The Sun.
London, England, 1868-09-07 00:00:00

TUE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 7, 1868.

last two years since Mr. GLADSTONE resigned office
on the rental and rating question. The hon. ba-
ronet has been a consistent supporter cf Reform,
and lent his aid to the leader of the party
in introducing their measure. It was not
surprising, therefore, that he expresses his faith in
the future success of its working, and declared he
had no fear of the " leap in the dark." The advice
he tendered to the working men was very wise when
he told them to come to Parliament to seek redress
instead of following the mischievous device of form-
ing combinations. The condition of the agricul-
tural labourer is one that must engage attention in
the new Parliament, and those who, like Sir L.
PALK, have hitherto suggested measures for that
purpose, have some claim on the regard of the
electors. The other day the Lord-Lieutenant
alluded to this subject in connection with Ire-
land, and it may be truly affirmed that a good
deal has to be done in this country also before
we can fee satisfied that our duty has been
done. If some of the agitators would be a
little more practical, and bring the real evils that
the working classes suffer now clearly before them,
some good might be effected, but they keep to
generalities instead of trying to remedy a special
grievance. The condition of the dwellings of the
labourers might be improved, and the sooner steps
are taken in that direction the better for all parties
concerned. It involves not only the comfort
of the tenant and the credit of the land-
lord, but also the reputation of the coun-
try, for it is scandalous that any faults of
this nature should exist, when so much is done in
the way of social improvement in all directions,
and so much pr )gress has been made in many
others. Lord COURTENAY, in the course of his re-
marks, claimed the credit of the Reform Bill for
the Conservative party, and upon some one calling
out that the Liberals had the merit of it, he very
properly retorted by asking why they had not
done it themselves during the nineteen years
they were in office. At the same time the
noble lord was no partial advocate, for he admitted
that there were some parts of the bill which he did
not altogther like, but he adopted the wise plan of
supporting it all through, believing it to be the
best they could get under the circumstances of the
case, and also that it would settle the question.
This last reason is not a very cogent ono according
to the dictum of Mr. BRIGHT and others, who are
already crying out that the work must be done
over again. It may be said, however, that had
the hon. member and his friends acted more in the
spirit that animated Lord COURTENAY and the chief
of the Conservative party, and supported the bill
under discussion because it suited the exigencies of
the occasion, instead of obstinately adhering to
their own prejudices, the public would not have had
to wait for so many years to have their wish accom-
plished. It is inconsistent for the Liberals to
seek to appropriate to themselves the credit of a
Reform measure having been passed through the
House, yet at the same time to say that it must be
reformed at once. This is all jealousy, and, as
some one observed the other day, at any rate Mr.
GLADSTONE has no right to attempt the change
when his own measure the year before did not go
half so far in a Liberal tendency as the one he now
sneers at.

On Saturday, a Conservative demonstration took
place at Stourport, the chief object of which was
to inaugurate a Working Men's Association at
Stourport on Conservative principles. To
the disgrace of some parties in the town
an attempt was made to put a stop to the pro-
cession, but it was not successful. Quite irrespec-
tive of party questions or political views, all who
love order, and respect the independent utterance
of opinions, must protest against such lawless con-
duct as this, and it is an insult to the sense of the
community. It is one of the chief boasts of our
country that meetings may be held without any
risk of interruption, and it is most unseemly that
such cowardly artifices should be resorted to. At
the meeting letters were read from many influen-
tial persons, among whom was Sir JOHN PAK-
INGTON. The right honourable baronet explained
why he did not deem it expelient to come
among them, but legally approved of the affair.
Such associations, he declared, were of great ser-
vice to the working men, enabling them to consider
the blessings they enjoyed as citizens of this free
country, and the importance of their " exercising
the franchise now conferred upon them in such a
manner as to maintain unimpaired those well-
balanced institutions to which we are indebted for
our liberties and prosperity." This is very true ;
and the increase of these associations, whatever
may be their political tendencies, is a sure sign of
the progress that has been made among the
working classes. It raises them in the social
scale to be connected with such institutions,
and it affords them an opportunity of understanding
more clearly the meaning of the questions put before
them, and the effect they will have upon the future
policy of the country.
Sir Join; PAKINGTON has issued an address to the
electors of Droitwich, and he defends the Govern-
ment from the " disingenuous and unjust" attacks
which certain politicians have made upon them in
the course of the last few weeks. He shows that
the charge of lavishly expending the public money
is an unfounded one, and that the Ministry have
only done their duty in providing for the exigencies
of the public service. With respect to the
Irish Church Sir Joirx is, of course, opposed to its
disestablishment, and denies that it will tend to
religious equality in Ireland. Mr. BERNAL Os-
BORNE has issued a very characteristic address to
the electors of Nottingham, in which he says that
indisposition prevents him appearing at a public
meeting, but as six or seven candidates are already
in the field, it is high time he should make known
his wishes. Of course Mr. OSBORNE must do some-
thing different from the rest of the world, so, as
others are constantly speaking of what they will
do in the future, he makes it his "pride"
to refer to the past, and recalls to
mind how great his services have been.
According to his own showing, however, he cannot
afford to rest from his labours just yet, for much
remains on hand. " Ireland has yet to be recon-
ciled, and England educated to her position."
Although we doubt if the hon. member can effect
all he seems to think he can he can ill be spared
from the House of Commons, for he is always en-
tertaining, and his habit of speaking the truth on
certain occasions is sometimes useful, if not very
convenient, for it puts persons on their mettle and
prevents too much mystery which is always unad-
visable in public affairs.

