The Sun. — London, England, 1870-03-17 00:00:00

ELECTORAL REFORM. The select committee on Parliamentary, and muni, cipal s elections has decided upon its report. It it agreed on all hands that the Ballot is recommended for both species of elections. The Daily News it addition promises a trenchant scheme of electors reform—the abolition of nomination day, pay ment of expenses by the con.tituency, multiplica tion of polling places, and prohibition from employing public-houses as committee rooms. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. 'rho Rtablished Church in Wales is to have a llttle respite. Nr. Watkin - Williams's motion and resolution in favour of disestabghment, which have been in abeyance so long, will not come under dis cussion until the Tuesday after the Easter recess. The pressure of public business is malting sad havoc already with private bills and motions. The PO Mat Gazette understands that an attempt will be made in the House of Commons, when the Navy Estimates are again brought forward, to carry a motion to the effect that it is not desirable to place a flag officer on the retired list, if ten years have elapsed since he was last afloat. Mr. Childers, on the part of the Govern ment, will resist any such interference with his scheme of retirement. T LEE PEACE PRESERVATION BILL. As might have been expected, a groan of discon tent has arisen from the ranks of the Irish members at the Government measure for the better security of life and property in Ireland. A portion of them, says the,Post, intend to offer strenuous opposition when Mr. Chichester Fortescue moves that the bill be brought in, and to divide the House of Commons against it. It'does not appear, however, that the Irish represen tatives think an attempt to prevent murder and destruction . of property wholly unnecessary. They object chiefly to the proposal to dispense with a jury in the trial of certain offences. The gallant thirteen who voted against the second reading of the Land Bill will be the leading, if not the only opponents of the new measure. The Irish National papers are of course vehement against a bill which threatens their existence. TREATMENT OF FENIAN PRISONERS. The letter in _ the AI arseillai se purporting to come from the Fenian convict, O'Donovan Rossa, has been met by an official statement, in which the charges of ill-treatment are fully replied to. Some of these mischievous falsehoods have been contradicted previously. It is not the first time that the public has been assured that Rossa's diet is good in quality and sufficient in quan tity, and what is more, that ho thrives upon it. He works either in an airy well-lighted room, or out of doors when the weather is favourable. He is of very violent and ungovernable temper, and some times it has been needful to put him in irons—a form of restraint required in the case of few other prisoners. Rossa has been treated with indulgence in respect of the number of letters written by him; but some that contained untruths were withheld. The governor did, as Rossa complains, flatly refuse to allow him to visit another prisoner, simply because such a prac tice:is contrary to the rules. The complaints as to flan nels, being stripped naked, and being compelled to bathe in dirty water are absurd. Rossa tells also a long and dismal story abOut his being nearly strangled by a rope with which he was mad to drag a cart, the fact beinc , that , a slight accident took place, by which neither ° Rossa nor anybody else was hurt. " The plain truth is that extraordinary pains have been taken throughout the whole period of these men's prisonment to guard against anything which might even have the appearance of undue severity." - If they will set themselves up in opposition to the prison authorities they must take the consequences. The late M.P: for Tipperary seems to think that if the Government will not allow ltim to play at revolution in Ireland, the only reason able alternative is to give him a gratuitous residence in a luxurious abode with a few officials to abuse ad lib., and nothing else to do. CRIME IN IRELAND. Baron Deasy, in opening the commission at Castle bar, made some observations on the increased crime in that county. There were on the calendar three cases of homicide, two of 111 ausla tog hte r, three of crhninal assaults„ two attacks on houses, one of forcible entry, three of threatening letters, three of having arms, and three of riot. These, the learned judge oh,erved, he was sorry to soy,.. serious as the I:st wan, .wele not a true indication of the clime committed in the county. 119 referi.o.d to the •murder of Mr. Hunter, and other on tray es, and to the dangerous system which had lately a 'sprung up of assembling large bodies of men by night, who visited the houses of farmers, administered oaths, , and took arms. Ile enumerated other crimes, and - expressed his regret that security of life had been rudely shaken. • This state of things, he said, called for twtion. The document laid before him by the county inspector was the most serious he had seen during the nine years he had been amongst them. ELECTION NEWS. There is a dead lock at Bristol. Mr. Robinson's friends are willing to settle the question between the three Liberal candidates by a test ballot ; but Mr. Odger still refuses to try another experiment of the kind, and Mr. Robinson will have no ballot, unless all three consent. A. triangular duel between the Liberal nominees, Robinson, Hodgson, and Odger, is thuspro mised. The Conservatives, even with this opportunity, do not seem disposed to bring forward, a candidate. Their efforts are to be confined to keeping out the most obnoxious Liberals—an arrangement which bodes little good to Mr. Odgef. Shrewsbury also is blessed with three Liberal competitors for the seat which Mr. J. W. Clement was expected to leave vacant .by accepting the Chiltern Hundreds. But Mr. Clement says he is not likely to do anything of the kind, so that these three gentlemen's labour of love has been lost. • THE NEW JURIES BILL. A correspondent of the Daily .News draws atten tion to one or two points in the New Juries Bill. He says that while the fine of is indicted on special jurors for non-attendance, no amount is named as a fine for common jurors. Reconsiders that if the latter are not fined, they will not attend, and that if they are to be fined it should be specified. With regard to the remuneration of jurors, he thinks the provision inex . plicit. He takes for example a common occurrence. In a cause lasting a week the twelve occupied in trying it would receive seventy-two guineas, which would be paid by the parties to the suit, but as'thirty are to be summoned for each court, there would be eighteen in attendance unemployed, who would be entitled under clause 31 to a hundred and eight guineas. The Daily News correspondent Asks who is to pay them for doing nothing ? THE BRITISH MUSEUM A meeting of the inhabitants of East London has been held, for the purpose of adopting resolutions favourable to the opening of the British Museum on certain evenings during the week. Mr. John