The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-15 00:00:00

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LONDON, FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 1849.

We yesterday demonstrated that the PRESIDENT
of the French Republic and his Ministers had by
declaring war against Rome, without the sanction of
the Auemhly, been guilty of a violation of the Con-
stitution ; we argued the question as a question of
law merely, and proved that the enactments of the
law had been violated by the PRESIDENT and his Mi•
nisters. But if we consider the question as a ques-
tion, not of the mere letter of the law, but as a ques-
tion of morality, of right, and of justice, their guilt is
increased a thou%andfold. They are guilty of trea-
son, not merely against a Republic, but against the
Republican principle itself, and asa proof of
this we will quote the words of the Pro-
clamation of the PRESIDENT of the French
i
Republic himself sAred only the day before
yesterday. The first sentence of the proclamation
runs thus—" Some factious men have again dared to
raise the standard of revolt against a Government of
a legitimate character, since it is the produce of :mi..
vernal suffrage." Is not the Government of the
Roman Republic also the produce of universal suf-
frage, and therefore to the full as legitimate as the
Government of the French Republic ? And if those
who raise_tba standard of revolt against a Government

founded on universal suffrage are to be designated
" factious men" in what category are we to class
MM. LOUIS NAPOLEON BONAPARTE, ODILON BAR-
ROT, OUDINOT, and Da FALLOUX, who i ave
sought the overthrow of the ttepublican Go-
vernment of Rome, " a Government of a
legitimate character since it is founded on universal
suffrage ?" It is impossible to imagine an argument
which can justify the PRESIDENT and his Ministers
in interfering by force of arms for the destruction of
the Roman Republic and restoration of Pio NoNo,
and sacerdotal misgoverment in Rome which will not
as completely justify Russian interference for the de-
struction of the French Republic and the restoration
of HENRY V., and sacerdotal misgovernment in
Paris. Nay, more, we believe that one of the main
objects of the expedition was to furnish a pre-
cedent for the justification of a contemplated
restoration in France in obedience to Cossack man-
dates. The whole manner in which the expedition
has been conducted proves that it was ultimately in-
tended to subserve Absolutist and Para- Pretre
purposes. The command was conferred on General
OUDINOT. Whv ? General OUDINOT is one of the
least talented, least celebrated, least popular Generals
in the French service, and therefore the last man, under
ordinary circumstances, to have been selected for such
a command, but General OUDINOT was the first man
who, after the battle of Waterloo, turned traitor to
NAPOLEON. On the morning of the 19th June, 1815,
General, then Captain, OUDINOT, might have been
seen in the streets of Ghent knocking at the door of
the residence of Louis XVIII. ; he was admitted,
and arranged a transaction for betraying the remain-
ing forces of NAPOLEON into the hands of his rival—
a service which, whatever claims it may give General
OUDINOT to the kind consideration of Louis NAPO-
LEON BONAPARTE, could not but be considered as most
meritorious by M. DE FALLOUX, who no doubt looks
forward to the day when he himself may become the
new TALLETR.tND of a new restoration, with OUDINOT
for his MARMONT, and his soutane'd brother the Mon-
signore for his TRESTAILLON. It is admitted on all
hands, that there is an arriere pensee as regards this
expedition, which has not yet been explained. To quote
the words of Lord BEAUMONT, in relation to this
most nefarious transaction, "the French appear to
have deceived every one." That one of their objects
is the restoration of the POPE is now openly avowed,
although so long as the Constituent Assembly
remained sitting the object was as distinctly dis-
avowed. That this army is intended to aid Austria
in the destruction of liberty in Italy is also evident,
and the army would have been employed to co-
operate with the Austrian forces, as had been agreed
upon at Gaeta, but the General found that he dare
not trust his troops. It had been hoped by the pro-
jectors of the expedition that Rome would have
been taken by a coup de main, and that the
Roman Republic would have been destroyed before the
advance upon Rome could have been known in Paris;
and it was not the fault of Monsignore DE FALLOUX
that such was not the case. Every means were used
to induce a few Romans to turn traitors, and admit the
French by night to the town ; but, to the honour of the
Roman Republicans be it spoken, not a traitor was
to be found, and to the disgrace of having betrayed
the cause of republicanism, which they had solemnly
sworn to uphold, is now added for the French
Government and their officers the shame and igno •
miny of deserved defeat. We shall not dwell upon
the mission of M. LESSEPS, a gentleman sent out for
the mere purpose of being afterwards disavowed,
nor upon the conduct of General OUDINOT in violat-
ing the armistice to which he had himself agreed,
inasmuch as his treacherous conduct has met with its
just reward, and again subjected him to the mortifica-
tion of defeat ; but we feel reluctantly compelled to
record our deep regret at the conduct of one
from whom we had once hoped better things. It is
now just twelve months since Pio Norio refused to
declare war against Austria, on the declared ground
that as a Christian Pontiff he could not authorise the
shedding of human blood, yet this same Pio Norio now
calls upon Austria, upon France, upon Spain, upon
Naples, to invade the Roman States, and
to shed the blood of those whom he calls his children,
for the purpose of restoring him to temporal power.
In consequence of this appeal of Pio NONO, at least
ten thousand human lives have been sacrificed since
the month of March last. On whose head dues the
guilt of all this blood rest ?

