The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-22 00:00:00

271 E ARMY.

The following order from the Horse Guards was
on Saturday published at Woolwich:—" His Royal
Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief directs
that the minimum standard for all infantry regi-
ments (Rifle Corps excepted) shall be reduced from
sft. Sin, to oft. 6in. until further orders."
The following official memorandum has been
issued to the various heads of departments at
Chatham Dockyard by Capt. G, Goldsmith, C. 8.,
on the occasion of his relinquishing the command
of that establishment :—" I desire to express to
the principal officers individually my satisfaction
of their zeal and ability, and the efficient manner
in which they have conducted their important
duties during the period of my superintendence ;
and also of the general good conduct of their subor-
dinates."
Capt. E. G. Fanshawe, the newly-appointed su-
perintendent, has commenced the responsible duties
of his office, and has made a general inspection of
the whole of the establishments. It is understood
that he will go on a short leave of absence.
The ceremony of decorating two non commis-
sioned officers with a silver medal, which, with
money gratuities, had been awarded them by the
Luke of Cambridge for long service and good con-
took place on Saturday on the general parade
ground at Chatham Barracks, in the presence of
the officers and men of the Ist battalion of infantry.
The troops having been formed, the two non-com-
missioned officers—Colour-Serg. Kent, Ist battalion
4th King's Own, and Corporal Jewhurst, 35th
Regiment—were called to the front, and the medals
presented to each by Col. Jervis. Serg. Kent also
received a gratuity of £lO, and Corporal Jewhurst
one of L 5.
The A troop of the Royal Engineers will leave
Chatham garrison this morning for Aldershott camp,
where they will go into their summer quarters.
Staff Assist.-Surg. Jones has arrived in the camp
at Colchester, and is now attached to the medical
staff of the 9th battalion. Lieut. Hall of the 6th
Foot is about to join the depot of the 2d battalion
of that regiment at Cork. In the course of last week
the troops in camp had a field-day on the new
ground secured in the neighbourhood. The man-
teavres were under the direction of Col. the Hon.
A. Gordon, the two battalions-9th and 10th—
being under the respective commands of Col. Street
and Col. Dixon.

It was officially stated in the House of Commons
on "rtursday night that a Royal warrant was about
to issue giving more liberal terms of retirement to
t)Aose officers of the army promoted from the ranks.
In addition to what was stated by the Under-Sec-
retary for War, in the warrant we believe will be
found some alterations of importance to the officers
lathe army generally. A lull-pay service either
a .
~ tegiment or on the Staff, of 15
years instead of
Glt vin in
retire upoyif uture be considered a qualification to
permanent half-pay. For retired full- i
pay, as heretofore, 30 years remains the minimum i
constitutes a
r! while three years' full-pay service
full-pay. The to to half-pay on reduction from
and Engineers e rules are extended to the Artillery
tlly With the
Line. As regards
officers commissioned h ra
entitled to full-Pay retirc'erethe ranks, none shall be
`cent who have not served
30 years altogether, of which l' years at least shall
have been in the commissions years
rades and none to
half-pay who have not served 25 ,
Years altogether,
officer. which 10 must have been passed as, c
the
ran officer. On reduction, an officer from
the ranks will
have a claim to half-pay after one
Year's
provided he has passed five years in the sere,non.ra
missioned grade. Wounds or ill-health contracted
OR service are made a ground of relaxation of the
regulations thus prescribed,—Army and Navy
Gazette.

