The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-21 00:00:00

Herr VON BISMARCK. It was doubtless no light
work in which these official personages were en-
gaged, and many counteracting influences were at
hand to mar the effect of their sedulous endeavours.
The general desire of Europe at the present
moment is for peace, and this wish will
be granted, for the present at all events,
by the arrangements entered into at Gastein.
Had Prussia not given up for the time being the
arbitrary demands which she lately put forward as
a sine qua non in the arbitrament of the affair
war must have inevitably ensued, first partial, and
then probably general.'
The decided tone of the French EMPEROR has
doubtless had much to do with the tranquil ad-
justment of the case, for he would not stand aloof
and allow Prussia to have the game entirely in her
own hands as she had in the Danish war. It is a
bitter reflection to dwell upon that this coun-
try has acted a part so unworthy of its
high position among the nations of the
world. Had our Government adopted a different
course to that which they unhappily pursued, how
much better would it have been for the cause of
justice and the welfare of many. By tamely yield-
ing to encroachment and putting up with treachery
we have given free scope to tyranny and oppres-
sion, and the result has shown that all that was
said of the evil designs of Prussia has been more
than verified. Now at the eleventh hour, when it
is too late to do anything, when the golden day
of opportunity has gone by, we may draw a moral
from the issue of this affair which is alike sad
and solemn. We have lent our tacit aid to a
system of spoliation that has no parallel in modern
times, and allowed the destroyers of national
rights and the uprooters of the liberty of the sub-
ject to declare that England does not care what
wrong is done provided her material interests are
not affected thereby. History has shown, how-
ever, many times and oft, that a course of aggres-
sion will work many evil consequences, and that
its effects will spread far and wide. We have not
yet reached the end of the Schleswig-Holstein
affair, say what, they will for the time
being to calm down fears and allay irri-
tation ; and those most initiated in the mys-
teries of the matter are the best acquainted
with this fact. So many rival interests are raised
up with the case that it is quite impossible for all to
be satisfied, and certainly the compilers of the
treaty have not gone the way to secure general
approval, by making its terms very one-sided. The
King of DENMARK must watch with a mournful
curiosity the disputes that are certainly taking place
respecting his ravished territories, but he may
take this consolation to himself in the midst of his
regrets, that his loss has not been altogether gain
to his enemies, for not one of them is perfectly
satisfied.

The Reform League.

- ---

The Executive Committee of tho above League met at
heir rooms, 8, Adelphi-terrace, Strand, on Friday evening
Last. Edmond Beales, Esq., President, in the chair.

The minutes of the last meeting having been read, with
some amendments, and confirmed, correspondence was
read from Poplar, Plaistow, Wakefield, Glasgow, and Lei-
cester.

The PRESIDENT read the answer which he had received
from Mr. Gladstone to the address of the Committee of the
League ; and it was resolved that the address and answer
be sent to the papers.

Mr. GEo. ODOR reported the results of a deputation to
a large branch of the Cordwainors' Society, Chiswell-
street, Finsbury-square. The deputation, consisting of
the Secretary and himself, was most courteously received ;
and after they had explained the principles and objects of
the Reform League, a resolution was carried unanimously
to subscribe £5 to its funds. It wits further resolved that
a branch of the League bo formed, and a numerous and
earnest committee was elected for that purpose.
A vote of thanks being given to the deputation for their
attendance, they expressed themselves highly gratified
with the results of the interview, and withdrew.

Resolved :—" That a cordial vote of thanks be tendered
to the President for his very able letter in vindication of
the Council, and urging a unanimous and energetic sup-
port of the objects of the League."

It was also resolved :—" That steps be taken to orga-
nise the holding of a series of public meetings in the un-
dermentioned towns in the vicinity of London ; and that
arrangements be made for the attendance of members of
the Executive Committee at such meetings. The towns
being as follows :—Brentford, Staines, Uxbridge, Croydon,
Richmond, Watford, Deptford, Greenwich, Woolwich, and
Romford.

