The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 9, 1866.

LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 1866.

The second reading of the Parliamentary Oaths
Bill took place last night, and was carried by 298
to 5. This is satisfactory, for the question is one
that ought to have been settled long ago, for its re-
maining in abeyance gives rise to irritation and
annoyance. Mr. I) ts runt announced his intention
of moving some amendment to the Bill when it was
in Committee. The right hon. gentleman admitted
that some parts of the Oath, as it now stands, were
invidious and obsolete, but he did not at the same
time approve of the manner in which the Govern-
ment have altered it. It is true, as he observed, j
that great difficulties attend the construction of an
uniform oath, for you must take care, " on the
one hand, as far as Roman Catholics are concerned,
that nothing is included which affects their con-
sciences ; and, on the other hand, you must take
care, as far as the Protestants are concerned, that
everything is inserted which they believe to be of
essential importance." Mr. DISRAELI considers
that the oath of allegiance is not properly framed.
It should be a "dynastic" one, and such as to
secure the country from any doubt in the event of
a change in the succession to the Throne. There is
sonic truth in this, as the oath should certainly be
one of allegiance to the quEE.,;
and her heirs and
succes3or3 according to the limitations of the
Act of
settlement. Such an oversight could
easily be reineJied in committee, however, and does
affect the principle of the bill.
not materially
Another point omitted in the bill now presented to
the House by the Ministers was intro iuced into
the bill prepared by a Roman Catholic member
some short time since. The oath makes no reference
to the supremacy of the Crown. Certainly there
is nothing to prevent any Roman Catholic from
recognising the Act of Settlement, and the supre-
premacy of the QUEEN in the Courts of England ;
and, as Mr. DISRAELI truly affirmed, the Judges
professing the Roman Catholic religion " are, by
their conduct and administration of the law, giving
every clay conclusive proof that in the courts of
irmtice of this country they recognise only the law
of England, and not the canon law of

their Church." The right hon. gentleman wisely
refrained from opposing the second reading, and
expressed a hope that the house would look with
candour upon the question, and then they might
pass a measure which would have a fair chance of
becoming law, and prove generally acceptable to
I Parliament.

sr G. GREY declared that the Government would
consider the amendments of the right hon. gentle-
man in a fair spirit.

Considerable amusement was created by Mr.
BRIGHT'S declaring that a small number of mem-
bers would not make the affirmation which
stood in the bill. If the word " defend" meant to
not take up arms, then those members could
subscribe to that part of the oath. Sir G. GREY

promised that the point should receive attention.
But lie said, " I do not think the word ' defend'
necessarily means defend by force of arms, though
if unfortunately any occasion for such defence such
arise, I should be sorry that the Crown should lose
the benefit of his services." Notwithstanding the
arguments of Mr. NEWDEGATE and Mr. WHALLEY,
only five hon. members supported the amendment,
which shows the feeling of the House on the subject.
It is to be trusted that a fair spirit will animate the
Committee, and that the measure in its amended
form may even receive the sanction of both Houses,
and remove the anomalies that have so long existed
in the Parliamentary oaths of this country.

