The Sun. — 1868-04-27 (London, England)

AVG-ft, one of the most useful and patriotic statesmen in Canada, had been shot at his own door. Such incidents as these bring to mind the declaration stated to have been put forth some time ago from a Fenian source, that for every Fenian convict executed "the life of some prominent Englishman should be exacted," and are of a nature to make us fear that this will turn out after all 'no empty idle boast.  The herald reminds us that some of the English friends of the Fenians used to speak apologetically of their crimes a few months since as beinF acts of " quasi-belligerency." Regarded in this light let It be asked what was proposed to be gained by the killing of the Queen's second son on the shores of Port Jackson ? Not even a member of the Fenian Brotherhood can seriously pretend to believe that to shoot the Duke of Edinburgh was even a fit sort of revenge for the alleged wrongs of Ireland.  The Standard notes in connection with the attempted assassination of the Duke of Edinburgh that it is Fenianism as developed in murder which, by their own declarations, has awakened Lord Russell and Mr. Gladstone to the necessity of dealing with the Irish Church. What 'greater encouragement could have been given to the spirit of outrage and rapine? The matter for the Fenian desperadoes is nothing harder than this simple calculation : If the murder in Manchester and the outrage at Merkel:well convinced the Liberal leaders and the Liberal party of the necessity of immediately abolishing the Irish Church, how many murders, and of what particular degree of atrocity, will convince, first the leaders and then _the party of the necessity of recognising the independence of Ireland ? A responsibility which our contemporary does not attempt to measure rests upon the chiefs of the Opposition for their heedless language and their selfish and dastardly policy. The Telegraph directs all thoughts with loyal regard and respect to the illustrious lady whose heart this intelligence must have shaken so greatly. The news was car& lolly broken to her Majesty by the Duke of Buckingham ; but it was impossible that she should not be much agitated. The later tidings, indeed, are at once reassuring, for while they certainly lead us to see how serious the wound has been, e, sing nineteen days after its infliction, Lord Belmore has to inform us that ' the Duke is still progressing favourably," they distinctly report the Prince's convalescence. ITer Mijesty will share, we hope, with all her subjects, the confidence which these words now inspire— that, beyond doubt, the youthful constitution of her son, and the store of health which he must have accumulated on his unheard voyage, must by this date have gone far to restore his Royal llighuvs from all immediate effects of the hurt.  The Star confesses that it feels inclined, at least until fuller tidings are received, to lean to the belief that the shot fired at the young prince was sped brthe hand of a lunatic:. Insanity has already been set up as the defence of the criminal ; and every humane and Christian being must surely hope that the proofs will sustain that defence. It would indeed be shocking to believe that Fenianism, or • any other cause, is capable of exciting in the hearts of human creatures a passionate and needless hatred, an insensate thirst for crime which could find relief in an attempt to assassinate a youth so wholly free of any connection with political anunosities of any kind as the Duke of Edinburgh. -- • •  MR.