The Express. — London, England, 1865-12-25 00:00:00

TORN BROGDSN'S EXCICLLENTE BIJOU %) Tsars ODURANTIMODILES SPECIAUE Ass FABRIQUI. J. B. hams( been ha.cwsd with • Tlrstclass Medal at the ParM Volvenal Zuldbitlow, accompanied by the above flattering tee kilhoulak respectfully invites the public to an inspectlea of his GOLD CHAINS and extensive easortment of JEWELRY, all made on the prendee•—JOHN BILOODEN, Goldsmith. Manu factory, No. IR Henriettaatreet, Coventegardeu. W.C. Esta blished A.D. 1795. Amos made of Chains and Jewelry for Is. each. N.B. Thim establishment bottomed at 6ui the evsg, and estsedap at I o'clock. LONDON must have a SUPPER and MUSIC ROOM for Gentlemen.—Remember, we waft for you at erylnlat" OW the Coveurrprtlen Opeas, and the Timbals. Che ennatoo. TO 0010X3PONDW 4115 . Atrowlllostoralo 'Moulded for " Tbo Lwow' Loudon Byways . rgi:tabdeamost;h:bral!o. BouTerle-Gtz•st. W Two HAIMARIST. To•lloRRow Irmo°. BROTHERMessrs. Sotheron, Reekirmoe, sad Compton : Mimes Nally Moore. Snowdon, km ORPHIUS IN THE RAY MARKET. Messrs Farm, mid Fisher ; Mises Keeley, Howard & Wright —And SHOCKING EVES TS. PRINCISTL To.Moluteer SVININA Qum LODGINGS.—After which IT IS WIZ TOO LATZ iNZND. Memo. Ytahvg, O. Melville, T. Mead, D. Mousy, is. Cellewee, T. Winkle*. J. O. Shore, G. Mur ry, ea Z. Cathart . Woes L Moore and K. lodgers. LYCEUM. To-lloßiow Brunto. THE DAY Arras THE WEDDING. — After aldch TUE MABTEEOFRAVEYBWOOD. liftßM Fee. Mar. Jordin, Vella Final. widdioomb, Enspatetek, sad Elva' ; Mesdames TeroSll, Limns. sad C. Loalacq. DRITAIFIFIA. To-lloanow, at 12, THE GRAND FANTOSIIIIE. Mrs. 9. Una and Hiss Florence Johnson.—Xonn and Madame Start:en back --Signor Be‘anl.—Agaln. In the Swearnsci. as usual, with Glmar.—And JEFRIE, THE MORAION'B DAUGHTER. men WATER AT LONDON-ER.IDM TO DAT -. Morning. 6h. 42ra.--Afternoon. Th. BM. TO- 101LLOW --• Yorldni, Th. Wm..— Afternoon. db. 7m. LONDON, MONDAY. DECEMBER 25. words of the Emperor to the different depot, that have saluted him excellent in every p ey, of tact and to the p ur p ose. His answer at station immediately on arrival was straightfent s i m ple, and hearty ; else that addressed to t Chambers than which nothing could be b ed , er more fitting. Goethe once said that the fire , difficulty in having to do with crowned head' ei , the like high people arises from their want of 4 4 pearance of menachlichkeit, in other words they 4 0 , themselves as if they had nothing in common lig vulgarhnmanity—with their fellow men. Wlat :rid court etiquette, and prescribed forms of spe ec h , there is no getting on with them. Yon f e d, probably it is intended you should feel—ther e i, • bottomless gulf between yourself and the anointee fellow-creature with whom you are brought in era tact. Now, this was not at all the case in the co, sent instance ; quite the reverse. The Emperce e: each occasion when he opened his lips was mi l l and earnest. There was warmth of feeling lie d sincerity in his manner in the words be used They were just such words as any one gently el , tuned, with • good heart, and with that—the 04 ) true—politeness, which the French call politesse 4, oxur, would have spoken ; with those additions however, which a recognised high position Dees easily brought with it. To the deputation of the Agricultural Society Majesty replied : I have still a very pleasant reoollesetion - - your successful activity which you show, of the summer, sod I hope that, even agitated political existence like that you will sot fire of carrying out year 1 For we all feel bow neemeary it is that e be improved. Os every possible assistance you may, in your endeavours, always e- And to the gentlemen of the la) I accept graciously the hemp of estee. By • conscientious and zealous i obligations, the advocate has it in his materially to • realisation of • speedy administration of justice. Follow, in the example of your predecessor', i knowledge of the law and by firmness won for themselves not position only, By wenn the path you lave pointed good service to your country. The article in the Hetilap, part yesterday, says : From the moment the nation independence secured, every one nu strength and power to the monarchy own power and importance; and whi. ORTlltiOn of the whole, guards, too, Hence we era persuaded that the nation present task with • willint,aese to i self-denial. These also are words of good the Emperor drove through the a country seat some miles off. see the difference in the mode persona here to that of the peoj the King, or indeed any of the or walks in the streets. The fronts about, and, with hat Here, as in Vienna, they reaped as they walk along ; but as ' a Chinese to his idol, there is thing. In Munich, however, an order that such is the mode personages, and it must be cot To-morrow the town will re state of tranquillity, this' being the ee,... _ the Emperor's stay. In some hours he will leave and arrive at Vienna at three in the mornfhg. Before leaving, his Majesty has addressed following letter to the Hungarian Chancellor, Beer von Majlath : Dear Chancellor von Idejlath,—On the point of hang the capital of my beloved kirldom of Hungary, I am time also impelled by the liveliest felines to give e sion to my 1. 11, 0 of the heartfelt proofs of faithful stuck remit which have been shown me, and also of the exemp order caused by the voluntary co-operation of the lone tante of the two sister towns. I came here fall of confidence : with heightened col. dance and the hope of a speedy return I now go any; for the firm belief inspires me that by making the feelings which have been expressed and the mutual confiders reality, these glad days will mark, with God's help, the commencement of • future which will prove rich in der ship. I wish my Tavernen , to make known to all the in. habitants my deeply felt satisfaction, and to assure them that the hours I have passed here amidst them will tiny, I be for me a joyful recollection. a l Olen, Dee. 20, 1865. Fa►ncta JosteL The Royal Mail ate York on the 13th inst., 1,80 p.nt. on Saturday , •, Seg,4oo debt. in specie. hugs and 11 pusengets pool immediately. All Our advice' from N The Mexican queetio of members in both ha the Senate on the 11th XL Wads, of Ohio (U 1 which wee related to the Wbersas, in a letter of