The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-20 00:00:00

Commence at 7o'clock.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE,
Westminster-road.
Extraordinary Attraction for Passion Week.
THIS EVENING, the performances will consist of novel
and unequalled Equestrian Entertainments.
First Appearance of Mr. Henry Cooke, from the Cirque
Napoleon In Paris, with the astounding Quadrupedical Won-
ders, consisting of Pantomimic Dogs and Monkeys, as ex-
hibited before the Emperor and Empress of France.
After which, the matchless and unrivalled SCENES IN
THE CIRCLE, introducing the great Star Riders and Miss
Emily Cooke, Madame Blanche, Madame Bridges, Madile.
Fleurette, and Madame Francisco, being the greatest amount
of female equestrian talent ever seen in one night in any
theatre. Grotesques—Messrs. Hemming and Thorne.
„ Mr. W. Cooke's stupendous Elephant Ajax, with all his
highly trained stud of beautiful Horses.
In addition to this galaxy of attraction the renowned rider
Jahn Henry Cooke, the greatest equestrian the world ever
Produced, will appear.
Lessee and Manager Mr. William Cooke.
The splendid romance of IVANHOE ; or, The Knights
Templars, is in active preparation, and will be produced on
Easter Monday wtth extraordinary magnificence.
• Dress Circle, 4s. ; Boxes, is • Pit, 2s • Gallery, ls. ; Upper
Private Gallery,. 6d.
Boxes, £4 4s, £2 2s, and £1 ls.
Commence at Seven : Carriages at 11.
Stage Manager, Mr. R. Phillips

CANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.—=-
Proprietor—C. MORTON.
The public is most respectfully informed that the Frrin
ARTA GALLERY, in connection with the above Hall, IS NOW
OPEN DAT
Yclock p.m. 11l NIGHT, from 11 o'clock a.m. until 12
on of The New Gallery contains an extensive Collec-
Pictures, by Ancient and Modern Masters land is also
!levoted to Art productions generally. The Proprietor feels
Pe may confidently assert that, viewed altogether, the exist-
ing 3lusie Hall, the New Fine Arts Gallery, and the recently
added Ante-Hall, will present an attraction which, whether
as regards the architectural beauty of the structures them
"Ives, or the varied and hitherto unattempted combinations
within, will be found to be wholly without parallel in the
Kingdom.
The 3lnsfe.ct, ENTERTAIN3tENT commences as usual at
Seven o'clock.
In addition to the usual entertainment, the SAUVLET
FAILY, of Amsterdam .Eight in number, whose varied
blgtramental performances have created so marked a sensa-
tion in the principal cities and towns of the Continent,
-oerform every Evening at Nine and Eleven o'clock.

THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, APRIL 19.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
6l—highest since noon yesterday.
39—lowest this morning and during the night.
51—this day at noon.

BARomETEa-29.51—falling.
WIND, Y ,light, Easterl • *th fine weather,

It is positively asserted that Piedmont, even at
the eleventh hour, has consented to the general and
Blinnitaneous disarmament preliminary to the meet-
ing of the Congress. To this conrse she had been
invited by England, and subsequently by France ;
and it is believed that in consequence her represen-
tative is to be admitted to a seat in the anticipated
egress. Should this be so—and we see no reason
t° doubt the fact—it seems more than probable that
she has done so, on the understanding that, although
her anxious hopes may be deferred, they will not
be defeated.

" A hint in tender cases is enough ;"
leithat VICTOR E3I3IANITEL has received such a
hint," Seems certain.
But let it not be supposed that this quasi con-
cession will even ensure the conference. There are
many Preliminaries to be settled respecting the
time and manner of the disarmament that may
occasion considerable delay, and produce the effect
of criPPling the pecuniary
That these resources of Austria.
Points will be worked to the utmost,
that a " Fabian" policy will be resorted to by those
wile" aggressions led to the complications so
seriously imperilling the peace of Europe, seems
scarcely doubtful. They are now ready to bide
their time until prepared to strike a decisive
°low.
But they will not let slip any favourable
arise. 1113°ItilnitY, nor throw away any chance that may
- e know that France lately declared that
she could not disarm- , inasmuch as she had never
alined' and the notions of the Cabinets of Paris,
Vienna, and Turin, on this very important subject,
may be Widely different.
But
aulaPosin
factoril gall the preliminaries to be satis-
y
reall and that the Congress had
y assembled en some neutral ground, what
eould be fairly and
result reasonably anticipated as the
e of its labours ? We have never known
that did tions, not leave many open ques-
an_ y of Which might be made a
cases bent; at any time deemed expedient. The
vaguted e generalities adopted by diplomatists are cal-
ion fresh difficulties. In fact, a
Congress, under existin
better than " g circumstances, is nothing*
a mockery, a delusion, and a snare"—
a matter of pure and u
will be six nations re nmitigated humbug. There
presented, and consequently
no possibility of a casting vote being given where
there should be three on one
other. side and three on the

