The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-17 00:00:00

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(ABUT EB,'S TELEGRAMS.)

RUSSIA AND POLAND.

WARSAW, SEPT. 17.

It is stated on reliable authority that important
decrees in reference to Poland will be issued next
week.
The establishment of Universities and the abolis
tion of corporal punishment are among the subjects
for which the decrees will provide.
An Imperial ukase to General Berg will appear
at the same time.

FRANCE.
PARIS, SEPT. 17.

The Moniteur of this morning says :—Private
despatches received here announce that negotiations
are in progress with the object of prolonging until
the 15th December the armistice between Denmark
and Germany, which expired on Thursday last."

BOURSE, Sept. 16.—The Three per Cents. are
quoted to-day ex dividend, and are now at 66f.
Business continues without animation: Mobilier
remains unvaried at 1,012 f. 50c. Little or nothing
doing in Railway Shares. Threes slightly receded,
aad Mobilier improved towards the close. Business
finished as follows

Italian Loan . 67 35
Do. end mouth.... 68
Ditto Threes ..
New Mexican ....
Russian -
ti.l.lfitrian
Spanish Threes —
Rome Debt .. 49 25
Deferred
RAILRAILWAYS.
Cash. Account.
Orleans i...,.... 888 75 4 • 887 50
Northern ....
Lyons and Mediterranean 920 .. 923 75
Southern 628 75 .. 631 25
Western
eastern
Sardinian 352 53 .. 347 50
Austrian
Lorrbard
North of Spain 4OO .. 398 75
Saragossa 487 50 .. 487 50
Ditto to Barcelona

It per Cents. 9O
Do. ead month
3 per Cents
65 90
Do. end month
Credit Mobilier 1005
Do. end month 102.)
Bank Shares 3400

Credit Fonder ....

Roman

Public Executions in France.

The late execution of Latour for murder and tha
criminal's revolting behaviour are commented on
in terms of great disgust by the Paris Nation,
which asks whether the scene witnessed at the final
moment is of a nature to produce any edification in
the minds of the spectators. Far from such a result
arising, our contemporary considers the whole scene
of the execution as profoundly demoralising, and
founds on it an argument against capital punish•
meat being carried out in public, After describing
the conduct of Latour on the scaffold, the writer says,
" The crowd remained dumb with stupor, and could
not imagine a man insulting death when so near to it.
No jests were made to pass away the time, es re-
cently occurred on the Place de La Roquette. The
gaiety of Latour disconcerted the curiosity of the
spectators, and filled them with a sort of terror, It
was not a lesson which they beheld before them, but
a scandal, a thing without a name, by which in a
few hours an entire population may see all the
bonds of its faith, morality, and sense of decency
torn asunder. Why were not the criminal and
the execution concealed from the public gaze ?
We demand closed doors for horrors of the kind.
Such blood does not purify—it sullies. Let it
be shed far from every eye, if you think it indis-
pensable that blood should be shed. In whatever
manner the condemned man may affront the last
punishment, whether in singing or turning pale
with terror, there is nothing in the spectacle of a
head failing. If the man turns pale, the people
say he is a coward I It he is calm and collected,
they say he is courageous t If he sings and swears
like Latour, the people no longer understand ;
everything in their minds is confounded and mingled
together, and the only impression they can feel
is the immoral one of that double outrage to
human life which is manifested in that argument
of the eriminalists who say, in order to justify the
punishment of death, that all murderers fear it?
There are certainly murderers who fear it,
but we know of others now who are scarcely
moved by it. These latter must, however, be
put to death also; they have a right to the
same favour. Then it is that the scaffold becomes
the infamous tribune, in which the pinioned man
upon whom eternity is casting its shadow displays
Iris hideous infamy, and insults everything that the
world holds sacred—from the judge who has con-
demned him, to God who is about to judge him
also. tiV hat society gains by such a spectacle we
cannot say, but we know all that it may lose by it.
In the name of religion and morality, and in pre-
sence of the scandal which has just terrified she
populations of the Ariege, we demand that the
scaffold should disappear from our public place,
and that the last moments of the condemned man,
with his proseration before death or his supreme
raillery, should be concealed from all.

A SOLEMN PROTEST.

