The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-09 00:00:00

CORRESPO.

to the credit of the Government, while it realises
the expectations of the people and gains the ap-
proval of Parliament.

It was no doubt with feelings of deep gratifica-
tion that the Chancellor of the Exchequer yester-

day gave audience to the very large and influential
deputation of working men who addressed him on
the all• engrossing subject of Reform. Deputations

and delegations are no very uncommon things, and
every Minister of State sees plenty of them during

his tenure of office, but the numerous assembly

which gathered yesterday in Downing-street was
something more than an ordinary meeting. In the
first place, it was composed almost exclusively of
working men, the bond fide inechanizs and work-
men, among whose ranks there is to be found so
much genuine English feeling and sound common

sense. Men like these are no doubt liable, as we

impressed by fervent elo-
all are, to be specially

quence or misled by ingenious sophistry, but it is not
easy to convince them against the evidence of their

senses. They may be willing sometimes to accept

the shadow for the substance, but it is difficult to

persuade them, when the substance is within reach,
that it is nothing more than a shadow. Having,
therefore, wished and laboured for years to obtain
an enlarged reduction of the franchise, they cannot
see why they should refuse it when it is offered
them. Very few expect or even wish for manhood
suffrage in any class, but supposing that there was
a stronger inclination for it no one could hope to
see it carried at present. What, then, is the safest
and most liberal suffrage which can be granted by
an established Government and accepted by the
people ? The answer is easy. A household suffrage
under certaiu conditions, combined with a lodger fran-
chise, authorities of all shades of opinion from Lord
BROUGHAM to Mr. BRIGHT have endorsed this
proposition, and there is no doubt that its prin-
ciple is fully in accordance with English habits and
feelings. A householder who bears his part of the
public burdens has surely a right to give his vote
on Liatters of personal government. If he is
competent to elect the municipal officer to have a
s o
a l a t
human e paupers, p
being,ers t
he voice in the guardianship of hundreds of helpless
and deiscidceertoaninityhe
capable
eaboler
death d
of e
of choosing a man to represent his opinions in
Parliament. The princip]e then which lies at the
foundation of the Ministerial measure is one
which commends itself to the common sense
and judgment of Englishmen, and we are
not surprised to find that it should have
been cordially accepted by so large a num-
ber of working men in all parts of the country.
It was the great variety of places represented that
gave importance to the deputation of yesterday ;
Birmingham was strongly represented ; Leeds,
Huddersfield, Halifax, Macclesfield, Kidderminster,
Coventry, Derby, Exeter, Portsmouth, and Ply-
mouth, sent spokesmen, and it is fair to the intelli-
gence and education of the unenfranchised classes
to notice the ability and straightforwardness with
which they spoke. Some of them represented
Conservative working men's associations, but others
did not pledge themselves to any political party,
only they were anxious to support the Government
in what they believed to be in the main an honest
and satisfactory measure. Mr. EDWARDS, of Bir-
mingham, said he came from the most Radical town
in England, the stronghold of traditional Radi-
calism. His acquaintance with working men was not
he said drawn from statistics, but he lived and moved
among them ; and he affirmed that if you took the
first twenty working men you met with, half of
them would have no confirmed political opinions,
five of them would be men of moderate principles,
and the remaining five political partisans. This is
no doubt a very fair estimate, as we believe it would
be of any class. Why then should it be supposed
that an increased representation of the working men
would give irresponsible power to any one particular
party ?

