The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-04 00:00:00

THERMOMETER.

This day at Two o'clock

Barometer-30.00.
Wind—East ; fresh, and very fine.

with a sense nearly of exultation, to the prospect
of its dissolution. It has done, actually done
little or nothing, since it was first called together
in the summer of 1859, when Mr. EVELYN DENISON
was elected Speaker, More than that, it has hardly
attempted to do anything. It has scarcely made
any pretense of affecting to do anything. It un-
happily had the excuse afforded to it for idling
away a whole year in consequence of the sudden
and terribly premature death of the beloved Consort
of the SOVEREIGN. The nice balance of parties
again—keeping things almost in a state of absolute
equilibrium—has served since then to perpetu-
ate, if not actually to justify, the do-nothing-
policy of a Cabinet without any great
ruling principle whatever, beyond the one
cherished principle of all Whig Cabinets—to hold
office as long as possible ! In the maintenance of this
very curious do-nothing policy, a policy so very curi-
ous on the part of a Ministry notoriously made up
of Reformers—a ministry that actually ousted its
predecessors from office on the plea of their impeding
the rapid acquisition of large and comprehensive
Reforms—in the steady and continuous mainten-
ance of this do-nothing policy, the present Adminis-
tration has been sustained by two things, each of
which two things has certainly been all the while
sufficiently within every one's comprehension.
First of the two—by the strong predilection for
Conservatism all his life in the heart of hearts of
Lord PALMERSTON. Second of the two—by the
ready connivance, aid, assistance, and co-operation
of the powerful Conservative Opposition. Upon
Lord PALMERSTON'S popularity the present Cabi-
net has all along rested entirely as ito only four.
dation. And the Premier, who is one of the last,
as he is also in another sense one of the first, of the
Canningites, if he has ever before in his life
cherished Conservative predilections, has done,
is doing so, now that he is approaching the ripe
age of an octogenarian. Old age is not
fond of innovation—is certainly not fond
of inaugurating innovations. Lord PAL-
MERSTON never, even in his youth, having been
solicitous about the prosecution of bold and
sweeping reforms, has long since got to be
wholly and avowedly indifferent to them.
And in sweeping altogether out of view
all idea or design of Reforms, of a large or small
kind, as Lord PALMERSTON, if any man living has
done, has most unquestionably done, has done
eagerly and done with a will—he has been steadily
and strenuously aided in so doing by the eager co-
operation of her MAJESTY'S Opposition. Why the
latter have thus readily consented to assist the
Ministry in their do-nothing policy—needs hardly,
in truth, to be specified! For one thing,
while so doing, they, the Opposition, have
been all this time enabling their antagonists,
in the most signal and effectual manner,
to stultify themselves. They (the Opposition)
have so acted that the 'result has been the
shelving pf all reform by the very Ministry which
was called to power in order to secure the triumph
of reform principles! More sweeping reforms
than those they themselves the Conservatives)
were prepared to carry out in 1859, had they been
allowed to do so by the Dog-in-the-Manger Re-
solution of Lord RUSSELL, then still Lord JOHN
RUSSELL—more sweeping reforms than those
sketched out in Mr. DISRAELI'S rejected measure,
neither he nor his colleagues were prepared to
assist in carrying through Parliament: The Oppo-
sition, therefore, have been perfectly consistent in
furthering Lord PALMERSTON 's endeavour, the noble
veteran's very successful endeavour, as it has turned
out to be, to bring about the shelving of Reform
altogether. So effectually has it long since been
shelved in consequence of all this, that the reputed
Great Reformer among Great Reformers in the
House of Commons has quitted that arena
for the Lords—has long since accepted his
coronet as an earl, and has been further
rewarded—for his " Resolutions," of course
—by being made a Knight of the Garter,
Hence his memorable expression of satiety when
recommending the nation to " Rest and be Thank-
fol." A Parliament in which all this has come to
pass, we have no sentiment in regard to, unless a
sense of absolute indifference can be called a senti-
ment. We look with apathy to the prospect
of its dissolution. Before the date of its dissolution
comes, however, there will, in the natural course of
things, come a party struggle ! Probably the
party struggle will arise this next session : and this
—because of the blundering of Ministers, particu-
larly in their Foreign Policy and because of the
simultaneous aggregation of strength numerically
o the Opposition.

