The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-17 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 17, 1870.

tnat tne exhibition had now been rendered " as little
dangerous as possible." This would seem to infer
that such performances are public necessities. The
Daily .News does not see the need of them, and is in
favour of intervening in such exhibitions by
authoritative prohibition.

earnestly striven to suppress the iniquity, but, as
yet, in vain; though there are hopes that a plan will
be devised effectually to stop it. It will be observed
that election frauds in the United States aro only
confined to the wirepullers and their myrinidoms,
corruption being almost unknow❑ in the constitu-
ency. No community could more liOnestly vote;
but it is almost wholly in the hands of caucases
and ward-room politicians, who decide on the party
ticket in the midst of all manner of intrigue and
undue influences. Once settled, however, the ticket
has to be left to the support of the party, and what-
ever assistance can be given by stump speeches and
canvassing There is, however, thischeck against un-
trustworthy
and unpopular men being put forward
as candidates for offic.2. Each party prints the names
and the offices on its ticket, and the voter scratches
those he disapproves, either leaving a blank or sub-
stituting therefor opposition candidates; or, the
other party, if weak in the district, may get in one
of their men by selecting a popular person to replace
an unpopular man on the enemy's side, leaving
the other candidates standing. Considering the
number of offices filled by popular election ; consi-
dering that nearly all the males over 21 years of
age of 40,000,000 people vote, the machinery must
be admirable that can work so smoothly as that of
the great Republic, and it would approximese as
nearly to perfection as any of our imperfect hu-
man institutions, were these caucases but as ho-
nest as the mass of the voters. Our impres-
sion is that in reforming the Civil Service the
most effectual check would at once be admiuis•
tered to the corruption which prevails in the United
States, for offices arc the prizes striven for, and
if they be removed, men will cease to pursue poli-
tics as a calling, except as in England, where persons
of fortune and of talent work as hard as cart
horses to secure posts of, power and consideration.
But with all its imperfections the system of the
Union is far superior to that of Great Britain,
where the candidate and the constituency are often
alike involved in a wholesale system of corruption,
where mobs are arrayed to intimidate each other, and
fight it out as in Ireland in the open field, as the
thickness of his backers' skulls, and not the principles
of the candidate, was the true criterion. It would
be impossible for the framework of society iu any
country in Europe to:stand for one year the Ame
rican test ; indeed we Lave grave doubts whether
the Union can longer withstand a system which
throws open to the victors .in a political contest
every office in the country at short periods. If two
mobs as in Ireland will fight out the election battl,
of a mere M.P. with bludgeon and revolver, what
Would be the nature of that election battle invslving
50,000 offices, for many of which, individuals in
the struggling mobs arc interested to the extent
of plenty or starvation ? We venture to assert that
the strife would at once grow to the dimensions of
civil war and rend society in pieces.

AMERICAN CORRESPONDENCE.

(From the Anglo-American Times.)
NEW YORK, Feb. 26.

