The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-07 00:00:00

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LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 7, 1866.

Yesterday was a busy day for the statesmen of
both parties. The long-deferred exchange of the
tokens of Parliamentary sovereignty took place, and
the eagerly-expected passage across the floor of the
House of Commons was made in the afternoon,
much to the perplexity of some late arrivals, who
were considerably surprised at the altered appear-
ance of the House. How many plans ani projects,
. how many conjectures and anticipations, --hopes,
fears, and disappointments,--have had for their aim
and end, during the last six years, that same
exchange of places ! The Liberals have had
a long tenure of office—not on sufferance,
but with a clear majority, not only in times of dis-
turbance and anxiety like the present, but through
seasons of peace abroad and prosperity at home, and
cannot therefore complain if they are doomed awhile
to retire into the shades of Opposition, leaving their
adversaries the chance of trying whether they can
introduce a few much-needed administrative re-
forms. The two foremost champions of the rival
hosts were, however, called upon to lay aside for a
time their political cares and perplexities to share
the genial hospitality of our Chief Magistrate, and
to exchange the warfare of St. Stephen's for the
pleasanter excitement of the banquet. The occa-
sion was an interesting one, the chief guests being
the King and Queen of the BELGIANS, who, during
their visit to this country, were anxious to make an
especial visit to the city of which the late KING was
proud of being a citizen. Fifty years have elapsed
since that privilege was conferred upon KING
LEOPOLD, and in those fifty years what marvellous
progress has been made by Belgium under consti-
tutional government. Referring to the present
condition of the little kingdom, the LORD MAYOR
said, " Most of us have had opportunities of visit-
ing your MAJESTY'S dominions ; and whether we
view its commercial, its manufacturing, or its agri-
cultural industry—the textile fabrics of Mechlin or
the ironworks of Liege—we find on all sides traces
of its material welfare, its prosperous condition,
and the evidences of a free and happy people
governed by a King whom they honour and
love." The KING, in a short speech, which
gave little evidence of
,his being unfamiliar with
the language, spoke cordially of the relations sub-
sisting between the two countries, and of the good
effects of the wise and liberal commercial policy of
the late KING, his father, thus giving ground for
the expectation that he will maintain that en-
lightened system of trade to which Belgium owes
so much.

After the customary honours had been paid to
the other royal guests came the political toasts,
and these were more than usually interesting from
the circumstances of the day. With the toast of the
Government was coupled the name of Mr. DISRAELI,
and with that of the House of Commons the name of
Mr. GLADSTONE. Very cordial were the greetings
which the two brilliant " rivals in renown " re-
ceived, and very appropriate were their responses.
The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, humorously
referring to the brief tenure of his office, declined
to enter upon any exposition Of the general
policy of the Government, and leaving politics
on one side he paid a graceful tribute to his prede-
cessor, and promised that the preservation of the
public prosperity and peace should be the first object
of himself and his colleagues. Mr. GLADSTONE, in
responding for the House of Commons, ingeni-
ously blended with his reply a reference to the con-
stitutional government of Belgium, and claimed for
this country the distinction of being the model of
representative institutions. The readiness with
' which such assemblies take root in every free and
enlightened country were, he said, proof that they
were founded on principles broad and deep as hu-
man nature itself, and destined to contribute largely
to the happiness of mankind, not only in our own
day, but in all future times.:A.nd so the great civic
banquet passed off brilliantly, giving abundant
evidence to the foreign visitors that the hospitality
of the City of London is not affected by storms
without or within, by the convulsions of warfare
abroad, or by political agitation at home.

