The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-03 00:00:00

..makr
SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The Times says that if Eastern sovereigns have begun
somewhat late to form just conceptions of European
civilisation, we, OR the other hand, have had to learn a
similar lesson with respect to them. The Sultan, perhaps►
has always been a reality in Western eyes; but, with that
exception, it has always been a difficulty with those who
had charge of our interests in the East to induce English
people to recognise the real position of the Oriental chiefs
and sovereigns with whom we bad to deal. This ;glace
ranee or carelessness has probably occasioned as great an
amount of misunderstanding in our dealings with the
East as would sometimes have arisen from wilful con'
tempt. Our unfortunate mistake in neglecting Theodore's
letter is but a small case in point. There can be no
excuse, however, for any such misapprehension with
regard to the Viceroy of Egypt. There are few sovereigne
from whom we have received, and are continually re-
ceiving, so much assistance, or whose goodwill is of more
consequence to us. It should always be remembered that
the Isthmus of Suez, over which our most important coin'
munications with India are constantly passing, is in the
territory of this sovereign, and that, as has once occurred
already, we may depend upon his countenance at ail
critical moment for the means of maintaining our Eastern
empire. The Viceroy has given abundant evidence, not
only that he appreciates the importance of his country'sposi•
tion, but that he is capable of acting worthily of it. He has
recently given not only his sanction, but the whole weight of
his authority to an enterprise which would be creditable to
the most enlightened sovereign. The Viceroy arrives at
a propitious moment when his confidence in Englishmen,
as well as his enlightened anxiety for the progress of hie
people, has been thus displayed. We need not say that
his unbounded hospitality to the Prince and the Princess of
Wales is still fresh in our memories, and the Prince, We
are sure, will not fail in his own person to make a fitting
return. The Government, we hope, will second the wishl
of the country and the feelings of the Prince, and vviu
receive their guest with a due regard to the honour of
England, as well as to the important interests of which
the Viceroy shews himself so energetic a guardian.

The Herald says that the arrival of the new Minister
who has been accredited to our Court by the Government
of the United States of Ameiica was made the occasion °I
a p!easant interchange of speeches at Liverpool. It i°
now more the fashion than it used to be to offer a cere'
monious welcome to the representatives of foreign Powers
on their first landing on our shores, and if such a method
of congratulation appears to have something of stiffueas
and formality about it, this is the less to be regretted
inasmuch as it serves as a medium for the interchange of
those friendly expressions, those terms of regard, which,
however unnecessary they may seem betwen kindred
nations, do certainly tend to the promotion of peace and
concord. It is just as desirable at this moment that we
in England should give a cordial welcome to Mr. Motley as
that he, on his part, should give us the assurance that we
have not yet altogether lost the good will of our cousin°.
For it cannot be denied that the events of the last fe°
days have somewhat ruffled the tranquil waves of our late
good understanding. America is rot so foolish or so Inv
natural as to wish to go to war with England, and in the
utter absence of any reasonable motive for war the
assurances given us by the new Minister are well timed
and appropriate, and we feel quite sure that as soon 0°
some little time has been given for the subsidence of the
irritation which has been caused by this too animated di S.
cussion, the Christian men of one blood and language °I;
either side of the Atlantic will be just as ready and 8.
eager to hold out the hand to one another as were WI
Motley and the Mayor of Liverpool on Monday.
The Star observes that a history of the Turf, which
dropped the horses altogether and gave only the biographic'
of their adventurous owners, would be an instructive
record ; but it would be sadly incomplete if the gentleraeri
who combine with the functions of trainers or solicitor°
those of the money-lender did not enter largely into the‘
narrative. The Jockey Club should employ a competel
writer to illustrate and embellish the modern life °
the Turf. He need not be a man of imagination, for
the simple truth—unadorned and without the slightest.
attempt at exaggeration—would far surpass the boldest
flights of romance. Noble fortunes are being cf.
stantly wrecked—noble families trailed through the
dust ; and what for ? Who profit by these 3511'.
fortunes ? Men of whom the world knows nothing
and cares less, but who, in spite of their modeetP
make their names strangely familiar in every household'
It is clear that the greatest of British pastimes is on its
trial, and it is equally certain that the Jockey Club ft
unable or unwilling to exert an authority which inieu,
prove largely efficacious. It may be said that if a fooli6'
man does not get rid of his money in one way he will d_),
so in another. This is quite true ; but it is not the le!
the duty of society to impose such checks and restrain;
as it may be able upon those who are tempted to leap in
et
the gulf. The law against betting-houses is positive At
cfrh,oent. It is ent,,,d with the utmost rigour.
this moment it operates against the poor, and not agailiel
the rich ; but unless a great change takes place, this rovee
distinction will not long continue to be observed, and u
Legislature will interfere to restore an ancient sport to
Primitive character and object.
