The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 28, 1868.

Radical candidate at the coming election, which one
of the most prominent members of the party rcently
avowed -was indispensable to them. With Mr.
JOHNSOn at the White House there was no hope
that pledges would be given, promises mode, places
reserves ], or any of the official machinery set to
work which usually plays so conspicuous a part in
the grad four years' struggle. Having made this
confeagion and lost the game, the Radical party
will start in the autumnal contest under an avowed
disadvantage. In the United States, like the rest
of the, world, success is very apt to be virtue and
misfortune blame; and a good many persons will
be influenced, perhaps unconsciously, by the vote
of the Senate Court. Had the trial ended
the other Ray, and had Mr. WADE been
installed at the White House, we should
have seen some strange proceedings if we are to
judge from his own declarations. It is not sur-
prising, with his plans prepared and his own eleva-
tion in prospect, that Mr. WADE should have been
among those who found Mr. JOHNSON " Guilty."
The Southern States have now room for hope, since
their friends are not altogether overriden, and Mr.
JOHNSON still holds the helm ; but there are troubles
still in the way, and many difficulties, we fear, must
be overcome before the STEVENS and BUTLER fac-
tion find themselves powerless for evil.

The Jamaica Committee have been showing such
energy in the prosecution of their cause that it is
certainly most requisite for the friends of Mr.
EYRE to bestir themselves. Mr. BUXTON'S famous
letter has been commented on in the House of Com-
mons, and no wonder, for it was a most mischievous
effusion, and worded so cautiously that it was far
more calculated to do mischief than a more
decided epistle which brought direct charges
against the accused. The worst part of it was
that passage in which he alluded to the " vast sums
at Mr. EYRE'S disposal," because it was open to the
interpretation that he prejudged the matter in
order to stop those who might be eager to
help one placed in straits, though no fault of his
own. The remark came with all the worse grace
from one who had himself been so liberal in helping
the other side. The cheque for three hundred
pounds, which Mr. BUXTON thought fit to bestow
upon the Jamaica Committee, did away with a
great deal of the impression that would otherwise
have been made by his considerate language towards
Mr. EYRE, and his hopes that the present Govern-
ment might undertake his defence, and so on.
Facts are btubborn things, and the most elaborate
harangues cannot do away with them. Perhaps some
blame must be given to the recipientsof this donation
for the great fuss they made about it, and for their
eagerness to publish the letters sent to them by the
same hand. On the whole it is fortunate that they
should have . done so, because it has shown very
clearly the spirit that animates the course of the
prosecutors. It is not at all in accordance with
English notions of honour and justice that a man
should be sacrificed to suit the tactics of a preju-
diced set, who have set reason at defiance, and
whose factious feeling has no bounds. We do not
give much for the philosophy or the philanthropy
that can thus devote themselves to the attain-
ment of so despicable an object as that of
ruining a man who has done his best
in the service of his country because the
absurd notions of these virtues do not accord with
the spirited course that befits the Governor of an
English colony ; he must, forsooth, be made the
victim of their prejudices, and the friends of those
justly condemned for their crimes in Jamaica are
to have the pleasure of knowing that their wrongs
have been revenged by the discomfiture of one who
outwitted their designs and crushed their murderous
attempt. Let us hope that English law is not so
perverse as to suit the views of these maniac-
minded schemers ; and we may rest assured that
English spirit will not allow some part of their work
at least to be accomplished, for sufficient subscriptions
will flow in to enable Mr. EYRE'S', Defence Fund to
meet the emergencies that may arise.
It is worth while to notice the change that came
over Earl RUSSELL during the course of years. An
extract taken from a speech of the noble earl's in
1851, addressed to the House of Commons on the
subject of the rebellion in " Ceylon," shows that he
adopted a tone in accordance with the sense and
spirit which should distinguish an English Minister.
He distinctly stated that the Government believed
they ought to place confidence in a governor when
they found him zealously performing his duty, and
endeavouring to preserve the colony in allegiance
to her MAJESTY; and he added, " We ought not to
threw any censure upon him, a question upon
which, if there
tcould be any difference of opinion,
he was much more likely to judge rightly from the
circumstances before him, with the assistance of
his adviser." How different is this language to
the words employed by the noble Earl when he
received the deputation on the subject of the
Jamaica rebellion. We may also observe that Mr.
CARDWELL'S despatch, of June, 1866, states that,
concerning the proclamation of " Martial Law,
under the Island Act, the Government agree that
the Council had good reasons for the advice
which they gave, and that the Governor was
well justified in acting upon that advice."
What becomes then of all the fuss and ferment of
the Jamaica Committee upon this point, and the
scruples they profess to feel as to the validity of the
course taken to put down the rebellion ? The fact
is, that they will not read what does not suit their
purpose, and take one side of the question, if even
that was done with a bitterness and a constancy
that cannot be surpassed. Nothing can justify the
treatment which Mr. EYRE received at the hands of
I the Liberal Government, and it will remain a lasting
I disgrace to them that they sacrificed a brave and
lefficient servant of the Crown to the clamour of
a faction, and the prejudices of fanaticism.
The more we consider their course the more un-
worthy does it seem, and the act of suspending his
authority before the Commission of Inquiry was a
great piece of injustice, seeing it put him wrong
before that important affair came off. It virtu-
ally condemned him unheard, and he thus lost ad-
vantages he never could regain.
Surely, in all conscience, Mr. EYRE had suffered
enough, and more than enough, already to satisfy
the most enthusiastic votary of rebellion, or the
post devoted negropholist that existed ; but no.
Mr. MILL and some others think diffe-
rently, and accordingly we have this prosecution
continually before us. Mr. EYRE is indeed leniently
dealt with, he has done his best, and his reward
is persecution and imprisonment in the eyes of
some high-minded individuals. There is no doubt
that he will be acquitted, but that will not make
him amends for the harass he is compelled to endure;
and, besides, we are told that if this case fails
another will be begun on different grounds. If this
should prove true let the constituents of those who
figure so prominently in the affair demand from
them the resignation of the trust that they are
abusing, for we defy them to show that any
body of electors can approve of such a
course as that they are following. Even if another
. trial be not entered upon, we would suggest that,
for the honour of Liberal principles, not a single
member of the Jamaica Commitee &mould be
) allowed to sit in the new Parliament, Public

