The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-23 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 23, 1818.

as painful, dangerous, and somewhat discreditable.
Lord S FANLET speaks decidedly about the matter,
and declares that there is every disposition
on the. part of the people of this country to do
all that can be done for the
.Irish people.
Meanwhile the material condition of Ireland is
not bad, andl the general condition of the pea-
santry has g,:eatly improved during the last twenty
years. Not! ling is wanted but " peace and secu-
rity" to permit the uncounted millions of British
capital to pour into that country as it does into
Scotland, and to colonies that are the length and
breadth of the globe apart from us. The noble
lord very truly said that there existed a party
whom no concessions could satisfy. They aimed
at the Repeal of the Union, and that could never
be. The Fenian movement across the Atlantic also
occasioned great evil, but that could not last long.
Without jumping at conclusions and attaching too
much importance to the detaih touched upon, we
may fairly say that there is in the language of the
noble lord a good indication of some measures be-

ing introduced for Ireland that will tend to her
benefit, and conduce to her improvement. " Ire-
land is the question of the hour," as he puts it truly,
and don't let us call in quacks through impa-
tience and irritation at delays and dangers. Mr.
G. HARDY made some interesting remarks in reply-
ing for the House of Commons, and spoke forcibly
concerning the work that yet remained to be done.
Class must not be set against class, but they must
be blended together in influence if the prosperity of
the country is sought to be obtained. On the
whole, this banquet was a great success, and it is
very satisfactory at this critical juncture to hear
from those in office that there is no prevailing cause
for anxiety, and that no difficulties are before us
that faith and courage cannot surmount, and that
even the stormy element of Fenianism has only
served to call out the English spirit of loyalty and
order. No one who serves his country can hope to
be always a fair-weather statesman ; it is the pilot
who weathers the storm who best deserves all confi-
dence and support, and the harder the struggle the
greater the merit of those who overcome and suc-
ceed in bringing us to the haven of security and
peace. _

The House of Representatives in Washington
has already forgotten the lesson of the late elec-
tions. Its members are proceeding in as headlong
and reckless a course as though the whole sym-
pathies of the country were with them, as though
their past career had been as recognised a success as
it has been a failure, as though they felt absolutely
confident that they were in the right way to restore
peace and prosperity to a troubled and embarrassed
nation. The Atlantic cable, bringing us Tuesday
evening's news from Washington, reports that the
House of Representatives had on that day
passed a bill declaring that there were no
valid civil governments in the South, or,
as they describe it, " in the late rebellious
States ;" and the bill goes on to transfer all powers
of appointment and removal under the Reconstruc-
tion Act from President JOHNSON to General GRANT
as Commander-in-Chief. This bill—one of the
most extravagant of the many extravagant acts of
Cc:lngres—was passed by 125 against 45 votes,
a majority which shows pretty clearly the relative
strength of parties in the Lower House. The mea-
sure is absuo on the face of it, seeing that by the
American Constitution the PRESIDENT is the head
of the army, and is consequently above GRANT
himself in even a military point of view.
General GRANT excused himself to his critics
for accepting the vacant post of STANTON, on the
plea that, according to military law, he was bound
to obey the PRESIDENT'S orders; and it will be re-
membered that during the war ABRAHAM LINCOLN
was always styled the head of the Federal armies.
So well is this known that the Confederate Govern-
ment, founded in every respect on the model of its
Federal prototype, recognised JEFFERSON DAVIS
as chief of the national forces, even above so great
a General as LEE or JACKSON. The proposal, then,
to supersede JOHNSON by GRANT, besides being pre-
posterous in itself, is directly unconstitutional. It
is plainly opposed to the spirit as well as to
the letter of the Constitution, which intends that

the PRESIDENT of the United States, during his
tenure of office, should be virtually supreme. it
has often been said that, during his limited term,
he exercises a. much more extended and irrespon-

sible authority than any constitutional sovereign
can do. The check upon this was intended, by
the framers of the Constitution, to be. found in the
restriction on his lease of power. He is supposed
to be a man in whom the majority of the people
can place confidence ; and Congress also poi-
seises the power, lately so much abused,
of overriding Lis veto, and passing a
bill into law in opposition to him. Under
another aspect this bill is equally misplaced
and dangerous. It declares that there are no valid

civil governments in the Southern States; or, in other
words, it affirms the uncontrolled supremacy of
military law. Mr. JOHNSON has already shown
what the effect of an attempt to enforce such a doc-
trine must be upon the national exchequer. There
can be no grounds for affirming that there are "no

valid civil governments." The declaration can only
be intended as a direct insult to the PRESIDENT,
and as a further step towards the confiscation of the

