The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-17 00:00:00

Southern planters may be excused if they feel
rather indignant when they find themselves ex-
pelled from their estates, and turned adrift upon
the world, avowedly in the interest of those slaves
for whom the sympathise of the North are so ten-
derly interested. It must be with singular feelings
that they behold the re;-establishment on the ruins
of their former prosperity, not only o: a system of
slavery retaittieg all the harsher features or t:t"t
odious institution, but unredeetted by maintenance
in sickness
benevolence
vold l
eangeee,
couldon whichrest
withalone
thetfl the
ding
slightest
of
any rtlaill
satisfaction. tile settlerlte tee, must they be affected
on Veholding tie retiVal of the slave trade in the
shape of a traMc earried On by
,the government in
their own fugitive negProee. We also eanhot feel
wholly unmoved when we turn ftedi the description
which we have given above of the mannet id Which
the Cti.nfederetes are supplied with the necessaries of
life in exchange for eo4ton, which is furnished to the
exigencies of the Northern Chreeenment, and com-
pare this relaxation of their own rules its their own
lat'citr, and the circumstances of pecuniary ter
ruption with Whit+ it ie attended, with the rigid
exclusion of this same netiele from the markets
of 'Western Europe. While the American Govern-
nee ie denouncing us as little better than pirates
and outlaWs fot the attempts of individual mer-
chants to run the blockade; we have the satisfac-
tion of seeing that they have tie objection to run
the blockade on their own account, and to turn
an honest penny by selling to their own citizens
exemption from the prohibition which they have
created. They have brought to perfection the art
of tempering justice with mercy. Jtietiee requires
that the Confederates should be absolutely eleinded
from intercourse with the rest of the world; lira
mercy steps in and qualifies the Draconian severity
of the rule by an exception in favour of those who
are willing to pay handsomely for it, Virtue is
said to be the mainstay of republics. If this be so,
we may easily calculate the probable duration of
republican institutions in the State of Louisiana.
HERALD.—Has Denmark any real claim to the
assistance of England in her present conflict with
Germany ? In espousing one side or another in
such an argument men are led as much by their
wishes as by any abstract sense of right. Of the
latter they may be dimly conscious, or so uncertain
that they willingly commit themselves to the
guidance of a more intelligible motive. Thus
those in whom a sense of self-interest predomi-
nates are for taking one view of this matter; those
whose generosity is stronger are for the other
alternative. As in most political questions, there
is'much to be said on both sides. On the side of
prudence it is argued that we have not committed
ourselves to the Danes by any distinct promise or
guarantee ; that we are not bound to Denmark
by any alliance, offensive or defensive ; that
howeeer painful to our feelings it may be
that we have to witness the spoliation of a
small kingdom with which we are on friendly
terms, it is better to condone the wrong than to
endanger our prestige by entering alone into the
lists with two powerful nations, and excite a gene-
ral war of possibly indefinite duration in vindica-
tion of the; title to two insignificant provinces,
which, after all, are German. ;This argument,
weighty as it may seem is but a selfish argument.
It is not likely to prevail in the end, as it makes no
account of feeling which is more potent than reason
in directing the actions of nations and of men. The
honour of the country is not taken into calculation ;
the maintenance of her position in the front rank of
the Powers is postponed to a timid apprehension of
her present safety ; the blundering of our statesmen
is made an excuse for desertion of a kingdom that
for some time past has looked to us for advice and
guidance, and has been regarded by the rest of the
world as under our protection. If it should yet
turn out that this unfortunate dispute can be
settled without an appeal to arms, we should bo the
last to advocate a resort from which we would fain
escape if it were possible. We are most unwilling
to add, by irritating arguments or appeals to pas-
sion, to the widespread and growing impatience of
the people of England, who are sick being trifled
with and insulted by the spokesmen of nations which
they have been accustomed to regard as their info-
riars. The German Powers must be convinced by
certuin late demonstrations that Englishmen are
getting by degrees into a dangerous mood, that if
they are wise in lime they will consent to any mo-
derate terms of accommodation that may be pro-
posed by the Congress. If they will not take a hint
they will have themselves to thank for the conse-
quences, and they will find that England is not ex-
actly that toothless old matron whom Charivari has
depicted and Frenchmen have laughed at, who has
muzzled her lion and put corks on the points of her
trident. The moderate tone adopted by the Danish
newspaper press shows that the wide constitu-
tional liberty which has been granted to the
Danish people has not been abused by political
writers in their country. The articles in
Dagbladet, the Daily News of Copenhagen, would
do credit to any journal in Europe, in point of
ability, and are marked by a common sense and
calmness which are rarely found amid the excite-
ment of an absorbing and irritating struggle
such as that in which the Danes are at present
engaged. The arguments by which that paper
urges upon England the obligation of assisting
Denmark ,against Germany are as nearly as
possible identical with those which we have so
often put forward. In an article published
in the issue of the 11th instant the writer
begins by taking up the broad ground that
all the powers signetaries to the Treaty of 1852
were bound to make common cause to resist its
infraction, as that treaty was part of the public law
of Europe. It is known that the other great
Powers do not consider it their duty to maintain
the treaty by arms; but it does not follow because
they have come to this conclusion, that we are quit
of the obligation. The Danish paper endeavours to
convince us that we are committed in a special and
peculiar manner. How does it prove this point ?
