The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-21 00:00:00

PRESIDEN.

by the worthy alderman two or three months
since in respect to a startling prophecy of the
lamented Prince Consort's death, contained in
Zadkiers Altnanack. Alderman HUMPHREY, we
doubt not, will have been himself considerably
surprised to find himself selected by the Solicitor
to the Astro-Meteorological Society as the me-
dium through which the Champions of the science,
or, as it has long been disdainfully termed, the
pseudo-science of Astrology, may appeal to the
public at large for a calm and dispassionate re-
consideration of their case. The event may pos-
sibly prove—and of this possibility the pamphlet
just penned by Mr. COOKE, the Solicitor, and
published by Mr. FREEMAN, the Bookseller,
may be in effect the direct and immediate
precursor, almost we had said the visible and
palpable cause—the event, we say, may possibly
yet prove that the law as it now stands in regard
to the treatment of the cultivators of this once
alluring and recondite study may be at least parti-
ally modified in some respects by the interposition
of the Legislature. It is all but impracticable, we
should suppose, for even the most cynical amongst
us not to regard with a sort of left-handed or mor-
ganatic gratitude the labours (however mistaken)
of many illustrious philosophers, ancient and mo-
dern, from the days of ARISTOTLE down to those
of our own glorious FRANCIS BACON, Lord
VERULAM ; the labours leading them gradually, as
believers, here in Astrology, there in Alchemy, to
the development and perfection, so far as they have
yet admitted of being perfected, of the two great
sciences of Chemistry and Astronomy. Laugh
to scorn though our age may and yet will persist-
ently, the prosecution, or affected prosecution, even
nowadays, of Astrology at least, if not of Alchemy,
the Historians of all the Sciences, the Analysts of
all the Ologies have long allowed and proclaimed by
universal consent that out of this derided study of
Alchemy grew Chemistry, that out of this reviled
science (still so called) of Astrology grew Astro-
nomy. In each instance it was literally like the
burying of a seemingly valueless little seed-germ
destined to rot into the ground under the very pro
cess of its long and sedulous cultivation—but a
seed-germ in each instance out of the very decom-
position, as one may say, of which sprang forth,
and burgeoned and blossomed the two great sciences
already specified, the science here of Chemistry,
there of Astronomy. It is in remembrance of these
singular and abundant fragments of historic facts—
facts during many ages, and by many illustrious
men—

" Beloved as Fable, and believed as Truth"—

that we are yet fain to hope that the time will at
length come, and that, moreover, before much longer,
when painful incidents like that associated a few
years back with the fantastic name of COPESTICK,
will not admit of very easy repetition. Let knaves
and swindlers have their due by all means, and
suffer the penalty of their own ill-doings.
Let the law deal as rigorously or as vigorously
as it pleases with all demoralising charlatans,
with all cajolling mountebanks, and with syste-
matic, and, as one may term them accurately (for
there are such people), professional vagabonds of
every description. But with such as may come
simply within the category—(even to the view of
this particularly hard-headed generation in which
we live—yet a generation too, it must be admitted
with a qualm of wonder, rife with spirit-rappers,
and table-turners, and crystal-seers, and so forth)—
with such as may come simply within the cate-
gory of credulous dabblers, some of them as-
suming seriously to be believing proficients in
obsolete fields of knowledge, certainly these incon-
trovertible records of the past, might in some sense
be taken into account by way of mitigation. Laugh
Astrology to scorn, by all means, if you will,
as an absurd hallucination, and laugh at it
thus down to the very end of the chapter,
but don't map out the domains of science or of
pseudo science—rendering this legal and that penal
—by Act of Parliament ! As a calm and candid
inquiry directed to the elucidation of this hitherto
ill-considered theme of investigation, Mr. CHRIS-
TOPHER COOKE'S very plain-spoken pamphlet, en-
titled " Astrology in a Nutshell," comes out most
opportunely, and, without the smallest atom of
circumlocution, goes at once directly to the point.

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR CASTLE, MARCH 20.

Her Majesty, accompanied by her Royal Highness the
Princess Alice, drove out yesterday afternoon. Colonel the
Hon. A. Hardinge attended on horseback.

The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone arrived at the Castle
yesterday, and had an audience of her Majesty.
The Right Rev. Wm. Thomson, D.D., had an audience
of the Queen and did homage on being appointed Bishop
of Gloucester and Bristol. The Right Hon. Sjy Geo. Grey,
G.C.8., her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Home De-
partment, assisted at the ceremony.
The Hon. Lucy Kerr and the Hon. Victoria Stuart
Wortley have succeeded the Hon. Beatrice Byng and the
Hon. Emily Cathcart as Maids of Honour in Waiting.
Tuesday last was the birthday of her Royal Highness
Princess Louisa.

Her Majesty the Queen will hold a Privy Council this
day (Friday) at Windsor Castle.

A Deputation from the Dublin Ballast Board had an in-
terview with the President of the Board of Trade yester-
day.

Despatches were received yesterday, at the Colonial-
office, from the Governors of Ceylon, Hongkong, the Aus-
tralian colonies, Malta, and Gibraltar. Despatches were
sent to the Governor of Canada.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer returned to London
yesterday from Windsor Castle.

