The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-18 00:00:00

•
tit ie*P4ll‘' W&I
N/Viir

LONDON, SATURDAY, FEB. 18, 1865.

applause, and doubtless will find in many minds
from its bold utterance of mundane truths, and
its earnest vindication of the rights of Ireland
" I warn the noble viscount," said Mr. WiirrEsiDE,
" that in spite of his high position and popularity,
the exhibition of to-night will not strengthen his
administration. Ireland has been governed in a
way to which we will no longer submit. We de-
mand for our country a full measure of justice, no
right-minded Irishman could be satisfied with less,
the highest ambition ought not to covet more." It
would be well if the Government would take to
heart the warnings thus conveyed to them by the
most eloquent representatives of Ireland in the
House, and who rival any of the orators there in
their particular style. It is the principle of the
Government of Ireland that is in fault, as well as
the practice and working, but a fundamental
change can alter it. In large matters a time-
serving course of expediency is adopted, which fails
for want of vigour, and in small events a tyrannical
mode is followed, which greatly irritates the com-
munity and lays the foundation of ills hereafter.
It has been shown on many occasions that this
faulty style of procedure - fails egregiously, but no
heed is paid to the teaching of circumstances, and
it would almost seem that the Government defy
inquiry and treat remonstrance with scorn. They
proverbially neglect the requests of Irish members,
and do all they can to shirk inquiry when Irish sub-
jects come before the House. Now that a case of
seriousimport has been brought under their notice
by one who will be heard, their replies are unequal
and their reasons insufficient. Such a mode of pro-
cedure is perverse and prejudicial, and cannot but
make a Ministry unpopular.

If the Confederates have had cause to lament the
prevalence of discord in their councils, very cer-
tainly the North cannot boast of unity among its
leaders. A family quarrel generally lets out a good
many secrets, and those who appointed BENJAMIN
FRANKLIN BUTLER might have known .that the
American public would soon hear a little plain
speaking about their own mistakes or misdoings.
General BUTLER does not rejoice in the most en-
viable reputation over here. His name, in fact, is
a word of reproach to the Government which

tolerated his conduct at New Orleans, and which
placed him in command. At the same time,
there is no doubt that, whatever his shortcom-
ings in other respects, he possesses a good share
of that " 'cuteness" and shrewdness on which the
Yankees collectivelyand individually are wont to pride
themselves. He has, too, that gift of speech which
they seldom lack, and. a full amount of that con-
fidence, not to say assurance, which is also commonly
associated with the American character. All these
qualities combined make him a dangerous enemy
on a platform, if he is not a very formidable foe
outside the walls of a fort ; and while he assures
his good. friends and neighbours at Lowell that ho
has no intention of attacking any one, and that he
does not care a rappee for the opinion of the outside
world, he continues to give the impression that
PORTER is a timid and self-seeking Admiral, GRANT
a rash and incompetent General, and he himself a
martyr to his humane care for his men! BUTLER
a martyr to his humanity ! Certainly the wonders
developed by the American war are great. His
previous career has not been such as to lead us to
suppose that the lives of his men and the happiness
of their families were his primary consideration.
However, perhaps, he thought fit to turn over a
new leaf and practise humanity henceforward; only
not being accustomed to the exercise of such con-
siderations, he rushed into the opposite extreme.
Converts are usually the most zealous, and BUTLER,
of the reign of terror at New Orleans—BUTLEß,
who coolly proposed the other day the wholesale
depopulation of the South—now considers that the
first duty of a General in going into battle is to save
the lives of his soldiers. It must be obvious to the
most obtuse observer that this desirable end is most
likely to be attained by bearing in mind the words
of the old distich

After the tedious and monotonous course which
the debates of this session have hitherto taken, the
llouse was last night enlivened by a discussion dis-
tinguiihed for considerable eloquence. Sir HUGH
CAIRNS is certain to make an impression on his
hearers, and when he chooses a topic on which he is
naturally so interested as Ireland, he becomes more
earnest and eloquent than usual. There was great
truth in the remarks of the hon. and learned gentle-
man, and the manner in -which he exposed. the
fallacies that mark the policy of Mi nt
very
ratio s
Ire-
land was very striking. His searereteinn
be n
and his keen satire must have b
inconve-
nient to those on the Treasury Benches. The Belfast
riots, which took place last August, certainly call for
the consideration of Parliament, and it is advisable to
call attention to the glaring errors which allowed such
a state of things to occur. It is always the wisest
and the truest policy for those in power to guard
against the possibility of any outbreak by every
means at their command, instead of allowing things
to take their chance, as it were, and, when the
harm is done, to adopt measures that annoy and
irritate, but cannot remedy the evil or repair the
ravages committed. It is impossible to peruse the
speech of Sir licas CArnNS without being impressed