The trial of4jerry Reynolds for the Townsend
murder has been progressing during the week, be-
fore a crowded court, for the case excites much in-
terest. Throughout the trial the prisoner maintained
the most stolid indifference. To all questions his
invariable answer was, " I do not know ; I know
nothing about it." After a patient hearing of his
case, and a curiously long delay in coming to a de-
cision, the Jury brought in a verdict of guilty of
murder in the first degree ; and on Wednesday Le
was sentenced to be executed on the Bth April.
Those narrowly watching him assert the effect of the
verdict could be noticed m his eyes, but to the care-
less observer lit maintained the s .me stolid indif -
ference. His counsel set up the plea of insanity,
and now threatens a writ de lunatico inquirendo.
IVashiugton's Birthday anniversary was very gene-
rally observed iu our city. The intense cold of the
weather, however, Is.‘Lpt many at home, but there
was a parade of the military. The Fedian ,
meat has made arrangements for a ssssion to com-
mence March 6, when steps will be taken for the
periodical invasioe of Canada. The Free-'Trade
meeting brought many of our prominent citizens
together, and strong resolutions were adopted con-
demning the tariff as it now stands, and favouring
the removal of the restrictions it imposes on trade.
Mr. J. S. Schultz presided, and W. C. Bryant and
other well-known writers and orators, addressed the
assembly. The legislative investigating committee
at Albany are acting vigorously. An editor of the
Evening Post has been summoned to answer for
having charged the committee with corrupt mo-
tives ; subpoenas have also been served on that
presidents of the leading life assurance compa-
nies. As the impression was general that that
investigation had dropped, this energetic revival
has caused much surprise. Fisk, 'Gould, and
Co. accuse the English Erie stockholders of hav-
ing leagued themselves with the Ramsay-Eaton-
Vanderbilt party for the purpose of putting the
line under the control of the New York Central Rail-
road, and all manner of rumours about the intentions
of the clique are afloat, showing, however, that they
are really alarmed. The U.S. steamer Mantic is about
to leave for San Domingo to take soundings on behalf
of the International Ocean Telegraph from Bata-
banca to St. Jago de Cuba, thence to Jaemel, Hayti;
St. John, Porto Rico ; St. Thomas, St. Kitts, An-
tigua, Dominica, Barbadoes, Tobago, and Trinidad
to Demerara. The belief here is that the majority
in San Domingo will vote for annexation to the United
States in the approAching appeal on the subject to
the people. President Bacz exercises great power
in the country, as he has three attached brothers
holding the most responsible posts of the Republic,
and all four strenuously urge annexation. Al-
ready some enterprising Yankees have thrown fresh
life into hitherto stagnant towns, and the people
justly consider that the island will benefit through
the connection. So, too, seem to thiuk the inhabi-
tants of Venezuela; and as Baez seems to he the
most successful in such negotiations they have ap-
pealed to him to communicate on behalf of their
Government for the annexation of Venezuela to the
United States. The continued detention of the City
ofßoston is causing much uneasiness,which the agent
of the Inman Company cannot allay, though he be-
lieves in the safety of the vessel. There has been
another sensation in the-Gold Room, but of a very
different character from that of the ever-to-be-
remeMbered Friday. Gold has been coming down
by the run, and the commercial community do not
know what is going to happen. The only thing is
to wait and see, for the position appears to be a
mystery no one is able to fathom. Five-twenties
have been selling at 'll5, while gold is stt-116f,
being a further decline of .nearly three per cent.
during the week down to the lowest point touched
since September, 1862. On Wednesday the Sixes
of 1881 and gold sold at the same price for the first
time,and the former has gradually advanced, bring-
ing one class at least of our securities above par iu
gold. This,too,is in spite of the passage of 'the reso-
lution in the House ordering a Bill to be reported
to increase the paper currency by $50,000,000. But
the Senate will not sanction such a step, and has
met the resolution by another heartily condemning
the proposed increase. 'There was.a grand mar-
riage at Newark, New Jersey, on Wednesday.. The
bride is the eldest daughter of Mr. Bradley, whose
name has been so prominent of late as the lawyer
selected by the President for the vacant seat of the
Supreme Bench of the United States. Mr. 11. V.
Butler, jun., of_Patterson, is the bridegroom, and
the wedding was Oa us izil) the grandest of the
season. Mary, the daughter of !laity A.. Mott,
Esq., was married last week to, Joseph Low, of the
firm of Low, Harriegton, and C'. It is rumoured
that a young lady, who has for some time been
with her family travelling in Europe, and is well-
known in Paris, Miss Bessie Clarke, is engaged
to Mr. Leon Neff, a Southern gentleman, who
also has for many yeerseesided in Europe. The
Rome Journal also announces the approaching mar-
riage of Miss Carrie, daughter of D. 11. Turner,
Esq., to Mr. Edmund W. Bulkley. The personal
event of the week has, hoWever, been Mr. Seward's
arrival, and he is now at the Astor Houee. Yester-
day at five o'clock he was met by a party of his
friends, but at his own request without any demon-
stration after his fatiguing journey. Ile was waited
on by a Committee of. the City Council, who ten-
dered a reception and the hospitalities of the city,

which he accepted in a few cordial words. To-day
he receives his friends informally.

WASHINGTON, Feb._ 25.

