The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-13 00:00:00

course of history in other times, and under other LA TEST INTELLIGENCE•
difficulties, are well aware that the great problems
(REITTER'S TELEGRAMS.)
of life and guyernment refused to be so easily
solved. No doubt good laws and a fair system of
national representation are all important to assist
the political development and progress of a coun-
try, and it is the knowledge of this that makes
all true friends of freedom so anxious for Par-
liamentary Reform. But the difficulty is that the
people may be mistaken, and that even in questions
which immediately concern themselves they find it
impossible to reconcile conflicting interests, the selfish
desire of individual gain, with the general public
good. It is very well for a speaker at last night's
meeting to say that if his class had votes they
would prevent the poor man's child from going into
the workshops before it was educated, but the
experience of our manufacturing towns proves the
direct contrary. The greed of the parents is one
of the great difficulties with which social reformers
have to contend, and in many cases where Acts of
Parliament have been framed to prevent children from
working very young, the fathers evade it by declar-
ing their children to be older than they really are.
The same speaker declared that the Legislature of
the country had prevented machinery from being a
blessing to man as it should be, but the influ-
ence of the Legislature has, of late years espe-
cially, been directed against allowing machinery
to become a source of oppression by regulating the
hours of labour. It is a common saying that a
poor man who has grown rich makes the hardest
master, and every one who has interested himself
in the education of the poor knows that the indif-
ference or unwillingness of the parents is generally
the principal obstacle. The endless disputes about
wages, the tyranny of the trades' unions, and other
problems, prove very clearly that all political per-
plexities will not be settled by a mere repre-
sentation of numbers. The working men of
this country might learn from an illustrious
example. The American Government was cut and
squared according to the most approved Democratic
rule and measure. Their electoral system, and the
mode of exercising it, are all according to perfectly
correct theories of Radicalism. Their Execu-
tive, indeed, is chosen by the people, and
its term of office strictly limited. What
is the result of this theoretical perfection ?
Do we find unbroken harmony and perfect social
justice ? We find, on the contrary, that the inevit-
able differences of human opinion manifest them-
selves so strongly that they range themselves into
distinct parties, even though, by a singular neces-
sity, they are forced to distinguish them by the
title of Republicans and Democrats. We find so
strong an antagonism between certain portions of
a country which, according to theory, should
leave no man dissatisfied, that it has produced
four years of terrible bloodshed, while the ques-
tion is now pending whether the largest part of
the country shall be represented at all ? This
example should not deter us from judicious and well-
considered reforms, but it should teach us to be
cautious how we act, and to remember that while
the full development of our constitution would give
every class of honest and intelligent men a share in
the Government, that the tyranny of the many
is even worse than the tyranny of the few, because
it is more difficult to restrain or to subdue. A
resolute resistance, under competent leadership,
generally succeeds in breaking down a
despot's power, but when the passions
or prejudices of a multitude are the
only guides—those most qualified to direct or to
judge retire from the contest; the moderate speakers
are talked down, the thoughtful and tolerant
sneered at, and we reach an extreme of in-
tolerance and unfairness not unaptly represented
by some classes in America, and by the clamour
now raised by a certain faction among ourselves.
These are the evils which conscientious and
enlightened statesmen will seek to avoid ; but
they will not be avoided by shirking
the question of Reform, or by restraining the na-
tural ambition of the industrial classes. The meet-
ings of last evening was preceded by one held in
Halifax on Thursday night, at which Mr. STANS-
FELD, M.P., spoke at some length. Mr. AKROYD
M.P., who also addressed the meeting, spoke fairly
and sensibly, declaring that what he aimed at was
a full and fair representation of all classes, without
giving any one class undue predominance. This
cannot be said to be the case now, when some
classes are not represented at all, and others most
unfairly and imperfectly. As Mr. AKROYD ob-
served, no effort has been made to force any par-
ticular measure upon the Government ; and we can
only hope they will reward this confidenceby weigh-
ing the claims and the requirements of all parties
and classes. I Orleans
Northern _

MUSIC AND PICTURES•

An Exquisite Gift-Book.

-~-

THE DEATH OF THE KING OF THE

BELGIANS.
BRUSSELS, DEC. 13.

The Moniteur Beige of this morning says :
" A journal of this city has published what pur-
ported to be the text of a telegram of the Emperor
Napoleon to the Duke of Brabant. This publica-
tion, although reproducing the friendly meaning of
the Emperor's telegram, was not the real text. The
Duke de Brabant received a telegraphic despatch,
expressing the greatest sympathy, but of which
etiquette forbids the publication."

