The Sun. — London, England, 1863-08-24 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 1863. The Princes of Germany are learning wisdom. Truth, at last, is making itself heard in high places. Not from without —not in the thundering accents of popular revolution, but from within—from within the sacred precincts of royalty, in the still small voice of conscience-stricken conviction, comes to-day the doctrine of reform and the promulga tion of popular rights. Magna est veritas, says the Adage. We have only to wait, and truth must and will be triumphant. It is a triumph, to-day, to those who, like ourselves, have so long and so strenuously preached those popular doctrines to witness the steady and rapid progress of their diffusion even in quarters the least to be expected. What says the King of BAVARIA in his recent address to the Emperor of AUSTRIA ? The King of BAVARIA, a Sovereign himself, speaking in the name of an essembled con gress of Sovereigns, Princes and Potentates of the proud German race, and addressing his words to the mighty Kaiser, the despotic head of imperial Austria, the King of BAVARIA declares, in the name of all these Princes, and the Emperor to whom he speaks cordially agrees with him—" We no longer misunderstand that the basis (of the constitution) needs to be developed agreeably to the spirit of the age, and especially by the organic introduction of a representation of the various Peoples." Is not this a step in advance ? A Congress of Sovereigns take into consideration a representation of Peoples! They recognise the existence—the moral existence—of such bedies• Not merely as " hewers of wood and drawers of water"—not merely to labour and sow, to toil and to be taxed, but—to be represented: The King of BAVARIA is wise in his generation, but the chief merit of his wisdom is due, no doubt, to a greater and a yet wiser poten tate—thc Emperor of AUSTRIA. He it is who, with a true prescience, has under stood the exigency of the hour. He has recognised at once the Danger, the Difficulty, and the Oppor tunity of his position, and, like a skilful gene ral, availing himself of the Opportunity, has set both Danger and Difficulty at defiance. The Emperor of AUSTRIA has struck the key-note to which his brother Princes have wisely—how wisely !—hastened to respond. Hence the liberal declaration of the King of BAVARIA, who, in the course of his discourse alludes more than once to " the spirit of the age," and the desire of the Princes to conform to it. Had such an appreciation of a great truth dawned upon the benighted minds of CHARLES I. and Loues XVI., the STUARTS might have gone to their graves Kings of England, and the BOUR BONS at this day might have been reigning 8611 in France. Every rule, of course, must have its exception, every otherwise unanimous body must have its dissentient unit. The Happy Family of prudent Sovereigns have one foolish and refrac tory Brother. The King of PRUSSIA is acting on the principle of the naughty boy who sulks in the corner and "will not" take part in the general joy. The punishment falls where, obviously, it is justly due, on himself and on himself alone ! So be it. The liberal and enlightened Sovereigns of Germany, from a mistaken and exaggerated courtesy, had in vited the illiberal and unenlightened King of PRUSSIA to take part in their deliberations. The King of PRUSSIA knew better. What should he do in such an assembly ? We should say to the other Sovereigns, as we would say to the friends of the refractory youth above-mentioned, who wish to ccr "iliate and coax him from his corner—" Leave him alone ; he knows his right place. Let him abide by his own wise decision, and—take the conse quences le The deliberations of the other Princes will be watched with a very general and well deserved inte rest in rest this country. " The end we aim at," Bees the u i (hOng of BAVARIA, " is clearly before our eyes , althou g h the paths which conduct to it are nut yet prepared and are in part concealed from us." The end, h owever, is beforo them—the development of the c o on in accordance with the spirit of the age--the design so daringly adven tared upon by the Emp ero r of AUSTRIA. While F RANC IS JOSEPH ill, for this Prudent declaration, so 1 in opposition to the foreg one tenet s the his Libe r a ls o f winning golden opinions from country, some zealous politicians will, Perhaps re pent them of the indignation „ e lavishly bestowed awhile ago upon Mr. R °EBTICK He was among the first to re cognise th ou : liberal indications on the part of the Kaiser, and, like all men who are beforehand with any dis covery or innovation, he met only with obloquy an d iecreiulitiee. He is now to a certain extent justi fied, and we trust that the future deliberations and resolutions of the Congress will yet further gua rantee and yet further justify his hopes and ex peetations. " Let us engage in the work with calmness and firmness," says the prudent King of BAVARIA, " with a sincere and honest will ; then the benediction of the all , Powerfal will be with ns, and will crown our labours," to which aspiration the Liberals of England will very fervently and unanimously respond—Amen ! It is often easier to work an important charge than to rectify a mistake, easier to introduce a startling innovation than to retrace the steps which have been taken on the supposed road to reform. Men will generally prefer to go a very long way round to taking the short and simple path back again, which they have just travel Seed, thinking they were making rapid progress. Lt is therefore an unusual, as well as satisfactory event, to find the Westminster Board of Works so frankly and so promptly admitting the error into which they have been led, and so readily taking measures to put matters right again. The outlines of the case are familiar to the public, and it is undoubtedly one of great hardship. For many years past an array of stall and truck-keepers have been tolerated in the Broadway, Westminster, and several adjacent parts, as they aro in Tottenham-court-road, the New Cut, Clare-street, Camden-town, Islington, and countless other places. Some of these stalls were, it seems, regarded as family possessions, and in any case the owner's right to his stand and his stall was unquestioned by any competitor. Many of the occupants have held their posts for more than 30 years, some of them being aged persons, who would naturally be unfit for any other employment. A regular al fresco market was thus carried on, the activity of which any one may guess who has ever passed through such a locality on a Saturday even ing. It needs the pen of a DICKENS to depict pi T ct h with sufficient vivacity its busy and stirrin g life. re gular tradesmen of the neighbourhoodhave , itwo u l would seem, no objection to these supernumerary pur veyors, and it is indeed probable that their interests do not clash. A totally differen t class would stop at a street-stall, attracted by the cry of " five whit in gs for a penny" from the customers who choose he hu f e rom e the fishmongers' marble; and the myat of cabbages and onions that greet the passenger at every corner of the footpath with the assurance