opinion may be outraged very far, but the day of
reckoning will come for all that, and Mr. Evn's
cause may yet be vindicated in a manner and with
an effect that his detractors little dream of, so in-
fatuated are they with the sense of their own
judgment and the idea of their peculiar notions
gaining the ascendancy.

Nearly forty years have elapsed since the Royal
Geographical Society was first formed, and during
that time its earliest members have lived to see
most marvellous changes. They have witnessed
an extension of geographical knowledge so rapid as
to have exceeded their most sanguine expectations,
and a development of science such as could never
have been expected. If we compare the geographi-
cal science of to-day with the geographical science
of 1830, we shall find cause for congratulation on
the achievements of the past, and hope for the future.
Steam, that mighty agent in so many great
and beneficial changes, has greatly facilitated the
diffusion of geographical knowledge by the vast
stimulus it has given to travelling, while the ad-
vance of education has had something to do with
the increased and increasing desire to know all
about foreign countries and remote parts of the
world. The wars and revolutions which have
happily spared ourselves have been busy in other
parts of the globe, and every reader of a newspaper
necessarily picks up a good deal of information
which his grandfather would only have acquired by
direct and laborious study. How many people of
ordinary education knew the exact positions of the
Crimea and Odessa in 1830 ? How many could have
readily pointed to Delhi and Lucknow on the map ?
How many could at once have answered, when
asked in which of the United States to find Rich-
mond or Charleston, Chicago "or Detroit ? Now-
adays we know more about the interior of Africa
than our predecessors did of its coasts, and every
day, thanks to the adventurous pioneers of civili-
sation, our knowledge is growing and spreading.
Under these circumstances the annual meeting of
the Geographical Society, held on Monday at Bur-
lington House, was full of gratifying reminiscences,
and the report of the Council gave satisfactory
evidence of the valuable assistance rendered by the
Society in the diffusion of knowledge and the en-
couragement of enterprise.

