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

The Bank Returns.

The Bankers' Magazine furnishes the returns of the cir -
culation of the public and joint-stock banks in England
and Wales for the four weeks ending Ist of Jan., 1870.
These returns, combined with the circulation of the Scotch
and Irish banks for the same period, and the average cir-
culation of the Bank of England for the four weeks ended
the 29th of Dec. (the nearest date furnished by their
returns), will give the following results of the circulation
of notes in the United Kingdom when compared with the
previous month :

Dec; 4, Jan. 1,
1869. 1870. Increase._ Decrease.
Bank of England 23,181,190 22,706,752 474,438
Private Banks 2,751,719 2,66'.1!, t0.q.)99
Joint-stock Banks 2,308,739i 2,281,198 87,541
' -- ---
Total in England. 28,301,648 27,650,070 611.578
Scotland 5,287,458 : 4,975,047 312,411
Ireland 7,351,163 7,056,256 297,907
-- ---

I 1,261,896

THE LATE EDITION of gi THE SUN " at
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171
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LONDON, FRIDAY, FEB. 11, 1870.

An "accomplished fact" is a wonderfully substantial
thing. So long as a matter is merely in a state of in-
cubation, there is room for any amount of opposition.
What amount let Dr. TEMPLE declare. From the
moment that he was named for the Bishopric of
Exeter to the hour that he was consecrated, the out-
cry was loud, vehement, fierce, and did not content
itself with words, but made itself visible in deeds.
The opponents of the bishop-designate did not confine
the vials of their wrath to him. Because the BISHOP
of LONDON agreed to take a principal part in conse-
crating Dr. TEMPLE, he was called JUDAS, PONTIUS
PILATE and MACBETH; and he and the BISHOP of St.
DAVID'S were denounced as the modern ANANIAS
and SAPPHIBA, though which was ANANIAs and which
SAPPHIItA, these two prelates have not yet been able
to determine. In the course of time, and unimpeded
for one moment by all the clamour, Dr. TEMPLE was
raised to the episcopate,' and thus his consecration be-
came an " accomplished fact." But the protestors
declared that they would be even with him yet. If
they could not prevent him from becoming a suc-
cessor of the Apostles, they would send him to
Coventry; they would not speak to him, nor act with
him in Convocation; they would not suffer his being
present at the council meetings of the " S. P. G." In
process of time Convocation opens. One bishop
after another gets up to complain of the ambiguity of
the law relating to the election of bishops, but each
carefully states that nothing which he says is intended
to have any personal reference. And the end of it is
that the Bishop of EXETER makes a speech, in which he
holds the position which he has maintained throughout.
While expressing regret that he should have to
differ from those whose good opinion he values, he
asserts that he could not have done otherwise than he
has done. Nothing more is said. The bishops acknow-
ledge the "accomplished fact," the Latin blessing is
duly said, and their right rev. lordships walk away
together in the most friendly manner.

In the Lower House the discussion was
expected to be much more fierce by reason
of the presence of the fiery Archdeacon of
Taunton. Yet here the majesty of the accomplished
fact was even more completely recognised, and the
indomitable dignitary, of whom it was said that no man
hath tamed, or can tame him, was tamed. It needed but
a declaration from Archdeacon FREEMAN, another
of Bishop TEMPLE'S most vehement opponents, to
the effect that the Bishop's Essay would not be
published in any future edition of Essays and Reviews
and Dean BOYD'S assertion that Mr. PARItER had
told Canon Coox, after reading the other Essays, that
Dr. TEMPLE'S would make an admirable introduction
for "St. George without the drag on " to pull up sud-
denly in his impetuous career. Logic has never
been Archdeacon DENISON'S strong point. He used
to condemn Dr. TEMPLE'S essay in itself, and it is
difficult to understand the course of reasoning by
which he came to the conclusion that, because the
publisher had said the essay was in admirable keep-
ing with the others (which are infinitely more
heretical), therefore it was not objectionable. We
will do the ARCHEACON the justice to believe that
he does not fear defeat ; that the certainty of being
soundly beaten would not deter him from taking a
course which he believed to be right, and that it was
not this certainty which influenced him on the present
occasion. We believe that he laid clown his Ms
on Wednesday, and will lay them down again on Fri-
day) simply by reason of that instinctive reverence
which the human mind, and especially the clerical
mind, has for the " accomplished fact." Whaterrer be
the cause, the result is most satisfactory. Perhaps
we may, however, be permitted to draw a
moral from this tragi - comedy. On any
future occasion when the clerical mind gets
agitated, would it not be better for the clergy to
lay some restraint upon their tongues, and not
liken their Fathers in God to disagreeable persons in
the Bible and in SHARSPEnE P It does scent rather
funny to see them shaking hands with. JUDAS
ISCARIOT, SAPPIIIRA, and MACBETH. They must
remember that even colonial bishoprics are. Enacted in
number, and that men whom they have been reviling
cannot heap coals of fire upon the_ headatof all of