The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-28 00:00:00

a vast and symmetrical Constitution. And while
accomplishing all this it has emerged from the ordeal
of this extraordinary and perilous epoch undi-
minished ,in dignity and unsullied in reputation.
Not one finger can be raised to point out
a single crime in the annals of the Na-
tional Assembly. It nobly fulfilled the aspirations so
nobly evidenced during the glorious days of February.
Recognising the sanctity of that cause, which had
1 with an abrupt explosion vindicated the wrongs of
more than thirty-five millions of the human race,
knowing, as it did so well, the justice of that popular
decree which had shaken to the winds the pomp of
the Orleans dynasty, and bad driven forth its chief-
tain as a vagabond and an outcast from the country
whose glory he had outraged—the National As-
sembly verified the decree which had been pronounced
from the façade of the Hotel de Ville by the voice of
LAMARTINE, it consecrated to the homage of the
population those institutions which had been pre-
figured in the orations of the poet-statesman, it
solemnly proclaimed the triumph of those democratic
principles which he and his colleagues had first had
the courage to legalise in the preliminary acts of the
Provisional Government. Born itself from the urn
of the Ballot, and from Universal Suffrage, the Na-
tional Assembly confirmed the system adventured upon
by the glorious statesmen of February. It did
more, it confirmed most of those august edicts
which had almost all emanated from the pure and
patriotic heart of LAMARTINE, and had been enforced
,by the approbation of his coadjutors. Among those
beautiful decrees will remain for ever conspicuous
before the admiration of posterity the sublime decree
which declared the abolition of the punishment of
death for political offences.
Having proceeded thus far, having announced by
acclamation that the Provisional Government had
deserved well of the country, having either con-
firmed or rescinded the different acts of that
Cabinet of Emergency, the National Assembly, it
will be remembered, encountered a succession of
those appalling and almost irresistible assaults which
twice threatened to accomplish its annihilation.
During those probationary struggles, it will never
be forgotten with how much serene bravery the
diabolical efforts of the anarchists were encountered.
It cannot yet be lost to recollection, how BUCHEZ, in
the chair of Presidency, emulated the valour of
ISNARD. And BUCHEZ was worthily succeeded by
SENAED, by MARIE, and by ARMAND MARRAST,
nine times the elected President of the Parliament.
Surprised into an apparent abdication at the close ofthe
month in which the Assembly was inaugurated, the
representatives in June crossed swords in defence of
Order with the insurgent rabble of Terrorists, and
some died gloriously at the foot of the barricades,
fighting with body, and soul, and strength against
wretches worthy only of the terrible definition of the
Annalist—men who are literally " heathens in the
midst of Christianity, and savages in the midst of
Civilization".* As was very admirably said of the
National Assembly by M. MARRAST, in
nis farewell address on Saturday—the policy of
that Assembly has been consistent throughout, from
the opening chapter of its career to its conclusion.
The embodiment of sincere and muderate Repub-
licanism, it has ever opposed those who endeavoured
to drive things to extremes. In the first instance it
lid battle right bravely with the anarchists of Social-
' ism, with the men who lived upon the pestilential
doctrines of LEROUX, men who did not blush to listen
ro the hideous and bestial blasphemies of PROUDHON.
In the last instance it has found devolving
upon it the equally difficult duty of repel.-
'ing the anarchists of reaction, men who dream
of restoring to vitality what is already so far decom-
posed as to stink in the nostrils of the people, men
who are eager for the alternative of betraying Li-
berty like DELILA, or of crushing it like Arrius.
Against both of these antagonistic bands—those
hungering for anarchy as the road to pillage, and
those eager for it as the means of obtaining power—
the National Assembly, turn by turn, has had to
wage an almost uninterrupted warfare. Yet in
apite of this continual distraction of its attention
and perpetual occupation of its energies, the Assembly
has deliberately germinated, developed, and ripened
Ithe most lasting of all the fruits of its patriotism. It
has created, and consecrated, and proclaimed a
Republican Constitution. This is its chief claim upon
the gratitude of the country, and it is a
, claim which will go far to mitigate the severity
with which all things in retrospect are judged by the
t nistorian.

While we speak thus in the language of farewell of
-he departed Parliament, we cannot but declare that
France has disgraced herself by her ungrateful treat-
anent of some of its most brilliant ornaments, and
)f some of her own most noble and most illustrious
benefactors. When we hear that ARMAND
AARRAST, for nine months the President
of the National Assembly, has no seat in
:he Legislative Chamber, when we know also
that that Senate-house is closed in like manner against
DUPONT, the venerable patriarch of French Repub-
licanism, against GARNIER PAGES, one of the first
and ablest of the administrators of the Democratic
Government, against BUcHEz, against SENARD,
against MARIE, against PAGNERRE, against GOUD-
CHAUX, against BETHMONT, and against CARNOT—we
regard the fickleness of public enthusiasm with a pity
magnified in proportion to our astonishment. But when
we find that among the personages subjected to this
electoral ostracism appears the name of M. DE LAMAR-
TINE—a name renowned over the whole world as the
mune of one whose genius is only surpassed by the
purity of his reputation, whose courage is only ex-
ceeded by the vigour of his patriotism, and whose
eloquence is only eclipsed by the magnanimity of his
proceedings—our pity merges into contempt, our
amazement gives place to indignation. LAMAR,.
TINE conferred the blessings of the Ballot and
of Universal Suffz age upon France, it was,
at his suggestion that the punishment of death
for political offences was abolished, he it was who,
at the peril of his life, saved France—and not only
France, but Europe—from the horrors of a de-
luge of human blood, by repulsing the red flag
of terrorism with a sublime inspiration of
oratory and this is the reward of his glorious
deeds, of his burning words, of his courage in the
streets, of his toil in the Cabinet, of his efforts in the
tribune, of his patriotism everywhere ! The event
affords but a sinister augury for the career and
fortunes of the Legislative Assembly.

The first public meeting of the Metropolitan Fi-
nancial and Parliamentary Reform Association, which
took place on Tuesday, affords the most cheering
auguries of the probable results of the labours of the
association. The movement has been responded to
in the most enthusiastic manner by the great body
of the people ; and the leaders, under whose auspices
they have already attained so many political triumphs,
have buckled on their armour for the conflict, and are
prepared to enter upon a course of vigorous, extensive,
and constitutional agitation. The nation is now
fully aware of the manner in which such victories
may be achieved. The. proceedings of the Anti-
Corn-law League afforded many valuable lessons that
will not be forgotten in the approaching contest.
Truth and justice, reason and argument, are the only
weapons required, and these are easily available, and
if properly made use of, must prove irresistible. The
crying grievances, the unmerited wrongs under which
the great body of the people have so'long suffered, and
are still suffering, must be brought prominently
forward. The abuses which have sprung up
during a long series of years must be traced to their
very foundations. The injustice of the oppressive and
unequal system of taxation under which the iudustry
of the nation is paralyzed must be clearly and une-
quivocally exposed. It must be shown that the
burden is placed upon those least able to sustain it,
and who in common justice should not be made in any
degree responsible therefor. The interest of the public
debt, contracted for the preservation of property, is
chiefly paid by those who unfortunately have no pro-
perty to preserve, whose labour is their only capital
and only inheritance. Our military and naval esta-
blishments are also maintained by the proceeds of
indirect taxation. The hard working operative, the