The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-08 00:00:00

Sl7 Ny OCTOBER 8, 1850.

any greater readiness to yield to ecclesiastical en-
croachments. The turbulent Archbishop ;of Cagliari
has been coanpelled, by authority, to quit his .diocese;
and,has, by this time, n 9 doubt joined his continental
colleague in the antechambers of the Quirinal palace.
The proceeding's which have , been adopted against
Monsignor Ftaazoni are, as might have been' ei-
pected,' severely criticised by his partisans. After
loudly complaining of the chatge of high, treason, on
which it was supposed he would be tried, they de-
nounce the mode of prosecution which was eventually
adopted as obsolete, irregular, and arbitrary. The
proceeding en voie d'abus, for an abuse of official
power, is an ancient process, corresponding in some
degree to the English practice of impeachment.. It
had fortunately been determined, before-the dispute
still in force, notwithstanding the provisions of the
with the Archbishop arose, that the appel d'abus was
new constitution. The Court of Appeal, which is
formed of eminent lawyers, has almost unanimously
concurred in the sentence by which' the Archbishop is
banished from the kingdom, and the possessions of
his see sequestrated in charge of the proper authority.
We are entitled to assume that a sentence delivered
by a competent court is legal; and certainly it
appears to be as moderate as it could have been
under the circumstances. There might have been a
diffioultrin dealing 'with the outrage on public feel-
' ins; which the. Archbishop- committed in refusing
the sacraments of the Church to the Minister Santa
Rosa. The malignity and ill-faith of his conduct
were evident; but, in strictly spiritual 'matters, it
is just and right that no secular tribunal should in-
tervene.
The law of the Church, and the law of the
land, gave the power of the keys to 'the clergy. The
State was powerless in presence of their claims, and
the priesthood had its pound of flesh. But if Mon-
sign or Franzoni was entitled to revenge the aiiierrel of
Rome on the souls of the dying faithful, he as clearly
transgressed his legitimate privileges in the circulars
by which the clergy were forbidden to obey one of
the laws of the kingdom.. It is said by his partisans
that he might have committed what minor offences
he pleased, if he had respected the Siocardi laws.
We do not doubt that the proceedings against him
were occasioned by his seditious refusal to submit to
the law, and by his obstinate adherence to the claims
of an alien and, intrusive authority. Thus far Pied-
mont has displayed admirable prudence and firm-
ness, and has gained no inconsiderable advan-
tages over the hostile diplomacy of Rome. The
hopes which the Papal advisers entertained of
exciting internal disturbances in the King's
dominions appear to have been 'baffled by the
sound spirit of the people. The reliance which
may heve been placed on the personal fears of the
members of the Government will have been, it may
be supposed, irrevocably shaken by the vigorous
measures adopted against the Archbishop.' The next
step in the conflict must be taken by the Vatican, and
we are aware that its resources are as yet by. 'no means
exhausted. It will scarcely consist with the preten-
sions of the Pope to object to the details of the legal
proceedings, which he denounced from the first as acts
of rebellion against his indefeasible authority. Even
if the objections to the appel (Tabus were sustainable,
they must be founded on the recognition of the very
constitution which gives force to the Siccardi laws.
The Court of Rome will assume that the proceedings of
the Piedrnontese tribunals were a part of the wrongful
policy of the Government. By this time it Must be
sensible of the importance of the contest, though per-
haps not of its own imprudence in provoking it and in
aggravating its violence. It has two principal weapons
to use against its adversary, in its ecclesiastical and so-
vereign characters. It may curse the Piedmontese by its
own authority, or attack them, by the aid of its allies.
The scruples of Pius against war have vanished, sinoe
he has had Italians only, to fight against ; and it will
be well if his overweening confidence in his spiritual
pretensions leads him to. rely on eceleiiastical cen-
sures only. It will be easy to place an interdict on
Piedmont, and to excommunicate the principal offi-
cials ; but it is dangerous to refuse the rights of
Catholicism to a people who may leare to dispense
with them. The secret enemies of the orthodoi faitb,
who are numerous in all parts of Italy, may soon
become its open and successful opponents, if the clergy
attempt .to 'punish the people. It may be presumed
that the higher functionaries, who are obnoxious to
individual ;ecclesiastical censure, are suficiently ac-
quainted with the policy of. the Church. to .endure it
with little oppression to their-consciences. They at
least know, and they have boldly maintained, that if
they are excluded from the solemnities of their religion,
it is only for the crime of having asserted national
rights, which Rome bad conceded to every state which
was' strong enough to exact the 'concession. In
