The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-31 00:00:00

THE SUN,

men, and these, moreover, " good troops,"are actually
collected together at Wittensen.

What appears to be wholly undeniable, however,
in reference to the Schleswig-Holstein army, is the
fact that those portions cf it engaged at Idstedt
(constituting almost the entire of the German forces
dispatched against Denmark by the Coalition) evinced
on that occasion the most stubborn and resolute
bravery. This circumstance, nevertheless, while it
removes all disgrace from the fact of their discom-
fiture, enhances in a very considerable degree the
glory acquired by the Danes in that achievement.
When it is considered that courage of the most bril-
liant character was displayed by the forces opposed
to those under the command of General KROGH, the
importance of the triumph secured by his generalship
to the banners of Denmark becomes materially in-
creased and exalted in our estimation. The victory
of the Danish captain, then, appears before us
in its true light, not as an accidental success
obtained over an inferior body of opponents,
but as a heroic conquest over the most formidable
obstacles—a conquest proving his own capacities as a
commander, and the strength of that patriotic devo-
tion which seems likely to be more effectual than
foreign interposition in maintaining the rights of the
Danish sovereignty.
A vigorous employment of the advantages already
secured to the Danes by the battle of Idstedt must
perceptibly tend to accelerate the settlement of existing
differences. - Prussia would of course, without ques-
tion, exult in an opportunity of so far prolonging
the war as to enable her soldiers in some measure
to reduce their recent losses ; yet, considering the
steps already taken by the mediating Governments,
we cannot but feel satisfied that every effort will be
made in order to bring the conflict to a conclusion as
speedily as possible. Especially are we disposed to
think thus when the sanguinary nature of the late
engagement is borne in recollection. Even the
darkest estimate given in the first intelligence appears
to have been scarcely exaggerated in any particular,
the number of killed and wounded being from 3,000
to 4,000. After a victory of this decisive character, it
were strange indeed if the Danes relaxed in their
efforts to insist upon the claims of their Government ;
equally strange if the Schleswig-Holsteiners pre-
served the same confidence in their energies ; and
most strange of all if the rest of the powers of
Christendom, or some of them at least, did
not make some endeavours to prevent the recurrence
of similar carnage. From all these considerations
we are disposed to look more hopefully to the speedy
and satisfactory settlement of the Schleswig-Holstein
question—a- question hitherto of almost intermi-
nable difficulty. Gladly shall we recognize the day
wht-n this protracted quarrel is brought to a con-
elwicn, the opposite demands of the belligerents
being reconciled not by bloodshed but diplomacy.

There is a scene in The Critic in which all the par-
ties on the stege are involved in what Mr. PUFF accu-
rately termed a "dead lock." Each person, althou2ll
fully armed, with dagger impending over his enemy's
bosom, is afraid to strike, lest the slightest move-
ment on his part might produce a fatal blow from
his antagonist. None can conceive how the diffi-
culty can be evaded, or what is to be the next step in
the drama. Such is the position in which the House
of Commons is now placed, through its own ab-
surdly conflicting decisions, and the inconsistent and
vacillating conduct of the First Lard of the Trea-
sury. Lord JOHN RUSSELL first declares that the
subject " alone ought to be treated as a strictly judi-
cial question," and in the very same speech he pro-
nounces his opinion on a point which at that time
was coram non judice—which had not been argued,
which was not even under discussion at the time.
The question before the House was, whether Baron
ROTHSCHILD should be sworn on the Old Testament,
that being the form which he declared to be roost
binding on his conscience, and the Premier takes
the opportunity of declaring his opinion on a portion
of the oath itself, declaring " that it is not in
the power of the House to dispense with the words
' on the true faith of a Christian,' and that whenever
the question came to be debated, he should feel it his
duty to vote against the omission of these words from
the oath." This was certainly not according to the
usual or ordinary practice of the occupants of the
bench of justice—we doubt if any one of " the great
unpaid" would venture to pronounce his judgment
in anticipation, before hearing the defence, or before
the question had even been opened on either side.
We have heard of but one precedent for such a course,
and we might almost have fancied that the venu e
was changed from St. Stephen's to a place not to
be mentioned to ears polite.
" Gnosius hcec Rhodamanthus hebet durissinia regna
Cas;igatque auditgue dolos, subigiegue fiteri."

There the Noble Lord presides, with despotic au-
thority judging according to the letter, and not to the
spirit of the law, first pronouncing his decision and
then hearing arguments.