direstea W General Fore] in Simko, the Emperor o seemeening the affairs of it wee hie inteation to which would restore to the Atlantic all their eseurity to the French of Spain. secure the int o f France in the a We people of the Unite flee Gulf of Xelioo, fro( Antilles and South Am passers of the products In pursuance of said po establish a monarchy is the people, end to sum Esropean soldiers ; ax to the spirit of the me of Mesloo, by a dean 1865, per Itically meat byes decree dated 06 of civilised warfare, troops the rights of be whatever found with therefore be it resolve sedatives of the Unit That we contemplate Republic of Mexico That the attempt to vernments of this poi esta bli s h en He rug European bayonets, the United States p contrary to the op President of the Us steps concerning to recognised policy as our government." On the !notion the president w with all the con vernment tone French troope. On the motiot the president Senate all corre regard to the d Mexico orderir cause of indepe In the HOllll4 Mr. Van Horn lowing;—" Who territorial posses of discovery ; tt public over so la the form of got babiting it ; the waist each other all ; that cooqw a remedy for States ; and the troops, the mat on the ruins of bayonets, is in by the United! people ; then Foreign Retail what measure( the United St and unreatrict meet. sod of of the people despotic go• continent." A membe Stevens soh would vote a mere mat different th the preset demand to In the 1 up the Ho to conside engaged ix tion in amend the it which none of admitted cases of al debate to publican support 1 taking t 6 subjugat loyal an( little, in territori could nc prevent and do course c Stevens duped i to the the no :tics of the proof. o Lowed me in the in the midst or ; in which we now • bleming•lndss • • • It OW husbandry shoe ' saistence on my a confidently reckon law : the Society of Ad s fulfilment of his power to con • . • may red ices . • in this direction ro, who, by a th ow of character, he oly, but general .td out, you will art of which I quo . noes its continua • nest fool that in • T he also increases • rialto he swarms the too, his own irate city nation will set about ' make sacrificer and • augury. Yesterda he town on hie way . r. It was striking de of greeting of sc;ple in Munich, w he royal family, dri sere each person sto. in hand, bends low pectfully lift their ca to bowing down s no thought of such r, there is, I bell de of saluting all ro ' complied with. return to its ston sing the last evening THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVgNING, DECEMBER 25, 1865. There are, indeed, sollitiess cases ta witich this operation of the principle 4eght to be disre garded. When • man hasisllltsratelY twilled with • woman's affectionse--wbsis under odour of an engagement he has dilfgnedly wronged her—when for mere slightness and fickleness he casts her off, or when he alleges false reasons that aggravate the injury, every good man must desire to see him punished, and if he cannot be touched in per it is well that be should beinpooket. Nay, if in these owes the law should refit'e ample punish. meat, public opinion would probably soon come to authorise an extension of that at which already it half winks, the infliction of corporal chastisement on the poor sneak who has disgraced his sex and humanity. But, on the other hand, we are bound to remember that neither men nor women are at all times masters of their affections. Both may so metimes be led to think themselve s truly and for ever in love, when in fact • little time proves to them that they are really not in love at all. And even a sincere love may sometimes be una ntan bleto stand the influence of better acquaintance and nearer perception of the defects of character. In such instances, what is the right and ho nourable course to pursue f Clearly it is to state the alteration of feeling In time to prevent the marriage. Bitter may be the suffering in such case of the party whose affections have not wavered ; blighted may be the life which is thus severed from its stay and prop. But better that it should be than that the same discovery should be made after marriage has sealed and heightened the misery of both. Now, as the law stands at present, it is between these two classes of cases that juries have the difficult but important duty of discriminating. They must punish as heavily as possible real heartlessness, for by so doing they may deter it from its reckless designs. But they ought not to punish that honest and in voluntary, however lamentable, change of feeling, whose timely revelation at least restricts the misery of future life. And we shall not be sorry if in such oases their verdicts act as • check upon that natural impulse in the friends of the forsaken one to make her sorrows public. For by so doing they may indulge their inevitable annoyance, and what seems to them their just resentment, but they do it at the coat of somewhat tarnishing the grace and modesty of womanhood in her whom they champion. TT is so unusual an occurrence that in actions for breach of promise of marriage • jury should rause damages altogether, that for this reason alone a case which was tried with that result on Friday last would raise some curiosity. But a better reason for alluding to it is, that it serves to show with remarkable clearness the peculiar defects which belong to that way of enforcing so tender and delicate a contract. The parties in this instance moved in good society : the gentleman, • Mr. NrcsorsoN, was an officer in the army ; the lady, a Miss Rumnatow, the daughter of a medical man. They had, it was stated, known each other from childhood, and the acquaintance bad ripened into a feeling which they thought love, and finally into an engagement. This took place two years ego, and then Mr. NICHOISON went with his regiment to India. He returned in the beginning of April last, and renewed his position as accepted lover. But, unfortunately, a quarrel took place. Its origin seems to have been an expression of disap proval by the gentleman of the lady's dress—a suffi ciently delicate matter certainly for an affianced lover to criticise. Then there were some letters of coolness on his part, of expostulatory affection on hers. Then there was a private