The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-08 00:00:00

authority over territory ceded to the United States,
The State sentries posted at Charleston had fired

into a boat from Fort Sumter. The Senate of South

Carolina had passed a tax bill, which provides for
an increased tax of 20 per cent. over the year 1859,

to meet the demand of 1,500,000 dols. necessary

for all South Carolina's purposes. Treasury notes
were issued for 700,000 dols. and bills receivable
of the State for 350,090 dole. for military contin-
gencies. The House of Representatives had ap-

pointed a committee to inquire what changes were
necessary in the banking system and currency in
South Carolina in consequence of the change in its

postal relations. The Catawba Indians had offered
their services to South Carolina as a military com-
pany, and Governor Pickens had accepted them.
Governor Pickens had replied to the Postmaster-
General's letter, inquiring .whether Major Andel-

son arid his command would be allowed free com-

munication with the-post -office at Charleston. He

states that an arrangement existed by which the
correspondence for Fort Sumter was regularly de-
livered, and access was given to supplies, which

was entirely satisfactory to Major Anderson; that
no espionage was exercised over the correspondence,

and that on only two occasions were his official

letters detained, and then without any violation of
their privacy; that Major Anderson had not had
free communication with the post-office because his

presence, or that of any part of his command, might
involve a collision, in the excited state of public

feeling in the city. He takes high ground for
maintaining the rights of South Carolina in her
independent attitude, but protests a very earnest
desire for peace. The fortification of the harbours
of Charleston was being vigorously proceeded with.
The agents of the Savannah line of steamers tele-
graphed on the 25th to New York from Savannah
as follows :
" The seizure of arms from the steamer Monticello
causes great excitement here. Can you get then}
back? We fear retaliation. It is rumoured that
Federal troops have been ordered to the armoury
to prevent an apprehended attack for the recovery
of the muskets recently seized."
The buoys in the harbour of Mobile had been
removed. From Florida we learn that at Pensacola
volunteers were engaged in mounting and ranging
cannons, carpenters were making scaling-ladders,
and the utmost bustle prevailed. The Wyandotte
was anchored west of Fort Pickens, under her
guns, and it was supposed she would assist Lieut.
Slimmer in defence. The pilots had been notified
that they might bring Government vessels into the
harbour if they bore a flag of truce. Fort Vitae
was being occupied and the guns manned by the
allied forces of Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi.
The surveying schooner Dana had been seized by
the authorities of St. Augustine, Florida, Rhile
the commander was absent on an expedition in
connexion with his duties. The Governor of
Mississippi had caused batteries to be erected
near Vicksburg to command the passage of the
Mississippi river, and every boat from north of
Mason and Dixon's line was compelled to stop and
submit to an examination. The South Carolina
Convention was discussing the proposal to send
commissioners to the Montgomery Convention.
There was considerable opposition to it. In the
Louisiana Convention, assembled at Baton Rouge
on the 22d, the Governor's_ message was read. He
remarks :

" Our enemies will find that throughout Louisiana
we are one people—one in heart, one, in mind, and
are not to be cajoled into an abandonment of our
rights, and not to be subdued. All hopes are at an
end that the dissensions between the North and
South can be healed. All the propositions of
moderate men have been contemptuously rejected,
and the cry of the North is for coercion. There is
no longer a doubt of the wisdom of the policy which
demands that the conflict shall come and be settled
now."

On the 24th the Committee of Fifteen reported
an ordinance on secession, also resolutions relative

to the navigation. of the Mississippi. The resolu-
tion of thanks to the Governor for his prompt action
in the seizure of the forts of Louisiana created quite
a discussion, a member wishing to know what
authority the Governor had for such a high-handed
measure, and saying he was not prepared to censure
or thank him until the necessity of the step was
shown. The Governor's message was here received,
when a motion to read that portion relative to the
seizure of the forts elicited further warm discussion
and much confusion, when the resolution finally
passed-118 against 5. On the 25th, the Committee
of Fifteen reported an ordinance dissolving all con-
nexion with the United States, but all treaties, acts
of Congress, &c., not incompatible with the ordi-
nance of secession, are to remain in force; also
recognising the right of ingress and egress to and
from the mouth of the Mississippi river by all
friendly States, and declaring the willingness of
Louisiana to enter into stipulations or guarantees
for the exercise of those rights. The Convention
would probably adjourn to New Orleans.
Vera Cruz advices to the 10th ult. report that
some of Miramon's principal officers, including his
Minister of Foreign Relations, had been captured
by Indians ; also, that Miramon himself had been
taken, but subsequently escaped, after killing three
Indians. President Juarez departed from Vera
Cruz on the sth for the capital to establish a Liberal
Government.