The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONIJON, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 21, 1867.

they could not consent to the unconditional aboli-
tion of the Church Rates. Mr. GLADSTONE was in
favour of the Bill, intimating that in committee he
would wish to see inserted the machinery for
voluntary rating. It was a fact that the
right hon. gentleman's scheme of last year
for settling this question was not carried '
out, for it seemed to offer a very satisfactory mode
of dealing with the matter. Mr. NEWDEGATE'S
Bill was thrown out, and Mr. HUBBARD'S measure
was postponed till next Wednesday. We should be
very glad to see some settlement of this vexed ques-
tion, which has too long been made a subject of dis-
cussion and a fruitful source of religious contro-
versy. It would be better for all parties if some
compromise was made, and at a future period the
question of total abolition could be disposed of.
It is to be hoped that some consideration
will be given to Mr. HUBBARD'S scheme next week;
and it really has a great chance of success, if hon.
members could once forget to be so extreme in their
views. The consequence of both sides being so
arbitrary has been that nothing effectual has been
done for years, but if they would but consider a
little they must see the propriety of doing something
to meet the wishes of the people in this matter,
which has so long been a source of confusion and
controversy.

The telegrams from Bombay give us a more en-
couraging account of the general aspect of affairs.
Money, indeed, is said to be scarce; but the public
health is good, and we may hope that this year, as
it advances, may prove more favourable for India
as for England. The disastrous famine has, of
course, made itself felt in regions where it never
actually penetrated ; and its indirect as well as
its direct effect upon the industry and the fortunes
of the whole country must be taken into account
in surveying Indian affairs. We earnestly
hope that at least it may be productive of
definite and lasting good, and that the hundreds
and thousands who suffered and perished will not
have suffered in vain. The authorities are bound
by every consideration of duty, as well as of hu-
manity, thoroughly to investigate the whole matter,
and to ascertain what are the best and surest means
of preventing the recurrence of such a tragedy. It
is idle, if not wicked, to talk about the uncontrollable
nature of the calamity, when it is absolutely im-
possible that it can steal upon us unawares, with a
pestilence, an inundation, or an earthquake. Such ca-
tastrophes are not only out of our ken, but if weknew
of their approach there is little we could do to avert
them or to mitigate their severity. But the gradual
failure of the crops can not only be foreseen but
provided against, since our resources are boundless,
and we have all the appliances of skill and science
at our command. Surely then it is a lasting re-
proach to English rulers that so many should have
died of actual want of food.

The Government seem anxious to encourage the
progress of public works, and we are glad to see
that it is expected the East India Railway from Mir-
zapore to Jubbulpore will be opened before the next
monsoon. The establishment of a thorough system
of communication throughont India will be an in-
valuable assistance in guarding against famine as
against other dangers and catastrophes to which
India is liable. Had we done our duty years ago iu
this matter the suppression of the mutiny of '57
would have been a very different task. Sir SEYMOUR
FITZGERALD, the new Governor of Bombay, was
hourly expected (Feb. 28), and will, we hope, fulfil
the anticipations which have been formed respect-
ing his career as an Anglo-Indian administrator.

The scenes which attended the closing of the
thirty-ninth American Congress and the opening of
the fortieth were of a character that would not a
little surprise an English Parliament. Just now,
when there is so much criticism and censure of our
own representative assembly, it is not without profit
to examine the accounts given by eye-witnesses, and
familar with the whole history of the political situa-
tion across the Atlantic. As is usually the case
the last days of the Session were overcrowded with
business. We need not wonder that this year found
a great accumulation of neglected measures, since
there has been so much disputing and disagreement
that there has been little time for any thing.
It is customary for the PRESIDENT to go down to
his private room in the capitol to sign the bills
hurried through their last stages at the close of a
session, in order to save time ; and some idea may
be gained of the general confusion and hurry from
the fact that Congress continued sitting all Satur-
day night, breaking up on Sunday morning about
9 o'clock, to re-assemble in the evening. The
Radicals, never at a loss for a political manceavre,
took advantage of this state of things to hurry
through the Army Appropriation Bill with two new
and startling clauses. They knew very well that such
clauses, if introduced openly, would never obtain the
PRESIDENT'S sanction, since they were in direct
opposition to the old constitutional forms, and
invaded the prerogative of the PRESIDENT himself.
Hurried as he was, Mr. JOHNSON, watchful, no
doubt, for any manceuvres of his adversaries, de-

