The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MXRCH 11, 1869,

every direction," and—referring immediately after-
wards to •the original promoters of our colonial
empire—Lord BURY added —"Their descendants from
parts of the world were around that table that
night." The Prime Minister, alluding to the pecu-
liarly representative character of those who were,
then and there, assembled together, and who were
listening at the moment to the words he was
giving utterance to, hesitated not to say
emphatically, " There is no degree of latitude or lon-
gitude upon the whole surface of the globe that has
not, I believe, sent its contribution to this meeting ;
and I rejoice," he said, " that the time has come
when it is fully recognised that while the tie of
affection between England and her colonies grow
stronger and stronger, the nature of the rela-
tions between them is better and better under-
stood, a relation no doubt associated with irnpe-
ri;d interests, and founded upon something still
higher, upon honour and affection, having, above
all, the basis and the essential principles of free-
dom, a departure from which, or the slightest irn-
piiring of which, in the policy which governs this
country's action towar,!s the colonies, would at once
destroy the great charm which characterises the con-
nexion between them." It is the instant and vivid
recognition of all this which imparts such peculiar in-
terest as we conceive to the formation of the Colonial
Society, and the national and we will even say im-
perial event of its formal inauguration yesterday.

SrRELY never did so small a measure as Mr. LOCKE
KING'S Intestacy Bill excite so much opposition. All
that the bill proposes to do is to extend the principle
already in force, that if a man does not make a will

the State should make one for him, such as he would
have been likely to make. At present, if a man
dies intestate, and leaves money in the funds and
land, the State says the money shallbe divided, but the
land shall go to the eldest son. Supposing that there
is only land, it must still go to the male child who
happens to be born first, even though he should be a

luaatic or a blackguard, and even though there may
be half-a-dozen other children who are sane and
virtuous. The first gets everything; the others are
beggars. Worse than that, if an intestate dies
without children, and leaves only land, the land
may go to a relative whom he may never
have seen, and his wife may be left destitute.
It is very wrong, of course, for him to leave no will;
but why should the law lay a penalty upon impru-
dence—a penalty, moreover, borne not by the
person offending, but by the person offended against ?
Why if the intestate has done an injury should the
State make that injury ten times worse ? There is
absolutely no argument against Mr. KING's bill. If it
proposed to make division of land among the children
compulsory, as in France, there might be some reason
for alarm. But it professes to do nothing of the sort.
It does not prevent a man from making as unjust or
as fantastic a will as he pleases ; it says only, "If
you make no will, we will make one for you, and
it shall be the most equitable that can be
devised." Sir LAWRENCE PALK denounced the bill
as "tyrannical," because, as he said, "it told a man
that he should not leave his estate as he desired."
Thereby the member for East Devon sheaved that
he had not read the bill. Otherwise he would have
seen that—as its very title " Real Estate Intestacy "
implies—it has nothing to do with the making of
wills, but concerns only those who do not make wills.
Mr. STAPLETON, the member for Berwick-on-Tweed,
urged two mutually destructive arguments against the
bill : one that it would, by altering the ancient
law of the country, bring about great changes ; the
other, that it would have only an infinitesimal effect.
The first objection is nonsense, the second is the
best possible answer to the objectors. If the effects
will be so minute, why this violent opposition to the
measure ? If the knowledge that intestacy will
involve a division of property induces land-
owners to make their wills in favour of the eldest
son, how will the admirers of the law of primogeni-
ture be in a worse position than they arc now ? The '
opposition to this bill is simply childish.

