The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-25 00:00:00

CITY OF LONDON ELECTION.

says :---

A public meeting of the supporters of Lord J.
Russell, Sir J. Duke, Baron Rothschild, and Mr.
Crawford, took place on Saturday, at the Shaftes-
bury-hall, Aldersgate-street. The members pre-
sent were—Lord John Russell, Sir James
Duke, and Mr. Crawford. Baron Rothschild was
not present, owing to the Jewish Sabbath not hay-
ing terminated. Mr. Besley occupied the chair.'
The CHAIRMAN said, he need not tell the
electors for what purpose they had assembled
—they all knew that perfectly well. (Hear, hear.)
He was afraid that notwithstanding the great show
that had been made, there would be nothing more
than show, and the election would turn out a sham
fight. (Hear, hear.) He had to ask the assembly
to accord to each speaker a fair and patient hear-
ing, and he would therefore call upon Sir J. Duke
to address them. (Cries of " Lord J. Russell.")
After a few compliments had passed,

Lord J. RUSSELL then came forward and said he
was happy to have the present opportunity of ad-
dressing the electors, and whatever might be the
pleasure of a poll for the city, he was afraid that
on the coming election there would be no such
exciting proceeding. The circumstances showed that
the principle of reform was well understood in the
City. The Reform Bill brought in by the present Go-
vernment had brought about this election, and he was
glad that a measure containing such disfranchising
clauses had been utterly and entirely rejected. (Hear.)
He thought there was also another circumstance
eonnected with this election somewhat curious,
namely, that two highly respectable gentlemen had
been attempted to be set up in opposition to their late
members, but he hardly thought that a section of the
electors of the city of London should attempt to
filch two candidates from places that were already
demanding their services. (Hear, hear.) Lord
Derby, on the last night of the session,
alluded very ominously to the state of
affairs abroad, and he could not feel surprised that
bad laws and cruel oppression had brought about
such lamentable consequences. He had on a former
occasion entered so fully into what was called
the Italian question, that he need not detain
them now with more than a few brief remarks. He
felt certain our only safe course was to keep honestly
and strictly neutral. (Hear.) Lord Derby had said
in his speech that it was to be an armed neutrality.
He said, let us wait a short time, let us see which
side was right, and then we could take part
on one side or the other. (No, no.)
But, unfortunately, Lord Derby and Mr. Disraeli
had very partial views, and showed a very strong
predilection for Austria ; and if, pursuing that
view, Lord Derby took the part of Austria, he
(Lord John Russell) protested against such a
policy. (Hear, hear.) He was for preserving
peace. In a great many of the continental
wars that had taken place, it always seemed to be
the object of all parties to see how much they
could get out of England in the shape of loans or
subsidies, but in his study of history he had dis.
covered that, when they found there was no more
money, an end came to all differences. Now, if we
did not find the means—(hear, hear, and laughter)
—and not take either side, hostilities would not
last long, and the belligerents would soon
find some way of making peace. (Hear, hear,
and laughter.) Besides, this country had
plenty to do. (Hear.) The people had determined
that the state of the representation was defective,
and they were intent on amending it ; and
was that great and important work to be given
up in order to interfere in Italian affairs ? (Hear,
hear, and No.) He again said he was for peace.
(Hear, hear.) If we did not go to war there
would not be that strain on our resources which,
to a great degree, paralysed commerce. (Hear,
hear.) If we did not go to war, he did not despair
of seeing the Chancellor of the Exchequer in a
position to reduce many of the duties that now so
heavily pressed on all classes of her Majesty's sub-
jects. He again assured the meeting he felt great
pleasure in meeting them; and he begged to thank
them for the kind attention they had given to him.
(Cheers, and cries of " How about the ballot 2")
Sir J. DUKE said he had always great pleasure
in meeting his constituency. (Hear.) He could
not but help thinking that the present time was
about the worst that could have been chosen for a

