The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-22 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THU.RSDA V E V _tNING, NOVENIBER 22, 1866.

that there was no assembly in the world " where
they would find a greater amount of honesty and
patriotism."

Mr. FERRAND'S speech was, of course, the speech
of the evening, and he commenced by stating that
seventy years ago the inhabitants of Bradford elected
his grandfather to command the volunteers arrayed
against foreign invasion, and that now he was chosen
to preside over the deliberating and educated
working men who had united together to defend
the institutions of the country from "revolutionary
demagogues." It is well known that Mr. FERRAND
is a man of extreme opinions, but he is always an
honest and straightforward politician, and he is never
found to say one thing one day and another the next,

like some persons who are often found most appa.
rently in earnest. Of course Mr. BRIGHT did nol

fare very well in such hands; but, allowing for some
exaggeration, we may find a good deal of truth in his
strictures, and at any rate no one has a right to
find fault with criticism on the course of one who
is so censorious himself. It is quite true what he
said about Mr. BRIGHT'S desire not to let the
educated working men receive the franchise in pre-

ference to others not so well qualified, because " his
power rests entirely amongst the ignorant and dan-
gerous classes of the community." There is also a
good deal worthy of note in what he said about the
prevalence of strikes all over the kingdom.
More especially, however, do we concur with
Mr. FEnRAND's denunciation of the argu-
ments employed so constantly of the hard-
ships of the down-trodden millions who
do not possess the franchise. Where, as he em-
phatically observed, is the working man so really
free as in England ? " There is no privilege which
working men cannot enjoy ; there is no right which
any man possesses in this country which that also a
working man does not possess ; there is no enforce-
ment for him to serve in the army and navy ; there
is no office in England which is not open to him ;
the House of Commons welcomes the working
man within its walls, and the House of Lords
is reunited from its ranks." In illustra-
tion of this fact, Mr. FERRAND cited some
notable instances. Mr. BROTHERTON, the member
for Salford, said, " I myself worked in a factory
when I was a boy, and I came here to plead the
factory boy's cause." Mr. JOHN FIELDER said, " I
am proud to have been a factory operative, and I
know the tortures they have endured." Mr. TAS-
TER, the Harwich weaver-boy, drew down the hearty
cheers of the House of Commons for his oratory,
and Sir JOHN ELLEY once contradicted Mr. HUNT'S
declaration, that there was no instance of a
working man having risen from the ranks
to be a general, stating that he himself had
been a private soldier, and advanced until he
became colonel of the regiment in which he had
enlisted, and he was then a general in the army,
and representative of the borough in which his
Sovereign resided.

Such instances may be rare, but their existence
proves the truth that there is no restriction put
upon the energies or the enterprise of the lower
orders. As Mr. FERRAND said —" Tell me that the
working men of England are down-trodden ! I say
that if the Constitution and the Government of
England trod down the working men, they would
soon tread them under their feet. The glory and
the power of England is this, that no man
is trodden down within these realms, un-
less he does it with his own feet." In
censuring the very arbitrary course which these
intimidants use, who are always magnifying the ills
and forgetting the substantial benefits accruing to
the working classes, the Chairman said if the work-
ing men should be deluded enough to resist the
Government of this country, there is not a man
among those who are giving bad advice that will
not be found wanting. When we remember Mr.
BRIGHT'S precipitate return from London on the eve
of the Hyde Park affair, we may well concur
in the accuracy of this prophecy. In com-
menting upon his career, Mr. FERRAND said
that he knew him well, and while he was
possessed of great eloquence a " greater political
coward never entered the House of Commons ; in
all his life he never heard him make a speech which
inculcated peace and goodwill amongst men ; but,
on the contrary, he set them against each other,
and thereby encouraged bloodshed." Mr. FER-
RAND concluded his eloquent speech by expressing
an earnest hope that the people and electors of
that county would stand by Lord DERBY, and be
found his right arm, and "to give him as great
and triumphant a victory as they gave to the late
Sir 110 BERT PEEL."

