The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-28 00:00:00

SON, LO N DON, MO NID A Y V BNING,, DECEMBER 28,-; 1-8157.

ciety at Pinner, which contains 100 boys and 47
girls, has now been paid for and freed from mort-
gage, but that while the annual expenditure of the
institution amounts to 5,0001. the gross income is
only 4,3271.
The musical arrangements of the evening were
under the direction of Mr. Lawler, assisted by the
Misses Wells and Mr. Perren. Mr. Harker acted
as toastmaster.

ferent parts of the estate, the various families are
shifted about in compliance with communistic fair-
ne-•s to all the different homesteads, so that each
cultivates the good, bad, and indifferent land turn
and turn about. Although this occupation of the
land is about the most disadvantageous arrangement
that can be conceived in an economical point
of view, and is perfectly destructive of any feel-
ing of property or home, it is strictly in
harmony with the instincts of a nomad
tribe, and insures to each of its members at least an
existence on a footing of perfect equality with his
fellows. When in the course of time as many hands
have been assigned to agricultural labour as the
land requires, and there still remains a surplus of
employable population in the serf village, certain of
its members turn their att-ntion to different handi-

rather purify it of polygamy—for that appears to
be the great objectionable feature, admits of a great
doubt. The sword has never yet convinced a man
his religion was fal-e ; and we very much doubt if I
_ _

it will ever convince the Mormon that it is wrong
for him to surround himself with a dozen wives, or
that Brigham Young is not a true prophet. We
are inclined to believe that a good strong corps of
parsons would do more to suppress Mormonism
than half a dozen regiments of the United. States
troops ; and we would recommend, now that Kansas
has stopped bleeding, that Mr. Kallock, and the
other three thousand New England parsons—their
occupations being gone—be organised into regi-
ments, and sent to Utah, in order to teach the
Mormons the errors of their ways. Should the
church militant fail, we can then use the strong
arm of the government.
"We may not, however, have to fight the
Mormons, after all, for already indications are
abroad that the saints are on the eve of another
hegira. Orders have been issued to the faithful in
England and Wales prohibiting further emigration
to the United States, as the Almighty has
pointed out another place for them to go to. All
their missionary establishments iu the United
States have been broken up, all their settlements
on this side of the mountains andin California have
been abandoned, and from every point of the com-
pass the Lord's annointed are hurrying to place
themselves beneath the banner of his prophet
amidst the valleys of the mountains. All these
signs indicate, in our opinion, as we have just
stated, that the Mormons are about to take
at other flight. Having defied the authorities
of the United States, Brigham is too keen an ob-
server not to see the consequences. He is well aware
th he must stand and fight it out or run the country.
He is also well aware that he cannot contend with
the United States Government with any hope of
success, for when Captain Van Vliet, as he states
in his report, told Brigham and his friends that if
they opposed the United States troops this fall, the
Government would send next year a force which
would overcome all opposition, their answer was—
g We are aware that such will be the case, but when
those troops arrive they will find Utah a desert—
every house wili be burned to the ground, every
tree cut down, and every field laid waste. We have
three years' provision on band which we will
cache' and then take to the mountains, and bid
defiance to all the powers of the Government.
" That Brigham will carry out his threat of
making a Moscow of Utah is quite possible, but
that he will shut himself up in the mountain canons
with even three .years' supply of provisions, and
our troops occupying all the arable land, so that he
must starve when his provisions are consumed, we
do not believe. A. man might very well take care
of himself in the mountains ; but if he had thirty
wives and thirty or forty small children to look
after and provide for, at has the virtuous Heher C.
Kimball, the undertaking would be much more
difficult. We are, therefore, of the opinion that
the Mormons intend to favour some other country
with their presence, where they will not be annoyed
by the stars and stripes—and there is no country
more inviting or more convenient than Sonora.
The Mormons have lieen quieitly, but steadily
pushing their settlements towards Mexico, and they
already extend 400 miles to the south of Salt Lake
City—more than half-way to the Mexican frontier
—and should they decide upon moving in that di-
rection they can be beyond our boundary before
we can reach them, as the country to the south of
Salt Lake City can be traversed at all seasons of the
year. We trust the saints will decide upon such a
move, and thereby relieve us of the disagreeable
duty of exterminating them. In Sonora they would
have the opportunity to develop the beauties of
their religion, and if it contains within itself the
seeds ef its own destruction—as we believe itidoea—
it will crumble to pieces and disappear, and will be
numbered with the numerous false religions that
have sprung up and had their day, and are now
only known in history."

