The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 4, 1863.

LONDON, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1863.

M. DE PERSIGNY'S withdrawal from his presen

position, we should imagine, might almost any day
now be looked for. His retention of the Minis-

terial portfolio much longer is hardly practicable.
And this, for the very simple reason that the French
Imperial Minister of the Interior has virtually, ray.

practically, shown himself to be not only power.
less, but more than that, an object of ridicule. The
latter being a point that, when once reached by an
Administrator on the opposite side of the Channel,
is fatal to him, and fatal summarily. That point

has never once been attained by the reigning Sove

reign of France. He has been during these four.

teen years and a half of his power over France
the object certainly of the most violent passions.
He has been regarded all this while, by friend

and by foe, alternately, often simultane-
ously, with terror and admiration, with

fear and respect, with suspicion and confidence.
but never with ridicule. Mr. KlNGLAKE—degrad-

ing his character, in so doing, at once as member o:

Parliament, as man of letters, and as gentleman—
has talked of the Emperor NAPOLEON 111., as looking
stupefied, as stammering like a craven, as turning

green zn the face in moments of great danger,

and so forth.

The French have never once
whispered any such miserable and contemptible
mensonges as these. They know their ruler better
than does this spiteful burlesquer of history. They
have had him in the midst of them under their close
scrutiny now for very nearly five consecutive lustres.
—and they know for an absolute certainty that,
whatever else he may be charged with, he
cannot certainly be charged with that. Un-
like his predecessor upon the throne of

France, the Citizen King, with his gingham um
brella and his pear-shaped head, the Emperor NA
FOLIO N 111, has never once, during these fourteen
years and a half of his power—nearly four years as
President, upwards of ten years as Emperor—his
MAJESTY has never once during all this interval
been an object of ridicule to France, even to Paris,
has never once rendered himself by his words or by
his acts ridiculous, in the estimation of those quick-
witted, laughing satirists the Parisians.
Not so is it now with the Emperor's Minister of
the Interior. M. DE PERSIGNY is now flagrantly,
in the sight of all Europe, the laughing-stock
of every one of the Paris arrondissements.
Because of his absurd policy, in every one of
those arrondissements the Opposition candidate has
triumphed over the Government candidate. Be-
cause of his nothing less than impertinent dicta-
tion to the electors, what they should do, how
they should act, whom they should select, in
every instance, in every separate constituency, the
majority of those electors have decided upon
doing, acting, selecting, precisely the reverse ! M.
theby been the chief personage reprobated
distituiaileaer of the Interior, among all the more
salon, "Nl•'r niz'cult.7lag these candidates of the Oppo-
of the second _umaa.a been chosen by the electors
say,
as a
matter ißtaetaente, almost, as one might
didate, that is to ss of
eenr,se• His opponent,
iaithPnent, the can-
.; oi no
against him
be-
fore that constituency by th
rior as the recognised
eaae• ,d, ester of the Inte.
Government, though a man" behalf of the
tyi
highest merit in his way, a kin%aleally of
the
man amongst the middle class of the° pf arP4ittern-
the electors of that second arrondissement, either
i%-ana--
supported very feebly indeed, or set aside resolutely
altcgethm M. DEVINCK being this Government
candidate for the second arrondissement, and being
t
previously well known to all Paris as the great
chocolate manufacture—having chocolate asso-
ciated as intimately with his name among
our neighbours, as amongst ourselves, here
in London, tea is associated with the name
of Mr. DAMN, of Number One St. Paul's
Churchyard ! What said the witty Parisians
in answer to M. DE PERSIGNY'S blundering cir-
cular The mot deserves to be remembered—be-
yond the time of this contest betweeen those two
most conspicuous among the candidates of the Op-
position and of the Government. The bon mot be-
ing this—(so good in its way as to be almost a bon- 1
bon OfWittiCiFilf....." M.THIERS'naMe is stamped upon
IIistory,M.DEYNICK'S only upon chocolate,!" With
l
&us h, down went the chateau en Egpagne, built up

in his lively imagination by M. DE PERSIGNY,
chile dreaming over his circular—down went the
linisterial policy with a laugh, not only in that
2cond arrondissement, but in all the other arron-
d issements into the bargain. M. DE PERSIGNY'S
position is no longer tenable, because he himself
i aas come to be ridiculous. The EMPEROR, how-
, :ref reluctantly, must awaken now to the fact. His
Minister of the Interior is an object of ridicule, and
s s such he must be removed.

