The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-21 00:00:00

JOURNALS

TRIES.--The Home Secretary has exercised a
wise discretion in prohibiting the use of Hyde-park
for a demonstration in favour of reform. After the
meetings in Trafalgar-square, the leaders of this
movement thought fit to summon the working
classes of London and of the provinces to meet on
the evening of the 23d inst. in Hyde-park—a place
devoted to the recreation and amusement of the
people. Addresses and proclamations have been
issued, inviting large numbers of persons to form
processions and march through the streets, accom-
panied by bands of music. They are to come from
all parts of London, to concentrate in the park, and
there to make this demonstration. Now, we believe
there is no man of sense.in the country who at all
fears the political effect of these gatherings. We
have not, indeed, much respect for them. The con-
gregation of a large number of idle people round a
platform, from which the voice of the speaker can
only reach a favoured few who have the best places,
seems to be no very useful or impressive political
act. Monster meetings belong to a bygone state of
society, when an ignorant populace followed some
fanatical or designing leader; they are totally
unsuited to the habits of our own time, and to an
age when the discussions of the press and the pro-
ceedings of legitimate public meetings effectually
control public opinion. It may be assumed that a
gathering which, taking the name of a meeting, is
unable to hear the speakers it surrounds can
serve no useful purpose. We had num-
bers of these assemblages in the old time
of discontent early in the century, and since then
the Chartists have flocked by thousands to support
their favourite leaders, and the Irish peasantry by
tens of thousands to gaze at a distance on the figure
of O'Connell. But it is a remarkable feature of all
these agitations that they had hardly any effect on
real, sober, public opinion. They created distrust,
they filled the middle class, who in this country ul-
timately govern, with disgust, and gave the more
supercilious among the educated an argument
against popular control. We assert with confidence
that a further Reform of Parliament might have
followed more closely on the Act of 1832 had it not
been for the extravagances of Feargus O'Connor
and his associates, and that there would have been
a better disposition to listen to the complaints of
Ireland had not the gifted but reckless agitator who
led its people assumed the threatening attitude of
one who wielded a multitude at his will. If the
promoters of these " demonstrations" have any re-
gard for the success of the cause they preach, they
will do well to avoid creating alarm in any part of
the community. The largest and most influential
section of the public will only be alienated by the
spectacle of thousands of idlers collected by flags
and music in order that their numbers may be
paraded as a proof of the physical strength of
the Reformers. The objections to these gather-
ings are independent of the intentions of the
promoters or of the multitude itself. We have
no fear that the leaders of the movement, or
those who attend with a real political purpose, will
attempt any breach of the peace. But itriisgidtloegteo_
suppose that Mr. Beales, or his colleagues or the
members of the local committees, or the bona fide
reformers can control the multitude they bn
then Their avowed object is to summon every Lon-
doner, high or low, whom music, processions, and
banners can attract. The greater the number of
the people whom they can attract to the Park the
greater will be the success of their " demonstra-
tion." The conclusion is unavoidable. If the Park
were given up to such purposes as the reformers
contemplate, it.would simply be a gathering place
for a disorderly crowd, the greater part of whom
would know nothing and care nothing about Re-
form, but would make the place intolerable for per-
sons seeking recreation. Nor can there be any
guarantee that scenes of violence may not occur.
We entirely acquit the leaders who organised the
late meetings of the disorderly acts of the crowd,
yet such acts were committed. When a still larger
multitude is brought together, who can say that there
may not be a sufficient proportion of evildoers and
vagabonds to cause a serious breach of the breach ?
For these reasons we think Mr. Walpole is justi-
fied in prohibiting the meeting in Hyde Park on
Monday next, and we are glad to see that in this
he is supported by Sir George Grey, who, in fact,
gave the original directions to Sir Richard Mayne.
THE "ANGLO-AMERICAN TIMES." After a
long and wearisome delay an appropriation has
at last been made by Congress for the ex-
penses connected with the exhibition of American
products in Paris in 1867. This appropriation, at
the moment when all other nations have completed
their arrangements, and, in many instances, have
actually commenced their specific work, loses half
its interest and value. Had the manufacturers and
mechanics of the United States been positively in-
