The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-03 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, JULY 3, 1866.

The last accounts seem to confirm the Prussian
successes which were briefly alluded to yesterday.
The junction of the two armies under the Crown
Prince and the Prince Frederick CHARLES is now
looked upon as completely effected. Certainly there
is no accounting for the chances of war, but at the
same time we must say that Marshal BENEDEK has
been very unequal to the occasion, or else that the
Government of Vienna must have hampered him
with their tardiness until his skill and stratagem
seemed alike unavailing. No one in this country
has yet been able to comprehend why or
wherefore the Prussian forces were suffered to
overrun North Germany in the manner which they
have done, and it was pointed out by many good
judges that the Austrians would eventually rue
their inaction and regret their lost ground. The
King of PRUSSIA has now reached Gitschin, and
had au opportunity of witnessing a scene such as
seldom meets the eye of Monarchs in the present
day. Everywhere there were visible signs of the
severe struggle which had taken place. The enemy
retreated under cover of the night, which was the
best thing thing that they could do under the cir-
cumstances of the case. According to the tele-
gram that has been sent from the Prussian
head-quarters, it would seem that the army is in
excellent spirits, and behaved with great gallantry
during the arduous encounters which have already
fallen to its lot. An immense number of Austrian
prisoners have been taken—indeed, their number is
said to be over five thousand. Several Austrian
regiments were almost annihilated ; and the 18th
Jager battalion was destroyed to the last
man. From Vienna we learn that Mar-
shal BENEDEK, for "strategical reasons," has
deemed it advisable to take up a position between
Josephstadt and Konniggratz. This looks bad, but
we trust that he will yet see means to retrieve his
losses of position. It is most vexatious to think
that, notwithstanding the desperate stand by the
Austrians, and the practical advantage which they
gained, that such an important place as " Gitschin"
should have been taken by the enemy. It will give
them immense advantages in the campaign before
them, and is altogether one of those events which in-
spirit one side and dishearten another. An official
journal of Vienna states that no further fighting
has followed upon the affair of Gitschin, and that
there has been no fresh attack made upon Marshal
BENEDEK'S position, a proof that the Prussian losses
must also have been severe, and that their troops
are much exhausted. No doubt this is the truth ;
the best possible spirit and most undaunted courage,
we are told, prevail in the army, and - " im-
portant events are expected within the next few
days."

Perhaps the zeal with which the Prussian force
have carried on the war until now may tell
against them when they have to go through the
ordeal of a pitched battle, which has not yet been
their fortune. The battle of Custozza appears to
have been the most regular engagement which has
taken place yet, and in this the Prussians had no
part. So far as we can judge the army of the Aus-
trians is in the best condition for fighting of the
two, and it will be best for the EMPEROR to stake
his fortunes on a regular engagement than to trust
to skirmishes and petty encounters, for the Prussians
seem decidedly to be the smartest and most able in
such manoeuvres. No doubt the Austrian troops are
longing to distinguish themselves, and their leaders
burning to avenge the insults put upon them by
their adversaries. At any rate, whether advanta-
geous or not, it seems pretty certain that a decisive
struggle will ere long take place. Until we hear
the result of this affair all remarks on the subject
must be vague guesses or mere speculation. It will
be the work of a day to drive the Prussians from
many of their strongholds, which they now consider
impregnable, and preserve the treaty that a
victorious army cannot achieve in the flush of its
success and the eclat of its triumph. With the
Italians the Austrians seem to have had the best of
it from the beginning. From Peschiera we hear
that the Austrian cavalry have driven back the
Italian outposts and taken several prisoners ; and
that two Austrian gunboats have cannonaded the
encampment of Volunteers on the shores of Lake
Garda, and the Volunteers dispersed after sustaining
severe loss. These, though not not by any means
considerable advantages, are nevertheless significant,
as showing that the Italians have not had time to
recover themselves from the rebuff which they met
with at the outset of the affair. The Hungarian Epis-
copal body have voted two hundred thousand for the
relief of the wounded in battle, and three magnates
have proposed to raise and equip a corps of volun-
teer cavalry. The prorogation of the Hungarian
Chambers, which has just taken place, is a most ill-
timed affair, and speaks badly for the EMPEROR.
Nothing is said in the Imperial speech that tends to
reassure as to the future intentions of the Imperial
Government. How much much better it would
have been for the Austrians in the present emer-
gency if they had pursued a more liberal policy to-
wards the Hungarians; above all, had they given
up Venetia, as they were strongly advised to do,
their present state would bevertyhe mdisfferaelnletr.
States
ttews
of will
bode ill for the future fate of
the
overwhelming if they are to be
overwhelming influence of Prussia Austria.by
In
either case, unless their policy changes very much
monopolised
a nd
for the better, the present generation will not see
the end of the evil effects of this war.
cannot be long pursued without dragging
vie-
tims those at first in as Despotts' m
quite out of its limits, and for
a great part of these mischances our Government
has been to blame by constantly upholding Prussia.

