The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-25 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY, JULY 25, 1865.

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Speeches after elections are always rather awk-
ward things at the best, but under some circum-
stances they are peculiarly so. It must be con-
fessed that Sir E. BULWER LYTTON had a very
difficult task yesterday, and that he fulfilled it in
the best possible manner. The right hon. baronet
was well received by both parties when he appeared
on the hustings. He truly observed that he came
forward with mixed feelings, for he had to thank
the constituents for returning him for the fifth time
as their representative, and to lament the loss of his
colleague and the reverse sustained by the Conser-
vative cause in Hertfordshire. Another circum-
stance also conduced to render the election a
Period of annoyance, and the right honourable
baronet took occasion to denounce in the strongest
manner the 44 electioneering fraud" which had been
basely employed by some unknown individuals.
He denied and repudiated it " in the name of
every honest Conservative," adding, that in the
"battles of public life, so long as honour is kept,
nothing is permanently lost." Sir E. B. LYTTON
spoke in a good, humorous tone of the success of
his adversary, and ascribed his success to other
than mere political causes, Mr. CowrEa being the
near connection of a " brilliant and popular
minis-
ter whom many Conservatives did not desire to dis-
place," and also having the advantage of being one
to three, so that he obtained many " split votes."
In a complimentary manner the right hon,
baronet strove to explain the triumph
of his opponent did not show such a decrease in
the power of the Conservative party as some ima-
gined, although he gave the electors the wise ad-
vice that they should make this defeat stimulate
their efforts on another occasion to obtain
better results. He concluded his very suc-
cessful address by declaring that tranquil
as affairs now appeared before long there
would in all probability be questions both at borne
and abroad in which the interests of the country
would be " vitally engaged." The successful
Liberal candidate, the Hon. H. COWPER, was
enthusiastically received, and he expressed
his gratitude to the electors for the honour
that they had done him in very glowing
terms. He said that it was a great victory
for his party, as well as a triumph to himself. He
also alluded to the fraud" against which they had

In North Essex Major BERtSFORD has lost his
seat, and Mr. DUCANE, who was returned at the head
of the poll, paid a graceful tribute to his friend
and colleague. The hon. member declared that the
success of Sir THOMAS WESTERN was partly owing
to his having caught the sentries napping at their
posts, in the security of supposed victory. This is
very likely, because nothing is more unwise than to
neglect opportunities. Sir T. WESTERN had the

satisfaction of announcing that he was the first
Liberal whe had been returned for that division of
the county since the Reform Bill ; so that his vic-
tory was of more consequence than an ordinary
election triumph. It is a curious circumstance
that the last time the Liberal party was
represented in that part of Essex was by a relative
of the hon. baronet's. In South Warwickshire the
Conservatives succeeded in preserving their seats,
although there was a sharp contest. Lord DUNCAN,
the defeated candidate, however, appeared a general
favourite on all sides, and both his successful com-
petitors testified to his merits. In North Wilts the
same happy unanimity did not prevail, and the
various arrangements of the " compact" by which
the representation was neutralised was sharply criti-
cised. On the whole, it may be said that more
changes of one sort and another have taken place
during this general election than ordinarily occurs
even at such important junctures.

