Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-12
OUR LONDON LETTER.
LONDON, February 20, 1866.

I
most to the exclusion of everything else. The
/ first, from having been looked upon by the
| LondOner as thing 50 absurd in its Objects
and so insignificant in actors and actions, Is
awakening at last most serious and anxious re-
Election. The suspension of the hdbeaS corpus
| act in ireland, measure upon which Parlia-
ment commenced to legislatc on Saturday last
at y o'clock, and which was made law by
midnight that night Including the Royal sane
ton transmitted by special messenger all the
way from the Isle of Wight, where the Queen
then was,) is regarded by the nation as so very
vigorous and harsh measure, that all think
the Government is in possession of information
with regard to Irish affairs not known to the
public, and, that the conspiracy is much more
serious in extent and character than was gene
rally supposed. But there is no alarm every
where exists the most perfect confidence that
no outbreak will occur, and the prevailing SEN
timent is one of regret for the suiterings OF the
moor deluded creatures who have undertaken
to play at SO dangerous game as rebellion
against so powerful Government. The action
| of the Parliament was almost unanimous, Ill
the House of Commons only six members
voting in the negative but Mr.. John Bright,
as usual, availed himself of the opportunity to
attack the Government. " Ie Numbered IT
into the ears of the Irish population that they
are ground down by pitiloss tyranny, anu
never had extorted, and never will extort,
Justice from England except by force or threat
of arms" Hearing him, one might well have
| imagined himself, on your side of the water,
listening to some Chandler declaiming against
the wickedness and tyranny of England. Mr.
Bright followed his well known habit of at
| tributing to others his own feelings, and start
| ing with the assumption that every lrShman Isl
| by nature, a rebel; that they all thirst for re-
publican institutions, and look upon the United
/ States as having the best Government the world
| has ever seen, he comes to the conclusion that
some how or other, whether by conspiracy
treason, insurrection, OF any other means, they
would, if they could, sever their connection
with the British Crown. But the facts seem to
indicate that this dangerous demagOgue speaks
only for those who have nothing to lose by
bv such trials and desolatOn as they are at
tempting to bring upon the "gem of the sea-
In no instance has any one of decent birth OF
| associations, 81 possessing visible means OF
support, been found connected with this or
ganization. All of the intelligence and wealtl
L, e 81, n,tr MT
audEthe whole probably, certainly the principal
aim and purpose of the miserable creatures who
have ioiued this order, is the plumber which
they hope to lay hands on in the confusion ano
mmult which they are striving to bring about
To-day we are somewhat startled with the an
uouncement that the Guards are ordered tC
ireland the truth being that a single battalion
of the "ColdstreamS'' LETT to-day for that deStl
nation. The Fenians who have been convicted
and sentenced to penal servitude are under
going punishment at the Pentonville prison
which is situated in London. Notwithstanding
the thousands of Irishmep in this great metrop
oils. il is considered i sufficient measure o
precaution to station twenty policemen, armed
only with their clubs, AZ guard at this place.
In Dublin the arrests have been very numer
Gus of suspected persons. Most of those LOCKED
up are ''Ameucan citizens of Irish descent )
ex-captains and colonies of the Union army
many of them, who, having taken part in put
ting down one "rebelliOn, either for the sake
variety, or in the hope ofbetter profits, propose
trying their hands at getting up another
Some of tkem take their arrest in the mos
lofty style relying upon their citizenship, an(
threatening very terrible things to be vlsl
ted upon "perRdious Albion" for the indignit.
offered to the great republic ip their persons
Not less than one hundred and fifty of theS'
gentry are said to be now provided with lodg
ings at the expense ofthe crown, and yet man.
escaped some leaving in the Cunard steamer
which touched at Queenstown Sunday. N
effort was made to stop sAeh as sought thi
means of escape, and it is supposed the Rolic
were instructed to let them go.
The cattle plague bill is still under discus
sion, and while my lords and honorable gentle
men talk, cattle die by the hundreds. TIL
roast beefof old England, one amongst her ma
ny glories, is seriously in danger and how
save it no one knows.
Another disease, the &" sheep-pOx," threaten
furthes to cartaii the supply of animal food
This complaint has not a. yet BECOME genera
amongst the locks, but where it has broken on
it has proved most fatal.
Add to these the "trichina disease, which
, now prevailing amongst the hogs in German!
and which has likewise appeared here, and on
may be excused for feeling apprehensive abor
: the meat supply. One of the worst feature
about this last disease is the yeEy diStressin
p results produced to persons eating the mes
4 affected by it. Tle " trichina" is a minut
, worm which is not always killed by cooking
and when taken into the human stomach, it il
creases with great rapidity, and eating its wa
. through the interior partitions of the syster
y. establishes itself in every part of the body
r The muscles of person, who once reeeiy'
them into his mouth, soon become a wrigglin
: working mass, producing the most fright
r pains, rendering all rest and sleep impossible
Il and death certain. Soma cases Of this cha
# acter have already occurred in London, and Il
e most norton examinations disclosed the par
- sites in numbers unascertainabe. The col
? plant has been known in Germany for son
= wears past, but has appeared at intervals
h several years, and has not attacked very maj
- persons. lit is said now, however, to have b
1t come suddenly prevalent, and the loss of no
l. is getting alarming.
The French Government has SEM eoi
mission of learned professors of medicine al
y veterinarians to Germany to examine into al
report upon the matter.
. Truly, my letter presents a gloomy appea
u anee and it is with some regret that it is su
mitted TO yORr readers; yet they may see fro
it that it is not they alone whom God sore
te afiicts.
e, TUE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT
Sh Thursday the National House of Represent
he tiyes passed bill reducing the number
H. Judges of the Supreme Court from ten to min
ne 1t has been but three years ago since the nuI
We her of Judges was raised from nine to ten.