The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-13 00:00:00

privilege of being governed by .her own citizens,
without the intervention of those foreign spoilers
who have ever treated her as their prey, but never
as their kingdom or their country. What aggra-
vates the misery of such ia situation, and makes it
even more intolerable, is the extreme intellectual
cultivation and the high pitch of refinement at-
tained by the victims of this cruel oppression. The
modern Italian is not the degenerate inhabitant of
Greece, bowed down by centuries -of oppression
till his only idea of liberty seems to have become
the exchanging one master for another. Nor yet
is he absorbed in the pursuits of gain and engaged
in the vain attempt to secure property. Without
liberty, like the inhabitants of Moldavia and Wal-
lachia, he possesses an intellectual cultivation
second to that of no people in the world, and history
is ever present to his mind, rich in the most ani-
mated reminiscences of past,
.glory and the most
exciting stimulants for future exertion. -The Italians
carried municipal government to a point of excel-
lence .4never attained since the days of ancient
Greece, and we need only cite the example of Pied-
mont itself to show- how easily they can adapt
themselves. to a form of government of exotic
growth, and found peculiarly difficult to work out
by those countries into Which it has been trans-
planted.
Why; then, vie "ask, as has been hundreds of
times asked before—why, since Europe admits that
the internal welfare' of one State is no matter of
indifference to its neighbours, and recognises the
doctrine that it cannot afford to view with indif-
ference those internal convulsions which tend to
sow disunion between people and Government—why
should Italy alone be deprived of the salutary do>
trine contained in this principleond be' condemned
,to try its application only in its sternest anti most
repulsive form ? We have had interventions every-
where—interventions in Holstein, in Hesse Cassel,
in Baden, in Spain, in Rome, in Hungary—every-
where tending, under the pretence of a restoration
of order, to ulcerate the wounds of faction, and
prepare the way for events still more dangerous
tnd catastrophes still more fatal. If Italy could
have been saved by intervention she would not be
in her miserable and prostrate state—alive, but
without the power of motion ; a corpse in all but
the most exquisite sensibility to agony, the keenest
appreciation of torture. We have had Austrian
intervention in Naples, Austrian intervention in
the Legations, Austrian intervention in Tuscany,
Austrian intervention in Parma, Austrian govern-
ment in Lombardy and Venice ; and what have all
these interventions brought ? The King of Naples
feels the misery he inflicts, and is not secure either
of his throne or of his life from hour to hour. The
Pope has been a fugitive, and but for the presence
of a French garrison—for the certainty that that
garrison would be supported by the full force Of
the Empire—would be a fugitive again. The Duke
of Parma has perished by ass tssination. His wife
has fled from his giominions, and Austria is enter-
ing on a course of tyranny and proscription whieh
will probably render her return impossible. The
Grand Duke of Tuscany from being the idol has
become the aversion of his people ; and Austria,
from intervening in everybody's concerns, is op-
pressed by a load of debt that seems to threaten
immediate bankruptcy. Such are the fruits of
intervention.
Now suppose for a moment that the great Powers
of Europe were not too great to learn, like ordi-
nary mortals, by experience, what would these thing's
teach them ? • Probably this—that, as meddling
in their neighbours' affairs is good for nobody, so
letting their affairs alone might very likely turn
out to be the best thing for everybody. If Austria
has ruined herself by interfering, the readiest wat-
to reduce her establishments and recruit her
finances is to give up interference for the future.
If the people of Italy have been driven to revolu-
tionary fury and the monarchs of Italy to intoler-
able tyranny by the presence of foreign troops, the
readiest remedy will be their withdrawal, which
will relieve the Governments from .overweenink
confidence, and the people from a despair certai*
to explode in deeds of violence and blood. It is
said by Count Cavour that Eugland and France
are not agreed as to the precautions with which
this inauguration of the era of non-intervention
should be attended. From this we seem justified
in inferring that the Western Powers are agreed
on the principle itself, and, if this be so, differ
ences of detail ought not to retard, and will not
retard, its application. The matter presses for
decision, for the relations of Piedmont and Aus
tria have assumed a form in which they cannot
long remain, and by identifying herself with the
Italian-question Sardinia has staked her very ex!.
istence ou its speedy and satisfactory solution.

