The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-07 00:00:00

ONE I MA

ever, at a loss to know if their apprehension be well
fnunc'ted, as though a great deal is
i written on the sub-
ject, we find it nowhere stated n precise term.; to
what measures the Conference mean to resort. Every-
thing depends on the resolution taken by Ibrahim
Pasha to rest on the defensive in Syria, or to march
on Constantinople. If the former, negotiation
will go on and a nominal blockade i e es-
tablished ; but if the latter, the British fl: et will
move to the Dardanelles, and a Russian army debark
in Asia Minor. The answer of Mehemet Ali to the
Count Walewski was as decided as that given to Ri-
fat Bey, and the old Pasha declares himself determined
not to yield one inch of ground. It is said, however,
that when M. Walewski spoke of the mediation of
France—the real object of his mission—Mehemet Ali
protested that he desired nothing better, and that he
was ready at once to submit himself, provided the Con-
ference would do the same, to the arbitration of Louis
Philippe. Whether this offer was tendered with the
hope, on its being accepted by Mehemet Ali, of making
out a case against the Great Powers, or its
being rejected by the Conference, we know
not, but it is generally understood at Paris
that M. Walcwski was sent to feel the pulse of
Mehemet Ali, before the allies were spoken to on
the subject. The mediation of France would certainly
be the best means left of extricating that nation from a
false position, and of saving Great Britain from a great
deal of embarrassment. The sooner the eastern ques-
tion is settled, the sooner the Anglo-Russian alliance is
dissolved, and every sacrifice of form should be made to
keep Russia from the Levant. The French papers do
not exhibit much confidence in the peaceable intentions
of Great Britain, and they assert, on the authority of a
letter from Malta, that we have determined to take
possession of St. Jean d'Acre. No event could occur
more likely to increase the hostility of France. But it
is useless discussing a campaign before it is opened ;
and we wait with patience for the first operations of
Mehemet Ali, or of the Conference. A report pre-
vailed in Paris on Saturday that the Russians had sus-
tained a very serious defeat in Circassia.
(From the Horning Post.)
The French capital has been the scene of serious dis-
turbances for some days past. The st.ske of the Pari-
sian operatives, commencing in passive resistance, has
broken out into open violence. Collisions have taken
place with the authorities, blood has been shed, lives
have been lost, and the whole community threatened
by an insurrection. It has been calculated that up-
wards of 40,000 workmen have paraded the streets of
Paris, unarmed, it is true, but presenting all the indica-
tions of military discipline. The men are composed of
various trades and callings, and it does not seem so much
to be a strike for a rise of wages as for a change in the
rules of the respective employments. Thus, two classes
of workmen, marchandeurs and tacherons, are par-
ticularly objected to by the majority of the operatives.
The latter are those who work by the piece, and
the former are a superior kind of workmen, who engage
subordinates to complete jobs, a species, in fact, of
jobbing labourers. Without entering into the trade
technicalities, it is sufficient to say that the main object
of the operatives is to reduce the hours of labour, to
increase the wages, and to get rid of the masters' rules
of trade which exact and insure the completion of any
particular work or labour. With some real grievances
are undoubtedly mixed up imaginary wrongs, all arising
from that melancholy state of society in France, en-
gendered by the present rulers having founded their
authority on the vox populi. The doctrine of resist-
ance inculcated by the French revolutions is one which
is naturally resorted to by these misguided men—
they are strictly logical, only the moment is inoppor-
tune. In 1830 the masters gave their workmen a holi-
day, that the latter might be let loose upon the streets to
assist in the barricade revolution. In 1840 the work-
men quit the shops and yards of their masters to ob-
tain some advantages for what they fought and bled
for ten years before. Where is the illegality ? It is
in success or failure. The present strike may have
no political cause, but it looks, it must be confessed,
very suspicious. Sums of money have been found on
the persons of some of the workmen arrested far be-
yond their means. Two countries divide the honour of
this outlay—England and Russia. As for us, the ac-
cusation is absurd. For the information of French
editors we will mention that our secret service money is
so small that it barely suffices for diplomatic purposes—
getting news. As for Russia this is not the first
time she has been thus accused. Louis Philippe could
communicate something on this subject. If the Crouy
Channel correspondence could see the light it might
establish that Russian gold was in the Bonapartist
plot of last year. Durand, of the Capitols, openly
avowed that this journal was established by supplies
from Russia. To return to the strike. It appears that
on Friday the aspect of affairs was very alarming.
All the workmen had turned out, and assembled in va-
rious parts of the capital. The authoritier, however,
were on the alert, and the garrison of Paris had been
strwthened by additional troops from the surrounding
pia-Ns. On Friday the Ministerial paper assures us
that the proclamations of the Prefect had produced
their effect, and that the mingled threats and en-
treaties had induced some of the trades to
abandon the strike. Several hundreds of the ope-
ratives have been arrested, and an immediate prose-
; cution of the leaders was in progress. This is all
very well—the Government has vindicated its autho-
rity, but something more must be done to remove
this state of anarchy. If the Parisian population
could be inspired with respect as well as fear
for power, then something might be hoped ; but superior
force triumphant to-day may be in the other scale in a
future outbreak, and the reminiscence of the past will
not be so easily effaced. It is the curse of the French
people that they have no notion of constitutional modes
of obtaining redress. Their remedy for oppression real
or imaginary is an entente, and what other code of mo-
rality can be expected from a nation whose dyiiasty and
institutions emanated from that source. The illegiti-
macy of power in France weighs it down. Have we
not seen in the corn riots—in the little outbreaks of
towns and villages—that resistance to authorities is the
very first thing acted upon. There is co respect for
the law, and nothing but brute force can influence their
perverted understandings. In respect to the details of
the deplorable scenes in Paris, they will be found else-
where in extracts from the Paris Papers of Friday and
Saturday.