The Sun.
London, England, 1870-02-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY it 1870.

SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.

THE HUSH LAND BILL,

The Times considers that the mere fact of the Imperial
Parliament addressing itself in earnest, during two ses-
sions, to purely Irish questions must at least allay that
morbid sense of neglect which has long rankled in the
minds of Irishmen, and has not been sufficiently appre-
ciated by English statesmen. It was not so much hos-
tility to England as the fear of sinking into a province
which animated the opponents of the Union, and the same
feeling has been the mainspring of the Repeal movement
in all its phases. Now, the hearty co-operation of English
and Irish membee.i in passing measures for the good
of Ireland, and the very great labour bestowed of late on
the study of Irish affairs by Englishmen of education and
influence, ought to tend, and has tended materially, to
neutralise this feeling. The Irish people are beginning
understand that they are no longer subjects of a British
Government, but partners with the British people, and it
will not be long before they perceive how far nobler a
destiny it is to be a part of a great nation than to cherish
the pride of a discontented nationality. Far be it from us
to claim or expect gratitude from the Irish people in
respect of the blessings which they may derive from
remedial legislation. Gratitude is called forth by favours,
whereas the relation between Great Britain and
Ireland essentially rests upon a community of interest. In
spite of disturbing forces, the conviction of this community
has long been gaining strength in Ireland, and will be
immensely fortified by a parliamentary settlement of the
land question. Thenceforth by far the most important
class of the Irish population will hold an independent
stake in the country, and have something to lose by revo-
lution. There will still remain abundant elements of
discord in Ireland, and -urgent symptoms may recur once
and again requiring decisive treatment ; but the healing
process will have commenced, and before the end of
next year we may probably witness a marked change for
the better.

CONVOCATION ANDWITE GOVERNMENT,

In the Lower House of Convocation, on Friday, an
amusing scene was witnessed. Archdeacon Denison formally
moved the appointment of a committee for the purpose of
considering the Government proposals on education when
they should he laid before Parliament. —The motion was
seconded by Canon Hopkins.—After some furthe.: discus-
sion, Dr. Jebb vehcmentiy dencunced the manner in which
the Government had sought to force the national system
upon Ireland, and urged the clergy to imitate the
constancy of their reverend brethren in that country, even
if martyrdom should stare them in the face, which, in
these degenerate days, was not improlable. He hoped he
should not be called to order, but he considered that, after
the measures of her Majesty's advisers last year, they
ought not to pay them the slightest constitutional respect,
for the only principle on which they had acted was that
of yielding to the demanes of tho mob.—The Dean of
Westminster: I rise to order. I submit that this is
n)t a proper mode of speaking of her Majesty's advisers.
(Cheers.)—Dr. Jebb said the Government did not occupy
its proper constitutional position in this country. We
had a right to look to the Crown itself, and we had no
reason to respect its legal advisers.—The Dean
of Westminster : I must again rise to order,
and ask if this is proper ?—The Prolocutor : I
must request Dr. Jebb to abstain from further
allusions of this kind to her Majesty's advisors.—
Dr. Jebb : I say that they claim a great deal more power
thsn the Constitution gives them. They consider them-
selves the directors of the conscience of the Sovereign.—
The Prolocutor : By virtue of Standing Order No. 1, the
prolocutor, if he bears any member of this house using
language which he conceives to be dangerous, is to inter-
rupt him. I interrupt Dr. Jebb. (Loud cheers.)—Dr.
Jebb : Then I will conclude my speech. (Hear, hear.)
You don't know what lam going to say. (A laugh.) I
thoroughly agree in the expediency of appointing a com-
mittee, but I trust that it will consider the question of
principle, and not matters of detail.—The resolution was
ultimately carried unanimously.

AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

(From the Anglo- American Times.)
The Supreme Court of the United States decided
on Monday that contracts made prior to 1862 aro payable
in coin. Four Judges, including Chief Justice Chase, con-
curred, throe dissenting. This decision does not directly
affect the constitutionality of the Legal-Tender Act, but
other cases yet to be decided involve that question, as it
must then be pronounced whether it holds with contracts
made since the act was passed. What the majority of the
Court now say is, that Congress cannot make greenbacks
a legal tender for debts between man and man, incurred
before the Legal-Tender Act was passed— a very different
question to debt incurred after greenbacks had been de-
eared lawful money in the United States.

