The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-05 00:00:00

THE FRENCH EMPIRE.

The Moniteur was looked for yesterday morning
with greedy anxiety by thousands of families, to
ascertain if their relatives were included in. the
Emperor's promised political amnesty. Never,
probably, have so many copies of the Government
journal been published in a single day. Pardons
are decreed to no less than 4,312 persons (condam-
nes) by name, exclusive of the generals and the
representatifs du peuple who were proscribed or
sentenced to durance in consequence of the events
of December, 1851 ; and the exiles are to be forth-
with restored to freedom. There is much rejoicing
and a better state of feeling in all classes of society
throughout Paris.
The police made a number of arrests of persons
having in their possession lithographed caricatures
representing the Empress smoking a cigarette.
It is asserted more confidently than ever that the
Imperial coronation will take place in the month of
April. The Bishop of Versailles has left Paris for
Rome on a secret mission ; it is believed to have
reference to a request on the part of the Emperor
that the Pope will be present on the august occa-
sion. His Holiness is known to be in a difficulty
on the subject. While very desirous to stand well
with the de facto ruler of a Catholic country, to
whom the Holy See owes many obligations, Pius
IX. is restrained by the counter claims of the Le-
gitimists, and by the influence of the great Euro-
pean Powers. Dispositions, it is known, are already
made at Rome for the chair of St. Peter to be
vacated, and for the election of a new Pope, should
any attempt at coercion be resorted to.
The municipality of Amiens, imitating the exam-
ple of the Emperor, has voted the sum of 2,000 f.,
to be expended in dowries for three happy couples,
to be selected by the authorities.
The number of manuscript satires upon the Em-
peror, the Empress, and certain members of the
IMperial Ministry, are stated by the police to in-
crease every day, and are circulated to an extent
which occasions the Government serious uneasiness.
NOtwithstanding all the watchfulness of ,the omni-
present police, these clandestine publications have
continued to multiply ever since the adoption of
th:e new laws on the, press. A distinguished mem-
ber of the Government has been heard to say that
the same class of writers who overthrew Charles X.,
caused the flight of Louis Philippe, and the down-
fall of the Provisional Government, would now, in
turn, overthrow the empire.
The Pays fills a considerable space with remarks
on. the effect produced on the public press in France
by the last restrictions. It contends that the Go-
vernment Dias never been desirous of preventing
fair discussion, and wished only to repress the abuse
of liberty which was disgraceful to the press, and in-
jurious to society. The most ardent admirer of the
liberty of the press must admit that, in France, the
limits of fair discussion had been exceeded, and
that many of the journals, instead of enlightening
the public in the way of reform and amelioration,
deluded it for purposes which, if successful, would
have been ruinous to society. With regard to the
,
pTesent state of the press, it would be unjust not to
atimit that the Government exercises with modem.-
Votn the extraordinary powers with which it has
In
a ed itself, and there is reason to hope that, in
p °portion as writers show that they know what is
due to the cause of order, the Government, in its
turn, will show that it is sensible of what is due to
the cause of rational liberty.
Yesterday there was a limited amount of busi-
ness transacted, but, still, the market has been
firm, and prices well supported. For the account
Threes left off firm at 79f. 20c., and Four-and-a-
alf per Cents. at 104 f. 85c. The market closed
as follows :-Threes, for cash, 78f. 75c. ; for Ac-
count, 79f. 20c. ; Four-and-a-Half, for cash, 104 f.
65c. ; for Account, 104 f. 85c. ; Bank of France
Shares, 2,805 f. ; Austrian Loan, 96f. 40c. ; Spa-
nish Threes, 45f. ; Neapolitan, 105 f.
RAILWAYS.-The Share Market was also firm,
and prices well maintained. For cash, Orleans
closed at 985 f. ; Rouen (ex div.), 947 f. 50c. ; Bale,
340 f. • Northern, 830 f. ; Western, 652 f. 50c. ;
Cherbourg, 590 f. ; Paris and Strasburg, 7501. ;
Paris and Lyons, 850 f. ; Lyons and Avignon,
710 f. ; Cette, 552 f. 50c. ; Gray, 490 f.: Monte-
reau, 217 f. 50c. Mobiliere Shares closed at 7101. ;
and Credit Foncier at 735 f.