The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-05 00:00:00

newspapers, members of Congress, and others sup-
posed to have influence, to secure the passage of a
measure, while they simply put the money thus ob-
tained into their pockets, caring little how they injure
the reputation of those whose names they use in com
pleting their robbery. The terrible disaster which
followed the steamboat collision has led to the re-
peal of all laws authorizing the carriage of petro-
leum as freight on passenger steamers. An awful
description is given of the scene when the petroleum
in the United States caught fire. The oil ran into
the river, and the burning vessel was surrounded
by a lake of flame. The passengers were not even
offered the alternative of fire or water, for the water
became a sea of fire ; many of the bodies recovered
being much burnt, of which over eighty-six have
now been fished from the river.
An effort is being made to introduce the half-
price system into the New York theatres, and the
managers are urged to adopt it in their own inte-
rest. The lynching at New Albany is much dis-
cussed, and strongly condemned throughout the
North. The scene, as described by the sheriff, was
very dreadful. The four men were executed, and
the lynchers dispersed in from three to five minutes.
Some of the murdered men fought desperately, as
was evident from the bruises they had received, and
Anderson, who is an Englishman, it is asserted was
declared to be innocent by Frank Reno of any part
in the Express robbery, and the Canadian authori-
ties received a solemn promise that both would be
fairly tried. The Canadian papers are not unjustly
indignant, as the danger had been pointed out be-
fore the prisoners were surrendered, and this is
strongly dwelt on in the Toronto Leader. The
Montreal Herald also joins the Leader in stating
" that if such things are to be done, extradition
must cease. We cannot send men over the border
to be torn to pieces by an unauthorized rabble, no
matter what their crimes may be."
WASHINGTON, Dec. 18.
Although not so brisk as speculation will be on
General Grant's Cabinet when Congress gets back
to Washington after the holidays, yet the Cabinet
occupies more of men's thoughts than anything else
in the political capital of the Union. Two men are
considered certain of place—the one is his friend
and neighbour, Mr. Elihu B. Washburue, of Illi-
nois, who, it is thought, will till the post of Secre-
tary of the Interior; the other is Mr. Horace
Greeley, editor of the Tribune, who was also spoken
of in connection with the same appointment, but
will take nothing less, it is alleged, than the Em-
bassy to London. So determined does Mr. Greeley
appear to attain this object that he will most likely
succeed. Whether Senator Sumner will succeed
Mr. Seward as Secretary of State is a point much
discussed. Mr. Adams was sent for from Quincy
to meet General Grant when he visited Boston. It
is not beyond the bounds of possibility that Mr.
Seward himself might be dispatched to London,
and if he talks in the same overwhelming style as he
writes he will smother the whole English Cabinet,
unless they wisely give way. The General is doing
all he can to judge personally the qualifications of
the most prominent politicians. Very properly I
see you give Commissioner Wells a high place for
the Secretaryship of the Treasury, he is a very able
and, what is more, a highly trained public servant ;
and, after the example given by no less a person
than the President of the United States of w•h it
financial heresies an American in high place can be
guilty, we most want a sound man, educated to deal
with this difficult subject. The President's repudi-
ation proposal has been ingeniously defended by
Senator Dixon, who, while condemning and oppos-
ing it, stated that it was a mere offer to the
bondholders to accept or reject as it pleased
them. It certainly pleased the Senate, who
shouted with laughter at the absurdity. With
this exception, I have see❑ no attempt at justi-
fication, the nation with one voice condemning
the proposition. In the House last Wednesday a
new drawing for seats was made to give the new
Southern members a fair chance. This scene always
affords amusement, as it separates cronies and
throws the most prominent into the shadiest place.
General Butler was not fortunate in his lot, and
seated himself among the Democrats, when some
one cried from the gallery, " Right, that's where
you came from, and that's your proper place." Mr.
Menard presented his credentials as Congressman
from Louisiana. He received the congratulations
of the friends of coloured men ; but, on the whole,
he has reason, if I am rightly informed, generally
to object to his treatment. He was born in Ran-
dolph county, Illinois, and after spending much of
his life on the farm in that State, he entered IbJri t
College, Ohio, where be was educated. He fur-
nished President Lincoln with an able report of
British Honduras. It was not till 1865 that he
settled in Louisiana, where he acted with the Re-

