The Sun. — London, England, 1863-12-30 00:00:00

THEPOLiSH INSURRECTION. _,s,-- (Front the Special Correspondent of the Times.) St. PETERSBURG, Dec. 21. The Abbe Mackiewicz has at last been taken by the Russians, and from this it may be inferred that the principal detachment of insurgents in Lithuania laasbeen broken up. m ac kteseicz's band was formed out of the remains of the one commanded by Siera kowski, and had been mainly recruited in the Go vernment of Kovno. The Russian papers, after re peating day by day and week by week that the Lithuanian insurrection was at an end, are now making a grea t fuss about the capture of this well known Lithuanian chief. If some other chief suc ceeds in re-organising Mackiewicz's detachment we shall still be told that there are no insurgents in Lithuania, and the statement will be persisted in until the Russians may happen to find it to their advantage to admit once more that they have been mistaken. Io any case, however, the capture of such a chief as Mackiewicz must be a great blow to the Lithuanian insurrection. I do not know whether English readers have ever asked themselves how it is that Wilna and Kovno have shown themselves so much more Polish in feel ing than all other parts of Lithuania. In an ethno logical point of view neither of these provinces is eminently`,Polish and the number of Poles by race in the Government of Kovno does not amount to three per cent. on the entire population. But, on the other hand, if we classify the inhabitants of this Go vernment by religion, we find that the enemies of Poland—that is to say, the members of what the Russians call the " orthodox " and the Poles the " schismatic" Church—are scarcely more than three per cent. strong (3.33, according ..to Busching's statistical tables) ; and when the Russians ask, with real or affected indignation, how a province in which less than the thirtieth part of the population is Polish can be claimed as forming part of Poland, the answer to make to them is— because, with the exception of one thirtieth part of the population, the whole province is Polish in feel ing. This calculation is perhaps unduly favourable to the Russians ; for it is more than doubtful, as I will afterwards show, whether the members of the orthodox Church in Kovno, Wilna, and, indeed, in Lith uan ia generally, do no t regret their foreaeddnisiet: se paration from the Latin Communion. R muunsisooree Russo-Greeks of the n. But, admit tin even that the 30,000 Kovno provinces, which contains altogether about 1,000,000 inhabitants, are mainly attached to the Russian Church, the fact remains that in Kovno the movement in favour of Polish i n d epen d ence h as as difficult to suppress as in b ee n as genera l and any of the provinces of the kingdom of Poland where the Russians are Willing to admit that a Pole is r eally a Pole. As the inhabitants of England do not as a rule know whether they are of Celtic or Germanic race, but feel all the same that they are Englishmen, so the inhabitants of Poland and of Lithuania, wher ever they have not been brought under the influ ence of Russian priests, feel that they are Poles, without knowing or caring under what ethnological heading they may be classed in statistical tables. 134 where the Russian Church and Russian teach ing predominate, and when hatred of Poles is in culcated as a primary virtue, then the cause of Poland is hopeless ; and in accordance with this incontrovertible theory we find that the Polish in surrection broke out first and in greatest force in the Catholic kingdom of Poland; and that it broke out secondly and :in less force in Lithuania, where the Russo-Greeks are slightly in the majority; and that it broke cut thirdly and was at once suppressed by the inhabitants themselves in the Ruthenian provinces (Volhynia, Podolia, and Kieff), where the Russo-Greeks are to the Roman Catholics in the proportion of ten to ore. What holds good of the whole territory of the ancient Polish republic holds good also of Lithuania in particular ; and thus it happens that the rising in favour of Polish independence has been most formi dable, and has lasted longest in the Government of Kovno which is the most Catholic, but, in an ethno logical sense, the least Polish of all the Lithuanian governments. The Russian Government has suffi ciently Russified the Ruthenian provinces for all fighting purposes, and if it had any spare civilisation to introduce there they might in time make the peasants Russian in the full sense of the word; bat it has no hold whatever on the inhabitants of Kovno and Wilna or of any districts in the other Lithu anian Governments where the Russo-Greeks arc not greatly is the majority. e In Lithuania, generally, it is easy to stop any demonstration on the part of the educated classes—who, with scarcely an excep tion, are Catholics—by raising up the Russo-Greek peasantry against them ; but this creditable plan is not found to answer in these regions, where all classes are bound together by a common religious faith, and receive the same religions teaching. It would be an error to suppose that only the Catholic inhabitants of Poland feel as Poles; but there is a positive anti-Polish feeling among all the peasantry who belong, of their own free-will, to the Rassian Church, and are under the influence of the Russian clergy. In Lithuania, however, whatever may have been the case in the Ruthenian provlnces, it seems by no means certain that the peasants, forced to quit the Greek-Uniate for the Russo-Greek religion, have ever become sincerely attached to the latter. Russian evidence on such a subject as this aof the highest value, and i n th e secre t re p or t r% vrt by up General Nazimoff, Governor-General or n ua, in October, 18.60, the following important T wzneu , r by th e re'a of tgion was re-established in Lithuania faith. Th, a the united Greeks to the orthodox and even not 4.9•C5, weak in the principles of that faith, religion of . th .t e .: 4 t derstandin g that they were returning- to the sible ant, i ndetati c.relathers, required the guidance of sen edaca'aion (i, e ., i t te pastors Their want of d e vrAopes an inattetAt rural clergy of the orthodox faith) tl'in of their duties, ;land even carelessness in the emu treme poverty of their 4ongh ;itheir cupidity and the ex dent by adequate salarieeta,veetic life, not rendered indepen placed exclusive relation Whil© they are at the same time necessarily dependent on thtu,. the impoverished peasants. reduced to the level of the lower the ,,r village riests are thus 114 which should appertain to ja,,air : fa , and, losing . the dig exercise no moral or religious influence over their pa ,„ %hi nus. With ragged to the outward condition O. the "les it is impossible not to perceive that they are at Pr!so w . 3 for I a state of neglect and poverth especially Cher mer y, districts. The contrast which the ortho4 p s u th ou u s s present in their exterior to the of the R . omen Catholic faith, to which all the nob.ilitysaiil:. gentry of the Western lirovinces (i.e., polish provinces nr r rmed ia with the Russian Empire) belong, and which .`" alike 'oy their external grandeur and their inLeru t a h l,,,„ fiance, naturally suggests to the lower orders time, i t macy of the Catholic religion. At the same, h impossible for the poor peasant to add to the splendour the orthodox Churches." T-General " During 30 years," says the Govern ,T of \Vilna, in another part of the same report :-- " Notwithstanding the severe measures adopted towards the local population, which were a constant inducement to wards reactionary movements—notwithstanding various privileges granted to Russian nobles in the leasing of estate 3 and other advantages extended to them,—these measures have, nevertheless, not had the effect of drawing Lithuania closer to Russia, of confirming among the Greek uniates the orthodoxy which has so feeble a hold on them, of spreading a knowledge of the Russian language, or of increasing in the country the number of native Russians. The latter con sideration is more especially important, because the chief authorities of the province are reduced to the necessity of confiding the execution of all administrative measures, whether official or secret, to functionaries belonging to the local population, and connected with it by their religion, their families, their language, and their relations generally." "It would appear, in short, from this report, as well as from the one drawn up two years later on the al4e 411 '"*P t 1• •of - • those 11,12.