The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-19 00:00:00

TIIE SUN. JAEN UON, AION ork Y EV ENING, AUGUST 19 1867.

Works to continue the examination of the dii Terent sion two resolutionsepassed almost u
thatnanimouthis
sly.
lines of railway, and to seek out the best means The first declared iwner explicit terms "
of improving the canals and the n aligation i meeting refuses to make victims of any of the mem-
of rivers, which are here called "modifying counter- I bers of the Society of Sawgrinders, by expelling
-
poises to railway monopoly." This is one of those them on account of their con
admirable phases in which the illustrious writer so rages recently inquired into
EAD !at SheffielThed i.dea " Misaan
ke
greatly excels, and by means of which he can always victims of men like BROADH
make his meaning clearly understood, while: at the original one, when every one knows that if he had
same time he conveys to his hearers the ultimate not obtained his certificate of indemnity he would
intentions of the changes designated, and they are be standing in the dock ! But the resolution,
able to realise the full effect of this or that pro- which is a very long one, goes on to say that they
posal. Nothing could possibly be truer thau this decline going into any lustification of the things done
description, and one of the EMPEROR'S discernment beyond assenting that they are effects of a cause,
must naturally feel most anxious to counteract by " the want of properly regulated legislative mea-
every means in his power the injurious influences of sures, binding mn in some degree to what is
this monopoly of railways. All that can in any de- honourable, just,e and good." Ile will be a very
gree arrest the course or change the directions of such clever statesman who devises such a measure as
powers must be held as a social benefit, and i that. We havealready enactments against thef t,mur-
well wishes to the community must hail their der, arson, conspiracy, perjary,and inmuchtimidateffect in
ion, but
adoption, and foster their development with might they do not seem to have produced
and main. Sh (field.
elt has often been said that you cannot
make men religious or moral by Act of Parliament ;

_MIk. -•1"'"6

►t be

" Our efforts," says the EMPEROR, " must DO,
confined to these tasks alone, and hence we find
that he desires to pursue his result of improvement
in other directions. The Agricultural Commission
has, it appears, shown in an unmistakeable manner
that it is most important for the prosperity of the
country that a complete " network of parish roads
should be constructed." This is an essential condi-
tion to the wellbeing of those rural populations
who have always exhibited so much devotion to the
EMPEROR, as he takes care to acknowledge in this
letter. " Preoccupied with the realisation of this
project," the EMPEROR had already instructed the
Minister of the Interior to consider, in conjunction
with the Minister of Finance, a series of measures
which might allow the termination, within ten
years, of the network of Parisian roads, by the aid of
the State, the departments, and the communes. But
in addition to this triple concurrence theEMPEnoR has
sought to facilitate the means by which the corn-,
munes can participate in the expense, and had
therefore requested the Minister to arrange a special
fund to be devoted to the purpose of advancing the
necessary sums by means of loans granted at a mo-
derate rate, and repayable at long periods. No
doubt this is the best plan to meet the exigencies of
the case, and its adoption will tend to remove many
difficulties from the way.
After expressing his approval of the note which had
been addressed to him by M. LAVALETTE, the EM-
PEROR goes on to say that there are some important
questions to examine, and the Minister in question
must collect together means of information at once
" precise and complete." The Municipal Councils
will, by their deliberations, form the " point of de
parture" in this work; but the EMPEROR, with right
feeling, desires that a large part in the investiga-
tion " may be left to the members of those depart-
mental assemblies with whose patriotism and
devotion he is acquainted, and whose concurrence
he knows will not fail him." This confidence
is well placed, and the proof of it thus signally
afforded cannot fail to have due effect upon those
concerned. It is very suitable that these assem-
blies should have full opportunity afforded to them
of exercising their judgment and expressing their
views in respect to these charges which so inti-
mately concern them. The more free and unli-
mited is the power conferred the more lasting is
the work likely to be that is done ; and the more
genial the feeling with which the work is un-
dertaken the better for all concerned, either
directly or indirectly. The EMPEROR concluded
his remarkable letter by expressing his confidence
in the " enlightened zeal and energetic activity of
M. DE LAV kLETTE, and trusts that, at the next
sitting of the Legislative Body, a bill may be laid
1 efore it, which will insure the execution of this
work," the realisation of which he has so much at
heart. In accordance with the wishes of the Im-
perial letter, M. LANALETTE has already pub-
lished a report alluding to the execution of
the measures proposed in the communication ;
and a Ministerial decree has also appeared, con-
voking the Municipal Councils during the early
part of September, in order that they may revise
the classification of the parish roads. Thus the
matter will not be allowed to decay, and we may
congratulate the French upon having the prospect
of improvement in so important a direction. It
has long been a reproach to our neighbours that
they cared more for show than for substance, and
gave, less heed to sold and substantial wants than
they did to superficial. Mistrust seems likely to be
now done away with. It was said of an Emperor
of old that he found Rome brick and left it marble ;
and although this cannot be literally applied to the
Emperor NAPOLEON, he will leave France very dif-
ferent in many respects from what he found it, and
these improvements are likely to record the most
momentous memorial of his reign, as they certainly
redound to his credit, and prove his interest in the

people.

