The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-27 00:00:00

TIIE'PSUN,'_ILONDON, SATURDAY gVILINING, 7DECDIII3EIR 27, -1862.

4" so at Bull's Run, th©n on the Chickahominy,

It sees that negroes do not wish to come North
its great former dread—but that they will work
well for the support of Federal armies in the
South, and garrison fortifications as what we
might term Negro Sepoys, with great success. To
the fact that the negro will work and fight freely
for the North, in the South, we look with some
encouragement. If the North will, as they say
they will, rather fight for ten years than submit to
separation, then long before that time, war itself
will have left few negroes in bondage.
We make not the slightest pretensions to the
gift of prophesy. The ifs, in all war, and in this
war especially, are too numerous to encourage
prediction. No one can tell what may be the next
fit of the most impulsive of peoples. One thing,
however, we may safely predict—that if the North
have patience to persist in its policy of girdling
slavedom with occupied towns guarded by free
negroes, and the adjacent territory cultivated by
black freemen, the negroes will soon universally
take their freedom if their tyrants refuse to grant
it peacefully.

and now again at Fredericksburg, and this last
attempt has been made with all the advantages of
the experience gained in the former failures.
As they spent a long time after the repulse
at Bull's Rnn in front of Manassas, and
a considerable time after the disaster on the
Chickahominy, at Harrison's Landing—so it is
not unlikely that they will remain yet awhile on
the Rappahannock. They must be in a pretty
good position for supplies, as they are but ten miles
from Acquia Creek, on the Potomac, to which place
there is also a rail from Fredericksburg. There
seems nothing, therefore, to call them or force them
from their present position, unless the Confederates
were strong enough, and thought it worth while to
turn assailants.

But will the North not be discouraged P We
doubt it. Hitherto the policy of the multitude has
been—" overwhelm—crush the rebels." Immense
levies have been made and monster armies equipped,
and it was supposed that the South would be over-
powered as by an avalanche of Northern num-
bers. They will now take a more sober view of
their adversaries. These men, described by a
Southern correspondent to-day as " dressed in every
conceivable kind of tattered garment, some
wretchedly shod, some wholly without shoes," have
proved to be stubborn soldiers. It was difficult—
says the writer—looking at them, and asking why a
a few of these ragged half-starved creatures habi-
tually beat many times their number of well-fed
men, to render any other answer than that recently
given by General JACKSON, in reply to a similar
question,—" It is the will of PROVIDENCE 1." With-
011t, however, supposing any special intervention of
heaven, it is evident now to the North that the policy
of crushing by monster armies is one that the South
can meet.

A certvin Eastern Prince, after listening with
enthusiasm to the long account of the convict sys•
tem of Great Britain, quietly observed that he was
much surprised that such an intelligent people as
the English should take so much trouble with their
criminals, when it would be so much easier to cut
their heads off. The Indian was wrong in his argu-
ment. The object of law is not to revenge itself
upon the perpetrator of a crime, but to deter others
from following the example. When nearly
every branch of the criminal law was punish-
able with death crime was rife in England
and the public considered it a matter of course for
some half dozen men to be turned off at Newgate
on a Monday morning. But although the country
thus rid itself of a host of criminals, crime did not
decrease, and robberies, with violence, were rife
until a milder and more discriminative law came
into force, which placed a wide distinction between
robberies with violence, and robberies without

We strongly suspect, however, that all these
disappointments will compel the North to adopt in
good earnest the better policy which they have been
so slow to recognise. They would not make
war on slavery, and slavery has beaten
them ; they have before them the choice of
a thorough carrying out the emancipation
policy, and if, even now, they steadily and
partially do this, we must think they will triumph.
They have, if they like to make them so, four mil-
lions of black Unionists in the South, who can be
converted from being the strength, to becoming the
weakness of the South. It is now demonstrated
that the negro will fight steadily and successfully
as a free man, as well as that he is but too happy to
work for wages. The great power of the North in
the South has hitherto lain undeveloped. All de-
pends upon the question—will the North use this
power ? It has suffered awfully in life and limb,
heavily in purse for despising the negro. If it
opens its eyes it will now see that the negro, for
whom the South would destroy the Repubilc, is
the only ally by whom it can be saved.