The Atlantic Telegraph brings us intelligence that
efforts are being made to effect a compromise be-
tween the PRESIDENT and the Congress. We are
not told how this is to be done, what concessions
are to be made by either party, or who are the par-
ties endeavouring to bring the reconciliation about.
Probably some arrangement might be come to if
the PRESIDENT and his friends would agree to accept
the Constitutional Amendment in a modified form
—that is to say, with the omission of its most ob-
noxious clauses. The South might agree to base
the representation only upon actual voters, provided
that immediate representation were, in that case,
guaranteed to her, and the condition disqualifying
any one who aided or abetted the war, as a member
of Congress or as a Wider of any other public office.
Negro suffrage may very well be left out of consi-
deration, as it is at present too unpopular with the
general body of the people to be heartily advocated
by the Radicals themselves. If the moderate men
on both sides could effect such a compromise, it
would uo doubt be for the advantage of all parties,
for as matters at present stand there is a
prospect of a most stormy session, and men
not absolutely carried away by political fana-
ticism would see that neither foreign nor domes-
tic affairs are likely to be well or wisely administered.
The PRESIDENT has an anxious and responsible posi-
tion. It is to be hoped he will bring to the discharge
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MR. LOWE AND TIIE MAYOR OF CALNE. The
following appears in a contemporary :---" In answer to a
letter of Mr. Geo. Harris, Mayor of Caine, in the Times of
this day, I have to Bay, on Monday, the sth November
1866, a mooting of the Caine Town Council was held, at
which wore present Messrs. C. Harris, S. Jefferys, J. D.
Bishop, W. M. Vizard, T. Harris, H. Waller, W. Webb, J.
Rutherford, W. Bleaden, W. V. W. Langley, J. 0. Brink--
worth, and Mr. R. Henly, jun., the then mayor, who pre-
sided. The question was put by the mayor, ' Provided
Mr. Lowe be invited to attend as usual, who will attend
the dinner ?' Messrs. Langley, Waller, and Bloadon wore
for the dinner (Mr. Jeffreys was absent at the moment),
and the remainder were against the dinner if Mr. Lowe
came, so that out of ton present to vote, only throe were
for it ; and if this was not an ' overwhelming majority,'
Ido not know what is. It must be observed that Mr.
G. Harris, who was not then mayor, was not even pre-
sent at this meeting. I leave these facts to speak for
themselves. As to the mayor's inviting Mr. Lowe to
Caine, or his opinion of his words, I have nothing to say
—I am, sir, yours, &c.,—WILLIAM WEBB, C.C.—Caine
Nov. 19."

ERRATU3I.—In Mr. Bright's speech on Tuesday
night, in last column of report, for "more than 1,000,000
have arranged to walk," read "more than 200,000," &c..
and for "Mr. Disraeli proposed to exclude 7,000 or 8,000,''
read "70,000 or 80,000."

