The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-20 00:00:00

THE St N, LON! ON, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 20 1867.

LONDON, MONDAY, MAY 20, 1867.

The public career of the Compound Householder
has been a short one. Scarcely had he risen into
prominence, occupying the time of Parliament, per-
plexing Ministers, furnishing opposition orators
with vigorous illustrations, and filling the columns
of the press with explanations, suggestions, state-
ments, and counter-statements, than lie vanishes
into thin air. A political extinguisher comes down
upon himn, and the Compound I lousAoldvr is hence-
forward powerles,s for good or evil. It reminds one
of the old fah'e of the man and his wife, whom an
unkind Date favoured with three wishes. They each
spent one wish so hastily that they agreed to em-
ploy the third in wishing away all they had gained.
Our M.P.s are in much the same predicament.
They have all endeavoured to invest this Compound
Householder with dignity and importance. To
hear Mr. GLADSTONE denounce the intolerable ine-
qualities of the Government measure, to listen to
Mr. BRIGHT'S bitter invectives against the broken
faith and political dishonesty practised towards
the people, to say nothing of the whole host
of lesser speakers, an uninitiated observer

would have been fully justified in believing
that the Compound Householder was the
embodiment of the ideal Englishman. With him
the fortunes of.the race and the prosperity of the
country must rise or fall. Upon the treatment he
received from the hands of Government depended
the cause of civil liberty and individual freedom.
The Ministerialists were equally ready to accept this
view, and deprecated any accusation of offering a
slight to this formidable citizen. But when all
parties had agreed to set this idol on the Parliamen-
tary pedestal, fresh difficulties arose. Clause after
clause was proposed, change after change intro-
duced, and still the idol remained un-
satisfied. It was impossible to propitiate
him. To Mr. HODGKLNSON belongs the credit of
having broken the spell, and discovered .that the
exacting monster was only formidable in appear-
ance. That gentleman, having taken courage to
propose the abolition of the Compounding Acts alto-
gether, all parties were at once relieved. Mr. Dis-
RAELI frankly confessed he had wished it all along,
Mr. GLADSTONE gave his cordial consent, and it
seemed to be only wonderful that no one had
thought of such a solution of the difficulty before.
The obstacles which the Opposition were anxious
to put in the way of Ministers became a trouble-
some barrier in their own, and so long as
the Compound Householder blocked the way the
progress of the Reform Bill was tedious and uncer-
tain. There is a great deal still to be arranged
about the matter, and. he will probably monopolise
the attention of the Commons this evening, but
affairs are in a fair way of settlement, and one of
the most serious difficulties will have been, con-
quered when the question is actually adjusted. We
hope this is an encouraging augury, for hon. mem-
bers must not forget that much remains to be done.
The session is passing an rapidly, and they are still
in the first stages of the Reform Bill. There is
the redistribution to be thought of, always a
trying and invidious task, there is the pre-
vention of bribery at elections to be. considered,
hopeless though the effort may be. There are nu-
merous points of detail to be discussed, and there
are, besides, several social and domestic questions
of importance which are forced to wait aside till the
Reform Bill is got out of the way. There is no time
to waste if the work of 1867 is to be well done ;
and now that there is reason to hope the Compound
Householder will vex the Commons no more, we may
reasonably expect that no time will be lost in push-
ing forward the Reform Bill, so that this session
may see it, in its improved state, actually become
law.

The records of modern history present us with
few more melancholy pages than those which tell
the brief annals of the Empire of Mexico. The
uncertainty of the fate of the gallant Austrian
Archduke, the cloud which hangs over his fair
young wife, give a deeper gloom to the story than
the failure of an ambitious enterprise or the loss of
a kingdom. The position which was offered to
MAXIMILIAN was sufficiently tempting to have in-
duced many daring spirits to leave a position of com-
parative• obscurity for a career which showed
dazzling possibititias. The near relative of one of
the first crowned heads in Europe, MAXIMILIAN
was familiar with the science of government, and
he felt himself to be endowed with the capacity to
rule a people with prudence and firmness. his
views, too, were liberal and enlightened; lie was
not fettered by the feudalism which has been so
serious an obstacle in his brother's path ; and he
believed, no doubt, that in a new world he could
reign without the restrictions and prejudices
which embittered the old. A crown has powerful
fascinations for most men, and it is no great
wonder that MAXIMILIAN'S ambition outran his
prudence, and that the rich and beautiful country
across the Atlantic became the scene of his hopes
and dreams.

