The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-19 00:00:00

involved, and war was necessary to maintain the
security and the peace of Europe. But, taking the
Federal case in any way in which it can be put
most favourably for Mr. Lincoln, there is not the
shadow of a defence, not the semblance of an excuse,
not a tittle of evidence to extenuate what must be
described as a gigantic crime. In no other country
in the world would such a war have been tolerated ;
under no other form of government would it have
been possible. Monarchical England surrendered
her American colonies, not, as was proved a little
later, because she had not the means of continuing
the struggle, but in, deference to public opinion, and
in compliance with the dictates of reason and huma-
nity. But Mr. Lindsay has not stated all, nor nearly
all the liabilities of the Federal Government; for,
in summing up the account for which Mr. Lincoln
is morally answerable, it will be seen that his esti-
mate, incredibly large as it seems, falls considerably
short of what will have to be scheduled; and things
are come to such a pass, and misrepresentation has
risen to such a height of effrontery, that it is abso-
lutely necessary—not in the Confederate interest,
but in the interests of truth and justice—to wholly
tear away the mask which conceals the hideous
features of this sanguinary and abominable war.
England, as we have said, recognised the indepen-
dence of the United States on principles which re-
gulate the policy of Christian nations, and when iL
was proposed to employ savage tribes against the
colonists, the infamous suggestion was instantly de-
nounced and extinguished in the British Parliament.
one of the greatest orators of any age gave his latest
breath to save his country from that foul dishonour.
But in this war Mr, Lincoln has, in so far as he
could, armed the slaves against their masters, and
thereby virtually encoursged them to the commission
of unspeakable atrocities. It is not in the barbarous
treatment of Polish ladies, but in the indescribable
horrors of the Indian mutiny, that we have
to seek a precedent for outrages, which, in mercy
to the unhappy victims, are only partially revealed.
Sincerely do we hope that these barbarities have
been exaggerated, bat they are indirectly confirmed
by the Federal accounts of the assault on Peters-
burg, where, we are told, the Confederates were
" maddened," as well they might be, at the sight of
the black troops. They are also, to some extent,
corroborated by official documents in which Federal
officers unblushingly describe how they deal with
ladies who are suspected of harbouring Southern
sympathies. Wives who, after being rudely inter-
rogated by- a provost marshal, boldly refuse to take
the oath of allegiance to the Federal Government,
because they will not disgrace their husbands, are
sent to the South as " disloyal woman ;" and
General Sherman arrested and transported four
hundred factory girls for no ocher offence than
that they were, in their own State, which he had
invaded, engaged in manufacturing canvas for the
Confederate army. Of course the result is precisely
that which was witnessed in Maryland the other
day, when the women welcomed and aided the
Southern troopers. But what it is essential to have
understood is that this parody of Muscovite warfare
is deliberately ordered by the Federal Government,
and more especially that in arming the slaves Mr
Lincoln must have been aware of their brutal pro-
psnaities. Moreover, another secession, if not im-
minent, is contemplated. The North Western States
are preparing to follow the example set them by
their bouthern sisters, and Mr Lincoln is not only
responsible for the cost of a useless war, but also
for having sown broadcast the seeds of disintegra-
tion. He has irretrievably broken up the Union,
and it is difficult to say whether, even in the North,
nis Government is more hated or scorned. While
his own senators have charged him with usurpation
of power and a design to secure his re-election by
unfair means, his chief army will in all probability
have to retreat over ground it has encumbered with
its dead, and, abandoning an object for which it has
poured out its blood in one continuous stream, en-
deavour to save Washington from the sword and
brand of the exasperated Confederates. By sheer
force, by coercing the Northern people with
beyonets that have proved powerless against the
Southern hosts, Mr Lincoln can perhaps carry his
re-election, and call again for voainteers. But, put
it off as he may, the day of reckoning will come,
and if we add to a debt of £800,000,000 the value
of all the snips and cargoes that have been destroyed
by the Confederate cruisers, and if in the tale of
slain and disabled we include the widows and
orphans of the war, and those who have suffered
worse than either death or bereavement, there will
be a bill to pay which, if justice and courage are to
be found in the land that has been wasted, cannot
he repudiated with impunity. We must, however,
say now, as we have said all along, that this coun-
try is not called to intervene in the only way in
which her intervention could, as it appears to us, be
made at all availing. The interference Mr Lindsay
proposes would hardly, we fear, tend to strengthen
the hands of the peace party in the North ; nor can
we think that they ought to expect foreign support
in the discharge of a clearly indicated duty. But
we do entirely agree that every one amongst us who
can make his voice heard is bound to protest against
the extension of any sympathy to a Government
which has written out its doom in the blood of its
own subjects, and in that sense we have accepted
the invitation Mr Lindsay's speech offered to point
to facts which speak for themselves,

