The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-26 00:00:00

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LONDON, MONDAY, NOV. 26, 1866.

We learn by the Australasian, from New York
on the 14th, that affairs at Baltimore remain quiet,
although the difficulty respecting the rival claims of
the old and new police commissioners is as yet un-
settled. Judge BARTOL supports the Governor of
Maryland in his removal of the Radical officials)
and the new commissioners, apparently emboldened
by this, have made fresh demands for the surrender
of the police stations. To these demands the old
commissioners have as yet made no reply, leaving it
uncertain whether they mean to continue the
struggle or no. It is to be hoped that some
definite understanding may be shortly come
to, for the present condition of the matter is
not calculated to maintain social order or preserve
reqoect for authority. The functions and powers of
the State Governors must be clearly recognised and
understood if their office is to be anything more
than a name, and their authority in the matter of
appointments requires more especially to be clearly
defined, because in American politics it is an under-
stood thing that both sides favour their own parti-
zans and supporters in public offices, too often with-
out regard to any other consideration of fitness or
character.

for the Presidency of the Mexican Republic. It will
be remembered that General SHERIDAN, in his
recent despatch, declared that JUAREZ was the only
recognised head of the Mexicans, and that all other
leaders must be checked in their attempts to orga-
nise troops or form parties. This threat has been
acted upon, for the Federal authorities have arrested
ORTEGA and his suite on their arrival at Brazo de
Santiago. ORTEGA has issued a protest, as Presi-
dent of the Mexican Republic, attributing
to the Federal Government indirect inter-
ference with Mexican local affairs, and
protesting against any acts of the United
States tending to force the JUAREZ Govern-
ment upon Mexico. That unfortunate country
seems fated to be in a condition of anarchy and con-
fusion, and it is very evident that the abandonment
of the Empire and the establishment of a Republic,
however gratifying to the national prejudjces of the
Americans, will not suffice to restore tranquillity to
Mexico itself. The number of Presidents, actual
and nominal, now wandering about the continent
of North America is not a little curious. We
have the de facto President of the United
States, ANDREW JOHNSON ; the ex-President of
the Confederacy, JEFFERSON DAVIS ; the two
would-be Presidents of the Mexican Republic,
JUAREZ and ORTEGA ; and, finally, a goodly com-
pany of illustrious Fenians, who, despite their
patriotic and disinterested objects, are each anxious
to wear the thorny dignity of President of the Irish
Republic.
We hear no more of American political arrange-
ments, and the important, though indefinite news
which the telegraph gave us a few days ago re-
specting a compromise between Mr. JOHNSON and
and the Congress is neither confirmed nor contra-
dicted by anything in this mail. We may hope,
therefore, until we hear to the contrary, that it will
prove to have had some foundation in fact.

We are not surprised to find that; Sir Jour;
PAKINGTON, in his capacity as head of the Admi-
ralty, has written to Mr. BUXTON, M.P., in refer-
ence to the correspondence which that gentleman
recently published as having passed between him-
self and Lieutenant BRAND. No educated English-
man of whatever party can have read the letters
bearing the name of Lieutenant BRAND without
pain and mortification. They are properly de-
signated by Sir JOHN PAKINGTON as " shameful
letters," but their outrageous character induces
us to share in the hope, which we are glad
to find Sir JOHN PAKINGTON expressing, that
Mr. BUXTON has been imposed upon by some un-
scrupulous person. We are sure that Mr. BUXTON
himself will be heartily glad should this prove to be
the case, and so disgraceful a reproaeh be removed
from a service with whom the terms officer and
gentlemen are held to be synonymous. The letters
in question are so entirely inconsistent with the
language of a man, however intemperate or pas-
sionate, who is accustomed to the manners of ordi-
nary society, irrespective of any question of prin-
ciple or good feeling, that it is difficult to believe
that Lieutenant BRAND could actually have
penned them. It is certainly possible that some
dishonourable person may have contrived a hoax
for the sake of damaging Mr. EYRE, and it will be
only fair to a man who has been appointed a lieu-
tenant in H.M. Navy to suspend our opinion until
the letters are either confirmed or contradicted.
Supposing that Lieutenant BRAND is unable to
disavow them, he will be, says Sir J. PAKINGTON,
immediately superseded, and with the justice of
this decision no one can quarrel. Sir J. P.AK-
INGTON denies that the present Administration
tad anything to do with Lieutenant BRAND'S
promotion, and says he has some reason to complain
of Mr. BUXTON'S having published such a state-
ment without inquiry. We should hope, however,
that it may prove that Lieut. BRAND'S appointment
was not a subject of reproach to either Govern-
ment, which it certainly would be had he penned
these letters.

