The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-12 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1867.

It is expected that the division will take place
to-night on Mr. GLADSTONE'S amendment, and it is
to be hoped that it will, because it is high time that
these vexatious discussions, which are quite outside
the question of the Government measure, be brought
to a close. The only chance which we have of
seeing this Reform business settled this year de-
pends on the House setting vigorously to work
after Easter, uninolei.ted by contrivances of party,
and undiurbed I:6T the sudden springing of mines,
which have, as Lir. WBORNE said, greatly per

plexed it of late. We hope, then, that to-morrow
all virtual difficulty concerning the passing
of the Government measure will be over, and that
the work after Easter will be to consolidate and
improve its features, and no more of these vexatious
stoppages occur. Mr. GLADSTONE'S speech, last
night, was a complete failure, though he evidently
meant to be very impressive. It was quite a need-
less piece of information on the part of the right
hon. gentleman to tell the House that the para-
mount object was a good Reform Bill, and the
secondary but still important objects were to pass
that Reform Bill during the present year, and by
the aid of the present Government. Ile was not,
" however, prepared," he said, "to sacrifice the
paramount object to those of secondary importance."
We all know that by this time it is to be presumed,
hut perhars few were prepared for the extreme
length to which the right hon. gentleman went in
the course of his excited speech, beginning by de-
claring that a " vital mistake" would be committed
if they hastily pieced together the clauses of a
Reform Bill, and sent forth to the country that
which could lead only to fiercer agitation, and
concluding by affirming that the
present pro-
visions of the bill respecting the franchise were
most odious, and would inflict a wrong on a portion
of the community, "which wrong will inevitably
be avenged on the community at large in the shape
of trouble, strife, aLd controversy, and in the shape
of renewed and continued agitation—agitation
which will begin from the day which sees such a law
placed in the Statute Book, and never cease until
the last vestige of senseless legislation becomes a
relic of the" past." It is really quite ridiculous for
a man of Mr. GLADSTONE'S time, abilities, and high
position to indulge in such a hyperbolical strain, and
to use language which would be more suitable to a
platform orator than a speaker in the House of
Commons.

We consider it a sure proof that the right hon.
gentleman's arguments are bad, when he is obliged
to have recourse to the force of epithets, and to ex-
change sarcasm for denunciations. There was really
Po
nothing new in his speech, and no new light thrown
on the subject ; it was perfectly evident to all parties
that his object was to substitute a bill of his own
for that of his opponents, in the form
of his insidious amendments. No particular
encouragement was given by the House to the right
hon. gentleman, and with the exception of Lord
CRANBORNE, who announced his adhesion to the
amendments, he made no convert worthy of com-
ment. Doubtless the noble lord's declaration took
no one by surprise, as he bas been civilly abusive of
the Ministry ever since he ceased to honour the
Cabinet by his presence and add to it by his wis-
dom. Mr. ROEBUCK will resume the adjourned
debate to-night, and we expect that he will make a
brilliant speech that no doubt will represent
the opinions of a number of the Opposition.
It is time, indeed, that a real Liberal should speak
his mind on this subject, and show the great im-
portance of aiming at a speedy settlement. With
all the bombast and terrorism of which he was
capable Mr. GLADSTONE laid down his law, but
we confess that he appeared very much in the un-
enviable position of the man who " could call
spirits from the vasty deep," but could not make
them comply with his requests. All things taken
into consideration, the Government have met the
II ouse more than half way in this matter of
settling the Reform Bill, and the manner
in which Mr. GLADSTONE has treated them has
been most unfair, as unfair indeed as his conduct
on the question of reform itself has been false and
tickle. For the sake of its own reputation let Par-
liament to-night put a decisive stop to these un-
warrantable interruptions to the progress of a de-
bate of great importance and interest, and teach
Mr. GLADSTONE in a manner he must comprehend,
that it is resolved to persevere until the Rork is
satisfactorily accomplished. We had hoped, in com-
mon with many others, that the worst was over, but
since a struggle is to be forced upon us, with brave
spirits and true hearts we may go on to the worst
before us, never doubting that. the patriotism of
Parliament will separate with an unerring instinct
and right discernment the prejudices of faction
from the interests of a popular measure. Then the
Reform Bill of 1867 will be put into fair working
order, and we shall indeed have cause to congra-
tulate the Ministers upon having accomplished their
task to the satisfaction of the country and the credit
of their: own reputations.