Holms, M.P., occupied the chair, and stated that the object of the meeting was to aid the motion of Mr. Allen, which it was in tended to propose in the House of Commons next week, that the British Museum be opened to the public three nights in each week, and that a better use might be made of that national institution. The chairman drew attention to the statement of one of the Museum superintendents, that working.mon formed interesting collections of natural history for th emselves, and within a range of a few miles from the Museum there wore between 200 and 300 private collections. A resolution was carried in support of Mr. Allen's motion. PROFESSOR MAX MULLER'S LECTURES. A correspondent of the Morning Advertiser is frightened. Professor Max Muller is, ho fears, an nip( el, and the interest excited by his lectures on the science of religion shows that there is a tendency abroad to exalt heathenism and to depre ciate Christianity. The fact of so many per sons of high rank being amongst his listeners is deplored.:lf Voltaire and Rousseau, Theodore Parker and Dr. Channing had been there, troy might have been interested, and have concurred in the sentimenti eipressea. Tom ranie nimseir would" nave assented; but it is sad to find such feelings encouraged by the present generation of Englishmen. To agree with Professor Dias Miiller is " to reptat the theories of Gorman Rationalism, and to entirely quit the faith both of the Bible and of the Prayer-book," FRAULEIN LAURA. The _Daily News is comforted at having been the means of withdrawing from Fraiilein Laura's exhi bition the presence of the child whose life, it says, she used to risk along with her own. It is surprised, however, that the answer given in the House of Commons to Dr. Luith!s inquiry of he aub.iwt,.wts THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 17, 1870. tnat tne exhibition had now been rendered " as little dangerous as possible." This would seem to infer that such performances are public necessities. The Daily .News does not see the need of them, and is in favour of intervening in such exhibitions by authoritative prohibition. earnestly striven to suppress the iniquity, but, as yet, in vain; though there are hopes that a plan will be devised effectually to stop it. It will be observed that election frauds in the United States aro only confined to the wirepullers and their myrinidoms, corruption being almost unknow❑ in the constitu ency. No community could more liOnestly vote; but it is almost wholly in the hands of caucases and ward-room politicians, who decide on the party ticket in the midst of all manner of intrigue and undue influences. Once settled, however, the ticket has to be left to the support of the party, and what ever assistance can be given by stump speeches and canvassing There is, however, thischeck against un trustworthy and unpopular men being put forward as candidates for offic.2. Each party prints the names and the offices on its ticket, and the voter scratches those he disapproves, either leaving a blank or sub stituting therefor opposition candidates; or, the other party, if weak in the district, may get in one of their men by selecting a popular person to replace an unpopular man on the enemy's side, leaving the other candidates standing. Considering the number of offices filled by popular election ; consi dering that nearly all the males over 21 years of age of 40,000,000 people vote, the machinery must be admirable that can work so smoothly as that of the great Republic, and it would approximese as nearly to perfection as any of our imperfect hu man institutions, were these caucases but as ho nest as the mass of the voters. Our impres sion is that in reforming the Civil Service the most effectual check would at once be admiuis• tered to the corruption which prevails in the United States, for offices arc the prizes striven for, and if they be removed, men will cease to pursue poli tics as a calling, except as in England, where persons of fortune and of talent work as hard as cart horses to secure posts of, power and consideration. But with all its imperfections the system of the Union is far superior to that of Great Britain, where the candidate and the constituency are often alike involved in a wholesale system of corruption, where mobs are arrayed to intimidate each other, and fight it out as in Ireland in the open field, as the thickness of his backers' skulls, and not the principles of the candidate, was the true criterion. It would be impossible for the framework of society iu any country in Europe to:stand for one year the Ame rican test ; indeed we Lave grave doubts whether the Union can longer withstand a system which throws open to the victors . in a political contest every office in the country at short periods. If two mobs as in Ireland will fight out the election battl, of a mere M.P. with bludgeon and revolver, what Would be the nature of that election battle invslving 50,000 offices, for many of which, individuals in the struggling mobs arc interested to the extent of plenty or starvation ? We venture to assert that the strife would at once grow to the dimensions of civil war and rend society in pieces. AMERICAN CORRESPONDENCE. (From the Anglo-American Times.) NEW YORK, Feb. 26. The trial of 4 jerry Reynolds for the Townsend murder has been progressing during the week, be fore a crowded court, for the case excites much in terest. Throughout the trial the prisoner maintained the most stolid indifference. To all questions his invariable answer was, " I do not know ; I know nothing about it." After a patient hearing of his case, and a curiously long delay in coming to a de cision, the Jury brought in a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree ; and on Wednesday Le was sentenced to be executed on the Bth April. Those narrowly watching him assert the effect of the verdict could be noticed m his eyes, but to the care less observer lit maintained the s .me stolid indif - ference. His counsel set up the plea of insanity, and now threatens a writ de lunatico inquirendo. IVashiugton's Birthday anniversary was very gene rally observed iu our city. The intense cold of the weather, however, Is.