The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-17 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENIN3I, 00T033ER 17, MT

honest, the unbought, the unforced verdict of the
constituencies." In order to secure this, he advo-
cated the claims of the Ballot to consideration,
and further declared that it was so clear an acknow-
ledgment of the " right of conscience, and of the
right of every one to exercise his own judgment,
in giving his own vote, that he had never seen how
it could be fairly and honestly withheld." Another
explanation that the hon. member had to give was
about some remarks he had made himself on the
subject of working-class representatives. He thought
that such an addition might do great good, and
make the wishes and wants of the lower classes
better known and understood in the House of Com-
mons. Perhaps there is some truth in this, and at
any rate it is certain that, if the most extreme-
minded men get into Parliament, they would soon
find their level, and it is very likely under-
stand their mistakes. The hon. member concluded
his interesting speech by an eloquent allusion to
the advantages of sympathy among all classes,
and the benefit of blending the interests of various
parts of society together. " Whatever differences
might exist socially amongst them they should
diminish the strength and breadth of them so far
as they could, and seek to consider the interests of
England alone, and with patriotic hearts and a
brotherly spirit meet there to do the best they
could to confer the greatest happiness on the
greatest number." There is a good deal in this
discourse to meet with the approval of the disin-
terested politician ; and though, as we have no-
ticed, it is occasionally marred by prejudice, in
the end it holds out a good example to public
speakers, as it is straightforward- and consistent,
and expresses views and sentiments of the speaker
in a decided manner.

The intelligence brought from the United States
by the City of Antwerp, though not of any striking
importance, serves to confirm the previous accounts
of the unsettled state of the country. The elections
in the South prove the population to be in a most
unsatisfactory condition. Either the whites take no
interest in the proceedings and leave the matter
almost entirely in the hands of the negroes, as in
Alabama, or they angrily resent the intrusion of this
novel element, and riots ensue as in Louisiana. Dur-
ing the progress of the election in Jefferson City, in
the latter State, the white citizens attacked
the negro voters at the poll. Several persons
were injured, and the leader of the rioters killed, the
disturbance being finally quelled by the military. The
Registry Board of Louisiana, such as it was, has
been discharged, and the Alabama election has
resulted in favour of the Reconstruction Convention,
which, under the circumstances, is not surprising.
The fact is, that the American Government, how-
ever matters may be temporarily arranged, can
never hope to have the government of the country
on a safe or satisfactory basis until the Southern
people are admitted to their fair share. The en-
forced tranquillity existing in some States, produced
by the disgust of the whites at negro supremacy,
or by the fear of riotous proceedings and consequent
military tyranny, can never be relied upon to con-
tinue, even if it were desirable that it should do so.
Such a condition of affairs is neither natural nor
desirable in a great country ; and the Americans
themselves would be the first to recognise its true
character if it existed in another nation. A large
proportion of American citizens are beginning to
recognise this fact in its true proportions, and
accordingly we find the New York State Demo-
cratic Convention has adopted resolutions pledging
the party "to redeem the State from corruption
and misrule, and denouncing the attempt of Con-
gress to enforce negro supremacy in the South by
military rule." If the Convention can accomplish
half of this programme it will do good service, but the
constant recurrence of electioneering contests alone
is a serious hindrance to the removal of corruption
and misrule. The framers of the Constitution, no
doubt, believed that this system of successive elec-
tions would be a check on misgovernment and
preserve political integrity. Experience has proved
that instead of so doing it offers a premium to the
noisy, turbulent, and unscrupulous, who make a
trade of public life, and arc indifferent as to the
means they employ to gain the desired end. The
perpetual excitement kept up by the struggle for
place prevents the people from reflecting calmly on
the merits of any question. Those who are
best qualified to guide public opinion, and to
moderate its violence or its inconsistency,
are precisely those who withdraw from the
turmoil and lament in private over evils which they
believe themselves powerless to remedy. This is a
natural result, but it is to be regretted. If the
better class of men, animated by a sense of duty
to their country, would put themselves forward and
endeavour to exercise their legitimate influence, the
effect might not be immediately perceptible, but it
would be seen sooner or later, and we might by
degrees perceive a better tone of feeling and a
higher principle infused into American public life.
Rumours of Cabinet changes are revived, and
an important alteration is anticipated at the
Treasury. Mr. M'CULLOCH, it is thought,
will retire, and will be succeeded by Mr.
THOMAS EWING. The present position of the
American finances is not such as to offer any
great temptations to a politician, though if he could
succeed in extricating the country from its present
embarrassments, without loss of credit or character,
he would be a fortunate man. General BUTLER,
according to the New York Tribune, is coming out
in a new character, and intends to appear next
session as a monetary reformer. lie is going to
introduce in Congress a bill for the payment of the
national debt in currency, though by what means
.that desirable but difficult result is to be obtained
he leaves us for the present to conjecture.