violence.
When transportation first came in vogue it was
looked upon by the felon as a greater punishment
than the gallows, and the stories told of the suffer-
ings of the convict in Van Dieman's Land
and Norfolk Island had a good effect upon
the evil disposed of England. In those days
the convict was turned to account. In New
South Wales the road from Sydney to Bathurst,
which traverses three ranges of mountains is a
memento of what has been done by convict labour.
It was a task of many years, and was not pressed
forward in any hurry, but the solid rock was cut
through, and the intersecting valleys of the moun-
tains crossed by huge embankments. The country
was cleared of timber and the land cultivated, a valu-
able and fertile colony was called into existence by
the labour of malefactors. The system was carried
out in the rough, it is true, and injustice was
done in many instances to the unfortunate
convict. The country was overrun by bushrangers,
and colonists were sometimes murdered, but as a
whole the plan worked well; aria it was not until the
colonies had become small states, and had their own
private stock of burglars and pickpockets, that they
objected to receive the contributions of the mother
country. It is not fair to compare the convict
system of England with that of Continental nations,
Other countries,to a great extent, consume their own
produce, whether it be felons or food. England,
on the other hand, owes her greatness and pros-
perity to her intercourse with other nations and to
the extent of her colonies. To develope the re-
sources of these widespread dependencies is a mat-
ter of vital importance to England generally. To
get rid of garrotters et hoc genus omne is of
importance to citizens. individually, Both
objects can be be attained by a judicious
employment of conviets. To what did ancient Egypt
owe the gigantic monuments and colossal temples
which remain to tell the history of a departed race
—but to the forced labour of prisoners. Why
should not those who have by their own acts ren-
dered it necessary for the Government of the coun-
try to place them under restraint for the protection
of the community at large, be turned to some use.
The deaths in Africa are numerous, but officers
and men volunteer for the service without hesitation.
Commercial enterprise, or the hope of distinction
and fame, will lead men to the most deadly climates.
Is it too much to expect of criminals that they en-
counter the same dangers that honest men fear not
to face. The object of penal servitude is not to
revenge the wrong done to society by the offender,
but to prevent the repetition of the crime. It is
absurd for prison philanthropists to talk about the
treatment of convicts and the management of gaols,
and in their morbid notions of charity hold out a
premium to vice. Let HuGettas, the garotter, be
well-cared for ; give him enough plain food to keep
him in health, but let him earn all that he eats.
Let his work be measured, and make it a condition
—so much work, so much food, and, if that fail,
try what persuasion a cat-o'-nine-tails possesses.
Wherever hard work is to be done, let the con-
victs be sent, no matter what climate or distance;
revive the old fear of transportation, but let that
fear be one of strict and severe discipline, with hard
work and small indulgence. There must be no
more abuse of power by incompetent officers
as was too often the case in Australia ; but
justice must be administered with vigour and
a thief must no longer count upon " getting into
condition by a spell in quod." We have great
hopes of the result of the commission of enquiry,
and have no doubt that this last move by those of
the wrong sort will result in a move in the right
direction in the administration of criminal justice.

