The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-19 00:00:00

VIDOCQ.

If we were asked to point out the most remarkable exhibi-
tion in London, we should have no hesitation in at once saying
it is Vidocq, and in directing the inquirer to the Cosmorama-
rooms, Regent-street. In saying it is Vidocq, in preference to
Vidocq's, we speak advisedly :—who has not beard of Vidocq,
at once the Napoleon and the Talleyrand of the French
police—the man who could penetrate all disguises, but who at
the same time never could be himself discovered—the man
whose name was and is a terror to evil doers—who might,
without exaggeration, adopt as his motto, veni, vidi, via He
is himself the exhibition. The disguises, the fetters, the wea-
pons, the museum of crime which is exhibited on the tables of
the room, all derive their interest from their connexion with
Vidocq. A student of human nature would travel some miles
merely to see such a man, and he would take a day's journey to
converse with him, to see him in his various dis-
guises, and to listen to his anecdotes, as we had
the pleasure of doing last evening. At five o'clock every
evening Vidocq gives what he calls a Representation Extra-
ordinaire, that is to say, he is at home ala Mathews. He
appears, first of all, in the disguise of a quack doctor—the
veritable Dr. Dulcamara, with powdered wig, velvet coat, em-
broidered waistcoat, satin smalls, hooped silk stockings, and
buckled shoes. He dilates upon the virtues of his medicines,
and convulses his audience with laughter by his admirably
humorous delineation. He then explains the history of his dis-
guise. A great criminal had long eluded the vigilance of the
agents of police. Even Vidocq himself had been repeatedly
foiled in his efforts to capture him. He had reason to suspect
that his man was concealed in a house at Passy. Disguised as
a quack doctor, he set up his stage immediately
opposite the house. For three days did the
doctor harangue the passing multitude on the vir.
tues of his wonderful specific. He became the town
talk—every one was anxious to see, and at length—his curiosity
overcoming his prudence—the mysterious gentleman over the
way wanted to peep out of his hiding-place, to endeavour to
catch a glimpse of the wonderful universal mediciner. Whether
he did so or not at the time, history does not relate, but the
mediciner caught a glimpse of him, and the next day he was
arrested, and was ultimately sent to the galleys. He next ap-
peared as Benjamin, a Parisian cobler, a simple soul who, by his
very simplicity, picked up a vast amount of information,
for those who w ished to enlighten his ignorance, which infor-
mation he always turned to excellent account. This appears to
have been one of his most favourite, and, at the same time, one
of his most useful disguises. His next appearance was as an
Auvergnat flour-factor, and, in this disguise, he made, perhaps,
his most cebobrated coup. In 1814, just alter the restoration,
there appeared in the suite of the Due d'Angouleme. at the
Tuileries, a certain Comte de Chambly. It was reported that he
had been a Vendean chief, had suffered great losses in the cause
of the Bourbons, and had been rewarded with a post at
Court, which brought him into intimate connexion with the
Royal Family; and he was, moreover, superintendent of the
police of the Tuileries. Vidocq, when he saw this man, re-
cog:.ised him as an escaped galley-slave, a man of good family,
brother to the Comte de Chambly, but a forger, a thief, and a
swindler, who had actually stolen his brother's papers, and
on the faith of them had passed himself off as the Vendean
chief. To have arrested him in the Palace would have been
un pets trop fort, and therefore Vidocq had recourse to stra-
tagem. Assuming the disguise to which we have alluded, he
waylaid the Comte, and, pretending to be drunk, strutted up
against'him. The Comte was outrageous—the Auvergnat was
insulting, and at length the Comte calling for assistance, gave
his opponent into custody, and went to lodge his complaint
before the commissaire. The comrnissaire, when he heard the
Cemte's name and titles, was all obsequious, and turning to the
Auvergnat demanded, in a tone of imperious authority, to
know who the miserable canaille was who had dared to insult
an officer of the palace.
reply, and turning to theyeas
ette dswas
on,p
t Comte,t m'appelle
the galleys.
calm
rthe
~
er,
The Comte was speedily transferred to comedic. As
Oitia
mere
,
s
asidwdesimVeidnoocqf
rilionneic
talent, tp, pas
s thisde exhibitionl I
i most amusing,
but when we consider who it is that exhibits, and the results
which have followed from this wonderful exercise of unique
talent, we think our readers will admit that we are right its
characterising this as the most remarkable exhibition in the
metropolis.

