The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-02 00:00:00

that the Leaguers were convinced that Lord DERBY
would never introduce a Reform Bill. What are we
then to think when we find the agitators pursuing
the same course which they would have followed
had the Government resolutely opposed all Reform
whatever ? It is easy to keep to generalities, to
declare in vague terms that the Ministers are de-
ceiving the people, and that the Leaguers will never
rest until they obtain a full, perfect, and satisfac-
tory measure. But the public before they act in
support of the League must understand what their
definite objects are. If they are manhood suffrage,
paid members, aryl annual parliaments, the general
opinion of such improvements was pretty strongly
expressed regarding them some years ago. As for the
Ballot we have been among its stanchest supporters
for many years past, but if we are to test the sin-
cerity of the Reformers of the working classes re-
specting it, we should like to see them apply it
among themselves. An unanswerable answer to
the charges brought by noble lords and honour-
able gentlemen against the Ballot is that they
habitually use it themselves in their clubs and
associations. In the same way, if the working men
want the Ballot adopted in elections, wby
don't they try in in their unions ? We
apprehend Mr. POTTER would not much
care to see his rules in reserve put
through such an ordeal. Leaving all these
questions on one side, however, there is no doubt
whatever that if the League, or any other body,
choose to assemble in a lawful manner in a suitable
place to find fault with everything and everbody
they have a perfect right to do so, and any
Ministry who disavowed this right would have but
a poor chance of existence. But we must not for-
get that the abuse of liberty becomes not only
license, but tyranny, and it by no means follows
because the right of free public meetings is dearly
can prized
musterb y
Li gllai sr hg ien ennu hbaetr
sasnhyo
unl
do i s y
have
iwghhot
of assembling when, where, and how they please,
to the interruption of other people's business or
pleasure. Mr. JOHN STUART MILL, whose opinion
Leaguerseanxhamrd, in histoolybeadmirable book on
proudtotake, lays
theit downm an aio
liberty, that every one should be allowed free scope
for his own devices, so long as he does not trench
on the liberty of others. The Leaguers must ad-
mit that they are doing this. They are inter-
fering with the shops along the route,
with the ordinary traffic of the streets, with
the pleasure of the usual park-goers, and all, as it
would seem, from the very spirit of perversity that
made the Arabian Princess, in the midst of all pos-
sible wealth and luxury, set her heart on the very
thing she was forbidden to have. The Leaguers
have places enough of assembly, open and private.
They may meet by the thousand, and abuse the aris-
tocracy, the middle classes, the recreant working
men who object to their dictation, Queen, Lords,
and Commons as they like, in terms
which would petrify Count BIS:11MM, alarm
the whole of Paris, and very certainly would
not for a moment be tolerated by their model
Republicans over the Atlantic. But all is useless
unless these harangues and these diatribes can be
uttered in a particular place. What is to IT done ?
We have no sort of guarantee that when once this
desire is satisfied these good gentlemen may not
set their minds on some other unattainable roc's
egg, since it is clearly only the difficulty of at-
taining the prize that mikes it worth having.
No one can suppose that Hyde Park, beautiful
enough as a pleasure ground, has any advantage over
Primrose-hill or Clapham-common as a place of
meeting. Perhaps the next move may be towards
the floor of the House of Commons, and veritable
M.P.'s may hear their misdeeds denounced from the
upper galleries. Perhaps the lawyers may be
honoured by a visit in the Temple-gardens, sinoe
the object is to display the sublime superiority of
the League to all doctrines of law and order. Who
knows but—these desires satisfied—the soaring
ambition of the formidable BRADLAUGH may not
reach to the reception-rooms of Buckingham Palace
—possibly to the long-drawn aisles of Westminster
Abbey. lle may even feel called upon to hold a
"special service" of his own under the dome of St.
Paul's ; in fact there is in this aspiring age no limit
at which we can hope he will restrain his progres-
sive energies.

As veteran Reformers who,in spite of every change
of Government, of party, of Parliament, through
popular agitation and public indifference alike, have
steadfastly supported the doctrines of Constitutional
progress, we protest against such an abuse of great
principles and great objects. The Bill of '32 was
carried, it is true, in the midst of turmoil and vio-
lenca ; but, in spite of all its shortcomings, it did
its work so effectually that those scenes need never
be repeated. If the great Reform Bill of GREY
and BROUGHAM did not enable the people of Eng-
land to secure the representation of their political
opinions by peaceable means it did nothing. A body
of men struggling manfully against Court and Cabi-
net, against force and fraud in behalf of a popular right
is a noble spectacle, but there must be a great end
to dignify and justify the means. A perverse
defiance to the authorities of the day on a matter
which involves no principles, instead of being
sublime, would be ridiculous, if it were not at the
same time mischievous and discreditable to a
great and hard-fought cause.

CORRESPONDENCE FRObl PARIS.

--
--~ ---

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Wednesday Evening.

The Moniteur affords a striking proof of its con-
fidence in the pacific tone of affairs. After men-
tioning that " a certain apprehension in regard to
the maintenance of peace" had led to a proposed
increase in the army, it says that " the pacific news
received within the last few days has determined
the Emperor not to adopt any new measure relative
to the army, so as to give no pretext for exciting
public opinion, and in order not to interfere with
the hopes of peace. Thus the purchase of horses
will be confined to the number strictly necessary,
and the soldiers on leave who were about to be called
into active service will be allowed to return borne."

According to all the information received by the
Paris papers, there is no doubt whatever that Prus-
sia consents to the principle of the neutralisation of
Luxemburg, and consequently the general feeling
now is that peace will be maintained. The Berlin
papers, which a few days ago were full of fire and
fury, now begin to draw it mild, and are as conci-
liatory as they were violent and warlike. The only
condition which Prussia will require, they say, is
that the neutrality of the territory of toe Grand
Duchy of Luxemburg shall 13.. t guaranteed by the
great Powers.

It is stated on good authority that the only point
to be now settled by the Powers is the day when
the London Confgencc shall assemble. The meet-
ing will take place without delay. A letter from
Berlin states that the Prussian Cabinet has in-
formed the French Government that it will consult
its convenience as to the period for the meeting of
the Conference. It adds that the probability is that
in the course of next week, at the latest, the am-
bassadors of Russia, Austria, Prussia, and France,
with the representative of the King of the Nether-
lands, Grand Duke of Luxemburg, may hold their
first meeting in London.

It is believed that the Government will make an
official communie ,tiou to the Legislative Body on
the subject to-morrow.
The furniture at the Exhibition mud Quite