The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-03 00:00:00

TUB BRITISH LYING-IN HOSPITAL.

The charity that thinketh no evil cloth not strive,
nor behave itself unseemly, has not necessarily any-
thing to do with a London charity. The British
Lying-in Hospital, in Endell-street, is one of the
most excellent institutions in London. Latterly a
great and beneficial change has been made
in its management by the substitution of female
medical stldents for the old-fashioned hired
nurses who used to be employed. The students
have been singularly successful in their treatment,
and nothing could have been more satisfactory than
the state of the hospital as regards the purposes for
which it was founded. But the " innovation " has
excited the wrath of certain persons connected with
the hospital, and grave charges have been made
affecting the professional reputation of Dr. Edmunds,
the physician responsible for the change. A com-
mittee was appointed to investigate the charges,
and consisted of Mr. Layton, the largest living
donor, to the hospital, Mr. Mare, the banker,
and Mr. Thomas Beggs; and these gentlemen, after
hearing Dr. Edmunds's accusers and the witnesses
whom they brought forward, passed a resolution,
which was moved by Mr. Mare himself, declaring
" that the board, having investigated the more
important of the charges conveyed in the printed
evidence, and having found them entirely unsub-
stantiated, think it unnecessary to go further into the
inquiry, and acquit Dr. Edmunds of any unprofes-
sional conduct as physician to this hospital." One
would have thought that no exculpation. could have
been more complete and satisfactory. Nevertheless,
Mr. Hoare has, for some reason or other,
joined with certain other subscribers in calling
upon Dr. Edmunds to resign his post, and, failing
that, they request the board to expel him. This
Conduct is sufficiently eccentric; still more eccentric
and censurable is the fact that to this memorial there
has been affixed the name of Canon Nisbet, rector of
St. Giles's. What he thinks of it is shewn by his
letter to Dr. Edmunds, in which he declares that lie
has " never seen the circular, and still less subscribed
to it." Meanwhile one of the best institutions in
London is exposed to obloquy in consequence of
miserable nrofesmiennl iealonsv.

(From the Anglo-American Times.)

We are glad to learn that we were correct in sur-
mising the report of the death of Andrew Johnson
to have merely grown out of the rumour of his
severe illness, but he is seriously unwell. The Ex-
President, Mrs. Johnson, Judge Patterson and
family, and Colonel Robert Johnson, left Washing-
ton for Greenville, Tennessee, on the 17th March.
The ex-President has accepted the invitation of the
citizens of Lynchburg, Virginia, to partake of the
hospitalities of their city, and he was to remain there
on the next day.
The rise in American Bonds has been temporarily
checked in Europe by the large transmission from New
York ; indeed, so considerable has this been that
gold has within the last few days been largely with-
drawn from the Bank of Englani for export to New
York. The effect has eltared Wall-street of bonds
and create a scarcity, and it is not improbable that
the Washington Government w ill soon be a purchaser.
Secretary Boutwell has distinctly intimated his
intention of buying the Bonds to cancel when sur-
plus funds accumulate in the Treasury. Ile an-
nounces that the amount there is now considerable,
and the receipts from imports increasing, and he
believes that be has ample authority in law for thus
using money not required. He has also declared
his opposition to the secret sales of gold ; and it is
not likely, henceforth, that the gold speculators
will be enabled to get information through under-
hani means by which to regulate their transactions
and to profit at the expense of the public.
In the Nation there are some curious charges and
insinuations, both in its editorial columns and in a
letter, about late appointments. Mr. Sumner is said
to have refused to confirm the appointment of Gen,
Gordon as a personal favour to Gen. Butler, be-
cause Gordon holds and offers irrefutable evidence
of Butler's complicity in disgraceful dealings with
the enemy during the war. Mr. Stewart's nomina-
tion was made the day after be bad presented
General Grant with a cheque for $65,000 for the
purchase of his house, subscribed for by several
gentlemen, prominent among whom was Mr.
Stewart himself and Mr. Boric. Mr. Boutwell is
alleged to be the politicians' choice ; his former admi-
nistration of the Internal Revenue Bureau was de-
clared to be a failure, and to have led to a great in-
crease of corruption. Grant elsewhere is accused of
being influenced almost wholly in his appoin tmen ts by
personal friendship, and his relations are coming in
for good things. A writer who signs himself
" Citizen" in the Nation, among other persons, speaks.
of Mr. Montgomery Gibbs with disapprobation, as
being an early favourite for a fat office. When
last we heard of Mr. Gibbs he was expected soon to
return to Europe, where his friends would be glad
to learn that he was a favourite for a fat office, not-
withstanding " Citizen's" very bitter attack. The
feeling is evidently running against Grant on the
subject of his appointments.
The Irish procession in New York on St. Patrick's
Day appears to have done little to enliven or beau-
tify the city. The display presented a poor con-
trast to those got up by Americans ; but if the
Feniar.s failed in amusing the natives of their
adopted country they cracked some of their heads
before night closed. As the ferryboat Nollie White
was proceeding to Harlem, and had arrived at the
landing foot of Eighth-street, about 200 of them
embarked for Harlem, many being intoxicated. The
boat had not proceeded far before a general row
occurred, resulting in the Fenians beating three or
four of the passengers severely. In the mel6e,
clubs, pistols, and handspikes were freely used.
There were no arrests. Such items as this we re-
ceive from other parts :—" A party of Irish rowdies
at night assaulted John 0. Parker, manager of the
freight depot at Manchester, New Hampshire. Mr.
Parker was knocked senseless, and received injuries
of a serious character." St. Patrick's will soon in
America be a day to be looked forward to when
coming, and to be remembered when gone.

