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

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add, was, no doubt, like every other form of government,
subject to change in different countries and under different
conditions; but so long as the spirit of moderation, there-
spect for the authority of the judicial bench, and the re-
gard for law and existing institutions continued to be pre-
served as they had hitherto been in our colonial posses-
sions, the result would, he felt confident, be found to be
the same. " Ccelum non animum mutant qui trans mare
currunt." Such a change as that which he meant to indi-
cate was the great proposal for the confederation of our
North American Provinces. It was sometimes urged
sgainst that proposal that it involved a gigantic revolution
of the existing state of things. For his own part, putting
aside all other objections, and looking upon the scheme on
its own merits, he could not concur in that opinion. There
would still subsist the same institutions in many respects,
while the same men would have to work, with the same
bond of union of loyalty to the Sovereign as a matter of
feeling, while in point of practice there would be the same
representative sent out by the Sovereign to rule on her be-
half. It therefore seemed to him that there would, if the
proposed change were to be carried into effect, be very
little departure from the existing principles of constitu-
tional government, while there would be a broader theatre
and a larger body of electors. It must, on the other hand, be
admitted that a federative government such as that in con-
templation was in its very nature a delicate and artificial
arrangement, that it had been at all times the product of
a later civilisation, and that it was suited only to those
States which were so far akin that they could without diffi-
culty be united to one another, while they were also so
dissimilar as to be incapable of being fused into a single
body politic. The change, however, involved not only the
compromise of rights and interests, but that of a small
with a great State. There was, of course, a certain virtue
in a small as well as in a large community. History taught
us that small States had a tendency to develope individual
character, and to raise up a high standard of culture. We
learnt, upon the other hand, that the life of such States
were but short ; that in them the fire of national existence
burnt out rapidly, and that they needed the resources of a
great society to supply them with fuel sufficient to protect
their national existence. The first condition, then, neces-
sary to such a Federal Government as that of which he
was speaking, was, in his opinion, that it should provide
carefully for the relations which must subsist between the
parts and the whole, and that while on the one hand the
parts—by which he meant the several States—willingly
entered the union, retaining all the powers requisite for
the due discharge of their local functions, the central Go-
vernment ought, on the other hand, to be invested with
ample powers not only to uphold the dignity, but also to
secure ther proper cohesion of the entire body. (Hear.)
Ile had during the last few weeks deemed it to be part of
his duty.to read throughout all, or nearly all, that had been
written on the important question to which he was ad-
dressing himself, and he must as an outsider bear his tes-
timony to the great ability with which the literary war on
the subject had been conducted on all sides. Tho objec-
tions urged in the controversy might bo divided into two
classes, and to all those objections which went to the struc-
ture of the proposed confederation, and which suggested
real and practical difficulties in the working of it, he was
bound to lend a ready ear. When, also, it was alleged that
there was a disinclination on the part of a portion of the
population of British North America to enter into the
proposed union, the allegation was one which he thought
ought to be measured with the aid of all the lights which .
he could command. But there was another and
a different class of objections on which he must frankly
say, with all the respect for the ability with which they
were urged, he looked with a very different eye. When,
for instance, he heard it said that the whole of the great
scheme of confederation to which he was adverting was to
be attributed to the lust of territory on the part of a single
State—to the overweening desire of Canada to exercise a
mastery over her neighbours—he celfid not, he must con-
fess, accept the assertion as correct. (Cheers.) Again
when he was told that there was no advantage to be reaped
from the intimate consolidstion of existing interests either
in a commercial, a political, or a social point of view, from
the superseding of various systems of jurisprudence and
legislation by weans of ono or nearly one system, or from
the throwing open the industry, the schools, and profes-
sions of the different provinces by applying the resources
of ono of them for the advantage of another, he must at
once frankly admit that he could not follow such a lino of
argument, nor could he see the smallest ground by which
such a proposition—and it was no more than a proposition
—could be suppoited. (Cheers.) He had, he thought,
said sufficient on that portion of the American difficulties
referred to by the chairman which came immediately
within the cognizance of the department over which he
had the honour to preside. The other portion belonged,
happily, to the Foreign, and not to the Colonial-office.
There was sufficient labour connected with the administra-
tion of the affairs of some 50 colonies, not to mention a re-
cent addition to the number in the shape of the Strait
settlement, to lead him to wish for no increase to the bur-
den. He would simply say in conclusion, that the whole
question of the Confederation of the North American Pro-
vinces was under the consideration of the Government, and
that whatever measures in their opinion would tend to
make these provisions at once more competent and more
powerful would secure not only their warmest sympathy, -
but their most zealous support. (Cheers.)
Sir J. PAxmazoN also spoke briefly in reply to the toast,
observing that it had been his good fortune when at the
Colonial-office to lay the foundation of that system of free-
dom in the case of our colonies which had been productive
of such satisfactory results, and that he would be happy
to lend all the aid in his power to hisnoble friend near him
in carrying oat a similar policy towards those great depen-
dencies, which constituted our glory and pride.
The CHAIRMAN next gave " The Health of the Delegates
from the British North American Provinces."
Mr. MACDONALD returned thanks, as the "presentative
of Canada, remarking that, after the speech of the noble
lord the Secretary for the Colonies, but little remained for
him to say on the subject which had brought him to this
country. The Canadians, he added, were warmly attached
to England, and they felt that the proposed union of the
provinces would, instead of being a source of weakness,
tend greatly to strengthen the empire. Ile might further
state that when, in 18G4, delegates from all the North
American provinces met at Quebec, the first resolution
they passed, after that declaring the proposed union to be
expedient, was ono to the effect that the supreme executive
authority over those provinces should ever continue to be
vested in Queen Victoria, her heirs, and successors. That
resolution was carried amid cheers which almost frightened
out of its propriety the ancient metropolis of Canada.

. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. ARCHIBALD returned thanks on behalf of Nova
Scotia, and Mr. FISHER for Now Brunswick.
Lieutenant Colonel CUMBERLAND and Vice-Admiral Sir
' R. MUNDY returned thanks for the army and navy.
The CHAIRMAN then gave " The Health of the Lord
6 Mayor," who, having duly responded to the toast, gave
that of " The Rouse of Lords," to which Lord WHAM-.
CLIFFE replied.
Mr. ROEBUCK, in returning thanks for " The House of
Commons," said that it was, in his opinion, an assembly
which not only represented the people of England, but re-
presented them well, and that any attempt at what was
called reforming it would not improve it, although it
might make it more acceptable to the people of this coun-
try. The House of Commons had of late been made the
object of much clamour, but in what one instance, ho would
ask, had it failed to do its duty ? That was a challenge
which he fearlessly threw out, confident that it could not
be answered. Those who made the charge against the
Rouse of Commons of neglect of duty know that it could
not be sustained, and the real truth was that all the clamour
which was now raised against it was got up for private
ends. (Cheers.) Adverting in the next place to our colo-
nies, the hon. and learned gentleman pointed out that
England had given those great dependencies our language
and institutions, and that all she demanded in return was
that they should furnish advantageous markets for her
commodities—a privilege which Canada had by her tariff
arrangements done her best to neutralise.

Among the other toasts given were " The distinguished
Guests present," for which Lord BURY returned thanks.
The company separated shortly after 11 o'clock.

FATAL COLLISION ON TILE TuAmES.—The ad-
journed inquiry into circumstances connected with
the collision between the General Steam Navigation Com-
pany's steam packet Velocity, on her passage up the river
from Calais, and the barque Mary, bound for Tobago, was
held before the borough coroner at Gravesend yesterday.
The collision occurred off Coalhouse Point, on the 19th of
December last, when John Alfred Squire, aged 14, sus-
tained injuries which resulted in his death a few hours
afterwards in the Gravesend Infirmary. The jury, having
heard the remainder of the evidence, returned the follow-
ing verdict :—" We find that the boy John Alfred Squire
was accidentally killed by a collision on the river Thames,
between the steamer Velocity and the barque Mary, caused
by an error in judgment on the part of the captain of the
steamer, which we consider highly censurable."
THE LATEISNOWSTORM. —ln North and East Lan-
cashire railway traffic was impeded for hours. A
goods train proceeding from Carlisle to Preston was stopped
at Brock by the snow, which was several feet thick. The
snow threw six waggons off the rails, and for hours groat
confusion prevailed. Many trains were detained in the rear
for miles, and the mail for London was thrown five hours
late through the stoppage at Brock. The railway between
Lythamin
many and
places;Kir kthhaempawsassenger completelytraia wbhloiccki.iedshuoputyi shna.oz
dsrdrineodt flreoamvethe untilformer aiter place
and half-pastwa 8821 no;cmkobrenflonrge