Count BISMARCK has forwarded a reply to the
recent address of some members of the Holstein
nobility, which, for cool impertinence, nearly equals,
if it does not surpass, anything that he has written
hitherto. He declares that he has already stated
that he " considers the union of the Duchies with
the Prussian Monarchy to be the most advantage-
ous solution possible." After all that has occurred
respecting this subject, and after all the protests
that have been made in various directions, it does seem
extraordinary that even a man of his effrontery should
thus come forward and reiterate assertions of this sort.
Of course every one knows what are the opinions of
the Count on this subject, but it is quite out of
character for him to assume them in this manner.
He goes on to state how he thinks, hopes, and
expects the grand deeds may be accomplished. He
says, " Respect for those who signed the address
encourages the KING'S Government to make fresh
endeavours to obtain the consent of Austria to this
solution," as if at any time since the commencement
of this attack upon the Duchies there had
been the slightest drawing back on the part
of the Prussian authorities in their efforts to
appropriate the Duchies. It is not likely that
Austria will consent to be hoodwinked to serve the
turn of her encroaching ally, for she has too long
been made a regular dupe of, and of late has recog-
nised her invidious position. Herr von BISMARCK
need not plume himself too soon upon his victory,
he will yet have to stand the brunt of the battle ;
and the Vienna Government must have changed
very much in the last few weeks if they give up
now what they have so boldly asserted they will
defend. Perhaps we get nearer to the truth in
the latter part of the Count's reply when he alludes
to the " claims of Prussia." There he speaks the in-
tention of the Berlin Cabinet from the outset of the
affair. It was to take possession of the Duchies
that the war was waged, and that the diplomatic
ruses have been continued, to the scandal of Europe
and the consternation of the minor States of Ger-
many. Herr BISMARCK intends, we see, to maintain
his position in such a manner as to " restore the
administrative unity of the Duchies, and gua-
rantee their prosperity." This, we suppose,
is, in other words, to persist in his purpose
of annexation to the last, carte qui carte.
The only hope that remains for the undue preten-
sions of the Prussian Cabinet to be checked lies at
4-I,r. Government of A nutria, and if that
Power would maintain anything like its rightful
position in Europe, it will not submit to be stulti-
fied, to suit the arrogant assumptions and pertinaci-
ous demands of Prussia. The more Count BISMARCK
gets the more he requires ; and the only way to
check his course is to refuse to accede to his request.
The Duchies have been a very convenient excuse for
the encroachments of Prussia, and it was very mis-
taken policy on the part of Austria to join in the
attacks on them.

The Cattle Plague Bill has produced a sadly per-
plexing measure to the legislators of both Houses.
The question is without doubt one of very great
difficuity, for there is on the one hand the fear of
encouraging the spread of the destructive and con-
tagious malady, and on the other of increasing the
inevitable loss by unnecessary slaughter. These
conflicting interests have hampered our legislation
throughout, and have produced a degree of vacilla-
tion which is anything but satisfactory. Our
knowledge of the plague, its origin, exciting
causes, treatment, and chance of cure is all
unhappily so vague and unreliable that most
men find it impossible to arrive at a
definite conclusion on the subject. There are
two arguments, both of which have much force, but
which are entirely opposed to each other. We are
told that as the treatment is so uncertain, and cure
so very doubtful, it is the safest and wisest course
to " stamp out" the disease ; to sacrifice some for
the sake of the majority in the same way that an
extended conflagration is often arrested by the de-
struction of neighbouring houses. The contagious
nature of the disease is certain, though it is not ab-
solutely clear that predisposition, exposure, and
rough treatment may not in many instances have
contributed a good deal to its rapid extension. It is,
therefore, urged that it is wiser and better to sacrifice
those animals already affected, who have at best but
a poor chance of life, than to allow them to spread
the infection still further among all herds with
which they may come in contact. The opponents of
this doctrine urge, on their side, that it is a great
hardship to slaughter animals that are per-
haps convalescent, and whose owners have
a reasonable hope of avoiding total loss ; that it is
now too late to adopt the method of compulsory
slaughter ; that in many instances a milder type of
disease has appeared, and that in Scotland at least
one-third of the beasts affected have recovered. All
these points were fully discussed in the House of
Lords last evening, when the much-debated Cattle
Plague Bill was again brought under consideration.
The principal point at issue was whether the Privy
Council should have discretionary power to relax
the order for compulsory slaughter, or whether
such power should not be given until after the
15th of April. It was urged that the act should
have a fair trial, and that no relaxation
of its most stringent clauses should be permitted until
after the specified time ; but the opposite party
declared that heavy loss would be inflicted by the ,
slaughter of valuable cattle who had been in contact
with infected beasts, who might yet possibly escape
the disease. Also it was argued that in
the local magistrates had resolved not tomany orderports the
slaughter of convalescent beasts, so that the public
respect for the law would be lowered. The bill, it
was said, had been passed during a time of panic,
and continual complaints of its rigorous nature were
being publicly made. The fact of the matter
appears to be that if the " stamping out" policy
was to be tried at all it was delayed too long.
The disease was buffered to reach a height,