CORRESPONDENCE FRO PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN COIMESPOnENT.)
PARIS, WedneMy Evening.
The papers begin to occupy themelves with spe-
culations in reference to the coning Legislative
session, and some return to a repori that there was
an idea of abolishing the custom of presenting an
answer to the Imperial Speech. Som. are convinced
that it is or was seriously in contemplation to dis-
continue the practice of voting an address at the
commencement of the Session. I,m inclined to
believe that if such an idea ever exised it has been
abandoned, at all events for the preant.
It is still doubtful whether the Sesion will com-
mence at an earlier period than usull. The Presse
says that Parliament will not be called together till
the beginning of January. In officid quarters the
statement is that nothing is yet settld.
The affairs of Italy, and the Contention of the
15th of September, still occupy much of the atten-
tion of the Paris papers. There has been a report
that M. de Nieva, the representative of Italy in
Paris, had made a verbal communication to M. de
Moustier, the Minister of FOreign Affairs, expres-
sive of some desire for a modificationof the treaty.
This report, however, is discredited in well-informed
circles. It has been officiously contradicted, and I
have not seen anything about it in the Moniteur.
In the meantime the Italian papers express satis-
faction at the mission of Genera Fleury to
Florence, and seem to think the result of it will be
satisfactory to the Pope and the Kingdom of Italy.
A letter from Florence, emanating from a well-
known writer, states confidently that the Pope has
no idea of leaving Rome.
A murder attended with odious circumstances has
been committed near the town of St. Pons. In the
afternoon of yesterday week a man named Francois
Bourdel, of 38 years, a farmer's labourer at Mon-
touliers, had been to the tribunal at that town,
where he was the defendant in a case brought against
him by his brother, Pierre Bourdel, a young man
of 26. When the case was over they had a despe-
rate quarrel. In a state of great exasperation the
elder brother went to the inn where he slept the
previous evening, discharged his double barrelled
gun and reloaded it with large shot and the heads
of some large nails. He then left the inn with his
gun, and was heard by a woman whom he met
to threaten to shoot his brother. He went
across the mountains leading to the village
of Coudades, where his brother resided, knowing
that he would go home that way. There he stood
in a sequestered spot under a tree. When Pierre
Bourdel made his appearance the fratricide jumped
into the road, and, aiming his gun, said he would
shoot him if he did not give an acknowledgment
that he owed him a sum of money. On his brother's
reiterated refusal Francois Bourdel fired both barrels
and the charges entered his heart. The assassin
took to flight, but was soon arrested by the Gen-
darmerie. A man was witness to the murder behind
a tree, but though the circumstances thus became
known no one dared to attempt to secure the mur-
derer until the assistance of a largearmed force was
obtained, as he inspired terror everywhere, being
known as a desperate poacher. Unusual excitement
was created at St. Pons by the murder, and a large
crowd followed the assassin to prison.
Among the products which will be sent to the
Great Exhibition will be fat fowl and a peculiar kind
of cheese from China and Japan, which the Chinese
eat in great quantities. It is made by a peculiar
process of an oleaginous pea. A French traveller,
M. Champion, recently sent some of these peas to
the Zoological Society of Acclimitation, and on being
analysed they were found to contain 10 per cent, of
oil. This cheese, fried in butter or lard, is said to
be of a very agreeable and delicate taste.
A work has just appeared which is likely to create

interest. It consists of articles and memoirs hitherto
unpublished of the Abbe de Lamennais, collated and
arranged by his nephew. From a hasty perusal of

the contents of this work I select some circumstances
which probably have not hitherto been known. The
abbe was born at St. Malo in 1782, and was
the son of a shipowner at that port. His mother
was scrupulously careful in giving him a religious
education, but his views upon religion were very
peculiar. His eldest brother, however, had great
influence over him, and persuaded him to enter the
Church, and he was ordained as priest in 1816. This
brother, the Abbe Jean Robert de Lamennais, was
Grand Vicar at St. Brieuc, and wrote several
theological works. As to the Abbe Felicite Robert
de Lamennais his works are too well known to re-
quire recapitulation. The abbe was a member of
the Constituent Body, but he did not shine as an
orator or as a politician. He was a seven months
child, born with a sickly constitution, and suffered
pain more or less during all his life from an epigas-
'rk disease. He was never like a child, and never
played with other children. In his infancy he
affected a superiority of mental power and
was fond of reading in solitude. The author relates
that one day while walking on the ramparts of St.
Malo with his nurso he was vialently excited by
the aspect of the raging sea, and exclaimed that
He
hecowualsd penetrate into
eight years of age. Theseteinto infinite space and see God.
" CEuvres Inedites de Lamennais" contain a diary
which he wrote while he was in the prison of St.
Pelagie, where he was confined on the 4th January,
1841. The first diary is dated the 16th of that
month. In most of these entries he complains of
the insalubrity and misery of his cell, where the sun
did not enter. He also complains of his illness and
of the cold (there was much snow at the time) and
want of fresh air. He also
.denounces the prison
dietary, which was " insufficient for what was re-
quired." Sometimes he speaks of want of sleep.
On one occasion he got up, but was so cold that he
went to bed again. He had a wish to write, but
could not do so. He speaks of having several times
experienced a singular sensation. He " had decided
to write a small work upon religion, founded upon
the principles propounded in the Esquisse d'une
Philosophie.' " The last entry is " Saturday, Jan. 16.
A year of prison. This is a partial sentence of death,
for it is a great cut off from life." The Abbe
Lamennais had just finished a translation of Dante,
when he was attacked with pleurisy, which made
rapid progress, and he died after 43 days of intense
suffering. He was buried on the 29th of February,
1854, and his remains were accompanied to the
grave by a large concourse of persons. Among
them was Beranger, bent with age. At his own
request his funeral was that of the poor. When
the earth was thrown over his coffin, the digger asked
if he should put a cross over his grave. " No," was the
reply. His last wish was, " Let nothing be put
over my tomb," and his executors carried out his
desire to the letter,

