The Sun.
London, England, 1837-01-02 00:00:00

openly to give it utterance. Had the Chambers not
been intoxicated with the excitement caused by the
attempt upon the KING'S life, many of the Members
would have quitted their seats upon hearing such a state-
ment as this from the mouth of the Citizen KING. We
seek not to make a scape-goat of Count MOLE more
than does the KING himself. To make a Minister
responsible for what he never advised is more consti-
tutional than just in this instance. The KING
himself set aside the Quadruple Treaty ; he alone
dared to insult Spain, and to cast a stain upon his
own public character, by sketching the paragraph in
his speech which so scandalously asserts his obser-
vance of it. The following includes all that relates to
the contest in Spain :-
4, I entertain the most sincere desire for the consolidation of
the throne of Isabella 11., and I trust that the Constitutional
Monarchy will triumph over the perils with which it is
threatened. But I applaud myself for having preserved
France from the sacrifices, the extent of which cannot be ap-
preciated, and from the incalculable consequences of any
armed intervention in the internal affairs of the Peninsula.
France reserves the blood of her children for her own cause,
and when she is reduced to the painful necessity of summoning
them to shed that blood in her defence, it is only under our
own glorious colours that the soldiers of France march to
battle."

If France intended not an "armed intervention'ifl
the affairs the Peinsula," wherefore did her G,ft-17,-
ment order the enlistment of a foreign legion at
How was it that she allowed Marshal LEBEAU to
enter Spain at the bead of a strong:military force, com-
posed, for the most part, of Frenchmen ? If she
" reserves the blood of her children for her own cause"-
why did she encourage those children, at the com-
mencement of the struggle, to take arms in the service
of Queen ISABELLA II.? Troops were raised in
France by order of the Governinent, for the avowed
purpose of making war upon the Spanish rebels.
Spain was applied to for the expences of their outfit—
the hopes of the QUEEN'S friends were excited with
promises of the wonders the French soldiers would
perform in the Biscay an provinces—the mockery of a
direct intervention was reported as the cause of inces-
sant cavils in the Cabinet—the KING affected airs of
indecision, and assumed the tone of a person anxious
to be persuaded to adopt a bold, firm, and decided
course. Everything promised the speedy termination
of the Peninsular struggle, when his MAJESTY turned
round and declared against, all intervention, thus inflict-
ing a most serious injury upon the Constitutional
cause. While he was thus cajoling and mocking the
Spanish Cabinet with promises which he never in-
tended to perform, Don CARLOS received from him
proofs of substantial friendship. Smuggling was en-
couraged on the frontier, and every indirect means were
adopted to supply the Pretender with an abundance of
money, provisions, and military stores. The subordi-
nate authorities had orders to connive at all breaches
of Excise regulations, and to be satisfied with all pass-
ports of which the bearers evinced a predilection for
Carlism. Intimations to this effect were not confined
to the authorities on the frontier, and in every instance
were observed with a praiseworthy devotion to the
secret will of the Most Christian KING.

A few remarks upon the paragraph in the Royal
Speech which relates to the disasters experienced by
the French Army before Constantine, will include all
the observations we shall at present offer upon this
document. After deploring the defeat suffered by France
on that occasion, his MAJESTY adds :—" You will
feel disposed, with me, to insure to our arms in Africa
the preponderance which ought to belong to them, and
to our possessions complete security." That is to say,
" Gentlemen, you will vote supplies, to enable me. to
extend the conquests of France in A frica. The people
of Constantine are peaceable, and seek not to molest
us ; we are the invaders—the aggressors ; but as the
peace of the world,' as I told you a moment ago, ap-
pears for a long time secure from every attack,' we will
take advantage of the universal repose to subdue the
Arabs. But remember there must be no war, or ru-
mour of war. lam the NAPOLEON of peace, and,
if necessary, can fight without disturbing it. MoLE
at his leisure will explain this to your satisfaction."
What remains of the speech relates to the internal
economy of France. That portion of it was amply
discussed in the leading columns of The Sun of Friday
and Saturday.