not political, and Mr, Calhoun on that very point
said,—

THE NAVI'.
When the starboard division of the Channel fleet (From the Times' Special Correspondent.)
left Plymouth Sound on Friday afternoon the WASHINGTON, APRIL 1.
Hero, 91, took the, lead under topsails, topgallant From all I have seen and heard, my belief is
sails, and royals, with jib and, flying jib. She was that the Southern States have gone from the Union,
followed by the Centurion, 80, Aboukir, 90, and the if not for ever, at least for such time as will secure
Conqueror, 101, which had her studding sails on for their Government an absolute independence
the port side. The senior ship, the Donegal, 101,
till it be terminated by war, or, if their opponents
Captain Henry Broailland, was under all plain sail; be right, by the certain processes of internal
Wind easterly. Port Admiral Sir H. Stewart and decay arising from inherent vices in their system,
party witnessed the departure of the ships from the
faulty organisation, and want of population, vi.
steam tender Avon, in the Sound. They arc gone gour and wealth. That the causes which have
to relieve the homeward bound, and are expected led to their secession now
agitate the Border
again at Plymouth in the course of a week or 10 States most powerfully with a tendency to followrder
day.
them is not to be denied by those who watch the
The paddlewheel steam sloop Bulldog, 6, Cora- course of events, and, as these powerful neutrals
mender Wilson, from Milford, arrived at Plymouth oscillate to and fro under the pressure of eon-
on Saturday, hut as the new ship Defiance, 91, had tending parties and passions, the Government at
not arrived, although she left the day before the Washington and the authorities of the revolting
Bulldog, that sloop was despatched down Channel States regard every motion with anxiety—the
to endeavour to meet her, and assist the Lightning former fearful lest by word or deed theymay repel
in towing her to Plymouth. The Defiance has been them for ever ; the latter more disposed by active
probably driven by the easterly winds to take shel- demonstrations to determine the ultimate decision
ter in Mount's Bay, in their own favour and to attach them permanently
from Ports- to the Slave States by resolute declarations of prin-
The paddlewheel steamtug Lucifer,
mouth, arrived at Plymouth yesterday morning. ciplo. Whatever the results of the Morrill Tariff
Admiral Robert Smart will strike his flag on may be, it is probable they must be endured on both
i
board the I'rincess Royal, 91, at Plymouth, on the sides of the Atlantic, for there is no power in the
30th inst., and on the Ist May will hoist it on board
yGovernment or in the President, as I understand,
the Revenge, 91, which is now leleharu steam- In
is to modify its provisions, and there is a strong feel-
yard, fitting with all despatch. She to have a ing in Mr. Lincoln's Cabinet against the extra ses-
complement of 800 men. sion so loudly demanded in New York, and so con-
H.M.S. Vixen, from the Pacific, was paid off on fidently expected in some parts of the Union.
Saturday at Woolwich, the crew and officers receiv- Nothing but some overwhelming State necessity
ing the commendation of the authorities. Some of will overcome that opposition, and, as the magni-
the seamen and stokers received sums amounting tude of such an occasion will have to be estimated
to £lOO and £l2O each, froin the circumstance of by those who are vehemently opposed to an extra
having been granted pay and a kalf while in the Congress, it is not likely that anything can occur
tropics.
which will be considered. of sufficient gravity by the
The steam floating batteries Thunderbolt, 16, Government at Washington to induce them to en-
and /Etna, 16, having nearly completed shipping counter the difficulties and dangers they anticipate
their stores, and been partially jury-rigged, will, in consequence of the convocation of an extraordi-
according to' present aarangements, steam out of nary assemblage of both Houses. Until next Decem-
Chatham harbour on Tuesday next, and take up ber, then, in all probability, the President and his
their positions in the Thames, off Coalhouse Point, Cabinet will have such control of affairs as is possi-
Shornmeade, for the protection of the river during ble in the system of this Government, or in the cir-
the reconstruction of those batteries. On the arri- cumstances, together with the far more than co-or-
val of the "Etna and Thunderbolt in the Thames, dinate responsibility attached to their position as a
the remaining portion of the armaments mounted Federal Government. It is scarcely possible for an
on the two batteries on the Essex and Kent side of Englishman, far less for the native of any State
the river will be immediately dismounted by a possessing a powerful Executive, to comprehend
number of the Royal Artillery who have been sent the limits which are assigned to the powers of the
from Sheerness for that purpose, and the recon- State in this country, or the extent to which re-
struction of the fortifications commenced forthwith sistance to its authority can be carried by the action
by :the contractors. The authorities were for of the States supposed to be consenting parties to
some time undecided as to the disposal of the large its constitution and supporters of its jurisdiction.
supply of ammunition contained in the batteries Take, for instance, what is occurring within a few
during the progress of the works, but it is now miles of the seat of the central Government, across
ordered that the whole of the powder and the Potomac. At a certain iron foundry guns have
other ammunition shall be deposited in the been cast for the United States Government, which
Belvidere and Amherst redoubt magazines, at are about to be removed to Fort Monroe, in the
Chatham, to which it will be carefully removed in State of Virginia, one of the fortresses for the de-
barges under the immediate direction of the prin- fence of the United States. The Legislature of Vir-
cipal military storekeeper at Woolwich. The 'Etna ginia sat all night last Saturday, and authorised
and Thunderbolt were on Saturday partially coin- the Governor of that State to call out the public
neissioned, Lieut. R. S. Batemen and 40 seamen from guard in order to prevent by force, if necessary, the
the Cumberland, 70, Capt. C. F. Schomberg, at removal of those guns, at the same time offering to
Sheerness, having been placed in charge of them. the contractor the price which he was to have re-
The steamship Prussianyagee, Capt. Ray nes, left ceived for them from the Federal Government.
Plymouth Sound yesterday for Bristol, to embark Again, at Mobile, where a writ of habeas corpus is
troops for Dublin. Yesterday morning three of her sued out on behalf of the master of a vessel, who
seamen—Cornelius Minahan, Daniel Harrington, was seized because he had a cargo of small stores
and John Hart, all Irishmen—had a serious quarrel which he intended to sell to the United States men-
in the forecastle, when Minahan was stabbed, and of-war in observation off Pensacola, the counsel for
died almost immediately. The other two are in
custody. the State of Florida resists the application on the
ground that the prisoner was carrying supplies to
Mr. Thomas Lloyd, engineer-in-chief of the Ad-
an enemy, and that a state of war exists in conse-
miralty Steam Branch of the Navy, made an official
quence of the acts of the Federal Government ; and
inspection of the Warrior on Saturday, and was ac-
the Court,without deciding on the point, discharges
eompanied by Mr. D. Patridge, Inspector of Steam
Machinery at Woolwich. An order havingre-
received at Woolwich for the manufacture of a been sponsibility. On the other hand, the Federal Go-
