The Sun.
London, England, 1869-07-13 00:00:00

SENATOR MORTON ON ENGLAND.

The speech of Senator Morton, of Indiana, on the occa-
of consecrating the soldiers' monument on the battle-field
of Gettysburg, was by no means confined to the subject
immediately before him. After describing the battle, and
touching upon most of the events of the war inremarkably
highflown language, the Senator gradually turned his
attention to the progress of liberty in America and other
parts of the world. A large instalment of his discourse
was given to England. Be thinks great changes are yet to
come :—" Another reform bill will soon be demanded,
making suffrage universal, or nearly so, to be followed
by the disestablishment of the English Church, the
abolition of the laws of primogeniture, and the final de-
struction of the kingly office. The mass of the English
people are substantially, though not professedly, republi-
can in sentiment. They accept the great doctrine of
human rights upon which our Government is founded;
and, while they yet retain the throne and the House of
Lords, any attempt on the part of either to exercise
positive power, to resist the popular will, would be
instantly met by threats of resistance, and, if not aban-
doned, by revolution. The throne and the Upper House
remain much like the feudal castles that yet distin-
guish the English landscape, emblems of departed
power, curious to the view, full of historic interest, but
no longer dangerous to the peace of the surround-
ing country. English reforms, heretofore slow, are
becoming more rapid, and the English people
are marching with accelerated speed to a repub-
lican government. Universal suffrage and heredi-
tary privilege cannot exist long together. They are essen-
tially hostile elements. The spirit of American liberty is
abroad in England. Her Brights, Gladstones, Forsters,
and her whole host of Liberal statesmen, are proclaiming
the doctrines of the Declaration of Independence, and
verifying the saying of a celebrated Englishman, that
the American Revolution guaranteed the free institutions
of England. We may not live to see England a republic,
but I believe our children will. The event can be pre-
dicted with as much certainty as any other in human
affairs ; and it is hastening on, perhaps fast enough when
all things are considered."

,SERIOUS DISURBANCES NEA.R

SHEFFIELD.

At a late hour on Saturday night a very serious conflict
took place between some unionist and non-unionist colliers
near Sheffield. The scene of the affray is the
Manor Castle Pit, which belongs to Mr. Huntsman.
A strike took place at this as well as several other
of Mr. Huntsman's pits three or four months ago, and
since then the colliery has been worked by men from
a distance who are not members of the colliers' union.
Two or three disturbances have taken place between the
two sets of men, but till Saturday night they had not
resulted in anything serious. The disturbance then was
of such a character that it is feared a woman, named
Sykes, will lose her life. How the disturbance originated
is difficult to ascertain. It seems, however, that a man,
named Davis, who is the engine-tenter at the colliery, was
returning from Sheffield with his wife, and that when
near their own house they were assaulted by a unionist
miner, named Sykes, and his wife. The assault seems to
have been of a brutal character, and Mrs. Davis's
screams attracted the attention of the night watchman
at the pit bank. He and one or two others went
to the assistance of Davis and his wife, and on their way
were stoned by some unionists who had been attracted to
the spot. They then returned for further assistance, and
on again making their appearance, some more stones were
thrown at them, and a general conflict took place. The
non -unionists seem to have been greatly overmatched, and
to have been very much kicked and knocked about. Two
or three of them, whilst on the ground, believing their
lives to be in danger fired loaded pistolsat their assailants.
The contents of one of the pistols lodged in Mrs. Sykes's
body, and last evening she was not expected to recover. A
non-unionist, named Nixon, was also shot in the thigh,
but not seriously. Several of the non-unionists were severely
cut and bruised, and Davis had one of his ribs broken.
Mrs. Davis was so much cut about the face and head
that she has since been confined to her bed ; her face is
one mass of bruises. The conflict continued till the
arrival of some police constables, when three of those
who it is supposed took a leading part in the conflict were
apprehended.