crafts, but in all eases work for the common-
wealth, which assures them in return their existence
in and a provision for their old age. Where large
amounts of work require to be contracted for, the
whole community, as represented by its Galowa,
or chief, joins in seourity for the completion of the
work or the fulfilment of the various conditions
attached to it. Although it frequently happens
that uuder this arrrangement, and favoured by
auspicious circumstances, such as good harvests and
an equitable owner, &c:, these communities accu-
mulate wealth, chiefly in their surplus agricultural
produce, not only are their individual members all
kept down to the average degree of poverty of the
whole number, but their accumulated wealth re-
mains unavailable for the purposes of further eco-
nomical improvement. In the interest of the
State, therefore, this feature of serfdom as the most
injurious to the economical development of the
country calls most urgently for abolition.
Another feature of serfdom in Russia which calls
the most loudly for abolition in the interests of
humanity, and which will probably be the first to
be abolished, is the so called Obrok system. This
obtains incases where domains, formerly large, and
with a large number of serfs allocated on them,
have in the course of time been so split up and sub-
divided by sale or inheritances that small portions
of them are to be found, on which ten, five, or even
only three serfs are inscribed. These plots of land
being too small, and the number of serfs being too
few to admit of agriculture being carried on there
profitably, the owner either lets out his serfs for
hire to other proprietors, or gives them his permis-
sion to follow any handicraft they may have learnt,
and exercise any talent they may possess on pay-
ment to him of an obrok or poll-tax. In this case
the owner generally builds a dwelling-house on the
land of that the serfs ought to have tilled, and lives
on the obrok they pay him out of the earnings they
make elsewhere.
These two classes constitute the whole number of
actual serfs in Russia, which amount to about
12,000,000 ; but it is usual, though not strictly
correct, to include among the serfs six classes of
peasants also, amounting to an equal number.
There are, lat, about 40,000 peasants who enjoy
the usufruct of the land on which they are inscribed,
en condition of their supplying horses, vehicles, anti
drivers for theposting traffic; every 28 males supply
one vehicle, three horses, and a driver; they receive
a small money payment for the distance driven,
and their land is free from any other obligation
than the above. 2. There are about 120,000
peasants employed in +he forests of the State which
supply timber for the fleet. They receive a small
money allowance in addition to the usufruct of the
land they cultivate, and are free from all taxes or
other obligations than that of labouring in the
forests. This is evidently the " common soccage
tenure" of the law-books. 3. There are also about
800,000 peasants attached to the different appanages
or domains set aside for the support of the various
members of the Imperial family. The peasants,
however, who are the best off in Russia are, 4, those
on the Crown domains, in number about 9,000,000.
They are not glebe adscripti, and they are at liberty
to leave their domicile and acquire personal pro-
perty in the prosecution of trades and professions.
The greater part of them, however, are distributed
in villages and the joint-stock communes, such as
are described above. 5. There are also peasants
who have been liberated from serfdom by their
owners, to the number of about 1,400,000 ; these
are free from all forced labour, or obrok, but are
still liable to be taken as recruits, like all other
peasants ; they can even possess serfs attached to
any property they may become possessed of. There
is still further, 6th, a class of free peasants who
have never been serfs, numbering about 225,000
males. Their position, however, is in reality not
nearly so free as that of the liberated serfs, unless
they have had a portion of land settled on them by
the lord of the manor, or have themselves acquired
1 some landed property.

THE 0 RUSA DE AGAINST THE MORMONS.