As the story of the German war proceeds we find
that we were mistaken in thinking that we had es-
timated sufficiently the conduct of Prussia. Unfair
and aggressive as she has been for years past, she
has not outdone herself. The last news is that she
has refused the armistice solicited by Austria. This
is a very extraordinary proceeding, and one that
bespeaks a determination to follow up the late vic-
tories by future oppression and appropriation. The
Minister of Police has officially announced in
Berlin that the armistice of which General von
GABLENZ presented -the proposals after the last
defeat of the Austrian army has been declined.
To judge from the tone adopted by the semi-official
Nord-Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, we may fairly
suppose that the victorious army are to go on from
conquest to conquest until they dictate terms in the
enemy's capital. It would be almost impossible to
exaggerate the nature of such terms, or the ruin
they would entail upon the unfortunate victims.
According to this journal it is to be supposed that
no quarter will be given and no consideration
shown. The royal leader, the Ministers, and. (others,
were " sufficient guarantees that 'noot a.;41.y h
sco6itiotnse
would be accepted which did not
claims of Prussia, and the sacrifices Blieledlitaos
made to sustain them." We might be :?.0 zz
determine what are the claims of Prussia o.3..ilustrian
territory, if we did not remember how
;o mpletely
that audacious Power can ignore right , and rea-
son when it suits her purpose tc+ do so.
The claims of Prussia go on in creasing
ad iiefinitunz their ramifications will soot A comprise
wt lahei best e part a
ar
rt
ep
ofex El
auirnoepd e , and the del. c.tl3rity with
only
yuld credi Ito a better
cause ; but, as it is, it
that such nefarious schemes
shdoeuledpenbse ts( Phe premedi-
tated.disgrace

As yet there has been no decided answ e r given to
the telegraphic communication sent by tlf4 lEmperor
NAPOLEON to the Prussian authorities ; bu t we may
conjecture that no very favourable replz - will be
given to it. As for the answer of the Icing > )f ITALY,

it is almost too ridiculous to dwell upon. He de-
clares that he must consider the course pursued by
Prussia ; but he states that Italy must owe Venice
to her arms alone, and will not consent to receive
it from the hands of a foreigner. How absurd
this is when the Italians were only too
glad to take their own dominions back
again at the hands of foreigners seven years ago.
The sympathies of this country, which were at
one time strongly enlisted on the side of Italy, are
now quite estranged, in consequence of the un-
seemly part played by that nation in this great
struggle of German supremacy. They are aiding
and abetting those who are tyrannising over their
own people and undermining the liberties of sur-
rounding States. This last step which the Italians
have taken proves that we were right in attri-
buting their zeal and enthusiasm in the war to
hatred of the Austrians, and an unworthy desire for
vengeance rather than to any real love of indepen-
dence or righteous ambition to recover their lost pos-
sessions. The last excuse is now taken from them by
by this offer of Venetia, and the other kingdoms of
Europe will not be slow to give the right name to
to the perverse and inconsistent proceeding. We
have yet to see what course will be adopted by the
French EMPEROR. We do not suppose him to be
devoted to the cause of Austria, and we know that
he has over and over again declared it to be his
wish that Italy should be free from the " Alps to
the Adriatic," but at the same time we may rest
assured that he will not readily brook:such an in-
sult, as the refusal to his proposition would be.
We shall be greatly surprised if Prussia does not
find herself in a dilemma before long. It has come
to something that the influence of England should
be at a discount in foreign lands, but our chief
reliance at present is certainly on the Emperor of
the FRENCH, and in his determination lies our hope
of the Prussian plans being modified and curtailed
considerably. On politic grounds also we do not
believe for a moment that Louis NAPOLEON will
permit such an appropriation of territory as the
Berlin politicians are scheming to attain to. Prussia,
already quite unmanageable in the councils of
Europe, would assume a preponderance quite out
of character, and in a short time, when her arrange-
ments would be matured, she would greatly inter-
fere with the plans and projects of the French
EMPEROR. There is no earthly reason why the
Prussians should go to Vienna to dictate terms, and
the sooner they are informed of this fact the better.
They have enough in all conscience, and more than
enough at present, without seeking for more ; and if
they persist in pursuing their triumphs to the last
possible extremity, they will overreach themselves
and be compelled to relinquish many of their pre-
sent gains.

It was distinctly stated that the French Govern-
ment would not interfere in this war unless they
were driven by circumstances so to do, and one of
those alternatives was if one Power, being vic-
torious, should seize upon too large a share of ter-
ritory. Now, this is exactly what the Prussians
seem very likely to be doing, or to be planning at
at all events ; and we should not, therefore, be sur-
prised if we soon hear that the French EMPEROR
has set his face against such a course. Very likely
the King of PRUSSIA may not like to provoke him
too far; but if he concede to his terms quietly
the event will not prove very fatal to
Austria, as some suppose. If, on the other hand,
the Berlin mancauvrers persist in their policy of
aggression, and will not hear reason, they must take
the consequences, and find themselves face to face
with a far more dangerous foe than any that the
Austrian empire can send against them. The pre-
sent aspect of things is indeed a dangerous one, and
it is deplorable to reflect upon that the senseless
ambition of one nation should have thus plunged
Europe into war, and adversely affected so many
important interests.

