The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-04 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4 1858.

better calculated to meet the exigency, one which
will at least be free from the imputation of job-
bery, and occasion no additional and unnecessary
expense to the already overburdened taxpayer.

The compromise bill last night passed through
committee in the Upper House. It has been " a
labour of love" with their lordships, who are ex-
tremely anxious to preserve the shadow, although
they have long since parted with the sub-
stance, of judicial authority. It is difficult
to understand why the lay lords should he
so exceedingly 6oli3itous to maintain a " juris-
diction" which can only be described as a
"legal fiction" of a Alunchausen character.
Although cccasionaliy compelled to attend in
turn to make a house, not one of their number

can presume to vote, or even to speak, on any
legal question. We can scarcely imagine a more
undignified position than that occupied by the
titled "clumbies" who are required to attend in
order to make a House. The only similar piece
of folly
_is that of the attendance of certain
aldermen at the Central Criminal Court. In
their absence the proceedings may be delayed,
but their presence is not of the slightest utility.
Neither lord nor alderman can interfere in any
manner with the proceedings conducted under
more competent authority.

As we have already explained, the present mea-
sure is nothing but a compromise. Ministers
attempted to extend the prerogative of the Crown,
under the plausible pretext that it was necessary
to obtain an additional number of Law Lords.
But, had the claim been allowed, • the precedent
would have been followed up until the indepen-
dence of the Upper House bad been completely
subverted. In any doubtful question there would
be a now creation of Life Peerages sufficient to
turn the scale, and insure a Ministerial triumph.
The men who would not dare to swamp the Upper
House by a permanent addition, would not hesi-
tate to send in a number of Life Peers, who, by
pension or otherwise, possessed adequate means
to support their dignity, so far as they were per-
sonally concerned, although unable to bequeath
property that would render their heirs male eligi-
ble members. It was, therefore, of vast import-
ance that their Lordships should make a decided
stand, and resist the attempt dictated by the pre-
vailing German influence.

But, while the matter was on the tapir, there
was no reasan why a. large and comprehensive
measure should not be introduced that would
meet all the exigencies of the case. One of the
chief objections to the present Court of Appeal—
the want of a Judge thoioughly acquainted with
the law and practice of Scotland—will not be re-
moved, or even diminished, by the present bill.
It is by no means essential that a retired Scotch
Judge should be one of the new Deputy Speakers.
Nor is it even probable that such will be the
case. The salaries to be attached to the offices
give it the aspect of a job, similar to those for
which the Whigs have long obtained an.uiaenviable
notoriety. Six thousand pounds per annum h

worth having, and thero is nothing to prevent

the pleasing tribute bring pocketed by men -whose
_services are already aiailable. It would be fat
better, in every respect, that a new tribunal were
_constitutedr-'pr that the jurisdiction should be
trausferred to the Judicial Committee of the
Privy Council—an organised and efficient
body, who - have already glveu great satin
halal' in the discharge of the - important
duties confided to their hands. It is not wise nor
,Sate_smanlike to maintain one fiction by the crea-
tion of another. The appellate jurisdiction of the
Peers should not be sustained by the supposed
permanent sitting of that body, despite a proro-
gation.

ROYAL CALEDONIAN ASYLUM.

Yesterday evening the 39th anniver=ary festival of
this most deserving institution was held at the Free-
masons' Tavern. His Royal Highness the Duke of
Cambridge presided, supported by the Duke of Buc-
clench, the Duke of Wellington, the Earl of Dalkeitb,
Lord Colville of Culross, the Earl of Eglinton, Sir Geo.
Clarke, Sir John Orde, Colonel Moncrieff, Colonel
Matheson, David Baird, Esq., M.P., P. Robertson,
Esq., M.P., and many others of the leading gentlemen
of Scotland.