The prisoners remanded at Manchester on the
charge of being concerned in the attack on the
police have all been committed for trial. This
result was naturally looked for, and we may hope
that a good deal more information may be elicited
at the trial than has been done during the prelimi-
nary inquiry, when there were many difficulties in
the way. The police will be able to obtain more
precise knowledge concerning them in the interval,
and we may hope the decided measures adopted by
the authorities will bo effectual in repressing any
further manifestations of Fenianism in any shape.
There is no doubt an extensive organisation of
Fenians in various parts of the country, and that
they can be active and daring enough when the
opportunity offers we have had tangible proof. At
the same time there is no occasion for anything like
panic, and the absurd stories which have gained
currency in some quarters could only have been in-
tended to play upon the fears of the credulous.
Such hoaxes are unpardonable as well as
foolish, but if persons were not carried away by
the first breath of rumour, and frightened
out of their propriety by the faintest whisper
of alarm, there would be less scope for mischievous
agitators. We advise those to whom wonderful
catastrophes are told to inquire a little more closely
into the grounds of the information before they
assist to spread reports that Fenians have shot at
her MAJESTY, have sacked Volunteer depots, and
hall-a-dozen other random tales. If our police
throughout tke country keep a oliarp look-out in

districts where there is reason to suspect disaffection
among the Irish residents, and if a firm hold is kept
of the prisoners in charge, it willbe all that is required.
If the Fenian conspiracy was so quickly stamped
out in Ireland itself, mainly by the aid of Irish-
men, with so little loss to life or property, there
is surely very little ground for apprehending any
serious danger from a few groups of reckless
adventurers in the midst of our populous and
well-guarded cities.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Wednesday Evening.

The Emperor, Empress, and the Imperial Prince,
who left Biarritz yesterday (as I informed you
would be the case), arrived at the Palace of St.
Cloud this morning about two o'clock in perfect
health.

All the Paris papers publish a telegram from
Florence to-day announcing that a great victory
bad been obtained by the Garibaldians over the
Papal troops at Nerola. This pretended victory is
only an inflated re-hash of the encounter to which
I alluded yesterday, and which occurred at Monte
Librette, near Nerola. The real facts are these.
On Sunday ninety soldiers belonging to the
Italian army made a daring attack upon the
Garibaldians, who blocked the route of
Monte Libiti, and re-occupied the town. The
Garibaldians, however, obtained considerable rein-
forcements, and before this unequal force the Pon-
tifical troops were compelled to retire with only 10
men wounded, but they also took several prisoners
from the Garibaldians. The loss of the Garibaldians
was considerable, and the report at Florence was
that Menotti Garibaldi had been severely wounded.
The result cf what is heralded by the telegraph as a
great Garibaldian victory was that the insurgents
thought it prudent to evacuate MonteLibrette, and
even I'olvatera, and the Roman troops are now in
undisputed possession of both these localities.
The papers favourable to the insurgents pre-
tend that Colonel Aeserbi, who commands
these forces in the province of Viterbo,
has managed to rally 3,000 men to support him.
The Pope has traversed a part of the city of Rome
on foot, and was well received. The old story is
revived of numerous arrests at Rome.

The Pope's Nuncio has had an interview with
the Marquis de Moustier, the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, and remitted to him a copy of the circular
of Cardinal Antonelli, to which I have already re-
ferred.

Garibaldi, we are now told, has not escaped from
Caprera, but remains there out of danger. He,
however, issues numerous proclamations: which
betray great want of purpose. A copy of one of
the proclamations, which I have seen, does not say
a word about marching upon Rome to " destroy the
monster," but the terms of it almost justify the idea
that one of his points is now to foment a Re-
publican movement.
There was a•Cabinet Council to-day at St. Chad,
at which the Empress was present.
The anniversary Mass for the repose of the soul
of Queen Marie Antoinette took place this morning
at the expiatory chapel in the Rue d'Anjou, St.
Honore.

