The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-27 00:00:00

this letter before us, for it is worthy alike of the
cause it represents, and of the country from which
it emanates. A calm and dignified tone is the only
true mode of dealing with bombastic tirades and
insolent demands. It is conspicuous that in Lord
WHARNCLIFFE'S letter he keeps to facts, and con.
tents himself with mentioning what it is abso-
lutely necessary to know of the affair, but in Mr.
SEWARD'S we meet with whole passages of
irrelevant matter, put in for no earthly pur-
pose but to insult and irritate those who
have done him many great services. First of
all, Lord WHARNCLIFFE takes pains to show
the foundation that unfortunately only too
plainly exists for the opinions so prevalent relative
to the sufferings of the Southern prisoners. In
support of this he quotes from a letter that was
published in the Northern papers, which was
written by a New England Unionist, who gives his
name. In this we meet with the following em-
phatic declaration—" From every prison in the
North, from Rock Island to Fort Warren, goes out
this wail of suffering humanity," and after
having mentioned the fearful effect which the
ghastly faces had upon him, he says " that
tears of shame for my country men who permit
these outrages upon humanity, tears of pity for
these poor sufferers blind my eyes." Well may
an honest and straightforward man be aroused with
feelings of mingled indignation and regret when
he beholds such_ despicable practices; and if any-
thing can add to the enormity of the crimes which
already disgrace the Federal character, it would be
the manner is which they deny their guilt, and
declare that black is white with all the effrontery
imaginable. Lord WHARNCLIFFE truly states the
full significance of the case when he says that it
these reports are untrue, as the Federals state, the
best way to disprove them would be to allow the
visit of a third party, accompanied by witnesses,
to study the real facts of the case, but Mr SEWARD
declines to allow this test to be made. Nothing
can more effectually disclose the weakness of a
cause than for its advocates thus to parry attacks
and to prevent the real issue of a question from be-
ing inquired into. In reality, Mr SEWARD has
done his best, or perhaps we should rather say his
worst, to verify the most hostile statements that
have been made against his party, but in his
ignorant infatuation he doubtless believes that
he has done wonders. The overbearing demeanour
and unparalleled impertiner co of the Washington
Government has much to learn before it mends,
but in nothing can it realise more important ad-
vances than in the conviction that the civilised states
of Europe will put their own construction on events,
and not regard them through the medium of over-
bearing self-conceit and extreme prejudice. The
voice of afflicted humanity has gone forth from
the great Continent, where the mighty Republic of
the Western World once flourished, and across lands
and oceans it has reached all cities and states. It is
quite impossible to hush up the horrors of the case
now; and it is an additional error with which
to tarnish their character, that we must regard
this shameless assertion of Mr SEWARD'S, relative to
the condition of the Southern prisoners. The ex-
treme part of the remarks made by Mr SEWARD,
in his reply to Mr ADAMS' communication, is demon-
strated here in an excellent manner. The contri,
butions that were received came from all parts of
the United Kingdom, from the Continent, from
Canada, even from the Northern States. The

Southern ladies in England were the chief promo

tors of the scheme; and is it likely, as it is here for-
cibly put, that they are concerned in foreign trade,

hence how groundless the assertion that those who
traded with the South were the main supporters
of the affair. As to the pes3age which affirms that
the War has been promoted by British subjects,
that is properly met by the remark that this can
only really apply to the assistance efforded by the
Irish and Germans who have been induced to join
in it by all sorts of inducements. It is curious to
compare the styles of the different communications

which have taken place on this staject of the Relie

Fund. Lord WHARNCLIFFE'S first letter addressed
to Mr ADAMS is a straightforward epistle, which

plainly states its purpose, and is expressed in a

spirit worthy of its cause, and does honour to those
who have undertaken to forward its interests.

Compared with Mr SEWARD'S petulant and pas-
sionate retort it shines forth conspicuous. It is

also noticeable that Mr ADAMS did not appear
to discern any such "grave insult" in the

proposal of the committee, and, on the contrary, in
some measure, appeared to acquiesce in the advan.

tage and desirability of the undertaking. He must
have been struck with the manner in which it was
taken up by Mr SEWARD, and the extreme stiffness

of his reply the second time to Lord WRARN•
CLIFFE, tends to confirm the idea that he was
unprepared for the fiery rejoinder he met with.

Two things may be learned by this episode concern-
ing the Relief Fond for the Southern prisoners; one
is that the great cruelty practised towards them is

designed and not unintentional, because if it were
produced by unavoidable circumstances, it would
not be necessary to refuse aid that costs

nothing for th€ir captors to bestow. Ano.

ther lesson is the rancorous and revengeful
feeling which evidently runs in the minds of the
Federals towards this country. It is high time
that the Confederation of the British provinces
should take place speedily, since mitchief is cer-
tainly brewing, and it is the duty as well as the
policy of those who are threatened to be prepared
against the storm. We did not need to be informed

bat the Yankees were pretentious and perverse,

but it is a sad reflection to dwell upon that the

descendants of the Anglo-Ssxon race should