It is indeed difficult to conceive on what ground
the Noble Lord could have been induced to adopt a
proceeding in every respect so extraordinary, and so
contrary to his usual practice. It can only be
accounted for in one way, viz., that the Minis-
try in general, and himself more especially,
not only as its head, but as one of the Representatives
of the city of London, would ensure serious obloquy
if, after keeping the matter in suspense during three
Parliamentary sessions, the difficulty should be ca-
pable of a solution so very simple and obvious. It
was, therefore, to be resisted by every means, per fas
aut nefas, to be made a Cabinet question ; and it was
necessary that a pretty decisive intimation should be
given to the "Ministerial hangers•on" and the
"waiters on Providence," to show in what manner
their votes are to be given, and to guard against their
committing themselves in any manner.
Let us now see into what a tissue of inconsisten-
cies and absurdities the Howe has fallen under the
guidance of the Noble Lord. First, it was decided
that Baron RoTuscniLD was entitled to be sworn on
the Old Testament, that being the form which he de-
clared to be moat binding on his conscience. The
practical effect of this resolution was that the sub-
stance and not the form of the oath was the only
matter of importance. But when every single portion
of the promissory part of the oath had been taken,
when the Honourable Baron merely emitted the last
words, " on the true faith of a Christian," which
are clearly but a portion of " the jurat," " the sanc-
tion," or " confirmation" of the oath, and which the
fact of the rejection of the New Testament by the
Hon. Gentleman distinctly proved, would necessarily
be rejected as not " binding on the conscience," he
was again ordered to withdraw, these words being
considered essential, and part of the " substance."
the Muse thus expecting that a person swearing on
the Old Testament should do so " on the true faith
of a Christian."

Again, the seat for the city of London must
either be full or vacant, and if the latter, the
citizens- are most assuredly entitled to claim the
immediate issue of a writ for the election
of a representative. The Right Hon. Gentleman the
Member for Abingdon accordingly moved that a new
writ should be issued. This was met by an amend-
ment, proposed by the Hon. Member for the city of
Oxford, " that the seat of Baron LIONEL DE Rorns-
CHILD, as one of the Members for the city of London,
is full?' One or the other of these should clearly be
carried. "If the seat was not full," there was a va-
cancy in the representation, and the writ should be
issued. But both were rejected, the amendment by
a majority of 104, there being 221 to 117 against it ;
while the original motion was—not vvithdown—but
a majority so decisive that no division
nweags Lttai vkeed by
taken.
.

How, then, is the HousA to be extricated from
this " pretty considerable fix" in which it is involved?
Through whose agency is the desideratum to be at-
tained ? The Attorney-General is the Deus ex ma-
Mind, who is to solve every difficulty by some bril-
liant move, the nature of which is to be explained
to-morrow, but which is not to be discussed until
Monday—or rather, to carry out the original parallel,
the Hon. and Learned Gentleman is to enact the
part of " Beefeater," and, "in the name of the
QUEEN, to command them all to drop a:ea. swords
and daggers." Although we anticipate some tolerably
simple contrivance, we confess to no ordinary
anxiety to learn the course about to be adopted. We
fear that it will afford anew illustration of the " par-
turient mountain," that the forthcoming offsp/ing
may not be worthy of the intense expectation which
it has excited. We must, however, bridle our cu-
riosity, and patiently,_ await the promised explanatiop,'

LONDON,

which will at least achieve one great object, that it
will procrastinate and delay the proceedings, so that
the supplies may be all voted, and Parliament pro-
rogued, before a new election for the city of London,
when the triumphant return of Baron LIONEL DE
ROTHSCHILD for the third time would afford a grand
moral demonstration which would not be slighted or
despised. Perhaps the rather significant hint of the
Hon. and Gallant Gentleman the Member for Mid-
dlesex had no trifling effect in producing this further
postponement.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris journals of yesterday.
The Assembly on Monday disposed of all the arti•
cies of the budget of expenses, and voted the budget
as a whole by a majority of 243, the numbers being
Ayes, 398; Noes, 155.

The Moniteur du Soir publishes the following sn
nouneement

" The sub-committee appointed by the committee on
the budget has made its report on the subject of con-
ceding the working of the Paris and Lyons Railway to a
company. The report recommends the concession on
the following conditions: Ninety-nine years' lease;
guarantee of 4 per cent, for 60 years on the capital ex-
pended; the capital fixed at a maximum of 190 millions;
division of the profits with the state over and above 8
per cent.; reimbursement to the state of 65 millions, fif-
teen in cash and fifty in annuities, with interest. The
sb.ive only relates to the line from Paris to Lyons. The
state to commence immediately the works on the Lyons to
Avignon Railway. The Minister will demand a credit of
18 millions on the estimates of the year 1850, and a simi-
lar credit on the succeeding one, for the works of that
important portion which will join the Ocean to the
Mediterraneln. M. Vitet has been named reporter,
and will at the next sitting communicate to the Assem-
bly the resAution of the Committee, which is favourable
to the adoption of the Government Bill. The Assembly
will then decide as to the urgency of the measure,
and whether it will or will not be discussed before the
propagation."
It is announced that General L AMOR,ICIERE will be
one of the candidates for the Presidency in 1852.
The Minister of the Interior laid on the table of
the Assembly yesterday a Bill for regulating the
National Guards. lle did not explain the details of
his measure.

