The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-28 00:00:00

daring in the way of diplomatic eccentricities
plunges (altogether out of his depth !) by what Mr.
BOUCICAULT, were he describing the movement,
might again aptly enough call " a header," plunges
(quite voluntarily, observe ! and, as o .e may say,
body and soul together) into that wonderful Roman
escapade ! The noble Earl's namesake, Mr. ODO
RUSSELL, being his alter ego in this very singular
transaction. A transaction as it cannot fail to be
deemed on all hands as whimsical in its way as
any ever dreamt of by an European statesman.
The circumstances of the transaction referred to
are certainly not at all likely to be forgotten very
readily, or given the go by, sub silentio , either in
the Lords or the Commons. In its extravagance
altogether, in its amazing inopportuneness and per-
versity, it went even beyond the Schleswig Hol-
stein despatch already alluded to. The spectacle
now beheld was in all essential particulars far more
painful, and even, we will add Jar more ludicrously
ma'apropos. -rho author of the Durham Letter
appears, in this new diplomatic extravaganza,
strangely transformed into the well-wisher and the
would be protector of the author of the Papal
Aggression ! A transformation—that—far beyond
any ?tow being nightly witnessed upon the stage of
any London theatre when the burlesque opening of
the pantomime merges in a twinkling into the har-
lequinado. Every one knows well enough by
this time the eggregious result of this pre-
posterous intrusion of British diplomacy (wholly
unsolicited) at the Vatican, Parliament is safe to
have the whole story within a few weeks told all
over again. The sudden discovery (as he fancied!)
by Earl RUSSELL of a solution to the Roman
Problem ! The attempted application of it ! The
reiteration of that attempt, in spite of repulsions in
themselves surely the most significant. The POPE'S
colloquial enforcement upon Mr. ODO RUSSELL'S
acceptance of the proverbial nen a possumus—virtu-
ally familiarised in this instance into "Exceedingly
obliged, but—wouk/rather not!" The Cardinal's, that
is Cardinal ANTONELLI'S manifestation for once,
(or twice, as it happened) of " a great talent for
silence"—signifying in that instance what is
proverbially known amongst ourselves as the
application of the cold shoulder. The ulterior
result of this most ill-judged proceeding being
from first to last that no one was pleased! On
the contrary every one being more or less offended
by Earl RUSSELL'S utterly futile proceedings.
Alike the most devoted champions of the Papacy
and the most systematic of its assailants. To the
former the proposition of Lord RUSSELL was
nothing less than an insult, to the latter it was
something more than an outrage. Added to which
the disclosure of these underhanded proceedings of
EaIIRUSSELL'S, through his agent—Mr. ODO Rus-
SELL—at Rome, in the name of England—must have
appeared to the French EMPEROR'S Government at
Paris, something very much indeed like treachery
on the part of that one member at least in the
English Cabinet, supposing Earl RUSSELL (as
everyone presumes) acted in this matter very much
upon his own responsibility.
Bolder in its way, even, however, than the offer
of Malta to his Holiness as temporary asylum for
the Papacy until the political storm of Italy should
have blown over, has been yet another proceeding of
Earl RUSSELL'S. A proceeding, this, nevertheless, it
is to be presumed, in which Earl RUSSELL'S col-
leagues are more directly implicated. Allusion
being here made, of course, to the daringly inde-
pendent proposition that the lonian Islands should
be made over bodily to Greece—a proposition
boldly thrown out before the Houses of Parliament
or the councils of Europe could be consulted upon
the matter. Probably no better arrange.
ment could be eventually arrived at in respect
to the future status of the Seven Islands.
But—decidedly, obviously, undeniably—that was
not The Way To Do It ! Nearly half a century
ago England was formally entrusted by the Great
Powers of Europe with the responsibility of go-
verning the lonian Islands, for the good of all, under
the aegis of a British Protectorate. The abandon-
ment of that weighty responsibility could not,
therefore, by any possibility, be lightly decided
upon. The responsibility is of such a character, is
one so onerous of its kind and so delicate in its
bearings, that it ought not even to have been lightly
talked of. Earl RUSSELL'S proposition, conse-
quently, to say the least of it, has been precipitate.
The opinion of the Legislature should first
of all have been consulted. The Schleswig-
Holstein Despatch—the Roman Escapade—the
coolly out-spoken proposition in regard to the hand-
ing over of the lonian Islands bodily to Greece :
all these are very toothsome bones to pick between
Earl RUSSELL and the Lords and Commons. About
the only judicious display of consistency on the part
of the noble Earl since the close of the last session—
about the only rational and manly maintenance by
him of what was wise and discreet in his foreign
policy, relates to the bearing of that policy upon the
fratricidal strife still unhappily raging in North
America.