LATEST INTELL MENGE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, WEDNESDAY, May 27.
The Council of State remains obstinate. After meeting
again on Monday, and discussing the reduction in the
amount of the loan recommended by the Budget Commis-
sion, it was decided to maintain the original amount. It
is now stated that the report of M. Gressier upon the loan
will be presented to the Corps L4gislatif to-morrow, and
that the report of M. Busson-Billault upon the ordinary
and extraordinary Budgets of 1869 will be forthcoming
next week. No doubt they will give rise to a very
warm discussion. M. Thiers is, I hear, preparing a great
speech, denouncing the financial policy of the Govern-
ment, and re-opening the discussion on free trade. We
are expecting also a lively debate in the Senate on the
Public Meetings Bill. This measure; like the one on the
Press, was very much criticised in the Lower House
because it was not sufficiently liberal. In the Upper
House it will be criticised for being dangerously liberal.
The Constitutionncl, speaking, no doubt, with the voice of
the Government, appeals to the Senate to-day not to reject
the bill, but to support the Emperor in his policy, which
is described as neither Radical nor reactionary.
The belief that a general election is at hand strengthens.
Politicians in the departmentof the Seine—in other words,
Paris—are already preparing for a very sharp fight.
It is uuderstood that though Prince Napoleon goes to
Constantinople, he will not take Gallicia on the way.
General Tarr was to have met him, but the visit of a
prince of such strong Polish sympathies to any part of
Poland excited such disquietude at csrtain European
Courts, that in order to avoid arousing their jealousy his
Imperial Highness will keep clear of that country.
The quarrel between the Algerine Archbishop and
Governor appears to become more bitter every day. On
the one hand, Marshal M`Mahon sent to the Emperor a
number of letters from Arabs complaining that their chil-
dren had been baptised against the parents' wishes; on
the other. hand, Mgr. Lavigerie presented letters from
Arabs praying him to send Christian missionaries to them.
There is now talk of the Archbishop excommunicating the
Governor ; but I suppose the quarrel will hardly be per-
mitted to go so far as that. It was rumoured to-day that
the Archbishop had triumphed, and that M. Belie,
formerly Minister of Agriculture, had been appointed
governor in the Marshal's place. On the other hand, it is
stated that the Archbishop has had a very cold reception
from the Empress.
The Tunis difficulty is in a fair way of settlement.
Lord Stanley has obtained terms on behalf of the
English creditors with which he. professes himself con-
tent ; and the Italian Government, though by no means
satisfied, will now in all probability give way, since hitherto
itlas acted in concert with England.
There is a rumour that Count Cambray-Digny is about
to raise a new loan for Italy, and that it will be contracted,
not at Paris, but at Berlin. If this be true, it will be a
marked proof of the growing estrangement between France
and Italy, and the increasing rapprochement between the
Courts of Florence and Berlin.

Prince Achille Murat and his bride are starting for
Mingrelia, where they will spend several months on the
princely domains of the lady's family. The Prince is quite
an Anglophile. His household is entirely English ; and if his
grandfather, the splendid cavalry officer and unfortunate
King of Naples, were to return to this world, he would
be not a little astonished to find the • language of his
ancient foes de rigueur in the house of his descendant.

The second Monday ball given by the Empress was
attended by between 800 and 000 persons. Among the
guests were Prince Napoleon, who had a long talk with the
Emperor about his (the Prince's) journey to the East, his
wife, the Princess Clotilde, the Princess Mathilde, the
Prince and Princess Metternich, Madame Rouher and her
daughter, Madame de la Valette, who came express from
Sercey to reassure the Emperor respecting the health of
the Minister of State, which has caused much anxiety.
There was also a large number of English and American
ladies. Mr. Hubert Jerningham, who is attached to the
Embassy, and has, I believe, appeared as an author, took
theplace of the Marquis de Caux—who is in England with
his fiancée, the diva Patti—and danced the cotillon with
Mdlle. Jurien de la Gravibre, daughter of the admiral.
The heat was most oppressive.
There has been much talk the last few days of a quarrel
between a well-known journalist and a nobleman. At the
Exposition dcs Beaux Arts this year there is a picture of
the execution of Marshal Ney. In describing this picture,
M. Rochefort, editor of the Figaro, expressed his opinion
of the marshal with tolerable freedom. Thereupon the
marshal's descendant, the Prince of Moskowa, sent a
challenge to M. Rochefort. The latter gentleman has de-
clined to accept it, inasmuch as it is an encroachment
upon the right of free historical discussion. There is no
doubt that he is right. M. Rochefort will in consequence
of this wise decision be free to devote all his efforts to
bringing out his new journal, La Lanterne. The first
number appears on. Saturday.
The brilliant weather we have had lately has produced
a most satisfactory effect upon the corn market.
price of wheat fell 101. in forty-eight hours.