The affairs of Prussia proceed from bad to worse,
'.'• Che official paper published a royal decree, based
tpon Article 63 of the Constitution, and counter-
s igned by the Ministry. The decree is decisive as
.egards any amelioration of affairs. "It empowers
the administrative authorities to prohibit tempora-
rily or altogether, after two warnings, the publica-
tion of newspapers the attitude of which is upon
the whole dangerous to the public welfare." 0
course this means virtually any journal that dares
to criticise the new regime, or to animadvert upon
its proceedings with any force. This rule is not
sufficiently stringent, however, but we are also
informed that " the Ministry is authorised
to forbid the introduction of foreign news-
papers into Prussia upon similar grounds
when thought advisable." By this arrangement it
is hoped that the people will be cut off from all
opportunity of gaining intelligence that is adverse
to the existing authorities both at home and
abroad. Really it seems difficult to account for
such strange proceedings on the part of the KING
and his Ministers. It would have been bad enough
for them to have dissolved the Chamber; but to
refuse to sanction the election of another is a gross
violation of the principles of constitutional Govern-
ment. This last act of the CROWN and Ministers
condemns the former one in the strongest manner,
for it is evident that it is fear of the result
that has greatly conduced to bring about
this startling procedure. They know that
the country will not ratify the abrupt
and arbitrary policy that has of late obtained
in high quarters. It is insulting common sense to
talk about this scheme being based upon an article
of the Constitution, because the fact is quite other-
wise. The terms of the article especially referred
to prove that this expedient resorted to is to be an
exceptional case. It is, provided extreme necessity
calls it forth, "in the case where the maintenance
of public safety or circumstances of unusual urgency
pressingly demand it, there can be decreed, when
the Chambers are not assembled, and under the
responsibility of the whole of the Ministers, ordi
nances, not in oppositiott to the Constitution, which
shall have the force of law." Ministers who can advise
their Sovereign to conduct affairs after this fashion,
and who do not protest against such perversion of all
justice, are unfit to bold their high position and dis-
grace the office they fill. Nor can they stand forward
in the light of day and declare to the world that
anything has called forth their latestringent course.
Where are the circumstances of unusual urgency
that pressingly demand this enactment P Besides
it is a contradiction in terms, since the confusion did
not arise during the time the Chambers were not
assembled, and hence all analogy mast cease be
t ween the difficulty of M. BISMARK and the danger
contemplated in the foregoing paragraph. To as-
sume that they are acting fairly, and to alter the
rules of the constitution to suit their purpose was
bad enough already in the Prussian Government,
but to declare that they are only acting
in strict conformity with the Constitution
is dishonourable to them as men as much
as it is disgraceful to them as Ministers. It is
impossible to conceive a more disastrous or a more
deplorable state of things than has occurred in
Prussia, and the worst of it is, that there is now no
chance of improvement or hope of amelioration. It

is useless to expect that any retrograde movement
will be made by men who are determined to go
their own way, and the whole of their conduct in
this affair tends to show that it was premeditated.
It is no sudden idea, no new plan, but a matured
scheme and a developed plot that has subverted the
rights of a great country, and thrown back the
progress of its people in a manner equally cruel and
shortsighted. It is of course impossible to foresee
the future, but it is certain that the late arrange-
ments will entail great annoyance on all concerned.
But whatever vexation and irritation may be felt
by the injured deputies and insulted people, in the
long run those who will have to pay the heaviest
penalty for all this untimely fracas and wanton
interference with popular privileges and constitu-
tional rights, will be those who occasioned the evil,
and with whom originated the whole angry litiga-
tion. King WaLIAm seems resolved to try if there
is any real regard for justice and respect for liberty
throughout his dominions, but the result of the
attempt may hereafter prove dangerous, if not de-
structive, to the experimentalist.

