The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-02 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 2, 1869.

is growing all the harder, as Fenton has developed
unexpected strength. There are other candidates,
but the struggle is between these two, and has al-
ready involved the New York Commercial Adver-
tiser in an action for libel, by Fenton, for an article
extensively copied, headed, " United States Sena-
torship." The Times, the Sun, and the Post sup-
port Fenton, who is weak in the city, while his
strength lies in theruraldistries. Notwithstanding
the denunciation of Jay Gould, J. Fisk, jun., and all
other Erie directors, the owners of railway pro-
perty seem in no degree to have lost confidence in
these gentlemen ; that is, if there are shareholders
in a position to exercise a vote. At a meeting of
the stockholders of the Buffalo, Corry, and Pitts-
burgh Railroad, held at Mayville, Jan. 12, the fol-
lowing persons were elected directors :—Jay Gould,
James Fisk, jun., Frederick A. Lane, L. D. Rucker,
J. C. B. Davis, Thomas Struthers, Wm. H. Seward,
Wm. H. Whiteside, John F. Phelps, Matthew P.
Bemurs, Daniel Williams, Ames K. Warren, Geo.
W. Gifford. Jay Gould was elected President ;
Thomas Struthers, Vice-President; and M. P. Be-
mus, Secretary and Treasurer. Last Saturday, an
unusual occurrence, no mail was despatched from
New York for England owing to the tempestuous
westerly weather having detained several steamers
which were due many days before. The Europe,
however, sailed for Havre, the Alaska for Aspin-
wall with three lady missionaries for Peking and
four reverend gentlemen. The weather has been
changeable, and the record of mortality is unusu-
ally high, sickness generally prevailing.
Had the horses of the United States a vote
for the election of President it would have been
unanimously given to General Grant. The General
has issued an order to insure the better care of
animals in the army. " Descriptive lists" of all
horses and mules are to be kept. The President
elect has accepted an invitation to Connecticut to
inspect some important manufacturing establish-
ments. We had a large and enthusiastic meeting
here to express sympathy with the Cretan revolu-
tion. William C. Bryant presided, and Henry
Ward Beecher, Governor Woodford, and Dr.
Bellowes spoke. We now know how Mr. Seward
accomplished his share in the St. Thomas and St.
John purchase. In January, 1865, he suggested it
to General Raasloff and was snubbed, but in De-
cember, the King, while asserting that he had no
wish to sell the island, asked Seward what he would
give. He proposed $5,000,000, and with this
answer General Raasioff returned to Copenhagen,
where it was submitted to the Danish Ministry.
In May, 1867, Denmark consented, pressed by
Seward, to sell St. Thomas and St. John for
$10,000,000, but five months elapsed in haggling
over the price, when the difference was split
and the treaty signed, October 24, 1867, the sum
being $7,500,000. This trafficing between Seward
on our behalf and the King's Ministers over ter-
ritory and the inhabitants bears a disagreeable re-
semblance to peddling, and the result goes far to
confirm the impression. The earthquakes almost
immediately after the conclusion of the bargain
demonstrated the value of the property purchased,
and reversed the position each had assumed. Den-
mark,
no longer coy, now thrust the useless island :
on Seward, and it required all that wily states-
man's tact to escape General Raasloff's home
thrusts to take the property and pay the bill. Six-
teen months have elapsed, the people of the
islands have voted for annexation, but the
treaty remains unratified and the money un-
paid. A fierce senatorial fight is raging at
Albany, the excitement is at fever heat, and the
friends of Morgan and the friends of Fenton are
now having it out alone, as Marshal 0. Roberts
has been choked off, notwithstanding the Tribune's
advocacy. Judge Noah Davis has declared for
Morgan,
and Mr. John A. Griswold seems inclined
to follow suit. It seems almost impossible to
choose between them so as to predict the result.
Indeed, the battle sways to and fro to-day for one,
to-morrow for the other. 1

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