The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-27 00:00:00

THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA.

(Front the Timcs' Correspondent,)
NEW YORK, Sept. 13.

" The weather is beautiful and all things are
bright," says Mr Stanton, in his last despatch to
General Dix. It is the aspect of the war that is so
pleasant in the eyes of the War Secretary ? That
can scarcely be, for General Sherman is resting and
intrenching himself at Atlanta, unable to turn his
victory to account, and all is quiet at St. Petersburg
and Richmond, and stagnant at Mobile. Can it be
the graceful flattery of Mr Seward, comparing him
to Carnet, the organiser of victory, that has put Mr
Stanton, into a state of such unwonted beatitude ?
That is not likely, for a man so unpopular and who
despises public opinion so much as he knows how to
estimate at their proper value the praise and blame
of his contemporaries. Or is it pre-eminently the
aspect of the political campaign that shines so
vividly in his imagination, and fills his heart with
such all but unutterable joy ? Most probably. He
and the Administration of which ho is the prop and
ornament have reason to rejoice. The entente cor-
diale of the war and the peace sections has come to
an abrupt termination. Atlanta and Mobile have
roused the drooping spirits of " Tammany," and
stimulated the war fever to such an extent, that
Gen. M'Clellan has been emboldened to accept the
Chicago nomination without accepting the prin-
ciples embodied in the " platform ;" and thus
it has come to pass that the Democratic canddate
has broken up the Democratic party. The peace
men are indignant that General 'M'Clellan, in
whom they never had more than a half confidence,
should have dared to place his private and per-
sonal opinion above that of the assembled Demo-
cracy, and call for a new Convention and a new
candidate. Under such promising circumstances as
these Mr Stanton and all who desire the reeelece
tion of Mr Lincola may well rejoice. The Republi-
cans are in ecstasies. They see before them a
bright future of power and plunder. For them the
foreign embassies, for them the brigadier general-
ships, for them the rich contracts for the supply of
mules and horses, hay and straw, beef and whisky,
shoddy coats and pantaloons, head coverings and
foot coverings, and all that goes to the subsistence
of an army and the comfort or discomfort of the
soldier. For their opponents there is nothing but
the cold shade of opposition, the privilege to grum-
ble, and the hungering after place, profit, and emolu..
meat that shall never reward them as long as Lin-
coln is President, or as any man of 112publieln poli-
tics shall reign in his stead. Oa Saturday morning,
after a day's reflection, the New _York Daily News,
the able, consistent, and fearless advocate of peace
and of all the principles on which the Union of the
States was founded, and on which alone its perpe-
tuation is possible, declared formally against
M'Clellan, and received the cordial adhesion of that
section of the partywith whom it acts, and on whose
behalf it speaks. Mr Vallandigham, who was about
to stump the West (i.e., proceed thither on a politi-
cal and oratorical tour to support the nominee of
Chicago), and who had already left home for the
purpose, was no sooner made aware of the terms of
Gen. M'Clellan's acceptance than he washed his
hands of him and declined to speak another word
in his behalf. Mr Pendleton, the nominee for the
Vice-Presidency, is expected to declare himself in a
manner quite as unwelcome to the War Democrats
as Gen, M'Clellan's letter has been to the friends of
peace, and further complications may be hourly ex-
pected. What the result may be it is impossible to
foreshadow, but the present indications are that it
is hopeless for the peace party to go in quest of, or
at all events to find, a candidate of sufficient note,
influence, and popularity to stand on their platform
—that Gen. M'Clellan without their votes will be
defeated, and either with or without the formal
withdrawal of Gen. Fremont, that Mr Lincoln will
be re-elected.

