The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-08 00:00:00

SPIRIT THE P•O'BLIC JCJRNALS,

What will the Lords do, asks the Tintes, with Mr. Glad-
'stone's Suspensory Bill? It has passed through com-
mittee in the House of Commons, and in the course of
this week, or early in next, it will come before the Upper
House. What will their lordships do ? The leading
journal finds no difficulty in the question what they
ought to do (for they ought to accept it) but itcannot be
sanguine that they will do it. Mr. Hardy has deelarei hb
hoped and believed the Suspensory Bill would not reach
the stage of success contemplated by Mr. Gladstone, and
we may assume that the Government will use all their
influence in the Upper House to procure its rejec-
tion. When it is remembered that the practical leader
of the Ministry in the House of Lords the
Lord Chancellor—is devoted to the maintenance in
its integrity of the Irish Establishment, and the "inspiring
genius " below the gangway took the earliest opportunity
of proclaiming his opposition to all schemes for dealing
with it, it can hardly be hoped that there will be many
deserters from the Ministerial supporters to the side of
isdom and prudence. It is still more unfortunate that
the most Liberal of the bishops have announced beforehand
their hostility to the bill, though we cannot but feel
that the essential distinction between the English
and the Irish Churches—that the one is, and the other is
not the Church of the people—must become so apparent
on reflection that it may induce some members of the
episcopal bench to abandon their first hasty conclusions.
But, if the bill is to be carried, wo must trust to the good
sense of that large section of the House of Lords which
is free from ecclesiastical prepossessions or the trammels
of (party. To them we appeal. What would be
the position of the House if the bill were rejected?
The Lords would appear before that tribunal to which an
appeal,is to be so soon made, not merely as the antagonists
of the popular House, but also as the champions of privi-
lege against justice. This is the sum of the whole matter,
recognised more and more clearly every day. The Irish
Establishment is the application of the domain of the many
to the advantage of a few. We ought rather to say to the
supposed advantage of the few, for the healthy current of
their lives is poisoned by a gift, the possession of which
is an outrage on the feebleness of the mass excluded from
participation in it. It is sad there should be any danger
that the House of Lords will pledge itself to maintain
such-a system, denounced, as it has been, by statesmen of
every generation, and thus at once put itself at
issue with a vast mass of its countrymen hitherto unen-
franchised.

The Post declares it to be very satisfactory to know that
the regulations for the constitution and guidance of the
new War Office " Department of Control " will be sub-
mitted for the approval of the House of Commons before
being authorised and published ; but the answer given Dy
Sir John Pakington to the Marquis of Hartington, on
Friday last, although it conveyed that information,
appeared to justify the impression which had undoubtedly
prevailed that the Secretary of State for War had not
considered himself either pledged or bound to lay the
statement asked for before Parliament. An uneasy feel-
ing„ too, prevailed that all was not as it should be in the
original draft of the proposed regulations. It would have
been the height of official folly for a Minister to have en-
deavoured to start a new and highly important depart-
ment on regulations unapproved of by Parliament ; and
Sir John Pakington has done wisely in yielding to a mani-
festly prevailing desire for an investigation of them pre-
liminary to publication.

