The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-20 00:00:00

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

From the Anglo-American Times.)
The efforts of Colonel Wood, of the Treasury
Department, Secret Service Bureau, have, after much
labour and by the aid of detective Nettleship of
Newark, been successful in discovering the coun-
terfeitors of the 7-30's and other forgeries. William
Spencer, alias William C. Brockaway, and Hannah
Seymour, his reputed wife, assisted by five other
persons whose names are withheld, formed the
gang. Paulsboro', Gloucester county, New Jersey,
is the village where the work of engraving and cir-
culating the legal tenders was done. Spencer and
his wife were arrested in St. James's Hotel, New
York, Nov. 15, whe❑ preparing to leave for Europe.
[hey were taken to Newark, before Commissioner
Whitehead, and bailed in the sum of $lO,OOO to
appear for an examination, and the amount was
readily produced by Hannah, who had the sum in
her pocket. It appears that the establishment was
in operation as long ago as 1865, and the
business is estimated to have netted upwards
of $1,000,000. Of the 7-30's it is, however,
stated that only notes amounting to $lBO,OOO
are afloat, and that none were issued till the
middle of September. They were made from
lead impressions of the genuine plates at Washing-
ton, secured by a confederate. All engaged having
made their fortunes now reside in different parts of
the country. Secresy was maintained till the Go-
vernment officers felt secure of their prey, and it is
believed that the whole gang is in custody. Spencer,
who is a tall, intelligent, gentlemanly-looking man,
is the owner of a handsome residence in Philadel-
phia, worth, it is said, $200,000.
The opening of the Union Pacific Railway to San
Francisco would be a most propitious time on which
to hold at New York the next Grand Exhibition.
Americans are fond of " big things." Their minds
receiving the impress of the naturdi features around
them, reflect the gigantic. \\Then the greatest un-
dertaking the world has yet constructed is com-
pleted, it would be worthy of the occasion to in-
augurate it at one of its termini with an ovation
such as the world has not yet seen, and invite man-
kind to the Show. A communication from Omaha,
dated Nov. 24, tells us that the railroad now runs
525 miles west of that city, and that in January
the track will be laid to Evans's Pass, the highest

point between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and
30 miles beyond the distance now reached. It is
worthy of remark that the steepest grade of the rise
is but 80 feet to the mile, while on many of
the Eastern roads the slope is over a hundred.
The design has in it a grandeur and magni-
tude sufficient to seize on the American ima-
gination, and to divert attention from political
squabbles, which injure all and improve none.
Writing on the World's next Fair, the San
_Francisco Mining and Scientific Press says:—" Al-
' though Vienna has been prominently spoken of as
the locality for the next World's Fair, there seems
to be a very strong disposition, on the part of the
French and English, that New York should be se-
lected. It is thought that the experience furnished
by the Paris Exposition will be better utilised to-
wards making a grand success in New York than in
Vienna. It seems to be conceded that no people
grasp at an idea so quickly, or work it out with
such practical vigour, as the Americans do. The
most casual hint thrown out by a journal is often
sufficient in their hands to give birth and material
I to a mighty design."
The cable news this week has been unusually im-
portant, having told us of the defeat of the resolu-
tion for the Impeachment of President Johnson by
108 votes against 57. The bill reported by the
Committee of Ways and Means, suspending Mr.
M'Culloch's authority to contract the currency. has
passed the House. On the Ist inst. the debt of the
United States was $2,639,000,000, and the cash in
the Treasury was $138,000,000. If the news from
Mexico, dated the 29th ult., be true, President
Juarez has declared war against Guatemala.
General Butler has been addressing a committee
of the whole House in behalf of his plan of paying
off the 5-20 Bonds in greenbacks. He took two
days to give the members the benefit of hi 3 financial
knowledge, and a rehash of the cold shoulder to
which he has been treating the country. No one
backed his arguments; even Thaddeus Stevens was
silent during the debate. Mr. Blaine (Republican)
from Maine demolished Butler's reasoning, and
his statements carried the greater weight, as
they are known to be inspired by Senator Fes-
seuden. Mr. Brooks's speech was remarkable
for a statement that during the passage of
the 5-20 Loan Bill he withdrew an amendment to
make the Act expressly state that the Bonds were
payable in gold, only upon an assurance from the
Republican benches, then as now ruling, that such
was the distinct understanding. He further stated
that the Democratic party would not take up the
cause of repudiation in the coming Presidential
campaign. The Washington correspondent of the
Standard alleges that the Pendleton-Butler theory
is growing in favour with the people, giving as a
reason that the Government is annually ribbed of
£23,000,000 by defrauders of the Internal
Revenue Department alone. The effect is alike
disastrous on the Government, and on those
who do not desire to defraud it, as the discontent
produced is of the sort that inevitably breeds dis-
honesty. It must be acknowledged that so gigantic
a school for swindling must turn out some apt
pupils, and repudiation is the child of dishonesty.
" The secretary of the Treasury," says the Wash-
ington Correspondent, " has documents establishing
the existence of a vast secret society of revenue
swindlers, with officers and agents in every State of
the Union, with a code of laws, a system of signals
and cyphers—in fact, au organisation as complete
as that of the Revenue Department itself."
On the 25th November a great Fenian meeting
was held in New York to express indignation at the
execution of the Manchester prisoners. This action
was denounced as a violation of international law.
Government was invoked to move for the release
of naturalised American citizens imprisoned in
England for political offences, and to claim indem-
nity for such outrages. A committee was elected
to proceed to Washington to bring the subject be-
fore Government. The most prominent speaker
was Horace Greeley ; and letters were received from
Generals Butler and Banks expressive of sympathy.
On the 28th a great Fenian funeral procession took
place, when upwards of 13,000 members of Irish
societies followed three hearses, each containing an
empty coffin bearing the names of Allen, O'Brien,
and Larkin, and the words " We mourn our loss."
John Savage, Stephen's successor, delivered an
oration. He asserted that the blood of the martyr
is more inspiring than the red wine of tyrants. So
inspired became the orator that it is probable he
danced on the platform, for it is reported to have
come down With a crash, and Savage's blood was
near being poured into the vat that contained that
of the other martyrs. There seems to be a diffe-
rence of opinion as to who are the Manchester
martyrs—for a committee called on Superintendent
Kennedy, requesting an escort of policemen for the
funeral procession, and met with a stern refusal.
" You come," said Mr. Kennedy, "to me—a
policeman, for an escort of police for sympathisers
with the fate of men who murdered a policeman."
Many citizens urged the Police Commissioners
not to grant an escort, but, as the New York Herald
observes, there was little need of any urging, and
the following order appeared :—" A parade intended
to do honour to the murderers of the Manchester
policeman having been projected for to-morrow
you will on that day hold your whole command on
duty, your off plato)n in reserve, subject to future
orders.—Jonst A. KENNEDY." We may here state
that proclamations have been issued prohibiting
funeral processions in Ireland, that that in Liver-
pool has been forbidden, as well as another in Glas-
gow, and that Mr. John Martin, the chairman, and
Messrs. Waters, Scanlan, and Lalor, secretaries of the
committee which organised the Dublin precession,
have received summonses to appear on Monday, as the
Government has instituted prosecutions against them.
W. E., whose letters in the Boston Advertiser, in
reply to General Butler and others, have obtained
so wide a publicity, has been examining the United
States National Debt to discover the truth of the
allegation that it is "an intolerable burden." His
research leads him to the conclusiouthat if the debt
were equally divided, the proportion to each would