The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-10 00:00:00

TIE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 10, 1868.

as the scldiers, for the whole body was animated
by one spirit. It may be observed that an expedi-
tion has seldom if ever returned from its venture
more distinguished for unanimity of feeling than
has this one from Abyssinia. Whoever has spoken
on the subject has always testified to the cor-
diality and good feeling that have prevailed, and
' this is a cheering sign to notice, and one indicative
of the work having been accomplished in the right
spirit. The difficulties that attended the enter-
prise cannot be overrated, and the more fully
they are contemplated the better they will
be understood and appreciated. Lord NAPIER, in
the speech just alluded to, declared that the objects
before them were to release the captives, and to
vindicate the honour of the country at the least
possible expense of suffering. The country they
ttavelled through was a most disturbed one, but
still the army had given very little offence or pro-
vocation to those they passed by, rough customers
though they were on the whole.
It is interesting to discourse on that part of his
discourse in which the General states what
his policy was ; and certainly it was an
admirable one, and went straight to the point.
Indeed leaders of expeditions may well emulate
the skill displayed by the hero of Magdala, an.' not
waste valuable time and lose opportunities in dis-
cussions and negotiations that effect nothing of a
lasting nature or a satisfactory character. The
object in view Lord NAPIER told to none but his
own secretaries, which was to effect no negotiation
with TIIEODORE, but to meet all his advances with
a simple demand for the prisoners, and when this
was accceded to to follow it up by taking on him-
self what the honour of England demanded, and the
resolution thus formed had been strictly adhered to
by him on every occasion that arose for putting it in
force. In consequence of the advance of the Eng-
lish army, and their repulse of the enemy, 'THEO-
DORE'S army had been completely " cowed." the
himself fell into paroxysms of fury and depression,
and while under the influence of the latter he sent
back the prisoners except three or four. This ex-
planation is of the more importance, because some
persons have said that THEODORE was deceived and
misled by the representations made. Lord NAPIER
declared that he gladly availed himself of that
public opportunity to state most positively that he
had authorised nothing which could lead THEODORE
to believe that he had departed from his first in-
tention.

Those well acquainted with the circumstances
would of course have given no credence to the
assertion, but it is just as well to have it contra-
dicted in order to put a stop to the remarks of
the credulous or prejudiced parties always to he
met with when such rumours are afloat. Lieute-
nant PHIDEAUX was the first one sent to Lord
NAPIER, and he gave a message from TIIEODROE to
this effect :—" Yesterday I thought myself the
strongest man in the world ; to-day I know
that there are stronger than I, and I want
peace." In reply to this Lord NArrER wrote
to say that if he gave up all the pri-
soners, he and his family would he treated in an
honourable manner. TUEODORE was very angry
when he received this communication. On a
further communication Lord NAPIER sent to say
that no terms other than those mentioned could be
made. Lieutenant PRIDEACTX, with the greater
part of the prisoners, was released and returned
with them. Lord NAPIER'S own belief is that
THEODORE never showed mercy himself, and there-
fore he could not believe tbat the English would,
so thus ho refrained from making any
terms about himself. The Abyssinian priso-
ners who were taken to the hospital believed that
they were going to be slaughtered, and could
scarcely credit the intentions of their captors in
rendering them aid and succour. With respect to
what had been said about the sufferings of the
people who left Magdala, Lord NAPIER observed
that it was not an -A.hys-Anian fortress, but belonged
t. the Gallas, and he offered it to the only chief
likely to hold it ; but it was declined, the chief de-
claring that it would take all his army to hold it,
and so it was destroyed to make it harmless. Every
man leap ing the place was allowed to take all that
belonged to him, and guards were placed on
each side of the valley by which they tra-
velled, as they had many bitter enemies from
wl o n they might apprehend inroads. Altogether it
is most satisfactory to meet with this emphatic de-
claration of Lord NAPIER, and the speech he
made will be found most interesting on many ac-
counts, being in every way most appropriate and
admirable.

