The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-08 00:00:00

Tin SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY OENING, JUN. 8, 18,69

THE COMMEMORATION .4T OXFORD.

Visitors arrived in Oxford in rapid succession on Satur•
day, and the streets in the evening were filled with
strangers taking their first vie* of the lions of the city.
The members of Oriel College gave an amateur theatrical
performance at the Clarendon Hotel, which passed off
most satisfactorily. The university sermon at St. Mary's
on Sunday morning attracted a large congregation,
the preacher being the Rev. Mark Pattison, 8.D., rector of
Lincoln College, one of the writers in " Essays and Reviews.'
In the evening the usual promenade took place in the
Christ Church Broad-walk, which was thronged with
gaily-dressed ladies and gentlemen. There was an entire
absence of distinguished visitors, but the promenade
seems to have lost none of its popularity with the
citizens of Oxford and their wives, who attended in great
force. The early part of Monday was devoted chiefly to
sight-seeing, numerous parties also visiting Nuneham
and Blenheim. At two o'clock the Oxford Philharmonic
Society gave a grand concert in the Sheldonian
Theatre. At six o'clock the grand procession of boats,
which is always one of the most attractive of the sights
attendant upon Commemoration, took place on the
Isis. The -University and other college barges were covered
with ladies and their .friends, and the banks of the river
were lined with thousands of spectators, the river itself
being alive with craft of all descriptions. The day's
festivities terminated with a grand ball in the Corn
Exchange and Town Hall, given by the Apollo University
Lodge of Freemasons.

CONFERENCE ON THE LAWS .RELATING

TO THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

A conference on the general question of the laws
relating to the liquor traffic, was commenced on Monday,
at the Society of Arts, under the presidency of the Arch.
bishop of York. There were present, amongst others,
Lord Lyttelton, Sir John Bowring, Mr. Baines, M.P.,
Mr. Abel Smith, Mr. Alderman Carter, M.F., Mr. Wade,
Hull; and letters expressing regret at their inability to be
present were stated to have been received from the
Bishop of London, Lord Sandon, Lord Dartmouth, Lord
Elliot, Mr. Hardy, Archdeacon Sandford, and Colonel
Aekroyd.
His Grace the Amidst-mar, in opening the pro.
ceedings, stated that the' desire of the conference
was fully and fairly to discuss -all the questions
referring to the laws dealing with the liquor traffic. The
intolerable nuisance created bypublic-houses as at present
licensed was one now admitted, not by the upper classes
alone, but also by the lower; and what they sought
to do was to educate public opinion in the
direction of abating that nuisance. The evils—physical,
moral, and social—of drinking habits upon the working
classes were acknowledged to be disastrous in the extreme,
and nothing substantial for their advancement could
be done until the enormous consumption of in.
toxicatiEg drinks amongst them was mate-
rially lessened. The first subjects for discussion
were the licensing power, in whom to be vested, whether
in the magistrates, as now, or in a select committee of
magistrates, or in the guardians of the poor, or the stipen-
diary magistrate, or a licensing barrister; and whatever
the licensing power, whether it ought to be accompanied
by some vetoing power on the part of owners and occu-
piers of property.

The Rev. 11. J. ELLIsos objected to the Permissive
Bill, and advocated the establishment of. a licensing body
in each locality, which would be the reflection of public
opinion in the district, being elected by the ratepayers.
In the long run he thought there would be little difficulty
in-getting men returned to the board who would be anta-
gonistic to the undue multiplication of public-houses.
Mr. BRINES, M.P., desired to remove a false impression
which might be created by a statement made by the last
speaker. Mr. Ellison seemed to think that in Leeds
there had been a disinclination on the part of the magis-
trates to refuse licenses where offences had been proved.
He (Mr. Baines) deSired to say that this was not the case,
and that the system of licenses being refused
by the magistrates had worked exceedingly well.
The magistrates of Leeds granted scarcely any new
licenses. For his own part be thought nobody could be
better entrusted with the duty of granting licenses than
the magistrates.
Sir Jon/i BowniNG had
.a strong objection to the
magistrates being the licensing authority, as had also
several other speakers.
Mr. BAiNEs was quite prepared to admit that though
the system worked well in Leeds it might not do so in
other places. Where the magistrates did not efficiently
discharge their duties some other plan ought, of course, to
he adopted.
Dr. MARTIN had heard from an American gentleman
that in Rhode Island a licensing board, existed, but it was
so influenced by interested persons that it was practically
worse than useless.—The Bev. E. White, Sir Harcourt
JOhnstone, Ar.P.,- the Bev. G. W. neree, and others took
part in the discussion, various opinions being expressed
as to the body in whom the accusing power should be
vested. The Rev. Mr. Ellison then proposed a resolution
to the effect that in any measure which shotild Le intro-
duced into Parliament, whatever the licensing power may
be, it ought to he accompanied by some controlling power
on the part of the owners and occupiers of
property. Being seconded by Mr. Abel Smith, the reso-
lution was unanimously carried.

