The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-30 00:00:00

AIGII VATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

THIS DAY.—Morning, 4h. sm.—Afternoon, 4h. 30m.
To-Monitow.-Morning, 4h. 50m.—Afternoon, sh. 12m.

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his men. GRANT endorses the report of BUTLER, adding

the questionable compliment that he never intended
BUTLER to accompany the expedition at all ! Civil
affairs in the South just now are in a more critical
position than the military. There is evidently a
good deal of secret influence at work set on foot by
Northern agents. The North would willingly re-
duce the South to submission by every means fair
or foul, and as they find it difficult to break the
spirit of the people they are trying to undermine their
patriotism. There are some suspicious circumstances
attendingthe proceedings of ex-representative FooTE
of the Confederate Congress. It is rumoured that
he has tried to get within the Federal lines, but was
arrested and taken back to Richmond. There are
two points about the affair which seem to indicate a
decided complicity between the disloyal representative
and the Washington authorities. The first and
most open is that President LINCOLN has announced
that if DAVIS harms FooTE he will retaliate, thereby
showing a singular degree of interest in the move-
ments of a Southerner. The second is, that FOOTE'S
wife is in Washington, having been escorted thither
from Alexandria by no less a person than Secretary
SEWARD ! It is obvious what a convenient channel
for treasonable communications is afforded by this
lady's presence in the Northern capital, and indeed
the whole affair is so transparent that it would be
almost harmless were it not for other circumstances.
The Richmond Examiner, always hostile to the Pre-
sident, is now growing absolutely abusive. It
calls for the deposition of DAVIS, to save
the Confederacy from ruin. LEE'S army alone, it
says, is able to win Confederate independence. It
has been taking this tone for some time, but is now
growing more outspoken. President DAVIS must
have a high sense of the value of free discussion to
permit so much latitude. The idea of deposing the
steersman just as the vessel is drawing near the
shore is preposterbus enough. The end of the
voyage demands,- perhaps, greater :kill than any
other part. Mistakes and errors are inseparable

from all human administrations, and it is not

likely that a young untried State like the
Confederacy should escape them. It is only mar-
vellous that their affairs have been conducted, on

the main, so well and wisely. That they have been
is due to two things—first; the unanimity and pat-
riotism of the people, and, secondly, the wisdom and
administrative ability of their rulers. But, in truth,
it is not that the Enquirer loves LEE more, but
DAVIS less. It is not that it fears the downfall of

the Confederacy, but its success, and the present
crisis in Southern affairs is esteemed a favourable
opportunity for insinuating doubt, suspicion, and
discord. The rest of the Confederate press is bold
and straightforward, and speaks, we truly believe,
the sentiments of the main body of the people. The
Southerners have their course open before them. Let
them retain those men who have proved themselves
worthy of confidence, let them call out their negroes,
and by so doing, not only reinforce them to an ex-
tent which will render them most formidable to the
North, but they will take away all moral force from
their opponents and leave England no excuse for
delaying recognition. Let them preserve that unity
of sentiment and strength of purpose which have
hitherto distinguished them, and show no sign of
discord or disunion in camp or council, at least till
the crisis of the 4th of March has passed. The
North are busily circulating rumours of the Southern
anxiety for peace, of the eagerness of some parts of
the Southern States to re-enter the Union, but all this
coming from New York must be accepted with doubt.
In spite of any temporary discouragement to the
Southern arms, we must remember two things, first
that almost all our news comes through New York,
never the most accurate of reporters, and secondly
that the subjugation of so large and populous a
territory would involve an amount of bloodshed and

deportation which, if it were possible, would ensure
the final downfal of free America.