The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-10 00:00:00

c. 4) Min 1 Ulf

LONDON, THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1848.

Coupled with last night's discussion upon the
Naval Estimates, the questions put to the Govern-
ment—on Wednesday evening, in the Upper House,
by Lord STANLEY, And yesterday evening in the
Lower House, by Mr. URQUIIAST—in reference to
the intended policy of Great Britain towards the
Sicilians and their late SOVEREIGN, acquire .a pecu-
liar significance and importance. In answer to those
inquiries, we are rejoiced to observe that the leading
members of the Administration speak only in the
language of evasion and mystification. Neither the
Lord President of the Council, nor the First
Lord of the Treasury evince the smallest dis-
position to satisfy a curiosity, which would, if
frivolously gratified, not only tend to compromise
ourselves, but also in a peculiar manner to prejudice
the destinies of a noble and illustrious race. It is
asked—pertly and indelicately asked—what course
her MAJESTY'S advisers intend to pursue in the event
of an outbreak in the Mediterranean between the
King of NAPLES and the recently liberated Sicilians ?
Lord STANLEY is particularly anxious to know
whether the British Government are prepared to take
part with the belligerents in the event of such an
outbreak, aid whether in so doing the fleet, com-
manded by Sir WILLIAM PARKER, will be placed at the
disposal of FERDINAND, King of the Neapolitans,
or of AMEDEE, King of the Sicilians. Now
supposing, for the sake of argument, that the inquisi-
tiveness of my Lord STANLEY were satisfied by an ex-
plicit avowal of the intention of her IAJEST Y'S
Government, supposing that the impertinent and spite-
ful pertinacity with which the question is reiterated
by the Hon. and Learned Member for Stafford were
successful, and that the revelations of the Marquis of
LANSDOWNE were corroborated on the following
evening by Viscount PALMERSTON himself—what
would be the inevitable consequence of that pre-
cipitate and premature explanation ? Why the
consequence would be precisely what Lord. STANLEY
might rejoice to witness—the embarrassment and
discomfiture of the present Administration. It would
cause exultation to warm the very cockles of the
heart of .112 r. URQUHART, by placing his old enemy
Lord PALMERSTON in a bewildering and disgraceful
dilemma. The projects of England would be recog-
nized by either the reigning Sovereign of Naples
or by the Monarch-Elect of the Sicilians, in
sufficient time to enable one or the other of
them to frustrate the designs of the British
Government. Fortunately for the character of
England and for the credit of her statesmen,
the insidious tendency of these inquiries has
been at once perceived, and their malign
influences have been evaded by the tact and sagacity
of our administrators.- Lord LANSDOWNE, by a
skilful bewilderment, 'and Lord Jousr RUSSELL, by a
blunt- refusal, have entirely baffled their antagonists.
English diplomacy remains untrammelled, and Eng-
lish generosity continues to act effectually behind
the curtain of Ministerial reserve for the glory of
the Saxon name, and the furtherance of Italian
liberty.

BUT—(observe the solemnity of the warning ex•
plessed in the mere sequence of the conjunction !)
But, baffled as the opponents of Lord PALMRESToN
are by the ingenious evasions of his colleagues,thve the
they
England
a
have one weapon of assault left to them--
he
weapon of Intimidation! They threaten
if
she dare oppose the of the Neapolitan
Monarch.
And their threat in all truth, absolutely tre-
mendous. Ihey—tlrse political wiseacres—aver
distinctly that if the Government take part with the
old Sicilian patriot, Admiral SEPTI3IO, if the fleet of
Sir WILLIAM PARKER is transformed into a fleet of
King AMEDEB, if the dream of Sicilian emancipation
and Sicilian nationality is. countenanced by the
Ministers of Great Britain—What? Why that war
will be declared against England by his Majesty
the King of NAPLIS I That is the dire alternative
placed before the rulkers of this great ompirs...this

empire great in its magnanimity as in its magnitude
—by these pudding-headed and jolter-brained poli-
ticians. England is threatened with the wrath of
Naples if she presumes to sympathise with the brave
and generous Sicilians.
We thank Heaven that this paltry and farcical
attempt at intimidation—this preposterous and
idiotic attempt at intimidation, has been
uttered by the opponents of the foreign
policy of Lord Rum ER STON. It will only
offer an additional inducement to a perse-
verance in the only course befitting an empire like
that of Great Britain. It will only impart a fresh
impetus to a magnanimous effort on behalf a the
Sicilians. It will only excite the Government to op-
pose by all the awe of British diplomacy, by all the
majesty of British arms, and by all the might of
British puissance that brutish and unprincipled des-
potism which is a disgrace to Europe, a horror to
Christendom, and an abhorrence to humanity.