number of cupolas for the preparation of liquid iron vernment remits the penalties of forfeiture and fines for the use of the guns to be supplied on board the on the vessel seized by the Custom-house at New
Warrior, the order was commenced on Saturday in York for want of proper clearances from Southern
the factory, under the superit tendence of Mr. ports. The stereotype plates with the words " Eva-
Taplin. cuation of Fort Sumter"have apparently been worn
The following appointments were made on Satur-
out, but it is believed on all sides that it will be day at the Admiralty :—Lieut. abandoned by Major Anderson this week, although
Herbert Dolphin to I heard a member of the Cabinet declare last week
the Marlborough ; Lieut. George V. Phillips, addi-
that no orders had been issued to that officer to
tional, to the Cumberland ; John Leslie Burr has evarmnfa ft Tr 7 • •
i 1 file Opinion* or aeamao or 41 'NT 41-
ac. - ...,L ....MI
been nominated to a naval cadetship; George E.
Farr, acting assist.-surgeon, to the London ;James people prevailed, the fort would be retained until it
Was taken by assault. The Southern Confedera-
supernumerary, for hospital treatment ; and Chas.
Wilson, third class assist.-engineer; to the Asia, as
lion, secure of Fort Sumter, are now preparing for active operations against Fort Pickens, which pro-
J. Edge, acting third class assist.-engineer, to the pro-
feels the entrance to the quondam United States
Fisgard, as supernumerary,
Navy Yard at Pensacola, now in the possession of
the troops of Florida ; and certain organs of the ex-
treme party in the South have already demanded
that the forts at Tortugas and Key West, which
are situated far out at sea from the coast, should be
surrendered.
The Cabinet of Mr. Lincoln is understood to con-
tain the representatives of three different courses of
policy,—that trinity of action which generally pro- 1
duces torpid and uncertain motion or complete rest.
First there are those who would, at any risk, vindi-
cate the rights they claim for the Federal Govern-
ment, and use force, even though it could only, in
its most successful application, overrun the States
of the South, and compel a temporary submission
without leading to the re-establishment of Federal,
authority or the re-incorporation of the States with
the Union. Secondly, there are those—men of
intellect and capacity—who, dissenting altogether
from the doctrines propounded by the leadrs of
the revolution, and convinced that the separation
will not be permanent, see the surest and safest
mode of action in the total abstinence from all aggres-
' sive assertion of rights and in a policy of faissez
aller of indeterminate longitude and latitude. These
statesmen believe that, like most revolutions, the
secession is the work of the minority, and that a
strong party of reaction exists, which will come to
the front by and by, "expel the traitors," and
return triumphantly with their repentant States
into the bosom of the Union. The gentlemen whc
hold these view:: have either a more accurate know-
ledge than the public, are better read in the signs
of the times, or have more faith in the efficacy of
inaction on the love of Americans for the Union
than is possessed by most of the outer world. The
third party is formed of those who are inclined
to take the South at their word—to cut the cord
at once, believing that the loss would be a gain,
and that the Southern Confederation would APRIL 5.
inflict on itself a most signal retribution for what One month and one day have elapsed since Mr.
they consider as the creme of breaking up the Lincoln and his Cabinet were installed at Washing-
Union. Practically, so far as I have gone, I have ton. Long previous to their accebbi.o to rower. or
failed to meet many people who really exhibited rather to office, the revolution of the South had
any passionate attachment to the Union for its assumed the aspect of an independent Government.
own sake, or who pretended to be animated by any When the new Administration tried -to direct the
strong feelings of regard or admiration for the Go- horses' heads they found the reins were cut, and all
vernment of the United States in itself. The word they could do was to sit on the State coach and take
" Constitution" is for ever ringing in one's ears, its their chance of falling in a soft place or of the fiery
" principles" and its authority are continually tip, steeds coming to a standstill from exhaustion. A
pealed to, but the end is no nearer. The other day month ago and the State Treasury was nearly ex-
I bought the whole Constitution of the United hausted ; only some £370,000 was forthcoming to
States, neatly printed, for three half-pence. But meet demands and requirements four times as large.
the only conclusion I could draw was that it was The navy was scattered all over the world at sta-
better for States not to have Constitutions which lions by no means readily accessible ; the army
could be bought at such very moderate prices. It posted along frontier lines, between which and the
is rather an inopportune moment for the Professor
Northern States was interposed the expanse of the
of the Harvard Law School to send forth his lecture
Southern Confederation ; the officers disaffected to
on the Constitution of the United State 3, and on the Government, or at all events so well affected to
the differences between it and that of Great Bri- their individual sovereign States as to feel indisposed
taro. Just as the learned gentleman is gior-°7.-An gin to serve the United States; the whole machinery of
the supremacy of the Judicial Body of the United Government in the bands of the revolutionary
States over Congress, Presidents, and Legislatures, I leaders; every trace of Federal existence erased in
the course of events exhibits that Supreme Court the South, wiped away by acts which, unless justified
as a mere nullity in the body politic, unable to take by successful revolt, would be called treasonable, or
cognizance or unwilling to act in regard to :natters by force or stratagem ; and only two forts held on the
which are towing the Constitution into atoms. No seaboard, weakly garrisoned,and unhappily situated
one thinks of appealing to it or invoking its d with reference to operations of relief. In addition
6-
sion. And, after all, if the Court were to deciale, to these sources of weakness, came the confusion
what would be the use of its judgment if one Cl' and apprehension caused by divided counsels, want
other of the two great parties resisted it ? The of cohesion, the disorders of a violent national con-
ultinia ratio would be the only means by which test, mistrust of adequate support, and, above all,
I
the decision could be enforced. In the very midst the imperious necessities of the place-seekers, whose
of the hymns which are offered up around the importunate requisitions distracted the attention of
shrines of the Constitution, whether old or the Government from the more important business
mended, all celebrating the powers of the great which presented itself for adjustment. It was of
priestess of the mysteries, there are heretic voices c nurse necessary to fill the posts which were occu-
to be heard, which, in addition to other neat- pi'ed by enemies with men devoted to the interests
ters, deny that the Supreme Court was ever in.• of a Government which could little brook any in-
tended by the Constitution to exercise the sole difference or treacherous tendencies on the part of
and final right of interpreting the Constitution, it,
tis competent to do so, or that it would be as st 'l'ol lir in all respects as any United States Go-
1 siborelinatee. But had the Administration been
that i
safe to giye it the Power. Its powers are judicial, yeram, nit eyer could or can hope to be in reference 1

