The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY 141V.V.',NING, APRIL 24, 1866.

remember to have listened to within the walls of
the Legislature.

The intelligence which Lord CLARENDON last
night communicated to the House of Lords will
give general satisfaction. The case of the Abys-
sinian captives has long excited considerable indig-
nation, and also given rise to great, anxiety. The
noble earl read a despatch that he had received from
Colonel MEREIVETHER that day. A was dated
Aden, March 28, and informed him that he had
the honour to report that day the Victoria had re-
turned from Massowah, and brought news from Mr.
RASSAM to the 7th of February, -which was dated
from Ajair Muder, in South Abysinuia, stating that
the EMPEROR gave him a most magnificent recep-

tion. Indeed he went so far as to say that a
" regularly-constituted Embassy from England
could not have been treated with greater honour and
attention." This is certainly a great change from
what took place before, and the intelligence that
follows is also very satisfactory. A few hours after
his MAJESTY had given his first interview to Mr.
RASSAM, he ordered the release of all the European
prisoners, including the missionaries and the French-
men, and directed they should all be made over to
Mr. RASSAM, who could take them out from
Abyssinia with him, which place he was going to
leave about the end of March. The KING sent his
Chamberlain to Magdala to " unfetter the pri-
soners," and to bring them to meet Mr. RAssAm at
Debra Tabor, where he was to proceed, and where,
it was thought, he would receive the released cap-
tives at the end of February. The EMPEROR has
written a most polite letter to the QUEEN, which
Mr., RASSAM feels sure will please Her MAJESTY
and the British nation. His MAJESTY has also
made handsome preients to Mr. RAssA3r, and he is
preparing more to give to the mission before leav-
ing the country. This was received at Massowah
on the 18th March, and, therefore, with Colonel
MEREWETHER, "We may expect to hear of Mr.
RASSAM having at last met and received the released
captives, on about the 10th or 12th pros., when
the Victoria will again visit Massowah. Lord DERBY
remarked that he regretted his noble and learned
friend Lord CHELMSFORD was not there to hear the
information, because he had taken so much interest
in the subject. It will be a great relief to all who
have studied the subject to hear of this satisfactory
issue ; but at the same time, while we may rejoice
that these unfortunate captives have been set at

liberty before they sunk under their sufferings, we
must declare that the evils that arose were mainly
owing to the mismanagement of the Government at
home. Of course it was unintentional on the part
of her Majesty's Ministers, but they greatly aggra-
vated the misfortunes of these captives by their mis-
management. Indeed it is not going too far to say
that they might never have been imprisoned at all
had more discernment and discretion prevailed at
the Foreign Office. Lord RUSSELL'S unhappy
policy of meddling and muddling was carried out
in Abyssinia as well as on the Continent of Europe,
and with like unfavourable results. The noble
lord ought to have made up his mind
as to whether he would try force or
reason, as to whether he would propitiate or
intimidate, but as it was he did neither ; first of all
treating the EMPEROR with great neglect and in-
civility, and then declaring that it was impossible
to do anything, and that we could not go to war
with the Abyssinians. He should have thought of
that before he enraged and irritated the potentate
to such a degree that he insulted the majesty
of England by the injuries he inflicted
on a representative of that country. The
conduct of the Government respecting the

EMPEROR'S letter was as unwise as it was

ungracious, and their discourtesy brought great
sufferings to the unhappy captives. We cannot in
this instance say that all is men that ends well,

because it can never be satisfactory to think that
so great a disgrace has befallen this country as that
its subjects should have languished in foreign dun-
geons, while the Government were either unable, or
unwilling, to extricate them. At least let us hope
that they may take warning from this un-
fortunate circumstance, and not again allow
themselves to fall into such grievous errors. No
doubt none regretted more deeply than the mem-
bers of the Administration themselves the sad state
of things in Abyssinia, but that did not mend the
matter when the harm was done. It is always a
great mistake to offend the prejudices or to run
counter to the wishes of those ignorant and infa-
tuated men who too often wield the destinies of
foreign States and distant regions. The best
rule to follow is to keep to the ordinary
functions of diplomatic rules, and not to
treat with indifference and contempt those
who really require more ceremony than the
rules of civilised countries. At any rate we are glad
to think that a period has been put to the troubles
of these captives, and we are sure that the public
will rejoice to learn the satisfactory statement read
last, night by the noble lord the Secretary for
Foreign Affairs. We have had much cause to fear
a different issue to this affair many times lately, and
therefore it is the more gratifying to receive such
good news concerning the fate of those whose mis-
fortunes have given rise to so much regret through-
out the community.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FllO3l OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Monday Evening.