that each is " the last penn'orth," are not very likely to prove dangerous rivals of the regular supply. The system, although it undoubtedly has its drawbacks, fills a vacancy in our social life. It supports one class and provides for another. It is indisputably the market of the poor, and buyers and sellers, who are all of the lower working order, would be heavy losers by its suppression. It supplies the means of regular and honest living to hundreds of poor hard working persons, who have probably neither expe rience, ability, nor, above all, capital enough to em bark on a larger scale. Oar sources of employment are not so many, nor is our labour market so ill sup plied, that weshould lightly talk of closin g one honest and useful means of getting a livelihood, and the amount of distress, suffering, and indignation caused in Westminster by the recent order for the removal of the street stalls in the district may be readily imagined. Acting, no doubt, from a mis taken wish to preserve public order and consult the general convenience, the members of the Board of Works passed a resolution at the close of last month approving the report of their committee with reference to obstructions on the footways and car riage -ways. Upon the passing of this resolution, the Chief Commissioner of Police caused the stalls to be removed, and loud were the lamentations of the poor ruined stallkeepers. Who originated the matter in the first instance we cannot say, but the general impression on the part of the tradesmen, whether the result of deliberate conviction or of temporary compassion, appears to be in favour of the maintenance of the old customs. How the dis placed vendors have occupied or supported them selves since the arbitrary decree that broke up their ancient privilege we know not, but their time of trouble has only been of short duration. Moved by the distress and excitement felt throughout the district, some of the residents in the neighbour hood took up the matter and exerted themselves to obtain the rescinding of the proceedings. A body was formed which was styled the Street Stall Com mittee, which has been actively engaged in the movement. On Monday last a meeting of more than a thousand persons assembled at the Temper ance Hall, Westminster, at which the committee reported their proceedings, and a deputation was appointed to wait upon the District Board of Works and present a memorial asking for the return of the stalls. In presenting this memorial, which was numerously signed, the secretary to the committee pointed out the hardship of the case, showing that 45 families, numbering 300 persons, had been sud denly thrown out of employment by the withdrawal of a privilege which the costermongers had en joyed for the last 60 years. A licensed victualler in the Broadway, who was also a member of the deputation, testified, on the strength of 31 years' experience, to the utility and practical service of the street market to the families of the poor. An other tradesman, residing in Great Chapel-street, gave satisfactory evidence as to the general feeling of the locality; for he affirmed that having can vassed the neighbourhood for signatures to the me morial, he had only met with three refusals. Other respectable shopkeepers expressed themselves strongly in support of the memorial, and the de putation withdrew. The members of the Board thereupon, with a candour and readiness that does them honour, at once admitted that they had made a mistake, and proceeded promptly to rectify it. Having, of course, no personal interest in the mat ter, they had only endeavoured to carry out what they believed to be for the general good ; but on finding that the proceedings they had taken were totally at variance with the feeling of the district, and were the cause of much suffering to an honest and industrious class of persons, they immediately revoked the obnoxious resolution, and carried a motion for the reinstatement of the stalls. Mr. - WHITE, of Parliament -street, the original mover of the resolution, alone re tained his opinion unchanged, but as he did not vote, not being ambitious of so isolated a dignity, this solitary exception did not mar the unanimity with which the motion was carried. So that the inhabitants of the Broadway and Chapel-street will soon see the busy line of trucks fringing their thoroughfares as of old, and the little community, who probably regard their ancient positions with as much pride and jealousy as the claimants to larger domains, will hasten to repossess themselves of the old time-honoured haunts. No sooner was the good news wafted abroad than hundreds of the poor, we are told, assembled as if, by magic, alter nately congratulating each other, and blessing the authors of the change, and expressing their joy, we may be sure, in sufficiently demonstrative fashion. We are heartily glad that the affair has terminated so satisfactorily, and we hope it will be a caution to well-disposed but officious reformers to pause before they interfere too lightly with the resources of humble industry. The employment and decent maintenance of several hundred fami lies is no light thing in this busy metropolis, where want is ao often the guide to crime, and the cannot bYe sup pressionmeans o f any any less d of up ea o r n ni b n y g t an he hpoenl political t e liveli hoodeeo • than by the h uman it ar i an , as o n th m e i r Bt t ' han a social calamity. It is of less conse quence that our carriage roads should be free from all obstruction than that our thoroughfares clear from mendicants anOdurthfQi e e v t e w s y and ho a u tt b l e e outer decorum gained i n an increase be sadly compounded for b y in n on tb ld e already overwhelming numbers of our criminal and destitute population. Great credit is due to this District Board for so quickly atoning for their error, and still greater praise is due to those gen tlemen whose active and untiring efforts have won the gratifying gaerLa of success, cad have ob- tained for them the hearty thanks of their humble co-parishioners. Vox et preterea nihil should certainly be the motto of the noble lord who presides over our foreign policy, and perhaps more justly of the administra tion which he represents in that department. That Earl RUSSELL means well, we do not doubt, and in deed in some cases, such as the late controversy wiih the Brazilian Government, he has proved himself ready to vindicate the rights of his country with the sword as well as the pen. It is true that, in such cases, there is no danger of war, and by taking matters with a high hand a satisfactory result will generally follow. It would naturally be supposed That the same decisive line of action would have been taken in regard to the conduct of a powerful State that has not like others sinned against England, by misadventure, or through the ignorance or over zealousness of its agents, but one which glories in the violation of international laws. The dignity of t m h e empire parta l l y! and demands wh t e h n a t t h h e e rhsotna honour e n s r m a en nd sh in o t u e l r d d iest e o a f l England is at stake, know no difference between the mighty and the weak. But