The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-25 00:00:00

RICH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

•••••••••••.•11
though they had a good many years in which to
make the experiment. A Reform Bill was brought
in. under the auspices of Mr. GLADSTONE, whose
p awer, as Mr. ROEBUCK humorously put it, has
always been greater over his enemies than over his
friends. His friends turned him out, and with the
reappearance of Lord DERBY on the political stage
Mr. ROEBUCK believed he saw a chance of the
"real Reform Bill" he pined for. "If ever a
Reform Bill is carried," he said to himself,
" it will be by these men, and so sure as they bring
in a bill I will support them and their Government."
He was among the first to do so, and was received
" with a yell of disapprobation." He was told that
he did not know what he was doing, and this asser-
tion gave great offence to Mr. ROEBUCK'S political dig-
nity. "Having," he exclaimed indignantly, "passed
so long a life in public business, I did not know what
I was doing." Events have shown that he did
know very well what he was doing, and his consti-
tuents have no reason to be ashamed of their mem-
ber's conduct as a Reformer, nor to regret the
" contempt" with which he treated the people who
called upon him to resign his seat 1 With the bill
itself he is, on the whole, very well satisfied. It is,
he thinks, a liberal measure, so liberal that it
frightened its own originators. Mr. ROEBUCK,
however, says it has not frightened him, and he
very soon disposes of the bugbear of Democracy.
He has more faith, he declares, in the working
classes than in the small shopkeepers, whose in-
fluence is now predominant ; and there is no reason
why he should not hare such confidence. Tbey are
Englishmen, holding all kinds and shades of political
opinion like the ranks above them, and if some are
extreme in their theories, they would for the most
part be very slow and unwilling to put those theories
in practice. "I am quite sure," said Mr. ROEBUCK
last evening, " that no harm will come to England
while we have a free press and a free people, and
that free press and the constant intercommunication
of thought will render the past Reform Bill one of
the greatest boons ever conferred upon the people
of this country." Having expressed himself with
confidence respecting the achievements of the past,
Mr. ROEBUCK proceeded to look with equal
confidence to the future. Every one, he said,
was afraid of war ; but he believed there was
at present no cause for such apprehension.
France had immense influence in Europe, and in
France the commercial interest was beginning to
predominate over the military. With regard to
America :helrish element, he admitted, was produc-
tive of mischief, but still he attributed much of the
American support to Fenianism to the desire to
secure the Irish vote. His observations on Ireland
and the Irish were marked by good sense and real
patriotism, and were received with strong marks of
approval by his audience.

THIS DAY.—Morning, 2b. 37m.—Afternoon, 2h. 55m,
To-Moitßow.-11orning, 3h. 13m.—Afternoon, 3h. 29m.

tirA
Slily.

view.

votes to 6.

During the rise and progress of Fenianism we
have certainly met with some strange news, and the
last is that an accusation has been brought agaiust
her MAJESTY'S Sheriff for the island of Alderney.
A private investigation took place before the magis-
trates, the result of which has not as yet tran-
spired, but meanwhile Mr. SIMON has been suspended,
and bail is required for his appearance at the
proper time. This is serious so far as it goes ;
and, besides this, an accusation of a similar
nature has been brought against a police-
constable at Birmingham, and during the
inquiries that were instituted it was discovered
that others of the force, as well as the accuses, have
been in the habit of making use of seditious; lan-
guage. This is certainly very unsatisfactory, and
something decided should be done to check it, be-
cause an infusion of this evil Spica in crcr co small
a degree in such a quarter may do far more harm
than a great deal in another direction. It is, in-
deed, quite surprising to notice bow widespread is
this insidious conspiracy, and into what unexpected
neighbourhoods it finds its way. The only thing
that can be time is to check it wherever and
whenever it appears, so that it may not gain ground;
but it is disappointing to find that those who ought