' .v(k, 4
Surf,

LONDON, SATURDAY, JAN. 4, 1864.

They who attempt to give advice, or to offer sug-
gestions to the King of PRUSSIA, have but a sorry
task, and do not meet with a very gracious recep-
tion. In the present instance his MAJESTY'S
answer to the address is a most ungenial one, and
be takes very good care to let the refractory and
presumptous deputies know how greatly they have
erred in their attempts to teach him his duty, and
to hint to him how he should manage affairs. Thus
we read in the Reply, that the King " desires to
assume" that no intimation given to him could pos-
sibly be intended to trench on his exclusive right
to decide and dictate the course necessary to be
taken with respect to foreign politics. According
to this idea it will be very difficult to determine
what remains for the representative Assembly to
do, if all action is denied to them, and they are
not to be allowed to come forward in any decisive
manner, and sway the destinies of the country at an
important juncture. This is a new doctrine to be
promulgated in a Constitutional country, and
seems to extinguish the last faint hopes that may
be entertained of his conversion to a wiser and a
better course. Now when we hear of this enuncia-
tion by the King that the decision arrived at re-
garding these affairs can only be settled by himself
alone—if this be true, some reflective persons might
ask, what is the use of having a Chamber of Depu-
ties at all. If their mission is but to follow the old
advice of seeing, and hearing, but saying nothing,
it would be quite as well if they did not undertake
the task at all. It is at all events so far satisfactory
that King WILLIAM does not agree to the tenour
of the advice accorded to him, although his mode of
declining the suggestion is quite characteristic of
the arbitrary style which has gained for his rule so
much animadversion, and called down such bitter
reproach. It is one step gained in the unequal
struggle now taking place, that the treaties of
1862 are not to be given up recklessly,
or without due consideration, and what-

Parliament is already coming within our ken, is
now almost visibly looming up before us at the end
of the very brief perspective of a few weeks in
this next month of February. There is a toler-
ably clear understanding, too, on all sides that the
coming session is not to be allowed to follow the dull
pattern of its three or four do-nothing predeces-
sors. The Parliament itself moreover is coming with-
in easy distance of the date of its own dissolution.
Meaning by that, its dissolution simply in the
natural course of things as a septennial Parlia-
ment. Nominally only our Parliaments are rep.
tennial. Ever since they became septennial they
have as a rule become more short-livel even than
seven years. They have been dissolved, instead ot
tranquilly lapsing into non-existence. The Seven
Years of Parliament, like the Seven Ages of Man,
are seldom enough to be traversed, throughout, to
the very end. And when a Parliament as charac •
terless, as sluggish, as dawdling, almost one might
say, as utterly indifferent us the one last summoned
into existence, is in existence, the sooner a quietus
comes to be administered to it, the people out ot
doors get to think at last, the better. Remembering
how little there is, that can be set down as
among the achievements of the Parliament now
in a few weeks mere t 3 be summoned back
again to Westminster for the despatch of urgent
public business—one really, without any particle
of affectation, looks forward with a sense of relief,

ever arriere pensee the King may entertain,
whatever may lurk in the background, we can but
rejoice so far at his resolve to maintain intact and
inviolate the engagements entered into between the
Powers of Europe. The concluding passages of the
reply are very carefully worded, and prove the
KING to be a skilful diplomatist and an acute
watcher of events. The very haste and precipita-
tion with whist) the Deputies have acted are turned
to account against them ; and the zeal for aggran-
disement abroad, and the mistaken notions of up-
tlolding the Federal rights at home, which have
lately so falsely actuated them, are now shown up
in their true colours. 'When any sect or party
become hesitating in their course, it follows as a