let us glance at the voleminons correspondence which has been carried on between Earl RUSSELL and the United States Government on the question, whether the United States Government shalt violate the law of nations regarding neutrals, and empower Customhouse agents at New York, by the apse dixit of the Dictator, to stay British vessels from leaving that port 'with cargoes con signed to firms in the English colonies, or, if per mitted to sail, requiring them to enter into an undertaking that such cargoes shall not in any wise fall into the hands of the Confederates. Earl RUSSELL denies the right of Mr, LIN COLN to act in such a manner. He admits frankly that the United States Government has a right to forbi.d the export of any article from , its ports which necessity or prudence may require but he distinctl.y declares that it is unjust to make an exceptiona.t case of English vessels. One would have thought that this ought to have been enough to show the 'Washington Cabinet the folly of the act, and to have brought them to reason: No such thing. More than a year has passed over since these wrongs were first complained of, and British trade between New York and the Bahamas is much in jured. After British merchantmen have been seized on the high seas, under pretext that they intended to run the blockade, and their papers pronounced forgeries without any proof whatsoever, and the very sanctity of our ports violated, Earl RUSSELL, on the receipt of a despatch from Lord LYONS, in dites the following letter, instructing the Ambassa dor of the British Crown to re-open the question just at the point where it first originated : "Foreign-office, July 18, 1863. "My Lord,—You will have learnt from my despatch of the 10th ult., that as her Majesty's Government saw reason to hope that their representations respecting the interference exercised by the United States Government with the trade carried on between New York and the Bahamas would not remain without effect, they had not considered it necessary to continue the controversy with t hat Government. In this expectation, however, her Majesty's Government are disappointed ; for it would appear from the representation of Messrs. Tootal, Broadhurst, and Co., which accompanies your despatch of the 22d ult., that the interference of the United States authorities with this trade is still persisted in, and I have according'y to instruct you to address a fresh remonstrance on this subject to the United States Govern- ment.—l am, &c., " RUSSELL," How is all this to end ? Can Lord P- ALMERSTON'S Cabinet expect that any serious attention will be paid to remonstrances only. Remonstrances can alone have weight with such men as ABRAHAM LINCOLN and Mr. SEWARD when there is a pressure behind. This was forcibly demonstrated by the affair of the Trent. Would the Southern delegates have been released if ten thousand soldiers had not, as it were, crushed through the ice into Canada, and an English fleet been in readiness to threaten New York, Boston, and Portland. This was a lesson to American politicians; they found that their overweening conceit had overrated England's endurance, and underrated the promptness for action when there was no help for it, or rather when the people felt the insult, and the Ministers were forced to resent it. Mr. LINCOLN has taken the hint and profited by it ; he found it necessary to give way ac the time, and did so at the expense of the agent, the notorious Captain WILKES, who was declared to have acted without instructions. For all this he was at once elevated to the dignity of Commodore. Since then a more crafty policy has been followed, a sharp practice has been softened down by smooth words, and while diplomatists are arguing, American custom-house officers are dic tating to English merchants what they may and what they may not ship, and Fede ral cruisers are overhauling any West In dian trader that they can catch. It is not to be expected that this can last. Mr. LINCOLN is playing a desperate game ; but then desperation gives him courage. So long as he can befool Eng- land, he may hold his own and trust to the doctrine of chances. Let that doctrine be what it may for America, North or South, it is high time that Eng land should be trifled with no longer. Let Earl RUSSELL be deaf to all unnecessary verbal remon strances, and plainly let it be understood that Eng land will have her rights respected, and that if these be wantonly infringed, her next remon strance will come from the cannon's mouth. PRINCESS'S THEATRE, THE SUMMER SEASON. This theatre was reopened for the above purpose on Saturday evening by Mr. Walter Montgomery with a company selected from various of the Lon don houses. The entertainments consisted of the "Merchant of Venice" and the drama of " Lavater," iu both of which Mr. Montgomery appeared, giving a most vigorous impersonation of the Jew in the first place, and of the Swiss philosopher in the second. He was very warmly received and applauded, and was ably supported in the play by the Portia of Mies Atkinson, which was a genuine perform ance. We are happy to add that the house was well filled. To-morrow evening Mr. Montgomery appears in Othello, and on Thursday in King John. THE NEW BANKRUPT ACT AND IMPRISONMENT. —As an illustration of the operation of the new Bankruptcy Act we give the following results of the gaol delivery in the metropolitan district, made by Mr. Registrar Roche on Friday, the 21st inst. Since the abolition of the Queen's Prison, which has been recently transferred to the War Department, and will be used as a place for the deten tion of military prisoners, there are only two debtor prisons in the metropolitan aistrict—Horsenionger-lane Gaol and Whitecross-street Prison. In the former the Lumber of prisoners confined for debt on the 21st was 20 ; of these 10 were included in the gaoler's return made on the lst of the month, and of these three were adjudicated bankrupts and released; the others, either as bankrupts who had been remanded, or who had not been sufficient time in prison, were not dealt with. At Whitecross-street the number of prisoners for debt confined on the 21st was 104, many of these being County Court commitments ; the number re turned by the gaoler on the Ist of the month as coming within the jurisdiction of the Registrar was 26. Of these 14 were adjudicated bankrupt and released; the remainder were not dealt with because the debtors had not been in prison sufficient time, or were abaut to make arrangements with their creditors. These details may lead to the infer ence that a system of frie n dly arres t s as a p re li m i na ry to pauper bankruptcy i s s till very popu l ar . Alth oug h the number of d e b tors i n pr i son prior to Octo b er, 1861, was he been large,exrected, the number is not so ma t er i a lly di m i n i s h e d as m i g ht there being a continual influx of new comers, LATEST INTELLIGENCE. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) THE BOMBAY MAILS. SOUTHAMPTON, AUG. 24. