The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-05 00:00:00

iS anything approaching to a guarantee for Conti-
nental peace in the present order of things. There
is no sure foundation in this new form of things
which has sprung up in Germany ; and, on the con-
trary, sapient judges may well discern the elements
of decay in its constitution, and the germs of discord
already rife in its apparent harmony and peace.
Some of the passages in this Berlin despatch are
almost ludicrous from the manner in which their
remarks retort upon those who utter them. Thus
we find 111. DE TuIEL, the temporary agent for
Count BISMARK, declaring that this " view of
the question is also ours. We believe that the
time has passed away when each nation
sought its own strength in the weakness and depen-
dent condition of its neighbours." Is not this
exactly the policy now being strenuously pursued
by Prussia, and has it not been the chief object of
all her aims for some time past to cripple others
and augment her own resources, in defiance of
right and justice ? The work of the " internal
consolidation of Germany," it is considered, has
greatly impressed the mind of the French EMPEROR,
and hence he has shown great care and considera-
tion in not interfering with the projects of Count
BismAßcK either during or after the war. The
Prussian Minister seems puzzled to find language
sufficiently strong to express the delight of his
Government at the line of action chosen by the
French ruler, and he indulges in most extravagant
compliments, which defeat their own purpose in
the end by their excess. Besides this, in his zeal
to do homage to the French Government, M. THIEL
does not notice the covert satire he uses to his
friends. The EMPEROR, we are told, has " greatly
contributed to stave off the danger of a universal
conflagration, and the explosion of revolutionary
passions." It shows that the efforts made by the
Prussians were not restrained by caution or
guided by prudence if they permitted the
chance of such horrors as these. Where was
the due regard which should have been displayed by
a patriotic nation for the good of its subjects and
the welfare of the rest of the Fatherland ? The best
that these optimists can now say is that some time
must elapse before Germany can be called tranquil
after the shock whichs have modified its political
configuration, but that the principles alluded to in
the Imperial Circular will conduce greatly to " ab-
breviate the period of transition." We see nothing
in all this despatch to inspire anything like confi-
dence in the plans of the Prussians, and hope that
they will pursue a course different to that which has
already worked out so much harm, and given rise
to so much distrust.

M. BIS3IARCIfB continued absence from his post
has given rise to tome unfavourable rumours respect-
ing his popularity at Court. The truth of these
rumours cannot as yet be decided upon, but we
' hope that his departure from Berlin may augur
better things for Saxony, and that the brave little
kingdom may in the end obtain a more satisfactory
settlement than at one time appeared likely to ensue
from the deliberations so long pending. At any
rate it must be a good sign that he is away, because
it is well known that he has all along been anxious
to make still worse terms for Saxony than have
been lately submitted to the unfortunate KING.
He desired, indeed, that Saxony should be taken as
Hanover bad been, and absorbed into the Prussian
Crown. It is satisfactory to find that the negotia-
tions between Austria and Italy have at last been
brought to a conclusion, and that a treaty of peace
has been signed. This is as well, for no good end
could possibly be gained by the delays so constantly
taking place. A new era is opening for the Ita-
lians, and we earnestly trust that they will show
themselves worthy of the occasion, and not
allow jealousies and party sentiments to in-
terfere with the great work that lies before them.
Will they do so, is a question very difficult to answer;
and we regret to say that their conduct on many
past occasions has not impressed us very favourably
as to the chances of the future. There is much to
do, and their real work has indeed to begin. Let
them be equal to the effort that lies before them, and
show that they deserve the good fortune that has
come to them, and the sympathy which the nations
of Europe have so freely accorded to them through
the long years of their troubles, and now in the
bright day of their success and emancipation.

