The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-06 00:00:00

:TIIE SUN, I )OV, WEDNES 1Y v

we are certain enough that he acted as he felt
became an adminstrator not a maker of the law
and a guardian of the lives of the community.
Yet, on the whole evidence as reported, we do
not think that this is a case which calls for the
punishment of death, and we believe this will be
as general an opinion, as, that the murderers of
MARYANN HALL and Mr. BRADDELL ought to be
hung.

We need not may that the law must unmistake-
ably teach that men cannot be permi►tted to brood
over the wrongs they receive from another till they
work themselves up to taking the life of the in-
jurer. But FLOOD'S case is the case of the victim
of an illegal system, and one under which he had
suffered even corporally and cruelly. Our readers
will see that the provocation he had received was
of a kind far less than that which has led hundreds
to murder in duels, and less, indeed, than provoca-
tions for which nations go to war and murder by
wholesale. Mock court-martials are tolerated in
the regiment, in which those who displease their
fellows are tried and sentenced to punishments
which are anything but a mocsery. Twice, it
appears, poor FLOOD, in pursuance of one of these
sentences, had been stripped and flogged by his
comrades with a doubled belt ; and though he bore
the character of a quiet inoffensive man, yet the
deceased who bore that of a very violent and
abusive man, had gone to him while he was on duty
on the day the affair happened and made use of bad
language to him, and he was served with a sort of
formal notice that he was to be tried by a court-
martial for leaving his saddle dirty, and was told
that he would be flogged as he had been before.
This was no doubt the immediate provocation to
the crime. That he was somewhat the worse for
drink is probable, for " it likewise appeared that
during the afternoon of the Bth of June the prisoner
had drank two pints of ale, end that while he was
on guard some girl with whom he was acquainted
took him a couple of glasses of rum, and there is
no doubt that he was to some extent the worse for
liquor when committed the act." But the wrongs
of past "court menials," and the dreaded ignominy
and suffering of another flogging, which the violent
and abusive man who threatened him well knew
he could secure, were what unhinged his mind.
We apprehend the universal feeling will be that
such infamous persecution of men who have borne
for four years a good character, by the violent, the
abusive, the bullies of the regiment, must be put down
before a man is hanged, because they drive him to
murder. No one, of course, will excuse the murder,
but every one will feel that so large a share of the
guilt falls on the actors in these courts -martial, that
the punishment of the murder trey caused should
be shared by all. Coming as this does after the
case of rubbing off a poor man's skin with sand and
scrubbing-brushes, the public will expect that
justice be first done on the inmates and managers
of barracks. We submit that secondary punish-
ment is the only proper one for FLOOD under the
circumstances ; and that the quantum of punish-
ment remitted, if it can be computed, should be dis•
tribeted in fall measure to the members of these
cruel courts-martial.

Mr. EPENCE labours most industriously, we
must add very intelligently, in the cause of the
South. Whether he writes in a morning contem-
porary or in a fifty page pamphlet, such as we have
just received, what he writes will be always worth
reading; but it must be remembered that it is the
pleading of an advocate, and the South is his
client. We do not object to this. He is hot a
blind advocate. He aims to meet objections fairly ;
indeed, chiming for ourselves, so far as our senti-
ments are concerned, very much of the judicial
feeling, we have been struck in perusing his able
pamphlet with his frequent expression of views,
which have already appeared in the comments we
have made on the American quarrel. We can
therefore cordially recommend his pamphlet on
the "Recognition of the Southern Confederation,"
to the attention of all our readers, although there is
much in it with which we cannot agree.

Mr. SPENCE decidedly advocates Recognition of
the Southern States by the Governments of Europe.
Like all, so far as we know, who do so, he does not
dream of intervention, which would be an act of
war; nor of recognition as an isolated act, but
urges that England, as the most interested in the
cessation of the war, should take the lead. France
would certainly require no solicitation, and all the
other European nations which manufactured cotton
would be ready to follow. It was proved by Mr.
WHITESIDE, and distinctly assented to by Lord
PALMERSTON, that the simple recognition of the
Sk.nthern Confederacy would not be an act of war,
not one of which the North would have any right
to complain. It would involve no aid ; it would
do nothing mire than assert the opinion of our GJ-
vet nment, that the South had existed long enough
as an orderly Government, and had shown suffi
cient vigour in defending its independent
existence, to entitle it to recognition as a de facto
Government.