President JouxsoN-- has sent amessagegress with Mr. SEWARD'S report, relative to his
to Con-
-7—
transmission of copies of the reconstruction resolu-
tions to the State Governors for legislative ratifi-
cation. Mr. JOIINSON has taken the opportunity
of reminding Congress that there are serious doubts
whether the State Legislatures could rightfully be
called upon to ratify constitutional amendments
passed while eleven States were excluded from re-
presentation, Mr. JOILISiON 'lever iota an oppor-

tunit-y of pointing out to his adversaries the uncon-
stitutional nature of their policy, and is continu-
ally defeating their-best laid schemes with their
own weapons. They do not know what to do with
the Southern States, since the public temper will
scarcely tolerate even the advocacy of their favourite
theory of confiscation and subdivision of the ex-
Confederate States ; and, without completely over-
turning the old constitutional doctrines, they can
hardly deny that the exclusion of eleven States from
representation render any constitutional amend-
ment inconsistent and illegal. Mr. JOHNSON thinks
it right to explain that Mr. SEWARD'S transmission
of the copies was merely in an official form, in
no way committing the Executive to the
approval of the amendments ; and the PRESIDENT
plainly adds his own opinion that no constitutional
amendment should be proposed by Congress and
pressed upon the Legislatures until the admission of
loyal members from the Southern States. If the
South refused to send men who would cordially
the opportunity ptphoemrtsuenlivteys
ofw eirte,
offered
ffc accept thethem
t Union,hey
if
refused when
to
there might be some valid reason or excuse for their
persistent exclusion. But to refuse them the
chance of sending loyal members, which, judging
by their public conduct during the last twelve
months, there is no doubt they would do, is so
manifestly unfair that no political rancour can
excuse it. Surely there has been time enough for
the angry feelings on both sides to die away, suffi-
cient, at least, to allow the old forms and cus-
toms to be resumed. Until the States are repre-
sented the Southern people will never feel that
confidence and security which is absolutely neces-
sary to the restoration of commercial prosperity,
the encouragement of enterprise, and the satisfac-
tion of the people.
The Legislature has been busy enough of late.
The news from Europe has naturally created a
good deal of disturbance in financial circles, and the
cure for all evils most loudly proposed in Congress
and out of it is a strict observance of a protective
policy. Happily, the proposed export tax upon
cotton has been defeated by the good sense of the
majority, but the Americans have still a good deal
to learn respecting the doctrines of free trade.
The explanation given of the sudden fervent
friendship of the Radicals for the Fenians is
explained by the suggestion that the STEVENS and
SUMNER party imagine that by taking advantage
of the Irish feeling against the PRESIDENT they
may damage the Democratic cause by the loss of
the Irish votes. Anything to serve a temporary
purpose or gain a political end seems to be their
motto, and their designs are assisted by the fact of
their having the majority in Congress, which en-
ables them to pass such resolutions as flatter the
vanity of " our Celtic fellow-citizens." A great
mass meeting was to be held in the neighbourhood
of Jones Wood under the call of STEPHENS. That
worthy, however, has gone considerably out of favour,
being denounced in many quarters as a British spy.
He in his turn refuses to recognise ROBERTS and
SWEENEY as Fenian leaders, and inveighs
against the recent invasion of Canada, in which the
collapse of the scheme supports him.

