The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-04 00:00:00

The INashingtou Titus Oates

Since the days of CHARLES the SECOND no such
perjurer as DUNHAM alias CANOVER has left his
mark on the history of the State affairs of the An-
glo-Saxon race. • DUNRA3I is even a greater liar
than TITUS OATES, for although be has succeeded
in making a muddle at Washington, which no
one can understand, lie never, like the noto-
rious English perjurer, gained fortune, holding
at his breath the lives and property of Lis
countrymen. OATES swore himself into power,
*1) mum into gaol. DUNHAM may swear himself
out, and on the principle that a live ass is
better than a dead lion, DUNHAM is better than
OATES. No further light has yet been thrown on the
conspiracy, but Mr. ASHLEY'S friends admit that
he attempted to obtain testimony from CANOVEL
against the PRESIDENT, though he did not obtain the
evidence promised, while they allege that CANOVER'S
account is totally false. General BUTLER declares
that he never saw CANOVER, nor any testimony
given by him, nor any witness purporting to come
from him ; nor is there a particle of evidence to
inculpate him, except the bare statements of DUN-
HAM (CANOVER) himself. Judge HOLT, who is one
of th
Nium, it will be re-
membered, swore right and left during the in-
vestigations by courts-martial following Mr. TAN-
I c OLN'S. death. He was tried for perjury, convicted,
encionspiitrsattorrus truth. has deed . accordingDu to this authority,
and sentenced to long confinement in the peniten-
tiary. Having worked himself into this mess by
the most unscrupulous lying he endeavours to use
the means with which he is so familiar to get out
of it, and he appears to have played on Mr. ASHLEY
with some effect. He managed to get into com-
munication with that Congressman,
then hotly in
pursuit of evidence on which to ground charges
for the PRESIDENT'S impeachment. It appears
that the confidential correspondence between Mr.
ASHLEY and DUNHAM commenced at the time
that the Ohio member asserted in Congress
his ability to prove the PRESIDENT'S guilt. A
recommendation for DUNHAM'S pardon by Mr. A.
G. RIDDELL, one of the Government counsel in
Sunnarr's trial, dated 23d of July, is the first
document in BINCKLEY'S report. This was followed
the next day by a note to the PRESIDENT from Mr.
HOLT concurring in the recommendation. On the
26th DuNDAm sent a formal petition for pardon.
He seems to have waited but three days for the re-
sult, for on the 29th July he forwarded the papers
to the PRESIDENT* disclosing the plot he alleges
against Messrs. ASIILE Y and BUTLER. From his state-
ment a Rev.:Mr, MATCHETT, an agent of ASHLEY'S,
first broached the subject to him. Personal biter-
views followed with Mr. ASHLEY, who made out a
programme of what was to be sworn " by persons
of good standing and moral character." It was to
be shown that BOOTH often visited the PRESIDENT,
and that they corresponded. The placing of AT-
ZERODT at the Kirkwood House on the assassina-
tion day was to divert suspicion from JOHNSON ; that
the original plot declared by 800 was to kill Mr.
LINCOLN on the day of his inauguration ; to nerve
himself, Mr. JOHNSON drank excessively that morn-
ing. The witnesses were to be protected by a reso-
lution of the House, which BUTLER obtained. CAN-
OVER in the terms of the conspiracy procured wit-
nesses who took the names of DAWSON and ALLEN,
who were inspected by ASHLEY and BUTLER, and ex-
amined in their parts—Mr. ASHLEYrevising and cor-
recting their statements and assuring them they
would be handsomely recompensed: These broad
assertions DUNHAM states he can prove by the evi-
dence of his wife, of ALLEN and DATsoN, and of
the Rev. Mr. MATCHETT. A memorandum containing
au outline of the story is one .of the docu-
ments sent to the PRESIDENT. At the end
there was a paragraph • still legible, though
cancelled, " for the names of DAWSON and ALLEN,
used above, leave blanks, or substitute the names
of such persons as you know will take their parts."
Among the papers there are four notes from Mr.
ASHLEY. One dated 18th April, states he is going
to Philadelphia, and desires DUNHAM to send his
statement to him by mail ; the next, dated Toledo,
Ohio, April 28, acknowledges the receipt of the
statement, and tells DUNHAM he will sec Lira in
Washington on the d iurs -ty or following ;
in a third he advises DUNHAM to let his counsel act
as he d.yems best, taking advautaV of every legal
point that may be pre:7;ented ; and in a fourth), dated
July 8, he announces that he had just seen Mrs.
DUNHAM, and does not believe the false, stupid
reports against DUNILAji, and promises to keep cer-
tain original letter safe if DUNHAM will send thein to
him. Mr. RIDDEA denies ever seeing the note said
to have been addressed to him by Mr. ASHLEY and
printed with thee papers. A German named
RABBE, it is alled, overheard conversations be-
tween ASHLEY andpoNtwi, when in the adjoining
cell, and these conversations are to be published.
There is just ellol4h circumstantial evidence to give
a colouring of pro.)ability to this narrative, and to
render it incumben; for the matter to be cleared up.
DUNHAM'S story wnild have been scouted as a gross
fabrication had it not been officially published by

