The Sun. — London, England, 1861-12-12 00:00:00

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, CO .ENT GARDEN. Unicr Cne managemenirof Miss Louisa Pyne in — dirlrgr Hirison, Sole Lessees. THIS EVENING, , THE PURITAN'S DAUGHTER. Miss Louisa Pyne, MisS Susan Pyne ; Messrs. Santley, A. St. Albyn, Corti, G. Honey, Patey, Lyrall, vb allworth, T. Distin, E. Dussek, and W. Harrison. Conductor, Mt. ALFRED 3IELLON. To conclude with THE TOY MAKER. Mr. H. Haigh, G. Pyne ; Mesdames Susan Pyne and Thirlwall, 1 Comm . at Seven o'clock The Box-office open ft ;Ten to Five daily. No charge for booking, or tees to Box lf _pers. 111-1. EA TR g- ROYAL, HAYMARKET, Leggee, Mr. J. B. Ban k s tou r. THIS EVENING, OUR AMERICAN COUSIN. Lord Druvireary, Mr. S , )thern. Mr. Buckstone, Mr. Farren, Mrs. C. Young. Arc. After which, MY AUNT'S ADVICE. Mr. Howe, Mr. Sotheran, Miss Oliver, &. To be followed by BOX AND COX. To con lude Tith FAMILY JARS. Mrs. E. Fitzwilliarn Mr. Compton and Commence a 7 POYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Manager—Mr. Edmund Falconer. T 'ITS EVENING the nertormAnopm will commence with THE DAY AFTEIi. THE WEDDING Mr. Walter Lacy and Mrs. St. Henry. Alter which, at a quarter to Ei , ht (20th time) the new and orizhial Drama, entitled PEEP O'DAY ; or, Savourneen Deelish. Messrs. Walter Lacy, Hermann Vezin, Charles S,lby, Edmun i Falconer ; Mrs. D. P. Bowers, MESS Clara Weston. To conclude with AN UNPROTECTED FEMALE, in which Miss Lydia Thompson will Dance the Volunteer Step Acting Manager—Mr. F. B. Chatterton. Prices as usual. Doors open at half-past 8, to commence at 7. Box-office open daily from 11 till 5. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.- Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Harris. THIS EVENING, THE LOST LETTER. After which, THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH. Mr. Ryder, Mr. Widdicombe, Mr. Meadows, &C. ; Miss Carlotta Leclercq, Miss Angell, &c. To conclude with BLUE JACKETS. EW THRATRE-R0 VAL, ADF,LPHI.— Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster. Great Attraction for the Cattle chow Week.—Mr. and Mrs Dion Bouc cault in two pieces. THI9 EVENING, commencing at 7, the great American drama of THE OCTOROON; or, LIFE IN LOUISIANA; Mr. and Mrs. Dion roncicault, Messrs. Billington, Emery, Phillip , Jamison, Stephenson, Smith, Romer. Lewis, Mrs. Billinrton. Mrs. 11. Marston, Miss C. Denvil, Miss Latimer, and Mrs. H. Lewis. At 20 minutes past 9 o'clock the great Irish drama, TAE COLL MEN BAWN. Mr. and Mrs. Boucicault, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Emery, Mr. Billington, Miss W oolgar, Mrs. Billington, Mrs. H. Lewis. Doors onen at half-past 6—Commence at 7. Box-office open from 10 till 5. No charge for booking. NEW ROYALTY THEATRE Dean-street, Oxford-street. Under the Direction of Mdlle. Albina di Rhona. THIS EVENING, to commence with THE GOVERNOR'S WIFE. After which, Mdlle. di Rhona will appear in CAMELIA , and Dance two National Dances. After which, BAMBOOZLING. To conclude with LES PIERROTS. Box-office open from 11 to 4. Doors open at 7—Commence at half-past 7. CANTERBURY HALL CONCERTS, AND FINE ARTS GALLERY. MR. SAM COWELL at Eleven o'clock in several favou rite Som.'s, including " THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT. " Grand Selections from STRADELLA and LA TitAVIATA, By Miss Russell, slits . Ernst, Mr. Herbert, and Signor Tivoli, with a poWerful Chorus. The Comic department :—Mr. Sam Cowell ; Mr. Marshall, in his new song, "John Bull, you don't bamboozle me ;" Messrs. Harvey and French (the Nerves); Mr. Wood and his talented son, the best negro de!ineators of the day ; and Alas Harriet Coveney Musical Director, Mr. Jonghmans. Admission—Hall, 6d.; Stalls and Balcony, ls. 11 H E 0 X F OR D, 6, OXFORD-STREET. EVERY EVENING. Selections from " LA CIRCASSIENNE," " Simon Boma -1.7r.r,ra," and " Ernani," by Miss Russell, Miss Ernst, and Madame Enderssohn; Messrs. Albert, W. Morley, Greene, and Greville. Full Band and Chorus.—Conductor, Mr. F. Jonzhmans. Balfe's new ballads by Miss Russell and Madame Enderssohn (composed expressly for them). And Varied Comic Entertainments by Miss Harriet Coveney, Messrs. W. Randall, Sam Collins, Harvey and French (The Nerves), E. M2rshall, and SAM COWELL. Hall, 641. ; Balcony and Stalls, is ; Private Boxes, 10s. 6d. _HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tins DAY.—Morning,! 10h. Bm.—Afternoon, 10h. 38m. TO -MORROW.-Morning, 11h. 10m.—Afternoon, 11h. 40m. TIIE WEATHER.—Surt . OFFICE, DECEMBER 12,11861. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 48—JAghest since noon yesterday. 43—lowest this morning and during the . night. 50—this day at noon. BAROMETER-29.97. WlND—South-Westerly ; rather fresh, with dirty rainy weather, but mild. ; ..” .. ' 0 0.,.._ :: • , ..., ...,:r....,,,,, .! ..., , ~,-; A ,‘ ~. . : _..,',:., 4 -_, , , , rp ~-,7 .-". 7 kt..,.,j , :•' - ,= , .', ', ---0...*,1_ (5,-;.,--,,t\ -,...,. ,i . y . , ..,f . :•.'fir-;- t, --q, , ~..3. 3 :•, - (K .-- ,.._ — , -•• „: b--!.-... !/.:r . ''' ', .t ,•. - -- ... - i -.- 5 . -t. , --- ye t ; i,,, ; i ~ -- 71,,,3,41* •II ci, ~ ,.,7 . 4 l'io I 1 ~, ~......-..., '-'.."4'"-`-tr,-.-------_-:--2-:,..-1,--';;;, THE SUN. LONDON, THURSDAY, DEC. 12, 1861. The Norwegian and the Etna, the summary of whose news we gave yesterday, have brought ns information of no facts of serious importance. It will hardly be thought one, that Mr. EDWIN JAMES, in return, we suppose, for the adulation of some of the press, and the hospitality of the New York bar, should have made such progress in Yankeeism, as already to justify the seizure of the Commissioners. Whatever importance that fact may have, is destroyed by another—that two leading American lawyers in Philadelphia have written to the papers—one to show, what has also been proved here, that the case of the seizure of Mr. LAURENS was wholly irrelevant ; the other to show that an exact precedent is yet wanting, but that the opinions of President MADISON are against the American claims. The PRESIDENT'S Message was yet but matter of conjecture and guess ; that 700,000 men and pro portionate pecuniary supplies would be voted, was the opinion of the Washington correspondent of the New York Tribune. Numbers, therefore, still seem to be the craving of the North. Religion comes to their aid. Not indeed the religion of letting the oppressed go free, but of Presbyterian Synods asking the blessing of Heaven on a war to crush rebellion against a Government " in which is centred all the hopes of civil and religious liberty." A rebellion " antagonistic to the advancement of civi lization throughout the world." Mr. SEWAItD thanks the Synod for its patriotism and its prayers. It is certainly rather amusing to see how the Americans seem to regard themselves as the political hope of the world, the salt of the earth. The PRESIDENT himself, Mrs. STOWE, and other distinguished Americans, openly describe the Northern cause as the cause of mankind and of civilisation,and as far transcending the small affair of negro slavery. To Europeans it seems unaccountable how they can overlook the "beam in their own eye." A Federal Union, one half to be