Monseigneur Pavy, second Bishop of Algiers,
recently deceased, was born at Roanne in 1808. Ile
was Professor of Theology at Lyons when he was
appointed, in 1846, Bishop of Algiers. He was the
author of several esteemed theological works.
The cold continues. There was ice in the gutters
in the streets this morning. The day, however, has
been bright and sunshiny. Accounts from the pro-
vinces speak of ice and snow.
The railway administration have extensive powers
of punishing infractions of their regulations. They
now impose a fine of from 16f. to 3,000 f., and the
amount of the fine may be doubled at each.
repetition of an offence. A tradesman of Paris
has been fined 200 fr. for persisting in smoking. He
was coming in a third-class carriage to Paris, and a
young lady politely requested him not to smoke,
saying that smoking made her very ill. The de-
fendant told her that if she disliked smoking she
should not travel third-class. She replied that she
could not afford to travel in a first-class carriage.
As the defendant persisted in smoking she gently
took his pipe from his mouth and broke it. Upon
this he struck her rather a violent blow in the face.
She did not press the case of assault, but the charge
preferred was merely for smoking. The defendant
said that everybody smoked in a third-class carriage.
This is the fact. It is not an uncommon thing to
see a third of the passengers smoking either pipes
or cigars. The President said it was contrary to
law to smoke in a railway carriage, and whatever
were the number of persons who smoked they were
all liable to punishment. He then inflicted a fine
of 200 fr. upon the defendant.

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

MEXICO.

PARIS, NOV. 22.

Official advices received here from Mexico state
that the Belgian Legion has failed in its attempt
to retake Ixmiquilpan.
The French department near Mazatlan had re-
pulsed an attack made by Corona. A Mexican
outpost, instead of supporting the French, had
gone over to Corona.
General Castelnau arrived at Vera Cruz on the
12th October. He was received by M. Parron,
Chief of the Military Cabinet of the Emperor
Maximilian, and left on the 13th for the city of
Mexico.

HUNGARY.

PESTU, Nov. 20.

Herr von Majlath arrived here yesterday and
held a conference with the leaders of the Deak
party.

The Extreme Left desires a fusion with the Deak
party against the Government.

THE WEST INDIES.

LIVERPOOL, Nov. 22.

The steamer West Indian has arrived here.
Her dates are Colon, Oct. 27, and Jamaica,
Nov. 1.

A projected meeting for the purpose of asking
the Queen to remove the Chief Magistrate, Mr.
Bowerbank, from the Kingston bench, had been
prohibited.

The bill to Increase the duty on ruin had razzed
the Legislative Council. Cholera had broken out
at St. Andrew.

A fire at Colon had destroyed $70,000 worth of
property. The city was in a deplorable state.

FRANCE.

BOURSE, Nov. 21.—Two o'clock.—The market is
fluctuating ; some Securities are firm at an advance,
whilst others show weakness with lowsr quotations.
There is onlp a moderate business doing. French
Threes are at 69f. 50c., with an advance of 7ic.
Italian Fives have been more vacillating ; after first
going up to 56f., with an advance of 15c., they have
now retrograded to 55f. 70c., with a decline of 15c.
Credit Mobilier Shares lose 2f. 50c., at 607 f. 50c, ;
Spanish Mobilier 3f. 75c., at 322 f. 50c. ; whereas
Credit Foncier gain 2f. 50c., at 1,387 f. 50c. ; and
Comptoir d'Escompte remain stationary at 890 f.
No change in the Railway Market, which is dull.
LThree o'clock.—More buoyancy was displayed at
the last moment, and Italian have again advanced
above 56f. The last quotations are as follows :-
41 per Cents 9B 50 i Bank Shares 3610
Do. end month — Italian Loan 56 10
3 per Cents. 69 50 Do end month 56 121
Do. end month 69 521 Mexican Loan
Credit Mobilier ... 606 26 Do. Bonds
Do. end month ... 607 50 Spanish Threes
Credit Foncier — Home Debt —
Do. end month 1385 Deferred