The Sun.
London, England, 1869-10-09 00:00:00

en= OF TILE PTYBLIO jOITIMALB,

The Saturday Review declares that the election com-
taissioners are prosecuting their inquiries with great zeal,
Arnaness, and success. They allow no respect of persons,
no arts of electioneering petitioners, no weariness of the

petty doting of vice to arrest their searching investiga-
_ .

. _
tions. For once we see what a court can find out in *he

way of truth when it is the business of the court to dis-

cover the real facts, and not merely to decide on a set of
facts that other people choose to present to them. At
Beverley the commissioners have laid bare the whole
history of a well-contrived scheme for obtaining a control
over the parliamentary elections, by using the municipal
elections as a means of organising local jobs and bribery.

At Norwich the commissioners have tracked out the habits,

history, and pursuits of almost every drunken blackguard

in the town. But at Bridgwater the commissioners have
gone much further. They have caught a teal " Man in the
Moon," and made him tell his history. They have ex-
posed the rascally practices of some of the chief
respectabilities of the borough. They have found

out how money has been paid, who paid it, and
where it came from. They have searched into the secrets
of families, and made the wife and sister of a man who was

once a member of Parliament come publicly to tell their
share in the villanous practices with which the town was

tainted. As we read these annals of low meanness, of

fraud, lying, and every kind of blackguardism, we are filled
with pity and sorrow for the unfortunate community which

has been exposed to this degradation, which has been
plunged in this sea of immorality, which has had its poor
men made drunken, lying, corrupt brutes, and its respect-
able men accomplices in a series of frauds, all because it
had the inexpressible misfortune to be invited to send two

members to Parliament. What on earth is there in a seat
in the House of Commons which can make it worth while

for an honourable man in independent circumstances to
try to get there by such odiously dirty paths? Let persons

who think a seat in the House worth having at any price
meditate on the histories of the late Lord Justice Clerk

and of Mr. Westropp. But Mr. Patton knew perfectly well
that he did not dare to ask himself or any one else how
this money had really gone ; and so, having a sensitive
conscience, and not merely an electioneering conscience,

and regarding honour as a thing to be prized, he
killed himself rather than undergo the ignominy of

exposure, and because he felt that, tainted with the
moral filth of Bridgwater electioneering, he was not pure
.enough to be a judge. Mr. IVestropp was a different sort
of man, and in a different sort of position. But he affords

an excellent example of tho kind of man who thinks it
would be everything for him to get into Parliament, and
that for so grand and desirable an end every means is

legitimate. It would have been far better for him if he
had been a day labourer, and had never found time to be
dull amid the difficulties of eig,hteenpence a day.

The Spectator says that the Times has invented a theory
for Mr. Gladstone's policy in relation to the Church—a
theory, indeed, not worked out, if Dr. Temple has indeed

been recommended, as we earnestly trust, for the impor-
tant see of Exeter—but otherwise rather ingeniously
applicable to the Prime Minister's appointments. In the
present condition of the nation, with so large a party,

Which, if not very hostile to the Church, is at least
unattached to it, the Times seems to think it good policy to
snake the Church as insignificant as possible. Such is
the Times' theory of the prudent government of the Church
in these days. Surely it is a contemptible one ? If the
Church is to be saved only at the price of being insignifi-
cant, she is to be saved at the price of uselessness, for
what good can an insignificant Church do? As Dr. Magee
said in his great speech on the Irish Church Bill in the
Lords, can any institution hope to live which pleads,
"Spare us for this reason, that we are utterly contemptible
and entirely contented with our ignoble position ?" Yet
that is precisely the reason which the Times suggests that
the National Church ought to give the world for sparing it
just now. If we believed that it would be efficient—and
that the contrary policy—the bold policy of appointing

men who have a vigorous belief and a power of making the
world feel that belief, to the high places of the Church—
would bring the Establishment down, we should say let
the Establishment come down as soon as you please, rather
than delay its fate on the ground of its harmlessness and
imbecility. A Church which does not assail, a Church
which hides in a corner and smoothes decently over all
difficulties of life, is condemned already. There is
nothing in it to save but a name. But we do not
believe that the chances of the National Establishment
for a vigorous life would be decreased by such a policy
With a crowd of men of high mark, both as regards charac-
ter and intellectual attainments, to choose from, such
preachers as Canon Westcott, and Dean Howson, and Mi.
Abbott, and Mr. Liddon, and Mr. Wilkinson, of Derby, and
Mr. Clarke, of Taunton- -we purposely omit those names

