The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-08 00:00:00

rHE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVEMNG, AUGUST 8, 1865.

THE UNITED STATES.

(From the Times Correspondent.)
NEW YORE, July 26.

Chief Justice Chase is resolved to insist upon
negro suffrage as essential to the peace and welfare
of the country. The other leaders of this party are
silent, although they are working hard to bring to-
gether a strong combination against the Govern-
ment. Mr. Chase cannot wait for the result of
these efforts. He has delivered several addresses
in various parts of the country advocating his views,
the last of these speeches being made at a Univer-
sity meeting in Hanover, where he told his audi-
ence that " no reorganization of the country will be
complete and permanent until every man in it, of
whatever colour, is allowed to vote." He further
said that the negroes were
.sufficiently intelligent to
and he rather paradoxically
use a vote properly,
illustrated this by affirming that, though a negro
might not be ableto give a reason for voting in any
specified way, 4, he knew enough to walk up
to the ballot-box and put his ticket in." This is
substantially the opinion of those who oppose neg
suffrage. They believe that the negro would exercise
the privilege of voting ignorantly and improperly.
The morality and religious character of the negro
Mr. Chase eulogised very warmly; " they have," he
said, giving another strange example in proof of his
statement, " a great many black preachers among
them who are now contending for the sanctity of
marriage." These social repentances and reforms
entitle the freedmen to have as much voice in re-
organisation as any other inhabitants of the South.
Speaking of universal suffrage Mr. Chase slid " We
must take this right up to the Throne of God, and
lay it upon His sacred altar, for it is a matter of
eternal justice." These are the views of the Chief
Justice, but it is quite certain that they are not the
views of Mr. Johnson or his Cabinet. Seeing that
in his official capacity Mr. Chase will be called upon
shortly to decide more than one important question
hinging upon the future of the negro, it can scarcely
be deemed a discreet course to go about the country
committing himself to certain theories ~"which he
may hereafter discover to be fallacious and un-
tenable. Whether the negro shall be admitted
into the franchise or not will be the great battle-
ground of parties during the ensuing session, and
the dogmas of one particular section might be just
as ably and far more appropriately vindicated by a
less important officer than the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court. Mr. Chase, however, attaches too
much importance to the subject to adopt a sober
and cautious policy respecting it. It is true that
the President has distinctly said that in his opinion
the negro is not ready for the suffrage, but the
Chief Justice feels it his duty to contradict the
President, and to argue against him at public
meetings. To the foreigner (as all Europeans here
are called) there is an incongruity in all "this ;
it does not seem to add dignity or power to the
Government to be rebuked by the highest Court in
the Republic ; and it might be thought that the
Chief Justice can hardly improve his own position
by making the "stump" a court of appeal above his
own. But when one of the State Secretaries tells a
crowd that he wishes God would direct the American
people to drive the French out of Mexico, the extra-
judicial vagaries of Mr. Chase are comparatively
excusable, although they cannot tend to assist the
Government through its present difficulties. Mr.
Johnson, however, has apparently made up his
.mind ; and Mr. Johnson is, above all things, a
strong and determined man. The entreaties of Mr.
Greeley, the remonstrances of Mr. Chase, and the
threats of the Radical party will not prevail upon
him unless he has other and better evidence of the
inaccuracy of his present conclusions. The tendency
of the public mind, he has justly said, is towards
limiting rather than extending the franchise. In
these words is involved an issue quite as important
as the admission of the negro to the suffrage, and
that issue will probably arise before the next Session
of Congress is over.
Already thoughtful men in the States lament the
fact that the votes of the educated are swamped by
those of persons who are barely able to read and
write. They complain bitterly of the circumstance
that emigrants are so soon placed on a level with
the native-born citizen, however unfitted they may
be, by their past lives, their habits, and their actual
powers, to exercise the privilege of honest and pa-
triotic men. It is especially felt to be a serious evil
that hordes of Irish, who land here utterly ignorant
an 1 forlorn, with no principles which can possibly
render them good citizens, should be able to neutra-
lise the votes of the class which bas a vital stake in
the conduct of public affairs. In Massachusetts the
suffrage has been so far limited as to exclude all
persons from it who are unable to read and write.
Whether a similar measure would be acceptable to
other States is extremely doubtful, but the fact is
distinctly before every observer of public opinion
that there is a general wish to place some restric-
tions upon the exercise of the suffrage. It is com-
mon to hear men of wealth .and education declare
that they never vote, because their votes would be
of no use. "We are," they say, " virtually unre-
presented."

