The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-09 00:00:00

SIIYGUhAR PAOPERDING BY THE
AMERICAN CONSUI, AT CORK.

The Cork Reporter makes the following extraor-
dinary statement respecting a step said to have
been taken by Mr. Keenan, United States Consul
at Cork :—" [t will be remembered that when our
magistrates at Passage desired to investigate the
particulars of the unfortunate fate, not to use
harsher terms, of the barque which was run down
by the Western Star, an American ship—although
the details of that occurrence as deposed to were
such as should have stirred every civilised man to
forward the inquiry—the American Consulpersisted
in attempting to stop the investigation. The alle-
gation was that a whole crew bad been wantonly
allowed to perish when they might have been
saved, and yet, upon s )me crotchet of international
law, it was insisted that not a word should be said.
upon the subject because the consul decreed that
they were answerable to him and his superiors
alone ; so that we have no right to question them
if they committed murder on our coasts. The ma-
gistrates most properly thought that this was
rather too much of a good thiug,' and they dis-
sented from the strange posposition. But the con-
sul thinks that it is his to bind and loose,' for,
not satisfied with endeavouring to set these
men free, he has lately issued his ukase to the
Passage bench to imprison one Thomas Palmer,
who he says at some time, or place unknown, 'con-
ducted himself in an improper and insubordinate
manner on board, and refused to do duty or obey
orders. Whether the delinquentiwas guilty of the
heinous offence in the West undies or the Cove of
Cork does not appear, or whether he threatened his
Captain's life, or merely wished the cook's eyes to
perdition, is not disclosed ; but upon this vague
intimation that he did something somewhere that
was wrong, the consul respectfully requests the
magistrate to imprison the man until it is found
expedient to release him.' As the document will
prove a curiosity to those who live under our con-
sl itution, we give a copy of it in full Consulate
of the United States of America at Cork, Ireland,
September 30, 1357. To the authorities at Passage
West, Cork. Gentlemen—Thomas Palmer, sea-
man, one of the crew of the American barque G.
W. Hall, of Providence, United States, whereof
Charles E. Mowey is master, recently arrived in this
port from Newport, Wales, having conducted him-
self in an improper and insubordinate manner on
board, having refused to do duty or obey orders, I
have the honour to request that you will cause said
named person to be broughtashore, andimi,fisoned
until found expedient to release him.—Respectfully
thine, H. KEENAN, United States Consul at Cork,

MEETING O 1 THE COAL-WHIPPERS OF
THE PORT OP' LONDON.

