The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 7, 1868.

terly hostile to the PRESIDENT, and who profess to
be such strict upholders of Constitutional law, art
in reality acting in direct opposition to all lav
and tradition. It was never contemplates;
by the founders of the American Republic
that so large and important a share of the State:
was to be omitted from the general representative
assembly. Taxation without representation was
the burden of their complaint against the British
Government, and yet the Southern States are taxed
heavily by their descendants without being
allowed to take the slightest part in the
government of the country. If any of the
primary actors in the affair were really
desirous of establishing a sound constitutional pre-
cedent, they would assuredly realise the folly and
inconsistency of such an attempt under the present
constitution of Congress. This is one of the
strongest points in favour of the PRESIDENT, so far
as reason and justice is concerned, but unfortu-
nately reason and justice have very little to do with
the matter.

We learn that Mr. JOHNSON has nominated Gen.
SCHOLFIELD Secretary of War, vice STANTON, to be
removed. Another of these unlucky secretaries
pro tem. is, therefore, preparing to assume the
troublesome dignity, with what success remains to
be seen. It is not very likely that Congress will
under existing circumstances give its consent to any
appointment or nomination of the PRESIDENT'S,
while it is scarcely possible for a Minister to act in
defiance of it.

The House of Commons, which has been of late
too much absorbed in political contests to pay much
attention to minor affairs, fills up its leisure on a
Wednesday by a series of small'bills of no particular
moment. It is well, however, that some fraction
of time should be spared for them, since there is
good reason to fear that we shall have very
little practical work done this session. Last
year members of both sides prided them-
selves on the quantity of business which
they had got through in spite of sundry disasters
and drawbacks, but at the close of this session they
are not likely, if we are to judge by present appear-
ances, to have much to boast of. Last night the
Mines Assessment Bill was brought under discus -
sion, its second reading being moved by Mr
WYNDHAIL The object of this bill is to obtain a
more equitable distribution of local taxation.
As matters are at present arranged, the
burden of the rates falls unequally on the
local proprietors. The proprietors of mines
are not bound to contribute to the rates, and are of
course glad to avoid doing so if possible. But the
wear and tear of the roads from the heavy mineral
traffic necessitates great expense to the rest of the
community, and, what is worse, a large number of
miners are often thrown upon the rates owing
to the dangerous character of certain mines
Thus, in 1865, in one of the Cornish districts
out of 324 paupers who were relieved, 273 were
miners, the miners not having in better days con-
tributed a farthing to the rates. At the same time
while Mr. WYNDHAM is anxious to remove these
anomalies, he does not wish to press heavily on the
holders of such property. In Devon and Corn-
wall, where mining operations have been
during the last two years in a de-
pressed state, he proposes to treat them
exceptionally, while Derbyshire mines he would
exempt altogether from the operations of the
bill, as they contribute to existing rates. The
general principle of the measure was received with
favour, though some objections were taken to
matters of detail. The whole question of highway
assessment demands investigation, since the
charges in many instances press very un-
equally on the local owners ; and while some
are taxed for the benefit of their neighbours, others
are altogether omitted or very slightly charged. We
must have a full and fair investigation into the
manner in which the local taxes are assessed, since
no one likes to be unduly pressed for his share of
public burdens even though the sum charged may
be of no great moment.

LATEST INTELL WINCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAM.)

PROPOSED MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCESS
LO VISE.

COPENHAGEN, May 7.

The Dagstelegraphen of to-day says :---,, It is
stated on reliable authority that the English Minis-
ter, Sir Thomas Wycke, will arrive here shortly
with instructions relative to the proposed marriage
of the Crown Prince with the Princess Louise of
England.