Ca $2.00 per Annum VOL. 2, No. 1.] " All extremes are error, the opposite of e STRATFORD, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1864. rror is nottruth but error; truth lies between the extremes." in advance. [WHOLE No. 28. Select Poetry. LAO rm PDDLOL LLLP LIL LIDS Ill-Mated Flags. The Americans have laid themselves open to very unpleasiug comparisons by their ostenta- tious hospitality to Russia. Indulgence in a spirit of empty bravado--as we regard the jate ovations to have been--is generally regretted afterwards. Punch takes up the matter in the following fine lines : Hail, 'Tartar keels, on New York tide! Hail Tartar feet on New York ground ! Run up the stars and stripes beside, The sable Eagle, clawed and crowned! Hoist to the broad light of the sun, Sons of the free, and seed of slaves, The flag that waved o'er Washington, The flag that o'er Mouravietf waves ! While Poland groans through all their fields, Daughters defiled and slaughtered sons, While Cossacks' pikes beat down the shields, Of breasts that naked brave the guns; While brutal force and bestial lust High carnival in Warsaw hold, Till e'en the diplomatic dust Stirs upon treaty-parchments old. Think what sad Poland's thoughts must be, That westward looks tor light and aid, Seeing the right hands of the free, In the enslavers' lightly laid! And think how Europe, fain to unweave Laborious, the webb of wrong, Holds those who thus the heir receive, To an inheritence of wrong)! Her flag, though rent, Columbia's pride, For freedom's flag still dared to claim ; But now by the Blaek Eagle's side, It seems to droop her folds for shame, Its stripes full well may fraternise With Russia's knout that woman scars, But while it waves o'er such allies, Blot, oh blot out, the indignant stars. England and Europe. From tee Saturday Review. The consequences of Kngland's refusal to join the Congress are exactly what might have been foreseen. In Germany every one applauds a step which saves'the Continent so much trouble, which takes the burden of declining the Emperor's invitation off shoulders to weak too bear it readily, and which gives Germany the pleasant sensation of having a big friend ready to say what Ge: many does not dure to say, and to do what Germany does not dare to do. English influence is said to be restored in Germany. That is, we have reminded Germany that we exist by something more bold and definite than writing abrupt and dogmatic despatches. In France there has been much irritation, which seems to us perfectly natural, and in a measure reasonable. It is true that Frenchmen themselves perceive that the Congress could not have done much good, and the few who knew anything about England are aware that there has not been the slightest wish on the part of the nation to mortify and humiliate France, But still it is provoking that England should haye snuffed out their Emperor's candle so quietly and completely. On many points, most Frenchmen whose opinion is worth having, draw a certain distinction between the Emperor and France; but on this oc easion, the Emperor, did speak in the name of France, and even the French enemies of the Emperor would besearcely content that the man whom crime or accident, as they think, has raised to a bad, eminence, should speak. in the name of France and still be slighted. Ludicrous, too, as the notion of 'France being the parent. and. champion of great ideas sometimes seems to, foreigners 'who remember the annexation of Savoy and 'Nice, te conviction that great ila; find their true home in France is a powerful agent in determining the course of French opinion, and really effects the national character, although it may be hard to say how deeply. "That Englund' is not only in capaple of great ideas herself, but lovis to snub and destroy them in those wko are capable of them, is one of the thoughts which are most. irritating. to the ordinary French politician, Perhaps bis perception that it is more sensible not to have grand ideas, and that the position of England, in the instance of the Congress, is unanswer- able so far as argnment goes, may do some- thing to sggravate the mortilication which the chilling of the frustrated ideas can *searcely tail te produce; The Emperor, too, has not only.to lament the upsetting ofa scheme which he: associated ina peculiar -Imanner with hisown name and fortunes, but he is plunged into fresh entanglements, and is placed into greater doubt than ever whiat it will answer best for him to do. The un- adorned common sense of Earl Russell's atyle must have placed before him, with the most effective unpleasantness, the whole ex- tent of his mistake; and he may naturally think it more fprovoking to have failed be- cause he was told beforehand by England that he must