The Sun.
London, England, 1869-07-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 7, 1869.

• „ 44.
STA4I4

avail them nothing so long as there is a MORDECAI
in the gate ?
If Sir JOHN COLERIDGE should reply that his
speech was not prompted by any remembrance of
Mr. FAWCETT'S temporary revolt, but solely by the
matter to which it expressly referred, then we say
that there was even less excuse for an attack so
ungentlemanly and so savage as that which he made
on Monday night. There is no doubt at all that
the conduct which Ministers have taken with regard
to the OVEREND and GURNEY trial has given great
and widespread dissatisfaction. If they had con-
descended to listen to what was said on the subject
out of doors they would have heard comments by no
means complimentary. They would have heard it
asked what has become of the Home Office that it
is postponing important matters generally until some
future day, and will have nothing to do with this
special matter. They would have heard the ques-
tions put by Mr. FAWCETT asked much
more emphatically by men outside the House
of Commons. They would have heard it said that
it is a most unseemly thing that while the ablest of
the Government law officers of the Crown is
retained for the defence of the OVEREND and
GURNEY directors, the Government should resolutely
refuse to offer any assistance in a prosecution which
is of national importance. It is true that Sir JOHN
COLERIDGE gave a satisfactory explanation of his con-
nection with his clients in the first place. But we
venture to say, despite so high an authority as the
SOLICITOR-GENBRAL, that if no rule exists whereby
a counsel on becoming a law officer of the Crown is
required to withdraw from the defence of clients
prosecuted in a criminal court, should the Crown
think fit to make the requisition, there ought
to be such a rule. We do not altogether share

the popular indignation which has been so
widely felt against the Government for their
original decision in this matter. It seems to us
that a good deal of it was got up in order
to cover the indolence and the parsimony of wealthy
men who could very well afford to help Dr. THOM
instead of calling upon the Government to do so.
Still the indignation did exist, and Mr. FAWCETT
was but the mouthpiece of it when he called
attention to the fact that, on the one hand,
the Crown refused to prosecute, and that, on
the other hand, one of its chief advisers had
undertaken the defence in this unhappy case.
In fact, Government have at length, and tardily,
yielded to the pressure brought upon them, and con-
sented that the ATTORNEY-GENERAL shall under-
take the prosecution next December. In that case
we shall, unless Sir JOHN COLERIDGE withdraws
from the case, witness the unseemly spectacle of the
first law officer of the Crown opposed by the second.
This spectacle has indeed just been actually pre-
sented. In any case, Mr. FAWCETT'S speech was not
one to call for such vehement and overbearing
rebuke as it elicited. It is to be hoped that these
storms will clear the parliamentary atmos-
phere. Two of them are quite enough in two
days. Meanwhile we cannot be too thankful that,
in spite of the weather,Mr. llonsmAN has not caused
the voice of his thunder to be heard once throughout
the session.

LATEST INTELL MENU

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

A\IERICA•

NEW YORK, July 6.

The anniversary of the Declaration of Independ-
ence was celebrated enthusiastically throughout the
North, but much apathy is reported to have been
manifested in the South.

The hamburg and American steamship Silesia,
and the Cunard Royal Mail steamer Java, arrived
out to-day ; the former at 4 a.m. and the latter at
6 a.m.

The Guion steamship Nebraska, the Allan (Glas-
gow) steamer St. Patrick, and the National steam-
ship England also arrived here to-day.

COII3IERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
CLOSING PIIICES.

Gold closed at 133 a ; the highest quotation dur-
ing the day ww. 137 ; the lowest, 133.
Sterling Exchange on London lO9l.

5-20 U. S. Bonds, 1832 l2ll.
" 1883 llBl.
" 1867 ll6l.
10-40 14
Illinois
Erie 29g.
Cotton—Mil upland 34le.
Petroleum—Standard White
Flour, extra state, $6.20e. to $6.80e. Corn, old
mixed, 100 e.

QUEBEC, July G.
The Allan (Glasgow) steamship Hibernian ar-
rived to-day.

The report of the Emigration Commissioners for 1868
dates that, while the average emigration during the'
fifty-four years from 1815 to 1868 inclusive has been
120,345 a year, and during the 10 years ending with 1868,
170;150 a year, the emigration in 1868 was 196,325. The
emigration in 1867 having been 195,953, the increase
during the year was only 372. Another striking feature in
the emigration is the large decrease, both absolutely and
relatively, in the number of Irish emigrants. Excluding
foreign emigrants and those whose origin is not staled, the
result during the last six years is as follows :—Percentage
of Irish : 1863, 60.34 ; 1864, 61.69 ; 1865, 57.56; 1866, 5845;
1867, 56.45; and 1868, 47-02.

ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS. \

The following are the resolutions reported to the House
on this subject:—
" 1. That it is expedient to provide for the purchase by
the Postmaster-General of the undertakings of telegraph
companies in the United Kingdom.
" 2. That the Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury
be authorised to raise such moneys as shall be required for
such purchase by the creation of securities chargeable on
the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom.
" 3. That the said Commissioners may raise such moneys
by Terminable Annuities or Exchequer Bills or Exchequer
Bonds or Three per Cent. Capital Stocks of Annuities, or
by either or by all of such modes, provided that the total
amount shall not exceed in the whole the sum of £7,000.000
sterling.
"4. That it is expedient to authorise the payment, out
of moneys to be provided by Parliament for the purpose,
of all expenses which may be incurred in working, main-
taining, and extending the telegraphs so purchased, and
for the issue of any surplus of receipts over payments
arising therefrom to the Commissioners for the Reduction
of the National Debt to be applied to the redemption of
National Debt.
"5. That it is expedient to amend `the Telegraph Act
1868."