The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-10 00:00:00

THE AMERICAN QUESTION.

The following is
an extract from a letter addressed
-4-
to a gentleman in London, by an influential mem-
ber of the Democratic party in America, as well as
a large landed proprietor in the State of New
York :

ci 26th Dec., 1862.
"The only real question for a long time has been
the question of boundary.
" I regret that
England and France did not take
the initiative months ago, and I believe if they
would do so now,
with a programme of boundary
like the one you mark out, it would be hailed with
great satisfaction by a large majority of the people,
both North and South."

Their Royal
Highnesses the Duchess of Cam-
bridge and the Princess Mary, and his Royal Highness the
Duke of Cambridge, honoured the Duchess of Inverness
with their company at dinner last evening, at Kensington
Palace. A select party were invited to meet their royal
highnesses.
The Earl and Countess of Hardwicke, who ar-
rived in town a few days since, will leave Portman-square
on Monday for their seat, Wimpole Hall, Cambridgeshire.
Lady Agneta Yorke is staying at Melton Mowbray, on a
visit to Mr. and Lady Mary Craven.
The Countess Craven and the Ladies Craven come
to town to 'day from The Grove, Herts, where they have
been staying on a visit to the Earl and Countess of Cla-

rend on.
The Countess Dowager of Westmoreland and
Lady Rose Fane have returned to town from visiting the
Earl and Countess of Clarendon, at The Grove, Rear Wat-
ford.

The Countess of Kenreare arrived at the Royal
Pavilion Hotel, Folkestone, on Thursday, from the Conti-

nent.

Viscount Royston will leave town to-day, on a
visit to Mr. W. and Lady Mary Craven, at Craven Lodge,

Melton Mowbray.
Mr. M. Gibson is expected to visit Ashton-under-
Lyne during next week, when he will address his consti-
tuents in that borough on public affairs. The meeting is
fixed for Wednesday, the 21st inst.

The Right j in. B. Disraeli and Mrs. Disraeli
have returned to Grosvenor-gate from Winter Villas, Ply-
mouth, where they have been on a visit to the Marquis of

Normanby.
The Duke and Duchess of Wellington and Lord
William Hay have left Apsley House, for Strathfieldsaye,
Hants.

MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.—Both Houses are
summoned for the despatch of business on the sth of
February.
COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.—The Court of
Queen's Bench will sit at Nisi Przus in and after
Hilary Term as follows :—ln Term, in Middlesex—First sit.
ting day, Tuesday, Jun 13; second sitting day, Wednesday,
Jan. 21; third sitting day (for undefended causes only))
Wednesday, January 28. The first sitting day in London
will be on Monday, Jam 19 ; the second sitting day on Mon-
day, Jan. 26. The Court will sit after term in Middlesex
on Monday, Feb. 2 ; and in London, on Friday, Feb. 13.
The Court will sit every day at 10 o'clock. The causes in
the list for each of the above sitting days in term, if not
disposed of on those days, will be tried by adjournment on
the days following.

ItEmOVAL OF NEWGATE PRISONERS.--Gardner,
the man who was convicted at the October sessions
of the Central Criminal Court for the murder of his wife,
and ordered for execution, but whose sentence was after-
wards commuted to penal servitude for life, has, by an order
from the Secretary of State, been removed from Newgate to
Millbank Prison to undergo that sentence. The garotters
convicted at the last sessions, and sentenced to various
terms of penal servitude, have, by a similar order, been re-
moved to the same prison.

REPRISALS.—The New Orleans correspondent of
the New York Herald writes as follows :—" Your
readers will probably remember that when Genaral 'Weitzel
so successfully and thoroughly drove the rebel forces out of
the Opelousas country, and restored the richest of sections
to the national authority, he found in the camp at Bayou
des Allemands the records of a court-martial, showing
that seven of our soldiers had been tried for treason, con-
victed, obliged to dig their own graves, and then shot
The men had been enlisted in New Orleans for the
Eighth New Hampshire Regiment, and were stationed at
Bayou des Allemands, our extreme outpost, where they
were cut off from the main body, and surrendered to a con-
siderable force. The seven men who were shot were recog-
nised by the enemy as residents of New Orleans, and were
at once charged with treason, with the result just men-
tioned. General Butler was greatly provoked, and resolved 1
on retaliation. Two of the five officers composing the court-
martial were caught, and 14 of the highest officers of the
prisoners now in our hands are held as hostages for the
future action of the rebel Government. This list of 14 is
headed by Brigadier-General Clarke, who was taken priso-
ner at the battle of Baton Rouge. Gen. Butler then sent
a flog of truce to Gen. Pemberton, commanding Confede-
rate forces in Louisiana, stating that unless the rebel Go.
vernment disavow the act, and givo up the other three '
members of the court-martial, he should certainly shoot the
11 officers held as hostages. The two members of the court-.
martial whom we have in custody are as sure to be hung as
they can be certain of any human probability."
DEERFOOT AND TIIS _BACKER IN THE POLICE
COURT.-00 Tuesday last, at Worship-street, Mr.
W. Preston appeared to answer a summons taken out
against him by George Martin (Deerfoot's backer) for an
unprovoked assault committed at Hie ,ney Wick on the
night of Monday, December 29. Mr. Lewis, of Ely-place,
appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Beard for the defendant.
The case lasted over an hour, during which throe witnesses
were examined for the plaintiff, and four for the defendant,
the evidence being very conflicting. After a most patient
hearing, his worship condemned the defendant in a fine of
£3 and 10s. costs, which was at once paid, and Mr. Preston
then applied for a summons against Deerfoot for an assault
committed by him at Hackney Wick on the same occasion
as the above, which was at once granted, and made return-
able yesterday (Friday), Accordingly, Deerfoot appeared
to it, and, after hearing the evidence, Mr, Leigh fined
Port99t A Nisi coats,a