"He who fights and runs away
May live to fight another day ,
and accordingly discretion is the better part of
Gen. BUTLER'S valour. According to his reading,
failures, if they are not disasters, are to be accepted
as triumphs. So far from success being
a virtue, it
is rather a reproach, for what great battle was
ever won without loss of life ? Gen. BUTLER has
three feathers in his military cap, and if the world
calls them white rather than red, that is his very
subject of self-congratulation. " I claim," he says,
4; the credit and the glory of not having assaulted

errors Fo Fisher," and to this triumph he fortunately
with the conviction that great and serious
attended the course pursued -by the Government, addZ two others. He failed at Big Bethel, and he
and the feeble replies and flippant repartees that failed at the Dutch Gap Canal. It would really
were made by the Mims' terial speakers did not at have spoiled the symmetry of his career if he had
all improve their case or lessen the effect of the achieved any great military success ; and he asks
damaging orations of their opponents. Apart from for no else for his epitaph than the words,
this view of the question, there can be no doubt " Hera lies the General who saved the lives of his
that a great gain is effected by the subject being soldier at Big Bethel and Fort Fisher, and who
brought before the notice of Parliament. Such a never commanded the army of the Potomac."
plan is always the surest and safest way to ensure There is only one little omission to be
a better course being adopted for the future, and it filled up by an impartial observer ,-- the
brings the case before the public in a more efficient item "who desolated New Orleans" should certainly
manner than any other mode can possibly do. The find a place in the list of this hero's merits. But
very inefficient manner in which the present Go- part of the credit of the failure at Fort Fisher,
vernment conduct the legislation of Ireland justifies according to BUTLER'S account, is justly due to
the indignation so constantly expressed by Irish Admiral PORTER. Everything was propitious for
members, and indeed in no other part of their one- the assault, the weather was superlatively fine, the
rous duties do they so so entirely fail as in this par- sea surprisingly smooth, the wind was zephyr-like,
titular. As Sir HUGH CAIRNS ably put the matter, the fort was comparatively undefended, and BUT-
" there is one thing worse than bad legislation, and LER'S army was on the qui vice for three days, but
that is a bad administration of the law." This is a there was a space where PORTER was not, and the
very correct definition of the state of affars in golden oppOrtunity was lost. By the time the
Ireland, and describes the condition of feeling attack was made hurricanes succeeded zephyrs;
which actuates the people. Sir HUGH CAIRNS breakers, mountains high, replaced gentle waves ;
spoke strongly against the appointment of the storms took the place of sunshine ; reinforcements
Commission of Inquiry, and gave it as his opinion arrived in the fort, and only a third of BUTLER'S
that it would not only prove to be of no benefit, but, men could land, while the fleet had expended
on the contrary, effect injuries to the cause of justice. all its ammunition, and could not support
Sir ROBERT PEEL was not at all equal to the task them. But in the interval between these two con-
before him, of replying to the observations of Sir ditions, so graphically described by Gen. BUTLER,
HUGH CAIRNS, and evidenced on that occasion, as on came the interlude of the powder-ship. The passage
many others, that ,he thought more of making jests of that redoubtable vessel from the sublime to the
and jokes than of addressing himself to the true ridiculous was a very rapid one, and the shock
and important issues of the case before him. He which Admiral PORTER confidently expected would
adopted the usual tactics of Ministers, and more blow him out of his cabin left the face of Fort
especially so of the present ones, of declaring that Fisher substantially uninjured. Another subject
it would be much better to wait until the Commis- of complaint against the Admiral is that he chose to
sion had finished its labours and given in its report. explode the ship when BUTLER was 65 miles off, at
This was very ingenious, but not at all a consistent Beaufort, watering his transports, instead of wait-
mode of excusing the want of earnestness on the ing as pre-arranged until the army was on the spot,
Treasury benches, because the faulty management ready to take advantage of the confusion which it
which led to the outbreak of the riots, and the very was supposed would follow. General BUTLER
imperfect manner in which the tumults were sup- shrewdly suspects that the reason for this haste was
pressed, were errors of the Government, and no the desire of the Admiral to land his marines,
decision come to, or opinion expressed by the Com- " and put on the works, DAVID PORTER his
missioner, can alter that circumstance or effect a X' mark." As it turned out, the powder-
change in the impression made upon the Irish ship did very little to forward the assault,
people. He attributed much of the disastrous state but had it fulfilled one-half the expectations
of affairs to the faulty management of the local formed of it the capture would not have been diffi-
magistrates, and declared that the Executive of cult. Gen. BUTLER thinks that the mistake about
Ireland had always discharged their duties with the powder ship was in the manner of explosion.
impartiality and fairness. Mr. WHITESIDE, with But only a tenth part of the powder ever did ex-
his usual acuteness, attributed the riots in a great plode, and that consequently it failed of the effect
measure to the fact of so many members of the which had reasonably enough been anticipated from
Government being absent at the time from Ireland, 150 tons of gunpowder. However this may be, we
which no doubt contributed in a great degree to the have had an explosion on land in BUTLER'S speech,
unfortunate occurrences, and presented their being and his strictures of GRANT and PORTER will give
efficiently and speedily checked. The eloquent New York, of which he has been within a very short
conclusion of his speech was received with great time the hero and the scapegoat, a new " sensation."

