The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-31 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 31, 1866.

falsehood in the most extraordinary manner. Mr.
KINGSLEY, we are assured, will treat the abuse he
has received in the manner it deserves ; and we are
glad to see that Mr. CARLYLE has also come forth
to aid the cause of justice. Perhaps, in the long
run, it may be the best thing for the ex-Governor
if the Jamaica Committee really carry out their threat
of prosecution. It will force people who have not
hitherto troubled themselves about the matter to
take pains to understand the meaning of their ex-
traordinary zeal. Perhaps the remarks .made last
night at an open-air meeting on the subject are as
good an illustration as any of the manner in which
the subject is taken up by these exclusive and pre-
judiced parties. When we read of Mr. EYRE being
compared to " llmasuu," and denounced as the
" wholesale butcher of his species," we are
more inclined to pity the lamentable igno-
rance thus displayed than to feel indig-
nant at the intolerance and injustice. Not
only must the ex-Governor of Jamaica be branded,
and wander through the world as an out-
cast, but all who presume to take his part must
suffer the same doom. The whole of the House of
Lords is to be stigmatised because some of its mem-
bers have taken part in the demonstration in favour
of Mr. EYRE. One of the speakers regretted that
" the middle classes of London had not taken ac-

tion in this matter," but he will have a long time
to wait before they make themselves so ridiculous.
Of all the follies that have been lately com-
mitted, none has been greater than making this
Jamaica outbreak an affair of party. Earl
RUSSELL has covered himself with disgrace by the
course he took at the outset, and many seem in-
clined to follow his example for the sake of making
political capital out of it. It is, indeed, a compli-
ment to those who went to the meeting in Ili de
Park to compare them to the rioters in Jamaica !
But there is no knowing to what lengths people will
go in their efforts to make the worse appear the
better cause. Common sense and right feeling are
alike outraged by such displays as those of last
night, and so far from representing the feeling of the
country they are directly opposed to it, for they are
at total variance with that love of fair play which is
a distinctive feature of the English character.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN COINIESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Thursday Evening.
I regret to hear that the Emperor is still rather
ndisposed, so that perhaps his departure for Biar-
ritz may be delayed for a day or two. His Majesty
yesterday presided at a Council of Ministers at St.
Cloud.
The Moniteur enters into the following explana-
tion of various points connected with Italy and
Germany :
" In consequence of the difficulties in the way of
the signature of the armistice the period for the ne-
gotiations was later for Italy than for the other
States engaged in the late war ; but there is reason
to hope that the conclusion of peace will not be
delayed.
"The Commissioner appointed by the Emperor
Napoleon to arrange, in concert with the competent
authorities, the measures resulting from the cession
of Venetia to his Majesty, has left Paris for Venice.
" According to the desire expressed by Austria,
it has been decided that the Conferences between
that Power and Italy shall take place at Vienna, and
the Italian Plenipotentiary is gone to that city,
where the Austrian Plenipotentiaries are ready to
enter into deliberations with them without delay.
" The convention of Nikolsbourg, between the
Courts of Vienna and Berlin, has been converted
into a definitive treaty signed at Prague. It recog-
nizes the fact that Venetia was ceded to the Em-
peror, to be delivered up by him on the conclusion
of peace. The other details of the treaty arc not
known.
" The greater portion of the states of Southern
Germany have terminated their arrangements
with Prussia. Wurtemburg and the Grand Duchy
of Baden have not to make any sacrifice of terri-
tory. Bavaria has only to give up a few unim-
portant districts, comprising from 30,000 to 40,000
inhabitants. Hesse Darmstadt also hopes to save
almost the whole of her possessions. Various
difficulties have arisen in regard to Saxony. The
new relations stipulated between Prussia and the
other German Cabinets have put an end in right
and in fact to the existence of the Germanic Con-
federation, and the Diet has reached the end of
its career. It was created in 1815, after very
long and agitated discussions between the German
States, and was first opened in 1816."
it is said in well-informed quarters that Austria
has proposed to cede to Italy, for a pecuniary con-
sideration, the territories of the Italian Tyrol, which
appear to be indispensable for the regular limitation
of her frontiers. A Brussels paper, the Independ-
ence Beige, which often has accurate information,
says that the cession of the valley s whose waters
flow into the Lake of Garde has already been de-
cided upon.
An Italian paper, the Pesti I V aplo, has the fol-
lowing views in regard to what ought to result from
the treaty of peace :—" Venetia has been ceded, but
the fortresses are still occupied. Though expelled
from Germany the idea is not abandoned of return-
ing to it. Hungary, above all, is menaced with
monarchy by the Polish question, What does Aus-
tria consist of ? The greater portion is composed of
counties and people belonging to the crown of St.
Stephen. They ought to form one great body in
order to re-establish ancient Hungary, and render
her free, powerful, and happy. Hungary ought to
occupy the first rank in the German empire."

