The Sun. — London, England, 1861-05-06 00:00:00

* majority, but comparatively unarmed. The Cum berland was 60 short of her complement. When the Pawnee came up to the Navy-yard, both the Cum berland and AletriMaC lay broadside to her, guns loaded, thinking she was in the hands of the Seces sionists. On board the Pawnee an opinion prevailed that a similar state of affairs existed on board those ships, and she was ready accordingly. When the Cumberland hailed, 'What steamer is that ? the anwer was, The United States' steamer Pawnee.' The cheering on board the vessels and on shore told how satisfactory the reply was. The Union men e mployed in the Navy-yard cut down the flagstaff, so that it Could not be used by the enemy. The guns at the Navy-yard and St. Helena were spiked. The Yankee has gone to the Navy-yard at Brooklyn." ANOTHER ACCOUNT. "The steam tug Yankee, Capt. Charles Germain, which was one of the supply fleet that went to Charleston, arrived here yesterday noon. Through the politeness of Mr. Russell Sturges, the owner, and Captain Germain, our reporter learnt the fol lowing facts :—The Yankee put into Norfolk in distress and short of coal on the 18th inst., and had soon to leave her moorings on account of the rebels, who were about to attempt to seize her. She had kept steam on, expecting them, and went over to the Navy-yard for protection. Here the captain found Commodore 11,PCauley, in charge of the yard, with about 50 marines. His officers had all resigned, but still hung around, acting as spies for the Secessionists, while rebels were making every preparation to take both yard and near shir • The rebels had erected batteries in the woods , the yard, as well as along the river and on Crany Island and Sewell's Point. The Yankee, after taking in 25 tons of coal, prepared to T aid the Com he rebels had a modore out of his critical position laid all their plans to seize the x ra and war vessels. The Pawnee fortunately eame i Sntoatu Norfolk on wit Sa- h turday , with 800 men, and all Saturday night, the aid of the Marines and the crew of the Yankee, they were at work, under directions of Commodore M'Cauley, destroying the arms and all property that could not be moved, as the only alternative to prevent its falling into the enemy's hands. Tne, rebels, haatios night before broken into the magazine and stolen most of the powder. The forces above mentioned, after spiking the guns, chipping the fuse, &c., so that they never could be used , threw them and all the cannon balls overboard. They then broke the engines of the frigate Merrimac and scuttled her. They blew up the granite dry dock, and simultaneously set fire to the Merrimac, James town, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Columbus, and left them burning. The Pawnee started ahead, and the Yankee immediately followed, towing the Cum berland, Capt. Pendergast, after her. Both frigates moved away with guns pointed towards the city, threatening to level it should the rebels fire from their batteries. So effective was the whole move ment, however, that the chivalry were awe-stricken. They stood along the wharfs like so many statues, with muskets on their shoulders, but they did not attempt to fire. Their batteries kept silent, and although they had seen most of the work of destruc tion progressed with they knew better than to even make remonstrance. The forces left nothing behind that would be of any service to the rebels. Several of the houses in Portsmouth, near the navy-yard, caught fire from the ships, and were burning, add ing to the consternation of the rebels. The plan to seize the yard and vessels had evidently been on foot long before the secession of Virginia, and had it not been for this prompt action of the Commodore, aided by the Pawnee and the Yankee, the rebels would have succeeded. It was a Providential occurrence that the Yankee put 'into Norfolk, for the Pawnee would not probably have been able to tow the Cumberland out. The captain of the Yan kee is one of those determined men who would have allowed his vessel to be blown up rather than that the rebels should capture her. On going over the bar the Cumberland struck the sunken vessel placed there by the rebels to obstruct the channel, and completely tore off her deck. The remainder of the hull, strange to say, stuck to the Cumberland, and was thus towed off into deep water and sunk. The Pawnee helped to tow her part of the way, going alicad with a hawser. The Keystone State, which had landed Massachusetts troops at Fort M'Henry, came to the assistance of the vessels, but not until they had got over the bar. Captain Germain left the Cumberland anchored in Hampton Roads, and the Pawnee at Old Point Comfort, awaiting orders, he supposes, as well as to act as a blockade of Nor folk. The Merrimac was a first-class frigate ; the Jamestown and the Pennsylvania, old vessels; and the Delaware and Columbus, as we are informed, were almost past doing service." ANOTHER ACCOUNT. _ _ _ " Captain Alden, who came here in the Yankee yesterday, reports that he was sent to Norfolk to assist in the destruction of the Navy-yard. The Cumberland was towed out, and forms a blockade of the James River. The Pawnee (gunboat) car ried the officers, marines, and soldiers to Washing ton. She has a powerful battery, capable of knocking to pieces anything that Secessionists can construct. The burning of the yard and vessels was a perfect success, but he fears that Captain Rogers and Captain Wright, United States Engi neers, who remained behind with four or five men, perished. He had no doubt but they had perished." The following is the proclamation of the Gover nor of Virginia — Whereas seven of the States formerly compos ing a part of the United States have, by authority of their people, solemnly resumed the powers granted by them to the United States, and have framed a Constitution and organised a Government for themselves, to which the people of those States are yielding willing obedience, and have so notified the President of the United States by all the for malities incident to such action, and thereby be come to the United States a separate, independent, and foreign Power; and whereas the Constitution of the United States has invested Congress with the sole power ' to declare war,' and until such declara tion is made the President has no authority to call for an extraordinary force to wage offensive war against any foreign Power ; and whereas, on the 15th inst., the President of the United States, in plain violation of the Constitution, issued a procla mation calling for a force of 75,000 men, to cause the laws of the United States to be duly executed over a people who are no longer a part of the Union, and in said proclamation threatens to exert this unusual force to compel obedience to his mandates; and whereas the General Assembly of Virginia, by a majority approaching to enure unanimity, de clared at its last session that the State of Virginia would consider such an exertion of force as a virtual declaration