-and a

on which we are least likely to feel impartiality—
number of others, it need surely not have been necessary
to select mild nobodies. We du not insist on names of
still greater note, which would probably he considered too
open to attack for the consideration of a semitive Ashe
tration—such names as Dean Stanley, fur whose appoint-
ment to the diocese of Orford we had, however, ventured
to hope most earnestly against hope, Professor Maurice, or
Canon Kingsley, or Mr. Mockonochic—whose appointment
would doubtless bring down the Church, such is the
insane bigotry of some of our Church parties. It was
hardly to be dreamt of that any minister would have felt

strong enough, even though desiring to select loading minds
in all schools, to select any of these, with a well-organised
religious press to cry him down if he did. But without
these decidedly " dangerous " names, surely it would have
been possible to find men of the same high mark as Dr
Tempie in the other Church parties, who have at least
redeemed the Church from any chance of insignificance.
If an Establishmontled by strou,g men of different theologi-
cal views be possible, the Establishment itself is becoming
impossible and will have to go. We should do no harm in
precipitating the fall of a mere established nonentity. But
we do not yet believe that an establishment would bo
impossible in which all shades of theological opinion are
fairly and vigorously represented. To keep up an Estab-
lishment professedly embodying different shades of theology
is, we know, difficult. But is it so difficult, in an age of
both noble and ignoble competition like ours, as to keep up
an Establishment embodying adequately no shade of
theology at all ?

Did ever so fearful a responsibility, asks the John. Bui

fall to any one man's lot as that of nominating for his
sovereign's approval and the Church's satisfaction half-a-
dozen prelates at once? Momentous as this responsibility
would be at any time, it is doubly so in the present critical
state of Church and State. But while we admit that all
Mr. Gladstone's nominations are fair and creditable,we utterly
fail to discover in them anything to justify the extravagant
expectations of his High Church friends. They cannot

compare—we are speaking of new bishops—with the nomi-

nations of the Conservative Government. A Selwyn,
• a Wordsworth, and a Magee are really striking
selections for the Episcopate, which Mr. Gladstone
has not yet equalled, far less excelled. But while we are
thankful for what he has done as to these sees, considering
what might have been feared, we can characterise as
nothing less than monstrous, as coming from Mr. Gladstone
the nomination of Dr. Temple to the see of Exeter. It is
an insult to the late venerated Bishop, and a cruel wrong
to the diocese, which needs an active prelate, who should
be received with open arms. There is no use in simply
dealing out anathemas, but we learn on good authority
that it is more than probable that the election of the
bishop-nominate will be opposed. We shall return to the
subject at length next week.

The Economist thinks that the use made by the Euro-
pean Insurance Company of the weapon " Contempt of
Court," suggests the propriety of inquiring into the nature
and expediency of the rule upon which the Court acts.
The press is tolerably well reconciled to the restraints of
the law of libel, though it frequently necessitates risks in
commenting upon matters which it is the public interest
to have comments upon. It is the interest of respectable
newspapers rather to limit their comments to general
questions suggested by particular transactions than to
give these comments a personal bearing But the pro-
cedure for " Contempt of Court" apparently threatens
to put them under a new and far more serious re-
straint, which may be injurious to the public interest.
The case is not much mended if we consider the decision
to be not against all comments, but against comments
"prejudicing
the minds of the public," or which are argu-
ments "addressed to the public in opposition to the view
put forward" by ono of the parties. There is some force
at first sight in the distinction that general questions
arising out of a case or suggested by it may be discussed,
but that an opinion on the case itself is not to be given.
But it is doubtful whether there can be a practical distinc-
tion; whether the particular case and the general ques-
tions are not inextricably mixed up. For Ourselves we
should always endeavour to treat any points in the most
general manner, as we did in this very case, but where is
;
the line to be drawn ? Suppose " the general que: tion
to be manifestly the vital point of the particular case.
would not an opinion uroll it, on the principle laid down,
tend to prejudice the public mind, and amount to an
assumption of the judgment seat by the newspaper. A
newspaper, in short, could hardly say angthidy upon n
case which might not be conArued by a jrsitoris judge into
an attempt to prejudice the public mind. At any rate if
this be the rule, its very vaguenors, by introducin
doubt and apprehension, tends to paralyse the
press in the discharge of its public service. We
do not dispute the expediency of the courts' ordinary
jurisdiction for " contempt." A judge must have power to
keep order in his own ti ibunal, and also to visit disobe-
dience to orders, or any interference with the c3urse of his
duties, with penalties. More than this, any attempt to
dictate to a judge what his opinion should be, to sum up
for him and work on the public mind, so as to make the:
judge apprehend u.cpopidarity from giving an opposite
opinion, would have u tendency to impede him in his daty
and ought to be .rizited i. 4 for contempt. Whether the
proper party to set the judiT in motion is the litigant is a
different matter, test au offence seems plainly involved.
But ordinary fair cearin ntie we contend, although bearing
agai.rst one !ride or tes other, are on a different footing.
They are 4,ericrally for the public interest, do not hinder
the court in its iiuties do not prevent justice between the
ladies. and ought to be' allowed.