Apropos of legal decisions we may mention that
there is something brewing in the profession in New York
City, which may involve such Judges as Barnard in
trouble. A secret circular, very cautiously worded,. has
been rent round to many barristers, signed by the leaders
of the New York bar, inviting a conference in relation to
matters wherein all are much concerned. We can only
draw cur own inference, but this falls ominously close on
a very telling article in the Now York Notion calling upon
the bar to do that which the outside public cannot do, but
which it can ; that is, purify the New York courts from the
stigma which recentproceedings have attached to them. It
is not unlikely that out of the evil wrought by unjust
Judges may come good, in drawing the New York bar
into a more compact body, with influence sufficiently
strorg to preserve the Bench from cotamnination, which
really moans the degradation of their own profession.

The latest telegram is dated Washington, Feb.
10.---In to-day's sitting of the Senate, Mr. Morton made
a speech in favour of recognising the Cuban insurgents
as belligerents. The House of Representatives, by a strict
party vote, has given the seat of General Foster, a Demo-
crat, to Mr. John (Jovude, who had been a candidate in she
Radical interest. The House also adopted a resolution
calling upon the Government for information concerning
the recent murder of American citizens by Spanish volun-
teers at Havana.

We hear a great deal about the Erie ; the pro-
ceedings of Fisk and Gould, and the losses entailed on the
unfortunate shareholders; but no one says anything about
Illinois Central, although the latter represents a genuine
American railroad, while the former represents nothing
but Gould and Fisk, and the powers they exercise
through bribery. The rise in Illinois has been going on
for months, but latterly its upward tendency has been by
jumps, spurred by a demand in America, and the report
that new shares are to be distributed to the extent of 30
or 40 per „cent. on the holdings of the original proprietors.
We do not approve of the inveterate American habit of
" watering" stock, but this distribution is based on profits,
and is a very different affair from many New York proceed-
ings. The shares yesterday reached 114, having risen 10
within the lust few days. The Erie, honestly managed,
would do as well, for there is no country equal to the United
States for profitable railroad enterprise, which has been
deeply injured through the Erie, and Atlantic and Great
Western being constantly held up as a warning to English
investors.

There never was any doubt in the mind of a rea-
sonable being that the President was grossly maligned by
those who endeavoured to associate his name with the
gold gamble. The Committee on Banking and Currency,
who have lately concluded their inquiry into the gold
panic, assert that the statements purporting to be the sub-
stance of the evidence given, published by the press, are
not only unauthorised, but to a large extent inaccurate.
Still we venture to assert that the long accconnt profess-
ing to be what Fisk said is almost literally what he did
say; and although Mr. Corbin's evidence is supposed to
be a secret,we can tell also, very nearly, the words he
used. His evidence was taken on the 27th Jan., the day
after his arrival at Washington, and although he desired
to exculpate himself, he was constrained to acknowledge
that he had deceived the conspirators, pretending an in-
fluence ho did not possess, and using his wife's relation-
ship to further his own speculative ends. Probably, said
he, I did deceive people, us is common in Wall-street; in-
deed, part of the business of money-making. It was not
his fault, however, if Fisk and Gould believed ho could
control the President—a false inference, for which he was
not responsible. Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Corbin had no connec-
tion whatever with the scheme, and knew nothing about it.
Ilis examination went over two days, the cross-examination
in the first lasting through 6 hours, when he followed the
history of the affair from its commencement in Septem-
ber until it culminated in the Wall-street panic. Although
he endeavoured to discredit the testimony of Messrs. Gould
and Fisk, for this purpose producing all the evidence in
his possession, he did not disguise his own part in the
affair, admitting the money-making weakness, common
with mankind. Of course the celebrated letter to tho Pre-
sident, to which Fisk so touchingly alluded, was inquired
after ; but he declared there was nothing in it that might
not bo read at a town meeting. Altogether Mr. Corbin
was right in keeping out of the President's way, preferring
a residence instead at the house of another brother-in-law
on Capitol Hill. Considering, too, what a good member
he is of his congregation, it is refreshing to learn that he
has finished his revelations by informing his curio-as ques-
tioners that he bad sworn to enough sink a chip. We may,
however, hint that a ship now freighted with Mr. Corbin's
character could afford to take in a good deal of ballast.
Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Corbin, we are glad to hear, will not
be examined. Mr. Smith, of the firm of Smith, Gould,
Martin, and Co., had been cross-questioned, anl General
Butterfield soon will be.