Another suicide has taken place from the column
of the Place Vendome. This morning a young
man precipitated himself from the monument. He
breathed when taken to the shop of M. Gallois, the
apothecary at the corner of the Rue St. Honors,
but he only survived a few minutes. The body
was identified by some papers found in the pocket
of the young man, and it was carried to his mother's
residence, Rue Richelieu, No. 73. The fatal act is
said to have arisen from a disappointment is love.
An important section of the Orleans Railway,
that from Rochefort to Angouleme by Cognac, was
opened yesterday with great ceremony. The Minister
of Public Works, M. Forcade de la Roquette, pre-
sided at the ceremonial, which was attended by the
Bishops of Angouleme and La Rochelle,. The Bishop
of Angouleme made an eloquent and remarkable
speech upon the occasion. The succeeding banquet
went off with great eclat.
It is finally arranged that the marriage of the
King of Greece with the Grand Duchess Olga,
daughter of the Grand Duke Constantine of Russia,
will take place on the 23d inst. After the fetes the
newly-married King and Queen will return to
Athens.

It has been reported that the ship Algerienne
has been lost in a violent storm near Bougie. No
information of such a catastrophe has been received
at the Ministry of Marine.

The weather has been again warm and agreeable
to-day, and the indications of more storms have
passed away.
The evening papers abound with inventions and
lies about Garibaldian successes.

2E ENSUING AUTUMNAL SESSION.

TO TIIE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—It seems we are, this year of grace 1867, to
have an autumnal session ; and it is not a little re-
markable that such events have, during the last
thirty years since the commencement of the present
reign, taken place every ten years, as if it were for
the sake of round numbers. In July, 1837, about
one month after Queen Victoria came to the throne,
she went in person and dissolved the Parliament,
which became extinct by the death of the late King.
Her Majesty wont and opened her first Parliament
in person on the 20th of November, 1837, when,
of course, we had an autumnal session. Ten years
later, the memorable and glorious Parliament of
1841, Sir R. Peel's Parliament, died from old age,
and was dissolved on July 23d, 1847. The new
Parliament assembled early in the following No-
vember, partly on account of the fearful com-
mercial crisis which then existed : so that in
1847 we had an autumnal session. Again, ten
years later, we had in 1857 an autumnal session,
owing partly to another financial panic which
then existed, but which was no more to be com-
pared with the panic of ten years previously than
the letting off of a squib to an eruption of Mount
Vesuvius. Again we are threatened with another
autumnal session in 1867. Moreover, 1867 is the
first year ending with a seven, for 40 years since
1827, that we have not bad a general election, as
in 1837, 1847, and 1857 we bad in each of those
last-named years a general election ; then in 1807,
which " 'Tis GO years" since—but no general elec-
tion took place in 1817, 1827, or 1867.—1 remain,
sir, your faithful servant,
A LOVER AND OBSERVER OF HISTORICAL
DATES AND FACTS.
Old Ship Hotel, Brighton, Oct. 15, 1867.

MESSRS. DEFRIES AND THE
COLOSSEUM.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,-A statement having appeared in several
newspapers to the effect that we have taken the
Colosseum for a series of musical entertainments,
we beg to state that there is no truth whatever in
such report. It is far from our intention to com-
pete in any way with theatrical or musical
managers, and our connection with the Agricultural
Hall arose solely from our having acceded to the
request of the Belgian Reception Committee to
undertake the entire arrangements for the grand
ball. As the statement abpve referred to will
doubtless tend to injure 113, by leading our
customers to suppose that we are relinquishing our
own business, we shall be obliged by your inserting
this contradiction.—Apologising for troubling you,
we are, Sir, yours, &c.,
DEFRIES and SONS.
147, Houndsditch, Oct. 16.

FENIAN ALARM IN YORKSIIIRE.—At Bridlington,
Drift:lolcl,lton, Paull, and other places the idea has got
abroad that the Fenians intended to seize the arms of the
volunteers, and in some cases these have been rendered
useless by removing the nipples, in others they are guarded,
and in'some, as at Halton on Tuesday, the rifles were distri-
buted, each man taking his own in charge. There has been
no attempt to break the peace ; bet, by order of the authori-
ties, the North-Eastern Company keep, trains ready, and
engines under steam, to convey troops to any quarter where
an outbreak. may occur.—Manchester Courier.

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REIUTER'S TELEGRA Ms.)

THE ROMAN QUESTION.
FLORENCE, Oct. 17.

