The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-08 00:00:00

i rt -~ ,'

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENIN'a, APRIL s, 1856.

strong pull, and a pull altogether," and they
will speedily place the welfare and prosperity of
the nation on a firm and enduring bases.

LATEST NE WS.

The Russian Minister of Finance notified on
the sth inst., at St. Petersburg, that a treaty of
peace having been signed, the merchant vessels of
the Western Powers will be admitted. to Russian

BERLIN, TUESDAY, APRIL 8.

Lord LiorcaN seems to labour under an errone-
ous impression with regard to the Crimean Com-
missiOners. With whatever expectations in cer-
tain quarters they were sent out, their mission
was neither to exculpate nor inculpate him and
his fellows in error or Eisfortune—but to ascer-
tain on what foundations the charges preferred
against him and them rested—to get at the truth,
so far as they were able, and report accordingly.
It may be, and doubtless is, unpleasant to be in-
culpated by their Report, but as yet the public
have no reason to believe that that Report is
otherwise than honest ; and it would, therefore,
be wiser in the Earl to confute, if he is able, the
allegations on which it is based, rather than throw
oat insinuations of foul play against them, which
no one will believe save on the evidence of sub's
stantive facts. The allegations on which their
Conclusions are based may be false, but that is
no reason why their integrity should be ques-
tioned. They have given that evidence, the
questions asked and answers returned, with the
names of the witnesses to the public, and it is
for the Earl to show that that evidence is
false, for there can hardly be two opinions
as to the fairness of the conclusions the Com-
missioners have drawn from it. Take, for
instance, the hutting of the, horses, to which
the Earl more particularly addressed himself yes-
terday. He is chargedwith neglecting to provide
cover for the horses in proper time, the result of
which was the loss of by far the greater portion
of them, and much needless suffering and mortality
in the army—in other words, with not having
caused the hutting to be commenced before the
end of January or the beginning of FebruarY, nor
to be completed before the middle of March, when
it was of little use. Is there no evidence fairly
to countenance this charge ? We say nothing as
to its quality. Undoubtedly there is. There is
the evidence of several Commanding Officers of
regiments. The Commander of the Heavy Cavalry
Brigade informed the Commissioners that the
first lot of horses was got under cover, he though',
about the end of January. Colonel DOHERTY,
commanding the 13th Light Dragoons, stated
that " we commenced butting the horses on the
26th of January, and completed it on the 22d of
February." Colonel DARBY GRIFFITHS, command-
ing the Scots Greys, contrived, it is true, 4,0 get
some of his horses under cover at an earlier period ;
but that was by employing five French soldiers, at
his private expense, in hutting. - What did be
say ? Why, that he entertained apprehensions so
early as November of what actually occurred, if
something was not done to protect the horses ;
and, on suggesting the propriety of that some-
thing being done to Lord LucaN, was threatened
with arrest. Is there not here presumptive proof
of the fair dealing of the Commissioners ?
We should like to have seen a little less disposi-
tion to insinuation and mere quibbling in the
Earl's attempted defence. If the charges pre-
ferred against him are false, he would lose itothing
by a more frank, soldierly explanation. Why
should ho be so anxious to have his case considered
and decided upon apart from the others ? A
civilian would think his innocence—if innocent
he is—would only be rendered more palpable the
better the opportunity given him to vindicate it.
But, proceeding with the Earl's defence—it seems
rather odd for
.hisa to object to a comparison be-
tween the losses - of the Commissariat and the
losses of the cavalry, because of the greater ex-
posure of the cavalry horses, when the charge
against him is that he neglected to provide against
that exposure. It certainly was creditable to him
that be saved the mules to which he refers ; but
what bad that to do with the loss of the horses?
We like better his confession that " the construc-
tion of stabling of that sort was novel to him,"
whatever we may think of, his opinion that every-
body else connected with the Cavalry was equally
ignorant. But why threaten Colonel GRIFFITHS
in November with arrest for daring to suggest to
" him " the propriety of setting about hutting?
That certainly does not warrant the supposition
that his Lordship's ignorance was of a convertib'e
nature, nor tend to suggest any anxiety for tlle
fate of the horses on his part. His Lordship, it
is true, alleges that the Heavy Brigade was shifted
about from day to day in opposition to his remon-
strances, but he adduces no proof of this important
statement. He will do well to do so. As for
the alleged period of hutting, Major SaurE's ordt r
of the 29th of January, written under Lord
LIICAN'S directions, that when an hospital hut has
been erected for each regiment, "the whole atten-
tion of commanding officers may be devoted to
the drawing of timber for completing the hutting
of horses," certainly goes to corroborate the state-
ment of the Commissioners. Let Lord LECAN

ports.
The blockade of the Russian ports has been
raised.

MARSEILLES, MONDAY, 7 45 P.M.

The Alexandre has arrived with advices from
Constantinople of the 31st, and from the Crimea
of the 29th ult.

