The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-08 00:00:00

THE VILLAFRANCA PRELIMINARIES.

A letter from Frankfort-on-Maine says The
mystery of Villafranca still engages public at-
tention, and the parties to it seem determined to
baulk the hopes of an explanation. It may, there-
fore, not be amiss to place with some detail the
progress of events before your readers. On my ac-
curacy they may rely. On the 4th of July the pro-
posal of a basis of mediation, now known as the
seven points, was communicated to Lord John
Russell by Count Persigny. Lord John refused to
recommend the project, but agreed to communicate
it to Austria, simply and without comment. On
the sth he therefore laid it before Count Ap-
ponyi, by whom it was made known in Vienna on
the 6th: On the 7th the French Minister in
'Berlin applied to Baron von Schleinitz to propose
an armistice, at the same time proposing terms on
which mediation might be entered on. These
terms contained four points (not seven), and were
identical with those afterwards agreed to hy the
Emperor of Austria, with tire' exception that
Venetia was to be erected into an independent
duchy for the Archduke Maximilian. Baron von
Schleinitz at once refused to entertain the project
of a mediation on this basis, and took time to con-
sider the propriety of proposing an armistice.

Between the 7th and Bth the armistice was agreed
to by the principals without intervention, and on
the Bth the news was communicated to Baron von
Stlleinitz by the French Minister in Berlin. It
took him of course by surprise, and he instructed
the Prussian Charge d'Affaires in Paris to ex-
press to Count Walewski his astonishment at the
answer of Prussia on the subject of the armis-
tice not having been waited for. At the same time
he instructed him to state, that after holding a
council, it had been decided not to propose
the armistice, as it did not then seem oppor-
tune. Both propositions were thus originally
French. At Villafranca the Emperoi- Napoleon
showed Francis Joseph the project in seven points,
giving him to understand that the neutrals were
not averse from adopting it. Then he at once
brought forward the four points proposed, and re-
jected on the 7th at Berlin. They were-
1. Cession of Lombardy.
2. Erection of Venetia into a Duchy.
3. Confederation of Italian States.
4. Restoration of the banished Dukes and an
amnesty.

On the second point the Emperor Napoleon
yieldid to the reasoning of the Emperor of Austria,
that he could not be expected to resign what he
still held possession of. This is a somewhat lengthy
statement, but you may depend upon its being in
every point correct.

FRANCE.

PARIS, SUNDAY.

PARIS BOURSE, Aug. 6.—Prices have had an
upward tendency, but business was not very brisk.
There was a report that the Government is inclined
to reduce the customs duties on imports. Threes
opened at 70f. 15c., then receded to 69f.-95c., and
again rallied to 70f. 25c. Mobilier varied from
860 f. to 867 f. 50c. Austrian, 570 f. to 573 f. 75c. ;
Lombards, 570 f. to 572 f. 50c. ; Orleans, 1,375 f. to
1,385 f. ; Lyons, 880 f. to 882 f. 50c. ; Southern, 520 f.
to 525 f. ; Northern, 940 f. to 945 f. The following
were the quotations :

41 per Cents. 97 25
Do. end month .. 97 --
3 per Cents. 7O
Do. end month.... 70 25
Bank Shares. 2850

Credit Mobilier .. 865
Do. Account ..... 867 50

Credit Fonder
Belgian 4f 9B
Piedmonteso (5)
Roman B7
Austrian

Spanish Threes —
Home Debt 42

RAILWAYS.

Cash. Account.
Orleans
Northern 937 50 .. 940
New ditto B2O .. 820
Lyons and Mediterranean 822 50 '.. 822 50
Geneva — 542 50
Southern
Western 565 .. 565
Eastern -
Sardinian
Austrian
Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 71c. ; money,
25f sc. ; three months, paper, 24f. 95c.; money, 24f. 94c.

AMERICA.

LIVERPOOL, AUG. 6.

The Royal Mail steamship Canada, Capt. Lang,
has arrived with the New York mails of the 26th
ult., Boston of the 27th, Halifax of the 29th, and
telegraphic advices from the former via the latter
port to the evening of the 28th. She has brought
250,000 dols. on freight.
The screw steamhip North Britain, hence,
arrived at Quebec on the 25th ult. ; the steamship
New York, from Bremen, arrived at New York on
the 25th; and the Royal mail steamship Europa,
hence, was off Boston on the 27th.

The Washington correspondent of the New York
Times gives the following heads of a treaty de-
spatched to the United States Government by its
Minister in Mexico :

" 1. Right of way across the Northern States
between the Rio Grande and ports in the Gulf of
California, with guarantees for their protection and
safety."
" 2. Right of way and valuable privileges of
transit secured to the American Company holding
the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
" 3. The privilege of erecting and maintaining
warehouses at the termini of the several transit
routes.

