The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-20 00:00:00

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LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1855.

Our anticipations as to the cordiality of the re-
ception about to be accorded to the Emperor and
Empress of the FRENCH have been fully and com-
pletely verified. Every one, from the Peer to
the peasant—nay, more, from the SOVEREIGN of
the United Kingdom to the humblest inhabitant
of the metropolis—have earnestly concurred in
the endeavour to render honour to those by whoto
it had been so richly merited. The rapturous
and enthusiastic applause by which the august
couple were greeted at every stage of their pro-
gress was the more flattering,' inasmuch as the
English are not a demonstrative people. Theymust
indeed be greatly excited before they can shake off the
habitual coolness of their temperament. Our
French or Hibernian brethren could be more
easily excited to the boiling point, but the feel-
ing must come from the very heart of hearts be-
fore such an exhibition could be produced from
the comparatively phlegmatic people of England.
Yes, it was emphatically the people of England
that on Monday welcomed, and on Thursday ren-
dered an ovation, seldom, if ever, paralleled in
the national annals, to their illustrious guests.
It was undoubtedly partially an expression
of genuine kindliness to their French
brethren, to whom we are united by bonds
which, we trust, cAn • never be diAsevJred ;
but by far the greater portion was rendered to the
Individual—to the Great Man wh ) has proved
himself so worthy of their homage—on the Emperor
of the FRENCH, and still more on Louis NAPO-
LEON, the tribute of unanimous applause was be-
stowed. He held his exalted station by the best
possible title—the will of his people, freely ex-
pressed through the medium of the ballot-box.
The suffrages of eight millions of the adult popu-
lation elevated him to the Imperial Throne, and
not one of his numerous constituency has had cause
to regret the vote by which the Prince President
became the Emperor of the FRENCH.
We cannot at this moment omit noticing with
pride and gratitude the notice which the Imperial
visitor bestowed on The Sun. While passing our
office the EMPEROR " looked steadily, and bowed
in the most marked and gracious manner." This
open recognition of the justice, whiCh we in-
variably rendered to his character, his motives,
and his policy, was indeed as peculiarly gratify-
ing to ourselves as it was honourable to the
EMPF.ROR. We were not amongst the fair-weather
friends who waited until he conquered fortune,
and achieved his destiny. Before he was
indued with the Imperial purple—nay, more,
before he was elected to the Presidency, we
yielded a disinterested support to the Candidate
for the votes of the people of France. Single
handed we repelled the atrocious calumnies—and
scarcely less justifiable means by which he was
assailed—and we feel an honest pride in thinking
how amply the results have justified, and more
than justified, what, at the time, were supposed
to be our too sanguine anticipations. As Candi-
date and as President we expressed the same
opinions and feelings with respect to the Prince
Louls NAPOLEON, as we novr do towards the mag-
the only difference being
nanimous EMPEROR,
. that at first we stood alone ; that others gradu-
al, 1Y gave expression to similar feelings:—until at
length there is not a single opponent to put for.
lratd a decided negative, or even to resort to
" The26lllPered hint, the shrug, the hum or bah!
"" petty brands that calumny doth use !"
The
rapturous plaudits, thus unanimously be-
stowed, were
hat
restricted_ to the EXPEROB.
His lovely co-N s°RT received a fitting share.
She, too, was th©
incarnation of a great
principle was the glorious
protest offered by
the EMPEROR against the ridiculousy s farce of the
heartless contracts usually
termed "Royal Mar-
riages," the alliances of banded despots,
for the
purpose of sustaining their
n,
ISTArougoN, the Imperial Reformer, g. Lours
afforded nil_
equivocal proof that he was determined not to
act file his affections—the most sacred feelings of
the heart----to red-tapist formalities. And he
meta suitable reward, for he strengthened and
rendered permanent the foundations of his throne,
gaining the heart and band of one for whom the
Empire of the world might joyfully be siurreL-
clued.
. The Speech of the EMPEROR, at the Guildhall,
~,,ZS,Z wativ6rthY,of the occasion and of the man. • The
, ,-...y- -,. graceful reference to the time when he was an
F 7 ~,- exile, enjoying? although in a very different_ mode,
v... the lioepiaptiriof the nation,
4
was peculiarly appr.o.
prints, intl'4;the felicitbus allusion to the mutual
(
desire to &Wish eery,
awl- the hopes for
.the
IlacivcisAla.llT