slave-holding, the other slave-catching, does not appear, compared with European Governments, to boa cause of such transcendent worth. Respecting naval and military operations no thi ng certain of any consequence had occurred since the preceding mails left. The Southerners appear to be abandoning the coast everywhere, having nothing able to cope with the powerful guns of the fleet. They appear to take away their own guns for the use of the army—which in numbers not inferior to the Federal forces had already mustered about 20 miles from Fort Beaufort. The Canadians appear to be quite alive to the desirableness of self-preser vation, and not yet disposed to be swallowed up, or regarded as compensation for losses in the South. While the Americans are occupying so large a share of our attention, the European despots are playing their old game of cruel repression to the uttermost. President LINCOLN and his democracy in the Northern States are doing what they can to show that tyranny may be many-headed as well as single-headed, and that personal freedom, and free 413i' of the press, may be es unsafe in the hands of the elect of 20 ,000,000 as in those of a ROMANOFF and a Czar. The ruler s of Russia and of Austria are, however, determined to show that they are not to •_' 3 X I k i!‘'‘ -• • „ L T 0.1 a N E be outdone in the poT2l'of repression and suppzws- than doubled since 1851." In testimony of the accuracy of which computation, we are then told distinctly from the official re turn that, "in that year," that is in 1851, the year of the Great Exhibition in Hyde- Park "there were 85,000,000 journeys performed; last year there were 177,000,000." It being further added that, " while in 1851 the railways could only bring and take away from London 40,000 visitors daily, it is now computed that they are equal to a passenger traffic to and from the metropolis of not less than 140,000 daily." Wherefore, it is argaed—we cannot think very extravagantly—" It is not unreasonable to suppose then, that, with the great inducements that will be held out by railway companies in the way of cheap excursion trains and long return tickets, the number of visitors from the country will be nearly doubled this time, and that, instead of 3,000,000, as in 1851, we may not improbably get 6,000,000 next year." Certainly a very encouraging look-out for the whole trading population of London and Westminster ! To say nothing whatever of the good news implied by all this for the pleasure seekers—whether belonging to the Million or to the Upper Ten Thousand. Reverting, however, to the remark intimated at the outset of these observations,we would explain simply that the tantalising effect referred to has relation to the remembrance of the proposal at one time put forth, at the original inauguration of the Railway System of the United Kingdom —to the end that an impost should have been put by the Legislature, at the instance of the Government, for the benefit of the Imperial Treasury—a tax that is of so much upon every railway traveller. Then, again, this proposition seemed to have been listened to, and formally adopted, first of all, by the then Administration, and afterwards embodied in a substantial statute of the realm by the then Parliament. Imagine a few pence, a sixpence, a shilling, paid into the Treasury now annually for every one of those 177,000,000 railway travellers ! And imagine, moreover, this source of revenue showing also a steady increase upon every succes sive year of fully 10,000,000 ! Surely we may with reason say, that it makes one's mouth water, as it were, merely to think of it ! Particularly remembering the war imposts still maintained upon tea and upon sugar. But still more, and beyond all, bearing in mind that Demon Tax, the Old Man of the Sea to the Political Sindbad, the deplorable and heart-worrying Income Tax ! Before quitting this theme incidentally thrust upon our regard in connection with the ap proaching International Exhibition at South Kensington, it is difficult not to comment with particular satisfaction, no matter how briefly, upon the rapid advance towards completion of the works connected with the gigantic building des tined to contain it. Everything connected with those works, it is gratifying to know, may already be found by the visitor to be in a most satisfac tory state of forwardness—everything, saving and excepting only the huge domes, half of glass, half of iron. Nor can that exception be very much wondered at, learning, as we do, upon com petent authority, that "never were so many awk wardly shaped pieces of ironwork designed to fit into one erection :" that " it is, in fact, like put ting together a colossal puzzle, each of the com ponent parts of which averages three tons in weight, and has to be bolted into its place at a height of 200 feet from the ground." Even with these difficulties remaining before us—yet to be overcome—the works are visibly so far advanced already that not one instant's further anxiety can be seriously entertained as to whether the whole of these colossal labours can be completed in every minute particular long before Thursday, the let of May, 1862, the day fixed for the solemn inaugu ration of the Exhibition by her MAJESTY. 1, zncl opposition to concession. The CZAR seemed at one time likely to become somewhat of an idol with English Tories, and even to gain the smiles of English Liberals. He suc ceeded in issuing his decree abolishing serfdom, in the teeth of a nobility almost ready to assassinate him. He has, it is said, been personally favourable to the University and Education, and last of all he has created a responsible Ministry, indicating an intention to bring Russian Government near to the lowest level of modern civilization. Can such a Prince be anything but a real Liberal, though born a despot ? Will he not do as much as the length of his reign will permit for the political liberties and the social advancement of his people ? Un happily, the Liberal CZAR is King of Poland also, and he rules there by even a worse right than Austria does in Venetia. He has not at least ful filled the engagements into which his predecessor entered at Vienna in 1815, and his government of Poland from St. Petersburg is a defiance of his obligations to Europe. The events of the spring are yet fresh in our me mory—the peaceful urgency of the people, the treacherous plots of the Government, and the murder of the unarmed by the soldiers. To all this has now followed civil vengeance. The CZAR is Pope of the Greek Church—in its actual con dition one of the most unenlightened, superstitious, and servile Churches in Christendom. Popery in Spain and Naples cannot surpass in superstitious beliefs and practices the Church of the CZARS. In Poland, by dint of cruel persecutions, Pro testantism was almost extirpated, and Roman Catholicism took its place; and now, as in the Austrian dominions, where it was established in like manner, Roman Catholicism is the general creed. The Catholic Priests, however, as in other countries where their religion is not the domi nant one, side with the people, and defy the ruling powers. Hence the Czar-Pope of all the Russias, and the clergy of Poland, have