The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TITESDAV EVENING, FEBRUARY 26, 1861.

,
this tact that we recognise the particular
importance of the acquisition of the island of
Sardinia by France. The enhancement by
another half million or so of a race, num-
bering in all, as NAPOLEON 111. took occasion
to remind Europe only the other day, a vast
aggregate of 40,000,000-4. may not unreasonably
be deemed a matter scarcely deserving serious
consideration. It is not, therefore, because
of its population of 560,000 souls that we
regard the acquisition of the island of Sar-
dinia by France of such exceeding import.
ance. Neither do we so regard it by reason
of its very considerable dimensions—Sardinia
being very nearly as large as the largest island
of all in the Mediterranean, namely, the Island
of Sicily—the extreme width of Sardinia being 90,
and its extreme length 167, miles. It is not, again,
because the soil and climate of Sardinia are so
wonderfully favourable to the cultivation of the
vine, the olive, the fig, the orange, the almond—
nor yet because it is so readily productive of tobacco,
and salt, and cotton—because its cattle, though
small, are of good quality and. are abundant—
because its fisheries are capable, like its mines, of
being rendered singularly productive—it is because
of nothing of all this, that we deem the posses.
sion of Sardinia by France a matter of such exceed-
ing importance to Europe, but more particularly
to England. It is because France holding Sardinia
would have command of the Mediterranean. It is
because France having Sardinia, in addition to
Corsica, would be within eight or ten hours by
steam, of the two great continents divided by the
waters of the Mediterranean. Lord NELSON has
(of all men) pointed out most clearly the
vital and paramount importance to Eng-
land of the prevention of the acquisition of
Sardinia by France ! Writing from Madalena, in
1803, NELSON, in a letter to our then Minister at
Turin (Mr. JACKSON), exclaimed in wonder—
" What a noble harbour is formed by these
islands !" adding—" The world cannot produce a
finer !" In the same letter he observes—" I believe
the French would not scruple to take Sardinia."
In a communication penned in the very next month
(Dec. 22, 1803), and addressed to Lord HOBART,
he writes —" This, which is the finest island
in the Mediterranean, possesses harbours
fit for arsenals, and of a capacity to
hold our navy, within twenty- four hours sail of
Toulon !" He says there—" Malta in point of
position is not to be named with Sardinia !"—pro-
phecying later on—" The French will get posses-
, sion of this island." In a letter to Lord MINTO in
the month ensuing (January 11, 1804) NELSON calls
Sardinia "the most important island, as a naval and
military station, in the Mediterranean." He says in
June, 1804, to Lord HAWKESBURY, " From its
position it is worth fifty Maltas"—and at another
time in the same year writing to Lord St. VINCENT
he declares that Sardinia " has the finest men
of war harbours in Europe,"—exclaiming
in the same sentence—" It is worth
a hundred Maltas in position !" Those
who care to examine more in detail the opinions
expressed in this way by the Great Sea Cap-
tain, may turn with advantage to CLARKE and
M'ARTHUR'S " Life of Nelson," and Sir HARRIS
' NICHOLAS'S " Nelson Despatches," or, better still,
to the admirable prefatory remarks but just now
given to the public in the Second Edition
of Mr. FORESTER'S luminous work on" Corsica and
Sardinia," recently issued from the press by the
Messrs. LONGMANS. In that excellent preface
to a very valuable work, the cream of those par-
ticular despatches of Lord NELSON'S will
be found to have been most opportunely
collected. It is NELSON'S finger that points
through them in warning—it is NELSON'S voice
that cries out to us through them Beware—now
that France is again turning her gaze and extend-
ing her grasp in the direction of the Island of
Sardinia!

