The Sun. — London, England, 1867-09-03 00:00:00

THE "AVENIR" AND ITS WRITERS. _.-..4P.---__ _.---- _ When, after the Revolution of 1830, the Avenir was established, it encountered opposition on all sides. The Legitimist party, the moderate Or leanists--known by the name of the Juste Milieu party— the Republican infidels, and soon the bishops of France, followed by a large body of clergy, protested on different grounds against some of the political doctrines and political measures enforced and recommended by the new journal. The very able articles, however, which it con tained iu defence of religion and of the rights of the Church ; its valuable foreign correspondence ; the boldness with which it denounced any encroach ments of the Government and its officials on the rights of the Church ; the terror with which it in spired the enemies of religion in France awoke admiration and sympathy in many quarters. In Belgium and in Catholic Germany it excited the liveliest interest ; and in France the young and the inexperienced among Catholics—all who, in fact, were little conversant with political matters, and were unconnected with the Royalist families, became enthusiastic admirers of the Avenir.* The Abbe de la Mennais, brought up in the political traditions of faithful Brittany, was, in the early and flourishing period of his career, a distin guished ornament of the monarchical party of France. At this. time he wrote those beautiful essays on the anniversary of the execution of Louis XVI., on the Holy Alliance, on the state of revolu tionary Spain—in which he roused the Government and people of France to put down the anti-Chris tian Revolution in that country—and on Christian Greece and her struggle for independence.t It was, however, chiefly to moral subjects, such as the observance of the Sunday, the religious re forms to be introduced into the State colleges, the rights of the Church as opposed to certain preten sions of the Government, he devoted his especial attention. A mind mathematical in its construc tion, and a character prone to exaggeration, ren dered him less eminent in the sphere of. politics than in the regions of theology and philosophy. Hence he never obtained over the Royalist party the same influence as his illustrious friends, de Maistre, de Ronald, and even de Chateaubriand. Two prosecutions, instituted , by the administration of M. de Villele (the most fatal mistake ever com mitted by the Royalist Ministry), one for an attack on the University, the other for an attack on the Gallic= Declaration of 1682, alienated him by de grees from the court and its defenders. Hence the ultra-Royalist, who used to cry out, in the Drayeau Blanc "Vive le Roi quand meme," began in the last years of the Restoration to feel a latent inclination towards the American institutions, that at least secured the freedom of the Church, the freedom of education, and the freedom of the press. As an anti-Gallican the Abbe had to combat the opinions of many of his superiors in the hier archy ; and. this was in itself a perilous position for a clergyman.' The bishops sometimes attacked him in their pastorals ; and these assaults some times provoked on his part a certain exaggeration of sentiment, and a certain acerbity of language, wanting in the respect due to the princes of the Church.s Again, his philosophical system on the authority of mankind in religious matters § excited great differences of opinion ; and the great majority of the French prelates were adverse to his views. Yet a considerable number of the laity and of the junior portion of the clergy were ranged on his side. Such was his position when the Revolution of 1830 broke out. The coup d'etat of 1830, pro voked by the aggressions of the Liberal party on the rights of the Church, and by its menacing attitude towards the Crown, was ill-advisedly con ceived and most clumsily executed. The Royalist party, discouraged, divided, and (to use a military phrase) demoralized by the Royal ordinances of 1828 against certain rights of the Church, did not give to the new, extra-legal measures of Charles X. that sympathy and support which, by moderat ing and applying them, might have rendered them successful. The Abb6 de la Mennais, always laudably Anxi ous to promote the freedom of the Church, thought the July Revolution presented a favourable oppor tunity for emancipating her from the fetters im posed by the ancient Parliaments, the Republic, and the Emperor Napoleon I. " This Revolution has been so rapid," he wrote to a friend at this time, "-that the people have not had time to do mischief. The Church will be placed in a better position; and the Royalists, who prefer religion to royalty, will have no reason to be dissatisfied." The Church of France which, since the com mencement of the century, had been growing in moral and intellectual power, was now, indeed, to pass through new trials, and gain new victories. But the means proposed by the writer in question for insuring those victories, and the consequent moral regeneration of the French people, were not more dangerous than impracticable. " The infinite and the finite, the absolute and the relative, the spiritual and the temporal," says the illustrious GOrres, " run into each other in this world ; and religion and civil society can never be absolutely sundered." But the attempt to bring about even a partial severance of. Church and State is most destructive. 'The object and the principles of the Arenir were recently set forth in these columns. 'We will now say a few words of its principal writers. Of its founder enough has been already said. We have already seen that partly on personal, partly and more especially on public grounds, the Abbe de la Mennais, in the Acenir, abandoned his ancient system of policy. His chief associates in the new undertaking were the Abbe Gerbet, the Pere La cordaire, the Count de Montalembert, and M. de Coax. The young Abbe Gerbet, afterwards pro moted to the See of Perpignan, was a dialectician of the first order, and withal endowed with a bril liant imagination—qualities which he had even then displayed in several admirable works. But he had not turned much of his attention to poli tical science. II The Pere Lacordaire had just given the world some tokens of those wondrous powers of reasoning and eloquence, that were for thirty years to enchain France to the chair of truth, and to win countless souls to Christ. But still young and inexperienced, with a character as ardent and impetuous as that of de la Mennais, though united with more tact and prudence, he still retained, even after his conversion to Christia nity and his elevation to the priesthood, a strong predilection for the political doctrines of the Con- , stituent Assembly in which he had been brought up.ll - At this period, as was the case with most of the writers in the Arenir, the Pere Lacor daire betrayed an ill-disguised leaning towards the Republican form of government. And though, as * The Pere Chocarne, in his new life of the Pere La cordaire, points out some of the services which the Avenir rendered to religion. In the Drapeau Blanc, 1823. Even those prelates who did not hold the Gallic= opinions disapproved, of course, of this language. § Though this philosophical