to know better than others the nature and wickedness
of Fenianism should lend themselves to its cause
and seek to spread its work. The man who posted
the Fenian placard at the Mansion-house has been
arrested, at least it is presumed that he is the same,
because he was found yesterday putting a placard
of a similar nature in the same place. He will be
brought before the Lord Mayor to-day. Some
papers were found upon him which were of an in-
criminating character, especially an entry concern-
ing the execution of the three culprits at Manchester.
Yesterday the men who had been arrested at Dept-
ford were brought up at the Greenwich Police-court.
Here again suspicious documents were found in the
prisoners' lodgings; but the prisoners themselves
did not seem to think that they had done
anything very amiss. Under the circumstances
it is not to be wondered at that bail was refused for
all of them. The special constables are increasing
rapidly. At St. George the Martyr, Parliament-
street, an aggregate meeting took place, and Col.
EWART, the officer appointed by Government, ad-
dressed them in some very energetic terms. He

LONDON, SAIURDAY, JAN, 25, 1868.

It is some time since the good citizens of Shef-
field have had the opportunity of listening to their
favourite member, and men of all parties must have
been glad to welcome Mr. ROEBUCK to the annual
dinner of the Chamber of Commerce. His address
was, as usual, straightforward and to the point,
and be touched upon the principal events of the
year in bis well-known caustic and downright man-
ner. Mr. ROEBUCK'S plain speaking spares neither
friends nor foes, and he is in the habit of telling
more truths than people generally like to hear ; but
we are apt also to hear from him in public what
every one says in private. Ile does not deal
in platitudes or in political professions, and so
he is always listened to with attention and interest,
even when, as at the banquet of last evening, he
goes over a well-worn subject. Few public speakers
by this time would have courage to re-open the
disputes of last session, or to go again over the
ground of Reform ; but Mr. ROEBUCK, who never
lacks for daring, made the attempt, and carried it
through successfully. He began by remarking on
the wide influence of commerce, on everything con-
nected with the happiness and welfare of mankind,
and then ingeniously reversing the figure, he said
atntlrialtnartnoilsusantg:hastinoli
that be might, without any very great strain, bring
yiitesharing into the programme of commercial
Such a year as we have passed
eeporodrinhgisto Mr. ROEBUCK, an era in a
ornwinnepnatrct,amhee
when the present Grove fendeethhaet
made one resolution, and that way, ticlivintnt,ofheas.osving got
Lord DERBY in power, he would, if possible, screw
out of him a real reform of Parliament. lle believed
that the Whigs could not carry a second Reform
Bill. He said so it, 1.859, and Was, as he reminded
his hearers last evening, hooted at in that very
town of ShefliAd for saying. It is all one to Mr.
ROEBUCK, however, whether what he says is re-
ceived with hoots or cheers. They may not be equally
agreeable to listen to, but the consideration does not
certainly affect the expression of his opinions. In
this instance, a 3 in many others, time has proved
that Mr. ROEBUCK was in the right. The Whigs
could not, or would not, carry a Reform Bill,

869.

particularly advised them to get acquainted with
the proper common drill, so that, in case of emer-
gencies, they might all act together in the most
powerful and efficient manner. Arrangements were
made in order to carry out the most suitable
plans, and the affair passed off very satisfactorily.
It would be 'good :ping if this example were fol-
lowed in other places, for too much care and cau-
tion cannot possibly be taken in order to attain

success in the requisite direction ; but at any rate
it is very satisfactory that so much zeal should have
been displayed in the cause, for a movement of this
spontaneous nature is more likely to be effective
than any thing which the authorities might do even
in the usual manner.