‘Lpt many at home, but there was a parade of the military. The Fedian , meat has made arrangements for a ssssion to com mence March 6, when steps will be taken for the periodical invasioe of Canada. The Free-'Trade meeting brought many of our prominent citizens together, and strong resolutions were adopted con demning the tariff as it now stands, and favouring the removal of the restrictions it imposes on trade. Mr. J. S. Schultz presided, and W. C. Bryant and other well-known writers and orators, addressed the assembly. The legislative investigating committee at Albany are acting vigorously. An editor of the Evening Post has been summoned to answer for having charged the committee with corrupt mo tives ; subpoenas have also been served on that presidents of the leading life assurance compa nies. As the impression was general that that investigation had dropped, this energetic revival has caused much surprise. Fisk, 'Gould, and Co. accuse the English Erie stockholders of hav ing leagued themselves with the Ramsay-Eaton- Vanderbilt party for the purpose of putting the line under the control of the New York Central Rail road, and all manner of rumours about the intentions of the clique are afloat, showing, however, that they are really alarmed. The U.S. steamer Man t ic is about to leave for San Domingo to take soundings on behalf of the International Ocean Telegraph from Bata banca to St. Jago de Cuba, thence to Jaemel, Hayti; St. John, Porto Rico ; St. Thomas, St. Kitts, An tigua, Dominica, Barbadoes, Tobago, and Trinidad to Demerara. The belief here is that the majority in San Domingo will vote for annexation to the United States in the approAching appeal on the subject to the people. President Bacz exercises great power in the country, as he has three attached brothers holding the most responsible posts of the Republic, and all four strenuously urge annexation. Al ready some enterprising Yankees have thrown fresh life into hitherto stagnant towns, and the people justly consider that the island will benefit through the connection. So, too, seem to thiuk the inhabi tants of Venezuela; and as Baez seems to he the most successful in such negotiations they have ap pealed to him to communicate on behalf of their Government for the annexation of Venezuela to the United States. The continued detention of the City ofßoston is causing much uneasiness,which the agent of the Inman Company cannot allay, though he be lieves in the safety of the vessel. There has been another sensation in the - Gold Room, but of a very different character from that of the ever-to-be remeMbered Friday. Gold has been coming down by the run, and the commercial community do not know what is going to happen. The only thing is to wait and see, for the position appears to be a mystery no one is able to fathom. Five-twenties have been selling at 'll5, while gold is stt - 116f, being a further decline of .nearly three per cent. during the week down to the lowest point touched since September, 1862. On Wednesday the Sixes of 1881 and gold sold at the same price for the first time,and the former has gradually advanced, bring ing one class at least of our securities above par iu gold. This,too,is in spite of the passage of 'the reso lution in the House ordering a Bill to be reported to increase the paper currency by $50,000,000. But the Senate will not sanction such a step, and has met the resolution by another heartily condemning the proposed increase. 'There was.a grand mar riage at Newark, New Jersey, on Wednesday.. The bride is the eldest daughter of Mr. Bradley, whose name has been so prominent of late as the lawyer selected by the President for the vacant seat of the Supreme Bench of the United States. Mr. 11. V. Butler, jun., of_Patterson, is the bridegroom, and the wedding was Oa us izil) the grandest of the season. Mary, the daughter of !laity A.. Mott, Esq., was married last week to, Joseph Low, of the firm of Low, Harriegton, and C'. It is rumoured that a young lady, who has for some time been with her family travelling in Europe, and is well known in Paris, Miss Bessie Clarke, is engaged to Mr. Leon Neff, a Southern gentleman, who also has for many yeerseesided in Europe. The Rome Journal also announces the approaching mar riage of Miss Carrie, daughter of D. 11. Turner, Esq., to Mr. Edmund W. Bulkley. The personal event of the week has, hoWever, been Mr. Seward's arrival, and he is now at the Astor Houee. Yester day at five o'clock he was met by a party of his friends, but at his own request without any demon stration after his fatiguing journey. Ile was waited on by a Committee of. the City Council, who ten dered a reception and the hospitalities of the city, which he accepted in a few cordial words. To-day he receives his friends informally. WASHINGTON, Feb._ 25. Last Monday we had a new sensation in the H alse.in General Legan's privileged report on the sale of cadetships. It related to Mr. B. 'l'. 'Whitte more, representative from the First District, South Carolina, a resolution being proposed for his expul sion. The testimony against him was read, which was convincing, as also his defence, which was we, k, but Mr. Whittetnore coolly sat out the affair while the House debated the course it was to take, even tually deciding that he was to appear at its bar on Wednesday. On that day the lobbies and gallery were thronged ; general sympathy \yes on his side, as the money he received for the appointment to the Naval Academy, $500; had been spent in relieving the poor, and another to West Point for alike sum had been sent South for the political campaign. He had not then acted from a sordid motive, and the practice for which he was thus suddenly pulled up had been common long before his time. General Logan in sisted on a severe and summary punishment, and the House, though sympathising with the delinquent, felt the force of Logan's remarks. The confusion while he spoke was great; Mr. Poland clamorously urging delay. Although the Speaker had carefully worked up the precedents, and was prepared to meet the points likely to arise, still he could scarcely make his rulings heard. In the midst of the con fusion Gen. Butler arose, fully armed with papers and books of all sorts. He repeated what he had before asserted, that it was improper to make Mr. Whittembre act for himself, that he who was his own counsel has an ass for his client; and then stat ing that he appeared there as attorney for Whitte more. It was then that the accused member pre sented himself in the hall, and passed to his seat in the buzz which arose on his entrance. Mr. Logan objected to a member of the House appearing as an attorney, which seemed. greatly to irritate Mr. Butler, who, in a harsh voice and with raised hands, declared he would produce the affidavit of the accused, in spite of all opposition, daring any to abridge the right of the accused to be heard. The affidavit took fifteen minutes to read, and was not calculated to strengthen Mr. Whittemore's defence. Confusion again arose on its conclusion, Butler in sisting ou his _right to appear as Whittemore's at torney; but, on an appeal, the Speaker decided that he regarded Mr. Butler only as a member, let others look on him as they would. The noise was eventually silenced by Mr. Whittemore claiming his right to be heard for an hour, and then yielding his whole time to Butler. The defence was clever, but the case having been badly gotten up by Mr. Whittemore, it was ineffective. Butler's habit, too, of pitching into newspaper men is more cal culated to amuse the public than to benefit his clients. He spoke of Mr. E. P. Brooks as one whose business was buying and selling Congress men like sheep. This Brooks was a " newspaper" man. " What do you mean by a ' newspaper man ? asked a member :—" It means a man who hangs about this city and writes lies home to his news paper," was the ready answer. " Almost every man involved in that illicit and abominable traffic is a newspaper' man, and we aro to be frightened