interview of an hour's duration on the 2Gth of April, and the gen tleman rushed in agitation out of the house, de claring he was free. He had, in fact, obtained during the interview an acknowledgment in the lady's hand that she released him from his engage ment. And • suspicious legal formality in the style of this document, combined with the fact that he had excused himself the day before from calling on her by saying that he had business with his solicitor, seems to indicate that he had taken the precaution of legal advice as to the safest way of breaking the chains of love. Of Miss 'tinier- Low we only learn that she was in bitter grief, and that when be left her she called after him to stop, but he would not. But Mrs. RUMBELOW was more impetuous. She told him she would show his letters to her friends, and see whether he could not be punished. And being asked in court whether an action for damages was what she meant, she de clared that that was not the punishment she would have inflicted if she could. But whatever she might have preferred, she was not long in resort ing to an action. It was, in fact, commenced on the 27th of May ; and it was on this ground that the jury, with the Judge's approval, rested their verdict. His lordship directed them that the written release was no bar to the action if it was not deliberately intended as a release from the engagement ; and they found that it had not been—meaning, we presume, that it was signed in the natural excitement and anger of a quarrel. But be also directed them that it seemed to him that both parties still remained attached to each other, that all the quarrels might hare ended in a "renewing of love " but for the precipitancy of the legal proceedings, and that they must judge whether there had been sufficient time given for the performance of the contract ; and they found that there had not. We may, perhaps, doubt whether there would but for the action have been a renewal of the engagement, for to us Mr. NICHOLSON seems to have been determined to break it off, and, after the quarrel, he declared it was well, for he had ceased to love his late fiancee. And we need not I I conceal that in the whole circumstances the sym pathies of the public will naturally rest rather with Miss RCMBELOW, against whose conduct and disposition not a word of disparagement was whispered, and who seems to have been nude- niably very warmly, indeed passionately, in love, rather than with her colder or more fickle swain. But still the question will rise, Is it well to en courage the forcing on of marriages in such cir cumstances at the point of an action at law ! The misery of unions without love, the worse misery of unions where the love is on one side only, is the oldest theme of story, and still a sad feature of daily life. The mournful records of the Divorce Court bring perpetually before our eyes but one of the possible consequences of such unhappy alli ances. And it is strangely pitiful to see in how large a proportion of the cases that come before that tribunal the marriage that is so rudely broken had been one of such strong, though ill-considered affection, that it had been entered into in opposi- I tion to the wish of the friends of the parties, in secret, or by elopement. If, then, even when I I such ardour has mutually existed, it happens so I often that better acquaintance puts love irrevocably to flight, is it wise to compel a marriage where love has once existed, but has already been at least on one side dispelled I For it is vain to deny that the operation of actions for breach of promise is to tend to enforce areluctant marriage. It is not only a penalty on the wrong that has been done, but a very potent motive to prevent the like legal wrong from being done hereafter. Now the law forbids a suit for specific performance of a contract of marriage, on the plain ground that it is contrary to public policy that such a contract should be enforced, if one of the parties has become already desirous of breaking it. But is it consistent with public policy to permit a means of doing that indirectly which is admittedly objectionable if done directly Y In short, is it prudent, moral, or kind to either of the parties to force a couple to the altar after the affection of one of them has been estranged, by the knowledge that an inde finitely large sum of damages and the certainly large costa of an action will be the penalty for recusancy States;' and that atter the antoweed escape of the Ala hses• me evasion d ear law leek Owe whir& soda by any elostliational means have been prevented. To thusse of the Shenandoah, which is the lintoodiete eubfeetof last 'wised despatches, this remark mnphetically wiles. The Fines observes with regret that Kr. Adonis speaks doubtfully as to the future iiielleation of the United States to enforce their own Fiveign Enlistment Act with the same loyalty as before, but notwith standing, 10:464 forward to • time when source of difference shall have blown over, and • joint commission, perhaps not limited to England and America, shall be SP. pointed to recast the whole chapter of international law which treats of neutral rights and duties. The Telegraph blames the American government for the " pertinacity" with which it repeats its claim, and denies that we have anything wherewith to reproach ourselves. A nation might just as well attempt to stop the tides or the wind as to prevent even one of its subjects from all inter ference with foreign wars. The demand that we shonklre ;plate our legislation with • view to protect the interests of other States, is ono that , after our p ast experience, canno be listened to. The Telegraph does not assert that England may not properly revise her Foreign Enlistment Act, or any other statute having an external operation ; but she must do it, if at all, at her own time, and in her own way. THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS IN ITALY. YISCII.LANZOOB TOPICO. The Daily News tells the story of the war and recently concluded peso, with Bhootan es far as it can be made ont by the reports and correspondence of the list he'f.dosen mails. The =Met in lamest that the campaign did not proceed when the means were ma iy, and prophesy that war will be renewed in • year or two. Nothing, it