We learn by the arrival of the Scotia that the old
divisions between the Fenian leaders have broken
out in full force. STEPIIENS went over as the great
pacificator, and began his labours by endeavouring
to reconcile the conflicting parties and by assuming
supreme authority himself to silence the rivalry
between the others. But this state of things has
been of brief duration. The raid into Canada was
arranged in total defiance of STEPHENS, and whether
he was incensed at the want of personal respect or
annoyed at the damage done to the cause, at any
rate he is now foremost in denouncing the
others. At the great Fenian meeting held
near Jones's-wood, STEPIIENS declared that neither
SWEENEY nor ROBERTS were in earnest. The
next night another meeting was held in Union-
square, when ROBERTS came forward and said that
the next time the Fenians moved it would be with
an impetus that "no Power could withstand."
Here is an alarming prospect not only for ourselves
but for the United States, since one of the principal
resolutions adopted by these belligerent heroes was
to the effect that "the truckling of the Federal Ex-
ecutive and the Secretary of State to the designs
of European Monarchists merits the strongest
reprobation." So much for the Fenians,
for whom, by the way, Mr. HORACE
GREELEY has publicly expressed sympathy. Mali-
cious persons attribute the sudden fervour of the
Radical party in behalf of the Hibernians to the
desire to alienate the Irish vote from the PRESI-
DENT. The feeling of the people, however, is not
to be directed by these gentlemen. Texas has
just elected a Conservative Governor by
nine-tenths of the votes. The National Union
Club has issued a call for a National
Union Convention on the 14th of August to aid in
completing the restoration of the Union, at which
delegates from all States and territories are to at-
tend. We shall probably have some decisive ex-
pression of opinion respecting the persistent exclu-
sion of the Southern representatives from Congress,
since, until there is a constitutional representation
of the whole country no restoration or reconstruc-
tion can be even nominally complete.

NEW DUTIES ON lIORSES.—The new duties on
licenses to let horses or carriages for hire came into
force yesterday under the recent act of Parliament (29th of
Victoria, chap. 36). Where a person takes out a licence
for ono horse or carriage, the annual duty on the licence
to be £5; not exceeding 3 horses or 2 carriages, £lO ; 4
horses or 3 carriages, £l5; 5 horses or 4 carriages, £2O ; 6
horses or 5 carriages, £25 ; 8 horses or 6 carriages, £3O ;
12 horses or 9 carriages, £4O ; 16 horses or 12 carriages,
£5O ; 20 horses or 15 carriages, £6O ; exceeding 15 car-
riages, £7O. For more than 20 horses, than for every addi-
tional number of 10, and for any additional number less
than 10 over and above 20, or any other multiple of 10
horses, the additional duty of £lO.
MR. DUFF AND lIIS CONSTITUENTS.—Mr. Duff,
M.P. for Banffshire, has issued an address to his
constituents, in which ho states the reasons why he voted
for Lord Dunkellin's amendment. Ile thinks that the
adoption of a rating instead of a rental franchise would not
necessarily prevent the extension of the franchise. A
lower figure than £7 might have been fixed for boroughs.
The following are the concluding sentences of the address:
am prepared to act uow as hitherto with the majority
Of the great Liberal party; but I decline to bo led by its
more extreme partisans. I sought your suffrages and
obtained your support as a Liberal, opposed to any sweep-
ing changes in our system of representation. I appeal
without fear to your deliberate judgment whether I have
not vindicated those principles."
A dreadful crime has just been committed at
Toul (3.leurthe). A mason, named Laurent, while in a
state of temporary insanity, produced by habitual intoxi-
cation, seized his youngest child, a boy aged five years, by
the legs, and swinging him round his head, dashed out the
child's brains against a log of timber. The man was af-
terwards arrested.