If any one asks what full-blown Germanism
means the answer is as pithy as it is decisive.
Full-blown Germanism is despotism, despotism
without mercy, and without faith and honour.
If the inquirer would dip deeper into the political
catechism, and seeks to be informed as to what
Germanism is in the bud—the reply is, hatred to
liberty, and treason to all constitutional Govern-
ment. The recent history of German Courts
furnishes sufficient proof of the first fact, and we
have but to turn to Greece to find ample corro-
boration of the second. No need to call on
oppressed and " blood-bolstered" Hungary and
Italy to attest how Germanism deals with free
peoples ; the story is engraved on the heart of
every freeman. Beginning with perjury, pro-
ceeding with treason, and ending in the
most pitiless tyranny, such has been the
career of the crowned incarnations of Ger-
manism up to the present hour. Due considera-
tion of this lends interest to the present condition
of Greece. In an unhappy hour France and
England, having combined to give Greece a con-
stitution, turned to that hot-bed of Princes in
waiting for Crowns or Regal Consorts, Germany,
for a King. Greece got OTHO, and straightway
a conspiracy against the constitution was hatched
under the auspices of its sworn defender. OTHO
was perjured, and his Queen, nurtured in absolut-
ism, and his superior in intellect, devoted herself
henceforth to the task of seeing he did not relapse
into good faith. A loan of money was guaranteed
by this country. It was swallowed up by Court
expenses and by German parasites, and the pub-
lic creditor and the public bond were alike set at
nought. What had Germanism to do with honour
while conspiring to subvert the constitution to
which it owed its ascendancy ? Let 01110
and AILELTA, or, rather, AHELTA- OTHO, be
but monarch absolute, and the public creditor
might go hang. Meanwhile what was the inter-
nal condition of the country ? Recklessly mis-
governed, industry and freedom waned beneath
oppression, until matters, passing from bad to
worse, the social compact which binds civilised
communities became almost a myth. Brigands in-
fested the hills—the villages were pillaged by
armed hordes—towns even were put under con-
tribution, and the highways were not safe. Thus
matters went on until the commencement of the
late War. How AMELIA- OTHO I. employed the
opportunity then afforded him to display his gra-
titude to his creators is part of the history of the
war, as of the present occupation of Greece. His
conduct may be briefly described as being
characterised by German gratitude ant Ger-
man faith. Ho attempted a diversion in
favour of Russia by assailing the already over-
matched Turk ; and now, condemned on every
plea which justifies a monarch and warrants consi-
deration by a stronger Po ver—with Greece still
occupied, Russo-Germanism still rampant, and
the condition of the people as bad as ever—King
OTHO still mocks the public creditor, and hugs the
notion that England will have to pay. Is it not
time he was forcibly disabused of this impression ?
Is it not time—we ask is in the interests of
Greece—he was deposed, and sent packing to the
beggarly confines from whence he came ? There
ought to be but one answer on the part of Eng-
lishmen to the question. His reign is to us a
reproach. May it, let us add in conclusion, serve
as a warning. Russia knows—none better—
where her best puppets, her most servile tools, are
to be found. Russia wants a German Prince to
reign over the Principalities—of course, we sup-
/ pose, under a Constitution. It is not hard to
recognise what that means. But of Russian craft
and Germanism in every stage we have surely had
enough. It is not English to play into the hands
of despots ; it is madness to rear them.

A. most recherche dinner was served in the usual style
of the Freemasons' Tavern, and was done ample justice
to by about 200 guests.
A large rnajlrity of the principal guests were
in full Highland costume or uniform. The
Royal piper (Ross), the Duke of Argyll's piper,
and the piper to the Caledonian Asylum,
were in attendance, with the admirable band of
the institution, and their performance of an admirable
selection of cottish music considerably shortened the
long half hour which precedes dinner on these occasions.
Grace having been sung and the cloth drawn, his
Royal Highness (the chairman) gave the usual loyal and
patriotic toasts, which were received with enthusiasm.