Too late for us to advert to it in our remarks
yesterday, we received, just in time to publish
them, some speeches recently delivered by Mr.
LINCOLN, who will in a few days be at the head of
the Government—we cannot say of the United
States, but of so many of them as he can induce or
compel to abide by the Constitution. His policy
would appear to be one of firmness. If we under-
stand him rightly he will avoid " coercion and
invasion." " What, then (he asks), is coercion ?
What is invasion ? Would the marching of an
army into South Carolina without the consent of
her people, and with hostile intent towards
them, be invasion ? I certainly think it would
be coercion' also if the South Carolinians
were forced to submit." 'Which seems to
imply that he has no thought of reconquering
Seceding States. He appears, however, to think
that by simply asserting the undeniable Federal
rights of the Government to what is its own by
that first of all titles, purchase, he shall place the
Seceders, in an awkward position ; for he adds,—
"But if the United States should merely hold and
retake its own forts and other property, and collect
the duties on foreign importations, or even withhold
the mails from places where they were habitually
violated, would any or all of these things be 'inva-
sion,' or ' coercion ?" The views of those who
would call these things coercion, he designates as
" extremely thin and airy."
His own view of the relations between the
Federal Government and the States he thus ex-
presses :—" In their view the Union, as a family
relation, would be no regular marriage, but rather
a sort of ' free love' arrangement, to be maintained
on passional attraction. By the way, in what con-
sists the special sacredness of a state ? I speak not
of the position assigned to a state in the Union by
the constitution, for that by the bond we all recog-
nise. That position, however, a state cannot carry
out of the Union with it; I speak of that primary
right of a state to rule all which is less than itself.
If a state and a county in a given case should
be equal in extent of territory and equal in
number of inhabitants, in what, as a matter
of principle, is the state better than the
county ? Would an exchange of names be
an exchange of rights ? Upon principle, on what
rightful principle may a State, being no more than
(me-fiftieth part of the nation in soil and popula-
tion, break up the nation, and then coerce a pro-
portionably larger subdivision of itself in the
most arbitrary way ? What mysterious right to
play tyrant is conferred on a district of country
with its people, by merely calling it a State ?
Fellow-citizens, I am not asserting anything. I
am merely asking questions for you to consider."
It would seem, therefore, that Mr. LINCOLN will
assert the right of the Federal Government to its
own in all parts of the seceding States; that the
federal forts are to be so many Gibraltars in the
midst of them ; and that if they harrass the mails
they are to be deprived of them. A bill to enable
him to do the last is indeed now passing
through Congress. Whether his claim of
the right to retake the forts and arsenals
which have been plundered, will provoke
a collision or not, we cannot tell ; he does not
advert to such a probability, and it remains to be
seen whether his reputation for firmness, combined
with his having unquestionably, so far, law and

right on his side, will overcome the pride ar.d
passion of the Southerners, and induce them
quietly to surrender what they certainly had no
right to seize.
At Cincinnatti, where, as everywhere else, he was
enthusiastically received, he referred to a some-
what recent electioneering speech as expressing
his present views :—" We mean to treat you,"
he said, as near as we possibly can, as WASH-
INGTON, JEFFERSON, and MADDISON treated you.
We mean to leave you alone, and in no way
to interfere with your institutions; to abide by all
and every compromise of the Constitution, and, in
a word, coming back to the original proposition
to treat you so far as degenerate men, if we have
degenerated, may, according to the example of
those noble fathers, WASHINGTON, JEFFERSON,
and MADDISON. We mean to remember that you
are as good as we; that there is no difference
between us, other than the difference of circum-
stances. We mean to recognise and bear in mind
always that you have as good hearts in your
bosoms as other people, or as we claim to have,
and treat you accordingly. Fellow-citizens of
Kentucky ! Friends ! Brethren, may I call you in
my new position. I see no occasion, and feel no
inclination, to retract a word of this. If it shall
not be made good, be assured the fault shall not
be mine."

These remarks, which have great importance
just now, seem to show that Mr. LINCOLN will, on
the one hand, do nothing violent, but that, at the
same time, he will not allow Federal rights to be
trifled with.