system had beon pro-. p.manded in 1820, yet, in 1824, Pope Leo XII. received the author with open arms, wished to retain him at Rome, took steps to promote him to the cardinalitial dig n it y, and to the end of his life corresponded with him. Rome OlerattA, but did not approve of the philosophical sys tem in question. It was only after the author's sad secession from th_4 Church the Holy See pronounced a c.,n4ure , On this philoAophy. It i 3 highly probable that, r:11a.:11N1 tril;, ti religion, this system, at least in his lifetim2,Jahl not have b3en cand3mn2d. The syllabus to the Quant.l Curs was drawn up by Mgr. (11,-,‘rbet. "A burned child dreads the fire." He had in his youth a lively experience of the folly and dangers of political Liberalism. ¶ Even in his mature years a find him, in 1848, pub licly controverting some statement of his friend, Count d Montalembert, as too aristocratic, and designating him the citoyen Montalembert—a title which even extreme Liboralism was ashamed to revive. We find him as a. deputy to the National Assembly, taking his place, not like other ecclesiastics with the Party of Order, but— probably with the view of winning them over to better sentinvints—sitting beside Jacobins and Socialists. His position was so false, that he soon tendered his resigna tion as deputy. These facts we state to show, that the holy priest and the mighty preacher was not a sound prac tical politician. was already well-known, and as the Pere Chocarne has since shown, in his recent biography, the illustrious preacher in his riper years entertained sounder political views, and was a sincere partizan of representative monarchy ; yet he never to the end of his life seems to have appreciated the ulti mate bearing and tendency of political Liberalism, or to have in general formed a clear, well-defined system of politics. There are, however, in his writings, admirable passages on the social blessings of the Christian religion. 'When the Count de Montalembert joined the writers of the Avenir, he was but on the eve of his majority, and was, consequently, without any political experience. By his great and precocious talents, as well as by his excellent qualities of heart, he was, however, worthy of being associated with the eminent and zealous men who now con ducted the Avenir. There he gave an earnest of those splendid talents that were afterwards to rank him among the greatest orators that ever adorned his country. Possessed of a clear, acute understanding, enriched with various stores of learning, and distinguished by a manly, severe style of eloquence, he has, by his speeches and writ ings, rendered the greatest services to religion and to his country. In the treatment of special political questions, such as the freedom of educa tion, the freedom of the Church, the necessity of the Pope's temporal power to the liberty of the Church, and the like, he is singularly happy. But he has given few proofs of profound, philosophic statesmanship ; and, like his illustrious friend, the much lamented Pere Lacordaire, he seems not to discern how surely the doctrines of political Libe ralism lead to Radicalism and Jacobinism. In the Avenir, M. de Coux first laid open those Christian views of political economy, as original, as profound, and which were afterwards destined to shed lustre on his chair at Louvain. To general politics he does not appear to have devoted much attention. Such was the distinguished body of young men whom, in his new enterprize, the Abbe de la Mennais had drawn around him. The great leaders of the Monarchical party, with whom he had been formerly connected, disap proved, it is needless to say, of the tone and ten dency of the new journal, and two of his ablest disciples and personal friends, M. Berryer and M. Laurentie, strongly condemned the course on which he had entered. These were men deeply versed in politics, and whose judgment was entitled to great weight. Thus we have characterized the doctrines, and described the writers of the Avenir. The warnings of the wise, as well as the judg ments of the French prelates, and the final decision of the Holy See, were in a moment of calm and candour confirmed by the Abbe de la Mennais himself. He said on one occasion to his friends : "It is, perhaps, as well that the Avenir has been suppressed ; for, had it continued, there might, perhaps, have been a conjunction between the Catholics of France and the revolutionary party." That such a remark was well founded, two facts may serve to show. First, we find about a year after the publication of the Encyclical, " Mirari Vos," the Pere Lacordaire contending with the Abbe de la Mennais,* that it was extremely impro bable that in their lifetime the Republican form of Government should take root in Europe—a circumstance which shows the close connection between the principles of the Avenir and a Re publican, or (what would be the same in France and other large countries) a Revolutionary Govern ment. The fact, too, that at this very time the work entitled " Paroles d'un Croyant" was com posed proves that the Liberalism of the Avenir contained the latent germ of the frightful Jacobin doctrines professed in that book. Hence the Abbe Gerbet in replying to his former friend and master after his apostacy, writes that in the " Mirari Vos " Pope Gregory XVI. had shown himself to be a prophet as well as a teacher.— Westminster Gazette. * See his Letters to Madame Swetchine THE THEORY OF MINORITIES AND MR. MILL'S PRINCIPLES. In all states of civilization and in all repre sentative systems, personal representation, Mr. John Stuart Mill contends, would be a great im provement against class predominance. The per sonal representation of every voter, and therefore the full representation of every minority is, he argues, the most valuable of all protections. It is the safeguard which is to be found in the principles of democracy itself. It is not only the beit safeguard, he adds, heaping up his argument, but the surest and the most lasting, because it combats the evils and dangers of false democracy by means of the true, and because every democrat who understands his own principles must see and feel its strict and impartial justice. On Mr. Mill's principle of personal representa tion, the right of minorities to be represented cannot be disputed, for it is a step in that direction, but from that principle also follows universal suffrage, the admission of every " person "—a de signation which Mr. Mill invented in order to in clude women—to the franchise. He is consistent and true to his principles in advocating the right ' of minorities, which is but an instalment of his ideal of perfection—personal representation. And this ideal of political perfection is, further, merely thepolitical development of his philosophical creed which recognises no supreme and ultimate authority outside or beyond the mind of the individual. I But how can they who arc opposed to the prin ciple of individualism in politics as well as in philo sophy support a theory—such as the right of mino rities—which creates a double will, a double con science, a double voice in an organic body, which not only weakens the force, but destroys the col lective character, the unity of an organic whole ? To ensure the due and full representation not of persons but of classes, of communities, of interests, let the constituencies be as numerous and as varied in character as possible, but do not destroy their organic character, their collective will, by introduc ing the right of individuals in the body to dissent from the collective voice and vote, and by-a con trivance contrary to the analogy between human and corporate nature, confer a double voice and will on one organic body. On what principle, if in an organic body mino rities are to be represented, can the theory of per sonal representation be rejected? Of two things one :. either admit personal representation, or, rejecting the representation of individuals— one or many—keep to the representation of organic bodies, of communities, of classes, in which the individual will is represented in the collective will. How to arrive at the knowledge of the collective will is a matter of detail, of expediency ; the simplest and the least artificial method is the wisest and the least liable to error. But every method which tends to weaken the organic unity of a constituency strikes a blow at corporate representation, and leads by a logical necessity towards the principle of personal representation, towards individualism, which is the characteristic and the bane, as we urged in these columns a short time ago, of modern society. But precisely because the right of minorities is a step in the direction of personal representation, is a consequence of individualism, is it supported by Mr. Mill and the whole school of philosophical ra tionalists. " Without some plan of the kind " (the right of minorities), says Mr. Mill, " it is impos Bible to have a representative system really ade quate to the exigencies of modern society." Bet what are the peculiar exigencies which Mr. Mill alludes to ? Does modern society require to be governed on new principles, or only by new methods ? We are living in an age, as Mr. Mill elsewhere says, in which, whether we will or not, we are entering on new paths, we are surrounded by circumstances wholly without example in history, and the wonder would be if exigencies so new could be dealt with in a completely satisfactory manner by the old means. We agree with Mr. Mill that we are surrounded by circumstances wholly unexampled, that we must consequently adapt our means to altered circum stances, and expand or modify institutions so as to bring them into true harmony with the growing wants, the widening knowledge, and keener synava thies of modern society. We are no inveterate op pone, its of change, no advocates or apologists of wooden" politicians, whose unsympathetic natures or ti morons minds shrink with ill-disguised aver sion from the recognition of popular wants and aspirations. On the contrary, we rejoice in the growth and development of the popular mind, on its energetic will, and on the intelligent interest which the 'working classes are displaying in the art goverament. We rejoice in the quickening process which is going on around us. Though the quid ening process, like the travails of every new birth , is a period of danger, it is also and still more apa ciod of hope. We are not of those who would add to the peril which society is undergoing by a system of stern and unsympathetic repression, or das)tthe new hope by ungenerous doubts and dismal fombodings. We do not believe in the invariable use of bit and bridle. There is nothing sacred in mere means, however old or stereotyped. We would discard them as readily as we would slacken the bridle on the generous steed. We have con fidence in the future, although it is entering on new paths. We are just as ready to alter the mere means and methods of government, as we are in our journeyings to exchange the stage coach for the steam carriage, provided the end aimed at is the one which God from the beginning has set up for society, and that the guidance towards this ultimate goal is entrusted to the direction of eternal principles. Whilst repudiating the sacredness of mere methods of government--whilst rejecting with all our strength the antiquated dread of popular go vernment, which puts faith only in a system of stern repression —whilst abjuring the Toryism of the Lord Ellenborough stamp, that does more than the Radicalism of John Bright to set class against class, and to dig a chasm between " good society" and the people, we confess to a far higher abhor rence of that false Liberalism which foreswearing all the old principles on which society is founded and the eternal verities, of which they are the deductions, rashly aims at re-creating all things anew. Principles never grow old ; their application only varies under - varying conditions. Truth is com prehensive and elastic, and knows how to adjust new claims and the growing needs of a young and energetic society with eternal principles. This inherent power of adaptability is what the Revo lutionists and the Rationalists—the Iconoclasts of their generation--utterly fail to comprehend. Not knowing how to adjust modern wants with ancient principles, or how to reconcile, by bringing into obedience, unto God, modern ideas with eternal verities, our workers and thinkers, like modern Iconoclasts, fall to breaking the image of Eternal Truth in their own mind and, as far as their Iconoclastic fury reaches, in the mind of the world. It is because Mr. Mill is the apostle of this school, whose influence under his successful guidance is penetrating into the intellect of the country, that we look upon him as the most dangerous enemy —political, philosophical, and religious—of Chris tian society in England. He is for ever digging trenches round the walls of the Christian edifice, undermining its foundations, sounding its timbers, driving the thin end of his rationalistic wedge into its intellectual crevices. He aims at nothing less than the total overthrow of Christian society, and the construction of a new civilization on a new basis. Instead of God man is to be the basis of society; from him all things are to proceed upwards, and to be referred back. Man is to be the monad round which all things are to be agglomerated. Outside man there is to be no objective truth, and consequently no God. To construct such a society is like placing the pyramid on its apex. Yet such is the logical result of the principles of which Mr. Mill is the new apostle. It is the new religion which Mazzini is preaching in the pages of an Eng lish Quarterly. One of the reasons, then, against the admission of the principle of minorities into our constitution is that it is the introduction into our political system of a philosophical error which finds its legitimate root in Mr. Mill's school of philosophy, and ',which can only reach its ultimate political development in the principle of personal represen tation and its complete triumph in the establish ment of rationalistic philosophy. That men who do not hold with Mr. Mill's system have supported the right of minorities in the hope, not of advanc ing one considerable step towards personal repre sentation, but of making the newly-created consti tuent bodies speak with stammering lips, divided minds, and paralysed wills, is one of the anomalies which will make the Session of 1867 for ever me morable in the annals of English history. —West minster Gazette. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 3, 1867. Miscellaneous Foreign News. The following letter, dated Rome, Aug. 26, says : 4 4 The cholera continues its ravages, and it is very remarkable that as in 1837 and 18,54, it is all the lowest part of the town by the river which is spared, while heights of the Coalien, the Aven tine, and the Esquiline are the worst stricken. What is more remarkable, Frascati, Tivoli°, Alban, and Velletri, generally so healthy, are now more suffering than Rome, so that those who had taken refuge there have made their way back in all speed, and some are trying Viterbo and Civita Vecchia. " Two Lazarettos have been appointed in Rome for, the poor —one near the Hospital of St. John Lateran, for women,and one for men at the Hos pital of San Spirito. The Pope has added ano ther donation of 25,000 francs for distribution among the poor and suffering. The people had begun getting up among themselves processions with Litanies and prayers against the cholera, but thelr have been stopped by authority as tending to excite alarm in the people. Triduos, however, are going on at many churches. "The attacks of cholera are every day decreas ing, and even in Albano it is on the wane. When it was at its highest the gallant bearing of the Zouaves had a wonderful effect in allaying the excitement of the people. One of the officers was frequently seen fearlessly bearing the bodies of those who had died of it on his shoulders to their last resting place. Many have received de corations from the Pope in acknowledgment of their conduct. Besides the fund already mentioned for the relief of the poor of Rome, the Pope has sent 2,000 scudi for distribution among the distressed Jews. Those . who could afford it have gone away to any near place. of refuge. Thus Ardra and Pratica, two poor villages by the sea, usually the resort of none but shepherds and goatherds, have been crowded with visitors. We have had none of the fearful scenes which have been enacted at y i :th h and in r e . e l e ate in st re por t of the number ninety-sixof .deaths N wa a s pl fif es t . at Sta. Maria, in Vallicella (the Pa lermo. A solemn Requiem A o lass rato w li a a s u ce c le h b ur ra c te h) d , Naples, on the 20th. As s he by the Pope's orders, forthwea g a uneoetn-rMeigotahiaerg at the time of her death, it could not take place in the Vatican. " General Kanzler has just been named Com mander of the Legion of Honour. There has been some hesitation in conferring this distinction, be cause when the French suddenly abandoned Frosinone, as if to leave the place free for a Gari baldian incursion, in 1862, he wrote a letter, which was afterwards published with his name in a Ger man paper, in. which he said that, " in spite of the treason of the French the Pontifical army would do its deity." The French Government demanded his surrender, and it was only by great firmness on Mgr. do Merode's part that the ,de mand was resisted. " Don Carlo Passaglia's affair is not yet arranged. The Sacred Congregation is not satisfied with the form of his retractation. If he amends it satisfac torily, it is likely he will go to England, where he is calculated to be of great service in controversy with Protestants. At present he is gone to the seaside." A SCAIiCZ MOTH.—A gentleman residing in Wribbenhall last week caught an extremely rare moth upon a birch tree in Bewdley Forest, called the Straussus Fag:, or lobster moth. This is one of the most rare spe cimens of the moth found in England,— ToPcester Or°nick, THE BOULOGNE FETES. The annual festival of Pilgrimages to Our Lady of Boulogne has been celebrated with the usual splendour. The grander festivities concluded this week, and, as regards the chief part of the pilgri mages, the event may be said to be now over; but some of the minor pilgrimages have still to come, and the programme does not finally close until Wednesday next, the 4th prox. His Holiness Pius IX. has this year testified his good will and respect for the Catholic city of Boulogne, and his devotion to her patron saints, by sending one of the principal officers of his palace, Mgr. Martinelli, Bishop of Porphyrium and Papal Sacristan, to assist at the festival. We have been favoured by a friend on the spot with the following letter, which should have appeared last week, but was unfortunately mis-sent BOULOGNE, Aug. 21. Perhaps a few words about the fetes of Boulogne may interest your readers. They began on the 15th inst. Our glorious Cathedral was seen in full splendour in the morning of that day. Two of the principal parishes went in procession, headed by the suisse, the cross-bearer and acolytes, and. accompanied by their respective clergy, to the Cathedral, to pay homage to Our Lady of Boulogne. At ten a.m. a grand High Mass was celebrated by Mgr. Rappe, Bishop of Cleveland, Cincinnati, U.S., and formerly a student in Mgr. Haffreingue's well-known college here. As most of your readers are no doubt aware it is to Mgr. Haffreingue's untiring exertions that Boulogne has her noble Cathedral, that magnificent monument built in honour of Mary Immaculate. The Abbe Debette, acted as Master of the Ceremonies, with his usual success. In the evening Grand Vespers were per formed, and at seven p.m. the first sermon of the Station was preached by a Jesuit Father, con cluding with solemn Benediction. On Friday several pilgrimages went to the Cathedral, and among them the parish of St. Nicholas, where the preceding day a grand official Te Deunz had been sung for the Emperor. Two sermons in the morn ing and one in the evening were preached by one of the three Jesuit Fathers. After the last solemn Benediction given on Friday night by the Vicar- General the Lord Bishop of Arras, assisted by Mgr. Rappe and Mgr. Manelli, Bishop of Porphy rium (in partibus), and Papal Sacristan. He is an Augustinian, and highly esteemed and respected at notless d holy o f loyr life.i s great i s accompanied learning than for by his R isv o i m rtu e O s a nu an attendant of his order. In virtue of his office as Papal Sacristan, he presides absolutely over all the churches and chapels attached to the Apostolic Palace, wherein he exercises episcopal jurisdiction. He has also the care of the Pontifical treasury of holy relics. Owing to his peculiar functions he rarely quits the Holy Father, so that his presence is an unusual honour. He has been named by the Pope to offer the homage of his Holiness at the shrine of Our Lady bf Boulogne ; also to present to the zealous founder of the Cathedral the expression of his benevolent regard. On Sa turday morning the great edifice was filled by a countless assemblage of children of both sexes from the different parishes and schools assembled for the sacrament of Confirmation. The excellent behaviour and neatappearance of all these children, who were attended by the good nuns and the brothers of St. Joseph Calasantius (Christian Bro thers), must have edified all beholders ; only in a Catholic church could such a scene be witnessed. The kind, good bishop spoke feelingly to the as sembled little ones, and besides his lordship's ad dress an eloquent discourse, suitable