If the mediation of England
I as originally
agreed on, had been accepted, the question would
cidea
alread; have been finally and
of satisfactorily de-
' 'lnd the s
has occasioned
so untowar
much consternation throughout
Weirs which
Europe, such
trzzus expense, and such serious
injury to the
commerce of all nations,
would have been gota:dd
But Russia came for-
moment jusEyttoat
ythieenmnaoluhatient°cwihen the mission of Lord
wishes
of
totmipslNetely succeeded, and
o
the expressed
fully and completely acceded to,
had been
ed to.
wished that
convenient interposition for th was a very
suggestion
One .
complications should still existlanacuizt
from any quarter would be
0 induce
Russia to carry out her traditional
by keeping Europe in p„pet t^'
1%1
water, and thus exhausting the hot
resuure s
of many of her most formidable rival:
She well knew that the game pursued in such
assemblies is, that the several diplomatists
should strive to deceive and outwit each other, and
endeavour to obtain peculiar advantages for the
nations they respectively represented. It was
perhaps that very reason, possibly strengthened by
an application from the Tuileries, that she brought
forward the inopportune and ill-omened proposition,
with which NAPOLEON SO promptly and eagerly
complied, notwithstanding the assurances he had
just before given to Lord COWLEY, that it would

seem as if he were a party to the scheine if not the
originator thereof.

For what purpose has he, so recently, despatched
a French naval squadron from Brest to the Medi-
terranean ? What can.be the object of that extra-
_
ordinary and formidable demonstration ? Surely,
if any credence could be given .to the pacific assur-
ances of the Moniteur and 'other Government
journals, there could be no possible necessity for,
or even utility in, so premature a movement ; or if
THE BUBBLE CONGRESS is expected by France to
arrange all disputes the ships of war would be forth-
with recalled from a position where their presence
could only add fuel to the smouldering flame ready
to burst into a blaze at any moment. The language
of Lord DERBY at the conclusion of his very able
speech on the state of our foreign relations, on Mon-
day evening, was peculiarly significant. He de-
clared that " war once commenced in Italy could
never.be confined to Italy ! And once spread
beyond the limits of Italy, it was impossible to
foresee who would be drawn into it, how far it
would extend, or what might be its results—our
neutrality, so long as it can be maintained, must
therefore be an 'armed neutrality.' " After expressing
a fervent hope " that in the councils of Europe
there may yet prevail greater moderation,
greater wisdom, greater temper, that the
storm may pass by without bursting forth in the
violent and terrific manner which there is now too
much 'reason to anticipate," he added that the
chances of peace will be materially strengthened
" if it be within the knowledge of Europe that Eng-
land will not be allowed to remain a helpless or
feeble, spectator of events which may compromise
her dignity and honour, but that a serious respon-
sibility, with all its results, will be laid on the head
, of the Power, whatever it may be, which, without
due provocation, and the most urgent necessity, seeks,
for its own ambitious purposes, to involve Europe in
the calamities of a long and bloody war."
This is plain and decided language. There can
be no doubt as to the party against whom it is
directed. Every word hit hard, and most unques-
tionably the conduct Of LOUIS NAPOLEON has been
greatly influenced, and the prospects of peace
materially enhanced, by the firm and 'unflinching
conduct of the British Cabinet: Ministers have
thus acquired a further and very powerful claim on
the thanks and gratitude of the nation—one that
ought to prove irresistible to every unprejudiced
and generous mind.