In proposing " The Army," his Royal Highness ex-
pressed a wish that now that peace was happily restored,
and that the country had seen the almost fatal conse-
quences of a false economy, they would not grudge the
expenditur4 necessary, not only to secure the efficiency
of the army and navy, but to preserve the honour and
interests of
.this kingdom.
Befora proposing the toast of the evening, all the
children at present in the asylum, who are orphans of
non-commissioned officers and privates who have fallen
in the late war, were introduced into the hall. Their
cheerful, healthy, and contented appearance was an ap-
peal to the company equally forcible with the speech of
the illustrious chairman.

His Highness made a most powerful appeal on behalf
of the asylum, directing attention to the children then
present—children who had been received into he insti—
tution solely on account of the late war. All then pre-
sent were the orphans of brave men, who had fallen in
defence of the country's honour. Last year there were
in the establishment but 70 children, but now 30 more
had been added, who were supported Tartly by the Royal
Patriotic Fund, and partly by the Caledonian Asylum.
But each orphan caused an additional expenditure of
15/. per annum, and the most strenuous exertions of
the well-wishers of the institution were necessary
to sustain it in the benevolent efforts it was
thus called upon to make. A large sum from the
funded stock of the asylum had been sold out to meet
the pressure upon their resources, and it behoved the
guests then assembled to shield the institution from the
worst wad most dreaded fate which could befall a
charity—namely, that of being compelled to turn a deaf
ear to the petition of the fatherless, and perhaps even
to cease to foster those who bad already been received
into the asylum. He called upon them to support his
toast not merely with expressions of applause, but wits
those substantial marks of approbation which were so
necessary to the well-being of the charity whose claims
he advocated sincerely, though he feared inadequately.
Continued applause followed the toast ; but it is with
regret that we have to remark that his Royal High-
ness's proposition was but partially acted upon, and that
the subscriptions were short of 8001.

Mr. Higgins was an efficient toastmaster ; and Miss
Poole, Miss Taylor, Mr. Lewiek, and several other ac-
complished artistes performed a succession of glees and
madrigals, which were loudly encored.
The whole affair p tssed off with great eclat.

THE POLISH AHNESTY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sift,—A. telegraphic despatch from Berlin has just
announced that the Emperor of Russia, at a ball given
to him at Warsaw, has declared his intention of grant-
ing to ad his Polish subjects condemned for political
delinquencies a general amnesty ; whilst from other
accounts we learn that, on the same occasion, he pro-
nounced, among others, the followin., words :—" Tell
your fellow-countrymen that the time for idle dreams is
at an end. No more of reveries. I wish Poland to be
happy, and she can only be so by her union with
Russia."

Against these words, as well as against the acceptance
of any amnesty, let us, in the name of the society we
represent, as well as of the body of the Polish emigra-
tion, whose former declarations we merely repeat, enter
into your columns our most solemn protest.
When in 18e0 we took up arms against Russia, and,
failing to succeed, left an enslaved fatherland, we did it
for no less an object than nalional independence.
Those who since joined our ranks did it in the same spirit,
and adhered to our declaration. We then fulfilled a duty,
not anything to be pardoned, and we could not now,
without renouncing our country's claims, and calumniat-
ing the martyrs of her cause, acecpt the title of pardoned
rebels. If there be any Polish refuge who does it, let
him be disowned by us as a deserter of his country's
sacred and icnprescriptible rights.
In behalf of the Polish Democratic Society,
Its Central Committee,
LOUIS BULEwSKI,
ANT. ZABICKI,
S. WOILUELL.
35, Hunter-street, Brunswick-square, May 31.