tected the obnoxious clauses, and found himself in
au awkward position. To refuse to sign the Appro-
priation Bill was to keep the army without pay for
a whole year—a manifest impossibility. To sign it
was practically to hand over the command of the
army to the general in charge, and to take away
from the States the right to defend themselves by
calling out the militia. Under these circumstances
Mr. JOHNSON probably followed the wisest course
by signing the bill under protest, stating his rea-
sons for signing the bill, but indicating the provi-
sions against which he protested.
The new Congress was not likely to be very dif-
ferent from the old one, and if we are to accept the
division on the vote for Speaker as a test of the
strength of parties there is not much chance of the
Democrats influencing the legislation. The votes
for the Radical candidate, Mr. COLFAX, were 127,
for the Democratic 30. It is true that Mr. COL-
FAX'S chance was naturally improved by his tenure
of the office during the last Congress, but there can
be no doubt that the extreme party have still a very
large preponderance. The position of the Southern
States is, of course, the question, uppermost in
men's minds, and it is one which there seems little
or no chance of settling. Seventeen States excluded
from representation in Congress, seven of them
actually belonging to the world-famous thirteen,
seems anachronism too great to be continued.
Nevertheless there seems no doubt that the Radicals
are determined to maintain their policy of exclusion
coute qui coute, and it is currently believed that the
new Congress will be more violent and vindictive
in its policy than the old. A scheme for a confis-
cation of rebel property in the South is talked of
as well as the impeachment of the PRESIDENT, which
has been under discussion for some time. Thus
one-half the States are to legislate on the most im-
portant matters for the other half, and this is called

a Union. The only hope is that the extravagan

of the party may thoroughly disgust the quiet and
reflective part of the communtiy, who will recognise
the danger which threatens the country through
their intolerance. Should the Radicals bring about,
as it is most likely they will do, a disturbance of
the finances, both North and South will suffer for
their reclees folly, and they may find too late that,

by their abuse of the opportunities of peace, they
have damaged the national credit and destroyed
public confidence in the speedy restoration of their
fortunes.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

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

The great debate on the interpellations termi-
nated by a vote of 215 to 44 in favour of passing to
the order of the day —that is to say, the Chamber
was of opinion that there was no ground for found-
ing any specific resolutions upon the discursive and
rambling objections made to the foreign policy of
the Government. M. Thiers made another speech,
which most of the journals describe as a rehash of
his first long address.

M. Rouher, the Minister of State, disposed of all
the opposition objections eloquently and triumph-
antly. The effect was such that, when he con-
chided, many members left their seats and earnestly
expressed their congratulations. The conclusion of
this speech merits literal translation. The Minister
said—" France will never have any exclusive alli-
ance. We wish to remain in harmony with all
nations. We will treat with theni in regard to all
the important interests which may successively be
brought into question, and we '.ill defend them.
We will defend our national alnces by compro-
mises, by diplomacy, in order to overcome diffi-
culties. Positions will change. To-day we will
ally with Austria, to-morrow with Prussia, not to
reek for conquests, but to arrive at an amicable
solution of questions which may be agitated between
us, in order to attain a great pacific position after
great storms. (Much applause.) Here is the
thought which dominates over us. Here is the
motive by which we are directed. It is the pro-
found feeling to support the interests of the country.
This is the realisation of the end marked out for
man for the nation—progress ! And our work
being accomplished we will say to our descendants,
Do like us. Allow violent aggressions to pass away,
as well as bold and bitter reproaches, and posterity
will judge you."
M. Gueroult said—We have too few opportuni-
ties of calling the attention of the Government to
foreign affairs not to avail ourselves of the present.
It must be well understood that I decline, on my
own account, all responsibility in the signification
which is attached to the demand made by M. Thiers

to refer the various questions back to the Govern-
ment. (M. Gueroult is the chief editor of the
Opinion Nationale).

