The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 5, 1866.

He has long shown his determination not to be fet-
tered in his policy by any traditional associations of
party or faction, and only the other day he declared
his intention of regarding only the general interests
of the country, not the theories or prejudices of any
single body of men. The freedom of the negro from
all personal or legal restraint, his right of evidence
in courts of law, and to hold the property acquired
by his own industry and exertion, are all
acknowledged by every civilised nation as
Indispensable to a just and enlightened Government.
But when it comes to a question of giving the
suffrage to uneducated and excitable men, it is a very
different matter. It is not in the colour of their skins

that the objection lies, but in theirlack of mental and
moral training, their want of self-restraint and en-
larged understandings. If an equal number of white
men showed the same drawbacks, they should also,
on ali wise principles of representation, be excluded
from the suffrage. Ten or twenty years hence the
negro may claim to be admitted to a vote ; but if
it be granted to him at present it will be only lost
ground. The example of Jamaica only too clearly
shows what a mistake it is to bestow the franchise
before the blacks are fit for it. We have now in
Jamaica to retrace our steps, whereas, if we had ad-
vanced more cautiously 30years agothe progress would
have been permanent. Under these circumstances
we sincerely hope, in the interest of both black and
white, of North and South alike, that the negro
suffrage will be at least deferred, that so
' important a political privilege will not be
bestowed in a time of transition and political
excitement, when the old ties are broken, the old
restraints removed, and the excitable imagination of
the negro is filled with dreams of wealth, and in-
fluence, given to him, not earned.
The Radical party in Congress have introduced
another Bill which is remarkable for its ingenuity.
It bases the representation of the Southern States
on the number of whites alone, so that the Southern
ranks *ould be very. slender. All these devices,
however, will not avail against the general feeling
of the public, which, we trust, will be decidedly
expressed on the side of individual liberty and really
national representation.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Sunday Evening.
The critical financial event of the week has been
the formal announcement by the directors of the
Credit Mobilier of their intention to adopt the
step to which I have alluded, to make application to
the Council of state for power to double their capital
by the issue of new shares. A general meeting of
the society is announced for the 12th inst. to obtain
the sanction of the company to the proposition, a
necessary formality to accompany the application
to the Council of State. Several important changes
in the statutes of the company are likely to be made,
one of which will be to require the publication of
a detailed report of the affairs of the society every
month, a publicity heretofore refused. The accounts
will be kept by a committee of examiners. The
formal proposal to be made at the meeting is to
sanction the creation of 120,000 new shares of 500 f.
each, with interest at 5 per cent.
The terrible affair of the Fcederis Arca (Arch of
Alliance) has again been brought before the atten-
tion of the public, and the new phase of the tragedy
has been marked by a melancholy incident. This
case had just been brought before the Court of
Cassation, when M. Victor Fouchar, an advocate
of the court, was suddenly seized with an apoplectic
fit, which caused his death in a few hours. The
further hearing was therefore postponed till Thurs-
day next. It may be well to recall to recollection
the chief features of this terrible occurrence. The
Fo3deris Area, a three-masted trading vessel, sailed
on the 18th of June, 1864, from the port of Cette,
in the Mediterranean, for Mexico. Insubordination
soon manifested itself on the part of the crew, and
on the 30th of the month they refused to obey or-
ders, and the vessel became a complete battle-field.
The captain (Capt. Richabourg) was murdered,

and thrown into the sea. The second mate (Au-
bert) was also assassinated. The cook (Muller) and
a midshipman named Dupre were also killed, lest
they should make revelations. The mutineers put to
sea in two boats, taking with them a part of the cargo
and all the money on board, having previously
scuttled the vessel.' kThe accused arc nine in num-
ber—viz., Carbaccia, Tessier, Lenard, Noillie,
Leilers, Chicot, Charles Pierre, Thepault, and
harrier. One of the murderers in attempting to
escape was drowned. The trial was about to
take place at Nantes, before the Court of Assize
_ _

for the Loire Inferieure, but the Imperial Court
of Rennes interfered, and issued an order withdraw-
ing the case from the jurisdiction of the Criminal
Court, and directing that it should be tried by a
INlartime Court. The reason for this change is
that a Court of Assize may admit " extenuating
circumstances," but a Maritime Court in France has
not this power. The Government was desirous not

to let these criminals escape from death, if con-
victed. The prisoners, however, wish, for obvious
reasons, to be tried before a Court of Assize, and
they have appealed to the Court of Cassation
against the judgment of the Imperial Court of
Rennes. This is the case in progress before the
Court of Cassation, the postponement of which
till Thursday is caused by the additional melancholy
circumstance which I mention above.

