The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-30 00:00:00

TO WN TALK.

(From the Western Mail of Saturday.) .
LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING.
Another wholesale murder like that of the Kinck Family
by Traupmann'—a startling telegram on Tuesday morning
through the Atlantic Cable, announcing that the Fenians
were moving from several points upon the frontiers of
Canada—an astounding revolution at Lisbon, astounding
even among Portuguese revolution— tidings like these
have, since my last letter to you was completed, roused
even fashionable London from its customary insouciance.
As for the massacre of the unfortunate Marshalls, at
Denham, near Uxbridge, it proves to be a crime so por-
tentous in its brutal enormity that it has even distracted
attention from the raw-head-and-bloody-bones atrocity of
that miserable wretch Walter Miller, whom the Times,
having in error once spoken of as William, persists, for
some inexplicable and occult reason, in still speaking of as
William, down to the very end of the chapter. As for
the Fenian raid newly threatened on the border-line of
the Dominion, the tidings of it make one think with a
qualm, at the first blush, having reference to Ireland, and,
at the second, having reference to Lord Granville. As to
this new revolution on the banks of the Tagus, what can
I say further than this, that it is worthy of the insurrec-
tionary genius of the Portuguese. The mere notion of
an old marshal, close upon ninety years of age, marching
at one o'clock at night, at the head of half a dozen bat-
talions, upon the regal palace at Lisbon, being confronted
there at the gates by the Royal guards, killing seven of
them and wounding thirty others, taking possession of
Fort St. George, and then knocking the young King
Louis up at four o'clock in the morning (surely the
earliest visit ever paid to a crowned head since
heads were crowned and uncrowned) the Duke'of Saldanha,
this old marshal of ninety, thus storming his way to power
and place, and all its perquisites, at the point of his sword,
at the unlikeliest hour out of the whole twenty-four,
through the palace of the King, in the very presence of his
Sovereign ! How the royal authority can be maintained,
in any shape whatever, after scenes and incidents like
these, altogether passes my comprehension. The whole
narrative of the proceeding reads to me like one of the
greatest " larks " in history.
Meanwhile, in the other and larger division of the Iberian
peninsula, Marshal Espartero, in his green old age of 80,
is having all Spain in deputation at his feet, beseeching
him to accept the kingly crown, which he has already
declined to receive almost as many times as Julius Caesar
declined when that other crown was proffered for his ac-
ceptance, again and again, upon the Lupercal. At length,
in answer to almost tearful remonstrances, his Majesty
King Baldomero the First, that is to be, vouchsafes the
tardy concession that, if elected to the crown by the Cortes,
otherwise by the nation, he will, in that contingency,
answer at last in the affirmative, though even then. re-
luctantly ! Saldanha ninety—Espartero Eighty. Clearly
old age is in the ascendant alike among the Spaniards and
the Portuguese. If oaths are to have any credence now-
adays, Spain and Portugal are not as yet to be amalga-
mated, Marshal the Duke of Saldanha having spontane-
ously sworn that by him the independence of his own
country shall be always maintained and vindicated.
The proclamation of the plebiscite at Paris occurring,
as it did in May, came as a reminiscence of the famous
Champ de Mai when the 'seemingly incongruous names
and interests of Napoleon and Liberty were fifty-

five years ago first brought into association. As a mere
spectacle, the sight must have been magnificent. For en-
thusiasm it appears to have surpassed any previous inci-
dent in the history of the second Empire.
Amongst ourselves, here in Parliament, we have had
within these last few days enough to interest us. The mere
fact of the passage through committee—at last—of the
Irish Land Bill transformed (political cynics are mutter-
ing, " The deformed transformed") was sufficient of itself
to give a character of its own to this middle week of the

Parliamentary session. Monday next will bring us to the
crowning incident of the third reading, when both sides
will muster strongly for the anticipated division. Another
event, not only in the Commons, but in the Lords also,
has been the discussion upon those horribly wanton
murders of our own countrymen and others when peace-
fully journeying across the plains of Marathon. " That
man," exclaimed old Samuel Johnson in one of the finest
passages he ever wrote, in one of the finest passages in the
English language, " That man is little to be envied whose
patriotism would not gain force upon the plains of Mara-
thon, and whose piety would not grow warmer among the
ruins of lona." Those words were written nearly a cen-
tury ago, but, in the recent and painful remembrance of
the mangled bodies of our fellow-countrymen, Mr. Vyner
and Mr. Herbert, it is impossible to read them without
feeling our patriotic sympathies glowing within us at that
reference to the now once more blood-stained plains of
Marathon—and glowing within us with an almost pain-
ful sense of burning indignation. In the House of Commons
this feeling called forth from a veteran diplomatist like
Sir Henry Bulwer an expression of cordial goodwill towards
Russia, and if by no other means than that of Russia the pre-