On all matters connected with Slavery, BUXTON is
a clarum et venerabile nomen. We must express our
regret, ho wever, that the renown attached to the
name of the half Quaker Father will not descend
to the more pliant son. FOWELL BUXTON and
CHARLES BUXTON will be remembered as not merely
different, but almost contrasted men. The son has
laboured hard to prove himself, philanthropically,
" his father's son ;" but those who remember the
father's steady zeal and labours for negro eman-
cipation, will feel that the son, however justly
proud of his father's fame, has little heart in the
same cause. He seems to have'caught more of the
maudlin aristocratic whimsiness of Mr. BERESPORD
HOPE, than he has inherited of the manly firmness
for negro rights of FOWELL BUXTON.
It is difficult to make out the exact drift of his
long and confused letter; but one thing in it is
pretty plain, he wishes to justify other Englishmen,
and therefore himself, in their " Southern procli-
vities." This is the kind of postscript to his ram-
bling letter; the long former part seems to be occu-
pied in showing, as plausibly as he can, the impos-
sibility of Emancipation. It is confessedly notori-
ous—the correspondence indeed of Mr. ADAMS with
Mr. SEWARDjUSt published, notices it—that while
at first England thought the South mad, the feeling
in its favour gradually increased; and it was
coupled with a growing aversion to the North.
We have noticed from time to time the causes of this
—the chief, we believe to be the conduct of the
North itself. It was seen that even with a war on
its hands, its offensive demeanour towards this
country, and its ignominious toadying of France and
Russia, remained unaltered. It was obvious that,
only as compelled, did it make any anti-slavery
movement, and,above all, it was clear that the anti-
negro feeling of the North remained, if it does not
still remain, in all its strength. While the North
thus exhibited itself to the utmost disadvantage,the
South was careful to atone for past misconduct.
Mr, RUSSELL noticed while travelling in the
Southern States, that they were painfully con-
scions of having affronted England and half Europe
times without number in their half century of
domination in the Government of the Union ; and
that they were now anxious to dissipate, if possible,
those impressions. The South had, indeed, begun
the war with the fullest confidence that by with-
holding their cotton they could compel England
and Europe to intervene on their side. Since the
error of such hopes became manifest, the South has
done all it could to conciliate European
good will, and it has enjoyed all the
advantage of the apparently weaker side triumph-
ing in a battle for independence with a much
stronger foe. It was in this way that the feeling
of England turned, and rather quickly, in favour I
of the South.

I Mr. BUXTON denies that the cause assigned by
Mr. BRIGHT—" pleasure in seeing a prosperous
Democracy overthrown"—has anything to do with
the general hostile feeling towards the North.
Both arc wrong. The language of Tory speakers
too plainly shows how they chuckle over what they
term the "failure of Democracy." It is absurd
enough, since monarchy and aristocracy have made
failures enough in all conscience—but with the
vast majority of us in England who cannot honestly
profess any goodwill to the North itself, the reason
lies not in its democracy, but in the arrogance,
rudeness, imperiousness, and raked selfishness of
the majority of that democracy. There is no
indisposition to revive kindly feeling. The con-
tribution for Lancashire has been cordially wel-
comed as evidence that there is in the North, a
large and respectable class, worthy the esteem and
friendship of ail classes here.
Mr. BUXTON attempts to show at length that
there is little ground for hoping to see the abolition

LOSS OF THE MAIL PACKET COLOMBO.—Besides
the mails already received, one box of letters from the Mau-
ritius, six boxes, of letters and 74 of newspapers from Aus-
tralia, only slightly damaged, and 275 boxes from India
and Australia, much damaged, saved from the wreck of the
Colombo, are now on their way to England, and may be ex-
pected to arrive at Southampton about the 29th or 30th inst.
Further intelligence has been received that 159 more boxes
have been recovered and sent to Point-de- Gallo. They will
be due in London, via Marseilles. on the 12th, end via
Southampton on the 18th of January.
The Marquis of Lansdowne is entertaining a
family party at Bowood. Amongst tho company aro
Count and Countess do Flahault and Miss Elphinstone do
Flahault, the Earl and Countess of Shelburne, Mr. and
Lady Louisa Howard, &c.
The Earl Delawarr, who has been suffering from
indisposition for some days past, is now much better.
The Countess Cowper is entertaining a select
party at Panshanger, Herts.
L',rd and L id) Southampton have arrived at the
Clarendon Hotel from Whittlebury Lodge, Northampton-
shire,
Lord and Lady Tredegar are entertaining a suc-
cession of visitors at their seat, Tredegar House, Mon-
mouthshire.

