The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-27 00:00:00

THE FRENCH EMPIRE.

The Constitutionnel of yesterday announces that
the Government is engaged in preparing a law for
the better regulation of the pension system as re-
gards public functionaries of different grades. Our
contemporary follows up this announcement with
a long dissertation, the interesting points of which
may, however, be stated in a few lines. It appears
that the number of public functionaries in France
entitled to pension, after a service of a certain
number of years, is 74,000, but the number who,
under the present regulations, have no retiring
pension, is still greater. The bill on this subject,
Which was presented in 1851, but which has had
no result, added 83,000 functionaries to the list of
those entitled to pensions under the existing law.
The Constitutionnel states that the clauses of the
bill presented in 1851 will form the principal bases
of that on which the Government is now engaged.
The Senate and. Corps Legialatif—or, as in old times
We would have said, the Chambers are convoked
for the 14th of February. M. Billault is reappointed
to the President's chair ; Messrs. Schneider and Re-
veil are to be Vice-Presidents ; and General Vast-
Vimeux and M. Hebert are to be Questeurs. M.
Mesnard is named First Vice-President of the Se-
nate ; and M. Drouyn de l'Huys, with General
Baraguay d'Hilliers and General Re gnaud de St.
Jean d'Angely, the other Vice-Presidents.
The comments of the London journals on the
approaching marriage must, generally speaking,
be considered as having satisfaction to the
Government, for copious extracts
Pays, Constitutionnel, and Debats, from the
_Herald, Times, Standard, Post, and Sun as fairly
representing the different shades of parties,
and, on the whole, giving a pretty accurate
reflex of public opinion. As the articles referred
to take a favourable view of the marriage, it is
pleasant to be able to mark the readiness with which
the Government and its organs respond to the first
kindly breach in that system of hostility which has
on the part of one of the papers above named,
caused so much unpleasantness at this side. The
Debats mentions, however, with reference to the
Chronicle, that it could not any portion of its
article. Still some good has been done by the
proofs laid before the public this morning that
Englishmen are not all rabid on the subject of the
French Government.

A decree of the Emperor makes the following
nominations in the household of the Empress :
The Princess of Essling, Grand Mistress ; the
Duchess de Bassano, Lady of Honour ; the Countess
Gustave de Montebello, Mme. Feray, Viscountess
Lezay-Marnezia, Baroness de Pierres, the Baroness
de Malaret, and the Marchioness de Las Marismas,
Ladies of the Palace ; Count Tascher de la Pagerie,
Senator, Grand Master ; Count Charles Tascher de
la ' Pagerie, First Chamberlain ; Viscount Lezay-
Marneth,, Chamberlain, and the Baron de Pierres,
Equerry.
Yesterday the Countess Teba and her mother
went out--in plain language—shopping, and made
Purchases at different houses. Having at length
been recognised, a crowd assembled, and by hearty
cheers gave their future Empress an earnest of
affectionate loyalty.
The Archbishop of Paris has been to the Elysee
to pay a visit to the Countess de Montijo.
The lower part (wheels, axle-tree, pole, &c.) of
the state carriage which will be used for the mar-
riage of his Majesty is the same that was used for
the coronation of the Emperor Napoleon I.
A grand ball, it appears, had been given by
M• Pallid, Minister of State. Amongst the company
were the Princess Mathilde, Prince Napoleon,
-rrincess Camerata, Prince Lucien Bonaparte, the
Marchioness Bertolini, the Presidents of the Senate,
Legislative Body, Council of State, several mem-
bers of the corps diplomatique, the Ministers, the
great officers of the Crown, and a number of nota-
bilities in the political, artistical, and scientific
World.