out of our propriety by the telegrams_ which they tend home stating that we will expel Mr. Whittemore in order to defend our own dignity. These ' selling and buying rascals! '" &c. Gen. Logan spoke bril liantly iu reply ; indeed,it is universally pronounced to be the best speech he ever made, and it was deci sive of the matter. After consulting with his friends, Mr. Whittemore forwarded his resignation to the Governor of South Carolina that evening. Yesterday the case again came up, the gallet ies being again well filled. Mr. Logan yielded the floor to Mr. Whittemore, who sent his resignation to the Speaker. This was a premature act, as he com menced immediately to read a defence from manu script, when he was stopped by the Speaker's ob servation that he was no longer a member of the Rouge. Two members got up _a contest for his place before he had vacated it, as it was a conve nient seat, and the little page boys kept pestering him for his photograph. Tie Military Committee are over whelined with letters from all parts of the country, which would convict numbers of ex-Con gressmen, but two cases are to be proceeded with un- I ss the accused Representatives resign. The galleries of the Senate Chamber were well filled yesterday, as the case of Mr. Revels'svas to be proceeded with. Your rea lers are aware that Mr. Revels is a negro, and that he directly succ::e Is to the place vac tied by Jefferson Davis. Senat'R CatnerJa, of Penn sylvania, told the story of an interview between himself and the rebel President, which occurred before the war while he still retained that very seat in 'the S.:nate, when Mr. Cameron predicted that slavery would cease from the moment the first 4ua was fired, and that iu such an event that the seat of Jeff. Davis would one d.y be ocsupied by a negro. To-day the debate was continued, and a vote of 48 to 8 having ordered that Mr:Revels be sworn in, s upported by Mr. Wilson, he moved to the Vice-President's desk ; and after being sworn in, he was shown to his seat behind Governor Brownlow, when he received the congratulations of many members. Mr. Bowen, of the Independent, is here urging a one-cent letter rate. He declares that there are capitalists in New York ready to carry the mails on greatly reduced terms. The Committee on Appropriations have agreed to dis burse $15,000 for Mr. Paine's plan for giving tele graphic notice of great storms. Governor James Ashley, of Montana, is not unpopular, at least in that Territory, as twelve leading Republicans have arrived here as a delegation to secure his retention. Justice Swayne, of the Supreme Court, on Mon day, gave a decision to the effect that a divorce valid in Indiana is not only valid throughout the country, but that so far from being bound by the domicile of her husband, a married woman may acquire a residence independent of her husband, whenever such residence is necessary to the protec tion of her rights by litigation. This decision does not, however, dispose of the interesting point to the country. What people desire to know is whether a divorce holds when the person applying has pro ceeded to Indiana expressly to obtain it, and the other side has no more notice of the proceeding than an advertisement in a local paper. In the case just settled the divorce was disputed on the ground of jurisdiction, the husband being a resident of the State ; but as he appeared in the suit, the Court held that he had defended it. One of those " news paper" men whom Butler abuses has had his revenge on the House. He devoted his letter to the subject of the illegal sale of liquor at the restaurant of the Capitol.. By a rule adopted long ago, all kinds of alcoholic liquors were prohibited within the Capi tol; but the rule was disregarded by general con sent, till the reporter dug out the "dry bones," and a dry time is mow anticipated by the members, as the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House have ordered the Sergeants-at-Arms to see that the rule is strictly enforced. The social event of the week has been the arrival at Annapolis of the ironclad war steamer Monarch. Captain Commerell and Captain Curtis came up to Washington on Monday, and became Secretary Robeson's guests. The party, accompanied by Capt. Ward, of the British Legation were presented to the President and the Cabinet Ministers, and Capt. Commerell tendered all a warm invitation to visit his ship. Great numbers availed themselves of. the opportunity of having a look at a British ironclad, and 150 ladies and gentlemen left this morning for Annapolis by special train. The Monarch lies about seven miles from the town ; hundreds, undeterred by the distance, have been on board, and all speak in terms of the highest praise not only of the ship, but of . the hozpitality in receiving them and the courtesy shown. The President, who, it is said, would like to have been among the visitors, has been prevented by a press of public business. A great ball was given at the Naval Academy, and there have been many reviews and receptions. It is proposed to divide Texas into one State and two Territories, and I suppose some day a partition will be made of that vast State. An able spee3h was delivered in the Senate on the '22d of Feb. by Mr. Conkling, from the Cummittee on the revisio❑ of the laws recommending the indefinite post ponement of the consideration of the New York Legisla ture resolution rescinding the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment. Ho occupied vecisely the ground taken in our article last week, showing that a State was inti•ompe tent to rescind a resolution on a Constitutional amend ment, that the sole action permitted by tho Constitution was to use its discretion whether it should ratify or not, but ratification when made was finel. On the 21st of February .the Supreme Court of the tJ.ited States decided that divorces obtained in Indiana, J valid there, are valid throughout the country; also, that Congress has no constitutional power to estab lish police regulations within the States; and therefore, the Act of March, 1&67, to prevent the sale of coal oil for illumination which is inflammable at a less temperature than 110 degrees, is unconstitutional. • THE SPANISH DUEL. The Paris papers give some additional details of the fatal duel in Spain. The special correspondent of the Constitutionnel says that Don Henry was present at the meeting of a Republican Club the night before the encounter. The police, who had received intimation of the. coming duel, endeavoured to prevent it, but General Cordova, the commander of the infantry, forbade them. Besides the second 3, each com batant brought a friend cn the ground, Senor Ulloa, the former Minister of Marine, accompanying the Duke of Mont pensier. When the Duke saw the fatal result of the duel, for a moment he gave way to despair. " What a fatality," he exclaimed, "to have been forced to commit a crime !" The soldiers, who were speedily summoned, removed the body of the unfortunate prince to a neighbouring church, where it was accompanied by the seconds, who afterwards took. flight. The Duke of