LAW AND POLICE.

....-...—vei..- -..--..

THE LAFITTE CourANY.—ln the Chancery Chambers
the case of the Charles Lafitto Company has agait
come forward. It was stated that' there were sovon
Chancery suits in the matter. Some of the defendants,
among whom was Mr. Harvey Lewis, M.P., had not filed
their answers, and the Chief Clerk ordered that a month's
further time should be given to the present applicant.
THE AGRICTLTURAL HALL.—At the Middlesex Sessions
an application was made for a licence for music and
dancing for the Agricultural Hall, Islington. The applica-
tion was opposed on behalf of a number of the inhabitants,
and Mr. Besley, who represented them, explained that Mr.
Cuffin, a churchwarden, who supported it was a large share-
holder in the Agricultural Hall. The licence was only
wanted by those who were interested in increasing the
dividends. A discussion ensued during which it was
stated that there was now great difficulty in getting
respectable female servants in the neighbourhood, as they
preferred to starve upon a few shillings a week in order to
have the opportunity of attending dancing an,7 'isic halls.
The licence was eventually wanted by a majority fl 6 to 14.

AN OMNIBUS COMPANY.- -At the Guildhall, an investiga-
tion is going on into a charge of conspiracy against the
London General Omnibus Company, the charge being
founded on the system of " nursing" rival omnibuses.
Thirty or forty witnesses are to be called for the prosecu-
tion, besides those for the defence, and the case is expected
to last for some days.
A FARMER IMPRISONED FOR CRUELTY.-Mr. John
Ginger, a farmer, at Hemel Hempsted, has been sentenced
to three months' imprisonment with hard labour for cruelty
to his horses. It was proved that three horses were being
worked at the plough in a state of great suffering,
and the ploughmen when expostulated with said
if they refused to work them they would be
discharged. The magistrates examined the horses and
said it would be a farce to impose a fine on a man who
farmed 500 acres besides having private property, and they
therefore refused to do so. The foreman was sentenced to
six weeks' imprisonment, and the ploughmen were fined
lls. each and costs. Mr. Ginger and his foreman had been
previously fined for a similar offence.

THE SUPPOSED MURDER BY TRADERS

UNIONISTS.

An inquest has been opened at Salford respecting the
death of a mason, named James Bunn, aged 30, who died
on Tuesday morning under circumstances tending very
much to prove that he has been the victim of a trade out-
rage. Recently the deceased had been employed, along
with other masons—non-unionists—in the erection of a
gas tank in Liverpool-street, Salford, and was frequently
threatened and molested in going to and from his
work. On Monday afternoon Burns was in a public-
house in Regent-road, and was seen in conversation with
some men—masons, it would appear from the descrip-
tion given by the witnesses. Thero were three men,
and Burns, seemingly wishful to leave them, was observed
to walk rapidly from the house. lie was followed, over-
taken, and in broad daylight, in the presence of a crowd of
spectators, was knocked down, kicked, and finally killed
by one of his assailants, more brutal than the remainder,
taking hold of the poor fellow's hair, and literally smashing
his head upon the flags. No one, with the exception of
a female, interfered, although a soldier is stated to have
been an unconcerned spectator throughout. Having
left Burns in a state of insensibility, and bathed in
blood, the men walked quietly away, and, so far, have not
been heard of. Burns remained insensible iu the Sal
ford Dispensary up to the time of his death. At Oh.
inquest his wife told a long and pitiful tale of the persecu-
tion and fear under which her husband, who had at one
time been a unionist, had laboured since he commenced to
work during the present bricklayers' and masons' strike in
Manchester. A policeman had told her husband that he
had been asked to keep out of the way whilst some of the
union men gave him a good hiding. Deceased had also
told her that a man had come to him whilst at work and
informed him that the society had paid men to disable
him the first opportunity that night. The inquest was
adjourned.

REFUSAL TO BURY A DISSENTER'S

CHILD.

