The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-09 00:00:00

The Trial of the Fenian Prisoners in Canada.

The following is the text of Mr. Seward's letter to
the Hon. Mr. Bruce, concerning the trial of the
Fenian prisoners in Canada :
" Department of State, Washington, June 11, 1866.
" Sir,—The Secretary of War has laid before the
President several despatches, which were received
yesterday and to-day from Major-General Meade,
who is commanding the United States forces on the
Canadian frontier. These communications warrant
the President in believing that the so-called Fenian
expedition is now entirely at an end, and that order
and tranquillity may be expected to prevail hence-
forth upon that border. I regret, however, that I
am obliged to connect with this gratifying informa-
tion the further statements that reports have reached
Major-General Meade to the effect that some of the
Canadian or British troops have crossed the line and
entered within the territory and jurisdiction of the
United States. It is even said that this entry took
place after the disturbers of the peace, under the
command of the leader Spear, had relinquished their
forbidden enterprise, and withdrawn within the
boundary line of the United States. The reports go
so far as to say that prisoners have been taken on
the soil of the United States and conveyed to Ca-
nada, and that the Canadian agents have threatened
that these prisoners, together with such stragglers as
may now be found within the Canadian lines, will
be executed without trial. It is believed these reports
are exaggerated. Care has been taken by Major-
Gen. Meade to have them promptly investigated.
" In the meantime I am instructed by the Presi-
dent to represent to you, and through you to the
British and Canadian authorities, that this Govern-
ment would not look without serious concern upon
the practice of any unnecessary severity, especially
on the exercise of retaliation or other illegal pro-
ceedings upon the persons of such of the offenders as
have fallen or shall hereafter fall into the hands of
the Canadian authorities. I respectfully invite
your attention to the subject, with the confident
expectation that no proceedings that are not autho-
rised and in conformity with law will be taken
against persons of that class, and in the hope that
even the customary administration of the law will
be tempered with special forbearance and clemency.
In view of the effective proceedings which this
Government has adopted in regard to the dis-
turbances on the frontier, now so fortunately
ended, these representations would have been
made by me without waiting to be moved from any
other quarter. They arc now made, however, with
the approval of Major-General Meade, and I believe
that they will receive the concurrence of the Con-
gress and the people of the United States.—l have
the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant,

" WILLIAM H. SEWARD.
" The Hon. Frederick W. A. Bruce."

DEAUVILLE RACES.—Disappointment was felt
at the non-appearance of any of the English horses engaged
at this meeting. An accident occurred in the two-year-
old race by the falling of Ouvereuse and Bountiful. Tho
jockeys Musgrove and William Carter were both seriously
hurt, the latter having his arm broken in two places. In
the Prix de Deauville Marino was left at the post, and Fleur
des Bois and Tancrede came in first and second. Tho start
having been declared a bad one, the race was run over
again, and Marion won easily, Fleur des Bois and Tan-
) credo now finishing. second and third. Subiokned {}
summary el um running frst Day " Prix opeciat
M. do Montgomery's Ceramique fit st, Castagnette second ;
" Prix du Chemin de Fer," M. Lunel's Coresia first,
Satellite second; "Prix do Morny," for two-year-
old; M. M'ould's Petit-Capooral first, Montgoub.!rt
second ; "Prix do Deauville," M. Fould's Marino
first, Fleur des Bois second ; "2d Prix de la
Societe d'Encouragement," M. Delamarre's Collet-Monte
first, Montmirail secoud.—Second Day : " Prix Lupo
rial," M Delamarre's Vortugadin first, La Reim Bertha
second ; " Pr:x de la Societe des Courses," M. Lunel's
Coresia first, Gaulois second ;" Ist Prix de la Societe d'En-
couragement," M. Delamarre's Vertugadin first, Fleur des
Bois second ; " Prix du Conseil-General," Mr. Gibson's
Prince Regent first, Collet Monte second ; " Prix de l'Ein-
pereur," Count de Lehndorff's Said first, Le Mag:cien
second ; " Steeplechase," Baron Finot's Valentino
first, Regalia second.—Third Day: " Prix de la Plage," M.
Delamarre's Castagnette first, Chantilly second ; "Prix de
la Toucquos," Count de Lagrange's Montgoubert first,
Perette second; "Deauville Cup," M. Lunel's Affidavit
first, Fidelite second, La Reine-Bertha third ; " Free Han-
dicap," Mr. Gibson's Princeßegent first, Duo do Bourgogne
second ; "Prix do Consolation," Major Fridolin's Belisaire
first, Juliette second.

