The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-12 00:00:00

AMERICA.

NEW YORK, OCT. 1.
(Per Kangaroo, by Telegraph to Cape Race via

Queenstown.)
The Confederates have evacuated Munson's Hill,
and other positions before Washington, which are
now occupied by the Federal troops.
The New York banks have taken up the second
50 millions of the Federal Loan.

Affairs remain unchanged in Missouri. In Ken-
tucky both parties are receiving reinforcements.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Money abundant. Exchange on London, 1071.
Stocks dull. New York Central, 73! ; Illinois,
65i; Erie, 251. Provisions steady.
The Niagara passed Cape Race on the 2d inst.

LETTER .FROM THE EMPEROR NAPO-
LEON TO THE 11N9 OF P.RUASSIA.

An anonymous pamphlet, which will be published
in Paris in a day or two, under the title of " The
Emperor Napoleon and King William," contains
the following letter, alleged to have been addressed
by the Emperor of the French to the King of
Prussia after the interview at Baden :
The interest which I take in the tranquillity and well-
being of Germany and of the states of your Majesty in par-
ticular, not less than my desire, w hich is well known to
you, to maintain in Europe a durable peace, leads me to
address myself directly to your Majesty, without the medium
of diplomacy, in order that you may be convinced that I am
actuated by personal conviction, and that our mutual posi-
tions may be defined frankly and without arriere pensee.
After the interview which I had with you at Baden, and
the declaration which I unhesitatingly gave, your Majesty
has been able to know my sentiments as to Germany and
the line of conduct which I purpose myself to follow. That
declaration includes all my thoughts, and I persist in it,
Your Majesty may make such use of it as you may deem
fit, and even give it to the world. My internal and external
policy have been guided by the same spirit. Your Majesty
knows that I did not abandon until the last moment, and
before public opinion, the hope of making the King of Naples
listen to reason, at the risk of prolonging in Italy civil war.
Now when the Sardinian Government shall be consolidated,
the spirit of disorder will have lost its rampart. This ques-
t tion once closed, the peace of Europe will be established
upon solid bases which it never before had. France has
not the spirit of conquest—it has the sentiment of honour
and of its own dignity. I have as much as possible given
satisfaction to its interests, and the voluntary and peace-
ful annexation of Savoy has put an end to an abnormal
humiliation which could not but trouble the European
harmony. I repeat to your Majesty my sole desire is
to preserve peace as much as possible. It is with this
object that I now address myself to your Majesty.
A general anxiety exists in Europe—it is gaining strength
every day. Germany especially tends, in spite of herself,
to throw into Europe the apple of discord. It is to your
Majesty that belongs the glorious honour of leading this
noble nation to its true destinies, and of being the arbiter
of the German nation. I am ready to take all measures
which may be agreeable to your Majesty, and which may
aid the alliance between two of our great peoples. But
prudence is an imperious duty, especially in present circum-
stances; and your Majesty has too much wisdom not to
take the precautions which a position so extreme necessi-
tates.

I have, then, believed that I was acting as a loyal sove-
reign, who takes a true interest in your crown, in accept-
ing from Denmark a friendly mediation in its dispute with
the Germanic Confederation. His Majesty the King of Den-
mark is ready to give every satisfaction compatible with
his honour which may content the Diet. For my part, I
will guarantee his good faith in this respect, Would it not
be convenient to your Majesty to take on your part tho
necessary steps that this dispute may be perfectly settled ?
And as to the rest, your Majesty rust know better than any
one how injurious a war, under such circumstances, would
be to European interests, and particularly to the interests of
Germany. For my part, and Ido not doubt that this is also
your Majesty's purpose, I shall oppose such a war with all
the means in my power. Let us, then, unite our efforts,
and nothing, I have every reason to hope, will trouble the
peace of Europe, especially if, as you assured me at Baden,
your Majesty has as ardent a desire as myself to maintain
it. You will enjoy, unlike myself, the happiness of not
having been obliged to purchase peace by two wars.

According to the pamphlet which is responsible
for the above document, the letter was followed
by excellent results, the dangers by which
Europe was then threatened having been removed.
The author adds that it will be easy now to esta-
blish a durable peace by the sincere and complete
entry of Prussia into the western alliance. It will
be only necessary for her to recognise the
kingdom of Italy, to vote with France and Eng-
land for the union of the Danubian Principalities,
and to conclude with France a treaty of commerce.
The writer, however, does not really stop here; he
claims for France all the territory comprised between
the two seas, the Pyrenees, the Alps, and the
Rhine; and he lays it down as a principle that
Prussia will not be really strong until she has in-
scribed on her flag, " Germany Free and One from
the Rhine to the Oder." France will not claim,
however, all she believes her due, except in ex-
change for services first rendered.

MR. E. BAINES ON THE CHURCH-RATE
QUESTION.

At the meeting of the Congregational Union at
Birmingham, on Wednesday, Mr. Baines observed
that during the last session of Parliament an appa-
rent triumph had been obtained in favour of the pre-
sent law of church rates, but the worst thing that
could have been done for the Church of England
was, in his opinion, to maintain that law, whieh
he contended was her weakness and not her strength
—her dishonour and' not her glory. But although
a triumph was thus obtained, yet so far as the essen-
tial principles for which Nonconformists contended
were concerned, the latter had obtained a complete
triumph. By committees, both of the House of
Lords and the House of Commons, it had been dis-
tinctly admitted that Nonconformists ought not to
pay church-rates, and the same admission had been
made by every section of the church herself. Those
) high in the church, represented by Sir Page Wood
—those low in the church, represented by Sir
George Grey—those represented by Sir Robert
Cecil, on the Tory side of the house, and many
other representatives of other sections—all had ad-
mitted that the tax was unjust upon Dissenters,
and that Dissenters must in some way or other be
exempted from it. The great reason last session in
favour of maintaining the law was, that the Dissen-
ters did not now object to the law for conscience
sake, but desired that it might be abolished
as a step towards the destruction of the
Church, and their opponents quoted some
of those p
fa st
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othdhiyam, t
who
ehhl afo,d;,chbeserreeennvvpvveprroeistettdwe ntoubgcyrhosuuornmedhes
moannedmwSbhteiacrtsheo.he opposed church rates—first of all, on
the ground of views of doctrine and church govern-
ment; and next, on the ground of practical griev-
ances of which dissenters complained, it would not
abestaepstep towards
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its salvation.
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griev-
ances ; and he would say to the wise members of the
Church that if they repealed the practical griev-
ances to meet and more friends to support them. In
no just sense did the dissenters wish to destroy the
Church of England ; they did not wish to destroy
her but to emancipate her. They wished to de-
stroy her connection with the State, but not to
destroy the Church herself. They did not wish to
interfere with her clergy, her creeds, or her ser-
vices; but only to relieve her from her bonds, and
do justice to themselves. But from what he had
already said, it was not to be supposed that he
would shrink from avowing: both in parliament
and out of it, his distinct opinion that the Church
so tic gr
ihptt
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ao
lt
at
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d s,onState. On
grounds
of
reason and of justice, he held that that separation
should take place; and he trusted that he and all
true Nonconformists would maintain that standing
with firmness, with dignity, and in a Christian
spirit.

The Emperor of China, who has just died,
Hien-Fund, wasborn in 1831, and succeeded in February,
1850, the Emperor Tao-Kouaog. The death of the Em-
peror cannot fail, it is thought, to improve the relations of
France with the Celestial Empire, the successor of the de-
ceased Sovereign being, it is believed, Prince Kong, the
negotiator of the last troaty of Nu*.