The Sun.
London, England, 1869-09-25 00:00:00

IPniIT OP :THE PUBLIO. JOITENALC

444 •
The'Saturday Review remarks that it is an inexplicable
feature in the French Emperor's conduct that he seems to
be wantonly throwing away the advantages thus placed at
his command. Each additional week of delay, if not of
hesitation, in setting the new Constitution to work, tends
to bring it into undeserved discredit. We have never
made light of the difficulties which lie thick in the
Emperor's road, but the longer he avoids encountering
them, the more he loses of the impetus which alone can
tarry him over them. If the Senatus-Consultum had been
hurried through the Senate, if the Emperor had got
together as good a Ministry as the Third Party could pro-
vide him with, if the Corps L4gislatif had been convoked
for the earliest possible day, the Government might have
hoped to gather strength from the very extravagance of
the attacks to which it is subjected. It might have set up
the standard of orderly freedom, and presented itself to
the French nation in the valuable, if not exalted, character
of defender of all who have anything to lose. Whatever
doubts may exist as to the extent of the support which the
new Government may hopo to secure, the chance of their
receiving a favourable solution grows less every day. Those
who were prepared to be enthusiastic see their expectations
dashed with uncertainty; those who only half believed are
losing even the languid faith which they onto possessed;
those who never gave the Emperor credit for being in
earnest are boasting of the accuracy of their predictions
In this way the support which constitutional government
might have secured is more and more frittered away. It is
not surprising, under such circumstances as these, that
even in this dead time of the year Paris should be the
home of all manner of rumours. The Emperor's conduct
is so inconsistent with his apparent interests that the
world can scarcely be expected to accredit it as a matter
of course. During the last few days a coup d'etat and
a war with Prussia have been alternately the talk of
Paris. Both seem to be highly improbable. As to
a coup d'etat, the situation can hardly be considered
as ripe for so stringent a method of treatment
As to a war with Prussia, :the suggestion supplies no key tc
the motive of the Emperor's present conduct. A foreign
war might have averted the need of modifying the Consti-
tution if it were resorted to a few months earlier, and it
might serve to rally Frenchmen round the new system if
it were resorted to a few months later. But to make the
experiment now would satisfy no one. On the whole
therefore, the attitude of the Emperor's mind must be
attributed to the habitual irresolution which seems be-
souring his most characteristic quality, intensified, as it
may well be, by an invalid's reluctance to any consider-
able mental exertion. The decision to surrender his pecu-
liar prerogative was forced upon him by circumstances ;
but that solitary effort seems to have exhausted, at all
events for a time, whatever energy is yet left to liapoloor
111. For the measures necessary to carry out that sur•
render—measures which, in the present instance, are more
important than the original determination itself—France
must be contentjto wait. Unfortunately, France has not
always been distinguished by the patience which she is
now expected to display.

The Spectator thinks that some revelations made al
Bridgwater late last week, and at Beverley in the begin-
ning of the present week, shew that the Commissioners are
beginning "to burn," if we may apply the phraseology of
a drawing-room game to a pursuit which has to deal with
the back parlours of low inns and with bedrooms contain.
ing black bags of sovereigns. After many witnesses of
humble rank have confessed that they took bribes of five
and ten shillings each, we are at last coming to the more
important evidence of Members of Parliament and of thou
managers. The course things are taking is significant of
all these election inquiries. All goes on smoothly for a
time, and the borough breathes again. The outside public
is heard saying that this is nothing more than was known
before about all the small towns in England. Then, how.
ever, comes a change. Some awkward fact leaks out. Some
new man is implicated, and in his fright he rushes into the
-witness-box to shift the burden from his shoulders. Other
find themselves implicated too, and they must go through
the same process. At first that seems harmless. Hier
come prepared with plausible stories, and with memoriet
arranged, as it were, in pigeon-holes, so that inconvenient
facts may be dropped out and appear to be forgotten. But
this elaborate mechanism does not stand the test of cross-
examination. It becomes clear that something is being
kept back, and the threat of withholding a certificate

brings that out. Applying this rule to a great many cases
we can understand how it is that twenty-four days hays
been needed at Beverley to get to the evidence of Sh

