The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-19 00:00:00

COLLIERY EXPLOSION.

On Monday morning an explosion of fire-damp, which
caused the death of three men, occurrred at the Swan-land
Colliery, Hindley, belonging to Mr. E. Johnson, of St.
Helens. Saturday being " reckoning-day," the men did
not go down to work on Monday morning, and the
manager sent five or six men down the pit
to make repairs. One man, named Charles Abbott,
was sent to the " up-brow " to the signal-wire, and
shortly after his departure the fatal explosion
happened. Abbott is supposed to have gone into ono
of the new levels, where his brother was in the habit of
working, to procure some candles, and it is supposed
that some gas which had accumulated, coming in contact
with his candle, instantly fired. At the time of the acci-
dent the underground manager, Mr. Johnson, a brother
of the proprietor, was standing near the pit-mouth, and felt
an unusual rush of air pass him, and at once proceeded to
discover the cause, accompanied by two other men. On
reaching the up-brow they found it full of sulphur and
"after-damp," but Mr. Johnson, nevertheless, succeeded in
pushing his way up to the man Abbott, whom he seized
by the legs and attempted to drag out. Feeling that the
sulphur was fast overpowering him, he called to the men
who had accompanied him, but receiving no answer, sup.
posed they had returned. When making his way back ho
touched one of the other men with his feet, and found that
he had fallen in the brow, overpowered, and a little further
on he fell over the second, after which he himself became in.
sensible. News had by this time reached the pit bank that
something was wrong below, and a number of men
descended. Proceeding to the scene of the explosion, the
first person they reached was Mr. Johnson, apparently
lifeless. He was at once taken to the surface, and with
difficulty restored. The dead bodies of the other two men,
named Joseph Fishwick and John Reeves, were found a
little further on. When the pit was so far cleared as to
allow of the up-brow being explored, Abbott's body was
found, very much burnt.

Something similar to the " spectre of the
Brocken " has been seen in Weardalc, when the sun was
just above the western horizon, beyond the mountain of
Kilhope, on which the fire was raging. A breeze brought the
smoke down the vale of Kilhope, at the end of which it
ascended the skies, presenting a pillar between the sun and
the spectator. Between the pillar and the sun were four
men belabouring the fire on Kilhope with tree branches,
trying to extinguish it. The shadows of these men were
thrown on the pillar of smoke, and appeared as monster
giants, every movement of whom was distinctly observed.
REFORM OF CONVOCATION. —The following peti-
tion to her Majesty on the subject of a reform in Convo-
cation is being extensively signed in the diocese of
Lichfield :—" To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty. The
humble petition of the undersigned clergy and laity or the
arehdeacoury of Stafford, in the diocese of Lichfield,
Oieweth,—That your petitioners observe with regret that
the parochial clergy of the Province of Canterbury are not
duly represented in the Holy Synod of Convocation of the
said province. That your petitioners earnestly desire that the
number of proctors who represent the parochial clergy in
the Convocation of Canterbury maybe increased, and that
oto bl y g
r parlfty
your
licensed priests may vote in the elections of the said
to You petitioners,rtherefore,
graciously pleased l
yourproe rs. y
will be
gracin
royal assent and license, or to take such other measures as
the constitution of the country requires, for providing for
a l larger and freer representation of the parochial clergy in
t:le Convocation of the Province of Canterbury. And
your petitioners will ever pray." A similar movement is
irk several other dioceses.

