The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-19 00:00:00

SPAIN.

Mr. Seward sends instructions to Mr. Schurz,
our Minister in Spain, in which he says :

" The President, in the absence of all informa-
tion, is left to conjecture what are the influences
upon which the so-called Confederate States rely
to induce her Catholic Majesty's Government to
grant their disloyal applications. The high con-
sideration which he entertains for her Majesty en-
ables him to assume that the appeal taken from this
Government to her Royal favour proceeds in part,
at least, on the ground that the revolutionisers
affect to have suffered opposition and wrong at the
hands of the Government of the United States,
which entitles them to the sympathy of the Queen
of Spain, if not to redress through her intervention.
Her Catholic Majesty's Government has not been
addicted to such intervention hitherto, and the wis-
dom of its forbearance is seen in the revival of the
energies of that great and honoured nation, which
seems renewing a felicitous career. The President,
however, will not rely merely on the forbearance of
any foreign Power, not even on that of the Govern-
ment of Spain."
Ex-Minister Preston, April 22, writes :
"An interview has taken place between the
Minister of Foreign Affairs and myself in reference
to the subject embraced in your circular. In con-
formity with your instructions, I presented the In-
augural Address of the President, as expressive of
his policy towards the seceding States, and read to
him your despatch, saying that the Administration
conceived that the unhappy differences existing in
America owed their origin to popular passions and
were of a transient character, and that the Presi-
dent was well assured of the speedy restoration of
the harmony and unity of the Government. The
Minister replied with courtesy, expressing pain at
the posture of affairs in the United States, but said
that her Majesty's Government was informed that
extensive military and naval preparations were
making in the North to enforce the Federal supre-
macy in the South, and that the consequences were
to be decided. I replied that I felt assured his in-
formation was erroneous."

The Secretary of Legation, Perry, June 2d, in
writing to Mr. Seward, says,—

" The result of the interview with M. Calderon
may be regarded by the President as decisive in
regard to Spain. Much had been done previously,
but it was brought to a tei mination yesterday. The
Minister of State not only renewed to me the assur-
ances given to Mr. Preston, but amplified it, stating
absolutely that if any Commissioners or other nego-
tiators should appear in behalf of the so-called Con-
fed
.rate States the Government would not see them
nor recognize them in any capacity—that Spain
would have nothing to do with the rebel party in
the United States, in any sonse."
The President's message, which was delivered on
the 3d, reached San Francisco (California) by the
morning of the sth.
Letters from Washington of the sth state that
Secretary Seward had issued an order for the civil
authorities of the district of Columbia not to arrest
slaves fleeing from rebel masters. It was further
ordered that the military officers should arrest any
police or other civil officers, if they disregarded the
above order.

The Boston Transcript of the sth alludes as fol-
lows to the State prisoners at Fort Warren :
" The State prisoners at Fort Warren were found
by the mayor of the city, in a visit made yesterday,
to be in great distress for want of the common com-
forts. The sick prisoners received beds and bed-
ding, proper food, wine, tea, sugar, medicines—
almost everything, no proper arrangements having
been made for the reception of so large a number.
Anything left at the mayor's office for the prisoners
will be sent to the fort by the harbour police boat,
which touches at the fort daily, and Col. Dimmick
will see to its proper distribution. The case appeals
not only to the charity but the magnaminity of our
citizens, and requires immediate attention."
General Halleck, in command of the Federal
forces at St. Louis, issued the following rigorous
order on the sth:

"To arrest and place in confinement all persons
in arms against the United States, or who give
assistance, aid, or encouragement to thetnemy, and
to take possession of their property, as far as needed
by the army ; that all persons found in disguise as
pretended loyal citizens, or under other false pre-
tences, within our lines, giving information or com-
municating with the enemy, shall be arrested, tried,
and shot as spies; that all persons now employed

or enlisted in the service of the 'so-called Confe-
derate States who commit hostilities shall not be
treated as prisoners of war, but be punished as cri-
minals, and be shot, or less severely punished, ac-
cording to the rules' of war ; also to feed, clothe,
and quarter all destitute Union families at the ex-
pense of avowed Secessionists.
Intelligence from Charleston (undated) received
at New York reports that the blockade there was
constantly violated by inland channels. There
were about 12,000 North and South Carolina and
Georgia troops on the railroad to Savannah, and
5,000 in Charleston.