of war, to be resisted by all the power at the command of Vir g i n i a , and subsequently the Convention now in session, representing the sove reignty of this State, has reaffiemed in substance the same policy, with almost equal unanimity ; an d whereas the State of Virginia deeply symp athise s with the Southern States in the wrongs th e y h ave suffered and in the position they have assumed, and having failed in that attempt through this unwar ranted act on the part of the President, and it is believed that the influences which operate to pro duce this proclamation against the Seceded States will be brought to bear upon this commonwealth if she should exercise her undoubted right to resume the powers granted by her people, and it is due to the honour of Virginia that an improper exercise of force against her people should be repelled ; therefore I. John Letcher, Governor of the common wealth of Virginia, have thought proper to order all armed volunteer regiments or companies within the State forthwith to hold themselves in readiness for immedate orders, and upon the reception of this roclamation to report to the Adjutant-General of the State their oreati,isation and numbers, and pre pare themselves for efficient service. Such compa nies as are not armed and equipped will report that fact, that they may be properly supplied. "Ix witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the commonwealth to be affixed, this 17th day of April, 1861, and in the 85th year of the commonwealth. " JOHN LETCHER." From Virginia comes a report, among others, that an attack on Fort Monroe was contemplated. Eight vess els of war were reported off the har bour of Pensacola on the 22d, inforcements 'for • su pposed to have re ort Pi ckens . A telegram fro m I llinois to the 23d states that Cairo, Illinois, was i nvested by 1,000 Federal troops , and 4,000 more were expected soon. From New Orleans to the tad we learn that 1,000 Tennesseans were on their way to - • leen the Confede rate army. The steamer Marquis dE, Habana had been purehased by the Southern Confeeemy and would soon be fitted out as a war steamer, Governor Houston, of Texas , had emphatically denied having communicated with the Lincoln Government. Ho also denied that he claimed still to be Governor of Texas, and said that he had re tired to private life, and should never leave it ex cept for the defence of his country. Mr. Seward is reported to have addressed a note to Senor Sessaro, the Spanish Minister, protesting against the Spanish expedition to St. Domingo, and reminding him of the good faith of that Govern ment in all transactions with Spain. Copies of the protest had beer, forwarded to the British and French Legations. THE EASTERN FisiIBRIES.—The spring herring fishery is proceeding on the eastern coast in a tolerably satisfactory manner, although the catch has not been so great as it was last year. Prices have ranged from Bd, to is, per 100, LONDON, MONDAY, MAY 6, 18P1, Manehrster must now set her house in order. Long has she dealt very gently with American slaveholders; they supplied her with cotton at the cost of robbing three or four millions of human beings of every right which makes it worth while to be a man, yet Manchester not only was silent herself, but was angry with all who denounced the " Domestic Institution." Not only did she look upon " Abolitionists" c, in the Free States, as little short of rebels, and even try to get up a cant cry of Atheism against them, because they claimed for black men the Christian rights which the churches and clergy of America denied them ; but, as we have reason to remembek if liberal journals spoke freely of the injury done to the cause of free Government and of Christianity, by the inconsistent atrocity of American slavery in a free and professedly Christian land—by its then organ, Mr. BRIGHT, such journals were reviled as inter meddlers, as breeders of between nations, and the like. For our part, we have never, like the great orator, cared about the good-will of slave holders, least of all of American slaveholders. However, what they really are must now be appa rent to Manchester itself. For no tangible cause whatever—simply because one election proved that the North would not allow them, being but a minority, for ever ,to select the Sovereigns of the country, and to fill every office, even the supreme bench of justice, with their parti sans—for no other cause, without one in justice done them, they secede—break up the Union and plunge the country into war. Their one object is, the infernal one, of the supremacy of pro-slavery institutions. They have chosen to do battle for the most inhuman of institutions ; but, in doing so, if they have not shocked the philan thropy of Manchester they have at least shocked her cotton sensibilities, and Manchester must be awake in time. If she does not see to it, that her agents go forth to all cotton-growing countries, to India especially, and stimulate production for the very next crop, if she does not look to saw-gins, to cleaning, packing, and conveying to the nearest ports, she will most likely find that in tho next season American cotton will fail her. War will have interfered with the cultivation ; a slave insurrection may have stopped it altogether; or at best, a vigorous blockade may have piled up the cotton bags in Southern warehouses, perhaps have converted them, as in the late war, into extempore defences. One thing is now certain, our anticipations have been but too correct. The North is roused as one man. All parties coalesee to resist and revenge Southern insults. Democrats shake hands with abolitionists and free-soilers. Merchants and Cham bers of Commerce meet and vote warlike resolutions. Lawyers even meet and offer gratuitously to trans act the business of such of their member as may leave home with the Militia to defend the capital and chastise the South. New York City, of all places in the Union,—The city which did millions annually in Southern trade, which was supposed to be as bound up with slavery as New Orleans itself, is in one flame of excitement since the attack on Fort Sumter. An interesting letter from an able correspondent of a contempo. racy, will give our readers the views of an eye witness on the almost unparalleled indignation and zeal for action which has been aroused in the North by the conduct of the Southerns. If the President'sotos war proclamation was cold an d hesitating, not has been the response to it. Regiments of militia put themselves at ogee in march ; regiments of citizens, in which not only working men but the sons of professional gentlemen, and wealthy persons, serve even as privates. Three days after the news of the attack of the Baltimore mob on the Massa chusetts regiment sufficed to convert New York from a great commercial toNs n into a great camp. From all we can gather, 'Washington does not appear to be immediately threatened, but none can tell what may occur there in a few days. It lies in its own little ten miles square on the River Poto mac, in Maryland and Virginia. It could be shelled from the Virginian side of the river; and t he heights on th a t " 'd isure not protected by milita r y works. Maryland Unwilling that the Federal troops should march through the little territory intervening between Washvi n i g a t t o a n k e and n P c e h n lnesayvle vania, but the PRESIDENT doessho not like th e i r pre rtest country route. h if th ß e a h lt b im y o th re e s fo en r m an a d re , Washington is of no strategical value, but the North will never abandon the capital to the South and the rival President, without a struggle; and „" - i.auji,•4 4 .