The Sun.
London, England, 1868-09-05 00:00:00

MR. ROEBUCK.

The Pall Mall Gazette says that Mr. Roebuck has
exceeded himself in narrowness, spite, violence of lan-
guage, and disregard of the position and feelings of those
by whom he was surrounded. There will appear in &lithe
New York papers the outlines of Mr. Roebuck's
speech. The people will know that their repre-
sentative made a speech full of the most kindly
and generous sentiments towards England, and
that England responded, through Mr. Roebuck, by a
coarse and unjust attack upon the political institutions
of America. That is the light in which the incident will
be presented to American readers. We, of course, should
be amused with the notion that Mr. Roebuck can in any
way be regarded as a representative of English opinion.
He represents no one but an ill-regulated and cross-
grained member of the House of Commons, and the
sentiments which he expressed, and the occasion
he chose for avowing them, would be sufficient
to deprive his name of all vestige of authority, except
perhaps among the most ignorant class in his own consti-
tuency. A man has a right to his own opinion about
American affairs, but he has no right to seize
the opportunity of insulting the American people
in the presence of their Minister. When Sir
Frederic Bruce and other Foreign Ministers were
invited to attend in Congress for the purpose of
hearing a funeral oration upon President Lincoln, the
orator chose to enter into rude and ungracious criticisms
of the countries which they represented. Every.
where there was a cry of indignation. The American
people were the first to condemn Mr. Bancroft. But
his offence was not so great as Mr. Roebuck's, for
his language was far more moderate. Mr. Bancroft
only wanted to make a little political capital. Mr.
Roebuck was determined to indulge his proclivities for
snapping and snarling at everyone and everything, and
unfortunately Mr. Reverdy Johnson came in his way
last night. He will find that he has outraged the
public sense of England no less than that of
America. Political affairs have settled "in the hands of
what we may call the buccaneering portion of society."
This while the people of the United States are at
this moment preparing to elect their chief magistrate, and
while a large party in the country is eager to find
some excuse for quarrelling with England ! It is
unnecessary to • say that Mr. Roebuck's assertion is a
slander. We have never been among those who assert
that all the political virtues under heaven are daily put in
practice by the American people, but to say that

the electors belong to the "buccaneering classes" is
an odious libel upon the nation in whichethe vast majority
claim the franchise as a right. Mr. Roebuck has tried to
do some mischief in his time, and he is apparently
resolved to do still more before we are finished
with him. This one speech ought to lose him
his election ; but the old constituency of Sheffield
was remarkably eccentric. Perhaps the new one
is no better. We trust that at least the Americana
will thoroughly understand that the English people have
no sympathy with the sour politician who has sometimes
the presumption to speak as if with authority from them.

Th© _Army and Navy Gazette says that Lord
Napier's share of the six months' batta granted for service
in Abyssinia will amount to 29,850 rupees.

Her Majesty the Queen and the junior members
of the Royal Family, attended by the suite, are expected
to arrive at Windsor Castle about the close of the ensuing
week. The Queen, after a stay of about three days, will
leave Windsor Castle for Balmoral.

The Attorney-Generalship of the County Pala-
tine, which became vacant through the death of Mr.
Temple, Q.C., has been conferred upon Mr. Quain, Q.C.
The learned gentleman, who was called to the bar in May
1851, received a silk gown about two years ago. Mr. Quain
is one of the Liberal candidates for the representation of
London University.

DEATH OF PROFESSOR MACLURE.—The death of
Robert Maclure, LL.D., Professor of Humanity in the
University of Aberdeen, took place suddenly at his resi-
dence on Thursday morning. He was dressing in his
bedroom, when he suddenly fell down and expired. He
was in his GOth year.

Au old lady has been burnt to death at Brighton.
The other night about ten o'clock she went to her bed-
room, and a few minutes afterwards piercing screams were
heard. When the room was entered she was found
enveloped in flames and was so severely burnt that she
never rallied, but died early on Thursday morning. She
wore a muslin dress on the Tuesday night, and, while
conscious after the accident, said the sleeve of this had
caught fire from the candle, the flames afterwards getting
to the skirt of the dress, and so spreading to all her
garments.

THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION OF A JEWESS. —WO
understand that on the 3rd instant Miss Esther Lyons met
her father by arrangement, and that they had a private
conversation together, which lasted an hour, at the con-
clusion of which she was asked, in the presence of her
uncle and brother, two Christian friends, and a solicitor
for each party, whether she would go with her father, who
was in another room awaiting her decision, or remain
with those friends with whom she lately-resided. She imme-
diately replied that she would remain with the friends
with whom she had been staying. It had been previously
agreed that both parties should acquiesce in Miss Lyons's
decision.

ANOTHER FIRE AT THE EXCHANGE BUILDINGS
AT NEWCABTLE.—The Northern Evening Express contains
the following :—" These magnificent buildings, which were
so much injured by the fire in August 1867, andt present a
are undergoing the process of restoration, have been in
great danger of suffering a second time from the fiery
element. On Friday morning, about seven o'clock, when
some of the workmen entered the room immediately be-
neath the dome, they discovered that the floor was on fire. It
had been burning over night, and had burnt through the
flooring, destroying the greater portion of it, and causing
the newly-erected dome to be in great danger of being
destroyed a second time. The fire might have been more
serious but for the fact of the floor of the room being
covered over with a quantity of sawdust several inches in
thickness, which tended to check the rapid progress of the
fire, and saved the building from more serious injury.

- ,
THE BERMUDA FLOATING DOCK.—The Bermuda
floating dock, which was launched at North Woolwich on
Thursday, has arrived at Sheerness, having been towed
down the river by eight powerful tn!,-,,•boats, and accom-
panied by her Majesty's ships Terrible and Medusa, the
latter vessel being about 300 yards in front, and acting as
pilot. The tide being low at the time of arrival, the dock
remained at the Little Nore a short time, when
it was taken into the harbour up as far as Saltpan Reach,
where moorings had been prepared by the dockyard
authorities. The dock was soon safely moored, and lies
about two miles and a half from Sheerness Pier, As the
dock will remain in Sheerness harbour all the winter to
be completed before being towed to Bermuda, the Latonia
hulk has been placed at the contractor's disposal, for the
accommodation of about 100 workmen who will be em-
ployed upon her. ThOtotun launch No, 45 will to be.
19110 t9r 049 9911trtieteel tlllO.