The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-21 00:00:00

is, while statesmen and legislators are most de-
lightedly shouldering the whole subject out of the
House—what ought earnest Reformers to do ? We
do not see that they can do better than what the
gentlemen who are just assembled are doing. Let
them, however reproached, abused, or ridiculed,
continue their local efforts and their central efforts.
They may need a little patience—and it may be but
very little—but conquer at some time they must ;
it is their scoffing and abusive opponents who are
but reprieved for a time, but who must pay to jus-
tice the final penalty of political law. "Influence
boroughs" wall not be for ever thought the orna-
ments of on constitution any more than the old
rotten boroughs were ; and it will not be thought
the perfection of electoral independence that a great
landlord shoild buy or sell or inherit a hundred
votes and a hundred farms together. A man's
rights will merge, and will enjoy equal consi-
deration, witi the assumed rights of property ;
and comparetive poverty, however honest and
intelligent, vill not be treated electorally, as a
crime.

Perhaps opponents will point to the great variety
of demands which different delegates would make
on the Legigature. We do not see any variety
beyond that which is a necessity of free intelli-
gence. Our complaint of the county dummies
now returned by the landlords to the House of
Commons, is tlat they have not intelligence enough
to exhibit any variety. They are all as alike five-
pound notes. We do not wish a Reform Confe-
rence to sink tc that uniformity. The only diffe-
rence we can see in the opinions expressed, is the
one which is always found in all assemblies—that
between the men who are enthusiastic for a clear
and well-defined principle, and those who, while
not unfavourable to the principle think chiefly of
what can be done. The difference, in fact,
between the mm of theory, and the men of
practice. The men who light the way, and
those who use it. What has acquired the tech-
nical name of manhood suffrage has been acknow-
ledged by the profoundest thinkers, men at whom
no one can venture ;o sneer, as the natural and funda-
mental basis of free constitutions—the approaches
towards it of a "rating suffrage," or " household
suffrage," or a £6 suffrage, are all but the attempts
of practical men to adjust pure theory to the con-
ditions of the case. Some of those who desire
modification of sound theory, laying more stress on
the present unfitness of many for the franchase ;
others on the impossibility of wresting more from
the aristocracy, wiich holds the majority of the
present electors—or rather of the members they
can make them vote for—in their hands. Unscru-
pulous men, of course, will misrepresent the differ-
ences we refer to, though to us they are indicative
of life. And of one thing we may be quite sure, that
all will willingly accept whatever the combined
efforts of all can obtain.

On one point there was entire unanimity—that
which formed the subject of the evening's soiree
—the Ballot. No One doubted the utility and the
necessity of that. Practical men and theorists were
here perfectly at one. Those who would use diffe-
rence of opinion in details, however unjustly, as an
argument against the suffrage, to be consistent
should accept the unanimity onothe Ballot as an
unanswerable argument in its favour. The argu-
ment is indeed very strong if we refer to expe-
rience, for in our Australian colonies, which succes-
sively adopted it, its good working in one was the
cause of its unanimous adoption in others ; and
those who in the first case opposed it, have become
perfectly satisfied with it as the means of securing
political independence and the morality of elec-
tions. The memorial adopted to Lord PALMER-
.re LeCeLILly commenter.
And the Premier and his party would be all the
stronger in this country if they had the wisdom to
listen to it.

The Rifle Match, it is reported, is really, after
after all, to come off between the Lords and Com-
mons some fine morning at Wimbledon. And cer-
tainly we can recognise no possible reason why it
should not. It may still remain a moot point, it is
true, whether Mr. Speaker and the Lord High
Chancellorof England can confront each other, rifle
in hand, without some slight derogation from their
personal dignity, or without militating (literally)
against the gravity befitting the official position
of each. However this may be in reference to the
Right Hon. EVELYN DENISON and the noble and
learned lord on the woolsack—it can scarcely be
argued with anything like seriousness that there
are recognisable any reasons why certain chosen
members of the House of Lords, and certain other
chosen members of the House of Commons should
not—like any other men !--compete for a prize
by handling their rifles in front of a given target.
Crack shots must of course be selected as skilfully
as may be from among the most keen-eyed
and steady handed marksmen in the Houses
of Parliament. And already, it is intimated,
there have been jotted down a. select num-
ber of peers, including among the chosen
names those of Lord EVERSLEY, the Marquis of
ABERCORN, the Earl of DUCIE, the Earl BELMORE,
Lord LURGAN, the Duke of MANCHESTER, Lord
VERNON, Lord RATSTOCK, and Lord LYTTELTON.
The selected names cf the Commons comprise among
them those of Lord HOLMESDALE, Mr.......wNATCH-
BULL-HUGESSEN, Mr. WYNN, Lord ELCIIO, the
Earl GROSVENOR, Kr. CHARLES BUXTON, Mr.
BENTINCK, and Mr. H. STURT. Others would, of
course, before the match came off, be duly added
to the foregoing. But already there is a
goodly show enough of names " down," actually
" booked," to render us somewhat eager to learn
which is to be the day when the Lords and the Com

mons are to have what Londoners would call, their
"outing," and, with that, what Cricketers would
call their "innings," down upon the heath at Wim-
bledon.

