The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-19 00:00:00

1,11:EIT OF TAE FIIBI,IIQ_JOURNALO. CA.NOEI

e Tinze;l,, bails with pleisure
_the intimation given to
both, RonseS of her Majesty's ivillingnesa' to receive
version the addresies in answer to the Royal Spee.ch, and
believes that the people at large will hear the intelligence
with even livelier satisfaction and interest than the mem-
bers themselves. Mr. Gladstone has discovered a prece-
dent for the occasion Which is full of historical interest.
The 21st Jamiary, 1806, formed one of those epochs which
seem like turning-points in the history Of the world, when
the destinity of humanity itself hangs in the balance. The
nation was thrilled with the excitement of Trafalgar, when
the naval power of France and Spain was destroyed, but
" The greatest sailor since the world began " was lost to
his country." The nation hung also over the death-bed of
Pitt, and was perplexed, if not in despair, at the thought
of the anarchy that must follow on the death—realised
two days after—of that commanding genius. The King,
lamenting the death of his brother, suffering from incipient
blindness, and not unwarned of that more terrible
alienation of power which was to follow, did not meet
Parliament in person, but Parliament, casting aside, if it
ever cared to consider, the question of precedent, hastened
to testify its loyalty and patriotism at the foot of the Throne.
The Queen will come from Windsor to receive the
addresses of Parliament, and it may be presumed that an
early day in the ensuing week will be appointed for the
ceremonial. The people will see in this spontaneous act
something more than anxious solicitude on the part of her
Majesty to perform her high public functions in a manner
most gratifying to her loyal subjects. The reception of
the two Houses by the sovereign on the assembling of
this new Parliament, indeed, bespeaks the Queen's kindly
feeling towards the mass of her people, her broad, popular
sympathies, the satisfaction she has in being associated
with an assembly representing in the largest and freest
manner the weight and purpose of the national will.
The Standard declares that there is cause for satisfaction
:in the arrangements that have been made for the pre-
sentation of the address to her Majesty. "Bringing up
:the address" is usually a form which does not excite
the slightest interest. The clerk reads the sentences in
which the House humbly thanks her Majesty for what
she has said in her gracious speech in the midst of a general
conversation, and unless a member whom the Speaker
could not see on the opening night insists upon delivering
the speech with which he was primed, the question is put
and the incident is over. Last night, however, the routine
consecrated by the practice of so many years was broken
upon. Mr. Gladstone moved that the address should
be presented to her Majesty by the whole House, a pro-
ceeding under the circumstances almost unprecedented. Ib
had been, the Premier observed, her earnest desire to meet
herself the new Parliament, but the state of her health
rendered the gratification of that wish impossible.
At all times the ceremonial of opening Parlia-
ment had taxed her Majesty's strength most severely,
and severe and long-continued suffering had rendered
her personal appearance at the opening of Parliament
impossible. But the Queen was anxious, the Minister
explained, to meet a House elected under such peculiar
circumstances, and had therefore been graciously pleased
to suggest that the address should be presented to her
by the whole House. Mr. Gladstone's proposition to that
effect, which was seconded by Mr. Disraeli in a few well-
chosen words, was unanimously accepted by the House.
A similar resolution was arrived at by the Peers, and
consequently her Majesty will come to Buckingham Palace
to receive in person, from both Houses of Parliament,
their addresses. The country will appreciate as it merits
this anxiety of the Queen to show her sympathy with her
people, and her interest in the work of its representatives.
The Daily News says that the disappointment felt by
the Queen's subjects when the announcement was made
that the first session of the Reformed Parliament would
not be opened by her Majesty in person was, we believe,
felt in at least an equal degree by the sovereign herself, so
soon as it became clear to her that she could not prudently
tax her strength with the burthen of a protracted and
fatiguing ceremonial. The fact that the proceedings of
Tuesday last were practically the commencement, not
simply of a new session, not merely of a new Parliament,
but of a new period in the history of our representative
system, naturally prompted in her Majesty the desire to
open the new era, if it may be so called, in person. Her
design to do so was abandoned, it is understood, on
the distinct advice, couched in terms which amounted
almost to a prohibition, of her physicians. The Queen's
solicitude that the first meeting of a House of Commons
representing her subjects wore amply than any previous
Parliament should not pass without recognition on her
part, has found, in the revival of an occasional practice, a
suitable means of gratifying itself. In the graceful speech
in which, on behalf of the sovereign, he tendered her
Majesty's invitation of the representatives of the people to
her presence, Mr. Gladstone stated that at every period
of her Majesty's life, even at the period of its unclouded
happiness and unimpaired strength, the lengthened
ceremonial connected with the opening of Parliament
taxed her Maje,ty's strength to the very utmost.
At the time fixed for the meeting of Parliament this
year, the Queen suffered a degree of pain and pro,tration
which amounted to a positive disablement for the office
which she was anxious at any endurable cost to herself to
perform. That considerations of merely personal con-
venience did not influence her in determining on discharg-
ing by commission the duty of opening Parliament is
proved by the Queen's readiness to come up from Windsor
to London to receive the address of both Houses. As
Mr. Disraeli said, it is important and desirable that some
personal relations should be established between her
Majesty and the new Parliament, and the course suggested
by the Prime Minister wisely and judiciously established
those relations.