fail, than if he had tried his chance with the reluctant Powers of the Continent, and had seemed to win a victory over them even when they hesitated to com- ply with his wishes. Nor can the readiness with which Spain and Italy and Sweden rushed to obey his commands, or the as- sumed credulity of the Pope, who affected to believe that the 'great object of the Congress wonld be to restore to him the Romagna, do much to diminish the Em- peror's mortification. When a man's rich brothers and sisters refuse a solemn invita- tion to dine with him on his birthday, it seems an additional stroke of unkindly fate that a poor old maiden aunt or two, anda batch of hungry cousins should flock to his table. One of those mysterious phamphlets have been issued at Paris by which the Emperor is supposed to try the feelings of his sub- jects and ascertain the real direction of their wishes. In spite of the denial of the Moniteur, the world of Paris is persuaded that this manifesto is what they call in France inspired. Ifit does really speak the mind of the Emperor, his mind must be in a yery dull and a very tumultuous state. A more feeble production never hid, under a mass of verbiage, confused and _vacillating purposes, and the weak desire fur, an in- definable excitement. Al] that the Imperial pamphlet is able to tell us is that, if there is uo Congress, there must be war. We have heard that from headquarters before, and do not derive much information from an anonymous pamphleteer echoing the Kmper. or's speech. What we might have hoped that the pamphlet would tell us is, who are going to fight and why. . There appears to be a general impression in France that war is coming, but that is only a mere vague guessing of the Emperor's intentions. It is thought that he wants. a war for his own purposes, and principally for domestic rea- sons. The Chamber is beginning to remind the nation of days when the French were not treated as babies by their rulers, and excluded from the management of their cwn affairs. The vast expenditure on the army can scarcely be justified, unless the army doves something. The Emperor himself has had. many mortifications lately, and he may wish to show his strength and turn the tables against his adversaries. These are all good grounds for supposing that a war of some sort aguinst somebody would be ac- ceptable to the Emperor. But they do not furnish any reason why the French nation should wish for war. Nordo there seem to be any grounds for believing that the French nation wishes for war. In fact, a nation never wishes for war in the abstract. It always remains passive, unless there is some object presented to it which seems worth fighting for. The French would un- doubtedly have been ready at one time to go to war for Poland, and, if the pamphlet had proposed an attack on Russia, it is possible that even now the nation might be glad to help. But any one with political insight enough to realize so obscure a truth as that war must come somehow if things are not settled soon, can understand ten times as easily the simple and obvious fact that the Emperor has not the slightest intention of fighting Russia single-handed. The elo- quence of the Imperial advocate for war has also had to stand against the persuasive pleadings of M. Fould for peace. Ifa nation really wishes fora particular war, it will not be stopped by financial statements ; but a nation with a vague thirst for excite- ment, and a fluttering belief that war in general is likely, may very, naturally be moved to a tiew love of peace by hearing that it is forty millions sterling in' debt. France has just tasted the fruits of a war in which the nation took no interest, but which happened to suit the fancies or designs of the Emperor. Nine' millions of money, sunk in redacing a fraction of a remote population of Spanish half-castes to accept the sovereignity of an Austrian Prince,must have a very sobering effect.on the taxpayers who are called on to bear, the burden of the loss. It is possible that the rebuff we have giyen to the Emperor, and the_ irritating manner in which we have acted, may some day bring about a combination of France and Russia for settling the affairs of the Exst wiich will be fall of the most serious dangers.' But at present, the prompt and decisive action of England ~has certainly tended to ake peace more likely. It has established a 'claim on the gratitude of Ger- many; and set an example of risking much to avert war, which cannot fail to influence the Cabinets of Vienna and Berlin ; and itis proballe that, if the question of the Duchies can be settled peaceably, no exertions will be spared to adjust matters, and that the exhortations of our aggravating peace-maker at the Foreign Office will be breathed into