In this city of New York the Irish control the
elections, and the result is shown in a local adminis-
tration so corrupt that the whole country cries
" shame" upon it. When it is remembered that
the Judges are elected by universal suffrage, the
magnitude of the evil must become apparent even
to those who ha tre never been in the United States.
In an age when corruption is unknown, and public
men are beyond the reach of sinister influences, the
Judges might fulfil their duties impartially, and
regardless of popular favour, but no one pretends
that we have entered upon this age yet. The
Judges, thereforC, are not above suspicion of study-
ing their own future prospects rather than the even
dispensation of justice. Such cases are more com-
mon in New York City than in the State, or than
in any other State, simply because of the presence
here of a large mass who vote for the man who can
play most skilfully upon their passions and preju-
dices. However much attached the American may
bu to -his " institutions," there is scarcely a man
among them of the better class mho does not de-
plore the existence of this system of electing the
Judges by universal suffrage. Lawyers can give
numberless instances of its mischievous effects, and
the best men consider it all but fatal to the pur-
PoBes for which courts of law are established.

There is another phase in which this Irish ques-
tion presents itself to the American people. When re-
ference is made to the manifest injustice of certain
English criticisms upon this country, it is remarked
by Americans, " Englishmen forget that we are
providing a home for all the outcasts and exiles of
the Old World, and that in two generations we ob-
literate the traces of their misery or crimes, and
produce respectable citizens." And it must be ac-
knowledged that the raw material with which they
have to work is of the worst possible kind. The
influx of Irish would ruin any other land but one
which was almost boundless in its extent and inex-
haustible in its wealth. In the second generation
they are found to be good colonists, for in this
country the influence of the priesthood soon declines,
and it seems possible to impress even upon Irish
faculties that it is better to live by fair hard work
than by laziness and craft. But the original emi-
grant too often brings with him all the vices and
leaves behind him all the virtues of his race. lie
•becomeS an insolent servant in a hotel, or, imitating
the congenial manners of the native " rowdy," be
•buildings, prowls about the wharves and public try-
ing
to pick up pence by begging or some more facile
means. The riots in New York two years ago were
entirely organised and carried out by the Irish.
They are constantly attacking the houses of the
Germans settle down into a steady and decent life
as soon ns they aroive, and the Irishman has never
heard of that system, and cannot bring himself to
understand it. IL; knows that he is the equal of all
men, and his notion of equality is that he is better
than his neighbour, and ought to be kept at his
neighbour's expense. One of them said in a police-
court the other day, when he was charged with
striking a luau in the street with a slug shot, " I
haven't got into the ways of the country yet." They
never do get into its ways. They hear at home that
they can live in America without much work, and
when they find out the error they fall back into old
habits with a resignation that would be almost Chris-
tiau if its results were not 2,0 Vicious. They arrive in such I

numbers as to defy control. A report issued by the
Commissioners of Emigration for 1864 states that
184,700 emigrants landed at New York last year.
Of these 89,706 came from Ireland, and 57,572 from
Germany. The German emigrants generally bring
means with them ; the Irish land with nothing but
rags and dense ignorance to call their own, with no
plan of life before them, with no definite expecta-
tions even, and no object in view, except to be made
a Fenian as soon as possible. The result is that the
streets are infested with Irish ruffians, and Ameri-
cans justly complain that up6n them falls the dis-
credit of crimes committed by people from their own
shores. There are as many Irish to be seen any day
in Broadway as in Dublin. They herd together here
according to their unvarying instincts, the dirtiest
and most depraved part of the town being invari-
ably the Irish quarter. Into some of these parts the
police are actually afraid to follow them. The New
York papers often make a half pathetic appeal to
them to go West, where fortune is ready to smile
upon their industry, but they prefer to stay where
fortune of a different kind may be obtained without
industry, and of the total number who came here
last year 60,000 declared their intention of remain-
ing in New York. As to the " Fenian" craze, it is
taken up every now and then by the press as part of
the favourite diversion of " stirring up John Bull."
When other topics are dull it is always found to be
good to fall back on England. Round abuse of Eng-
land and Englishmen never fails to bring down the
cheers of the mob here. The other day one of the papers
came out on the arrival of the mail withthe announce-
ment in large letters, " Suspension of specie pay-
ments in England—the poor old country on its last
legs." Nevertheless, by the subsequent mail it did
not appear that the " poor old country" had quite
gone. These ravings are utterly disregarded by the
intelligent classes, but they have a certain effect
upon the ignorant—similar in kind4liough not, it
is to be hoped, in degree, to that which was pro-
duced on the minds of the Southern people by the
constant assertions by their leaders that the Yan-
kees were cowards, and would never fight. Nowhere
in the country were the people so ignorant as in the
South ; they thoroughly believed that the North
could not and would not fight them. Similarly,
the ill-educated classes in the North are taught
day after day that all Europe is a morsel designed
by_destiny for the Americans to swallow whenever
they are disposed to open their mouths. Fenianism
is a part of this course of education, and it is the
most popular part of the course. A vision of per-
fect bliss dawns upon the Irish mind as it pictures
the sacking of London by a Fenian army, the exe-
cution of the Royal family, a general distribution of
property, and the elevation of Mr. John Mitchell to
the English throne. That is the programme of the
Fenians, and it suits some of the papers to puff it
off, and encourage the madmen in their folly. But
enlightened Americans are not satisfied that men
whose only scheme of life is to enrich themselves by
plundering others should have an overwhelming
voice in controlling the affairs of their State. Yet
the Irish are so powerful in New York that the
best of the papers would not dare to advocate the
alteration of the suffrage as applied to them. Any
politician who did so would inevitably suffer at
their hands. It is this subject which fills the mind
of the reflecting classes with much deeper anxiety
than the admission or exclusion of the negro has
ever occasioned. The principle of universal suffrage
is at the very basis of the Constitution, and he
will be a bold and unfortunate man who first pro-
poses to limit it in any way. Nevertheless, those
who follow the course of events most intelligently,
and have the welfare of their country most deeply
at heart, are filled with misgivings when they see
that power is being rapidly absorbed by a race
which only knows what patriotism is by obscure tra-
dition.