WEI necessitated an immense destruction o.
valrtabi'e property before all animals who had either
shown sfmptorns of the disease or been in the vici•
nity of the 3 ffeeted could be slaughtered. FairE
and : market's were left open, the traffic of catth
along the public highways was freely permitted, nc
check w' is put upon the removal of imported beasts
from a Le ports where they were landed, and the
lack 0:1.: cleanliness and care on the railway lines
no der übt helped the disaster. The Duke of MARL-
801101 :Gil quoted last evening a passage from the
first, -report of the Royal Commissioners with refe-
re,ace to the power of slaughter, which puts the
natter very justly. " This power is right and
-aseful when the disease has appeared only at isolated
spots and attacked a few animals ; the public bene-
fit is then -very great, and private sacrifice small ;
but in proportion as it extends the hope of thus
arresting its march diminishes, the inevitable waste
increases, and the sense of hardship tends to
become insupportable." With regard to the
policy of isolation, the Commissioners said,
" When the disease has widely diffused itself,
and disappears at one point only to appear
at another, the difficulties of isolation become
greater, and the chances of its being efficacious
less." . There could be no more accurate descrip-
tion of the disease, as the noble duke remarked,
than that it disappeared at one point only to appear
at another, and this fact favours the theory of
atmospheric influence as well as direct con-
tagion. It was finally decided to adopt the clause
as amended; that is to say, giving the discretionary
power required after the 15th of April. Another
clause, moved by the Earl of LICHFIELD, was very
wisely adopted. It prohibited the holding of
markets, fairs, and public sales of cattle until the
Ist of July. If such a provision had been made at
the first outbreak of the disease it would have been
all the better.

There is one point in respect to this cattle plague
which deserves more attention than it has hitherto
met with, and was referred to last evening by
Lord ELLENBOROUGII. A man lost three-
fourths of his cattle by the plague, and
seven of his remaining beasts showed symptoms
of the malady. They refused to drink water; but
on being turned into a field where there was lime
slaked in water they drank it eagerly, and all re-
covered. Surely this is a hint worth acting on, and
the experiment of a plentiful supply of lime slaked
in water might be made with very little cost or ,
trouble. It would not be the first time that the in-
stinct
of the lower orders has proved a surer guide
than human science. Indeed among human beings
there have been frequent cases of a fever-stricken
patient drinking copiously of cold water,
a forbidden draught, and subsequently re-
covering. If this case, which has been several
times referred to, should be well authenticated,
surely the fact of the whole of the animals who drank
the lime water recovering when all those attacked
in the same herd had died ought to weigh heavily.
We should be glad to see the stringency of the Act
so far relaxed as to allow a few experiments of the
kind to be made under proper authority with die
precautions. It would be surely feasible to keep
the animals isolated from al possible contact with
others until a few doubtful points were set at rest.
If great mother Nature chooses to reveal any of her
secrets, no man of science need be too proud to
learn, and we may be sure that in obeying her dic-
tates the cattle are wiser than the inspector or the
surgeon.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

- ---_.__.4,, -.-- ----

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Thursday Evening.

The German papers received to-day state that
the Cabinet are intensely occupied with the affairs
of the Duchies. It was not known 'whether Prussia
had yet sent any reply to the last Austrian despatch
of the 7th February, but the belief was general of
considerable estrangement between the two Powers.
In the Duchies themselves much uneasiness and
anxiety prevailed among the inhabitants generally.
In official quarters in Paris the affairs of Germany
occupy more than usual attention, and I have
reason to believe that the Minister will shortly be
asked some questions on the subject in the
Chamber.

