The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONLON, THURSDAY EV ENING, MARCH 14, 1867.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

MOSES and SON
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Makers, Woollen Drapers, Hatters, Hosiers, Boot and Shoe
Manufacturers, and General Outfitters for all Classes.

LONDON HOUSES,
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3, Hart-street ; 137, 138, Tottenham-court-

road ; 283, Euston-road.
COUNTRY BRANcn--Bradford, Yorksbire.

lii.POPULAR HISTORY of LONDON from
the Invasion of Julius Calmar to the Present time
Part tho Second—From 1066 to 1867.

E. Moses and Son, corner of Minories and Aldgate ;
New Oxford-street, and Tottenham-court-road, London
And Bradford, Yorkshire.

Gratis and post free on application,

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Tins DAY.—Morning, 7h. 35m.—Afternoon, Bh. lom.
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4 d

- -
LONDON, TRURSDAY, 21fARCII 14, 1867.

. - -
The Secretary for War has been re-elected with-
out opposition, as it was expected that he would be,
and the speech he delivered on the occasion was
very interesting. Sir. JOHN PAKINGTON is always
distinguished for frankness, and no matter what
audience he addresses, he goes direct to the end in
view, and expresses himself fearlessly and faithfully.

He had an awkward task to perform yesterday,
and yet no one present could blame him for his
reticence. He said that he appeared before them
for the eleventh time during thirty years to
thank them for the honour of electing him
as their representative, but that this time
it was under circumstances of greater em-
barrassment than on any former occasion.
As laughter was produced by a reference made to
a meeting of the " Droitwich Branch of the Reform
League," the right hon. baronet said that he always
regarded with respect what his neighbours at Droit-
wich were about, and that he paid attention to their
proposals. One subject discussed was annual
Parliaments, and Sir JOHN facetiously observed
that, so far as Droitwich was concerned, they had
gained that desideratum. In 1865 he was elected
after the dissolution :of Parliament; in 1866 he
came before the electors as First Lord of the
Admiralty ; and now in 1867 here he was to thank
them for again affording him a proof of their renewed
confidence. We put entire faith in the declaration
of the right hon. baronet that it has been with no
presumptuous spirit that he has accepted the onerous
duties that devolve upon him in this new appoint-
ment, for he was actuated by the " paramount
feeling of duty which he owed to the QUEEN, and
his desire to support Lord DERBY'S Administration."
No doubt it was with sentiments of regret that Sir
JOHN PAKINGTON relinquished his post at the Ad-
miralty, for he has shown so much interest in all
that concerns its administration, and so much zeal
in suggesting and carrying on necessary reforms,
that he must feel as if he was leaving his mis-
sion only half fulfilled. He says, very truly, that
the head of the Navy ought to be a Secretary of
State, and that he considers his present post is no
promotion, for his former one was quite equal to it
in rank and dignity and every bit as honourable.
It is to be hoped, however, that the change may
prove beneficial to the new service in which he
enters, and as, notwithstanding the much-esteemed
services of General PEEL, it is well known that his
successor is more of a Reformer in every respect.
We are now merely speaking the language of com-
pliment when we say so, but may really look for-
ward to see our words verified.

It was, of course, impossible for Sir JOHN to
touch upon these subjects without referring to the
changes that have just taken place in the Adminis-
tration ; and, as he said, he was betraying no con-
fidence thereby, because all that had related to the
matter had been made public, so far as regarded
others, and he was about to speak of himself in con-
nection with the circumstances that took place.
A very hurried deliberation was all that the Cabinet
collectively could hold, for so unexpected was the
summons on the Monday, which was the day for the
introduction of the Government "scheme, that
there was much time lost in finding the different
members of the Cabinet. Lord DERBY had to
meet the Conservative party, and Mr. DISRAELI to
address the House of Commons, all in a compara-

tively brief period, and hence great allowance must
be made for the mistaken course which the Go-
vernment pursued. He agreed with the right hon.
baronet, that, notwithstanding the respect due to
the noble lords who seceded from the Cabinet,
that they acted with precipitation in so doing. It
was, of course, a most awkward dilemma in
which they found themselves ; but as all has sub-
sequently turned out to the gain of the Reform
cause, there is no need to cavil at the steps that
were previously taken. Sir J. PAKINGTON said
that all knew what was " the honourable and
manly course to take when w e had made a mistake,
viz., to retrieve your steps, and that was the course
which the Cabinet now found that it must take."
Referring to the measure about to be introduced

