The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-09 00:00:00

to Reform ran a great risk of appearing before the
country in the light of its persecutors. Such an
anomaly has been prevented by the courage and
wisdom of some of the party, but we must not
forget, in direct opposition to their Leader, and in
determined defiance of his wishes. Mr. GLAD-
STONE has enjoyed for a long series of years the
delights of a seat on the Treasury benches, and
doubtless considers that when there he is the right
man in the right place ; but he is now required to
show his abilities in another place, and the best
counsel we can give hire is to follow a little more
closely the example of his predecessor. Never during
the years he has led the Conservative party has Mr.
DISRAELI exhibited himself to the world after the
fashion in which Mr. GLADSTONE figured yesterday.
The worst of all was to be reproved by his own
party, and to feel that it was not the strength of
his friends, but the disapproval of his foes, which
had brought him to such a pass.
Those who went down to the house in expectation
of a great debate were disappointed, but the chief
point was gained when the bill passed into com-
mittee. We may now consider it safe, not only
because it has reached that haven, but because the
feeling of the House is now unmistakeably expressed
in favour of the Government. The bill may be
modified in some respects, and perhaps improved in
others ; but in its main features, its integrity of
principle and decisive character, it is now almost
certain of gaining the sanction of the House, and
to pass beyond that, to gain the goodwill of
the community. Mr. DISRAELI, in the few
remarks which he made to the house last night,
spoke directly to the point, and exposed the shal-
lowness of the schemes of his opponents. So fai as
related to the power of the committee to alter the
law of rating, he said that it had been all along the
opinion of her MAJESTY'S Government that the
committee had that power ; and, therefore, on this
point, " it was unnecessary to have recourse to any
pressure, however gentle." Further on the right
hon. gentleman expressed to the house the " deep
gratification" experienced by the Government, and
their gratitude for the generous and candid manner
iu which they bad been treated by the House, be-
cause it shows " that the house is resolved to sup-
port the Government in carrying this bill, though
subject to those amendments which the house may
think proper to adopt, and which I am con-
vinced, after the encouragement we have re-
ceived this evening, will terminate in the passing of
a bill that will command the respect and confidence
of the country." No one better than Dr. DISRAELI
can appreciate the temper of the House of Com-
mons, and he is quite right in his declaration that
it has treated the Government with candour. It is,
in fact, to the tone adopted by the house collectively
that her MAJESTY'S Ministers owe their present
vantage ground. They have had to sustain many
losses and drawbacks, and to contend against many
difficulties. Some of their colleagues felt constrained
to quit the Cabinet, some of their friends were
rather unfriendly, to say the least of it, and some
of their opponents were indescribably oppressive,
but they possessed one thing, which has proved
mightier than all that could be brought against
them, the confidence of the House of Commons.

We have all along relied upon the support and
sympathy expressed by the generality of the
house in enabling the Ministers to bring this
" vexed question" to a settlement this ses-
sion, and we are glad to find our predic-
tions fulfilled. As lovers of Reform, we have
appreciated the sincere desire of Lord DERBY'S
Government to do their best in the matter,
and we regard the virtual settlement which
took place last night as no party triumph, but as
a great national blessing. It is impossible to over-
rate the importance of some decision being arrived
at at present, and the most gifted political sooth-
sayer may be puzzled to say what would have
been the consequence of another failure on the
part of Parliament to deal with a question affect-
ing the vital interests of the people. As for those
who thought proper to speak against the Govern-
ment, the Opposition, and the question of
Reform altogether, their remarks will have
no weight, and their motives are only too
transparent. Mr. OSBORNE may taunt the
independent members for showing their inde-
pendence by serving their country ; but every one
knows that he likes to hear himself talk on striking
occasions, and the hon. member bad evidently lost
his temper too much to be able to brook impressive
remarks. He abused Mr. GLADSTONE for not al-
lowing him to form a part of a " miserable minority',
rather than appear one of a disunited party. Mr.
LOWE was as bitter as usual, but of course he was
disappointed at the prospect of Reform being
settled. He now seems to regret having displaced
the Government of last year, because bad as they
were the present occupants of the Treasury benches
are decidedly worse. It appeared as if language
failed the right hon. membor in his denunciations of
the Government, and he hesitated to decide which
preponderated, their " assurance" or their " tergiver-
sation." " Such conduct may fail or not ; it may
lead to the retention or not of office, but it
merits alike the contempt of all honest men, and
the execration of posterity." We think that the
observation of Sir S. NORTLICOTE applied equally
well to Mr. LOWE as to Mr. OSBORNE, that he got
up a discussion after the proper time. In " fact, he
appears to me to be like the soldier who fired off his
gun when the review was over." There was really
no occasion for these speeches being made, and in-
deed their extreme views and extravagant language
required the " heat of debate" to pass them off.