The Paris journals of Thursday and Friday contain
no news of any interest. The Chamber of Deputies
had not then concluded the election of its Vice-Presi-
dents and Secretaries. The Chamber of Peers did not
sit on Thursday. The KING, accompanied by the
different Members of the Royal Family, attended the
chapel of the Tuileries on Thursday, where a solemn
Te Deum was chaunted in thanksgiving for his
MAJESTY'S deliverance from the arm of the assassin
MEUNIER. On the day following a public meeting of
the British and American residents in Paris was held,
for the purpose of preparing a congratulatory address
to the King of the FRENCH. It was very fully at-
tended. The Earl of DUNDONALD and Sir C.
RICH were present.

The following particulars respecting the assassin
MEUNIER are from the Gazette des Trilunaux of
Thursday :

" On readingiour journal, M. Barre, a respectable merchant,
conceived the most horrible suspicions ; he repaired to the
office of M. Zangiacomi, the examining magistrate, and told
him, that if the description of the assassin, which he had just
read in the Gazette des Tribunaux, was correct, the young
man was his nephew ; and that his name was Meunier. M.
Zangiacomi conducted M. Barre to the Conciergerie, to con-
front him with the assassin, when his suspicions were fully
confirmed ; the prisoner was his nephew. At sight of the
unfortunate culprit, for whom he had the affection of a father,
M. Barre was overcome by his feelings, and burst into tears.
On witnessing his uncle's grief, Meunier was unable to re-
press his emotion ; and when the enormity of his crime, the
terrible consequences which threatened him, the dishonour and
the despair of his family, were represented to him, he turned
pale, and could se:wooly support himself. But as
soon as his first emotion was over, he recovered his
tranquillity, and repeated that he was not sorry for his act. M.
Barre immediately made disclosures respecting the family of
the prisoner. He is the only son of M. Meunier, of La Cha-
pelle St. Denis, who has for a long time been proprietor of a
waggon-office at that place. He is also the nephew of M.
Champion, deputy mayor of La Villette. Meunier has been
employed as a journeyman by M. Lavaux, saddler and harness-
maker, 30, Rue Montmarte, where he had worked for nearly
two years. About a fortnight since he left M. Lavaux, who
is his cousin-german. His usual residence was at 26, Rue
Montmartre. Yesterday afternoon M. Colin, commissary of
police, made some inquiries, and also a strict search, at the house
of M. Lavaux. The examination made led to the discovery of
the fellow pistol to that used by the assassin, and which M.
Lavaux recognised as belonging to him. By a singular coin-
cidence, M. Lavaux formed part of the detachment of the
mounted National Guards who escorted his Majesty to the
Chamber. . _ _

" In the course of the different examinations that Meunier
has undergone, he declared that having learnt by rote, in his
youth, the History of France, by Anquetil, he had conceived
a violent hatred agrinst the house of Orleans, which, accord-
ing to that history, had always been disastrous to France. He
has for a long time entertained the project of assassinating the
King, but deferring its execution till he should attain—the
age of discretion I
" We were ill-informed yesterday in stating that he de-
clared he belonged to the Societe des Families. He has
hitherto persisted in declaring that he has no accomplice, that
he belongs to no political association, and that he has been
actuated solely by the hatred he bears to the Orleans fa-
mily." _ _ '

The prevailing impressionis that MEUNIER had ac-
complices, and that throughout this melancholy affair
he was but the instrument of more subtle intellects
than his own. The police are actively at work hunt-
ing out fresh conspiracies.
On Friday six English mails were due in Paris.
In the absence of all intelligence from this country,
some person thought proper to report that an attack
had been made upon the life of our gracious King
WILLIAM IV. The rumour spread, and by some
or other gat into the Jot rnals. - We, foi,
ii( -4-"kne-rs, of