The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-06 00:00:00

believed
ture, as possible. Charleston is to be
SHERMAN's next
anxiety to preserve
pointthaotf
faanattaocusk,
caintyd
isthveerySougrtheearnt,
ofA
defen-
sive re-
solutions
meeting
urging
measures, and declaring that the evacuation of
Charleston would be disastrous to the Confederacy.
SU the city itself active steps were being taken to
meet a possible attack. Non-combatants - were
leaving and business suspended, while all Govern-
ment property, with the exception of arms, was
being removed. The garrison was largely rein-
forced, and the rear of the city was said to be
planted with torpedoes. There can be no doubt but
that the utmost efforts of the Confederacy wilt
be exerted to preserve it, and with every pro-
spect of success, notwithstanding SHER3IAN'S
arrogant boast that every point in South Carolina
lies at his mercy. Hehas, it is true, marched through
a wide tract of country, and occupied towns, but he
has not yet encountered serious and well organised
opposition. It is to this point that the Confederate
generals should direct all their efforts. They should
concentrate their forces, and make the destruction
of SHER3IAN the first object, prior even to the safety
of Charleston or Wilmington. It is likely enough
that General LEE, no inexperienced tactician, has
some such scheme in hand, and will prove himself
worthy of the public confidence by arresting the
march of SHERMAN'S army through South Carolina,
"the cradle of the rebellion." The Confederate
Senate has passed resolutions creating the rank of
Commander-in-Chief of the Confederate armies, a
post, of course, designed for LEE, but which it is
doubtful whether he will accept. HOOD has been
superseded by JOHNSTONE in the command of the
Army of the West, the former general being re-
lieved, it is said, at his own request. He is a brave
and able general, but in his late campaign has for-
gotten, in his ambition, the prudence that is the
better part of valour. By extending his operations
too far, and attempting too much, he allowed
SHERMAN to march unmolested through Georgia
without gaining the command of Tennessee.
THOMAS is said to be establishing himself in winter
quarters, so that no movement need be looked for
on his part at present. SHERMAN is said by the
Richmond press to have been checked at the Com-
bahee river, where a Confederate force is opposed
to him. The interest of the moment is divided
between his proceedings and Wilmington ;
but however threatening matters may at first
sight appear to be to the Confederacy, it is by no
means certain that their prospects are really so dark
as it is the interest of their adversaries to paint
them. One point in the China's intelligence is'
especially noticeable. The peace rumours, we
learn, have suddenly dropped. The Confederate
Congress has issued an address to the people,
assuring them of its unalterable determination to
carry on the struggle for independence with un-
flagging energy. The Richmond press is warlike
in its tone—even the Examiner finding it prudent
to go with the stream, declaring that the South can
now put half a million fighting men in the field.
In the North there is the same renewed eagerness
for war. The Daily News asserts that LINCOLN, so
far from looking for peace, is preparing for a
vigorous campaign ; while in the Washington
Senate resolutions have been introduced to the
effect that no negotiation or compromise can be
entered into with the rebels until they make uncon-
ditional submission to the Federal authority. It
will be hoped this will undeceive such Confederates
as have been cherishing the hope of a possible
arrangement with the North through any other
means than the regular channel. It is not because
the North finds DAVIS and his advisers unwilling to
make honourable terms that they refuse to appoint
authorised negotiators ; it is because they will not
admit the independence of the Southern Govern-
ment, and are determined not to compromise them-
selves by treating with it as an established Power.
Should any of the Southern States be so ill-advised
as to attempt a separate negotiation, they will
find their mistake too late. The North will en-
trap them into concessions and admissions
from which it will be very difficult to draw back,
while on the other hand the Federal Government
will carefully abstain from any recognition of the
individual sovereignty of States. As for such
agents as BLAIR, but little can be hoped from their
interference, since the Washington Cabinet is per-
fectly aware of JEFFERSON DAVIS'S determination
to accept no peace that is not based on the one
vital foundation of Southern independence. Were
he to listen to any proposal short of this he would
indeed be unfaithful to his duty, and be betraying
the confidence of the people whom he represents
as well as governs. He has never attempted to
coneeal his feelings on this point, which are shared
by the whole body politic of the Confederacy.
Senator FOOTE, who has been allowed to take his
seat in the Richmond Congress, and to give an
explanation, which in the North, under similar
circumstances, he would have addressed to the
walls of Fort Lafayette or Monroe, pretends that
his journey northwards was undertaken with the
hope of obtaining peace. A moderate expectation
truly ! The grandeur of his designs, however, did
not prevent a very praiseworthy motibn for his
expulsion. The contrast between .Northern and
Southern rule is very forcibly shown in the cases of
FOOTE and of the Piehmond Examiner: That jour-
nal is allowed openly to abuse DAVIS, and to call
for his deposition, without let or hindrance from
the authorities. New York or Washington would
hardly shelter one private individual of such
independent opinions, much' less the editor
of a journal. - The Federals have also an
unenviable distinction in their manner of conduct-
ing the War, which is'certainly original fora civilised
nation. The Shenandoah Valley, once the garden
of America, is paying a bitter price for SHERIDAN'S
zeal for his cause. Not only is terrible sufferinc,
occasioned by the lack of food, but what little grain
there is, no mills are left to grind. A glorious
victory, truly, over mills and cornfields. But the
humanity of the North is restricted to neoToe
and to ne,groes in slavery—for we hear that 40,000
contrabands ". are in 'Washington, many of which
are perishing for want of food and fuel. So much
for Northern sympathy with the blacks ! One item
in the news is really amusing. Mr. SEWARD, of all
men in the States, is to be sent to England as
Federal Representative, whether with the idea of
provoking an open quarrel between the two
countries, or of awing the Britishers into submis-
sion, we are not told.

It seems hopeless to expect any redress of griev-
ances from those who arc bound up heart and soul
in red-tapism and official etiquette—or at all events,
if we do expect it, we shall not meet with our desires.
The recent case of TIMOTHY aux occupied a large
share of public attention, and excited' very general
indignation, in consequence 'of the many glaring
errors that existed in his treatment. • Those who
read the reports and watched the course of the in-
quiryinlght havebeen justified in expecting some sig-
nal instance of reproach and exposure to follow upon
such anomalies as those which were proved to exist
at the Holborn Union. It is rather: too much to
find that nothing is to come of all th affair but a
few words of censure to the d.octor. Really.
it is
time that the management of the Po:r Law Board