The Sun.
London, England, 1869-10-23 00:00:00

AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

(From the Anglo-American Times.)
Messrs. Keller, Wallis, and Postlethwaite, to
further the design of establishing Southampton as
the import depot for American produce to London,
have opened an office in the metropolis at 16 and
17, King William-street. Through the medium of
the great steam fleet, of which they are agents,
New York, Baltimore, and New Orleans already
direct a considerable export to Southampton, and
shortly this will be increased by a West Indian line,
for which some of the finest steamers yet con-
structed are building at Greenock, to commence
plying next autumn. By this means tbewhole range
of the North American coast will be made to con-
verge on Southampton as a centre, to reach London
over the South Western Railway. The trade is
increasing with a rapidity which fully justifies the
anticipations of the North German Lloyd Com-
pany, to whose enterprise Southampton, and even
London, will be indebted. The Frankfurt left New
Orleans last Wednesday, the first homeward steamer
of the line, and she is expected to take her depar-
ture from Ilavana on the 24th inst., and may be ex-
pected at Southampton about the 7th November.
At present the boats to the Crescent City do not
pay, but the rapid resuscitation of the South may
be expected to work a change, and we hope will then
give a fair remuneration to both those great and
enterprising companies which do so much credit to
North Germany.
Another scheme for equalising the greenback
dollar with the silver dollar in the United States has
been propounded. It consists of reducing the quan-
tity of silver from 285 grains to 200, which would
equalize in value the metal and the paper. This is a
return to the old expedients, by which a Richard
Coaur deLion and such like Sovereigns were enabled
to make money go far. Even the gentle Ilindoo,
shrewd as he is, when he gets a chance cannot re-
sist " clipping" and " sweating ;" but somehow or
other these hard dry fellows who preach economic
truth maintain that it does not pay. The honest
discharge of national obligations is more clearly a
wise policy with a nation than the honest discharge
of obligations is with an individual, because the
accompanying gain in credit to a nation is inter-
minable, to an individual limited ; and if it pays
within the ordinary life of a man, how much more
will it during the lifetime of a nation. We grant that
there is a fascination in this " clipping" and "sweat-
ing," which may require an effort to resist, just as
a person on the brink of a precipice feels au im-
pulse to hurl himself down, though his senses may
teach him there is nothing to be gained i❑ the act.
The London Standard says, " that in the absence
of activity in the New York markets some of the
leading operators propose to transfer their talents
to Bartholomew-lane. Indeed, it has been gravely
asserted that the initiative has already been taken
by one or two of these worthies, and that they have
entered into arrangements to assist in influencing
the prices of several of our fancy' securities.
They may be successful for a time, but if they at-
tempt to carry out important transactions they may
discover their inability to govern the market and
thus increase their losses." The Erie clique are
declared to have agents in London, who, it is an-
nounced, have lately been the principal sellers of
the Erie shares ; that the old " up and down rig"
is again in full swing, and that their advantage is
derived from their earlier information from Wall-
street. After regular hours in New York consider-
able business takes place, especially in exciting times,
and the changes which then occur are known by
these agents at the opening hours of the London
Stock Exchange the next morning, while the public
only learn them when business has closed, or next
morning. Any alterations occurring after 4 p.m.
would not be telegraphed so as to appear in the
London morning papers; but there is no reason
why the message—sent say at 6 p.m. from New
Yolk—should not be under the operator's pillow in
London when he went to sleep that night; and he
would be doing business on the London Stock Ex-
change the next morning before his confederate in
New York was up, while by well timing his mes-
sage?, the confederate would learn how the London
market had been influenced during the day as he
appeared in Wall-street. Active agents and a free
use of the telegraph are the speculator's greatest
aids. If what the Standard says be true, the Stock
Exchange must either get full and early informa-
tion, or jobbers will be unable to operate iu such
Stocks as the Erie.
Postmaster-General Creswell has opened nego-
tiations with the British Post-office Department for

a further reduction of the letter postage between the
United States and Great Britain. The charge was
reduced from one shilling to sixpence, and what Mr.
Creswell now proposes is to lower it still further, to
threepence or six cents, the alteration to take effect
from the Ist January next. In view of the memorial
sent through the American Minister in London and
the strong expression in both countries in favour of
cheap international postage, Mr. Creswell's action
is taken with a fair prospect of success. At any
rate, if it fails it will not be the fault of the Wash-
ington Administration, and to the Republic belongs
the credit of assuming the initiative in this important
matter.

