The Sun.
London, England, 1870-02-11 00:00:00

AGRARIAN MURDERS.

A correspondent of the Times contests Lord
Cairns's statement that 18 agrarian murders were
committed in Ireland in the year 1869. The
.authority of Dr. Hancock, which must be
izcepted as final, for he prepares the official statistics,
records 31 murders as the total number reported last
year, and of these only six were agrarian. "Lord
Cairns justly remarks that the serious part of the
ousiness is the difficulty of convicting criminals, but
that is an aspect of Irish crime which is not peculiar
to the year 1869. To go no further back than 1868,
when r Lord Cairns was himself in office, I
find that in that year 22 persons were tried
for murder, and none convicted." With the exception
3f occasional fluctuations, there can be no doubt that
the number of murders is decreasing in Ireland. In
1844-1848 the numbers were 631 tried, 104 sentenced,
and 47 executed; in 1849-1853 we have 543 tried,
81 sentenced, and 33 executed; in 1854-1858 we have
226 tried, 24 sentenced, and 9 executed; in 1859-1863
we have 875 tried, 18 sentenced, and 11 executed; in
1864-1868 the figures are 110 tried, 16 sentenced, and
8 executed.
THE ECCLESIASTICAL APPOLYTMENTS.

The Premier is still making appointments. Canon
Dale has been chosen for the Deanery of Rochester;
&[r. Liddon has been given the canonry in St. Paul's,
which Mr. Dale vacates. The first appointment
ought to please, but it will hardly satisfy the
Evangelicals. It shows them that Mr. Gladstone has
not wholly forgotten them ; but it will not stop their
2.laims to a bishopric. Canon Dale has won his
position chiefly by his preaching as a Low Churchman.
He is a man of some classical attainments—is tho
author of some translations of the tragedies of
Sophocles. He has published some poems also; and
a tale of the Flood—"lrad and Adah." Mr. Liddon's
name, as the Times says in announcing his promo-
tion, speaks for itself. His eminence as a High
Church divine, his position as a learned writer, and
his popularity as an exceedingly eloquent preacher,
all entitle him to take rank in the Church. Tho
Church and Mr. Gladstone, -no less than Mr. Liddon
himself, must be congratulated upon this appoint-
ment.

EARL DE GREY ON EDUCATION.

On Wednesday evening the Right Hon. Earl de
Grey and Ripon distributed the prizes and certifi-
zates gained by members of different classes at the
Birkbeck Literary and Scientific Institution, South-
ampton Buildings, Chancery-lane. After the successful
zandidates, male and female, had received their prizes
from the noble chairman, Earl de Grey, after referring
to the practical benefits to be obtained by persons
attending these classes,, said that female education
was as important as male education, and it was right
to give ladies the means of developing the intellect
which God has given them, equally with man, " equally
with a difference," if he might so express himself.
the Speech from the Throne had promised a mea-
of elementary education which would, he trusted,
be the means of spreading knowledge throughout the
land. Still, there would be room for these institu-
tions, which might be called the universities of the
middle classes. Sir John Pakington, Dr. Brewer,
and the Bishop of St. David's spoke on the welfare
chat would accrue to the country when the intellects
of all classes were cultivated, and they, as well as
other speakers, were earnest in their praise of
mechanics' institutes.

PRINCE ARTHUR IN AMERICA.

One of tholower class New York papers embraced
the opportunity of Prince Arthur's visit to the
United States to indulge.in a series of articles abusing,
both the Prince and the English people. These
eiltisions were straightway met with a strong dis-
claimerfrom some of the leadingßepublican journals
of the city, and the expression of a hope that such
insults were in no wise to be regarded as representing
American sentiment. The Prince, in fact seems to
be a great favourite in New York. The Daily
News correspondent says his manner is courteous,
dignified, and graceful, and the Americans
generally are of opinion that he exhibits a
remarkable degree of self possession and
knowledge of the world for a youth of his
years. Another point is worthy of note. "I was
particularly struck with the well-bred air displayed
y those present in regard to the distinguished
visitor.. Whilst the,_ClitliNitY_ to_ see him was not