The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-18 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

tioneering agents to be silenced by the triumphant
evidence of a really independent election when we

get it.

It must be a matter of general regret that Mr.
J. S. MILL should have mixed himself up with the
Jamaica Committee, and, still more, that he should
come forward in Parliament to advocate their views.
Last night in the house he gave notice that on
Thursday next he would put a series of questions
to the Chancellor of the Exchequer respecting the
transactions in Jamaica. These, of course, allude
to the matters which have been made the subject of
so much discussion, and given rise to such angry
remarks and bitter altercation. After enumerating
some of those whose names figured conspicuously
in the accounts of the insurrection, the series
concludes with the two chief parties in the affair,
and it is asked whether any steps have been taken,
or will be taken, for the bringing to trial of Colonel
NELSON, Brigadier-General, in Jamaica, for unlaw-
fully causing to be tried, in time of peace, by mili-
composed, and after such
tary courts irregularly
trial to be unlawfully put to death, GEORGE
WILLIAM GORDON, and others. Finally, comes the
chief offender, Mr. EDWARD JOHN EYRE, late
Governor of Jamaica, and it is asked whether any
legal proceedings have been, or will be
ordered to be, taken against him " for com-
plicity in all or any of the above
acts, and particularly for the illegal trial and
execution of Mr. GEORGE WILLIAM GORDON ; if
not, whether her MAJESTY'S Government are ad-
vised that these acts are not offences under the
criminal law ?" Can anything be more ill-judged
or ill-advised than this series of questions ? and
what is the end which they are supposed to
answer ? Surely the Royal Commission that was
sent out to Jamaica did enough, and more than
enough, to vindicate the cause of the negro, and
to discriminate concerning the authenticity and
legality of the trials that took place. In many re-
spects it would have been better if the Commission-
ers had deemed it expedient to take more evidence
On the side of those accused of cruelty and the com-
mission of illegal acts, but the talk of beginning the
case over again in a criminal court is really quite
preposterous. Sufficient injury has been done to
the cause of good order in our colonies throughout
the world by the unwise and arbitrary proceedings
of Earl RUSSELL in hastening to supersede Governor
EYRE, and to throw the weight of his opinion into the
scale against him. Two letters from Mrs. GORDON,
sent to Mr. CIIAMEROVZOW, are published according
to her suggestion. They seem as fair as we can
expect under the circumstances, and, what is of most
importance, she declares her unwillingness to prose-
cute the ex-Governor of Jamaica. It seems to us
that this decided expression of opinion from one so
deeply concerned the matter should have due
weight with those who have professed to take up
her cause in doing justice to the memory of her late
husband ; but it appears otherwise, and Mrs.
GORDON felt constrained to write again to explain
that she could not in any way interfere with it.
The Jamaica Committee considered it advisable to
take proceedings.

THIS DAY.—darning, 6h. 10m.—Afternoon, 6h. 30m,
To-Moßnow.-AlorDing, 6h. 50m.—Afternoon, 7h. 15m,

