The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-08-02 00:00:00

men.

" THOU SHALT NOT KILL."

epidemic.
against it.

EVERY age and condition of life is daily contri-
buting its share to the names inscribed on the
long and bloody roll of the murdered and the
murderers of the present generation with a start-
ling frequency that might appal the stoutest
heart and force serious reflection upon the most
callous and indifferent. Old and young, rich and
poor, men, women, and children,—persons whose
names stand high in general estimation, and per-
sons who can scarcely claim a place in the
humblest sphere,—have swarmed in to swell the
ranks of the dark and dismal procession. If to
the murders we add the suicides, manslaughters,
infanticides, rapes, and other brutal assaults on
the young and the helpless, we sum up a cata-
logue of crime now being transacted with a
horrible degree of rapidity, as it were before our
very eyes, which is almost too much for us seri-
ously to dwell upon. Not alone amid the jungles
of India, among the hills and valleys of Lebanon,
on the plains of Morocco, or in the dungeons of
Naples, have atrocities been perpetrated which dis-
grace humanity. In the midst of the more advanced
civilisation of western Europe, in France, Spain,
Austria and Italy, murders of the deepest dye
have been frightfully numerous. Even in free and
enlightened England,reports of coldblooded acts
of fatal violence scarcely cease to ring in our ears
from hour to hour. From the land in the far west
there comes ever and anon, wafted across the
mighty ocean, the wail of sorrow and shame from
the victims of blood-red hands, until the mighty
tale of woe and misery, rushing in upon us from
every quarter of the globe, well nigh frightens us
at the thought of human depravity and degrada
tion. Whence flows this ever-surging tide of evil
and -wretchedness, the waves of which seem to
surround us and mount higher and higher from
day to day, threatening like a atoral deluge to
overwhelm and annihilate the whole fabric of
moral and social life ? Bow shall we steni
current and dash back. its desolating waves
towards that black gulf of perdition from forth
which they roll with such portentous might ?
Did our feelings permit tis for a moment to
scan more minutely the ghastly details of 'this
enormous totality of crime, we should be still
more. perplexingly amazed and horrified at
sight of the minute ramifications of the evil, and
the diabolical tortuosities and varied character-
istics of its perpetrators. There is a wide differ-
ance between the cases of the audacious find
who, under the
noontide gaze of the
sun—
emblem of purity and benevolence—foully attacks
the victim of his cupidity or wrath .with pistol
and dagger, and of the cunning imp who secretly
employs vials of deleterious compounds to emaci-
ate and exhaust the object he pretends to hug in
affectionate embraces. There is scarcely a com-
parison between benighted avenger of a
wounded sentiment or thwarted ambition, and
the loafing, sponging miscreant who values pelf
above life. There is little in common between the
man of education and social experience, who
morbidly and deliberately sets at nought his
neighbour's right to live, and the coarse clown
who ignorantly follows perhaps a passing
impulse to brutality. How vast the dis-
tinction between the assassin who strikes down
his superior in position and
.power, and the old
hag who slowly -wounds to the death the child
entrusted to her up-bringing ? What comparison
between the unhappy wretch who murders a
stranger for his purse, surrendering himself to

justice perhaps within the hour, and the awfully
mysterious perpetrator of a child murder, whose
detection baffles the utmost ingenuity, and resists

the most tempting 'rewards Among suicides

what endless varieties ranges themselves under
the more general heads of insanity, jealousy,

detected fraudulency, despair, misery, wounded
pride, and religious delusion. To attempt to

describe the endless varieties of form under which.

death is dealt out by the murderer, or sought for

by the.suicide, were equally dreadful and hopeless.

No terror has been too hideous, no device too

mean, to be employed by either class of delinquents

.n the execution of the fatal mission towards which,

hell-bound, they have been impelled. One might
suppose that even in our own day the whole power
and ingenuity of the infernal regions had been
well nigh, if not utterly, exhausted in furnishing

motives and suggesting means to men for the
enactment of every species of capital wrong 'that
could insult the Deity and disgrace mankind.
The man who merely stands aghast at the
painful picture presented by our criminal annals ;
or who simply and softly indulges in sentimental
generalities upon the degeneracy of the race, is
good for nothing, or worse. Such men are
themselves apt to fall victims to the horrifying

