The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-19 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY 'EVENING, MARCH 19, 1861,

objects. But it is just here, if he adhere to his
speech, that the danger will begin, Will the
President not only send ships of war to Charleston
harbour to collect the customs—will he not only
reinforce Fort Sumpter—but will he also land and
take possession of the Federal forts, arsenal, and
custom-house at Charleston ? If he make these
attempts, to which his speech yet seems to pledge
him, civil war will be the almost certain consequence.
He shows, however, in one respect, a disposition to
waive his right that of appointing Federal
officials where the States will not allow them to be
provided from residents in the State ; if he waives
this to avoid unpleasantness, much more we might
suppose would he be likely to waive the right of
entering on Federal property seized and held by
the seceders.

One of the parts in his address which it is most
difficult for the seceder to meet in argument, is that
where he shows the necessity of Government by
the decision of the majority, or, of despotism, or
anarchy as the alternatives ; and that the central
idea of secession is anarchy. His appeal to his op-
ponents to confide in the people and in the
ALMIGHTY is well put. The Chief Magistrate, he
says, "derives all his authority from the people, and
they have conferred none upon him to fix the terms
for the separation of the States. The people them-
selves also can do this if they choose, but the Execu-
tive, as such, has nothing to do with it. His duty is
to administer the present government as it came to
his hands, and to transmit it unimpaired by him to
his successor. Why should there not be a patient
confidence in the ultimate justice of the people ?
Is there any better or equal hope in the world ?
In our present differences, is either party without
faith of being in the right ? If the Almighty Ruler
of nations, with his eternal truth and justice, be
on your side of the North, or on yours of the South,
that truth and that justice will surely prevail by
the judgment of this great tribunal—the American
people."
On two great questions the President appears to
be intentionally silent. The New Tariff, and what
will be his administration of the territories. Yet
these are the two gravest points in the 'opinion
of the South—they rebel, and justly, against being
made to pay extravagant prices for their iron and
cotton goods, merely to confer an artificial protec-
tion on Pennsylvanian iron-masters and New Eng-
land cotton weavers. The MORRILL Tariff
is a direct defiance of the South. Slavery
in the Territories is also one of their
chief demands ; but the LINCOLN address intimates
that there is a little vagueness in the Constitution
on the subject, while he has always maintained
that the Constitution ought to be worked for the
purposes of freedom. On the whole, the Message
concedes nothing to the South which could be
matter of legal dispute ; it leaves the chief questions
untouched ; it seems to assert intentions of fulfilling
Federal duties which must issue in a civil war, yet
it is moderate in waiving some of the most offensive
Federal rights, and insists above all things on the
duty and safety of avoiding hasty and precipitate
action.

" My countrymen," he says, "one and all, think
calmly and well upon this whole subject. Nothing
valuable can be lost by taking time. If it were
admitted that you who are dissatisfied hold the right
side in the dispute, there still is no single reason
for precipitate action. Intelligence, patriotism,
Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him who has
never yet forsaken this favoured land, are still
competent to adjust in the best way all our present
difficulty."
With these words he throws the onus of com-
mencing civil war on his " dissatisfied fellow coun-
trymen." The Gnrornmpnt f, will not assail them."
" You can have no conflict without being your-
selves the aggressors." Thus, firm as the tone
of the speech seems, it will be perceived that
moderation and waiting for the South to cool—
little likely, we fear—is the real policy of Mr.
LINCOLN.

INDIAN AFFAIRS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—ln a crisis like the present one, when our Indian
affairs are a subject of national debate, a few words from
an old Indian may not be amiss.