The discussions which last night followed upon
Lord GROSVENOR'S motion for the adjournment of
the House proved very clearly that there is not on
either side any disposition to postpone the Reform
Bill unnecessarily. The general anxiety to proceed
with the measure was unmistakeably shown on both
sides of the House, and it would not have been pos-
sible for the Chancellor of the Exchequer to have
misapprehended the feeling. Lord GROSVENOR,
indeed, said he understood there was a strong
feeling in favour of the postponement of the
debate until after the Easter holidays, but no
signs of such a sentiment were perceptible.
Lord ELCHO supported the motion on the
ground that a compromise was absolutely necessary
to the settlement of the question, and that compro-
mise could be better effected if the debate were
adjourned. But, as Mr. BRIGHT pertinently asked,
when they were all scattered homewards who was
to effect the compromise ? No doubt the noble lord
is substantially correct in saying that the settle-
ment of this question must be a matter of give and
take, imposed with more liberal public spirit
and less of party spirit ; but the hon. mem-
ber for Birmingham said more truly that
whatever compromise was effected must be
done above-board in the full eye of the country.
Mr. GLADSTONE, who is most generally very
favourable to the progress of the Ministerial
measure, had the good sense to see that anything
which bore the opinion of needless delay and hesita-
tion would have a bad effect upon the public mind.
." The question is," said the right hon. gentleman,
" whether an impression shall be conveyed to the
public of the country that this house is in earnest
as to Reform. If we were to rise and postpone
this discussion for three weeks or so, I am sure
that it would create :an unfavourable impression
in the country." Mr. MILL and Mr. AYRTON
took the same view, Mr. AYRTON declaring
that the unnecessary postponement of the debate
would raise a feeling throughout the country that
the House had only entered on the question for the
purpose of burkiug it. The most noticeable speeches
on this matter of adjournment were those of Mr.
,BoitNr. and Mr. WHITBREAD, the one as violent
and ineffective as the other was temperate an d
weighty. Mr. OSBORNE, who deserved the satire of
Mr. DISRAELI, for his ardent but inconsistent advo-
cacy of Reform, spared neither friend nor foe. He
declared the ground below the gangway to be
mined in all directions and bandied accusations in all
directions. Lord GROSVENOR was in collusion with
the Government, and endeavouring to effect a
secret compromise to make the bill as mild as pos-
sible. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had de-
clared that he would accept nu compromise, no
amendments, and so on, attacking with as much
virulence as vigour every one who came in his way.

Mr. WHITBREAD, in a few terse and temperate senti-
ments, expressed more accurately the sentiments of
genuine reformers, within and without the House.
He declared himself to be one of theso who had clung
to the hope that the present Government might
settle the question for two reasons : one being that
having themselves failed in dealing with the
question, he felt that his own party were bound to
give the opposite side the fullest trial ; to be ready,
in short, to sacrifice everything but great points of
principle. The second reason which Mr. WHIT-
BREAD declared made him anxious for the imme-
diate settlement of the question was the existence
of differences in the Liberal party, which made it
more probable that a really liberal measure could
be obtained from the Conservatives. Mr. WHIT-
BREAD also strongly opposed the adjournment of
the debate, and, • like the member for Bir-
mingham, he urged the advisability of
putting the whole case fairly before the
country prior to the recess, in order that public
feeling might express itself clearly upon the most
important points. Mr. DISRAELI, after an animated
discussion, decided, t.s he could hardly have avoided
doing, in favour of immediate progress, and wo
hope that the experience of last evening will have
convinced all malcontents how deep and general is
the conviction of the necessity of earnest progress,
how strongly men of all opinions and parties are
opposed to further trifling with a question daily
growing in public importance.

There was one point of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer's speech in reference to this motion
which deserves attention. He distinctly repudiated
the charge brought against him by Mr. Os-
BORNE of having refused to listen to any amend-
ment. Such a charge is indeed contradicted, not
only by the words of the Leader of the House,
but by the whole conduct of the Government from
the beginning of the Session. They have shown
no obstinacy as to points of detail, no determina-
tion to retard legislation and provoke op-
position by a rigid adherence to crotchets.
The amendments of Mr. GLADSTONE, as Mr.
DISRAELI observed last night, and as every one
knew beforehand, are directed less to the improve-
ment of the Bill than to its overthrow, not to the
change of a clause or two, but the substitution of
another measure. No Government could agree to
this, but on minor points, which affect no principle,
such as the term of residence, the lodger franchise,
the compound householder, the Government has
pledged itself to listen to reason, and to show that
spirit of conciliation and compromise, without which
no really great
_and serviceable measuro can be
carried into effect.