Southern lands. The Radicals seem desirous of op.

pressing and irritating the whites beyond endurance.
They can hardly believe that they will much longer

submit to a Reconstruction policy, which virtually
subordinates them to their former slaves, which
deprives them of any interest in the Government,
which gives them no voice in the representation,
which renders their property insecure, and deprives
them of all that stimulus of honourable ambition,
whether political or social, which is so powerful for
good in large and mixed communities. The people
have hitherto been upheld by hope, and have trusted
in the good-will of the PRESIDENT towards them,
but they now see his term of office fast
elapsing, while all remains in a most unsatisfactory
condition. President JOHNSON has as yet taken no
definite action with regard to the recent acts of
Congress. We can hardly suppose that he will re-
main inactive. He will more probably adopt some
decided measures which shall change the aspect of
affairs, and remove the power they Lave so long
abused out of the hands of these dangerous and un-
patriotic legislators.

There is not much new concerning Fenianism ;
but some details have been met with about the
doings of the prisoners at Glasgow, which fully
confirm the suspicions previously entertained. The
conduct of BARRATT was most extraordinary, and
quite inconsistent with that of an honest man. He
purchased a revolver pistol, after making consider-
able fuss about the price and sending another man
to negotiate in the affair. When these men
were first apprehende I it was not supposed
that they were connected with the outrage at
Clerkeu well but afterwards suspicion wai
excited, in consequence of BARRATT being
unable to account for his whereabouts in November
and December. The London police, upon hearing a
full description of his personal appearance, soon
comprehended the importauce of the matter, and
directed that the greatest care should be taken of
1 the primer,
and the mut Imo fully justified their

belief. From Ireland we learn that Mr. TRAIN
has been released after a long investigation had
taken place, and he had given his assurance that
he did not mean to promote Feniauism iu Ireland.
This is as well, as he had done nothing to incrimi-
nate himself in this country, and we have
nothing to do with the inflated language that ob-
tains favour across the Atlantic. It may be said, in
reviewing the affair, that there were quite sufficient
grounds for detaining Mr. TRAIN at first, and ample
reason for setting him free at last. It is to be hoped
that he may profit by this inconvenient episode to
conduct himself with greater circumspection ; but
if he seeks to make political capital out of his visit
to Ireland, to better his chances for the Presidency,
he will only have himself to thank for any
mischief that may happen to him. Some
interesting remarks were made by Mr. PAW
SON, M.P., on the subject of Fenianism,
with which he connected the state of feeling in
Ulster. He said that he had the satisfaction of
declaring that the " entire country " was possessed
by a universal feeling of loyalty towards the Crown,
and he advocated the propriety of their making
these sentiments known. Let the broad, notorious
fact go forth to the world that there exists in the
north of Ireland a body of men powerful in num-
bers, influence, and character, who are determined
to remain devoted subjects to the British Crown,
ardent protestors against any proposed separation
from it. It is very satisfactory at this juncture to
meet with such indications of goodwill and loyalty,
and the London Irish address to the men appears to
be progressing in the right direction. It is time,
indeed, that some change was made, and those who
believe that Fenianism in any way represents the
real Irish feeling, may learn their mistake when
they find the numerous signatures that have been
attached to this " muster-roll of Irish loyalists."

LATEST INTELL LGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

ITALY.

FLORENCE, Jan. 22, Evening.

The Marquis Gualterio, who has been appointed
Minister of the Royal Household, is expected here
to-morrow to take possession of his new post.
The Gazette d'ltalia confirms the previous intel-
ligence of the despatch of an Italian note to the
Spanish Government relative to certain passages in
the Queen's speech upon the opening of the Cortes,
and states that this step has had a satisfactory re-
sult.

LIVERPOOL, Jan. 23.

The steamer Minnesota, which sailed hence on
Jan. 7th for New York, put back to Queenstown
last night, having lost her propeller.
She is expected to proceed to-morrow.

GALLE, Jan. 18.
The Behar, from China, arrived on the 15th inst.,
and the Geelong from Australia to-day.

The Nubia leaves for Suez to-day.
Outward Mail of 20-29th October.—The Avoca
arrived at Melbourne on the 16th and Sydney ou
Dec. 18.