Henry Edivards'a manager, and that Mr. Alexander Brq

don, M.P., did not appear at Bridgwater till Thursda

s'ennight. The facts, however, stated by these two w

ncsses, coupled with the incidental statements cf
those who immediately preceded them, bring cut ar
entirely new phase cf the Commissions, and shed a
flood of light upon the whole system cf corrupt practices

When it appears that such men as Mr. Brogdon cute.
Into the actual work of bribery, and that such men as Mi

Spefferth help to destroy thoiraces of it, we have a mean:
of gauging the sincerity of those protestations which arc
made upon every trial, and which have impcscd upon
judg,e3 as well as on committees: It becomes plain that
the guilt of bribery consists either in employing it for your

Own seat, or in being found out; that as long as you are a
mere vehicle you may safely pay money, cr conspire tc
keep back facts from the knowledge of a legal tribunal;

and to blind justico to the commission of crimes whicl
corrup a whole community. If we ask what the House o:

Commons is disposed to do with one of its members, WE
have a still better right to ask what the Conservative party
will do in the case of its agent. We question very much
if it will care to make itself an accessory after the faot tc
bribery.

The John Bull says that by the concurrent testimony of
friends and opponents a great Bishop has departed from
amongst us. In an age when the opinions and acticns of
men are distinguished rather for their monotonous fidelity
to party traditions than for their individual strength,
Henry Phillpotts possessed sufficient force of character and
resolution of will to make his influence felt and respected,
not only in his own diocese, but throughout the whole
English Church. Opinions may differ—as they will differ
according to the prepossessions of men—as to the expe-
diency of many details of his administration of the vast
diocese entrusted to his care, but there exists no difference
of opinion as to the ability by which success was attained
As with all men of strong will, there was doubtless in much
that ho did an impatience at the slowness of inferior men;
much of what, in temporal matters, and by opponents
would perhaps be called despotism ; but no one can trace
his career since his consecration to the Bishopric of Exeter
without acknowledging the singleness of his aims and the
largeness of the motives which dictated his actions
He has died, with bodily strength indeed greatly impaired,
at an age to which only one of his predecessors attained
Bishop of Exeter. His episcopate will be ever memorable
for the intellectual vigour with which he ruled, the
unflinching will by which he bore down opposition, and
by the administrative ability which he evinced in the
reorganisation of his diocese. To him we owe the first
experiment of a diocesan Synod in modern days and if
Sisterhoods are now performing an important function in
the Church, it must not be forgotten that to the sagacity
and the courage of Bishop Phillpotts we owe, if not their
absolute establishment, yet their proper position amongst
our diocesan institutions. To few bishops is it ever given
to leave behind them a name which is in any dogree
historic, but that of Henry Phillpottts, Bishop of Exeter,
is in no danger of being forgotten until the last days of the
English Church.