The treatment of our convicts, and the manage

ment of our convict prisons has of late been one of
the prominent subjects of public discussion. It is
probable that, owing to the alarm created by the
garotters, and the general impression that ruffians
of that class have hitherto been too easily dealt
with, the regulations will be henceforth enforced
with more stringency, even if no alteration is
made in the general system. It has been often,
and justly, said that to remove the terrors of
punishment is to transform the judge's sentence
on the culprit into a guarantee for board, lodging,
and clothing for a certain time, thus adding to
the many temptations which beset the impoverish( d

1 honest man. There is another point, however, which
is not so much thought of, but which is likely to
excite angry feelings in the minds of the poor who
are struggling for an honest living, while it un-
questionably inflicts upon them considerable
damage. IVe allude to the 83 stem of allowing

large firms to employ the prisoners in working
for them, thereby taking so much work from the
honest labourer or workman, when the labour mar-
ket is already overstocked. The reason of the authori-
ties in countenancing such proceedings is of course a
praiseworthy desire to keep down the expenses of
the prison establishment, but we should think a
little reflection would show them that the evils far
outweigh this very trifling good. A few hundreds
a year more or less in the sum required for a prison
ls not so great an object as the encouragement of
habits of industry and honest living among the very
We
poor._ doubt, indeed, whether the saving be
more than
nominal, since' the amount which one
ure. The
honest loan
or
1,10
cslculated to reach a
com-
munity has been calculated
turned thief costs the corn-
aft:l legislation, a a
it
andis
dangerous c 1 Eti, transitionse startling
' the uncertain
, but often hunger and honesty to
to
fatal. It
considerable, gains of " the
should be the object
punishment, to deter °f
from joining this arnd discourage free
all
already more than sufficient
whose irregular forecruits
fort, cr safety. it is ntt.h for
our Peaee,se are
magistrates and gaol "RPecial „in, 131
-
authorities to re °t
but surely gentlemen in such press crime ;
positions
know enough of political economy should
to see two very
important objections to their favourite scheme.
The first is, that a very large amour of work el;
taken out of the hands of the poor needlewomen,

matmakers, and others, by the employment of con
viets by the large firm, who must (therwite fin(

honest labourers. The second is, that the work
being done at a very much lower rate inside the
prison walls than out, the rate of payment is natu-
rally cut down, and the unconvicted working man
or woman has to enter into a hopeless competi
tion with the labour of the prisoner. The able
authoress of "Female Life in Prison" speaks very
strongly on this subject, which, of course, chiefly
concerns the female prisoners. After enumerating
the immense quantity of shirt and trouser-making
accomplished in one year, and going through the
liat of the large firms who supply the employ-
ment, she says that the sum given for the work
18 so small that no woman who had to pay her rent
could possibly get a living out of it ! What is this
but driving the lower classes of needle women into
r hose ways of vice and crime that cost the country so
very dear_ When HOOD wrote his memorable " Song
of the Shirt" there was a universal outcry at the
miserable pittance which rewardesdcatrheeellyabsouuffirctihenatt
" never flsgged," and which was
co obtain

" A bed of straw,
A crust of bread, and rags."
Yet, according to this pernicious system, low prices
are encouraged by official authority, while large
quantities of work are taken from the hands of the
needy and put into the hands of those who need it
❑ot. The sewing machine is already a terrible rival
to these poor women, but convict labour is a more
dangerous competition. It is not only women
who have to complain. An advertisement
has recently appeared stating that the Gaol
Committee of Aldermen will meet at Guild-
hall on the 20th of June "to receive tenders
in writing, for the hire of the labour of the prisoners
at the City Prison, Holloway, in making mats,
oakum picking, &e., for the term of three years."
It is of course necessary to find employment for the
prisoners, and so long as they can be employed
upon public work the money saved may be a consi-
deration, as well as the work. But the plan of
allowing private firms to engage the prison labour
at an amount which tends to reduce the rate of
wages, besides depriving the honest poor of that
employment, which is often so hard to get, is most
mischievous and undesirable. There are few greater
hardships than the search for work which cannot
be found. This is especially hard to bear in the
case of the father or mother of a family who have
to support their children from their earnings. Yet
this cry for labour, for the means of gaining an
honest livelihood, is painfully common among us.
Enforced idleness and pauperism is, as the friends
of Lancashire have often told most pernicious
in i(s effects, and to send a man or woman to obtain
assistance from the parish, because the work that
might have given them a living is engrossed by
underpaid convict labour, is to begin a dangerous
course of training. We hope the wise and en-
lightened among our social reformers will speedily
suggest some better means of occupying the idle
hours of the prison, and thereby put a stop to a
system which is contrary to the principles of justice
and humanity.