to the occa sion, was preached by a worthy priest of one of the parishes. The church was thronged with strangers, among whom were many English, who were, as usual, easily recognized by their eccentricities of dress and behaviour. During Saturday some Eng lish Catholics from London arrived to take part in the grand procession of the Sunday ; but their number fell far short of what a London Catholic paper had led us here to expect. Among these came the celebrated Father Hermann, of Kensing ton, Dr. Faa di Bruno, of the Italian Church, and some other priests. The venerable Bishop of Troy was also looked for, but did not appear; his ab sence caused general regret. On Saturday even ing, after the sermon, Benediction was given by Mgr. Cataldi, Roman prelate and Master of the Ceremonies to the Pope. Sunday came, but the morning was wet and cold, so that all hopes of the procession were at first abandoned. However, our good Lady of Boulogne did not desert her children ; the afternoon cleared up, and at the hour named for the starting all was bright and genial. The houses were all tastefully decorated with blue and white draperies, the colours of our Lady. And here permit me one remark on the uncourteous ness of the English residents in for the etown, w n h hos pitalitywhosion displayed any to k en of respect ; not even the Consulate hung o ut so m uch as a single drapery, always refuse they receive. t o s show w No any houses in their posses. gratitude and, as the procession passed down the Grand Rue, where very many houses are let to the English, the deficiency was particularly conspicu ous. In the upper town the Church of St. Joseph was beautifully adorned, and under the arch of the doorway a temporary altar was raised, decorated with a statue of our Lady. Next came the Con vent of the Annonciades, which was prettily got up—blue and white draperies with garlands of blue roses and very neat spangled flags in the principal windows ; in other streets, garlands from house to house. All seemed to vie with each other in thus testifying their love and affection for their powerful patroness over the Porte des Dames. On each side of the statue of our Lady, which stands over the principal archway, were the Papal arms, with those of Boulogne, surmounted by the tiara and keys and flags of the Papal colours, The public build ings were all decorated ; the windows all well filled ; for, though the English Protestants decline ornamenting their balconies and houses, yet their curiosity prevails over th eir Puritanical antipathies. They insolently apply the term idolatry to the true worship of God in His Holy Church, and yet it is a well-known fact that in every continental city these very people are the first to run and stare at the church functions, where they invariably dis tinguish themselves by their vulgarly offensive behaviour. Their conduct in Rome is too well known to require comment here. Who has not seen them at St. Peter's in Holy Week ? The procession started at 4.30 p.m., preceded by those of the different parishes of the city and neighbourhood. First came Portel, a fishing vil- - lage outside Boulogne. The dress of the women is peculiarly interesting and striking. After the cross-bearer and acolytes came a party of cabin boys, dressed in the • penal sailor dress, carrying the image of our Lady in its boat, they having chosen her for their patroness. Then followed a banner of the H oly Infancy, borne by boys, fol lowed by girls bearing baskets of flowers ; then the Sodality of the Rosary —the bannerborne by young girls dressed in red. Then came girls clad in white, bearing diff e rent attributes of our Lady ; then a group of women, with the ex vote; again, young girls with white veils and blue scarfs, carry ing an ex vote. Then a number of married women in their national costume—black. The image of our Lady in its boat, with the two angels, was borne by young women singing Ave Maris Stella. Lastly came the clergy of the parish. Next in order was the parish of St. Francis de Sales. After the suisse, the cross-bearer, &c., came a group of gardeners, with a banner of St. Francis de Sales, followed by children in white, with dif ferent attributes ; then the banner of Mary Im maculate and its attendants ; then young girls with the emblems of the Sacred Heart of Mary ; banner of St. Augustine and its accompaniments, followed by the children of the Christian Brothers' school. Next the relic of St. Francis de Sales ; statue of Our Lady of the Most Precious Blood, followed by cantors and the parochial clergy ; then came the parish of St. Peter ; after the suisse, the cross-bearer and acolytes, came a cross in flowers carried by. girls ; then a banner of the Holy Infancy borne by girls, and followed by other girls carrying baskets of flowers and a banner of our Lady; then the boys' banner of the Holy Child hood, and boner of the Holy Angels, escorted by • the members carrying branches of lily, and distin guished by their green scarfs ; then came the chil dren of the Christian Brothers' schools; after the members of the Association of the Perpetual Adoration, the banner borne by members, followed by young girls with different attributes ; sailors' wives in their ancient dress, with a banner of our Lady ; the Sodality of the Holy Rosary, with its banner carried by girls with roses on their heads ; the banner of St. Peter, patron of their parish ; a group of sailors carrying the relic of St. Peter, and bearing standard flags. The procession concludes with the acolytes and the clergy. Then came the procession of the parish of St. Vincent de Paul. First, the suisse, the crossbearers and the acolytes ; then a banner of St. Vincent de Paul, escorted by the pupils of a private school and those of the Christian Brothers, followed by the military music of the 3d Chasseurs ; after a banner of our Lady of Dolours, accompanied by the congregation and pupils of the sisters of St. Joseph ; the banner of the Good Shepherd, carried by pupils ; the banner of our Lady, borne by young ladies ; a company of choristers, acolytes, and the parochial clergy. The fifth parochial procession consisted of the suisse, the cross-bearer and acolytes of the parish of St. Joseph, the principal parish of the upper town soon to be transferred to the Cathe dral. First in it .came a banner of the Holy Childhood, the children of the Christian Brothers' schools in two lines, bearing stan dards, in the midst of them a very beautiful creche with the Holy Infant Jesus ; children of the same school singing hymns ; initials of the sweet name of Mary borne by children from the schools of the Sisters of Charity (Tivoli) ; Confraternity of the Holy Angels of the same school ; children of Mary (same school) with very elegant baskets of flowers from the Asylum of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Rue du Chateau ; the pupils of the Ursuline Nuns, with banners ; forty young ladies of a private school (Mdlles. Fontaine), carrying a large cross formed of flowers, garlands, and im mense nosegays ; the initials of Marie, carried by, and the streamers held by, young ladies ; banner of the Immaculate Conception, carried by girls dressed in white and blue, others dressed alike bearing oriflammes and the