There was another " count-out" last night.
Notwithstanding the many important matters
under the consideration of the representative
branch of the Legislature, and although it was a
Government night, on which a Committee of Sup-
ply had priority amongst the orders of the day,
forty members were not in attendance at
four o'clock, and the Speaker was, there-
fore, unable to take the chair. Much
valuable time was therefore wasted, which
cannot be regained during the session. We are
well aware that a "No House" or "a Count-aut"
is a recognised portion of Ministerial strategy,
and that the whipper-in frequently exerts all his
influence to get rid of an unpleasant question for i
a short time. But it is a short-sighted policy,
for these matters invariably come on at inconve-
nient
times. independent members, who have
grievances to expose, or remedies to suggest, can-
not, and will not, allow themselves to be muzzled
by so paltry a dodge. Ministers can notoriout•ly
" make a House" when they desire to do so ; and
if they were compelled to surrender a Govern-
ment night for the despatch of business so discre-
ditably postponed, we should hear less of time.
wilfully wasted and misapplied.
Surely some xernedy might be found for this
flagrant grievance. A certain number of lay
lords are bound to attend, in order to make a
house, fcr the hearing of appeals. Why might
not a certain number of °ammo-he-fa be ordered to-
appear in time, so that the requisite number may
be in attendance ? They are bound to act on
committees, and surely it is just as ithportant that
they should prevent the public time from being
wasted.

)3y this meang, or by there being an adjournment
only for an hour, whenever there is no house, an
evil which has latterly assumed formidable dimen-
sions will be got rid of, and important measures
will not be withdrawn or emasculated from want of
time to discuss their details. It is for the Commons
themselves to provide a suitable remedy. Either
of those above suggested would, we believe, be
efficacious, and prevent the recurrence of events
calculated to bring the popuha branch of the
Legislature into contempt and disrepute, and to
reduce the estimation in which it would otherwise
be held by the people.

SEPARATE ESTABLISHMENT FOR
PRINCE ALFRED.

The Royal •
Lodge, in Windsor Great Park, formerly
which was sparedof the
building
occupied by George IV , or that
.porotifono
Iv.
when, in. the reign William ~ the
greater part of this beautiful cottage was pulled down,
-has -just been put in a fitting state for the reFeption•oi
his Royal H i
igness Prince Alfred, now in his twelfth
Prince may uninterrupt-
Young
comprising
riisningorednegrinteheartinthge:
under his tutor, Lieut. Cs well,
edly pursue his studies, more particularly that portion
cf the Royal Engin_eers.
The apartments, which have been repaired, embel.
fished, and furnished, are the octagon room, the la
and small dining rooms, drawing-room, "loon, lobbies,
i
passages, sleeping-rooms, and bervants apartments; also
the bed.ruom and dressing room which were added to the
cottage at the time the family of the late Mr. Anson re.
sided here.
The little chapel and magnificent conservatory are,
and have always been, kept in perfect order.
The stabling will be at Cumberland Ledge. The es-
tablishment will be limited to merely the necessary num,
ber of servants required to attend the Prince and his
tutor. the Royal lodge
-.141 Royal
.iiighneas arrived e,t
Yolitaday, '- - - . ,. .. _
_____ .

There is no reason to anticipate that the Lords
will alter their decision during the present session.
It will therefore be for the representative branch
of the Llgislatare to reject the present measure,
and patiently await the time tv hen:their loidshiPs
may think pioper t 3 ti hill

THE SUN, LONDON. WEDNESDAY EvEN!Nti, JUNE 4, 1856.

LATEST NEWS.

BERLIN, JUNE 3.

Russia has declared the working of railways
free throughout the extent of the empire.

COPENHAGEN, JUNE 3.

The session of the Grand Council of State ter-
minated this evening. The Minister in a secret
committee made a communication relative to th•
Sound dues. The question relative to the sale
of the domains of Lauenbourg remains uncle.
aided.

MADRID, JUNE 2.

The Gazette publishes the speech delivered by
M. Wald-Kirch, on demanding in the name of
the King of Greece the hand of the Infanta, sister
of the King of Spain, for the heir presumptive
to the Crown of Greece. The demand was made
at an audience given by the Queen, and to which
her Majesty gave a satisfactory reply.
The Cortes has declared unanimously that they
are well satisfied with the financial operation
which the Government has effected for the re-
demption of the 200 millions of the floating debt.

FRANCE.

