The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-20 00:00:00

.111

offered for their "cordial, heartfelt, and friendly

the Unions having driven the trade away from this
country to the Continent. Some of the prominent
Uunionists are now in favour of arbitration in
matters of dispute between employers and em-
ployed. The system of strikes and lock-outs,
and such methods of retaliation, is simply
suicidal—both parties suffer, and at the end they are
generally obliged to do what they might have done
without weeks of loss and idleness—more especially
is such conduct rash and foolish in a country where.
ont-door work is liable to be so seriously affected
iv the variations of the weather. To-day, when,
after weeks of warm, bright weather, the "storm
wind of the Equinox " has suddenly descended upon
us, we have an instance of the fluctuations to
which much of our labour is liable. We need not
take the trouble to invent courses of difficulty and
inaction; all wise men, whether personally interested
in the trade or no, will do their best to smooth
away obstacles and foster a kindly feeling between
masters and men. So long as the natural allies—
capital and labour—persist in " shooting in each
other's mouth," it is useless to expect that trade
will prosper, or the national wealth and prosperity
of the country remain undiminished.

welcome."

The assembly seemed to feel that there was
more meaning in the speech of the Prince than
there often is in the orations delivered on such
occasions. He appeared to realise the importance
of the occasion in its full significance .and import,
and no doubt when the more ephemeral part of the
pageantry is over and partially forgotten the most
interesting feature connected with the Royal visit
will still flourish fair and fresh in the memory
respecting the spontaneous welcome which Ire-
land has accorded to the Heir Apparent of
these realms. The trust and confidence
which his Royal Highness has declared
that he reposed in the people will gain for him golden
opinions from all classes; but it needed not his
expression of such a sentiment that was patent to
the world by his going to visit Ireland at all ; and
we feel sure that he will not have cause to repent
of it. We hope and believe that the prophecy of
the Lord-Lieutenant will be realised, and that no
empty knighthood will have been inaugurated, but
rather an " era of increased attachment and
mutual confidence and interest between the
people of Ireland and the Prince's illus-
trious House." The Prince has done all that he can
to show his sense of the reception he has met with,
and nothing now remains but for those who have
so cordially welcomed him to continue to show by
their steady conduct that the loyalty they have just
expressed has a deep foundation, and will not again
be easily shaken.

