NEWS OF THE WEEK.

HE Trent affair has culminated in a despatch in which Earl Russell explains to Mr. Seward the first principles of international law. As the arguments of the Foreign Secretary are identical with those we have employed, we need not repeat them, but his results are important. Her Majesty's Government will not acquiesce in the capture of any British ship in circumstances similar to those of the Trent, even if brought before a Prize Court. Neither could the Government have submitted to "that wrong," even had the insurrection in the South been flourishing, and the persons captured very important. The despatch is extremely clear, and leaves the Americans no ground to assert that they are unaware of the British interpretation of international law.

The Windham case came to an end on Thursday, twelve of the twenty-two jurymen declaring the unlucky cub perfectly sane. There is another battle still to be fought, the Lords Justices being empowered to order or refuse payment of costs. By the custom of the court they should be paid out of the estate, but a power exists to modify this arrangement. Perhaps to secure justice, the costs ought to be paid one-third by Mr. Windham, for a career which made his sanity doubtful ; one-third by the family, for relying on a rotten case; and one-third by the Master in Lunacy, for not keeping the control of his own Court. He might have shortened the case at least one-third by rejecting irrelevant evidence, holding the private examination ten days ago, and keeping the counsel before him in their places. As it is, an unhappy lad may be ordered to pay 20,000/. for an inquiry into his own sanity, moved by people who gave no evidence, before a jury worn out with disgust and fatigue, and a judge who suffered himself to be snubbed by counsel for the defence. The whole case is a disgrace to English law, and the only person who came out of court with any additional credit was the door-keeper, whose firmness in resisting personal pressure cannot be too greatly admired !

The Emperor of the French is said to have hit on a most bizarre idea. It is to offer the throne of Mexico to an Archduke of the Austrian House in exchange for Venetia. The Austrian press is extremely angry, but it is said that the Archduke Maximilian, a quasi-Liberal, but trained by -Tesuits, is willing to accept the bid, if France will extend her occupation to ten years. Of course, if the Mexicans agree, the arrangement is just as convenient to Great Britain as any other, and monarchy might suit Mexico just as well as Brazil. Bmt the assent of the Mexicans ought to be the sine gua non \of a proposal which is a great deal too much after the style inc the Holy Alliance. The worst of the arrangement is, that Europe must guarantee it, as the North is quite strong enough to fight Austria, and will be very likely to do it.

Lord Lyons, on the 11th of January, complained to Mr. Seward of the sinking of the stone fleet in Charleston Harbour. The Secretary of State, in reply, informed him that it was not intended to injure the harbour permanently, that all obstructions would be removed as soon as the Union was restored, and that the United States would open better harbours than those they had closed. To show that Charleston harbour was not destroyed, he added that a British steamer laden with contraband had just succeeded in getting in. It is a neat reply : only, if Charleston is not destroyed, why talk of opening Port Royal as an indemnity to the world ?

The Articles brought on by the plaintiff in the Court of Arches against the Rev. Henry Biristow Wilson, for his essay on the National Church in Essays and _Reviews, have appeared ; they are nineteen in number, and cover a very wide surface of theological opinion. The essay called in question was, we think, the most really objectionable of all, resting on a theory of subscription which, were it not so candidly avowed, might well be called jesuitical. The heads of accusation are far too numerous to enumerate here. But we notice the ominous occurrence in the articles of the phrase that Mr. Wilson did "in eject" contradict this or that doctrine of the Church of England—a vagueness which, for the sake of all clergymen, may, we trust, be very closely watched. Mr. Wilson's heresies were in general put in a hypothetical form, which will render the plaintiff's task a difficult one. The spectacle of these trials is far from agreeable ; and if there is to be no deliberate enlargement of the Church, we trust promoters will be found for a few trials testing the orthodoxy of what we may call the Hard Church View. Dr. Philliinore and Mr. Coleridge have broached—we suppose under the influence of special cliques —views as to the limits of inspiration, which would be more easily proved contrary to Church doctrine than the passages cited from Dr. Williams and Mr. Wilson.

The British Museum has recently received from Sir John Login a political curiosity. It is a series of coins struck by the Maharajah of Cashmere in different years of his reign. They are the current silver coins, and bear on the obverse the Christian monogram I.H.S.. surmounted in some cases by the cross. This impression is intended by the Sikh Chief to imply that he is under a Christian suzerain, and as a graceful compliment to his rulers. The fact is the more.remarkable as it is only one instance, among many, of the ab.7 sence of antipathy to Christianity among the Sikhs. ',The Mussulman Nizam recently objected to wear the Star' bf the Order of India because it had the Queen's portrait on it, and only consented when reminded by his Moollahs that the rupees in his Highness' pocket had just the same.