of slavery in North America. We should say the Lord Henry and Lady Ulrica Thy nne have left
Maii,dheen Bradley fieire
Baron NlV)umlitchhinyg.has left the Brunswick
same if we looked only at the philanthropy of the ,
Hotel, Jerrnyn-street, for Paris.
arrived at Claridge'A
North. All philanthropy there concentrates itself
on one idea--an idea suspicicusly kindred with those Lady Eleanor Balfour and Mr. Balfour have
ClaSriidraeC' Hotel frota Kelso, N.B.
suliliiong
tel
farourdo
uMediswsoE) irtllPy have arrived at
Park.
of NEBUCHADNEZZAR as he surveyed Great
Babylon which he had built—it is no other than
that of exhibiting is a restored monster Union a t Mr, jtiks Dt,v,;ux, of Brussels, has left Fenton's
model Republic for the imitation of the despot- Hotel for Davonport.
ridden nations. But we confess that we have some i The steam,frigate Pallas, carrying the flag of
Rear *Admiral Bonet, who now commands the French
hope, now, that this self-glorifying worship of the
squadron in the South Seas, arrival at Valparaiso on the
Union is turning in favour of the Negro. As we 26th October frop.l Brest. on the following day Roar-
noticed yesterday, in remarking on the report of the
aAhddnair
left
td
ota rtiheon.
28 deliveredth fou p h
r Francete command ( m
by
)m
theand to
pu his
..ua
y.
Tsuccessor,ro
in
Secretary for War, the North begins to see that it line-of-battle ship, The Pallas left Valparaiso on the 31st
kmust conquer by negro aid, or that it must fail, October, and arrived at Callao (Peru) 11th tilt' 1

LATEST NEWS.

DEFEAT OF THE FEDERALS.

(Per China, via Roche's Point, Dec. 27, 2 30 a.m.)

NEW YORK, DEC. 17.

The battle before Fredericksburg on Saturday
was one of the fiercest, and decidedly the most
calamitous, of the war to the Federal army. The
troops fought with the most determined courage,
but General Lee's position on the heights com-
manding the city was impregnable.
The Federal Generals, Bayard and Jackson, were
killed, and General Meagher, of the Irish Brigade,
was wounded.

The Federal attack was repulsed with the heaviest
slaughter admitted to amount to 10,000 men, and,
by some reports, asserted to be at least double that
number.

The struggle was not renewed on Sunday or
Monday, the Federals I)eing busily engaged on both
days in removing the wounded and burying the
dead.

On Monday night, after a short and earnest
council of war, General Burnside issued orders to
recross the Rappahannock. The movement was
safely effected in the darkness, amid a storm of
wind and rain, the Confederates offering no oppo-
sition, and being, probably, unaware of the move-
ment.

The army of the Potomac is now encamped in
Falmouth and the vicinity, and the winter cam-
paign is believed to be at an end.
Ureat discontent prevails at New York and Was-
hington. The President is called upon to dismiss
General Halleck and Secretary Stanton.
General Burnside is blamed for undertaking a
movement against his own judgment, and which he
is said to have expressly disapproved in an inter-
view with the President, the War Secretary, and
General Halleek.

General M'Clellan received a telegram from
Washington yesterday afternoon, and left for that
city in the evening. The object of the summons is
not known. It is surmised that he will be again
offered the command of the Army of the Potomac,
and that he will refuse unless he have full power
to carry out his own object without interference
from the War Department or any other quarter.
There is no truth in the report that General
Banks's expedition has landed in North Carolina
and marched upon Weldon and Petersburg. The
flotilla has been spoken on its way to Gulf Mexico.
A body of Confederate cavalry, 2,000 strong,
under General Wade Hampton, entered Dumfries
on Friday, and captured the Federal picket guard,
the telegraphic operators, and destroyed or carried.
off a large quantity of stores.

Gold reached a premium of 33 per cent. yester-
day on the news of the defeat of General Burnside.
Mr. Jefferson Davis has visited the Confederate
army in Tennessee. He made a speech at Knox-
ville on the morning of Thursday last.
General Rosecrans is between Nashville and
Murfreesborough, at the head of a large force,
and General Grant is at Oxford, on the line of the
Mississippi Central Railroad.

The visit of the Southern President has led to a
change in the relative positions of both armies,
and important movements are daily expected to
result.

The Great Eastern has been efficiently repaired,
and is now ready to return to Europe.