" 4. The right of transporting troops and muni-
tions of war over such routes, and to send troops to
protect them, in default of Mexico fulfilling that
duty.
" 5. Free entry and transit of goods belonging
or consigned to American citizens in Arizona
through the ports of the Gulf of California and
across Sonora.

6. Entire and unquestionable freedom of reli-
gious worship throughout the Republic.
7. A clause indicating the willingness of the
Mexican Government to accept a modified form of
protection at the hands of the United States—in
other words to solemnise another treaty in form,
and one of alliance, offensive and defensive, but in
substance creating a protectorate whenever the
United States shall signify her willingness to enter
into such engagements."
A Washington despatch of the 25th ult. says :
Mr. Gould, who came from England in the
steam-ship Canada, passed through Washington
this morning, en route to Mexico. He is attached
to the British Legation in that country and con-
veys important despatches thither."
The St. Louis Democrat gives an account of the
burning of a negro and the hanging of two others at
Marshall on the 19th of July. The one who was
burnt had murdered his master. The Democrat
says :—" While the sheriff was conveying him
a n
tketo
prison he was set upon by the crowd and
from
atnhdat
tooffiokcetrh.
enToehetwmooboththeern proceededotnootlolef
gaol
o 'remitted an them had attempted the life of a citizen of this
place,
and the other had just c
outskirts
out-
rage upon a young white girl. After the mob got
the negroes together they proceeded
to the
of the town, and selecting a proper place,
te negro who killed Hinton to a stake, got a quan-
tity of dry wood, piled it around him, and set it on
fire. Then commenced a scene which, for sickening
horrors, has never been witnessed before in this or
perhaps other place. The negro was stripped
his waist,
toand barefooted. He looked the picture
any
of despair; but there was no sympathy felt for him
at the moment. Presently the fire began to surge
up in flames around him, and its effects were soon
made visible in the futile attempts of the poor
wretch to move his feet. As the flames gathered
about his limbs and body he commenced the most
frantic shrieks and appeals for mercy—for death—
for water! He seized his chains ; they were hot, and
burnt the flesh off his hands. He would drop them,
and catch at them again and again. Then he would
repeat his cries, but all to no purpose. In a few
moments he was a charred mass, bones and flesh
alike burnt into a powder. Many, very many of
the spectators who did not realize the full horrors
of the scene until it was too late to change it, re-
tired disgusted and sick at the sight. May Mar-
shall never witness such another spectacle. If the
horrors of the day had ended here it would have
been well, bat the other negroes .were taken and
hung—justly, perhaps, but in violation of law and
good order. They exhibited no remorse. One
simply remarked, that he hoped before they hur g
him they would let see the other boy burnt."
It is stated in 'New York that a memorial re-
questing Mr. Sickles to resign his seat in Congress,
had received the signature of 1,400 of his consti-
tuents, and that in the Eighth Ward a public meet-
ing was to be held to make the request openly.
NEW YORK, JULY 28, EVENING.
The steamship Jura, of the Cunard line, arrived
here to-day from Liverpool. The sales of cotton in
this market during the past two days foot up 3,000
bales, at an advance in prices of 7,-,lc. per lb. Mid-
land uplands close at 12c. Flour is firm, and
quotations have slightly advanced. Wheat also is
firm, and prices have gone up 2c. per bushel. In-
dian corn is dull, and prices have
a declining ten-
dency.

NEW ORLEANS, JULY 27.
The sales of cotton yesterday and to-day.foot up
3,500 bales, and the market is firm' at Mc. for
middling. Nothing has been done since the recep-
tion of the Europa's news. Cotton freights to
Liverpool are id.

COMMUTATION OF CAPITAL SENTENCE.—John
Benjamin Haynes, who was left for execution at Win-
chester, and respited last week has bad his sentence com-
mutcd,to penal servitude for life. The report of the raedi
cal inspector as to his state of mind, and the absence of
motive or premeditation, decided the Secretary of State in
considering him a fit subject for the exercise of the Royal
prerogative of mercy.
FIRES AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY.—
Shortly before 1 o'clock this morning a fire took place on
the premises of Mr. Bland, silk mercer, Blackfriars-road,
near Surrey Chapel. The moment the occurrence became
known an alarm was given. The Royal Society's escape
from Surrey Chapel attended, and the conductor was for-
tunate enough to bring down in safety the inmates, con-
slating of three persons, but another rolled himself from
one of the upper windows and alighted without sustaining
the least injury. A plentiful supply of water having been
procured, the flames were subdued. About the same time
a fire also broke out at the oil refinery forming a portion of
the soap factory of the Messrs. Howes, in Upper Ground-
street, 131ackfpars- road. The land engines and steam float-
ing machines were kept in full play, but at half-past 1 this
morning the flames were still progressing, though it was
hoped that all danger of any further extension of mischief
was over. The amount of property consumed must be very
great,