"Let it never be forgotten that if we should ab-
surdly attribute to the Supreme Court the exclu-
sive right of construing the Constitution, there
would be, in fact, between the Sovereign and sub-
ject under such a Government no Constitution, or
at least nothing deserving the name, or serving the
legitimate object of so sacred an instrument."
The argument revolves in a circle ; it ends no-
where, and there seems no solution except such as
concession or a sword cut may give.
There are at present in Washington two of the
three unrecognised Ministers, Plenipotentiary of
the Southern Government, Mr, Roman and Mr.
Crawford. Judging from the tone of these gentle-
men, all idea of returning to the Union, under any
circumstances whatever, has been utterly aban-
doned. Mr. Forsyth, the third of the Commis-
sioners, who is at present engaged in adjusting cer-
tain business of a very important character at New
York, is expected back in a few days, and it will
then be seen whether the Commissioners consent to
walk up and down in the salle des pas perdus any
longer. They are armed with full powers on all
questions which can come up :for settlement. The
Government has refused to receive them, or to take
any official notice of them whatever, but there is
reason to believe that certain propositions and nego-
tiations have been laid before Mr. Seward in a pri-
vate and unofficial manlier, to which no reply of a
definite character has been 'given. Before this
letter reaches you Mr. Yancy, Mr. Mann, and Mr.
Rort will have arrived in Europe to try the temper
of the Goiernments of England and France in
reference to the recognition of the Southern States.
Both parties have been somewhat startled by the
intelligence of an active movement of Spain to gain
political ascendancy in St. Domingo; and the news
that France and England are sending a combined
fleet to these shores, though coming in a very ques-.
tionable shape, has excited uneasy feeling and some
recrimination.