- the Minister the Interior, that midi the who have the best sources of infor- With the p, ie to them agree to a considerable extent o f Litlitr.nia ae la not regarding the forced converts ~ , ,h very steadfast adherents to the Rus sia generalle that the r' ISM • Lc • ithu ania on behalf o f the J I i ndependence of all ent Polan d w as a movement for which the Russian Go vernment most have been fully prepared. Russia's title to Litlitt e ' llia is rte egnisea at least as • by every State in Europe, ga' when v alid as that of Austria to Venetia. But Russian writers, and even vernni ent, prot e the Rassiru 'Mthat Russia holds e of the will Of the Lithuania in sirnn.l,3 1 / I Di lrity of its /tient m inhabitants, that :, , tar€ ' t t y is ba fairly g am , tioned ; w hile an y aeF artio . n e ffect that it is supported in any part of its nvritil:tniod_oluinions by any portion of the eduegte- P-- ,1_ testimony be met by a positive denial, based on t " t ' 511 57 of e Lithuanian Governor-General, and of the Minister of the Interior for the Russian Empire. Nevertheless, the Lithuanian bands of insurgents appear, at last, to have been destroyed, and with them a considerable portion of Lithuania itself—its social organization, its resources in capital, and here and there its forests and its crops ; and addresses of loyalty are still being signed by the nobility and gentry of these provinces, though the Minister of the Interior describes most justly the," Polish mino rity" of the population as "consisting of the most educated classes of society—of the nobility, the clergy and the Government officials, of the teachers and the taught." It is not astonishing that insurgents taken in arms in a country on which Russia has so slight a hold as on Lithuania should be very severely pun ished. I hear now that insurgents who surrender under promise of pardon meet with but little better treatment. They escape with their lives, but are required to give evidence against their comrades, and, refusing to do so, are told that their repent ance is not sincere, and thereupon are sent into exile. As to the armed insurrection in the kingdom, the Russians seem to be of opinion that there also it is virtually at an end. They have been of that opinion, fr ini o on m , however, for nfionrgniofanthye7m movement epnataitt, and lm has been as much a matter of course - in the Russian papers to re cord its gradual decline as it has been in the Polish ones to announce its continual increase. In the meanwhile it is quite certai n th at th e i nsurgen t bands have hitherto not suffered very much from the cold, on which the Russians counted so con fidently for aid. The Russians could prevent the importation of furs and sheepskins into Poland, but they could not command the frost, and even in St. Petersburg, in the second week of December, the mercury still stood several degrees above freezing point, the Nora was as liquid as in the month of August, and the thin ice which for a few days had covered the canals seemed to be melting away much more surely than the Polish insurrection. The weather was detestable, no doubt, but until within the last week it has not been cold. some 10 or 12 days ago the firing of signal guns from the Admiralty, by night as well as by day, informed the inhabitants of St. Petersburg that the river was rising. Already a portion of the old town was inun dated, and, apart from Polish affairs, a sharp frost was much wanted here, if only to stay the inunda tion of the Neva. In another month the Poles will have shown whe ther or not they can hold the woods all the year round ; but that they can maintain themselves in small bands now until the return of spring is scarcely to be doubted—as regards, at least, the physical part of the question. They will not allow themselves to be frczen, out ; but Europe's indifference is more cutting to them than the snow, sleet, and wind of the sharpest winter ; and they must be somewhat weary of looking out for an intervention which has been such a long time coming, and of the approach of which there are now fewer signs than ever. But until all prospect of war breaking out in Europe has passed away hope will not entirely abandon the Poles ; and to live in the woods even during the cold of a northern winter, however difficult and painful it may be, is after all not impossible. On the other hand, however, the Russian troops, well hatted, well clothed, and now actually well fed, will not suffer from the cold at all. Hitherto, according to their officers, they have had much better health under canvas than in the barracks of Warsaw and other Polish towns. They have been accustomed as peasants to live in the open air, and it is only confinement that really does them harm. In the meanwhile measures of the utmost severity are continued in the Kingdom of Poland, as in Lithuania. The _Russian Invalid of a few days since reports in one number as many as ten executions for poli tical offences in the Kingdom. It is remarkable that of the ten persons executed six were Poles who had deserted the Russian army to join the ranks of the insurgents. At the present moment the three leaders on whom the Poles principally rely for maintaining the insurrection throughout the winter are all officers who quitted the Russian service:for the express purpose of fighting against the Russians. It world be difficult to justify, but it is easy to ex plain, and even to excuse, such conduct. Under the reign of Nicholas the landed proprietors in the Polish provinces incorporated with the Russian Empire were forced to send at least one son from each family to the Russian army. Men thus impressed into a foreign and hateful service cannot be expected to distinguish themselves by their fidelity. They have, doubtless, no right to disregard their oaths; but as men in general, and especially as Poles are consti tuted, it would be ridiculous to imagine that under actual circumstances they would invariably observe them. _ To deserters and to Poles who, without deserting, have broken the promise required from officers quit. ting the Russian army never to take arms against Russia, no mercy is shown if they once fall into the power of the enemy. Not, as far as I can learn, that mercy has yet been shown to any chief of a detachment, whatever his previous career may have been ; but the life even of the humblest insurgent is not spared if he has ever been in the Russian service. This distinction between ordinary insur gents and insurgents who have violated their word as Russian officers :,is intelligible enough. Some further distinction, too, ought certainly to be ob served in the treatment of insurgent chiefs, as for in stance, between those who have acted in conformity with the rules of civilised warfare, and others who (according to Russian accounts) h a ve behaved cruelly to prisoners or to the Polish peasantry. Of late there have been so many small detach.. aunts in the kingdom, that to sentence every chief to death would almost amount to condemning every insurgent doing the duty of an officer. This is certainly not the time for increased severity, now that the insurrection is dying out ; and the Rus sians would do well to avoid measures of a merely vengefal character, or, at least, having that appear ance in the eyes of the Poles and of all foreigners. When the insurrection is at an end, and with it the frenzy of those who are now such ardent devotees at the shrine of St. Michael Mouravieff, the Russians will be glad to be able to say that at least they had some generals and general-governors who did not display the savage qualities supposed at the pre sent moment to be peculiarly characteristic of " archangels." I remember Prince Schachoffsky,at the beginning of the insurrection, sending back several Galician prisoners who were wounded—and others, I believe, who were not wounded at all—to Cracow. Only the other day General Annenkoff l'‘ l ' vw era , ted som e score of the prisoners taken at Rad thetotLl w during the Volhynian expedition, and if at Jetzt-Mem have had no other reward, they have Mus covite Ze x eaped the praise of M. Tucheff, the Mus ineectie: e:atti, who reserves his ridicule and his en ough t() j o4 t il hose of his countrymen who are weak 1 4 cruelty. I spoke agaitu Previous letter of a satirical poem directed Mouravieff and the Mouravieff worshippers. It teems however, to have had less succe ss than a n 0_ who first velr ue, written specially against the man Wi- 03 to express in suitable indignation he Ile felt at an executioner terms the in being compared to a saint. prince Souvaroff, how will not always be ever, and fe e l, i g , tea to with scorn as the degener ate "energetic" warri or d 13,000 men, who sla ug Zandson of the women, and chil.dren in . the Pra git t aMEla iiali present it is, is reproach, such as/ deserved,snot the • The Governor-General of given St. P e tersburg by actions well ns proofs of a humane disposition " by words. Thus, it is ow ing io his intes -CeStlion • Si ,rakowski, that the mother of Captain "uted West the at Wilna by Mouravielr, is nOW in of Europe, and not in Siberia. As to Sierakowski's wife, his enother.in-;aw, and his two sisters-in-law, it must be satisfactory to the Mouravieff worshippers to reflect that they have received worse treatment than could have been es' pected for them even had old Souvaroff been their judge. We have heard of insurrections been sup pressed with cruelty in every country in Europe; but, except in Lithuania, and under that Mouravieff regime, no one ever heard of the offonce of an in surgent chief being visited upon his wife and his wife's relations. It is a fact, however, that Madame Sier air —owska's mother and two sisters (the mother, WE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DMEMBER, 30, 1861 by the way, being afflicted with paralysis) have been exiled to a town in Penn, on the confines of Siberia, and that Madame Sierakowska is under orders to follow them as soon as she has su ffi ciently re covered from her recent