LIE discussion on the Yangchow affair in the
House of Lords, and the expressions of opinion to
Iwhich it gave rise, may perhaps preserve us from a
repetition of the Abyssinian experiment in the
interior of China. Whatever may be the influence
of missionary labours on the progress of Chris-
tianity, they are unquestionably productive of
much political trouble. Our difficulties with
missionaries in China have become so serious, and
the intervention of armed force to protect them so
frequent, that, as the Duke of SOMERSET remarked,
we are propagating Christianity with gunboats.
'We are virtually leaving the Chinese the single
alternative of accepting a faith which they know not,
or of having their houses battered down by
Armstrong guns. Missionaries, both French and
English, establish themselves in towns to which
our treaty rights do not extend. Many of them
are courageous and self-denying, really anxious for
the spread of Christian doctrine, and willing to
encounter danger in the prosecution of their work.
They preach a doctrine which, however noble
and good, is strange to the country, repugnant
to the people, and hostile to the influence of their
leaders. If the Chinese are inclined to tolerate this
teaching, which is seldom the case, their intellectual
and spiritual superiors infallibly resent it. A mob is
raised, the missionary residence is assailed, and per-
sonal injury and insult are too often the issue. The
naval officer on the station is appealed to, and gene-
rally lends a willing ear to complaints. An attack
upon a Chinese town is an agreeable relief to the
intolerable monotony of watching for pirates in a
tropical clime ; the missionary finds ready allies, and
the attempt to spread Christianity ends in an act of
war. This is the history of the Yangchow affair,
and of most others of the kind. In some cases
Protestant and Roman Catholic missions perplex the
Chinese by their conflicting doctrines, and in one or
two instances Christianity has been put to shame
by the direct and primary employment of violence.
The proper, the only righteous course for
the missionaries to follow is clear. The pro-
pagation of Christianity is an enterprise which
must invariably command respect, and the
missionary societies have perfect liberty in
choosing the scene and the scope of their labours.
But they cannot justifiably involve this country in
gchotmptlhiceaytiontso
reonity behalf,uheirponthe armed
and still
less
assistance of British troops. Two courses
oliticaol u
are open to them. They can, as Lord CLARENDON
puts it, follow in the path of trade, and confine their
labours to those countries and districts which are
open to them, and where their teaching is tolerated
by the native authorities. Their labours would not
thus be unduly confined, for even in this restricted
range the harvest is great and the labourers dispro-
portionately few. On this condition they will always
be safe and certain of the shelter of the British flag.
But if they decide to follow the example of the
Apostles, and carry the Gospel into all lands regard-
less of human laws, they must not look for the aid of
gunboats. They are free to choose this course ; but
their relations with secular authorities become mate-
rially altered. They violate the law of nations which
gives to every State the privilege of choosing
its own laws, and of forbidding and sanction-
ing what it pleases upon its own territory.
In fact, they invade China, and enter into a
conflict with the Chinese Government, which they
must support on their own resionsibility. Conver-
sion by force of arms was considered laudable by
the sons of ISLAM, but it has never been recognised
as a just tenet of the Christian faith. Our repeated
interferences to exact reparation for wrongs to
missionaries have been utterly unsatisfactory
in a political sense, and decidedly prejudicial to the
interests of religion. They have involved us in dif-
ferences with the Government of Pekin, prevented
the development of trade, and the opening of the
resource& contained within the Celestial Empire. And

few persons will believe that the Chinese differ from
the rest of the world in not detesting a doctrine which
they are compelled either to listen to, or receive the
broadside of a British war ship. The missionaries will
do well not to go beyond the confines of civilisation.
The world cannot be regenerated in a day. But if they
disregard this principle, they must not look to aid
from English officers. These have received definite
instructions that in future they are not to determine,
on their own responsibility, what redress is due for
wrong to British subjects, or how it should
be exacted. They can interfere only when life is in
danger of being sacrificed, and even then they will
be required to shew that they could not rescue the
threatened Englishmen by taking them on board
ship. The English Government rightly decides that
in these affairs there ought to be no difference
between China and a European State.

.ELECTIOA INTELLIGENCE.

,‘.- ....-

Scialsonouon.—Sir Harcourt Johnstone has consent,
to offer himself as a candidate for the representation of
Scarborough, as the successor of his father. The hon.
baronet has issued his address, and attended a meeting of
his supporters yesterday.
BRADFORD. —An address has been issued by the Brad-
ford Working Men's Conservative Association, exhorting
the Conservatives to vote for Mr. Thompson. The
executive committee of both candidates are doing their
utmost to render the contest as pure as possible. The
nomination takes place this (Thuroav) morning, and the
polling to-morrow.