is true, eau now repair the damage of this vexatious little war ; nothing can oempensate for the lives lost, and the mischief of a maid so unworthy of our honour and our arms ; bet it is too late to dwell on each facts, except m warning in the next am that arises. We ought never to have gone into this war, bat itarna not follow that we ought not to end it, bemuse oar lases an irreparable. We do not want new territory ; we do not mean to take any ; and we most therefore endeavour to make peace otherwise than by conquest. The honour of England is likely to be as well guarded by Sir John Lawrence as by any man to whom it can be confided; and there can be no rational doubt of his having taken the best security for it that the case admits. The constitutional exaggeration of American language and the temporary majority possessed in Congress by the most violent of American parties, may prevent us, the Times thinks, from attributing • very serious importance to what is bong mid and dons there as to Mario°. It is cer tainly the interest of Frame to withdraw as eon as possible from a perilous positioo, but it is the interest of the Unikd States to reader that withdrawal as far as possible spoon mom, instead of having to enforce it. The ex months' notice given by France of the expire' tins of the extradition treaty is supposed by the Times to mean that the French government, by denouncing the present treaty, are paving the way for some. thing better. It is certainly true that the treaty admits of much improvement. It would be quite possible to provide in the treaty the erect mune to be pursued by the country required to deliver up an accused person, instead of consuming, es seems to have been done in the present treaty, that there existed some power to England which wu capable of giving up • person living under our laws, merely on the demand of a foreign government. It might also be desirable to include a great many °Seneca, such, for instance, es larceny, embezzlement, fraudulent breach of trust, arson, aggravated ',sauna, perjury, receiving stolen goods knowing them to be stoles, within the provisions of a future treaty. The Daily News notion the great and growing discontent in the medical department of the army and navy, sod sup ports the proposition that in place of the regimental system a royal medical staff should be instituted which should bold • position as regards the army situating akin to that occupied by the Engineers and Artillery, Let the health of the army be anti dated to this body, just as the management of gnus and the preparation of defences, to., is allotted to the Artillery and Engineers. The Herald is surprised and apparently disappointed at the small amount of dal:Drees obtained the other day by Sir It. Clifton from the proprietors of the Patriot. The Tones notes an ominous analogy between the story of the cattle plague at its last appearance, and the eurrent air counts of its course at this moment, and hers the rate of progress shown by the last report aal be still further Noce. lented. As to a remedy, at present nothing promise% any success except the interception of the contagion by the interception of traffic. if the powers given to the local authorities in each district by the last Order in Council, are judiciously used, it will pot a very strict limit to the chances of contagion, but it will not extinguish them. If the other course of action which has been proposed, viz., that by which all traffic in live cattle would be stopped absolutely by Order in Council, so absolutely that even the removal of animals from one part of a farm to soother might be forbidden if any public road had to be traversed in the pump., were pursued, the dissemination of the disease would be at lowly stepped, except in so far ss it might be commuoi- cable by the butcher in his visite to the farm. to persuade the President of the Council that the crisis might be met by the resignation of two of the present ministry, and that the difficulties which would arias from the resignation en mane of the whole ministry—difficulties which no section in the Chamber desires to confront—may yet be avoided. Of course, Sella must resign. He has become utterly impossible. And it is suggested that the Minister of War, General Petitti, might as well take the opportunity of retiring also ; and thus avoiding the other storm which is brewing with re ference to his celebrated circular, recommending the army in general to make it their duty to shoot down impertinent journalists. Whether any such modification of the crisis may be attempted, we shall see to-morrow. One very favourable circumstanoe is that the exciting agita tion of the Chamber has as yet in no,wiee commu nicated itself to the country. " Out of doors" the country, and easy going Florence herself, is as quiet as though the parliament and its noisy orators and its passions were at the Antipodes. (Mu ova owx counilo9ll9 l m) FLORSNOE, Duo. 19. We are, since the closing of the Chamber today at half-past 6, in the midst of a ministerial crisis. The discussion has been above measure stormy, and the result such as is probably unparalleled in the annals of parliamentary government. On the qua tiou being put, whether the ministry should be directed to suspend the execution of a royal decree issued by the Minister of Finance, the number of voters was 197, of which one voted for the negative, and 196 for the affirmative. The ministers them selves declined to vote. The manner in which this crushing censure was provoked was as strange and as unprecedented as the all but unanimity of it. It has been a pet scheme of Signor Sella—and to my thinking a vary rational one—to e a hav the new Italian national bank c onstituted (but fares the sanction of the legislature goes not yet consti tuted) to actas treasurer of the finances. The begin ning of its functions of this kind was fixed for the Ist of January, 1866 ; and it was empowered by a royal decree, in anticipation of the due legislative authority of the chamber, to act in this capacity (involving of course a variety of financial and bank ing operations) from that date. But the bank, and Signor Nisco , a deputy of the Right Centre, and I believe a director of the bank, as spokesman for it, were not content with this position