The Hotel of. the Russian Embassy at Constan-

tinople had been evacuated. General Harris had
placed his material at the disposal of the French
Hospitals. Yallachiesa Sellatorre has embarked
on board the Govern°la, for Genoa.
From the Crimea, on the 29th, we learn that
the sickness was diminishing.
On the 7th of March. General Williams was at
Tiflis.

fallinginto neglect,is_now becoming the official lan-
guag© in 'the council.*The division into classes which
is the consequence of Russian legislation, and which
is.not customary in the kingdom of Poland, is much
more evident „under - prince Gortscbakoff than
under the Marshal (Paskiewitch), who, being him-
self a parvenu, willingly amalgamated them. The
,Jews and traders, a:;glass so powerful here, are
already dissatisfied with the new state of things.
There is, at, present,-_•a little hue and cry after
thieves : a very notorious one, General Wikinski;
Minister of the Interior, has already been dismissed.
But they have appointed 'in his place a Mr.
Mouchanoff, late Chief Inspector of Schools, who
will fill both these situations, and who is a man
inimical to the'customd and literature of the country.
Count Andrew Zamoyski has been charged to
superintend the construction of a bridge at Warsaw.
The otheePolish governments annexed to Russia
are aboUt ,have their elections, and they propose
to imitate the demands of the government of Vilna,
without being discouraged at the unfavourable re-
ception of the former petitions.
Tne queatioir';of the bishops is still undecided.
There must be some insoluble difficulties at Rome.

We arc., _expecting every moment the announce-
ment of —the 'ErnperoPs arrival ; the horses are
ready„,; but it will probably depend on the progress
of the Conferehbes. -•-• •

Spirit of the Public Journals.

(From, the Times of this day.)

The Persians have taken possession of the
island of Karak, on the Persian Gulf. The War
Minister of Persia had just died.
The steamer Hammonia had arrived at Mar-
seilles, from Const tntinople, with 268 invalids.
The weather is bad.

VIENNA; APRIL '7.

It is stated that the Austrian army in the
Principalities has already begun to withdraw
from those provinces.

HAMBURG, APRTL 7.

A large majority of the assembled Burghers
have rejected, on the third reading, the project of
the ConstitutioD.

It is but natural that those evils in the state of
Italy to whickWe havo called attention' should in-
terest the Italian Power which has not long
ceased to suffer from many of them. The King of
Sardinia;..tiefore he ettered on a war with Russia,
had fought a -long battlnaVith foes nearer borne.
The domination of, .Austria and the privileges of
the priesthood were clearly seen to be the chief Ira-
Pediment*. to, prosp4rity both in Piedmont and the
States of the peninsula. By a course of polieyboth
;bold and cautious the Sardinian statesmen freed
their country from these obstacles. They have given
their Sovereign the-right to speak in the name of
the whole Italian race, and have insured him allies
who will listen with the fullest sympathy to his
remonstrances. We have heard with great plea-
'sure, therefore, that the state of Italy has been
formally brought
.before the Conferences by the
'Sardinian Plenipotentiaries. To a reported ex-
clamation of-the French Emperor, of " What can
one do for Italy ?" Count Cavour has answered
by a memorial which states the principal grievances
of Italy in generali as well as of the individual
States. The Milanese and Venetian territories, the
Papal States, the kingdom of Naples, all suffer from
.different forms of the same malady. Despotic go-
vernment and priestly interference ruin and taint
everything from the Alps to Sicily. No improve-
ment hastaken place during long years of peace ;
on the contrary, the Governments are every day be-
coming more narrow in their principles, more rigid
in their discipline, more relentless in their resent:-
ments. The,' Safdinian statesmen have -there-
-fore felt that. the time has come when the whole
matter shOuld be discussed and a remedy applied.
No one can believe that the present state Ofthine,s
is permanenq and, if reforms be. not adopted,
there can be no alternative but fresh convulsions,
succeeded by even more grinding. tyranny. Con-
fident in her position, Sardinia has resolved to
speak out, and it is difficult to form too high'a no-
tion of the boldness which animateathe State papers
put forth '.by ;her: Plenipotentiaries. Certainly
neither the statesmen of liberal England nor derim
cratic France have ever inveighed in such 'plain
terms against the corruptions of any foreign Go-
vernment. Things are indeed called by their right
names in the Sardinian memorials, which, if re-
sponded to by the allies, must be the commence-
ment of a new period in Italian history.
Taking it for granted that there must be fora
.long time to come,e. struggle between the Liberal
and. Absolutist principles in Europe, Sardinia is
anxious to range herself and her sister States on
the side of freedom, as represented by France and
England. Austria she considers as only tem-
porarily and by chance the opponent of the Czar.
The Emperor of neatly disjointed provinces and dis
cerdant nationalities can only rule by the fall
supremacy of the autocratic principle, and by that
cunning refinement of it which is expressed iu the
Maxim, "Divide sand_ govern." The Sardinians
therefore believe that the 'Western Powers will do
well to encourage such an amount of national in
dependence and political liberty in Italy as will
unite in some degree the various States, and. place
them for the futtire on the same side which Sar-
.dinia has taken in the lite conflict., The matters
brought before the Conferences relate to every part
of Italy, but the chief_ importance is given to the
deplorable condition of the Papal territories.
' Nothing that a Protestant Assembly iu Edinburgh
or Belfast could say of the government of Pops
Pius IX. would go beyond the diplomatic repre-
sentations which a Catholic and Italian State
now makes solemnly in the presence of Europe.
It is urged that the temporal supremacy of
the priesthood is an evil which human nature
can no longer bear; that even the govern-
ment of the sword is better than the govern•
went of the surplice ; that the ecclesiastical
ruler of 3,000,'000"of Italians is only kept on lti
throne by foreign troops, and would again be
driven forth if ,his subjepts were released for a
week from foreign repression. The character of
the priesthood is spoken of in severe language, and
i's incapacity for its high functions boldly declared.
Then comes the practical part of the matter. The
allies are invited to deliberate on the reconstruc-
eion of the Roman Government. Sardinia totally
repudiates the position that temporal power is ne-
cessary for the Pope so that he may fully exer-
cise his spiritual authority. She considers that his
functions might be wisely restrained to ecclesias-
tical matters, or, if his rights as a temporal Sove-
reign be deemed inalienable, it might be insisted
that he . should entirely distinguish between his
duties as head of the Ctiurch and his duties as an
Italian Sovereign ; and that, while ecclesiastical
posts are held by Cardinals and Bishops, all that
concerns the population which is subject to him
should be committed to responsible Ministers,
chosen from the laity, under the safeguard of new
and salutary laws.
'While Rome is held by French troops the Lega-
tions are under thecontrol of an Austrian General.
This section of the Papal territory formed part of
the kingdom of Italy, and at the downfall of Nape-
leen received with reluctance the old system. As
the people are bitterly opposed to the Papal sway,
which has condeMned them to years of foreign
occupation, Sardinia proposes that they should be
at once released from it, and dissevered from the
States of the Church. The territory so constituted
should be placed Under the government either of
an hereditary House or a Viceroy nominally depen-
dent ou the Popei but appointed under conditions
sanctioned by the allies. Austrian occupation
should be strictly prohibited, the Code Napoleon
. introduced with such modifications as Might be
necessary, and the administration by the clergy
entirely abolished. These measures Sardinia con-
siders of the higheet importance and 'necessary for
theyeace of Italy.

