The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-04 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1866.

News from America, if not less interesting than
formerly, will at least not be so long watched for.
We shall be kept au courant with the details of
American political life, the same as we are with the
proceedings in our own metropolis. We can hardly
yet, as Lord DERBY said the other evening, imagine
what the result of the full working of the cable will
be. As yet the delay occasioned by the transit be-
tween the American coast and Newfoundland,
which takes six or seven hours out of the fifteen
which are spent between New York and London.
The rulers of the two great nations having ex-
changed courtesies, the two chief municipal autho-
rities of England and America have also inter-
changed greetings, and the Mayor of New York
and the Lord Mayor of London have sent by the
aid of the electric messenger expressions of good-
will and hopes of national amity. This union not
only of the Continents, but of the hemispheres, is
in reality the great event of the day, and its effects
we may hope will be actively felt throughout the
habitable globe when the temporary excitements and
agitations of the hour are forgotten. It is an
achievement vast enough to satisfy even our trans-
atlantic cousins, accustomed as they are to the vast
and magnificent in nature, and used to dealing in
extremes with social and political matters.

The intelligence we have received from New
York by the Persia says that both Houses of Con-
gress have passed a resolution admitting Tennessee
into the Union. The Radicals have taken care to
do this in the most unfavourable manner by adding
an amended preamble to the resolution to the effect
that Tennessee, having been in insurrection, could
only be restored to the Union by consent of the
law-making power of the United States. A string
of further conditions fulfilled by Tennessee was then
rehearsed, so as carefully to avoid committing the
Republicans to the wholesale admission of other
Southern States. The PRESIDENT, however, is re-
solved to be equally careful not to be committed by
the ingenious devices of his opponents, to whose
tricks, by this time, he is pretty well accustomed.
He signed the bill re-admitting Tennessee, but sent
a message with it to Congress, stating that the sig-
nature was'not to be considered as admitting the
right of Congress to pass laws preliminary to the
admission of States, nor as committing himself to
their conditions. This message was received in ac-
cordance, with the usual good taste of the Radicals,
.with derisive laughter. Rira viiu qui rira le dernier
is however, an old saying, and the Re-
publicans have long since discovered tha t
ANDREW
JOHNSON is no contemptible adver-
sary. Ile is
not likely to suffer them to en-
croach upon the Presidential prerogative, because
he knows that at this juncture the supreme power
offers the best protection against the dangerous in-
novations of the ultra party, which is ready at any
moment to overturn the old landmarks of the Con-
stitution, in order to secure some temporary tri-
umph for themselves. The Radicals, however, find
their own affairs or much less than they can manage
that they have energy to spare for their neighbours,
and accordingly the House of Representatives has
adopted a resolution, requesting the PRESIDENT to
urge the Canadian authorities to release the Fenians
captured in Canada, and to abandon the Federal
prosecutions against the Fenians. The Fenian
generals, SWEENEY, SPEAR, and MEIIAN have been
released on bail, and in fact the decisive action of
the Federal Government has completely disheartened
the conspirators. _ _

The general news brought by the telegraph is
comparatively unimportant. JEFFERSON DAVIS
has had a consultation with his counsel upon his
line of defence, so that the expectation of his trial
is still kept up. Time is fighting his battles, as it

reason to fear that a hitch will take place. So
far it may be called satisfactory, for the loss of
life has been fearful, and indeed its extent can-
not be estimated until some time has elapsed, and
until quiet has succeeded to strife. There are, how-
ever, many things to consider respecting this peace
which may well cause wonder and give rise to re-
gret. When we see Austria put aside, as she
undoubtedly is, and compelled to forego
her rightful share of power and influence
in Germany, thus forfeiting to a great ex-
tent her proud position in Europe—when we re-
flect upon the fact that Prussia has acquired an im-
mense deal of territory to which she has no right,
and monopolised nearly all power to herself in con-
trolling and regulating the various minor States,
we may, indeed, come to the conclusion that this
war, of whim so muczm tialn iIiAZ uneu ivaue, uo.a ueen
a failure to all intents and purposes. So far as Italy
is concerned there is nothing to lament, but, on the

contrary, great cause for rejoicing. It is in every
respect desirable that Venetia should be restored to
the Kingdom of Italy, and despite the unworthy
course which the Italians have pursued in making
a treaty with Prussia, we regard that part of the
peace preliminaries which relates to Italy with satis-
faction, as a great national gain and a step in the
right direction of progress and freedom. It is the
result of the contest regarding the two great Ger-
man Powers which is the lamentable part of the
affair, and we may well be amazed that Austria
should not only have provoked the war, but actually
insisted on resorting to hostilities after all the
other Powers of Europe, neutral and belligerent,
had agreed to submit the doubtful questions to
the arbitration of a Congress. Had the Vienna
Government agreed to this plan some months ago,
how differently placed would they now be, and
what a much more profitable arrangement could
have been made. " Quam DEus vult perdere prius
dementat" may indeed be cited relative to
the conduct of the Austrian authorities.

It is also surprising that they should now readily
agree to the terms of a treaty which shuts them out
from so much which they once thought of such
vital import to the integrity and independence of
the Empire. Had the Austrian EMPEROR really
been so popular as it was so sedulousy made out
that he was, we should not have seen this war
been brought to so sudden a conclusion, when the
strength of both parties had.:not been fairly tested.
It is not fair to the prowess of the Austrian_
forces to state that they have been com-
pletely annihilated and that the EMPEROR
may flatter himself with having such moderate con-
ditions imposed. He might have, had he chosen,
tried the issue of another battle, the success
of which might have rehabilitated his fortunes, and
the loss of which could not have left him worse off
than he is, for Prussia is too much afraid of France
to venture in crippling Austria entirely-. The cause
of the Austrian collapse has been the divisions that
existed among the various races subject to the sway
of FRANCIS JOSEPH. Had he followed the advice
of his best advisers and concentrated his resources
some time back, he would have come to the con-
test a better match for his crafty opponent.
Venetia was a source of weakness, and not of
strength. It drew away a large body of troops
which would have been serviceable at home, and
Hungary, if properly treated, would have proved a
staunch supporter of the Imperial Government in
the emergency that befell them, instead of increas-
ing their difficulties by its internal divisions and
dissensions of all kinds. Thus we find that the sins
of the Imperial Government, both of omission and
commission, have found them out, and they are now
paying dearly for their want of discernment and their
lack of justice. It by no means follows that the Prus-
sians deserve their success, because the Austrians may
merit their reverses. The time may not be far distant
when they will find themselves in a worse plight than
the Austrians are now, and who can say that they
will then be worthy objects of pity or sympathy ?
The Berlin Government may find that they have
undertaken more than they can manage before very
long, and although the official journals declare that
concord will be sure to exist between strong Prus-
sia and France, it may turn out to be quite the re-
verse when the full effects of the comprehensive
changes now working in Germany are realised.

Earl RUSSELL last evening took occasion to find

Serious fault with the arrangement entered into
between Mr. WALPOLE and Mr. BEIT.Es respecting