The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-13 00:00:00

THE SUN.
LONDON, FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 1862.

The assertion that negotiations for mediation in
America by France and England are to be shortly
opened in London, is now positively made by La
Patrie, We made a few remarks on Wednesday
on the arguments offered for mediation by the
Constitutionnel, as they were, altogether, presented
in a manner intended to convey the impression
that the Imperial editor—whom M. FAVRE de-
clares to be the only editor in France—was more
or less directly their author. In the peculiar posi-
tion of the French press, it can never be absurd
to suppose that important political news, pretty
strongly affirmed to be correct, must either be so, or
that its publication must be authorised for a pur-
pose. In the present case it is not easy to con-
eeiveopfreasnsypurpose but that of, at least, inviting
the ex lon of
public opinion in regard to an
object the Imperial Government would like to
accomplish; while it may also be to prepare the
public for what is actually intended to be done.
On Wednesday we expressed our apprehension
that friendly mediation would be spurned till neces-
sity compelled its acceptance. We have that fear
pretty strongly still. We did not, however, mean
to deny that it would be at least honourable in
France to proffer mediation a second time, nor even
that, just possibly, it might be of some avail.
Summer heat will soon compel the Northerns to a
virtual truce; and, should Congress pass its long
lingering tax bill, and should the real worth of the
assignats now issued by the Government begin to
be appreciated, the lash of the taxgatherer and the
' depreciation of paper may generate a wish for
peace. Of course our rulers ought to have the best
information, but we should have thought that
London was just the wrong place to he prominent in
such negotiations. All the snubbing and bullying we
have quietly put up with, all the attention we have
shown our "seceded" eolonies,:has done but little to
produce in the minds of the sovereign many in
America a better feeling towards England. Indeed,
looking at the United States as a great "secession"
from Britain, they but too plainly illustrate the
feeling which will be found probably a century
hence between the Northern and Southern portions
of the old Union. As politicians, we may illustrate
to ourselves the possibility of North and South
working together again in one Union, by asking
how England and the thirty-two sovereign states
could do it. England will never be forgiven by the
American mob.

England, therefore, if mediation be offered, should
keep in the back ground. She might give her
approval to the efforts of France, but, if she wish
the offer to succeed, she ought not to go further.
France may do or say anything, even march on the
Mexican capital, we cannot speak without being
subjected to the imputation of ungenerous motives,
nor even without injuring the objects at which we
aim. It strikes us that the whole responsibility of
proffering mediation, and the chief honour of its suc-
cess, if success be possible, should belong to France.
We might, in response to applications for counte-
nance from France, express our cordial approbation
of proposals so humane to Europe as well as to
America, bat our alliance in the business would, we
apprehend, almost insure its failure. Altogether
different would it be were England as well as
France prepared to insist on the termination of the
war. In that case the greatest display of strength
would be the greatest kindness. We have never
denied that the moral right of English and French
operatives to the means whereby they live,
is so strong, that if the two Powers had
chosen to take that view, they would have
been justified in scouting doubtful inter-
national law, and using their fleets to maintain
a perfectly open trade in cotton, indeed in every-
thing, at the southern ports. We have suffered,
however, the Federals now to seize those ports, and
so have complicated what would otherwise have
been a wry simple matter. As therefore, neither
Government probably contemplates action as well
as persuasion, surely it were better that the power
to which alone the North would listen should be the
responsible mediator.

Meantime the important consideration is, what is
to be considered fair time for Europe, so greatly to
its own injury, to allow the North to indulge in
civil war. Important as the trade of the South is
to two large and several minor European
States, even the North cannot pretend that we are
quite out of court. It is becoming probable that
India cannot be stimulated to supply us with cotton
in sufficient time to save us millions of money, great
and permanent injury to the trade, and worst of
all, to save from deep distress hundreds of
thousands of men, both here and on the continent,
who, in justice ought not to suffer thus to please
the Northern States. Even if they can succeed,
after years of fighting and ill blood, in subju-
gating the vast South, wo are not surely
required to see ail the cotton manufactories of
Europe closed and ruined for such an object ; but,
when it is doubtful whether conquest of the South
be even possible—and, if possible, of any use to the
conquerors—it may well be denied that we are re-
quired by international law to prolong indefinitely
toleration of the murderous and ruinous ambition
of the North. '

lAs to the question of slavery, we are pleased, of
course,which
b• necessity to see the concessions to pesonal liberty to
has driven the Northern Repub-
licans; but the North itself has compelled us to
hope but little from
its triumph. It dreads the
abolition of Slaver
It repudiates negroes as far
LIS it can. It treY ;8
rice, willing above all races
to be led, governed, and
employed,
as a burden and
a nuisance. With it: t.boundless territory and need
of labour, instead ofaucag,tle negro to intelli-
gent industry, the South makes
labour, and the North drives hillim an animal for
from
its social
presence. Both reprers the Poor
neg
though he might fare better in sir. ,I°; "(3)
laticoui's
hands than in those of JEFF DAVIS, it is LINCOLN
'$
as
probable that an independent South would be
driven to abolish slavery, as that the North would
drive the South to do it.

Auer('ling to the French press, which hardly
:ro write thus w:thout authority, the appeal to
Enfflanti by the, French Governmen t is fully de-
siCed on. Cont PERSIGNY, the old confidential
friend of the EMPEROR, is to convey to our G )vern •
went the private sentiments of the EMFEROR, to
ascertain whether the views of the two Govern-
ments accord sufficiently to permit of an arrange-
ment which can be carried out in common. To-
night Mr.HOPWOOD is to catechise our Government,
and to ask, " Whether her MAJESTY'S Govern-
ment and ;he Government of France had any in- i