look to it, that he employ the opportunity afforded

him for &fence with discretion. The public want
justice, neither more nor less, and will have it,
so far as they are able.

With respect to Naples the Plenipotentiaries are
very outspoken. They look on the state of that
kingdom as'a disgrace to the Italian name, and
suggest the intervention of the allies, and ie es-
tablishment of, guarantees- for a just adminis-
tration. The case of • Poerio is alluded to by
name, and he is declared to be the victim of a
Government which seeks to crush all that is noble
and healthy in Italy. When Sardinia comes to
speak of the direct Austrian dominion .it is, of
course, necessary to proceed with caution. The
Plenipotentiaries state that circumstances will not
',allow them to discuss the separation of. Lombardy
and Venice from the Austrian empire. Any
change in this direction must arise from the even
tualities of the future. However, they assert that
thOse PrOvitaces form part 'of Italy, and are inse-
parably united ;with their ; own country and the
rest of the Peninsula. They Complain of the poll-
.tical proscriptions which have taken place, and the
unsatisfactery- nature of the so called amnesty.
The obstacles interposed between Lombardy and
Piedmont are Mentioned.' High duties,,it is said,
are placed orr'Piedmontese productions, and pass-
ports are with difaculty Obtained by Austrian sub-
jects, and needlessly scrutinised, when a Sardinian
would cross the frontier. The discontent. which
prevails in the Austrodtalian States is• noticed,
and declared to be the effect of an oppresSive
Government. For all thefid %*;1, 4nis,Sardinia asks
redress. Some acknowledgment of a national unity
in Italy is considered by the statesmen of Turin to
be the first step id insuring prosperity and peace.
A 'Customs' union, it is alleged, would 'develope the
resources of the country ',.and facilitate that inter-
communication Which is so much wasted. Material
improvements *quid follow the removal of politi-
cal 'oppression; ; 'rhe. whole state of Italy is recom-
mended to the core of the Plenipotentiaries now
assembled in Paris,--who are reminded that the
Congress of Vienna did not scrnple to interfere in
the affairs of,every nation, and to settle questions
relating but little-to the war which then ended.
We have laid 'before the public this sketch of
the questions which have grown out of the late con-
flict, believing that they will not possess less in-
terest than the terms of the pacification itself.
We cannot but be surprised and gratified at the
courage with'ivhich a small State has ventured to
appeal for justice:in the face of Europe. .A spirit
and a language almost new in diplomacy seem to
augur changes which . may astonish Old World
statesmen. Every Englishman will await with in-
terest the result of these new discussions,