The Sun.
London, England, 1847-10-01 00:00:00

p}lent,
and the Prease censures tha appointment-in th©

following sensible observations :
" The elevation of Marshal Soult to the dignity of
Marshal-General of France, a dignity renewed from
1660 and 1732, was yesterday morning in all the
journals, of every shade of politics, the subject of
raillery, which it was easy to foresee, and which it
would have been wise to avoid. No one comprehends
better than we that the Ministry should withstand
the Opposition, should risk its existence, should ac-
sept the combat, should not allow itself to be intimi-
dated by any resistance whatever, when the question
turns on some great public interest, on a decisive vic-
tory, a valuable conquest, a memorable undertaking,
' a fruitful reform, a progress misunderstood ; but what
we cannot comprehend is, that a Government should

decide on staking its popularity against puerilities,
on toiling back through the course of time in
order to effect—what ? To varnish over a democratic
society of barons and counts of false alloy, a nobility
without being illustrious; or, in other words, to re-
store, after two-and-thirty years of peace, the dignity
of Marshal- General of France, to confer it on an old
man of 80 ! Far be it from us to cast the slightest
stain on the glory of Marshal Sault ; we honour as
much as any one the long and brilliant services which
he has rendered to his country ; we should have ap-
proved of some striking homage being rendered to
his great experience ; but we cannot give our appro •
bation to a tribute which appears paid to a puerile
vanity, and which seems to transform into a child's
rattle his Marshal's baton, so gloriously gained!!
Better things might have been done than to create a

dignity without functions; there was an opportunity
of instituting great state dignitaries by nominating
Marshal Souk Commander-in Chief of the army, a
post held by the Duke of Wellington in England.'
In the same journal we find an article urging the
French Government to form an alliance with the

different states of Europe nominally for the purpose of
attacking the naval supremacy of England, but really
for the purpose of realising that dream of universal

empire in which France is ever and anon wont to
indulge. The text from which the Presse preaches
is a note addressed on the Ist of February, 1825, by

M. DE VILLELE to qle French Ambassador in
London, in which that astute Minister lays down a

plan for exploiting Europe to the advantage of France
by fostering dissensions between England anti the
other powers. There can be little doubt but that
the present Government of France is acting upon
the principles of M. DE VILLELE, and we therefore
reproduce this important State paper. " France,"
says M. DE VILLELE, " is in a mixed situation which
imposes on her a more reserved and less defined con-

duct than on states whose position is simple. We
have one foot on land and the other on the sea, and a
new constitution and a King of the family that has
reigned over us for centuries. We live on a
credit founded on the produce of indirect
taxes, and we have nothing solid but the
products of our soil. England will always
regard us as the only country whose rivalry
she has to fear on the points: most dear to her, and
the powers of the Continent will regard us as a mo-