DEATH OF MR. SLANEY, M.P.--We regret to
announce the death of /Ir. Slaney, M.P. for Shrewsbury,
in his 71st year. Mr. 31aney was first returned for the
borough in 1826, and, dough with frequent intermissions.
he continued to represer it. He was a Liberal in politics,
but he was better known for his philanthropic exertions in
favour of ameliorating th 3 condition of the labouring poor.
His death was caused b: his accidentally falling through
a gap in the floor of the Great Exhibition.
SYMPATHY WITH THE POPE.—Among the
Roman Catholic bishops ;bout to assemble at Rome at the
canonisation of the martTra of Japan is Monsignore Pace
Porno, Bishop of Malta and Archbishop of Rhodes. It is
understood that he will like this opportunity of presenting
an address of sympathy b the Pope from the Maltese popu-
lation.

A MAN KILLED PITH A SKITTLE BALL.—An
inquest was held yester(ay by Mr. G. S. Brent, at the
Royal George, Ball's-poni, on the body of Thomas Robert
Parish, aged 42. The deceased was formerly a traveller,
and an excellent linguie, but owing to reverses had
latterly been potman a the Mortimer Arms, West
Hackney. A day or twolgo he was setting up the pins for
two respectable men, wio mere amusing themselves by
play ing at skittles. Whie deceased was watching, one of
the players struck the w)oden framework with the ball,
causing it to rebound and give the deceased a heavy blow
on the inside of the left high. The injury was treated
lightly, but gangrene or mortification set in, producing
death on Thursday last. The players were unknown, but
as the deceased had told hi wife that he had ample oppor-
tunity for getting out o the way, the jury returned a
verdict of "Death from, angrene, through an accidental
blow from a skittle ball."

CRYSTAL PALACE.—ONE SHILLING DAY, Tues-
day, May 20.—Admissio,a on payment, 2,336; ditto by
season tickets, 610; totalvieitors, 2,946.

HER 1114.TESTPS IHEAT.RE.

IL TROVATORE.

SIR RICHARD 13 ULKELEY'S STUD.—Yesterday
(Tuesday) morning Old Calabar and the rest of Sir It
Bulkeley's horses were removed from Thomas Stephenson's,
to finish their educa`ion under the able tuition of William
Butler.

A prospectus has been issued of the new joint-
stock bank projected for India under the title of the Bank
of Hindustan, China, and Japan, with a capital of
£1,000,000, in shares of £lOO each. Its claim to support is
analogous to that preferred yesterday by the Union Bank
of Ireland, and consists in the fact that there has been no
increase of banking facilities in connexion with the East in
any degree commensurate with the growth and prosperity
of that region. The existing banks have all for a con-
siderable period paid high dividends, and there is of course
a good field for the new establishment, provided it pursues
an equally prudent cystem of management.
A prospectus has been issued of the Wor-
miter Extension of the Cape Town Railway and Dock
Company, with a capital of £600,000, in shares of £2O.
The object at present is to undertake a preliminary survey,
and 2s. per share is all that is required. Ultimately an apn
plication will be made to the Colonial Government for a
guarantee. The shareholders of the Cape Town Railway
and Dock Company are to have a preference in the
allotment,
A prospectus has been issued of the Anglo-lonian
Steam Navigation Company, with a capital of £50,000, in
shares of £lO. The object is to maintain a regular and
direct steam communication between London and the
lonian Islands and Greece. The trade has already been
carried on for a year by means of hired vessels with results
which, it is stated, have proved the desirableness of con-
ducting it by steamers built expressly for the purpose.
ANOTHER MILITARY SCANDAL.—We understand
that another court-martial is about to be held for the pur-
pose of investigating the circumstances of a fracas which
recently occurred in a distinguished regiment of Hussars.—
Dublin Evening Mail.
ILLICIT DISTILLING IN NOTTINGHAM.--011 Mon•
day morning, the 19th inst., an extensive illicit distillery
was discovered in Great Alfred-street, Nottingham, by the
police. The still was in full work, and, from the appear-
ance of the place, no doubt is entertained that large opera-
tions have been carried on for some time past, and the re-
venue defrauded to a considerable extent. It appears that
about two Months ago a house was taken in Great Alfred-
street by a strange man, who paid the rent in advance. A
large stock of coal was got into the premises, and,
some
suspicious-looking 'persons being seen to enter and leave
the house, mostly at night, it was surmised that something
wrong was going on. Those suspicions were communicated
to the pollee, and Sergeant Lynch and police-constable
Stevens went to the place with an officer of the Excise
named Jones. They effected an entrance without opposi-
tion ; but the proprietor of the establishment
alarm, without waistcoat, coat, or hat. A
large s had fled in
till was
and the
found in full work, containing about 60 gallons of whisky,
machinery employed was on the most extensive
scale. The officers seized everything in the place, but the
distiller could net be found, and up to yesterday evening
he 121113 not been heard of,

