The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-17 00:00:00

LON1)0N, THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 1863.

"x " Praterea nihil is certainly the motto of
the Federal Ett
my in the present war. Again and
again we wear
of great achievements about to be
accomplished.....

,i Trophies captured
Armies eoutitiered—.breaches mounted—
>>
but again and agaia_ei `battles 'von
ee for the empty boasting!
—it is all ia the future
tense—it never " is," but is
al w radays " to be," pertor
Again to-day, as it
has happened on so manyprevious occasions,
the threatened attack
of General MEADS has
turned out to be a retreat.
The
promised assault
upon General LEE, which Nees to
have
produced
such glorious Federal results, „lad.
upon which
already anticipatory paeans of
victory had been
prepared, has been abandoned without a blow,
and
the Federal army, dismayed at their own temerity,
theetem,
have " back-recoiled'' at the sight of
forces, recrossing the Rapidan, bag LI
baggage, a ctillery and reserve. "At nightfall
on the 2d. the whole army had reoecapi,d
its quarters at Brandy station, where, it is believed,
it will remain for the winter." Such is the news
brought by the America under date New York, Dec.
4 ; and no wonder is it that the informant adds—
" The press and the public generally express great
dissatisfaction at the termination of a movement
from which at the outset the most brilliant results
had been premised." Very possibly General MEADE
may not be so much to blame in a military point of
view. Perhaps, in his instance, prudence may
have
proved to be the better part of valour. It is
more than probable that if he had persisted
in his attack his fears would have been
realised, and another disastrous Federal de-
feat have 'been the result. We do not blame
him 8° reach for what he has been unable to accom-
plish, as for what ho has done namely, for the empty
and vain-glorious b
`•
oas‘ing in which, in common
with his northern co
dulged. T
ae untrymen, he has so freely
Atheniansin-
knew what was right, but
tale Lacedeatoniaus e
practised it. '' he Federal gene-
rals talk lei gely,eihi,, the Confederates act quietly.
We heard little about General_ LEE'S defences, and a
great deal about General
M ADE.B attack DOW JO
and behold, the "defence" proves to be ' a rea 'lit
'
y,
and the 'm attack'' is—nowhere.
Such, in truth, is
the history of the whole war, Such
is actually the
whole origin and object or the
struggle.
The North are fighting for
a shadow—
the shadow of a Union that is utterlY dissolved.
The South are fighting for a substance—the
sub-
stantial rights of Independence. Every fresh
reve-
lation of the feelings of the American people,
whether at Washington or Virginia, whether in the
" slave States" or the " free North," serves only
more forcibly to demonstrate the absolute impos-
tibility of any future reconsolidation of the Union.

It has long been a recognised fact in the history of
men and nations that no war is so cruel as a civil
war—no enemies are so bitter as estranged friends.
Words can hardly do justice to the intense vindic-
tiveness of feeling that is now raging in so many
American hearts. It is a painful revelation of
the weakness of human nature. Mere are friends
and brothers ready to tear each other to pieces, and
for what P—Fur the Name of Reunion ! In the dese-
crated names Liberty, and Equality, and Fraternity,
before now, there have been perpetrated acts of
Tyranny, and Oppression, and Cruelty unparal-
lelled. So now, in the much abused name of Unity,
the Northman of America cry " havoc ! and let slip
the dogs of war," regardless of all consequences. It
would be well if President LINCOLN and the Federal
Congress, which is about to be convened at Washing-
ton on Monday next, would take a lesson from their
own time-serving General MEADE, and withdraw
from a position that threatens to prove untenable.
It is easier, perhaps, to recross the Rapidan than
the Rubican, but the attempt that has been safely
accomplished in the one instance, might be prudently
and profitably undertaken in the other. Such an
act of wisdom and good sense and magnanimity is
not to be expected from such a quarter. We must
still—Heaven knows for how much longer--be
doomed to witness and to wonder at the madness
and cruelty and criminality of this protracted and
useless civil strife.