The War Demccrats are exceedingly sorry at
what they call the " bolt" and the defection of Mr
Benjamin Wood and the party who think liberty
preferable to union ; but they are divided in opinion
as to the importance of the movement. One section
effects to consider it an advantage to the Democratic
party to be rid of such allies, while another pro.
claims that Mr Lincoln's greenbacks are at the bot-
tom of the whole business, and that Mr Fernando
Wood and his brother Benjamin have been acting
all along in Mr Lincoln's interest. Bat this tale,
though it suits party malignity to invent and set it
afloat, deceives no one who does not wish to be de-
ceived, least of all any one who has watched the
growth and development of the peace party, or who
knows its affiliations and ramifications not only in
New York, but in all other parts of the country.
The War Democrats as well as the Republicans are
just now rampant. The chill of despondency has
been replaced by the fever of excitement, conse-
quent upon victory ; but a reverse to the Federal
arms at Atlanta or Petersburg, or the valley of the
Shenandoah, will cool their blood again, and in-
cline some of them to the pleasant paths they too
hastily abandoned, A peace candidate, though at
at present easier to discover than to elect, might
chance to be elected at the eleventh hour if the
fortune of war were to go strongly against the
North during the next four or five weeks.
Yesterday Wall-street was full of rumours of ill.
fortune. It was said that Grant had been driven
with heavy slaughter from his position on the
Weldon Railroad, and that General Sherman was
closely beleaguered in Atlanta with provisions but
for seven days, and that all his communications had
been cut off. These statements had for a short
time the effect of sending up the price of gold,
which had Linen rapidly during the week, under
the influence of the hopeful turn which the public
mind had taken, but as they were not based on
authority that any one could trace they ob-
tained but partial credence, and speedily gave
way to reports of a more cheerful character—in-
vented by the speculators for a fall. Of these the
most prominent was a positive statem2nt that Ad-
miral Farragut, acting in Successful covjunction
with General Gordon Granger, has taken possession
of Mobile; and that the Federal fleet, relieved from
further duty in that quarter, had been ordered to
Wilmington. The story was as baseless as its com-
petitor, but it operated to send gold down to 214,
and to keep it in that neighbourhood for about an
hour. Ultimately rumours of evil again attained
the ascendancy and the price went up to 2211, at
which it closed. To-day there has been a further
rise to 2271—though there has been nothing in
the army or other news to account for the fluctua-
tion.

But military and political reasons alone have not
caused the decline of the week. Gold is not in as
much demand as it was two months ago. The imi
porters of foreign goods are not only diruinirhing
or eountermsnding their orders, but have for a coni