The Senate has been convoked for Friday next.

Yesterday evening the mortal remains of the
late King were transported to Brussels. The crowd
on the route of the procession was enormous.
The Court will go into mourning for six months
from the day of the King's decease.

SPAIN.

MADRID, DEC. 12.

The Correspondencia of to-day states that all the
different parties of the Opposition repudiate any
complicity with any projects for making demon-
strations against the Queen on the occasion of her
Majesty's solemn entry into Madrid, which has
been officially announced for Thursday next at
midday.

It is stated that Queen Christina will be present
at her Majesty's accouchement.
The budget will be presented to the Chambers
between the 10th and 16th of January, and will
contain reductions to the amount of 60 millions of

reals

A royal decree has been issued ordering that the
civil course of legal procedure now obtaining in the
mother country shall also be law in the islands of
Cuba and Porto Rico.

BOHEMIA.

PRAGUE, DEC. 13.

In yesterday's sittings of the Bohemian Diet, the
debate took place upon the address to the Emperor
in favor of the September patent.

The address was opposed by the German, but
strongly defended by the Czech members. A mo-
tion of Herr von Pleuer, formerly Minister of Fi-
nance, to pass to the order of the day, was rejected.
Upon the Diet proceeding to consider the sepa-
rate paragraphs of the address, a portion of the
members of the German opposition left the Cham-
ber, and the address was then adopted without
further discussion.

THE BOMBAY MAIL.
SUEZ, DEC. 13.

The Carnatic, from Bombay, arrived here at
midnight yesterday.

NEW EGYPTIAN LOAN.
ALEXANDRIA, DEC. 12.

The private loan of £3,000,000 required by the
Viceroy has been finally contracted with the Anglo-
Egyptian Bank, Messrs. Oppenheim having with-
drawn their offer.

KIEL, DEC. 13.

The Kieler Zeitung of to-day was seized by the
police authorities before any copies had been dis-
tributed.

FRANCE.

PARIS, DEC. 13.

The itfoniteur of this morning publishes a tele-
gram,
dated the 10th December, from the Duke of
Brabant to the Emperor Napoleon, and the reply
of the Emperor. The telegram of the Emperor
Napoleon is textually the same as published
yesterday.
In consequence of the death of the King of the
Belgians the Imperial Court will go into mourning
for 21 days from Saturday the 16th instant.

The election of a deputy to the Corps Legislatif
for the Department of Orne will take place on the
Gth January.

BOURSE, Dec. 12.—The telegraphic dezpatch from
England of a further decline in Consols does not
appear to have affected operations here. The mar-
ket has closed on the following quotations :

41 per Cents 97 10
Do. end month —
3 per Cents. 69
Do. end month 69 05
Credit Mobilier
Do. end month
Bank Shares 3790
Credit Fonder 1330
Italian Loan 65 15
Do. end month 65 37
RAILT

Roman
Ottoman Fives 43 70
Mexican Loan 4B 50
Do. Bonds 333 75
Russian -
Austrian
Spanish Threes
Home Debt
Deferred

Cash. Acct.
835
••• 1140 -
- 575

Fair Play for Governor Eyre.

Lyons and Mediterranean.

Southern
Western
Eastern
Sardinian .
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona
Roman

TO TIIE EDITOR OF TIIE SUN.

- - ... 518 75
- - ... 212 50
- - ... 430 -
- - ... 427 50

SIB-If there has been no insurrection in Jamaica,
which those who would condemn Governor Eyre
unheard maintain, may it not be because by his
promptitude, energy, and vigour he nipped in the
bud what would, if suffered to develope itself, have
grown up into a revolution terminating in the ex-
termination of all the whites in the island? How
can those who denounce Governor Eyre, and cry
out for vengeance against him, expect that if their
principles are to be practically applied, the lives of
their countrymen will be safe in any colony where
there are natives hostile to the presence of Europeans
among them.—l am, Sir, yours obediently,

