The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-02 00:00:00

FRIDAY EVENIN(4,

SPIRIT of tli

JOURNALS.

TIMES.—It is related that upon the arrival at
Naples of the intelligence of the coup d'etat of the 2d
of December, his Majesty King Ferdinand testified
his joy by embracing the officer who brought this
congenial intelligence, and conferred upon him a step
of promotion in the Guards the very next day. There
was for once common gladness in the Capo di Monte
end in Carlton-gardens ; and the Monarch of the Two
Sicilies recovered a flow of animal spirits which has
been checked since the publication of Mr. Gladstone, s
letters. We cannot wonder at the eruption of Royal
satisfaction, for the proceedings of the French Go-
vernment have so far surpassed those of the Neapo-
litan autocrat that the latter appear light and liberal
by comparison. In Naples charges have been made
on corrupt evidence and tried by dishonest courts of
justice ; but in France hundreds of political offenders
have been condemned and punished—nay, even put to
death—without even the formality of any trial at all.
In Naples we karat that 2,000 political captive. s
groaned in the wretched prn ons of that kingdom ; in
France it seems that about the same number will be
deported to Algeria and Cayenne. In Naples we have
read of a catechism imposed by the priest, which makes
abject servitude to despotic government the whole
duty of man ; in France, the priests of the same
church show equal alacrity in preparing fetters for
the nation now handed over to their authority by the
secular arm. Wherever an oath has been broken,
wherever a constitution has been overthrown, wher-
ever military force has become the basis of govern-
ment, wherever law has been set aside, wherever the
police have been let loose to track the nearest secrets
of domestic life, wherever the press has been silenced,
and even the diversions of society placed under the
frown of a censor, France will henceforth be invoked
as a precedent and en example for all that has hitherto
been held most abhorrent to the rights and liberties
of civilised communities. She differs from her fellows
in oppression by one consideration only, which does
not lessen the guilt of her oppressors so much as it
lessens her own dignity and character in the world—
namely, that these evils are to a great extent
self-imposed, that she thanks the hand that has
struck her, and has sanctioned the destruction
of her freedom by eight millions of voters. • Her
tyrants may exclaim, with the lawyep of Rome,
Volenti non fit injuria, and it is their only defence.
The emotion thus ludicrously expressed by the
King of Naples on such an occasion was not alto-
gether unfelt by more dignified personages in other
parts of Europe, and we have heard without surprise
that the establishment of military despotism in France
had been greeted with satisfaction by those who had
fixed their minds and policy upon the impending
terrors of democracy in the year which has just opened.
But, if the first impression was that of relief to Eu-
rope
considerationso
From nespeciesof peril, the next moment brought
with
of increased gravity arising out
of the new state of affairs. Whatever may have been
the defects of the Republican Government in Prance,
it had shown by experience that it was not an aggres-
sive Government; it had practically adopted the ter-
ritorial limits of 1815 ; it bad faithfully respected the
rigbts of foreign nations; it represented the most
pacific elements in French society ; it had abstained
from, and even opposed, revolutionary propaganda
abroad ; and, as far as we are concerned, it bad wit-
nessed the happiest and most cordial period of union
people
eotf policyEn of the gland and the
tpheaotpeleveorf
Fexriasnteede.blevtwbettetenvtehre petbeospe
re
exe-
cutive power may at times have been, that of the
National Assembly was clear, and it was strongly,
opposed to war. That Assembly was, in our judg-
omfeDnte,ptuhteiems
main
ndas the Chamber
peace,
it was a power
so constituted as to support
.the Government in resist-
ing those popular and military impulses, which are
always to be apprehended in such a country as
France. That barrier is gone Lthose popular
.and
guaranteebeen
before of tp,
military impulses would now, if casually excited,
prove irresistible ; for, however the Government may
be prepared to exercise compression at home, it must
give great latitude to the national passions or delu-
sions of the people towards foreign states, and it may
even, under certain circumstances, direct and ex-
cite them. The eagles which have just reappeared
on the standards of the French army are not, we
presume, the tame eagles of Boulogne; or, at any
rate, Louis Napoleon may be ready to prove that
the bird has not degenerated by a few years of
captivity. It is a thing not to be lost sight of b y
any continental statesman or by our own Mini▪
s-
ters, that the true conservative element in France,
which maintained peace upon the principles of en-
lightened public interest and duty, has been de-
molished to make way for the Imperial symbol of
force and ambition. The Government of Louis Na-
poleon has hitherto abstained from any general
pledges or professions of its views on foreign policy ;
but we believe that four confidential diplomatic
agents, two of whom have lately filled the office of
Minister of Foreign Affairs, are about to be dis-
patched to the several Courts of Europe for the pur-
pose of explaining the intentions of the French
Cabinet, and of obtaining some further insight into
the disposition of Europe towards France. Never,
certainly, was a more important mission confided to
the servants of any Government, not only as regards
France, but as it involves the common interest of
the world. If the object of these missions be simply
to claim the recognition of foreign Powers for a
successful military Government, adopted by the
people, and resting upon the public engagements
of the French nation, no doubt can be entertained
of their entire and immediate success. But we are
not ignorant that, on some former occasions, the
ostensible objects of Louis Napoleon's diplomacy
have been accompanied by other proposals, kept
back even from the knowledge of his own ambas-
sadors ; and that, even when the control of peace
and war was not absolutely in his own hands, he
showed a propensity, if not a desire, to purchase on
any terms the assent of one or more of the Continental
Powers to particular projects of his own. These were
the motives of M. de Persigny's missions into Ger-
many in 1849 and 1850, when his overtures were
politely listened to, but rejected. In some form or
other, but more probably in different forms at di▪ ffe-
rent Courts, we expect that the same policy will
shortly be renewed ; for, without any definite system,
Louis Napoleon must endeavour to establish closer
relati▪
ons with some portion of Europe at the expense
of the other part. It is one of the disastrous effects
of the late revolution in France, that it has a
tendency to kindle and inflame, by the triumph
of bad ambition and illegal violence there, what-
ever sparks of the same nature are lurking else-
where. The defection of France from the general
order of things established in Europe for the com-
mon benefit would at once palliate and facilitate
any other infraction of the conditions of peace. She
may hold out to Russia the lure of aggrandisement in
the East ; she may attempt to revive in Prussia that
fatal riv▪
alry of Austria which brought the Germanic
Confederation to the verge of hostilities but a few
months ago ; she may seek to cajole Austria by sa-
crificing the neutrality of Switzerland and the inde-
pendence of the Sardinian dominions. We judge of
the foreign policy of Louis Napoleon by the porten-
tous example o f his uncle, which he has placed before
his eyes, by his policy and instruments at home, and
by some of his °Ai previous negotiations. Ere many
weeks have elapsed the old tempter of Erfurt and of
Schonbrunn will be abroad, and the principles of
European Governments in their relations to each other
and to the general peace may be exposed to the hard-
est trial they have yet [sustained. We trust by all
that is
sacred and precious to the first interests of
manki▪
nd, that in whatever form such temptations
may come, they will be firmly and uniformly re-
sisted—that no negotiation will be opened or enter-
tained by any Power with reference to the territorial
distribution of Europe which shall not at once be
communicated to all the Courts, and that no states-
man intrusted at such a crisis .with the conduct of
affairs will allow any secondary question or separate
interest to divert him from from the most hearty and
steadfast adherence to that which is the common in-
terest of all. In comparison with what may now be
at stake, how paltry and contemptible are the leaser
considerations that have divided or united Cabinets
and Courts! What can now be weighed against the
only thing of which we were sure, namely the prin-
ciple of common respect for all the rights established
by treaty throughout Europe P What security would
remain
for any portion of that compact if, by any
bli▪
nd connivance with its adversary, one essential
point in it be broken down ? The history of Napo-
leon's victories lay in the divisions he succeeded in
effecting in Europe ; that of his defeat in the union
of all. Neither in his hands, nor in those of his
nephew, will France provoke the calamity of univer-
Isal war, unsupported by an accomplice or an ally

