The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-17 00:00:00

trettlek Un
04.4

LONDON, MONDAY, APRIL 17, 1865.

The further details of the struggle before Peters-
burgh, which reach us through the official reports
and despatches, and the accounts given by the New
York press, all serve to confirm the impression of
the furious nature of the battle. They help, too, to
convince us that the losses on the Federal side, about
which so little is said, have been exceedingly heavy,
and while the Northern press rejoices exultingly over
the destruction of the Southern army, and confi-
dently reckons up the tens of thousands slaughtered
and captured on this momentous occasion,
they seem to overlook the fact that a conflict so
hotly waged during the greater part of three
days must have told on both sides, and that
if it has so greatly lessened LEP,'s forces, it
must have proportionately weakened those - of
GRANT and SHERIDAN. Were not the sub-
ject so painful and important, involving such
vast interests and such a terrible amount of human
suffering, it would be almost amusing to see the cool
and half contemptuous manner in which the New
York Herald disposes of the army which has for so
many months held all the efforts of the North at
bay. Usually, it says, 33 per cent. is a fair esti-
mate of the losses in a general engagement, but it
will suppose that " owing to the lack of spirit in
the rebel ranks which caused them to shrink from
the fight, and not stand up so bravely as on former
occasions," their losses were on this occasion only
at an average of 25 per cent. This is pretty good,
when, notwithstanding this " lack of spirit,"
it took three days of what Mr. STANTON himself
styles 4' furious fighting " before the Southern
army retreated. The version of the affair given
by General GRANT'S Adjutant, who, as general at
City Point, knew the state of things better than
any one in New York, was that the Northern arms
had been triumphantly successful after three days
hard fighting, " during which the forces on both
sides exhibited unsurpassed valour." This is
pro-
bably much nearer the mark, and the Herald's
calculations of LEE'S losses and of the fate of the
" fragments', of his
army may be put in the same
category with its opinion of the fighting spirit of
the South. But in the midst of the joybells and
and mass meetings, and illuminations and public
addresses, and every form of popular excitement,
the partisans of the North appear to overlook one
or two important facts. The first is that the
evacuation of Richmond and Petersburg was long
since determined upon ; and that LEE has been only
waiting his opportunity to remove his forces. No
one in this country would have been surprised if the
news had reached us of the abandonment of the
Southern capital without a struggle, and there is
good reason to suppose that it was in consequence
of the preparations for the retreat being made
known to :the enemy by deserters that the attack
was resolved upon. Seeing that the movement was
inevitable, and that it was impossible to frustrate
LEE'S plans in this respect, the Northern generals
probably thought that by a bold move they would
gain the glory of a victory, might weaken the
enemy's forces, and have the appearance of
compelling the Confederates to take that course
which in reality they had previously decided upon.
LEE, as we know, is a most accomplished tactician,
and the retreat from Richmond, when we come to
know all, may reflect as much honour upon him as

