The News by the Mail.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 452, 7 February 1867, Page 3

The News by the Mail.

FEKIANISJL [From the Home Sews, 3rd December.] Fenianism is happily destitute of the principal support of an aggressive force, a basis of operation; hut it seems that it has two poiats of attack. Ireland is ----- - - j i— -r ,0 vy 4 JUt? Vi Ita ai mcu ocutivud] and Canada is putting her house in order against a possible invasion of the other. It is unnecessary to say that the notion of effecting a descent iccittuu is uuthiag more than a frantic expression of the ignorance with regard to our means of defence which appears to overmaster the Fenian chiefs and their followers. Ho w any considerable number of thinking men can be cajoled into the belief that a dozen or more transports could successfully meet the fleet which guards these shores, and, passing uninjured through it, fling their rebellious freight upon the soil of the sister island, is a problem that repels investigation. Stephens is unquestionably an enthusiast; but it remains to be shown that his revolutionary frenzy has carried him to the extent of thinking that a great and determined empire can be driven from one of its natural outworks by the sheer strength of talk, pitchforks, pikes, and obsolete firearms. In all likelihood Stephens lays great store by the spasmodic disaffection of the Irish lower classes; and it is just as likely that he overrates enormously their capacity for good or evil The experience of Smith O’Brien’s rebellion ought to convince him —if he is sensitive to persuasion in any form—that in Ireland a vulgar and clamorous rheteoric is too often mistaken, not only for a disposition to fight, but absolutely for fighting itself. When we hear that there are two hundred thousand men in Ireland impatient for action, and who are only waiting for the electrifying nod of their chief to spring at the foreigner’s throat, we are divided in our amazement between the arrant hypocrisy of one set of Irish politicians, and the hopeless credulity of the other. It is thoroughly understood that if Ireland will venture on the dangerous road of rebellion again she*uiust not expect to be treated with the cruel kindness that has hitherto worked her more mischief than benefit. This time, at least, the Executive will be put upon its mettle: and it will be expected to prove that it is capable of extinguishing the last embers of a senseless conspiracy, dangerous alike to the good name of the Government, and the prosperity of the kingdom. The crisis foretold by Mr Stephens may never come, but there is no folly in being forearmed, and prepared to meet it. In the present dis turbed state of public feeling it behoves the loyalty and the common sense ol the nation to give an unhesitating sup port to the authorities in their wise endeavors to maintain order, and shut out the possibility of anarchy.

The Canadian aspect of the question may be reviewed very briefly. There is no reason to believe that the United States Government are inclined to adopt an unfair line of conduct towards this country, should Roberts and his organised miscreant attempt to carry fire and sword once mere across our frontiers. Moved by political necessities, Mr Johnson did indeed step out of his way to intercede for the Fenians •whom the fortune of war left in the hands of the Canadian authorities; but his intercession was characterised by a moderation which may be said to have rendered it irresistible in the eyes of those to whom it was addressed. We are told that a feeling of discontent has been manifested by the Canadian volunteers in consequence of the Government declining to execute the Fenian convicts upon whom the extrema sentence of the law has been passed by the proper tribunals. We hear at the same time that a discontented knot of politicians in Victoria are crying out for annexation to the United States. We are convinced in the meantime that the Canadian volunteers will find it to their interest to be the last to evince symptoms of insubordination towards the Government. As for the “ annexation ” announcement, it is only the expiring echo of an old clamour that has frequently found voice but never adherents in more than one of our colonies. AMERICA. York, 21st Nov,, 1866. Cor latest European dates ap to yesterday.

It is. said Napoleon will issue a Foreign Office note on the Mexican Question, conciliatory towards the United States and inclining to arecognition of Juarez. The French troops are preparing to

march from Home, oa December 15th.

Russia proposes to negotiate a large loan in London. The Emperor of France is said to have invited the King of Prussia to visit Paris.

Russia has formally annexed the territory of Taschend, in Central Asia, to the Empire. Advices from Saltillo, Mexico, say Northern Mexico is alive with preparations for attacks upon Durango, Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi. The Imperialist were everywhere acting on the defensive, and it was believed they had barely force enough to hold open their line of communication between Mexico city and Vera Cruz until their final departure. Majia was alone in command of San Louis Potosi with Mexican soldiers only, all the foreign troops having left. General Ortega, who attempted to enter Mexico via Brownsville, Texas, was arrested by United States troops, but subsequently discharged. The Mexican Minister at Washington learns from Vero Cruz that Maximilian attempted to leave Mexico, but was prevented by the French Marshal Bazine, who compeled him to return to the city of Mexico, and abdicate formally before leaving, as leaving without this formality would place the French troops in a ridiculous position.

(Special Correspondence of the Star & Herald.) New York, 21st Nov., 1866. ll'SO o’clock a.m. It is reported from Washington that President Johnson and Chief Justice Chase have recently held prolonged conferences, and have come to some agreement by which a better feeling between him and the Radical leaders will hereafter exist. It is also reported that the Presi dent has lately held consultations with several leading Republican Congressmen, and that they have agreed upon such measures as will tend to create ere long a much happier and betterfeeling throughout the country than exists at present. There appears to he an earnest desire on the part of the Conservative Republican Congressmen and the Democrats to bury all past differences of opinion and range themselves on the side of the President and it is believed that a union between them may possibly disconcert the disunion measures of the Radicals, and enable a grand coup d'etat to bring about a speedy readmission of the Southern States to their proper places in the Union, A number of the leading Democratic newspapers, in view of the recent elections in the Northern States, have come out boldly in favor of granting the right of suffrage to white and to black men alike. “Impartial and universal amnesty ” is now their rallying cry, and many of the Southern newspapers are ranging themselves on the same side. The President is now preparing his annual message to be sent into Congress when it meets next month. Nothing authentic is known as yet in regard to its contents, but it is hinted in various quarters that it will take strong ground in favor of the “ Monroe Doctrine,” and consequently advocate in no unraistakeable terms the expeditious getting out of Mexico of Maximilian and the French troops. Reports from Washington say that there are strong indications that Chile and the Liberal Government of Mexico are about forming a close and secret treaty of alliance. Whether these reports are true or not remains to be seen.