The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-04 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

CARMARTHEN STEEPLECHASES—TUESDAY.
The Open Steeplechase Handicap of 10 sovs each, with 100
added. About 4 miles.

Mr. W. H. R. Powell's Ace of Hearts, by Greatheart—
sister to Bryan O' Linn, aged, 12st
Mr. J. R. James's Wings, aged, list (Mr. J. R, James) 2
Mr. 0. Smith's Gingerbread, aged, lOst 101 b (Richards) 3
The Rug, Comet, and Cumberland also ran.

Betting-7 to 4 agst Ace of Hearts-2 to 1 agst The Rug
—4 to 1 agst Wings.
Won by three lengths, a bad third.
The Golden Grove Stakes of 5 sous each, with 50 added.

AMERICA.

LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY.

The Royal Mail steam ship Africa, Captain Lott,
which left Boston on the 21st and Halifax on the
23d ult., arrived in the Mersey at 9 o'clock this
morning, bringing 44,205 dole. in specie.
A telegraphic summary of the advices by this
arrival has already appeared.
The New York World of the 20th says :

" A letter from one of our correspondents with General
Burnside's army states that the army is under marching
orders, and provided with three days' rations. Five pon-
toon bridges are to be thrown across the Rappahannock at
some distance apart, and upon these the army will cross
the river. Gen. Lee's army is composed of eight large divi-
sions, and Longstreet's, the left, composed of eight divi-
sions. These divisions are apparently stronger than ours,
comprising as they do a greater number of brigades and
regiments, but whether their total strength is equal to ours
is unknown. A desperate struggle is evidently at hand,
and stirring news may be expected shortly."
Another account says that—
" Orders for the forward movement of the army across
the Rappahannock had been countermanded, and that a
change of the military programme had been resolved upon
with a view of reaching Richmond by some other route. It
was not known when the troops would start on their new
route, but it was supposed to be very soon. The War De-
partment grants no passes whatsoever now, unless on busi-
ness strictly connected with the army."
" NEW YORK, Jan. 20.—An army letter of the 17th in
the Tribune says the reports from Nashville that Long-
street's corps has removed westward to reinforce Bragg are
unfounded. Longstreet himself was here two days ago with
his command. It is believed that no entire corps has been
withdrawn from our front, but we have information from de-
serters and contrabands that some batteries, brigades, and
divisions have been detached and sent to Tennessee."

The following is the official account of the cap.
ture of Arkansas Post :

“Memphis, Jan. 14, 1863.
” Major-General W. IL Halleck,
" General,—The following despatch is just received—
" Head-quarters, Army of the Mississippi,
Post of Arkansas, Jan. 11, 1863.
Major General U. S. Grant, commanding the De
partment of the Tennessee.

" General,—l have the honour to report that the forces
under my command attacked the Post of Arkansas to-day
at one o'clock, having stormed the enemy's works. We
took a large number of prisoners, variously estimated at
from 7,000 to 10,0)0, together with all his stores, animals,
and munitions of war.

" ' Rear-Admiral David D. Porter, commanding the
Mississippi squadron, effectively and brilliantly co-operated,
accomplishing this complete success.

" JOHN A. M'CLEItNAND,
Major General Commanding.'
" U. S. GRANT, Major-General."
The following was received at the Navy Depart-
ment :

" United States Mississippi Squadron, Arkansas
Post, Jan. 11, 1863.
" Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy.
. . _

" Sir,—The gunboats Louisville, De Kalb, Cincinnati,
and Lexington attacked the heavy fort at the post on the
Arkansas last night and silenced the batteries, killing 20
of the enemy. The gunboats attacked again this morning,
and dismounted every gun-11 in all. Col. Dunnington,
late of the United States navy, commandant of the fort, re-
quested to surrender to the navy. I received his sword.
The army co-operated on the land side. The forts were all
dismounted in three hours. The action was at close quar-
ters on the part of the three iron dads, and the firing
splendid. The list of killed and wounded is small. The
Louisville lost 12, De Kalb 17, Cincinnati 2, Lexington
none, and Rattler 2.
"The vessels, although much cut up, were ready for
action in half an hour after the battle. The light draught
Rattler, Lieutenant Commander Wilson Smith, and the
other light draughts, joined in the action when it became
general, as did the Black Hawk, Lieutenant Commander
R. B. Breese, with the rifle guns.—Very respectfully,
your obedient servant, "DAVID D. PORTER,

Acting Rear Admiral."

