The Sun.
London, England, 1869-11-15 00:00:00

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

ME PEABODY'S FURTHER, GIFT TO THE LONDON

POOR.

The total sum at the disposal of the trustees of the
Peabody Fund has been raised, by the philanthro-
pist's last great donation, to the splendid total of half
a million sterling. This large amount will provide
means for a material supply of good dwellings for the
London poor. It may be worth considering whether
the trustees will not in the future be able to reach a
lower strata, of the population than that which
at present reaps the chief benefit of the
fund. The trustees have beyond doubt achieved
great results by putting it in the power of poor men
with families to obtain a suitable habitation at four
or five shillings a week. But there is a poorer class
still—respectable single women, and families with
very small means, who would be content with less
accommodation, provided they could get a yet
cheaper rent. This want has been very strongly
expressed of late, and is at least deserving of con-
sideration.

THE A3IERICANS AND MR. PEABODY.
The day on which the funeral service over Mr.
Peabody's remains was solemnised in Westminster
Abbey was a day of general mourning in the United
States. All the public departrueuta were closed. An
English frigate will not be the only guard of honour
during the passage of the philanthropist's remains to
the United States. admiral Radford, commanding
the American fleet in European waters, has been
ordered to detach vessels to convey the body to
America.

HR. GLADSTONE AT GUILDHALL.
The weekly press takes a more hopeful view of Mr.
Gladstone's last speech than did their daily contem-
poraries. The comments which immediately followed
the Lord Mayor's banquet expressed surprise at the
profound depression manifested in the Premier's tone
and language ; the Saturday Review and the Spectator
both agree that this so-called melancholy was merely
earnestness. The former journal concludes that the
Premier is confident of 'bringing the land ques-
tion to a settlement ; the latter comes to pre-
cisely the same decision. "Mr. Gladstone sees land."
He would not have gone so far into the diagnosis of
the disease unless he clearly perceived the proper
remedy. "Ireland is disaffected ; one-fifth of her
Majesty's subjects detest the laws under which they
live, and the companionship in which they must
abide—that is the truth always present to the
Premier's mind, which he brings out even
at a great festivity, repeating it over three
times, and striving in every way to stamp it
upon his hearers' minds, knowing that if he can but
make the impress sufficiently deep, half his great task
is done. The Times hints, and clubmen complain,
that Mr. Gladstone is so terribly in earnest ; but
great leaders in the midst of great battles, just when
they see the full power of the enemy, and recognise
the opportunity which will yield victory, usually are
in earnest, and that is the Premier's position."
The Irish papers, too, are pretty confident—that is
to say, the Liberal section. The Conservative organs
see nothing in the speech but bewilderment, hesita-
tion, and incipient defeat. But the Liberal press
thinks it a masterly exposition of the state of Ireland.
The tone of the Premier is understood to indicate a
solemn conviction that a comprehensive measure is
required to restore tranquillity and place the relations
of property upon an amicable basis.