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(Tin its anb Sentn wJL_ COLUMBUS, GEORGIA FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL 20, 1855. Reply to ihe Enquire;—National Movement?. The Enquirer , with characteristic non-committalism, fails to meet the points involved in the controversy be tween us. It will not say whether it is for or against making religious faith a test of qualification for office. It will not takes sides for or against allowing foieign born citizens the freedom of the e’ective franchise.— Well we are not disposed to crowd our neighbors. We presume they will be more explicit when the key note of the campaign is struck by its party leaders. We do not apprehend the assertion of the Enquirer as to our begging the question when wo charge that “it is not American to make religious faith a test of qualification for offioe ; that it is not American to honor or degrade a man on account of the accident of bit th.’* Does it meau to say that these are not dogmas of the Kucw No hing creed ? Or does it maintain that a party can hold these despotic and illiberal views aud yet be an American party ? The Enquirer asks “If it (the Know Nothing movement) is not American, what is it ?” We reply, that it is proscriptive, intolerant, and anti republican, and, therefore, cannot be American. Upon this point there is a lamentable confusion in the mind of our cotemporary. It thinks, indeed, it says in so many words, that if a political movement is viewed with favor by the people of all sections of the country and by mem hers of both the great parties and is abused by the partisan Democratic press, that it ex vi termini is an American mevement, and as such challenges its sympa thy. Suppose people iu all sections of the country, and members of all the great parties in all sections were to start a movement in favor of the establishment of a monarchy in these States, and they were to he denounced by the partisan Democratic press, as they would be sure to be, would the Enquirer regard such a movement as an American movement; or would such a movement “challenge its sympathy ?” When we speak of “an American movement,” wo mean that it is founded upon principles and designed to effect ends in accordance with the free, tolerant aud charitable principles and purposes asset ted in the American revolution and embalmed in the constitutions of our Government. Hence wo hold that taxation without representation is not American : that religious intolerance is cot American ; that the substitution of a Grand Council for the people as the electors by whom Legislators are to be nominated and to whom they are accountable is not American : and finally that the so called American party, which cherishes all these uon- American principles and seeks to effect this non-Ameri can object, is not American. As to the position of Messrs. Toombs and Stephens on this question, we have no reliable information, — They certainly gave intirnatione, not six months gone, that they had no sympathy with the new order. Ste phens stigmatized them as Ramshacklcs on the floor of Congress. We think, however, that they now believe, with the Enquirer , that it is an American movement in the sense that it embraces a majority of their politi cal friends, and that on this account it “challenges their sympathies.” This is not the first time they have back ed out of their positions from a similar cause. We are “chagrined” that two such men should be governed by suoh motives in taking their positions on great po litical issues. We would like to have them “on our side just now.” We would not refuse the aid of the Columbus Enquirer. We fight for principles, not men ; and would willingly give all the offices and spoils to those who desire them most, provided thereby we oould preserve the liberties of the people and the glory and prosperity of our country. But we do not fear the influenoe of Messrs. Toombs and Stephens. The Democracy have often triumphed over them and, we doubt not, we shall live to see them triumph over them again. Romanism in the United States. Were it not for the aid given to the order of Know Nothings by the religious sentiment and fears of Pro testant Christianity, it never would have become a pow er in the State. It has been the habit of Protestant zealots to exhibit the Catholic Church as the “whore of Babylon,” “the man of sin and son of perdition/’ “the mystery of iniquity,” “the mother of harlots and abominations.” The result is that the mass of their ignorant and uniformed hearers are prepared to credit any falsehood which is promulgated to her discredit, and wo are sorry to add that there are numbers of men base enough to manufacture downright lies in order to feed this diseased appetite which their extravegant reli gious zeal has developed. A specimen of these base manufactures must suffice. For months and months the assertion has passed current in the American press, aud has at length been embalmed iu the permanent literature of the times, that American Catholics hold that “if the Catholic Church ever gains an immense numerical majority in this country, religious freedom is at an end.’’ The sentiment is attributed to the “Shepherd of theVVally”e y” nod Broionson's Quarterly Review, and the very pane is given where this infamous doctrine is asserted. In the April number of B>ownson's Reticle, page 174, the Editor notices this charge and pronounces it a “pure invention.’’ Tie says : The pretended extract from The Shepherd of the Valley consists of certain sentences detaohed from their original connection, and so mould ed together as to express a meaning never intended by i the writer, and the reverse of the meaning he plainly i expressed in the article from which they are called.” j Again. “The first passage from our Review is only a i part of a sentence, and is made to convey a meaning ‘ which, in the very connection in which the words are j found, we expressly deny.” And again. “The second alleged quotation from us is a pure invention. We I never said it, or anything like it.” With these evidences of the unholy and shameless measures resorted to by religious bigots iu their war upon Romanism, Protestant Christians ought to be j careful to weight weli the proof advanced in support of infamous charge s made against fellow citizens of the Catholic faith, before they receive them a9 true. We are not advocates of Catholicity. We are Pro testant by birth, education and faith, and estimate above all earthly treasures the privilege of worshiping (rod according to the dictates of our own consciences, and should esteem it a grinding tyranny if any body of men were to make our religious belief a test of qualification for office. And the rights we esfeeimso highly in our own person, we would guarantee to every other eiti acu. I lie rights ol conscience are as dear to him as ours are to us. iiut why this dread of the Catholic Church l All that is valuable in our constitution or holy in our re ligion we derived from our Catholic ancestry. Trial by jury was inherited by us from the Catholic Stxous M'tgoa Charta was won by the strong arms of the Catholic Normans. The Bible was preserved pure and uamulilat -d through the long night of the dark ages by the Catholic Church. In every age of the world, men have grown up uader Catholic teachings, and in full oommunionjwith Rome, eminent as Chris tians, heroes, statesmen, sages and citizens, with whom it were profanation to compare the brightest lights of the Know Nothings. Where can you find a brighter illus tration of all Christian graces than in the life and writ ings of Thomas, aKempis, whose “Imitation of Christ ’ was translated by Wesley and is a hand book among the members of the Methodist Church to this day ? William Tell was a Catholic, and so was Bruce, ot Bannockburn. The author of Magna Charta was the Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury. LaFayette, the friend of Washington, was a Catholic. So was Charles Carroll, of Carrollton. So was William Gaston, of North Carolina. So is Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice of the United States. Can it be credited for a moment that such men are members of a communion inimical to Republican Institutions ? Neither are Catholio States more intolerant of diversity of religious belief than are non-Catholio States. I In Catholic France, Catholic Belgium, and even in i Catholic Austria, freedom of religious worship is estab j l.shed by law, and but the other day, the Catholic Gov ! ernment of Piedmont admitted the Protestant Wal denses to all the privileges of citizenship. If Catholics act thus towards Protestants in old Europe, what rea son is there to believe that they will be intolerant and persecuting in Republican America where every moth i er’s son of us drinks in the love of liberty with our mother’s milk ? But while we gladly do justice to Romanism in a political point of view, we are not blind to its defects as a iorm of Christianity. True, they have the Bible. The Christian virtues of humanity, patience, charity and universal love are inculcated by them H 9 well as by us. They trust in the same atoning sacrifice for salvation and worship our God. The heaven of our hopes and the hell of our feats is the heaven of their hopes and the hell of their fears. In all the elements of Christian character, the Catholic is as rich as the Protestant.