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS ocnooLs.—A dinner,
attended by several ladies and gentlemen interested is the
above-named excellent institution took place on Monday
evening, at the London Tavern, at the conclusion of the half-
yearly election of children. The object of the meeting was
to present Mrs. J. R. Cuilley with a testimonial to comme-
morate her zealous and benevolent exertions in aiding to
found, and subsequently in promoting the prosperity of the
charity referred to. The testimonial consisted of an elegant
silver salver and tea service, and the chairman in presenting
it, and several other gentlemen, bore testimony to the value
of the services rendered to the institution by Mrs. Conley.
The proceedings appeared to give the highest satisfaction to
all present, and after an evening spent in the greatest cor-
diality, and in the interchange of friendly sentiments and
mutual resolutions to promote to the utmost the prosperity
of the schools, the party dispersed.
DaNy,EthWe YcuEstoßrnasry giftsDAl—Yesterday being New Year's
were distributed to the deserving
poor in the metropolitan and suburban parishes, by the
churchwardens and overseers in their respective districts, the
donations consisted principally of coals, bread, and potatoes ;
but in some localities, where meat was not given at Christ-
mas, a supply of that article was issued. The inquests in the
various wards throughout the City have supplied large quan-
tities of coals, &c., to the poor inhabitants in the several
. precincts; the begnests to the poor in the various parishes
were distributed by the trustees in accordance to the wills of
the testators.