The intelligence brought by the Moravian indi-
cates a crisis in the social system of the South. The
representations which have seen made to President
JOHNSON respecting the exceptions to the amnesty
proclamation have unfortunately proved unavailing,
and the confiscation clauses are being carried out
in full severity. The United States and Federal
territories have been divided into five grand military
divisions, each undei a separate general—Generals
MEADE, SHERMAN, SHERIDAN, THOMAS, and HAL -
LECK being selected for the office—while these five
great districts are sub-divided into eighteen military
departments, each again under a special commander,
so that there are no less than twenty-three military
commanders placed in authority over the people.
This is a somewhat startling state of things for a
nation which used to boast of its exemption from
the evils and expenses of a standing army. These
military appointments have only been recently
made—the War Department promulgating its orders
on the 14th. Two days previously the work of
confiscation was begun at Richmond, where
a department " for the confiscation of the
property of persons who have aided the re-
bellion" has been established under Judge
UNDERWOOD. On its opening it seized the
Tredegar Iron Works, and served the tenants
of several large proprietors with notices to pay them
no more rent. It is not surprising to learn that great
consternation exists among the people, or that all
improvements and operations on estates are sus-
pended. No one can tell who may be the next vic-
tim, and, in fact, it is already plain that every one
whose property is worth confiscating will be included
in the sentence. It is so easy, after a time of general
excitement and convulsion, to substantiate a charge
of having by some act of omission or commission
favoured the rebellion. Private jealousy or preju-
dice, covetousness of his emoluments, or greed for
his property, may serve before so arbitrary a tribu-
nal to condemn a man on charges which it is impos-
sible to disprove after the lapse of two or three
years. When once the system of confiscation begins
no one knoiis where it may stop, and the people o/
the South may well be terrified at the prospect be-
fore them. When a party professing to fight for a
principle takes care to turn that principle to their
own advantage, their conduct is, to say the least of
it, suspicious ; and the patriotism and humanity
that can overlook the crimes of the poor man, but
finds it indispensable to punish the misdeeds of the
rich, is very much of that character. Why is
the limit for clemency to be drawn so
rigidly exact that the man who owns $19,500 may
be forgiven, while the man who has $20,000 is
beyond the pale of mercy ? We can imagine nothing
more fatal to the interests of the State, nothing
more injurious to the social welfare of the country
at large, nothing more suicidal on the part of the
Government, if they wish to rule a tranquil people
constitutionally. The embittered feelings of the
South will in any case be difficult to bear, and it
will be long years before the Confederate States re-
cover their former prosperity, even under favour-
able circumstances, but if such a course is pursued
as these Virginian proceedings seem to indicate
there is nothing but discord and misery to be looked
for. So that under the union which has been held
up to us as the most fortunate combination of civil
power with social freedom, we have an absolute
military government all through the country, with
a wholesale system of confiscation in the South
which appears to have been copied from the annals
of the Reign of Terror. Every one knows how the
evil grew when once the denunciations of interested
parties were listened to, and now it was quite enough
for a man to possess anything which his fellows
coveted to insure his arrest, the seizure of his pro-
perty, and perhaps his execution. We have not yet
seen that in America, but they are entering on the
same ruinous path. France learned her revolu-
tionary doctrines from the New World, and she
appears to have paid back the lesson by teaching
them the lesson of anarchy and despotism combined
under the name of Liberty. The negro difficulty
does not seem to lessen. Fights have occurred
between white and black troops at Charleston,
where the military among the negroes still continues,
and the military authorities in the city found it
desirable to take measures against a slave insurrec-
tion. Great dissatisfaction is felt throughout South
Carolina at the garrisoning of the posts by coloured
troops, and their removal is loudly urged.
Altogether, the prospect of America at peace is not
more hopeful than the picture of America at war.

The Prince and-Princess of WALES have won
golden opinions everywhere since their marriage by
the affability which they have displayed and the
readiness which they have manifested on all occa-
sions to take an interest in what was passing around
them. The visit which they are now paying in the
West of England has been a very successful and
brilliant one, and it is very fitting that the PRINCE
Should visit Cornwall, with which he is so inti-
mately associated. The present may be regarded
as his first visit to the place, and he could not have
made it under happier or more auspicious circum-
stances. It is also very fortunate that the PRINCESS
has been able to accompany him, as great disappoint-
ment must otherwise have been experienced. The
enthusiasm which was everywhere evinced proves
that there is no fault to find with the Cornish people,
and that his Royal Highness is high in favour in
that locality. At an early hour of the morning the
Osborne landed at Fowey, but the people as-
sembled to greet their royal visitors with a genial
reception. An address was presented to the
Prince from the inhabitants of the place,
which set forth the pleasure that was felt by

had to contend ; and he very fairly stated that he be- the inhabitants of that ancient borough in the arri-
lieved the Conservative party were as indignant at val of his Royal Highness and the Princess in his
such an act as he and his friends could be. The " ancient duchy of faithful Cornwall." Many
proceedings altogether went off very quietly, and a ancient associations were connected with the
good feeling was manifested by all sides, which spot. EDWARD the Black Prince was enter-
contrasted favourably with the disturbances that tained within the " Place" where the Prince
took place at other elections throughout the .and Princess repaired on their landing. Yes-
country. terday their royal highnesses landed at Penzance,

and there received an address from the corporation.
It may fairly be expected that the remainder of their
excursion will prove as happy and prosperous as
the commencement, and thus form an agreeable re-
miniscence to the royal visitors in after times.
Everywhere the Prince goes about without any
useless ceremony, and thus he is enabled to witness
for himself the style of the places which he visits,
and the inhabitants are enabled to see him without

press or parade. The warm welcome which the
Prince and Princess have received in Cornwall, and
indeed everywhere they have passed through, must
be very gratifying to their feelings.