It might have been thought that some claim would
have been founded on the dynastic union so lately
and happily consummated between the two Royal
houses. But Dagbladet magnanimously throws aside
argument as one of pure sentiment, and having
o fart_ine ems
weight. It agrees with Lord Palmerston
nofur... have no cousins," or it sets the alli-
ance "ke.
of the Fria cess!toyal as a makeweight against
that of the Prineees exandra. Little as foreign na-
tions may suppose that the English people is apt to be
moved by sentimental coneide;atiens, we suspect,
for our part, that the marriage oir. the Prince of
Wales has excited among all ranks of the subjects
of our Queen an interest in Denmark and Ler King
which nothing else could have aroused. If it had
been Prussia that was attacked the people of Eng-
land would have thought of their Princess Royal;
but it is one thing to fly to the rescue of one whom
we love and reverence, another thing to back up
the relatives of such an one in a career of ruthless
aggression and triumphant wrong. Dismissing
this matter as becomes a serious politician,
the Danish journalist reminds us that English
statesmen have for some years past taken a lead-
ing share in the conduct of the dispute between
Denmarx and the German Powers. The letters
that have been written by them on this subject
make together a very bulky blue book.
England might, had she chosen it, have been a
passive spectator—she might have recommended
conciliation in general terms. When it came to an
outbreak she might hare left the two parties to fight
it out with some show of grace. This was not, how-
ever, the line of her policy,. In 1857 and 1858 she
assumed, by choice, the foremost place in the nego-
ciations between Denmark and the Diet. She gave
urgent advice to Germany at ono time, at another
exerted pressure on Denmark. " The result," says
the Danish writer, " was to weaken our position, to
injure our cause, to arouse among us expectations
which are now coldly declared to be illusions."
The Danes followed all the counsel given them,
but England shifted her ground as she encoun-
tered German opposition, and Lord Russell went
to the length at last of inditing the famous
despatch of September, 1862, recommending the
submission and capitulation of Denmark. Lord
Palmerston speaks too flatteringly of this re-
markable document when he styles it as " of his-
toricalimportance without practical interest." There
is no doubt that this letter was the chief cause of
the bold advance since made by the German Powers,
which has had so disastrous an issue for Denmark,
and has sent our diplomacy to the right about. By
urging her to yield point after point Lord Russell has
led Denmark into the snare ; by suggesting to her
fresh encroachments he has given heart of grace to
Germany, and furnished her with an argument
against himself and his policy. " The reproaches
which we address to England," says the Dane, " cen-
tre themselves in reality on Lord Russell. His super-
ficial ignorance, hie unreliable attitude, his utter
want of tact, react upon the Government to which
he belongs and the country in whose name he
.wGheortnhaanvequbaerernelaabrlee
aorlaiglyhtpothlietiDciaannso
stopeuankdser'stalnihde
to be found, he says, in the ranks of the Conserva-
tive party. But it was Lord Palmerston who said,
on July 23 of the last year, that if the independence
of Denmark was attacked she would not bo left to
fight alone. Having undertakers the chief conduct
of this quarrel we cannot suffer it to be settled in
defiance of our sense of right; having encouraged
the Danes to lean upon us, and abide by our ad-
vice if they wished to obtain our help in time of
need. we cannot desert them now, or consent to the
partition of their kingdom at the demand of Ger.
many.

AUSTRIAN SQUADRON.—DEAL, NI Ay 16.—A line
of battle ship, a frigate, a ram, with two gunboats, passed
from West to east outside the Goodwin on the loth, Bnp_
posed to be an Austrian squadron.