listening ears. But itis difficult to believe that any real good is done to the cause of peace by the partisans of Denmark in Eng- land shutting their eyes steadily to the claims and the feelings of the Germans. It is true that it is pleasant and easy to drown all arguments under passionate cries, that you and your friends are always right ; and the writers whose Scandinavian fancies prompt them to think Denmark faultless will scarcely be persuaded to inquire and reflect, even by the author of the able pamphlet on the Dano-German question in which the history of the Schleswig-Holstein dispute has at length been treated in readable English, and with a real mastery over the whole subject. Those who take the pains to understand what has taken place can scarcely fail to arrive at the con- clusion that the act by which the new King has joined Schleswig in a common Consti- tution with Denmark is a violation of the convention which, in 1852, Denmark made with Austria and Prussia. Nor is it to be supposed that the Germans are so ignorant of their own business as'to have displayed the strong feeling exhibited by the Prussian Parliament if there had been no better motive than the desire to interfere in the constitutional details of the government of Holstein. The Germans feel that they made a compact for the benefit and pro- tection of their countrymen living under a foreign ruler, and that, ifthis compact is flagrantly violated with impunity, it is idle to talk of Germany being a great nation. This may be an exaggerated feeling, but it is one that exists, and is to'a certain extent natural; and as it does exist, the Prussian Parliament has given a striking proof of its aptitude for dealing practically with affairs by sinking for the moment its difference with its own Government on the one point of millitary supplies, and preferring this small concession to falling in with the old German habit of inaction in the moment of a crisis. This step, and the common action of Austria and Prussia, will have a coi- siderable effect on the ultimate settlement of the question ; and while the interposition cf the great German Powers may avert the im- mediate danger of a collision in the Duchies, it will sceure proper attention to the claims of Germany when that adjustment of the whole matter is made by England. and Europe which can alone avert the cortinual danger of war from this unfortunate quar- rel. Maj. Gen. Geo. B. McClellan and the Presidency. (From the Free Press.) Amovg the many strange things that have taken place during the civil war in America, one of the strangest, and to out siders notin the secrets of the Washington Cabinet, one of the most inexplicable, was the dismissal from the Chief Command. of the Army of the Potomac of Major General McClellun.--Considering the time and. cir- cumstances under which he was superceded, it is difficult to account for it upon any known. principles of prudence, patriotism, or war. It has never yet been, explained. Other Generals had been. previously, and have subsequently been, dismissed from their commands, but under very different circumstances. McDowell got his. walking ticket for incompetency at Bull Run--Pope for his disastrous defeat on the same battle- field --Burnside for contravention of orders, and leading his army to destruction against the strongholds of Frederieksburg--Hooker for the severe defeat at Chancellorsville-- and Rosecrans for the ill-fought contest on the disastrous field.of Chickamauga. | In all these cases, perhaps with the exception of the latter, there were good, at least osten- sible, grounds for the action taken by. the President. Butin the case of McClellan, it is entirely different.. Ata moment when the National cause trembled in the balance ---when the enemy, flushed with victory, was pressing upon the National. Capitol, and Washington was seriously menaced-- McClellan was importuned to resume the command which had been taken from him upon his return from the Peninsula, and defend the country against the invading fe, who had- planted his flag on the soil of Maryland. In fifteen days from that time, he had re-organized the shattered and' dis- pirited army, that had fled like sheep, from Bull Run to the defences of: Washington, marched. it into Maryland, sought the enemy, found him at South Mountain, fought, and conquered. Following up_his advantage, he pursued him to the famous field of Antietam, where the greatest battle of the war, with the exception of Gettysburg, was. fought,.and again McCiellan, if not decisively victorious, so disabled the enemy that he was obliged to abandon Maryland, and recross the Potomac. Washington and the country were for the time saved--saved in the moment of their extreme peril. At this time the army was in