A committee of the House of Representatives, ap-
pointed to report " on the conduct of the war," has
been making an investigation into the circumstances
of an attack by the Third Regiment of Colorado
Volunteers upon a party of the Cheyenne tribe of
Indians. The official statement of this committee
discloses an extraordinary series of outrages. In the
course of last summer a message was received from
the Indians by Major Nynkoop, then c3mmanding
the post of Fort Lyon, making known their wish to
deliver over a number of white captives whom they
had purchased of other Indians. The captives were
received, but the Cheyennes, who have always been a
friendly tribe, were taken prisoners by the United
States forces. After a while they were sent to a place
on Sand Creek, and told to remain there until they
received instructions from Major Anthony, who had
succeeded Major Nynkoop. They thought they
were to be treated as friends, and the Commissioners
state that " everything seemed to have been done
to remove from the mind of these Indians any fear
of approaching danger." A few nights afterwards
Col. Chivington and Major Anthony marched out
with upwards of SOO men, and surrounded the In-
dian camp, which consisted of about 600 persons, of
whom more than half were women and children.
The head chief ran forward with a small white flag,
but a general massacre was immediately commenced.
The Commissioners say :
" Men, women, and children were indiscriminately
slaughtered. From the sucking babe to the old warrior,
all who were overtaken were deliberately murdered. Not
content with killing women and children, who were in-
capable of offering any resistance, the soldiers indulged
in acts of barbarity of the most revolting character, such,
it is to be hoped, as never before disgraced the acts of men
claiming to be civilised. No attempt was made by the
officers to restrain the savage cruelty of the men under
their command, but they stood by and witnessed these
acts without one word of reproof, if they did not incite
their commission. For more than two hours the work of
murder and barbarity was continued, until more than one
hundred dead bodies, three-fourths of them of women and
children, lay on the plain as evidences of the fiendish
malignity and cruelty of the officers who had sedulously
and carefully plotted the massacre and of the soldiers who
had so faithfully acted out the spirit of their officers."

This extraordinary act seems to be absolutely
without palliation. The Indians had not only been
friendly themselves, but had done all that lay in
their power to restrain the lawlessness and violence
of other tribes. The language of the Commissioners
towards Colonel Chivington is most severe. They
accuse him of having " deliberately planned and
executed a foul and dastardly massacre, which
would have disgraced the veriest savage among
those who were the victims of his cruelty." They
recommend the immediate removal of all the officers
who took a part in the butchery, and who " dis-
graced the Government by whom they are em-
ployed." The rapid disappearance of the Indian
from this continent would be a heavy reproach to
the nation if it could be traced to such a policy as
that which Colonel Chivington and Major Anthony
thought proper to pursue.

Reports from various parts relative to the pro-
spects of the cotton crop are generally discou-
raging. It is computed that 500,000 bales will
represent the total crop, and that the entire
quantity of "merchantable cotton on hand" is
about 1,200,000 bales. It is impossible, however,
for any one to estimate with precision the quantity
which is held in the trans-Mississippi country. An
opinion has been given by Attorney-General Speed,
in compliance with the demand of the Treasury,
voetrtnont e
Upon the right of loyal merchants or foreigners to
n which
during was stehizeedwabry. the United UnidteedeisSiotnatewn
s'iGboe-
of great importance to many English traders. It
arises from what is known as
_bast December Gen.
the Savannah cotton
onbeh
case, the facts being there
Sherman confiscated,
1000 in ite
the Treasury
of tare
t ety of
Department, 38,000 bales of cotton
Havannah. The property was sold in
New York at
public auction, and subsequently claims were posted
for the proceeds by parties representing themselves
to be loyal merchants or subjects of neutral
Powers. The Attorney-General decides, in the first
place, that the cotton was lawfully captured ; upon
the second point he says :—" I am of opinion that
neither the President, nor any other executive offi-
cer can restore, or authorise such a commission as
you (the Secretary of the Treasury) suggest to
make restitution of the proceeds of their captured
property to these loyal claimants." The following
passages are too important to be abridged :
" When the insurrection has been suppressed the owners
are authorised to invoke the jurisdiction of the Court of
Claims. The proceeds of the property aro thus in the pos-
session of the United States, subject to the adjudication of
the Court, and when it shall have passed upon the claim-
ants' rights and decreed in their favour Congress has so-