THE LATE THOMAS Moon.—We are glad to learn
that the subscription for the family of this distinguished writer
already exceeds 1,000/., and is still making progress. We have
observed also with satisfaction, during the last few days, the in-
fluential names of Mr. Charles Dickens and Mr. Thomas Carlyle
added to the committee list. Sanctioned by such eminent ex-
amples, and hitherto so liberally supported by the public, this ex-
cellent object can hardly fail to meet with a complete succss—such
a success as will fitly express the public recognition of the poet's
genius, and ensure to those whom he held dear an ample provision
against future want. We call attention once more to the subject,
as we understand that the subscription-lists are to be closed at the
end of the current month.

1MP.14414.4-L P-i%=Milt
HOUSE OP .1.E.-)ltl3S, 18.
Their Lordships met at Five o'Clock.
Several Bills were brought up from the House of Commons.
WEST LONDON RAILWAY EXTENSION.
Lord BROUGHAM reported that the Select Committee on
the West London Railway Extension and Lease Btil had found
that the standing orders bad been complied with, and they
had agreed to the ith some immaterial aroen,ments.
STATE OF THE COUNTY OF LEITRIM.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE presented a petition from
the magistrates and others of the county of Leitrim, setting
forth the state of that county, and praying their Lordships to
adopt some steps to improve that condition. The petitioners
suggested that the best remedy which could he applied to the
evil was to extend the law which at present granted compen-
sation to a particular description of property when the pro-
perty should be maliciouly injured, to all descriptions of
property, and also to injuries upon the person. Having
presented that petition, he would proceed to.put the question
of which he had given notice, relative to the conduct of Mr.
Watson, a Magistrate and a Deputy-Lieutenant of the
county of Leitrim. It would appear that, on the 22d of
June, a meeting, attended by 300 Masters of Orange Lodges,
was held in the town of Lisburn, which meeting was Fe-
sided over by Mr. Wilson. At that nu-wing the following
resolutions, which were signed by Mr. Watson, were passed.
The first resolution stated that the meeting deemed it essential
to take immediate steps to reorganize the Ornge institutions
of the county, and the second stated that inasmuch as that
unjust measure entitled the Anti-processions Act was about to
expire, all the Orange members of the county be re-
quested to attend the forthcoming anniversary of the Boyne.
He had received a letter from the *Nt ble Marquis
at the table ( the Marquis of Londonieri ), in
which he deprecated the conduct pursued by that
gentleman. He therefore wished to know whether the Go-
vernment had taken notice of his conduct, and had dismissed
him from the commission of the peace? If they had not, and
had behaved to him with leniency, they had acted incon istentiv,
as they had pursued a more illiberal line of conduct toa eras
another great political party in Ireland. If they had not made
inquiry. into the circumstances he had detailed, rho
cry might fairly be raised that justice had not been fairly
meeted out to Ireland. He wished to know if any steps had
been taken in corvequence of the meeting over which Mr.
Watson presided at Lisburn, on the 20th of July?
Lord STANLEY regretted that the Noble Marquis had not
simply asked his question, and explained the object of
it, without entering into the state of the county.
Her Majesty's Government had seen with regret arid with
considerable disappointment, that through a great part of
Ireland the members of Orange Societies had been so
reckless in their proceedings as to neglect the cautions
which had been given to them by those who ought
to be entitled to their confidence and esteem. As long
as both the great political parties in Ireland continued to fo-
ment disturbances it was quite impossible that country could be
in a happ) or prosperous state. The blame which attached to
many processions ought not to be attributed to one
party to the exclusion of another equally to
blame.—( Hear, hear.) With regard to the conduct of
the person complained of, if the facts were found as they were
represented, her Majesty's Government would deeply regret
that a gentleman, occupying a high station in Ireland, should
have been so misguided and so misled as to lend his name and
his character—and the higher the character the greater the evil
—to the meeting in question. He would not say, however, that
the matter had been left untouched by the Government, for the
Lord Lieutenant. of Ireland had been in communication
with his Noble Friend the Secretary of State on the
subject. The question as to how he should be dealt
with, he ( Lord Stanley) was not prepared to
say. He trusted that the Noble Marquis would not call upon
him to declare the result of that communication ; but this he
would say, that the Government would treat the matter with the
greatest impartiality.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY wished to say a few
words on the subject, as he had been alluded to by the Noble
Marquis. With regard to the character of the individual whose
conduct was called in question, he had no hesitation in saying that
up to the present time that individual had conducted himself with
the greatest prof riety. For his own part, he had urged upon
the Orangemen of Ireland to refrain from those processions,
and he thought that the great majority of the Orangemen of
Ireland had taken no part in them. He thought that any
severe measures with regard to bun would be productive of
more harm than good in that part of Ireland. Aud the eloquent
speech of the Noble Lord (Stanley) would have abetter effect
than even the dismissal of that venerable person.
A message was brought up from the Commons.
RAILWAYS.