— They are better than the rationalists of Germany, the infidels of France, the Mormons of Utah, the heathen of Chiua, or the profane wicked of our own land better as men, as neighbors, as citizens. We think, however, that the simple faith of Protestantism is better adapted to the intellectual wants of the age, than the penances, fasts, confessions aud netnberless formalities of the Cathlic church. We deeply deplore, therefore, that by their persecuting zeal, the Know Nothings have identified the Catholio church with equal rights and freedom of conscience. It will do more to arrest the spread of pure religion among our Catholio popula tion than all other causes combined. Nay, it will weak en the influence of the Protestant churches over the American mind. The great mass of our irreligious fellow citizens set a higher value upon political freedom, than they do upon forms and modes of religious wor ship, and when they are forced to take sides between persecuting Protestantism, and persecuted Catholicism they will not remember that in siding with the oppressed, they give aid to a lower form of Christianity. Let the lovers of the Protestant faith beware least having sown the wind, they reap the uhilwind. Fink Strawberries. —We received from Mr. Charles A. Peabody, of the Soil of the South, a brimm ing basket of his delicious strawberries on the morning of the ISth inst. Ilis beds are full of fruit, but owing to the prevalence of Scarlet Fever in his family, he is I unable to gather it. Fire at Buena Vista. —We learn from the Advo cate of ihe South, that a fire occurred in Buena Vista, Ga ,on Saturday night, 15th inst. The Livery Stable of Mr. C. Bullock, was entirely consumed, together j with his supply of corn and fodder, and the stable I books. The loss is estimated at SIOOO. Tulips bv the Thousand. —We neglected to notice i the reception of a large variety of tulips last week from S Walton B Harris, Esq., of Girard, Ala. We learn ! that he had on his grounds 700 of these g-ty flowers in bloom at one time, j Montgomery and Columbus. We learn that the Montgomery Blues have invited i the Columbus Guards to spend a day or two with them at Camp Owen, iu May. The invitation has been ac cepted. We hope the gallant corps will have a merry meeting. Swan, of the Military Gazette, with his ac customed liberality, has purchased a sharps Rifle, which he proposes to give as a prize to the oompany which has the sharpest shooter in its ranks. The gun is a splendid specimen of fire arms, and is noov on exhibition !in our offioe. We will wager a basket of champaign ! with the Montgomery Editors that the Guaids will i bear oft* the prize. Ice Cream at Strupper’s. | For the relief of those who are sufferring from the intolerable heat of the season, we stop the press to an nounce that there is abundance of Ice Cream and Soda ’ Water at I. G Struppers, on Randolph stifet. From Washington. Washington, April 16. Mr. Dodge, the New Minister to Spun, has received his final instructions. A committee from New York, is now in Washington to solicit, executive interference in the ease of Dr. Peek, j a citizen of New York, now imprisoned at Havana by j Gen. Concha. Trial for Murder. Michael McCullough was tried yesterday before the United States District Court, .Judge Nicoll presiding, for the murder of Tom , a slave belonging to Mr. Robert Habersham. It will be remembered that McCullough shot the negro some time last fall, at Fort Jackson, below the city, aud that the latter died soon thereafter from the wound received. The jury, under charge from the Judge rendered a verdict of not guilty, on account ot want of jurisdiction by the court, it appearing that though the act of shooting was committed on United States property, tlie negro did not die there, but on his master’s planta tion, and beyond the jurisdiction of the United States. Cuba and Dr. Peck. The New York Express of Saturday evening, publish es the following communication: Dr. Peck is a dentist, doing a go and business in this •ity, formerly at No. 323 Grand street, and since in Mr. Astor’* store, in Broadway, opposite the Metropolitan Hotel. He is a gentleman of first rate character, an American who never to my knowledge, (and I ha e known him for years,) has been connected here with any Cuban plots, nor i> he the kind ot man to be concerned iu anv other government but his own. Mr. ] eck lias many iriends in this city, and some of our m>st respectable citlz-ns are ready at ui.ee to take up bis oau<e. IWe hear tint Dr. Peck left this city March BA I. for Frmid.-td. with a young Cuban, abuut 19 or *2oyears old, •' ,k,<) been in his office some three years,—and who vas die * jn °^ aQ exdcd Cuban. Perhaps this connection das involved him iu trouble. Mr. Teck liimfeelf was born m Connecticut, and went to Cuba only for his health.-’ we are weii assuted.]