confinement. The most shocking thing in this wantonly cruel affair is that the wife was detained at Wilna for four months after her husband's execution, and was not sent forward on her sad journey until she was expected from day to day to be brought to bed. She was, in fact, taken in labour between St. Petersburg and Moscow, and had to be carried out of the train at the station near Novgorod, where she still remains. Nevertheless, the designer of this unhappy lady's sufferings is the only rea ll y popu l ar man w h o h as appeared in Russia since 1812 ; and the only person who, in a half-public manner, has condemned his general conduct is made by a popular Russian writer an object of scorn. There art a few other men of distinction, however, in Russia who must to some extent share Prince Souvaroff's opinions as to the unangelic nature of Mouravieff. Thus, neither M. Golovnin, the Minister of Public Instruc tion, nor M. Walonieff, the Minister of the Interior; nor M. Reutern, the Minister of Finance ; nor M. Tatarinoff, the Controller-General, would sign the address in which the image of St. Michael was offered to the archangel of Wilna. I see, too, from a recent number of the St. Petersburg News, that the dinner of the Moscow University, from which complimentary telegrams were sent to Generals Mouravieff and Berg, was not attended by the prin cipal professors, and that among those who distin guished themselves by keeping away were Messrs. Salavieff, Professor of History; Babst, Professor of Political Economy ; Kapoustin, Professor of Inter national Law; Escherfsky, Tchitcherin, and Dmi trieff. All these professors are known by their published literary works, as well as by their lec tures, and most of them are contributors either to the review called the Busstan Messenger, or to the Moscow News ; which latter journal, however, has hitherto been among the most fervent worshippers of the Lithuanian archangel. Sir John Pakington on Education, At a soirde of the Kidderminster Mutual Improvemere Society, on Monday evening, Sir John Pakington, M.P., delivered a long address on the general subject of education and the beneficial influences of the English, press. He cared not under what name they might be gathered together, and he was happy to say that societies such as that were now to be found all over the land, in almost every town and in every populous district. They gathered together under different names—here they called themselves a Mutual Im provement Society, in some places they werenlcalled Mechanics' Institutions, and in other places he was told they preferred the word " club." He owned that he did not like the word " club," as he did not think it expressed either the object or character of the institutions, and he might go a step further, and be more candid than polite by saying that he did not quite understand what was the mean ing of the term " Mutual Improvement Society," and that he preferred the name "Literary Institution." But this was a minor question; he cared not what they called themselves, but ho did care for the object they had in view, and that they should attain their object, and that those societies in their several localities should be exerting themselves to promote the one great national object of the moral and intellectual improvement of the people. (Cheers.) lie thought it a matter for great congratulation. He thought it a matter of the greatest satisfaction, in a national point of view, that the public mind was now convinced of the neces sity of this great object. And the public mind, let him say, was not convinced of it ono day too soon. (Hear, hear.) We were proud, end justly proud, in England of our free dom. We were proud of it, because it was a freedom more real and mere genuine than was possessed by any other country in the world. (Hear.) But, like other good things, this freedom was sometimes pushed a little to excess, and among other privileges of it in this country there was no doubt whatever of the fact that we had lost sight for a long period of years of the necessity for educating the people. He said for a long pericd of years, because he did not in any way wish to ignore—he did not ignore, he fully recognised the successful efforts that had been made of late years—but for a long period of time we did feel free to neglect the in tellectual cultivation of those great masses of the people upon whose intelligence and character the prosperity of this great empire mainly depended. The result of this neglect had been, and it was, perhaps, not an acceptable fact to dwell upon, but was a fact nevertheless—the result had been that England was far behind many other parts of the world in the intellectual cultivation cf the people. In the appli. ances of education, and in the means resorted to for the cul tivation of the intellect of the people, we were behind at this moment many of the nations of Europe—we were behind the United States of America, and we were behind some of our own colonies and dependencies. Those young commu nities which were now springing into active life had had the sagacity to appreciate the liberal institutions which we had granted them, and to know that those institutions could only be safe if carried out by an instructed and enlightened people. (Hear, hear.) If any one wanted proof of the fact to which he had adverted, that we had no time to lose in pressing for ward national education, ho would briefly mention two pub lications which could be had by simply ordering them of their booksellers. They were all aware of the fact that during the last few years a Royal Commission had been considering this great subject of the education of the people of England, That Royal Commission, among other steps, had very wisely and very prudently sent an assistant-commissioner to travel through Europe and report on the state of education in dif ferent countries. The report had been published, and was one of the books he referred to. It ought to be read by all who took an interest in the subject, and wished to know what was our own condition as compared with other civilised nations, The other document, which was equally accessiblo,was the report of the educational section of the International Exhibition of last year. He recommended that report to all who took an interest in the question, because there they would find in a brief and compendious form abundant information as to the position in which we really stood, He had mentioned not only the progress made by the other nations of Europe, but the progress made by the United States of America, Now, there were two great branches of this education question— intellectual cultivation, and moral and religious cultivation. Ile did not hold up to them for on example the mode in which the United States dealt with the religious branch of the question. This was a branch of the question to which we in England attach the greatest, and as he thought, the most just and proper importance. We held in England that no education could be satisfactory, or could be what it ought to be to train a citizen for his duties even in this world, unless with intellectual cultivation was combined full and sufficient religious instruction. (" Hear, hoar," and applause,) On this point ho did not hold up the United States as an example; but he now told them, what he had said to other assemblies again and again, that in respect to the intellectual and secular portion of their system we had very much to learn from them. He was tempted to advert in alluding to the system of education which had obtained, and certainly in many respects obtained with very great success in the United States—he was disposed to think that he could not occupy their time during the brief period that he proposed to address them better than by adverting for a few moments to a speech he read a short time ago with great admiration, as having been made at the meeting of the Educational Institution of Lancashire by Lord Hartington. Though Lord Hartington was still a young man, he occupied a position in her Majesty's Go vernment, and was a nobleman of high intelligence, great promise, and great atility. Not long since he made a tour in the United States of America, and devoted his mind to the consideration of the institutions of that country; and lately, in an address to a meeting of the Edu cational Institutes of Lancashire, he adverted, in what struck him (Sir John Pakington) as being very just and sensible language, to what he had seen in America. He said —" The school education of American children is not in all cases very judicious. There is, even while the children are at school, a tendency to exaggerate everything, to make them admire more what is large than what is good, and, above all, what is American than what is anything el But it is when the children leave school that the bad influ ences get hold of the national character, which prevents its being so great and good as otherwise it might be. However wide-spread the education, I believe that after boys have left school the greater part of the reading of 99.100ths of the people will be the reading of the daily press ; and the daily press in America, from reasons which it would take too long to enter into here, is certainly not the intellectual food which tends to make a people