The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-30 00:00:00

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pered about that the Congress had passed a most
important act which recognised war between the
United States and the Confederate States and re-
gulated the conditions of letters of marque and the
condemnation and payment of prize. The Cincin-
nati papers contain the reproduction, with many
typographical errors, of your correspondent's first
letter from America, which he would not here allude
to, were it not that the papers in question accuse
him of misrepresentation in stating that it was
General Jackson who introduced " the distribution
of spoils system." He is glad to find that M. de
Toequeville, who was in America ,at the time,
laboured under the same impression, and he is forced
to maintain the accuracy of his assertion.
TUESDAY, MAY 7.
The newspapers contain the text of the declara-
tion of a state of war on the part of President Davis,
and of the issue of letters of marque and reprisal,
&c. The object of this war measure is to depreciate
the value of the shipping of the North, and to pre-
vent the vessels of the United States commercial
marine getting cargoes abroad. The Government
here conceive they have a right to demand from
foreign nations that their flag shall be recognised,
and their law officer declares the Confederate States
will maintain their right to issue letters of marque
in the face of the world. It is the right of a belli-
gerent Power, and it was respected, they say, by
the courts of laws in the United States in the case
of the South American Republics if any formal re-
cognition of their Governments or of their inde-
pendence was made by any Power. The refusal to
admit the privateers of the Confederate States to
exercise the rights of belligerents in the right of
search, will be taken as an act of war, and as a proof
of alliance with the enemy—that is, the Govern-
ment of the United States, It need hardly be ob-
served that the protection of British interests de-
mands that an efficient squadron of vessels be at
once sent to the American waters in the face of
such contingencies as will inevitably arise.
But it may be asked, who will take these letters
of marque? Where is the Government of Mont-
gomery to find ships ? The answer is to
be found
in the fact that already numerous applications nave
been received from the shipowners of New England,
from the whalers of New Bedfor:l, and from others
in the Northern States for these very letters of
marque, accompanied by the highest securities and
guarantees! This statement I make on the very
highest authority. I leave it to you to deal with
the facts.

To-day I proceeded to the Montgomery Down-
ing-street and Whitehall, to present myself to the
members of the Cabinet, and to be introduced to
the President of the Confederate States of America.
The offices of the Government are contained under
one roof in a large brick building of unfaced
masonry, which looks like a handsome first-class
warehouse. On the first landing is a square hall,
surrounded by doors on which legible inscriptions
are fixed to indicate the offices of " The President,"
" The Secretary of War," " The Attorney-General,"
"'The Secretary of State," of " The Cabinet," &c.,
and on a landing above are situated the offices of the
other members of the Government. The building
is surmounted by the flag of the Confederate States.
There is no sentry at the doors, and access is free
to all, but there are notices on the doors warning
visitors that they can only be received during cer-
tain hours. The President was engaged with some
gentlemen when I was presented to him, but he re-
ceived me with much kindliness of manner, and
when they had left entered into conversation with
me for some time on general matters. Mr. Davis is
a man of slight, sinewy figure, rather over the
middle height, and of erect, soldierlike bearing. He
is about 55 years of age ; his features arc regular
and well-defined, but the face is thin and marked
on cheek and brow with many wrinkles, and is
rather careworn and haggard. One eye is apparently
blind, the other is dark, piercing, and intelligent.
He was dressed very plainly in a light gray summer
suit. In the course of conversation he gave an order
for the Secretary of War to furnish me with a let-
ter as a kind of passport in case of my falling in
with the soldiers of any military posts who might
be indisposed to let me pass freely, merely observ-
ing that I had been enough -within the lines of
camps to know what was my duty on such occa-
sions. I subsequently was presented to Mr. Walker,
the Secretary-at-War, who promised to furnish me
with the needful documents before I left Mont-
gomery. In his room were General Beauregard
and several officers, engaged over plans and maps,
apparently in a little council of war, which was,
perhaps, not without reference to the intelligence
that the United States troops were marching on
NorfolK Navy-yard, and had actually occupied
Alexandria. On leaVing the Secretary I proceeded
to the room of the Attorney-General, Mr. Benjamin,
a very intelligent and able man, whom I found
busied in preparations connected with the issue of
letters of letarque.:Everything in the offices looked
like earnest work and business.