Mr. DISRAELI, having listened to the several
spokesmen of the assembly, addressed them at some
length. He accepted them as being really repre-
sentatives of a large proportion of the working men
of the country, and expressed his pleasure at
finding himself in direct communication with
them. Leaving for the moment the question
of Reform in abeyance, he proceeded to vindicate
the character and conduct of Lord DERBY'S
Administration. He reminded his hearers that the
foreign relations of the country had been since their
assumption of office in a most critical position ; that
Ireland had been during the whole duration of their
Government in a state of extreme danger and diffi-
culty, and boldly declared his belief that the man-
agement of our foreign affairs by Lord STANLEY,
and the government of Ireland by Lord NAAS and
Lord ABERCORN, were two results which would en-
title any Government to the confidence and candid
consideration of the country. The condition of the
finances was also, he declared, satisfactory, and
two of the great mea-
ts'uleryeshpardo
insuicsce(de di
ne d
the
pQast7siEnEgN's Speech—the Con-
federation of the North American Provinces and
the Reform of the Poor Law. Their op-
ponents, however vehement, have not, says
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, presumed
to express a vote of want of confidence
in the Ministry, neither have they opposed their
principal measures. What, then, he asked, is the
measure respecting which they find so much diffi-
culty ? After referring briefly to the leading
features of the Reform Bill, he declared that the
Government were fully resolved firmly to adhere to
the vital principles of the measure. The House of
Commons, ho declared, had given them, on the
and
s h
whole, a candid reception, and he believed that
there was a sincere desire on the part of the majo-
trbitey
occasion,t ha t ome
measurepassed obuyld
tbbeepaasssseisdtaandeeequuaf tbtetoe
independent members. The subsequent events of
the evening proved Mr. DISRAELI to be right in
this calculation, and his opinions of the manoeuvres
of his opponents were evidently not altogether
different from those of the independent Liberals.
Mr. DISRAELI declared he could better have
understood the attack had it been led by
one who was ambitious of dealing with the ques-
tion, and had confidence in his own success; but its
Leader had already as a Minister had every advan-
tage, and who yet misused his golden opportunity
and completely mismanaged the business. The
Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was listened to
with deep attention throughout, was warmly cheered
on his conclusion, and his intimation of a probable
appeal to the country was enthusiastically responded
to. happily, as we have seen, the necessity for
this last resort vanished with the day, but it is well
that our working men, more especially from the
busy mines of industry in the North, should occa-
sonally come face to face with their Ministers re-
presenting their own opinions with courage and
simplicity, and receiving in return the respect and
attention due to sincere and conscientious English-

men.

The troopship Himalaya, Capt. S. Piers, embarked
the 83d Regiment at Kingstown, on Saturday,
prior to which she had on board draughts of nine
other regiments. She left Kingstown at 10 a.m. for
her destination, Gibraltar, Cape of Good Hope, and
the Mauritius, haying ou board about 1,00 souls.

1M PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Monday Evening.
The following news is from the Moniteur :
" Despatches from Florence give from the news-

papers of that city various particulars respecting
the negotiations relative to the formation of the new

Italian Cabinet, at the head of which the King
placed M. Rattazzi. his Majesty, on receiving the
deputations from the Senate and the new Chamber
of Deputies charged to present to him an address
in answer to the speech from the Crown, said that
the circumstances were grave, that it was necessary

:o form a Ministry of conciliation including all

parties ; that he had requested M. Rattazzi to form
a Ministry upon this principle, and that he reckoned
upon the assistance of all the Deputies without dis-
tinction of party." His Majesty also said that the
most important questions for Italy at the present

moment were those connected with finance, and
that he felt the gravity of them so much that they
were the object of his special thoughts." At the
latest date the new Cabinet had not been fully
formed.

A private despatch from the Hague gives a more
complete version of the speech made in the Dutch
Chamber by M. Van Zuylen in reply to the inter-

pellation of M. Thorbecke relative to the conduct

of the Government in the Luxembourg affair. Here
are the words used by the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of King William the Third :

" The cession of Luxembourg, and consequently
the rupture of the ties which attach it to Holland,
is desirable for the later country. The Grand Duke
will not take any step without being certain that
the interests of his subjects will be guaranteed.
" The journals have spoken of considerable sums
paid to the Grand Duke. If there has been a ques-
tion of indemnity it is a very small one. Holland
in offering her good offices to Berlin had in view
possible negotiations hereafter. For the present

none exist. All was confined to discussions
(pourparlers) between the Great Powers. The
object of the cession was to guarantee the main-
tenance of peace, but a misunderstanding on the
pourparlers might have an entirely opposite result.

