The Sun. — London, England, 1870-05-02 00:00:00

CHARGE OF PERJURY ARISING OUT OF THE BRIDGWATER BRIBERY ENQUIRY. -SATURDAY. William Heal, 62, described as a manager, of Durstone, Somerset, was brought up at Bow-street, on a warrant before Sir Thomas Henry, charged with having, on the 19th of April, 1866, before a committee of the House of Commons, committel wilful and corrupt perjury. Mr. Pollard, from the Treasury Solicitor's office, con ducted the prosecution, and Mr. Lamb appeared on behalf of the defendant. Mr. Pollard, in briefly setting out the facts, stated that in April 1866 a committee of the Hotise of Commons was sitting at Westminster to inquire into alleged corrupt practices at the Bridgwater election. The defendant was then examined, and the evidence given by him was taken by shorthand -writers. In August last year a Commission of Inquiry was held at Bridgwater for the same purpose, and the defendant was again a witness. He then swore that all the evidence he had given before the committee of the House of Commons was false. This fact coming to the knowledge of the Atto rne y-G eneral, the present proceedings against the defendant were ordered. The first witness called was Mr. John Stiles, of 11, Trinity square, Brixton, Surrey, who said that he was a short hand writer, and as such attended before the select com mittee of the House of Commons in 1866, appointed to inquire into the Bridgwater election. He took a short hand note of the examination of the defendant, who then gave evidence as a witness. He had since compared the transcript of them with his notes, and found them correct. Mr. Pollard then read portions of the evidence given by the defendant before the House of Commons' Committee in 1866. The defendant then swore that he did not bribe any voter during the election ; did not give or promise any money to any man to get him to vote for the best can didate ; nor did he receive any money from a Mr. Wes tropp or any of that gentleman's agents to distribute to voters. Further on the defendant, in reply to a question —" This was the first time at the Bridgwater election that you had not been guilty of bribery ? " replied, "Yes." Mi. Wm. Aish Davis, shorthand writer of Osborne terrace, Clapham-road, deposed to having in 1869 professionally attended the sitting of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the existence of corrupt practices at the recent Bridgwater election. Witness was present on the 30th of August, 1869, when the defendant was examined as a witness. He took a note of his evidence. Mr. Pollard read another portion of defendant's evidence, in which he said that at Westropp's election in 1865 he voted for the Conservatives and got £2OO. He kept that for his own vote, but it was given to him to distribute to others. Being given to him to bribe the people, still he kept it for himself. Nothing was ever offered to him for his vote, and he never asked for it. When he took the £2OO he promised to distribute it in bribery-. It was, in fact, given to him for that purpose. He received it in the street but the man who gave it to him was a perfect stranger to him. A man named Jarman was with him defendant) at the time, the stranger offered to give hiM £7O or £BO at first. He (defendant) said that it was of no use, and it was at length arranged that they should have £5OO. The stranger got five packets, two of which he gave to him (defendant), and three to Mr. Jarman. Each packet contained £lOO, and he had £5O out of Jarman's. The following morning he went into the " Golden Lion " and distributed there £5O. He offered a man named Gilbert £lO, which he refused, and wanted £l5. Because he (defendant), would not give him .£l5, Gilbert returned the money. He denied that in 1866 he had told the committee at Westminster that he had been guilty of bribery at every election except the one in 1865. When asked what he denied, he (defendant) replied, " What I told them i n London was no t correc t." He swore that it was false, and refused to state why he had done it. Mr. Davis said that the parts read to him were correct transcripts of his notes. Sir Thomas Henry : Does he give his reason ? Mr. Pollard : No ; that transpired at a subsequent meeting. Defendant was then remanded, upon the application of Mr. Pollard. LAW AND POLICE. THE OXFORD AND CANTERRIIRY HALL—The case of tne Oxford and Canterbury Hall Company has been brought before Lord Justice Giffard in the Court of Appeal. The company before an order was made to wind it up, had mortgaged property to the London and County Bank as a security for the payment of a debt amounting to about £lO,OOO. The Bank afterwards con tracted to sell part of this mortgaged property for £8,500, but as the contract afterwards went off, Vice-Chancellor James held that they were entitled to prove for the full amount of the mortgage debt in the winding-up. The official liquidator appealed against this decision on the ground that they were only entitled to prove for the amount of the claim they originally sent in, which was for the difference between the £8,500 and the mortgage debt. The Lord Justice said as the mortgage debt was still unpaid, the mortgagees had clearly a right to prove for the full amount of it, and the appeal must be dismissed. THE TELEGRAPH CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE COMPANY.—This company was originally formed with a capital of £747,000, in £2O shares, but having been amazingly prosperous in their transactions, it is now proposed to reduce the capital. In the Court of Vice-Chancellor James, however, Mr. Macnaughton, represented certain persons who claimed to be entitled to object to the proposed reduction. The indi viduals in question had leased a quantity of land to the company for a premium, and a fixed annual rental ; and the point now contended for was, that if they were in such a position that if the company were being wound -up their claim would be admis sible in proof, that their consent could not be dispensed with unless terms were arrived at. The Vice- Chancellor held that the plaintiffs had a locus standi, and ordered that the residue of the premium (25,100), together with three years' rent, altogether amounting to upwards of £7,000, should be payable to them at the termination of twenty years. A SOLICITOR AND HIS CLERK.—The question was raised in the Rolls' Court whether a solicitor was bound by a verbal contract entered into by his managing clerk, A Mr. Deere, who wished to invest in freehold property, called at the office of Mr. Darley, a solicitbr, and made arrangements with his clerk, whom he mistook for Mr. Darley, to whom he had been recommended to purchase property of the value of £4,000. It was agreed that the costs should not exceed £5O, but when the matter was ready for completion, it was notified to the plaintiff that the costs would be £2IL This sum he refused to pay, on the ground of the ageement, and Mr. Darley got an order for costs, which Mr. Deere's counsel now applied to set aside.—Lord Romilly held that a mere verbal arrangement with a clerk did not bind a solicitor. Mr. Deere had seen Mr. Darley subsequent to the arrangements, but it was not men tioned between them. The motion must be dismissed. CORRECTING A COUNTY COURT JUDGE.