AMERICA.

Southland Times, Issue 552, 3 September 1866, Page 3

AMERICA.

The special correspondent of the APanama Star and Herald, writing from New York on July 10, says : — It was hoped that before this Congress would have adjourn d and giien the country a resting spell, from the vexatious and annoying and disturbing legislation of its members — but alas ! no such thought appears to be entertained by them. They are now engaged in concocting a tariff, making the duties on a large number of articles excessive so as to fetter the commerce of the country, and this tariff they will probably adopt before they do adjourn. The weather at Washington, happily, for several days has been extremely hot, the mercury making one hundred degrees in the shade, and under the effects of the heat, which completely wilted several of our reverend senators and anything but grave representatives, everybody was c ousoling himself with the belief that they would be driven away to the shady retreats of i tbeir homes. This, however, does not I seem likely to be realised just yet, as the weather after four days of the most intense heat, unhappily has become suddeuiy cool again, and our worthy legislators seem determined 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 has at its head a man with iron will, who, however he may be opposed in his patriotic efforts to save the Union, will in 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 the Union of -the States of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Canada East and Canada West, which was referred to the Committee on Poreign Affairs. The first section provides that wheniever notice shall be deposited in tha Department of State that the G-overnments tif Great Britain and df tbe Pivmaoe*

have accepted the propositions made to them the President of the United States shall publiah> by proclamation, tiat the States of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Canada Kast and Canada West, and the Territories of Selkirk, Saskatchewan and Columbia, are constituted and admitted as States and Territories of the United States. Among tho propositions is oae that the United States will assume the Provincial debt at not exceeding five per centum interest, as follows : — Canada West, 36,500,000 dois. ; Canada East, 29,000,000 dois. ; Nova Scotia, 8,000,000 dois. ; New Brunswick, 7,000,000 dois. ; Newfoundland, 3,200,000 dois.; Prince Edward's Island, 2,0J0,090 dois. The United States are also to pay 10,000,000 to the Hudson Bay Company. A most terrible conflagration occur red. at Portland, Me., on the 4th inst., caused by a boy throwing a lighted lire-cracker among some shavings. Oue half of the city was destroyed, nearly all the business portion being included, All the banks, dry goods stores, jewelery establishments and telegraph offices, eight churches, and other public buildings were burnt to the ground. The wind was blowing a gaie at the time the fire commenced and caused the flames to spread with the greatest fury, sweping ruin, destruction, and 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 posessed, and are now dependent ou the generosity of tho-e who were fortunate to escape the sweeping disaster. Two thousand tents for shelter to the houseless were forwarded by the United States authorities from Boston, and the people of all the Cities tliroughout the Union are busily engaged in forwarding supplies of clothing and provisions, and raising funds for the relief of the thousands of sufferers, many of whom have been bereft by this awful visitation of everything they possessed ou earth. A very destructive fire also occurred in the Oil Regions of Pennsylvania, near Lousville, on the 7th ins ant. Eighte6u or twenty wells on Benneholf R in were burned up, and about twenty thousand barrels of oil were destroyed. There were atao twenty or thirty derricks destroyed, erected at wells not yet completed. The loss is very heavy. The State of Tennessee is reported as showing more signs of rejecting thin ratifying the Constitutional Amendment, which is most - annoying to the Radicals in Washington, as is the fact that it is now certain that the Legislatures of ten States will not be convened a' all in extra session, and will not, theref >re, vote upon the amendment until De- e.nber or. January next ; namely, Maryland, Ind ana, Ohio, Kentucky, New Jersey, D.laware, li.inois, Wisconsin, lowa, and New York. Nor is this all. New Jer. ey D/a vare, Kentucky, Indiana, Man 1 rad aad Illinois will probably vote against it. General Sweeney has published an address to the Eenian Brotherhood in America, iv which he defends his course in the recent raid in Canada. He recommends the re-organization of circles and the formation of military companies by the members under their chosen leaders. He dates the address at St. Albans, Vt., July 4. Head Centre Stephens continues to " bob round " considerably. It is said he is preparing an address to the Brotherhood that will make everything connected with the Feuiau cause as " bright as bright can be" — but there is no use denying that Fenianism wears a most decided aspect of being about " played out", in this country. July 11, 1666. Reports were current in Washington yesterday, that an attempt had been made to obtain the unanimous consent of the Cabinet to the call for the National Convention which is to assemble in Philadelphia on the 14th of August, but thatit was unsuccessful. The Democratic Club and the Johnson Union Club of that city, however, have consolidated their interests and will send Delegates to the Convention. Despatches from Canada indicate that that the present session of the Canadian Parliament will be a very exciting one. The opposition members are assailing the Government with great power and effect, and the project of annexing Canada to the United States appears to be gaining favor. Head- Centre Stephens made an exceedingly warlike speech to a large Jnumber of" the Fenian Brotherhood in Boston yesterday. He emphatically denied that the Fenian spirit was dying out, and prom's. -d that war ag tinst England should be commmced on Irish soil within a year. Perhaps this my be so, but Fenianism in this country hns evidently lost its spirit, and its followers are losing confidence in its leaders. Senator Lave, better known as General Jim Lane, of Kansas, attempted to commit suicide at Leavenworth a few days ago, by deliberately putting a pistol to'his mouth, and firing its contents into himself. He has been suffering greatly ever since, and 1 «st evening it was- stated that be was rapidly siuking and there were no hopes of his recovery. Tne Tariff Bill has passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 94 to 53. It fixes a tax on cotton of three cents a pound ; makes the duty on railroad iron 70 cents per 100 pounds ; on pig iron, 9 dois per ton ; on s.ilt, 21 cents per 100 pounds ; on imported coal, 1 dol 50 c. per ton ; on tea, 12£ cents per pound, and on coffee, 2 1 cents a pound, besides affixing excessive duties on a large number of other articles. Mr Ro nero, the Mexican Minister, toi day received official diepatches from El '■ • Pago, informing bim tfowo cc tba 10& ul*.;

President; Juare^ hia Cabi&efc a»d the GoYemment, left Ei 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 Chihuahua, and that 2000 men had already left, and were at that time at Lazarca. Letters from the city of Mexico state that General Bazaine was concentrating al the available French troops in San Luis Potosi, to open a new and vigorous campaign against the Mexicans.