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT-GARDEN.--
Tier Majesty, the Prince Consort, her Royal Highness
Princess Alice, and her Royal Highness the Princess
Helena, attended by Lady Churchill, the Hon. Flora Mac-
donald, Lord Cremome, and Lord Alfred Paget, honoured
the performance of " Le Domino Noir" with their presence
last evening.
The Right Hon. the Speaker will hold his full-
dress Levees on the evenings of Wednesday, the 6th of
March, and Wednesday the 13th of March, at a quarter
past 10 &clock.
Lord Stanley, it is said, though appreciating the
kind wishes of his friends in South Lancashire, has expli-
citly declined to dissever his connexion with theconstituency
of King's Lynn.
CORK ELECTION.—CORK, Monday Night.—
Close of the Poll (Bantry excepted)—Majority for Leader
(Conservative), 2,733. At Bantry Mr. Leader is known
to have a large majority.
FREEMASONRY.—The Earl of Zetland, Grand
Master of the Freemasons of England, has offered to Earl
de Grey and Ripon the office of Provincial Grand Master
of West Yorkshire, vacant on the death of the Earl of Mex-
borough, and his lordship has accepted the appointment.
The installation of the noble lord is expected to take place
in the latter part of April next, or some time in May, but
the place for the ceremony is at present undecided. Earl
de Grey and Ripon is a member of the Wakefield Lodge of
Freemasons.
ANNEXATION OF THE FIJI ISLANDS.—Dr. Sea-
mann, commissioned by the British Governmentto explore
the Fiji Islands, arrived at Sydney on the 11th December,
on his return from a visit of inspection. His opinion of the
capabilities of these islands is very favourable, and there
seems every probability that they will be added to the pos-
sessions of the British Crown.—Australian and ANTeu, Zea-
land Gazette.
DEATH OF THE REV. JAMES ASPINALL.—It is
our painful duty to have to record the somewhat sudden
and unexpected death, from dropsy on the chest, (iron'. late
respected townsman, the rector of Althorpe, Lincolnshire.
1 t will be remembered that Mr. Aspinall was for many years
incumbent, first of St. Michael's, and subsequently of St.
Luke's Church, in this town, and left Liverpool on his pro-
motion, in 1849, to the Crown rectory of Althorpe, at
which place he has continued his active and useful life in
health and vigour to the last. In addition to the deceased's
clerical duties he was also a magistrate of the county of
Lincoln, and gave considerable time and attention to the
due administration of justice.—. Liverpool Albion.
CURIOUS MATRIMONIAL ADVENTURE.—In the
parish of St. George-in-the-East, which has become of late
years so familiar to the public, there are other curious cus-
toms than those formerly observed in the parish church.
On the Ist of May next certain young women, previously
approved of, will have an opportunity of drawing lots for a
marriage portion of £lOO, and the lucky drawer will be
entitled to receive that amount as soon as she can obtain a
husband to share it with her. The dispensers of the bounty
are Raine's charity trustees, and the young women who
offer themselves as candidates must have been educated in
Mr. Raine's school, and have attained the age of 22 years.
They must also have continued members of the Church of
England since they left the school. They are admitted as
candidates on the sth of March.
LIFE SATED BY CRINOLINE.—As a set-off against
life lost by crinoline, through fire, the fair sex may plead
that life is sometimes saved through the prevailing fashion.
Mary Scott, dressmaker, was going on business to the house
of Mr. Lawford's clerk, which is close to the caul, when
she mistook the water for the towing path, stepped in, and
was immersed. She screamed out. Two or three persons
were quickly on the spot. Neither of them could swim, and
all were fearful of the risk of getting out of their depth. A
ladder was soon found, but when brought to the spot was
found to be too short. After some further search, a boat-
hook was discovered; and the young woman was dragged
out. She had been in the water seven or eight minutes, and
was in an insensible state when rescued. She was imme-
diately conveyed to a neighbouring house, and means were
used to resuscitate her, fortunately with success. The young
woman's life was saved by the air getting under the crino-
line, and thus preventing her from sinking.--Bieester
Herald.
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF 1862.—We
have had great pleasure in hearing that her Majesty's Com-
missioners for the Exhibition of 1862 came on Saturday to
a resolution as to the precise character of the building re-
quired for the great industrial and fine arts display of next
year, and that as soon as the guarantee has been signed to
the required amount, so that the Bank of England (who, it
is understood, have offered very liberal terms) can advance
the money, the commissioners will be prepared to enter into
a contract with Messrs. Kelk and Lucas Brothers. the two
eminent firms who sent in the lowest tender, and who have
jointly agreed to execute the works. It will be satisfactory
nmethdamth,tnianintehlye,oanlloysesvbeyntthine
ot commissioners in respect ofrhe
Exhibition,
o xhhi theeihb
igtt guarantors
nra
tnchtaoenrlsi
batebo
al beiliability
informed
the building is limited to the sum of £2oo,ooo.—Observer.
SIGNOR VERDI AND THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT.