— Eds. Express. McCollough was immediately arrested, however, by the couuty officers, snd taken back to j til, to be fried before one of our State courts. — Sav. Republican , IBfA. [FOR THE TIMES AND SENTINEL i THE KNOW NOTHINGS. We set out with the proposition that they a;e affiliated with the Abolitionists. To support this we propose to at tack the devil in his den. in Boston, during the Burns trial, Know Nothing sympathizers instigated the riet in which Batchelder, an Irishman, was killed, nobly defer d ing United States law. Am liish company from Fort In dependence, arid two companies of marines, with a Urge body of extra police, principally composed of lbreigners, were the fmt to come to the relief of the guard in tie j court house, when it was assailed by the mob that com mitted the murder. On the morning after this, hand-bills w r ere struck and posted up all over the city, and distributed over the State with the following inflammatory caption: “Americans 1o the rescue! Irishmen in arms!!” The companies dared not expose themselves in the stree's during the ten days of the trial, but their bristling bayomts pointed from the windows of every building surroundirg the United States court room where the negro was guard ed, until the Commissioner pronounced the decision le : manding him. Foreigners composed quite a respectab'e j portion, if not a majority, of the policemen, soldiers, ar tillery and cavalry that paraded the negro down State Street to the U. S. Cutter Morris, and shared thecursis j and groans that greeted them from fifty thousand Yankets that witnessed the imposing spectacle. A coffin was suspended from the Commonwealth office (an abolition journal) with “ Liberty” written on it in blaz ing capitals. Six American ensigns, shrouded in mourr.- ; ing, with streamers attached, hung with black festoons, floated across the street to mock them as they passed. As the procession advanced, foreigners shared the vitriol and pulverized pepper that was thrown from the windows of this office to annoy and insult them. Were Southern men generally acquainted with sermons delivered by Theodore Parker and others, and speeches made by prominent Abo litionists, with regard to the part foreigners played in this affair, it would teach them a salutary lesson. At this time there was not a corporals guard of Koow Nothings in Massachusetts, but in the election, a few months after, they made a regular coup d’ etat. The journals of the State universally pointed to this riot to show the treachery of foreigners to “ Freedom,” as they termed it. Know Noth ings elected every man to the Legislature save one. When the Legislature convened they first disbanded all compa nies composed of foreigners and turned out ail foreigners from other companies. They elected the Arch-Abolitionist, I Wilson. They turned Prof. Loring out of the Law-School, ; at Cambridge* because he conformed to the oath which he | had taken iu deciding a plain point of U. S. law’. They ad- I mitted him to be a most accomplished Lecturer, a ripe | scholar and an unexceptionable man, hut alleged that j that decision rendered him unfit to occupy any position in j their State University. Thus far for Massachusetts—now to the North in gen • eral. “By their fruits ye may know them.” In passing • a luxuriant tine hung with rich clusters of poisonous fruit, ! we need not stop to trace it to its root, in order to judge i whether it springs from a soil congenial to its growth.— Nor, when we see that the Know Nothings have elected all their officers with abolition proclivities in the North, need we explore their secret conclaves and hear their pro ceedings in order to judge the nature of tho soil tl at produces this rich crop of fanaticism. They are known by their fruit. On the other hand, it is well known that among the three thausand and fifty New England Ministers that signed the petition against the Nebraska Bill, not a single Catholic appears. Again, the order proposes to make a religious test among our fellow-citizens. We are protestant in persuasion, aye we are enthusiastic on the subject. We believe that wher ever their religion has wandered in the world the demons ot darkness have tied before it, fragrant flowers have sprung up, and truth and beauty, robed in hues of heavenly brightness, have heralded its progress. But granting the j Know Nothings all they contend for in this particular, and ! we cannot see w hat the South has to gain by a religious i warfare. If there is a civil element, in connection with a | religious element, in the Catholic religion, which is antag i onistie to republican institutions, (which was positively denied by one of the Popes when questioned directly upon the subject by one of the English kings,) the Catholic in fluence South is not formidable, and never can be. The dregs of the foreign population find it to their interest to stop North rather than come South and compete with slave labor, and negroes and low Irish never can co-exist to any great extent. I Taking Georgia as an average of the Southern States, i we find that there is only one Catholic Church to every : U3 thousand inhabitants, and with these the congregations | are