The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-21 00:00:00

International Penny Postage.

A letter appeared in a contemporary recommending
a penny postage between England and America. The
writer is right. There are three subjects which,
being successfully settled, will tend to bind with a
strong moral chain the two countries. The
greatest and most problematical of these has been
accomplished. The actual link has been applied ;
and English material, dug from English mines,
joins in a continuous line these islands with the
American Continent. Cyrus W. Field has per-
formed his part, and given the means to both coun-
tries of conveying instantaneously their thoughts.
The Atlantic Telegraph being an actual fact, the
two others remain to be debated by the Govern-
ments. The first of these has been ably brought be-
fore the notice of our readers by Thomas Rawlings,
and, notwithstanding the hastily and ill-considered
amendments to the Neutrality Laws, so hurriedly
passed by the House of Representatives and so
wisely thrown out by the Senate, we still believe
that the true course for the English Government is
to submit the United States claims for compensa-
tion, for the damage done by the Alabama and
other piratical cruisers, to the arbitration of impar-
tial judges. Two of these points being settled—
the third only remains, and that is to establish an
"International Penny Postage." Postage intercourse
tends to knit the nations together in a less degree only
than personal intercourse. The great object is to
plant in the minds of the two peoples that they are
in reality but one. Every barrier erected to free
communication is prejudicial to this grand object.
Every barrier removed is beneficial. A stormy
ocean rolls between the countries. To bridge this
ocean by every possible means is the proposition
which the statesmen of each should ever have before
them. Questions of expense and loss of revenue
are but paltry matters when viewed against such a
result. And though the reduction of the postage
might cause for the moment a loss to the revenue,
yet the objects attained would so far outweigh the
whole sum—were it all a loss—that it might fairly
be put out of consideration. Our experience, however,
goes to prove that such reductions are not attended
with loss. The contrary has been shown to be the
case. The growing increase of letters gradually
overtakes the weightier charge for them, and even-
tually passes it. The peoples freely communicate
with each other, and where a vast intercourse goes
on there are a thousand influences at work to remove
prejudices and Pl-will—to tone down hostile feel-
ings, and to counterbalance the untoward accidents
which so frequently arise to stir up the bad blood
between these kindred nations. Our common lan-
guage has been a means of creating a most un-
happy enmity. But we can turn it into the most
powerful engine for drawing together both branches
of the Anglo-Saxon race. No two sane men, whose
high privilege it is to belong to this community,
meet and discuss the subject without regretting that
those who are joined together by such strong ties
should be so widely separated by influences which
are alike prejudicial to both. Both countries are
easily influenced by the press, by personal inter-
course, and by free interchange of communication,
and we owe this to our common language. Ame-
rica is peculiarly susceptible to this influence, for
everyman reads a newspaper, and every newspaper
is impressed with the feelings of the hour. The
undercurrent of friendly sentiment would be made
more permanent by a cheap postal rate. Those who
desire to emigrate would be guided and protected
by frequent intelligence from friends on whom they
could rely. The mistake of abandoning a sure
means of livelihood on a vague chance of bet-
tering their condition, would not so pften occur,
and the surplus hands who would be assured
of profitable employment in America would not so
frequently be left in a state of semi-starvation here.
America is a grand field for emigration. Rightly
viewed, it is a matter of no importance whether,
like British North America, the free citizen acknow-
ledges allegiance to the Queen or not, sufficient that
he acknowledges the duty he owes his race ; and
the Queen is but a symbol which directs the eyes
of a nation to one object—,-_that object being the
representative or embodiment of the people. It is
time that we grew out of our narrow prejudices, and
more generally entertained broader views. We may
differ on political matters, we may differ on theo-
logical subjects, but we ought to hold 0 the com-
mon belief in the ascendancy of the Anglo-Saxon
race, and our destiny to exert a powerful influence
for good over the whole face of the earth. Our
overwhelming strength, which should be exerted to
benefit mankind, is neutralised, by these nations,
equal in strength, pulling in opposite directions. We
must pull together, and for this object the nations
must know each other intimately, and think alike
on the great questions which concern both alike.
A great influx of Americans will take place next
year, and every facility should be afforded to them
of forwarding to their friends all the passing im-
pressions their minds receive when thrown into an
old civilisation, which to many of them will be so
strange and interesting.—Anglo-American limes.