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam ship Ceylon, Capt. Evans, with the heavy portion of the Bombay and Mediterranean Mails has ar. rived. She brings 58 passengers, 4 packages specie, value £1,277, also 27 cases Indian shawls, 1 box mosaics, 46 packages sundries, and 426 bales raw silk, value £40,000 sterling. The Ceylon experienced from Cape St. Vincent to Pinisterre head winds and heavy sea ; across the Bay of Biscay, light winds and fine weather. On. the 15th, in lat. 36 21 N., long. 13 34 E., the Ceylon spoke the steamship Memon, steering eastward ; on the same date, lat. 36 40 N., long. 12 40, the steamship Belona, bound west; on the 16th, in lat. 37 38 N., long. 6 42 E., s.s. official No. 29,639, bound east ; 19th, in let. 36 15 N., long. 6 30 %V., s.s. Tiber, steering N.W.; and on the 22d, the company's steamer Pera, bound for the East, with the outward mails of the 20th. The steamer Ellora, with the outward mails of the 12th, left Gibraltar for Alexandria on the 18th. The Tangier, of Liverpool, 30 days from Sunder land, bound to Constantinople, passed Gibraltar on the 18th. Her Majesty's sh'ps Cossack, Malacca, Surprise, and Psyche, were at Malta, and the Trident at Gibraltar. The Russian screw frigate Asleaba arrived a' Cadiz on the 15th. GIBRALTAR, AUG. 19. The following British ships have arrived here:— The steamer Arabian, 51 days from Liverpool, and the schooner Stork, 10 days from Funchal, on the 15th; the schooner Catherine Ann, 3 days from Alicant, on the 16th; the schooner Blue Vein, 21 days from Cardiff, on the 17th; and on the 18th, the brigantine John and Mary, 22 days from Car diff, and the barque William Wilson, 19 days from New York. The british brig Florist, with a general cargo, left Gibraltar on the 17th, for Liverpool. Exchanges on L on d on , 90 days' date, 49 to 60 ; Paris, of. 28a. ; M arse i l l es, Of . 29 0 . ; Madrid, 8 day s ' s i g h t, par; C a diz, par to 1.- prem. ; Genoa, sf. 29c. ; Seville, par; Malaga, par to 1; Barcelona, g, prem. ; Almeira, par ; Valencia, par ; Alicant, I discount. Freights without change. THE CONGRESS AT MALINES. (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) MALINES, Aug. 21. Yesterday morning the labours of the Congress were resumed, according to the programme, by the separate meetings of the sections; and, to endeavour to see something of them beyond the sth, which bad hitherto engrossed my attention, and had led me to visit it a second time from the interest the first meeting had provoked, I went up to the hall in which the 4th or Fine Art section met. It was holding its third and last meeting, and had got be yond all the strictly artistic part of its programme, to discuss questions of literature, which had some how or other been set down to it, under the respec tive headings of historical wor ks and no vels . With regard to nove l s, w hich, from their attrac tive nature, may b e ma d e ver y useful to morality, it was deemed that all discussion and controversy should be excluded from such works, as not being authoritative. One of the members called the attention of th e sect i on t o the class of novels that may be called hi stor i ca l ; and, taking as models those of Fabiola and Calista, as contrasted with French and Italian works of the same kind, ex pressed a wish that those who so attractively weave together history and fiction for the instruction of many, should more carefully note and distinguish for their readers what is fact and what is fiction. Art criticism was also discussed; and as the sth section had decided on the publication of an inter national journal, it was suggested that, practically, a great desideratum in criticism could be attained, namely, an international criticism. At three o'clock the usual general meeting began by the nomination of corresponding members of the central committee for Italy, France, England and Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Spain, Portugal, and Spanish America. Mgr. Manning, and Messrs. Wilberforce, Wegg-Prosser, and Sohn Lambert, were nominated for England; and Mgr. Woodlock, t h e Rev. Dr. O'Brien, the founder of the Young M en 's Society, and Major O'Reilly, M.P. for Longford, were nominated for Ireland. Then followed two reports from the fifth section, ono on the intended international journal, the other on the liberty of association. ' The former of these was made the text, or rather the pretext, of a speech by a Parisian lawyer who left us rather confused in our notio ns. The latte r was read by a Belgian in a sensible manner. The power of associa tion existing in the C hurch w a s aptly illustrated by the e r e d present,a ss hadw with which the Cardin a l o f M alines, hs ucceeded, but a f ew weeks before, in reorganising the college which the c i v il authori ties had attempted to destro y , by removing from hie direction the t o wn college. The Cardinal issued a single appeal, and the mean s were imme diately forthcoming to purchase other premises, where the whole body of prof essors and pup i ls were duly transferred. The General Secretary of the Congress, M, Dupectiaux, announced that, in conformity with a the central committee would o o t u e ld o a f pp t h ly e fifth section , itself to gathering the statistics of Catholics throughout the world. The baptismal ge parish in Christendom will readily of Catholics in any country y multiplying i number of baptisms in a year b r e t r give v k e e p t the i n the number every by the average number of years of human life in each locality. A report from the 2d section, on the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, in Belgium, was then read in a rather plain-chant tone, and afforded us the pleas ing information that no less than 15,674 poor families are relieved weekly by the society in Bel gium. Mgr. Nardi, auditor of the • Supreme Court of Rata in Rome, and the Signori Alberi, of Florence, and Casoni, of Bologna, successively addressed the meeting on the present state of the Catholics of Italy. Mgr. Nardi noticed especially the noble efforts of the Catholic press, as represented by the Azmonia of Turin, and the Eco of Bologna, the latter of which has already been condemned by the Piedmontese to thirty-five sequestrations, 17 years of imprison ment for its editor, and £3,000 fine, and yet sends weekly to the St Peter's Pence Associotion a sum of 400 francs. He alluded to the triumphs of the Church in the sufferings of its bishops exiled and imprisoned in Italy. He spoke of having eight days before taken leave of the Holy Father, who had expressed to him the hopes he grounded on the Mechlin Congress. He mentioned also that the se, but they c Catholics of Rome had already subscribed mo re than which a t her million c ,p e o f w f a r n a t n e c d s t t oo refuse, ef he u t. Peter's P" hade' claimed to be treated in the same manner as ether Catholics, end to be allowed to contribute to relieve their Father from dl threatened embarrassment and dependence. Mgr. Nardi concluded by announcing that on his return to Rome in a few days, his first act would be to ask the Holy Father's blessing for all the members of the Congress and for the country in which they had met, that it might ever be free, glorious, and happy. Signor Alberi, in the course of a most spirited address, expressed his feeling that the programme of a