The Hartford Courant of the 7th instant con-
tained the following letter from Mrs. Stowe :

" TO THE EDITOR OF THE COURANT.

"Sir,--Mrs. Stowe desires the friends of justice and fair
dealing to publish for her this announcement. That she
has kept silence heretofore in regard to the criticism on
her article on Lady Byron for two reasons. First, be-
cause she regarded the public mind as in too excited a
state to consider the matter dispassionately ; and second,
because she has expected the developments of ad-
ditional proofs in England, some of which, of great
importance, have already come to hand. Mrs. Stowe
is preparing a review of the whole matter, with further
facts and more documents, including several letters of
Lady Byron to her, attesting the vigour and soundness of
her mind at the period referred to, and also Mrs. Stowe's
own letters to Lady Byron at the same time, which were
returned to hor by the executors soon after that lady's
death. She will also give the public a full account of the
circumstances and reasons which led her to feel it to be
her duty to make this disclosure as an obligation alike of
justice, gratitude, and personal friendship."
Mrs. Stowe will have more to do in answering
hostile criticism than she was aware of when she
wrote as above. An Article in the last Quarterly Re-
view has almost settled the question ; and it is now
generally accepted that Lady Byron had talked her-
self into the belief of a story which was as untrue as
it was monstrous. A person in the position of Lady
Byron would naturally have attractions for an au-
thoress who had then attained to considerable fame,
and we can understand the two women being drawn
together, and the one imbibing as truth the delu-
sion entertained by the other. Lady Byron be-
lieved the story when this friendship was formed,
and Mrs. Stowe believed her ; and told the tale as
she received it. The consequence has been a great
outcry and a torrent of abuse poured on the head
of the American authoress ; but she has been the
means of eliciting the truth, and clearing Byron's
memory from whispers so injurious to his reputa-
tion. If Mrs. Stowe has failed in her effort to paint
her friend in an angelic form, she has at least re-
moved some of the unsightly marks which dis-
figured the reputation of one of England's greatest
poets ; and the sooner the controversy is now
dropped the better, for the publication of further
letters of Lady Byron's can have no further influ-
ence than to confirm the belief in that lady's
hallucination.

General Adam Badeau, Secretary of the United
States Legation in London, has reached 'Washing-
ton, bearing, according to the New York papers,
important despatches. He travelled, via Dublin
and Queenstown, where he embarked on board the
Cunard steamer China, which arrived at New York
on the Gth October, when he proceeded to the
Brevoort House, and on the evening of the 7th
continued his journey to the seat of Government.
We would like to know, but we confess we do
not know, what took so important a personage in
such a hurry to the ear of the President ; but we
hear it is only private affairs. We feel that matters
of deep interest to both nations are, or rather ought
to be, in progress of negotiation, and it is, or might
be, equally evident that his Excellency, the present
Minister, warned by the experience of his prede-
cessor, carries out these negotiations in profound
silence, not with a flourish of trumpets and the
waving of banners, and all the other means by
which Mr. Reverdy Johnson managed to fix on '

