The Sun.
London, England, 1868-11-04 00:00:00

LANDLORDISM AND TERRORISM.

The John Bull is decidedly the most respectable
representative of Conservatism in journalism.
Nevertheless, a if.to shew to what lengths partisan-
ship will go, it published in its last number a letter
from a correspondent, who says he is, and no
doubt he speaks truly, "A. Conservative Land-
lord," and who proposes that the Conservative
party throughout the country should resort to
exclusive dealing. lie argues that, as Conservative
Churchmen hold some fifteen-twentieths of the
property of England, they have three-fourths of the
expenditure of the country in their hands to use as
they may please. Therefore, "let them have no deal-
ings whatsoever with anyone but sound Conservative
Churchmen, and they will soon find the consciences
of the various sectaries and other Liberals to be of
so pliable a character that they will unhesitatingly
accede to the wishes of their customers, and to a
very great extent let Dissent and Liberalism
go ,to the dogs." The objection is antici-
pated that persons so voting would b 3 denounced
by the Liberal press. " Let them howl," says the
Conservative landlord, " until their throats are
sore. They thus shew, beyond dispute, the excel-
lency of the system I am advocating. If I had a
thousand farms to let, or places for a thousand work-
men, I would not have anything to do with any
Liberal or liberty-of-conscience Dissenter of any
sect whatever. They would cover the land with
cockatrice's eggs, which would produce discontent,
disrespect, disobedience, resistance, and every
evil work, according as each man's liberty
of conscience might desire or suggest." If
this letter had appeared in a Liberal or
even a neutral paper we should have said
that it was a fraud; that a Liberal Ind dis-
honestly attempted to palm off as the production of
a Conservative a letter intended to damare the Con-
servative cause. But it is published in a Uonservative
journal, and as it is dated " September " and did not
appear until the last day of October, we presume that
the editor held it over as a sort of desperate remedy
when he found the Conservative cause hopelessly low.
The strange thing is, that even a party, man should
fail to see that such a letter as this is absolutely
ruinous to the party it is intended to serve.
MR. HORSMAN ON " CAVES."

---• ---- -
It is rather late now to revert again to the old
story of the famous Cave of Adullam which
caused the fall of the Russell Government in 1866.
But some remarks of Mr. Horsman on this subject
are amusing, and they. shew the position of that
hon. gentleman as regards the politics of the future.
Mr. Horsman has come forward for the Falkirk
Burghs. Some electors who attended his meeting on
Monday had not altogether forgotten 1866. They
therefore questioned him. " Caves," he replied,
were not recent institutions, but they had
occurred periodically in the House of Commons.
There had not been a pror,ninent man in
the House in our day who had not been in a cave.
He had himself been in one cave, but he did not
expect to be in another. He did not approve caves
in the abstract. They were justifiable only when the
society was very select, and when their motives were
very patriotic, and that was the description he would
give of Lord Grosvenor's cave in 1866. The reason
why, above all others, he would support a vote of no
confidence in the Government was, that they had
abandoned every principle, thrown aside every
pledge, and trampled on all the traditions of their
party."
srn W. STIRLING - MAXWELL AND THE PEERAGE.
Several times the " gossips" of the clubs have raised
the story that Sir William Stirling-Maxwell was
about to be raised to the peerage.. In fact, so prolific
has Mr. Disraeli been in the creation of peers, that a
story about the creation of nine is as likely to be
believed as the story of an enormous gooseberry.
But while the latter is comparatively harmless, the
former is being used for election purposes.
The opponents of Sir William in Perthshire
have been declaring that it is of no importance for
him to receive a seat in the House of Commons,
seeing that he will soon occupy one in the Lords.
Amongst others, Lord Kinnaird has made use of
this statement. To him " William Stirling-Max-
, well " writes thus :—" Your understanding can rest
upon nothing except rumours, which, whenever
they have been circulated, have always received
a formal denial. I am amused, and some of
your Liberal friends will perhaps be amazed as well
as amused, at your estimate of the relative impor-
tance of ' the representation of Perthshire' and ' the
prospect of a seat in the House of Lords.' But when
I assure you that I have no such prospect, your
friendly feelings towards me may perhaps lessen
your regret in hearing of the success with which my
supporters everywhere promise to crown my efforts
to retain my seat in the House of Commons."
THE SON OF TILE EARL OF SHAFTESI3URY ON