The Chambers met again to-day, but merely to
discuss matters of local interest.

The Moniteur contains a letter from Madrid,
dated the 17th of March, which states that all the
inhabitants attended the funeral of Monseigneur
Puente, Cardinal Archbishop of Burgos, on the
previous day. The cardinal, who like Cardinal Wise-
man, was born at Seville, and commenced his studies
in England with the late eminent Archbishop of
Westminster, had become eminent for his virtues
and enlightened principles. After having occupied
the See of Salamanca he was translated to Old
Castelle, and it was there that he was chosen to
direct the studies of the heir presumptive to the
throne.

Independently of the treaty of commerce signed
with Morocco, Spain has just made an engagement
with England, France, Austria, and several other
nations, to assist in maintaining the beautiful light-
house which the Emperor Mohammed has erected,
at his own expense, on Cape Espartel, not far from
Tangiers. For vessels coming from the west this
light indicates to the south the entrance to Gibraltar,
and will therefore be of incontestable utility,
Since the formation of railways in Algiers the
port of Carthagena has attracted the particular
attention of persons who have frequent relations
with Africa, and who hope that Oran and Algiers

will speedily be connected. The shortest route
from Paris to Algiers is now by way of Carthagena.
That town is united to Paris by an uninterrupted

railway of 2,000 kilometres in length, and it is only

115 nautical miles from Oran—that is to say, the
distance is performed in 52 hours by railway and
13 hours by sea. For persons who do not like a sea
voyage the journey by Bayonne and Madrid for
Algeria offers various advantages, and the same
may be said in regard to travellers to America by
Cadiz, as they thus avoid the dangers and annoy-
ances of the Gulf of Gascony.
APryinea.
Prince of Hesse has just died hi his seventy-
eighth
It appears by letters from Roubaix that the riots
arising out of the strike of the cotton and silk
weavers in that town have been more serious than
was at first supposed. It was necessary to call out
the troops garrisoned in the town. The workmen
broke into the factories, destroyed the materials,
and set fire to the workshops. The origin of the
dissatisfaction of the workmen was the introduction
of a newly-invented loom, two of which can be con-
ducted by one workman. Another cause of dis-
satisfaction was a fine imposed upon workmen of a

centime per minute when absent from their work.
This fine, however, was modified by the masters,
who published a notice to that effect. The notice,
however, was considered as an indication that the
masters intended to persevere in the employment of
the new machines which created so much excite-
ment among the workmen that they assembled in the
streets to the number of more than 25,000, uttering
terrific shouts and menaces. They attacked the
workshops of several manufacturers and destroyed
the looms and materials and broke the windows.
They then proceeded to the residences of some of
their employers, and broke, cut, and then destroyed
the furniture. The tocsin was sounded, the troops
arrived, and there was a scene of confusion and
alarm. The mob, however, dispersed on the
arrival of the soldiers. There does not appear to
have been any loss of life, but Roubaix was never
before subjected to such commotion and violence.
In Belgium, also, there is great excitement
among the working classes. On Sunday last about
1,600 workmen assembled to protest against some
words inconsiderately uttered by one of the Belgian
ministers. Deputations from Antwerp, Verviers,
and Liege attended the meeting, and unanimously
agreed to the following resolution :—" This meet-
ing protests with all the energy of the national
dignity against the accusation made against the
Belgian people by a minister of Belgium, who re-
presented them as capable of selling their electoral
rights for a barrel of beer or gin. The meeting
protests against the declaration of the same
minister, which is in direct opposition to natural
right, and with the spirit and letter of the constitu-
tion, and which tends to nothing -less than to con-
demn the people to perpetual ostracism. The
meeting declares that the League of the people was
constituted with the object of pursuing the object
assigned to it by the foundation committee ap-
pointed by the meeting of the 22d of December,
1866." The Belgian "League of the People" is a
society, the object of which is to obtain and insure
for the people the right of suffrage, education, and
to promote their general welfare.

