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

.

Our Mazzinian " Minister of the Crown,"

(From the Times).

There is a rock ahead on which the Government
seem to be in danger of steering. It is high above
water, the coast is bold, and they are making
directly for it. We allude to the affair of Mr.
Stansfeld. Even before the recent disclosures it was
very doubtful wiether the House of Commons could
be induced to acquiesce in the continued presence of
this gentleman as a member of the Government.
But we have now learnt from the recent trial of
Alc:zzini many things capable no doubt of explana-
tion, but still obviously tending to show that Mr.
Stansfeld's connection with Mazzini is much closer
than was generally supposed. We do not prejudge
the case. We are quite willing to hear and weigh
everything that Mr. Stansfeld may say in extenua-
tion or justification; but we confess we think that
the defence to such charges should be made by Mr.
Stansfeld as a private member of Parliament, not as
a person connected with the Government, bound to
be jealous of the honour of the country, and bound
also to do nothing to prejudice its relations with
the Governments of foreign States.

(From the Revue des Deux Modes.)

Touching the Mazzini-Stansfeld business M.
Forcade says :

"Garibaldi is about to arrive in England at the very
moment when English political society is still under the
impression of the disagreeable revelations of the much-to-
be-regretted intimacy between a member of Parliament and
of the Ministry, Mr. Stansfeld, and M. Mazzini. Under
existing circumstances, we think that Garibaldi will re-
quire a great deal of tact and a great deal of discretion if
he be not willing abruptly to run the risk of losing the
favour of the English nation. This incident of the inti-
macy of Mr. Stansfeld with Mazzini, once more brought to
light by the Greco trial, appeared at one time likely to
compromise the existence of the Ministry. Of course no
one believed that Mr. Stansfeld could have been the confi-
dant of the conspiracies in which M. Mazzini is directly or
indirectly mixed up; but English honour suffered at the
idea that the address of a Minister and a member of the
House of Commons could be found in the pocket of wretched
assassins as a channel of correspondence with M, Mazzini.
Whether M. Mazzini be guilty or not guilty of the
charge of complicity brought against him, he is a very
clumsy conspirator and a very compromising sort of
friend, as the covers of letters sent him by his
friends are to be found in the hands of the vilest of criminals.
Moreover, to show that M. Mazzini is justly liable to sus-
picion and to excite distrust, it is sufficient to mention (as
was done by Sir H. Stracy), on the authority of the Revue
des Deux .3londes, the ironical admission he published a
few years ago of his participation in a plot against the life
of King Charles Albert."
Mr. For cads then proceeds to say that Mr. Stans-
feld is a useful member of Government, and that it
is a pity he should have behaved with so little dis-
cretion as was displayed by his speeches in the
House of Commons. M. Forgade being a staunch
Palmerstonian, this admission has its value, but it
is to be regretted he did not take the opportunity
to record the opinion universally prevalent in all
French political circles, excepting of course the
extreme school which is prepared to endorse M.
Mazzini's theory of the dagger. It is not, however,
very difficult to supply the deficiency, and I fecr no
contradiction when I state that in France, in Ecg-
land, or in Italy, Imperialist, Orleanist, Legitimist,
or Republican, Conservative, Whig, or Radical,
Italianissimo;orCodino,the parti des honnetes gens—
s.e, every man who may be set down as an honour-
able member of society, whatever may be his
political views, reproves with the utmost indigna-
tion M. Mazzini's murderous intrigues, and feels
deep concern that a member of the English Govern-
ment should not feel it his duty to clear himself of
any suspicion of being in any way implicated in

THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE,

PLYMOUTH, Sunday.

The Union Company's Royal mail steamer Nor-
man, Captain R. B. Davie, arrived here this morn-
ing. Her dates are—Table Bay, FeLi ujiry 20; St.
Helena, March 1; and Ascension, March 5.

Her cargo includes 295 bales of wool, 1 bundle of
skins, 46 cases of ostrich feathers, 1 cask, 1 case and
356 tusks of ivory, 40 hhds. 72 casks and 91 aums
of wine, 41 aums of brandy, 11 cases of fruit, 5
cases of bulbs, 1,049 bags of copper ore, and 11
casks of seal skins, also 1 case of copper, British,
duty paid, and 1 box of old coins.
His Excellency the Governor, Sir Philip Wode-
house, and suite, were at Graham's Town; his pro-
gress thus far through the Eastern Province had
been very successful. Great enthusiasm prevailed
in the various towns through which he journeyed.
Sir Percy Douglas, Commander-in-Chief of the
Forces, accompanied by Colonel Bisset, Colonel
Gawler, and Deputy-Assistant Commissary-Genl.
Hall, arrived in King William's Town on the 10th
of February. Lieutenant Fitzgibbon, 10th Regt.,
was drowned, February 13, while attempting to
crosz4 the Keiskama river.
At thC Cape business is advancing. It is now
admitted thtJ too large a quantity of unnecessary
and useless merchandise, such as jewellery, pictures,
books, boots and abets, clops, hardware, &c., of a
cheap description has bean of late received on con-
signment.
Provisions, fruit, and vegetables were never so
abundant; the advantages of the railway are gene.
rally admitted. An Agricultural Exhibition was
about to be held at S wellendam.

