AMERICA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1167, 28 September 1865, Page 5

AMERICA.

Intelligence from New York is to the 23rd June. The following telegraphic items reiched London on the 7t vi July. Mr S^ward" had .informed Mr Wi-iles that , France and England had withdrawn their concession of belligerency frtsm ths retiel.3, and that tli s proceeding by France 13 prompted oy the express desire tJ revive old sympathies between t'te two nations, whose interest and traUitims constantly invoice them to. cultivate the most cordial relations. England ait bavinj absolutely withdnwn the' twenty-four hours' rules, Federal vessels will noc pay the customary courtesy to vessels- of- the British Jnavy. Mr Seward had also writfcn to. Sir Frederick Bruce, exnVeaauis; ih '■ gratification prevalent at. the action of the British' [ Government,! but, renewing his protest agaiiißt' ther joidt"«clidtt of -France "and

England, conceding i belligerent rights to the insurgents as unfriendly and contrary to the international laws. Mr Se ward also regrets l^arl Russell's reservation infavor of rebel cruisers, and demands that they shall be delivered up to the United States, and declares the right and intention of the Federal Government 'to capture them under whatever flag_ they may be placed. He refuses to recognis3any transfer of such ships that May b3 made.

The, President had appointed James Johnson provisional Governor of Georgia ; A. J. Hamilton, provisional Governor of Texas; and Judge Le'vis E. Parsons, provisional Governor of Alabama, with power to effect conventional reform and a conventional revision of the constitutions of those states, aud restore them to the Union under the same terms as North Carolinaand Mississippi.

The examination of the witnesses in the conspiracy trial ha 3 been concluded, and the arguments for the defence have been submitted by the Hon. ltever.sy Johnson counsel for Mrs Surratt. He denies the jurisdiction of the Court, and cites in his support the sth amendment of the Constitution, which declares that no persons shall be held to answer for a capital offence unless on presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land and naval forces, or in the militia, when on active service, in time of war, or public danger. Payne's counsel admits the guilt of his client, but asserts that he was influenced by Booth, and that as no one injured by him died, he enri only ba convicted of assault with intent to kill.

John Mitchell was consigned to his quarters in Fortress Monroe on the 17th. The Tributes Washington correspondent asserts that he became a naturalised citizen of the United States in 18(iO.

General Breckeriridge, the Confederate Colonel Taylor, and Captain Wilson, aidede;carrip to -President Davis, had arrived at Havannah. They crossed from Florida to Gardenas in a ship'a yawl, narrowly escaping capture by a Federal cruiser. General Slaughter had also reached Havanah in a Mexican steamer. The Tribune reports that the Confederate Secretary Trenholm had been arrested at Columbia, South Carolina", and was en i'onte for Fortress Monroe. ' The New iork Timis states that he baa petitioned the President £>r pardon. Mr Edward Raffin, ot Virginia, who fired the first gun of the war at Fort Sumter, in April, 1861, committed suicide by shooting himself through his head with a musket, at Danville. In a loiter found among his papers, he declared that he could not survive the loss of the liberties of his country. Orders had been issued to dismantle the defensive works around Washington, with the exception of twenty-two fort-i and three batteries, which will be strengthened and permanently garrisoned.

.Violent encounters between the whites arid negroes in -Washington contiuue. Recently a 'solditr was instantly killeJ by a blow with a br?ck-bat in the hands of a negro with whom he was disputing. A fight between two regiment's of soldiers, in Which a large number of citizens joined, had occurred at Staten Island. Firearms were used on both sides, and four persons were killed. The lieutenant-colonel of one of the regiments was mortally wounded by his own soldiers, while assisting to restore order.

Mrs Seward,wife of Secretary Seward, had died of bilious fever at Washington. Immense numbers of negcoes, past work, had been expelled from the cities of Georgia. Great mortality prevailed among the negroes in Charleston. •■ General Dix had arrived at Quebec, and had an interview witu two members of the Canadian Cabinet. The New Brunswick House of Assembly .bad passed a resolution opposing' the Confederation scheme, and favouring: the despatch of delegates to England to counteract the influence of the Canadian delegates. ; General Lee and Mr Stevens are said to hive applied to -President Johnson for a special pardon.