The Sun.
London, England, 1831-04-08 00:00:00

FR AN CE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING
CHRONICLE.

Paris, April 5, 1831.

SIR,—We are about commencing a controversy
with the Chamber of Peers. It is the Chamber

itself which has provoked this measure. Let me
explain to you in a few words the nature of the
conflict which must now take place. You are aware
that by the new Elector►! Law, adopted by the
Chamber of Deputies, all Frenchmen of twenty-five
years of age are electors, provided they pay the sum
of two hundred francs taxes per annum. You are
also aware that by the same ne ,v law all Frenchmen
of thirty years of age are eligible to be Deputies, pro-
vided they pay five hundred francs taxes per annum.
Young and regenerated France is by no means satis-
fied with this limitation, and this is one of these" Re-
publican Institutions" which is made much too Mo-
narchical to please the millions who made and re- •
joiced at the revolution. But although it he nut I
sufficiently Republican to please the millions:, it
is not sufficiently Monarchical to please the
Aristocracy ; and accordingly, the Chamber of '
Peers has, in its " wisdom," though fit to render '
the law more in accordance with what it understands '
to be the principles of the July revolution. The
Peers are, in fact, fighting for their own existence !
as a corporate and hereditary body. They say that
if the law, as passed by the Chamber of Deputies,
should be adopted by them, the new Chamber ►would '
be completely democratic; and that inasmuch as the
new Charter reserved the quest•on of an here- '
ditary Peerage to the discussion and decision of the
three Powers of the State in the Session of 1831, I
that, consequently, should the new Chamber of De- '
puties be democratical, it would pronounce against 1
an hereditary Peerage, and the Chamber of Peers
must consent to the measure, or witness, as the re-
sult of its refusal, a national movement, which would
overthrow the Peerage entirely, and appoint a
" Senate" in its place ! ! For these reasons, say
the " long heads" and " grey beards" of the Cham-
ber of Peers, we must take care not to have a demo-
mocratical Chamber of Deputies, and not to pass a
law which shall encourage the election of men who
will vote our dis-incorporation ! This is the reason-
ing of the Peers.
And before I proceed a step further with this
important matter, allow me to call your attention to
an important deduction to be drawn from these
facts, and which, doubtless, you have even already
made. The deduction is the following :—lt ap-
pears, therefore, that France is democratical—that
the millions are favourable to republican institu-
tions—for the Peers are opposed to any great exten-
sion of the elective franchise, lest democratical depu-
ties should be returned, who would overthrow the
remnants of the old fabric of legitimacy, divine right,
and the proud and dominating aristocracy. So,
then, according to these men, a trick is to be re-
sorted to now to prevent France from being truly
and honestly represented, in order that an hereditary
peerage might not be endangered, and that some
portion of the old system of family interest, lordly
patronage, and an injurious monopoly may be pre-
served ! Yet there are boobies who will tell us
that the revolution has terminated, and that France
has even more liberty than is desirable for her to
possess !
Now, then, let us look at the way in :Which the
Chamber of Peers proposes to carry its object into
effect. Whilst an aristocratical Commission in the
Chamber of Deputies proposes that no additional
taxes shall be imposed upon small shopkeepers for
their patents or right to carry on trade, lest by such
additional taxes the number of electors should be in-
creased (since, by such additional taxes those who
now pay but 193 francs, and therefore are not elec-
tors, may then pay 200 francs, and thus become
electors)—the Chamber of Peers, on the other hand,
has thought of a plan by which a vast many of these
shopkeepers ! whom the Aristocracy so much abhor,
shall cease to be electors—and by which those who
pay taxes on property shall alone have the power of
voting. Let me explain to you this matter in a few
words. For instance, in France there are a great'
many thousands, nay, millions of individuals, who
pay very few taxes except those of a personal nature,
and among the principal of which is the tax on
patents, or on the right of carrying on trades. It is
a great pity and a great shame that such a sort of
tax should exist ; but, as it falls principally on the
middling and lower orders, let those individuals enjoy
the benefits which may arise from the payment, as
well as sustain the charge thus imposed on them.
Accordingly, all direct taxes of all descriptions,
whether personal or on property, were to be counted
up in the total amount paid by each cit'zen, and all
males who were 25 years of age, and who paid in
the whole 200 francs of taxes, were, by the new
law of elections, as passed by the Chamber of Depu- '
ties, to enjoy the right of being electors.
The Chamber of Peers has, however, thought fit
I to propose and adopt another system. It proposes
to exclude altogether the tax paid for patents out of
the calculation, and has decided that the payments
• of the taxes which shall entitle a man to vote, shall
be exclusively taxes on property !! This decision
has been received by France with hisses and scorn•
, If it should be assented to by the Chamber of De-
puties, and become the law of the land, thousands
and thousands of individuals in the middling classes
of society, who pay the necessary amount of taxes;
including the tax on their patents (but not exclud-
: ing it), would cease to be, and be prevented from,
t becoming electors; and the middling and lower
classes, which constitote nine-tenths of the pqinil3"
Lion of France, would be unrepresented ! ! For, tit
order that you may understand completely the na-
ture of this resolution of the Chamber of Peers, I
should state to you that the tax on patents varies in
amount from 35 to 350 francs ; and that all those
who just pay enough direct taxes, including the tax
on their patents, to become electors, would be for
ever prevented from enjoying one of the dearest
rights purchased by the Revolution of July.
But here this system of fraud and aristocratical
arrogance does not terminate. I have not yet com-
pleted the expose. Well, then—the Chamber of
Peers, fully aware of the outcry which would be
raised against it in consequence of this alteration,
has attempted to juggle France into the belief that