been in constant collision, and the Popery of the Poles is in opposition to absolutism, and is held to all the more firmly as a national distinction from the Greek Church of Russia. This is the reason of the insults offered to the Cathedral by the Roman soldiery, of its being closed in resentment of the desecration by the Archbishop, and of the wrath of the CZAR at measures which so excite the people against his Government as the assailant of their religion. The churches, our readers may have observed, have been very much used as the means of national demon strations, by services, hymns, and other means. Hence, we read in one communication that—" In the Government of Radow, to cite a fresh instance, the governor has enjoined the authorities of the districts to proceed with the utmost rigour against all priests, organists, and sextons of the churches in which any national emblems are preserved, and in which there still exist crucifixes and banners bear ing the arms of Poland—the white eagle or the Lithuanian horseman. The order extends to ceme teries as well as churches. Tombstones are to be carefully examined, and defaced or removed ifneces sary. The crosses erected in honour of the victims of February at Warsaw are to be taken away. The execution of these orders is sometimes resisted, but if the clergy do not voluntarily carry them into execution, the priests are to be arrested and sent to the citadel of Warsaw ; the sextons and organists to be enrolled as common soldiers, if fit for the service, or if not, placed in companies of discipline. Several ecclesiastics have been arrested in virtue of these instructions." Most barbarous of all is the recommenced war of the CZAR against Polish nationality and liberty, by seizing old and young persons of education, often feeble health, and generally of a class little used to hardship, and sending them to Siberia, or to the army in some distant province to serve as common soldiers. We read not only that one hundred and sixty-two priests have been imprisoned in the cita del of Warsaw, but that forty persons—of whom eight are priests—have been sent as recruits to the army at Orenburg ! Medical students, Jews, all classes indeed of respectable citizens, share most impartially these favours of the brutal emancipator of the Russian serfs. We have been informed on the best authority that one of the Finsbury candidates, and one of whom we had little expected it, is much below the politi cal standard of the borough which Mr. THOMAS DUNCOMBE so spiritedly and creditably represented for so many years. Mr. RE➢IINGTON MILLS is doubtless a highly respectable citizen, wealthy certainly, and a Dissenter ; yet he, of all candidates in the world, comes short, on the subject of Church Rates, of the representative whom he desires to follow. Lord PALMERSTON, Lord JOHN RUSSELL, and Sir G. C. LEWIS have improved on their creed of 1832. They now confess that nothing but abo lition can meet all the difficulties of the case, but Mr. MILLS has been applied to on the subject, and his an swer is that he will indeed vote for Sir JOHN TRELAW NEY'S bill, but that if a bill be brought in exempt ing Dissenters, and leaving Churchmen to rate themselves, of course with compulsory powers, he will vote for it. He is still an old Whig. He sticks by memorials and petitions he presented thirty years ago ; he has not, as Mr, DUNCOMBE had, moved on with the progress of thirty years, but is quite content if he can get what was thought worth getting in 1832. Now, we certainly thought the Dissenters never showed to greater advantage than when resisting the proposal to exempt them, and to ticket them off from their fellow countrymen,as not bearing equally every legal rate. They pressed two arguments. They said, in towns, where indeed rates are sel dom levied, Dissenters would not fear to claim exemption, but in. country parishes they dare not claim it, the Squire and Parson's power to punish is too great. But, secondly, they added, and this The Emperor of AUSTRIA, of course, does not, in his way, fall behind his cousin of -St. Petersburg. He thinks himself now safe for a while in Italy, and is, therefore, doing his worst in Hungary. We were told a few days ago by Vienna tapers, that it had been found quite easy to fill up the places of the county officials who had universally refused to act unless legally appointed by the comitats; but it now turns out, that all who refuse to accept office on the illegal and arbitrary appointment of the EMPEROR, are punished by having eighteen soldiers each quartered on them! This morning, also, we learn that the highest officers are seized and fettered, and placed before a court martial on a charge of treason ! Paternal and constitutional all this. It will, however, serve to keep up the spirit of the country for the day of retribution. The intention, doubtless, is to provoke premature insurrection. The Hungarians are too wile awake, we trust, for that. Apropos to the forthcoming International Ex hibition of 18G2 some curious statistics have recently made their appearance. They have been raked out of the wilderness of "figures" annually accumulated in the archives of the Board of Trade. One item particularly notified of late is of a more has always struck us as most honourably consistent than ordinarily startling character in its way. It I—" even if you could exempt us by unobjectionable is a revelation so extraordinary, in truth, that it sets means, we will be no parties to permitting Church one's mouth watering, as it were, at the merely men to coerce each other. Our opinion, is that tantalising reminder it affords us of a most memo- there ought to be no more coercion to pay for wor rable missed opportunity. It is the fact revealed ship than to attend worship. We believe, religious upon a passing contrast of the number of railway payment should be free." journeys recorded as having been taken in 1851 This was Mr. DUNCOMBE'S creed on the subject. in this country, and the number of the same Because a considerable number of Churchmen kind of journeys performed also in this co un t r y would like to retain the power of ccercing their ten years afterwards. It should be premised, of fellow Churchmen, he did not think that a reason course, that within this decade last passed the pc- why they should retain it. He was strongly in pulation has considerably increased, as a matter favoar of the short and simple process of requiring of course, At the period of the last (that is at the each person voluntarily to support the worship he same time—the first) International Exhibition, wished for. We remember being with a deputation "There were," we are reminded, " 6,700 miles of to the present Premier, when in office before, and railway open throughout the United Kingdom." Mr. DUNCOMBE was the member who pushed the Whereas, " next year there will be nearly 11,000 cunning and equivocating Prime Minister into miles." Besides which, " The general system of such a corner, that we believe it had more than railway management has immensely improved also since re l anything else to do with his subsequent lh,earnetdurnti managers have now learnt to ap- conver s ion. N o w c an it rea lly b e that pci a ,te 85 t traffic at reduced rates,ek et system and the excursion a rich dissenter is prepared to t a ke lower which they would not even ground on such a subject than an aristocratic hear of ten years ag0 . 