We learn from Pesth that at a Conference of
members of the Hungarian Diet, which was held at
the residence of M. DEAK to discuss the course to
be pursued in reference to the Royal Rescript, M.
DEAR made a speech which.seemed more favourable
to the cause of unity than those he generally de-
livers. He said that the' Rescript" afforded them
far greater grounds for satisfaction and cause for
hope than had before existed for them. He moved
an address to the KING, which prayed that
the laws of 1848 might be re-established,
and declaring also that the Diet would not fail to
take into consideration the wishes expressed by the
KING. The address in question is also to assert
that the Committee on Common Affairs is to con-

nue its labours, and lay the result before the

House. This motion of M. DEAKE'S was agreed to
by those who were present. However those of the
Left held a meeting at their club, at which they
determined not take part in the delibcra-

tions of the Committee on Common Affairs
until a Hungarian Ministry should be con-
stituted. This is a most foolish and unwise de-
cision on their part, but we should think that M.
DEAK'S party is most likely to be in the ascendant,
and we hope that it may prove so, for no possible
good can be gained by altercation, while very posi-
tive harm will arise from confusion of interests
prevailing. The best chance both for Austria and
Hungary will be found in both sides meeting in a
friendly spirit, and doing their utmost to facilitate
the progress of business. It is at any rate fortunate
that one of so much influence and authority as m.
DEAK should have decided to act with such wisdom
and perspicacity, and it is not out of the bounds of
probability that if be and his friends keep steadily
to the course they have plannedeend modify
f o r themselves
their
as
their opponents may in the
or at all events not carry out their present foolish
intentions to the uttermost. The Rescript appears
to be, on the whole, a very wise production, and
to hold out promises far more advantageous
to the Hungarians than any that have hitherto been
met with. For many reasons we trust, therefore,
that the propositions put forth by the Emperor
FRANCIS JOSEPH may be readily acceded to, and
that a better understanding may be come to on all
sides. It is only by this means that we can hope
for any real improvement to take place in the con-
dition of Hungary, and for Austria to gain strength
and confidence from her relations with that

The Americans are likely to have their attention
diverted from their own affairs by the events passing
in Mexico, and probably the PRESIDENT may be
glad to encourage them to turn their minds away
from home. They are fond of excitement, and soon
grow impatient of the ordinary round of political
life. Mr. JOIINSON may therefore be very willing
to give them a sensation scene in Mexico in-
stead of a catastrophe at Washington. Little
is said about MAX ImiLlAN's abdication, though
it is generally believed in ; but there is a
fresh difficulty arising between the rival claimants

Ti E SuN,IfLOisLO.N, MONDAY EVENING, NOVEMBERt26, 1866.

Baroness's servant was so delighted with this trait
of honesty that he hazarded a bon mot, and said if
this good fellow bad not brought the bracelet back
my mistress would have changed her name. In-
stead of Volant, she would have been Volde."

Last week there was some serious play at one of
the Paris Clubs between a rich young Russian and
a Turkish lord. On the first night of the play the
Russian lost 150,000 f. The next day he won back
20,000 f., but on the following night he not only lost
the 20,000 f., but nearly 250,000 f. in addition. The
Russian then gave in, having suffered a net loss of
480,000 f. On each of the three days the gamblers
played for 12 hours.

A Toulon paper speaks of an educational pheno-
menon in that town. It is a little girl not three
years old, named Eugenie Colombe. This child
can not only read and write well, but she has suc-
cessfully passed through a searching examination
upon the principles of the Christian religion, French
grammar, geography, history, and the four rules of
arithmetic. She can also discuss scientific subjects.
This astonishing child began to talk at the age of
four months. In confirmation of this account, it is
stated that the child has been presented at the
Maritime Prefecture of Toulon.

A. discovery interesting to archaeologists has been
made during the demolition of the old jetty at
Havre, a large square stone, on which are engraved
a crown of laurel and an inscription to the effect
that the stone was laid on the 17th of Juue, 1669,
by the representatives of his Majesty Louis XIV.,
King of France and Navarre, and during the Minis-
try of La Vile de Grace of Monseigneur de St.
Agneu.
The Turin Gazette announces that Prince de
Monaco, through the medium of his ambassador,
M. Naldini, has offered to the Pope his capital as
an asylum, should his Holiness decide upon leaving
Rome.

The Madrid Gazette, in its account of the bap-
tism of the infant of Dona Marie Christine and
Don Sebastian, says that the Royal infant received
27 names, the first of which is Alfonso and the last
Todoslos Santos (all the Saints).
The Lille people seem rather facetious, and they
have another word to say about M. Rousseau, who
complained that his wife was alive from a " deplor-
able mistake." An inhabitant of that town writes
to the editor of a Paris paper to inform him that M.
Rousseau "is beginning to recover from his grief
and disappointment at not being a widower."
The weather yesterday was magnificent. The
sun was bright all day, not a cloud was to be seen.
All Paris was out of doors. During the night it
changed to wet, and to-day there has been a violent
wind, with occasional rain, hail, and a slight inter-
mixture of snow. At post-hour it was still stormy
and desolate.