The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-04 00:00:00

THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA.

(From the Times' Correspondent.)
NEW YORK, JULY 21.
All fears of an immediate renewal of the riots o
last week are at an end. Business has resumed its
asual aspect; the streets are free for traffic from one
end of the city to the other; the labourers have re-
turned to their work, and the negroes have again
ventured to show themselves in their ordinary
haunts and to follow their ordinary business. The
order has gone forth from Washington that the
draught will he rigidly enforced ; but very few per-
sons are to be found who believe in the menace, or
think it anything more than " buncomt,!," or an
assertion of the dignity and supremacy of the Go-
vernment. As it is well known at Washington
that the great majority of the labouring population
of New York are of Irish birth and descent, and
that they, far more than the Germans and native-
born Americans, are opposed to the conscription, Mr.
Lincoln (or perhaps it was Mr. Seward) bethought
himself of the old and never-failing dodge of Ame-
rican politicians whenever they find themselves
in a
difficulty with their own people, and instructed his
supporters in the press to notify that the enforce-
ment of the draught was not necessary for the con-
quest of the South, but for the probable contingency
of a war with reat Britain. It was thought that
if anything could reconcile the Irish to compulsory
service in the Federal army it would be the prospect
of a war with the " Sassenach," and that for this
object, if for no other, the hundred and thirty
thousand strong men of the Finnian or Fcenian
brotherhood would cheerfully gird their loins for
battle, and exert all their influence with their com-
patriots to induce them to do likewise. So ready
was the Federal Government for a new war, with
allits consequences, that it was declared to be its
unalterable determination to make the legal deci-
sion of the British Courts in the case of the Alex-
andra a pretext for the immediate declaration of
hostilities. It cannot be said, however, that this
well-worn expedient answered its purpose. For
once the Irish were hard of belief, and could not
see the wisdom of rushing needlessly into a new war
when the old one was so difficult to bring to an hon-
ourable conclusion. If the Federal Government
required volunteers for such a war, it is highly pro-
bable that large numbers of the Americo-Hibernians
would respond with enthusiasm ; but not even for
a war with Great Britain—which they do not be-
lieve to be imminent, or even likely, whatever the
organs of the Government ma -y be instructed to allege
to the contrary—will they submit to the draught.
They have been taught that it is illegal. They know
it to be disagreeable, and they will resist again, as
they resisted before, should the Government attempt
to enforce it. And as nearly the whole of the Demo-

ovate party in this State, with Governor Seymour at
its head, share their views, and are determined to
test the validity of the act in the courts of New
York, and ultimately, if necessary, to appeal to the
Supreme Court of Judicature at Washington, the
chances are that there will be no more rioting, and
that the Federal Government will be baulked, at
least for awhile, of its favourite design of over-
riding the State authority and establishing martial
law in New York. I have reason to know, how-
ever, that the quietude of the people is more as-
sumed than real, that the opposition to the draught
is unabated, and that, should the Government, in
spite of the sharp notice it has received of its un-
popularity, persist in the endeavour to enforce it,
the action of the multitude will be more formidable
than before, and will severely test the Federal power
in this city. The people will not interfere with the
mechanical process of the draught. The wheels of
Fortune will be allowed to turn freely in the places
appointed for the purpose; the blind-folded dippers
into the urn will draw out the names without in-
terruption, and the lists of the conscripts will ap-
pear in the newspapers as if everything was alike
fair and acceptable to the people. The opposition
will break out at a later etage cl the proceedings,
at the expiry of the d.ive of grace, when the con-
script who does not present himself fax military
duty is to be considered a deserter. All over New
York and in the adjoining cities of Brooklyn and
Jersey, as well as in remoter and less known suburb
of this great capital, the working men have enrolled
themselves into clubs and secret societies, the mem-
bers of which severally and collectively pledge
themselves not to allow any one of their number to
be abducted from his home of business, or forcibly
taken away for military service, without offering
armed resistance. They will stand upon the de:
fensive. They will permit no burning down ot

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