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N. . - -
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dissolution ; but he felt certain' that, hVim,— 390
his colleagues, fearlessly done his duty, oPposition
would be fruitless. It was exceedingly pleasant
to him to appear before the citizens of London ; '
I but he should feel more than an ordinary amount
Of satisfaction when he, with his collieagueS, ap-
peared in the Guildhall upon re-election. (Cheers,
and cries of "It's all right.")
Mr. CRAWFORD said he did not prepare himself
for a long speech, therefore he trusted the meet-
ing would excuse him. He had, however, to inform
them that the civic gentlemen who had to make
the usual' preparations, had received notice
from the parties opposing the return of
Lord John Russell, Sir James Duke, Baron
Rothschild, and himself, that they did not
intend to proceed further with the contest. (Loud
cheers.) With respect to Lord Stanley, he was an •
exceedingly able and talented nobleman ; he had
voted for the ballot--(a cry, " That's more than Lord
John Russell ever did")—or, rather he should
say, he had expressed his intention to do so, and
many other liberal measures ; but in taking office
under the present Government many of those libe-
ral opinions must of necessity be abandoned. (Cries
of " No, no.") He (Mr. Crawford) had voted for
the ballot (loud cheers) for the total abo-
lition of church rates—(cheers)—for Mr. Locke
King's motion for the extension of the privilege
of the franchise, and he could truthfully say he
had never been absent from a single division in which
the interests of the City were in the slightest de-
gree interested. (Cheers). He should continue to
use his best endeavours on behalf of the great
work of reform. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. EDWIN JAMES having been espied on the
platform, a loud cry for him arose, in answer to which
the learned gentler', on came forwlrd 'nd addressed
a few observations to the meeting. He said he had
so much to da in his own borough at the present mo-
ment--(load laughter)—that he hoped they would
-...
have excused him from addressing them. The
Government had dissolved upon a question
of reform, and he felt satisfied that this
time there would be no mistake about the result
of that appeal. The people wanted nothing wild,
reckless, or revolutionary. What they wanted was,
Reform, and that they would have. (Cheers.)
....
Resolutions were then adopted, pledging the
meeting to support the four Liberal candidates.
After the usual compliment to the chairman, the
meeting. separated.

RATIONAL DEFENCES AND RIFLE

CLUBS AND CORPS.

Mr. E. S. Cayley, in a letter• to a contemporary,

In reference to your well-timed article of the
19th, on the state of our national defences, you
will, perhaps, permit me a few words.
The principle you indicate as the best for fortify-
ing us against those natural panics which occa-
sionally visit us in the existing state of our
defences is so far the true one, that in visiting the
various parts of the country for the last two years
I have not met a man who has denied it, and scarcely
one but wished it carried into practice.
During the great French war almost every village
hereabouts had its prizes. for shooting at a mark
with ball, and the most popular pastime of the day
it was. "Where did you get that fine copper kettle
of yours !" I said the other day to a tenant of mine.
" Oh, I won it ; a prize at target practice in our
village near 50 years ago."
The peace, the reduction of taxation, and, above
a--

he painful catastrophe of Peterloo,made all
volunteer and yeothanry corps unpopular for the
time ; and every hint or suggestion for their resus-
citation of late years has been discountenanced by
the ruling powers.
To meet your view, let encouragement be given
on the part of the Goveanment for the establish-
ment of rifle clubs in each parish or township.
This would be effectually done by permitting a
battalion—say of 200 or 250 strong—to be raise d
in each Poor-law union, which should meet for two
or three days consecutively once a year for exercise
and drill, when prizes should be distributed to the
best rifle shots. Four or five of these union bat-

talions, 800 or 1,000 strong, might meet once a
year for three days in some central place, under
proper officers, for manoeuvring and the necessary
evolutions. A plain green blouse with black strap,
belt, and a cap, would be sufficient uniform ; and
even the parish could supply themo as also Millie,
Enfield, Lancaster, or the best modern rifles from
the Government stores at cost price.
Some such plan might form an economical nucleus
for realizing your view. Let me add a word or two
on a view which has been working in my own
mind for two or three years.

