The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 26, 1863.

dignity and power suffered by his Government in
the eyes of foreign nations, and is entreated to dis-
tinguish "between the honest voice of the legal
representatives" of his people, and the advice of
those who endeavour to shelter their arbitrary pro-
ceedings by his name. Certainly, after perusing
this document King WILLIAM I. will not be
able to complain that he has not heard the truth,
yet, notwithstanding its plain speaking it is charac-
terised by justice and moderation. The Chambers
have undoubted the right on their side in insisting
upon the legislative control of the financ's, and we
trust that the members of the Opposition will re-
concile all other differences, and concentrate their
forces on this point. They will undoubtedly receive
the support of the nation at large, who have wit-
nessed with alarm and misgiving this invasion of
their rights, and their demands will beendorsed by the
public opinion of Europe and the invariable practice
of all constitutional kingdoms. On the other hand,
we sincerely hope, although appearances are at pre-
sent unpromising, that the KING will reconsider his
position, and avail himself of the opportunity
offered him to effect a reconciliation with his
Chambers. Let him replace Herr VON BISMARK
and his associates by a constitutional Ministry, let
the Budget be submitted to the Chambers in regular
form, and let the further consideration of the ill-
starred measure of military re-organisation be de-
ferred for the present. The Chambers speak
truly when they state that the prolonga-
tion of the dispute is weakening the
authority of Prussia at home and abroad,
and it is undoubtedly to the interest of both par-
ties to come to a settlement. We cannot hope
that the Deputies will renounce their rights, but
we hope that the King tatty learn wisdom from
experience, aided by the piesent 'state of affairs
in a neighbouring country,' and availing himself
of the constitutional axiom that " the King can
do no wrong," meet the loyal professions of the
Address by the dismissal of his obnoxious Minister.

The Reforms of the Pontifical Government.

The following details respecting the proposed
reforms of the Pontifical government are translated
from the official report recently forwarded by the
Papal Nuncio at Paris to the French Minister of
Foreign Affairs. The entire report is of consider-
able length, and is principally occupied with an
account of the organisation of the Papal States :
At the approaching renewal of the communal councils,
the law of 24th November, 1850, will be carried into execu-
tion in the enactments not vet enforced relative to the elec-
tion of the councillors by means of a college of electors in-
stituted to that effect in every commune.
JChe Holy Father also intends to increase the number of
Councillors of State, and of members of the Consulta of
State for the Finances, by granting to these last a deliberative
vote. But will he be able to do this with a good grace (con
decoro) now that his States are reduced to so small a frac-
tion, and the treasury and its resources in a manner ex-
hausted ? Still, his holiness does not cease to occupy him-
self with all the improvements passible in the administration
of the State. With that view, a commission composed of
competent persons will undertake the necessary studies as
soon as the preparatory measures (the execution of which
has already commenced) shall have been completed.
The administration of justice does net differ from that
existing in the most civilised States of Europe. There is a
code of procedure, and in each chief provincial town a tri-
bunal for important causes, while for matters of minor
importance there aro inferior judges who fulfil the same
functions as the juges de paix in France. There are three
courts of appeal, one at Rome, one at Bologna, and one at
Macerata. Criminal causes are tried by the collegiate tri-
bunals in public sitting, and the witnesses are confronted
with the accused. A code of procedure determines the
forms to be followed in criminal causes, and a penal code
fixes the punishment to be inflicted on persons found guilty
of misdemeanours or crimes.
If in civil affairs there is no code properly so called, still
the laws in vigour are of a nature to induce the most ardent
enemies of the Holy Father to confess, even in the parlia-
ment of Turin, that the Pontifical government is the most
paternal and at the same time the best adapted to the wants
of the population. With some trifling exceptions, the poll,
tical and civil jurisprudence of the Roman States has no
other bases than Justinian law. Nevertheless, in accord-
ance with a petition addressed to him, the Holy Father has
named a commission charged to embody all these laws into
a kind of code. Thus, with regard to the existing penal
code the means of effecting certain ameliorations are already
under consideration, whilst the Council of State is engaged
in introducing into the commercial code certain modifica-
tions which have been recognised as useful and necessary.
Public works and charitable institutions will always be
favoured by the Holy Father, and ever find support and
assistance in his inexhaustible charity. An article in the
Osservatore Ronsano notices these dispositions, and although
that journal is not official, the information it gives is gene-
rally very accurate. Neither the miserable condition to
which foreign rapacity and violence have now reduced the
Pontifical finances, nor the other difficulties of the present
time, prevent the Holy Father from providing for the wants
of the populations, or from doing whatever may promote
their welfare. For instance, his holiness has just ordered the
making of a road to plan Sermoneta in communication with
the neighbouring localities, a road which was much wanted.
He has also given an active impulse to the work for making
a new wet dock at Civita Vecchia, by adapting that already
existing to the requirements of commerce. It is also well
nigh decided to grant the demand of a company which pro-
poses to connect the Civita V ecchi Railway with Orbitello,
by means of a new branch line ; likewise, for the greater
advantage and convenience of his subjects, the Holy Father
henalsabt
ieeenn
ipnl etahsee di
nttoe
rabolish the
and
ha use of
sd
eel passportsared
th at fora n
y free
papercir-
proving identity should suffice to authorise the bearer to
travel wherever he may please.
To the Holy Father's clemency is also owing the permis-
sion to return to the Pontifical States granted to those who
had left them to fight under the Piedraontese flag, provided
they were not charged with crimes of misdemeanours.
An amelioration of the postal service is now under con-
sideration, and efforts are making to introduce into the other
branches of the administration all improvements which may
be advantageous to citizens, and tend to promote the public
service. In a word, the Holy Father's attention is constantly
directed to whatever can contribute to the moral and mate-
rial welfare of his subjects, and to the means of realising
improvements so far as circumstances and the penury of his
finances permit.