the PIAIDENT. It thus fixes a crime on one of the
two sides. Either thePnEsiDENT is engaged in a con-
spiracy for blasting the reputation of some promi-
nent citizens of the United States, or these citizens
are engaged in one of the most hideous crimes. The
people await the development of the drama ;
the plot thickens ; and it is premature as yet
to say more than that CHARLES A. DUNHAM, alias
SANDFORD CANOVER, is a ruffian who more nearly
approaches to TITUS OATES than any convicted
plotter since the exit of that villian. There are, we
presume, epidemics in conspiracies as well as in
other crimes and in diseases. Just now Washing-
ton is the hot-bed. The above is the outline of the
great Northern conspiracy, which was no sooner
published than a great Smthern conspiracy came to
light, of which DUNHAM was still the central figure.
From this it appears that last summer at Washing-
ton, Mr. BENJAMIN WOOD, editor of the New York
News, ROGER A. PRYOR, of Virginia, and General
DICK. TAYLOR, of Louisiana, laid their heads to-
gether, for the means of fixing on Judge-Advocate-
General HOLT, by suborned evidence, the crime of
hiring false witnesses to convict JEFFERSON DAVIS
of procuring the assassination of President LIN-
COLN. DUNHAM', who appears to have had on hand
a stock of " persons of good standing and moral
character" to swear to anything, was appealed to
for the necessary witnesses, when he produced
NATHAN ANSER, JAMES E. MATTERSON, FRANCIS
MTALL, and JOHN MARTIN, all of New York.
They ali affirm that DUNHAM introduced them to
Mr. WOOD and the Confederate officers at Pnvoß's
house at New York, about the middle of July, 1866.
There DUNHAM, in the presence of these gentlemen,
proposed that they shOuld make affidavits to the
effect that Judge-Advocate-General Holz had
offered them money falsely to depose that JEF-
FERSON DAVIS was implicated id Mr. LINCOLN'S
assassination. MATTERSON and M'FALL testified
that they were paid for making these affidavits; the
others declined to make them: although they assert
they were instigated to do so. The Washington
correspondent of the New York Times obtained and
published these affidavits. Ile states that AIKEN,
who defended Mrs. SURRATT, and who now holds• a
clerkship in the Treasury Department, offered
CANOVER a pardon from the PRESIDENT, through
Judge BLAIR, if he would re-iterate under oath the
slanders he had written about the Bureau of Mili-
tary Justice in an intensified form. Whatever the
affidavits may prove besides, they show their authors
to be perjurers, who ought all to be arrested and
punished. Mr. WOOD in the columns of his journal;
after declaring these statements to be wholly false,
announces his intention to prosecute the perjurers,
if they have really made such affidavits. Mr. PRYOR
has also published a denial, and General TAYLOR
is far away in the South, or it is supposed that he
also would have proclaimed these charges untrue.—
Anglo-American Times.

