The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-08 00:00:00

possession." The refusal of the Government to
accord any longer to the Confederate Government
and people the status and rights of belligerents, will,
however, give pain or offence to none, because even
the most hopeful and sanguine of Southerners could
not contend that, as matters at present stand, the
people of the slaveholding States are in a position to
question, much less successfully to resist, the autho-
rity of the Government at Washington. The civil
war is at an end. So said Gen. Lee when he endea-
voured to induce Grant to consent to terms for a
peace between the two sections of the Republic, and,
failing to do so, surrendered his army. So said Gen.
Johnston when, by direction of Mr. Davis, be con-
eluded with Sherman terms of a similar nature to
those proposed by Lee, but which were subsequently
repudiated by the Federal Government. So said the
President of the Confederacy himself, when he fled
from his foes and sought a refuge, which he failed to
find, in the woods of Georgia. So said the generals
and commanding officers of every army, or division,
or brigade in the Confederate service, save one, when
they laid down their swords and expressed, as well
on their own behalf as on that of the troops they
commanded, their willingness to submit to the esta-
blished Government. And so say the English Govern-
ment, and so will say the Governments of all neutral
States. The war is at end. There is no nation at
war with the United States, and there is, conse-
quently, none to whom we can accord a belligerent
status. That peace—at least as that word is under-
stood in the code of international law—is established
in every portion of the United States, save Texas,
is an indisputable fact, and that fact the Govern-
ments of neutral States cannot possibly ignore..,
It is, however, the practical application made
by her Majesty's Government of the conclusions
forced upon them by recent events which specially
merits attention. As a result of the recognition of
the belligerent status of the Southern Confederacy
we accorded to its privateers the same privilege°
extended to the vessels of war sailing under the flag
of the United States. Being desirous of observing
the strictest neutrality between the belligerents, we
recognised no distinction between the cruisers of the
Iry l Federations, and admitted both to our ports ell
identical conditions. If a Federal and a Confede-
rate vessel cf war were simultaneously in any of our
harbours, we permitted neither to follow the other
on her departure within the space of twenty-for
hours. Though ignoring the political .existence of the
Southern Confederacy, we acknowledged its flag,
and accepted as valid the commissions issued to its,
naval officers by the individual chosen as its chief
magistrate. Our justification for adopting this
course was obvious, and was never seriously called
in question by the Federal Government. But now,
the causes which compelled us to regard as properl
commissioned vessels of war the privateers whie
sailed under the Confederate flag, having ceased t°
operate, the recognition, with its attendant privi"
leges, is withdrawn. This is the substance of the
instructions conveyed by the Foreign Secretary t°
the authorities of her Majesty's ports and harbours
in his circular note published in Tuesday's Gazette'
Henceforth, the Confederate flag cannot be recog-
nised, and any vessel of war sailing under it will beo
refused admission to British ports. If, at the tiut
when these orders are received, a Confederate vessel
of war should happen to be in any British port, the ',.
authorities are instructed to require her to deParo
forthwith ; it being, however, provided that, in
event of a Federal vessel of war being also in the
same port, an interval of twenty-four hours inur,
elapse between the departure of the two vesser;
The concluding paragraph of the circular provide_
that vessels of war sailing under the Confedera7
flag either now in British ports, or which 511° f
enter them within a month after the receipt °,
the circular, shall be at liberty to disarm and i;
vest themselves of their belligerent character, a%
be .thenceforth entitled to claim from the Engl7
Government only the same protection as is actord_d
to the merchant or private vessels of foreign Staw,
in time of peace. It is expressly stated that W.l.'
disarmament must be at the risk of the vessel dl;
arming, by which is meant that, on leaving °
waters, such vessel cannot claim either the 24 how
grace hitherto accorded to vessels of war, or all
protection from her Majesty's Government again
molestation on the high seas. Earl Russell's elre";
lar will no doubt satisfy the Government of tPtt
United States that there is no unwillingness 111),°a
our part to admit the fact that they have suceeeueat
in vindicating their authority,- find that there is ,
least on the ocean none who can legitimately Prof
claim themselves their foes. The Government .d,
the Confederacy having ceased to exist, the connnifo
sions under which their naval officers have hitherL,
acted have legally and practically become null
void. No justification could therefore henceforwal:
be urged by those in command of Confederate
privateers for capturing or destroying Americil,o
merchant shipping ; and if they persisted in doinb
so it would not be difficult to contend that their acts
were not of a piratical character. In acknowlediqi
however,that peace has been re-established througu;
out the entire territory of the United States, I°o
apprehend that the Foreign Secretary has fallen l°l.o
an error, though not one which at all affects to,
determination arrived at by the Government in 1...5
spect to Confederate privateers. The circular bea're
date on the 2d of the present month, the day befo
mail conveying Mr. Johnson's recent proclaul. ti-
thel3
tion reached this country. In that proclaniat?-°e'
however, the President specially admits the belhges
rent status of the population of Texas, and declarlt
the ports of that State to be closed by blockade., it,
is therefore a little singular, to say the least of v
that the English Foreign Secretary should offtela b,
declare that peace has been re-established throngvt
out the length and breadth of the United States, oa
time when the President proclaims a blockad. ot
the ports of Texas, and claims to exercise agi.afof
neutrals rights which can only arise from a atrere-
war. The incongruity between the Foreign oe+ion
tary's circular and President Johnson's proclainal
we confess ourselves unable to explain.