The Sun.
London, England, 1849-11-17 00:00:00

F ktA.NCE.

The Commission on the law of transportation met
on Thursday. The law was generally approved of in
principle, but there was considerable difference of opi-
nion as to the details. Some of the members desired
that the law should apply to persons convicted anterior
to its presentation, and many expressed a desire that
same particular spot should be n irned to be colonized
exclusively by political convicts. It appears not im-
prel:.able that the project of transportation to the
island of' Mayotte will be given up. Admiral Dupetit
Theutrs described the climate of Mayottel as Lein,
deadly to European constitutions, whi at that of
the Marquesas on the contrary was healthy.
The voyage to the Marquesas could be performed
in fLui• months, whilst that to M-lotte would occupy
three and a half , therefore there could he no objec-
tion to the Marquesas on account of the greater ex-
p; rise of the navigation.
The Committee charged with the examination of
the proposition of MM. Ney de la Moskowa, Fla-
rigny, Bar, and Bevoux for an annual credit of
52,000 f. for expenses of lodging the Vice-President
of the Republic, has adopted the principle of the
proposition, but considers 20,000 f. a year sufficient.
We have already mentioned the departure of the
condemned prisoners of Versailles for Doullens. They
were conveyed from Versailles to the station of the
Northern Railway, where they arrived at eleven at
night, under an escort of dragoons. The only feeling
exhibited by the persons who witnessed their removal
appeared to be that of curiosity. The prisoners were
in good spirits, and, before they entered the cellular
rani at Versailles, sang in chorus several patriotic
songs. Huber, who was condemned by the High
Court of Justice for the affair of May, and Lieutenant
Kleber, who was condemned by the Council of War,
were sent off by the same train.
Tne Moniteur contains the following :—" When
tie President of the Republic came into power he
fund in the prisons or on board the hulks 3,114
ii d'veluals eetained or transported in consequence
of the events of June, 1848. Out of this number
2 597 have been restored to liberty, viz. :—From
the month of January, 1849, to the month of Oc-
tober foA"ing, he successively ordered the re-
lease of 1,2.56 prisoners. Before the measure of
clemency whi3h he has just adopted, there still
remained, either at Cherbourg or at Belle-Isle,
1,858 prisoners. Amongst them 50: had before
been
th
measure ;12 have died. There are, therefore,
517 to be deducted from the previous number. It is,
therefore, 1,341 individuals whom the President
of the
Republic has just restored to liberty. This number,'
added to that of 1,256 previously released, makes a
total number of 2,597 pardoned by the President of
the Republic since his accession to power:'
The condemned prisoners of Versailles have
addressed the follou jug letter to their counsel, dated
from the prison of Versailles, 14th inst.:—
" Citiz noticing, in conformity with our Una-
nimous decision, the events of June 13, under the three-
fold right—insurrection, resistance, and
protest—you
acted according to the true principles, the traditiuss,
and the itustion of all the accused. That firm and re-
publican attitude in which you persisted, in spite of the
menace-s of the Court, could alone impart a mutual re-
spon,iblity at the same time that it left to each the full
liberty of his coni,cience. The words pre-
nouncvd by the Presidcut of the High Court, words
which we were compelbd to listen to without remark,
brace we were condemned to the most ab:olute silence,
make it a duty on us to give to your acts the fulle,t
and Most explicit approbAtion. - No, citizens, it is not
true that you have incurred any responsitility whatever
toweeds your order, for yen have defended its dignity.
There is no such thing as desertion on the part of
counsel when the defence is not frce. It is not true