The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-01 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

HERALD.—"Atdo toi, Dieu Caldera." The manly
and self-reliant motto of the Confederate States
seemed at first a too arrogant challenge to their
enemies end to the world. When four years ego
the new republic drew its sword and threw away
the scabbard, its case appeared desperate to those at
a distance who calmly cacniated the chances of its
success or failure. The Northern and Southern
peoples of the late Union, sprung from th.: Fame stock
and nurtured in the same traditions, did not se:ern 80
dissimilar that either side could he supposed to ha 79
a moral advantage which would neutralise a dis-
parity in numbers. Subtract from them the
doubtful populations of the Border States, and we
have less than six millions of Southerners to con •
tend with at least twenty millions of Northern
men. It did not seem possible at first that the
small minority should succeed in asserting its
rights without the actiNe assistance of powerful
friends. No such friends volunteered to the
rescue, and most of us regarded the cause of in-
th.pendence as loot, and looked pityingly nn the
Southerners as doomed men. The event has most
happily disappointed such melancholy forebodings.
We are now in the middle of the fourth year of tee
war, and at every point of the wide battle-field the
Southerners have by this time the best of it. hope-
less, desperate, in the last stage of exhaustion of
money and men, the North has braced itself up for
one more convulsive onslaught on the Confederate
lines. Fresh as at Ctrs!, and stimulated with con-
fidence gained by repeated victory, with resources
which are but just developing, and a supply of
material and men who seem to spring from the
ground in their country's need, the South has set
itself defiantly against the mighty hosts of its an-
tagonist, and hurled them back, bleeding and
wounded from the lines of Richmond. Such a spec-
tacle as this has never been seen in the world. It
is satisfactory to find that now and then the right
can triumph over might—that the just cause,
however weak, can prevail by the mere reason of
the confidence in its justice, which arms the breasts
of its champions with tri9le steel. The Southerners
have acted up to their have motto and well
earned their reward. They have, grandly proved
themselves a nation, and have earned the applause
of Europe, of the world, and of posterity'. We may
venture already to speak of this campaign of Lee as
the greatest of the many triumphs of a great gene-
ral. If his previous exploits had not earned it, his
successful resistance to the immense army of Grant
would have vindicated for him, alone among Ame-
rican generals of this second revolutionary war, the
title to rank with the great captains of Europe. He
is probably the only man in America who knows
how to handle au army of 100,000 men. The attacks
made upon him have been disjointed attacks, each
by a general of a division of 30,000 or 40,000 men.
There has been no effective combination between
his assailants. Sedgwicl sloes not come up until
Hancock is defeated. Burnside is somewhere in the
rear while Warren is being annihilated. The whole
mass of the Confederate army, kept well in hand,
and played altogether like the pieces on a vest
chessboard, has been set at work to crush these
generals in detail. Vigour is, doubtless, a quality
most essential for a soldier, and this military
attribute may be claimed for Genera/ Grant.
But the history of the campaign so far confirms
the opinion which We Ventured to express at the out-
set, that in science and strategy, the qualities which
command success in such extended operations,
Grant is a mere infant in the hands of Lee. The
statements of Northern telegrams, and the com-
ments made upon them in Europe, as to the repulse
of Lee and his retreat over a -rest extent of country,
are known by this time to be fictitious and illusory.
He has not been defeated. In all the sanginary
struggles from the 6th to the 13th he was victorious.
He gained tWo pitched battles—one at Wilderness,
on the 6th; the Other at Spottsylvania, on the 12th.
He has not retreated Otee d single mile of ground,
but has assumed and successfully defended the posi-
tion which from the very first he intended to
occupy, which is eight miles sont:-.-east of the Rapi-
dan fords, and bars the road to Rich;,"_ond. With
his camp behind and in front of the Ce;
River,
he fights behind earthworks which were lane:?'-
ously constructed under his directions after the
battle of Gettysburg. On hilly vantage ground,
or in thick woods where the Confederate
soldier, invisible to the enemy, cm shoot
him down at his leisure, the guns and rifles of the
Southern army can play with most deadly effect on
bodies of the enemy which may imperil themselves
on the plain in front. In the battle of the 12th the
advantages of this position were well seen. The
losses of the Confederates are supposed to have borne
no comparison with those of the army of Grant.
The slaughter of the Federals was such as has no
parallel in history. Whole regiments have disap•
peered from the muster-roll, whole divisions have
been annihilated. There is no room for the wounded
in the town of Fredericksburg, where the open
streets have been turned into hospital wards, and
the foot of man and horse stumbles as it treads on
the gaunt prostrate forms of dead and dying. 'The
wisdom of Lee's strategy has been terribly vindi
cated in a judgment which recalls to the minds of
remorseful Northerners the destruction of the host
of Sennacherib by the breath of God. It will
take 100,000 men to repair the gaps that have
been na Ade in the Federal army, and with what
sort of confidence can this hetacomb of fresh
victims be expected to march to the death
for a broken Union, whose knell has now been
sounded on these blood-stained Virginian fields P
General Grant has paid the penalty of his over-
weening presumption. M'Clellan long ago pro-
nounced the direct advance to Richmond to be
utterly impracticable. Hooker attempted it and
was ruined. Meade reconnoitered it, and coin•
cided in the opinion of M'Ciellan. Grant, nothing
daunted, rushed forward and gave battle on the
presumption that in the long run two men must
conquer one, this being the simple secret of his
vaunted strategy. It is possible, that when he

