AMERICA.

Colonist, Issue 99, 1 October 1858, Page 4

AMERICA.

Liverpool, 20th June. The steamship Africa, with advices from New York to the 9th instant, arrived early this morning. , The irritation upon the subject of British aggression was dying a natural death. The Senate committee on finance having resolved to change the terminus of the Collins line of steamers from Liverpool to Southampton, its service will be commenced again immediately. The telegraphic despatches from New Orleans report that the vigilance committee had broken up their camp on the night of the 7th, and disbanded without disorganization, expressing a determination to have their principles carried out. The c|ty authorities had been busily engaged in arresting those concerned in the movement, but all the prisoners taken were ultimately dismissed. Three or four makers of the vigilance committee bad "been killed by- the accidental discharge of a cannon.

We subjoin tlie letter of the New York correspondent of the Times;— New York, 9th June.

If the disposition of Congress tb prolong the session may be taken as proof of a less belligerent feeling than- the speeches would indicate, the evidence is abundant on that head. Notwithstanding the "repetition of "British outrages," Congress is disposed to leave the management of the foreign relations entirely to the president. The first few days of summer, and the first uncomfortable heat, have strengthened the determination ofthe members to seek pleasanter retreats on the seashore, and leave Lord Napier and Mr. Buchanan to settle matters. This hardly looks as if they, anticipated, trouble there; and, in truth, I fancy that in all this debate there has been a great deal said for "Buncomb.". Congress was to have adjourned last Saturday, but the open questions with Great Britain have been made the excuse, for extending the sessions a few days longer, and the day before yesterday the House and ; Senate were in dis-* pute whether it .should be; summarily brought to a close to-morrow or be extended until Monday next—the belligerent Senate being for the longer time, the more peaceful House being in favor of cutting its throat at once.

The Senate, the day before yesterday,,' had under consideration the proposed increase of the navy, and during the debate several, senators took occasion to modify, their previously expressed opinions. yThe debate arose upon the proposition from the government to authorise the construction of ten sloops of war. Mr. Hall,; of New Hampshire, moved to reduce the number to six. Mr. Bell, of Tennesse, wanted to know where were the war spirits of a few days before. They had given no margin for any senator following in their wake, except to resolve that the President should give orders to capture the whole British navy. Mr. Tombs, of Georgia, is reported to have adhered to his former opinion, 1". that the • United - States : can whip the world." Mr.. Hammond, of • South Can> ■lina,.doubted whether that could,be done without some preparation. "We cannot build a navy, like Aladdin's palace, mi a night. We cannot raise ships by resolutions of Congress. These additional sloops, however, were not a measure of war, with Great Britain. He would meet that issue when it came." Mr. Douglas, of Illinois, wanted the " British outrages" disposed of before touching the question of the increase of the navy. He would have the Senate meet the question of British aggressions on its own merits, without overlaying it with resolutions about the central American Republic. " If we are to submit," he said, " say no more; if we are not to submit, then vote the

