AMERICA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1910, 22 August 1863, Page 3

AMERICA.

INVASION OF THE NOBTH. New York, June 13. Affairs are going on more decisively in favor of peace. Meetings have been held in the Northern States, anJ resolutions passed condemning the Government for prosecuting the war, urging peace at any price, and demanding that the wishes of the people be respected. The accounts of the last month's proceedings, as reported by the Federal Government, are not relied on by the Northerners themselves. Au-, thentic reports say that General Lee's army, numbering 100,000 men, supported by an immense cavalry force under General Stuart is on the move towards Winchester and Harper's Ferry. Great alarm prevails in Washington. Preliminary arrangements for the enforcement of the Conscription Act had lead to a breach of the peace, and then to murder. It is thought Government will not be able to carry out the measure. The voluntary enlistment of the blackpopulation is now the grand idea, as Lincoln and his principal advisers despair of much further white aid for the conquest of the Southerners. Meanwhile Lincoln says that, as the nation elected him President, he will act as such. Vicksburg has been attacked by the Federals, under General Grant, who was victorious in a series of attacks, but was finally repulsed. General Pemberton declared he could hold out until reinforced by Johnstou, who, it was expected would attack Grant in the rear, and cut him up. Fort Hudson was invested by the Federal array and fleet. After several engagements the Northerners were repulsed. General Banks lost an arm, and General Sherman died of his wounds. Admiral Wilkes has been superseded on the representation of the British Government, The arrest and condemnation of Mr Vallandigham, for a speech made against the war, produced a tremendous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 habeas corpus was refused, and the refusal excited wild indignation. The Democratic parly have nominated Vallandighara for the Governorship of Ohio. At a monster meeting, at which 25,000 people were present, the military despotism of the North, was severely censured. The people are crying out for the freedom of discussion. The French Emperor had reopened negociations with England on the subject of meditation between the Federals and Confederates. Should England decline, he will have recourse to Kussia and Spain, as it is now thought utterly impossible for the seceding States to return to the Union. Lord Palmerston is in favor of submitting the American quarrel to the arbitration of the King of the Belgians. Provided the contending American factions agree to this arrangement, a suspension of hostilites, 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 froDt to storm the Confederates' position, they rushed in a body over tbe parapets and seige 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 remaining 200 escaped by jumping headlong over the walls of the fort. The Federal loss in the late Vick,sburg fight is given at 40,000. Admiral Porter on the Yazoo River, 1 had done considerable harm to tbe 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 rights to criticise acts of administration, and deny the right of tbe military to suppress papers published far from the seat of war. Tbe steamer Norwegian, sister skip to the ill-fated Anglo-Saxon, has been wrecked off St. Paul's, in the St. Lawrence, steaming in a fog. No lire's were lost.