. .
, . T
, .
...
UE SUN, LONDON WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 19, 1868.
- ...,
.....---- '
E
LAT ST INTELLIGENCE.
ROYAL INSURANCE COMPANY, active treatment in the earliest stages of diarrhoea party interest in this fashion. At Sheffield opposi-
• CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARID.
'7.' ....____•_.
INSURANCE BUILDINGS, and
ROYAL cholera, and emphatically declares that many tion is to be made to Mr. ROEBUCK of a powerful
Lombard-street, London, and Liverpool. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) IFROX OUR OWN CORIIESPDXDBid.)
EPITOM lives would be saved if medical aid were obtained kind, as it is alleged; but there can be little doubtE
of ANNUAL REPORT for 1867. _____......-....._.
t the
orTi h.oJteiusr°bapyeplaoe
scittiioonn,majoritya paperstwoiiscoahmrteleiatehllLindigeblemirgaholrteedthaa
than
candidatethtwe orwetsa
was
lovtni o :0:
PAX'S, TUESDAY, August A
at the outset. The deaths of three persons from that the hon. member will retain the seat he has so
AUSTRIA.
The ‘, ROYAL" has never had a larger body of Constituents
than now.
FIRE BRANCH. sunstroke were recorded in the week, notwithstand- worthily held. Of course prejudice i 3 strong in
VIENNA, Aug. 19.
The Passe of to-day says :—" In view of the They remark, not without reason, that the Jura depart.
PREMIUMS in 1867 £460,553 ing the abatement in the heat of the weather. The that place, and many are indignant at the
meat isp almost purely.. agricultural, the
inhabitants,most important
town, Ole, containing less than 12,000 and
}wing a larger revenue than in any preceding
highest day temperature was on Monday, August determined manner in which Mr. ROEBUCK has
threatening aspect of affairs in the East, the
year.
that the entire district is thus subject to the most complete
LossEs by Fire in 1867 £292,125 10, when it was 82.7 deg., and the lowest night spoken out his mind on the subject of Trade Unions;
Minister for Foreign Affairs, acting in concert
NET PROFITS, after paying all losses and ex-
penses 556,373 temperature was 52.0 deg. on Friday, August 11, but a mau of spirit and independence would rather
with the Cis-Leithan Minister for the defence
LIFE BRANCH. administrative influence. The three papers, which con-
of the country, has laid certain restrictions stitute the entire press of the department, all opposed the
Liberal candidate. The voting was not preceded by any
000 so that the entire range of temperature in the week not be in Parliament at all than go there fettered
Annual Average of new business in 1865-6-7 £Bol,
Do. during previous Quinquenuium £688.000 was 30.7 deg. It is something very new to find by conventions and forbidden to denounce tyranny
upon the transit of arms and ammunition to Servia,
electoral meetings—probably the electors took warning
Amount added to Life Reserves in 1867 £128,583
from the NinICS affair-and M. Grdvy, the Liberal,
LIFE PROPOSALS now effected will participate in the
the mean degree of humidity in the air reckoned at and injustice, whether it proceeded from the lower
Roumania, and Bosnia, and has ordered that iu
scarcely spent ten days in visiting the principal centres of
increased share of Profits recently conceded to Policy- 71, complete saturation being represented by 100, orders of society as much as from the upper ones.
case of any despatch of considerable quantities of
holders.
I'ERCY M. DOVE, Manager end Actuary. and the change is very welcome to agiculturis• ts. It is time, indeed, that something decisive was done
arms and ammunition to those countries a permit
ith,iebedraelptarritlmneri,iiti.is
great.T her e can be little doubt that the
JOHN B. JOHNSTON, Scretary in London.
of exportation is only to be granted after consent
The Mines affair is to be made the subject of a judicial
August, 1868. The warmth of the soil will quickly bring forward to check the spread of this evil, and the new Par-
inquiry; thatdsilsi
for
ort
rsl
versed
those 1
nebyui.ilf:ooliu,ocireryrnised the e:ecti,n meeting,
the second crops of turnips, &c., which have been liameut has an important duty to perform in the
and given by the respective Governments."
iltehgoaulti
tbyloo(ofl bloodshed
COUNTER CLOTHS FOR LICENCED
The New Free Presse of this morning contains
sown in many places; and if the next six weeks are solution of the difficulties respecting the rights
VICTUALLERS.
ail:ldt on otthew
riIE only article really suitable for that purpose, favourable the prospects, of cattle feed for the winter requirements of capital and labour.
the following paragraph :—" Our letters from
willthan at one time apprehended.
be better was al'rheicsbunlivm"ot(tiei
conduct. We shall therefore speedily learn what inter-
-1- ss. 6d. Ter dozen, hemmed, ready for use. Address Moldavia confirm the rumour that a new expedition
1 05, Fleet-street, and 5, The Pavement, Clapham. There is fortunately no reason for doubt If all the other countries in Europe are compara- pretation the judicial ruthorities will put upon the solemn
. for crossing the Danube into Bulgaria, and for declaration of M. gopher—that private meetings did not
tively tranquil we may be sure that there is some-
GLASS CLOTHS SUITABLE FOR LICENCED respecting the most important of all our crops. The •
Government would not attempt to exercise any surveil-
promoting another outbreak of disturbances in that come within the scope of the new law, and that the
VICTUALLERS, 7s. 9d. PER DOZEN. wheat is estimated at 20 per cent. above the aver- thing wrong with Spain, the particulars of which
province, is being organized under the eyes of the
WILLIAM HOLDICH and CO., No. 105, age, which, in spite of the laments of the profes- will appear by and bye. Just now affairs in that
Roumanian Government. lance in such cases.
Fleet-street, foot of Ludgate hill •; and No. 5, quarter are most unsatisfactory, and nothing tends The Presse has earned the honour of promulgating the
he Pavement, Clapham-common. sional grumblers, is of itself sufficient to atone fur
most recent war rumour. The recent interview at
to reassure one in the various items of intelligence SPAIN.
many failures. The cheap loaf to the struggling
Schwalbach between the Emperor Alexander and the
King of Prussia, a text which has already furnished
TABLE CLOTHS, in every Width and Length, poor of our large towns means the power of keep. that are forwarded. It would seem that the recent MADRID, Aug. 18.
JL expressly for Licenced Victuallers. Damask Napkins changes 'es in policy have produced such a complies- , matter for many a weary discourse, is used to striking ad-
for Tray Cloths, Drills for Bar Aprons and Towellings of ..
iny their children from want, while the high price
The official Gazette of to-day announces that the
avert' description. Patterns gratis and post free. of bread during the last winter has been the heaviest Lion that resignation is the order of the day, and of Seville and the mili-
resignation of the Prefect vantage by the Press& It says that a compact was made
between the two monarchs by which the Emperor Alex-
-one name after another is mentioned to swell the
CARDIGAN JACKETS made expressly for Bar o. f their many trials. It is a common say-tarp Governor of Victoria have been accepted. under undertook to give the signal for a rupture with
tki use, Warm and Elastic, from ss. 6d. each, for ing that when bread is dear everything is list of those who are disaffected, or, at any rate, A Royal decree orders quarantine to be enforced France by proposing a general disarmament, a reconstitu-
..,atlies' and Gentlemen's use. WILLIAM HOLDICH dear, discontented with the aspect of affairs. It is indeed tion of the Ottoman Empire, and a considerable aggran-
4nd Co,. LICENSED VICTUALLERS' DRAPERS, 105, Fleet- and certainly the experience of the
on arrivals from England.
confirm disement of Greece. Of course it would be useless to
