The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-14 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 1856.

The American Congress seems to have taken a
leaf from the book of the British Parliament.
If the popular representatives in the United
Kingdom could show but trivial results from their
labours, those of the United States did still less.
The excitement respecting the War was the excuse
for the want of progress at this side of the At-
lantio—the forthcoming Presidential election and
the personal interests involved therein at the
other. The contest is, indeed, an important one
in many respects. It will exercise a material
influence on the fortune; of " the domestic insti-
tution," and probably decide whether the objec-
tionable system is to be extended throughout the
entire Union, or restricted within its present
limits. The "Filibustering or piratical system
is els') deeply concerned. One party seems de•
termined to act in accordance with

" The good old rule, the simple plan—
That they ehould take who have the power,
And they should keep who can ;"
while, on the other hand, the opponents of
Slavery, or "Nigger Worßhippers," as they are
termed, respect the rights of all nations as well as
of all men, and do not consider superior strength
as an ample justification fur plunder and robbery
of the worst description.

The chief representatives of these conflicting
principles are Mr. BUCHANAN and Colonel FRE.
MONT. They are the only candidates who have
the slightest chance of obtaining the absolute ma-
jority required by law in the Electoral College.
The object of the Whig candidate—the ex-Presi-
dent Fimatom—is to prevent any decision in the
first instance, so as to leave the mattcr for the
House of Representatives. His chance, however,
even in such case, would be of a very infinitesimal
character. There would be still less prospect of
agreement in the House of Representatives ; and
when many abortive baliots had been taken, the
coveted prize would ultfrnately fdl to the Vice-
President, or, in other words, to Mr. BRECKEN-
RIDGE, the second favourite of the Democratic or
BUCHANAN party.

Under such circumstances, and when, to use
the language of our American friends, " the
FREMONT stock is every day rising in the mar-
ket.," we cannot feel astonished at any tricks that
may be resorted to. One of the most brilliant
specimens of recent dodges is that which ascribes
a direct and positive interference in the contest to

our own Chancellor of the Exchequer, and de-
clares that English gold will be profusely squan-
dred to insure the triumph of the Inpublican
(ick,t, or, in o, her words, the return of Colonel
FREMONT. Ridiculous anti incredible as this
umour rav be, there are yet parties unscrupu-
lous enough to use it, notwithstanding a thorough
conviction of its falsehood, and there may be others
with credulity- sufficient to swallow the palpable
canard. Those who have raised the story must
have calculated. on obtaining some advantage
therefrom. It shows, however, that the prospects
of their favourite are not quite so brilliant as
they would strive to persuade us, or they would
scarcely resort to such weapons from which they
might easily receive a far greater loss than gain.
That the contest will be an exceedingly close
one is certain ; and that no exertions will be
Tared on either side is equally clear. The par-
ties are so equally balanced, that it is impos- '
sible to say to which side the majority will even-
tually fall. The Northern, or Free States,
have a majority of electors, but the Southerns
exhibit greater energy, are better organised, and
more willing to merge all minor points, in order
to attain success in the great matter on which
they have set their hearts—the extension of
slavery, and the overthrow of what has long been
known as the Missouri Compromise. Their
pockets are directly concerned in this interesting
question, and they have not hesitated to exhibit
a total disregard of law and equity in their efforts
to advance the cause for which they have resolved
on "going the whole hog," even to the extent of
dissolving the Federal Union, if it be regarded as
indispensable to preserve a right of property in
their fellow-men.

The deplorable scenes that have recently been
enacted in Kansas illustrate the lengths to which
they are prepared to go. There a gang of armed
ruffians, from the adjoining slave State of Mis-
souri, invaded their brethren at the time of the
election of the Local Legislature.; took forcible
possession of the ballot-boxes, and returned a
body of men prepared to carry out their views
per fas out nefas. The body thus illegally and
unconstitutionally placed in power fulfilled the
expectations of those to whose violence they
owed their so-called election. They passed enact-
ments prohibiting, under severe penalties, the
expression even of opinions unfavourable to the
domestic institution, and making the slightest
assistance rendered to a fugitive slave a capital
offence.

General PIERCE, totally disregarding the cha-
racter of the pseudo election, or the atrocious
violation of popular rights, sanctioned the pro-
ceedings, and recognised the mon pitchforked into
the Legislature against the wishes of a large and
overwhelming majority of the bond fide voters ;
thus affording an additional proof, if any were
required, of his unscrupulous determination to
support the cause of slavery at any cost. There
is, however, fortunately, but little prospect of his
being able to do much more mischief. His
tenure of office is rapidly approaching to a con-
clusion, and whoever may be chosea there must
be a decided improvement in the Government.
We cannot conclude without assuring our
transatlantic brethren that, however anxiously we
may watch the progress of the contest, we have
not the slightest intention of interfering, one way
or other, with the exercise of their incontes-
tible rights—the results whereof must exercise
not only a vast influence on their own
future welfare and prosperity—but on the peace
and tranquillity of the world. We shall rejoice
if Colonel FREMONT be selected, but we shall do
all in our power to maintain the most amicable
relations with their future President, whether the
fortunate individual be BUCHANAN, FILLMORE, or
BRECKENRIDGE.

