The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-25 00:00:00

PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.

In the Senate, on the 11th, a resolution was
adopted, instructing the Committee on Finance to
inquire into the expediency of allow;ng Surat cotton
to be imported into the United States upon the pay-
ment of the same duties as for cotton imported from
beyond the Cape of Good Hope. The bill relating
to the confirmation by the Senate of volunteer ap-
pointments in the navy was indefinitely postponed.
The President seat in a message recommending a
vote of thanks to Lieut. George IN, Morris and
Lieut. John L. Worden, the commanders respec-
tively of the sloop-of-war Cumberland and iron bat-
tery Monitor, for gallant conduct in the action with
the rebel steamer Merrimac. The subject was re.
ferred to the Naval Committee. A communication
was also received from the President in answer to
the resolution of the Senate calling for information
and evidence relative to the Indian barbarities in
the State of Minnesota. Ordered to be printed.
The resolution relative to the arbitrary arrests of
certain citizens of Delawsre was then taken up and
discussed till the adjournment.
In the House of Representatives a bill to adjust
the appropriation for the civil service of the Navy
Department was passed. The bill makes no new
appropriations. A resolution, providing armed
vessels to convoy ships laden with provisions for the
starving operatives of England was introduced, but
objection was made to its consideration. The bill ap-
propriating 9,500 dols. indemnity for damages re-
ceived by the French ship Jules et Marie, by colli-
sion with the United States steamer San Jacinto,
was passed. A message from the President, recom-
mending that John L. Norden receive the thanks
of Congress, by resolution, for his gallant con-
duct on the Monitor in combat with the Mer-
rimac, and thanks being necessary under the
law to advance him one grade in the list of
officers of the navy, was referred to the naval com-
mittee. Mr. Roscoe Conkling asked leave to report
a bill to establish a uniform system of bankruptcy,
with an amendment in the nature of a substitute,
and desired that a day should be assigned for its
consideration. The speaker said that the select com-
mittee on that subject had expired with the former
session of Congress, and would have to be revived.
A resolution calling for a statement of the number
of men in the army, both regulars and volunteers ;
what regiments have received pay since the Ist
inst.; what regiments remain unpaid, and how long
they have been without pay ; also, whether the
money appropriated for the pay, clothing, and sub-
sistence of the troops has been spent for any other
purpose, was adopted. Resolutions were offered
declaring the Presiden Ca emancipation proclamation
not warranted by the Constitution ; that the policy
of emancipation, as predicted in the proclamation,
is not calculated to hasten the restoration of peace,
is not well chosen as a war measure, and is an as-
sumption of power dangerous to the rights of citi-
zens and the perpetuity of a free Government. On
the motion of Mr. Lovejoy, the resolutions were laid
on the table by a vote of 94 against 45. The house
then went into committee of the whole, and dis-
enesed the President's plan of negro emancipation.
Both houses adjourned till Monday.

As the Hiberuitku U not leave Porthold till the

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evening of the 13th, we get the following from the
latest editions of the Portland journals :

Head quarters, Army of the Potomac, Dec. 13.
In the Field, 11 a.m.
The great battle so long anticipated between the
two contending armies is now progressing. The
morning opened with a dense fog, which has not
entirely disappeared. General Reynolds' corps, on
the left, advanced at an early hour, and at 9.15 a.m.
engaged the enemy's infantry. Seven minutes after-
wards the rebels opened a heavy fire of artillery,
which has continued so far without intermission.
Their artillery fire must be at random, as the fog
obstructs all view of almost everything. It is hoped
that the fog will soon lift. At this writing no re-
sults are known. Not much infantry has yet become
engaged. A portion of the enemy's cavalry crossed
a ford above here, and yesterday were found on our
right and rear. Sufficient force has been sent uut to
meet them.
Gen. M'Clellan left Washington this morning for
Philadelphia.
Special Washington despatches of the 12th state
that Gen. Slocum's command participates in the
general movement. He has left Harper's Ferry, and
at last advices was between Manassas and Strasburg.
This morning Hampton's rebel cavalry captured
Dumfries, a town situate about half-way from here
to Fredericksburg. They cut the telegraph wires,
carried off the operators, and paroled a number of
officers who happened to be in the place, for what
purpose is not known. Later in the day Gen. Still-
water, in command of Gen. Sigel's advance, attacked
the rebels and a fight ensued, the precise extent and
results of which are yet unknown. In consequence
of this occurrence there was no telegraphic commu-
nication with Burnside during the day ; the wires
have since been restored, and news is received that
the main part of Gen. Burnside's force are over the
river. It is the opinion of many generals at Frede-
ricksburg that the main body of the enercy have
retired, and that no determined staua will be made
near the city.
The Navy Department has received despatches
from Capt. Roockendorff, of the San Jacinto, dated
St. Thomas. They contain a full account of the un-
successful attempt to capture the Alabama, at Mar-
tinique, from which it would appear that little, if
any blame, should be attached to the commander of
the San Jacinto. There is occasion to believe that
France will demand an apology from our Go-
vernment on account of the signals made iu
the harbour. The Committee of Ways and
Means, at their meeting today, agreed upon three
appropriation bills for the next fiscal year, which
will be reported to the house on Monday ; the
Army Bill,which appropriates 741,000,000 die; the
West Point Bill, which is essentially as usual; and
the Fortification Bill, which makes unusually large
appropriations, especially for New York harbour,
various points on the coast of Maine, and the Tor-
tugas and other Florida forts.
Major-General Sedgwick has been assigned to
the command of the 9th Army Corps, late General
Burnside's, and will join the army on Monday or
Tuesday.
The .New York Times' correspondent says :—AI.
though we are not yet fully informed of the present
position of the enemy, there seems to be good
ground to claim that General Burnside has suc-
ceeded in out-generalling and outwitting them.
His decoys made them believe that we were about
to cross our main force at Port Conway, and seems
to have succeeded admirably. I suppose there is
no harm now in my mentioning that among the
ruses employed was sending down, the day before
yesterday, to Port Conway 300 men and bringing
them back by a different road, for the sole purpose
of making the rebels believe that we were about to
cross the river at that point ; to the same end
workmen were busily employed in laying cause-
ways for the supposed pontoon bridge there, while
the gunboats were held at the same place. Com-
pletely deceived by these feints the main rebel force,
including Jackson's command, seems to have been
two or three days ago transferred 20 or 25 miles
down the river.
NASHVILLE, Dec. 12.—A1l is quiet along the
railroad in the vicinity of this place.
CAIRO, Dec. 12.—Nothing definite is known as
to where the rebels in Mississippi have fallen back
to. One report is that they have taken shelter
behind Big Black at Canton. The rainy season
has commenced, and it is with great difficulty
that the cannon and waggons can be transported.
Persons who have been carrying ou trade in viola-
tion of Government regulations have been arrested.
NEW YORK, Dec. 13, p.m.—Cotton is quiet to-
day, at 661 e. to 67c. for middling Uplands. Flour
declining; extra State, 6 dole. 10c. to 6 dole. 25c.
Wheat lc. lower ; Chicago spring, 1 dol. 21e_ to
1 dol. 28c. ; Red Western, 1 dol. 39c. to 1 dol.
43c. Corn steady ; mixed Western, 76c. to 761 c.
Beef and pork quiet and unchanged.