The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-17 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, 111ARCII 17, 1868.

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CORRESPONDENCB FROM PARIS.

(Fnom OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
.?..A.IIIS, MONDAY, March 10.

There was a smart passage of arms between M. Ronher
.1M the Opposition during the debate on the first clause of
the Public Meetings Bill. According to this clause all
meetings which arc not political will no longer require a
previous authorisation from the Government, but political
meetings will, as at present, be subject to that restriction.
'M. Jules Favre pointed out how difficult it would often be
to decide whether a meeting was political or rot. In fact,
two contradictory definitions had been already given by
the Government. For instance, was the organisation of
labour among the subjects prohibited ? He added : " The
Minister has given no explanation of the reasons for pro-
hibiting the Co-operative Congress which was to have
been held during the Exhibition. We are continually
told that you have confidence in the prudence and
good sense of the people. I say that you distrust
them. Unsound doctrines are often reproached as
the cause of danger and disorder; but there is
something worse than bad theories, and that is bad
government." This epigram excited a goodly noise from
the Right. In the midst of it I‘.l. Rouher got up, and
with great readiness retorted : " We know that there are
bad Governments. The expressed will of the people rids
the nation of them. As to good Governments, the decision
of universal suffrage confirms them." Having thus
reminded the Opposition pretty sharply how small a
minority they were, he went on to taunt them with being
afraid to utter their whole opinion, with thinking, in fact,
better of the bill than they liked to confess. It was now
the turn of the Left to indulge in reclaniations and bruit,
and Jules Favre said, tartly, "Content yourself with
answering our arguments ; do not throw doubts upon our
sincerity." " I don't doubt your sincerity," replied the
Minister ; "you represent opinions, no doubt, but then
there are passions which are even more ardent. Some-
times you obey an external influence rather than your
real convictions." To this Jules Favre said, " That is
worthy of the journals which the Chamber is prosecuting"
(referring to the Situation and the Figaro) ; and Picard even
more severely said, " If we searched into the motives which
animate us, we should say that you fear liberty because
you wish to preserve power and its enjoyments." The
Minister did not lose his temper, but replied, laughingly,
" Admit that you mix a considerable share of bitterness
with your enjoyments." Soon afterwards the first article
was voted without a division.

There have been some more "black spots" in the depart-
ments. At St. Etienne' and Montauban the enlistments
have caused disturbances, as even the semi-official Etendard
is obliged to admit. But that journal makes light of them,
as it did of the serious riots at Toulouse. It also says
that it is quite true certain young men at Nantes went
through the streets singing the " Marseillaise," but only
the air, and not the words of that revolutionary song.
They adapted the music to some bacchanalian rhymes.
It is fair to add that the Government seems disposed to
treat the Toulouse rioters lightly. One of them has been
tried and sentenced to fifteen days' imprisonment, a very
mum punishment for what must have been considered a
very serious offence.

The report that the Prince Imperial's birthday would
be celebrated by a general amnesty for political offences
was, as I expected, too good to be true. There was, indeed ,
an amnesty of a partial character for a very different class
of offenders, naughty sailors. They were either relieved
of their punishments altogether, or allowed to get off with
lighter ones. The eve of the birthday was kept by the
Court in a religious manner. High Mass was celebrated
on Sunday before the Emperor, the Empress, and the
Prince, in the Chapel of the Tuileries. The chapel is a
simple structure, oblong, and painted in white, with
some good pictures on the walls. A peristyle of two
columns supports the imperial tribune. Near this the
choir are stationed out of sight. The Archbishop of Paris
officiated. At 11.30, the latest hour at which it is lawful
to commence Mass, the Imperial party entered, and
the Abb6 Cuttoli, vicar-general of the diocese, presented
to them the holy water. The Emperor was in the uniform
of a general of division ; the Empress wore black, the
Court being in mourning for Ring Ludwig of Bavaria ;
and the Prince was also in black. The Emperor
and the Empress occupied couches, the Prince a
chair, and before them were large service books ;
the ladies of honour grouped themselves on the
left, the great dignitaries of the Crown on the right. In
taking his place, the Emperor turned to the Empress and
the Prince and bowed to them. The music consisted of
the "Kyrie," "0 Salutaris," pane, Loraine," and
44 Domine Salvum." During the reading of the gospel the
Vicar-General took the sacred book and presented it to
Mgr. Darboy, the Grand Almoner, and he presented it to
each of the Imperial trio for them to kiss. The sofas
and chair were then wheeled by the vergers in front of
the pulpit, and the Bishop of Vannes, who is the Lent
preacher for this year, preached the sermon. A true
courtier, he seized the fortunate coincidence by which the
last words of the gospel offered him a most appropriate
text : "Blessed is the womb which bare thee," &o.; and,
says the courtly chronicler of this ceremony, the august
auditors could not conceal their deep emotion. To-day,
the Prince's birthday, the Imperial trio assisted at mass
again.