An engagement is reported to have taken place
on the Ist, at Morristown, East Tennessee, between
the Federal forces, under Parson Brownlow, and
the Confederates, in which the Parson's forces were
victorious.

Our advices from Missouri are so conflicting that
we shall allow the telegrams to speak for them-
selves :

ST. JOSEPH, MOBILE, Dec. 5. General Prentiss made a
speech to a large crowd of citizens yesterday, in which he
said, As God is my judge, every Secessionist in this city
shall take an oath of allegiance to the United States Go-
vernment, and to support the stars and stripes, or I will set
them to work on the trenches of Fort Smith. All persons
who are hereafter found expressing Secession sentiments
shall take the oath.' The speech caused great consternation
among the rebels, and was received with applause by the
loyal citizens. Troops were sent to Platte County last night
to look after Cordan's band of rebels.

" SEDALIA, MOBILE, Dec. s.—Yesterday a party of exas-
perated citizens of all parties attacked a gang of returned
rebels from Price's army, under Captains Young and
Wheatly, near Durksburg, about 20 miles west of here
killing seven and wounding 10 of them. Among the killed
was Captain Young. None of the citizens were killed or
severely wounded. Three wounded rebels have since died.
Judge Birch, who has been a prisoner in Price's camp for
some time, arrived here to-day. He was released on parole.
" SEDALIA, Dec. 6.—Our latest advises from the South
are that General Price has moved part of his force from
Osceola to a point five miles distant, where he has estab-
lished his headquarters. General Ruins' command re-
mained at Osceola. A train of 50 waggons from Lexing-
ton, laden with supplies for General Price's army, passed
unmolested within 50 miles of this place on Monday
last. There are four rebel recruiting offices in Lexington
enlisting recruits for Gen. Price's army. A meeting was
held there last Friday at which several prominent Seces-
sionists spoke, urging a united effort in behalf of the rebels.
Similar meetings have been held in Clay Ray and other
river counties, and subscriptions for mcney, clothing, &c.,
are in circulation. It is not perhaps generally known, but
it is believed to be a fact, that Saline County, Claib Jack-
son's place of residence, in July last authorised the Com-
missioners to raise 100,000 dots. to be expended for the
benefit of Gen. Price's army. Other counties along the
Missouri river are believed to have done the same thing. It
is stated on good authority that when Price was besieging
Lexington a delegation of citizens was sent to him from
Saline County, with an urgent request that he would not
allow his army to enter that county, which was complied
with. The reason of this request was because of the great
fear entertained by the inhabitants of the plundering pro-
pensities of Price's rebels. The counties along the Missouri
river, west of Jefferson City, are the richest in the State,
ant have furnished nearly as many men and as much means
in behalf of the rebellion as the balance of the State. They
have been almost entirely exempt from marauders and have
never been visited by Federal troops,
" ROLLA, Dec. 6—Advices from the South-West state
that M 'Culloch has gone into winter quarters on Pea-ridge,
near Bentonville, Arkansas, where he is putting up a bar-
racks for his troops. Nothing definite is known of Price's
movements. Gen. M'Bride was at Springfield with 2,000
men last Sunday."