An important telegram has been received from
Vienna, bearing date the twenty-fourth of January.
In this it is stated that hitherto an office has been
in existence in Austria in which was centred the
complete control of the army, called the Antude
abereanmende. This is now abolished, and the au-
thority previously vested in it has been given to the
responsible Minister of War. These measures will
be announced to-day, as it is expected that their
reception will cause general satisfaction, and be ac-
cepted as an " additional guarantee for the consti-
tutional system." This is very good news, and it
is to be hoped that it will realise all the expecta-
tions formed about it, and convince the people that
the EMPEROR'S Government are really deter-
mined to do their utmost in the work of
progress. So much has been done hitherto
that it is not going too far to look
forward to more yet being achieved. The
course pursued by the EMPEROR is worthy of
all commendation, and the more so because affairs
were in so uni.romising a condition before the com-
m,ncement of these Constitutional Reforms. It
shoWs, at any rate, that it is never too late to begin
improvement, no matter how inauspicious may be
the aspect at the outset, and that appearances
are deceitful, for who could have believed
it possible after the battle of Sadowa that the
Austrians would have been able to retrieve their
position as they have done. The more that they effect
in the right direction the more hope and confidence

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

THE SUN, LONDON, SAITRDAY EVENING, JANUARY 25, 1868.

will they have for the future and hence we gladly
welcome all the items of intelligence which show us
that the good cause is prospering and the good in

LATEST INTELL WINCE.

THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION.
ZOULLA, Jan. 14.

King Theodore is between Wadela and Dalanta,
near Magdala, and the rebels are in his front.
Gobazyse is also in the neighbourhood, and an en-
gagement is believed to be imminent. Gobazyse
has sent a friendly message to Sir IL Napier.

AMERICA.
(Per Cuba via Queenstown.)
NEW YORK, Jan. 14 (Noon.)

The Senate has passed the bill reinstating Mr.
Stanton in the post of Secretary of War by 35

The Senate has adopted a resolution instructing
the Judiciary Committee to investigate the expe-
diency of providing a law for the suspension of
officials from office pending impeachment and trial.
A bill has been introduced into the House of
Representatives declaring that no valid civil Go-
vernments exist in the States lately in rebellion,
transferring all powers of removal and appointment
in those States under the Reconstruction Act from
the President to the General Commanding in the
army, and making it a high misdemeanour for the
President to employ the army or navy to enforce
the authority of the present Civil Government in
the rebellious States.

intelligence has since been received per Atlantic
cable that this bill has been passed.
Senator Doolittle has presented the report of the
minority of the Military Committee, strongly de-
fending President Johnson's course in removing
Mr. Stanton. •

General Meade has removed the State Treasurer
,n Georgia, and has appointed a military successor
to the post. The General has also issued an order

MR, ROE.

'EFFIELD.

legalising the Convention ordinance staying exe-
cutions to collect debts in Alabama until January,

General Hancock has issued an order nullifying
General Sheridan's special instructions for the
registration of bonds.
The Louisiana Convention has passed an ordi-
nance declaring it a misdemeanour to eject any
labourer from the plantation where he is registered
until after the vote upon the New State Constitu-

are not 'Reformers ; we arc the Reformers.

General Butler addressed the negroes at Rich-
mond yesterday, and was enthusiastically received.
The New York papers publish intelligence from
Havanna, stating that it was reportediSanta Anna
was clandestinely sending recruits to the insurgent&
agents in Yucatan.

SOUTHAMPTON, Jan. 25.

The Hamburg and American Company's steamer
Hammonia, from New York, has arrived here, with
76 passengers for this port, Havre, and Hamburg ;
45 sacks of mails for London, $15,000 for England,
and $BOO for Hamburg.

.. _
On the 23d the Hammonia passed a Bremen
steamer bound west, supposed to be the Union.

THE BOMBAY MAIL.
SOUTHAMPTON, Jan. 25.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Nyanza, carrying the above mails, has arrived here
with 27 passengers, £11,574 in specie, and 1,300
packages of cargo, including 681 bales of silk, value
£50,000. In the Bay of Biscay the Nyanza expe-
rienced a hard gale and heavy beam sea. On the
23d she spoke the steamer Ceylon.

GIBRALTAR, Jan. 20.