-Mr. Ilolker, Q. C., appeared before the Court of Common Pleas to shew cause against a rule obtained by Mr. Nasmyth on the 20th April, calling upon J. B. Dasent, Esq., the judge of the Shoreditch County Court, to hear a certain plaint. It was an action brought by one David Davis against J. B. Pearce, and when it came before the court the learned judge re quired the plaintiff to give proof of the personal service of the plaintiff upon the defendant, who was ac tually present to defend the action. His Honour had relied upon the 30th and 31st Viet., cap. 132, sec. 2, in requiring such proof, as he had received notice from the defendant of his intention to question the jurisdiction of the Court. On failure of such proof, he nonsuited the plaintiff, and ordered him to pay the defendant's costs. It was contended that under the section the judge was bound to require proof of personal service ; and it was most important to him to have the guidance of the Court in the• matter. The Court, without calling upon Mr. Nasmyth to reply, held that the judge had incorrectly interpreted the section in question. He ought to have heard the plaint, and there fore the rule must be made absolute; but the Court would not require his Honour to pay the costs of the rule under the circumstances. THE TAFF VALE RAILWAY COMPANY.—A special case has been stated for the decision of the Court of Queen's Bench in the case of the Taff Vale Railway Company. The plaintiffs, Macnab and others, are trustees and executors of the late Marquis of Bute, and the question was whether the railway company were bound by the terms of a lease granted to them in 1849, for 250 years of the east side of the Bute West Dock at Cardiff, to pay dues for goods and minerals loaded at the Penarth Dock, a mile distant. A covenant in the lease provided that the company were to pay dues for goods loaded at the Bute West Dock or any other dock or basin whatsoever. Since then the Penarth Dock had been made at the mouth of the River Ely, and the defendants' company had taken a 999 years lease of the undertaking which was alleged to in contravention of an undertaking on their part to prosper in every way possible, the Bute Dock. Mr. Justice Blackburn held that the covenant referred to a dock, in the immediate vicinity. It could not be affirmed that the Penarth Dock was such, said judgment must be for the defendants. A NEWSPAPER LIBEL.-A curious case has come be for the Court of Exchequer. Some time since Mr. Cox, who was candidate for Leicestershire at the last general election, brought an action against Alr. Lee, a newspaper proprietor, for publishing a libel against him, contained in an electioneering speech of Mr. Frewen, the rival candidate. He obtained a verdict for £2O. Subsequently Mr. Lee brought an action against Mr. F rewen on an alleged promise to indemnify him against the co n sequences of the libel action. It was tried at Westminster, before the Lord Chief Baron. and resulted in a verdict for the plaintiff, damages £3OO. A rule was subsequently obtained for a new trial, on the ground of the verdict being against the evidence, and the damages being excessive. The Lord Chief Baron said Mr. Frewen ought in all conscience to satisfy the de mand, and he th oug ht th e ev id ence f u lly sus tained the declaration, as the plaintiff had been put to much annoyance and discredit. He had better however have published an apology. He was en titled to some compensation, but the court thought the damages should be reduced to £l5O. Otherwise there would be a new trial. The plaintiff's counsel., having agreed to the reduction, the rule was discharged on that understanding. FORM OF VERDICTS.—An American . paper pro poses "Justifiable Insanity" as a couvemsgt brut of yordict 3uautuy civet% 4 % THE WEEKLY PRESS. THE MASSACRE IN GREECE. If, instead of acknowledging their own shortcomings, says the Saturday Review, the Greeks should taunt Englishmen with the condition of Ireland, it must be admitted with shame that it is possible to utter such re proaches and that it is impossible to refute them. The Irish, even if their country offered attractions to travel lers, have not the habit of waylaying foreign visitors, or of killing them when they fail to pay ransom ; but the impunity which has long been enjoyed by assassins is pro ducing its natural effect in extending the range of their activity. The seditious newspapers, before the late Act was passed, constantly applauded the practice which they facetiously described as the execution of landlords. It has lately been found that the simple remedy of murder is equally applicable to the redress of grievances uncon nected with the land. A railway station-master has been killed for dismissing a porter, and a tradesman for raising the price of butter and eggs ; private persons are warned on pain of death not to discharge their domestic servants, and a justice of the peace has been shot because in the ordinary course of his duty he committed a sheepstealer to prison. In all cases, whatever may be the cause of offence, and whether the victim is a gentleman, a shop keeper, or a farm-labourer, the neighbours and the eye witnesses of murder invariably take the part of the criminal. The moral judgment of the community is per haps repressed by fear, rather than distorted by perverse sympathies. A majority of the population probably re sents and despises the cant which is invariably uttered when measures of redress are proposed or demanded in Parliament. When terror is spread through large dis tricts a virtuous Minister gravely quotes the stale propo sition that the Irish were three hundred years ago pre eminently fond of justice. In Ireland or in Greece the first duty of a Government is to take care that robbers and murderers are subjected to exemplary punishment. The Greek Government at least will probably not profess that the execution of the Marathon criminals must be preceded or accompanied by the redress of constitutional grievances. The Spectator observes that the case airainst the Greek Government is a very serious one indeed, though the public has hit upon the wrong gravamen. That Govern ment is wrong, to begin with, in its original position. It is one of the obligations which civilisation, in return for the protection it secures, imposes on every Government, that it should, to the best of its ability, maintain such external order that strangers should be able to move on their affairs in some decent security ; that it should, at all events, do its best to preserve them from violent outrage or assassination. So strong is this rule, that in cases where the Government is for any reason unable to per form this function, as in Turkey, Egypt, and China, Western Europe compels the defaulting States to agree to " capitulations," under which its own envoys exercise the powers needful for the security of foreigners ; and that even in civilised States, the strongest representations are occasionally and lawfully made to secure justice against private injury to the subjects of the remonstrating State. The Greek Government has not only not maintained this security, but has not honestly tried to maintain it. To withdraw from Greece absolutely as a State with which civilised Powers could hold no intercourse, as we withdrew from Naples, would be just enough, but as it would hand over the Court to Russian agents, would be inexpedient. The true course would be, we believe, if the protecting Powers could act together, as they seem willing to do, to require the dismissal of the War Mini ster—said to be already conceded—a grant by formal act, not of money, but of monuments in Athens to the mur dered diplomatists, as a warning to all time that they at least are sacred, and the extinction of brigandage—under penalty of a demand for the international tribunal im posed on all other semi-civilised States with which civilised men hold