The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-23 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

rills DAY.—Morning, 4h. Om.—Afternoon, 4h.l9rn.
IJ-31onnow.-Al4rning, 41i. 40m.—Afternoon, sh. lm.

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 23, 1867.

The distress in the East of London is enough to
excite the deepest interest, and to give rise to
consternation and alarm. The Lord Mayor has
shown himself equal to the occasion, and has come
forward in a very determined manner to seek to
remedy some of the worst evils that exist. On
Monday a meeting took place at the Mansion-
house, and he availed himself of the opportunity
to call attention to the present deplorable condi-
tion of the labouring people in the East of Lon-
don. Some of the details that were brought for-
ward in the explanations made were indeed most
appalling, and speak strongly as to the necessity that
exists for doing something to meet the emergency.
The Poplar Board of Guardians stated that it
was quite impossible for the relieving officers t o
visit all who had applied for relief. The reliev-
ing officer of the South District had nearly one
thousand families on his books, and each repre-
sented five persons at least. The day before the
meeting of the Board he had given away as much
as two tons and five hundredweight of bread.
The increase in the relief afforded in the corre-
sponding week of last year was 5,453 ; and in
Poplar alone the contractor supplied the Union
with nine thousand three hundred and twenty-
four loaves of bread. A gentleman who resided
in the West India-road wrote to say that he
visited many of the workpeople at their own
homes, and found them in a wretched state, the
distress, indeed, being appalling amGoag the me-
chanics and labourers. " Many of them were
quite disheartened, sitting within bare walls, with
neither bed nor clothing, and with their children
almost naked and famishing. Strong young men
burst into tears on seeing him enter, and pointed
to their starving wives and children in silent de-
spair." Some of these unhappy sufferers had been
most improvident, but others had been quite the
contrary. One young man, an ironworker, had

been out of employment for some time, and had
gradually exhausted his savings, until he and his
family had nothing to lie upon but the bare floor,
and were in a wretched condition altogether. The
writer added that he might fill a volume with similar
cases of misery, and that it is to be feared that the
recent condact of the Shipwrights' Union at the
Thames Ironworks will do a great deal of harm, and
cause innocent persons to suffer. This is, of course, no
more than might have been expected, and no cen-
sure can be too severe to use in connection with their
conduct.

The Rector of BAhnal-green stated that there was
much distress in that locality, which we m'ght all
have looked for, when we take into account the
parochial misery of that place. The working-classes
have been severely afflicted by the " commercial
panic, the cholera, and the frost." The rates are now
in the proportion of eight shillings in the pound a
year ; the workhouse is full; and eight hours were
spent the other day in investigating out-door cases.
A oirrcspondent, who has visited the neighbourhood
most afflicted during the last few months,declares that
such a season of distress and misery has never be-
fore been experienced in this locality. There are
few things more deplorable in the case of districts
being similarly afflicted than the fact of the rates
being raised to such an extent, and, as Mr. Sheriff
WATERLOW said, there is reason to know that in
the distressed districts the rates are mounting up to
sums which the small tradesmen and those who
lived in small houses could not really afford to pay.
A committee was formed for the purpose of raising
subscriptions and affording relief, and it is satisfac-
tory to learn that a good commencement has been
made. Up to last night as much as £1,200 had
been received as the result of one day's sub-

