The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-26 00:00:00

IiEIISUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 26, 1860

supporter% throughout the country of their
reaton for postponing action with the bill. The
response hns been triumphant. It is indeed im-
probable that'', the number of petitions can equal
that of those sent up by an organisation which
has a Church clergyman in every parish in the

kingdom, eage r to have his surplice washed, his
sacramental wine paid for, and the slates and lead
of the church roof kept tight, at the cost of Dissen-
ters, or of any every one else, worshipper with him
or not worshipper,—still the number will be large,
and we think it not unlikely that the signatures
will be as numerous, or nearly so, as those of the
Rate party. Should this be the case—should a
few weeks' petitioning show as great
results, nearly, as the whole year's work
of the other side, —it would be a con-
clusive answer to the question—Does the op-
position to the rate flag or not? We believe that
tit does not—indeed we are sure of it. The country
takes for granted that the battle is almost over,
and is, perhaps, in too leisurely a style, expecting
the announcement of the victory.
The country must remember, however, that
monopoly dies very hard ; and Church-rates
are but a part of that monopoly of all the good
things that can be got by a dominant sect,
under pretence of being the National Church.
Such a pretence clergymen and their bishops may
adhere to ; but every layman, whether politician
or man of business and of common life, treats
as simply ludicrous. What is called the national
Church does not do, does not even profess to do,
the national work. Not only the census and Mr.
HonACE MANN, but our own eyes, tell us: that we
have as many chapels as churches, perhaps more.
We meet Dissenters every day, in the common
business of society; we know them to be men just
like ourselves, desirous to promote the welfare of
society, and, with very rare exceptions, if politics
are mentioned, we find them to be decidedly on the
side of progress—of education especially, for which
they made sacrifices before State grants were in
vogue-01 free trade, of foreign freedom, of every-
thing, in a Word—liberal. But we confess that we
do blush, when knowing all this, they have to
complain that, hiiberto, they have been
subject to exactions in the shape of Church-rates,
for Churchmen's worship, while they are doing so
much, at their own cost, to extend accommodation
for Christian worship throughout the country.
We are not surprised, therefore, that even the
Marquis of BLANDFOED'S committee proposes to
exempt Dissenters from further payment of rates,
while it proposes at the same time to obtain fresh
powers to compel Churchmen to pay. The objec-
tions of Dissenters to the committee's scheme may
be seen in an exceedingly well-worded document
which has been laid by them as a petition before
the House of Commons, and has been printed with
the votes. We think these reasons conclusive.
The annual notice proposed is every way objection-
able, and Voluntaries must appear in a false posi-
tion indeed, if they aided Churchmen in levying
compulsory rates on each other. They have always
objected to compulsory payments, in any form, for
religion. How, then, could they , sanction one
Churchman seizing another Churchman's goods for
the purpose of Christian worship ? Their adver-
saries would have been the first to taunt them with
inconsistency.

NEWS.

commissioners will determine the future frontiers

of the two countries."

VIENNA, MARCII 25.
The note of the 13th inst., addressed by M.
Thouvenel to the Powers which guaranteed the
treaties of Vienna, does not request a positive ad-
hesion either by protocol or by supplementary
treaty to the annoxation of Savoy and Nice to
France. M. Thouvenel confines himself to notify-
ing and explaining the act of cession freely con-
sented to by the King of Sardinia.
Austria having already declared in reference to

the States of Central Italy that she does not intend
to employ the force of arms against that which she
cannot prevent, acts in conformity with this prin-
ciple in continuing to observe a purely passive atti-
tude.

The Austrian answer which is about to be sent to
Paris will therefore be neither a protest nor an
approval of the annexation. It records a fact
the principle of which remains reserved.

ZURICH, MARCH 25.

A letter received from Milan asserts that the
Neapolitan army has entered the States of the
Church. Great agitation prevailed. The report
that the French troops are to occupy the barracks
of St. Julien has been contradicted.

MADRID, MARSH 24.

The negotiations for peace having failed, military
operations were resumed on the 23d inst. The
enemy awaited the Spanish in a position difficult of
access. A battle took place, in which the Spanish
gained a complete victory. The Moors took to
flight precipitately, breaking up their encampment,
in order to prevent its capture by the Spanish.
Apparently no more obstacles of importance oppose
the march on Tangier.

SAVOY, SJPITZEILAND, AND FRANCE.

The following important documents were sent
us for publication last night :

,To THE HIGH POWERS OF EUROPE.