The Free-trade versus Protection con test daily grows
in importance. The effort made by the Protectionists in
Congress to prevent the printing of the report written by
Commissioner D. A. Wells brought up the subject. Some
opposed it on the score of economy, and denounced the
attempt to scatter over the country such stuff at a cost of
$10,009. Most of the Protectionists, however, were personal
in their attack, Pennsylvanians leading as representing the
principal Protectionist State. Gen. Cooke foresaw Mr.
Wells as the miserable Secretary of the Anti-. Republican
Free-Trade League if he continued in public life at all after
the appropriation he had got on a special appeal ; a League
kept alive by the gold of British ironmasters and manufac-
turers. He had no doubt, and many held with him, that
Mr. Wells had been bought up by this League, and he was
almost in despair when ho thought of the terrible enemy
the industry of the country had in it. Mr. Kelley
professes quite as much belief in the British bribery gold as
General Cooke, and he pointed out how the League
had got hold of and published the substance of the
report before it had been issued. Mr. Kelley went
on to denounce the proposal for putting on enor-
mous taxes on articles, such as spices, tea, and
coffee, which protected no interests, and were direct
charges on labour, intended to subvert the interests of the
country. Perhaps we may bo permitted to observe
that Mr. Wells's principle is that taxes might be im-
posed on articles of luxury for the sake of revenue, but
not for the sake of protection. The Representatives, how-
ever, insisted on having the report printed, and Mr.
Wells found many warm defenders in the House. The
Nation remarks on the fact that the Committee of Ways
and Means are for the most part interested iu the articles
brought up for taxation, and that when such gentlemen
as Mr. Kelley patriotically denounced Jr. Wells as being
in the pay of England, they are directly inspired by the
interests of their own pockets.

The appearance of Fisk and Gould in the national
capital iu some measure directed attention frcm Prince
Arthur. Fisk was gorgeous, contrasting with Gould as
much in style of dress as in his manner of giving evidence.
The latter quiet in deportment, reserved and silent; the
former flashy in loud colours and jewellery, noisy and gar-
rulous, going ahead like a steam engine. He had striped
pantaloons, brown velvet coat, a square yard of shirt-
bosom, half a rod of gold chain, a diamond as large as a
N‘ aluut, and a necktie of the latest and loudest swell pat-
tern. His hair was carefully parted in the middle. There
was an airy grace about the man, an easy, impudent, self-
' ossession, showing pretty clearly that the Committee
had caught a Tartar ; still Gould was evidently the more
dangerous, sharp, subdued, and resolute ; a man not to be
caught unaware, and having few vulnerable points, with
an affable, gentlemanlike manner. He was examined
first, and much to Fisk's annoyance they would not let
him hear what his inseparable companion and coadjutor
said. But nothing could daunt the indomitable Fisk, who
poured forth his volume of words at so many score per
minute, and when he had deluged the Committee, who
could not realize at the moment he had really told them
little or nothing, he whisked out his cigar case, helped
himself and handed it round, at the saute time that he invited
the Committee to a " spread" at Welker's. Gould dis-
tinctly exonerated the President and every member of
his family as having anything to do with the conspiracy,
but Fisk artfully endeavoured to convey an impression
that there was some indiscreet connection, although his
evidence went to disprove this.
At last the Senate has acted, rejecting the nomi-
nation of Attorney-General Hour as Associate Justice of
the Supreme Court by 33 against 24 on the 4th inst. We
regret this move towards antagonism between the Upper
House and the Executive. it was anticipated and dis-
counted, still this positive decision of a Senate strongly
Republican against a Republican Executive tends to com-
plicate the relations of the party, which would seem in
truth to be breaking up with the settlement of the great
questions which it was formed to carry. Two other nonii-
nat:ons of importance remain for decision ; that of General
Sickles as Minister to Spain, against whom there is a
powerful Malty, and of Mr, Jones as Minister to Belgium,
against whom no one has anything to say. We cannot see
%vit.}, Ministers abroad for several mouths, pa:forming their
duties in capitals to which they were accredited, should be
disturbed, nor do wo think it probable that either of them
a ill.
The Erie Railroad suit against Commodore Van-
derbilt to recover 55,000,000 came up ou the •25th January
in Judge Blruard's Court. Some few weeks ago the case
had been partially heard, but Mr. Field, the Erie counsel,
had to attend the trial of the Susquehanna affair at Roches-
ter,and it was postponed. The court was densely crowded,
many leading railroad men being there, among them the
Railroad King, against whom the suit was brought, Com-
modore Vanderbilt. We can quite imagine Barnard peep-
ing through a crevice at the expectant throng with the