street, City, and No. 5, The Pavement, Clapham-common. past twelvemonth has gone far to expected that a general Ministerial crisis is at hand, ___,--.
Inquire who obliged the Presse with this valuable piece of
but delay is occasioned by the absence of the QUEEN NASSAU.
the assertion. Already there is a change for
information. France, and especially the Emperor, ought
TiTILLIAM HOLDICH and Co., LICENSED the better, and as the price of wheat falls it must from Madrid, and until she arrives rumours and _
to be grateful to the patriotic journal for such a timely
/ Y VICTUALLERS' DnAPERs, Established 1842, at 105, -SCHWALBACH, Aug. 18 (Evening).
Fleet-street, City; Southern Branch—No. 5, The Pave- proceed more rapidly. There are always persons speculations are rife in all directions, and they can- The Grand Duchess Marie Feodorona (formerly
inent. Clapham-common. Patterns gratis and post free,
whose interest it is to keep up dear prices, and we not be directly verified or denied. After the last Princess Da mar of Denmark) left here at 7 o'clock An extraordinary occurrence is reported from the Rue
its Cardinal-Fesch. A young serrant-girl was entertain-
, warning.
with Price List.
are not surprised to find plenty of croakers who are Privy Council had taken place the Minister of War this evening for Wiesbaden, whence her imperial ing several female friends in her chamber, when, by some
TO LICENCED VICTUALLERS. eager to depreciate our harvest, to assure us that it accident, a twenty-franc piece was lost, and could nowhere
intimated his intention of resigning his portfolio, Highness will proceed to-morrow to Kissinger.
nasirsn 1842. be found. Suspicion rested upon the girl, and, in spite of her
Exr.ti
is not so plentiful as has been estimated, if we take and this appears to be authentic intelligence.
WILLIA.M HOLDICH and C 0., . ~ protestations of innocence, the case against her seemed to
INDIA AND CHINA MAILS.
LICENCED VICTUALLERS' DRAPERS, No. in the light lands, and to warn us that we have General PEZUELA is mentioned as the chosen Pre- strengthen. In despair at this accusation, the poor girl
105, Fleet-street, corner of Farringdon-street ; and at No. very probably a consumption of fourteen months MESSINA, Aug 18.
sident of the new Cabinet by the QUEEN, but the p.ppearcd to lose her reason. She seized a glass, into
5, The Pavement, Clapham-common (Southern Branch). which she poured three or four spoonfuls of vinegar,
to allow for instead of the usual twelve. But these General declined the honour, because the QUEEN The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
lIEATRE ROYAL, ADELPIII. alarmists appear to forget that we are not depen- would not consent to his request that Bangalore passed Messina at 5.15 p.m. to-day en added the phosphorus of a packet of matches,
Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. WEBSTER. and swallowed the horrible mixture. After several
dent on the produce of our own soil, light or heavy, route for Marseilles.
Directress, Mrs. Alfred Mellon. Man Font, the Su of the Palace, hours of extreme suffering she was dead. Such an
THIS EVENING (Mr. Anson's Benefit), at 7, A ROUGH and that the crops in various parts of the Conti- GIBRALTAR, Aug. 18.
mails, left at 10
Decurrence is inconceivable except in France,
DIAMOND. Messrs. G. Belmore, Ashley; Mra.Billington, and should be dismissed. It is, indeed, melon-
Peninsular and Oriental Conspany's steamer The celebrated wine-producing estate, the Chateau
Miss Lennox Gray. nent, more especially in America, have surpassed choly to contemplate the position of affairs in
Para, with the Bombay (heavy)
A a quarter to Eight, THE FLYING SCUD. Messrs. G. Laffitte, after several attempts, was finally disposed of
Belmore, Billing,ton, Ashley, J. G. Taylor, C. H. Stephenson, all expectation. In the great Western States of yesterday. The total price is £165,600.
Dili Smith; Miss Charlotte Saunders, Miss Louisa Moore, Miss the Union the yield is something enormous, anal a country where no one has confidence in the
a Harris, and Miss Lennox Grey.p.m. yesterday for Southampton, where she may
A statement which appears in the Gazette de Magdebourg
other, and where the highest stations and the most
.To conclude with A ROLAND FOR AN OLIVER. Messrs. even the year of fourteen months cannot exhaust be expected on the 22d inst. Experienced strong i„tterly incomprehensible to me. It says that in a
J. W. Anson, G. Belmoro, Belford; Miss Polly Marshall, and responsible posts do not inspire those who fill
Miss Fanny Addison. it. The timely rains have renewed hopes for the head winds. contest between the Prussian and English systems
them with any sense of their obligation to the
of ordnance the latter was utterly defeated, and
hay crop, while potatoes arc cheap and plentiful.
ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. community. In consequence of the measures INDIA. that "Er. England must now descend from the place
'We have then, on the whole, reason for rejoicing Sole Lessee and Manager,Mr. Vining.BOMBAY, July 23 (via Brindisi). she has occupied for 150 years as the first manufacturer of
THIS VENING, at 7, POOR ILLICODDY. instead of for repining, and should look back to the
adopted by the Government against military men
warlike instruments." I remember only one contest, and
After which (at 8 o'clock), Dion Boucicault's new drams, in many generals hen tendered their resignations, Affairs on the borders of the Persian. Gulf are
four acts, entitled AFTER DARK, a Tale of London Life. state of things last year if any are inclined to un- that was between the Armstrong and the famous Krupp
Messrs. Vining, Walter Lacy, Dominick Murray, IL J. Montague, and some others with them, so that dissatisfaction again in a disturbed condition in consequence of gun. 'There can be no doubt which weapon gained the
J. (5 Shore; Miss Tressy Marston, and Miss Rose Leclercq. reasonable discontent.
Entirely new Scenery by Mr. F. Lloyds and assistants. and resentment are the order of the day. In no piratical attacks by the Chief of Bahreit. 11-M.S. victory in this competition. The Knipp gun was
To conclude with NO. 1, ROUND THE CORNER.
Doors open at half-past 6, commence at 7. Box-office open
A case brought before Mr. Baron BRAMWELL at quarter can we discern anything of a cheering na- Vigilant has sailed to enforce redress. " nowhere."
daily from 10 till 5. The weather here continues rainy,
ture, for the Finance Minister has found it impossible CALCUTTA, July 23.
Leeds Assizes deserves in these days of ever-in- -
Diurs
sTwall.b.Erothl.lß E. to carryout his negotiations to contract a loan under Rain has fallen in the North-western Provinces,
R °Sole AILI
essee and rMrannagAereNss, creasing railways some little attention. The TILE WEATILET TABLE.—THIS _DAY.
the guarantee of the Customs receipts of Mexico be- and the prospects of the harvest have generally
'PALS EVENING, at 7.30, SISTERLY SERVICE: Messrs. plaintiff was a young lady named CLAY, 28 years --d.
Belford, Harcourt; Miss Sheridan
applying for leave of
longing to Spain as war indemnity. In point of faith improved, although the cotton crop has suffered. BIETEOROLOGICAL REPORTS.
After which, THE FIELD 01? THE CLOTH OF GOLD. of age, who belongs to the musical profession. She
Messrs. Thorne, James, and Robson; Mesdames Sheridan, such an affair was not likely to succeed, for there The number of officials Extreme Set
Goodall. Hughes, Newton, &c. was obtaining an income of £2OO a year by teach- .
To conclude north MARRIAGE AT ANY PRLJE. is nothing stable in the constitution of things just absence under the new furlough regulations being Wednesday, I H.° I F. Ito
ing music, when she unfortunately met with a ter- Augurt 19, B. IT. .''' -. W. Ito F. D. WR.
,;:= A 12 9
now in Spain, and the best informed, and most ex-
ROYAL AMPHITHEA TRE AND CIRCUS, rible accident on the Lancashire and Yorkshire _