<:„.„.._ Av. k \ •• -- ” • ; THE SUN. riIEA TRE-R YAL, HAYMARKET. Lealee, 15fr. J. B. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, the performances will commence with a new and original Comedy, entitled BLACK SHEEP. Mr. Buckstone, Mr. Compton, Mr. Howe, Zs— ; Mrs. Wilkins, Mrs. Charles Young, Miss Lovell, &c. After which, will be revived, with entirely new scenery and effects, and all the original music by the late Sir Henry Bishop, the melodrama of THE M at 7. ILLER AND HIS MEN. Commence R O Y A T i i ,essee P an ß d l m N an C ErSmSr'SA. Harris. .-- THIS EVENING, THRICE MARRIED. Messrs. Shore, Meadows, Garden, and Miss C. Leclercq. F o llowed by HAMLET. Hamlet, Mr. Pechter. StIP- Misses ported by HUM/MU Vezin, Ryder, Meadows, &a ; eath, Elsworthy, and R. Leclercq. N EW THEATRE-ROYAL. A DELPHI.— Reproduction of "The Colleen ' Sole Proprietor and Monomer, 'gr. B.Webster. gavrp. " The Adelphi "Census" every E ven ' n7 * THIS EVENING, Bth time of a new Farce, entitled A TURKISH BATH. Mr. J. L. Toole, Mr. P. Bedford. After which (171st ti me ), THE COLLEEN AWN. Mr. D. J o Smith D. trisher, Billin-ton, Falconer, Stephenson, C. J. Smith, Romer , 'Toward. Word ; Mrs. Boucicault, Miss Woolgar, M rs , giiiiiigton, and Mrs. Chatterley. To be followed by a new aprop_os Sketch, THE CENSUS. Messrs. J. L,. Too le ;,Eburne, Romer, C. J. Smith ; Miss Kate Kelly, Ism E. T horne, and Mrs. Chatterley. Doors open at half past B—Commence at 7. A. NT ERBUItY-HALL CONCERTS!! V Westminster-road. Proprietor... C Morton. A Grand Selection from Verdi's new Opera, IL CORSARO, (This opera has never been produced In this or any other ,ountry, except at these Concerts), having met with that de "Med success which charactise the most popular works of this great Master, will be performed EVERY EVENING ; together with a Selection from LA FIGLIA DEL REGGI MENTO, by Donizetti, Principal Artistes—Miss Russell, Madame Maria, Miss Tyrrell, Mr. H. Herbert, Signor Tivoli, H. Drummond, and C. W. Bernard. Director, Mr. F. Jonghmans. The Comic Department comprises Messrs. E. Marshall, A. B. Hollingsworth, J. Blanchard, F. Bell, W. H. Welland, and the Brothers Conrad. John Mgrtin's Three celebrated Pictures will remain on view a short time longer in the Fine Arts Gallery of the Establishment. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. FRIG DAY.—Morning, h. m.—Afternoon, 12h. 6m. ro-mounow.-Morning, 12h. 30m.—Afternoon., 12h. 38m. THE WEATHER...-SUN OFFICE, MAY 5, 1861. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 52—highest since noon yesterday. 36—lowest this morning and during the night. 50—this day at noon. BiutomETEß-30.20 ; rising. WIND—N.-N.-Easterly—rather fresh; with fine sun. shiny weather, but cool. MAY 6. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHAM 53—highest since noon yesterday. 41—lowest this morning and during the night. 51—this day at noon. BAROMETER-30' 19 . WlND—North-Westerly—light ; with dull weather. Tat SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 6, no one would be surprised to hear that Washington ' had become the scene of the first great battle be tween slaveholders and freemen. We were right in our conjectures as to the ships burned. They were those in Norfolk Harbour, and the Gosport Navy Yard was also completely destroyed. It was done by the Unionists to pre vent their falling into the hands of the Virgi nians ; most of the ships were laid up in ordinary, some, it is said, were of little value. They were supposed, however, to be of some, or they would not have been destroyed. They were the Pennsyl vania, 120 ; the Merrimac, 40, a certainly splendid steam frigate; tha German Town, 22 ; the Colum bia, 50; the Raritan, 50 ; the Delaware, 84; the Columbus, 80; the United States, 50; the Dolphin, a brig of 4 guns ; one 84 on the stocks, and possibly another or two. The PRESIDENT has, however, still left him all the ships in active service ; the Minnesota, the Niagara, and the Mississippi, are all ready or nearly so for immediate duty, and the number of smaller vessels of war is consider able. We should think the PRESIDENT, therefore, will have little difficulty in blockading the five Southern ports, through which alone the South could export its produce in European bottoms, and obtain supplies of every kind. Some grave questions will, however, now be raised respecting privateering and the right of blockade. Europe is interested in them, and neither North nor South is in a position to despise its voice. Some of them will be mooted in the House to-night, and we may hope to hear the opinion of the Government lawyers on the most important points. Between the imminent possibilities of a general war in Europe and the actual horrors of a sanguinary civil war in America—a civil war that may any day flame out into a servile conflict upon the rising of 4,000,000 negroes in armed insurrection—it seems almost trifling with a dread emergency to dilate now at any length upon the convivial doings of Saturday evening in the principal room of the Royal Academy. However, as the Ministers themselves disdained not to participate, and that, moreover, quite evidently con amore in those agree able proceedings, it were nothing less than a prudish and squeamish affectation upon the part of any mere outsider, any one not personally invested with administrative responsibilities, to shrink from —what, nevertheless, still does appear to us the exceeding and almost indecorous incongruity of descanting at this particular juncture upon an inci dent absolutely nothing less than frivolous, as associated at such an interval as this with the chiefs of Her Britannic MAJESTY'S Government. It reminds one, of course, of the old proverbial phrase about dancing over a Volcano. It is some thing, perhaps, more than the 999th thousandth reminiscence of DAMOCLES feasting voluptuously under the pendant blade glittering upon the suspension of a hair. Yet it has its encouragement, too, in some sort, this careless momentary aban donment, even at great crises like the present, this seeming temporary forgetfulness of the toils and responsibilities of office by the leaders of our Ad ministration. " All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," says the nursery distich. And the truth, latent in the familiar aphorism, is applicable alike to a burly "old boy" like Farmer BULL him self, and to his diplomatic