scription.
Yesterday a meeting of the Committee took
place at the Mansion-house, and many influential
persons were present. Mr. Alderman SALOMONS
commented upon the intense distress prevailing in
Greenwich and Deptford, and wisely advised the
Committee to begin dispensing the sums in hand at
once, relying upon the public generosity for further
supplies. This seems, indeed, to be the wisest course
to adopt, and we may be very sure of one thing,
that there is no probability of greater distress ap-
pearing than that which now appears among us,
so that it would be a pity to lose time
while the state of many is so precarious. Mr.
ROMLEY, M.P., was of opinion that something
might be done in connection with the Houseless
Poor Act, so that relief might be obtained in the
distressed districts. " The cost," he said, " would
not fall with undue severity upon individual
parishes, but by a rate in aid it might be spread
over all the metropolis." This may be true enough
so far as it goes, but we think that Mr. llouts
was mcre correct in his motion when he de-
clared that their immediate object should be
to assist the suffering poor in this emer-
gency, and not to pause to inquire into
the particulars of the poor-law, or to seek to make
them subservient in the present case. It was
wisely resolved that the local committees employed
should be of a mixed character, and so represent
every class and be entirely " unsectarian." This
is very right, for nothing would be more vexatious
than to have disputes and disturbances taking place,
because this or that prejudice could not be carried
out, or any particular object effected.
A deputation waited upon the meeting from the
parish of St. Dunstan, Stepney, and declared that
the distress and misery in that neighbourhood were
most considerable. The committee m ade them a grant,
with the intimation that a supplement would be
made if possible. It is gratifying to learn that
something should have been done so quickly, and it
seems to afford us hope fur the future. It is to be
borne in mind that if the severe weather should be
modified at once that there will still be great need
of help in many quarters. Unhappily the state of
things has got so bad, and the misery has reached to
such a pitch, that time must elapse before any decided
change for the better can take place. This year has be,
gun sadly indeed, and the claims on the rich and bene-
volent are great ; but they must not despond, but du
to the utmost of their ability, for it may truly be
said that the harvest is plentiful and the labourers
are few. When all has been given that possibly
can there will still remain much of what is deplor
able ; but it is some considerable source of satisfac-
tion to know that steps are being taken and mea-
sures set on foot to remedy in a great degree the
misery and want that are indeed stalking ahead
among us as a pestilence destroying in the noon-
day.

We learn by the news dated New York the 9th,
brought by the Australasian, that the struggle be-
tween the PRESIDENT and Congress has lost nothing
of its intensity. The thread of impeachment has
been so far fulfilled that the Hon. Mr. ASHLEY, of
Ohio, has offered a resolution in the House of Re-
presentatives, to impeach Mr. JOHNSON under
charges of gross abuse of his veto, and appointing
and pardoning powers, of corrupt disposition of
public property, and of interfering with the elec-
tions. The resolution authorised the Judiciary
Committee to investigate the PRESIDENT'S conduct,
and report what grounds existed for his impeachment.
This resolution, extravagant and inconsistent with
facts as it appears, was actually passed by 107 to
38 votes ! How the Radicals can pretend to im-
peach the PRESIDENT for abuse of the veto power
when they have just had the highest opinion in the
country given as to the illegality of the measures he
condemned is not easily explainable, except by the
most reckless political audacity and vindictiveness.
As for the powers of appointing public officers, Mr.
JOHNSON has no more abused them than every tem-
porary head of a G-Jvernment does when he puts
men of his own party into subordinate offices in place
of his opponents. The charge of unduly influencing
elections will, we should think, make most
Americans smile. The charge, if pressed,
would not be altogether confined to the
PRESIDENT of the States. One thing is certain.
Mr. JOHNSON did not influence them to much pur-
pose, since they 'turned the scale against him.
Undeterred by the proceedings of the Congress,
Mr. JOHNSON has vetoed the District of Columbia
Impartial Suffrage Bill, which, as a matter of
course, was passed by both Ilouses over the veto.
According to report Mr. TIIADDEIJS STEVENS
has soon got tired of playing the role of moderator
and constitutionalist. He is said to be preparing a
bill declaring martial law throughout the South.
This would be a proceeding fully in accordance
with the spirit which the Radicals have manifested
for some time past, and would show them in their
true colours.

The excitement throughout the States in this
critical condition of affairs is, al might be expected,
very great. Mr. ASHLEY is not a man of any
weight or influence in the llouse, and it was believed
in many quarters that he would not be rash enough
to make such a movement. It was believed in some
quarters that the llouse, if the motion was made,
would quietly put it aside, if not reject it; but the
PRESIDENT'S Vet.) of the Suffrage Bill probably
put the finishing stroke to the indignation of the
Radical party, and, reckless of consequences, they
are resolved to push on to the last extremity. What
the egect likely to be on the country may be