CORRESPONDENCE PROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, WEDNESDAY, March 10.
Europe must be in a bad way when the departure of
an ambassador from his Court produces a commercial
panic. .Yet the return of the Duc de Grammont from
Vienna to Paris, together with one or two more unfa-
vourable symptoms, has thrown the Bourse into a perfect
terror. The New Free Press says he is recalled on account
of the unsatisfactory relations between France and Prussia,
and this hypothesis gains strength by the much-talked-of
interview between the Sovereigns of Austria and Italy.
Furthermore, before the Emperor Francis Joseph left
Vienna he gave orders that the Archduke should take
his place at a banquet to be given at the Italian
Ministry, in honour of King Victor Emmanuel's
birthday, which is on the 14th of March. And this is the
present state of Europe : a duke has left Vienna, one or
two archdukes are going to take part in a dinner, and
straightway the Bourse at Paris feels the effect of
these alarming determinations, whilst some of the
German Bourses are even in a worse state of
tremor. The Etendard, however, comes out with
a strongly pacific bulletin. "Our information permits us
to affirm that the Grand-Luxemburg Railway question is
in a fair way of settlement. The Belgian Cabinet
having repeatedly affirmed that the solo object '
of the new law is to protect the commercial inter-
ests of Belgium, the French Government was naturally
led to ask whether the projected agreement between the
East of France and the Grand•Luxemburg companies is
of a nature to affect those interests. The Belgian Govern-
ment has replied that the union of these two railways
under one direction might prove inconvenient on account
of the combination of the tariffs. The trade of Belgium
might suffer if the East of France Company established a
reduced scale of fares for goods passing from France to
Belgium. In consequence, this affair, which has caused
so much disturbance, has led to nothing more serious than
a simple discussion respecting fares." This is important
news, but the conclusion drawn by the Etendard is
obviously unsound. The dispute is not simply a discussion

concerning fares. The Belgian Government has now the

power to refuse the concession of a Belgian line to any
foreign company, and the French Government asks if it
intends to do so in this particular instance. Is it likely that
the Belgian Ministry would give a point-blank refusal? No;
it proceeds cautiously, and puts forth this ingenious argu-
ment about fares. The plea is neat and very just, for it
is clear that if a French company worked a Belgian rail-
way, the commerce of the smaller country might be mate-
rially injured by goods being brought at a cheap rate from
Belgium into France. But it is also clear that the argu-
ment is a pretence, and nothing more. Those who see
anything serious in this railway affair will hardly be re-
assured by the Etendard's declaration.
M. Jules Favre has done a disinterested action which
deserves recording. He is deputy for the City of Paris,
and was certain to be re-elected, for the French
workmen who are employed by M. Haussmann never vote

for Government candidates. But M. Favre has offered to
stand for the third circumscription of the Gers,
where his election will be much less certain, in order to
oppose M. Granier de Cassagnac. This contest will bo
one of the most exciting at the next election.
The Papal 'Nuncio has had a long interview with the
Emperor. It is thought that the Pope's letter to the
Archbishop of Paris has been the subject of discussion.
There is every reason to believe that the Constitutionne
Is entering upon a new phase of policy. Without
ceasing to support the Government, it will on some ques-
tions take an independent course. Such a change has been
found necessary. The public do not read Imperialist
papers, and they consequently do not pay. A journal
must do something to keep up with the times, or sink
altogether.
The Government is taking strong measures against
excesses at public meetings. A student of architecture,
aged 22, was tried yesterday at the Tribunal of Correc-
tional Police on a charge of exciting to hatred and con-
tempt of the Emperor's Government, and of outraging
public and religious morals, by a speech at a public meet-
ing at Belleville. He was sentenced to eight months' im-
prisonment, £2O fne, and the payment of the costs—a
very severe infliction, which might advantageously hays
been tried upon an old offender first.

The Seine is rising so rapidly that the quays andlandinry
wharves are partly submerged. _

The stormy weather still continues in some parts.
Reports of disasters to shipping flow in apace. At To"•l',
a violent gale is now raging.

The elections in Hungary are unquestionably lively.
The recent decree of the Ministry may put a stop to riots,
but they have already been so violent that the list of killed
and wounded exceeds 100.

A teacher in the canton of Zurich has just been arrested
on a charge of having caused the death of a little girl b 3
corporal punishment. He had caught her by the hair anC
shaken her head with such violence that a cerebral
congestion supervened, of which she died in a few days.