of things, and wished their position to be legalised and placed on a better and more constitutional footing. Hence Signor Nisco gave notice of a question to be asked this day of the Minister of Finance on the subject of the decree. It was t he more necessary for the bank to put itself clearly right in the matter, as it was well known that the majority of the chamber disapprove of the plan of ma king the bank act as treasurer to the kingdom. Signor Nisco, it will be observed, is, as I said, a member of the Right Centre, and therefore a politi cal friend of the government. But he is, it would seem, still more a friend of the financial institution of which he is a director. Unwilling, however, to harm the ministers, if it could be avoided, Signor Niacoand his friends,to the number of sixty members of the Right Centre, held a meeting yesterday even ing, at which Signor Sella was requested to be pre sent, the object of which was to see if some means could be found for getting the minister out of the scrape that threatened him without sacrificing Signor Nisco's other object. It was evidently the best plan for the minister to avow at once the un constitutional nature of the step he had taken, to plead the urgency of the case in question, to say that at all events, if wrong, he had acted for the beat, and to ask for a vote of indemnity. .And there is every reason to believe that if be had so acted the chamber would not have persisted in censuring him, for the Right Centre were, of course, anxious to avoid hurting hint, and the Left was, as I am assured, by no means anxious for such a result as should destroy the ministry at the present conjuncture. But Signor Sells was immovably obstinate in his determination to maintain the legality of the royal decree. In vain his friends of the Right Centre told him that if this was to be the question before the chamber they could not support him. He was determined Ito meet his fate. It is true that when the question 1 came on to-day he strove hard to obtain delay. But when that was denied by a vote of 130 to 115, he un flinchingly upheld the legality and constitutionality of the course he bad pursued ; and was of course I supported by the other ministers. The line taken by the Cabinet was specially calculated to irritate the Chamber. Sella, arguing in favour of the legality of royal decrees issued during the period when parliament is not sitting, observed that the large increase in the num ber of electors by the new income-tax law, bad been added to the electoral lists by royal decree ; and that if that was illegal, the first chamber was an illegally assembled body. This the Chamber did not like. Then La Marmora, the President of the Council, I in answer to Mancini, who had sneeringly observed I that perhaps the observations of Signor Sella pointed to a desire on the part of the Ministry to dissolve a Chamber which was not the legal representative of the country, said, "I wish to reject an insinua -1 tion of the Hon. Signor Mancini, which would persuade the Chamber that the Government has the intention of dissolving the Chamber. I so lemnly declare that the Government has hitherto — observe, gentlemen, I say hitherto — never enter tained any such intention. Should it, however, appear that such a measure was expedient, it would have the courage to resort to it." These words, which, it must be admitted, were sufficiently ill-judged, caused instantly such a tem pest in the Chamber as has been seldom seen there. Crispi shouted aloud some words of answer to the President of the Council, but they were drowned in the raging tumult of other cries. The members left their seata,and began talking inviolently gesticulating groups in the body of the balL In vain the President put on his hat and rang his bell. Nobody for a while paid any attention to him. At length the tumult lulled a little ; some voices were heard crying, "To your seats ! to your seats !" and something like order was at last once more established. The President of the Council said a few words, disclaim ing the intention of exciting such a storm, and protesting his own perfect loyalty to constitutional liberty and free institutions. But the mischief was done, and La Porta, with far more of parliamentary tact than the ministry had shown, rose immediately, and said that after the incident ,which had just arisen, he would not add one single word on the merits of the question, but demanded that "the vote—the simple vote" of the Chamber should be taken. But before that could be done there ensued a very brisk passage at arms between La Marmora and Crispi. " The Minister of Finance," said Crispi, "has told us that he sits on that bench for the defence of constitutional rights. And the President of the Council with greater audacity has declared that be would have the courage to and you to your homes. (Noise and denials.) Yes, gentlemen, to send you to your homes !" La Marmora—" It is not true." Crispi—" It is true." La Marmora—" I protest." Crispi proceeded to tell the President of the Council that he bad forgotten that to dissolve the Chamber is a prerogative of the Crown, and not of any minister. He then proceeded to go into the merits of the question, mixing up, somewhat illogically, the question of the legality of the royal decree with that of the expediency of making the bank serve as the national treasurer, — a system, he concluded by saying, which no nation save England had thought fit to adopt. At last the question was put on the motion of Signor Valerie', to the effect explained above, and with the result above stated, of a ministry declared to have acted illegally by the entire Chamber save One. Of course the general feeling is that the ministry must resign en mass. But efforts are being made THE EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA'S VISIT TO HUNGARY. (nos cam smut. coaszszoinuer.) PPISTH, DEC. 19. The building where the Assembly was held yes terday is really magnificent. The vestibule and staircase are of noble proportions, and the large ball itself is superb. The whole place was literally a flood of light. Ido not remember ever to have seen any place so lighted up before. The edifice without, as within, has something Baracenic about it, aad this style was employed with skill