Last Monday we had a new sensation in the
H alse.in General Legan's privileged report on the
sale of cadetships. It related to Mr. B. 'l'. 'Whitte-
more, representative from the First District, South
Carolina, a resolution being proposed for his expul-
sion. The testimony against him was read, which
was convincing, as also his defence, which was we, k,
but Mr. Whittetnore coolly sat out the affair while
the House debated the course it was to take, even-
tually deciding that he was to appear at its bar on
Wednesday. On that day the lobbies and gallery
were thronged ; general sympathy \yes on his side,
as the money he received for the appointment to the
Naval Academy, $500; had been spent in relieving
the poor, and another to West Point for alike sum had
been sent South for the political campaign. He had
not then acted from a sordid motive, and the practice
for which he was thus suddenly pulled up had been
common long before his time. General Logan in-
sisted on a severe and summary punishment, and
the House, though sympathising with the delinquent,
felt the force of Logan's remarks. The confusion
while he spoke was great; Mr. Poland clamorously
urging delay. Although the Speaker had carefully
worked up the precedents, and was prepared to
meet the points likely to arise, still he could scarcely
make his rulings heard. In the midst of the con-
fusion Gen. Butler arose, fully armed with papers
and books of all sorts. He repeated what he had
before asserted, that it was improper to make Mr.
Whittembre act for himself, that he who was his
own counsel has an ass for his client; and then stat-
ing that he appeared there as attorney for Whitte-
more. It was then that the accused member pre-
sented himself in the hall, and passed to his seat in
the buzz which arose on his entrance. Mr. Logan
objected to a member of the House appearing as an
attorney, which seemed. greatly to irritate Mr.
Butler, who, in a harsh voice and with raised hands,
declared he would produce the affidavit of the
accused, in spite of all opposition, daring any to
abridge the right of the accused to be heard. The
affidavit took fifteen minutes to read, and was not
calculated to strengthen Mr. Whittemore's defence.
Confusion again arose on its conclusion, Butler in-
sisting ou his
_right to appear as Whittemore's at-
torney; but, on an appeal, the Speaker decided that
he regarded Mr. Butler only as a member, let
others look on him as they would. The noise was
eventually silenced by Mr. Whittemore claiming his
right to be heard for an hour, and then yielding
his whole time to Butler. The defence was clever,
but the case having been badly gotten up by
Mr. Whittemore, it was ineffective. Butler's habit,
too, of pitching into newspaper men is more cal-
culated to amuse the public than to benefit his
clients. He spoke of Mr. E. P. Brooks as one
whose business was buying and selling Congress-
men like sheep. This Brooks was a " newspaper"
man. " What do you mean by a ' newspaper man ?
asked a member :—" It means a man who hangs
about this city and writes lies home to his news-
paper," was the ready answer. " Almost every man
involved in that illicit and abominable traffic is a
newspaper' man, and we aro to be frightened out
of our propriety by the telegrams_ which they tend
home stating that we will expel Mr. Whittemore
in order to defend our own dignity. These ' selling
and buying rascals! '" &c. Gen. Logan spoke bril-
liantly iu reply ; indeed,it is universally pronounced
to be the best speech he ever made, and it was deci-
sive of the matter. After consulting with his
friends, Mr. Whittemore forwarded his resignation
to the Governor of South Carolina that evening.
Yesterday the case again came up, the gallet ies being
again well filled. Mr. Logan yielded the floor to
Mr. Whittemore, who sent his resignation to the
Speaker. This was a premature act, as he com-
menced immediately to read a defence from manu-
script, when he was stopped by the Speaker's ob-
servation that he was no longer a member of the
Rouge. Two members got up _a contest for his
place before he had vacated it, as it was a conve-
nient seat, and the little page boys kept pestering
him for his photograph. Tie Military Committee
are over whelined with letters from all parts of the
country, which would convict numbers of ex-Con-
gressmen, but two cases are to be proceeded with un-
I ss the accused Representatives resign. The galleries
of the Senate Chamber were well filled yesterday, as
the case of Mr. Revels'svas to be proceeded with.
Your rea lers are aware that Mr. Revels is a negro,
and that he directly succ::e Is to the place vac tied
by Jefferson Davis. Senat'R CatnerJa, of Penn-
sylvania, told the story of an interview between
himself and the rebel President, which occurred
before the war while he still retained that very
seat in 'the S.:nate, when Mr. Cameron predicted
that slavery would cease from the moment the first
4ua was fired, and that iu such an event that the seat
of Jeff. Davis would one d.y be ocsupied by a
negro. To-day the debate was continued, and a
vote of 48 to 8 having ordered that Mr:Revels be
sworn in, supported by Mr. Wilson, he moved to
the Vice-President's desk ; and after being sworn
in, he was shown to his seat behind Governor
Brownlow, when he received the congratulations of
many members. Mr. Bowen, of the Independent, is
here urging a one-cent letter rate. He declares
that there are capitalists in New York ready to
carry the mails on greatly reduced terms. The
Committee on Appropriations have agreed to dis-
burse $15,000 for Mr. Paine's plan for giving tele-
graphic notice of great storms. Governor James
Ashley, of Montana, is not unpopular, at least in
that Territory, as twelve leading Republicans have
arrived here as a delegation to secure his retention.
Justice Swayne, of the Supreme Court, on Mon-
day, gave a decision to the effect that a divorce
valid in Indiana is not only valid throughout the
country, but that so far from being bound by the
domicile of her husband, a married woman may
acquire a residence independent of her husband,
whenever such residence is necessary to the protec-
tion of her rights by litigation. This decision does
not, however, dispose of the interesting point to the
country. What people desire to know is whether
a divorce holds when the person applying has pro-
ceeded to Indiana expressly to obtain it, and the
other side has no more notice of the proceeding than
an advertisement in a local paper. In the case just
settled the divorce was disputed on the ground of
jurisdiction, the husband being a resident of the
State ; but as he appeared in the suit, the Court
held that he had defended it. One of those " news-
paper" men whom Butler abuses has had his revenge
on the House. He devoted his letter to the subject
of the illegal sale of liquor at the restaurant of the
Capitol.. By a rule adopted long ago, all kinds of
alcoholic liquors were prohibited within the Capi-
tol; but the rule was disregarded by general con-
sent, till the reporter dug out the "dry bones," and a
dry time is mow anticipated by the members, as the
President of the Senate and the Speaker of
the House have ordered the Sergeants-at-Arms
to see that the rule is strictly enforced. The
social event of the week has been the arrival
at Annapolis of the ironclad war steamer Monarch.
Captain Commerell and Captain Curtis came up to
Washington on Monday, and became Secretary
Robeson's guests. The party, accompanied by Capt.
Ward, of the British Legation were presented to
the President and the Cabinet Ministers, and Capt.
Commerell tendered all a warm invitation to visit his
ship. Great numbers availed themselves of. the
opportunity of having a look at a British ironclad,
and 150 ladies and gentlemen left this morning for
Annapolis by special train. The Monarch lies about
seven miles from the town ; hundreds, undeterred
by the distance, have been on board, and all speak
in terms of the highest praise not only of the ship,
but of .the hozpitality in receiving them and the
courtesy shown. The President, who, it is said,
would like to have been among the visitors, has
been prevented by a press of public business. A
great ball was given at the Naval Academy, and
there have been many reviews and receptions. It
is proposed to divide Texas into one State and two
Territories, and I suppose some day a partition
will be made of that vast State.