intercourse. The Greek Government can put brigandage down if it pleases, and if it pleads inability, it must ask aid from the Powers, or accept the consequences of its impotence. The total and final extinc tion of brigandage in Greece will be the best and the most permanent revenge for our murdered countrymen. The Economist asks if we were right in considering the amnesty and reward of the robbers a mere feather in the scale against our countrymen's lives, how should Greece be wrong in applying the same rule to similar cases for the future? How could we for very shame say—" When the lives of Englishmen are at stake, all the moral consi derations which restrain the Government from amnestying robbers and would-be murderers should be waived at once, but you shall not apply the same rule to the lives of Greeks without incurring our constant reproaches and remonstrances?" We confess that though Lord Claren don's action in the matter may be excused by the strong personal feelings which must necessarily have been excited under an emergency so painful, we cannot con ceive conduct less open to calm justification on any even plausible moral grounds. As to the liabiality of the Greek Government we must reserve our opinion till all the facts are before us. All we wish to point out now is, that whether Greece be liable or not to us and to Italy for what has occurred, public opinion in this country is hardly in a calm or healthy state when, instead of excusing Lord Clarendon for committing a very great error in a very great emer gency, it openly endorses all he did, without taking the slightest account of the immorality of the proceeding, and then cries out for a species of vengeance, which, however striking and theatrical, would probably greatly enhance the evil. When we are fully assured as to the liability of the Greek Government for the cruel murder of our Secre tary of Legation and his friends, let us press our claims with the proper firmness ; but let it not be said of the English Government that its action abroad is always unscrupulous and selfish where English interests are con cerned, and that we should never hesitate to degrade still further the whole morale of a by no means scrupulous people, for the sake of two or three valuable English lives and the happiness of the homes with which they are identified. The John Bull remarks that the French papers are not altogether without grounds for the remark that this terrible crime in Greece is not, all things considered, out of all proportion to the daily offences against property and life which take place with perfect impunity in Ireland. Were Ireland, like Greece, conterminous with a State where law is so utterly disregarded as Turkey, we fear that we should have no cause to lecture Greece upon the perpetration of such crimes as that which we record with such sorrow in our impression of this week. How far the Government of that country is to blame for having led to the murder of these gentlemen by the means used to ob tain their release, or how far the victims themselves were lulled into a fatal security by information obtained at Athens, are questions into which, in the absence of infor mation, we cannot enter. We trust, for the credit of humanity, that the suggestion that the capture, and the obstinacy of the brigands in insisting upon impossible terms of amnesty for themselves and for all the members of the bands of brigands in prison, was a party move on the side of the Opposition in the Greek Chamber to em barrass the Government, is without foundation. Such an exhibition of the unscrupulousness of party is incredible even in the not very scrupulous politicians who make Continental government a bye word and a reproach in Ulf kingdom of Greece. THE SERIOUS DANGER . OF RASH FOREIGN LOANS. The Economist fears there is some danger not of a great foreign loan mania, but of a small one. We mean that the mania will not be large enough to much affect the money market, or at all hurt the countay ; but that it will be quite big enough to injure many unwise persons who may now lend their money to unfit foreign Governments, and who may hereafter lose it in consequence. The present is precisely the time in which such a calamity is to be feared. At first sight it would be said that the present accumulations having been made by experienced men of business would be likely to be kept in safe investments. But reality men of business have a great defect as investors of spare money. They a. e accustomed to a high rate of profit in their business, and they cannot but look with con tempt on sper cent., 4i per cent. and all such rates. They think that any old woman could make those figures," but that they, with their long experience of business matters, ought to make something much better. But if the years after panics (and not less but more than any other, • the last year since 1866) were examined, it would be found that such men of business did not make more but less. They hated small rates, and they were bold enough to attempt new things. And it is a mistake to imagine that a finished knowledge of one kind of trade, if confined, as in Englishmen it is very apt to be, almost wholly to that trade, gives any particular power of investing money well out of that trade. The circumstances of eac species of business are peculiar, and unless a man has some know ledge of more than one, or some acquaintance with prin ciples, or has had some previous painful experience, he may easily be tempted into some promising but unsound scheme, although he knows his own trade. We are far from saying that on the whole this disposition on the part of saving traders is an evil. On the contrary, there must be some people to try experiments in money, and they are the people. Theirs is, if we may so express it, the tentative money of the country—that which takes the first venture bad or good, and which the rest follow gradually. What we mean is, that for a long time there has been no such tentative money, that now there is some and that there is a danger of its being tempted into bail foreign loans. INTERNATIONAL YACHT RACES. '‘.rticles of argreement have been signed on behalf of Mr. William Douglas, of the American schooner yacht Sappho, and Mr. James Ashbury, of the English schooner yacht Cambria, for three matches to be sailed by those vessels, each for a silver cup value fifty guineas. That the first and second match be sailed sixty miles to windward of the starting point, and that the yachts return to the point of departure. In case the wind should be blow ing off the English coast from the northward, and it were found impracticable to start the yachts to windward, then it shall be left to the discretion of the umpires to start the yachts to leeward, providing they agree that a rea sonable probability exists of the wind continuing from the northward. In case the yachts be started to windward, they shall continue to make for a point that was at the time of the start sixty miles to windward. That the third match be sailed over a triangular course of equal sides, twenty miles each, the yachts to be started to wind ward. The umpire to decide the course on the morning of the race. That the locale of the start for each race be left to the umpires to determine on the days appointed for the matches to be sailed. The first match is to be sailed on Tueseay, May 10. The whole of the matches to come off before the 16th June. RAILWAY REVELATIONS. —Our attention has been called to the fact that an official, who has been for twenty years connected with the Glasgow and South-Western, has been dismissed on account of some letters sent by him to one of the papers in Glasgow, commenting unfavour ably upon the published traffic returns of the Greenock and Ayrshire line. We are told that some very ctifi.,its revelations may be expected on the subject of ti►e traffic and accounts of the company.