lemnly declared that they shall receive restitution of their
property. In the presence of such legislation, covering as
it does the entire subject-matter, providing for the safe
custody of the property in question pending hostilities, and
for the final judicial determination of the rights of the
parties in interest, I cannot see that the Executive has
power to make a different disposition of the property from
that provided by Congress, or authorise any one to deter-
mine the questions which Congress has intrusted to the
decision of another forum. lam therefore of opinion, in
reply to your inquiry, that jurisdiction cannot be conferred
upon a commission appointed ether by the President or
the Secretary of the Treasury to examine the claims in
question and to make restoration of the proceeds of so
much of this cotton as may belong to the loyal claimants."
Ford's Theatre, Washington, in which President
Lincoln was shot, has lately been the subject of
some cheap and vehement patriotism. A portion of
the press is unreserved in its indignation because the
Government forbade the re-opening of the theatre
one night recently, when a play especially adapted
to excite disorder and tumult was announced for
production. When Mr. Lincoln died it seemed that
the whole country wanted to buy the theatre, and
turn it into some sort of memorial of the " Martyr
President." But, provided there be not some great
principle or cause at stake, popular sentiment is
very shortlived in America, and the ttesire to da
something from motives of respect and gratitude to
Mr. Lincoln soon burnt itself out. So Mr. Ford was
unable to get any one to buy his theatre ; even the
Young Men's Christian. Association, which had been
very eager to sanctify the unhallowed spot by meet-
ing together in it, could not make up their minds to
pay for the privilege. The Cabinet appears to think
that it is undesirable to let the theatre become pub-
lic property, and they have, consequently, agreed to
pay rent for it until next session, when Congress
may be willing to pay for its purchase. It is a little
more than doubtful, however, whether the money
will be voted, for the prevalent feeling towards Mr.
Lincoln, though kindly, is by no means enthusiastic,
and it is very common to hear expressions of regret
that the Queen wrote a private letter to Mrs. Lin-
coln. Men who are familiar with public affairs, and
who remember them, speak with the highest admi-
ration of the late President ; but the mass of the
people have fickle memories, and with them the
merits of Mr. Lincoln are eclipsed by the more
showy performances of Grant and Sheridan, the
two popular idols at this moment.

The Abyssinian Prisoners.

♦--.

A letter from Mr. Stern, one of the missionaries
who are captive with Consul Cameron in Abyssinia,
has reached our hands. Some extracts of this letter
may prove entertaining reading, even to Lord Russell
and Mr. Layard. At this season of the year probably
both gentlemen unbend from the high official in-
difference they have shown to the sufferings of our
countrymen ; besides, both are gentlemen of a lite-
rary turn, and the letter has at least the sort of
interest to be found in books of travel and adven-
ture. If there are passages in it which refute the
" explanations" of. her Majesty's Ministers, that
need not trouble them now, when they arc already
knee-deep in misstatements and contradictions.
They have said, for instance, that the sufferings of
the missionaries • and the Consul are the conse-
quence of personal indiscretion, and that to assign
them to the anger of King Theodorus against the
British Government is absurd. Yet in the first page
of Mr. Stern's letter we read—" I believe that,
next to the members of her Britannic Majesty's
Government, King Theodoros considers me the
greatest miscreant that ever breathed the free air
of heaven." The writer (whose letter is dated
April, 1865) thus proceeds :
" You are aware that in the beginning of April,
1863, I reached Abyssinia. Our mission, though
restricted in its operations was then most
prosperous. In June, Captain Cameron, 11.8. M.
Consul, arrived a second time at our sta-
tion in Genda. The King, who had been at some
distance, also quite accidentally came to our neigh-
bourhood. During his stay in our vicinity, I heard
several times that he was annoyed that Capt. Cameron
had not brought an answer to his letter to the British
Government, and also for having gone round the
frontier and formed, as was falsely expressed, pre-
judicial intimacies with his enemies the Turks.
Against us and our mission I also heard unfavour-
able reports ; and as I knew the priests were op-
posed to us and our work, I communicated my fears
to my fellow labourers.
" Not expecting violence or forcible detention,
even under the most adverse circumstances,ll visited
the Faloshas of various districts. About the 20th
September I came back to Genda ; and on the even-
ing of my return, a royal order summoned the Bri-
tish consul, all the missionary agents and myself, to
Gondar, to hear the reading of the letter which .a
Monsieur Bardel had brought from the Emperor of
the French. All obeyed the behest, and on the
morning of the 2d October, I think (the dates may
not be quite correct), the despatch was publicly
read, Wand the fictitious interview between Monsieur
Bardel and Napoleon 111. narrated before the small
European colony. The King was exceedingly
dissatisfied with the letter and the reception
of his messenger ; and I know that M. Lejean,
the French Consul, might still keep us company
had not Aboona Salama (the Abyssinian patriarch)
arrested the King's violence and gained him permis-
sion to leave. M. Lejean and M. Lagard, a French
physician, were peremptorily requested to quit
Abyssinia, and the rest returned again to their re-
spective homes.

