The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-18 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, JA..V. 18, 1868.

It is somewhat curious, after we have received
some striking and important piece of news by means
of the Atlantic cable to examine the intelligence
brought by the succeeding mail. Political life in
the United States is so rapid and eventful that ten
days after suffice to change completely the aspect of
affairs, to produce a crisis in the Government, or to
alter the relations of parties. Thus the arrival of
the Scotia, with news to Jan. 8, informs us that the
Senate has 'passed a bill exempting the cotton crop
of 1868 from taxation, providing for the resumption
of the tax after 1868, and removing the duty upon
foreign cotton for the year ending April, 1869.
We know, however, by the telegram of January
15th that the House of Representatives has
rejected the bill, and thus neutralised the intentions
of the Senate. Thelobject of the bill was of course
to relieve the Southern planters in some degree
from the burdens under which they are being
crushed, and to assist them in tiding over a year of
great misfortune and perplexity. The crop has not
half realised expectation, and its failure has pressed
heavily on the planters, who, as we know, being
unable to pay their negroes, are in the depths of
bewilderment and poverty. The idea of extorting
a heavy cotton tax from men who are unable to
preserve their implements of husbandry from their
unpaid and clamorous labourers appears prepos-
terous, but the House of Representatives refuses to
recognises the real condition of the South. Theyper-
sist in legislating for it as for a conquered country,
full of smouldering rebellion, whose people are con-
stantly plotting against the central authority, and
are unwilling to contribute in due proportion to the
national exchequer. In their view the blacks are
still an oppressed people, whom it is necessary to
protect by cumbrous and costly machinery from the
ill-usage of the whites ; whereas, in point of fact,
in many parts of the South the blacks are actually
the dominant race. In pursuance of these
theories, which they profess, if they do not actually
believe, the House of Representatives refuses to
make even a temporary concession to the necessities
of the South, albeit the alarming condition of
many districts is exciting apprehension and con.
sternation in Northern cities. Another act on the
part of the lower House of Congress, which shows
the prevailing animus against the South, is an in-
struction to the Reconstruction Committee to in-
quire into the expediency of authorising the South-
ern States Conventions to appoint all civil officers in
their respective States. Considering what materials
these Conventions are
-for the most part composed of
such a suggestion is merely a fresh effort to degrade
and harass the Southern people. We cannot sup-
r,osQ that the officers whom such a Convention as
that of Geirgia for instance would appoint would
be in accordance with the wishes of the white po
pulation. The proposal, too, is directly unconsti-
tutional, as it vas never contemplated to appoint
the officers of the States by such means. It is an
innovation on the old constitutional forms, which
were better guarantees for civil rights and public
liberty than any of ti.c Radical improvements.
Another instance in which there is a wide
gap between the news of the mail and the tele-
gram is in respect to the changes of the
military officers. The House of Representatives,
according to the news of Jan. 8, bad laid upon the
table the vote of thanks to General HANCOCK, and
bad passed resolutions of thanks to SHERIDAN,
cmsuring the PRESIDENT for removing him, and