Mr. Edmund Potter, the new member for Carlisle, in a meeting held at Manchester to consider the Indian' import duties on cotton goods, distinguished what he called a " healthy" commercial crisis from an " unhealthy one," in the latter of which classes he ranks the present. He fears that the half of our whole cotton supply may fail us in consequence of the war, and calculating the total wages of the cotton-spinners at 14,500,000/. per annum, he holds out the prospect that thesefour million of operatives may lose something like 7,250,000/. in wages during the next year. Certainly by no means a healthy crisis ! As the meeting, however, deprecated any infraction of the blockade, the only practical point for their consideration was the Indian supply. They deprecate, wisely enough, the Indian ten per cent. import duties on cottou goods, which, addino: the cost of import, really make the difference in favour of the Indian manufacturers twenty per cent. at least. This encourages the misapplication of Indian labour and capital to the manufacture, instead of to its natural task—the production of cotton, and so directly injures our supply. Mr. Laing complains that while the Indian Government cannot reduce the European regiments in the Indian service to the point compatible with its financial means, the Indian Chancellor of the Exchequer is not fairly dealt by. The ten per cent. import duties might be struck off at once if the Home Government did not insist on quartering more Queen's regiments on India than India wants.

Some gentlemen, headed by Mr. R. W. Crawford, M.P., have formed a British North American Association, for various vague purposes. The one practical thing to be done is to secure sufficient Government help for the completion of the railway to Halifax, the need of which recent events have shown. Beyond this there is probably nothing which an association can do nearly so well as private members of Parliament interested in the progress of British North America. The objection to these vaguely beneficial organizations is, that when they have once done the little bit of work which suggested them, they have to produce their own food for the future, and become fussy or nebular, or both. After the momentary crisis is over, what is there to make a British American Association more needful than an Australian, or New Zealand, or Port Natal, or Cape of Good Hope, or even Malta and Gozo Association ? In the political world, all associations should be for very specific ends ; if you begin with a nebula, you are apt to end, not in a kosmos, but a chaos.

The political business of the week has been exceedingly slight. On Saturday Lord Clarence Paget, at Deal, took credit to the Admiralty for the rapidity with which the Canadian expedition had been sent away, quoted instances in which men-of-war had been manned in live days, confirmed the statement that the Naval Reserve would man a fleet of twenty-seven steamers, and mourned with a mild and gentlemanly regret over the grave of Reform. On Tuesday, at Buckingham, Mr. Hubbard congratulated himself and his audience on the defeat of bills for throwing open endowed schools, for abolishing church rates,for allowing dissenting ministers to enter churchyards, and for enabling a man to marry his wife's sister. He abused the "Liberation Society," denounced the New Code of Education as irreligious, and repeated his arguments for a readjustment of the income tax. For the rest, the Tory papers are exceedingly irate, because the Whigs of Oxfordshire thought they might as well vote for Sir H. Dashwood, with whom they agreed, as for Colonel Fane with whom they did not, and talked of the danger "to the altar, the peerage, and the throne," as if the country baronet were an English Proudhon. Unfortunately Sir H. Dashwood's merits are not likely to be tested.

A mass of correspondence has been published on the Holstein difficulty which men responsible to God for their time are not very likely to read. The drift of the whole is simply that Denmark is willing to make any concessions in Holstein provided the Germans but leave Schleswig alone. Prussia, on the other hand, is as anxious to control Schleswig as Holstein, and keeps the question open as a convenient raw. The root of the question is not the right of the Diet, but the claim of Germany to absorb a higher race than her own because it happens to be a small one. The claim, if pressed too hard, may result in a Scandinavian Empire, which the Danes would greatly prefer to absorption in Germany.

The Session of the French Chambers commenced on Monday, with a speech from the Emperor, marked by more than usual of his secretive frankness. It is said that his reception was a little cold, and that he is still afraid of the ultramontane tendencies of the members. M. de Morny, however, president of the Corps Legislate, has limited the manifestation of that spirit by prohibiting written speeches. MM. Montalembert, Guizot, Thiers, Scc., will, therefore, no longer be able to send essays to be read aloud in the Chamber by men who may be described as members with portfolios but without voices.

The correspondence between M. de Lavalette, French Ambassador at Rome, and Cardinal Antonelli,has been published. It is the same old drearitale. The Pope, earnestly invoked by the Emperor to recognize existing facts, replied, "We must await events." Cardinal Antonelli, pressed in the same direction, answered that compromise was impossible—that the present or any future Pope, for centuries to come, could not, under his oath, secularize the patrimony of St. Peter. There is nothing to be done, therefore, except to withdraw the troops, leaving the Pope to fly ; or wait for his death, and admit the Italians while the Conclave is deliberating on his successor.