•4" q .t._-,. , r iiii., tb.
.......,04,. •

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1866,

Mr. BERKELEY'S annual motion for the Ballot
always succeeds in eliciting some discussion, and if
it serves no other purpose, it at least proves that
the English Legislature is not wholly indifferent to
the scandals of electoral corruption and intimida-
tion. We have at least 110 members who are
willing to sacrifice prejudice and interest to secur-
ing a better state of things, and who do not con-
sider bribery, intimidation, drunkenness, and riot-
ing as especially 4, English" virtues. It is not
therefore altogether unreasonable to hope that
another House of Commons may reverse the order
and give the ballot a majority of 87 instead of a
minority like last night. The worst of it is that the
evil, like most other evils, tends to perpetuate itself.
Noble lords and honourable gentlemen, who owe
their seats to threats of eviction, promises of custom,
and a liberal use of the current coin of the realm,
are not very likely to record their votes in favour
of the Ballot pier et simple. The introductory pro-
cess by which they obtained the envied seat in
Parliament is not likely to develope a high degree of
patriotic and disinterested virtue, so that as long as
we have a House of Commons returned by the same
influences as it is now, there will always be
a strong party ready to fight to the last against the
introduction of the obnoxious and too efficacious
remedy. But it may encourage us to remember
amid the laughter which always attends the yearly
debate on the Ballot that the case is not hopeless.
The early days of every great Reform had to en-
counter opposition as resolute, ridicule as unsparing,
argument as ingenious, denunciation as loud. The
Constitution, as we all know, trembled in the
balance before the great Reform of 1832. No one
can now trouble himself to remember the fearful
results which were to follow the Catholic
Emancipation, while as for Free Trade it was
to plunge the country in ruin, and the Factory Acts
were to paralyse our manufacturing industry. It
is noticeable, however, that the opponents of the
ballot do not venture to specify the direct evils
which are to result from its adoption. They prefer
to soar into the regions of abstract morality, to
enlarge upon the great public trusts committed' to
the voter, the benefits of publicity, &c. Certainly
it would be subjecting the gravity of the House of
Commons to a severe test if any one were to sug-
gest that the ballot would demoralise the voter after
the revelations of Nottingham and its fellows.
Nobody pretends to deny that bribery, intimida-
tion, corruption, and influence in various forms
exist throughout our constituencies more or less.
We do not of course accuse all the opponents of the
ballot of interested motives, but they rather under-
rate the weakness of their fellowmen, or overrate
their virtues. How can we expect a tenant
farmer to offend his landlord, a tradesman
to affront his customer, a clerk or a merchant
to disoblige his employer Nay, how can we ex-
pect struggling professional men to be altogether

Of course we all know what the purport of the
answer will be that Mr. MILL will receive to-
morrow, and it will then remain for us to see what

course will be adopted by these
devotees to the
negro cause. It is certainly a matter of regret
that public men should thus commit them
selves to
but
the promotion of partial and prejudiced
views; as for Mr. EYRE and his coadjutors, who are as-
sailed for having done their duty in a trying mo-
ment, it will be the best thing that can happen to
them if they are prosecuted by this committee. The
public will then have an opportunity of judging the merits of the case
more fully thanthey have hitherto
done, and also they can fully estimate the man-
ner in which their actions have been criticised by
those who really understand but little of the true
merits of the case. In the present day we have ,

independent of the wishes of those whose • wealth r.zeen nothing to equal the fanaticism which has been
or position renders them valuable Metal or I exhibited respecting this Jamaica business, and we
dangerous enemies ? Well-meaning men of shall not be sorry to see the perverse upholders of
average character are not prepared for any prejudice exposed as they ought to be, for they are
such Curtius-like sacrifices. Political questions sacrificing sense to the furtherance of their schemes,
are not the all-important matters of life to th em, and making a mockery of the name of justice.
they are naturally inclined to consider first the in-
terests of themselves and their families. It is use-
less to argue from abstract principles ins'cead of
from acknowledged facts. We have to deal with
ordinary men, not with a population of stoics and
philosophers, and if we legislate on high-flown
notions of what men ought to be rather than what
they are, we shall end by making them a great deal
worse instead of better. This, in fact, is the
tendency of the present system. Bribery and
corruption are increasing rather than diminish-
ing, and the scenes at our periodical elections
are lamented by men of all parties and opinions. As
a Tory candidate justly observed, "No evil can
equal that of wholesale and open corruption ;" yet
there is no denying that it existed to a large extent
at the very last general election. The clubs univer-
sally employ the Ballot to avoid the awkwardness
attending open voting, and their members find it
highly advantageous to the general interest without
injuring their public morality or destroying their
English qualities. Mr. MOWBRAY, wbo came for-
ward as the champion of the good old abuses last,
night, told his hearers that there was no
analogy between the cases, since the one
was the election of a person for social
purposes, the other the election of a person to dis-
charge a great public trust. Does the hon. member
think " a great public trust " is more likely to be
fulfilled by the man who gains his election by his
guineas than by him who is obliged to depend on the
honest opinions of his constituents? Mr. MOWBRAY
made an eloquent appeal on behalf of the publicity
which is the great principle of the English Constitu-
' tion. " Every act an English elector had to do," he
exclaimed,with virtuous indignation, " had to be done
in the face of day." Was Mr. MOWBRAY ever on an
election committee? Does he really believe that every-
thing is done in the face of day ? Are there no
such things as agents? Are there no secret meet-
ings, no money-changing hands in a contested elec-
tion ?—to be candidly of opinion that every man
walks soberly and independently to the poll to re-
cord his vote for the candidate whom he really pre-
fers. If Mr. MOWBRAY himself is fortunate enough
to represent such an immaculate constituency, we
can only doubt whether the experience of the other
657 M.P.'s would tend to confirm his opinion. Mr.
BERKELEY is at present the leader of a forlorn-hope,
but we need not despair. The common sense and
good feeling of the country are on his side, and he
has mixed too long in public life not to know that
the old adage about the ultimate victory of truth
and right is generally realised amongst us. The
prospect at first may seem cheerless enough, but
only let the cause be urged with sincerity, with per-
severance and with moderation, and the vic-
tory is certain. By degrees argument over-
comes prejudice, fact silences assertion, and the
public conscience speaks too loudly to be
mocked by interest or party feeling. It has
been the case time after time it will yet be the case
with the Ballot. We have only to convince these
who are honestly opposed to it that its benefits
will be greater than the drawbacks they apprehend.
We may leave transcendental moralists and elec.