small. Taking Ohio as an average of the Northern | States and we find one Catholic Church to every 12 thou sand inhabitants, and with these the congregations are largo. The Catholic influence, if likely to become formi dable anywhere, is likely to become so at the North. But foreigners and Hunker Democrats are the only conservative party we have there, with regard to the slavery question* The number of Catholics can never become formidable South, but we do not wish to sec their numbers increased anywhere. Then what is to be done ? Shall we denounce oar ftiends on a subject involving our political existence, and enter upon a crusade against their religion ? Or, shall we protect them in their rights of religious freedom j guaranteed to them by the constitution, and hold them to : check the tide of Northern fanaticism ? That’s the ques- I tion. We are young American in sentiment. We believe in j preserving the geod of the past, and adding to it whatever 1 noble or excellent that presents itself in the future. But in j this crusade against foreigners we think that we are “tak ! ing time by the foretop”—we prefer waiting for the next train. We have room enough yet to give all a farm.— It comes as natural for our Territories in the West to be come States as for an orange to divide into sections w hen the peeling is taken off; and we have nothing to apprehend detrimental to the religion or the institutions of the South in permitting foreigners to emigrate thither. We are even more opposed to legislation on matters touching conscience than upon appetite or dress. Religious freedom is a priv. j ilege dear to human be i >gs. Laws against it cannot be J enforced and should not be obeyed. In attempting to j crush it by force, we only strengthen it. Bike the serpent j in the oldeu table, an hundred heads rpring up for every J j one cut off. I venture the assertion, that there are three j : times tire number of Catholic supporters in our country to- • ; day that there ever would have been in tiie absence ot threatened persecution. Let an enlightened public opinion j and moral force regulate matters oi conscience. If Pro j ttstantiem is right it will prevail- At any rate, for Ilea- j ven’s sake, do not commtt.il to tne hands oi political j tricksters and demagogues, who do black deeds in secret j places—who are ever no'?y for innovations—who would ! apply the torch to the temple of Freedom for political j emolument. Again, we oppore ail secret societies for politic-pi pa r* t poses. This organization, though it were good in inseif, sots a bad precedent in our government. In entering it men are not guided by reason, but attracted by novelty.— Though they can withdraw at their option, as is alleged, if not pleated, they do so at the hazard of toeing branded a? traitors. Too many of us are gregarious animals. If the bell wethess of our flock take the lead in a particular direction, we blindly follow'. If an obstruction is put in the path and they vault over it, though it is immediately removed, all the flock upon arriving at the same spot vault for imitation. We see this eminently illustrated among the Know- Nothings. Far be it that we should detract from secret societies in general. We honor them —but when they avow themselves for political purposes, please have us ex’ cused. Trace the history of the w-orld from Adam up, and we see that w-herever they have sprung up rascality and revolution have followed. I sometimes fancy that 1 see the prototype ts the present organization in the clubs that w r ere found in the begining of the French revolution. Hon est men who have been deluded into this Jacobin club, with a LaFayette and Sciyes at their head, may finally w ithdraw, and form the club of ’£9; but there will still be left Lameths and Barnaves to direct the proceedings of the Jacobins. Catholics on the one side and Abolitionists on the other,will finally form other clubs, until the whole resolves itself into the “ Feuillans ” headed by a Petion and Robespierre. QThey may baptize this society with tho sweet name of “the American paity,”'but they mui-t pluck the demon's heart from the precedent it sets, before they convince is that it is called for by our country. S RU. COMMUNICATED. Our Next Elections. Stewart County, April 10 th, 1853. Mr. Editor: —l see some suggestions in vour paper in reference to the time, &c., of nominating our candidate tor Congress. This is as it should be, as the time is approach ing when the Democrats of the 2d Congressional district should have their candidate in the field—their banner thrown to the breeze. Some names have already been suggested, either of which, if nominated, wo will heartily support. But we are glad to see from your editorial re marks, that the name of our present gallant representa tive is “in the hands of his friends,” for we are in for Col quitt again. You know we beat their fastest horse with him in the last race, and it strikes us that w r e can do it again. Yes,just put “Alfred” on the turf, and we are thar. Because he lives down in the Baker frog-ponds that’s ‘ no sign of a wedding,” or rather no sign of a beating.