The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-04 00:00:00

CLOSING OF PUBLIC-HOUSES ON SUNDAY.

The Daily News refers to the deputation which waited
on the Home Secretary to recommend the closing of all
public-houses on Sunday, and says that the well-meaning
gentlemen who represent the Central Association have
persuaded themselves on evidence, which in the
nature of the case cannot be conclusive, that
the majority of the working classes desire the
closing of public-houses on the Sunday. The sub-
ject, however, is one on which the right of a majority
to dictate the conduct of individuals is too lightly assumed.
The majority can practically close the publichouses on
themselves both on Sundays and on week-days, by
simply keeping out of them. A majority of un-
believers would have no right to close churches, or a
majority of vegetarians to close butchers' shops, be-
cause the former may think religion a hurtful super-
stition, and the latter may regard the slaughter of
animals as immoral, and the consumption of flesh-
meat as a brutalizing and besotting indulgence. The
limits of the rights of a majority form one of the first
lessons in political tolerance which the working classes
need to learn. Questions decided for the community as a
whole, must be left to the wish of the, majority, against
whose deliberate judgment there is no appeal. Ques-
tions which each individual can decide for him-
self cannot properly be put to a public vote. It
would be as reasonable to put everybody into
a uniform and upon a rerimen dictated by the majority, as
to interfere on the grounds and in the manner proposed by
the Central Association. Except on principles which
would justify the most penetrating and vexatious inter-
ference with the private life and conduct of individuals,
the policy advocated by the deputation cannot be justified
dither in theory or in practice.

A telegram from Rome, dated noon yesterday,
states that the medical opinions as to the state of Bishop
ill-rant arc more favourable.

Capt. Wilmot, Superintendent of the Royal yards
at Deptford, has succeeded to the rank of senior captain of
the Royal Navy by the death of Admiral Sir Henry Loeke.

A Canonry in Ripon Cathedral has been conferred
upon tbo Rev. Wolbury Motto; Vicar of St. Ilan-
ningharn, Bradford.

Intelligence has been received that the illness of
the Rev. Newman Hall has assumed a very alarming charac-
ter. Special prayers were offered up in his behalf at several
of the weekly meetings 3 esterday.

Mr. F. M. Mallalieu, who retired a few weeks since
from the position of inspecting superintendent of metro-
politan police employed at the Admiralty Government
establishments, expired yesterday morning, at his resi-
dence, New Cross, having been attacked with an apo-
plectic fit.
The death is announced of Sir James Menteith,
Bart. Sir James was in the male line lineally descended
from the third High Steward of Scotland, who, in the right
of his wife, the Countess of Menteith, became Earl of Men-
teith, who also distinguished himself at the Battle of Largs,
1263.

The treaty of commerce between England and
Austria has been published. It stipulates that British
produce and manufactures shall be admitted into Austria
at the rates prescribed in the treaty of commerce with the
Zollverein. There are some articles to which special
duties are attached, being certain descriptions of cotton
wares and woollen wares.

Our readers will learn with regret the retire-
ment of the Dean of Canterbury from the editorship of the
Contemporary Review. The cause assigned is the having
undertaken "an arduous Biblical work " In the notice from
which we gather this information it is stated that the Review
" will bo conducted on the same principles which have
hitherto guided it."—Literary World.
The invitations to the Conservative banquet, at
the Cannon-street Railway Station have, according to the
Globe, been very numerously accepted—the Duke of Aber-
corn, the Duke of Marlborough, the Marquess of Hamilton,
the Earl of Abergavenny, Lord Colville, Lord Jon Manners,
Lord If. G. Lennox, Lord G. Hamilton, Mr. Gathorne Hardy,
Sir Stafford Northcote, Mr. G. Ward Hunt, Hr. J. R. Mow-
bray, being among the acceptances.

M. Ch. de Mazade, commenting in the new num-
ber of the Revue des Deux Mondes on English politics, ob-
serves that events are moving quickly in England. If the
workmen aro not already in Parliament, they are knocking
at the door, and Mr. Odger the other day all but obtained an
entrance. When they do get in, although the English Con-
stitution will not be destroyed by the fact, their success will
be a notable event, and the symptom of a remarkable trans-
formation in British society.

A tramp, named Jchn Smith, was brutally mur-
dered last night at Ecclesfield, near Sheffield. Smith, ac-
companied by a woman, went into a public-house on
Ecclesfield Common, where a party of men were drinking.
Some dispute arose respecting a broken glass, in conse-
quence of which the landlady turned them out. Shortly
after Smith was brought back dead. He appeared to have
been brutally treated, his chest being smashed, as though
he had been jumped upon. An inquest will be held
to- day.

The recent destruction by fire of the old parish
of Meigle, in Perthshire, has drawn attention to the sculp-
tured stones in the churchyard, some of which received
serious injury from the fire. One of these stones according
to the tradition of the place, commemorates the faithless
Queen Ganore or Guinevere, and the rude symbols on the
stone were regarded by the inhabitants as setting forth the
punishment which her infidelity drew. upon her. The name
of Arthur is to be found in many parts of Strathmore, whore
Meiglo lies, and also among the Grampian hills.

UONVO C ATION 'OF UANTERBUItY.—W e are re-
quested by the Prolocutor, Archdeacen Bickersteth, to
state that his Grace the President has arranged that the
next meeting of. this Convocation for business shall be
on Tuesday, May 3, instead of Tuesday, April 26.—
Times.

THE CZECHS.—The Eastern Budget says that
" the negotiations with the Czechs have completely failed.
The national leaders have refused the invitation of Dr.
Giskra, the Minister of the Interior, to a conference on
the subject of their claims, and declare that they have no
confidence in the present Ministry." _ _

A LIVING FASTING GlRL.—Apropos of the prose-
cution of the defendants in the Welsh fasting girl case, it
may be stated that there is a more extraordinary case
than any of those stated by Mr. Fitzwilliam, where a girl
named Mock, of Bideford, North Devon, lived fifty-one
weeks without partaking of food or drink of any kind.
After that time the girl gradually took in sustenance, and
recovered, and is now a strong, healthy-looking young
woman of 19, and residing in the above town. The occur-
rence was four or five years since.
The Freeman's Journal understands that Monsieur
Etienne Stanislaus O'Dunlevie has arrived in Dublin for
the purpose of prosecuting his claims to the possession of
the extensive estates of his ancestors. MonsieurO'Dunlevie
is described as the lineal descendant of Mac or O'Dunlevie,
who went to France in the time of the reign of James 11.,
with the object of superintending the education of his only
son, Andre Maurice O'Dunlevie. He was born in Poland,
and is great grandson of Andre Maurice O'Dunlevie, who
was Lieutenant-Governor of Treves, and died at Coblentz
on the 19th of June, 1751. The estates to which Monsieur
O'Dunlevie lays claim are situate in the counties of Down
and Antrim.

DIPLOMATIC CHANGES.—The North-East Corre-
spondence publishes intelligence from Vienna stating that
a rumour was current that General Lamarmora was to
replace the Marquis Pepoli .as Italian Ambassador at
Vienna, but that no official communication to that effect
had been received. Count Bray, Bavarian Minister at
Vienna, will accept the office of President of the Bavarian.
Council, in place of Prince Hohenlohe, who is to repre-
sent Bavaria at Vienna- The Czechs have elected Herr
Dittrich, who is not one of those who signed the declara-
tion, as burgomdster of Prague, a choice which has some
chance of being confirmed by the Government _