France, in. Austria, in Italy itself, the priesthood
has •been subjected to civil jurisdiction. Constitu-
tional Sardinia was to be kept in bondage too close
even for the. Neapolitan Bourbons. If the Papal
Court unlocks its mediaeval thunders, we have little
fear of the result. The religious consequences it is
not easy to foresee, but the longer the contest is con-
tinued the deeper will be the alienation of the people
from the enemies of their country. A far greater
danger may impend from the ambition of neighbours,
incited and excused by the irritated chief of their re-
ligion. The Sardinian Government may well smile
at the threatened hostility of any of its Italian neigh-
bours. The Court of Naples will scarcely venture
to show hostility ti)* the nation which met Austria
in the field without disgrace --- although de-
feated. That a constitutional Government is more
hated and feared at . Rome,. .or at Naples, thin
a Jacobinical Republic, we are not indisposed to
believe. 'Ten years of orderly freedom in the north-
west of- Italy would make ten years, more of the
despotic anarchy which prevails in the south an ini-
possibility for ever.. But the hopes and fears of the
petty Italian potentates can matter little to the, assets
tors of Sardinian liberty. It is on more formidable
forces that the .Papal Court relies for the gratification
of its ambition and revenge. Its wishes will probably
be disappointed. Austria has shown no wish for
territorial' aggrandisement; and will certainly not
disturb the peace of Italy from merely religious
motives. On the .movements of France it is difficult
to calculate :but, the outrage on Italian independence,
which was perpetrated in 1849, has not produced any
honour or profit which is likely to tempt the invaders
to commit a second unprovoked aggression. •It is
certain,
hewever,,that every exertion will be used by
notnb to destroy the
,constitutional liberties Of Sat-
clinic • The despots and the revolutionists of Italy
have long been, engaged in The attempt to prove that
freedom is incompatible with stable government. In
carrying out the same policy, the advisers of the Pope
may, perhaPs, think that to provoke &democratic
reaction ,against their preteesions would be, auadvari-
tage only. second .to success in, ,enrorcing theM.
'Their supporters and apologists are already fore-
telling the result which it is the secondary aim Of
their intrighes to, accomplish. They would wish all
their opponents to be identified with the cause i)r
anarchy, and they would fusee them into anarchy for
the purpose. It is in the power of the Piedmontese
nation by a temperate support of their constitution,
and of the atitliorities whom it establishes,
,to disap-
point the wishes of its formidable assailants, and to
prove that there are Italians who can resist oppressidn
and' priestly tyranny without' extending an indiscri-
minate hostility 'to government, or even, to. religion.
If any of the Republican Party should be tempted to
join in the. attack on the Sardinian monarchy, by
taking this opportunity for fomenting- the discontents
which may, exist in any part of the territory, they
would be guiltieftreason to, the rights and hopes, of
their country, which Italy. Ought never ,to ,pardoo.
Their sect has injured the ;cause of liberty enough
already, 'but sometimes. with honest intentions. A
deeper disgrace would be in store for them if they
consented to, 'be the instruments of the intrigues Of
Anti:mall.
POST.— We announced on SaturdaY, as part of
our intelligence:from Paris, a circumstance which,
taken in connexion with other incidents of the day,
may be eansidered of no small intrrtance as a sign
of the distUrbed state yet charaoterising the political
atmosphere in France, and as en index of the degree
of jealousy still threatening to destroy.the necessary
union between. the .different , parts of, her lately-
fashioned constitutional machinery. The permanent
co
'vacationmsiitteawppoerien, it appointed
to represent the Assembly during
appears, summoned to meet yes-
terday, fot an object no,less serious than an examina-
tion of the. Ministers, and eipecially ,of the Minister of
its
War, respecting the recent numerous military re-
views,• at which the open hand and liberal bearing of
the President towards the troops • have been repre-
sented as showing two prominent a desire to
fill the part of the soldier's friend. We
have always felt and stated that, in the pr
condition of France, the firmest hand, directed
desebnt
by
the wisest energy,. can effect nothing, unless it have
at command, and be ready and able to grasp, in the
exigency of a moment, the only engine which expe-
rience shows us to be adequate to
such work as awaits
the statesman or ruler who undertakes
the wreck Of a revolution and to clear away
dto build a 'Government
on the ruins of a fallen king
ing and binding to their causeoca. Except by ensura
fidelity of the army,
how can the strength and
either Louis Napoleon
or the majority of the Assembly hope to terminate
successfully the mighty task t which they stand
o
.pledged, of arresting inits course the: terrible circle of
revolution, so rapidly workingcut the tuin of France?
In the maintenance of 'the arduous post which he has