The Geographical and Ethnological section of
the British Association has been singularly fortu-
nate in the character of the papers read before it.
In these days of enterprise and adventure, it is no
uncommon thing for men to expatriate themselves
for years in their eager desire to become acquainted
with the peculiarities of other races, and the fea-
tures of other countries, and so to acquire a tho-
rough familiarity with the habits and ways of think-
ing of those among whom they sojourn. When these
adventurous travellers return to their native land,
the recital of their exploits and experiences have all
the excitement of a romance combined with the
authenticity of a geography. The British Associa-
tion has been fortunate in listening to more than
one of these travellers. Its meeting has been at-
tended by Mr. PALGRAVE from Arabia, Sir SAMUEL
BAKER, from the Nile ; and M. DE CHAILLU, from
Western Africa. The latter gentleman's address on
the physical geography and tribes of western equa-
torial Africa was listened to with the deepest inte-
rest, and gave most valuable information. Our
knowledge of the interior of that vast continent is
gradually extending, thanks to the courage and de-
termination of the several explorers, and it is not
a little singular to notice how different are the
actual facts from the vague conjectures of former
days. There was a prevailing idea that the interior
of Africa was a dry and sandy waste, whereas great
lakes and rivers exist, and M. DE CHAILLU expresses
his conviction—drawn from the immense quantity
of rain which fell beneath the equator—that other
rivers and lakes remain to be discovered west-
ward. The terra incognita is diminishing every
year, the distance between M. DU CHAILLU'S
furthest explorations and the lake discovered
by Sir SAMUEL BAKER, being only about 1,000
miles. M. DU CHAILLU'S expedition was unfor-
tunately tut short before he had accomplished the
task which he had set himself, by one of those un-
lucky casualties which sometimes disarrange the
best laid plans. He'was able, however, to obtain
considerable information both in regard to the
country and the inhabitants. There is, he says, no
doubt that equatorial Africa from the west coast
forms a belt of impenetrable jungle. As far as the
eye could see at the furthest point of his
journey the jungle did not stop, and the
natives had never heard that it ended. Like a
wide belt on either side of the equator, the dim
twilight of the gigantic forest extends. Now and
then prairies, delightful to the weary traveller,
.4
are found, in the midst of what M. DU CHAILLU
calls " that dark sea of everlasting foliage."
The trees, however, perform onekindfl
from miz ) fa
theeoffice
for the traveller, in sheltering him
blaming rays of the equatorial sun. The stillness
of that vast forest is unbroken by the stir of animal
life. " Miles and miles were travelled without hear-
ing the sound of a bird, the chatteremha ofefa
insects,monke they,or
the footstep of a gazelle. The
falling of a leaf, or the gentle murmur
stream were the only sounds which came of a
upon
little
the
ear, and broke the awful silence." Animaarlt lifeo f
the
indeed singularly absent from this p
country, although so many varieties exist in other
parts. Gorillas and other varieties of the ape
species exist, and sometimes plunder the plantations
of the natives. The population is scanty, and
broken up into numerous tribes and clans, and seve-
ral languages are found. The villages are very small,
few of them containing a thousand persons, most of
them only from fifty to two hundred. They are con-
stantly being sacked and their inhabitants carried off
into slavery, the people of two or three villages
combining to attack one village. Slavery is most
destructive to the people, but witchcraft is far worse,
and is the cause of untold slaughter. Every
natural death they attribute to witchcraft, and
thus great numbers of persons are destroyed an-
nu ally. The difference of language is something
sintgular, and a knowledge of the languages upon
the coast is no help towards comprehending
the languages of the interior. They all, in M. DU
Cli aiLlx's opinion, have their origin in two sources.
FA )les are alike in all tribes, and tiers is also a