The Price of Frith's " Railway Station."

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—An editorial remark in your number of the
29(h of May expresses a doubt about the correctness
of the passage in my pamphlet "On Piracy of
Artistic Copyrights," where I state that £5,500 paid
to Mr. H. Hunt for the "Saviour in the Temple" is
" the largest sum ever paid for a modern picture !"
And you inquire whether I have read a statement
which appeared in the public papers of Mr. Flatou
having paid Mr. Frith 8,760 guineas for the " Rail-
way Station" picture, and further paragraphs pub-
lished about two months ago, stating that the same
picture has been resold by Mr. Flatou for £20,000.
In corroboration of the correctness of my pam-
phlet, I can only say that the statement of 8,760
guineas, purporting to have been paid by Mr.
Flatou to Mr. Frith for " The Railway Station" is
a romance, and the story of the £20,000 since paid
for the same picture a fictiun.—l remain, yours
truly,

ERNEST GAMBART.

SOCIETY OF ARTS.

At the weekly meeting of this society last nigh

his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge in the
chair, the paper read was by Mr. William Hawes,
"On the Results of the International Exhibition."
The author, after alluding to two former papers

which he had read upon this Exhibition—the first
in 1851, when the lamented president of the society,
the Prince Consort, presided, and a second in 1862,
when Earl Granville, chairman of the commission,
presided—said that his present object was to endea•
your to point out the results it has produced, and

which it will probably produce, as well on future
exhibitions as upon the future progress of industry
and art. He mentioned that there had been an
increase of more than 150 per cent. in the number of
(~reign exhibitors in 1862 over those in 1851—a
remarkable proof of the effect of the former 7,xnibi-
tions in promoting intercourse between nations. He
quoted from M. Michel Chevalier and others to show
how much more cordial was the feeling of foreign
exhibitors and visitors now than it had been in 1851.
One important effect of the three great International
Exhibitions had been to promote the abolition of
restrictive commercial laws, which seemed now to
have almost received their death-blow in Europe.
The author referred at considerable length to the
Fine Art Department of the Exhibition, pointing
out its deficiencies, as well as indicating its merits.
He then briefly reviewed the jury reports, pointing
out in what classes most remarkable prcgress had
been made, and drawing attention to the countries
from which it seemed reasonable to expect much in
future. He especially alluded to the wonderful pro.
gress which the interval between our two great Ex-
hibitions hied produced in our colonies, many of
which were almost unrepresented in 1851, while in
1862 they displayed most valuable collections. He
thtn brit fly discussed the constitution of the Com-
mission of 1862,its expenditure and receipts, the ques-
tions as to the appoir tment ofjuries and the system of
awards of prizes, and the ciroumstances which mast
guide us in determining when another exhibition
shall be held. In reference to the award of prizes, he
gave a brief resume: of the nature of the replies
given by exhibitors, jurors, and others to the queries
issued by the Society of Arts on the subject,
the majority being decidedly in favour of prizes
being awarded in future exhibitions. He pointed
out the importance of not attempting to hold Inter
national Exhibitions at too short intervals, for that
if we expect foreigners to contribute, as they have
hitherto done, to the magnificence and usefulness of
our exhibitions, we must be prepared, as we did in
1851, to take a proportionate interest in theirs, and
this not only on the ground of the reoiprocal inter-
change of civilities between nations, but on natiotial
and interested grounds. In conclusion, the author
said he hoped that the views t e had laid before the
society would convince them that the International
Exhibition of 1862 has most thoroughly fulfilled
the duty assigned to it. By th.. mark eet in 1851
it had become possible to note accurately our indus-
trial progress in England, in our colonies, and in
Europe of a magnitude before unknown in a similar
period.
A discussion ensued, in which the Marquis of
Salisbury, Lord Ebury, Messrs. Nelson, Cole, C. 8.,
Murchison, and others took part.