servation of law and order in Greece could for one instant
be supposed to be in any way capable of being reasonably
assured, In the House of Lords the same painful theme
drew from the Earl of Carnarvon an impressive and, in
parts, affecting tribute to the memory of his murdered re-
lative, followed by an earnest appeal to the Legislature
and to the Government to see well to it that the shedding of
the life-bood of unoffending and, unarmed Englishmen
shall not be allowed to pass by unpunished. Another and
a very surprising incident of a parliamentary character
occurred on Thursday night, when the member for the Ayr
burghs insistedpro bono publico (that is from his point of
view) upon having the House cleared of all strangers, in-
cluding the reporters, before the four hours' discussion upon
Mr. Fowler's motion, for a Bill for repealing the Conta-
gious Diseases Acts df 1866 and 1869, could be com-
menced. In the midst of the confusion, almost scrim-
mage, caused by the clearing of the galleries, a mingled
sense of surprise, amusement, and indignation was caused
by the reluctance of two very pertinacious and unblushing
ladies to withdraw from their birdcage. Who were they ?
I wonder—just as I am marvelling to myself who those
could possibly have been who have been sitting for hours
unwearied, listening eagerly, breathlessly, with a sort of
horrible gusto, to the revolting inquiry that has been
slowly yielding up its abominable revelations in the head
police-court in Bow-street.
Mark Lemon's death has for us all that poignant touch
of the pathetic in which tears and laughter are so in-
timately blended in Hamlet's lament over the death of
Yorick—" Alas, poor Yorick ! I knew him, Horatio ; a
fellow of infinite jest and most excellent fancy—Where be
your gibes now ? your songs? your flashes of merriment,

that were wont to set the table on a roar ?" for very nearly
thirty years editor of Punch ; a capital playwright in the
light-farce way; a charming song-writer ; an excellent
teller of stories for big and little children; a genial com-
panion ; a Falstaff, like Stephen Kemble, requiring no
padding, being as they both were, in appearance that

is, born to the character. Mark Lemon had the
paunch of Falstaff, but not the wit, certainly none of
the humour essential to the part in its impersonation.
One marvellous incident in his career falls, by the way,
within the scope of my own personal recollection of him.
Several years ago, when .Mr. Herbert Ingram was yet
alive, being then M.P. for Boston, and proprietor of the
Illustrated London News, I remember one day chat-
ting for a long while with Mark Lemon, noticing
every now and then, while I did so, that he had an un-
wonted air of importance, as if he had some secret he was
burning to relate. At last, nothing leading up to it, and
apparently bent upon dragging it in by the head and
shoulders rather than not at all, quoth Mark Lemon, all
of a sudden, "I suppose you know what I am now ?"
" Still editor of Punch? " "No—that, of course—but I
am now, besides that, ahem ! Mr. Ingram's private secre-
tary." Looking into his eyes to see through their twink-
ling some latent joke that I had not precisely caught, I
woke to the recognition of the fact that the words were to
be taken au serieux—that it was a genuine boast; that
this sly humourist, so perceptive of what was ludicrous
in others, never realised in the least the incongruity
of the social relations he was referring to ; but, not
only that, was really and truly proud of it rather than
otherwise.

There just now comes into my hands, very prettily got
up, what appears to be a homely little domestic story or
novellette, by Lady Lytton, called " The Household
Fairy." Among the literary chit-chat of town, I hear
talk just now of a new monthly magazine to be entitled
Mayfair. A newspaper called the Latest News—but for
that matter the latest news is presumed to be in every
newspaper—hitherto carried on as a weekly, is about to
appear every morning at a halfpenny.
The hon. member whose soul was "in arms and ready
for the fray" the other evening. because a heap of stones
had been collected together at the back of the Guards'
Memorial, ought to be calmed and comforted, for the
stones have been cleared away, and the space occupied by
them very neatly gravelled.

All London is now in the glory of the May season, when
Rotten-row is a sight to see, especially about six o'clock
in the evening.

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Strand, W.O

P IRIS CORRESPONDENCE.

SATURDAY EvENING.

