The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-21 00:00:00

himself (vaguely at the time of its revival, but very
explicitly since then) the first to indicate. By
that phrase signifying nothing less than the gra-
dual addition to the Imperial constitution of one
liberal institution after another: until eventually,
with an Emperor still at her head, France should
be endowed, under the rule even of a NAPOLEON,
with the various social and political liberties—con-
spicuous among them the freedom of speech and the
freedom of writing—peculiar to the genius of every
truly constitutional Government. NAPOLEON 111.
has done much hitherto by the combined daring
and prudence of his Imperial policy, he has done
very much already, towards the enhancement of his

influence in Europe, and towards the encrease of
his own personal prestige as a NAPOLEON over
the imaginations of his own glory-loving people.
He may now, however, readily enough when he
pleases, surpass all that he has yet accomplished
in that direction, by his own loyal and faithful
fulfilment of his promise of advancing in ano-
ther ! Doing this by adventuring, with the like
combination of prudence and daring, not to-
wards the further enhancement of the pride of
France, not towards the gratification yet more of
her greed of glory, whether military or diplomatic,
but towards the more effectual consolidation of the
imperial edifice he has been so signally successful
in building up anew from the midst of the ruins of
the last Revolution! Its effectual consolidation,
that is, by the very -process he has himself already
specified, by the symbolical phrase of crowning it
—in other words, by aiding to the evidences of
the vigour and the glory of his rule as a Sovereign,
the accordance to France, no matter how _, gra
dually. no matter how cautiously, of the inesti
mablo blessings peculiar to Constitutional Govern
ment.

The business at Frankfort seems to have begun
le good earnest. It is satisfactory to find that so
many princes and potentates have answered the
invitation of the EMPEROR, and actually appeared
in person at the Conference. It often occurs that
there is some flaw in these affairs, however well-
intentioned may be the originators of the scheme,
and however anxious may be the promoters of it.
Nothing could possibly have been more auspicious
than the commencement of the illustrious conclave;
and it is to be hoped that its performances will
equal its promise. At the banquet given by the
Senate the EMPEROR made a short speech, which
appears to have been animated with the most libe-
ral and benevolent feelings. He observed, after
thanking those who gave the entertainment, for the
hospitable reception accorded to himself 'and his
brother Sovereigns, that he thought they—the
princes of Germany—could not better express their
gratitude than " by proving that a heartfelt love
for our common fatherland is the baud of union be-
tween us." At the opening of the "Congress of
Princes" the EMPEROR made a long addrees, in
which he clearly explained the purport of his un-
dertaking, and endeavoured to elucidate his policy
in a straightforward manner. He commenced by
calling attention to the fact that an assembly such
as that had not occurred for centuries. Trusting in
the elevated sentiments of his fellow-princes, and
the just spirit of the people, he had brought about
that meeting. He thought it incumbent upon him
to state openly that Germany looked " forward to
a development of its constitution." He therefore
came there in person to state his views, and to declare
what he was ready to accord. He then explained
more fully his meaning, and tint one point was the
periodical meeting of the German princes. In order
to increase the sphere of the Bund, the power was
to be placed in the hands of a Directory, which
should be a Federal Council. In all these arrange-
ments, as much as possible, equality should be up-
held, making allowance, of course, for the
population and political importance of the
different independent States. Furthermore,
the EMPEROR went on to explain the
chief object of the whole plan, " the single idea
that had taken complete possession of his mind."
This was, that the time had come for renewing,
according to the spirit of the times, the " Bund
which our ancestors entered into." Certainly, the
EMPEROR deserves great credit for his boldness
in thus coming forward, and he stands alone in
the glory of the idea. No one else can take from
him his due in this respect, however much they
may approve of it, or adopt it as their own by
assimilating their policy to its intentions. No
one could speak out more strongly for popular
rights than did the Austrian EMPEROR in these
words-.." By allowing our peoples to participate
in the Bund, we shall give new vigour to it,
and enable it to uphold to the end of time the
honour, power, security, and welfare of Germany
as one great and inseparable whole." If this
idea is carried out in its grandeur and integrity,
the name of FRANCIS JOSEPH will be honoured
and reverenced for generations to come 1 And
when the splendours of his august State have
vanished, and the brilliancy of his sovereign rule
has faded, the recollection of the public services
he shall have rendered to the nation he represents
will crown his reign with enduring lustre, and
rank his name among the honoured benefactors
of his kind !
The EMPEROR then explained the necessity that
existed for immediate improvement in the state 01
things in Germany; and he very truly observed that,
allowing that his proposals might admit of altera-
tions hereafter, there would be
no gain in very "pro-
longed deliberations." This
was most correct, for no
good ever came from a very lengthened controversy
or long-drawn out argument. The disputants be-
come involved in elaborate ideas, and at last are
so excited and irritated by contradictions that
they dissent from everything proposed, unless some
tended
tperoject or some particular prejudice be first at.
to. It then followed, as a matter of course,
that allusion was made to the nation conspicuous
by its absence from that national assembly and
most illustrious Congress. The EMPEROR lamented
that Prussia was not represented. " One of my
most heartfelt wishes has not been fulfilled," he
said, in reference to that vexatious event. He ex-
plained that King WILLIAM had no other objection
thectiaonn
to make to the proposition to hold a Congress
that the proper preparations had not been made.
He wished for a " Conferecca of Ministers" to pre-
cede "an assembly of Princes." Of course everyone
knows who spoke in that remark, and whose infl
once it was that sought to be represented is that
preliminary parley that was to come before the
illustrious meeting, and virtually to undermine its
Power and stultify its progress. The EMPEROR
said that ha had told the KING that the negotia-
tions carried on by second persons had always
proved fruitless before. He forcibly declared to
the KING that it was their duty to .4 reform the
Bund." Notwithstandiag the defalcation, the
EmPERoR endeavoured to exhibit the most friendly
intentions toward the
confederates to
abseur hettee, and exhorted his
preserve erve for
mighty kingdom
of Prussia that place to whichuntty she was entitled,
,a,ninddtehliubslehoiptneptrhesastinntheinrn
all
produce an
German
ehl o ,
e ra
A t the conclusion of his long
and
harangue the EMPEROR observed that he should
always feel satisfied that he hied
whichdcaleaullniittee his
l
npower~ to " draw closer the ties
the Oergagn people, and to mako !ha Band, co