Perhaps the best fortifications of England against
a foreigu enemy, should he have the temerity to
land, are its hedges. In an unenclosed country like
Spain, even where the invading cavalry were com-
paratively on equal terms, we see the effect of
guerillas on an advancing or retreating army. In
the open plains of Russia it was the clouds of Cos-
sacks more than the snows that starved to death
Napoleon and his million of men. Supplies were
cut off. Foraging was impossible.
If this were the case in unenclosed plains what
must be the power of a country to defend itself by
such means where the country is enclosed, and
every field has its natural fortification ?
Gigantic strides have of late been made in gun-
nery and firearms—of course, or in all probability,
by persons unconnected with the profession—
Smeaton, Stevenson, and many other instances
would lead us to that conclusion. But, for defen-
sive warfare, especially on the guerilla system, has
any suggestion been made of the best mode of
applying those new engines of war ? Let me indi-
cate one which military men have approved when
it has been suggested.
The rifle is the weapon of the day. Let it be the
newest and best. Hedgerow.; are our fortifications.
There are in each county of England one or two
or more "hunts," formed of men whose business and
pleasure it is to cross the country over hedge, ditch,
and brook. Let these, or each of these, be the
nucleus of mounted rifle corps to which thousands
of young farmers would attach themselves. lu the
United kingdom you might have 50,000 of them.
Let them be trained to fire at a mark from horse-
back ; then to dismount and fire simultaneously
with still surer aim at a mark, and again rapidly
to remount, varying their position in fields—behind
hedges, or on the crowns of hills. These rifles
carry 800 or 1,000 yards. Let 3,000 or 5,000 of
these rifles on each wing of an invading
army be ready to harass its advance from
fields and behind edges, whither they could
not be pursued, and, if pursued, know how to cross
country for a field or two until they reach a point
where they could dismount and pour a deadly
volley on their pursuers.
Under such a system, with railways, how could
an invading army live? It could have neither
pickets, skirmishers, nor foragers, nor even artillery-
men long.
Another advantage of the adoption of some system
like this would be, that it would not merely aid the
operations of the great army of defence, but would
impede the progress of the invaders until the army
of defence could be properly concentrated, and
probably at all times give it the choice of its field
of battle.

I venture to throw out these suggestions in mere
.
outline, which I have been deterred from offering
in my place in the House of Commons, because they
come only from a civilian.

ESTATE OF FOYERS.—This beautiful highland
property has been purchased by an English gentleman for
the sum of £47,000. The rental, we believe, is only about
£l,OOO a-year, but the estate, with its celebrated waterfall,
theyg 1 iherthv e statedartistsis
throughempty
is almost unequalled for its picturesqueness and beauty.—
Perthshire Courier.
appropriated
butto En
THE PARIS FINE ART EXHIBITION.--The Exhi-
bition of the Fine Arts in the Paris Palace of Industry is
open, They
a representative in. Paris that it will not be •
possible to for-
ward works from this country before the
hanadvetnheotrionerusaepdptroo
end of May or
beginning of June. Coming, as the •
invitation from the
French Government did, at the mom
were occupied in preparing for the Exhibitions
when our artists
in London, this is not to be wend ibitions of the season
enable some artists to send works wondered at. The delay will
D found at the Academy, but for which room could not
the collection a proper representationthis will rot tend to make
of the French journals of our school. Some
Builder. speak crossly on the subject.—The
EPOCHS AND ERAS IN ART.—lna
the Architectural F paper read at
pointed atte • Exhibition recently, Mr. R. Kerr, archi-
tect,ntion to what he regarded as a remarkable
fact throughout the history of the human race, thatperiode
of 500 years each
might
be fixed upon as constituting the
stages of art development. There were, for instance,
c; two
periods of 500 years before the Christian era, and we'were
now_ in the fourth period of 500 years since that time. A
thousand years before the Christian era the power of the '
Egyptianintellect. was dominaut. The Assyrian and the
Persian succeeded ; and as they in their turn declined,
Greek art became ascendant, In the next period—the 600
years preceding the birth of Christ—Greek power decayed,
and that of ,Rome was on the increase. The latter power
then declined, and was succeeded by the "dark ages,
which lasted until ICO years after Christ. Then came the
"middle period," and after a lapse of another 500 years
there was the "revival." From this it would appear qiat
in about 2,000 years after Christianity, or at the coacliis.on
of the fourth period of 500 years since the birth of Christ,
there would, in all probability, be another stage of human
development, of which we might now trace the motive
power working in various directions.—The Builder.