During the last short thunderstorm at Paris the
electric fluid entered an apartment in the Rue de

l'Orne, and did much injury to the chimney. It
penetrated to the dining-room and shattered a time-
piece and two bronze candelabras into atoms. The
fluid emerged through a window which had been
left open. A red flame suddenly illuminated the
walls and the ceiling, and a lady who was sitting in
the room lost her eyesight for the moment, but she
will
has
new
consecratedßis
has not since experienced any inconvenience.
The
ll
ho o f Marseilles,
s Sunday
n da y Monseigneur The
rPlace,ope
a
will send a representative, and the ceremony is
expected
Paris papers throw discredit pto be very
yBplendid
danisdhdnipt pousinogn.
The
the re-
port of an intended visit to P •
arts of M. Bismarck.
A new room has just been opened at the Louvre
for the exhibition of the works of a • netent masters
only. Among them are several by Raphael,
Michael Angelo, and Rubens. Among some dirty
paintings in the lower rooms of the Louvre there
was found a day or two ago a chef cr ceuvre of Ary
Scheffer, the renowned French painter. It was
saved with great difficulty in 1818 at the Palace of
St. Cloud, and was supposed to have been lost.
The picture represent 3 Louis Philippe on horseback,
surrounded by his so as.
The taste for horse flesh is on the increase in Paris.
Twenty establishments are about to be opened for
the sale of soup made exclusively from this meat.
Printed notices will be posted up at these houses,
so that the public cannot ; be mistaken in regard to
what they have to partalx of.
To-day has been very a tormy, wet, cold, and dis-
agreeable. There have be on violent storms both in

the west and south of France. There was on Sun-
day a very splendid and interesting fete at Amiens,
in honour of Madame Coi•nuau, the wife of the Pre-
fect of Somme, who so coumgeously and usefully
devoted herself to the cholera patients in that city.
The Empress, it will be pecollected, presented
this lady with a gold medal; and the town also

dignant partisans of treason and sedition. Mr. great similarity.in their superstitious customs. He
BRIGHT and his friends, no .doubt, viewed the does not, of course, profess to have done more'than
welcome accorded to the ex-Governor of Jamaica just indicate the outline of the history of the coun-
as a direct denial passed upon their proceedings, try ; but it is a remarkable fact that he, in common
and such it virtually was; but instead of putting with other travellers, has been totally unable to de-
one demonstration against another, and thereby es- tect any traces of earlier civilisation. Much yet re-
timating public opinion, the vehement upholders of mains to be done in the way of exploring, but our
the promoters of the rebellion continued to vilify and travellers may now be said to have passed the Rubi-
calumniate all who were audacious enough to come con, and to have inaugurated a regular system of
forward and declare their own opinions in a straight- exploration, which, if carried out in the same spirit
forward manner. Mr. BRIGHT has been one of the in which it has commenced, may open a great future
victims of their fury, and may now form an estimate of civilisation to that vast extent of wilderness and
from personal experience of the judgment and gene- jungle.
rosity of the detractors of Mr. EYRE. We protest
against the illiberality displayed in quarrelling
with a man for stating his own opinions, as much as
at the unfairness of the reasons given for so doing.
The fact is, that the faction and its supporters are
so indignant that any one of lank or position should
presume to come forward and proclaim their sym-
pathy with an injured man, that they forget them-
selves in their excitement, and confuse truth with

The National Union Convention at Philadelphia
has been a triumphant vindication of the real lade-
peLdence and liberality of the American people
against the arrogant assumption of the Radicals.
The PRESIDENT'S position has been materially
strengthened by the unanimity and decision mani-
fested by the delegates. There was no time lost in
orations and dicussions. With characteristic
American energy the several members of the Con-
vention appeared to have fully made up their minds
as to what was to be done, and to decide upon
the best means of doing it. No doubt the Radicals
formed secret hopes that some disunion or jealousy
might show itself, and so weaken the effect of the
manifestation. But the harmony which prevailed
was remarkable, considering the angry and exciting
nature of the subjects under discussion. President
JoHNsoN's reconstruction policy was supported in
toto, and the PRESIDENT has even been requested,
by one of the delegations, to bestow the public
patronage only on those who support
his views. This is a testimony to Mr.
JOHNSON'S impartiality, as well as evidence
of the cordiality of the approval given to him. Not
many of his predecessors would, we fear, have
needed such an appeal, for party feeling has gene-
rally been strongly shown in the Government
patronage. The resolutions, while upholding the
principles of the Constitution in all their integrity,
were not enough to satisfy the Convention. They
have appointed two standing committees one
general, the other executive, and these may
be expected to produce a sensible effect upon
the next election. The Radicals have bad
their day of power, and have made a most un-
worthy use of it. They have sought to keep up all the
worst feelings of the war time, while sacrificing the
very object for which the North contended. Happily
the direction of affairs was in the hands of a patriotic
and enlightened statesman, and the voice of inde-
pendent public opinion has unmistakeably endorsed
his policy.