We have observed the following advertisement in
certain papers ; it was not sent to us, but we think
it worth a notice.

The Chairman of the Central Committee received the
following communication from the Chairman of the Ballot
Society :
Victoria-square, S.W.
• .
Dear Sir, . . - April 15, 1859.
As perhaps my example may influence some few of the
'advocates of the Ballot to weigh the claims which Lord
John Russell has to the gratitude of all good Reformers
against his disinclination to a ford the only due protection
to the Elector, and to find the balance in the noble Lord's
favour, as I do, may I request that you will place my name
on the Committee of the four Liberal Members for London.
Yours very faithfully,
F. HENRY F. BERKELEY.

John I. Travers, Esq.
lam an Elector of London. •
To this letter we subjoin an extract from :another
letter to the-electors of the United Kingdom, which
has already. been given in our. columns. The
extract 'runs thus—
Offices of the Society, 5, Guildhall Chambers, Basinghall-
street, London, E.C., April sth, 1859.
Electors, at the coming election, require of those members
who vote for the Ballot a mere hearty -and decided sup port
than it has hitherto received. Rect every candidate who
is opposed to, or hesitates on, the Ballot; by every means
in your power aid us to gain the Ballot at once and for ever.
Signed by order of the Executive Committee on
behalf of the Society.
. F. HENRY F. BERKELEY, Chairman.
EDWARD C. WHITEHURST, Vice-Chairman.
Was. WICKHAM, Honorory Secretary.
Certainly at' first sight these letters with the same
signature, appear irreconcileably opposed. "Reject
every candidate who is opposed to or hesitates on
the Ballot," says one—" Put my name on the com-
mittee of the most noted -Whig opponent of the
Ballot," says the other—and do it because the Ballot
in his case is to be postponed to'his other merits !
To be sure, . one dates from Victoria-square, and
the other from the offices of the Ballot Society, but
we have yet to learn that any man with credit can
do officially, what he, in his private capacity, pub-
licly aims to undo. We understand that the
I
Ballot .Society gentlemen have hastened to de-
clare their innocence in regard to.the inconsistency
of their chairman. But we must think it
very unfair of Mr. BERKELEY, while holding
that office, and apparently without even mentioning
it to the committee, to discredit them by acting in
the teeth of their advice, and himself by acting in
the teeth of what he had put his name to.
Mr. BERKELEY adds, in a postscript, "I am an
elector of the" City of London." We never heard of
Mr. BERKELEY'S occupying premises within the
limits of the *City. Can it be that, as chairman of
the society, he votes for its offices ? If so, the incon-
gruity would be singular indeed, of subscribers hiring
rooms from which to issue advice to electors to reject
"every candidate who hesitates on the Ballot," and
of a gentleman using a vote for those rooms to dis-
credit that advice, and the Society which issues it,
Mr. BERKELEY'S letter was, in any case, a pure
work .of supererogation. He could have let the
election alone without injuring. his Whig friend.
He could not interfere, as he has done, without
injuring the Society of which he takes the chair.
We see now, however, plainly enough, that we
did not complain without reason, of Mr. BERKE-
LEY'S having sold himself to the Whigs in the matter
of Mr. WYLD'S motion. The Ballot Society in that
case had published their request to Mr. BERKELEY
to move an addition, respecting the Ballot, to Lord
JOHN'S resolutions. In a few days, frightened by
Whig solicitations, he announced his motion, but
for quite a different time. Explanations took place ;
the Society yielded ; and Mr. WYLD, struck by
the absurdity of the resolutions going to the
country, with the omission of the most important
reform of all, announced his motion. We all know
how it was ;;dealt with, though, excepting a few
pairs, it got, within one, the same number of votes
as Mr: BERKELEY'S. . •
It iaquiteiplain, now, by Mr..BERKELEY'S own
conduct, that he cares more for old Whigs than he
does for the Ballot. Is this consistent in a leader ?
Did V/LLIERS, COBDEN, and BRIGHT gain repeal of
the Corn Laws in that way? Did Mr. MILNER GIB-
SON COMpasg repeal of the taxes on knowledge by
sacrificing to any one's convenience, Whig or
Tory ? And if the Ballot is to be carried soon, it
must be carried by embarrassing all we can who
stand in our way, even though it b 3 Lord JOHN
RIISFELL himself. Be his merits what they may,
if they are brought, as they now are, to the aid of
the Tories to outvote Mr. BERKELEY, and to depre-
ciate the Ballot, so much the more necessary is it
to weigh the merits of the Ballot against the merits
of the "Whig Lord, and to find that the Ballot scale
makes the other kick the beam.. If 4 leader does
not do this, no humorous speeches can compensate
for Such grave and damaging conduct.