77 Ilence—under these com- Radical, whose consistency never wavered through iop biped influenc es , i .e., the increase of and n l population, i t o h n e , a long political career ? the extension of th e railways themselves, advancement of the general system of railway ar- It will not do to shirk this question now. It has rang ement last particula r ised— the eggregate of become almost the only test, for the moment, of thoroughgoing liberalism. The ballot and church railroad journeys performed within the year, from rate are now the clearest distinctions ba the Ist of January , 1800, to the 31 st of December n parties. Not but that some liberal Tories, following, is found, upon cont r a s t with the aggro- Lord STA.N LEY being a conspicuous example, are gate of journeys made in 1851, to have more ready to vote for the latter. A section of the Tory "To such an extent," we learn, party, led by one great name, have seen fit, un ,t,hhaanvedotuhbeleidnc! increased facilities induced the public wisely for Conservatism,, 'we think, to make church to travel, that we find from the Board of Trade rates their battle-horse. They have partially returns that the number of railway journeys per- succeeded, by whipping up all who preferred to formed throughout the kingdom has continued give no vote on the question—and they look strong steadily increasing at the enormous rate of nearly just now on a Wednesday—and is this the time 10,000,000 a year, and that the number has more when Finsbury is to send to Parliament a Dissent.. TIE:' SUN, F,LONDON, .THURSDAY EVENING, DE ing Trimmer on Chareh-rates Is Finsbury to go back to old Whig notions when Whigs themselves have cast them off? We hope if Finsbury does re turn Mr. MILLS she will take from him a pledge to vote for the abolition of all compulsory power to levy Church-rates. We hope the borough will affirm the principle, that it no more approves of compelling Churchmen to pay for Church worship than of compelling Dissenters to do it. '~ `° 12, 1861. PARIS, D EC. 12. The Moniteur of this morning publishes the fol lowing imperial decree : " Com idering that it imports essentially to the order of the finances that the charges on the budget should not be augmented without the Minister of Finance having been enabled to appreciate and to acquaint us whether there may be sufficient re sources to meet such additional charges, we decree that for the future, no decree authorising or order ing any works or measures whatever, which may add to the charges on the budget, shall be sub mitted to us for our signature unless accompanied by an opinion from the Minister of Finance." The Moniteur also announces that the reopening of the Chamber of Deputies will probably take place in the second fortnight in January. PARIS, DEC. 11. The Patrie of this evening announces that Gene ral Scott has left Paris in order to return to Ame rica, and adds, " It is asserted that his departure took place in consequence of an urgent despatch from the Washington Cabinet." The Paris evening papers assert that the Federal Minister of Marine has addressed a congratulatory letter to Captain Wilkes, entirely approving of his conduct. The same papers state that Earl Russell, on receiving a commercial deputation, reiterated the assurance that measures had been taken for the free exportation of cotton from the Southern States from the beginning of February next. TURIN, DEC. 11. To-day, in the Chamber of Deputies, Baron Ricasoli read a telegraphic despatch from General Della Marmora, wherein the General declared that be had never written reports nor spoken against the policy of the Government, and that he had not expressed any intention of tendering his resigna tion. Long discussions took place on several orders of the day which were afterwards presented to the Chamber. The closing of the discussion on the Neapolitan and Roman questions was then resolved upon, and the following order of the day, agreed to by the Ministry, was put to the vote : " The Chamber confirms the vote which it passed on the 27th of March, declaring Rome to be the capital of Italy, and trusts that the Government will provide with alacrity for the completion of the national armament, the organisation of the king dom, and the effectual protection of persons and property. "Taking into consideration also the declarations of the Ministry relative to the public safety, to the elections to the Chambers, to the bestowal of public offices on persons of known probity, ability, and patriotism, and reorganisation of the magistracy, the greater development of public works, the organisa tion of the National Guard, and, finally, to their promise to take all other measures which may pro cure the wellbeing of the Southern Provinces, the Chamber passes to the order of the day." The votes of the Deputies on the above order of the day were recorded orally, and gave the follow ing results Aye5.... Noes Majority for the order.... 153 Signor Rattazzi doted in favour of the order of the day. PESTH, DEC. 11. The Second Palatine and the Commissioner of Public Safety have been brought into this city in fetters, in order to be tried before a court-martial on a charge of high treason. It is asserted that the First Palatine, Count Syaparry, is also accused of high treason. BRESLAU, DEC. 11. Eighty persons, of whom eight are priests, have been arrested at Warsaw, and sent as recruits to the Russian army at Orenburg. One hundred and sixty-two priests have been imprisoned in the eitadel at Warsaw. CONSTANTINOPLE, DEC. 11. An intense monetary panic prevails here. The Bourse has been closed. Fu Ltd Pasha is expected to arrive here to-day. SOUTHAMPTON, DEC. 12. The Hamburg and American Company's steamer Saxonia, from New York on the 30th ult., has arrived off Cowes. She brings 158 passengers. Her news has been anticipated. BAYSWATER ATHEN_/EUM. On Saturday evening Mr. Edmund Yates delivered be fore one of the most crowded audiences that ever filled the new hall of this institution (and among whom we noticed several of the leading literary and.artistic celebrities of the day), his most entertaining lecture, or " satire," as it was called in the programme, entitled "Modern Society." After a few brief, but excellent introductory remarks, which com pletely established Mr. Yates in the geed graces of his hearers, andplaced him (to borrow a phrase from mesmerists) thoroughly en rapport with his audience, he plunged at once in medias res, and gave us his views of modern society under the classification of " Evening Party, and Dinner Society, General Society, Professional Society, Nothing-doing Society, and Low Society." All these various phases of English life were, by Mr. Yates's admir able skill in word-painting, brought vividly before the minds and memories of his audience, and the pointed, but delicate and refined satire which ran through all his descriptions was, to judge by the frequent and enthusiastic applause which greeted him, thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed. Mr. Yates's manner is singularly in his favour. It is self-possessed, calm, easy, playful, and natural. It never for a moment degenerates into anything approaching coarse ness or buffoonery; and even in giving effect to comic passages with a quiet, piquant humour, that fairly taxes the risible powers of his audience to the utmost. Mr. Yates is still, amid all the temptations which would make an ordinary lecturer over-colour his pictures, never induced to forget the appearance an manner of an accomplished gen tleman. In a word, though his lecture on " Modern Society" at the Bayswater Athenveum occupied on Satur day more than two hours in its delivery, it was a decided success from the beginning to the end, and never flagged in interest for a moment. SADLER'S WELLS THEATRE. Last evening Mrs. F. B. Conway made her first appear ance at this theatre as lon, in the late Sir T. N. Talfourd's tragedy of that name, and from the beauty of her perform. ance she seems destined to take high honours on the metro politan stage. She is a lady above the middle height, with fine and expressive features, bright and flashing eyes, and a clear melodious voice; altogether her personal appearance is highly prepossessing. In her delineation of the charac ter of lon she showed that she possessed talent of the highest order. Her reading was beautifully clear, her taste un exceptionable, and her action natural and highly expres sive. We welcome most cordially the lady to London, and anticipate for her a career of immense success. Mr. Phelps's Adrastus was one of those noble impersonations for which he stands unrivalled, while his reading of the part was a perfect elocutionary triumph, which elicited the most en thusiastic applause. At the close of each act, and at the termination of the tragedy, Mrs. Conway and Mr. Phelps had to appear before the curtain and bow their acknowledg ments. The tragedy was put upon the stage with all that taste and appropriateness which so marks the productions of Mr. Phelps. The house was crowded in every part long before the rising of the curtain. The Earl of Clarendon arrived in town yesterday from the Grove, Watford. Lord Elphinstone has arrived at the Brunswick Hotel, Jermya-street, fram Torquay. Lord and Lady Stafford have arrived at Mau rigy's Hotel from Cossy Hall, Norwich. _ _ Lord and Lady Colchester are expected in town in a few days from Brighton. Sir George Grey arrived in town yesterday from Stratton Park. Major-General Angerstein has left Maurigy's Hotel for Weeting Hall, Brandon, Norfolk. Mr. and Miss Bouverie Pusey have left Wallace's Hotel for their winter residence, 19, Brunswick-terrace Brighton. Mr. and Mrs. De Vere Beauclerk have arrived at 28, Chapel-street, Grosvenor-square, from Croxton Park, Cambridgeshire. MR. JUSTICE MELLOR.—On Tuesday last Mr. Justice Mellor, the newly-appointed judge of the Court of Queen's Bench, was entertained at a dinner given to him at the Ship and Turtle Tavern, Leadenhall-street, by the Midland Circuit. The chair was occupied by Mr. Macaulay, Q.C., and nearly the whole of the existing members of the circuit were present, as well as several former members of eminence, including Mr. Commissioner Goulburn, Mr. Waddington, the Under-Secretary of the Home-otfice, and Mr. Daniel, Q.C. THE NAVAL RESERVE.—Following the example set by their gallant comrades in other ports throughout the kingdom, the members of the Naval Reserve in Maryport, Cumberland, came forward in a body on Saturday last and signed a paper, expressing their desire to engage in active service should her Majesty require their aid in defending the British flag against the Americans. In the Rolls Court the Master of the Rolls stated that it might bo convenient to set apart Tuesday or Wed nesday in next week for the viva voce examination of the directors of the Barkof Deposit. It is stated that the Edinburgh board of directors of the British Guarantee Association, together with their manager, have resigned. The Kent is the only vessel expected to be re ported by the present mail as having sailed from Mel bourne, she has probably, therefore, a large amount of gold. She is a fast sailer. General Scott, who came to Europe only a few weeks ago for the restoration of his health, returns to Ame rica in order to aid the work of peace by the weight of his character and the sagacity of his coun sels. The General re-embarked last night for New York in the steamer Arago. On Tuesday he had a long inter view with Prince Napoleon, and, if we are correctly in formed, he will carry to Mr. Lincoln an expression of the desire of the Emperor of the French to do his part, should an opportunity arise, towards bringing the present dis. agreement to a favourable issue. The Worshipful Company of Grocers have sent an additional donation of £lOO to the National Lifeboat Institution. After a thanksgiving sermon, preached by the Rev. J. Reid, M.A., at Blyth, Northumberland, for the late abundant harvest, a collection amounting to £lO WPS made and remitted to the institution, which has incurred a large expense in the establishment and maintenance of its many life-boat stations on the Northumberland Coast. The arrival of the Nashville and the burning of the Harvey Birch were telegraphed to Londonderry, and caught the boat there which left for Portland, United States, on the 21st ult. Intelligence as to how that news was received in New York may be looked for every hour. The Hansa, which left Southampton on the 27th ult., took out the Lon don journals of that day, which commented on the outrage on the Trent. These journals will reach New York before Lord Lyons' instructians, which went out in the Europa. Commander Williams, the Admiralty agent of the Trent, also wrote a despatch to Lord Lyons from St. Thomas's, which will, most probably, reach him before the Europa arrives. The Canada, which left Boston yesterday, and will call off Cape Race on Friday, will, most probably, bring very important news. She will to due in nine days from to-day. POACHING EXTRAORDINARY.—A gentleman who rents a moor on the line of a recently projected railway in the west of Scotland was a few days ago taking a quiet snooze after his diurnal toil, when his slumbers were inter rupted by the entrance of an excited assistant-keeper, who informed him that a party of poachers were in the glen pursuing their felonious avocations with a brass cannon mounted on a rest, and requested his help to catch them. Muttering an anathema on all poachers, &c., he set out with the keeper for the spot, and on reaching it, found that the suspected game destroyers were a party of engineers taking the railway. level_with a theodolite.—Greenock Ad ver User. MURDER OF A MATE ON BOARD AN AMERICAN SHIP.—LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY.--On the arrival at this port of the American ship Southampton, on Tuesday even ing, intimation was conveyed to the detective police sta tion that the first mate, Alexander Small, had been mur dered by a seaman named Thomas Duffy, 15 days after the vessel left New York for this port. The vessel sailed from New York on the 16th November, and on the first of the present month Small directed Duffy to go aloft to do something to the rigging. After being in the rigging for some time the officer ordered him down. When he came on deck some angry words were bandied, and Duffy drew his knife and stabbed Small to the heart. Small fell pros trate on the deck, and died instantly, and some time after wards his body was thrown overboard. Duffy was placed in irons. After committing the murder he walked into the forecastle and gave his knife, which was stained with blood, to a seaman named John Sullivan, saying " That is what I did it with." When Inspector Carlyle took him into custody the prisoner said that the mate grumbled at him for a very trivial matter. He then ordered him to fix some rigging, but before going up aloft the mato struck him on the back of the neck with a belaying pin. He did strike the mate with a knife, but his intention was not t) kill him. The prisoner is in the hands of the police awaiting his transfer to the officials of the American Government. STRANGE DEATH OF AN OLD MAN.—Michael Barrow, an old man between seventy and eighty, was found dead at Satterthwaite on Wednesday last in a chair. It appears that the old man lived alone, and had been ill for some time; he was very bad at breathing, and when found there was a cord hanging from the ceiling, and placed under his chin. Whether it was for the purpose of keeping his head up is not known lie was first discovered by a boy. --Gunilierland racquet, FRANCE. A Paris letter in the lndependance says :—" A rumour has been current that the Count de Casa bianca had intended to propose an amendment on the occasion of the discussion of the Senatus- Consultum on the right of amendment itself. In consequence of its having been explained to him that his initsative, under the circumstances, would be inopportune, the hon. Senator intends to make his ideas the object of a special proposition. The building of gunboats has been suspended in the French navrl yards as a measure of economy, but this suppression does not extend to iron-cased frigates." BOURSE, Dec. 11.—The amount of business con tinues confined within very narrow limits, specu lators being evidently averse to entering on any considerable operations until the receipt of the next advices from America. In the meantime prices are well maintained. Threes, for the Account, being now at 67f 65c. Railways quiet, but pretty firm. The following are the last quotations : 41 per per Cents ... 95 10 Credit Foncier l2OO Do. end month.... 95 25 ; Belgian 4/ — 3 per Cents I Do. end month 67 75 Roman Bank Shares 2960 Austrian Credit Mobilier.... 737 50 ( I Spani:l Threes 49 25 Do. Account 740 —jHomo Debt RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans l3OO .. 1302 50 Northern New ditto Lyons and Mediterranean 1008 75 .. 1010 Geneva 370 .. 352 50 Southern 670 -- .. 672 50 Western Eastern Sardinian 342 50 .. 345 -- Austrian Lombard 515 .. 517 50 POLAND. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) WARSAW, DEC. 3. M. Hube, the acting head of the Department of Religion, has addressed a long letter to the Chapter, in answer to the one of which I gave you a dumrnary in my last. The Government will not yield an inch of ground, and totally refuses to accept the dilemma to which the clergy had reduced the question. The following are thechief of the arguments adduced by M. Hube in support of his view of the case :- 1. The law of the country, and the Concordat of - - 1847, forbid the appointment of Church dignitaries of any rank unless with the sanction of the Govern ment. 2. All elections, appointments, or presentations, no matter by whom performed, or for what office, are therefore only so far valid and capable of being brought to effect as the Government has given its sanction. 3. in all cases where this sanction on the part of the Qoyernment is wanting, all elections, appoint. ments, or presentations, being without this validity required by law, and therefore invalid, fall to the ground. 4. The Chapter, according to Art. 17 of the Con cordat, has not even the right of election without the sanction of the Government; this election, therefore, not having been thus sanctioned, would have been null and void even if the Rev. Mr. Bial obizski had not been appointed. 5. In this state of things, there is no necessity either to require of the Rev. Mr. Bialobizski his re. signation of an appointment, his election to which has no validity, meaning, or existence, nor does the Chapter therefore require any authorisation from the Holy See to proceed to a new election. It is on the contrary its duty to proceed to an election which shall be valid according to the law above stated, in the place of one which has no validity or existence. This reasoning is sound, and the conclusions may be admitted if the premises are correct. I will not enter here into the subtleties of a discussion on points of law ; suffice it to say that I have good rea son to believe that M. Hube's interpretation of the law and the so-called Concordat, which, it appears, is not a Concordat at all, but merely a preliminary to what was to have been a Concordat, is false and untenable. The clergy are preparing an answer, which, it is said, will prove this in a convincing manner. At any rate we have now a pretty clear and definite statement of the claims of the Govern ment in religious matters in Poland ; they have de termined to carry it with a high hand over the clergy, and to have entirely abandoned their former policy of conciliation. The Rev. Mr. Bialobizski is treated in the most barbarous manner in his dun geon in the citadel, and this, combined with his great age, inspires grave fears as to his health, which has already become considerably impaired since his confinement. He is now on trial before the military tribunal for an offence as impor tant in its consequences as it is novel ; the closing of the churches of the country. That his sentence will be a severe one is undoubted; Siberia, and even death, have been spoken of as probable contingencies. The funeral of the Suffragan Bishop of Warsaw, the venerable and much lamented author of the last letter of the Chapter to the Government, to which that above alluded to is an answer, was a failure, in consequence of the interference of the Government, which would not permit anyone to join the proces sion unless provided with a ticket from the police. Not more than 150 people attended, among whom were a great number of women and one or two Government employes. The acceptance by the Czar of Marquis Wielo polski's resignation has been the subject of much talk among the people here. For some time, in deed ever since the proclamation of the state of siege, which came on the Poles like a thunder bolt, after a long season of treacherously calm weather, there have been signs that the policy of the Government had altered, and that violence and lawless outrage were to succeed soft speeches and delusive reforms. The only advocate of modera tion left was Marquis Wielopolski. For a short time it was supposed that to him would be given the task of restoring Poland to quietness, and recon• ciling it to its Government. People said that he had been called to