free Church in a free State had been applied to Italy in a manner to deride at once free dom, the Church, and common sense. He described also the system of conscription and of loans and taxations, as it was Low carried on by the Pied. montese, as calculated to absorb the whole of the public strength of Italy. Signor Casoni, a remarkably fine looking man of thirty, kept the assembly delighted by his address, in which he described the Catholics of Italy as having to sustain the attack and shock of the whole of the enemies of the Church throughout the world, and as being now in a state of persecution to the extent of having no less than 1,200 monasteries destroyed, 6,000 religious and nuns turned out penniless from their homes, and 50 bishops impri soned or exiled. During the address of Signor Alberi, the ap plause and rising of the whole assembly had greeted the entrance of the eloquent champion of Catholic rights, the Count de Montalembert. At the end of Signor Catoni's discourse the proceedings were suspended for half an hour, at the termination of which they were resumed, the meeting becoming a public meeting, at which ladies and other persons provided with tickets were admitted. The great intellectual treat of the Congress then began. Tho COUNT DE NONTALEMBERT, after twelve years' silence, o ace more addressed a public as sembly, which hung upon his words for an hour and a half, as the monk of the legend listened to the little bird's song for a thousand years, as if it were a single day. The Free Church in 'a Free State was his text, his own words stolen from him by a great culprit, as he rightly observed. He held to its truth, despite of its gross misapplica tion, and he pointed to Belgium as the realisation of it. He described himself as coming thither, drawn by the publicity still reigning in Belgium,glad to escape for a time from a country which has consented to become the least free of the Western world. He spoke of the advantages for Catholics to understand rightly the duties and opportunities of public life, to know how to accept political changes which could not be reversed. Democracy had now become supreme in the world, and however he might have occasionally been frightened by it as a man, he had never been so as a Christian. The waters of the flood, all destroying as they were, served but to prove the safety of the Ark ; and, in the midst of revolution and an unruly Democracy, the Church and the Church alone, stood out as the refuge of society truly affording it the right of sanctuary. When the waters abated and the dry land reappeared as a new world, it needed the more, as such, to be blessed by the pervading influence of religion. Exclusive pri vileges and state protection had ever brought the Catholic Church into a state of slavery to temporal despotism, infinitely more prejudicial to it and de grading to its clergy, than:any amount of attacks and insults on the part of heresy and infidelity. In France, it was the man who dared to say that the state was himself, who had insulted the Holy Father in Rome, and had imposed the moat servile yoke on the episcopate who had repealed the Edict of Nantes. Ia 1771 Voltaire said--" lam not a Parliamentarist. I had much rather obey a handsome lion than two hun dred rats like myself." His fine lion was a Louis XV., who was the finisher of a political despotism founded by a Louis XI. The modern restorer of that despotism, that great man of prey, Napoleon 1,, had restored the Church to its political status, but— to oppress its ministers and cruelly handle its supreme Pontiff, while he sought with all the in genuity of his satellites to enslave even the con sciences of the meanest among the faithful. In modern States the protection of Government ever implied servitude, and servitude of a minute kind unknown to posterhl. Bureaucracy and centrali sation compressed us on all sides, and the Belgians had to beware of this of all others, and not to vote by their acts for an annexation which their honour repelled. Let them look to the consequences of restricted public liberty in a neighbouring country ; it held down religion and honesty defenceless against the attacks of the theatre, changed into a laboratory of calumny and immorality, while the very literature of fiction and romance was made the vehicle of insulting God, and of degrading the people's hearts by inducing them to hold Him as a mere man. Democracy led essentially to despotism, and could be defeated or rendered innocuous only by a strenuous advocacy of freedom for all. In 1849, one of the leaders of Democracy in France, Felix Pyat, had dared to say that the Republic held two powers, two swords, from the sovereign people, the temporal and the spiritual, for that the people was at once Pope and King. Again, one of those very men at the Social ' Science Congress, held at Brussels that very. year, had repeated with ferocious naiveté that he cared but for one sword provided its handle were in his own hand Such were the pretensions of popular democracy. But they had to apprehend the effects of a much more formidable attack from another form of democracy, the Imperial form, which had resources such as the old Ceesarism knew nothing of, and which stole on to oppression under the mask of protection. Popular freedom soon found the want of religion, which had made the French revolution powerless, politically speaking, however poererful it had been socially speaking, so that it might well be called :one grande esperance trompee. Freedom was not too precious to be purchased by that great and exclusive treasure of the Church on earth—martyrdom for it had well been called the last resource of mankind, an inven tion of Heaven to tame down the masters of the world. He concluded for that day by expressing his heartfelt admiration for the founders of the Belgian Constitution, who had enriched their coun try with the four-fold freedom of Education, Associa lion, Religion, and the Press; while, to guard this religiously, they had had a realy honest man for a King, who had never infrin ge d hi s oa th. This was received by the Assembly with long and en thusiastic cries of " Viva le Roi !" The venerable President of the Assembly, also President of the National Congress of 1831, Baron de Gerlache, who sat among the audience, between the two cardinals, hastened up the steps of the platform to embrace the eloquent orator at the end of his address, which left the whole Assembly in an indescribable state of emotion. V . Somewhat unfortunately, after this the rigour of the programme imposed on Count Foucher de Cureil the duty of delivering, and on us of listening to, a rather clever speech on the fraternal spirit of nations among themselves, and on the strength of real national feeling, as evidenced by Poland. SIR ROUNDELL PALM-ER, Q.C. and M.P..