Outward Mails of 4th December.—The Mongolia
arrived at Gallo on Jan. 7.

MALTA, Jan. 22.

The Syria left at 8 a.►n. to-day for Marseilles,
where she may be expected on the evening of the
`24th lust.

GIBRALTAR, Jan. 20.

The Nyanza leaves at 11 a.m. to-day. She may
be expected at Southampton on the eveuiug or the
24th, or morning of the 25th inst.

FRAN CE.

BOURSE, JAN. 22.-Transactions very moderate,
yet prices well supported, and the main feature is a
slight increase of confidence. •
Three o'clock. —The market closed as follows :-
41 per Cent.
End of month... Ital'an Loan
3 per Uent
End of mouth_ 68 60 Mexican Loan ... 17 50
Credit Mobilier
End of month... 170 Spanish Threes 37 25
Credit Foncier _1378 75 Home Debt
End of m0uth...1372 50 Deferred

Account
Orleans ............................... 878-1-
N orthera ............... . . ......... 1156

RAILWAYS.

Lyons and Mediterranean BB2i
Southern..... S4U
Western 565
Eastern ............ . • 535
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain 6U
Saragossa
Roman

NORWICH UNION FIRE OFFICE.

ANNUAL MEETING.

On Tuesday last the, annual general meeting of
the proprietors of this important institution was
held at the chief office, in surrey-street. Upwards
of sixty proprietors were present, being a far larger
number than had ever before been brought together
on a similar occasion. The President (Mr. Chan-
cellor Evans) took the chair, and
The SECRETARY (Sir Samuel Bignold) opened the
proceedings, first remarking that he had been the
artificer of this great and prosperous undertaking,
and during the 46 yearly meetings that bad been
held, it had fallen to his lot to unfold the events of
the preceding year and their results, as he should do
with such pride and gratifica.tiou this day ' • the divi-
dend determined upon by the Board of Directors
amounting to 50 per cent. on the capital paid up in
the year 1821. Sir Samuel expressed his belief that
this was without example iu the annuls of any
insurance office in the kingdom. The accounts
were :-
Ist. The cash account for the year ending 29th
September last.
2d. The proprietors' fund account, showing its
grand total, of which there existed as a reserve
fund, wholly accumulated from past savings,
.£110,905 Bs. 11d., which was available for the pro-
tection of the insuring public.
3d. The insurance—a trade fund account in which
there was an item of £46,768—n0w available for
returns to the insurers on their policies taken out in
the last four years.
The reading of these accounts elicited • the
warmest plaudits of the meeting.
The PRESIDENT rose and congratulated his fellow
proprietors on the most successful year which had
ever occurred in this, or, he believed, any other
office, the fruits of which they would realise by a
dividend of £l5 per share, causing a distribution of
£33,000 amongst the 250 shareholders of whom the
company was composed.
The PRESIDENT invited criticism on the accounts,
and generally on the conduct of the great business
of this society, and several inquiries were made,
which were most satisfactorily answered by the
chairman and secretary, and eliciting from various
members expressions of satisfaction at the past, and
entire confidence in the future management of this
splendid institution.
The PRESIDENT concluded this part of the busi-
ness of the day by announcing that the dividend
for the past year would be payable on and after
Thursday, the 16th inst., at the bank of Gurneys
and Co., in this city.
The meeting then resolved itself specially to take
into consideration, and, if approved, to adopt two
resolutions agreed to at an extraordinary meeting
of the Board of Directors. These were :-
Ist. To establish a reserved fund for the special
object of protection against casualties in the foreign
business, such fund not to exceed £15,000.
2d. To sanction opening agencies at the city of
Havannah ; also at Rio Janeiro.
Resolutions carrying out these proposals were
moved by DONALD DALRYMPLE, Esq. (who called
attention to lithographed plans which were on the
Board table of these seats of business), and seconded
by R. J. HARVEY HARVEY, Esq., M.P., who warmly
advocated the prosecution of foreign insurance, hut
was decidedly in favour of creating the proposed
reserved fund, which he believed would have a ten
dency to equalise future dividends.
Both proposals were affirmed by large majorities,
and the meeting broke up, after a two hours' sit-
ting, with expressions of high satisfaction at the
probable future of this great and vastly-spreading
:nstitution. .

It was elicited in the course of the morning that
the total business on subsisting policies at the 29th
September, 1867, amounted to 83 millions.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22.