Some interest has been felt to know what atti-
tude the diplomatic corps would assume with re-
spect to the future Empress. It turns out that
they have followed precisely the same course as with
respect to the recognition of the Empire. Lord
CowleY, the British Ambassador ; the Marquis de
Valdegamas, the Spanish Minister ; the Marquis
Ile Antonini, the Neapolitan Minister ; the Cheva-
lier de Paiva, the Portuguese Minister ; the Count
de Villamarina, the Sardinian Minister ; M. Fir-
min Rogier, the Belgian Minister ; and Baron Fagel,
the Dutch Minister—have all inscribed their names
at the Palace of the Elysee for the bride elect ;
while the representatives of Russia, Austria,
Prussia, and other German States, wait till Ma-
edmoiselle de Montijo shall have become Empress
before paying their respects.
The crown jewels have, it appears, been delivered
with the accustomed ceremony to the Minister of
State by the Minister of Finance. They had re-
,,,ined in the Treasury since the night of the 24th
ebruary, 1848, where they had been deposited by
some faithful servant of Louis Philippe. It is stated
that some, which were estimated at 150,000 f., dis-
appeared during the anarchy of the early part of
the [Revolution. It has been decided that the
Empress shall wear a diadem on her entrance to
the Cathedral, the civil marriage being considered
as raising her to that rank. M. Auber, lately ap-
pointed Director of the Imperial Chapel, will
superintend the music during the ceremony. He
will have M. Adam under his orders. M. Halevy
Will fill the place occupied by M. Paer under the
Monarchy.
It is said that the new Ministry which is to come
in as soon as the' marriage shall be over, and in
which M. de Morny is to be the principal leader,
M. Magne will be Minister of the Finances, and
the Duke de Mouchy Minister of Public Works.
The Imperial Council of Public Instruction
bad assembled under the presidency of the
Minister of Public Instruction. After examining
Some routine business the council heard a verbal
report from M. Dutrey, inspector-general of
secondary instruction, on a proposed regulation
relative to the examinations of the lyeees, and a
Written report of M. Leferriere, relative to the
regulation of the classes of Roman law. The dis-
cussion on these subjects will take place at the next
sitting of the council.
We read in the Moniteur :—" Baron de Talley-
rand has had the honour of delivering to the Grand
Duke of Saxe-Weimar, the new letters accrediting
him to his Royal Highness in quality of Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the
Emperor of the French. The Grand Duke ex-
pressed to M. de Talleyrrnd the hope that Provi-
dence would continue to protect his Imperial
Majesty for the accomplishment of the great
-work for which it has reserved him. • he con-
cluded the audience by renewing to M.)de Talley-
rand the assurance that the Grand Ducal
Government would always show itself anxious
to cultivate the most friendly relations with that
of the Emperor. M. de Talleyrand afterwards had
the honour of dining with the Grand Duke, who
Placed him near him. After having received the
congratulations of the great dignitaries of the
Court, who were present at dinner, M. de Talley-
rand was conveyed back to the French Embassy in
the carriage of the Grand Duke."
The Algiers journals publish the following letter
addressed by the Emperor to General Pelissier, and
dated from the Tuileries, 13th ult

"My dear General,—l have learned with pleasure
the beau fait d'armes which was executed under your
able direction at Laghouat, on the 4th inst. I did not
expect less from so good a general and so good an army,
but it is• always a lively satisfaction for me to see our
soldiers maintain at the same height the glory of our
arms. Express to all those who distinguished them-
selves, and whose names I have read with interest, my
great satisfaction at their fine conduct, and believe in
lily sentiments towards you. I pray God to have you
in his holy keeping. " NAPOLEON.
The chateau and estates of Cartreil, in Brittany,
Which belonged to the Prince de Joinville, have
been sold by private contract to the Baron de la
Motto.

The Journal de Coutances says :—" From the
unusually large quantity of granite lately conveyed
to Cherbourg, it would appear that extensive works
fire about to go on there. There is, also, a report
that a large additional number of carpenters are
about to be engaged for naval constructions."
A. letter from Lyons states that the weather with-
out being severe had become so much colder that
all fears of a too early vegetation had been removed.
The hadf had come round
rost to the northward, and a
begun.ceived.xfroordrceauAx.similar account has been re-
marked i delay night the centigrade thermometer
at six,. s_loEse.e above zero ; on Tuesday morning,
the day, 2 74tellow zero, and at twelve o'clock in
day during the vs a.boye zero. This was the first
ter has been belorvres4ent winter that the thermome-
M.r:::3 at Paris.
Berger, the
step which is likely tietbii::::f the Seine, has taken a
Emperor. He 4. A , very gratifying to the
yes ~erua
meeting of the municipal called an extraordinary
posed that as the city of grV-1 of Paris, and pro-
present to Napoleon I. on the ad made a marriage
riage with Maria Louisa, the occsion of his mar-
followed on the present oceasi example should be
moved that 600,000 f. 8110131 e He accordingly
-1%
voted from the
.. funds of the city of Paris fourti-it pe purchase of a
diamond necklace for the
f YAm,
300,000 f. to give tochers to a press and
eertae
young Parisian girls. The vote Was in number of
Immediately after the religio
nmat once carried.
Sunday the Emperor and Enaprus., ceremony. on
for the palace of St. Cloud, where tjivelvil remain
leave Paris
during the week in the strictest " Will
Saturday they will return to the.privacy. On
palace 0
the