siderable time been re-exporting their bonded stocks
to Europe. There is consequently no great compee
tition for gold to pay the Customs duties, and, in
fact, there is a slighter need of gold than at any
previous time during the war. The most urgent
buyer in the market is the Secretary of the Trea-
sury, who must have coin for the payment of inte-
rest, or else break faith with the public creditor;
so that even if the prospects of war should improve
and the military situation become as bright in com-
mercial and financial eyes as the political situation
is in those of Mr Stanton, it is not probable that
gold will reach a much lower point than 200.
A recently published letter from Mr Blair, the
Nestor of the party in power, the trusted adviser of
Mr Lincoln, and one who is supposed to have
greater influence over his mind than any person or
combination of persons in the country, shows that,
in anticipation of hostile action on the part of the
Governments of Great Britain and France, it was
deemed prudent two years ago to encourage the
most cordial relations with Russia. Mr Blair does
not stand alone in his admiration for the Czar, and,
in his belief, if the Federal Government requires an
ally in Europe, the best, if not the only possibly
ally is Russia. The press on every available occa-
sion panders to this feeling, and when in the autumn
of 1863 a Russian fleet vtsited this port, all classes
of the people united in giving the admiral and offi-
cers, and even the sailors, a magnificent reception,
such as was never before accorded to the maritime
or military representatives of any other nation. The
Russians were at a loss to account for their enor-
mous popularity, though the reasons were patent
enough to everybody else. Russia was then, and is
now, declared to be the only real friend that the
Federal Union has in Europe, with the exception
of Switzerland, which is but a poor relation, too
powerless and insignificant to be highly valued. It
is inculcated on the popular mind that the two
dominant Powers of the future are to be Russia in
the Old World and Federal America in the New,
and that an alliance between them—firm, stable,
and cordial—will reduce all other kingdoms, States,
and empires to the inferior position befitting their
size and decrepitude. And certainly there is not
only sympathy between the Americans and the
Russians in their lust of dominion, but a very con-
siderable similarity in the principles of action which
are avowed by their respective Governments. The
Czar emancipates the serfs, but exterminates with
relentless cruelty the rebellious Poles who desire
to govern themselves after their own fashion.
Mr Lincoln, in like manner, emancipates negro
slaves, and strives to exterminate the Southern
people for the unpardonable offence of dia.
solving their political connexion with a popula-
tion whom they both hate and despise.- The
atrocities committed by the Czar in Poland have
not only found hosts of admirers and apologists in
America, but the country has produced scores of
Brigadier and Major-Generals, such as Butler,
Schenck, Milroy, Burnside, and others—to carry
out a policy of vengeance. The Czar never em-
ployed more ruthless, unscrupulous, and brutal in-
struments than these four. Maryland long suffered,
Louisiana still groans under the lash ; but the real
Poland of America this moment is to be sought in
Kentucky, where a man has been placed in military
command who combines the worst qualities of all
previous tyrants of this kind, and adds new ones
peculiarly his own. General Mouravieff has found
his equal in Brigadier-General Paine, who rules
over the Western District of that sorely efilicted
State. It is not often that publicity is given to the
doings of this ferocious despot. The Kentucky
editors dare not record his cruelty, lest they should
be tried by drum-head court-martial, made to dig
their own graves, and shot on the edge of them;
and the exiles who fly from persecution are
scarcely believed when they arrive at a more peace-
able section of the Union, if they tell the tale of
their wrongs. But a friendly pin has been found
to record the services of General Paine, and to hold
them up to the approval of the Federal Government
and the admiration of the world. A. correspondent
of the Chicago Tribune, writing from Paducah,
under date of the Ist of September, narrates with
the utmost simplicity and good faith, and as if
General Paine were the greatest and best man in
the world, a story that is enough to concentrate on
the head of its hero the detestation of everybody but
the hangman. On assuming command in July last,
he is reported to have addressed a deputation of
leading citizens, whom he suspected or know to be
opposed to the war waged by Mr. Lincoln against the
South, in the following among other terms—" You
disloyal, rebellious people," he said, "you shall not
circulate one dollar of capital in all this land. NJt a
dollar, no debt or bill of exchange, shall be paid or
made without my signature, I pledge you my word
I will not approve of any commercial transactions
made by a disloyal man. . . . All your capital, all
your money, every cent of it, shall be placed at the
disposal of the Government. I will teach you that
having encouraged this rebellion you must—aye,
and you shall, reap the reward of traitors. . Talk
to me about your rights! Why, you have no rights
to talk about. Loyal men aro the only people who
have rights at this time. . . . Talk to me of giving
you a banking privilege ! Great God 1 the Devil
might as well ask the Almighty for a front seat in
Heaven. . ,In your prosperity:you despised this-
great and good Government. You ehall have the
privilege to love it in your adversity. And more than
that, you shall fight for it. You are able-bodied men,
but think yourselves too good to fight. We shall see
about that. . . You keep harping about your rights
—that miserable, insane idea. . . My second com-
mandment to you that all of you notorious rebels
getout of your houses and leave my district, so that
Union men may come and take your places, and help
me to redeem this country. • • . I shall shoot every
guerilla taken in my district ; and if your Southern
brethren retaliate by shooting a Federal soldier, I
will walk out five of you rich bankers, brokers,
and cotton men, and make you kneel down, and
shoot you. I will do it, so help me God ! . . If
a Union man is murdered by guerillas here, the
same fate awaits five of you. I have sworn it, and
it shall be done. . . lam going to manage this
district so that when I am done with it the men
and women who remain can come together, in
the name of the Lord, and say •We be-
long to the United States.'" Gen. Paine, whose
speech, which I herewith enclose to you in
extenso, might afford many more such furious ex•
cerpts, has been as good as his word. In a General
Order, No. 6, dated the 23d of July, he prohibited
all persons occupying lands, houses, barns, buildings,
Sec., from paying any rent to any landlords and
owners who were not " unswerving, unconditional,
and undeviating Union persons;" and in General
Order No. 7, issued three days afterwards, he pro-
hibited all banks from paying out money, honouring
checks, or making transfers, unless by his own
special permission and signature. How many men
he has caused to be shot the appreciative historian
neglects to tell; bat how many he has banished
from their homes—men, women, and children—may
be estimated within a fraction by any one who will
take the last census of the western half of Kentucky,
and count the number of bankers, landowners,
lawyers, physicians, manufacturers, and merchants,
and everybody above the condition of an Irish
teamster or day labourer. A deduction of about 25
per cent. from that number will leave the balance
sought. Kentucky belongs to the military, to the
negroes, and a small minority of poor and uoin-
' fluen' ial white men who are not of importance enough
to be persecuted. And such as Kentucky now is
the whole South will be if the people who appointed
General Paine to command shaft be able to carry
)ut their favourite idea of Southern subjugation.

CLASSICAL WIT.—Dr. Maginn dining with a
friend on ham and chicken, addressed Sukey Boyle,
his friend's housekeeper, thug.—" You know, Boyle, what
old Ovid in his Art of Love' (book iii.), says; I give you
the game wist.

" Scmper tibi pendot hams,'
May you always have a ham hanging in your kitchen."
The doctor insisted that tea was well known to Ihe Romans,
for, said he, " even in the time of Plautus it was a favou-
rite beverage with the ladies—
" Arrant to omnes mulieres.'"

Glor., Act i., sci., v. 58, Observing Sakey Boyle,
he said to his friend, "Ah I John, I see you follow the old
advice we both learned at school, xagov TVX;)
Indulge yourself with Sukey.' " There was some hock at
dinner, which he thus eulogised '— •

" 'Hoc turn F ar4val paulatim mitigat
Hoe minuit luctus roco3taquo cords levat.'
—Qv. n at, lib. iv., el vi., v. 1.5, 16.