A NEW RELIGION.

---~-.

In the Westminster Review, of July, Mazzini has
proclaimed the advent of a new religion, and in
serious, deliberate terms, declares that the dogma
on which Christianity is founded no longer inspires
faith—no longer has power to unite or direct the
human race ; in a word, that Christianity itself is
consumed ando exhausted !
In the pages'bfan English Review the new gospel
is set forth. In it we find an open denial of the
existence of a personal God—of the immortality of
the individual soul—of the fall of man—of his
redemption—of the distinction between good and
evil—of the doctrine of grace, and of the eternity
of punishment. Mazzini looks to Italy to take the
initiative in introducing the new religion that is
to fill and enlighten the world—which Christianity
has ceased to satisfy intellectually and morally.
It is singular how this strange and impious pro-
duction has escaped notice and reprobation. Where
are the guardians of the Christian faith—the de-
fenders of Christian morality—the guides of a
people to whom the name of Christ is still sacred,
that they should allow so deliberate, so formal,
and so cold-blooded an attack against revealed
religion to pass unchallenged? Why is the English
press—that portion of it at least which has not re-
jected the Christian name—dumb in the presence
of the Italian unbeliever, whose hatred of the
Papacy is but a mask for his hatred of Christianity,
and who makes use of his asylum in England not
only to hatch treasons but to propagate in the pages
of an English journal deliberate and systematic
infidelity ? Fifteen or twenty years ago the appear-
ance of such an attack would have raised a storm
of indignation ; and now, as far as we know, not
a word has been uttered in condemnation.
The article contains many admissions which we
desire to note, Many statements which, from such
a witness, are valuable, and some principles with
which we cordially agree. With a consideration
of these, then, we shall begin. The writer lays down
the principle that " the true life of a people must
be sought in the ruling idea or conception by which
it is governed and directed," and that the religious
question sums up and dominates 'every other ; and
that, consequently, political questions are, of neces-
sity, secondary and derivative. He holds that in-
tellectual • and economic developments must be
subordinated to a great conception, to a moral
principle, to a religious idea. " The mission of
the Papacy," he admits, has been " a great and
holy mission, whatever the fanatics of rebellion at
the present day, falsifying history, and calumniat-
ing the soul and mind of humanity in the past,
may say to the contrary." The Papacy was " the
unity of moral life." It upheld the supremacy of
the moral law over the brute force of the temporal
governments, of the spirit over matter, of God over
Caesar. "It was once what it can never again be,"
—for an alleged reason which we shall hereafter
adduce,—,, the ruler and the director of the con-
science of the peoples."

Mazzini recognizes clearly the reasons which
induce Catholics to uphold the temporal power of
the Pope. " Who should dare," he asks, " deny
the temporal power to the admitted representa-
tive of God on earth ? They," he goes on, " who
at the present day attack the Prince of Rome, and
yet profess to venerate the Pope' and to be sincere
Catholics, are either guilty of flagrant contradic-
tion, or arc hypocrites." The writer proceeds to
make further admissions in favour of the spiritual
power of the Church, acknowledges that the dogma
from which " the Papacy derived its existence
and its mission was that of the fall of man and
his redemption; from which inevitably and logically
followed " the doctrine of the necessity of mediation
between man and God, and the belief in a direct,
immediate, and immutable revelation ;" and " hence
in a privileged class—naturally destined to centralize
in one individual—the office of which was to pre-
serve that revelation inviolate." But, says Mazzini
—and now we are coming to the explanation of
all these admissions which we have put together—
" The Papacy has lost all moral basis, aim,
sanction, and source of action at the present day."
And why? Because Christianity is now no longer
true—because humanity has outgrown the Christ.
The conception of Heaven has since changed--the
notion of life taught by religion has since been
proved imperfect. " The moral law " of Chris-
tianity " is inferior to that of the new epoch in
course of initiation," and " the solution of the
,eternal problem of the relation between man and
God, from which-the Papacy derived its source of
action in the past, has since been rejected by the
human heart, intellect, conscience, and tradition."
Such are the reasons why—not the temporal power—
but the Papacy should be attacked. The last hour
has come for the Papacy, the Church, Chris-
tianity; for, says Mazzini-". The dogma itself "
the falL and redemption of man " which the
Church once; represented is exhausted and con-
flumed •lt is for this that the Papacy
expires. Mazzini adds, with an outspokenness which
shows what rapid strides the intellectual world
is taking towards unbelief, that it is his duty
to declare without hypocritical reticence of speech
that the past must be entombed—that Christianity
must be rejected, not in part or parcel as Luther
did, but in its entirety—in order to make way for
the approaching dawn of that new religion which
is to re-link earth with heaven, destroy the duality
between the ideal and the real, between the aim set
before men and a world condemned to anathema
by the Fall, The new religion which is about to

