The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-12 00:00:00

Lopez with crimes against humanity, with the assas-
sination of the French and Portuguese Consuls, so

basely circulated, were untrue. The captain of the
gunboat Linnet had also returned from the seat of
war, and he had reported to the same effect to Ad-
miral Ramsay, commanding the British fleet, who

called on the American eidmiral to communicate
the information. The intercourse of Lieut. Bush,

of the Linnet, with Lopez, was entirely satisfactory
in all respects :—" In short, in several of the most
important particulars, touching the character, con-

duct, and situation of President Lopez, the reports
of a month ago, after undergoing modifications
from time to time, are now wholly contradicted."

It is no wonder that the American public are un-
able to form any conclusion, but it is satisfactory
that an Admiral, itn pressed with the idea of an un-

'air attempt to vilify Lopez, controls the American

fleet, as the public believe he will not allow himself
to be hurried into measures the nation may hereaf-

tar regret; and if he acts we will feel the assurance
that he has ample grounds.
Though a joint resolution was introduced into
the House of Representatives, and referred to the

Committee on Foreign Affairs, asking the President

to recall Mr. Reverdy Johnson, the tone of public

opinion in the United States begins to change. A
telegram from New York asserts that that portion

of the Message referring to the negotiations was
even of a more satisfactory character than the sum-

mary which had previously come to hand led us to sup•

pose. The President spoke confidently of the ultimate
success of the negotiations, and expressed an opinion

that before the sess►on closed he would be able to

submit to the Congress for approval such a treaty
as would be satisfactory to both England and the
United States, and calculated to remove all existing

causes of controversy between the two nations. The
New York Herald asserts that the American people
approve the terms of the Convention just published,
one of the stipulations of which is that the decision
upon all the claims is to be given within twelve
months of the commissioners assembling, and that
there is to be no appeal fr3m such decision. The
tribune on the 28th Nov. says —" The drag net of
the other Johnson's mixed commission, to sit in
Washington in judgment on the Alabama claims, is
to draw into its omnium gatherum of old and
new bills for damages the once-adjudicated Spring-
bok claim." Its Washington correspondent, how-
ever, asserts that " Secretary Seward does not con-
ceal his dissatisfaction with the terms of the pro-
tocol for the settlement of the Alabama claims, and
Republicans here say that Minister Johnson's ac-
tion in respect of these claims has been purely in

e interest of the Rebel wing of the Democratic

party."

The working men have not placed themselves in
an enviable position in first inviting the American
Minister to a banquet, then breaking down on the
score of expense, then reviving the subject, and
again breaking do wn " in consequence of the con-
flicting opinions existing in this country and Ame-
rica on the questions in course .of arrangement."
Nor do we think the interference of the Reform
League has tended to mend matters. In-
deed, we think that there is a want of courtesy in
the public discussion of this subject, as well as a
want of hospitality in the way it was debated, and,
finally, a want of respect to the representative of
the great Republic. The American people may
censure their representative, and disapprove his
action, but.it is something even worse than absurd
for the Reform League to take this duty upon them-
selves ; and we believe that throughout the work-
ing men of London had little to do with the affair.
The Hon. Freeman 11. Morse, United States
Consul in London, has sent to the State Depart-
ment an able paper upon the foreign maritime com-
merce of the United States. Ile dwells especially
upon steam navigation, which has remained almost
stationary in the United States during the past ten
years, but has progressed in Great Britain and her
colonies until the British flag floats over about
3,200 steamers, of about 1,400,000 tons in all. We
will perhaps notice this paper more fully next week.
It confirms a great deal of what we advanced last
week, although we are not aware, as the full report
is not before us, that the change from sails to
steam and wood to iron was applied by Mr.
Morse, as by us, to account for the stagnation.
The subject is, in truth, worth the earnest atten-
tention of Americans, and more particularly of men
from Maine, such as Mr. Morse.
A letter from an agent engaged in constructing,
the Union Pacific Railroad tells a curious tale re-
garding the work of beavers. Dr. A. Burnham
had to float ties down the Laramie River from the
mountains where they were cut to the track
at Wyoming, and he had contracted to supply
them at a certain time while the river remained
so low that he could only get the work executed
by building dams at different points so as to collect
sufficient water to float the ties and carry them
down with the flood. The parties working on
these darns were astonished to find much progress
made during the night on resuming operations in the
morning. Then they ascertained that when they left
off the beavers commenced and worked through the
night, doing a considerable amount in a satisfactory
manner. Instances are told where breaks occurred
which they repaired with wonderful skill, and so
helped the contractor that he saved hundreds of dol-
lars i❑ effecting his object. When Dr. Burnham
opened the flood gates and let the water escape, the
poor beavers must have thought they had been
" sold," for even Hiawatha would scarcely tell us
that their object was to forward the construction of
the Union Pacific Railway.
The Banquet at the Astor House given to the
Hon. W. N. Evarts, on the 17th November, was a
marked success. There were present upwards of
250 judges and lawyers, besides Gen. Grant, Ad-
miral Farragut, Mayor Hoffman, Cyrus W. Field,
R. H. Dana, Dr. Adams, Dr. Vinton, Mr. Ray-
mond, William Young, and others. On the toast
being given of the President-Elect, a miniature
fort opposite Gen. Grant fired off salvoes of artil-
lery, and the company responded with applause.
The speeches continued to a late hour, when one of
the most brilliant entertainments closed ever cele-
brated by the legal profession of New York.
The New York Tribune has been anticipating the
Executive in the Annual Reports, which " Grand-
father" Welles thinks very irregular and demoraliz-
ing. He angrily brought the subject up at a Cabinet
meeting on the 24th November, but the President
defended the Tribune, which as he stated he found
to be au excellent source of information concerning
Government matters. Indeed the President is now
having " quite a nice time" of it, as he has been
removed from the vortex of public odium wherein
he had struggled so long. The Tribune now pats
his Excellency on the back, and recommends him
to read it attentively, as he will therein find matter
"ifor doctrine, for reproof, and for admonition."
Senator Pomeroy, of Kansas, left Washington for
New York on the 24th of November, and Senator
Cameron arrived on business connected with a new
railway planned between Baltimore and Washing-
ton. He called next day on General Grant, as did
also Senator Drake. Senators Morton and Yates
have been ill, but are recovering, as is also Senator
Sherman. It is rumoured that Senator Conness is
to be married. Carl Schurz hopes to succeed
Senator Henderson for Missouri. Senators Sher-
man of Ohio and Howe of Wisconsin arrived o❑
the 25th November. Senator Sumner arrived on
the 27th, and General Williams, of Oregon, was
expected in a few days. Speaker Colfax was to
return from his marriage trip on the 28th. Senator
Patterson, with Mrs. Stoner, the President's daugh-
ter, and her children, returned from Tennessee on
the 27th.
Inconsistent as it may appaar, experience proves
that those to whom most liberty is given fre-
quently confer the least ou their fellow-men out-
side their own race. The Anglo-Saxon, the greatest
stickler for his own liberty, has furnished some
curious legislation when dealing with the liberty of
others. Such has been England's conduct in Ire-
land, in India, in Australia, in the W est Indies ;
and although she has become very good, and now
goes into another extreme, the old nature is strong
in the Englishman, who, on small provocation,
would relapse into the old barbarism, as was seen
in the recent outbreak in Jamaica. Two of the
youngest communities where labour is in the
greatest demand have furnished some remarkable
legislation as affecting immigrants. Victoria (Aus-