The strugglehasbeen a brief one, though gallantly
fought. The fair promise of peace and security
which deluded the new comers ou their first arrival
soon passed away, and was replaced by bitter, heart-
sickening disappointments. The American people
resented the presence of a foreign dynasty on any•l
part of their continent, and would not rest until
the French EMPEROR had agreed to withdraw his
troops. They refused, too, to recognise any Mexi-
can authority but JUAREZ, whom events have
shown is unable to maintain his ascendancy
over ORTEGA and his party. NAPOLEON, Oc-
cupied with more pressing interests nearer
home, and gl.td to extricate himself from an
unpopular struggle, agreed to bring home his forces
when the Imperialist cause was doomed. The sad
story of the EMPRESS'S visit to Europe, her painful
efforts to obtain assistance from the continental
Powers, and the final collapse of health and reason
under the prolonged trial, are all familiar to us.
The EMPEROR has remained at his post, animated
by a gallant but mistaken conviction that he could
not abandon it with honour, although his cause was
hopeless. The Americans, roused by the painful
spectacle, have exerted themselves on his behalf,
and have endeavoured to save his life, but it is un-
certain whether they have been successful. No
one knows where he is, and there is too much rea-
son to fear that he is no longer living. Whether,
under different circumstances, the story might have
taken a happier turn is matter of conjecture.
I.IIAximiLIAN, no doubt, in a less disturbed country,
would have made a wise, a liberal, and popular
ruler; but even if the Americans had refrained
from diplomatic interference, a throne propped up
by foreign bayonets could be but a discreditable and
uncertain possession. The warning conveyed by the
story of the Austrian Archduke and Archduchess
is one which has been often told, but will need to be
as often told again before the uneasiness of the head
that wears a Crown is believed in by lesser mortals.
The experience so painfully gained by disappointed
ambition from the Queen of BOHEMIA downwards
will never profit those who come after.

What will become of Mexico itself is another
question. The country is now given up again to
anarchy and bloodshed, and there seems little hope
of either party becoming so decidedly victorious as
to insure peace even for a time. The Americans
have quite enough on their hands at present with
their own affairs ; nevertheless they must, it would
seem, make some effort on behalf of Mexico, if they
would be spared the pain and disgrace of coun-
tenancing reckless and indiscriminate slaughter.

The Treaty negotiated at the London Conference
was signed last week by the Emperor of the FRENCII
and the King of PRUSSIA, So that it may be con-
sidered to be 1, irtually settled. So far all ins satin_

factory for the present, but there seems nincli to
indicate that the lull is only temporary, and at any
rate that at any moment unpropitious circumstances
may conduce to bring about hostilities. In the first
place, the people of neither nation most concerned
in the matter seem satisfied at the state of things ;
and the next, the journals of both France and
Prussia are in a very excited frame of mind, and
are evidently determined to keep up the angry
feelings that the chances of war have engendered ;
consequently, those who take up t he pagers of Berlin
or of Paris are edified or horrified, as the case may
be, by the details of the differences and disputes
that have arisen. It is amusing to notice the length

to which some go in their eagerness to proclaim the
errors or mistakes of their rivals.

A great deal of excitement has been caused by the
attempts made by the students of Strasburg to
convince those of Berlin of the necessity that existed
for peace. These latter were much horrified, and
accordingly have given vent to their feelings in
very strong language. They have been incautious
in letting out secrets, which, perhaps, had better
have been kept in the background. The " peace"
which has just been gained has, we learn, been
purchased by " fresh humiliation," and France has
heaped opprobrium upon them. Luxemburg,
Schleswig Holstein, and Alsace are all, they declare,
by rights the territory of Germany, and only traitors
and enemies can recommend that for the sake of
peace any German possession should be given up.
No doubt this seems to indicate the state of mind
among many, and there are not wanting additional
instances to show that diseoutent is rife in many
quarters. To the present the Prussians have cer-
tainly had the worst of it, and although in official
circles much may be said and done to close over
things, the real meaning of the matter cannot be
ascertained by these expressions.
It is more difficult to determine why the French
should be so dissatisfied at the aspect of affairs.
Perhaps they think that there must be
war before there is a real and lasting peace, and
we look upon all present plans as temporary
arrangements unworthy of much serious attention
or notice. For the moment all these feelings can be
disregarded, but the time will come when the senti-
ments which have gained ground in so many
circles are more apparent, and then they cannot be
despised or put aside as meaningless. The differences
that exist on the subject of the Army Reorganiza-
tion Bill do not tend to improve the state
of things in Paris just now as regards busi-
ness matters, and it is a dispute that is of no
light nature. It seems that the Committee
on the reorganisation scheme are desirous of reject-
ing the whole of the Government proposals, which
supposed decision has thrown many journals into a
state of alarm. It has been said that the Govern-
ment have resolved to draw up a fresh scheme,
which may conduce to bring about an agreement,
but this does not seem certain intelligence. M. Pt-
CARD, in the Corps Legislatif, endeavoured to find
out some of the truth of the affair, but, as might
have been expected, he received no answer to his
queries. It seems important that some settlement
should be speedily come to on this material point,
and those advisers are the true ones who coun-
sel that on the part of the Government and the
Chamber there should be every effort used to come
to an understanding. Certainly, under existing cir-
cumstances, it is expedient that not even the ap-
pearance of disagreement should be exhibited to
the world. We trust that those patriotic feelings,
which far outweigh mere considerations of expe-
diency or notions of independence, will conspire
to produce a favourable issue to this task of re-
modelling the Army, and that all doubts on the
matter will be speedily set at rest by the settle-
ment of the 'case in dispute in a lasting form and
a successful style.

