The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-10 00:00:00

individual pardons ; if not, they cau obtain them
on application, unless some serious drawback exists.
The PRESIDENT has evidently determined upon a
vigorous course of action, and before Congress re-
assembles he will have worked great changes. The
amnesty was talked of some time since, but the
subject dropped; now its actual accomplishment
has taken the public by surprise. Meanwhile the
public intelligence of an earlier date, which reaches
us by the mail, proves how necessary it was that
Mr. JOHNSON should boldly assume the direction of
affairs. Charges of disloyalty aro constantly
trumped up in the Southern districts to nerve as
pretexts for removing the civil officials, and re-
placing them with others of the General's selection.
Thus SHERIDAN has removed the State Treasury
Controller and the Attorney-General of Texas on
charges of disloyalty. General POPE has suspended
the exercises at the Augusta University, on account
of a disloyal speech made by one of the students.
General BROWNLOW has suspended the disband-
ment of the State Guard, giving as his reason the
disloyal tendencies of the people of Tennessee.
Everywhere we hear the same story told,
with variations, indeed, but substantially
the same. Arbitrary interference with the civil
rights and liberties of the Southern people, unscru-
pulous exercise of irresponsible power, a determina-
tion to find an excuse for condemning the white
population and exalting Radical principles, such
have been the moving springs of the Southern
military district commanders. The consequences
are what might have been foreseen. The whole
population is becoming disorganised, and the negroes
are forming themselves into bodies with secret de-
signs by no means in accordance with public safety.
In Virginia numerous formidable and secret organi-
sations are discovered, and fears entertained of a
negro insurrection in several parts of the South.
The negroes can have no object in rising except the
spoliation of their white neighbours. Their political
rights are fully acknowledged, and only too much
indulgence is shown them in every respect, through
the influence of those who seek their own ends by
the elevation of the negro.

Happily, in the midst of all this, harmony is said
to be fully restored between the PRESIDENT and Gen.
GRANT. The report that GRANT had refused to ac-
knowledge the PRESIDENT'S authority over the district
commanders is denied. The new Secretary of State
protested, it seems, against the course determined on
by his chief, but never refused to execute his orders.
On the 28th of August General GRANT removed
General SICKLES, and appointed General CANBY in
his place, according to Mr. JOHNSON'S direction,
and it was thought that as soon as General THOMAS
recovered his health he would occupy the post
originally assigned to him. Meanwhile a cordial
understanding is said to exist between the PRESI-
DENT and the Secretary for War, and it is to be
hoped that their united action will secure internal
peace to the long-harassed and distracted population
of the South, thus restoring harmony and prosperity
throughout the Union.

The revelations before the Manchester Trades
Union Commission continue to be of the most
startling character. The saw-grinders of Sheffield
must share their unenviable notoriety with the
brickmakers of Manchester. We have the old story
over again—the destruction of property, the secret
attacks by night, even wanton murder, all on
account of some infraction of the union rules and
regulations. The men, it may be said, are led on
from step to step, and have no intention of commit-
ting so serious an offence as taking life when
they begin. This may be true, but when
men start on midnight expeditions, carry-
ing loaded firearms, we cannot suppose that
they intend to be very scrupulous in the use
of them. The atrocities revealed at Manchester are
not in themselves new; the motives which prompted
them were similar to those which actuated the Shef-
field culprits ; the mutilation of the society's books
is not new either. The noticeable thing is that
the evidence before this commission so fully con-
firms the impression made by its predecessor, and
that these terrible actions, so far from being, as
some would have us believe, denounced by
the body politic of the men, are supported
and paid for by them. The evidence of a master
brickmaker at Droylsden, who was formerly
secretary to the Ashton Bricklayers' Union, is con-
clusive on this point. Ile says that there were
generally a number of men ready to execute orders.
Only a small minority expressed disappointment,
but the majority decided. " When houses were
to be destroyed or bricks spoilt it was not men-
tioned in general meetings, but the expenditure of
money for such purposes was generally under-
stood among the members." There were usually four
or five such cases to be settled while he was in office
and he believed it was so now. When the men
were tried for murder more than £2OO was paid for
their defence. Seven unions, including those of
Manchester, Liverpool, and Sheffield, subscribed
for the defence of the men who committed the
murder. Such fasts as these speak volumes, and it
would be well if those who would befriend the
working man instead of trying to evade or contra.
diet them would acknowledge the existence of a
terrible and wide-spread evil, and exert themselves
to find a remedy.