_ ____
HOLBORN. very great, Government has been obliged to suspend
NairnB a.m.
perienced can put no faith or confidence in the the privilege in the case of civilians. - 1
Aberdeen
The Sensation of London,—The most brilliant success trier Railway in March, 1867. She was going to
acirieved by any artiste. future prosperity of the ration. A rumour was The Englishman reports that Bhootan is again in Shields ... 29
. •utr. 55 52 N.E. 7 8 N.E. 0. 0 02l 6
OKRA, every evening, in his Flying Trapeze Act, as performed Huddersfield when a collision took place in Scarborough 29'66r. 57 57 N.N.E. 5 5 N.N.E. f. o'l3 5
before their Royal Highnesses the 1 mince and Princess of Wales current to the effect that the Duchess of MONT- a disturbed state. Yarmouth„ 29'76r. 67 t;5 S.W. 2 3 B. c'o. 3
amidst the most deafening applause. the Bowling Tunnel, from which she was one mailer - -- -- -- --
--
--
--
--
-
ON RA 'S Terrific Flights on Two Bars. PENSIER was dead, but it appears incorrect, having News has been received of the further progress of Cuxhaven - - - - - - - - -
0 ,R.l.' , Incredible Somersaults and Pirouettes. of the greatest sufferers. The carriage in which Skudesiires - - - - - - - -
ONRA, the most wonderful and perfect performer ever for foundation, however, the fact that the Royal the Bhamo expedition. Captain Haden and his Greencastle
o'o2r. -59 52 N.E. c. o'ol 1
witnessed. she was seated was broken to pieces, and crowbars iNVI r.
i I:'N.N.E.54 F 4 4 N.N.W. c.b - -
N.N.W. o. -
The incomparable Scenes in the Arena as usual, including M. lady's health has been affected by the persecutions exploring party had crossed safely at Momeyn, and 11
lilea - 29'86r. 60 56 N.N.W. 4 3 N. c.o. 3
Samwell's wonderful performing Dogs. had to be used to liberate her. The unfortunate Liverpool
entia..:l 30'14ri. 57 52 N.N.E. 5 6 N. r. 013 4
to which she has been subjected in common with met with a cordial reception from the Pauthag and Valencia e
Cie Clear 3o'osr. 57 56 N.E. 3 4 NE. c. 2
Open at half-past Seven, commence at Eight. Morning Per-
formance, Wednesday and Saturday, at Half-past Two. Children young lady is a confirmed invalid, and had to be Roche's Pt. 30*03r. 55 53 :N.N.E. 6 7 N.N.W. c.b. 3
her husband and children. Accustomed as we the authorities. Penzance
under ten, half-price. - brought into court on a couch, and in the opinion Plymouth
are to adverse news from Spain, it would seem as Weymouth 29•73 r. 60 60 N.E. 3 3 N.E. r.o. 0'56 1
LICENSED VICTUALLERS' GUARDIAN of the medical men will never be able to resume her
if, this time, things were really serious in the Pe- CHINA. Portsmouth 291-4... 63 60 E. 2 2 8.8. W. co. - 1
London -
R. GLENIE, of the Sporting Library, profession. The accident, it will be remembered, . HONGKONG, July 10. UpeGrlsNez 29'78r. 59 57 8.8. W. 5 4 N. c.ro 2 3
G. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park, London, W., begs to, ninsula, and the outbreak of the pent-up storm may Brost
L'Orient . - 4
abort his customers, and the Licensed Victuallers in general, was one of those lamentable ones which are due to The reports of the gold fields recently discovered Rochefort 2Mr. 64 59 W. 7 5 N.W. c.r. 2 3
that he has been appointed Agent for the above-named paper in be looked for. The conduct of the Queen is greatly
ddition to his agency for the Sporting Edition of " The SUN," negligence. The engine of the train in which bliss . AI at Chefov, in the province of Shantung, are con- li3,ofigii; I, tnza - L - L.-
_-_- 1 L L 2.- =
•
ind eau supply the same on Friday evening, if required, in town to be censured, and if it should turn out true that Brussels - - - -- - - - -- -
Or country. CLAY was broke down in a tunnel, and a traiu from firmed A large rush of Chinese, bent upon gold earl. - _ - - _ - _ __ _
she prefers to retain her favourite, MARTORI, to '
G. It. G. begs to inform tho Trade that he is Agent for the Strasbourg - - - - _ _ _ _
.... _
digging, has taken place in that direction. Lyons - - - - _ _ _ _ _
IiAIEST EDITION of "THE SUN," and can supply it earlier ran
Leeds
into the tunnel at full speed, because the
satisfying the demands for the public benefit, it Toulon - 4
Olen any other man in London or Country the evening of publi signalman had neglected his duty. The plaintiff's One thousand chests of damaged tea, ex ship Heart's Con
rtion. No connection with any other persons. Baity's hairs cannot be pretended that she has a shadow of ex- tent (6 a.m.
Wrigta's, and 3PCall's Guides. All the Daily Papers,' Maga
sines, and Periodicals us soon as published. Agent fur the J unit damages were laid at the not unreasonable amount Maitland, have realised 5,000 teals. . local time) I :OWL 54 53 S.S.W. 1 1 S.S.W. b. - 2
cure. The breaking up of the Camarilla would be
Cock ;tial C,nipany. Orders by post attended to. of .€2,000, and the verdict given by the The statement that the Governor of Macaa had mtriawArrorr.
--- - --
jury, a p . the greatest benefit to the country, and also a bless- Earumeter corrected si (.1 r(thiccd to ,'2 deg. a sea level. Thelettcr
THE LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN " s ecial one, was for £,1,500. It was im- been dismissed is contradicted. r., rising; f., falling; s.. steady-indicate direction of motion of the
ing to the Queen herself, could she but be brought
It supplied, as soon as published, Every Evening, bY W. possible for the counsel for the defendants to deny The reply given by the Governor of Hong Fong
mercury within last 14 hours. Thermometer exiostd in shade.
AL KX A. ' DER (late Brooks), Newspaper Agent, IN o. 4,- Old to hear reason; but as matters arc it is to be feared a Extreme donee with its Direction doling last 24 hours. z,-calm.
l'avendish-street, Oxford-street. the facts of the case, so he was driven to the sole to the report of the Chamber of Commerce, against Weather: b.--blue tiny; e.-clonds, detatl eel ; f.-fog; 11.-hai';
that there is no chance of so harpy a result It 1
resource of asserting that the physicians and sur- the granting of gambling licenses, has given much '-lightnlrg ; m.-miLty, lazy ; 0.-ovei cast, dull; r.- rain ; a.- snow;
.
wr ii O'S GRAIN G E it ? LICENSED is disheartening to witness the decadence of so t.-thunder. Ralt-fall, snow or hail (melted) during last 24 hours.
goons had taken too desponding- a view of the cas. offence to the mercantile community. Sea disturbance.
Vllif VICTUALT,BS' TOBACCONIST, SHEPHERD'S -BUSH.
a a SPOr.,TI NG EDI tioN of "THE SUN " can be seen at fine a country, possessing so many resources, and REMARKS.
JR. ‘INGER'S Establishment as above, every evening by Eight This is easily said in court, but unhappily the coun- News from Japan states that Stotsbaschi has A general and nearly uniform increase in atmosrherical pressure
O'clock, sea's opinion is not likely to be so correct as the capable of being developed into so much that is
again been offered the Shiogoonate, but refused is shewn this morning on all our coasts. The lowest reading reported
good, occupying, moreover, a grand place in his- is at Portsmouth-29'64in.-and is five-tenths of an inch iewe, than
TiflllE LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN „ physicians'. The Judge, in the course of the case, the post. that at Valencia, the region of highest pressure. In the N. tempera-
tor y, and rich in recollections, with which her ture has fallen :in other districts It is nearly the same as yesterday.
14_ supplied as soon as published, containing all the LATEST remarked that it was a great pity some arrangement It is reported that he will become Minister of High northerly winds blew yesterday in the English and Irish
nWS,,and pOltincl. aTELLIGFIsTOI6I byH W HARRIS,
n„,,,,,
~,4. bc.
~,,,,, . ~,
tiyb i
~.t. 0,, ~,, 1 a ~,,,,, rp n
An_ present prospects can bear no comparison whatever.
I'm. Di rrn A fro ira Channels, and at Shields the wind was north-easterly. Northerly