- - ... 165 -
- - ... 195 -

IMMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.—The depopulation
caused by the war and the loss of labour by the emancipa-
tion of the slaves have caused the Virginians to look about
for fresh supplies of workpeople. They have accordingly
instituted a " Virginian Central Immigration Society," of
which the headquarters are at Lynchburg, Virginia, the
main object of the society boing to invite and encourage
the immigration into that State of Scotch and English
labourers. An agent of the society is to visit this country
to promote the movement, which is thus described in a
letter from a Scotch gentleman settled in Virginia, dated
Amherst, November 9 :—" The question of most vital
interest to us now is how to supply the labour we have
lost by the emancipation of 4,000,000 slaves, who will
not henceforth do the work of half a million, so that there
is a vacuum suddenly created which it will require a
labouring population of over three millions old and young
—to fill. The enclosed circular will show you the first
move that has been made in this behalf. The Virginia

COMMONSENSE

READERSHIP OF THE TEMPLE CHURCII.—We
have reason to believe that extraordinary in-
fluence is being brought to bear upon the Benchers
of the Inner Temple with reference to the election
of Reader. This coveted appointment is naturally
very attractive, and, if we be correctly informed,
some firmness will be required and expected on the
part of the hon. and learned gentlemen in resisting
such influence. We hope that the interests of the
Temple Church are in safe keeping, and that
nothing like Nepotism or Favouritism in the exer-
cise of a solemn trust need be apprehended, as we
are certain it would not be tolerated by the public.
DRURY LANE THEATRE.—The benefit of Mr.
James Stride, the principal of the box department
of Drury-lane Theatre, is fixed for to-morrow evening,
when we trust he will receive that substantial recognition
of his services which his urbanity and attention entitles
him to. To tho habitues of the boxes Mr. Stride is so
well known that the bare announcement of his benefit
night will be quite sufficient to secure their attendance in
large numbers.
PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.--Yesterday evening a
meeting of a somewhat miscellaneous character was
hold at St. Martin's Hall, to consider the question of a re-
form of the House of Commons. The large hall was densely
crowded. Mr. Edmund Beales was called to the chair, and
on the platform were Mr. G. C. Nicolay, Mr. J. Baxter
Langley, Mr. J. R. Taylor, (tc. The chairman, in opening
the proceedings, remarked upon the objections which la d
been urged in the last Parliament against any extension of
the franchise, and expressed his opinion that those objec-
tiOns might now be dismissed for ever. Resolutions in
favour of universal suffrage and vote by ballot were adopted,
and it was agreed that a deputation should wait upon Earl
Russell and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to present to
them a memorial on the subject.
Yesterday, at the Bow-street Police-office, a case
was heard which has already attracted some atten-
tion in the theatrical world. Mr. Charles Hoskins, for-
merly a comedian at Drury-lane Theatre, and now a
licensed victualler in Cheltenham, was summoned by Mr.
Meagreson, comedian, and now engaged at Drury-lane
Theatre, for having written certain threatening letters to
him. Both parties are also concerned in an action for libel
which is now pending. Yesterday defendant pleaded
guilty to having written abusive letters, and was bound
over to keep the peace for six months. The libel case is
said also to have arisen from the writing
. of anonymous
letters.

Immigration Society, controlled by some of the most dis-
tinguished gentlemen of the State, proposes, as far as pos-
sible, to supply the wants of Virginia in mechanics,
tenants, and labourers of every sort—first from the Scotch,
then from the English, and lastly from emigrants from
other countries. To this end they will offer the greatest
inducements to the Scotch and English emigrants. The
resources of Virginia, both mineral and agricultural, sur-
pass those of any other part of the United States, while
the climate is the most agreeable and healthy. This will
be a great mining, manufacturing, and farming region,
and will, therefore, offer greater inducements to the emi-
grant from England and Scotland than any other. The
climate of the more Southern States is too hot for the
British emigrant, and the census of 1860 shows that the
average price of lands in the frontier States of the North-
West is double that in the Southern States, with all the
inconveniences of distance from market. The low price
of lands in the South was due to the enormous certain
profit of investments in slaves, about 15 per cent. per
annum compounded. We now have in this State a vast
area of open land of superior quality, which your Scotch
and English emigrant can buy or rent at the lowest rates ;
while the labour of the poorest classes will command a
price that will afford them and their families an abundant
support. The plan which scorns to meet with most favour
with the Virginian farmers is to rent or lease their lands
to ScOtch and English farmers, and when tenants cannot
be procured, then to adopt with the labouring class the
Scotch cottar system, giving to the families of this class a
cottage and several acres of land rent free, with other
privileges, and then hiring the able-bodied labourers as
they are wanted on the farms.—Scotsman.
In the British West
,Indies there are about
980,000 souls. Of these fully 800,000 are negroes ; of the
remaining 180,000, more than 120,000 are mulattoes. Of
nearly one million, there are only about 50,000 white
people. It requires but scant gift of prophecy to foresee
that one or two more outbreaks like that of Jamaica will
considerably reduce even this small proportion ; and that,
in one or two generations, the entire population of those
colonies will consist of black and coloured people. What
is to be their future—what their government?