The Government has received the following dis-
patch from the French Minister, dated Athens, 18th
instant

"Monsieur le Ministre,—l have the honour to int
form you that •the convention agreed upon between
the Cabinets of Paris and of London, and destined to
put nn end to the differences between Greece and
Great Briatain, has just been signed in my presence
by the Minister of her Britannic Majesty and the Mi-
nister of Foreign Affairs of iiing Ono, Immediately
after the signature M. Londos declared to Mr. Wyse
that he was authorised to say that his Hellenic Majesty
would ratify. the convention. I will send you by the
❑eat courier a copy, signed and ratified, of the conven-
tion in question.

(Signed) " THOUVENEL."
We find the following in the Siecle, on the subject
of the differences which are said to have existed be-
tween the Minister of 'War .and General CEIAN-
GARNIER:—" The general subject of conversation in
the lobbies, and on the benches of the majority= is a
very remarkable report, which has, it is said, been
drawn up by General PP.EVAL and presented to the
PRESIDENT of the Repuolic, at the request of the
latter. M. Louis NAPOLI•MN BONAPARTE, tired, it
is said, of the intermicable differences and perpetu.il
conflicts which arise between General CLIANGARZCIER
and the Minister of War, reTtesteil General PREVAL to
submit a report to him in which the respec positions
of the Minister of War and of the Commandant of the
Army of Paris should be clearly defined according to
the laws and regulations of the army, as well as to mi-
litary traditions. The report of General PREYAL is
said to be a complete treatise on the matter, deve-
lo,sed with all the authority of tcience and of long
experience. The conclusions, if we may credit the
reports, which have reached us, are not at all favourable
to the exorbitant pretensions of General CUANGAR-
mEn, and the PRESIDENT is said to have been
touched at the arguments on which the experienced
author of the report has founded his opinion. We
wuuld not dare to affirm that the communication of
thiS important document will cause any modification
whatever in the hierachic relations of the Minister of
War ,and. General CRANGARNIER, but it would be to he
regretted it this important wurk of General PEEVAL
were to remain shut up in the cartons and not to be
made use of to enlighten public opinion on such a
delicate and complicated point."
The Legitimatists are very active in their endea-
vours to procure the restoration of HENRI V., and do
not scruple openly to avow their intentions.
A letter from Toulon, of the 25th, says :—" The
day before yesterday the Grondeur steamer arrived
from Civita Vecchia with dispatches from the com-
manding officer of the French ships in that port fJr
the Maritime Prefect. The squadron has, as you
know, quitted Naples, and the most conflictieg sur-
mises are afloat on the subject. Some persons send
it into the Tagus, others to Tunis, and what gives
some air of probability to the latter supposition is, the
departure of the Chimire for Tunis, with a large
quantity of provisions and stores. The most generally
received opinion is that the French fleet has put to sea
to exercise the crews, half of whom are composed of
newly-raised levies, and that when the exercises are
over it will return to Toulon to revictual, unless any
unforeseen incident should imperiously call for its
presence elsewhere.

PARIS BOURSE, JULY 30.—Closing prices—Rentes
Five per Cents., 96f. 80c.; ditto, I'i:tree per Cents.,
58f. 20v. ; Bank of France, 2,360 f.

BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
. LONDON STOCK-EXCIIANGE, JULY 30.
Boulogne and Amiens, 734—Central of France (Orleans
and Vierzon), Is—East Indian, 734—Orleans and Bour-
deaux, 3—Paris and Rouen, 2.41.

SPAIN.
Madrid journals of the 25th have arrived.
Lord llownEst was expected to arrive in Madrid
on the following day.
The Heralds of Madrid, of the 25th, says that,
during the QUEEN'S illnes4, the Queen of ENGLAND
sent frequently to the Spanish Ambassador at Lon-
don to inquire after her MAJESTY. The Gazette
contains a Royal decree ordering that for the future
the supreme .tribunal of the army and navy shall con-
sist•of six generals and two admirals. A Valentia
journal announces that a man named Bou, a noted
chief of Montemolinist bands, had been arrested in that
city, whilst endeavouring to raise a new band. The
25th being a fete day, the Stock Exchange was not
open.