A letter from Rome declares that France and Prussia
have concluded a convention by which those Powers agree,
whatever events may arise, or whatever their own rela-
tions with each other, that they will maintain the inde-
pendence of the Holy See and the integrity of its present
territory. This compact has been communicated to the
Italian Government, and has called forth no objection
from General Menabrea, though it must be regarded as
a solemn guarantee of the Papal sovereignty. The
same letter speaks of a fresh Garibaldian invasion, and
adds that the Pope does not regard it, being assured of
foreign protection.

The report that Ring Ludwig of Bavaria contemplates
abdication is repeated. He would have taken this step
before, but felt that he could not do 80 while his grandfather
lived, as his country would then be maintaining three
kings. But now that old Ludwig is dead, young Ludwig
would like to take his place as ex-king, and in that case
his brother Otho, a lad of 20, who has taken no part in
politics (and so much the better), will come to the throne.
It is difficult to say if Bavaria ought to be deemed fortu-
nate or the reverse in having always a king and an ex-
king. Probably this arrangement will hasten the day
when she will have none at all, at least of her own, but
will come under the control of Prussia. The Pope evi-
dently thinks so, as he proposes to withdraw his Nuncio
from Munich. According to the Frankfurter Zeitung King
Ludwig has had violent attacks of spitting of blood, and
his condition is very precarious.
The Berlin correspondent of the Times believes tba►
France has made a new move in the Eastern question with
the object of working together with Prussia and Russia.
The last-mentioned Power has made proposals to that effect
twice within the last eighteen months ; but Napoleon,
while seemingly favourable, had some conditions which the
Czar did not like. Among them Alexander was to exact
concessions from King William of Prussia with regard to
the Rhine, and the nephew, fearing that he would thereby
cause a rupture with his uncle, backed out of the affair.
At the present time Napoleon has renewed his proposals in
a more circumspect manner by entering into them at
Berlin. He now seeks to make King William take the
first move. But there is naturally considerable hesitation
before commencing a complicated game which may have
results that some of the players would by no means like—
which might, for instance, make Russia independent of
Prussia, so far as regards the Eastern question.
The Star asserts that there has been no compromise
between the Scotch Liberals and the Government as to the
additional seats which the Ministry have promised to
give North Britain. Mr. Baxter will persevere with his
instruction, the object of which is to disfranchise all
boroughs in England with less than five thousand inhabi
tants, and thus provide the ten additional members which
are to be conceded to Scotland. It is not unlikely that
there will be a meeting of the Scotch members on some
day this week to discuss the matter. At present, however,
the instruction has the promise of support from the great
body of the Liberal party, and from a large number of the
Conservatives.

The health of the convicted Fenian Meany, who was
sentenced to fifteen years' penal servitude, seems to have
been failing him, for he has been removed from Pentonville
to a sanitary station in Surrey. Mrs. Meany has received
a letter from the Home Office, informing her that her
husband will be sent out of the country on condition that
he promises never again to return to it.
A brother of Dr. Norman Macleod writes to the Glasgow
Evening Citizen to correct an erroneous impression which
has been produced by a paragraph stating that the emi-
nent divine's health had of late become seriously impaired.
It appears that in consequence of the great fatigue which
Dr. Macleod underwent, he was unwell for a day in Cal
cutta, but the illness was instantly checked, and for some
time before the last letters left he had been quite
restored to his usual health. From the advanced period
of the season, and the fatigue attending a proposed
journey to the North-west, it was thought advisable for
him not to attempt that—the only portion of the
.projected work in India which he has been unable to
accomplish. Dr. Watson will alone complete this part
of their task. The little remaining to be clone was very
unimportant as compared to the main objects of the mis-
sion, all of which had been fulfilled in the happiest and
most satisfactory manner. As nothing remained for Dr.
Macleod to do in Calcutta, and as an agreeable opportu-
nity offered itself of proceeding to Suez, he was about to
leave a few days sooner than he had originally intended ;
but this departure was in no way demanded by the state
of his health, but solely by the fact that his labours wit
ouclusigli

THE TODMORDEN AIURDERS.