After the transaction of some routine business, the
meeting separated.

THE REFORM LEAGUE AND THE CHANCELLOR
OF THE EXCIIEQUER.
SlR,—The Executive Committee of the Reform League
desire to offer you their very sincere congratulations upon
your being chosen to represent in Parliament the great
manufacturing and agricultural interests of South Lanca-
shire.
Without wishing to deprecate the value of the peculi-
arities, which, rich with the many precious memories of
early distinction, and of the struggles, triumphs, and
friendships of youth, as well as of more mature renown,
united you closely and affectionately to Oxford for so many
years, and secured to you to the last the fidelity and sup-
port of most of those whose own eminence could give lustre
to their choice, the committee cannot but feel that the posi-
tion of Representative of a larger and more popular con-
stituency, the title of Representative of the People, in
whom you have so cordially avowed your trust, best be-
come the statesman, whose name is for ever identified
with the cause of commercial, financial, and political
progress ; and they fervently thank the blindness of party
for giving up to the nation one of the most gifted and large
hearted of her sons.
Rejoicing in the assurance that your past career is the
best guarantee for the truth and worth of your future
patriotism, relying upon the national sympathies, genuine
love of freedom, and spirit of lofty independence, which
have hitherto nerved your eloquence and animated your
labours to reduce the burdens, and promote the material
welfare and prosperity of our country, the committee look
with confidence to your aid for the prudent working out
of any further just and needful reform, and the accomplish-
ment of what may most effectually tend to develope, unite,
and harmonise the energies and interests of all orders in the
State, by the removal of invidious class distinctions, and
the extending the area of the constitution until it shall,
not in theory only, but in practice, embrace all within its
pale, or, at least, all who cannot be clearly shown to be
unfit to enjoy the privileges and exercise the rights of
citizenship.—With heartfelt congratulations, I have the
honour to be, sir, on behalf and by order of the committee
of the League, your very humble servant,
EDMOND BEALEs.
Office of the Reform League, 8, Adelphi-terrace,
Strand, London, W.C.
To the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone.

Hawarden, Aug. 10, 1865.
Sir,—l beg to acknowledge the receipt of the obliging
letter which you have addressed to me on behalf of the
executive committee of the Reform League. And I sin-
cerely trust that this and any other proof of the indulgent
judgment which is formed by my fellow-countrymen of the
characters and acts of public men may serve as a new en-
couragement to the steady performance of duty during
whatever may remain to mo of political life.- I have the
honour to be, sir, your most obedient and faithful sexrant,
W. E. GLADSTONE.
Edmond Beales, Esq.

A SERIES OF ALMANACKS, ONCE THE PROPERTY
or SCHILLER, the poet, in which he had made numerous
manuscript memoranda, has been recently republished in
Germany. One entry is to the effect that, in August, 1799,
he wrote a letter to R. B. Sheridan, who was then tran-
slating " Pizarro." The conjecture has been made that
the Hon, Mrs. Norton, who possesses most of her distin-
guished grandfather's correspondence and papers, also has
that letter.

DR. ARNOLD'S HOUSE.--The old house at Lale-
ham, where Dr. Arnold lived with his pupils before
his election to the headmastership of Rugby, and which is
mentioned by him with such affection in the letters pub-
lished in Dean Stanley's life, has just been pulled down,
and the Earl of Lucan, who has purchased the advowson
of the living, is about to erect on the site a parsonage
which hitherto has not been among the emoluments of the
living.—Guardian.

THE LOVES OF THE CHIMPANZEES.—The Zoologi-
cal Society has just received a male chimpanzee.
The introduction of the stranger to the female in the gar_
den was an amusing fact. The two creatures rushed into
each other's arms, like stage lovers. They kissed each
other; then the male chimpanzee patted the female's face,
danced round her, took her round the waist, as if he were
going to waltz, when they expressed their joy by dancing
and howling in ludicrous concert.—Athenaum.