- • -
it got to Preston. The high wind which prevailed during
the snowstorm blew a waggon laden with merchandise out
of a siding at the Preston station ; it ran some distance
upon the main line, until at length the wheels got blocked
up with the snow, and it was thrown off the metals
against the siie of an ornamental stone bridge, which it
smashed considerably. The East Lancashire Railway, at
floghten, was blocked up with snow, and some of the
trains were detained for au hour or two. The Longridge
Railway was impassable for seven hours on Sunday. In
some parts the snow was sft. deep, and it took twenty men
nearly the whole day to completely clear the rails.

LIFEBOAT SERVI CES.—During the storms
of the past year (1586) the National Lifebsat In-
stitution, by its lifeboats and other means, contributed to
the saving of 913 persons from different wrecks on our
coasts. The Institurion also expended 131,430 in the same
period on its lifeboat establishments, in addition to granting
£2,173 as rewards.
The Committee of the Institution earnestly A ?PEAL to
the public for ASSISTANCE to enable them to meet the
continued heavy demands on the 172 lifeboat Stations of the
Institution.
•

----------
Contributions are received by the London and country
bankers ; and by the Secretary, Richard Lewis, Esq., at the
Institution, 14, John-street, Adelphi, London.

mHEATRE ROYAL DRURY-LANE.
Sae Lessee and Manager, Mr. F. B. Chatterton.
THIS EVENING, A DAY AFTER THE WEDDING

To catenate w th the Pantomime NUMBER. Nll' ; or
II trleiptin ant the Cuomo-King of the Gant M .untain.
N eschtmeS Lydia Thoiniison. flu.ispeth, tiodenbam. Seymour,
ard i4nd 11. Vaudenholf ; bles3r,i. Tom Ma thews,
liar-by, Clifton, flobitv, Se) ton, and Master Percy Rotielie ;
!=i es -irs. stolen iavit le, I. -tuft Cormaelt, Barnes, and Ildrris
ihdnale Baleao and Halle. M %don.
Commence at Stven.

itHEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET,
Sole Lessee and SI ana,(er, Mr. Buckstone,
THIS EVENIN,/, A MERE CHILD. Messrs. Howe,
Gordon, White, &e. ; 3lesdamt. s Chippendale, Fitzwillitm,
Law , Powell, &c.
Alter which, A LESSON FOR LIFE. Messrs. Eothern,
Chippendale, Compton, Howe, liendal, Cordell, Rogers,
Braid, Clarke,Yincent, dcc. ; Mesdames Chippendale, Moore,
Wright, &c.
Followed by JENNY LIND AT LAST. Miss lone
Burke ; Mr. W. Farren, &c.
To conclude with a GRAND BALLET DIVERTISSE-
MENT. Mdlle. Sophia.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

ring DAY.—Morning, 4h. 38m.—Afternoon, 4h. 55m.
0-31oRRow.-Morning, sh. 11m.—Afternoon, sh. 34m.

-t 3
tt
ikdienit

LONDON, THURSDAY, JAN. 10, 1867.

Lord DERBY may certainly claim the credit of
having been the first to put forward the grievances

of the poorer classes and to assert their claims to

redress in the matter of the evictions for railways
and public 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

'orth 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

:hese 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 hare 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 merits of this measure, but
Mr. TORRENS 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
aid, and thus we find Mr. CRUIKSIIANK 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 desitous 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. lie 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 todeal 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
I 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 JOIINSON. The House has
ordered a Committee to report ou the FRESI-