and to great advantage in the arrangements and decoration of that lofty ball. It is so high that, in spite of the endless lights and the hundreds of persons present, the atmosphere was not overheated. The Emperor and his suite were in the loggia, as they may be called, which run round three sides of the hall ; but later his Majesty came down and walked among the citizens who were the givers of the festival. To-day is another of the great dinners which have been given daily since the Emperor's arrival here- About ninety guests are invited each tune. In the Chamber of the Magnates a resolution was passed with loud and long acclamations to send a deputation to Vienna to wait on the Em press on the 24th of the month, her Majesty's birthday, to present the congratulations of the assembled members, and also to invite her Majesty to Pesti- I believe in the Lower House the same proposition will be decided on, and Desk is to take the invitation up to Vienna. I feer much time will be lost with the examine tion of the validity of certain elections. A great number are found not to be valid, corruption of all sorts having been carried on. The first step, when the Diet is constituted, will be the debate on the address. This Deak will compose. It is the next great subject of interest now the royal speech has been heard, and all are looking forward with intense I eagerness to learn the spirit in which it will be con ceived ; for, as the key note to a piece of music, so will that be to the succeeding discussions. I have been told by a member of the Upper Chamber that should it be too uncompromising, which would of course tend to make an atljuatment of differences the more difficult, the magnates would reject it, and send it back again for revision. By some it is said that the revision of the law of 1848 will prove the chief difficulty : others look upon the financial question as the reef on which it is feared they will run aground. The settlement of what are "common questions," and which are spe cially Hungarian, will, in my opinion, be the great difficulty of all. Without for a moment gain saying the arduousness of the undertaking which the Diet has before it, I can only repeat that all—and I speak here of the leading men whose opinion is everything—are very hopeful, and, as yet, no one entertains a doubt of matters being settled welL Of course, much may happen to mar these expectations ; but the necessity—the absolute necessity—for an arrangement has made itself so sensibly felt, and is, moreover, so fully appreciated by both parties, that it is this which gives me and others confidence. Self-interest is a strong motive-power, and here happily it plays a considerable part. Real, tangible gains will now not be given up for things many of which had mere fancy value, and for which a fancy price was hitherto paid. The Vienna Morning Post observes that there is no ground for supposing that Deak and his party sym pathise with the Venetians. A letter just received from Venice says—" And so you (the Hungarians) have left us in the lurch. You have left us and gone over to the enemy. There is no hope for us now." What has been going on here has been followed throughout Venetia with the liveliest interest. This alone, and the view which the words just quoted exhibit, would make the present crisis in the mu tual relations of Austria and Hungary of European importance. Europe is intimately concerned in the matter ; and though England has grown tired with hearing of the changes in Austrian systems and of her mismanagement, and the complaints of Hungary, the problem which is now being worked out will be sure to awakes her attention. And for this reason. If it is solved well—and it can only be so if anything deserving the name of a solution be obtained—a solid liberal, political system will be established in the heart of Europe ; s strong bulwark which no reaction will be able to batter down. And thus it may be said that the vast results depending on the resolves of the Senate-house at Pesth are quite incalculable. There are 377 members in the Diet—when the Transylvanian contingent arrives there will be 430. Of this number it is calculated—my authority is a Magnate--there are not more than 100 ultras, or " war to the knife" Hungarians. You see, there fore, how large is the majority of those who are not so desperately inclined. In the evening edition of the Pester Lloyd just received, there is a long article from the pen of Baron Bards, taken from the Hetilap. He, too, speaks of the time it will take to do what has to be done, but " the difficulties are not to be combated with the arms of material and moral oompalsion, but solely and alone on terms of mutual under standing, arising from a feeling of necessity." And it goes on to say that a result is to be obtained only after much labour, "and possibly after many sacrifices." Such language is new in Hun. pry- At some of the elections, at TorontAl for instance, disgraceful scenes have occurred. Organised bands, armed with knives and daggers, waited at the rail way station for the rival candidate, and when the train arrived threw themselves on their opponents. One man died of the many stabs received. But on the day of election it was almost worse-, perfect pandemonium. ' At 10 to-morrow night the Emperor leaves for Vienna. He has expressed the wish that share should be no ceremony. The citizens, however, in tend to illumine in the streets throe& which be passes to the station. BRIOANDAHE 115 THE PAPAL STATESL-The FAH of Clarendon her Majesty's Secretary of Sta te for Foreign Mesas, has received the following infer- • =don from her Majesty's consul at Rome, dated November 28, 1865 :-" Various bands of brigands have now descended from the Neapolitan ternary . into the Papal States in such numbers that the • small amount of Papal troops (in the absence of tlis French) is evidently unable to contend successfully with them. These organised bands now extol from Viterbo to Froeinone so that most of the fro° . tier towns are without pr otection,: and three nib viduala are prisoners until they can be ransomed." A correspondent of the Star says of the ear sided murderer Southey, "Notoriety at soy price sedate have been his guiding principle. He was prepario ously vain of what he imagined to be his litenry talent, and was constantly in the habit of seeding 313 i to the office of All the Year Round. These contrite. Boos being utterly worthies, were declined, and on scar. Mg notice to this effect Southey wrote a series of iosolol personal letters to Mr. Charles Dickens. informing his, amoog other things, that as them articles were suppress' through jealousy, he, Soutbey, would make a public dm sure of Mr. Dickens's oondnet in the transaction in a pub limbed letter, to be addressed to ' David Coppetfield, Erg., Murderers' Dee, Rottenborergh.' " Anus or Pursue Mor.