Forty thousand men, in full possession of their
physical and mental qualities, form, one might
readily believe, no inconsiderable portion of the
most wealthy and populous community. Their in-
fluence must be extensive, their action not unim-
portant, their welfare or their misfortunes could
never be a matter of indifference. If they formed
part of a regular army, they would be no inconsider-
able contingent, and upon their courage and their
military skill might depend the issue of the most
momentous campaign. If we look at them as be-
longing to more pacific fields of action, we may na-
turally conclude that a very large proportion of these
two score thousand men have wives and families
whose happiness and prosperity depends upon theirs.
We may consider these 40,000 men to represent
the interests of some 120,000 or 130,000 members
of the community at large, and indirectly they must
affect a great many more. If they are working
men, their employers are within the circle of their
influence. Their fellow-workmen, on the labourers
whose work depends on theirs, will double or treble
the number, while the landlords, whose rooms or
houses they live in, the shops where they deal, and
a dozen other degrees of social relationship, will
all be sensible of the consequences of their suc-
cesses or disappointments. It is, therefore, no
slight or unimportant piece of intelligence that
40,000 men are believed to be now standing idle in
the various branches of the iron trade. Belonging
as they do to a trade of such world-wide importance,
we must add very considerably to our estimate of
the persons affected by their conduct. Besides
their own immediate employers, we must include
those whose trades depend on the supply of
iron, the Continental purchasers, the Continental
workmen, and the national Exchequer. There
can be no question that the depression of
the iron trade has told very seriously upon the
public finances. Iron has long been one of our
national strongholds of trade and industry. It has
been remarked that_the ancient nations, skilful as
they were in the use of various metals, never em-
ployed iron. It is application to the purposes of
industry and manufacture belongs to more laborious 1,
and more skilful times. Modern life would find it I
difficult to proceed in its ordinary channels without
the iron highway, the iron horse, the iron steamship,
the iron machinery. Iron is so constantly and
universally applied that like the sun and the air
we can hardly realise how much we should miss it
were it removed. To her manufacture of iron Eng-
land chiefly owes her commercial greatness, and
the iron hidden in her mines has proved as prolific
a source of national wealth as the gold of Australia
or California. It is quite time, however, that our
iron masters and iron workers should recognise the
fact that we have not the exclusive possession of
this valuable material, and that it is quite possible
if we slacken in the race that other competitors
may push to the front ! We have shown them
the way to success, we have proved what iron
can do, we have very convincingly demonstrated
the wealth and importance derived from its skilful
manufacture. Having done all this and made the
iron trade one of the most important in the world,
our iron men and masters suddenly find out that it
s impossible for them to agree, and 40,000 of them
stay their hands. Having created the want they
refuse to supply it—what can be more natural than
that others should step in to fill their places? What-
ever individuals or classes may think of their own
abilities or their own personal or national im-
portance, it is very certain that if they stand idle
there will be no vacuum. The demand has
only to exist to call into action those who can
fill it. If Englishmen and English iron
will not supply the markets, there will not be want-
ing those who can. Other countries possess mine-
ral wealth as yet but partially developed ; others,
again, and prominent among them some of our own
colonies, are as yet ignorant of the extent of their
natural resources. England will find it harder to
regain a lost place than to keep it when won. She
may learn a lesson from her great rival America in
this respect. The United States were facile princeps
the masters of the cotton supply of the world. They
presumed upon this knowledge, and thought
that by the all-potent agency of King Cotton
they could compel Europe to yield to their wishes.
But King Cotton, displaced from one throne, raised
up another ; the supremacy which Americans trifled
with can never again be theirs. Their inaction
produced terrible suffering and temporary paralysis,
but the want created must be supplied, and the
demand called forth the dormant energies of India,
of Queensland, of South America, and of Egypt.
India, in particular, will henceforth prove as
dangerous a rival to America for cotton
as she has done to China for tea, and the Ameri-
cans, though prompted by very different motives
from those which actuate our trades unionists,
have taught the world the same lesson as the latter
are now teaching it—it is possible for the world to
do without them. Some of the less prejudiced and
more reflecting among the workmen are beginning
to realise the truth of the warnings they have often
heard, and to ask whither the road they are now
pursuing is tending. They see the dangers which
lie in wait, and are endeavouring to persuade their
associates to adopt other measures for the
regulation of trade differences than the com-
mon ones of strikes and lock-outs. Some
of the London unions have determined to call
a conference, to be held between large employers
of labour on the one hand, and representative
working men on the other, to consider whether the
relations between capital and labour cannot be
brought into more harmonious action, and the dis-
putes now constantly arising be averted. Among
the questions to be considered is the one
to which we baye been alluding that of

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 20, 1868.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.;

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

PARIS, SUNDAY, April 19.

We are still discussing the great question of peace or
war. We are so sceptical that we don't place any re.
liance in Ministerial assurances. When it is a question of
words against deeds we are bound to believe the second,
and there is no manner of doubt that these point to war.
The semi-official journals now announce that M. Baroche's
speech has not been sent to the preiects, as was reported.
That Government should have taken the trouble to deny the
'rumour seems to shew that we are not to attribute to the
speech the importance which was at first assigned to it.
Certain it is, that the military preparations go on incessantly.
The journals tell us that General Raasloff has returned to
Copenhagen, and has convinced his Government that
France does not intend to take up the Schleswig qUestion.
Thus, then, we understand that that venerable causa
teterrima belli is not to be revived. But, of course, thert
will not be wanting others if the Emperor should have,
made up his mind to fight. I think it is more probable
that the armaments of Prussia will be seized upon as the
occasion for hostilities. The Liberte publishes a letter
from London, which states that in English official
circles the belief that there will be war is stronger than
ever ; but it is supposed that it will be postponed to the
autumn, when France, with her hardened troops, would
be able to fight at an advantage compared with the Prus-
sian Lanclwehr. Everybody is talking of Marshal Niel's
comment upon Baroche's speech, and, though there are
various, 'versions of it, they agree in representing the
Minister of War as declaring that he had received the,
Emperor's instructions to prepare for hostilities, and as
being resolved to carry them out.
Some of the French journals publish prominently a de-
spatch just addressed by the Bavarian Minister of the.
Interior, to all the presidents of the kingdom, explaining
the Bavarian policy. Herr von Hormann says that while
fully prepared to carry out its obligations to Prussia, the
Bavarian Government declares with frank firmness that it
does not desire, nor will it seek, the entry of the kingdom
into the Northern Confederation. Some persons attack
importance to this, and think that it means an alliance,
between Bavaria and France. I doubt it ; for Ido not
think that even in Southern Germany the interposition of
France in-German affairs would be endured

