ties of the ordinance of eeeelision, and the
Union party require to be sustained in their
attempts to attend the polls. Western Virginia
has determined to Implicit. from the Ifaareen *bore,
temporarily at least; of its own volition, till it can
be effected under the constitutional forms. It is
staunch and determined, aud. may possibly throw
an intermediate vote against secession, large
enough even to defeat it. In Missouri the United
States troops made a telling movement • few days
since, which has had its effect. Captain Lyon,
having a large body under his command at St.
Louis, by a rapid movement surrounded a collec-
tion f rebels near the city, in their encampment,
and captured them, with their generals, all their
stolen artillery and munitions of war, without
having to firs a gun. As the prisoners
were being escorted to their place of confinement,
a mob of secessionists attacked their captors, who
in self-defence turned upon and dispersed them.
Thirty-five persons were killed, and a large number
wounded ; it was a wholesome and necessary lesson,
and has had a decided effect. General Harney, of
the United States army, in a public proclamation,
approved of Captain Lyon's conduct, and has pro-
mised to repeat the lesson whenever it becomes
necessary. Missouri will not go out of the Union.
The alarm in the lower towns ou the Mississippi is
increasing. The city of Memphis has, within a
few days, lost 4,000 of its best inhabitants, who
have lied north for protection, and an expedition
is now planned to float • large body of men down
the river, recapture the principal places held by
the confederates, and finish off by recovering
New Orleans. This operating column will be re-
ceived with opeu arms, notwithstanding all the
clamour which has been made as to the
secession strength in that city. It is believed that
all these states will come back to the Union by the
voice of the majority of the people themselves, who
have been stupefied by the daring conduct ofi the
leaden of the confederates and the system of terror
inaugurated by the mobs. This is the theory on
which the war is now conducted. Do not forget
that every appeal to the people has been avoided by
most of theme seceded states. Self-elected conven-
tions have over-ridden all the previous modes of
obtaining a fair expression of public opinion. Tho
Unionists, who are the wealthy and conservative
classes, tell us secretly to come to their rescue.
Private letters from the South show well enough
that its affairs are desperate. The writers confess
that unless a recognition is given them by France
and England their cause is lost ; and this we are
sure they will not give. Some alarm was felt here at
the ambiguous use of the term " belligerents," by
Lord Derby, but the confirmed text of the speech
of Lord John Russell, and the late article in the
Morning Post dissipates every apprehension. We
migbi just as well have recognised the Sepoys, as
your country could the rebels of the South.
Our city now holds 14 regiments ready to em-
bark for the seat of war, and they are impatient at
every moment's delay. A large committee of mer-
chants went on to Washington a few days since, to
urge the immediate acceptance of all the vo-
huiteers now armed and equipped. The Pre-
sident yielded at once, and intimated if
there were any more delays he would
rectify them himself, without waitiug for his depart-
ments to act for him. Thu med.tapuits, for we have
them, do not like to be interfered with, but they
will be. Wherever there is war there will be depart-
mental abuses. We have ours. Mr. Liucolii has
shown more decision and energy than many of us
had given him credit for, and I am assured he will
be found fully equal to all emergencies by those
who know him well.

There is one thing which thrills every true
heart. It is the extraordinary spectacle of the
rapidity with which our troops have taken the
field. In Great Britain it has been a work of
several months to get yourvolunteern into the shape
of an army. With all your efforts, with every
appliance of power and patronage, even under the
stimulus of the royal favour, you have not now
ready for field service more than 150,000 men,
which is not half the number actually ready for
service that have Hocked around our national
standard in thirty days. In thirty days more half
a million of troops could be raised for active service.
This is no exaggeration—it in the actual truth. The
strongest governments in Europe could not suc-
cessfully accomplish us much in the same period of
time. Can a cause thus supported fail t Decidedly
nut.

It is understood that the foreign legations at
Washington take the same view of our affairs that
we do at the North, and I know from his Own mouth
that a distinguished Spauiali official conveys to his
government by this steamer almost the very views
of this despatch. We confidently expect that the
treaty offered us by Spain through our late charge
ad interim, Mr. Perry, will again be within our
acceptance ; and, if so, there will be no delay on our
part. We shall declare at once our intention not
to permit Cuba to be endangered by any new
filibustering expeditions, and renounce all further
attempts to obtain it by purchase or otherwise.
This will settle a disagreeable question, and give us
a most lucrative trade in place of the restricted one
we now enjoy with that island. The island govern-
ment has already placed a steam frigate, the
Borenguela, as a mail packet between New York
and Havana.

There is considerable excitement here in relation
to the subject of flax cotton. We are now able to
produce au article rivalling in beauty, colour and
strength, the best Sea Island, and to spin it by ma-
chinery as easily and well. The British Consul is
interesting himself warmly in the investigation of
its production, manufacture, and cost, and I shall
be happy to send you samples, which sill convince
the must incredulous.
P.B.—The latest news up to the time of posting
this letter is, that the British ships Monmouth and
General Parkhill were boarded off Charleston, and
ordered away from the whole coast. Another
British ship, the A. and A., from Belfast, ran into
shoal water and got safely in. She will be allowed
to depart with her return cargo unmolested.
Another gallant action has been performed in
Missouri by the government troops. Captain Cole,
with a small number of men, went at night to
sPioontrsts.4 surmThuendeniotnhenpielacn place, and
among the
the
captured were liberated, and the others marched off.
A company of secession cavalry attempting to stop
the victors on their return at De Soto, were imme-
diately routed with a loss of thirty horses.
A moat remarkable circumstance has occurred.
The marble sarcophagus in which the honoured
remains of Washington were deposited has been
stolen from the tomb at Mount Vernon, and car-
ried to Lynchburg. The rumour was doubted at
first, but it is now confirmed by a publication in
the Lynchburg paper. On the part of the seceders,
the whole war has been conducted on the Thug
principle, in violation of law, military usage, and
common humanity.—l am, dc., AMERICUS.