Montpensier according to some accounts, has taken refuge.in Portugal. It appears that the Spanish laws regard a duel as an ordi nary homicide. The Duke of Montpensier has, therefore, laid himself open to criminal proceed. ings, and may be sentenced to four years of exile. The Moniteur gives a version of the affair, which states that Don Henry lived four or five minutes after he was wounded, and even pronounced these words. " I die to secure the independence of my country, and to avenge the honour of my family. I bequeath my children to my brother." The Duke of Montpensier, says the Moniteur, was so much overcome by the affair that he was forbidden by his physician to join his family, as he wished, and the Duchess is expected to come immediately to Madrid. "FINEST NEW TEA SIFTINGS.'3 At a meeting of the City Commissioners of Sewers at Guildhall, Mr. Hewett called attention to a sale that has just been held by a firm in the City, of fifty chests of tea, described as " Finest new season's scented or Pekoe siftings, per Paliwan," which was the vilest stuff he had ever seen. He believed that it contained cast-steel filings. Dr. Lethc by replied that he had received notice of the sale, and had caused some s flaples to be taken in case of any future proceedings that might appear necessary against the, parties by whom the sale was being conductel. It seems that th 3 uncertain state of the law has hitherto protected tilt S 3 gentlemen from any penalty for palming off on the public their disgusting - "finest- new scented sift ings.". Now, however, • it has been decided that tea is "food," and . also a " vegetable," and it will therefore come within the terms of the statute. Dr. -Letheby's last fortnightly report is a lively one in other respects. Eighty-one houses had been found to require sanitary improvement; nineteen bakehouses required cleansing ; and lastly, 5,4051b5. of meat had been seized during the fort night in the markets and slaughter-houses, and con demned as unfit for human food. ANNEXATION. • The Alaska experience has evidently given the United States Senate - enough of annexation for the present. The Foreign Relations Committee have de cided to recommend that the treaty for buying San Domingo be rejected. The West Indian republic is much better worth purchase than the miserable .wilderness which was formerly Russian America ; but the Committee will have noise of it. The bargain, they object, is costly. If San Domingo be annexed, Hayti, which forms part of the same island, must follow. San Domingo is inhabited by a branch of the Latin race (a fine specimen it is !) and the Senate objects to Latin races. Lastly, smuggling will increase. On these ground's the Foreign Committee recommend the rejection of the treaty, and it is believed that it will not secure the necessary two-thirds vote in the Senate, though President Grant has exerted himself to the utmost in its favour. THE BALLOT IN AMEUICA. (From the Anglo-American Tones) An American in Fraser's Magazine for this month forcibly and truly describes how the ballot is made to work in America. Those who read that article by Mr. MORSE will have an opportunity of correct ing an error generally held in England, if they be lieve with the masses, that voting is secret in the United States because the people there use the bal lot. What it does is to enable the individual, if he wishes it, to keep his vote a secret; but it is against the idioscyncrasy of the people to vote in secret. So little is secret voting practised in the States that a mah becomes marked, —an odd, a mysterious, a sus picious character,—who habitually conceals his vote ; and so well do those who have made a profession of the subject know how each member of the com munity will vote, that the result of an election can be predicted almost to a nicety. The ballot is, then, but of little use so far as concealment goes ; but it is of use in the sort of concealment to which it enables a voter to resort. Supposing that an effort be made to bribe a few voters in what is likely to be a close contest, the briber has no guarantee that the bribed will vote as he has been paid to do; and in cases where a man commences by doing what is dishonourable, be can establish but little confidence that he will not end in the same way as he began. In consequence, politicians know that the attempt is useless, and that most ingenious and enterprising individual, the office-seeker, has con fessed that he cannot find means to make that sort of bribery pay. Considering what politicians have achieved in " repeating " and " colonizing," it is evident tlat no blame attaches to them for the failure; the truth being that the ballot is essen tially a good system and weliadapted for the Re public. For the same reason that if it does not pay to bribe, it would not pay to intimidate ; by em ployers, for instance, threatening to discharge the employed unless they voted as directed, for the threatened could always deceive the intimidator if they cared to do so; but in America neither the landowner nor the employer of labour is in a posi tion thus to act, fo - r, instead of being made victims, the employed are more likely to make victims of the employers. Although very uncommon, still in timidation has been used, but it has been almost entirely confined to bullies and rowdies intercepting voters on their way to the ballot-boxes. The two evils are " repeating" and " colonizing," but they are impossible except in the large cities, where frau dulent naturalization papers can be issued and igno rant foreigners be used as the tools of unscrupulous politicians. It is only, too, in connivance with officials that-colonizing could be practised on a scale suffi ciently large to make it tell. It consists simply of despatching a body of voters from a city where they can be spared to another where the contest will be close, and there enrolling them on the voting lists as residents. " Gerrymandering" is an elec tioneering dodge of the wirepullers, by which a State may be so divided into election districts as to bring out the f ull strength of the party then in power. Thus, for instance, supposing London to be the district " gerrymandered," say 'Westminster has an overwhelming 'Tory strength, and Lambeth a small Radical majority, as well as Marylebone. If the Conservative party be in power, by throwing in a portion of Westminster into each, they make all three Tory, and utilize what would otherwise be a Conservative waste in Westminster. If English politicians could do this, and they would if they could, they would have to borrow the American word to describe it, and call it " gerrymandering" London. The mode in which it is generally prac tised in America, differs, however, from this. Sup pose Kent had to be " gerrymandered ;" a careful survey of the field being taken, it is found that Fo'kestone, Dover, Ramsgate, and Margate up to Canterbury, are almost svholly Conservative; there upon they are formed into one election district, and the Liberal interest, which is presumed to be gerry mandering Kent, thereby throws out of the calcu lation much