The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-04 00:00:00

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THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS
IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.

The New York Nation defends the Alabama Con-
vention, endorsing the saying of its friends that no
political body so orderly and sensible, and few so
able, has ever been convened in Alabama. Its
members, trustworthy accounts state, are men long
resident in Alabama ; three-fourths of them, to say
nothing of the sprinkling of blacks, having been old
Alabamians of good standing, and not Northern
adventurers, as asserted by the Mobile Times. The
Nation speaks in very high terms of the Constitu-
tion it has framed for the States as a fundamental
law, such as any American State might well be satis-
fied to own :—" It sets apart for the education of
all the children of the State between five years old
and twenty-one, not only the proceeds of all the
lands which the United States has granted or may
grant to the State for educational purposes, and of
all swamp lands, and of all property left by intes-
tates without heirs, but also devotes to the support
of schools one-fifth of the total revenue of the State.
Furthermore, the General Assembly may permit the
school district authorities to levy a poll-tax on the
inhabitants of the district in aid of the general
school fund. It is made the duty of an incorpo-
rated Board of Education of the State to establish
in each school district one or more schools. Let us
hope that hereafter a majority of white citizens of
Alabama may know how to write their names. The
rest of the Constitution—as the clauses relating to
imprisonment for debt, to the right of men of any
colour to bear arms, and so on—are of equally
enlightened a character. The illiberality of the
disfranchising clauses is more in the reports
in regard to them than in fact. They for-
bid registry as voters to all persons who, during
the war, maimed or in any way inflicted unusual or
cruel punishment on persons in the employ of the
United States ; and, secondly, to persons whom
Congress or the Constitution (Art. XIV.) has dis-
franchised. But it gives to the General Assembly
power to remove the disabilities of the second class,
and there is little doubt that it will be, in the truest
sense of the word, the fault of the obstinate seces-
sionists if within three years they are not voting."
We sincerely hope the Nation may be right, but
there are strong grounds for considering its opinion
as altogether too favourable, and that it is so is seen
by the silence of the Republican papers on the sub-
ject, or their condemnation of it generally when they
do allude to it. The Test Oath, in which men are
made to accept the political and civil equality of all
men, and to agree not to deprive any one on ac-
count of colour, race, or previous condition of any
political or civil right, will disfranchise a numerous
body. The New York Evening Post thinks that
Congress will be compelled to correct the narrow-
ness of the Constitution's proscription. "As the
controlling classes of Southern society—the men of
character and leadership—they need to be recon-
ciled, not repulsed." General Pope doubtless en-
deavoured to moderate its action, holding that its
proceedings were doing incalculable harm to Re-
construction. The party leaders at 'Washington
have also bestirred themselves in this direc-
tion ; and whatever may be the merit of the
Constitution proposed —to their exertions and
strong hostile criticism it will in no small
measure be due. If the Montgomery Adver-
tiser be correct there are other emissaries than
those who urge to good. A man named Shorter
was arrested, who claimed to be the agent of certain
Illinois Republicans, but who appeared to be more
a sort of negro Fenian. A letter was found in his
pocket decreeing death to the Treasurer of the
revolutionary Government, directing the sentence
to be carried out by Jeff. M'Call, who was to raise
regular bands of. troops for the purpose. The Con-
servatives of the State, at whose head are twenty
members of the Convention, are rallying to defeat
the Constitution. They are holding public meetings,
and have issued an address, which is said to be
powerfully written. There is also a negro element
against the Constitution, headed by the Negro
Union League, in Montgomery, who consider that
it will, " if ratified, inevitably result in the debase-
ment of the ilhite race and the destruction of the
black race." A negro party has been formed under
its auspices " to cultivate a spirit of mutual confi-
dence and good feeling between the two races of
the South." Whatever may be the case in Alabama,
there can be little doubt that the strong feeling
raised by the negro proceedings in Richmond has
had a powerful effect in quieting the tone of Mr.
Hunnicutt and his followers. The members of the
Convention have voted themselves 8 a day. In
the opening prayer the ex-Confederates are included
as well as loyal men, and the Convention has ended
a discussion on the subject by concluding not to
take an oath.
The Convention enjoyed the advantage of being
near the seat of Government, and was therefore
more controlled by such men as Senator Wilson, and
others who earnestly desire to elevate the negro race.
In Richmond also there is a strong Conservative
opposition, a Convention attended by 3,000 dele-
gates, having been in session for some days, which
did not adjourn till the 12th December. Alexander
H. IL Stuart was elected president, and among the
vice-presidents were Robert M. T. Hunter, John
Letcher, Thomas S. Bocock, John R. Tucker,
Thomas S. Flournoy, R. T. Preston, William H.
Macfarland, and several distinguished Virginians.
The resolutions adopted by the Convention declare
that slavery is abolished, and the people of Vir-
ginia do not desire again to reduce to slavery the
emancipated freedmen; assert the right of Virginia
to be restored to the Union ; protest against the
present military government of the State ; and de-
nounce the system that would reduce the people of
Virginia to the rule of a race just emerged from
slavery. An address to the people of the United
States asking for their sympathy and support is to
be prepared, and a committee was authorised to
test in the United States' Courts the legality of the
Congressional system of Reconstruction. As about
a third of the regular Convention are Conservatives,
so powerful an opposition aids moderation. Louisi-
ana is the State in which the negro element so pre-
dominates that there will be difficulty in controlling
their legislative absurdities. One delegate offered
a resolution that no other Convention should be
called for seventy years after the present one
another fixing eight hours as a day's work ; a third
guaranteeing lawyers' fees at a minimum of 10
per cent. on collections and doctors at p a visit.
They were almost unanimous in fixing their pay at
$8 a day, to begin from the date of their election or
appointment, giving as a reason that having been
slaves so long they now desire to enjoy some of the
luxuries of freedom. The Georgia Convention met
on Monday, the 9th December, and the Conserva-
tives succeeded in electing J. P. Parrott, of Bar-
low, President, over J. L. Dunning, of Atlanta, by
a vote of 103 to 46. P. M. Shelley, of Floyd, a
member of the Loyal League, was elected secre-
tary, and A. E. Marshall, of Monroe, assistant sec-
retary. A white man was chosen sergeant-at-arms,
with negroes for door keeper and messenger. The
Convention has recommended Gen. Pope to remove
Governor Jenkins.—Anglo-American Times.

