The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-19 00:00:00

THE SUN. LONDON, INIONOAY EVENING, AUGUST 19, 1867.

Works to continue the examination of the different sic,n two resolutions were passed almost unanimously.
lines of railway, and to seek out the best means 7a.'he first declared in explicit terms " that this
of improving the canals and the navigation 1 meeting refuses to make victims of any of the mem-
of rivers, which are here called " modifying count' tr- bers of the Society of Sawgrinders, by expelling
poises to railway monopoly." This is one of thi use them on account of their connexion with the out-
admirable phases in which the illustrious writer so ' rages recently inquired into at Sheffield." Make
greatly excels, and by means of which he can always victims of men like BROADHEAD ! The idea is an
make his meaning clearly understood, while at the original one, when every one knows that if he had
same time he conveys to his hearers the ultimate not obtained his certificate of indemnity be would
intentions of the changes designated, and they acre be standing in the dock ! But the resolution,
able to realise the full effect of this or that pi o- which is a very long one, goes on to say that they
posal. Nothing could possibly be truer than this I decline going into any justification of the things done
description, and one of the EMPEROR'S discerns nent beyond assenting that they are effects of a cause,
must naturally feel most anxious to counteract by " the want of properly regulated legislative mea-
every means in his power the injurious influences of sures, binding men in some degree to what is
this monopoly of railways. All that can in any de- honourable, just, and good." Ile will be a very
gree arrest the course or change the directions of such clever statesman who devises such a measure as
powers must be held as a social benefit, and that. We have already enactments against theftonur-
well wishers to the community must hail their der, arson, conspiracy, perjury,and intimidation, but
adoption, and foster their development with might they do not seem to have produced much effect in
and main. Sheffield. It has often been said that you cannot
" Our efforts," says the EMPEROR, " must not be make men religious or moral by Act of Parliament ;
confined to these tasks alone, and hence we find but the sawgrinders dissent from this doctrine, as
that he desires to pursue his result of improvement they do from all doctrines that throw the respon-
in other directions. The Agricultural Commission sibility of a man's acts upon himself, and not upon
has, it appears, shown in an unmistakeable manner others. It may be observed that in all their de-
that it is most important for the prosperity of the mands from the Legislature these would-be Re-
country that a complete " network of parish roads formers are most carefully vague, " properly regu-
should be constructed." This is an essential condi- lated measures," " giving labour due consideration,"
tion to the wellbeing of those rural populations " rights," " justice," " equity,"—all such words are
who have always exhibited so much devotion to the constantly current, but they avoid any precise
intimation of what the nature of those measures is
EMPEROR, as he takes care to acknowledge in this
t
letter. " Preoccupied with the realisation of this to be. Unless they stipulate that the men shall fix
project," the EMPEROR had already instructed the the amount of wages instead of the master, and
Minister of the Interior to consider, in conjunction that the master shall be bound under heavy legal
with the Minister of isnanee, a series of measures penalties to obey all the rules of the union, we do
which might allow the termination, within ten net see much chance of satisfying the sawgrinders.
years, of the network of Parisian roads, by the aid of But let us see in what light Messrs. BROADHEAD
the State, the departments, and the communes. But and CROOKES are regarded by their maligned fel-
in addition to this triple concurrence the EMPEROR has lows, who were supposed to be horror-stricken by
sought to facilitate the means by which the com- , the extent of their sins. They are " men who have
munes can participate in the expense, and had' taken upon themselves the task of risking their lives
therefore requested the Minister to arrange a special and their liberties for what they believed to be the
fund to be devoted to the purpose of advancing the good of the institution ;" and the meeting indig-
necessary sums by means of loans granted at a mo- nantly disclaimed, as a libel upon the so-
derate rate, and repayable at long periods. No ciety, the statement that Mr. BROADHEAD had
doubt this is the best plan to meet the exigencies of been reinstated as a member because he was never
1 the case, and its adoption will tend to remove many expelled 1 After this the second resolution, recom-
difficulties from the way. mending all Trades' Unions to abstain from all'acts
After expressing his approval of the note which had of violence in waiting for the action of the Legis.
