The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-18 00:00:00

of that. True, you are nominally its custodians.
But all that sort of thing has long ago become
notoriously a mere pretence. The Age of Duelling
has, however, long ago become no less undeniably a
thing of the past than the age of Tournaments.
Honour, forsooth !—while the lengths we ought to
go upon that score might have been estimated pro•
bably by the interval between the point and butt
of a knight's spear—they are calculated far more
accurately now-a-days by the calico printers' yard
measure. And so—let it be understood now once
for all—as the great guiding principle henceforth
regulating our foreign policy, that the, power ofEngs
land by sea and land shall never be manifested
from this time forth, unless it is conclusively shown.
that its manifestation is imperatively required by
considerations of pounds, shillings, and pence. Let
it affect merely what is called the National Honour
—lndyou may confidently give it the go-by. Let
it, on the contrary, but merely touch the National
Pocket, and•—Have at you, one and all, vi et artnis,
by sea and by land, horse, foot, and artillery.

The deputation to Lord PALMERSTON from the
Society for obtaining the cessation of hostilities in
America is a satisfactory event, and may be regarded
as a significant sign of the times. It is not likely
that at this juncture any effort made on the part of
her MAJESTY'S Government could stay the course
of the war; but it seems strange that now, when
in all probability the termination of the unhappy
contest draws near, Lord PALMERSTON
should speak in a somewhat different style
from what he has adopted on previous occasions,
when the question of the attitude this country
should assume in the affair has been broached. The
abject of the deputation was not to discuss the mat-
i ter politically, but to urge the plea of humanity,
and state their opinion that it was considered by
many that at present there was so much weariness
of the war existing in America, that something
might be done to put a period to its disastrous con-
tinaance. It was their belief that the Government
might do good service to the cause of peace by using
their influence with the Federal Government to pros
mote the cessation of hostilities. It was further
added that the restoration of the Union being per-
fectly impraoticabie, the prolongation of the war
can only increase slaughter, and add to debt. It
would have saved an incredible amount of euffering
had the consciousness of this truth dawned upon
the minds of many at an earlier period, but there
are some lessons that can only be bought by expe-
rience. The details, of course, are but too well
known concerning the war in America, but still
the impressive manner in which some of the lead-
ing features of this most deplorable calamity are
put before us by the members of the deputation
must strike home to the minds of all who peruse
them. This strife between the rival States will
will stand out prominently in history, as among
the most fearful visitations that have ever befallen
humanity. It has been computed that the destruc-
tion to human life has been at the rate of ten
thousand a week, or half a million a year. There
was great force in the arguments used by Mr.
SPENCE as to the benefits which would accrue if
the termination of the war took place at the in-
stance of friendly mediation, instead of its termina•
tion through the exhaustion of either side of the
belligerents. Whichever succumbs the worst
effects will be produced, and a state of unie
vernal pewee can not be hoped for. The worst
casualty would be if the South succumbed, because
all the tyranny of the North would ride rampant
over the subjugated soil, and it would, in all pro-
bability, prove that the Confederate States would
be in a worse position than ever. There would also
be great inconveniences if the North were compelled
to desist in their attempts to bring the belligerent
States into submission. They would become dis•
united among themselves, and future efforts at
legislation would be rendered difficult by the re-
criminations that would ensue, and the discontented
spirit that would gain ground. It is impossible to
study this subject in its details, and not arrive at
the conclusion that great blame rests upon the
Government for not doing something to stay the
slaughter at an earlier stage, and to avert the dread-
ful sacrifice that has been made of life, and the irre-
trievable injuries done to commerce, It is not at all
consistent with the position that we ought to hold
among nations, to be told that an attempt at me-
diation would be fruitless, and our efforts to avert
the evils that are so conspicuously apparent in this
civil war would be of no avail. Lord PALMER-
STON in his reply gave his hearers a reasonable
ground for supposing that the opinions of the
Government had undergone some modifica-
tion on this subject, but he very carefully
abstained from mentioning any precise time at
which it might be expected that they would realise
the long-wished-for attempt at a settlement of the
difficulties that now distract the American conti-
nent. He gave as his chief reason that they might
exasperate the North by so doing, and that " pre-
mature efforts" would do mere harm than good. It
is really strange that the noble lord should charac-
terise any efforts that have yet to be made as " pre.
mature." The term is not at all an appropriate one,
and it is quite inconsistent to employ it. Still it
must have been considered by the deputation as
something gained that the noble lord did not reject
their proposition as perfectly untenable. There is
another circumstance which corroborates the notion
that the tactics of Ministers are undergoing a change,
and that is the feiot of Mr. MASON having had an
" unofficial interview" with Lord PALMERSTON the
other day, introduced by Mr. LINDSAY. Nothing
definite took place in consequence, but still it is a
move in the right direction, and it is not likely that
the noble Premier would compromise himself by
thus expressing himself if he did not intend to fulfil
his promise. It will be a fortunate occurrence if
the hopes of the deputation are realised, and some
definite attempt is at last made to avert a calamity
that seems almost too great to realise from its
extent and magnitude, as well as from its pro-
longation.

The progress which has been made in agriculture
is one of the most remarkable of the many changsa
of our times. It is, indeed, leen conspicuous in its
action, and less astonishing in its results than many
of the changes by which other trades or professions
have been influenced. Bat if the adaptation of
steam to farm implements produces less startling
consequences than the rapid transmission of hun-
dreds of persons over land and sea against all
opposing iufluences, the work which the giant does
in the one case is no lees useful than in the other.
If the discoveries in agricultural chemistry are at
first
sigiit less wonderful than the electric tele-
graph, tticY rosy' possibly prove to be eventually
even more beneficial. The dying out of prejudice,
under the influence of increasing and extending
knowledge, has been one of the great victories
of the present generation ; and, although it
may be more indispensable to the welfare
of a country that political, religious, and moral
intolerance should be extinguished than that
farmers should be induced to follow the
most profitable method of working their farms, yet
the importance of that improvement is not to be
questioned. However valuable may be the rapid
transmission of intelligence, or the increased faci-
lities for locomotion, yet the vacation of the farmer
is after ail of primary importance, 11 the achieve.