It will really be a relief to all parties when the
German war is over, for it has been on the side of
the Austrians and their allies one of the most ill-
managed and ill-conducted affairs ever witnessed.
Not in one instance, but throughout the events of
the struggle, we may fairly say that they have done
their best to lose, and have succeeded beyond all
expectation. Far too much was done before the
actual strife commenced, and far too little was
done after it began. No one in England can
comprehend why Austria should have risked
all her hopes and drained her very existence
when she could not in reality have felt at
all secure of victory. There is everything to ad-
mire in the dauntless courage and stedfast resist-
ance which some nations have exhibited when forced
to engage in war at a great disadvantage, but it
may truly be affirmed of the Austrian Government
that they provoked the contest, whose issue has
been so disastrous to them, and whose results are
likely to cost them so dear. It would have been
better to have given up the Duchies at
once to Prussia, instead of persisting in
refusals and reprisals, which, after all,
amounted to sham without substance.
As for the Federal army, it seems that it might as
well have remained inactive for any good that it has
done ; one defeat after another has allowed the
Prussians to enter Frankfort. The last accounts
from Berlin state that the negotiations for a three
days' truce between the Austrians and Prussians
have failed, and that the Prussians are advancing
upon Vienna. Indeed all their forces seem to be
about to be concentrated in that direction. The
Austrians have evacuated Moravia without making
any resistance, and the Prussians seem to be suc-
ceeding everywhere in an extraordinary manner.
It must have exercised a most depressing influ-
ence on the Federal forces to find so large a share
of territory occupied by the Prussians, and as for
the Austrians, whatever hopes they started with
seem to have disappeared at the rapid successes
their enemies met with at the outset of the struggle.
We hardly see what end Austria has in view in this
resumption of hostilities. Surely better terms could
have been made before Vienna was in the
possession of the enemy, and it would have been
more profitable if some of the energy so manifest
in the later manifestoes of the EMPEROR had been
visible at an earlier period of the war.

It is still doubtful what course France will pur-
sue in this strange affair, but conjecture will be
rife again now that Prince NAPOLEON has left Paris
for the head-quarters of King VICTOR EMMANUEL.
He is intrusted with a " special mission." What
its nature may be cannot be ascertained just
yet, but the fact goes far to prove that
the Emperor NAPOLEON is by no means 1
so indifferent a spectator of the contest

as some suppose. His interference may come too
late to save Austria from the effects of this ill-starred

campaign, but it will not be too late to check

__—
Prussia in' her course of spoliation, and her insane
desire to pursue territorial aggrandisement to the
negject of all better considerations and higher in-
terests. The end is not yet come to the German
civil war any more than the Convention at Gastein
was the conclusion of the Dano-German

SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 18, 1866.