Age
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Mr. Digby Seymour has addressed a letter enefosing a
::opy of the following proposed address to the Queen, to
the best known employers of Irish labour, begging that
they will facilitate the object he has in view, by permitting

the address to lie for signature at any place under their
authority which they may deem most convenient for the

burpoe

"To hei Most Gracious Majesty the Queen.
" May it please your Majesty,—We, the undersigned
Irish subjects of your Majesty residing in London and its
vicinity, desire respectfully to convey to your Majesty the
expression of our indignation and sorrow at the recent
outrage at Clerkenwell, perpetrated by certain evil-dis-
posed and misguided persons ; and we beg at the same
time to assure your Majesty of our unaltered devotion to
your person and throne, and our determination to support
your Majesty's Government against all treasonable at-
tempts to disturb the peace of the realm."

A. recent visitor to Ireland writes :--" Fenianism appears
to me to be a much more serious affair than people in
England suppose. It may not be generally known that
the cost of maintaining order in Ireland amounts in all to
£870,000 annually, and that the county force of consta-
bulary in that country exceeds that of England and
Wales. This of itself is a very significant fact. No place
in Ireland is so small as not to have a constabulary station.
The constables are not, as with us, even in our rough
mining districts, provided simply with a baton, but
are armed with rifles and bayonets, and are,
indeed, nothing less than irregular soldiers. But
even this force has not been found sufficient. It
is admitted by the military authorities in Dublin that
nothing could have saved the country from general dis-
order but the suspension of the Habeas Corpus. This
proved effectual ; and the Irish proprietors are now con-
gratulating themselves on a respite from anxiety, whilst the
active spirits of sedition are giving their English friends a
taste of what they can do in the way of mischief. But,
in regard to Ireland, the important point is as to the
future. How long is the Habeas Corpus Act to remain
suspended? How long is Ireland to be kept in
order by an armed force? How long are Fenian
plots to go on being hatched? For the spirit of
Fenianism appears to be one of determined and patient
enmity to England, which can afford to wait any length
of time till an opportunity comes for inflicting a blow.
And, though many may be sceptical as to its power to hurt
the Empire, yet all must confess that even now it is a thorn
in our side. In Ireland all thoughtful men know well that
it is a very serious matter. One cannot fail, in conversing
with Irishmen of education, position, and also of refine-
ment—laymen as well as priests—to be struck by their de-
liberate opinions as to the grave and critical character of
the occasion."

The Weekly Register says that the priest named in the
evidence of Vaughan, the informer, as Father O'Connor,
who, according to the testimony of the informer, presided
at a Fenian meeting in Cavanagh's public-house, near
Golden-square, " is a young priest of the diocese of Cashel.
He was sent over to London by his diocesan for the pur-
pose of collecting some funds to aid in building the tower
of the cathedral in that town, and on his arrival applied
for the usual leave to say mass in the diocese of West.
minster, which was granted as a matter of course. From
all we hear, he gave great offence to such of the London
clergy as he called upon by his denunciations of the En, o
lish Government. He left Landon some time agog having
been recalled by his archbishop, Dr. Leahy."

A curious episode in the special constable movement is
reported. A few days ago the working men in the em-
ployment of Messrs. Holland and Son, builders, of
the Ranelagh Works, Pimlico, were invited to enrol
themselves as special constables. They are some
hundreds strong, and would have been a formidable
addition to the body: They held a meeting at the vilrks,
at which the proposition was fully discussed, and, after
mature deliberation, they passed a resolution which set
forth in effect that, while they yielded to no one in their
Loyalty to the throne, their love of the laws and the constitu-
tion, and their hatred of the outrage in Clerkenwell, they
yet believed that the extent of the Fenian conspiracy was
exaggerated, and they declined to be sworn in as special
constables under the present Government, lest they should
be called upon to suppress perfectly loyal public meetings.
After passing this resolution they determined to form a
guard over the property of the firm employing them,
and they have since kept daily and nightly watch.

