The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-19 00:00:00

I'IIE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 19, 1862.

branch in the virtues of which Mr. SEWARD is a
firm believer. On what terms peace could be made,
even the most zealous advocates of it cannot under-
take to say. We could have it at once if we were
to admit that the rebels are light, and allow them
to have their will; but that sort of peace has been
at our command from the beginning, and we are as
little disposed to make it now as we were last April,
when," he adds, " we might have done better, since
but seven States had then seceded, while now the
Confederacy numbers eleven States, and includes
parts of two others. We apprise our readers of the
supposition, leaving it to pass for what it is worth.
The long inaction of Mr. LINCOLN is certainly more
than compatible with the notion that he and his
Foreign Secretary have information of a state of
things in the South which, whether rightly or
wrongly, disposes them to hope for a settlement on
easier and more humane terms than one or more
great battles."

We naturally wonder here why a Congress,
now almost all consisting of one party, does not
make more progress with its financial measures.
The Secretary of the Treasury, has himself declared
that the treasury is nearly empty, that he has
been, obliged to draw for the last instalment of
the loan, and that he fears the banks will refuse the
Government paper. Yet no progress is made—no
tax-bills actually carried. Congress is hastening
to its term—the end of March, and still no money.
Taxes are proposed but not actually imposed
yet, and when all are imposed that have
been talked of, the amount will not cover the
interest of the expenditure. What can
be the reason for this neglect ? The answer we fear
is that the majority of the representatives must
meet their constituents next autumn ; and that
tax-imposers will not be popular candidates.
Strangely enough, in connection with this, the
people, or at least the Press, seem to be crying out
for a taxatic n which shall float the Govern ment paper.
It would require, it is said, £40,000,000 annually to
do this ; and the members think they know their
constituents better than the latter know themselves.
The papers seem likely to be taken at their
word, and to be rather heavily taxed, a
hazardous measure one would think, as being likely
to place in hostility to the Government one of the
greatest powers in America. We can only wait
the result with curious impatience. The New York
Banks and commercial men have agreed to accept
the Government paper, though it is now at a
serious discount. What they will do when the
necessary issues have reduced it to half its present
value it is not for us to predict. They probably
hope that before that sad time arrives the war will
have wriggled somehow to its end, and all things
settle down on the basis of peace.
What to make of the information that the House
of Representatives have refused to make the Trea-
sury notes a legal tender we hardly know. If it be
correct, the Government ought by this time to
be without money, since by the 10th, we
were told, the Treasury would be cleared of its
last dollar—as the expenditure was going on at the
rate of 2,000,000 dollars per day, as soldiers could
not work without provisions, and would not stay
long without their pay, some mode of escape from the
immediate difficulty must be more apparent to Con-
gress than it is to us. Its members have
one great and patriotic reason for resisting
an over-issue of paper money, since then our salaries
would then be paid in the depreciated currency.
The coming month will try Mr. CHASE as much as
General M'CLELLAN.

Justice was done last evening in the House of
Commons to the heroism of the little band of ad-
venturous men who carried out so successfully—
but alas! also at the cost of their lives (of all of
their lives save one!)—the late Australian Explor-
ing Expedition. Their names are already familiarly
known, known as " household words," at many an
English hearth—as those of gallant-hearted men,
who do in very truth and in every deed deserve
well of their country, names that so long as the
records of Australia are thought of here in Eng-
land will be held, as the Under-Secretary
for the Colonies last night predicted they
would be, "in perpetual remembrance,"
Honour• to the memory of those gallant men,
BURKE, and WILLS, and GRAY : honour to them
And to their one sole survivor and companion !
When Mr. CHILDERS, in moving for an address for
copy of all despatches from Sir HENRY BARKLY
and the other colonial Governors on the subject of
this Australian Exploring Expedition, remarked
that, " with the exception of the lamentable deaths

of Mr. BURKE, and Mr. WILLS, and Mr. BECKER,
the expedition had been entirely successful,"—the
hon. member was speaking so far as the " success-

fui " explorers themselves were affected by his
words, with a sort of pathetic irony. Allowed as
they were to go forth upon their dauntless

enterprize, uncared for (after they had once
taken their departure) until it was too late to
carry them assistance, so that they might themselves
enjoy the result of their own brilliant successes—
permitted as they were, unhappily, not to " do or
die," but to " do and die "—we can hardly go alto-
gether with the hall. gentlemen who spoke last
evening in the House of Commons in terms of such
unstinted praise of the public spirit displayed in
regard to the carrying out of this memorable expe-
dition by the youngest of our colonies. Palmam
qui meruit ferat—but it ought, with lamentable
significance, to be added that the palm branch

should be trailed about with cypress.
Bit by bit we are gradually getting at the facts
making up the enthralling annals of this very re-
markable and hitherto unprecedented expedition.
Poor KING on his arrival, faint and exhausted,
with tidings of the glorious feat which had been
accomplished, was only able himself to gasp out the
news briefly and horror-stricken with the terseness
of one of the awful messengers in " SOB." When
the enthusiasm of his reception was over—attention
could then be turned to WILLS'S " Journal "
abruptly terminated! And to BURKE'S " Note-
book "—with its few and straggling entries ! Had
but the last mentioned leader of the little daring
band of explorers survived—had be but survived !
What a history of this unexampled achievement
might we not have looked for ! What vivid and
picturesque descriptions of the orginal scenery he
had traversed—he who had all the qualifi-
cations for the task of recounting befit-
tingly as an annalist the progress of an
expedition he so gallantly led to Triumph, and