The prize negroes brought in by her Alk:jesty's
screw steam sloop Rapid had all been apportiooed,
and it is a significant fact that, although but 200
were for disposal, over 2,000 were applied for.
Surveys for a direct line of railway to Graham's
Town were being pushed forward under G 3vern-
ment employes, with a view to submitting the need-
ful plans to Parliament. Opinions as to the advan-
tage of such a measure are much divided, and con-
siderable opposition is anticipated.
The Union Company had begun their service to
Port Elizabeth, and the *first ship, the Roman,
sailed for that port on Feb. 18, and will bring the
next monthly mail- to England. The Dane is per-
forming the mail and coast service to Natal.
In Simon's Bay were her Majesty's steam frigate
Narcissus; the Conqueror, bound to Japan; the
Rapid; the Wasp, bound to Trincomalee; the
transport Ballarat, from China ; and the French
transport Loiret, from Bourbon. Her Majesty's
steamer Falcon, from Plymouth, sailed Jan. 23, for
Australia; the Pelorus, Jan. 27, for China; and
the Scout, from Hongkong, Feb. 2, for England.
Admiral Sir W. Baldwin Walker was expected
to leave for England about May. The Ariel sailed
Jan. 25 for the Zambesi, and would bring down
Dr. Livingstone and the mission party, whose duty
is about to be closed. Bishop Tozer will remain
behind to complete the arrangement.
The London and East India Company's steam-
ship Hydaspes, from Plymouth for Madras, arrived
at the Cape Jan. 22. The Mauritius was appointed
to leave Table Bay Feb. 20, for England.
At Port Elizabeth business continues dull, and
little improvement is looked for until the uneasiness
caused by late failures has subsided. Actual wants
are fully
supplied, and stocks of all sorts are plen-
tiful. Several branches from Cape Town houses
are being established, and the influx of Sews and
foreigners is on the increase. The fact of farmers
from the up-country bringing their produce to
Port Elizabeth, instead of disposing of it as
heretofore, in the various coutry towns, is being
sensibly felt, while it has had the effect of
causing numerous " Mier-winkels" to to opened
, near and at the sea-port, thereby tending to encou-
rage unwholesome competition. Owing to numerous
'ers for wool for the American market, the price
maintained. Ostrich feathers rule at former
is fully
demand for hides, skins, &c., continues
rates. The .
... quotations are fully maintained.
m
good, and pre. ._
teunded on plant, 8,0.,
lately
A boating company %.
worked by Mr. 1). S. Da.,
has been formed
under the title of "the Algoa .Bay Landing and
be oucceaeful.
Shipping Company," and promim

It was started with a view to facilitate the despatch
of the Union Company's steamers, while it will be
enabled to afford increased facilities for unloading
and shipping by other craft.
Among the latest clearances with wool were the
Alphington and Balaklava, both for London.
The value of the imports into Natal for 1863 was
£473,333; exports, £158,565. Import duties,
£47,212. Revenue, in ail, £123,086 ; expenditure,
£94,524. The growth of sugar was increasing,
383 coolies have arrived from Madras. A telegraph
is to be laid to iklaritzberg. A Central Railway
Bill will be presented next Session. There have
been more disturbances in the Transvaal Republic.
In a battle at Crocodile River 40 burghers are said
to have been killed. The rebels were defeated, and
Pretorius is again in power.

At Ascension were the Maunder, the Archer, and
the Antelope; she was refitting, and expected to
sail about March 20 ; the Wye would leave on the
7th for the West Coast.

Captain Barnard, R.N., who returns by the Nor-
man, was Governor of Ascension, and has been in-
valided. Captain T. Hammond, late First Lieu-
tenant of her Majesty's screw steam corvette
Archer, is raised to the temporary rank of Port
Captain and Governor of the island, owing to the
serious illness of his senior, Captain I. Bythesea, of
the Archer.
The Norman spoke, on the 25th of February, in
lat. 25 11 S. long. 4 37 W., the bark Sangredo,
steering nOlith ; 28th, in lat. 18 51 S., long. 2 50
W., the ship Junapore, 54 days from Hongkong,
for London ; and the ship City of Dublin, 50 days
from Calcutta, for London; March 9, in lat. 2 13
N., long. 18 41 W., the ship Cameronian, steering
south; 12th, in lat. 8 6 N., long. 24 21 W., the
Valparaiso; 14th, in lat. 11 51 N., long. 25 W., the
schooner Coolwa, 24 days from the Clyde, for Port
Adelaide; 16th, in lat. 16 24 N., long. 26 15 W.,
the French transport Madagascar, outward bound ;
the Spanish bark Minerva, 22 days from Cadiz, for
Buenos Ayres; and the Hanoverian brig Krond
Princesse Louise, outward bound; 28th, in lat.
42 37 N. long. 23 34 W., the screw steam gun-vessel
Espoir, under canvas, steering north ; and 30th, in
lat. 44 51 N., long. 19 2 W., the Norwegian bark
Edmund, with passengers, outward bound.