The Standard declares it is inevitable that between tve:
such countries as Great Britain and the United State
the postal service should ultimately cease to be a matter
of revenue. The extent of ocean to be crossed is large'
but the correspondence to be carried is out of all pro Ore
tion to it. We have so many interests in common ; seso
have such a perpetually accruing commerce, and et
incessant are the demands upon the cable telegraph t`'
it is evident we must, before long, adopt a new sr;t en°
‘.O
of postage. We concur warmly with those nj
plead for a popular postage between us elt
stir brethren on the other side of the sea. ae,
would be an advance in civilisation ; it is an 1.;11
which has long been ripening in the public mind ;
the Administration, whatever we may think of its po
is bound by its contracts, which it is too late for Farll°;
ment to repudiate. No doubt a controversy might aurvse
upon the point whether a service carried on by slow e'''Aei
W
would be an infringement of the privileges granted ill-0
great ocean liners. If that difficulty could be settle
to
other would remain. It is admitted by Lord liartingn,,
that of the two classes we have mentioned, one—the 01,
grant class—is almost entirely debarred from correePlio
dence with this country. The serious part
matter is the uncertainty in which it is involved. Alibeli
ters appear to have no mind about it. Three of te
_t.
spoke, and with a glorious confusion of sentinl:o,
Lord Hartington conceded the necessity of rednicloos
whilst believing that it would do no good. Mr. Glaueliact
first remarked that the resolutions were not die, 3;0 fp
enough, and afterwards that they were too definite. 13,
to hig
Ayrton, with the peculiar blandness belonging
kicked over, we suppose under instructions, both of 00
colleagues, and promised to open negotiations. I°,o
result we have a state of things amounting to thie---or
contracts exist ; that public opinion considers theme'iod
bitant, without desiring to commit a breach of faith;
that for a double reason we must wait during a time
vet to be calculated for a penny postage with America'
elf
The Telegraph thinks there is something extrero-ni
attractive in Mr. Saely's proposal of an ocean Veil&
postage across the Atlantic ; and the plan by which
member for Lincoln proposes to carry out the project P.ry
not a little to recommend it. He suggests that 01-0
ifri
steamer plying between Great Britain and the 'ao
States should be allowed to carry mails at a remunerat,ll-,,
of one penny for each letter. Those steamers, necessaf7a
could not be bound to perform their passage in a Vgli
number of days, or at a fixed speed ; and probably enoneo
the various lines of emigrant steamers which ply betnveo
our ports and America would gladly avail themee
of the privilege. Merchants and other correspond °$
who are anxious that their letters should, ,7-tbe
their destination at a given time, and with vad
utmost possible speed, would not of course °.llOO
themselves of this slow and cheap route. d'
people to whom the difference between a penny an eed
pence is of consequence are not as a rule much coneervo
whether their letters come to hand a few hours. ;•jeeet
sooner or later ; and a penny postage would, we n"'' ''s o
open up a vast correspondence between the millionrich
emigrants who have left these shores for the New W°
and their countryfolk at home. In fact, we can see to
positive objection to Mr. Seely's scheme for grantineg
steamers the right of conveying letters to America ot.
,0
penny, except the probability that the privilege Oc',o
interfere seriously with the amount earned by the P°50.0
on letters carried by the subsidised steamers, and W et,
therefore, entail a heavy charge on the public excheclne
Meanwhile, our Government has pledged itself to cow:so
nicate with the United States Administration as regte of
the practicability of establishing a much reduced l'ttea'
postage across the Atlantic ; and all who desire the e'jea
sion of friendly intercourse between England andAw`"-
will earnestly await the issue.
vt/
The Times thinks that the principle, not alwaysolD
consistently or distinctly kept in view, even of the Pr Cate,
law of bankruptcy, is that the main duty of the Itore
in bankruptcy legislation, is to provide that the cre 'tee
have authority given them to possess themselves Ai!,,,e'la
earliest practicable date of the wreck of their deTeale
or rather their.own property, and then that an ectni fiat
distribution be made of it among them. The ye° of
characteristic of this bill, designed for the retornour
that law, is that the State is to withdraw in i,,.e`tieth
of the creditors, who are the sole interested fsf
from any concern in the distribution, except, st`.'t of
as it is necessary that it should retain a rig ies
supervision, in order to protect individual creditors ag'avic
being defrauded or overlooked in the distribution. hap
ruptcy produce's certain new relations between the vests'
rapt and society as well as his creditors ; and thedjecfi
gation which follows on bankruptcy may reveal owits
on the part of the bankrupt, and which is connecteal 0,1
his becoming a bankrupt, which is highly crinn',l34
deserving of punishment. But the more indepeno*t ol
criminality of the act in relation to society can be '‘,4"t
the procedure which his creditors are entitled to,.tbeit
foot against their debtor's estate for the recoverY.o,l,Ao, its
property, the more sure the procedure is to atot„'„ndlio
ends, and not the less sure are the demands of l'obere
morality to attain theirs. It is tobe hoped that the 11;1.eruptel
of the Government who have charge of the Bank le oa
Bill in the two Houses will adhere to the Princ,litiols
which they reserved even the cognate subject oLee'ir 001)!
of imprisonment for debt for a separate bill.
eilrldroen bay ,t;!
safe course is, while welcoming gratefully any arenthe
which may promote the speediest distribution.o_r_ a rep!,
rupt's estate by the creditors, through their !'bs°;,:eiat e'_;eol
sentative, among themselves, to vigorous*: cremes
which would tend either to limit needlessly the roeai.`,:t;
discretion or to make a liatikruptcy Act
towards ends useful, perhaps, in thetn.selvs, bulf
net the special ewl of_llol4mlcy leafigi9N-