Those who were induced by the notable hit which Zadkiel made when he prophesied a dangerous illness to the Prince Consort within seven months of the right time, to buy his almanack for 1862, will be taking stock of their first month of prophecy without any very great sense of exultation. Zsdkiel predicted for January the "extreme popularity" of some "youthful actress." The Sisters Marchisio, who were "extremely popular" but not youthful, might, perhaps, be regarded as satisfying the conditions, if the word actress be used in an extended sense ; or Miss Jane Coombs, of the Haymarket Theatre, who was youthful but not very popular, might do, if the word "popular" be used in an extended sense. The only hit is the prediction of "verystormy weather from 24th to 26th. Seamen, beware !" These were the days during which several wrecks occurred off Milford. As, however, three days were mentioned, and there are generally, at least, two January storms of wind, Zadkiel had no inconsiderable chance of success. A great fire was promised for the 26th—the burning down of a place of "female ornament mid amusement." But this can scarcely be interpreted even by liberal-minded believers to denote the Hartley Colliery accident. In Syria, too, "females" were to be massacred. In London "much dissatisfied feeling is displayed—public meetings assemble ;" but unless this mean the dissatisfaction with the Windham case, and the meetings of the Court, the Alderman's Pythia is too deep for us.

The Registrar just elected by the University of Cambridge, Mr. Luard, is a man of sound and accurate learning. He has edited "the lives of Edward the Confessor," and " G-rostete's letters," for the State Paper-office, in a way that has won the approbation of scholars.

Mr. Newall, we hear, has proposed to lay down a second Atlantic Telegraph, provided the British Government will guarantee interest in one shape or another on the 700,0001. required. Surely we have had enough of this new and gigantic system of bounties. If Government require the line, let them make a definite offer for the privilege of using it.

,friunt—The French Chambers were opened by the Emperor in person, and his Majesty, addressing the Senators and Deputies, said "his relations with foreign Powers gave him the fullest satisfaction." The "King of Prussia, in coming to France, had been able to judge for himself of the desire of France to unite herself still closer, to a Government and people who are advancing with a firm and sure step towards progress. I," his Majesty proceeded, "have recognized the Kingdom of Italy, with the firm intention of contributing, by sympathetic and disinterested advice, to conciliate two causes the antagonism of which disturbs the public mind and conscience everywhere. The civil war which desolates America has seriously compromised our commercial interests. Nevertheless, so long as the rights of neutrals are respected, we must confine ourselves to the utterance of wishes that these dissensions may soon be terminated." After an allusion to affairs in Cochin China, the necessity which had arisen in Mexico of suppressing attempts against humanity and the rights of nations, the Emperor referred to the finances, and thought a deficit of forty millions ought not to create anxiety, "for let first be deducted from this amount the 652,000,000f. which weighed upon the State at a period anterior to the Empire ; then the 78,000,000f. repaid to the rentes-holders (rentiers) at the time of the conversion ; then the/ 233,000,000f. odd unsecured, caused in the last two budgets by dktant expeditions, and which it might have been possible to secure by a loan." In fact, said the Emperor, it would not be just to forget the increase of expenses caused by two wars, great works of public utility, the construction of 6553 kilometres of railway, the network of railways, the improvement of the army, the transformation of the artillery and the fleet, and the increase of commerce from 2 milliards 600 millions to 5 milliards 800 millions which these works have produced. It was necessary not to increase the deficit, and he therefore adopted a radical measure which compelled economy, while producing in the system of transfers means for unforeseen emergencies. His Majesty concluded with an eloquent peroration, and the Session commenced. It is said the sentence referring to Rome was very coldly received. No business has yet been transacted beyond fixing a day (Friday) for the discussion of a bill to carry out the conversion of the 44 per Cents, and a declaration from M. Moray, President of the Corps Legislatif, that _written speeches would no longer be allowed. They always have been hi France, even in the days of the Convention, and it is a curious fact that most of the perfervid orators of the Mountain read their speeches. Robespierre always did. M. Morny pronounced "calculated malice" insufferable, and was applauded.

It seems that the division into ordinary and extraordinary expenses is to be really a division between obligations which are imperative, and must be provided for, and obligations which may be postponed or rejected, or provided for by temporary taxes—a wise distinction. The new taxes proposed by M. Fould have created no irritation.