If we are now appaiently upon the brink of an
European War, at the very moment when we are
upon the eve of this general election, prior to the
passing of the Second Reform Bill—we should re-
member the still more imminent and more frightful
circumstances which really
the First ! and truly ushered in
Twenty-eight years ago it was a question, not of

European war, but of civil war. The alternative
trembling in the balance was not one in relation to
a possible struggle upon the plains of Lombailly—
but a terrible alternative of peace or war within the
limit of these realms. In the April of 1859, it may
be, it unhappily is, according to all appearance,
doubtful to the last degree of uncertainty whether
or not tranquillity can yet be maintained upon the
frontiers of Sardinia, whether the signal for a dis- '
astrous and most sanguinary struggle may not upon
any instant become audible—Or, admitting that
frightful possibility, whether the war trumpet shall
be sounded first by French, Austrians, or Piedmon-
tese. In the April of 1831 the uncertainty was whe-
ther an army of insurgents should march on London,
from the west or from the midland counties—
whether 10,000 men in arms upon the coast of
Sussex should take the road northwards—whether
the men of Yorkshire, or the men of Northumber-

land should first make their appearance in
formidable array within the legislative precincts at
Westminster. The imminence of this struggle is not
matter simply at this day of idle conjecture. It is
related already in the pages of history, and that
moreover with the utmost degree of particularity.
The record may be found in detail in our own
columns and in those of our contemporaries.
It may be scanned more readily in the first rapid
digest of the Annual .Register. It may be scruti-
nised in the more studied narratives of later an-
nalists. Sir ARCHIBALD AusoN has described the
perilous epoch in luminous chafacters in his con-
tinuation of the History of Europe. Miss HARRIET
MARTiNEAU: has sketched the period in bold and
rapid outline in her continuation of the
History of England. Mr. ROEBUCK has depicted
the spectacle alternately in sombre and brilliant
colouring in his contribution to the " History of
Party." There is no question at all about it nowa-
days that England, in the April of 1831—exactly
twenty-eight years ago—was upon the verge of a
bloody "revolution. Professional jesters like the
Rev. SIDNEY SMITH might indulge an unquench-
able zest for whimsicality—writing in the midst
of the turmoil, " All young ladies imagine that, as
soon as this bill is carried, they will rbe instantly
married; schoolboys believe that gerunds and
supines will be abolished, and that currant tarts
must ultimately come down in price ; the corporal
and sergeant are sure of double pay ; bad poets ex-
pect a demand for their epics"—and so forth, but it
was little betterthan dreaming upon the warm edge
of a volcano. There was a man• killed during the
election down at Wigan, in Lancashire. The Lord
Provost of Edinburgh was-all but thrown over the
North Bridge by an infuriated multitude. The
windows of Apsley House were all smashed
—and up went shortly afterwards those
grim iron shutters that defended up to the hour
of his death the home of the great Duke of WEL-
LINGTON. Lord WILLIAM GRAHAM barely escaped

assassination by secreting himself for 48 hours in
a garret at Dumbarton. Sir WALTER SCOTT, then
in the glory of his peaceful reputation, standing as

it were uponthe brink of an honoired and venerable
grave, was yelled at and hooted • by a gang of ruf-
fians in the streets of Jedburgh. The pulse of the
nation throbbed at fever heat. Yet the scheme of
Reform which had awakened this fury of enthu-
siasm piofesied to do little more.in the way of ex-
tending the franchise than the • scheme recently
laid by Ministers upon the table .of the House of
Commons. The Government Reform Bill of 1831
professed to increase the number of electors by
500,000 additional. That of 1859—by 400,000
more. The total of these islands being ex-
tended to • over 900,000 in 1831—a result
showing that one person in every thirty-
seven had a vote in the United Kingdom—
each member thus returned representing 36,579
individuals, as compared with the aggregate of the
population.

