The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-30 00:00:00

for some time enabled to communicate with each
other in the space of a few hours, then we shall
more fully realise the advantages of the work now
achieved. At present there is enough, and more
than enough, to do in dwelling upon the triumph
of science, and in recognising the merits of those
'Mao have contrived to carry out the undertaking.
But the gain and glory of the Atlantic Cable are
no ephemeral things ; it is no nine days' wonder,
but will hold its place among those works which
have contributed to the progress of the age. The
more nations and people are brought together
in close and constant intercourse the better
must it be for all ; and we cannot too earnestly
direct our efforts to the attainment of this desired
end. Misrepresentations are rife and misconceptions
abound when individuals or races lead isolated lives ;
and, in every sense of the word, it is matter for con-
gratulation that the people of England and the
people of America will have further opportunities
of knowing each other. Had the Atlantic Cable
been successfully carried out some years ago, so
many mistakes and confusion would not have arisen
during the war between the Northern and
Southern States ; and even now there is much to be
done, especially on the other side of the Atlantic, to
do away with prejudices and jealousies. Not only
as a present gain then, but as a great thing of the
future, may we regard the Atlantic Cable with in-
terest, and rejoice that they who have occupied
their business beneath the great waters should have
brought their work to a successful issue, a work
that will result in signal benefits to mankind, and
draw together in closer sympathy the leading na-
tions of the world.

The Reform Meeting of to-night has had many
places assigned for it. By the desire of Mr. BEALE S
and his coadjutors it was to assemble in Hyde Park.
At the suggestion of the Government it was to meet
on Primrose Hill. Then it was talked about in
connection with Victoria Park, and, finally, it has
had its exact locality assigned to it in the Agricul-
tural Hall. There are some recommendations in
favour of this course. A meeting under
cover is less likely to include those roughs,
pickpockets, and desperadoes who delight
in the prospect of a large and riotous
assemblage out of doors. Any one who gets up a
disturbance, or interferes with the peace of the
meetings, will be more readily detected and recog-
nised, and there is less probability of an undignified
and tumultuous conclusion to the debate. But
the meeting to-night is, we fear, to be an " In-
dignation Meeting," and we should like to know
what the indignation is about. Is it because of
official interference with the right of open-

air meetings ? But the Earl of DERBY in

one House, and Mr. DIRRAELI in the
other, have freely admitted the full right
of the people to hold political meetings in
the open air, and this very night the assemblage
might hold their " indignation meeting" on Prim-
rose Hill if they chose. Is the indignation directed
against Mr. WALPOLE personally ? Scarcely when

the members of the League themselves admit his
extreme courtesy. Is it against a Tory Govern-
ment for forbidding a Reform meeting ? But, alas !
a Liberal Ministry, of which Mr. GLADSTONE
was a prominent member, did exactly the same

,hind, as admitted by the late Home Secretary in

the Commons the other evening. But perhaps we
shall be told that the indignation is against the
police. The police force, whatever some may think,
are certainly composed of men of like flesh and blood
to the very demonstrative Reformers of last week ;
and there is no reason to suppose that it is ex-
clusively recruited from the families of the aris-
tocracy, or from holders of Conservative opinions.
The police, strange to say, belong, properly speak-
ing, to the ranks of the working men, for they
come from the class which supplies our factories
and our workshops, our looms and our machines.
They work hard enough for their money,
and notwithstanding the black sheep to be found in
every flock, they are, for the most part, fair repre-
sentatives of the English working man—intelligent,
industrious, and good tempered, though ready
enough to defend themselves when attacked. There
have been strenuous efforts to get up complaints
against the men employed in the Park last week for
brutality and excess of duty, but the complaints
may fairly be divided between the belligerents.
The virtuous indignation against the oppressors of
an " unarmed multitude" is a little out of place
when we remember the flints and Park
railings. We can only think it very for-
tunate that so little serious mischief was
done on either side, the only fatal casualty
being due to a carriage accident. We hope the
League will be wise. This is not the way to carry

Reform. We do not want heroics about the crimes
of the Tories, the vices of the aristocracy, or the
oppressors of the people. All this is quite out of
date, and misplaced heroics end in bathos. If our
working men continue to show their fitness for the
franchise and their desire for the ballot by consti-
tutional means that the middle class may sympa-
thise with, and that the upper class may respect,
they will win the battle whoever reigns in Downing-
street. If they are to go back to the days of a mob
violence and intolerance, their enfranchisement
must be postponed till they have learned political
wisdom.