matter of necessity that their opponents take advan-
tage of it. The KING very aptly remarks that, if
the Deputies really desire what they ask for, they
must in conscience agree to his proposals and give
a willing ear to his demands. Thus he adroitly
introduces the subject of the "means" and " con-
ditions," which have hitherto been vexed questions
between the Crown and the Deputies. He has the
best of the argument, when he says that he cannot
understand how the House which so "vehemently
urges" him to action can reuse him its support
when he asks for the requisite powers to commence
that action. The Deputies have thrown away a
grand chance, and lost a glorious opportunity of
vindicating the rights of the Constitution and
serving the best interests of their country. The
mania for Federal rights seems to have obscured all
other ideas, and to have obliterated those claims
which were so much more important and impera-
tive. This affair of Schleswig-Holstein, which some
time ago was the opprobrium of politics, and which
some mistaken well-wishers deemed to have been
settled once and for ever, seems destined to
confuse and complicate to the utmost the
nations of Europe, already sufficiently dis-
tracted by the uncertain state of events.
Like all bad managers and pursuers of a shuffling
line of policy, Earl RUSSELL is now in a very un-
comfortable position. He beholds fresh difficulties
in every turn of events, and new dilemmas seem
winged towards him with the advent of every addi-
tional telegram. His perplexities have now com-
pelled him to summon a Cabinet Council, doubtless
for the express purpose of considering this remark-
able and intricate problem- Had the noble lerA
taken a right view of this affair at first, how diffe-
rent would now be the result. We should be main-
taining a position worthy of the dignity and con-
sonant with the influence that a great country
ought to exercise and enjoy. Instead of that, there
is nothing but charge and countercharge, orders
and decrees, succeeding each other in swift succes-
sion, and doubtless one counteracting any good that
the other might effect. It is the more to be regret-
ted that the question has been thus maltreated,
when it is borne in mind that the country which is
the most injured and insulted is the one that is
closely connected with us at present, and which
surely calls for same attention and merits some con-
sideration at our hands. It would hardly have been
credited some time back had any one skilled in
public questions, and well versed in the general
events of the day, foretold the humiliating course
we were to pursue with a nation to whom we are
indebted for our future Queen. It is high time that
the session should begin, and this affair taken up in
the right spirit and carried on with earnestness and
energy. When the Duke of AUGUSTENBURG takes
, to issuing proclamations, it is eminently requisite
that some State sufficiently potent should check
these irregular proceedings, and put a stop to this

Boys are sent to the refuges to learn a trade and
gain a character, unless they already have one,
when situations are found for them. The female's
department has not been near so long open, but ten
thousand persons have already received its benefits.
Nearly a third of this rumber have been put in
places or sent to their friends. Those who have
characters are kept in the refuge until they are
tested, and then stationed in the servants' room
attached to the establishment for engagement. The
dormitories are always full, and many more of these
poor creatures apply for admission than can be
accommodated. The schools provide for children of
all ages—from the infant school, where those under
seven years can be kept in careful hands to be
taught to read, sing, and sew, and provided with
food and warmth. The average attendance is 193
for the morning, and 269 for the afternoon ; and it
is an interesting evidence of the thrifty habits early
inculcated that the infants have, within the past 12
months, paid £24 for the clothes given to them in
regular payments of id. and id. In the day schools
the average attendance is 3:0, having educated,
since its opening in 1848, more than 8,000 children,
3,000 of whom have been helped on in
life by learning trades, procuring situations,
&c. An industrial sewing class teaches the
girls one of the most necessary departments of
woman's knowledge. It would be well if it were
possible to add a cooking class where they might
learn to make cheap and wholesome soup, to boil
vegetables, &c., thereby saving the waste which too
often is found in a poor roan's kitchen. Night schools
for men and boys carry on another part of the
work at which the attendance is satisfactory. At
the boys' industrial classes boys are taught tailor-
ing and shoemaking, A girl's night school for
girls unable to come in the day is attended by ser-
vants, girls in warehouses, &c. During three
years 600 have been scholars, while the girl's in-
dustrial class for elders, the mother's class for
teaching them useful house knowledge, and the
Ladies' Clothing Society. all deal with cases of
need that are numbered by hundreds. Nor is the
work held to be done when the inmate or the
scholar has been provided with out-door employ.
ment. Every endeavour is made to keep up a
friendly connection by the offer of prizes for good
service, &c., in order to encourage the lads to perse-
vere in steady and industrious habits. So widespread
have been the benefits of this institution, so great and
testing the good it confers on classes awkward to
reach and difficult to deal with, that we hear with
regret of any change being necessary. 0 wing to
the requisitions of the Metropolitan Railway, how-
ever, the present establishment must be shortly
abandoned, and the managers find considerable diffi-
culty in procuring another site owing to many
persons objecting to letting their lands for such
purposes as the Refuge. We cannot suppose that
they will not succeed in finding a resting place, but
it will be a matter of regret if they are compelled to
remove to a distance, which will deprive their esta-
blishment of a great part of its utility. If it is located
in some remote suburb the homeless wanderer may,
it is true, turn his steps thither; the labours among
the resident poor, the schools and classes will be
sadly crippled. We must hope before their time
has expired some similar spot will be found, in
which the great and good works springing from the
humble efforts of the city missionary may be carried
forward with unabated zeal and success.