—Signor Verdi, the great maestro, having been elected as
deputy by the college of the Borgo S. Donnino, has written
the following letter to the pre:ident :—" President,—The
honour, spontaneously offered me by the college of Borgo
S. Donnino, deeply affects me. It proves to me that I en-
joy esteem as an h3nest and independent man, dearer far
to me than the little glory and small fortune bestowed on
me by art. I thank you then, president, and beg you
warmly to thank for me the electors who have entrusted
me with the honourable charge. Would you kindly assure
them at the same time that if it is not given me to carry
into Parliament the splendour of eloquence, I shall carry
into it independence of character, a scrupulous con-
scientiousness, and the firm will to co-operate with all my
might towards what is good, for the honour and closer

union of this our native country, so long afflicted and
divided by civil discords. Now, to the end that this long
and hitherto fond desire of seeing a united country may be
satisfied, fortune sends us a King who loves his people. Let
us rally then all around him, since if he shall be acclaimed
before long the first King of Italy, he will also be, perhaps,
the only one who has truly loved his people more than his
throne. I beg you to accept the sincere expression of the
esteem with which I take pride in declaring myself your
devoted servant—G. VERDl.—Sant' Agata di Villanova,
Feb. 6, 1861."

MELANCHOLY EVENT.—Yesterday a ptinful sen-
sation was caused at the Bank of England by the awfully
sudden death of one of the clerks in the accountant's
office. The unfortunate gentleman was Mr. Thomas
Dighton, and his age is said to be about 45. Re had been
in the office about 20 years, and had never teen known
to be in bad health. Yesterday he attended to his duties
RA usual, only complaining of a slight pain in the chest,
which he attributed to indigestion. About one o'clock in
the day he left the accountant's-office and went into the
Reduced Annuities-office to communicate with one of the
clerks in that department, but had no sooner got there than
he fell down and expired. Mr. Alfred Smee, the Bank
surgeon, who happened to be in the building a the time,
was quickly in attendance, but it was too late. The body
of the unfortunate gentleman was removed to the guard-
room to await an inquest.

. -
• UNEXPECTED LEGACIES.—When the late Mr.
T. M. Johnson, of the Cyclops Works, She Held, died

some years ago, he expressed a wish that a surn of money
should be distributed among his workpeople, ka did not
add any provision to his will, which had beennade some
years. The executors, one of whom was his bather, were
not legally required to pay this money, but determined
that it should be paid, though from various cirenmstances
they could not carry out their intention for a considerable

time. At length, however, they obtained from !ho Court
of Chancery the necessary authorisation ; and on Thurs-
day last the workpeople, numbering 130, were convened,
and to their great joy received sums varying frcm £3 to
£lOO, according to length of service, Scc., the totd amount
distributed being about £3,ooo,—Leeds Aterowf

EkT NEWS.

(RETJTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

PARIS, FEE, 26,

The Illoniteur announces that the Corps Legislatif
has annulled the election of M. Dabeaux as mem-
ber for the department of Aude, in conformity with
the conclusions of the committee.
PARIS, TUESDAY, 12 10 P.M.
Rentes 68f. 10c., heavy.

ROME, FEB. 24.

An order of the day of General Goyon censures
the demonstrations of the National Committee,
rejects the congratulations which the latter has
extended to the French, and recommends the sol-
diers to avoid popular assemblies.
General Goyon has presented his officers to
Francis 11.

NAPLES, FEB, 24.

The suppression of the convents has given rise
to disturbances here. The rioters attacked several
convents. The National Guard interposed, and in
order to prevent their destruction by the people
quartered themselves in the convents.

600 insurgents in the Abruzzi having been sur-
rounded by the Sardinians laid down their arms
and withdrew into pontifical territory.

VIENNA, FEB. 25.
The Emperor has to-day signed a Constitution.
The Diet, which is composed of an Upper and a
Lower Home, has the right of legislation.
The Hungarian Constitution remains intact.

ROME, FEB. 24.
The decease of Cardinal Brunelli is announced.
The French are about to occupy a portion of the

province of Frosinone.

An order of the day of General Goyon has been
declared to be a calumny on the Pontifical Govern-
ment.

The latter is preparing a reply to the pamphlet of
M. de Lagneronniere, in order to prove that all the
responsibility of the late events lies with the Em-
peror Napoleon.

Fifteen Romans have been exiled, and have
already left Roman territory.
Francis 11. is said to intend staying here as
long as the French remain.

The inhabitants of Rome are secretly making
preparations for the reception of King Victor
Emmanuel.

PESTH, FEB. 25.
Last night a patrol of military police, being
insulted by some boys, made use of firearms. One
person, a waiter, was wounded.

EVENING.

The riotous disturbances in this city yesterday
took place ott the occasion of the Jewish Purim
festival.

Two of the patrol and several civilians were

wounded.

The Comitat of Agram has resolved upon break•
ing off all official connexion with the Comitat of
Pesth, on account of the resolution adopted by the
Municipality of Pesth in reference to the state of
siege at Fiume.