representative, or, alter ego, let us say, JOHN, commonly called Lord JOHN RUSSELL. And so Ministers themselves hesitate not to partake of the Academy hospitalities ye once more—with unbent brows and forgotten red. tape and loeked-up pigeon-holes crammed fu (these last) with reams upon reams of " papers' , folded lengthways ! Prime Ministers and Secre taries of State, noble lords and right h m. gentle- men, all with beaming faces and good appetites, consequently crowded up the eastern staircase of the National Gallery quite as pleasantly as the noble earl and the right hon. gentleman the leaders of her MAJESTY'S Opposition with their principal lieu tenants, to feast and chat on Saturday even• ing last at that the ninety-third annual ban quet given each year to the most 'eminent men of the time, by the gifted and right hospitable Royal Academicians. This—not merely the European crisis and the American en ternecine war to the contrary nevertheless notwith- standing! But—what is if possible yet more sur prising as an unlooked for appetizer under the cir cumstances—in flagrant despite of the glaring fact that Government and Opposition still confront each other ; breathing hard from their late tussle for the mastery ; still we say confront each other like skilled fencers at a duel for the life and death, their swordblades crossed, their eyes keenly upon the watch, every nerve and muscle upon the alert— ready for the next move ! And that next move probably at the present moment close upon us— this very evening ! Yet--in defiance of that most imminent among many other imminent, and all of them momentous possibilities—there, at the Royal Academy banquet, sat and feasted together the antagonistic chiefE of her MAJESTY'S Govern ment and her MAJESTY'S Opposition. Turning from the mere convivialities of Sahli.- day evening to the more vital theme of the actual position of parties as they now stand opposed to each other in the House of Commons—one cannot possibly but marvel whether, after all, the Conser vatives can make another fight of it in this matter of the Budget after what has so very recently oc curred ! After—that is to say—the resolute strug gle that was made during the night between Thursday and Friday last down at Westminster. Has the country even, as yet, thoroughly estimated what that fight actually was—how far it actually went as a trial of strength bet ween the Government and the Opposition ? Why, in connection in one way or another, directly or indirectly, with that division of Thursday night or Friday morning, out of the whole mass of the 658 members set down by the law of the land as constituting the sum total of the House of Commons—only twenty-two in all yet remain unaccounted for ! Is any one incredulous ? The following will prove the extra ordinary fact we are here alluding to, will prove this startling faet to absolute demonstration : Ministerial majority . .. 299 Opposition minority. Tellers 4 Speaker and Deputy-Speaker .• • • 2 Pairs Vacant Seats Left unaccounted for, Total, Q.E.D.. .. 658 at is but very rarely indeed, we may confidently assert, that parties are put to such a very close Best as that—the whole House of Commons, with tl'ae exception of no more than Twenty-Two " Ab si:ntees" (setting aside as of course of no account whatever the nine "Vacant Seats") taking part in Um contest between Government and Opposition. And recollecting how the fact—as we have thus sho/ ,vn quite clearly by a simple tabular arrangement of I aumerals—recollectin g , we say, how the fact ate .nds actually thus with the contending Parties, e cannot possibly do otherwise than marvel low, or Where, or with wh a t conce i va bl e c h ance (7f immediate success the Conservatives can again show fight upon the Budget in a position directly \utagonistic to the Government, There is certAinly the Paper Duties Resolution still to be accepted or rejected, or divided upon in committee of Ways and Means, but that has virtually—the House and the country understand clearly that has virtually been already settled by the acceptance of the Tea and Sugar Duties Resolution towards the end of last week and the consequent rejection of Mr. HORS PALL'S Amendment. However, the Opposition will —to use Mr. BUCKSTONE'S phrase, in " Grimshaw, Bagshaw, and Bradshaw," have, by this evening, had " a good think." They will have conned the result of this last division ; they will have carefully ruminated on the mystical majority whimsically spoken of by Mr. DISRAELI as numerically a mino rity, at any rate as hardly a majority, seeing that it was but yet in its teens—that (for the Opposition) particularly tantalising and mysterious majority of " Seventeen." And having thus deliberately re flected at their leisure upon the matter as it now is, we shall hear this evening from the Right Hon. Leaders:of the Opposition what will come of it. Coming as the Academy Banquet did just intermediately between the settlement of the Tea and Sugar Duties Resolution, and the settlement of the Paper Duties Resolution, it is really as if on Saturday evening the opposing armies had sat down for a pleasant amicable interval to eat salt together, side by side to smoke the Calumet of Peace complacently. A society held its annual meeting last week which he Conservatives, or a certain number of them, have brought of late into no little notoriety. Not a bill has been rejected lately in the Lords or the Commons if its object was any extension of Religious Liberty, which has not called forth some bitter de nunciations, generally contemptuous of this society. Yet it must have struck hearers or readers of the speeches of the two Lord ROBERTS, the HARDYS, the BENTINCKS, and all the class which threatened to break loose from Mr. DISRAELI'S leadership, un• less he headed " the Tory reaction," and which have dragged him too far after them.---it must have struck most hearers, that the society was, to them, rather more alarming than contemptible. They exalted its existence into a reason for refusing the slightest and most reasonable concession, they even got up a hostile society or societies ; and laid so much stress on its exertions in the House of Commons, that members who had charge of measures for religious liberty, seemed to think it necessary to proclaim aloud—" No connection with the shop at Sergeant's Inn." On the last occasion of this kind, Sir MORTON PETO himself, who wanted to obtain per mission for Nonconformists to bury a corpse with Christian decency in the churchyards which they are compelled to maintain, though he has subscribed to the society, and though last year he spoke at its annual meeting, thought he should promote his object by proclaiming his regret that " Societies for the liberation of Religion " and for " Church Defence," should exist at all. Not indeed that he gained much by sacrificing his society to his bill, for it was lost by a larger majority than any of the other bills for religious liberty rejected this session. It is rather singular that this society should have