There is, undoubtedly, some truth in his observa-
tions—a fact,which will make them none the more
palatable at head-quarter& But General BUTLER
is too shrewd a man to see any flaws in the
head of the State. He charges his friends
at Lowell to gird themselves up for greater
efforts, to do everything in their power to support
the Government, and to sustain LINCOLN at its'
head, since " he is honest, patriotic, capable and
able, and will do all, he can for his country." Such
is the verdict of a not quite impartial judge ; but
his remarks on the war are better worth hearing.
Of immediate peace there is, he says, no prospect.
All attempts to get peace by negotiation until
LEE'S army is subdued are perfectly hopeless, and
the fact of appointing LEE generalissimo augurs ill
for any desire for peace on the part of the Confe-
deracy. Another important assertion made by
BUTLER is his declaration that the so-called rebels
will immediately arm their slaves. It is no longer, he
says, a question whether the negro can fight, but
who he will fight for. The next campaign, he hopes,
will be the last ; but of this no man can prophesy.
BUTLER'S speech will unquestionably be damaging
to GRANT ; but the speaker knows his ground, and
it would be dangerous for so shaky an Administra-
tion to provoke so bold a speaker to extremes. His
defence is certainly able and ingenious, whatever
military men may think of it ; and he deserves
credit for the assurance which enables him to put a
good face on a failure which was so quickly followed
by another man's success. But, whatever America
may think of her hero, it was in the hour of his
triumph at New Orleans, and not of his failure at
Fort Fisher, that General BUTLER forfeited his
reputation.

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS FOR THE
ENS LING WEE K —Monday—Architects, at 8. Tues-
day—Ethnological, at 8. " Cannibalism and Social Pro-
gress," Mr. Crawford—" Destruction of Aborigines of Chat-
ham Island by Maori Invasion," Mr. Travers ; Statistical,
at 8. " Infant Mortality and alleged Inaccuracies in the
Census," Dr. Farr—" Supposed Decrease of the Turks," Dr.
Hyde Clarke ; Engineers, at 8, "Giffard's Injector." Wed-
nesday—Society of Arts, at 8, "Applications of Geology to
Arts and Manufactures" (Cantor Lectures)—" Municipal
Organisation of Paris and Public Works," Mr. Burnell ;
Geological, at 8, " Lower Silurian Rocks, S.E. Cumber-
land," &c., Professor Harkness—" Volcanic Tufa of Lata-
cunga, Cotopaxi," Mr. Spruce—" Flint Implements, Mill-
ford Hill, Salisbury," Dr. Blackmore ; Archaeological, at
"Antiquities, &c., of Glassforde and Harteste," Mr.
Wilton Nixon—" Discovery of Saxon Coins, Ipswich," Mr.
Francis. Thursday—Royal Academy, at B}, "Sculpture,"
Professor Westnaacott ; Royal, at ; Antiquaries, at 81.—
thenzeum.