The semi-official Etendard continues to speak of the
satisfactory way in which the conscription is going on
through the departments. Not content with its previous
announcements of perfect calmness and tranquillity, we
are. now asked to believe that the conscription is giving
rise to absolute enthusiasm. For instance, at one place
the conscripts presented the prefect with bouquets (!) and
wine in order to drink the Emperor's health. (Query : Did
the prefect first give them the wine?) At another
place the conscripts carried flags, and shouted " Vive
l'Empereur !" In fact, there is quite a martial furor
among the country bumpkins, according to the Etcndard.
We have very interesting accounts of the journey of the
Prince Imperial. He had a very rough cruise from
Cherbourg to Brest. But though he looked somewhat
pale, he was not ill. He passed a good night, and was up
betimes the next morning with his young companion, Napo-
leon Louis Conneau, to witness a sunrise at sea. Tha
Prince stood on the gallery, and his governor pointed him
out the various interesting spots on the wild Bretagne coast
as they were passed. Arrived within sight of Brest, the scene
was most animated. The bay was filled with ships,-
all gaily dressed, and looking very fine in the brill
liant sunlight. As soon as the Reine Hortense had
anchored she was boarded by the Maritime Prefect, who
paid his respects. The Prince then landed, and made at
excursion in the neighbourhood, visiting among other spot
the curious caves at Douarnenez Cape. The Breton:,
everywhere gave the Prince an enthusiastic reception
Yesterday he went on board the Inflexible, and saw the
gunners go through their evolutions. He then went the
whole length of the port in a steamer, and he also visited
the arsenal and other public buildings. He will not visit
his godmother, the Princess Baciocchi, who is suffer
ing from smallpox, but will return straight from Brest to
Paris on Tuesday.
M. Duruy, the Minister of Education, who, as you
xnow, is a Protestant, has just been making a speech at
the distribution of some prizes, which may be considered as
a counter manifesto to the Bishop of Orleans's letter tc
the bishops of France. The Minister dwelt much upot
the importance of recognising the truths of science, and of
the groundlessness of any alarm at the progress of science
He said : " One qugl4 not to be astonished if, among the
ancient pastors of the people who watched them beneath
the shade of the cathedrals, some of them were disquieted,
and would have kept them back.. Nevertheless, human
science does not propose to turn them away from the
sanctuary. It demands only that while they listen to the
sweet and holy voice which has been speaking to them for
tighteen centuries, they should hear also the new voice
which is the second revelation of God by science."
Immense works are now going on for giving Paris a
better supply of water. The waters of the Rive!. Vannes
arc being brought in by an aqueduct 10a miles in length.
The aqueduct is in some points subterranean, in other,
built on arches, and at several points has to cross rivers
and other impediments by means of syphons. The water
will be brought to Montrouge at about 260 feet above the
level of the sea, and will then be able to supply the highest
parts of Paris. It is calculated lhat the aqueduct will
discharge 110,398 cubic :metres (a metre is 3j feet) every
twenty•four hours. A reservoir will contain about 300,000
cubic metres.
Yesterday there was a sale of pictures at the Hotel dea-
Ventes, which, for the number sold, is supposed to haw
produced almost the largest amount ever known; probably
quite the largest since the famous sale of Marshal Soult's
collection. It was the San Donato Gallery, consisting of
23 pictures by Teniers, Ostade, Cuyp, Vanderwelde,
Wouvermans, and others, and the total amount was
£54,546. Not a bad day's work, especially as the day
lasted only one hour.