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Morning. Evening
MONDAY 40 min past 12 8 min past 1
TUESDAY 30 min past 1 56 min past 1
WEDNESDAY 20 min past 2 4 imin past 2
THURSDAY... ..... • • 0 mill past 3 21 min past 3
FRIDAY„ .... .,42 min past 3..., 4 min past 4

SCIENTIFIC EDUCATIONAL MASSES.
On Friday a deputation from the union of Lanca-
shire and Cheshire Institute, and others, waited
upon the Lord President of the Privy Council
and Mr. Forster to present the following memorial :
" The memorialists, while generally approving the recent
changes in the system of State aid to science instruction,
submit the following considerations :—That, as to the
most important change, viz., that in respect of mathematics,
it is impossible for new classes to take advantage of it in
time for the examinations of 1870. The requisite
number of lessons could not be given, as ill
most of the Institutes, classes for mathematics
could not meet more than once per week. The
minute referring to the non-deduction of claims
above £6O will only benefit the teachers of large classes.
The abolition of a third class' will act injuriously with
regard to the money results' of the examinations in May
next. The time fixed for the introduction of the
changes in the scheme affects teachers most Pre"
judicially. Their engagements had then been
made with committees, and classes had been
in actual operation for two months. The Science
Directory, revised up to September last, upon which the
arrangements of the teachers were based, gave no intima-
tion whatever as to any alteration, and it was not
until December, when one-fourth cf the lessons bad
been given, that the minute of the Council issued.
The Memorialists therefore earnestly urge that the minute
be reconsidered, and the examinations conducted on the
footing that a candidate who would under the old minute
have obtained a " third class," receive a second class,
or that the minute in the matter of payments do not take
effect until 1871. They further pray that in future
adequate notice be given of any important alterations
intended to be introduced."

Several gentlemen having addressed his lordship in sup"
port of the memorial.
Earl DE GREY AND RIPON said that, with r espect to
the main argument that had been brought before theye,
that this minute was inconsistent with the usual practice
of the department, he desired to say that so far as the
of Mr. Forster and himself wont, the practice
of the department would bear them that there had been
no breach of contract in the issuing of it. Particular
pains had always been taken when publishing the
"Direcory " to state in three different parts of It,
that the rules were subject to revision. It
had been held that it was a distinct notice
and it was so intended—that it was open to the depart-
ment at any time to make any changes which might be
deemed necessary in the rules of the Directory. And such
alterations had been made from time to time.

Mr. FORSTER : Quite recently.
Earl DE GREY and RIPON: Mr. Forster and himself
very carefully considered the minute, and they did not.
think they were acting inconstantly. Therefore, he did
not think the deputation was justified in asserting there
had been any breach of contract. Respecting the
changes themselves, he was glad tp find that so
far as the general scheme went, they were able to assume
that this important deputation approved of it. The quo"
tion which arose was whether the changes would irlin"
riously affect the teachers in consequence of their having
been made after the opening classes for the present year.
Mr. FORSTER : They found that this aid for scientific in-
struction was becoming larger and larger, so that they boa
to look very carefully into the principles upon which this
payment was given. It appeared to them that these
changes, in themselves, were admirable. Teachers
were acting in the knowledge that changes were
to be made. But they would be very glad to
have facts, if there were any, to shew that they were rills'
taken. If they could prove that the loss would fall on
one important set of teachers, that would be a very serious
matter for consideration. The framers of the minute
thought that the advantages and the disadvantages were
offered to all.