Lord Stanley of Alderlcy has been unable to attend
to his Parliamentary duties this sesion, owing to illness.
The village of Etraignes, in France, has been de-
stroyed by fire, and the loss amounts to £32,000.
The Bishop of Loudon has appointed the Rev.
Thomas Fraser Stocks, Prebendary of St. Paul's, to
be one of his lordship's chaplains.

The correspondence as to the International Yacht
Race is still being conducted, and ha 3 not yet resulted in
anything definito.

On Tuesday a boiler explosion happened at the
works of Messrs. James Grico and Son, gun implement
manufacturers, West Bromwich. One man and a woman
were found to have sustained serious injuries.
John Balehin, the trustee of a Foresters' Court,
who was charged with stealing £5B ss. from the Society,
was tried to-day at the Middlesex Sessions, and sentenced
to four months' hard labour.

Wednesday being the sixth anniversary of the mar-
riage of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of
Wales, the auspicious occasion was duly celebrated at
Windsor.

Prince Scbonberg, a young Prussian nobleman
of great wealth and ancient family, has been received into

tho Roman Catholic Church by Cardinal Buonaparto. llis
conversion has given the utmost gratification to his Holiness.

A telegram from Turin announces that the mail

from France of the 28th is buried under an avalanche of
snow, near the House of Refuge, No. 5, on Mount Canis.
hitherto there has been no possibility of extricating the car-
riages. No lives have been lost.

It is reported that the budget of the Chancellor of

the Exchequer, says the Star, will include a proposal for an
,additional penny of income tax. This would realise a sum
nearly corresponding to the difference between the Abyssi-
nian deficit of £3,500,000, and the savings of £2,500,000
effected on the estimates.

The Manchester grand jury, on concluding their
labours on Tuesday, made a presentation to Mr. Justice Brett
in favour of the licensing of beerhouses being transferred to
the magistrates. His lordship said the only duty he had to
perform as to the presentation was to forward an intimation
on the subject to the Government, and this he would cer-

ainly do.
We regret to say that there was no foundation for

,he statement we copied from an Exeter paper to the effect

that Bishop Trower had been appointed Episcopal Com-
missary for that diocese. Tho present abeyance of Episcopal
jurisdiction and supervision will probably continuo during
the remainder of tho Bishop of Exeter's life. Whoever is
responsible for its continuance has a great deal to answer
for.— Guardian.

It is stated, says the Echo, that the President of
the Board of Trade has determined to sanction the rope
system for passenger train signals agreed upon by the
managers at their York meeting, giving to such lines as
have electric or other signals in use the right of continuing
them ; and not restricting, wo should hope, any from adopt-
ting the pneumatic or any other system they may prefer for
its superior advantages.

The Guardian says of Mr. Disraeli's amendment :
—The resolution taken by the chiefs of the Opposition to
fight a pitched tattle ou the accord reading of the Irish
Church Bill has the merit of straightforwardness, and
may for party objects be not unwise. But if so,
this is ono of the many cases in which the in-
terests of the Conservative party aro not the
interests of the Church. le must be very shortsighted,
who either really thinks that the Irish Establishment can
be permanently maintained, or, not really thinking that it
can, prefers, instead of trying to make the best of this bill,
to risk the chances, practically overwhelming, of a worse.;
The Manchester Courier says—The P.m J. A.
Sedgwick, the rector of St. Alban's, of that city, has
written a conciliatory letter to the Bishop of Manches-
ter, in which he undertakes to comply with the sugges-
tions thrown out by the Archbishop of York with re-
spect to certain ritual practices, and which have recently
been the subject cf appeal. The letter was taken in
person by a prominent member of the congregation, who
had an audience of tbo bishop yesterday. his lordship,
regarding former assurances, did not, it is said, seem dis-
posed to return a very satisfactory reply. The gentleman
who was deputed to have an interview with his lordshir
represented that ho was one of a congregation of at least
five hundred persons, who wished to worship at St. Alban't
Church, and asked what they were to do ? The bishop is
reported to have said that if ho reinstated Mr. Sedgwiek he
must have a very distinct undertaking from him as to the
manner in which, for the future, the services of the church
wore to be conducted. His lordship's written decision
awaited with oai9 a4zietY•