The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-21 00:00:00

I'HE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MAT 21, 1868,

pri cilege of appealing from the decisions of Par-
lia'alent to those who send their members there
to represent their views. If these have faith-
fully fulfilled their trust in honouring a Minis-
ter just called upon to assume the task of
Premier at a critical juncture, why are they afraid
or ashamed to meet their constituents? If Mr.
DISRAELI has erred so greatly, they will not be
blamed for his delinquencies ; but the horror, the
rage, arid the concentrated aversion that these Re-
formcru feel at the approach of a dissoluton merely
illustrate the truth of the proverb about conscience
making cowards. The House will then this after-
noon have the matter clearly put before it, and
will be able to decide upon its own course, but
the select few, the " faction," cannot expect
to have their wishes realised, and walk into
otlice without working a little harder for the
privilege. Mr. DISRAELI is placed in a position
that many of his predecessors have found them-
selves before, and some of the most illustrious
statesmen whose names adorn the annals of Eng-
-1 Ind have been i❑ their day of power beset and
hampered by factious spirits, but the only way to
meet such attacks is to face them with boldness and
decision. We feel sure that the present Premier
will not lack courage or confidence, and if he must
resort to the expedient of immediate dissolution,
he will meet another Parliament much stronger
than he is now. The reproach and obloquy
of the affair, if such there be, will rest
with those who drive him to it, and
so they will find to their cost when the day of
reckoning arrives. Of course it stands to reason
that no management can stand against the dodges
and devices of those determined to obstruct public
business, because every clause in the smallest and
most trivial measure can be disputed ; but it comes
to this--Is the Parliament of England brought so
low that it will aid and abet a leader of party in so
perilous a course? and, if so, have not the Govern-
ment a perfect right to appeal to the country for a
solution of the problem and not to resign till
they know if they are yielding to a faction
instead of fulfiling the desire of the public ?

It must have been a satisfaction to Mr. ETRE to
have the opportunity afforded to him by express-
ing his feelings in the painful position in which
he now finds himself. We are not surprised that
the officers of the Court found it necessary to suppress
the cheering which followed the close of his brief
but emphatic reply yesterday when committed for
trial at the Court of Queen's Bench. We entirely
agree with the ex-Governor of Jamaica, that not
upon him, but upon those who brought him
there, " lies the foul disgrace that a public ser-
vant who has faithfully discharged his duty
for upwards of twenty years has been after
two years and a half of persecution brought
to a criminal court and committed for trial
for having performed his duty at a trying moment,
and thereby saved indubitably a great British
colony from destruction, and its well-disposed in-
habitants, white and black, from massacre, or
worse." At this point of the speech the applause
was heard, and after its suppression Mr. EYRE con-
cluded by declaring that he rejoiced to believe that
his conduct had only been impugned by " a small
and unimportant section of the community, and
that the higher tribunal to which the case had been
referred would not accept the decision of the
Court he was then in. The large majority of
his fellow-countrymen be felt satisfied did not
sanction these proceedings against him, and to their
sense of justice, and to their common sense, I may
say, I confidently intrust my honour as a gentleman
and my character as a public officer." The cheers
which burst from a crowded court, and which
could not then be suppressed are typical of the
public sentiments on this case, and we feel con-
vinced that all wh) put themselves prominently
forward as the prosecutors of Mr. EYRE, and who
persist in keeping up this persecution, for
it deserves no better term, will rue the day
when they began it. We believe, with Mr. EYRE,
that the higher court will pronounce his acquittal,
and at this decision his countrymen will rejoice;
but it is difficult to express the indignation that is
felt at a public servant being even subjected to per-
secution for performing his duty. Those witnesses
who are so ready with their details cannot be such
good judges of the affair as those of well-established
reputation iu Jamaica, whose testimony was all in
favour of the course which Mr. EYRE took ; and if
people will not attempt to realise the
state of the place in the insurrection, they
cannot possibly arrive at a just conclusion.
It is one thing to descant upon the state of tran-
quillity in certai❑ places, and another to take into
account the confusion that reigned in one direction,
and the spirit of sedition that was abroad in an-
other. The fact is, that to justify Mr. EYRE in
the views of his enemies the rebellion must have
attained an uncontrollable height ; and he is, there-
fore, to be condemned for having prevented it doing
so by the adoption of vigorous measures, and the
exhibition of a spirit and determination of no com-
mon order.

