The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-23 00:00:00

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1849.

Like the question of the Ballot in 1848, the ques2
on of Triennial Parliaments in 1849 has receive 4
he approval of the House of Commons. We are
progressing. Little by little we are grasping the
skirts of those glorious reforms which have hitherto
seemed to be as impalpable as theories, as inacces-
sible as the mountains of the moon, and as unattain-
able as the aspirations of a dreamer. On the evening
of Thursday, August 8, 1848, the division in the
Lower Chamber of the Legislature presented a ma-
jority of I'm in favour of the Ballot. On the even-
ing of Tuesday, May 22, 1849, the division in the
same great assembly presented a majority of FIVE in
favour of Triennial Parliaments. Small as
those majorities may appear, they are decidedly a step
en avant, and, as such, are deserving of our serious
felicitations. To render the triumph of course the
more decisive, it must be remembered, that in both
instances the propositions come from Members apart
from the Administration, and that, in fact, the prin-
ciples embodied in those propositions are directly an-
tagonistic to those constituting the policy of the
present Government. Yet, in spite of that formid-
able opposition—an opposition embracing those who
are ranged on the Ministerial benches, and those who
confront them on the benches of Conservatism—
both the advocates of the Ballot and of Triennial Parlia-
ments have, within ten months, been successful. Nay,
it will go hard but what the approbation of the Com-
mons shall be pronounced, both on the one and en the
other, within an interval of little more than forty-
eight hours. For it can scarcely be forgotten that
the motion of the Hon. Gentleman the Member for the
city of Bristol is to be repeated again this session,
and to be repeated moreover to- morrow evening,
Doubtless, the decision pronounced last night upon a
congenial proposition will act as an additional encou-
ragement to the supporters of the motion of the Hon.
HENRY BERKELEY. The felicitous result which has
followed the endeavour of the Right Hon. CHARLES
TENNYSON D'EYNCOURT cannot assuredly affect the
promoters of the cause of radical reform otherwise
than as a direct and very stimulating incitement,
It is objected to those who, like ourselves, look fa-
vourably upon the project of diminishing the duration
of Parliaments to three instead of, seven years, that,
to say the least of it, the difference is of comparative
unimportance. In other words, it is maintained that
the representatives elected by the possessors of the
franchise are not more identical in opinion with
their constituents at the beginning of the
seven years, than at their termination ;
and that consequently no adequate reasons are appa-
rent to justify the Legislature in making an experi-
ment calculated to produce such frequent periodical
excitements. Such are the arguments of no mere
amateur politicians, of no mere dilletantis in the
science of legislation, they are the opinions ex-
pressed by men who have acquired reputation for
their statesmanship. The Prime Minister of Eng-
land, the man who had the glory of introducing
the Reform Bill into the House of Commons,
reiterated those opinions and those argu-
ments as recently as last evening. Now,
without entering into any very profound
line of reasoning, we do think that it will be anything
but difficult to demonstrate that the views enter-
tained upon this point by my Lord JOHN RUSSELL
smack somewhat too little of that sagacity of judg-
ment which is essential to the First Minister of the
Crown, and somewhat too much of that ever-detestable
and abominable Finality which is the abhorrence of
the whole British Empire. For proof of this we
shall go no further back than the time which
immediately preceded the transference from the
shoulders of the Eight Honourable Baronet

