The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-10 00:00:00

HIGH WATER
Fins DAY.—Morning,
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LONDON BRIDGE.
38m.—Afternoon, 4h.
14m.—Afternoon, 51z.

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LONDON, THURSDAY, JAN. 10, 1867.

Lord DEBBY may certainly claim - the credit of
having been the first to put forward the grievances
of tile poorer classes and to assert their claims to
redress in the matter of the evictions for railways
and pul:lic buildings. Therefore the deputation
that yesterday waited upon his lordship possesses a
particular interest, as well as the general regard
which it naturally attracts. Mr. BANKS, the sec-
retary, read a memorial on the subject, which set
forth in an impressive manner the general features
of the case, and the attention of the Government was
specially directed to the condition of the arti-
zan and labouring classes of London regard-
ing the " sanitary state of their dwellings,
and the frightful consequences entailed by it."
It is, indeed, a serious state of things which is pre-
sented to us in this sketch, and the worst part of
it is that we must all feel that it is strictly true.
The population of London has increased greatly of
late years, while the dwellings allotted to them have
rapidly decreased, and the natural result is that
great numbers of persons are crowded together into
single apartments, in bad localities, and with no
regard to family, age, or sex. " The physical and
moral degradation thus produced is excessive,
degrading, and alarming, throwing numbers
on the poor rates, consigning many to
hospitals and infirmaries, and more to lives
of sin, shame, and ruin." We may arrive at a
better understanding of this vital subject if we
consider for a few moments some of the practical
results of this fearful evil. At present, in London,
there are as many as half a million workmen with
their families who have no proper house shelter, and
during the period of the last four years 50,000 of
these have been " dispossessed" of their houses, and
sent forth into unsuitable districts, which, to use
the forcible language of the memorialists, already
" teem with life and disease." It is more than four
years now since Lord DERBY called the attention
of the House of Lords to this matter, and if more
heed had then been paid to his suggestions we
might not now have the sad task of recording the
distress 'and misfortunes that have ensued in con-
sequence of the wholesale evictions of the poor
without any due provision being made for them.

It is too much the fashion of the present day
to consider everything secondary to the advance-
ment of trade and the progress of money-making,
but it is a grievous error to suppose that these
humbler members of society can be neglected and
injured with impunity. It is both a moral and a
social wrong that is being perpetrated among us,
and now at the eleventh hour, as it were, it operates
trumpet-tongued unto us of the wrong and injustice
which we are doing with one hand, while with the
other we are making striking improvements in the
metropolis, and commencing and consolidating
works which distant generations shall ad-
mire and profit by. It was truly said in
this memorial referred to that the work of
remedying this evil is far beyond the reach of pri-
vate hands ; and, although several philanthropic
persons who have taken up this matter have con-
trived to arrange suitable accommodation for ten
thousand or so, still it is insignificant in com-
parison with the multitudes who require assistance.
In the name of " humanity and religion," as well
as in the economic interests of the inhabitants of the
metropolis, the deputation desired to impress on
Lord DERBY the importance of having no further
railway extensions or public works unless the sanc-
tion was accompanied by a compulsory "provi-
sion or compensation for tenants liable to be evicted
thereby." Mr. TORYENS'S Bill introduced last session
proposed to give power to the Metropolitan Board
of Works to be made a local authority for the pur-
poses of the act over the whole of the metropolis
excepting the city. This plan has some great ad-
vantages in it certainly, because on them would de-
volve the duty of seeing that those houses were
taken down which were unfit for habitation. The
committee of the House of Commons were nearly
unanimous as to the morits of this measure, but
Mr. TOItRENS said he would willingly abandon it
for any better one which the Government might
think fit to bring forward.

Lord DERBY said very truly that they must
not look upon :this matter, " affecting, as
it did the nation, upon purely philanthropic
principles. It must be made to pay if any sub-
stantial good is to be done." The great difficulties
in all the schemes that are put forth is that they
go beyond the limits of the class most in want of
r aid, and thus we find Mr. CRUIESILANK saying that
he thought what they required was houses for the
respectable labouring classes, and not for the lowest
classes ; but as Lord DERBY asked, " What are we
to do with them ?" The chief result of all the
plans for ameliorating the condition of the poor
seems to be to them the charge, or a great
part of it, on the rates, but surely some
important share should be borne by those who profit,
or expect to profit, by the works introduced on so
gigantic a scale.