It would have been at any time a diffioult matter
to pass a Reform Bill, but under existing circum-
stances it was quite impossible to do so. We con-
sider it to be tardy but complete poetical justice
that a Conservative Government should carry a
Reform Bill through Parliament, because they
were treated in so unworthy a manner in 1859,
and were not allowed fair-play. They have, how-
ever, considerably improved their position by this
time, and although their former measure was well
deserving of the support of Parliament, it was not
so comprehensive a one as the present scheme.
With the alterations and amendments it will receive
in committee it will be one in every respect suited
to the time, and quite as good, if not better than
any which the people have reason to expect. Mr.
DISRAELI said, in one of his impressive addresses to
the house, "Pass the Bill, and then change the
Ministry to-morrow," and he knew he was safe in
so speaking. When they have passed this measure
they may rest on their laurels, secura of
the approval of Parliament, and the confi-
dence of the country. Finis comma opus is a
well-worn saying, but we think we may venture
to employ it ou this occasion, for it aptly describes
the situation of Ministers. They have, indeed,
found their position on the Treasury benches no
bed of roses, and they have been able to discover
no royal road to Reform. They have bad to clear
the way by dint of hard work, somewhat after the
fashion in which the first settlers in the backwoods
of America had to prepare a spot for future habi-
tation. To use Mr. BRIGHT'S words the other day,
we hope that the corner is turned, and that the
worst is over; and that this question of Reform,
which has tantalised us all for so many years, may
now be settled in a satisfactory manner, pnd redound

The troopship Himalaya, Capt. S. Piers, embarked
the 83d Regiment at Kingstown, on Saturday,
prior to which she had on board draughts of nine
other regiments. She left Kingstown at 10 a.m. for
her destination, Gibraltar, Cape of Good Hope, and
the Mauritius, having on board about 1,430 aouls.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

-

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

The following news is from the illoniteur:—
" Despatches from Florence give from the news-
papers of that city various particulars respecting
the negotiations relative to the formation of the new
Italian Cabinet, at the head of which the King
placed M. Rattazzi. His Majesty, on receiving the
deputations from the Senate and the new Chamber
of Deputies charged to present to him an address
in answer to the speech from the Crown, said that
the circumstances were grave, that it was necessary
to form a Ministry of conciliation including all
parties ; that he had requested M. Rattazzi to form
a Ministry upon this principle, and that he reckoned
upon the assistance of all the Deputies without dis-
tinction of party." His Majesty also said " that the
most important questions for Italy at the present
moment were those connected with finance, and
that he felt the gravity of them so much that they
were the object of his special thoughts." At the
latest date the new Cabinet had not been fully
formed.

A private despatch from the Hague gives a more
complete version of the speech made in the Dutch
Chamber by M. Van Zuylen in reply to the inter-
pellation of M. Thorbecke relative to the conduct
of the Government in the Luxembourg affair. Here
are the words used by the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of King William the Third :

" The cession of Luxembourg, and consequently
the rupture of the ties which attach it to Holland,
is desirable for the later country. The Grand Duke
will not take any step without being certain that
the interests of his subjects will be guaranteed.
" The journals have spoken of considerable sums
paid to the Grand Duke. If there has been a ques-
tion of indemnity it is a very small one. Holland
in offering her good offices to Berlin had in view
possible negotiations hereafter. Fur the present
none exist. All was confined to discussions
(pourparlers) between the Great Powers. The
object of the cession was to guarantee the main-
tenance of peace, but a misunderstanding on the
pourparlers might have an entirely opposite result.
For Holland there was a connection between the
question of Luxembourg and that of Limbourg.
That was arranged by the declaration made
yesterday by M. de Bismark (and which was
read by Count de Zuylen to the Chamber,
M. Tornaco being at that moment at the Hague),
the Minister announcing that he would not mix
himself up any more with the Luxembourg affair,
either officially or officiously."
" The Marquis de Montholon, Envoy Extraordi-
nary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Emperor
to his very faithful Majesty, on the 30th of
March, took possession of the legation of France at
Lisbon."
" The Swedish Diet commenced the financial
discussion on the 29th March. The war budget
in particular gave rise to animated debates in both
Chambers. The Minister of Marine, charged with
the defence of the budget in the absence of his col-
league, the Minister of War, from indisposition,
informed the house that the committee appointed to
consider the subject of arms had made their report,
which was in favour of the adoption of the Reming-
ton gun. The question of the credit to be granted
fur the purchase and manufacture of this new arm
excited a very long debate.
" The Government had proposed the amount of
3,500,00') rix dollars to provide for this expense, but
the first Chamber has only voted 1,500,000 rix dol-
lars, and that sum was reduced to a million by the
second chamber.

