The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-09 00:00:00

THE WAR IN AMERICA.

QUEENSTOWN, MONDAY MORNING.
The Cunard mail steamer Europe, from Boston
the 26th and Halifax the 28th, has arrived.
The President has issued the following order in
reference to the enforcement of the Confiscation
Act :

" Executive Mansion, Nov. 13, 1862.

" Ordered, by the President of the United States, that
the Attorney-General be charged with the superintendence
and direction of all proceedings to be had under the Act of
Congress of the 17th of July, 1862, entitled 'An Act to
suppress insurrection, punish treason and rebellion, seise
and confiscate the property of rebels, and for other pur-
poses,' in so far as may concern the seizure, prosecution,
and condemnation of the estate, property, and effects of
rebels and traitors, as mentioned and provided for in the
fifth, sixth, and seventh sections of the said act of Congress.
" And the Attorney-General is authorised and required
to give to the attorneys and marshals of the United States
such instructions and directions as he may find needful and
touching all such seizures, prosecutions, and condemna-
tions; and, moreover, to authorise all such attorneys and
marshals, whenever there may be reasonable ground to fear
any forcible resistance to the act in the discharge of their
respective duties in this behalf, to call upon any military
officer in command of the forces of the United States to give
them such aid, protection, and support as may be necessary
to enable thE m safely and efficiently to discharge their re-
spective duties ; and all such commanding officers are re-
quired promptly to obey such call and to render the neces-
sary service, as far as may be in their power, consistently
with their other duties.

"By the President.

" AIMAZtA3I LIIVCOLIT.
"EDWARD BATES,

Attorney-General.

In accordance with this order, the Attorney-
General will shortly issue specific instructions to
United States attorneys and marshals for carrying
into effect the provisions of the Act to which refe-
rence has been made.

The following order has been issued from the War
Department to release all persons held in custody
for discouraging enlistment :

44 RELEASE OF PRISONERS.

"War Department, Washington, Nov. 22.

" Ordered, first, that all persons now in military custody
who have been arrested for discouraging volunteer enlist-
ments, opposing the draught, or for otherwise giving aid and
comfort to the enemy in States where the draught has been
made, or the quota of volunteers and militia has been fur-
nished, shall be discharged from further military restraint.
" Second, that persons who by authority of the military
commander or governors in rebel States have been arrested
and sent from such States for disloyalty or hostility to the
Government of the United States, and are now in military
custody, may also be discharged upon giving their parole to
do no act of hostility against the Government of the United
States, nor render aid to its enemies ; but such persons shall
remain subject to military surveillance and liable to arrest
on breach of their parole ; and if any such persons shall
prefer to leave the loyal States on condition of their not re-
turning again during the war, or until special leave for that
purpose be obtained from the President, then such person
shall, at his option, be released, and depart from the United
States, or be conveyed beyond the military lines of the
United States forces.
" This order shall not operate to discharge any person
who has been in arms against the Government, or by force
and arms has resisted or attempted to resist the draught,
nor relieve any person from liability to trial and punish-
ment by civil tribunals, or by court-martials, or military
commission, who may be amenable to such tribunals for
offences committed.

" By order of the Secretary of War,

" E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant- General."

A Washington Letter in the .2Vew York, World
refers thus to the forthcoming report of the Secre-
tary of War :
" A rumour has been current in private circles that
Mr. Stanton is disposed to give an inside view of the
Peninsular campaign, and explain la's 2elations towards
General M'Clellan and the army under his command.
He is aware that the reports of General M'Clellan
will be called for early in the session, and has stated to his
friends that it is due to him that his side of the controversy
should be presented at the same time. It is further re-
ported here that President Lincoln is somewhat dubious as
to the Propriety of permitting Mr. Stanton to present his
report to Congress without having first seen it himself, and
in some way or other will insist upon its passing under his
supervision before it is given to the country. This, it will
be remembered, was done in the case of Secretary Cameron,
a much more discreet politician than Secretary Stanton.
The Secretary of War writes well, whatever may be his
other faults, and, if not interfered with, will present a most
exciting and interesting military budget to the country,"
The execution of Confederate prisoners of war
at Palmyra has elicited the following order from
President Davis, which appears in the _Richmond
Enquirer of the 22d :
" Executive-office, Richmond, Virginia, Nov. 17.
General,—Enclosed you will find a slip from the Mem-
phis Daily Appeal of the 3d inst., containing an account
purporting to be derived .from the Palmyra (Missouri)
Courier a Federal journal, of the murder of ten Confederate
citizens of Missouri, by order of Gen. M'Neil, of the United
States army.

You will communicate by flag of truce with the Federal
officer commanding that department, and ascertain if the
facts are as stated; and if they be so, you will demand the
immediate surrender of General bl'Neil to the Confederate
authorities. And, if this demand is not complied with,
you will inform the same commanding officer that you are
ordered to execute the first ten United States officers who
may be captured and fall into your hands.
" Very respectfully yours,

" JEFFERSON DAVIS.
" Lieut.-Gen. T. 3. Holmes, Commanding the
11Iississippi Dep ,rtment.
The Mayor of Fredericksburg has made the fol-
lowing response to General Sumner's demand for
the surrender of the city :
" Mayor's-office, Fredericksburg, Nov. 21, 1462.
Sir,—l have received, at 20 minutes before 5 o'clock
this afternoon, your communication of this date. In it you
state, that under cover of the houses of this town shots
have been fired upon the troops of your command ; that our
mills and manufactories are furnishing provisions and the
materials for clothing for armed bodies in rebellion against
the Government of the United States ; that our
rail-
roads ant other means of transportation are removing
supplies to the depots of such troops; that this condition
of things must terminate; that by command of Major-