meet
CITY SEWERS COMM
yesterday,
Sewers held
ing of the Commissioners of
residing, Dr. Letheby
at guildhall, Mr. Deputy de Jersey p
sanitary condition of
presented hie quarterly report on the
expired the num-
Qity. In the quarter which has just
the deaths
and ber of births registered in the City was 800, f
ISSION.—At the weekly
803.
, 'whereas in the corresponding
841. The
years the average numbers have been 9UI and
last the ,
mortality, therefore, of the City population during
quarter has been rather excessive the chief increase having
been in the poor localitie f the Western Union, where 41
death rate has risen from .
1,000 to 34-2. - tvneral average or
g quarter o
IJ_, .
30 in the
o
tha last 10

and persons who have been in the habit of seeing
him do not fled him looking any worse than he diu
a year ago; but some who were ❑ear him during
his recent attacks,report his sifferings to have been
severe. Mentally, be must have endured muck dur-
ing the last few months, for he cannot be blind to
his loss of popularity, and, indeed, it is quite
certain that he feels he is running counter to the
wishes of the great majority of his subjects, and to
those of many of his old friends and even of his rela-
tions, although he suffers himself to be confirmed by
a clique in the obstinate delusion that the course he
pursues is the only one that can ensure the future
of Prussia. An objection to Carlsbad is said to be
found in the irritated and excited moral state of
his Majesty. Those waters are very potent and
may work for evil as well as for good. It was sug-
gested that be might drink Carlsbad waters at
Baden, a place which he likes, and where he would
have found the Queen, and have enjoyed the
society of his daughter, to whom he is fondly
attached. But the doctors are said to prefer
for him the greater quiet of Carlsbad. These pro-
fessional gentlemen, the King's physicians in ordi-
nary, Messrs. Grimm, Boger, and Lauer, have
rather a delicate part to play. On good authority
I hear that their reputation places them above sus-
picion of corruption, but, at the same time, if they
find it necessary to recommend to the King to
avoid, for a term, the harass of State affairs, and
to pass the summer in foreign travel or at some
distant bathing place, they most assuredly will be
suspected by many of playing into the hands of th,
plotters who cherish the idea of the Stellvertretung.
and desire to see the reins of power pass for a time
—with prohibition of any change in the present
Ministers and policy—into the nands of the Prince
Royal, or better still perhaps, to see them by him
refused and by Prince Charles ef Prussia accepted,

6 r M.

Since the above was written the Gazette has ap-
peared, containing a long decree, with a yet lunge'
preamble, completely doing away with what re-
mained of the liberty of the press in Prussia, ano
thus disappointing the expectations of those who
were sanguine enough to believe that a Bismark
Government could show even a ✓semblance of mode-
ration, and could refrain from arbitrary and oppres-
sive measures, even whe❑ there was no present
occasion for them. Having got rid of the Chamber,
they could have no rest till they had crushed the
press, cancelling a constitutionally enacted law,
that of December, 1860, by an act of tyranny for
which Art. 63, by which they claim to be authorised,
affords, in realty, not the slightest justification.
The decree, which is dated yesterday, and counter-
signed by al! the Ministers, authoris, s the suppres-
sion of newspapers which persistently exhibit ten-
dencies dangerous to the welfare of the State. The
prohibition must be preceded by two warnings,
given by the president of the Bezirk or district. In
Berlin the President of Police is the chief of the
district council of Government, and it is he who
will issue warnings and suspend journals, the only
appeal from his acts being to the Council of Minis-
ters. The proceedings with respect to the prohibi-
tion itself need not necessarily be terminated, whe❑
the case is considered urgent, before the suspension
takes place. `‘ Foreign journals," says Art. 9 of
the decree or royal order, " may be prohibited by
the Ministry on account of a persistent tendency
dangerous to the welfare of the Prussian State."
the decree came into force yesterday.