THE LATEST EDITION of "THE SUN"
111 supplied as soon as published, containing all the LATEST
NEWS and SPORTING INTELLIGENC IC, by H W HARRIS,
Newspaper Agent, 4, Blackfriars-road, London, S.

LATEST EDITION of "THE SUN."
J. hOLMES begs to inform his friends and the public
generally that he supplies the LATEST EDITION of "THE
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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1868.

The return of the Registrar-General during the
week ending on Saturday manifests, we are glad to
find, a decided improvement in the public health.
The deaths of the week were 1,462, being, it is true,
in excess of the estimated number by 37, but show-
ing a decrease of 83 on the number registered in
the previous week. The annual death rate from
diarrlicea shows a marked diminution, being 7 per
1,000 persons living in ten large town; including
London, while in the two preceding weeks it had
been 8 and 9. In London there was most difference,
the rate being only 4, whereas in Liverpool and
Manchester it was 12, in Salford and Leeds
1-1, and in Birmingham 17 per 1,000.
There is, however, a reason for this
which does not immediately show itself. The mor-
tality from diarrhoea arises chiefly from the deaths of
infants, the proportion in London last week bAng
one adult to 10 children, and in these great northern
citics the infants surfer terribly from the absence
of their mothers at factory work. Daring the
I,lneashire cotton famine, in spite of the extreme
hArdships of the people, the mortality among th in-
fants was actually less than in ordinary yea n, be-
cause owing to the failure of work the mothers '
were at home to look after them. Thus the young
children of Birmingham, of Salford, and Man-
chester are no doubt suffering now from the con-
tinual absence of those best fitted to care for them.
The Registrar-General still thinks it necessary to
caution the public as to the necessity of prompt and

A case brought before Mr. Baron BRAMWELL at
Leeds Assizes deserves in these days of ever-in-
creasing railways some little attention. The
plaintiff was a young lady named CLAY, 28 years
of age, who belongs to the musical profession. She
was obtaining an income of £2OO a year by teach-
ing music, when she unfortunately met with a ter-
rible accident on the Lancashire and Yorkshire
Railway in March, 1867. She was going to
Huddersfield when a collision took place in
the Bowling Tunnel, from which she was one
of the greatest sufferers. The carriage iu which
she was seated was broken to pieces, and crowbars
had to be used to liberate her. The unfortunate
young lady is a confirmed invalid, and had to be
brought into court on a couch, and in the opinion
of the medical men will never be able to resume her
profession. The accident, it will be remembered,
was one of those lamentable ones which are due to
negligence. The engine of the train in which Miss
CLAY was broke down in a tunnel, and a train from
Leeds ran into the tunnel at full speed, because the
signalman had neglected his duty. The plaintiff's
damages were laid at the not unreasonable amount
of £2,000, and the verdict given by the
jury, a special one, was for £1,500. It was im-
possible for the counsel for the defendants to deny
the facts of the case, so he was driven to the sole
resource of asserting that the physicians and sur-
geons had taken too desponding a view of the case.
This is easily said in court, but unhappily the coun-
sel's opinion is not likely to be so correct as the
physicians'. The Judge, in the course of the case,
remarked that it was a great pity some arrangement
could not be come to which shonld secure an an-
nuity for Miss CLAY, but Mr. OVEREND
was not authorised to do so. The plain-
tiff's father had been one of the directors,
but was unable to effect a settlement, which, as we
have seen, the jury made for him. Baron BRAM-
WELL on hearing their decision asked whose special
jury it was, and on being told it was the defendants',
he said he had supposed it to be the plaintiff's, but
" railway companies were such mighty grand folks
that they could think of nothing less than a special
jury." Mr. OVEREND upon this remarked that
railways often had to pay dearly for their misfor-
tunes, but the Judge coolly replied that not unfre-
quently they very well deserved to do so.
This rebuff from a Judge of Baron BRAMWELL'S
standing and experience was well merited by the
railways. They are, as the learned Judge remarked,
mighty grand folks in the way of defending them-
selves. They employ first-rate counsel, and call
special juries, and incur any expense, but they are
very reluctant to pay for the misfortunes they
bring upon other people. No money can compen-
sate Miss CLAY for the loss of health and strength,
and after seventeen months of pain and suffering
she is still completely helpless. Hers was
surely a case which deserved to be libe-
rally dealt with, since, even pecuniarily, her
loss has been very great. At seven-and-twenty
she had reason to hope for much more than seven
years' active life, when she would have realised
the fifteen hundred pounds awarded her for life-
long disablement. It may be said that the com-
pany have to pay for the fault of one man, but
here again the characteristic stinginess of railways
is at fault. They employ an inferior class of
men, and work them too hard to be able to de-
pend upon their intelligence or their vigilance.
If the signalman had attended to his duty, and
the driver of the other train had slackened his
speed on entering the tunnel, the terrible acci-
dent at Bowling, like many another, might have
been altogether avoided.

