The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-13 00:00:00

TIIE SUNS LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, 7DECENIBMR 13, 1862.

as Lord PALAYERSON staking„the existence of his
Cabinet on a substantial extension of the
suffrage, abolition of pnrchaseabio boroughs, and
the ballot to make representation a reality, and we
may be pretty sure that the fire of political zeal
would then buen to tinder all the wet blankets
which rival companies could attempt to throw
over it. So again, if Mr. MANGLES could have
come forward with the avowal that Lord PAI,-
MERSTON had at last
.seen the folly and wrong
of a seventy millions taxation in time of peace,
and that he would reduce expenditure by five
millions, at least, this year, as an instalment towards
a further reduction, and abolition of the income tax
the following year—will any ono tell us that the
aldermanic Tory neophyte would have had the
shadow of a chance. On the contrary, however,
the best bids yet have been from the Tories.
Mr. DISRAELI has offered a reduction of five mil-
lions. Lord PALMERSTON'S friends, on what
authority we know not, tell us that he will give
us in the next budget a reduction of only two
millions.

Lord PALMERSTON, by his known aversion to'
reform of Parliament, and his fixed determination
to wring the largest conceivable amount of taxation
from the people, by his slipperiness, even on such
abominations as the Night Poaching Bill, and his
general policy of beating the more liberal part of
his own supporters by the aid of the Tories, has, as
we judge, completely paralysed the Liberal party.
They do not care to exert themselves for him. They
began to think that tie Whigs who duped them at
WILLIS'S Rooms want the teaching of the cold
shade of opposition ; at least, they will, till Liberal
leaders become Liberals, care less about the political
views of candidates than their connection with local
masters. They will not fight for a Cabinet of
political eunuchs.

A singular case of imprisonment for refusal to
give evidence has just occurred in Glasgow. A
labouring man, named TERENCE M‘GHEE, had
stolen two half-sovereigns from a letter which
was intrusted to him to post. He confessed
—but not in the confessional—the fact to his
priest, the Rev. P. M,LAucHLTN ; the priest in-
duces him to make restitution, and writes for him a
letter, enclosing a one pound note, to the person
who should have received the two half-sovereigns.
The letter was anonymous, and the intention
of the priest, plainly, was, having convinced the
man of his sin, and probably inflicted some spiri-
tual penalty, to spare him the consequences of ex-
posure, and give him a better chance of entirely
regaining his character.

Independently of the priest, the only evidence of
the theft was a letter to the Dublin General Post-
office, to make inquiry as to the lost money; there
was no evidence to prove that the man to whom the
letter was sent had- not received the money said to
be lost. As the case stood, the priest alone, in virtue
of the confidential confession he receiVed,could supply
the missing link, and that linkhe refused to furnish.
His reason was that in his official character, though
not in the confessional, and solely in consequence
of his bearing that character, he had received the
confession, and been instrumental in' doing what
was right between the chief and his victim. It was
pointed out that the writing of the anonymous
letter for the acoused man was going beyond any
privilege the law conceded to his office, and that the
man deserved the legal punishment for his crime.
The prisoner himself was willing to plead guilty
to save his priest. But-the priest was firm... He
felt assured, he said, that he had done what was
right from beginning to end, though he acknow.
ledged he might have gone beyond the strict letter
of the law. He refused•to make such answers as
would convict the mart who had trusted him, and
was accordingly sentenced to imprisonment for

thirty dap.
Society generally will, we should think, respect
his refusal to answer, as they did that of the son of
Baron DE VIDIL in the case of his own father. If
the law be against the priest, and if we must confess
that the privilege of the clerical office might be
abused by a minister of religion, we must respect
the wish of a Christian minister to deal with a case
of this kind in a far better way than law possibly
could do. If every thief had at his elbow a cleri-
cal adviser, who could convince him of his sin to the
extent of obtaining restitution, the profession which
is now so alarmingly rife would soon come to an
end.
justice Ve are
who
triednot in
he a
position to affirm that
the case had any legal alter-
nativeuslt
to committing the priest, but we much e t
re-
gret he had not. There does not appear to have been
a trace of religious persecution in the matter ; but
while the committal was avowedly made to
further the ends of justice, it is very obvious
that its general result will be the other way.
The priest's evidence might have served to con-
vict and punish M'GHEE, a very immaterial end of
justice; but the whole proceeding will only make
clergymen more wary in furthering the highest ends
of justice—obtaining restitution for the injured,
and seeking the reformation of the offender. The
man who can be persuaded by a clergyman to refund
what has been stolen is not likely to steal again.

SUDDEN 1) EATII OF THE MAYOR OF PORTSMOUTH.

—'We regret to announce the sudden demise of Mr. Thomas
Ellis Owen, mayor, alderman, and justice of the peace for
the borough of Portsmouth. About a fortnight ago Mr.
Owen had a serious attack of illness, but he so far recovered
as to be able to resume his public duties, and no -serious
fears were entertained by his friends. On Monday last he
presided at a meeting of the borough council, and was able
to ride out on the two following days. The attack, however,
was renewed, and he died on Thursday afternoon, at half•
past three o'clock, we believe from disease of the heart. Mr.
Owen was by profession an architect, and he also held a
lucrative appointment as surveyor under the government.

" BLOCKADE."—By the m ,ils received from
Nassau (New Providence), last night we learn that two
rebel steamers from Charleston arrived at that port on the
20th inst. There were two other steamers in the port of
Charleston when these vessels left. It would thus seem
that the trade of Charkston is still very brisk. Prior to
the rebellion it would have been thought a very wonderful
thing to see four sea-going steamships in that harbour at
one time, and such a thing as four steamships, or one
steamship, engaged in foreign trade from Charleston would
have raised the commercial prospects of the city to the
highest pitch. The Nassau papers do not state what these
vessels were laden with; but it was undoubtedly cotton—
cotton probably shipped and sold on behalf of the Confede-
rate Government. Four steamer loads of that precious
staple at the present time will bring a very handsome re-
turn to that Government. It will enable them to purchase
two, three, or four " Alabamas" in England, or will pro-
cure from there all the military supplies the rebels may
need during the winter. It is now proved that anything
like an effective blockade of Charleston is hopeless.—New
York, Times.

The " Messiah" will be given on Monday at
Exeter-ball by the National Choral Society with the follow-
ing strong cast :—Miss Banks, Miss Palmer, Mr. Sims
Reeves, Mr. Santley ; conductor, Mr. G. W. Martin. The
band and chorus of nearly 700 performers will have an extra
rehearsal this evening, and every effort is being made to
render this one of the finest performances of the " Messiah'
ever heard in Exeter-hall.

A NEW SWINDLING DODGE.—Before the Mayor
of Sheffield on Monday last, a man named Charles Hunts-
man was charged on remand with obtaining £5O respec-
tively from Messrs. Fisher and Reynolds and Mr. George
Mather, the well-known London turf commission agents.
It appears that the prisoner sent to each of the bookmakers
mentioned a letter, enclosing a cheque for £5O, instructing
them to execute certain commissions on the Liverpool
Autumn Cup. On the faith of the transaction being genuine
they invested the money as advised, and bLeante liable for
the bets; but on the cheques being presented they were
returned, marked "drawer not known." The prisoner
was remanded.

By an Imperial decree M. Edouard Foucault has
been ape ointed professor of Sanscrit language and literature
at the College of Franco.

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