narchy imperfectly restored, whose new institutions

and ancient military power place their repose and
security in danger. We cannot, then, in reality reckon
upon any body, and, above all, we are bound not to
give ourselves up to any body. To the injustice of
England we must oppose our union with the powers
of the Continent ; to the axactions of the latter we
must oppose the dread of the cessation of the union of
all the Cabinets of the Continent. We are not strong
enough alone to resist England on the seas, or to struggle
against the Continent with the formidable alliance
that exists there. What, then, is to he done in
this situation ? To defend our honour and our
safety against all if an attempt should be ever made
to attack them ; but to renounce all pretension_. of
imposing on others laws, the execution of which we
are not in a condition to enforce. Thus, with regard
to England, not to follow her example when she
does wrong, and to tell her plainly as we are doing
that we do not imitate her because we think she
does wrong. As regards our allies of the Continent,
to resist their demands if ever they should make any
that are unreasonable and contrary to our interests.
With this not very brilliant but sure conduct to
maintain as long as titre can the general peace, of
which we have so much need, to repair our losses
both as a' maritime and continental power, and as a
restored country after a terrible revolution. To wait
until the continental or maritime colossal powers
formed upon our ruins and during our follies shall
become weak or divided, to watch with care the new
combination which events may produce, and to be
always ready to profit by them, and resume a posi-
tion which cannot fail to he soon attained by what
still remains of the real and moral force of France.
Such is my opinion] on the ensemble of conduct. It
does not exclude the examination on every occasion
of the isolated acts which might contribute to raise
us sooner to a strong position. In fact the affairs of
the East may, as regards the Continent, bring about
combinations of a nature to give us a higher im-
portance."
It behoves the Powers of Europe to beware lest
their differences should afford, to the present rulers
of France, that opportunity after which M. DE VIL-
LELE sighed in vain.
On the subject of the loan we find the following
in the Constitutionnel :-
" The Budget of 1849 is at the present moment a
subject of grave difficulty for the Minister of Finance,
and, indeed, for the whole Cabinet. The obstacles
which present themselves to the loan are essentially
connected with these difficulties, and singularly com-
plicate the financial position. Several journals have
announced, without, however, appearing to attach
great confidence to the declaration, that the Minister
of Finance, in consequence of having access to
private resources, had liostponed to an inde-
terminate period the task of contracting the loan.
According to the information which we have
procured from a good source we are inclined to
think that the position of the Minister of Fi-
nance is not such as that he can as yet come to any
decision relative to that measure. M. Dumon, on
the contrary, alarmed, with just reason, at the diffi-
culties which the financial crisis is calculated to create
for him in effecting the loan, is at the present moment
endeavouring to seek out, without, however, knowing
if he can find them, the means of postponing that
painful undertaking. For that purpose he has just
applied to his colleagues to send him in forthwith the
elements necessary for the formation of the Budget of
1849, and to concert together on the means of con-
fining the total within the narrowest possible limits.
It is not until after that preparatory labour, and when
he shall have decided on the principal basis of the
Budget for 1849, that the Hon. Minister will be able
to judge of his wants and resources, and that he can
at last determine the period and conditions of the loan."
The Reine Blanche frigate, which is preparing for
sea at Cherbourg, is to sail for the Isle of Bourbon.
Her commander, M. PAGE, has received instructions
to renew friendly relations with Queen RANA.VALO,
of Madagascar. He is to take with him for that
purpose an official letter and presents for her MAJESTY.
Dr. Pates informed the Academy of Sciences of
Paris, on Monday, that the Asiatic cholera had mani-
fested itself at Riga.
The Three per Cents. closed on the Paris Bourse
on Wednesday at 75f. 60c. ; the Fire per Cents.,
1141. 70c. ; the Orleans Railroad Shares, 1,162 f. 50c. ;
Rouen, 906 f. 25c. ; Havre, 5361. 2.5 c. ; Great North-
ern, 520 f.; Avignon, 520 r. ; Vierzon, 537 f. 50c. ;
Bordeaux, 455 f.; Basle, 158 f. 75c.; Paris and Stras-
bourg, 387 f. 50c. ; Tours and Nantes, 365 f. ; Paris
and Lyons, 377 f. 50c. ; Lyons and Avignon, 453 f.
75c.; Spanish Three per Cents., 29.
LYONS, SEPT. 27.-Paris and Rouen, 9211. 75c. ;
Avignon and Marseilles, 527 f. 50c.; Northern, 5251.;
Paris and Lyons, 3761. 25c.; Orleans, 1,1701.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, SEPTENIIIER 30.

Luxembourg, 5/g—Namuland Liege, 31i—Northern of
Fraace, 1014—Sambre and Dieuse, 634.

MARRIAGE OF TIIE COUNTESS DOWAGER WALDE•
GRAVE.—Yesterday forenoon the marriage of the Dow-
ager Countess Waldegrave, widow of the late Earl
Waldegrave, and of John James Henry Waldegrave,
Eq., with George Granville Harcourt, Esq., M.P. for
Oxford, was celebrated at Belhus, Essex, the seat of Sir
Thomas Barnett Lenuard, Bart. The ceremony was
performed in the parish church adjoining, the Rev.
Spencer Braham, brother to the beautiful and accom-
plished bride, officiating, her venerable father, the
distinguished vocalist, for the third time in the holy state
of matrimony, giving her away. At the conclusion of
the service the happy pair left for Nuneham, Oxford-
shire, the seat of the bridegroom's father, the Arch-
bishop of York, there to pass the honeymoon. Mr.
Harcourt, who is in the 63d year of his age, was pre-
viously married to Lady Elizabeth Bingham (sister to
the Earl of Lucan) who died in 1838. The late Earl
Waldegrave died on the 26th of September in the past
year.
Her Majesty's Commissioner and Consul. General
(Mr. James Brooke) to the Sultan and Independent
Chiefs of Borneo, is daily expected to arrive at South-
anipion in the East India Company's steamer Nemesis,
from the Indian Archipelago. A. suite of apartments
have been talon at Mines for his reception.