The announcement made yesterday by M.
ROUILF:R in the French Chambers will be received
with the greatest satisfaction by the general body
of the English public. They will see in it the even-
tual triumph of their favourite policy, and may hope
for its extension to other continental countries.
The Emperor of the French has the credit of
having been the first to break through the strong
prejudice which existed abroad against the principle
of free and unfettered competition. ➢Zany circum-
stances combined to fit him for the task,
though even with his strong will and absolute
power, and the growing inclination of the French
for mercantile pursuits, it was one of no ordinary
difficulty. Even now the opposition to free trade
has not died out, and strenuous efforts have been
made to restore the old effete and shackled systems.
ROUHER'S speech yesterday dissipated all hopes
that such efforts would be successful. After enter-
ing into some statistics showing the progress of
French industry, he said that France exported to
European markets to the amount of 700,000,000 f.
more than England, and was only behind England
in her exports to the East, he hoped that by ener-
getic competition, and throwing off the shackles of
timid councils, the trade of France might rival that
of England. Di. ROUHER'S language with regard
to the abandonment of the Treaty was, contrary
to the usage of French statesmen, unmistakably
plain. " To those," he said, " who ask whether
the Government should give notice of withdrawal
from the Treaty of Commerce, we reply point
blank—no !" The EMPEROR, he alled, had the
right to conclude treaties of commerce independently
of the Legislature, but for the future it was in-
tended to have recourse to the Chambers when there
was a question of reforming the Customs tariff, an
announcement that was received with cheeri, the
only condition which M. ROUIIER attached to it
being that the Legislative powers must be exercised
in the path of progress. This condition no one
really interested in the material welfare of France
would dispute, and the Government can speak con-
fidently after the success. which has attended the
EIITEROa'S experiment. It is notorious that French
industry has made suprising progress during the

last few years, so much so that our merchants and
manufacturers who were formerly facile princeps in
all commercial transactions now find the French
dangerous rivals. It is very possible that the
stimulus which this supplies may eventually prove
of service to our English manufacturers and work-
men, who were somewhat inclined, like others whose
position is assured, to neglect the qualities which
won it for them. Hitherto, however, so far from
the treaty• of 1860 operating injuriously upon
French trade, it is rather the English traders who
have to complain of the advantages won by their
rivals, and of this the Imperial Government, judg-
ing from the speech of M. ROIMER, appear to be
fully sensible. So conclusive were the arguments
he adduced that little opposition seems to have been
made to them, M. JULES SIMON merely remarking
that political liberty should accompany freedom of
commerce. In waiting for this desirable con-
junction we ~may at least rejoice to see com-
mercial liberty becoming firmly established on
the Continent. The example and the pros-
perity of France will do more to encourage
other nations to enter upon the same course
than a thousand diplomatic efforts or impressive
speeches.
In Berlin, where their Customs Pariament is
busy discussing the tariff, the Government and
people have alike much to learn, both wivh respect
to political and commercial liberty. Yesterday
the trial of the 22 Hanoverians was concluded,
FREESE being acquitted, but the others found
guilty on the charge of committing acts of inci-
pient high treason. ITAWALD was condemned to a
year and three months' imprisonment, and the
rest to one year's imprisonment. So long as a
system like this is in vogue Prussia need not hope
to keep pace with other nations, either politically,
commercially, or socially.

The difference of opinion respecting Sir C.
O'LOGHLEN'S Libel Bill are very strongly marked,
and it was not a little curious last night to observe
how animated was the debate on a matter which
might be supposed to be very unexciting and com-
monplace. The legal members of the House natu-
rally took a very prominent part in the discussion,
and held various opinions, even the Solicitor-Gene-
ral and the Attorney-General being found on oppo-
site sides. The supporters and the opponents of
the measure alike mustered a respectable force in
numbers and in ability ; and, on the whole, the
general feeling of the House was in favour of
the Bill, which has advanced a stage by a
majority of seventy, the house going into com-
mittee. The common sense of the question will
certainly appear to unprejudiced persons to be with
the framer of the bill, but perhaps members of Par-
liament are naturally not quite impartial judges,
inasmuch as they know so well the imprudences
into which a public speaker may be betrayed in the
heat of discussion that they can scarcely estimate
the hardships of the editor, giving what he be-
lieves to be a fair report, without the slightest per-
sonal feeling, and finding himself forthwith involved
in ruinous expenses. On the whole, the bill is
calculated to meet the difficulties of the ease, and
we hope will become law.

LATEST INTELL MENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

AUSTRIA.

VIENNA, May 20, Evening.

The minority of the Budget Committee have
resolved to propose to the R.eichsrath the imposition
of a tax of 20 per cent. on the coupons of the
general debt,.and of 13 per cent. on the coupons of
those debts which had previously been declared free
of taxation. They also propose that a tax of 20
per cent. only, and not 25 per cent. as proposed by
the majority of the committee, shall be levied upon
prizes in the State lottery.

SPAIN.

MADRID, May 20, Evening.

In to-day's sitting of the Congress the bill for
granting pecuniary aid to railway companies was
adopted.

