The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LON, TIIIIRSDAV
OND EiIENING, FEBRUARY 21, 1867.

mischief. They are, as we have said, alienating the '
greater portion of the Western States, at the same
time that they are making every one ask why the
Southern States are not represented. The language
of their own organs in the press reflects more
accurately the prevailing sentiment of the
public than the opinion's acted on by the Re-
publican party in Congress. One paper, the
Yew York Evening Post, goes so fat as to
prophesy that every ian Who totes for the Elill will
suffer for it at the nevi; election: The Nation,
another New York journal, declares the contest
does not lie between Free Trade and Protection,
but " between au unscrupulous hobby of the com-
munity at large." The Bill itself it pronounces to
be intolerable, incomprehensible, onerous, promotive
of fraud and smuggling," and forctels a desperate
attempt to modify it next session. The New York
Commercial AdeertiYer maintains that it would be
p2st as well to tote 70 or $0 millions for a Chinese
wall as to rule American trade on a policy of exclu-
sion. Exclusion will certainly JAI 0 order of the
day under the new tariff, and there is little hope felt
that Congress will fail to carry it into effect.
The Tariff is just now the great topic of the day,
but the relations between the two Houses are not
without significance. We find in their discussions
another indication of the growing weakness of the
Radical party, and there are hopes that with their
collapse a better state of things may be restored
North and South. A few days since we heard of the
rejection of a bill which had passed the Lower
House by the Senate. The House of Represen-
tatives have now had their revenge, for we
learn by telegram, dated Tuesday evening, that
they have rejected the bill passed by the Senate as
a substitute for the Military Bill. This bodes ill
for the unity and consequent strength of the domi-
nant party. If once division comes in the camp
of the Radicals they will have nothing to look to
out of doors for support. The better class of
people were already disgusted with the result of
their treatment of the Southern States ; and now
this unpopular tariff will array against them a
long list of sufferers from the inevitable revulsion
in the commercial world.

The British Ndrth Anieridat donfederation,

The tolioNtiug addreSs, signed by the Maydr of
Halifax, Nova Scotia, and by several hundred of
the leading inhabitants of the city, of all shades of
public opinion, *as presented to the Hon. Thos.
Arcy M'Clee, Minister of Agricultiire for Can/06
and member of the Canadian Parliatuent3 tits the
arrival of the Asia, from Boston. Mr. 111.4 Gee is
one of the deputation now in London on the sub-
ject of Confederation
To the Honourable Thomas D'Arcy If‘Gee,
M.P.P., Member of the Executive Council, and
Minister of Agriculture, C/;:nada.

Sir,—We, the undersigned, citizens of Halifax, having
learned that you are about to pay this city a short visit,
on your way to Europe, are unwilling to allow so favousn
able an opportunity to pass without conveying to you our
warm approval of your conduct as a publiclman, in refer
once to some important questions which have lately
agitated this continent.
The warmest thanks of eicery loyal Inhabitant of
British America are due to you for your manly and
spirited condemnation of the late movement in the
United States, known as tha Fenian organisation, Whieh,
under the pretence of remedying geleitances in Ireland,
aimed the destruction of British rule in these provinces, and
under that pretext attempted to carry fire and sword
among the peacoful inhabitant. of Canada and New
Brunswick,

Though it is quite UnnedesSary that We should hefe re=
count or even refer to the Many and great services you
have rendered to the Calls§ of British scrfereignty ill
British America, yet we feel bound to ciptefis Our high
appreciation of your strenuous exertions for its main-
tenance.
We cannot close without a passing reference to
.your
signal services in the cause of " Colonial in the
near prospect of which we bag to congratulate you, as one
of Its earnest and most untiring adVocateA.
Wishing you much pleasure in your anticipated ♦isit to
Europa, and many years of useful and honourable labour
in the public service,
We beg to subscribe ourselfcs
Your Obedient Servants.
[here follow the signatures.]

Eei,Tent's Park Calamity Award Fund.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SCI 4.

Slit,--The late Ice Clearing Committee having
united with Mr. Bussey and other gentlemen who
commenced the above fund solicit your valuable
aid in making a further appeal to the public for
their assistance towards rewarding those brave men
who risked their own lives in their heroic cfforfs
to save life, one of whom perished in the attempt.
The committee also take this opportunity of
thanking those who so liberally contributed towards
defraying the expenses of clearing the ice from the
lake. Subscriptions will be received at the Blooms-
bury branch of the London and Westminster Bank ;
the treasurer, Mr. G. J. Bussey, 14, Elton-villas,
Haverstock-hill ; or by Mr. G. Joblin, honorary
secretary, 27, Douglass-road (North), Islington, N.

