The Week.

banc and the press , it feels that it is free . Thus , far from wishing to cut down the tree ivhich has borne good fruit , the mass of the labouring classes , tho classes who possess , the men who remember and those who hoar and read , fear the abuse of liberty even more th . au the abuse of power . " Speculation is rife in tho French capital , now that the supporters of the Federal

cause consider tiie conquest of the South a fail accompli , as to the probability of France being drawn into a war with America on the question of the now Mexican Empire . Having gone so far it is certain the French Emperor cannot recede with honour to himself , or withdraw his troops from Mexico in the meantime , whatever attitude may be assumed by the Government of

the United States . A rumour is current , that a proposal has been submitted to our Cabinet for "joint action" in the event of Yankee proclivities pointing either North or South—to Canada or to Mexico . Any diplomatic remonstrances necessary to be forwarded are to be , so it is said , backed up by a second iron-clad squadron , whicli is shortly to be formed in the Channel .

It is positively asserted by several of tho French journals that the Emperor Napoleon will leave Paris for Algeria on the 23 th inst . and that ho will spend about three weeks in his African dominions . It ivould seem that tlie Pope , dismayed by the number of Italian bishoprics which are gradually becoming vacant , is at length prepared to recognise in some measure the

kingdom of Italy , and to resume relations of some kind with the king who has despoiled the Church of tho best part of its territories . It is at all events asserted that Pius IX ., has addressed to King A ictor Emanuel a letter proposing that the king shall nominate bishops to tho vacant dioceses in tho old Sardinian kingdom , and declaring that the Pope , though reserving his full right to appoint all bishops within the old Pontilleial provinces ,

is willing to come to an arrangement as to tho patronage of the sees in Naples , Tuscany , Parma , and Modcna . Contrary tc general expectation thc Marquis da Sa Bandiera has succeeded in forming a Cabinet , and thc Portuguese Ministerial crisis may be considered at an end . It is stated that the Austrian North Sea squadron is ordered to prepare for sea , and then to take up its station in the harbour of Kiel . Austria , it is

added , requires the reduction of tho troops oecuping the Duchies and tho convocation of thc Schleswig Holsteiu estates . A crisis has for sono days prevailed in tbe Danish Ministry . It was caused by some of . the Ministers having had the intention of submitting to the Rigsdag the Ministerial scheme of a modification of the Constitution which had previously been

rejected by the Rigsraad , or supreme national council . It is now arranged that tlie Ministers are all to remain in office , and the sittings of the Rigsdag have been prorogued . The crisis is over . According to a letter from AA'arsaw , a violent struggle is now going on in the high official regions between tho military party represented by Count de Berg and the

Russian Radical section , which advocates the complete incorporation of Poland in Russia . Representatives of the two parties have gone to St . Petersburg to plead their respective causes . The principal argument of the military party is that the policy of their opponents must necessarily lead to au insurrection of the peasantry in the end . Some fanatical

Egyptian gendarmes , supported by an equally fanatical rabble , lately attacked tho labourers on the Suez Canal works , seriously wounding several of them . —— The ' supporters of the British Charitable Fund in Paris gave their annual ball iu aid of thc funds on Tuesday evening , and judging from the large attendance on the occasion , it may be

concluded that a considerable accession to the means at the disposal of the managing committee ivas secured . A report reaches us from Berlin , via Paris , of an arrangement in pro-

The Week.

gress for the settlement of another Princess of our own Royal Family in the state of matrimony . The Princess Helena , so tho rumour has it , is to be wedded to tho Prince Royal of Hanover ; further it is said the matter will bo finally settled in the month of August , during her Majesty's visit to Germany . The Czarewitch , son of the Emperer of Russia , and heir to

the throne , now lying ill at Nice , is considered to bo in a dangerous state . Tho Emperor ' s physician has arrived at St . Petersburgh . The Emperor himself is on his way to the sick bed of his son ; and the Queen of Denmark , with her daughter , the Princess Dagmar , betrothed . to the Russian Prince , have been summoned to the bedside . The malady is an affection of

the spine and brain . A _ . _ Er . iCA . —The Australasian arrived on Saturday , bringingintelligence from New York to the 5 th April . As was to be expected from the position of the contending armies , the news by the mail was of a momentous character . Richmond and

Petersburg had been evacuated by Lee , and occupied by F'ederal troops . Grant was in pursuit of Lee—the retreat of the Confederate General having commenced ou the evening of Sunday , flic 2 nd inst ., after a general engagement along tho whole line , which took placo in the morning of the same day . Thc rams and forts on the James River were blown up by the Con federates ,

and both Petersburg and Richmond set on fire , although it is stated that no great amount of destruction of property has been caused , throush the flames haying been speedily extinguished . President Lincoln , who was atCity Point , has already visited Petersburg . The losses of General Lee are estimated by Federal authorities at 15 , 000 killed and wounded , 25 , 000 prisonersand between 10 U ami 200 guns . Tho Northern States

, were in ecstacies of joy . By the arrival of tho America wo have intelligence from " New York to the Sth instant . The pursuit of Lee by Sheridan and Meade had been continued , and a number of men , waggons , and guns , and flags captured . At Burkeviile General Lee made a stand , when Sheridan attacked him with two divisions . The result , as reported by Sheridan , was tbe lete rout of the Confederateswith the loss of

comp , several thousand prisoners—amongst whom were six Confederate generals—guns , caissons , and waggons . Sheridan believed that Lee would surrender . The naval attack on Mobile has commenced ; siege guns were arriving capable of shelling the suburbs of the city . Twenty thousand inhabitants , one half negroes , were found ' in Richmond . The lady of Gen . Lee is said also to bo still there . All tho tobacco , to the value of a million dollars ,

had been destroyed . Sir Frederick Bruce was on bis way from New York to AVasbington . Mr . Seward has been thrown from bis carriage , and sustained a fracture of one arm and his jaw . The United States Government have adopted a highly conciliatory attitude iu relation to the St . Alban's raiders . Satisfied as they are with tlie Canadian authorities , they will abstain from all further demand for the extradition of the offenders ; while the Canadians , on their part , will prosecute the raiders for a violation of the neutrality laws .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

G . AAL—An adverse ballot for a candidate cannot be set aside by a non-confirmation of the minutes . Politics ought not to bo allowed to bias the votes of Masons in their selection of candidates , but we do not see how it is possible to prevent their doing so . If however , men are so prejudicial as to refuse to admit amongst them , others who differ from them in politics should think that the excluded havo a right to rejoice at not being called to take a place amongst tho

noodles , whether it be in a lodge or elsewhere . Lmii . vinE shall be attended to . X . Y . Z . asks whether it is true that the contract for the refreshment at the approaching opening of tho Boys' School has been given to a non-Mason ; and if so , why ? B . —AA ' e have more than once stated there is no such publication recognised . P . M . ; P . Z . ; P . P . G . AV . ; and P . M . No . 21 . —Your communications shall appear in our next issue .