the famous retreat which closed in the battle of
Corunna reflected on the gallant MooRE. We are
now told very confidently that none of LEE'S de-
tachments will be suffered to join, but we have yet
to learn from authentic sources that he has divided
his forces, and we have also to learn from some
more trustworthy evidence than Northern accounts,
whether public or private, what the actual strength
of his army is. The North may yet have good reason
to believe that the " rebel" army of Northern Vir-
ginia is not altogether annihilated. We are
told that LEE will not be able to hold Lynchburg,
L , or Raleigh, and that there is no other Confederate
force of any strength in the field ; but those who
make this confident statement appear to forget that
the army under JOHNSTON has proved strong enough
and skilful enough to arrest the victorious progress
of SHERMAN, and to prevent his junction with the
Army of the Potomac. It is worth while to re-
member that we have no word from Southern
quarters, and that the whole of the intelligence is
received through Northern channels, from Northern
generals or statesmen, addressed to Northern
crowds. The experience of four years has taught
us too well how much faith we should put in such
authorities, and if they have been tempted to
exaggerate the accounts of skirmishes or sieges,
to underrate smaller losses, how much greater must
the inducement be at so eventful a crisis as the
present. We may safely believe that between the
wilful embellishment of the accounts, and the
wish being father to the thought, the present
version is very considerably over-stated, and that
subsequent experience will prove to us that
the Southern cause is in much less desperate a con-
dition than its enemies fondly hope. Months ago
DAVIS, in addressing his people, told them that in
reality neither the retention of Charleston, of Wil-
mington, nor of, Richmond itself was indispens-
able to the success of the war, and the
whole tone of the leaders of the Confederacy
for some time past has indicated that they wished
to prepare the people for its possible evacuation.
Doubtless the South has made a great military mis-
take in the Tennessee expedition, and in the
whole management of the campaign subsequent
to the fall of Atlanta ; but since LEE has been
invested with supreme military authority, it is
reasonable to suppose that the evacuation of
the ports was as much a matter of choice as of ne-
cessity, since no effort was made to defend
them. A corroborative proof of the retreat
from Richmond, being really of a different
character from what was supposed, is to be
found in the fact that the city was evacuated, and
not carried by assault. If, as Northern accounts
pretend, LEE'S army was virtually annihilated, why
should he be at such pains to retreat in order, and
have succeeded so well in the attempt, that his
actual whereabouts was unknown to GRANT up to
the 4th. From the tone of the Federal rejoicings
over the supposed conclusion of the war, one might
suppose that the city had been carried by assault,
and their extravagant boastings might almost mis-
lead the reader. But is it reasonable to suppose
that, had it not been prearranged, after so many
months of heroic resistance, the Confederate army
would not have fought till the very last, and have
given the invader more trouble in getting actual
possession of
,the two cities ? If ever the good old
motto of " audi alterem partem" is to be heeded,
this is certainly not an occasion on which it should
be overlooked.

We have not yet reached the solution of the strike
and lock-out in the iron trade, but the several dis-
cussions seem to be carried on with moderation,
and the general tone that pervades the men is a
quiet one. The long-deferred interview between
the puddlers and the masters has at length taken
place. The men urged the question of arbitration,
but the masters showed that many difficulties were
in the way of the adoption of such a course. They,
hewever, expressed their willingness to give the
subject their best consideration, and invited the men
to come to some arrangement with respect to the
difficulties of the matter. This was fair and straight-
forward, at all events, and it augurs well for the
eventual settlement of the disputed question. This
altercation has been distinguished by an almost total
absence of thatvengeful and vindictive feeling on the
part of the men, and that prejudice and bitterness on
the part of the masters, which have so often before
appeared on similar occasions. A resolution was
drawn up at this meeting, which set forth the fol-
lowing satisfactory announcement, that both parties
"regarding the unfortunate results of strikes and
lock-outs, and with a sincere desire to prevent their
recurrence, pledge themselves to give their best con-
sideration to devise some plan whereby the district
may be preserved in quietness, and good feeling be
mutually maintained." It was finally resolved that
work should be resumed on Tuesday, pending the
settlement of the question. The very felicitous
termination of the dispute in South Staffordshire
has not been emulated by the North Stafford-
shire men, however. These still refuse to
come to any terms, and the masters and
men seem to vie with each other in threats and de-
fiance. The men talk of emigration, while the
masters declare that they will get puddlers from
Russia if things go on like this much longer. It is
much to be regretted that matters should have been
brought to such a pass, because the consequences are
certain to be disastrous to all concerned, unless a
speedy change of sentiment takes place. It is quite
impossible for either side to be satisfied if no con-
cession is made, and no neutral ground formed for
discordant parties to meet and discuss difficulties.
The South Staffordshire masters and men have set a
good example to these inveterate disputants, and it
is to be hoped that ere long so worthy a course may
be followed. The fact is that neither side is really
independent of the other, and therefore it is
perfect folly for them to go on irritating each other
after this fashion. The longer the difference con-
tinues, and the more acerbity that is displayed the
longer will it take, and the more difficult will it be,
to come to any satisfactory arrangement. They
who urge on the men to resistance have much to
answer for, and they who among the masters
prolong the strike are incurring a heavy responsi-
bility, because many interests are involved in this
question, and it is a serious thing to injure the
trade of the country in order to gratify personal
feelings and suit prejudices. If the dispute lasts
much longer it will be greatly to the disgrace of
North Staffordshire, while South Staffordshire may
well be congratulated at the prospect of a speedy
termination of the disastrous state of affairs, which
has filled the minds of all competent observers with
anxiety

