The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-23

ENGLAND.
The Religious Opinions of john Stuart
MilI.
The following CORES pondence appeare in the
columns of the London Ttmes:-
Nov. 6, lS68.-Mr. Mill-Slr:AAs volunteer
chpvasser and committeeman (St. Annes dis
trict) i have met several refusals TO vote for you
on account, as the voters say, OF your being an
atheist. II would give NE great satisfaction,
and also secure large Der OF votes tor the
Liberal cause, it you would in some public
manner contradict what l consider slander
upon your public character.
Very sincerely yours, FGED'K BATES.
No. 20 Litch6eld street, W. c.
BLAoKHEATu PARK, Kent, Nov. 8, 196s.-Dear
Sir:-I suppose the persons who call me an
atheist are the same who are impudeutly assert
ing that Mr., Gladstone is a Roman Catholic.
should think my friends in Westminster must
by THIS time be aware that Tories IN election
tines stick at nothing. An attempt was made
to raise the same cry against me at my first
election, and the defense which did not choose
to make for myself was made tor me by several
eminent dgnitaries of the Church of England.
At that time | declared my deliberate determl-
nation, on principle not to answer any ques-
tions whatever respecting my religious creed,
because ] acknowledge no light in any one to
ask them, and because / o We it to future candi-
da'es, and to the interest OF future constituent
cies, not TO encourage a practice the effect of
which would be that when no objection can be
found 10 a candidates. character or political
opinions, attempts would be made TO extract from
himself materials for raising religious preju.
up against the best men. | think shall act
most rightly and most In conformity to my prin-
ciples by adhering to this declaration. IT any
one again tells you that am an atheist, would
advise you 10 ask him how he knows, and in
what page OF my numerous writings he finds
anything Ito bear out the assertion? You will
Al d he has nothing at all TO say. If he talks
about my subscription for Mr.. Bradlaugh, he
should be asked whether he thinks that the
wOrkingmen OF Northampton, who have adopted
Mr.. Braolaugh as their candidate, or the men,
hara ~ ha hn oil aI \,
one of their councll, are all atheists. You are
free to make any use you please of this letter.
am, dear sir, yours very faithfully,
Mr.. Frederick Bates. J. s. MILL.
The Alabama Claims Arbitration,
The Pau Mall Gazette of the 11th instant
states that the convention between England
and the Uni ed States for the settlement of out
standing claims was signed Yesterday. Article
four OF the treaty runs thus:-'The Commis-
sioners shall have power to adjudlcate upon the
class of claims referred to in the official corres-
Iondence between tue two Govern ments as the
Alabama claims; but before any of such
claims are taken mo consideration by them the
two high contracting parties shall hx upon
kome sovereign or head oil a friendly State as an
arbitrator i'll respect Of such claims, to whom
such class of claims shall be referred in case
the Commissioners shall be una BILE to come 10 a
unanimous decision upon the same"
From the London Daily Ne,Os. Nov.ll.
When we seated month ago that Lord
Stanley and the Hon. keverdy johnson mad
come TO an arrangement respecting the impor-
tant question OF naturalization, and a few days
later that an agreement had been come to for
referring the claims o! citizens of the two Gov
err rnents 10 joint commission, we were careful
10 point out that arrangements OF this kind
mace by ENJOYS OF the United States required
more than Executive confirmation. The remark
is equally applicable aud more important
with reference to the agreement now said to
have been made to refer to European soVe-
reRn the essential question of the liability of
the British Government tor losses inflicted on
citizens of the United States by the Alabama
We know of no better way OF obtaining
solution of such question than that which
the Ministers of the two Governments have
adopted; but it must be remembered that
whereas If Mr.. johnson represented consti-
tutioDal monarchy, the sanction of his Govern
ment would suffice TO ratiiy an arrangement of
this kind, as MiEister OF the United States his
action will need to be confirmed not only by
MT. Andrew johnson and Dir. Seward, but by
the Senate at Washington. 1t has already been
stated that Mr.. Reverdy Johnson has full
power to settle all matters in di.pute between
the two countries, bat this must be understood
OF such powers IS the President can confer. In
this view of the case the state of opinion in the
Omitted States is possibly deserving OF more
attention Than IL has received.
The English EIecttons-PrOspects OF the
Ministry.
The Pail Mall Gazette of the 10th says;-
with anything like good leadership, with any
thing like meaning aud discipline In the Liberal
! party, the overthrow OF the present Government
must be easy. But when we remember that for
Ill pEdcIlCdt purposes mdIOrily Vi blAIy 10
generally as good as majority of one hundred
and when we also remember that in the last
Parliament the Liberal party, with such a ma
joritY, did nothing bat rage yaiGly and fall TO
pieces in opposition, 1t is impossible TO dismiss
altogether some doubts which other wise
would be preposterous. These doubts
are not so much as to Mr. Glad
stone's getting power-tthough tohen he will
get it depends very much upon the tactics OF the
worst tacicaD in Parliament), as to his holding
Ii securely. The great question of the day is
not likely to be disposed of so easily as mauy
people imagine; 1t is a mistake to suppose tnat
the whole body of Liberals is really as eager for
the disendowment and establishment OF the
Irish Church as the whole body OF their oppo-
Dents is eager Tor its maintenance; compromise,
OF whatever klnd, Mr. Gladstone cannot possibly
assent to; and yet 1t Is at least imag na6le that
the debate may be so managed that before we
get to the end OF it compromises may appear to
a sufficient majority the wIsest solution of the
matter. That II may be made to appear so to
the country we have no doubt at al; which
does not mean that it is our own view, be 1t
remembered. An important cons deratlon In the
matter is, that whereas Mr.. Gladstone and Mr..
Bright can with no consistency wh1teyer accept
compromise in any shape, MIR. Dsraeli, in oppo-
sitioD, can work for any compromise with per-
thing short of destruction !" and with shreWd,
careful adroit use OF amendments and resou-
tions, concurrent with display OF the really
great difficulties OF the matter there Is no saying
where he may be landed at last Another In
portant consideration is, that whereas Mr..
question, it is not likely to be an
agreeable thing 10 a considerable number
iof Whiggish persons and others who are num-
hered with the Liberal party; and OF these
maDy may think that to alioW him full swing in