— Even if his shirt-collar don’t .maintain exactly a perpen dicular, and his boots happen to be a little thicker through the soles than some others, put up Jimmy Johnson or any body else agin him, if you love it, and we’ll see who comes out ahead ! And in reference to our candidates in Stewart for the State Legislature, it is time we were making arrangements t) select them. We have many worthy gentlemen of our party who, no doubt, would represent Stewart in the Leg islature with credit to themselves and honor to the county. And in this connection, for the Senate we would most re spectfully suggest the name of Janies Hilliard, of Pir e Level. The boys all know him. He is a plain unpre tending farmer, Lut a man of goed sense and great popu larity. He has got a clear head and a clean heart, and in Southern and Democratical principles he is sound to the core. STEWART BOYS. Death of Benjamin E. Stiles. We regret to announce the death,in this city, at 1 o'clock I yesterday afternoon, from erysipelas, of Benj. E. Stiles, aged 51. At one time the deceased was engaged in mer j cantile business in this city, as a member of the firm of : Stiles & Fannin. lie subsequently removed to the coun try and devoted himself to planting, evincing, in the mean time, much interest in the improvement of the agriculture of his native State Returning to Savannah the past win ter, he had decided to make it his permanent home for the future, when he was unexpectedly stricken with death. A man of irreproachable character, in private life and in pub lic, his death will be received with sorrow by a large circle ot friends and relation?. — Sav. Rep. 11 th. Homicide- Ab mt noon yesterday a difficulty occurred in the vi cinity of the drinking saloon ajoining the Holland House, between Mr. Daniel Dougherty and James Martin, which resulted in the dea h of Mr. Dougherty by a stab from a knife in the hards of Martin. He survived but a few minutes after receiving the wound. Martin was at once arrested and lodged in jail. Mr. Dougherty was one of our old and valued cit'zens arid his loss will be regreated by a large circle, of friends and acquaintances. —Atlanta Intelligencer ,18/A. The Death Penalty in Wisconsin —The House ol Representative? of Wisconsin, by a vote of 44 to 27, have restored to the death penalty in that State. The Senate have yet to act upon the matter. Black Paper and White Ink. —A correspondent of the Scientific American suggests that as a difficulty exists in getting white paper to print upon, that black paper might be substituted, with white irk. W bite on a black ground is more distinct, and the eye is then relieved from the glare of rays from the white surface. r Applications for Bounty Lands. —Up to Friday evening 13th, 65,000 applications in all, tor land under the bounty land law of the last session of Congress, had been received at the Pension Office. A Step in Advance —By a law recently passed in Michi gan, a married woman may receive, buy, sell, devise, mort gage, &c., her real and personal property, without the consent of her husband, and also sue and be sued, without i joining the husband in the suit in either case. !8o the I identity of the woman as an individual is begining to be fairly recognized. The Russian Army of the Baltic. —lt appears the Rus- ! sians are preparing to give the Allies some warm work if they attempt any land operations on the Baltic this season. The army of the Baltic, under Gen. Slevers, is to be large- ! ly augmented. Russian writers state this Gen. will shortly Have 1U),OOU men under his command. | Captain Gerry—The Missing Sloop of War.— The numerous friends, says the Boston i rar.scripl, ot the gallant ! and noble-hearted Commander Gerry, of the U. S. sloop of ! war Albany, have slowly and sadly been obliged to relink j quigh their hope that he was in the land ot the living. He i was the son or Elbridge Gerry, one ot the signers of the Declaration of Independence lrom Massachusetts, a Gov ! emor of Massachusetts, and Vice President of the United j States. Commander (Jerry has many relatives and friends j in Boston, to whom he was much endeared by his many virtues. 