it would be " as boat] as it was long," by reducing
04e amount of qualification from 200 francs to 1.50
f ants for electors, and from 500 to 400 francs for
Deputies. " Thus (say they), although we take
away the right. which the Chamber of Deputies
would confer on the middling classes, by adding
their tax oa patents to their taxes on property, and
thus making up a total payment of two hundred
francs—we do the same thing by diminish-
ing the sum to one hundred and fifty francs
on property, and leave the patents out of the
questiwn !! But France is not so easily cajoled !
If it be really "as broad as it is long," then why
did the Peers proposed this change ? No—no—it
is quite otherwise, as I will show you in two words.
oftiePe whoeer Peers,
a vast many persons
are under their ,eill3l admittedvbethesystem
to si,ot
in-
fluence, and will vote as they direct—but who could
not vote at all under the system of the Deputies !
Since the Peers have all their influence in the de-
partments, where small farmers—small leaseholder,
—small renters, depend on the will and patronage
of these Lords of the soil—and who not being in
trade—and having no patent tax to pay, would not
have the right of voting if 200 francs' worth of
taxes were necessary to be paid by them—but who
pay 150 francs' worth of property taxes, and thus
would have the right of voting as their great pro-
prietors required them to do. Thus the Chamber
of Peers, by its plan,Vould create a vest many new
electors, who would be 'under their influence; and
who would in return support only those candidates
who were disposed to vote for an hereditary Peerage
and Monarchical institutions.