It is asserted, confidently, to-day, that in spite
of the difficulty arising out of the Convention, the
Duke de Leuchtenberg has determined to press his
claim to be Hospodar of Moldavia and Wallachia.
Ile is said to be as anxious to obtain it as the Count
de Flandre was to refuse it. The treaty in ques-
tion was concluded on the 19th of August, 1858,
between England, France, Turkey, Austria,.and
Prussia, Russia, and Sardinia, after nineteen long
Conferences. It provides that the united provinces
of Moldavia and Wallachia shall be free to arrange
their own affairs without the control or interference
of the Ottoman Porte. The essential article against
the claim of the Duke de Leuchtenberg is Article 13.
That article is as follows :—" Any person whatever
shall be eligible for election, as Hospodar, who is
35 years old, and is the son of a father born in
Moldavia or Wallachia, provided he has fulfilled
public functions during ten years or been a member
of the Assemblies. He must, however, have a
yearly revenue of 300 ducats derived from landed
property."

The construction of the Great Exhibition build-
ing proceeds very rapidly and regularly. The work
connected with the foundations has .been executed
to the extent of. 160,000 cubic metres, and the
workmen are about to commence operations on the
ground comprised between the circular avenue and
the outer wall of the edifice. The cubic extent of
brickwork has reached 26,100 metres, and it is ex-
pected that the foundation works will be completed
by the end of the month. The arches of the grand
gallery of airage have reached 210 metres in length.
As to the transversal arches of three metres, they
are built to the extent of about 100 metres. Among
the work completed may be reckoned 530 pillars,
3000 metres of aqueducts, and 200 metres of drain-
age. The same activity has been displayed in re-
gard to the machinery required. Thousands
of tons of wrought and cast iron have been brought
to the spot, and it is expected that the operations
for the metallic roofing and other works will be ac-
tually carried on in the course of next month.
A letter from Florence states that the section of
the Railway from Palermo to Termini on the
northern part of the Sicilian line has been opened
with much ceremony. The treaty of commerce
between Italy and the Zollverein has been approved
by the Chamber of Deputies by a majority of 186
against 16.

To-day is Mid-Lent Day, and Paris is again all
gaiety. This is the fête of the Washerwomen. The
usual procession was very beautiful, and the fête
has been celebrated satisfactorily. In many of the
towns in the vicinity of Paris also the Mi-Caretne
has been celebrated by gay processions. All night
there will be many private and public balls. Paris
will to-morrow resume its religious celebrations,
which will be kept up till Easter.
The illoniteur does not say anythirg about a
meeting of the Powers in Paris to confer upon the
affairs of the United Danubian Principalities, but
it is stated on good authority that such a meeting
will take place in the course of the present month.
The Governments will each send a Representative
or Minister. England, France, and Austria are
said to be perfectly in accord upon the subject.
Accounts from Frankfort state that people begin to
be perfectly aware of the gravity of the position of
the affairs of Germany, and that a war between
between Austria and Prussia is considered to be
almost inevitable.

In the absence of " metal more attractive," a
writer of note gives a sketch of the celebrated M.
Renan, the author of La Vie de Jesus. It
may be a little exaggerated, but I think

it will interest your readers. The bio-
grapher says that M. Renan is short,
and rather fat. He dresses in simple style, but
does not look like an ordinary man. M. Renan
lives in the Faubourg St. Germain, a fashionable
quarter, and leads a very regular life. He goes to
bed and gets up early, does not smoke, and was
never seen at a theatre. his room where he writes
is elegant, and is ornamented as much as the enor-
mous library in it will allow. The walls are hung
with several pictures of d'Ary Scheffer, whose nieco
lie married. His evennesss of temper is never inte-
rupted. He is always affable, gay, and smiling.
Ile will talk upon any subject, but his great plea-
sure and the chief object of his thoughts is the topic
upon which the writes—Religion. The writer pro-
ceeds to say that lie knew M. Renan in Syria, a
country where you are baked in the summer and
frozen in the winter, but M. Renan is always
so preoccupied with his great subject that
he never pays any attention to these minor
evils of life. He would walk about in Syria
for hours, breakfast upon a bas-relief and dine upon
an inscription. His oral guide and servant thought
his passion for old stones and statues was a sort of
madness, and used often to say that the French
gentleman must be mad. At home, although M.
Renan thinks a good deal, he eats a good deal also.
He rarely writes fasting. Neither hunting, racing,
nor shooting has charms for him, and he never rides
on horseback. Many learned men have manias or
hobbies. M. Renan has none. He is always occu-
pied with his literary labours, and takes but little
interest in anything else. There are few persons
who talk more agreeably, with greater fluency, or
with better style. His mode of speaking, however,
is clerical. He is a man of ardent imagination,