1 Presbytery of Georgia. —We learn from a gentleman iust returned froin Datien, says the Savannah Republican, ! that the Presbytery of Georgia met at that place, on Thurs i day evening, 12th inst., and was opened with a sermon by Rev. John Winn, the moderator. After service, Presbytery was constituted the minutes ol the iast tall session were read and confirmed, the roll was called, and alter th: transaction of some other business Presbytery adjourned over to Friday morning, it wa- supposed the body would continue its session until Sunday evening, 15th instant. The people of Athens Ga , have contributed $175 for the rein sot the Sandersviiic sufferers. The Texas Debt. —The Rational Intelligencer con tains a fewer troin G n. Jain s Hamilton, •! S. uth Caro- • ! iih, in which he xprewd h s firm lit I es that the Legis lature of Texas will not assent to the recent act of G jDgress for the settlement of ber public debt. Strong Terms. —Mr. Wi.e, m one of his recent stump j speeche- in the western pan of Virginia, denounced the Know Nothings as a set of “lousy, Godly??, Chratfeas I scoundrels, traitors and fool?.” Difficulty with Paraguay.—U. S. Steamer Water Witch Fired iuto. The British Packet , published at Buer.os Ayres, cftl 10th of January, contains a communication eigntdA- \ n American,*’ giving the following particulars of an outran’ on the U. S. steamer Water Witch , by a party of iCr guayans: “You are aware that for nearly two years a small Amer ican steamer, the Water Witch, has h-on engaged in tin exploration of the Rio Parana and its tributaries. B ut within the last few months, the difficulties which have arisen between American citizens and the republc of Para guay have brought her prominently before the public.— In these difficulties, Capt. Page, her commander, took to part, further than to remove from under the tyrannical ru'e of President Lop<z such of his countrymen as needed his protection. But even this interposition brought upon him the indignation of Lopez, and on his depart me a decree was issued—in faee of the treaty for the free navigation of the river, which had just been concluded— forbidding the entrance of any man of war into the waters of ts/ Paraguay. For several months past, Capt. Page, has been engaged in constructing a small steamer, El Pileomayo, intended for the exploration of the smaller streams, the Verna}.., the Salado, Pileomayo, and others. This vessel was coin’ pleted, and, on the .“list January, Capt. Page-sailed from (Jorrientes, for the exploration of the Rio Salado, taking with him all the sea officers except the first lieutenant aud half the crew. Lieutenant Jeffers, the fust lieutenant, was directed by him to proceed iu the Water Witch up the Parana, as high as he oould get, making a chart of the river, and taking such observations as the survey required. The crew consisted of twenty-eight men, including cooks and servants. la pursuance of these instructions, Lieutenant Jeffers sailed at 7a. m , February Ist, and at 11 passed the mouth of the Paraguay, directing his course to the Corrientes side, intending to pass between that shore and an island in the middle of the river. At 11.30 the pilot ran the ves sel on n sand bank, opposite the battery of the Guardia Carraeho, at the Paso del Rey, where she was delayed au hour heaving off. During th.s time the Paraguayans at the battery were observed getting their guns ready; consequently, the Wa ter Witch was prepared for action. When raising the an chor to continue her course, a canoe which had been lying off observing her for nearly an hour came alongside and offered a printed paper, which, after asking if it were in Spanish, the commander declined to receive on the ground ; that he could no', read it. [The same answer given by Lopez to the last communication of Capt Page.] At 1.20 the Water \\ iteh was under way, and the pilot then was directed to steer so as to puss through the main channel, which passed on the Paraguay side of the Island. ! When nearly opposite the battery, a semi-circular brick j or rid stone tort, mounting about six guns, and at adis ! tance of three hundred yards, she was hailed, which hail I was neither understood nor responded to; this was short* j ly followed by two blank cartridges, and then by a shot, i which cut tho wheel-ropes, disabled the steering wheel | and mortally w-ounded tfie man at the helm. Lieutenant ] Jeffers then gave, ordeis to fire in return, still continuing i his course up the river. The p lot, as soon as the firing ; began, ran below and was with difficulty got on deck again; 1 and then, on looking round, exclaimed that it was impossi ble to puss on. as there was not sufficient water in tin* channel, tho vessel being then in ten feet water. By this j time she had passed all of tile fire of the battery, except j one gun, and to return was compelled to repass it. Tim channel being b>o narrow to turn in, the Water Witch | was backed down stern tore most, exposed to a severe fire, j which she continued to return until beyond its reach, h | is worthy of remark that no flag was displaced nt the bat ; tery, s that in reality the nation of ihe enemy can only bo conjectured. The attack was as unprovoked <s it was unexpected; but still the Water Witch was not mpivpnrid. No n.n i could have