been addressed to him by M. LAVALETTE, the Est_ lature, falls quite powerless. Such conduct as BROAD-
' PEROR goes on to say that there are some important HEAD and CROOKES'S must either be stigmatised by
questions to examine, and the Minister in question the strongest language of horror and indignation, or
altogether. It is not possible to give
must collect together means of information at once passed by
"precise and complete." The Municipal Councils faint blame to so atrocious a system, and if we are,
. as the sawgrinders tell us, to attribute the offences
will, by their deliberations, form the " point of de
to the whole Union, the sooner such a body is
pasture" in this work; but the EMPEROR, with right
feeling, desires that a large part in the investiga- broken up the better, for the semi-savages on the
1 tion " may be left to the members of those depart- very
outskirts of civilisation know better than to
tolerate murder.
mental assemblies with whose patriotism and
devotion he is acquainted, and whose concurrence But Mr. BROADHEAD'S popularity in Sheffield is
he knows will not fail him." This confidence not confined to members of his own union. On
is well placed, and the proof of it thus signally the hero's return from the meeting we have referred
to he found a deputation awaiting him. They
afforded cannot fail to have due effect upon those
concerned. It is very suitable that these assem- were non-unionists, who, not being able to obtain
blies should have full opportunity afforded to them admission into the old union, thought of forming a
s
of exercising their judgment and expressing their society of their own, and were looking out for an
views in respect to these charges which so inti- experienced director. BROADHEAD seemed to them
mately concern them. The more free and unli- a likely man, and fully expecting that he would be
mited is the power conferred the more lasting is expelled his own society they hastened to in-
the work likely to be that is done ; and the more vite him to take the management of theirs.
genial the feeling with which the work is un- So that, so far from the men of Sheffield
dertaken the better for all concerned, either having been shamed into a better state of
directly or indirectly. The EMPEROR concluded feeling here is a new society going to be formed on
his remarkable letter by expressing his confidence the worst principles of the old ! BROADHEAD de-
in the "enlightened zeal and energetic activity of clined the honour, and advised the deputation to
M. DE LAN" kLETTE, and trusts that, at the next wait for an opportunity of joining all the saw-
sitting of the Legislative Body, a bill may be laid grinders in one body. Assuredly public morality
Lefore it, which will insure the execution of this among the working men of Sheffield must be at a
work," the realisation of which he has so much at very low ebb, and the inferences to be drawn from
heart. In accordance with the wishes of the Im_ these facts is not very flattering to our national con-
perial letter, M. LAVALETTE has already pub- dition. It is easy enough to understand the motives
lished a report alluding to the execution of of such men as CROOKES, BROADHEAD, and the others.
the measures proposed in the communication ; Unscrupulous and low-minded, they were actuated
and a Ministerial decree has also appeared, con- by the very common motives of greed for money
yoking the Municipal Councils during the early and love of power, and their patriotic devotion to
the rights of labour, " their risking of life and
part of September, in order that they may revise
liberty," resolves itself under one or other of these
the classification of the parish roads. Thus the
heads. They took very good care of their lives and
matter will not be allowed to decay, and we may
liberties at the expense of the " institution" when
congratulate the French upon having the prospect
of improvement in so important a direction. It the necessity arose. The weaker men around them
has long been a reproach to our neighbours that were no doubt swayed by fear. The bullets and
they cared more for show than for substance, and the gunpowder did their work well, and silenced the
gave less heed to solid and substantial wants than tongues of cowards,who feared it might be their turn
the circle wanting to get in and selecting
leaders
?u c hi,
ea mans
uns
they did to superficial. Mistrust seems likely to be next. But what are we to think of new men out of
as BROADHEAD for choice as thir'
now done away with. It was said of an Emperor
of old that he found Rome brick and left it marble ;
and although this cannot be literally applied to the
have no more of the high principles. The honesty
Emperor NAPOLEON, he will leave France very dif-
and good feeling of our working men, for all their
ferent in many respects from what he found it, and
boasted mental progress, has b
been only backwards
so long as they can tolerate such d •
these improvements are likely to record the most doings.
momentous memorial of his reign, as they certainly
redound to his credit, and prove his interest in the
I
_ people.
i;

