The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-22 00:00:00

A VOICE FROM PENNSYLVANIA.

The following extracts are from a letter dated
Philadelphia, March 2, 1862, addressed to a friend
in London :

" With no letter from you since I last wrote, I
have to thank you for some interesting English
newspapers. In the absence of anything like dig-
nified sensible discussion by the Press of this
country, it is refreshing to read views at least
independent and expressed from a sensible
stand-point, and this, too, whether they
chime with one's notions or not. Besides, the
intense interest, not to say anxiety, with which
we here regard the course of England and France
in relation to the terrible conflict between the North
and the South,makes us eager to have any source of
information open to us.
" The year has begun with alternation of victory I
and defeat of the Federal forces, and while I deplore
it I cannot express my surprise, as it would seem
but natural that, with warlike preparations made
with a total disregard of cost and consequence, with
the possession almost exclusively of water penetra-
tions and marine forces, the Northern power should
strike terrific blows and inflict the most serious in-
jury upon the Southern people and property of all
kinds. It is almost certain that the Federal expen-
diture in the Western department alone has equalled
that of the Confederate States for their whole terri-
tory in the year 1861. President Davis estimates
the expense of his Government at 170 millions of
dollars, while the Federal indebtedness is about 1,200
millions, as far as can be ascertained. I hardly
know how to characterise the state of things here
just now; I feel as though we were all adrift, and
floating, too, in no doubtful direction. A year ago
we were in the habit of hearing of constitutional
limits. The hand of Federal Government was seldom
heard of or seen in our daily walks of life, even in the
form of warranted legislation. The laws and regu-
lations of States and communities were looked upon
as the guides and restraints of individual action.
Now a constitutional barrier is either scoffingly
skipped over or trampled under foot with scowls and
bloody threats. I can produce orders of the various
Cabinet Ministers, and of their military and civil
subordinates, which, in as many lines, strike down
half a dozen of the most sacred and essential fran-
chises of the citizen. In Congress party caucuses settle
all things, and there is a truculent impatience at the
bare suggestion of any limitation to Congressional
power. The suppression of free speech, of a free press,
the arrests by telegraph without warrant, endless
detention without trial or impeachment—all these
daily doings, incredible almost, but shockingly
proven in their frequency, are the work of the Federal
officials. And in these enormous, monstrous assump-
tions and responsibilities of unchecked power to
see daily proofs that they are ' fools' who do enter
in where angels fear to tread.' The incapacity of
these people is equalled only by their corruption
and ignorance.
" I have now lying on my table one volume, the
first only, of the report of the Committee of the
House of Representatives to investigate frauds in
contracts with the Government. It contains 1,109
pages of evidence of simple rascality, unblushing
corruption and venality, and this, be it remembered,
among the friendly in political sentiment to the

Administration, to which fact was owing their
being preferred and trusted, and in many cases the ,
ignorance and incapacity of the Governmental
agent has, without his intention, been taken ad-
vantage of by sharp patriots (?) .
" The Trent and San Jacinto affairs, in all their
actnd o cannot
t
features of insolent wrong and humiliating retrac-
tion, must be plenty with an Administration and a
Government where personal shame is unknown and
puonifnetl,t.
out,B eaforseinGgloed,pat
Iridvone ot
know of,
c a
f this
Administration ora pub Administration or its leaders since their accession
to power indicating that high-toned self-respect
which makes the gentleman, and is felt whether
l i
i
he is with you or against you. To the contrary,
no single letter could catalogue their offences
against good manners and breeding, and all the
canons of their conduct in foreign affairs and
home government alike prove this.
" I am mortified deeply, and blush to be called
even in name a citizen .of a country so represented.
But disgusting as is theii vulgarity, theii ferocity
and cruelty are worse. Their late triumphs have
rent the air, and their boastings are enormous. The
capture of Roanoke Island by the immense force
sent against it by land and by water, followed by
the surrender of Fort Henry aril a single company
for a garrison, was capped by the surrender of
Fort nounelson wit.: a large body of troops ; the re-
sult was furious delight and a belief that the
war was over. The fate of the South was dis-
cussed by the papers; her fair lands were, in ima-
gination, divided among the energetic sons of New
England, and all the property of Southern men was
devoted to repay Northern war debts and losses ; in
fact, the benevolent designs of Northern Unionists
were imprudently suffered to come to light; but, alas
for ' the plans of mice and men !' No mirage of the
desert was ever more deceptive than the belief of
the subjugation of the South by Northern arms, or
the tenure of Southern lands by Northern labour.
The high swollen tides of the Cumberland and Ten.
nessee Rivers have allowed iron-plated gunboats to
penetrate with comparative safety the southern
parts of Kentucky and the heart of Tennessee; ex-
cepting land batteries, there was no means of
opposing their progress, but away from water
courses, amid mountain fastnesses in chosen posi-
tions, a stern and desperate opposition awaits their
inroads. From a correspondent in St. Louis, who
had conversed with the Confederate prisoners taken
at Donnelson, I learn that this battle has only served
to arouse still more the people of the South, and
stimulate them to a fiercer resistance. The Federal
reports of Union sentiment are mere bosh.' It
seems to me a great and concentrated effort is being
made, and, as I think, for the double effect of crea-
ting financial credit here and staying foreign inter-
ference, to strike heavy blows and magnify the
results. The Federal loss at Fort Donnelson is
well known to have been over 2,000 killed, in
addition to which nearly 4,000 were wounded and
1,500 taken prisoners and carried through the
Federal lines by General Pillow, with some S,OOO
men, including all the Southern cavalry. The
Federals took 6,800 prisoners, including black
labourers, some broken small arms and carefully
spiked artillery. Floyd took away with him the
best field-pieces and arms. I confess Ido not un-
derstand this battle, and from the refusal of the
Federals to explain I am disposed to think it has
many features they do not like. As a piece of
military strategy on the part of the Southern gene-
rals I am not competent t 3 speak of it, and merely
furnish you with the facts. Beyond burning some
peaceful villages and towns, Burnside has done
nothing, except at Roanoke Island. I enclose his
proclamation (au epidemic with the Northern com-
manders), In which everything fair and right is
promised, but rather awkwardly illustrated by the
shells of his gunboats. The English Abolitionists
can hardly like his protection to slavery :

" A JOINT PROCLAMATION FROM COMMODORE
GOLDSBOROUGII AND GENERAL BURNSIDE.
To the People of North Carolina.

