The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-27 00:00:00

THE POLISH QUESTION.

PARIS, Saturday Evening.
In the Corps Legislatif on Friday M. Emile
011ivier took the opportunity of the vote on the
section of the budget which relates to the salaries
of agents abroad to question the Government in the
following terms :
The attitude of France relative to two very serious foreign
questions, viz , the Mexican and the Polish, were the special
' pre-occupation of the public. He did not, however, think it
either reasonable or practicable to provoke a debate on either
of them at that moment. I will, therefore, said the hon.
member, confine myself to asking a few questions. At what
point have we arrived in the Mexican business P Where is
ourarmy ? Is it:attacking.Puebla ? Is it marching on the city
of Mexico? The enemy is a long way off, and there is no
fear that any indiscreet language pronounced in this place
to-day should compromise our soldiers. Respecting Poland
negotiations teem to be in progress; but we have a succes-
sion of contradictory reports. One day we are told that
France is acting alone, then that she is acting in concert
with England and Austria; at one moment Austria is
leaning towards us, and at another she is making advances
to Russia. Undoubtedly, if the Government gave no ali-
ment to these rumours, we should have no right to call on
it to break silence; if we were told "France negotiates, do
not mar the efforts of diplomacy by your curiosity," we
should only have to acquiesce. But the Government is
unfortunately only represented not only by the Ministers
and privy councillors here present., but also by its journals.
One of them is the Pays. 'We know that this paper is in
the hands of the Minister of the Interior, who
dismissed ono editor to have another of a more docile cha-
racter. I mention this to show that we have a right to at-
tach some importance to the language and revelations of
that journal. Now, a few days, the Pays indicated the sense
of a despatch of M. Drouyn de Lhuys to M. de Montebello,
destined to be submitted to Pritce Gortschakaff. First of
all, I will put this qustion—These incomplete publications,
acting upon and troubling public opinion, why are they
authorised ? Then I ask—ls the idea given of the de-
spat oh exact? and lastly, I request the Government to com-
municate to U 9 the despatch, and to give the Chamber all
the information that the Minister may think it ought to
possess. I hope that the reply will be satisfactory,
M. Billault replied as follows :

The hon. member is right in presuming that the Govern-
ment would touch with extreme brevity on ono of the queo-
lions at issue, and with a perfect discroti al on the other.
(Applause) My reply respecting Mexico will be brief,
because serious official intelligence only arrives twice a
month, and is then instantly published in the Monitor.
We expect news at the end of the month, and hope that
these, or the very next after, will announce the first triumph
of our arms. The facts will bo published when officially
affirmed. With respect to Poland, if ever discretion were
necessary in a case of public interest it is, as all will admit,
necessary in this. (Assent,) The Government will give
no explanation after the solemn debate which recently took
place in another assembly, Words would be either vague or
detrimental to the success of the negotiations now going on.
We are all animated with cordial sentiments towards the
unfortunate Polish nation : we are convinced that it is a
European question, and that the sentiments of all Europe
ought to aid in its solution. (Applause.) As to the inter-
pellation relative to non-official communications, this is my
reply:—The Government has only two organs, the Montteur
for written communications and the government conitnia-
sinners for the business of the chamber. The government
cannot take on itself the responsibility of either true or false
intelligence which may be found in the journals. I regret
only that in a country as noble and generous as our own
people should so easily accept the most extravagant asser-
tions—the most contradictory allegations. The government
avoids both extremes. Let the country suffer itself to be
a little less deluded by reports ; let it show itself less acces-
sible to the rumours of the press, to the illusions of the
Bourse. (Great applause.) Let us have confidence in him
who, holding in his hands such vast interests, has a full
sense of their importance. (Applause.)
The above ministerial reply amounts it will be
seen to just nothing, and the Government it must be
admitted is not necessarily blameworthy on that
account. English Ministers are often and of neces-
sity quite as impervious to questions as M. Billaulti.
But the stereotyped official fiction that the French
Ministry has no organ in the press bat the
:L o
it
deceives no one, however often and solemnly ymay
be repeated.