St. Petersburg as the object of the peculiar favour of the Czar, who looked upon him as the only man in the Government at Warsaw who during the late events had not lost his head. The long interviews he had with the Czar, the flat tering manner in which he was received by him, the laudatory terms in which the Czar spoke of him, all appeared to point to the appointment of Wielopolski to the Viceroyalty of Poland. His fall was as unexpected as it was sudden, and cer tainly seems to show that the only rule which Russia will henceforth allow in Poland is that of fire and sword. General Luders has already had enough of the Viceroyalty. It is said that he will abandon his thorny post very shortly, and be succeeded by General Bezak. No wonder that this situation so often changes hands : to be the tool of the authori ties at St. Petersburg, and the object of envy among the ministers and dislike among the people at Warsaw, is a position which to no man can be long endurable. The policy of severity and law lessness now adopted will throw additional odium on the Viceroy, whoever he may be ; and it will be a daring and cynical mind that does not shrink from the prospect of the disgrace and universal hatred which will surely fall on the occupier of the post. Our present viceroy certainly does not sin by doing anything on his own account. He has authority direct from St. Petersburg for every one of his actions, and these are confined to orders, most of ,which testify to his excessive prudence, Private houses are being daily searched by the sol diers for muskets, ammunition, and numbers of other impossible articles ; and these gallant warriors, if they do not find what they look for, at least carry away something valuable as a memento of their presence. Preparations are being made on a grand scale for new arrests and new deportations. Eighteen towns have been directed to find funds for the erection of prisons for women; and 2,000 travelling cloaks have been ordered, no doubt for future travellers to Siberia. The military tribunal of Warsaw has its hands full at this moment. Eight hundred persons are now under trial before it, and it only manages with extreme difficulty to keep down the occupants of the citadel and other prisons to the proper number by sending them to Siberia and the army. The 29th November, the anniversary of the Polish revolution, passed away in complete silence. Addresses had been circulated among the people during the preceding week, recommending them to abstain from any manifestation in the streets on that day, which might give a pretext to the sol diery for another massacre. The advice was, as it turned out, a good one. On the 29th the streets and squares were even more crowded with troops than usual, and mounted Cossacks moved about ready to charge on the slightest sign of an unusually large concourse of people. The only demonstration, however, was one which even the police and soldiery could not find fault with-1 the streets of the town were almost deserted, and the day was passed by the inhabitants in their houses in prayer and fasting, the money saved by their abstinence from food being devoted to chari table and national purposes. This, indeed, is, under present circumstances, the only demonstration pos sible, for there is no doubt that the slightest at tempt at anything more public would be crushed by the Government at once, without mercy or scruple. General Luders, who derives all his in spiration from St. Petersburg, actually said publicly that " the Poles must be worried, everything must be done to vex them, and the process of crushing them must r.ever be allowed to cease, even for a moment"—a characteristic instance of the unblush ing audacity with which Russia boasts of her un scrupulousness in obtaining her ends. The anarchy in the provinces has come out in a new form at Plock. Two Russians (Ponomaren and Raznow) are wrangling in that city about the Governorship. Each of them says he is the Go vernor. One holds his appointment from the Coun cil of Administration, the other from the Emperor himself. The consequences to the poor inhabitants of their having two tyrants, each opposing the other's orders, over them, instead of one, may be easily The imagined. e attempts on the part of the Government to demoralise the peasants still go on, and secret agents are constantly being discovered. A band of men calling themselves foresters have for some months infested the woods in the province of Augustow. They had no arms, and went among the peas ants, pretending to be patriots, and filling their heads with ideas of communism and resolution. The winter has nosy discovered the true character of these "foresters," in whom the peasants have re cognised Russian soldiers, who have, during the summer, assumed this disguise with the object of gaining the ears of the peasants. It is indeed both remarkable and gratifying to the patriots that the peasantry have not succumbed to these diabolical machinations on the part of the Government, but have, on the contrary, always exposed these agents when they have caught them. It speaks well for the intelligence and patriotism of the peasants that they thus discern true from pretended friends to the national cause, and that they refuse to listen to ad vice which recommends them to sacrifice the best men in the country from personal motives. The soldiery sometimes make awkward mistakes in carrying out their orders to arrest as many peo , ple as possible. Two Russian subjects, who had come to Warsaw on business, and were staying at the European Hotel, had occasion to go out one night. They had taken the precaution to provide themselves with lanterns, in compliance with the order forbidding any one to go out at night without a lighted lantern ; but scarcely had they gone thirty paces when the light held by one of them went out. Instantly he was pounced upon by a patrol which happened to be passing, and taken to the guard house in spite of his prayers and protestations, where he was shut up for twenty-hours. At the expiration of that time he was visited by a Russian colonel, who, on ascertaining the true state of the case, ordered him to be liberated, and, together with his friend, to leave the country forthwith. General Krzyzanowskoy has been appointed Military Governor of Warsaw, vice Gerstenzweig, deceased. It is now universally believed here that the late Governor shot himself in consequence of a quarrel with Count Lambert. A novel kind of duel was determined on on this occasion. Lots were drawn as to which of the two should shoot himself, and General Gerstenzweig was the victim. A3IERICA. LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY. The Canadian mail steamship Norwegian has arrived with advices to the 30th. The intelligence respecting the burning of the Harvey Birch reached New York, via Cape Race, on the 30th, just before the Etna (hourly expected here) sailed. It occasioned great excitement. A private telegram from Queenstown says :—" The news was that the Commissioners would not be given up. They would rather try a war first ; but expressed a belief that England would not go to war." Mr. Edwin James had published a letter in the New York papers respecting the Trent affair. He says the whole question in regard to Mason and Slidell would rest on the answers of the captain of the Trent to the following questions--Ist. Were you acquainted with the terms of her Majesty's pro clamation commanding strict neutrality on the part of all her subjects during the term of hostilities between the Northern and Southern States ? 