Russia and Poland are subjects which, when Frenchmen
have nothing else to occupy them, are sure to come to the
front. Nothing can persuade Parisians that Russia is not
preparing to make a sudden raid on the sick man's terri-
tory. An anonymous writer has just published a pamphlet,
entitled "La Russie, La Turquie, et l'Europe," with the
evident object of nourishing the anti-Russian sentiment.
He wishes the Western Powers to warn the Czar that if
Russia has forgotten the last struggle we have not, and " that
Russian diplomacy will be met with the same veto as before."
The writer blames the Allied Powers for the existence of
the present state of affairs. They separated in the Crimea,
at the moment when victory was theirs, without exacting
enduring guarantees for the future. He goes on to argue
that the peace and liberty of the world depend on the
union of France and England. " France and England,"
he adds, " should never forget that the dream of the
Russians is at the same time to settle accounts with the
English in Calcutta, and to march by way of Con-
stantinople on Paris." With the mention of
Russia we cannot forget Poland, and if we could,
the Committee of Polish Emigrants in Paris will
not allow it. They have just issued a notification, which
I see in the Siecle, reminding the public of a few facts. The
Russian Government, in its relentless persecution of the
Polish nation, issued a decree some time ago confiscating
the land of all the native landowners of Volhynia, the
Ukraine, and Lithuania. These landowners were allowed
to the 10th of December last to sell their property, and
this not having been effected, the Government has now
ordered it to be sold by auction. They have invited
foreign capitalists to make purchases. Natives of
Poland are forbidden to buy it, "no one being
permitted "—I quote the committee's words—" to own
a scrap of Polish soil except a Russian or a
foreigner." The object of this edict is to extirpate the
Poles from their own land. The committee remind those who
may deem this a favourable opportunity for buying land,
of a decree of the Polish National Government, which in
1863 anticipated measures like this by declaring that all
purchases so effected would be regarded as null and void.
The protest may he ineffective, but it is not inopportune.
According to the " Correspondence from the North East,"
just published, the Poles are fleeing into Gallicia to escape
the impending Russian conscription. Under pretext of
preventing this exodus the Russian troops are massed on
the frontier.

The considerable improvement which has taken place in
the Paris Bourse is due to the rumour that M. Magne's
lo:n of 400 million francs will not see the light. Mean-
while his statement is anxiously expected.
Among the countless rumours kept afloat about Italian
affairs, the latest is that negotiations have been reopened
lx...tween Paris and Florence on the subject of the recal
(repatriement) of the expeditionary corps remaining on the
Pontifical territory. The foundation of the rumour pro-
bably is that the Italian Cabinet is making every effort to
assure the Emperor that henceforth the Papal territory
will be in no danger of invasion. The Etendard repeats the
fact which I stated a fear days ago, of the circulation
of an address to the ex king Francis 11. In the Unita
Cattolica the address is given at length.
The report that M. de Sartiges has quitted Rome fox
Naples to report on the state of South Italy creates
anxiety. We wait till it is confirmed.
The death is announced, A Cannes, of the Due des
Cars, a former peer of France, and one of the foremost
leaders of the Legitimist party. He commanded a
division at the taking of Algiers in 1830, but, after the
events of July of the same year, he attended the exiled
Charles X. to England.
The Avenir National relieves the dull season by a goon
joke. A pupil of one of the lye..es was twenty minute,
late on Sunday evening. When reproved, he produced on
the spot a certificate of the station-master that the train
was so much en retard. " Oh, well," replied the tutor,
" when a train is late you must take the one before."

Pressing as poverty is in many parts of France, it is still
more so across the Ilhine. The distress in the South-wee
of Germany appears to be ,as lamentable as that in thi
North-east of Prussia. The Mercury , of Suabia, reports tha,
famine has attained an unparalleled intensity in that pro
vince. Whole families are found dead in the open air,
starvation. The poor peasants have had to sell their farm
ing implements for bread. It is added that unless succom
is at nand suon it will be too late.