The latest news from New York by mail gives
the result of the feeling strengthening in America
in favour of the insurgents in Cuba against Spanish
rule. Large quantities of arms and ammuni-
tion had been sent ostensibly to Inagua, but really
to points ou the Cuban coast under control of the
rebels ; and the Customs' officers and other Federal
authorities, although really aware of their destina-
tion, did not interfere. The Spanish Consul has
been in communication with the Embassy at Wash-
ington, not only with reference to the arms and
ammunition sent, but to those being shipped in other
vessels then loading and destined to follow. The
Cuban Junta have dispatched Senor Morales Lemus
to act as Minister for the revolutionary government
under provisional President Cespedes, who was on
his way to Washington to urge the recognition of
independence by the Government of the United
States. The telegram from *Washington on Thurs-
day shows the result :—" The Foreign Affairs Com-
mittee of the House of Representatives have re-
ported a resolution authorising the President to re-
cognise the independence of Cuba."

It was rumoured at St. Louis ou the 18th that

General Custar had been captured by the Indians.
He was to have left Medicine Bluff, Washita Moun-
tains, on the 2d March, to proceed north. The report
originated at Fort Lyon, but it is wholly disbelieved
at St. Louis, as there could have been no later than
their news. Troubles had broken out with the
Pawnees at Ellsworth, Kansas, where three friendly
Jndians were shot and scalped by a baud of roughs.
Six or seven thousand Navajo Indians were at Fort
Wingate, and difficulties were constantly occurring
between them and the Pueblos. The Stockbridge
Indians in Wisconsin are rapidly disappearing. This
tribe once numbered 10,000 warriors. They mi-
grated from Massachusetts to New York in 1789,
to Ohio in 1809, and to Wisconsin in 1821. They
are now suffering from want of food, and only num-
ber 300 men, women, and children. Among the
Choctaw Indians there are sixteen Christian
churches; 1,100 communicants and 1,500 Sabbath
school children. A translation of the Bible into
their language is now in process of printing in New
York, under the auspices of the American Bible
Society.

The Select Committee of the House of Commons
on the Atlantic Mail Contracts have published their
Report. It asserts that the expense of the letter-
bags from America is partly borne by the British
Government, the service rendered being only paid
for by the American Post-office at about half the rate
paid by the British Post-office for the same number
of letters, and that a considerable portion of the
cost is borne by England. It appears from the
evidence, that the great Atlantic companies had
agreed not to carry the mails on the terms proposed
by the late Postmaster-General of the United States.
The n umber of letters carried in 1863 ware 2,461,440;
in 1865, 3,337,697; in 1866, 4,066,284; in 1867,
3,966,759; in 1868, 4,875,802, and an increase is
expected for the future. The gross sum received
for postage is calculated at £102,600, supposing all
the letters to be sent by Queenstown, against a
subsidy of £105,000. The Committee conclude
that, in view of the increasing communication, there
is no longer any necessity for fixed subsidies for
stipulated terms, and in consequence of the difficul-
ties these contracts throw in the way of reducing
postage they recommend that they be disapproved.
In view, however, of the hardship and inconvenience
to the Messrs. Cunard and Inman, an option might
be given them of continuing the contract for a
shorter period than eight years. The Times state 3
last week that these firms, having refused to make
any abatement, the Government had allowed the
contract to stand ; but we hear that this is not the
case, though we believe it is the case, that the House
having adjourned for the Easter holidays has
allowed the time for action to lapse, which is tanta-
mount to confirming the contract ; perhaps the
easiest way of reconciling principle and practice.
The Royal Commission on the laws of Naturali-
zation and Allegiance have also issued their report.
We have not space this week to give a summary of
this important document, but we hope to do so soon.
The Commissioners were unanimous in recommend-
ing the abandonment of compulsory allegiance of
emigrants and of those naturalized in foreign Stags,
allowing the new nationality to the wife and children
of the naturalized person, as well as of a British
woman on marriage with a foreigner, the nation-
ality of her husband. The Commissioners differed,
however, on what should constitute a natural-born
subject. Among the minority is Mr. Vernon Har-
court. The Commissioners propose an alteration
in the laws affecting the power of aliens to hold or
inherit British soil. At present they can but take
a lease for a term of 21 years; but these laws which
answered in feudal times are now unnecessary, un-
just, and even absurd.

