The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-09 00:00:00

tasteb al they may be to others. Senor CASTRO
has a iso sent a circular to the diplomatic agents of
Spit t abroad, and in this he explains the particulars
of th e despatch alluded to, which was sent to Count
MEN SDORFF in August. In the explanation here
give, a to the Spanish representatives, Senor CASTRO
declt tires that there is no truth in the affirmation of
any engagement between the two States as to the
reteni ion of a " common line of policy towards
Italy," and he likewise denies the assertion of
Count )LENSDORFF that the dynastic institutions
of Spain. are imperilled by the recognition of
I Italy. It seems, from these reports, as if the
! Spanish Minister had acted with great firm-
ness, and shown great discernment in his
dealings with the obstinate and perverse
statesmen of Austria. It would never do to permit
such a precedent to be made, and to sanction the
undue interference of one State with another.
Austria is not improving as we study her line of
policy ; and, on. the contrary, her course seems to
indicate a gradual retrogression from the advances in a
liberal direction already made. The wisest thing that
the Government of Vienna could do at the present
juncture would be to sell Venice, and with the sum thus
acquired the monetary pressure would be relieved,
and the country could not fail to derive benefit
from so decisive a step in the right direction ; but it
, is not likely their prejudices will enable them to do
so for some time to come at all events.

Every mail from America shows us the wisdom
of that temperate and conciliatory policy which the
President has recently adopted. One by one
the conventions of the States are repealing the Act
of Secession and accepting the abolition of slavery,
so that while the Radicals would have driven the
Southerners into frantic opposition and anarchy, the
President acting Upon more enlightened principles,
is- gradually bringing the Confederacy once more
into the body of the Union. It did not require a
very long apprenticeship to the responsibilities and
grave anxieties of supreme power to convince Mr.
JOHNSON that the course which his former friends
urged him so strongly to pursue was simply destruc-
tive of the best interests of the country, and opposed
to the restoration of internal peace and commercial
prosperity. By his judicious elevation of the civil
above the military power he has enlisted the best
part of the community on the side of reconstruction,
and the leading Confederates have acted with a
patriotism and magnanimity which reflects the
highest honour upon them during this trying time
In one of the Virginian District Courts, the Presid-
ing Judge has directed the discontinuance of all
-proceedings under the confiscation order against
persons pardoned by the President. This is the
first step in the right way, but matters will
never be satisfactorily settled until the obnoxious
clause exempting from the amnesty all holders
of property above the value of $20,000 be repealed.
Let us hope that, as time wears on, and the fury of
the multitude dies out, the New England party will
lose their influence, and this unwarrantable condi-
tion shall be expunged from the amnesty. In
Alabama the State convention has declared the act
of secession null and voll, and has ordained that all
provisions relative to slavery and slaves shall be
struck out of the constitution, adding the wise and
kindly provision that the State Legislature shall
protect the freedmen in all their rights and pro-
perty, and guard them as far as possible from the
evils attending their sudden liberation.
Mr. JOHNSON has just had an opportunity of
declaring his foreign policy in an interview with the
Brazilian Minister. The President received the
new Brazilian representative very cordially, and
declared that America wished to promote civilisa-
tion in the Western hemisphere, and to introduce
free and intelligent labour into the virgin fields of
the great continent. He said that the Americans
did not wish to weaken new American states, but

to strengthem them by a display of confidence and
an absence of querulous jealousy. Self-sustaining
independence and perfect political equality must be

the condition of national existence on the American
continent, and in pursuing this course Brazil will
find firm allies in the United States. Such

language at least seems to imply that the
new President does not court another war,
and that he is disposed rather to consolidate his
power at home than to extend his dominions beyond
their present bounds. It is to be hoped that he may
find sufficient support in the more temperate and
enlightened politicians of his country to enable him
to show that leniency towards JEFFERSON DAVIS,
and that prudence with respect to the negro, which
Europe looks for with anxiety.

TEE REFORM LEAGUE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—By inserting the following in your valuable
paper, you will greatly oblige your obedient servants,
EDMOND BEALES, President.
GEORGE HOWELL, Secretary.

RESIDENTIAL AND REGISTERED MANHOOD
SUFFRAGE AND THE BALLOT.
NATIONAL REFORM CONFERENCE.

8, Adelphi-terrace, Strand, N.C.

The executive council of Reform League, after mature
deliberation, deem it their duty to convene a National Con-
ference, to be held in London at the opening of Parliament,
to consider the question of electoral reform, and to adopt
such measures as may be deemed expedient for the settle-
ment of this question on a broad and equitable basis, satis-
factory to the whole people. With this view they submit
for consideration the following resolutions :-
1. The conference shall assemble in London one day at
least previous to the opening of the new Parliament.
3. Such conference shall consist of delegates specially
deputed from branch associations of the Reform League
and other reform associations ; trades, benefit, temperance
socities, and other organised bodies•; or appointed at public
meetings called for that purpose, and by local, district, and
ward committees, organised to promote the above move-
ment in Great Britain and Ireland ; and members of both
Houses of Parliament.
3. The business of the conference will be as follows—
Firstly, A resolution affirming the principles of the Reform
League. Secondly, The adoption of some plan of organi-
sation embracing the whole country, so that every consti-
tuency may assist in the agitation for electoral reform.
Thirdly, To consider the Queen's speech, and adopt, if
necessary, some resolution thereon. Fourthly, To hold a
public meeting in the metropolis, to receive and adopt the
report and resolutions of the Conference.

4. The Prime Minister shall be requested to receive the
members of the conferene,e'as a deputation, for the purpose
of communicating to him the wishes of the, country on the
subject of parliamentary reform, as expressed by the
people at public meetings and through their' delegates in
conference assembled, and to urge on him the necessity of
speedily introducing a bill into Parliament in accordance
therewith.

5. The conference shall petition the House of Commons
that a certain number of working men, not less than twelve,
being non-electors, and appointed by the conference, be
heard at their bar, on the right of the uneufranchised
classes to vote for members of that House.

6. The conference shall adopt addresses to Earl Russell,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir George Grey, and
other members of the Government, urging upon them the
necessity of supporting measures for parliamentary reform
satisfactory to the people.
Notice of the day fixed for the conference and of the
place of meeting shall be given by advertisements in the
public papers and by circulars, as soon as possible after
the day fixed for the assembling of Parliament shall be
made known.

All communications to be addressed to the secretary;
Mr. George Howell, 8, Adelphi-terrace, Strand, London;
W.C.

The Gazette de France has received a first
warning for reproducing a letter published by the Alsacien.
The reason assigned for that step on the part of the
Minister of the Interior is, that the author of this letter',
making a suppositious and false calculation of the average
number of the members of municipal councils, and of that
of the mayors chosen from without those bodies, directs
against the Government the injurious accusation of re-
garding " incapable or suspected " a whole category of
honourable citizens, and strives to cast blame on the exer-
cise of a right which the Constitution confers on the exe-
cutiye power. •