No conclusion was come to yesterday, since the
object of the deputation was in a great measure to
ascertain the opinions of the noble Earl at the head
of the Government; and he, on his part, came
to hear what scheme might best assure the
object they all had in view. We consider, how-
ever, that a good deal was done in this meeting, and
it is very satisfactory to know that her MAJESTY'S
Ministers are so desirous of helping on
any possible plan which may suit this
desirable end. The concluding remarks of the
noble Premier are very well worthy of notice, and
are full of encouragement to those who take an
interest in this work. He said that no one present
could " feel a greater interest in the subject than
he did, and it was a most difficult and painful one.
On the part of my colleagues and myself," added he,
" I may say that it has engaged our most anxious
attention, and I shall be most happy to introduce a
measure, and endeavour to carry it through the
House, if I can see my way. lam happy to
have the co-operation of those who have
studied the question. It is in no way a
question of party ; in no sense is it such. It is one
of humanity, but at the same time we must bear in
mind the ordinary principles of political economy,
and not attempt to deal with this as a purely philan-
thropic subject." We hope that the members of the
Legislature will meet Lord DERBY half-way, and
look upon this important subject in the spirit in
which he does, and then no doubt some satisfactory
result will be come to, and there will be a chance of
improving the condition of those who now so greatly
stand in need of help.

The Atlantic Telegraph has not been long in work-
ing order without bringing us most startling intel-
ligence. By the telegram received from New York,
January Bth, we learn that the house of Represen-
tatives has passed the resolution for the impeach-
ment of President JOHNSON. The House has
ordered a Committee to report ou the PRESI-

DENT'S offences, and the Radical party, we are
told, are determined to push on the impeachment
without delay. Six months ago such a proceed-
ing was hardly dreamt of. If occasionally pro-
posed in the most violent harangues of the least
creditable members of the Radical party, it was
indignantly rejected by those who profess
to be the leading spirits. The increase
of power which has come to the faction
with the elections has apparently intoxi-
cated them with success. They believe the des-
tinies of the nation to be in their hands, and are
absolutely intolerant of the slightest check or hin-
drance from any opposing influence, past, present,
or to come. The restraints of the Constitution are
burst asunda without a moment's regret or hesita-
tion. WASHINGTON was altogther inferior to
STEVENS and WENDELL PHILLIPS ; JEFFERSON was
not to be compared in administrative ability to
BUTLER. If the great names of the past can win
no respect it is not likely that the men of the pre-
sent can extort deference or attention. The PRESI-
DENT is an obstacle in their headlong course. Firm
and undaunted, he raises his voice at every
opportunity to protest against their encroachments
on the liberties of the body politic, and steadily
exerts the remnants of power they have left him to
oppose their violent subversion of the Constitution of
the Union. He is not a man to be either bribed
or threatened. He must be got out of the way.
Abuse of power brings Democracy at last to the
same conclusion as Despotism. The man who has
character and courage enough to approve the
dictum of the majority must be silenced if he will
not be convinced. -The end must be attained ; it
will not do, then, to be too particular as to
the means. FRANCIS JOSEPH'S advisers might
have recommended the same course with a trouble-
some Venetian. NICHOLAS of Russia might
have applied the same arguments to a refractory
constitutional Pole. So this is what American
liberty is coming to ! A man is to be impeached
for endeavouring to preserve the Constitution which
he swore to abide by. And we must observe that
it is simply the impatience of the Radicals of any
opposition that urges them to this step, seeing that
the power is already virtually in their hands, and
they can force any measure they please through
both Houses. The PRESIDENT has, as was confi-
dently expected, vetoed the Negro Suffrage Bill
for the District of Columbia, and this was his
crowning offence. Yet the Radicals knew perfectly
well that they could, if they chose, override the
veto and carry the bill through Congress. What
plea they have for their case is anything but clear,
and the arguments brought forward by the leading
members of the faction are not, to say the least of
it, very tenable. WENDELL PHILLIPS' " instincts"
tell him that the PRESIDENT has been in league with
traitors. General BUTLER thinks that Mr. JOHN-
SON'S speeches at Chicago were improper, and ex-
posed his office to ridicule ; besides he has ap-
pointed his own friends to offices. America has
certainly made very rapid progress in political mora-
lity during the last few months if the latter
offence is to serve as a pretext for impeachment
But in manners, as in morals, the change is strik-
ing, and a BUTLER lays down the law on a point of
propriety and dignity. Perhaps he thinks his own
New Orleans performances were in perfect taste.
If so, no wonder Mr. JOHNSON comes short of his
standard.

