The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-02 00:00:00

" pirate" and destroy her in any waters—friendly
or neutral—that the circumstances under which
Captain Collins captured the unsuspecting Confede•
rate were, to say the least, unfortunate. All parties,
however, trust to Mr Seward to extricate the Go.
vernment from the:difficulty, to pa?ity Brazil, and
satisfy her wounded honour, without, however,
surrendering the Florida. It is suggested if Brazil
raise this point, as it is feared she will, that the
Federal Government promise to restore the Florida
at the close of the war. Should Brazil object to
this compromise as insufficient to meet the justice

of the case or satisfy her offended dignity a ready

means is hinted at and justified by which to evade
all further controversy. Under no circumstances,
it is argued, could the pride of the Federal Go-
vernment submit to the shock of delivering up the

vessel. The crew may be released from captivity
and sent either to the Confederates States or to
Brazil ; but sooner than the Florida shall be Bur.
rendered some careless but patriotic American on
board will set fire to her—accidentally. So unto-
ward a circumstance, should it occur, would, of
course, be much regretted by Government, but it
would make an end of all difficulty, and if any
Power or person were thereby aggrieved the full
value of the ship, in gold or greenbacks, would be
tendered in full satisfaction of a claim which it
would be impossible to meet in any other fashion.
Mr Lincoln, in reply to a deputation that waited
upon him yesterday to congratulate him upon the
abolition of slavery in Maryland, asserted in current
American slang that it was a " big thing." Doubt-
less the fraud by which the result was attained was
a big thing and the imposition of a test oath which
disfranchised more than one-half of the population
of the State was,a very big thing. Whether in fu.
tare times, should the whole people of Maryland no
longer disfranchised appoint a new convention to
revise the constitution imposed on them by force of
bayonets, the unconditional and uncompensated
emancipation of the slaves will be considered legal
and binding upon the slaveholders is a matter that
admits of very serious debate. In the meantime the
Federal General in command at Baltimore seems to
be doing his utmost to make the enforced emanci-
pation of the negroes gratuitously unpalatable to
the unresisting citizens. Two years ago there existed
in Franklin-street, Baltimore, the fashionable, and
in spite of Democracy, it may be added the wide..
cratic street of that pleasant and hospitable city, an
establishment called the Maryland Club. It was the
resort of the principal inhabitants of the place, and.
as every Englishman who has been in Maryland
knows, was open to every properly recommended
traveller who desired to enjoy the best society of the
State. The club had a good cook, a choice collection
of the best wines and cigars, an admirable library,
and some excellent pictures. As Gen. Schenck, the
military commandant, was not invited to become
even an honorary member, and as he would certainly
have been blackballed if he had regularly sought
admission, he closed it by military authority,alleging
that it was the haunt of Secessionists and traitors.
In the alarm created by the invasion of Pennsyl•
vania in 1863, which culminated in the battle of
Gettysburg the New York Seventh Regiment of
Militia, which was sent down to aid in the defence
of Maryland, was quartered in the club, and the
gallant young men soon made an end of the choice
clarets, burgundies, and champagnes, and the
equally choice cigars that were left by the extruded
members. Sinee that time the house has remained
empty. General Wallace, the worthy successor of
General Schenck, thinking it a pity that so fine a
building, in the very best part of the city, should
be untenanted, has resolved, in spite of the pro-
testations of the shareholders of the club
who own the property, to convert it into a
lazaretto and refuge for aged and infirm negroes,
and especially for those who in gaining their frac-
dom under the new Constitution have gained at the
same time the right to starve for want of the em-
ployment which there are none to offer them. As in
fixing upon this particular house for this praise-
worthy purpose the General was supposed to act
Less from philanthropic regard for the negroes than
from a desire to annoy the too aristocratic, the too
wealthy, the too refined, and too Secessionist inha-
bitants of the street, a deputation of their body was
sent to the War Department at Washington a few
days ago, to ascertain upon superior authority
whether some other " location'. could not be found
for the proposedlifirmary or house of refuge, and
whether the real owners of the property might not
be allowed to let it as a private residence. The re-
sult was a reply in the negative, coupled with a
polite reminder that Maryland was a free State, that
n negro was quite as good as a white man, and that
the inhabitants of Franklin.street ought to think
themselves flattered rather than insulted that their
beautiful thoroughfare should have been selected
as the site for so beneficent an institution. Such
paltry spite will recommend itself to the contempt
of everybody. The incident proves, however, that
if Maryland be a free State for the negro it is not a
'ree State for white men, if they happen to be gen.
emen or owners of house property.