Immediately before going to press, news (brought
by the Asia) three days later from America, comes
to us, in a string of brief but for the most part
afflicting telegrams, From these latest tidings it
becomes more than ever apparent that the fury of
the contest between North and South increases
rather than diminishes in its intensity. The belli-
gerents are becoming manifestly more infuriated
with each other as time advances and as the for-
tunes of the war fluctuate. The principal
incidents now recorded are acts of retaliation. Now
it is resolved by the Confederates that the Federal
officers captared at Murfreesboro' shall be detained
prisoners until General BUTLER has been delivered
up. NJW it is related of those same Confederates
that—with a deadly cruelty in the way of revenge
—because of the atrocities perpetrated by General
M'NElL—ten Federal officers have been executed
in Arkansas. So that by way of indicating
their horror at certain acts of infamy, other acts
of infamy of the like kind are deliberately
perpetrated in cold blood ! If this inhuman system
be persisted in, the consequences are likely to be.
come truly frightful. Simultaneously with these
isolated proceedings, other events of a
alr.vo
arge:sirgstnedi-
ficance are transpiring at the seat of w
in their attack upon Vicksburg theetdheeriarlsar
are
preparing for a vigorous descent upon
anta-
gonists at a quite different point. At Newbern
they are estimated as not less than fifty thousand.
From Springfield they are said to be driving back
the Southerners. It now appears that the Confederates
at Murfreesboro' was considerably larger than was
at first anticipated. As many as nine thousand,
it is believed, were there put hors de combat,
9,000, that is to say, of the Confederates alone! In-
furiated by the mere thought of men like M'NEIL
and BULTER, and by the recollection of many months
now of fast and furious slaughter, the Southerners
are not, alas, contenting themselves even with
retaliatory executions like those just already par.
ticularised. Captain SWING seems to be among
their leaders, if one may judge from the burning
down of the State Capitol (with all its contents) at
Baton Rouge--a wanton act of destruction, attri-
buted to the hands of Southern incendiaries. The
deadly game of war, in truth, is fairly afoot now,
alike in North and in South. Among the

statesmen of Europe, the realisation of the noblest
ambition would be his—who should thurst back at
length into their scabbards the dripping blades of
those " brothers-in arms and rivals"—yet we will
hope—" in renown," the opposing forces of the
Federals and Confederates.

Mr. TAYLOR made some suggestive remarks in
his speech of last night at the Temperance Hall,
Leicester. He commenced by alluding to the ques-
tion of Reform, and, after some remarks on that
subject, he passed to the distress in Lancashire.
He alluded, in the highest terms, to the conduct of
the operatives, and expressed himself in the warmest
terms. The following passage evidences his
views :—" The have justified the notion of philoso-
phers, who argue that the world's progress is
taking a newer and higher plan of action than the
world has witnessed before. Hitherto we have
known the rise, culmination, and fall of empires;
but the world has never before witnessed such a
scene as Lancashire has presented for the last few
months. Twenty-five or thirty years ago, instead
of the patience and the manly forbearance dis-
played by the people, there would have been dis-
turbances little short of insurrection, and instead of
sending them loaves and benefactions we should
have been sending them troops and ammunition.
What now must be the feelings of those who, in
times past, have uttered predictions and ex-
pressed apprehensions of the effect of giving
political power to those who might be savaged by
passion or poverty. Of poverty and destitution,
GOD knows, there has been plenty ; of passion
none, unless the patience of the people has been
sublimated into the elevation of passion."
This theme has been often spoken of by members of
Parliament, but it cannot be dwelt upon too often,
and no language can sufficiently extol the endur-
ance and. energy of that much-tried community.
Mr: TAYLOR then passed on to the question of
cburch•rates, on which he said that there could be
no compromise whatever. If the adherents of
the cause had a little more patience they would
have more chance of obtaining their object
than when they are so uncompromising, and
and will accept no terms whatever. On the ques-
tion of retrenchment Mr. TAYLOR seemed anything
but satisfied, " 1, for one," he exclaimed, " am not
going to vote for economy, if it is to be an excuse
for regarding the Emperor of the FRENCH as a lion
of such a description as the lamb could lie down
with. My views have always been that England
must not only for her honour, but her safety and
economy be strong enough to stand against the worst
that can be done." Next the hon. gentleman touched
upon the important point of the War in America,
on this question Mr. GIBSON appears to entertain
some mistaken notions. He lays done as an arbi-
trary condition that slavery is the root and the
origin of the war. He compared the position of
the North to that of a territory visited by a tor-
nado, when the hurricane was over the atmosphere
was purer. So said he when the tornado of war is
over, the accursed barque of slavery will have sunk
forever beneath it. This is really quite absurd, when
we remember that President LINCOLN'S proclamation
does not set free the slaves of the States who remain
constant to the Union. After a calm consideration
of events, recent and remote, it is difficult for any
unprejudiced person to coincide with this conclu-
sion, that " What the North is really fighting for
is, that slavery shall be for ever abolished in the
United States." The hon. gentleman went further
still in speaking of the proclamation itself, and said
that it made us thankful to GOD that we lived in
1863. It is amazing that people can deceive them-
selves so. How can there be any benefit in a man
issuing orders to those over whom he has no con-
trol; what wonderful end can it attain, and what
good results can flow therefrom. This enthusiasm
among the advocates of the North in favour of
President LINCOLN'S proclamation is far more sur-
prising and unaccountable than the converse
opinion that Mr. GIBSON so rails at. " Nor can
we account for the phenomenon that, in freedom-
loving England, public opinion in certain classes
should have gone so widely astray upon
this question." The reason is that Englishmen are
too clear-sighted to be deceived, and they are aware
that it is all talk and not action on the part of the
North about slavery. Now that it serves the pur-
pose of partisans, it is very well to cry out against
the South and its sanction of slavery ; but had the
South not sought to secede we should have heard
very, little about its wrong-doings. It is a pity
that so many members should seek to promulgate
such extreme views among their constituents, as the
American war has been from the outset
one in which we can have no sympathy,
although it appears that we are to pay a heavy
price in the shape of suffering. Mr. TAYLOR con-
cluded his address by some strong remarks against
the South, and stated that it was all through the
virulence of that community that such violent
opinions were entertained against England. This
oration appears to have been very well received;
but it is to be regretted that it was not as liberal in
is notions as it was able in its style and tenour.