" The crisis, which for some time had been loom-
ing in the distance, was now drawing nearer and
nearer. All felt that there was something impend-
ing, but even the most timid dreaded nothing be-
yond the seizure of property and an expulsion from
the country. My own work being finished, I pur-
chased the requisite number of animals and started
for the coast. On my way I had to repass Gondar,
where the King was still with his army. The Metro-
politan, with wonted kindness, invited me to his
residence, an offer which I gratefully accepted.' I
reached Gondar on Thursday, and on Saturday I in-
tended to pay my salaam to his Majesty. Unfor-
tunately, before I could secure a baldaraba, or in-
troducer, the King unexpectedly set out on an ex-
pedition against a rebel. I remained at Gondar till
Tuesday, and then bade a final adieu to the Bishop
and other friends, ancrquitted, as I thought for ever,
the capital of Abyssinia. Captain Cameron, and
also the Frenchman Bardel, accompanied me about
two hours on my road., and then shook hands and
parted.

My' people as well as myself were in the happiest
mood, a feeling which even our animals seemed to
share, for they marched with ease along shelving
paths and over dizzying precipices up to the plain of
Woggera. Here to my surprise I saw the King's
white tent glimmering in the sun's rays on one of
the ,heights which dot the plateau. Duty as well
as courtesy forbade me to advance without saluting
his Majesty. This induced me to halt, and towards
afternoon I proceeded, accompanied by two servants,
one of whom spoke a little Arabic, to the royal camp-
ing ground. After waiting about two hours, his Ma-
jesty came into the open air. Myself and attendants
immediately made a most humble obeisance. There
was a frown on the King's countenance which augured
nothing auspicious. Between the first question and
the death of my two servants the hand of time could
not have advanced ten minutes. The gloom of ap-
proaching night, the rattling of the sticks, and my
own doubtful fate, mechanically prompted me to put
my hand to my lips, or, as it was said, to put a
finger into my mouth. This was construed into a
crime, and in less time than these words take to pen,
I was stripped, beaten, and almost lifeless on the
ground. Wounded, bruised, and bleeding, my exe-
cutioners dragged, or rather carried me, down the
hill, where my swollen wrist was fastened by a
hoop and chain to the arm of a soldier. My guar-
dian, moved with compassion, tried to staunch
with rank grass the blood which profusely welled
out of more than a score of gashes and scars ;
but, finding the effort useless, he wrapped himself
in his shama, and, with my battered form clinginc,
to him, fell asleep. I also sank several times into a
feverish stupor ; and, oh ! how gladly would I have
passed the wearisome hours of night in forgetfulness
had not the shifting motion of blood in my mouth
and throat denied me this indulgence. At daylight
I was given in charge of several chiefs, whilst the
King moved on to Gondar."
His guards, however, and the villagers behaved

kindly to the unfortunate man. Orders had been
sent that he should be fettered hand and foot ; but
his ankles were too much inflamed to be ironed
without great agony, and so the royal order was
transgressed. His left hand wastied to hisright foot,
and in that state he and his servant were marched
to Gondar. There his baggage was searched by
Mr. Flad, M. Bardel, one Samuel (a very doubtful
convert), and some officers of the royal household.
Mr. Stern warned M. Bardel that there were some
papers and diaries which might compromised him
(Mr. Stern). " Dont be afraid," said the French-
man, "if anything is found, I'll say they are the
journals of a gentleman then in England.
Meanwhile—

" The anticipated arrival of favourable letters from
the British Government, as well as the energetic
efforts of the Metropolitan and other friends, dis-
pelled everydoubt of my speedy release. Capt. Cam-
eron, H.B.M. consul, also kindly offered to exert
himself on my behalf, but I disclaimed all assis-
tance that was not strictly of a conciliatory and
friendly character. About the beginning of Novem-
ber the King wrote to his European workmen at
Gaffat that he had tortured me long enough, and
that, if they approved of it, they should come to
Gondar and reconcile us. My prospects now looked
bright and hopeful, when unexpectedly his Majesty
was informed that I had papers unfavourable to him.
This was exactly four weeks after my beating and
incarceration. Not dreaming of anything inauspi-
cious, and animated by the sweet hope of liberty, I
passed the greater part of the day in conversation
with my guards, when, unexpectedly, Samuel and a
party of soldiers came rushing into my prison, seized
every article in it, and carried them off to the King.
My Egyptian servant, Joseph, who had been my
fellow prisoner, though not in chains, was re-
quested to follow. Two hours of torturing suspense
had elapsed, when bags, boxes, &c., were again
brought back, minus every paper and book.
They had been handed to M. Bardel, who acted as
examiner, and now and then the King said Cocab
(my name) isle. belhademga (clever man) ; then again
a toungoulenya (a cunning rascal). The glowing
prospects of freedom and restoration to the bosom
of my family from that hour sank before my mind's
vision. In the evening I was given in charge of
severer guards, and tied hands and feet. Twenty-
five soldiers and five chiefs were now appointed as
my regular guard. No stranger was allowed to ap-
proach my tent. A servant of the chief jailer now
and then baked me a few fiat cakes, and brought me
a leather bottle of water. Some of the guards, in
whose good graces I had wormed myself informed
me that I had an enemy at Gondar, and snapping
their fingers (a sign that all is over), ejaculated ' We
are all dust and must die."