His presence will be a first consolation, a first act
of kindness; it will re-animate the hopes of the
unfortunate ; and may his solicitude, after having
satisfied the momentary necessities, discover in the
resources of science and art the means of preserving
the future, not from this terrible scourge, for tha t
belongs alone to God, but as far as possible from
its disastrous effects ! The Emperor appeals tc-
day, as in all great circumstances, to your devot-
edness. Your unanimous sympathy hailed at
once the presentation of the bill, and will be main
displayed by your unanimous adoption of it. 'The
committee, gentlemen, has the honour of recom-
mending the bill to your acceptance."
THE BOURSE, June 3.—The following were the
last quotations :

Cash. h.. a. End of Month,
4i per Cents 93 40 —f. —O.
3 per Cents 74 10 7 I 95
New Loan 75
Bank Shares 4,150 Roman
Credit Mobilier 1,890 Austrian
Belgian Fives — Spanish Threes 47
Nedmontese (5) 93 Home Debt ......... 43

PARIS, TUESDAY EVENING.

The following letter from Lyons gives an account
of the Emperor's arrival and most enthusiastic re-
ception in that city :
" Lyons, Monday afternoon.
" The Emperor arrived this morning at a little
before 11 at the railway station, where Marshal
Count de Castellane and M. Vaisse, charged with
the administration of the Rhone, were in waiting.
His Majesty was accompanied by M. Rouher,
Minister of Public Works ; Generals Niel and
, Fleury, his aides-de-camp ; the Marquis de Puy-
segna, his orderly officer, and M. de Francqueville,
luspector-General of Punts et Chautsees. The
, Emperor without any delay entered the carriage of
the Marshal, and drove to the Hotel de l'Europe.
Although but few persons witnessed the arrival
of his Majesty, the news spread like lightning
through the city, and a crowd soon collected
along his way, and hailed him as he passel
with the loudest acclamations. In a few minutes
ia:arly every house in the place was dressed out
with flags. Immediately after reaching the hotel
the Ealperor ordered horses to be brought to the
door, and was soon en, route to visit the scene of
disaster. His Majesty, who was dressed in a gene-
ral's uniform, rode in front, followed at a short
distance behind by Marshal de Castellane. In
addition to the persons who accompanied the Em-
peror from Paris, there were also in the cortege
several generals of the army of Lyons, General
Champanet, of the gendarmery, and M. de Billy,
engineer-in-chief of the Paris and Lyons Railway.
The cortege, which was escorted by six of the Cent
Gardes, a platoon of gendarmery, and another of
dragoons, proceeded along the Place Beilecour, the
Rue Imperial, the Rue Puits Gaillot, and the Cours
Morand and Vilton as far as Charpennes, and re-
turned by the Avenue de Saxe, the Pont de la
Guillotiere, and the Rue de la Barre. By following
the above itinerary the Emperor passed through
all the places most visited by the inundation,
and appeared greatly moved by the desolating
spectacle. His Majesty did not anywhere alight,
and in many places passed through very deep and
rapid currents. The difficulties and even the dan-
gers of the passage were not however thought of,
the Emperor's attention being devoted entirely to
the heartrending scene around him. The allevia-
tion of present sufferings was, however, the imme-
diate object of his attention ; at every step the Im-
perial cortege was met by poor persons driven from
their homes by the floods, and who pressed forward
to implore relief. The police and the escort at
first prevented their approach, but the Emperor
ordered that they should be allowed to draw near,
and not one of them went away without, relief.
General Niel who rode by the side of his Ma-
jesty had a bag filled with gold, which was libe-
rally distributed. Everywhere during the pas-
sage of the Emperor, the cries of 'Vive l'Ern-
pereur ?" Vive notre sauveur 1' were raised with
the greatest enthusiasm. Near the Pont du
Concert, cn the left bank, a poor woman ap-
proached in front of the rest, crying Vivo
l'Empereur r when the Emperor gave her se-
veral pieces of gold, saying, Here, my poor
woman, is something for you to buy bread with.'
The cries and the acclamations raised by the people
express but very feebly the deep feeling of grati-
tude and admiration excited in the breasts of the
inhabitants of Lyons at the goodness of heart which
dictated to his Majesty the noble idea of visiting
this afflicted city. The Emperor returned to the
hotel about two o'clock, and immediately a con-
sultation was held with the competent men on
the measures which should be adopted to pro-
vent a recurrence of this dreadful visitation.
Later in the afternoon his Majesty again went to
the inundated parts of the city, and after passing
along the quays visited the camp of Sathonay.
To-morrow his Majesty is to leave for Valence,
where other heartrending scenes will meet his
view. It is said that the Emperor will proba-
bly also visit Avignon. The Emperor has given
M. Vaisse a sum of 100,000 f. from his privy purse
to be distributed among the poor families who have
suffered the most by the inundation, and has also
sent a sum of 25,000 f. to the prefect of the Isere
for the sufferers in that department.
According to the private correspcndence of the
Moniteur de la Flotte the Rusziaus had already re-
moved a portion of the artillery and war materiel
from the fortress of Ismail, on the Danube. That
important point is to be delivered to the Moldavian
Government in its present condition, but without
its armament.