It is remarkable, by the way, that the First
Reform Bill, the Ministerial scheme of 1831,
like this recent Ministerial scheme of 1859, was
digested in the House of Comnions before it could
be brought on in committee. The second reading,
in the former instance, it is true, was carried after
a debate of only two days' continuance (carried by
a majority of one in a house of 608)—whereas, after
a debate of seven nights' duration, the second read-
ing was denied very recently, as we all know, by a
majority of 39, in a house of 626. But although
the second reading was carried in 1831 by this
smallest of all possible majorities—one—when on
the 18th of April, 1831; Lord JonN RUSSELL moved
that the house go into committee on the bill, Gene-
ral GASCOYNE moved that famous amendment
which was carried against Ministers by a majority
of eight in a house of 595. An adverse division,
which led to the stormiest dissolution of Parliament
upon record save one—meaning, of course, CROM-
WELL'S dissolution of the Long Parliament by force
of arms. Is it not, indeed, plainly "so writ in our
annals ?" Has not the hon: and learned gentleman
the member for Sheffield recorded, in his " History
of the. Whigs" (Vol. ii., p. 152),.h0w WILLIAM IV.
charged Lord BROUGHAM to his face with high
treason ! These are the words of Mr. ROEBUCK,—
" The KlNG.started in furious anger, flamed red in
the face, and burst forth with, What, my lords !
have you dared to act thus ? Such .a thing was
never heard' of. You, my Lord Chancellor, ought
to know that such an act is treason—high treason."
And what was the response still taking Mr.
ROEBUCK as our authority,—" Yes, Sire, I do know
it,' said the Lord Chancellor," &c, It was a dis-
solution brought about in 1831 with this agree-
able little dash of treason a . dissolution
resulting twenty-eight years ago in a general elec-
tion that carried the country to the verge of civil
war. If the present Parliamentary crisis, there-
fore, be one in any way fraught with solicitude—
it is a solicitude in no degree comparable to that of
which the preceding generation had ,such really
alarming experience. Compared with that the
present excitement is but as a breeze " that blows
the poplar white," or an autumn gust that
" tumbles half the mellowing pears," contrasted
with the thundering whirl and crash of a tornado.

EXCHANGE IN. INDIA.—The telegram from Bom-
bay yesterday announces a favourable .movement of about
2 or 3 cent. in the rate of exchange, and an advance of
about lf per cent. in the price of Government securities.
At Calcutta, whence the date is to the 16th of March, there
had also been an improvement in the Trice of securities,
but the rate of exchange showed no alteration, and the
charge for discount was still 9 per cent.
AMERICAN RAILWAYS.—AIthough the Cunard
steamer this week has brought only £6,000, her port of de-
parture being Boston, the rate of exchange at New York
showed a further tendency in favour of this country. Some
large amounts will, therefore, arrive within the next few
days by the Alps and Persia. Money was in increased
abundance but the stock market had not been much influ-
enced. Owing to the, revival of railway contention the
stock of the New Yea' Central line had returned to 76,
the lowest point touched last year. The Milwaukie and
Mississippi had failed to meet the April interest on their
first mortgage bonds. At Pittsburgh, in Pennsylvania—
the Birmingham of America--the people, with almost una-
nimous encouragement from the press, continued to insist
upon the repudiation of the city and county debt, and to
defy the judgments of the law courts. A large number of
small investors were, consequently, reduced to distress.
From Mexico there, was no later political news of import-
ance. The new attempt to open the Tehuantepec route ap-
pears to have ended rather miserably, and the surveying
party are said to have quarrelled and separated.
Nancy was on Friday visited by so violent a gale
that a small tower on the principal church at the lower part
of the steeple was carried away, and fell into the street at a
distance about 80 feet from the principal door of the church I

The Agricultural Society of Algiers has offered a
premium of 5,000 f., raised by subscription among the mem-
bers, to any person who shall discover the means of pre-
serving tobacco plants, during their vegetation, from the
ravages of insects. A. commission, appointed for the pur-
pose, will declare at the end of September, 1860, and after
trial, which remedy has succeeded. •

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THE SUN.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1859.