The American press, astounded at the latest at-
tempt on the part of the London Times to damage
the credit of the Republic, have taken the subject up.
The turning of their attention to this side may have
a good effect, for it will show how some Americans
have been playing into the hands of the enemies of
the Republic, while intent only on forwarding their
own party purposes. We had to bear the burden
of this fight ; and many of our English readers have
twitted us with the attitude taken by leading Re-
publicans as well as by Democrats ; by Senators as
well as by Representatives. By hammering away, we
have brought the subject into prominence, which
may perhaps teach the Philadelphia correspon-
dent a lesson he may have cause to take to heart.
At any rate, be will not in future find his pro-
phecies, his careful surveys, his dismal prospects,
and his special intelligence, accepted even in Eng-
land with the old confidence.

The first bill President Grant signed was that
To Strengthen the Public Credit," which received
his signature on the 18th March :

4, Be it enacted, &c., That in order to remove any doubt
as to the purpose of the Government to discharge all its
obligations to the public creditors, and to settle conflicting
questions and interpretations of the law by virtue of
which such obligations have been contracted, it is hereby
provided and declared that the faith of the United States
is solemnly pledged to the payment in coin or its equiva-
lent of all the obligations of the United States not bear-
ing interest, known as United States notes and of all the
interest bearing obligations, except in cases where the
law authorising the issue of any such obligations has ex-
pressly provided that the same may be paid in lawful
money, or in other currency than gold and silver ; but
none of the said interest-bearing obligations, not already
due, shall be redeemed or paid before maturity unless at
such times as United States Notes shall be convertible
into coin at the option of the holder, or unless at such
time bonds of the United States, bearing a lower rate of
interest than the bonds to be redeemed, can be sold at
par in coin. And the United States also solemnly
pledges its faith to make provision at the earliest practic.'
able period for the redemption of the United States Notes
in coin.

Thosa who have lived long enough, and remem-
ber, see astonishing changes. In London we have
the Standard of yesterday lecturing Mr. Iteverdy
Johnson on his Protectionist fallacies ; quoting
Adam Smith to show that he who has been bred in
fetters is not qualified to run a race with another
who has always been free. At the same time we
have a leading journal in the United States with an
old file of this very Standard before it, copying and
applying the arguments it formerly used, in the cause
of Protection. Everything is iu motion ; and all
motion is in a circle; and it is really ridiculous, when
we are every day getting along in our own curves,
to jeer at others who manage more speedily to swing
round. Those who live long enough will yet see the
Standard again a rabid Protectionist, and the great
journal in New York adapting its present Free-
Trade articles to the then changed times• and cir-
cumstances of the United States.

Mr. Masterman published yesterday an account
of his treatment in Paraguay, giving a fuller,
though substantially the same, version as that he
told in New York. The sort of power exercised
by Lopez is fearfully injurious, indeed, almost im-
possible for an individual to resist in its demo-
ralizing influence. It makes a man a tyrant, even
if naturally good, by sedulously cultivating every
bad passion. Theodore of Abyssinia appears to
have been a case in point ; Lopez is another both,
probably, superior men, and the material, under
other circumstances, for good rulers. The history-
of Lopez has, however, to be written. Mr. Mas-
terman, who writes with great facility, commences
by stating that he is not surprised that Lopez should
have found, both in England and America, many
apologists, and some partizans, as it is difficult to
separate the devotion and bravery of the Para-
guayans from the crushing and grinding tyranny of
a man without a single great quality to blind them
to his vices and follies. It is not Lopez who has
excited the admiration of the world, but the heroic
struggle of the Paraguayans for a liberty, however
little it may comport with Mr. Masterman's notions,
which suffices for them. Nor is his argument that the
Brazilians would have swept away their chains for
ever to bereconciled with the fact that Brazil is the
last remaining Slave Empire. Although we would
not accept Mr. Masterman's opinion as conclusive
on the character of Lopez—a man be bitterly hates
—yet his narrative must be accepted, and the sooner
the civilized world demands some reparation from
the late ruler of Paraguay, the better pleased we
will be ; and we agree with Mr. Masterman in
thinking that no time should be lost in ascertaining
the fate and releasing, if possible, the foreigners
still held in the clutches of the monster he describes.
The House Committee on Foreign Affairs have
been instructed to inquire into all the circumstances
as well as into the conduct of Mr. Washburn and
of tho officers commanding the South Atlantic

squadron, with power to send for persons and
papers, so the truth about Lopez will soon be
known.