The House of Representatives evidently aim at
combining the duties and the privileges of a delibe-
rative assembly with the functions of the Executive.
They wish to be at the same time king,
Cabinet, and Commons, and to exercise an
absolute sway over the unrepresented mil-
lions of the South. If such an attempt
had been made in Europe, the Americans would
not have been slow to find a name for it, but under
cover of the stars and stripes things seem to change
their character.

Practically, what is the object which the Radicals
propose to themselves by the deposition of the
PRESIDENT ? It is nothing less than government
by force. If they will not abide by the terms of
the Constitution, if they will not tolerate any oppo-
sition whatever, if they will not admit the repre-
sentatives of those States whom they know are
opposed to their policy, what is to influence or
deter them ? If we wanted anything to con-
firm this impression, we should find it
in the news brought by the mail from
New York on the (29th ultimo (since
eclipsed in interest by the tidings of the telegraph),
which reports that the Radicals in a recent caucus
have resolved to attempt the enforcement of the Con-
stitutional Amendment, if it be ratified by three-
fourths of the States now represented in Congress,
of which there is very little doubt. The PRESIDENT
has, it is said, expressed his belief that the Supreme
Court will sustain the Southern States in rejecting
the Amendment. What will be the result it is im-
possible to foretel. If the Radical party aimed at
the total disruption of the Union, national bank-
ruptcy, and the overthrow of trade and commerce,
they could scarcely do better. They are lighting a
flame which may spread far and wide, and which
no human hand can extinguish when it once gains
ground. History speaks in vain to them, but his-
tory has examples not a few of republics that have
perished by the violence of factions, and that the in-
tolerable tyranny of the many drove the country to
submit at last to the yoke of one. Is this to be the
close of the great and rapid career of the nation
founded by the genius and the patriotism of the
CINCINNATUS of the West. England has been
accused of jealousy of the progress of the States,
but she will have but one feeling of regret at the lost
opportunities for securing national peace and pro-
sperity which the blindness and the madness of a fac-
tion are flinging away ; and it is with anxiety and
apprehension that the people of this country watch
the nation with which they are so closely allied
oscillating between the chaos of revolution and the
horrors of civil war.

Lord TEYNIIA3I has been addressing a branch of
the Reform League, at Rotherham, on the all-
absorbing topic of Parliamentary Reform. Lord
TEYNIIA3I is always worth hearing, and his opinions
command respect from their consistent liberality.
We are sorry to find, however, that he is so
strenuous an advocate of Manhood Suffrage, which,
we think, it is a mistake for the advanced Re-

formers to set up as a standard. It is, in the first
place, so totally opposed to the habits and feelings
of the people that it would need a violent
disruption of our usual ways of thinking and acting,
which nothing but a very strong and general con-
viction of its necessity would bring about. Again
it has not answered its purpose in other countries,
and the condition in which a representation by
numbers is placing the American commonwealth
is anything but encouraging. If every unconvicted
man had the right to vote, the privilege of voting
would be valueless, and, what is more, very many
are even now totally indifferent to its possession.
With regard to the Ballot, we heartily agree with
Lord TEYNIIA3I, and are glad to find him coming
forward so boldly on its behalf. If the Reformers
are wise, they will make the Ballot, and not Man-
hood Suffrage, their strong point, and we hope they
will not rest till they obtain it.