such con- dition that it was unable to move, exhausted by the fatigue of marching from the Penin- sula to Bull Run, and thence to Mary- land, and shattered by the losses sustained in three general engagements. It was also destitute of the equipments necessary for active duty--the clothes of the men being in rags--the shoes worn off their feet--their blankets lost in their flight to Washington. It was necessary to recuperate. The sup- plies demanded by McClellan were sent, the army again put in a condition to move ; and it crossed the Potomac. But whilst it was in motion, upon the heels of the retreating foe, the advance guard being actually in contact with the enemy, he was summarily dismissed, and sent to ruSticate in New Jersey All the others fell in consequence of disaster ; he while victory crowned his efforts. The terrible winding up of, the campaign before the heights of Fredericks- burg, and on the bloody field of Chancellor:- ville--the torrents of human blood uselessly, inhumanly shed through the incapacity of his successors--is the best commentiry upon the imbecility at Washington which dictated his removal at that peculiar crisis. We might search the records of war in vain to find another instarce of a General, to whom the country had to look in the hour of its peril, receiving his dismissal, after victory had crowned his army, and in the face ofthe enemy. And the country has paid dearly in blood for the incapacity, blundering or political partizanship of' its government, Why he was superceded, and an inexperienced, incompetent man entrust- ed with the command of over 150,000 men, has never been explained. No charge of incompetency was preferred. McCiellan may not possess the military talents of a first-class General--they are few and far between--but he, at least, was educated for his profession, had some experieuce, was a safe man, had been moderately successful ; and is far superior to those by whom he was succeeded. His friends say his re- moval was dictated by political partizanship. It is quite possible; and is the only rational explanation cuusintcut with a belief in tie sanity of the President and his advisers. He is a Democrat; and they wereafraid of his success. It would not have suited the intriguers at Washington, who have an eye to the next Presidential election, to have allowed a political opponent, not belonging to the black Republican fastion, to re- main in a field where he might have won substantial triumphs, and secured the heart of the nation, and he was dismissed, though the dearest interests of the commonwealth had to suffer, and the best blood sacrificed, wantonly sacrificed. This may be republican but' it is not policy, patriotism. |" Old Abe," however, has not yet done with Mc- Clellan. As. the spectre said to Brutus, 'We shall meet again at Philippi." The battle probably will be fought on another field. We find that the " National Cons:rvative Union Committee," of Philadelphia, have re-affirmed the nom- ination of General McClellan for President, and he wi.l, probably, be the nominee of the united Democratic party' at the coming Presidential election; and he will be found a formidable competitor. He stands well with. the country ; he has shown: himself devoted to the Union, and determined to conserve it at all hazards; he has under- gone much of the hardships and perils of war, and done more for the country than any other General, except Grant; he stands well withthe army, and will have an en- thu:istic. support from the legions he has commanded, Besides the legitimate. sup- port. of his party, he will command much support from other, quarters, for the sym- pathy of t':e country is strongly with him, on account of tie unhandsome treatment he received trom the President ; and should he run' for. the Presidéntial chair, he will be found a strong candidate, It is quite time there was some change of administration. at Washington... President Lincoln and_ his Cabinet, have, no doubt, been placed in trying and difficult cireumstanees ; yet, not- withstanding this, it is impossible to avoid arriving at the conclusion that their man- agement of the war has been marked . by signal ijcoapete:¢y and unfitne s for the guidance.of such momentous affairs. With almost boundless. resources of men and money, and all the appliances of war, they haye miserably failed to realize commen- surate results, and not so much owing to the strength of the enemy, as to their pit- iable and contemptible blundering. The treasure and blood of the nation, plentifully supplied, have been as prodigally wasted, and yet the work is not half done. It re- mains with the people, at the next Presi- dential election, constitutionally to redress the present state of things. The best man should be