been adverted to of late as a discovery. It vas detected by the living representative of the con queror at Blenheim, who represents the Great Duke by fighting for the Church and all its abuses at the head of its Evangelical Regiment. Church-rates were tottering to their fall. The Abolition Bill had passed the Commons by large majorities, it had in vaded and appalled the House of Lords, but the Master of Evangelical Tactics bethought himself of a committee of the House of Lords, and placing him selfat the head of one, extemporised in a short time a defence of blue books, constructed of sandbags of evidence of all kinds, in which it was hoped the hostile shot would bury itself. Success was beyond anticipation. The pro-rate witnesses made to be sure, so far as we remember, a poor business of it ; they agreed but in one thing—desire to keep the Rate ; but as to how to keep it, no two of them seemed to be of one mind. Very conveniently for them, at least for their present object—and the future must look . to itself —they got before them, we believe, by their own offer to give evidence, two members of the now celebrated " Liberation Society "—Dr. FOSTER, Chairman of its Parliamentary Committee, and the well-known City merchant, SAMUEL MORLEY, Esq., an active, wealthy, and highly respected Noncon formist. These gentlemen told the committee very frankly indeed they seemed pleased with the opportunity of such a platform to speak from—the constitution and object of their society. In a long pupa state of existence it had been designated the Anti-State Church Society; but finding that opponents would confound antagonism against an establishment of any Church, with hostility to the Church itself which was estab lished, they rebaptised the society under a name definitely expressing its object. To them, as to the " Free Church" of Scotland, which assumed that name to express its characteristic in regard to State control, all Established Churches appeared to be in bondage. They entered, therefore, upon a new phase of existence, under the full title of " The Society for the Liberation of Religion from State Patronage" —a title which the necessities of breviloquence commonly shorten into that of the "Liberation So- ciety." Its representatives gladly described its objects, though its title seems to do that sufficiently, and its modes of operation. Meetings, lectures, tracts, small books, and very frequently vestry meetings called to lay church-rates, were all adverted to ; it was also mentioned that it kept up an active cor respondence with all liberal constituencies, urging them to look to the soundness of their represen tatives on questions of religious liberty. The most amusing thing is, however, the use made of • all this. Never, it seems, for a long time has a Blue Book had such a sale. Every incumbent of course must have a copy ; and all at once Dr. FOSTER and Mr. MOR LEY became the talk of the clerisy of the whole kingdom. It may seem strange to those of us who live in the daylight of common life, that a society, which had been using every effort to become known so old that we forget the year of its e birth , and all the time, which not only did not conceal its objects, but proclaimed them on the house-tops as far as it could,--that the fact of such a society's existence should now for the first time who speak of " a discovery" from the evidence of d d a wn on the clerical min. No doubt with many the above-named gentlemen, it is affectation to do so; but we have little doubt that on the thousands of the , State throughout the country, the clear active perceptionpr that a large number of very t ns at election s , i n t e lli gen t p er sons a c persons s cler gy too, really contemplated the peaceable liberation of the Church from the State, saving always the pecuniary rights of present incumbents and patrons, came like a revelation, and a revelation, too, from the infernal world, as they thought. _ . Hitherto they had never demeaned themselves to notice what they hardly knew of, and what, if they did, seemed to them beneath contempt. They had not, we believe, any realisation in their minds of anything so definite and hostile. They thought Dissenters had all the religious equality they could want, what would they have? And they were - 1861 shocked to find that by equality the Disse rater meant equality—Equality in the eye of the law and Constitution of the country, not toleration. The new light was the immediate parent of counter societies. " Church Defence" societies were com menced to protect the Church from " libera tion" liberation from control, which many of them long to be free from undoubtedly. Doctors and proctors, bishops and arch deacons, sigh for it annually in Convocation ; and when Government steps in and will have a Divorce Bill, or anything of that kind, they loudly protest but liberation " from State patronage—that is quite another thing ; liberation from privilege, preference, pay !—at that even the most stiff-necked of them, the Oxfords, and the Exeters, and the Archdeacon Denisons, shake their heads. We have given our readers in this very brief sketch a faithful account, we believe, of the position of the Liberation society which held its meeting last week, and of the Church in relation to it. The diminished majorites for measures of religious liberty, in the house are, we have no doubt, entirely due to the zeal aroused by the general knowledge among the clergy of this society, and its isfluence with constituencies. It may be observed that the defalcations from the ranks of supporters of mea sures for religious liberty in the Commons, are hardly to be perceived, but the clergy have whipped up the perfunctory of the Tory ranks, and com pelled them to go up and vote, at the penalty of losing their votes at the next election. HOW far their policy is a wise one, remains to be seen. It is nothing less than defending all abuses of Church power as outposts of the Establishment. If they be so, the clerical reaction may be right ; the clergy, however, will do well to ask whether each of the abuses they have this year defended so pertinaciously, is not rather a position from which the enemies of the Establishment assail it most successfully. LATEST THORN, MAY 6. Increased precautionary measures of a military character have been taken at Warsaw on account of the Russian Easter holydays. Cannon have been planted in front of the Cathe dral. Arrests and judicial inquiries by the civil autho rities continue to be made. MADRID, APRIL 5. The sitting of the Cortes will soon be closed. The Government have not yet taken any defini tive resolution respecting the proposed annex ation of St. Domingo to Spain ; but it is believed their reply will be in the affirmative. BRESLAU, MAY 4. Communication with Warsaw is difficult, as the Government is said to intercept letters. Count Zamoisky was at Warsaw on the Ist of May, and, notwithstanding reports to the contrary, was not to leave that city. The rewards accorded to the generals, and the thanks which the Emperor has addressed to General Chruleff, have spread indignation among the people. AGRAM, MAT 5 The Ban of Croatia has left for Vienna, accom panied by a numerous deputation, in order to make representations to the Emperor respecting the re presentation of the military frontier in the Croa tian Diet, and the administrative incorporation of Dalmatia with Croatia. PESTH, MAY 5 Large bodies of troops have been despatched to several places in various comitats, to enforce pay ment of the taxes. The congregations of the comitats have remon strated against these proceedings. FRANCE. PARIS, MAY 5, The Xoniteur of to-day announces that the in terest on Treasury Bills has been reduced Q per cent. The rates are fixed at 31, 4, and 44 per cent., according to the length of time the bills have to run. BOURSE, May 4.