TILE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 13, 18b5.

Composed by Henry Leslie, and illustrated by J.
E. Millais, R.A. Published by Messrs. Cassell,
Petter, and Galpin.
Under the title of Little Songs for me to Sing,
there has but just now been published by the Messrs.
Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, one of the very
loveliest books ever issued from the press as the
joint product of the typographer, the artist, and
the musician. The loveliest little book ! Heavily
and solidly bound in a gold-emblazoned and
bevilled cloth binding, radiant all over with gilten
scrolls, and song-birds, and butterflies—this charm-
ing volumette contains within in it a store of
as dainty delights for eye and ear, as
childhood itself could ever wish for even in its
most halcyon daydreams. Appropriately enough it
is dedicated to the Young Mother par excellence
among all the young mothers of England, namely,
to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales—and, as
the dedicatory page informs us, "By Special Permis-
sion." And a dainty feast it is in good sooth—a
feast fit to set before a Princess! " The little
songs which are published in this volume," says,
almost apologetically, the advertisement prefixed to
the contents, " were composed by Mr. Henry Leslie
for his children without a thought of their ever being
made public." Another illustration, therefore, of
the truth of the old adage about second thoughts
being best ! For never was there a happier after-
thought than that which suggested the no-
tion of their publication ! An exceptional
illustration, too, it turns out to have been, of
the good sometimes coming from that fruitful
source of tediousness in the way of publication, pro-
verbially familiar to us all as'—" at the request of
friends !" For—once in a way, most happily in this
instance—we learn that, " From the very numer-
ous requests for copies of them by friends who heard
them sung, it became a necessity to print them."
And—as a final touch to this most superfluous of
apologies (for what certainly needs none) we are
told—" Thus it has occurred that a book of such
musical trifles is offered to the public." Musical
Trifles ! Yes, well just previously in the same way
as that haunting little ditty, sung (don't we all
remember it ?) so deliciously, first of all, by
Scrooge's little school-girl sister, and afterwards by
Scrooge's "dimpled surprised-looking" niece by
marriage (in the immortal " Carol")—" a mere
nothing," as Mr. Dickens tell us, " you might hare
learnt to whistle it in two minutes," and yet, for all
that, going clean, through the ears, into the heart,
and so on, from the heart, into the tear-brimming
eyes ! Just such are these delicate little morceaux of
melody— " unconsidered trifles" the composer of them
himself modestly deems them to be—unpremeditated
effusions of his love for, and interest in, his own dear
children ! And so—thanks to the beneficent agency
of that multiplying and echoing medium of the
Press—these " Little Songs " come forth from the
home that gave them birth, to flit hither and thither
into other homes, all over the land, where they are
certain of being dearly, dearly welcomed Before
yielding, as he happily did in the end, to the
first suggestion that they should be pub-
lished—Mr. Leslie, we are told in another
(an intermediate) sentence of the advertisement-
page prefixed to the table of Contents, " Mr. Leslie
mentioned the idea of an illustrated edition to
Mr. Millais, who cordially entered into it." A
word, well chosen, that word " cordially"—for
the artist has indeed entered upon his labour of love
most cordially—from his heart ! For, we do not
hesitate to say that we never saw the genius, the
radiant and ever-youthful genius of Mr. Millais to
greater advantage than in the embellishment of this
charming volume. Always at his best and at his
happiest when he touches upon children—in this
resembling Victor Hugo in his poetry and Charles
Dickens in his poetic prose—Mr. Millais has in the
delineation of the little children he has here intro-
duced to us through these sketches fairly dipped
his pencil in the sunshine. Look at them ! Look at
that frontispiece iu which the cluster of little ones
—curly pates, boys and girls, Charley and
Willy, and Polly, and Nelly, and all—are clus-
tered round Mamma, as she sits at the piano strik-
ing a few simple chords by way of accompani-
ment ! Or look at that sweet-eyed little maiden
of seven, sitting up in bed, upon the bolster, gazing
out of window, to the tune of—

Twinkle, twinkle, little star;
How I wonder what your are !
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky !
Or look at "Mary's little Lamb !" Or at " The
sweet story of Old "---About whom? About Jesus
the Saviour ! Or at that wonderful duplex illustra-
tion of The Morning and Evening Hymns —The
one overshadowed by the Owl—the other
brightening up with the fluttering trill, heaven-
wards, of the Skylark ! It is a little jewel
of a book—worthy in the " tone " of it of
Henry Leslie—worthy in the artless beauty of it
(using that phrase upon the ars celare artem princi-
ple) worthy thus, in the very lock of it, of J. E.
Millais, R.A.—a book in fine that, small though it
is, reflects high honour in every way upon the
enterprising publishing house from which it ema-
nates.