After some further discussion the deputation withdrev6
with the evident' impression that the minute would be
reconsidered.

SCIENCE, ART, AND LITERARY GOSSIP'
The Atkenteunt has some interesting items :—The first
three volumes of Professor Joweit's translation of the
" Dialogues " of Plato are expected to appear in the course
of the present year. Professor Jowett is also preparing
an edition of the text of " The Republic," with English
notes—The second and greatly enlarged edition of gr.
Ilensleigh Wedgwood's " Dictionary of English Etyrae"
logy" will go to press next month. It has been thoroughly
revised by the author and the Rev. J. C. Atkinson, the
author of the ‘, Cleveland Glossary."—Dr. Von Dollinger
has received an address of thanks for the attitude he
assumed on the InfalEbility question from thirteen
professors of Prague, five of whom are ecclesiastics!
News has this week been received from . Mr. C.
Tyrwhitt Drake, of Trinity College, to whom last autumnthe University of Cambridge made a grant out of the
Worts Travelling Bachelors' Fund to enable him to collect
zoological specimens while accompanying Mr. E. W'
Palmer, Fellow of St. John's College, in exploring the 'O3
country—the " Wilderness of the Wanderine's." The
Arabs, by no means prepared to find Englishman travelling
without the luxuries to which they are accustomed, were
suspicious of their object in visiting the country. It is to
be hoped, however, that the explorers will accomplish
their plan of reaching the Jordan by the route traditionally.
followed by the Israelites.—Diamonds have been discovered
near Plague; in a sandy bed which had previously yielded
tourmaline, sapphires, and other precious stones.—Steering'
by steam is again being experimented upon in the United
States, and seems likely to come into use to some extent._,
Madame Rossini has allowed the performance of severe'
unpublished works by her late husband, at a concert given
in Paris for the benefit of an Italian charitable association.
—When the six new theatres for which the Lord Chan'
berlain has granted licenses are open, London will have
more places of dramatic entertainment than any other
city. At present, the number in Paris and that in London
closely approximate. .
Nature, in its notes, says that the gold medal of the
Royal Astronomical Society is to be presented to M. De-
launay, the president of the Paris Academy of sciences.
—A new office has been constituted under the Public
Works Department, and Mr. Douglas Galton, C 331
F.R.S., has been appointed to it with the
title of Director of Works and Buildings.--The
purity of the metropolitan water supply has been
seriously affected by the winter floods. Professor Frank-
land, in his last monthly report, states that the watFr.
supplied by the East London Company was very turbia
and contained vibrois. This is the first occasion on which
Dr. Frankland has detected these organisms, which are
abundant in putrid sewage, in the London water.
The Grapbic says :—The Bookseller, with a view to pro:
mote the study of bibliography, has offered a series o.f
prizes for the best papers upon given subjects. The fir
prize of ten guineas is for the best bibliographical list of
works connected with paper and other materials for writing
and painting, printing and its accessories—bookbinding,
bookselling, and booksellers—and literary history generallf.
—The author of " Friends in Council," has a novel nearly,
ready, entitled " Casimir Maremona."—Mr. James Ander'
son, of the Middle Temple, is preparing a work for Messrs.
Edmondstan and Douglas, which will be called "Alemorial4
of the Temple."—The late Mr. Thomas Thompson was a°
eccentric American : and, what is more, he was a rich one.
His ruling passion was Art, and he contrived, during
not very long life, to collect two enormous galleries
of pictures. His first collection was destroyed hi
the fire • which took place in the Fremont Temple;
Boston, his native place, in 1852. The . works
thus lost were valued at a hundred and 01
thousand dollars. If the building was not fireproof
Mr. Thompson's love of Art. was ! In a few short years
his second collection was greater than the firell.
Unfortunately for the Bostonians, they contrived tt
offend their great art patron, and Mr. Thompson turned
his back upon his native place, and would never see of
hear of it any more. His pictures, which had been
designed as a gift to the town, were shut up, and never
saw dayiight again. They were stacked away in a. ware-
house. Mr. Thomson died in New York a few months
ago, and by order of the executrix his collection is to be
sold by auction this week by the well-known house of
Leeds and Miner, of New York. It consists of more than
seventeen hundred pictures, including specimens of the
English, French, Italian, and Dutch schools, both. old and
modern, and is estimated. to be worth half a million of dol'
lars.—An experiment is to be made to establish in Eng'
land a journal called the Music Master on the model of
the musical sheet issued by the great firm of Messrs.
Firmin, Didot, Brothers. Each number will contain 0,
classic pianoforte piece chosen from the best old and
modern composers, and will be accompanied by a music
lesson, which is to enable the pupil to play the music
according to the composer's intention. If this is faith-
fully carried out, the composer will indeed boa happy
Ma&