M. Gonzalez Bravo then read a royal decree sus-
pending the sittings of the Cortes.

MOLDAVIA.

BUCHAREST, May 20.

Several cannons, which were declared at the
Custom House as goods, have arrived here from
Prussia via Galicia.
Great activity prevails in the arsenal here.

CORRESPONDENCE PROM PARIS.

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS. WEDNESDAY, May 21

At length the great free trade debate is over. M. Rouheit
continued his speech to-day. He declared emphatically
that the Emperor would not surrender his right to make
treaties,and would not withdraw from the commercial treaty.
At the same time he intimated that certain concessions
would be made which would materially modify the treaty,
because the Legislature would in future be consulted
about the details of the tariff. This, of course, is only
right ; at the same time there is considerable reason to fear
that the Corps Legislatif will seriously increase the duties
on foreign imports so soon as the term of the present treaty
expires.

This debate—one of the most important that has taken
place under the Empire—has led to an incident which
attracts much interest. M. Pouyer-Quertier, in his
remarkable speech (by far the ablest on the Protectionist
side), impugned the accuracy of the Government statistics,
(Idtlaring that in arriving at the tonnage of imports the
number of tons received at the port of entry was
multiplied by the number of kilometres over which
the goods were conveyed inland. So that if 100
tons of coals were received at Dieppe and trans-
ported thence to Paris, they would be entered
as 20,000 kilometrical tons, Paris being 200 kilometres
from Dieppe. Tlere is no reason why M. Rouher should
not swell his returns still more by calling them metrical
tons, in which case the original 100 tons would figure for
20,000,000, a feat of multiplication that even Falstaff
might envy. M. Rether, when speaking on Tuesday,
declared that the official figures were unassailable, and
thereupon M. Pouyer-Qucrticr and M. Jules Brame, who
opened the debate, have offered to give the Empress
£4,000 for the hundred poorest families of France if they
do not prove that in the table of the " United Imports
and Exports" the great majority of the articles are
counted twice, once on being entered inwards, and once
on being entered ont*ards ; the jury to consist of four
persons, two chosenby the challengers, two by the Govern.
er ent, and I h _1 President of the Corps L6gislatif to preside
and have the casting vote, it being understood that the
other side will pay the same amount if they lose. It is
rumoured that M. Rouher will accept the challenge. I
doubt it, however. In his free trade policy, the Minister
receives the support of the Opposition journals, yet even
one of the most Liberal of them—the Avenir National—
declares that his figures are wrong. A day or two ago
this journal would not credit M. Pouyer-Quertier's allega-
tions, declaring that Ministers might make a mistake of
thousands, but certainly not of milliards. However, it
now admits that the more serious blunder has been com-
mitted.

M. Vitu has, as I mentioned, replied to M. Horn's
damaging pamphlet, "Le Bilan de l'Empire," and M.
Horn is now going to answer M. Vitu's reply. Great
amusement has been caused by a misprint in the title of
M. Vita's brochure, and width is spelt " Les Finaces de
l'Empire," a word which when spoken most unfortunately
suggests another word, finasse—to act in a cunning
manner. Of course M. V.tu blames the printer, but the
pubic declare that there is no mistake.
The Archbishop of Algiers had a private 'lnterview
with the Emperor to-day, and the semi-official journals
are instructed to announce that the difficulty between the
archbishop and the governor of Algeria has been got over.
The same j urnals assert !hat the difference with the
Tunisian Government is in course of settlement. It is to
be hoped that this latter piece of news is true. It
has caused considerable commotion in high diplomatic
circles, and the English, Italian, and Prussian Ministers
in Paris have had to speak their minds pretty plainly to
the Marquis de Moustier, who was for extreme measures.
Ilia Emperor bas just been flicially informel of the
death of King Ludx‘l Bavaria. Considering that the
King died in February, and that the Emperor went into
mourning for him on March 3, and was out of mourning
two months ago, this official information was not very
novel. Court e:quette still seen-is unchanged by steam
and electrici y.

The Viceroy of Egypt is expected to pay us anoth( r
visit this summer. Ido not know if he comes for pleasure
or business. His Highness is always wanting to raise
money ; but then he is also passionately fond of the opera,
and I believe there is none at Alexandria or Cairo.

At the last meeting of the Academy, M. Dumas, ttie
secretary, read a eulogium on Faraday, which was very
warmly applauded. Another item of scientific news is
that M. Gaudin has disco, ered a process by which he can
manufacture crystals of any shape and colour, and so hard
that they will cut glass. In other words, they will be un-
distinguishable from diamonds. There should be weeping
at Amsterdam and in Golconda. _ _

......
The yearly campaign against the cockchafers has just
been waged with more than usual mercilessness. Mo: e
than 15,000 litres of these insects have been destroyed in
the woods-of Vincennes alone. They are shaken from the
trees after gorging into water impregnated with gas,
which kills them at once. They are then used for manure.
At Rouen these " abominable insects," as they are called,
have been so numerous that people struck them down as
they flew in the air. A certain M. Gueroult and four
assistants kill d 1,4001 b. weight of them in a few h, urs.