THE CONDITION OF JAMAICA.—In order to obtain
any clear idea of the nature of the insurrection, it is necessary
to take a survey of the condition of the island. Jamaica
has been under British rule since 1670. It is about 160
miles long and 50 miles wide, highly mountainous, and
therefore favorable to the development of the spirit of li-
berty among its population. The population is about
400,000, of whom onlylo,ooo are whites, about 90,000 are
mulattoes, and 300,000 are negroes. Of the latter
many are Maroons or fugitives, who during the exist-
ence of slavery, rebelled, took to the mountains, and have
always maintained a somewhat distinct existence. For
the forty years previous to 1738 these Maroons maintained
a constant war with the British Government, which was
closed by a treaty of peace instead of their extermination.
To this source, and to their immense preponderance of
numbers, perhaps is to be attributed the frequency of negro
revolts in Jamaica. One in 1760 for a time was exceed-
ingly formidable, and was punished with great severity.
Another in 1795 ended in the transportation of 600 Maroons
to Nova Scotia. Another in 1832 was subdued with great
difficulty, and probably led to the abolition of slavery,
which began in 1833 and was completed in 1838. Whether
these insurrections had reasonable provocation or not may
best be inferred from the fact that between 1700 and 1786
upwards of 600,000 slaves were imported from Africa, yet
twenty years later, when the importation was prohibited,
the total namber in the island was but 323,827. At pre-
sent, as we have seen, there are forty blacks to one white.
The government of the island is so arranged that it is
absolutely impossible that it could be just consistently with
the common frailties of human nature. The Governor is
appointed by the Crown, and is paid a salary of £5,000, of
which £1,500 is paid by the island and the remainder by
the British Government. The Privy Council, or Cabinet, is
appointed by the Governor. The Legislative Council of 17
members forms the upper house of the Colonial Legislature,
and is also appointed by the Governor. The parishes are
also presided over by a magistrate called a custos rotulorum
who is appointed by the Governor for life. The only
branch of the Government in which the people have any
voice whatever is the lower house of the Legislature,
which consists of two members elected from each parish,
with an additional one for Spanish Town, Kingston, and
Port Royal, making 47 in all. These are elected by free-
holders of the annual value of six pounds sterling rental,
which reduces the entire number of voters on the island to
3,000, or one in 130 of the population, and excludes the
blacks almost entirely. The parish custos presides over the
vestry, a body consisting of the rector and churchwardens,
justices of the peace, and ten vestrymen, who must be
eleetors, and able to read and write. Practically, there-
fore, the people of Jamaica have no share in the Govern-
ment. It is an outside machine, run for the benefit of a
few English landowners, and maintained by troops. The
island reached its greatest prosperity in the years from
1797 to 1829. Its largest ginger crop was raised in 1797
and amounted to 3,621,260 pounds. In 1857 it had declined
to 381,157 pounds. Its largest sugar crop was in 1805,
and amounted to 150,352 hhds. This had declined in 1888,
after the Emancipation Act, to 69,613 hhds., and in 1857 to
30,459 hhds. Its largest coffee crop was in 1814, and
reached 34,045,385 pounds. This bad declined in
1833, the date of the first Emancipation Act, to
9,866,060 pounds, and bad further declined in 1857
to 7,095,623 pounds. The largest pimento crop was in
1833, to wit : 8,423,100 pounds, which was nearly equalled
by the crop of 1857, to-wit : 8,719,748 pounds. This
general exhibit shows a heavy falling off in the products
of the island, beginning about twenty years prior to eman-
cipation. This great falling off in resources, while the
population of the island has remained nearly the same
indicates that general impoverishment of the people which,
combined with ignorance in the masses and misgovern-
ment in the rulers, equally tend to produce such fearful
scenes as have just been enacted in that island.