be substituted for Christianity, or, as Mazzini pre-
fers to term it, the " new formula of life and its
law" is revealed to us, so speaks its prophet, in our
own day by the result of experience, by the voice
of individual conscience, by the intuition of genius,
and the grand results of scientific I.,search. Its
logical consequences are, according to the same
authority, " the substitution of the idea of a law
for the idea of a medialor ; of a continuous edu-
cational revelation for that of an immediate,
arbitrary revelation ; the apostolate of genius and
virtue, and of the grand collective intuitions of the
peoples, for the privilege of a priestly class." The
new formula of life cancels the dogma of grace,
which is the negation of the capacity of perfec •
tibility granted to all men • • • and that of
eternity of punishment, which is the negation of the
Divine element existing in every human soul.
Mazzini sums up the new religion in the single
word " progress ;" but he complains that this sacred
word has been abused alike by the materialists
and the men of science. By the first it is made to
express man's ever-increasing power over the forces
of the earth ; by the latter to indicate the accumu-
lation of facts submitted to scientific analysis, but
its real import is, to make short work with Mazzini's
grandiloquent explanation of the dogma of the
future—to substitute Pantheism for Christianity.
The theory of the progressive perfectibility of
the collective life of humanity, " the slow con-
tinuous progress of the human ego through an in-
definite series of existences," the development of
the " divine element existing in every human soul,"
presents of necessity an absolutely new view of
the mission of man upon earth. Mazzini's new
religion, by denying the idea of sin, puts an:end to
the antagonism between earth and heaven, destroys
personal responsibility, as it has before rejected a
personal God, and since it alters the whole aim
and end of life, sweeps away, as a matter
of course, the whole moral law. After making
a tabula rasa in religion—after rejecting alto-
gether the Christian dispensation after con-
founding the Godhead with humanity—Mazzini
declares, that " since all link with Heaven is broken,
the Papacy has no longer any raison d'être. Once
useful and holy, it is now a lie—a source only of
corruption and immorality." If his premises be
true—namely, his denial of a personal God, and his
disbelief in the Christian dispensation—then only
is his conclusion against the Papacy just.
Mazzini invokes a school in Italy which shall
declare the death that is without denying the life
that ?vas. He is content to praise the Papacy for
the glories which it has achieved—Christianity for
the good which it has effected ; but he regards
Christianity only as a passing and imperfect mani-
festation of the Divine element in humanity which
is now working out for itself a higher development
and making further progress in the work of human
perfectibility.
Mazzini affects to believe that Europe, weary of
scepticism and egotism, and of moral anarchy, will
receive the new religion with acclamation. He
protests, before the world, against the terrible
growth of materialism, against the all-pervading
worship of temporal interests, against that degraded
philosophy which admits neither the intervention
of any creative intelligence, divine initiative, nor
human free-will, which can but lead to the
triumph of physical force or of moral anarchy
in the world. He is obliged to confess that the
rulers in Italy have " no belief in the supremacy
of the moral law ;" that " they are materialists ;"
that " their want of all faith in God and His law "
leads to the " substitution of the idea of interest for
the idea of duty," of " opportunity for principle."
This disbeliever in Christianity acknowledges that
the youth of Italy—the children of the Revolution
—" reject alike all idea of a Church, a dogma, and
a God." And how does this philosopher, who has
grown old in revolution and in unbelief, propose
to arrest the progress of a dangerous and degrading
materialism—of a philosophy which he himself
is forced to confess is that of all expiring epochs
and peoples? What has he to offer to the children
of the Revolution and infidelity ? All he has to
offer is a revived Pantheistic philosophy—a vague
and hazy spiritualism, the religion of intellectual
Paganism, the product of the Greek intellect. To
nations plunged in moral anarchy, or sunk in a
dull, dead materialism, or agitated to the very
quick by new ideas and aspirations—to Europe of
the nineteenth century, in the frenzy of a new birth
—this rehash of Pagan spirituality and of German
philosophy, must seem a mockery, an insult, and
an aggravation of all their ills. The only hope,
the only remedy of Europe, in this its supreme
hour of trial and danger, is to turn away from these
false prophets and teachere of evil, and to return
in faith to the Incarnate God of the Christians.—
Westminster Gazette.

