The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-03 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE BRITISH RESIDENTS

IN PARIS.

A numerous ineetingtof the British residents in
Paris and its. neighbourhood was held yesterday at
the English Embassy for the purpose of voting an
address of congratulation to the Emperor and
Empress on the escape of the former from the hand
of the assassin Pianori. Lord. Denbigh presided.
The proceedings opened about three o'clock, when
the Chairman rose and spoke as follows :
" Gentlemen,---My own heart -tells me that it
would be an insult to any assembly of Eng-
lishmen to suppose it possible that any per
suasion could be requisite to elicit am unani-
mous expression of the utmost abhorrence of a
dastardly attempt to assassinate even the humblest
individual in this or any other country. Can it
therefore be necesssary for me, at such a meeting
as this, and on such amoccasion as the present, to
endeavour to excite .feelings which, judging from
my own, I am sure must burn in evcry.breast—
feelings in the first place of deepest' gratitude to-
wards a • beneficent Providence and the Almighty
Disposer 'of all things, for having so mercifully pre-
served a life of priceless value—feelings of deepest,
indignation at the atrocious-act which has
perilled it, and feelings of congratulation towards
the whole of civilised Europe, but more espe-

cially towards this great country and our own, at
the preservation of a - life the value of which no
estimate can measure and no language adequately
express. Need I remind those now enjoying the
hospitality of this magnificent city, so embellished
by the taste and munificence of the Emperor, and
who are dwelling in security in this happy and
prosperous country, how lately it has been raised,
by the Emperor's energy and wisdom, from a state
Of almost hopeless anarchy, misery, and danger,

to its present high pitch cif prosperity and
'less? Need I remind Englislimpn, who have so
lately witnessed the nu pgralleleil en husiasm evinced

by all parties and all classes in England towards
their Imperial Majesties, what the Emperor has

effected in extinguishing, I ®trust for ever—
that hereditary enmity between France and Eng-
land, hitherto supposed to be inextinguishable ?,
How he has converted a heretofore mere couven-

tional alliance bet Ween the two countries into a
hearty brotherhood—an affectionate union I?ence-
forta to be deemed indissoluble, as being cemented
by the best blood of England and France, shed by
our brave armies, fighting side by side in the cause of
justice, freedom, and civilisation ? Need I enlarge

on the fatal blow which would have been struck at
that sacred banner had the assassin succeeded in

his distardly attempt ? But we may join the Em-
peror in his recent noble reply to the French Se-
nate, and assure him that we, in unison with his
own chivalrous feeling, fear no assassin while en-
gaged as he is, heart and soul, in accomplishing the
t4lorious missio❑ committed to him by Divine Pro-

vidence. He has nobly fulfilled the one part in
restoring the great country to her present
exalted station of world-wide glory and power,
as well as of internal peace and plospe-

_ .
rity, awl can any one doubt that lie will,
through God's help, fulfil the other put, and that
so righteous a cause as that of establishing an hon-
ourable and permanent peace throughout Europe
must and will continually. triumph ? After con-
gratulating ourselves that this attrocious at-
tempt did not happen, as might have been
the case, in. England, we may likewise con-
gratulate our Frotich brethren that it was
no Fronchnian who raised his cowardly hand
against so precious a life. Dear, however, as
that life is to England and France, and precious
as it is to the whole of the civilized world, we
must not forget that there im one illustrious person-
age to whom, above all others, it is immeasurably
dear—even still more precious—and, however,