The Marchioness of Downshire gave her second
dancing party last evening, at her residence in Belgrave-

square.

The Earl of Hardwicke will leave town to
morrow for Plymouth.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer returned to
London from Windsor Castle.

Mr. Adeane, M.P., and Lady Elizabeth Adeane
will leave town early next week on a visit to the Countess
of Hardwicke, at Wimpole Hall, Cambridgeshire.
The Rev. Mr. Lascelles and Mrs. Laseelles have
arrived at the Queetit's Hotel, Upper Norwood.
On Tuesday next, at the New Vestry Hall, in
the King's road, Chelsea, the grand oratorio of "Judas"
will be performed by the Sacred Harmonic Society of that
district. Conspicuous among the vocalists upon the occa-
sion we observe the name of the popular songstress Madame
Elwood Andrea.

According to a communication from the Secretary
of the Mercantile Law Amendment Society there is reason
to apprehend that the registration of trust deeds in bank-
ruptcy, under the act of last session, has thus far been con-
ducted in a manner that will render such registration of no
effect.

THE REINFORCEMENTS FOR CANADA. When
the troops constituting the reinforcements for Canada were
sent out last December the condition in which they were
despatched was the theme of universal praise, and the
authorities were deservedly congratulated upon an example
of efficient administration, contrasting happily with some
of the shortcomings of former days. We are glad to say
that on the other side of the Atlantic the arrangements to
meet the difficulties opposed to the transport of troops
through New Brunswick at a severe season of the year have
been conducted with the most creditable success. A de-
spatch, dated 'March 6, has been received at the War-office
from the General commanding at Halifax, stating that the
whole of the reinforcements for Canada, consisting of up-
wards of 6,500 men, had passed safely into that province,
with the exception of one detachment, which was delayed
within a day's march of Riviere du Loup by a slight stop-
page on the railway. It is satisfactory to learn that this
has been effected with very few casualties among the troops.
Three men died on the line of march, two from pneumonia
and one from the effects of cold and intemperance ; one man
was
severly injured by frost bites, while the total number
of desertions was nine. The General bears testimony to
theadmirable conduct of the men throughout, not a single
complaint against any of them haying reached him during
their transit, and he considers it chiefly owing to their own
cheerful deportment and the untiring exertions of the de-
partments—naval, military, and transport—employed, that
this movement has been so successfully accomplished.

LATEST ►SEWS.

ILLNESS OF THE POPE.
ROME, MARCH 18 (via MARSEILLES).
The Pope has been ill for the last week, and is
confined to his bed the greater part of the day.
The strength of his Holiness is much prostrated,
and the soreness of his legs causes him great irri-

:ation.
His Holiness hos suspended his audiences.

JAPAN.

SUEZ, MARCH 20.

The extraordinary Ambassadors from Japan on
a visit to various countries in Europe have arrived
here.

THE BRAZILS.
BORDEAUX, MARCH 20.
The French steamer Bearn, from the Brazils,
arrived here this morning.

MESS GE.

The following is the text of President Lincoln's
Messne to Congress, a. telegraphic summary of
which has been already published :

" Fellow-citizens of the Senate and House of
Representatives,—
" I recommend the adoption of a joint resolution
by your honourable bodies which shall substantially
be as follows :

" Resolved,—That the United States ought to
co-operate with any State which may adopt a
gradual abolishment of slavery, giving to such State
pecuniary aid, to be used by such State in its dis-
cretion, to compensate for the inconveniences, public
and private, produced by such change of system.
" If the proposition contained in the resolution
does not meet the approval of the Congress and the
country, there is the end, but if it does not command
such approval, I deem it of importance that the
States and people immediately interested should be
at once distinctly notified of the fact, so that
they may begin to consider whether to accept or
reject it.
" The Federal Government would find its highest
interest in such a measure as one of the most effi-
cient means of self-preservation. The leaders of the
existing insurrection, entertain the hope that the
Government will ultimately be forced to
acknowledge the independence of some part of
the disaffected region, and that ail the slave
States north of such parts will then say—' The
Union for which we have struggled being already
gone, we now choose to go with the Southern
section.' To deprive them of this hope sub-
stantially ends the rebellion, and the initiation of
emancipation completely deprives them of it as to
all the States initiating it. The point is not that
all the States tolerating slavery would very soon, if
at all, initiate emancipation, but that, while the
offer is equally made to all, the more Northern shall
by such initiation make it certain to the more
Southern that in no event will the former ever join
the latter in their proposed Confederacy. I say
' initiation' because, in my judgment, gradual and
not sudden emancipation is better for all.
" In the mere financial or pecuniary view, any
member of Congress, with the census tables and the
Treasury reports before him, can readily see for
himself how soon the current expenditures of this
war would purchase at a fair valuation all the slaves
in any named State. _ _

