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

THE SUN, LONDON, SATCROAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 2, 1867

we must hope that it will find time for the discussion
of this matter, because the necessity is a pressing
one, and the mischief, as we have said, once done
cannot be undone. Let the Government inquire
into the matter and suggest, if they can, some prac-
tical remedy. The right of the lords of the manor must
be clearly defined, and arrangements made for buying
them out on fair and equitable terms. It will not
do for lords of the manor to assume the rights of
freeholders, and put fancy prices on the land which
they claim. Matters of private interest are not
settled in this way. Why then should an affair
which so closely affects the health and well-being
of our over-crowded population be disposed of by
the parties most closely concerned?

It seems as if a good understanding could never
be come to by the Prussians. No matter what is
' undertaken, there is always some Power at work to
undermine it, or some evil influence to cast its malig-
nant spell on the proceedings of the authorities. Thus
the Upper House rejects what the Lower House
sanctions, and so on to the end of the chapter. We
cannot deny, however, that in the last exercise of
their authority the Upper House has done wisely
and well. They have rejected the Bill passed
by the Lower House for affording remuneration
to the members of the North German Parliament.
This is a very sensible decision, because the
system is a false one, and cannot fail to produce
evil results if it be put into practice. The sort of
men who would thus be got together would not be
likely to resist the encroachments of the Berlin Go-
vernment, or to carry on successfully the great
work of German unity and national renovation.
We hope that this absurd and inconvenient idea is
now done for, and that the scheme will be aban-
doned at once and for ever. We have very little
confidence in the future of this much-boasted Par-
liament for North Germany at the best ; but it will
be giving it no chance at all if it is to be formed
on such a foundation. They must see who propose
the ♦ast undertaking that it will be difficult at the
best to unite so many different interests together,
and it seems strange indeed that any one should be
so infatuated as to propose such a thing as paying
members. We have had enough in all conscience of
such doings in America, and yet we see that there
are politicians infatuated enough to seek to try
the experiment at a critical juncture, and under cir-
cumstances which call for all the measures that pru-
dence can foresee, or that experience can carry out.

It would really seem as if we were never to have
the last of Mr. BRIGHT, what with one thing and
the other. He is always undertaking to effect
something wonderful, or to draw some significant
conclusions from passing events or contemporaneous
speeches. Last night at Manchester a meeting
was held in the Free-trade Hall, for the purpose of
hearing THE O'DoNoGHUE discourse upon the im-
portance of a union between English and Irish Re-
formers, Mr. BRIGHT occupying the chair on
the auspicious occasion. In introducing the
business of the evening to the assembly
Mr. BRIGHT declared that he was un-
accustomed to take the chair at great
popular meetings, but yet he felt confidence in his
undertaking, and the satisfaction he experienced
was partly drawn from a remarkable source, namely,
that it was his province there to listen and not to
speak. In pursuing his task, the chairman went on
to say that THE O'DONOGHUE was a worthy suc-
cessor to GRATTAN and O'CONNELL, and they were
the only ones that had done anything great " to
deliver Ireland from the injustice that has marked
the rule of England." In commenting upon his
recent visit to Ireland Mr. BRIGHT spoke
with his usual want of caution and ab-
sence of moderation. He did not blame
those men who were opposed to England, although
he knew that there was a very considerable party
hostiie to England and the English; and the reason
why he did not accuse them was, that " he thought
in his conscience that nothing could be more justi-
fiable in Ireland than a dislike for what Ireland has
seen for a long period of the legislation of the Im-
perial Parliament in regard to the great and perma-
nent interests of the country." We suppose that if
his present orations as an English agitator fail
him, Mr. BRIGHT will cross the Channel
and bid for the office of a Head Centre
of Fenianism, or something of the sort.
He does not agree with the man who thought to
cure the ills of Ireland by putting it under water
for a fortnight ; but he would like to float it 2,000
mofiltehsetgoretahteuwoeisttewdasr, tadteasnd of tAommeraikeae it a
but
u t portion
ttihoina
is not possible he passes on to consider things as
they are.

First of all we learn that the Tory party, although
a minority, is yet a very powerful minority in the
House of Commons. The aspect of affairs is in-

deed hopeless, because if by ;stretch of imagina-
tion we could believe that there are in this Go-
vernment " intelligent and capable men," yet
if they sought to put their plans into execution they
could not carry them out. The reason would be
the fault of their followers. " The party is a blind
party and a perverse party ; its principles are formed
upon a disregard of equality and justice, and I hope
that before long, as a party governing this country,
that as its rise to power during the last year was
built up upon tactics the most base, so its fall will
be as rapid and as ignominious as to correspond
with its rise." Mr. BRIGHT'S hope of improving
the condition of Ireland is about as impos-
sible as the idea of some enthusiasts that
it might be floated off across the broad Atlantic to
join the republic of the Western World. If he were
Minister of this country he would do wonders, and
would let every political prisoner free. After this

extravagant tirade against the injustice of England
and the wrongs of Ireland had been delivered by
the chairman, an address was presented to THE
O'DONOGHUE, who declared that he " regarded the
meeting as one of peculiar and even momentous
significance." He then went on to argue that
only the Irish could understand their own griev-
ances. The hon. member then proceeded to ex-
plain the rise and origin of Fenianism in most
glowing language. Sympathy has always existed
between the Irish and the Americans ; but, owing
to improved facility of communication of late, it
has taken a political shape, and hence the " grow-
ing strength of those who, from despairing bands
of flying and crouching emigrants, have gradually
swelled into a great nation, confident in their might
and almost frantic with the spirit of retalia-
tion." Really, w hen we think of the doings in
New York just now, and the confession of
STEPHENS'S Wing, and his former friends de-
nouncing him at every meeting, we think that the
word almost might have been omitted in this
grandiloquent description, or quite frantic substi-
tuted for it.

We are, however, in more danger than we ap-
prehended, and those who have been foolishly re-
joicing in the present quiet aspect of things must

now learn their mistake, for TIIE OTONOGIIUE de-
clares that nothing will put a stop to the combina-

tion unless a " voise goes across the Atlantic to
announce that a new era has begun, of equal laws
and of equal justice, and that the past must be for-

gotten." It is a matter of regret that any one in an

influential position should use such language, and