The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-31 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 1865.

The Hibernian brings us no very startling intel-
ligence from New York, excepting that the war is
not yet finally extinguished. There is still life
enough left in the smouldering embers to break
out into a blaze with very little kindling, and Texas
at least, with its rich natural resources, is not very
willing to resign itself to the re-establishment of
Northern supremacy. The North may look with
some uneasiness on the indications of martial spirit
now visible in the West, for the possibility of a junc-
tion between the Southern troops still in the field
and the forees of the Emperor of MEXICO compli-
cates very much the prospects of the future. It
might be supposed that in view of this contingency
the Washington Cabinet would carefully avoid any
subject of dispute with Mexico, but, in accordance
with their recklessness in other respects, they have
suffered the recruiting of JUAREZ'S forces to be
openly carried on in their cities, and have taken
every opportunity of loudly proclaiming the MON-
ROE doctrine, which is directly aimed at the throne
of MAXIMILIAN. The South, aided by Mexico,
and with France in the background, would occupy
a very different position from the South, scattered
and defeated, with its President captured, and
its chief General disarmed. There are still
elements of strife in the American system,
which a very little aggravation would call
forth into prominence. The Washington
Government admits that there remains something to
be done in Texas, for SHERIDAN has been despatched
thither " to extinguish the rebellion."

Meanwhile we learn that President DAVIS, with
his family and several of his associates, has reached
Fort Monroe in safety, and has been confined there,
awaiting his trial, which it is now said will take
place before a civil tribunal. It is very much to be
regretted that the Southern President did not carry
out his escape with a little more caution. If the
party had dispersed, and each hurried secretly and
swiftly to the coast, JEFFERSON DAVIS, at least,
might be out of reach of Federal garrisons, and the
South would have preserved its most enlightened
champion, while the North would have been saved
from a painful dilemma.

Our Reformers in the 'Midland Counties are de-
termined not to suffer the charge of inaction or
indifference to be brought against them. Meetings
are being got up and every effort made to excite the
interest of the working classes in their own political
enfranchisement. It is not very likely, whatever
may be the effect of these assemblies, that they will
succeed in extorting a Reform Bill from the present
Government, nor that the moribund House of Com-
mons will trouble itself, in its last session, to enter-
tain the idea of any great political change. Two
or three of the standard topics of debate have
indeed been brought forward from time to time
but no great energy has been shown in their discus-
sion on the last occasion ; indeed the members of
the Cabinet so carefully avoided the awkward and
compromising topic that their caution attracted the
notice of the House, and their ingenious endeavour
to postpone the debate indefinitely entirely defeated
itself. But the question of Reform will naturally
come upon the hustings, and it ought in fact to be
made a prominent condition in any terms made be-
tween representatives and electors. • The consti-
tuencies themselves have undoubtedly been
some slat to blame for the very half-hearted
and insincere Reformers whom they have sent
to represent their interests and to fight
the battle of an amended Constitution within the
walls of Parliament. Elected nominally on a Re-
form question, the House, which is now creeping
through its last dull days, has been of as little service
to the cause of Reform as it was possible for an
Assembly of enlightened Englishmen to be. If we
have another such representative body sent to St.
Stephens, it will not certainly speak much for the
political intelligence of the electors. The meeting:,
held at Birmingham on Monday evening., by the
members of the Reform League, advocated a wide
extension of the suffrage, and vote by ballot. one
of the gentlemen who addressed the assembly,
expressed a hope that they would obtain the assist-
ance of the middle classes in the enfranchisement of
the working men, since the former had been much
indebted to them for their aid in 1832 ; but this
help they have never been able to obtain. The
middle classes have never given a cordial encourage-
ment to those below them to rise to the same level,