— Lin a aVie de Cesar par L. Napoleon—Fashionable Intelli gence FUN this week. One r•enny. 110YAL PRINCRSS'S THEATRE. Lessee, Mr. George Vining Under flue Management of Mr. Walter Montgomery. TFIIS EVENING, THE 3IERCHANT Ober ENICE and NOT A. BAD JUDGE. Sbylock and LaMr. Walter Montgomery. NEW T E ATRE-R 0 VAL, ADELPHI , Sole Prorrlotor and Me:nae•er. Mr. B. Webster. THIS EVENING, at 7, a new comic drama, entitled THE HEN AND CHICKENS ' • or, A Sign of Affection. Messrs. Billinv,ton, R. Phillips, Stephenson ; Mrs. Stirling and Miss H. Simms. After which, at a quarter-past S. the new drama of THE !TAUNTED MAN; tilt, T ~E GHOST'S BARGAIN, in which will be exhibited Professor Pepper's adaptation of 'he Great Spectral Illusion. Messrs. J. L. Toole, It. Phi:llpm, e tton C. J. Smith; Mrs. Al fred Mellon and Miss If. Sintra's. yollowed by a new Burlesque, ent.tlecl ILL-TRE AT ED ZL TRO vATO RE. Messrs, Toole. P. Bedford, R. Phillips, Ebrune, C. J. Smith, Homer ; the Sisters Nelson, Carry and Sara, and Miss K. Kelly. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Manager, 3lr. W. H. Swanboroug-h. THIS EVENING, HIS FIRST CHAMPAGNE. Mr. Leigh Murray. Followed by (31st time) THE MOTTO, "I'M ALL T HEE,E." Messrs. Honey, Turner, E. Danvers, Collier, Clifton; Mesdames Ada Swanborough, F. Josephs, Maria bimpson, Wallace, and Jenny White. To conclude with TURN HIM OUT'. Mr. Turner, Miss Thorne Commence at 7. THE THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN," JL Containing* the Latest SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, can be had Every Evening of G. R. GLENIE, NEWS AGENT, No. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY.—Morning, Bh. 45m.—Afternoon, 9h. 30m. To-monßow.-Morning, 10h. 15m.—Afternoon, 10h. 59m. The Weather—Sun Office, Aug. 24, 1863. _,•_____. THERMOMETER. This morning This day at Two o'clock 7a Barometer-30.29. Wind—S.-W. ; light and fine, but cloudy. U. 713 1, THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, ATTGUST 24, 1863. FRANCE, BOURSE, Aug. 22.—The market was heavy at the commencement of business, but has since rallied, an d Threes, for the Account, are now qu o t e d at 67f. 65c. The Railway Share Market has been quiet, but quotations generally pretty well main tained. The market closed as follows : --- - It per Cents .. 96 75 Italian L0an...... 72 75 Do. end month.... Do. end month.... 72 65 3 per Cents Do. end month.... 67 60 Do. end month 72 80 Credit Mobilier....llo7 50 Russian Do. end m0nth....1107 50 Austrian Bank Shares 3380 Spaniel Threes.,,.. Credit F oncier 1270 Rome Debt ...... _ _ IRELAND. DUBLIN, Aug. 22. The National Cattle Show, which is held an nually, under the auspices of the Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland, is always looked forward to with great interest, not unmixed with anxiety, as it affords a most reliable indication of the progess made by the country during the year in those pur suits on which its prosperity mainly depends. In this respect the show of last year, held at Limerick, was not satisfactory. An unfavourable season and scanty harvests had prevented many who would otherwise have been exhibitors from bringing their stock to the high condition necessary to insure suc- C2SS in the competition, and the number of entries was considerably below the average of former years. This year the prospect is much brighter, and the approaching exhibition at Kilkenny is expected to be one of the most successful that the society has yet held. The competition will be very spirited, as the best stock breeders in Ireland, besides many in England and Scotland, have announced their intention of sending the choicest of their herds and flocks. In the class of horned cattle there aro already about 150 entries ; in that of sheep they amount to more than 100, and the swine are equally nume rous. The show of horses will also be very good, and there will be a large collection of agricultural implements. The prizes offered to the competitors are nume rous and valuable. For sheep two silver cups, value 50 guineas each, are offered for the best rams of the long and short woolled breeds respectively. The Messrs. Purdon, proprietors of the Irish Farmers' Gazette, have presented a silver cup, also worth 50 guineas, for the best general collection of imple ments suited to the agriculture of Ireland. In the equine class a piece of plate of equal value is offered for the best stallion, mare, or filly in any of the sec tions. There are also several money prizes of vari ous amounts. The show is to be held on the fair green of Kil kenny, a quadrilateral space, containing about nine acres, the greater portion of which has been enclosed for the purpose. On Wednesday morning the judges will commence their arduous task, and in the after noon the ground will be opened to the public. The show will continue throughout Thursday an dFriday. On Tuesday there will be a trial of agricultural im plements, the principal feature in which will be the testing of Howard's steam plough—an instrument said to be especially adapted to stiff and retentive soils. The Earl of Carlisle has announced his intention of honouring the show with his presence. He is to arrive in Kilkenny on Tuesday, where he will be entertained at a dejefiner by the Mayor, and receive an address from the Town-council. Ho will pass the night at "Woodstock, the seat of Colonel the Hon. W. F. Tighe ; and on Wednesday he will drive into Kilkenny and inspect the exhibition. In the even ing he will be present at the banquet of the Agri cultural Society, which is to take place in the Atherroum. On Thursday ho will be the guest of Lady Ormonde, at Kilkenny Ceetle. On Friday he will visit the public institutions of Kilkenny and the vicinity, and in the evening he will attend at a grand ball, which is to close the proceedings of the Agricultural Society in Kilkenny. At the meeting of the Grand Canal Company, held yesterday, a report of t. highly satisfactory character was presented. Notwithstanding the great depression of trade during the last year and the diminution of their resources, the directors were enabled to declare a larger dividend than the last— namely, £1 2s. 6d. per cent., free of income-tax. The working of the half-year shows an increase of income over expenditure of £11,870. Those who have visited the county of Wicklow will regret to learn that the famous and picturesque " Scalp," the property of Viecount Powerseourt, has been shorn of much of its beauty by a fire which broke out among the furze on Thursday evening, and is probably still raging, for up to this morning the efforts made to check its ravages had been in effectual. A valuable plantation on the eastern side of the mountain and several fields of grain have been destroyed. A great quantity of young timber has also been hastily felled in order to restrict the area of the conflagration. The amount of the da mage must be very considerable in a pecuniary point of view, and it will take years to restore the natural beauties of the scene. It is provoking that all this mischief was caused by the carelessness of a young urchin who was roasting potatoes among the furze. BA LLWAYS. Cash. Account, Orleans 1025 .. 1023 75 992 Northern .... 5O .. 99 0 Now ditto L yons and Mediterranean 1025 .. 1023 7,5 Geneva 493 75 .. 493 75 Southern ........ 705 .. 705 —'Western - _ _ Eastern •. • • 0000000 • • Sardinian ........ Austrian .............. Lorebard .. . ........... North of Spain ........ Euragossa ............. • Ditto to Barcelona - - 498 75 497 50 412 50 412 60 432 50 428 75 .. 