By this system of the Peers also a vast many in-
dependent tradesmen—l mean independent in their
opinions and principles—would be excluded from
voting, and thus the inhabitants of the country
would have an advantage over the inhabitants of
towns and cities—and the sleeping, inactive, un-
thinking part of the population would be sending to
the Chamber old rich proprietors and friends of
legitimacy and divine right—whilst the active,
thinking, talented portion of the people would not
have the right of voting at all in consequence of
their not paving 150 francs' worth of taxes over
and above the tax on their patents.
Finally, this system of Peers is not only intended
to attack the Electors, but also the Deputies. For,
by declaring that a Deputy cannot count his tax on
patents, though often it amounts alone to 300
francs—but that he must pay 400 francs of other
taxes independent of his patent—the Peers would
prevent hundreds of talented and patriotic merchants
and manufacturers from becoming candidates—and
would, in fact, thereby oblige the electors to select
their Deputies from the agricultural interests—from
the mere vegetating part of the higher classes in
France, and not from that description of persons of
which the extreme gauche in the Chamber of De-
puties is this day almost wholly composed ! You
will perceive, then, that here is a double manoeuvre !
First of all, the Peers wish to secure aristocratical
electors !—and, next, ill-informed, fearful, and even
aristocratical Deputies ! They have a vast horror
of young France !
This electoral law, so disfigured, mutilated, and
spoiled, is now in the hands of the Government !
It must come hack to the Chamber of Deputies !
With what will it be accompanied ? With a re-
commendation on the part of the Government that
as it is altered, so it should be accepted ? No, this
cannot be; and even should this be the case, the
Chamber of Deputies would not dare to arrive at
such a conclusion ! Well, then, the amendments
must be rejected—the old principle of the Deputies'
law re-established—and the assent of the Peers
again repaired to the original measure. But will
this assent be again refused ? It is possible ; and
then—why farewell to an hereditary Peerage !
France will never forget or forgive such an injury,
and in that case the Session of 1831 will do her
ample justice.
The Ministerial explanations in the Chamber of
Deputies, which were yesterday made by the Mini-
ster of Foreign Affairs, are to-day the subject of
general conversation. If M. Sebastiani were to be
believed, France has armed only against htrself—has
incurred millions of debt only because she was
Ilfrightened by a phantom ; as Russia, Austria, and
IPrussia are the sworn friends of the Revolution of
July. But no one is deceived by such assurances—
no one is calmed by such statements. The Minister
did not reply to either Lamarque or Mauguin. lie
dealt in generalities, whilst they descended into
particulars—and when he could not meet a charge he
betook himself to the general shelter of that " Mini-
sterial reserve," which he knows so well how to pre-
serve when it suits the purpose of the hour. The
declarations as to Luxembourg were not, however,
satisfactory. It appears that Belgium is to be
unaided and unprotected against troops of Prussia or
troops of the Germanic Confederation—but as to
Limbourg and Maestricht, as negociations are
pending, nothing is announced—and Talleyrand
signs Protocols at London, whilst Sebastiani chatters
his " nothings" from the Tribune.
The progress of the Patriotic or National Asso-
ciation isi truly astonishing. In the most obscure
d villages of France those associations are
Notwithstanding destitution after desti-
tution the functionaries give in their adhesion to the
towns
forming.at
principle of these Institutions—and the Minister is
compelled to arrest the progress of his system of
destitution. They are all founded on the principle
pose the fact of a foreign
policy, may be unable
io
the
hour
that a Government which does not cause France to
be respected in foreign countries by a plain, manly,
honourable
to foreign o
p
invasion. This want of confidence—this doubt—
fear—is the fundamental principle of these associa-
tions ; and whilst this want of confidence continues.
systemfll O need,
people will continue to associate. It appears,
Cd o,f
indeed, that the Minister has himself felt the impos-
sibility of following up his own system of force and
destitution, anti has already retracted the decisions
which were formed not forty-eight hours ago. So
much the better ! It is never too late to mend. •
The Revolution in the Pays Bas again invites
our attention. The new Belgian Ministers have
spoken. They have made their profession of faith,
and although it is not very talented, it has a good
deal of honest nationality about it. The Ministers
have assured us that the new French Government
has professed the most unbounded affection for Bel-
„.i„rn, and has r. cognised the September revolution
as the sister or the child of that of July. But he ap-
pears to have reckoned somewhat too much on that
friendship, for already NI. Sebastiani has announced
that King William of Holland has the right to
claim, es his private property, the Duchy of Luxem-
bourg. Of the policy of the British Government there
no complaint. The Minister replied to the taunts and
sneers of those who affect to believe that the Belgian
Envoy is treated with contempt atLondon,by observ-
ing that no such fact had come to his knowledge, and
that, if the Belgian Envoy should not be treated with
respect, he would be recalled. The o •ofthe
Scheldt
Scheldt by a British fleet •
was denied ! The adopt-
ing of any farther Protocols was not believed in ;
and the Minister added, that France only considered
Protocols to be in the light of propositions, which
,
Belgian and Holland, or
' t Jec At this rate there has been a great deal of
time lost, and a great deal of gold-edge paper spoilt.
I recommend the indefatigable Mr. Ilume to look to
these Stationary
charges !
In the r •newt time Holland has armed 120,000
men. Prussia has
120,000 more between Erfurth
' and the frontiers of Belgium
; and this month of
April
will probably explain to us the finale of at
these military armaments and expences.
Your obedient servant,

0. P. Q.

-ARCI-I OF INTELLECT.—During the early
part of this week, when Chief Commissioner Ital.-won:6,
in the Insolvent Court, was interrogating a person then
before the Court, as to whether he was a shoemaker? He
replied, " No, I am a cordwainer." Upon which the
Commissioner desired him to explain the difference between
the two terms; which he did in the following laconic man-
ner : --A cordwainer is a person wbo makes shoes for ladies
and gentlemen; but a shoemaker is one who makes shoes
for horses 1"--Lancaster Gazette.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

NEWMARKET CRAVEN MEETING.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

The Co'urrtn Stakes, which was run for tads afternoon
wis but an indifferent race ; Bohemian, Vestris (as the
Varennes colt is called), and Rush's went in front at
starting, Bohemian having the lead as far as the hill, where
Vestris drew upon him, and immediately after the latter
failed ; Vestris then assumed a decided lead, and finally
won by a length without much difficulty. If we are to
suppose that the running of Mr. flush's colt on Monday
was correct, we cannot think that Vestris is likely to have
much chance widi Forester. Lord Exeter's two were beat
;1i a style that must conclude them for Derby and Oaks.
The odds were 2 to 1 on Lord Exeter, 3 to 1 against
Vestris (taken), and 10 to 1 against Rush. Conelly rode
the winner.