M. Latour Dam oulin moved to-day, in the Legis-
lative body, the following amendment to the bill
relative to comp anies en commandite :--
"Companies e 1 commandite, having for their object
the purchsse and sale of ii.clustrial property shall apply
to the Government, within the month following the pro-
mulgation of the present law, for leave to form them-
selves into anonymous companies."
In The Sun, yesterday, we announced a bill ac-
cording 2,000,000 f. for the sufferers by the inun-
dations was adopted séance tenants, by the
deputies. The following is the exposé des motifs of
the measure presented ou the occasion :

" Gentleinen,—Several of our departments are
at this moment desolated by inundations. Some
of our largest rivers, such as the Loire, the Allier,
the Saone, the Rhone, and their tributaries,
swollen by the'almost continual rains, have over
flowed, and their waters, spread with violence over
the valleys through which they run, have produced
there disasters, the extent of which it is impossible at
present to ascertain. At the first report of these de-
plorable circumstances, the Emperor, whose con-
stant thought is no less occupied with the desire of
assisting the unfortunate than with the care of pro-
tecting the great interests of France, determined
to carry in person to the unfortunate victims the
first succour and the ,first consolation. The
Em-
peror has decided that in order to provide for dis-
asters so considerable, the assistance of the State 1
is indispeusatle, and that the efforts of private
charity, however active they may be, would be in-
sufficient if left to their own resources. The Em-
peror, consequently, before his departure, gave
orders to the Council of State to deliberate at once
on a bill tending to open, as a provisional measure,
an extraorditury credit of two millions, to be dis-
tributed in assistance to the inundated. The Coun-
cil of State has recognised the urgent necessity
which exists in the case ; and we are charged, gen-
tlemen, to summit this bill for your adoption. We
feel perfectly confident that you will readily join
in the generois idea which has inspired its text.
" SigneC a la minute,
"Baron J. BOULAY (de la Meurthe),
President of the Section of the Interior, Reporter.
" °MUER, Councillor of State."

The report of the committee appointed by the
Legislative Body to examine the bill was drawn
up with just as great rapidity as the document
given. abov€. It is couched in the following
terms :

" Gentlercen,—You have received the commu-
nication of the motives which have led to the bill
having for object to open a credit of two millions
for the Minister of the Interior in favour of the
inundated. The expose des motifs mentions some
ofaour largest rivers and their tributaries ; but the
present bill is general, like the disaster, and will
be applied to the inundated in all the departments.
It expresses also that the credit of two millions is
only provisional, and it thus replies to the fears
expressed of its insufficiency. The Emperor beard
of the fallitg houses which have been undermined
by the inuidation, and of the cries of the victims
of the denge. His heart was touched, and he
hastened b depart for the scene of this immense
disaster, vishing to preside in person at the assist_
anew whicl is to be distributed to the sufferers.