The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-26 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, SEPT. 26, 1865.

The arrival of the Peruvian with intelligence up
to the 15th shows us a very troubled picture of
American politics. The PRESIDENT, who has long
been separating himself gradually from that ex-
treme Republican party who raised him to power,
is now inclining more and more to the views and
policy of the Democrats. The Democrats in their
turn are, of course, eager to welcome so distin-
guished and powerful an ally, for although Mr.
JOHNSON has not openly declared any alteration in
his views, the general tenour of his late policy
is certainly more Democratic than Repub-
lican ; in other words, it tends rather to
a cautious endeavour to rebuild the old
system than to the intiduction of sudden and
violent changes and the immediate elevation of the
uneducated black man to political power in place of
the educated white. President JOHNSON, whatever
his faults or shortcomings, is evidently a man of
considerable ability and resolution. He sees clearly
enough that if he suffers himielf to be carried away
by the New England fanatics he can never hope to
restore and rebuild the rich and fertile South. The
Southern provinces, which the New Englanders
speak of in terms of derogation and contempt,
are far too valuable and too
Populous to be
slighted, while their people have shown
that
they have mind and character enough to hold very
strong political opinions of their own. Physically
they may be subdued by superior force ; but poli-
tically, Mr. JOHNSON very well knows that the
States will never be restored to their old condition,
in which they contributed so much to the wealth
and prosperity of the Union, by the system of
repression and severity which the extreme Radicals
would willingly see adopted. It stands to reason that
five or six millions of highly educated, intelligent,
polite persons, who have been accustomed to look
upon themselves as a strong and united people, able
to win their own independence, to maintain armies,
to determine peace or war, to choose their own
legislators and rulers, and to decide upon their own
laws, will not tamely submit to political annihila-
tion, will not suffer the immediate elevation of their
own servants above their heads at the time of their
own degradation. It is to be hoped that ANDREW
JOHNSON is clear-sighted enough to foresee that a

policy like this can only end in another uprising,
more resolute and more desperate than the last ;
that i must lead to a state of anarchy and con-

.fusiop, if it does not result in bloodshed and
massacre. With incomprehensible blindness the
Republicans continue to urge upon the Pre-
sident at the same moment the introduction
of negro suffrage and the exclusion of
the rebels from political power. Senator Sum nn
made a speech on the 14th of September at the
Massachusetts Republican Convention, in which
he said that neither the rebellion nor slavery was
ended, nor would be until the negroes were placed
upon a full equality with the whites before the law.
The rebels, he added, must be excluded from
power, and neither vote nor be voted for Congress,
and they must not be admitted into the partner-
ship of government. Can any one imagine a more
preposterous theory to propound in a time of
trouble and excitement. Such fanatics are totally
inexcusable, for the length of time that has elapsed
since the termination of the war has allowed the
virulence of party feeling space to expend itself,
and the line adopted by the more prominent South-
erners ig one that leaves their enemies no shadow of
a plea for persecution. The example set by that
true-hearted patriot and honourable man, General
LEE, has been followed by many other leaders.
Derply mortified as all the chief Confederates must
be at the total collapse of their schemes, and the
defeat of their armies, they have nct shrunk
from accepting their destiny, and bowing
to the fortunes of war, with a moral courage that
reflects higher honour upon them than the most
brilliant physical victories. The old Scotch Provost,
in AYTOUN'S memorable ballad, praises the sole sur-
vivor of the band who left him for Flodden
that he had dared to bring the fatal news. He
exclaims :