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'(F1a::Lf'~:: .'

sought and won—in the honest performance of the
duties which it entails, the President has to encounter
at every step difficulties which he would strive in vain
to meet by the ordinary routine of constitutional ac-
tion. Attacked by the unceasing hostility of a press,
hitter, powerful, habituelly intolerant of steady go-
vernment, and thirsting for change—menaced, as the
type of the law and the source of restraint, by those.
dangerous classes whose enmity is the, fiercer and,
more uncompromising from their recent dicoinfi
tureL-ernbarrassed by the doubtful support andt
constant intrigues of parties who cannot advance,
yet will not resign their hopes of power—
how, under all these circumstances, can Louis Napo-
leon be expected by the Assembly to sustain his cause
and their own by the limit of his exertions to the
quiet exercise of official functions at the bureau and
in the Cabinet ? Could the work of years be done in
a day, this might be—could the masses of industry in
France be brought at once to such a state of orga•
nisation and -intelligence that their just weight and
influence might be commanded and relied on by the
governing power, there might be no need to seek
for other defences of constituted authority ; but cir-,
cumstances must be dealt with, not on theoretical,
possibilities, but in their actual existence, and the Ase'
sembly itself has recognised openly enough, by its
recent laws on, the franchise and the press, the utter
imcompatibility of the revolutionary system with the
authority ,required to hold a revolutionised
state together—the constant necessity of un-
doing the very work to which the Govern-
ment itself owes its existence and its position.
The matter which is said to have excited the jealousy
of the Assembly, and to have given rise to the
meeting of which we have spoken, is, after all, a very
slight one in itself; but this renders more remarkable
and more important the weight which has been at-
tached to the exaggerated rumours of its consequences
—the reported dissensions—where a good understand-
ing is of most consequence—and the proceedings
which appear actually to have been taken by the
committee of the Assembly. The President, feeling
how much of his power, as head of the Government,
must at present depend on personal prestige, has
been actively exerting himself in canvassing for the
good will of all classes. To the provinces, the mu-
nicipalities, the working men, the navy, the chief
whom the nation has elected presented himself in
turn : was it necessary, or would it have been wise,
to neglect the army ? The worst part of the charge,
hoe ever, is, that, in his interview with the troops,
too great an amount of largess and favour was
shown to the private soldiers—that champagne was
allowed to reach lips which, in strict discipline,
should have been moistened by nothing better than
via ordinaire—and that the strictness of military
etiquette was violated in order to win the favour of
the rank and file. Such reports we believe to have
been, to say the least, grossly exaggerated, and still
less credence, we are persuaded, is due to the story of
the dissension between the President and General
Cnangarnier, said to have been occasioned by these
alleged occurrences. The simple fact appears to be
that Louis Napoleon, having no military glory where-
with to take by storm the heart of the army, and
being (thank Heaven !) not likely to be in a position
thus to conquer their attachment, has sought to
please the soldier by that liberality and cordial kind-
ness which no man prize more in their superiors than
they. That a course so natural should have excited
such discussion, and have given rise to such scandal,
is only a fresh proof, amongst the many daily occur-
ring, of how uncertain is the state of the French
political world; that the committee of the As-
sembly should have taken up the subject in the
spirit attributed to them will, if confirmed, be a
source of sincere regret to us, persuaded as we
are that, for the sake of their own cause—for the
good of France, and fur the maintenance of good
government—it is essential that the chosen head of
the nation should be able to count on the steady con-
fidence and firm support of the Legislative Assembly.
An irritable and unfounded jealousy on their part,
crippling his every movement, would indeed be a
terrible addition to the many obstacles in his path.
Louis Napoleon, whatever his ultimate personal views
may be, has been as yet, and is at present, engaged
in a task as great and worthy as ever occupied the
mind of man—in establishing the foundations at least
of such an organised Government as may take the
place of that shifting sand in which the best part of
the happiness and prosperity of his country sinks
year by year. We earnestly hope that to him, or to
any other power or intelligence to which the nation
may entrust the task, fair ground for his work,
honest assistance, and wise confidence may be granted
by the people and their delegates, as long as the task
shall be wrought with good will, the work done with
competence and energy.

