The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-15 00:00:00

SO that he was compelled to avoid all important
towns. Yet in face of this, it is reported in the
North that he was making for the sea coast, having
crossed the Oconee river ; but if the former state•
ment be correct, and it bears every appearance of
probability from the disposition of the Confe-
derate forces and from the popular in-
dignation against the invader, there is
not much probability that a General so
harassed and encumbered would have advanced so
rapidly. But allowing he has succeeded in crossing

the Oconee, and in nearing the coast, what has be-
come of his conquest of Augusta, the great object
of his march ? It does not look much like the ad-
vance to Richmond, of which the capture of Augusta
was to be the first step. The Northern G3nerai
has, apparently, thought discretion the better part
of valour, and in this he was amply justified by the
preparations made for him. A heavy Confederate
force is concentrated at Augusta ; BEAUREGARD
and JOHNSTONE being already there on the 23d
ult., and BRAGG having left Wilmington with a
large force for the same destination. LAMBTON'S
Cavalry had also arrived from Virginia, and
WHEELER has 10,000 cavalry On SHERMAN'S
flank. It is no wonder that under these circumM
stances SHERMAN'S march was slow and uncertain,
for be is surrounded by enemies on every side-
The Southern Generals have wisely seen the im-
portance of arresting the movement, and have
spared no effort to be on the spot in time to re•
ceive him. A decisive repulse of his army would
be of great value to them, but the loss to the
North would be even greater than the Southern
gain. It is probable that the Confederatea, being

so largely reinforced, will endeavour to meet SHER.
MAN and decide the case by a pitched battle, but

without such a test it is difficult to see what can

be the fate of his army, cut off from supplies,
threatened by so large a force, and harassed on
every side by skirmishers—while he is forced to
avoid the large towns—and the country people have
made every effort to defeat him. It is reported'
whether accurately or not is uncertain, that BURN-
SIDE has sailed from Fort Monroe with 20,000
men to meet SHERMAN. If so, it shows that the
exigency of his position is known in the North, and
that this effort is made to save a disgraceful failure.
Should SHERMAN be so largely reinforced the plains
of Georgia may prove to be the scene of one of the
most decisive crises of the war. General GRANT
despatched GREGG'S Cavalry to reconnoitre and
ascertain whether LEE was sending troops south-
ward. That astute Commander, however, does
not allow his movements to be so easily
detected, and GREGG returned, having ob-
tained no information, after capturing and de-
stroying the Confederate stores at Stoney Creek.
It is probable enough the Southern forces advanc-
ing into Georgia from Chaneston and Washington
will proceed along the coast with the view of
intercepting SHERMAN, knowing that he had left
Augusta in his rear, so in that case he would be
hemmed in on both sides, while every day must
increase the fatigue and depression of his army.
It is evident that his troops must be much demo-
ralised, for several hundred stragglers have been
captured and sent to Augusta as prisoners—a fact
which augurs ill for the condition of the main body.
Meanwhile the new from Tennessee is highly im-
portant. A battle bad taken place at Franklin on
the 30th ult., between part of the armie3 of HOOD
and THOMAS. Hoop's forces drove back the
Federals and scaled their works, capturing guns
and prisoners. The Federals being subsequently
reinforced, recovered their position, and accordingly
General SCHOFIELD reports that he had succeeded
in repulsing a persistent attack of the Confederates,
and that the probable loss of the enemy was from
5,000 to 6,000 men, besides 1,000 prisoners, while
the Federal loss was only a fourth of that, number.
The success, as he thus made it appear to he, was
of that very doubtful character so common with
Northern victories—for the very night after this
glorious repulse of the foe, the Federals thought it
prudent to evacuate the contested position and to
retire to Nashville, a distance of about 90 miles.
HOOD'S cavalry, notwithstanding their repulse,
crossed Harpeth river at the fords near Franklin
the next morning, in close pursuit of the retreating
Federals. This was certainly a novel position for
the victor and the vanquished. Heavy skirmishing
had already taken place when the news left, and a
battle was thought to be imminent. Nashville was
in a state of great excitement. Reinforcements
were arriving there, and the troops and Govern-
ment employes were under arms in the fortifications
and trenches. The Federals boast of the strength
of Nashville, but this does not confirm their asser-
tions. If it is neces3ary to impress the civil officials
in the service, it would seem that the city can
scarcely be so well defended. Columbia has been
evacuated, the Federal wounded having been re.
moved to Nashville, which is just at present no very
safe shelter. Nashville is a most important position,
both from its being the capital of Tennessee, and as
being the head quarters for stores, supplies, &c. It
was the base of &emu's's operations before he
went to Chattanooga, and is still indeed the great
base for the Western campaign. Should HooD
succeed in capturi©g Nashville he will gain an im-
mense advantage ; and if that success should be
simultaneous with the defeat of SHERMAN'S army,
it is probable that the State of Kentucky, as well
as Tennessee, will be subtracted from the remnant
•f the Union. Should it prove so, Mr LINCOLN
will find his conscription less satisfactory than he
anticipates, since he will, of course, lose the large
body of troops which he calculates on drafting from
those two States. The winter is likely to be a
rough one for the North, but so long as their leaders
refuse to recognise actual facts, the popular desire
for peace is profitless. One of the journals of De-
cember 3 foretold that the two following weeks
would be the most eventful of the war, and cer-
tainly the coincident operations in Tennessee and
in Georgia must both have reached a crisis by the
expiration of that time. A despatch from Nash-
ville of the 2d inst. states that the army had
fallen back within the lines of the city, and that the
enemy was only three miles distant, so that by this
time it is more than probable that the city is in Con-
federate hands. In accordance with their usual
tactics, the Southern cavalry was threatening the
railway between Nashville and Chattanooga, so as
to cut off any assistance from THOMAS; while, on
the other hand, MAGRUDER was endeavouring to
cross the Mississippi to join HooD, who will thus
gain additional strength. Altogether the Confe-
derate prospects in the West are much more en-
couraging than they hive been for some time past,
and unless the whole aspect of affairs has suddenly
and completely changed, Mr LINCOLN will riot have
been able to congratulate his people on the state of
their military affairs, in his first Message to them
as re-elected President.