Austria was displeased with Russian occupa-
tion of the Isle of Serpents, therefore at once the
ships of England were ordered into the Black Sea.
Vhoever may be offended, Austria may not. We
wonder how long Turkey or Sardinia might have
been annoyed without redress. What on earth
obtains for Austria these attentions Is it be-
cause she declined a legitimate alliance with us
all, and seduced us into a disgraceful liaison with
her that she might gratify herself with the liber-
ties accorded to a political courtesan ? Of course
in this case we "are heartily glad of the result ;
Turkey gets the benefit, and Russia is obliged to
draw in her horns both at the mouth of the
Danube and at Kars. Still we cannot but won-
' der, though we might well have ceased to do it,
at the effrontery of Austria ; that she, who never
did anything for the liberation of the Danube
(accept when she liberated the Russian troops
there from fear of the Turks, and sent them to
attack us at lukerman)—that she should now
make such a stir about Russia's taking a station
at the mouth of the River ! To the last the
same—getting all she can without expending
a penny herself. And this shameless Power
is actually at the present moment retaining her
odious troops in the Principalities she ought never
to have entered, and furnishing the Russians with
a pretext to keep theirs still in the country agreed
to be surrendered.

Nothing, indeed, can contrast more discredit-
ably on the one side, and more honourably on the
other, than the perfidy of Russia and Austria,
and the good faith of the Allies. Russia encroach-
ing everywhere, and destroying what she was in
311 honour bound to restore entire ; and not only
that, but prolonging the stay of the troops iu Kars
and B3sstrabia till this 11 mr, though be a few
miles from their own country. Austria again
imitating her in this, and preventing the convo-
c ttion of the avans, and the settlement of the
Principalities by refusing to withdraw her soldiers
from a country which never belonged to her. On
the other side all that was stipulated is more
than fulfilled. The vast armies of the English
and French, several thousand miles from home,
have been v.ithdrawn, within three months
from the signing of the Treaty, though they had
six months allowed them, and for no other reason
than to show alacrity in fulfilling engagements,
for the stores already there were superabundant,
the health of the men excellent, and the weather
the best of the year. England and France have
been in this, as in all things, but foolishly desi:r-
ens to relieve Russia from disgrace, and mean ,
overreaching,
a merciful
i ng ,on h er part, has been their reward.
oAvfeter u
peace, a Government with
the least sense of honour would have shown its
gratitude by iintnediate evacuation of Turkish
territory, and scrupulous regard to appearance.
Russia and Austria are, beyond question, the
shabbiest of great powers.

While on the subject, it is but fair to give hon-
our to whom honour is due. It would appear
that not only has England more than fulfilled her
engagements to Russia, but tho last year and the
return of the troops has been a happy reversal of
all the mismanagement of the awful winter of
1853-4. The stores accumulated, of every kind,
have been SD large that they were a considerable
impediment to completing the evacuation, and
though heavy loss has been sustained in selling
part of them, yet care has been taken to sell
Only 'what would cost more for carriage borne than

it was worth. The army was as superabundantly
provided for in the winter of 1855-6 as it was
defectively suppliel the winter before. "Of all
die thou ands (writes a cor7espDudent from Con-
stantinople on the 31st of July) who formed. the
British Army in the Est there will be only 15
men remaining with General STORKS as orderlie,J,
&c., tomorrow. It is marvellous to read of
what the British Navy, royal and mercantile,
has done in the three months. Forty-five bat-
talions of British infantry, 13 regiments of cavalry,
20 batteries of field and horse artillery, the largest
siege train the world ever saw, augmented by
great numbers of Russian guns, 15,000 Sardinian
troops with all their materiel, six regiments of
the Foreign Legion, have been all taken to Eng-
land or to different ports of the Mediterranean,
while 20;000 Turks •have been conveyed home
from Kertch. Au E❑glishman may well be proud
of the nautical resources of his country. All the
other powers of Earopo put together could not
have done the same. It must be remembered also
that we were large carriers for the French at the
same time.

The historian of modern Europe, present him-
self when or where he may, will always command
the respectful attention of his audience. Learned,
eloquent, and patriotic, the graphic vigour and
picturesqueness of his descriptions, and the genial
lucidity of his style, lend a prestige to his appear-
ance in public which will not admit of his claims
to a hearing being ignored. What he says is
always sure to be listened to by all, and accepted
as gospel by many. It becomes a matter of greater
consequence, therefore, that the Press should
exercise its right of censorship on his remarks,
and point out how far they may be consistent or
otherwise with its notions of what is the truth,
for error is never so dangerous as when advanced
by one whose claims to respect are so generally
admitted.

