The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-22 00:00:00

Sectarian Electioneering.

The subjoined correspondence exemplifies a
curious piece of modern electioneering :
Protestant Electoral Union of Scotland, 17, George
the Fourth Bridge, Edinburgh, Juno 17.

Dear Sir,—We are instructed by the Protestant Electo-
ral Union of Scotland to request the favour of your reply
to the following questions as a candidate for the represen-
tation in Parliament of Haddingtonshire, viz. :

1. Will you support a motion for the withdrawal of the
Maynooth grant and all other Parliamentary grants for the
support of Romanism ?

2. Will you support or oppose any proposal in Parliamont
for the endowment of the Roman Catholic priesthood in
Ireland out of the Consolidated Fund or otherwise ?—Wo
are, dear Sir, yours truly,

JOHN H. SKINNER, President.
W. G. CASSELS, Hon. Sec.

The Lord Elcho, M.P.

St. James's-place, Juno 17.

Gentlemen,—l have to acknowledge the receipt of a
lithographic circular letter, dated "Protestant Electoral
Union of Scotland," commencing with "Dear Sir," and
signed "J. H. Skinner, President ; W. G. Cassels, Hon.
Sec."

By this circular I Am requested to reply to the following
questions :

1. Will you support a motion for tho withdrawal of the
Maynooth grant and of all other grants for the support of
Romanism ?

2. Will you support or oppose any proposal in Parlia-
ment for the endowment of the Roman Catholic priesthood
in Ireland out of the Consolidated Fund or otherwise ?

In reply, I have to state that, personally, I have not the
honour of your acquaintance; that, publicly, I have no
knowledge of the existence of the " Protestant Electoral
Union of Scotland ;" and that, politically, I do not recog-
nise the jurisdiction of any such self-constituted body.
I deny the right of this or:of any other 531 f-constituted
political association to attempt to usurp the functions of the
constituencies, and thus to interfere between candidates and
•
electors.

It is a direct interference with the freedom of election and
an unconstitutional attempt to lower the representative of
a constituency to the level of a delegate of a sectarian poli-
tical association.

I have now for 18 years had the honour of representing
the county of Haddington in Parliament. I have invariably
declined, as regards my constituents, to limit my freedom
and discretion in the exercise of my Parliamentary duties
by any pledge. To that course I intend to adhere.
Hitherto I have enjoyed the confidence of my constituents.
That confidence I hope to retain, and I do not believe it
will be forfeited or diminished by my denying, on their
part as well as on my own, your right to interfere between
them and mo.—l remain, yours, &c. ELcno.

Literary Night-Birds.
(From the Owl.)

Tho Hon. Mrs. Arthur Hardinge has been appointed to
the household of her Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales.

Major Teesdale, C. 8., V.C., Equerry to the Prince of
Wales, has returned from attending the funeral of the late
Czarewitch at St. Petersburg, where he represented his
Royal Highness.
We understand that Major Charles Mansfield, late 33d
Regiment, brother of the Commander-in-Chief in India,
will succeed Colonel Staunton, C.B, Royal Engineers, as
Consul-General at Warsaw.

(Tram the Bat.)

We aro happy to be able to announce that a marriage is
arranged to take place between Policeman 359 X, of Scot-
land-yard, Middlesex, and Miss Anna Maria Jones, under-
housemaid, of 105, Belgrave-square ; also between John
James, footman, of 49, Spring-gardens, and Miss Matilda
Jane, eldest daughter of Mr. Spriggins, errand-man to
Messrs. Day and Martin.

We are likewise extremely gratified to have it in our
power to announce that the nuptial rites will shortly be
celebrated between William Thompson, Esq., of the Ist
Battalion Coldstream Guards, and the only daughter of the
late George Finny, rag fancier, of Choapside. We also be-
lieve that it will shortly be in our power to announce a
most important marriage in the neighbourhood of Finsbury-
square, which, however, we, for obvious reasons, at present
suppress.

Railway Traffic Returns for the Week,

The last week's railway receipts ascertained up
to this day are in round figures as under :

1865. 1864
Great Western ... £74,135 £73,568
North Western ... ... 1.16,244 113,183
South-Western 82,480 28,915

Brighton ... 21,527 20,142
Midland ... ... 41,660 46,721
South Eastern „. 24,697 23,502

Great Northerp

86,483 32,475

Lancashire and Yorkshire

,
... 42,340 40,830

Bristol and Exeter ... • 6,825 8,507
North Eastern „. 64,184 61,588
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire 17,174 18,336
Great Eastern ... 32,266 32,183

These returns, when compared with those of the
corresponding period of last year, are, with one or
two exceptions, of a favourable character. On the
Great Western there is an increase of £567, on the
North Western of £3,061, on the South-Western
of £3,569, on the Brighton of £1,385, on the South-
Eastern of £1,195, on the Great Northern bf £4,008,
on the Lancashire and Yorkshire of £1,510, on the
North Eastern of £2,596, on the Great Eastern of
£B3 ; while the Midland shows a decrease of £5,061,
the Bristol and Exeter of £1,682, and the Man-
chester, Sheffield, and Lincoln of £1,162.