The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-26 00:00:00

friend of Mr. Lincoln, but who urged his friends to vote
the Democratic ticket at the November election as the only
means of saving the 'Union. In consequence of the pro.
ceedings of the Democrats, the Abolition members have
seceded from the Legislature, and threaten to revolutionise
the state. Kentucky has also appointed commissioners to
the Louisville Conference in March, and it is believed
that all the loyal Middle and Western States will be re-
presented. The revolutions in the Indiana Legislature
demand the establishment of an armistice as soon as practic-
able, and a convention of all the States, including those of
the Confederacy, to be held at Nashville, Tennessee, on the
Ist of June. The New York Assembly, by a vote of 95
against 4, has authorised the governor to invite General
III'CLELLdN to visit Albany as the guest of the State."
The grand army of the Potomac is no more. The
mad attempt of General BURNSIDE, urged on by the
"No-nothings" of Washington and New York, in
spite of the prudent refusal of General M'CLELLAN
the only able commander of the North gave it its
death-blow. Disorganised and demoralised as it had
been for some time previous to the removal of its
favourite general and a disastrous defeat, coupled
with the loss of upwards of 10,000 of its best
soldiers, left
,it but a disorderly rabble, and now
weakened as it is by the desertion of thousands we
learn that 35,000 men will be detached from it to
proceed [to] Suffolk,' Virginia, under the command
of General BURNSIDE, thus but a comparatively
small force will be left to hold General LEE in
check, and so protect Washington. The grand
army, which was got together at such an enormous
expense, and from which so much was expected, has
dwindled down to a mere advanced guard to protect
the capital. Its only attempts to subdue its adver-
saries having resulted in a disastrous retreat and
a crushing repulse. These bloody conflicts and
this unnatural war are fast coming to a termina-
tion. Money and men are failing in the North.
It is impossible for love or money to raise another
fifty thousand men, while with gold ranging from
50 to 60 per cent. premium, the monied men are
loath to speculate on Government security seeing
how imbecile the cabinet of President LINCOLN is.
The general disaffection of the Border States and
the distrust and opposition that the President's
mighty Proclamation has caused in the North-West
and South-Eastern States foreshadows too plainly
that the day of President LINCOLN'S supre-
macy are numbered. He was hailed as the
saviour of the Republic, he has proved to be its
destroyer, by his obstinate determination to preserve
the Union at any cost, and refusing to a few
Southern States the right of secession, he has laid
the foundation to the separation of the North-
Western States, and hampered the country with a
debt that will for ever oppress it. Meanwhile the
publication of the correspondence of Messrs. SEWARD.
and MERCIER is creating excitement in New York
and Washington. Mr. SEWARD repudiates the
idea that he ever requested M. Mercier to visit
Richmond, in order to endeavour to bring about a
reconciliation with the South, thus disavowing the
only really public act for which he has yet deserved
credit. A few days may bring us intelligence of
the result of the impending attacks on Vicksburg
and Charleston, success to the Northern arms, if such
should chance can but protract the war, and raise
vain hopes in the bosoms of a few deluded mortals,
their repulse—which is more than probable—will
virtually end the war.

The progress of railways had much to encounter
from the very beginning. Prejudice and self-
interest went hand in hand against the un-
known intruder. People in the country were 1
wise beyond their fellows as to the utter
uselessness of such an unheard-of innovation.
What could railways presume to do that the
noble and willing horse could not achieve ? Their
forefathers did very well without such encum-
brances, and why should not their sons jog on like-
wise ? Such was the argument of pedantry, igno-
rance, and self-conceit against the introduction of
railways in days gone by. Even the atmosphere of
the Legislature was then tainted by sympathetic cre-
dulity—for few listened with patience to the tale of
professional belief in the magic wonders yet to be.
The improvement was far too good to be true,
and genius in this, as in many other inventions, had
to mourn the obstacle which obstinacy thrust in
his way. But we must persevere, as GEORGE
STEPHENSON said to those who despaired of ever
crossing the Chat Moss in making the line along
that unfathomable bog—we must still persevere,
and lo ! perseverance conquered the supposed im-
possibility. Such was a sample of some of the
wise people of that day, who seemed to have for-
gotten the prophetic fervour of DARWIN in his en-
thusiastic strain :

" Soon shall thine aid, unrivalled steam, afar,
Urge the slow barge, or drive the rapid car I"

Seeing is believing, they say, but some will per-
sist in their own notion,—and persuasion were as
hopeless as it would be unprofitable. No wonder,
then, at the difficulties encountered in the very out-
set of any enterprise, however promising. The idea
is chimerical, says the party indisposed to counte-
nance the project, and thus throws cold water onthe
eager temperament of the sanguine enthusiast.
"Anything but money or help!—you shall have my
best advice—and so on. What wonder, then, that
public improvement ever sees the light of day but
for the daring devotion of the indomitable mind
rising in proportion to the difficulties interposed.
And so it was, and ever will be. Genius is as in-
comprehensible as it is impulsive,—treads on
thorns while it confers with Divinity. It conceives
and plans, and explains, but all beyond the concep-
tion of those who hear, but will not, and often can •
not, understand. Hence the ever-recurring indif-
ference of the world to the man who labours to
improve the condition of his fellow-men by the
development of his invention.

Even so it has been with railways in the country
—and now the hue and cry is raised in London
against a remedy for the very grievance they have
been complaining of day and night for some years
past. As the population increases, the streets seem
to decrease. Your course is blocked up wherever
you turn by vehicles of every description, or ob-
structed by dense crowds wherever you go. To
widen the communications would be expensive to
the public, while it would be ruinous to individuals
during their construction. There is no help for it,
but to grumble. That's some satisfaction, at least
to him who delights in abusing what he will not
tolerate any more than his irritable neighbours.

Poor JOHN BULL !—too rich to be happy, and too
proud to be taught. It is a national weakness, and
he likes it all the more, because he can grumble to
his heart's content while plodding on to indepen-
dence. He likes railways in the country, but
cannot boar them in the town—and to go under-
ground would be like seeking the valley of the
shadow of death. Thus reasoned the doubting
mind when 10, after much burrowing through devious
drains and unmentionable curiosities, tho Metropo-
litan Underground Railway emerged on the won-
dering disbelief of London. And if one line
11"1 West to East relieve the public pressure,
why should there not ba other lines diverging from
all points of the compass, and converging in one
or more central localities—as it may suit the
public convenience, and so relieve the general ne-
cessity ? It is but the application of common sense
to supply a common remedy. It benefits all to the
injury of none. Yet prejudice and motives, which