For Holland there was a connection between the
question of Luxembourg and that of Limbourg.
That was arranged by the declaration made
yesterday by M. de Bismark (and which was
read by Count de Zuylen to the Chamber,
M. Tornaco being at that moment at the Hague),
the Minister announcing that he would not mix
himself up any more with the Luxembourg affair,
either officially or officiously."
" The Marquis de Montholon, Envoy Extraordi-
nary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Emperor
to his very faithful Majesty, on the 30th of
March, took possession of the legation of France at
Lisbon."

" The Swedish Diet commenced the financial
discussion on the 29th March. The war budget

in particular gave rise to animated debates in both
Chambers. The Minister of Marine, charged with
the defence of the budget in the absence of his col-
league, the Minister of War, from indisposition,
informed the house that the committee appointed to
consider the subject of arms had made their report,
which was in favour of the adoption of the Reming-
ton gun. The question of the credit to be granted
for the purchase and manufacture of this new arm
excited a very long debate.
" The Government had proposed the amount of
3,500,00 rix dollars to provide for this expense, but
the first Chamber has only voted 1,500,000 rix dol-
lars, and that sum was reduced to a million by the
second chamber.

This amount will be definitively agreed on by
a special vote, comprising the majority of suffrages
in the two chambers.
" The navy budget was adopted almost without
any observations. Upon the whole, the Diet did
not evince a disposition to shrink from incurring
useful and urgent expenses."
The contradictions and fabrications upon the sub-
ject of Luxemburg continue, and indeed are on the
increase. According to one version Prussian artil-
lery officers, with munitions of war, have been sent
to the fortress, and other warlike manifestations
have been made. The Patrie, in reference to these
reports, says it is enabled to contradict them on the
faith of private despatches from Berlin. It adds
that the Prussian Cabinet is annoyed at these re-
ports, which are evidently spread with the object of
creating excitement both in France and Germany.
Very explicit declarations, emanating spontaneously
from the Cabinet of Berlin, have been made to the
Court of the Tuileries upon the subject.
La France has a long article, in which it contends
that, although Holland was disposed to cede the
Grand Duchies, with the consent of the populations,
difficulties were interposed by M. de Bismark, in
consequence of which Holland now views the mat-
ter in a very different light.
A Brussels paper, the Independance Beige, con-
tains a violent and warlike article. It says---" It is
no longer to be doubted now that on two sides we
seem to be drifting towards war. There is no
longer much hope that in Germany the public feel-
ing--equitable or not—will authorise the Prussian
Government to withdraw its flag from the fortress
of Luxembourg. On the other hand, there is little
reason to doubt that the French Government has
decided to push things to extremity if Prussia should
definitively prove heedless of the claims and repre-
sentations made to it."
Some members of the Legislative Body intend to
ask permission to make interpellations on the sub-
ject of Luxembourg.
The system adopted for telegraphic messages from
one extremity of Paris to the other is very cheap and
simple, and is coming into general use. The other
day an invalid wrote a letter to his medical man in-
forming him of the effect of the medicine be had
ordered so that he might avoid the trouble of a visit.
Immediately on receipt of the letter the doctor sent
a message by telegraph in the following terms :
" Leave off the internal medicine. Take a bath.
Eat the wing of a fowl. I will see you to-morrow."
Thus the patient was enabled to change his regimen
instantly, and at least two hours' time was saved.
The cost of the message was half a franc.
The Siecle gives unusual prominence to a very
important article by its chief editor, M. Ravin, the
deduction from which is that war between France
and Prussia is imminent, if Prussia should refuse to
listen to the advice of France to withdraw her
troops from Luxembourg. After arguing that a
refusal would be " ingratitude," and a hint that
France in such case ought to declare war, the
Siccle says :
" France desires to maintain amicable relations
with Prussia, but upon one condition—that Prussia
should respect the nationalities which surround her.
If it be otherwise, Prance, unless she be disposed to
abandon her character of civilisation, and to suffer
her rank and influence in the world to be diminished,
could not refuse her support to the people who are
threatened. In such a case she would have, in
order to make her rights respected, to defend her
honour, that admirable army which has not, so far
as we know, been deteriorated since the glorious
campaigns of the Crimea and Italy, and which is
still, if not in number, at least by its qualities, the
fiat in the world. Above all, she would have the
moral force derived from our great revolution, and
which has so often rendered her triumphant. 'There
is no danger in German unity, if it be turned to the
advantage of Germany, and not of Prussia: To
dissipate the uneasiness of the present, to avoid the
dangers of the future, it is necessary to restore to
France her initiative and her liberties. What France
cannot tolerate is that P russia should continue to
have a garrison in Luxembourg."
Among the agricultural products at the Exhibi-
tion will be a monster potato, grown at Louvain.
It weighs about 161bs. The form is that of a barrel,
and if it were hollow it would contain about nine
quarts.

