The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-24 00:00:00

VIE SUN, rimposz, PRMAY OCTOBER "24, 1862.

inst. ; but in New York and other States they do
not come off till the beginning of November.
The Washington correspondent of the IVew York
World writes :

6, An important cabinet meeting was held to-
day, and the quidnuncs are unusually wild about the
hotels to-night in speculating on its causes and pro-
bable results. In one quarter the rumour of the
retirement of Secretary Stanton and Postmaster-
General Blair gained considerable credence. If
there is any truth in either of these rumours
the foundation of each must be on distinct
and different grounds; for while the former was a
warm advocate of the emancipation proclamation,
the latter is said to have been the most surprised
person in Washington on being told it was to be
issued. In fact several Radical Northern post-
masters were about to be supplanted by those of
more Conservative tendencies when this document
appeared, thus completely reversing the general
standard of what was then the President's creed.
Notwithstanding the incongruous elements now
composing the administration, it may safely be an-
ticipated that harmony will come out of disorder,
and that the cabinet will retain its present status
for some time to come at least."
The Washington Star says "that General Banks
will succeed to the Secretaryship of War ; that
General Halleck returns to his old command in the
West ; that the command of M'Clellan's army will
be given to General Hooker, and that General
M'Clellan will succeed General Halleck at Wash-
ington.

A Washington telegram of the Bth, says :
" Senator's Pomeroy's negro colonisation enter-
prise is temporarily suspended. An energetic pro-
test of Minister Molina, of Costa Rica, has resulted
in an assurance from Secretary Seward that Senator
Pomeroy's expedition shall not seek any point
likely to give offence to any foreign power. The
misapprehension seems to prevail that the Govern-
ment intends to exercise some political authority
over the colony planted under the provisions of the
late act of Congress. Such, however, is not the

case; nor will any locality be selected likely to
cause offence to any friendly nation. The suspen-
sion of the expedition is believed to be only tem-
porary, and will not prevent its taking place this
fall."

The following despatches contain the Confederate
version of the recent battles in Maryland :
" Head-quarters, Army of Northern Virginia,
Camp on Washington River, Oct. 2.
" General,—The enemy's cavalry, under General
Pleasanton, with six pieces of artillery, drove back
our pickets yesterday in front of Shepherdstown.
The 9th Virginia Cavalry, which was on picket, re-
pulsed the enemy several times by vigorous charges,
disputing the ground step by step back to the main
body. By the time his artillery reached him, Col.
N. F. H. Lee, who was in command of the brigade,
was obliged to place it on the west bank of the
Opequon, on the flank of the enemy, as he ap-
proached Martinsburg.

" General Hampton's brigade had retired through
Martinsburg, on the Tuscarora-road, when General
Stuart arrived, and made dispositions to attack.
Lee's brigade was advanced immediately, and
Hampton's ordered forward. The enemy retired
at the approach of Lee along the Shepherdstown-
road, and was driven across the Potomac by the
cavalry, with severe loss, and darkness alone pre-
vented it from being a signal victory. His rear
was overtaken and put to flight, our cavalry charg-
ing in gallant style under a severe fire artillery,
driving squadron after squadron, killing a number,
wounding more, and capturing several. He was
driven through Shepherdsto wn, and crossed the
river after dark, in no case standing a hand to hand
conflict, but relying upon his artillery and carbines
at long range for protection.
" I regret to add that we lost one lieutenant and
several privates_

" I am most respectfully, &c.,
" R. E. LEE, General Commanding.
" Official—CHAßLES MARSHALL, Major and
A.D.C.
" General S. Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector
General, C.H.A.., Richmond, Va.'.
" GENERAL ORDERS—No. 116.

" Head-quarters, Army of Northern Virginia;
October 2.

"In reviewing the achievements of the army
during the present campaign the commanding
general cannot withhold the expression of his ad-
miration of the indomitable courage it has displayed
in battle and its cheerful endurance of privation and
hardship on the march.

" Since your great victories around Richmond you
halve defeated the enemy at Cedar Mountain, ex-
pelled him from the Rappahannock, and after a con-
flict of three days, utterly repulsed him on the
plains of Manassas, and forced him to take shelter
within the fortifications around his capital.
" Without halting for repose you crossed the
Potomac, stormed the heights of Harper's Ferry,
made prisoners of more than 11,000 men, and cap-
tured upwards of 70 pieces of artillery, all their
small arms and other munitions of war.

" While one corps of the army was thus engaged
the other ensured its success by arresting at Boons-
borough the combined armies of the enemy, advanc-
.. _ _

ing under their favourite general to the relief of
their beleagured comrades.
" On the field of Sharpsburg, with less than one-
third his numbers, you resisted from daylight until
dark the whole army of the enemy, and repulsed
every attack along his entire front of more than
four miles in extent.