The New York Tones publishes at length a mass
of Confederate diplomatic correspondence, whieh
was intercepted by the Federal cruiser off Charles-
ton, and it epitomises the correspondence as fol-
lows :--

" We publish this morning a highly respectable batch of
the rebel dispatches recently captured by our blockaders off
Charleston, being letters of instruction to Messrs. Mason
and Slidell, and other rebel agents in Europe. The first is
a letter from Secretary Benjamin, dated in September last,
exaggerating all the rebel victories, and summing up the
national losses in all the battles up to that time at 350,000
men. The most important portion of the correspondence
relates to a movement on the part of the French consuls at
Galveston and Richmond, supposed to have originated in
Paris, to induce Texas to secede from the Southern confede-
racy, and establish an independent government. The re-
sult of this discovery was an order to Magruder to send the
consul at Galveston to Mexico as soon as possible, and
another to the Richmond consul to leave forthwith. The
order with regard to the latter, was, however, rescinded. It
further appears that the reception awarded by Earl Russell
to Mr. Commissioner Mason at London is not such as com-
ports with the latter's sense of propriety, or with the expec-
tations of the Confederate authorities at Richmond. Mr.
Mason is, however, complimented for his self-abnegation in
consenting to remain at his post, notwithstanding the an-
noyance to which he conceives himself subjected by the
evident coolness of the British Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
" The second portion of the correspondence relates to
the European operations of the Confederate treasury and
navy department. Mr. Menninger explains the schemes
devised for raising money in England by the hypothecation
of cotton in the Confederate States. The mode by which
that article may be transmitted in British naval vessels
from the blockaded ports, to be employed in England for
war purchase, receives elucidation at the hands of the Con-
federate Secretary of the Treasury, while the use to which
a portion of the funds is to be put finds explanation in the
accompanying correspondence of Mr. Mallony, the Confe-
derate Secretary of the Navy. The utility of iron-clad
vessels, and the means by which they are to be procured in
England, form the burden of these interesting papers.
" From these papers we also learn the names of the finan-
cial agents of the Southern Confederacy in England and
what houses are ready to fulfil the military and naval orders
from Richmond. It may surprise some persons to find out
that Mr. George N. Sanders is playing an important part
in the negotiations, looking to the construction of iron-clads
in England for the Southern Confederacy. He figures also
as the diplomatic courier of the Richmond Government."

The following letter from Mr. Menninger, the
Confederate Secretary of the Treasury, addressed
to Mr. Spence, of Liverpool, appears in the corre-
spondence:—

" Confederate States of America, Treasury Depart-

went, Richmond, Oct. 21, 1862.
" IAS. SPENCE, ESQ., LIVERPOOL, G.B.
" Sir,—As you have been appointed financial agent for
the Confederate States, and Messrs. Frazer, Orenholm, and
Co., aro its depositories under our law, I desire that you
would confer together on the matter submitted by this
letter.

44 I have on hand gold and silver coin (chiefly the former),
two and a half millions of which I desire to apply in
went a articles purchased in England by our agents for
the use of the Confederate Government. We find it im-
possible to purchase a sufficient amount of exchange for
these purposes, and the small amount to be had is at
such high rates that it would be desirable to furnish a sub-
stitute. I propose, therefore, to make payment for pur.
chases by a transfer to the creditors of so much of this coin
as may be requisite. I presume that when the coin thus
becomes bona fide the property of a British subject, the
British Government would at his instance permit-any of its
vessels to bring over the same for him. If this expectation
be realised the coin here would be as valuable as exchange,
and in England would probably realise its mint value, less
freight and insurance.

