The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-16 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 16, 1864.

Hostilities in America,

An influential deputation from the Society for
Obtaining the Cessation of Hostilities in America
waited on the Premier yesterday for the purpose of
urging her Majesty's Government to take steps to
bring about peace between the belligerents.
It consisted of the following noblemen and
gentlemen :—The Marquis of Clanricarde, the
Bishop of Chichester, Lord Alfred Churchill, M.P.,
Mr Yorke, M.P., Mr Marsh, M.P., Mr Repton,
M.P., Colonel Grey, M.P., Mr Danby Seymour,
M.P., Mr Spence, of Liverpool, Admiral Anson,
Colonel Halpin, Rev. F. W. Tremlett, Mr J. R.
Fernyhough, Mr C. Shand, Sir Henry de Hoghton,
Bart., Mr Bramley-Moore, M.P., Mr T. D. Trem.
lett, Rev. W. W. Malet, Mr T. Ray, and Dr Skey,
F.R.S., President of the Royal College of Surgeons.
The deputation having been introduced by the
Marquis of Clanricarde, the Rev. F. W. TREMLETT,
hon. secretary, at the request of the chairman, Ad-
miral Anson, submitted to the Premier that from a
very large number of letters which the society had
received—especially from the rectors of parishes
and other persons—reflecting the state of feel-
ing in the country districts ; also from the
presentation to Parliament of petitions from
the clergy and laity of various parishes
in the counties of Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Cum-
berland, Lancashire, Sussex, Somersetshire, War-
wickshire, Norfolk, Berkshire, Shropshire, Notting-
hamshire, Kent, Wiltshire, Lincolnshire, Cornwall,
Devonshire, Oxfordshire, and Middlesex ; from the
counties of Meath, Cavan, Leitrim, Roscommon,
Antrim, Longford, Sligo, Queen's County, Water-
ford, Galway, Tipperary, Cork, and Dublin ; and
further, from the general tone of feeling and con-
versation in all social circles,'meetings, and the public
press, there were good grounds for stating that a
strong and increasing feeling exists in the country
that Her Majesty's Government should, if possible,
avail itself of its friendly relations with the Federal
authorities to bring about a cessation of hostilities
in America; that, looking upon the restoration of
the Union as impossible and the independence of the
Southern Confederacy as virtually a fait accompli,
any prolongation of the war could only result in
mutual slaughter, and in debt and weakness to
both belligerents ; and that, bound as both are
to us by ties of blood and interest, and impressed as
they must be after three years' experience with the
futility of any advantage from the continuance of so
gigantic and sanguinary a contest, it was reasonable
1 to hope that such a proposal, made bona fide, would
not only stimulate and embolden the large Peace
Party in existence in the North, but would be gene-
rally acceptable to the majority of the people of
both sections, The deputation would further re-
present that, besides the saving of many thousands
of valuable lives, the advantage of a peace to the
people of this country would be great. While the
direct sufferings of the operatives in the manufac.
tuning districts for the last three years—though
borne with heroic fortitude and met with most
Christian liberality—had been of a heartrending
character, and, though mitigated in intensity,
still continues to be deeply felt by this deserving
and industrious class, the continuance of the war
was practically levying a tax on all (for the in-
creased price of cotton and woollen goods) equal in
amount of the interest oa the National Debt. This
war tax was oppressive to all families of small
means, and was especially hard upon the poor.
While wages had not increased in the rural districts,
the prices of clothing for the poor had been doubled
and trebled, wool having risen from is 4d to 2s 4d
per lb, and cotton from 6d to 2s and 2s 6d. More-
over, if we turned to France the war tax was equally
oppressive there. From statements which had lately
been obtained from that country, it was estimated
that the people of France would have to pay this
year for their cotton jackets, &a., something like
1,000,000,000 f., or nearly treble the usual peace
prices. Other countries, also, had an interest in
the re-establishment of peace correspondent to the
amount Q: cotton clothing consumed by their re.
spectiale populations--which was in Belgium as in
France, 4lb per head, in Spain 21:1) per head,
while in Russia and Italy together the consump-
tion scarcely exceeded llb per head. In the -United
Kingdom the consumption was 91b per head.
The deputation would therefore submit that the

Governments of France, Belgium, and Spain had
a special interest in acceding to any proposals
which Her Majesty's Government might in its
wisdom and humanity be pleased to make tending
to the re-estnhlishtnent of peace between bellige-
rents in Nrirth America.

