The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-25 00:00:00

after having authorised the reading of M. Duvergier de Han-
ranne's proposition. We have the impartial Conservatives,
who would not have been vexed to give a gage of their im-
partiality in electing the bitterest of their adversaries to the
Vice-Presidency. We have the young Conservatives, who
try their talents at Parliamentary government by following
merely their own caprices. We have, moreover, what is
called the majority of the majority. This majority of the ma-
jority is not numerous; but in separating itself at a certain
time, and in carrying its votes to the lett, it may cause un-
expected events and coups de theatre such as the election of
yesterday. That always gives importance ; and they are
not less Conservatives, and very good Conservatives. Only
let danger arise to the monarchy and you will see ! In the
meantime they amuse themselves. What is certain is,
that M. Leon de Malevilie could only have been nominated
with the assistance of a certain number of votes
belonging to the majority ; what is certain is, that with
these fine tactics the proposition of M. Duvergier de Hau-
ranne has not been buried in the bureaux,' as it ought to
have been ; what is also certain is, that we have gone on for
some time from check to check; the Opposition feels aston-
ishment at its success; its members only are nominated re-
porters on all the committees; and who knows if the propo-
sition of M. Duvergier de Hauranne will not be taken into
' consideration? Impartiality is such a fine thing! Be
it so. But the young Conservatives, the Progressist and
impartial Conservatives, all kinds of Conservatives, who
desire to be distinguished by a particular name, must
know well that it is in t his way that majorities dissolve. Is
that the object to which they tend ? It is without doubt
impossible that the different minds which compose a majo-
rity shall always see things with the same eye; but does it
follow that every one shall vote according to his humour?
If so, at each vote, parties, so to speak, dissolve themselves,
and we must no longer talk of majority and of opposition.
Instead of having a Parliamentary Governmenf, we should
have a Government of chance, the worst of Governments!
We engage Ministers also to reflect on this. Little things,
when multiplied, will finish by becoming great. Some Com-
mittees made choice of Members of the Opposition for their
reporters; no attention was paid to it. Three bureaux were
formed to authorise the reading of the proposition of M.
Duvergier de Hauranne ;, it was then said, ' Bah ! it is no-
thing—the Chamber will reject the motion for taking it into
consideration Yesterday M. Leon de Maleville was nomi
Dated Vice-President. This blow will be more felt. To
awake we must not wait for another; we should awake per-
haps too late !"
- - -

The Constilationnelthus accounts for the Ministerial
defeat. " This vote," it says, "proves, first of all,
that the Chamber, which for the last three months
has not taken any part in public affairs, and has been
a simple observer of the Government, begins to judge
this Government as we do. We have not, for our
parts, seen with displeasure this Parliamentary vaca-

tion, and this desertion of the public sittings. In
order that a majority so powerful as that which the
Ministry had obtained at the late elections should
perceive the vices of the Government which it sup-
ports, it is good to let it have some leisure,
and to allow it, in place of acting itself, to
see the Administration perform its functions. Dis-
order in the finances, political isolation, and a deficit,
are sad results, and in the end must enlighten those
who do not wilfully shut their eyes. In the second
place, large majorities are ea►ily irritated against a
power which appears to impose on them scandal and
violence. Nominations like that of M. DB CARNE,
an opposition to all progress such as the Ministry
at present evinces, excite distrust and call forth dis-
content. When the majority is turned to improper
uses, it is near being lost. In fine, the favourable
vote of M. LEON DE MALEVILLE is an excellent pre-
liminary to propositions of reform. No one has more
ably and more cuttingly branded corruption with
reprobation than M. LEON DE MALEVILLE. Several
of his sayings remain engraved in all men's memories.
The votes which he obtained are the first testimony
of the sentiment which is almost unanimous in the
Chamber, and of which M. DUVERGIER DE HAU..
RANNE was yesterday the eloquent organ."
The National thus describes the effect produced
on the Ministers by the announcement of the num-
bers : -

" The Ministry was beaten, and congratulations poured in
on the new Vice-President from all sides. The confusion of the
Ministers cannot be described. M. Guizot coultnot stand
it ; he went off; M. Ilebert's fierce eye was injected with
blood; M. Duchatel felt himself all over with a stupid air, in
order to assure himself that he was not the dupe of some
hideous dream ; all the others remained nailed to their seats.
M. Lacave Laplagne alone (the Minister of Finances)
showed the resignation of a man accustomed to deficits."