Bayard Taylor, the distinguished American
Author, is now in London, and the evening before last
dined with two of our younger poets—Morris and
S winburne.

THE RESULTS OF COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION.—
In those days of competitive examination, when every-
thing and every being is submitted to some formally pre-
scribed test, it may not be amiss to put some of our public
companies into the crucible, and see how much of solid
prosperity results from the process. The hour of danger
affords opportunity of trial, for the man or the institution
that can stand unmoved amid the shock of disaster has
something stable whereon to rest. For the purposes of
illustration and analysis, it may not be out of place to
employ the experience of the last three or four years as a
means of testing the claims of insurance companies to a
continuance of public support. Some of them are over-
whelmed by the frequency and extent of their fire claims,
have yielded up the ghost, and aro registered on the cate-
gory of failures. Others are living out a very precarious
existence, which may at any moment terminate fatally.
Of a few only can it be said that wo know they are safe
and seaworthy ; in other words, supplied with sufficient
ballast iu the shape of resource, to survive. The Royal
Insurance Company, however, has always accustomed us
to full statements of its profits, losses, and resources, and
at its recent annual meeting the results of another year
were again disclosed. It appears, then, that in 1867 the
company received premiums of fire insurances to the
amount of £460,553, being the largest revenue it has ever
yet enjoyed; and that out of this it realised £56,373 not
profits after paying all claims and expenses. It was thus
enabled not only to declare its usual dividend, but to make
a substantial addition to its reserves. In the life branch,
also, great prosperity has attended the past year, resulting
in the increase of the life funds by £128,583. As the com-
pany's experience in the mortality of its policyholders is
again stated to be most favourable, we presume the as-
sured will still have cause to congratulate themselves on
their expectations of bonuses, particularly as the company
has recently announced a further concession to lite policy-
holders, viz., an increase from two-thirds to three-fourths
of the profits allocated to them.

Mr. HUBBARD has addressed the electors of Buck-
ingham, asking re-election for the seat he has held
for the last nine years. lie discusses the nature of
Mr. GLADSTONE'S Suspensory Bill in a calm spirit,
and comes to the conclusion that the House of
Lords did well to decline to endorse a foregone
conclusion, and that they rendered good service by
allowing the country to secure the deliberate dis-
cussion of a great constitutional change ; at tLe
same time he is willing for any necessary change to
take place, and agrees with many in the opinion
that the Report of the Royal Commission will sup-
ply ample material for investigation. Some interest
will be attached to the South-east Lancashire elec-
tion, in consequence of its affording an opportunity
to Mr. FREDERICK PEEL to return to public life, from
which Le has been some years absent owing to
domestic affliction. Newark affords the prospect
of a steady contest, as three candidates present
themselves, all on the Liberal side. It seems strange
that this should be the case, when many other
opportunities must be found without dividing

It is reportel that he Will become Minister of
Foreign Affairs.

A general and nearly uniform increase in atmospherical pressure
is shewn this morning on all our coasts. The lowest reading reported
is at Portsmouth-29*64in.—and is five-tenths of an inch iowez than
that at Valencia, the region of highest pressure. In the N. tempera-
ture has fallen : in other districts it is nearly the same as yesterday.
High northerly winds blew yesterday in the English and Irish
Channels, and at Shields the wind was north-easterly. Northerly
winds are still prevalent : fresh on our western coasts, and of force 8
at Penzance. On the west coast of France the breeze is westerly.
Rain has fallen on the E. coast, and in the English Channel—most
at Penzance, where it Is now raining. The weather is generally over-
cast.

The North-East Correspondence is responsible for a state-
ment to the effect that the now famous note of Count
Usedom—that in which he sketched the plan of the cam-
paign to General Marmora—has been the cause of a
serious disagreement between the King of Prussia and his
chief statesman Count Bismarck. It will be remembered
that Count Uscdom's note was officially disavowed, the
Prussian Government wishing to get out of the difficulty
by declaring the note to be unauthorised. The
Prussian Premier was altogether opposed to this
course ; hence the disagreement. The North-East Corre-
spondence adds that the party opposed to Count Bismarck
will strenuously endeavour to regain power by the aid of
this occurrence. Personal communications on the subject
of Count Usedom's note have passed between the sovereigns
of Austria and Prussia.

The Prussian ( Cross) Gazette says that the replacement of
General von Falkenstein by General Manteuffel is not
due to political motives. General Falkenstein has retired
for purely private reasons.
Baron Beust's speech at Vienna has not been very
warmly received in Hungary. Some of the Hungarian
papers express great dissatisfaction. The Pesti Naplo
declares that the Hungarians will firmly oppose
any attempt at reuniting the western half of the
empire with Germany ; and the Lloyd of Pesth
adds that there can be now no doubt that Baron
Beust secretly supports a policy of that kind. A
German policy on the part of Austria, says the last-named
journal, means either an inevitable war with Prussia, or
the acceptance by Austria of the humiliating part of
Prussia's vassal. Hungary will use every means in her
power to resist the tendency of the Austrian Germans
and Baron Beust to 'resume the old struggle between
Austria and Prussia for the leadership of Germany ; still
less is she disposed to allow herself to become a " banger-on
of Prussia." The Hungarian papers have yet to prove,
however, that these deductions may fairly be drawn from
Baron Beust's speech.
According to the Riforma, General Garibaldi writes
from Caprera, desiring that no visits should be made to
him in his islet. He further adds that this resolution
implies no intention on his part to renounce political life,
as an English publication recently stated. He simply
wishes to enjoy salutary repose at Caprera, and not to be
distracted from his thoughts and occupations. Garibaldi
has written another letter from Caprera to the president
of an association of veterans in Genoa. The tone of this
communication is very similar to that which the General
nrently addressed to Bologna.

We are glad to learn that the alarming reports
published by some of our contemporaries as to the health
of the First Lord of the Admiralty are without foundation.
A few days' residence on the Continent has sufficed to
remove all traces of his late attack, although his medical
advisers recommend a somewhat longer sojourn abroad.

DEATII OF TIIE EARL OF ABERGAVENNY.— We
regret to announce the death of the Earl of Aborgavenny,
which took place at Birling Manor, near Maidstone, on
Monday evening, at 5 o'clock, after an illness of three
weeks, brought on by a severe chill.