—Railway New. THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 2, 1870. THE t , SATURDAY REVIEW" AND THE tends that this course was right, being in accordance with international law, and America thus replies— " Well, let it be so ; let it clearly be understood that in time of war, insurgents, or any power at war which we choose to recognize as a belligerent, shall be entitled to purchasP and commission ships from our ports to cruise against the enemy's commerce, to take prizes and burn them on the high seas, and to receive while doing so aid and comfort in our ports," When thus put, there are Englishmen who possess the intelligence to perceive that in this the most deadly precedent would be established against Great Bri tain, while the calculation of such brings them to the conclusion that England having placed herself in false position, it would be advisable to make a very considerable sacrifice to get out of it if possible. This dread, not to speak of the na , ional sense of jus tice more or less implanted in all, makes them anxious to have the question settled by arbitration, that the award should be against themselves, so that the precedent might be abolished and the law esta blished in the International Code, that the nation shall be responsible for the damage accruing, from the acts of a ship which has left its ports on the same errand and in the same way as the Alabama. The Saturday may rely on the fact that England no more than any child can eat its pudding and have it; it has eaten its pudding in the Alabama case, and it cannot have the precedent, which so fearfully weakens its power and darkens its future, abolished, except by first making reparation. This is the true question to meet, instead of abusing Mr SEWARD, Secretary Fistt, Congress, the press, and the nation generally; and wherever it is omitted in a discussion of the Alabama claims, the core of the a tbject has gone too.—Anglo-American 2 imes. ALABAMA CLAIMS. The Saturday Review of last week contained one of its characteristic articles on the United States in general and the Alabama Claims question in parti cular. Anticipating the revival of the discussion it awards praise to a Professor of International Law who has brought the subject into a comprehensive form, and placed on record in an intelligible light Eng land's relations to America as a whole during the Civil War. '1 he Saturday a ►ys Englishmen forget the incidents, and allow themselves to be deluded into the belief through American clamour, that they had really acted unjustly, clearly infringing inter national law, whereas the Review asserts they were all along as nearly right as a nation placed in such circumstances well could be. The Professor of in ternational law narrows the only wrong of which there could be a question, to the fitting out of the Alabama, and that, to the admission by the Govern ment that it was a wrong, inasmuch as orders had been despatched to Liverpool, though too late, for the detention of the vessel. Had the orders ar rived in time, and No. 290 been detained, the Gos vt rnmen twould have infringed the law, and through the escape of the steamer, it escaped a successful prosecution. This, as far as we understand the drift of the article, is its meaning; but it is so over loaded with spite, and the hatred always so con spicuous in the Saturday towards everything ap pertaining to the great Republic, that its meaning is not so clear as it otherwise might have been. It is remarkable that the papers most deeply imbued with malevolence to the Union invariably preface their misrepresent►tions and vicious remarks with allu sions to the hatred entertained in America against England. That is their stock argument, and they have found it to answer by long experience, for theyhave practised it from the infancy of the Repub lic till now. They write for men who know little or nothing of the country, and therefore they can pub lish with impunity the most erroneous statements. But, fortunately for those who earnestly desire to keep alive a spirit of hatred between the nations, the Republic furnishes a plausible argument The rulers of a commonwealth whose Government is founded on universal suffrage and frequently recurring elec tions must adapt their way of doing the same things as a despotic empire doe , , to the public taste. The people are sovereign, and the people's dignity and prejudice have as much right to be consulted as the despot's dignity and prejudice. What we have to look to closely is the justice of the thing done, and, in a very secondary degree, towards the mode of doing it. Now, in glancing through the articles of such organs as the Saturday Review and the Standard, the charge brought against the United States does not ap pear to be the injustice of the policy adopted, but the arrogance of the manner ; the insolence, and dicta torial assumption of the despatches; the tone of the resolutions offered in Congress, and the de bates thereon, diplomatic communications, and the extravagance of the newspaper press—these furnish the foundation for the bitter attacks constantly ap pearing in a certain section of the English press. While the most grandiloquent assumptions of a sovereign in conducting a negotiation are passed unnoticed, the Saturday would deny to the citizens of the Republic, who consider themselvesthe greatest of all sovereigns, the privilege of having their ne gotiations conducted according to their taste. We grant that the taste is bad; that it would better be cometh at mighty potentate, the American People, to be more conciliating, and less dictatorial, to drop all indulgence in Congressional buncombe; still we con tend that the nation must be judged by its acts, not by its talk, and that American acts, on the whole, a-e in a high degree equitable, and scrupulously dictated by the requirements of international law. Admitting, as we have, that less assumption in the Foreign Ministers of so great a country would com mand more respect abroad for that country, we main tain that Americans, as they grow in strength and feel their power, are becoming less and less assuming, losing more and more that tone their enemies use so effectually to create a bad spirit against them on this side the Atlantic. But both the Saturday Re view and numerous otherpapersof its class are aware, when they quote Mr. SEWARD'S despatches, as also the resolutions in the House of Representatives, the stump speeches of orators, the railings of the press, that these do not represent any genuine hatred of England ; that Americans individually prefer Eng land to any other nation, and in the aggregate have a respect, and even veneration, for the Old Coun try ; therefore they know that they are misrepre senting the true sentiment of the Republic with the object of keeping alive that lessening feeling of gen uine dread and dislike which once had so deep a hold on a certain section of the English people. Such arti cles as appear in the Saturday Review, the Standard, and others, have the real smack of hatred; not the mere mercenary writing to " order," which the Bri tannia critic asserts to be the produ3t of these jour nals, butthe genuine feelings of the men who produce them; and they are accepted in America as express ing the