Theodore, Emperor of Ab, ssinia

--6.

England is engaged in preparations for a fresh
little war, and she has been fortunate enough to
secure a new field. Indeed, the field is so new that
nobody knows anything about it. The expedition
is being organised in Bombay, consisting of eight
regiments of Punjab infantry, six of irregular
cavalry,- two battalions of Europeans, and two bat-
teries of artillery, under General NAPIER, with
General STAVELEY second in command. The ex-
pedition will land at Massawah in November, march
,against the Emperor THEODORE, where, no one
knows; but it is conjectured about 300 miles
through a country which, according to Captain
HARRIS, whoa quarter of a century ago proceeded
there on a mission, is far from inviting. Prepara-
tions are progressing at Woolwich, and coal is
being forwarded to Aden and Bombay. The
Expenses will be borne by the Imperial Trea-
sury, although the details of the expedition
are being organised in India. Abyssinia is
said to contain an area of 7,450 square miles and
a population of 3,000,000. The whole Ethiopian
plateau, comprising Abyssinia and the Sidama and
Galla countries, has, according to Bishop MASSAJA,
12,000,000 people, 9,000,000 of whom are Sidamas
and Gallas. THEODORE succeeded in 1855. Consul
PLownEN, in writing to the Foreign Office of this
monarch in 1855, says :—" A remarkable man has
now appeared, who, under the title of King THEO-
DORE, has broken the power of the great feudal
chiefs, has united the whole of Northern Abyssinia
under his authority, and has established tolerable
tranquillity." lie describes him as young, vigorous
in all manly exercises, of a striking countenance,
peculiarly polite and engaging when pleased, and
displaying great tact and delicacy ; of untiring energy
both mental and bodily, and of boundless daring,
personaland moral. Mr. CAMERON, who succeeded
on Mr. PLOWDEN'S death as Consul at Massawah,
arrived there in 1862. It appears that the EMPEROR
towards at the end of that year wrote an autograph
letter to Queen VICTORIA, requesting permission to
send au Embassy to England. But though the
letter reached London, February, 1863, no answer
was returned. Mr. STERN, a missionary, thew on
himself the KING'S wrath by remonstrating against
some cruelty, and the end was that Mr. CAMERON,
Mr. STERN, and all their servants were seized, put
in chains, and cast iuto prison. In 1865 Mr.
RASSAM, well-known in connection with Mr.
LAYARD'S discoveries, then employed at Aden, was
sent on a special mission to THEODORE. On Feb-
ruary. 7, 1866, Mr. RASSAM announced that the
EMPEROR had given him. a magnificent reception, and
They were on the eve of leaving released theprisouers.
when the Emi,Enort. ordered the party to be detained
as State guests until an answer was received to a
second letter addressed to tae QUEEN. At first
they were well treated, but the EMPEROR, who
seems to be of a fitful and suspicions temper, took
alarm at a report that English, French, and Tur-
kish troops were on their way to invade Abyssinia.
Their confinement then became more rigorous, and
every effort of the British Government has failed to
procure their release. What opposition THEODORE
can offer to the march of the expedition is little
known. He has been engaged in war with the rulers
of Tigr6 and Shoa, the principal and most civilised
provinces in Southern Abyssinia. At the end of
February, 1866, THEODORE'S commander defeated
the troops of the ruler of Tigr6. On the 30th
of June, 1866, a great battle was fought be-
tween the ariny.of THEODORE, said to amount to
95,000 men, and the ruler of 'I igre, whose force was
even more numerous at Axoum, one of the two capi-