Advices from Port Royal to the 3d inst. report
that the troops were in good health.
On the 4th 16 Federal ships were inside the bar
of Savannah, and an attack on Fort Pulaski was
hourly expected.
The Montreal Gazette of the 6th says :

"It is clear that a situation might arise which would in-
duce the Government to call out the Militia, and it is quite
probable—indeed, we have reason to believe they have dis-
cussed the contingency."
The Montreal Gazette also remarks as follows ma
the apprehensions of war with the United States :
" To dilate on the dreadful consequences of war to any
country, the hearthstones of which they might visit, is
needless. They must be present to the mind of every man
of intelligence. To show what might bring them, and what
possibly lead to their avoidance are, unfortunately, questions
which nearly tench the people of this country, and we pur-
pose to state three or four obvious facts concerning them. A
rupture of friendly relations between Britain and the United
States, means war on the Canadian soil. Canada is the
vulnerable point presented by Britain to the United States.
Canadians may therefore look at all assaulta on Britain as
aimed at her, over their shoulders. Perceiving this fact,
the Montreal Gazette was the first journal on this continent,
or in the mother country, which pointed out the probable
significance of the offensive tone of the organs in the interest
of Mr. Seward, after the stump declarations of that politi-
cian during the recent presidential campaign, of the desira-
bility of extending northward the borders of the United
States in the possible event of their curtailment in a southern
direction. A rupture between Britain and the United States
might arise out of the lamentable troubles which now dis-
tract the continent, and be quite beyond the control of
Canadians, either to precipitate it or to avoid it. But in the
event of such rupture they would have to decide upon the
duties arising out of their allegiance. They would answer,
there is not a doubt, as they did in 1812. Is there a possi-
bility of war being invited to our doors by the conduct of
Canadians themselves ? Yes, by tacitly allowing the voice
of American sympathisers to pass for the public opinion
of the country. American statesmen, holding the views
of Mr. Seward of the desirability of extending their bor-
ders northward, might be tempted to march an army into
Canada, if they were induced to believe that it would
go among a friendly population—a population ready to
receive it, and make its presence among them a pretext
to change their allegiance, just as the Sicilians did when
Garibaldi and his band made a descent upon their coast.
Is there any possibility of preventing an American army
marching into our country ? Yes; by letting it be clearly
understood that it would come among a hostile population,
who would resist to the bitter end any attempt on their
liberty or allegiance. No prudent statesman would march
an army into a country containing a population actuated by
such a feeling
twith a view to annex it. Does the free dis-
cussion of American affairs by the Canadian press afford a
causus belli, or a colourable pretext to provoke an invasion
for resentment? No; and none but an idiot or a Judas in
disguise could set up a pretension so stupid. To hold the
contrary would be to suppose the Government at Washing-
ton were devoid of c mmon sense—to insult their under-
standing. It is, besides, totally false to say that the tone
of the Canadian press, as a whole, has been rude or insult-
ing to the Americans. One or two papers, conducted with
ability, have spoken more roughly and sharply than we can
approve; but the whole country cannot be held responsible
for their utterances, and it is nonsense to pretend that these
invite war. What, too, are the circumstances in which we
find ourselves placed in discussing American institutions ?
Why, after they have been dinned in our ears for years as
the pink of political wisdom, with the view of inducing us
to imitate them. Is it not natural, then, that we should
show where democracy fails ? Ought we not to improve
the opportunity ? It is in the interest of all parties, of the
Americans and of the Canadians, that there should be good
understanding, and no misapprehension as to the sentiment
of the country. Those are false to both who would make a
deceptive impression prevail. It cannot be for the interest
of Americans to deceive them. It is not to be unfriendly
to them to tell them we prefer the old flag and our own in-
stitutions to theirs. We can tell them this, and at thesame
time t eil them that we are always ready to rival them in
acts of friendship and good feeling. And they will, at least,
respect us more than they could if we showed a disposition
to be traitors to the allegiance imposed upon us by the ob-
ligations of British subjects."