The Accident on the North London Railway

Yesterday afternoon :Dr. Lankester, coroner for
Central Middlesex, and a jury of eighteen inhabi.
tants of St. Pancras, assembled at University Col•
lege Hospital, for the purpose of opening an inquiry
as to the cLath of William Davis, aged 22, the fire-
man or stoker of the locomotive engine, which ex.
ploded at the Camden-road Station of the North
London Railway, on the morning of Tuesday last.

A number of the officials of the North London
Company and scientific gentlemen were present.
John Franklin, of Fairfield-road, Bow, said he
was half-brother of the deceased, and identified
the body. Deceased was a fireman on the North
Londo❑ Railway, and worked on engine No. 4.
Witness was a driver on the same line of railway,
and had driven the same engine eighteen months,
having only left the night previously. There was
a double shift on that line of railway, and had not

this accident happened he should bave resumed his
duties as driver of that engine at one p.m. on the
day on which the accident happened. Be-
lieved the engine was about nine years old. It had
been stopped a week together for repairs, and was
under repair about a fortnight ago fora new piston.
Had reported tubes leaking, but not as to any
weakness or defect in the stays of the fire-box, and
although they had a book to make entries in, had
never made a report about the fire-box.
Thomas Pett said he was guard in the employ of
the North London Railway, and at about 9,35 on
Tuesday morning was standing on the down plat-
form at Camden-road Station. The train to which
No. 4 engine was attached was the Chalk Farm
train. It had stood at the station about a
minute and a half, whan witness, who was about
20 yards off, heard a noise like the bursting of
a boiler tube. In an instant after heard Ithe saw a
rush of steam, and then heard a heavy crash, as if
something had fallen over into the street. Ran
through the steam, and on looking over the parapet
of the railway saw the engine lying below. Then
saw the deceased, William Davis, lying in the six-
foot. He was groaning very much. Witness picked
him lap and sent for a doctor : he carried him to the
platform, and then put him on a board to carry him
to the hospital. They put him in a van, as the
doctor would not allow him to be put in a cab.
Robert Grey said he resided at Clarendon-
cottages, Bow, and was foreman of the locomotive
shop of the North London Railway. The engine
No. 4 was about ten years old, and the company
had ten engines of the same class and of the same
age. There were some other engines older than
this. No. I was several months older. This engine
had not been often under repair. Since the accident
Lad examined the engine, and had found no defects
in the structure. The fire-box• seemed good and
sound, and the stays all sound. The inner copper
fire-box had given way. The top stays were
broken,and the rest were blown through the copper.
By the Coroner—Could not say the cause of the
accident. I have never seen an accident of this kind
before. This engine was thoroughly repaired and
tested two years ago ; they are not examined more
than once in two years. There was a small star
crack at the back of the fireabox, and it was repaired,
and a copper patch put on it, a'hic'e is there now.
The stays were examined two years ago, and were
then sound, and so they are now.
College Hospital, proved that the
of
the deceased University
died
from concussion of the brain and other injuries.
Mr William Adams said he resided at Carlisle-
terrace, Bow, and was locomotive superintendent of
Was
the North London Railway. well acquainted
the exploded engine; wasnot aware of any
-
defects in her. Had ex drained the engine since the
accident;
tz ie side of the fire-box was torn away
from the back h.:l
d top side. Could not see any
thinning of the metaal to account for it. The thick•
ness of the fire-box platO vary from r
th three-eighths
ee•eights,
to half en inch. This was tariginallY
and was worn away about one•sixteenth.
By the jury—There was nothing
shortness of water and high to show that
pressure caused this
accident. If the firebox gave way the water would
rush in and cause the accident.
The Coroner—Has the Government yet sent down
any one to inspect the engine?
Witness—No, but it has been reported.
By the Jury—l deny that the ungints on the
North London Railway do double the amount of
week of engines on any other line. Lae t:verage