It is with great satisfaction that the public will
learn that the Canada Railway Loan Bill has passed
without any difficulty through the Upper House,
notwithstanding the opposition which has been
made to it in certain quarters. The news will be
received with gratification by the colonists, who have
given ample evidence of their loyalty to the mother-
country, and of their national spirit and energy. They
have been subjected to a severe and somewhat
unexpected trial by the mischief-working Fenians,
but so far from not having proved equal to the
emergency, the spirit and readiness of the Canadian
Volunteers was everywhere more than sufficient to
meet the sudden and comprehensive demands of the
authorities. Volunteers came from all parts of the
colony, and even from the States, coming sometimes
at great cost and inconvenience. The bill in
question, however, has nothing to do with mili-
tary objects, excepting so far as the pro-
posed railway will be au iintw.nse advantage for
the conveyance of troops in case of war. The
Duke of CAMBRIDGE spoke strongly in favour of
the measure, which indeed met with little opposi-
tion, except from Lord LYVEDEN. We are heartily
glad that it has passed so promptly through its
concluding stages, for we are sure neither England
nor Canada will have reason to regret it.

The public will learn with satisfaction that the
Grand Jury have thrown out the bills against
Colonel NELSON and Mr. BRAND. This result is
what we anticipated yesterday, and is one satisfac-
tory to all but the infatuated members of the
faction. We really hope that by this time they
have been taught a lesson which they will not
forget, and that others who came after them
will abstain from intruding their vexatious notions
upon the public in so offensive a manner.
The course pursued by the Jamaica Committee has
been most unaccountable since the outset, and are
entirely opposed to the common sense of the people
of this country, as much as it was in opposition to
their feeling in the matter. The plaudits which
were awakened in Exeter Hall were, indeed, the
only marks of approval which they met with, and
the universal delight which attended the deci-
sion of the Shropshire Magistrates in the
case of Mr. EYRE, and the satisfaction which
prevailed in the Court yesterday when the
opinion of the grand jury was made known, suffi-
ciently attested the true feeling of the country in
the matter. We regret that some leading politicians
should have mixed themselves up in this matter, but
the best thing that could have happened for them
has been to fail as they have done. Now that the
fuss and excitement of this affair is over, people
may have more time to appreciate the manner
in which Mr. EYRE and his friends have been
treated by those who constituted themselves as
judges of the law and vindicators of the authority of
the English Bar. A more gallant service was never
rendered to the English nation than that which those
performed who put down the rebellion in Jamaica,
and it is high time that their traducers should be
shown how little attention is paid to their exagge-
rated statements and unwarrantable accusations,
which have never been acceptable to the majority
of the community.

The Baptism of Bells.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—I see in a speech of the Duke of Marlborough
delivered in the House of Lords yesterday a state-
ment that on the occasion of inaugurating a bell in
Bampton Church, the Bishop of Oxford explained
i❑ his sermon what he called " the impiety and
superstition of the Church of Rome in baptising
bells, and the piety of asking God's blessing, as
they were going to do, on this addition to God's
house."
Now, it seems to me that the Bishop of Oxford
might very well perform his own functions without
going out of his way to attack and abuse as im-
pious and superstitious the rites of the Roman
Catholic Church.

But 1 must add that there is no such thing in the
Roman Catholic Church as the baptism of bells. 1
have before me the service used by that Church on
occasions similar to that referred to by the Duke of
Marlborough. It is entitled, not baptism, but
Benedictio Signi vel eninpane. It is contained in
the second part of the Pontificate Rwnuaum. The
words used are not "1 baptize thee," &c., but these,
" May this bell be sanctified and consecrated iu the
name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Ghost, in honour of Saint —." In fact, the
whole service is simply a consecration service analo-
gous to the consecration of a church. No doubt
many ancient bells have names, but the giving the
names is no part of the service, and the bell is dedi-
cated to some saint just as a church is. Where is
the " impiety and superstition" of this ?
I hope you will be so good as to publish this
letter.—Your obedient servant,
GEORGE Bo wYER.
House of Commons, April 10.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Thursday Evening.