" Such a proposition on the part of the general
Government sets up no claim of a right, by Federal
authority, to interfere with slavery within State
limits, referring as it does the absolute control of
the subject in each case to the State and its people
immediately interested. It is proposed as a matter
perfectly of choice with them.
" In the annual message last December I thought
fit to say, The Union must be preserved, and hence
all indispensable means must be employed.' I said
this not hastily, but deliberately. War has been,
and continues to be, an indispensable means to this
end. A practical reacknowledgment of the national
authority would render the war unnecessary, and it
would at once cease. If, however, resistance continues
the war must also continue, and it is impossible to
foresee all the incidents which may attend, and all
the ruin which may follow, it. Such as may seem
indispensable, or may obviously promote greater
efficiency towards ending the struggle, must and
will come.
" The proposition now made, though an offer
only, I hope it may be esteemed no offence to ask
whether the pecuniary consideration tendered
would not be of more value to the States and private
persons concerned than are the institution and pro-
perty in it, in the present aspect of affairs.
" While it is true that the adoption of the pro-
posed resolution would be merely initiatory, and
not within itself a practical measure, it is recom-
mended in the hope that it would soon lead to im-
portant results. In full view of my great responsi-
bility to my God and to my country, I earnestly
beg the attention of Congress and the people to the
subject. (Signed) " ABRAHAM LINCOLN."

THE STATE OF HON.DURAS.

ASSASSINATION OF THE LATE PRESIDENT,
GENERAL SANTOS GUARDIOLA.

On the 11th of January last, General Don Santos
Guardiola, President of the Republic of Honduras,
was brutally assassinated in Comayagua by Pablo
Agurcia, Commander of his body guard.
At daybreak Agurcia sought an audience of the
General, intimating that despatches of the utmost
importance had just been received. The General,
partially dressed, opened the door of his bedchamber,
and at that moment received from the hands of
Agurcia the contents of two pistols; the bullets
entered his heart ; death was instantaneous ; he
expired, without uttering a word, in the arms of
his wife. Agurcia was a young man of no parti-
cular merit, but had been protected by Guardiola,
and raised to the rank of commander of his body
guard. The sequel shows how well ho repaid his
benefactor.

Two hours after this brutal murder, in the ab-
sence of the Vice-President, the Senator Noberto
Martinez was requested to take the reins of Govern-
ment ; but Agureia and his accomplices, having the
command of the garrison, were masters of the
capital. The inhabitants, horrified at the dastardly
crime, were prevented giving vent to their indig-
nation by the presence of the armed assassins. This
state of affairs continued for 19 days, but in the
meantime Martinez has not been idle, and having
collected troops from the neighbouring towns he
made a sddden attack on the rebels and totally
routed them. Agurcia and many of his accom-
plices were made prisoners, and before this will
have met the doom they so justly deserved.
Meanwhile, in Tegucigalpa, the partisans of Gen.
Guardiola refused to acknowledge the Martinez Go-
vernment, being desirous of placing Bernardo Ines-
troza in power, and, to carry out their views, a small
army was collected, which marched on Comayagua,
and were met by the troops of Martinez, and after a
short engagement the insurgents were completely
routed,

General Juan Lopez, on whom all eyes were fixed
as the future President, was stationed at Yuscaran,
and had under his command a few regiments.
Envoys were sent to him from Tegucigalpa, entreat-
ing him to assume the supreme command. This he
declined, stating his intention only to obey the
orders of the Vice-President, Don Victoriano Cas-
tellanos, who, according to the Constitution, was
entitled to occupy the seat that had become vacant,
and that no other authority could be lawfully
acknowledged. General Lopez appointed a depu-
tation to wait on Senor Castellanos and request him
to take the reins of Government, offering to support
him with all the strength at his orders. Similar
proposals were made by the authorities of all the
principal towns.
Senor Castellanos has since been formally installed
Provisional President. The Legislative body had
been convoked, and measures taken to maintain
order throughout the State. Guatemala, Salvador,
and Nicaragua had united to assist in establishing
peace in the republic, and thus, through the energy
and patriotism of the principal authorities, the
spirit of rebellion was crushed, and Honduras
enjoys that peace which has prominently dis-
tinguished her among the States of Central
America.

A LIVING FROG FOUND IN COAL.--The follow-
ing is an extract from a letter received on Wednesday last
in this city, by John Russell, Esq., from the manager of
his Tyr Nicholas Colliery, Cwm Tylery, near Newport :
" Our men in the heading in the rock vein coal yesterday
(March 10), in a fall of coal in the face of the heading,
found, in a hole in the pricking, in the top of the coal and
in the nine-inch bed of coal, a live frog. The hole was not
more than 31 inches in diameter, and this found in the soft
holing. There is a slight hollow over the coal where it
was found. It began moving about as soon as it was
released, but seems larger and more lively to-day. It is
kept shut up in clay to exclude the air from it. Now this
is 200 yards below the surface where this little thing was
found, and I do not suppose any one can form an idea how
long it must have been there. I intend having it kept for
you when you return." (Signed) L. W. REES.—[Mr.
Russell is going to send to the Great Exhibition a block of
coal, between seven and eight feet long, selecting the piece
in which the frog was found, the locus in quo being,exactly
in the centre, and the block will be so cut out that the frog
and its strange domicile will be clearly shown in front.]—
Worcestershire Chronicle.