The Wimbledon Meeting has come to a brilliant
and fortunate termination, and the grand con-
cluding ceremonial of Saturday passed off with
spirit and eclat. Many of the incidents of the occa-
sion were especially interesting, and the close con-
test for many of the principal prizes heightened the
excitement always felt in the result of the compe-
tition. The Elcho Challenge Shield, which was
one of the most hotly fought contests of the
meeting, was so evenly balanced between the
English Eight and the Scotch Eight that the issue
turned upon the position of one shot. There
Nas a difference of opinion on the sub-
ject, and the matter was left in abey-
ance for further reference ; but it was
ended by Captain Ross, on the part of the Scottish
Eight, gracefully waiving the point in dispute, and
leaving the trophy in undisputed possession of his
English rivals. As Lord ELCHO justly observed,
with such close rivalry there was no real defeat
in being beaten, and we hope that next year our
Irish friends will fulfil their threat, and carry the
Shield to Dublin. The Queen's Prize, always the
prominent feature of the Wimbledon Meetings, was
carried off by Private SHARMAN, Wimbledon-
common being one of those places where skill and
merit have undisputed pre-eminence without any
favouritism. The honours gained there are felt to be
fairly won, and are consequently duly valued, while
the number of first-rate shots, which increases year by
year, makes the task of winning the prizes no trifling
achievement. Perhaps the general character of the
shooting was more gratifying to the real friends of
the rifle movement than the feats, however skilful,
of any individuals. It shows that the real object
of the meeting is attained, and that the whole style
and character of our rifle shooting is rapidly im-
proving. The originUtors of the annual meeting
deserve great credit for the idea, since it keeps up
that spirit of enterprise and emulation without
which a large body of men will be certain to flag.
The prizes were gracefully presented to the heroes
of the day by Lady SPENCER, in every way a most
suitable donor, since she has always taken a kindly
interest in the success of the force ; and to Lord
SPENCER the riflemen are indebted for permission to
come to Wimbledon. Altogether the meeting, de-
spite the dissolution, has been one of the most bril-
liant on record, and bears satisfactory evidence of
the increasing skill and unflagging spirit of our
British marksmen.

WRECK AT BL ACKFRIA P.S.—Yesterday the navi-
gation of the fairway channel at Blackfriars-bridge
was stopped in consequence of a barge laden with railway
iron plates having sunk near the centre span of tho tern-
'
pomry bridge. Divers were employed at once to get the
cargo up, with the view of getting her afloat. In the
afternoon a great portion of the cargo was hoisted into
barges, and it is mu expecteu La....,
1..24‘ii..1 to-day, and the navigation of the rivtr re-opened.

EMBEZZLEMENT BY A CLEM—At the assize
court at Salisbury last week George Prior, a clerk in the
employment of Messrs. W. H. Smith and Son, news agents,
of the Strand, London, was charged with embezzling the
sum of X 9 11s. 7d., the property of his employers. It ap-
peared from the evidence of Mr. Faux, the superintendent
of bookstalls for Messrs. Smith and Son, that the prisoner
had received orders from him to prepare his accounts for
transfer to another clerk by the 12th June. On the arrival
of Mr. Faux at Salisbury on the 12th June he found the pri-
soner had absconded, taking with him the whole of the pre-
ceding week's receipts. It was proved in evidence that the
prisoner had received three sums of money on the 10th June
on account of Messrs. Smith, for which he had given re-
ceipts, and not accounted for. Mr. Justice Keating sen-
tenced him to eight months' imprisonment with hard
labour.

THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF AN INSPECTOR OF
POLICE AT EAST STONEHOUSE, DEVON.--From the
time of the occurrence about four p.m. on Saturday, till
late in the following (Sunday) evening, the unfortunate
man, Annis, continued in a very dangerous state ; but his
chances of life were then felt to be somewhat improved.
He is kept perfectly quiet, and from the fact of his having
survived such a serious wound for so many hours, and
having, if anything, changed for the better, it is hoped that
his strong constitution will enable him to recover. He is
under the care of Dr. Beith, deputy inspector general of
hospitals ; and Dr. Reid, of the Devonport Dockyard, on
Sunday evinced his interest in the unfortunate man's fate
by visiting him. The motive which impelled Bunter to
commit the desperate act is easily divined. Annis has
rendered himself peculiarly obnoxious to marine-store
dealers and people of that class by his proceedings as a
detective metropolitan police-officer, and complaints of his
having exceeded his duty have been often made. Bunter
seems to hive had a special grievance ; for two years since
he was committed to prison for four months for unlawful
possession of Government property, on a charge preferred
by Annis. When he was first brought to the station
Bunter was in an excited state, and said to the officer on
duty there that he had not committed the act in a passion
but had been premeditating it all day, and that he only
wished his arm had been stronger. Subsequently he told
Mr. Superintendent Ross that he only regretted the thrust
had not been effectual.

PURITY OF ELECTION.—A Droitwich correspond-
dent sends us the following as an instance of a cheap elec-
tion :—" Sir John Pakington came here to be elected for
this borough. Met his friends at the George. No cakes,
no wine ; but, to make up for it, plenty of shaking of hands.
Went to the Town-hall, had a speech, off 1.30 to the
mayor's to luncheon thence to the station. The only
farthing spent was 6d. for the fly to the station."—Bir-
mingham Pont.

A gentleman's yacht has been seized in' South-
ampton water by the Custom-house authorities, in conse-
quence of contraband goods having been found on board.
The owner has been exonerated from all blame, but the
captain has been held to bail, and some of the crew have
been committed to prison. The Customs laws are very
severe in such seizures, as yachts generally are exempted
from official supervision to prevent the pleasure of yachting
from being diminished, and from the belief that the rank
and character of yacht owners are ample security that the
revenue laws will not be infringed.

MR. HUGHES'S ELECTION EXPENSES.—The elec-
tors of Lambeth, determined that the return of Mr.
Thomas Hughes shall not be at his personal cost, have
commenced subscribing to a fund of £1,200 to clear the
whole expense. The subscriptions range from one shilling
upwards to £lOO, and the list is in a promising way to-
wards speedy completion. Tho act cannot be too highly
commended, since, although there are good 'grounds for
believing it is not in accordance with Mr. Hughes's wishes,
it has an inevitable tendency to improve the political mora-
lity of the constituency, and to efface the corrupting in-
fluences of the enormous expenditure in the Roupoll con-
test some years ago.—South London Chronicle.
THE STRIKE IN THE BUILDING TRADE.—A nume-
rously attended meeting of master builders was held
yesterday at the Freemasons' Tavern, for the purpose of
taking into consideration the circumstances connected with
the strike at Messrs. Cubitt's. A favourable feeling to-
wards the workmen was manifested. At the same time it,
nwcaoaustsicemoanegsifld.oeear thethatrteldoss
te an immediate advance of wages, giving
oomthpeleetmiopnlooyferesx. A istilnogngcodisntracucst
nwouldtook
resolutionsplace , last lasting upwards
eurpowparrodpsoos, butfedthre three hours,
a resolutionduerngwhiehwas
several
adopted to the effect that the advance of wages from 7d. to
7id. per hour take place on the 28th of August next, in-
stead of the Ist of January, as originally intended, on con-
dition that the strike at Messrs. Cubitt's be withdrawn by
the 29th inst. ; and it was also resolved that notices
should be posted that those men who continue at work
after the 29th lust. should be considered as acceding to this
arrangement. -

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

AUSTRIA.

THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS.
VIENNA, JULY 25.

An Imperial decree has been published to-day
accepting the recognition of Archduke Rainer, as
President of the Ministry, and expressing at the
same time the satisfaction of the Emperor with the
zeal and devotion which the Archduke has dis-
played in fulfilling the duties of his:post.
Herr Krauss, President of the Supreme Criminal
Court, has been dismissed with a pension.
Archduke Ludwig Victor will close the Rcichsrath
in the name of the Emperor.