The state of affairs in Victoria certainly affords
no very impressive picture of the advantages of
Constitutional government. If the advocates of a
despotic and paternal form of Government wished
to cite an instance of the unfavourale results of
political liberty, they could scarcely find a more
appropriate instance. Everything is at a dead-
lock. The civil service is reduced to absolute dis-
tress, the inconvenience in all public departments
is severely felt, and the effect upon business is
almost paralysing. The dignity of the Government
is at a discount, and the scenes in the Assembly are
more in accordance with the stormy recriminations
of Congress than with the traditional good sense
and good manners of our English Parliament. Up
to this time the self-government of our colonies
has been a striking success. There have of course
been some drawbacks and contretemps, but on the
whole the State machinery has worked smoothily,
and anything which did not at first go well was
soon adjusted after a little debate and discussion.
Now, however, all is changed. The dead-lock has
continued month after mouth, and when the
mail left matters were worse than ever,
excepting that we may presume them to
be approaching a climax. The new Ministry is
absolutely powerless in the Assembly ; the Opposi-
tion, headed by Mr. M'CuLLocll, overrides them
altogether, and on every division has an over-
whelming majority. It can hardly be otherwise
when on the opening day of the session the Minis-
terialists numbered about 18 and the Opposition
nearly 60. Two of the new Ministers, to make
matters worse, have failed to secure their seats,
and are consequently absent from the Assembly.
The Ministry themselves are understood to be
divided, and the great question which has agitated
the colony during
so many mouths past— the
Darling grant they
have resolved to leave
an open question ; but this will not suit the
Opposition, who will be sa*isaed with nothing less
than the introduction of the clause into the Appro-
priation Bill in the same form which has produced
the whole disturbance. The Government have
announced that they will sabrait the grant as a Go-
vernment measure, and with this the AFC tft.Locn
party ought surely to be satisfied. Flushed with
thu success of the elections, however, they will be
content with nothing less than the pissage of the
bill in its most objectionable form by the Council,
and the restoration of their own chief to power.
The opening of the session was as stormy as the
former one. The Govcrnoi's speech was short, and
intended to be very conciliatory, as all direct refer-
ence to the question of the day was avoided. It
began by referring to the recent visit of the Duke
Of EDINBURGH, and congratulating the colony on his

LO2 :DON, MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 1868.

--o-

On Saturday an appropriate reception was ac.
c.gded to Lord NAPIER in Wales, at Welshpool.
He was entertained at a public dinner, but pre-
viously he was most cordially received at Shrews-
bury. The Town Council prepared an address, and
after the Mayor bad explained the purport of their
arrangements to Lord NArrEu on his arrival, the
Town Clerk read a suitable address, which con-
gratulated the gallant hero upon his brilliant suc-
promptitude displayed by
c2ss. and recognised the
the Government in apportioning him his honours..
Lord NAPIER, in acknowledging the com-
pliment, declared that the truly English
welcome he hal met with had delighted him. If
he spoke for "a good hour by Shrewsbury clock"
he could not do jus!ice to time historical associations
of the ancient town ; therefore, he would merely

xprcss thanks on behalf of li:inself and those con-
, e,:t.ed with the expedition. A public dinner fol-
-1,-)wel arriv:d at Welchpool, and the
(0.-n_it of the evening was receive 1 with the
greatest enthusiasm. In re timing thanks,
Lord NAPIER said that no army had ever exhi-
bi'.e-1 a more earnest desire to fulfil the wishes
of their country than the Abyssinian expedi-
'lion had done, and in speaking of the expedition
I e]tneant the sailors, the mercantile marine, and
the gallant detachna;nt of the Indian force, as well