bill conferring power on the President." •<» Mr.; Mallory, from the naval committee, then came forward to the relief of the bill. He protested against regarding it as a war measure. It was not a war measure; it. was recommended before the acts complained, of were committed. Mr. Kennedy of Maryland, agreed vvith Mr. Hammond. Mi*.. Wade, of Ohio, spoke from the Republican side of the . Senate.. He asked them to pause before plunging into a war which might be one of extermination, and ended by moving the construction of twenty. sloops of war, ; mstead of ten. . Mr, Seward, -whose; previously-expressed warlike views found disfavor with his northern anti-slavery admirers, wished to make an explanation. lie was for.an.abandonment :of the right of police on the seas; but, at the same time, did not believe that the British government would sanction the outrages. He thought Congress should keep together until they could get the ; answer of the British government. He did not regard the sloops as a war measure; they only added 100 guns to the navy. Mr. Hall's amendment was then lost. 'Mr Wilson, of Massachusetts, was for the construction of the vessels,' and ' for their use in suppressing the slave trade. The resplutions were aimed at the feeble states of Central America, and were a dishonor to the American name. This brought up Mr. Mason, of Virginia, the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, in defence of the resolutions. They were intended to preserve the peace of the country. He thought that the course taken by Mr. Douglass was jeopardising the peace, and with it the honor of the country. Mr. Douglass is reported to have made a lengthly speech in reply. He said that a war. with England must decide, not only the right of search, but their right to tread the soil of the American continent; After some discussion a vote was taken on a proposed amendment for the construction of gunboats and lost. An amendment by Mr Green, of Missouri, giving the President power to issue letters of marque- and reprisals, was lost by the decisive vote of 46 to 6; and finally the Senate voted to con- j struct five sloops and one paddle steamer. , This strikes one at a distance as a little j falling off from the tone of the debate I of a week since. And especially is the conservative tone of the chairman of the committee on foreign relations indicative of the, views of the administration. The ; telegraph reports the French minister as laying that'foreign nations. should have a reporter, to point out what was said in earnest and what for " Buncomb." Whether, the speech is correctly reported as to author or not (of which there may be reasonable doubt) it has the merit of truth. In fact, perhaps it is too palpably true to be the offspring of any diplomatist. There is a great deal said for "Buncomb''; but on the other hand, such things show what "Buncomb" at home is thinking abouJwrand if it is fair to ascribe the speeches -partly to such motives, we must beVieve that the public opinion which ,has called out the speeches is strong and decided. At any rate, suo^i I believe to be the fact in the present case.

I omitted, by-the-by, to notice (in the account of the senate's proceedings) Mr. Douglass's plan for investing the president with the extraordinary powers that were conferred upon President Van Buren at the time of -difficulties about the North-Eastern boundary. It has not yet been acted upon. .

The news from Utah is entirely telegraphic, and of the most conflicting kind. It will be impossible to know the truth until the official despatches arrive. One account represents Governor Cumming as inthe Salt Lake city, the people quiet, and at work upon their farms, Brigham Young willing to give ;up all authority, and; all going on well; Other accounts are less favorable—that the Mormons are preparing to resist—-that Governor Cumming and General Johnson have had a misunderstanding, and that troops' rations were getting short. The dates from the camp are up to the Bth of June, at which time nothing had been heard from Captain Marcy. This officer, you will perhaps remember, left the camp early in the winter to procure horses, mules, etc., at,. Santa Fe, in New Mexico. They were aivaiting his arrival at the last dates from r the camp.. .-.

In the Senate, a bill was yesterday introduced to repeal the: Atlantic Telegraph Bill, without any probability of its passing. The opponents of the enterprise seek the repeal on the ground that the recent legislation of the British government has given it an advantage over the government of the United States in the "transmission of' messages. They have been active during the whole session to throw some impediments in the way of this enterprise; What an amount of hard feeling and blustering language might have been sared, had the expedition of last year provedsuccessful. The news of the interference vith; the American vessels in the Gulf mighthave been known in London as soon as in Jew York, and the President might have krpwn Lord Derby's yiews the following day Now that there1 is reasonable hope of tht^uccess of the. enterprise, the riyal comipinies.and lines,1 arid jowners. of patents who may be .excluded; jfromi participation in tb ..advantage! manifest a disposition to thaw every obstacle in' ;the way ofcpmpletiohjrnaking their appeals; |to one of •the.strpngestalem'entsof theAme,l'ican, character—its /national pride and jealously. i ■ .-.' .

The papers are fill of the details of legislative .and muni-pal corruption. One would imagine fro[i reading them . that the whole country ?as jobbing. The attack in the nation] legislature has.been made upon the Waidepartment, for alleged ;corruption in the prchase and sale of tracts for. military purposs. This has, of course, !been a democraticmt for republican pickling. On the otfer hand, the Democrats have amused themselves by counter committees upon the Jepublicans, to show how certain promineni members of that party

were connected with improper efforts to to effect a revision of the tariff favorable to the New England manufacturers. Similar investigations have been made into the municipal affairs of-New York- and some other cities. Among the .individual states, Wisconsin appears to have the acknowledged pre-eminence. A report has been published there showing that lhe Lacrosse and Milwaukie Company bought up the whole state government, root and branch, and subsidised most of the local press in addition. After making all due allowance for local feeling and partizan exaggeration, "I"* fear it will turn out that there has been too much fraud, corruption, and.'peculation in the prosperous days of speculation that have gone by. •'