The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-16 00:00:00

RAIL W &YS.

For Account.
Orleans
Northern 1192 50
Lyons and Mediterranean. 867 50
Southern 567 50
NT ostera c,c....
Eastern
Sardinian .. BO
Austrian
Lombard 392 50
North of Spain —
S aragosF a —
Ditto to Barcelona —
Roman, —

ROYAL LITERARY FUND.

--e --

The anniversary festival of the Royal Literary
Fund was held last evening at Willis's Rooms—the
Very Rev. Dr. Milman, Dean of St. Paul's, in the
chair. Among the gentlemen present were—M.
Van de Weyer (Belgian Minister), Lord Stanhope,
Viscount Strangford, the Very Rev. Dr. Stanley
(Dean of Westminster), the Very Rev. Dr. Alford
(Dean of Canterbury), Sir F. Grant (President of
the Royal Academy), Sir F. H. Doyle, Bart., Sir
John Davis, Bart., Sir John Simeon, Sir W. Mil-
man, Sir Henry Holland, Mr. Beresford- Hope, M.P.,
Newdegate, M.P., Mr. S. Gurney, M.P., Mr.
Moran (Secretary American Legation), Mr. An-
thony Trollope, and Mr. Edward Dicey.
In proposing " The Queen," the VeM. CHAIRMAN
said that literature had always prospered in Eng-
land under Queens. The value of the literature of
the time of Elizabeth needed no argument; and he
was old-fashioned enough to have a great respect
for the literature of Queen Anne.
" The health of the Prince and Princess of Wales,
and the rest of the Royal Family," having been
duly honoured,
Mr. BERESFORD-lIOPE proposed "The Church,'
and said he was not going to speak of its vestments
or its investments ; but iu an assembly like the pre-
sent it was enough to say that no public body had
done such service to literature as had been
done by the Church of England. In proof of
this statement he alluded to the chairman, to Kings-
ley, Alford, Todd, and others, and said that besides
those who contributed to literature in this way, the
clergy of the Church of England supported litera-
ture by being a great reading body. He proposed
"The Church of England," coupling with it the
name of the Very Rev. Dr. Alford, Dean of Can-

terbury.
The Dean of CANTERBURY responded, and said
that Mr. Beresford-Hope, in proposing the toast,
had left him but little to say. He had omitted,
however, to mention clergymen in one class of
literature, of whom he had been reminded by having
hat day seen his friend Professor Sedgwick in full
health and vigour. His name, and that of the
former Dean of Westminster, the late Dr. Buckland,
as well as those of some others, were sufficient
evidence of the value of the Church in contributing
to scientific knowledge. -
The CHAIRMAN then proposed the toast of the
evening. English literature was not now merely
the literature of a capital, or a small body of men ;
it was the literature of half the world. It was read
, not only on the banks of the Thames, the Clyde,
and the Shannon, but on the St. Lawrence, the
Hudson, the Orange River, in South Africa, Aus-
tralia, on the Ganges, the Indus, and, he might say,
the Yellow River of China.

The toast having been duly honoured,
Mr. GEORGE GODWIN read a statement, from
which it appeared that a sum of /1,605 had been
distributed in the past year to 49 recipients, and
also read a list of donations, commencing with the
name of her Majesty for 100 guinea's. The total
amount was about £7OO.
Earl STANHOPE returned thanks, and proposed
" The Chairman," to which Dr. MILMAN replied.
Sir ROBERT PHILLIMORE proposed " Historical
Literature, and the Very Rev. the Dean of West-
minster," whom he described as one in the very first
rank of this branch, and alluded to his work on
Palestine and his biography of Dr. Arnold.
The Dean of WESTMINSTER thanked the proposer
and the company, and said that Mr. Froude, who
should have responded to the toast, was now baking
himself while studying the records of the Inquisition
at Seville. He alluded to the improved vitality of
historical writing, and to the increased care in the
study of records.
Other toasts followed, after which the company
,separated.

ILI,ELAND.

D [MIN, May 15.
The Lord Lieutenant left Kingstown for Holy-

head last night by the mail boat, on his way to
London, where be is to remain for a few days.