There was a Cabinet Council yesterdey at the
Tuileries, at which the Emperor presided, and the
Empress was present.
The Moniteur, in its weekly review of foreign
affairs, says :—" The settlement of the Hungarian
question has sensibly ameliorated the situation of
the Austrian Monarchy. The Constitutional orga-
nisation of the Emperor still presents numerous dif-
ficulties, but the principal problem is solved, and
the Government, reconciled definitively with the
Magyars, is in a position to face the exigencies
now existing. The relations between Hun-
gary and Croatia will soon be arranged, and the
Government, instead of maintaining the elements
of rivalry between the various countries connected
with the Crown of St. Stephen, seeks to remove all
causes of misunderstanding.. Austria sincerely
accepts the city of Pesth as the centre of political
action of the races who occupy the territory beyond
the Leitha. It believes that the simultaneous work-
ing of liberal institutions in Hungary and in the
western provinces of the empire will reconstitute
the Monarchy upon the bases indicated by history
and State reason. The propositions relative to
Croatia will first be submitted to the approbation of
the Hungarian Diet, and then sent to the Croatia
Diet, which will meet very shortly. To grant to
Croatia an independent position as regards the ad-
ministration of justice, public worship, and educa-
tion ; to give limits to affairs common between the
St. Stephen ; to platg
waithin the jurisdiction of
qc ouue ns
ttiroi
ne ss ooff
a theut
nc roomwyn
the Croatian Chancellory of Agram, and to remit
other questions to the Hungarian Ministry ;—such
will be the general plan of political economy which
will no doubt be adopted. The Emperor of Austria
returned to Nienna on Saturday last, and on the
same day the Diets of Bohemia, Moravia, and
Carniola assembled."
According to the latest accounts from Florence
there was another hitch in the formation of the new
Italian Ministry, and although a list of the new
Ministers was published, which was supposed to be
authentic, it is again said that M. Rattazzi has
abandoned the task of selecting a Ministry, which
he began at the request of the King.

In the Senate yesterday the President, M.
Schneider, announced that the request for interpel-
lations relative to Luzemburg, which had been de-
posited with the Chamber by Messrs. St. Paul,
Eugene Pelletan, Ju:es Simon, Jules Favre, and
other members, had been withdrawn. As to the
two demands for permission to interpellate made by
other members, the tine bureaux were of opinion
that such interpellations could not be made. The
number of Deputies who voted in favour of the
refusal of the interpellations was 172. The number
in favour of them was 61.
It is stated that the Powers who signed the
Treaty of 1839 will be invited by France to give
their opinion upon the question of the Grand
Duchy of Luxembourg, but in the form of direct
communications in the shape of diplomatic notes.
Two questions will be proposed. 1. Has the King
of Holland the right to give up the Duchy of
Luxembourg ? 2. Has Prussia, after the ag-
grandisement she has obtained by the last war, the
right to continue to occupy the place of Luxem-
bourg ? The Illemoricl Diplonzatique, which always
claims an official character, says the difficulty would
not be solved by the vacuation on the part of the
Prussians, even if the French Government should
renounce the idea of possessing it. Nothing of the
kind will be discussed by the parties to the Treaty
of 1839, and the proof that no immediate compli-
cation of the sort is to be feared is to be found in
the reiterated invitation to King William for the
Ist of April by the French Ambassador to visit the
Exhibition of 1867. Consulted as a party to the
treaty of 24 Articles, the Cabinet of Vienna made
a reply, of which the following is the substance :
" Austria thinks that when Prussia, without p.tyinc,
any attention to the Powers who guaranteed the
final act of Vienna, has arbitrarily broken the
Federal German pact in spite of the protestations
of the legitimate princes and resistance of the
respective populations, none can deny to the King
of the Netherlands the right of freely disposing of
the Grand Duchy of -Luxembourg, which is his
personal property. The dissolution of the Germain Confederation has emancipated the King of the
he in his quality of Grand Duke.
Netherlands from all the federal engagements which
jy h
His tersatctedas, therefore, recovered the plenitude
of his sovereignty, in virtue of which the Powers
who signed the treaties of 1t539 should allow him
full latitude to act upon his own responsibility.
A man named Victor Felix Pivost, aged 35, has
been tried at the assizes for Seine-et-Oise for the
murder of his father, Eloi Pivost, aged 65. The
accomplice
prisoner's
w
beforeifethe fact. Indeed it was proved
that she incited her husband to commit the murder.
The prisoner's antecedents are very bad. He had
been imprisoned for embezzling money, and he had
wife, Mario Pivost, was charged as an
often stolen money from his father. While he was
in prison the wife led a very disorderly life. When
he was liberatel they were very poor, and the
woman often complained of the avarice of her father-
in-law, because he would not give her any money.
On one occasion she said that her husband ought to
threaten him, and, if necessary, strangle him if he
would not provide for them. On the night of Dec.
13 last they were without money, although the hus-
band had stolen some from his father a few days
previously. g, Go to your father," said the woman,
get more money, and should he refuse, strangle
him with a cord which I will give you." On the
night of Dec. 29, soon after the father returned
and the body of the deceased
floor, the head covered with
homew heard
as f
of
found
no afterdm hissuppingylying
g o n the room, with a neighbour cries were
wounds from a hammer. He still held in his hand
the key with which be had opened the door. The
prisoner was seen to escape across the garden ; and
the evidence left no doubt that he was the murderer.
but with
yte woman.
extenuating The j
Eloi was condemned to die the death of a parricide.
ury ounfcdireubmotshtanpereissotrteergsardgiuniglth
The woman was sentenced to hard labour for life.
The clerk of the court read the sentence upon the
man from the code Penal as follows :—" The guilty
condemned to death for parricide will be conducted
to the place of execution in his shirt, barefoot, and
his head covered with a veil. lie will be exhibited
on the scaffold, while the officer of the court will
read to the people the sentence of condemnation,
and he will then be immediately put to death."
In the English jewellery department to-day in the
Exhibition a very beautiful article has attracted much
attention. It is a swan in silver very beautifully
chased. The bird is in a silver tray, and the water
is very well represented by a layer of silver. By
means of ingenious mechanism the swan moves
and turns its neck as gracefully and as naturally as
if it were a living bird on its accustomed element.
In Mr. Brogden's stall there is a magnificent ob-
ject, which I mention because it must have excited
notice, it being marked " Sold to the Emperor."
It is a Rhyton in gold with a bas-relief, which re-
presents a griffin and au amazon. The work is de-
scribed as a faithful copy of the Rhyton, which
was found at Rubi, in Apulia (an ancient province
of Southern Italy), and which is now in the Bri-
tish Museum.