2urtrira.--The most important news from America is the removal of Mr. Cameron from his post as Secretary at War. He was requested by the President to resign, according to one account, because of his anti-slavery opinions ; according to another, because the Senate had ordered him to send in a list of contracts for inquiry. The first explanation seems doubtful, because the President has summoned Cassius Clay, a strong Abolitionist, to take a command in the army ; and the second seems unlikely, while the Secretary to the Navy, who has been censured by the Senate for mismanagement of his contracts, remains in office. Mr. Cameron will, it is said, replace Mr. Clay at St. Petersburg, and has been himself succeeded by Mr. Stanton, a Democrat, but acceptable to the Republicans. The debates in Congress have been of some interest. On the 13th Mr. Dawes, in the House of Representatives, attacked the contract system, which he denounced as one of organized plunder. The Government, he said, in illustration, had bought a million pairs of shoes and ordered a million more, and lust three shillings on every pair. I million of muskets have been ordered at double their price, and are not to be ready for six months. The army is costing two millions of dollars a day, and the movement is still delayed. This statement is borne out by a schedule of army expenditure for one year, prepared by the Committee of Ways and Means, which shows that the pay of the volunteers alone amounts to 147,283,000 dollars, and the total expense of the army to 433,000,000 dollars, or nearly ninety millions sterling. A bill authorizing the issue of 100 millions of State notes has been proposed, but not passed, and demand notes are now at 12 per cent. discount. General Montgomery has arrested a seller of dry goods for refusing at Alexandria to take inconvertible paper in payment for goods, at less than 12 per cent. discount. He has apparently been sent to prison. While the Committee of Ways and Means was discussing a bill appropriating 35,000 dollars for the Great Exhibition of 1862, Mr. Lovejoy, from Illinois, broke out into a furious tirade against England, which will be found in another column. He does not seem to have found much support, but the bill was "tabled "—that is, we believe, rejected without a vote. There is, however, a marked restraint in the tone of the press towards Great Britain.

The military news is of little importance. A second naval expedition, with 18,000 men on board, commanded by General Burnside, has reached Fortress Monroe, and is supposed by Mr. Russell to be destined for some point on the coast in rear of the Confederate army, probably Norfolk. The secret of its destination has however been well preserved. The Port Royal expedition has effected nothing new, though we believe very large numbers of slaves have come in, and are working for the army.

In the West we can gather no news of the Mississippi flotilla, beyond a report that it has started. The force on board will be joined at Nashville by General Grant with 72,000 men, whom he is now collecting at Cairo, and the combined force will then move downwards upon New Orleans. At least, this is the report, but the American Government is striving to keep its own secrets, and the public is therefore compelled to rely upon newspaper statements, often mere inventions.

It is stated that all the territories have now declared for the North, but the statement requires confirmation. Utah certainly has not, nor, we believe, New Mexico. It is not a matter of much importance, for if the North wins on the Potomac it will keep all the territories ; and if the South wins, it will dictate its own terms as to boundary.

lashia.—The a'st Deutsche Post denies the statement that an offer of a Mexican throne has been made to Austria, and affects to consider that to owe a throne to France would be a degradation to a Hapsburg. '

No political news of any kind has been received from Austria during the week, except a peremptory denial of the report that the Emperor has complained of the Italian Government.

Vrania.—The Prussian budget was presented to Parliament on the 22nd of January. The total revenue for 1862 is estimated at 13,586,0001„ and the total expenditure at 14,090,0001., showing a deficit of 500,0001. Of this sum, 180,000/. will be met by the addition of 25 per cent. to certain taxes, leaving 318,000/. to be covered, which can be met from the surplus of 386,0001., left in the Treasury from the revenue of 1861. The increased expenditure on the army is only MO/. The Minister repudiated the assertion that the Government was expending money to a dangerous extent, pointed to the fact that Oe Government of Prussia had no floating debt, and showed that the arrears of taxation had annually declined.

The Ministry, has also brought in a bill providing for the responsibility of Mini*ters. They may henceforward be impeached for unconstitutional a,cts, and sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment; but the demand ?for impeachment must be signed by both Houses, the signatures o the proposal twin t ot less than 30 in the Upper House and 80 in Cie Lower. The King can pardon, but no Minister so impeached and clmvicted can ever again be employed. The bill is held to be quite illusory, but it will be rejected by the Upper House as too liberal. It would be a simpler process to proceed by a bill of attainder.

5h1q.—The only Italian intelligence comes to us from Paris, where a book full of correspondence with Rome has been laid before the Corps Legislatif. The most important despatch bears date the 11th January, and directs M. de Lavalette to inquire whether, putting aside the question of right, there was any hope of the Pope reeognizing facts as they existed, and entering into an arrangement with Italy. On 18th January, M. de Lavalette announced his failure. The Pope only replied to his representations that he should await events, while Cardinal Antonelli assured him that the Italians had no quarrel with the Pope, whose only enemy was the King of Sardinia ; that' the Papacy would make no "transaction" with its despoilers ; and that no Pope, at any time, even for centuries to come, could possibly surrender the patrimony of St. Peter. It is said the ambassador is exceedingly irritated at the failure of his efforts, but apparently nothing will be done.