himself the eyes of his countrymen while engage
in proceedings peculiarly obnoxious to them.
The Naples and Florence Observer tells us that
strong efforts are being made to induce the American
Mediterranean and Oriental Company to touch at
Brindisi. The supplementary mail from England to
India was for the first time sent through that port
on the 2nd inst. A dry floating dock as well as other
improvements have been projected, and as the har-
bour isgood, and on the direct road to Alexandria, the
port will doubtless become a most important Italiail
shipping station. When the Mont Ceuis tunnel
open it will be brought within! two days of London'
and as the steamers run to Alexandria in less than
four the dis tan ce to Egypt will thus be sho: tened. The
American Mediterranean and Oriental CoulPall
may commence plying earlier than anticipated, 3°
they are in treaty with the 'Washington Governilleri
for the purchase of three first-class fast steauler°
ordered before the close of the war, and now uentlir
ready for service. Of these there are eight or teD,
and it is likely the company may at once get ihred'
with more hereafter, as a board has been appoints
to value the steamers, and so enable the Govern•
meet to reply to the offer of the company.
The Cuba question assumes another phase in
America notwithstanding the efforts of the IV cif
York Tribune. Very unpleasant letters have been
received from the Americans serving with the War;
gents. All the promises made, although we cannot
understand what promises these patriots could re•
quire, have been broken, except that of putting tile
into the van to sustain every shock of battle. The
worst of it is that the Americans who escape,.%
chances of war are often assassinated by their
Cuban allies ; and there is reason to beliat
that some truth is contained in the report
via Madrid, that there is treachery in the re•
bed camp. It was said that the Cubans Were
in alliance with the Republicans in Spain, in vil3°sl
success they were guaranteed independence ;
they had aided the cause with money ; hence in the
suppression of that rising a blow has been de'
against the freedom of Cuba. Three steamers with
heavy reinforcements Ihad arrived at llavanah froi-
Cadiz, but on the other hand the steamer Aiabcon(/'
with the Cuban privateers Lilian and Teaser, carry'
ing 1,000 men,artillery, small arms and ammuniti°o;
had sailed for Cuba, and brisk volunteering 11
going on along the southern coast, 5,000 men beint
if the reports (which we doubt) be true, are rev
ol
for embarkation. Although the correspondeuto
the London papers now speak of the Cuban 13-I(rie,
ment in America as having fallen into conteuS
a reaction may at any moment be expected. ,
toet
correspondent in the Daily News asserts that Abe
absorbed in acquiring riches care little
the acquisition of the island, and proceeds to write
i‘,
in a tone of contempt for the herd of dingy-11v
ing, drinking, smoking patriots, who form
go
Cuban junta; the contrast between whose "'n
niloquent boasts and frothy deeds has alienated ;e
sympathy for them." While admitting this/
to
maintain that the feeling continues strongly jo,
favour Cuban independence, for it embodies a Prri,
ciple which is seldom lightly treated by Aujethe
cans. The Court at Wilmington liberated :ea
Hornet or Cuba, but the naval authorities
the steamer, arrested her officers, and turns, the
crew ashore. George Davis, the late Attornelo,
General of the Confederacy, was one of the c°,ulo
sel for the Cubans, and a ball given on board '
,
privateer showed the interest taken in North (111t0,
Tina in the cause. jt
A strange rumour has gained circulatiori• g,
was announced by mail from America thilt_o
Friguet, the agent of M. M. Rothschild, :n,
about to proceed to Washington to tender oil aPtoy
half of his principal a loan to the U. the
vernment of a sum sufficient to liquidate
the
Public Debt at 4 per cent. interest. Almost at
same moment the telegram was published, of
Europe that the Washington correspon dent° as
the New York Herald and the Baltimore Su'
ter,
serted positively that M. Friguet had had
view with General Grant and made this offer oil wbo
half of the Rothschilds. Shortly after, however'ttorre
President denied that he had had any such
Wrhe
view with an agent of the Rothschilds. ore
there is so much smoke there must be some oci
but it is difficult to understand the position asstujito
by the great banking house. Many conditions %Jo
be attached to an offer to transfer 6 per Cent. -13°
f
the
not at par into 4 per Cent. Bonds; and, even i
if
Rothschilds desired to conclude such a bargid°' t
have yet to learn that the banking house exists th 3
could deal, by a single operation, with a debt ref
seuting five hundred millions sterling.

6OURSE OF EXCHANGE.

••••••••••••••••
Amsterdam
r,21
Do
„.. 12 2 ... 12 'J
Rotterdam
Antwerp - ::: 2152 420 ...
„255 4455.
Brussels
Ifamburgh — ... 13 11 ... ;`,5 21
Paris
Ditto
Marseilles
a
i .. . 12
62
j. Frankfort-on-the-Main, ... 120 k
Vienna — ... 12 5r3 ... i 4
Trieste — •.• 12 5-if ... 459 A.
Petersburg
Copenhagen — ~. 29 ... '22
Berlin - ••• 6 271 ... 6481
Madrid.. - 49 0
Cadiz — •••
Leghorn
Milan
Genoa
Naples
Palermo —l- ..........: 222666 777 222 ill :.
:.
... - .2%(1 i 1:A0
Messina
.., 2626 77221 ..... 26 ro
Lisbon 5l/ .4* 0
Oporto — ••• 514 ••• .---
Rio Janeiro
New York ... — •••