crossed the Rapidan at Germania Ford, Grant in-
tended a flank march upon Richmond, by wey 9f
Gordonsville, where he would have approached is
on the went side, comparatively undefended. Le;
rendered this movement impossible by moving for-
ward at once and attacking Grant at Wilderness.
He turned his right wing, and cut him off from
Germania Mills and the Rapidan River, driving.
him eastward upon Fredericksburg as a base of
operations, and leaving him no choice but to take
the direct road to Richmond or retreat. Having
accomplisnafi his purpose in the battle of the 6th,
Lee again took tic his impregnable position at Spot!-
sylvania, against Nv-;2ich Grant has hurled 1115
legions in vain. When tha' Federals are sufficiently
exhausted it will ba Ger.-teal Lee's ttnn to atatime
the offensive.
POST.—The debate on our Chinese policy,
which
about a month since was abruptly brought to a con-
clusion by a "count out," was resumed las'a evening
by Mr. Cobden. Mr. Cobden suggested ibr our
existing difficulties might he overcome, and all
escape effected from an embarrassing situation, bY,
the establishment of free ports and the confinement of
our trading operations to places thus subjected to
our own immediate jurisdiction. But, as Mr...
Layard observed, Shanghae and Hong Kong are &-
the present moment free ports, and the estahlishmena.
of others could only be effected by the cession to
us of Formosa and some other islands in the China
Seas. This cession would, hetsvever, be refused by
the Chinese Government, for the very sufficient
reason that the establishment of a number of free
ports would enable us to absorb the entire of the
external trade of the empire. But wheeler this
were so or not, we should find ourselves oblig 4nl to
adopt the same measures for their protection and
.
for the maintenance of our commercial relations
with the interior which we are now compelled
to employ, nor could we ever hope to isolate
ourselves completely from the country which would
constitute the base of our operations. It has bees
more than once asserted that we are assisting the,
Chinese Government to suppress a rebellion; and
thereby departing from that broad line of po;lol
which we have for at least half a century pre-
scribed to ourselves in respect to the internal dis-
sensions of foreign States. This is, however, a
grave error. To us it is a matter of indifference
what dynasty rules at Pekin. But we are obliged
to recognise a de facto Government, and more
especially so because it manifests a desire of keep'
ing faith with us. The Taepings are in arms
ostensibly for the purpose of subverting the exist:
ing Government, but in reality for the sake 0.1
plundering every town into which they can effect all
entrance. No one affects to doubt what would be
the consequences if Shanghae fell into the bands of
the Taepings. It would be given over to indis-
criminate pillage, and such of the inhabitants
as remained in it probably put to the sword,
If the rebels were actuated by the motives which
in other countries not unfrequently lead a section
of the population to resist the established Govern-
ment, it might be an open question whether wo
welejustified in aiding the Emperor of China
.to
resist nis revolted subjects, but under present cir-
cumstances no alternative is left us but to co-operate
with the authorities in resisting a common enemy
But we content ourselves with acting on the de-
fensive. We have not sent an army to China to
assist the Emperor in subduing the Taepings ; we
are satisfied with taking measures to prevent their
encroaching on territory which, though not abso-
lutely ours, we are justified in considering under
our protection. Our position in China may be
anomalous, and our relations with the Imperial Go.
vernment may be peculiar, but the former could not
be abandoned, nor the latter seriously modified
without jeopardising the lives and property of large
numbers of individuals who have taken up their
residence and invested their capital in China in the
belief that they were entitled to claim the protee•
non of the British Government.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

LIVERPOOL-TUESDAY.

