Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-03-30
FOREIGN MISCELLANY.
ERNro.


Joined extracts.
LINCOLN AND JOHNSON FKuM Az ENGLISH POINT OF VIEW
THE RECOGNITION QUESTION.
The London Standard has editorial ON the see
old inauguration OF Lincoln. 1t says.
''The honor refused TO every one of the success
sors OF General Jackson is accorded TO the meanest
aud weakest among them. The merit OF breaking
up the Union aud forcing on wicked. cruel. nur-
delous civil war, i rewarded by the greatest boon
which the Republic bestow. Fifty TO acenoNl-
eise the virtues Of the reelected President, anS
10 indicate what the peculiar claims which the
United States have recognized by the gilt OF
second term OF office, Andrew johnson, OF TenneS.
see is chOsea Vice President. la those qualities
which the Republicans delight TO honor, which
have elevated a Lincoln and glorfed a Butler, An
drew Johnson has hardly rival. Lincoln himself
is not more nSOlentiy ContemptuOuS OF law aud
dJCency, Butler himself Is not more brutal, coarse
and cruel. A. Military Governor Of Tennessee,
johnson has faithfully initiated the example set by
the late ruler OF New Orleans, has tortured the
heiplessness OF children aud old men, has humbled
the prICt Of the hated Southern women by the IN
suits which only Puritan vindiCtyeness could de-
wise, and only Yankee manhood could dare TO per
pstrate ''dnd tOT these and sundry more Just Iea-
and sufficient he Is rewarded with an homo
rary Office which makes him tor a time, In rank ii
not in Importance, the second person IN the Union.
The chair of the Senate-that assembly which once
Contained all that was Wisest aud nObeSt ia the
served some OF the traditions OF better times ami
claimed rival the dignity OF the House OF Lords
II, 10 be filled by the eX.shOemaEer who, en- his
rspd advancement has never forgotten the manners
ami Bdtlts suitable to lis origin. LOw the char
acter Of the Federal Government had sunk, the
ceremony OF 10 day in hicts it degradation
hitherto unknown.
But this concerns only the people Of the Northern
State. II they cLOOSe L. be ruled by men Who in
no other country would be thought worthy Of the
l-tt fa.t in IN riff -
them 10 set over them men whose character aud
bearing invite the contempt aud disgust Of Europe
We have no cause To question the fitness Of their
choice. But there is another aspect in which the
ceremony Of this 9TH of March has grave sguid-
canoe fuT foreign powers. The Government Ct the
United States stands from this moment on new
basis, and puts forward preteuSiOns. Mr..
Lincoln, in 1851, could claial, with some show
OF reason, Ia be the President of the whole
thirty -four States; Tor, though fifteen of them
had unanimously and peremptorily rejected him,
they had taken part ~ the election which led
to hS triumph. MI. Lincoln, in 1865, is muniicStly
the President only OF the North. Not ouly have
the eleven Confederate States taken 40 part what
ever IN the election but they have been excluded
from il By formal aud express legislation. The
pseudo Governments OF Louisiana aud Tennessee
chose delegates 10 cast the vote Of those States
and that has been rejected by the Congress at
Washington. tits formally declared that the eleven
States which form the COntederacy are out Of the
Union. The position OF the Federal Government is
thus materially changed.
To treat Mr.. LipcOln as President over the
Southern States, Ia virtue Of the recent election,
l. to COMMIT ourselves 10 whole tissue of abSur
dities. If those States are portions of the CniOn
he has not been elected at all for that can be no
election from which One-thrd OF the constituent
body is excluded. Ii they are portions OF the
Union Congress could have no right to exclude or
dispense with their votes. If they no longer be-
long to the Union, then Mr.. Lincoln has no author
sN.. 4 L.
tempt to conquer an independent nation, not To
,ubdue rebels. In word, either the cleo
tiUn is valid, in which the eleven Con-
fedeTate States are not members of the
Union, or 1t is invalid, and the Union has
no Government whatever. II Mr. Lincoln be law
fully President OF the Union the secession Of the
South is legal tact, and Mr. Davis is legally PreSi-
dent OF the Confederate States. Ii We recognize
the present Government OF the United States at
all, We DO by implication recognize the independ-
/ enc { OF the South. We have, OF course, hope
| that any such argumentawil influence the policy oil
tice nor reason has anything to do. 1t is ON the
comparative strength, not on the diplomatic or e-
gal rights Ofthe TWO COnfederaeieS that the action
OF Her Majesty government depends. But there
is melancholy pleasure in stripping away the last
shred OF excuse that has hidden from England the
unWorhineSs the part she has been made To play
and exposing 10 all eyes the naked Hypocrisy Of
Lord RusSels ''strict and impartial neutrality"
TERRIBLE FiRE COMMUNICATIONS OSK HUS.
DRIED LIvKs LOST.
The Leyant Herald gives full account of the ter
ribe and disastrous fire at COnStantnOple on the
10Th OF last month. IL broke out shortly after III
O'Clock st night, in the Roman Catholic Convent Of
ST. Benoit, IN Galata, and in short time spread
among the wooden buildings around aud ragged over
a large extent OF ground. The sisters aud female
pupils OF the Institution were with g.eat difficulty
rescued and rushed from the burning building with
any scanty garments they could on the me
meut Some sixty toloumbalees, with fonr fire.
enViens had stationed themselves along high stone
wal in corner of the Convent quadrangle, where
they we're not 10 much exposed 10 the flames, aud
| could work their engines with more effect. With
them were standing large number Of policemen
aud general spectators, when suddenly aud
without the slightest warning, the wall toppled
edwards, literally crestng over the doomed crowd
below like the curve of breaking wave, and bury
/ ing the engines, with the whole of their crews,
4 and a large number Of the police and on-looking