The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-19 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sit,—Having observed recently that a bill is be-
fore Parliament for some alterations of this law, I
have presented a petition, through Mr. J. S. Mill,
M.P., wherein I prayed that an alteration should
be made in it to prevent the repetition of cases
similar to that-of F. Copestick, a resident house-
holder, who was sent to prison by the late Mr.
Jardine, the Recorder of Bath, for practising for
money astrological science, as was described in
your journal for the 19th Jan., 1852. Mr. Jardine
stated he considered the law to apply, under the
Vagrancy Act, even to a peer of the realm, and,
by parity of reasoning, to a member of Parliament.
Others might hold a similar opinion, and, therefore,
it is desirable for the Legislature to decide the real
state of the law. Lieutenant (now Commander)
Morrison, R.N., editor and proprietor of " Zadkiel's
Almanac," wrote a long commentary upon this
subject, which was published in your journal early
in 1852 ; and I understood from Lieut. Morrison
distinctly, by numerous letters, and through a con-
versation at his house at Brompton on the 20th
April, 1852, that Lord R. Grosvenor (now Lord
Ebury), or some other M.P., would move in the
matter. Acting upon that idea, and having con-
vinced myself that the astral principle, when well
understood, is useful, I published a note upon the
subject in the Almanac for 1853, and subsequently
my "Plea for Urania," noticed by you on the 14th
February, 1856, wherein I gave reasons for such
belief, and for the partial or entire legalisation of the
science pro bono publico. If the subject is not to
be followed up to a satisfactory result I shall have
incurred an unnecessary waste of time and of
money. Further, impostors in this line will still
flourish without stint, which is not desirable or
right in my opinion.*---I am, sir, yours obediently,
CHR. COOKE.
New Alresford, May 16, 1868.

* See a recent case at Leamington, wherein a Miss
Shelly was imposed upon. The evidence was insufficient
for convictioi.

A meeting of laymen in support of the Irish
Church and kindred institutions was held on Mon-
day, under the presidency of the Lord Mayor, in
the City Terminus Hotel, Cannon-street. Sir
William Baynes, Alderman Rose, Mr. Giffard,
Q.C., and Mr. Baggallay were among the speakers.
Most of the speeches were weak, but that made by
Alderman Rose was positively vicious. Without
having the courage to accuse the Catholic clergy of
direct complicity with Fenianism, he made remarks
concerning them which clearly left this complicity
to be inferred ; and his ground for the inference
appeared to be that a Catholic priest had once paid
a fine for a youth convicted of posting a Fenian
placard on the Mansion-house. Mr. Giffard came
forward with another quotation from Mr. Glad-
stone, which was received with hisses. There were
occasional interruptions, but, on the whole, the
various resolutions were carried with tolerable una-
nimity. Three groans for the four City members,
and a prayer and benediction brought the proceed-
ings to a close.
The murderer of Mr. Featherstonhaugh has not
yet been discovered. Five men have been arre,sted
on suspicion, and have been examined ; but there
not being sufficient evidence as to their complicity
with the murder they have been discharged.
The sun of Royalty has since the days of William
111. shone but rarely on Irish soil. Between 1690
and 1868 there have been but four Royal visits to
Ireland. George IV. visited that island in 1821,
and remained there exactly seventeen days ; and
Queen Victoria has visited it on three occasions—
in 1849, in 1853, and in 1861, each of her AI ljesty'a
visits being of about a week's duration. " Thom"
son Hankey," dating from 45, Portland-place, has
obtained these details from ‘1 Ulster King-at-Arms,"
and published them in the Times.
The objections to the plan of giving passengers
on railways the power to stop the train by ringing
an alarm bell to warn the engineer and guard are
illustrated in two cases. The Birmingham train 13
fitted with the electric apparatus, and on one occa-
sion a young officer from Weedon rang the bell
and brought the train to a stand-still " for a
joke ;" on another a medical man did the same
thing " out of curiosity." The medical man,
it appears, was very nearly lynched for his
pains. On our English lines there must always be 6
risk of foolish persons playing these tricks. In
American cars there are too many passengers
placed together for any one to pull the rope which
runs along the roof ; and, besides, Americans are
generally too eager to get to their journey's end to
stop the train unnecessarily. If communication be'
tween passengers and guards or drivers is to be
made part of the railway system in this country, it
will be necessary to devise some severe punishment
for mischievous dolts like the young officer from
Weedon and the medical man. Until such ar-
rangements are made the dread of public exposure
might prove of some benefit. The railway authoris
ties ought to give the widest possible publicity to
the names of the two first offenders, who certainly
are not entitled to any forbearance or sympathy
from any portion of the community.
The anniversary of the adoption by the Poles of
their famous Constitution of the 3d of May, 1791,
was celebrated this year at Lemberg, the capital of
Galicia, with more national demonstrations than
usual. Huge placards were posted up in all parts
of the town with the inscription " 3d of May," re-
minding the people of the absolutist times of Bach,
when students used to write the memorable date °n
the walls secretly and at night, the police arresting
any one whom they caught, thus reminding the
Poles of one of the greatest events in their history'.
In the theatre a patriotic play was performed, en-
titled " Kosciusko on the Seine," after which patrio-
tic hymns were sung, followed by a grand tableau
representing the national hero at Raclavice, the
scene of one of his most celebrated battles. In the
afternoon the Polish Musical Society gave a con-
cert, at which it was remarked that Prince George
Czartoryski sang in the chorus side by side with a
number of poor men and women of the working
class.
With reference to the Irish Church Commission'
the Irish Times, a Conservative journal, argil!,
that the recommendations which the Commies
sioners may now deem their duty to offer,
necessarily framed after the question of the Estab-
lished Church has assumed so important and des;
tided a phase in the House of Commons, "el us
be such as Parliament can accept and ratifY...
Changes of considerable magnitude must be the
commended if any practical result is to follow tu
Commission. They are not the true friends of uh
Church in Ireland (the writer thinks) who expect
or require suggestions for alterationS less comes
hcnsive. " Suggestions of modifications posees
ing only a mere temporary and partial charactere
will meet with no attention. The Cominissionicd
have been engaged on a task of great labour cfl
difficulty ; they are men of experience, and ,lie
dowed with sagacity and judgment, and the 13u, ''be
do not expect the result of all their inquiries tu
recommendations certain to he rejected th. he
ment they are presented to Parliament and, ,hat
country." It is generally believed in Ireland I'll,o
the report of the Commission will include "'of
tender of " some compromise for the saving
the Church."
Cricket Club will
•

The Shepherd's Bush United uric— °
play their first day match at Woodford, Essex, on
1111;
day, May 25th, 18G8. The coach will leave the club-hou'i
(Royal Hotel) at 8a m. On Saturday, May 30th,
their first home match with the Queen's Printers, at o'
Royal Private Ground, near Shepherd's Bush
tation.