The Sun.
London, England, 1831-02-14 00:00:00

LISBON PAPERS.

Llstiorr.—The Lisbon Gazettes from Oct. 31 to
Feb. 5, contain no Portuguese news whatever. The articles
under the head of Lisbon are—
" Reflections on the Epistolary Style."
" Varieties of the Human Race," from Mayor.

" Literature." This article is designed to show, from
the example of the French revolution, the danger of poli-
tical theories.
" On the Liberty of Man in a state of nature."
" On inalienable and imprescriptable Rights."
All the remainder of these papers is filled with extracts
from the French and other foreign journals, and a few ad-
vertisements.

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(From the Times.)

We have just received by express the Paris Papers of
Saturday evening. They are chiefly filled with the report
of the Budget by the Minister of Finance, in the Chamber
of Deputies, on the previous day. There was not on Sa-
torday any intelligence of moment in the French capital
either from Poland or Belgium, and hopes, according to
the private letters, were still entertained that the scourge
of war was to be averted by negociation.
The following are the essential parts of the Minister's
speech upon the French Budget :
" Under the Government," said the Minister of Fi-
nance, whose existence terminated in July last, there
were two different abuses—the one political, inherent in
its vicious system ; and the other in its mode of admi•
nistration, which wanted simplifying. The first was ex-
terminated at the same moment with its own destruction :
the other, being purely administrative, can only be ascer-
tained by experience, and be corrected by time. Among
the most prominent of political abuses must be placed the
Civil List, which overburthened the Treasury by its emir•
mous amount—the inordinate grants to the Clergy—to
the over-numerous staff—to privileged military corps—to
foreign troops, receiving pay superior to that of native
troops. These are abuses that will not appear in the
Budget now proposed to you. A considerable reduction
is also made in the Civil List ; and there will be no Car-
dinals, no Royal Guards, no Swiss regiments to be paid.
The second species of abuse is of a very different naque,
and much more difficult to define and destroy."

The Minister here took a view of all the different re-
ductions made in the administrative expences. The im-
provements introduced into the War Department enabhd
the Government to maintain an army of 204,000 men, at
a cost of 11,000,000 f. less than under the late Govern-
ment. After going through the other branches of the
Administration, the Minister concluded his explanation of
the budget of ordinary expenditure as follows Upon
a balance of reductions and augmentations of the revenue,
we are warranted in estimating the receipts for 1831 at
973,101,891 f. This sum, compared with the estimated
expenditure of 957,377,335 f., gives an excess in the re-
ceipts of the ordinary estimates of 15,724,559 f. We con-
ceive, gentlemen, that this result must excite confidence,
and be a complete answer to the false reports raised by per-
fidious agitators.
" Thus, after a revolution which has changed the throne
and the institutions of the country, we have a sinking
fund of 81,000,0001., and an excess of 15,000,0001., in
our ordinary resources ; that is, after paying all our ex-
pences and the interest of our debt, we have a surplus of
96,000,0001., 81,000,0001. of which are expressly ap-
propriated to the reduction of the capital of the debt, and
the remaining 15,000,000 f. are applicable to any extra-
ordinary services.

" France could not, under any circumstances, appear in
a condition more imposing for the present, or more co-
couraging for the future.

" fwill now proceed to the budget of extraordinary
expenses and resources called for by the position in which
France at this moment stands with regard to the rest of
Europe. If, gentlemen, we have separated this from the
other budget, it is not to create an illusion by transferring
a part of the ordinary to the account of the extraordinary
expenses of the state, as you will be fully satisfied on exa-
mining both statements. We have given you one strik-
ing proof of this by leaving in the account of the ordinary
budget the augmentation of the floating debt, both capital
and interest,—a mere temporary, augmentation, arising en-
tirely out of circumstances which cannot again occur, and
which cannot properly be classed as extraordiniries.
This would have diminished the ordinary estimates at
least 8,000,000 francs. We avoided all such artifices.

" The grounds upon which the extraordinary estimates
are formed are purely political. In the agitated state of
Europe, France having her independence to maintain, and
perhaps to enforce respect to her principles, ought to be
prepared not to excite war, but to defend herself if her
safety or honour were attacked. She is, therefore, pre-
pared for war, though, at the same time, she has the most
sincere aad earnest desire fur peace. France is desirous
for peace, because a war of principles, or for any increase
of territory, would create a general conflagration. France
is anxious for peace, but only because she feels it compa-
tible with her grandeur and dignity.
" The Great Powers, when they signed the treaties of
1814, had in view the double object of repressing the po-
litical principles of France, and of confining her within
narrower limits of territory. If France were humiliated
by this restriction, it would become us at once to break
through it at all hazards. But, happily, France is not
in this position. The treaties of 1814 were unfortunate,
but not humiliating. She would be humiliated were she
in a state of dependance upon the other Powers of Europe.
This dependance, whether it actually existed or not during
the restoration, was at all events put an end to in the
most glorious manner, six months ago, by the events of
July. From that period France commenced a new
career—she again proclaimed her own principles—de-
clared she would enforce respect for them—and has proved
her power to do this by preventing a single foreign bayonet
from entering Belgium. By this alone she relieved her-
self from humiliation, if she were ever subjected to it
All the world must know and feel that she has assumed
her just rank among the nations, for she alone has on
some occasions overbalanced the voices of the whole of
the other Powers. Under these circumstances it is
that we wish to avoid a war. We have no projects
of aggrandizement; but should we, in spite of our-
selves, be engaged in a new contest, we should profit by
all our advantages, and an increase of territory would
be no more than a just czimpensation for our exertions
and our sacrifices. Such has been, and such continues to
be, the policy of the French Cabinet. France haying re-
covered her own dignity, will not make any attempt at
aggrandizement to spare the world f!-oni a general war.
Such policy would only be blameable if it induced an un-
fortunate apathy and negligence in making due prepara-
tion for defence. That our system of moderation may be
without reproach, it should at once be made a means of