Messrs. Neill Brothers and Co., of New York, in
their cotton circular, dated 7th August, give the
following respecting the crops in Arkansas :—"
to the crops on Arkansas River, great improvement
has taken place in the last five or six weeks. The
spring was wet and cold, afterwards hail storms
cut down and damaged the crops, and later the
largest freshet in the river since 1842. But every-
thing has recuperated. No doubt, on the bottom
lands, the crop has been reduced, but still there are
good prospects for what is left. On the hills and
upland back country the small farmers will turn
out considerable cotton in the aggregate, though
the individual product will be small. Corn looks pro-
mising, and both corn and cotton much better than
in Tennessee, Northern Alabama, and Mississippi.
The information I had on White River goes to show
even better than on Arkansas ; but you must recol-
lect that White River is not, and never has been,
much for cotton ; yet they will, in proportion to
what they have planted, have a better product than
on Arkansas. I find also that, from want of labour,
and from difficulty in managing hands, there must be
large deductions from expectations at the time of
planting, and there are very few if any large
planters who have not been obliged to abandon a
portion of their crop to the grass, so as to save the
balance." •

THE NEW PALACE AT WESTMINSTER.—One of
the bas reliefs on the pedestal which supports the colossal
statue of Richard Cceur do Lion, in Palace-yard, the work
of Charles, Baron Marochetti, is now completed, and is at-
tracting much attention. It is admirably and elaborately
executed, representing King Richard, a short time before
his death, lying prostrate on his couch, when Bertram do
Gourdon, his intended assassin, is brought before him. On
Bertram being brought into the King's presence the King
cried out, " Wretch, what have I ever done, what injury
have you received from me that you should seek my life?'
" What have you done to me," the prisoner coolly replied,
with an air of bravery; " why, you killed with yourpdwodu
hands my father and my two brothers, and you intended
to have hanged me. lam now in your power, satisfynyonn
revenge ; I am prepared to suffer every tormentn);oo
since
inflict ; I shall endure them all, and die with
aI
tyrant,
tbeen h theo
h as
filled instrumentit with deliverblood andth o
mindwe
a o :rill
:de
of
;or from
Richard,
as,uheihs
spirited reply had a good effect on theoer bas relief will
and he forgave the assassin.
PROBABLE VISIT OF
shortly be finished. This statuQ'elielEl
THEthere is some probability
The Morning Journal says
with a visit from her
Nth:: bGe
LcollisuGpolelvte.._
of Glasgow being
oe wwomoocontalii.os
been in prepare
stationed at the corner of St. Vincent-
Majesty. A stattiuone hofof°rnth°theuierie'reiinty7
and Consortth
o hequestrianhas
form
so t timeatu
statue
of the Queen, so long
improved. vas rcm°"
dThaesf
' co from its pedestal
nowsin about completed, and when both are ready the
Vincent-
place and Buchanan-street,
Albert statue will be placed on the east side of' tteorge-
square, and that of the Queen will have a corresponding
place allotted to it on the west side of the square. They
are both to ba formally unveiled about the end of next
month, and it is intended that the inaugural ceremony
will be a notable one in many respects. The civic autho-
rities aro to make a respectful application to her Majesty
to grace the proceedings with her august presence. If,
however, the Queen finds it impossible to honour Glasgow
with a personal visit, it is intended humbly to ask her to
depute one of the Royal family for the duty.
THE EX-CONFEDERATE SECRETARY.—Mr. Ben -
j amin, the ex-Secretary of the American Southern Con-
federacy (says the Liverpool Albion), made his first
appearance on the bar of the Northern Circuit during the
assizes just concluded. He appeared in ono or two cases
in Nisi Prius at Liverpool, and much prepossessed those
who heard him in his favour as a very promising addition
to the forensic Strength of the Northern bar,