tals of that province. Count BISSON furnished a re-
port to the Nice Journal, which reads like a grand
European engagement. THEODORE carried the
position of the enemy, and occupied Axoum, taking
three pieces of artillery after thirteen hours' hard
fighting. llis losses, according to this authority,
were 25,000 killed and 18,000 wounded. The
accuracy of the account was doubted by the mis-
sionary FLAD ; but Dr. I3EKE, in a letter to the 7 imes,
expressed his belief that the description had a solid
foundation of truth. If it be true, there is harder
work before our expedition than the English people
seem to imagine, and they may have to endure the
unpleasant sensation as depicted in the cartoon of
one of our humorous contemporaries where the
British lion is seen retreating with his tail between
his legs from Abyssinia.—Anglo-American Times.

PARIS ANTI-SLAVERY CONFERENCE.

The Anti-Slavery Conference has been sitting in
Paris during last week. At the last m eeting letters
were read from Wendell Phillips and Mr. Bigelow,
expressing lively sympathy for the object. Prineo
de Broglie presided, while Monsieur Laboulaye, tho
chairman, delivered an address. He was followed
by Mr. Lloyd Garrison, who apologised for his in-
ability to speak in French. After Mr. Garrison's
admirable address, au interesting episode occurred.
A coloured man presented himself, who desired to
speak, when he said he had been a slave in Georgia
on Sherman's invasion, and it was not till, then lie
knew of Mr. Lincoln's proclamation. When he
learned he was free he left the cotton plantation,
went to New York, and thence proceeded to Provi-
dence, Rhode Island, where he engaged in the coal
trade, and subsequently worked in the service of
the State Government. He told his own tale to
prove that slaves were able to provide for them-
selves, and knew the value of time and money. Ho
was well received by the meeting, and produced
a good impression.

The Prince de Broglio followed, stating the
motives that inspired his family with a zeal for
emancipation and liberty for the enslaved.
The Rev. Sella Martin, once a slave, and sold
ten times in that capacity, spoke admirably.
Resolutions had been proposed and were cordially
adopted, and the meeting broke up at 5 o'clock.

COUNTRY• MARKETS.

BRISTOL-TUESDAY.

At the corn market to-day there was a fair demand for
foreign wheat, at an advance of is per qr. Barley
and therefore 6d dearer. Maize is more inquired for, 0
the full prices of last week. Other articles unchanged.
Weather very fine. scarce,

LIVERPOOL—TUESDAY.
We had a vary good attendance of both the town and
country trade at our market to-day, and wheat met with
a good inquiry generally at the rates of last Tuesday'
The flour trade quiet, and the rates of last week supported
Indian corn in dull demand and 9d to is lower on tho week'
Oats in fair request. at Id per bushel lower. Oatmeal ill-
active, and rather easier. Egyptian beaus slow, but at late
quotations. Earley scarce and steady.

LEEDS—TUESDAY.
Wo have little demand for old wheat to-day ; but uelr
sorts are in fair request and sell according to qualitY'
ranging from 56s to 63s for reds; whites, 65s to 7t)°'
Barley, beans, and other articles unchanged. •