LATEST INTELL IGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

ITALY.

FLORENCE, Sept. 7.

Signor Cadorna, Minister of the Interior, has
resigned on account of ill health, and his resignation
has been accepted by the King.
Count Cantelli, Minister of Public Works, will
assume the vacant Ministry ad interim.
The company formed for working the tobacco
monopoly have sent to the Government the deposit
of 18,000,000 lire required as guarantee for the
carrying out of the undertaking.

VORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS,

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, SUNDAY, September 4
Lord Stanlei arrived at Paris yesterday, and MS
present at a grand dinner at the English Embassy, to
which the Marquis de Moustier was invited. The Queen
is expected to arrive here about the 10th.
The report is current that Count Bismarck is about to
pay a visit to some English watering-place. His fall has
resulted in a severe shock to the nervous system, and
change of air has been deemed necessary. Biarritz is con-
sidered ineligible, as furnishing too much pretext for
political surmises and comments. If the Prussian Minister
desires any benefit from the climate of Great Britain, the
sooner he avails himself of it the better. The great heat
of July and August may be followed by premature cold,
and an English watering-place during damp and foggy
weather is the most complete realisation of misery of
which I have any conception.
Political rumour for the present has seized upon tne
resident ambassadors here. Again and again it is said
that the Chevalier Nigra, finding his position too restricted
by the direct communication between the Governments of
Italy and France, has resolved to retire. It is added that
the discontented ambassador will attempt to gain the
Italian Embassy at London ; but the Chevalier Nigra was
ever on good terms with the Emperor, and it is most pro-
bable that he would be persuaded to abandon the inten-
tion of leaving Paris, if indeed he has ever seriously
contemplated such a step. It is also remarked that Prince
Metternich, notwithstanding his well-known intimacy at
the Tuileries, was not present at the reception of the
Count and Countess de Girgenti. The Austrian Ambas-
sador, after many false starts, is finally about to leave for
Johannisberg on a two months' vacation.
Amongst the many ridiculous stories of the doings and
sayings of the Prince Imperial, one floated by the corre-
spondent of the IndJpendance Beige has been deemed
worthy of an official contradiction. This writer, by no
means a contemptible authority, said that the Prince
Imperial had manifested strong religious sympathies, and
had remarked, " When I am Emperor I shall wish that
nobody be without religion." The official contradiction
gravely states that "at his present age the Prince Imperial
would not think of interfering with political matters." It
is simply absurd to attach such importance to the re-
marks of a mere child. The correspondent reported
the story as available gossip at a dull time, without
attaching any political significance to the remark.
In fact, no one would think of seriously interpreting any
childish statement from such a source. The correspon-
dent, however, returns to the charge, maintaining that
the story, though contradicted, is not disproved, and tells
another, out of sheer defiance, I presume. Some courtier
happened to mention in the presence of the Prince Impe-
rial that an individual had achieved the triumph of having
fait Banter (an expression for blowing up with gunpowd, r
and also for breaking a bank) the Homburg Bank. Tl.e
Prince asked if the operation had been performed with
gunpowder, and upon receiving a negative reply appeared
much less interested in the story. This proves, says tl e
incorrigible correspondent, that the inclinations of the
Prince are not less. warlike than pious l The season, I
suppose, excuses everything.
Rochefort has been reckoning without his hos';. A
letter signed by him appeared in all the papers on Fri 'ay,
announcing that his journal was duly registered and
secured by the requisite amount, that it had never been
suppressed, and would therefore appear the next morning.
No printer, however, could be found to undertake the
risk. Numerous agents besieged the establishment of M.
Gaillet, where it was thought the publication would take
place, but no Lanterne was forthcoming. It will be
exceedingly difficult to rekindle the extinguished light.
A trial which promises to reveal one of the most remark.
able criminal tragedies on record will shortly commence at
Marseilles. Three women, aged respectively 20, 35, and
45, are in custody, charged with poisoning their husbands
in order to marry other men with whom they were
on terms of improi er intimacy. An herbalist,
from whom the roison was obtained, has also
been arrested. The bodies were exhumed in the pre-
sence of magistrates and medical men, and the intestines
have been subjected to analysis. The nature of the crime,
and the extraordinary circumstances attending it, have
produced the most intense excitement in the neighbour-
hood. The bodies were taken up in the presence of a vast
crowd.

THE WEATHER TABLE.-THIS DAY.