The Sun.
London, England, 1871-02-02 00:00:00

THE IRON CROSS.

A. special correspondent of one of the London
morning journals—the Daily Teleyraph—has re-
ceived from the Emperor of Germany the decoration
of the Iron' Cross. It .is with no small gratification
that we notice the honour conferred upon Sir
Randall Roberts,' as the special correspon-
dents sent out by the London, Manchester, and
chief Irish and Scotch papers during the present war
have bad to encounter perils of an unusual
character, and because they have all as a rule un-
flinchingly and earnestly pursued their hazardous
duties. Sir Randall Roberts, for instance, was pre-
ent at the opening fight at Saarbruck, and at the
battle of Gravelotte he exposed himself in so dangerous
a position that ho received- a- wound in the side.
Throughout the siege of Metz he was attached to the
German Headquarters. We
,believe it is
right to say that after the fall of the fortress
Sir Randall became connected with the staff of
Generals Manteuffel and' Von Goeben, and distin-
guished himself by acts of valour and huma-
nity. It was chiefly fOr services rendered at the
battle of St. Quentin that the Emperor of Germany
thought it necessary to confer upon the Englishman
some decided mark of his approval. On the 22nd of
January Sir Randall was thrown from his horse
through the bursting of a shell under the walls of
Cambrai, end it was while lying in the hospital at
Amiens that the distinction of the Iron Cross was
handed to him by General -von Goeben.

THR " NEW YORK TIDIES ON- THE FENIAN&
The New York Times is severe on the extravagant
reception accorded to the Fenian exiles on their
arrival in New York. Two parties contended for the
honour of receiving them as guests. "Tammany "
claimed them as its own, and Mr. Tweed
headed the reception party, but the Republicans
found they were. missing a magnificent oppor-
tunity, and thought if they could secure the
Cuba's passengers they could obtain the mastery of
the whole Irish population of New York. The con-
sequence was a fierce rivalry, and the Fenian were
likely to be killed with kindness in what '
the Times calls contemptuously " this Irish
city of New York." It is highly indig-
nant that United States officials should have
condescended to play second fiddle to Tweed, and
asks whether "the button-holing, the winking and
whispering, the vile flattery and viler falsehood going
on on both side 3," is a display of which Americans
have reason to he proud ? What is the occasion of
all this noise? asks the Times. Who are these
liberated prisoners, and in what do they differ
from the hundreds of other Irish emigrants arriv-
ing weekly at New York, that party leaders
must go crazy in the effort to secure them ? The
fault is Mr. Gladstone's, who, by compelling the
Fenian prisoners to come to the United S tatos, has
converted the ex-convicts into martyrs and exiles.
By driving a handful of ordinary Irishmen, who aro
utterly destitute of influence in 'their native land,
across the sea, he has committed a serious blunder. The
New York Herald takes a somewhat different tone, but
thinks the patriots of Ireland will recommend quiet
moderation, instruction, and watchfulness, and that
they are more likely to be of use to their native land
through prudent counsel, and by imparting practical
information to their countrymen in America, thm in
any other way at present open to them.