opinion of the ruling and influential classes of Great Britain. The few Americans who read the Saturday are, for the most part, influential men in their own country, and the bolt is truly shot, for unless the individual be unusually well informed he feels the depth of the hatred expressed, and believes that there can be nothing but war to the knife be tween that class and his native country, which, he thinks, means war with England so long as it is ruled by that class. We happen to know, that, in spite of the pernicious efforts of such papers, the sentiments of the upper classes in England are rapidly undergoing a change. Finding that they cannot successfully combat the American Democracy, they feel inclined to turn round and court it. It is an evil, like the east wind, which cannot be shut out, but can as wisdom dictates be modified, and its injurious influ ences mitigated. That is the best attitude towards the Republic for high Toryism, and presently, if it be judiciously maintained, a class aping English aristocracy may be formed in the great cities of America, where wealth is accumulating in indivi dual hands in sufficient amount to enable its pos sessors to act en grand seigneur. But it appears to be the object of the Saturday review that hatred should be the ruling international feeling. We know of no paper published in America, except perhaps some Fenian organs, which displays any thing like the malevolence towards England tnat the Saturday Review does towards the United States, nor do we ever see in any American paper such sytematic misrepresentation and calumny That these articles themselves produce bitter re torts we admit, and also that many untrue things of England are then said. Nor is it surprising, in view of the Saturday's manner of discussing the A lubania claims, that many American papers should treat them solely. from the American stand-point, and, both being irreconcilable, the dispute unless more reasonable persons are entrusted with the ne gotiations must necessarily be endless or end in war. The Alabama case is very simple when cleared from all the international law arguments, despatches, &c., which hang around it like cobwebs, obscuring the real colour of the transactions. A war vessel was built in England by Englishmen, and partially fit.ted expressly to cruise against American com merce. This was done in open daylight without the slightest disguise, and the vessel left England on her mission, receiving her full armament, crew, and commission under the shelter of a desert island. Without having ever been in any except a British port she captured and burnt American vessels on the high seas wherever she could find them, and pursued her desolating career from ocean to ocean, to the great injury of American comtnerce, while meeting everywhere the warmest welcome in the British_ colonies she visited. The Saturday con- THE TRIAL OF INPFARLAND. 'I he trial of M'Farland continues to absorb at tention in America, although it is a weary affair, hearing endless testimony in proof of insanity, and long sentimental letters, stolen from Mrs. M'Far land's papers. The defence mainly rests on the intercepted letter we give below from Richardson to Mrs. M'Farland, creating, in the positive proof it furnishes the insanity in the prisoner,under the in fluence of which he is said to have acted. Mr Spencer, in his defence of M'Farland, sketched his life from the time of his marriage to the tragedy. In an evil hour (the summer of 1866), he sent his wife to the White Mountains, where, unfortunately, she fell into the society of Fourierites and Free Lovers. There she met Mrs. Calhoun, the plotter, procurer, and panderer in this tragedy ; and into the mind of this man's wife this person poured seeds which subsequent!y led her to forsake her home. She returned from the White Mountains dissatisfied, and that was the end' of act first. Her meeting with Richardson followed, and the process of aliena tion began, till Mr. Spencer reached the intercepted letter from Richardson to Mrs. M'Farland, and on that he dwelt as showing positive proof of a crimi • nal intercourse, which was as follows, and created much sensation in court. It must, however, be borne in mind that it was written after M'Farland and his wife had agreed to separate, and taken measures for obtaining a divorce, when Richardson openly sought the lady for his wife, not being penned, as both M'Farland and his counsel asserted, at the time they were living together as husband and wife : "March 9, 1867-4.50 p.m. "I received, two hours ago, darling, yours of yester day. At noon I mailed you an Atlantic for March to No. 72. This I send in care of Mr. S., hoping that you may get it to-morrow. Don't be disturbed about your family, little girl. Families always respect accomplished facts— my hobby, you know. I once outraged mine a great deal more than you over can yours, and they were the straitest sect of Puritans; but time made it all correct. So you can't go to Mac's till Monday, and couldn't have my room. Be patient, little girl, and you shall hare to give, not take, orders about my rooms. Funny about Lillie and the young lady lam engnged to. It only con firms my theory that you and mother are first-class in triguers. Will order your scrap book on Monday. Learn all you can about the material and contents of the new book within the next four weeks, for we may want to announce it in my book. Please remember that it ought to have plenty of humour, and that it must have some horrors. If you recoil from them, you shall not do them. Darling, I smiled at my being pining and hurt. Why, lam like a man who has got rid of his ele phant. I weigh 158, and am lighter-hearted than I have been for years. Indeed, I feel as if a weight had been lifted from me, even before your sweet love came to sweeten and bless my life. All the trouble was that she thought she could not let me go. Long ago, when she and 1 first came together, I said to her :---‘ We will make no vows to love each other always; of that we cannot tell. 1 will only exact that you will tell me the perfect truth, whether it keeps us together or separates us.' God help ing me, I will.' She tried to, but the leopard could not change its spots, and she did her best, and was very ten der and loving, and I have no:hing in the world to com plain of. If vou had not come to me, little girl, it would have made no difference then; that scene vt as ended long ago. It will rather startle Mrs. S., won't it darling? I think she will like it in the end. Rose's letter is very graceful and kind, and I am very glad you go, for it will do you very much good. It is a great, breezy, restful place. What a goosie it is about my coming home. Of course I shall come whenever my business compels, or will let me. What judgment shall you fear, doing no wrong ? The circumstances make it right and unnoticeable, and I will not stay away for 40,00 u Mrs. Grundys. I will not ne glect work to come, but it is quite possible I may have to come next week. I have not been waiting for you, darling, all these long years to wear hair cloth and serve seven years now. 1 want you always. A hundred times a day my arms seem to stretch out toward you. I never seek my pillow without wanting to fold you to my heart for a good night kiss and blessing, and the few months before you can openly be mine will be long enough at best. No grass shall grow under my feet, and I never let public opi nion bully me a bit, and never mean to see a sunbeam. I shall come whenever I can and stay as long as business will permit. I will