The Sun.
London, England, 1822-12-11 00:00:00

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

PARIS, DEC. B.—Before the mass, which the
King had in his apartments, his Majesty gave a
private audience to the Russian Ambassador.
There is a strong rumour of the speedy con-

-vocation of the Chambers. The opening is fixed
for the 23d of this month, or at latest the 4th of
next month.
The recruiting law of the 11th March, 1818,
which settled the organization of the army, says
that the number of troops in time of peace shall
be 240,000 men ; that of this permanent force
40,000 men are to receive their discharge every
year ; that they shall be replaced by 40,000 con-
scripts, whom the King shall raise every year
without the necessity of a vote of the Chambers.
It is a regular annual measure, expected as a
matter of course throughout the kingdom ; and
yet this is what a Ministerial English paper calls
an extraordinary armament and a symptom of
war. The date of the ordinance proves only
that this year, as in all the past, it was thought
proper to wait till the orders of detail had been
sent to the respective prefects before the ordi-
nance was published. This is the usual mode of
proceeding—the accustomed period for its exe-
cution ; there was no occasion to search for any
mysterious meaning in it.—(Journal des DAats.)
An appeal having been made to the Sixth
Chamber in the cause of M. Michelot, the re-
sponsible Editor of the Miroir, who was prose-
cuted for a libel whicl► appeared in that paper
upon the Dramatic Censors.
M. Bazeux addressed the Judges in the follow-
ing terms :--" The licentiousness of authors long
since drove the authorities to the necessity of
submitting the pieces intended for representa-
tion in the theatres to the examination of certain
literary men who were appointed to watch over
this interesting portion of French literature.
You must be convinced that neither jealousy nor
the spirit of party can influence the excellent men
whom Government has selected to fulfil the
duties of this censorship ; they are, with respect
to authors, good natured friends, who expunge
from a work all that might injure its success, or
the writer's reputation. The censorship is also
.a guarantee against the imprudence of some
- authors who do not 'blush to introduce into our
dramatic pieces, and place before the eyes of
women and children, scenes which are incon-
sistent with decency, or the criminality of those
who scatter revolutionary maxims through their
pieces, which continually insult the Government,
or tend to subvert social order. This wise pre-
caution which Government has adopted is dis-
pleasing to some writers, who, not possessing
sufficient genius to procure them public appro-
bation, endeavour to supply their deficiency
of talent by obscenity. They complain un-
ceasingly of the Dramatic Censorship. Far
from meriting the reproach of being too se-
vere, the censors ought rather to be blamed for
their too great indulgence. So long as the writers
in the Newspapers confined themselves to the
making of pointless jokes, the public authorities
would not interfere. This forbearance encouraged
the spirit of malevolence ; jesting was laid aside,
and at length, on the 4th of last October, a most
insulting and abusive article was pnblished in the
Moir. It cannot be denied that this article
contains the most offensive and serious imputa-
tions against the censors. M. Michelot, the
responsible editor of this Journal, was so perfect-
ly persuaded of the impossibility of making any
excuse for the writing, that when he was interro-
gated respecting it by the Juge d'lnstruction, he
said th€►t he understood it to refer only to works,
and not to the censors—a proof that he was un-
able to make any satisfactory explanation. I
-therefore maintain that there can be no doubt
the censors have been grossly libelled. The
decree of the Bth of June, 180 G, provides,
that no dramatic piece shall be represented with-
out the sanction of his Majesty's Ministers. The
Ministers, not being able to exercise the neces-
sary superintendence themselves, have delegated
their authority to five persons, who are called
Dramatic Censors. They are responsible to the
Minister of the Interior for the exercise of their
functions ; they are public functionaries and
agents of authority ; sums are voted for their re-
muneration like other public functionaries who
are mentioned in chapter six of the Financial
Budget." The Learned Advocate concluded by
demanding that M. Michelot should be senten-
ced to imprisonment, and pay a fine of 1000
francs.

is favourable to health, and to this circumstance
we owe an influx of strangers, who are anxious
to enjoy a second spring. M. Italinsky, the
Russian Minister, whose arrival was preceded
by a courier, is engaged in preparing for the
suitable reception of his Imperial Majesty ;
a❑ event which, under all circumstances, will
cause in finite joy to the people of these dominions.
We may, therefore, now infer that the proceed-
ings of the Congress of Verona are terminated,
though the Ministers, it is added, still continue
their conferences at Vienna. Benevento, if we
may credit our re-organising politicians, is to be
given to the King of Naples, in exchange for the
province of Aquila, as contiguous to the Pon-
tifical States ; while the Principality of Lucca
is to be transferred to the Grand Duke of
Tuscany, Modena to the King of Piedmont,
and Sardinia to the order of Malta. His Prus-
sian Majesty still continues • his excursions here.
He quitted the capital on the 10th inst. on a visit
to the country towns, from Froscati to Velletir,
where he slept. The next morning he inspected
the fortifications of Gueta, and passed the night
at Mola. His Majesty will return in the beginning
of December.