" C. B. 8.," an apparently well-informed correspoMten4
the Times, states that till 1869 Russian armaments
give no alarm. The Government of St. Petersburg
made a number of contracts for the supply of breechloadei.,
in several countries of Europe and America, but the con•
tractors are not required to deliver up the arms till the
spring of 1869. It will be some time after that before the
Russian hordes are prepared to use them.
Within the past few days several M.P.'s, mindful of the
fact that the session is rapidly approaching, have hastened
to address their constituents. Mr. Corrance, one of the
members for East Suffolk, in the conr.e of a lecture a;
Ipswich, dealt fully with the relations between capital and
labour, and advocated a full, fair, and calm treatment o
that difficult question. One thing he feared, and that was,
that trades unions promised more than they could possibly
perform. They assured the working man that they could
secure him constant level•work at a constant level price ;
hut did they succeed in doing this? The hon. gentleman
doubted whether strikes achieved the good which they
were intended to effect, and whether long ones did not
really lessen the competition for labour by clearing out of
the labour market small capitalists, and so increasing the
monopoly of the few. He did not think the trade out-
rages of which they had heard so much ought to be regarded
as part of the question ; they were evidences of weakness
and of crime, but they had nothing to do with the intrinsic
merits of the case on either side.
A meeting of the Cambridge Conservative Club was
enlivened by the presence of three members of Parliament
---Mr. F. S. Powell, Mr. Gorst, and Lord Royston. The
speeches of Messrs. Powell and Gorst, the representatives
of Cambridge borough, were almost identical in tone. The
conduct of the Government in dealing with the subject of
Reform was defended. The education question was next
dealt with. Both gentlemen "hoped to see wise changes
made in connection with our ancient universities and in
the management of our grammar schools." The time,
however, had not come for compulsory education.

Lord Royston is the eldest son of the Earl of
Hardwicke, and the Comptroller of her Majesty's
Household. His lordship handled rather severely the
recent speech of Professor Fawcett on free trade
in land. He knew something about political economy,
but he never supposed that any professor of such a sciene
could have propagated the scandalous opinions to whiels
Professor Fawcett had given publicity. His lordship only
wished he had the power and knowledge to deal with the
sacrilegious tenets that the learned Professor had poured
into the heads of his audience. Professor Fawcett said
the great object to be sought now was to procure free trade
in land. What the Professor had said on that qt.ustion
was not true, and he either spoke falsely, or he was igno-
rant of his subject. The Professor had said the yeomen
of England were swept away. That was a most untruth-
ful assertion. The Profess n. had also said that the getting
rid of primogeniture and the law of entail would be the
one saving measure for the country. This shewed the
whole principle of Radicalism was to overturn the agri-
cultural power of this country. The Conservatives, on the
contrary, wished to preserve it.
Xt Portsmouth Mr. Stone and Mr. Serjeant Casein,
the borough representatives, met with rather a warm
than s- friendly reception. Mr. Stone's address consisted
of a review of the political history of the country during
the last two sessions of Parliament. With respect to
the Conservative Reform measure of 1867, he strongly
objected to the abolition of the compound house-
holder—an expression of opinion which gave much
dissatisfaction to the Conservative element in the
assembly. Serjeant Gaselee was received with cheers,
laughter, and hisses. He justified the course which he had
taken in going into the Tea-room last session, and main-.
tained that his votes had materially contributed to the
success of the Reform Bill. He was listened to with great
impatience, and on a resolution of confidence in the mem-
bers having been moved, a bold Conservative proposed, as
an amendment, that the meeting disapproved of Mr.
Stone's factious conduct in opposing the Conservative
Reform Bill, and of Mr. Serjeant Gaselee's repeated exhi-
bitions, which made Portsmouth the laughing-stock of the
whole country. The resolution was, however, carried by
a large majority.
At Manchester, Mr. Graham, M.P. for Glasgow, in
addressing a gathering of the Sunday School Union, spoke
of the educational system as carried out in Scotland as a
model which might well be followed in this country.
Roman Catholic children went to Protestant schools there
without being interfered with in religious matters, and
if the same system were adopted here with regard
to the children of all creeds, there would be no de-
mand for secular education. If, however, people
would have secular schools, by all means let them
have them.

Major My:es O'Reilly, M.P. for Longford, is publishing
a series of letters in the Freeman's Journal on that fruitful
theme of discussion, the Irish question. Mr. O'R,eilly
objects to the proposed distribution of the Irish Church
property. " Those who think with me," he observes, "are
of opinion that we had better seek to have it applied to
secular purposes of national utility, entirely disendowing
the Anglican Establishment in Ireland, and thereby de-
stroying its ascendancy, and leaving the Catholic Church
in Ireland in its present position as regards revenues, de-
pendent for its support on the free offerings of Catholics
and such property as it has acquired and is yearly ac-
quiring by such free offerings."