The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-07 00:00:00

THE lONIAN ISLANDS.

The following letter, dated Corfu, March 1,
says :—Although the lonian Assembly has been
considering the reforms proposed by the late Lord
High Commissioner in his speech ever since the sth
of February, it was not until the 25th that the lonian
representatives, or rather the committee which had
been formed, came to a conclusion and prepared the
final reply to the new constitution with which it
was projected to endow the lonian State. Some
changes, however, took place in the Assembly during
this interval. A fresh committee was formed, and
the first draught of the reply, and indeed many sub-
sequent ones, abandoned, which have been the sub-
ject of the late prolonged and violent discussions.
The representatives of the lonian people have now
finally pronounced the reforms inadmissible, 27
members voting against their adoption, while the
few remaining out of the 30 screened themselves by
absence from the house from any active participa-
tion in the debates. Two members, Signori Polela
and Cali, have resigned their seats, from what
motiVe is, however, not clearly known.
We are now exactly in the status quo of the
period preceding the arrival of the Lord. High
Commissioner Extraordinary, if the reminiscence
of the peculiar events which have occurred during
his visit could be obliterated.

At 12 o'clock yesterday the President of the

Legislative Assembly, accompanied by a deputation
of the members, appeared at the palace for the pur-
powe of presenting the address .voted by that body
on the 25th of February, 1859, in reply to the speech
of the late Lord High Commissioner, the Right
Hon. W. E. Gladstone, delivered on the sth of
February, 1859. The customary salute was fired
from the citadel, and a guard of honour attended as
usual. The deputation was received by his Excel-
lency, who stood in front of the throne, surrounded
by his Highness the President and the Senate, the
Major-General commanding the troops, with his
Staff, and many of the other chief civil and military
authorities of the State.

Count Flamburiani, President of the Assembly,
advancing to the centre of the Throne Room, read
the following address :
" Address of the Legislative Assembly in Answer
to the Speech and the Communications of his
Excellency the Lord High Commissioner of the
Protecting Sovereign of the United States of the
lonian Islands.
" Excellency,

"The lonian Assembly having taken into its
serious consideration the communications received
from your Excellency's right hon, predecessor, act-
ing on behalf of her Majesty the Protecting Sove-
reign, proceeds, with that respect which is due to
her Majesty, to set forth to your Excellency the
result of its deliberations.

" The Assembly, sharing the general sentiment
of the lonian people, has received with the deepest
regret the answer returned to the Address sub-
mitted by it to the Protecting Sovereign.
"While basing its claims on justice, the Assembly
awaits the solution of the question, and nourishes a
cheerful hope that a benevolent disposition on the
part of her Britannic Majesty will hasten the
realisation of the ardent desire of the lonians. In
view of the declaration of the 15th (27th) of Jan.,
1859, of the address presented in consequence of
that declaration, and of the public opinion of all
the seven islands, the Assembly could not but pro-
nounce the reforms inadmissible.

" The Assembly is conscientiously convinced, your
Excellency, that on this most grave and important
occasion it has performed a sacred duty ; and it
trusts that the British nation, which is so firmly
attached to its own liberty and independence, will
value as they deserve the proceedings of the repre-
sentatives of the lonian people, and will dis-
cover in those proceedings new reasons for accele-
rating the realisation of that desire of the lonians,
which has been so spontaneously expressed, and
has now been proclaimed in full constutional, Par-
liamentary, and official form.
" D. FLAMBURIANI, Secretary."

"Reply of his Excellency the Lord High Commis-
sioner to the Address of the Assembly, read by
his Excellency himself in English, and by Sir
George Bowen in Greek,
"Mr. President and Gentlemen,—l receive with
regret the refusal of the Legislative Assembly to en-
tertain the proposals of reforms submitted for their
consideration by my predecessor. I believe a
change in the existing system would have
strengthened the lonian Government, and lightened
the burdens of the people.

" In the answer from the Assembly now presented
to me, I regret to find that in the refusal to enter
on the question of reforms allusion is made to a
subject lately submitted to the gracious considera-
tion of her Majesty the Sovereign Protectress of
these States.

"It is impossible for me, at any time or under
any circumstances, to enter into communication
with the Legislative Assembly on a question which
has already received an answer, and which must be
considered as finally settled. My duty is to observe
the Constitution and enforce obedience to the laws,
I shall never be found wanting in the discharge
of it.

" As the Assembly has refused its aid to England
on this occasion, the whole responsibility now rests
with that body.
" Deprived of the support which the Assembly
might have given to me, I shall, in prosecution of
the benevolent intentions of the protecting Sove-
reign, labour in the work of improvement by a free
use of the powers which the Constitution has placed
in my hands.
" While lamenting that the means of good and
economical government have been withheld from
the lonian people by those who should have been
the first to seek them, I look forward with cheer-
fulness to securing those benefits in the progress of
time and events, on behalf of a community whose
interests, it will be my duty under present circum-
stances the more anxiously to study.
" The lonian people will never find me unmindful
of their real interests and welfare.

" The Extraordinary Session of the Legislative
Assembly is now closed.
" By command of his Excellency,
"G. F. BoWEN, Secretary to the
Lord High Commissioner."

The Lord High Commissioner's speech has had a
very good effect, and has greatly contributed to allay
the feeling of satisfaction created among the enemies
of the Protectorate by the explicit statement of
Lord Derby in the House of Lords about the indepen-
dent state of the lonian Islands, a statement which
it is difficult to reconcile with the speech made not
long ago by the Earl of Carnarvon at a public din-
ner, in which it was announced that constitutional
government in the lonian Islands would be discon-
tinued for the future, and the form of government
reverted to which was established when we first
took possession. The lonian Islands are perfectly
tranquil, and the people are in the height of the
carnival festivities, which consist of masked balls
at the theatres by night, and grotesque promenades
through the streets in the day. The Greek calendar
is observed, which accounts for the lateness of these
frolicsome proceedings. The Roman Catholics of
the lonian Islands also hold their carnival at this
season, being considerately authorised to do so by
a special Bull from the Pope.
To-day, the Lord High Commissioner proceeds
in state to open the regular session of the lonian
Parliament, which meets on the Ist of March every
second year.