The Music-Hall Sick Fund.

TO TIER EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sr; —ln your report of the meeting of this society, held
at Weston's Music Hall on the 19th inst., you have attri-
buted to me the speech which was in fact spoken by the
chairman, Dion Boucicault, Esq.; and, in particular, I beg
to draw your attention to the following sentence : —" To
music-halls personally he was under a deep debt of grati-
tude, because no inconsiderable portion of the fortune he
had accumulated was owing to the audience they had sent
to him ;" which would have been absurd as coming from
me, as I have only been for a twelvemonth connected with
a music-hall.

Trusting that you will be kind enough to correct this
error, I ant, yours truly, W. HOLLAND.
VP estou's Music-hall, 242, High Holborn,
March 20, 1867.

THE LATE TRIAL OF M. DE GIRARDIN.—M.
Emile de Gitardin announces in the Liberte that he desists
from the appeal which he had made against the sentence
condemning him for a press offence to 5,000 f. fine, the
maximum of the pecuniary penalty allowed by the law.
His reasons are—first, that as, in presence of the now bill
on the press, imprisonment is impossible, ho his no peril
to encounter; and next, that a trial on the amount of the
fine appears to him without importance and undignified.

L A TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(RE UTER'S TELEGRAM S. )

AUSTRIA.

VIENNA, March 21.

The Emperor has addressed an autograph letter
to the Committee for the Control of the Public
Debt, expressing his complete satisfaction at the
manner in which they have conducted their labours,
and conferring upon each of the members the Cross
of Knight of the Order of Leopold.
The rumour published by the New Free Press of
the concentration of a corps of observation upon the
Turkish frontier, and the reports circulated at
Agram of sanguinary conflicts having taken place
between the people and the authorities in Dalmatia,
are officially denied.

HUN GARY.

PESTI!, March 21.

The Austrian Ministers, at present staying in
,his city, are expected to leave to-morrow evening,
'or Vienna.

CROATIA.

FIUME, March 21.

Herr Smaich, the Civil Captain of this town, has
prevented the departure of the deputation to Pasth.

THE ELECTIONS IN BOHEMIA.

PRAGUE, March 20.

The new elections to the Bohemian Diet have re-
sulted in the almost unanimous return of the former

Deputies.

SPAIN.

MADRID, March 20 (Evening).

The Official Gazette publishes addresses from
various State bodies concurring in the recent cir-
culars of the Ministers of the Interior and Foreign
Affairs relative to the attacks made by the foreign
press upon the Spanish Government. A Royal
decree has been issued appointing the Marquis of
Miraflores President of the Senate.

INDIA AND CHINA MAILS.

ALEXANDRIA, March 20.

The Nyanza and Tanjore left at 5 a.m. to-day.
The former may be expected at Marseilles on the
26th inst., and the latter at Southampton about
the 2d April.

SUEZ, March 20.
The Nubia, for Calcutta, &c., and the Salsette,
extra steamer for Bombay, sail this evening.

CHINA AND JAPAN.

NEW YORK, March 20.

The Pacific Mail Company's steamship Colorado
has arrived at San Francisco with dates from China
to the 17th and Japan to the 27th February. The
Japanese Embassy to Washington are among her
passengers. Her cargo includes 270 chests of tea.

The American Minister at Pekin was in high
avour with the Imperial Court.

The Chinese Government resisted all efforts made
to obtain authority to construct a railrpad through
Mongolia. The French were about to make a short
road from Shanghae to Leichow.
The Russian fleet was to sail for the Mediter-

ranean.

Piece goods were firm at Hongkong.

FRANCE.

