The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-23 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 23, 1868,

at this meeting which could at all disappoint those
present as to the permanent success of their wishes.
The opinion of the public has been so often ex-
pressed on the subject of Workhouses that it is not
likely any one would attempt to go counter to its
views ; and the Earl of DEVON seems to appreciate
the importance of the subject, for he spoke out in
a much more independent manner than is often mot
with from those in bis position, who are too apt to
become entangled in the fatal meshes of precedent
and expediency.

There appears to exist in India a very delightful
uncertainty respecting a matter on which we Eng-
lish folk are generally pretty accurately informed.
The condition of the national exchequer in Calcutta
is a problem with which those whose duty it is to
solve it appears very hopeless to deal. Llst year
the Secretary of State prepared Anglo-Indians for
a deficit of some £1,800,000. Last quarter that
unpleasant prospect brightened, and the estimated
deficiency was reduced one-half. Now the news is
better still, and we are told that there is to be no
deficit at all ! Perhaps by the time we get
the financial statement we shall hear that it

has turned into a surplus. There are, how-
ever, some grounds for the change, which,
whatever its origin, must be a welcome one.
Opium has yielded a million more than was expected,
and the license tax a quarter of a million more. On
the other hand, the public works have cost half a
million less than the estimate. As a general rule
this is an unsatisfactory mode of saving, since an
Indian surplus would be dearly bought by any
needless delay in the prosecution of public works.
If these had been pushed on with due vigour twenty
years ago we should not now be talking about deficits
in the Indian Exchequer ! The country is produc-
tive enough to avoid any such awkward pre-
dicaments, but Indian financiers just now
I are doubtful how to act. The system of taxation
calls loudly for revision, since the burdens fall
unequally. The classes who do not hold land pay
very little, while the landowner comes in for a
share of every burden. The salt duties press un-
equally on the poor, and it is held in many quarters
that a modified income tax would be a better and
more equitable means of raising the requisite funds.
When the Budget has fairly shown the real condi-
tion of the Treasury we shall perhaps find some
sensible schemes of financial reforms laid
before the Council. At any rate we may re:
cognise a marvellous change since the days when
wise men doubted whether India would not be too
costly an encumbrance for England to maintain.
The new postal arrangements are occasioning
much dissatisfaction, since the Calcutta correspon-
dents are of opinion that unnecessary time is lost
in the manner of starting the mails. There is some
ground for this complaint, as the weight of corre-
spondence is thrown on the Sunday, and Indian
correspondence with England is no light thing.
The Government of India has suggested to the
Home Government a change of day, which would
make a great difference in the ease and comfort of
letter-writers, without in any way interfering with
the interest, of the service. The constitution
of Bengal under the new regime is just now occupy-
ing a good deal of attention in high quarters. Sir
JOHN LAWRENCE, perhaps from personal experience,
is strongly opposed to the formation of a Council to
assist the Governor. No doubt Sir JOHN has often
found his Council a hindrance rather than a help,
and India is not the place for delay and delibera-
tion, or for any appearance of uncertainty or vacil-
lation in the mind of the governors. Lord CHAN.
BORNE'S opinion on the subject was pretty clearly
expressed not long since in the House of Commons,
and much of what he said carried conviction with it.
The home Government is empowered to give Bengal
a Governor and Council like Madras and Bombay,
but it would be easy obtain the sanction of Par-
liament to a change which was already shown to
be desirable.
oplan of
I isosfa
ofttahrinesri
snuelsehtl
iheeschs
indifference
m a vfeo r
no t aconstitution
waosrtkoer
irriga-
tion, ge al
well,
and tiahned other instances of the influence of routine
ota nnon
dt
and
dd i
considerc
me ,
more
arere
vigorous
whether sufficient
spirit to
hm ayk
iecnaon t
no:
ooltue legislators
i infuselnadt ar
Indian
pause
prraeanju
local administrations.

The arrival of the Australasian, from New York,
on the 11th inst., does not bring us any intelli-
gence of importance. The summons to appear
before the Senate Court has been served on the
PRESIDENT by the Sergeant-at-Arms, and the PRE-
SIDENT has replied that the matter should have his
attention. This is all we hear of the impeachment,
but there are other matters which have some sig-
nificance. The Conventions of the several States
are making themselves busy with regard to the
coming Presidential contest. Georgia has nomi-
nated General GRANT, who, in spite of his recent
inconsistency of conduct, still claims a good
many suffrages. South Carolina has shown what
its idea of individual liberty is by passing a
resolution requiring all persons voting for the new
Constitution to vote also for the candidates nomi-
nated by the Convention. It is a very different
thing to support a particular Constitution and to
be forced to choose, as popular representatives, per-
sons nominated by others. There is an end in this
case of representation at all, since the real election
lies with the nominators, and the farce of voting
may as well be left out. The object of the Conven-
tion, which is, of course, composed of Radicals, is
to keep the representation of the State entirely in
the bands of their own party. The Radicals
are apparently aiming at this in several places,
since they feel no doubt that it will
not be possible always to exclude the
members for the Southern States. If instead of
the Democrats, of whom they have hitherto been ap-
prehensive they can by a little ingenuity obtain
staunch Radical allies, the representation of the
South willdbe a direct gain to them instead of a loss.
It will not, however, be an easy matter to manage,
especially when the Impeachment crisis is passed.
Signs of division between the Houses of Congress
are becoming apparent—the House of Representa-
tives, in fact, becoming intolerant of any superior.
The Reconstruction Committee, always ready to
make war on the world, has recommended the pass-
ing of a bill to admit the Alabama representatives,
on the ground that fraud and violence have
been used to defeat the new constitution in that
State, and that the Senate unwarrantably delayed
the passing of the House Bill, providing that the
majority of votes in each State shall decide the
elections under the Reconstruction laws. This pro-
vision, as we know, however apparently just and
reasonable, is only superficially 80, inasmuch as the
registration laws take gcod care that the majority
should always be on one side ! Financi 11 matters still
perplex both Senators and Representatives, and
although the latter have refused to vote upon a
resolution in favour of the gradual substitution of
currency for bonds, they have referred it to the Com-
mittee of Ways and Means. The ways and means to
escape from the present embarassment are not easy
to find, and, though the ugly word repudiation is
not often beard, we are beginning to catch murmurs
of its more polite imitations. We cannot but hope,
however, that the American people at large have
too much energy, good sense, and right feelingjto

consent to, any humiliating alternative. Their
country is, rich enough, and time is before them.

Their debt. is of but few years' standing. Let them
have patience and resolution, and when once the
incubus now weighing on them, in the shape of
civil dissens ion and political recklessness, is re-
moved, they will soon recover their lost ground, and
show the world that they can clear off a big debt
as fast as they can incur one.

LATEST INTELL LGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION.
SUEZ, March 21

Advices received here from Abyssinia (date not
given) state that King Theodore was entrenched
on the Talanta plateau, and that he intended giving
battle. The Filth (? Fifth) Brigade was to advance
on Ashangi on the 11th March.

Nearly all the troops are now on the highlands
(received as zighaiands). Large supplies have been
collected in the neighbourhood of Autola.

AMERICA.

QUEENSTOWN, March 23.

The Royal Mail steamer Etna, from Halifax on
the 13th inst., arrived here at 4.45 a.m. to-day.
After landing the mails and passengers she pro-
ceeded for Liverpool at 5 a.m. All well.
SOUTHAMPTON, March 23.
The North German Lloyd steamer Weser, from
New York, passed the Needles at 9 a.m. to-day.