Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1861-06-21 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

FRANK OPINION ON AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS.  A letter, from which we make the following extract, has this week been received by a mercantile firm, from an old established merchant located in Philadelphia. The writer, we understand, was quite recently an ardent admirer of the Republican institutions of his conntry, and, consequently, was a keen critic of the effete regulations of this aristocracy-ridden ream. It would appear that passing events are working considerable changes in his political opinions. He say:—" You will see by the papers that our war is going on upon a large scale. Since the world began there never was anything so uncalled for as this war. Twelve decent men, six from tne north and six from the south, could have ..fixed the thing last winter in 48 hours, if we could have got it out of the hands of the politicians, but we conk! . not do so ; and here we are, brother fighting against brother, and father against son. I hope you will never let the rabble vote in old England ; if you do, you will have rogues and thieves electing rogues and thieve. 4 to office, as we have in this country. If we had honest men in office, either north or south, we should haven() more wars than you have in Manchester. We are all sick of the affair, with the exception of a few fanatics who want to murder every man they meet. . . of the New York. . . is one of this class. Do not believe a word such vagabonds as he may write. lam happy to say that in the midst of our troubles, our crops never looked better; "naught but man is vile." anches ler Guardian. •  At last the French Emperor has resolved to recognise Victor Emmanuel as. King of Italy. No Englishman" can hear this decision without a feeling of great satisfaction—and even of great relief. " The position which the Emperor of the French has, for the last two yea, occupied in Italy is one so peculiar a character that even the most sanguine and trustful could hardly fail to entertain some suspicions as to the present, and sonic misgivings as to the future.  It having been shown by experiments at Shoebur„yness that eight and even ten inch iron plates are easily .pierced and shattered by heavy Armstrong guns,—the resistance which strong iron bars are capable of offering to the same or4nances has, within the last few days, been tested. Two batteries composed of 10inch and 8-inch bars were set up and strengthened in every possible way, but the projectiles thrown from the guns went (washing through the formidable fabrics, splintering the bars, and forcing back the masonry and woodwork behind. The result of-these tgals, as reported in the Mites, seems to confirm Mt- Hope Grant's opinion of the Armstrong gun, that it is the most terrible weapon of destruction in the possession of any government.  Although supported by the Ministry, Sir John Trelawny's Bill for the total and compulsory abolition of Church-rates, was thrown out on Wednesday by the House of Commons. The long list of defeats which the assailants of the national religion have sustained during the session is thereby completed ' • and the House of Lords will, for the first time for many years, be saved the trouble and responsibility of rejecting this proposal to legally rob the Church.  A