The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-23 00:00:00

need of a fuss or confusion about it; but when he
goes out of his way to insult and abuse the British
people in teto, and to state direct and unquestion•
able falsehoods,- to make out his case, it is surely
time to direct attention to the inconsistency and
unworthiness of his conduct, and to utter a protest
against it. Under cover of a particular case, and '
not a general question, Mr SEWARD avails himself
of his opportunity in what may be called a des.
tardly fashion. It is really difficult to determine
which is the most conspicuous feature in his address
—whether his impertinence or his falsity. Perhaps
the latter should be first considered, not only on
moral grounds,but to note the effrontery with which
some persons make black white to suit their purpose.
Who would have believed that a man in so respon-
sible a position would have given utterance to such
expressions as the following passage contains:—
" Nor will any portion of the American people be
disposed to regard the sum thus ostentatiously
offered as an equivalent for the devastation and
dissolution which a civil war, promoted by British
subjects, has spread throughout the States, which
before were eminently prosperous and happy." It
certainly was not generally known before Mr
SEWARD so kirrdly gave us the information that
this country was the cause of the deplorable cala-
mity of the civil war which rages with such vio-
lence and fury. Besides, how can Mr SEWARD
dare to make such assertions in face of the repeated
attempts of the Federals to cajole our subjects, and
by false pretences to entrap them over to America
to engage in a war. It is really going too far for
even Yankee assurance, and no doubt he will find
he has overreached himself by this clever and
comprehensive epistle. When we call to witness
the warning of the father of his country against
the worst public danger, "sectional faction and
foreign intrigue," it naturally occurs to the mind
that, as regards the latter named peril, we are now
suffering from it. Our subjects are taken from us,
our sailors are entrapped into foreign service, and
arms and ammunition are constantly being supplied
for the maintenance of a war in which we have no
interest except in so far as we pray for its termi-
nation, in the cause of humanity. A more disgrace.
ful epistle could not have emanated from an official
personage than this letter of Mr. SEWARD'S, and as
a communication from so important a personage it
means either too much or too little. If he really
believes and honestly affirms in the name of his
Government, one half of which he has said, in the
name of public honour and private honesty the
Government at Washington cannot remain on
terms with Great Britain. It is not paying a very
high compliment to their own management of affairs
in relation to public affairs, if they have not been
able to impress their allies with more respect for
their dignity and a due regard for their wishes.
The fact is, that the Federals are becoming so arro-
gant and monopolising that they are almost beyond
endurance. The strong influence that has prevailed
in our Cabinet has caused Earl RUSSELL to forego
the pursuance of the only means which would have
kept them in due limits, and in his zeal to propitiate
the irritation of America, he has forgotten his duty
to the English. He has been warned over and over
again of the great mistake that he was making by
the tame and mean-spirited policy, but to no avail.
Those who run may read now, how complete has been
his failure, if he wished to be on good and genial
terms with the Government at Washington. The
tone of this letter is portentous; it means more than
it says, more than it dares to say. Rave and rant
as they will, the Americans really dread a war
with England just now, but still the deep rancour,
the deadly spite that flows in an under current
through this epistle is quite apparent, and impos-
sible to be overlooked. The real secret of all this
Federal rancour is contained in the fact that they
are too sharp not to notice the sentiment of the
English nation, and to see that the sympathies of
the people go with their adversaries. Setting aside
the rights of the case, and all that series of vexed
questions which such a complicated discussion gives
rise to, the English people can see for themselves
that on one side of the belligerents there has been
exhibited a spirit of courage and a constancy
that would do honour to any cause, while
on the other there has been seen hardly
anything but arrogance and bluster. A total dis-
regard for the rules of civilised nations has marked
the course of the war on the part of the Federals,
and now they seem wishing to try their skill in the
matter of peaceful breggadocia. It is melancholy
to behold such an exhibition of undisguised heat
and hastiness on the part of Mr SEWARD. It lowers
him in the opinion of ail sensible and discerning
persons. It would seem as if this epistle was meant
as a corollary to Mr WEBB'S effusion. The Ameri-
cans are perhaps running a race and striving for a
prize as complete letter writers, and certainly they
are putting forth great exertions and energy in the
cause. One thing beyond all others is to be learnt
from this communication of Mr SEWARD'S, and
that is our Foreign-office is greatly to blame for
having suffered things to go to such a length
that any one in his position should presume to pen
each an epistle, and to offer either openly or
covertly such an insult to a country which is
supposed to be on terms of amity with his Go-
vernment. Such extravagant conduct will not
answer its own unworthy ends in the long run,
and in the meantime it calls down the contempt of
all who are competent to judge of the matter.

There is often said to be a sort of epidemic in
crimes, and magistrates and podcemen are always
prepared, when a crime of peculiar or exceptional
character has attracted much attention, to have a
good many imitators of the principal culprit to deal
with. Sametimes poisoning comes into fashion, as
at the time of PALMER, of Rugeley ; sometimes
open murder, as in the case of Rusll, at Norwich ;
or, again, suicides of various kinds come into passing
favour. It is difficult for minds ordinarily well
balanced to comprehend or realise the morbid crav-
ing after excitement which leads to putting oneself
out of the world for the sake of being talked about,
when the hero or heroine will not have the pleasure
of bearing the remarks that will be passed upon
the grand catastrophe, and the attraction
which induces a man or woman to commit
some particular crime because another has just been
hung or transported for it, is even more extraordi-
nary. Still such is undoubtedly the case, and
psychologists may find some explanation of it in
the strange depths of human nature ; but how are
we to account for the remarkable coincidence which
so often brirgs accident into close proximity. It
has often been noticed that one catastrophe is
speedily followed by others; yet it might naturally
he supposed that each disaster would occasion in-
creased care, and therefore icseen the probability of
another. Jost now we have an epidemic among
the railways, as unfortunately we have very often
had before, Two of the Accidents which in late
yearn moat deeply impressed the metropolis from
their immediate connection with its citizens, occur-
s
the
Eghsainueia-astri
n g
rmeduwthithin a few days of each other, and not many
accident, opfa n disasters,fnll
y ntar
tstartled beginning
the
of railway passe world with
lagers. But the impression, though
vivid at the moment, soon passes away, unless with
those who have themselves suffered,
or seen rela-
tives suffer; it is as though it had never been ; and
ughappiiy, not only the travallgre I,ut the railway,