The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-29 00:00:00

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT- Without a suspension of any arms! Without the in-
GARDEN. terferenee for a moment of any third party no matter
tinder the Management of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. W.
Harrison. Sole Lessees. how friendiv or sympathetic ! The military leaders
THIS EVENING Wallace's new Opera of LOVE'S
TRIUMPH Miss Louisa Pyne, and Mdme. Laura Baxter; of North and South still continuing tl:eir deadly
Messrs. George Perren, W. H. Weiss, H. Corri, A. Cooke,
and W. Harrison. strife. The opposing armies still striv.ng to their
Conductor—Mr. A. Mellon.
After which, the Grand Comic Christmas Pantomime, en-
very uttermost all the while to modiiy the condi-
idtled HARLEQUIN BEAUTY AND TilE BEAST. tion of peace by the force of arms. That such a
Doors open at half-past 6—Commence at 7.
proposition might really be entertained with perfect
seriousness, and with a due regard to national honour,
is demonstrated by means of one conclusive prece-
dent adduced from the 1 fistory of the United States;
the French Minister recalling to mind the undoubted
and indisputable fact that " The negotiation
which established the independence of the United
States commenced long before hostilities had ceased
in the New World, and the armistice was only esta-
blished by the instrument of the 30th Nov., 1782,
which, under the title of Provisional Articles, con-
tained by anticipation the principal clauses of the final
treaty of 1783." Encouraged by this remembrance,
the French Government now hesitates not to follow
up the failure of its earlier overtures, with a view
to the reconciliation of the American belligerents,
by very urgently but most courteously suggesting,
that " Representatives, or Commissioners on both
sides, should meet at a given place, which it might
i be desirable to declare neuter for that purpose;" i.e'
the purpose of negotiation.
, The only touch of anything like irony in the whole
note is discernible in the sentence which hints that
in lieu of " the accusations" at present interchanged
between North and South, there should be instituted
a simple "discussion" of the interests now unhappily
separating them from each other. Those interests,
apparently irreconcilable, there cannot be any
serious doubt may, as they inevitably must, be har-
monised. The aspiration of humanity would obvi-
ously be, to hasten the advent of the date of their
reconciliation. Having unfolded the EmrEitop.'s
revised plan—" Why," asks M. DROUYN DE
LLIErYS, in conclusion, " Why should not a
suggestion, which pays all deference to the
feelings of the United States, obtain the appro-
bation of the Federal Government ? Persuaded as
we are," adds the Minister finally, " that it (the new
proposition) is in conformity with their real inte-
rests, we do not hesitate to recommend it to their
attention ; and not having desired to make any os-
tentatious parade of influence in the proposed media-
tion of the maritime Powers, we should re-
joice, without the slightest feeling of amour
propre, at the opening of negotiations sum-
moning the two populations to discuss the
solution of their differences without the co-ope-
ration of Europe." Such is the precise nature,
tone, and tendency of the second, and we would very
earnestly trust more successful, proposition held out
to the United States of America with a view to
the prevention, if possible, of an indefinite continu-
ance of this truly disastrous effusion of blood.
The" idea" of the Emperor NAPOLEON—for which
he does not, in this instance, make war, simply con-
tenting himself with instructing his Minister for
Foreign Affairs to write an exceedingly temperate
and an eminently well-deliberated despatch—the
" idea" of NAPOLEON 111, might surely be taken
into consideration by the Federal Government
without any derogation of their dignity. It might
reasonably be responded to by the Confederates.
It comes forth opportunely enough before the Euro-
pean public at this early part of the new year—a
year, Heaven grant it, destined to mark the close of
the tremendous conflict so long raging in the North
American Republic. The publication of M. DROTYN
DE LHEYS' despatch is especially opportune at this
moment, so far as it relates to the sympathies and
American proclivities of England, occurring as it
does upon the very eve of the reassembling of our
Legislature down at Westminster. Whatever re-
sult may come of it, this new French proposition
can hardly be designated, like its predecessor,
premature! Second thoughts, it is said (rather un-
grammatically by the way) are often best. Why
not these ?

THE AT R E-R OYA L. I)RURY-LANE.-
Lessee and Manager, Mr. Edmund Falconer.
THIS EVEN ING, the Comic Drama of THE NEXT OF
KIN.
Al ter which, the Grand Pantomime of LITTLE GO IDY
TWO SHOES.

The Chambers of Commerce of Manchester and
Liverpool held their annual meetings on Monday,
to receive the report of their directors on the pro-
ceedings of the Chambers during the last year—a
year unparalleled for the distress endured and the
manly fortitude displayed by the patient and pa-
triotic sufferers. It was a year the like of which
we hope in Heaven may never be again witnessed.
It has taught a lesson severe in its infliction end
manifold in the variety of its visitations both to rich
and poor, but to the poor more immeasurably bitter
in its desolation. The directors of the Manchester
Chamber of Commerce, in whose extensive district
the calamity has been more intensely felt, not only in
their own immediate neighbourhood, but in the sur-
rounding hives of what w ere once happy industry
. and cheerful hope, lament the sad consequences oc-
casioned by the fratricidal conflict in America to
the people of Lancashire. They cannot close the
record of their proceedings during the year "with-
out expressing their profound sympathy with those
members of the community who have suffered, and
continue to suffer, so intensely by these unfortunate
events; and they desire also to pay a tribute of ad-
miration on the one hand to the patience and heroic
self-reliance displayed by the operative classes
under their many and grievous privations, and on
the other to that noble spirit of benevolence evoked
by the distress pervading all ranks throughout the
length and breadth of her MAJESTY'S dominions."
And this tribute to the sympathy of the munificent
donors is not more just to their feelings than
it is due to the honest gratitude of the Nor suf-
ferers. But, as the worthy President expressed in
his straightforward speech—it is not charity they
want, but cotton. True ; but were there no fore-
warnings in times past ta prepare for a rainy day ?
Yes, but in the midst of plenty he was laughed at
as a fool or bird of ill-omen, who ventured to em-
bitter the cup of comfort by evil forebodings. But
this applied to the employers infinitely more than
to the workers, for out of their earnings the savings
banks bear testimony to their prudence. The
masters also were not remiss in their accumulations,
for the full tide of prosperity flowed on as if it were
never to ebb. Such is the happy indifference of
human nature—it enjoys the present without much
serious apprehension for the future.
The wonderfully rapid increase in the cotton
districts served but to stimulate enterprise the more
in the busy march of successful moneymaking—and
no one seemed or cared to give a thought that such
" a roaring trade" was too good to last. The people
generally left that matter to their masters—and
masters, like Dien, too often trust to fortune without
due care to keep a good look out, as sailors are bound
to do even in the most prosperous voyage. A pro-
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So with the greedy genius of Lancashire in its
eager haste to grasp more and more of the golden
harvest of gain. America was the boundless field
that supplied the one thing needful, and that
was enough. They looked no further, but heedless
went on. It was idle to hint that circumstances
might some day change, and leave the labourer on
a barren field. The curse of slavery was repre-
sented as fraught with misery, and the trade of
Lancashire in ail its prosperity was founded on the
labour of the slave, whereas free labour would pro-