:o Parliament next week, the new Secretary of

War declared that he could not enter into details
respecting it ; but he touched upon its general out-
lines, and said that " the main principle of the bill
would be a large and bold concession of the fran-
chise to the working classes. So far as we can
judge from the necessarily detached and unfinished
pieces of information that he was able to impart to
his constituents, we think that this new scheme of
Reform about to be submitted to public approval
will be a comprehensive one. We agree with all
that Sir J. PAKINGTON says about the folly of
putting faith in any fixed sums or limiting oneself
to arbitrary conditions. Those now excluded
from voting by the law that has hitherto
decided a ten pound rental to be the
impassable barrier naturally complain and ask,
" What is the principle in ten pounds?" " Is there
any principle in the pounds ?" he naturally asks.
" No, undoubtedly, there is not, and there is no prin-
ciple in any figure." The fact is that Sir JOHN
has arrived very near to the mark, when he says
that whatever figure is adopted some one or other
will be sure to find fault with it, and suggest an-
other as more expedient. The Government wish
to rest on a principle, and not on a figure.
One thing they have resolved upon now
to consider—the general interest of England,
which will be compromised if one class exercises a
predominant power. This will be the true basis to
rest upon, for no matter which class it is, no good can
come of its being in the ascendancy. The working
classes have never shown a desire to monopolise the
electoral power of the country, and whatever fuss
has been made has not been by them, but those who
pretend that they can represent their views better
than themselves.
Sir J. PAKINGTON also intimated that there would
be new franchises in the Reform measure in order
that those who were calculated to take their share
in the electoral privileges might not be excluded.
We hope and trust that the Ministers will set about
their arduous task in no niggard spirit, but rather
look ahead, and in some sort legislate as if they were
a generation in advance. Let them suppose that
they are in the year 1899, and the result will
not be any hindrance to their chances of success,
but rather enhance them considerably. Nothing is
likely to answer at this critical juncture that is not
conceived in a bold spirit and carried out with
energy and determination. Sir JOHN PAKINGTON
seems to feel that the Cabinet made a mistake the
other day, but they are now resolved to make no more
in that direction ; and we think that the speech
delivered yesterday, at Droitwich, taken collectively,
inspires one with hope and confidence. Its language
seems.to be full of hope, and its assurances to tell of
convictions in the right direction. The Govern-
ment, he says, feel that the matter now before

the country must be disposed of. It stands in the

way, it prevents the attainment of useful legislation,
it impedes measures for the good of the country,
and it will be a bad thing to create a feeling of
division among the people. The desire of the
Government in framing the Bill is to see a loyal,
united, and contented people.

We are glad to find that the anomalies of our
present law of libel are likely to undergo some
change. It is only wonderful that in a country
which prides itself so much upon the freedom of the
press, and is so eager for full publicity in every
department of business and politics, such inconsis-
tency and injustice as disfigure the present law
should have been so long tolerated. Many of the
improvements now under consideration were sug-
gested by us more than twenty years ago ; but al-