the Member for Tamworth, to those of the Noble
Lord himself, of all those prerogatives and
responsibilities which devolve upon the First Lord of
the Treasury. Take the situation of afkirs as they
then stood, end answer if that situation does not
testify i❑ a rather startling manner the necessity for
some alteration of the present system, in considera-
tion of the:peril, the actual peril, in which the country,
the Legislature, the very Constitution itself is placed
by the existing arrangement. Supposing—and this
is by no means an extravagant call upon our
imagination—supposing that some people had
had less magnanimity than, to their eternal
glory, they then evinced ; supposing that
Sir ROBERT PEEL had shrunk from that magnificent
sacrifice which he did actually make for the good of
his country; supposing he had clung with desperate
tenacity to office; supposing he had, closed his eyes
against the glaring deductions of experience; sup-
posing he had preferred the retention of the allegiance
of an obsequious but bigotted faction to the approval
of his own conscience and the homage of the people,
and the admiration of posterity—what would have
been the consequence ? There was the community
of an entirely different opinion to what it had held
on the occasion of the last general election. At the
period of that election it had, in the blindness of a
very prevalent prejudice, sent to Parliament as its
representatives a large majority of men devoted
to the cause of what was believed to be a
.blessed Protection, but what was, in fact, a
most grinding Monopoly. Reason, logic, reflection,
facts, and, among other facts the " Great Fact " of
the Anti-Corn-law League, had opened the eyes of the
multitude to the recognition of the truth of the frie-
trade doctrines some time before the expiration of the
inexorable seven years of the Parliament. Supposing,
therefore, we repeat, that while the people bad
emerged into the new light, their Protectionist repre-
sentatives had continued obstinately in, their old
darkness ; supposing the leader of the majority of
those representatives had been a man without that
large heart and capacious intellect which were essen-
tial for the emergency, and both of which Sir R. PEEL
showed that he possessed in a manner that must redound
to his imperishable honour—what we repeat would
have been the consequence ? The People and their
so-called representatives would have been placed in
direct antagonism. And there were no lack, be it
remembered, of causes inciting to a still further es-
trangement between the masses and the Government 1
There was a frightful dearth arising from the potato-
rot—a dearth that in Ireland literally resulted in
famine. There was an increase of mortality. There
were embryo discontents in England, and others in
the sister country so far advanced towards a
state of maturity that somewhat later and they awoke
a flame little short of the conflagrations of rebellion.
There was a stagnation of trade in the manufacturing
districts. After that came, as the whole world knows,
the repetition of bad harvests, and then the appalling
explosions of revolutions all over the Continent.
Common sense tells us that we have been saved from
the extraordinary dangers of this prolonged crisis
—by what ? By the system of Septennial
Parliaments ? No : but in spite of that most
perilous system, that system which has hurried us
to the very brink of destruction l We hare
been saved from the most awful of all
calamities by these men who, under the guidance of
the illustrious patriot, the late Prime Minister of Eng-
land, conquered the difficulties and the almost insur-
mountable obstacles of the septennial system by their
magnanimous disregard of obloquy, and overthrow,
and misrepresentation !

And yet it is with a recollection of these great
things before them, that men are still blind enough
to assert that the difference between septennial and
triennial Parliaments is one of comparative unira-
portance I

Happily there are others in Parliament who think
exactly the reverse, men who like Lord DUDLEY
STUART are not only capable of recognizing the force
of the arguments in favour of triennial Parliaments,
but are capable also, like that Noble Lord, of enun-
ciating their views with dignity, perspicuity, and
emphasis on the floor of the Commons. Thanks to
such bold and consistent Reformers as Lord DUDLEY
STUART and Mr. SIIARMAN CRAWFORD, the radical
propositions of the Right Hon. TENNrsoN D'ETN-
COURT and of the Hon. HENRY BERKELEY have in
successive years obtained the approbation of Par-
liament.

