AMERICA.

Grey River Argus, Issue 92, 14 August 1866, Page 2

AMERICA.

By way of California later detailed intelligence from the United States has beenreceived at Sydney up to the 30th May. " The following- are 'the chief items "©frl^, interest:— '... ...:. >..'.,. .• ... .:/,'.!. .' : BigTFire in New York.— New York, May 22.— The Academy of Mfcic' and" several buildings, including the Medical . University and LitliCTan Church,:' were destroyed by 'fire . last night... It {com- " menced in the Academy' of Music onfehour after the performance hy Grau's Opera Company. One steam fire--engine wa3 burned, and two fireman are reported killed. The loss is estimated at from 2,000,000d01. to 4,000,000d01. The Academy of Music was yalwed at.335,060d0L Tho total loss does not 1,000,000 dollara •.. ..--,... ..-'",■-.. : : : , j J,epp. Davis's Condition.— Dr Gfeorgc ' E. Cooper, post-siu-geon at Fortress Monroe, reports a medical examination of Jeff. Davis, made in compliance with'iiistructiohs from tha .President, saying' that Davis is Considerably 'emaciated, and liia nervous system greatly/deranged.. Want of sleep has been the great and^almost principal cause of his nervous excitement. The teamp of sentinels and guardiiilmost invariably, awakens him. . v Precautions x havebeen taken by placmg matting along the sentry walls to alleviate.^hia source of disturbance, but with only partial success. "More Nullification in Virginia.-— . Judge Thomas, of the Circuit&Court of Virginia, at Alexandria, N refused- to admit negro testimony in a,c'ase between a white man on trial before him, declaring thai Congress cannot; decide what persons or classes of persons may testify in -the Virginia Courts, i ' ;r^S;: ":".-.. ' Negro Rights.— Mr Sumneririi&oduced - a bill- to enforce the article in the Constitution aboHshing slavery, by securing the . elective franchise to colored, citizens. It provides that" every citizen, of "whatever race or-color, shall have the right'to vote'"at all elections. [State?]- Laws .to the contrary tobe void. v "' : *' CHARAdTERISTIC SPEECH OP SeW;ARD. — CMc*ago, May 23.— Secretary Seward made' a speech at Auburn, -N.Y., last night; in which he said,—" The, national-life lately hung on the issue of .victory won in war; it now hangs on the issue of reconciliation in peace.- The nation iniist^liv^-' lt must live for ever, whether it receives the needed care in any emergency, 'aj" the hands of our present Congress and-Jp^irty, or at the hands of another.' I argiie' it is altogether easier and more desirablFthat the work so happily begun and so successfully prosecuted heretofore should be; con-tinued-and ended under tlie> auspices of the National Union party .and of the pre- ' sent Congress, as representatives o£ that party. I .argue therel&re that it would be a sad; misfortune if a divergence bet ween the President ; and " Congress should work the, decline and fall : ;6f the National Union party. Both the President^and Congress might well expect to be equally involved in the •.calamity; which should dismiss the Union party from the National Council, and with mortification the great Responsibilities to 'wliich , the party had,- in that case, proved itself '"unequal, must then be assumed and iHscliargid by some" new and undeveloped political organiaatiog. But the President and Congress, and- statesmen -and parties, are^!^-, no avail .when weighed against the national life. What, then" does ' the nation need 1 It .needs; reconstruction, just now needs notlurig more. ' Let. construction fee i made first, and tlie desired changes, cori:stitutiohal and other, willfollowas needed i ' The country exhibits at -this, moment the '" extraordinary and interestingphenomenoiiof states not only kindred b^it allied,' yet hostile to each other.- For such a-condi- . tion mutual reconcileation is the only .remedy. What hinders tlie application of that remedy in ,the Legislative Council-? The President's position-: is absolutely^*' taken, well denned, .and -'■ universally \uiderstood. We cannot accept less than tins ; we cannot jrequire more,; because/ even if more weye desirable, yet that more ! is debateable, and must be the study and work, not of ourselves at this particular period, but of ourselves and our successors hereafter. • - ■ " - : ' : ' •"'.■■..- . Death of Lieutenant-Generai. Scott. U c —The report of Lieutenant-General Win- :^ field Scott's deathis confirmed. Hedied ' at West Point on the 29th. May at the age; of eighty years, lacking one: half month. He was born in Petersburg, Va;. June 13 1786. His parenls, William- Sco# and Aijn Mason, were also natives of Virginia. His grandfather was a ■Scotchman, of the clan Buccleugh— took part with the Pretender at the battle of Culloden (1746)-"' escaped from the field to Bristol, smuggled hin&elf on board a y vessel bound to" " America, and reached Virginia in a.d. 1747. _ Winfield Scott was educated at William and Mary College, from whence he went in his,l9fcli year to?study law with.. ' Darnel Robertson, Esq. His practice at the , bar was very brief, as he had a preference for the military art. He '. entered the United : States service with h , rank of captain of artillery in 1808, .and ' '# in 1812 was promoted to ; a lieutenant- ' M colonelcy, and. took an : active part in the % war. 'He fought at Queen^iand Heights, '"■■ was captured and exchanged, but in 1814 '■ he gained .his first victory bver the British "' at" the battle of Cliippewa. A short tmie after he foiaghf the bloody battle of - f Lundy's-lane,: and by Ins" bravery, and gjallant conduct gained a national reputa- , tion. Two horses' were shot under him, and he "was twice wounded in that engage^ . ment. He was promoted to- the rank of - brigadier-general, \ and in 1815 major--general. During the war with Mexico* h&' served with distinction,: and, witlvaforcb far inferior in numbers to the enemy,Vconquered a peace, for which services he; % was honored by Congress "appointing him lieutenant-general, wliich position he held until his decease. . ; i -.. . ' - '.