though the press may be naturally supposed to be
the best informed on the matter, its opinions
are possibly supposed to be influenced by
its interests. The common sense of the
question is certainly on the side of the Fourth
Estate. It is manifestly the business and duty of
the newspaper proprietor to publish full and faithful
reports of the proceedings at all public meetings.
In pursuance of this duty he inserts (very possibly
without reading it) an accurate report of an intem-
perate or slanderous speech. The speaker's name
is published at the head of the speech, all the atten-
dant circumstances of time and place are given, so
that any one who likes to verify the statement can
do so without trouble, and yet the proprietor is
liable for heavy damages and still heavier
costs. The person slandered must seek redress,
not from the false or malicious speaker, who
has wilfully attacked him, but from the pro-
prietor of the newspaper, although he never heard
of his name, and knows nothing of the matter. So
that supposing the slander to be proved and damages
given the slanderer still escapes scot free, while a
gentleman who is perfectly innocent must pay a
large sum, and be subjected to all the annoyance,
loss of time, and inconvenience of a lawsuit.
In fact, such is the present state of the law that if
a man of sufficient standing to get his words reported
wished to injure a newspaper proprietor the shortest
way of doing so with impunity to himself would be
to slander somebody else I Sir C. O'LoGULEN'S
very sensible and timely measure deals with this
part of the question in a practical and straightfor-
ward manner. Despite the fears expressed by some
hon. members he gives no scope for an abuse of
the liberty of the press. Newspaper proprietors
and publishers are still to be liable for unfounded
attacks upon individuals published on their own
authority ; but in the matter of reports public
speakers are to be made responsible for what they
say at public meetings. The proprietor may be re-
quired to publish a contradiction of the false state-
ment, which naturally he would be eager to do, but
the real offender is to be the person punished for
the offence, not a substitute who knows nothing of
the matter. Mr. BAINES very justly said in the
course of last night's discussion that gentlemen con-
nected with the press were now liable to heavy
punishment for not doing that which it was notori-
ously impossible that they should do—that was to
say for not examining reports, often brought in at
the last moment before publication, in order
order to eliminate from them whatever might be
defamatory. Mr. BAINES reminded the house that
speakers at public meetings were fully aware that
their words would be reported, and therefore they
ought to be held responsible for their speeches.
We admit, with Sir G. BOWYER, that the publication
of a refutation of the slander does not always cora-
' pletely undo the mischief done by its publication,
because many persons might read the slander who
did not read the contradiction. At the same time
the hon. baronet fully concurred in the justice of
punishing the speaker, setting forth his rea-
sons very forcibly. "At present what a man
said against the character of his neigh-
bour at a public meeting was actionable only
if it came within the law of slander, which was of a
very narrow description. But if he said anything
which, if written, would be actionable, but which
was not actionable if spoken, he was entirely exempt
from responsibility. That was a great abuse, be-
cause the man who spoke slanderous words knew
perfectly well that there were other persons present
who were writing them down. Therefore, as he
spoke the words, knowing that they were going to
be published, he ought to be liable the same
as if he had wrote them with his own hand."
Mr. ROEBUCK, who, no doubt, in pursuance
of his professional duties, had often had the
opportunity of hearing the real history of a libel
case, summed up in a few terse and vigorous sen-
tences the present working of the law. If an honest
man found himself libelled, he said, he went to the
newspaper proprietor and said so, and if the pro-
prietor refused to publish his answer he would still
have his remedy under the new bill. But what did
a dishonest man do? He rushed to a dishonest
attorney, who immediately demanded the name of
' the newspaper's attorney. No opportunity for ex-
planation was sought, and if offered it was re-
fused ; they must wait. " The meaning of that was
till costs had been incurred, otherwise there would
be no pickings and no bill." When the case came on
for trial the attorney was ready for an arrangement,
which meant that the unfortunate proprietor should
pay his costs. We apprehend that the fidelity of
this picture will be recognised by a good many gen-
tlemen of the press. In reference to this point of
costs, Sir C. 010GHLEN'S Bill provides that no
plaintiff shall be entitled to more costs than
damages, unless the jury shall give damages ex-
ceeding £5. Also it extends the provisions of the
English law, with respect to costs, to Ireland ; for
in Ireland even a farthing damages carry costs.
The debate was an able and interesting one, and
the evidence given by those who knew most about
the matter abundantly proved that there is urgent
need of a change. The principles of the Bill,
which was read a second time, are sound and rea-
sonable, and any minor alterations or improvements
that may be desirable can be easily effected in its
progress through committee.

The arrival of the China from Boston and Halifax,
with news from New York to the 28th tilt., brings
ua fuller details of the proceedings of Congress than
we could obtain by the telegraph. The House of
Representatives have passed the amendment to the
Army Bill ordering the disbandment of the Southern
militia. The Army Appropriation Bill, as passed,
prohibits the PRESIDENT from removing General
GRANT, or assigning him to do duty elsewhere
than in Washington, without the approval of
the Senate. It further requires all the PRE-
SIDENT'S military orders to be issued through a
General in the army. These provisions are
of course intended to restrict the PRESIDENT'S
authority over the army, and is both an impertinent
and an unconstitutional interference with the
Presidential powers. It is said that General GRANT
favours the bill for the military government of the
South, though whether this is actually true or not
is uncertain. Possibly his military associations in-
cline him to the rule of the sword, but if he throws
his influence into the balance against the South the
prospects of America are darkening. It is not to
be imagined that the Southern States can be much
longer kept in their present condition, and therefore
everything that postpones the prospect of a speedy
restoration of the Union increases the danger that
soon union may become impossible.

THE CATTLE PLAGUE.—We regret to announce
that, after the county of Cumberland has enjoyed an im-
munity from cattle plague for several months, the dread
disease has again appeared in this district. Mr. Thomas
Atkinson, of Wall Dub, in the parish of Burtholme, Lauer-
cost, had a cow destroyed on Monday, the animal having
been condemned by Mr. Thomas Coats, veterinaty sur-
geon, the Government inspector, as being affected with the
rinderpest. Mr. Atkinson had only this one cow, which
he had purchased last month in Carlisle. It was of the
Irish breed, and had in all probability been newly im-
ported.—Carlisle Journal.

