The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-23 00:00:00

THE CALCUTTA MAIL.

Messrs. Glass, Elliot, and Co., have received the
following telegram from Snez, dated Dec. 22,
6 p.m. :

" The Calcutta mail, due Suez, 18th inst., not
yet arrived."

THE PROPOSED CONGRESS,

The French Minister for Foreign Affairs has sent
the following circular despatch to the chiefs of the
French diplomatic missions abroad

The Sovereigns have replied to the letter of the Empe-
ror, and in their replies all have rendered homage to that
bold initiative which, laying bare the dangers of the situa-
tion, proposed the most pacific and loyal means to appease
them.

As you know, the greater portion of the Courts have ad-
hered without reserve to the proposition of France; others
have accompanied their adhesion with certain restrictions in
requiring that the French Cabinet should lay down in ad-
vance the programme of future deliberations. The German
Sovereigns, personally favourable to the idea of the Con-
gress, have been compelled to make their conduct subordi-
nate to the collective resolution of their confederates. The
reply of the German Diet has not yet reached us. One sin-
gle Power, England, has refused.

Under these circumstances it was our duty to express to
the British Cabinet all our regrets, our gratitude to the
Sovereigns who have accepted unconditionally, and to ren-
der an explanation to those who have required it.

The French Government did not believe itself to be
authorised to confine the high jurisdiction of Europe to a
programme; it was far from the idea of the Emperor to set
himself up as an arbiter, It is superfluous to enumerate the
perils which menace the peace of the world : these perils
are evident. It is only for Powers united in a Congress to
decide the questions which ought to discussed and those
which should bo discarded.

The declaration made by the Emperor on the sth Novem-
ber rdmitted two hypotheses : an unanimous acceptation
and a partial acceptation.

In the first case, minds would be greatly appeased, and,
if even all the difficulties should not be resolved, a better
understanding would be established between the Sovereigns.
Daily meetings at which each could exchange ideas, express
his desires or his fears, might silence many susceptibilities,
remove many mistakes, and cause many prejudices to dis-
appear. The probable result of these conferences would
have been a salutary and honourable transaction,
France, which had no advantage to gain for herself in
the eventuality of a general Congress, would have made
common cause with all the enlightened Governments to
bring about reconciliation, extinguish rancours, and esta-
blish those indispensable ameliorations which prevent revo-
lutions or war.

Was this a Utopia ? Recent events have proved to us
the contrary, and to justify sooner than we believed the pro-
visions of the Emperor. The King of Denmark dies ; pas-
sions are aroused, people become agitated and undecided,
Governments balance between the letter of treaties and the
national sentiment of their country. A Congress could alone
conciliate the duties of Sovereigns bound by conventions
and the legitimate aspirations of the peoples.
The refusal of England has, unfortunately, rendered im-
possible the first result which we had hoped from the appeal
made by the Emperor to Europe. The second hypothesis
now remains—the restricted Congress. Its realisation de-
pends on the will of the Sovereigns.
We should be able, after the decision of the British Cabi-
net, to consider our duty as accomplished,and for the future,
in the events that may arise, only to take account of what
may be suitable to us, and of our private interests. But we
prefer to take cognisance of the good dispositions which
have been manifested towards us, and to remind the Sove-
reigns who have associated themselves with our intentions
that we are ready to enter frankly with thorn on the path of
a common understanding. An agreement of views and of
conduct between the principal Powers of the Continent who
comprehend with us the dangers of the present, and the ne-
cessities of the future, would be of great. weight in future
events, and would prevent the abandonment of alliances or
resolutions to chance.

When a general Congress was in question the Emperor
could not, without falsifying the part traced out by himself,
draw up a programme, nor take concert with some of the
Powers to subsequently submit to the others a plan agreed
upon in advance, and thus prelude by a separate negotia-
tion the negotiations where it was decided to present one-
self without preconceived ideas, and free from private
engagements. But as this meeting cannot now be com-
pleted, it will not have the judicial authority which would
have belonged to a European Congress. We understand
from that time that, before meeting personally, the
Sovereigns will charge their Ministers for Foreign Affairs
to come to an understanding on the questions which should
be discussed, in order that the Congress may have more
chances of terminating in a practical result,

You are, then, authorised, according to what precedes, to
explain the intentions of the Ewperor to the Court near
which you are accredited, and to leave a copy of this do..
spatch with the Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Receive, &c , DROUYN DE LHUYS.

Official Prussian Idea -of the Liberty of the

English Press.

From the National Zeitung, of Dec. 9, 1863, we
learn that in the House of Representatives, on the
discussion on the Secret Service Money, a member
asked how the sum proposed to ha voted was to be
expended.
MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR—The money will be de-
voted to the press.

SYBEL —The press will be influenced for party purposes.
I therefore shall vote against the proposal. The question
is whether money shall be voted by tho Chamber to be
spent abroad in carrying out the London Protocol (Danish
Treaty).

MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR.-011 what is the patti-
sanship of the English press for Denmark founded ? On
this—thit the Danish Government was wise enough and
rich enough to pay the English journals. If we had had
the same means, tue press and the public opinion of Eng-
land would have taken a very different view. In regard to
the ordinance respecting the press, it would not have been
necessary if we had had 300,000 instead of 30,000 thalers
to expend upon it.

We have much pleasure in stating that the sub-
scriptions collected by W. N. Rudge, Esq., amongst the
members of the Stock Exchange, on behalf of the Royal
National Lifeboat Institution, now exceeds £5OO.
MARKED PARTIALITY OF EARL RUSSELL,--
"TRAVELLER," in a letter to us says :—President
Davis has every right to complain of this in Earl Russell's
permitting the Northerns to get everything they want (not
requiring ships), but preventing the Southerns to get what
they do want—ships--and in doing so breaking the laws of
his country by illegal seizures. Earl Russell will get from
the HOUSE, of Commons on this question his own language
on the Conspiracy Bill with a little compound interest.
" Nolumus leges Anglia) mutari" being our motto in reply
is the demands of any foreign Power. How cau Lords
Palmerston and Russell refuse recogition to the Confederate
States after recognising Belgium, in rebellion against Hol-
land for a few months, when only fur recognition the revolt
would have been suppressed ; or the expulsion of the sove-
reigns of Naples, Modena, and Tuscany at the will of their
people, when they will not act in the same spirit to our own
"bone and sinew." The Government have shown a marked
partiality to the North, when, in justice, they should have
shown fair play, and, in the old British spirit, backed the
weaker party.

LONGEVITY.—On Sunday was buried at King's
Heath, Ann Fereday, who had attained the great
age of 101 years. The old lady, it seems, had been a resi-
dent at King's Heath up to September last, when she came
to reside at the back of 12, Brearley-street West. With the
exception of a paralytic stroke, which she had suffered
during the last six months, and a slight deafness, she was
in possession of all her faculties, and during the last three
years had survived a fracture of the arm and a dreadful
worrying by a deg.—Birmingham Post.
A CHRISTMAS SUMMER.-1.11 Yorkshire the mild-
ness of the season is unusual. The gardens, many
of them, retain the scarlet geraniums and stocks of summer
yet in bloom, and roses still keep their foliage. Gooseberries
are in leaf partly, and about Scagglethorpe, in full south
positions, have actually flowered, and rhubarb is pushing
in the open ground. Altogether there have not been more
than 12 hours of slight frost. In the fields the wheat cropsand
are remarkably forward—" proud," as the farint;resastTr_is
the breadth of wheat sown—thanks to the opeu
yet—the
very large. Turnips have hardly ceased growing
sewn, indeed, is more like Michaelmas than Christmas.