" The whole of the following day you stood pre-
pared to resume the conflict on the same ground,
and retired next morning, without molestation,
across the Potomac.

" Two attempts subsequently made by the enemy
to follow you across the river have resulted in his
complete discomfiture and being driven back with
loss.

" Achievements such as these demanded much
valour and patriotism. History records few exam-
ples of greater fortitude and endurance than this
army has exhibited ; and I am commissioned by the
President to thank you in the name of the Confe-

derate States for the undying fame you have won
for their arms.

" Much as you have done, much more remains to
be accomplished. The enemy again threatens us
with invasion, and to your tried valour and patriotism
the country looks with confidence for deliverance

and safety ; your past exploits give assurance that
this confidence is not misplaced.
" R. E. LEE, General Commanding."
Southern papers state that the yellow fever was
raging at Galveston.

Nassau papers announce the arrival on the 2d of
the steamer Leopard, from Charleston, South Caro-
lina, with a cargo of cotton, rice, &c.
The Leopard reports that soon after leaving
Charleston firing was heard, which is supposed to
have been directed toward the steamer Hero. This
vessel was expected to leave about the same time.
Her fate is not yet known. The British schooner
Nellie, a prize to the gunboat Alabama, had arrived
at Philadelphia.

THE FRENCH PRESS AND THE CIRCU-
LAR OF DROUYN DE LHUYS.

The Constitutionnei expresses itself in these

terms :

" The document is short and clear. On the
, Roman question it refers to the Emperor's letter
as the true expression of the principles of the
Government. There is consequently no change
in the Imperial policy. The Emperor's Govern-
' ment will continuo the work of conciliation which it
has undertaken inaltaly, and persist in its efforts
without discouragement as without impatience.
The clearness of this language lenders comment un-
necessary, and completely justifies the opinions we
have expressed."
The following is from the Paine "
The letter addressed by the Emperor to M.
Thouvenel, and M. Drouyn de Lhuys' circular,
which has just been published, fully justify, our
readers will admit, our latest observations upon the
exaggerated interpretations of certain journals with
reference to the nomination of the new Minister of
Foreign Affairs. So long as no Imperial declara-
tion, we said, shall have shown that the French
policy traced out by the letter of May 20 has been
modified, we shall only look upon the retirement of
M. Thouveuel as an incident which justifies neither
the discouragement of the friends of Italy, nor the
hopes of her adversaries. The situation is there-
fore now clearly established. Two ineffectual at-
tempts made at Rome have produced neither ' dis-
couragement' nor impatience.' The Emperor re-
sumes the work which he has undertaken for the
satisfaction of the rights of Italy and the interests
of the Papacy. He now takes it up again with the
hope of completing it, and until the day in which
that hope shall be entirely abandoned he will pur-
sue its realisation, without giving way to any in-
citement, and without deviating from his line of
conduct. Italy should less than any one regret this
delay in the accomplishment of her political desti-
nies. The time which elapses strengthens the con-
quests realised during the last three years by the
principle of unity. It is in vain that the reactionists
endeavour to shake the edifice of which the founda-
tion was laid by France at Solferino. On the day
in which the crowning of that edifice shall be ob-
tained, nothing will be able to menace it; neither
vanquished ambitions nor interests, which are now
spared."
The language of the Pays runs thus :
" This diplomatic document confines itself to re-
calling the general principles by which the Imperial
policy has so far been inspired in the Roman ques-
tion, and of which the realisation is about to be
pursued as before without discouragement as with-
out impatience.' The object of that line of conduct
is the conciliation of the two opposite interests
which are contending in Italy. M. Drouyn de
Lhuys devoted himself to that task in the very same
terms in which it was set forth by the Emperor's
letter of the 20th of May last. As to the means to
be followed to arrive at so desirable an arrangement
the circular of the Minieter of Foreign Affairs says
nothing. We understand that reserve, for we know
well that as a General must not make public his
plan of campaign, in the same manner a diplomatist
must not reveal the secret of his negotiations."
The temps makes the following comment, which
is not altogether so sanguine of success as those of
some of its contemporaries :
" There is little to be said of this circular. It

ustifies the policy which the _France has sustained

from its commencement to the dismissal of M. Thou-
venel, and to which the Constitutionnel appears to
have rallied since the accession of M. Drouyn de
Lhuys. The France, as we have already observed,
has now advanced another step, and at present, as
if the Empire was not based upon universal suffrage,

it purely and simply disregards the ' right of the
Romans,' and openly proclaims that Rome is lost

to Italian unity. One more great fact is again
shown by the Ministerial circular; it is the im-
mense importance of the Roman question, which
evidently takes the lead of and effaces all others, at
least at the present moment, in the occupations of
the Government. The new Minister commences by
declaring that he desires to enlighten the public
mind as to the direction which he shall follow, and
after that general declaration he only discourses on
Rome as if there was no other foreign question on
the order of the day. As to the fresh attempts at
conciliation, in which the Government is about to

take the initiative, we expect absolutely nothing.
The Holy See has laid down the question, and made
engagements in such manner as to be able to give
way in nothing. France must abandon it to itself,
or be with it against Italy. All half measures are
illusory."