BURGLARY IN SALFORD.—At the Salford Police
Court, yesterday, John Doran and Edward Lee, with Mary
Ingham and Mary Mulligan their associates, were
charged with breaking into the shop of Mrs. Mar3rom
a,
No. l, Pike-street, Hope-street, Salford,
quantity
on the and stealingL
ofd r
previousaperyand
night,othera man
goods. Shortly before tjwlhnve
o'clock
os of ns,o wmhe igl sl ta
spsa,s
as
ni ndgsalong
gave information to
tl‘lvoop era. se tnr e
he te,
and heardwtohine e breakingstand
_
found the people still
it nh ge
pa
eglai ices! t tAh
effi prosecutrix'soerw etlt u
ups h
so
npd,
ni egstanding
chase,th ear
lie ,dbwu t ohn
the o b sae
araviiant ga
nhe hi they
f
ap-
prehended the prisoners Doran and Lee. Doran, when on
the point of being captured, adopted an old ruse, and by
seizing hold of Lee and exclaiming " This is one of them,"
endeavoured to Make the policeman believe that he himself
was an innocent person in pursuit of the rogues. One of the
women, Ingham, was also apprehended about the same time,
and the other prisoner Mulligan was taken into custody at
a place in Angel-meadow a few hours afterwards. Several
bundles of drapery, &c., which had been stolen from the
prosecutrix's premises were found, some in the street and
others concealed in neighbouring outhouses. The pi i •
soners Mulligan and Doran recognised each other by their
voices when in the cells, and after several inquiries from
the woman as to when her companion was pinched,
and who had "snitched" upon him, she was overheard to
suggest that he should persuade the other woman to take
it all upon herself, as this was her first time she would not,
therefore, get much. The police did not offer any evidence
against Lee, who was discharged, and admitted as a wit-
ness, and stated that the robbery had been effected by the
three prisoners and himself. The magistrates remanded
the prisoners until to-day, and ordered the depositions to
betaken preparatory to their being committed for trial.

