The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-05 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

Tars DAY.—Morning, 3h. 33m.—Afternoon, 3h. 55m.
To-Monnow.-Morning, 4h. 20m.—Afternoon, 411. 40m.

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LONDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER

Although many important events have occurred
of late the public still turn with interest to all that
is connected with the eventful period of the cotton
famine. That time of distress was the means of
bringing so many proofs of the generosity and good-
will of the various classes of the community before
us that it cannot readily be obliterated from the
memory • Yesterday, in the Lord Mayor's Parlour
at the Manchester Town-hall, a meeting was held
of the General Committee of the Fund for Relief of
Distress in the Manufacturing Districts. It was
numerously attended, and 44,
speech of Lord DERBY
was most interesting. It has been resolved to pre-
sent a testimonial to the honorary secretary, Mr,
MACLLTRE, whose services have done so much to
contribute to the success of the undertaking. The
Central Committee have subscribed the nun, of
£1,096, which is to remain a sum distinct from any
other subscription. Lord DERBY, who was requested
to make the communication, addressed the meeting
at some length, and began by offering his earnest
xongratulations upon the satisfactory character of
the report which had been read. There is, indeed,
good cause to rejoice at the changed aspect of affairr,

and those who once desponded must now admit that
their feats were infounded, and that they under-
rated the vitality and elasticity of the country.
It appears that the amount of pauperism has been
reduced to a figure which exceeds only a little that
of 1864, the most flourishing epoch of the cotton
manufacture, and a considerable sum is still left
over, while, as the noble earl truly remarked, the
most cheering sign of all is to be found in the fact,
that " there has been an infinite less amount of
demoralisation and deterioration in the independent
character of the working men of the country than
could have been possibly expected when so large a
sum was to be distributed in gratuitous relief."
This is a proof of intrinsic worth of character which
cannot be gainsaid, and is a bright illustration of
the saying that out of evil cometh good. Had we
wanted an assurance of the courage and constancy
of our working classes, we could never have desired
a more significant one than that which has been
so abundantly furnished to us in the eventful epoch
of the famine. Lord DERBY confessed to sharing
the forebodings of many as to the effect which might
be produced upon the character of those who re-
ceived relief to so great an extent, and adverted to
the sure test which was afforded by the non-
increase of demands for parochial relief as a
proof that these doubts have been chimerical.
With regard to the surplus on hand it appears
that the Bridgewater House Committee took the
i opinion of counsel, and it was decided that in the
event of a surplus remaining they had no power to
divert it from any purpose other than that for
which it was subscribed without the sanction of the
Court of Chancery. The noble earl declared that
any scheme which was reasonable would most pro-
bably receive the consent of the Court, but, at the
same time, he wisely added, that any such scheme
would require careful consideration. His lordship
advised, and his advice has been worthy of his posi-
tion as Chairman of the Central Executive Com-
mittee, that the surplus should be kept in hand
until they have certain and positive proof that there
is no chance of a recurrence to the distress. As
yet the cotton trade is so fluctuating and uncertain

that it cannot be said the period of security has
arrived. So soon as it has, it will be most expe-
dient for the surplus to be disposed of, because it
would form an undesirable precedent for such a sum to
be in reserve to meet the losses of trade.
All who have devoted much attention to the cir-
cumstances connected with the cotton famine will
concur in the observation of Lord DERBY, that
looking back to the period of " intense distress"
through which we have passed in the last three
years there is one gratifying thing to allude to,
and that is " the manner in which throughout the
whole of the country all classes and all ranks have

each in their several localities exerted them

selves towards the diminution of distress,
not only by their pecuniary contributions,

but by their personal labours and their per-
sonal superintendence." It is a happy thing for any
State when the different divisions of its community
thus unite to meet a danger and support the pres-
sure of a sudden emergency. Money is not every-
thing in such cases ; much may be done by the
efforts of those who devote themselves to the pre-
vention of distress, and the encouragement of those
who are sinking under the pressure of misfortunes.
The Local Committees have all rendered most
signal services, and they are eminently deserving of
recognition. Lord DERBY rendered his tribute of
praise to the very comprehensive manner in
which they had each and all performed
their part. They have had most arduous
duties to discharge and many obstacles to overcome
in the complicated matters that came before them.
The Report speaks of the "judgment, discretion,
ability, and zeal" with which they have discharged
their duties, and in so doing only affords a due
appreciation of their services.
Respecting the object before them, the noble earl
declared that there " had been no person whose ser-
vices had been so unflagging, so valuable, and so
unceasing as those of the honorary secretary, Mr.
MACLURE." It was the unanimous opinion of the
Central Executive Committee that at the present
period some recognition of his services was due to him
for his great exertions. For some weeks, even
months, at a time Mr. MACLURE devoted twelve
hours a day to the vast amount of business which
his voluntary work forced upon him, and how faith-
fully that work was performed those who know
most of the matter can best testify. Mr. MACLURE
refused to accept any portion of the money which
had been subscribed by the public for the purpose
of relief. The Central Committee therefore re-
solved to subscribe among themselves a sum of money
sufficient to present a testimonial to that gentle-
man, and accompany that offering with a substantial
testimony in the shape of a sum of money. Dr.
WATTS submitted a resolution, to the effect that the
hearty thanks of the committee were due to the Earl
of DERBY, who, "by his high position, and great
influence, and personal attendance had done much
to secure the confidence of the public in the com-
mittee ; to the vice-chairman, Sir J. K. SHUTTLE-
WORTII ; and to Mr. MACLURE and the other mem-
bers of the Central Executive." The resolution was
seconded and unanimously carried. Lord DERBY
appropriately acknowledged the compliment, as the
Chairman of the Committee whose labours are now,
it is to be expected, nearly terminated, but which
have been performed in a manner which the country
will not speedily forget.

Just at the present crisis, when so much excite-
ment prevails in the public mind respecting the out-
break in Jamaica, and the measures taken for its
repression, any light which can be thrown on the
character and previous conduct of Governor EYRE
by those who knew him well in quieter times is
very valuable. We have had a good deal of such
evidence from one quarter and another, and it is a
remarkable fact that all these trustworthy witnesses
coincide, whatever their differences of opinion, in
describing Governor EYRE as a man of the most
stedfast courage and of large humanity, especially
tostawtaermasentsuncairvie fully
uncivilised and aboriginal races. Such
confirmed, to any impartial
observer, by what is publicly known of Mr. EYRE'S
career in South Australia. No one who remembers
the terrible ordeal through which he passed in his
exploration, when alone and friendless, he pushed
resolutely on through an unknown country, where
he had good reason to suppose that water was scarce,
can suppose that he is the sort of man to be startled
into a panic, or lose head and heart at the first
rumour of a great danger. Neither is it fair nor
reasonable to suppose that a man who has for so
many years been constantly associated with the
black races, and who was absolutely ap-
pointed Protector of the Aborigines in a
certain locality, would be animated under any
circumstances with the hatred and contempt
for a black man's life which some gentlemen are so
ready to attribute to any person who does not be-
lieve the negro to be almost incapable of evil. In
England we generally pride ourselves on what we
call " fair play," and we are generally ready to
hear both sides of a question before we pass a
public verdict of condemnation or approval. " Let
us hear what he has to say for himself " is the
common phrase when any one is under suspicion
ox accusation ; and our very laws, rigid enough in