" This amount will be definitively agreed on by
a special vote, comprising the majority of suffrages
in the two chambers.

" The navy budget was adopted almost without
any observations. Upon the whole, the Diet did
not evince a disposition to shrink from incurring
useful and urgent expenses."
The contradictions and fabrications upon the sub-
ject of Luxemburg continue, and indeed are on the
increase. According to one version Prussian artil-
lery officers, with munitions of war, have been sent
to the fortress, and other warlike manifestations
have been made. The Paine, in reference to these
reports, says it is enabled to contradict them on the
faith of private despatches from Berlin. It adds
that the Prussian Cabinet is annoyed at these re-
ports, which are evidently spread with the object of
creating excitement both in France and Germany.
Very.explicit declarations, emanating spontaneously
from the Cabinet of Berlin, have been made to the
Court of the Tuileries upon the subject.
La France has a long article, in which it contends
that, although Holland was disposed to cede the
Grand Duchies, with the consent of the populations,
difficulties were interposed by M. de Bismark, in
consequence of which Holland now views the mat-
ter in a very different light.

A Brussels paper, the Inclependance Beige, con-
tains a violent and warlike article. It says—" It is
no longer to be doubted now that on two sides we
seem to be drifting towards war. There is no
longer much hope that in Germany the public feel-
ing—equitable or not—will authorise the Prussian
Government to withdraw its flag from the fortress
of Luxembourg. On the other hand, there is little
reason to doubt that the French Government has
decided to push things to extremity if Prussia should
definitively prove heedless of the claims and repre-
sentations made to it."

Some members of the Legislative Body intend to
ask permission to make interpellations on the sub-
ject of Luxerabourg.

The system adopted for telegraphic messages from
one extremity of Paris to the other is very cheap and
simple, and is coming into general use. The other
day an invalid wrote a letter to his medical man in-
forming him of the effect of the medicine he had
ordered so that he might avoid the trouble of a visit.
Immediately on receipt of the letter the doctor sent
a message by telegraph in the following terms :
" Leave off the internal medicine. Take a bath.
Eat the wing of a fowl. I will see you to-morrow."
Thus the patient was enabled to change his regimen
instantly, and at least two hours' time was saved.
The cost of the message was half a franc.
The Siecle gives unusual prominence to a very
important article by its chief editor, M. Havin, the
deduction from which is that war between France
and Prussia is imminent, if Prussia should refuse to
listen to the advice of France to withdraw her
troops from Luxembourg. After arguing that a
refusal would be " ingratitude," and a hint that
France in such case ought to declare war, the
Siecle says :

"France desires to maintain amicable relations
with Prussia, but upon one condition—that Prussia
should respect; the nationalities which surround her.
If it be otherwise, France, unless she be disposed to
abandon her character of civilisation, and to suffer
her rank and influence in the world to be diminished,
could not refuse her support to the people who are
threatened. In such a case she would have, in
order to make her rights respected, to defend her
honour, that admirable army which has not, so far
as we know, been deteriorated since the glorious
campaigns of the Crimea and Italy, and which is
still, if not in number, at least by its qualities, the
first in the world. Above all, she would have the
moral force derived from our great revolution, and
which has so often rendered her triumphant. There
is no danger in German unity, if it be turned to the
advantage of Germany, and not of Prussia. To
diss'pate the uneasiness of the present, to avoid the
dangers of the future, it is necessary to restore to
Fr,:nc.: her initiative and her liberties. What France
cannot tolerate is that P russia should continue to
have a garrison in Luxembourg."
Among the agricultural products at the Exhibi-
tion will be a monster potato, grown at Louvain.
It weighs about 16lbs. The form is that of a barrel,
and if it were hollow it would contain about nine
quarts.

A model of the mechanism used for producing the
beautiful chimes at the church of St. Germain
l'Auxerrois will be exhibited. Nearly four years
have been employed in perfecting this mechanism,
which is so simple that 42 bells may be put in mo-
tion with as much ease as a person can play on the
piano. This system differs effectually from any
hitherto adopted.
It is announced seriously that M. Nadar has