Much excitement now prevails in Cheltenham owing to
the refusal of the vicar of Elmstone Hardwicke, near that
town, to bury a child on the ground of its father being a
Dissenter. Mr. C. Corbett, a well-to-do farmer and mem-
ber of the Wesleyan connection, wished to have his child
buried in the churchyard, where his wife's relatives were
interred, and made the necessary arrangements with the
sexton. The sexton, however, after applying to the Rev. J.
Byron, the vicar, told Mr. Corbett that that gentleman
refused to bury the child, giving as hiy reason that it
had not been baptised in the church. Mr. Corbett there-
upon sought an interview with the vicar, Lut was told

liit. be would be ab: ent for a time, and was a ferret! to

the Rev. W. Loyce, cue of the head masters at the col:ego,
who had arranged to do duty for him. Mr. Corbett then
went to Mr. Poyce, and that gentleman, though he at
first was reluctant to do anything opposed to the wishes
of the vicar, whose deputy he was, at length consented to
the burial. Mr. Corbett then returned and gave orders
for the grave ; but his anxiety was not yet over, for on
the very morning of the funeral a note was sent to him
saying that Mr. Boyce had made up his mind not to bury
the child. Mr. Corbett, upon this second refusal, was
about driving into Cheltenham to make other arrange-
ments for the child's burial, when a second messenger
arrived on horseback, to say that Mr. Boyce would bury
the child, which he accordingly did ; but the burial had
then been delayed a couple of days beyond the time
at which it was originally fixed. Annoyed at the
treatment he had received, Mr. Corbett wrote
to the Bishop of the diocese, stating the circum-
stances after Mr. Byron's first refusal, and after the
burial received the following reply :—" Bamburgh Castle,
Belford, Sept. 10. Dear Sir,—Your letter has only just
reached me ; it was sent by mistake to Retford, and has
come only this morning. I enclose you certain legal
extracts. I fear my letter will arrive too late, though not
from my fault ; but if it does reach you in time, I feel
sure, if you ask Mr. Byron to be pleased to consider
the enclosed, that he will not refuse burial. I sympathise
with you very deeply on your loss.—Very faithfully
yours, C. J GLOUCESTER AND BRISTOL Extracts
' No minister shall refuse or delay to bury any corpse that
is brought to the churchyard, convenient warning being
given, &c., and if he shall refuse to do so, except the party

deceased was pronounced excommunicate—majori cum-
municatione—for some grievous and notorious crime, ho
shall be suspended by the bishop of his diocese for
three months.' (Cripps, page 666.) ' The clergyman
cannot constitute himself a judge of what is and what
is not baptism, because that is determined by the law,
which he is bound to obey' (Cripps, page 687.)
Upon receipt of this letter, Mr. Corbett wrote to Mr.
Byron, inclosing a copy of the Bishop's letter, and asking
" at your hands some acknowledgment of your error and
unkindness towards me in a time of severe trial; and in
the event of your refusal I shall make the matter public."
Up to the present time Mr. Byron has taken no notice of
the communication.

The remains of the late Dr. Waldegrave, Bishop
of Carlisle, were interred on Friday afternoon in the burial
ground at the west end of Carlisle Cathedral, with much
solemn pomp.

THE HUDSON'S BAY TERRITORIES.—A telegram
from Ottawa states that "the proclamation uniting the
North-West territories to Canada is expected to issue
shortly. It has been somewhat delayed by necessary
arrangements for payment of the purchase money to the
Hudson's Bay Company. These have been completed and
sent by last mail to England, so that the proclamation
may be expected to be made forthwith." This
money was to be handed over to the company about th•
Ist of the present month, and we understand that it is the
intention of the directors to recommend to the pro-
proprietors, at their meeting to bo held shortly, the divi-
sion of this amount, which will yield £3 per share. The
recent United States award will probably also be divided,
and that will give a further D. ss. per share.—Canadian
News.

HEALTH OF SEWING-MACHINE WORKERS.—The
sewing machine has not only produced a revolution in the
method of working with needle and thread, but it has also
created a special class of nervous diseases among the
workers. The " jarring " causes in the young and weakly
extreme nervous irritation and depression, headache, and
restlessness. In factories the labour of turning the
machine—labour which, when badly constructed machines
hive to be used, is considerable, and with all machines
very irksome—should not be thrown on the workers, many
of when► are mere children, since a very small amount of
steam-power would turn a large number of the machines.
We doubt much if needlewomen are, as a class, much better
off than when their sufferings were so tenderly told by'
Hood.—Biitish Medical Journal.