—The market has been buoyant to-day, and a rather large amount of business done at improved quotations. Threes, for the Account, which opened at 69f 10c, are now at 69f 30c. Railway shares have been also in demand, and quotations generally higher. The following were the last quotations :- 41 per per Cents ... 96 25 Credit Fonder 945 Do end month.... 96 25 i Belgian 41 — 3 per Cents Do. end month 69 45 Roman Bank Shares .. 2880 Austrian Credit Mobilier.... 715 Spanish Three 3 49 Do. Account 717 50 , Home Debt RAILWAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans Northern New ditto 9OO .. Lyons and Mediterranean 975 .. 978 75 Geneva Southern Western Eastern Sardinian 385 .. 385 Austrian Lombard , ....... SPAIN. MADRID, MAY 3. The Correspondencia Autografa of to-day says : —" All the towns of San Domingo have issued a pronunciarnento in favour of annexation to Spain." The Correspondencia Autografa also asserts that Spain has announced to the powers that she would accept this annexation. SPAIN AND SAN DOMINGO. General Geffrard, President of Hayti, as has been already announced, has published a protest against the occupation of San Domingo by Spain. In this document, which was published at Port-au-Prince on April 6, the President says:—" By what right do General Santana and his faction deliver up the Dominican territory to Spain ? It is the will o the population,' say they. Lying assertion ! That population, trembling under the reign of terror organised by General Santana, cannot manifest any free will. A number of honest, enlightened, and devoted patriots of the Dominican republic, driven out of their country by General Santana, protest with all their might against this alienation of their country, and declare it to be a base act of treason. No one will deny that Hayti has a great interest that no foreign power should establish itself in the eastern part of the island. The moment that two peoples inhabit the same island their destinies, with regard to any foreign attempts on them, are necessarily connected together. The political existence of the one is intimately bound up with that of the other, and they are bound to guarantee each other's safety. Suppose it were possible that Scotland should pass all at once under Russian or French rule, would it not be said that the existence of England was profoundly compromised ? Such are the necessary bones between the eastern and western parts of Hayti." The protest concludes as follows The Govern ment of Hayti, then, protests solemnly, in the face of Europe and America, against all occupation of the Dominican territory by Spain. It declares that the Santana faction has no right to alienate, in any respect whatever, that territory ; that it will never recognise such accession ; that it publicly makes all reserves on that point, as well as reserves to itself the employment of all means that, under the circumstances, may be adapted to preserve and secure its most precious interests," FT.VE ARTS. HOLM - AN ArNT. At the German Gallery, 168, New Bond•street, there are now on view, for a very few weeks, a cluster of extraordinary productions from the hand of this great artist. Foremost amongst them, of course, his admitted masterpiece—the chef d'ceuvre of that remarkable school of Art-Revivalists, which has assumed to itself the antique designation of the Pre-Raphael ites. "The Finding of our Saviour in the Temple" is the title (as all the connoisseurs of London know full well by this time) of Mr. Hunt's chief glory as a Painter. Whatever exception may be taken to the school of the Pre-Raphaelites, however numerous and grotesque may be their eccentricities—who that has but once looked upon that astonishing picture can ever, ever lose the recollection of its inimitable grace, of its delicious splendour in mere colouring, of its abounding and bewitching loveliness ? It is the world's latest and not its least illustration of the exquisite truth latent in that first line of poetry John Keats ever published, the opening verse of his maiden poem of " Endymion"— " A thing of beauty is a joy for ever :" And bearing in mind Holman Hunt's Great Work here referred to, - vc e may, in the mere remembrance of it, continue the impassioned quotation— " Its loveliness increases ; it will never Pass into nothingness ." And now, in addition to the allurement thus enshrined in the German Gallery in the form of this capo d'opera of Holman Hunt's genius as a Pre-Ra phaelite, there are displayed upon the walls of the ante-room, or vestibule to the inner apart ment in which "The Finding of our Savour in the Temple" assembles day by day a moving throng of admiring and awe-stricken spectators—we had almost said of worshippers—several very remark able minor works from the same master hand. . " Claudio and Isabella" we again greet with pleasure—as they are pourtrayed in the famous dungeon scene from Measure for Measure:— " Claud. Death is a fearful thing ! Isab. And shamed life a hateful I" Hundreds will recognise this singular cabinet pic ture of the captive brother and the nun sister conferring together upon the awful theme of life and death in the dungeon-window. Its colouring is as fresh and radiant as when it hung first of all upon the walls of the Royal Academy during—it seems to us—a long past Exhibition. Hard by—clustered together in a group upon the same wall of the vestibule to the German Gallery —are five sparkling and luminous water-colour drawings of historic scenes recently brought back by Mr. Hunt from the Holy Land. Cairo is revealed to us in one, with " Sunset on the Gebel Mokattum." Yonder is the distant sheen of the " Dead Sea," as viewed from Siloam. Yonder " Nazareth ! " Yonder the " Plain of Rephaim," beheld from the height of Zion. And there—twinkling with arti ficial lights under the purple darkness—" Jerusalem during Ramazan." These five pictures—with a bloom upon them like so many plums dropped into the art-lap of England—are of themselves worthy of a pilgrimage to the German Gallery. Whoever journeys thither to see them, however—will not fail to advance a step further in his pilgrimage, immediately afterwards : to cast another wondering glance at Mr. Hunt's opus