The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-21 00:00:00

AMERICA.

LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY.
The steamship Canadian, which touched at Lon-
donderry yesterday, arrived here to-day.
In the Senate, on the 6th, the following debate
took place on the proposition to print the Presi-
dent's inaugural message :

" Mr. Clingman said, in voting for the resolution,
he did not wish to be understood as endorsing the
position of the inaugural, if he understood it cor-
rectly, for all in it was dark. The purpose which
seemed to stand out clearly and directly, if carried
ont, would lead to a war against the Confederate
States. The policy indicated was therefore unwise,
and should be avoided. He continued—The Pre-
sident expressly declares that he intends to treat
the States as if they were all in the Union, and
regards the acts of secession as mere nullities. Cer-
tain States claim to be independent, and if the
President acts as he enunciates there can be no
result except collision between them and the
Federal Government. It is plain and unmistake-
able that he intends to hold, occupy, and possess
the forts, arsenals, &c., in those seceded States,
when he knows this can be done only by displacing
the State authorities. The collection of the revenue
must also lead to a collision of arms. After we
declared our independence with Great Britain
nobody supposed the colonies would •pay taxes. In
fact, they refused to pay before their declaration of
independence. He repeated, if the President's
policy be carried out there must inevitably be war.
" Mr. Douglas (opp.), of Illinois, could not consent
that the senator's remarks should go out unanswered.
He had read the inaugural, carefully, with a view
of understanding what the policy of the Adminis-
tration is to be, as therein vindicated. It was cha-
racterised with great ability and with great direct-
ness on certain points. A critical analysis was
necessary to arrive at the true construction. He had
partially made an analysis, and had come to the
conclusion that it was a peace rather than a war
?message. He had examined it candidly and critically,
and thought there was no foundation for a dif-
ferent opinion. On the contrary, there was a dis-
tinct pledge that the policy of the Administration
shall be conducted exclusively with reference to
a peaceful solution of the national difficulties. It
was true the President indicated a certain line of
policy, so to be conducted as to lead to a peace-
ful solution, but it was not as explicit as he
(Douglas) desired. He then quoted from the in-
augural in support of his position, saying that
unless the means be furnished, the President can-
not execute the laws. He thought the President,
in his remarks on this subject, was referring to
the future action of Congress giving him power
to enforce obedience to them. The President must
have been aware that in 1832 a law was passed
to enable President Jackson to enforce the revenue
laws in the port of Charleston. The act expired
in two years. Was it to be supposed that Mr.
Lincoln thought he had more power without than
General Jackson had with the aid of legislation?
He repeated, when the President pledges himself
to collect the revenue and enforce the laws, un-
less Congress withholds the requisite means, is it
not to be understood that his act is dependent on
the future course of Congress ! He thought that
was the proper construction of the inaugural, for
the President says, He shall perform his duty so
far as practicable, unless his rightful masters, the
American people, shall withhold the requisite
means, or in some authoritative manner direct the
contrary.' The President further says, The power
confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and
possess the property and places belonging to the
Government, and to collect the duties and imposts;
but beyond what may be necessary for these ob-
jects there will be no invasion, no using of force
against or among the people anywhere.' The Pre-
sident does not say he will take possession of the
forts, but that he will hold, occupy, and possess
them. This was equivocal language, but he did
not condemn the President for it. Beyond what
may be necessary for these objects there will be
no invasion, no using of force among the people
anywhere. If it is the duty of the President to
enforce the revenue laws, it is his duty to en-
force the other laws. It cannot be justified that
the revenue laws shall be enforced, and all other
laws which afford protection as a compensation
for taxes shall not be enforced. He thought there
were two points in which they could find a solu-
tion of these doubts. The President says—' Where
hostility to the United States in any interior locality
shall be so great and so universal as to prevent com-
petent resident citizens from holding the Federal
offices, there will be no attempt to force obnoxious
strangers among the people for that object.' The
President draws a distinction between the exterior
and the interior. If he has power in one case he
has power in the other, If it is his duty in one
case to enforce the laws, it is his duty in the other.
There is no provision of law which authorises a
distinction in this respect between places in the in-
terior and on the seaboard. This brcsght him to
the construction of another clause—the most im-
portant of all and the key to the entire policy. But
he was rejoiced when he read it. He invited at-
tention to it as showing conclusively that the Pre-
sident is pledged to a policy which looks to a
peaceful solution of onr difficulties and against all
others. He says the course here indicated will be
followed, unless the current of events and experi-
ence shall show a modification or change to be
proper, and in every case of exigency his best dis-
cretion will be exercised, according to the circum-
stances usually existing, and with a view and a
hope of a peaceful solution of the national troubles
and the restoration of fraternal sympathies and
affections. In other words, the President says if
the collection of the revenue will lead to a peaceful
solution, then it will be collected. If the abandon-
ment of that collection has that effect, then it will
be abandoned. So of the forts and arsenals in the
seceding States. He will recapture them or not
recapture them, and will reinforce or not reinforce
Fort Sumter and Pickens—pledged in either case
to a peaceful policy, and acting with this view. If
this is not the true construction, why was there not
inserted a pledge to use coercion, retake the:forts,
recapture the arsenals, collect the revenue, and
enforce the laws, unless there was attached to each
one a condition on which the pledge was to be
carried out ? But the pledge is only to do it in
order to secure a peaceful solution, and for no other
cause. He submitted whether or not the friends of
peace had not much to rejoice at. The inaugural
was much more conservative than he had anticipat-
ed. It was more pacific and conciliatory than he
had predicted. He repeated, after a careful exa-
mination and analysis, he was clearly of opinion that
the Administration stands pledged to a peaceful
solution and will do no act that will load t 9 'war

