EARL RUSSÈL TO:LORD.LYONS

Foreign Office, Jan. 17, 1863.

My Lorp,—The proclamation of the President of the United States, enclosed in your lordship’s despatch of the 2nd instant, appears to be of a very strange nature. Ît professes to emancipate all slaves in places where the United States authorities cannot exereise any jurisdiction nor make emancipation a reality ; but it does not decree emancipation of slaves in any States occupied by Federal troops, and subject to the United States jurisdiction, and where, therefore, emaneipation, if decreed, might have been carried into effect. It would seem to follow that in the Border States, and also in New Orleans, a slave-owner may recover his fugitive slave by the ordinary process of law, but that in the ten States in which the proclamation decregs emancipation, a furgitive slave arrested by legal warrant may resist,.and the resistance, if successful, is.to

. upheld and aided by the United States’ authorities and the United States’ armed forces. The proclamation, therefore, makes slavery at once legal and illegal, and makes slaves either punishable for running away from their masters, or entitled to be supported or encouraged in so Coing, according to the locality of the plantation to which they belong, and the loyality of the State in which they may happen to be. There seems to be no declaration of a principle adverse to slavery in this proclamation. It is a measure of war, and a measure of war of a very questionable kind. As President Lincoln has twice appealed to the judgment of mankind in his proclamation, I venture to say [I do not think it can or ought to satisfy the friends oÙ abolition, who look for total and impartial freedom for the slave, and not for vengeance on the slave owner. I am, &c.

Russer.L.

Si Charleston doit être détruit, ce ne sera james: que la perte de quelques acres de la Caroline ; la force et l’indépendance de l’Etat n’en seront point ébranlées. Nous espérons toutefois que Charleston repoussera Penvahisseur. Le vainqueur de Sumter et de Bulls Run est un patriote de force à donner une bonne !::0n aux Têtes-Rondes, peut-être notre meilleure :ète militaire. Avec Beauregard à la tête de la chevaleriv de la Caroline, Charleston fera ax } ankees une réception qui réprimera peut-être ieurs appetls d’invasion pour Pavenir.

Quartier. Gén'ral des Forces de Terre et de Mer, Charleston, 31 Janvier.

Ce matin, vers cinq heures, les forces navales des Etats Confédérés, en cette station, ont attaqué la flotte de blocus des E. U. au large du port de la ville de Charleston, et ont coulé, dispersé ou chassé hors de vue pour Je oment toute la flotte ennemie.

En conséquence, nous soussignés. commandants respectifs des forces de terre et de mer des Etats Confédéres dans ce Départment, déclarons desormais formellement le blocus par les Etats-Unis de la dite ville de Charleston levé par une force supérieure des Etats Confédérés, à partir du 31e jour de janvier, et après. (Signé) G. T. Beauregard, D. N. Ingraham.

Hier dans l’après-midi, le général Beauregard a mis un steamer à la dispositicn des consuls étrangers pour qu’ils constatassent de visu que le blocus n’exis-. tait plus. Les consuls français et espagnol, accompagnés du général Ripley, ont accepté l'invitation. Le consul anglais, avec le capitaine du steamer de guerre britannique Petrel, était allé auparavant jusque à cinq milles au delà de l’encrage habituel des navires de blocus, et n’en a aperçu aucun avec des longues-vues. Fort tard dans la soirée, quatre bâtiments de blocus ont reparu, se tenant fort au large.

Extrait d’une Relation de la Bataille de Sumter.—- The sun has just gone down in Charleston Harbour oi. what it is surely no straining of terms to call the most extraordinary contest in the annals of warfare. Distressing though it be to write tidings which will carry pain and hamiliation to the heart of the nation to read, it only remains to tell you that this fleet of ironclads has measured its strength against for Sumter, and that it has withdrawn from the contest discomfitt

Estimated in the term of time, the t* 1 was brief, but it was decisive. An ordeal of two hours served to prove that the defensive powers of the iron {leet we insufficient to withstand the terrible force of the offensive enginery of the works it had to assail, v ile the limitations in the offensive powers of the iron-clads took away all the advantages which might have been derived from the superior powers of resistance over the

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forts. The enemy, by his obstructive appliances was able t6 detain the fleet in the focus of fire of a circle of works mounting three hundred guns; in half an hour five of the nine ships were wholly or partially disabled ! . Such is the ghasty fact in naked proportions... And there is another truth which it teaches and which cannot be better formulated than in the words of Sinr Howard Douglas : “ There is notelling what gunpouder can do,” The rebel artillery practice certainly drew où its resources to an extent hitherto unparallekd in -warfare.

As one of the leading actions of the Rebellion, the battle of Charleston Harbour passes into history and takes its place there. As a contribution to the World’s experience of iron-clad warfare, il passes into science añd épens an epoch there.