We must search for the cause and act
To discover the cause and effectually
cure it are indeed profound difficulties in one
sense, while in another light the solution is,at

hand. We cannot doubt the all-powerful efficacy
of moral and religious influences, nor do we doubt
the certain progress of the species in moral and
religious development. We are not misanthropic,

nor do we Jlespair of human nature under the
guidance of proper influences. There is much,
hOwever, of what are called merely secondary
causes, with which we may and must deal, whose
tendency is either to' deteriorate or to ameliorate
the condition of mankind, and which we dare
.not overlook with impunity. Who can doubt
for instance, that the present revolutionary and
warlike state of Europe exercises a considerable
influence over the minds of the people. Past
history proves that epochs characterised by
" wars and rumours of wars" have been unusually
stained by deeds of violence in private life. Times
of political and anarchical excitement have, like-
wise, been noted for the prevalence of crimes
against life and the person. How serious a respon-
sibility, then, rests with our political leaders. It
may, seem little more than a pastime for such
men as Mr. JOHN BRIGHT to stalk through the
country, talking revolution and exciting the
masses ; it may appear to such as him all in the
way of business, to follow a policy which tends to
bring this"country faze to face with a great Power
like France, and, by want of loyalty and patriotism,
thereby to endanker our national prosperity
,and
peace; but see what further consequences such a
fatal policy involves. The whole population
animated by an irrepressible sense of danker
and self-preservation, are roused to thoughts_ of
military. action. The national mind inevitably
assumes an irritable and bellicose condition, and is
prepared to retaliate the violence it awaits. Add
to this the effect. of Mr. BRIGHT'S venomous
attempts to embitter class against class; and,
besides the general belligerent feeling alluded to,
we- have that of eispicion and distrust, if not
hatred and active animosity, between those who
oughtto befriends and neighbours--fellow-citizens
of the same state. With no wish to strain this
argument for mere party or political purposes, we
think it must be held—perhaps even Mr. BRIGHT
himself would'admit—that these have their own
weight in producing the present highly abnormal
state Of morality among our population. Mental
calmness and a sense of national and individual
security are the first requisites to the subsidence
of the present deplorable state of excitement in
the more violent passions of the population ; and
, while teachers, preachers, and priests exercise
their sacred- vocations in training the people to
correct morals and manners, let it be the care of
the people' of England, as a political body, to
discourage and discountenance in every way that
bastard republicigism and disguised revolutionism
which finds its prototypes and champions in Mr.
JOHN BRIGHT and others of the same school of
political demagogism.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Wednesday, August 1, 1860

The only observations made by the Patric in
its morning edition, on the Emperor's letter
to M. de Persigny, are, that the letter " is at pre-
sent serving as a text for the reflections of several
English- journals," some of which it reproduces,
and that the Imperial communication " contains
assurances the most pacific and faithful, and has
produced in England an immense effect." many
of the papers ignore the subject altogether.
Several Viennese journals announce that a corps
of observation will shortly be concentrated in the
Austrian Provinces bordering on the Ottoman
frontier, from which, it is inferred—firstly, that
grave events are anticipated as likely to occur in
Servia ; and, secondly, that the measure is taken in
concert with Prussia, and is one of the results of
the Tceplitz meeting, at which, it is now also
affirmed, the question between Austria and
Prussia as to the command of the federal army,
which is at present being ventilated in the Ger-
manic Diet, was amicably resolved.
The Paris press which is far from viewing
with affability the recent interview between the
Emperor Joseph and Victor Emmanuel, takes
pleasure in noticing that the Hungarians are far
from being satisfied with the "concessions insuf.
fisantes" of the Austrian Government, and are
energetically demanding the re-establishment of
their ancient constitution and the reunion to
Hungary of the provinces which were violently
detached from it in 1848; and also, that the num-
ber of troops in and around Warsaw is augment-
ing every day, while no less than 120,000 men
additional, are on their march from the interior of
Russia to join the enormous force already con-
centrated in that locality. These facts are
obviously intended to be regarded as a set off
against the good effects of the vaunted reconcilia-
tion between Austria and Prussia. It is added
that the Czar is to visit Warsaw in person ere
very long, and it need excite no. surprise to learn
that a counter meeting is appointed between his
Majesty and the Emperor Napoleon, the "pour-
parlors" of which, it is shrewdly suspected, have
been arranged for some time past.
On the other hand, it is right that I should not
be silent respecting another, and rather a diffe-
rent version, which is at present circulated, of the
motives by which the Emperor Alexander is in-
fluenced in thus strengthening his European fron-
tier. Some people do not hesitate to say that
they see in the results of the Tceplitz meeting the
pected
origin of the letter of Louis Napoleon to his
devoted friend and servant Persigny, which is
odiunng
explosion
pp
io p characterised as "quite an
r ex
to the
.of confraternity." According
wiseacres to whom I am now alluding, Francis
Joseph and the Prince Regent, besides coming to a
good understanding with each other as to their
foreign
policy, have since obtained the concurrence
in their line of action, of Russia—which Power,
as is well known, has of late been very much taken
up in watching, with anything but a friendly
eye, the progress of revolution in the south
of Europe, being perfectly alive to the fact,
that, once Naples and the Pontifical States are
invaded by a Garibaldian eruption, this. revolu-
tionary wave would easily be wafted from thence
to Hungary, and from Hungary to Poland; they
therefore suppose that, in presence of this double,
and perhaps triple alliance, Which assumes almost
the proportions of a coalition, the French Emperor
has astutely hit upon the expedient of drawing
closer the bonds of union with that nation in
which liberal instincts have a home, and where the
same sympathy which now animates France in
favour of " nationalities" is universally felt. The
epistle in question is, therefore, to be regarded as
a political counterpoise to the interview between
the chiefs of the two great Germanic Monarchies;
to which conjecture I would venture to add ano-
her—namely, that it was considered a likely

