11 MAY 1878, Page 2

The Philadelphia correspondent of the Times telegraphs on the 9th

inst. that considerable apprehension is felt within the Union of a Communistic uprising, Bishop Stevens, the Anglican bishop. of Pennsylvania, has publicly expressed his apprehension of a dangerous movement, and there is considerable alarm in some of the great cities, notably San Francisco, where the Irish Catholics,. usually opposed to all Communistic schemes, join the party, in the hope of expelling the Chinese. Even in New York it has been thought expedient to place Megy, the Communist leader, and one of the heads of the Internationalist organisation, under recognisances. The movement owes its seriousness chiefly to the widespread distress caused by the Protective tariff, and its ultimate result will probably be a Poor-Law for the great cities. The most popular demand of the "Communists," and indeed the only one which, outside San Francisco, seems to attract the body of the people, is that the Municipalities should find work for artisans thrown out of employ. That is impossible, unless the workmen accept wages just sufficient to keep them alive, as otherwise ordi- nary labour would cease ; but we note a disposition in the cities to give way a little on this point, and find work, which usually means finding wages, till the distress is over-past. With the immense body of freeholders in the Union, and a million of men trained to arms, there can be no serious danger.