INTRODUCTION OF THE BALLOT IN NE"
SOUTH WALES, AND ITS SUCCESS.

firsTtheelleaesttiomnaibi
yfrothmeSbyadlilloetyobfrityes apcacroluiamntseonft ofthe
New South Wales. The ballot law is identical 1n
has been eminently successful. At elections
principle with that of Victoria, and its working
ining
this colony under the open voting system we have
read of "the unblushing intimidation of landlord-
ism.s
and the revival of some of the worst features
of English elections." On one occasion we read.
.1
the Sydney Empire " Mr. Parker, the Prime
ter of the colony, took his seat beside the returning
officer, noting in his pocket every vote that w
recorded." This state of things is passed awaY.
• 18599
The Sydney Morning Herald of 13th June,
says :
to a
" The first operation of the ballot has been
MiTso:
large extent successful. In this community it was
never necessary to disarm wealth of its authority,
or to prevent the upper classes'—if there are
~
such—interfering with the lower classes' 11
there are such. The ballot has tended greatly to
abate the outward excitement of the election,
and to give every man ample freedom in exercising
his franchise. The objection of Sydney Smith
that the ballot would lead to lying, to the violation
of promises, and the indulgence of malice, no doubt
could be sustained were all the voting papers
traced to their owners. It is however. possible
in the present state of society to devise a schemea
which would not be liable to some such objections 1:
One thing is clear—that there has been much less,
importunity. Men have felt indisposed to ask what
many have thought proper to conceal, and it has
been deemed useless to purchase support, or to ae;
it
gmiavnedpmprloediegsess,
usnindceerthperescslasurse oafremjeunst whow°
those
who
would avenge themselves by breaking them. We
have no doubt that many votes have been de-
posited in the box that never would have been
(riven under the open system. People have fol-
lowed their real inclination. They have been enabled
to do so without apparent inconsistency. They have
reserved to themselves the power on some future
occasion to take the opposite course. They are in
a condition, having voted for a man to-day, to op-
pose him to-morrow ; or agreeing with him upon
only one point, upon which he has commanded
their support, they can resist him everywhere else.
To no class of men is the ballot a greater boon than
to the officers of Government. Under the late ore:
tem they were marked men. Human nature must
be differently constituted if, where an election is
sharply contested, official candidates preserve ar
magnanimous indifference as to the disposal 01
votes which they have the power to reward or
punish. Happily for the employees of Govern-
ment, and, indeed, for those of all other great in-
stitutions, they have now the right to express their
own predilections, and to withhold their support
from men from whose politics they dissent. All
they have to do is to keep their own counsel, and
to maintain among themselves an understanding
that it is necessary for their mutual protection that
this secrecy should not be violated. The working
classes have enjoyed the benefit%f the ballot, not in
relation to their employers, but in reference to each
other. There are everywhere noisy, dogmatical,
and oppressive men, who, by force of will, domineer
over their neighbours. Thus many, rather thali!
incur the opposition and contempt of people wite,
whom they have daily to work, have often voteu
against their inclinations and their conscience.
From this necessity they are now relieved. If the
despotism of wealth and official authority is to be,
deprecated, how much more oppressive is that
grinding insolence which, clothed in vulgar and
aggressive forms, assumes the name of liberty. No
doubt, as the experience of our politicians enlarges,
means will be found to obstruct the free operation
of the ballot, and to corrupt the ballot-box. Every'
thing will depend upon the fidelity of the
returning officers, and we hope the time
is far distant when we shall have so far
debased our moral sense as to make it posse'
ble to find men abandoned enough to betray so sa-
cred a trust. This will however, demand our vigi"
lance. If the ballot is worth having, at whatever
cost it must be had in its purity. There is one
thing in connexion with the ballot of which most
persons have become conscious—that it has 8670-
lated betting to a considerable degree. The result
of the election has been forecast by many, but the
calculations have been so various, and upon data s°
perplexed and confused, as to admit of great dif-
ferences of opinion. Not more than two of the caw
didates could have been said to have had anything
like certainty of election. The show of hands 03
the day of nomination represented the more active
partisans of the city, and comprehended the inha"
bitants from both of its political divisions. Thus"
there was ample scope for varieties of opinion, and
we fear that there has been an amount of gambling
which is not altogether creditable to the comae:"
nity. Our fellow-citizens should remember that
these bets are a minor form of corruption, and that
elsewhere they have led to shameful excesses. A"
are far more in danger of having the ballot-bo%
stuffed or perverted, by persons having a largo
stake in the issue, than by the influence of mere
political profligacy and enthusiasm. The power of
directly influencing the voters has changed in some
measure the complexion of a popular election. The
system of bunching is no longer so practicable, be-
cause an agreement of this kind can only extend to
a very small number of electors. That surveillance
by which men were forced almost to act in regi-
ments is broken by the secrecy of the ballot. It has
thus happened in many instances, that votes were
given to candidates whose policy and position in
the Assembly will be diametrically opposite. This
has evidently moderated the tone of the candidates-
They have felt that they could not calculate upon
each other for support, and thus they have
been less inclined to close combination. There
has been a remarkable absence of the 01"
party cries. The last survivor is the " poor
man"—whose portrait has yet to be delineated.
_Does it not show the poverty of our political VC''.
cabulary, that we apply to the mass of the eon'
munity a word which commonly awakens pitl:
often so closely allied to contempt. The " poor
man!" Who is he ? Not the man that sits by the
wayside begging, but the strong, sturdy labourer
or mechanic, whose earnings are greater than those
of many confidential clerks ; who values himself
upon his dignity and intelligence ;
who represents
"'
himself as the very bone and sinew of society, an
who is very apt to cheer the sentiment that the
only sort of men the world ought to tolerate are
thepp eonl
stseiaci
idlavni"ts
with
willoot rh inventeis rni
d. yt
term—hackneyed
e_m fertilityhlai ccnneyaoeyfd
die'ipn
every newspaper and'i'cousnolSonle phrase
Surely the
tongue. There are
no " poor men" in the colony, except those who are
under the hand of misfortune, or who are degraded
by vice. It is a term of cant ; and, used as clap'
trap, it has in it a considerable taint of abomina-
tion. At all events, the " poor man" is now the
lord of the soil, and the dominant power in the
community. In his conduct throughout this first
election we are bound to say he has shown a calat
appreciation of his influence, and, upon the whole,
he has nothing to be ashamed of in the result.

ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON REGATTA•

COWES, AUG. 6.
The annual ball took place last evening, and
was very fully attended, there being upwards of
200 persons present. The largA promenade or
lounge in front of the Castle was fitted up in a verl
tasteful manner. The last match for the Squadrol!
Money terminated the proceedings of the week alOl
took place to-day, but the' formidable list of OW;
entries, as announced on Saturday last, was reduce'
to the following seven :—Arrow, cutter, 102 tons,
Mr. T. Chamberlayne ; Beatrice, schooner, 208 tone'
Mr. J. E. W. Rolls ; Wildfire, schooner, 59 ton*
Mr. J. Turner; i ' Gipsey Queen, schooner, 190 tons,:
Sir H. B.Houghton, Bart. ; Brunette, cutter, 7"
tons, Col. S. Smith; Alarm, schooner, 248 tons,
Mr. J. Weld ; Osprey, cutter, 59 tons, Col. R.
Huey. The contest was for £lOO for the firs"
vessel, and £25 for the second, and was open tf,
yachts of any squadron, and, although the originf
list of entries included three yachts belonging to
other clubs, the starters were all included in the
Royal Yacht Squadron, except the Wildfire, wilie'
belongs to the Victoria Squadron, at Ride. ''
very good start was effected at eleven o'clock, t
course being, as usual, round the Warner, a.ll
thence back to Egypt, and then to Cowes--,tvne".
round. The wind was light from the S.S.W., but
,;
there was a murky sky, and it was hoped that the
breeze would freshen as the day wore on. The
Osprey started and was off first, closely followed by
the Brunette, and Arrow third.
On rounding the Warner for the second time til:
Alarm had jibed before either of the vessels
was in sight, and she continued to lead down "-
Cowes. The Wildfire and Osprey made a pot%
race, off Osborne, about a mile between them, til
Osprey astern. The time on arriving at Cowes at
the finish was thus taken :

H. M. 8.
Alarm
Wildfire 4 51 5
27 32
15
Osprey
The Alarm would thus have won, but a protest
was entered against her she having set a jib.topsill
on her return from the Warner the second tinle:
and as this was against the regulations, the protest
was held to be good by the committee, and thus til
Wildfire will receive the first prize and the OspreJt,
the second.
A few days since her Majesty kindly forwarded
£l5 to the committee of the squadron, to be Oil;
tended for by the crews of the yachts in rowing
matches. To this sum the members of the squadro/:
subscribed more, and this afternoon some ye"
spirited rowing among the men was the result.