The Sun.
London, England, 1871-02-08 00:00:00

GAMBETT A'S DECREES.

Writing from Paris February 4, the Daily News COT-
respondent observes i—The great talk of to-day is G am-
,betta's pr.oclamation, and the decree which disables the
Bonapartists from sitting in the National Assembly.
The proclamation is certain to unsettle many minds,
and to do Much harm. Frenchmen in defeat
like to think they have been betrayed. A
French defeat is always, if possible, represented
as a victory ; of., if that be impossible, as a stooping to
conquer ; a glorious check ; a victory deferred ; a " victory
unaccomplished." But if, after all, it be absolutely im-
possible to call it victory, even a victory in disguise—if
the word defeat must be allowed, then it becomes
necessary to show that the defeat is not the result
of weakness, but only of treachery. Somebody
or other is always a traitor. The surrender
at Sedan was treachery Napoleon was the
traitor. The capitulation of Metz was treachery—
Bazaine was the traitor. The fall of Paris is treachery—
Trochu is the traitor. The proclamation of " the
young Gambetta" will give much puffy aliment to
those Frenchmen who are slow to acknowledge
defeat and love to imagine such treachery. Fortu-
nately, the Government have a despatch from M.
Chaudordy, dated the 16th January, that is, three days
before General Trochu's last sortie, in which he writes
from Bordeaux—" We cannot have any more illusions,
and the frightful necessity of the capitulation of Paris is
inevitable." The capitulation of Paris, therefore, was
recognised as a necessity at Bordeaux even sooner than in
Paris itself. Unhappily, at this time, when we are close
upon the elections, and every minute is precious,
the proclamation of M. Gambetta and the decree of disa-
bilities may do an immense deal of harm, which there
will be little time to counteract by the decrees which the
Government are sure to issue in opposition. The feel-
ing in Paris among sound Republicans is very strong
against M. Gambetta, who by his violence does as much
harm to the Republican idea as M. Rochefort him-
self.

PARIS, February 5.

Not only is the decree of M. Gainbetta annulled, but
he himself is also denuded of authority as a Minister—
either of War or of the Interior. He cannot be deprived
of his position as a member of the Government. Ile
was by acclamation on the 4th of September last, and
again by the pldbiscite of the 3rd of November,
appointed among the Eleven who were to hold the reins
of government in France. That position he holds of the
people, and he cannot be deprived of it save at
their command. But the Government of Eleven dele-
gated to various persons, some among their own
number, some beyond their circle, the direction of
various ministerial offices. Thus, General Le Flo
has been appointed by the Government of which he is not
a member to administer the War Office in Paris, and M.
Dorian to administer the office of Public Works. They
hold office so long as they command the confidence of the
Government, and at any moment they may be deprived of
it. M. Gambetta has in this way been appointed Minister
of War and Minister of the Interior at Bordeaux ; and
he is now deprived by the Government of his double office.
He has ceased to be Minister, and his acts as Minister
have ceased to have any authority; but, for the reason
above given, he does not formally cease to be a member
of the Government—the eleventh part of it. The
people of Paris are exasperated at his arrogance
and incapacity, and will not bewail his fall, least of all
when they come to know all that is yet to be told as to
the fate of Bourbaki's army. This is the sth of Febru-
ary. How long is it since you have known the truth
in London ? The people of Paris are as yet in
blessed ignorance of the 70,000 prisoners made by Man-
teuffel.

The correspondent of the •Telegraph thus writes from
Paris February 4 :—I scarcely know how to write about
the proclamation of M. Gambetta and the decree which is
annexed to it. Can these two documents be real
or are they forgeries? If they are facts then
M. Gambetta and the Bordeaux Delegation must
be even more mad than any one has thus
far supposed. These gentlemen are, in that case,
more tyrannical than the Empire. They coolly establish
a list of proscription ; they decree what the French
code calls mort civite ; they ostracise a large
number of men, all of whom have filled re-
sponsible positions in the country ; and they
adopt these monstrous measures simply because
they see that the population is slipping out of their
hands and is going to vote against them. What a pretty
example they are setting by this act ! Some day, wren a
Monarchy governs France once more, these gentlemen
cannot complain if a decree should be issued ordaining
that no man who has ever said that he is, or was,
or would be, a Republican could fill any office
whatever in the State. Where would M. Gambetta
be to-day if the Empire he hates so much had put into
execution a similar law against himself ? He had no word
hard enough for the desptoism of Napoleon, but Napoleon
never treated France as M. Gambetta treats her now.
It has been reported that the French Government has
notified to England its intention of suspending the Ti eaty
of Commerce. I learn this morning that the idea was
brought before the Council of Ministers by M. Dorian ;
but it was considered that it would be- discourteous
and ungenerous proceeding to adopt a step of such a
nature at the very moment when England is subscribing
to the French Reiief Fund, and is cordially and heartily
doing her very best to prove her sympathy with France.
The scheme was therefore entirely abandoned.

The Countess Beauchamp has been suffering from
an attack of pleurisy during the last fortnight at Madres-
field Court, Great Malvern. Her ladyship was consi-
dered much better on Thursday. The Countess of Stan-
hope is staying with her daughter.

Mr. P. Albert, of 504, New Oxford-street, Lon-
don, states that a daring robbery from his shop window
has lately been committed. A man, dressed as a sailor'
smashed a plate-glass window with a hammer, and
abstracted some valuable rings, &c., at half-past five in
the afternoon.