THE FUNERAL OF THE LATE MR. RICHARD
GREEN.—On Saturday morning the funeral of the
late Mr, Green, the eminent shipowner,took place in Poplar
with every mark of public respect and regret. An im-
posing processhn was formed soon after 11 o'clock, but long
before that hour the streets near the railway station, in
front of the lamented gentleman's late residence, and the
East India-road as far as Trinity Chapel, were thronged
by dense crowds, numbering from 15,000 to 20,000 persons
of all ages and conditions. The shops were generally
closed, and the flags of all the shipping in the East and
West India Docks were hoisted hal ..mast high. The pro-
cession was headed by 100 men of the Royal Naval Re-
serve, followed by 40 cadets of the training-ship Worcester.
The hearse was followed by several mourning coaches and
Mr. Green's private carriage, to which succeeded the cap-
mine and officers of deceased's ships, the foremen and
clerks of the establishment, a large number of the gentle-
men of the district, and the carpenters and others employed
in the yards. The cortege was closed by a number of boys
from the Merchant Sailors' Orphan Asylum at SnaresbroolE,
and from the local schools, of which Mr. Green was so
munificent a patron. The body was interred in Trinity
Chapel, Poplar, by the side of the coffin of deceased's
father, Mr. George Green.

THE BUDGET.--Rumour, however, says that our
gross military expenditure for next year will bo
diminished by more than ten times the sum we have men-
tioned £200,000, and that on the army estimates alone tho
Chancellor of the Exchequer will be enabled to remit, two
pence of the income tax, thus bringing it down to its ori-
ginal, and we may say normal 7d. We believe that, in
this instance, rumour is guilty of no undue exaggeration.
The principal head under which this enormous reduction
is effected is that of " Warlike stores for land and sea
service," for which £3,200,000 was voted last year.
With the faeilty of manufacture which we now enjoy, we
may, with all safety, allow a diminution of the immense '
quantities of stores accumulated at all our military stations
over the world; and we believe that the great reductions
under this head will 3EII leave our establishments fairly
supplied. The cost of barracks this year was £693,000,
and iu this department we may expect a considerable re-
duction of expense, attributable, we may presume, to a do-
termination to erect no more new buildings while there are
many barracks in excAlent condition unoccupied through-
out the United Kingdom. Upon other items of supply no
doubt reductions can be effected, and we cannot but express
great satisfaction that the expectations of the country as
regards a diminution of expenditure aro likely to be an-
coroplishel without any very serious reduction of the nu-
merical strength of the army, or a material interference
with the organisation which of late years has tended so
much to its efficiency.--Ardly and "Navy Gazette.
A nephew of Abd-el-I(ader, married to a Chris-
tian wife, is about to be baptised in Paris, and intends to
proceed to the Sahara as 9, utigiaiQuary.,