A rumour has been current for some days past that two
vessels supposed to belong to the Fenian had been seized
by the naval authorities at Wcolwich as contraband.
£he authorities have given a direct contradiction to the

rumour.

During the last few days a .large number of revolvers
have been issued from the armoury stores of the Ordnance
establishment, Chatham, it being intended •to arm the
police constables on duty at the naval establishments at
the port with that weapon.

Sir John Eardley Eardley Wilmot, the Recorder of
Warwick, in charging the grand jury at the borough
Quarter Sessions, referred to the commercial depression in
the metropolis and the country, and said it was not in any
way attributable to Fenianism. They might congratulate
themselves that up to the present time, although there
had been apprehensions that an outbreak might take place
in the neighbouring town of Leamingtcn and some pros
perty be assailed, yet that throughout the county, and
especially in Birmingham, where large numbers of artisans
were employed in the different branches of trade, the
hearts of the people were sound to the very core, and
they had everywhere evinced a determination to come
forward and assist in upholding the cause of peace,
law, and order. They should all, in their respective
stations, and to the utmost of their power, endeavour
to uphold the integrity of the empire, and maintain
England in that position among nations which it bad so
long held, and which it was to be hoped it would continue
to retain.

An amusing incident occurred yesterday in the Wharf'
road ,Paddington. A half-tipsy Irishman went in front of the
bar of one of the public-houses there, and delivered him-
self of a speech which had for its burden the woes of
Ireland, and a peroration in which he cursed all that was
English. A party of dustmen got hold of the man, and
so trounced him that he was glad to recant his seditious
language, and drink a health to the Queen. lie was then
kicked away from the place.

WINTERLIKE. —Several flocks of wild ducks and
geese have been seen flying over the metropolis, south-
ward.

EXTRAORDINARY STORY.—According to a COM-
.pondent writing from Berlin, St Petersburg has lately
been the scene of a horrible tragedy. The patroness
of a boarding-school for young ladies had expressed
her disapprobation of their coiffure, which she con:
sidered as too coquettish. The lady who had the
superintendence of the class was so much affected
by this censure, that she ordered all the young
ladies' hair to be cropped quite short. This was
regarded as a great indignity, and as soon as it was dark
the young ladies attacked the supposed offender, threw a
sheet over her head, knocked her down, and maltreated
her so seriously that she died in a few hours. It turned
out afterwards that these paragons of feminine propriety
had made a mistake in the dark, and vented their fury on
the wrong person. The unhappy victim was what we
should call in England a parlour boarder, who on the
evening in question had undertaken to discharge the duties
of the usual class teacher.

ILL-TREATMENT OF A SERVANT GIRL. —At
a meeting of the Greenwich Board of Guardians a
letter was read from Mr. Wilton, surgeon at the Sutton
district school, describing the horrible condition of Sarah
Wright, aged 15, belonging to the Greenwich Union,
who had returned to that establishment after being
in service to a family resident at Wandsworth.
Mr. Wilton states that on Sunday evening last
he was called to see the girl, whom he found
sitting by the fire, complaining of cold and of
feeling sore all over her body. She was in a very pros-
trate condition, and was removed to the infirmary, where
it was found she was much emaciated, the body being
a mere skeleton and extremely dirty. She states that
during nine months she was in her situation she had
scarcely any food except bread and water, and had to
sleep on a mattress in the kitchen, with no other covering
than a small quilt. There were scratches on her face,
caused by her mistress, she said, beating her, and a
large bruise on the right shoulder from the same cause.
There was a sore on each buttock, and the skin was
abrased in three places over the dorsal vertebra, and also
three weals on the left thigh, and the mark of a burn on the
Ibreast. She states that fourteen days after entering ser-
vice her mistress commenced beating her, and was in the
habit of striking her with fire-irons, clothes-lines, and
brushes, and that for two months she had been kept without
boots. Those she was wearing, and which had been given
to her by her mistress, had to be cut from her feet, when
she was found to be suffering from chilblains
n on the
also on ball of
the great toe of the size of a crown-pece, ad one
each heel. She states that during the nine months she
received no wages, and that on one occasion when a penny
was given to her her mistress took it away. When ad.
muted to the infirmary she was so ravenous that it was
1 ronsidered dangerous to give her solid food, and in Mr.
Wilton's opinion it will be a month before the unfortunate
creature is able to leave her bed. The board unanimously
agreed to a criminal prosecution against the girl's master
and mistress, under the Act of Parliament specially passed
for the protection of pauper children sent out to service,
and directed their solicitor and clerk to take the necessary
Proceedings. . •