After the election on Monday the Chamber heard
the explanations of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
on the additional credits required in his department.
They approved of the appointment of a Consul at the
Cape of Good Hope, and of an increase in the
salary of the Chinese interpreter. The debate on the
proposition •of electoral reform, brought forward by
M. DUVERGIER DE HAURANNE, was commenced on
Monday, and resumed cn Tuesday. It was still pro-
ceeding when the post left. The disturbances in the
Loiret still continue, and all convoys of grain and
flour are henceforth to be escorted by soldiers. A
detachment will be placed in each boat, and another
detachment will accompany it.
It is announced that, the Duchesse DE MONTPEN-
SIER is enceinte, and that she will shortly return to
Madrid, accompanied by her mother, as it is deter-
mined that the accouchement shall take place in the
country "over which her children" are to rule. It
was rumoured in Paris that the Sotomayor Ministry
had resigned on the 20th.
The Three per Cents. closed on the Paris Bourse, on
Tuesday, at 781. 85c.; the Five per Cents., 1161. 90c.;
Orleans Railroad Shares, 1,270 f.; Rouen, 863 f. 75c.; Havre,
667 f. 50c. ; Great Northern, 6221. 50c. ; Avignon, SOof. ;
Vierzon, 567 f. 50c. ; Bordeaux, 5171. 50c.; Troyes and Mon-
tereau, 290 f. ; Basle, 203 f. 75c. ; Dieppe, 330 f. ; Paris and
Strasburg, 442 f. 50c. ; Nantes, 430 f. ; Paris and Lyons, 447 f.
50c. ; Lyons and Avignon, 480 f.; Cette, 450 f.; Spanish
Three per Cants., 34i.

MARKET NEWS.-(THIS DAY.)
HAY MAN ElTtt.
SIVIMIFIELD.—Meadow Hay, 2158 to 31 16s ; Clover ditto
31 5s to 31 15s ; and Straw, 11 lOs to 1/ 14s per load.
A full average supply and a heavy demand.
CUMBERLAND.—Meadow Hay, 3/ 8s to 41; Clover ditto,
31 5s to 4/ 14s; and Straw, 11 12s to 1116 s per load.
Supply but moderate, and trade firm.
WHITECHArEL.—Meadow Hay, 2/ 5s to 31 15s; Clover
ditto, 3/ 5s to Si; and Straw, 1/ 105 to 1/ 14s per load.
Trade dull, at the above quotations.
MEAT 111 A w..IEET S.
LEWES, MAncit 23.—We had a very slow inquiry here
to-day, at barely stationary prices:— Beef, from 2s 6tl to
45 2d; Mutton, 3s 6d to ss; Veal, 4s 4d to 43 8d; and Pork,
4s to 4s 6d per Ms.
No other reports have come to hand.
ZW/ GATE ,L ND bZZADENHAT.L.
We had a very dull trade here to-day on the following
terms :—Beef, from 2s 4d to 3s 6d; Mutton, 38 4d to 48 4d;
Lamb, 5s to 6s; Veal, 4s to 4s 10d; and Pork, 3s 4d to
45 10d per Sibs by the carcase.