The Florence correspondent of the Morning Herald says
that while the_Princess Margaret is adored b. t':e
her husband is anything bA popular. He is reserve and
haughty, takes no notice of any salutes or applause, dis-
plays a most irritating hauteur to those who address him,
and has the singular want of ju igment to speak always in
French instead of the national language. All these are
serious misfortunes for the House of Savoy, which must
for a long time maintain its rule over the greater part of
Italy only by the personal popularity of its members. So
far as the whole country, save Piedmont, is concerned, the
reigning house has no dynastic claims upon the people. It
is a pity the Prince's friends do not warn him of the
danger he is incurring by his haughtiness of demeanour.
There seems to be at least an apparent reconciliation
between the Queen of Spain and the Duchess of Montpen-
Bier. It is doubtful, however, whether the reconciliation
is real. The Queen is intensely jealous of her sister, both
on account of the duchess's superior morals and the luve
and respect which are generally felt for her.
The Paris correspondent of the Morning Star tells the
following story, which, as he rightly says, seems too good
to be true. He writes : " You will remember the adven-
ture of the Prussian Engineer officers whose good pleasure
it was to spend some days in the vicinity of Meudon, and
in the garb of workmen to drink at a cabaret by an unac-
counted•for accident frequented by the men employed in
the manufacture of the portable cannon invented by the
Emperor. The story goes that Marshal Niel is particu-
larly curious as to the manufacture of German beer, and,
wishing to ascertain precisely the amount of hops used in
breweries along the Rhine, sent a party of French Engineer
officers to make inquiries on this interesting subject. By
another unaccounted-for accident these officers were only
interested in the manner in which beer was made in for-
tress towns. This peculiarity struck M. de Bismarck,
who, to save further trouble and expense, has obligingly
forwarded Marshal Neil plans of all the Prussian-Rhenane
fortresses, together with a design of the best breweries in
each of the Rhenane frontier cities."

Count Bismarck has received ancther serious check in
the Customs Parliament. That body has rejected by two
to one the proposal to levy a duty upon petroleum, having
previously rejected the proposed tax upon tobacco. What
is to be done without funds? When the Prussian Premier
received a similar defeat in his own Parliament he stopped
the works at Kid and the construction of new ships. He
will now have to reduce the War Budget of the Confedera.
tion. And yet tobacco, at all events, was not overtaxed in
Germany. This is proved by the fact that whereas every
Englishman smokes on an average 1.371 b. of tobacco per
annum, every Frenchman 1.13 b., every German smoked
3.101 b., or nearly three times as much as a Frenchman, and
just 3191 b. more than is good for him.
There appears to be an unusual and indeed almost inde-
corous haste in selecting candidates for the representation
of Dublin. Before Sir Benjamin Guinness had been dead
twenty-four hours the Conservative Registration Society
of the city assembled, and, having adopted a vote of con-
dolence with the family of the late baronet, unanimously
adopted a resolution calling upon Sir Arthur Guinness,
his eldest son, to allow himself to be put in nomination for
the vacancy in the representation of Dublin, and pro-
mised to use every exertion to secure his return. Should
Sir Arthur decline to stand, it is likely that Sir
Edward Grogan, who formerly represented the city with
Mr. John Vance, will be brought forward. The hon.
baronet did not offer himself at the last election. He is
an antagonist who will demand the full and united force
of the Liberal party to defeat. The Liberals have already
named three candidates. '1 he first in order is Sir D. J.
Corrigan, physician to the Queen in. Ireland, but as on
educational matters his views du not agree with those of
Cardinal Cullen, Sir Dominick would in all probability
offer himself in vain. After him Mr. Matthew Davy, a
brewer in large business, and a Roman Catholic and
popular Liberal, would probably be asked to stand ; and
Sir John Ennis has been spoken of, but not with hope-
fulness.

The Marquis of Worcester, eldest son of the Duke of
Beaufort, attained his majority a day or two ago, and the
event was celebrated with great rejoicing by his grace's
tenantry in the counties of Gloucester, Monmouth, and
Wilts. As the youthful marquis is nowold enough to be a
legislator, there is little doubt that he will be one of the
Conservative eaadidates for West Gloucester at the next
election. Colonel E. A. Somerset would not have been
brOught out in July last bad not the Marquis of Worcester'
been ten months too young to 11 AdMittted lioua
91 cons,.