5 52 50 .. 550 - 550 - .. 547 50 682 50 .. 680 --- 355 - .. 355 - PORTUGAL. -- Letters from Lisbon state that the Portuguese Government has decided on contracting a foreign loan of 50 million of francs, and the general opinion seems to be that the operation is certain of success, as the prosperous condition of the country offers every security to capitalists. A. MAN'S HEAD NEARLY CUT OFF.-0a Friday a bee r h ouse k eeper, named James Manning, resid ing at Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, was committed by the Bromsgrove magistrates for trial on a charge of cutting and wounding under the following circumstances. It ap pears that on Wednesday last some Irish reapers, and among them a man named Anthony Tutnmey, were at Manning's beerhouse, when a dispute arose between Tura mey and the landlord, and the latter, wishing to deprive Tutomey of his s'cklc (which he had at the time hung round his neck), seized hold of the handle, and pulled it so violently as to itifEct a dreadful wound, cutting through the main arteries of the neck. The poor fellow was promptly attended by a surgeon, but ho lies in a very precarious state, A French Watering Place, A correspondent of the Cambridge _lndependent Press, writing from Dieppe on Wednesday last, after remarking that " lodgings there are to the English in the fashionable time just double the price which is asked for corresponding accommoda tion at Hastings or Scarborough," and that " £3O a month is considered cheap for two rooms, up a wearisome flight of stairs," gives a graphic and vivacious account of the manner in which the French visitors pass their time. He says—" A peculiarity which the average English gentleman wile regret in Dieppe, is the artificiality which the Parisians, who mainly compose the body of visitors here, all seem to bring with them into their holi days by the sea. French ladies come with their most expensive dresses, and French gentlemen with their lounging cafe life and cigars. I have said that the sea before Dieppe is magnificent, but I scarcely ever meet on it a Frenchman. I have my pick of the sailing boats. There are very few of them, and almost the only persons who hire them are Englishmen. Round Dieppe a re green l anes i n the deepest shade, between high grass and flower covered banks, and musical with the song of birds, but we rarely meet the Parisians there. The forest of Argues, with nooks, and paths, and roads, that to us wore positively enchanting, is but a short dis tance off, yet the visitors who go there rarely ex ceed 20 or 30 a day. Can any one living in a city desire a more exquisite retreat than the grounds around the Chateau of Eu ? Yet when I have been there, I have not seen a dozen of people in the place. My first impression was that the hotel books, and lodging-house keepers, and local journals had all misled me, and that Dieppe was deserted. Where were the people ? I must look into this mystery. Accordingly I ventured an inquiry. Has Mon sier,' said the French lady to whom I put the ques tion at a table d'hote,' has Monsieur been to the Eta. blissement ?' I answered that I had not. I liked to see as much of dear nature as I could. 'Ah !' she said, with a smile, I thought you had not been to the Etablissement. Go there this evening and the secret will be out.' I went. I became a sub scriber, and in two or three seconds I saw what the visitors did with themselves. The Etablissement is a little toy Crystal Palace, with a large reading room, a theatre, a ball-room, and a concert-room, and a large restaurant. It is close to the sea, at the extreme end of the Plage, and some hundreds of chairs stand about on the terrace in front, on which you can sit, and at high water almost touch the white crest of the waves. This place is filled from noon to night. Every Parisian lady dresses herself for it after a late breakfast, and walks straight to it from her hotel. Here she glides leisurely round the garden, showing her tasteful robe to the best advantage, or she reads a little—(a very little)—or chatters with her companions round the tables on the terrace. At 2 o'clock she has a substantial lunch; and at half-past five the com pany all swarm to their respective hotels to dinner. At 8 o'clock they return—this time in fresh dresses, and stay until 11 or 12. Of course there is a list of amusements, following closely upon one another. This afternoon th ere i s a c hild r en's bell — one of the prettiest sights, by the way, in a civilised society ; another, there is a ball for adults; two evenings a week French comedy is played by a competent troupe of actors; and concerts are constantly go;ng on. This is the French holiday at the seaside, music, dress, and comedy. The sea is only an acci dent, to be looked at as a curious monster; and th e country is to be studied in the pages of MM. Miehelet and Lamartine.” MRS. CHARLES SELBY is announced as about to open the New _Royalty Theatre with an original com e dy, in two acts, written uy her late hueband, and eutitled " Court Gallants." 613111 eirdiar. HER MAJESTY. The Queen in Germany. ROSENAU, COBURG, Aug. 20. Her I\lajesty the Queen and the Princes and Princesses have taken drives in the neighbourhood of the Rosenau and to Cobnrg, and have visited the Duchess of Coburg at the Kulenberg. The Duchess of Coburg has dined several times with the Queen. The Princess of Wied and her daughter, who were staying for a few days at Coburg, were re ceived at the Rosenau by the Queer. Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of Prussia (the Princess Royal) arrived last evening on a visit to the Duchess of Coburg, and drove over to the Rosenau to visit the Queen. During her Majesty's stay at Laeken the Queen received visits from her Imperial Highness Princess Peter of Oldenburg and her family. WE are happy in being able to announce that her Majesty and the Royal children, since their arrival in Germany, have been in excellent health. Her Majesty ex perienced a very pleasant voyage across the sea, and much enjoyed the journey throughout, without experiencing the least fatiguc.