New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-10-23

the situation that, although the work might be
done in o fortnight it is too soon to predict
the conquest of Armenia this season.
Tho military and diplomatic embassy dispatched
by the United States Government into the North
west Territory to treat with that distinguished po-
tentate Sitting Bull. and to persuade him to enter
into amicable relations with this Republic, reached
Fort WALSH after a long and painful journey, and
found the Sioux cheftan ready for them. The de-
tails of this mOmentOus interview Will he valuable
10 some historian in the next century. Sitting Bull
awaited the embassy squat on the dirty floor OF
wigwam, wrapped as to his neither person In blank
cts and decorated TO his head with red pocket
handkerchief. In this attitude, mute and medita-
tive. he sat all the night before the conference.
white squaw amused him with occasional bowls
and groans He listened to the address of General
Terry with quiet irODical SMILE" He smoked
industriously during tho presentation of the of
the United States, his attendant braves meanwhile
fondliDg their knives and PLAYING with their Win
chester rifles. And when the speech Wa finished
ne told the embassy-nOt in 80 many words, but, we
trust, with becoming diplomatic circumiccution-to
ego to the devil There is nothing for General
Terry to do bnt to march home again. aid get ready
for another Indian warwhebeyeri it may sut the CON
venience of Sitting Bull to recross the border We
have no doubt that the distinguis ned soldier per-
formed his task with all possible tact and dignity
but it does seem if the United States Government
had been in rather ridiculous position. To treat
handful of wandering sayages "a an independent
nation and send high officers of the army into the
remote wilderness to MAKE treaties with them which
we know they will not keep and they know we will
not keep either il an absurdity which we Onght
70 have outgrown before this time. The Interior
Department might have been better occupied in
replacing IT'S burnt roof, instead of equippng this
diplomatic commission TO treat on British territory
with a runaway outlaw.
The Pcnge case which seems TO have excited the
English public to an extraordinary degree all the
journals containing at least two or three columns of
letters about it every day, offers startling llustra
ton either of the defects of British law the loose
ness of British practice. For after the four prison.
ers have been condemned and sentenced to death
for the murder of Harriet Stanton by starvation
it turns out to be entirely uncertain whether any
murder was committed the opinion that the woman
died Of disease being strongly supported by respect
abo scientific testimony. Some of this testimony
WAS excluded at tho trial because the Judge had a
scruple about its admlssi5ility which most people
think Oyerstrained some of it appears to have been
overlooked by the defence, and the rest has
only been elected in the discussions raised since the
trial 1t results that on the strength of postmort-
EN- examination which IL pronounced highly unsat-
isfactory and incomplete, and which. in the Wow Of
some medical authorities, affords positive dsproof of
the theory of starvation. four persons were con-
demned to DEATH and would ere this have been
hanged, had not overpowcring demonstrations OF
popular disapproyal induced the Crown to grant
reprieve. The only moral drawn from the ease so
far u.s. that post-mortem examinations in cases of
supposed murder ought to be submitted TO a high
scientific commission and thoroughly discussed, be-
fore the question is submitted TO jury. That is
done in some parts, at least of the continent and
il is a better plan than passing sentence of death
first and trying to ascertain by newspaper discus
zion afterwards whether there has been any murder.
Mr. Walter, of The London Times. in speaking to an
English audience about his recent visit othe United
States said that be found over here in q condi-
ton Of lamentable depression owing to the mischIey
ous effects Of protective tariff. our mills and manu-
factories being closed and cities crowded with
the unemployed. But matters seem TO be no better
IN England Yesterdays newspapers told us of fresh
labor troubles on the Cydethe collapse Of tho great
railway strike in Ireland, and " great depression"
among iron-workers, who had received notice that
unless they consented to reduction of per cent
in wages. all contracts must be terminated. The
foreign papers received yesterday mention the
tinuance OF disasters in the iron district Of Wales
and quote a letter written by Mr. Robert Crawshay
known in the prinepality as &" the iron king" who
says that "he does not see the slightest chance of
resumption of business. and that he thinks 80 badly
of trade altogether that he has no wish to see his
sons remain in it," If our loss tho consequence of
protection this. perhaps, is the result of free trade
But while the leading iron-master of Wales, man
whose name has been honorably identified with the
iron mining interests for 200 yeals, proposes to
abandon tho business and sell his works. York
shire steel firm, learn from the London papers,
after examining the mines Of the Adirondacks, has
removed ito headquarters to the United States in the