initials of Mary in flowers, very beautiful ; a basket of roses and lilies, carried by children in white and gold, fol lowed by the children who had just made their First Communion ; some of the children of Mary, with a banner and basket of flowers ; then came a splendid reliquary with relics of St. Maximus, bishop and patron of Boulogne, carried by young men of the parish ; banner of St. Joseph, patron of the parish, followed by the reliquary with ref s, escorted by a group of men carrying red gauze standards ; banner of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, borne by men with red sashes, followed by the lady members of the confraternity, bearing a heart suspended by a red ribbon ; the day boarders of the Ursuline convent, with a banner of silver gauze and golden bouquets, wearing silver gauze sashes; banner of Our Lady, the young ladies who formed the escort carrying lilies ; a golden heart which is offered by the parish as an ex veto to Oar Lady. of Boulogne; a beautiful silver statue of Our Lady of Boulogne in her boat, carried by eight young girls dressed in white, with wreaths of white roses and blue shoulder scarfs. Then came the :acolytes, choristers, and parochial clergy. Sixthly, and lastly, came the procession of the parish of St. Nicholas, a description of which I will forward foi" ii'eXt week, as it is particularly in teresting. This was followed by the religious con gregations of the place ; namely, the Little Sisters of the Poor, the daughters of St. Vincent de Paul, the Sisters of St. Joseph, the Sisters of our Lady of Bon Secours, and the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Between the ranks of the Brothers of the Christian Schools walked young clerics, vested in alb and dalmatic, carrying the holy relics of the following local saints :—St. Ida (widow), St. Godeliva (virgin and martyr), St. Julius I. (Pope and confessor), St. Agatha (Pope and confessor), St. Folquin (bishop and confessor), St. Fuscienus (martyr), St. Vincent (Levite and martyr), St. Martin (bishop and confessor), St. Cecilia (virgin and martyr), St. Maximus (bishop and confessor), patron of the Boulognese ; St. Martha, St. Mary Magdalen, and St. Lazarus, St. Joseph (ex veste), the Most Holy Virgin Mary (ex veste, ex fascia pectorali, et ex capillis). Then came the cortege of honour, consisting of a group of young children escorting the banner of the Queen of Angels ; a group of young ladies in white dresses and tunics starred and fringed w ith gold, veils and crowns white and gold ; a group of young ladies in blue dresses and white tunics starred with silver, veils and crowns white and silver. These two groups last named carried in turns the hand of the miraculous statue, upon a litter, with bearing -staves. The ladies who were not engaged in carrying the litter ranged them selves on either side as an escort to the precious remains of the miraculous statue. Lastly, the procession closed by the principal object in it, namely, the Statue of Our Lady of Boulogne, carried by sailors, and accompanied by the cantors of the different parish churches of the city in two ranks ; the clergy in two ranks, all chanting hymns in honour of Our Lady of Bou logne. Then came the incumbents and canons from this and,: other dioceses, all vested in copes ; the rev. preachers on the present occasion, Mgr. Haffreingue, Protonotary Apostolic, Mgr. Rappe, Bishop of Cleveland, America, Mgr. Lequette, Bishop of Arras, Boulogne, and St. Omer ; persons of distinction of the city, and strangers ; military ; and, last of all, the faithful. Of these last the concourse was, I need not say, immense. August 29. I believe I forgot in my last communication to state that the English pilgrims mustered, all things considered, pretty strong, and carried a handsome banner of St. Simon Stock giving the scapular to our Lady. The celebrated Pere Her mann was the chief agent in arranging this first visit of the English pilgrims to the throne of Our Lady of Boulogne. They sung hymns in English, and they had assigned them the place of honour in the procession. Let us hope this will be only the beginning of their visits in a religious way. On Sunday, the 25th, a very touching procession took place round the old ramparts of the ancient town, and the pilgrims from the parishes of St. Severin and St. Roch, of Paris, who arrived on Saturday, accompanied by their suisse, cross bearers and clergy joined the procession. The people had the satisfaction of seeing their vener able and beloved priest, Mgr. Haffreingue; taking part in it, accompanied by Mgr. Marinelli, Bishop (in partibus) and Papal Sacristan, who gave Ponti fical High Mass in the morning, assisted by Mgr. Cataldi, one of his Holiness's Masters of Cere monies, distinguished by his placid and saintly bearing. In the evening Pere Hermann preached a most eloquent and touching sermon on the love of God, manifested • towards his creatures in so many ways, pa r ti cu l ar ly i n the Holy Eucharist. Although the discourse lasted an hour, the audi ence were attentive and interested all the time, and seemed only to regret the conclusion. This was followed by some sacred music, splendidly, given by some members of the choirs of St. loch, from Paris. The procession was favoured by splendid weather. The bishop of the diocese had to leave for Arras on Thursday to be there to meet the Emperor, who was to be there on the 26th. The number of priests from Paris was remarkable. Every day is marked by numberless pilgrimages from all parts—from Calais, Amiens, Abbeville, and the neighbouring towns, villages, &c., and who witnessing these can ever doubt how truly Catholic the French are, and how zealous and faithful in lov;:ng Mary, the Queen of Heaven and Earth, Men and Angels? Surely she must look benignly on her faithful children, and grant them all their lawful requests. It is something so refreshing to see this unaffected genuine piety and devotion. On Wednesday, the Feast of the great St. Augustine, there was a solemn High Mass at the Ursuline Convent, and at Vespers a splendid ser mon by Pere Hermann. To-day, 'at the Redemptorists Church, High Mass was - sung by Monsignor Cataldi, and sermon by rere liennann, Every day the serraogs con tinuo to be preached three times by the Jesuit Fathers, come to Boulogne for that purpose, to a numerous auditory, particularly the evening one, which is followed by Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Sunday will be the closing day of the station. Still we know many pilgrims will come later, some being already announced. The influx of viitors, consequent on the publicity of these feasts, gives great animation to streets and walks ; every car riage is occupied, and the people do really enjoy themselves. The weather has been intensely hot for the last fortnight, although some rain fell. We have given all the most interesting particulars of the feasts, and congratulate Mgr. Haffreingue on the near completion of his stupendous work, wish ing him life and facilities to finish, as he has begun, the splendid Cathedral of Our Lady of Boulogne. —Westminster Gazette. WESTMINSTER PALACE. TO THE EDITOR. OF THE " PALL MALL GAZETTE." Sir,—Mr. Ferrey's letter of the 24th instant closes, I presume, the case for the defence. From the admissions of Mr. Talbot Bury and Mr. Wolfe it appears certain-Ist. That Sir Charles Barry's completed drawings were made in pencil. 