The pacific correspondent of the Times, who generally
takes the most cheerful view of affairs, speaks in a grave
tone of the present condition of the Continent. He says
that in spite of M. Baroche and the Moniteur France is
not tranquillised. The Bank reserve increases—this is a
symptom of the disquietude. The National Mobile Guard is
bein, organised with feverish haste, Marshal Niel refuses
to adopt the recommendations of the Budget Commission
for a reduction of army expenditure, and the Presse
("Journal de l'Empire ") speaks of Prussian armaments
being a menace to France—these are the causes of
the disquietude. The Presse says : "It is a matte.
.of doubt to no one that the accumulation o
Prussian forces on our frontier is a danger for our
Eastern provinces. It keeps up an agitation and disquiet
in them which our Government cannot be indifferent to,
and it justifies all our remonstrances. Has the French
'Government replied to the Prussian proposition for placing
a certain number of soldiers onfprlough by a counter pro-
position for the disarming of a certain number of strong
places, the reduction of their garrisons, and a diminution of
their war material? We have reason to believe it has done
so." If it has, the proposition is, the Presse thinks, a little
tardy, but it will enable people to judge if Prussia is sin
cere or not.
The Paris correspondent of the Daily Telegraph takes a
more hopeful view of the situation, as in private duty
bound. He says that he is able to state what at;
the true wishes of the French Government upon the ques-
tion of peace and war. " Nothing they desire so much as
peace, but, to get that peace, France must be so armed
that the French can say, ' We are at peace, because we
do not want to make war—not because we are not pre-
pared for war.' A few months ago France was not in
that position; within a few weeks she will be. When she
is perfectly prepared for war, then she will begin to
preach peace. There exists an idea here that a mutual
disarmament may be brought about, and that as
soon as France feels her strength she will propose it.
Depend on this, if no great crisis intervenes, we shall
have the Emperor's favourite project of a `congress'
once more produced." The correspondent goes or
to say that while there is danger in the present armed
truce of all Europe, and " a very small thing would
cause a fight when both sides are ready, and perhaps
willing," the Emperor will do all that he can consistent
with the honour of France to maintain peace. " If France
should be assailed or insulted, it would be too much to
expect that she would remain quiet. She has been caught
napping once, but never will again ; and the aggressor had
better remember that nearly two years have elapsed since
Sadowa. But who is likely to attack her ?" The corre-
spondent cannot see. He forgets that the chief danger of
the present situation lies in the sensitiveness of France,
in the probability that she will be all the more touchy
when she is fully armed, because she was compelled to pass
over some serious affronts before attaining that state of
preparation.

The Paris correspondent of the Morning Advertiser says
that the Ministers are divided on the great question of the
day. M. Rouher and four of his colleagues are all foi
peace, and Marshal Niel is as openly for war. The
Marshal told his guests at his last party, when they asked
him his opinion of M. Baroche's speech, " that he had not
seen it ; that such matters did not concern him. If the
Emperor thought it necessary to put the country into ar
efficient state of armament, it was his duty tc
carry out his sovereign's orders, regardless of any
clamour." The Marshal is certainly having his owr
way as far as the preparations for war are concerned ; anc
the enormous military expenditure and the anxiety tc
which it gives rise dam up the sources of commerce. It it
expected that the Emperor will shortly go to Orleans tc
attend the Joan of Arc fetes in that city, and it is hopei
that 112 will El* a 'speech there,

TIIE FENIAN TRIALS AT THE CENTRAL
CRIMINAL COURT.-THIS DAY.

This morning, with all fitting state, the Lord Chief
Justice of England, attended by Mr. Baron Bramwell,
came down to the Central Criminal Cimirt to preside at the
trial of the Fenian prisoners. Of these, William Desmond,
Timothy Desmond, Nicholas English, John O'Keefe,
Michael Barrett, and Ann Justice were in six separate
indictments arraigned on the charge of murder perpe-
trated in the diabolical attempt made on the 13th Decem-
ber to blow up the House of Detention at Clerkenwell.
The victims whose deaths were compassed by that rash
act were Anne Hodgkinson, Martha Evans, William
Chitton, Humphrey Evans, Sarah Mark Thompson, and
Minnie Abbott ; and all the prisoners-though some
appeared to have acted chiefly as accessories before the
fact—were, under the provisions of an alteration in the
state of the law made some four years since, jointly
charged as principals. The other three prisoners
—Burke, Shaw, and Casey—were placed at the bar
on the minor offence of treason-felony. That nothing
might be wanting to the proper conduct of a State
trial so important, the prosecution was conducted by the
Attorney-General in person, 'assisted by the Solicitor-
General, Mr. Giffard, Q.C., Mr. Poland, and Mr.
Archibald.