In the French jewellery and silversmith depart-
ment are magnificent articles from one of the first
manufactories in the world—that of Christofle
and Co., jewellers to the Emperor. This portion
of the Exhibition would command attention, if it
were only for the fact that upwards of 1,200 work-
men are employed at the manufactory, but it has
also striking attractions. The table services, and
gilt and plated articles are splendid. Among the
table ornaments is a portion of that belonging to
the Emperor, executed to complete the table service
of 100 silver gilt covers exhibited in London in
1862. There are 22 gilt candelabra and various
allegorical figures. One group represents Agricul-
ture and Industry. There is also a grand orna-
mentation and table service executed for the fetes
at the Hotel de Wile, after the designs of baron
Ilaussrnau, Prefect of the Seine. One object of
art will no doubt be sought for by your sporting
readers. The victory, the prize cup given by the

Jockey Club in 1866, and won by Gladiateur.
Victory, executed by M. Maillet, is represented by
a young girl, who stops, still breathing with diffi-
culty after the distance she has run, and raises
over her head the palm she has gained. Messrs.
Christofle and Co. hold pre-eminent rank in France
for these electro-plated covers and table services.
Last night the tempest returned, and to-day the
wind has been violent. At 11 o'clock this morning
there was a heavy shower of snow, sleet, and rain,
but the sun has shone during the afternoon.

LA TEST INTEL LIGENCF.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

ITALY.

FLORENCE, April 12.

In yesterday's sitting of the Senate Court, the
public prosecutor deliverel a long address demand-
ing the dismissal of Admiral Persauo from his
command.
Count Cibrario has arrived from Vienna.

FRANCE.
BOURSE, April 11, Three o'clock.—The market
closed as follows :--

4 per Cents 96 10
Do. end month —
3 per Cents. 66 45
Do. end month 66 20
Credit Alobilier
Do. end month
Credit Foncier
Do. end month 1305 -
/WI;

Bank Shares 3400
Italian Loan 4B
Do. end month 4B
Mexican Loan —

Do. Bonds —
Spanish Threes
Home Debt —
Deferred -
LT 8.

For Account.
Orleans
Northern lllO
Lyons and Mediterranean 867 50
Southern s4€
Western
Eastern 520
Sardinian . 4B
Austrian
Lombard 372 50
North of Spain BO
Saragosra
Ditto to Barcelona
Roman.

65 -