Accounts from Tangier and Tetuan state that the
people in the neighbourhood of those towns were
suffering severely through scarcity of food. Thou-
sands of poor, on the brink of starvation, were flock-
ing in from the country to obtain relief at Tangier and
Tetuan. At the British and Spanish Legations in
Tangier bread was daily distributed. A succession
of dry seasons and a deficient harvest led to the
present scarcity throughout Northern Africa.
Accounts from the West Coast report copious
rains, with prospects of an abundant crop this year.
Exchange on London, 49i 8 ; Paris, 522; Madrid,
to 1 dis.

he is constantly imposed upon by his own class.

On Friday evening the annual din= of the Sheffield
Chainber of Commerce took place at the King's Head
Hotel Mr. C. Atkinson, the president of the chamber,
in the chair.

Mr. ROEBUCK, in responding to the toast of " The
Borough Members," made a few introductory observations
On the treatment which he had received for having acted
independently of party. He then continuedt: We have

got amore liberal Reform Bill than ever Whig prOposed. We

have got a bill that has even frightened the persons who
proposed it. It has not frightened me. We shall find now
what the great people of England really mean ; and as I
have got confidence in the right-heuxtedness of my own
countrymen, I have no dread of the future. (Cheers, and
"That is the point.") That•is the point ; you are quite

right, sir. I have no dread of my countrymen, but now
they (the Whigs) wail and whine, and say, " Oh, these
people have done what they never intended to do—all the
good they have done we ought to have done. These °cop',

This is

business to which they aro not acc,istomed—you may see it.
by the great good they have done." They have done good,
but, not for the first time in their party's history, they have
carried Liberal measures. Who carried the resmoi tion of casi.
payments? Sir Robert Peel. Who carried Catholic Ethanci.
pation? Sir Robert Peel. Who carried free trade and the

repeal of the Corn Laws? Sir Robert Peel. All this was done

by a Tory Administration—(loud cheers)—and then I urn
told I can get no good out of these people. Indec3, I have

got more good out of them than out of anybody else

As to the great Reform Bill, that was carried by no
party ; it was carried by the people of England, and
therefore I owe, and my countrymen owe, nothing to

any party, or condition, or sect, for the carrying of the

great Reform Bill of 1832. Well, sir, we carried the
last Reform Bill ; it is before us ; we have got to work it.

The people of this town will by and by—a great number

of them—be endowed with political power, and I have
much more faith in the working men of this country than
—you must pardon me for saying it—l have in the small

shopkeepers of this country. They will be true to them

selves, and the great governing intellectual power of Eng.

land will rule over her destinies still: I have no fear of

what is called the wild democracy. I know my country.
men are wonderfully credulous. The working man is espe
cially credulous to his own class, and the consequence is tha.

But the

ramifications and the influences of the upper portion of
society work down deep and low into our social relations,
and I am quite sure that no harm will come to England
while we have a free press and a free people, and that free
press and the constant intercommunication of thought will
render the last Reform Bill one of the greatest boons ever
conferred upon the people of this country. Now, sir, I
have done with the past. I look forward now to the
future, and the future embraces foreign and domes tic policy.
As regards foreign policy, I am speaking among corn.
mercial men, and you will all see that I speak the truth.
There is much doubt and suspicion in the public mind that
there is no power given to the enemy of this country. You
are all afraid of something, you don't know what. You
believe that war is at hand. People willnot speak out and
tell you what they mean ; but I am quite sure—and I speak
from the experience of forty years of public life—there is nc
danger of war at the present time. I will go step by step
throughout the European coup tries, and I begin with France.
Whenever France is agitated Europe cannot be quiet. She
has such an influence over every part of Europe, that any
thing that touches her must affect Europe. The First Na-
poleon, in his wonderful pride and self-appreciation, called
the people of England a nation of shopkeepers. We never
were shopkeepers, but the people of France have be.
come a nation of shopkeepers, awl as shopkeepers they
dread war ; the French shopkeeper will go to the wall if
war comes on ; the soldier will take the lead in everything,
and buttons or something else will go down in price.
Prussia wants to consolidate what she has gained. War

INS.