The Report of the Early Closing Association'
recently published, presents much information that
deserves notice, and it is to be trusted that especial
attention will be paid to its contents, concerning as
they do a subject which involves the interests of
so many. It is now some time since a few earnest
and energetic individuals took up this cause of
hopeless--the difficulties
At first the case seemed almost
nearly difficulties to contend with were
insuperable, and there were many to decry
its purpose and to sneer at its efforts. Notwith-
standing all this, a considerable amount of success
has been the reward of the efforts of the perse-
vering, and there are now many witnesses to the
efficacy of the undertaking. The advantages that
have been derived in many quarters are most ex-
tensive, and it is a delightful thing to reflect upon
that by these means, simple as they may appear,
large numbers of young people, and indeed num-
bers of all ages, have shared in the benefits of edu-
cation, and been enabled to devote time to the cul-
tivation of their minds. Regarding the employ-
ment of leisure, it is here stated very traly, that
the fear of the time which is gained being abused
has less foundation than ever. There are the even-
ing classes at King's College, which have been
proved to be so great a success, and various other
societies and institutions exist which tend to de-
monstrate how desirable has been the result of this
early closing movement, and how especially im-
portant it is to carry on the prosecution of the
cause with vigour, in order that more may share
the benefits and reap the advantages of the scheme.
There are other objects taken up by this society,
one of which is the " Early Payment of Wages."
This is a very important item in the effectual carry
ing out of the system devised for the welfare
and happiness of the working classes. It is im-
possible to deny that the practice which is only too
prevalent in many quarters of choosing an advanced
hour for the payment of wages must occasion con-
siderable inconvenience, create much confusion, and
in many cases greatly militate against the enjoy-
ment of a day of rest on Sunday, besides interfering
with the due reverence and observance of that day.
Many employers who have adopted this plan have
furnished " practical testimonies" as to its" practi-
cability and value." This furnishes, of course, an
additional argument for those who desiderate the
further spread of the notion, and the pamphlets that
contain these testimonies have bean extensively
circulated. Also this practice, if strictly adhered to,
would do much to put a stop to the practice of Sun.
day trading that prevails so much in some localities.
It is to be hoped that many whom it concerns will
peruse these reports for themselves, and they cannot
but be influenced in some measure by them if un-
happily they are not at once converted to the right
cause. It is a great thing to bring a case well for-
ward, and put a question in a practical form before
those whom it is important to secure as advocates
of a measure or to persuade into being auxiliaries.
No one can make the excuse, after reading these re-
marks, that they do not know what they are wanted
to perform, or how, and in which way to set about it.
They have not even to initiate themselves into a
comparatively unknown system, or to inaugurate
a novel method ; all that is demanded of them is
to follow in the wake of those who have been
pioneers in the path of progress, and to adopt in
good faith a plan which has been certified to
be for the interest of thousands. No well-
meaning employer, who possesses a due sense of the
responsibility that devolves upon him, will hesitate
to make the experiment, and to join the number of
those who have already come forward to evidence
its excellence and to uphold its continuance. The
long stretch of hours of work must exercise a very
deleterious influence on mind and body, the mono-
tony and weariness of their employments must
weigh heavily upon the numerous class which per-
forms the duties required of assistants in places of
business. The question is whether they are to sacri-
fice their health, and become mere machines, in the
constant and unremitting range of toil, or whether
a portion of their time may not be redeemed from
the rest, and made available for purposes of recrea-
tion and pursuits of benefit. In the hurry-skurry
of existence, amid the ceaseless whirl of business,
and the endless range of employments, it is most
gratifying to find that some can contrive to snatch
a ht. hours
, 'n to improve their minds, and to increase
tneir Store of knowledge. It is a great error to
suppose that additional information unfits persons
for the performance
almost mechanical of their duties, even if these be
eal ones ; the more the intelligence
is cultivated the
oetter are the duties of life dis-
charged, and the
engaged in.
interest. is taken in the
u It is to be hoped that this
avocationsm
o
v
e
m e
n
t
will go "
tiler . .
in strength and
tellaasttinaigned, and there re-
main•l3 the general •
numbers
but
few
v until it s
exceptions object
working of
t the of
e
caomrufolert promises to pr
emote
sort is happiness,
comfort, ,wahnidchwellbeing of a numerous
class.
Toil
ea°114'.,6 be carried
is requisite, and labour of some
omneawtiatmh oanvgienws,tboutthethaedsveasnhtosugledof
the
employed as
well as to the benefit of the employer, or el_
.... ago
is something unsafe and unsound in the worai
of the system.

that
The friends of progress have always lookedat it
tendh inh
a favourable eye upon all institutions
any degree to raise the intellectual standard among
the masses, and to promote the cause of nationaleen
education. Mechanics Institutes have long b
known as establishments that were conducive to
the general good, although a regret has often been
expressed that the class for which they were chiefly
designed did not avail itself of them in great( r
numbers. Of late, however, a new effort has been
made towards establishing institutions of the same
character,a
and under a slightly different form and title.
We do not now hear so much about Mechanics
Institutes about Working Men's Clubs and
Colleges,
perhaps the less pretentious title may