The Daily Telegraph regards with satisfaction the speech
in which Mr. Gladstone explained to the House the
,arrangements which had been concerning the address,
and remarks that in broaching the subject, the Prime
Minister explained—what we had stated, indeed, some
few days before—the regret which her Majesty felt at
not being able to open the session of Parliament in person ,•
and, to show how desirous she is of meeting the national
representatives, it is now proposed that, instad of reading
the Speech from the Throne in the House of the Lords,
she should listen to the addresses of the Lords and Commons
in Buckingham Palace. We have, on a full knowledge of the
facts, borne witness to the conscientious endeavour with
which the Queen has always, in times of joy or trouble, in
health or in sickness, sought to do her part in the practical
public business of the empire—an endeavour needing
more exertion and attention than many can possibly
appreciate. But the graceful act which makes her ask her
people, as it were, to visit her in her own house when she
cannot go to theirs, evinces the earnestness of her desire
not merely to fulfil her share of the work done, but to meet
them face to face, and to exchange those greetings of
mutual esteem and kindly feeling which she has so sincerely
at heart.

The Post considers that by this time the public must
have arrived at a tolerably correct comprehension of the
meaning of the word " financing." It has been a great,
influential, and little understood phrase hitherto, but
seldom in the history of trade has one single term exer-
cised such wide and powerful influence. For seven years
we have been living upon " seems," and treating dead
leaves as if they were golden sovereigns. The investing
public has been somewhat rudely awakened by the heavy
fall which the year 1867 inflicted on speculation, a fall so
continuous and so deep that it has landed its public appa-
rently at the bottom of that famous well where it is said
Truth is to be found. There has been a great find of truths
lately, and the speculative manipulators of money seem
to be seized with a mania for revelations and confession
which has apparently an epidemic character, just like
jumping, shaking, or harking among religionists. They
have certainly told their stories plainly, and in many
instances with so little reticence and with such a face,
that it is evident, painfully evident, that the standard of
morality in the monetary world is so low as to be scarcely
appreciable. The whole of the transactions are so bad
on the face of them that no denunciation can make
them more evidently black. If we would prevent
money from withdrawing itself from all adventure, we
must reform the system and punish the men who have
been engaged in its dishonest development.
The Star, in discussing the meeting held the other night
for the reform of the licensing system, observes that its
promoters succeeded in making out a good case for imme-
diate and practical action upon the limited groundpe y
Beer-
shop chosen. It is conceded on all hands that the
shop Act of 1830, which it is proposed to repeal, has
entirely failed to attain the ends which the Legislature
had in view when it was passed. It is acknow-
ledged that beershops do an infinite amount of mis-
chief, and that the inequality established by the law
between their status and that of licensed public-
houses is the cause of that mischief. The abolition of beer-
houses, if agitated in a determined spirit, would probably
be carried without material difficulty, and, besides being
in itself a beneficial measure of reform, it would be a step
to the reorganisation of the licensing system on more
stringent and uniform principles. The reform which is
mow demanded is merely the abolition of the Act of
1830, as far as the further issuing of beershop licenses is
concerned. It is not proposed to touch vested interests,
but to allow beershops to die out by degrees, so that in a
short time the whole liquor traffic of the country may rest
upon one uniform basis. That basis, of course, ought to
be a remodelled licensing law of a very stringent
kind. For this reform, however, some further
agitation and discussion of the question in all its bearings
will be necessary ; but there is at present general and just
discontent at the manner in which public-house licenses
are granted by the magistracy. One significant instance
of the lavish manner in which licenses are granted was
pointed ort on Wednes lay night I,y Mr. J. A. Smith.
He called attention to the fact that in Upper Thames.
street five consecutive houses were licensed as Phouses. It is impossible that there could be a demand for
so many dealers in intoxicating hymn within such narrow
limit The change proposed does not startle by its mag-
nitude, while all must admit its expediency.