ENV S PAPE
-
'vo
and make no.change of policy unless nee
preserve peace. He thought the Preside „
stated the cause of the troubles clearly and, in
eated a remedy. The President, in a mannr
peculiar to him --lf,'proceeded to show what did
not produce the übles. Mr. Douglas here quoted
from the inaugNi "- that, according to ibis,
it was the attec.r._- ibit slavery or protest
slavery in the - territories in the absence of an
express constitutional provision for either purpose.
If the President (said he) has truly stated the
cause, what is the remedy ? It is to adopt a con-
stitutional provision on the subject. The President
speaks of such amendments as to dsfine the powcz
of Congress over the subject. He gives us to
understand there never can be peace until the
question is settled, and that it cannot be settled
except by amendment to the Constitution. The
President stands pledged to let the people decide
on the mode of amendment. He will not interfere;
he will not oppose it. It the people say that Con-
gress shall protect slavery everywhere, the President
is pledged not to oppose it ; and so if the people
say slavery shall not be protected everywhere jr
they shall incorporate the Crittenden proposition,
he will not oppose it. lie is ill favour of such
amendments as will settle the question for ever by
express provisions of the Constitution, leaving to
the people to decide what amendments shall be
made, and will accept them cheerfully. Taking
this to be the meaning of the proposition, he
(Douglas) found in it much cause for encourage-
ment. In the first place it was peaceful, not
aggressive. The President will do no act of
aggression, but all his conduct will be with a
view of peaceful solution. In the second place,
as the difficulty is owing to the absence of an
express provision on the slavery question
in the Territories, he will advocate that the
people change that instrument by express pro-
vision. Whatever departure Mr. Lincoln has made
from his party platform should be taken as an act
of patriotism and not of infidelity. if he under-
stood him, Mr. Lincoln had sunk the partisan in
the patriot, and was entitled for this to the thanks
of all Conservative men. He did not want it to be
inferred that he sympdthised with the Administra-
tion, or in any contingency that he and the Presi-
dent would be associated. ' He expected to oppose
his Administration on those great principles'which
separated the parties in former times ; but on ques-
tions looking to the preservation of the Union by
peaceable means, and the settlement of the subject
of slavery by amendment to the Constitution; if he
understood the President's true meaning, he was
with him. He believed he had put a proper con-
striction upon these parts of the inaugural. He
believed the President was going to live up to it.
He would not surrender this opinion until there •
should be reasons to change it. The Union cannot
be preserved by war, cannot be maintained by
blood. It can only be done by peaceable means,
and future difficulties can be prevented only by
constitutional amendments to settle the slavery
question by express provisions. These two remedies
are clearly marked out by the President in his
inaugural. He would ask the Administration to
live up to the line of policy here indicated. So far
from taking any political advantage, he would
commend the act as one of high patriotism, while
he dissented from the President, and would main-
tain his own opposition on all other questions."
Washington advices report that the Southern
Commissioners had made no official communication
to the Administration, owing to the sickness of Mr.
Seward. They had been actively occupied since
their arrival in consultation and unofficial inter-
course. The subjects of the collection of the
revenue and reinforcing Fort Sumter had not yet
engaged the attention of the Cabinet. Great efforts
were being made to effect a peaceful settlement of
the questions of the seizure of the forts and the
revenues.
A despatch of the Bth says :
" There are vague rumours afloat of an intention
on. the part of the Government to evacuate Forts
Sumter and Pickens ; but leading Republicans
scout the idea. Mr. Lincoln rises early and takes
horseback exercise before breakfast. He bears the
fatigue incident to his position wonderfully. There
is a crowd at his levee to-night, including several
Boston belles. Titian J. Coffey, of Pittsburg,
Pennsylvania, has been appointed AssistantAttor-
ney-General. Mr. Cobb, also of Pennsylvania, has
been appointed chief clerk in the War Department."
_ _

