The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-15 00:00:00

I trifle after a loss, in three day's fighting, of 75,000 !
However, small or great, comparatively—there is
the fact of those 3,000, and it is a fact that has its
significance ! Besides all this about the gold still
rising, and about theee not severe losses, proving,
after all, to be a loss of three thousand men in a
single contest—there comes that rather sus-
picious, not to say sinister, intimation
that, while heavy firing was heard in the direction
of White House, no particulars could be learnt
—because—ahem ! the telegraphic wires had been
unfortunately injured—by the weather ! The
natural, nay, the inevitable inference being, that
those:particulars were known, " weather" or no ! (it
matters little how you spell the word) were known
whether or no by the Federal Government, but
were discreetly held back upon this wretched
little wire-drawn plea—at any rate until
the going out of the Peruvian and City
of Baltimore ! None, the proverb says, are so
deaf as those who won't hear. And certainly, in
the same way, it may be said, and quite as truly,
that, in those Northern States of America, none find,
at moments when obscurity would be particularly
convenient, such a difficulty in reading off the
clicking of the telegraph, as those who can
at other times, work it, that is the tele-
graph, according to the expressive slang
of the hour, to perfection ! " MANHATTAN"
in his last missive said, as plainly as words could
say anything, that ill news for the Federals
would be certain to reach Washington before the
departure of the outgoing steamers, but that that
said ill news would be held back until the
mail should have left. And it certainly looks un-
commonly like it—what with this talk about
heavy firing heard in the direction of
Whitehouse, no particulars, and the sudden
interruption of telegraphic communication ! It
bears all the appearance of an intentional acci-
dent. It looks suspicious. Speaking plainly,
we would say, that all this talk about tele-
graph wires injured by the weather, just
at the right moment, and in the right direction, to
secure as opportune delay, seems uncommonly like
Much ado about—Nothing! Or, at any rate, if not
much ado—certainly a do !

The selection of an assize town in one of the
many shires in the United Kingdom would appear
at first sight to have little concern with the general
body of the public. Yet it has recently been the
occasion of a good deal of debate and discussion,
has occupied the attention of both Houses of Parlia-
ment, and given rise to a division in both. In the
Upper House, indeed, Lord WHARNCLIFFE'S motion
resulted in one of those Ministerial defeats which
are portentous signs of the times; but, in this in-
stance, the discomfiture was not so well merited as
in some other instances of similar ill luck. The
votes of the Houses of Lsrds and Commons
represented fairly enough the diversity of opinion
that exists cn this important question of Leeds
versus Wakefield, since the Lower House affirmed
the decision of the Privy Council, while the Peers
expressed their dissatisfaction by a majority of 26.
The arguments were as usual of a very opposite
nature—one side declaring that all the local inte-
rest was in favour of Leeds, and the other maintain-
ing tb at Wakefield was by far the most popular of
the rival candidates. It must be remembered that
it is not the question of the assize town for the
county that is being discussed, but only for one part
of it. That part, it is true, is of sufficient extent,
population, and importance to rank among the
counties, since the million and a half which the
West Riding can boast of possessing is nearly
equal to the whole of the neighbouring shire of
Lancashire, and might astonish some of the pompous
princelings and serene highnesses of German
grand duchies, With us, however, what
would in the Vaterland give rise to a whole
page of titles in the Abnanack de Gotha,
and would think itself constituted to take an active
part in the direction of European politics, subsides
into a third of a county. But that nominal third
—for in reality the relative importance is very dif-
ferent—is by no means an inconsiderable member
of the State. It has furnished us with able politi
cians and eminent men in various walks of life, so
that a Yorkshireman has grown to be synonymous
with a shrewd, sturdy, hard-headed man of busi-
ness, who is very capable of managing his own
affairs, and of resenting undue interference in them.
The Yorkshiremcn collectively do not, however, in
this instance seem very well able to decide for
themselves. It is of course the privilege of the
Privy Council to fix the locality of the assizes, and
no hesitation could be felt as to the right of the
West Riding to possess an assize town, when Lan
casVee, whose population is scarcely greater, is con-
sidered entitled to three. The next question, after
deciding upon granting the request, is to decide
which town is to be the favoured resort of the wig
and gown, of professors of pocket-picking and bur-
glary. The argument brought forward on both
sides in the debates on this matter is that public
opinion in the locality is entirely in,favour of the
advocate's own aide of the question, but this plea
appears to an impartial reader to have no weight
whatever, since a singular degree of discord is
apparent. One party wishes York to remain the
assize town, others are for Wakefield, others
again are for Leeds, while faint voices are
even raised for Sheffield and Hull. Who shall
decide when doctors disagree. Who shall mediate
between the rival claims, when one party gravely
tells us that Wakefield has a population of 900,000
in its neighbourhood against 623,000 in the vicinity
of Leeds, while Lord DE GREY informs us that the
Privy Connell arrived at their decision with the
fact before them that
the population of Wakefield
was 23,000 and that of
Leeds 207,009 ! Unless
the Wakefield side can lay claim to a very large
proportion of criminals, we fear they can hardly
maintain their ground. Leeds is a large trading
city, full of business and bustle, and therefore, say
the Wakefield faction, unfitted fcr an assize town.
But that very fact of its large commercial dealings-
will give rise to a great deal of assize business. It
is in the busiest and most populous districts that we
shall find the most crime not only in the fair pro-
portion of the population, but in consequence of the
increased opportunities for fraud, robbery, gc,. ire
never heard that perfect stillness was essential to
the deliberations of a judge and jury. Our London
criminal courts are not all situated in such tranquil
localities. The plea of the dense population round
Leeds being a serious objection, as likely to give
room for riots in times of public disturbance, is
quite untenable, and does a great injustice to our
ertissne. We have happily little reason to antici-
pate disaffection in any locality, but we have still
less reason to fear that the simple officers of public
justice should came into collision with the body of
the working classes. Our artisans are no friends
to pickpockets or to murderers, as the very
strong feeling existing against working with
ticket -of e leave men might show. This
argument, however strongly urged on behalf of
Wakefield, is not likely to influence the decision of
the Council, which indeed there seems little reason
to reconsider or to reverse. The only valid reason
for making a change in it wou'd be a strong oppo
ait!on on the part of the general public of the. West
Riding, but there has not as yet been any -such
manifestation, and the conclusion formerly arrived