prcecipuum— " The Finding" of the Redeemer of the World by His Mother and His Foster Father in the Porch of the Temple of God in Jerusalem. EUGENE VERBOECKHOVEN. An admirable painting—" Cattle Leaving the Farm-Yard" is the name of it—is now on view at No. 3, Hanover-square, from the hand of Sydney Cooper's preceptor, the great animal painter, Eugene Verboeckhoven. Apart from its mere intrinsic merits, which are very considerable, the picture here particularized is at this moment invested with a peculiar interest. It is probably—in the first instance—the final work of art that this gifted man's hand will ever pro duce. Liar nv•cs liminic{-ina. fr in the influence of extreme old age—for the painting referred to is proof positive that those powers of his are now at their very highest, while, as to him self, he has yet scarcely reached that mysterious epoch of 63, distinguished as the "grand climac teric." The melancholy reason why this particular production of Verboeckhoven will in all human probability be the last effort of his genius as a painter, being simply the fact that within a very few weeks from the date of its completion the great artist was stricken with blindness ! And now turning to the picture, the production of which has been thus mournfully signalised, one can hardly resist the notion that Verboeckhoven had, in painting it, a certain wonderful presentiment that it would probably be his last. For in it he has not only, so to speak, put forth his whole strength, but in the mere composition of the pic ture he has contrived, with extraordinary ingenuity, to introduce upon his canvass almost every domes ticated denizen of the adult's zoological gardens, almost every homely figure in the child's Noah's Ark. And yet the creatures are all of them so naturally introduced that their singular diversity is not at the first glance recognisable. As the title of the picture intimates, the moment chosen is in that early hour of the morning when the Cattle are leaving the Farmyard. All the ser vants and all the live stock of the establishment are astir ; the farmer and his family in their half-seen homestead in the background being yet a-bed—the window blinds still down, the chimneys smokeless. Not so the busier portion of the establishment, whence issue the farm servants, young and old, with their respec tive charges, the herd loWing from the byre, the flock bleating from the fold, poultry straggling from the coop, dogs bouncing from kennel. In the centre of the composition the sheep, headed by a grand old ram, are being driven out to pasture by the shepherd ; one of the prettiest episodes in the whole picture being that of the ewe, caressed by the two little lambs, jealous of each other. To the right of the spectator the donkey, with laden pan niers, is setting forth marketwards, well laden, doubtless, with butter and eggs, the goodwife who guides it carrying in her arms a young kid. To the spectator's left a boy is playing with a goat, apparently trying to lead it towards the rustic bridge that spans a small rivulet, babbling by the margin of the Farmyard. Thither towards this bridge moves onwards majestically—sniffing the sweet breath of the dawn—the lordly bull, the glint of the early sunrise glancing upon the rounded tips of his formidable horns : behind stray ing out less eagerly, with ruminant countenances, the cows, red and brindled, driven out from their stalls by the brawny herdsman. Alarmed, by the sound of the cattle, for the safety of his flannel-like, yellow ducklings, the green-plumaged drake ca l ls the mother-duck down into the runnel to their assis tance—she herself taking the water in instant answer to his summons. A young matron with her apron full of grain is scattering plenteous hand fulls to the cluckin g f ow l s at her f eet, the rudd y bantam with his brood of hens and chickens. An old dame is dandling an infant in her arms looking on from within the farm -house over a closed half doorway. High up by the gable end is the dove-cot with the pigeons fluttering hither and thither, and preening their sleek feathers in the sunlight. From a garret a cantem platiye cat gazes down upon the whole scene de murely. Immediately below the window —being the glory o f the whole picture, by the way — st ands the noblest animal of them all, yet unparticularised A superb Flemish cart-horse—worthy of Made moiselle Rosa Bonheur or Sir Edwin Landseer— a magnificent creamwhite cart-horse harnessed to a barrel tumbrel ! The red-coated driver lounging sideways upon the barrel, while his little shock dog, leaping delightedly about his heels, strives, as yet vainly, to attract his attention. An umbra geous elm in all the radiance of its summer foliage overshadows half the red brick homestead—th( distant stretch of meadowland beyond, trailing off norizon-wards in the direction of the " foughten field" of Waterloo. Confused heaps of kitchen utensils littered towards the centre of the fore gr94ll4 With their metallic ratlines And: ottlipt surfaces contrast with the verdure of the dockleaves growing beside them luxuriantly. The effect of the whole picture is admirably harmonised, and as a work of art and as a transcript from nature, it reflects the highest honour upon the genius of the rarely gifted, but now grievously afflicted painter, Eugene Verboeckhoven. COURT PICTURES. PRIVATE VIEW-(THIS DAY). At the French Gallery (121, Pall-mall East) we have this afternoon attended at the Private View of Four exquisite " Court Pictures"—two of them from the halld of John Phillip, R.A., two of them from the hand of the Court Painter par excellence, viz., Winterhalter. Now that these remarkable productions are opened to public view, we cannot doubt but that the lieges of her Majesty will avail themselves of the opportunity which is thus afforded them of gra tifying their loyal curiosity, by hundreds, or rather by thousandE. As the central picture of the group there is that famous painting, already familiar to the frequenters of the Royal Academy exhibition of last season, Mr. Phillip's really wonderful representation of the marriage of H.R.H. the Princess Royal to H.R.H. the Prince Frederick William, now Crown Prince of Prussia. Re-examining it as it now hangs in the French Gallery, we are only confirmed in our opinion upon first seeing it, that it is incomparably the finest Court Picture, the finest picture of a Court Pageant, artist ever put upon canvass. Upon either hand is a noble life-size, full-length portrait—there, to the right, of H.R.H. the Prince Consort—there, to the left, of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen. These being from the courtly brush of Winterhalter. As likenesses they are, as nearly as possible, for the time at which they were taken, just perfect. Upon another wall of the same apartment hang Mr. Phillip's charm ing portraiture of H.R.H. the little Princess Beatrice, tricked out in white satin frock and, shoes, her flaxen hair sweeping back from her forehead, she herself (with the prettiest little beam- ing face) holding out towards us, as we stand gazing at her, what seems, for her, an emblematic bouquet of blooming primroses. HANOVER-SQUARE ROOMS. Miss Stabbach gave her annual concert on Wed nesday last. Among the successes of the evening must be counted Miss Theresa leffrey'a song of "Dove Sono," and Mr. Thomas's execution of " Qui Sdegno," which latter was rendered in a masterly manner. Also may be mentioned with approbation the solo on the violin by Sainton, which was most beautiful. It elicited the most enthusiastic approval. Miss Stabbach was encored in tne ballad of " Old Familiar Things." She sang it in a most expressive style, and fully entered into the spirit of that touching melody. Signor Gar doni was also encored in "La Donna e Mobile," which he was very happy in rendering in a finished manner. Miss Stabbach was again redemanded in " The Days of Chivalry." Herr Oberthur per formed on the harp in his usual masterly style, and altogether the concert was most successful. 