Industrial Exhibitions form one of those subjects
of consideration that have of late
years engrossed
public attention and attracted universal interest.
In fact, they have inaugurated quite a new style
and system in our social affairs, and many who
at one time would have been incredulous as to
their feasibility must now conform to the general
opinion, and concur in their advan'age and ad-
Not only in
ad-
visability. particular points,, but in
a comprehensiva scope and a rational mole, such

undertakings deserve encouragement and recogni•
tion. Sir ROUNDELL PALMER, the other evening,
delivered an address on this subject at the Marys
lebone Court-house, and in many respects it de-
serves consideration. The object of the meeting
over which he presided was to consider the pos.
sibility of arranging an Exhibition for Marylebone
similar to those that had taken place in other
parts of the metropolis. The hon. and learned
Chairman spoke with emphatic tone as to the
advisability of such a proceeding, and dilated
upon the benefits that had already accrued from
the North London Exhibition. In pursuance of
his meaning he quoted a passage that had been
employed to describe the purport and purpose of such
undertakings, which was as follows :—" Working.
class Industrial Exhibitions are eminently calcu:ated
' to promote progress of invention and industrial art
' to bring out the talent of working men and women,
and to inculcate a just pride in their works."
Such forms, in truth, a very correct definition of
the objects of such affairs, and too much stress
can hardly be laid upon the effect produced by
their carrying out. They are worthy types and
noble examples of what men can do when they
exert their energies in an independent manner,
and come forward to exhibit their latent talents
and dormant qualities of painstaking and perse-
verance. Sir ROUNDELL PALMER very truly ob.
' served that such exhibitions showed what could be
done, because there were none of the advantages of
capital or leisure, hence they were powerful in.
ducements to those devoid of these benefits to at-
tempt their utmost, and to prove their skill.
Beyond the advantages of promoting inventions,
however, there is the primary one of con-
ferring a moral good on the exhibitors, and
on this point the Chairman dwelt with
due emphasis. All far-seeing judges will concur
with him that if such undertakings promote the
" moral elevation of that class on which society de•
pends," they are of unquestionable benefit, and
that they do achieve such a desideratum there can
be little or no doubt whatever. It must certainly
produce a must beneficial effect upon all who are
engaged in such elevating and refining pursuits ;
and besides, there is the secondary advantage that
they are thus saielded from the temptation of
plunging into idle or hurtful amusements in their
hours of leisure. There is something very beautiful
in the thought of those who are ground down by
the necessary avocations of their callings, taking
some hours from the period devoted to rest in order
to promote useful and ornamental works, and to in-
crease the store of inventions that contribute to the
welfare and happiness of society. In this discourse
before us the subject is properly considered in all
its bearings. It is not likely that any one of fore-
sight or experience would slight the immense im-
portance of such undertakings among the working
classes. Earl RUSSELL made a very effective dis-
course in his best style, both as a statesman and a
speaker, on the occasion of opening the Industrial
Exhibition at Islington ; and Mr. GLADSTONE'S
eloquence found a congenial subject for its mighty
expansion and majestic flow when he came forward
to add his tribute to the great work so happily
consummated. Sir ItOUNDELL PALMER has not
fallen short of his task, nor neglected its require-
ments, in the remarks here made; and those who
have hitherto entertained a doubt as to the advisa-
bility of such affairs in the abstract, or the likelihood
of their success in practical working, cannot do
better than peruse this speech, for it contains clear
and comprehensive statements as to the nature of
their progress and purpose, developing their
great and glorious object and rendering justice
to the good eff_cts produced by their carrying out.
Of these latter results it may be truly said that they
have neither a declared nor an tfficial value, but
that they are honourable in themselves and
most felicitous in their influence on the
labourers and on society at large. It can-
not be said that it is a small or an
inefficient thing for the lower classes to turn aside
from temptations to which their richer brethren
often fall victims, and to devote the hours snatched
from the pursuance of hard and constant labour to
the production of useful iaventions, or the practice
of beautiful arts, which adorn and dignify huma-
nity, and raise man in the scale of creation nearer
to that perfection for which he was destined by his
CREATOR, All that conduces to such an end is
worthy of regard and reverence, and none should
scoff or sneer at the efforts made by those whose
industry and energy might well furnish an exam-
ple to those more largely endowed with the bless
ings of PROVIDENCE. It is one of the best coup-
lets in the "Elegy on a Country Cuurchyard"
which says—
Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile
The short and simple annals of the poor ;

