The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-26 00:00:00

FRANCE.

CHA MIII7II OF DEPUTIES.
COSTINUATWN OF THURSDAY'S DEBATE.
M. de Lamartine said he ascended the tribune with regret, being
about to combat the opinion', not only of friends, but of the majo-
rity, or seeming majority, of that Chamber. lie was comoled,
however, by the recollection that majorities were often mistaken.
He listened with reverence to military men who treated the subject,
but he denied it to be a purely military question—it was also a po-
lifical one. It le pretende I (said M. Lainartine) that, by its geo-
graphical position, Paris is nut sufficiently covered, and this void it
is wished should be filled up. For my own part, I do not ask
where is the strength of Paris ?—but where lies the strength of
France ? I find the secret of that strength in a remark which drop-
ped from the mouth of Louis XIV., while struggling with reverses.
Go, said he, to Marshal Villars, go and give battle, and if you are
conquered, i will run through my capital, your letter in my hand,
I will draw together my people,and we will go and bury ourselves
beneath the reins of the monarchy.—(Sensation.) The characteris' ic
of a French soldier is not to fight behind walls, but to meet the
enemy in the open field ; all our generals will tell you that the
French soldier is the first soldier in the world when advancing. All .
soldiers fight well. I appeal to your generals whether, when
they have gone over in a field of battle the lines of dead, they have
net fout.d the Russians, the Prussians, and the English dead in their
places, and wounded in front like our own ; but what makes the
superiority of the French soldier? It is his enthusiasm. The Co n-
mittee has spoken of war as it was carried on two hundred years
ago ; but new systems, new instruments of war have been invented.
Frederic the Great, elevated tactics, active and scientific manoeuvres
in the field, above the passive force of fortresses ; and he was right,
for the genius of war is there, and not in walls. Napoleon carried
this further, by the immense masses which he moved. Armies now
concentrate the whole force and life of a nation; when these are
eonquered, nothing remains behind for walls to protect and save.
With such masses def Lat has no morrow. In wars of this na.
ture, a march is made as far as Moscow, then a retreat to
Leipeic, then to Waterloo, and at length St. Helena is reached,
which has just restored to us illustrious ashes, and at the same
time read us some terrible lessons. The authority of Vauban was
brought forward. Do you know in what manner he justified the
idea of fortifying Paris? Vauban said that the great population of
such a capital as Paris (then 200,000), together with all who would
crowd thither, might create disorder and uneasiness, but when he
considered the pacific sweetness of the Parisians, he had no fears
of them. He said that in England the turbulence of the popula.
tion would not permit the thought of such a means of defence, as
it would cause uneasiness. 'I his is what he said in his time, and
then he proposed a project which was at the same time the most
gigantic and the most incredible in the world. He wished that in
case of, invasion the King should issue an ordonnance which should
force all the inhabitants within a circuit of sixty leagues to come
and shut themselves up in Paris, taking care at the same time to
bring provisions with them sufficient for twelve months' con-
sumption for each person. He then added that in this case it
would be also necessary to bring into Paris numerous flocks
of sheep, withoit thinking at all of where they were to be
kept, or where nourishment was to be found to support them. It
was also necessary, said he, to store up in Paris a very large quan-
tity of barley and hops, for the people of Paris were very fond of
beer.---(Laughter). These, Gentlemen, are what Vauban called his
reveries, and really I think the name was well chosen. But a more
serious and a more important opinion has been adduced in support
of the measure —that of Napoleon. Napoleon in the height of his
glory—Napoleon holding the world in his hand, and having France
beneath his feet—Napoleon on the victorious field of battle, thought
not of moving a stone towards fortifying Paris. At what epoch,
I then, did the Emperor speak of the fortification of Paris ? You
know that Napoleon at St. Helena was speaking to the party which
he thought he had left in France. He explained his acts, and
accused himself whh his errors. If you would also con-
sult another great man, turn to Hannibal. See that general
in his old age endeavouring to explain his ill.fortune. Ile die-
cussed whatever he had done, he proved to admiration that, if lie
had pun sued such and such a line of conduct, he should have crushed
his mortal enemy, Rome. The Hon. Member who spoke last at
firms that the events of 1814 and 1815 prove the truth of his sys-
tem ; I have the sad advantage of going back a few years farther
than he, and I shall invoke no other authority. I well remember,
and you all remember with me, that under all these great circum-
stances there was not a moment when the Emperor Napoleon had
to regret not having fortified Paris. When at Fontainebleau, with
43,000 men, he learnt the capitulation of Paris, no you believe that
fortifications would at that time have prevented that capitulation ?
Do you remember the lassitude and the oppression of the country.
do you remember the decbcance pronounced by the Senate, and
the word of abdication uttered from the mouths of his most devoted
friends, from the mouth of Ney, le brave des braves? The fali of
Napoleon was then more a question of policy than a military ques-
tion. From Moscow to Paris, from 1814 to 1815, Napoleon had time
to fortify Paris, but he did not attempt it. There has been of late
years a great propensity to falsify history. Napoleon, great and monu-
mental as he was, was not the beacon of indcpcndeuce and liberty.
Paris, you admit, cannot hold out above 40 days. Is this time
enough to recompose and get together a fresh army ? Will you
shut up an army in Paris ? The Emperor has told you that an
army, shut up in fortifications, is lost as an army. Do ysu wish
merely to protect the Government ? Shut up a King in the Tulle.
ries, in the midst of a million and a half of famishing and excited
Parisians, and what must be the consequence P And on the other
hand, if the King quits Paris it is abandoned, and both he and it
are lost. We shut up the nationality of France and the Govern.
ment in Paris. Is this, in the event of sedition, for the purpose
of giving effectual support to the Government? The Honourable
Reporter has not admitted this hypothesis. It is not French ; such
a Government could not exist. There is here a mystery, which I
cannot solve. Some are certainly duped, perhaps all parties are
duped. What is certain is that there is a concert of interests
and passions, and concealed views for the purpose of mutual
deception. There is here an unhappy association, a bitter
idea of despotism, with some sinister foresight of revolution.
I do not know which is the successful duper, but I know