At the afternoon sitting Lord Lyttelton presided, but
declined to commit himself to the expression of any opinion
upon the subjects under discussion, except to say that he
totally disagreed with the principle of the Permissive
Bill.

The nomination of candidates for the two vacant
seats at Stafford took Vane on Monday. Mr. Thos. Salt,
jun., and the Hon. Reginald Talbot (Conservatives); and
Mr. Whitworth and Mr. Evans (Liberals) wero nominated.
The show of hands was declared to bo in favour of tho
Liberals.

SIR ROBERT CLIFTON'S DEATH AND TIM IN-
SUIL COMPANIES.—The death of Sir Robert Clifton,
Dart., is likely, it is said, to cause a very heavy draw
upon the funds of various insurance offices of the king-
dom, as his life was insured to a very large amount--;
report says for as much as £250,00". Ptlicies had been
effected with all the principal offices in th, kingdom, and
in some instances only one or two premiums had been
paid. Indeed, in all cases the premiums paid cannot
have been numerous, as the baronet has died compara?
young, being only forty•three. Most of the policies are
held as security for advances which have been made to
the deceased.

A CHANCE FOR SOMEEODY. Among the
curiosities of matrimonial.advertising, one of the richest
specimens of elaborate vanity ever met with, or one
of the most unjustifiable practical jokes we ever remem-
ber to have seen, may be read in Monday's Morning
Post. The motive which has led to this extraordinary
announcement is almost as singular as the announcement
itself. It appears that reports to the effect that the
advertiser is about to be married are frequent. These
reports are " calculated to injure his present matrimo-
nial pro3pects." He deems it necessary to declare
that "he has-never been engaged to any lady in his life,
although he has frequently made offers to ladies of
fortune, or their friends on their behalf, both in England
and elsewhere, but has been refused by those ladies or
their friends on account of his assumed poverty." The
gentleman in question goes minutely into Lis financial
position. He wants a lady of sufficient fortune to
enable him to pay off mortgages on his estates to the
extent of £05,900. He would thus have it in his power
to make settlements to the value of that amount,
which, by a process that looks well in type, but which
we do not quite comprehend, will thus "in that
manner become doubled." The advertiser further
assures the world that he is universally considered to
be "amiable and accomplished, and has the further
recommendation not only of being descended from
families remarkable for their beauty, but of being himself
six feet in height, and of handsome personal appearance."
He may be seen " almost daily in Hyde Park between
the hours of twelve and one." He claims to have royal
blood in his veins, and to be the inheritor of nobody knows
bow many baronies. " Should more than one offer reach
him, he reserves to himself the right of giving preference
to youth, rank, or beauty." We have no doubt his corre-
spondence will be very extensive.
THE MU ItDEII. OF AN ENGLISII FAMILY IN
ABYSSINIA.—A telegram has been received in Newport,
fi'olll g7-ireit detail ,of the • rri-,...rder of

r,--.111)). wire fArrlll[, in Abyini..)
Newport, for in the beginu:n; o kehrtuit-, ,
on a shooting expedition, taking with him his whe,
on of his children, a Scotch keeper, and a female
servant. The servant fell ill, and was left at Marseilles.
At Suez the keeper was taken ill, and he also was left
behind. The party nevertheless proceeded, having taken
other servants, and accompanied by a Swiss attacla;,
and at length reached Al)yssinia. Mr. Powell per-
siste 1 in advancing into av part of the country which
he was warned it was dangerous for an Englishman to
enter. On the morning of the 17th a number of
savages fell upon Mr. Powell and his party, who
were unarmed, and murdered and horribly mutilated
them. The attache, who had gone a little way, was simi-
!arly massacred on his return. The last letter from Mrs.
Powell relates the hardships she had to undergo, and
mentions that they were about to meet a chief who was
considered to be a very dangerous fellow. According to
all accounts the affair seems to have been one of the roost
foolhardy, especially so soon,after a war which must have
:eft behind a great deal of bitterness,

!jr. ]f, it,

MISCELLANEOUS NETVS.-

TUB PEERS AND THE BILL.