The great dispute between Austria and Prussia
may now be considered as settled, or, at all events,
such is the construction placed by the Journal des
Debats upon the telegram announcing, after the
Gazette de Bariene, that the proposal for disarma-
ment in the form presented by Austria has been
accepted 'by the Cabinet of Berlin. For the mo-
ment I cannot confirm or contradict this report.
The Moniteur is silent about it.
A St. Petersburg journal states that the Russian
Government is desirous to manifest as much indif-
ference as possible in reference to the attempted
assassination of the Emperor. The would-be assas-
sin is to be tried by a secret • Military- commission,
and on being found guilty, if the Emperor, con-
trary to the view he has exhibited of the attempt,
should not pardon him, he will be executed privately
in prison. In case the man's life should be spared,
he will be condemned to perpetual imprisonment in
a fortress. Upon his first examination he said his
name was Alexis Petroi, that his age was 24, and
that he is the son of a peasant of one of the Govern-
ments of the South. He was brought up at the
public schoolshiandcenhoefifixneisdhoef the
rdeshi town
idsenceolrvhe h
studies,
eefinirvpeioye was
yemare4s atbg:obrn ,
ut,and
he
has
has
travelled through various portions of the Russian
empire.

Prince Couza, the former Sovereign of Roumania,
has arrived in Paris, and though wishing to pre-
served the incognito, he has been recognised by
some of his countrymen while driving in the Bois
de Boulogne and elsewhere.
The races in the Bois de Boulogne yesterday were
again very attractive. The Emperor and Empress
and Prince oI Denmark were present. The betters
were excited in consequence of its being known that
several horses concerned in the Jockey Club prize
would be in attendance. The following is the re-
sult :
Prize d'Jena 2,000 for horses of 3 years old and
upwards. Rabat Joie (L. Mennier) 1; Seducteur,
belonging to Count Lagrange, 2. Amount of the

prize, 2,400 f. The winner was claimed for 6,525 f.
by M. A. Voisin. The owner is M. J. Moise.
Prix de Bagatelle, 5,0001., for horses of 3-years
old and upwards. 20 horses ran. Sultan was first,
Quaker 2, Vagabonde (Count Lagrange) 3.
Poule d'Essai, 5,000 f., added to a poule of I,ooof.
each for ponies foaled in 1862. Puebla, 1; Mara-
vedis, 2 ; Rochefort, 3.
Eighth Biennial Prize, 1865-1866, 5,000 f., for
horses foaled in 1862.—Fumee, 1 ; Solitaire, 2 ;
Mirliflor, 3. Betting, 6to 4 agst Fum6e. Amount
of the prize, 7,875 f. ; I,ooof. to the second horse.
Handicap 5,000 f., for horses of 4-yrs old and up-
wards :—Tourmalet, 1; Matamore, 2 ; Meli Melo,
3. Amount of the prize, 6,000 f. ; 500 f. to the
second horse.

The Siecle, remarking upon the present crisis as
regards Austria and Prussia, makes some alarming
comments upon the intentions of Russia. " Russia
believes the time has arrived when she ought to
abandon the policy of inaction. Large bodies of
troops have been marched towards Bessarabia. It
is estimated that 82,000 infantry, 12,000 horses,
and 238 cannon are stationed along the interior of
the country towards the extreme point in question.
For some time the Russian Government, even in
Russia, has been accused of weakness and of being
desirous, like Austria, to satisfy various German
provinces. The Gazette de Moscow, however, speaks
more openly, and says that Russia is determined to
adopt every means for the prompt and complete
unity of the empire. We may, therefore, expect to
see the speedy resumption of the plans which all
the Czars have pursued since the time of Peter the
Great, and which consist in uniting under the same
laws, no matter by what means, the number of
soldiers requisite to give them the empire of the
world." The Siecle, after these remarks, calls upon
the Conference of Paris to place an inaccessible
barrier in the way of Russian ambition. _ _

The chief attention of the fashionable world at
present is directed to the grand fete, which is to be
given on Saturday next at the Hotel de Ville, in
honour of the Prince of Denmark. The Emperor
and Empress will be present.
Baron Doyen, Deputy Governor of the Bank of
France, has just died from malignant fever, after a
very short illness. The baron had apartments at
the Bank. His salary was 30,000 f. per annum, a
comparatively small sum for an official occupying
such a responsible position. _ _ .