General Robert E. Lee says he believes that
regular and constant labour in Virginia can be secured
only by the introduction of a respectable class of labourers
from Europe, saying that, although a temporary benefit
might be derived from inportation of Chinese and Ja-
panese, he fears it would result in eventual injury to the
country and her institutions.
[ ADVERTISEMENT. [ Consumption, and all nervous,
bilious, stomach, ani lies: complaints in every stage are only
aggravated and aceslarated by drugs of every description, but
perfe tly curable by Du BARRY'S health-restoring Revalenta
Arabica Food, as proved by thousands of cases which had b en
considered hopeless ; such as indigestion (dyspepsia), cough,
asthma, consumption, h .bitual constipation, diarrhoea, all gastric
derangements, haemorrhoids, liver complaints, flatulency, ner-
vousness, biliousness, fevers, sore throat, diphtheria, catarrhs,
colds, influenza, noises in the head and ears, rheumatism, gout,
impurities, eruptions, hysteria, neuralgia, irritability, sleepless-
ness, acidity, palpitation, heartburn, headache, debility, cramps,
spasms, nausea and sickness even in pregnancy or at sea, sink-
ing fits, bronchitis, scrofula, tbihtness of the chest, pains at the
pit of the stomach, and between the shoulders, &c. We quote a
few: -The Pope's health restored by Du Barry's Food. Cure No.
68,413 —" Rome, July 21, 1866. The health of the Holy Father is
excellent, especially since, abandoning all other remedies, he has
confined himself entirely to Du Barry's Revalenta A rabica Food,
of which he consumes a plateful at every meal. It has produced
a surprisingly beneficial effect on his health, and his Holiness
cannot praise this excellent food too highly."—From the Gazette
du Midi, July 25. Cure No. 46,270. Mr. James Roberts, timber
merchant, of Frimley, Surrey, of thirty years' diseased lungs,
spitting of blood, liver derangement, and partial deafce.s. - Cure
N 0.1,77 . Lord Stuart de Decies, Lord-Lieutenant of IA aterford.
of many p a -s' dyspepsia.---No. 49,83'. "Fifty years' indescrib-
able agony from dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma, cough, col?
stipation, flatulency, spasms, sickness, and vomiting. - Maria
Jolly " Important
Caution.—Beware
of the many unsavoury
and more than sloppy imitations to which, without authority;
Baron Liebig's name is most audaciously attached
In tins, at is tad; 11b 2s 9d; 2 lb 4s 6d; 5 lb Ils ; 12 lb 225 :
24 11H 4 s.—Also )13 BARBY'F! RDNALENTA a RABICA CIIOCOLATS
PoWD ER is packed in tin canisters: for 12 cups at 2s, for 24 cups
at 3s 62, for 18 cups at Gs, for 258 cups at 30s, for 576 cups at 553
—being about one penny per cup. The 30s and Fss tins are sent
free of carriage in England on receipt of Post Office Olden--
Aunt Du BARRY anal Co., No, 77, Regent-street, London; and
a Grocers anal Chemists.