The Express. — 1862-10-18 (London, England)

LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18.  Ties American mail once more tells of severe fighting. The expected attack by the Confederate forces under Placa and VAN Dom was made on the 3rd inst., near Corinth, Mississippi, and resulted in disastrous failure. After a two days' struggle, in which both sides suffered severely—the Federal., as at Antietam Creek, losing many officers—the Confederates were utterly routed. The last that was beard of them was that, being sharply pursued, they were throwing everything away in their flight. The other military movements reported are of inferior importance, but such as they are, they are favourable to the Federal. The fighting near Winchester, predicted in telegraphic advices by the last steamer, is not mentioned now, but instead we are told that " Southern newspapers say that the Federal " are again preparing to move on Richmond " via Fredericksburg." Although the journals of Richmond have often shown themselves well informed, we do not believe that the experiment of dividing the Federal army and advancing by two lines upon Richmond is about to be repeated. It appears, however, that on the spot an advance on Richmond by the Federal" is not considered so chimerical as it would probably be by the friends of the Confederates at this distance. The Committee of the Confederate Senate has been considering President LiNcout's proclamation, and how it may best be met. Among the various propositions we do not find one in favour of taking the generous course of attaching the slave to the Confederate cause by raising hie status. On the other hand, we are informed that, while refusing to make the negro a soldier, as President Liscour is doing, while denouncing death against Federal officers who may command negro soldiers, it has been seriously proposed at Richmond to reward negroes for the murder of Northern soldiers. Such is the desperation of the baffled slave-drivers, who thus gratuitously parade their barbarism before the wor'd.  THE London swindler has tried many schemes for feeding upon ignorant victims, but none have probably fed him so well asthe sham Loan Societies. By starting on the assumption that one half of the world are fools, and that a large proportion of that half are generally in want of money, he has been able to extract the largest amount of plunder with the least possible amount of risk. Without the courage of the burglar, or the physical strength of the garrotter, he has arrived at far more profitable results by merely dodging behind a screen. Under cover of the " Good Samaritan Loan and " Discount Association," or some title likely to inspire equal hope and confidence, he has attracted unwary dupes from every quarter of the country. With a little capital, no scruples, and a large share of low cunning, he has founded a business which nothing seems able to destroy. Exposure may follow upon exposure with little or no effect. Persistent prosecutions may secure one member of the gang, but another springs up directly to supply his place. Victims wearied by paying "inquiry "fees" which bear no fruit may be taught prudence in time, or may learn it from heavier looses and the warnings of magistrates, but still a fresh flock is always ready to be fleeced. A certain number of weak but respectable people seem to have formed themselves into a society for the encouragement of scoundrels, and we can, therefore, hardly wonder that swindlers increase and thrive. It appears from a hundred cases brought forward in the course of the year that such swindlers have only to ask and to have. They merely shake the boughs and the willing fruit drops into their ready mouths. They enjoy an unwholesome security, because the law is uncertain, because prosecutions are expensive, and because people who have been swindled often object to be paraded as dupes. A swindling loan transaction has this peculiarity, by which it may be detected in its earliest stages : the lender always wishes to borrow or receive, the borrower always wishes to give or lend. The founders of " Good Samaritan Loan Offices" appear quite as often in the back alleys of the money market as "struggling tradesmen," requiring • little timely assistance, as they do as benevolent " capitalists" ready to give a little assistance. The " make up " is different, but the