if we required any proof of the dangerous ten-
dency of Trades' Union principles we should as-
suredly find it in the conduct of the Sheffield saw-
grinders. Those who incline to the opinions of the
Unionists, who regard all the relations between
labour and capital as a warfare between recognised
enemies, who accept the doctrine that the interests
of the union should be paramount to every other
consideration, were very indignant because the
public common sense blamed all the members of the
Union for the offences proved against a few. it
Was not credible that men should be shot down in
the street, should be maimed for life, should have
their houses blown up in the very middle of a large
town without the events attracting some attention.
As these men were invariably known to be offenders
against the Union laws, it could not require much
penetration on the part of their fellow-workmen to
attribute their misfortunes to the right source.
Many of the members of the Union may have been
ignorant of the full extent to which the iniquities
were carried, but they could only have been so
ignorant from shutting their eyes and wilfully
refusing to discover what they did not wish to
know. At the same time it is not a little surpris-
ing to find the hardihood and indifference evinced
by the unions whose names have been disgraced by
he recent disclosures. The unanimous condetnna-
ion of all who are not absolutely blinded by poli-
Acal prejudice is powerless against them. The

censures passed upon them by the press, not of
England alone, but of France and America, fall
careless on their ears. They assume the airs of
martyrs for the public good, and look confidently
to the interference of the Legislature on behalf of
their interests. It will scarcely be believed by
many readers that BrtoADnEAD and CROOKES, whose
names have become bye-words through their own
revelations, are still retained as members of
the Sawgrinders' Union, which body refuse to
dismiss them The London Trades' Council, it
seems, having a better idea of the estimation in
which these men were held out of their own circle,
passed a resolution a short time since, expressing
astonishment, which they well might feel, that
BROADHEAD and CROOKES were still members of the
Union, and declaring that they will hold no com-
munication with it while these men remain in con-
nection with it. Upon receiving this intimation the
Sheffield sawgriuders hid a full trade, meeting in
the Temperance Hall, at which, after a long discus-

