The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-26 00:00:00

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rates, and are reduced to the European state'isra,
unable to lay by a shilling for a rainy 4aye ,
instances the masters have yielded to theAtmarideilekseiffj.7)
the men, in others they have resisted I:tid.eoritiiiiits**//s; e
resist,more especially the contractors for the q.leaneliili.'Ke
of the streets. The consequence is that the filt4
garbage of the city, exposed in barrels upon the
foot pavements for the contractors to clear away,
has been left untouched for nearly ten days, seething
and simmering in the rays of the hot sun, and emit-
ting such foul odours as compel the unhappy way-
farer to hold his nose as he passes, and deprecate
in silent prayer the pestilence which is but too likely
to flow from the dense malaria that reeks on every
side. The prices of provisions and necessaries are
calculated by the retail dealers at a far higher rate
of increase than that which would be warranted by
the rise in gold. Three months ego gold was at a
premium of 73 per cent., and it now stands at 42
a difference of 34 per cent., but the upward start in
prices, taken at the high rate of go;d, has maintained
itself at the lower, so that the poor labourer suffers
a double logs. Every night m =-stings of 'he working
men are held to tic b ite the cendltions which labour
is to dictate to capital in a country were labour
is so scarce as to be virtually the " boss" of the
" bosses ;" and every night an attempt of some
kind or other is made on the part of tie employers
to give the meetings a political character, with the
view of defeating or weakening their original pur-
pose. But, as a rule, the men are too earnestly
alive to their own interests to allow themselves to be
diverted from the business which they have most at
heart, and persist in ignoring all party speeches and
party issues. It is asserted, however, that the orga-
nisation was commenced, and prefiguring a general
union of all the trades for mutual protection against
the lowering of wages, has another and equally im-
portant object—that of resistance to the conscrip-
tion. This charge is not easily proved. It may be
utterly unfounded, or it may be quite true; but on
the latter supposition it is not likely that the pro-
moters will suffer the facts to become public with-
out strenuous denial. The probabilities are, how-
ever, that some such action of the working classes is
meditated, or has already commenced ; and that, in
the present temper of the Democratic party throtigh-
out the State as well as city of New York, the
Government will not force the question to an un-
pleasant issue, by insisting upon a draft that might
be violently resisted.
Already, in other parts of the Union, the prelimi-
nary enrolment of the names of citizens liable to
military duty under the Conscription Act has led
to breaches of the peace, and in Indiana to the
assassination of the enrolling officer and his assistant.
Under these circumstances, the voluntary enlistment
of the black population and the manner in which the
negroes behave in the battle-field become questions
of the highest political importance. Mr. Lincoln
and his principal advisers seem as if they despaired
of any further white aid for the conquest of the
South, and the white labouring classes, in their de-
testation of the conscription, favour the black en-
listment as greatly as the President himself, for the
selfish reason that the more numerous the negro
armies the less likelihood there will be of any further
drain upon the blood of the whites. As yet the
negroes have had but three opportunities of showing
their military prowess in the field, or their military
obedience in circumstances of danger—first, in
Florida, under Col. Higginson ; secondly, at Port
Hudson, under General Banks ; and lastly, at Poca-
taglio, under Colonel Montgomery. On the first
occasion, under Colonel Higgieson, when the das-
tardly white regiments set fire to the beautiful city
of Jacksonville and destroyed the churches and
chapels for mere wantonness of mischief, and the
private houses of the citizens for the purposes of
plunder, the negroes took no part in the outrages,
but loudly expressed their disapproval and disgust.
At Port Hudson, under General Banks, they were
led against the enemy's work and purposely placed
in a post of danger. They fought with the most de-
termined bravery, and were met with the most deter.
mined resistance. Out of a regiment of 900, 600 were
stain. Gen. Banks reports of them that " they an-
swered every expectation, and that in many respects
their conduct was heroic. They made during the
day three charges upon the batteries, suffering very
heavy losses, and holding their positions at nightfall
with the other troops on the right of the lines.
