The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-13 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 13, 1865.

The Persia brings uslittle intelligence of moment.
,The scattered Confederate forces are one by one
surrendering on the same terms as their renowned
leader, and the war is considered to be practically
terminated. So much so, indeed, is it considered
in the North that GRANT has returned to Washing-
ton and begun the reduction of the military estab-
lishments. This is a natural and necessary step,
since the burdens on the people must be lightened
at any cost, now that the pressing urgency of the
war is over, but whether we may hope that peace is
really restored may be very much questioned. The
cessation of actual hostilities does not necessarily
infer the reunion and tranquillisation of the people,
while the problems are awaiting solution, before any-
thing like regular government can be re-established
throughout the States. The task which awaits the
Washington Cabinet might well appal the stoutest
heart, and, unfortunately, such is the critical posi-
tion of affairs that a rash or mistaken step may pro-
duce lasting evils. Prudence and moderation are;
above all things, requisite for the guidance of the
helm of State through these troubled waters, but the
proceedings of the civil authorities, as yet, give
little indication of them. Persons suspected of
complicity in the assassination of Mr. LINCOLN
have been arrested in Washington to the
number of three hundred, and it ap-
pears that a good many more are marked, for a
special prison has been prepared for their reception.
The plot," as the individual action of two or
three fanatics is now called, is said to extend to
Canada, and the United States' Government has
notified the Canadian authorities that persons im-
plicated in it must be delivered to the Federal autho-
rities. It certainly, affords a very convenient excuse
for getting troublesome politicians and friends of
the South out of the way ; but we suspect that the
Canadian rulers will require a little clearer and
more certain evidence than Mr. STANTON'S " infor-
mation" before they surrender any man on that
The new PRESIDENT has also determined,
it is said, upon issuing a proclamation declaring all
men sailing under the Confederate flag to be
pirates, and directing that they be pursued and
treated as such by Federal cruisers. This is nothing
very new, since we have been repeatedly told that
the Southern privateers were no better than pirates,
and the Federal cruisers have been trying to.catch
them for the last three years! An instance of the

account.

petty tyranny in which the party now in power at
Washington seem to delight has been given by
General HALLECK, who has ordered that all persons
wishing to pursue any business or profession in
Richmond or Petersburg must first take the oath of
allegiance, as well as persons wishing to be married !
What the oath of allegiance has to do with mar-
riage is not very clear, except as a means of pres-
sure and arrogance. We should be glad to see a
more conciliatory tone infused into the Federal
councils, and its leaders may be sure that any tem-
porary loss of dignity would be amply repaid by the
increased stability of the peace and prosperity of
the country.

Last night Mr. DISRAELI called attention to the I
management of certain officials at the Wycombe
Union. The right hon. gentleman mentioned the
particulars of the case, which certainly did not re-
flect much credit upon the parties concerned, nor
upon the Poor Law Board. It appears that too
much laxity was shown to the master of the pauper
school, whose conduct seems to have been highly
improper. A series of misunderstandings evidently
took place as to the powers vested in the Poor-law
Board, and the duties that devolved upon the
guardians. The consequence of all this is that the
offender has escaped with impunity, and a bad
precedent has been established. Mr. VILLIERS
stated that the Poor-law Board were not
to blame, for that upon the representation
of the guardians they sent the inspector of the dis-
trict to inquire into the matter. This official took
some time in making his investigations, and the con-
clusion he arrived at was unfavourable to the master,
who thereupon resigned. If an officer of the Poor-
law Board be dismissed hegeannot be employed in
its service again, but if he only resign he can obtain
another situation. The offences with which this
master was charged, if at all substantiated by evi-
dence, were such as called for discussion if not for
more summary proceedings. The guardians were
greatly blamed for the man being allowed to get off
so easily ; but when they complained to the Central
Board they were told that they might themselves
offer a reward for the apprehension of the master
and prosecute him. Mr. VILLIERS stated that the
power of the Poor-law Commissioners was over
when the man resigned, for they could not act
judicially in such instances. It was the province
of the guardians to protect the children from injury,
and they should have appealed to the magistrate in
any case of violence or assault. This is rather in-
consistent, however, when we come to reflect upon
it, because if the case authorised the guardians to
apprehend and prosecute the master, surely there
were ample grounds for his dismissal by the Poor-
law Board. They must have possessed that power
at any rate. The fact is, that it is too much the custom
nowadays to allow those ill-timed resignations,
which militate against the ends of justice, and are
very injurious in every respect, the fullest inquiries
should be instituted into all cases which bear upon
the conduct of those intrusted with the charge of
children, and especially those who are so helpless
and unprotected as paupers. Inattention and inef-
ficiency may well be passed over with leniency by
those who judge of the matter, but the conduct of
the master of this school appears to have been such
as deserved the strongest measures, and it is to be
regretted that the guardians did not, in the first in-
stance, bring the offender before the magistrate,
where he would have been sure to meet with his
deserts, and all concerned in the affair would have
been satisfied.

On the order for going into Committee of Supply
last night, Mr. CAVE very properly called attention
to the allowance made to postmasters. He moved
" that it was neither just nor expedient that labour
and responsibility should be imposed on public. ser-
vants without adequate remuneration." The hon.
member showed that an increase in the salaries of
these officials would not really be an addition to the
public burdens, because the surplus revenue of the
Post-office was more than sufficient to make up the
deficiency. It must certainly be apparent to most
persons that it is a false system for the
Government to pursue to make profits out of
such sources when those employed in the
several departments are under paid. Surely
there are sufficient taxes imposed to meet all neces-
sary demands for the exigencies of the public
service, but if not odious and obnoxious, as fresh
impositions are, they would be more popular and
be met more cheerfully than the knowledge that
useful public servants are unrequited and not paid
in a suitable manner for their arduous and important
services. Of course, Mr. CAVE'S proposal was met
with the usual official jargon of the inconvenience
of making changes, the difficulty of obtaining correct
information, and the awkwardness of establishing
a precedent. The Chancellor of the Exchequer em-
ployed his usual tactics in disputing the arguments
of Mr. CAVE ; but he was not so successful as he
usually is in such arduous efforts, though he gained
his point so far that the resolution was withdrawn.
It is high time that this subject be taken up in
earnest, and that due attention be paid to it. Time
after time it has engaged the attention of the Legis-
lature, and been the theme of discussion out of
doors--not always with the same unsatisfactory
result of nothing being done. Mr. GLADSTONE went
so far as to say that he quite concurred in the prin-
ciple of the amendment of the hon. member.
" He believed that even the hon. member himself
would acknowledge that it was not possible
to inaugurate any wholesale and sweeping change
in the present system." Such a course of expe-
diency and subterfuge may gain the purpose of the
moment, but will infallibly, in the long run, defeat
its own ends and disgust the public with such
Ministerial mismanagement and official trifling.
If it is right that a change be made, why
put in delays and prefer excuses when a duty is to
be performed? The sooner it is done the better.
There has been a great deal too much of this
shuffling style of procedure of late years, and indi-
vidual interests are sacrificed to the prejudices of a
certain class at headquarters, who must keep every-
thing up to the mark of their fancies and desires.
Mr. COVE has done good service to the cause by
bringing it forward, and it is to be trusted that now
they are made evident the error which exist in
this department will be speedily rectified. Im-
mense sums of money are spent, and it is
quite inconsistent that any trouble and inconvenience
should be allowed to stand in the way of the right
and fitting regulation of the matters relating to the
Post-office department, acting on the principle of
what we did with yesterday we'll e'en do with to-
day, is not the way to gain public confidence or to
secure public respect.