—Court Journal. THE QUEEN OF PRUSSIA has arrived at Baden, whero sho intends remaining several weeks. THE CROWN PRINCESS OF PRUSSIA. has received, as is customary every year, a choice selection of fruit from her little garden at Osborne. THE PRINCESS LOUISA, accompanied by the Princess Leiningen, is still at Osborne, enjoying daily rides. THE DUKE OF SAXE COBURG GOTHA has written a short pamphlet on the plan Austria has proposed for reform, and giving his own views relative to the unity of Germany. The Earl of Wilton arrived in town on Saturday from Cowes, Isle cf Wight. The Earl Beauchamp is passing the season at Madresfield Court, Worcestershire, we learn, in very deli cate health. The Earl and Lady Constance Grosvenor are at present staying at Calverley Park, Cheshire. The earl, who has been somewhat indisposed, is now much better. Lady Do Dunstanville will leave her house in Charles-street next week, on a tour of visits—to the Earl and Countess Fortescue, and Mr. and Lady E. Russell, in Devonshire. The Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mrs. Gladstone and family, together with a large circle of friends, will be the guests of Lord Lyttelton at Hagley Hall the third week in October, on the coming of age of his lordship's eldest son. His Excellency Count Wachtmeister, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from the King of Sweden and Norway, was married on the 15th inst., at the Swedish and Norwegian Embassy, to Madlle. Con stance Georgina Louise de Bourbel, younger daughter of Harold Auguste, 16th Marquis de Bourbel, cf Montpingon, in Normandy. The nuptial benediction was pronounced by the Rev. Pastor Frithiof Crafstroeur, almoner to the Court of the King of Sweden and Norway, and chaplain to the Legation at London. The Marquis Townshend has bought a mansion in South•street, formerly the residence of Viscount Mel bourne. The Marchioness of Londonderry will leave town early this week for St. Leonards-on-•Sea, where the mar quis has been removed for change of air. llis lordship, we are grieved to add, continues in the same weak condition of health. The Earl and Countess of Shaftesbury and Lady Victoria Ashley, on leaving Spa, in Belgium, intend to proceed on a visit to his Excellency the Marquis d'Azeglio, the Italian Minister, at his seat in Italy. The Earl and Countess de Grey will remain in town until the close of the week, when the noble earl and countess go to Studley Royal, near Ripon, for a few weeks. The Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, who Bra at present sojourning at Ems, are not expected to return home before the end of tho ensuing month. THE NATIONAL SHAKSPERE COMMITTEE.—EarI Stanhope, President of the Societies of Antiquaries, has accepted office as ono of the Vice-Presidents of the National Shakspere Committee. During the past week the following gentlemen have joined the committee :—The Right Hon. Wm. Cowper (First Commissioner of Public Works), theVeryßev. Dr. Hook (Dean of Chichester), Mr. J. Pope Hennessy, M.P., E. G. Monk, of York, Doctor of Music, M. Louis Blanc, Mr. J. H. Foley, Mr, E. Walters, Mr. Charles Knight, Mr. Sims Reeves, Mr. Jules Benedict, and others.—A thenxton. BARON MAROCHETTI'S bronze statue of the Prince Consort, destined for a memorial at Aberdeen, is ready for casting, and will be inaugurated nest month. MR. JOSHUA ALDER, whose participation in the bounty of the Government was announced last week, the Athenceum tells us, is known to naturalists as an able observer of the lower forms of animal life. The great work published by the Ray Society, on the British Nudibranchiate Mollusca, was written, says our contemporary, by Mr. Alder, conjointly with his fellow townsman, Mr. Albany Hancock. Mr. Alder has contributed a number of papers to the various natural history reviews, and has added a large number of new species to the British Fauna. Messrs. Alder and Hancock are both inhabitants of New. castle-on-Tyne, and in the approaching gathering of the great men of science there will be found few who have won for themselves a more desirable reputation than the authors of the "British Nudibranchiate Mollusca." Both these gentlemen have been engaged in business, but Mr. Alder unfortunately lost the accumulated gains of his life through the failure of the Newcastle Bank, some years ago, and the Government bounty will be in his present state of health and increasing years an acceptable recognition of his services to science. DEATH OF MR. FRANK FOWLER.—This gentle man, who was the author of several works, and the secretary of the Library Company, expired at his residence, in Hammersmith, on Saturday afternoon, about 3 o'clock. He had only just completed his thirtieth year. The primary cause of his death is said to have been excessive mental labour. Mr. Fowler has left a widow and three young children nearly unprovided for. AMERICAN MAIL STEAMERS DUE AT LIYERPOCL AND SOUTHAMPTON THIS WEEK.—There are four steamers due from America with mails this week, viz.:— The America (chartered steamer), City of Manchester, America (Bremen steamer), and Arabia. The chartered ship America, with dates from Quebec to the 15th instant, may be expected at Londonderry on Wednesday evening next; and the City of Manchester, with dates from New York to the 15th, may be looked for at Queenstown also on Wednesday night. The Bremen steamer America, which would leave New York on the same day as the City of Man chester, may be expected to arrive off Southampton on Tuesday night or early on Wednesday morning. On Saturday next the steamer Arabia, with dates from Boston to the 19th, and Halifax to the 21st, will no doubt arrive off Queenstown. A POLISH LADY FLOGGED TO DEATH.—A letter from Riga in the Magdebourg Gazette states that Mdlle. Slaniadoff, a young Polish lady twenty years of age, has just died near Dubbein, in consequence of a flogging with the knout inflicted by the orders of Mouravieff be cause she wore mourning. All the Poles and Germans staying at Dubbein attended the funeral of this unfortunate , lady. SERIOUS COLLISION.—SHIELDS, Saturday Night. —A very awkward accident occurred in our harbour to-night, about 5 o'clock, which is likely to involve serious loss, besides seriously interfering with the plan of river im provement being carried out by the River Tyne Commis sioners. About the hour mentioned an enormous dredger, which cost the Commissioners above £1,700 two years ago, was being towed down to the bar by two steamboats, at the time that the Germany, one of the London General Steam Navigation Company's steamships was coming in from sea. While some few yards below the dredger the steamship un fortunately let go her anchor, and the tide swung her stern round, bringing her screw i mme di ate l y under the dredger ' s bow. While in that position the steamer was set ahead, and ono of the fans of her screw immediately struck the dredger and drove in one of the plates. She immediately' began to sink, and was towed towards the shore. She sun k with her ster n i n deep water, and it is feared she will slide into deep water entirely as the tide makes, and as her ma chinery is of immense weight she will be very difficult to lift. The Germany's screw was disabled, and she had to be towed up to Newcastle. REFUSAL OF A WILTSHIRE CLERGYMAN TO BURY THE BODY OF A CHILD.—No little excite' meat has been caused in the pariah of Abebury, in Wilt shire, during the present week, in consequence of the vicar, the Rev. J. L. Ross, having refused to bury the body of an infant child. It appears that a child belonging t o Janice and Eliza Middleton, of Kennett, died a few days ago, an d the funeral was fixed for Tuesday last. The vicar, how ever, refused to pertorm the service, as the child had been baptised at the Free Church, and the funeral was there' fore postponed. One of the churchwardens waited on the vicar, and endeavoured to persuade him to perform the ser vice, which the rev. gentleman expressed his willingnes s do, but that he could not legally. The body was there u p on taken to the church, and thence to the gates, where the s e rvice was conducted by the Rev. James Hussey, the in cumbent of the Free Church. The corpse was then talte_ to the gra v e, and interred in silence,