Tee latest intelligence immircd it, oh. irniboa
States of the progress of the expedition against
Utah is contained in letters published by the St.
Louis _Republican from the army to Nov. 3. The
Mormons had run off siz hundred cattle in sight of
Colonel Alexander's camp, near Hams Fork, Green
River. At the date of the letter it was supposed
that Colonel Johnston had concentrated his forces
with Alexander, and that in a fortnight from that
time Colonel Cook's command would be with them.
They expected to winter on Henry's Fork, Green
River. There was a good deal of suffering from
want of provisions and clothing, an the horses
were giving out from want of forage. Governor
Cumming and the other territorial officers were de-
termined to get into Salt Lake City if possible. Tile
Mormons were determined on resistance to either
the military or civil officers. A skirmish had taken
place between Colonel Alexander's troops and the
Mormons, and three or fiur of the latter were cap-
tured.
weTrehedyfeinlig•w in
ning great numbers on the Plains.
The St. Louis Democrat learns that news has
been received at Fort Leavenworth from Major's
and Rusell's trains, that the government animals
remarks are from the New York
Herald, written before the receipt of the above :
" We observe that some little anxiety is expre s
ed in different quarters for the safety of the Utah
expedition, under the command of Col. Johnston.
We apprehend, however, from a careful examina-
tion of the subject, that no fears need be enter-
tained for its safety, whether arising from the Mor-
mons or the severity of the weather. When Lst
heard from, in the beginning of October, the main
body of the expedition, numbering over 1,000 bayo-
nets and two field-batteries—one a six and the
other a 12-pounder battery—were encamped on
Ham's Fork, 143 miles this side of Salt Lake City,
under command of Colonel Alexander ; and it
would appear from his report that he intended to
select some place in that vicinity and go into win-
ter quarters. There are many points, both on Bear
and Green Rivers—a few marches oily from Ham's
Fork, where an abundance of fuel can be had, and
where our troops can make themselves compara
tively comfortable for the winter, and where, also,
by throwing up slight field works and arranging
judiciously their 500 waggons and 12 pieces of
artillery, they can defend them successfully
against the entire Mormon host, even if led on
by the redoubtable Kimball, backed by his
twenty-five sons and thirty wives. There is also
an abundant supply of provisions, with the ex-
petition, notwithstanding the loss of the '7B wag-
gons which were burnt by the destroying angels
under command of the saintly Bill Hickman, as
the Government had taken the precaution to throw
forward an extra quantity of subsistence stores to
meet all emergencies. In addition to the force
above alluded to, Colonel Johnston, on the 13th of
October,m was in the vicinity of the South Pass, 95
miles
rear of Colonel Alexander's command, with
some 100 infantry and 125 dragoons, and. long ere
this he has no doubt joined the army and assumed
command of it. Besides these troops, there were
time six companies of the 2d Dragoons
under Colonel Cooke, making forced marches to
at the same
join Colonel Johnston ; and we observe from the
report of Indian Agent Forney, ft om Fort
Laramie, that they passed the post on the 24th of
October. When Colonel Cooke joined the main
body—which he doubtless succeeded in doing
some time since, unless stopped by the
snows in the vicinity of the South Pass and
the Wind River mountains—our Utah ft rtes were
swelled to over 1,600 efficient men. It is to be re-
gretted, now that the Mormons have declared war
and thrown down the gage of battle, that our troops
did not arrive One month earlier in the season in
front of the strongholds of the bellicose saints ; for
we believe that our gallant men could have forced
the mountain passes, and either captured or de-
stroyed Brigham Young, this Mehemet of the New
World, and his fanatical followers. It must be
remembered, however, that when this Utah expe-
dition was organised no one believed the Mormons
would offer any resistance ; and it was not until the
return of Captain Van V liet from Utah that any
opposition was anticipated, and even the great
majority of the people and the press remained
incredulous; and it was only when the captain's
judgment was backed up by Brigham's proclamation
and the destruction of our provision trains, that
the country was undeceived and the government
found a Mormon war on its hand. Had the Mor-
mons offered no resistance, our troops would have
had ample time to reach the Salt Lake Valley,
and would now be bashing in the smiles of the
Mormon beauties, instead of breasting the fierce
winds and cold storms of a Rocky Mountain winter.
In considetiug this speck of a rebellion and civil
war, it might be interesting to speculate as to the
result. That the government will grapple with it
with all necessary energy, and in one short and
decisive campaign will. quell. it, is quite certain ;
but that in doing so we shall kill Mormonism, or

