The Sun.
London, England, 1871-02-20 00:00:00

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

RECOGNITION BY GREAT BRITAIN.
We have been favoured with the following notifi-
catuiln from the Foreign Office
_ Febrna—,y,
of 1,74.1!rd LY°llB reports from Bordeaux, under date
that 'the Assembly has voted all
but
unanimously that, considering the necessity of
providing, at once for the conduct of the negotiations
and the affairs of the Government, while awaiting
the decision of France upon the institution to be de-
finitively adopted, M. Thiers is appointed " Chief of
the Executive power of the French Republic, which
he will exercise under the control of the et ssembly
and with assistance of Ministers whom he will
choose, and over whom he will preside.'
" Lord Lyons further states that he has announced
verbally to AL Thiers the recognition of hie Govern-
ment by Great Britain."

Lord Lyons and Chevalier Nigra paid an official
visit to M. Thiers on Friday evening, after the sitting
of the National Assembly.
The Bordeaux Moniteur says that England,
Austria, and Italy, have announced their intention
of at once recognising the new french Government.

AUSTRIA AND THE FRENCH REPUBLIC

BORDEAUX, February 18.
APrince de Metternich paid a visit to-day to M
uetand declared that he was instructed by th
i,rin Government to recognise at once the new
reach Government.
BORDEAUX, February 18, 12.15 a.m.
Lord Lyons. and Chevalier Nigra paid an official
Malt to M. Thiers yesterday evening, after the sitting
°f the National Assembly.

BORDEAUX, February 18, 2.30 P.M.
It is generally believed that the Assembly wil
11°t now remain long at Bordeaux.

THE NEW FRENCH MINISTRY.
SPEECH OF M. TRIERS.
BORDEAUX, February 19, 5 p.m.
In to-day's sitting of the National Assembly M.
Thiers was present and read a speech, in which he
stated that, though frightened at the painful task
1111 Posed upon him by the country, he ac.-,
eePted it with obedience, devotion, and love,
sentiments of which France stood all the more
41 Reed, forasmuch as she was unfortunate-
-11111.(31% unfortunate than at any former period of her
.181017. But, he added, she is still great, young,
llek and full of resources, and will always remain a
laBig monument of human energy.
41.• Thiers then announced that in selecting the
gen:there of the Ministry, he had been guided solely
eile public esteem they enjoyed, and their public
1181 ter and capacities. The following is the
,

4. Dufaure Minister of Justce.
4. Jules Favre
4. Picard
Interior.
Z. Jules Simon
Q. Lambrecht Commerce.
elloral Le Flo
k hl'
Pothuan
it . de Larcy
ha,,, Minister selected for the Finances not yet
jilatß arrived at Bordeaux, M. Thiers did not feel
haa Iged in mentioning his name. M. Thiers himself
to eudertaken no special Ministerial portfolio, so as
tiffttia. ore time to devote himself to the general
I‘B of m
the country.
Tr

40,e'llicespfollowiug telegrams come through Renter's
Q 4 .--...
THE FRENCH NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY,

ALSACE AND LORRAINE.
Friday's sitting of the National Assembly,
t:Pi'. Castellano and de (faux were elected Secre-
e°, thus raising to six the number of Secretaries
‘the House.
th:t. Keller laid on the table a declaration signed by
beputies of tb.e Lower and Upper Rhine,
A7lit the) and Moselle- Departments, praying the
11;113.1)1y to take it into consideration. This decla-
it°ll is as follows :
are I%Ttional Assembly, France, and Europe, which
rvi nessing the exactions of Prussia, cannot pernu

the completion of an act which would have for effect
to extort from France her territories of Alsace and Lor-
raine. We are, and will for ever remain French, in ill as
in good fortune ; we have sealed with our own blood
the indissoluble fact which unites -us to France ; and we
affirm once more, in the midst of ' all our trials, our
immovable loyalty towards the Fatherland. France
could not abandon those who desire not to be separated
from her. The Assembly sprung from universal suffrage,
could not itself ratify demands tending to destroy the
nationality of a whole population ; nor can the people in
its electoral colleges allow it; Europe likewise cannot
confirm these criminal attempts and cannot let a whole
people be treated as a herd of wild beasts. Peace, made
in consideration of a cession of territory, will never be a
durable peace, but merely a momentary truce which
would sdbn be followed by another war. As to ourselves,
inhabitants of Alsace and Lorraine, we are ready to re-
new the contest, and therefore we shall beforehand hold
as null and void any offers, treaty, votes, or plebiscite
which would have for effect to sever Alsace and Lorraine
from France. We proclaim our right to remain united
to French soil, and we formally engage to defend our
honour."

After having read that declaration, M. Keller urged
his colleagues to oppose, by their decision, moral to
mere brute force, and to proclaim the inviolability of
the connection with Alsace and Lorraine. "We
hold forth our hands to you," added M. Keller in
conclusion ; " do not refuse to hold forth yours."
M. Keller's speech was loudly cheered by the whole
House.

The Assembly by acclamatiun voted the urgency
of discussing that appeal.

M. Henri Rochefort demanded that it should at
once be referred to the Bureau; so that the ma-
jority of the House could give to the negotiators
imperative orders or perfect freedom to conduct the
negotiations.
M. Thiers then rose. He said that from the
bottom of his heart he fully shared M. Keller's
feelings, adding that, in presence of the grave cir-
cumstances in which they were placed, it was the
duty of the House to adopt the only decision be-
coming its dignity. According to M. Thiers, a post-
ponement would be more than inopportune, but would
be a real puerility. He said :-- "It is not to-morrow,
but at once, that we must discuss and vote on this
proposal. The House cannot await the constitu-
tion of a Government, but must itself decide, in
the full enjoyment of the privileges, the responsibi-
bility it is to assume. It is important that its wishes
should be known. As to myself," added M. Thiers, " I
have devoted my life to my country, and I am pre-
pared still to devote to France all my efforts. But
it is the duty of the House to settle this question.
Let us not wait 24 hours, but let us meet imme-
diately in our Bureaux and declare our wishes."
The President then consulted the House, which
decided in favour of M. Thier's suggestion.
The sitting was suspended.

The report of the committee was afterwards
brought up. It expresses the wramest sympathies
towards the pcpulation of the East, officially acknow-
ledges the receipt of their declaration, adding, at
the same time, that it will be handed over to the
persons entrusted to negotiate with Prussia.

THE ELECTION OF ,MM TRIERS AND
GREVY.

VERSAILLES, February 19.

The election of M. Thiers as President of the Go-
vernment, and of M. Gr6vy as President of the
Constituent Assembly, has been well received in Paris.
The funds are rising. The resignation of M. Jules
Ferry is shortly expected. The Paris Governmen
has granted 3,000,000 francs to be expended upon
public works.