The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-01 00:00:00

sltisfaction of feeling that they have done their
part to ease the burdens, lighten the sorrows, and

assaug,.e the sufferings of those whom Providence,
for some wise purpose, has placed beneath them
here in temporal advantages, but who are heirs, of
the same eternal and glorious privileges that they,
as Christians, trust to enjoy hereafter.

It is not surprising that in the address recently
issued by JEFFERSON DAVIS to the Confederate
States, the Southern President should speak with
some degree of pride of the achievements of the
young Republic. The close of the second year of
the war leaves the Confederacy, which began the
contest against such desperate odds, possessed of the
vantage around which the mere fact of having held
out so long against all the forces of the North mast
give them. Besides this general gain, and the
strength they derive from their moral recognition by
Europe, they have obtained substantial alvantages,
of which President DAVIS reminds his people.
The naval achievements of the Confederates may
well be their proudest boast, for on the very point
in which their deficiencies:were most manifest, they
have won the greatest distinction. "We began
this struggle," says President DAVIS, " without a
single gun afloat, while the resources of our enemy
enabled them to gather fleets which, according to
their official list, published in August last, con-
sisted of 437 vessels, measuring 840,086 tons, and
carrying 3,026 gnus; yet we have captured, sunk,
or destroyed a number of these vessels, including
two large frigates and one steam-sloop of war,
while four of their captured steam gunboats are
now in our possession, adding to the strength of
our little navy, which is rapidly gaining in num-
bers and efficiency."
In no respect have the Confederates proved their
English origin more completely than in the skill
and aptitude of their seamen, labouring as they
did under every disadvantage. The exploit at
Charleston, which raised the boasted blockade for
a few hours, showed the daring of the besieged as
well as their seamanship; and no part of the failures
of the North has been more mortifying to them
than their naval defeats and disappointments.
It is the spirit, unanimity, and resolution of the
Southern States that has wen them the sympathy
of this country. At the outbreak of hostilities we
were prejudiced against the Confederates by their
perversity in upholding their right to their atro-
cious " domestic institution ;" but it was not long
before we perceived that the war had no claim to be
considered a war for abolition. It was a war for mo-
nopoly and priority on the one hand, and for inde-
pendence on the other; and the resolution and per-
severance which have upheld the South through
the dreary months when, according to the admission
of President DAvis, they were compelled to refuse
thousands of volunteers for lack of arms, and many
of their strongholds owed their safety to the care-
ful concealment of the fact, that there was no supply
of powder for the protecting cannon. The people
of the Southern States have cause to remember with
pride, that " to oppose invading forces, which have
already exceeded 1,300,000 men, they had no
resources but the unconquerable valour of a people
determined to be free;" and the tremendous ob

stacles they have successfully surmounted, prove
that they belong to a race worthy of some-

thing better than the defence of a traffic
which disgraces humanity. Alter touching on
other topics connected with the war, in all of which
he finds grounds for hope and confidence, Presi-

dent DAVIS goes on to appeal to the patriotism of
his people. He begs them not to be deluded
by false expectations of speedy peace, to
forget that the recent disastrous seasons
have reduced the supplies of the army,
far below the ordinary level. He charges them,

therefore, to contribute to the cfficiency of the troops
and the maintenance of their brave soldiers, by de-

voting their fields for this season, at least, to the

production of food for man and beast. " Let corn,"

he adds, '• be sowed broadcast for fodder in immediate

proximity to railroads, rivers,and canals, and let a

your Efforts be directed to the prompt supply o

these articles in the districts where our armies are

operating." He also calls upon the people to
assist in procuring a good supply of meat

for the army, which various circumstances have

contributed to keep out of the market. 13y

his President DAVIS shows, as he has often

shown before, his capacities for statesmanship, and

_ .
certainly he has more cause to feel satin

fled with the result of his two years o
Presidency than his northern rival has. Lei

us hope that when success eventually crowns
the efforts of Southern gallantry, they will show
themselves as worthy to prospar in peace as to

conquer in war by loosening the fetters of the

slave, and thus gradually plsiiing themselves in the

"rout rank of civilisation and freedom.

Oar colonial policy has of late been frequently
under discussion, and we are not surprised that,
under existing circumstances, the military defence
of Canada and New Zealand should have been
brought under the consideration of the House of
Commons. Nothing very new was elicited on Tues-
day night by Mr. MlLLs's motion for the produc-
tion of the recent correspondence on this subject
between the Colonial office and the Governors-
General; but it is well for the matter to be openly
discussed and fairly considered. It appears to us,
however, that hon. members enter on these debates
in a spirit somewhat hostile and antagonistic to the
colonies, not sufficiently weighing the difficulties
with which young and unsettled countries have to
contend, nor allowing for the many drawbacks
which our own narrow and shortsighted policy has
placed in their way. We have recently seen an
eloquent and able pamphlet * from the pen of the
Hon. JOSEPH HowE, Premier of Nova Scotia,
which sets forward very clearly and forcibly the
colonial side of the question ; and although some
allowance must necessarily be made for natural feel-
ing and association, he certainly makes out a strong
case. We commend the attentive study of the facts
he adduces, to the consideration of all interested in
the matter,
since it is only just and
reasonable to
attachment Mr.—T-T°ls-eofetlitae North
ihne athe strongest
nsgi de
sets
toefr
ma
sc, atshee.
American colonies to the mother country. Re de-
scribes them as proud of the connection, rejoicing
in England's success, and sympathising with her
sorrow; contented with the laws under which they
live, satisfied with the system of administration,
and glorying in their share of the arts, science,
and literature of the Empire. He complains, how-
ever, that England does not meet this warmth of
feeling with a cordial return ; that " Norway and
IVurtemberg, with their million and a half of people
—Saxony, with its two millions—even Oldenburg
and Brunswick, with their quarter of a million,
are treated in England with a deference and dis-
tinction never accorded in this country to the
North American provinces with their four millions."
He complains, also, that although California is re-
presented at Washington, and Algeria at Paris, no
delegate from the English colonies is permitted
to represent their interests in the English
Parliament. Thriving as are the fortunes
of
the North American colonies at present, Mr.
HowE says with justice that they might
be in a very different position had not the home
legislation fettered their energies and restricted