THE PANTHEON, IN OXFORD-STREET, having lost
its occupation as a bazaar, why not, suggests the Athenaum,
bring it back to its estate as a concert-ruotn, as it was in
Burney's days, when La Bastardella (Lucrezia Agujari),
the most amazing singer of her time, sang there for the
then elniriaolls IR= Of £lOO a night. _ _

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPCNDENT.)
PARIS, Wednesday Evening.

The Moniteur states, upon the authority of a let-
ter from Pesth, that the magnates of Hungary in-
tend to substitute for the traditional present made
by the kingdom to the Sovereign on the occasion of
his coronation a gift which will be of use to the
whole empire of Austria. The idea is to offer to his
Majesty three ironclad vessels, which will be named
Hungaria, Francis Joseph, and Elizabeth. This
project appears to be very favourably received by
the population of Hungary.
The Prussian papers assert that the suppression
of the gambling-houses will soon be the order of
the day iu Prussia. The Reichstag of Northern
Germany will, during its present session, and with-
out delay, be called upon to adopt measures on the
subject. Prussia, it is expected, will herself pro-
pose the suppression of gambling-houses, as this has
been accomplished for a long time in her own States,
and was always an object with the ancient Ger-
manic Diet.

I have already spoken of the various fanciful con-
structions and annexes of the great Exhibition, but
I beg your readers to accompany me on another
little tour of inspection to-day. Not the least in-
teresting part of the spectacle at present are the
groups of workmen from all countries in their usual
working dresses, which of themselves form a curious
contrast, and the different tools they use excite
curiosity. It is not correct to describe the locality
as a Tower of Babel, for order reigns at the Exhi-
bition, and it affords rather an illustration of the
silent system, so far as language is concerned, and
everything proceeds with method and tranquillity.
Spain has prepared a vast building where will be
exhibited all the products of her colonies of Manilla
and Cuba. Textile matters will form a large pro-
portion of this part of the Exhibition. By the side
of the Spanish building there will be a Moorish
farm, where agricultural implements will be exhi-
bited, some of which are of a very primitive kind,
but others exhibit unknown improvements in this
branch of Science.

Italy wil?exhibit the various implements which
for several years have been employed in boring
Mount Cenis. The tunnel will, no doubt, be con-
sidered as the greatest boon ever known to Italy,
for it will be twelve leagues long. When com-
pleted it will save travellers from the trouble and
inconvenienceconnected with the ascent and descent
of Mount Cenis. From these specimens a perfect
idea may be formed of the way in which the engi-
neers manoeuvre the series of hammers which crush
the hard granite and quartz of that gigantic
mountain, in spite of all obstacle and resistance.
To break such substances is literally hard work.
The other tools will be exhibited which are used
where the beds of other strata are more easily
perforated. Frequent precipitations of the soil
have taken place, but the workmen have adopted
ingenious modes of avoiding the dangerous results
from the falling masses.
One annexe will be devoted to the contributions
from the Roman States, which I have already men-
tioned. The great feature is an exact represen-
tation of the sombre and melancholy subterranean
vaults of the catacombs of Rome, replete with so
many dark and terrible historical recollections.
Near the model of the Roman catacombs are
exact specimens of disooveries made during the
researches now in progress at Mount Aventin, which
are of great interest in an arclamological point of
view. Already fragments of marble have been found,
which once formed portions of the statues of the
gods of Caesar and Pompey or the great men then
worshipped like gods. I shall from time to time
resume my sketches of the wonders of the coming
great spectacle at the Champ de Mars.
A disastrous occurrence took place a few nights
ago at a rural hall at Castellar, not far from Cannes,
in the department of the Alpes Maritimes. In the
middle of a dance a young girl suddenly separated
herself from her partner, and, drawing a dagger
from under her dress, plunged it into his stomach.
Of course immediate assistance was given to the
victim, and the young girl, who made no resistance,
was taken into custody. She stated that the victim
was the lover who had seduced her, and she was
about to become a mother. He had many times
promised her marriage, and on that morning she
had asked him solemnly to declare whether he meant
to marry her or not. He then gave a decided re-
fusal, on which she begged him at least to accom-
pany her to the ball in the evening, and she had
then made up her mind to stab him during the
dance. The girl, whose name is Marie P-, is
about 21. The victim is a few years older. The
wound is so serious that he is not expected to sur-
vive.

