The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-22 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1867,

It will be with a feeling of universal satisfaction
that the news from the Continent will be read to-
day, and the lapse of a few hours could scarcely
have wrought more striking and salutary
changes. A war between France and Italy is so
much to be deplored for many reasons that
must give place to that of peace. It shows
the danger of despairing too soon, that even
the very significant sign of the French troops
being at Toulon could not be taken as an
infallible proof of war being on the tapis ; that
there was every reason to apprehend it was indeed
true, but then it was not certain or decided upon,
and all must rejoice at the escape they have had.
The Emperor NAPOLEON has realised the truth of
Lord DERBY'S saying, that boldness was safety, for
in all probability had he not taken such decisive
steps as he did the Italian Government would not
have been so decided in their movements. No
doubt it has been an anxious time for all con-
cerned, and it is as well that things have
turned out as they have done, because no satisfactory
result would have followedupon a general imbroglio.
Anything that interfered with.the prestige of France
just now would be a European calamity, for the
minds of men naturally turn to her as the great
check that will be put upon the encroachments of
Germany and Prussia especially. As for Italy,
in this country more particularly, but also in other
places in a great measure, it would have

caused disappointment and dismay to find
her progress so materially retarded and her
prosperity so greatly damaged as they must have
been by a war with a great Power, long her ally
and some time her defender.

VICTOR EMMANUEL is greatly to be commended

for the determined attitude which he has assumed,
and he is also to be commiserated for the somewhat
anomalous position that he has been forced to assume.
Those are,however,the wisest statesmen and the truest
patriots who look beyond the excitement and the
temptations of the preseent moment to the ultimate
consequences of [their actions ; and we may well
ask what good could have come of the Govern-
ment of Florence going with the insurgents whose
policy they had previously denounced. There are
evils in plenty to mention as the consequence of

the rash resolve, and with this reflection the KING
and his friends must console themselves if they
are attacked by disappointed enthusiasts whose
seal outruns their discretion, and who lack

judgment in their desperate undertakings. The
substitution of Gen. CIALDINI for Rattazzi will, no
doubt, tend greatly to smooth over difficulties,
and to improve the general aspect of affairs.
The news received from Toulon that the depar-
ture of the French fleet for Civita Vecchia is sus-
pended gives certainty and reality to the reassuring
statements from Italy, and proves that if not there
in particular those details are correct in

the main. Thus the Italian Minister and
Paris may well be supposed to hive received from
Florence reports of such a nature as to warrant
the belief that the demands of France upon the
Italian Government will be complied with. The
cause of the volunteers does not seem to have
been very prosperous, to judge from the accounts
given of their encounters with the Papal troops ;
but no doubt they were not fully prepared for a
conflict with organised opponents ; they relied
too much on their own skill, and were led away by
excitement. It is, at any rate, a matter for rejoicing
that the storm which yesterday threatened the
tranquillity of Italy has blown over, and that
Europe is not to be scandalised by an outbreak of
hostilities as uncalled for as unfortunate. We
doubt, however, if Count BISMARCK will have hoard
these peaceful reports with much pleasure, and
perhaps he may have good cause to re-
gret the countermanding of the departure
of French troops for Italy. Who can tell what
turn events may now take:; and it is certainly not
impossible that, in consequence of the impetus given
to the French preparations for war, the scene of
action may be changed to another quarter, and the
long-pending settlement of disputes between France
and Prussia be anticipated by some months, Be

this as it may, the aspect of affairs on the Continent
is by no means a satisfactory one, nor is the pros-
pect of peace certain for the future.

The members for North Lancashire have been
discoursing upon the subject of education, in con-
nection with the distribution of prizes won by the
members of the Accrington Mechanics' Institution
at the Union examinations. Colonel WILSON
PATTEN remarked upon the difficulties that
attended this question, and declared that during the
forty years he had represented the county he
bad given great attention to the question.
What with the differences of opinion
about religious education and the great
stumbling-block of the voluntary principle, it is
indeed perplexing to know how to come to a satis-
factory conclusion. One branch of education to
which special allusion was made in this speech was
that of artisan education. It has been noticed
that in the reports drawn up about the Paris Ex-
hibition a general inferiority is attributed to the
English in those branches of manufacture which
depend on art and science. The late Prince CON-
SORT believed that the cause of the superiority
of foreign nations was to be assigned to the
people exercising their talents in a greater degree
in the arts and sciences and the highest branches of
manufacture, and there is great truth in the advice
given by Colonel PATTEN to the effect that arts
should be advanced not simply in connection with
arts as with manufactures.