Telegrams received here from Rome, dated yes-
terday, announce that a fight had taken place at
Vallecorsa between 200 insurgents and a body corn-
poed of Pontifical gendarmes and members of the
Antibes Legion, resulting in the loss of several
killed and wounded on both sides. A fierce encounter
had taken place last night before the gates of San
Lorenzo between the insurgents and the Papal
gendarmes ; details, however, of the affair had not
transpired.

PARIS, Oct. 17.

The Illonitdur of this morning says :—" The ad-
vices received from Italy confirm the intelligence
published by the Moniteur of yesterday. It is cer-
tain, however, that new bands are incessantly cross-
ing the Papal frontier, many of their officers being
in uniform, and that trains from Florence alone
have conveyed thither 1,200 Garibaldians. The
insurgents appear to have concentrated to the num-
ber of nearly 3,000 at Monte Libretto. Monte Rio
Romano, Nerola, Moricone, and Bagnorea have been
threatened by the bands with pillage. On
the 15th at Vallecorsa, on the southern frontier,
a small body, consisting of a few Papal soldiers,
with some peasants, volunteers, and gendarmes,
held in check 200 Garibaldians, and thus left time
for the Roman column to arrive. The Garibaldians
had ten killed, including their leader and three other
officers, and several wounded, losing besides 46
prisoners and a quantity of arms and munitions.
In several towns in the provinces of Viterbo and
Frosinone the inhabitants are calling for arms to
aid the gendarmes in repelling the insurgent bands.
" Throughout the whole extent of the Pontifical
States the population not only remains calm, but is
pronouncing more and more strongly against the
invaders.

ITALY.
FLORENCE, Oct. 17.
Prince Humbert has arrived here.
The papers deny the statement that Garibaldi had
left Caprera.
Menotti Garibaldi is announced to have assumed
the general command of the Papal insurgents.

THE CONCORDAT.
VIENNA, OCt. 17.

This morning's papers consider the Emperor's
autograph letter to Cardinal Ranscher as a proof
that the times are really changed. It revives the
confidence of the nation that his Majesty's efforts
to carry out the duties he has undertaken as a con-
stitutional ruler, will be realised. These hopes im-
part value to the letter, and render it a political
manifesto of the greatest scope.

NORTH SCHLESWIG.
HADERSLEBEN, Oct. 17.

The Nord Schleswigstidende, of to-day, asserts
that the negotiations between Prussia and Denmark
for a settlement of the North Schleswig question
are based upon a proposal of Prussia, that the
Dano-Prussian frontier line in Schleswig be drawn
between Hadersleben and Christianfeldt.

NORTH. GERMANY.

BERLIN, Oct. 16 (Evening).

In to-day's sitting of the North German Parlia-
ment a bill abolishing the import duties upon cattle
and sheep over the frontier from Burg, in the island
of Tehmern, to Morbro, in Schleswig, was adopted.

ANTWERP, October 17.

The King of the Belgians and the Prince of
Wales have arrived here, and immediately went on
board the Royal yacht Osborne, where they took
luncheon with the Princess of Wales.

The King will return to Brussels at noon, and the
yacht will sail at 1 p.m.

THE MAURITIUS MAILS.

SUEZ, Oct. 15.

The Messageries Imperiales steamer Emirne with
the above mails arrived here to-day. She was de-
layed by damaged machinery.

OVERLAND MAILS.

MALTA, Oct. 16.

The Ripon and Massilia left this afternoon. Tho
former may be expected at Marseilles on the 19th,
and the latter at Southampton about the 25th

instant.

GIBRALTAR, Oct. 16.

The Peru left at 6 p.m. on the 14th, all well.
She may be expected at Southampton on the
19th inst.

The Sumatra, from Southampton, 12th instant,
arrived to-day at 4 p.m., and leaves at 7 p.m.
for Alexandria.

BRAZILS.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 24. •

Intelligence from the seat of war announces that
the position of affairs was unchanged. The siege of
Humaita continued. President Mitre had refused
to advance, and the Marquis de Caxias was much
dissatisfied. A rumour was current of the death of
Urquiza.

The Brazilian Chambers are closed. The Go-
vernment, however, had previously obtained their
sanction to the measures it had proposed,

TURKISH FINANCE.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Oct. 16.

The Imperial Ottoman Bank has published the
usual periodical statement of, the Turkish Govern-
ment account, according to which 835,000 lira have
been received between the 13th July and the 12th
October to meet the half-yearly interest of the
foreign loan and general debt.