The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-19 00:00:00

Revivals in the United States.

In the United States of America where no religion
is sustained or protected by the Government, but
where all denominations of worshippers are equally
free to labour and pray for the spead of their doc-
trines and practices among men, it is natural that
there should be seasons of special attention to reli-
gious subjects. For there the mind is free, and it
is peculiarly necessary that the mind should work
freely if you would have it work religiously. In no
department of thought are men so easy to be per-
suaded, if right means are employed, and so hard
to be coerced, as in matters of religion. The very
nature of religion, which is in all men the most
exalted and enthusiastic devotion of the soul to its
supreme ideal of excellence—implies that it must be
a free-will offering, and that all attempts to govern,
limit, or force its growth are as futile as the effort
to guide the wind or prescribe the pattern for a
flower. But it is because religion is free there that
seasons of special interest and widespread conver-
sion are natural ; for revival, labour, and repose in
religion correspond to enterprise, toil, and rest in
the business of life, and to growth, power, and de-
cay in nature. It is a law of the soul as of the body,
that it cannot continue long in any one sphere of
action or enjoyment ; but that as rest succeeds
labour, so coldness shall ensue upon passion, and
emotion, if moderate, shall give place to contempla-
tion, or if immoderate and too long sustained, to
indifference, or even slumber. This is specially true
of religious emotion and thought. Seasons of indif-
ference to religion involve consequences which in
themselves afford the strongest argument for Chris-
tian revivals. Under the power of these arguments,
as they have been brought home by preachers like
Edwards, Wesley, Whitefield, or Spurgeon, who
were inspired by an undoubting faith in the truth
of all they uttered, the tide of thought has been at
times turned so exclusively to matters of religious
concern that the business of this life became subor-
dinate to that of the eternal life, and the whole
topic and burden of men's thoughts were the con-
cerns of the soul. But this condition of religious
exaltation must necessarily be highly emotional in
its character, and, like all emotional states, it must
be transient in its duration though permanent in
many of its effects. Nothing is more sensible than
that men and communities should at times neglect
their ordinary business and pleasures to devote
their soul's best energies to the consideration of inte-
rests which are so vastly more important and en-
during. Nor is anything more in harmony with the
laws of God than that, having complied with this
outreaching of. the soul after the Infinite One, they
should return to the humble duties of life, as did
the disciples from the Mount of Transfiguration,
bringing with them not the rapt of glory of the
vision, but those subdued and permanent effects,
which shall be

" Not too good
For human naturo'q daily food,"

and which they can carry with them into every
walk of life. Because Christian revivals are seasons
of emotion, like all emotional periods, like the sor-
row of bereavement, the joy of the bridal, the en-
thusiasm of a great success, or the shame of a sore
defeat, or whatever moves us to tears or deeply stirs
the fountains of the soul, they must, like all these,
by the limits of the soul's capacities be both tran-
sient in their immediate duration, and permanent in
their softened, subdued, and secondary effects.
Extravagances have attended the most powerful re-
vival in past times, and are doubtless incident to all
emotional seasons, which extend to all classes of
minds. But these argue nothing against revivals
which the eccentricities of emotion would not argue,
with equal force, against all displays of feeling.
Where emotion is called for, no want of grace or
good taste in the manner of displaying it is so in-
excusable as the utter want of it, manifested in
heartlessness or insensibility. Whether the present
religious interest in the United States will extend
into the entire community and become such a gene-
ral awakening as marked the periods to which we
have referred, or whether its benefits will be very
limited, is still in the future. In some respects the
time seems opportune. Great religious awakenings
have generally followed closely upon great political
revolutions or financial revulsions. As with the in-
dividual, so with the community, when the heart is
lifted up with success it is filled with the pride of
life, but when thousands of homes are desolated by
affliction, and millions of hearts are oppressed by
financial revulsion and disaster, when, as now, a
whole land has been swept over by the sword which
is the effect and embodiment of human passion and
crime, and—when the effects of national and indi-
vidual wickedness come home with force to the
hearts and consciences of men—at such times the
spirit is wont to brood over the troubled
the soul, and the word goes forth, 4, Let et
light." wtahteerr es be
f

papers that a colony
is being organised in
of Tennessee,
in that State, to go to
Mexico. Judge
It is stated inivituhiaecraGm.busi
Georgia
an,
lately
and ex-member of the Confederate Congress from the
district, is at the head of it.
f South Carolina, like those of
active measure to prevent all leasing
Knoxville
The planters o
gA
resolution lately adopted at a meet-
ing
landof Louisiana,
to
nd negroes.oare taking
s says : " It is the sense of this meeting
that any landowner renting land to negroes, to be worked
l landowners
free from the control of himself or some responsible agent,
is, in the present condition of the negroes of this district,
pursuing a course ruinous to them and highly detrimental
to the peace of the community and the interests of the
whites ; that we bind ourselves not to infringe the letter
and spirit of these resolution; and to discourage the in-
fringement by others as far as our influence extends."

