The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-17 00:00:00

of the negroes' rig and altogether satisfactory
to their masters, if the latikr vzoulilhut return to
the Union. Union without emancipation would be
more acceptable to the majority in the North
than emancipation as the means to force back
the Secessionists. What the Washington Go-
vernment fears, is being compelled, in the last
resort, to proclaim emancipation in the slave
States proper, as a military necessity. There
seems, at present, every prospect that the Southern
resistance will be so protracted and efficient that
the North in desperation may be driven to the
measure it abhors ; and, it does seem likely
that the North has severe work in prospect
yet. We described the military position yes-
terday; and the news this morning of three
or four days later looks rather better than other-
wise for the Confederates ; since they appear to be
strengthening themselves against M'CLELLAN at
Fort Monroe, as well as against GRANT and HAL-
LECR in Tennessee and on the Mississippi. It is a
sad fact, but we fear there can be little doubt of it,
that hope for the negro rests, not on Northern
success, but rather the contrary. It is not, there-
fore, as a proof of awakening benevolence and sense
of justice that we feel so much gratified with the
Columbia Emancipation Act. It is because we
see in it proof that, despite all their prejudices,
the Northerns are increasingly compelled to act
on Emancipation principles. With the deputa-
tion which addressed Mr. ADAMS yesterday we,
for these reasons, regard the recent acts on slavery
as " full :of promise for the future, and as steps
approximating to the absolute requirements of
ustice and humanity."

On the 33 of March, 1862, terminated the career

of Lord CANNING as Governor-General of India,
And while the noble Viscount, during the period o 1

his vieeroyalty,has had to pass undoubtedlythrough
very many storms of blighting and sometimes ma-

_ .
lignan t vituperation, it will be recorded of him that,
at the close of his possession of power, he received,

from the representatives of the native population,
an Ovation, by way of Farewell, such as has sel-
dom, if ever before, been accorded to a Governor-
General. The demonstration, to begin with, was

spontaneous. It was no display of a factitious en-
thusiasm, ingeniously got up by the partisans and
dependants of the outgoing Administration. It

sprang forth of itself, in answer to the first suggest
- -

tion. It was, from beginning to end, the natural
ebullition of the feelings with which the vast majo-
rity, whether natives or Europeans, now regard
Lord CANNING'S tenure of the rod of Empire over
oar vast Asiatic dominions. The Natives, however,
not merely took the initiative in getting up the meet-
ing which took place on the 3d of March, and in
preparing the Address which was then presented—
they filled the whole scene, so to speak, of them-
selves, and to the entire exclusion of their Euro-
pean fellow-subjects. This it was, in point of
fact, which lent an especial importance to the mani-
festation of public feeling evidemed in this parti-
cular instance. It was the exceptional, the almost
unprecedented, circumstance of the native character
of the demonstration ,which imparted a peculiar value
and interest to it as a demonstration. As was very
justly remarked by one of the principal native
speakers upon the day of this great assemblage at
Calcutta, it could not by any means be regarded
as a solitary instance for the citizens of that great
metropolis to meet and do honour to a departing
Governor-General :

" Dozens of times," said BABOO RAMPERSAUD ROT,

"if not more, have we met on similar commissions.
But, gentlemen, you will recollect that all those
meetings were mainly organised by Europeans,
brought about by Europeans, and carried out by Euro-
peans. This day we behold a monster meeting of
the sons of India. Not a party or a class meeting, or a
meeting induced by the action of the governing classes, but
we see whole India, as it were, consisting of representatives

of innumerable classes and creeds, turning out of their free
will and accord this fair evening to pay a parting tribute to
one who has so richly deserved India's homage and grati-

;ude."

That a native of India should he able to rise in a
great gathering of Hindoos in the city of Calcutta,
and speak thus in their presence and hearing (at the
close of his rule) of a Governor-General like Viscount
CANNING, is in itself something. As a mere fact, it
is something that a spectacle such as that should
have been witnessed by Viscount CANNING prior to
his departure homewards. Remembering the ill
favour with which he was at one time regarded
both in India and in England, the mere incident of
his having been thus addressed in the language of
affectionate and respectful, of earnest and even
grateful regard, is something very impressive in its
significance. It was a token at least that his ex-
Excellency had lived down a host of prejudices and
antipathies, before the hour at length arrived for
his bidding farewell to the arena of his Viceregal
Government. " Gentlemen," continued the same
oriental speaker, " Gentlemen," said BABOO RAM-
PERSAIID ROY, still addressing his brother natives,
who ardently echoed his enthusiasm by their
cheers:--

" I do not propose in the course of a short address,
*
even if I had the talent, to review the eminent ser-
vices rendered to India by Lord Canning In recounting
those services perhaps you will not find things to dazzle
your eye or captivate your fancy ; perhaps will not hear of
great and glorious battles fought and won or some great
extraordinary annexation made; but, gentlemen, there
is in Lord Canning's services something so very substan-
tial, something so very intimately connected with you
and everything dear to you, something so very materially
congenial to the best and greatest interests of India, that
I have no doubt, when you come to consider them, both
you and those who come after you will find abundant rea-
sons to cherish the name of Lord Canning as the greatest
benefactor of India."
High praise, truly—but, to what does it refer ? Does 1
it not have instant reference--in the mind of every 1
one who reads it here in England, as it must have
had in those of all who first read it throughout
Hindostan, and as it must previously have had in
the thoughts of those who actually listened to
it in Calcutta—to the two grand and ever me-
morable events in Indian History with which I
the name of Lord CANNING must, henceforth, and
for ever, be most honouiably associated ? Two
events, as vast in their importance and in their
magnitude, as they are widely contrasted with each
other when placed side by side. With the sup-
preision of the Great Revolt in Bengal ! And
with the absorption of India bodily among the
stupendous and world scattered possessions of the
British Crown !
Lord CANNING'S Viceroyalty will always, in the
annals of our Indian Empire, and in the larger and
nobler annals of that mighty empire of Great Bri- '
tain—of which India, gigantic as it is, is after all
but one among its sixty dependencies—Lord CAN-
NING'S Viceroyalty will always be distinguished in
those twin histories, in the History of England,
and in the History of India, as the one during
which the Great Company, as a ruling power, was
destroyed, and as the one also during which the
whole of revolted Bengal was reconquered. "Need
I recount to you," said the Hindoo orator already
mentioned, still continuing his harangue upon
the merits of the departing Governor-General :
\
" How he saved you and India is perhaps un-
paralleled in the history of nations ? At a time when
passions had been raised to their highest pitch, when
the foul deeds of a misguided few out of millions of our
countrymen had . . .
excited a spirit of indiscriminating revenge
and retribution, it was owingunswerving
to the courage,
uncompromising justice, moderation, and humanity of that
nobleman, that
I°3'l-lad: of innocent beings were saved from
a premature and ignominious death, that the lives and pro
perty of millions of her
Majesty's loyal subjects were vouch-
safed to them, ass, that we are enabled to appear to-day at