which is evident from everything he says or does.
Ho can undergo great fatigue, and writes for
whole days without being weary. He makes a great
many corrections in his procfs, to the terror of his
printers, and when he marks out a passage he is sure
to add much more to make up for it. The wildness
which pervades his writings is also displayed in his
manners and behaviour. He has the greatest re-
spect for scientific men and men of letters, and
never was any greater astonishment displayed by
any one than he exhibited on one occasion, when,
introduced to an American gentleman, who was de-
scribed as a celebrated philosopher. In the course
of conversation M. Renan asked the gentleman
what he did in his early days at Boston. " Not
much," replied the American, " I was chiefly en-
gaged in getting up a menagerie of wild beasts."
M. Renan appeared to be literally thunderstruck,
for he could not imagine that a man could
be of the same trade as Batty and him-
self. M. Renan has a wonderful memory in re-
gard to facts, names, and dates. He speaks
English and German very well, and understands
Greek, Latin, and particularly Hebrew. " If,"
says the writer, "M. Renan interprets the Bible
perversely, it is simply because his masters them-
selves understand it badly." M. Renan is not an
atheist, as some have said. The attitude of respect
which he assumes in churches proves that he has
not entirely discarded his Christian ideas. It is
impossible for any one to speak of his adversaries
with greater indifference, more politeness, and more
contempt than M. Renan does. To sum up :—The
appearance of M. Renan does not give an idea of
his works. Like all Bretons (he is a native of Brit-
tany) he always steadily pursues his purpose and
cares for nothing. One characteristic is what is
called absence of mind. Sometimes he goes out
forgetting that he has not put on his cravat. Once
he was going out without his coat, and would have
done so had he not been reminded of the fact.

BANK OF FRANCE.

PARIS, March 8.

The following is the return of the Bank of France
for the week ending to-day, together with the cor-
responding figures of the previous account :

DEIITOR.

March 8. March 1.
fr. c. fr. c.
Capital of th© Bank.... 182,500,000 182,500,000
Profits in addition to

capital (Art. 8, Law,
Juno 9, 1857).. 7,044,776 02 7,044,776 02
Reservo of the B 1r

and its branches 22,105,750 14 22,105,750 14
R-s,,rvo in landed pro-
perty 4,000,000 4,000,000
Notes in circulation ... 881,198,925 899,820,525
Banknotes to order and

receipts payable at
sight 5,425,727 06 6,473,330 97
Treasury account cur-

rent Creditor 837,16,903 14 79,366,304 11
Current accounts, Paris 132,628,743 69 139,554,291 67
Do. branch banks 25,884,294 25,931,053
Dividends payable 1,422,327 75 1,570,779 75
Discounts and sundry
interests
Rediscounted the last

six months 2,074,992 92 2,074,992 92
Surplus of receipts not
distributed
Sundries

Total

CREDITOR.

March 8. March 1.
Cash in hand and in fr. c. fr.
Branch banks ......... 467,247,369 83 449,388,564 52
Commercial bills over-

374,859 19 4,387,922 58

duo
Commercial bills dis-
counted, not yet duo 299,721,947 25 312,955,597 67
Do. branch banks 303,209,821 279,667,814
Advances on deposit of

bullion
Do. branch banks
Do. on French Public

Securities
Do. by branch banks
Do. on railway shares

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REITTER'S TELEGRAMTELEGRAMS.)