The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-30 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 1863.

If nothing whatever is to come of it, i t is cer-
tainly very remarkable—it is more than that, it is
utterly incomprehensible—that the recognised
organ of Lord PALMERSTON'S opinions—that is to
say, of course, our esteemed contemporary, the
Morning Post—has to-day avowed itself quite dis-
tinctly, positively, and unreservedly in favour of
the recognition of the Southern States as an inde-
pendent Confederacy. Within a very few hours
prior to the bringing forward by Mr. ROEBUCK
of his long and eagerly expected motion for the re-
cognition of toe Confederate States of America as
an independent Government, the kno.vn organ of
the political opinions of the Prime Minister of
England, pronounces itself decidedly, and we had
almost said decisively, in favour of that very
declaration ! Supposing—we cannot but reflect—
that nothing should come of all which, the course
pursued by our contemporary, in pronouncing so
remarkable an opinion, et ould.be altogether incom-
prehensible. Unless the Premier is prepared to ac-
cede to Mr. ROEBUCK'S proposition, before the close
of the debate, about to be commenced this very even-
ing by that hon. and learned gentleman, the noble
Viscount will appear to have deliberately allowed the
chosen organ of his own individual opinions to have
done nothing less than stultify itself. Mr. ROEBUCK'S
motion for to-night, remember, is simply as fol-
lows—" That an humble address be presented to
her MAJESTY, praying that she will be graciously
pleased to enter into negotiations with the great
Powers of Europe for the purpose of obtaining
their co-operation in the recognition of the indepen-
dence of the Confederate States of North America."
A proposition containing within it, in that brief
space of a single sentence, the whole gist of the
first leading article of our Palmerstonian contem-
porary. That formal declaration by the Post in
favour of the recognition of the independence of the
Southern States, we regard as altogether too signi-
ficant to be passed by lightly, and as unworthy of
any particular consideration. On the contrary we
are disposed to look upon it as a favourable augury.
As such, in effect, we republish it elsewhere in oar
own columns this evening.
The result of Mr. ROEBUCK'S motion, at the
close of the important debate which that motion

is certain this evening to inaugurate—the re-
sult of the discussion about to be now immedi-
ately commenced, cannot but come (directly after
this declaration of Lord PALMERSTON'S organ has
made its appearance) either as a climax, or as an
anti-climax. There is no issue, in any way pos-
sible, that can come intermediately. Whatever the
result may be—whether Mr. ROEBUCK'S motion
be acceded to, or rejected, by the Government of
Lord PALMERSTON, now that the organ of Lord
PALMERSTON has pronounced, as it has pronounced,
and of course with Lord PALMERSTON'S knowledge,
in favour of views to all intents and purposes coin-
cident with those expressed by the motion of the
hon. and learned member for Sheffield, the result
cannot fall to be one of those two things, either a
climax or an anti-climax. A climax to Mr. ROE-
BUCK'S motion
and to the coincident declaration of
Lord PALMtasToN,
organ—in the event that is of
its acceptance by Lord PALMERSTON'S Government.
An anti-climax in the
reverse continency. No-
thing whatever being in any Way possible, as we
have already observed, bet
as we would here
again distinctly reiterate —betwixt and be-
tween those horns of the dilemma, but
cannot Never yet, .we
one simple alternative.
our-
selves but be convinced, never yet Was the
the well-
knownt r
phrase of NAPOLEON
Great more strictly
applicable to any political situation occurring in I
our own times—The Peer, in this instance, is ripe
to the very core. It remains only to be seen
whether Mr. ROEBUCK'S hand is strong enough ,-)o
to shake the sturdy bole of Public Opinion in this
country, as visible in the British House of Com-
mons, that the ripened pear shall drop. One thing
is certain, at any rate, before the debate upon the
hon. and learned member's motion has yet fairly
commenced—if Mr. ROEBUCK'S effort be but
aided and abetted, with a will, by Her MA-
JESTY'S Opposition, the Government must perforce
give way! Either by "going out" at the tail of a
minority, or by swelling the ranks of the motley
majority in direct antagonism to the infatuated few
'Who still cling to an all but despairing belief in the