The interest excited in the proceedings, although no
doubt it has somewhat waned, would have more than
-filled a building three times as large as the wretched hole,
by courtesy called a court, in which the chief criminal
jurisdiction in the City of London is administered. The
accommodation is simply execrable, and the condition of
the atmosphere knows no medium between stifling heat
4and excessive draught. Fortunately, the arrangements
or admission to the court were so admirably conceived and
~carried out by the sheriffs and under-sheriffs that a good;
deal of the inconvenience experienced on former occa-
sions was avoided. Stern janitors prevented anyone
entering the precincts of the building who was not duly
armed with a pass, and no amount of cajoling could melt
their obdurate hearts. The little gallery immediately over the
dock was filled, as far as its limits would admit, with the 150
jurymen whom it had been deemed necessary to summon,
lest the right of the prisoners to challenge should be go
freely exercised as to exhaust the panel, and thereby cause
lelay. At a few minutes before half-past ten, Sir Alexan-
der Cockburn and Mr. Baron Bramwell entered the court,
attended by the civic authorities ; and the prisoners, the
two Desmonds, English, O'Keefe, Barrett, and Justice, were
at once placed at the bar. There is nothing at all remarkable
in the appearance of either of them, and the whole, when
'ailed upon to plead, did so in a clear and emphatic tone,
the woman Justice remarking, " I am not guilty ; I didn't
know anything about it." As was anticipated, a
strenuous effort rwas made to get the trial of treason-felony
taken first, Mr. Montague Williams, who appeared for
Ann Justice and O'Keefe, urging that he had only re-
ceived instructions in the latter case late on Saturday
night. Should it not be possible to postpone the trial, he
asked that the case of Justice might be taken separately.
To this the Attorney-General strongly objected, but at
the suggestion of the Lord Chief Justice agreed that the
evidence affecting the prisoner in question should not be
dealt with until the last necessary moment. The same
arrangement was entered into in the case of Barrett, fox
whom Mr. Baker Green appeared. This point settled,
another arose, Mr. Green objecting that an irregularity had
arisen in the proceedings, no panel of the jury having been
exhibited in the proper quarter to enable the prisoner (his
client) to prepare to exercise his right of challenge. To
this it was- replied, that it was not the practice in Criminal
cases to furnish a copy or to allow an inspection of the
Panel. The process of getting a jury was tedious in the
txtreme. First of all, the gentlemen whose names were
called out had to struggle amidst great difficulties from
the gallery to the court. When arrived there, so many had.
excuses to offer, which had to be done upon oath, why
they should not serve, that it was half-past eleven before
twelve were in the box, and then one was chal-
lenged by Mr. Straight, on behalf of Timothy Desmond.
At length the learned Attorney-General arose amidst
breathless silence to open the case for the prosecution on
the first indictment charging the prisoners with the wilful
murder of Anne Hodgkinson. At considerable length he
set out the facts connected with the arrest of the Fenian
prisoner Burke, his examination at Bow-street, and his
imprisonment in the House of Detention. He traced the
course of communication which ensued between Burke
and the prisoners through Barrett and a person called
Murphy, who, immediately after Burke had been com-
mitted to the House of Detention, came up to London
from the country. There could be little doubt that the
original idea of rescue was to attack the police-van as it
conveyed the prisoners from Bow-street ; but that this was
overruled by the advice of Burke himself, and it 1,14 a
determined to blow up the walls of the House of Detention.
About the 2nd of December, it would be shown, there was
a meeting held at which Barrett, Desmond, and other
members of the Fenian Brotherhood were present, when
it was determined that money should be subscribed for the
purpose of purchasing powder in small quantities. Two
days afterwards a considerable quantity was ordered, which
was, on the 6th Dec., delivered at a house in Pulteney-
court. Evidence would be brought to prove that at subse-
quent meetings at which the prisoners were present the
arrangements for blowing up the prison on the 13th were
perfected. The learned Attorney-General then detailed
the circumstances under which the barrel of gunpowder was
Brought to the prison, English, the two Desmonds, and
O'Keefe being seen in the immediate neighbourhood.
As far as Ann Justice was concerned, the evidence against
ber was, that, having had an interview with Casey in the
orison, she was afterwards seen in conversation with
l'imothy Desmond, remaining in the vicinity of the prison
intil the explosion had actually taken place, when she
was arrested. The evidence would fully prove that, whether
or not others had a hand in it, the barrel
was actually fired by the prisoner Barrett, who, imme-
diately after it took place, was seen washing from bis neck
and face the marks of gunpowder, and the following day
it was observed that his whiskers had been shaved off as if
for the purpose of disguise. English and William Desmond,
in the course of conversation with a person named Vaughan,
had referred to the explosion in a way which left no
doubt that they had been instrumental in bringing it
about, and had warned Timothy Desmond, who at the
time was the worse for liquor, to absent himself when the
barrel was fired. Having reminded the jury of the
care that must be exercised by them in the reception of
the evidence that would be offered by those who had
turned informers, and remarked again upon the distinction
that existed between the case of Ann Justice and that of
the other prisoners, the learned Attorney-General pro-
ceeded to call witnesses.