A number of influential names have just been
appended to a petition presented to the Commis-
slow rs of the Board of Works. It is in behalf of
the working men who, availing themselves of the
customary half-holiday, assemble in great numbers
in Victoria Park for the practice of cricket playing.
men have taken a lively interest in the
formation of cricket clubs, and a portion of ground
is set aside for the purpose. It is, however,
rough and uneven, and ill-adapted for the purpose,
and accordingly the members of the large City
firms have made this appeal to the commissioners, to
induce them to make inquiry as to the possibility
of forming a properly kept and more extensive
cricket ground for the benefit of the dense masses
of our City working population, and thereby afford-
ing duo encouragement to a healthy and innocent
recreation, and diminishing the risk of the accidents
that now frequently occur from the balls. We wish
the project every success.
DEATH OF SIR ST. VINCENT COTTON.—We
record the death of Sir Vincent Cotton, Bart., whose
name was familiar to the public many years ago. By
his death the title becomes extinct. The deceased, who was
the sixth baronet, was 62 years of age. The first baronet
was high sheriff of Cambridge at the commencement of the
civil war, and took an active part in the Royal cause.

A Glasgow pawnbroker was fined £lO, on Mon-
day, for having, through his assistant, taken in pledge a
properly-marked volunteer's carbine.
The Glasgow police returns for the year ending
September last, include upwards of 17,000 " drunk and
disorderly" cases.

THE ACCIDENT AT THE PRINCESS'S THEATRE.—
In reply to inquiries made at the Middlesex Hospital
last night, shortly before 11 o'clock, it was stated that Miss
Smith's condition was much the same as it had been on
Monday. The hopes of her recovery were extremely faint.
Mrs. Hunt's illness was not considered dangerous. The
various persons connected with the Princess's Theatre in-
dicate by their numerous inquiries at the hospital the deep
interest they feel in the fate of the sufferers. They speak
of them as decent and deserving women.
The leaden roof of the Temple Church is now in
comae of being thoroughly repaired, for which
purpose a lofty scaffold has been erected on the south side
of the circular vestibule. The rubble work on the north
aide of this portion of the church and the western porch
have just been restored with much care under the super-
vision of the Temple architects. A portion of this
ancient structure was recased with stone by Mr. Smirks
in 1828.

A TRIPLE MURDER.—The man Ramon, who
was recently condemned to death for a triple murder at
Fos (Boucher-du-Rhone) has just suffered the extreme pe-
nalty of the law at Air. He was in such a complete state
of prostration that it was found necessary almost to carry
him to the scaffold.—Galignani.