The recent intelligence from Ireland is of a per-
fectly peaceable character. Every additional state-
ment corroborates the opinion to which we gave ex-
pression on Monday last, " that the capture of Mr.
O'BRIEN brought the Irish rebellion of 1848 to a
conclusion." We will now venture to add, that if
the Executive use their triumph with moderation,
there will not be the slightest attempt to disturb the
public tranquillity, or again to venture an armed re-
sistance to the authorities.

It is stated, and with apparent truth, that the Rev.
Mr. MACKAY, parish priest of Clonoulty, a gentleman
who exhibited the most praiseworthy anxiety to
induce his parishioners and all others whom he could
hope to influence, to refrain from participating in
the recent movement, was charged with a mission
to the Irish Government from Messrs. MEAGETEIi,
DILLON, and Dortasm, who after Mr. &arm O'Buresi
—Proximi sed Longo intervallo—were the principal
leaders of the party who desired to effect a separa-
tion between the countries, to the effect that they
would immediately surrender themselves provided an
assurance were given that the extreme penalty of the
law would not be inflicted upon any of the parties
implicated in the late outbreak. Should this state-
ment be well founded, and we see no reason to doubt
its authenticity, it would afford the most conclusive evi •
dence that there no longer exists the slightestintention to
appeal to physical force, or to have recourse to arms
in opposition to the law of the land. We do not sup •
pose that the Executive will enter into any parley
with outlaws charged with the highest offence known
to the law, or enter into any compromise whatsoever
with them, so long as they remain at large, and keep
up even the semblance of defiance to the constituted
authorities. Mr. MACKAY'S mission will, therefore,
undoubtedly prove a failure. But there is no reason
why an intimation may not be given as
to the future fate of Mr. O'Barasr, who is
now a captive at the disposal of the Crown—a hopeless
and unresisting prisoner. If his life should be spared
it would give the strongest assurance that no person
in an inferior position could be subjected to a more
stringent punishment than that to which the chief
leader had been made liable. This could easily be
effected without any departure from the ordinary
precedents. Nothing is more common than to admit
a person against whom a capital charge, and one of
an inferior degree, are pending to plead guilty to the
minor offence, and thereupon to abandon the more se-
rious accusation. Such a compromise, if compromise
it can he called, is of every day occurrence, and
it has never for a moment been asserted that
the law officers of the Crown had been guilty of
any unworthy or undignified concession in receiving
the submission.

The. Commission is now sitting in Dublin. Mr.
O'Buism might be indicted under the Treason
Felony Act, for open and advised speaking, thereat,
and, upon his plea of guilty being recorded, he might
be sentenced to perpetual banishment.

We have no doubt that such a course would be
hailed with universal approbation throughout all
parts of the country. There is a general feeling
against the execution of any persons for merely
political offences. The veteran Free-trader, the
zealous and enthusiastic Reformer, Colonel PERILONET
THOMPSON, gave expression to the desire of persons of
all shades and varieties of political opinion, when,
on Tuesday evening, he said "that he hoped we
would not be behind France in the exhibition of
moderation, after the resistance, such as it was, had
been put down." The cheers and acclamations
which this praiseworthy sentiment elicited from every
side of the House proved that the popular represen-
tatives in this respect sympathised with their con-
stituencies, and that the extension of the Royal mercy
to that unfortunate gentleman who so recently
participated in their legislatorial labours would
be received with approbation both in and
out of Parliament. We have already, to the
utmost of our power, advocated the same line
of conduct, and if it should be adopted, we unhesi-
tatingly declare our conviction that the Government
will have acted in the manner best calculated to effect
the complete and permanent pacification of Ireland,
and earned for itself the lasting gratitude of a large
section of the Irish nation.

The Levant mail brings Constantinople journals to
the 24th, and Athens journals to the 27th ult. They
contain no intelligence of importance.

SPAIN.

Madrid journals of the 4th have arrived. Their
contents are unimportant.
MADRID BOUM, AUG. 4.—Three per Cents., 19i
cash ; after Boise, 19 18i cash. Five per' Cents.,
11 paper ; after Boise, 10i cash. Passives, 4 papttr.
Discount notes, 77* per cent. Exchange on Lon-
don, 60 days, 45 paper.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris papers of yesterday.
M. GUSTAVE DB 1314UMONT has been appointed
Envoy Extraordinary from-the French Republic to
the-Court of her Britannic MAJESTY, in the room of
M. DE TALLENAT, and leaves Paris for London this
day.
The Journal des Debats announces that on Tuesday
a courier arrived from London, bringing the official
assent of the English Government to the articles pro-
posed by the French Republic as the bases of the
joint mediation of the two powers between Austria
and Sardinia. An Estafette was immediately sent
off with dispatches to Mr. AMBERCROMBIE and M.
REIZES at Turin, directing them to go to the head-
quarters -of CHARLES LB ER T and Marshal RA-
DETZKY, to notify officially to them the offer of the
mediation of France and England, and to negotiate
an armistice. Dispatches were also sent to the
English and French Ambassadors at Vienna, direct-
ing them to offer simultaneously the common media-
tion of their respective Governments.
The Club of the Rue de "Poiatiers has determined
to support the motion for the printing of the docu-
ments end evidence taken before the Committee on
the insurrection. _