plan would involve a new war against Prussia.
One need not fear that it would be called a hazard-
ous opinion to aflirm that Prussia would risk war to
the uttermost, in order to prevent the success of
such a policy. The correspondent of the Debats is
not deceived upon this point. It is clearly to be seen
that he considers war to be inevitable; should he be
correct in regard to the policy of the Cabinet of
Vienna."
The Empress has left Paris to meet the Emperor
at the camp of Chalons. The Emperor afterwards
went to Salzbourg to see the Emperor of Austria.
As at present arranged their Majesties will return
to Paris on Tuesday.
The cholera still prevails in Italy to a fearful
extent. At Palermo, on the 9th inst., the number
of cases was 405, and of deaths 278. On the 10th
the number of cases decreased to 312, and the
deaths to 213. On the 10th, at midday, there were
260 cases, and 162 deaths. The cholera has made
many victims in the small town of Albano, but it
is beginning to diminish. The ravages were among
illustrious personages as well as the poor. The
Queen Dowager of Naples and the Princess
Colonna died from this terrible malady, and since
that the Cardinal Bishop of Albona, Prince Altieri,
has been carried off by it. He was 62. The latter,
on hearing of the invasion of the disease, came with
most heroic promptitude for Rome, and at the head
of his clergy went everywhere, in order to render
every assistance in his power. Such apostolic
zeal and devotion have excited great enthusiasm.
Cardinal Prince Altieri, almost to the moment when
struck by death, visited the sick and gave them
encouragement and consolation. In this good work
he was aided by the Cardinal di Pietro, who was
equally zealous. The Pontifical Zouaves, who are
in garrison at Albano, also exhibited the most
courageous devotion.
A despatch from Frankfort states that a terrible
fire broke out at two o'clock in the morning in the
cathedral of that city. The vestry and several
adjoining houses were completely destroyed. There
are three deaths to deplore. The Queen of Prussia,
who is at present at Coblentz, on hearing the dis-
aster, sent a telegram to the director of police of
Frankfort, in which her Majesty expressed her ex-
treme regret at the occurrence.
The murderess Frigard continues to exhibit per-
fect coolness and indifference in regard to her crime
and her situation. Immediately after the sentence
she was reconducted to her cell in the prison at
Melun, where, according to the usual regulations,
she had to change her attire and put on the prison
dress. Madame Ledoux, the wife of the director of
the prison, shed tears and was much excited at see-
ing one of her own sex in such a position, and,
knowing her to be condemned for so terrible a crime,
nearly fainted. The prisoner, however, was as
calm as possible, and said to Madame Ledoux
" What is the matter with you ?" at the same time
smiling as she ever seemed to be according to the
witnesses. " Recover yourself ; lam calm ; feel my
pulse ;" she added, holding out her arm ; " it does
not beat more quickly than it did this morning."
In the course of the trial the prisoner took many
uotes of the evidence upon a paper which she passed
to her counsel, who returned it as soon as he had
read the contents. This paper was found afterwards
in the cell which the prisoner occupied, and affords
a strong proof of the prisoner's coolness and power
of argumentation. Points of the evidence were
analysed with searching discrimination. For in-
stance, Dr. Bergevon gave some explanations in
regard to the manner in which ho supposed the murder
had been committed. He imagined that a double
pressure had been exercised on the chest and throat,
and said he had made an experiment upon a dog to
test the accuracy of this hypothesis. In reference
to this the prisoner wrote on her paper, " Madame
Mertens wore a pair of stays of excellent workman-
ship, and made up with strong whalebone. Ask
the doctor if to press upon stays of this kind it
would not be necessary to use much more powerful
strength than mine. Ask him also if, when he
made the experiment upon the unfortunate dog, he
put stays upon the animal." In reference to
another deposition, this lively murderess actually
perpetrated a calembourg, a play upon words. The
mother of the unfortunate widow said that a
Monsieur Thomiere was one of the most constant
visitors of the deceased, and the prisoner wrote
upon the paper, " Yes, she said Thome bier, as
if the expression had the meaning of Thome
yesterday, Thome aujourdhin, Thome demain—that
is to say, Thome yesterday, Thome to-day, Thome
to-morrow ; there was too much of him."
The Emperor and Empress will arrive at Lille, to
be present at the grand fete which I have
mentioned, on the afternoon of the 26th of August.
Great preparations are in progress for the reception
of their
gyyatotfheSirt.be l‘alda,uwriiell,
bl er
ar
receivew t
h the
e
t h Majesties.
Archbishop
sovereign T
at
of C
ile
a ulthee door of the church.
There will be a deputation of young girls dressed in
white, who will present bouquets. There will be
banquets, illuminations, and various showy and im-
posing ceremonies.
The weather continues very hot and seasonable,
but there are still indications of a coming storm.
A very curious atmospherical phenomenon took
place a few nights ago in the arrondissement of
Grasse. The thermometer suddenly descended to
several degrees below zero, although it had been
very sultry in the day. The gutters and fountains
were frozen as in January. Indeed, the ice was
thicker than at any time last winter. The corn,
haricots, potatoes, and fruits which were touched by
the frost have all perished. A siniiliar occurrence
the month of
took place
in
in the
year 4
sameB.
locality in
The explosion at Bordeaux was even more serious
than was supposed. 13,.!eides the killed—seven in
number-112 were more or less injured.
the