" To enable you to carry out any arrangement you may
deeln advisable, Messrs. Fraser, Trenholra, and Co. are ,
authorised to make an absolute transfer of the coin, or to
draw bills for the same on E. C. Elimore, Esq., Treasury,
payable here, and a copy of this letter is sent to each of
you that you may act in concert, and give us the benefit of
your united counsel.
remitting,
fiel,
" I am r • •
opportunities as they occur, the
Confederate bonds of the
raete States, the proceeds of which,
when sold, are intended t
bed applied to the contracts of
which you have been advised,
"Respectfully Respectfumllyliyourni.e obedient servant,
"C• G.
micZretary of Treasury.'
A Port Royal letter, dated
deserters from
f the bleekade off
"The gunboat Marblehead, frothl3th'
says
Fort Sumter
Charleston, reports that six
have
report
reached the Canandraigua on a foggy liirglnt.
garrison of Fort Sumter
that a third of the
their intention to no longer fight under the j
:11;tevdowed
flag, whereupon nearly all the garrison threw down re
arms. They were half famished, and their families were
in want, owing to non-payment for several months. The
arrival of other troops overawed the- mutineers, and forced
them to return to their duties. A large number of the pro-
minent ones were, however, in confinement, and would pos-
sibly be shot. Their friends say i f this is done they will avenge
their deaths. The dissatisfaction among the rebel troops is
widespread through the department. The men are worked
day and night and are half starved. They receive no
money, and live under the iron rule of despots. Scarcely a
-day passes without desertion. The gunboat Wissachikon
recently drove the rebels out of the battery at Branch
Island, Presently they returned' a party of cavalry forcing
They them back to the guns. •
her hull
opened fire, and the
Wissathikon received a shot in
her. She came into Port Royal
forrhruell whichi,, nearly sunk
Governor Parker was inauggrated on the 20th,
at Trenton, New Jersey, and he, in his inaugural
address, takes the ground that all the powers not

delegated to the general government by the consti-
tution are reserved to the States. He contends
that secession is unconstitutional. It is not based
on the right of revolution, but on the alleged right
of a state constitutionally to withdraw. This is a
political heresy. In the articles of confederation
the original states pledged their faith that the
Union should be perpetual, and the constitution
followed only to perpetuate the Union. The go-
vernor argues that there was not a sufficient cause
for a revolution. He refers to the fanaticism in
the North as calculated to produce the bitterest
hatred in the Southern people, and they 'clad com-

witted retaliatory violence, illegally and entirely
unjustifiable. In this way a minority of ultra and
fanatical men of both sections, controlling the cur-
rent of events, brought this great and good govern-
ment to the verge of destruction. In this sorrow-
ful state of affairs New Jersey had taken no part

but to assert and to show her loyalty on all occa•

sions. Arbitrary arrests are denounced. The pur-
pose of the war was declared to be the maintenance
of the constitution and the protection of the rights
of the citizens. Such arrests are clear violations
of the constitution and rights of the people, and
not called _ for by the exigencies of the case.

Whatever legal powers are vested in the executive
shall be exerted for the protection of the lawful
rights of the citizens of New Jersey. The suspen-
sion of the writ of habeas corpus belongs exclusively
to the legislative and executive branches of the go-

vernment, and was never intended to exist in the

breast of any individual. The war power is dis-
cussed, and the plea of military necessity is declared
illegal and dangerous. Emancipation is classed
among the illegal acts of this new principle of the
war power. It will prolong the war, and our ener-
gies should be directed to save the Union. The
governor hopes for a speedy conclusion of the war
and the restoration of peace. It should be a peace
upon the basis of the Union as it was—a union of
the states with their equality and rights unimpaired.
The fruitless efforts that continued to be made
in the New York Assembly to elect a Speaker were
beginning to be accompanied by threats of personal
violence, and by the greatest disorder and inde-

corum. Attempts had been made to attack Mr.