surplus Conservatism. If Maidstone be strongly Radical, and the country between Maid stone and Canterbury be, on the whole, Conserva tive, while that on the other side towards .Tunbridge can be relied on for a Liberal majority, the coun try would be so " gerrymandered" that Maidstone would be thrown into the eastern district, thereby securing in it a majority far theparty in power, while the western could be trusted for its own majority. By such means the Liberal strength of Kent would be utilized, while the Conservative strength would be wasted, and a county which might really pos sess a Conservative majority would return• by far the larger number of Liberal representatives. But this " gerrymandering" has nothing to do with the ballot, being only alluded to by us to show that the politicians of America exert their brains most effectually in the interests of t'3eir parties, and that no scruples would prevent their availing them selves of any advantages, even bribing voters, if that were possible. " Repeating" is the worst I,_rnt of electoral fraud, as practised in such great cities as New York and Philadelphia, where alone it is possible ; nor could it be there practised without the connivance of men in authority, for it is an auda cious imposition, and an outrage on the p_ople and their institutions. Every district has convenient polling-places, where the voters are received in the alphabetical order of their names. If a man be re gistered at four, six, or a dozen districts and suc ceeds in casting his vote in each or most, he is a repeater, and to the success which has accompanied this operation is ascribed much of the misgovern ment which prevails in New York. The press has RA6INGt NOTEB. The first day at Cottenham was a great triumph for the backers and the prophets. The latter are naturally in high glee, for there being one prominent favourite in all the races, and this favourite having won in nearly every instance, the triumph of prophecy is, of course, great. Warlike was supported at 6 to 5 on for the Handicap Hurdle, and won ; Schiedam carried off the Grand National Hunt, for which he was first favourite ; Kinfisher gained the Selling Steepl ec h ase , f or w hi c h he was' backed at evens ; Q.C. bore away the Cottenham Handicap, his price being 5 to 4 on at the start ; Arlescott gained in a canter the Hunters' Steeplechase, for which he was second favourite. There was, however, a notable exception to the rule in the defeat of Primrose for the Hunters' Race, for which she started a t 'll to 8 on. • The race was a good one, but the favourite had no chance whatever against Merry Monk, who won by half a length, Patchwork beating Primrose by a head for second place. The great event of the day, the Grand National Hunt, gave rise to much speculation, but the race turned out to be of but an ordinary kind. It was run at a wretchedly' slow pace for three parts of the journey, Tinderbox, The Hart, and Ledburn alternately hiving the command till within a mile of home, where Baron Roths child's horse was beaten. Schiedam, who had always been lying in the front division, then challenged The Hart, and having him beaten immediately, he carried the rose jacket to victory by an easy five lengths. Tinderbox, heading Mr. Powell's horse at the distance, obtained the second place by half a length, Tom being placed fourth. This is 'he third time that Mr. Chaplin has won the race. Schiedam has not done much in the way of racing since he ran with out winning- g several times as a two-year-old ; but his great haunting reputation fi xed his position in this encounter. Mr. J. M. Richardson, who rode Schiedam, displayed great skill and patience. There was an immense crowd on the ground, the presence of the Prince and the Princess of Wales proving a great attraction. Respecting two minor meetings of the week, the Sport ing Life publishes from " Augur"the following forecast " Kingsbury promises to be well supported on the last three days of the week, and under the manage ment of Mr. W. P. Warner the course is cer: tarn to be in excellent order. Four, events are complete for Thursday, of which the Handicap Hurdle Race (one mile and three-quarters) is likely to fall to Dr. Wilson or Saturnalia, whilst the Visitors' Plate should be won by The Hackler or Lady Middleton. The Maiden Hurdle Race Stakes is bound to be won by Warlike, if he is sent to the post, and for the Welter Cup I prefer Travellor or Athens. Two events have closed for Friday, the Midland Railway Hurdle Plate being likely to fall to Hungerford or Hammerton, whilst the Kingsbury Handicap I must award to Juanita or Billy Ped der. Eight events are complete for the first day at Crewkerne, the winners of which it is not easy to predict, owing to the same horses being engaged at several places. For; the Dorsetshire Hurdle Race I prefer Robert Launarie and Brown Jug, and in the Dorsetshire Handicap Steeple Chase Albatross and Tempest look best. The Ilminster Handicap Steeple Chase will - probably be won by ,Eheu or Panther ; the Martock Stakes by Satellite, in the absence of Snow storm ; and the Haselbury Handicap Hurdle is likely to fall to Sapling or King Richard. On Friday, the Somer set Open Handicap Steeple Chase lies between Tally-ho and,Albatross : whilst the Yeovil Handicap I Shall award to Toby or Matlock. The Somersetshire Hurdle Race will depend on the previous running, but at present I prefer the chance of Sapling." The &peculation on the City and Suburban Handicap proceeds with undi m iilished vigour. Sabinus took decidedly the first place on Tuesday, the best offer against him being 9to 1. Miss Davrell and Ashfield were each, however, highly fancied, and it was exceedingly difficult at times to decide which of the three really had the advantage. Very little is'known of Ashfield, and the reports of his doings are very contradictory, but an immense amount of money has been invested on his chance. The three-year olds continue to enjoy almost a monopoly . of favour. It seems necessary' to caution the public against Ladas, who has been backed at a very short price. Mr. James Dover declares that he has no instructions from Lord Rosebery, whoisabroad, and unless he has special orders, Ladas will not run. The Two Thousand betting presents no feature of change. Bell's Life says :—" Kingcraft continues to be in great force for the Two Thousand, and the Newmarket folks are becoming so fond of him that ill-natured critics will soon begin to predict his overthrow. However, our own notion has always been that over the Rowley Mile a really good horse will be needed to effect the defeat of Lord Falmouth's crack, and now that Sunshine's fol lowers are in such doleful dumps, it is hard to see whence his conqueror is to spring. Astolfo is in renewed favour, consequent on the canard respecting his coughing his heart out having taken wing and departed, and it is a doubtful point as yet which of the Russley lot will carry the yellow jacket on theTwoThousa.nd day." With respect to Sunshine the following important paragraph is given in the Sporting Life:—" We have good reason for knowing that there is not the slightest foundation for the rumour that this mare had met with an accident, or become unsound. Het numerous admirers and backers may rest assured she is Perfectly sound in wind and limb." TirE IRISH oHunat BILL.