formed some six months or a year ago that an
opportunity would have been afforded them for a
fair competition with the Old World, their energies
would have been awakened and now ideas developed
which would prove to the immense ultimate gain
of the entire country. But with the feeling that
political prejudices in Congress might prevent any
action whatever the matter has been allowed to
drop, and scarcely any interest has been shown
throughout the country. There is now but six
months' time in which to organise the committees
and juries for selection from the different classes
and articles as shall most perfectly develope
the advance in invention in the United States.
These committees have really all the hard work to
do, and it is to them we must look for such a repre-
sentation as shall do the nation justice. The great
point to be considered is what articles will best
indicate the resources of the United States, and its
ability to rely upon the inventive industry of its
mechanics and manufacturers. To prove this it
does not require that there shall be sent fifty diffe-
rent patterns of pianofortes or steam engines at an
enormous expense for freight and for room in the
Exhibition building ; but that from these fifty one only
shall be selected, which, in the judgment of a proper
committee or jury, is pronounced the best. America
can thus show au exhaustive representation of the
best articles of every description, and thereby com-
pete favourably with other nations. In France and
England a system of prizes has been adopted in
advance of the Great Exhibition, so that the
greatest merit and improvement in any one class
can be insured. All European nations are looking
upon this as a new field of strife, in which peace-
fully they may compete for success, and by the
strong interest awakened, the workmen, even in the
most distant localities, are busily preparing them-
selves to distance their natural rivals. Much is ex-
pected from the United States. With the very
limited experience in former exhibitions the result
has been so favourable to American ingenuity that
now some great developments are anticipated, for
which the country has not really the time to pre-
pare. In natural products alone, however, if each
State is properly organised, such a display can be
made as will outshadow the Old World. The
minerals, woods, soils, grains, fruits, and vegetables
forwarded from each State, and properly classified
with the proper information to emigrants as regards
cultivation, cost of living, climate, &c., would alone
more than repay the entire expense assumed by Go-
vernment, andperhaps prove to those Western mem-
bers of Congress who have opposed the appropria-
tion the special advantages to be gained by their own
constituents by the Universal Exhibition of 1867.
The various improvements in the preservation of
fruit and vegetables will enable California to make
such au exhibit in that line as will astonish the
world. When we come to Mechanics and Manufac-
tures it simply requires the united energies of the
various committees upon the several classes to push
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its superiority in carpets, silks, cutlery, watches,
electro-plated ware, and many other articles which
it is now importing at an enormous expense. If
this exhibition settles the point that the United
States has within itself the power to manufacture
as well and as cheaply the bulk of the articles now
imported, the country will have gained in this way
more than the cost to the Government of exhibiting.
The bill appropriating the amount of $156,403 re-
ceived a final thrust as it left the hands of the
committee the word coin, being struck out,
leaving the expenses increased by the neces-
sary purchase of gold for all payments in Europe.
It is to be hoped that the idea of sending the
articles in a national vessel will be given up, both on
the point of economy and in a proper care of the
articles themselves. A contract could be made
with a responsible shipping-house in New York, by
which the sending of the goods could commence at
an early date, and be in gradual process of arrange-
ment in the Exhibition Building during the winter,
in place of letting the entire collection arrive at
Havre at a late date, with no time in -whichptroopdeor
justice to the arrangement. All these matters will
doubtless be carefully considered by the
parties. The section of the bill which appropriates
$lO,OOO for the expenses of ten scientific men is
open to just criticism. The total amount appro-
priated would be about enough in gold to pay the
expenses of one competent man to devote the proper
time to his duties in this connection ; and it is most
sincerely to be hoped that some change shall be
made in this direction. It would be well for each
State to have its own representative empowered to
make a report upon such special matters as would
be of interest to its own welfare.

Special news from St. Paul report the discovery
of more very rich mines at Vermillion Lake. Thousands
are rushing -to the new ladorado.