They were partly dressed. The prisoner bad no
trousers on, nor shoes, nor coat, nor hat. He had

on a shirt and drawer 4.
Charlotte Brabant lived 'ipposite, at d saw Vie
fire break out. She ran to the prisoner's door, and
knocked, calling out " Fire 1" In a few minutes
the prisoner and his son and two women came out.
The prisoner had on a shirt and drawers. The
witness went away and dressed herself, and came
back in five or ten minutes. When she got back she
saw the prisoner and his family at the f bot of th•
stairs. Could not say whether or no the wont- n
had stays on. The prisoner was lamenting about
his boy. She saw smoke before flames.
Robert Brabant—Heard cries of "Fire" on Sun-
day morning, the 19th July, and went over to pri-
soner's shop. Did not see the prisoner.• First saw
him standing on the steps of the house door. After-
wards went upstairs to seek him. No fire on stair-
case. Prisoner was looking in the bed for a child.
I told him the child was in my ho um. I assisted
in putting out the fire. Did not see prisoner
assist in doing so. Short, police constable, was pre-

sent when I took the kit away.
Cross-examined—Prisoner appeared to be in
great distress for the child when I saw him. There
waa a little smoke on the stairs. I could see the
prisoner. He was searching the beds for the child.
He was shouting, " Sheptie," my child." There
were plenty of people assisting iu putting out the

fire.
Re-examined—Did not see prisoner attempt to
rescue any goods. Sheptie, the child, was in his
shirt.
Thomas Story, police-constable—Got to the fire
ten minutes before two. Saw the flames arise from
the centre of the floor from something bulky lying
on the floor of the shop. The shelves were on fire.
A great deal of flame red flame. Have been to a
great many fires. This one was " more redder."
John Jackson was present at the fire. Saw some-
thing like a bed in the middle of the stop.
By the Judge—Nobody had been in the shop
then. When he next saw it the shop was in a
blaze. Never saw the prisoner assist in putting
the fire out. First observed smoke, and then some
flame : a few minutes afterwards a burst of flame.
Prisoner cried out, " I'm ruined."
George Allison, police-constable—l was present
at the the. Saw flames arising from " all over"
the floor—flames dark red, mixed with smoke.
Prisoner was standing in front of the people doing
nothing. I examined the place on the 31st Jul,
with inspector Potts. Prisoner and his son turned
over remains of the fire with shovels. Found re
mains of bed-tick, pillows, &c. Did not find any
tin can, or remains of one. Found an empty box
in the cellar-kitchen on the morning of the fire, but
no tin can anywhere. Did net look for the can
particularly. As we turned up the tick and feathers
there was a considerable smell. Returned to the
shop on the Ist of August. Potts and witness put
portions of feathers, &c., into a box and took them
to Mr: Richardson's surgery, and gave them to Dr.
Adriani. Afterwards received them from him.
Inspector Potts—Went with the het witness to
the prisoner's shop on August 1. Was there ou the
night of the fire. The fire had not extended to the
cellar. In the office found some sticks (prod.uci
The table in the office was charred—shelves in the
shop were burnt down—furniture upstairs was not
damaged. When we turned over the things font d
a strong smell of naphtha in two places ; from the
bed in the middle of the shop, and nom a child's
frock. If there had been a tin case of the size de-
scribed I must have seen it. Found nu traces of
indiarubber or gutta-percha.
Adrian Adriani, an a-sistant to Dr. Richardson,
analytical chemist, received some feathers from
Potts, from which he exti acted a liquid which
smells strongly of naphtha. The feathers when re-
ceived smelt strongly of naphtha.
Cruse-examined—Never heard of naphtha used
for bed-ticks. Have heard of bees'- wax and soap
being used to prevent feathers coming through.
Can't say but naphtha and indiarubber tnighi. be
used for the same purpose. Naphtha is highly in-
flammable.
Re-examined—Have no doubt that the feathers
were strongly impregnated with naphtha. Naphtha
burns with a smoky red flame.
Thomas Richardson, analytical chemist—Can
smell a faint trace of coal naphtha in the kit now.
Itesmelt more strongly whi n before the magistrate,
the feathers and child's frock smell strongly of coal
naptha. Naptha produces a sooty and reddish
coloured flame. The smoke is very dense and black.
When the air is admitted there is less smoke, and
the flame is brighter. With an ample supply of
air there would be no smoke.
Elizabeth Daglish was called to identify the tick
of the bed, as one she had pawned with the prisoner.
Had never put any naptha on the tick.
Robert Davison noticed a smell of naptha, while
he assisted in putting the fire out, but did not call
attention to the fact then. Witness was assistant
in v. Ghemiat's shop.
Isaac Pattinson, an appraiser, said—On Aug. 13
I went to prisoner's house and valued furniture. Its
value was 311. 4s. The gas fittings and bench and
small table in the office were worth about 21. Ds.
These articles were valued at the price they could
be replaced at.
Mr. Seymour addressed the jury for the prisbner
and commented forcibly on the improbability of the
prisoner's purchasing
,naptlia for the purpose of set-
ting fire to his houseat a shop where lie was known.
Why should the prisoner use naptha for such a
purpose when a lucifer match would have pro-
duced the same effect, and not been so liable to de-
tection ? The policy of insurance became void by the
introduction of so inflammable a spirit, yet the pro-
secution would wish ihejuryto believe that prist ner
set fire to his house by means of naphtha, with a
view to obtaining the insurance money. The
learned counsel remarked on the absence of all evi-
dence of the amount of business the prisoner was
doing, the only evidence on the point being
that of Vile observations of policemen on the night
of the fire. As to the origin of the fire he would attri-
bute it to accident, the subsequent heat igniting
the naphtha. The prisoner's conduct oti the night
was exactly what you would expect from an inno-
cent man surprised in the middle of tie night by a
fire in his house. Had he b •en guilty, would he
not have affected anxiety to quench the fire, and
been foremost among these working to subdue the
flames ? After sifting t. ie evidence for the prosecu-
tion in a most searching manner, the learned coun-
sel concluded, his addre-s to the jury by cal ing
upon them to say that the case on the part of the
pro,ecution had not been proved, and return their
verdict of not guilty.
His Lordship summed up the else with great
care, and at considerable length.
The jury retired fit a few minutes, and then
brought in a verdict of not guilty.
This case brought the busi ess of these unusually
protracted assizes to a close ; judge, bar, witnesses,
and public officers having been kept away ft om their
Christmas cheer—a fact that, from some of the ob-
servations which reached our ears at the rising of
the court on Christmas Eve, seemed to have any-
thing but a beneficial effect on the tempers of some
of the persons already named. The jury were more
fortunate, being all inhabitants of Newcastle, and
consequently at home.

