The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-22 00:00:00

SNUFF-BROWN AND SCARLET.

A true merchant prince was Andrew Ramsay, and he
and his brethren, the " Tobacco Lords," reigned over
Glasgow.of 1777 with a more than princely rule. For old
mother Clyde had so bestirred herself to give her sons a
fair start in life that many of them had come to be the
chief merchants of this dear little queen island of the seas.
It is said of ono of them that " he traded yearly for above
half a million sterling." It is no great wonder to our poor
human nature that our " Tobacco Lords" were ex-
ceeding proud " should strut, an' stare, an' a' that."
Moreover, they wore scarlet cloaks, cocked hats, and
golden-headed canes, while humbler men wore snuff-
brown coats and continuations, with handsome com-
fortable white woollen stockings to the knee, which
last article must, have got fearfully splashed in our
streets of 1777. When a snuff-brown coat met %scarlet
cloak it drew together about the shoulders and slipped
past, a strange living expression of "by your honour's
leave" in every crease. Sometimes the scarlet cloak
strutted past, the eyes of the wearer having an elevation of
90 degs., or thereby. Sometimes it said, " How d'ye do ?'
superciliously, and sometimes it stood still, to shake hands
and have quite a friendly "crack" in a lordly way. The
snuff-brown coat was only cast down when the scarlet
passed by, only content when it gave however supercilious
a greeting, and only delighted when it shook hands and
had a " crack." Snuff-brown never quarrelled with
scarlet, act as it would. What a strange place Glasgow
must have been a hundred years ago ! And then it had
only. one pavement, the " plainstanes " by name. And a
very flno thing they considered it. It was under the
piazzas, in front of the public offices near the Cross. Here
all the scarlet cloaks paraded, talking over merchandise
and politics, inside of a double row of cannon set on end
like a rustic paling. Outside the cannon passed the
peaceably-disposed " snuff-browns," though I dare say
some more ambitious obtruded themselves on the, " plain-
stanes," and looked hard to get some sign of recognition
from the great men.

Very little does it trouble John M'Farlane on
which side of the road his path may lie. His young
son chafes at his moderation, and urges him to walk
upon "the plainstanes."
His father looked at him and smiled.

" It's never been my way in life, John; to take the crown
o' the causey. Them that would keep it maun fight for it
I slip my ways past in peace. And we save ourselves a
deal of vexation, John, by keeping the place we naturilly fall
into. When our Lord marked how they chose out the
chief rooms at feasts, he said, 'When thou art bidden, go and
sit down in the lowest room, that when he that bade thee
cometb, he may say unto thee, friend, go up higher.
That's not only a lesson in religion, John, it's good world-
wisdom. If they shouldn't say go up higher, they can
scarce say go down lower."

Far less happy in his pride is Andrew Ramsay as
he sits at the head of his princely table, with " a
splendidly got-up footman" taking note of his short-
comings, and " looking sublimely unobservant."
Oh, the misfortune of the man who has made the too
too many thousands that tempt him to keep a finer gentle-,
man than himself standing behind his chair ! While by
wise saws and homely adages he seeks to spur on his lads
that it's "so amazing to see what they are, and to think
how he began ;" while he prides himself innocently on his
bonny lasses that are "so wonderful considering ;" while
he addresses the wife of his bosom—who began
with him so humbly and with him has run so
well—in the kindly Scottish idiom, that fellow, who
has been accustomed to lords and ladies, is sneering at him ;
sneering at him, so he cannot raise his eyes while he stands
in front of him ; sneering at him, so he feels it all down
his spinal marrow while he stands behind him ! But a
free-born man will kick alittle under such slavery. Andrew
Ramsay, without looking up, gruffly desired John to see
that his cloak was better brushed than yesterday, and to
fetch a different pair of shoes from that, and then he felt
somewhat appeased for his superiority.
Isobel Ramsay, warm - hearted, simple - minded
" Bell ;" Janet M'Farlane, with her girlish devo-
tion to romance, who lets the supper burn while she
is poring over " Evelina," but who ultimately sub-
sides into the most matter-of-fact and credit-
able of matrons, are more interesting, be-
cause more true to life, than the dreamy,
disconsolate Elison, with her mournful love andher
musical lamentations. Some of these last, however,
are very sweet and tender. The real heroine of
the book is Violet M'Farlane, " Mrs. Vi," the
charming coquette of the first volume, who delights
the eyes but grieves the hearts of those who love her,
and the noble-hearted heroine of the last volume,
who, in a spirit worthy of her father's daughter,
bears her self-imposed cross with patience and reso-
lution, and works good to herself and others out of
apparently overwhelming evil. Other very capital
characters we must leave unmentioned ; we have
said enough to demonstrate the nature of this very
charming and attractive tale.

President Johnson cn Fenianism.