The Celebrities of the House of Commons.

As Painted by Mr. Philllip, R.A., and Described by a

London Reviewer.
LORD PALMERSTON'.
His is perhaps the least successful likeness in the paint-
ing, approaching indeed so near to the comic and to carica-
ture, that the first impulse of his fi iends is to laugh, and the
next to be angry. The Palmerston in the picture is a
funny and humorous old gentleman, entirely wanting in
dignity, which is certainly not the appearance of the
original when he is addressing the House of Commons.
An attempt has teen made to indicate an arch twinkle of
the eye, but the satiric sparkle which so often gleams there,
and which heralds the ready retort and happy witticism,
will be looked for in vain. The noble lord's nose is small,
but regular. In the picture it is a small, pinched, and red
organ, entirely deficient in dignity, and giving a mean
expression to the features. 'We do not envy the
Prime Minister his feelings when he discovered at
the Royal Academy dinner, the " counterfeit present-
ment " under which he, the " Cupid" of the War and
Foreign•ofHce, was to go down to posterity. A friend en-
deavoured to ascertain what he thought of his likeness.
He fought off the question by saying, with a good•
humoured laugh, " Ah I it's very difficult to look one's
beat in a picture." He has ►mall reason to eongratulate
himself upon his portraits in the Exhibiticn. There are
two likenesses of him; one painted for the Cinque Ports,
and the other for his Tiverton constituents. Neither is
very successful ; but assuming that they are good in the
points in which they resemble each other, their dissimi-
larity Mr. Phillip's portrait may be taken as the measure
of the failure of that artist.

MR. DISRAELI.
It seems good for Mr. Disraeli in the House of Commons
to put on a mask, and to veil his thoughts under a heavy,
impassive, not to say wooden look. It does not do for a
party leader to "wear his heart upon his sleeve for dews to
peck at." An orator upon the other side, whose glance fell
upon a kindling eye or a meaning smile, would anticipate
the com'ng retort, and ward off the shaft, So the Conser-
vative leader in the Commons bee cultivated a slow aid
and solemn look with so much success, that he might be
taken for a country gentleman whose soul is in his beeves,
and who has no higher earthly wiph than a little more rain
for his turnips. This is the mock, factitious Disraeli. The
real Disraeli was painted years ago for the title-page of his
love-novels, when he was
" The wondrous boy
Who wrote Alroy."
He was then a dreamy, impulsive, poetical enthusiast.
Afterwards came a later stage of development, when he
adopted a political career, and made a late first Minister
writhe under his brilliant lampoons. Mr. Phillip has with
consummate skill combined these two phasesof Mr. Disraeli's
career. The eyes and upper part of the face indicate the
poetry and pathos appertaining to the imaginative faculty,
while the mocking smile on the lips betrays a Voltairean
faculty of satire and sarcasm. Just such a smile was seen
on his face one night before the Whitsuntide recess, when
the Premier, alarmed at some defections behind him on the
Churchward contract, summoned his Chancellor of the
Exchequer and Frederick Peel to his Bids, and seemed
to be hintiag his doubts that their position was untenable,
and had better be abandoned to avoid defeat. Disraeli, with
curling lip and Mephiatophilean expression, watched by
turns the astute Premier and his earnest but indiscreet
Chancellor of the Exchequer, who loves conflict, and ap-
peared to argue against surrender. Such a face as Mr.
Phillip has painted will illustrate many a biting and scathing
passage in " Hansard," while it will give the political bio•
grapher a key to a certain excess of imagination which has
been the cause of many of Mr, Disraeli's party failures, but
which may yet be schooled down to success by the bitter
practical lessons of experience.

SIR BULWER-LYTTON.
Sir E. Bulwer•Lytton here appears with a face as hand-
some and picturesque as a Spanish portrait by Velasquez,
and as intellectual as any man of ancient family ought to
look.