Although the note of preparation has been
sounded ; although Austria has assumed an atti-
tude of hostility, the irrevocable blow has not yet
been struck, and it is just possible that it may be
averted by the earnest remonstrances of Great
Britain, Prussia, and Russia. Nothing can, by any
possibility, justify, or even extenuate, the recent
Proceedings of Austria. She is the incendiary that
halt applied the match which may produce a con-
flagration throughout Europe such as has not been
witnessed for a series of years. Sardinia, too, is
quite prepared for the strife. There is no craven
yielding, no disposition to comply with the arrogant
demands of her German rival. Although a heavy
blow may be struck in the first instance, before
French assistance can be obtained, she awaits it
firmly and resolutely, and it is possible
that the Austrian troops may not !lad themselves
at Turin craite so speedily as they anticipate, or
have the anxiously looked-for opportunities of
plunder and rapine in the Piedmontese metropolis.

The ultithaturn, too, was not presented until
Saturday, se that there are two additional days
during which the advocates of peace may strive to
prevent the impending contest. French prepara-
tions may also be greatly advanced during the in-
terval. The Sardinian Chamber, on Saturday, by
a majority of 110 votes against 24, invested the Go-
vernment fin. the time with all executive and legis-
lative power, and the decision was greeted with
enthusiastic applause, both by the deputies and the
public. Any retrograde movement, therefore,
must be on the part of Austria. The question of
peace or wit now rests in her hands, and she her-

sif

self will be the chief sufferer, should she persevere
in the reckless and desperate course on which she

has entered.

Nothing better for Italy could occur than Aus-
tria's thus flinging aside the scabbard. So long as
peace was maintained, or Austria merely acted
on the defensive, treaty obligations should
be maintained, and her hold on the Lombardo-
Venetian kingdom would be continued, notwith-
standing the gross abuses and fearfulmisgovernment
of which she has been guilty, and the hatred and
disgust of the people. But war sets aside all such
arrangements. The drawn sword cuts the seal
from the bond, and the belligerents are free to
annul or destroy all such as do not meet with
their approval! Other nations may interfere, but
it is scarcely probable that they would on behalf
of the original offender; and, as we have already
stated, if Austria perseveres she will have cause to
deplore in sackcloth and ashes her insane and
wicked folly.

But still the step taken by FRANCIS JOSEPH is
one that cannot easily be retraced. His authority
is absolute, and he will not be willing to encounter

the disgrace of eating his own words or retracting

his haughty defiance. Better that some tens of
thousands of Austrian and Sardinian soldiers should
perish miserably on the field of battle than that he
should be supposed capable of listening to
more prudent counsels, or of withdrawing
the truculent menaces uttered against one who had
excited the Imperial wrath and indignation to no
ordinary extent. We fear, therefore, that notwith-
standing the extended time conceded—notwith-
standing the earnest protests of the British
Gdvernment and those of Russia and Prussia—
although she will find herself without a single
friend or ally--she will still persevere—Quern Deus
rldt perdere pries dementat. FRANCIS JOSEPH is
now labouring under that affliction, and nothing
will cure him until he has endured the grievous
consequences of his mistake ; indeed, it is hinted
that he himself forwarded the, ultimatum without
consultation with, or information to any of, his
Ministers. If this be correct, tho sin will be en-
tirely his own ; and an abdication, if not a change
of dynasty, be the legitimate result.
The French Chambers will assemble this day,
in order to receive a communication from the
EMPEROR. We shall probably be in possession of
the views and opinions of LOUIS NAPOLEON before
evening, and we need scarcely say how great an
effect they must have in every quarter and on every
Government,. Of course, if Austria invades Sar-
dinia, France must and will declare war. The first
Austrian bayonet that passes the Ticino—the first
shot fired in anger—will be the signal for France
to march her troops against the Austrians ; and
fearful indeed will be the conflict. Let not FRANCIS
JOSEPH suppose that too much will depend on the
first blow. In the present instance it will not be
anything like half the battle. The Sardinians