made her a similar present. It was ' given
to her on Sunday last. The town was beautifully
decorated on the occasion. There were processions
and deputations from neighbouring communes who
came with bands of music. Young girls dressed in
white presented flowers, and in short, from 40,000 to
45,000 persons assembled to do honour to the occa-
sion. The medal, placed on a cushion of blue velvet,
was appropriately presented with an address, and
splendid music enlivened the proceedings. Madame
Cornuau was so affected when the address was
read by a young lady that she burst into tears.
Thousands of voices cried " Vive Madame Cor-
nuau," and then rose the cry of " Vivo I'lmpera-
trice." The young lady who read the address was
Miss Mathilde Boulanger, who was saved from
death from cholera by Madame Cornuau. The
fete was called the " Fete of Gratitude." This fete
will be long remembered, and henceforth the name
of Madame Cornuau will be closely identified with
the history of the town. There were many persons
in mourning for those who had died from cholera.
The census for Paris is finished . Nu account of
it has yet been published officially, but I learn that
the number of the actual inhabitants of Paris (ex-
clusive of :strangers and temporary residents) is
estimated at 1,700,000.

A murder has taken place at Nice, under the fol-
lowing circumstances. A baker at St. Cesaire went
to his country house not far from the village, leaving
at home his wife and a man who assisted him in
baking. On his return, not seeing any one, he went
suddenly to the bedroom, and found his wife and
the man in bed. He immediately seized a knife and
plunged it into the man's heart. He then went to
the Mayor, confessed his crime, and ielivered him-
self into the hands of an officer. The man died in a
few minutes. The woman heretofore enjoyed an
irreproachable reputation.
A letter from Chamouny says that on the 22d
three travellers left without guides to make the
ascent Of Mont Blanc. The next day by means of
telesctwo of the travellers were seen to roll
down (icy precipice 200 metres high. The other
was }able to save himself. Assistance was imme-
diately sent from the town. No other circumstances
were known.

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

THE ELECTOR OF HESSE.

BERLIN, Aug. 31

The•semi-official North German Gazette of to-day
contains an article alluding to certain rumours
which have been current here that the Elector of
Hesse had abdicated in favour of the King of Prus-
sia. The article says :
" Nothing is known of these rumours in well-
informed circles. The Elector of Hesse could not,
however, in his own interest do better than adopt
such a resolution. Austria, and the other German
States with whom peace has been concluded, having
already recognised the new organisation of Northern
Germany, no prospect exists of a change taking
place in the position of the Elector."

AUSTRIA.

VIENNA, Aug. 31.

On account of the unsatisfactory state of the
finances, the • Emperor has ordered the amount
fixed for the Court expenditure in 1867 to be re-
duced from 7i million to 5 million florins. A large
portion of the Imperial retinue has been dismissed,
and considerable retrenchments are about to be
made in the salaries of the chief Court func-

tionaries.

RUSSIA.

ST. PETERSBURGH, Aug. 31.

The Emperor has given a banquet in honour of
the American Embassy, at which his Majesty drank
a toast to the prosperity and consolidation of the
United States.
The official Northern Post states that .certain
journals have greatly exaggerated the number of
Polish insurgents in Siberia, and denies that the
revolt has spread.

The Imperial sanction has been given to the
statutes of a joint-stock company established for
the purchase of landed property in the western pro-
vinces. The Government advances to the company,
without interest, the sum of 5 million roubles.

Baron Knesebeck, who arrived here on a special
mission from the King of Hanover, has had an
audience of the Emperor.

RUSSIA AND AMERICA.
Moscow, Aug. 30.

A deputation of Russian peasants have waited
upon Mr. Fox, the American Ambassador, to offer
him their congratulations in the name of the whole
Russian peasantry. M. Fox then presented M.
Gwosdew, the spokesman of the deputation, with
an American flag in remembrance of the occasion.
In thanking Mr. Fox for this gift, Mr. Gwosdew
declared that in case of necessity all Russia would
unfurl its banners by the side of those of the great
American Republic.

THE BAVARIAN CHAMBER.
MUNICH, Aug. 30.

The bill for a loan submitted to the Chamber of
Deputies to-day is accompanied by a motion to the
following effect :--
That a close union with Prussia would be the
only means definitively to bring about the unifica-
tion of Germany by the co-operation of a freely
elected Parliament endowed with the requisite
powers, and effectually to protect the national in-
terests, and repel in case of necessity any attack
from abroad.

SPAIN.

MADRID, Aug. 31.

It is officially announced that the Spanish float-
ing debt amounted, on the Ist July, to 1,545 million
reals, and on the Ist August to 1,606 million reals.