There has been avery serious and destructive fire
at the village of Lahotevill3, about five miles from
Paris. It took place at a candle raanufactory, and
the inflammable materials burnt with great fury.
The damage is estimated at £6,000.
The Princess Frederick d'Augustenbourg has just
given birth to a daughter, a circumstance which
might not, under ordinary circumstances, excite
attention, but at the present period it is not without
interest. The Prince is the claimant of the sove-
reignty of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein,
and in spite of the treaty of Gastein he has not
abandoned his pretensions. The Prince d'Augus-
tenbourg is related to the Queen of England. He
married ten years ago the Princess de Hohenlohe
Langenbourg, whose mother, who is still living, is
one of the daughters of Prince Enrich Charles de
Linange and of the Princess Victoria of Saxe
Cobourg, who, becoming a widow in 1814, was
afterwards married to the Duke of Kent, the father
of Queen Victoria. Her Majesty is, therefore, a
sister, by marriage, to the Princess de Hohenlohe-
Langenbourg, and the aunt of the Princess de
Augustenbourg, for whom she entertains great
affection. The residence of the Prince d'Augusten-
bourg at Kiel, as may be known, gave great offence
to Austria when the Prince went there about two
years ago.

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

P RUSSIA.

BERLIN, APRIL 24.

Yesterday the King of Prussia received the Rus-
sian Colonel Weymaren, who delivered to his
Majesty an autograph letter from the Emperor of

Russia.

The electors of the third electoral district of
Berlin held a meeting yesterday, which was numer-
ously attended.

Resolutions were passed similar to those adopted
at the meeting recently held in the other electoral
districts, excepting the third paragraph concerning
the convocation of a German Parliament. This para-
graph was amended as follows :—" The convocation
of a Parliament, composed of members elected by
universal suffrage, and endowed with full powers,
is the first step towards the realisation of the inalien-
able right of the nation, that Germany should be
united in power and liberty. The Prussian people,
notwithstanding their internal conflicts, have never
forgotten their duty to be the first to enter the lists
in defence of their rights."

SPAIN.

MADRID, APRIL 24.

The Minister of Finance has received notification
that the deposit for the New National Bank of
Spain has been paid into the Bank of England.

The Chamber of Deputies have appointed a com-
mittee to examine the Press law.

PORTUGAL.
LISBON, APRIL 24.

A change of Ministry is considered probable, in
which case it is said that the Duke de Louie will be
entrusted with the formation of a new Cabinet.
The Cortes will be closed on the Bth proximo.
Senhor Julio Gomez is dead.

AMERICA.
ARRIVAL OF THE CITY OF PARIS.
(Via Roche's Point.)

NEW YORK, APRIL 14, Morning.

It is semi-officially announced that the State
Department, in view of the Fenian agitation, has
long since issued orders for the preservation of
neutrality on the Northern borders.
The United States' gunboat Winoski has been
despatched to East Port.

The British gunboat Pleiades put to sea from
East Port on the 12th inst.

It is rumoured, apparently without any founda
ion, that her crew had mutinied.

The Canadian Government received information
that a raid on the Niagara frontier is imminent.

Roberts opposed O'Mahony's demonstration against
New Brunswick.

The President has signed the Loan Bill.
President Johnson has sent a message to Con-
gress embodying a report from Mr. Seward, to the
effect that preparatory measures had been taken
seasonably to send an adequate naval force to the
fishing grounds in order to protect the interests of
American citizens against unlawful violence.
The State Department has reason to believe that
there are at present no good grounds to apprehend
a collision or the necessity for the employment of
force. The attention of the President and the British
Government have been directed to the question
whether negotiation and legislation could be advan-
tageously employed to adjust the fisheries question.
These measures are not sufficiently matured to
render it necessary to take Congressional action.

Mr. Stewart has introduced a resolution into the
Senate, which has been referred to the Reconstruc-
tion Committee, proposing a constitutional amend-
ment prohibiting discrimination in matters of civil
right, or suffrage, among the people on account of
either race, colour, or previous condition of servi-
tude, repudiating the rebel debt, and ignoring all
claims for emancipated slaves. The insurrectionary
States ratifying these conditions to be admitted to
Congress, and the people to be amnestied.

The efforts to remove Mr. Davis, on a writ o:

Habeas Corpus, have been abandoned.
The rumours of an amnesty proclamation are
denied, as the President is said to have stated that
as the peace proclamation was simply a delineation
of his policy, it did not terminate martial law in the
insurrectionary States.
The municipal elections throughout the country
show increasing Democratic strength.