The Hess/d, thinks the Liverpool breakfast must lo ..se.
keen a queer sort of affair. The English people are not
given to eating I heir ham and eggs in public. Breakfasts
such as that which was dignified by the presence of the
member for Birmingham are usually associated with Exeter
Hall and the May meetings. There is something strange
and incongruous in the spectacle of five or six hundred
people assembled to discuss politics over their tea and toast;
and the chief incidents of the scene were equally anomalous.
We arc not accustomed to hear English statesmen chant-
ing their own praises in public. Mr. Bright's fervid
eulogium upon himself is happily quite exceptional. It
is only fair to say that the honourable gentleman was, to
some extent, kept in countenance by the marvellous ex-
hibition of Mr. Robertson Gladstone. Our Liberal
statesmen are somewhat unfortunate in their brothers.
On one occasion Lord John Russell's candidature for
the City of London was seriously imperilled by the
reckless zeal of a devoted but wrong-headed relative.
Mr. Jacob Bright's pathetic denunciation of his
brother's revilers exposed the latter to some cruel raillery.
And now we have the Opposition leader—a personage
conspicuously solemn and " proper "—compromised by
the well-meant but damaging advocacy of a relative
whose forte appears to be silliness tempered by blasphemy.
The after-breakfast speech of Mr. Robertson Gladstone
was nothing less than a catastrophe for his bro-
ther under his present circumstances. It is under-
stood that although South Lancashire has Muted with
tolerable distinctness that the Liberal leader had better
look elsewhere for his scat in the new Parliament, the
right honourable gentleman is resolved upon renewing his
suit, and hopes, by a little diplomacy, and by playing his
cards very carefully, to tura the scale in his favour.
But is this sort of thing possible when one is so fear-
fully weighted with a bretber like Mr. Robertson
Gladstone, who, with the best intentions in the world,
goes about bespattering one with the praise which
is damning, not because it is so faint, but because
it is so uncommonly hot, strong, and full-flavoured ?
Mr. Bright did a rather risky thing when he ventured
the aspiration that "He in whose hands are the thoughts
of men " might " dispose the hearts of the constituencies "
in favour of Mr. Gladstone, and against the Conservative
party. But Mr. Robertson Gladstone fairly puts rum to
the blush with the neat and appropriate metaphor liken-
ing his brother to the Redeemer. This was too much
even for the Liberals of Liverpool, and it can hardly im-
prove Mr. Gladstone's chances for South Lancashire.
The Daily News, referring to the " confidential ae
viser" who raises money, and pays the debt of the betting
lord (as long as there is any property to mortgage,
expresses a fear that some of our railway companies are
shewing too much inclination to put themselves into the
hands of this same clever, inventive, ever-ready, but most
costly gentleman. We all know how invaluable is the
service which a man of judgment, financial ability, con
science, and firmness may render to a company which he
is called in to assist in its embarrassments. Prudence
will bid such a man to have nothing to do with affairs in
which he cannot act with perfect freedom ; he will re-
quire some kind of assurance that when the cause of the
disease is declared the patient will not shrink from the
remedy because it is sharp ; and these conditions being
conceded, he will point out how the company may recover
its position with the least inconvenience or delay. A less
scientific or less conscientious adviser will proceed dif-
ferently. The ,confidential adviser will pretend to take
the symptoms for the disease itself ; he will be satisfied
if he gets rid of them even at the expense of the sufferer's
constitution ; and while displaying a fussy activity for
the patient's recovery he will indulge the very weakness
which has undermined his health. In a lower degree the
policy thus condemned is being illustrated in the recent
action of some of our railway companies respecting-the
issue of debenture stock. All persons moderately
conversant with railway affairs agree, we believe, that
the existence of a debenture loan debt, in more than a
small proportion to its share capital, is a source of
danger to a company, and that, other'things being equal,
its conversion into debenture stock is desirable.
But even gold may be bought too dear, and it is be re-
membered that debenture loan debts have existed for
many years, without being considered dangerous ; that
they have become so through the general discredit which
has fallen upon railway management ; and that the reme-
dial action called for should be something better than the
barbarous practice of bidding for money at any price in the
market, irrespective of the permanent loss entailed on the
shareholders.

The more rational and moderate partisans of Congress
in this country regret the failure of the impeachment, on
the ground that it will perpetuate or prolong the peculiar
distribution or separation of constitutional powers which is
characteristic of the American system. It will, they say,
help to maintain the President's inclependence of
Congress, and prevent the gradual approximation
to the English system which they consider detirabh
—the concentration of power in the hands of ;the
Legislature and the establishment of its corftro.
over the Executive. There is much truth (the Stanciara
admits) in this anticipation ; there is also some exaggera•
tion. Impeachment is a weapon that can only be employed
under peculiar circumstances ; and even if Mr. Johnson
had been deposed for resistance to the uncous.titdtiona.
policy of a congressional majority, his successors might
under ordinary conditions, assert their indeP en done as
successfully as General Jackson did. It is incousisteritwei4
the fundamental principles of the Executive Government •
of America— the direct election of the President by the
people (for it is really though not technically direct)—that
it should become the dependant of Congress, and change
its policy in deference to a vote of the representative
body. The President is not, like a constitutional King
independent of party, and, because irresponsible, bound tc
be guided by responsible advisers ; nor is he, like a con-
stitutional Minister, the servant of the Legislature. He
derives his commission directly from the people, represents
a popular conviction and a public choice, and can neither
be expected to carry out a policy of which he disapproves.
nor to resign at the bidding of an authority nowise
superior to his own. We do not think, then, that the
success of the impeachment would have established, or
could ever establish, parliamentary government in
America.

The Telegraph, commenting on the death of the Earl
Shrewsbury , ay s : The Lord Shrewsbury who has JuT
passed away was " a respectable man." In our pis',
times it is difficult to achieve greatness, and it was
Lord Shrewsbury's misfortune, not his fault, that the
continental war had ceased when he entered the navy,
and that but for " the untoward accident," other-
wise the " glorious event " of Navarino, he might
never have secu a shot fired in anger. Ten years
after that battle—in 1837—he went on half-pay,
and never served again. Thus, there was nothing
in. his warlike experiences to recall the deeds of his
illustrious ancestors. But whose fault was that? Not
Lord Shrewsbury's, we suppose. During the twenty
years of his service at sea, Europe, exhausted after the
great .war, had sunk to rest ; and the chief Continental
Powers were so mindful of their sacrifices and perils in the
past, that with one accord they conspired to tread out all
insurrections, and to keep the peace by helping each other
to hang and imprison refractory civilians. What, there-
fore, was 1g tfn an English naval captain to do?