The France is much more laboured in its obser-
vations, and endeavours to prove, above all, that
its own views find an echo in the Minister's cir-

cular :

" The policy of the Emperor's Government is now
defined with a clearness which leaves no room for
the false interpretations and misconceptions which
for a moment misled public opinion. M. Drouyn de
Lhuys, in the important circular just published,
declares that this policy is embodied in the thought
which inspired the letter of the 20th of May. This
memorable letter thus remains the only programme
of the pclicy which France will endeavour to realise
in Italy, and, according to the Minister's own words,
it expresses the Emperor's views, with an autho-
rity which would only be weakened by comment.'
It was, in fact, by adding to the words of the Chief
of the State a commentary which they did not jus-
tify,over the Imperial programme
to rntgicularly on the despatches of M.
d w andei i
more by passing as
particularly
Thouvenel and M. de Lavalette, that the sense of
this Sovereign manifestation came to be misunder-
stood by public opinion. When we said, with
strict logical inference from the premises, that in
the letter of 20th May, and in that alone, the true
expression of our policy was to be found, what
opposition, whatwrath, what contradictions we
encountered
the revolutionary journals and
from
those which had imprudently joined them for the
moment ! The circular of M. de Drouyn de Lhuys
now clearly shows who had truth and reason on
their side. Whence came our conviction ? Whence
the error of our opponents ? Their error arose
from the fact that they regarded the check expe-
rienced by our diplomatic agents in the negotia-
tions with the Holy See as an abandonment of the

traditional policy of France, though again affirmed
with so much precision and impartiality in the Em-
peror's letter. M. Thouvenel and M. de Lavalette
had failed in their efforts to induce the Roman

Court to accept the views of the Imperial policy.
Was that a reason why this policy should be sud-
denly modified, deserting at the same time the work

of universal interest of which it is at Rome the repre-
sentative and persevering defender ? Of course it was
not. Principles so sacred, so fundamental as those of
which France is the organ and protector in Italydo not
give way because a diplomatic check, due, perhaps,
to accidental causes, and perhaps retrievable to-
morrow, may have temporarily delayed their
triumph."

The Monde does not speak out very plainly, but
it avails itself of the opportunity to affirm that no
sympathy whatever is felt in France for the

:alian cause, except among writers for the public

press :

"Except among journalists we have found in no
class of the French population any sympathy with
the Italian revolution. If an inquiry were made as
to the feelings of all Frenchmen, they would be

found unanimous (excepting the journalists, of

course) in declaring that the Italians cost us a great
deal, and bring in but little. Even in the most dis-
tant provinces it is seen that the Italians pay us in

wretched coin, and people do not restrain them-
selves from saying so."
The language of the Union presents a marked
contrast to that of the extracts just read, as it as-
serts that it is quite impossible for any ordinary in-
tellect to extract a clear and definite meaning from

M. Drouyn de Lhuys' words. It says :—..y
" Frankly, in the present conjuncture, if the idea
is not concealed, it remains, to our eyes at least,
singularly veiled. On closely examining the words
and phrases it is felt that the idea is stealing away,
and to obtain from them any clearly defined sense,
more perspicacity, assuredly, than we can display
is necessary.
letter of the 20th On that subject
of May; be it so.
The Minister refers to the Imperial
our opinion is well known, and the circumstances
are not of a nature to modify it. What is also no

secret is that that letter has given -rise to very dif-
ferent interpretations, so different, indeed, that the
14-inTite-r- charged with following its application has
set about it in such a manner as to be obliged to
retire. What will be the interpretation of his
successor ? Of course it will not be the same.
Consequently the sort of ultimatum, in the form
of threats, which was contained in the de-
spatch of the 30th of May has fallen to the ground.
That is so much gained ; but what next ? Are
fresh combinations about to be attempted ! We
defy the cleverest commentator to discover from the
tenour of the circular of the Minister of Foreign
Affairs."

After dwelling on the point at some length, the
Union terminates in these words :

" Let us, then, sum up as well as we can the
balance-sheet of the situati, n. With M. Thouve-
nel it was to be feared that Piedmont might believe
herself about to go to Rome; with M. Drouyn de
Lhuys that fear seems to be removed, or at least
adjourned. That is something; but it is a nega-
tive result. Much more is needed to arrive so far
as to render the Pope ' master at home,' and Italy
free, in a confederation of her princes and popula-
tions."