When Madame I'asta was once asked to lower
her terms, on account of the state of her Majesty's
Theatre, she replied," I ought to make them double,
on account of the English climate." Catalani also
remarked that England was about the last place a
fine voice should be brought to, since it was pretty
sure to be left there. The weather within this
last week or two has certainly justified these
strictures. A sun kot enough for July,
and a wind cold enough for January, seem to have
united their hostile forces simply for the sake of
attacking the human windpipe. Our singers
therefore, especially, are a groupe of sufferers just
now; They have been seized by the throat as
rudely as if they had been a gang of foreign house-
breakers. We are protectionists still in one thing.
We import everything duty free but voices, and
these we tax most heavily. Signor Gardoni at
the one theatre, and Signor Armandi at the other,
have recently illustrated the fact, and now, more
unfortunately still for the gratifi2ation of all opera-
goers, Signor Giuglini has succumbed to the surly
spirit of our climate, and, after a week's cessation
of his labours, has not recovered his voice suffi-
ciently to ensure a renewal of our enjoyment. On
Saturday last his continued illness compelled a
change of the performance, and last evening,
shortly after the rising of the curtain, a gentle-
man stepped forward with an apology
accompanied by a medical certificate, to
the effect that our popular tenor was
wholly unfit to resume his duties. He
was—to use a Byronism, 11l Trovatore, but too
truly. Though this was an announcement for which
the audience had some right to be prepared, it was
no small trial of the composure of a very full and
brilliant house. And accordingly the mitigation of
the blow was very gratefully received, that in
despite of his illness Signor Guiglini would appear,
and do his best to please his patrons, rather than
entirely disappoint them. His entrance after this
intimation was, as may readily be supposed, the
signal for a very general and hearty demonstration.
His first notes, however, convinced the audience of
the truth of his position and the generosity of his
endeavour. Only by very great exertion could he
produce a sound at all, whilst the distinctive fea-
tures of his singing, his exquisite tenderness and
sweetness were wholly lost in the one-governing
necessity to be heard. It was only at the close of
the third act, when, chafing at the fetters which
had been so cruelly imposed on him, Signor
Giuglini broke away, and by one tremendous
effort gave the " Di quella pira," with a vigour
and distinctness which restored all his best
impressions. The effect of this rally was
so electrical that he was recalled in the warmest
manner, and by the entire voice of the house. For-
tunately for the audience,Mdlle.Titiens had escaped
the plague of atmosphere, and was never in finer
voice or greater power than on this occasion. As
the Leonora of the Trovatore is one of the charac-
ters which our incomparable prima donna has made
her own—presenting it so perfect, whether in
respect to its conception or its treatment,
as to place it beyond criticism, we have
no occasion now to do more than say that,
save in her music with Manrico, the close of the
first act—and that tenderest of love duets in the
second, " L'onda de Suoni," which was - obliged to
be omitted, she never sang or acted with more ardor,
truth, and brilliancy. Her " Tacea La Notte" was
as it was always, a perfect burst of vocal rapture ;
and the entire music of the last act had all that
variety as well as depth of passion which have
made it so distinctive at her hands. The second
feature of the evening was the appearance of
Signora Trebelli, in the character of Axu-
cena. This young lady, a superb musician,
and one whom Meyerbeer has pronounced to be
an equally,superb artist, has every mental quali-
fication for this most arduous assumption. Azucena,
which is beyond all question Verdi's most original
conception, and which Madlle. Csillag has so
obviously and grandly interpreted as he intended,
—as a being torn with the perpetual struggle
of an evil and better nature, the vindictive
ab- -itugtu- suoauen by the higher yearnings
of the woman—obtains from Signora Trebelli a
scarcely less successful rendering. Every dramatic
point of the character she seizes with a vigour and
precision that could hardly be surpassed. Pos-
sessed of thorough passion which shows itself as
much in thesnbtler and tenderer as in the more vehe-
ment traits of the character; her expression, whether
in singing, or acting, rose for the most part to all
its needs. In this she had the great advantage of
a highly expressive face, and an action that was
bold and striking without sinking into the least
excess. It is no abatement of her claims to say
that she has not the grandeur or ideality
of Mdlle. Csillag, because, it may be confidently
asked at present, what other singer has. Her sole
defect lies in her voice, which, however adapted to
other characters, wants both the requisite depth and
strength to paint with sufficient impressiveness
the tortures of the gipsy mother. However,
Signora Trebelli's was a performance which
must establish her claims as an artist, and raise no
trifling expectations of her success in other efforts.
Signor Giraldoni was the Conte di Luna, and sang
the music with spirit and feeling, though
with scarcely sufficient tenderness, in the
popular "Il balers.'' The other characters
were well sustained, whilst the band and chorus
and general production were all that could be
desired. We trust this opera will be repeated when
Signor Giuglini is re-established, when it Immo
fail to become another of the great impressions o
the season.