The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVE NI G, 'JANUARY 9, 1862.

to lose the grand market for their produce,
They send nothiug now to the South. If
they could send no corn to Franco and
England,. their crops must rot on the ground this
year, and it would not be worth while to sow for
the next. We should rather think that the shrewd
agriculturists of the north and west will be but too
thankful to know that they will have an open mar-
ket for next autumn's produce. England and
France could have got abundance of corn elsewhere;
America could not have found another purchaser.
It is rather singular that just at this moment
another commander should have imitated the con-
duct of Capt. WILKEs, in taking two passengers sus-
pected of being Southern agents out of the Eugenia
Smith, a vessel supposed to be a New York one,
sailing under English colours. The case is reported
to us in too obscure a shape to form any opinion of
its merits. It shows, however, that the example of
Captain WILKES was a very infections one, and that
it was not rebuked one moment too soon. It will
now make Federalist commanders very chary of
taking contraband and persons out of British vessels
unless they can first have confidence in bringing
the vessels before a prize court, and obtaining their
condemnation.

We can but regard the conduct of the business
by our own Government with the highest satisfac-
tion. Its firmness, yet carefulness, to leave nothing
possible in the way of conciliation undone, have
placed us in the best possible position. After a
short time, even the Americans themselves must
surely sec that we have avoided everything in man-
ner that could look like arrogance, or needlessly
wound their susceptibility. We provided indeed
immediately for our naval and military de-
fence, but it was for our defence only.
It was their own conduct which compelled this.
We are sorry for them that they should lose the
vast advantage they enjoyed of repudiating the
illegal act at once, and gaining the applause of
both England and all Europe. We Ire sorry
they should have been so wanting in political
acuteness as not to see the advantage of thus
securing our good-will, instead of throwing
us almost perforce on the side of the slave-
holding South. They were, however, so foolish
as to delay and even resist surrender, and we
could but arm for a very probable war, seeing that
they were armed already. The cost to us has been
great ; but it has been good economy. It is much
to be doubted whether three European States could
have induced the Americans to do us justice, if they
had not seen that we should certainly do ourselves
justice. Even now we feel that it is far better to be
perfectly secure on the frontier of our American
colonies. We may do our work more leisurely and
cheaply, but still it will be wise to do it.

Another most impressive speech has been very
recently delivered, this time at Bristol, by the Hon.
JOSEPH HOWE, the Prime Minister of Nova Scotia.
Like its predecessor, upon which we commented in
these columns at the time, it consisted chiefly
of an argument, a most persuasive and, as
it appears to us, a wholly unanswerable
argument, in favour of em;gration from these
shores to the British North American possessions.
Mr. HOWE, it should be remembered, is not only
a Nova Scotian—the first of Nova Scotians, being
at this moment the Prime Minister of the Nova
Scotian Government but he is also heart and
'soul—may we not say it in the literal meaning
of the words ? an Englishman. He is an
Englishman not merely by his origin—his fore-
fathers having been Englishmen—but he is himself
thoroughly an Englishman by his loyal and patrio-
tic sympathies. So completely does he identify
himself with us in all his thoughts and feel-
ings that—(it is a significant little incident,
this, to note at the very commencement
of his speech on Tuesday evening down at Bristol)
—if he has occasion to quote a couplet from OLIVER
GOLDSMITH, he does so as a distich from " one of our
British Poets." No man—naturally and cre-
dibly enough, be it said, knows better
than Mr. HOWE knows them, the capabilities
of our North American territories. And it is in
consideration of those immense capabilities that
he earnestly reasons in favour of the diversion of at
any rate .a considerable part of the flood of emi-
gration from these islands henceforth towards our
own transatlantic dominions, instead of towards
the great transatlantic Republic, until lately the
United States, now split into North and South,
peopled respectively by Federals and Con-
federates. " What," asked the Hon. JOSEPH
HOWE, " What had taken place within the
last ten years ?" Why, said he, " A million and a
half of people had gone out of these three
islands." And later in the same speech the Nova
Scotia Premier asked, " Where were these million
and a half men gone ? Where were they now whose
labour had been abstracted from England ? They
were behind the MORRILL tariff, which was
directed against the manufactures of England.
They were howling republicans in animosity and
hatred of England. And where ought they to have
been ? One-half of them, at least, in the British
provinces—building up our own coun try—
developing our own resources—calling out the
latent wealth of that land over which the flag of
England floated." The argument, it will be ob-
served, is very plainly and very directly put. Any
one can, upon the instant, comprehend it. The
validity and the solidity of the premises are
beyond the possibility of contradiction. And the
force of the logical inference deduced from the
facts thus brought under our consideration is
perfectly obvious, and we must take leave to add,
also, wholly irresistible.

