The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-27 00:00:00

THE sur, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENIMI, APRIL 27, 1865

love of Rome which guided the dagger of BRu'rus
against his friend has not saved his memory from
reproach, the enthusiasm which fired CHARLOTTE
CORDAY when she slew the detestable MARAT could
only be possible in an age of such chaos and infi-
delity. But the fanaticism of the assassin of royalty
or authority is as often fatal to the enlightened
ruler as the unscrupulous or incapable. If HENRI
HI. fell beneath the knife of JACQUES CLEMENT,
France lost her greatest King by the treacherous
blow of RAVAILLAC , and there. is sound reason as
well as unquestionable morality in the doctrine
which condemns all assassination under any circum-
star; ces whatever. The revolt of a great people
against an unjust or oppressive authority is a very
different thing from the murder of an individual,
so different that the act which has removed
ABRAHAM LINCOLN from the Presidency will,
doubtless, be condemned with equal severity by the
North and South. The same disaster might have
befallen DAVIS, or LEE, for no man is safe against
treachery ; and in times of such momentous inte-
rest and difficulty every leader must offend some
party, and may possibly provoke a dangerous
enmity in the breast of a man whom he has
never seen or heard of. It is probable
enough that the murderer may prove to be an ex-
treme member of the Abolitionist party, or some
fanatic who considered LINCOLN'S last public utter-
ances too moderate and conciliatory to the South.
The leaders of the Southern people, who have ex-
torted the admiration of the world by their high
tone of principle and chivalrous courage, can have
nothing to do with such a crime. They have
sought their end by very different means, in the fair
field, by open fight, by resolute opposition in the
Council, and those who would, without further
knowledge, fix the stigma of such an act upon any
considerable party in the Southern States are guilty
of most unwarrantable injustice.
What may be the consequences of the catas-
trophe it is difficult to tell. Its immediate effect
will be the elevation of ANDREW JOHNSON to the Pre-
sidency—a change which the worst enemies of LIN-
COLN must deplore.. The Vice-President's display
on the occasion of the great inauguration ceremony,
but a very few weeks ago, was so humiliating
to his party that his accession to the supreme
power can only be looked upon with anxiety
and regret. His address, when the oath was
administered to him, was brief and to the pur-
pose. He announced his resolve to fulfil the duties
which had so unexpectedly devolved upon him to
the best of his ability, and to rely on the tried coun-
cillors around him, but it is not in the first moment
when the solemn sense of responsibility might
well impress the most callous that we can
look for any real indications of his future policy.
All we have recently heard of his sentiments implies
bitter animosity to the South, and there is reason
to fear that with the accession of JOHNSON to the
Presidency violent and vindictive counsels will gain
the ascendancy. The attack upon Mr. SEWARD,
which has by this time but too probably proved
fatal to his weakened frame, complicates the over-
throw of the Northern Cabinet. The two leading
minds are gone, and those who are left are but
ill-fitted to take their places by experience, mode-
ration, or legislative ability. The complica-
tions produced by this event . may completely
reverse the recent issues of the war. Hap-
pily for the South, D AVIS' s last procla-
mation declares his unshaken determination to
uphold the standard of secession, so that the Con-
federates are not committed to any rash proceed-
ing. The disunion and disorganisation of the
country will now have reached its acme,
and we need not wonder that through-
out the North men were paralysed by the
shock. New York, so - lately the scene of
festivity and rejoicing, is draped in mourning,
while he, who but a few days since seemed so
near the goal of his wishes, lies where no sound
of victory or of mourning will reach him. Sic
transit gloria mundi. But a few months ago
ABRAHAM LINCOLN was straining every nerve to
secure his re-election as President, and what has it
brought him ? But a few weeks ago he was re-
ceiving the congratulations of senators and diplo-
matists at the inauguration of that fresh term of
power which was to be so brief. But a few days
agohe was visiting the hard-won capital of the South,

and receiving the intelligence of the surrender of his
most powerful enemy. It is impossible not to feel
pity for the man so suddenly called from the scene

in which he played so busy a part, as well as hor-

ror at the crime. Even the bitterest opponents of
his policy may say with MooRE, on a similar

occasion :

" We forgot in that hour how the statesman had erred
And wept for the husband, the father, the friend."
The shock produced by President LrNcoLic's death
will be felt throughout Europe ; its consequences
are as yet unknown and undiscernible. It can
hardly fail to inflict serious damage on the North,
and may probably reanimate the drooping courage
of the Confederates. We fear, however, that there
is still a gloomy period to be passed through before
that great nation regains the blessings of internal
tranquillity, and the star-spangled banner which so
lately floated gaily over the metropolis, announcing
the surrender of Richmond, and now hangs droop-
ing for the violent death of the foremost man in the
Federal councils, shall be once more raised in
celebration of the return of peace and freedom.

The banquet at the Fishmongers' Hall last even-
ing was an interesting affair, and the importance
of some of the topics mentioned imparted additional
attraction to the speeches. With the toast of the
"British Colonies" the Chairman coupled the names

the Hon. G. E. CARTIER and the Hon. A. T.
GALT, members of the Canadian Deputation,
who were present. Mr. CARTIER made a long and
impressive discourse, which gave great satisfaction
to those present. The hon. gentleman alluded to
the honour which had been paid to them by having
their healths proposed in conjunction with the
Canadian Deputation before the toast of the Lords
and Commons of England was proposed. The
scheme now in consideration relative to the Confede-
ration of the North American Provinces naturally
occupied the attention of the apeaker, and
he entered into some explanations which
were interesting to hear, and will be found also well
worthy of perusal. The " larger and grander scale"
upon which the Canadians wish to develOpe their
present system has already met with the approval
of the majority in this country, and it will therefore
be acceptable to many to hear what one connected
intimately with the affair has to say. Mr. CARTIER
declared that the Canadians had told the Lower or
Maritime Provinces of North America that there
were two elements in Canada necessary for the con-
stitution of a nation—the personal and the terri-
torial, but they lacked one which made England's
greatness, namely, the maritime element. Hence
the conclusion is perfectly comprehensible that is
drawn from these premises. Their friends want
territory and they want sea, and there is
no reason to doubt that these united will
make them great and prosperous. The
Deputation has come to England in order to urge on
the Imperial Government the importance of this
Confederation scheme being put into execution,
Ur. CARTIXR enumerated some of the chief reasons