The decision of the Conservative Peers on Saktr-
day is, of course, the great topic. of discussion in the
papers of both parties. It seems to be generally
agreed upon by the Liberal press that if the bill be
cast out Mr. Gladstone will prorogue Parliament
immediately, and take an autumn session. But it is by
no means certain, even now, that the measure will be
rejected. The majority of the meeting on Saturday
was undoubtedly in favour of the course marked
out by Lord Cairns. But it admitted that they firmly
determined to hear none but the leaders against the
proposed course. Who knows, then, how large the
minority may be ? The number of peers, too, at the
meeting was less by some fifty than the number eif
the majority for throwing out the Suspensory Bill,
How many of the absent fifty will vote for the re-
jection of the bill ? The Daily News points out another
consideration. The leaders of the Opposition would, no
doubt, choosethat thebill should bepassed, rather than
that it should be rejected by a small vote. If there
is any danger of this catastrophe, no doubt the word
of command will be given to stay away. It is
possible then, the Daily News thinks, that
at the last moment a sense of prudence
may induce the Peers to acquieSce in the measure.
Several other papers regard the proposed motion as
only a cover under which to retreat ; and the London
correspondent of the hidependance Belge—usually
well informed—says positively that it will be impos-
sible for Lord Harrowby's amendment to be carried.
The Standard turns its tail rather: It admits that
it came to a totally different conclusion to that arrived
at by the Conservative meeting, but thinks it to be
its duty as the party organ, and the duty of all other
Conservatives, to recognise the immaculate wisdom
of Lords Derby and Cairns, and to follow where
they go.
" The Lords undoubtedly have acted with the advice
and sanction of men who know better than we do the per-
sDnal conditions of the struggle and the character of the
enemy. They may, probably—we most earnestly hope
and trust that they do—estimate more correctly than Ire
do the force of the popular feeling, by which they are
impelled and supported, and the extent of the reaction which
the destructive and iniquitous character of the bill has
produced. But, be they right or wrong, the duty of
Protestants, of Conservatives, of all who value the con-
stitution of- their country, is now clear. Not only the
Church, but every institution which is dear to English-
! men is now at stake. The Lords have resolved, in
compliance with the urgent demands of tens and hundreds
of thousands in every part of the country, to risk all
upon a contest with au imperious Minister and an over-
bearing majority of the Commons. If they are crushed,
not only the Church but the Constitution falls with
them ; and the liberties of England are sacrificed to
the ascendancy of that democratic principle which is at
this day what despotism once was—the most dangerous
foe of personal and political freedom. It matters not,
therefore, whether we approve or regret the decision to
give battle. We have nothing to do but to take our places
in the ranks, and tight for all that we hold dearest in
the full certainty that all is at stake. Let every effort
be made to strengthen the hands of the Lords. Let the
whole Protestant and Conservative power of the realm
be exerted to the utmost, by meetings, by petitions,
by organisation, to give to the Lords ch a support of
public opinion as shall restrain the struggle within the
limits of the Constitution, and make the self-willed and
overbearing Minister, always at heart an enemy of the
, Lords, and likely to be exasperated by au unexpected
defeat, feel that those limits he dare not transgress.
Already his organs have threatened that which, if done,
would deserve impeachment. It is necessary that he
should be made to feel that he dare not execute his
, threat."

The Standard evidently does not under-estimate the
gravity of the occasion.
The
peers on Saturday has given room for all kinds of
privacy of the meeting of the Conservative
rumours. Amongst other announcements it was
given forth that the Earl of Limerick and Lord
Nelson would vote against Lord liarrowby's amend-
ment on the second reading of the Irish Church Bill
because of their love of a free Church. Whether this
be true as regards the Earl of Limerick we know not,
but Earl Nelson writes contradicting the story as
regards himself "
If," he says, " I vote in favour of the second reading
of the Irish Church Bill, it will be from no love of the bill
nor from any Quixotic predilection for free Churches, but
simply because•l believe that the rejection of the bill,
without any previous attempts to amend it, will be most
injurious to the Conservative party and to the future use-
f titles:: of the house of Lords, and that such a course will
mattrially affect for the worse, not only the future
prospects of the Protestant Church in Ireland, but the
whole Irish question under all its phases."

of another, especially it Mat otner De a rival or
opponent. But we clearly ought not to be allowed
to go with our anomalous bankruptcy laws any
longer; and it will be a public misfortune if party
difference delay for another session this most
urgently-needed reform.