-The oldest duke is the Doke of Northumberland, aged 87 ; the youngest, the Duke of Norfolk, aged 18. The oldest merge", the Ilto guts of Westmeath, aged 80; the youngest. the Mem" of Ely, aged 16. The oldest earl, the Esti of Oaks, aged 88 ; the youngest, the Earl of Charleville, aged 13. The oldest viscount, Viscount Gough, aged 86 ; the youngest, Viscount Dowse, aged 2L The eldest USA Lord Brougham, aged 87 ; the 'cogged, Lord PAM!: sled 8. The eldest member of the Privy Council is UM Brougham. aged 87 ; the rummest, Hie Royal Highness Is Prime of Wass, seed 24. The oldest member of House of Commoes Is Sir William Vernm, Bart., :nemler for the county of Arousgb, aged 83 ; the youspet, the Ed of Tyree.. member for Waterford. seed 21. The °Mel Judge is finked is the Right Hoe. Stephen Lade/ ton, aged 83; the youogest, Sir James P. Wilde, aged 41 The oldest Judge in Ireland. the Right Hoe. Thomas Ie trey, Chief dustier of the Queen's Beech, aged 82 youngest, Justice Keogh, aged 48. The oldest Scotch Lot of Seaton. the Right Hoe. Duncan McNeill, Lord Jude Gomel, aged 72 ; the youngest, David Mum, Lord AIM aged H. The oldest archbishop, the Archbishop of CIS Serbari, 71 •, the youngest, Archbishop of York. ee l 46. The oldest Bishop, the Bishop of Exeter, eked 88 ; youngest, the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, aged a The oldest barred , Sir Stephen L. Hammick , 1 3• 58 ; youngest, Sir Hoary Hays; Lawrence, aged one year. Ik oldest civil sad military height is Gamest Sin Arthur 1 Clifton, aged 93 : yosopest. Sir Chloride T. Bright, aged -From Who's Who. for IW. THE Lanus MARY= IN NEW ZEAL TD. -Ma Alpenn7 lOWAs that the labour market his suffers& &proem es well as other markets from the state of employes sot feeling »slimed to give each lid wages for the present as formerly, sad sensate still bola out ter tM weal mtge. Good general servants rata fes peer to 354, 40t. beteg the very Wort wipe given vate famine& Roeseaselde t 301. ; oereoweids, 201. 261. ; women molls is hotels. 11. per week to 21. 10s. ; oe rooks, ditto, from 50e. to X 10s. ; housenial* for hash 15s. to 11. per week ; kitelien.maide, 11. par se* ; scuba maids. 301. ; barmaids in Dunedin. pee week; ditto, • amnia% 2/. to 31. pee weak ; ditto to west ones,, from 59 tr m t e irer weak. Male eervanta-Grooms, 22: pee vat; esuples„ from 751. to 1001. per annum • riosolind 21. per weski, miasma. U. to 50s. pee wailiehaphesk from 501. to 701. per annum ; bullock drivers. . per wit; skaerers, 25e. par hundred sad resets ; nnlitiMes, 30a Pr week ; bey! frees 10s. to 11. per week. Goven?lmess, ltd ?Ism DW. 90. 50i. to 1001. per WINS firm dressmakers. 4s. phr, doy, Ton will, I think, agree with ms in ending the bse, ""nek gge,:ors, ip por lits 'week.rigapo iL Deily genes. geilw.v.ak OUR CONTEMPORARIES. (THIS DAY.) CHRISTMAS. The papers to-day give Christmas the usual ready welcome, and point oat the blessiop it should bring. The Post wishes there was more coesciouseees amongst WI that, N Christian people, we succeed, each in his own degree, to a share in those works of benevolence and sympathy which made even the human iota of Christ so great &blessing to mankind. Our Great Master did all well ; we do what we do with msny mistakes ; still, good is done, and if we would but enlarge our sympathies we might do more. Try the experiment, good reader ; make somebody the happier this Christmas time. There is some poor relation who would be glad of a substantial token of your remem brance ; or, if you are in town, there are a hundred hard-up fellow-creatures within tea minutes' walk of your house who would be grateful for a little neighbourly help ; or, if you are in the country, you need not walk far to find the cottage where some Christmas sot of good may be acceptably done for love of Him who did so much for love of us. But, failing these, look at the homes for the honselees, and refuges for the lost, sod hospitals for the sick and injured, and asylums for the blind, and deaf, and dumb, and crippled, and idiot, and orphan. There is no leek of scope for your bounty if you have but half a heart and an open hand. The Herald lids us remember the dreadful fact that hundreds, if not thousands, die annually in London from starvation, cold, and fatigue, the results of poverty. You meet them in the streets at night; homeless wanderers. shivering in scanty clothing, with pale, haggard faces, and an eager sort of despair in their eyes: some woman, even yet more wretched, with an expression in which the memory of the good and the knowledge of the 1)&3 seem to strive desperately for the mastery, and the bad has the best of it from the force of circumstances, and her very hatred of a world which has used her so ill; some child, perhaps, old before its time, with features sharpened and made almost inhuman by want. It is for us to think of these things, and on Christmas -day, of all days, to consider it our business, as it should be our pleasure, to make others happy—to con trive that even the sorrow which cannot wane may be for ' gotten for a day, the grief which cannot change supplanted for this once by a paasiog glimpse of joy. The Advertiser is sure no broad churchman can enjoy his Chriatinu-day. Let it always be bathe in mind, It says, that to a thoroughgoing " broad churchman," a disciple of Coleus° and Baden Powell, this celebration of the birth of Chriat must seem • mere absurdity. To them His birth was an ordinary event. The child born was merely the son of • Jewish father and mother —a teacher only • little better than Socrates. To cele brate His birth with so great • joy, when the birth of Socrates or Plato is never thought of, must be, in