Mr. Judd had been confirmed as Minister to
Berlin.
Adjutant-General Cooper and Assistant Adju-
tant-General Withers had resigned their posts.
Ex-Secretary Floyd has published a statement
•indicating the acceptances in favour of Russell,
'Majors, and Co., and asserting their legality. He
says that instead of there being 6,000,000 dols.
outstanding, there are only 600,000 dols., and the
contractors have secured these by assignments cf
property, and if the Government will permit the
earnings of the trains of 1861 to be applied to the
acceptances, they will be liquidated in that way
without recourse to assignments. It would seem,
also, according to Mr. Floyd's statement, that the
Godernment owes the contractors upwards of half
a million, which is equivalent to the cash value of
the Indian Trust Bonds, of the abstraction of which
he (Floyd) repudiates all previous knowledge. He
denounces the conduct and proceedings of the select
committee with great severity, and says their sole
object was political persecution and defamation.
The Montgomery Convention had passed the
Army Bill, and it was reported that 50,000 men
would soon be ready to take the field. The Con-
vention were offering commands to officers of
repute. The Convention had instructed the com-
missioners to European Powers to enter into nego-
tiations for the extention of international copyright
privileges. A bill was reported providing, in the
event of a conflict, or the refusal of the United
States to recognize the independence of the Con-
federacy, that no State court shall take cognizance
of civil cases of citizens of the United States, and
all pending cases to be dismissed.
The 'news from Texas is important. Captain
Hill, in command of the Federal force at Fort
Brown, had been summoned to surrender by Cap-
tain Nichols, at the head of a body of Texans.
Captain Hill replied that he would defend the fort
to the last, denounced the demandants as traitors,
and sent to Fort Ringgold for 200 men. A collision
was thought quite probable. The troops at Fort
Brown were in good condition.

I.? 0 Y AL
COVENT-G GARDEN
ENLISH OPERA,
Under the Management of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. W.
Harrison, sole Lessees.
THIS EVENING (21st), for the Benefit of Miss Louisa
Pyne, THE DAUGHTER O}"T HE REGIMENT. Messrs.
H. Gorr', A. St. Albyn, and Horncastle ; Miss Thirlwall and
Miss Louisa Fyne.
To conclude with the Third Act of THE BOHEMIAN
GIRL. Mr. W. Harrison, Miss L. Fyne, &et.
Conductor—Mr. Allred Mellon. Commence at 8.

THEATRK-ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Lessee, Mr. J. B. Bactstone.
'l4 is EVENING, the performances will &immense with
DUKE IN DIFFICULTIES. Mrs. Stirling, Miss F.
liaydon, Mrs. Wilkins, Miss Fanny Stirling, Mr. tluckstone,
Er. Compton, Mr. Howe, Sc.
Atter which, TURNING THE I'ABLES.
And THE SUN AND THE WIND. By the Leelenge.
Commence at 7. ,

OYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.-
Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Harris.
THIS EVENING, THRICE MARRIED.
After which, HAMLET. Hamlet, Mr. Fechter. Messrs.
Graham, Meadows, &c. ; 31Isses Heath, Elsworthy, ,tte.

A DELPHI, NEW THEATRE-ROYAL.
TA. Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Beni. Webster.
THIS EVENING, AN UGLY CUSTOMER Messrs. 3.
L. Toole, C. Selby, and Warde ; Miss K. Kelly, and Miss E.
Thorne.
After which, THE COLLEEN BAWN. D. RolleiCalllt, D.
Fisher, Billington, Falconer, Stephenso Mrs. n, C. J. Smith, Romer.
and
Miss Agnes Robertson, Miss Woolgar, Billington,
Mrs. Chatterley.
To conclude with a new BUTlelikcine ExtPravaganza, entitled
BLUE BEARD FROM A NEW OINT OF
Messrs. J. L. Toole, P. Bedford, C. J. Smith ; Miss Woolgar,
Kelly, Laidlaw, and 'PI. Thorne.
Doors open at halt past 6—Commence at 7.
Box-office open from 10 till 5.
No charge for booking.
Private boxes, £2 2s. ; Family Boxes, .£l.
Orchestra Stalls, ss. ; Balcony, 4s. ; Front Circle Stalls, Is •
Fit Stalls, 25.; Pit, Is. 6d. ; Amphitheatre, is ; Gallery, id.
,&otine Manager—Mr. Win. Smith.

CANTERBURY-HALL CONCERTS!!!
Westminster-road.
Proprietor ........C. Morton.
A Grand Selection from Verdi's new Opera,
IL CORSARO,

(This opera has never been produced in this or any other
country, except at these Concerts), having met with that de-
cided success which charactise 1 the most popular works of
this great Master, will be performed EVERY EVENING ;
together with a Selection from LA FIGLIA DEL REGGI-
MENTO, by Donizetti,
Principal Artistes—Miss Russell, Madame Maria, Miss
Tyrrell, Mr. H. Herbert, Signor Tivoli, li. Drummond, and
C. W. Bernard. Director, Mr. F. Jonebm,ins.
The Comic Department comprises Messrs. E. Marshall, A.
B. Hollingsworth, J. Blanchard, F. Bell, W. H. Welland, and
the Brothers Conrad.
John Martin's Three celebrated Pictures will remain on
view a short time longer in the Fine Arts Gallery of the
Establishment.

. HIGH WATER AT .LONDON BRIDGE.
THIS DLY.—Moming, Bh. 17m.—Afternoon, 9h. 6m,
To-mounow.-Morning, 9h. 48m.—Afternoon, 10h. 36m