AMERICA.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 82, 18 August 1863, Page 3

AMERICA.

New York, June 13. Affairs are going on more decisively in avor of peace. Meetings have been held in he Northern States, and resohttions passed :onilcmtrinjr the Government for prosecuting he war, iiTging peace at any price, and dennnding that the wishes of the people he espectcd. The accounts of last month's •roccedings, as reported by the Federal Gorernmeut, are not relied on by the Noitheners themselves. Authentic reports say that General Lee's army, numbering 100,000 men, supported hy an immense cavalry force tinder General Stuart, is on the move towards Winchester and Harper's Ferry. The greatest alarm prevails in Washington. Preliminary arrangements for the enforcement ol the Conscription Act had led to a breach ; of the peace, and then murder. It is thought Government will not be able to carry out the ] measure. The voluntary enlistment of the I black population is now the grand idea, as Lincoln and principal advisers despair of much further white aid for the conquest of the Southerners. Meanwhile. Lincoln say that as the nation elected him President, he will act as such. Vicksburg has been attacked by the Federals, under General Grant, who Tras victorious in a series of attacks, but was finally repulsed. General Pemberton deolared he could hold out until reinforced by Johnston, who it was expected would attack Grant in the rear and cut him up. Fort Hudson was invested by the Federal army and fleet. After several engagements the Northerners were repulsed. General Banks lost an aim, and General Sherman died of liis wounds. Admiral VVilke? has been suspended on the demand of the British Government. The arrest and condemnation of Mr Vallandigham, for a speech made against the war, produced a tremendous sensation in the North. Application for a writ of habeus torpus was refused, and the refusal excited wild indignation. The Democratic party have nominated Valandigham for the governership of Ohio. At a monster meeting, at which 25,000 people were present, the military despotism of the North was severely censured. i The people are crying out for the freedom of discussion. The French Emperor had reopened negotiations with England on the subject of mediation between the Federals and Confederates. Should England decline, he will have recourse to Russia and. Spain, as it is now thought utterly impossible for the seceding states to return to the Union. Lord Pahnerston is in favor of submitting the Anierican quarrel to the arbitration of the King of the Belgians. Provided the contending American factions agree to this arrangement, a suspension of hostilities, pending the decision and award of Leopold will be imposed. The new element of negro soldiers employed by the Federals increases the fury of the Confederates, who give no quarter ,to blacks, and thus add greatly to the horrors of the war. General Banks reports the conduct of the black troops in the attack on Fort Hudson as being most heroic. When ordered to the front to storm the Confedtvates' position, they rushed in a body over the parapets and siege guns, and reached the interior of the fort. A hand to hand conflict ensued, unprecedented for ferocity. No ■quarter was given. Out of 800 negroes of the storming party, 600 were killed ; the re- ! . maining 200 escaped by jumping headlong over the walls of the fort. The Federal loss in the late Vicksburg fight is given at 40,000. Admiral Porter, on the Yazoo Hiver, had done considerable harm to the Confederates, and wantonly destroyed a large amount of .public and private property. The report of the evacuation of Fredericksburg by General Lee, and its occupation by Hooker, is wholly unfounded.

The editors of the New York journals have passed a resolution asserting their right to criticise acts of administration, and de*.y the *isht of the military to suppress papers published far from the seat of -war.

The steamer Norwegian, sister ship to the ill-fated Anglo-Saxon, has been wrecked off St. Paul's, in the St. Lawrence, steaming in a%. A"o lives were lost.