—The Church Herald lays that the Archbishops of Armagh and Dublin have come to a resolution ' in consequence of the legislation of last year with respect to the Irish Church, to abandon the hitherto customary method of signing their names, viz., their Christian names and initials, followed by the names of their sees; henceforth they will sign themselves "Marcus G. Beresford," and " Richard C. Trench," respectively.- REVERSING AN APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF CON.. STABLE. —At the recent Court of Quarter Sessions for 'Wiltshire, when Captain Bellers was appointed chief con stable for the county, an objection was raisedby the friends of the other candidates on the ground that Captain Bellers was beyond the stipulated age, which is 45. A communi cation has been received fromthe Home Office announcing that under the circumstances Mr. Bruce declines to sanc tion the appointment. It is understood that Colonel Ross, who stood second, will receive the appointment. "FM NOT MYSELF AT ALL."—A. Bavarian soldier who had entered the Pontifical army, got tired of the service about three years ago, and deserted. A short time since he began to think he would like to get back to his old post, and, feeling certain that he would be forgotten, returned to Rome. He presented him self to the proper authorities, and was accepted. Unfortunately, however, he was recognised by some of his old comrades, and was at once apprehended as a deserter. The poor man was overwhelmed with asto nishment. The defence he made for himself was, perhaps, the oddest ever attempted in similar circumstances. "You are mistaken," he exclaimed; "it was not I. I ant my brother /" They do not hesitate to believe some very curious things in Rome, but this was too much even for Pontifical officials.—Globe. THE PIRACY OF MR. TENNYSON'S WORKS.—In the Bill Charnber.of the Court of Session, at Edinburgh, Lord Gifford has given judgment on the note of sus pension and interdict at the instance of Mr. Alfred Tennyson, D. C. L. Poet - Laureate, residing at Farringdon, Isle of Wight , and his publishers, Strahan and Co., of London and Edinburgh, against Messrs. Logan and Simpson, and four other publishers in Glasgow. The complainers craved that the respondents should be pro hibited from continuing the sale of reprint or editions ,of Mr. Tennyson's _poetical works, which were printed and published in the United States of America, and imported into Great Britain, being an infringement of the copy right of Mr. Tennyson's works acquired by Strahan and Co., for five years, from January, 1869. The respondents having neither lodged answers, nor put in an -appearance in, the case, Lord Gifford has passed the note, and renewed the interdict granted ten days since. On application to the outer division of the court, the interdict ag a i ns t th e sa l e will now be rendered perpetual. THE MANX LIBEL CASE.—The action for libel brought against the Bishop of Soclor and Man by Mr. Laughton, a member of the Manx bar, has terminated after a protracted trial, the jury finding for the plaintiff, and awarding him £4OO damages. The action, it may be remembered, had its beginning in the vagaries of several young men of strong ritualistic proclivities, who had been trained in a sort of monastery established by the Rev. Mr. Mossman, rector of Torring ton Lincolnshire, and ordained by the Bishop of Soder and Man to curacies in the island. The proceedings of Mr. Mossman's " monks," as they were contemptuously termed, greatly aggrieved the Manx people ; and when a bill to extend the patronage of the bishop was recently submitted to the house of Keys it was vigorously opposed, Mr. Laughton being engaged to support a petition against the bill. In his speech to the house Mr. Laughton sharply criticised the conduct of the bishop, and declared that the Manx people had no confidence in him. In a subsequent charge to the clergy of his diocese, the bishop . retaliated so strongly upon Mr. Laughton that the latter instituted3b.o action for libel which has just been brought to a close, MONETARY REPORTS -YESTERDAIT le brook Exchange markets to-day have been without feature of importance. There his been less depression ill the market for telegraph shares, and, although business has been by no means extensive, the ten dency generally has been favourable. Consob have been firm and unaltered, at 92i, 921, for money, anG 92k, 93 for April. Reduced and New Three per Cent! 911, 91aex-div. Bank stock, 240, 242 ; India Five per Cents 112, 1121, and India Bonds 20s. to 255. prem. Exchequer Bills par to 4s. prem. Transactions in English railway stocks have been re stricted, and the late advance has not, in all cases, been supported. Caledonian and Metropolitan have been firm at a further improvement of , but Great Western and Midland have fallen 1, and Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire, at the same time, have been 4 easier. Indian Railway Stocks have been dealt into a moderate extent, at about yesterday's closing quotations. Canadian shares have been quiet. and prices have been unchanged. As regards foreign shares, Lemberg-Czernowitz have been firm at 170, but Lombardo have been flat at 19.2. The money market, to-day, has been rather quieter. Both at the Bank and in other quarters, the demand has been less active, and t:te rates have been rather easier. Thirty and sixty days' bills have been taken at 2i to 3 per cent., and three months' at 3 per cent. No bullion operations have been reported at the Bank to-day. On the whole the market for foreign bonds bas been steady, owing to realisations. Egyptian, 1868, and Turkish 5 per Cents have been flat, and whilst the latter stock has receded I, the former chews a decline of per cent. Venezuela have risen 1, Argentine (1868) and New Grenada and Brazilian (1865) and Spanish (1869) per cent. American securities have been flat. The Five-Twenties . (1837) bonds have fallen 1, and Illinois Central shares 2, but Erie shares have risen A. There has been very little inquiry for either English, Colonial, or Foreign Mining Shares, and prices have been unaltered. Bank Shares have been quiet, and Imperial Ottoman have been lower. At Mark-lane wheat has been quiet, at Monday's quotations. The biddings for the £387,000 in bills on India have taken place at the Bank to-day. The amounts allotted have been—to Calcutta, £382,900 ; and to Madras, £4,600. The minimum price was fixed at ls. lid., and the tenders at is. 11 d. will receive 56 per cent. The traffic receipts of the London and North-Western Railway show an increase of £6,500. At a meeting of the London Assurance Corporation, & dividend of £2 5s per share was declared. The Samke and Meuse Railway Company have an nounced a dividend of 4s. per share. The report of the Mutual Pontine (Westminster Cham bers) Association (Limited), to be presented on