that my country is deceived. Let us be upon our guard.—
[Here N. de Lamartine said that he had some observations of
another order to make, but that the hour was so advanced, that it
was his duty to conclude. There was, however, so general a cry
for him to proceed that he did so.] I thank the Chamber for
consenting to hear me for a short time longer, for I have a few
words to address to the authors of this bill, and to the revivers of it,
who have assumed a responsibility the effects of which they would
feel if the country possessed those institutions which are alone the
safeguard of a nation against ministerial abuses.—(Sensation.)

M. de Itemusat—Lnpeach us.
M. de Lamartme—l say that those who assumed the initiative
of such a measure without a vote of the Chambers—without
urgency—without necessity—inasmuch as the works could not be
completed under three years—l say that the Chambers and the
country would have visited the authors of this mad project with a
terrible impeachment, if the country had sufficient faith in the
strength of its institutions.
Some voices here exclaimed, " What prevents you from bring_
ing forward the Impeachment yourself ?"
M. de Lamartine—You say impeach us, but you know well
that the hour of impeachment is passed. The present Ministry, to
which I am deeply attached, by presenting your Bill, covered you
with a Bill of indemnity.—(Disapprobation at the Left.) I make
this observation for my country. I wish it to understand that
where there is no respect for the Parliamentary forms of a country, !
there is no respect for liberty. Who are the men who support this
project out of the Chamber p They arc the most violent
organs of ideas of perturbation; they call themselves the friends
of liberty, and they crap their hands at the idea of this
monument of tyranny which you propose to raise round Paris.
I have said this monument of tyranny. They know very well
that it is not your tyranny that I mean, but their own. They
are delighted at seeing prepared for them those arms, the use of
which you' know. Great measures and deplorable revolutions have
had for origin less sinister measures, less formidable preparations.
But these lessons are of old date, and are forgotten. Nothing is
talked of but war, the glory of war, the necessity of war, the funeral
ceremonies of war. I object to the Bill as false in policy and tac-
tics, and injurious to humanity. I object to it also as injurious to
the dignity of my country. I say false in tactics, for Paris ought
not to be isolated from France. It is false in policy, for it is dan-
gerous to sacrifice all France to its capital. It is injurious to
liberty, for in all free nations nothing of this kind is permitted. It
is injurious to humanity, for it tends to make us retrograde to those
barbarous times when the population who took no part in war,
women, children, and old men, were not on that account exposed
to its disasters. The project, in short, offers no guarantee for na-
tional honour and internal security. Nobody is deceived into a
belief that a " place de guerre" can be made a city containing
1,580,000 inhabitants.
The Chamber adjourned.