2HE TO L ASSOCIATION. On Thursday evening last the Vocal Association gave another of their popular concerts in St. James's Hall. The programme was varied and attractive, though perhaps rather longer than usual. M. Ole Bull, the celebrated violinist, made his second ap pearance, and was enthusiastically welcomed. He delighted the audience by his delicate manipulation and originality of style. He must certainly be ranked among our first instrumentalists, and fully merited the rapturous applause he received. An other conspicuous feature in the evening's enter tainment was a duet for two pianos, composed by Moscheles, and performed by Lindsay Sloper and Benedict. As may be imagined it was brilliantly played and well received. Herr Engelon, on the Harmonium, completed the list of instrumen talists. Among the vocalists were two new singers, Mdlle. Billing and Mdlle. Georgi each making their first appearance. Both ladies acquitted themselves creditably, and with time and practice will, no doubt, distinguish themselves in the concert-room. Miss Rowland, Mrs. Abbot, and Mdlle. Lemaire, were also among the vocalists, the latter lady being the most successful. Herr Her manna gave a German song, which was loudly re-demanded, and Signor Gardoni sang Beethoven's beautiful song " Adelaide," which always secures attention. The choir acquitted themselves with credit in some arduous undertakings, and the con cert appeared to give satisfaction to a large and brilliant audience. It is understood that her Majesty and the Prince Consort will remain at White Lodge, Richmond Park, for a fortnight, returning to Buckingham Palace about the loth instant. The Queen is expected to stay in London two or three days, and then leave for Osborne. There is a rumour that his Grand Ducal Highness Prince Louis of Hesse will visit this country towards the end of this month. He will, of course, be the guest of her Majesty at Osborne, and most probably accompany the court back to town in June.— Court Journal. THE Fox CLUB.—The third meeting of the Fox Club this season took place on Saturday evening at Brooks's. Amongst those present were the Marquis Townahend, Sir Thomas B. Birch, Colonel H. F. Custance, Colonel C. B. Challoner, Earl of Zet land, Earl of Strafford, Viscount Eversley, and Lord Llanover. CEYLON.—Government has decided on building a large sanitorium and hospital for soldiers on the healthy plains of Neweralia, in the centre of Ceylon, at a height of about 8,000 feet above the level of the sea, double that at which the military station at Newcastle, in St. Catherine's Mountains, in Jamaica, is situate. THE MOTGOMERYSHIRE BOROUGHS.-0a Satur day last Capttin Wiles Johnson, R.N., son-in-law to the late member, was returned in the Conservative cause, without opposition. RE-OPENING OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM.—The national collection will be re-opened for the admission of the public on Wednesday next, the Bth inst., the period assigned for the spring vacation expiring the day previous. THE BURGLARY AND ATTEMPTED MURDER IN ISLINGTON.—The unfortunate girl, Mary Ann Redkinson is progressing very satisfactorily, and from the great care that has been bestowed upon her injuries, by the authorities at the Royal Free Hospital the scars will be by no means so great as was anticipated. She will not be in a fit state to undergo giving her evidence at Clerkenwel police-court before Tuesday week, so that anything that occurs with respect to the prisoners before that time will be purely formal. THE ILKESTON MURDER.—The inquest on the body of Joseph Smith, who was shot by his son at Ilkeston at an early hour on Thursday morning last, was resumed on Saturday before Mr. Coroner Whiston. A number of wit ;tosses were examined, including Detective Davis, who pro duced the letter the murderer wrote on Wednesday last to his sweetheart at Bolton, and who also spoke to conversa tions that had taken place between him and the accused on his being conveyed to gaol. The murderer's brother, sister and sister's husband were also examined ; and Mr. Webster of Nottingham deposed that he sold him a pistol on Wed nesday last, and a woman from the same town swore that she sold him some powder and shot on the same day. After a long inquiry the coroner adjourned the inquest. SUICIDE OF A GENTLEMAN NEAR PRIMROSE niLL.—On Saturday morning, about 7 o'clock, the body of a well-dressed man was found by Harrison, 81 S, lying on the ground adjoining the fence surrounding the Eaton Cricket Ground, Primrose-hill. The constable heard the report of firearms, and immediately went to the spot from whance it came, when he observed that the unfortunate man exhibited no signs of life. He sent for a surgeon, who discovered a wound under the deceased's right ear, and which had been inflicted with a pistol that was by his side. He pronounced life extinct. The body was conveyed to the workhouse. He appeared about 35 years of age, and wqs attired in a fashionable manner, had gold studs in his shirt, a quantity of silver and coppers in his pockets, toge ther with a paper on which was written the following, showing that he had premeditated the rash act :—" Friend : You wtio shall find this body take it to the nearest public house, and deliver the letters you find as addressed." On examining the letters, one was found addressed to the Rev. Mr. Eyre, 9, Hill- street, Berkeley-square, a Roman Catholic priest, who on seeing the communication at once identified the handwriting as that of Mr. Richard Goreing, residing in Hamilton-street, Camden-town. The other letter, together with a bag and parcel subsequently found at his lodging, were addressed to George Goreing, Esq., at Messrs. Blythe and Co.'s, engineers, Fore •street, Limehouse. From the contents of the letter addressed to the Rev. Mr. Eyre, that gentleman is led to believe that the cause of the commis , . sion of this desperate act was a love affair in which the unfortunate man had been disappointed. 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