selected, without reference to party, if they hope tosave the Union. Trial of the 600-lb. Armstrong Gun, At length we have a gun large enough to satisfy the cravings of an American after vastness, and, what is more important, a gun that will fulfil an Englishman's require- ments of power. The 600-pounder of Sir William Armstrong is not only the biggest cannon in the world, but it is one without a rival for its combination of heavy shot and heavy charges of powder. A preliminary trial has been made at Shoeburyness, with the most satisfuctory results. The gun weighs over 22 tons, andis mounted on an ordinary gun carriage of great size and strength. Its length over all is 15ft., and that of the bore being 12 ft. Its internal diameter is 13ft 3in., and it is rifled on the "shunting" priveiple. The grooves are ten in number, and turn once in 65 ealibres, In its construction it differs but little from the other large muzzle-loading guns manu- factured under Sir William Armstrong's directions, consisting of a number of' coiled tubes of enormous strength shrunk one upon the other. The thickness of the walls of the gun at the breech is 20.85 inches, the total diameter at the trunnions being 55 inches. It carries a conical cast iron hollow-headed shot, weighing 510 lb., or a shell of ordinary construction weighing 600lb., and capable of containing a bursting charge of no less than 40lbs. of powder. The charge used with shot was 70lb., with shell 60lb. The men serving the gun put into itand rammed home first: the powder looking like. a tolerable bolster, and next the conical. cast-iron hollow-headed shot measuring nearly 30 inches in length, by 13.3. inches in diameter, and weighing as much asa small family. The shot is first placed in a cradle and lifted to the mouth of the gun by means of moveable shear-leos provided with blocks and pulleys. The cradle hangs on to a couple of hooks on the mouth of the piece, and holds the ponderous. shot in the proper position for being rammed home. Though the gun looked strong enough to have borne loading to the muzzle thespectators naturally ensconced themselves behind the traverses and breastworks about the place, taking care to choose positions | commanding a full view of the targets running out to sea across the well-known wastes of sand. The gun was given one degree of elevation, and the word passed that all was ready. The last bugle call was sounded, and the great gun fired for the first time. The ponderous shot burst from the mouth of the piece with a terrific rush and roar, striking the sand at about 700 yards from. the shore, leaping and dashing onward, ricochetting five or six times, and finally burying itseli near the 4,000 yards' target. A rush was, of course, immediately made to the gun to see its condition, An attentive examination, however, soon proved that not the slightest injury had been sus- tained by it. 'lwo more shots were then fired at the same elevation, the second and third reports being apparently less loud than the first. It was a matter of frequent ob- servation during the day that the report of this gigantic piece of artillery was much less loud than its size would have led one to predict. The next three rounds were fired at an elevation of 2 degrees, after which followed 3 at 5 degrees, and three at ten de- grees. Three dead shells weighing 600Ib. each were then fired with charges of 601b.. a 300Ib. round shot with a charge of 701b. completed the days' experiments. 'The gun Was again examined, but not the slightest flaw could be detected. Sixteen shots in all were fired with slight deviations only, at various distances, up to 4176 yards, or more than two miles, at which distance at the 11th shot the target. was struck. The initial velocity of the shot was calculated to be 1260 ft ma second. <A target. of larger size is being built to test' the smashing capabilities of the great gun, and will be completed in about three weeks. The gun Was easily served by a party of 20 men. At first, not beirg accustomed to sucha mén- ster, the men worked rather slowly, but as they became used to their work they at last succeeded, in abridging the space of. time between the rounds to ten minutes, Tue Last Desr:--aAn old to bid a last adieu to Ril barmaaeiaal friends called round him, when he was de- sired by his wife to tell what debts were owing to him. bt " There's mutton." fat add " Oh,' interjected the delighted helpma "to see a man at his time o'duy, alse nat gaun to close his' 'last a'count, hae the use 0' his faculties ; just say awe, James." " " Ay, an----ten Shillinys for beef." >! "What a pleasant thing to see a man deein," an' sensible to the last !--ony mair --but no to distress yoursel." " An"--a crown fora cow's hide," awn' me five shillings for