Callicott, the Democratic candidate. The Albany
correspondent of the New York Herald writes
" There is no longer a chance for the question to be com-
promised. The revolutionary speeches of Messrs. Murphy,
Fields, Glover, and Hutchings have driven the Republicans
together. They stand firm as a rock, determined not to
yield an inch. A paper was drawn up in the caucus,
signed by those present, to be presented to the governor,
setting forth the facts in reference to the disgraceful scenes
of Saturday, and requesting the aid of the militia to pre-
vent a repetition. A resolution will also be passed in the
Senate before the Assembly meets again, requesting the
governor to call out sufficient militia to prevent the mob
from overawing the members of the Assembly in the dis-
charge of their duties. It is understood the governor
bitterly condemns the course of some of the members of his
party, and will respond to the request of the Senate."

It is stated that the Conservative party of New
Hampshire will make the following peace proposi-
tion a party issue in the coming election in that
state An immediate armistice and a speedy
peace, the states to be re-united, the war expenses
of both parties to be assumed by the Federal Go-
vernment, and slavery to assume the place which
it held before the breaking out of the rebellion."
In the United States Senate, on the 19th ult.,
Mr. M'Dougall, of California, offered the following
concurrent resolutions—

" Resolved,—That the present attempt of the French
government to subjugate the republic of Mexico to her
authority by armed force is a violation of the established
rules of international law, and that it is moreover a viola-
tion of the faith of France, pledged by the treaty made at
London on the 31st October, 1861, between the allied go-
vernments of Spain, France, and England, and communi-
cated to this Government over the signatures of the repre-
sentatives of the allied powers, by the letter of the 30th
November, 1861, and particularly and repeatedly assured to
this Government through its Minister resident at the Court
of France.

" Resolved further—That the attempt to subject the re-
public of Mexico to French authority is an act not merel y
unfriendly to this republic, but to free institutions every •
where, and is regarded as not only unfriendly but hostile.
"Resolved further,—That it is the duty of this republic
to require of the Government of France that her armed
forces should be withdrawn from the territory of Mexico.

" Resolved further,—That it is the duty and office of this
republic, now and at all times, to lend such aid to the re-
public o! Mexico as is or may be required to prevent the
forced interposition of any of the States of Europe in the
political affairs of the republic.
" Resolved further,—That the President of the United
States cause to be communicated to the Government of
Mexico the views now expressed by the two Houses of
Congress ; and that he be further requested to cause to be
negotiated such a treaty or treaties between the two repub-
lics as will tend to make these views effective."

On the motion of Mr. M'Dougall the resolutions
were laid over to the 22d.

In the House of Representatives a bill, appro-
priating ten millions of dollars in aid of the eman-
cipation of slaves in Maryland was introduced and
referred to the select committee on the subject. A
bill, authorising duties on importations, to be paid,
if desired, by importers in legal-tender notes, with
33 per cent. added, waereferred to the committee of
ways and means.

On the 29th, in the Senate, a bill was reported
from the committee on foreign affairs, to pay French
spoliation claims.

In the House of Representatives the Secretary of
the Navy was asked for any information in his pos-
session to show that American vessels cleared for
any foreign port have engaged in the African or
coolie slave trade, and to submit such suggestions
to prevent it as he may deem proper.
The military committee reported a resolution
authorising the laying of a submarine cable from
Fort Monroe to connect the Southern military
stations.

A Washington letter of the 19th, in the Tribune,
says that that morning the ways and means com-
mittee, by an almost unanimous vote, gave Secre-
tary Chase power to sell bonds at the best price he
can obtain. They also took away from the holders
of legal-tender notes the right to convert them at
pleasure into twenty-year bonds. The same letter
adds that at the termination of the financial debate
the following message was received from the Presi-
dent :