The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-09 00:00:00

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.,

We have received. the Paris papers of yesterday.
The sitting of t'be Assembly yesterday was ren-
dered interesting by the discussion on foreign affairs,
with which it opened, by the Ministerial statement of
M. DROUYN DE Lace is, and the eloquent vindication
of the foreign policy of the Provisional Government
by M. LAMARTINE. The discussion was commenced
by the interpellations of M. BEAUNE of which he
had given notice.
M. BEAUNE, in rising, said that he could well un-
derstand and tolerate the reserve which a temporary
Government had observed with respect to foreign
Governments • but at the present moment, when a
permanent Government was in power, that reserve
was out of place and out of season. The Government
was now definitively constituted, and it was
necessary that it should march in the line
chalked out for it by the Revolution. He
pointed out the discredit into which French
influence had fallen everywhere. The fa-
mous mediation, of which so much had been said,
was not to take place. An Austrian diplomatist had
ventured to say, openly, that it was necessary to
let France simmer in its own ;gravy (cuire dans son
jus). Would the present Cabinet accept that state of
things? For the honour of France, he hoped not.
He then took a review of the state of Europe' and
alluded particularly to those places, and complained
that Republican principles were everywhere con-
temned and despised. This speech was spoken in a
low, husky tone, and made no impression on the
Assembly.
M. DROUYN DE LBUYS rose to reply. He de-
clared that the negotiations were actively and
seriously commenced, notwithstanding the assertion
of M. Beaune to the contrary. The Congress for the
mediation ;would certainly take place ; and the pre-
sent Cabinet, like its predecessors, would endeavour
to have the question of Italy settled by pacific means.
Until the negotiations had gone further, the Govern-
ment would observe the greatest reserve in its lan-
guage. He reminded the Assembly that the Provi-
sional Government had inaugurated two systems of
policy—the one an open and pacific one, the other an
underhand policy of agitation. The present Cabinet
would follow out the first, and would never descend
to the second.
This allusion to the manifesto brought M. DE
LAMARTINE to the tribune. He contended, with the
eloquence which is natural to him, that the policy
proclaimed by the Republic was the result of well-
considered patriotism. In that policy there was
neither disloyalty nor agitation. It was a policy
worthy of the Republic, the Government, and the
Assembly. This short speech was received with loud
cheering.
It was rumoured yesterday that so heartily tired
had M. ODILON BARROT become of his position that
he was exceedingly desirous of being elected Vice-
President, in order to escape from his Ministerial
embarrassments. The visit of M. ARMAND MARRAST
to the PRESIDENT of the Republic still continues to
excite the alarm of the re-actionary party who pay
an involuntary homage to the talents and the power
of M. ARMAND MARRAST by the importance they
attach to his slightest movements. The following
account of this important visit appears in the Sickle :
" It appears to be certain, not that the President of
the Assembly (M. Marrast) demanded an audience, ac-
cording to the expressions which have been maliciously
repeated, but that he sent a message to the President of
the Republic to inform him that he should be glad of an
opportunity of talking with him on affairs of general
interest, au act of propriety which does not compromise
the dignity of either of the two powers, and which, in
the present circumstances, ought to be reciprocal. It is
probably on this account that the Laos thought itself
authorized in saying that M. Marrast, in place of being
sent for, had sent for himself."
The agitation for the dissolution of the National
Assembly continues on the increase. MM. TRIERS
and MOLE and the chiefs of the dynastic rump are
indefatigable in their endeavours to effect the disso-
lution of the Assembly, and they are aided by the
Jesuits and Parti Pretre, whose influence over the
unlettered and superstitious boors of the Provinces is
unbounded.
The publication of the letter of Loins NAPOLEON
to M. DE MALLEVILLE has done the PRESIDENT
of the Republic much injury. It is to be hoped that
the attitude now assumed by the reactionaries will
open his eyes to the dangers of his situation before
it be too late. They consider him as what EMILE DE
GIBARDIN discribed him, the planche Napolionienne.