" I hold it braver done
Than hadst thou tarried in thy plaro

And died above my son."
And in the same way, we may be sure, no hard-
fought contest ever cost Generals LEE and JOHN-
STONE so dear as their public acceptance of the
Federal Government. But, like brave men, they
will not shrink from their political any more
than from their military duty, and both have ac-
cepted public offices as evidence of their determina-
tion to support the existing order of things." The
Republican; whose annihilation and confiscation
schemes are interfered with by such conduct, openly
proclaim their distrust of all Southern professions
of loyalty, but the President has seized an oppor-
tunity of declaring that he holds a contrary opinion.
A body of eminent Confederates having waited
upon him, he announced that he did not believe
those sensation writers who said so much about the
disaffection of the South, and that the presence of so
many distinguished gentlemen disproved their state-
ments. This reception must have been gratifying to
the Southerners, and if Mr. JOHNSON pursues this line
of policy we may hope to see something like peace
and prosperity restored to the troubled States.
Theze is work enough for all to do, and there will
be difficulties enough to contend against without
any wild theorists or savage fanatics putting need-
less obstacles in the way. The two great problems
of the financial situation and the future of the
negroes are quite sufficient to demand the calm and
unprejudiced attention of the ablest statesmen.
Much will depend on the course pursued during the
next few months. Let us then fervently hope that
wise and enlightened counsels will carry the day.

We are now certainly proving the truth of the
adage that misfortunes never come single. The
last intelligence that has reached us is most alarm-
ing, and it is, indeed, sad to contemplate its effects
on the community during the ensuing winter. The
letter which Professor SIMONDS has addressed to the
Clerk of the Council is most unsatisfactory in its
details, and it is well calculated to inspire dread into
the minds of all far-seeing judges. The Professor
has been investigating the matter very carefully,
with a view to ascertain the truth of the rumours as
to the existence or extent of the cattle plague among
sheep and lambs. Unfortunately, it would appear
that the ominous reports were not too well sounded,
and many will peruse with a melancholy interest
the important details set forward in this communi-
cation. So far back as the middle of last August
the disease seems to have been among the sheep,
and therefore it has by this time gained ground.
A farmer at Blakeney at that period received on his
farm one hundred and twenty lambs, which had no
sooner arrived than they showed symptoms of
disease. These were gradually developed, until
many of them died, and a cow which had been
put into a shed occupied by some of the
sheep was attacked with the cattle plague.
Upon Professor SIMONDS examining the lambs
he found that they exhibited signs of the
plague in a most unmistakeable manner. In
almost every particular the symptoms were synony-
mous with the redoubtable plague, and the post
mortent appearances were also identical. Professor
SIMONDS goes on to relate that he sent some of the
diseased parts to the Royal Veterinary College
without " note or comment," and the result was
that they at once recognised the special changes of
structure that are caused by the cattle plague. The
conclusion arrived at by these inquiries is that sheep
are liable to the diseases called the acute plagues,
and that when so affected they can communicate
the malady to the ox tribe, when it will prove as
fatal as if communicated from ox to ox.

To make assurance doubly sure, it is mentioned
that this case occurred at a place not less than four-
teen miles from any other where the cattle plague
exists, which shows that the disease was propagated
among the cattle by the " sheep alone." At this
especial juncture worse tidings could hardly be
circulated abroad, and yet it is wiser to know the
worst than to remain in doubt concerning such a
vital matter.

This is not a solitary case of sheep being similarly
affected as the cattle have been. The Professor re-
ports that having heard of some lambs being
affected near Norwich he proceeded there, and found
that out of a flock of two thousand a large number
had been set apart and had entirely escaped the evil,
but that a great many had died, and the disease
was making rapid progress. In this case the malady
was brought into the district through the purchase of
some cattle, and these were unfortunately " pastured
with the sheep at the time the disease manifested
itself." It is no matter of astonishment that the Pro-
fessor should conclude his letter with the remark, that
" the whole matter is one of the greatest import-
ance," and he, therefore, has lost no time in trans-
mitting it to the clerks for the " information of the
Lords of the Council."

It is always of consequence to receive authentic
intelligence of such calamities as these at the outset,
so that needless fears may not be entertained, and'
also that due care and caution may be observed.
Surely the shepherds, and all concerned in the
charge of cattle and sheep, must recognise the fru_
mense importance of keeping those recently pur..
chased from the others until time has shown if they
are free from the taint of any disease and fit to
mix with the others. Had this due precaution been
adopted in both the cases cited by the Professor
much evil would have been avoided ; and it is also
worthy of suggestion that more attention be paid to
the comfort of the animals when they are bought.
The bustle with which they are conveyed from place
to place, and the great neglect which they often ex-