General Burnside you demand the surrender of this town
into your hands, as the representative of the Government

of the United .Staten, at or before five o'clock this afternoon;

:hat, failing an affirmative reply to this demand by the time

indicated, 16 hours will be permitted to elapse for the removal

rroratbe town of the women and children, the sick, wounded,

and aged; which period having elapsed, you will proceed to
shell the town.' In reply, I have to say that this communi-

cation did not reach me in timo to convene the Council for

its consideration, and furnish a reply by the hour indicated
—5 o'clock p.m. It was sent to me through the hands of the
commanding officer of the army of the Confederate States,
near this town, to whom it was first delivered, by consent
of General Patrick, who brought it from you, as I am in-
formed, and I am authorised by the commander of the Con-
federate army to say that there was no delay in passing it
through his hand to me. In regard to the matters complained
of by you, the firing of shots upon your troops occurred upon
the northern suburbs of the town, and was the act of the

militaryofficer commanding the Confederate forces near here,

or which neither the citizens nor the civil authorities of this
own are responsible. In regard to the other matter of

complaint, I am authorised by the latter officer to state
that the condition of things therein complained of will no
longer exist; that your troops shall not be fired on from
this town ; that the mills and manufactories here will not
furnish any further supplies, provisions, or material for
clothing for the Confederate troops, nor will the railroads
or other means of transportation here convey supplies from

the town to the depot of said troops outside of the town.
The civil authorities of Fredericksburg have no control, but
I am assured by the military authorities of the Confederate
army near here that nothing will be done by them to in-
fringe the conditions herein named as to matters within
the town. But the latter authorities inform us that,
while their troops will not occupy the town, they will
not permit yours to do so. Ye,u must be aware that there
will not be more than three or four hours of daylight
within the 16 hours given by you for the removal of the
sick and wounded, the women and children, the aged and
infirm, from the place ; and I have to inform you that,
while there is no railroad transportation accessible to the
town, because of the interruption thereof by your batteries,
all other means of transportation within the town are so
limited as to render the removal of the classes of persons
spoken of within the time indicated an utter impossibility.
I have convened the Council, which will remain in session
awaiting any further communication you may have to make.
"Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
" M. SLAUGHTER, Mayor.
"Brevet Major-General V. Sumner, Commanding
United States Army."
The despatch accompanying this document says—
" Last night was a busy time in Frederickburg, remov-
ing the inhabitants. The military authorities were also not
, idle, as daylight this morning revealed to view a line of
earthworks to the right and rear of the town—the result of
last night's labour. The artillery is now being placed in the
most favourable positions, while the encampments which
are in range of the enemy's guns are being removed further
back from the river. There are very apparent strong rea-
sons for not opening upon the city to-day, unless forced to
do so by the enemy. The rebels have just fired a few shots,
but no response has been made."
Another despatch of the evening of the 22d
adds :

"Owing to some misunderstanding, a train leaving
Fredericksburg with women and children on board was
fired into, but fortunately none of them were hurt. The
citizens of Fredericksburg are fast leaving the place."
A despatch from the headquarters at Falmouth,
of the 23d, reports everything quiet up to that

evening :
" The day has passed off quietly, without anything
worthy of note transpiring. The church bells in Frede-
ricksburg were ringing to-day, announcing the hour of
Divine worship, although most of the inhabitants had f.ed
the doomed city. A great many unarmed soldiers were
seen walking through the city to-day. During the last
night the enemy's works were somewhat extended, but no
additional guns are visible."
A special despatch to the Herald, from Aquia
Creek, 24th, states that reports from General Burn-
side's army to-day represent everything quiet and
' without material change :
"The city of Fredericksburg is not yet shelled, for rea-
sons satisfactory to the Commanding General. Preparations
for a further advance are steadily progressing, and the pre-
sent state of expectancy will soon be relieved by prompt
and vigorous action. The army is in good condition, ready
and anxious to move forward. The enemy is still in force
on the opposite side of the river, and improving the time to
prepare for as vigorous a resistance to our crossing as possi-
ble, Locomotives and cars were placed upon the track here
to-day, and the road will be open to the Potomac to-mon.
row. Rebel sympathisers still continue to cut the telegraph

wires."

The Herald's special despatch from Harper's
Ferry, dated the 24th, says :
" News of interest has reached me from Jackson's head-
quarters as late as Saturday last. Jackson then had his
head-quarters at Berryville. His force was 30,000 men.,
and the number of his guns 60. Friday evening Jackson
the fnllowine telegram from Jeff. Davis If you
do not leave the Valley at once and come to help us to defend
Richmond, it will not be worth your while to come to its
defence at all.' Jackson's reply is not known, but his
forces were not in motion on Saturday."
Another raid into Maryland, but on a small scale,
has been reported :
" Offut's Cross Roads, Montgomery, Nov. 25.
"This morning at daylight a body of rebel cavalry, 60 in
number, entered Poolesville and seized Cherry and Sargent,
the telegraph operators stationed there, in bed. They pa •
roled them and permitted them to telegraph their mishap
to Washington. This boldness of the rebels has caused
much excitement at Washington."