Probably the fate of the condemned Fenians will be

decided in conference with the Premier. At pre-
sent it seems to be the feeling of the Irish Govern-
ment that while the dupes of the conspiracy in this
country should be dealt with mercifully, the chief
conspirators, who have crossed the Atlantic for the
purpose of inflicting on this country the horrors of

civil war, ought to be punished with the utmost
rigour of the law, believing that nothing but hang-
ing will deter others from following their pernicious
example. Perhaps this is the conviction of the ma-

on yof th... 1 upper classes in this country. If we
TT Ly judge from the meeting at the Mansion-house

yesterday, the citizens of Dublin generally regard
the matter with indifference. A requisition to the
Lord Mayor, asking him to convene a triaging to
implore the mercy of the Crown in the case of the
Fenian prisoners condemned to death, was signed
by many influential persons. The Lord Mayor
willingly complied, and, in anticipation of a large
attendance, the meeting was held in the great
Round room of the Mansion-house. But it was
miserably small, and though there were many in-
fluential gentlemen on the platform, it could in no
sense be regarded as a fair representation of the

public. There is an echo in this room which un-
pleasantly repeats every word of the speaker with
the utmost distinctness, so that if any one had
asked where were the citizens of Dublin, where
were the people, where were the clergy, or where
were the Fenian sympathisers, echo would literally
have answered " Where ?" The few persons who
stood in front of the vast semicircular platform, or
dais, were addressed by the Lord Mayor, who pre-
sided, and having explained the object of the meet-
ing, which he warmly approved, his lordship said:
—" I am quite satisfied that the memorial you are
about to adopt to-day will receive full considera-
tion from the hands of the nobleman, her Majesty's
representative in this country, and I trust the
meeting will confine itself strictly to the object of
that memorial—namely, to do away with the severe
and extreme penalty of death directed to be im-
posed on the condemned Fenian prisoners. I trust

that the observations which may be made to-day,
while they are confined to that object alone, will
render the meeting as brief as possible and as
unanimous as we all desire to be, (Hear, hear.)
I think the memorial will find an echo in every
part of Ireland. I know it has found an echo in
England, and some of the most distinguished mem-
bers of the Commons' House of Parliament have, in
fact, taken precedence of us in applying for the
abolition of the death penalty ; and on grounds
of policy, of humanity, and true statesmanship, I
trust the noble lord, her Majesty's representative,
and the Government may be induced to advise her
Most Gracious Majesty to commute the penalty 1
refer to. I have only further to say that lam at
the service of the meeting in this matter. 1 will be
ready to go with a deputation to her Majesty's lieu-
tenant, or even, if necessary, to London, to lay the
memorial at the foot of the Throne itfelf in order
to have carried out what 1 think would give satis-
faction to the great bulk of her Majesty's Irish sub-
jects. (Hear, hear.) I believe the great bulk of
our fellow-countrymen are loyal to the rights of

property, are loyal to their own homesteads and
families, are loyal to the dearest associations of
their lives, and above all, cherish those principles
which come from the clergy of all denominations,

of obedience to the laws of the country,"
The memorial was read by the Rev. Canon Pope.
'lle following is a copy of this document:," May
it please your Excellency,—We, the Mayor and
burgesses and citizens of Dublin, in public meeting
assembled, approach your Excellency, as the repre-
sentative of our most gracious Sovereign Queen
Victoria, with the most profound respect, humbly
to supplicate her Majesty, through your Excellency,

that the Royal prerogative of mercy be extended
to the Fenian prisoners now condemned to death.
Among the signatures attached to our memorial will
be found the names of citizens of high social position
and influence, members of every religious denomi-
nation anu ut every pont:Lent ereeti, fully represent-
ing the overwhelming majority of her Majesty's loyal
subjects, not only of this populous city, but of the
entire kingdom, who unite in supplicating, through
your Excellency, the exercise of the Royal preroga-
tive of mercy, t.) stay the extreme punishment of
death, and the execution of the revolting sentence
pronounced by law. We are convinced, and respect-
fully urge, that a prudent policy suggests a con-
siderate indulgence, and that clemency will prove
more efficacious in soothing asperitie3, securing
more ready obedience to the laws, and establish-
ing the good order of society ; and that mercy
rather than justice is the parent of love and loyalty.
We believe that clemency will prove a stronger
tie to bind the hearts of her Majesty's Irish sub-
jects in attachment to her august person, to her
Throne, and the Constitution of these laws thin

the infliction of extreme and revolting punishments.
Your memorialists are still further encouraged to
hope that our sincere and humble prayer will be
conceded from the significant precedent afforded
in the recent exercise of the Royal clemency, under
similar circumstances, in favour of the prisoners
condemned to death in her Majesty's Canadian
possessions. In all the relations of your Excellency's
noble house with Ireland, you have given so many
convincing proofs of exalted generosity of character
that we indulge the most confident expectations
that you will lend all the weight of your powerful
influence in obtaining from our gracious Sovereign
the object of this prayer for which we are soli-

citous."