Judas-like they accept but to betray him, and
his only chance of safety is in an immediate, a frank,
and an honest acceptance of Republican
principles, Republican measures, and Republican
men. The Republicans look upon him as the incar-
nation of the popular will expressed by universal
suffrage ; and whilst he continues to do his duty as
PRESIDENT of the Republic, he will find that the
Republicans are his most sincere friends and his
firmest supporters.
The National has the 'following on the present
aspect of affairs in France :
" Why is it necessary that a sad incident should arise
to disturb our people in their gaiety ? Why should
there be in the drawers of a Minister, documents
compromising certain new friends of the Presi-
dent, formerly his bitterest enemies? Why speak
of a snare laid for the pretender at Boulogne in
1810? Why, in fine, is the name of the Minister of
that day mixed up with the unfortunate adven-
ture which led M. Louis Bonaparte to the fort of Ham!
Alas, do not inquire of M. Thiers, for the Constitutionnel
will reply to you by insults. We shall therefore refrain
from any indiscreet questions. While perfectly under-
standing that M. Napoleon Bonaparte, less generous than
Louis XII., wishes to know who deceived him in 1840,
and desires to remove from himself the traitors who, per-
haps, still surround him, we declare that we attach no
kind of importance to these retrospective details of the
secret police. We are, besides, perfectly well informed
as to the practices of the monarchy in matters of provo-
cation aud spies. The affair of Conseil, M. Thiers being
then Minister, is fresh in our recollection. M. Malleville
has refused the removal of these documents, a list of
which, accompanied by a receipt, might have guaranteed
their being replaced in archives; M. Faucher, who
replaces him, will show himself more complaisant, and all
will be told.
"Indifferent to these squaliblings we treat with no
less contempt, the insults addressed by the Ministerial
papers against Republicans. We can scarce believe this
strange charge of compereship thrown in the face of men
who, looking with a serious eye on our democratic in-
stitutions, bend themselves before the expression of
universal suffrage, and after having energetically op-
posed the candidateship of M. Bonaparte, now respect in
him the will of the nation. No, the flatterers are not in
that quarter. If it be necessary to satisfy ambitions
which appear to light up, to subject the management of
affairs to the old servants of the monarchy, we shall re-
sign ourselves to it. The universal good sense of the
nation will soon do us justice. It will cost France
some grief and some crises which we would have wished
to have spared her ; but if we are powerless to pre-
vent them we will at least take care that the evil be
not fatal. It is of little consequence to us what man
is in power, and it is of little consequence to us
that our friends should be Ministers. What concerns us
is that universal suffrage be exercised in reality, that
the Constitution be respected, and the Republic main-
tained. To the triumph of the sovereignty of the people
we have devoted our life, and we will devote all that is
left to us of strength and energy to defend the conquest
we have gained. Let, then, M. Thiers, his friends, and
their Legitimist allies come on—we await them. They
may create some short obstacles to the march of demo-
cracy, but we defy them to arrest it in its course. The
necessities of the time in which we live will triumph over
wiles more vigorous than theirs."
The Committee of Agriculture has adopted, by a
large majority, the following project of decree :
Dating from February 1, 1849, foreign salt is ad-
mitted into France on the following conditions:—
"By sea, and in the ports of the ocean and of the
Channel, under French flag, 2f. per kilog.; under Fo-
reign flag, 2f. 50c."
BOURSE.—PARIS, MONDAY, JAN. 8.
THREE O'CLOCK.—The French Five per Cents. opened
firmly at the closing prices of Saturday, and went up to
75f. 20c.; after which they began to give way, and closed
ultimately at 35 centimes below Saturday's prices. The
Three per Cents. also gave way. The uneasiness with
respect to the position of the Ministry, and the appre-
hended struggles between the party who wish to dis-
solve the Chamber, and those who wish to prolong its
existence, was the principal cause of the fall. The
Railway Shares were also weak. Exchange on London
(thirty days), 25 30; ditto (ninety days), 25 20.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK-EXCHANGE, JAN. 8.
Boulogne and Amiens, 7744—Dutch Rhenish, 114—Namur
and Liege, 6—Northern of Frame, 7% Orleans and
Bordeaux, 2%—Paris and Rouen, 181/8.