apprehended I : ; t n
in Thursdayti
n g t
hae
mn
lua n
St.he arrival in
It r.
Ser-
geantat Newport,TliEGSiaTß .81;G. f°ofint:oeSu'eSt h sa ikrhcji i 1 jr
ei ff
it,
pp°
:ElI-e, suspicion
aptoerithoteendeffenectt Schtoactkdinafloerinhaadtior appears
darer of the unfortunate woman at St. Gileosf'
intimation from
in that city from the Irish constabulary
had bawl received
Cork from London of a man who
given of the supposed murderer, answered the description
Bristolthat
Bris-
tol by steamer, and that inquiries that he left Cork for
proved that he had left by a made at the latter place
for Cardiff. The Cardiff small vessel in the coal trade
scribed, and found that e soon traced the person de-
had gone on foot to ! after pledging a pair of boots, he
crime the man made Newport.th When charged with the
—That he had gone to e following remarkable statement:
execution in that Cork to act as hangman in the re-
centhis expenses ; that he city, for which he received £6 and
the 13 ehwi as there 10 days; that he went on
spree and lost all
Gaol gave him a suit ofßcinlaney ;that the governor of Cork
and that he then left and
came to Newport, via Bristol,
to go on tramp to London. orhase
accusedalready stated, intending
was conveyed to
Cardiff to be examined before the
magistrates.
EXECUTION OF THE RIBCHESTER MURDERERS.
—Duncan M'Phail and George Woods, the mur-
derers of Mrs. Walne, at Ribchcster, near Blackburn, suf-
fered death at noon on Saturday, in front of Kirkdalo Gaol.
The atrocious character of the Ribchester murder created
general indignation in the disti id, while a great deal of in-
terest was also crowded into the case, from the fact that one
of the murderers died on the morning of the trial and an-
other turned approver. Carr, the prig ner who died, ap
pears to have taken the prominent pad in the outroge.
The deceased Mrs. Walne, it nittY be remembered, lived':
a lonely place and in an isolate,' house, of which Fhlieso:
the only inmate. M'Phail, from big business OR a
1%8,4 ,
had becomeliar with the prcuases, nal as thue
ji_e.ni, d
her
sold beer, farmV , he had frequtnt opratuultits ulfl
by
habits and mode of living. It bad haen ascertained
NlThail that the clansdy had roccivGd .£lB horn the sale
of ono of her COWP, that she intended to devot e this sum
t of her rent, and accordivgly Wphaii ,
to the payment ) loge.,
then with the other prisoners, went to her hoots at reid.
night on the 11th of November for the purpose of
so
robbing
her. The deceased whilst in bed was tied down, au d -
violently beaten about the head that when discovered she
was quite dead. The executioner was Calcraft, Upwards
of 20,000 persons were present, Both
share in the murder. Wood:. died
men denied personal
Al‘Fhail struggled much. 0 it., instaLtaneously, brit

TH.EATRE-ROY AL, HAY MARKET.
Lessee, Mr. J. B. Bnekstone.
THIS EVENING, STILL WATERS RUN DEEP.
Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Wigan, Mr. W. Farren, Mr. Chlppen-
lisle, and Miss Louisa Angel.
' After which, an apropos Dramatic Sketch, introducing a
'atiorama of the Tour of the Prince of Wales in the East.
To conclude with BORROWING A HUSBAND, Pamela
ss Mar4ffarris. Commence at 7.

IfEATRE- ROYAL LYCEUM OPEN, under
the Sole Management of Mr. PECHTER.
Tins EVENING, at 7, to commence with an Original
fetch, entitled A SUDDEN ATTACK. Messrs. Shore,
garden, H. Widdicomb, Miss Henrade, and Mrs. Lee.
• After which, at a Quarter to Eight, a New Romantic
)rama, in Three Acts, and PrAogue, entitled THE
DUKE'S MOTTO, by Paul Feval and John Brougham.
The principal character will be sustained by Mr. Fechter,
supported by Messrs. J. G. Shore, G. Jordan, J. Brougham,
vviddimmbe, F. Charles, Garden, Raymond, Dawson;
Misses Carlotta Leclercq, Kate Terry, E. Lavenue, and
Elsworthy.
_