BOURSE, March 20, Two o'clock.—A somewhat
better feeling is displayed to-day, and the down-
ward tendency of quotations would appear for the
present to have been arrested. Transatlantic
shares are at 445 f., or 2f. 50c. better, and Immo-
biller° at 325 f., an improvement of Bf. 75c. Three
per Cents., Italian Fives, and Credit Mobilier
shares show no appreciable variation, the respective
prices being 69f., 53f. 90c., and 470 f. Credit
Foncier have advanced 10f., to 1,4901. There is no
feature of interest in the Railway market.
Three o'clock.—The market has closed as fol-
lows :

tit per Cents 9B
Do. end month —
3 per Cents. 69
Do. end month 69 02}
Credit Mobilier
Do. end month
Credit Foncier —
Do. end month 1482 50
RAIL'

Bank Shares 3560
Italian Loan 53 80
Do. end month 53 90
Mexican Loan 22 50
Do. Bonds 162 50
Spanish Threes 34 50
Home Debt
Deferred -
fAYB.

For Account.
Orleans
Northern 1202 50
Lyons and Mediterranean 926 25
Southern 578 75
Westera —
Eastern 548 75
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard 412 oce
North of Spain lO5
SaragosE a
Ditto to Barcelona —

Rom:tn

The Government Land Measures for Ireland

Lord Naas has shown a laudable anxiety to im-
prove the condition of the Irish farmer by enabling
him to borrow money from the Board of Works
for land improvement, payable, principal and inte-
rest, in 35years, at 5 per cent.; or, if he prefers using
his own capital and labour, to do so—both being
the first charges on the land, which the proprietor
must pay in case of eviction. To protect the land-
lord the tenant -without his consent cannot obtain
such loans for house or offices, as he might otherwise
expend too much, to the injury of the owner.
Such is, we believe, the outline of the improve-
ment Bill. But he has brought in a second, to enable
landlords tied up by entail and family settlements,
where they are strict tenants for life, to grant 41
years' leases where the tenants build houses, and as
long as 31 where they do not, thus giving the power
to proprietors and tenants to make voluntary
arrangements. This bill should be extended to
enable the London companies in the north of Ire-
land, the Ecclesiastical Company., and other public
bodies, to grant similar leases for agricultural pur-
poses, and 99 for building sites, factories, villas, &c.
We cannot see on what grounds the Irish farmer
can oppose such reasonable terms. Our English
farmers, who generally hold at will and on custom,
would be delighted with such an offer. Yet we
hear the misnamed farmers' friends, the Irish
agitators, will oppose it; but such factious opposi-
tion will be put down by the good sense of the
house.
There are more leases in Ireland than in England
or Scotland, many of them for ever—for 999 years
—for lives renewable for ever—for 61 years and 31
years, with three lives or a life in reversion. Yet
these leases at low rents have not improved the
farming or agriculture of the country, the owners
of such becoming gentlemen, and not farmers.
Ten million acres of the best lands in Ireland
are in permanent pasture, giving no employment,
instead of being tilled and cultivated as in Scotland
and England.
In Ireland the great proprietors have not raised
their rents during the last 30 years, though stock,
butter, and grain have advanced. Beef, mutton,
and butter being up 50 per cent. in the same period
a great rise has taken place in Great Britain, so
that the Irish farmer, on the score of rent, has little
'to complain of. _ _

Until the system of tillage be introduced on the
large farms and good lands there will be little em-
ployment for the people. In Berwickshire, East
Lothian, Fifeshire, Northumberland, Lincoln, and
Norfolk, on farms of 700 acres, there will be paid in
wages £1,300 to £1,400 a year, while on the same
extent in Roscommon, Meath, Limerick, and Tippe-
rary about £5O to £6O ; hence the emigration from
want of employment.
Subscriptions to the amount of £2,000 have
already been remitted.

REPORTED RIOTS AT NEW YORK.—A telegram
from New York, dated Monday last, says : —" Several riots
have taken place, and collisions between the Irish and the
police have occurred. gany peroong, hays been injured."