decide about summer just as soon as I can, darling; can probably surmise by Monday or Tues day. Darling, I should be afraid if you had fascinated me in a day or a week. The trees which grow in an hour have no deep root. Ours I believe to be no love of a noon day hour, but for all time. Only one love ever grew so slowly into my heart as yours has, and that was so tender and blessed that Heaven needed and took it, darling. You are all I would have you, exactly what I would have you in mind, body, and estate, and my tired heart finds in you infinite rest, and riches, and sweetness. Good night, my love, my own, my wife ! Burn this, will you not?" This letter was post-marked " Hartford, Ct., March 9," and was addressed to Mrs. A. S. M'Farland, care of Samuel Sinclair, Esq., Tribune offico, Now York City." The seal bore the initials "A. D. R." Robbed of his wife's affections, M'Farland en deavoured to get his children, but foiled by Richard son he became ill and desponding, and his counsel then believed him at that time to be insane. The first witness for the defence, Mrs. Oliver, whose father was brother of M'Farland's father, testified that ber father twice attempted suicide, andhad been in an insane asylum; and other witnesses bore testimony to insanity in the prisoner's family. Much evidence was tendered to show the insanity of the prisoner himself at the time of the homicide. During the proceedings the . Recorder had to remind Mr.Gt aham that Richardson was not on trial. Mr. Graham had said that but for Richardson and his money Mr. M'Farland would have returned, that the pri soner all along believed that his wife still loved him, and the counsel believed she vibrated between her love for Richardson and her affection for her children,which the man decided by putting his purse at her disposal. Letters were then submitted trom Mrs. Sinclair and Mrs. Calhoun to Mrs. M'Far land. Both urged her to leave her husband, and both expressed the deepest sympathy for her suf ferings. Many letters of Mrs. Calhoun's were sub mitted, full of sentiment, theatricals, fashi ins, literature, with but one paragraph bearing upon Richardson, wherein Mrs. Calhoun alludes to that gentleman as the panacea for all her friend's woes, adding, in reference to the engagement he had ob tained for her at the Winter Garden, "Nobody is so kind and so unselfish as he." These letters had been extracted by the prisonerfrom his wife's trunk. His nephew, Dr. M'Farland, testified to the happy life his uncle had led with his wife till 1867, and he had heard Mrs. M'Farland say, after the sepa ration, that he had always been kind, and that she had never doubted his love. Little Percy, who strongly resembles his mother, sits near his father, and manifests much affection for him. M'Farland has an uncertain, glittt , ring eye, changing and irre solute expression, his face still indicating tenacity of purpose. His skin has that peculiar blanched hue produced by addiction to strong drink, and his whole appearance conveys the impression of fierce passions. He is courteous in his greetings, but he never looks at the witnesses, speaks little, has a wandering eye and an uneasy motion, though otherwise his appearance would convey unconcern. The defence claims that Mrs, M'Farland is the wife of the prisoner, and therefore precluded from testifying against her husband—a question which involves the validity of the Indiana divorce. the lady has not yet entered the Court-room, though she was in the Court-house on the 12th April. Her child Danny and Mr. Richardson's children are living with her at Wood side, New Jersey. Mr. Spencer's opening speech is said to have injured the defence rather than the prosecution, carrying the attack on the characters of women to a most unjustifiable excess ; and so far as the evidence for the defence goes making state ments wholly unjustified by the testimony. The sympathy runs strongly for M'Farland, more especi ally among the Irish and Catholic element, and that which considers a man justified in taking any one's life who had interfered with his domestic arrange ments. The Tribune, whose attache Richardson wa., has many enemies, and the death-bed mar riage gave a shock to the community, which greatly injured the character of both Richardson and Mrs. M'Farland. The correspondent of the Times says that Vice-President Colfax and several other pro minent men are most discreditably mixed up in this affair, but the sole discredit is the friendship en tertained by eminent persons like Colfax for Richard son, who, whatever his faults, was as honest and manly as he was clever, and w hose allies never wavered in their affection for him, even when to defend him, or cast a slur on their own reputation. The proceedings generally are regarded as a farce to sure to end in acquittal, when the prisoner threatens to carry his vengeance into another channel. RATIFICATION OF THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT. The Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States works a great change, and, as might be expected, meets in practice with much opposition. In California many county clerks re fused to register coloured voters, and most of the Democratic members of the Legislature approved this action, proposing, if required, to back moral by all the physical force God has given them, and the legality of the rejection of the voters has been referred to the Attorney-General. In Circleville, Ohio, 137 coloured citizens were denied the right to vote, and they memorialized the U. S. Senate complaining of this action. It may be then that the dissolution of the Anti-Slavery Society, which took place on the evening of the 9th inst., was pre mature. The meeting 'began in the morning, and continued all through the day, and among the many who attended were a few of those who first joined the cause. Mr. Wendell Phillips called the meeting to order, and, after prayer, the audience sang, " Our Nation is e'ree." Letters were read from Mr Col fax, Mr. Boutwell, and Senator Sumner. The latter likened the Society to Wolfe at Quebec. " They run !" was the voice that fell on the ears of the ex piring General. " Who run?" he exclaimed. " The enemy," was the answer. "Now God be praised ! I will die in peace," said he, and his battle ended ; but the Senator added, " I do not think the work finished so long as the word white' is allowed to play any part in legislation." Mr. Whittier wrote, " Thirty-seven years ago I assistel in the forma tion of this society at Phila lelphia. A mere hand ful of us came together from New England, the Middle States, and Ohio, mostly strangers to each other,without much personal consideration at home, and utterly unknown in the strange city where we met, representing nothing but a few newly-formed Anti-Slavery Associations, with the entire influ ences of Church and State against us, and laid the foundation of a society which, under God, has moved the world." The resolutions followed, which recognized in the ratification of the Amendment the fulfilment of the Society's pledge to the coloured people, while admitting that years must still elapse ere the prejudices of the assassins at the South, and the poverty and ignorance of the blacks will enable these rights to be exer cised with either ease or safety. Thanking God for the marvellous and unexpected quickness with whichthe task has been accomplished, " we do there fore,"says the document," no w disband the American Anti-Slavery Society." Among the speakers was Frederick Douglas. On the 11th instant a mass meeting in honour of the