From America we have news diplomatical, judicial, and belli- gerent.
The correspondence on the subject of Cuba, which did duty in our journals not long since, has now got into the American papers ; and the English part of it, which controverted some of the favourite positions of American statesmen, is can- vassed, not without acrimony. It is, however, we believe, no more than a newspaper movement—a using-up of old materials at a
comparatively dull time ; and the subject will pass away, like the Earl of Stirling, unless it be revived by the rejoinder which Mr. Marcy is said to be contemplating, as an appendix to the colt.- spondence and a "crusher" for Lord John Russell. The judicial item is a decision of Judge M‘Lean on the case of the fugitive slave M'Querry, who had been claimed in Ohio by his Kentucky master. The statement of the law bearing on the case, and upon the relation of slavery to the Union and to the several States, will be a text for agitators in this country, who imagine that they can abrogate American slavery by random as- saults upon the Union in general. The Federal law, says Judge M‘Lean, is adverse to slavery—neither recognizes nor permits it ; slavery exists only in virtue of the local law, within the inde- pendent jurisdiction of separate States. It is therefore entirely a matter of State jurisdiction. The judgment usefully defines both the jurisdiction under which slavery is protected, and the point of attack for those who desire to abrogate it. The belligerent matter consists in the gradual accumulation of armed men, with warlike preparatives, on both sides of the Rio Grande ; prognosticating a renewal of hostilities between the United States and Mexico. It is well known that Santa Anna, the Dictator of Mexico, is hostile to the United States, and is bent on signalizing his restored rule by some great national move- ment. An aggression from Mexico is therefore anticipated; an aggression which would entail its own punishment, and probably end in a further abstraction from the Mexican territory. Santa Anna is supposed to count upon European protection ; but in that ease he reckons without his host. Those who perhaps would be willing to support him are incapable; those who are capable would not be willing.
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