After several days of suspense and suffering came
a gleam of hope. Mr. Stern was now told that—.

" The longed-for letter from the British Govern-
ment would arrive in two days, and that on Friday
I was to be liberated. Seconds yielded to minutes,
minutes to hours, and at last came Friday. I had
already lost trust in messages, but early on that
morning, to my agreeable surprise and gratitude, the
feet chains were opened. Less guarded than usually,
I sat in my tented prison; and prayerfully ruminated
on my future destiny. About mid-day my fierce
chief gaily marched into the tent, and commanded
that I should accompany him to his Majesty. I im-
mediately obeyed the summons, but instead of a pri-
vate interview with the monarch, I found the whole
army drawn up in a square, the utmost line which
.was occupied by a kind of throne on which sat the
King, shaded by gigantic silken umbrellas. On
the left side of his Majesty, I noticed Messrs.
Bardel and Zander, and on the right a host of
priests and scribes, whilst in the interior of
the square, squatted on carpets, were ranged
in opposite lines the King's European workmen,
H.B.M. Consul, and the missionaries. Scarcely one
of the Europeans ventured to gaze at me, whilst
myriads of black glittering eyes vainly tried to
pierce my inmost soul. On looking round I saw
Rosenthal hi chains, standing about a hundred
steps from mc."

They were to be judged according to a code
which pronounces the penalty of death on all who
by speech or writing offend the King.
" Ten articles, I believe, were brought forward
against me, and the most formidable of these were
the assertion that a war between the King and a
foreign Power would remove intolerance and in-
troduce religious liberty ; that since the death of
Mr. Bell the King had no good counsellor ; that
various provinces, and also Genda, had been plun-
dered ; and, lastly, that in passing a place where
lay bleaching in the rays of the sun 700 or 800
skulls, I had stated in my diary that they had been
murdered in cold blood. The only offensive state-
ment in my book, of which I had unfortunately
one copy, was the pedigree of his Majesty, and the
last heavy crime consisted in my having added a
few harmless and complimentary notes from the
Metropolitan. Rosenthal's sins (which were laid
upon me, though I knew not a word of what he
had written till that very moment) consisted in
some remarks about the King's private life in a
letter to a relative in London. Even Mrs. Flad was
arraigned before this Imperial Court, and that, for-
sooth, because she wrote to me a year before, in a
note which I carelessly threw among other papers,
that the Abyssinian lion had degenerated into a
tiger. She was immediately pardoned on account
of her husband, who was so good a friend to the
King—but myself and Rosenthal, notwithstanding
all I urged against the malice and obvious pervef-
sions in the translations, were unanimously declared
guilty. Knowing full well, from sad experience,
what the verdict implied, I appealed to Samuel,
and entreated him to solicit the royal pardon,
in our behalf. He at first did not deign to give a
reply ; but, on reiterating the request, he angrilyre-
torted, "fo-morrow, to-morrow.' The King now
waved his hand, and both Mr. Rosenthal and my-
self were led off to one common tented prison. The
same evening, Jaquelfflby, our fiendish jailer, tumbled
half drunk into our tent, and, after eyeing me
awhile like a basilisk, he exclaimed, If I had a
sword I would cut off that dog's head,' and then,
making again a pause, he jumped 11D, dragged me
along the ground by the chain, and, amidst a shower
of the vilest epithets, began to hammer tight my
fetters."

By-and-by there came fresh rumours that the
"impatiently expected letter from the British Go-
vernment had arrived," and this gave the prisoners
fresh hope. But on the 4th of December they saw
reason to banish, hope.