There was a good attendance both of town and country
dealers at market to-day, and more business was done than
for a long time past. Wheat met with a good consume'
tive demand at id to 2d per 100 lb dearer on the sveyk•
Flour more inquired for, but nominally unaltered in price'
Oats and oatmeal a slow sale, the latter article especially.
In Indian corn there was a limited business, and quoted 3d
per qr dearer, Barley, beans, and peas were steady at pre-
vious rates.

• SHEFFIELD—TUESDAY.
At our market to-day there was a small supply Of
wheat in bulk. Higher prices were asked, but eventually
a fair business was done at last week's extreme rates•
Beans and barley at late rates. Oats advanced slightlY.
Flour atd other articles as before.

fled wheat, per load of 3 imperial bushels...lss Od to 16s Oa
White /1 ...17s Od to 18s Od

'
New red
New white „
Beans fl

..15s Od to 16s Od
...17s Od to 18s Od
...15s Gd to 17s 00

Peas, per qr
40s Od to 44s Od
Grinding barley, per qr 29s Od to 30s OA
Malting ditto, „ 32s Od to 35s Od
Oats 9 9 l9B Od to 24s Od

Flour; is 4d to is Sd per 14 lb.

MARKET HARBOROUGH—TrEsDAY.

White wheat, 41s to 41s ; red, 36s t 0398 per 36 stone•
Malting barley at 30s to 35s per qr.; grinding, 26s to 28!
per 30 st, Oats, old, 24s to 278; niw, 20s to 238 per 30
at. ; beans, 36s to 42s per qr.

MELTON MOWBRAY—TUESDAY.
The following were the currencies :—New white wheat,
408 Od to 43s Od ; new red, 36s Od to 39s per 36 stone ;
beans, 38s to 40s for old; new sorts, 35s to 37s per 33 st. .
barley, 338 to 35s,for malting, and 27s to 29s per qr. I°l
grinding; new oats, 198 to 23s Od per 24 stone; old, 24i
to 285.,

LEEDS-TUESDAY.

There was a small show of fresh grain this week, and
fair business was done in wheat, last Tuesday's rates being
rather exceeded, Oats and beans were firm,
Averages—May 30—Wheat 39s 5d per qr.
—Barley 31s B,ld
—Oats. ~20s ltd -
- —Beans 35s Gd -
-- —Peas .30s Od

BRISTOL—TUESDAY.
There was a moderate attendance of millers today, 9'la
but a very inactive business doing. English and foreigli,,
wheat held for is per qr more money. Barley dull. 00,7
a trifle easier. Beans made ls above late rates. Peas and
other spring corn dull.

Foreign Mail Packet List.

MAILS DUE.

Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton. June IS•
via Marseilles June I'2.
Brazil and Cape Yards, by British packet. June s.ri
Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena June 2".
China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton. June ,
via Marseilles June L'"

Falkland Islands..
Gibraltar, via Southampton June 2.
India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton June 2•
via Marseilles June 12.
India (Bombay), via Southampton June 11.
via Marseilles June 5•
Portugal....
Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton June 2.
via Marseilles June 5
Newfoundland
Oporto and Vigo ..

If. S. and British N. America, Ey Brit. packet.... June g.
by U.S. packet....
by Canadian packet. June 3-
Al! parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, 1 June 10.
California. and British Columbia..

[ADTERTISE]LENT.I—RoIIoway'e Ointment and Pills.l
Conclusive Evidence.—Scarcely a day passes withq:
leaving behind it some proof of the curative powers of IP%
loway's world-esteemed Ointment and Pills. A lady writeg
from Allerton, Notts, on the 7th March, 1864,—" lie!
leave to state that a few weeks ago I had the misfortune to
bruise my leg most severely. To my great surprise 013,.„
inexpressible delight, your wonderful remedies were 13"
sooner applied than they gave me ease, stopped inftanir°,;
tion, and made a perfect cure in an incredibly short tireel,
Testimonials such as the foregoing, which might be mul
tiplied to any extent, should console the afilicted, and give
hope to the de=pairing, when worn out by maladies
seem unrelievable.