The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-08 00:00:00

Is amounts to downright impertineuce, to say the
least of it. The whole of this despatch is a tissue
of absurdities from beginning to end, and there is
no real explanation given throughout its course as
to the motives of the Government it affects to re-
present• Ali that the mediating Powers proposed
was impracticable, and the representatives of the
KING could not perforce agree to them. " The
honour and interest of Prussia" were the objects
for which they went into the conclave; but it
would puzzle anyone to explain why and wherefore
the preservation of these most important attributes
required the cession of territories which did not
belong to the Sovereign who claimed them virtually
for his own, although he affected to regard them as
independent States. Yee fact is that the case of
M. BISMAIIIi: is so intrinsically bad, that at last he
is obliged to give up his defence, and turn round
upon his adversaries, throwing the onus of the
failure upon them, and casting the odium of the re-
proach on their actions. But this pretext will not
serve his turn among straightforward people, and
among those who are willing to uphold his tyrannous
doctrines he had better speak out like a man, in-
stead of persisting in craft and subterfuge. It is
now quite evident that Prussia meant the Confer.
ence to be a failure, and that the representatives of
the Cabinet went into the debate with instructions
to differ from all the propositions made by the divers
members. The whole affair was meant to give the
Ministers of England an opportunity of hoodwink-
ing the people who complained of their policy. The
best reproof that can be given to such a shameful
course of trickery and deceit wil be the vote of
censure that it lies in the power of the members to
pass to-night. It will be a proud thing to reflect
upon, that the Parliament of this country has thus
given an answer to the unworthy attempts that
have been so long made to draw us into combina-
tion and collusion with the retrograde policy
of the German Powers, and which efforts our
Ministers have done th. it best to second.

While our foreign affairs are just now perplexing
and exciting all parties we have good reason to be
thankful that a very important matter affecting the
internal wellbeing and tranquilii►ty:of England is in
a very satisfactory condition. We could not reason-
ably anticipate after a period of such severe and
protracted distress as has fallen upon Lancashire,
that plenty and prosperity would be rapidly
restored. The catastrophe was not of a nature that
could be promptly remedied. The destruction of
cotton plantations and the turning of the industry
of the Southern States to other purposes dictated
by the national necessities,added to the stoppage of
trade produced by the blockade, combined to forbid
us to look with any confidence to an immediate
renewal of our American supply. Even had the
war been promptly terminated, or had our Govern-
ment possessed sufficient spirit and sagacity to have
refused the recognition of a blockade which,though
injurious, was never effectual, the delay must
have been very distressing ; but when all that was
to be looked for to set the silent mills going was
the produce of a crop not yet sown in new and
untried districts, then the prospects were gloomy
indeed. Cunning minds and stout hearts were alike
fain to acknowledge the heavy burden of the-
calamity, and to own that for the time, at least
they ware powerless to lighten it. It was not to
be wondered at that many openly declared their
belief that the case was hopeless, that it would be
impossible to keep Lancashire's hundreds of
thousands from starvation, pestilence, or rebellion,
while the long neglected capabilities of India, of
Egypt, of Africa, of Australia were called to the
rescue. Many, too, doubted whether these coun-
tries would ever fufil the sanguine expecta-
tions, which those best acquainted with the
subject had formed of them, and it was
gravely suggested that the industry of
L inclehire had better be turned into other channels,
for the cotton trade would never regain its former
prosperity. The best answer to the melancholy
anticipations is to be found in the report of Mr,
MACLCRE, the honorary secretary of the committee
for the relief of the manufacturing distress, to whose
sagacious and libz ral expenditure of the funds
placed at' their disposal we owe so much of the
national escape from the dangers of famine, of
popular outbreaks, end of epidemic disease. The
behaviour of the people of Lancashire has through•
out this prolonged crisis been beyond praise; but
it would have been more than human had they not
felt that their claims on the sympathy and assistance
of the nation met with full and prompt acknowlcdg.
ment. Had they seen their homes dismantled, their
wives and little ones famishing, and the grim wolf
at the door, end reflected that thousands of their
fellow-countrymen had " bread enough and to
spare," without lending them a helping hand, even
English endurance might have given way. But the
outburst of national feeling was as spontaneous as
it was universal—it knew no distinction of rank, of
class, of creed, of occupation. The thousands of the
peer and the shillings of the peasant all proceed
from willing hands, while Englishmen across the
seas, the moment the first whisper of the great
calamity reached them, despatched their mite to the

relief. And although a task of vast responsibility
and difficulty remained in the administration of the
sums collected among families numbered by thou-
sands, and personally unknown to the relievers, so
that every care was necessary to distinguish want
from imposture, enforced idleness from thriftless
dissipation, yet the fulfilment of that task has not
left a shadow of complaint behind. We may
therefore freely accept Mr. MACLURE'S report, rely.

.
mg on the accuracy which has always distinguished
his statistics, and rejoice with him over the good
news that, since the opening of the current year,
more than 100,000 persons have been taken off the
unemployed list—those 100,000 persons, of course,
representing the actual relief of a good many more,
reckoning their families. There are now only 43
districts out of 170 where it is still considered ne-
cessary to continue the distribution of relief, and
we may hope, under PROVIDENCE, that eve❑ those
43 will soon melt away. The account of the intel-

ligence received by the Cotton Supply Association
encourages this hope—since in many parts experi-

ments with cotton have been attended with unex-

petted success. A sample of Sea Island cotton from

Queensland was valued at from 3s. 9d. to 41. per lb.
It is to ba regretted that the extensive rains have
damaged the Quensland crop to some extent, ena
it is feared may prove a hindrance to the cultivation
in future seasons, Other pars of the colony, how-

tver, promise via. The first person who has made-

,be enperirnent at Port Denison announces it to be

a success. Sarre acres planted Vf ith c ttou near the

South Pine River are producing the second year.

From Buenos Ayres We !earn that next year's crop

in Paraguay is estimated at 100,000 bales. Other
parts of the South American Republics are
in a highly satisfactory condition, and the

authorities are fully sensible of the great
importance of the trade, encouraging the

cultivation by every means in their power. In some

parts of Greece cotton is feJr the first time being

grown; and in Southern Africa it is becoming a
regular investment, The ne\ v Cotton Company

have already planted 700 acree, and in other direc•

tions there are 500 more, so that there is a reason-

able prospect of a good supply froi It the neighbour-

hood of Natal. This sesson's crop i. I nOIT coming to