supposed that barbarians existed under th i name of an organized government of such a character a* ; to fire upon a vessel pursuing her course, with the known i permission of the Argentine government, in waters com j mon to both, and at a time wbeji these barbarians were i expressing their profound icspeet tor and slate of arnitv I with the government of the United States. “It would have been discreditable for an American of* i fieer, pursuing a rightful course, to have been deterred bv | threats, expressed or implied, from continuing that course, ■ and when fired upon not to have returned it. The Para ! guayans have not escaped unpunished for their temerity. A gun was dismounted, and at so short a distance th ; sharpnell shells and crape of the Water Witch must lira- I told with considerable effect. It is not the tire of the bat j tery. but only want of water, or want if knowledge on j the part of the pilot, which prevents the Water Witch | from being now in the upper waters of the Parana.” I The Union says that our government has not yet been officially advised of the collision as detailed in the nhov • j communication. . The Vienna Conferences —The of Sebastopol— Skirmish at Eupatoria—The Flying Squadron—Offer of Lord Dundonald. i London March 27. The conferences at Vienna continue to be the chief point of attraction in Europe. Prince Gortsc-hakoff, as you are already aware, is empowered by Alexander 11., to treat upon the four points or basis, and we are already i aware that the two first points have bten satisfactorily ■ settled by the plenipotentiaries. To put an end to.the preponderance of Russia in the Black Sea is a ticklish point—yet hopes are entertained that both parties will make such concessions as will lead to peace. The Western Powers will not (so says rumor* i demand the dismantling of Sebastopol ; the Dardanelles will be thrown open to the world, and such other step taken as will protect the Turkish territories from any fu ! ture invasion by Russia, and guarantee the privileges if all Christian communities in the East. Every endeavor ! is being made to knock Sebastopol to pieces as soon ns ; possible, and we have rumor a to the effect that the as j sault has actually taken place, but no confirmation of j them. There has bten some serious fighting. It ap pears that on the 13tli of March the Russians opened tire from the batteries they had succeeded in establishing on the I eights of Balaklava ; and on the Util made a general attack on the whole of the lines ot the allied armies. We have not any details as yet, but the Rus sians are reported to have been driveu back with great slaughter. The French have been sending rockets info Sebastopol, which have set the town on fire in different parts places. An English battery had sunk a steam* r inside the port. The Russians are said to have rteeiv.d considerable reinforcements. A letter from the Crimea of the 12th says : The Russian forces are said to be distributed a- fol* ; lows :At Perekop is encamped the corps of dragoons, a division of light cavalry, and various otlnr detachments amounting in all to 20,000 men, und< r the command ol General Pawloff I. At Simplu-re poi if>< re s r.* ;:b< tit 45,- j 000 men, commanded by General Rend. Near the Bel j box, General Osfen-Saeken’s Head Quarters have been | placed with 50, 00 0 men, including the gat risen of Sc bastopol. On the Tehernaya is encamped Gem ra! Liprandi with 9,000 men and in the valley ot Balder, Gen. Wagner with 9,000 men. It appears that the first operation which General Osten-Sacken had executed <>n his appointment t the chief command, was to have all the heights afong the coast occupied ami fortified from Karabeh ava to the moutli of theTchernaya. The heights on the left bank of the Alma have also been fortified, and this.defensive system seems to show that not only is Baktciiiserai ike centre of the General’s operations, but a gr< atcr impor xanee is attached to the. communications of Baktchiserai with Sebastopl and with Arahat. than those of that town with Perekop. The Russians, iu foot, ueem determimd to defend to the last extremity the basin ,1 the Sa:/.'r :s well as the ground extending irem S niplierojio) ■ Kaftb, their intention being, to all tippeartii.ee, to pliant* do r provisions and stores from the side of Anapa, and their reinforcement* from Perekop. Should the AlKes think fit to enter into operation* not iimnediauly iu th ’ neigh borhood of Sebasti'pol, it is not improbable that they will act against Raktehiserni, the centre of the Russian pi s tions. Outer P.isha had paid another v ; s‘t to BaLklava and a council of war was held between him, Lord Raglan, ai'd Canrobtrt. Avery brdhant little affYir took place at Eupatort* on the sth March. On that day Skerder Peg, left Eupatoria \v,th 300 .r ----reg!ar cavalry and 100 Tartar Btshi but uk-, to make