The Herald observes that the only objection raised
against Mr. Forster's Endowed Schools Bill referred to
the proposal to fix the second reading for Tburslay. The
persons interested in this bill must necessarily rely in a
great measure upon the debate in the House of
Commons for their information as to the character
and effects of the bill. It is therefore of the
utmost importance that the House of Commons
should proceed to ito consideration after a sufficient study
of the provisions of the measure, and with a full knowledge
of the objections which the interests affected can urge
against it. Much more time will be saved by discussing
the bill thoroughly upon the second reading, than by post-
poning discussion to another stage ; and Mr. Forster, in
yielding to flip wishegg the House, ha_vz2l4 acivAnW,l
ittinazsaie inttalaw._

NG ON Di JORD.A.N.

Mr. Macgregor? alias " Rob Ruy," writes from "Tell
Him Sea of Galilee," by date Jan. 22, giving an interest-
ing account of some canoeing which he has " done " on
the Jordan. Leaving Damascus, where the snow lay on
the ground, he made his way routed the spur of Herman,
and launching his boat near Habesan, he soon reached the
Dan. He was stopped, however, at length by the inhabi-
tants, and had his canoe captured. The novelty of a canoe
on the river first collected a crowd, which grew gradually
larger. By and by the cry of " bucksheesh" (money)
arose, and as "Rob Roy" would not stop and give them any
they captured him and his boat after firing at him several
times. "They hoisted the canoe on their shoulders, and
bore it, with me sitting inside, to the tent of the
Arab sheikh. A large crowd followed, shouting
and dancing. I insisted on having the Rob Roy
brought into the tent. A grand 'palaver was
held. I told them I was an Englishman. ' Sown,
sows,' they said (friend). I said I must pass on to the
lake. They assured me there was no road. I said I must
go to see. The seniors of the tribe assembled to consult,
and several precious hours were wasted in talk. Mean-
while I made sketches fur some, gave a lesson in
geography to others, fired off some wax matches for
the rest, and cooked my luncheon of hot soup in my
canoe cuisine' to the wonder and delight of all.
Over and over they pressed for bucksheesh,' and I
answered, ` Certainly, but it must be given to your
sheikh.' He winked to me. I knew I had bought him
then. I privately gave him a gold napoleon, and he
pressed me to stop the night in his tent, but I was at last
allowed to go on. and so in triumph launched the canoe
again on the fast flowingstream." But only one of the Arabs
had before seen an Englishman, so they "followed him up"
until getting entangled in some weeds he found he would
have to remain with them for the night. Setting off next
morning, he paddled on to the Lake of Genessareth,
"where," he goes on to say, " I have spent six hours of
this fine summer-like day in a careful scrutiny of the
water on the north-east shore. I soon found ruins under
the clear water, and it seemed that no one was within
half a mile of me then, but suddenly a man
came forth, as if out of the earth. He was of the

colour of the soil, too, and perfectly naked. He gave a
loud shout before plunging in to reach my boat, but the
warning was in time, and of course he could not catch me
by swimming. I asked some of the Arabs why they
wished to get hold of the canoe. Some said because the
boat was so low in the water they thought I was sinking ;
others that, being alone, I must be lost. ' Then to
save me from being lost or drowned,' I answered,
'you think it best to shoot me.' . The real reason is, I
believe that an Arab cannot resist firing at what is new
and moving. In England many of us would take a shot
at a man flying in the air if he suddenly hovered over
some country village. I had already seen Palestine before
in the usual way, but the varied enjoyment of this
journey has made it all new again, and I finish the tour,
so novel in its mode, with my boat uninjured, and the
happy recollection of months of glorious weather in which
every day has been a delight to the crew of the Rob Roy,
lways in perfect health."