The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-23 00:00:00

THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

The Independance Beige of the 20th says—
" Letters from Berlin inform us that the pea"
negotiations will open to-day, July 20, in Vienna.
It is stated that they will be conducted by the Mc'
Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Herr von Bismark
and Count Rechberg. it is probable that DO'
mark will be represented by two statesmen vyll°
belong to the present cabinet, M. de Moltke and
M. de Quaade, ministers without portfolios. France,
which aided Denmark to place herself in communi-
cation with the German powers, and assisted in
sketching out the first negotiations, now holds co'"
pletely aloof. The choice of the city where the
negotiations are to take place sufficiently indicates
this ; in default of this proof one would be found
in the susceptibility with which Germany repels the
idea of all interference in a question'which she con"
siders exclusively her own affair, whether by EurePe
or by a great power. Denmark herself, moreover.
can only gain by throwing herself upon the gene'
rosity which her weakness imposes upon her ad'
versaries, and the control which their divergent
interests will exercise over their 'conduct t°'
wards her. We do not mean to say, hoW•
ever, that France remains completely indif'
ferent, although she does not act. The plan of an
eventual absorption of Denmark by the Confede-
ration and that of a material aggrandisement of
Prussia forbid her to do so. Independently of the
reservations upon this point already made by the i
Chancellery of M. Dronyn de Lhuys, mention s
made of a fresh circular of that minister respecting
the negotiations now open, and in which, occupying
himself specially with the future government of tlie
duchies, he indicates, it is said, the consultation of
the wishss of the populations as the sole means 01
settling the rival claims to the sovereignty Of the,
new state. This view is also that of the liberai
papers of Germany, especially of those which BP;
pear in the duchies. Organs of the sentiments 0'
their fellow-citizens, they show them to us as very
weary of the state of proNisonal administration 111
which the conquering powers hold them, and rady
to rise against every attempt to impose upon themany other sovereign than the candidate of theft
choice, Prince Frederick of Augustenburg."

The Paris Temps says :
In London everyone is looking towards Vienna'
Will the diplomatists be more successful on th°p
banks of the Danube than upon those of the Thames
In the short space of time from the 20th to the 311
July will they succeed in discovering a basis 1)
negotiations ? Nothing indicates this at present'
The great Gelman powers claim the entire duchioS;
while the Copenhagen Cabinet still clings to th
chimerical project of a personal union. It is Pr°,
bablo, however, that an understanding will be arrived
e
at at last, and that the allies, in exchange for 40
Duchy of Lauenburg, will cede to Denmark
northern part of Sleswig, which extends from
Apenrade to the North Sea. It remains to be Been
whether the: populations interested and German
public opinion will ratify this compromise.
According to a ministerial paper (the Breslau
Gazette) Prussia has determined Lot to consent t°
the entrance of Sleswig into the German Confede;
ration. The new state, it is said, is In be Place'
under a sort of suzerainty of Prussia.

WILBERFORCE'S LIFE AND CHARACTER. EriT°:
MISED by a Saturday Reviewer.—The leadinb
events of Mr. Wilberforce's life are sufficiently well knovg"
He was the son of a rich merchant at Hull. He was ecin:
cated at Cambridge. When he left college, ho becanlen
of the most brilliant members of London society, all" —g
particular was extremely intimate with Mr. Pitt, lie v 7-8.
born in 1759. H© sat in Farliament in 1780 for Hull, °ll
"
in 1784 for the county of York, which ho represented 0
no less than 28 years. In 1812 he became member for the
rotten borough of Bramber, and in 1825 he retired fr,,°lllB
Parliament. He died in 1833. The abolition, first of
slave trade, and afterwards of slavery, in which he 0°1:a
leading but by no means the most laborious part, wore —la
great achievements of his life. The position which be 134.
in English society, and the extraordinary love and rev',•
ence with which he was regarded, were very remarkab er
l'6l
It is hardly an exaggeration to say that ho made n nilsB
approach to the character of a Protestant Saint, nßpd
fact that he did so is worth attention, inasmuch as it ot°ll,
clearly what the sort of qualities are which strike Begli.6oo
man at large as unusually and abnormally virtuous.
_oj.
had, in the first place, a marvellous charm of manner, "
great abilities of a social kind. He appears to have b,4
one of the most pleasing speakers, and also one of the
charming and amiable talkers, that ever lived. vt3tl,o
anedote about him, and all his letters, bear upon thee' fat
stamp of cheerful quiet offection, mixed with woad° 1.%
gaiety and sprightliness of mind. These qualities :to
thrown into border relief than would otherwise belooteci,
them by the faint touch of something like asceticism v/11,;1
coloured his religion and reacted upon his conduct. Il' rest
a perfectly sincere and honest man, and the chief
d irt.
which attaches to his life in the present cloy is derist' to
the fact that his character would seem, by its suceob ,11
mark the point which was reached half a century
public feeling. Mr I,Vilberfurce was the sort of man w and
the grandfathers of the present generation cordiallY
,4. a
affectionately recognised as the model of a Cleri3tiall
gentleman. 104

lIIAT NATIONAL INSTITUTION, " ,
LIBRARY," in., 1 Ca
we learn, about to be constitute- ed
a new footing, as a joint-stock undertaking on, the
liability principle—Mr Mudie remaining the chief
prietor and managing director, and three friends of his lieu'
iug already taken half of the remaining shares. An cif.tbe
tare had bowl made to Mr Mudie for the purchase °` f
library for the purpose of converting it into the ,opor
a commercial company of the ordinary kind; but, °ll if
vice, Mr Mudie declined the ear, and determined 111133,:e crs
to form a company on the above method the shareheic-
of which should be known as persons "quaking au iritere
in promoting the circulation. of the. Debt literaturg."