Sweepstakes of 20 soya. each, Nine Subscribers.
7 to 4 on Cantilla.—Vagrant (Ada colt), and White-
boy, kept in front till near home, the former leading.
Chifncy on Camilla kept on the waiting order till within
a few lengths of home, when he came up and won by half
a length without any difficulty.

Sweepstakes of 100 sots. each, Eight Subscribers.
7 to 2 on Circassian, who won in a cantor, rode by
uling ; Titania, by Conelly.
Lord Lowther's f. by Partisan, out of Pasta, walked
over for a sweepstakes of 100 each, four subscribers.
The races this afternoon were not by any means well
conte,ted, and but for their relative influence would have
created little interest.

Amongst the departures are the Dowager Lady Anson,
Sir John Shelley, and Lord Fitzharris.

Ptiam is stated to have been soil yesterday to Lord
Chesterfield for 3,000 guineas, but not to be delivered till
after the Port. A new match for 200 sovereizns each is
made for to-mornsw between Lord Chesterfield's Carthu-
sian and Lord Tavistock's Taurus, Sst. 51h. each. Last
half of Ab. M. We subjoin this day's races :
Match-1000 sovs. each, h. ft. A. F.
Sir M. Wood's f , by Muly, Eliza, agst. Mr.
.Stonehewer's c. by Morisco, The Witch. Off.

match, 200 sovs., 11. ft. D. M.
Lord Orford's c., by St. Patrick, Lisette, received
75 sovereigns from the Duke of Grafton's c., by Merlin,

Tontine.
Sweelstakes of 100. sous. each, h. ft., colt., Sst. 71b. ;

Hits, Sst. 41b. R. M. Five Subscribers.

General Grosvenor's Sarpedon, (Robinson)
Lord Grosvenor's Metheglin, by Filho 2
Duke of Grafton's Scipio, by Emilius, Parapluie....
Von by a length.
The Claret Stakes of 200, sous. each, h. fr. ; colts, Bst.
71b. ; fillies, Sit. 21b. D. I. The owner of the second
horse to save his stake. Eight Subscribers.
Mr. Richardson's St. Nicholas (H. Edwards) 1
Duke of Portland's Amphiaraus 2
Won by a head.
Sweepstakes of 100 sous. each, h. ft. ; colts, Set. 71b. ;
fillies, Sit. 41b. D. M. Four Subscribers.

Duke of Richmond's c. by Emilius, (Boyce)...
Lord Exeter's f, by Sultan 2
Duke of Gratton's Scipio 3
Won cleverly by a length. No second placed.

The Dinner Stakes of 300 sovs. each, h. ft., colts Bst. 71b.

fillies Sst. 41b. R.M.

Seven Subscribers.

Lord Jersey's c. ltiddlesworth, (late Forester)
Lord Verulam's Vestris

\Von easy by two lengths. Robinson rode the winner.
Match-200, la. ft. Last half of Ab. M.
Lord Tavistock's Taurus, Bst. 7th., beat Sir S. Graham's
Villager, Sst. 211. Easy.

Handicap Stakes of 10 sot's. each. Six Subscribers. A. F.
Duke of Rutland's Oppidan ',Robinson)
Lord Grosvenor's Ebury
Mr. Thornhill's Hindostan 1
Mr. Houldsworth's Terror 4
Mr. Rogers's Victorine 5
Won by two lengths.

Forfeit Class of the Oatlands Stakes of 10 sous. each. D.I.
Mr. Stonehewer's Variation
Mr. Perrin's Donegani
Won easy.

The Claret.—This race is disputed, on the ground that
St. Nicholas ran against Little 'led II o er.

KINGSTON, HOUSE ROOMS, THURSDAY NIGHT.