The Richmond Sentinel gives the following ver-
sion of the alleged murder of the Federal officer,
Captain Meigs, in retaliation for whose death Gen.
Sheridan ordered the burning of every house within
five miles of the scene of the occurrence :

"Three Confederate scouts, under lead of -,
ono of our bravest and most accomplished scouts,
were on a reconnaissance, when they discovered the
near approach of three Federals. On the instant
they reined aside and awaited their arrival. They
proved to be Captain Meigs and two attendants.
Our soldiers immediately ordered them to surrender,
each of our men confronting one of the Federals.
Captain Meigs, who rode in front, was in this man-
ner summoned by the leader of the Confederate
scouts. His two followers surrendered on the
word, but Captain Meigs was of a different spirit.
Drawing his pistol he fired on his antagonist, in.
Siding a very severe, and it was supposed, a mortal
wound. The ball entered the right breast, and
made its exit on the opposite side of the body.
Wounded as he was the Confederate then delivered
his fire, which proved fatal. Captain Meigs died
on the instant. Anxious on account of the wound
of their leader, the other two Confederates betook
themselves to hasty preparations for bringing off

their comrade; In the haste and confusion of the
moment ono of the Federal prisoners made his
escape; the other was brought off. The person of
Captain Meigs was not examined for the same rea•
son, and the opportunity of capturing the valuable
papers he bore was lost. It was not until after-
wards indeed that it was known who he was. It
will be pleasing to our readers to be informed that

the wounded Confederate was safely brought within
our lines, and that his condition is now very pro•
mising. It is supposed that the ball struck a rib
and made the circuit of his body instead of a pass,-
age through. An actor in many a gallant conflict in
the past he will doubtless be soon again not with-
out honour. It was no fault of his true aim and
quick and steady hand that his antagonist did not
die instead of him. The fortune of the fight was
against him, and he fell. A death otherwise ho-
nourable has been made the occasion by a brutal
officer of cruelties to women and children that asso-
ciate the fall of Meigs with an odious infamy."

BALLOON ASCENT.—Mr. Coxwell, accompanied
by Mr. Glaisher, F.R,S., yesterday ascended, under
the sanction of the War Department, from Woolwich
Arsenal in the military balloon Mars, for the purpose of
commencing a series of winter observations. The ascent
yesterday was necessarily confined to a moderate elevation.
The inflation consumed about 30,000 cubic feet of gas, and
was completed at half-past two, when, Mr Glaisher, having
adjusted his instruments at the head of the car, the two
explorers took their places, and the balloon having been
liberated started from a west-north-westerly position to-
wards the east, finally bearing off south-east, where it was
visible for a considerable time, apparen' ly some distance off
Gravesend. Tho weather was highly favourable, Shortly
bolero the preparations were commenced Mr Glaisher nar-
rowly escaped an accident which might have proved serious.
On leaving the office of Mr Wallace, the gas director,
which is under repair, acauldron of molten metal used for
guttering fell from ththehous top over the doorway through
which Mi Glaisher was in the
caused him to start suddenly baeek in t
alarm, of passin passing
The crash
otwithstand-
ing which he was parstiahlliyghspreienkthleed with the boiling fluid,
which rebounded as
clothes,
et
was a bruise on the right cheek. His
His only injury
s
bore traces of the accident, large
quantities however,e
metal
adhering to his coat, trousers, and hat,