The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JULY 13, 1863

take the law into their own hands, and produce a
state of which things will infallibly lead to the
war which we so much deprecate. It will, in
fact, be a blessing to the Japanese themselves if
a check is put on the irresponsible power of the
great Daimios who from their old feudal position
are quite indepe ndeut of the limited power of the
Tycoon. The Daimio in question, the Prince of
SATSUMA, has a castle on the coast in which
he is sheltering the assassins, and boasting of the
crime. We have yet to see whether he will re-
peat the boast to an English Admiral. The latest
news intimated a hope that reparation would be
made. In any case, the Government have only
done their duty, unless we intend to abroge te
one of the first rights of civilised powers—the
protection of our countrymen in every quarter of
the habitable globe, from tyranny, injustice, and
oppression.

The note on the Polish question sent by Earl
RUSSELL to Russia at the same time as these
from Austria and France, has been published. It

appears to be one of his happy efforts, and there
seems little to cavil at in its tone or tenour. In the
course of this courteous epistle, Lord RUSSELL has
contrived to impart solemn truths, and these are
words of import which convey a warning and offer
advice. It is to be trusted that some attention may
be paid to this excellent exhortation. Of course we
cannot expect that all, or indeed any, of the sug-
gestions therein made will be immediately adopted;
but if consideration is given to them in time, some
good may accrue to the persecuted nation
whose sad fate now occupies so many
minds with reflection, and fills so many
hearts with dismay. The six points of the note
comprise all that the exigency of the case demands
for the Poles, and they are well worthy of notice :
" 1. Complete and general amnesty.

" 2 National representation, with powers similar to
those which are fixed by the charter of the 15-27th No-
vember, 1815.
" 3. Poles to be named to public offices in such a manner
as to form a distinct national Administration, having the
confidence of the country.
" 4. Full and entire liberty of conscience; repeal of the
restrictions imposed on Catholic worship.
" 5. The Polish language recognised in the kingdom as
the official language, and used as such in the administra-
tion of the law and in education.

"6. The establishment of a regular and legal system 01

recruiting,"

After enumerating these, Lord RUSSELL truly adds
that they will serve as indications of measures to
be adopted after full and calm deliberation. This
will be the right way of considering the matter ;
only to carry out the intentions of the proposal in
anything like a fair spirit, there should be a truce to
hostilities, even if it is only of a temporary cha-
racter. While long months are going by in wait-
ing for a suitable adjustment of difficulties,
cruel havoc is rampant, and devastation is
reaping a fearful harvest of death. So much strife,
angry hatred, and oppression are springing up that
it will take very long for these excited elements to
subside into calm. The sad truth of this passage is
recognised by all. It is no easy task to restore the
confidence which has been lost, or to regain the
peace which is no w everywhere broken. Lord
RUSSELL &Ass two leading principles which should
animate all who are concerned in the conduct of
the State. First of all, then, is mentioned
the establishment of confidence in the Government
on the part of the governed. This is indeed the
basis of all strong Governments, and without it
there can be no success of a striking kind,
and no existence of a prolonged date for

any authority. The next principle is "the supre-
macy of law over arbitrary law." Commenting on
the felicitous results of such a state of affairs, it is
• observed that " where such supremacy exists the
subject or citizen may enjoy his property or exer-
cise his industry with peace, and the security he
feels as an individual will be felt in its turn by the
Government under which he lives. Partial tumults,
secret conspiracies, and the interference of cotmo-
polite strangers will not shake the firm edifice of
such a Government." The Russians are not at all
an impressible nation, but even they ought to be
struck with the firm and dignified tone of our
Foreign Secretary. It must be long before such a
sketch as Lord RUSSELL has given in his despatch
can be carried out, but that is no reason why
the promise should never be realised. Perhaps
when all other plans have failed, in sheer despera-
tion the Russians may resort to the essay of a scheme
that the first principles of justice should long ago
have rendered imperative. Finally Lord RUS-
SELL dilates upon the importance of establishing a
suspension of hostilities. He states that this case
is not similar to that of a war raging between two
hostile .nations who are divided in interests from
each other. The object now sought for is to ob-
tain civil peace, and therefore the desired suspen-
sion "might be done in the name of the Emperor
of RUSSIA without any abnegation of his dignity."
Whatever effect this may have on the Russian
Autocrat and his subordinates, Earl RUSSELL has
acquitted himself in a style and a spirit worthy of
a Minister of England. Atrocities and barbarities
cannot now be perpetrated in a form that would
become the dark ages, and suit the annals of savages
more than the records of even demi-civilised lands,
and their upholders declare that no State has inter-
fered to stay the sacrifice or at least protest against
its enactment. The reply of Russia to the three
Powers wi I be eagerly looked for, and thereon hang
many hopes and rest many expectations. If ,

