The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-17 00:00:00

11.•■•
Does the old maxim as to them belong to what
Lord Denman once called, " That very extensive
branch of the law—law taken for granted." Such,
indeed, now seems to be the case. Some doubt
may exist as to the effect of a statute of Henry
VIII. confirming the laws ecclesiastical then in
use; but, speaking generally, the judges in the
present case of " Marshall v. the Bishop of
Exeter," repudiate the opinion that the canons bind
the clergy in the sense in which Acts of Parliament
do subjects of the Queen generally ; and they inti-
mate that probably their scope would be bounded
by the visitorial power of the Crown.
Now, as it is the essence of the power of a
visitor to enforce existing laws, and not to legis-
late, it follows that no truly legislative authority
can. be admitted to exist in the Church, even over
the clergy. Such jurisdiction will be simply in
conscience or voluntary. One singular result of
this; principle would seem to follow. The Parlia-
mc:ntary obligation to subscribe the articles of
religion, imposed on the Anglican clergy generally
by the 13th Elizabeth, is confined to such
articles as touch the faith, and, consequently,
does not include the greater part of the Articles,
and. some of the most anti-Catholic ones. If,
then, the canonical obligation, imposed upon the
clergy in 1603, alone is insufficient, the Judicial
Committee of the Privy Council would not enforce
the observance of them, and the Anglican clergy
generally would find themselves freed from another
of the shackles that were of old believed to restrain
them.— Westminster Gazette.

Miscellaneous Foreign News.

There appears to have been a dispute between
General Grant and Mr. Johnson on the removal of
the district commanders. By the recent Act of Con-
gress the power of superseding these officers was
taken from the President. In his veto message of
July 19 Mr. Johnson strongly urged the impolicy
of depriving him of his constitutional powers in such
matters, declaring that it would lead to official in-
subordination. He then wrote :—" It is to be feared
that these military officers, looking to the authority
given by these laws, rather than to the letter of the
Constitution, will recognise no authority but the
commander of the district and the general of the
army." It was because he thus interpreted the
law that General Grant held in abeyance
the President's orders for the removals, and
protested against the course taken by the President,
maintaining that he alone, under the Reconstruc-
tion Act, had power to remove the district com-
manders. A long interview with the President
seems to have had an influence on the General, in.
ducing him to give way. Grant wrote strongly
urging the President not to persist in carrying out
the order. This letter was published and gave satis-
faction to the country, though the General's argu-
ments did not prevail. The New York Herald
says :—." General Grant has requested to be relieved
of participation in the Cabinet Councils, except
when military matters are considered, on the
grounds that it is improper for a military officer to
participate officially in
political discussions."
After the splendid reception of Admiral Farragut
at Cronstadt, the United States squadron proceeded
to Stockholm, where they were treated with great
distinction by the Ring of Sweden. His Majesty,
as well as the Minister of Marine, and the Russian
Envoy, entertained the officers of the fleet at dinner
during their stay in Stockholm. The squadron has
left for Copenhagen.
It was anticipated when the Scotia left New York
on the 4th inst. that President Johnson would
shortly issue a Proclamation, largely extending the
amnesty to the Southern rebels. The subject had
been discussed at a Cabinet meeting held on the 3d
inst. The cable had, however, telegraphed the
news from New York on the morning of the 9th
September that the Proclamation had been issued
granting a general amnesty, excepting only high
rebel officials and persons implicated in the assassina-
tion of President Lincoln, or who maltreated
Federal prisoners during the war.
The concluding words of the telegraph message
nee—Gold, 143.
under the head
Twoabove d aa lyl
su dl
ae dt e
Septhad u 1 et hh s6i g
pn
refi c a.
of commercial intelligence at New York, gold was
quoted at 1451, and yesterday at 146. It
is well known that the specie export from
New York had almost ceased, while the
returns from California and the other mining
States gave promise of a large increase. Indeed,
the single item of intelligence that the steamer
Guidon, from Fort Benton, Montana, on the 10th
iNthew York is becoming
$500,000 in treasure,
the receptacle of many channels through which the
is
se
g. ,
ohi afide
aaor rt iovfedt
haet
factO m athhaawt
precious metals find their way. As we cannot, there-
fore, account for the rise by an increased demand, it
is evident that the action of the President
has had this unfavourable influenceon the market.
Mr. Johnson seems to have set discretion aside, and
given way to the strong feelings of hostility which
the proceedings of Congress have tended so much
to intensify. General Grant has endeavoured, on
the one hand, to check the headlong career of the
President, and on the other to soothe down the
rising wrath of the nation. But Mr. Johnson's
unruly temper is too strong for Grant's opposition,
and it cannot be denied that affairs in the United
States are assuming a serious aspect, of which the
rise in the price of gold is a sure index.

The removal of General Sickles has been followed
by an important proclamation of the President.
In this he declares that the Constitution having
madeav him
a solemn oath to pre-
serve and defend the Constitution, which vests the
national judicial power in the Supreme Court and
subordinate Courts ; and whereas impediments have
recently been imposed in North
eroaibdably be attempted
anedoSuortsut,haCndarwolhiincah,
obstructing
whPerefore, warns all civil
a elsewhere,
adunlawfulmilitary
tr
hto
oh:
:nee
President,ecdeirn3 action
g tos of
y willte hlt
yield
obedience to the laws,
and to assist and sustain the National Courts in
Powers. The Acting
furnished an
justifying the removal of General
Attorney-General,
exercising
p.
iGtnhei
oeniner
ra Constitutionalm
r.
Bra k e y
Sickles by President Johnson, on the grounds that
General Sickles had been guilty of military insubor-
dination, and had contracted the powers of the
judiciary by forcibly preventing the execution of
civil processes in the National Circuit Courts of
North Carolina.

informed the U.S. Treasury department that he would
The Hon. D. A. Wells,- before
soon return prepared. with a new and improved
leaving England,
system of taxation, internal and external, which
will carry out the
main principles he advocated
in his finance report
(but which Congress did
not endorse), to obtain a sufficient revenue for the
necessary wants of the Government, including in-
terest on the public debt, in a manner the least bur-
densome and the most just and impartial in relation
to the various industries of the countries. One great
feature of the new system will bo the reduction of
a number of articles selected for taxation either by
the tariff or by excise.
To the last General
Sheridan carried out his re-
moval policy. P. G. Mohan, City Comptroller, was
dismissed on charges of disloyalty, and D. P. Man-
del appointed in his stead ; the Attorney-General of
Texas has also being removed. General Grant has
ordered that no officer removed by order of a dis-
trict commander be re-appointed by his successor,
without express authority. General Pope has tem-
porarily suspended the commencement of the exer-
cises at the Augusta (Georgia) University, on
account of a disloyal speech made by one of the
students.

The registration returns from the South indicate
the inevitable ascendancy of negro rule. Here-
after they are to form one-half of all Southern
juries, they now hold and aspire to hold all kinds
of offices, and in skilful hands they are organising
so as to make the best use of their strength.
In many parts negro candidates are put for-
ward for Congress. Nor do they rely alone on
a political supremacy, for it is now a known fact
that in some States they have armed in secret
societies ; and the last news informs us of a report
that the negroes in Northern Texas have left work
and gone into camp, where they are arming, and
threaten to administer the local laws themselves. In
Virginia formidable bands of blacks have been dis-