The Ariel, the first steamer of the new line from
New York to Copenhagen via Cowes and Bremer-
haven, arrived on Wednesday off Cowes, and pro-
ceeded for Bremerhaven. The Northern Light
followed on 27th March, and the Ocean Queen is to
sail on the 17th inst. It is not intended at present
that these steamers should touch at Bremerhaven or
at Cowes on the return trip, but proceed direct
from Oopenhagen to New York. Efforts are being
made in America to encourage the building of
steamships, and the transport of the mails to
Europe by such vessels. A bill has been intro- t
duced into the Senate by Mr. Fenton, late Gover-
nor of New York, to provide for a weekly service
from New York to Antwerp ; with the North
American Steam Navigation Company between
New York and Liverpool, and also from that port to
Bremen, with the Commercial Navigation Company;
and for a semi-monthly service between Boston and
Liverpool with the American Steamship Company.
General Sheridan, who when the mail left was
at New York, has persuaded the President to add
Illinois to his command, which now almost eel-
traces the Valley of the Mississippi. What the'
General wanted was to get Chicago for his head-I
quarters, where he will establish himself, being now'
on his road to that city.
Senator Stewart, of Nevada, distinguished him-
self on the calling up of a bill by Mr. Sumner to
carry into effect the decrees of the United States
Courts, compensating the owners of British vessels
illegally seized during the rebellion. Mr. Stewart
would see British subjects far enough first ;
" Wrongfully seized, indeed! why, it was impos-
sible under the circumstances for the United States
wrongfully to seize a ship of a country actively en-
gaged in the war." His doctrine was to cap-
ture or destroy British ships wherever found.
It was vain for Mr. Sumner or Mr. Fessen-,
den to tell the wise and learned Senator fronl
Nevada that the decrees were those of their
own Courts. Mr. Stewart did not hold himself
bound by any such decrees ; his decrees were those
pronounced by himself ; no doubt these decreee
were legally correct, but they were without refer-
ence to the conduct of Great Britain during the war.
In listening to such rubbish the valuable time of
the Senate is too often occupied, and a pretty spec-
tacle nations would make of themselves if the
solemn judgments of their own Courts could be se
aside because they were at variance with the sew
timent and prejudice of any men.
Senates have rather a disturbing action on treaties
Great Britain was rejoicing in the conclusion of the
Alabama Convention when it was bowled over by
the Senate of the United States. The United State
were rejoicing at the conclusion of the treaty with
Columbia for the Ship Canal, when it appears ale°
to have been bowled over, at least according to the
following telegram :—." The Senate of Columbia
has rejected the treaty concluded by Mr. Cushil
for the construction of a canal across the Isthmus 0
Darien." ~

We regret to report the wreck of the Pacific.
Mail steamer Hermann, about 70 miles north of
Yokohama. She had Japanese troops on board,
and the loss of life is estimated at from 250 to 3uv
persons. She must have been chartered by tb°
Japanese Government or she could not have been
carrying troops, nor would she have been if on llef
regular line, where she appears to have been lost'
The only other item of American news by telegrarj
is that the Legislature of Massachusetts had ratifil
the Fifteenth Constitutional Amendment. Pj

any one pay for those thirty words from Washiego
ton last Wednesday, or did Mr. Reuter palm it 0$
on the newspapers as cable news? consideri°
that we have a newspaper now in our hands frog
Massachusetts giving the details, and that paper
dated March 20th.
The close of President Johnson's Administratil
was much occupied with issuing pardons, some t/
which had not reached their destination until after
General Grant's inauguration, who revoked a
and the question was submitted to Attorney-Geli,e;
ral Hoar, whether such revocajon would stand /
law. It is believed that he has decided the qoe,s;
tion against the new President, and therefore
opinion we formerly expressed appears to be
law, that President Johnson's act was conclusiveoi
Attorney-General boar considers that the act
the Executive was complete when the warrant °
pardon was placed in the hands of the Unite`il
States Marshal, or other officer; and that if tb
persons intended to be pardoned shall not be fe;
leased, that, upon habeas corpus, the Courts would
release them.
tbl
Mr. Sumner has presented a memorial
Senate asking the Government to call an Interns
tional Congress of Republican Nations.