vor derful escape, and called attention to the LATEST INTELLIGENCE
c' I.:lunge which the new and incomplete reservoirs
lad suffered from the want of money to carry on (REUTER'S TELEGRA3IS.)
the public works. Further the speech deplored the
g pneral distress occasioned by the closing of the
r_ereasary, and concluded by asking for supplies
with out making any reference whatever to the
Dad ing grant. The Ministers, however, were not
alloy ed to escape so comfortably from the un-
mt problem, and Mr. M'CuLLocii was ready
with an amendment to the address, to the effect that
th 3 Darling grant having three times received the
sa,actlon of the Assembly had precedence of all other
votes, and should be dealt with without delay. This
ante admen t was carried without a division, and
an al nended addr.;ss was presented to the Governor.
In it the members expressed their willingness at
once to make provision for the public works, and con-
demuit .g the omission of all reference to the DARLING
grant f, aom the speech as au attempt on the part of
the Ministers to ignore the deliberate decision of
the cowatry. The address then proceeds in a very
haughty tone to censure the Dike of BUCKINGHAM'S
despatch to the Governor "as a violation of the
Constitutional rights of the Legislative Assem-
bly," and to inform Sir HENRY MANNERS SUTTON
that the opposition in the Assembly intends to have
their own way, and that it is useless for men to
seek advisers elsewhere. Of course this intima-
tion is clothed in duo Parliamentary language, but
its meaning is plain enough. "We trust that your
Excellency," so runs the address, " may be advised
to take immediate steps for enabling us to carry
into execution the decision of the people, which
your Excellency has so recently sought for and ob-
tained ; and we beg leave to inform your Excellency
that this House will withhold its confidence from
any Administration which may seek to evade, or
which shall delay to give full and immediate effect
to that decision." To this the Governor returned
a courteous and temperate, but dignified reply. He
disclaimed any intention of interfering with " the
constitutional right of the Legislative Assembly,"
and admitted that the grant to Lady DARLING was
a question for local decision, but at the same time
he reminded the Assembly that the change of Admi-
nistration was not due to his policy, but to the
absolute and repeated tender of their resignations by
the former Ministers, and that his present advisers,
after having declined the responsibilities of office
had only accepted them after every other attempt
had failed. Sir HENRY, under these circumstances,
expresses au earnest hope that harmony may be
restored between the two deliberative branches of
the Legislature, and that the restoration of co-ope-
ration between them will be held paramount to
every other consideration, since in its absence the
welfare and prosperity of the country have for
many months been paralyzed. In conclusion, he
trusts that the Assembly will not desire that the
essential offices of the State shall be vacated "while
the pressing necessities of the State remain unpro-
vided for."

ACCIDENT TO THE WEST INDIA MAIL

FALMOUTH, Monday Morning. •
The steamship Upton, Captain Darrell, bast just
arrived at this port from Sulina, and has landed
Captain Vine Hall, brought on from the West
India Mail steamer Atrato, which is returning to
this port. The machinery of the Atrato is quite
disabled. Captain Hall came on at the request of
Captain Rivett, to give information of the disaster,
and to send out steamers to the assistance of the
Atrato, which was left under canvass, steering for
the Liz ird, yesterday, in lat. 18 N., long. 9 W.
All well on board.

AMERICA.

CROOKHAVEN, Aug. 10, 8.30 a.m.

The Inman steamer City of Paris, from New
York, is now passing Browhead Signal Station, en
route for Queenstown.

(Per America, ria Southampton.)
NEW YORK, July 30 (Noon).

The Tennessee Legislature has passed a bill for
funding in 30 years 6 per Cent. Bonds all the State
debts at present existing or becoming due within
three years. The preamble of the bill declares the
inability of the State to pay the interest due upon
the debt.

Messrs. T. Hill and V. Miller, Democrats, have
been elected United States Senators of the Georgia
Legislature.
Six million dollars' worth of timber has been
destroyed by fire in the forests on the north shore
of Lake Superior. The fire still continues.

The North German Lloyd's steamer America
arrived at Southampton this morning with 105
passengers for this port, Havre, and Bremen, 40
sacks of mails, $203,836 for London, and $lO,OOO
for France. On the 9th inst. she spoke the English
ship Edwards, bound west.

SOUTHAMPTON, August 10.

The Royal Mail Company's paddle-steamer
Atrato, which sailed on the 2d instant with the
mails and passengers for the West Indies and New
Zealand, has broken down and is returning under
canvas.