California produced, in 1860, 7,500,000 bushels,l
of wheat. The State produces more barley than .11 the
balance of the Union, and has an annual surplus of about
5,000,000 bushels.
DUTIES UNDER THE RECIPROCITY TREATY. -'=l
Washington letter says it has been ascertained that dur-
ing 1861 and 1865 $40,000,000 worth of goods were im-
ported into the United States free of duty, of which
$27,000,000 came from British North America. It has also
been found that in the last two years the Government has
lost $12,000,300 of revenue by the reciprocity treaty.
All persons afflicted with bad legs,
FADvEßTisEMENT.j—liolloway's Osoinretzeunlcterasn,danPaillsski.;
diseases, who, from want of means or other reasons, cannot
avail themselves of surgical treatment, may release them-
selves of their complaints by using Holloway's purifying,
soothing, and healing remedies. In every outward ail-
ment this wonderful ointment brings about the most
g
livt
eduration
beneficial results, by checking inflammation,cltehanespinial
ls
should be taken internally to root out the
ulceration, and restoring soundness. Internal pains,:rheu-
matic and gouty tortures, enlarged joints, scrofulous swel-
lings, and contracted sinews may be overcome by dili-
gently& unguent
or exces st
o the skin.
In
ll
maladies n
obfb i
unusualrubbing h s
sceovoer
last seeds of the
disorder and to hasten the desired cure.

'

LONDON, MONDAY, FEB. 19, 1866.

--4,,-

Last Saturday will be an eventful day in the
annals of Parliament. It was quite an exception
to the general ink, and a stranger visiting our
shores would have had an excellent opportunity of
witnessing the dexterity and resolution by which
so many forms were got through, and the proposi-
tion of the Government became the law of the
land. With very few exceptions the members of
both houses displayed that patriotism and devotion
wleich on special occasions are never found wautino•
in an assembly of Englishmen. Mr. BRIGHT, with
that fatal pertinacity for opposition which seems to
possess him this year, made a most objection-
able speech, for which he was very properly
taken to task by Mr. ROEBUCK and Mr. HoesmAN.
Nothing can teach the hon. member for Birming-
ham moderation, but it might fairly have been
expected that on an occasion like that of Saturday
he might have made some efforts to change his
course, or, at least, have kept silent. Whatever be
the wrongs, real or imaginary, of Ireland, it was
not a fitting time to dwell upon them, and can any
one conceive a more ridiculous statement than that
made by Mr. BRIGIIT, when he said, " It is now
more than 22 years since I was first per-
mitted to take my seat in this house. During
that time I have, on many occasions, been
allowed to address it, but I declare that during
the whole of that period I have never risen to speak
here with so strong a feeling of horror and humilia-
tion as I feel oppressing me now." If is impossible
to follow Mr. BRIGHT through his arguments, but
one may be selected as especially inconsistent.
He asks " Why it is that everything can be made of
the Irishman in every country but his own?" But
certainly we do not see much change for the better
in the American Irish if we are to take Fenianism
as the result. Far from seeing his own faults, how-
ever, Mr. BRIGIIT thinks he is competent to dis-
cover that of others, and he treated the right
honourable gentleman the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, and the leader of the Opposition, to a
lecture on their want of duty to the State. He con-
siders that they are men of great ability, who devote
all their time to thinkint,
ilaoffice,
and dwelling on
the miserable notoriety that sprint from office.
When he goes on to say that the 4, country and the
world gain little by these facilities which GOD has
given them for the blessing of the
world," who can
but wonder that he does not look at home, and die_
cover how much more direct the like charge would
be directed against himeelf ?

Mr. RoEnt-cx very properly asked why such a
speech was made. " Was the purpose," asked that
downright speaker, " to ,f:mooth difficulties and eon_
c:li ate IrAand ? In my opinion the purpose was
mere mischief." Very different was the course pur-
sued by the lion. member himself, for he advocated
the nece.:isity fur passing the bill bJore the House
with all speed. Mr. IloßsmAN also concurred
in that opinion, and it is satisfactory to notice that
two of the leading independent members should thus
come forward to denounce the mistaken and mis-
chievous course pursued by the honourable mem-
ber
fur DVILYTT.I did
not speak at length, but addressed himself
to the question before the House, and stated
emphatically that such a measure required courage
on the part of those who proposed it, and that Par-

