The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LO

member for Birmingham should be thus gra-
cious and condescending in his remarks. His com-
prehenson of the views taken by the Chancellor of
the Exchequer and his friends is most singular, and
almost approaches clairvoyance in its exactness and
mystery. Ib is quite clear that the Chancellor of
the Exchequer will take the House more into his
confidence than he did some weeks ago, and also
that his friends thinks they may as well swim over
the river as swim back again. This is encouraging,
because a little while ago there was no talk-
ing about swimming, but we were to sink,
according to the hon. member for Birmingham.
Mr. BRIGHT continued in a strain worthy of the
occasion in advising the supporters of the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer not to draw back, but to
make one more effort, for the right hon. gentle-
man would b. more pleased if they gave him power
to do what was right, viz., " making this Bill a
great Bill, memorable for this session and for all

time, and a great advantage to the country." We
hope and trust that this prediction will be realised,
and the attitude assumed by the House last night
seems a sure indication of its being so.

The hon. member for Sheffield, like most hon.
members who uphold a principle consistently and
straightforwardly, comes in occasionally for his
share of censure and abuse. Nothing is more annoy-
ing to loud professors than a resolute attempt to
reduce their professions to practice, and in the same
way nothing is more aggravating to some of our
political agitators than the prospect of obtaining
the thing they are agitating for. Reform has been
the bugbear of everybody during the last few
years, and both parties have been abnsed for
their indifference and delay, and the accusation has
not been altogether unjust. Now that the House
of Commons is really addressing itself to the con-
sideration of a comprehensive and liberal measure the
agitators are no better pleased. An awful prospect
presents itself to their view. What if a good Re-
form Bill be carried, and there is no excuse for
further speech-making, letter-writing, proclama-
tion-printing, and all the rest of it? OTHELLO'S oc-
cupation will be gone, and here are a whole host of
OTHELLOS who don't see their way clearly towards
getting before the public in any other capacity.
How can the various leaders of the Reform League
exist in obscurity ? They belong to those plants
that require a prominent position and constant
attention. To work unknown to fame is not their
idea of political heroism. They like the trumpets
before them and the crowd after, and would rather
harangue the roughs of St. Giles's on their exclusion
from the political rights of citizenship than sit down
contented at the prospect of a qualified household suf-
frage. To gentlemen who hold these views no offence,
of course, can be worse than that of Liberals who,
like Mr. ROEBUCK, boldly support every measure
of Reform which approves itself to their judgment,
without waiting to ask where it comes from. So
the Local Reform League of Sheffield has placed
Mr. ROEBUCK under the ban of its displeasure. It
has called a meeting, condemned his conduct, and
means (if it can) to dislodge him from his seat.
Happily Mr. ROEBUCK has survived more than one
of such attacks, and since he really represents
Sheffield, and not the Local Reform League, it is
possible that he may receive their anathemas with-
out political annihilation.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Monday Evening.

The following news is from the Moniteur :
" The Ministerof Finance of Italy has announced
to the Chamber of Deputies that on Thursday he
will enter into an explanation of the financial con-
dition of the kingdom."
A private telegram from Lisbon announces the
departure of the Queen of Portugal from Madrid
on her way to Paris.

"In consequence of the explanations given by
the Portuguese Minister to the Chamber of Peers,
the Government obtained a vote of confidence from
that assembly by a majority of 42 against 7.

" A letter from Massonah, dated March 31,
states that a sanguinary conflict had just taken
place between the troops of the Emperor Thcodoros
and the rebels of the interior, who advanced to
the centre of the TijrC. The principal chiefs of
the insurrection had been killed or taken pri-
soners by the Imperialists, who remained masters of
the field of battle."
The usual ceremony, commemorative of the death
of Napoleon 1., took place to-day in the church of
the Invalides. Yesterday, the sth, was the anni-
versary of the Emperor's death, but the ceremony
was postponed until to-day, as it is not the custom
for the Catholic Church to celebrate masses for the
dead on Sunday.

There are yet some sceptiCs as to the probability
of peace, and several papers entertain their readers
with alleged reports of extensive military prepara-
tions on the part of Prussia, from which circum-
stance, or invention, they argue that the Luxemburg
question is by no means settled. On the other
hand, the Temps, a journal well acquainted with
the affairs of Germany, speaks of peace as a cer-
tainty. Referring to the communication made to
the Chambers on Friday by the Marquis de Mons-
tier, the Minister of Foreigu Affairs, which I men-
tioned in my letter of that day, the Temps says :
" The communication made by the Marquis
de Moustier, and the declaration made by Lord
Derby in the House of Lords, seem to leave little
room for doubt and contradiction. They almost
amount to the certainty of the maintenance of peace.
By the concession of the Prussians and the neutrali-
sation of the Grand Duchy we obtain all that it is
important to have, and we do not leave to Germany
even the shadow of a grievance. The menace of a
lamentable and absurd war is not neutralised in an
instant, but it is to be hoped that it is now sup-
pressed for ever. We cannot say that the incident
of Luxemburg was very skilfully introduced, but
we feel sincere congratulation that it was raised,
because, according to all appearance, it will lead to
a great result."
The Journal des Debats has almost the same con'-
fidence in the maintenance of peace, but it says
may
are
ycreate many detailse
at ol
tiaerar.a n g
It,e hwohwi cehr
eirt she emm
ao
fift
ehraemrr e h
pe that peace will be the result of the discus-
sions of the Conference."

Yesterday the brother of the Tycoon, Ambas-
sador for Japan, went to inspect the immense bal-
loon, the Geant, in preparation by M. Naidar, the
aeronaut, and also the balloon called the Cylinder.
One of the objects proposed is to make ascensions
with a view to meteorological observations, much
valuable information having been obtained in this
way by Mr. Glaisher, of the Greenwich Observa-
tory, since 1860, and the scientific men of France
being desirous to follow the example. Little ad-
vance has been made in France in the science of
aerostation since the days of Gay-Lupac, Barral,
and Bixio. The most important discoveries on the
subject are those of the Viscount d'AmCcourt.
One of the most attractive objects in Paris at
the present time is the magnificent collection of
tulips in the garden of the AvenuJ d'Eylati, N 0.137.
There is not such a magnificent collection iu the
world. The garden occupies more than four hec-
tares, and there are more than a million and a half
of tulips. This is certainly one of the most attrac-
tive curiosities in Paris, and there is free admission.
Madame Persiani, a singer well known in London
at her Majesty's Theatre some years ago, was buried
on Saturday at Neuilly. She was born at Rome on
the 4th of October, 1818, and made her debut with
great success in Paris in 1838. Madame Persiani
had left the stage since 1850. Iler funeral was at-
tended by many artistic celebrities. She died very
suddenly from apoplexy.
More Royal personages will shortly be in Farix