The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-15 00:00:00

The South has numbered up the most various and the

most signal victories, and has given rise upon the
battle-fields to the most illustrious reputations !
The Northern armies, and not those of the South,
have familiarized observers in Europe with the
ignominious fact expressed by the ludicrous word
—Skedaddling! One Federal Commander-in-
Chief after another has been worsted, while General
LEE has held the same post of honour and respon-
sibility over the Confederate forces, un-
interruptedly to this hour, with this only
change, in himself, as the Southern Commander-in-
Chief, that he has been increasing his high repute
all this while as a Great Captain, by the variety and
importance of his warlike achievements. Grouped
about that one central figure of LEE as the Foremost
soldier of the South, Generals like " STONEWALL,'
JACKSON, and like BEAUREGARD, and JOHNSTONE,
and a throng of other brilliant chieftains, have ap-
peared during the progress of the conflict—leaders
with whom the Federals themselves have none, no not
one in any way fitted to compete. As MANHATTAN
has it, the Panther of rebellion in the Confederate
States, has been hunted "up a tree" by the Federal
Government—it is true : but, lo! and behold the
hunter finds his piece, the weapon upon which he
has been relying, not loaded ! He cannot run—or
the Panther will be after him ! He lies down—
and waits ! The Panther waiting, too, probably—
for a spring !

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The Maories are still
not altogether satisfactory. su character, hf ar t Newer,
in a state of great excitement throughout the whole
of the Northern Island, and, from their numbers
and resources, their proceedings canact be regarded
with indifference. We heard a short time since that
General CA:SIN:RCN'S energetic measures had struck
terror to their minds ; that the English soldiers had
occupied the disputed blcek of ground ; and that
the colonists were sanguine as to the results. Now,
however, all seems to be changed for the worse.
We learn from the Australian papers of last month
that the troops, for some unexplained reason, have
been withdrawn from Tataraimaka, leaving only a
garrison, a circumstance which has given great
encouragement to the natives, who have mustered
in considerable force---5,000 Waikatos having taken
the field. It is rumoured that they have threatened
Auckland, and, what is still more surprising, that
they have captured an English schooner, hoisted
the colours of WIREMU KINGI, and sailed up and
down before Government House by way of bravado.
Unless these accounts are very greatly exaggerated,
it seems strange that our authorities should not act
with more promptitude and vigour. According to
the latest intelligence no fighting had then cccurred ;
but the Waikatos were busily engaged in entrench-
ing themselves ; while volunteers were on duty at
Auckland, and the Governor had issued a requisi-
tion to the Maories to lay down their arms and
swear allegiance. This may be a necessary form,
but it is certainly not very likely that the Waikato,
will heed it, and it seems singular that they should
be allowed to entrench themselves unmolested.
Their fortifications are not to be despised, for they
have obtained a good idea of throwing up earth-
works, so as to make a formidable resistance. Why
they should be suffered to turn this knowledge to
account if there are men enough in the island to
prevent them is hard to guess, as it is manifest that
the outbreak must be put down with a strong hand,
and that nothing can be hoped from forbearance
and conciliation. The natives misconstrue ever
sign of toleration and mercy into an evidence of
fear of provoking them, and this mistake has been
very often committed o° late years by our autho-
rities. The savage and relentless cruelty of
PIzARRO has found no imitators in modern times,
but the aborigines have often doubtless been the
victims of harshness and oppression in European
colonies up to a very recent date. The very pre-
sence of the white man, with his knowledge, his
energy, his skill, and his power is prejudicial to the
original race. However few in numbers or scantily
equipped, the settlers are generally regarded with
not unfounded suspicion by the natives, and in their
sense of the justice of this feeling, and our contrition
for the cruelty and greed of other days, many ex-
cellent persons have rushed into the opposite ex-
treme. Conscious of the horrors of a war in which,
however secure our ultimate success, stray travellers
and outlying settlers are at the mercy of the
natives; conscious, too, of the less and inconvenience
occasioned to the colony and colonists generally, by
long-pending strife and internecine warfare, they
been so eager to avoid giving provocation that they
have let the Maori perceive that they dreaded war.
Thenceforward the natives, ignorant of the vast
power lying
in the shadow of their pretentious but
inactive Government, have been ready to avail
themselves of any trifling excuse to endeavour to
regain their pre-eminence in the islands. Some
months since we remember seeing a letter which a
resident in New Zealand had addressed to an Aus-
tralian paper, in which he expressed the indigna-
tion felt by the colonists at the manner which the
natives were allowed to assume, and the petty
tyranny which they exercised over European
settlers. The writer expressed his conviction that
before long the authorities would see reason to re-
pent of the line of action they were pursuing, since
the insolence of the Maories Was growing un-
bounded. Such anticipations have been but too
soon verified. However energetically defensive
measures are now being carried on, it is too late to
usurp
snudrop
themischiefthepowerand
don done by allowing the natives to
privileges
which
they have
hitherto assumed ; but it is all important to

succeed, if possible, in overawing them
at
the commencement of hostilities. It Was hoped
that the movements of General CAMERON, Which
we recorded last month, would have had that effect,
but the unfortunate removal of the great body of

troops from Tataraimaka seems to have given them

fresh encouragement. The Taranaki Herald o:

July 11th, a New Zealand paper, asserts that the
withdrawal of the troops from Tataraimaka has

excited the natives wonderfully, and they boast that
they will drive the Jakehas into the sea. Some of

their own race who are interested in the matter

stir them up with false reports, and the priests and
prophets with their incantations and predictions
help on the mischief. Six of these ill-timed Booth-

sayers have arisen within six weeks ; all agreeing
in foretelling a great reverse and subsequent suc-
. _ _

cesses, including the capture of New Plymouth,
and the driving of all the English soldiers into the
sea, a climax which seems to be the great object of
their ambition. As the Maories put much faith in
these prophets, we must not therefore hope that one
defeat will discomfit them, seeing it is thus foretold
as the forerunner of such signal triumphs. Native
spies, too, help the enemy by carrying them intel-
ligence of proposed attacks. On a recent occasion, an
old woman, under pretence of hawking firewood,
contrived to elude the pickets at New Plymouth,
and carried the news to a neighbouring pah of a
proposed attack upon it the next morning. In-
stantly messengers were despatched for assistance,
and 800 picked men were ready to meet the assault.
Our Government has thus many and serious

difficulties to contend af?;ainst, and Governor

and General have alike need of all their

prudence, sagacity, and resolution. The colonists,

it is said, place fall confidence in Cr;n. CAMERON,