Verdi's opera of " Don Carlos," about which
there has been feverish excitement for many months
present,a for love or money. As
much as 500 f.
may
prove for in truth it was very
past, wa3 at length produced on Monday evening.
tlowgaset
a ienottke
t
of klifficult
laussion
was
spe how great an orchestra stall, a
fact which great is the rage for
musical novelty. The excitement respecting " Don
Carlos" was increased from the circumstance that
the rehearsals were private, so that nobody should
e performance. The
be able to give an idea of the quality of the music
until
ithemunsigiehatl of the
dferred their criticisms
hreagvuela
r for the present. Critics and political writers in
Paris sometimes require a long time before they
can digest their opinions. I therefore hasten to
say that from some whispers I have heard from
musical localities this opera has hardly risen to
the marvellous height of art which was expected.
In other words, some consider it as a sort
of failure. One critic, not of first-rate
This opera illustrates the
authority, however, who has given his views upon
the production, says :--"
principal incidents of Schiller's celebrated piece,
which is of rather sombre character, but suited to
the energetic talent of the composer. There was an
anxiety to know if Verdi, on again working for the
French scene, would persist iu his first style, or
would exhibit the influence which the French school
had operated upon him. Without abandoning his
melodious qualities, it appears that Verdi has un-
dergone a powerful transformation. He has made
a step towards the style of the author of the
"Huguenots" and the " Africaine." Verdi, in
" Don Carlos," has Meyerbeerised himself. It is
after the great scene of the auto-dale that his con-
version becomes striking, but the orchestration of
the whole work evinces a constant effort. Verdi
happily deserts the precedents of the Italian school
to recognise in dramatic music the importance of
symphony. The first act is only a preparatory in-
troduction of little importance ; the second has much
grace and freshness, but Verdi has only reached the
element of grand opera in the third act. There is no
overture to this opera. Up to the third act Verdi
has been powerful. Then he becomes grand. The
fourth act continues this impression of grandeur.
The last act, a little severe perhaps, demanded
something more striking ; but the curtain neverthe-
less fell upon a noble musical page, the success of
which cannot be told upon a single representation."
The Emperor and Empress were present, and seve-
ral times gave the signal for applause.
Last evening and night the rain fell abundantly
and violently, with such a copious intermixture of
snow that the snow was uppermost on the ground
in the morning. Some of the snow still remains in
the gardens of Paris and in the vicinity of the city,
and, upon the whole, it has been a dull, cold, win-

terly day, with quite enough rain to be extremely
disagreeable. If I were a weather prophet I should
say it will be frosty to-night.

THE ITALIAN FLEET.—The Italian Government
has had three vessels of war for some time in the Candian
waters. The Italia now announces that this number of
vessels is to be considerably augmented, and adds —" Italy
is preparing for the grave events which may take place in
the spring, and which everybody anticipates." " The
Italian fleet," writes the Florence correspondent of the
Debats, "collected at Cagliari under the orders of Admiral
Ribotti, will leave for the Levant in a few days. Between
this and the month of April events are expected to take
place in the East, and Italy appears destined to play a
considerable part in them—a part of conciliation rather
than of war—a part which it is difficult to define, but
which it is easy to foresee."

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

MEXICO.

(BY ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.)
NEW YORK, March. 13.

The latest Mexican intelligence received here
announces the occupation of Orizaba and Cordova
by the Liberals.

The Emperor Maximilian left Queretaro on the
25th February to attack Escobedo.

SERVIA AND THE PORTE.

VIENNA, March 14.

The Porte has consented to evacuate the Servian
fortresses in consideration of the promise of the
great Powers that the sovereignty of Turkey over
Servia shall be maintained.

The Prussian Lieutenant-Colonel Gorensky has
arrived at Belgrade, and paid visits to the Prince
of Servia, his Ministers, and the Turkish Go-
vernor of the citadel.

RUSSIA.

ST. PETERSBURG, March 14.

The Journal de St. Petersburg of to-day publishes
despatches from the Russian Government upon the
Eastern question, dating from 1860 and 1861, re-
questing the Great Powers to anticipate, by an
unselfish line of policy, the serious events which
the conduct of the Porte towards its Christian
subjects is likely to bring about.
The Journal says, " These despatches show
that even at the period they were written, the
Western Powers recognised the necessity of reforms,
and condemned the apathy and unfavourable dis-
position of the Porte, but the efforts of Russia to
bring about an understanding remained fruitless,
notwithstanding their conciliatory and unselfish
tendency."

THE BOMBAY MAIL.

SUEZ, March 13.

The Carnatic leaves this evening for Bombay,
with the outward mail of February 27—March 4.
The Salamander from Melbourne has brought
about £52,000 in gold, the China from Boston
£l,OOO, and the Pera from Alexandria about £1,600
in specie.

The Bombay mail of March 1, which reached
Suez yesterday, was brought by the Salsette, not
the Malta, as previously reported.