The Sun.
London, England, 1871-02-20 00:00:00

NEWS FROM AMERICA.

A correspondent writing from Philadelphia on the 31st,
says :—The arrival of Fenian exiles at New York and Boston
has created a lively competition among the politicians who
are bidding for the Irish vote. Until yesterday the Demo-
crats had rather the advantage in thfs matter, the Tam-
many politicans in New York having captured the
returned Fenians, and vanquished the collector and his
Republican Committee. But General Butler yesterday
made a movement in the House which puts the Repub-
licans on a level with the Democrats. He asked unani-
mous consent to introduce a joint resolution de-
claring that the Congress of the United States, in the name
and on behalf of the people thereof, give to Jeremiah
O'Donovan Rossa and the other Irish exiles and patriots a
cordial welcome to the capital and the country, and that a
copy of this resolution be forwarded to the President.
Mr. Benjamin (Republican), of Missouri, objected to the
introduction of the resolution, whereupon General
Butler moved to suspend the rules and pass it,
which required a two-thirds vote. It passed by a
vote of 172 to 21. The Fenians in New York having
accepted the reception tendered by the City Government,
under the regulations to be adopted by Tammany lall,
and having also taken a gift of 15,000 dollars from the
latter, extensive preparations are being made, in which
the Irish societies join, and the reception promises to be
one of the greatest demonstrations ever seen in that city.
There .are many rumours afloat of overtures from
the British Government for a settlement of the
Alabama claims by negotiation at Washington. The
statement is made that a proposition in the nature
of a compromise has been made by England, but
that is of a character scarcely likely to secure the
approval of the United States Government. These
rumours are so uncertain, and are also so constantly
contradicted, that it is scarcely worth while to detail
them.

THE NEW IRISH CABLE.—The La Plata, having
on board the new Irish Cable, arrived at Kingstown at
9.30 on Saturday morning. The laying of the cable is
expected to take place at once.
The Irish "National" journals do not seem o be
very faVoura,ble to the " Home Rule " Association. The
Irishman thinks there is a danger of its becoming an
agency of agitators seeking "place." The Nation, which
speaks more highly of it, deplores the absence of all the
Irish members, save Mr. Shaw, from the recent dinner
to Mr. John Martin,-" Repeal" member for the county
of Meath.

THE LATE BtNQUET IN DUBLIN.—The courtesy
of the Lord Mayor of Dublin has gone far (a correspondent
writes), if not to settle the controversy of precedence be-
tween Cork and Limerick, to appease the offended civic
dignitary. The Dublin mayor has written to the mayor of
Cork expressing the pain he would feel in the "consciousness
of having acted improperly" in preferring Limerick. lie
would consult the Town Clerk on the point, if the Town
Clerk were not sick, and the only course left to him was
to promise to consult him, and to " apologise by anticipa-
tiOn." The slight supposed to be put on their Mayor has
caused considerable excitement in the " Southern capital,"
as Cork is called.

MARRIAGES OF PRUSSIAN OFFICERS.—At the
general call to arms in Prussia last summer, several
officers were married hastily, without having obtained the
necessary royal authorisation for the ceremony. Some of
these officers have since died, and a royal 'decree of Ver-
sailles announced that these marriages could not be con-
sidered valid according to the rules in force. This measure
caused great consternation, and a motion was made in the
Chamber at Berlin to the effect that all the marriages
referred to were valid provided the military authority con-
sented. The Minister of Justice, in the name of the
Government agreed to this proposal, which was passed
unanimously. The conduct of the Government hi this
respect has produce 4 a faycmra.,l* impression,