FATAL A CCIDENT IN THE
BRISTOL CHANNEL

BRISTOL, OCT. 7.—We have to record a most dis-
tressing accident, which occurred in our channel yes-
terday afternoon, whereby four highly respectable
tradesmen of this city lost their lives, and three more
still remain in a very precarious condition. The fol-
lowing are the particulars of this melancholy occur-
rence :—lt seems that yesterday morning, notwith-
standing the unfavourable appearance of the weather,
a party of 11 persons hired a substantially built sloop-
rigged boat, belonging to Mr. Luff, for the purpose of
making a trip down the channel ; the boat had an
orlop deck, and was what would be termed a good
sea-boat. The wind at the time they started was
S.S.W., with a very heavy sea on. Notwithstanding
a pretty stiff gale blowing, the person (Mr. Lodge)
who had the conduct of the boat having formerly
been the captain of a merchantman, the party had
every confidence in his skill, and decided on proceed-
ing down channel. They arrived as far as the
Holmes in safety, a distance of about 21 miles. On
their return, when they neared the lightship, which
is situated between some dangerous sands, known as
the English and Welsh grounds, on making a tack
with all sail set, they shipped a large quantity of
water. They then endeavoured to go about on the
other tack, but all of them, not knowing much about
nautical matters, retaining their seats to wind-
ward, when she went about, the windward side of
course became the leeward one, the boat heeled over
and shipped more water, making altogether about a
ton, which, of course, found its way into the cockpit.
The boat was then properly put before the wind, but
still injudiciously, with all sail set, and they stood for
the mouth of the river. In crossing that dangerous
spot, commonly called the " S wash, ' Mr. W. Lodge,
who was steering, luffed up in the very eye of the
wind ; the boat would not wear, she heeled over, cap-
sized, and went down stern foremost, plunging the
whole of the unfortunate passengers into the water.
Fortunately at the time a Custom-house boat was
passing, and went to their assistance ; the sloop Mary
Ann, which was near, also lowered a boat and sent it
to their rescue. They managed to pick up seven, but
four unfortunately were drowned. The survivors
were conveyed to Pill, where medical assistance was
promptly procured, and the usual restorative remedies
were administered. These, however, from excite-
ment and prostration of bodily strength consequent
on their having been some time in the water, are still
in a very precarious condition. One of the bodies
(that of Evan Jefferies) has been recovered, and an
inquest will be held on it this evening. The names
of the deceased are Evan defferies, Thomas Rich,
George Packer, and William Lodge. We should have
stated that the pump of the boat would not work,
being out of order.

TERRIBLE STORM AT NOTTINGHAM.
NOTTINGHAM, MONDAY, POUR P.M.—A fearful
gale of wind which has been blowing in this district
during the last sixteen hours, has caused a great
number of accidents, and at least one fatal casualty.
Shortly before one o'clock this afternoon, whilst a
number of people were standing in the market-place,
looking at the exterior of Wombwell's menagerie' I
tall chimney at the top of the house occupied by
Messrs. Hopkinson and 'Welsh, grocers, was blown
down, and in falling carried along with it the greater
portion of the roof, the front cornice, and a large
eluantity of lead, altogether weighing from two to
three tons, which, with scarcely a moment's warn-
ing, fell heavily upon the pavement, knocking several
people down, burying two persons, a youth and a
young woman, among the dibris, and very narrowly
missing the roofs of Mr. Womb well's caravans. The
consternation of the bystanders at the suddenness of
the accident having subsided, those who had been
knocked down were assisted to places of security and
had their wounds and bruises attended to. The two
persons more seriously injured were removed to the
General Hospital. They proved to be Win. Morrell,
aged 10 years, dead, having been crushed by a large
sheet of lead falling upon him ; and a woman named
Ellis, aged about 34, whose head is so severely lacerated
that it is considered impossible she can recover.
She is, moreover, suffering from concussion of the
brain. The poor lad, Morrell, had hold of his father's
hand at the time he was killed; and an elder brother
stood on the other side of him. Both of them had
their clothes and boots torn, and were bruised severely,
on various parts of the body. Numbers of other per-
sons have been similarly hurt, but none, except the
two named, are likely to loose their lives. This
morning early Morris Ingle, aged 29, woolstapler,
was conveyed to the hospital from Co.tock, having re-
ceived a badly contused wound on the right shoulder
•-,