the
LITERART.—Over the Ae r3Alleghanies and os- •
011
Prairies, is the title of a book just published, Writhor °
othe "nAs
appeared a Di;
a lively, readable style, by John Lewis Peyton, racol'
mortihceanFCarrisi
writer one-and-twenty years ago, already refer and 101 j
gone state of things, every day becoming „ peof,,
West,s" andas
tohteh other
country works. These the
like the things now prevailing. In 1848 Mr. PoS'°;;. 01';'-a;
from Staunton in Virginia through Pennsylv,asirc,,
Kentucky, up the Great Northern Lakes to ri";vg "
thence down the Mississippi to Missouri, retail' yol
way of Illinois, Michigan, Canada West, and i'leW
• tted thS
and these pages present the impressions then 3° 00
in a narrative which cannot fail to interest and aratatoti
reader unincumbered with masses of figures and s /2 Delp
On a bitterly cold night our traveller arrived at aotittr
kept by a man of the name of Bull, 40 miles froo3 t tb et
This hotel was a frame building, containing' ,biti„„a!d,
rooms, and when Mr, Peyton entered Mrs. Bti" penis
daughters were preparing supper. Mr. Bull soon Itieg
the
accompanied by two "citizens," who, without ta_„es 0,4
smallest notice of the stranger, proceeded to dis''",rood
Presidential election. These "citizens" afterwsrds„;2Bo4.
to be two "helps" in the establishment, who 1;7, asst','
they were conferring a great favour on Mr. Bull
their 0;0
ing him in his farming at 530 each per month..,
ployer finding bed and board. After a time h 1 hiss
inquired for his sleigh-driver, when for the first ,0 borne
Bull spoke to him, and said he was attending to tut
and he soon afterwards appeared, took his 5e311,0
himself to a quid of tobacco (they were all ehoWeeuo,' 00
proceeded to discuss the political affairs of the „r
Mrs. Bull shouted to her husband that sv,Prt- arsor
ready, adding, " Fetch in the gemlmau ,11,1 sued
the sleigh, and tell that 'or young 'lll liesltt ;VP
is waiting." The feast consisted of venison 0 bad of
hominy, and hot coffee, and before going tfd arbia°lo6
Bull prepared for all a strengthening draught 010 (30/ot'
maple syrup, nutmeg, and boiling water, the Abele pools
with rum. This rough accommodation and
.tfl" at Vad
tive manners indeed contrast with the tnagni etshelsXtre
now found in every direction over the Union, of rt the the
of a Pullman's Palace Car, where every corn'hci/ei hi ale
yeller can require is carried around and withrt /if All.Zfal•
locomotive. The book is written in a spirit andl the
American friendliness, free from petty jealousioo,.,re
ries, and full of bright anticipations for the ftp"a 00 afe
North American continent. " We," he writes, yirgi.se
side the Atlantic feel that, whether we hail freTei we ;00
or New England, the Far West, or even Caha:tarieS, :/2‘l
brethren, proud of our local habits and h hands
prouder of our continent, and willing to joi';',
hearts to further the common American good.

1
CLEMENTS—On the 22d inst., the wife of Li°llt.
BIRTHS.
Clements, of Aslitield Lodge, of a son. ..001°13
LlaiLyrtnune:RtrOouln‘d,Netl_ile,oo2iniAltlistitnibnesito.,f aats2o2n,:gansflold" street' tii°
B.FuOL.TAi.m_
Aheß2/?1/:11GiuEsSt:
of y ork /
ove.--squaro, William Butler, just.
, CO;
Brown, of 21, Park-lane. ,•jes'., ~„r.,
CARIt GAMMON—On the 21st inst., at t. `31,.. rti ne9
berwell, Thomas Arthur, son of John n; OW"
Esq., of Oxford, to Emma, elder daughter 0
_.
Gammon, Esq., of The Chestnuts, reckhanl-IV
at St. George'tt /I:01re

Seat
EATB S. . if ore
ELDER—On the 19th inst., at the Casa gazzonl,
,Se %I
Win. Thomas Elder, Esq., aged 79. 1 ifo i
RANDALL—On the 21st inst., at Great Dunli- aliel
Richard Randall, Esq., aged 64. VO
STEWAnT —On the 20t1tta
inst.,-at Castle Cor
Perthshire, Miss Stewart, aged 89.

06'
-vf A ad'
London : Printed and Published by WILLIA—N 01, Gtr
Tin of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at T,. SUN Office °4o,lleoe*
in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the County of
Saturday, October 23, 1849.