The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-04 00:00:00

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAM.)

CANADA.

QUEBEC, FEB. 17.

The Legislative Assembly, while in Committee of
Supply on Tuesday evening, voted, without a divi-
sion, the sum of $50,000 for the purpose of reim-
bursing the St. Alban's Banks for the losses they
sustained by the Confederate raiders. Several mem-
bers strongly opposed the appropriation of so much
money out of the public Treasury to make good a
loss for which the chief of police, Judge Coursol,
and the city of Montreal, were responsible. Great
dissatisfaction has been created throughout Western
Canada in consequence of this act of the Govern-
ment. The matter will be discussed before the
house to-night.
The evidence in the case of the St. Alban's raiders
was brought to a close yesterday, and the Court
adjourned until Monday, when counsel will be
heard on either side. The Rev. Mr. Cameron, for-
merly a chaplain in General Morgan's command,
who was despatched to Richmond to procure docu-
mentary evidence on behalf of the. prisoners, arrived
in Montreal on Tuesday afternoon. Another mes-
senger, with duplicate copies of the documents, has
also arrived safely. The evidence deducible from
these papers clearly establishes authority before the

Four messengers volunteered their services, only
two of whom have been successful in their perilous
mission. One was drowned while crossing the
Potomac, and the other, a person named Davis, is
to be hanged. It is said that Mr. Cameron had to
swim a considerable distance among the ice of the
Potomac. The decision of Judge Smith is looked
forward to with intense interest. It is thought that
the judgment will be favourable. Should it, how-
ever, be adverse, Lieut. Young and his compatriots
intend applying for a habeas corpus. The receipt
of the evidence so opportunely procured from Rich-
mond has caused manifest delight to Southerners
and others who sympathise with the prisoners. It
is stated that the Southern refugees in Montreal
alone have over two and a-half million of dollars
deposited in the banks of that city. Should the
Southerners withdraw their resources from the banks
of Canada, owing to the passing of the Alien Bill,
the banks must suffer.

During the sitting of the Legislative Council last
evening, the Hon. Mr. Sanborn's amendments to
the Confederation resolutions were lost on a division
of 41 to 18. The debate will be resumed to-night.
Mr. Dorion, leader of the Opposition, delivered a
lengthy speech in the Lower House against the pro-
posed Confederation scheme.
Owing to the condition of the corporate finances
resulting from the reckless extravagance of the City
Council, a petition has been presented to Parliament
praying that the elective system be temporarily sus-
pended, and a commission appointed by the Crown
to be substituted therefor. In the last year's ac-
counts the expenses are 50 per cent. in excess of the
revenue.

On Monday morning a serious railway accident
occurred near Guelph, on the western division of
the Grand Trunk, when a passenger train was
thrown off the track and hurled down a deep em-
bankment. Several passengers were injured, and
the most severely the Hon. Mr. Foley, ex-Post-

master-General.
At an early hour this morning a fire broke out in
a large wooden building in rear of the Provincial
Armoury and storehouse, which were with difficulty
saved from destruction after considerable damage
had been done. It was fully an hour before a supply
of water could be obtained. Through the exertions
of detachments of the Royal Artillery and others,
nearly all the arms, stores, and clothing were re-
moved.

It is stated on the authority of a Montreal journal
that there are no less than 30,000 French Canadians
alone in the Federal army. One thing is certain,
that there are a host of recruiting agents scattered
over the province, a few of whom are now and again
brought to justice. Last week one fellow was
sentenced in Montreal to a fine of $l6O and six
months' imprisonment for enticing a private of the
60th Regiment to desert. A day or two ago the
Quebec Court of Queen's Bench was occupied with
the trial of a boarding-house keeper for attempting
to enlist a young man as a soldier in the service of
the United States. A demurrer was taken, but Mr.
Justice Mondelet held that the imperial statute, 59
Geo. 3, c. 69, relating to foreign enlistments, is in
force in the country, having been passed in the
interest of the empire at large. It appears from the
evidence in the case that the prisoner offered a young
man a bounty of poo to go with him to join the
Federal army, which the last, being under the influ-
ence, consented to do. ,
Both persons were traced to the railway terminus
at Point Levi, and the young man has not made
his appearance in Quebec since. Upon the father
of the boy accusing the prisoner of kidnapping his
son, he remarked, " I have not made much out of
him, and he stole my coat on the road." Four wit-
nesses testified to the circumstance of seeing the
youth and the prisoner together. After the judge
had summed up, the jury returned a verdict of
guilty against the accused, who, being out on bail,
was at once taken into custody.