feelings which influence a free country; it is not to
obtain increased privileges; it is not to secure enhanced
rights—it is, on the contrary, so far as political
influences can affect men, an attempt upon the
majesty of England." Mr. DISRAELI advised the
House to give an unanimous consent to the propo-
sition of the Government, and to act with that
promptitude which was so necessary.
Mr. GLADSTONE acknowledged the readiness with
which the Leader of the Opposition came for-
ward to assist the Government, and also
was compelled to admit that he had heard
the speech of Mr. BRIGHT with regret.
Mr. GLADSTONE'S task was not an easy one, but he
succeeded in showing the House that, in some
respects, matters were not so disastrous as they
had been, and the right hon. gentleman was also
able to allude to unity of sentiment in Ireland, which
would enable the House to go forward with neces-
sary measures for authority and law. The right hon.
gentleman concluded in eloquent terms by dwelling
on the objects of the proposal, which had for an
end the purpose of " defending the loyal masses
of the people of whatever class and religion,
for the purpose of vindicating the name and
fame of this country ; and, last of all, for the
purpose of preventing also the misguided and misled
agents of the conspiracy from committing this fright-
ful evil and defending them against themselves."
The six gentlemen who thought proper to
record their names against the proposition
to suspend the Habeas Corpus Act in Ireland
for six months did themselves no harm, but
under the circumstances perhaps it is only surprising
that there were not more dissentients. The House
of Lords accorded an unanimous assent, thus ful-
filling the wish expressed by Lord DERBY ou the
subject. Under the difficult circumstances in which
they were placed the Government could not have
acted better than they have done on this occasion,
and this affair of Fenianism in Ireland is especially
one of those occasions when promptitude is neces-
sary to prevent the spread of the evil. Painful as
it must be to all persons to witness such a state of
things, no right-judging politician will deny that
the extreme step that has been taken was one of
necessity, and the impartial among Irishmen will
acknowledge that the Parliament has only performed
an act which combines justice with mercy, in dealing
thus decidedly with so grave a state of things at
so momentous a crisis. No doubt this will prove
a death-blow to Fenianism, which has taken a
deeper root than some imagined from the signs at
the outset of its discovery, but which, like many
other such indications, did not reveal itself in its
true colours till it had apparently died out.

We learn by the arrival of the Java, who has
been delayed on her passage by a succession of
north-easterly gales, that universal satisfaction was
expressed in New York at the prospects of peace
between France and the United States. The Em-
peror NAPOLEON'S announcement of preparations
for the withdrawal of his troops from Mexico gives
reason to hope that the storm may blow over, and
that a conflict which the friends of both countries
most heartily wished to see averted may be alto-
gether dispensed with. American commercial inte-
rests could not fail to suffer heavily by a war with
France. The Northern States would in their
turn suffer the privations and inconveniences
of a stringent blockade, though eventually the
Americans would probably regain their ascendancy
at sea. A struggle between France and America
would be Greek meeting Greek, and the loss,
suffering, and destruction that would result
from it would be disastrous. The French,
whose military genius is unquestionable, would
have the disadvantage of encountering the
enemy on their own ground, while the Americans
would find the French very different antagonists
from the Confederates, brave and unflinching as
they were, for they fought under almost every
drawback in spite of which a campaign can
be carried on. Though the difficulties against
which they so heroically struggled enhanced
the glory of the successes which they did achieve,
of course they reduced very much their chances of
victory, and told powerfully in favour of their an-
tagonists. In confronting a European Power,
backed up by all the immense resources of an Em-
pire like that of France, the Americans would find
the case very different. Happily, we are likely to
have the question unanswered, and to be spared
the painful task of witnessing a conflict which,
whatever the ultimate result, must certainly be
most prejudicial to the best interests of America,
first emerging from a struggle of most unparalleled
magnitude.

In the Senate Mr. SU3INER has made a speech
against the Constitutional Amendment, which makes
the whole number of the population the basis of re-
presentation, with the exception of those deprived
of their suffrage on account of colour. He sub-
mitted a substitute, declaring all distinctions of
colour abolished in the late rebellious States. This
is a little singular, considering that the bill in ques-
tion was believed to be principally directed against
the political power of the Southern States, by re-
ducing the number of its representatives, supposing
the right of admission to Congress to be granted
to them. In political circles there is a rumour of a
new party being organisei, a junction of the Union
Democrats and the Conservative Republicans, with
the intention of supporting the PRESIDENT'S policy
as opposed to the Radical Republicans. This move-
ment, if successful, will be an important one, since
it will materially strengthenithe PRESIDENT'S hands,
and will besides save him from the invidious task of
opposing his former friends and supporters. The
extreme and intolerant views of the Radical party
are not likely to commend them to the public at
large, and as time goes on, and by the insensible
action of new interests new feelings wears away
the bitterness left by the war, the vindictive spirit
of Mr. TIIADDEUS STEVENS and his associates will
naturally grow more and more unpopular. Pre-
sident JOHNSON has, on the whole, discharged a
very responsible task with firmness, discre-
tion, and good feeling ; and men who have
really their country's welfare at heart will be
ready to put aside or overloo'z any minor points of
difference, in consideration of the broad principles of
his policy which they approve of. We hope this
new junction of the moderate men of both sides will
tend to restore a little the balance of parties, and
keep the pretensions of the ultra-Radicals some-
what in check.

The news of the suddenly concluded peace with
I3hootan, which wa:i received some little time ago,
was heard with suspicion and uncertainty in this
country. For our own part, from the first we re-
garded it as a most unsatisfactory affair, likely to lose
us the only few months in which a.,:tion. ivas