Mr. HOWE, it should be observed, had, previously
to this, given a rapid but comprehensive general de-
scription of the provinces of British North America.
And he had said, in plain and homely words, after
doing so—and, remember, it is the Prime
Minister and Provincial Secretary of one of
those provinces who utters these words, and
who gives us this assurance the honour-
able gentleman had, therefore, remarked, in
reference to our North American possessions, in
reference to New Brunswick and to Nova Scotia,
and more particularly, of course, to the two
Canadas, that " if we had any poor in Eng-
land, there was a home for them let
them come to that country." 'lt is for the
enjoyment of no merely holiday tour that the
Premier of Nova Scotia is paying this visit to his
old mother country—we may rest assured of that.
His masterly arguments in different parts of the
country since he has been here arguments
impressively demonstrating the twofold advantages
certain to acrae, here to the British Islands, there
to the British colonies, from the more general
adoption of the Canada route by our English,
Irish, and Scotch emigrants--we cannot but
regard as the sowing of seeds scattered broadcast
over the land, seeds of good thoughts that will
inevitably in due time yield fruition a hundred-
fold. Several months since we took occa-
sion to illustrate through a series of articles pub-
lished in these columns of The Sun the wonderful
inducements there are to Canadian immigration.
The Nova Scotian Premier's arguments to the
same effect, arguments enforced by him viva voce
with all the persuasiveness of a natural gift of elo.

quence, and with all the power derivable from
ample and extended experience, come forth
forcibly now in corroboration of what was
already known and reasoned amongst ourselves.
Earnestly we commend these arguments of the Hon.
JOSEPH HOWE to the serious consideration of in-
tending emigrants.

The letter from Madagascar which appeared in
The Sun of Tuesday, offers a very interesting men-
tal transition to a part of the world which, for
the last thirty years, and during the reign of the
late QUEEN, has been
.'a country of mystery.
The Madagasses, through the nature of their
coun try, were able to drive away Europeans, and
when they admitted them on public business to
the capital, it was under the most jealous restric-
tions. The rule of the late QUEEN, who died on
the 16th of August last, had been very cruel and
tyrannical ; but her son, who has ascended the
throne under the titlo of RADAMA IL, is of a
directly opposite character. Indeed, the fear of
well-wishers to the island is, that he may prove
too lenient a ruler, and that his merciful policy
may spare the lives of those who, if they can
find the opportunity, will not spare his. His
cousin heads a faction of cruel heathen fanatics,
who would not hesitate to assassinate the King
and place RAMBOULASAMA on the throne.
They attempted it while the QUEEN was
living ; but RADAMA 11. has determined
" to begin his reign on the broad principle of shed-
ding no blood," and he therefore merely detains his
fierce and treacherous cousin in " honourable cap-

tivity."
So dreaded was the QUEEN that when she was
found by the numerous guards and officers who
mounted guard during her illness to be really dead,
they actually threw up their arms—spears, shields,
and swords,—into the air, in an involuntary tumult
of joy. In her wars with the other tribes she
butchered thousands in cool blood. One officer told
the writer of the letter, that he had seen, in a few
years' service, a hundred thousand prisoners of war
systematically killed, a thousand at a time, and their
wives and children sold into slavery. An officer
who had shown a little emotion at the painful sight,
was recalled, and not employed again. She entered
thoroughly into the lowest superstitions of the
country, and hence bitterly persecuted the Chris-
tians after the missionaries had been driven away.
Not less than two thousand of them, according to
the most favourable accounts, suffered death. The
mode of inflicting it being to bind them with cords
to crosses, and in that position to stone them to
death. Others were chained together in gangs of
from 15 to 20, and in that condition obliged to per-
ambulate the country begging subsistence. If one
of the number died, the survivors had still to drag
his chain about, and the writer saw an old lady of
70, who after surviving the whole gang besides
dragged about the chains of the dead till she and
other gangs were liberated by the new KING. He
saw the deep galling marks of the chain on their
necks.

The present KING professes a kind of Deism, and
is favourable to Christians and to Europeans. He
received the embassy, of whom the writer was one,
very cordially, as did the people. Presents of a
rather primitive kind were abundantly offered.
RADAAIA enquired repeatedly for the health of our
QUEEN, and by his directions particular inquiry was
made for Lord PALMERSTON, whom the Malagasses
regard with special favour. They must
be an intelligent people naturally. Some
of the officers who, 35 years ago, had been
educated in England conversed fluently and idio-
matically in English. One is mentioned as under-
standing French also, and he rendered the French
easily into English. Some accompanied their pre-
sents of bullocks, &c., with notes written in good
English. It must have somewhat surprised Col.
MIDDLETON to receive with the living beef this
short business-like note :—" To Col. MIDDLETON,--
I send you and your companions a bullock by my
son. How are you after your journey ? Saith—
RAMONJA, 14th Honour, officer of the Palace,
Prince." The people appeared to be highly de-
lighted with the sight of the embassy. They had
not for 30 years seen a European at their capital
with the good will of the Sovereign, and appeared
to be almost piled on each other in order to get a
sight. A new era has begun for Madagascar in
relation to Europeans, if only the better feeling of
the inhabitants be judiciously cultivated, and civi-
lised men have the sense to respect not only their
own good name, but the national prejudices of
the uncivilised.