SITTING OF FRIDAY.
M. de Salvandy, one of the Vice-Presidents, took the chair at
one o'clock, and the debate upon the Paris Fortification Bill was
resumed.
M. Carnot requested permission to say a few words in explana_
tion of what had been related by M. Golberry at the former
sitting as to the opinion given by his illustrious ancestor, Carnot,
when consulted by the Emperor Napoleon, relative to the fortifica-
tions of Paris ; he was represented to have said that they would cost
'200,000,000, and require three years for their completion, but
that, when finished, an army of 60,000 men could take Paris in
twenty-four hours. That anecdote was told for the first time by
(he believed) Sir Walter Scott, by no means a good historian—
(Laughter)—and it was his duty to rectify the false conclusions
drawn from the general opinion expressed by Carnot ; the fact was
that he had not much confidence in the project proposed at that
period for fortify big Paris, but he never objected to a proper plan
of fortification for Paris, he merely expressed his fears that atten -
lion to fortresses alumo might create a neglect of general means of
defence, thereby render Paris the great centre of attack, and expose
other and important parts of France to the chances of war.
M: MoxiLa ne SIZEILAIN addressed the Chamber in favour of
the project of law its amended by the Committee, contending
that a proper line of fortifications round Paris was indispensably
neeessary.
M. Pacilis (de l'Arrige) read a written speech against the pro-
ject of law, but spoke in so low a tone that but few of his ob-
servations were audible in the reporter's gallery.
Marshal &Aim', President of the Council, next spoke in sup_
port of the project of law. For some time after the revolution
of July, die political position of the country was precarious ;
there were not only rumours of war, but war itself was by no
means improbable. It was, therefore, the duty of the Govern.
ment, to Adopt measures for the defence of the country, and es-
pecially to protect Paris front another coup de main.
[Left Speaking.]

MORNING EDITION.

COURT CIRCULAR.

The Queen held a Court and Privy Council at three
o'clock, yesterday afternoon, at Buckkgham Palace.
At the Court Mr. George Simpson, Governor of thy
Hudson's B ty Company's Settlements, and Mr. Rober:
Horsford, elicitor-General of Antigua, were presentetl
to her Majesty by Lord John Russell, her Mojesty'r
Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies.
The following Foreign Ministers had audiences of her
Majesty :
His Excellency Chekib Effendi, the Turkish Ambas-
sador ; Baron de Blome, the Danish Minister ; Baron
de Cetto, the Bavarian Minister ; Count de Pollou, the
Sardinian Minister ; Baron da Torre tie Moncorvo, the
Portuguese Minister ; M. de Montezuma, the Brazli.an
Minister ; Count de Keihnanscgge, the Hanoveran
Minister ; Baron de Nieumann, the Austrian Ministe,'.
Their Excellencies were respectively introduced by
Viscount Palmerston, G.C.8., her Majesty's Principal
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and conducted
by Sir Robert Chester, Master of the Ceremonies.
The Privy Council was attended by his Royal High-
ness P. lace Albert, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord
Privy Seal, the First Lord of the Treasury, the Se.cre-
taries of State for the Home, Foreign. and Colonial
Departments, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the
First Lord of the Admiralty, the Chief Commissioner of
the Woods and Forests, the President of the India
Board, the President of the Board of Trade, the Chief
Secretary for Ireland, the Secretary at War, the Lord
Steward, the Lord Chamberlain, and the Master of the
Horse.