The great topic of conversation in Paris to-day is the
formation of the new party, the Constitutional Left.
Seventeen deputies, belonging some of them to the mode-
rate republicans, others to the old Left Centre, have
united under M. Ernest Picard, numbering amongst their
Barth4lemy, Saint Hilaire, Guyot Montpayroux, and
Bethmont. To judge from present intimations the nelv
party are willing to accept the Empire, and are ready t°
assume office when called upon to do so, provided the)
can fulfil their programme which is very briefly stated'
Such a defection from the ranks of the old Left of Jules
Favre and Jules Simon must necessarily materially affect
the position of parties. The group of which MM. Darn
and Buffet are the most prominent members, will be con-
siderably strengthened, by the rapprochement of
Picard and his followers. The establishment of the Col'.
stitutional Left is a matter of congratulation to sincere
and moderate Liberals who wish to obtain and secure
free thought, free speech, and a free press without ever"
turning thrones and subverting dynasties. It shows that
the French are training in the way of Constitutionalism
that their politicians are beginning to recognise the feet
that great political ends are better gained by mutual con-
cession and compromise than by the aut Cesar, aut nullus
principle, where no question of right or wrong is concerned.
We have another excitement to-day in M. Gambetta's
speech at Belleville. The favourite tribune of the masses
is not inclined to make any concession. He attacked the
Emperor as " the man whose fortune was made 11
three conspiracies ;" and though he counselled mode-
ration, and declared the despotic party had been strength;
ened by the excesses of the revolutionists, he di
not, as you see, set a very forcible example..
In the Corps Legislatif yesterday the discussion of 31.
Bethmont's interpellation elicited from M. 011ivier the
remark that he did not think the time was ripe for grant.
ing freedom of political association. This was of course in
reference to the refusal of the Ministry to grant the
central plebiscitary committee permission to preserve its
organisation, a refusal by which M. 011ivier has in"
geniously succeeded in giving double offence. He has
offended the committee of course, and they naturally'
inquire what the minority has to fear from a Con'
servative body who have exerted themselves and
risked their credit and their influence in the
Imperial cause. The Left is angry with the
Ministers on public grounds, as they naturally upheld
that right of public meetings which M. 011ivier thinks it
unadvisable at present to concede. As usual, he carried
the Chamber with him by his speech, and the order of the
day was passed by a large majority.
M. Laboulaye is not yet out of his troubles. Ili°
second attempt at a lecture was even more stormy than
his first.

The Paris Journal announces the death of M. Salmon,
who has lately risen into celebrity as the father ct
Victor Noir, and it adds that Louis Noir, his s°l'
was not present at the funeral. You may remember
that the• civil suit against Prince Pierre Bonaparte for
compensation for the death of Victor Noir, gave rise t°
some difference between Louis Noir and his father. The
former wished to lay the damages at one franc only, so that
there should be suspicion of pecuniary profit on the part
of the Salmon family. As it turned out, however, the
suit was necessarily brought in the name of the father
since it could not be shown that Louis, a strong active
man, in the prime of life, had suffered damages by the
untimely death of his younger brother. To his father
he might have been a means of support, and the damage'
were given ,accordingly. Louis Noir was so much nlif‘:3
grined at the acceptance of this money that he announce,
his intention of repaying it in full as soon as he collie
earn it. As the Prince of course would not accept it, he
intended to bestow it on a public object.
Speaking of journalists, I may add that an important
change has been made by the new Press Law. The sta3nr
is to be abolished, and a rate of postage charged 'which
will virtually prohibit the Parisian press from travelling
far from the capital. Of course this is supposed to be
done with the object of diminishing the influence of the
journals in the provinces, but the design, if seriously in.
tended, is a very foolish one, as men's minds will work in
the departments as well as in the city; and if Paris cannot,
or will not, supply them, provincial journals, piobabl,'
more violent and less able will spring up in every direc.
tion. Of course the abolition of the stamp will increa°
the number of journals at one sou in Paris itself, but I de
not expect it will eventually make ranch difference.
A great fire has occurred in the Rue Rossini, at the
stables of Baron Rothschild. Fortunately the horse'
were all got out, and after about three-quarters of 0
hour's incessant exertion, the flames were subdued, an,
the street was loaded with wet and half-burned trusses 0;
hay and straw. The damage done was about 20,000 f., bn
as it will come out of the coffers of a Rothschild, we I°Y'
reserve our sympathies for shallower purses.