During the address the prisoners, who had received per-
mission to be seated, exhibited the most marked attention,
but scarcely once glanced at each other. Exception
should be made in the case of the woman Justice, who
exhibited great restlessness, her eyes wandering to every
corner of the court, but never resting upon any one spot
for more than a moment.

The first evidence adduced was that of Mr. John Butler,
who, by the assistance of a model and plans, described the
damage done by the explosion. The witness was followed
by the policeman Richardson, who had assisted in remov-
ing the body of Sarah Anne Hodgkinson from one of the
injured houses. The deceased was identified by Edith
Wright, and Mr. Edward M`Lean, one of the house
surgeons at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, was called to
des zibe the wounds found upon the body when brought to
that 'Lee.
Charles Mullany was the first witness of whose evidence
the prisoners took any special notice. Immediately he was
placed in the bar the two Desmonds and English in
particular manifested great interest, and at once
proceeded to take notes. The witness explained that he
was in custody for treason-felony. When he was sworn-in
a member of the Fenian Brotherhood at Temperance-hall in
Holles-street the prisoner English was present with about
a dozen other persons. On a second occasion English was
also present. After the arrest of Burke the prisoner Barrett
had been at his house with a man called Captain Murphy.
This was ten days prior to the explosion, and Murphy then
had a carpet-bag with him, which he said contained eight
revolvers. The witness then proceeded to detail the conver-
sations he had had with Barrett about Burke, and the best
way of getting him released from prison. No definite
plan was, however, hit upon. A letter addressed to Mur-
phy in invisible ink was shown to the witness and to
Barrett in the house of the former. It was
only by the aid of copperas that the writing could be
distinguished. The letter was afterwards produced at a
meeting of the Fenian Brotherhood.
Mr. Montague Williams [objected to the contents of the
document being given in evidence, as it was not on the de-
positions. Inspector Thompson was called to prove that
the person Murphy, in whose hands the letter was last seen,
could not be produced.
Tho witness then proceeded to state that the letter, which
was from Burke, was to the effect that arrangements should
be made to bring about the explosion.
[We will continuo our report in a later edition.]

There are now eight elections pending—viz.,
South Lincolnshire, Orantham, Leominster, East Kent,
Radnorshire, Stirling Burghs, Stamford, and Cockermouth.
When all these vacancies, actual and pending, are filled
up, the number of new members returned to the Hou e of
Commons since July, 1865, will be increased to 74.
Leader.

M. BERRYER, as an orator, no contemporary has
contested his supremacy, and his fellow-countrymen pro-
nounce him to be only second to Mirabeau. "La parole
eat is Berryer," says an ardent admirer of his, "comme le
marbre a, Michel Ange, la couleur It Rubens, I'harmonie
J 3 et thoyen."

noon.

nzew

7
tiff t ' 4;01,1,
4.4
larng.:"
- °
it if

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, April 19.
The Queen, accompanied by her Royal High-
ness Princess Christian, drove out yesterday after-

Her Majesty, Princess Louise, Princo Leopold,
Prince and Princess Christian, and Princess Bea-
trice, attended divine service at W'hippinghanl
Church this morning.

