The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-20 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

DAY.—Morning,, 3h. 30m.—Afternoon, 4h. 6m
.1.)-11mutow.-11.orning, 4h. 24ru.—Afternoon, 4h. 40m

zit
,L_OV_;_, •
' • '
SUIT
-)

LONDON, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1867.

yesterday
The house of Commons was engaged
afternoon in the discussion of a difficult question,
about which a good deal might might be said cn
either side ; bat finally they decided wisely, for it
was on the right side. It is always an unwise thing
to Make a comprehensive clump without due con-

sideration, and without attentively studyi, 1g the
consequences of such an undertaking. Lord. AM-
BERLEY proposed the second reading of the Sunday
Lectures Bill, the object of which was to lef :aliEe
Sunday lectures. For this purpose he propose d to
repeal so much of the existing statute as mains it
contrary to law to open any place of public umugi
ment or for debate on Sunday it money
is charged at the door. Mr. KINNAIRD,
in moving the rejection of the bill, showed
the danger of it by declaring that if
carried the bill might lead to the opening of
theatres and other such places ; and, besides,
lectures can now be given legally if no charge is
made. Mr. HARDT said that while ha admitted
the probability of these lectures being not only
harmless, but profitable, if this bill passed it
would open the doors of infidel lecture-halls, and
explained that it would be a mischievous thing to
sanction, many being taken for this purpoze. The
money test of the Act, which was now sought to be
repealed, has hitherto acted as a check in the right
direction, and it would be unwise to change the
present plan.
Mr. BRIGHT'S speech was very moderate, and
he did not urge the point strongly, but
wished the House to take it into considera-
tion. He made some impressive remarks upon
the necessity that existed for the observance of
Sunday, quoting the expressive lines of the poet on
the subject, who said—

" The weeks wero dark without thy light,
Thy torch to point the way."
He wished the subject to be inquirel into by
a fair tribunal, in order to settle the points . at
issue. Lord AMBERLEY refused to withdraw the
bill, and the amendment was carried without a
division, and the bill was therefore lost. Under
the circumstances this was the best thing to be
done ; but Sir G. GREY'S advice, if followed, would
have disposed of the matter more satisfactorily. He
desired that a select committee should be proposed
next session to consider how the law could be put
upon a more satisfactory footing without affirming
the principle of this bill, which was an unpopular
one in the House.

Ireland and the Irish have certainly not appeared
to advantage during the past and present years, and
those who pretend to be its best friends seem deter:
mined to show how unwise they can be. The course
which some of the representatives of Ireland have
followed is a most unwise one, and also a most dis-
creditable one, Yesterday a meeting of the Irish
Liberal members was held, at which they consi-
dered what steps to take in consequence of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer's announcing that there
will be no Irish Reform Bill this session. No doubt that
announcement was a disappointment, but really it
ought not to have been a surprise to them under
the circumstances of the case, and we expect that
few were prepared for the determination arrived at.
It was resolved, after a long discussion had taken
place, that Mr. CHICHESTER FORTESCUE should
give notice of an amendment to the effect that
the English Reform Bill be not read the
third time until the Government had con-
sented to introduce a Reform Bill for Ireland.
A more mischievous proposal can hardly be ima-
gined than this, or one which reflects greater
discredit upon its promoters, and nothing can
possibly excuse those who plan it with the
intent of putting their idea into execution. These
indignant patriots, as they style themselves, are
showing what mock Reformers they are at heart,
and instead of vindicating their country from re-
proval they only demonstrate more fully the neces-
sity that existed for the determination come to by
the Ministers. The present state of Ireland is
most unsatisfactory, and it is quite idle to assert
that it would be advisable to have the discussion on
the Irish Reform Bill taken this Session. It would
only complicate matters still more, and render the
task of settling the Irish question further and still
more difficult and uncertain.

If these infatuated individuals persevere
in their cause, and persist in showing
how illiberal soi - disant Liberals can make
themselves, it will remain for the House to
show their sense of the scheme by indignantly re-
jecting it at once. It will be the best service to
render the promulgators themselves, because no
defeat can possibly be so disastrous to them as suc-
cess must prove. The country will not tolerate any
attempt to interfere with the progress of the
Reform Bill now that it has made such
way, and has commanded so much respect
and attention from all parties, and from
men of various shades of opinion. Without
at all supposing the probability of this factious at-
tempt succeeding, it is just as well to caution hon.
members to be on the alert, and resist the unworthy
manoeuvres from the outset ; and still more is it
desirable to urge those misguided parties who are in
favour of it to stop while it is yet time, and not do
themselves such injury in public opinion, and bring
discredit on the country they profess to sesve and
the cause which they declare their readiness to pro-
mote.

As the labours of the Sheffield Trades' Union go
on, the evidence which they extract from the re-
luctant witnesses tends more and more to confirm
the unfavourable impression already formed of the
working of these societies. The proceedings of the
eighth day were chiefly directed to endeavouring to
elicit the truth respecting the affair of SHAW and
HELLEWELL. The difficulty of obtaining evidence
is in many cases great. The witness are seized with
sudden shortness of memory and most convenient
ignorance. Thus UENnY GARFIL, a saw grinder,
who was formerly a member of the committee
of his trade, and was present when SIJAW and
BROADHEAD signed a compact and put his name on
it, could not tell what it was all about, and did not
know what the committee did. "He did not
know" was the continual reply, varied a little,
when Mr. OVEREND asked him what he was to do
on the committee, and he answered, " Sit still, as
many others do." On a little further questioning,
he admitted that part of the business was con-
ducted upstairs and sometimes down. What
they did upstairs he did not know, downstairs
they " supped ale." This is a convenient way of
getting rid of an inconvenient number of commit-
tee men, but it is not the way in which business is
supposed to be generally conducted. If we are to
believe this witness, although chosen as a committee
man, he cannot read and can scarcely write, so that
we can only suppose that ignorance is a recommen-
dation, and that the few leading spirits of such as-
sociations prefer to have " dummies" to make up
the necessary number of committee men, so that
their own power and authority may be un-
limited. The system of terrorism which is
kept up through these trades over masters and
men alike is something surprising, and, as
is usually the case, the powers that be contrive to
extort substantial evidence of the submission of their
adherents. The rate paid by members of some of
these unions is actually half-a-crown in the pound !
No wonder our working men find it difficult to
keep their families in winter time, and are always
clamouring for higher wages ! A man who earned
£6 was told to pay 15s. out of it, and if any one
fails in this extortionate contribution he is speedily