THE WAGES MOVEMENT.—Though in most
branches of labour an increase of wages or a diminu-
tion of working hours has been latterly obtained, some
trade disputes still exist, and two or three of them have
been of long duration. The joiners and carpenters of
Preston struck work on the sth of May, and have there-
fore been " out" just three calendar months. Their de-
mands are more wages, less work, and fewer apprentices.
As the master builders, after negotiating with the opera-
tives until their patience was exhausted, have obtained
from other places as many hands as they want at
present, nothing now remains for the men but increased
loss and disappointment, in proportion to the prolongation
of the struggle. They are now the only sufferers, whatever
loss andaunoyance they may have caused to tho employers
during the first few weeks of the strike. The men receivo
14s. per week, the funds being supplied by other branches
of the union, who, we should fancy, are by this time tired
of their share in the pursuit of a phantom which grows
fainter every day. Many of the men, however, have been
compelled to leave their homes in search of employment
elFewhere ; and no doubt the strike will quietly die out, an
utter failure, and a somewhat remarkable illustration of the
inability of labour to cope with capital when trying conclu-
sions with it in thisway. On the Ist of May the masons of
Blackburn, numbering 270, struck work for a reduction of
six hours from the weekly number of 55. They allege that 49
is the number of hours worked per week at Bradford, Oldham,
Todtnorden, Rochdale, Halifax, and other towns. Some of
the masters, not members of the Builders' Association, and
employing between 50 and 60 men, at once conceded the de-
mand ; and others, from the pressure of contracts and the
public exigencies, afterwards gave way. But few of the men
aro now out of work. The flaggers and slaters of Preston
have been on strike a considerable time, and there is no
present prospect of the termination of the dispute. It is
feared that the general advance which is taking place in
wages will cause a stagnation in the building trade, as the
increased cost of building is causing capitalists to seek other
and more profitable investments. Cottage rents have been
increased from 10 to 15 per cont., in consequence of the high
price of labour and materials for building, and the heavy
taxes and other charges upon property, one of which is an
percentage demanded from
and
ot the
some
oo
mr ownerstehor of
thembmy o rentmonths
athres
increased
collectors.ll' the cotton trade at Blackburn a strike for an
e
of wages has
drawers
-in,
aamdvo
grsraatinodn scheme was mooted at one of their
given up. Qederallyspeaki
thr
iocwt
se, however,
tmshtieelelfatninnguce:tt'otsir:yeAbtuonwpeteiwinsrteaai operatives are now quiet in thesendt
we have it on good authority that it is their determination
to ask for more on the first favourable opportunity. The
block-printers (calico) of Accrington have
advance of wages, and the tailors llasiin obtained
gdona ate
advance
the
neighbourhood have had a rise of from 15 to 20 per cent.
Notwithstanding the heavy imports of cotton into
Liverpool during
the past few days the quantity of
cotton at sea en route for the Mersey and the Thames
is still - ery large. From Bombay
336,734 bales afloat en route to Liverpool ; from
Madras there are 14,615 bales; from Conconada,
5,988 bales; from Rangoon, 1,180 bales; from
Kurrachee, 8,567 bales; from Calcutta, 124,997
bales ; from Taticorin, 2,575 bales ; from Shan-
gliae, 12,036 hales; from New Orleans, 8,924 bales;
from Mobile, 3,795 ; from Galveston, 1,780 bales ;
but there are six vessels afloat, the cargoes of which
have not as yet been reported, and there are also
eleven vessels afloat from New York, Pensacola,
Charleston, Apalachicola, and Savannah, the car-
goes of which will no doubt consist partly of cot-
ton, although up to last Monday their manifests
had not reached Liverpool. To London there are
afloat from Madras, 22,866 bales ; Calcutta, 31,223
bales; Bimlipatana, 369 bales; China, Cochin, and
Taticorin, 20,280 bales ; Bombay, 11,360 bales ;
and from Japan, 310 bales.