His reason for bringing forward the subject now
is, that now is the time when a recognition of this
kind, although it would involve no intermeddling
with the quarrel, might both save America the hor-
rors of another bloody and useless campaign, and
open to our operatives a prospect of much earlier
relief. There is a pause in America now. Another
campaign has not the slightest chance of terminat-
ing more favourably for the North than the present
one, without a second army as large as that which
has been raised this year, and a proportionably
outlay and debt. The outlay must, this time, be
enormous, for recruiting is not done so cheaply as
it was last year; and a whole host of corrupt job-
bers will be again enlisted as advocates far the pro-
secution of a war ao profitable to their dishonesty.
If the voice of reason is to be heard at all, it must
be heard before all the expence is incurred, and all
the soldiers enlisted. And the suggestion is that
that the testimony of Europe to the de facto posi-
tion acquired by the South must have great weight
with all the reflecting people of the North, and
must dispose them to peace.
One point, somewhat casually mentioned at the
beginning of the pamphlet before us is, we think,
the all important one—Do we feel reasonably sure
that the North never can subjugate, much less sub-
jugate and retain, the South P If that really is the
opinion of England and of Europe, if the evidence
of facts before us makes it fairly certain, then, the
sooner we openly avow the conviction, and act on
it to the extent of recognition, the better. It is
hardly to be doubted that its effect would be so far
to embolden the South, while it would bring the
North to reflection, that with the offers of mediation
which must follow, even Yankees would hardly be
go the latter
8o insensate as to scorn the collective voice of Europe.
It there were any reasonable hope that the North
the g
could
vonquer, not only conquer but reunite
-Oath to itself, it would be unfair to acknow-
the Soed
, ; but it would be equally unfair, if
uth has.
tlnhade its independence secure, not to
acknowledge
owe it to the Souttla2t. We should, in that case,
to those of other cof toutt o.ur starving operatives, and
eB
to do so j we should owe
j.i Ito the North itself
to 68.ve it, SO far as in 113

B tley
# Itioher-d "-street.

lay 4 from bloodshed and financial ruin. All, it ap-
pears to us, turns on this We are not warranted
in preventing the suppression of a mete rebellion ;
on the other hand, we are not warranted in remain-
ing indifferent to horrible and purposeless carnage
in America, and destruction of our own and other
nations' trade. We observe that Mr. SPENCB holds
the opinion, on which we have often emphatically
insisted, that the law of necessity authorises us, it
we think wise to do so, to refuse respect to a
blockade which excludes us from an article indis-
pensable to the support of millions of our popula-
tion. We strongly incline to the belief that we all
of us erred in conceding to the North liberty to
blockade us from cotton. Yankees might have
blustered, but they would have been compelled to
respect the reasonable firmness of all civilised
nations.

As to the temper which European recognition
would provoke in the North, we do not believe it
could be more maliciously violent than what already
exists there. Nothing but fear of cur strength, per-
haps equal fear for their own dollars which they see
take wings so quickly in war, keeps these arrogant
people quiet. It will keep them quiet still. Their
spite will evaporate in boastful threats. The slavery
argument we have more thin once refuted. After
all, in recognising the North we have recognised an
inveterately pro-slavery, Fugitive-slave-Law-mak-
ing Government. Nor is what it has done of an
emancipationist tendency at all to its credit; it has
all been done, not from hatred to slavery but from
hatred to the South. Had the North commenced
with the Abolition flag, we could have respected it
—and we have been willing to think the best of
what it has done ; but, reviewing all, we must own
that we see in it little but compulsory virtue. We
entirely differ from Mr. SPENCE on this subj, ct.
We do believe that had the Northern people been
right-minded towards the negro, the motto, " GOD
defend the right" would have emancipated the
slave, and preserved the Union. We, too, have
looked into the question, and the result is entire
disbelief in the pro-slavery twaddle about the dan-
gers of immediate emancipation—that is of imme-
diate justice—immediate cessation of the most fla-
grant un-Christian and hateful of wrongs.
Willie, then, we confess that the question of re-
cognition belongs pre-eminently to our Govern.:
ment, we confess that our own impressions in its
favour, and we believe those of the greater part of
Englishmen have become stronger with every
month of this now, as we deem it, hopeless war.
On one condition we think our Government would
be bound to insist that the slave-trade under the
Confederate flag should be declared piracy, not
merely as an article in their Constitution liable to
repeal by themselves, but in the form of a most
solemn compact with us never to be altered without
our consent. With such a proviso we think slavery
would be quite as likely to come to an end in an in-
dependent South, as in a Federal Union with a
North which hates negrues and loves the profits of
slavery itself.

Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cam-
bridge and Princess Mary and the Grand uke and Duchess
of Mecklenburg-Strelitz have left town on a visit to Lady
Marian Alford at Ashbridge Park.
His Serene Highness Prince George of Solms has
left town for West Cowes, Isle of Wight, for a few days.

His Excellency ihe Hinoverian Minister has left
Grosvenor-place to visit his estates in Hanover.

His Excellency Vely Ediin lt►feat Pasha, with
his family, have left the Brunswick Hotel, Jermyn-street,
for Paris.

Tne Marquis of Lansdowne and the Earl and
Countess of Shelburne have left Berkeley-square for Rich-
mond for a few 4 ys, when the Earl and Countess of Shel-
burne will leave for Scotland,

The Earl of Powis has left town for Folkestone,
en route to the Continent.