The number of rich beggars seems on the increase
in France. A day or two ago an old man in rags
applied for admission to the hospital at Arvanches.
His clothes were taken off and thrown into the yard
for fear of infection, they were so dirty and un-
sightly. When the old man had been relieved,
cleansed, and refreshed, he wanted to take off the
garments in which he had been clothed, and de-
manded his old rags again. He particularly asked
for a tattered waistcoat. This excited suspicion,
and on looking into the pockets notes and securities
were found of the value of 5,375 f. This old man
has for many years lived on public charity.
A day or two ago the Commissary of Police of the
quarter Picpus having been informed that an old
man living on the Boulevard de Reuilly had not
been seen for some time sent agents to search his
apartment. It was a miserable place. The old
man was found dead on a wretched bed. He had
suffocated himself with charcoal. Ile was often
heard to express a fear that he should die
of hunger, and the neighbours assisted him.
He lately borrowed 2f. of a poor workwoman,
and said he was in want of bread. The police-

officers found some parcels covered with old rags,
and remarking that the face of the old man was
turned towards them they opened the parcels. They

contained in notes, gold, and securities about
15,000 f. The deceased had two relatives, who are

really in great distress, and the property will be

given to them.
Captain Dore, one of the most eminent members
of the Senate, has just died in Paris. He was
born in 1789. From a midshipman he went through

no credit to those who promulgate them, and when
we put aside the flummery that ornamented the
proceedings we find nothing advocated but the spirit
of intolerance, whether imperial or democratic.

The exciting questions relative to the national
representation at Washington are still engrossing a
great deal of attention even in the crisis of Mexican

relations. The Radical party in Congress have
achieved a decided triumph under the guidance of
Mr. STEVENS in passing the Bill giving the right of
suffrage to the negroes of the District of Columbia.
By a vote of 116 to 54 the Bill was passed, and
the Radical party remained victors of the field. It
is currently reported that should the Bill pass the
Senate, the PRESIDENT will refuse to sanction it,
and it is not at all impossible, from what
we have seen of Mr. JOHNSON'S policy and character,
that he may even proceed to a decided measure.

It has been stated that despatches exist of later
date than those published in the yellow book. I
am, however, informed on good authority that no
despatch has been sent from the French Govern-
ment of a later date than that of the 25th January,
and that the answer of the Government of the United
States to this document has not yet been received
by M. Drouyn de L'huys, the Minister for Foreign
Affairs.

The Empress, like the Emperor, is unceasing in
her support of all benevolent institutions. Her Ma-
jesty has just paid a visit to the Maison Imperiale
de Chaventon, closely inspected all the arrange-
ments, and inquiring of the medical officers and
Sisters of Charity if any improvements could be
made, or if anything were needed to increase the
usefulness of the institution.

A second ball given by Baron Haussmann, Pre-
fect of the Seine, at the Hotel de Ville, the night
after that of the Emperor and Empress at the
Tuileries, was perhaps more splendid than that of
their Majesties'; at all events it was more nume-
rously attended, for it is said that six thousand per-
sons were present. The saloons had a magnificent
appearance. Their extent was 936 metres. They
were lighted by 9,774 wax lights and 2,380 jets of
gas.

LITERATURE.

--

THE ART JOURNAL for February is adorned with
three very beautiful engravings from lovely
originals—to wit Herbert's 44 Susannah," Webster's
" Spring," and Story's 44 Sybil." Each of these
works of art, in its way, being an undoubted master-
piece—the cost of the half-crown publication in which
they appear is reimbursed to the purchaser in the
engravings alone, to say nothing whatever of the
letterpress. Yet, included among that letterpress
will be found, as usual, contributions from art-
critics as eminent as Mr. Ruskin, as Mr. Fairholt,
and as the Editor, himself, Mr. S. C. Hall—the
last-mentioned completing this month his interest
ing memorial paper (illustrated with charming little
woodcut embellishments) on Robert Southey, the
late Poet Laureate.
THE INFANT'S MAGAZINE.—What next ? The
Schoolmaster, tired of being so much abroad, we
suppose, has come home at last, and so con amore
that he appears to be making himself quite at home
in every room of our households. We have for
more than a century had the Gentlenzan's Magazine.
We have for some time past had a choice of
Lady's Magazines. There are Magazines for the
Boys and for the Girls respectively. And now, lo
and behold, we have The Infant's Magazine, the
organ of the _Nursery. A line from Bon Gualtier
(we would here suggest)—
And our Young England's penny trumpet blow !

might be appropriately adopted henceforth as the
motto of this pretty little prattling periodical
pennyworth of prose and poetry for Toddles and
Poddles, for Tom Tucker and Goody Twoshoes.
A NIGIIT IN THE CASUAL WARD has been done
into verse by M. A., and published as a threepenny
pamphlet. If for no other reason, it is noticeable
as a fresh attestation of the brilliant " hit" made by
the Swell Sham-Pauper of the Pall Mall Gazette,

through
whose Rubicon was that-" weak mutton broth,"
sthhuatd,dehravtion (and he must still
having
ksseodf it) has won a new and odd
kind of fame for—not John Hollingshead, not
Anthony Trollope, not a thousand times not Charles
Dickens, as some were absurd enough to imagine_
but the genuine Swell Casual, the veritable Simon
Pure (?—after the mutton broth !) James Green-
wood.