The Club of the Institute has determined to vote
against the publication'of -the documents.
In the Committee of Inquiry of the Assembly,
eleven out of fifteen Members are in favour of pub-
lishing the whole of the documents and evidence.
The National Assembly yesterday rejected the
amendnient proposed the day before by M. PASCAI,
DUPBAT on the subject of the deposit of caution
money by the newspapers, by a majority of 402 to
342. After a very violent discussion, the Assembly
determined that all the documents and evidence on
which the report of the Committee on the insurrec-
tion of June is founded, should be printed. Several
of the witnesses charge CAUSSIDIERE with having
given the insurgents a description by which they
should know General CAVAIGNAC.
General BEDBAU has had a relapse, and his life is
now despaired of.
The Messager contains the following on the at-
tempt recently made to assassinate M. TIIIERS :
" There has been found, on.the flight of steps leading
to the house of M. Thiers, the mark of the point from
which the ball on Saturday glanced, and on calculating
the angle of incidence, it may be concluded that it was
discharged from a house in the Rue Neuve St. Georges.
There have also been found in the house next to tha‘ of
M. Thiers the traces of several balls, which must ha►e
been directed at this house from a building being con-
structed in the Rue d'Aumale. The window which
these balls touched was taken, through a mass of trees
which surround it, for that of the bed-chamber of
'M. Thiers."

Another journal states that eight balls, similar to
that which struck the young girl, were found in the
bedchamber above referred to.
The Prefect of Police, in'his weekly account of the
state of Paris, says that the aspect of affairs in the
capital is daily, improving. The Presse states that a. courier left . Paris last
night for Constantinople, with instructions to Gene-
ral AIIPICK, the French Ambassador in Turkey, to
demand his passports and return home, if, within ,

twenty-four hours, the French Republic was not
recognised by the Ottoman Porte.
BOURSE—PARIS, JWEDNE9DAY.

THREE O'CLocx.—The funds were very firm at the
commencement of the Bourse, in consequence of the
confirmation of the mediation of France and England in
the affairs of Italy; but afterwards they became weaker
on the rumour that Marshal Radetzky had entered Mi-
lan. Compared with yesterday, the French Three per
Cents. for the Account have risen 50c. the Certificates
for the Loan have mounted 600 f. For Money, the
Three per Cents. have risen 25e.; Bank of France
Shares have risen 30f. Belgian Bank Shares not quo-
ted. The Five per Cents. have risen 4 per cent..
Spanish Funds not quoted. Roman are the same as
yesterday. Rothschild's Receipts have risen 4 per cent
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THIs
LONDON STOCK-EXCHANGE, Ave. 9.

Boulogne and Amiens, 61/2 Namur and Liege, 41/2
Northern of France, 51/2—Paris and Orleans, 28—Paris
and Rouen, 161/2—Rouen and Havre, 73%—Sambre and
Meuse, 21/2.

GERMANY

AND

THE NORTHERN STATES.

AUSTRIA.
RUMOURED ABDICATION OF THE
EMPEROR.

The Aix la Chapelle Gazette of the Bth of August,
quotes the following from the Deutsche ReichtagB
Zeitung of the sth :
" We have just received intelligence from Vienna that
the Emperor has abdicated in favour of his nephew,
Francis Charles."

Letters have been received at Vienna from Verona,
which estimate the losses of the Austrians in the late
Italian battles at 3,000 killed and wounded.

PRUSSIA.

There was an attempt on the 6th to renew the
nocturnal disturbances on the Linden of Berlin, but
the Burgher Guard and the police soon dispersed the
mob.

The Majority of the compositors at Berlin still re-
fuse to return to their work.- They appear to have
plenty of funds. The cotton printers have also re-
solved to strike' in consequence of their employers
having refused to give work at half wages to the
unoccupied portion of the trade. The workmen de-
mand also the diminution of machine work, and the
consequent increase of hand work. _ _

It is officially stated that the plenipotentiaries of
the Central Rhine Navigation Commission have re-
solved not to allow any steam-vessels to navigate
that river, except such as plied on it before the lit of
August last, and such as are now being constructed
according to agreement. Accordingly, no new licenses
for the navigation of the Rhine will be issued for the
present.

DENMARK AND THE DUCHIES.
It is said that the Archduke JOHN, the Adminis-
trator of the Empire, has sent orders to General
WRANGEL " not to recommence hostilities, as the
Administrator intends sending an ambassador to
Copenhagen to arrange about an armistice if the
Danish Government acknowledges the Central Power
(or the Provisional Executive)."

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