from motives of expediency and policy any
abatement is made in the arbitrary course
that is now established in Poland, they
who have so eagerly and strenuously taken
up the desperate cause will not regret the pains
they have been at, nor the caution they have exer-
cised in pleading the cause of the oppressed. Cer-

ainly no offence con d be taken from any part o:

Earl RUSSELL'S despatch ; but, at the same time,
without resorting to hard or harsh terms, no lan•

guage could more forcibly have expressed the pre-
valent opinion entertained in this country concern-
ing the cruel war now devastating Poland. Neither
could any expressions have been better ch3sen to
testify to the unwarrantable license assumed by the
Russians to tyrannise over and wantonly destroy a
brave people and a noble country. Whether this
attempt at mediation gain success or not, it deserves
`,o do So most unquestionably on many grounds.
A'

_ seal ring of silver, in excellent preservation,
weighing three-quarters of an ounce, and bEaring
the effigy of Macrinus, with the inscription, " Imp. C. M.
Sev Macrinus. Aug,," has just been found by a brickmaker
at Saint.Riquier-sur-Hyore (Seine Inferieure). A Roman
road from Beauvais to the sea formerly passed by the spot,
and Gallo-Roman ruins still exist in the neighbourhood.
The Emperor Macrinus was born at Algiers of an obscure
family, and after being successively gladiator, intendant,
and proctorial prefect, caused Caracalla to be assassinated,
and succeeded to the Empire A,D, 217. Ile was killed at
Cappadocia in the following year by his soldiers during a
revolt,

M. de Romeuf, who lost his life in the accident
at Saint-Cloud, is nephew of M. de Romeuf, Ques
tor of the Legislative Body. M, Coate, the other gentle-
man who escaped with only a dislocated shoulder, is one of
the composers of the music of the comic opera of " Il etait
une foie un Roi," of Mlle. Brohan, lately performed with suc-
cess at the Union Artistique. They had dined with Mlle.
Brohan, and were taking her to her Paris apartment when
the accident occurred.
AN AGED ROPE DANCER.—The Gazette des
Etraniers states that Mme. Saqui has again applied for
authorisation to resume her public exercises as a rope
dancer, but that it has been refused in consequence of her
age-88.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

Mr. Maples= brought his subscription season to
an end on Saturday night. The opera was Gounod's
" Faust." In the evening the National Anthem was
The following was circulated in the

sung.
theatre :

" Having reached the closing night of the Opera
season of 1863, Mr. Mapieson begs to tender his
most grateful acknowledgments to his patrons, and
to the public, for the support which they have
afforded him in his exertions to revive and even
surpass the early renown of the establishment over
which he has the honour to preside. The encour-
agement which has thus rewarded the pains and
anxieties of his arduous enterprise enable him now,
at the termination of the regular season, to look
back upon it with the utmost self-congratulation,
as one of the most successful on record. On two
principal features of the season now concluding Mr.
Mapleson has especial reason to pride himself.
These are the production, for the first time on any
stage, of Signor Scnira's opera, " Nicole de Lapi ;"
thus taking the initiative in the introduction of new
works to the lyrical stage of Europe, which has
hitherto been exclusively left to the great operatic
establishments of the Continent; and, secocdly, the
production, for the first time in this country, of M.
Gounod's universally-admired opera, " Faust." The
latter work, presented with a mise en scene in every
way worthy of its importance and with a cast which
it would be difficult to approach, has achieved a suc-
wmhed ten consecutive nights to
which
may be judged by the
factc es
sthe character
that
it
was
pe
rof o r
crowded audiences. Mr. Maplesou now begs to
f
announce his intention to extend, by a series of eight
popular performances, at reduced prices, to a wider
range of the public, the advantages of the complete
and unprecedented organisation to which he has
brought his operatic establishment. It may be
truly said to comprise an orchestra and chorus un.
surpassed for completeness and perfection of disci-
pline, and a corps of vocalists not equalled in any
other establishment in Europe, which facts the lists
of the principal artists will prove."