publican party with much ability and courage, and
in return they elected him to fill the unexpired
term of the deceased member, Mr. Mann. The Re-
presenatives spent yesterday in eulogizing the late
Thaddeus Stevens. '1 he galleries were well filled,
and among the distinguished persons was Mr.
Thornton, the British Minister. Seventeen Repre-
sentatives spoke in honour of the deceased, and with
unusual ability, as the old commoner, whatever his
faults, was a fine subject. Among the best of these
addresses was that by Mr. John M. Broomall, of
Pennsylvania. The House is similarly occupied
to-day, and will be to-morrow on other deceased
members, as is the Senate ou the late Mr. Stevens.
There are some alarming reports of ruffians who
have pledged themselves to assassinate Gen. Grant.
Almost universally they are regarded as merely
4, sensational," though it is alleged that over
a hundred have sworn that the President
Elect shall not be inaugurated. The Senate
have not considered the nomination of Alex-
ander Cummings for Revenue Commissioner,
in succession to Mr. Rollins ; hence, it must lie over
till January, when Congress reassembles. On Mon-
day the President sent to the Chamber the name of
Henry A. Smythe, Collector of Customs i❑ New
York, for Minister to Russia, but the Foreign Re-
lations' Committee promptly reported against the '
nomination. Among the other nominations were
William J. Cullen to be Superintendent of Indian
Affairs for Idaho and Montana ; Benjamin F.
James to be Chief Examiner for the Patent-office ;
and Alfred Marcy to be Collector of Customs at
Nantucket, Massachusetts ; J. N. Marks to relieve
General Cake as Collector of Customs at Philadel-
phia. Senator Henderson, who has returned to this
city, intends, if successful in re-election to the
Senate, to announce himself a candidate for the
Governorship of Missouri. Green Clay Smith has
resigned the Governorship of Montana Territory.
Mr. Fred. E. Woodbridge, of Vermont, will, it is
said, be named by the President, if Cummings fails,
for Mr. Rollins' place, on whom strong pressure is
brought to bear to hold on till Grant comes in.

General Schofield only, was absent from the
Cabinet to-day. Fessenden and Bayard alone con-
firmed the appointment of Collector Smythe for the
Russian Mission, the vote being five against their
two. Mr. Creecy appears to think that a clue has
been obtained which will break up the "ring" in
New Orleans against the revenue, great tobacco
frauds being discovered.

Our authority for the following is the Spring-
field Republican, though we doubt that a "British Colonel"
would get such a job, and if he did at such a salary it
would be rated higher than any General's command in
Great Britain :—" The suit of the British Government
against the• Sharp's Rifle Company, of Hartford, for the
foreclosure of a mortgage on account of non-fulfilment of
contract by the latter, has at length been decided by
the Supreme Court of the State in favour of England. It
has been on trial for 12 years, and involved about $lOO,OOO.
During all this time a British colonel has been stationed
at New York to manage the case on a salary of $lO,OOO
per year in gold, and the Crown lawyers while in attend-
ance have had $5O per day in gold." Apropos of British
colonels an American paper, by way of showing up the
abuses of the Purchase System, quotes a recent instance
of an ensign having purchased a colonel's commission. As
our article last week showed he could not have lone so
by any expenditure, as the rules that limit purchase are
inexorable, and cannot even be infringed by the Queen.
JJUNVILLE and Co., Belfast, are the largest
holders of Whisky in the world. Their Old Irish Whisky is re
commended by the medical profession in preference to French
Brandy. Supplied in casks and cases for home use or exporta
tion. Quotations on application to Messrs. Dunville and Co.
Belfast; or 4, Beaufort-buildings, Strand, London
vertisement.]