We are glad to be able to preface our report of
yesterday's proceedings by stating that Mrs. Plow
is greatly improved iii health, and that there is good
reason to look for her speedy convalescence.
The inquest on the late Rev. A. J. Plow was held
yesterday, at the Black Swan Inn, North-street, by
Mr. F. Dearden, the county coroner. The jury was
composed of nearly the same persons as returned the
verdict against the condemned convict in Jane
Smith's case. The jury having taken their seats
the Coroner inquired if there were any reporters
present, and on being told there were, he said that
a vast amount of rubbish had been reported. lie
then said, "I forbid all reporters, without exception
being present." A question was put to the Coroner
as to whether he really intended such an inquiry to
be a secret one, and he replied, with asperity, that
he did. The reporters thereupon withdrew, to ponder
over this latest manifestation of the proverbial wis-
dom of coroners.. The exclusion of the reporters
gave great offence to the jury, who were unani-
mously of opinion that the inquiry should be public.
The Jury proceeded to view the body, which was
lying coffined in the deceased's bedroom in the
Vicarage. The room presented an appearance
somewhat unusual. The deceased was dressed in
black trousers, and the fall robes which he wore on
high days in the Church. A splendid stole, which
had been recently presented to him, was the most
conspicuous part of the display, the effect of which
was heightened by a number of lighted wax tapers.
The coffin was also of a remarkable shape —very
wide at the head and narrow at the foot. Upon
the lid was a cross and the coffin plate bore an in-
scription in memory of " Antony John Plow
priest," who had " fallen asleep in Jesus." Nea
to the body was a coffin containing the remains of
the baby, which, it will be remembered, died at
Littleborough within a few hours of its parent.
The shape and decorations of its coffin were similar
to those of the late vicar.

The jury returned to the inn, and a formal re-
quest was preferred by their foreman, Mr. Thomas
Priestley, for the withdrawal of the remark by
which the reporters had been excluded. The coroner
refused to change his decision, and said that he
never admitted reporters to inquests. As this state-
ment was known to be contrary to the experience
of every person present, the Coroner hastened to
qualify it by saying that the exclusion was only
at second inquiries, by which he was un-
derstood to mean second inquests in the same case,
whenever they may have been held. He stated that
he had been coroner for 50 years, and pledged his
experience and authority for the wisdom of the
course he was pursuing. The jury, however, were
not convinced, but the inquiry was allowed to pro-
ceed.

Elizabeth Spink was called and examined by the
Coroner, who put a few questions to her as to the
attack by Weatherill upon her late employer. Hav-
ing obtained a statement from the witness substan-
tially the same as that she gave at the assizes in
this city, the coroner expressed a decided opinion
that it would be unnecessary to call any other wit-
nesses.

A Juror suggested that the evidence of a surgeon
should be taken, in order that the cause of death
might be exactly ascertained.

The Coroner replied that he did not see any neces
sity for such a course, which would involve a post
mortem examination.

Mr. Copley (Queen's Hotel) said he wished an
inquiry to be made into the rumours which pre-
vailed in the town in regard to the late Vicar,
which rumours might be set at rest by an inquiry
into the cause of death.

The Coroner said the matter was not worth
notice, and ought not to be introduced into that
inquiry, which simply related to the cause of Mr.
Plow's death. He went on to comment upon the
conduct of the magistrates who committed Wea-
therill, and whom he seemed to regard as being in
some degree responsible for the fatal termination of
the case. He repeated that he had had a long ex-
perience, and added that be was satisfied that the
excitement that Mr. Plow underwent, on being
brought face to face with the murderer, must have
had a very injurious effect upon him. The magis-
trates ought not to have allowed him to be brought
up.

