The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-28 00:00:00

Mr. M'Cracken's Letter,

The letter of Mr. GEORGE M'CRACKEN is not such
an astonishing act of audacity as is the almost incredi-
ble act of folly of a Cabinet Minister in acting on such
a document. Mr. SEWARD, in taking up such an
epistle, must have had some private turn of his own
to serve, and one so strong as to overcome all the
dictates of common sense, as well as common polite-
ness and etiquette. The story of Mr. GEORGE
M'CRACKEN is told in a few words. This young

man, barely 24 years of age, and described by
Senator SUMNER as a person utterly obscure, took
it into his head to travel through Europe, and dur-
ing that time made it his special business to visit his
country's Ministers and Consuls to see how the
Government was represented. After having visited
them all, he came to the conclusion that his coun-
try was greatly misrepresented, and, as a patriot,
he considered it his duty to inform the Secretary of
State of matters as he saw them. On reaching Paris
he drew up a report on the different Plenipoten-
tiaries, and Envoys Extraordinary, Consuls-General,
Consuls, and Vice-Consuls, for the information of

the President. lie gives the freest opinions of some
of the most celebrated of his countrymen, and cor-
roborates those opinions by detailing private con-
versations. The Minister at Vienna applauds
CHARLES SUMNER, and proclaims that an English
noblemen is the model of human perfection. He is
therefore " a thorough flunkey." The Consul-
General at Frankfort is vulgar, ignorant, and un-
worthy—one of CHANDLER'S tools, an advocate of
impeachment, and a blatant Radical. The Minister
at 'Madrid Condemns Mr. JOHNSON'S course in a
malignant manner. The Consul at Constantinople
and at Tangier are in the same boat, while he at
Genoa is a common drunkard. It is scarcely
credible that a ruler in his senses could have
consigned such a letter to any place but the fire.
The idea is monstrous that gentlemen engaged in
difficult diplomatic missions should be subjected to
the impertinent intrusion of such an inexperienced
' • -

youngster, and their very kindness in receiving
him and discussing with him questions of interest
made the subject of report to their own Govern-
ment: This is, however, for the good taste
and feeling of the person thus received. The extra-
ordinary part of the story is the action taken
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by the President a'nd the Secretary for Foreign
Affairs on such a report. Has Mr. SEWARD lost all
the keen intellect he once possessed, or is he engages
in bringing into the greatest possible disrepute the Go-
vernment of Mr. JOHNSON? How would the Queen
and Lord STANLEY treat the letter of an English youth
ho made it his business to look up the English Ambas-
sadors, and then wrote actionable libels against the
characters of some of the most distinguished Eng-
lishmen engaged in the diplomatic service of their
country ? Republics are said to be proverbially
ungrateful to public servants, but if such a system
as this were tolerated the public service of the
United States would become one of danger and of
overwhelming difficulty. The house of a Foreign
Minister would be barred against his countrymen,
and his lips sealed. This young gentleman brings

it as a charge that the majority of the Foreig❑ mis-
sions are held by Massachusetts Puritans!

COUNTRY MARKETS.

GAINSBOROUGH-TUESDAY.

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Good average show of wheat. Trade rather fiat, at 25
per qr. reduction. The demand for barley is much greater
than the supply, consequently late prices were supported.
Beans fully as dear.

HULL.—TUESDAY.
At our market to-day there was a fair supply of wbeati
both English and foreign, but the business done was vel
small, and holders were compelled to submit to a decline of
about 3s per qr.
English white wheat, 66s to 70s; red, 63s to 66s ; Des
sic and Konigsberg, 67s to 725; Baltic red, 62s to as
Danish and Hamburg, 58s to 60s ; Russian, 55s to sbs•
Barley, English, 36s to 508; grinding, Mediterranean,
34s to 35s 6d. Oats, new English, 26s to 28s • Russian,
2Gs to 275. Beans, old English, 58s to 60s; foreign, 4
to 445. Peas, English blue, 42 to 448 Oct ; foreign wh
413 to 455; grinding, 43s to 44s Od per qr. ite,

SALISBURY.—TUESDAY.
The supply of wheat was not so large as last week'
Buyers required a reduction in price of from is to 2s Per
qr. Barley was all avenge offer, but prime qualities wFra
scarce. Prices of seed went down is per qr. Little doing
in oats.
The following are the quotations :—Wheat realised fro 1
55s to 65s ; barley, 37s to 535; 0at5,.248 to 30s ; beaus, 46
to 58s; and peas, 40s to 52s per qr. Tares, from 4s 6d to
5 6d per bushel ; Best bread, 15d ; household ditto, 141
per 81b loaf. Flour, 45s to 49s per sack.

MONMOUTHSHIRE—TUESDAY.
The markets have been moderately supplied with Most
descriptions of grain, and the attendance has been of 811
average character. Home-grown wheat met with a toler-
ably;
fair sale, and prices ruled pretty firm; foreign also was
in middling request, and somewhat easier to purchase.
The following are the average quotations:—Wheat, r.eu!
Ts 3d to is 6d per bushel ; white, 7s 9d to 8s Od ; inf
6s Od to 6s 6d ; malting barley, 46s to 52s per qr 27°
ing ditto, 31s to 34s Od; beans, 44s to 50s • white oats,
to 28s ; black ditto, 24s 6d to 25s 6d. grina-