Upon this reply there ensued, as might have been
expected, a long and hot debate. It would be use-
less to recapitulate the arguments and answers of
men whom nothing would convince. The result,
however, was that the Assembly carried, without a
division, six resolutions expressing want of confidence
in the Government, and praying the Governor to re-
move his new advisers. To this address Sir HENRY,
whose office is anything but a sinecure, returned a
distinct negative, on the same grounds as he had
mentioned in his reply to the address at the open-
ing of the session. The Governor has undoubtedly
reason on his side, since the change of Ministry
was occasioned by the dead-lock, and did not, as
the Opposition would seem to imply, produce it.
Remembering the difficulty with which he formed
this Administration, after a delay of two months,
it is no great wonder that he should be reluctant
to dismiss his advisers at the bidding of men
who will not keep ofli,.;e themselves. The con luct
of the M'Cur.Loou party is inconsistent enough on
every opportunity they take the conduct of affairs
into their own hands with the object of carrying out
the policy of the late Ministry. The real point at
issue, however, is not between the Government
and the Opposition, but between the Assembly and
the Council. If the Opposition would allow the
Ministers to bring in a separate bill for the DAR-
LING grant, and send it up to the Council, they
would give the Upper house the opportunity of
concession. As it is they are perpetuating a state
of things which does incalculable mischief to
the colony, and is a scandal to the cause of Repre-
sentative Government.

On Friday the Empress EUGENIE entertained at
dinner, at Fontainebleau, the Duke of EDINBURGH,
Lord STANLEY, and Lord LYONS. The Marquis Rs
MOUSTIER and M. RounEu were also present. It is
said by the Etendard that the interview between
Lord STANLEY and the Marquis DE MOUSTIER was
of the most cordial character, and lasted some con-
siderable time. The two Ministers took a review
of the chief subjects of general foreign policy, and
the impression thus received was that nothing but
peaceful indications are now observable throughout
Europe, and that the perfect understanding which
prevails between England and France fully confirms
this notion. It is worthy of notice in conjunction
with this incident that the Emperor NAPOLEON,
in reply to a speech from the Mayor of Troyes, ex-
pressed his hope that no event would take place to
disturb the peaceful development of trade and com-
merce, and his MAJESTY concluded with the words
" May GOD protect France." No doubt the Min-
isters were glad to avail themselves of the oppor-
tunity of discussing viva voce the events of
the day, and though there existed before
no disturbing element the entente cordiale existing
between the two countries cannot be otherwise than
strengthened and confirmed by this interview. We
may regard it as a very reassuring thing in these
hard times that th 3 two foremost nations of Europe
should be on such good terms, and the upshot of
the meeting will tend to revive favourable impres-
sions and give a denial to all insinuations of a con-
trary kind.

A correspondence appears in a Dublin paper (the
Evening Mail) between the Archbishop of Dublin and Dr.
3lagoe, Dean of Cork, with reference to the holding of an
ecclesiastical synod for the southern province in Ireland.
It was the archbishop's intention to have convened it, for
purposes of business, on the 3d of September, but on a
case being submitted by Lord Mayo, at the request of the '
Primate, to the law officers of the Crown, the opinion was
obtained that legal objections eiist to provincial synods
being convened in Ireland by the archbishops of the re-
spective provinces without the Quen's writ. Under
these circumstances the meeting in September—to be now
hold on the Ist —will be merely formal. The Rev. Dr.
Magee deeply regrets " that, in the present crisis in the
history of the Church, the only representative council in
which the voice of the Irish clergy could find expression,"
cannot become "once more a reality." The publication
of the "opinion" of the law officers will, he adds, bo awaited
•with interest, as it contradicts an " eminent legal autho-
rity," upon wiles() advice the memorial of the clergy to his
grace iu favour of thesynod was draws up.
THREE WIVES. By the Author of "Margaret and
Her Brdiesmaid,." Three vols.—lt is some time since the
novel-reading public have been gratified by the production
a a work by the popular authoress of " Margaret and Her
Bridesmaids," and the announcement that Messrs. Hurst
mad Blackett have just issued a new fiction from her pan,
bearing the title of " Three Wives," will ho received with
pleasure by her - numerous admirers. There are few
novelists of our day, indeed, whose works deserve to be
welcomed with su-oh favour as these of this charming
writer.

