The New York herald., 1865-05-02

re susspssa sissstasa wfsA 1slsssnes
. tAs Unftsa states sna the Wsr.
For four years the countenance, the voice
the moral and mental influence Of England and
ofFrsnce-the enlightened" and progressive"
Jstts of Europs-hsve been given in favor Of
the South. The governments Of France and
England are arrsyed against the cause Of the
people on all points Of European polity, and
they instinctively saw that the side Of the South
was the side Of tyranny and despotism-the
side of the enemies Of the people and Of popu-
lar development on this side Of the water
Hence it was their side, the side that they
oup.rs naturally and consistently to favor,
and they favored it to their utmost. They Is
sued proclamations to give the cue, telling their
creatures everywhere that the United States
government was not a thing that either of those
governments cared especially to respect. There
were plenty to take the matter up readily.
Cotton loans, blockade runners and piratical
craft followed, and did their share toward help
ing the rebellion and getting the wealth Of
Europe interested in is success. The press did
its share also. The London Times, reputed
great newspaper, consented not to publish one
line Of truth in the course Of four years about
the only great events Of the age. 1t was suppos-
ed that such course would help the rebel cause
immensely, and IL did help It, at the expense
Of the English and French people-the deluded
thousands who were induced to invest in rebel
loans and blockade runners by the daily asseve-
Yations from the oracles Of European opinion
that every battle was Southern victory, that
the North was contemptible and powerless, and
that the South could not possibly fell to achieve
It's Independence
But oh these efforts V bohtef up bad cause,
and to sustain an attempt to destroy the gov.
ernment Of the United States, had no effect on
this side Of the water but to make the people
more determined in their purposes, and to show
them more clearly the true character Of their
enemies, by showing who Il was In all the
world that felt the most affinity with those enc
mics. And, in spite Of the assertions Of the
whole illiberal press Of our two European
foes, in spite Of all their declarations that the
South could not be put down, we went on put
ting it down every day; in spite Of their decla-
rations that we could never succeed, we went
on acoumulating success upon success until the
great rebel confederacy went down under the
weight in one grand crash Of irretIevable ruin.
Even the London Times admits now every day
that 1t may have been wrong forsthe last four
years, and goes so far as to admit and argue
upon our military power, and to praise the
abilities that have taken US through the strug-
gle. It is, after oil, little nearer to the
English people than some other papers, and it
feels the first turn Of the tide that already begins
to rise as the people in one land hear and learn
that the people in another have gained great
cause. The London Post, the government
organ-far away from the people in every
sense-does not feel the change in the least as
yet, and still fights away the inevitable disaster.
It believes that the loss of Richmond will not
be final, az, even with all bis success, Grant
could not prevent Lees retreat But doubtless
the news of Lees surrender-the announcement
that In ten days from the commencement OF the
campaign there was not q man or gun left at
Lees disposal-will finish even Palmerston and
the Post.
There will be q glimmer Of light over the
rebel prospects in Europe when the bloody
story of Mr.. Lincoln's murder is told there.
England will see little clearer, II may be,
what kind of men she has hugged to her bosom,
and the Emperor Napoleon will tremble at the
example seen in the logical result of acts that
he has looked upon with 50 much favor. But
all Europe believes in assassination as an ele-
ment Of political force, and in both countries II
will be judged that this event must aid the
South by depriving the North SO suddenly Of
great leader and by throwing the wheels Of
government out of order; but when they learn
that Mr.. Johnson succeeded Mr.. Lincoln as
quietly as one President ever succeeded another
that there was no change in the operations Of
the government no jar, no interruption and
that, in the words of Secretary McCulloch, We
were not staggered for moment by what would
have shaken down a throne in Europe, then,
indeed, they will conclude that the rebellion is
absolutely and unequivocally put down; and
then these European Powers will suddenly
begin to inquire in what position the close Of
the struggle leaves them with respect to the
newly discovered giant on this side the water.
There will be some shaking in the valley Of the
dry bones then.
The PRICE OF CoAL.-It is time that the price
Of coal should be reduced 10 fair standard.
We have been paying outrageously for this arti-
Gle for a long period only to put fabulous profits