The Economist thinks that,• pending the more com-
plete accounts of the European Assurance Society,
which will undoubtedly now be forthcoming, there is one
matter which will require investigation—the quasi.
governmental and official patronage which it has enjoyed.
It would be of no practical use inquiring now what inqui
ries were made before the company was authorised to un
dertake Government guarantee business ; but the company
once authorised, some one ought to have seen that it con•
tinned worthy of credit. If it was necessary to reserve the
right of inspection by Government officers, the right should
have been exercised--all the mere that so much parade
was made of Government patronage. This failure, how-
ever, cannot fairly be used as an argument against Govern.
ment inspection of companies which invite it, or on whom
it is forced by the policy-holders. Because a provision in
the direct interest of the Government itself has not in an
isolated case been taken advantage of, through some over-
sight, it does not follow that a regularly-organised machi
nory, to be set in motion by insurers would fail of its object.
An important question has been raised by the resistance of
the directors to the winding-up, and the grounds of that
resistance stated before the Vice-Chancellor on Wednesday
It is asserted that the moneys available for the payment of
current claims are sufficient 'for the purpose, and that the
assets and subscribed capital and the large annual premiums
will be sufficient to meet the liabilities as they arise.
Morally, however, it appeals to Ina that whatever may be
liquidation should be able
to resists into
the legal requirements
goingto a winding-up, an insurance
company
to show
much more. We might tolerate a certain
very
latitudet,oa
pcoratait tl,
in amount of waste within the limits of the
though even that may be doubtful
winarielethersguarantee of the capital is held out to insurers ;
but a company ought to have no standing where its deal-
ing with the premiums, the money of the insurers which
could only be dealt with in a certain way to ensure the
fulfilment of the purpose for which it was paid, has been
used in a quite different way and literally dissipated. The
leaning in fact should be to interpret gross acts tending to
a breach of oontraot as involving that breach where there
is any doubt at all as to the future of the company. We
trust that in this and other eases policy-holders will insist
upon their Otrong oglitaplo clainis,"4lAa that the
position dA4 VIVA CODittiOt corn
Millalgt'AULAajalikifigtiagidd

-"*" "

61Itt

HER MAJESTY.

BALMORAL CASTLE, Sept. 22.
Her Majesty, accompanied by Princess Christian
and Princess Beatrice, walked out iu;the morning.
The Queen, attended by Lady Churchill, drove
out in the afternoon.

The Right Hon.W. E. Gladstone and the Coun-
tess of Fife had the honour of dining with the
Queen and the royal family.

LATEST INTELLMENOB

(REUTER's TELEGRAMS.)

AMERICA.
(Per French Atlantid Cable.)

NEW YORK, Sept. 24.
The Hamburg and American steamship Cinl.
bria arrived here at 1 a.m. to-day.

The steamer Caledonia (of the Anchor line) also
arrived out to-day.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
CLOSING PRICES.

Gold closed at 133 i ; the highest quotation dur
ing the day was 162 f ; the lowest, 131 f.

Sterling Exchange on London lOB.
5-20 U. S. Bonds, 1882 1221.
" 1885 l2Ol.
6t " 1867 llBl.
10-40 it
Illinois l37k.
Erie

Cotton—Mid. upland 29c.

Petroleum—Standard White .. 314 c•
Flour, extra state, $5.95c. to $6.55c. Corn, old
mixed, sl.loc.

Gold was greatly excited to-day, and rose, under
the action of the Bull party, to 1621 but owing
to the market being largely overbought it final
fell to 1311-, an official announcement being made
by Mr. Boutwell that he will sell to-morrow (t 1
day) four millions of dollars in gold, and will WI
four millions of dollars in Bonds.

The Bull clique is broken. Heavy failures are
expected.

According to Mr. Adam Moffat's report the
week's receipts of cotton have been 49,000 bid°
and since the Ist of Sept. 89,000 ; shipments t°
England 6,000 bales ; to France 500 bales ; and t°
the Continent 1,000 bales ; total shipments Billet)
the Ist Sept., 13,000 bales ; stock, 56,000 bale°'
M.-Upland, cost and freight per steamer, 12d.

FRANCE.
BOURSE, Sept. 24.—Three o'clock—The marl'(t
closed as follows :

k per Cent.
End of month —

Bank Shares 2BlO
95
Austrian Fives
52
Italian vives
Ottoman Loan
Do Debt... 4226 7'5
Spanish Threes
Home Debt 22
26 5°
Deferred

3 per Cent
End of month 7O 90
Credit Mobilier 215
Transatlantic 262 56
Credit Foucier 1700
Paris Gas 1622 50
RAILWA'

Cash
Orleans ... 951
Western
Northern ... loB2}
Strasburg •• 595
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern..... 6l
Sardinian
Austrian 776

Lombard 5lO
North of Spain 49
Saragossa
Roman --