Mr. PEABODY is as much the centre of observa-
tion in his native country as he was among us, but
he remains firm in rejecting all invitations or en-
deavours to make a " lion" of him. His letter, re-
fusing one of these pressing summons, does credit to
his kindly feeling both towards America and Eng-
land, while his consistent refusal to accept any pub-
lic recognition of his disinterested and magnani-
mous actions is of itself a lesson to the pretentious
benefactors of the present day.

The Royal banquet at the Trinity House was
especially interesting from several circumstances-
The first appearance of our popular Sailor-Prince as
Master of the Corporation was an agreeable inci-
dent in the ordinary routine of anniversary festivals,
while the presence of his royal brother was rendered
the more welcome from the narrow escape from
a serious accident which he had that day
encountered. The Duke of EDINBURGH ful-
filled the duties of president with tact and
readiness characteristic of the true British sailor, and
the young King of the BELGIANS, who was the
principal guest, paid high honours to the Corpora-
tion of the Trinity House, and the services which it
had rendered to commerce and commercial nations.
The other guests included Mr. GLADSTONE, Mr. M.
GIBSON, and other politicians, and the whole
entertainment went off with great éclat. The cordial
interest which our young princes take in these
venerable associations serves to strengthen the ties
existing between the Crown and the people, and
confers mutual benefits and strengthens mutual
regard.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Monday Evening.

The Moniteur has very little news to-day about
the war, telegraphic or otherwise, and it is brief in
its usual commentary upon the positions and pros-
pects of the adverse armies. It however repeats its
opinion from the facts and circumstances accom-
plished that a great battle is imminent, and although
it does not say so openly, its belief seems to be that
Benedek will obtain the mastery over the Prussians.
The belief or hope at Berlin, however, is different,
for on Friday last an immense crowd, after enthu-
siastic cheers for the King, went to M. Bismarck's
hotel and greeted him with an ovation. The
Minister, in answer to the questions put by the
crowd, informed them that the capitulation of the
Hanoverian army had taken place that very
morning.

A letter from Brescia states that as the two hos-
pitals of that town were not sufficiently capicious
to receive the wounded, the Cathedral had been
thrown into an hospital. The ladies wereindefatig-
able in their attentions, and sent lint as well as all
sorts of comforts for the wounded men.

It appears from the latest details published re-
apecting the Italian army that the corps of General
Cialdini had left their position at Ferrara, and was
marching towards Cremona. A statement has been
made that the Garibaldians who fought against the
Austrians in the valley of Bona were supported by
the regular troops. This is a mistake. It was the
Bessagliers of the permanent army of the 2d batta-
lion who formed part of the attacking column.
It was supposed by some persons here that the
close of the Session of the Legislative Body would
be marred by some communication on the part of
the Government relative to the war, but, as my in-
formation led you to expect, nothing of the kind
took place. The President of the Corps Legislatif,
M. Walewski, made a sensible and moderate fare-
well address, in which he spoke of the remarkable
character of the session and the general harmony
which had prevailed. There was not, however, a
word which could be construed as political in the
address. The members of the Opposition whom I
mentioned the other day were present, and some
hope prevailed among them in the morning that
they should be able to elicit some Ministerial ex-
planation, but 'one of them made au attempt to
infringe the desire expressed by the President that
no discussion should take place about the war under
present circumstances. They, however, asked for
some declaration from the Government on the sub-
ject of the proposed curtailment of the Luxem-
bourg Gardens. The President of the Council of
State gave a formal assurance to the Chamber that
no change should be made in the gardens until the
Legislative Body should have had an opportunity
of expressing its opinion upon the amended pro-
position of cuttinn, off a portion of them.
The question relative to the alleged claim of the