SIR THOMAS MARYON WILSON.—It appears
from the report of the committee of the House of Com-
mons cn " Open Spaces" that Sir Thomas Maryon Wilson
was paid for two days' absence from home £2 25., and for
travelling expenses (having been summoned from Maid-
stone) £t ss.—total £3 75., for giving evidence before the
committee. Five other witnesses were paid, the total
payment being £l5 3s.
AMATEUR DRAMATIC AND VOCAL ENTERTAIN-
MENT.- Last evening an entertainment of a very pleasing
character was given by a number of gentlemen amateurs
at Mr. Poole's rooms, Bow-street. The performancl Com-
menced with an amusing farce, entitled " Qu!et Lodgings,"
Mr. W. Potter taking the part of Stranger and Mr. .f.
Rickards that of Newponny. Tho company, which was
numerous, was kept in a state of hilarity during the whole
of the performance, and evinced their satisfaction at tl:o
conclusion by a complete ovation. A concert followed
upon the playing of a solo on the violin by Itr.W. Glinka,
who, it may be stated, performed admirably. Mr. G.
Crafter opened the concert with a serio-comic song, and
was followed by Mr. G. Poole, who acquitted himself re-
markably well. An " original song," by Mr. A. Williams,
was followed by an Irish comic song by Mr. J. Richards,
Messrs. Algar and Poole bringing this part of the pro-
gramme to a conclusion by singing a duet which they
themselves had written and arranged. The sailor's horn-
pipe by Mr. J. Hansom was rapturously received, and was
undoubtedly a pleasant termination to a very enjoyable
evening.

2he correspondent of the Standard thinks that impor-
tant political consequences are likely to be the result of
the vote upon the tobacco contract. The Ministry has
gained the day. But the old majority constituted under
Cavour has perhaps received its death-blow. All the
Piedmontese deputies who remained faithful to the
Government when the seat of the capital was changed
from Turin to Florence, have gone over to their brethren
who revolted on that occasion. The Left will Urns be
greatly strengthened, and will become a more formidable
antagonist than of yore.

A ukase has been published at Warsaw, stating upon
what condition Poles will be permitted to settle in Russia
and Russians in Poland. Every encouragement is given
to the latter ; they may settle in any part of Poland they
Please. The Poles, on the other hand, are forbidden tc
settle, tinder any circumstances, in Lithuania, Ruthenia,
the adjoining Russian governments, Bessarabia, or the
principal towns, and they are only permitted to reside in
the few remaining eligible districts after going through a
number of vexatious formalities. The correspondent of
the Post considers that the object of this measure is to get
as many Russians into the country as possible, in order to
promote " Russification," which goes on slowly at present.
The peasantry are being converted to the Greek faith as
rapidly as possible, but many of them are banished to
Siberia for refusing to abanden their religion.

HER MAJESTY.

PENSION WALLIS, LUCERNE, August IG.
The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise,
Prince Leopold, and Princess Bcatric, made
excursions in the neighbourhood and on the lake
yesterday.

711 E STATE AND TIIE CONFESSIONAL

A remarkable article appears in a contemporary
on the above subject, which we give in extenso :
" For some weeks past occasional letters have
appeared in our columns discussing from various
points of view the reported conduct of the Roman
Catholic priest who acted as spiritual adviser to the
convicted murderer Barrett. The special case in
question is, however, only one out of a large num-
ber in which the rights of the temporal power—in
other words, the laws of the laud—come into real
or supposed collision with the theories or practices
of the Roman Church. The power of that Church,
moreover, is still so enormous, and its pretensions
to control the personal conduct of its members are
just now being canvassed with so much angry and
bitter feeling, that it is of the first importance that
no mistakes should be made as to the real nature
of its claims, and as to the grounds on which it rests
those claims. Of the blows struck at the weak
places of the Roman system, the vast majority fall
powerless because they are aimed in total ignor.
ante of the real nature of that system itself. Edu-
cated Roman Catholics laugh at them, and point to
them as so many fresh proofs of the ignorance and
perversity of all Protestants ; while the uneducated
mob is excited to frenzy and. to the passionate
retaliations which a mob takes to be the only fitting
reply to misrepresentations and personal abuse.
" We doubt whether any of the letters which
have been addressed to us in regard to the wretched
man Barrett, from whatever point of view they
were written, would produce the smallest impres-
sion upon a Roman Catholic who understands the
theory upon which his Church claims to give abso-
lution to a penitent criminal who has forfeited his
life to the just laws of his country. A certain de-
fence of the conduct imputed to Barrett's confessor
has indeed been attempted. But the, defence thus
made was little better than a piece of pious and
sentimental special pleading, and would be rejected,
we suspect, by every Roman theologian as utterly
beside the mark. If the practices of the confes-
sional have nothing better to say for themselves
than that it would be cruel to refuse absolution in
such cases as that of Barrett, we may rest assured
that the system would long since have been cast to
the winds.

sins are offences against the law of God. The same
offence may be at once a crime and a sin. Murder
is such an offence ; but we, the priesthood, in
out capacity as priests, are concerned only with
its sinful quality ; just as the secular aathori-
CLA are concerned only with its criminal charac-
ter. If a murderer confesses his murder to a
priest in confession, the priest is bound to punish
him by refusing absolution if he is impenitent. In
the same way, the secular power is entitled to hang
him as a punishment for his crime against itself ;
but it has no right to intrude into the relationship
between the sinner and his God. It cannot step
forward and say that, having determined to hang
a certain person as the consequence of his criminal
act, it insists upon the recognition of the justice of
his condemnation by the Church, without which
the doomed criminal shall not be reconciled to God.
Where the refusal to make a public confession in-
volves a continued injury to an individual, the
case is different, as in the instance of Constance
Kent. Her confessor, a Protestant Clergyman, was
justified, on Roman principles, in insisting upon
her public confession, because her father was suf-
fering from the imputation that he was the mur-
derer of his own child.