COMING MUSICAL EVENTS.—Among the numerous
revivals promised in various quarters, says the Reader, are
Gounod's " Medecin rnalgr6 lui," to come out in English at
Covent-garden shortly ; Cherubini's "Medea," and Mozart's
" Zauberflote," to be produced during the Italian season at
her Majesty's; and Mr. Costa's " Naaman," expected to be
performed by the Sacred Harmonic Society in April.

ALARM OF FIRE AT WINDSOR CASTLE.--Yester-
day afternoon, about half-past two o'clock, much
excitement was caused by an alarm of fire at The
Deanery, Windsor Castle, the residence of the Hon. and
Very Rev. Gerald Wellesley. The fire was first discovered
by the housekeeper, who had noticed some smoke about
the place as early as ten o'clock in the morning, and as she
found that the smoke increased she became alarmed and at
once sent to Mr. Turnbull, the architect, who, assisted by
the Castle fire brigade, immediately attended, and pro-
ceeded to the drawing-room. Here, on examination, it
was found that the joists undor the hearth-stone were on
fire, and a supply of water being obtained, the hose was at
once applied, and the fire speedily extinguished. Very
little damage has boon done either to the house or furni-

THE MURDERER'S SUICIDE.—Among other pieces
of the evidence sworn to by the prisoner who sat next
George Townley in chapel immediately before his act of
self-destruction on the prison staircase, were the follow-
ing :—I recollect that on Sunday, the 12th instant, I was
sitting on the right of the deceased at chapel. He was
very quiet till the last hymn was sung. He then got up,
opened his Prayer-book, and sang out the two last verses
very loudly. I never heard him do that before. He said
to me, "319th hymn." That was tho right hymn. He
afterwards shut his Prayer-book, repeated the Service, and
then, going before me, walked out. He made a full stop at
the bottom step in the chapel, dropped his Prayer-book,
got huld of the rails round the gallery, put his feet on the
steps, and sprang right over, head over heels, and, as he
fell, he exclaimed, "Oh !" He fell flat on his face below.
I always sat by his side. I never saw anything particular
in him. He was always very quiet. He never used to
speak. I have never been spoken to by any one on the
subject of his death, and I speak without the least fear
what I know of the case. We were all singing when the
deceased began to sing. He sang very loudly the follow-
ing hymn
I
Thee
ed
atteahrasnndotobless, bitterness;
i
Where is death's sting ? Whore, grave, the victory ?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross beforemy.closg
ineyes,
o
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies.
Illsf e ahra n v
foe,
n weight,wwith
T breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee,
0 Lord abide with me.
In life, in death,
Heaven's morning

Amen.

Ile used to walk out of his cell and go into the chapel and
sit down. He never used to speak to any one. When he
jumped over the warder was about twenty-four feet from
him. He sprang over so suddenly that I had no opportu-
nity of catching hold of him.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S EXPRESS.)

AMERICA.
(Arrival of the Borussia.)
SOUTHAMPTON, FEB. 18.

The Hamburg and American Company's steamer
Borussia, from New York on the 4th instant, has
arrived. She brings 45 passengers for Southamp-
ton and Havre and 71 for Hamburg, $22,500 for
England, $128,000 for France, and $1,900 for
Hamburg.

ler news has been fully anticipated per the

.ibernian.

VIE BOMBAY MAILS.
MALTA, FEB. 17.
The Ripon left here at 8 p.m. to-day, and the
Delhi will sail to-morrow morning.

The former may be expected at Marseilles on the
20th, and the latter at Southampton about the
27th inst.

GIBRALTAR, FEB. 17.

The Ellora, with the heavy portion of the Cal-
cutta, China, and Australian mails, left at 10 a.m.
yesterday. She may be expected at Southampton
about the 21st inst.

The Massilia from Southampton, on the 12th
inst., arrived to-day at 5 p.m., and leaves at 9
p.m. for Alexandria. •