AMERICA.

West Coast Times, Issue 292, 30 August 1866, Page 3

AMERICA.

The serial correspondent of the t pana.ms Star and . Herald," writing 'fdm Nevtork on. ifuly.lo, s&ys:— " ft wasiiajped that before this %don-m-ess woaJiat6 adjourned and given the ecmrry a resting spell, ironi^flfe vexatiousnd annoying and disturbjaE legislatio of its 'member.'?— but MjjQm no suchhought a})poarrf to be «sp*b|| tnined 1 them They are now^^ »aged iieoncocting o. tariff. muVi^ the duis on a laroe iiunil-er articles 0 - 'h^L > ije i. comineri o&Wf c3^P>i^P^C s ! tariff th" vra. l Twob»p'7 tbey d. ad^WF,. f Tjip «fei^ Wasniuon, na^ppuy, for seVcr.fl -dpyV has bee °ritremely hot, the merciuy makiugone hundred degrees in the suade, and under the effects of the heat, ihich completely wilted several of our everend senators and everything but gave representatives, everybody was pnsoling himself with the belief that hey would be driven away to the shaY retreats of their homes. This, hoover, does not seem likely to be reased just yet, as the weather after fou days of the most intense heat, unippily has become suddenly cool agti, nnd our worthy legislators fieom deTouned to continue indefinitely their

efforts to "save the country." If they do not drive it to the verge of destruction, it will be because the nation lias at its head a man with iron will, who, hovever he may be opposed in his patriotic effoits to save the Union, will m the end triumph over all his enemies, and restore it again in all its length and breadth and glory. Mr Blake, on the 3rd instant, introduced in the House of Representatives a bill, establishing conditions for the admission into tho Union of the States, of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Canada East, and Canada West, which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The first section provides that whenever notice shall be deposited in the Department of State that the Governments of Great Britain and of tho provinces have accepted the propositions made to them, the President of the United States shall publish, by proclamation, that the States of iN'ova Scotia, New Brunswick, Canada East, and Canada West, and the territories of Selkirk, ' Saskatchewan and Columbia, are constituted and admitted as Slates and Territories of the United States. Among the propositions is one that the 1 United States will assume the Provincial debt at not exceeding five per centum interest, as follows : — Canada West, 36,500,000d015, ; Canada East, 29,000,000 dols. ; Nova Scotia, 8,000,000 dols. ; New Bruuswick, 7,000,000 dols, ; Newfoundland, 3,200,000 dols. ; Prince Edward's Island, 2,000,000 dols.

The United States are also to pay 10,000,000 to the Hudson Bay Company. A most terrible conflagration occurred at Portland, Me., on the 4th instant, caused by a boy throwing a lighted fire-cracker among some shavings. One half of the city was destroyed, nearly all the business" portion being included. All the banks, dry goods stores, jewelleiy establishments, and telegraph offices, eight churches, and other public buildings were burnt to the ground. The wind was blowing a gale at the time the fire commenced and caused the flames to spread with the greatest fury, sweeping ruin,- destruction, find desolation everywhere. Over fifty buildings were blown up in the hope of making space between the fire and the other buildings, but the effort was useless. It is estimated that about two thousand buildings were destroyed, involving a loss of ten million dollars. Two thousand families were rendered homeless, losing nearly every valuable they possessed, and arc now dependent on the' generosity of these who' were fortunate to escape the sweeping disaster. Two thousand tents for shelter to the hougel«eo — "?"■■— -JWwAyJnA \ij ll_. TT '1 ,1 States nutuCrltiesTrom Boston, and the people df ali the cities throughout the Union are* liiisily, engaged irt forwarding I supplies of clothing arid provision's, and raising funds for the relief of 1 .the thousands of sufferers^ many pf- Avlio'm have been bereft by this awful visitation of everything they possessed on earrh.

A very destructive fire also occurred in the Oil Regions of Pennsylvania, near Louisville, on the 7th instant. Eighteen or twenty wells on Bennehoff Run were burned up, and about twenty ihousfind bdrreis df dii were destroyed. There Were t also , twenty d¥ tliirty derricks destroyed, erected at wells riot yet completed; The loss is very heavy. .The State of Tennessee 13, Reported as showing more signs of r rejecting than ratifying the Constitutiohal Araentliticnt, which .is most annoying to the Radicals in Washington, a'g is the fact that it is now certain that the Legislatures "Bo?" B o? ten States will not be convened at (ill in extra session, and will not, therefore, vote upon the amendment until December or January next; namely, Maryland, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, New Jersey, Delaware, Illinois, Wisconsin, lowa, and New York. Nor is this all. New Jersey, Delaweiv, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, and JHinois. will probabty vote against it General Sweeney has published an address to the |W : an Brotherhood * n America, in whVii lie defends his , course in < he .resent raid in Canada. He rcco'mm'&ids the I'e-orgamzation of companies by tk members under tiielr chosen leaders. He dates t"e address at St. Albans, Vt., Tuly -1.

Head-Centre Stephens continues to "bob round" eoi>icUrably. It is said lie is preparing Jin address to the Urotliei'liooA that will Make everything connected with the Fcitan cause as " blight as bright cm be' — but there is no use denying <hat Feniauism wears a most decided aspect of being " played Out"- in this country, July 11, 1866. S~ ts were current in Washington ! v. that, an attempt had been obtain the unanimous consent abinet, to the call for the Na?, Suvcntion which is to assembly $Ssjahi'.i on t^ie 14th of August, #£>Mrl- was unsuccessful. The 1-'" j^y^^and thi- Johnson tTnioff ClftT> l *"-"y"v.'.^^CTw^.ho\voA cr, haye;coll{^sS&iif 'ifelrl^^fegts arid will send DespatcbV'a. jr(3^^P^ada indicate , l*irliamcnt w^^^^^^j^^^' 1^" one - r lhe opposition "^^^^ l "'' nß'n 8' the Government wi^^^^^g^l^iiil Canada to the United Head-Centre Stephens" niaoHH^ ceedin^ly warlike speech <o a^pfge numbti of the Fenian Bro^^^^Mn denied'that the Fenian S P"'J^HBB

soil within a year. Perhaps this may be so, but J/enianism in this country has evidently lost its spirit, and its followers are losing confidence ', in • its leaders. Senator Lane, better known as General Jim Lane, of Kansas, attempted to commit suicide at Leavemvorth a few days ago, by deliberately putting a pistol to his mouth, and firing its contents into v himself. vHe has been suffering greatly ever since, and last evening it was stated .that he' was rapidly sinking, and tliere' were no hopes of his recovery. „ The Tariff Bill has passed the House of Representatives by a vote of. 94 to 53. It fixes a tax oorn r cotton of 3c. a pound ; makes the duty* on railroad iron 70c. per ICO pounds; on pig iron, 9dols. per ton; on' salt, 24c. per 100 pounds; on imported coal, Idol. 50c. per ton ; on tea, 12-Jc. per pound"; and on coffee, 2£c. per pound, besides affixing excessive duties on a large number of other articles.

Mr itoniero, the Mexican Minister, to-day received official despatches from El Paso, informing him that on the 10th ult , President Juarez, his Cabinet, and the Government, left El Paso for Chihuahua. Letters from the city of Durango, of June 5, received here by the last steamer from Vera Cruz, state that the French troops in that city were under orders to march against Ch.huahua, and that 2000 men had already left, and were at that time at Lazarca. Letters from the city of Mexico state that General Bazaiue was concentrating all the available French troops in San Luis Potosi, to open a new and vigorous campaign against the Mexicans.