It has something like the effect of a transforma-
tion to pass from the interior of affairs in Paris to
the exterior. Certainly no one who was present at
the meeting of the Allied Sovereigns in_ Paris, half
a century ago, could have imagined that the time
would come when the nephew of NAPOLEON would
receive in that capital the Sovereigns of Europe, or
their representatives. Time brings many changes,
and history several startling truths stranger than
fiction, but Paris of the present day is as striking
a contrast to Paris of the past as any one
could seek to gaze upon. The entertainment
given at the British Embassy last week was a
general affair, and the guests comprised all of rank
and consequence in Paris. It may certainly be
regarded as the triumph of the work of the Con-
ference, and in this light we may consider that
result to have been a fortunate one, since it allowed
of the carrying out of the work of the Exhibition
in its entirety. There has long been a doubt as to
which of the conflicting interests precedence would
be given, that of the Exhibition or that of the desire
for work. As things stand at present the French EM-
PEROR may be congratulated an combining both in
a measure, for his Exhibition has prospered under
all its auspices, and succeeded in drawing to Paris
a brilliant company, beSides holding out the pros-
pect of witnessing yet gayer scenes before its close.
As regards the war, for the present, his Government
have had an indirect triumph by the evacuation of
Luxemburg by the Prussians ; and at the same time
they are not compromised as regards the future
should unfortunate circumstances arise. Notwith-
standing the under current of opinion in
France, there seems no valid reason to doubt
that the policy of the EMPEROR will be
as successful as it has mainly been since he assumed
so large a share of the direction of European politics.
In the brilliant scenes now enacting in Paris, we
may discern a deeper meaning than that which at
first sight meets the eye, and no doubt the Prussians
will recognise the truth, unpalatable though it may
be, that if their vaunted statesman has achieved
wonderful successes, there is a more potent politician
who has a larger grasp of mind and more firmness
in carrying out a purpose, and that such a one may
turn from the fetes at the Tuileries to a more serious
game with spirit and determination.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Sunday Erening.

A Cabinet Council, at which the Emperor pre-
sided, was held yesterday at the Tuileries. The
Empress was not present. Her Majesty was, I
believe, at St. Cloud with the young Imperial
Prince.

The miscellaneous news which follows is from the
3loniteur

" Salvos of artillery announced on Thursday to
the inhabitants of St. Petersburg the betrothal of
bis Majesty George the .1., King of Greece, to the
Grand Duchess Olga Constantine Nicolaievicht,
brother of the Emperor Alexander of Russia.
" Yesterday morning the Pope held a Secret
Cousistory, at which four bishops were preconised.
No speech was made by his Holiness.
" A letter from Rome, of the 17th May, states
that 50 brigands have spontaneously surrendered
themselves as prisoners. Two of them were shot.
Numerous troops have been sent in search of the
bands of the brigands who invest the territory of
Corneto. The most energetic measures are adopted
against brigandage. _

" According to the latest private accounts from
Japan, the Taicoun had declared his intention to
extend to all nations the provisions of the tre.itits
of commerce concluded with some of the Foreign
Powers."

A letter from Florence, dated May 14, says that
various projects of law are under consideration, the
most important of which is our relation to the re-
organisation of the army. The Italian army is to
be divided into two distinct classes, the active army
constituting a permanent force, and the Presidiare
army which is to keep garrison and maintain tran-
quillity in the interior of the country. The active
army will include 72 regiments of infantry, each of
3 battalions of four companies, instead of 80 regi-
ments of four battalions as at present. To the in-
fantry are to b 3 added 5 regiments of Bersaglieri or
Tirailleurs of pectliar organisation, as theY will each
comprise 9 battalions of four companies, twenty

regiments of cavalry of six squadrons each, .8 regi-
ments of artillery, engineers, 24 companies, train,
4 brigades,' corps d'administration, 6 companies.
The Presidency 'army will be thus composed-96
battalions of four companies each, 12 battalions of
Bersaglieri, 27 companies of artillery and 6 com-
panies of engineers. The two armies thus consti-
tuted will comprise on a peace footing 208,348 men,
and on a war establishment 570,447 men, making a
decrease, as compared with the state of the army on
the 31st of December, 1865, of more than 8,612
men in the first clas4, and a difference of at least
99,673 men of the second class.