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent,
attended by Lady Fanny Howard and Sir George Couper,
arrived in London, on Saturday morning, from her resi-
dence, Frogmore. The Duchess of Kent visited the
Duchess of Cambridge at her residence in St. James's
Palace. Her Royal Highness left Clarence House, St.
James's, in the slain-lion; and returned to Frogmore.
His Excellency the Hon. Frederick Bruce, C. 8.,
accompanied by Mr. Rumbold and Mr. Norman, left town
on Friday, by way of Alexandria and Suez, for China, to
assume his duties as English Ambassador in China.
The Duke of Hamilton has joined the Duchess
and family at Paris. The duke and duchess intend to re-
turn to town for the season shortly after Easter.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Londonderry
have arrived at their mansion in Grosvenor-squaro, from
the Continent.

The Countess of Harrowby continues in a very
weak state, and we regret to learn that slight hopes are
entertained of the recovery of her ladyship.
The Earl and Countess of Craven and the Ladies
Craven left town on Saturday for Ashdown Park, Berks.
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston left town
on Saturday for Brocket Hall, Herts.
NEW ADELPHI THEATRE.—The Duchess of Cam-
bridge and the Princess Mary, the Duke and Duchess of
Beaufort, the Marchioness of Stafford, and the Right Hon.
the Earl of Cardigan, &c., &c., visited the new Adelphi
Theatre.

IMPUDENT SWINDLERS.—TWO workmen, named
Durand and Parent, were yesterday tried by the Tribunal
of Correctional Police for a somewhat impudent piece of
swindling. "On the 9th Feb.," said a publichouse-keeper,
of Suresnes, "these men came to my house, and represent-
ing that they were carpenters employed to effect some repairs
in the stands of the race-course in the Bois de Boulogne,
ordered the best dinner I could provide, and after-
wards asked for and obtained beds. The next morning
they had an excellent breakfast, and having asked fcr
money to pay for crossing the bridge to the race-course,
I gave it. Next, they ordered a basket of provisions to take
with them and I gave one. In the evening they came back,
dined, and afterwards prepared to go to bed. I shall have
no objection to continue to give you credit,' said I, if
your employer will answer for you. Oh, said they,
when we receive our wages on Saturday night we will pay
you.' I, however, asked, who their master was, and they
said a M. Bonhomme, whose address they gave. They again
slept in my house, and the following morning breakfasted.
Before they went away a man came in to speak to them,
and they told me that he was M. Bonhomme. They did
not return to dine in the evening, and on inquiring at the
stands of the course, 1 learned that they had never been em-
ployed there. Seeing that I had been swindled, I sought
for them, and two days after discovered them installed in
another publichouse, the landlord of which they were
cheating as they did me I " The tribunal condemned each
of them to four months' imprisonment.

SPORTING NOTES.

NOTTINGHAM AND DERBY.

Before dipping into the future, I will let the
incidents of the past week reappear. The meeting
at Liverpool attained a great success. With the
exception of the Spring Cup and the Sefton Handi-
cap, the flat races were somewhat uninteresting,
but the rousing set-to between Lifeboat and
the Speaker for the Trial Stakes, and the
dead heat between Gladiolus and the Greek
fo? the Cup, rendered them not altogether insigni-
ficant. Both Gladiolus and the Greek have much
improved on their two-yrs-old form, but those per-
sons unacquainted with the mysteries of
handicapping can scarcely realize the idea
of animals that last season seemed the veriest
leather flappers being able to win important stakes
this year. The steeple chase has been so much
talked and so much discussed that I have nothing
new to say about it, and the graphic description of
the race which appeared in the morning papers has
already rendered the reader familiar with the
moving incidents by flood and field. The popular
whim that the Brewer was " got at" is of
course scouted by all persons whose ex-
perience of racing matters is derived from some-
thing more than a perusal of the papers and an-
nually trip to Epsom or Hampton. " Nobbling "
on the turf is not now of frequent occurrence, and
the days of Daniel Dawson are gone never to re•
turn. The levelling of the fences has created
much talk, but Iwalked over the ground for the
purpose of seeing how the way had been
' cleared, but I was agreeably disappointed, and
really I did not see the jumps less formidable than
they were last year. The Sunday Times says that
the real Brewer won after all, because Half Caste
belongs to a Mr. Leigh, who is, I am informed,
connected with the bitter beer business of the
Messrs. A.llsop. Ben Land, who laid 1,000
to 300 against the Brewer the night before
the race, made little mistake with regard
to Huntsman who would have won if the winning
chair had been placed at the stable turn. By the
way, Bell's Life accounts for his defeat by
stating that he dwelt at the last hurdles,
but seeing that they were knocked down by
Half Caste and Jean du Quesne, I do not
deem the explanation intelligible. I know so
little about the Nottingham Meeting that
I scarcely know how to deal with the probabilities.
Greek and Gladiolous will fight their Liverpool
battle over again for the Spring Handicap, and as
they meet en noarly the same terms I shall expect
Greek, who ran out at Liverpool, to be the winner.
Lady Well may get a place. Either White Rose,
or Spicebox will win the Little John Stakes. For
the Stand Plate I shall select Madam Moet.

Tease ought to win the Hurdle Race, and also his
engagements at Derby, but the " Midland" Meet-
ing I will fully discuss on Wednesday.
A FRESH MAN.