great, or generous, or good." In the same speech, shortly afterwards, Lord Hartington said— " Newspapers will always be a very great portion of the intellectual food of the people, and our own are conducted in a very different spirit. False and wrong their views may often be, but in general they are advocated fairly and tem perately ; the arguments are addressed to the judgment of the people, or to the best and noblest part of their nature, and not to the base and vulgar passions of humanity." He had referred to this point in Lord Hartiugton's speech, which struck him much, as he thought it of importance in respect of the intellectual cultivation of the people of this country, which was at this moment of the greatest interest and importance. Among the great changes which had dis tinnished the progress that had been remarkable in this c ountry o f l ate years t h ere were f ew , if an y, more remark able or more interesting than what we might call the re . tion whi c h h a d ta k en place in the public press of this country. A few years ago a newspaper might be considered as one e t th e 1 • one of th e was the pe e , of En published in coming out once necessitiesof the many. A few years ago what i, __ Fiend ? It consisted of a tow daily papers, by a few newspaZs_n, papers—for BirMingham and ldanoi le r st i e n r, cities of the country, b of' the glace where they papers , The cast of then papers as regarded the local press, , a weel r':: ) he most part country papers— the larger localities, such as y some f a e n w d p t a h p e er g s re t a a t k a in nd the populous nam e wore Published, but still o g nly weekly was 6d., or more. And now what was the state of affairs at the present ? Why, the leading journals of England—the leading journals of Lon don—were reduced to half that price, and there was scarcely a town of much population in England where there was not a paper published now at the price of one penny. Some of the most ably conducted and some of the most influential papers both in London and the provinces were papers which were not only conducted with great ability, but with great profit, at the price of one penny—a price which brought them within the reach of almost every person in the com munity. It was impossible to overrate the influence which the newspapers press must exercise on the national charac ter. Lord Hartington had told them how, under the de mocratic institutions of America, the press in that country had sunk. He had compared it with the higher character of the English press, and he (Sir John Pakington) knew of few things which the friends of the people ought to desire with more assiduity and more anxiety than that the high character of the British press should be diligently and care• fully maintained. The conductors of the press of this coun try, under the change of circumstances he had mentioned, Were acting under the greatest possible responsibility. The extent to which the press of this country might assist or impede any attempts made to promote sound education could not be exaggerated, nor the extent to which it might influ ence the national cbaraeter ; andiit behoved institutes such as that the members of which he was addressing to take care that those newspapers which were allowed to lie on their tables, and which were the daily study of the people as Lord Hartington said, with truth, should belong to that portion of the public press which took care to maintain the high character which the press of this country had long maintained, and he hoped it would continue to sup port. (Applause.) He trusted that every well-conducted institute in England would bear in mind the importance of this subject. He wished for a moment to turn to that pas sage in Lord Hartington's speech in which his lordship said :—" But it is when the children leave school that the bad influences get hold of the national character." He (Sir J. Pakington) thought that the system which existed in this country might be contrasted favourably with the system which existed in America. (Hear, hear.) That institution was one of those designed for the benefit of the working classes after they had left school. (Hear.) The demands of labour in this country were such that it was impossible that we could reasonably indulge the expectation that the youth, of the working classes or eats country won'd be de tained at school beyond an early age —say 10, 11, or 12 years of age. This was known to be practically the case ; it was seen every day. But it was known that in other countries of Europe where education was greatly studied, but where different government prevailed, the education of the working classes was made compulsory ; but here it was not consistent with our ideas of personal freedom that compulsion should enter into these matters. The English parent was perfectly free to negleot the education of his child if ho was so in clined ; but even when the parent was anxious to educate his child—when children were educated as well as our means of education permitted, still the demands of labour were such that at a very early age children must leave the tuition of the school. Here it was that the value of such institu tions as that was felt. Here it was that they stepped in to,impart to the youth of the country that moral and in tellectual cultivation which the children did not stay long enough at school to acquire. For the moral cultivation of the working classes the institutions in question have re creations and libraries. Ho was very glad to hear from the report just read that the number of volumes was increased by no less than 130 during the present year. They had their recreations and their games, and the institute was con ducted under perfectly harmless circumstances for the moral cultivation of the members ; and for their intellectual culti vation they had their lectures and classes. He had not fol lowed very closely what his rev. friend had read from the report with regard to the lectures, but he had been informed elsewhere that they were not so well supported as formerly, and that difficulty was felt in maintaining them. It might perhaps be interesting to them to hear that they did not stand alone in this respect. Allusion was made in the report just read to the Union of Educational Institutes now in existence in this country, and of which that institute was a member. lie had in his hand a report of a similar union which existed in the south of England—" The Southern Counties Adult Education Society" it was called, and he found they had experienced exactly the same difficulty that was complained of here. But they said—" Although the de mand for lectures is by no means so general or so great as it was some five or six years ago, yet among the larger insti tution's there has been a growing desire for lectures of a scientific and literary character; and if arrangements can be made for having a course of lectures delivered on instructive subjects, not only would the value of this popular mode of teaching be greatly increased, but the best institutions would become more eager to receive the services of our lec turers. It is found generally that where amusement has been the chief object, recourse has been had almost exclu sively to professional lecturers; but in those instances in which there was a desire for intellectual cultivation there has been a constant and increasing desire for the more in structive lectures on our list." He (Sir J. Pakington) was not sufficiently conversant with the arrangements of that institute to know how far they would follow him in the dis tinction there drawn between amusing and instructive lec tures. If they had failed to keep up this supply of amusing lectures he did not think they had suffered any very serious loss. No doubt they were very agreeable, and sometimes, perhaps, very instructive; but still they th ere nothing more than one of the various means of recreation which formed a part of the arrangements of institutions of that character. But the instructive lectures wore of a different and more im portant character, and if there had been any failure of per sons willing to give instructive lectures either upon scientific or other subjects, he hoped they would be able to correct this deficiency, and to maintain a course of instruction which he believed to be most important to the objects they had in view. (Hear.) But he confessed that in his view of these matters the question of lectures, of whichever deno mination, was inferior in interest to the question of classes. (Hear, hear.) Ile was very sorry to learn that the classes were not so well attended as they might be. Mr. Isaac, in his report, had explained to them what the classes were. It was by means of these classes that the loss by leaving school too soon was to be comppnseted ; it was by these classes that during those valuable years of early manhood ,the cul tivation of the intellect was to bo continued ; and he did most earnestly hope, for the sake of the great objects which that and all similar institutions had in view, that the friends of those institutions, wherever situated, would do all they could to attract the attendance of the younger members to the classes, which were so valuable for the completion of the education of those who found it impossible to complete