The Berlin official journals positively deny the state-
ment of the Neue Pixie Freese and Morning Pest, that Dord
Stanley had written a diplomatic circular to the forygn
Governments with the view of bringing abotit a general
disarmament. There are no signs of any such measure
being taken. The report is equally denied that the
British Government had advised the Prussian to restrain
the discussions of the Customs Parliament to.non-political
subjects. Count Bismarck has declared that nothing will
prevent Prussia from receiving the South German States
into the Confederation, should they desire to enter.
Herr Bamberger, the member of the Customs Parlia-
ment who moved the Unity Address, has written a letter
to his constituents, in which he states that Count Bismarck
is strongly opposed to a war with France, and views such
a contingency as a real calamity for civilisation, even
though Prussia should win. Herr Bamberger adds that
many persons blame the Minister for having accepted the
line of the Mein, in order to avoid war with France two
years ago, and for having neglected to declare war against
France on the Luxemburg question last year. Herr Barn-
berger does not share that opinion, but thinks that the
Minister's moderation on those two occasions did himmore
credit than the most skilful diplomacy would have done.
He adds : " So long as it is not proved with mathematical
precision that war will take place whatever happens, our
first duty is to avoid it, and to give a sufficient margin of
time for delivering Europe from a state of things which
exposes her to that danger."
After the prorogation of the Customs Parliament
twenty-six of the South German members drew up an
address to their constituents, in which they stated that
experience had sliew'n them it was not to the advantage of
South Germany to enter the Confederation. The pre-
ponderancy given in the North to military projects must
lead to the serious increase of taxation and arrest the
moral and material progress of Germany. It was the
duty of the South German States, while maintaining the
most friendly relations with the Confederation, to pre-
serve their own autonomy.

The Cretan insurgent council has held a meeting at
which it was decided that unless Greece declared war
against Turkey it was useless to carry on the insurrection.
Four of the chiefs were to leave for Athens in a blockade-
runner, in order to ascertain the intentions of King
George's Government. There is little probability that
he will take such an extreme step as the Cretans desire,
and it is therefore highly probable that the insurrection
will shortly come to an end. The chiefs have asked
the advice of England, and there is no doubt that this
will be in favour of submission. The Turks have
constructed a succession of blockhouses over the
island ; those towards the plain of Omalos are strongly
built, and capable of securely holding about 800 men
equipped. The advantage of these small detachments of
armed and dispersed soldiery is obvious, as in the event of
a riot in a village a few soldiers can at once be thrown
out and stop the disturbance.

Some time ago the punishment of death was abolished
for all crimes except high treason, and corporal punish-
ment was substituted. Latterly, this too has been done
away with, and twenty years of imprisonment with hard
labour was made the penalty for murder and other serious
crimes. The change has had the effect of increasing those
crimes, and the Government has therefore resorted to a
subterfuge by which they were made mimes against the
sovereign, and tried as such. Thereupon, a well-known
journalist, named Aksakow, has protested against this
abuse, and for protesting he has received a warning—his
second. This, together with the unconstitutional device
of the Government, has so disgusted him that he contem-
plates abandoning his profession and leaving Russia.
It is asserted that the Grand Duchess Maria, only
daughter of the Czar, is to- be affianced. to the Crown
Prince of Saxe-Weimar, who is now at St. Petersburg.
-The Grand Duchess is the Czar's fourth child, and was
born Oct. .17, 3853. The Crown Prince, who is grandson
of the Emperor Paul, and therefore a cousin of the Grand
Duchess, was born July 31, 1844.
A general telegraphic congress is about to be held at
Vienna. It will be proposed to reduce the tariff on
despatches between Italy and Germany to 4fr., and to
lower the rate in Italy itself very considerably, so that a
telegram of fifteen words will only cost lfr., and 10c. for
every adlitional word. No doubt our own telegraphic
companies in connection with Italy and the East will
feel the full benefit of this reduction. The idea enter-
tained some time ago in Italy, and which had taken
the form of serious negotiations, of transferring all the
ttlegraphs from the Government to private enterprise and,
superintendence, apparo t9_be quite 4bps4pid,