" MR. DISRAELI'S COMPACT WITH 711 E

TORIES."

The following paragraph has appeared in several
daily papers, and also in the Observer, as an ex-
tract from an article on the Disraeli Ministry in
the new-published number of the Edinburgh Re-

" It was not until the great schism had taken
place in the Tory party on the repeal of the corn
laws that Mr. Disraeli can be said to have influenced
a party in the House of Commons. A distinguished
observer of the events of that time has recorded an
anecdote, which we do not remember to have seen
in print, but which throws a singular light on the
origin of Mr. Disraeli's relations with his future ad-
herents. It was early in the session of 1846, when a
knot of ardent Protectionists, boiling over with a
rancour and resentment they had not words to ex-
press, addressed themselves to Mr. Disraeli. They
proposed to him that he should undertake to direct
systematically and at short intervals the whole
battery of his vituperative powers against Sir 11.
Peel. On their part they engaged to be present
en masse on these occasions, and to support their
mouthpiece by vociferous cheering. The interview
was a curious one. We have seen an account Of
it by one who knew all that passed on the occa-
sion. Mr. Disraeli requested to have twenty
minutes to consider the proposal. At the end
of that time he accepted it. The bargain was
kept by both parties. Mr. Disraeli spoke ;
the Tories cheered. They considered him their ser-
vant ; but in such service there was the voice of a
master. It had probably occurred to Mr. Disraeli
in those twenty minutes, or before, that the man
who spoke for them, and who thought for them,
who was ready to act for them, and who conde-
scended to be the instrument of their prejudices
and their passions, would be cheered so lustily by
these blind bawlers, that they would at last discover
that they had bawled him into absolute power over
their party and themselves."

We are authorised to say that there is not a
shadow of truth in the foregoing statement, the
whole being without foundation.

A letter fram Cherbourg gives some particulars
of the visit of the Prince Imperial to that port. His
Imperial Highness visited at 9 in the morning of Wednes-
day the breakwater, the colossal work so often abandoned
and recommended, and finally terminated under Napoleon
111. After bteakfasting, the Prince, in the uniform of a
Corporal of the Grenadiers of the Guard, accompanied by
his youthful friend, Louis Conneau, General Frossard, his
Governor, and Vice-Admiral Reynaud, Maritime Prefect,
visited the vessels lying in the roadstead, and went succes-
sively on board the iron-plated frigates the Savoie, the Gau-
loise, the Guyenne, and the following smaller craft—the
Gorgon°, the Corse, the Clorinde, and the Beaumanoir. The
sailors were all drawn up ou deck, and heartily cheered the
Prince. There was no sham fight, as had been announced
and many were consequently disappointed. At half-past
one the Imperial yacht re-entered the military port amid
the acclamations of the assembled multitude. On landing
the Prince received the chief officers of the marine service,
and a group of young girls of all ranks presented him, by
the hand of Mdllo. Reynaud, daughter of the Admiral,
with a handsome bouquet—that young lady requesting at
the same time permission to embrace his Imperial High-
ness, which was graciously accorded. The Prince also paid
a visit to several of the workshops, and was everywhere
warmly received. One young boy of 11, son of the Sapper
Bougeard, of the Ist Regiment of the Marine, in the name
of his youthful companions, the children of the regi-
ment, wished his Imperial Highness a hearty welcome
and presented him with another bouquet. The Prince
thanked them in a few well-chosen words and embraced
young Bougeard. Every one here is charmed with the
intelligence and graceful bearing of his Imperial Highness
The Prince left Cherbourg at noon for Brest, in the midst
of loud acclamations from an immense crowd. He
reached Brest at 6 o'clock on Friday morning. At 1
he went to the Maritime Prefecture, where the ptincipa 1
authorities and the Bishop of Quimper awaited hint. He
traversed the town in an open carriage in the midst of the
warmest acclamations. After a drive in the environs and
through the faubourgs, the Prince visited the Borda
school, the pupils receiving him with great enthusiasm.
He remained two hours among them.
In the Court of Common Pleas on Saturday an action
was tried before Mr. Justice Willes for the recovery of
damages for wrongful dismissal. The plaintiff was a
school-teacher, and the defendant was the proprietor of
Byron House Academy at Ealing. In April last year the
latter engaged the plaintiff, an Irishman, as an assistant
English tutor, at a salary of £3O a year, in addition to
board and lodging. One of the plaintiff 'a duties was to
take the boys to church on Sunday, and he, being a Catho-
lic, declined to do so, unless he was allowed to go to his
own church either before or afterwards. The plaintiff's
case was that the defendant thereupon gave him notice to
leave his employment in a fortnight, but subsequently said
that he might remain until the end of the quarter. When
the quarter ended the defendant enclosed to the plaintiff
a cheque for £3 13s. 6d., being the balance due for two
months' salary. The plaintiff contended that it was a
yearly engagement, and in cross-examination ho denied
that the defendant took him only on trial. Ho did not
tell the defendant at his first interview that he was a
Catholic, because he did not think it necessary to do so.
The defence was that the plaintiff was taken only upon
trial, the defendant's custom being not to make any en-
gagement with teachers until he had tested their abilities.
Another assistant teacher named Pitman said that the
plaintiff had told him that he had come to an arrangement
with the defendant to leave it at the end of the quarter
Mr. Justice Willes left it to the jury to say what the
plaintiff's engagement was, and what notice he was en-
titled to. The jury expressed their opinion that the plain-
tiff ought to have had three months' notice, and they
found a verdict for him for £l6 10s.