CORRESPONDENCE PROM PARIS.

(PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

If we required any proof of the dangerous ten-
dency of Trades' Union principles we should as-
suredly find it in the conduct of the Sheffield saw-
grinders. Those who incline to the opinions of the
Unionists, who regard all the relations between
labour and capital as a warfare between recognised
enemies, who accept the doctrine that the interests
of the union should be paramount to every other
consideration, were very indignant because the
public common sense blamed all the members of the
Union for the offences proved against a few. It
was not credible that men should be shot down in
the street, should be maimed for life, should have
their houses blown up in the very middle of a large
town without the events attracting some attention.
As these men were invariably known to be offenders
against the Union laws, it could not require much
penetration on the part of their fellow-workmen to
attribute their misfortunes to the right source.
Many of the members of the Union may have been
ignorant of the full extent to which the iniquities
were carried, but they could only have been so
ignorant from shutting their eyes and wilfully
refusing to discover what they did not wish to
know. At the same time it is not a little surpris-
ing to find the hardihood and indifference evinced
by the unions whose names have been disgraced by
he recent disclosures. The unanimous condemna-

PARIS, Sunday Evening.
The papers to-day discuss with earnestness, and
some with a degree of apprehension, the probable
results of the coming conference between the Em-
peror Napoleon and the Emperor of Austria. There
is little reason to doubt that politics are much
mixed up with this interview. A Vienna corres-

pondent of the Journal des Debats, who seems to
be well informed, mentions several points which
the two Monarchs will have under consideration,

but they all resolve into the one important idea
that Austria is determined, or desires, to regain her
power and influence in Germany. Upon this sub-
ject the Siecle says :
" The interview at Salzburg between the Em-
peror of the French and the Emperor of Austria is
the great political fact of the moment. The public
in Germany are more occupied with it than the
people of France. We have already given our
reasons, drawn from the present position of Austria,
for thinking it doubtful that Power wishes to
make formal engagements with the view to an
active policy. Her internal position seems to re-
quire abstention and peace.
" Would it be legitimate to found upon this basis
interpretations of too confident a character respect-
ing the possible results of the interview at Salzburg ?
We think not. For several years past European
policy has resulted in events quite opposite to those
which were foreseen by statesmen of the greatest
reputation and experience. How few persons, for
instance, believed that Austria would carry folly
so far as to expose her situation in Germany to
certain ruin, in order to satisfy the vain pride of
not surrendering Venice without fighting for it ?
How few persons also were there who believed that
the French Government, on its part, would have
such little foresight as to contemplate, with her
arms ready, the triumphs of Prussia, without being
previously assured of serious guarantee, in com-
pensation for a neutrality which was almost equal
to active assistance ? The facts accomplished have
contradicted the most probable anticipation. This
recent experience, therefore, ought to make us
cautious of hazarding predictions."
Among the views of the correspondent of the
Journal des Debuts he gives reasons. for arguing
that Austria has already regained in Southern
Germany, in Wurtemburg, for instance, and in
Bavaria, a great portion of the influence which she
lost last year. Austria, therefore, becoming more
confident in the sympathy of a portion of Germany,
Austrian policy would seek to form a Confederation
of Southern Germany, having ever it the same in-
fluence as Prussia over the Confederation of the
North.

tion of all who are not absolutely blinded by poli-
tical prejudice is powerless against them. The
censures passed upon them by the press, not of
England alone, but of France and America, fall
careless on their ears. They assume the airs of
martyrs for the public good, and look confidently
to the interference of the Legislature on behalf of
their interests. It will scarcely be believed by
many readers that BROADHEAD and CROOKES, whose
names have become bye-words through their own
revelations, are still retained as members of
the Sawgrinders' Union, which body refuse to
dismiss them ! The London Trades' Council, it

seems, having a better idea of the estimation in
which these men were held out of their own circle,
passed a resolution a short time since, expressing

astonishment, which they well might feel, that
BROADHEAD and CROOKES were still members of the
Union, and declaring that they will hold no com-
munication with it while these men remain in con-
nection with it. Upon receiving this intimation the
Sheffield sawgrinders held a full trade meeting in
the Temperance Hall, at which, after a long discus-

The Siecle, in commenting upon these assump-
tions, says :—" One need not be endowed with much
perception to understand that the realifiatiO4 of this

plan would involve a new war against Prussia.
One need not fear that it would be called a hazard-

ous opinion to affirm that Prussia would risk war to
the uttermost, in order to prevent the success of
such a policy. The correspondent of the Debats is
not deceived upon this point. It is clearly to be seen
that he considers war to be inevitable; should he be

correct in regard to the policy of the Cabinet of

Vienna."