their education at school. (Hear.) On this acccunt these mid°, and ho was happy to say were msoacdieet,iems(mistigehffit b ei e ent and most important for the welfare of the population throughout the country, especially in large towns—but nowhere were they more important than where the population were engaged, as they were for the most part in Kid& rminster—in manufactures, The manufacture of Kidderminster, like that of other towns, was fluctuating in its character. Sometimes the people were in a state of pro sperity--sometimes they were in a state of what he might call adversity. It was when these changes occurred that the influence of educational institutions upon the character of the people became more *narked and more important. He was happy to advert, as every one who had spoken upon this subject lately had adverted, to the gratifying proof of the improvement of the national character which the distress in Lancashire had called forth. (Hear.) In fomer times the people resorted in days of prosperity to the publichouse, and in days of adversity to the Poor Laws. He was thankful to say that those times were passing away. He could not speak of them as gone, but he believed they were rapidly passing away ; and the greater encouragement was given to the efforts of those who wished to uphold in stitutions like that, the more likely would the people be able to bear with propriety the changes from prosperity to adversity, or from adversity to prosperity. The savings banks of the country offered to the people a means of pre paring for those changes which were inseparable from manufacturing, and, indeed, all other pursuits. He should not detain the meeting longer but to express his earnest hope that the prosperity which had hitherto attended that institution might long continue. (Hear, hear.) Under the' guidance of their excellent president and the management of that committee, which seemed to attend so carefully and well to the affairs of the society, he trusted that a long career of useful action was before them. He concluded by expressing an earnest hope that both individually and as members of the community the coming year would be to them one of happiness, prosperity, and continued useful exertion. (A.pplause.) [se. I aoroon•••••••rda, The Racing Season of 1863. No. --- No HOME complete without a WILCOX AND GIBBS' SEWING-MACHINE. Simple, compact, efficient, durable, and noiseless. Warranted to fulfil all the requirements of a perfect family machine. Prospectus fr e e on application at No. 135, Regent-street, W.--[ADvT.] [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Holloway's Pills. —Safety amidst Dangers.—Surrounded on all sides by the causes of disease, man must keep up a constant watch if he would preserve or recover his health. These purifying pills present the most vigorous and effectual means of remov in g all obnoxious matters from the blood, at the same time th e y regulate any disordered actions which their presence has induced. The harmless and strengthening balsams of which nolloway's Pills are composed rener them eculirl well adapted for the young and delicate, d who canp a with impunity bear only tender treatment. Even when disease has assumed a setious or chronic form, its progress will be arrested its power ultimately broken by a judicious use of these and admirable pills. [ADVERTINEMENT.]—COHSUMptiOIL all nervous, bilious, liver, and stomach complaints , i n ever y stage, are Only ag gravated and accelerated by drugs of ev er y description, but perfectly curable by Du Barry's healt h restoring itevalenta Arabica Food, as proved by thousand s of cases which had been considered popeless. We quote a few.—Cure No. 62,914. Miss Lange, 18 years of age, cured after the medical men had abandoned all hopei of her recovery from the last stage of pulmonary consumption, with Pitrful cough, expectoration ; perfectly spitting of blood, liver exhaustion, spitting of blood, perspirations, hollow cheeks, s.saire de emaciated to a skeleton. She is now, thank c G o o mmi d, a healthy, blooming, fleshy girl,—N. Lang-e, Police. Cure, No. 46,270. Mr. James Roberts, of Frimley. Surrey, of thirty years' diseased lun,gs, , indigestion, derangement, and partial dealness.--Cure, No. 47,121. Miss Elizabeth Jacobs, of extreme nervousness gatherings, low spirits, and nervous 1 ancies,—Cure, No. 64,816. The Rev. James T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, of indigestion and torpidity of the liver, Which had resisted all medical treatment. In tins, 11b, 25 9d; 21b, 45 Gd ; 51b, his; 121 b, 225; 241 b, 405. Barry du Barry and Co., No. 77, Regent-street, London ; also Fortnum and Mason; and all t groocre and amide in every town Of the Vatted Kingdom. (Front the &tar day Betide.) The Royal meeting on Ascot Heath was followed, a week later, by the plebeian festival of Hampton, where the races are considered by many visitors to be the least important part of the proceedings. The meeting was, however, marked by one of the best of the many performances of Caller Ou, who during the past season ran 27 times and scored 17 victories. At Hampton, Caller Ou's principal opponent was Millionaire, an undeniably good horse one year older than herself. The weights were, for the mare fist 131bs, and for the horse 10st. The distance was two miles. The race was won by Caller Ou, in a common canter, by 15 lengths. It will not be disputed that this mare, now five years old, has proved herself to be a bit of thoroughly good stuff. She is by Stockwell, a winner, and the sire of winners. Whether she will come out again next year is doubtful; but if she does not, it must not be inferred that she is " used up," but that she is employed advantageously in private. She has proved herself to be one of the best mares in England, and perhaps it would not be going too far to say that she is one of the bent in the world. At any rate, the English breeder knows not where to find a better mare, and he can do no more than put her to one of the best of English stalli ns, whose merit has been tested by a similar course of severe work. It has been lately imputed to the present system of Eng lish racing that it offers a premium to the production of in ferior stock. The truth would rather seem to be that the production of superior stock is encouraged with considerable effect. It may be admitted that, if the breeder's success is lower than his aim, the system still affords him hope that his speculation will not fail utterly; but surely that is a merit of the system rather than a defect. Such mares as Caller On, and such horses as Asteroid, another scion of Stockwell, are what the English breeder aims at producing, and it is for objectors to the existing system to show, if they can, what improvement upon these types is practi cable. It may be added to the remarks offered last week upon this subject, that when every other sort of English stock is allowed to have improved enormously in the last hundred years, it is difficult to believe that the breed of horses can have deteriorated. The Newmarket July Meeting derives importance princi cipally from its two-year-old races. The July stakes were regarded as almost a a:et Utility for goottidh Chief, whose performance at Ascot had justified the expectations formed of hint from private trials. But Scottish Chief was beaten, after a magnificent race, by Cambuscan and Mid night Mass. The name of Cambuscan has become familiar to the public in connexion with Lord Stamford's recent sale. The horse was put up, along with the rest of his owner's stud, to be sold "without reserve," after the last and heaviest of many disappointments which Lord Stamford had sustained upon the Turf. After Cambuscan had been knocked down fur the immense price of 5,100 guineas, it became known that ho had been bought by a friend of the owner upon his account. Hereupon Lord St. Vincent and Captain White, as bona fide bidders, both claimed the horse, and it is understood that it will be given up to Captain White, to whom Lord St. Vincent seems to have given way. In the Chesterfield Stakes, run for at this same July Meeting at Newmarket, Scottish Chief was again made favourite, and the confidence of his backers was this time rewarded. But at Goodwood, at the end of the same month, Scottish Chief was beaten easily for the Alolecombe Stakes by Fillo do l'Air. Taus, including his appearance at Ascot, Scottish Chief has been out four times, has won twice, and has been beaten twice; and upon these, as might be thought, moderate credentials, he has been promoted by the public to the head of the list of Derby favourites. Good j edges seem to concur that he is a better horse than his performances indicate, and he is in Mr. Merry's stable, which fact increases his popularity. Fille do I'Air can not compete with him in the Derby, but he will have to meet Mr. Ten Broeck's Paris, who, having won at Goodwood both the Findon Stakes and the Nursery Handicap, might rea sonably be regarded, after that meeting, as the most pro mising of the Derby horses. It is curious to observe how, after the Derby of one year is disposed of, attention becomes fixed almost involuntarily upon probable performers in the next. But the two-year-old races at Goodwood, however interesting, ought not to be allowed