The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-08 00:00:00

STATE OF VENICE.

The following letter has been receiv( d from
Venice, dated the 31st of July :
" No description can give an idea of the sad and
melancholy state of Venice. All the no ble and

wealthy foreign families who used every year to
occupy apartments in the Palaces of the Ca nal have
abandoned it, and tie emigration of the n: ative in-
habitants is becoming more numerous every day.
There is an undisguised struggle betweei i an un-
armed population, who manifest by all th e means
in their power their hatred of foreign rule , and an
obstinate stupid local Government, revenging itself
on the mass of the population by variot ls petty
annoyances. In this struggle the Austria 11 army
remains neutral, and, if we are to judge E rom the
casual remarks of the officers, it is fatign ed with
the task imposed on it. A recent decree co, mmands
that the ancient formula ' Lombardo-Ven etlan' shall
be employed in all official acts, and the
. word Lom-
bardo is as often effaced as it is posted . the sqtuare
of St. Mark. It was announced on the 27th that
' Garibaldi had landed on the Neapolita n territory,
and the national colours were seen flying; the foltic!w-
ing day from the Capello Palace and the adjoining
houses. The Capello Palace is now inhabited by
one of the very few English families resident at
Venice
;t
he w
ps i
t Redemption
mp formerlyby the
werethe Venetians ; t hey now
pass residenceformerly observed
Consul. The festival of Santa Martha and ' the festi-
valpass in perfect silence. The Venetians are much
grieved at being thus compelled to neglect the
with great of tho French
festival of Sants. Martha on the 29th of July.
On the 26th the principal inhabitants of the island
of Chioggia, chiefly fishermen, assembled at dinner,
and the health of Garibaldi was drunk with loud
cheers. On the night of the 27th the Austrian
police arrested 22 of the fishermen. Bastions .upon
bastions are being constructed, and cannon heaped
u von cannon are directed against the town. May
it not suffer the fate of Palermo ! There is not a

convent which is not converted into a barrack;, and
now the church of Santa Lucia is about to b e con-
verted into a fortification. On the 20th the naval
conscripts were called on to serve, when for every
100 men 35 only responded. The remaind.er went
to swell the ranks of Garibaldi. I have already
alluded to the sympathy expressed by Par. t of the
Austrian army for the people of Italy. It is cer-
tain that some officers of the regiment Dr
mi Miguel
have been arrested, and that the eh: plain has
arrived at Venice in custody of 10 Genf ,arm","

THEATRE'-ROYAL, HAYMARKET.'
Lessee, Mr. J. B. BiLekg,One.
THIS EVENING the performances will commence with
HALLOWEEN. By the Leclercqs.
And THE OVERLAND ROUTE. Messrs. C. Mathews,
Bockstone, Compton, Chippendale, Rogers, Mrs. Charles
Mathews, Miss Weekes, and Mrs. Wilkins.
After which, the new comedietta, HIS EXCELLENCY,
In which Mr. and Mrs. C. Mathews will appear.
To conclude with THE KING'S GARDENER.
Commence at 7.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.-
Lessee, Mr. A. Harris.
!THIS EVENING, will be performed THE LADY OF
LXONS. Mr. G. Melville and Miss Heath.
After which, UNE FILLE TERRIBLE. Characters by
the Zouaves.
Followed by AN AMBUSCADE AT INKERMAN.
To conclude with THRICE MARRIED.
Commence at 7.

A DELPHI, NEW TTIEATRE-ROYAL.
-r3m. Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Benj. Webster.
The Annual Benefit of Mr. B: Webster.
THIS EVENING, JANET PRIDE. Messrs. B. Webster,
J. L. Toole, P. Bedford, Stuart, C. Selby; Miss Woolgar and
Miss Laidlaw.
After which, OUR FEMALE AMERICAN COUSIN.
Messrs. Stuart, C. Selby, Billington, Eburne, Miss Julia
Daly, IL Kelly, Laidlaw, and Mrs. Billington.
Commence at 7.
Box-office open from 10 till 5.
Private boxes, £2 2s. ; Family Boxes, LI.
Orchestra Stalls, ss. ; Balcony, 4s. ; Front Circle Stalls, Es. ' •
Pit Stalls, 25.; Pit, is. 6d. ; Amphitheatre, 1s ; Gallery, 6d.
Acting Manager—Mr. Wm. Smith.

A STLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.-
."-x• Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Wm. BATTY.
Immense Success of " Mazeppa."
A Grand MID-DAY PERFORMANCE will take place on
SATURDAY next, Aug 11, commencing at Two o'clock.
This Evening, Lord Byron's splendid Hippo-drama of
MAZEPPA AND THE WILD HORSE, with entirely new
and beautiful scenery, costly costumes, and appointments,
introducing the largest stud of highly-trained Horses, Po-
Ries, Buffaloes, and Camels in the World.
To be followed by Scenes in the Arena by the Star Riders
of the day.
Doors open at half-past 6, performance comaaenoe at 7.
Box-office open daily from till 4.
Stage Manager 11
Mr. W. WERT.
Director of the Arena—M. Felix Revolt'.

CANTERBURY
HALL
THIS EVENING.
C. H. GOUNOD'S OPERA.
FAUST.
First Time in this country.
Faust
Mephistopheles Mr. C. Bernard.
Siobel Mrs. Anderson.
Marguerite ..... Miss Russell.
Conductor Mr. Jonghmans.
And selections from
Dlnorah, Trovatore, Macbeth, and numerous other
Entertainments.
Balcony, ls . Hall. 6d.
Comic Vocalists —Messrs. George Hodson (the Irish Come
dlan and Mimic), and C. Marshall.
The ETHIOPIANS, consisting of 17 performers (organised
expressly for this Establishment), for the performance of
Vocal and Instrumental Music, Comic and Sentimental, with
Negro delineations, anecdotes, dtc., in addition to the usual
entertainments.
The gallery is open from 5 till 11 on Sunday Evening.

CONCERTS.-

THR WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, AUGUST 8, 1860.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADS.
65—highest since noon yesterday.
50—lowest this morning and during the night.
60—this day at noon.
BAROMETER-29.74.
WIND—South-Westerly; rather fresh, with dull rainy
weather.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Tins DAY.—Morning, sh. 30m.—Afternoon, sh. 47m,
To-mmtnow.-Morning, 6h. 4m.—Afternoon, 6h. 22m

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THE SUN.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1860

Lord GRANVILLE frightened his brother Peers
last night. His language implied that they might
be required to attend to business till the end of
August, or even—in mercy to the partridges—over
the Ist of September ! Well might he be saluted
with an "Oh ! oh !" His lordship, however, only
went on coolly to prove his point, and even to point
to the example of the Commons. If they are
willing to work so hard and so long—to come toge-
ther to the number of upwards of 500 on the
6th of August to settle such a question as a penny
more or less duty on paper,—if they will toil morn-
ing and evening too, to get through what is brought
before them—why, what would the country say to
the Lords if they could not hold out as well and as
long. Very easy work too, at the hardest, that of
Noble Lords. They want no forty peers to form a
house; their presence at a debate is not even required
for a vote at its close. A kind of omniscience is
in courtesy attributed to them ; and, unlike the
judges of the land, or the members of the Lower
House, they are supposed to know all that goes
on in their absence, and to understand both sides
of an argument which they have never heard.
But the Lords have a standing order by which
they will not accept a bill unless it be read a second
time by the 27th of July. An order very well meant
no doubt. Its object is to brush up the House of
Commons, to compel it to hasten its pace,
to cough down prosy talkers, to expedite business,
and, if it can, to stop the HORSMANS and ELPHIN-
STONES when they insist on riding their hobbies
out of breath on almost every occasion. Why should
not the House of Lords have time to discuss and
consider the measures sent up by the Commons ?
"Why should they be reduced to mere voting
machines ? They are " the Lords," and will assert
their position, even on financial questions, against
Mr. GLADSTONE, Mr. BRIGHT, and all the Radicals
in the Kingdom.
Now this may be all well enough, but the Lords
find that, unless their rule be made very elastic, it
will snap. They introduce therefore a bit of india-
rubber—if a bill be of " urgent" importance they
will attend to it, though it may not have passed
the Rubicon of a second reading on the right day.
Lord GRANVILLE told them he liked the rule,
and wished to sustain it, but that if they
would do so, it must be, in plain English,
by not shirking -work which wanted to be
done. We have sometimes wondered, however, how
the constitutional Lords reconcile such a rule with
the Royal Prerogative. The QUEEN has undenia-
bly a right to keep Parliament sitting till Christ-
mas, if she wishes. What, shall we say then to
" her Lords" declaring that they did not mean to
attend to any of the work for which she kept
them together, unless it came before them on
some early day. The QUEEN assembles them
for despatch of business ; they meet, and tell her
that they mean to be all of them among the
partridges at the proper season. Amusement, say
they, we must have, let what will become of busi-
ness ; we shall therefore pass a rule which will vir-
tually eompel you to liberate us at the time we
wish. In fact, like the building trades, the Lords
strike for short time.