(Prom the Morning Post of this day.)

We have bad news for the quarter of a million
•f decent people who, last Sunday, enjoyed their
pleasant and wholesome evening iu the Parks. The
playing of the military bands on Sunday is to be
discontinued henceforth, and a vast proportion of
the population of London is to be deprived of the
very innocent recreation which they so thoroughly
appreciated. A few airs played on a Sunday after-
noon amongst the budding trees of Kensington-
gardens, or on the green sward of Regent's-park,
have been the signal for powerful remonstrances,
which have been addressed to the Premier from
many quart)rs, and put in a manner so pressing,
that he has felt it necessary to comply with them,
although in contradiction of his own views and
opinions. The fact is, the public opinion of the
country at large appears to disapprove of any en-
cro tchment, however slight, which may be con-
strued into au infraction of the sacredness of Sun-
day, and there is little doubt that the majority of
influential electors of most of our towns and
boroughs are able to bring to bear sufficient in-
fluence upon their representatives to dispose them
to put a stop in London to that which, noised
abroad, gives offence in the country. Thus, pub-
lic opinion, as expressd in the Arch bishop of Can-
terbury's letter, rules the disposal:of the Londoner's
Sunclayafternoon; and that he may not give offence
to his country cousins, who approve of no music but
the church bells on a Sunday, the Premier is con-
strained to put an end to the Cockney's otherwise in-
offensive pleasure. In vain it is urgedthat the bands
drawpeople from close streets, public-houses, and gin-
palaces to the open air—that the music is not per-
formed during the hours of Divine Service—and
that the attraction, such as it is, intends to induce
rest and health. In vain are urged all these argu-
ments in favour of the boon lately granted to the
people, which appeared to us to go far in solving
an exceedingly difficult question.
We confess our strong impression that, in this
age, when so much is done—and properly done—to
alleviat-) the incessant toil of the working classes,
by providing them with healthful recreation, no
less objectionable plan could have been devised
than that which the Government had. determined
to adopt.
The Premier, however, is bound to respect the
influences which have been brought to bear upon
him, but we think, even now, that the question is
not decided by his present concession, for it re-
mains to be seen how far the two hundred and

fifty-eight thousand persons who last Sunday were
in the Parks may endeavour to have their own
way. Londoners may not unlikely urge their wish
themselves to determine what shall be done in
London. However this may be, wo earnestly coun-
sel moderation on both sides. If this be exercised,
a fair settlement of the difference may be obtained.
If not, a dispute, of which the dangerous character
may easily be aggravated, may be brought about,
and threaten the public tranquillity with conflicts
which may lead to the most deplorable results.

[ADVE4TISE3IENT.]
TIIE GENERAL ILLUMINATION.

PRECAUTION AGAINST WINDOW-BREAKING.
The Times Plate Glass Assurance Company have coin-
pitted arrangements for including the assurance of the
glass in all ordinary house windows against breakage at
the lowest possible rate of premium.
Householders in any town of Loglan], Ireland, or
Scotland desiring to have their windows insured before
the public illuminations on the 29th inst., mast send in
their applications before the 2Sth inst., at latest.
The directors, with a view to the additional security
of householders who may be insured in this office, and
having a due regard for the interests of the shareholders
of the company, propose to pay, and hereby offer, a re-
woad of 51. in each case, upon the conviction of any per-
,on detected in the act of breaking the windows of any
householder insured in this office upon the occasion of
`he forthcoming national rejoicings.
THE TINIES FIRE AND PLATE GLASS
ASSURANCE COMPANY,
No. 32, Ludgate-hill, London.

12th May, 185 G.

General the lion. Charles Grey, bearer of the auto-
graph letter from her Majesty to the Emperor Alexan
der, acclmpanied by his aide.de-camp Captain Fletcher,
Scoti Fusilier Guards, left London yesterday evening
en route to St. Petersburg.
ASTRONOMICAL EXPEDITION. - The Admiralty has
,anctioned the grant of 5001. to defray the expenses of
an astronomical expedition to the Peak of Teneriffe, to
be undertaken by Professor Smyth, of Edinburgh,