means of bridging over the obstacles which still

present themselves to the sailing of the Syrian

expedition.
These obstacles, which, if not insurmountable,
are yet to be overcome, have, it appears, assumed

- -
a new phase. The Porte desires to provide for the
eventualities of the future, as well as for the exi-

gencies of the moment. It proposes, as a condi-
tion of its acquiescence in the expedition, that the
French troops shall be subordinated to the autho-
rity of conihiissiOners named by the Sultan; that
the troops shall act only on the requisition of
these commissioners ; and lastly, that their • num-
bers shall always remain below the amount of the
Turkish forces despatched to the seat of the dis-
turbance's. The Porte also, I am infurmed, insists
that the embarkation of the French troops shall
be delayed till the close of the negotiations. But

further, it is rumoured here, that England con-
sents to be a party to the convention only on the
understanding. that the objects of it shall be ex-
clusively limited to Syria ; to which it is an-
swered, for Russia, that any intervention would
be ineffectual and incomplete which did not
secure the safety and protection of Chris-
tians in all parts of the Turkish dominions,
wherever there was reason to apprehend danger

rom outbursts of Mussulman fanaticism. I must

say I think Russia is right on this point. But
however that may be, you may rely upon it, that
the foregoing are the principal, if not the only
reasons, for the delay which has taken place in
signing the convention ; and they are in many
respects of a nature not to encourage the expecta-
tion of an early extrication—in fact, I believe the
Conference on this subject is very much in the
same position as the long talked of Meeting for
settling the questio vexata of Savoy—i.e. adjourned
sine die. At the same time, the latest accounts

from Toulon assert that France has resolved to
adhere to the day already fixed for the departure
of the expedition, viz., the 4th, as I mentioned
in my letter of yesterday, and says that Turkey and
the other Powers must rest satisfied with her
having agreed in principle to all the stipulations

to which her assent has been asked.
The Opinions Nationale publishes the substance
of a letter said to have been written by King
Victor Emmanuel to Garibaldi, begging him to
rest upon his laurels and negotiate--a request
with which it is said the Dictator has refused to
comply. But there must surely be some " mis-
take" in some quarter, for M. Litta, who was
the bearer of the King's letter to Garibaldi, was
not to see him till this morning. It has, however,
been since announced—though I don't advise
you to believe the news absolutely- —that an
armistice, for an unlimited time, has been signed
in Sicily between the belligerent parties, and
that the Neapolitans are to hold the citadel of
Messina until the conclusion of the negotiations
at present pending. The Naples telegram com-
municating this (Navas-Bullier), states that the
forts of Syracuse and Augusta are also to remain
in the hands of the Royalists ; but there is ano-
ther telegram of the same date from Genoa, in
which it is said that the Royal troops were on
the point of evacuating the citadel of Messina.
Further intelligence is, therefore, needful.
Garibaldi is much blamed for having shot seve-
ral individuals after the battle of Milazzo, but if
these persons were composed of the late Neapo-
lisan police, whose lives had been spared by him
formerly, on condition that they should not fight
against him, he is not to be bladed, but the re-
verse, in my opinion, for thus dispo,in-, of the
fellows.