On my way back from the State Department I
saw a very fine company of infantry and three field
pieces, with about 120 artillerymen, on their march
to the railway station for Virginia. The men were
all well equipped, but there were no ammunition
waggons for the guns, and the transport consisted
solely of a few country carts drawn by poor horses,
out of condition. There is no lack of muscle and
will among the men. The troops which I see here
are quite fit to march and fight as far as their per-
sonnel is concerned, and there is no people in the
world so crazy with military madness. The very
children in the streets ape the air of soldiers, carry
little flags, and wear cockades as they strut in the
highways, and mothers and fathers feed the fever
by dressing them up as Zouaves or Chassenrs.
Mrs. Davis had a small levee to-day in right of
her position as wife of the President. Several
ladies there, probably, looked forward to the time
when their States might secede from the new Con-
federation and afford them the pleasure of holding
a reception. Why not Presidents of State
of Georgia or of Alabama? Why not King of
South Carolina, or Emperor of Florida? Soldiers
of fortune ! make your game ! Gentlemen poli-
ticians, the ball is rolling. There is, to be sure, a
storm gathering at the North, but it cannot hurt
you, and already there are condottieri from all parts
of the world flocking to your aid, who will eat your
Southern beeves the last of all. Virginia seems in-
clined to set up for herself, or to divide herself into
two " Old Dominions." Here are Messrs. Henning-
sen, Pickett, and other gallant gentlemen, quite
ready to help you and themselves out of their little
difficulty by their swords and their pens, and no
one can say how far the family of Kings may extend
on this good Continent if the fear of a common
enemy should ever permit the States to gratify
their private jealousies. One word more as to a
fleet. The English owners of several large steamers
are already in correspondence with Government
here for the purchase of their vessels. The intelli-
gence which has reached the Government that their
commissioners have gone on to Paris is regarded as
unfavourable to their claims, and as a proof that
as yet England is not disposed to recognise them.
Is is amusing to hear the tone used on both sides
towards Great Britain. Both are most anxious for
her countenance and support, although the North
blusters rather more about its independence than
the South, which professes a warm regard for the
mother country. " But," say the North, "if
Great Britain recognises the South, we shall cer-
tainly look on it as a delaration of war." " And,"
say the South, " if Great Britain does not recognise
our privateers' flag, we shall regard it as proof
hostility and of alliance with the enemy." The
Government at Washington seeks to obtain
will
pro-
mises from Lord Lyons that our Government
not recognise the Southern Confederacy, but
at
nt the
same time refuses to give anyl
guarantees
re-
ference to the rights of neutroat occasion us any
neutrals. The blockade
of the Southern ports would n
great inconvenience at present, nt, because the cotton-
loadingif it be enforced in
season is over;
October there is a prospect of very serious and
embarassing questions arising in reference to the
rights of neutrals' treaty obligations with the
United States
Governmentud the
of tradeb lblockade
aadned
inre
re-
ference to the
com-
merce of England' a
distinctions to be drawn between
measures of war and means of annoyance.
As I write the guns in front of the State De-
partment are firing a salute, and each report marks
a State of the Confederacy. They are now ten, as
Arkansas and Tennessee are now out of the Union.

TIIE GREAT EASTERN.—LTVERPOOL, Wednes-
day.--The Great Eastern was to have sailed from New
York for Liverpool on Saturday last, the 25th inst., and,
may, therefore, be expected in the Mersey on Monday or
Tuesday next. She will be moored off Rock Ferry, and
for this purpose the steamer Speedwell left the Mersey this
morning for Milford, to bring round the Great Eastern's
moorings, at present lying at that port.
CONFEDERATE MERCHANT VESSELS CAPTURED
11Y FEDERAL Srurs.—lt was stated on 'Change at Liver-
pool yesterday that several cotton ships from southern
is had been elptured by the Federal vessels of war.
The Argo, laden with tobacco, from Richmond, Virginia,
has also been captured by the vessels of the northern
blockading squadrons.

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