•
The Empress has left Paris to meet the Emperor
at the camp of Chalons. The Emperor afterwards
went to Salzbourg to see the Emperor of Austria.
As at present arranged their Majesties will return
to Paris on Tuesday. _ _

The cholera still prevails in Italy to a fearful
extent. At Palermo, on the 9th inst., the number
of cases was 405, and of deaths 278. On the 10th
the number of cases decreased to 312, and the
deaths to 213. On the 10th, at midday, there were

260 cases, and 162 deaths. The cholera has made
many victims in the small town of Albano, but it
is beginning to diminish. The ravages were among
illustrious personages as well as the poor. The
Queen Dowager of Naples and the Princess
Colonna died from this terrible malady, and since
that the Cardinal Bishop of Albona, Prince Altieri,

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

has been carried off by it. He was 62. The latter,

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

on hearing of the invasion of the disease, came with
most heroic promptitude for Rome, and at the head
of his clergy went everywhere, in order to render
every assistance in his power. Such apostolic
zeal and devotion have excited great enthusiasm.
Cardinal Prince Altieri, almost to the moment when
_ _

struck by death, visited the sick and gave them
encouragement and consolation. In this good work
he was aided by the Cardinal di Pietro, who was
equally zealous. The Pontifical Zouaves, who are
in garrison at Albano, also exhibited the most

_
courageous devotion.
A despatch from Frankfort states that a terrible
fire broke out at two o'clock in the morning in the
eatnearai of that city. 'The vestry and several

adjoining houses were completely destroyed. There
are three deaths to deplore. The Queen of Prussia,
who is at present at Coblentz, on hearing the dis-

aster, sent a telegram to the director of police o
Frankfort, in which her Majesty expressed her ex

treme regret at the occurrence.
The murderess Frigard continues to exhibit per
feet coolness and indifference in regard to her crime
and her situation. Immediately after the sentence
she was reconducted to her cell in the prison at
Melun, where, according to the usual regulations,
she had to change her attire and put on the prison
dress. Madame Ledoux, the wife of the director of
the prison, shed tears and was much excited at see-
ing one of her own sex in such a position, and,
knowing her to be condemned for so terrible a crime,
nearly fainted. The prisoner, however, was as
calm as possible, and said to Madame Ledoux
" What is the matter with you ?" at the same time
smiling as she ever seemed to be according to the
witnesses. " Recover yourself ; lam calm ; feel my
pulse ;" she added, holding out her arm ; " it does
not beat more quickly than it did this morning."
In the course of the trial the prisoner took many
notes of the evidence upon a paper which she passed
to her counsel, who returned it as soon as he had
read the contents. This paper was found afterwards
in the cell which the prisoner occupied, and affords
a strong proof of the prisoner's coolness and power
of argumentation. Points of the evidence were
analysed with searching discrimination. For in-
stance, Dr. Bergevon gave some explanations in
regard to the manner in which he supposed the murder
had been committed. He imagined that a double
pressure had been exercised on the chest and throat,
and said he had made an experiment upon a dog to
test the accuracy of this hypothesis. In reference
to this the prisoner wrote on her paper, " Madame
Mertens wore a pair of stays of excellent workman-
ship, and made up with strong whalebone. Ask
the doctor if to press upon stays of this kind it
would not be necessary to use much more powerful
strength than mine. Ask him also if, when
made the experiment upon the unfortunate dog, he
put stays upon the animal." In reference to
another deposition, this lively murderess actually
perpetrated a calembourg, a play upon words. The
mother of the unfortunate widow said that a
Monsieur Thotniere was one of the most constant
visitors of the deceased, and the prisoner wrote
upon the paper, " Yes, she said Thome bier, as
if the expression had the meaning of Thome
yesterday, Thome aujourdhin, Thome demain—that
is to say, Thome yesterday, Thorne to-day, Thome
to-morrow ; there was too much of him."
The Emperor and Empress will arrive at Lille, to
be present at the grand fete which I have
mentioned, on the afternoon of the 26th of August.
Great preparations are in progress for the reception
of their Majesties. The clergy of St. Maurie,
with the Archbishop of Cambray at their head, will
receive the sovereign at the door of the church.
There will be a deputation of young girls dressed in
white, who will present bouquets. There will be
banquets, illuminations, and various showy and im-
posing ceremonies.
The weather continues very hot and seasonable,
but there arc still indications of a coming storm.
A very curious atmospherical phenomenon took
place a few nights ago in the arrondissement of
Grasse. The thermometer suddenly descended to
several degrees below zero, although it had been
very sultry in the day. The gutters and fountains
were January.st winter. The corn,
Indeed, the ice was
thicker
ivany
time
la
haricots, potatoes, and fruits which were touched by
frozen
th a n
at as
the frost have all perished. A. similiar occurrence
took place in the same locality in the month of
August in the year 1834.
The explosion at Bordeaux was even more serious
than was supposed. Besides the killed—seven in
number-112 were more or less injured.