In Naples, as things are getting no better, it is
not too much to suppose that they must be getting
worse. There appears to be no confidence in men
or measures, and everything, by last accounts
was at a standstill, in anticipation of Garibaldi's
arrival. At Rome, according to the statement of one
who writes from that city on the 24th, everything is
getting blacker and blacker. To every proposi-
tion which comes from Paris his Holiness con-
tinues to reply " non possumus."
The cholera has come to Valencia, in Spain, as
well as the eclipse, and several members of
families of rank have fallen victims to it. If this
scourge continues its ravages, it is anticipated
that the greater part of the inhabitants will leave
Madrid;where its approach is daily looked for.
As " explanations " seem to be quite the order
of the day at present, so far as the acts of the
French Government are concerned, it may be as
well that I should mention the following reason
which has been assigned for the recent augmen-
tation in the number and in the pay of the
members of . the military staff—viz., that the
changes were requisite in order to provide for
the case of the Government finding itself com-
pelled to put on foot suddenly an army of 600,000
men ; an explanation which is certainly quite as
candid as it is satisfactory.
The following mysterious and romantic adven-
ture, which has just occurred here, is creating
no little noise, and is said- to be in some way or
other mixed up with the Eastern question, but,
in what way, I am really unable to say :
In a small house in an aristocratic quarter of
Paris, resides a family, consisting of a foreign
count, his wife, and their six children. The
countess is the daughter of a well-known and
very wealthy French duke, who, not having
approved of the marriage, has ceased to acknow-
ledge-.her.
The other day, the eldest of the children, a
girl twelve years old, but tall for her age, stout,
and remarkably pretty, was taking the fresh air
on a little terrace projecting from the house,
when a woman, standing at the window of the
next house, said to her—" My dear child, make
haste down, and come with me ; I am to take you
to your grandpapa, who wants to see you, and
make it up with your mamma ; but don't say a
word about it, and slip away without being per-
ceived, for it is wished to create a snrprise.-
The young girl, who liked the idea of the little
plot, did what she was told, and, accompanied by
the unknown, got into a cab that d rew up at
the door. After driving some distance, the cab
stopped at a milliner's, and a new bonnet was
purchased for her, on the pretext that the duke
did not like the shape of the one she wore. The
cab was then exchanged for an omnibus, and
afterwards a second cab was engaged: all which
manceuvres began to disturb the young girl. She
was told, in answer to her inquiries, that her
grandfather lived a long way off; that the duke,
in fact, dwelt in the country, and that it was
necessary to take the rail to reach him. The child
concealed her suspicions, and smiled as if assenting
to what her conductress said ; but on the latter
leaving her alone for an instant, to go into a house
to call for something, she jumped out of the cab,
hailed another one which was passing at the moment
-and boldly ordered the driver to take her, baCk to
her friends, which he did at once, and in safety.
The most active search had been made for her
during her absence, which lasted four hours. She
was herself able, on her return, to guide the police
in their investigations ; and the same evening the
author of her abduction and her accomplices were
arrested. It appears, as I have said above, that
some revelations are expected which will connect
the circumstance with events in Syria; but the
whole affair, the facts of which are strongly
vouched for, is at present involved in my 3
A ' frightful case of suicide is mentioned in
na
Belgian paper, as having occurred last week, on
the line between Malines and Anvers. A M. M.,
formerly manager of the Theatre Royal. of Anvers,
had come by the morning train, from Malinesloc tok
he set off
Anvers, where he passed the day.
in the evening At nineo'con_
foot in the direction
of Duffel, and walked along the line. Half an
hour afterwards, on the aPproach of the last train
from Anvers to Brussels, he was observed by a
gate-keeper on the line to throw himself upon
the rails, right in whole
front of the train. the of
the carriages of which passed over his body.
The keeper went at once to Malines, and returned
with assistance. The body of the unfortu-
nate man was found to be shockingly muti-
lated, both the legs being separated from
-
the body and the hea almost smashed to pieces.
In his waistcoat pocket there was discovered a
note written in pencil, in which he asked for,
giveness from his farnily for the dreadful act he
was about to commit, and recommended his two
children to his brother, who is the manager of
the Academy of Painting at Louvain, and by
whom he had been supported for some time past.
It turned out that the note had been written in a
public-houge near the station, and that the
deceased was addicted to habits of intemperance,
which doubtless led to his sad end.
The Bourse has resumed its animation, and
prices have steadily risen.
The following were the closing quotations
last evening of the French and Foreign Funds
and Railways :

PUBLIC SECURITIES.
Credit Fonder BB
Belgian Four-and-a-
Half per Cents
Piedmontese Fives
Roman .
Austrian _
Spanish Threes
Home Debt.

Four-and-a-Half
per Cents .. . . 97 65
Do. end of month 97 75
Three per Cents. 68 15
Do. end of month 68 20
Bank Shares ....2820 —•
Credit Mobilier.. 683 75
Ditto, Aceonnt . 682 50

sot-
-* -80

RAIL
Cash. Ace.
Orlepg ....1365 ..13614
Northern .. 955 ▪ 955
New ditto 8774 875
Lyons and M 885 .. 885
New ditto ..
GieneYa 3671„ •
--

'AYS.

Cash. Acc.
Southern 500 .. 5024
Western.... 575 .. 580
Eastern .... 6214.. 620
Sardinian .. 400 ..
Austrian .. 506 i . 5031
Lombard .. 494:. 4971 2