their eyes, • most irrational proceeding. Could their views prevail, we should keep no more Christmas•days, no more Easters. They acknowledge no "Saviour," inasmuch as they want no salvation ! The Telegraph borrows from the pulpit a text, " On earth pesos, goodwill to men," and preaches from it, avowedly, a Christmas day sermon. We take the perora tion : " We have passed almost two thousand years in lis tening to the sublime message of this morning, and we are very little way as yet to the ' peace on earth,' let alone the ' goodwill in Heaves.' But two thousand years, after all, are but a day of geology, and not even an hour of Heaven's calendar. Nearer at least by one Christmas-II to the perfect ' time of the glad tidings' are we this morning ; it shines, distant but distinct, as each star did to the Syrian shepherds—a point of pale and trembling light in seeming, an existent, splendid, God-made world in reality. And, best of all, as it comes nearer, it must VMS faster. The blessed day-light is surely approaching all that weary while when the watcher, gazing into the Extern sky, cannot see • gleam of morning; but when the first dubious grey tinge has once touched the horizon, bow the glory leaps up after it into the clouds, and how the fountains of the golden East seem to burst forth and bathe the heavens ! It must be so, too' with the coming of this time of happy promise; it will be so! Never count the Chriatmas•tides ! Enough, that at the beginning of them the secret of their ending was let fall in music out of Heaven ! " The Star observes that, however times and fashions change, the Christmas celebration remains in its essence unaltered. The boar's head bedecked with rosemary does not now adorn many tables, the village does not turn out to the bringing home of the yule log, and a London woekly paper of high authority on the ways of correct so. ciety told us some time ago that the mistletoe has long sines been banished from the homes of all bat the moss hopelessly vulgar. The old fashion, however, which is the fundamental idea of the festival, remains the same as ever, and we are glad to believe that never in England was it more loyally and tenderly held in reverence than to-day. It is the fashion of putting aside for the time all the meaner and harder details of life, the mouemetting and the bar gaining, the striving for advancement, the competing for prize or power, and devoting the energies and the heart and the hand to the joyous duty of doing good. gilt COM. OSBORNE, DEC. 23, Prince Arthur, attended by Major Elphinetone, arrived at Osborne to-day from Greenwich Perk. _ _ . Dec. 24. Her Majesty, Princess Helena, Princess Louise, Prince Arthur, Prince Leopold, and Princess Hohtulohe attended Divine Service at Osborne this morning, which was per formed by the Rev. George Prothero. The Dohs.. of Cambridge visited the Prince of Wales at Marlborough-home on Saturday. The Primo of Wales, attended by Lieuteeant•Coloncl Koppel, left Marlborough-house on Saturday afternoon for Sandringham. A deputation from Norwich, consisting of Mr. Edward Warner, M.P., Sir W. Russell, Bart., M.P., Mr. Thomas W. Crone, Mr. Osborn Springfield, and the Town Clerk, had au interview with the Right Hon. Sir George Grey at the Home-office. on Saturday, on the subject of the Pauper Lunatic Asylum. Sir Richard Graves 31`Donne 1 l, C. 8., Governor of Hong Kong, had an interview with the Right Hon. Edward Card. well, at the Colonial-office, on Saturday. Mr. W. Down.. Griffith, jun., had an interview with the Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, on Saturday, at the Colonial-office. Despatches were sent on Saturday from the Colonial office to the Governors of the settlements on the West Coast of Africa, and the Governors of the North American Pro vinoes end Bermuda. Her Majesty has been pleased to confer a baro netty on Mr. William Penniman, F.R.S., the distinguished surgeon, and well known from his valuable contributions to the advancement of the science of medicine. The Duke and Duchess of Somerset have left the Admiralty, Whitehall, for Byram Hall, Yorkshire, to spend the Christmas with Sir John and Lady Owendoline Hamden. The Duke and Duchess of Buoeleuch and family have left Bowbill for Dalkeith Uses, near Edinburgh, to speed the Christen. Viscountess Palmerston, Viscountess Jocelyn, and Hon. Miss Jocelyn have goes to stay a short time with the Earl sad Countess of Shaftesbury and family at St. Gileds, Dersatishire. The Right Hon. B. Disraeli and Mrs. Disraeli i have left Hugheoden Manor for Hatfield, on a visit to the Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury. The Right Hon. W. F. Cowper, M.P., and Mrs. Cowper left town on Batutday to pass a few days at St. Giles's, on a visit to the Earl and Cocottes of Shaftesbury. THE RUSSELL AND ADAMS CORRESPONDENCE. Mr. Bright, M.P., will be present at a meeting The Times acknowledges the ability, research, and temper on the subject of parliamentary reform, to be held at Roth with which the correspoodence between Earl Russell and dale on the 3rd of January. Mr. Adorns has been carried on, but congratulates them on His Excellency the Japanese Commissioner, Its close. as it had ceased to serve any useful purpose. The Shibata Hiongano Esmi, with his secretary and suite, paid basis cf it was never settled with any precision, and has • second visit to Portsmouth dockyard on Saturday. He base widened or shifted by either disputant as occasion was accompanied by the Flag-lieutenant of Raar.Admiral ndght require. Lord Russell's answers were not slimy. Superinteedent G. G. Wellesley end by Lieut. MlLechnie, mooched in the most felicitous tetras, and might possibly her Majesty's ship Asia, and after lunching with the I have given offence to • nation lees seesitive than that which Admiral proceededround round the yard, inspecting with much lan represented ; still the fact remain which is stated in apparent interest the various workshops, with their ma. Lord Claren ion's laid despatch, dated December 2, "that chieery, and also (to which the greatest interest appeared no wised vessel departed daring the war from a British to be attached) the ironalads in the port—the Wegener, I port to cruise against the commerce of the United Winne, Boorpiam and Minotaur.