THE MURDER OF A TRAPTLLING
SALESMAN.

At the police-office, Wellington, near Shrewsbury, two
meni•inamed George Harries and Richard Hart, have been
brought up in custody, charged with the murder of
Barnatt Zusman, on the 15th of November, 1867. The
particulars of this remarkable crime, with which the
prisoners are after so great a lapse of time charged, are
briefly as follows :—On the 15th of November, in last year,
Barnatt Zusman, a travelling salesman, in the service of
Mr. Coh en ,watch mannfacturer, Birmingham, left the Rose
and Crown Inn, Ironbridge, where he had been staying
for some days, with the avowed intention of goifig to
Dawley and Horsehay. He left at ten o'clock in the
morning, and took with him a case containing watches
and jewellery of the estimated value of £420. He
ordered dinner, but did not return to it, and not
being heard of for some days after, his employer
came to the conclusion that he had absconded with the
property, and a notice to that effect was inserted lit the
Paliee Gazette. About a fortnight after his disappearance
a gentleman was shooting, when his dog found the body
of Zusman buried in the mud. An inquest was held, and
from the evidence then adduced it seemed that the
deceased had been murdered. The box that the deceased
had with him was folind empty near the scene
of the murder. At the coroner's inquiry no evidence was
given to justify the arrest of any one, but a verdict of
" Wilful murder against some person or persons un-
known " was returned. The affair was placed in the hands
cf Superintendent Baxter, of Church Smelton, who has
been watching the parties he suspected for some time.
The circle narrowed, till Baxter's attention was fixed
upon a young man named Harries, who lived at Daw-
ley and followed the occupatidn of a chain manufacturer.
Harries is a person of respectable connections, and,
till recently, occupied a good position in the
listrict, his father, who died a little rctora than two
years ago, having left him property worth £4,000 and a
business which brought him about £4OO a year. The
young man, however, got into bad society, and contracted
a close intimacy,with a gang of well-known poachers who
infest the neighbourhood, and at the time of the murder
—though be still kept on the works—bad succeeded in
Jriving away nearly all the business his father had com-
manded. According to his own evidence, given at the
adjourned inquest on the 4th of December, Harries had
lealings with the murdered man, and had seen and
spoken to him on the the morning of his death. He had,
he stated, bought a watch from him for £27 125., paying
in small sums on account, and promising payment of the
balance by instalments. It was ascertained by the police
that Harries had, on the following day, gone over to
Shrewsbury, and there pawned the watch for £B. A few
days after the inquest, and nearly a month after the,
murder, the police obtained a warrant to search Harries's
house, but they found nothing that tended to connect him
with the crime, and their suspicions were apparently with-
drawn. On Wednesday week Superintendent Baxter
received certain information which took him over to
Dawley again, and in the course of last week he obtained .
evidence which led Lim, at a late hour on Friday night, to
arrest George Harries without waiting for a formal war-
rant. Of the precise character of the evidence in the
possession of the police information is, for obvious reasons,
at present withheld, but it is understood to be very con-
elusive. The arrest of the other prisoner has taken the
public by surprise, as his name has not been previously
mentioned in connection with the murder ; but he is well
known in the Dawley district as an incorrigible poacher,
ind as such has been several times convicted. No evidence
vas taken by the magistrates, and upon the application of
Superintendent Baxter the prisoners were remanded. A
solicitor appeared on behalf of Harries, and asked that he
night be admitted to bail, but the request was refused.
3art was undefended.

LAW AND POLICE.

-s

ANOTHER QUESTION AS TO CHARITY LEGACIES.—In the
Lord Chancellor's court the case of Brook v. Badley was
determined. The question raised was whether certain
darts of the property of one C. E. Pargeter were
pure personalty, so as to be applicable to the
trusts of her will, which directed that all her personal
propel ty " applicable for the purposes of rnortmain "
Should he applied by her trustees for charitable pur-
poses. The property in question consisted of a legacy
of £3,000 under the will of Dr. Withering, which was
payable at the death of his wife out of his property
generally. Mrs. Withering was still living; consequently
this legacy had not been paid, and had been purchased by
Miss Pargeter from the legatees. The Master of the
*Rolls had held that the legacy was charged by Dr. Wither.
pig's will upon real estate, and consequently was such an
interest in lands as could not be bequeathed to a charity.
From this decision the charities interested in the matter
'appealed. In a long and lucid judgment the Lord
rhaneellor held that the decision of the Master of the
Rolls was right, and therefore dismissed the appeal, but
without costs.

