The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-29 00:00:00

AMERICA.

SOUTHAMPTON, MARCH 28.
The North German Lloyd's screw steamer Bre-
men, Captain H. Wessels, arrived off Cowes at an
early hour this morning with New York advices of
the 16th inst., and has gone on to Bremen. She
brings 94 passengers, 26 of whom are for this port,
and 68 for Bremen. She has had westerly winds
during the passage.
The Etna, from Liverpool, arrived at New York
on the 14th, and the Prince Albert, from Galway,
on the 15th inst.
Advices by this arrival are three days later than
those brought by the Adriatic.
There was no further definitive news relative to
the reported intention of the Administration to
order the evacuation of Fort Sumter. All that was
known was that the Cabinet held another meeting
on the 15th, and it was supposed that they were in
consultation on military affairs. General Scott was
present. In connexion with this subject it was said
that great weight was attached in political circles in
Washington to the declaration of Mr. Fessenden
in the Senate, that the Administration contemplated
a policy of peace, and would exercise no authority
not strictly in accordance with law, and not until
ample time had been taken for the examination of
the question in all its branches.
But.a short time was spent in open session by the
Senate on the 13th. During that time a resolution
was offered by Mr. Douglas calling upon the Secre-
tary of War for information relative to the forts in
the seceded States—whether it was necessary to re-
occupy them; and, if so, what force would probably
be required to accomplish that object. Messrs.
Wilson, of Massachusetts, and Mason, of Virginia,
objected to its consideration, and it was consequently
laid over. A resolution was also offered by Mr.
Fessenden, of Maine, directing the Secretary of the
Senate to strike from the roll the names of those
senators from the seceded States who had declared
that they were no longer members. No action was
taken on it.
On the 14th Mr. Mason, of Virginia, offered a
resolution calling for information as to whether
any portion of the Militia of the district of
Columbia had been mustered into the service of the
Government. Mr. Sumner objected, and the sub-
ject was laid over. The Senate refused, by a vote
of 16 to 24, to proceed to the consideration of Mr.
Douglas's resolution calling for information relative
to the Southern forts and other public property.
Mr. Fessenden's resolution, declaring the seats of
Senators from seceding States vacant, and directing
that their names be struck off the roll, was dis-
cussed at considerable length. The resolution was
modified so as to direct the Secretary of the Senate
to " omit their names respectively from the roll,"
and then passed by a vote of 24 against 10.
An interesting and exciting scene occurred in the
Senate on the 15th. Mr. Mason, of Virginia, again
brought forward his resolution of inquiry relative
to the Militia of the district of Columbia and the
service in which they had been employed by the
Government, which was laid over, its immediate
consideration being objected to. Mr. Douglas then
called for the consideration of his resolution
making inquiries in regard to the fortifications in
the seceded States, and proceeded to make a speech
censuring the Republican Senators for their
silence regarding the policy of the Administra-
tion. He was replied to by Mr. Wilson, of
Massachusetts, and Mr. Douglas rejoined, and
was understood to say " the Senator from Maine,"
which Mr. Fessenden corrected. Mr. Douglas
denied that he used the language attributed
to him ; and, on Mr. Fessenden persisting, Mr.
Douglas pronounced it " false," and that Mr. Fes-
senden " knew it to be false." Mr. Fessenden re-
plied in a "keen, cool, and scathing" speech. He said
he would concede to Mr. Douglas everything he
claimed except that he was a gentleman, which he
could not acknowledge, because he had used lan-
guage which no gentleman, without greater provo-
cation, ever used. Mr. Douglas rejoined, saying, as
Mr. Fessenden proposed to settle the matter else-
where, he had no more to say. Mr. Fessenden re-
plied, denying that he had said so. The skirmish
was very sharp. Mr. Fessenden said Lincoln had
declared his policy to be peace ; that he would
enforce the laws where he had legal authority to
do so—otherwise not. With this declaration he
believed the country was content.
The Cabinet had sent several nominations to the
Senate—among them that of Col. E. V. Sumner,
as Brigadier-General, in place of the traitor Twiggs,
and ..varni army promo tiring_ The mission to
Spain was at first declined by Cassius M. Clay, but
it was understood that he had been prevailed upon
to accept it. Joshua R. Giddins will probably be
Consul-General at Montreal, and Mr. Thayer Con-
sul-General at Alexandria. The mission to London
was understood to lie between the Hon. W. L.
Dayton and the Hon. C. F. Adams. General
Spinner, chairman of the Committee on Accounts
in the last House of Representatives, is to be the
United States Treasurer at New York in place of
Mr. Cisco. Mr. Elijah Crosby, formerly of New
York, but now of California, was appointed Minister
at Guatemala. It was understood that the Cabinet
had agreed upon Mr. Holloway; of Indiana, as
Commissioner of Patents.
The Commissioners from the Southern Confedera-
tion, at 'Washington, had sent a communication to
the State Department requesting recognition by
the Government, with the view to the opening of
negotiations, at the same time stating that the Secre-
tary of the Commission would call for an answer
at noon on the 14th. At the hour designated the
Secretary called at the State Department, when he
was informed that the Administration desired time
for further reflection on the communication sub-
mitted. It was said that the Commissioners did
not expect an answer for several days, and it was
understood that the subject of their embassy was
engaging the attention of the Cabinet.
The New York Tribune of the 16th publishes an
authentic copy of the permanent Constitution of
the Southern Confederacy, the provisions of which
differ in several respect! from the telegraphic sum-
mary brought by the last mail. The Constitution
provides for the election of members of Congress
every second year, the representatives not exceed-
ing 1 for every 50,000. Alabama, until an enu-
meration is made, will be entitled to nine represen-
tatives, South Carolina six, Georgia ten, Florida
two, Mississippi seven, Louisiana six, and Texas
six ; total, 46. Each State will have two Senators,
and they are to be elected for six years. The times,
places, and manner of holding elections for Senators
and representatives shall be prescribed in each State
by the Legislature thereof, subject to the provisions
of the Constitution. Congress is to assemble once a
year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday
in December unless a different day is appointed.
The importation of negroes of the African race
from any foreign country other than the slavehold-
ing States of America is forbidden, and Congress is
required to pass such laws as shall effectually pre-
vent the same. Congress also has the power to
prohibit the introduction of slaves from any State
not a member of, or of a territory not belonging to,
the Confederacy. No tax or duty shall be laid on
articles exported from any State, except by a vote
of two-thirds of both houses. The President and
Vice-President are to hold their offices for six
years, but the President shall not be re-eligible. If
there is not a majority of the electoral votes cast for
any candidate for the Presidency, then the House
of Representatives is to elect. States (Slave or
Free) may be admitted into the Confederacy by a
vote of two-thirds of the House of Representatives
and two-thirds of the Senate, the Senate voting by
States. The ratification of the Convention of five
States shall be sufficient for the establishment of
this Constitution between the States so ratifying
the same. When the Constitution shall have been
ratified in the manner specified the Congress under
the Provisional Constitution shall prescribe the
time of holding the election of President and Vice-
President, and for the meeting of the Electoral
College, and for the counting of votes and inaugu-
rating the President. They will also prescribe the
time for holding the first election of members of
Congress under this Constitution and the assem-
bling of the same.

There was nothing of interest to report with
reference to the proceedings of the C.P.A. It was