THE STORY OF THE LOST LONDON has been told
effectively in a little penny pamphlet, the bulk of
which is simply a reproduction or compilation from
the accounts originally published in the newspapers.
It is a tale of disaster and heroism quite as enthral-
ling in its way as those older tales, descriptive re-
spectively of the Losses of the Amazon and of the
Kent East Indiaman.

THE FARMERS' AND GARDENERS' ALMANACK for
1866, issued from the press rather after date with
the February instead of with the January magazines,
is a splendid shilling's worth of information, full of
value and interest to both farmer and gardener.

DR EDGAR SHEPPARD'S PAIIPIILET-ON BATIIING

(Hardwick), we are pleased to see, has obtained the
honour of a " Second Edition." It is full of com-
mon sense and of sound, wholesome advice worthy
of being taken (as a first step towards health) by
many a valetudinarian.

THE BROWN BOOK for 1866 sustains its reputa-
tion. It is enhanced in value this year by several
additional advantages, among others by the prefix-
ing to it of a folding outline map of the metropolis.
ROUTLEDGE'S N UTTALL'S WALKER'S PRO-
NOUNCING DICTIONARY is a wonderful shillings-
worth of Philological Information. It is as good a
dictionary of the size as was ever published. It is
revised, amended, and enlarged throughout, and
that critically. And we don't wonder to read on
the very cover of it that the present issue of the
work is its 120th thousand
THE INTELLECTUAL OBSERVER.---This is a useful
and instructive miscellany, which deals less with the
general reader than with the studious and scientific.

Happily the circle who take an interest in questions
of natural philosophy is now a much more extensive
one than it was even a few years back, and accord-
ingly the intellectual observer is not likely to lack
readers who can both enjoy its contents and profit
by them.

THE SUNDAY MAGAZINE.—A very good and con-
scientious journal, directed a little too much to
those who hold the same religious opinions as its
editor, but well written and well printed. Some of
the general articles are very good, but the magazine
does not equal " Good Words" in the happy com-
bination of religion and literature, which all sects
may read without offence and with direct profit.
LE FoLLET.---If grouping a colouring could make
the fashions charming, certainly the plates in the
" Follct" would reconcile our fair dames and
demoiselles to the most extravagant of modes; but,
to tell the truth, all that Parisian art can do fails

to render the stiff, narrow figures presented to us
as attractive as usual. The general contents of the
magazine is of the ordinary character.

QUEENSLAND EMIGRATION.—The ship Southern
Ocean, 2,500 tons burden, belonging to Messrs. T.
M. Mackay and Co., sailed on the 30th ult. from Gravesend
for Queensland, Captain Robert Craig, commander ; sur-
geon-superintendent, Dr. Levitt. The Southern Ocean is
the 73d vessel that has sailed on the land-order system of
emigration, under the immediate direction of the Queens-
land Government. She carries 438 souls, divided into
paying, assisted, and free passengers, and consisting of
members of familLs, 174 ; single men, 212 ; binglo
females, 22.

all the grades till he became captain. An interest-
ing anecdote connected with French history is re-
lated of Captain Dore. In 1815 he was at the island
of Aix, being them a sub-officer, where the Emperor
Napoleon retired after his abdication. In concert
with several officers, M. Dore fitted out a vessel

with a faithful and devoted crew, and proposed to
the Emperor to convey him to the United States.
The Emperor, however, declined the offer. The

_ .
Government of the Restoration looked upon
Dorci as a dangerous person, and dis-
missed him from his command. Ile was
however, reinstated, and served in several important
expeditious. The present Emperor did not forget
M. DorVs devotion to his uncle, and in 1849 ap-
pointed him GovQrnor of the Island of Bourbon. A
year afterwards he was promoted to the rank of
Commander of the Legion of Honour, and in 1853
he was named Senator. Ile was not much of an
orator and spoke but very rarely.
The works of the Great Exhibition proceed with
such vigour that several portions of the building
will probably be completed before the time named
by the contractors. All the foundations will be
completely finished before the end of March. The
construction of the pillars of the grand nave and
the side galleries is being carried on actively at the
workshops of the contractors of the building. The
Imperial Commission gives notice in the Moniteur
that it does not recognise any of the agencies an-
nounced as connected with the building, but
only the committees appointed under the general
rules recently published. I hear that the Empress
is about to be appointed honorary president of the
Exhibition.