The New York herald., 1865-03-20

Mr.. Acton ought TO name h.s man.
Collapse or the Rebellion In the south
and in Europe-sPecial Mission 10
France and England.
We have already been able to declare, from
the victories of Sherman; Sheridan and Scho-
field, the forlorn message of Jef Davis, and the
tone Of such Southern papers as still exist, the
collapse of the rebellion in the South. We are
able to declare to-day, from the letter OF our
London correspondent and the leading article
in the London Times, which was always the
collapse Of the rebellion In Europe. The Times
admits that, with the fall Of Charleston, the re-
bellion has gone under; that the Southern States
are no longer able to oppose the march Of the
Union armies; that blockade running is at an
end, and the South is henceforth shut Off from
the rest of the world. The Times, which all
along maintained this foul rebellion, and in
vested it with the rank and character of
righteous war, now desgnates 1t by the modest
title Of "an anti-naional insurrection."
Our correspondent states that the news of the
fall of Charleston not only produced this extra
ordinary change in the tone of the leading
champion OF the rebels in Europe, but that it
startled the whole Of England from shore to
shore. Rebel stocks fell six per cent in an in
stant, and United States stock went up six per
cent and orders were sent at once abroad to
recall the blockade runners. Thus, in Europe
as well as In the South, the rebellion has
caved in.
When the rebellion broke out, and when It
was yet unknown what amount Of power ex-
listed on the pert Of the North to suppress, and
on the part of the South to maintain, the insur-
rection, England hastily recognized the bclli-
gerent rights of the rebellious States, thus CIV
ing them status which only belongs to inde-
pendent nations in state Of war. Regardless
Of the remonstrances of our government and
its agents and representatives abroad, the Eng
lish government maintained that an acknowl-
edgment Of belligerent rights in the Southern
States did in no way infringe upon the prin-
ciple Of strict neutrality; and while they pro-
nounced that they would neither recognize the
South as o nation, nor formally give aid and
comfort to its cause, they were still determined
to accord to it the rights Of belligerent France
followed the example Of England, and en-
ployed the same arguments to justify her
course. We know with what subtlety the laws
of neutrality were evaded how arms and am
and ships and crews were supplied to
the rebels; how our merchant marine was OBJ
structed by piratical vessels carrying the Eng
lish flag, and manned by English seamen.
D,,k 10 SAck - r.
England and France acknowledged belligerent
rights in the rebel States there may have been
some shadow OF a basis upon which to found
In argument in favor OF III because the rebels
still held the ports of New Orleans Mobile,
Charleston and Wilmington, and it was not then
certain how long 1t might take us to prepare q
leet sufficiently strong to wrest these ports from
hem. Now, however, that question is solved
most efYectually; for the rebels have mott single
port on the whole line OF coast from the Poto-
mac to Galveston through which to receive sup
plies. Our fleets hold all the seaports, and block
.de running is a portion of past history.
The rebellion is driven into the interior,
md held there within so narrow compass that
may be almost said not to exist any longer.
Certainly, in its present desperate strait,
lemmed into little corner of Virginia, we
AVE armies enough and fleets enough to de-
nolish it in very brief time. Hence there is
10 longer any excuse for foreign Powers to re-
,ognize the rights of belligerent in such
rushed and broken down concern as the
southern "confederacy" now represents. 1t is
10 longer q rebellion. 1t is only an "anti-
rational insurrection."
We conceive, then, under these circumstances,
hat the duty of Mr.. Lincoln is very clear at this
lime. All inconsistencies with reference to the
position Of the rebclious States should be re-
moved, and the world should be instructed
officially as to the precise relation these States
occupy towards this government and all foreign
Need we say that II is the position
Of discomflted malcontenls? Mr. Lincoln,
therefore, should select three of the most promi-
nent, digniied and influential men in the coun-
try, and send them on q special mission to
the governments of France and England
without, Of course, disturbing In any way our
to inform these Powers upon the
exact condition OF affairs in this country.
These commissioners should be directed
to explain that the rebellion has collapsed;
that il is, in fact, virtually dead; that the mill
tary and other resources of the United States
are sufficient not only TO preserve the integrity
of the republic, whole and entire, at homc-as
we have already proved-but TO protect 1t from
MI aggression from abroad and at the same
time to demand that all proclamstions Of neu-
trality, and all recognition Of beligerent rights
in the insurgent portions of The country, be at
once withdrawn. Such declaration on the
part Of France and England would make the
rebel vessels on the sea mere pirates, and
nothing more. The time has arrived whom such
q mission is proper and necessary. If Mr.. Lin
coin only judiciously selects the right kind of
n. Al