The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-07 00:00:00

dounds to the
.honour and fame of a country we
hold to be the greatest of nations. It is our highest
hope that we may not unworthily represent Ame-
rica here, and, uninfluenced by American party
spirit, dispassionately, as far-off spectators, record
unbiassed opinions. Consider how immense the ter-
ritory is—from the Rio Grande to the North Pole
—occupied, or over which our race is spreading !
Consider the magnitude of such interests, not only
involved now, but to be influenced now, in the future !
Then we begin to learn that the statesmen of the
Union have a greater task than those of any other
nation. Some of the leading Powers have equal
material subjects of present importance, but what
nation has, in comparison with the States, a tithe
of such in the future ? Indeed, it is not every mind
that can fully grasp the responsibilities that rest on
the shoulders of leading American politicians, and
the people should feel how grave the duties are •
which devolve on them, who make or mar these
statesmen. All true lovers of the Republic,
equally with Mr. Beecher, wish to see the grand
spectacle of a Christian nation actuated by
Christian principles. The way to live in peace
is to be better than your enemy—in his opinion,
not in yours; to "overcome evil with good."
There is a wisdom in such action independent of
the good. Compromise is said to be the essence of
politics, and compromise partakes, though in a low
and debased form, of the spirit of St. Paul's pre-
cept. By compromise the enemy is met half way,
—a portion is surrendered that the remainder may.
be retained. With the enemy, however, at your
feet, where no present necessity exists for any sur-
render at all, the nation who voluntarily waives
its rights, and aids its fallen foe, sets a bril-
liant example of forbearance and wisdom. It
is thus M?. Beecher would have the North over-
come the South, as effectually in peace as she
has in war. " I had hoped," he exclaimed, "to see
the North showing her superiority in Christian
nobleness and generous forgiveness. You can no
more change rebels to loyal men by casting them
out than you can convert the wicked by building
up a wall of separation between them and the
good, shutting them out from the very influences
which should be brought to bear on them."
The late President felt this, and acted on it ;
the present President feels this, and acts on it ;
and if Mr. Stevens succeeded Mr. Johnson to-
morrow, the chances are that he also would feel this
and act on it. Nothing tends more to modify and
subdue opinion than the responsibility of high
office ; and the higher the intellect, the keener the
intelligence, the closer will be the line of ac-
tion of a succession of able men, when fairly
elevated out of the influences of party contests.
No more convincing document could be put forth
than the Report of the Committee on Reconstruc-
tion, and their facts justify their arguments. But
we feel there is a higher wisdom than this ;—the
wisdom of overcoming evil with good, which Mr.
Beecher taught, and Mr. Johnson feels. We
know of no instance of the folly of pushing affairs
to an extreme more convincing than the present posi-
tion of the Southern States. They began by advancing
extreme demands—they continued by adopting ex-
treme measures—and they ended by extreme ex-
haustion, having pushed the war beyond the
limits of concession, until they fell helpless at
their conquerors' feet. The South certainly pre-
sents no argument for the adoption of strong mea-
sures. Nor indeed would the North be consistent
in acting harshly towards their Southern brethren.
They have borne with them as an indulgent parent
bears with the petulance of an unruly child. A
spoilt child comes to grief, but the relation who
spoils it ought not to forget that a portion of the
blame rests on him. Had the North not been in
the habit of conceding every demand of the South,
and placidly bearing with a defiant tone and bully-
ing manner, Southerners would never have presUmed
on the course they adopted. They have learned a
bitter lesson—the first severe whipping they ever
got, and one of the soundest ever given to
a bad boy. Let the bitterness die away, and the
wholesome teaching remain. It is positively ab-
surd to expect a people thus crushed to express
aught but dislike of their crushers. They have
learned to respect, and will soon learn to admire—
and they may yet learn to love. But to pile up
facts as the committee do in their Report, showing
that the feeling of the South is hostile, is quite
superfluous. If the feeling were not hostile, the
South would show either more or less than
humanity. That a bitter feeling should exist in the
South is the very fact it is wise policy in the
North to recognise and overcome ! And how is
this most natural feeling to be overcome ? The
South has been all along in the wrong—the North
should be all along in the right. So far they have
been. Let them continue in this course, and they
will surely overcome evil by good. " There, go,"
ended the preacher, " vote that, you have been
talking it long enough—do it; you have been
praying it long enough—try it."

COUNTRY MARKETS.

WAKEFIELD.-FRIDAY.

The wheat trade, influenced by the news of the probable
speedy termination of the continental war, rules dull here
to-day; holders would generally concede a decline of 35
per qr., but this does not induce millers to purchase to any
extent, consequently the business passing to-day is quite
of a retail character. In barley and other articles of the
trade there is no material change.

LINCOLN.—FRIDAY.
There was a middling supply of wheat, and sales welt
effected slowly at much lower prices than last week. Oats'
scarce, and fully as dear.
New white wheat, 56s to 62s ;•new red, 49s to 555-per 36
stone. Barley for malting, 36s to 44s per qr ; grinding,'
r.
32s to 35s per 30 stone. Oats, 29s to 335. Beans, 503 to
53s per 38 stone.

LIVERP 0 0 L.--FRIDAY.
At this day's market there was a 'small attendance of
the town and country trade, and very little business was
done. Wheat and flour, with a slow retail sale, may be
quoted fully 3d to 4d per 100 lb, and is 6d per sack and
barrel lower than on Tuesday. Oats and oatmeal were in
limited request, and prices favoured buyers. In barley/
beans, and peas there was little done and no change worth
noting. Indian corn, with a good deal pressing for sale e%
quay, declined 6d to 9d per qr., prime mixed being obtain-
able at 27s Gd per 4801 b. Prime wheat, being scarce, sold
at 33s per qr.