The Marquis of lIARTINGTON addressed some re-
marks on the advantages of such institutions as
those before them, and showed the importance of
men in a district like that knowing the
principles of the work in which they
were engaged. They gained besides a general
knowledge of the events that were passing
around them, and the working man could peruse
the newspapers and monthly periodicals, the " in-
telligent study" of which confers great advantages.
The noble marquis truly said that dramas and his-
tories have been enacted under our eyes during the
last few years. There was the American War,
there were the changes in the Cabinet, all of which
were chronicled day by day, and month by
month, for our benefit, and the contents
of a newspaper " afford means for getting
the materials for a romance, and also for
acquisition of philosophy." If institutions of this
kind are not always so successful as they ought
to be, the answer may be found in the fact that all
have not received the education they ought. It is
certain, as Lord HUNTINGTON said, that education
is the great question of the future, and will be the
pressing demand of the future. All agree in
that, at any rate, and Mr. Lows, in his dia-
tribes against Reform, declares that it is absolutely
necessary to attend to education. The noble mar-
quis concluded his speech by an impressive passage
on the blessings of education, and declared that he
should admire more than the liberal principles and
philanthropy of the country the " spectacle of a
people thoroughly educated ; the spectacle of a
people amongst whom it would be impossible to find
a man who did not know how to read or write, and
something of his country's history and laws."

The tide of public favour in the United States
has evidently turned in favour of more moderate
counsels than have lately prevailed. The news
which reaches us concerning the elections confirms
in every particular the impressions created by the
signs of the times. The Democrats have gained
positive triumphs in several directions. Where the
Radicals have secured the elections, on the contrary
they have done so by such greatly reduced majorities
as proves their power to be on the wane. The most
important victory achieved by the Democrats was in
the State of Pennsylvania, which is generally accepted
as the indicator of the total result. The elections were
carried by the Democrats by a majority of 9,000, Mr.
Su A RWOOD being elected Judge of the Supreme Court
and Mr. WOODIVARD member to Congress. Both
parties claim a majority in the Legislature—a re-
sult which is not very surprising after a contested
election ! It is thought probable that the Democrats
have also carried the Ohio elections, electing Mr.
THURMAN Governor, the entire State ticket, and
one member of Congress to fill the vacancy; also
securing a majority in both branches of the Legis-
lature. This is a wonderful change from the state
of things last year; and it is further noticeable that
in Indiana and lowa, where the Republicans have
carried the day, they have done so by
greatly reduced majorities—a proof that the
Democrats have gained strength, and will very
likely succeed in placing their owu candidates at
the next election. In Ohio extreme views met with
little favour, for the Negro Suffrage Amendment
has been defeated by an overwhelming number.
This we apprehend would be the case in any State
where the real opinion of the white population
could be obtained, and with some reason. A list
of 200 jurors has been drawn by military orders in
Louisiana, only 20 of whom are white. This gives
us a fair idea of the ascendancy which it is the in-
terest of the negro suffrage party to secure to the
blacks—an ascendancy which there can be no doubt
could only be productive of mischievous results. A
bill to permit negroes to hold office has
been passed in the Tennessee Legislature,
but this is an imprudent step. To allow the
negroes to give evidence, to hold property, and
other changes of the kind is wise, just, and neces-
sary ; but to hurry on their political progress, to
place them in positions of influence and power for
which they have had no training by education or
association, to thrust grave responsibilities upon
them for which they are not fit; in short, to make
political capital out of their excitability, their igno-
rance, and their ambition, is as foolish as it is
dangerous, as impolitic as it is unreasonable. The
Radicals hays been most reckless in their con-
duct in this respect. We hear by this
very mail that Mr. HANNICUT, the Radical leader
in Virginia, has been making an incendiary
speech to the negroes at Richmond. We may see
the consequences of such inflammatory harangues
on every side. A party of armed negroes have
taken forcible possession of some lands n.ear Nor..
folk, and have resisted the Federal officers sent to
dispossess them. Such extremities are very unde-
sirable, but until some restraining influence can be
brought to bear upon the ultra-Radicals we cannot
expect the negroes to show more moderation than
their leaders. Happily the indications of the poli-
tical barometer are favourable to, wise and concilia-
tory counsels. The l'itesiDENT, we arc told
by the New Yoi k 7 biles, accepts the results
of the elections as an endorsement of his
policy, and will now remodel his Cabinet.
Another year's experience has taught wisdom to the
people who suffered themselves in the autumn of
1866 to be misled by Radical harangues and duped
by specious phrases. The condition of the country
is not such as to justify any further extension of
confidence to the party who has grievously abused
its lease of power, and its finances are very unlikely
to flourish so long as bounties to the soldiers secure
Radical elections. Great Democratic rejoicings are
taking place throughout the country, and with
reason ; but it is to be hoped that the members of the