CORN AVERAGES.
GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN
For the Week ended March 25, 1847, made up from the Returns of the
Inspectors in the different Cities and Towns in England and Wales
per Imperial Quarter.
WHICAT. I AAELNY.I OATS. UN. BEAM. I PEAL
PRICE 1753 10d Ili 10d 31s 3d I 566 Bdl sls lld i7s 2d

ilia Duties on Foreign Grant are 110V1 suspended.

FIRE AT THE WESTMINSTER FRENCH PROTESTANT
thfuncu.—Yesterday forenoon, shortly after the commence-
ment of divine service in the Westminster French Protes-
tant Church, Bloomsbury-street, St. Giles's, the congregation
was thrown into a state of considerable alarm, by a report
being raised that the sacred edifice had taken fire. It ap-
pears that for some few minutes a strong smell of burning
wood was experienced, but nothing particular was thought
of that circumstance, until dense bodies cf smoke commenced
issuing from under the flooring boards. It then became ap-
parent that a fire was burning under the floor of the building.
The service was immediately stopped, and several persons
having procured buckets of water, they were discharged upon
that portion of the church on fire. At the same time intel-
ligence of the outbreak was sent to the engine stations.
Numerous engines of the brigade quickly attended, and the
firemen, upon removing some of the flooring boards, found
that the jointing, Sec., had become ignited, owing to a defect
in the hot air flue used for warming the building, and there
is no doubt that bad the outbreak taken place at night, after
the church was closed, that it would have been destroyed.
As it is the damage is not very considerable. One of the fire-
men was left to watch the spot and the service was resumed.
THE ARMY.—DEATH OF COLONEL LINDSAY, LATE
or TM: 7erlr lllGHLANDEns.—lntelligence has been re-
ceived of the death of this distinguished officer, which took
place a short time before the departure of the last mail at
Kandy, in the island of Ceylon. He entered the service as
Ensign in 1794, but was for some years subsequently em-
ployed in home and minor services. In 1811 he proceeded
to Java, and was present in the actions of the 22d of August
and 16th of September. In the latter he commanded eight
companies of the 78th Highlanders, and for his conluct on
the field received a medal. In 1814 he served during the
campaign of Holland, and took part in the bombardment of
Antwerp. His commissions were thus dated—Ensign, July
3, 1794; Lieutenant, August 22, 1794; Captain, November
22, 1801 ; Major, January 4, 1810; Lieut.-Colonel, Nov. 25,
1813; and Colonel, July 22, 1830. Although retired from
the army for some years,
he was specially allowed to retain
his rank.
REPORTED CONFESSION or PLATTS, THE MURDERER.
—During Monday it was currently reported that Platte, who
was on Saturday last convicted of the murder of Collis, at
Chesterfield, had freely and unreservedly confessed to having
been a direct party in that horrible tragedy. It will be re-
collected that there were three individuals concerned in it,
Platts, Morley, and a person at present unknown ; and that
Morley died before the body of Collis was discovered, and, of
course, before Platts was taken into custody; no clue having
yet been obtained as to the name of the third man. We
immediately instituted an inquiry into the truth of the
statement respecting Platte' reported confession, and we are
informed that, in the presence of several magistrates, Platts
invade a statement which, although of a very rambling de-
:etription, left on their minds no doubt whatever of his guilt.
AVe are not enabled to say more at present; but it must be
'very satisfactory to the public to know that the verdict of
1 tilektry has been so early admitted to be just. Platts' con-
, duct during his trial showed an almost entire insensibility to
ft 'le position in which he was placed; and we understand that
eh ice then his behaviour has not materially improved. We
be. Hove the execution is fixed to take place on Thursday
yin. 2k, April I.—Derby Mercury of yesterday.
:LOSS OF A VRENCII GOVERNMENT STEAMER.—
wit learn from Captain Guird, of the French brig Irma and
'lOll- 'ast arrived at this port yesterday from Senegal, that
the Fr,
I Inch Government steamer Charade was wrecked off
that
pot,' On the day he left, and from 25 to 30 of her crew
were lost...—Charlton Courier, Feb. 25.