The following is the President's proclamation :

" Whereas it has become known to me that certain evil-
disposed persons have within the territory and jurisdiction
of the United States begun and set on foot, and have pro-
vided and prepared, and are still engaged in providing and
preparing, means for a military enterprise and expedition
to be carried on from the territory of the United States
against the colonies, districts, and people of British North
America within the dominions of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, with which said colonies, dis-
tricts, kingdom, and people the United States are at peace :
And whereas the proceedings aforesaid constitute a high
misdemeanour, forbidden by the laws of the United States,
as will as by the laws of nations : Now, therefore, for the
purpose of preventing the carrying on of the unlawful
enterprise and expedition aforesaid from the territory of
the United States, and to maintain the public peace, as
well as the national honour, and enforce obedience
and respect to the laws of the United States, I,
Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, do
admonish and warn all good citizens of the United States
against taking part, or iu any way aiding, abetting, or
countenancing said unlawful proceedings ; and I do exhort
all judges, magistrates, marshals, and officers in the service
of the United States to employ all their lawful authority
and power to prevent and defeat the aforesaid unlawful
proceedings, and to arrest and bring to justice all persons
who may be engaged therein. And in pursuance of the
Act of Congress in such cases made and provided, I do
furthermore authorise and empower Major-General George
G. Meade, commanding the military ail ision of the At-
lantic, to employ the land and naval forces of the United
States, and the militia thereof, to arrest and prevent the
setting on foot and carrying on of the enterprise and expe-
dition aforesaid. In testimony whereunto I have hereunto
set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to
be affixed.
"Done at Washington, the 6th day of June, in the year
of our Lord 1866, and of the independence of the United
States the 90th. " ANDREW JOHNSON."

PRESENTATION TO VISCOUNT HALIFAX, G. C.B.
We understand that the testimonial from the electors of
Halifax to Viscount Halifax, for thirty-three years one of
the representatives of the borough, will be presented to-
morrow. The ceremony will take place at the noble
lord's town residence, Belgrave-square. The delicate state
of hie lordship's health precludes a public presentation.

_
tintt mdit

HER MAJESTY.

BALMORAL, Wednesday.
The Queen and Princess Helena drove out yester-
day morning.

In the afternoon her Majesty went to Craig
Cluny, accompanied by Princess Helena, and at-
tended by the Duchess Dowager of Athole and Miss
'AFC regor.
Princess Louise and Prince Arthur, attended by
Miss Cathcart, went out riding.

Prince Arthur arrived at the Castle yesterday, at-
tended by Major Elphinston.

Mr. George Gilbert Scott, the architect of the
National Memorial which is being orected. in Hyde-
park to the memory of his Royal Highness the Prince
Consort, yesterday, by command of her Majesty the
Queen, deposited in the central stone of the structure
a collection of the coins of the realm, together with
a short descriptive account and plan of the design
inscribed on parchment.
The Prince and Princess of Wales rode out on
horseback yesterday forenoon, attended by the
Countess of Macclesfield and Lieut.-Col. Keppel.
The Princess of Wales took a carriage drive in
the afternoon.

Mr. Hogarth has had the honour of submitting
for the inspection of their Royal Highnesses the
Prince and Princess of Wales some views of the
Danish Palace of Fredericsburg published in aid of
the funds for the restoration of that building.
Their Royal Highnesses the Grand Duke and
Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz left Lon-
don on Wednesday afternoon for Dover, and
embarked immediately for the Continent.

-...-.--..,

RETURN OF THE QUEEN FROM SCOTLAND.—Her
Majesty the Queen, with their Royal Highnesses
Princesses Helena, Louise, Beatrice, and Prince Leopold,
attended by Lord Charles Fitzroy, Lieut.-General Grey,
the Duchess of Athole, Hon. Miss Cathcart, Lieutenant
Stirling, Mr. Sahl, Dr. Brown, &c., will, according to the
latest arrangements, leave Balmoral early on Monday after-
noon and return to Windsor Castle. The Royil travel-
lers will post the distance between Balmoral and the
Aboyne station of the Deeside Railway (about 20 miles),
the horses being changed midway at Bander. At Aboyns'
which is the nearest station to Balmoral, Mr. W. Cawk-
well, the general manager, and Mr. Neele, superintendent,
will be in attendance with the Royal special train, which,
as usual, is to be provided by the directors of the London
and North-Western Railway. It will consist of an engine
and 13 carriages, her Majesty's and the other saloons for
the accommodation of the Royal family occupying the
centre of the train, which will be fitted with Mr. Martin 'a
system of electric communication. The Queen will leave
Balmoral at 2 30 p.m. precisely, and travel along the Dee-
side line to Aberdeen, which will be made at 3 32 put
Thence the Royal travellers proceed to Perth, where they
will arrive at 618 p.m. After a little repose the journey
will be resumed, via the Caledonian Railway, to Carlisle,
where her Majesty will arrive at 1125. From the latter
station the route will be over the London and North-Wes-
tern line to Bushbury, where the special train is timed to
arrive at 455 on Tuesday morning. At the Buhsburi
Junction, Mr. J. Grierson, general manager of the area
Western Railway, will take charge of the Royal train,
which will then proceed on its way over the narrow gauge,
rails of the latter company's line, and, passing Oxford and
Reading, arrive at Windsor at a quarter to 9 o'clock.
Every precaution will be taken to insure the safety of the
travellers; a pilot engine will precede the special, and all
noise will be avoided at the stations on the route in order
that the Queen may not be disturbed during the nigh
journey.
WINDSOR, June 21.—The two Princesses, Vic-
toria and Ella, children of their Royal Highnesses tho
Prince and Princess Louis of Hesse, arrived at 'Windsor
Castle to-day at noon, after a favourable voyage across the
Channel to Dover. The near accouchment of the Princess
Louise of Hesse prevents her coining to England at pre-
sent.