It was, indeed, but a sorry list of bills to which
Lord DERBY pointed as coming before his house
With the character of urgency—bills in which, for
the most part, the country takes but little interest.
There is among them only the European Forces
India) Bill which can be said to be of inigerial
; and that, though it involves aJmost
a seco
revolution in the government of India,
yet, being an. Indian question, is one which the
public and the Rouse of Commons, too, has left
to be fought out between the Government mud
the old Indians—the Rouse
on both sides leaving
the Indians and Mr. Ronsl
.tAN to talk, and steadily
supporting the Government.
Of the Ecclesiastical
Commission
Bill the Government have surrendered
all that made it worth while to trouble the Lords.
with it. The Irish Poor-law 13ill must be passed
in some shape, but a Continuance Bill -would be
enough ; and the Bill for the Local 'Management of
the Metropolis affected many interests, and (molt
to be more fully discussed. To all which Lord
GRANVILLE'S reply seemed to be, these thicgs must

all be altended to, and my lords, who have had play
enough in all conscience, must work awhile like
the toiling Commons.
What the country will feel is, that between the
party in the Commons which represents the vast
majority of the Lords, and the want of firmness on
part of the Government, the session, which opened
with such splendid promises, has not produced a
single bill of much importance. We have got the
Treaty, to be sure—we have got rid of 400 articles
from the tariff with the revenue attached to
them ; and we have got a second edition of
a tenpenny Income-tax, that those who like sour
French wines may get them cheaper. But even
the Reform Bill, so moderate that it was laughed
at as only made to pass ; so difficult to vote against,
that it passed a second reading without a division
—even this had to quit the very threshold
of committee, because its promoters could not
or would not step a ceaseless flow of talk.
Then the Bankruptcy Bill, loudly called for by the
commercial world, passed by both sides of the
House—even this must die in committee, because
generous Mr. HENLEY trembled for the class who
spend more than the rent of their estates, or more
than their fixed incomes ; and again, last night, a
really important set of bills on the criminal law,
the result of the labours of a Lords' committee
and of the Statute Law Commissioners, had all to
be abandoned. It is not to be wondered at then
that both Lords and Commons feel that " the Busi-
ness" of Parliament question is becoming one of
the most serious of the day. If there be not some
improvement in the process of promising much and
doing little, the business of Parliament will at
ength descend to—zero.

There is some comfort in thinking that we are
fast approaching the end of this unfortunate
session of Parliament. Unable to get anything of
good from it—despairing (as we may well do now
at the close of the first week of August) of its ever
redeeming its character—we want at last simply
to be rid of it as a nuisance. Looking back
through the records of its existence during this
last half-year, we find nothing whatever, either in
Lords or Commons, capable of affording an adequate
compensation for so much waste of time and so
many truly lamentable disappointments:
The session of 1860 will be remembered as one of
the longest within the memory of the present gene-
ration. It will also be borne in mind as one of the
most fruitless in the way of legislation. It com-
menced earlier than usual this year—namely, on
Tuesday the 24th of January. It will close later
than it has done for many years past—when, upon
what day of the week or upon what day of the
month, it would be hazardous to predict now with
any confidence. It will probably be nearer the
season of the shooting of partridges than the shoot-
ing of grouse—long enough after the 13th of
August to come within view of the Ist
of September. But for the recent battue among
the Innocents, there would have been a reasonable
probability of its skipping coolly over the close of
the buck-hunting season, on the 14th proximo, and
of being protracted even beyond the commencement,
on the Ist of October, of the pheasant shooting—
even if it did not run on in that case to the com-
mencement of the fox-hunting (on the 16th of Oct.),
or of the hare-hunting (on the 26th), down to
the verge of Hallowe'en. Happily our sport-
ing M.P.'s are not threatened with these reiterated
sacrifices upon the altar of patriotism—
the ground has been cleared, if not for the destruc-
tion of grouse, at any rate for that of partridge and
pheasant, of fox and hare, by the opportune slaughter
in the very nick—now by wholesale, now by retail