GENERAL PRIM ON THE PORTUGUJ

CRISIS.
The following is the substance of the speech of Gelle''
Prim, delivered in the Spanish Cortes on the 24th, on
"
news from Pcrtugal. The Chamber will have remarked, '1
said, the reserve which the Ministry has maintained since thei
day when the news of the recent events in Portiigf
reached Spain. The Government, however, finds
obliged to enter upon some explanations so as to avoid the
risk of being thought to be the instrument of passions 111
is not necessary to specify. He then read a desPgtiLe
received from Lisbon, stating that in consequence of °-
news from Sprain the whole of the Portuguese Deputil
had taken an oath en masse to defend the independence °
Portugal. "It has been believed," continued eneol
Prim, b"
that the events in Portugal were due to th,';
machiavelism of the Spanish Government. Therefore 4
wish in the name of all my colleagues to declare inmost emphatic manner that the Spanish Government
total stranger to all that is taking place in Portugal.
oiLlt
is well known that persons have long thong,
this would be a favourable opportunity for SI.)
and Portugal to realise the dream of peril
unity. Unfortunately for me I was once kuol,
to speak loudly in favour of that scheme in Lisbon its%
I now say in this place, believing that I interpret toil
feeling of the country and the Chamber, that the Spani,s,v
nation has no idea of accomplishing the Iberian union ",
force, violence, or conquest. They wish fcr
rather fraternal relations between the two countries. Tl'e'
wish for the day when there shall be no longer a frontier'
line between Spain and Portugal—when a Spanish a(11,°;,
cate may exercise his profession in Portugal, and a Port
guese doctor come and practice medicine in Spain. .19,,
if this union is ever accomplished it will be on the c,,°r
dition that each nation preserves its autonomy. -'l,l
from us he the, thought that the noble Portuguese shon;,
be erased from the book of nations. In Portugal
Spain there are men who never miss an opportoll.4,
of misrepresentation. I trust my words will spec it
reach even to the Portuguese Chambers, so that °%,
brothers may know that the national independence tb,ei
have sworn to defend will never be attacked by Span.',6b
arms, that they may put aside their suspicions wlts
nothing justifies, and acknowledge that Spain wis4l;r
truly to be the friend of Portugal. Senor Castel` t
followed, reproaching the Government of the Peden
with not having more strietly observed the neutral'4
required by the gravity of the situation, but appro"
the conciliatory tone, adopted by General Prim. Spain Pa
no Prussian dreams of war and conquest. The past ASL'A
future of the two countries were the same, and he belia7i,
nothing would prevent them from one day resting tileh"
mutual independence and their mutual sovereignty on
federation of the United States of free Iberia.

A letter in the Birmingham Daily Post says ,be
the member who took the notes for the Times when 4ie
reporters were excluded from the House of Commons
other night was Sir John Trelawny, who reported for
same paper in 1849, the last' occasion when the reporter'
were compelled to leave.
The annual meeting of the Society for the Pre,i
vention of Cruelty to Animals was held on Saturday,
Willis's Rooms, under the presidency of the Right /11,,
the Earl of Harrowby, K.G. There was a large and
oP
fluential attendance, and the Bishop of Gloucester, Bich
of Hereford, Sir 'William Erle, Sir E. Landseer,
Fraser, and Captain Nugent were on the platform. Alio
Burdett Coutts was also present. The noble
congratulated the members of the society on its use e p
ness, and on the protection which had latterly De
afforded to it by legislative interference.
lin V'
EXPERIMENTING M J
IN CHLOROFOR .—Mr. om-
Anderson, of Govan, writes as follows :—Apropos of te,
death of the lamented Sir James Simpson, allow me t° of
late my 'first experience of chloroform. The surgeonog
the Alligator hospital ship in Hong-Kong, in 1850, Ned
enthusiastic in its praise, and when any man-of-war a its
whose medical officer had not received the news of
oil
wonderful properties, he was instanter hauled on he
„.d,
the Alligator, when the first order given was, " Steiv'eir
catch the cat." This unfortunate animal was theulfor
dered insensible, and one joint of his tail amput4e',.o,o
the benefit of science. When we arrived in the -tieol
from the Arctic expedition, a similar invitation wasr this
to our surgeons. The cat had only one joint left, an the
was razed in our presence. On recovering his sense.s,eli
animal cast one mournful look behind, and immedub'op
committed suicide by jumping out of the after gan-re
port. This is literally a fact.
MUSICAL NOTES.—Madame Adelina Patti her
signed with M. Bagier, of the Paris Opera, for a furcoo
engagement, on her return next March from the the
North.—Offenbach has written a three-act piece f°'ol,
Paris Gaiety, by the name of "Le roi Carotte.da
Grand Duke of Weimar has ordered "Tristan and Is (}OOO
to be added to five other operas byWagner,designed to
the r4pertoire of the forthcoming model performance e'
" Impitoyable le grand-duc," exclaims "Le Meneswic
—A great fusion of the management of EurePan
theatres, that is, so far as the engagement of singe_l::ooo
concerned, is talked of in Paris.—The famous or inieu‘:43B
Carpeaux group will forthwith disappear from the farejeli
of the Paris Opera House. M. Gumery has
Ilio
charged with the execution of a new group.—
Standard.