A model of the mechanism used for producing the
beautiful chimes at the church of St. Germain
l'Auxerrois will be exhibited. Nearly four years
have been employed in perfecting this mechanism,
which is so simple that 42 bells may be put in mo-
tion with as much ease as a person can play on the
piano. This system differs effectually from any
hitherto adopted.
it is announced seriously that I‘l, Nadar has

made such arrangements with his famous balloon,
the Geant, that it will make several ascensions dur-
ing the Exhibition, carrying upwards no less than
70 persons. Surely this will be a curious spectacle.
The brother of the Emperor of Japan, the direct
heir to the throne of that empire, who has come to
see the Exhibition, is a handsome and intelligent
youth of 15, rather short in stature. He is called
Prince Mimboutayou. His violet-coloured dress
is elegant and characteristic. His suite is
composed of thirty persons, whose costumes are
tasteful and striking. Their rank is indicated by
embroidered flowers, disposed according to Japanese
law of heraldry. He landed at Marseilles from the
Sud, a vessel belonging to the 111essageriesImperiales,
and a salute of 21 guns was fired in honour of the
occasion. In Japan there are two sovereigns, one
spiritual, called Mikado or Dairi, who reigns at
Kioto; the ocher temporal, who, in the 16th century,
was Balled Siogoun, but who is now styled Tycouu
or Taicoun. The Prince Mimboutayou, now in
Paris, is the brother of the temporal Emperor of
Japan.

The weather has been very disagreeable to-day.
It has been cold, wet, and gloomy.

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

ITALY.

FLonENcE, April 9.

The Cabinet is stated to have been completed by
the nomination of Signor D'lffiitto to the Ministry
of Public Works, and Count Cambray-Digny to
that of Commerce.

Signor Sella delivered a speech at Mosso, Santa
Maria, on the Bth iust., upon the condition of
Italian Finance. He stated that the total deficit
for the Budget of 1867 was calculated at
500,000,000 lire. This was provisionally covered
by Treasury Bonds and the loan contracted by the
National Bank, based upon the forced currency of
the notes of that establishment. The landed
property of the clergy, he said, would only produce
40,000,000 lire annnally. The annual deficit under
the present administrative organisation of the
country amounted (continued Signor Sella) to
250,000,000 lire. It was, therefore, indispensably
necessary to effect radical economies and reform
the system of taxation. Signor Sella met with an
enthusiastic reception, and his speech was greatly
applauded.

THE ITALIAN MINISTRY.
FLORENCE, April 8, 11 a.m.
The new Ministry bas been formed as follows :
President of the Council and Minister of the
Interior—Signor Rattazzi.
War—General Revel.
Finance—Signor Ferraris.
Marine—Signor Pescetto.
Justice—Signor Tecchio.
Public Instruction—Signor Matteucci.
Agriculture and Commerce—Signor Cambray-
Digny.
The Portfolio of Foreign Affairs will probably be
accepted by Signor Villamarina.