The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-03 00:00:00

BRUSSELS PAPERS.

BRUSSELS, FEB. 28.—The King and the Royal
Family have quitted Lacken, and have taken up
their abode at the palace at Brussels.
The greatest consternation continues to prevail,
and precautionary measures are being taken, of
which the import is as yet scarcely understood.
The Civic Guard is convoked for this day ; each
legion is to furnish a battalion, and one of the bat-
talions is stationed at the Hotel de Ville. With
the exceptions of some few turbulent spirits, who
are always glad of an occasion to break out, it is
evidently the general desire that everything
here shall be kept quiet, and even men
of the most opposite political opinions seem to
forget their differences in the prevailing anxiety
to maintain peace. This was signally evinced in
the discussions in the Chamber of Representatives
and in the Senate, when a project oflaw was brought for-
ward for immediately raising a loan, which at any other
time would have called forth the most virulent party
feeling, but which on this occasion was ♦oted unani-
mously both by the Chamber and the Representa-
tives; and although no mention was made of the
stirring events which are going on so near
us, it was evident that this all-absorbing topic
prolueed this unanimity. A meeting took place late
last night in the Rue Scours Nivres; the crowd was
immense, and about ten o'clock they proceeded in a
body towards the Grande Place. The gendarmes
were obliged to interfere and separate the mob, and
several of the ringleaders were arrested. They proved
to be German mechanics:

A great many members of L'Alliance have ad-
dressed the administrative committee of the society,
requesting that, in consequence of the fearful state
of events, a meeting may be convened for the 28th,
that this general assembly may deliberate on the
following points :-
1. To declare solemnly the determination of the
Belgian people to preserve intact, and at the price of
their blood, their national independence, and the in-
tegrity of their territory.

2. To demand of the Government the reform of
organic laws which are opposed to the principles of
the constitution of 1830, electoral reform in an ex-
tended sense, economy in the expenses of the State,
and the abolition of duties which press upon the
working classes and the poor.
The committee immediately rejected the attendance
of the authors of this proposition, and after a short
discussion it was decided unanimously that the
General Assembly should not take place at the pre-
sent moment, because that it would be wise for the
good citizens to abstain from any public demonstra-
tion which might easily be misunderstood, and be-
cause as yet nothing authorised the supposition that
the Ministry would fail of the duties called forth by
the state of things, or of spontaneously adopting every
needful measure.

M. Van Praet, the Minister of the Household,
arrived to-day at Brussels, on his return from Paris.
Prince Peter Napoleon has likewise arrived here,
and put up at the South Station. It is said that he
came from Paris by by-ways.
This morning, at one o'clock, a special train arrived
here from Quievrain, containing four persons, who
came from Paris. It appears that two of them were
private couriers, a high personage of the family of
Napoleon, and a Vienna merchant. The couriers came
from Vincennes, and are bearers of dispatches to the
Emperor of Austria. One of them immediately re-
paired to the hotel of the Austrian Ambassador, and
speedily after set out for Austria.
This morning the Burgomaster, as a precautionary
measure, assembled the civic guard; they were
joined by the chasseurs, the premier guard, and a
squadron of gendarmes. At seven o'clock the Bur-
gomaster assembled each of the four battalions in
the halls of the Hotel de Ville, and made an ener-
getic address to them, in which he stated his entire
confidence thlt the civic guard would maintain
public order and the national institutions. The ad-
dress produced the desired effect, and he was warmly
cheered by the unanimous cry of " Vive le Rol.'
The best spirit possible animates the civic guard.
The commander of the Ist battalion likewise ad-
dressed the guards in a few words, which electrified
his comrades. Perfect tranquillity prevails in our
capital.
The Democratic Society held a meeting last even-
ing, and we must do it the justice to say that it was
most admirably conducted. Although more than a
thousand persons were assembled, and reform and
the state of the working classes discussed, the pre-
vailing tone of the meeting was a lively attachment
to the nationality of Belgium. The proceeedings
reflected great credit on the society, and they
resolved to abstain from every public demonstration
at the present juncture, lest their views might be
misunderstood, and a wrong impression thus given.
We regret to state that the Commercial Bank has
been compelled to stop payment.
No intelligence whatever has been received of the
movements of Louis Philippe.

ELECTION COMMITTEES.
CARLISLE. _ _ _

The Carlisle Electiondommlttte assembled yesterday
morning; Mr. Divett in the chair.
Mr. John Fisher, the keeper of the Athenteum at
Carlisle, spoke to having distributed a few refreshment
tickets during the election, but from a conversation he
bad since had with Mr. Hodgson, the sitting Member,
he found the distribution was made without his consent.

Isaac Nixon, a freeman of Carlisle, proved that at the
last election he met Mr. Hodgson in Rockliff, at the
Ship public house, where he was treated at that gentle-
man's expense. Mr. Hodgson told him and several other
freemen that if they wanted any drink they were to
have " a glass" whenever they liked. After the election
he took the bill to Mr. Hodgson's brother, who paid it;
the amount was 71 ss.
Mrs. Waite, the landlady of the White Horse Ina,
Carlisle, proved that several entertainments were given
at her house during the election to the freemen of the
city. and that the costs of these reunions was afteretards
paid by some gentlemen at Mr. Hodgson's committee-
room. The amount she got from them was 9/. 145., but
she afterwards went to the office of Mr. Parker, agent
of Mr. Hodgson, and received borne more money, between
5/. and 61.
The CHAIRM ix said it would perhaps save time if he
intimated to Counsel, that the Committee were satisfied
that the case of treating had been fully made out. The
evidence, the Committee thought, bad disclosed that a
systematic course of treating was resorted to at the last
election by Mr. Hodgson's agents, and it would, there-
fore, be a waste of time to pursue :the case of treating
further. _ _

Mr. JAMES submitted that there was no evidence to
connect Mr. Hodgson, the sitting Member with the
treating.
Mr. STANSFIELD, a member of the Committee, differed
with the Learned Counsel upon that point, for one wit-
ness had distinctly stated that Mr. Hodgson told him
and others to order as much drink as they liked.
Mr. JAisns said be should be in a position to prove

that the statement to which the Hon. Gentleman re-
ferrel was false.

The CHAIRMAN said, if the Learned Counsel could
show that the evidence was not to be relied upon, of
course there would be an end of the case, hut, at the same
time, he must tell the Learned Counsel that it
would be useless his raising the point of connexion, as
the Committee were satisfied that there was ample
evidence to connect the sitting Member with the acts of
treating.
Mr: BURCHAX said, after the intimation of the Chair-
man, the petitioners would not pursue their case further,
although they had many more witnesses in attendance
whom they had intended to call.
Mr. JAMES then prayed for an adjournment till to-
morrow to enable counsel for the sitting Member to de-
cide what course they would adopt.
The Committee granted the application, and adjourned
accordingly till to-morrow, at eleven o'clock.