The company's superintendent here has ordered
another steamer to get ready for sea, immediately
to start and pick up the Atrato and tow her to
this port.

BELGIUM.
BRUSSELS, Aug. 10.

M. Henri Rochefort, the editor of the Lanterns,
who was sentenced last week to four months' im-
prisonment for an assault upon M. Rochette, arrived
here yesterday.

CORPBSPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENI.:
PARIS, SUNDAY, August D,

The short visit of the Queen has passed away without
the least excitement. Certainly, some journals expressed
astonishment that the Queen did not return the visit of the
Empress, but the official papers have come out with a
manifesto, which at least proves that they may be useful
sometimes. They state that it was at the pressing request
of the Empress herself that the Queen, who was greatly
fatigued, consented to dispense with a ceremony which
was evidently above her strength. In no other case would
her Majesty's royal courtesy and sense of duty have
rermitted her to forego the return visit.
The interview between M. de Moustier and Lord Stanley
has attracted considerable attention. The official papers
say that the two Ministers reviewed the political aspect of
Europe, and were perfectly in accord upon the chief points.
If this be true it must be high:y satisfactory ; for it neces-
sarily follows that the views of the French Government
on foreign policy are very different from those com-
monly accredited to the French Foreign Office. In reality
there is scarcely any possibility of the two Ministers
agreeing on most of the great European questions ; and
it is most probable that the visit was merely compli-
mentary, or confined to the discussion of minor topics.
It is, however, quite natural that the interview should
obtain a certain significance in this dreary season.
There is a rumour here to the effect that Dr. Connean
who has just returned from Florence, was charged with a
secret mission from the Emperor Napoleon. This statement
has gained greater currency on account of the general
impression that the French Government interfered in
the La Marmora affair. It is added that the doctor
will proceed to Fontainebleau to render an account of
his stewardship'; but, of course, all this is conjecture.
The journals are particularly unfortunate just now, so
much so as to confirm the general belief that the new Press
Law will not prove of much benefit to the profession. The
privilege of freely starting newspapers is more than
counterbalanced by the increased liability to fine, imprison-
ment, seizure, suppression, and all the thousand ills the
Press is heir to. The Message,. du Sud Ourst has just been
condemned in a fine of a and costs fur exciting to hatred
and contempt against the Government. But the event
which excites most attention is the seizure of La Lantenze.
In yesterday's number M. Ilochefort spoke of the trial
which has just resulted in his sentence to imprisonment.
The result—seizure—was generally expected, and the
agents had an enormous sale. The seizure was
carried out with unusual violence, the police snatching
copies from the hands of any person who might be reading
the paper in the streets—altogether an unheard-of pro-
ceeding. It is clear that the Government have fairly
declared war against the journalist, and mean to crush
him. The management of the paper has prepared a
Belgian edition for the use of foreign subscribers. I hear
that M. Pinard, the Minister of the Interior, was personally
opposed to the seizure.

The Empress appears to be greatly occupied with
political matters at Fontainebleau. Among several invi-
tations which have recently been given to politicians, one
with which the Chevalier Nigra, the Italian ambassador,
has been honoured is the most remarkable.
The subscription for the new loan greatly increased on
Friday, but the attendance at the Ministry of Finance
is much smaller than on previous occasions. The loan,
however, is already more than covered, though much of
this subscription is speculative. A system of " brokerage"
unknown in England is carried on here, both by those
who wish to invest and those who merely desire to
buy in order to sell. When the subscription for a
loan exceeds the amount required, a proportionate reduc-
tion on all the demands is made ; but those who come in
person may always have an amount of Rente producing
five francs interest allotted to them without reduction. In
order to secure this advantage many speculators and inves-
tors hire a number of nondescripts to go in person
and subscribe. These, for the reward of a franc or so,
will spend the entire night outside the Ministry in order
to present themselves first in the morning. A struggle
for precedence often ensues, but, once subscribed, the
sum is safely invested, without fear of reduction. Some
lire from 50 to 200 of these agents.

THE WEATHER TABLE.-THIS DAY.