ratification of the Fif teenth Amendment was held in the Academy of Music by the coloured citizens and friends of the negro race in Brooklyn. The principal speaker was Senator Revels, wbo declared that the patience Nith which the Southern slaves bore their bondage had led many most erroneously to believe that they had no desire to be free. He, who had every op portunity of sounding the depths of their hearts knew how earnestly they yearned for freedom. Notwithstanding the little information they pos sessed, their inability to read, and the frightful stories circulated of the Yankees, intuitively they knew their friends, as many a Northern man can testify when fleeing from a Southern prison. The instances are numerous of Union soldiers being saved through their implicit trust in the first dark visaged stranger they met; and to them there was a surpassing beauty in the black face, for therein they beheld rescue, safety, friendship. On the one hand, there was a reward for betraying the fugi tive; on the other, a frightful punishment awaited the discovery of the aid tendered, therefore it was a proud record for the negro that there was no single instance, not one solitary case, wherein the black man or woman betrayed the trust. Nor was their faith to their employer a whit less true, for they gave service, support, and protection to the women. and children of their absent taskmaster, and if they were a little more free.of tongue and pert of speech, that was all their revenge for their manifold wrongs. Then the Senator contrasted the gloom, almost despair, of the nation which preceded the procla mation of Emancipation, and the brightening effects which followed ; and Mr. Revels went on to pay a high tribute of praise to the bravery and fidelity of the negro soldier. Many other jubilees are recorded throughout the country ; nevertheless the social prejudice is none the less strong, and it was manifested even in the House of Representa tives, when a resolution was offered to grant the Hall of the House to the coloured people of the &strict of Columbia for a meeting to celebrate the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment. Mr. Hooper objected on a point of order, but the Speaker showed that it was not against the rules, as it proposed that the House should participate in the ceremonies. The resolution was adopted by 113 to 55, when another was also passed directing the Speaker to appoint a select committee of five to make arrangements, and Mr. Blaine immediately gave the names, among them Cox and Eldridge, to the great amusement of the House. Mr. Cox took this as a joke, showing, however, that he had not forgotten that hard hit of Butler's—" Shoo, fly ! don't bodder me,"—for he asked that his friend from Massachusetts should be allowed to entertain the meeting with a little minstrelsy. Mr. Eldridge indignantly declined to serve, and the Speaker put the question, but the House declined to excuse him. Nevertheless, the member stated "as this is not a Congressional duty, and is not required by the House, I will not serve on that Committee." The Speaker persisted, saying that it was not in the power of the Chair to excuse any gentleman from service on any committee, but General Schenck interposed with the suggestion that the matter should be post poned till the coloured gentlemen could be consulted whether they objected. We may here state that the superintendent of the Virginia and Tennesse e railroad reports, that, during January and Feb ruary, 5,076 coloured men passed over the road g 4,in d ., South, and the tide of negro migration is set ting in so strongly from the North towards the South that Virginia now complains of the heavy drain on her population, while it monthly becomes more and more evident that free and unfettered the races will divide in country, as Nature dictates the Northern blacks going South, and the Southern whites going North. It is rather dangerous to be an " upright and impartial judge" in Chicago. The residence of Judge M'Allister of that city, who has been very severe upon the thieves and other criminals brought before him, and who has allowed no influences to step between justice and the culprits, is in a state of siege nightly. His enemies make such persistent efforts to get into his house that the whole family have to sleep on their arms, even the Judge's wife resting with a loaded revolver under her pillow. At Fall River, Massachusetts, on December 10th, a man whilst eating his breakfast got a needle in his throat. It lodged crosswise, but was too far down to be seen. After three or four days it worked into the left side and came nearly through the neck, causing a painful ab scess. A little above the abscess the needle was so near the surface that it caused the flesh to protrude like a but the physicians declined to cut to find it, espe cially as they bad some doubt as to the cause. - The ab scess was subsequently lanced. The needle in the mean time worked back into the side of the throat, and then up under the tongue, causing great swelling and pain. Finally, on April 9, it was discovered protruding under the tongue and was extracted. The needle was an inch and a quarter long, and had been four months on its travels. MONETARY REPORTS-SATURDAY. The tone of the Stock-Exchange markets has been firm to-day, but the business doing has been by no means extensive, and the movements, at the same time, have been neither numerous nor important. Consols opened heavily at a reduction of it per cent, but subsequently there was a reaction, and a recovery of 1-16th ensued, the closing prices being 93k, 94 for delivery, 93 15-16th, 94 1-16 for May, and. 94, 94} for the June Account. Reduced and New Three per cents, 92k, 92S ; Exchequer bills, par, ss. prem. ; bank stock, 233, 235 ; Metropolitan Board of Works, 3i per cent. ; stock, 94i ; India Five per Cents, 113 k, to 114 ; and India bonds, 205., 255. prem. The market for English railway stocks has been,free from any important fluctuations, but the tendency generally has been towards lower rates. Caledonian has risen and Great Northern A, as well as Metropolitan, show a similar improvement. On the other hand Great Eastern has fallen * ; London and North Western, ; North Eastern (Berwick), ; ditto (York), k ; and Staines, Wok ingham, and Woking, Indian railway stocks have been quiet, and withottt movement. In Canadian shares no change has taken place, but the demand for them has been to a very moderate extent. Foreign shares have been quiet, but South Austrian and Lombardo-Venetian have risen O. The market for. foreign bonds has been devoid of any feature of importance, but the tendency has been favour able. Egyptian have been firm, and Spanish, 1867, have risen 1 1 . Portuguese have been better, and Turkish Five per Cents have improved to a similar extent. The Egyptian loan is nominally quoted to 2 prem., and the Japanese at 1 dis. American securities have been quiet. The Ten-Forty Bonds have fallen Massachusetts and Erie shares 1. Rather more business has been doing in Bank shares, and full quotations have been realised for all descriptions. The Telegraph market has continued quiet; but prices have been fairly maintained. In Miscellaneous securities the transa3tions have been only to a moderate extent, at about previous quotations. The discount market has been fairly supplied with capital. The demand for accommodation has been to a fair extent, and the rate for negotiating three months' paper has been 2 to 3 per cent. The sum of £9,000 has been sent into the Bank to-day The Bangalore has taken out £19,081 for the East. The Bank of England have given notice that in order to prepare the dividends due on the sth of July, the balances in the several accounts in the following funds will be struck on the night of Wednesday, June Ist, viz :- 3 per Cent Consolidated Annuities, New 5 per Cent Annui ties, New 3 per Cent Annuities (1854), New 2 per Cent Annuities, Annuities for terms of years, and India 5 per Cent Stock. On Thursday, June 2, the above-named funds will be transferable without the dividend due on the sth of July next. East India Stock will be shut on the 10th of June, and opened on the 6th of July. The following has been received from the Taquaril Gold Mining Company .