_ .
The, itdiouriied delegate meeting of the London trades,
rereremp to the deputation to Mr. Gladstone, was held
Pp Friday evening, at the Bell Inn, Old Bailey. About
nOO delegates were present. Mr. George Potter occupied
the chair.

The CEIAIIIKAN said the movement in which the trades of
London were now engaged had excited considerable public
attention, and lie had no doubt that thb result would be not
only to disabuse the mind of Mr. Gladstone, but that of tho
public generally, of the prejudice now existing again:::
trades unions. The points which the deputation woul 1
hare to discuss with Mr. Gladstone were, the limitation (If.
apprentices, the minimum rate of wages, piece-Work
overtime, legal protection for the funds of trade societies,
and the advantages of trades unions ; and also to combat
the assertion that the unions were driving trade out of
the country. Since the last meeting he had communicated
the proceedings to Mr. Gladstone, and had received the
following letter, dated llawarden, Jan. 17 :
"Dear Sir,—l fear, from the enclosures in your letter,
that there may have been some slight misunderstanding
between us, and that what I contemplate had better be
further explained. My object is to inform, myself, and this
can oily be done in a conversational interview with a few
persons. I would name six or eight at the outside, and if
you will kindly procure a selection to be made of such
persons as are themselves best informd about the facts as
well as the principles of trades unions, I am sure I shall
prolit greatly by the meeting. I could not name an earlier
day for it than Tuesday, February 18 ; but I have not the
least objection to the presence of a reporter if you desire
it, and I do not think the parliamentary columns will by
that time be very full. I propose half-past two as the
hour, and I remain your faithful servant,
" Mr. George Potter." "W. E. GLADSTONE.

He would therefore suggest that the meeting should now
proceed to elect a committee of fifteen, who should meet
and select from among themselves eight members to con-
stitute the deputation to Mr. Gladstone.
After considerable discussion the suggestion of the
chairman was embodied in a resolution and unanimously
agree to, and the delegates of the following fifteen trades
were elected as the committee, viz., bookbinders, brush-
makers, cigai-makers, glassmakers, gas-meter makers,
joiners, masons, organ builders, plasterers, painters, rope-
makers, smiths, saddlers, tailors, and tallow chandlers.

It was then resolved that the committee elected shown
report to an adjourned meeting of delegates, to be held on
Friday, the 7th February next ; and that in the mean-
time all trades represented should send into the committee
their rules bearing on the points to be discussed.

don't do it—peace alone can do it, and, depend upon it,
M. Bismarck, who knows what he is about, will not go to
war with France. As for Russia, they won't and can't go
to war. Therefore I say, take heart my countrymen—
my commercial and manufacturing countrymen, take heart.
There is no danger of war ; we shall have peace for many a
good day yet to come ; it only depends upon yourselves,
your own industry, and your own courage, to maintain the
position which England has ever maintained, to carry
commerce to the uttermost ends of the earth. Our happi-
ness to a great extent is bound up with that of America.
We are nearly related, and the faults and virtues of both
peoples are very much alike. But there is an element in
America and in England which is working- for mischief,
and, I say it with regret, that element is the Irish element
in both countries. The Irish in America hold together ;
they speak not as American citizens, but as Irishmen, and
in that character endeavour to wield the force of America
against England. A very large portion of the press of
1141.11,0,1 z Irish, and tborefore you see a good deal of bal-
derdash in the American papers. It does not belong to
the old Pilgrim Father men—not a bit of it. They are Eng-
lish, but the rodomontade, what I call the balderdash, that
now too often appears in the American papers is attribu-
table to the Irish element in America. The main politics
of the coming year may be sunnncd up in three great

