The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-06 00:00:00

their perjured witnesses could not bear the
ordeal of a stringent cross-examination, that
the trumped-up and unfounded charge must
signally and entirely fail, and therefore, in place
of submitting it to a decisive test, they retained
it as an instrument wherewith to bully and insult
a friendly Government and a friendly nation, who
unanimously desire to maintain the most amicable
relations with their younger brethren at the other
side of the Atlantic.

The Washington Cabinet has, however, assumed
a position, that must be promptly met by a cor-
responding movement on the part of the PALMER-
STON Government. Mr. CRAMPTON has been
grossly and wantonly insulted. Highly as we
respect Mr. DALLAS personally, it is impossible
that he can continue at our Court as the Minister
of a President who has acted so scandalously
towards the representative of Queen VICTORIA.
In dismissing him from this country, however, all
possible courtesy will be exhibited towards one
whom we should much rather honour than hu-
miliate. It is the exigency of the situation
that requires the step, and we deeply regret that
it should be necessary to send from our shores
1 one so much respected as Mr. DALLAS.

As we have already stated, the suspension of
diplomatic intercourse will not necessarily occa-
sion war—but it materially complicates the
question at issue between the Cabinets. Any
intemperate or mistaken conduct on either side
may lead to very deplorable proceedings, deeply
injurious to the interests of both countries, and
to the peace and tranquillity of the world. We
trust, however, to the right-minded people of the
United States. The issue, in a great degree,
rests in their hands. If they prove, by the con-
stitutional means in their power, that General
PIERCE has entirely miscalculated the consequences
of his blustering and insolent swagger—if tL•e
unjustifiable means to which he has resorted for
the purpose of gaining the votes of the worst
class of citizens should lead to the forfeiture of
more honourable suffrages which he might other-
wise have obtained, and lead to his expulsion
from the high office for which ho has
proved himself to be totally disqualified, then
all will end happily, and the bonds by which
we are united to our transatlantic friends
will be strengthened and cemented. If,
however, the " dodge" be successful, and be

obtain a renewed tenure of office, we must look to
defend ourselves from a continuation of insults
to which it will be impossible to submi t
with honour, and rest satisfied in the convic-
tion that we have done everything in our power
to avoid the quarrel so improperly forced on us ;
and that we shall be willing, at the earliest mo-
ment, to accept the olive branch which America,
awakened from its delusion, may feel disposed to
offer. Our principle in this, as we trust it will
be in others cases, will be, that while we offer no
offence, even to the weakest and most defenceless
State admitted into the comity of nations, neither
will we endure insult from the most powerful.
Every possible explanation will be offered to pre-
vent misapprehension ; but if parties be deter-
mined to pick a quarrel, per fas, aut nefas, we
shall not shrink from the consequences which we
have not provoked, and for which we cannot be
held responsible.

The existence of tolls at the bridges connecting
the banks of the Thames within the metropolitan
area is ono of the anomalies which puzzle our
country visitors, and by no means reflects credit
on the intelligence and public spirit of the popu
lation. The veriest tyro in economical science

must be aware that uninterrupted communication
is almost as essential to the due development of
commerce as highways of some sort are to its
origination. Yet, in the teeth• of this common-
place fact, five out of eight of the bridges of
London cannot be traversed without satisfying
the inexorable demands of the toll master. Why,
the authorities of a petty provincial town would
be ashamed to have such a reproach levelled
against them, and no County Board would wil-
lingly rim the risk of incurring it. Say that the
amount is small for foot passengers, it is not so
small as not to occasion inconvenience to any class.
To those who can afford to pay the mere toll it
occasions the loss of valuable time, as well as being
offensive ; while to the industrious classes it is an
injurious tax, only to be evaded by the loss of still
more time, and what to both themselves and em-
ployers is quite as valuable, the waste of their useful
energy in pursuing a tedious round-about route.
Between Westminster and Blackfriars -Bridges all
the existing structures are toll-traps ; so that the
dense populations in this area on either side must
trudge round by one or the other to escape pay-
ment. This, however, by no means represents
the real magnitude of the evil. If the toll on
passengers, however small, be so injurious, the
toll on traffic, by no means small, is perhaps more
so. Shopkeepers arc induced to wait till the
opportunity arrives to have their goodS free, and
injury is thereby done to trade—customers often
losing the desire to purchase if they have to wait.
We sly nothing of the effects of tolls on carriage
communication.

The whole affair is so disgraceful that, were it
not for the necessity of something being done, we
should be ashamed to call attention to it. Were
tko number of free bridges sufficient to meet the
reasonable wants of the population the case would
be different ; but the fact is that all the bridges,
free and toll, put together, are not so. A bridge,
for instance, is greatly needed at Charing-cross—
that central point of busy metropolitan energy
and communication—and the more needed because
of the unsatisfactory condition of Westminster-
bridge, and its immediate contiguity to the Palace
of the Imperial Legislature. The need of such a
structure is so obvious as well as pressing that the
reader will readily participate iu our indignation
at the vast sum expended at the public cost in
centupling the value of the Marquis of West-
minster's property at Chelsea, while the provision
of such a means of communication with the
Borough and its proposed line of road was
neglected. It would have been vastly more to
the credit of Government if the money had been
'Tent in promoting so laudable a purpose or in
redeeming the tolls of Waterloo-bridge than
in the
a mere fare,
unjustifiable way it has ; for it is
togb
allegeot:l
that the 8,000/. or 9,000/.
the Marquis has to pay, at all approximates to
u the sum he n our humble opinion he
ought to pay the Whole, considering how vastly
he will benefit by the
improvements. The sub-
ject of toll-bridges, we understand, is now under
the consideration of the Metropolitan Board of
Works, and to that practical and useful body we
beg to recommend the construction of a bridge at
the point we have proposed, as well as the re-
demption of the toils at Waterloo and other
bridges, the former structure, if there is to be any
distinction, more especially because of its frayers..
ing the direct route to the terminus of the, South-
Western Railway. We are perfectly aware how
much oppressed the Board is with the con-
sideration of important schemes, .involving
a heavy outlay, scandalously '4 neglected by
its predecessors:; but we do hope and trust
that an enlightened view of what is due for the,