The Earl and Countess of Warwick, after a pro-
tracted tour in Italy and Switzerland, have just returned
to Warwick Castle, the fine old feudal seat of the family in
Warwickshire.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Kildare have
left town for a tour of visits on their way to their seat in
Ireland.

The Earl of Dudley left his residence in Park-
lane yesterday for Whitley Court, Worcestershire, whence,
after a brief stay, the noble earl goes to his shooting quar-
ters in the Highlands._.

The Countess of Kinnoull left Rutland-gate yes-
terday for Worthing, Sussex, for a few weeks.
Field-Marshal Viscount and Viscountess Com-
bermere have arrived fr, m Buxton at Combermere Abbey,
where they are to receive a succession of visitors during
the autumn.

Lcrd Harris has left his residence, South-street,
for his seat, Belmont, Fevershatn, Kent.
Sir George Cornewalt and Lady Theresa Lewis
and Miss Lister have left Kent House, to join the circle
assembled at Ash'idge Palk, Berkhampstead.
The Prince of Orange started yesterday evening
by the Chatham and Dover Railway for Dover, en route
for the continent. Previous to his departure his Royal
Highness honoured the establishment of Mr. C. F. Han-
cock, of Bruton-street, Bond-street, with a visit, and was
pleased to favour him with his commands.

THE WORK oF THE 6EsSION. —The House of
Commons has voted in Committee of Supply sums of money
amounting in the whole to £43,401,639 ; or, deducting votes
for last year's deficiencies, £12,373,371. The interest on the
National Debt and the charges placed on the Consolidated
Fund, of course, do not require to be annually voted.
TIIE MIDDLE LEVEL—The re.novta of the water
from the long inundated land by the side of the Middle
Level drain makes slow progress. Bardolph Fen, at the
Outwell end of the great sheet of water, has, however, been
cleared, and some of the soil has been ploughed during the
last few days. The land thus again made evailable for
cultivation beans, however, but a small proportion to the
whole tract of country inundated. The syphons are cx
petted to be got to work in about 10 days or a fortnight,
and it is expected that the operation of draining off the
accumulated water will then be greatly facilitated. The
great breach in one of the banks of the cut is being filled
up, and the ruins of the sluice are also in course of re-
moval.

THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.—There was
a slight decrease in the numbers at the building yesterday,
though app
country. The total admissions up to five o'clock were
66,836,
arently a large increase in the visitors from the
of which 51,714 were by payment, and 5,092 by sea-
son tickets.
The picture galleries and machinery annexe
were crowded to an inconvenient excess throughout the
whole day. In other respects nothing took place worthy of
special remark. During this week the date at which •he
shilling Saturdays will c mmence is to be fixed, but beyond
this change no al eratiou will be made, or any fete or cere-
mony take place till the closing day and distribution of the
medals,

CONVICTB AT LARGB.—In thq year 1861 and last
quarter of 1860, 1,672 male convicts were released on licence
in England, and 301 female convicts in 1861. In the 81
year from October, 1853, to the end of 1861, 10,507 male
convicts and 962 female convicts have been released under
orders of license. 1,124 of the men and 73 of the women
have since been returned to convict prisons under Fontence
of penal servitude or transportation; and 849 of tha men
and 68 of the women have had their licence revoked for
lighter offences,
making a total of 1,973 men and 141
women who have forfeited t oir licence. Of the men,
however,
only 535, or 5 per cent., forfeited their license for
the more serious crimes, and 10 per cent. of the women ;
the rest were for the lighter offences of larceny, theft,
vagrancy, assault, and various misdemeanours.

MURDER IN DERBYSHIRE.-0c Saturday even-
ing, about eight, Sturston, near Ashbourn, Derbyshire, was
the scene of a most brutal murder. It a pears that as Mr.
Tomlinson, of Sturston Hall, w s loading hay out of a field
adjoining his residence, two of his men, who were engaged
in "pitching," having had some altercation relative to the
amount of work each was capable of performing, one
of them, an Irishman, named Swaney, unawares, fbreely
attacked the deceased, a young man named Thomas
Stanley, dealing him blows and kicks alternately, until the
poor fellow lay a corpse on the spot. The prisoner after-
wards made his escape, but has since teen captured by the
constabulary in a barn at Little Park, near Okeover-hall,
the seat of the high sheriff of the county, and is now
safely lodged in the Ashbourn lock-up. The unfortunate
young fellow who so suddenly met his death bore an excel-
lent character, and had only been married five weeks. The
prisoner is a tall, powerfully-built man, standing about 6
feet 2 inches in height.
CHARING-CROSS RAILWAY.--Yesterday the third
Bridge-road, was commenced by the contractors, those over
great
ttibrrodn bridge,
Stamford-street carrying this line over the Southwark
et and Blackfriars-road being successfully
completed. The works and foundations tot the one to carry
the line over the Borough-road to the London-bridge sta-
tiOJA are also Itogreagug.