play, and must replace it instantly in his cash-box
on account of his employer. The shopkeeper offered
to take the letter himself, and found no difficulty in
recognising the gentleman as he came out of the
office. When the latter read the letter he appeared
to be much enraged, said his son might go to the
devil, and that he would do nothing more for him.
After a few seconds, however, tears came into his
eyes, and he appeared to relent. "I won't drive
him to despair," said the gentleman : " take him
this 200 f.-note." On the return of the shopkeeper
the supposed son was much delighted, and said that
he bad saved his life. He added that he would
keep his promise to give 25f., but as he had no
change perhaps the shopkeeper would keep the note
and give him the difference. The shopkeeper did
so. The note turns out to be a forged one.
Two hundred Americans residing in Paris have
sent an invitation to the 7th Regiment of New
York Militia to come and pay a visit to the capital
during the Great Exhibition.
There is at present a considerable exportation of
cattle from Calais and Boulogne for England. In
one week 600 oxen from the south of France were
embarked, and in one day only 388 left France for
the same destination. These cattle have all been
bred by French farmers and graziers.
Chicot, one of the sailors acquitted by the Mari-
time Tribunal of Brest of the charge of murder and
piracy on board the Faderis Area, has just engaged
himself in the 2d Regiment of Marine Infantry. It
was through the information and disclosures of
Chicot that the circumstances of the terrible drama
on board that vessel became known.
The Siecle, speaking of the extraordinary weather
yesterday, says The inhabitants of the Place
Vendome witnessed a phenomenon,which is certainly
not common. Between five and six in the evening
there was a very heavy shower of rain, which
while the sun was
s lastbineidn g tbhrriegeh ol
yr faonudr
nmoti nau
et ell d
was
to be seen in
the sky. We saw the same phenomenon on the
Boulevard des Italiens—a meteorological fact, which
is be explained by a sudden condensation, under an
electric current, of the volume of water with which
the atmosphere was saturated."
The vineyards of Poniard have been almost de-
stroyed by a violent hailstorm. The crop is esti-
mated at a million of francs. The yin de Poniard is
generally considered as very delicious. In neigh-
bouring districts there will be a loss of one-half of
the first-class wine.
A young girl of 16, residing at Tours, has been
for 40 days in a deep lethargic sleep. She breathes
easily and regularly, and presents every appearance
of health, but she does not speak and does not
appear to hear what is said. She is nourished with
liquids, which are forced down her throat.
There has been a frightful murder and suicide
at the hamlet of ThEys, in the department of
Isere. For two years an individual had been
on intimate terms with a married woman.
She suddenly broke off the acquaintance, which so
enraged the man that he watched for her in the
fields at the time she was going home to prepare
her husband's supper.
He tied the poor woman's
hands, put something into her mouth to prevent her
from crying out, violated her, and then murdered
her with a knife, affer uhich he shot himself. An
old woman, a neighbour, witnessed the murder as
she was going home.

Baronet Brunet Denon, formerly aide-de-camp
to King Murat, has just died in Paris.
The storm of yesterday, although it has refreshed
the air and vegetation, has not much cooled the
temperature. There has been slight thunder at
intervals duriAg the afternoon, and the sky had a
dark and stormy aspect all the morning. About
three o'clock there was another storm of thunder
and lightning, but the rain was not so heavy as that
of yesterday.

La Liberte has a vulgar and violent article
against England, by M. Emile de Girardin, founded
upon Mr. Disraeli's address to his constituents. It
says that France can attend to her own affairs,
whatever may be the opinion on the policy of
England.

PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION.

HOUSE OF C IMONS.-JULY 17.
BALLOT.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

