The Express.
London, England, 1861-12-10 00:00:00

RUSSIA.

Le Nord publishes the text of an imperial ordi-
nance dated 12th (24th) November, creating a
council of ministers, and says :
Though the system it inangonAss be still incomplete, it
must be roasidered as making an epoch in Ramie, and °pee-
ing • new era. Henceforth there are in that country, not
minister. only but • ministry, which mercenarily implies two
i facts of high mportance, responsibility, sod that a joint
responsibility. Let these two fact. be accomplished roe.
scientiously, and Russia will have passed, without noise
and without troubles, through the first and most difficult
stages in the path of self-government, the approach to
which has been so perilous and terrible for many other
tuitions. The priociple of ministerial responsibility cannot
exist to any substantial purpose without the representative
system. The two are bound together, and complementary
one of the other. In fact, ow correspondent informs us
that the Council of the Empire the highest consultative
institution of the reamaroby, Is about to undergo a funda-
mental reorpnisatioe. That assembly, the attributions of
which would be milarged by the contemplated measure,
would themieforth porno a legislative character ; a certain
publicity would be given to its debates by means et the
prase, and new menthe's, taken from without the boundary
of the official and bureaucratic; world, would be admitted
into it.

THE CAPTURE OF MR. LAURENS AND
THE BRIG MERCURY.

In the arguments brought forward by American
writers to justify the boarding of the Trent, the
capture of Mr. Henry Laurens is confidently ap-
pealed to, the allegation being male that be, being
an envoy of the American Congress, was taken out
of a Dutch vessel, the Mercury, by Captain Keppel.
This last statement is essential to the case, as the
parallel can only be made out by showing that he
was seized on board a neutral ship. Mr. George
Sumner, iu his letter which we printed last Wed-
nesday, founds his argument on the supposed fact
that the Mercury was Dutch. Mr. Sumner's words
are—

During the war of the Revolution, Henry Laurens, former
President of Congress, was sent as minister to Holland, with
instructions to secure the recognition of our independence,
to conclude a treaty, and to negotiate a loan in that country.
He remained a long time at Charleston, seeking Mein* to
reach his destination, and finally, in February, 1780, went
on board the Adriana, a fast-riling brigantine, the master
of which engaged, in spite of the British fleet, to carry him
to Martinique. It was not until August that ha took pump
for Holland in a Dutch packet, the Mercury. In a letter to
Congress, written on board the British frigate Vessel, 14th
September, 1780. Laurens describes the capture of the
packet when three days out—the seisure of his papers, hie
arrival on board the Vestal at St. John's, Newfoundland,
and the order of the admiral commanding to send him, his
secretary, and the captain of the packet aa prisoners to
England. Holland was then • neutral power.

Mr. Sumner's statements and reasoning have been
frequently repeated during the last fortnight, and
last of all, by our Boston correspondent. They
have, however, been refuted by English autho-
rities, showing that the Mercury was not a Dutch
but an American ship. It is very desirable, how-
ever, that the truth should be established by
American testimony, and happily this can be
done. A correspondent of the Boston Courier
communicates to that paper extracts from a printed
copy of " A Narrative of the Capture of Henry
Laurens," purporting to be written by himself, which
settles conclusively the question of the nationality
of the vessel on board of which Mr. Laurens was
when captured. Mr. Laurens says

I was oOluatesiosed by Coegrew to wowed to Hollaad,
and eedeareer to borrow money weber* in Europe, on
account al the United Stake of America.

There befog none of the frigates of the United States in
port, I embarked at Philadelphia, the 14th of August,
1780, or board the brigantine Mercury, a packet belonging
to Congrue, commanded by Captain William Pickle. ; a
vessel with good acomumodatioo, and esteemed an exixdlent

sea-boat, as fast • sailer as an y in America.

On the and of September, st the first dawn ot day, a sail
in sight was announced far to leeward. Captain Pickles
put the Mercury clew upon the wind, and had he continued
to don the strange sail would not hem come up with us ;
but hr altered his opinion and put her before the wind, her
worst sailing, especially as she wm badly ballasted with
sand. The weasel in sight altered her course also, and
about tuna o'clock began to are her bow gum. At eleven
o'clock her shot went over the Mercury, and two between
her meta. Captain Pickles then haukil dorm the American
flog. The pursuer came up, and proved to be the Vestal,
British frigate, 21 guns, commanded by Captain George
Koppel. _ -

It will be seen by Mr. Laurens' own account
that he embarked from Philadelphia in an Ame-
rican packet, and not from Martinique in a Dutch
packet. There is, therefore, no wallel between
the cue of the Mercury and that of the Trent. We
bad the satisfaction of knowing this before : we
have now the additional satisfaction of knowing
that the Americans know it.

Au American paper says :—"Taking Quebec
garrisons sod the Upper Town into just coondera-
non, it may be deemed one vast fortrcas—can-
Don, eoldiers, shot, and shell meeting you at
every turn. Even old cacaos are used as posts in
common in Upper Town. It is to all latest. and perpaem
• complete fortification, and to have a just 000teptio• or
its strength and impregnability it most be seen. The militia
of Quebec, like the militia throughout Canada, are meth:tn.
ally drilling."