The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-22 00:00:00

SPAIN.

The Madrid journals of the 17th say that Gen.
Verdugo was a little better, and that a faint hope
of his recovery had consequently been received. In
the Congress, the Minister of Grace and Justice,
in reply to a question put to him, expressed his
horror at the attempted assassination of the gene-
ra], and stated that the Government had given
orders to have the assailant brought to trial with-
out delay. The committee of the Congress on the
bill on the press had terminated its examination of
the measure, but before presenting its report to the
Chamber had to come to some understanding with
the Government. The Iberia had been seized.

The Cologne Gazette contains the following :
"It may be remembered that the States of Hol-
stein during their last session refused to vote some
additional taxes demanded by the Government to
cover the surplus of the expenses of the whole of
the monarchy, and that the Government annulled
the vote and ordered the taxes to be levied. count
Ablefeld de Lindau, member of the States, refused
to give his proportion of those taxes, but the Go-
vernment had immediate recourse to stringent
measures, and he was compelled by force to pay."

A telegraphic despatch from Berlin says that
under a new appellation Russia will manage to
have such a force in the Sea of Azoff as will give
her at any moment the temporary command of the
Black Se .t.

THE QUEEN'S VISIT TO BIBIIIINGTIA3I,

At the meeting of the Town Council on Tuesday the
mayor, Mr. Ratalit!, read a letter he had received from
Colonel Phipps, announcing that the Queen bad fixed the
week beginning the 13th of June for her visit to Bir-
mingham. The public announcement of the time
arranged for her Majesty's visit has afforded general
satisfaction, as the uncertainty hitherto existing pre-
vented the burgesses from making preparations to re-
ceive the Sovereign with due respect. Colonel Phipp'b
letter has, however, fairly set the town in motion, and
for the next seven weeks nothing will be talked of but
the Royal visit. Some of our contemporaries have
amused their readers by publishing information as to
the course of proceeding to be adopted on the occasion,
but in truth nothing whatever is settled, excepting that
the Queen will come. It is not known by which line of
railway her Majesty will enter the town, nor has any pro-
gramme of the reception yet been framed. Previously to
coming to Birmingham the Queen, it is said, will pay a
short visit to Lord Leigh, at Stoneleigh Abbey, and will
travel by the London and North-western Railway as far
as Coventry, where she will at the railway station receive
an Address from the Corporation of that city, and
immediately afterwards drive to Stoneleigh. On the
following morning, it is presumed, she will come t
Birmingham, and will be conducted by the Mayer,
Mr. Ratcliff, to the Town Hall to receive an Ad-
dress from the Corporation. After this ceremony
has been gone thr iugh, her Majesty will proceed
to Aston Park, where, W 3 suppose, she will receive
an address from the Committee, and formally open the
Park, and afterwards partake of luncheon in the ball, on
the invitation of the Mayor. The route to and
from the Park, and the ceremonial to be observed
I are entirely unsettled ; the General Purposes Coin
I mittee meet to-day to make arrangements. The pro-
gramme will be referred to the Council at a special
meeting, probably this week, and the earliest possible
information will no doubt he given the public, espe-
cially as regards the rout; in order that the Louses on
the line may be properly decorated. We will not
venture to offer a single suggestion in reference to the
necessary decoration of the streets through which the
Queen will pass. We are sure that the loyally of our
townsmen, and their desire to welcome their Royal
visitor in the heartiest manner, will prove the most
efficient prompters. We only express the general feel-
ing in saying that, considering this is the first visit Bir-
mingham has over received from an English Sovereign,
the Queen's reception ought, in accordance with the
loyalty and spirit of the town, to transcend any similar
event else% here. Birmingham cannot afford to do it-
work by halves, and the reputation of the town demands
that no other e4mmunity shall be able to say that the
Queen has been more enthusiastically received, or more
splendidly entertained by itself, than by the pe3ple of
the Midland Metropolis. Mainly, of course, the splen-
dour of the reception must depend upon the burgesses
themselves. We can speak confidently that the Mayor
is most unceasing in his exertions; he has already visited
Manchester to obtain from that city all the information
available, that nothing shall be wanting to celebrate the
occasion in a manner worthy of Birmingham ; but
in order that the public buildings and the streets shall
be properly cared for, it will be necessary that the town
council should make a liberal grant of money for the
expenses. Manchester, we believe, voted 5,0001. for the
reception of the Queen ; but probably not quite so much
will be asked for in the present instance, and we have
heard 4000/. mentioned as the sum the council will be
called upon to grant. Whatever may be the necessary
amount, we are sure it will be cheerfully voted, for even
if it should reach the largest sum naine3, it will not ex-
ceed one farthing in the pound, and every inhabitant will
ao doubt be eager to ratify the decision of the council.
The visit is paid to the town, and therefore the town
should bear the cost. Another subject of some in-
terest will also be brought before the civic body—the
propriety of its members wearing robes on the day of
her Majesty's visit. Mr. Ratcliff has intimated
intention to wear robes, and it is very desirable that
the example should be generally followed by the Al-
dermen and Councillore. Of course they must expect
to be qnizzed and laughed at a little—Cerporations
have always furnished wits with food for merriment—
but we beg the Council seriously to consider that the
approaching event is a state visit, and that etiquette
forbids official persons to rush into the presence of
their Sovereign undistinguished by the insignia of office.
Besides, it will be scarcely courteous to the loyalty of
our worthy Mayor, after ho has succeeded in bringing
about a Royal visit, to allow him to be the only person
who will appear in robes. We are far from sup-
posing that the dignity of a civic body consists
in its robes of office, but it is manifestly impos-
sible not to perceive that the observance, on the part
of new Corporations, of such venerable customs
as were in use amongst their ancient predecessors,
naturally exercises a certain influence on the pub-
lic mind. Even sober England has loved to clothe her
official personages with decent pomp, and our Town
Council may possibly gain, and certainly cannot lose, by
imitating that great Metropolitan Corporation which ,
aspires to be a model to all others. Many suggestions
have been made in reference to the part the artisans
may, be enabled to take on the approaching visit.
Whatever course may be adopted, the working men
must not be left out of the ceremonial ; and we suggest
that they should be inv,ted to form processions
of trades, bearing appropriate banners and emblems.
These classes are the bone and sinew of our community;
without theiesustaining power Birmingham would soon
again sink into the obscure condition from which it
sprang ; and we therefore trust that the plans of the
General Purposes Committee will assign a prominent
place in the festivity to those classes who have been
chiefly instrumental in rendering our town worthy of
a Royal visit,—Arii* Bioni2zgliant Grvette.