Her Majesty's Speech on opening the Session of Par-
liament this day, was arranged and agreed upon.
Mr. C. Greville vies the Clerk of the Council in

Waiting.
Her Majesty gave audirnce to the Marquis of Nor-
manby, the Earl of Uxbridge, the Earl of Albemarle,
Viscount Palmerston, and Viscount Melbourne.
The Court was attended by the Comptroller of the
Household ; Lord Hill, Gold Stick in Waiting ; the
Earl of Listowel, Lo:d in Waiting ; Mr. Ric!, Groom
in Waiting ; Lord Alfr.id Paget, Equerry hi Wa;ting ;
and Colonel Bouverie, Equerry in Waiting on Prince
Albeit. . _

His Excellency M. de Montizuma, the Brazilian
Minister, attended by M. Macedo, Secretary of Lega-
tion, after having presented his credentials to the Queen
yesterday afternoon, had an audience of his Royal
Highness Prince Albert, at 13eckinham Palace.
rue Duchess of Kent visited the Queen yesterday,
and lunched with her Majesty and Prince Albert.
Mr. George Ilayter had the honour of submitting
to his Royal Highness Prince Albert yesterday, a
splendid whole length portrait of her Meje.ty seated on
the Throne, in the Imperial Dalmatie Robes, previously
to its being presented to the Goldsmlth's Company.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert, attended by
Colonel Bouverie, Equerry in Wei ing, paid visits yes-
terday afternoon to the Duchess of Gloucester, at
Gloucester House, and the Duke of Cambridge, at
C3mbsidge House.

Baron de Moncorvo, the Portuguese Minister, had
an audience of her Royal Highness the Duelicss of
Kent yesterday, at Ingcstre House, Belgravc-square.
Prince George of Cambridge went to Coombe Wood
yesterday, and spent the forenoon shooting, returning
to town in the afternoon.

The Marquis of Lansdowne was prevented fror, at-
tending the Privy Council yesterday afternoon, by an
attack of gout.
Full dress dinner parties were giren last evening by
Viscount Melbourne and Lord John Russell, the for-
mer at his official residenca in Downing-street, to a
large party of Peers, and the latter at the Foreign-
office, Downing-street, to a numerous party of Mem-
bers of the House of Commons. In the course of the
evening, both Ministers read the Qacen's Speech to
their respective guests.
Viscount Melbourne's dinner party included tae Lord
Chancellor, the Dukes of Belford, S iinerset, Norfolk,
Devonshire, and Cleveland ; Marquises of Anglesea,
lleadfort, and Normanby ; Earls of Ducic,
Lovelace, Lichfield, Fingal!, Albemarle, Uxbridge, Cla-
rendon, and Lehester ; Viscount Duncannon ; Lords
Beaumont, 11Ionteagle, Lurgan, S _grave, Portman,
Carrington, Sudeley, Kinnaird, Poi( imorc, Byron, Foley,
and S:rafford.

Lord John Russell's dinner party included Viscount
Palmerston ; Lords Dalmeny, Morpeth, Seymour, and
Alfred Paget ; Right Honourables R. L. Sheil, G.
Stevens Byng, F. T. Biring, H. Labouchere, Sir J.
Hobhouse, and T. B. Macaulay ; Honourables Fox
Manic, Colonel Anson, W. Cowper, and E. A. Stan-
ley ; Sirs G. Grey, Bait., Hussey Vivian, Bart.,
Thomas Wilde, J. Campbell. R. S. Donkin, H. Parnell,
Bart., 'l'. Troubridge, and Charles Adam ; Messieurs
Edward Horsman, R. Bernal, Horny Tuffnell, William
Clay, R. Gordon, R. More O'Ferrall, John Parker,
Henry Rich, and Thomas Wyse.
Lord Adolphus Fitzclarcnce has returned to town
from a visit to the Duke of Beaufort at Badminton,
Gloucestershire,