Lord JOHN RUSSELL gave audience on Tuesday to
a very important deputation (consisting of the leading
bankers, merchants, and traders of the city of London
and from the great provincial seats of business, to-
' gether with nearly fifty Members of Parliament) on
the subject of the Bankruptcy Law Consolidation Bill,
which has passed the House of Lords '33r whst Lord
BROUGHAM tersely and truly called " an unexampled
unanimity of approval." This deputation represent-
ing the great commercial interests of the country,
and headed by the LORD MAYOR of London, placed
before the Premier very cogent and pressing reasons
why the new Bankruptcy Act should be taken up as
a Government measure, and be made to pass into a
law during the present session.
There is now every reason why Lord JOHN RUS-
SELL, not only as Prime Minister, but in Ms capacity
as one of the representatives of the city of London,
should comply with a request thus urgently conveyed
to him. His colleagues in the Upper House, the
Marquis of LANSDOWNE and Lord CAMPBELL, gave
the Bill their constant and cordial support, and
indeed appear to have taken nearly as much interest
in it as Lord BaouGaans himself, by whom it was
framed.

The new Act, which is compressed into only half-
a-dozen clauses (its volume consisting of old and new
provisions clearly and ably codefied), has Ead the
advantage of being supervised throughout by eminently
practical men—first-rate lawyers, leading commerci-
alists, and clear-headed officials; it passed the House of
Lords on Thursday last. By great and commendable
exertions on the part of the gentlemen who transact
the mechanical portion of the business in the Lords,
the Bill was passed to the House of Commons within
four-and-twenty hours after it had gone through its
last stage in the Lords. The reason for this extra-
ordinary expedition was obvious, viz., that not
even a single day should be lost in accelerating
the progress of the measure through the
Lower House. But, unfortunately, though the im-
portance of the Bill was fully understood, it did
not receive its first reading in that House until Mon-
day. It is to be taken through its next stage on
Monday, with precedence over all other busi-
ness. Approaching, as we are, to the close of the
session, when every hour tells, it is most important
that what may emphatically be termed one of the
greatest and most important measures of the session
should not receive any unnecessary delay. If, as
L ordJ. RUSSELL told the deputation, it is to be re-
ferred to a Select Committee to consider its provi-
,sions, we fear that there is but little prospect of its
passing this session, unless the Committee make
quick work indeed. We are now in the middle of
June; it is probable that Parliament will be pro-
rogued within little more than another month.
It is to be feared, therefore, that to refer
the Bill to a Select Committee will be
virtually to put it on the shelf until next year. To
do this would not be to deal well with the Lords, the
public, or even with the Premier's own constituents.
We say so with due consideration,inagsrmeaut chas the
leading commercial men among that
constitu-
ency are unanimous in approving of the Bill,
andhave
expressed that approval in the strongest terms,
have demanded such a measure from the Legislature
as a protection to fair and honest dealing, and as
affording the means of checking the improvident and
dishonest courses which, fostered by the recent
epidemic of speculation, take Fifty Millions sterling
per annum out of the pockets of the merchants and
traders of the empire.
This Bankruptcy Bill is no crude or hurried
measure; it has been before Parliament and the
country for a very considerable period. Last session
it was submitted to a Select Committee of the Lords,
who examined a variety of witnesses upon its
principle and details, and reported thereon.
This session Lord BROUGHAM again brought it
forward, and it, again, passed through the ordeal of a
Select Committee. Eventually the Lord CHANCELLOR
withdrew all opposition to it. The commercial in-
terest of the metropolis and of the leading provincial
districts publicly signified their strong approval of it;
the most eminent lawyers concurred in saying, that
here at length was a measure likely to do justice