—of those big and little Innocents. No Reform
Bill passed, according to promise, through Lords
and Commons into a more or less substantial enact-
ment ! No redistribution of electoral districts—
(one of the first reforms in the system of popular
representation required)—even attempted ! No
extension of the franchise, wide or narrow, in

borough or in county, anywhere accomplished !
The Government Reform Bill—not even defeated,
not even rejected, not even emasculated by a fac-
tious Opposition ! The Reform Bill voluntarily
withdrawn by its introducer, Lord JOHN
RUSSELL—or rather let us say his three Reform
Bills withdrawn in succession, one first and two
afterwards ! The Church-rates still untouched.
The Criminal Laws still unrevised. The pet legal
reform of the first law officer of the Crown, the
comprehensive and profoundly deliberated re-ad-
justment of the laws relating to Bankruptcy and
Insolvency dropped as deplorably, withdrawn as

summarily by Sir RICHARD BETHELL as the Re-
form Bills for England, and Ireland, and Scotland
had been previously dropped or withdrawn by
Lord JOHN RUSSELL. And strange to re-
late in neither instance can the ori-

ginators of these two important and now
abandoned measures be held responsible for
their most tantalising withdrawal. The responsi-
bility devolves upon others than upon the noble
lord the member for the city of London, or the
learned knight the member for the borough of
Wolverhampton. Upon whom if not upon their
right hon. colleague the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer and his ex-official henchmen across the Chan-
nel and below the Gangway—the silent member for

Rochdale and the eloquent member for Birming-

ham ? It is idle to cast the blame of wasted sit-
tings upon the prolonged and reiterated criti-
cisms (upon Ministers and their supporters)
indulged in by the right hon. gentleman
the representative (?) of the Stroud constituency.
Who gave Mr. HORSMAN his frequent opportunities
—who but the small political clique, the members
of which, by driving a favourite crotchet of theirs
to death—bon gre anal gre, per fas et nsefas—have

rendered futile all the conscientious efforts made

by other and larger minded statesmen, the strenu-
ous but ineffectual efforts of a BETHELL for Legal
Reform, and of a RUSSELL for the further reform
of the lower House of Parliament? The firm that
have been all these five or six months last past
been driving such a roaring trade yonder, down
at Westminster, according to the elegant
phraseology of Mr. GEORGE WILSON ex-Chairman
of the old Anti-Corn Law League—the enterprising
commercial house of the Messrs. GLADSTONE,
BRIGHT, COBDEN and Company, have so carried on
their business during 1860, that they have
"swapped" everything—law reforms, ecclesiastical
reforms, sanitary reforms, Parliamentary reforms,
even the comparatively patty item of metropolitan
reforms—for what? For a Bubble Budget
—that was hardly "blown " before it burst.
For a Commercial Treaty negotiated in the dark
and upon the sly by an unadorned diplo-
matist (save the mark !)—who has ever
since been patching and cobbling away at his
botched handicraft in a back office in a back street
in one of the back slums of Paris—never having
dared once all this session to show his face for a
single night in the Rouse of Coinnzons ! For a re-
imposition of the abhorred Income-Tax in 1560
the very year in which its re-imposer, seven long
:sessions ago, predicted its final abandonment—a re-
imposition of this most detested of all taxes by Mr.
GLADSTONEtuneof of all men, in this year of all others, to
the
f
£1 0, 000 000 sterling ! Here are our
compensations. We have sat down as hungry