but the sawgrinders dissent from this doctrine, as
they do from all doctrines that throw the respon-
sibility of a man's acts upon himself, and not upon
others. It may be observed that in all their de-
mands from the Legislature these would-be Re-
formers are most carefully vague, " properly regu-
lated measures," " giving labour due consideration,"
" rights," " justice," " equity,"—all such words are
constantly current, but they avoid any precise
intimation of what the nature of those measures is
to be. Unless they stipulate that the men shall fix
the amount of wages instead of the master, and
that the master shall be bound under heavy legal
penalties to obey all the rules of the union, we do
not see much chance of satisfying the sawgrinders.
But let us see in what light Messrs. BROADIIEAD
and CRooKES are regarded by their maligned fel-
lows, who were supposed to be horror-stricken by
the extent of their sins. They are " men who have
taken upon themselves the task of risking their lives
and their liberties for what they believed to be the
good of the institution ;" and the meeting indig-
nantly disclaimed, as a libel upon the so-
ciety, the statement that Mr. BROADHEAD had
been reinstated as a member because he was never
effrotnhleaLlle'ageists.
nad resolution, recom-
mendinge 0 expelled pe l
violencel ed! a l
lAi
Trades'
After
eithiswaiting
gtnhf
ioeorns
aeo ot
the
ab:t ti
oa in
lature, fallsquite powerless. Such conduct as BROAD-
HEAD and CrtooKts's must either be stigmatised by
the strongest language of horror and indignation, or
passed by altogether. It is not possible to give
faint blame to so atrocious a system, and if we are,
as the sawgrinders tell us, to attribute the offences
to the whole Union, the sooner such a body is
broken up the better, for the semi-savages on the
very outskirts of civilisation know better than to
tolerate murder.
But Mr. BROADHEAD'S popularity in Sheffield is
not confined to members of his own union. On
the hero's return from the meeting we have referred
to he found a deputation awaiting him. They
were non-unionists, who, not being able to obtain
admission into the old union, thought of forming a
society of their own, and were looking out for an
experienced director. BROADIIEAD seemed to them
a likely man, and fully expecting that he would be
expelled his own society they hastened to in-
vite him to take the management of theirs.
So that, so far from the men of Sheffield
having been shamed into a better state of
feeling here is a new society going to be formed on
the worst principles of the old ! BROADHEAD de-
clined the honour, and advised the deputation to
wait for an opportunity of joining all the saw-
grinders in one body. Assuredly public morality
among the working men of Sheffield must be at a
very low ebb, and the inferences to be drawn from
these facts is not very flattering to our national con-
dition. It is easy enough to understand the motives
of such men as CROOKES, BROADHEAD, and the others.
Unscrupulous and low-minded, they were actuated
by the very common motives of greed for money
and love of power, and their patriotic devotion to
the rights of labour, " their risking of life and
liberty," resolves itself under one or other of these
heads. They took very good care of their lives and
liberties at the expense of the " institution " when
tt‘tvhhoceenr
tongues
ueunce
nose
ps sodefi
owt
cnydob
weat
gunpowder did
: ds tywhe'lledl
iohr efbweywae
rreefkaedkawiertre.
might
nhhn
etdabrsbeoi
bullets
hnlnedt t hem
turneir the
next.the
circle
wanting a
tore
gwe et ti
no
apasr
nithinknt and
lea epi
lrloeefleset.nai
ned wgeTr
un
ee
hn
aout
ao
nf
asha
ve n e BROADHEADmere e forf
the
hceh
high
e he hLeontestitys
and good feeling of our working men, for all their
boasted mental progress, has been only backwards
so long as they can tolerate such doings.

711 E A 7 LAN? IC CABLES.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

It must have appeared extraordinary to those who
have watched the condition of the submarine tele-
graphicl 8
lines connecting
cable,onnect which wasingEurope with America that
while the
picked up from the
depths of the ocean after it was thought it had been
irremediably lost has since its junction with
America remained intact, that of 1866 has been
ruptured twice. The explanation of this is, however,
exceedingly simple. It appears that when the shore
end of the 1866 cable was being laid from the Great
Eastern the vessel was in a fog, and unfortunately
this part of the line was laid over a shoal
patch, about 40 fathoms in depth, so that the ice-
berg's which so constantly-occur in that region,
reaching, as they often do, to the bottom, cut the
cable. The wire has been completely repaired, but
it has been resolved upon to raise the shore end of
it as soon as
move it to a deeper channel. Meanwhile, with a view
possible from its present bed and re-
to more perfect communication between Europe
and the United States, the ship Chiltern, which had
been commissioned by the Telegraph Construction
and Maintenance Company, sailed on Tuesday
last with the telegraphic wires, of the materials of
which we gave an account some
time ago, which
are to be laid from Placentia, in Newfoundland,
to the island of St. Pierre, on the Gulf of St.
Lawrence. She carries 320 miles of wire, which
is packed in new water-tight tanks. There is no
doubt that until perfect telegraphic communica-
tion is established between
Europe and the
United States in such a manner as to avoid
adopting the assistance of the land lines in New
Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland our
correspondence will be subjected to the interrup-
tions by which it has been so often retarded during
the past year. With a view, however, to tem-
porarily remedying the evil it is contemplated to
establish throughout Nova Scotia a series of land
lines from Sydney, via Halifax, to the United
States and Canada ; should these fail during the
winter, and there is no doubt that they will have to
bear the brunt of snow storms and sustain the weight
of superincumbent ice, it will become absolutely
necessary to lay submarine lines between Halifax
and Boston in 1868. A Franco-American company
is, we understand, in course of formation, with the
object of laying a submarine cable from Ushant to
Boston, so that it will be advisable for us to take
such measures as will obviate the necessity of avail-
ing ourselves of the new projected line. This is not
a subject, however, in which Englishmen alone are
interested, the whole world will dotibtles have more
or less Anxiety for its success.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)