It appears to be the current opinion that Sir Chas. Wood
has offended the Indian civilians and officers by a grant of
half a million of pounds to one of the Mussulman Rajahs.
This I consider to be a very correct line of policy in the
present state of affairs in India. We cannot either govern
a child in a family, or a great country, by coercion alone ;
and, to use an old Latin proverb, I would add, " Bis dat
qui cito dat." Regarding the reorganisation of the two
armies, perhaps it would be advisable for the authorities at
the Horse Guards to bear in mind that an empire is at
stake, and that the maintenance of that empire depends
solely en keeping up a good understanding with the officers
of the local army ; or should they fail in regarding the
interests of the Anglo-Ir,Ztian forces, in the changes con-
sequent on amalgamation of the Indian and Royal armies,
they will find, to tleir cost, that that empire, which has
been so hardly 'on, will be inevitably lost.
I remain, Sir, yours obediently,
H. S. R. PECHELL, Bombay Artillery.

The Earl and Countess of Craven and family
have left town for Ashdown Park, Berks.
PRINCESS'S THEATRE.—Mr. Augustus Harris,
who, as lessee and manager of the Princess's Theatre, has
deservedly gained the support of the public and the estima-
tion of his professional friends, announces his benefit for
Saturday next, the 23d inst. The entertainments on that
occasion will be selected from all that has proved most at-
tractive during his management, and comprise the talents
of the most popular members of his company.
ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.—Miss Herbert will take
her benefit at this theatre on Thursday next. So great is
the popularity of the " Isle of St. Tropez" that she retains
it for this occasion, and, as usual, will represent the wrongly
suspected wife, while Mr. Wigan will portray the sufferings
of the poisoned husband. It is needless to say that this
piece has been rendered by excellent acting one of the most
celebrated of the season.
SEIZURE OP GUNPOWDER.—The recent seizure
of a quantity of gunpowder in the Old Bailey having caused
apprehensions amongst the inhabitants of the City, the
police have been on the alert to prevent, where possible,
and to discover the deposit of sucha dangerous combustible
where, from the densely crowded nature of the district, the
consequence of an accident would be most disastrous. Ac-
cordingly, upon the receipt of information that gunpowder
in a large quantity was being warehoused on the premises
of Mr. Biggs, a carman, of One Swan-yard, Bishopsgate-
without, Inspector Harding proceeded to the premises in
question, accompanied by Inspector Mitchell, where they
found two packages containing 1 cwt. each, and four other
parcels containing 281bs. each. It was placed openly in
the warehouse, and merely a piece of convass thrown
loosely over it, but it was, it is said, in close proximity to a
blacksmith's forge. Inspectors Harding and Mitchell im-
mediately procured from the Lord Mayor a warrant to
seize the gunpowder, which they ultimately conveyed to
the Tower of London, where it wee placed in the magazine
for safety. Under the act of Parliament authorising the
seizure the owner of the premises is liable to penalties of
2s. per lb. for every pound over 501b5,, independent of the
forfeiture of the gunpowder, which with half the penalties
will go to the inspectors who seized it.
THE LATE JOHN H. MANDETILLE, ESQ.—We
regret to announce the death of Mr. John Hens'Mande-
ville, late Minister Plenipotentiary to the Argentine Re-
public, which took place at his residence on Saturday last.
Born in Suffolk in 1773, and educated at Dedham School,
Mr. Mandeville had almost attained the advanced age of
88, and he was the oldest surviving member of the diplo-
matic service. His long career embraced an extraordinary
variety of incidents and events. As a boy he entered the
navy; he subsequently held a commission in a dragoon
regiment ; he was selected to be the British agent in France
for the exchange of prisoners before the peace of Arniens •
he was attached to Lord Whitworth's Embassy, he was
secretary to Sir Arthur Paget at Vienna in 1805, and he
afterwards served in the missions of Frankfort, Constan-
tinople, Lisbon, Paris, &c. In 1835 he was appointed
Minister Plenipotentiary at Buenos Ayres, where he re-
mained for eleven years. Mr. Mandeville's great expe-
rience of 'while affairs, and his memory, which extended
over the greater part of a century, rendered him a most
agreeable companion, and he continued to fill a most dis-
tinguished place in society to the last day of his protracted
, life.