An able spee3h was delivered in the Senate on
the '22d of Feb. by Mr. Conkling, from the Cummittee on
the revisio❑ of the laws recommending the indefinite post-
ponement of the consideration of the New York Legisla-
ture resolution rescinding the ratification of the Fifteenth
Amendment. Ho occupied vecisely the ground taken in
our article last week, showing that a State was inti•ompe-
tent to rescind a resolution on a Constitutional amend-
ment, that the sole action permitted by tho Constitution
was to use its discretion whether it should ratify or not,
but ratification when made was finel.

On the 21st of February .the Supreme Court of
the tJ.ited States decided that divorces obtained in
Indiana, J valid there, are valid throughout the country;
also, that Congress has no constitutional power to estab-
lish police regulations within the States; and therefore,
the Act of March, 1&67, to prevent the sale of coal oil for
illumination which is inflammable at a less temperature
than 110 degrees, is unconstitutional.

• THE SPANISH DUEL.
The Paris papers give some additional details of the

fatal duel in Spain. The special correspondent of the
Constitutionnel says that Don Henry was present at the
meeting of a Republican Club the night before
the encounter. The police, who had received
intimation of the. coming duel, endeavoured
to prevent it, but General Cordova, the commander of the
infantry, forbade them. Besides the second 3, each com-
batant brought a friend cn the ground, Senor Ulloa, the
former Minister of Marine, accompanying the Duke of Mont-
pensier. When the Duke saw the fatal result of the duel,
for a moment he gave way to despair. " What a fatality,"
he exclaimed, "to have been forced to commit a crime !"
The soldiers, who were speedily summoned, removed the
body of the unfortunate prince to a neighbouring church,
where it was accompanied by the seconds, who
afterwards took. flight. The Duke of Montpensier
according to some accounts, has taken refuge.in Portugal.
It appears that the Spanish laws regard a duel as an ordi-
nary homicide. The Duke of Montpensier has,
therefore, laid himself open to criminal proceed.
ings, and may be sentenced to four years of exile.
The Moniteur gives a version of the affair, which states
that Don Henry lived four or five minutes after he was
wounded, and even pronounced these words. " I die to
secure the independence of my country, and to avenge the
honour of my family. I bequeath my children to
my brother." The Duke of Montpensier, says the
Moniteur, was so much overcome by the affair that he was
forbidden by his physician to join his family, as he wished,
and the Duchess is expected to come immediately to Madrid.