TILE FRENCH An2ESS AND THE
!RESIDENT'S' NESSAGE.
----•-
Several of the Paris 7-----
i nurnals express their
opinion of the President's Me 'wage, as far as it was
known from the telegraphic de. spatches,which had
arrived when they wrote, and tiro document is con-
sidered by all of them as unfaval -arable to peace.
They admit that their judgiemt m ay be somewhat
modified by the full text of the 2oet, 'anent, but they
seem at the same time to think tba, t the general
tenour of the document is adverse to conciliation.
The Moniteur expresses itself in these '.4erms:—
" It will be seen from the telegraphic extrae 's that the
reserve in the Message with regard to the at it of the
Trent must not be hastily interpreted in a sense fa vourable
to the maintenance of pacific relations between Una United
States and England. Tho language of President Liu-
coin, such as results from the analyses we have re-
ceived, in no way implies the sentiment of a fault comrn'itted
and of a reparation to be made. Ihe President consielers
his conduct prudent and wise towards foreign nations. Alt.
New York the Message was considered moderate, which
may serve to account for any excitement in the pullic mind.
At London, on the contrary, a very different view is taken
of it, and the journals declare, according to a telegraphic
despatch, that the document is in no way satisfactory, and
that it appears to inaugurate war."
The following extract-is fro:n the Sleek :
" The document makes no mentioel of the affair of the
Trent, but this silence must rot be interpreted too strongly
in favour of peace, if it be true, as the despatches affirm,
that the Federal Congress has voted ataizlis to Captain
Wilkes. President Lincoln, besides, by cal; ins' on the Con-
, gress, in the Message, to adopt ample measures r.:or the de-
fence of the coasts, lakes, rivers, and ports, shows that his
resolution is taken, and that he expects war. The question
whether the President would maintain silence on slavery,
or would adopt a decisive line of policy with respect to that
redoubtable institution, excited as much curiosity as that
of the Trent. The President discusses the problem, and
Proposes to solve it by paying an indemnity to the proprie-
tors of slaves. Measures, he says, may be taken for estab-
lishing colonies of emancipated slaves in a climate which,
would suit them better. And the black population may be•
comprised in such colonisation ? `Transportation' is the
expression which should have been used, for the measure
mkt red to in the Message cannot be otherwise regarded.
The negroes of the South have never complained of the climate
of America, and in fact t heir facility in supporting it is one of
the reason& by which attempts are made to prove the neces-
sity of slavery, and to justify its maintenance. As to the free
negroes of the Northern States, they live very well uAler
the severe climate of that country, and the question may
be asked by what right they could be condemned to exile.
The North, in emancipating the slaves, has triumphed over
its political fears, but not over its prejudices against colour..
There are in the North two races in presence, and perhaps:
the whites would think it very clever to take advantage of
the occasion to get rid of the negroes, and to send them,
under pretext of emancipation, to die in a new Liberia. But
it is not such a solution which is expected from America
under present circumstances, and we have no need to say
how much the American character would be lowered by it
in the public opinion of Europe, and the whole world."
The liebats uses the following language:—
" Unfortunately this document is far from giving any
satisfactory information relative to the question which new
occupies public attention. It contains no explicit mention
of the affair of the Trent. We hesitate to judge of Presi-
dent Lincoln's Message from the extracts, perhaps incor-
rect and incomplete, transmitted by the telegraph, But if
we were asked to state what impression it has produced in
our mind, we should admit that we do not think it all con-
ciliatory. We regret to find in it recriminations, more or
less founded, but in any case inopportune, which seem ad-
dressed collectively and indiscriminately to all foreign na-
tions. The President appears to thinkonly of his grievances
against foreign States, and recurs to the stz.bject two or three
times in order to express his sentiments in ,language of un-
deniable bitterness. But the passage most worthy of atten-
tion and most significant, of the Message, the only one in
which it is possible to find any allusion to the affair of the
Trent, is that in which Mr Lincoln says—' It is not ray-
purpose to review our discussions with foreign States, be.
cause, whatever might be their wishes or dispositions, the
integrity of our country and stability of our Govern-
ment mainly depend not upon them, but on the
loyalty, virtue, patriotism, and allegiance of the
American people!' Certainly this is high-toned lan-
guage, but, before we can give it our approbation, we
must be convinced that it is in harmony with the reality
of the position in which the American Government and
people are now placed. The most favourable interpretation
we can put upon it is to regard it as a concession made to
popular passions. On the whole, this document, so far as
we know it, is far from being as conciliatory as we might
reasonably have expected under existing circumstances.
However, we will not go so far as to say with the English
journals that the Message is the ' commencement of war,"
and we do not think we indulge an extreme optimism in
remarking that it does not absolutely exclude all chance of
a peaceful solution."
In the Latter part of its article, the Debats, how-
ever, declares that it has not yet lost all hope of au
arrangement. It says :
" The question remains open ; it is for Congress to decide
it. Such is the chance which happily remains for a peace-
ful solution, and this chance is still promising enough to
authorise us in saying that the cause of peace is not yet
hopeless. The information come to hand by the same mail
as to the dispositions of the American public are not of a
very pacific character. The worst of these symptoms is
that the Congress has passed a vote of thanks to Captain
Wilkes."
We terminate with the following extract from
the Presse:—
" President Lincoln does not explicitly mention the affair
of the Trent, but he is evidently making preparations, as if
he expected that incident to have serious consequences. By
calling upon Congress to vote without delay ample means
for putting the lakes, coasts, and rivers in a state of defence,
and erecting new fors ifications for the protection of the
ports, the President shows how little confidence he has in
the maintenance of peace. We were right in supposing
that the American Government would not wait for the ulti
matum transmitted to Lord Lyons before it assumed a
defensive attitude. War now seems almost certain."

CO UNI BY MARKL:c AS.

•

NEWCASTLE-UPON TYNE-DEC. 17.

At to-day's market the business doing in wheat was
not brisk, but firm, at prices about the same as last week.
Flour met with a firm sale, but all spring corn quite ne-
glected.