one great Power, a boon for Germany, and a
guarantee for the peace of Europe."
It is riot to be wondered at that this speech
was received with every mark of approbation by
those who heard it. It would be difficult to say
how, or in what manner, it could have been im-
proved upon : and both in the spirit of its inten-
tions, and the style of its address, it must have sur-
passed the expectations of many, while it realised
the hopes and wishes of all anxious observers, The
King of BAVARIA acted as the exponent of the
wishesof the illustrious Confederates, when he stated
that it was their general opinion that they coincided
with the opinions they had just heard, He added
that they would take the proposition into their
4, conscientious consideration," and they hoped
oftotahceonKcilnugsioonf,
ioar
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thasa
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ebaf:uaryetretnhwataasrosttGe
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ielptl
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conference has been most happily arranged, and it
bi is tof bl
leo
wt reads tbe that its u
yd tatari
ms
pa
hsapnitc auspicious
minatinaugurationtermination,
n d tmaythat
the several members of the Confederation will ratify
the propositions that have been proposed in so en-
lightened a form, and with so much right feeling
and good sense. Amid the strife and turmoil of so
many neighbouring nations it will be a source of
gratification to witness a brightening exception in
the unity that exists among the various States of
Germany. White some are striving on sanguinary
fields of war to force their liberties with a strong
hand from the grasp of the oppressor, while others
are meekly 'vacillating between anarchy and deca-
dence in the political scale, the Confederate Princes
have a great and glorious mission to fulfil. It is
theirs to gain a bloodless victory, and to bes

upon their people the richest blessings of peace, in
_ _

_ - -
stead of the painful trophies of war. They may
sow the seeds of freedom, that, germinating in a
friendly soil, will spring up a glorious harvest to
brighten and benefit a mighty nation. They may
now commence a good work that shall live when
they have themselves passed away, and associate
their names with after generations as the pioneers

of progress, and the heralds of reform. Let us trus

hat the chance may not be thrown away, but that,

having put their hands to the plough, they will not
look back and disappoint the ardent hopes and

earnest longings of an expectant people.