'—so

t uu ate] y ulso to Death, as the Chief Ex-
plorer! Mr. BURKE, the House of Commons was
told last evening by Mr. CHILD ERS, was brother
of the gallant Colonel who had so distinguished
himself during the Crimean War. A noble pair
of brothers were they. Speaking of Mr. BURKE,
of Australian celebrity, Mr. CHILDERS could,
without a particle of exaggeration, describe
him as a man of great talent and great worth—
an accomplished musician, a skilled and graceful
painter—a gentleman gifted with very varied
capacities, and adorned with very varied acquire-
ments. Again, we cannot but think regret-
fully now, what a record such a man
as this might have written with his pen and em-
bellished with his pencil—what a history of an
expedition we can now only read of in the most

tantalising fragments. Regret, however, is use-
less.
We must, in old heathen phrase, take the
gifts the Gods have given us, and rest contented.
We must make the mast of poor KING'S some-
what bewildered and certainly very inadequate
recollections. We must treasure up every little
scrawl to be found in WlLLs's interrupted Journal,
and in BURKE'S blurred and faintly indited Note-
book. There is Sir HENRY BARKLY'S own official
account of the Expedition, of course, that
we have yet to see. That, too, is forth-
coming among the papers moved for yesterday
in the House of Commons by Mr. CHILDERS, and
eagerly promised by Mr. CHICHESTER FORTESCUE.
The latter gentleman, in acceding to the request
embodied in the motion, which was seconded by Mr.
KINNAIRD, said, by way of increasing the general
curiosity felt as to the despatch of his Excellency
the Governor, that " The account of Sir HENRY
BARELY would be found to contain a touching
description of the sufferings and death of the gentle-
men who perished." Remembering that they have
perished, remembering how they have perished,
and what they had accomplished be-
fore perishing—namely, the penetrating, for
the first time by Europeans, through
and through the vast untrodden tracks of the
great Australian continent from south to north,
and then back again from north to south—we may
reasonably enough look to the Imperial Parliament
for some faint recognition of their heroic services.
And though they themselves by the very deed they
have done, have built up for themselves a monu-
ment are perennius, still, it would be but fittingly
expressive of the national gratitude for their heroic
self-sacrifice, if here, in England, upon enduring
bronze, or marble, or granite, the names of BURKE
and WILLS and their humbler companions, were
inscribed in terms at once of respect and admiration.

LATEST NEWS.

JAPAN.
(By telegraph from Alexandria.)

CANTON, JAN. 15.
According to the latest advices Japan is quiet.
Prince Muto was reported to be dead.
His son was making efforts to apprehend the
assassins who attacked the British Legation.

ST. PETERSBURG, FEB. 19.

The Journal de St. Petersbourg of to-day publishes
news from Pekin, according to which the insurrec-
tion in Shangtong and in the central provinces is
making progress.

The insurgents have informed the English Consul
at Hangchow that they intend to attack that city,
and afterwards also Shanghai.

They promised to behave with moderation, but
in case of resistance have threatened the total
destruction of both cities.

TURIN, FEp. 18.

Garibaldi has written a letter warmly approving
the subscriptions now being collected for the relief
of the workmen who have been thrown out of em-
ployment at Lyons.

The assertion made by some Italian journals that
the officers of the Italian army who are on furlough
have received orders to rejoin their regiments im-
mediately is incorrect.

To-day, in the Chamber of Deputies, Baron
Ricasoli, in reply to a question from Signor Avez-
zana, declared that the Government had no inten-
tion of sending ships to reinforce the Mexican expe-
dition, but merely believed that it would be advis-
able to send a few frigates to the colonies to protect
Italian subjects.

A petition from the citizens of Bergamo against
the Bishop of that place was referred to the Minis-
ter of Public Worship.

BRESLAU, FEB. 18.

Monsignor Felinski, the new Archbishop of War-
saw, has delivered an allocution, in which he urged
the people of Warsaw to abstain from singing hymns
which give offence to the Government, but to pray
for their country.

The Archbishop said—" If any power whatever
were to prohibit you from praying for your coun-
try I would exhort you not to obey."
The Schlesische Zeitung of Breslau publishes a
letter from Warsaw, in which it is asserted on
authentic information, that, should the present
tranquillity of Warsaw remain undisturbed, the
Emperor Alexander 11. will pay a visit to that city
in the ensuing spring.

MOSTAR, FEB. 16.

The position taken up by the Turkish troops at
Politza totally intercepted the communications of
the Nahias of Schiouma and Popova w ith the Nabia
of Zubzi in such a manner that no safety remained
to the former but in submission.

The principal persons of Schiouma and of Popova,
accordingly, arrived here this morning to make
submission in the name of all the inhabitants.

41 A full amnesty has been accorded by the Sirdar
Ekrem, Omar Pasha. Every Gaftan of the district
will nominate a Knes, and every village a Mouktar,
who will regulate and represent at Trebigne the
interests of their fellow citizens.

It appears certain that the province of Zubzi will
be attacked in a few days unless it makes immediate
submission.

TRIESTE, FEB. 18.

Advices received here from Athens to the 14th
inst. state that a military revolt took place on the
13th at Nauplia. The town and fortress were in
the power of the insurgents.
Troops had been despatched thither under the
command of General Hahn.