Let the triumph of yesterday be borne in mind by
the supporters of the Ballot to• morrow evening.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris papers of yesterday.
The Moniteur announces that accounts of (lig-
trbances at Montpellier have been received by
e„tnphic dispatch. The elections are said to be the
,
text for these agitations. The hotel of the
14refecture was menaced, and the authorities were
compelled to order the arrest of several persons. At
Cette there were some disturbances, which were
quickly suppressed. On the night of the 19th, the
Attorney General of the Republic at Lodeve was
killed by a pistol-shot. The Government have not
received any further details.
La Patrie states that, although several lists
of a new Ministry were circulated in the National
Assembly on Monday, no arrangement has been yet
concluded, the PRESIDENT of the Republic having
again declined to receive as yet the resignation of the
Cabinet.
The Evenement says that Marshal BUGEAUD is the
principal pivot of the combination preparing at the
Elysee, and which is said to meet with great resist-
ance from M. ODILON BARROT. It is quite true that
M. DUFAURE has not received any official proposition
of any kind; bus it is also certain that the friends of
M. ODILON BARROT are in the field endeavouring to
effect an arrangement which would include MAL
DUFAURE, LAMORICIERE, and even, it is said, a third
member of the old Executive Government, in a Mi-
nistry with which M. ODILON BARROT would will-
ingly associate himself."
It is said that the intention of the PRESIDENT Was
to form a Ministerial combination, of which Marshal
BUGEAUD should be the chief, while MMJ
DB
BRoGLIE and MOLE should have seats in the Cabinet.
The appearance of the ukase of the Emperor of
RUSSIA, justifying Russian interference in the affairs
of the West, renders the appointment of M. Moral
extremely imprudent. It would be throwing off the
mask too soon. With regard to Marshal BUGEAUD,
the PRESIDENT has determined to test his unpopu-
larity, by ordering a review of the National Guards
of rads, at which Marshal BUGEAUD will assist, and
unless the Marshal is very badly received indeed, he
will be appointed Minister.
The following letter was addressed by the PRO'
DENT of the Republic to General CRANGARNIER after
the review on Monday :
"My Dear General,—l beg you to testify to the different
corps which I have to-day reviewed, my lively satisfaction
at their tine appearance, and my gratitude for their sympa-
thetic welcome.
" With such soldiers, our young Republic will soon
resemble the old one, that of Marengo and of Hohenlinden,
if foreigners should drive us there. And at home, if
anarchists should raise their standard they will be soon
reduced to powerlessness by that army, faithful to duty and
to honour.
" To praise the troops, is to praise the chief who commands
them.
" Will you, my dear General, cancel punishments which
may have been inflicted for breach of discipline.
"I am rejoiced at having this opportunity of expressing to
you my private sentiments of warns esteem and friendship.
"LOUIS NA?OLEOX BONAPARTI."
Every effort is made both by cajolery and coercion
to induce the troops to join the ranks of the reaction,
and also to misrepresent the troops and the people to
each other.

A vast appearance of enthusiasm for the PRESIDENT
was "got up" by order, at the review on Monday.
Each company, as the PRESIDENNT passed it, eried,,
out, at a signal from its captain, " Vive NeroLEorr,
and then at once became silent. They cheered in
obedience to the orders of General CHANGARNIESt
and, as they bad been drilled to cheer. Having
obeyed orders by crying " Vive NAPOLEON," they
obeyed their own desires by crying " Vive La Re-
public," which they did continuously.
The National, in describing the splendid appear-
ance of the troops at the review, says, "It is to be
regretted that our glorious PRESIDENT has as yet
found no better part for them to play than that of
soldiers of the POPE."
The Ministerial journals all raise a song of triumph
on the occasion of the review.
Letters from Toulon of the 18th announce the
return of the steam-frigate La Pomone, which con-
veyed M. LESSEPS to Civita Vecchia. At the dertri;
ture of the Pomone from Civita Vecchia, on the

inst./ it was reported that. General OUDINOT was
again about to attack Rome. The fact was regarded,

rowever, as improbable. The fleet under tbe com-
mand of Admiral BAUDIN, composed of the ships of
the line the Friedland, Jena, Hercule, and Jemappest
and two steam-frigates, had anchored at the Island of
Hyeres. The steam-frigate Vauban, which had
lately left Italy, has been ordered to proceed to
Gaeta, to be placed at the orders of the POPE.
It appears that the Cabinet has been broken up in
consequence of the intrigues of EALLovx•

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