The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-12 00:00:00

A Port Royal letter of the 26th ult. says :

" An exciting naval conflict is believed to be impending
in the Ogochee River between the Montauk and the rebel
ram Fingal, said to be guarding the steamer Nashville. An
effort will be made by Capt. Worden, under the orders of
Admiral Du Pont, to attack and destroy the Fingal and cap-
ture the Nashville. The Montauk was still close to Fort
Pulaski this morning, but it is expected to be ready to go
to work in the morning."

The Memphis Bulletin of the 26th states that
Gen. Joe Johnston commanded the whole Western
department of the Confederate army, and was march-
ing with a large force to Vicksburg. It was believed
that he could concentrate 150,000 men for the de-
fence of Vicksburg. The Confederates were deter-
mined to stake everything to hold Vicksburg and
Port Hudson, and to keep open the communication
between Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas. The for-
tifications at Port Hudson were complete, and Gen.
M'Clernand's forces and Commodore Porter's squad-
ron had reached Young's Point, a place only 20 miles
above Vicksburg.
A despatch, dated Goldsborough, North Carolina,
of the 25th ult., says—
" It is reported that the Abolition fleet, 92 sail, including
twotMonitors and six other iron clads, are in Beaufort har-
bour; also that 52,000 Abolitionists are encamped in Moore-
head and Carolina cities.
According to a despatch from Newbern, General
Stanley had sent in his resignation in consequence
of the President's proclamation.
The Richmond papers of the 24th ult. contain
the following intelligence :

Mobile, Jan 23.

The Advertiser and Register have received the following
despatch —" Macminniville, Jan. 22:—A detachment of 100
of Morgan's men, under Col. Hutchinson, made a dash into
Murfreesboro' yesterday in sight of the enemy's cavalry
camps, and captured 200 prisoners and 20 waggons. Trust-
worthy information from Kentucky states that on the 13th
inst. Gen. Woolford made a speech to his men in the pre-
sence of 3,000 citizens of Lebanon, telling them to go home
for 20 days, and if within that time Lincoln did not modify
his prOcliunation he would not call nrnn the... to fiext
against the South, but he would himself take the_field in be-
half of the South against the North."
Fredericksburg, Jan. 22.

The Yankees are building immense warehouses at Acquia
Creek, and repairing and refitting the railroad to the point
opposite this place, and building huts and other more per-
manent conveniences for their army. These preparations,
together with the erection of batteries in front, indicate that
their present line has been established as the permanent
base of operations for the winter. A new earthwork, with
several guns in position, was visible just below Falmouth
yesterday. Considerable bodies of troops have been moving
up the opposite bank for two or three days past.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
New York, Jan. 30.

At the Second Board to•day the stock market was not so
firm. Stock quotations—Chicago and Rock Island Railroad,
92; Cleveland and Toledo Railroad, 90; Galena and Chi-
cago Railroad, 94; Michigan Southern Railroad, 61; Cum-
berland Coal Co., 21i ; Pacific Mail Steamship Co., 166 ;
Hudson River Railroad, 911 ; Harlem Railroad, 39 ; Michi-
gan Central Railroad, 971 ; Michigan Southern Railroad,
guaranteed, 103; Illinois Central Railroad scrip, 951;
Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad, 109; Norwich
and Worcester Railroad, 82.

President Lincoln and the Working Men of

Manchester.

The following letter and enc:osure have been re•
ceived by the Mayor of Manchester (Mr. Abel Hey.

wood):--

(Copy.)

" Legation of the United States, London, Feb. 9.

" Sir,—l have the honour to transmit to you by the hands
of Mr. Moran, the assistant secretary of this legation, a
letter of the President of the United States, addressed to
you a% chairman of the meeting of working men, held at
Manchester on the 31st December, and in acknowledgment
of the address which I had the pleasure to forward from that
meeting,—l am, sir, your obedient servant,

" CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.
"Abel Heywood, Esq., Chairman, &c., Manchester.

"TO THE WORKING MEN OP MANCHESTER.
"Executive Mansion, Washington, Jan. 19.

" I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the ad-
dress and resolutions which you sent to me on the eve of
the new year.

" When I came, on the 4th day of May, 1861, through a
free and constitutional election, to preside in the Government
of the United States, the country was found at the verge of
civil war. Whatever might have been the cause, or who-
soever the fault, one duty, paramount to all others, was
before me—namely, to maintain and preserve at once
the Constitution and the integrity of the Federal Republic.
A conscientious purpose to perform this duty is the key to
all the measures of administration which have been, and to
all which will hereafter be pursued. Under our frame of
Government, and my official oath, I could not depart from
this purpose if I would. It is not always in the power of
Governments to enlarge or restrict the scope of moral re-
sults, which follow the policies that they may deem it ne-
cessary, for the public safety, from time to time to adopt.
"I have understood well that the duty of self•preserva-
tion rests solely with the American people. But I have at
the same time been aware that favour or disfavour of
foreign nations might have a material influence in en-
larging and prolonging the struggle with disloyal men in
which the country is engaged. A fair examination of
history has seemed to authorize a belief that the past
action and influences of the United States were generally
regarded as having been beneficial towards mankind. I
' have, therefore, reckoned upon the forbearance of nations.
Circumstances, to some of which you kindly allude, induced
me especially to expect that if justice and good faith should
be practised by the United States, they would encounter no
hostileinfluence on the part of Great Britain. It is now a
pleasant duty to acknowledge the:demonstration you have
given of your desire that a spirit of peaceand amity towards
this country may prevail in the councils of your Queen, who
is respected and esteemed in your own country only more
than she is by the kindred nation which has its home on
this side of the Atlantic.

" I know, and deeply deplore, the sufferings which the
working men at Manchester, and in all Europe, are called to
endure in this crisis. It has been often and studiously re.
presented that the attempt to overthrow this Govern-
ment, which was built upon the foundation of human
rights, and to substitute for it one which should rest ex-
clusively on the basis of human slavery, was likely to
obtain the favour of Europe. Through the action of our
disloyal citizens, the working men of Europe have been sub-
jected to a severe trial, for the purpose of forcing their
sanction to that attempt. Under these circumstances I
cannot but regard your decisive utterances upon the ques•
tion as an instance of sublime Christian heroism which
triumph has not been surpassed in any age or in any country.
It is indeed an energetic and reinspiring assurance of the
inherent. power of truth, and of the ultimate and universal
t
of justice, humanity, and freedom. Ido not
doubt that the sentiments you have expressed will be sus-
tained by your_great nation ; and, on the other hand, I