The latest news received in Paris from Mexico
completely coi.firins the account of the flight of the
Emperor Maximilian. The Imperialists had been
almost entirely repulsed from Mexico, and only
occupied a few houses. The Memorial Diplomatique,
which has always warmly supported the cause of
Maximilian and the new empire of Mexico, is con-
strained to admit with sorrow that the cause for
which France has sacrificed so much is entirely and
hopelessly lost. There does not seem to be any cer-
tain account of the embarkation of Maximilian for
Europe, but should he not have left Mexico, his de-
parture cannot be delayed.
One of the Paris papers records as an interesting
fact that there was never such a large assemblage
of foreign pickpockets, male and female, as at pre-
sent. Many of them are unfortunate, for the re-
cords of the police offices lately show that there
have been many convictions. A pleasant anecdote
is told upon the subject. A few years ago the
special and holiday trains carried numbers of the
cleverest artists both from Paris and Loudon to
Calais, where there were some grand fetes. On the
first day the booty of the professionals of the two
cities amounted to 55 gold or silver watches. In
the evening the French and English professionals
met at a drinking shop, according to appointment.
They drank and fraternised together, but the joy of
the French was mingled- with a spice of regret, as
they were compelled to confess that they were beaten
in the peaceful struggle for watches. The English
had taken 45, and the French only 10 during the
day. Nevertheless, there was no hatred or malice
in their hearts, and they proposed to their English
colleagues to consecrate the entente cordiale by
howls of punch. The English artists were no-
thing loth. The libations were so copious, and
the cordiality so overpowering, that at 1 o'clock
in the morning the English were rolling gloriously
drunk under the table. As to the Frenchmen
at that same hour they were rolling in the railway
train towards Paris, taking with them the 55
watches, most of which the English pickpockets had
acquired professionally during the day.
ftEEoh
umri
srrpo year
epaer epoa rr
Exhibitionn
and
bh ea
se
otandkindly
unusually
unae
sually
interesting, as the Universal
The competition for prizes for implements used
pidnrisyeserving grain of all kinds will
Unitedpimplementslae e dstahtise s
farmof froAmomf
eallFroc
aui partsueTu shoe
The
near St. Cloud, at the disposal of the jury for the
purpose. The first examination will commence or,
Thursday next, and will be continued as many
following days as may be necessary. The compe-
tition for harvesting implements will take place
towards the latter end of July.
The show of horses instituted under the auspices
of the Societe Hippique Francaise, or society for the
encouragement of the breed and improvement of
horses, which has taken place for some days past
on the esplanade of the Invalides, has been satisfac-
tory and attractive. Great numbers of horses have
been sold at good prices. The prizes are to be
awarded on Wednesday next, and on the following
day the horses which gained the prizes will be ex-
hibited to the public.
The Correspondance Provinciale, which is sup-
posed to convey the sentiments of the Cabinet of
Berlin, says—" The circumstances under which an
amicable agreement between France and Prussia
has just been newly insured offers a guarantee on
the part of 'both Powers that they seriously and
gravely desired a policy of peace. That pacific
policy will receive additional confirmation by the
journeys which the King of Prussia and the most
powerful Sovereigns of Europe propose to make to
Paris in order to visit the Exhibition. The deliber-
a ions of the Conference are terminated. Nothing
remains but to exchange the ratifications. The re-
port of ulterior negotiations between the Powers or
some of them is erroneous. The ratifications will
probably take place before the expiration of the
proposed period of four weeks."

A mysterious affair is under investigation by the
authorities at Fontainebleau. On Monday last the
body of a lady was discovered in a lonely spot near
the promenade of Franchart. Part of the face had
been eaten away by some carniverous animal. The
dress of the lady indicated that she belonged to the
rich class, but there is nothing to prove her identity.
Upon further inquiries it has been ascertained that
in the previous week the ladies went to a hotel in
the town,
and, after breakfasting, ordered a car-
riage for a drive in the environs. They proceeded
to Franchart, and from thence sent the carriage
back to the hotel. In the evening one of the ladies
returned there, and in a tone of great grief said her
friend had left her, and asked if she had come back
to the hotel. Upon receiving a reply in the nega-
tive the lady returned to Paris. There is no doubt
that the body of the missing lady is that of the
friend who accompanied her to Franchart. A sur-
gical examination has not indicated any external
sign of violence previous to the mutilation of the
face.