things—the Scotch Reform Bill, the Irish Reform B
and some legislation or other respecting the trades unions
of this country. Any liberty that has been granted, any
power that has been given to the people of England can be
safely given to the people of Scotland. Their representa-
tion I have no fear of. They will bring men of worth,
men of thought, men of prudence, men of honour into the
English House of Commons. They are a great people ;
and it is a great happiness for that people to be able to say
that they are not a conquered people. Scotland joined us
honestly and honourably through her Parliament. They
were a set of uncommon scoundrels, by-the-bye ; but they
did one good deed—they joined Scotland to England, and
from that time to this Scotland has learnt the benefit of
being connected with a richer rrople. She has brought
into our laws and literature, into our habits of thought and
feelings of society, everything that could honour, distin-
guish, and heighten a nation. I come now to a different
subject—l come to Ireland. A great statesman talks
about Ireland and tells us that we must legislate in the
spirit of Ireland fur Ireland. What does that mean ?
Why, if it means anything—l do not know that it does—
it means this, that we are to separate Ireland from Eng-
land. Now, sir, as long as there is breath in my body or
a drop of blood in my veins I will oppose any kind of sepa-
ration of the two countries. When they talk about the
wrongs of Ireland what amazing nonsense they do talk ?
Are there any wrongsof Ireland? I want to know what they
are. What is the difference in the law between England and
Ireland which militates against the interests of the people
of Ireland? Tenant-right—is there any difference between
England and Ireland ? Does the tenant in England
claim anything more than by law he is entitled to ? And
is there not the same law in Ireland as in England?
But then it was said, " Oh, they don't give us
leases." Well, a great number of English landlords
do not give leases, and a very large portion of the
land of this country is held from year to year. The law,
therefore, is the same in one country as in the other.
Have they not trial by jury, as we have ? Have they not
judges of their own religion? Is there any Roman Catholic
country in the world in which the opposing Protestant is
treated as we treat Catholics? (Cheers.) Now, I want to
know what we can do. Can we alter the laws of nature ?
Can we alter the character of the Irish land ? Depend upon
it, sir, it is not law that will make Ireland what she ought
to be. It is the teaching of her teachers ; it is the
reception of that teaching by her people ; it is a determi-
nation on the part of everybody to do his duty in that state
of life in which it has pleased God to call him, and
not to turn round to talk nonsense about " Erin-g,o-bragh"
or " Bryan Boru." Irishmen go from this country, being
born and bred subjects of her Majesty, to America, and
become American citizens ; they come back here and they
break the law of this country; they are put upon their
trial, and then they have the mild effrontery to ask for a
jury composed of Americans. They are not Americana ;
they are Irishmen. But then comes back to us this painful
recollection, that we have done amazing wrong to Ireland,
that for centuries we have done mischief, and a nation
cannot be wronged without the coming generation of that
nation feeling it. For centuries we have misgoverned
and ill-treated Ireland, but for the last half-century
we have done all we could to repair that mischief.
The emigrant who has gone from Ireland with his heart
full of bitter enmity against England lands in America,
and there he finds this—he finds two parties, one fighting
against the other, very much as we do in England, and he
holds the balance between them. Both parties court him,
and both parties talk nonsense to please him—the Demo-
crats and Republicans both forget themselves and their
duty to mankind in so doing, but they do it ; and they
talk nonsense to please the Irish voter. Call upon the
Americans to put aside the stigma that now is endeavouring
to attach to them ; to drag themselves out of this mire, and
to show themselves what they are—a really straightfor-
ward, honest, sincere people, not to be led away by the
talk of those people to whom they have attached them.
selves. (The hon. member, after returning thanks for the
I patient manner in which he had been listened to, resumed
his seat amid loud applause.)

A terrific gale raged at Edinburgh on Friday
from eleven o'clock in the forenoon till six in the evening,
At one o'clock a block of chimneys in Duke-street was
blown over and fell through five flats of dwelling-houses.
One servant in the upper story, two clerks on the street
floor, and a lady in the second floor were killed. Two
other persons were buried ; one escaped unhurt, the other
was severely injured. A large 'lumber of minor casualties
h-e reported.