The Express.
London, England, 1862-01-01 00:00:00

MON W 11174 AT
.110StiON_ WOOL

rum Ciiiiiiiiii IC tiii..7.-Aiii;;;;;27 ex nes.
To-saaaow—lismiss as. ft.-- ationtom. as Ise.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 1.

WE have rarely entered on a New Year under
circumstances more grave and critical than those
which mark the opening of 1862, and, without
assuming the dangerous functions of the political
prophet, we may safely predict that the year which
begins to-day will be a moat eventful one, not only
in our own history, but in that of the world at
Large. The appliances of modern science, the
stimulus of commercial enterprise, and the rapid
diffusion of sound economical principles have
brought all civilized countries so near together, and
connected them by so many bonds of mutual in•
terest and friendly intercourse, that it is impos-
sible for one to suffer without directly or indirectly
affecting the rest. But at the present moment
not one State alone, but •lmsot every civilised
country both in the Old World and the New, is
the scene of excitement, commotion, and threat-
ened or actual disturbance. Hitherto we bay*
held on our quiet and pacific course unaffected or
nearly so by the convulsions and rumours of
convulsions that have raged around us. But
as the disturbing wave extends we cannot expect
altogether to escape its influence. We must take
our share in the world's trials, and act our part in
the great conflict of interests and principles which
has already begun, and will almost inevitably
deepen and expand as the year advances. Nor is
the direction in which our national character and
conduct will be mainly tried at all doubtful. The
civil ooadict on the other aide of the Atlantic
directly affects our material interests, appeals
to our moral sympathies, and will in various ways
thoroughly test our character and principles as a
nation. The partial concealment or obscurity of
its deeper causes, and the apparent sionfusion of
motives and aims involved in this great struggle,
while it affords ample scope for interested and
passionate misrepresentation, ?mikes it at the same
time all the more searching and efficient in this
relation—as • test of our national sympathies
and character. And one of the first duties which
falls on every citizen, as well as on the nation at
large, et the present crisis, is to understand the
true bearings of this struggle, judge it according
to its larger Mina, ►nd discharge with resolute
fidelity the duties it imposes.
It has already very seriously affected our in-
terests in stopping the supply of the manufactur-
ing staple on which millions of our industrial popu-
lation depend for employment. And this is
undoubtedly • severe trial of the patience
and fortitude both of the masters and workmen
who directly suffer, as well as of the various
trading and mercantile interests throughout the
country which are indirectly affected by the same
cause. But this lees and suffering has hitherto
bees borne in an admirable spirit ; almost, indeed,
without • murmur. The nation has maintained an
attitude of perfect neutrality, and scrupulously
respected the claims of international justice.
No doubt the pressure will in a few weeks be
still more severe, and should the present difficulty
with America be amicably settled, as we believe
and expect it soon will be, the voice of the tempter
will probably be heard. Sinister suggestions will
be made to the effect that we have borne enough,
and may now venture to help ourselves to the com-
modity we so urgently require. It need scarcely be
said that to listen for • moment to any such
treacherous eitinsel would be to forfeit our
national self-respect, and sink at once from the
high position we have held amongst the nations of
the world. We have no fear, however, that the
nation will ever tolerate any invitation, however
covert, to such a flagrant violation of all the esta-
blished principles of public law and international
justice. The attempt to pervert the national sym-
pathies may perhaps for • time be more successfuL
We venture to assert that on the true pounds and
real merits of the American struggle the sympathies
of every honest, human*, and liberal-minded
Englishmen are heartily with the North. But
the real grounds and issue of the conflict have
been so kept out of eight, so studiously misrepre-
sented and obscured on either side of the Atlantic,
that the deeper feeling of the country on the
matter has never yet been directly appealed to or
generally elicited. Everybody who has really
studied the question knows perfectly well that
'Slavery is at the bottom of the whole struggle.
But the origival policy of the Republican party,
and therefore of the present Federal Government,
on this question was too remote from popular ap-
preheuaiou to command general sympathy in this
country. That policy aimed at extinguishing
slavery gradually and indirectly by confining it
within a given area; but in this country the ac-
cursed institution is so abhorred, that any
policy short of total and immediate abolition
was at once construed into • guilty tolerance of
the evil. The Slav* States and their abettors
on this side of the water saw their advantage in
this c.,nfu•ed state of popular feeling, and turned
it to account. While et home the chiefs of the
Southern Confederacy justified their revolt on the
ground that the Northern policy was fatal to their
peculiar institution, their emissaries and abettors
in this country were bitterly reproaching the
Federal G veniment with being culpably indiffe-
rent to the evil. These tactic are, however, now
pretty generally understood, and estimated at their
true worth. As the war advances its real grounds
come more fully into view, its central motives ac-
quire depth and intensity, and its broad and simple
aims are more and more apparent. The Northern
Statesmen evidently begin to feel that the time has
come for a more decided policy, and are preparing to
secure the great end they have always bad in view
by simpler means. And the South scarcely
cares to conceal that its reel aim to, and always
was, to secure "tree trade in slaves," and full
scope for the enlarged development of its poser
her institution. It is time for the reel truth to be