From the more detailed account of the murder of
D'Arcy M'Gee it appears that after leaving the Parliament
House—where he had delivered an eloquent speech on the
position of Nova Scotia with respect to the North Ameri-
can Confederation—ho was about to enter his lodgings,
when ho was shot through the head. Death was instan-
taneous. The motive of the assassin is still uncertain, but
the general idea is that the bullet was aimed by a Fenian
hand. Great excitement prevailed at Canada in conso
quence of the atrocious outrage, and the Government had
offered a very large reward for the discovery of the as-
sassin.

The general sitting of the Council of State was
on Thursday interrupted by a sad incident. Count Duboio,
one of the members, formerly Director-General of Rail-
ways, was suddenly struck with apoplexy and died almost
instantaneously. He was the son of Dubois, member of
the Convention under the first Republic, but who subse-
quently abjured his Republican doctrines, and accepted
the post of Senator and the title of count from the Emperor
Napoleon. This melancholy incident occurred in full
council while M. Dubois was in the act of speaking.
_ _

One of the Ftench law courts has just had to
decide a singular question. A person recently deceased
had left by will to a poor needlewoman, during her life
soup and boiled beef for every day in the year. The point
to be established was the sum which such a legacy repre-
sented. The tribunal has fixed it at If. 25c. per day.
It is stated on competent authority that at thi
moment at least 40,000 working men, colliers, ironworkerS,
and others, are "at play"—that is, on strike, doing 120-
thing, or perhaps worse than nothing—because they and
their employers cannot agree as to the wages which in the
present condition of trade ought to be paid for work.
On Thursday night a mob of some 400 men and
boys attacked the Catholic chapel, Dukinfield, in Stai'
bridge, smashed the windows, split the crucifix, and tore
down every ornament on which they could lay handS'
There was so little valour in them, however, that a ser-
geant of police and four officers dispersed them. Many
of the rioters carried loaded staves. Seven who wore cap-
tured have been committed for riot and felony to Chester
Assizes.

The Charivari publishes a woodcut representing
an auctioneer, hammer in hand, offering for sale a statuette
dressed like the god Mars, and bearing on his shield the
word " War." Below the high official seat stand a number
of persons in uniform—Austrian, French, Prussian, Eng"
lish, &c. " Come, gentlemen," says the salesman, " v4l°
will bid for this fine lot ? ' War ?' Who desires war ?
No one will have it ? You have all well considered end
decided ? No ? Withdrawn for want of bidding."
The ball given for the benefit of the English poor
in Paris at the Grand Hotel on Thursday night was verY
successful. There were a good many Americans, soars
Russians, and generally a fair sprinkling of foreigners...
The noble hall of the Grand Hotel was brilliantly
nated and handsomely decorated.