The Jury returned a verdict of wilful murder
against Miles Weatherill. They also resolved to
request the tradesmen of the town to close their
places of business during the funeral to-day (Tues-
day).

IVith reference to the condemned convict, facts
accumulate of a character which show that he was
not the desolate, heart-broken lover that in his let-
ters to Sarah Bell he seemed desirous of painting
himself. We need not specify details ;it is enough
to say that he seems to have been a kind of general
lover, with an especial affection for cooks who had
a well-filled larder at their command. It is said
that he had left the church and joined the Wesleyaus
some time ago, but was ejected from the Sunday
school for irregular conduct.
Mrs. Plow has been able to describe the scene
which took place in her bedroom when the murder-
ous attack was made. The evidence which has been
given leaves a blank between the time when the
nurse ran out of the bedroom to the time when
Stansfield, the parish clerk, entered it and secured
the assassin. Mrs. Plow states that Weatherill
tried to secure the door, and, failing in that, he
struck a light with a match and came up to the
bedside. The poor lady had covered herself with
the bedclothes, and she felt him trying to pull them
off her head. her desperate resistance prevented
him from succeeding, and ho then went to the foot
of the bed, removed the perceannette in which the
babe was sleeping, lifted up the bedclothes at the
foot, and fired up the bed. The bullets missed
Mrs. Plow, and she sprang out of bed and made
for the door. The murderer intercepted her, and
she sprang across the bed into a sort of recess be-
tween it and the wall. Thither she was followed
by Weatherill, and he struck her down upon the
bed with the poker. The unfortunate victim
covered her face with her hands, but Weatherill
struck her on the hands and arms with the poker
until from sheer pain she was compelled to remove
them, and then followed the fearful blow upon the
face which has been described. After receiving the
blow, Mrs. Plow summoned up courage enough to
lie quite still, so as to impress her assailant with
the idea that he had accomplished his dreadful pur-
pose. She seems to have been successful, and
eatherill, no doubt believing that she was dead,
did not strike again.—lllanchcster Guardian.

Mr. MILIAN will probably contribute to the
forthcoming Royal Academy Exhibition-1. "Rosanne
and Celia in the Forest :" a picture unfinished last year.
2. Two old Greenwich Pensioners looking by lantern-
light at the Tomb of Nelson in the Crypt of St. Paul's.
The light is placed in a moulding just below the name o
the Admiral, and sends its rays upon the inscriptions and
the faces of those who read it. 3. Swift's "Stella," hold-
ing letters in her hand, and standing by an escritoire. Half
in thought, she looks at the spectator with stedfast,
dreaming eyes. 4. Portraits of three young ladies.
MR. DICKENS'S RETURN HOME.--Every one,
says the Athenseum, will be glad to hear that Mr. Dickens
intends to return to the Old Country in the Cuba, which
is to sail homewards on the 22d of next month. Every
one will be yet more glad to learn that his visit to " The
States," however fatiguing, has been successful beyond
expectation. The same paper remarks :—" A correspon-
dent who inquires about Mr. Dickens's opera, ' The Vil-
lage Coquettes,' is hereby reminded that the book was
written for tho St. James's Theatre, when the same was
under Braham's short-lived management, and was sot to
music by Mr. John Hullah.—The song, ' Autumn Leaves,'
is one of its composer's best songs, not forgetting his
Three Fishers.'

THE WOOD CARVINGS OF Mr. ROGERS. —The re-
tirement of this veteran artist from business causes the sale
by auction of all the splendid specimens of his art which
fur 50 years he has collected from all quarters of the world.
To the designer these models will be of inestimable value,
whilst to the admirers of art a large collection of the
works of Mr. Rogers is also to be disposed of. The delicate
tracery and symmetric beauty of Mr. Rogers's examples of
wood carving are unsurpassiblo for delicacy and grace. We
expect a largo body of the admirers of true art will assemble
at Mr. Phillips's auction room, in Bond-street, on Thurs-
day next, at one o'clock, to secure a specimen of the work
of one of the greatest artists in wood carving since the
days of Grinlin Gibbons. Mr. Rogers, we rejoice to
say, although retiring from active labour, is yet in the
the enjoyment of the best health and spirits, and we cor-
dially and sincerely wish him all that true enjoyment in
the bosom of his family which his long and honourable
moor ap an artist entitles him to.