(Limied), dated March 28th Our operations at all points are proceeding with regularity. At the Crossent, northward from engine shaft, the conk mencement of which was advised in my last, 12 fathoms have been driven. Jacotinga, of promising appear ance, is now coming in, and in the course of another week we shall probably intersect the lode. In the Deep Adit the ground is more favourable for quar rying. The troop rancho and stables and accommodations for bullock drivers have been commenced. The erection of pumping machinery and remaining works are progrea ing satisfactorily. Rego.—The Bolino Water was brought home to the establishment on 21st instant. The following has been received from the Don Pedro Mining Company (Limited), dated March 29th, 1870 :-- Produce weighed to date 4,303 oitavas; estimate for the month 5,300 oitavas. Stopes have yielded better general work in the latter than in the first division of the month. Line in No. 6 has not improved, and 'lode in Allis's West presents no change. We are pushing on with the works for ventilation for this section. A commencement has been made to stope reserve under the lode, and encouraging samples have been taken. The deepest point in the mine worked on at present is the ' Canon,' in underlie lode, and from this point, ow i n g to water, but a limited supply can be be broken ; but to shew that in depth our lode maintains its auriferous quality, on the 25th five boxes of vein stuff were taken from it, which yielded 500 oitavas of gold. Horse engin° works well; but water, is increasing in shaft, and it is very trying work for the animals. As y et we have not lessened the water in the stops& Trcloar's level is progressing, and good duty is being done at the middle adit. The ground at the latter is becoming troublesome. Rossa Grande Gold Mining Company (Limited). -- Mr. Ernest Hilcks, under date 28th March, 1870, reports: —During the latter part of the month the features of the lode at the Mine de Terra are not looking so promising sis when last commented on. The size of the lode in the stopes below the 10 fathom level is diminishing fast, and that in the eastern end of this level has nearly died out, but as the extremity of the shoot is considerably further east of this point,we undoubtedly shall,by extending the l evel meet with a good size lode again. In sinking the slit" I am pleased to say, the lode continues of good size an d appearance. The large lode recently discovered at the Cachoesrte Mine has not been tried as I could have wished, owirtif toy deficiency of force. HoweVer, sufficient stone has bei° treated from this lode to prove that it is too poor for working the same at present, when our force can be so l ployed to far greater advantage at other points of more MARKETS-SATURDAY. METROPOLITAN HAY AND STRAW MARKET, sovr DAY.--There was only a moderate supply on sale, The t_,,r a a was dull, with a downward tendency, as follows Meadow hay, 755. to 82s. 6d. ; inferior ditto, 60s. to 705. •, 503. to 655. ; prime clover, 110 s. to 1265. ; inferior ditto,M to 955. ; prime second-cut clover, 100 s. to 110 s. ; inferior nPv"' 80s. to 90s. ; and straw, 20s. to 28s. per load. LONDON TRADE REPORT, SATURDAY.-Tallow is quiet, 445. Bd. spot. LONDON WOOL MARKET, SATURDAY.-At the public sail of colonial wool there has been a good attendance. Biddinobs. for all descriptions have been animated, at advanced quotat i medium and good qualities realising ld. and 2d. per lb. In' money. English wool has been steady in value and inquiry. BOROUGH AND SPITALFIELDS POTATO MAR....- "°,; SATURDAY.-The supplies of potatoes have been short. _ 4 _ trade has been fairly active, as follows :-English shams' 110 s. to 120 s. ; regents, 120 s. to 140 s. ; Scotch regents, 1005. 140 s. ; and rocks, 90s. to 110 s. per ton. LONDON METAL MARKET, SATURDAY.-For iron L I / market has been quiet, at nominally late rates. Tin has bno easier. Straits, £132 to £133 ; banca, £135. Copper has been limited request. LONDON OIL MARKET, SATURDAY.-Linseed oil has b een quiet, at 328. spot. Rape firm. English brown spot, 435. marl.get LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, SATURDAY.-Thehas been quiet. Sales, 8,000 b a l es, of which 1,000 were for port and speculation. Imports, 875 bales LEEDS WOOLLEN TRADE, SATURDAY.-(By TelegraP__. l3l rs The season for thin goods being nearly over, little busin a being done in the cloth halls. Buyers want nothing beYo n oi few fair lists (to convert into plain goods of extra and met h _in qualities) and some odds and ends of co a tings. Transaction' or light mixtures have been fair. None of the London, Scotch , en Irish houses were doing anything. One London house has e tc h heard of during the week as operating largely, while the So t er . firms were only about two, and they not the most eta prising. With regard to the preparation of thick g o 'it - ,;,. for the fall trade, merchants scarcely know what to 5 , 0? Manufacturers will return in a few days from the London!! leg, and then there will doubtlesss be a larger production of dw co d of the beaver and Witney class, as well as of stripes and silk the worsted mixtures for coatings. Trade in the second half ° co hl year is expected to be a decided improvement. Wool is_ f m . here at twopence per pound advance, and this is likely i".. e ot prove the rate of profit which clothiers have lately been con with. • NEWCASTLE CORN MARKET, SATURDAY.-(By Teleg r al i g -A large show of farmers' wheat, and good demand, at ls. t 0 to advance. Northumberland wheat, 435. to 48s, ; Danzig , 4 Fionr 463. Oats is. to 2s. higher. Rye, beans, and peas dearer. ls. per sack higher, the highest price being 325. j og.; CORK BUTTER MARKET, SATURDAY.-OrdinaryFirsts , seconds, 115 s. ; thirds, 100 s. ; fourths, 87s. ; fifths, 645. ; 538 not quoted ; 1100 firkins in the market. Mild-cured firsts, Seconds, 121 s. ; thirds, 108 s. ; 50 firkins in the market. BIRTHS. HARRIS —On the 29th ult., at the Priory, Wimbledon, Frederick W. H e 29 arris, of a son. , SMYTH —On thth ult., Mrs. Nugent Smyth, H O 9" of a daughter. MARRIAGES. Chin h DICKSON - BAKER -On the 28th ult., at St. James ' s c •••'- Wm. John Dickson, Esq., 11.31.'s Oriental Secretary the gation at the Court of Persia, to Frances Josephine, youngest daughter of Catain Baker, RN. , h . r el, YOUNGER—MACLEAT—On p the 28th ult., at Trinity the Edinburgh, David Younger, Esq., to Menie isadoral,sco youngest twin daughter of enneth liacLeaYl P R.S.A. DEATHS. BOYNE —On the 29th ult., at 22, Belg ravo-square , the 115' countess Boyne. - DO' CUTLER—On the 29th ult., at 31, St. Joh i's-wood -par-'k- Edward James Cutler, aged 58. London: Printed and Published by WILLIAM ANDl''' 10, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN OffiCe,_N°' of Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the Coup Middlesex.—Monday, May 2, 1870. sa v (N hie, . ~if