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 con-
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 his guns, and in this, as we have re•
peatedly seen, lies the great difficulty of the North.
They gain possession of certain spots, but the
country on every aide 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 victori.
OM no progress would have been made in the task
of subduing the South. " Not the fall of Rich-
mond, nor Wilmington, nor Charleston, nor Sa-
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, Preaident 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 Lath-
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.
series, 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 dis-
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 such 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 ex•
ponent of Southern interests briefly sums up
the matter—" Peace is impossible without indepen-
dence, 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 deplored,
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 of
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 w hat the next
Session may bring forth. But surely the re-election
of LINCOLN, which gives little hope of the speedy
conclusion of the wa:, 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
track. President
creditable part of f 11 -a
DAVIS'S
osuggestions
unwillinglyagestionain
play the disc
r e fienr e uhci es
to the employment and subsequent enfranchisement
of a limited number of sia • ves, is the sign of a better
day for the negro, and show the first step on the
road to the total removal of the groat moral and
political drawback of the States. It is, l
at east, to
be hoped that so great a gain may result from the
I protracted continuance of a ;sting I.e, which for

extent and for slaughter.has scarcely its parallel in
modern history.

Mr, WALTER, on the occasion of distributing the
certificates of honour and prizes of books in the
Council Chamber at Oxford, made some remarks
which are well worthy of attention ; and although
the subject has of late been pretty frequently dis-
cussed, still its importance and interest demand our
sustained attention and our unflagging zeal.
Middleeclass education is a theme which cannot be
too much discussed, especially at present, for on its
right comprehension depends the welfare of the
community to a great extent. However much for
a time the claims of these classes may be put aside,
i❑ any period of confusion or at any crisis it is
sure to be app rent in whose hands the real power
of the country lies ; and if those who exercise so
vast a sway are not trained and modified by cul-
ture and thought, what is to be expected when they
are forced to judge for themselves upon most serious
matters and to decide important issues. Great
credit is due to all of those who have come forward
to assist in the great work now in progress of im-
proving the state of the education imparted to this
influential section of the community, and with
earnestness and eloquence to uphold the ad-
vantages that are unquestionably to be derived
from a fuller appreciation of the subject. Nothing
of any moment is done in a hurry, and certainly so
extensive and elaborate a task as this cannot be
accomplished in the twinkling of an eye. Mr.
WALTER began his address by declaring that that
day would be a memorable one in the lives of many
of the young men before him, and that their
especial congratulations were due to those who, "in
the race for distinction in which so many had con-
tended had run so as to attain it." It is most
notable that a few words in season, spoken
at a time when the feelings are excited and
the attention interested, will be attended to and re-
membered when more solid but less taking instruc-
tion has vanished from remembrance. Mr WALTER
drew some' conclusions from th subject before him
that were of consequence to his hearers, and aptly
explained the objects of these examinations in their
spirit and purport. In the first places an examinee
tion produces a bracing effect, and pats the one
examined on his metal ; there are' no cribs, no dic-
tionaries" to apply to ; and again, it is a good train-
ing for the business of after life, which, as Mr
Mr WALTER observed, is often a " race against
time," It tends to enforce self-possession and
readiness, when on the spur of the moment exertion
and attention must be concentrated upon a given
subject. In actual life it is not the one who has
the most booklearning that can make the most figure
or impress his generation, but the one who is able
to adapt and apply the information he possesses to
the requirements of life, and the various positions in
which he finds himself. For all these purposes, then
an examination is most desirable, and another bane•
fit that accrues to it is that
,it tends to put down
conceit. Many of those who think themselves stars
in their own particular sphere, may find themselves
mistaken when they are thus subjected to a stern
trial of their powers, and must stand or fall by their
own intrinsic merits. While characterising these
affairs as of the highest importance, and stating
that these certificates and prizes may be described
as the title-deeds to the possession of those qualities
of industry and intellectual power, and which their
possessor can never be deprived of, Mr. WALTER
wisely pointed out the mistake of supposing that
too much can be done by any examination. This
is very true, for it is only an end to a means, and
if we expect an inordinate degree of means to fol-
low from it, we shall be disappointed. It is not
the intellectual but the moral faculties, as here ob-
served, that are the points upon which a man's
success in after life may be secured. The hon.
gentleman truly characterised the requirements
which are essential to a man's right progress in
the world. Those who take a comprehensive view
of life will acknowledge the truth of the remark,
that it is not knowledge nor even genius which
is of such vital consequence, as " good sense,
judgment, and, perhaps, above all things, temper.'
How often is this proved by the wretched tins
satisfactory careers of some who have entered on
their course with the plaudits of their university;
careers ringing in their ears, and with all the
prestige that admiring friends and earnest well-
wishers could impart. It can never be too strongly
impressed upon the young that something more
is requisite than shining abilities or striking
knowledge ; they must know how to condense their
powers and to expend them upon the necessary
work before them, or their lives will be a blank
and their deaths find them unprofitable servants
atter Fall. The fact of these university examina-
tions is really an epoch in our days ; it is another
proof of the reign of exclusion being over, and the
benefits once confined to the few no ee being accorded
as far as practicable to the many. Mr WALTER ap-
propriately described it as " MAHOMET coming to
the mountain," the University spreading itself out
to those who cannot come within the immediate
sphere of its advantages. This experiment has now
lasted for seven years, and softer there is no cause
to doubt its success. The object of education is
here admirably described as the task of training
the mind to overcome those intellectual and moral
difficulties which will meet him in after life, by
developing the qualities essential for such a purpose.
It is somewhat curious that on the very day on
which Mr COBDEN was sneering at classical educa-
tion Mr WALTER should have pointed out its ad-
vantages. He said it was hardly correct to call
Greek and Latin dead languages. "If dead, they
yet speak in our own language, into the composition
of which they largely enter." Greek terms are
employed for the nomenclature of chemistry,
botany, and almost all sciences, while the Latin con-
stitutes a great part of the English language. One
chief merit of the study of these tongues is that
they train the mind better than those which are
conversational, and, as Mr. WALTER said, they aro
of service to tho " analytical faculties." In conclu•
sion, the hon. gentleman adverted to the satisfaction
he felt in observing that the prizes were nearly
all works of standard in English literature. Wisely
did he counsel his hearers not to neglect the mighty
masters of our land for sensational novels and
current literature. Such advice is especially needed
just now, when so much excitement prevails on the
subject of a fast style of reading, to the exclusion
of solid and lasting compositions. This admirable
address cannot fail to mate an impression upon
those who heard it, and it is to be hoped they will
remember the impressive counsel contained in
these words, " I wish you all every success in life,
but you are not to consider your education at an
end ; it is buZ the beginning ; you will not there-
fore, I trust, rest upon your oars, and assuredly you
will find, hereafter, that the learning best worth
knowing is thnt which you will have taught
yourselves."

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE,—Mozart's magnifi-
cent opera, " Dan Giovanni," was performed last
night, but in many instances the caste was very weak
Miss Louisa Pyne, however, sang the music of Zerlina with
great effect, and the band, under the direction of Signor
Arditi, vas all that could be desired, We purposely defer
a more lengthened notice of the performance until another
opportunity.