(From the Law Times of to-day,)
One of the cheap daily papers, the lowest happily in its
character of purveyor of news, although once it gave pro-
mise of better things, has adopted a new mode of drawing
a penny from the morbidly curious. At the news shops
we read, this week, placarded in the largest letters, "Inter-
view of our correspondent with Muller. Muller's state-
ment as to the night of the murder," From the paper itself,
so far as credit can be given to this kind of information,
it might be learnt that the correspondent led the pri-
soner Muller into a conversation about the nature of
his defence and about his possession of the watch and
chain, and other matters, including a croes-examina
tion as to the mode in which he procured his passage-
money. Fur any purpose of truth or justice such a
eon-
conversation is not worth ink and paper. But it is proper
to notice how, for the sake of pandering to the lowest appe-
tite for such exciting stuff, the humane principle of British
law where the commonest prisoner is concerned, much more
where one is on the way to a trial fur his life, has been
slighted from vulgar motives of gain. .According to law, a
prisoner is never invited to make any statement to any dd.
eer or any one concerned with him, or to any court where ho
undergoes either his preliminary or his final trial, nor is he
allowed to make a statement without a caution that he may
be prejudiced by it in evidence. It is true that a statement
made to a newspaper correspondent is not likely, unless the
correspondent be subpoenaed, to be actually given in evi-
deuce, but the publicity afforded to it causes it to operate
on the public, and consequently on the minds of the
jurymen. It is easy to caution jurymen to dismiss from
their minds all that they heard or read before they come
into court, but as long as men are men the thing is impos-
sible, A great responsibility rests on those who increase
the juryman's difficulty by publicly prejudicing cases. All
newspapers which set humanity and lawfulness above
sordid pence carefully abstain from thus practically inter-
fering with the course of justice. When then shall we think
of a newspaper which, in the first days of a prisoner's arrest
on a capital
has even had an opportunity of taking counsel with his
charge, when his senses are scattered, before he
legal advisers on his defence, or for considering his
position, allcws its correspondent to thrust himself
into the prisoner's cell and question and cross-question
him on the vital points of his case, or which, at least,
instead of reprimanding a correspondent who has done so,
publishes conspicuously the disgraceful result. To take a
man at such a disadvantage for selfish ends is base and
cowardly.
There is another evil attending this new mode of pressing
prisoners into the service of journalism. The accused has
granted the correspondent the favour of an interview, which
is highly valued by the correspondent's pa) masters. Will
either they or he be slow to return the favour, if afterwards,
by leading articles, or in any other way, dust can be
thrown in the eyes of the public—for instance, as to the
character of circumstantial evidence brought forward by
the prosecution at the trial ? In case of an adVerse
verdict, commercial gratitude will induce the jour-
nalistto play upon the sympathies of those who are
r thatrfeosei
reeta t io true,
thebloodteel
adverse generally to capital punishment. Jurymen will be
writtenbe ta n i s
up o
b unwholesome r e factpresentation
nat persuaded to sign pipers that, if they had known so and
sgoorpaaottni
the
journaland trial,o
nirif h
of have given a different verdict. Petitions will be advertised
gratis, would
office, and tho Home Minister will be held up to indignation.
and contempt for not listening to sophistries. The reaction
is capable of very d ingerou4 consequences. We can only
trust that on this ground, as well as the ground of humanity,Y
the bad example of the present
t disreputable
weren
craving for
they
attempt
t
increase circulation will find no followers in • j the decent
portion of the press.

(Per the China,via Roche's Point, Sept. 16, 7.55 p.m.)
NEW YORK, Sept. 6.
Despatches from Gen. Sherman, 26 miles south of
Atlanta, report- that on the 30th ult. he with the
main portion of his army left the vicinity of Atlanta,
made a detour to the scuth west, crossed the West
Point Railway, and after repulsing an attack on his
right by the Confederates, who were in force at
Jonesborough, occupied the Macon railway, and in-
terposed his army between that place and Atlanta.
Oa the lst instant he attacked Jonesborcugh and
carried the Confederate works, capturing 1,000 pri-
soners and 10 cannon.
He admits his loss in the action at 1,200, and esti-
matesth at of the enemy at 2,000, including prisoners.
The Confederates retired to Lovejoy Station.
Sherman followed, but did not renew the attack.
In consequence of these operations, Gen. Hood
blew up his works at Atlanta, removed or des-
troyed all material excepting 14 cannon, and during
the night retired from the city, but iu what direc-
tion does not appear.
On the following morning, General Slocum, who
with the 20th Corps had been left to hold Sherman's
communications, occupied Atlanta.
Secretary Stanton announces that Early is retreat-
ing up Shenandoah Valley, followed by Sheridan.
Severe skirmishing has occurred over Bunker's.
hill, Occoquan, and Berryville, but no general en-
gagement has yet been reported.
Richmond journals of the Ist report that Genera]
Wheeler has burnt the railway bridge over the
Tennessee river at London, and captured 900 pri.
soners at Marysville and Newmarket,
Mr. Lincoln under date of the 3rd, tenders the
thanks of the nation to Admiral Farragut, Generals
Canby, Granger, and Sherman, and the forces under
their command, for their achievements at Mobile
and Atlanta, and. orders salutes to be fired from
every arsenal and navy yard in Federal possession
in celebration of their victories.
He also recommends that a general thanksgiving
be offered in all the churches on Sunday next.
The draught which was ordered for the sth has
been postponed, and further time given for the
filling of quotas by volunteering,
The credits allowed for naval and other recruits
not previously accredited has reduced the quota of
New York city to 1,114 men, whom it is believed
can be speedily supplied without recourse to a
draught.
Gold opened yesterday at 235, rose to 2431, but
closed at 2401. Tosday it has been steady at 241.2.
Exchange, 263. Sixes, registered, 1881, 107 ; Five-
Twenties, Coupons, 1101; Sevem.Thirties, 1091
New York Central, 1281 ; Erie, 1071 ; Illinois Cens
tral, 127 k. Cotton 183 s. to 1850. Breadstuff] dul'
and lower. Provisions improved, Sugars firm
Coffee dull.

SEPT. 7, 9.30 A M

Both the Federal and Confederate accounts re-
port that General John INlorgan was surprised at
Greenville, Tennessee, on the 4th, himself killed,
and 75 of his command captured by Federals under
General Silvers.
General Rosseau announces that Generals Wheeler
and Reddy have retired from Nashville and Chatta-
nooga Railway.
No further particulars from Atlanta. E irly has
taken a strong positiun west of the Opequan, cover-
ing Winchester.
Mr Stanton states that on Monday Gen. Grant
celebrated the occupation of Atlanta by shelling
Petersburg.
Secretary Seward made a speech at Auburn, New
York, on Saturday evening last in which he de-
clared that the salvation of the Union depends upon
the election of Mr Lincoln ; that slavery is no
longer en issue of the war, and will not be inter.
fered with :after peace is restored ; and that the
Democratic party is aiding and abetting the rebel-
Eon. He also stated that no draught will be neces-
sary, as the armies are Veing recruited as rapidly as
required by volunteering.
, The China takes out 87,675 dols. in specie.