The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-22 00:00:00

AN OPERATIC DE ZONSTRATION.

A private letter rom Sienna, of the 10th inst.,
gives the following account of a demonstration
there in favour of the celebrated artiste Maria
Piceolomini

" We left Florence yesterday to be present at the
benefit of Piccolornini before her departure for Mantua
Vit111311.44/100 WO** ,W402.--ttfir
bound on the same errand as ourselves, and the railway
station was positively encumbered with bouquets of white
and red catnelias, ordered by ber admirers, said ,o have
been to the value of more than $lOO. The theatre was
densely crowded ; every passage was choked by pc,,ople
who could not find stwidiner; room in the pit—far more, in
fact, than the house was ever intendedlA-h-old. The opera
was Verdi's "Trovatore." After the firatactthe people lost
all control over their feelings ; they cot.tinued constantly
applauding their favourite before the curtain, and shower-
leg bouquets at her feet. This was repeated at the con-
clusion uf each act, and at the finale it appeared as if
they never would cease. For half an hour she was
obliged to remain
.and receive this boisterous homage.
She was deluged with bouquets, crowned with garlands,
and, amid waving of handkerchiefs, clapping of hands,
shouting of vivas, accompanied with balloons sent from
the boxes, and goldleaf and flowers thrown on the stage,
she was at length allowed to retire, but not before the
lights were being extinguished. At the door she was
received by the gentlemen of Sienna with candles, who
formed a procession to light her home, preceded by a
band of music. It was truly a most interesting sight,
and one thst must have been deeply felt by the person in
whose honour is took place."

THE ANTI-OHURCII-RATE PARTY AND
TILE GOVERNMENT SO.IIEME.

-- -4,-

The view taken of Sir George Gray's proposals by the
Committee of the Society for the Liberation of Religion
from State patronage and Contr,)l, will be seen from the
following resolution just passed by that body :
"That this committee, retaining the conviction, that
the entire repeal of the law of Church rates would be
most consistent with sound policy, and conducive to
the interests of religion, is earnestly desirous that the
bill introduced for that purpose should receive the sane-

tion of the Legislature.
"That having examined the amendments in such bill,
of which notice has been given by the Home Secretary,
it finds that they, in effect, entirely abolish Church rates
in a large number of parishes—give power to other
parishes to retain or to abolish them, at their discretion
—and, where rates may continue to be levied, exempt
from payment all who may think fit to declare them-
selves nut to be members of the Church of England.
"That as them provisions are in harmony with, though
falling short of, the object aimed at by this committee,
and do not preclude further proceedings for securing its
complete realisation, the committee deems it expedient
to support the Government in its efforts to carry the
bill, as so amended, through both Houses of Parliament.
"That in arriving at such determination, this com-
mittee holds itself at liberty, in the event of the rejection
of the measure, as so modified, to take any steps for
giving complete effect to the principle already affirmed
by successive and increasing majorities of the House of
Commons."