The next generation will certainly rank among
their causes celebi•es the trials of PELIZZIONI. The
whole of this case is remarkable from beginning to
end, and stands out prominently amid the annals of
crime. It will be with a feeling of great satisfac-
tion that the public will learn the release of this
man, for he has been placed in peculiarly trying
circumstances, and after having escaped the extreme
penalty of the law it would have been harsh for
him to have suffered imprisonment. It must be
with a strange feeling that he emerges from his
cell to mingle again with that busy world from
which he seemed to have taken an everlasting fare-
well, In the pages of sensation it novels 114

event is recorded of more startling and .strik-

ing significance, and no hero or heroine has
ever escaped through more hair-breadth perils. In-
deed, had PELIZZIONI'S adventures been set forth in
print, the sapient critic would very likely have de-
clared that it was gross exaggeration, and that it
was really quite absurd to depict the law as so im-
perfect in its dealings and incorrect as to its conclu-
sions. Truth is stranger than fiction, and so it has
proved in this case. The sentiments of the public
were well set forth by the scenein court. Both inside
and outside the walls the greatest enthusiasm was
displayed, and one general feeling alone predomi-
nated, which was that of unmixed delight at the
final deliverance, and perfect acquittal of one who
had passed from death into life in the most marvel-
lous manner. It is greatly to be questioned whether
it was wise to have this last trial, and it is difficult
to determine for what purpose it was arranged to take
place. The confused character of the evidence is
most extraordinary, and it is hardly to be wondered
at that such irrelevant conclusions take place, when
so much contradiction occurs among the witnesses.
It must appear evident to those who examine into
the mysteries of this affair more calmly than was
done in the first complication and confusion that
the error occurred, in a great measure, from the
haste in which people were to make at the guilt of
PEuzzoNr. There is nothing more dangerous to
individuals and more calculated to defeat the ends
of justice than to rush at conclusions in such
momentous crisis as this one before us. Had a
little more patience been shown in the investigation
of the affair, no doubt the acquittal of PELIZZIONI and
the conviction of MOGNI would have been the
results of the first trial. It seems most strange that
no notice was taken of the circumstance of the knife
being discovered which belonged to MOGNI, but it
is certain that there is no one so difficult to con-
vince as those who think they have mastered the
difficulties of a subject. It must be admitted by
all disinterested parties that somehow or other, by
some means or other, the workings of the law in
this case of PELIZZIONI have been faulty. So far
as they were carried out, a man we now believe to
be innocent would have suffered a felon's death, and
have gone to his last account before a Judge
who cannot err. One lesson may at least
be learned with great advantage, by all con-
cerned in this affair, and all who by their
position may be concerned in similar trials
for the future—that is to act more circumspectly,
and use greater activity in sifting a matter whose
issues are vital, and upon the right understanding
of which so much depends. Few things are so
appalling as the thought that an innocent person
has suffered the extreme penalty of the law. It will
be well if those who have been mainly instrumental
in this matter will ponder on the events that have
taken place, and if all others likely to be called
upon to decide upon such critical affairs will also
take heed that it may be long, if ever, that our
feelings are shocked and our judgments confused
by such chances and charges as those through
which this Italian prisoner has lately passed.