A Paris paper has a report that her Majesty the
Queen intends to come to Paris to visit the Exhibi-
tion. Another more probable statement is that the
Sultan of Turkey, Abdul Aziz, intends to come,
although Sultans of Turkey seldom or never leave
their country. The Prince Royal of Prussia is ex-
pected daily. The king of Prussia is to leave
Berlin for Paris on the Ist of June, and it is said
that M. Bismarck will accompany him.

The show of sheep of fine wool at Billancourt
commenced on Friday. According to the Moniteur,
which speaks ou this subject with official authority,
" the finest specimens ever seen have come from
Brte e that
Chn
Champagnes
sheep are iu universal re-
pute, and Burgundy. It is known
u
,a
the
ad
Fmpach rcu
that they are exported for France in
large
quantities, even as far as Australia. There
i
are to be seen the Metis merino species and Mau-
champ, which produce the finest wool in the world."
In spite of indifferent weather to-day every hour
has brought large numbers of visitors to the Exhi-
bition.

There has been a shock of earthquake at Bor-
deaux.distinct oscillations were felt. The direction was
It took place
from north-west to south-west.
The railwayat midnight. Three very
companies have commenced the
series of railway excursions to and from Paris, to
enable visitors to come to the Exhibition at a cheap
rate. Every day brings many hundreds of provin-
cialists. The Palace of the Bey of Tunis, in the
Champ de Mars, of
which I gave an account, is to
be opened to the public to-morrow.

NORFOLK AND THE REFORM BILL.--Ameeting of
the Norfolk Chamber cf Agriculture was held on Satur-
day at Norwich—Mr. C. S. Read,
M.P., presiding—to con-
sider the operation of the Reform Bill as regards Norfolk.
It is proposed to disfranchise Great Yarmouth, and to take
one member from Thetford, thus reducing the aggregate
number of Norfolk members from 12 to 9 ; while it was
shown that Devonshire would have no less than 22,
although the amount of income tax paid in Devonshire
was less than the correspondin amount paid in Norfolk.
After considerable discussion it was resolved unanimously
that the proposal to take away three members from Norfolk
was unjust, and that the most strenuous efforts tiliould be
made to retain to the county (he 12 members to which it
wus entitled by reason of its population, wealth, and im-
portance. A memorial to this effect will be submitted to
Mr. Disraeli.

TUE MOST
TAXED.—Let the taxpayers of Nev.'
York take courage. Their lot might be worse. Their.
burden this year, according to Controller Hillhouse, will
be $22 75c. per head, exclusive, of course, of their propor-
tion of Customs duties. The Bostonians, however, are
fated to carry a much heavier load. '' The estimated ex-
penditure of the city of Boston for 1867," states the Adver-
tzser, "including the State tax, but exclusive of the United
States' internal revenue tax, is $7,95,000, or about $4O
per head." In other days John Bull was considered the
most unfortunate of taxpaying bipeds. BY
comparison he
should now be esteemed superlatively blessed. His total
taxation just now is but $9 59c., being ;$l3 16,c.. less than
that of the New Yorker, and $3O 41c. below that of the
luckless Bostonian.--New York Times.

LATEST INTELLI&ENUE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

AMERICA.
(Arrival of the Malta.)
QUEEN STOWN, May 20.

The Cunard extra steamer Malta, from New
York, arrived here at 9.20 a.m. to-day, with 123
passengers and $131,973 in specie. After lauding
15 passengers she proceeJed for Liverpool at
9.40 a.m. All well.

NEW YORK, May 18.
The North German Lloyd steamer llansa arrived
out to-day.

SOUTH 13IPTON, May 20.

The New York and Bremen Company's steam-
ship Western Metropolis passed here at four a.m.
to-day.

CROOKHAVEN, May 20, 10.30 a.m.

The Inman steamer City of Paris from New York
is now passing Browhead Signal Station. She will
probably arrive at Queenstown about 3 p.m., and
letters reach London to-morrow at 6.25 p.m.

CONSTANTINOPLE, May 16.

The Porte has just granted to the Viceroy of
Egypt the title of Ilidiver, which is equivalent in
Persian to King. Some other minor concessions are
also granted.
The Ottoman Imperial Bank has just published
a statement showing that 900,000 liras have been
encashed, and 410,000 liras will fall due in time to
meet the July coupons of the general debt and the
foreign loans.