If is the Congress is reassembled, there is much
reason to fear au open rupture; if not, another solu-
tion may be arrived at. It is unfortunate for the
Government that Gen. Scott is suffering at this
moment from the infirmities of age, and the effect of
the great demands made upon his strength. Mr.
Lincoln gave a dinner to his Cabinet on Thursday
last, the first of the season, in honour principally of
Gen. Scott ; but the veteran General, who had en
tered the White lloue, was obliged to leave before
dinner was served. There has been a great emigra-
tion of candidates and office-hunters from this since
I last wrote, some contented, many more grumbling.
It is asserted that there never has been such a clean
sweep of office-holders since the practice was intro-
duced by Gen. Jackson. If lam rightly informed,
the President has the patronage of 140,000 places,
great and small—some very small.

NIGHT.
The influence of England and of France on the
destinies of the Republic is greater than any Ame-
rican patriot would like to admit. It must not be
expected therefore that there will be any proof of
excessive anxiety afforded by the leaders of either
party in reference to the course which may be taken
by the European Governments in the present crisis;
but it is not the less to be apprehended that an im-
mediate recognition of the confederated indepen-
dence of the South, or of the doctrine of absolute
individual sovereignty on the part of those States,
may precipitate the hostile action whicb,in the event
of absolute final separation, seems to be inevitable.
To the North it would be a heavy blow and great
discouragement, the consequences of which could
only be averted by some very violent remedies.
Separation without war is scarcely to be expected.
The establishment of an independent Republic in
the South may, indeed, be effected peaceably, but it
is not, humanly speaking, within the limits of any
probability that the diverse questions which will
arise out of conflicting interests in regard to revenue
and State and Federal rights can be settled without
an appeal to arms. At the present minute there is
nothing to induce a stranger to believe that an
effectual resistance could be offered to a vigorous
aggressive movement from the South, supposing
the means to make it existed either in the adhesion
or permission of the Border States. The North,
however, is strong in its population, in its wealth,
and in 10 (min,. In the hands of the Border Stales
are all the arbitraments of revolution or union, of
war or peace. By an unmeaning euphemism the re-
volution of the South has been called a Secession,
but the confusion and mischief caused by the euphe-
mistic timidity of statesmen disappear when the acts
of the South are tested by the standard applicable
to revolutionary crisis, and by that standard alone
are those acts intelligible and coherent. Measured
in that way, the seizure of property, the deeds and
the language of the leaders of the movement, and
the acts of the masses can be properly estimated.
Mr. Douglas, whose mental capacity is a splendid
justification of his enormous political activity, and
of a high political rank " unattached," is under-
stood to be engaged on a vast system for establish-
ing duties all over the North American continent
in the nature of a Zollverein. It is his opinion that
the North, in case of separation, must fight the
South on the arena of free trade—that the tariff
must be completely altered, and that the duties
must be lowered from point to point, in proportion
as the South bids against the North for the commerce
of Europe, till the reduction reaches such a point
that the South, forced to raise revenue for the actual
expenses of Government, and unable to struggle
against the superior wealth of the North in such a
contest, is obliged to come to an understanding
with its powerful competitor, and to submit to a
treaty of commerce which shall include all the States
of the North American continent from the Isthmus
of Panama to the ice of the Arctic Seas. The
Canadas are, of course, included in such a project;
indeed, it is difficult to say where the means of
escaping from their present embarrassment will not
be sought by the leading statesmen of America.
But on one point all are agreed. Whatever may
happen, the North will insist on a free Mississippi.
It the very current of life for the trade of myriads
of people hundreds of miles from New Orleans.

Louisiana, either as sovereign State or representa-
tive agent of the Southern Confederation, attempts
to control the navigation of that river, we shall see
a most terrible and ruinous war. Let England
look to the contingencies.