THE NOVEMBER MAIL.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1824, 31 January 1863, Page 2

THE NOVEMBER MAIL.

By the courtesy of tbe hon. Mr Mantell, we are enabled to extract from tbe Home News tbe chief items of interest. There is not much that is important even in tbe American uews f and still less in that relating to Europe; perhaps the moststartling is tbe proposition of the French Emperor for a mediation, with a view to bring about a suspension of hostilities between, tbe American belligerents for six months. England and Eussia, to whom the proposal was made both disapprove of it. Earl Russell declines because " after weigbing all tbe information which has been received from America, her Majesty's government are led to the conclusion that there is no ground at the preseut moment to hope that the Federnl Go* vernment would accept the proposal suggested, and a refusal from Washington at present, would prevent any speedy renewal of the offer," aud therefore thinks it better to watch the progress of events, so that when a favorable moment arrives "to offer friendly counsel," the tbiee courts nj«y be in a position unitedly to avail themselves of it. Russia thinks an attempt at mediation just now would have an opposite tendency, but if France insists and England acquiesces, she will render "if cot official aid, at least moral support." The British press generally approve the course taken by Earl Russell, deeming any offer of mediation as certain to be rejected. Writing before the decision of the Government had been made kuown the Times says — •* An armistice would be in favor of France and England, who wantcotton, and advantageous to the rioutherners, who would willingly sell it, but it would tie up the right arm of the North. "We are to ask her to allow her enemies to reprovision < themselves, and to restore their credit by the export of their cotton, and we are to ask her .at ; the same time to cut herself off from the most promising field ot operations for a whole year. The season for the employment of the Northern

gunboßts Ja ftbottt io reoommflno«. Th« iplfaff will bring the possibility of a tocond invasion- of the South, yefc we are to ask the North td forego their best opportunities, and to remain inactive till the heats of summer again drive their armies northwards, and render the banks of the river iri« accessible to their gunboats:" : ' ' . After the publication of the decision, the-satne journal remarks — " Reports have been so many and so various on this subject, that the Emperor has . done well to let the opinion of his government lie fully known. It was said by speakers like Mr Casßius Clay, that England — base England — was the only enemy the Federals had in Europe, and that the continental sovereigns sympathised deeply with the efforts of the Americans to preserve their Union. To abuse the Britisher and to express unbounded confidence in France and Russia, has been the universal practice of the Republican orators, some of them, no doubt, believing what they said, but the greater number impelled only by a splenetic hatred of ourselves, and a hope that they would sunder us from our allies on American questions. All this is at an end now. In every household, in every soldier's tent, both North and South, it will, be known in a fortnight's time, not only that the French Emperor wishes to end the war, but that he thinks it cannot end in the subjugation of the South. The moral effect of this European discussion is, indeed, as great as if the three Powers had actually tendered their mediation. If a joint note were read to Mr Seaward at Washington, it could add little to the warning he receives from the despatches of M. Drouyn de Lhuys and Earl Russell, and even from the temper of the Russian government." • The affairs of Greece occupy an equally prominent position in the deliberations of the same three cabinets.. Nonintervention is the policy they have professedly Mutually agreed to adopt, so tbe Greek National Assembly summoned by the provisional Government will choose a new king. Candidates were as plentiful as black* berries, but they appear to have all been eclipsed by the nomination of Prince Alfred, who, it was said, would be, and according to tbe Ked Sea telegram actually was, elected. By the pro* visions of some " balance of power " treaty, tbe ' members of the reigning families of France, Russia, and England, are however excluded, and tbe two first mentioned powers are determined (hat it shall be strictly adhered to, which leads the Times to say "whoever may accept tbe crown, it will not be Prince Alfred," since, even if he is not positively debarred by treaty, it would be most inconvenient and impolitic that be should,occupy a throne, which would eventually place him between two. rival allegiancies, and immediately bring about embarrassments of a very troublesome kind. The other principal personages who have been named are the Count of Flanders ; the Duke of Leucbtenberg, grandson of Eugene ßeaubarnais and brother of the Czar, also disqualified for the same leason as Prince Alfred is; Amadeus, second son of Victor Emmanuel; Piince Ypsilanti, son of the well known chief of the Hetairia, the secret society which freed Greece ; and the Arcbduke Maximillian. Garibaldi has been removed to Pisa, and is considerably improved in health. Dr Partridge, the London Surgeon who was twice sent to' big aid, hus been less fortunate than his French co-adjutor M. Nekton. The former was of opinion that there was no ball in the foot, while the latter was convinced that there was, and made a peculiar shaped instrument to probe the wound with. This instrument was of great service in the final operation. As soon as Dr. Zauetli had extracted tbe ballet, the prefect of Pisa, sent the following telegram to M. Nelatoii — " Ball extracted from Garibaldi's wound in con* formity with your diagnosis, confirmed by the result of your stylet. Honor to you!" The Lancashire distress increases fearfully. There are 240,000 persons receiving parochial relief. At the same time last year there were only 60,000. About l2oiooo more are receiving relief from tbe public committees, and tbe increase in the number of the. distressed is about 13.000 weekly. The subscriptions received by the London Committee, average £6000 a day; Manchester has held a generalTtneeting, which with a system of bouse to house visitation, pro* duced £90,000. For blankets v and bedding alone, an amount of £300,000 was.>v required before Christmas, winter having set in g&rly and with unusual severity. Hitherto the outlay has been for little more than food, now clothing and fuel has to he provided. Mr Cobden writes from Blackburn-— " I have seen much to gladden one's hear' amid the sorrowful scenes of ,this stricken place. All parties and sects are fused into one common effort of charity. The vicar was kind enough to accompany me to the soup-kitchen, when I found a Catholic priest with a cook's apron round his waist, superintending, in his turn,,, the distribution of food for the day. The manly good-hu. mom 1 and pluck with which hundreds of the more wealthy of the community address themselves to the almost superhuman task. of organising a ays- ' tornado relief for the overwhelming mass of destitution with which they are surrounded, and the perfect good order and grateful contentment of the poor people themselves, is a sight to cheer one's heart with the consolation that it is not an unmixed evil, which thus unites all classes, sects, and parties in the bonds of one sympathetic kind. ness. -Pray do what you can to help these brave people. The health" report of the cotton districts is good, the fever at Preston being on the decrease, and it is not appearing elsewhere. The manufacturers are said to be doing all they can. By the help of the Queensland Government, aided by local subscriptions, 1000 families were to be sent to that colony every second month, •and thirty mill-girls have been provided with passages by the Ota go Government. These, with seventy additional females, are now en their way under the personal superintendence of the well known Miss Rye, who is paying a visit to New Zealand and the Australian colonies tbe better to enable her to carry out her mission thorougly for the future. The wool sales were somewhat flat, the late advance not being maintained. We have made copious extracts of European and American news received by the Airedale.