inconsistent and unprecedented course. The ar-
rangements made throughout this affair by
the German League are in every respect
unworthy of a great people, who surely
could have afforded to be more magnanimous, and
to have exhibited more honourable spirit throuhgout.

The vexatious arrangement of this question may
pass away from the general recollection like a nine
days' wonder, but with those who are more discern-
ing heavy blame will attest itself to those who had
the power, bat forbore to exercise it, whose influence
would have turned the scales in favour of a small
State borne down by oppression, but who declared
for neither side until too late for the asseveration to
benefit either. It is always most desirable for the
ministers of a great country to be prompt and bold
and outspoken in their utterances; there are many
to take advantage of their weakness, Ind turn the
uncertain wave of events to account for their own
purpeses. If it were only as having furnished a
pretext for the decadence of the hopes of Prussia
this affair of Schleswig-Holstein is to be deeply
lamented, since a chance thrown away may be very
rarelyagain presented to those who have neglected it.

vernuaent.

Among the many charitable institutions of the
metropolis is one which, from a very humble and
limited commencement, has developed into a large
establishment, whose wide ramifications confer sub-
stantial and lasting benefits among the most help-
less and needy of our destitute classes. We allude
to the Field-lane Night Refuges, of which some
very interesting statistics have lately been pub-
lished. This institution is best known by this
name, although its objects extend far beyond the
one purpose of giving a night's shelter to the house-
less wanderer. Its bi anches include a male and
female refuge for the utterly destitute, day and in-
fant schools, night schools, industrial classes for
boys and girls, a ragged church, a Sunday school,
and a penny bank. The number of recipients of
these varied benefits is something surprising even
in London, while the amount of practical good that
has been done by reclaiming the vicious and idle,
by training the young, and helping the helpless is
a substantial benefit to the country_ It is little
more than twenty years since the first small begin-
ning of this vast work was made by an humble
city missionary. The scene of his labours was in
the vicinity of Field-lane, where the courts and
alleys abounded with vice and distress. He saw
the hungry lacking food, the naked shivering in
the blast, the weary finding no rest for the soles of
their feet in this our wilderness of streets and lanes.
He saw idleness grow into vice, and vice into crime,
for lack of the timely and kindly hand to turn
them to the better way. He saw the young chil-
dren left untaught, uncared for, with no friend to
teach how to live or how to die ; with
no one to put them in the way of earning
an honest crust, but hundreds ready to teach
them how to break the laws of GOD and man.
He saw youth left without any counterbalance
to the thousand temptations that beset it; he saw
friendless girls out of place lacking a decent refuge,
he saw sickness and misfortune reducing their vic-
tims to the level of the worthless and depraved, with
little chance of making a fresh start. All this, and
much more, did he see. We might almost be tempted
to question, looking at the place as he saw it then,
what good could one man do, and that man with-
out wealth, power, or influence ? The early efforts
of the City Missionary were, soon after the first
starting, assisted by some friends in the neighbour-
hood, bat their efforts were obstructed in every way
possible by the disorderly people of the district.
Some ten years after the first beginning, the male
refuge for the houseless poor was opened, and since
that time, in 1851, 90,000 men and boys have been
supplied with 300 night's lodgings, and 600,000
loaves of bread ; 5,000 of these have been provided
with the means of gaining their own livelihood.
These figures alone prove the urgent need that ex-
isted of such an establishment, and represent an
amount of want and suffering that if left untended
would have been terrible to think of. It is stated
that a large proportion of these persons do not be-
long to the worst classes, but have been reduced
to extremity by loss of health or work, and ina-
bility to find employment. There is little to attract
those that are not in utter need. A loaf of bread
and water night and morning, coffee in winter, and
a little soup on Sundays, together with the rough
accommodation for the night, are not likely to tempt
the idler, if he can find food and shelter elsewhere.