Whatever doubts may have heretofore existed, the
history of this day proves that the Government will
find in this class of troops effective supporters and
defenders. They require only good officers, com-
mands of limited nwobers, and careful discipline to
make them excellent soldiers." General Banks is a
cautious man, who makes few, if any, mistakes, and
praise from him must be held to be well deserved,
wherever it may happen to fall. The third and
most recent achievement of the negroes is the occu-
pation of the railway bridge at Pocatiligo—between
Charleston and Savannah—an important military
point, the capture of which cuts off the communica-
tion between those two cities. It appears to have
been effected with so little difficulty as to lead to the
supposition that such large reinforcements have
been sent from both places to Vicksburg and Port
Hudson as to have left them without adequate de-
fence against a surprise of this kind. It is so mani-
festly impossible that the Confederates can allow
this position to be held without an attempt to dis-
lodge the captors—whether black or white—that
stirring events may immediately be looked for in
that quarter. In accordance with the avowed policy
and determination of the South, every negro cap-
tured in arms will be hung. If the threat be exe-
cuted, will Mr. Lincoln and his Government—who
have officially proclaimed that a black soldier in.
their uniform is as good as a white, and has the
same rights as a prisoner of war—retaliate by the
execution of a corresponding number of white pri-
soners? They have solemnly and repeatedly de-
clared that they will do so. If they do, the war on
both sides will degenerate into one of unmitigated
barbarity and ferocity, !and outraged Christendom
will be called on to interfere in the desecrated
names of religion and civilisation.
Whatever may happen, it will be remembered to
the eternal shame of the Federal Government that
it set the first example of this odious warfare, and
that it deliberately strove to excite the slaves to
murder their masters. On the 3d of this month,
nine days ago, this same Colonel Montgomery, the
hero of Pocatiligo, and one of the " rowdy" officers,
first brought into notoriety by the border atrocities
of Kansas, led his black troops up the Coosaw
River, in South Carolina, in several steamers, to
proclaim freedom to the slaves. Landing his men.
without opposition—for there were none to oppose
him—he proceeded to the nearest plantations, and
made what he calls " a successful haul" of upwards
of a thousand able-bodied negroes, for the recruit-
ment of the Federal armies. The Abolitionist
journals of the North applaud the act ; but they
say nothing of the shameful episodes of the main
ryainvod his negroes burnt
afte
Wdwhieclhlinwge-hreouses
ue
plp
lAwainaotrnedtrsgs
o—o
fm,
imeoraypn
story.btoelt
ohne
nr Cog: ni
toodn
in-
habitedgi
by women and children
only,the owners
having gone to the war. Ile loaded his steamers
with pianofortes, bedding, chairs, tables, books and
looking-glasses, " and any quantity of household
"furniture," and
in the darkness
of the night, only
illuminated by the blazing ruins that his incendiary
torches had left on every side, embarked his recruits
and his plunder, thinking, perhaps that he had done
his little best towards the restoration of the Union.
The Narthern people should not deceive themselves
in this matter. They desire to stand well in the
world's opinion ; but they will forfeit the little
sympathy that still attaches to their cause if they
ignorantly or wilfully allow the war to assume the
shape that such men as Col. Montgomery are im-
pressing upon it. When a people, fighting for in-
dependence, only desirous to be let alone, are in-
vaded upon their own soil and in their own homes,
the world looks with comvarative leniency upon any
vencreance—even though it transcend the ordicary
hmtnds which they may wreak upon the in-
vadere. But the same leniency is not ant? cannot
be exteeded to the invaders themselves. He who
kills in self-defence is exonerated b y the sy mpat
of the world, and is at worst guilty of manslaughter.
He who kills as an aggressor is a murderer. Upon
this principle any severity, or apparent cruelty, that
may be exercised by the South in its resistance will
be condoned by the heart, though it may be deplored
by the judgment, of the nations ; while any similar
cruelty or vengeance exercised by the North will be
received with a universal hiss of reprobation that no
nation or Government, however proud and powerful,
can withstand, without present arid future injury
and ion of caste, consideration, and character,