A SALMON FISHERY CASE.—The Court of Queen's
7f3ench have been occupied for a considerable period in
aearing the appeal of Mr. Holford, M.P., against the
decision of the Salmon Fisheries Commissioners as to
his right to maintain "putchers " for the taking of salmon
at Arlingham, on the Severn. Amongst other things it
seemed that there was a deed as far back as 1610, men-
`..ioning the fisheries of the manor for salmon, and evidence
was given before the commissioners that for forty-five
years putchers had been used. On this Mr. Holford set
up a prescriptivp right which the commissioners overruled.
bnother question was as to a stop-net moored to a<
oat, which it was thought was contrary to the
statute of Henry VI. The Lord Chief Justice gave judg-
ment for the respondents, as at all events they had no
evidence that "putchers" had been used from time imme-
orial. The case was one for the commissioners to deter-
Ta pine. With regard to the nets, the learned judge also
4:ondemned the use of them, as they interfered with both
isbing and navigation.
ACTION Fon Loss OF GOODS.—In the Court of Exche-
quer the case of Hargreaves v. the Lancashire and York-
,hire Railway Company was heard. It was an action for
non-delivery of seven bales of cotton on request. The
cotton had been sent by the defendants' line to a customer
0 the plaintiffs, who, being dissatisfied with the quality,
rent it back. The plaintiff's servants inquired at the 'find-
Persfield station as to its arrival, and were told that it had
hot been received. This, it appears, was not the case; and in
the evening a fire took place and the cotton was consumed.
The company contended that as the plaintiff had not sent
Por the cotton within a reasonably early period their re-
sponsibilities as carriers had ended, and if they were sued
as warehousemen, then they were not liable for loss by fire.
The plaintiff urged that inasmuch as the defendants bad
denied that the goods had arrived at Huddersfield, and
thereby bad misled him, their responsibility as carriers re-
mained. The Lord Chief Baron said that though the de-
fendants might not be liable as warehousemen, the reverse
would perhaps be the case if they were looked upon as
bailees. On the other hand, the plaintiff would not be
entitled to the full value of the goods. He therefore sug-
gested an :arrangement between the parties, and this
'ourse was agreed to.

SERIOUS • CHARGE AGAINST A BANKRUPT.—At the Guild-
hall Mr. Benjamin Benjamin, a merchant, trading under
;he firm of Benjamin Brothers, at 339, Hackney-road,
and 61, Basingball-street, surrendered before Alderman
Owden to the charge that he, being a trader who had been
duly adjudged bankrupt, unlawfully, with intent to de-
fraud his creditors, did, within three months next
3efore the filing of his petition, pawn certain of
his goods —to wit, forty - two gross of Turkish
towels and other goods, which had been obtained
on credit and remained unpaid for, contrary to the statute,
The proceedings were taken against him ifnder the Bank-
ruptcy Act of 1861, and the charges against him were that
within three months of his bankruptcy he obtained goods
to the amount of £25,000, that within sixty days of his
bankruptcy he concealed and made away with a large
quantity of those goods, and also that he made false
entries in his books. The accused was remanded, and bail
refused.

THE ATTEMPTED WIFE-MURDER IN SUFFOLK.-
David Underwood, a man charged with a murderous
assault upon his wife at Fornham, near Bury St. Edmunds,
has been declared insane by Dr. Macnab, medical officer
of the Suffolk county gaol. Underwood has accordingly
been removed to a lunatic asylum under an order from a
county magi3trate.

REMARK ALLE ESCAPE FROM DROWNING. A
young woman named Smith, about 23 years of age, was
walking by the river side at Staines, reading a book, when
she became suddenly giddy and insensible, and iu this
state fell into the Thames. She had no recollection of the
fall. She was first observed floating down with the
stream by a boy named Hancock-, and he at once raised
an alarm. She was seen to be struggling in the water,
and had sunk twice, when Mr. a übbins, of Church-street,
Staines, threw off his coat and hoots, plunged into the
water, and succeeded in rescuing her.

Lord Elcho has been entertained by a Glasgow
working-class audience, by a body styling itself "The
txccutive Committee representing the working classes of
Great Britain and Ireland," who presented an address of
" thanks and gratitude for the great interest and sympathy
exhibited by him on all occasions where the social con-
dition of the industrial millions of his countrymen is in-
volved," and more especially for the " aid and co•opera-
tion rendered by his lordship in obtaining the amendment
of the law affecting contracts of service between masters
and servants." The claim of this body to speak on behalf
of the working classes generally is disputed.