The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-12 00:00:00

THE FRENCH EMPIRE.

The Ministers of Prussia, Austria, Saxony, and
the United States, have presented their credentials
to the Emperor, by whom they were most graciously
received.

The Moniteur announces that " the Emperor has
received letters by which her Majesty the Queen of
the Spains notifies to his Imperial Majesty the
happy delivery of her Royal Highness the Duchess
of Montpensier of a daughter, called at the bap-
tismal font Maria-Christma-Francesca de Paula-
Antonia. These letters have been remitted in pri-
vate audience by the Marquis de Valdegamas, En-
voy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to
her Majesty the Queen of the Spains."
It is rumoured that twenty-four new bishoprics
are to be created in France shortly. The order of
Lazarist priests, founded by Saint Vincent de Paul,
and which was authorised to exist in France by a
decree of the 27th May, 1804, have taken possession
of the church and priest's residence of Beauchamps,
in the arrondissement of. Montargis. addition
to taking care of the parish, they propose to preach
in the churches, and assist the cures of the districts.
The Abbe Lacordaire, accompanied by several
ecclesiastics and laics, is about to make a pilgrimage
to Palestine, to visit the holy places.
By a judgment of the. Court of Troyes, the Pro-
testant place of worship there is ordered to be
closed.

The papers announce the death of Madame Ber-
tin, wife of the celebrated gentleman whose name
has been so long connected with the Journal des
Debats. Madame Bertin was the ornament of one
of the most frequented and most select salons,
which her grace and her superior manners had been
the means of forming.
The Pays remarks on the recent decree of the
Emperor respecting the public press, to show that
there is no systematic hostility against discussion,
and that all that is required is moderation and
truth on the part of public writers.
The Administration of the Stamp-office, on the
10th, 17th, and 24th September last, caused 8,536
copies of the Journal pour
Rim to be seized at
the Post-office for not being stamped, and it de-
manded from M. Philippon,
responsible editor of the
journal, andfrom M. Plon, printer, 469,480 f., at the
rate M. Philippon refused to
pay, of
on 55thf.e forgro eachund
the Journal is not a ctohpayt.
poli-
tical one, and therefore exempt from the stamp
duty. But the Administration on Saturday cited
him before the Civil Tribunal, and demanded that
support eodfth pay the full amount of
its claim, it contended
tilthheeasthfinetohule.dtrablnenspesoannrent allusions of the caricatures of
the Journal, and
the general personality of its
articles, made it to all intents and purposes a poli-
tical organ. M. Philippon, on the contrary,
maintained that the journal was one of art and
literature, and nothing more. The tribunal de-
cided that exemption from the stamp duty was
only accorded by law to journals exclusively con-
secrated to belles lettres ; that mere amusing cari-
cature journals, destined to satisfy the curiosity or
malignity of readers, cannot be considered such ;
but that they must be held to be commercial specu-
lations liable to the 'payment of stamp duty. It
accordingly condemned M. Philippon to pay the
demand of the Stamp-office, and declared M. Plon,
as printer, responsible with him for it. The effect
of this decision, it is said, will be the utter anni-
hilation of this amusing print.

PARIS BOURSE, Jan. il.—Closing Prices.—The
market was heavy yesterday. Tho Four-and-a-
Half per Cents. opened at 105 f. 50c., and closed at
105 f. 40c. ; Three per Cents. closed at 80f. 35c..