are excellent soldiers, and, notwithstanding

the great disparity of numbers, they may
make a stronger resistance than has been anti.
cipated. They are defending their own soil—
are well acquainted with every defensible position
where the enemy can be encountered with any
reasonable chance of success. They will not sur-
render their capital to the tender mercies of their
adversaries without a fierce struggle. They know
well that France will rapidly come to the rescue,
and will not, therefore, yield until the utmost
extremity. The eagerness for the fray already
manifested, the unbending resolution, the stern joy
with which the Austrian menace was received,
proves that they arc not so helpless as has been
imagined, and that Turin will not be reached until
it is fully garrisoned by French troops.

What may be regarded as the origin of the

impending war ? If we are not mistaken it is tha

old one, ever new—woman. The Emperor of

AUSTRIA frustrated the attempt of the Emperor of
FRANCE to ally himself, through a German Prin-
cess, with the old legitimacies of Europe. The
uncle was not too personally great to despise the
factitious greatness of intermarriage with heredi-
tary despots, and of looking on an offspring who
should owe their position half to his own genius,
but half also to their sharing the blood of the
oppressors of Hungary, Bohemia, and Italy, and
the born persecutors of patriotism and intelligent
religion. The nephew had not sense to see the
folly of the uncle's weakness. He, too, sought the
hand of a German Princess ; and he might have
had it, but Austria forbid the banns. We believe
it is highly probable that Austria, like most who
interfere with matchmaking, will have to repent
her proud intermeddling. The EMPEROR, indeed,
defeated in political matchmaking, very wisely
married for love, and made the best of it. But,
though he doubtless has adorned his Court and
satisfied his domestic wishes far more than he could
have done from Germany, he could not appease so
easily his wounded pride. It were trite to re-
hearse the names of women, who, in the records of
Eden, in the legendary stories of Greece, and in the
pages of authentic history, have been designedly,
or undesignedly, the starting points of fearful
movements in the world's history ; yet trivial
as it may seem, a misunderstanding about a woman
may well have been the remote but not less potent
cause of the assembling of nearly half a million of
soldiers looking at each other across the Alps and
the plains of Piedmont.
Doubtless other causes co-operated. Even Re-
publican France did not like Austria to be the sole
arbiter of Italian affairs, and took possession ac-
cordingly of the Eternal City. Then, an Emperor
could but find it every way agreeable to haVe occu-
pation for, and therefore ground to maintain, an
immense army. Standing armies by the hundred
thousand, seem, ace rding to modern practice at
least to be the appropriate ornament of an Impera-
tor. But how cleverly has the whole been managed !
First Sardinia acquires a moral equality with the
five great Powers. She threw her sword into the
arbitrament between three of them in the Crimean
war, and thus indeed took a far higher and nobler
position than the cowardly, base, and sefish Govern-
ments which wielded the military strength of
Austria and Prussia. In virtue of this Sardinia
next stood forth at the peace conferences of Paris
as the Patronus of Italian peoples groaning
under native rulers, who were but executioners of
Austrian malice on the patriots of their several
domains. Austria in vain recalcitrated, and in vain
the representative of Russia had no instructions.
Count CAVOUR effectually lodged his memorandum,
which was virtually a bitter impeachment of
Austria, amongst the records of the conference, and
ever since then Sardinia and France have been
developing .the scheme by which the two Govern-
ments should both acquire importance, by compel-
ling Austria to renounce her illegal control south of
the Po. If the result was accession of territory to
Sardinia, and of influence to France, at the cost of
Austria, so much the better. But even should this
not be
gained, it would be no small glory to com-
pel a Government as brutal as it is proud, to limit
its brutalities to the boundaries assigned her in
1815, and to appear as the deliverer of two-thirds
of the Peninsula. Meantime LOUIS NAPOLEON
gains at once for his family an alliance with one of
the very oldest hereditary houses in Europe, and

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THE SUN.
MONDAY, APRIL 25, 1859.