The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-18 00:00:00

thoroughly reckless their actions, that the greatest
caution may not always avail to guard against them.
The best way will be for all to be on the alert,
and not to allow an opportunity to pass
without giving timely notice to the authorities, or
adopting such precautions as may avail through the
agency of private means. There is nothing so dan-
gerous as a body of men conspiring together with-
out regard to consequences, however cruel they may
be, and it will not do for those exposed to such out-
breaks to be deficient in acuteness or behind hand in
watchfulness. In all probability the failure just
experienced by the Fenian conspirators may
serve as some check to their future de-
signs ; but there is no relying upon their
judgment, and the safety of the community as well
as the preservation of the law render it incumbent
on the authorities not to do so. As at present ar-
ranged there can be no fault found with those in-
terested with the preservation of order in the
metropolis; and, indeed, we should say on the con-
trary, that they deserve great credit for the pains
they have taken to circumvent the designs .of
the miscreants. Besides this, however, Mr.
HARDY has resolved upon a very wise step,
and has intimated to the Common Sergeant at
the Old Bailey that it is desirable for
special constables to be sworn in, and thus the gene-
ral public will be called upon to aid in the protection
of property. What has mainly led to this decisive
plan being adopted is the danger that threatens the
metropolis from incendiarism. It is now no secret
that the Fenians, who care nothing for being
cowards, are anxious to wreak their vengeance by
the agency of the vilest means, and setting fire to
places is a resort that affords opportunities for the
worse-disposed parties.

This is a very wise resolve on the part of the au-,
thorities‘ , and we hope it will be carried out to the
fullest extent, so that in a comparatively short space
of time an end may be put to these vexatious dis-
turbances. Those who remember the Chartist riots
in 1848 will not need to be told of the efficiency of
the special constables of that day ; and why should
not the adoption of the same means prove equally
successful in the present emergency ? Caro and
vigilance are now required as much as activity
and promptitude were then called for, and
no doubt the same result will crown the
second effort. One thing must be certain, that
sympathy with Fenianisni has received its death-
blow, for those who would now afford it the aid
and encouragement of their sentimental fancies
would be publicly approving of murder in the most
dastardly style, and of acts of atrocity which may
make the coldest feel and the most hardened
shudder. The present is the time for those who
have been misled by the extravagant pretensions of
these men to draw back from them and their
machinations, and in so doing they will show
their sense and spirit. The only way to deal with
this mischievous although most contemptible con-
spiracy will be to adopt the most firm and decisive
measures. The sooner it is crushed out completely
the better even for the revolution plotters them-
selves. They walk in darkness to compass their
ends ; they destroy in the noonday to effect their
purposes. To meet them on equal grounds inces-
sant watchfulness and untiring energy must be
employed. There can be no doubt as to
the result if we take the right way to meet the
evil, and to attain that desirable end must be the
first wish of all respectable members of the com-
munity. One thing suggests itself to the mind in
dwelling upon these details, and that is the desira-
bility of more caution being observed in the pur-
chase of inflammable liquid and other deadly mate-
rials. Through some means or other the Feuians seem
to have got hold of these in large quantities, and
at any rate it w..uld be well to put some check
upon their obtaining snore. It' we had to deal with
disaffected parties of an ordinary character all
those precautions would be needless, and might be
unadvisable on the :,.:ore of appearing too much
alarmed, or attaching too much importance to the
case ; but Fenianism is no ordinary thing, and to
overcome an evil we must duly measure its extent,
and gauge its capacity. The strength of the present
conspiracy consists in its vileness, no ravages are too
deadly, no devices too mean, and no efforts too ab-
horrent for its agents to employ. Shutting one's
eyes to the real meaning of an adversary will never
answer the purpose of those who mean to overcome
him ; and therefore the only effectual way of rid-
ding our streets of this intolerable nuisance,
and protecting lives and property from its
machinations, will be to rouso ourselves,
and in the full conviction of its cowardly
design and despicable results to put a stop to it in
the most decisive way possible. With care and
caution it is not too much to hope that the tragedy
of last Friday may not be repeated ; but to gain the
desired end it must be absolutely necessary to use
due vigilance, and exert all the ingenuity puss ible
We have had a warning that must not be neglected.
and it is not likely that we should need a second