The Derby betting has again undergone some important
changes, as may be collected from the following quotation :

THE DERBY.
2 to 1 agst Lord Jersey's Itiddlesworth (Filagree)
11 to 1 agst Mr. Beardsworth's Colw•ick
11 to 1 agst Lord Verulasn's Vestris
14 to 1 agst Lord Jersey's Blunder
17 to 1 agst Lord Sligo's Bras de Fer
IS to 1 agst Lord Exeter's llcetnus
25 to 1 agst Rattler
30 to I agst Caleb
35 to 1 agst Spaniel

OAKS.
3 to 1 agst Mr. Houldsworth's Circassian
6 to 1 agst Duke of Grafton's Oxygen
11 to 1 agst Mr. Sadler's Delight
12 to 1 agst Mr. Stonehewer's Lioness
18 to 1 agst His Majesty's Posthuma
20 to 1 agst Dulcinea

ST. LEGER.
10 to 1 agst Lord Jersey's Riddlesworth (taken)
13 to I agst Circassian
14 to 1 agst Camilla
15 to 1 agst Zany

The following horses have been entered for the 50/
Plate to-morrow:—

-- - -
Juryman, Brambilla, Ebury, Gas, Mariner, Elcctress colt,
Tranby, Dandizettecolt,Vercatility, Mirandola, and ltalphina colt.
The Claret Stakes are awarded to the Duke of Portland.

Sir HENRY HAWLEY, Bart. who died on
Monday last, was well known and respected at Dover, and
had, a short time since, taken two houses, the repair of
which was going on, but was detained in London by her
Ladyship's illness. He was in perfect health, and had, in
she: morning, sat for his portrait, and, in the evening
played cribbage for some time. Upon retiring to rest, he
was suddenly attacked with gout in the stomach, sod died
shortly after.

No man acquainted with the habitual profli-
gacy and venality of Liverpool, as a body, can feel regret
that the power of bringing disgrace on the character of
this great community will be wrested for ever from their
hands. Should the new Reform Bill pass into a law,
those men would, were the Bill not accompanied by another
for disfranchising Ps corrupt a body, have possessed the
power of influencing our elections for years to come ; and,
in all probability, of re-acting the scenes of bribery and
corruption which have cast such a stigma on the name of
Live:pool. But their own profligacy has worked its own
rare; and the town will not, we trust, be much longer
vexed by the preponderance of the lower classes in elec-
tions for representatives in Parliament. None of them
will be perpetually excluded from acquiring the right to
vote at such elections ; but they will no:., by the mere ac-
cident of birth or of servitude, be allowed to enjoy a inn-
nopoly of the elective franchise. Every man who occu-
pies a house of the annual rent of ten pounds will, under
the new system, possess the right of voting. So that
though partially deprived of the right they possess under
the charter, all the disfranchised burgesses may become elec-
tors under the provisions of the Reform Bill, should that
measure receive, as we trust and believe it will, the sanc-
tion of the Legislature.—Liverpool Albion.
AN UNPRONOUNCEABLE NAME.—The fol-
lowing Austrian title, we beg leave to assure the mere
English reader, is only one word, whatever they may think
from its length :
Oherkriegsversammlugsrathsverhandlungspapieraufheberge.
hulfe.

The nearest approximation which it occurs to us we can
make to this gigantic word in English, is the following :
Presidentoftheboardofcontroulandoneofthecommissioners forthe

affairsofindia.

e., President of the -Bo and of Controul, and one of the
Commissioners for the Affairs of India.—Royal Ladies'
Magazine.

SPIRITED CONDUCT OF A YOUNG WOMAN.
—Between two and three o'clock on Wednesday last, as
Mrs. WINTER, a laundress, residing in Caniden-town,
was in the back part of her house, she observed a young
fellow walk in; and having inquired what he wanted, he
replied that he came to see a Mr. Satiric, who, he was
given to understand, lived there. Mrs. WINTER told him
she knew no such person, whereupon the fellow retired,
followed by Mrs. WINTER and her daughter, they suspect.
ing that he came in quest of their linen, and not of Mr.
SMITH. When they reached the door of the front parlour
they found it open, and on looking in perceived a tall
athletic young man inside. The young woman imme-
diately sprang in and seized him, desiring her mother to
run for an officer—which the old lady did. A desperate
struggle then ensued between the ruffian and the young
woman, during which he inflicted several severe blows
upon her ; still she held him, until, exhausted by his vio-
lence and brutality, she fell, and he ran out of the house.
She recovered herself instantly, and pursued him with
such vigour that she again came up with him, fastened her
arms round his waist, and, notwithstanding all his efforts
to extricate himself, held him until a constsble arrived,
who took him into custody. He was brought before Mr.
RAWLINSON the same evening, at the Police-office,
Marylebone, where he stated his name to he DavtnsoN,
and was recognised as a well-known character. Mr.
RAWLINSON highly complimented the young woman on
her courage in preventing the escape of so powerful a
looking fellow as the prisoner, and committed him for
three months, to be kept to bard labour.