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 4, 1864.

[REUTER'S TELEGRAM.]

CHINA.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

THE POLISH INSURRECTION.

KOAVNO, DEC. 29.

Yesterday was a day of deep mourning for the
patriotic people of Poland and Lithuania. A hero
of the insurrection, whose name will be mentioned
with esteem and admiration by all future genera-
tions of his countrymen, the valiant and noble Abbe
Mackiewicz, who had been captured by an unfor-
tunate chance some days ago by the Muscovites,
has been hanged by order of the cruel Mouravieff,
in Kowno, on the 28th inst., at 11 o'clock. The
heroism of this well-known Polish leader, who has
held the campaign from the b,zinning of the insur-
rection, the generous manner in which he treated
the Russians who fell into his power during the
war, the noble words he uttered when he was brought
before the younger Mouravieff in Kowno—" I have
fought for the freedom and independence of my
country ; this is all I have to confess ; now, general,
do your duty as servant of the Czar," all these had
surely made an impression on every other civilised
enemy, and had saved the life of the captured hero
from a cruel revenge. Alas! the Mouravieffs and
their fellows know nothing of such noble feelings,
and the gallows received a fresh martyr. Abbe
Mackiewicz died as he had lived; his last words
were a prayer for Poland.
The Russian officers celebrated this day, as usual,
by a solemn ball.

On the 19th inst., in the town of Szczeczew, in
tha diatrint of Pruszanv. wero h,„er-1, by order of
Mouravieff, Anthony Alkowski, the priest John
Hruszczyk, and the Prussian subject Augustus Sa-
lomon, for having taken part in the Polish insur-
rection.

WARSAW, DEC. 29.

Intelligence spread through the city yesterday of
an unsuccessful attack upon the Russian colonel of
gendarmes, Rospopow, and that in his private resi-
dence, which is strictly guarded. The perpetrators
are said to have been taken. The colonel was un-
injured, but Major von Rothkvich died to-day of
wounds received in the affair. A more daring at-
tempt than ail these is the poniarding of a spy,
Josef Guzik, in the citadel itse'f, to which only
known military men are admitted.
Upon the occasion of the approaching holiday,
General Berg has ordered Bishop Rzewuski to issue
a pastoral letter to the people advocating peace, but
the Bishop declined. The refusal is not believed to
result from any particular feeling of patriotism, but
rather from fear of the consequences. Whatever
the motive, Rzewuski will probably be sent' to
Siberia.

Very compromising papers with respect to the
insurrection are said to have been discovered at the
residences of the officials of the Warsaw and Vienna
Railway, lately arrested. The temporary director,
Mirecki, has already received his dismissal, and it
is reported that the entire management of the rail-
way will pass into the hands of the Russian Go-

The transportation convoys continue. Many
ladies have also recently been sent into the interior
of Russia, there to ba detained.

SUEZ, DEC. 31.

Prince Kung having refused to ratify the agree-
ment made by Mr. Lay with Capt. Osborn, Capt..
Osborn proceeded to disband his force.
The European Ministers protested against Prince
Rung having the ships on his own terms, and
Prince Kur.g then requested Mr. Bruce to sell the
ships for him. Mr. Bruce having requested Capt.
Osborn to undertake their disposal, a part of the
squadron were to sail for England, and Captain
Osborn, with the Keangsoo, Quantung, and Amoy
had sailed for Bombay. Captain Osborn may be
shortly expected in England.