" The undersigned have the honour of stating, in
the name of a large number of their fellow-country-
men, that, called upon as being under the jurisdic-
tion of the Sardinian monarchy to witness the links
definitively broken which united them to their
King, and to make manifest, in consequence, the
wishes they have formed for the political reconsti-
tution of their country, they conceive it to be their
duty to make known to the Powers of Europe,
whose assent has hitherto been necessary to any
territorial remodelling in Europe, that the popula-
tions inhabiting Northern Savoy have already, in
anticipation of a separation—much to be re-
gretted—from the Sardinian monarchy, loudly tes-
tified their desire, in this event, to be united to
the Swiss Confederation, with whom they have
been for a long time intimately brought together by
ancient relations of neighbourhood, communion of
interest, habits, wants, and manners.
" This desire, which since then has been sane-
ti

.oned by the assurances given by the Governments
of France and Sardinia that the wishes of the po-
pulations as well as the interests of Switzerland,
who possesses rights upon our territory, shouhl. be
taken into serious consideration, authorises 4:nem to
claim from those to whose examinatior the head of
the French Government has declared that this mat-
ter should be submitted their fa7ourable attention
and their earnest support.
" Consequently, they have the honour to bring to

the knowledge of the high Powers the terms of the
Declaration herewith annexed, which emanates
from the provinces of Chablais, Faucigny, and
Genevois, together with the signatures thereto,
amounting to more than 11,000, collected up to the
present day in the communes of these three pro-
vinces.

" Signed by the Presidents of the Committees, Sze
" March 16, 1860."

DECLARATION OF THE INHABITANTS OF NORTHERN

SAVOY.

The undersigned, inhabitants of the commune
of , province of --, anxious at the reports
which are spread abroad, and according to which
Savoy is to cease to form part of the State of the
King of Sardinia, desire herein to record the ex-
pression of their devotion to the King, and the
wish they have formed to see no change in their
union with the Sardinian monarchy.
" But, on the other hand, and in the event of
political reasons, respecting which they do not
wish to constitute themselves judges, rendering a
separation inevitable, they are convinced that their
Sovereign will not dispose of his faithful subjects
without havingvermitted them to make known their
wishes, under circumstances so important to them
for the future. Accordingly, and notwithstanding
the sympathies excited by a great and glorious
empire, they expressly testify their desire to be
united to the Swiss Confederation, towards which
they have long been attracted, no less by a com-
munion of interest and feeling than by those rela-
tions of friendship of which they have received so
many proofs."

" ADDRESS TO HIS MAJESTY NAPOLEON 111., EN
PEROR OF THE FRENCH.

" Sire,—We venture humbly to entreat your
Majesty to deign to cast your eyes upon the follow-
ing statement, in which we have endeavoured to
describe the wishes and the hopes of Northern

with freedom and regularity for Switzerland, or for
Prance. Listen to us, Sire, and if we canuot be
children of France we shall ever be her brothers.
If she should ever be threatened, she would find us
full of gratitude for this generosity. We should
all be in the front ranks of those armies who dis-
puted with her enemies the passages left to thelde-
fence of our friendship.
" Lastly, Sire, let your Majesty also deign to cast
your eyes upon the annexed declaration, and upon
the signatures which follow. You will there see
the authentic expression of the wishes of Northern
Savoy, in whose name, humbly but full of confi-
dence in your equity, we venture to intercede with
year Majesty.
(Signed by the President of the Committee.)
" March 16, 1860."

ADDRESS TO Hls MAJESTY THE KING OF
SARDINIA.

" Sire,—An event which we could not but foresee
with grief, but the accomplishment of which it was
not in our power to prevent, is on the point of
being realised. The relations which have for ages
united our courtry to the glorious house of Savoy
are, in spit of us, about to cease ; but before we
witnesl their severance we venture to address to
yo',:ir Majesty one last and earnest prayer.
" Deign to listen to it, Sire ! The remembrance
of your Majesty will remain among us, inseparably
bound up with the thought of this crowning ser-
v ice. If anything could console us for losing the
privileges of a constitutional monarchy, it is the
right of freely choosing our new destinies.
"The sincere and complete exercise of this right,
that is what, Sire, your provinces of the north of
Savoy claim from you. Your Majesty latows too
well the differences which exist between that por-

tion of your States and the rest of the country be-
yond the Alps to be surprised that the unity of the
monarchy has once been broken ; those provinces
should ask leave to consult only their interests,
their sympathies, their position, and their wants in
the decision which is to regulate their future fate.
" Nor will your Majesty be more surprised if it is
to Switzerland that everything attracts them, and
if, anticipating a separation that they did not desire,
they should have expressed this desire beforehand
with sufficient solemnity to justify them in request-
ing that your Majesty's Government should officially
authorise a fresh and more complete manifestation of
their wishes. A vote for separation and the alter-
native of becoming Swiss left to their choice, that is
what alone would enable the populations of Chab-
lais, of Faucigny, and of the North of Genevois to
make known their real desires. To offer to
them the option between a atatu quo rendered
impossible, and a solution contrary to the
wishes they have so generally expressed would only
be substituting constraint to freedom, and suppress-
ing beforehand the sincerity of the vote.
" You are still our King, Sire, and you will not
consent to the last act of your reign being wanting
in that loyalty which has become inseparable from
your names.
" Let your Majesty be pleased to cast your eyes
upon the declaration herewith annexed, and upon
the signatures by which it is accompanied. You
will be convinced that it is indeed the voice of your
faithful subjects which reaches, your ears, and in
granting their request you will fill their hearts
with everlasting gratitude.

" The Presidents of the Committees,
" BARD, JOSEPH, Advocate, Bonneville,
" BETEMPS, TH. A., Thonon,
" FAURAX, HENRI, Advocate, St. Julien."
March 16.