The lessons of experience appear sometimes to be
quite thrown away, and among the subjects which
seem to be perfectly hopeless of improvement, from
their teaching, we may certainly rank the risks run
by excursion trains. In vain disaster after disaster,
catastrophe after catastrophe, have turned pleasant
holiday trips into ghastly tragedies. Ia vain
the public indignation has been roused, and
mosttthe
public
fi
tcaobnl fie d e
branchesn c shaken, e
funtilrailway o n e of the
revenue
has threatened to fall into disfavour. Nothing,
it seems, will teach the authorities. In almost
aenveeryxeucrassieonwthraeirne,
iatnhaaaccbiedeenn to
whiansg otoccaurred want to
common care and ordinary precaution. The trains
have been overloaded, they have run too close to-
gether, they have started before or after their time,
the engine has been defective, the carriages worn
out, the guards and engine-drivers exhausted from
overwork or ignorant of their business, the station-
master absent or inattentive. The shortest memory
can recall at least one disaster from every one of
these causes, and perhaps the most common source
of misfortune is the most unpardonable. Various
reasons or excuses may be brought forward, for
many occasions of mischief, but there is no possible
defence for neglecting to take care that a proper and
sufficient time intervenes between the arrival and
departure of each train. After the long experienee
we have had of railway travelling and its attendant
perils, it is perfectly inexcusable to reckon that
every train will come in to the moment. And to
allow the following one to come so closely after it,
that no possible margin is allowed fora trifling delay
on the part of the first or a casual increase of
speed by the second ! Yet trains have run
into each other often enough, one would think, to
have infused a little caution into the most reckless
of officials. It might certainly have been supposed
that the terrible catastrophe at the Clayton Tunnel
would have sufficed to guard one generation at least
from a repetition of its horrors. It is certainly not
owing to public indifference on the matter, for so
well is this danger understood that it is the direc-
tion in which every passenger's thoughts instinc-
tively turn, at the first rumour of any delay or stop.
page befalling a train. It is difficult to see the rea-
son for so much carelessness as unhappily exists in
this respect, for an hour or two added to the
day's work would make all the difference between
reasonable caution and reckless risk of life. It
would be better if necessary to curtail the number
of the trains, rather than expose the passengers to
unnecessary danger. It is to be feared that the
repeated accidents from this cause tend to indiffer-
ence rather than to caution, if we may judge by
the example of the Great Eastern line. The recent
disaster was in some measure due to this cause,
since the driaer asserted that he saw the obstacle
but could not stop the train, as the other was so
close behind it. Yet at the inquest held on the un-
fortunate signalman killed since that time, we learn
from the evidence of a station-master, that the old
careless system is continued. The regular and irre-
gular trains were due at almost the same time, and
he himself appeared to know very little about the
arrival of the latter. Nor is this company by any
means the sole offender. The want of caution of
which we complain appears unhappily to be part of
our railway system, and especially of the excursion
branch of traffic. A. correspondent of the limes
animadverts in strong terms on the confusion exist-
ing at the Birmingham station a week or two since,
in consequence of several excursion trains blocking
up the way and delaying the departure of the ordi-
nary trains. So long as no accident occurs, nothing
is known of such mismanagement beyond the
sufferers from the temporary inconvenience at the
station; but, if we add the narrow escapes to the
positive catastrophes, we shall find that the amount of
risk occasioned by this culpable mode of proceeding
greatly increases the dangers of railway travelling.
expect the railway manage-
We cannot, of course,ment to be infallible, nor can the most sleepless
vigilance guard against every accident. But the
public have a right to demand that when special
provision is professed to be made for their comfort
and convenience, some little regard should be had
for their lives and limbs as well as for their pockets

It is very acceptable, no doubt, to save half-i crown
in one's holiday trip; but if that saving entails
long years of enfeebled health and shattered nerves,
the economy is not quite so agreeable. The con-
stant repetition of any risk has a wonderful effect,
we all know, in diminishing its terrors. The good
old proverb about the pitcher and the well is not
half so much considered as it deserves to be. A
danger incurred regularly every week, or every day,
non becomes no danger at all theoretically,
although practically the chance of disaster
may increase with repetition. Much more is this
the case when the risk is run not only every day
but many times in the day, and it is perhaps no
W°u(let that station-masters and driyero grow 4like