Lord BROUGHAM presented 16 petitions (which made
161 altogether) against the Cornwall Railway Bill. The
Noble Lord took the opportunity of moving the Standing
Order, which he had postponed till this evening.
After a few words from Lord CAMPBELL, it was read
ro forma the first time as a Bill.
AFFAIRS OF SYRIA.

Lord BEAUMONT said, in compliance with a notice which
he gave yesterday, he begged leave to move an humble address
to her Majesty, praying that she will be graciously pleased to
lay before their Lordship? House certain papers and
correspondence relating to recent events in Syria. The
object he had in view was to have a continuance
of the correspondence on the same subject laid before their
Lordships in 1841, in order that their Lordships might be
enabled to judge of the important question of the Levant,
which had at one time threatened the peace of Europe, and
which now was the cause of constant recrimination between
England and France. The outbreak between the Druses and
the Maronites had been charged by France upon the English
Government and the English Consul at Syria, and though
the French Chamber had repeated the accusation with almost
insolent tenacity, both the Minister for the Colonies, and
for Foreign Affairs appeared to forget the horrors their
own subjects had been carrying on not far distant from
their own confines. He therefore thought it due to the
honour of this country that the explanatory papers should be
granted.

The Earl of ABERDEEN said, there could be no objection
on the part of the Government, to lay the papers on the table of
the H.}use. A great part of the statements made bj. the Noble
Lord were perfectly correct. It was true, that outbreaks, ill-
feeling, and bloodshed had prevailed, of an appalling cha-
racter. But it was not to be assumed that all these horrors
were to be traced to that misrule of the Porte, so frequently
too justly charged upon the Turkish Government. He con-
fessed he was not very sanguine of seeing good govcirn-
ment ever established in the Turkish provinces—( Hear )—.
as it was their object to obtain the improvement of the condi-
tion of the people, with as little interference as possible with the
sovereign rights of an independent State, a State which, huwever
imperfect its government and administration in many respects,
they still had an interest in preserving and strengthening by
all the means in their power. lie was not aware that it was neces-
sary for him to say any more, as there would be no objection to
produce the papers to the full es'ent desired by the Noble
Lord.

Lord BEAUMONT then said a few words in explanation.
He said that as the Noble Lord had not read the debate in the
Chambers, he would inform him that he would find it stated by
M. Guizot that he maintains the sole right of protecting the
Maronites. He was prepared to act on that principle, and if he
Pound it advantageous he would adopt it.
The motion was agreed to.
AUSTRALIAN WASTE LANDS BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this Bill,
Lord STANLEY wished to state the intention of this Bill.
Under the present Act it was intended to empower the governor
of the settlement to grant leases not exceeding twenty-one
years. He said twenty-one years, because he wished to leave
it to the discretion of the Government there. It was impos-
sible to apply the principles of this Bill to the convict colony.
They were imposing upon it an immense outlay upon police
and gaols of 60,0001. a year. All the other institutions were
supported at the expense of 70,0001. only. It might also be a
subject for consideration to allow those persons whose term of
transportation had expired, to rent land from the Government,
to get a certain tenure, so as, while they could not become pur-
chasers, to enable them to obtain by a temporary tenure a corn.
fortable subsistence. lie had thus briefly stated the provisions
of the Bill, and he would conclude by moving that it be read a
second time.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said, that it lay upon the
Noble Lord to make out a case, not only of general policy or
expediency for the passing of this Bill, but of actual necessity.
He thought that at such a period of the session, when other
measures of the greatest importance were obliged to be put
aside, that the necessary care and attention could not be given
to it. He thought there was a degree of arbitrary power con-
ferred by it, which he could not think of giv►ng to any Go-
vernment. In the 6th clause, providing for persons who have
occupied waste lands under a licence from the Government,
they were made liable to a tax of the most enormous amount.
He therefore hoped that their Lordships would not proceed at
this period of the session with the Rill.
Lord STANLEY explained. The licence was an annual
licence, and the Government had the discretionary power of
fixing its amount from year to year. It was, in fact, a per-
sonal, not a proprietary right ; and the licence was charged not
for the extent of land occupied, but the number of cattle de-
pastured.
Lord MONTEAG LE said that, in 1842, an Act was passed
regulating the sale of colonial property; but this Act, extend-
ing to all the Australian colonies, suspended the operation of
the former Act, and of all Acts at present existing respecting
penal settlements. If it was intended to suspend the operation
of this Act as far as Van Dieman's Land was concerned, why
not say so at once in the Bill?
After a few words from Lord Polworth, Lord Stanley, and
Lord Monteagle, the Bill was read a second time, and ordered
to be committed on Friday next.
BRAZILIAN SLAVE-TRADE BILL.
This Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be enc.
mittcd.