" About noon that day our fetters on the feet
were removed, and, escorted by a detachment of
soldiers, we were conducted before the King. His
Majesty was at our arrival engaged in administering
justice, and for two hours we had to stand close to
criminals who were undergoing the dreadful punish-
ment of the ' giraffe'—whipping with buffalo-hide
thong. On being summoned nearer, his Majesty
ironically said, in reference to an expression which
had inadvertently dropped from my lips, ' Are you
now afraid ?' We gave no reply, but quietly re-
signed ourselves to Him who is a help to His ser-
vants in every time of need. His Majesty then
peremptorily inquired why we had insulted him.
Fearlessly, though respectfully, I returned, Our
object has not been to insult your Majesty, nor have
we written a single word in the language of this
country ; but if we have done wrong we humbly
crave your royal pardon.' Samuel, who acted as
interpreter; had not yet quite translated the above
sentence, when the King commanded to take away
our shaman and shirts. Miserable, wretched,
with a mere rag around the waist, we were con-
ducted back to our prison. Our guards
now consulted among themselves whether they should
leave us in the open air orpermit us to occupy again
the tent. The fear of our escape induced them to
consign us again to our old place, where on the bare
ground we spent a never-to-be-forgotten 12 hours.
Cold and chilly with the night, gloomy and sad ap-
peared the dawn of day. Our chief jailer who had
gone to the King, came back in about two hours,
but instead of leading us to execution, as we had
every reason to believe, he brought to each a tattered
rag, and also ordered us to have some bread and
water. Respite, and not release, did not lighten our
burden or mitigate our mental and physical suffer-
ings. A
young native lad in the service of Mr. Flad,
accompanied by a friendly soldier, occasionally came
to the door of our tent, and by signs gave us to

understand that we were ere long to be liberated.
Our guards also put a stop to their petty tyrannies,
and some became even civil and communicative. We
now heard from all sides that our lives had been in
imminent peril—nay, we were assurred that on the
day the King had us stript, the knives to cut off our
hands and feet were actually lying close to the spot
where we stood, and that the fell deed was only pre-
vented by the energetic remonstrances and inter-
cessions of the head of the monks. Fifteen days
more in trouble and exhausting anxiety rolled away.
I do not recollect the date, but it was on a rainy
and dull morning, that our tent door was lifted up,
and to our surprise as well as joy there entered Flad,
Samuel, several of the Bishop's and King's people.
My body being almost bent double by the chains,
Flad softly requested me not to rise, as is cus-
tomary at the receipt of a royal message, but
simply told me that his Majesty wished me to
give him the exact price of certain silks which
had been presented to him by the Metro-
politan. The Bishop presented to the King on
his own account articles of considerable value, as he
hoped thereby to gain his favour and promote my
restoration to freedom.

" Having finished the valuation, which I could
easily do, as most had been purchased by me in
England, Samuel ordered me to get up, and then in
a bland speech he informed me that it had been the
King's design to kill me, but that God had not per-
mitted it, and that now I had the means of regain-
ing the royal favour if I supplied Mr. Flad, who was
going to Europe, with letters to procure machines
and one or two gunpowder makers. On the return
of Mr. Flad, his Majesty would also allow me to
leave Abyssinia, and that, too, overloaded with pre-
sents, and a name famous in Africa and Europe.
During the interval his Majesty would set me free
and afford me occupation in taking for him photo-
graphic sketches. I felt inclined to object to all
these proposals, but Flad, to whom the King himself
had shown the spot where he intended to kill me,
advised me to give an unqualified assent to every
demand, as otherwise it might go badly with myself,
and also Mr. Rosenthal. His Majesty sent the fol-
owing day to open our hand chains, but on Mr.
Flad's representation that my legs were in a bad
state, the order was reversed. Flad subsequently
said that the King wanted that the same fetters
should that very day be attached to the Consul and
Makerer (the Consul's servant), and that he had to
beg most earnestly to prevent the command from
being carried into effect."

Affairs now looked brighter. The prisoners were
allowed more liberty ; a servant was appointed to
wait on them ; and a message was sent to the Euro-
peans at Gaffat to come to Gondar " and reconcile
us." But now—

" Captain Cameron, uninformed of all this,
sent in a letter demanding leave to depart for his
post at Massowah, in compliance with orders from
the British Government. This once more proved
fatal to my own and Rosenthal's prospects ; and on
the 3d. January, 1864, Captain Cameron, his Eu-
ropean servant, and all the missionaries, were put
in fetters, and we, together with them, confined in
one common prison within the royal enclosure."
Here Mr. Stern's letter ends—with the beginning
of his worst misfortunes, which iVe may have to
describe on a future occasion.

Launch of a Steam Yacht for the Viceroy
of Egypt.