precedence over that great contest for the cup between Isolino and La Toucques) in which the British and French fillies galloped away from the favourite Buckstone, as well as from other horses older then themselves, just as Tim Whiffler did the year before from The Wizard and everything opposed to him. It was gratifying to find that the famous French filly was so very good, and still more that England could produce a filly bet ter by just a neck over a course two miles and a half long, The race for the Goodwood Stakes, like many other handi caps, proved rather that the winner had been well -managed than that he was absolutely good. It is certain that Black down had performed well in public, and that the improve ment in his form was known only to a select few. Starting under a moderate weight, and at a long price, Blackdown achieved a victory which could scarcely excite much enthu siasm except among those enlightened persons who had backed the horse. Far wider was the interest excited by the race for the Queen's Plate, in which the filly Isoline, who had struggled so gallantly with La Toucques for the Cup, ran another most severe race at weight for age over three and a half miles of ground, with the six-yr-old Millionaire, whom we have already met at Hampton, and beat him by a neck. These two performances of Isoline might be safely recommended to the notice of the most severe censor of the modern turf, but it would not perhaps be equally prudent to challenge attention to the running for the Goodwood Stakes. It ought to be added that at this meeting Macaroni showed his quality by giving 10Ibs. to two moderately good horses of his year and beating them easily. The Levant Stakes for two-yr-olds fell to His torian, who owes to that victory the place which he now holds in the Derby betting. There was, as usual, good sport at the York August Meeting, but the weather was unfavourable. The meeting has a special interest for the sake of the light which it usually throws on the chances of the approaching St. Leger. The running of Lord Clifden in the Derby entitled him, in the absence of Macaroni, to the position of first favourite for the great autumn race. But the meeting at Epsom was followed by that of Paris, where The Ranger won the Grand Prix, and Lord Clifden, as was not surprising after his Epsorn work, got badly beaten. Ilereupon The Ranger came to the head of the St. Leger betting, while all sorts of prices were laid by rash speculators against Lord Clifden. It was known that The Ranger would run at York, and the oppor tunity of testing the winner of the Grand Prix was not likely to be lost by the Yorkshire stables. The result of The Ranger's two victories at York was to convince the natives that he had no chance against the Whitewall mare, Queen Bertha, and less than none against Lord Clifden; and this opinion was not shaken by the confident bearing of some of The Ranger's early backers, who still kept him in the St. Leger betting at 6to 1: Neither tho perform ances nor the appearance of The Ranger pleased the Yorkshire critics; but it was admitted that the Derby winner, Macaroni, who came to York to run for the Cup, was as - nearly as possible the perfec tion of three-year-old form. Speaking generally, the weights for these Cup races are in favour of the younger horses. Just as Isoline and La Toucques galloped away from Buckstone at Goodwood, so did Macaroni at York beat Carbineer, a horse of established reputation, without difficulty, coming away from him when he pleased, and finishing quite within himself tour lengths in front of every thing. The two-year-old races at York will be frequently referred to during the winter in connection with speculations on the Derby. For the Cons ivial Stakes,Claremont was first Appenine second, and Coast Guard fourth. For the Biennial Stakes, Appenine was second and Prince Arthur third, having Linda before them both. The Gimcrack Stakes fell to Coast Guard, The principal betting race at York is the Great Ebor Handicap, which was won by Golden Pledge, a horse who was backed for the Derby, and after his victory at Yerk took a high place in the St. Leger betting. The meetings which intervene between York and Don caster aro principally interesting for the fluctuations which occur at them in the positions of the St. Leger favourites. That remarkable incident, the " knocking-out" of Lord Clifden at Warwick, will be often referred to as an example of fallibility in the most industrious and experienced touts. It was reported, by the numerous watchers of Lord Clifden'n stable and training-ground, that the horse was amiss, and stopped in his work, whereas the real fact was that his trainer had contrived to find a place and time for exer cising him without observation. Reports thus originated, acting upon minds willing to be deceived, created an ad vet se opinion of the horse which would not be dispelled even by his appearance, looking as well and galloping as strong as possible, upon the course at Doncaster. People who will not believe their own senses are more numerous than might be supposed on race-courses ; but the condition of Lord Clifden revealed itself in a moment to the practised eye of the veteran John Scott, who had come upon the course to superintend the exercise of his own St. Leger favourite, Queen Bertha, The Whitewall party considered that their mare held everything in the race exceptLordClifden safe, but beyond this point their confidence could not rea sonably rise. The result, as everybody remembers, proved Lord Clifden to be even a better horse than either friends or enemies had supposed. It was a moment of excitement such as comes but seldom in a long career upon the Turf, when all the other horses which started for the St. Leger had dis appeared over the hill, when Lord Clifden ascended it alone, and rather slackened his pace as he proceeded. If people refused to believe their eyes when, after this, they saw Lord Clifden coming through everything past the Red House, there was some cause for incredulity. Being allowed to begin quietly and get by degrees into his full length of stride, Lord Clifden went at such a pace towards the finish that nothing except Queen Bertha could live with him at all. It was hoped that Lord Clifden might come out again for the Doncaster Cup ; but, as Macaroni was fresh, the match between them would h ave been scarcely equal. Queen Bertha, however, ran for the Cup as gamely as she ran for the St. Leger, but she could not keep it from Ma caroni. Tho two principal two-year old races at Don:raesnter were, as they always are, highly important to the Derby. The Champagne Stakes werewtihitollaura::hutnttoslit: between Fille de I'Air and Linda, which near?' were con saying that two fillies not entered for the Derby sidered better than anything in it. Tho two fillies raced against one another as if they had nothing else to fear; but Ely, waiting a little behind, calm with a rush at tho last, SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS, TIMES.—If the centre of the secret Government of Poland is really the city of Warsaw, the increased vigilance of the Russian police has not yet pene trated the mystery of its organization. The mili tary authorities in the capital of the old Polish Kingdom are still contending with an invisible power. To the Russians it is a shadow that con tinually eludes their grasp, while to the Poles it is something substantial enough to be obeyed. Whe ther it works through the affections and voluntary allegiance of its subjects or governs by the influ ence of terror, it is equally perplexing to tho Rus sian commanders. Though diplomacy has sus pended the discussion of Polish affairs, the revolt still forces itself on the attention of Europe. Though the insurgents are not very successful any where, and on many points have certainly failed, tee insurrection is not suppressed. The Russians ap pear to have calculated that the snows and frosts of winter would render it impossible for the insur gent bands to keep the field, and would do the work of the Russian troops in the most effective manner. But of all military allies the weather is the most capricious. Its aid cannot be commanded or bought, and its hostility is always to be feared. The season in Russia and the East of Europe has been unu sually mild. At St. Petersburg the winter is too genial to give satisfaction to the extreme Russians, who consider the delay in the setting in of hard weather as a kind of disloyalty to the Emperor. The Neva is not frozen, but runs in December ex• actly as it did in the month of August. Tee winter is " exceptional," and for Russian military purposes treacherous. The open weather has rendered it possible for scattered bands of insurgent to camp out in the forests of Lithuania, and continue the struggle several weeks later than the Russians an ticipated. But this accidental advantage is nearly all the insurgents have gained. Note ithstanding the reports of occasional defeats of Russian detach ments, the Poles have net, recently, obtained any marked success ; and in LitWeania the insurrection al e w by Mackiewicz, the capture has just received a hea v y of one of its ablest lead ers, the Abbe and the dispersion of the force Le commanded. But this and similar rever ses do not seem