feeble any language of ours may be to convey to
the Empress any adequate expression of our deer
sympat by and sincere congratulation, we may hope
that her Imperial Majesty will graciously accept au
assurance of these coming from the heart,as I am sure
that ours will do. There is one other topic of con-
aratulatiou as respects ourselves, to which I will
briefly refer, and that is, that out of the many
millions whose feelings doubtless respond tp ours
on this occasion, we En';lish residents in Paris are
alone graciously, permitted to enjoy the highly gra-
tifying privilege 'of expressing to their Imperial
Majesties those setitinietit s of veneration, sym-
pathy, and congratulation which will be embodied
in the address now about to be moved for your
adoption, and which, I trust, will receive your
unanimous approval."
The Earl of Donoughinore said that, after the
very able address which had just been delivered by
the noble chairman, it was unnecessary for him to
expatiate on the object for which the meeting had
been called. He was perfectly convinced that
there was not an English heart here, or in
any part of Europe, that did not feel the deepest
indignation at the base and dastardly attempt that
had been made on the Emperor. Napoleon's life, and
which, had it succeeded, would have ruined the
cause for which the French and English troops are
fighting so gloriously side by side. (Loud cheers.)
It had indeed been whispered about previously
to the departure of the Emperor for England that
from the number of discontented refugees collected
in England from every country, the visit was not a
safg one, and some cowardly attempt on his life
might be apprehended, and disgrace thereby be
thrown on England. He thanked Almighty God
that such fears 'had proved unfounded, and that
the Emperor had returned in safety from the Eng-
lish soil. It Was also a source of great satisfaction
that the late base attempt at assassination had not
been made by a Frenchman—(hear, hear)—and
the brave allies of the English were not stained
with the reprobation attached to such an act.
(Cheers.) He would not dwell longerou the subject,
but express what he felt certain was the unanimous
feeliiig'of the meeting, his heartfelt gratitude to
Providence forhaving stretched his shield before the
Emperor, and preserved a life of such infinite value,
not only to France, but to all Europe. (Cheers.)
I now most heartily move that the able address
drawn up by Sir Henry Ellis he adopted. (Hear.)
Lord Mayo having seconded the motion, the ad-
dress was read and iiitanitnously adopted by a show
of hands.' It was afterwards signed by all the per-
sons present.
The following are the names of the deputation
to wait on the Emperor with the address, on the
proposition of Lord Gray, seconded by Sir H.
Bulwer :—Earl of I:).nbigli, chairman ; Earl of
Mayo, seconder of address • Earl of Donoughmore,
Mover of Address ; Lord h.enry Lennox, M.P. ;
Viscount Feilding ; Lord Gray of Gray ; Count
Testa Ferrata ; Hon. Major Feildiug, Coldstream
Guards ; Honourable. George Barrington ; HOD.
Spencer Cowper ; Hon., Sir Fleetwood Pellew,
Rear-Admiral ; Sir John Harrington, Bart.; Right
Ron. Sir Henry :Lytton Bulwer, ;, Right
Hon. Sir Henry Ellis, G.C.B. ; Lieut.-General
Fox ; Sir Joseph 011itre, M.D. ; Mr. Lawrence
Peel ; Mr. Evan Baillie, of Dochfour ; Rev. Dr.
Hale ; Rev. Robert Lovett.

The West India mail steamer Atrato has brought
180,006/. in specie.
ADDRESS TO THE EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH.—At
Court of Aldermen, hell yesterday, Alderman Sidney
proposed a resolution indicative of the pr.tound sorrow
with which the Court had board of the recent attempt to
assassinate the Emperor' of the French, and tendering,
to his Majesty and the Epress an expression of grati-
tude to Providence for havii g frustrated the diabolical
design, and preserved France and Etnope frxpomr es anarchy.
of the dis-
Mr. Sidney, in making the propo,ition, rope d his
admitation of the heroic a:al manly bearing
tin.7uished monarch in the hour of danger. Mr. Alder-
mau who seconded the proposal, Paid he
Agreed with Aldermen Sidney in his admiration of the
conduct nf the Emper,,r when the late atrocious attempt
was nut ie upon his The rroposal was unanimously
agreed to and it was determined that the resolution
,
should be presented t the French Arnb,ssador by the
Lord Mayor and the mover and Beconder, as a deputa•
tion from the Court of Aldermen.