The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-08 00:00:00

AMERICA.

QUEENSTOWN, Friday.
The Cunard Royal Mail steamer Java, from New York
on the 27th of December, has arrived.
Negro disturbances had occurred in various parts of the
South. They were sufficient to excite a good deal of ap-
prehension, but none of them seemed to be of a very for-
midable character. The most important is thus alluded to
in a Washington letter of the 26th in the New York
News:—

" The negro riot last evening at Alexandria was a terrible
and bloody affair. The negroes were aggressors. Their bad
conduct was patiently borne a long time, but when they
began to break into houses and insult women they were
fired on. Crowds of negroes then rushed to the attack, and
in the fight five white men and seven negroes were killed
and many severely wounded on both sides. Shooting was
going on till a late hour last night in every direction, and
the doors of many houses were perforated bythe balls."
The Washington, Evening Star gives the following
account :

"It commenced by a party of negroes who were going
about the city with a drum. Breaking in the door of a man
named Mankin, he fired on the party, killing one and
wounding another. Tho disturbance extended to other
portions of the city, and lasted until late at night. Shoot-
ing was going on in overt' direction. Four white menare
reported killed, and a number wounded, in addition to the
six negroes reported killed."
A despatch of the 2Gth from Wilmington, North Caro-
lina, says :
" The negroes made no organised demonstration in this
vicinity on Christmas. There were a few isolated cases of
collision between the whites and the blacks early on Christ-
mas morning. The negroes creating the disturbance wore
arrested by the police. A crowd of negroes rallied. The
recruited companies and detachments of the regular garrison
came to the assistance of the police. About 100 negroes '
were arrested, but are not yet disposed of. There was no
other disturbance of consequence. Major Wickersham,
Superintendent of the Freedmen's Bureau in this district,
has ordered the chairman of the County Court to revoke
the sentence in the case of M'Coy and Walker, the negroes
ordered to be sold into servitude for larceny. In default,
all the members of the Court are to be put under arrest."
A despatch of the 26th, from Richmond, says:—
"No demonstrations of mob violence occurred, except at
Manchester, opposite Richmond, where a large number of
freedmen surrounded the gaol, and forced the release of
two coloured prisoners. Official reports from all other
sections of the State represent the freedmen as quiet, and
no apprehension exists on the part of the officers of the
bureau of any disturbance among them."
According to the Philadelphia Telegraph a serious riot
between some hundreds of persons, blacks arrayed against
whites, was avoided only by the timely intervention of
the police. In Memphis disturbances had taken place, and
it was resolved to call out a patrol of 1,000 men to guard
the peace during the Christmas festivities. In Columbus,
Georgia, martial law was proclaimed to last from Decem-
ber 24 to January 2. All saloons and bar-rooms were or-
dered to be closed.

New Orleans advices of the 22d say :
" The Vicksburg Journal has advices, which it deems re-
liable, of an alarming character from Yazoo. The people
of the country are reported to be flying to the towns for
protection, and the negroes are represented to be arming
themselves, who claim that between now and Christmas
the land must be given them, or they will take it by force.
The coloured troops stationed in the country are espousing
the cause of the negroes, and serious trouble is appre-
hended."

The President has, through the Secretary of State, re-
lieved Judge Sharkey of the trust of Provisional Governor
of Mississippi, and recognised his duly-elected successor
in the person of Governor Humphreys. The letters ad-
dressed to them are similar to those written to the Provi-
sional Governors and Governors of the other Southern
States, remitting to the constituted authorities chosen by
the people the care and conduct of their proper affairs.
Texas and Florida are the only two remaining States to be
relieved.

Tho following additional correspondence between the
commanders at either side of the Rio Grande has been
published :

" GENERAL MEM TO GENERAL 'WEITZEL.

" Imperial Mexican Army, Matamoros, Dec. 1, 1865.

" General,—ln answer to your communication of Octo-
ber 24, I will state that I have taken the necessary infor-
mation in regard to the detention of the individuals whom
you ask me to set at liberty. In none of the edifices which
serve as prisons in the city of Matamoras can there be found
the persons of James M'Elrath, Bartley Quinn, or James
Smith. But under the jurisdiction of the Court Martial
are detained Richard Crawford or Cranford, Carter Smith,
and Joseph King, American soldiers, who deserted from
your command on the 16th of September last, and were
taken prisoners in the neighbourhood of Matamoras on the
next clay, the 17th, in a skirmish which took place between
a few of my soldiers and one of Cortina's bands. It is,
therefore, impossible for me to sot them at liberty. It is
true that a few men of colour, of American origin, were
employed on the public works or fortifications ; but this
labour was freely given, and they were paid one dollar
each daily. You see that neither the laws nor the treaties
have been violated. It is also certain that during the last
operations in this city several negroes and former United
States' soldiers were arrested, but they were afterwards
liberated. Still, the presence of individuals of this class in
the enemy's lines, the projectiles of American manufacture
which were thrown over Matamoros, and the passing of
Escobedo's artillery indiscriminately to and from Texas on
United States' transports, justify, in the eyes of my Go-
vernment, such measures of security. Accept, General,
the assurance of my highest consideration.
" TOMAS MEJIA, General Commanding, &c.
" To Major-General Weitzel, Commanding Western

District of Texas."
GENERAL WEITZEL'S REPLY TO GENERAL MEJIA.

" Headquarters, District of the Rio Grande,
Brownsville, Texas, Nov. 27, 1865.

" General,—ln accordance with instructions from Major-
General 11. Sheridan, commanding Military Division of
the Gulf, transmitted through Major-General 11. G. Wright,
commanding Department of Texas, I hereby notify you
that if any such outrages on American citizens as I com-
plained of in my letter to you of the 24th of October last are
permitted within your lines, no excuse for such conduct
will be accepted ; that you will not be permitted to commit
.!lets ag9.inst the ljnited Staten which are no accidents, and