Mr. SPENCE, one of the vice-presidents of the
society, said the deputation was devoid of any
party character, and would chiefly urge the plea of
humanity. At the present moment if to the battle
fields in Virginia and Georgia were added all the
other points at which blood was being shed through-
out the vast area, we should probably find that the
total destruction of human life was at the rate of
10,000 a week, or half a million a year. And if to
this there were added the amount of woe befalling
orphans, parents, and wives, the sum total of
human destruction and misery was such as
impelled an effort to bring it to as end.
There was also grave evils that would
result from a protraction of the war. The

_ .
shock to the cotton trade had been endured and

surmounted, but that trade was left, and now stood
in a most dangerous position. We had present pro-
sperity, but it was based on an artificial and in-
fla, id the longer the war lasted, and the
wider tie ramifications of our trade on this trea-
ated price,

che-cous basis, the more disastrous and dangerous
would be the reaction when the day for it arrived.
And assuming a separation to be inevitable, it was
essentially in the interests of all that each power
should command the respect of the others, and be
able to take its proper part in the affairs of the
World. greatly depend on some
deogrrled. e
of equality peacelityin wouldpove er. This could not be if
the war must needs go on till it ended through the
exhaustion of one of the belligerents. If that ex-
haustion befel the South, all the old evils of the
Union would return, but aggravated a hundredfold
by the military power and spirit now developed.
It that exhaustion befel the North, it was pro-
bable that a disruption would occur among tie
Northern States, a source of future discord, as de-
stroying those relative proportions which were
essential to future peace. The present period was
eminently favourable to such an effort as was sug-
gested. In the present poature of affairs the voice
of Europe, calmly expressed, could not fail to have
its influence. We were urged to inaction by assur-
ances that little time would be needed. Over and
over again the period of 90 days was to be final.
No less than four years had now been given for this
terrible experiment, and it had been tried in vain.
The question now before the North was whether or
not to continue the disastrous effort. There was a
peace party end it was growing, but it had no
rallying point. The action now urged would give
them a pivot on which to form, not, indeed,
the action of England alone which was to be
deprecated altogether, but that to be taken
conjointly by several leading Powers. With
such assistance the peace party would rapidly
gather strength and numbers and thus we
might reach the issue all desired. And there was
a contingency that could not be overlooked with
safety. Whether right or wrong there did exist
in the South a feeling of exasperation on the sub •
ject of the policy adopted in this country, and if it
should happen that terms of peace should be offered
and accepted by the South while under this feeling,
it might readily be imagined that such terms might
be directly aimed, not only at our interests, bat our
peace and safety. After alluding to the nature of
the struggle and the heroic defence of their soil by
the people of the South, Mr Spence said that the
deputation felt:it a Christian duty to urge that some
effect should be made, whatever might be its form,
to influence the termination of this deplorable
strife.
Mr. MARSU, M.P., wished to call his Lordship's
attention to the fact that the opinion that an at-
tempt at mediation would be attended with good
North,bby
the
and whole of
the the South,ti h
results was not confined to England, but was shared
tinent.
Mr DANI 34 SEYMOUR, P
peace
Europeanparty C
Con-
Mr nh e
-
M. said he joined the
deputation entirely on principles of
humanity, and

without the slightest bias towards either of the
belligerents ; he was unwilling to see slavery
flourish, but he was equally unwilling to see a
nation forced to submit to a government which they
detested,

The Rev. W. W. MALET said that his experience,
gained from a visit both to the Federal and Confes
derate States during the war, and from intercourse
with all classes of persons, both in the North and
South, was that there was a general weariness of
the war and a desire for peace.
Lord PALMERSTON, in reply, said that two facts
were abundantly clear—viz., that the war was
cruelly destructive to the Americans themselves,
and the inconvenience caused by it to other nations
was excessive. The question remained, whether
the Government had any rational ground for sup•
posing that the Federal Government would listen
to any proposal of mediation at the present moment.
There was an old couplet—
" Theoften honquarrels intorpose,
Will wipe a bloody nose."