Candidly, then, we must confess wo never read
a speech of Sir A. ALISON'S with less satisfaction,
or found in one more matter for exception than
that delivered the other day at Seaham. In point
of duration the speech in question was too long
a fault redeemed by no particular bril-
liancy of thought or felicity of diction, ,while
the matter of it was such as will not permit us to
pass it by unquestioned. This is the more to be
regretted, for however humble might be his audi-
ence, the termination of a great and most disas-
trously-cenducted War afforded him a signal op-
portunity to benefit the country by the fruits of
his matured wisdom, and to establish his claims
to bo the historian of a critical period in Eng-
land's history. It may be his misfortune rather
than his fault that he was unequal to it, and
stood confessed rather the champion of an ex-
ploded order of things, and the indirect apologist
of a ruinous system, tottering, thank HEAVEN, to
its fall, than the enlightened student of history,
who, in the retirement of the closet, liberates
himself from the thraldom of prejudice, and seek-
ing for nothing more nor less than the truth, re-
cognises it with aptitude, and reveals it with all
the candour of the patriot, and all the force and
beauty of diction at the command of the accom-
plished scholar.
It is far from grateful to our feelings to have
to speak thus of one whom we greatly respect,
and whose "History of Europe" has delighted the
firesides of so many thousands of our fellow-
countrymen both at home and abroad. The fault,
however, is not ours, and in doing so we but
discharge our duty. Sir ARCHIBALD lends the
weight of his authority to the pernicious plea that
the disasters of the war were owing mainly to the
unsparing reduction of armaments during the
forty years' peace ; that to this unwise economy
the ruin at one period pending over the country
was owing. False economy there no doubt was
to be met with, but it was an economy out-
balanced by reckless extravagance in other direc-
tions. The fleet, for instance, was ill-manned ;
but the means whereby the fleet might have been
manned as it ought to be was squandered in dock-
yard and other jobbery. The. nation paid as
much as would insure the welfare of the country,
if properly administered ; and if ruin impended
over us it was the fault of the administrative job-
bers and incompetents to whose hands the safety
of the State was confided. It would have been
in better taste, and more to the interests of the
country if Sir AROHIBALD ALISON had consulted
his beloved statistics on this head, and given the
honest results of a candid inquiry. In
bettor taste if, extending his research, he had
hunted out the iniquities of " the system,"
and in that glowing language of which he is so
great a master, had held up to public indignation
the horde of incapables at the Horse Guards and
in high quarters, to'whose reckless imbecility and
extravagant self-reliance the disasters of the war
were mainly owing. It was no false economy on
the part of the nation to which these dis-
asters were owing. Tite economy for which the
wishes of the people are responsible was of a sort
that enabled the country to rise buoyant in the
hour of peril, able and really to confront all
emergencies, however great and however unex-
pected. It was not an army so much as capable
commanders that was wanted at the pinch. The
blood and treasure wasted in the Crimea were
wasted by shameless bad management, and not
because of the forty years' practice of economy.
But fur the latter the war might have run the
risk of being starved, as it certainly was not, so
far as the wishes and contributions of the public
were concerned. Equally unfortunate is Sir
ARCHIBALD ALISON in his illustrations. It is
really surprising, after all that has been said and
written on the subject, he should persevere in
attributing the disaster at Cabul and the imminent
peril of the Siekh War to a false economy. The
expedition to Cabul simply met with the fate
rashness of its originator provoked and his
incompetency was uneTtal to avert. Possibly
Sir ARCHIBALD has access to information closed to
all the world beside. However this may be, it
is quite a novelty to us to learn that the Siekhs,
who pressed us so hard in so many bloody action's,
were dismissed Sepoys of our Indian Army. We
come at last to his theory of finance, and are
landed in hopeless despondency. Sir ARCHI-
BALD has his credit as a protectionist pro-
phet to sustain, and that involves an ex-
planation of the reason why the country has
uot been ruined by Free Trade, as ho predicted.
Toe country, he tells us, has been saved by the
influx of gold, and the conaequen[ly higher prices.
How much has the value of gold really decreased ?
Who can tell ? Awl where are we to look for the
rise of prices ? Nut iu Mark-lane nor in Islington
Market—slot even, we may venture to say, in
Scalia-in. When next we meet this deservedly-
admired iii'steriatt we trust to find him in better
vein than on the present occasion.

The nuchegg or ClevelAnd and Larly Aurusta Paulet
are prolonging thei? sojourn at Prighton. The duke has
gone to Raby Castle, ,Dui haw.
VISIT OF THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE TO COLCHESTER.
underAand an intimation has been received by
Mr. Conlon Rebow that bis R3yal Highness the Com-
inander-in-chief will prot\ably visit C-dehester for the
purpose of reviewing the German Legion at the end of
the present week,
either Friday or Saturday being sup.
posed to be indicated.