the 30th instant, recommends a dividend foP the six months ended December 31 at the rate of 3i per cent per annum, leaving, after an appropriation of £2Ol to suspense account, 8, balance of £139 to be carried forward. The suspension is announced of Messrs. Peter Eckersley and Son, stock and share brokers, of Manchester. Their liabilities on the Stock Exchange are stated to be about £3,000. Mr. Eckersley, Sen., retired from the firm about a year ago, The failure is announced of Messrs. R. and S. Brear, cnnmission agents, worsted spinners. and manufacturers, of Bradford, with liabilities estimated at about £13,000. The traffic returns of the Midland Railway for the weekending 13th March,, present a total of £66,172, being an increase of £5,130, when compared with the corres ponding- week of 1869. The depression in the market for Telegraph shares has been less marked. British Indian Submarine, and Falmouth, Gibraltar; and Malta have recovered 4. Hooper's shares have been quiet, at discount to par. Silver's India-rubber and Telegraph Construction shares have beeen without further alteration. Miscellaneous securities have commanded but little attention, at about late quotations. The report of the directors of the Glasgow and South- Western Railway Company, to be presented at Glasgow' on the 23rd of March, shews that the amount expended on capital account during the half-year was £213,21 6 . making a grand total of 4,139,307. The amount of capital expended during the last half-year was £137,175 less than the amount estimated, and including that balance the estimated expenditure during the next half-year is £161,350. The debentures falling due at Martinmas were renewed on satisfactory terms, and the present average rate of interest on the floating debenture debt of the company is Si Os. 3gd. per cent. The total traffic receipts for the past half-year are £22,833 in excess of those for the corresponding period ; but this company's proportion of the Barrhead Joint Line traffic (which appears in the accounts for the first time) amounts to £4,811, thus reducing the increase to £18,027, as follows, viz, :—lncrease in coaching traffic, £1.438 ; Merchandise, 5,941 ; and minerals, £11,035; the live stock traffic having de creased to the extent of £387. The dividend on the fixed preference stocks and shares of the company amounts to £31,365 55., leaving a balance of £118,969175. Bd. ; and the directors recommend the shareholders to declare a divi dend at the rate of - 53 ; per cent. per annum on the ordinary and participating preference stocks of the company, car rying forward 24,185 3s. 2d. to the Credit of next half year's account. MARKETS -YESTERDAY. LONDON CORN EXCHANGE, WEDNESDAY.—Fresh up to • Mark-lane to-day, the receipts of English wheat have been only moderate. With milder weather, the demand for all descrip tions has been less active, nevertheless, the late advance has been maintained. The show of foreign wheat has been good. The trade has been quiet, at about late rates. In barley very little business has been trans acted, but the quotations have , been steady. Malt has been quiet, on former terms. Less activity has been noticed in th* inquiry for oats, but no change has taken place in prices. Beans and peas have been quiet and unaltered. Flour has been steady in value, with a moderate inquiry. Arrivals—British ; wheat, 130 ; beans, 210 ; peas, 40. Foreign : wheat, 2,64 ; barley, 11,020; oats, 12,070 , maize, 7,530 qrs. ; flour, 400 sacks and 2,520 barrels. LONDON TRADE REPORT, WEDNESDAY.—The demand for tallow has ruled active, and the currency generally is stronger. Y. C., on the spot, is quoted at 465. 6d. to 475. mouth ; 455. 6d. June ; and 465. 6d. last three months. The Spanish indigo sale 3 are progressing with spirit. Linseed oil has tended upwards in. value : London, spot, 325. 9(1. ; Hull, 325. 3d. LONDON PRODUCE MARKETS, WEDNESDAY.—Therei has been au active demand for sugars, both raw and refined goods have tended upwards in value. Coffee has been less firm, and both native and plantation sorts have been obtainable on easier terms. Full average quantities of tea have been on sale, for which the enquiry has ruled dull at barely late rates. Rice 1134 been in better request, but prices are without improvement. METROPOLITAN MEAT MARKET, WEDNESDAY. —The market has been moderately supplied with meat, for which this trade has been quiet, at our quotations. Beef, from 2s. 10d. W 4s. Sd. ; mutton, 3s. 4d. to ss. Bd. ; lamb, 7s. 4d. to 83. ; veal , 4s. Sd. to ss. ; and pork, 4s. 6d. to ss. 10d. per 81bs. by thq carcase. . BOROUGH HOP MARKET, WEDNESDAY.-'-The business doing has been very moderate. The supplies have been limited, au c t choice qualities have been scarce. Although no actual reduction, has taken place in prices, holders have shewn some disposition. to meet buyers' views. Mid and East Kents, £7 to £l2 129. Wealds, £6 to £8 ; Sussex, £5 12s. to £6 12s. ; Bavarians, £6 6 9 ; to £9 ; French, £ss. to £6 10s. ; Americans, £4 ss, to £6 ; yearlings, £1 10s. to a 15s. per cwt. LIVERPOOL COPPER MARKET, WEDNESDAY. Market steady. Bars 661 to 661. Ores 131 to 131. LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, WEDNESDAY.—Market firmer. Sales 12,000 bales, of which 2,000 on speculation, Import Of the day, 14,250 bales. GLASGOW IRON MARKET, WEDNESDAY.—Scotch pig iroti is quoted at 535. 9d. cash, and 545. one month, buyers. . _ _ CORK BUTTER MARKET, WEDNESDAT.—Ordinary firsts 1355. ; seconds, 130 s. ; thirds, 104 s. ; fourths, 82s. ; fifths aria sixths not quoted-140 firkins. Mild cured no chailge, 6 firkins. PARIS, MARCH 16.—Flour current month, 66/5 ; April, 56/5; Rape oil, current month, 113'50 ; September-December, 115. ST. PETERSBURG, MARCH 15.—Y.C. on the spot, 561; °USS 571; clear lamp spot, 381. lIAVRE MARCH 15.—Copper, 170'50. Cotton quiet. [Spa.prices unchanged, but for arrival, lower. AMSTERDAM, MARCH 15.—Rye, March, 1741; rapeseed 94* autumn, 76f. HAVANA, MAnca 15.—N0. 12 sugar, 81 ; Muscovado, 71. BIRTHS. Hoon —On the 15th inst., at Fairfield, Somerset, Lady Ac- land Hood, of a daughter. MILLARD - On the 15th inst., at iho Rectory, Basingstoke , Mrs. Millard, of a daughter. MARRIAGES. COOKE—EDWARDS—On the 16th inst., at St. Mary's, Bryan' ston-square, 'Thomas A. Cooke, Esq., 17th Lancers, t ° Caroline Elizabeth, sixth daughter of the late Joshua Ed wards, Esq.. of Toxteth-park, Liverpool. MAnSILALL —WIGIITON -On the llth iust., at St. Diary' , Spring Groro, Hoary Marsh a ll, Esq. of Valencia Spain , t, Loui. a, eldest da ght r of Charles Wighton, ° Hopo House, lst.eworth. DEA7'IIB. JONES - On the lZth lust., Peter Jones, F.L., of Nort on Folgate, aged G 2. S Tostux—On the llth i ns t ., William Tonkin; Esq., of the Stock Exchange, aged 49. : Printed and Pullisted , (f ) No. 112, Str an d, P r i n t er, a t Tun Sax Office, No. 112, Str and ' in the Precinct of tho Savoy, in the County of Middlose%." Thursday, March 17, 1870. { I T c „ Th rr;zc ,RGI th e , "UN, D oti k , b lue P o °tic, We Dor a , a b , l or ost; gEA 1 11' iv er With 4eßsn ~ C u , a ge II u eriv elk s a Cu.37.8p, kPui 0O 4