Americans, whatever their political extravagan-
ces, are but human, and the accounts which daily
reach them from the South can hardly fail to excite
some compunction and sympathy. The statements
brought forward at the meeting held in respect to
the prevailing destitution by Mr. BEECHER, IlortAcE
GREELEY, and others, were startling enough, but
they are more than confirmed by subsequent ac-
counts from numerous sources. The writer has
been unusually severe in America as in Europe, and
even in the towns of the South there has been great
suffering, causel by want of fuel as well as want of
food. It is computed that hunger and cold have
destroyed in the principal Southern States at
least tw o thousand persons, and the condition
of Alabama is painfully described by the Governor.
There is not, he says, a county in the State to which
the authorities have not been compelled to send
food for the poor, and so extreme is the general
poverty that, although food is placed free of charge
at depots within 50 or 60 miles of their border,
they are unable to pay the cost of transportation.
In Alabama alone there are not less than 40,000
persons who will have to be fed by public charity
until a crop is matured, and a larger number will
require partial relief. The greatest distress exists
iu those parts where the white population pre-
dominate, since there are the largest number
of widows an I orphans left destitute by
the war. Many of these persons, it must
be remembered, owned large estates before the war,
though now they are forced to accept the alternative
of perishing of starvation or accepting public charity.
This is not a state of affairs which should be sub-
mitted to by a great nation like America. To pau-
perise and degrade an important section of the
community is as impolitic as it is unjust, and in
this animosity of one party against another, this
vindictiveness of New England against Secessia,
the great national interests of the States are being
sacrificed, and the future of the American people
affected. If, instead of the unhappy dis-
putes about matters of precedence and personal
interest, Cabinet and Congress were heartily to
combine to endeavour to heal the wounds of the
nation, to close the breach and restore confidence
to capital, stimulus to labour, food and employ-
ment to the starving millions of the South, how
great would be the benefits to the whole nation !
The North says the Radical party is not prepared
to sacrifice the objects for which it fought. Were
those objects then the destitution and misery of
tens of thousands of their fellow-countrymen?

We beg to acknowledge the following sums :
Miss Alford and Finis, 10s. ; Mr. Mackenzie, 2s. 6d.;
Miss Jardly, ss. ; Mr. Pearce, 10s.; Mr. Robson, 10s.;
Mr. Toole, 10s. ; Major-General Dennis, ; Captain Jas.
Gibbert Johnstone, .£2. ; Mr. J. H. Wright, 10s. ; Mr. J. E.
Salsbury, £1 15. ; C. W., ss. ; Mr. John Bell, ss. ; Miss
Hay, 2s. 6d. ; Mrs. Ely, ss. ; Avenue-road, ss. ; Mrs.
Moe, 3s. 6d. ; Mr. Thos. Bqnd, 2s. 6d. ; Mr. G. Roslin, 108.;
Mrs. Lawrence, 10s. ; Mr. J. A. Hicks, £1 ; Mr. G. Bishop,
10s. ; Mr. J. E. Douglass, 10s. ; A. M., £l.

After the many unsatisfactory occurrences that
have taken place on the Continent of late, it is en-
couraging to dwell upon the present prospects of
Hungary. The enthusiasm which prevailed upon
the first receipt of the intelligence communicated
in the rescript of the EMPEROR has not abated; but,
on the contrary, the people seem to appreciate their.
good fortune the more as time goes on, and they
reflect upon the consequences of the changes that have
taken place. On Tuesday a grand demonstration
took place at the National Theatre at Pesth, and
shouts of " Long live the KING" were raised. Ac-
counts are continually received from all parts of
Hungary, which testify to the satisfaction expe-
rienced, and " enthusiastic festivities are being held
in honour of the restoration of the Hungarian Con-
stitution." So far, then, at any rate, the European
has no reason to be disappointed at the result of
the change which has been made—tardily, it is true
—but still sufficiently soon to prevent serious con-
sequences ensuing. We hope that many good
consequences may follow upon the restoration of
their Constitution to the Hungarians ; and that,
with greater confidence and good feeling, more
strength and unity will be imparted to the
political aspect of affairs in Austria and in
Hungary. One thing is certain, that to
realise such a plan will be the most effectual, if not
the only, method of preserving the prosperity and
consolidating the resources of the Imperial Govern-
ment at Vienna.

Count BISMARCK does not seem to be flourishing
with all his inordinate success and his world-wide
renown as the master spirit of his age. His health,
it is said, has again sunk under the pressure of
anxiety and the accumulation of business. State
affairs have been so overwhelming of late that the
unfavourable symptoms before apparent have
again been noticeable. The serious state of
this _Minister's health may well give rise to
grave doubts in the minds of many as to whether in
the event of his retirement the many important
schemes he has set on foot could be carried out to a
successful or even satisfactory issue. It would seem
as if the Government of Berlin had had to
reconsider its ways, for it is said that King
WILLIAM, in answer to a deputation from
Frankfort, promised that the city's future rela-
tions should be reconsidered, and that it should
not be expected to contribute greater burdens than
were possible without prejudice to the welfare of
the inhabitants. We believed all along that
the Prussians would find it more difficult
to keep their conquests than to gain them ; that is
to say, that a concurrence of circumstances con-
duced to give them a great preponderance last

summer ; hut to render their 1::&-inis.itions really LATEST INTELLIGEIia.
effective required tact, judgment, and forbearance,
none of which desirable qualities they seem to (11EUTER75 TNLEGRAUS,)
possess, and must therefore fail in the real acconi-
pliBhment of their designs.

_ M_ _ ,~,.. _ __

SWISS ARMAMENTS.

BERNt, reb. 21.

The Federal Government will issue a loan of
twelve million frames tin the Ist March, for arming
the Swiss troops with the Winehester breech-
loading rifle;
The loan i 5 to be istted it two Aeries, and the
stthse!iptiori *ill he