The memorial was unanimously adopted on the
motion of Mr. James Houghton, seconded by Mr.
J. F. Lombard. A deputation to present it was
appointed on the motion of Mr. Devett, and thanks
having ben voted to the Lord Mayor, the proceed-
ings terminated.
The convict Patrick Doran, whose sentence of
death has been respited to that of penal servitude
for life, was removed yesterday from Kilmainhatn
to Mountjoy prison, under the Lord-Lieutenant's
warrant.
The death of Dean Plunket was announced yes-

terday morning, aged 65. He was Dean of Tuam
for 18 years, being brother to the late bishop, and
son of the first Lord Plunket. He was much re-
spected by the clergy of the diocese. The deanery
is little more than honorary. There has been
nothing at Tuam worthy the name of a cathedral,
though, as usual, the cathedral staff has been kept
up. The oldest member of it now is the Rev. C.
Seymour, Vicar and Provost of Tuam, a position
which he has filled for 16 years, and he presents the
example of a zealous Evangelical clergyman, being
popular with the Roman Catholic population by
which he is surrounded, having only 400 or 500
souls in his own peculiar flock. Mainly through
his exertions a beautiful cathedral is being
erected. It is now, lam told, ready for the roof ;
£6,000 has been raised by Mr. Seymour, and it is
expected that £5,000 more will suffi3e. If there is
merit in building a cathedral, the man who has
borne the burden of the task for years, and is the
acceptable and respected pastor of the worshippers
in it, seems to be the fittest person to be appointed
its dean. Certainly it would not seem a very
gracious thing to put another minister over Mr.
Seymour's head in that position. The Lord-
Lieutenant is not likely to do it for the sake of
making the deanery of Tuam a stepping-stone by
which a stranger to the dioc.3se may ascend the
bench.

The Special Commission resumed this morning.
John Flood, E lward Duffy, and James Duune,
alias Coody, were arraigned for treason-felony. A
jury was sworn. The Attorney-General stated the
cause, and the trial proceeded.

The 'Earl of Abingdon bad a ball last night at
his house in Grosvenor-street, at which a numerous party
collected.

vV
The Countess of Denbigh and family arrived at
their residence in Eaton-square, on Monday last, for the
season, from Malvern.
Lord and Lady Delamere had a dinner party last
evening at their residence in Bruton-streot, Berlxeley-
square,

EV
frifiltrit Cirtula

HER MAJESTY, &c•

OSBORNE, May 15.

The Queen drove out yesterday afternoon, ac-
companied by Princess Louise, and attended by
the lion. Mrs. Gordon; and her Majesty walked
and drove in the grounds this morning with Princus
Louise.

Prince Leopold and Princess Beatrice also Went.
out.

The ceremony of christening the infant son of
their Royal Highnesses Mince and Princess Christian will
take place on Tuesday next in the private chapel, Windsor
Castle, in the presence of her Majesty and the royal family.
The Court is expected to leave Windsor on the following
day.
His Excellency the Prussian Ambassador and
Countess Bernstorff entertained at dinner last evening, at
the Prussian Embassy, on Carlton-house-terrace—ho
Excellency the Spanish Minister and the Countess Vista-
hermosa and Madile. Owens, Lord and Lady Poltimore,
Lord Claud Hamilton, Lord Stanley, Prince Gortchacovt,
the Right Hon. Sir Stafford Northcote, Bart., and Lady
and Miss Northcote, the Right lion. the Chancellor of the
Exchequer and Mrs. Disraeli, dr,c.
The Earl and. Countess Percy and Lord Wark-
worth left Northumberland House yesterday for Alnwick
Castle, where the young lord's coming of age will be cele-
brated with great rejoicings on the 29th inst.
The Earl and Countess of Clarendon entertained
the Earl and Countess Grey and a select party at dinner
yesterday evening, at their residence in Grosvenor-place.