London Navai and Military Journal. (Extrait) — After the successful defence of Charleston by the Confederates much interest was excited among artillerists as to the guns used, which appear to have been principaily old guns with the addition of some new large cast iron smooth bore guns of nine inches bore. These pieces were cast by the Uanfederates from their char coal Iron, and are said to be capable of firing heavy chargesof powder, aud projecting their round ball,which weight one hundied pounds, with a very high velocity Sinee the beating 6f of Iron-clads by forts, the six tons smooth bore gun as made by Sir W. Armstrong has been growing into favour, and it is not unlikely ‘0 becems anaval broadside gun.

Firsi Year of the War : Le Général Lee.-—The vulgar and unintelligent mind worships success. The extraordivary and happy train of victories m Virginia:scems

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to have had no other significance or interest to à num:ber of grovelling minds in the South, than as a çcontribution to the personal fame-of General Lee, who by no fault of his own (for no one had more modesty, more christian dignity of behavior, and a purer conversation) was followed by toadies, flatterers and newspapers sneaks in epaulets, who made him-ridiculous by their servile obeisances and excess of praise. The author dues not worship success. He trusts, however that he has intelligence enough to perceive merit with out being prompted by the vulgar cry. ‘he estima-tion of General Lee, made in some preceding pages, was in reference to the Seven days batile and to his unfortunate compaign in Western. Virginia. It was founded on the events of that campaign, in which there is no doubt Gen. Lee, blundered and showed an absurd misconception of mountain warfare.

Richmond Examiner.—Barxren results of Confederate Victories.—We may then win victories which will bear comparison with Marengo or Waterloo. As yet we have accomplished nothing in this war which will bear such a comparison ; unless we may except the first Manassas and the valley campaign of Stonewall Jackson.

In one instance the “ Grand Army” was annihilated. In the other, an army less numerous was stampeded by the vigour of pursuit. In both instances, the work on hand was completed. There were no after claps ; no stories of a recruited enemy and renewed opposition ; of successes left half develloped or suddenly converted to disaster. These are, herhaps the only two incidents of the war wherein the results have been commensurate with the expenditure of means and blood made to obtain them. Itis thus that they are to be esteemed great and decisive victories, and to take rank

in history with examples of power and genius and those military events which are great for other reasons than the arithmetic of killed and wounded.

Le Général Cooper à Lee.— General.— While with the President last evening, I received your letter of the 22 instant. After reading it to the President, he was embarrassed to understand that part ofit which refers to the plan of assembling an army at Culpepper under General Beauregard. This is the first intimation that he has had that such a plan was ever in contemplation, and taking all things into consideration, he cannot see how it can by any possibility be carried into effect.

Jefferson Davis au Général Lee.—General Beauregard says that no troops have been withdrawn by the enemy from his front since those returned to Newbern, and that his whole, force is necessary to cover his line, This being in answer to a proposition to follow a movement of the enemy said to be to the West, with all his disposable force, pointing him at the same time to the vital importance of holding the Mississipi, and communicating the fear that Vicksburgh would fall unless Johnston was strongly and promptly reenforced.

Télégramme de Beauregurd.—Charleston 19 Juillet, 3 heures de l’après midi.—Après un furieux bombardement de onze heures de terre et de mer, après avoir jeté des milliers de bombes et de boulets, l’enne mi a donné un assaut désespéré à la batterie Wagner à deux reprises, au crépuscule. Nos soldats se son

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vaillamment battu et ont repoussé l’attaque avec un grand carnage Nous avons fait beaucoup de prisonniers. Notre porte est relativement légère, bien que des existences précieuses soient perdues. Le brigadier général Tagliafero commandait de notre côté. “Nos avant-postes avancent. Dieu est encore avec nous !

Richmond Examiner.—The reader will have already devoured the dispatch of General Beauregard, While that officer controls the defence of Charleston, it is difficult to believe it imprilled. He is able, he is resolute, he is fortunate. The heart ofthe South is with him ; while he lives and Richmond stands, Charleston will stand.

New-York Herald.--If our other successes be followed by the capture of Charleston, the cause of the Union will be the most popular in Europe, and no news paper or member of Parliament will be rash enough to oppose us. If we cap the climax of our success by wresting Charleston from the rebels, the Governments of Europe will see our war in its true aspect, and send Jefferson Davis and his fellow traitors to Coventry. It is for this reason that we urge our administration to strain every nerve to take Charleston. Il we are driven of by the rebels or are again forced to withdraw, the moral effect of all our former triumphs will be more than counterbalanced. We have the rebellion cooped, up in the nest in which it was hatched. Let us destroy it there, and we shall not only end this war, but also obviate all necessity of a war with Europe. Onward to Charleston is therefore the watchword for the day. Onward to Charleston !