The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-26 00:00:00

ington Administration. Accordingly, the Pres
dent's annual Message is one of the regular events
of the year, and is always read with great attention
in this country as well as across the Atlantic, since
men gather from it a reflex of the views and senti-
ments of the South. This year it gains rather
than loses in interest from the peculiar circum-
stances of the time, and, coming just after the great
political contest in the North, it affords a striking
contrast to inflammatory addresses of the Federal
leaders. The tone of JEFFERSON DAVIS'S speech
is calm, dignified, and moderate ; he expresses cone
fidence in the success of his cause, in the unflinching
resolution of his people, and the impossibility of
subjugating a free and united people. We hear
nothing of the traitors in the camp, who filled so
large a place in Mr SEWARD'S address, nothing of
internal plots and machinations among seeming
supporters of the Government, or of the necessity
of sternly repressing such mischievous endeavours.
The events of the past year leave the Confederates
no ground for despondency. The enemy has gained
no decided advantage save the capture of Atlanta,
and that he has been compelled to abandon. Ar-
kansas has been almost entirely recovered by the
South, and nearly the whole of Northern and
Western Mississippi, of Northern Alabama, and of
Western Tennessee are again claimed by Mr DAVIS
as under his control. In his own words—" Of the
Federal soldiers who invaded Texas none are
known to remain except as prisoners of war; in
North-Western Louisiana a large and well-ape
pointed army, aided by a powerful fleet, was re-
peatedly defeated, and deemed itself fortunate in
finally escaping with a loss of one-third of its num-
bers, a large part of its military trains, and main
transports and gunboats." The enemy's occupa-
tion of Louisiana is, he adds, reduced to the space
covered by hie guns, and in this, as we have re•
peatedly seen, lies the great difficulty of the North.
Ilkley gain possession of certain spots, but the
country on every side of them bristles with
guerillas and skirmishers who sometimes, as we
have seen, succeed in interfering with their com-
munications. President DAVIS, referring to these
facts, boldly declares that there are no vital points
upon the preservation of which the existence of the
Confederacy depends, and that no military success
achieved against it, can secure its downfall. Had
the campaign against Richmond itself been victorie
ous no progress would have been made in the task
of subduing the South. " Not the fall of Rich-
mond, nor Wilmington, nor Charleston, nor Sae
vannah, nor Mobile, nor all combined, can save the
enemy from the constant and exhaustive drain of
blood and treasure which must continue until he
shall discover that no peace is attainable unless
based on the recognition of our independent rights."
With regard to the means of defence possessed by
the Confederates themselves, President DAVIS an.
nounces that the military supplies are sufficient,
and that abundant crops have neutralised
the inhuman efforts of the enemy to pro-
duce a famine among the people. The
cruel devastation of the Shenandoah has therefore
failed of its purpose—it has only served to give
convincing testimony of the reckless barbarity with
which the Federal troops have waged the war. But
perhaps the most important part of the Southern
President's Message is that which refers to the con•
duct of the neutral Powers. Not yet, he says, can
he announce any such action on the part of the
Christian nations of Europe as might reasonably
have been expected from their histories and their
professions. The conduct of Great Britain is natu-
rally that to which he most directs his attention,
and he points out the inconsistency of her states-
men, who openly declare their conviction of the
inability of the North to subjugate their -adver.
saries, and yet refuse to grant the South that re-
cognition which would be so valuable to them. It
is most unreasonable, as Mr DAVIS forcibly demon-
strates, to expect the nation that is claiming sove-
reignty to be the first to recognise the independence
of its adversary. Such a case has never been recorded
in history, and is manifestly contrary to commonsense
and experience. It is when the neutral Powers
acknowledge the separate existence of the rising
State that the rival nation is forced to own the
fruitlessness of the struggle. So long, therefore,
says Mr DAVIS, as the neutral nations of Europe
withhold that acknowledgment, they are affording
tacit encouragement to the United States to perse

vere in the war, and are thus directly stimulating
that carnage which they affect to deplore. Such
conduct is so manifestly unjust to the Confederacy
that neutrals have sought to acquit themselves of
injustice by declaring that recognition would be
useless without further intervention—" an inter.
vention," says the PRESIDENT, " of which we die-

claim the desire and mistrust the advantage." Her
MAJESTY'S Government in 1862 refused to recog-
nise the Confederacy, on the ground that such an
act would inflame the passions of the people. How
far inch an opinion was well founded, the terrible
slaughter of the last two years too plainly shows.
Truly the impartial observer can hardly acquit
the neutral Powers of all moral responsi-
bility in this carnage, for as the able ea•

ponent of Southern interests bri€fly sums up
the matter—" Peace is impossible without indepen.

deuce, and it is not to be expected that the enemy
will anticipate neutrals in the recognition of that

independence." The conduct of —her Britannic
MAJESTY'S Government is the more to be deploied,
as it is wholly opposed to the wishes of the people.
Their interests tend, of course, to the termination of
the war, and the renewed supplies of cotton, but

independently of that motive the sympathies o:

Englishmen are with the nation struggling for their
existence in the face of unparalleled difficulties, and
their keen sense has long ago detected the specious.
ness of the Northern propositions of humanity and
abolition. Yet, in spite of insult, injustice, and
every other reason,our Government has consistently
favoured the Federal cause, granting the impera-
tive demands of its leaders, submitting to their
dictation, and tolerating the most flagrant breaches
of neutrality in the shipment of arms and enlistment
of British subjects. The members of the Cabinet
themselves can scarcely believe in the ultimate success

of the North, and, therefore, their reason for

___ .....
alienating the South from us is not easily apparent.
The Southern States might prove a powerful ally
to England in the protection of her Canadian pos.
sessions—since even Yankee bombast might hesi-
tate before the prospect of an attack on the rear,
as well as opposition in front, and the British fleet

on the seaboard. We shall see R hat the nest
Session may bring forth. But surely the re-election

of LINCOLN, which gins little hope of the speedy

conclusion of the war, gives sufficient pretext for
a great Christian nation to endeavour to end this
bloodshed. One thing is certain, if we delay much

longer the other powers of Europe—France more

especially—will take the initiative, and England,
so closely connected with the American States by

race, language, and sympathies, will play the die.
creditable part of following unwillingly in his
track. President DAVIS'S suggestions in reference
to the employment and subsequent enfranchisement
of a limited number of slaves, is the sign of a better
day for the negro, and show the first step on the
road to the total removal of the great moral and
political drawback of the States. It is, at least, to
be hoped that so great a gain may result from the
protracted continuance of a struggle, which for