The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 24, 1870.

ordinary speeches what the Lord Mayor's carriage is
to an ordinary vehicle. This time the discourse
is full of common sense, if not precisely the sense we
might have hoped and desired. It contains very
little about the Emperor himself ; whereas pre-
ceding effusions have been full of him, just
as if the whole destiny of France were to uphold
the House of Napoleon on the Throne without any
corresponding advantage. Now the ruler begins to
see that if the bargain is to be continued, it must be
mutual. The new Constitution gives the Throne to
himself and his heirs ; he in return must give
better governing machinery, better education, and
better laws to the French people. And accordingly
his last speech is full of promises to this effect.
It is all very satisfactory, except where the topic
of the Constitution is touched upon. Concerning this
the Emperor makes it clearly understood that there
is to be no further change. He does not say that
the edifice is crowned, but it is " fundamentally
strengthened upon its base," which may be
taken to imply the same thing. Indeed, we are
told that the Constitution" is above all controversy ;"
and that the nation is now"freed from the constitutional
questions which divide the best minds." If anything
were needed to prove that the plebiscitum was a
reactionary measure, these statements surely supply
the missing link. The Emperor is yet far
from the position of a constitutional monarch ; but
his prerogatives are now to be beyond all question. He
found a little while ago that the liberal agitation
would soon hand over a large portion of his power
to the Parliament; he made certain concessions ;
appealed to the people to ratify them ; and now
declares that nothing more need be expected. Yet this
very Constitution that is now established contains a pro-
vision that the power of effecting fundamental altera-
tions is to be shared by the Parliament. How can the
latter body really possess such power, if no more
alterations are to be made ? The sentences in the Em-
peror's speech about the Constitution imply in the
clearest manner that the pldbiscite is a decision
altogether above the interference of the people's
representatives. If this be representative government
the popular definition of the term must have greatly
altered of late. No doubt the Parliament, with its
increased powers, will win its way to its
proper position as the real governing power.
Nolegislative body that played its cards properly,
has failed to do so. •But that the battle will not be
won without a very severe contest, this plebiscitum,
and the speech which follows it, sufficiently prove.

In the House of Lords last evening the Earl of
Carnarvon inquired what measures the Government
intended to adopt to obtain satisfaction for the mur-
der of the British subjects in Greece. The noble
lord, whilst he expressed his approval of the course
pursued by the English Government, did
not scruple to condemn the action of the
Greek Ministry. Earl Clarendon, who seemed to
have taken his cue from the speech of the Premier,
was rather reticent, merely expressing his satisfac-
tion that the relatives of the murdered did not com-
plain of the measures taken by the British represen-
tative to obtain their release, and assuring their lord-
ships that a rigorous investigation should be
made into the case, with an utter disregard
to the position which any person concerned might
occupy. In the House of Commons the Solicitor-
General moved the second reading of the University
Tests Bill. Mr. Walpole moved that it be read that
day six months, and considerable discussion ensued
on the two propositions. Considering the importance
of the measure, it was considered by a very
thin House, and this fact drew from Mr.
Newdegate the remark that questions of principle
did not command so much attention as matters
purely personal. The second reading was carried by
an overwhelming majority. The House went into
Committee on the Irish Land Bill, and so much pro-
gress was made that when the House resumed the
schedule and preamble of the bill had been agreed
to. The bill will be reported on Thursday. The
other business transacted was not very important,
and the House adjourned at a quarter past one.

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