The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-06 00:00:00

PARIS CORRESPONDENCE.

SATURDAY.

The division of the Left Centre is still the all engrossing
thetne, and men are asking what the malcontents of the
party will do, and whether they will not unite with the
seventeen members of the Left who have ranged them-
selves under M. Picard's banner. All is at present
uncertain, but M. Picard has plainly intimated in his
manifesto in the Electeur Libre, that he and his friends
have no wish to break with their old associates. On the
other hand the Left has as ye:G given no answer to the
invitation of M. Picard, reser-ging itself possibly for the
return of M. Favre from A',geria. In any case the simul-
taneous changes in the c'Jnstitution of these two parties
can hardly fail to excircise a sensible influence on the
Chamber, though a-,
which side the ba yet it is impossible to foresee to
'Aance will incline.

The eenimil,cce—On the extraordinary budget and the
Parisian held a long sitting yesterday afternoon,
when M. Husson, the director of l'Assistance Publique,
and IsAr... Baltard, the principal architect of the works of
the city, were examined.

The Siècle publishes a long letter from Barthelemy
Champin, one of those condemned to the travaux-forces
for life in 1852 in consequence of the Charlet affair. This
severe sentence was afterwards commuted to five years'
travattx-forcez and perpetual surveillance. He hoped, but
in vain, to profit by the amnesties of 1859 and of 1869.
and in March last he was summoned to the police-office
at Vienne, and told that he would be treated as a malefactor
if he persisted in crossing the Rhone to visit his parents.
He explained his position, and claimed the benefit of the
amnesty but the Commissary would not listen to him.
M. Champin then addressed himself to the Procureur
Imperial, who listened to him courteously, and promised
to write an answer. That answer, when it arrived, was
not encouraging. The amnesties, said the Procureur,
could not apply to the crime of attempted murder, of
which M. Champin was guilty, and therefore his appeal
was useless. As the attempted murder, however, was
that of a gendarme, who fell during a skirmish with the re-
fugees just returning from Geneva, most people will think
with M. Champin himself that he gets rather hard
measure.

There was a report of the withdrawal of the scheme
relative to the new senators, but it has not been con-
firmed. . .

The committee of the Corps LoSgislatif has chosen M.
Reille for its president, and is proceeding with its labours.
The report of the•committee will probably be in favour of
the uniform treatment of senators and deputies, on the
plea that the Senate is no longer to remain an isolated
power, but is joined to the Corps Ldgislatif in the work
of progress. The Government is likely to consent to this
proposal, and, therefore, the Chamber will only have to
decide upon the necessary sum for the members of the
two Assemblies.

The meeting of the Emperor of Russia with the King
of Prussia, at Ems, has given rise to numerous
speculations, in the midst of which the official
press of Berlin insists that no political motive
has inspired the interview. This is, however, an idle re-
mark, because some solution of the mystery must be
found. It is certainly suspicious that Count Bismarck
accompanies his Sovereign, although he has not yet fully
recovered from his recent illness. The Czar is determined
to be on his guard, and has summoned to his assistance
his representativ.es at London and Paris.
The Temps is greatly excited at the prospect of a new
democratic journal which has appeared at Montpellier.
It is called Les Droits de l'homme, which title signifies that
it will vindicate the principles of 1789. M. Arthur Ballue
is to be it its manager, and it is expected to take a promi-
nent place among departmental journals.
The Laboulaye affair still occupies a good deal of atten-
tion. M. Sarcy has lately written to the Gaulois on the
subject. He does not withhold his censure from the stu-
dents, and at the same time he blames the Professor him-
self, inasmuch as he was the first to introduce politics
into the lectures. At one time he made frequent allusions
to the Government which were of a most unflattering
character. His audience greeted this infringement of the
laws of good taste with applause, and now that he has
changed his views, they proclaim their disapproval as
vehemently as they before signified their delight. If the
students are in the wrong, M. Sarcy says, with some
show of reason, that M. La,boulaye has found there was
an excuse for their derelictions.
There is a drawback to everything, and international
communions of interests may be carried too far. The
Rappel says that the journeymen ironfounders of Paris on
strike have sent delegates to London to solicit a loan from
the English societies, and that a favourable answer has
been returned to the proposal.