Mr. Ennis's interesting account of his visit to
the QUEEN a few years ago, had given us a fair
idea of the capital of Madagascar, and theapproach
to it—the letter before us describes the same general
features of country. One of the chief is a vast
belt of nearly impracticable forest, quite roadless,
with nothing indeed worthy the name of a path,
lying between the capital and the sea, and pre-
served on principle in this state, as the best defence
of the capital Antananarivo . Assuredly Sir W.
ARMSTRONG'S Artillery would never find a way
through it ; nor would any modern army with
those equipments which give us such an irresistible
superiority to mere savages. As to Cavalry, they
would be useless near the capital, where the roads
are but narrow paths, through rice swamps. What
indeed could soldiers effect in a country
of which one of the principal lines of travel
is thus described such a tunnel no
STEPHENSON assuredly aver dreamed of.
" While travelling in canoes we passed through a
narrow channel connecting two lakes. This deserves
a few words of description, as I have been unable
to find any previous account of it. It is termed
Rano-main te,' literally ' black water,' and well it
deserves the name. It is about three miles in
length, and not more than seven feet wide, there
being hardly room to force the canoes along. The
dense, rank, tropical vegetation on both sides arches
over, and for the entire distance light is nearly ex-
cluded. There is a dead silence, and when we passed
through there was not a breath of wind sufficient to
stir a leaf. Right and left we saw an endless com-
plication of interarching roots, while the maze of
stems and plants in all stages of decay effectually
shut out the free air of Heaven. The Arum is very
abundant, and grows to the height of at least 12ft."
We know from Mr. ECUs that the botany of the
country offers a rich treat to the naturalist, and
some animals are peculiar to it. Its fauna and
flora will prove attractive to our scientific men ;
and its commerce, if the country can but obtain and
preserve an intelligent Government, will be very
valuable. Its chief present trade is iu bullocks to
the Mauritius and the Isle of Bourbon, but the
timber is known, some of it, to be very valuable,
and minerals are abundant. The Hovahs deem
themselves to be, and really are, a superior race,
but factions divide them. The writer of the letter,
who was a member of the embassy sent from the
Mauritius to congratulate RADAMA 11. on his
ascent to the throne, thus concludes his interesting
details :—" I know from personal observation, that
it is a country wonderfully rich in metals of various
kinds. It is confidently asserted that coal exists to
the westward. It now requires a judicious, firm
hand to amalgamate the conflicting elements that
exist among the llovah people, and to raise the

social standard of the subordinate tribes, who ere
despised as inferior. This done, Madagascar will
soon take a stand among the civilized nations of
the world."

" WHAT'S TN A NAME P" asks Shekspere. Well,
let us answer, sometimes, as it happens, a
good deal. Here is the news of the bump-
tious Federal Government at Washington
" knuckling down" at the last gasp—brought to
us yesterday by the City of Washington! And
out of what vessel aro the two Released Commis-
sioners, Messrs. Slidell and Mason, with their
secretaries, about to emerge and to land, free men,
upon the shores of Old England P—Why, oddly
enough, out of the America!

Our prophetic as well as facetious contemporary,
Punch, published yesterday, in anticipation of the
"glad tidings" of peace brought to us by the
City of Washington, a wonderfully funny
cartoon, telling us in the most whimsical way
possible--what has happened. Every line touched
by the artist's pencil is a stroke of prophecy
as well as of wit. "Up a Tree "is the incident
depicted. Yonder, perched on its bough, is " The
Yankee 'Coon "—the Gone 'Coon of the immortal
anecdote. And yonder, below—taking dreadful
aim—with a blunderbuss large enough to blow the
poor wretch up aloft into the middle of next
week, is Colonel Bull. 'Coon (loguitur)—
" Air you in arnest Colonel ? " Colonel BULL,
" I am." 'CooN----" Don't Fire—l'll COME DOWN."
Yes, " Come down," indeed : and in common par-
lance—" rather a peg or two."

The original offence out of which has grown all
this recent hubbub on both sides of the Atlantic, it
will be remembered, was a sort of caricature
illustration—a hundred years after date—of
" WILKES and Liberty." The Liberty part of it
being esteemed in this country a very
Great Liberty indeed. The result has been rather
disastrous, we take it, to the prospects of the
future popularity of President Lincoln, who, in
going to Seward for his Foreign Policy, has
also decidedly gone to leeward with his Govern-
ment. One phrase we cannot but suggest as par-
ticularly applicable to the last missive penned by
that " Complete Letter Writer"—meaning, of
course, Earl Russell. It is that his now historic
despatch to Lord Lyons should be known hence-
forth—like Mr. Millais' masterpiece—as