was certain
meeting of the Social Science Congress
The appearance of Lord BROUGHAM at yesterday's
to attract a large number of persons. There was
the interest of seeing and hearing one of the most
distinguished men of our generation, and there was
also the certainty of listening to an able and learned
address. Lord BROUGHAM'S subject was a con-
genial one, and his criticisms on the working of our
criminal law, his comparison of the English and
French modes of procedure, and his denun-
ciations of the evils of bribery were all
valuable. On the amendment of the law, Lord
BRouGHAM expressed his regret that nothing had
as yet been done to provide that in all cases recon-
cilement should be optional to the disputing parties.
This plan, it seems, is adopted in Denmark and the
Danish colonies, as well as in some other countries,
with very great success. " The prevention," said
his lordship, " of useless, and, in many instances,
oppressive litigation, has been truly remarkable in
those countries ; as many as 20,000 out of 30,000
suits commenced were in Denmark thus settled
without being brought to trial." This is a point
which our law reformers would do well to pay some
heed to, for the immense amount of litigation con-
tinually going on in this country represents an in-
calculable amount of misery, suspense, and ruin.
No one who really wishes for the better administra-
tion of the law can do otherwise than wish for the
decrease of litigation. 'The heads of the law, as
Lord BROUGHAM observed, are enough occu-
pied in administering it as it stands ; and
they are besides, as he frankly admitted, for
the most part opposed to any change. Still the
reform of our legf.l system can hardly be postponed
much longer, and therefore it is well to discuss the
most necessary changes.
The law of evidence, says
Lord 131totiGnA)
I is in a very unsatisfactory condi-
tion. "it was the main ground of Mr. BENTIIAM'S
charge against our law of evidence, that we
excluded the persons
who
know most of the facts.
That grievous defect no longer exists in civil suits,
shut out one party
but in criminal cases still
•
while we hear the other party , and the evil must
continue while our criminal procedure remains
without a public prosecutor, one of the
greatest defects in our system." The con-
sequences of thus excluding the accused party
have often been enlarged upon. 66 A person is
charged with an offence, when he could at once
explain all the circumstances and show his entire
innocence, and that the whole prosecution is a
malicious proceeding; but his mouth is shut,
while his accuser is heard." Nothing, as Lord
BROUGHAM justly added, can be more absurd
than such a state of the law ; but so long as our
judges and lawyers make it their main object to
keep to technical points of routine rather than to
elicit the whole truth, there is little prospect of a
better system. The French method is even worse, the
judge having the right to examine the accused
party, whereas with us it was always proposed that
he should only be examined upon his own desire.
After referring to the proceedings during last

Session, and the result of the numerous election
petitions, Lord BROUGHAM declared his conviction
that it would be impossible to put an effectual stop
to bribery and.corruption until it was made a felony
to give or receive bribes. The desire of having a
seat in Parliament was, he said, strong enough to
make men despise all pecuniary penalties, but it
would not make them risk the treadmill. it So it
was in 1811, my Act making the slave-trade pun-
ishable as felony extinguished that execrable crime,
which all pecuniary penalties, and the loss of ship
and cargo had not effected, for as the gains of one
adventure covered the other losses the traders
willingly ran the risk, but men would not risk their
condemnation as fe!ons." This is all very true, and
many of the bribes and the bribed very likely
deserve the treadmill as much as humbler
offenders who pick pockets or invent
an ingenious fraud ; but we shall never
get so stern a remedy applied, especially while the
law makers are in this respect also the law breakers.
We must look for a more practical remedy. The
treadmill may do for a political Utopia, but it is out
of the question in the England of the nineteenth
century. We cannot, or we will not, punish the
offence as it deserves, and, therefore, the most sen-
sible way of dealing with the matter would be to
remove the temptation to commit it altogether. The
adoption of the Ballot would do this ; and, unwel-
come as is the prospect of the independent voter to
the majority of our M.P.'s, we apprehend they
would prefer him to the treadmill!

Lord BROUGHAM could not leave the subject of
political progress without referring to the events
which have convulsed Europe since the last meet-
ing of the Social Science Congress. The amount of
sorrow and suffering which has been inflicted on the
populations of Germany by the casualties of the
war was strongly dwelt upon by the veteran philan-
thropist and social reformer. The excitement of the
contest, the triumph of the conqueror, cannotin Lord
BnouGnAm's eyes atone for the desolated homes, the
mangled limbs, the ruined families which owe their
origin to reckless ambition, or the useless desire of
owning a few more provinces. " Mankind," said
Lord BROUGHAM in conclusion, " will never be free
from the scourge of war until they learn to call
things by their right names.
" One to destroy is murder by the law,
And gibbets keep the lifted hind in awe ;
To murder thousands takes a specious name,
War's glorious art, and gives immortal fame.'"

The noble lord was listened to throughout with the
deepest attention, and the close of his address was
greeted with loud applause. If it lacked the fire
and vigour of his earlier days it showed no diminu-
tion of his humanity, his sense of justice, and that
straightforward manliness of character which does
not hesitate to call things by their right names, and
to denounee the criminal on the throne as well as
ou the scaffold.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FRO3I OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Thursday Evening.

