The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-03 00:00:00

REMOVAL OF MR. MOTLEY.

The letter of Senator Wilson to the President, protest-
ing against the removal of Mr. Motley, is every way
creditable to him, although it presents but a part of the
case. Whether the President was influenced by a desire
to punish Mr. Sumner for his hostility to the San
Domingo treaty or not, he made the change under cirmun-
stancel which will lead ninety-nine persons in every hun-
dred to believe it. The prevalence of such an impression
does infinitely greater injury to the President than to
Mr. Sumner or to Mr. Motley; for it tends
to destroy confidence in the motives of the
administration, and gives to watchful and vindictive
enemies a new pretext for their opposition. The removal
of Mr. Motley under the circumstances, whatever honor-
able motives may have inspired it, was extremely unfor-
tunate from Mr. Wilson's point of view, and he has not
overstated the feeling with which, especially in
Massachusetts, the act will be regarded. There is another
view to be taken of it, and it is this. Mr. Motley did not
go to London as a politician, though the soundness of his
political views was never doubted. There were no consi-
derations in his case like those which sent Mr. Washburne
to France, Governor Curtin to Russia, or General
Sickles to Spain. There were reasons for his appoint-
ment which did not apply in the cases of Mr. Marsh at
Florence, of Mr. Jay at Vienna, or of Mr. Bancroft at
Berlin, admirable as those appointments were. What-
ever success Mr. Frelinghuysen may have in this impor-
tant mission, if he should accept it—and we sincerely
trust he may not have to bequeath the task to his suc-
cessor—it will not blot out the fact that the Minister who
stands confessedly at the head of our foreign service, fitted
to his place by experience as well as by his special
studies, known throughout Europe and America
as one whose . works have conferred honour upon
American letters, and whose name answers all sneers at
American intellect and character—has been recalled for
no public reason, almost at the beginning of his mission,
and just at the time when men were beginning to look
for the fruits of his diplomacy. The change is to be
regretted because it gives evidence of instability of pur-
pose on the part of the Administration, and of motives
which cannot be defended ; but more especially because
it takes from the public service a representative of tl'e
best Ameriean character who had it in his disposition,
and we believe, also, in his power, to win in this dispute
with Great Britain a triumph of diplomacy which should
fitly and honourably close the victories of our war.—
Boston Advertiser.

A committee of ladies, with the Countess Bern-
storff at their head, has been established in London for
the purpose of rising a fund to afford help to the
sick and wounded among the Prussian army during the
war.

The Lord Chancellor has contributed the sum o
£2OO towards the fund for the completion of St. Paul's ;
the Bishop of London has also given £lOO, and Bishop
Sumner £5O. The total amount received up to the pre-
sent exceeds £27,000, the Grocers' Company alone con-
tributing £2,000.
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ACCIDENT AT CHATHAM.—A melancholy accident
occurred at Chatham, on Monday afternoon, when Lieut.
Cotton, of the Royal Engineers, was accidentally drowned,
while in charge of a party who went to Wouldham from
Brompton Barracks for pontoon instruction.