2nd. That my father received 400 guineas from Sir Charles. The following statements, moreover, are not disputed :-Ist. That my father was paid 300 guineas for his completed designs for Mr. Gillespie Graham. 2nd. That Sir Charles Barry retained letters which I lent him. 3rd. That to Mr. Thomas was entrusted the execution of my father's designs, and this led to a suspension of his (my father's) intimacy with Sir Charles Barry. The following is corroborative evidence which I have just obtained :-Ist. A considerable number of the Westminster Palace drawings which were made by my father are in the hands of a gentle man who will, no doubt, give his testimony in the case. Among them' are also to be found some of Sir Charles's drawings from my father's designs. 2nd. These designs are of the same character as those prepared for Mr. Charles Scarisbrick, of which ten volumes exist. 3rd. An intimate friend of my father's has written to say that my father told him in confidence that he was the designer of the Houses. 4th. One of the first publishers of the day writes to me as follows :--« I know that your father assisted Barry and Graham, by his stating to me that his own designs would suffer by so doing." The same gentleman has since informed me that he mounted some very elabo rate designs of my father's, which were prepared for Mr. Barry for Trentham, several months before he began upon those for the Houses. sth. I have lately come into possession of a considerable number of Sir Charles's original letters, which completely disprove Mr. Edward M. Barry's assertion that my father had not designed for Sir Charles since 1850. The following is negative evidence :-Ist. Mr. E. M. Barry states that his father destroyed the whole of his correspondence. 2nd. Mr. W. Wright, who traced many of my father's draw ings, refuses to give any evidence whatever. I have, however, other witnesses to call, should it be necessary. I will now proceed to test the value of the ad verse evidence. Mr. Talbot Bury says, "It was not until Sir Charles had completed his design in pencil that my father had anything to do with the work ;" and " the assistance he subsequently rendered was undoubtedly confined to details." Mr. Wolfe, in direct opposition to this, states that "Pugin, under Barry's instructions, made some perspective views of the building before the competition, but these were ultimately set aside, and the building as it now stands does not exhibit a single feature designed by him." So between the two it does not appear for what work my father was paid 400 guineas. It could hardly have been for acting as temporary draw ing clerk (although candidly admitted by Mr. Wolfe to have been " one of the highest order"), even were the " amusing criticisms" and " valuable suggestions " thrown into the bargain. This mutual undervaluing is as incredible as it is ungenerous. It is not denied that for an entire set of drawings Mr. G. Graham paid 300 guineas. By analogy may it not be inferred that what Sir C. Barry purchased for 400 guineas were designs still more valuable? Mr. T. Bury asserts that " Mr. Graham's designs were completed before Mr. Pugin touched any drawings for Sir Charles Barry." I can show that both sets of drawings were prepared simultaneously, and that towards the end my father had the entire direction of both, and worked at both on the same day. Re garding the period when Mr. Bury says that my father first saw Sir Charles, I have only to observe that the diary proves this statement to be altoge ther incorrect. Mr. Talbot Bury can also "positively deny that my father's letter of 1845 was written at Sir Charles's solicitation ;" while Mr. Wolfe frankly avows that "it was written by Pugin in concert with Sir Charles Barry and himself," an admission for which my best thanks are due. Mr. Wolfe also writes that " Sir C. Barry was the last person in the world to adopt other people's ideas of art ;" and adds in the next sentence that my father's " valuable suggestions " led to the " production of new ideas." It would seem from this that what were " new ideas " in Sir Charles's mind were simply " suggestions" when described in reference to my father. Altogether the evidence of these two gentlemen is somewhat conflicting. The statement contained in my' former letter, in allusion to Mr. Talbot Bury, was made to me by Mr. Bury himself, on Sunday, August 11. This information was so far useful and correct that it enabled me to discover the drawings on the follow ing morning, and to see with my own eyes proofs of what he had told me on the previous night, and of which I had, up to that time, been in entire ignorance. To Mr. Banks I will devote one line. His letter may be taken for what it is worth. As regards Mr. Ferrey, it is clear that his testimony is based on the letter of 1845, and, therefore, can have no weight.. In reply to Mr. ' Edward M. Barry's question, as to why this matter WAS not brought forward during his father's life-time, I have only to answer that the case was opened in February, 1860, whilst Sir Charles was alive, and his death alone prevented justice being then done to my father. Sir Charles owed all that referred to Gothic art to my father, but it is equally true that my father had the highest appreciation of, Sir Charles Barry's talents as a classical architect, a draughtsman, and a planner. The facts of the case in the beginning were simply these :—My father intended to be himself a competitor; and he had prepared a complete set of designs for the purpose, which were finished and mounted before he put pencil to paper for either Mr. G. Graham or Sir Charles Barry. From the day they were mounted they appear to have been lost sight of ; but there is little doubt that these were the designs for which Sir Charles paid 400 guineas, and which, as far as possible, were engrafted on Sir Charles's ground plan. The designs thus prepared were eventually successful, and my father was called in to complete the work which he had commenced. I will now refer to my father's diary for 1835. From. the entries contained therein it appears that he began working on the Parliament House draw ings for Mr. Barry on the 15th of May. After this date numbers of drawings were sent at fre quent intervals to Mr. Barry, and my father was working almost daily for him. On the Ist of Sep. tember Mr. Barry was at the Grange, Salisbury, with my father, who was all day on the composi tions (sic), and he continued to be engaged on the same work up to the 19th, on which day the draw ings were sent off. He was on Mr. Barry's work again the following day, and every day up to the 26th, when he worked' all night. On the 29th of September nineteen drawings—central portion-- were sent to Mr. Barry, and similar entries con tinue throughout October. On the occasion of Mr. Barry's second visit (2d November) I fin•i the following entry, "On river front, five com partments." Mr. Barry left on the Bth, when my father received £99. Mthgngh the general drawings then anti subse. quently supplied by my father comprised every portion of the building, Sir Charles was unable to proceed whenever details were wanting. Hence the followirtg letter, dated* from Brighton in the year 1844 : Dear Pugin,—l am in a regular fix respecting the fittings and decorations for the House of Lords, which it is of vital importance to me should be finished with the utmost possible dispatch. I am induced to write to YOU that you may be both able and willing to pass a week or ten days with me for the purpose of working out the drawings in question, and of enabling me to consult you generally, &c. Sir Charles then goes on to write that he hopes my father will assist him in the completion of the great work, promising that an arrangement shall be made whereby be shall be fully recompensed for past as well as future labours. This, then, is my reply. My evidence will be contained at length in a pamphlet which I hope shortly to publish. It is not without considerable regret that I find myself compelled to enter into a statement of facts which would have been better told when the pre sent generation had ceased to exist.