Yesterday the paddle-wheel steam yacht Mahrouuse,
which has been built by the Messrs. Samuda Brothers for
his Imperial Highness the Viceroy of Egypt, was launched
from the building-yard of that firm, Millwall, Poplar, in
the presence of a large number of ladies and gentlemen
who had been invited to witness the spectacle, and of a vast
concourse of other persons who thronged the yard and
adjacent premises.
The vessel committed to the waters under these auspi-
cious circumstances promises to mark a now and important
era in the constantly progressive history of steam naviga-
tion. Sho is the largest of her class ever built, measuring
400 feet over all, with 42 feet beam, 29 feet depth, and
3,200 tons burden. Great as aro these dimensions, the
order for the Mahrousse was given by the Viceroy
personally to Mr. Samuda on his visit to Egypt in
October last, and her first plate was 'laid only on the
13th of January last. As regards her form, and all de-
tails affecting her sea-going qualities, the Messrs. Samuda,
were left entirely free, it being the object of the Vice-
roy to have the most pet feet vessel that modern art
could produce. If an opinion can be hazarded as to her
furturo performances from her figure and buoyancy and
the great space which has been reserved for -her engines,
stores, and miscellaneous accommodation, it might be
assumed that the desire of the Viceroy will be fully realised.
Messrs. Samuda express their confident expectation that the
Mahrousse will be able to make 1811 knots or 22 statute miles
per hour, and 16 knots on her ordinary sea voyage. Should
this belief be sustained by the performance, the Viceroy will
be enabled to make the journey from Alexandria to Mar-
seilles in about three days, or little more than half the time
at present occupied in the conveyance of the India mail over
the same portion of its route. The high reputation of the
firm of Samuda Brothers justifies the expectation that this
economy of time will be obtained, and in that event it will
immediately become the duty of the Governments of Great
Britain and France to make provision for the corresponding
acceleration of the mail, an object of the highest importance
to this country in particular.
The internal arrangements of the vessel are on the most
ample scale, and include, under a full poop, a suite of mag-
nificent state-rooms nine feet high, the largest saloon being
60 feet by 38. Below the deck the entire range of cabins
is nearly equally lofty, and the whole length of the vessel
aft of the engines is appropriated- to state apartments for the
Viceroy and his special attendants, while an- entire deck
below the main cabins. is devoted to the use of his suite and
high officers of State.

The ceremony of christening the vessel was performed by
Mrs. Charles Oppenheim. The hour appointed for the
launch was 1.45, it being then high water, and the neces-
sary arrangements had been completed with so much punc-
tuality, that within a minute or two of that time steps were
taken for releasing the cra'dle in which-the vessel was
supported on the Ways. The bottle being broken
against her graceful bows, and the small cord cut
which held the " monkey-weights" suspended the fall of
the latter removed the " dog-shores," and the ponderous
mass immediately commenced its descent along the incline
plane, and presently afterwards entered the water amid
the hearty cheers of the assembled spectators. After being
brought to, the Mahrousse was towed down the river to
the Victoria Docks, undo' the large lifting sheers of which
she will receive her engines, which have been constructed
for her by the eminent firm of James Penn and Sons, of
Greenwich. They are a pair of condensing engines of
800-horse power nominal, but capable of doing at least
seven times the amount of work so represented. Every
recognised improvement has been applied in their construc-
tion; and having regard to the circumstances under which
the vessel was to be turned out of hand, we may reason-
ably suppose that they will be worthy specimens of the
perfection of machine-making in England. The Mahrousse
is to be got ready for sea with all possible despatch, and
every aim-tine will be, made to complete her -within two
months from the present time, when her trial trip will be
looked forward to with considerable interest.

Shortly after the launch the event was celebrated by an
elegant dejetmer, supplied by Mr. Roberts of the Artichoke
Tavern, Blackwall, in his most approved style. The chair
was taken by Mr. Samuda, M.P. for Tavistock, and about
80 ladies and gentlemen were present. The toasts included
" Success to the Mahrousse," with which Mr. Samuda
coupled the name of Captain Fedrigo Bey, who appeared in
the Turkish naval uniform, and holds the Viceroy's com-
mission for the Mahrousse. The toast was cordially drunk,
and Capt. Fedrigo Bey appropriately acknowledged it.

The beautifulstean-tender of Messrs. Penn and Co. con-
wed a large number of the party back to London.
This morning an iron-clad frigate, to be called the Lido-
pendencia, which has been built by the same firm for the
Peruvian Government, will be launched from the adjoining
slips in the same yard.

Wrrnour THE MAILS..—The Clarksville (Texas)
Standard has the following :—" The mails being
discontinued, we are under the necessity of getting our
news from report. From several sources we learn that
President Johnson was killed on the 6th July at Washing-
ton by Gen. Grant in a personal altercation arising from
Johnson's unwillingness to maintain in good faith the terms
of the convention entered into by Grant with Lee, and by
Sherman with Johnston. Tho report was at first scarcely
listened to, but it has been corroborated by several persons
who have passed through town within the week ; and one
of our informants who has just arrived from Dardanelle,
Arkansas, saw the account in the newspapers of three dif-
ferent localities, and mentions that all the papers were in
mourning. He also heard the occurrence discussed by
Federal officers at Dardanelle. The killing occurred in a
private room at the State Department, and without wit-
nesses ; and all wo hear is that Gen. Grant said he was
compelled to kill him. As President Johnson's habits are
known to have been very irregular, and he was a man of
strong will and denunciatory mode of expression, these may
have brought on a physical contest, and in a measure com-
pelled the result. The President of the Senate will bo his
successor till the 4th of March. This is Mr. Collamer, of
Vermont, a man of more than average mind—far above the
grade of Andrew Johnson's ; and, though an opponent to
slavery, a fair and just-minded opponent, and we shall have
hopes of liberal treatment of the South."