AMERICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 644, 5 December 1865, Page 5

AMERICA.

(From tho Times, Sept. 22.) Tiif.se is at length a positive announcement made of the policy of tho President with regard to the confiscation of Southern estates. He has adopted tho mildest possible course, and through the Preedmen's Bureau has issued an order to Federal officers in the South, rescinding all previous orders relative to confiscation, and stating that no property will be regarded as confiscated until after the decree of the United States' Court for tho district in which the property is found, condemning it as enemy's property. The order also provides that owners of property which may have already been confiscated can reclaim it, if they have been pardoned by the President. Under this humane ordir all agents of the Freemen's Bureau havo been instructed to suspend action with regard to con (iscatod property, and tho people of A'irginia, who have lately been appalled by tho most wholesale coufitcation, suddenly havo their fears relieved. A Presidential pardon will restore past confiscations and prevent future ones, and as the President is already meditating a geaoral amnesty—to which ho is urged, through a Btrange change of sentiment, by si large portion of the New Knglaud iiadieal.?. headed by Senator Williams, of Massachusetts, wo may toon expect, to see tho ontira question of confiscations amicably settled. Tho sudden conversion of Wilson and the others is due to the discovery that by their ultra course they are losing power, and they will sacrifice any principlo to hold on to it. The order dofm.ng eonfiseathno has put an end to the dreams of many a liadical whose palms were already itching to possess tho title-deedß of rieii Poullieni plantations. Such lands us may bo confiscate.!, either through their owners never coming forward to olaini them or never procuring a pard n, will be turned n>—i- t > the Freodmen's Bureau, for tho benefit of : ■;

Southern negroes, who, by the way, now fare mucli butter than the .Southern whites." Thiy nro fed, clothed, and allowed to cultivate other people's laml niul keep the product fur themselves. In Alabama; the militaiy authorities recently issued an order inriiin-; all the civil odioors of the State to becoma officers of the Freuduicu's Burenn and take caro of the negroes, and er forced the invitation by a delicate hint that if they did not agree to perform the additional duties they would bo suspended from their civil functions. Upon this some of them complained to Provisional Governor Parsons, but ho has rocomfnendo.l them to take charge of the negroes, because he eces they havo uo alternative but to accept. Tho groat kindness done the negroes has in many i«t»i made them rebellious. During the past weci. : l •! President has received numerous loiters from promiuont citizens of Virginia, North Carolina, and Mis(issippi, expressing grave apprehension of negro insurrections. So urgent havo the letters been that orders havo been sent to Virginia to establish patrols of citizens in each country, and in Mississippi tho military orders annulling Governor Parsons militia organization have been recinded. Tho earnest remonstr.mco of the Governor, together with, tho statements made in tho letters of the citizens, have induced the President to allow the Governor to raißO two companies—one of infantry and on") of cavalry— in each country of Jii sisrippi, to maintain tho peace. It is said that tho Presidi nt intends to gradually withdraw all the Federal troops from the South and tupeiccdo them by the Stite militia.

The many reports sent North from various parts of the South, but principally from North Carolina, stating that the planters are in dieting horrible cruelties upon the negroes, arc for tho most part unmitigated falsehoods. They are eent to inflame the peoplo and influence tho Fall elections: none of them ara confirmed, and in many ca*es they have been flatly contradicted by the Federal authorities. Tho South is peaccablo, and in all parts there ia the strongest disposition to adopt tho new state of affairs in good faith. If any one is unjustly treated in the South, it is more likely ho has a white skin than a black ono. Two important movements havo lately been made towards the restoration of order. A commission has been sent through tho South to re-open tho Federal Courts, and another to turn over the Southern railroads now held by militiry r.uthority to their rightful owners. These wise provisions will go far to promote a return to prosperity. I loam that on. September 1 the first vessel from Charleston cleared for Europe ; she was tho British bark Exchange, and carries 1000 bales of cotton to Liverpool. In Baltimore tho military have released tho property owned by the famous " Maryland Club," which has been closed for three years on account of politics, and it will bo re-opened at an early day.

All the Federal troops have been removed from the Shenandoah Valley, and that garden spot, so terribly desolated, has been given up to the exclusive control of its people. , They oro poor, and have but little help, hut in a very short time will restore their valley in all its beauty. Governor I'ierpoiut has recently boon investigating the condition of the Virginia banks, but with most lamentable results. In many cases their resources consist of millions of dollare in worthless Confederate bonds, and a few thousands in specie.

Tho Government has recently become a little moro lenient towards Jefferson Davis, for since the boginning of September he haß been permitted to send open letters to his wife. The many reports that have been so industriously circulated that the people of the South detest Jefferson Davis are most authoritatively contradicted. Thsro is not a single Southern man, and voiy few Northern ones, who think that Davis should bo executed for what was the spontaneous movement of tho South. It is absurd to suppose for a moment that the Southern people are incensed at Davis " for leading them into Secession." They would have seceded had Mr. Davis never been horn. Tho petitions for his rclGiso sent to the President by the ladieß of Mississippi fully explain tho feelings of the South. They say among other things:— " Mr. Davis wrs but tho representative of the defeated party, and called as ho was by tho almost united voice of tho Southern people to preside over their councils, and guide them through the terrible storms of war, he was but doing their bidding in armed conflict, as he had before represented their views in times of peace. Is it, therefore, right that vials of wrath should bo poured upon his head, who, whatever bin faults may have been, or tho supposed errors of his cause, was devoted and faithful alike to the people and principles he represented ?" Ex-Governor Francis W. Pickens, of South Carolina, has applied for pardon, and Governor Brown, of Georgia, has been pardoned. The first and only applications for passports to go abroad have been sent to the Secretary of State by Generals Marmadulo and Beauregard, who both intend to offer their services to the Emperor of the French.

During the past week the politie.il movements throughout the country havo been moat important. Tho iStato election was held in Vermont on September 4th; a very light vote was cast, but tho Democrats gained slightly upon last year. Neither party went into the canvas with a platform, of defined principles, and the State being overwhelmingly Republican --lways, neither j-f-rty took much interest in the voting The fveat battle will be fought in Maine, on SepttiaPev U, and though the Republicans will elect their ;ii;4idates, the Democrats hope to materially v.sduce their majorities. Tbci most important political movements, however, have been rcr.de in State conventions. Tn Minnesota tho Republicans have indorsed negro suffrage, but refined by an overwhelming majority to support the President's reconstruction policy la Wisconsin thev rclußed to indorso negro suffrswi). In fo iectieut, their State Comi:- .tee to whom was i ft to.i adoption of a platform of principles, k»-jy adopted negro euffrago as the four, lotion ui-.-u v/iiicli all will stand or fall. In New. York tho Democrat- havo met in convention, fully indorsed Johnson' 3 policy, opposed negro suffrage, and rjiiolved \hat a " national debt is not a nat nal blessing." Th«y have nominated a strong ticket, at the head of which stands Blujor-Genoml sloeum, now commanding in Mississippi, and formerly Sherman s scca cl in command. Tho strength of tho ticket, tho wisdom of the platform, and the harmony 01 the platform a'o guanmtees that the New Y?rk Demo--01-s.cv will be »uc«e!«:ul at the coining eleciion. -