Motion made, and question put,
t'a‘iTahlasßvtua,ultsihk:\at_e.aulvnl,i,,n}A.3.Eg...w.re.gard to
the failure of all direct legislation against corrupt prac-
tices at Parliamentary elections, it is expedient to make
experiment of the system of taking tanhderaiovowro:tc:eits..a t such
elections anonymously, according tiowltipehnte,anslaitr:Liii.low in
force in other parts of her Majesty's dominions." The
house divided—ayes, 110 ; noes, 197,
AYES —llO.
Adair, H. E. Gower, F. L.
Ayrton, A. S. Goschen, G. J.
Baines, E. Grenfell, H. It. O'l'eilly, M. W.
Barcl,iy. A. C. Greville, Col. }% Osborne, R. B.
Barnes, T.
Bass, M. T.
slllßl°:uoststeern,,Es.ir,
W.
eebroi
dwa,
nJ, J.
}GT
.. B .
Baxley, T. itGi
arr Gridley,
.OHrG... c a p
tit
Peto, Sir M.
Biadulph, M. Harris, J. D. Phillips It. N.
Blake, J. Henderson, J. Platt, J.
Bonham-Carter, J. Henley, J. W.
Butler, C. S. B ibbert, ;J. T. Potte T. B.
Candlish, J. Hodgkinson, G. Pricer'R G.
Cave, T. Reardon, D. J.
Chambers, 31.
Chambers, T. In_ ham, Robert Robartes, T. J. A.
Clay, J.
Clive, G. Kill li
eeo"
nal Holland,
,1, E. ,
cr.
a. p
Colerid;_e, J. Kinglake, A. W. sam _
ue on, B.
Collier, Sir R. P. K inglake, Serj. J. Seely, C.
Smith, J. B.
Li
ai uwnr a, inr
cd, : A.
W.
le .
atham, W. Stacpoole, Capt.
Crossley,
rroo
oawr
subesta.
nlule,rl
yyd
J,,,
Davie, Sir 11. R, F. Leeman, G. Sykes, Col.
E. H. J. Lawson, J.
Taylor, I'. A.
Duff, M. E. Lewis, 11. Lite, W.
Eykyn, R. Locke, J. Trevelysn, G.
Dillwyn, LSliii.r.Llll...:l LL ee fevre, G. J. S .
Lusk, A.
Fawcett, H. Villiers, C. P.
Tildes, J. M'Kenna, J. N.
Foley, ll.' M'Laren, D. Whalley, G. 11.
Fordyce, W. Maguire, J. F. hitbread, S.
Forster, C. Martin, P. W. White, J.'
Forster, W. E. Merry, J. Woods 11.
Gavin, Major Monk, C. Wyld,
Gibson, T. M. Morris, W. J,
Gilpin, C. Morrison, W.
Goldsmid, Sir F. Neate, C. TELLErinßerkeley, H. F.
Goldsmid, J. Ogilvy, Sir J. 'Vivian, 11, 11.
NOES-197,
Acland, T. D. Eckersley, W. Miller, S. B.
Adderley, C. B. Egerton, Sir P. miller, T. J.
Andover, Lord Egerton, E. C.
Parke,
a,e
New
iced
ei ;:a.Etiiire , C.
Mord tunt, Sir C.
Morgan, O.
Morgan, Major
Mowbray, J. 11.
Aytoun, R. S.
AAA
rrnkenhwedsrali
genyil,tc:Cavopl.t.i II .
Fellowes, E. Naas, Lord
Baggallay, R.
Ba4ge, W. Floyer J.
II:: eaginel dre Egerton,
IJI. V.
.
Fergusson, Sir J.
Nicol, J. D.
Bailey, Sir J. Forester, Gen. North, Col.
Baillie, H. J. Galway, Viscount Northcote, Sir S. 11.
Baring, Henry George, J.
Baring, H. B.
Baring, T.
Packe, Colonel
Baring, T. G. Paget, R. H.
Barnett, B. Goodson, J.
GG 00 Gladstone,idddnaeryd,GA :WI;
L.
II ,
Barrow, W Parker, major W.
W. H. Gore, J. It. 0. Patten, Colonel W.
Barttelot, Col. Gorat, J.
Bass, A. Graves, S. R. Peel, Sir R.Peel, Gen,
Bathurst A. A. Greenall, G. Percy, Earl
Beach, Sir M. Greene, Pim. J. E.
Beach, W. Grey, Sir G. Powell F. S.
Beecroft, G. S. Griffith, C. D. Read, ,
C. S.
Beresfard, D. Grove, T.
Repton, G. W. J.
lifillearenrvthleeyP,Pj
