The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-11 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, SEPT. 11, 1866.

Ratifications of the Treaties of Alliance are now
being rapidly exchange,l, but the unfortunate little
kingdom of Saxony ha 3 not received intelligence of
what is to be its position in the North German
Confederation ; and we hear that Prussia insists on
Konigstein being evacuated before she enters into
negotiations upon this subject. In consequence of
this arbitrary determination it is expected that the
Saxon troops will shortly leave the fortress. There
is nothing for us to be surprised at in this, for it is
quite of a piece with all the other acts of the
Berlin Government ; but nevertheless it is a very
hard and harsh proceeding, and one, also, that is
not at all in accordance with the terms of the
treaty which was to preserve the integrity of Saxony.
The Upper House has passed the annexation Bill
by a large majority, but in the Chamber of Depu-
ties affairs are not going on so smoothly as was at
first anticipated. The committee on the Loan Bill
determined to recommend the rejection of the loan
of sixty millions, which the Government asked for,
and the adoption of the bill as the committee had
amended it, and authorising the issue of Treasury
Bonds to the value of thirty million thalers, repayable
in one year. The Minister of Finance had actually the
impertinence to declare that this amendment was
unacceptable, and that the Government attached no
importance to the resolution of the committee, hoping
for a more favoUrable result from a full house. This
is certainly playing at legislation in conducting the
business of the country in a most barefaced manner.
We always expected that this would be the end of
all we heard of the complete unity which was to
reign between the Government and the Chambers.
The fact is that the only way in which there can be
anything like harmony will be for the deputies
to allow the Ministers their own way in everything.
If any change is proposed in their schemes, or any
alteration suggested, there is immediately a hubbub
raised, and the representatives are treated with per-
fect contempt, and told to take the consequences.
Surely we may
gain some idea from this of the man-
ner in which those States which have just been
annexed are likely to be treated. The mention that
is so repeatedly made of " unity," and all that kind
of thing, will soon be found to be a mere empty
form, and, in fact, mere phraseology. It will be the
old story of oppression and tyranny in their worst
form, and most extravagant characteristics, and so
it will shortly be seen by those who rave at Prus-
sian magnanimity. The future course of the Prus-
sian Government with respect to North Schleswig
materially attracts a large share of public attention
at present, and people are beginning to get anxious
about the manner in which that part of the treaty
will be carried out which declares that, if the people
of these districts declare by a freer vote
that they desire to be united to Den-
mark, they shall be ceded accordingly. Of
course there is no valid reason why this
Cession should take place, and the more so that
the late war bore no relation to the Duchies them-
selves, but
was rat- •
ter entered into for the sake of
deciding which of the two great German Powers
should acquire ascendancy iu Germany. We doubt
very much, however, if Count BISMARCK will keep
to his word in this respec`. Nothing is more likely,
indeed, than that he may turn round and declare
that circumstances have arisen which rer.der it im-
possible to carry out the original intention There is
always great danger of a promise being broken when
one party to the agreement is stronger than the other,
and when this preponderating influence possesses no
ideas of honour, and no notion of keeping good
faith, unless it happens to suit his purpose. We feel
quite convinced of one thing, and that is, that
Count BISMARCK is quite opposed to the plebiscite
altogether, and is sure to find some excuse or other
for not carrying out the matter when it comes to
the point. A very significant telegram from Berlin
announced that numerous petitions had arrived there
which protested against the retrocession of any part
of Schleswig to Denmark. That this is true we do'

The arrival of the City of Paris, from New York
on the Ist inst., tells us that the Radicals in the
States are not idle. Latterly all the intelligence
which we have received has been favourable to the
prospects of that moderate, liberal, and constitu-
tional party of which the President is the head. We
have had the Convention- at Philadelphia; where
unity and patriotism were the order of the day.
We have had the presentation of the address to the
President by the delegates, and the enthusiastic de-
monstrations in his favour during his progress
through the States. We have now the reverse side
of the picture, and although the Radical leaders are
always so vehement and demonstrative in their lan-
guage and conduct that their public proceedings
must not be taken as a sample even of the wishes of

the more moderate me.nbers of their own party,
we may judge of the difficulties which beset the
President from a few items in the news. WENDELL
PHILIPS, in theAnti-Slavery Standard, has violently
attacked Mr. JOHNSON, urging Congress to depose
the perjured, usurping traitor." This is tolerably
strong language, and affords us a sample of the
temper of those enthusiastic abolitionists, who,

like OTIIELLO, find their occupation gone. The real
and substantial evil of slavery, against which they
have so long contended is happily at an end. They
would act more wisely and consistently if they were
to endeavour to assist the negro in his new and diffi-
cult position ; to encourage him to labour, and to
make him feel that now he is free to profit by his
own labour he cannot expect others to support and
care for him. The great aim of all real friends
should be to infuse into them that feeling of inde-
pendence and self-reliance which is naturally
foreign to their race and their nature, and which
their previous history has tended to discourage.
Without this no Bureaus or agencies can keep them
up in the race. They may gain temporary assist-
ance, but the current of life in the States flows on
too roughly and too rapidily for them to have a
chance unless they can strive for themselves.
Those who from prejudice or party motive busied
themselves in exciting and unsettling the negro,
filling his eager and unstable mind with visions
of lands of his own apportioned to him by Go-
vernment, which would feed him without labour,
have done him cruel service. The best' and
most advantageous course for the real friend of
the freedman to Pursue is to induce him to resume
the work to which he has been accustomed, and
for which he is so well fitted. If once these vexed
questions of representation and legislation are set-
tled, and the Southern States return to their old
course, aided by Northern enterprise and capital,
there will be abundance of employment for the
negro, and he may enjoy the blessings of freedom
w
without being forced into a helpless competition
with the shrewd, industrious,
These and
are,hardyin fact,hit e
men of the Northern States.
the views which Mr. JOHNSON had advocated ; and
to divide the
because he has raised the proposal Southern plantations among the negroes who used
to w'rk on them, he is, forsooth, denounced as a
" perjured, usurping traitor."
WENDELL rHILIrs,
however, is in respectable company. Gen. BUTLER,
of famous New Orleans memory, had made a speech

denouncing the President, and advocating the in-
definite exclusion of the Southern States from re-
presentation. Perhaps Mr. JOHNSON will take this
sort of opposition as a complithent. At any rate he

is not a man to be easily turned from his purpose,
or frightened into concession, as the Radicals have
found to their cost. They are not prepared to
relinquish the ground without a struggle, and
are evidently afraid that the PRESIDENT'S site
has gained too much upon popular favour lately.
They think it is necessary, therefore, to make some
active demonstration, and have selected Philadelphia
as its scene, on the same principle, we suppose, that
induced Mr. ETnE'S accusers, with singular good taste,
to get up a rival banquet at Southampton
on the evening of his reception in that city.
The Radical Convention at Philade'i hia is ether-