like defeat to bring the struggle nearer an end. No peo ple in ebe ulti weakens the belief of the P olish mate intervention of the European Powers in their behalf, either to prevent war, or as a consequebce of it. The object of the Poles is now to gain time. Their past disappointments and the present unpro mising aspect of their affairs have not abated any of their demands. The National Government has just issued a proclamation or address to the people which urges the necessi:y of continuing the conflict, and calls for still greater sacrifices to sustain it. The Address is so declamatory in its style that it is almost impossible to derive from it any distinct idea, either of the object to be gained or the means by which it is to be secured. It seams to predict that Poland will be a source of disquiet to Europe at large till it intervenes as much in self-defence as to assert the rights of humanity. There will be no security for peace' in Europe till " Poland has ac quired her rights." Progress and civilisation are l the Polish question finds to be erreeted ti. " a just solution." Tile this is obtained, " per " s everance in the path of rrection is the only course to pursue. The end to be attained is the establishment of e a P o l an d w i e , e lly independent, with Lithuania and Ruthenia." To ject the National Government intimates that it may effect this ob have to call for great sacrifices on the pai l of the people, certain, when they are req uired, that they will not be refused. So supported, it has unshaKEn confidence in the future, and is ready for a further struggle. Considering how mach ground the in or rection has lost and that the general feeling in Eu rope on the Polish question is not enthusiastic, it is impossible to find in the Address any reasonable calculation of the means by which all the terri tories that have ever been comprehended under the name of Poland can be recovered and restored. We can ascertain what provinces were under the Polish dominion two centuries ago, but the people of these provinces now stoutly deny that they are Poles. They repudiate the name, and, whether originally Russian or gradually assimilated by Russia, they would resist any incorporation with Potand. In the Ruthenian provinces the insurrec tion found no support. The population rejected the offer of a Polish nationality, and the attempted movement furnished the singular spectaci.? of a "national" revolt promptly suppressed by the in habitants of the country. Could any Western Pomo: have entered into official correspondence with the secret Government at Warsaw, that influential body would probably have brought its demands within more practical limits. But it France, Eng land, and Austria could obtain from Russia the slightest improvement in the political institutions of the country, or even a more humane administra tion of the Government, how is the much greater change demanded to be brought about ? It is a misfortune for any Government to have to rely so much as the Polish Government evidently does on vagu3 declamation. The great past and the glorious future so continually alluded to furnish no clue of deliverance from the difficulties of the present. The power of the Russian Government seems to be increasing in strength, and as it gains strength it becomes more vindictively and wantonly cruel. The condition of Poland is growing worse every day, and if anything can rekindle all the old sympathy in favour of the Poles it is the present policy of the Russian authorities. Much would be gained both for Poland and humanity if this savage and stupid barbarity could be checked. If left uncontrolled by any external influence till the ancient frontiers of Poland are recovered, the Russians will have a long term of impunity. The existing remnant of the true Polish race is likely to be exterminated, under the present order of things, long before the " Ruthenian Provinces" again become part of !! 13 independent Poland. Europe will more readiooe" respond to an appeal for assistance to procr2r3roieel-z the Poles an endurable and intelligent G"vere f o r its whatever the institutions, than to a help in an undefined and itnpossiblo r en tharthe eon• HERALD.—It is now perfectly elSai-, ditional recognition by Austriaoafn Prussia of their London dererarrise. obligations under the Treatlat some of Was dic tated by the apprehensi on their co overnm.t e i t e i Austria and Prussia signatories of the treatyttswoeuld insist upon its fulfilment. The G were quite as relluutsthie ernocratic agitators to them in war against despoil Dennciarlc, y . feared that the attempt a a t fo d rw P° i i t i h ril w en h t o wmoutiuhe y inv e ° r) ll u 'e ld not hope to cope. injuries upon Th e y feared England. They knew could tbey war with her she woul T d il s c o Y on kn inflict enormous could not touch h er . have ew f very they formidable o r went md a b t l o e allies in the field. Of Russia and Franco they had not much apprehension. The former is fully occu pied at ho „ me, and it is not the policy of France to fight for the maintenance of British influence any where. They assumed, therefore, with considerable cunning,,an attitude which, whilst it did not directly violate the treaty, reserved the pretext for taking that step if it should be found that no great danger and beat them both. Two days afterwards Fillo de l'Air and Ely met again, and this time the French filly was ex pected to make no mistake. But although she did beat Ely, the pair were beaten both by Coast Guard, first, and Prince Arthur, second, so that they came only third and fourth. The first of the great autumn handicaps at Newmarket produced one of those results from which the opponents of this class of races derive arguments to prove their inutility. The winner of the Cesarewitch, Mr. Merry's four-year-old Lioness, had performed once badly as a three-year-old, and once very badly in the present season. The handicapper, guided by these facts, admitted tho mare into the Cesare witch at Get 81b, under which weight, as she was known be fore the race to be very good, it seemed scarcely possible she could lose. She won the Cosarewitch in rattling style, hav ing next to her Liroosina of the same year, carrying 7st 41b. The performance of Limosina was thought good enough to make her winning the Cambridgeshire a certainty, but the mare either had some kind of illness or was used up by the numerous false starts, for sho never showed in the race. The winner turned up in Catch'em-Alive, whose day, often pro mised, came at last. Tao disappointment of Lord Stamford in regard to Limosina, joined to suspicion that she had been unfairly dealt with before the Cambridgeshire, occasioned a fit of disgust, in which Lord Stamford determined to sell off his stud and quit the Turf. He announced a sale without reserve, and afterwards caused some of the lots to be bought in. It is to be lamented that the racing season of 1863 should have ended with a transaction which has necessarily excited a great deal of adverse comment. The First October Meeting at Newmarket saw a race won by Ely, who also won a race at the Houghton Meeting. 'I he race for the Clearwell Stakes threw little light upon the Derby. The Criterion Stakes were won by Fille de l'Air, beating, among others, Coast Guard, Prince Arthur, and Ely, who had all beaten her at Doncaster. Thus Fille de l'Air stood, at the end of the season, at the same point which she reached at Goodwood—namely, the highest of the year. Molly Carew, who was talked of in the early part of the season as a match for her, met with an accident, which closed her 2-yr-old career. The performances upon which the more prominent Derby horses rest their claims to confidence have been briefly stated in this and a former article. It remains for those who feel sufficient interest in the subject to balance those performances against one another, and to decide, if they can, upon the relative merits of Scottish Chief, Cambuscan, Paris, and the bearers of other names with which the public will gradually grow familiar as the day draws near which will make these names in the eyes of Londoners a reality. There is one two-year old—namely, Blair Athol—whose performances may be described with extreme brevity, because he has never performed at all. The son of Stockwell and Blink Bonny is thus surrounded by a sort of mystery which is not likely to be dispelled by any amount of discussion conducted in utter dearth of 'acts. attached to it. The language of Earl Russell, hie counsels and menaces at Copenhagen, have con vinced them that England will look on with folded ar ms whilst Schleswig is w rested from Denmark, and will only interfere after the clime has been accomplished, to ask that the victim s .hall be sub jected to no further injury. The two Gosvernments are, therefore, adopting, as rapidly as they decentlY can, the ordinary German doctrine in favour of the ' right of the Prince of Augusten burg to both Dnehies, and the duty of putting him in possession of t i.ern. They have an understanding with the minor stet es. If Austria and Prussia had been in earnest the sma states would not have ventured to reply to their . identical note in such bold language, and would not ,have carried against them in t he Diet the pro position