It seems to be assumed that the priest who ab-
solved Barrett, without exacting from him a public
confession of his crime as a reparation due to out-
raged society, stated that the man was in a truly
penitent condition of mind, and had died, or would
die, what is technically called an " edifying" death.
Now what does this really mean ? It means
nothing less than this, that the priest
partially revealed the substance of the con-
fession which was made to him, and was thus
guilty of an offence of deep dye against the laws of
his own Church. It must be remembered that the
law of the Roman Church in this matter is of the
most uncompromising stringency. Under no cir-
cumstances whatsoever is a confessor permitted
even to hint at the statements made to him in the
confessional. If Barrett's confessor, either definitely
or by implication, communicated to any human
being his personal belief that the man was in a
penitent frame of mind, he violated the law by
which, as a priest, he is bound ; and by the same
law, as we apprehend, he ought to have been in-
stantly punished for his offence by suspension from
his sacerdotal functions. That the confessor con-
sidered him to be so far penitent as to justify him
in " giving him the communion of the Lord's
Supper " was of 'course implied in the visible fact
that he did not withhold from him that spiritual
privilege. But this is a totally different thing from
an express statement by the priest that lie was
satisfied as to the man's state of mind in reference
to any one p articular sin of which he was held
guilty by the laws of the land. it must be borne
in mind that, according to the Roman Catholic
theory, the priest who attends upon a criminal
in gaol is not bound to know anything what-
ever of the man's conduct, or of his guilt or
innocence in the matter of the charge which has
consigned him to a prison. If we are to estimate
fairly the relationship between the laws of the land
and this institution of the confessional, it is of the
very first moment that we disembarrass ourselves of
the false but popular notions about priests and peni-
tents and absolutions, no matter from what source
those notions arise. And it cannot be too clearly
pointed out that, by the Roman theory, a convicted
murderer goes into the confessional to a priest as a
perfect stranger. The confessor is not bound to
know anything concerning his antecedents except
what the man chooses himself to reveal.

" Further, the Roman theologian would argue,
the law of the land itself recognises this very dis-
tinction between moral and legal guilt. Every
accused person is held be justified in pleading
Not guilty,' whether he is innocent or the reverse.
From the opening of a criminal trial till its end, the
judge perpetually reminds the jury that their solo
duty is to convict or condemn the accused accord-
ing to legal rules, and that they are not asked
what is their opinion as to the Christian aspect of
the criminal offence imputed to him. In other
words, they have nothing to do with sins,
but only with crimes. Nor, when the trial
ends in a conviction, and the conviction leads
to death, are the principles of British jurisprudence
suddenly revolutionized. The man's offence remains
a crime, and only a crime, in the eyes of the law,
to the very last; and it is open to every one to hold
that the evidence on which the accused was con-
demned was legally insufficient, and that the jury
were mistaken. Infallibility in their verdicts was
never claimed for the wisest jurymen who ever sat
in a box. Why, then, is a condemned criminal
bound to institute a wholly new theory as to his
relationship to the laws simply because it pleases
him to enter into a certain spiritual relationship
with some minister of religion ? Society has no
more right to insist upon his admission that the
jury decided rightly upon the evidence than it has
to insist upon every man's proclaiming all his un-
discovered crimes in the market-place. The differ-
ence between a condemned criminal and an unde-
tected and untried criminal is simply this, that the
former has been found out. But if Christian mo-
rality requires the condemned criminal to confess
his crimes publicly as the condition of his receiving
pardon from God for his sins, by the same reason-
ing it must require all 'undetected criminals to con-
fess their secret crimes before all the world if they
would die in penitence and peace in their own
beds.

" No doubt priests frequently may refer to a
penitent's circumstances, and to the offences with
which he is charged ; but they are, as far as
we understand the rules of their Church, under no
obligation to do this, and the penitent has an un-
doubted right to decline to enter upon such a dis-
cussion at all, without prejudice to the receiving of
that absolution to which, on the conclusion of a
satisfactory confession, he is entitled. The priest,
we must remember, is not authorised by his Church
to give or to withhold absolution entirely accord-
ing to his own discretion, or with reference to any-
thing whatsoever he is told by the penitent in
the act of confession itself. On the fulfilment of
those conditions which the Roman Church lays down,
the person who confesses is entitled to absolution,
and no priest would be entitled to withhold it.
Whether, as a matter of fact, priests do not stretch
their powers for political and other reasons, in
Ireland and elsewhere, is quite another thing. They
will of course venture upon audacities of spiritual
tyranny when they have only timid and ignorant
men and women to deal with, which they would not
dare to attempt with persons at once courageous
and well-informed. It is the legitimate Roman
theory, however, which is the question now under
discussion, and according to that theory we have
no right to assume that Barrett ever said one word
about the crime for which he was hanged to the
priest who gave him absolution.
Granting, on the other hand, that he did thus
enter upon the crime for which he suffered, and
moreover confessed it, and received absolution for
it, the relation between himself and his confessor
remains the same. The confessor can know nothing
about the sin beyond what the penitent tells him.
He cannot import into the confessional any news
that he may have gathered from the papers or from
common report. He has his own rules to guide him,
taught him at the seminary where he studied, or
from the books of moral theology to which he
defers. The penitent steadfastly asserts that he
knows of no person who has been injured by his
crime in such a manner that restitution will be
made by a public acknowledgment of his guilt.
What, then, is the priest to do? The man has
made the requisite confession that he committed a
certain act or acts, declaring that he repents of
them for the love of God, and that he will perforn,
such acts of penance as will constitute the satisfac-
tion due to God for his sins. If under such cir-
cumAances the confessor refused absolution except
on condition of a public confession, his peniten.
would be at liberty to appeal to his bishop, and th.
bishop would, in turn, be bound to uphold th(
penitent against the priest.

" What that bishop, or any Roman Catholic
theologian of authority, would say to a priest uncle,
such circumstances would be, we fancy, very mud
to this effect. You are confounding two things, 13(
would argue, which are totally,' distinct in their Da
ture—namely, sins and crimes. We, as Catholic
priests, have nothing to do with crimes, as such.
any more than have any other persons, whether
priests or laymen, Catholic or Protestant. Crimes
are offttcok against the secular law of the land ;

Such is unquestionably the Roman theory as to
the duties of criminals who suffer death at the hands
of the law. Whether it is a sound theory or not is
another question. Two things, however, are clear.
One is, that according to the Roman theory, a priest
might be bound to give absolution to a man who
had been convicted by a jury on the most conclu-
sive and undeniable evidence of a great crime ; the
second is, that in distinguishing between crimes
and sins, the Roman clergy acknowledge the dif-
ference between their jurisdiction and that of the
law. At the same time it cannot be disputed that
a certain influence is practically exercised by the
confessional, which is in direct conflict with the
first principles of English political and social life.
The subject is, however, too wide to be handled in
a few sentences, and must be reserved for another
article."