The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-22 00:00:00

gi►en notice, to indemnify the President and other
persons for suspending the habeas corpus, and for
all acts done in pursuance thereof. Afte: several
unsuccessful attempts to defeat it or to p mtpone its
consideration, Mr. Stevens asked that it "e put upon
its passage, which was ordered. A 101 v, debate in-
tervened, but the bill finally passed by 90 to 45.
Mr. Wright, of Indiana, offered a series of resolu-
tions declaring the unjustifiableness of the rebellion,
and asserting our duty to put it down by every con-
stitutional means, &c. They were tabled. Mr.
Wickliffe, of Kentucky, introduced a bill for the
protection and relief of loyal citizens whose pro-
perty and slaves have been taken by the army. It
was referred to the Judiciary Committee. After
some business of minor importance, Mr. Stevens
offered a series of resolutions referring various parts
of the President's Message to appropriate commit-
tees, when Mr. Richardson made a speech severely
criticising the document.
The house then adjourned.

The following is the new financial scheme intro-
duced in Congress by Mr. Stevens from the Com-
mittee of Ways and Means:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America, in Con-
gress assembled—That the Secretary of the Trea-
sury shall, as far as possible, redeem and call in
the 5-20 bonds, and all 7-30 bonds which have been
issued since March 4, 1862, and cancel the same.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted—That the Sec-
retary of the Treasury shall redeem all United States
tender-notes which shall be held as a loan bearing
interest; and the law authorising such loan or de-
posit is hereby repealed.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted—That the law
authorising and requiring the payment of interest
of United States Bonds in gold, and which autho-
rised the issuing of the 5-20 bonds, is hereby re-
pealed.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted—That, in order
to enable the Secretary of the Treasury to carry
into effect the foregoing provisions, he is hereby
authorised to issue 1,000,000,000 dole., if so much be
needed, of bonds of the United States, similar in
amount and form to those authorised by the act
entitled, An Act to authorise the Issue of United
States Notes, and for the Redemption or Funding
thereof, and for Funding the Floating Debt of the
United States," approved Feb. 25, 1862, with in-
terest payable semi-annually in the lawful money
of the United States, and the principal payable in
20 years in gold or silver coin of the United States;
also to issue legal-tender notes of the United States,
the amount not to exceed, with those already autho-
rised, five hundred millions.

Sec. 5. And be it further enacted—That all banks,
savings institutions, or persons who have authority
to issue notes as currency, shall pay a tax, to be as-
sessed as other taxes, of 50 per centum on all their
circulation which shall exceed one-half of their
capital paid in ; provided that this section shall not
go into operation until 90 days after the passing of
this act.

Sec. 7. And .be it futher enacted—That, whenever
the Government require more money than is hereby
provided, the Secretary of the Treasury may sell any
portion of the billion of bonds hereby authorised at
such price as he may be able to obtain for the same.
NEW YORK, DEC. 11.
Gen. Butler's Sequestration Committee continue
their confiscation measures at New Orleans. Im-
mense quantities of goods and contents of splendid
mansions are daily being sold by auction. General
Butler occupies a house vacated by Dr. Campbell,
who left when the Federals occupied thecity, closing
his house, and leaving everything, including his
plate.

General Butler has extended his confiscation
order to all that part of the State of Louisiana east
of Mississippi River except the parishes of New
Orleans, Saint Berner, and Plaque Mines.
A sharp fight has occurred near Lavergne, Ten-
nessee, between Nashville and Murfreesboro, in
which the Confederates were twice repulsed.
A despatch, dated Nashville, 10th inst., says—
The Confederates in great force appeared in our
front this morning, driving in our pickets at every
point. A battle is momentarily expected near Harts-
ville. Federal reinforcement are hurrying forward.
Great excitement prevails at Nashville, but the in-
habitants have confidence in the Federal generals
and troops.

(A barque which has arrived at New York passed
on the sth inst., off Hatteras, eight steamers steer-
ing due south, supposed to be part of Gen. Banks's
expedition.
The Governor of New Hampshire has ordered the
draft to commence on the 24th inst. in the towns
which have not filled their quotas.
The New York Times has the following private
letter from an officer of one of the south-western
armies which has this statement :—" If I should tell
you the state of demoralisation of many of our old
regiments of the Valley of the Mississippi you would
believe it. They have no respect for man or woman,
and are guilty of offences that, if committted at
horns, would send them to the Penitentiary for life.
" Similar representations are made in so many
other quarters that it is no longer possible to doubt
that portions of our army have become greatly de-
moralised. It is got a pleasant fact,but it is crimi-
nal to shut our eyes to it. Every loyal organ of
1 opinion in the land should raise its voice against it,
and demand its suppression."
1 Gen. M'Clellan is giving evidence in Washington
before the court of inquiry into the conduct of Gen.
M'Dowell. Gen. M'Clellan testifies strongly in his
favour. He said he had no doubt, and it had always
been his opinion, that the army of the Potomac
would have taken Richmond if Gen. M'Dowell's
corps had not been separated from it. General
M'Clellan also believed that if General M'Dowell's
command had joined the army of the Potomac by
way of Hanover Court-house from Fredericksburg,
that the Federals would have had Richmond in one
week after the junction. He did not hold General
M'Dowell responsible for not joining him on either
occasion.

In the Senate a bill has been introduced to estab-
lish an arsenal and ordnance depot on the tidewaters
of New York harbour.

The Senate has passed the bill for the relief of the
owners of the French ship Jules et Marie.
The House of Representatives has passed a bill
admitting Western Virginia as a State by a vote of
96 to 55. The bill provides for the gradual aboli-
tion of slavery in the State. It had previously
passed the Senate.
It is reported that 150,000 dole_ in specie has been
saved from steamer Golden Gate.

The British steamer Greyhound arrived at Gal-
veston Bay on the 14th November.
A movement is on foot in New York to get aid
for the distressed operatives in France.
The following are extracts from the correspon-
dence between Mr. Seward and Mr. Dayton, the
American Minister at Paris :

Mr. Dayton writes to Mr. Seward, in March, that
at an interview with the Emperor he stated that the
opinion of the Americans was that if France and
England would withdraw their recognition of the
Southern insurrectionists as belligerents the rebel-
lion would collapse at once. If this recognition
were withdrawn, Mr. Dayton believed that as an
equivalent the blockade would be raised at an early
date.

The Emperor replied that the recognition of the
Southerners as belligerents was made upon an un-
derstanding with England that some legal ques-
tions were originally iLvolved, and that he must
consult M. Thouvenel. When the insurrection broke
out the Emperor did not suppose the North could
succeed, and it was the general belief of European
statesmen that the two sections would never come
together again. This belief was the principal rea-
son why the concession of the belligerent rights was
granted.

On Nov. 6 Mr. Dayton writes to Mr. Seward that
M. Thouvenel has just told him France and the
other Powers regretted the war, but had no inten-
tion to interfere.
In reply to Mr. Dayton's inquiry, if France, Eng-
land, and Russia were conferring upon the propriety
of offering 'mediation, M. Thouvenel said the wish that
the war could be ended, or something be done with
the consent of the belligerent parties, had been and
W 6 still entertained ; but nothing had been resolved
upon. France reserved to herself the right to ex-
press this wish to the parties if it was thought ad-