, 1858-07-16
IMPORTANT NEWS!
--latest from the Atlantic SIDE!

The Washington correspondent OF the
San Francisco Herald, under dates Of June
Sd and 9th, writes as follows:
WASHINGTON, June 8, 1883
1t is proposed, as learn, to detain the
California, till the 7th June, in order to
enable her to take, as passengers, the Cali
fornia members and other citizens of the
State, who wish to leave as soon as Con-
gress adjourns The hour for the termin-
alton of the session is II o'clock at noon
on Monday; but the members and others
could leave on Saturday-but, to-day, it
appears probable that the session must be
prolonged till the ninth, in order to secure
the passage Of the Appropriation Bill, and
the Presidents approval Of the same: and
the President has warned Congress that
he will not have all the Bills crowed on him
upon the last day of the session, as has
been customary,
Archibald Campbell goes out in the
steamer for California, to resume his duties
as United States Commissioner, to run aud
mark the Northwestern Boundary Line.
q A question has arisen as to our title to
the small and important islands lying be-
tween Vancouver Island and the main
land, and south of the parallel Of forty-nine.
England claims them, because we unfortun-
ately relinquished Vancouver Island. Mr.
Benton. in. his speech on the ratification Of
the Oregon Treaty, observed them as be-
longing, under the treaty, to the United
States.
Congress and the country have been
thrown into deep agitation, which has been
increasing for the last ten days. by the
audacious and unprovoked outrages Of Brit
ish cruisers upon our vessels, on the coast
OF Cuba and elsewhere.
HWe have heard already of some forty in
stances in which our vessels have been fred
at, or into, brought to, and oVerhauled by
the British cruisers, on the pretext Of hunt
ing for slavers. Every day adds to the list
Of these aggresions.
The citizens Of some Of our seaports pro-
posed 10 fit out armed vessels to avenge
these insults; but the President, very prop
erly and promptly, ordered the whole dis
posable naval force down into the Gull.
Most of the ships-of-war, so ordered, includ-
ing the Wabash, have already sailed for the
scene Of operations, and are under orders
to protect our vessels from all such as
saults. Some small iron steamers, the Dol
phin, Water Witch, Artic, and Plymouth
all CALAMITY manned and commanded,
have sailed and with every disposition to
lay along side of the British vesscls-of-war
the Styx. the Forward, and the Buzzard,
that have been SO busy in chasing and
searching our vessels.
So far we have not heard that the Brit
ish cruisers, though they have overhauled
so many Of our vessels that were engaged
in ordinary trade, have caught SLAYER
sailing under the American flag They
did on the 2lst and End March make two
very valuable prizes of slavers in which
Americans had no interest, and stimulated
by prize-mone the British cruisers have
become the more keen and desperate, hav-
ing no chance for capture by any defer
ence to national rights.
We shall In q few days have in the Gulf
. OF Mexico vessels mounting lao guns, while
the British naval force on the West India
station mounts $40 guns, fearful odds
against us lnlcase Of a collision, which many
believe to be inevitable.
The Committee Of Foreign Affairs Of the
Senate made a report with resolutions on
the subject of these aggressions, which you
will find herewith, and they have been since
under discussion. The resolutions declare
In the most solemn manner, that these ag-
gressions shall not be tolerated, and that
any measures necessary to sustain this pos
ition ought to be adopted.
The Senate is 10 favor Of the resolutions
20 far as they go, but number Of the Sen
ators, including Douglas, Hale, Toombs,
and. Mallory, are desirous Of going farther,
and directing our naval force to capture
and bring into port the offending British
cruisers, without waiting for the result Of
our remonstranccs to the British Govern
ment. Should the British Government
aVow the acts Of their officers, then it would
be on international question. If not, then
the offending parties should be dealt with
accordingly.
These resolutions are to be acted upon,
on Friday, the 5th
Neither the Executive Government nor
Congress will suffer again any negotiations
with England upon the question OF the right
Of search. The American doctrine, that
the GAG protects the vessel and everything
in IT. will never be yielded. In lS42 this
Governmeut had occasion to declare its
firm determination on this subject.
The British Government is equally firm,
as is believed, in the support Of pretens'
which gives it the dominion OF the seas
England will never relinquish the preten
ion Of q right to visit ships on the ocean
Ito ascertain their nationality.
The orders under which the British cruis
srs are acting, were probably given by tht
D.l..A..Aa., ndrnininA rnA tim