The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-14 00:00:00

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received tho iv journals of yesterday.

The Pays has an article giving an unqualified approval
to the circular of the Minister of the I❑terior respecting
1).-e: approaching elections. It says that the ballot will
be free, but it will be enlightened; that it would be as
absurd as dangerous to expect from universal suffrage
an initiative of which it has not in itself the power, and
hat unless the electors be properly edified by com-
petent counsel as to the merits of the candi-
dates they will become the tools of demagogues. "Let
then," adds the writer, " universal suffrage be directed,
the ballot free, and the electors well-advised, that is
what is required. In that way the Government and
the country will be placed in the situation which suits
each. The Government will say frankly to the country
what it expects from its reason and prudence; and the
country will reply by a vote of confidence, which will
have so much the more authority that it will be at the
same time a vote of patriotism and dignity."
The ball given on Wednesday night by the Minister
of War was very numerously attended. 3,200 cards of
i❑vitation had been issued, and the company included
the highest military notabilities, members of the Senate,
of the magistracy, and a number of the first public func-
tionaries. A captain, a lieutenant, and a sub-lieutenant
from each regiment in the garrison were present. The
Princess MATRILDE, and a great number of ladies in
the most brilliant toillettes, were amongst the company.
which included the diplomatic corps, and all the Mi-
nisters, many of them in grand official costume. Inde-
pendently of the saloons, a gallery, beautifully deco-
rated, had been constructed in the garden, capable of
containing 1,200 persons. The walls were hung with
arms, in imitation of the armoury at the Tower of
London, and, from the numerous lights, had a brilliant
effect. Refreshments of the most exquisite kind were
served in abundance, and dancing was kept up until past
seven in the morning.
The Academy of Sciences have elected M. ALFRED
DE MIISSET and M. BERRYER in place of the late M.
DLTATY and M. DE SAINT-PRIEST. The choice has to
be submitted to the approbation of the PRINCE PRE•
SIDENT.

Amongst the persons condemned by the High Court
of Justice at Bourges, for the affair of the 15th May, was
M. HUBER, one of the most ardent leaders of the ultra-
republican party, and who had undergone previously
many years' imprisonment, under the reign of LOUIS
PHILIPPE. After the vote of the Plebiscite, M. lIIIIRER,
who has for some time past been in the prison of Belle-
Ile, addressed a on g letter to LOUIS NAPOLEON, in
which he recognised the right that he now has under
the vote of above seven millions of electors to expect
adhesion to his Government, and candidly admits
that resistance to him in such circumstance would
betray an utter want of patriotism. M. HUBER then
entreats from the clemency of the PRINCE such a
commutation of his punishment as would enable him
to enjoy better air, with a view to the amelioration
of his health, which has suffered materially from
long confinement. The PRINCE has gone much further
in the way of clemency than the petition asked. He
generously ordered that M. HUBER shall be liberated
trom prison without being required to subscribe to any
condition.

The instructions given by the Ministers of the Inte-
rior, War, and Justice, by order of the PRINCE PRESI-
DENT, with a view to the speedy liberation of the per-
sons
arrested for the events of December, in whose fa-
vour clemency could be exercised without compromising
the interests of order, are being acted upon to the
fullest extent in all the departments were arrests had
taken place.
The Committee of the Dramatic Authors have had an
audience of the PRESIDENT of the Republic, for the ex-
press purpose of thanking him for the international trea-
ties, which had been recently concluded, and which se-
cured to the French authors all the advantages attached
to literary property of French authors abroad. The
President replied to M. VIENNET, who was the organ of
the committee, that he had been long devoted to letters
and the arts, and that he was anxious that they should
under his Government attain the highest degree of pros-
p-rity. The committee afterwards entered on the ques-
tion of the diminution of the tax levied for the poor,
to which Prince Louis NAPOLEON replied with great
kindness, but with all the reserve which the subject de-
manded.
The Bourse was remarkably firm, and public securi-
ties rose considerably as compared with the closing
prices of the day before. The Five per Cents., opened
at 103 f. 80c., and closed at 103 f. 90c. for the end of
tho month; the Three per Cents. closed at 65f. 80c.;
Orleans Railroad Shares, 1,145 f.; Rouen, 6521. 50c.;
Havre, 265%; Great Northern, 583 f. 57c.; Avignon,
230 f.; Vierzon, 527 f. 50c.; B-isle, 215'.; Bordeaux,
4421. SOC.; ~ 13.ria and S...rasourgh.
472. 50c.; Tours
and Nang.., 300 f • A -
ge, 51A—Northe8r: Boulogne, 300 f.; Paris and
Lyon,, 585 r. .. miens LO
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON
Dutch Rhe •
Lie ‘ Rhenish, 34--Luxembourg,oofCFliranEcXe,ClllB34AN—GPEar,isFrad.
3%--Namur and
—Paris and.Ro
and Meuse, 3x,
Rouen, 26%—Rouen and Havre, 10% Sambre
1 Lyons,3.

W SPAIN.
We have received advice. from Madrid of the Bth
inst. The QUEEN was convalescent so much so that
the book which was opened st the Palace fur the names
of persons making inquiries as to her health, bad been
closed.
Tno body of the rcgilde :Ixrtiszo had b;-o'_ ;:v€l.
and his ashes thrown into the moat. The regicide
left behind him a document which he declared that
he had no accomplices in to atrocious design.

Previous' to his execution, MERNO wrote a letter
to the QUEEN, expressing deep contrtion for his crime.
He solemnly repeated this declaratiot al-ud, and added
that it was quite true that he had no accomplice, that he
had committed the crime of his OWE free will, that he
again demanded pardon of Gon, tle QUEEN, and the
Royal family, as also of all to whom le had dune wrong.
He observed that he also demands(' pardon of the
clergy for the disgrace he had brought on them.
When the fatal hoar had arrived IIERINO was placel
on an ass, to be conveyed to the scafold. An immense
crowd was assembled before the prison, but it dia.
played neither agitation nor wrath The authoritiss
had taken imposing prec iutions fcr the preservation
of order. It is said that the officer commandicg
the escort remarked to MERINO as he left the prison:—
" You have the face of a monster!" :c which he replied,
" And you have the head of a monkey !" On the way
to the scaffold the regicide, who had recovered all his is-
snrance, carried his head erect and gazed on all sides.
When he arrived be wits kept waitiagtill twenty minutes
past one o'clock, the time at which tie crime had been
perpetrated. Shortly before the fists' moment he as-
cended the steps of the scaffold with great firmness, at-
tended by two priests. He took his seat on the fatal
bench, and cast a look full of assurance on the crowd,
which amounted to nearly 40,000 persons. The execu-
tioner then did his office. At the: moment some CI-138
for the QUEEN were raised. It is said that on seating
himself the regicide repeated word for wcrd the last de-
claration he had written to the QUEEN. When he was
dead, one of the priests addressed s briet and appropriate
spt e 313 to the crowd, which shortly after dispersed.
No Bourse, as it was Sunday.