" Roanoke Island, North Carolina, Feb. 18.

" ' The mission of our joint expedition is not to
invade any of your rights, but to assert the autho-
rity of the United States, and to close with you the
desolating war brought upon your State by com-
paratively a few bad men in your midst.
Influenced infinitely more by the worst pas-
sions of human nature than by any show of elevated
reason, they are still urging you astray to gratify
their unholy purposes.
" 'They impose upon your credulity by 'telling
you of wicked and even diabolical intentions on
our part; of our desire to destroy your freedom,
demolish your property, liberate your slaves, in-
jure your women, and such like enormities—all of
which, we assure you, is not only ridiculous but
utterly and wilfully false.
" We are Christians as well as yourselves, and
we profess to know full well, and to feel profoundly,
the sacred obligations of the character.
" No apprehension need be entertained that the
demands of humanity or justice will be disregarded.
We shall inflict no injury, unless forced to do so by
your own acts, and unon this you may confidently
rely.

" ' These men are your worst enemies. They, in
truth, have drawn you into your present condition,
and are the real disturbers of your peace and the
happiness of your firesides.
" We invite you, in the name of the Constitu-
tion, and in that of virtuous loyalty and civilisation
to separate yourselves at once from these malign in-
fluences, to return to your allegiance, and not coin-
mtpreao,ly,l
.0
bTeht r
eeo :Geo
osgovnre f
ne mud r7t
nhatenrads;wt
eho enr
leyfpoert
a:
tea,
tninni
tdsne
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uomtuharoncr
inotenyr-
or way does it desire to interfere with your laws,
constitutionally established, your institutions of
any kind whatever, your property of any sort, or
your usages in every respect.
" L. M. GOLDSBOROUGH, Flag Officer,

Commanding North Carolina Blockading Squadron.
" A. E. BURNSIDE, Brigadier-General,
Commanding Department North Carolina.'

" But what England and Franco will do it is
hard to say. I cannot but believe their interest
and duty should cause them peremptorily to stop
this war at once. A convention. of Southern
planters has been called at Richmond to arrange
some general and concerted method of destroying
their crops of the articles needed by the North, in
order to prevent their capture, and yet they are
anxious to exchange them with Europe. The Sea
Islands of Carolina will have no cotton crop in
1862, and the crops even of 1861 will be turned to
ashes should Northern arms penetrate their places
of deposit. The consular agents of France and
England in the South know all this, and yet
thesee
rulers seem not to realise the emergency. I
r
the English tone in Blackwood and the quarterlies,
proceed-
ings, looks like a speedy complication in the Ame-
rican war. From this stand-
•point of view the
movement seems too slow for English interests, un-
less they calculate coldly upon the prostration of
the South as a cause of better terms when they
come to bargain. I hope
this may not be so, but
_
Could it be the answer will be a different one from
what is anticipated.
When a man or a nation has
property, for the protection of
Parliamentay
and the sketch we have of
lost wealth and
which they would have sacrificed much, they be-
become indifferent,
and having none of the cares of
property
Conservative interests are unheeded, be-
causean object. have no longer
they So it may
be the
South now, holding commodities of value
to her because they are needed by other nations,
gill naturally offer inducements for that aid and
countenance which, if refused, may result in her
becoming a military people,
producing only sup.
plies which stern
necessity will develope for • the
support of her armies and the injury of her foes.
" Pray send me what evidence you can control-
ling the sentiment abroad ; we cannot publish, but
we can talk and think, and verily I believe that ail

The Edward Thornhill, laden with old' guns and
other returned war stored from Trincomalee, hat,
discharged her cargo at-Woolwich and left for tbs..,
Victoria Docks.

The Victoria, No. 4, iron steam transport, laden
for North America and returned to Woolwich dis—
abled, was yesterday surveyed by Mr. Thornton,
assistant master shipwright at Woolwich, and.
others appointed by the Admiralty, and after land-
ing her cargo will be docked, at the cost of the
owners.

The iron steam frigate Resistance, 18, 600 horse
power (nominal), steamed into Chatham harbour
yesterday afternoon from the Nore, on the comple-
tion of her trial trip, the severe gale of the previous
day having detained her at Sheerness. Immediately
on her arrival in the harbour she brought up along-
side the floating shears, and commenced shipping
her iron masts, which operation will be completed
to-day. The Resistance is to be hurried forward
in her completion, in order that she may be ready-
for the steam reserve by the 12th April.
The screw steam frigate Euryalus, flag of Rear-
Admiral Augustus L. Kuper, C. 8., in Plymouth
Sound, has received her powder and ammunition,
and will probably sail to-day or to-morrow for her
station on the coast of China.

The space adjoining No. 7 slip at Chatham Dock-
yard, occupied by the furnaces for preparing the
armour-plates for the Royal Oak, 51, is to be roofed

ovor.