Last evening a very crowded meeting of the above
body was held at Mr. Thomas Gale's, Phoenix Tavern,
Ratcliff cross, " for the purpose of discussing the pro-
ptiety and practicability of forming the men into one
undivided body and preventing dissentients from giving
their opponents a great advantage over them." Mr.
John Foley occupied the .chair. .
The Chairman, in opening the busineas, said that there
had arisen certain circumstances which would prevent
the resolutions which. were intended to be brought
forward from being submitted. He would, however,
tell them the course that was intended to be pursued,
and to do so it was necessary to give an outline of their
position. The first chapter of their unfortunate position
was dated from the day when a number of gentlemen
attended at the Board of Trade. There were more
than one amongst that body who bad never fulfilled
the pledges they gave. In fact private offices had
been formed, instead of having all the men from the
office. The coalwhippers had been by this conduct
compelled to make their days of 24 hours' duration.
They had appealed to the legislature to be under the
fostering care of an act of Parliament, and before the
committee of the House of Lords evidence was given
by certain parties showing thatlthey all got from 18s. to
1/. per week, while the reverse was the case, for many
had a difficulty to earn is. or Bs. a week. (A Voice—
" Yes, and many are starving with their wives and chile
dren.") The great cause of this had been the system
of offering work at 6.1. per gang, after it had been agreed
that nothing should be done under Bd. per ton. (Rear,
hear.) Au offer was made on one occasion to a body
of the whippers that the office should be open to the
men if they would work for 7d. Of course that could
not be agreed to, as there were others to consult.
Thera were those who had given their words
as gentlemen to do their best for the body by
employing only from the office—but still, he would
not say they were other than gentlemen for what they
had done, Sir. J. Dean Paul was a gentleman till be
turned a villain, and so was Mr. Sadleir similarly
situated. He then went at some length into the strike
of the coal-whippers, and also touched on the advantages
that would accrue from having an office by which sub.'
scriptions of id. a week or so being paid, not only would
men and their widows and families benefit, but it would
allow the work to be done properly ; in fact, the result
would tend materially to advance the prosperity of the
men and the interests of the country (hear, hear). There
was no doubt that the body was a most hark working one,
and that they were far from being well treated. The
gentlemen who sat at the Coal Exchange showed great
contrast to the men who worked the ships. The men
wooll leap from a ship to save the life of a fellow-man•
white the gentlemen would net move from their easy
chairs to help the coal- shipper in obtaining his right.
(Hear) Still, ho wished to observe that the body were
greatly indebted to a large number of those gentle-
men for their liberality to the coalwhippers in times of
almost starvation. After some further remarks he ex'
pressed an earnest hope that the body would be true to
each other, and do all they could to cause them to unite
and be honest one to the ether. In conclusion, he said
that although there had been much said against the
licensed victuallers, he wished it to be understood that
there were many noble exceptions amongst that class,
and one of the greatest was the landlord of the large hall
in which they were assembled, for he had freely given
the gratuitous use of the place for the meeting, and there'
fore Mr. Gale was entitled to their thanks. (Cheers.)
John Cronan then addressed the meeting in a brief but
pertinent speech, in which he wished it to be understood
that when they were on strike, as it has been called,
there had been no violence used, nor acts of intimida'
tion committed ; they had only done that which wag
proper, viz., endeavoured to obtain those rights to which
they were legally entitled. (llear.) Theirs was a earl
hard case, for they were a very bard-working body, and
in fact their labour was appreciated as being valuable;
for the legislature it-elf could not place a value on it.
(Hear.) Still they had been placed in a position which
was heartrending to think of, for they were not able to
keep their homes in that state which was necessary to as
well being of the class, neither, were they able to bring
up their children as they wishel. He trusted the men •
would unite in getting again from the legislature a pre'
tooting shield thrown over the body. With reference
to their present position, he trusted that there would be
in every gang (of nine men) an odd man, one of those
who have been out of work for some time, introduced, in
order to give him something on which to obtain the ne'
cee.aries of life. Let those odd -men be taken on with
each gang in the morning. (Applayse.)
W. Tobin then appealed to those
present to remain
faithful to the cause, and then, depend upon it, they
would obtain what they were entitled to, and be placed
in a much better position.
James Crany said that although they bad been charges -
with
acting with intimidation, he denied it, for all thei
had done was to prevent many of their fellow-men from
falling down starving in the streets, and showing that
they would never gain a proper position till they
were fairly paid a proper day's wages for a proper day's
work. He trusted they would be faithful to themselves,
for unless they united they would not get what 001
wanted.
The meeting then decided to carry out the spirit of
the objects for which they bad assembled, and ateo that
the men should to-morrow (this day) show themselves
.
true bY giving the odd man employ in every gang, and,
after some complimentary resolutions to those who WO
advocated the clause, the proceedings terminated.

PROVIDENTIAL RESCUE FROM DROWNING.-0a Wed-
nesday evening the high wind that prevailed caused the
Thames to became exceedingly rough, so much so that
it was utterly unsafe for the small
mllbeona,tnsammoewd Dingieekneeorual,
use to venture out. Four young
Hutchinson, Adamson, and Turner, left Richniond for
London in a large sailing boat. Ou their way the win('
increased, and the water became rougher, and it wile
with diCculty that their stout craft was safely navigated.
After pa§sing Hammersmith railway bridge, they mit":
took the light of a dredging-barge for a cottage, 'and
steered towards the object with the vi..w of putting
ashore. They then heard loud cries, and passed an out•
rigger wherry, bottom upwards, and three persons
clinging to her to save their lives. These were immedi-
ately rescued by the crew of the sailing boat, who, about
achbsie°:
•
12uOt ,
y yardsstuck
uf further t.,
nh etrh
eon ,
mud,
with
water
afourthter upto person,his
He was also rescued. The wherry was lashed astern,
and the half-drowned crew were taken to the Star and
Garter at Putney. The crew of the sailing boat also
an o
tuht -er.
0i gugu eurp
awnatga ter boatfw ui
uahn
tdhaeygaigu
p,
pbuostehd hb oa ta-
the more especially as it was rumoured
abtnlo:omeerk7geuddtprhuowepwasnrhdeosie that several persons had met a waters
grave.

BLOODY TRAGEDY IN TREAS.—John Robinson, living
some our or five miles from ardville, Tarrant County,
on Friday morning of last week, without previous pro.
vocation, as we are informed, almost without an intima-
tion of his fienWsh kltentions, shot and killed dead
two brothers George and James Anderson, brothers of
his wife, then attempted the life of his wife, and failing
in that, proceeded deliberately to his neighbour's, old
man Sublett, a distance of nearly two miles, and
while the old man was begging for mercy, shot him
dad. Returning to within a short distance of his home,
Robinson finished this horrid and unnatural tragedy by
placing the muzzle of his gun against his own forehead,
and pushing the trigger with his ramrod, put an end to
i-uis own lite instantly. The whole affair occurred in less
than an hour. Robins. a previously had a difficulty
witli his wile, and had agreed to a separation. He
nrothers were assisting to remove her things, when 1s hot them both with a rifle and a musket.—Dail
Herald.