GLASGOW CIRCUIT COURT.
(Before the Lord Justice Clerk.)
THE EAGLESHAM POISONING CASE.
THIRD DAY—THURSDAY.
The court met this morning at nine o'clock.
Frederick Penney, Professor of Chemistry in the
Andersonian University was examined by Mr.
Clark. The reports of the analysis had satisfied
him of the presence of prussic acid. "I am aware,"
he added, "it has been said by Orfila that prussic
acid may be produced by decomposition alone, but
I don't concur in that view. Special investigations
have been made to decide the point, but the results,
without exception, have been negatived.. More-
over, we would be frequently meeting with prussic
cid in our analysis of substances after death, if
this speculation had any foundation."
This closed the case for the Crown. There was
no evidence for the defence.
Mr. Ilerriot then addressed the jury for the
Crown, and Mr. Nloncrieff for the defence.
The Lord Justice-Clerk having summed up the
evidence,
The jury retired, and, after an absence of ten
minutes, returned with a verdict unanimously
finding thb prisoner guilty of mut eler as charged in
the first count of the indictment.
The Lord Justice-Clerk then addressed the pri-
soner, imploring him to spend the remainder of
his time in exercises suited to his position at the
foot of the scaffold. He then assumed the black
cap, and sentenced the prisoner to be hanged, at the
public place of execution in Paisley, on Thursday,
the 14th January. His lordship, in passing be tl -
tenet', appeared much affected.
We understand that the prisoner, while being
conveyed to Paisley, in accordance with the sen-
tence, confessed to the officers that were with him
that he was guilty of the crimes which were laid to
his charge, and of the murder for which he was
condemned, but he seemed to be at a loss to explain
what motive could have prompted him to perpe-
trate such an atrocious deed.

GREAT WESTERN AND SOTJTII WESTERN RAILWAYS
COMPETITION.—We have been given to understand that
the competition between these c )inpanies for the Wey.
in intb tend",
~,,,,,,,ing, .4 c..urBe, that of the Chancel
151e...(14, 1e alts in A loss to the latter company of some-
Lhing ilk,: 2001. a week, or at the •at, ~f 10 0001. a year,
eild to to.- baquater company of 4001 a week, or the
rate of 20,0001. a year. Have th
m companies no mutual
friends who can step in between them, as ' put an end to
so costly a--game ?--.lltrapatl6.