(Laughter.) He was not afraid of a bloody nose,
but he feared that premature efforts would only have
the effect of exasperating the North, and making it
more difficult when the passions were a little calm,
to effect the object all must have in view. The Go-
vernment was led to think, from all accounts that
reached them, that this was not the moment at which
any mediatory proposals could bo usefully made.
Each party was equally confident of ultimate suc-
cess, and the North equally jealous of interference.
If, however, at any future time reasonable ground
could be shown for supposing that friendly sugges-
tions would be listened to, her Majesty's Govern-
ment would be happy to use their efforts to arrive
at such a desirable result as that of terminating this
unhappy war.

Admiral ANsorr, the chairman of the society,
having thanked his lordship for his courtesy, the
deputation withdrew.

The Assault. in a Railway Carriage.

At the Kingston Petty Sessions on Friday Mr.
Nash, who was lately brought before the Hampshire
magistrates and discharged on a question of juris-
diction, was brought up on a warrant charging him
with an indecent assault or. Miss Mary Anne Moody.
The magistrates present were Major Turner, Cap-
tain Corkran, Captain M'Kinnon, Captain Shears,
and Messrs. Western, Gill, Brown, and Hartley.

Mr. Eve, solicitor, of Aldershot, appeared for the
prisoner; Mr. Thomas Bent, Superintendent of
Police on the London and South Western Railway,
attended on behalf of the company.
Miss Moody, aged 18, sworn and examined, said,
—On the 6th of July I left Waterloo station at 10
minutes past one o'clock. I got into a second class
carriage. The prisoner got iu immediately after me.
Immediately on his getting into the carriage he sat
down opposite to me. He offered to put my parasol,
umbrella, and bag, which I held in my hand, on the
opposite side. I declined to allow him to do so. He
next asked me why I worn spectacles, and whether
I always wore them. The parasol and umbrella
were stuck up in the corner when he said that to me.
I was sitting with my face to the engine, and he was
sitting opposite to me, or rather on the opposite seat,
but not immediately opposite to me. He next offered
to shut the window on my right. That was the
window next to me. I did not object to this. Imme-
diately upon that a young woman got into the train.
He asked her where she was going, a question he
had previously put to me also. Nothing more was
said. She sat opposite to me, and the prisoner still
sat opposite to me, though not immediately opposite.
He leant back in the carriage as though he was
asleep. Nothing more was said until the young
woman got out at Surbiton. I did not know her.
While she was there either myself or she had opened
the window again, The train no sooner started than
he continued his questions to me again as to how old
I was, and almost repeated what he said before. I

did not satisfy him. He continued asking me ques-
tions, and law down along the whole length of the
carriage opposite to me, staring me in the face. I
began to be nervous, and got up to open the car-
riage depr to get out.
The Magletrates' Clerk—Was the train then
moving ?

Witless—lt had hardly moved. It had just
begun to move when he said, "Don't get out." I