calling upon the committee to report upon the secessional question—that is, to declare Plin,c,e Frederic Sovereign of the Duchy in a weees time. But the proceedings in respect to S chleswig prove even more decisively their intention. Hess° Darmstadt, had proposed that the Confederation, to' ensure its right over Schleswig, should immediately" occupy that duchy. The German Confederation has no more rights over that duchy than it has over the county of Kent. It has never formed a portion Of Germany, and the Diet itself has over and over ag . iii° Amitted this. Instead of meeting this proposition with a direct negative, as they assuredly would have done it they had the slightest intent ion of upboldieg the Treaty of London, Austria a nd Prussia, hava proposed an amendment , summ onin g Dentnallk t° suspend the November constituti on, non• compliance to be followed by occupation. With j us t as Mac e right they might occupy Zealand to enforce that equal position of all portions of the Danish monarchy' which they contend they are entitled to claim, or take possession of the whole of the Netherlands, to establish a position for Luxembourg more in aecordi a nce with German interests. But Fed eral right an international law have been thrown asi de altogether. by the Diet as by the nation , and th e Austrian can et Prussian Governments, believing that both lawn be disregarded with impunity , are hast ening to in eke up for the delay which they made to repudiate then!, whilst they were sounding their way. The reply 01 the King of Prussia to the address of the House. ot Deputies is another indication of the determination of the P russ ian Government to repudiate the treaty.' The King, instead of condemning distinctly , as i31,1°,, wont, the opinions of the house , p racticall y g am ': that he shares them, but asks for a little dela,a' Prussia has reserved the question of succession , e n her withdrawal from the Londo n Treat y would finnis " be feasible without further consideration. (3 Majesty does not care to procla im his breach e' ,.. faith. Earl Russell may be used a little loug to set the King of Denmark and his people . b r l the ears, and extract from them concessions Ng' will cripple the nation when the w ar does conie' The conduct of the English Government in this matter must bring a blush of shame to the elle of every Englishman who is not read y to sseri."cn. the national honour because it suits his party ia terest to do so. Assuredly, if ever a nation made a promise, England has promised Den mark to sonde by her in this emergency. English statesmen me this treaty of succession, the English people. encouraged the Danes to resist the aggression theha °1 Germany. Even Earl Russel. has declared that .._ German Diet has not the slightest pretext for li s i c terfering in the affairs of Schleswig; and ° to : when the two nations have been drawn closer to gether by the present which Denmark halt iri nde l i m ie England of a Princess for whom the whole og,f.'if nation , feels the most profound regard, Dennia r r bie Earl Russell's own acts, if the laguag t e organs can be taken as any guide, is to u".' doned—if. indeed we are not to aid in enforcing 0 spoliation. The great principle that the weak " v s no right against the strong is dinned into our ears, and Denmark is told to give the world no trouble and die without a struggle. Let us do the ForeiGegru. Secretary no injustice. He has writ ten to the most man Diet, telling it that if it is over hasty te serious complications may ensue, and that be is (1° , 1 ,e willing to join in a conference. The Diet kilo" a conference will defeat its object , and will have none of it. It understands by Earl Russell's." eolltt,„, plications" those Bogey threats of Frenchane inter. f e t rence, to which it attaches little ort.e believes that England will do ntlothing, and it treat this despatch of Earl Russell wi th the !Opt° contempt as his previous ones. The Diet is , i ',g h b a i The organs of the Liberal party d e clare plain'," r the Danes are to be left by Eng with the to shif o themselves, but they threaten Germany France. Germany laughs at t he threat. / 1 V ee . will not draw the chestnuts out of the fire for Eng . land. It is English interes ts which are threatel by the dismemberment of Denmark. It is Engl . P " which has undertaken solem n engag emen t s to re' vent that dismemberment . The Emperor of the French will not do E n g land's work tor her, and Germany knows it. Napoleon 111. has good reason s for looking with satisfaction at this great German movement. He will one day make his account out of it at the cost of Germany. But not yet ; and Germany thinks only of the present. England alone can prevent the spoliation of Denmark, and English interests and English honour demand--as it would seem vainly—that she should prevent it. COUNTRY MARKETS. --------- LEEDS—TuEsDAY. The attendance this week has been ver y thin. 'Wheat i 5 no lower to - day , but the business passing is quite of a Were r e " ta il c haracter, as is usu al at this time of the year. Bae an d beans at about the r ates of this day week. Oats ratha lower. MARKET HARBOROUGH—TUESDAY . ri' Not so much wheat at market, and the trade ruled stove' —White W — hite wheat,:4ls to 445; red, 38s to 41 s Per 36 110 Malting barley at 3 5 s.toWs per qr.; grinding, 2 9 8 to go per 30 at. Oats, old, 24 s to 293 • new, 21s to 2 4 3 per at. ; beans, 34s t 6 40s per qr. VLIERPOOL—. , kat 1 " There was a fair attendance of T the UESDAY trade at — nr n jai" day, with a good business doing. Wh ea t met witll,7vanee proved demand, and a large trae was done at 31 ;: g lected. of 3d per 100 lb on the week. Flour was quite an al: Pe" and barely supported former prices. In harlV quoted at there was a moderate inquiry. Beaus ranY:rvi Ale, at last week's prices. Oats and oatmeal niet - , - o ° D.43cr abla the rates of last Tuesday. Indian corn was a l favour at Od per qt advance on the week. t E a F n F a l v E e r L a D g e — s T h u o :s o n i a: h . ea t , butts There was ab S o l u r tendance of millers and dealers was smaller than tis 3 • . a. r ice only a moderate business doing, at about Winer The same remarks apply to barley and other grai ° ' ri +nl7 B ° 1:1 Red wheat, per load of 3 imperial bushels...ls 0 - nd White ...17 :,5a to 1 1 0 ,:ba 71 1 . 1 5 S 6d t 0 i g od New red New white 'l7s Od to 1-6 d ff ~ - :15s Od to 176 ~ Beans 11 ~ .. 40s Od to 44s (,)1 Peas,_ per qr ''''''''''' 29 3 Od to 30s1 Grinditr• barley, per qr Malting ditto,. - ''''' 34s Od to 37 6 u a 0 11 ................. (, _ , 2 4, Oats 71 .................. I.h , uo to Flour, is 4d, is 7d, and la S d per 14 lb. CORK—TuEsnay. The following were the quotations this morning *, o 53 wheat, Ss Od to Ss 101; white, 8s Od to 93 B€l, bar i€ ‘a t 6.1 to 8s Od ; oats, 43 10d to 6s 2d ; black do., 4 8 5s 3t. DUBLIN s. d. s. d. Wheat, white.. 24 0 to '26 6 Do., red .. 21 6t024 0 Do., new .... 0 to 0 Barley Oats Do., black — 0 to 0 TUESDX Y ' a. s. d. Oatmeal ..... . 10 0 to 1 0 ji Beaus• • ..... 0 to Bere ......... oto n" Rapeseed •• • • -- 0 to Bakers' flour .. 14 0 to :20 0 Indian c orn •• 27 0 to 23 Horniman's Tea is choice and strong, nioderste i p n ac p k r e i t c s e b , yan2do2BwohAolgeesnomts.e to use. These nav antageB secured for this Tea a general prthrenco. It is gals Birtb.S. of at 4, York-road, Edgbastolit t a e t r lrookbank, Broadway of ASSICETON.-011 the 23d t•► the wif e R alph jush ajor nom L, W. Mines, 11,1)* ton, Esq., of a son. M lB L , L rm Es i . n — gb O a rt ra, th th e e 2B , v t i b ie ofr i i M 11-tLiLfise._Broignatdiei,e, wit's of J cestershire, the No J. R. Ming jun., Esq., aof Ji Iterningtou gills, EST, y.,-, of ~ so t r., a daughter. PAWLF.Y.--On the 29th inst. , at Dire. Charles Paw 02f6talnanuagt .1, ley, of a sonthe Rosary, Sydetillsvi' Henley-park, Marriages.Surre3:: Ditr onAm—HALsEy_.../N, Paddington Brich,7; , Samuel, eldest son of Francis T. the 29thist., at Trinity Chtire-11'. I, Sq. ' 01 I') ullill, Walton-on-Thames, to Caroline, I: '' o f eth, the youngest daughter of henry lialsey, BO:, Tunoß—PuNcx,—On the 2Sth inst., at Romford, 9 D . 0 ;1 '&ripps Tudwr, Esq., of Buenos Ay res, to Elizabetll,4l, second daughter of James Pun ch, .Es q ., of Gado 0 Romford. Deaths. B ARK ER.—On the 27th inst. , at Whi p 's Cross, Walthfirgi stow, Robert Barker, Esq., instalag 47. ,r lea, BROUGHTONOn the 2(;th at Rlivll, North 11,6,,,ti, Lady Broughton, relict of the late Sir H. D. Brag''. 10 1 Bart. CORY.—On Christmas -da y , Mary, w ifu of Rear ~A(11' Corry. ~,, sol PAKEituAm.--On the 2 5 th inst,, at Dublin, the 11°- ,ia' Very Rev. Henry Pakenhani, D.D., De an of - 033er . Patrick's, aged 7 6 . . r ./ ScoLEs.—On the 29 th inst., a t Crofton Lodge, , ' LI smith, Joseph John Scoles, Esq., aged 66. N CI, A WAYNOUTH.—On the 26th inst., at 19, Upper ar° s e street, Colonel Waymouth (unattached). Shirl ey WHEELER —On the 26th inst., at his residence ,-,7".21, Lodge, Hants, C. W. Wheeler, Esq , M.D., lig ' " ' London: PrlnZd and I'lt,?!ished by WILLIAM ANPYo of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TIIE SUN Offic e `l.„ - ip i Strand, in the Precinct of the 3avoy, in the CO,'" December 30, PO' ----. he I; goo( Cie/ fru Eve Tor_ of v can mei Chi We mit cot CI ayE Bat