Bingham, Lord Hamilton, Lord C. Ridley, Sir M. W.
Booth, Sir R. liamilton, Visct. Russell, Sir C.
Bourne, Col. Hardy, G.
Samuda, J.
Bovill, W. Hartley, if. Saunderson, E.
Brett, W. B.
3, Lord A. Sclater-Booth, G.
Bromley, W. D. Hay, Sir J Scourfield, J. H.
Bridges, Sir B. W.
Bruce, Lord C. Heatheote, G. IL Selwyn, C. J.
Bruce, Lord E. A. Heathcote, Sir W. Severn°, J. E.
F.
Ljearvngotiosne,
wSir.
G.
.istiLkley, E.
Simonds, W. B.
Buller, Sir E. M. liesketh, Si T. Smith, S. G.
Burghley, Lord Bildyard, T Smollett, P. B.
Burrell, Sir P. 11°gg, 14-Col. Somerset, Col. E.
Cairns, Sir H. Hood, Sir A, Speirs, A.
Campell, A. H. iz
-411ani. Lord Stall ley, Lord
Capper. C. "'owes, E. Stanley, F.
Cartwright, Col. liumphery, W*. Stucley, Sir G. S.
Cave, S. Hunt, G. - • Sturt, H. G.
Clinton, Lord A. P. Jones, ,Z. J. Sykes, C.
Clinton, Lord E. P. Kok, J:
Thorold. J. H.
Clive, Capt. G. W. Kendall, N,
Cavendish, Lord
Tollemache, J.
Cobbold, J. C. King, J. K. Tottenham, Lt-Col.
Cole, Hon. J. L. Kilig, J.
G.
Treeby, J. W. ,
Cole, Hon. H. Knight, 1,,, Trollope, Sir J.
Sturt, Lt.-Col. N.
Colvile, C. R.
Courtena', Lord ii_ -eY. Sir Earl of
linie-hti w_ Turner, C.
uox, Col Tyrone,
Cooper, E. 11, Laird, J. Walcott, Admiral
Crosland, Col.
Waldegrave:Les!ie
Cubitt, G. Leader, N. P. Walker,Major U.
Cust, Hon C. H. Le,,11 Major ~, waipole, S. 11.
, C.
Dawson, Captain Letroy, A, Walsh, A.
Dent, J. D. Walsh, Sir J.
Lennox, Lord G. G. W. E.
Dick, F. Lennox, Lord IL G. WeIPY,
6
Dickson, Major Liddell, H. G.
Dimsdale, R. Lindsav, Col. IL . M.
.E1.v13.. Schreiber, ii. W.
Disraeli, B. Lon.- I
,-,, t. p Wise, H. C.
Du Cane, C. Lopes, Sir H. Wyvill, M.
Duncombe, W. E. Lowther, .J. Yorke, J. R.
Dunne, Gen. 3l'La.•
ball, V. Williams,Wlilillilaams: Col.
Du Pre, C. G. Mainwaring, T.
Dyott, Colonel Marsh, XL it,
Eaton, 11. W. 31111 J s
L

TELLERS.
Taylor, Colonel
Noel, G. J.

JIFEBOAT SERVICES. CovRTOWN, IRELAND,
July 16.—At midday (writes J. S. Scott, Esq.) a
large barque was reported to have gone on the Blackwater
Bank. The Alfred and Ernest, lifeboat of the National
Lifeboat Institution stationed at Courtown, immediately
put off to render assistance. Up to 73° p.m.,
when
our despatch left, the lifeboat had not returned. A
telegram subsequently received from Waterford states
that the vessel proved to be the Pawnee, of New York
from Liverpool to Monte Video with coals, that she struck
on the Blackwater Bank, that she was abandoned by her
crew, but drifted off, and that she was taken by a tug in
charge of the coastguard to Waterford. The Courtown
Lifeboat was a gift to the National Lifeboat Institution of
the people of Manchester, the cost of that boat and of se-
veral others having been benevolently raised in that town
through the indefatigable exertions of _Hobert Whitworth,
Esq., and the Rev. E. Hewlett. The boat is named after
the gone of the latter gentleman.

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.