shut the door and turned back as if to go to my
seat.
towhicHe then
hlob again
iected,
awnadntd
lesttoohu
odsute
p.thlwudw
got up
directly opposite to him, and when I did so I felt
his hand under my shoulder. I moved as though ana
noyed, and I felt what I supposed to be his other
hand lifting my dress. When I felt his hand about
my waste I moved again. I felt his hand placed
right round me, and just then I also felt my dress
gently raised in faont. I turned round, took up my
parasol and umbrella, and went to the carriage
door and opened it, and got out upon the step, and
got cut upon the ledge and ran along the carriage,
and I was getting. on the step of the next carriage
when somebody caught me by the wrist and dragged
me to the step of the next carriage. Then Mr.
Stokes—whose name I was told afterwards—and
another young mall, I believe, held me up. After we
had got some miles the guard stopped the train and
put me into the carriage where they were.
The Magistrates' Clerk---Whom do you mean by
" they ?"
Witnese—Why, whom should I mean but the
gentleman ? And he really is a gentleman who
pulled me into the carriage and saved my life. When
I was out on the step the prisoner shut the carriage
door that I got out of.
Witness—Yes, I believe I did. I have no doubt
Captain M.Kinnon—Did
he did so. you see him do so ?
Captain 1114Iiienon—Was it immediately after
you left ?
Witness—lt was just as I got out on the step. I
was not quite conscious of what was going on all
the time I was on the step.
The Chairman—Do you remember what was
done while you were on the step ?
Witness—Yes. I just remember something—
that I was there. I cannot remember what I said.
The Chairman—When you were taken into the
carriage was anything said to you ?
Witness—Yes; I heard the names of those who
were present. I did not know them personally.
When we got to Waking I was asked my name. I
think by the stationmaster. The prisoner was in
another compartment. They stationmaster.
gave me a glass of
water. An extra guard was
put on the carriage,
and I was sent on to Farnborough, and then the
station-master ordered me out of the carriage, and
I gave the prisoner into custody and went with him
to the police station.
A Magistrate—When you were on the step of
the carriage were you sensible ?
Witness—l can hardly say. All that.l do know
is that a gentleman took bold of me, and I fainted
while I was on his arm.
A Magistrate—Have you stated everything that
took place ?
Witness—Yes; everything as far as I know.
To the Chairman—When the prisoner lifted my
dress I did not feel his hand upon me. He did not
raise my dress more than 12 inches. He raised it
very quietly. When I felt his hand upon me under
my dress I felt alarmed. I was quite aware that I
risked my life,
and I knew that if I got out of the
carriage I was liable to be fined. My character, my
welfare, everything that is worth having in this
world, is far dearer to me than my life, and there-
fore I jumped out of the carriage. I had no doubt
of his intention, and that made me act as I did at
the r;sk of my life. I would do it now. I did
not say anything while I was on the step. The
prisoner did not assist me in any way.
Capt. M‘Kinnon—And you were willing to risk
your life?
Witness—Yes; anything. If my character had
been gone my life would have been of no value to
me.

my face to the window when the prisoner took up
Cross.examined by Mr Fal'e—l was standing with
my dress, and ho was sitting with his right arm
next to the window on the opposite side. I had
gone to the opposite end of the carriage. When
I got in he asked if I was going far, and if I was
going further than Farnham. I did not answer him.
He spoke again,
and I said "Yee," but did not say
where. I did speak to the other young woman. At
Surbiton he said ~Ilow old are yen ? you are nit

very old, you are not 18." I said, " Perhaps lam
12." Nothing more was said about my age. Ido
not think I told him where I had come from, I think
I said that I had come from 100 miles below Lon-
don; but I said that to the young person who was
in the carriage, with whom I was in conversation.
He may have heard it, or he may not, I cannot say.
I do not think I told him that I had been down in
Suffolk. He asked me various questions, but I paid
no attention to what he said. They were questions
such as any gentleman might put to a lady in a
railway carriage. He appeared to be asleep while
the young lady was in the carriage, but he suddenly
woke up when she left. I thought he had no right
to put the questions which he did. I was frightened
of him, and that was why I got out of the carriage.

I never said I was offered £2OO to compromise the
case. I would not accept of any amount to with•
draw from a case in which my character was at stake.

Mr Bent objected to the questions Mr Eve was
putting to the witness.
Mr Eve did not understand in what position Mr
Bent was there.

Mr Bent said he appeared for the railway com-
pany, who had thought fit to take up the case for
the protection of those who travelled on the line.
He knew he had no legal locus. standi.
The Chairman—There is no necessity, Mr Bent,
for you to say anything. Unless a great deal of very
different evidence is to come out, neither the com-
pany nor the young lady require any advocate.

Mr Eve asked the witness whether she offered
any opposition or resistance to the prisoner. She
replied that she did not know what he meant by
opposition or resistance. She got out of the carriage
at the risk of her life, and she could tact understand
what more effective resistance she could have made.
Upon Mr Eve pressing some further questions,
A Magistrate intimated that he thought the
cross•examination unfair.

Mr Eve—l am doing the best I can for my client.
A Magistrate—And bad is the best. (Approba-
ion in court.)

After a protracted cress-examination,

Mr Stokes and some other witnesses were ex-
amined, and proved the general facts, which are
already known to the public.
The prisoner was committed for trial, but ad-
mitted to bail in his own recognissnces of £5OO and
two sureties of £250 each.
His father and brother gave the required sureties,
and he was liberated.