A brief analysis of the Moniteur forms rather an
explanation of known facts than a disclosure of any
additional news of importance. It again states that
the signature of the treaty of Peace between Aus-
tria and Italy is " imminent." Italy takes upon her-
self the charge of the passif of the Mont-Lombard
Venetian. For the share of the loan of 1854 as
concerns Venetia, and for the non-transportable
war material which Austria abandons, the Cabinet
of Florence engages to pay a sum of 87 millions and
a half of francs. The two Powers continue to dis-
arm. In consequence of the reductions effected, or
in contemplation, the effective army of Italy will be
decreased to about 300,000 men. The troops
sent to Palermo took active possession of
the town on the 22d of September. The insur-
gents surrendered without any serious resistance.
Tranquillity has not been disturbed on any other
point. The Emperor Francis Joseph has not yet
appointed his representative at the Prussian Court,
but in the meantime the Austrian Legation will be
directed by a Charge d'Affaires, who has been already
accredited at Berlin. The former Prussian Envoy,
Baron de Werther, being now at Vienna, the offi-
cial relations between the two Cabinets have been
renewed. The Prussian Chambers have been pro-
rogued to the 12th of November by a Royal ordon-
nance.

The Seine rose again yesterday, but not to a
serious extent, and the waters have again receded
to-day. The vintage in the Eastern Pyrenees is
stated to be more seriously compromised than was
at first supposed. The valley of the Lot has been
completely ravaged. The fruit trees, the great
source of the riches of the country, have been
uprooted or seriously injured. In the Lozere three
men have been drowned aad great numbers of
cattle. Thirty houses have been destroyed. In the
Cher, from the precautions taken, the damage has
not been serious. It is stated in a letter from Gien
that the disasters have been mcre serious than in
1856, when the last inundation took place. It was
necessary to send troops to assist the inhabitants
in repairing the damage. According to the present
estimate of the injury in the Ardeche, it amounts
to no less than 700,000 f. The Ministers have each
subscribed I,ooof. in aid of the sufferers from the
inundations ; General Fleury, Grand Equerry,
500 f., and M. Pietri, Prefect of Police, 500 f. The
total amount now• subscribed is 147,000 f. The
Moniteur has given I,ooof. The Municipal Council
of Orleans has subscribed 25,000 f. to be immediately
distributed among the sufferers in the commune.

M. Boillot, the scientific writer of the Moniteur,
in an article upon eclipses, refers to the eclipse of
the sun which will take place on Monday next.
There have been two of the sun and two of the
moon this year. The eclipse of Monday will be par-
tial and but little visible at Paris. It will commence
at 4.43 in the evening and finish at 5.24 min. This
eclipse will be visible to the north of Africa, in
Spain, in France, in England, and in North Ame-
rica. M. Boillot looks a long way ahead for
eclipses. He says that on the 20th of December,
1870, there will be a total eclipse of the sun visible
at the Azores, in Algeria, Sicily, in the south of
ISpain, and in Turkey. On the 19th August, 1887,
a similar eclipse will be visible in the centre of
Asia, in the south of Russia, and in the north-east
of Spain. In 1896 there will be another eclipse
visible in Laponia, Greenland, and Siberia. The
last eclipse in this century will take place on the
28th of May, 1900.

The Paris papers attach much importance to the
speeches at the Liverpool banquet, and are not
sparing of encomiums upon the speech of Lord
Stanley. The Siecle asks if this speech is not to be
considered as the reply of the English Government
to the official toasts at St. Petersburg. It demon-
strates certainly (it says) that England wishes to
be on the best terms with the United States, and to
efface all subjects of misunderstanding.
M. Clarence, an actor of some note, died on
Monday in his 47th year. The papers also announce
the death at the Hague of Madame Baudin, the
mother of M. Charles Baudin, Minister of France
in Holland.

We have had another day of strange, dull, foggy
weather, with slight rain occasionally, but still the
temperature has been warm.
A duel between two literary men, M. Sarcey and
M. Duvernois took place on Monday at Vincennes.
After a severe struggle M. Sarcey received a sword
cut near the right eye, from which the blood flowed.
The seconds interfered, and said that the honour of
both parties was satisfied, and the encounter termi-
nated. M. Sarcey's wound was slight, and he has
been able to resume his occupation. The seconds
were M. Arthur de Fouvielle, M. Alexandre de
Girardin, M. Charles Edmond, and M. de St.
Valery.
Writers who now describe the inundations say
that in
thB3the theerewn existing asantiinundation which nearly
city el Faris, There