but in these undertakings there is nothing of a
mean or mediocre description—for, on the contrary,
all tends to a high and honourable object. Truly
did the Chairman at the Marylebone meeting ob-
serve that the negative good achieved by these un-
dertakings was as nothing to the positive advan-
tages obtained by men thus devoting themselves to
the pursuit of high endeavours. " When they
spurred men on to take pleasure in cultivating
in themselves the sense of beauty, they tended
then to the improvement of the inner man; they
made the man worthy of honour by others, and
they made the men feel a just respect for theme
selves." Sir R. PALMER made rather an amusing
allusion to the employment of the term "working
classes." He said he felt a jealousy of it, for he
thought that he was rather a hard-working man
himself, In continuation of this theme he observed
that nothing was so blameable as for one man to
look down upon another because he was worse off
than himself, and it would be a sad day when the
different classes of society were far separated from
each other in feeling and sentiment. This is very
true, for those possessed of right sentiments will
always find something of interest and attraction
in the affairs and occupations that engage and
occupy the attention of others, diverse as they may
be in tastes and different in circumstances. In many
respects it may be considered that this speech of
the Attorney-General has done good service to a
cause for the furtherance of which all wise men
should strive, and whose importance and interest
cannot be overrated by the most enthusiastic ad-
vocate or devoted partisan. In all ranks and
classes the pursuit of some elevated engagement is
desirable, but it is of tenfold more importance when
it engages the attention of men peculiarly exposed
to temptation, and whose belongings do not afford
them much inducement to concentrate their
thoughts upon occupations of a superior kind. It
is a triumph of a kind of which this age of pro-
gress may well be proud that the working men of
the country should thus endeavour to carve out for
themselves a high and honourable place in the
community of which they are ;he mainstay and
support.

Mr. Frank Buckland says that he lately heard
of a shepherd who possesses a dumb sheep-dog, but though
the poor beast has no voice, he is very clever at driving
sheep. In order, therefore, to make up the deficiency of his
dog the shepherd stands still while the dog is driving the
sheep, and barks himself, thus quite upsetting the theory
that it is "no good to keep a dog and bask oneself."
TRUE, PERHAPS, in One SENsE.—There's a report
in a certain circle-4e., " the Ring"—that a "notorious
.109" is about to have "the vacant G-arter,"—Fin,