2d. Did you not know that the two gentlemen, when.. they became passengers, not refugees, on board your vessel, were employing themselves or were employed in an enterprise of direct hostility to the constituted Government of the United States ? The answer to these two questions in the affirmative, he maintains, and consistently with truth they could not be an swered otherwise, would reduce the question to very narrow dimensions ; and should any doubt exist upon the second proposition, the Message recently sent by Mr. Jefferson Davis to his Parliament at, Richmond would much facilitate its solution. The Presbyterian Synod of New York and New Jersey, at its late session in Newark, passed a series of resolutions deprecating the present secession as. an effort to overthrow a Government in which is centered all the hopes of civil and religious liberty, and as antagonistic to the advancement of civilisa tion throughout the world, and promise the use of all lawful means and efforts in their power to aid in maintaining the Government and in putting down the secession. They were forwarded to Secretary Seward, who responded as follows :-- "Department of State, Washington, Nov. 27, 1861. "To the Synod of New York and New Jersey. " Rev. Gentlemen,—The minute containing your resolu tions on the condition of the country, which you directed to be sent to me, has been submitted to the President of the United States. lam instructed to express to you his great satisfaction with those proceedings, which are distinguished equally by their patriotic sentiments and a purely Christian spirit. It is a just tribute to our system of Government that it has enabled the American people to enjoy unmo lested more of the blessings of Divine Providence which affect the material conditions of human society than any other people ever enjoyed, together with a more absolute degree of religious liberty than before the institution of that great Government had ever been hoped for among men. The overthrow of the Government, therefore, might justly be regarded as a calamity not only to this nation, but a this • fortune to mankind. The President is assured of the public virtue and of the public valour, but these are unavailing without the favour of God. The President thanks you for the invocations of that indispensable support, and he ear nestly solicits the same invocations from all classes and conditions of men, believing that these prayers will not be denied by the God of our fathers. He trusts and expects that the result of the most unhappy attempt at revolution will confirm and strengthen the union of the Republic, and ultimately renew the fraternal affections among its mem bers so essential to a restoration of the public welfare and happiness. " I am, very sincerely, your very humble servant, " WILLIAM H. SEWARD." Gen. Fremont arrived at New York on the 29th. The Treasury Department had notified all post masters that Treasury notes were to be received by them as equivalent in all respects to coin in the payment for stamps and stamped envelopes. From Pensacola we have the following conflicting intelligence "NEW YORK, Nov. 29. " The Philadelphia Enquirer's report says there was no breach made in Fort Pickens. Great excitement prevails in the South about the battle, but it was thought that Bragg would be able to force Colonel Brown to surrender. A mes senger arrived from Pensacola on .Sunday last with a per emptory order for reinforcements. Bragg would then be hopeful of an early success, and was replying at intervals upon the fortress with great effect. His regular salvo is described as terrible. He expected to make a breach by Monday, when reinforcements would storm it with fresh troops and ordnance. Colonel Brown had concentrated a perfect storm of hot shot and shell upon the Navy Yard, and it had been burnt down with all the outbuildings and a considerable amount of army and ordnance stores de stroyed. Pensacola had been evacuated by order of Bragg. Colonel Brown called to his assistance five vessels of war, all of which had been driven off by the batteries. The Niagara was almost riddled with ball , , and the Colorado thoroughly disabled. Bragg declared to his troops that ho would never surrender alive, and the greatest enthusiasm prevailed among his men. Oa Tuesday Bragg would en gage Colonel Brown is front, and land a large force on the island to take him in the rear. It is generally believed that Bragg has been whipped, Pensacola burnt, and probably Bragg's whole force captured. The despatches in the Southern papers have no apparent end or beginning, and are very meagre." Despatches had been rec i eivQd at the Navy De partment from Com. Dupont, giving intelligence of the United States' flag flying over the territory of the State of Georgia. Tybee Island, which he says is within easy mortar distance of Fort Pulaski, had been taken possession of. The approaches to Sa vannah were completely cut off. On the island was a strong martello tower, with a battery at its base. The War Department was expecting an an nouncement from General Sherman that he had taken possession of the Confederate fortifications commanding the entrance to St. Helena Sound, about 15 miles north of Port Royal, and command ing the outlet of the Colsaw and Combahes rivers, thus securing the entire control of all approaches from the ocean to the cluster of sea islands, and affording another avenue for a movement towards the interior of South Carolina. From Port Royal we have intelligence that an expedition left on the 24th for St. Helena Inlet, land took the enemy's works without opposition. It was reported that 14,000 Confederates were at Hardenville, 20 miles from Hilton Head, under Gen. Drayton. The Con federates wore concentrat ing a force at Bluffton. Appearances indicated that the planters were determined to burn their crops on the approach of the Federal troops. The guns in the Confederate batteries taken by the fleet had been rendered serviceable. Gen. Sherman had re ceived instructions from Adjutant-Gen. Thomas to seize all the cotton, corn, rice, and crops of various sorts within his reach, and to use what was neces sary and of value for subsistence to his troops, and to send the cotton to New York, to be sold for the benefit of the Government. Gen. Sherman was also directed to take the services of negroes, not 'only to aid in gathering crops, but also in making fortifications. The British schooner Mabel had been captured and taken into Port Royal harbour. She purported to be from 'lava/anal), bound to New York ; but at the time of her capture she was heading for St. Catherine's Sound. Her cargo consisted of 7 bales of blankets, 4 cases of cloth, 3 boxes of starch, 25 boxes of tin, 120 barrels of potatoes, 350 pigs of lead, 30 bags of shot, 1 box of shoes, 6 bags of eli fe -~_