—l am, sir, your obedient servant, E. WELBY PLIGEkt. 21, Savile-row, August 26, 1867. FALSE BILLS THAT MAY BE "FOUND TRUE. (From the Tomahawk.) If all Mr. Pugin, jun., has written about the late Mr. Pugin, sen., and the Barry Design for the Houses of Parliament is to be accepted without a grain of salt, it is much to be feared that the fame of Sir Charles Barry will lose some of its lustre. Be this as it may, we have learnt by the recent correspondence that has appeared in the pages of our contemporary, the Pall Mall Gazette, the fact that eminent architects have not the smallest com punction in passing off as the work of their own hands the labour of rival contemporaries. Such a practice is much to be deprecated, and we call only sincerely trust that,, it will ilver .be adopted by the members of other professions. Should our worst apprehensions be realized, we may confidently expect to hear of the following bills being sent in to the people to whom they are respectively addressed 1. The REV. C. H. SPURGEON Dr. to the BISHOP OF OXFORD. £ s. Ist March.—For one " sensation" ser mon on " Crinoline and the Gorilla," with jokes, puns, and humorous anec dotes, complete 2. MR.. WHALLEY, M.P., Dr. to ARTHUR LLOYD, ESQ. 3rd April.—For one first-rate comic Par liamentary song, with humorous hits at the Speaker, complimentary allu sions to Mr. Beales, M.A., and encore verses (to be sung in answer to the cry of " Sing, Whalley, sing.") 3 12 3. DR. MANNING Dr. to MR. WHALLEY, M.P. sth May.—For a series of twelve contro versial tracts in defence of the Papacy, Auricular Confession, and the Irish Roman Catholic Priesthood (very cheap) 4. Mn. STUART (Light Juvenile Come dian, T. R. Adelphz) Dr. to MR. C. FECHTER. June 9th.—Annotated " reading" of the part of Box, inclusive of the intro. duced soliloquy out of Macßeth com mencing "Is this a dagger I see be fore me?" 1 10 5. LOUIS NAPOLEON, EMPEROR, Dr. to BISMARCK, MINISTER. August, 1866.—F0r one lesson in the art of empire making, inclusive of ex periments with the needle-gun, de thronement of princes, horse-stealing from Kings of Hanover, speeches, &c., complete 1,000,000 0 6. The BELGIAN VOLUNTEERS Dr. to the LORD MAYOR AND CORPORA TION OF LONDON. June, 1867.—F0r one lesson in the art of hospitality, inclusive of half a fowl, the greater part of a shoulder of cold lamb, and a dozen and a half of porter 7. THE BRITISH NATION AND THE WHOLE WORLD Dr. to THE TOMA- HAWK. May to August, 1867.—F0r one thou sand excellent lessons (best quality) in morality, patriotism, loyalty, wit, n humour, and sarcasm 24,000,000,000 0 COUNTRY MARKETS. COLCHESTER—AUG. 81. This market was not so well supplied with wheat 1.0" day. Trade was decidedly more cheerful, and last Wee' full prices were readily paid. „„„ 40i Wheat. white 8:s 76a Beans, Mazagan...,••.'' 48s red 60a 7 a Middle and 5ma11..44a .2, Barley s i—s Peas, white 38s ' 420 Oat* ........—s s grey ...... ..••••363 CHELMSFORD—Atm. 30. na There were few samples of wheat on sale to-day , , a p s; business was rather slow at the opening, at lower rti o o but towards the close merchants and millers being'" of inclined to buy prices remained firm at the quotationew last week. There were only a few transactions in SP ° corn, at late rates. Wheat, old white 581 72s new Os 75s old red `63 66s new. 61s 70s 8ar1ey..... 26s 33s Chevalier Zia 53s Grind ng 26s 32s Malt 66s 74s Chevalier 68s 76a Oats Peas, Partridge ...... 40s 426 White ..... 3 8. • B iling ...... .• 36s 441- Dun.... ..... 388 400 Beans, TditetZoilde.w......... —B 4os -4 4 6 6 n ew% • ..391 434 Harrow ricks:l2s 46. new...JO 466 Maziigan. ..... 39s 43. ABERDEEN—AUG. 30. ' 5 Prices for all descriptions of grain nom inall y the same .„ last week. There was a quiet busine ss done, with ft tb' attendance. Flour 6d down. White wheat 58s Od to 63s 0d) 3 5 5 0 s s 6 0 d d t t o o 3 5 8 6 s s 6 0d d c t n 6 2 2 : I : bushel' Rod wheat Potato oats 28s Od to 29s Od t 40 th 11 bushel. Common oats 26s Gd to 27s Od i Bore Barley 355 6d to 36s 6d f ""w ' " Oatmeal 20s 6d to 21s 6d ) boll of 280Ib. 801 b. Flour, fine 46s 6d to 50s Gd l sack of 2 KIRKCALDY—Ara. 31. Small supplies of wh ea t a t our mar k et to-day. T est samples of oats, and one o f b ar l ey . P r i ces sam e as week. Wheat. Barley. pate. I First Cis Od ; 38a Od 25s Od t•eccind 62e tad l —s Od 35s Od Third 648 Od ' —s Od •—il 06 COAL MARKET. Price per ton at the closeof the market. s. d. -ell Main l7 0 a 0 Original Hartlepool 2° 0 20 Holyw , Wylam Walls End Hetton Hastings Hartley lB 9 Eden Main ............ 4; 0 Stewart's Tunstall Ships at market, 47—sold, 39. AT LAST !—The demolition of Middle-row, born, commenced on Saturday, and in a short time block of buildings will be removed, and a long -ne°d _A e metropolitan improvement effected in the neighbourho: Births. Ber t Moow—On the Ist inst., at St. Andrew's, 'Watford, the wife of Edward Moon, jun., Esq., of a son. der , NALDER—On the Ist inst., the wife of Fielding V a' • Esq., of Lincoln's-inn, of a daughter. _„1 11 t0 1 1 PETo—On the Ist inst., at 13, Longton - grovo , BPu -- the wife of Charles Pet°, of a sun. Marriages. tra y'Po MERRIELEES —BEDFORD - On the 31st ult., at St . 1 9 Llin g ton, Capt. James Merrielees, to Phebe Annl°, - child of Edward F. Bedford, of Islington. L oeb, WAGSTAPE—FRANIC—On the29th ult., at the parish C' of Horusey, Walter, youngest son o Mr. G. Wags ° ger Douglas-road, Cauonbury, and Holboru, to Jane , YV,;"110- daughter of the late John Frank, of Tufnell-park , way, and Upper-street, Islington. Deaths. nto ol COPE—On the 31st ult., at Bitterne, near Southan 3 = Commander Alex. F. Cope, RN., aged 76. EARLE—On the 27th ultat Andover, Henr y aged 65. ~ over, 'rill T. HopE—On the 31st ult., at Pinkie House, Rear-Adln l ia 1 1 , Hope, third son of the late Sir John Hope, of Cr-)111 _ Batt, M.P. I‘.• HOOPER—On the Ist inst., at Clapham-road - pla ce ' H. Hooper, aged 61. illi° MACADAM—On the 28th ultat Brighton,Colon el • Macadam,aged Earle, BA!, London : Printed and Published by WILLIAM AN N of No: 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN Oateet Of Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the ;CO" - tigl4l@sq.--Tueulay, September 3, 1807.