Railway acccidents are every day occurrences at present.
A sad affair took place the other day in the Grand Duchy
of Baden through the carelessness of the driver who seems
to have been intoxicated. There was some excuse for the
indignation of the populace, who threatened to kiil him,
for three persons were killed and thirty injured.
Mr. Bright should visit Dijon during his summer
travels, for he will find congenial spirits there. A lecture
was lately delivered against free trade, when the unfor-
tunate lecturer found the sum of seven francs had been
taken at the doors.

Petroleum has its victims everywhere, and it appears
that the fire at Marseilles the other day was occasioned
by the explosion of a carboy of petroleum.
An Italian paper contains an interesting account of the
visit which Alessandro Manzoni, author of " I Promessi
Sposi," paid to the Prince and Princess of Piedmont.
The royal party were most affable to their aged visitor,
who is 86 years of age.
M. Jules Simon, who is still actively engaged in prose-
cuting his scheme for the abolition of capital punish-
ment, was very indignant when he heard of the execution
at Valence, and exclaimed, " I thought' that as
Lathanvers had not been executed Bagar would also be
reprieved."
The Emperor has had a long interview with the Duke
de Gramniont.

There is some idea of the Emperor's paying a visit to
Vichy, and it is said that the Empress will not accompany
him; but again the rumour has been circulated that the
Court will proceed to Versailles.
M. Cucheval Claiiguy has ceased to be the political
manager of the Presse. M. Emile 011ivier has the satis-
faction of learning that the paper is to remain faithful to
the principles of the Empire, but that he will be treated
as an enemy. The Opposition campaign has been com-
menced with spirit in an article on Senatorial Indemnity
from the pen of M. de la Pouterie, the new editor.

THE BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND

4GRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION.
MEETING AT TAUNTON,

The annual exhibition of the Bath and West of Eng-
land Society and Southern Counties Agricultural Asso-
ciation opened to-day at Taunton, a town famous in times of
yore for its stout defence under Blake ; for its support of
"King" Monmouth, and its consequent sufferings under
Kirke and Jeffreys ; but now chiefly noteworthy as the
centre of one of the richest agricultural districts in the king-
dom. The society visited Taunton 18 years ago, immediately
subsequent to its revival, through the exertions of Mr.
T. D. Acland, M.P. The exhibition then, however, was
a very small affair compared with that of the present
year, and in like manner, hearty as was the welcome
given to the Association on that occasion by the inhabi-
tant, it will fall far short of the -reception which is being
prepared for it now. Altogether, nearly a mile and
three-quarters of shedding have been erected, of which
the implements will occupy 6,381 feet, and the stock
1,400 ; the machinery in motion department requiring
over 700. The display of implements will be the largest
the society has had. At Southampton last year there
were 156 exhibitors, this year there are 173, one more
than at the famous Bristol meeting. All the leading
makers are represented— - Fowler, Howard, Samuelson,
Picksley and Sons, Clayton and Shuttleworth,
Richmond and Chandler, Garrett, Coleman,
Clayton and Shuttleworth, Burgess and Key, Tasker,
the Beverley and Reading Companies, Wood, Hornsby,
Ramsbottam and a host of others. The stock show, every-
thing considered, will be in quality a good average ;
numerically rather under the mark. There are 132 en-
tries of cattle against 193 at Southampton ; and 133 of
sheep against 187. But the pigs (87 entries) are the
strongest ever known ; and the horses (82) are above the
numbers of several years past. At Truro in 1861 there
were 89 entries in this class ; but last year at Southamp-
ton only 67. It is a fact worth noting that the two most
out of the way shows which the society has held—Truro
and Falmouth—both beat Taunton in the matter of
sheep, 234 pens being shewn at the former and 141 at the
latter place.
The fine arts department was never so attractive ; and
the oils especially are far beyond those of any previous
year. Over 600 pictures have been hung. The contribu-
tion from South Kensington, which includes several
works of modern British artists is the largest ever sent
out by the Department. Then the poultry tent will be
filled with 362 pens ; and the horticultural show promises
to be equal to any of its predecessors, and in the matter
of azaleas to excel them all. In its material therefore, all
things considered, this year's meeting will be one of the
most satisfactory the Association has held.