New-York tribune., 1877-03-12


| EsGLAND-CLERIcAL ABUSES IN ITALY.
In England the Presidential contest has been fol-
| lowed with keen anxiety by public men. 1t has
elected an important article by Goodwin Smith.
wherein he argues that the days of party rule in this
country are numbered. He holds that sef-depend-
ence Is the inevitable solution OF the question
in the South. In Italy the Clerical Abuses bill con-
tnues to occupy public attention. The bearings OF
that measure are outlined by Mr. Troope in bis
letter on the next page.
GOLDWIN SMITH AND THE PRESIDENCY.
TIE COPYRIGHT QUESTION STILL DIsCussED-rHE
BRITISH COMMISSION ALMOST IyACuvE-PIKE
COUNTY BALLADS IN REQUEsI-TrIE WAR OF
THE REvIEws-MR SURGEONS PRESS CODE
IFRoM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEl
LONDON, Feb. 27.-"A word more about the Pres
identa Election" is the the title of an article which
Mr.. Goodwin Smith contributes to Macmillan for
March; sngularly philosophical estimate of the
conditions under which the struggle has been car
red on. The tone of it is throughout most friendly
to u.s. remark should not think it necessary to
make had not Mr. Goodwin Smith been attacked
in America in a way which implied some
doubt of his sincere good will to the
United States. He is of those friends
who are to be reckoned the best of all: those who
have the courage to tell unpalatable truths.
But, as he is writing to Englishnen, his declara-
tions of confidence in the American Republic are
frequent and cordial. His opinions on some OF the
evils so commonly alleged here to be inherent and
almost universal in America may well startle En-
glishmen-on corruption, for example That cor
Iuption exists, Mr.. Goodwin Smith admits, as we all
must admit but he asks: "What is American cor
ruption to English corruption in the last century, or
to French corruption under the Second EmpTeP
He does not believe that tho results OF the
Al. nbahyc pn
clearly the difficulties before quote one pas
sage:
What system viii succeed it is difficult, let who will be
in power Washington, TO say stl irrsprestie u the
negro question Political equality has been decreed ny
laws which nobody far as can learn now wishes 10
repeal decree hardly take practical efeGt
without social equality, which again Is unattalnable
without intermarriagc; and internarrage between lle
and tie blacks there Will never De tete Is ss
chance of fusion Of the If possible since the ab0l
ti0n OF slavery than there was before Inc dlerehce Oh
M dT erF s s @ HWe Of each Of the blacks to make
him hold up his head politically on level with that OF
the sese Of natural nfriority; lie will become poiti-
caly dependent and the distinction between tne doni
naut and the subject will return stiil TINS state Oh
thugs viii not be slavery it VIII be far removed rom
slavery; and perhaps 1t Is the only practcaDe SOLUTION
on the New World.
OF any serious collision between England and the
United States he has fear If the British aris-
tocracy can De content to abstain from meddhng
with the affairs of n hemisphere where 1t has no
business to be, and from attempting, out of selfish
fear to disturb the development Of institutions,
which, whether destined to become universal or
not, are the only institutions possible in the New
World. If Canada is used for the offensive
purpose of aristocratc propagandisn, she may be in
some danger from the superior force of her repub-
lican neghDor otherwise she is in none" But 1t Is
the breaking up of party which Mr.. Goodwin Smith
considers the most important political fact OF the
moment. crisis has arrived which Will IN his
opinion compel the American people to discard
party and look out for some other foundation for
stable government. If there are more formidable
questions than this the dangers arising from moral
crissthey belong says Mr. GOldwn Smith, not to the
United States but to ChristendOm.
We continue to discuss the copyright question.
DIR. Appetons article IN The Fortaighiy SUM
married. in numerous journals and duly commented
on but in a tone which might, | fear, give pain to
the worthy Senator and his committee who pro-
pounded the opinion that "any project for an in
ternationai copyright will be found incXpcdient"
Mr. Morrill, should, indeed, have remembered how
few are they whom the gift of prophecy Is be-
slowed. A faint sound is heard now and then from
the English Copyright Commission. Ii has not, We
are told even begun to consider its report. Ii is
still accllmulatng evidence, and it has paid $1,000
for shorthand notes of that already taken. This,
remarks critic, may be beneficial for the short
hand writers but promises little for the longhand
writers. 1t is feared the Commission may be
buried under the weight of all this material and
that any decision it announces will be futile. Nor
is its constitution such to insure great authority
to its report. The presidency of the amiable Lord
John Manners would not OF itself promise much
energy or originality i'll its work. Its strongest
member is perhaps Mr. Anthony TrOllOpe.
Even the absence of copyright does not in all cases
insure the Teprning of good books, nor that gen.
eral diffusion of intelligence at other peoples ex-
pensc for which Messrs Harper's famous letter
expresses SO much so ictude. | have tried vainly
TO buy copy of the Pike County Ballads in Lon
don which is the more remarkable because there IS
great appetite iii tins country for American humor.
Col Hays volume was once published here by an
eminent pirate, now deceased, but has long since
disappeared from the market. YOu cannot find
COPY even on that general magazine Of popular lit
eraturc, a railway book-stal. l have lent my copy
till it is quite out and the ballads have been
repeatedly copied in manuscript and circulate now
in that form, not being procurable in any other
The battle between Mr.. Strahan and Mr. Knowles,
between The Contemporary Recie0 that is and The
Nineteenth Century that is to be, has been carried
into the courts, aud ended in victory for Mr..
Knowles Mr. Strahans idea that nobody but him.
self has the right TO edit or publish magazine
resembling The Contemporary must by this time be
dispeed. III it seems to you incredible that any,
body could hold such view, you have only to read
the report of the case. Not merely did Mr. Strahan
hold it, but he found three lawyers to urge it, which,
considering the fees ndorsed their Briefs is per-
haps, less incredible. Some Of the din of this
dispute may have reached you; so long has it now
been going on. Mr.. Knowles was editor of The Con-
temporary Recier, or, as Mr.. Strahan says, only