The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-25 00:00:00

SPAIN AND PORTUGAL.

The Times' correspondent repeats the rumour,
whispered in more than one quarter, that the Duke
do Saldanha, who has just effected a change of
Ministry by force in Portugal, intends to do all he
can in favour of the Iberian Union. If this should
prove to be the case, the bloody revolution which took
place last Thursday in the streets of Lisbon will gain an
importance far exceeding that of most other affairs of
the kind in the Spanish peninsula. It has generally been
understood that the Duke is favourable to a union
between Spain and Portugal. But the Portuguese
people are much opposed to their nationality being
merged in that of their greater neighbour, though if
an understanding be come t. o between Saldanha and
the Spanish leaders, the wish of the people will avail
little.

The omnibus drivers and conductors in the employ
of the Birmingham Omnibus Company are at present on
strike on a question of wages.

The negotiations entered into by the Khedive
relative to judicial reform in Egypt having been success-
fully carried through, his Highness has ordered the lands
adjoining the Suez Canal to be allotted in equal propor-
tions and sold publicly.
A. remarkable case of longevity is reported from
the parish of Woollavington, in Somerset. In the parish
register for the year 1768 the following entry occurs:—
"John and Samuel, sons of John and Joan Collins (being
twins), were baptised." Samuel, it is stated, is still alive,
being 102 last March, " and able to go to shop with his
basket."

According to a despatch in the American papers
received yesterday, the Red River New Nation. says that
Colonel Rankin, of Canada, was expelled from Winnipeo
because of his Fenian proclivities ; that he offered Riel
the services of two or three hundered filibusters from the
United States, and the offer was declined, without thanks.

PRICE l d,
STAMPED 2d.

PARIS comrtEstiONDENCE,

MONDAY EVENING.

The verdict of the press has been on the whole favour-
able to the Imperial speech, always, of course, excepting
the irreconcileables,whom nothing will satisfy. The Rappel
affords an amusing specimen of the discriminating criti-
cism of this school of politicians. "It (the speech) is
utterly insignificant, colourless, and null." We are told,
however, a little further on, that " there are some
prisoners, and no few threats." So it, contains
something tangible at any rate. ". The whole
production," adds the Rappel, "is dull, dusky,
void of conviction or of hope, without one
gleam of sunshine, without one idea. One seems to hear
the sepulchral voice of Ninas, and it makes one feel the
glacial moisture of the tomb !" This is only what might
have been expected from the Rappel, and indeed most of
the criticisms might have been written beforehand, so well
could the Parisian politician foresee their tenour and
tone. The Univers, I must tell you, is offended at the
" self-satisfied tone " of the speech, and the com-
plete absence of all ideas relating to reli-
gious interests. "It appears," says this -Clerical'
mentor, "that a Government which has -received
7,350,000 votes can dispense with Providence."
Apropos of the Plebiscite, the Siecle very unkindly drags
to light a maladroit passage from a speech of M. Emile
011ivier last April before he tasted the sweets of office.
Men who look to be Prime Minister should be a little
more circumspect in the expression of their opinions,
especially on such many-sided things as Ple-
biscites. However, " success is virtue " all over
the civilised world, and certainly not less in
Paris than elsewhere, and if he steers the ship of State
safely through the shoals which surround it, M. 011ivier
can afford to smile at little thrusts of this description.
The Chapel of the Tuileries was yesterday very fully
attended, the congregation being probably more anxious
for the grand "Te Deum " than for the sermon. The
Bishop of Adras, chaplain to the Emperor and Empress,
officiated. Several other churches held a religious cele-
bration of the vote.

Their Majesties, after Mass, received the Papal
Nuncio, the diplomatic circle, and several other distin-
guished persons, who were ready with their felicitations.
The illuminations in honour of the Pl4biscite were very
brilliant and ingenious. The Minister of the Interior
adopted a striking device, and exhibited on his official
residence the figures with which we are all so familiar-
-7,350,000—in fiery splendour.
We are improving in our telegraphic dexterity. The
Emperor's speech, containing 532 words, was sent from
Paris to Havre by two wires in ten minutes.

You will have heard of the disastrous accident which
befell M. Vandal, the Director of the Post-office,
this morning in the Bois de Boulogne. He suffered, it
appears, from a double accident, being first overturned in
his chaise, and secondly, by a most unhappy chance,
crushed beneath the dying horse, which had broken from
the man who held it and fell heavily upon M. Vandal.
The Emperor is much concerned at the accident, and has
sent several times to inquire how the invalid progresses.
His condition is serious, but he is quite un-
conscious of the accident, and talks eagerly
of getting up and going to the Chamber.

An explanation has been given to that passage of the
Emperor's speech which speaks of placing the expression
of the national will beyond all controversy. It appears
that a project of law will shortly be presented which
will forbid the discussion of any petitions that are con-
trary to the Constitution in the Chambers. The list of
new Senators will shortly appear. M. Emile de
Girardin will certainly be among them, and he will join
the band of the devoted political party at the
very moment when his ideas are on the side of the oppo-
sition. He will in all .'probability enter the Senate in
order to assume with the greater ease the place which
St. Beuve possessed.
A Centre Gauche in the Senate ! The experiment is a
critical one. Will M. de Girardin succeed as well in the
enterprise as in the conduct of the Liberte, for which a few
months ago he refused a million and a half francs.

The last few days it has been extremely hot here, and
already in May we are emulating the dog days,
but, notwithstanding the discomfort, the theatres are
crowded. At the Vaudeville they have had a great suc-
cess in the revival of "L'Heritage de TJh Plumet," which
was brought out for the first time at the Gymnase about
welve years ago, and has not since been acted. It is the
work of M. Theodore Barriere and the late M. Ernest
Capenden, and is in five acts. The audience were delighted
with the performance, and seemed to appreciate a real
comedy without the vestige of a struggle for dramatic
effect.

The appointment of M. Grammont is said to have dis-
turbed the sensitive nature of the Berlin politicians, on
account of his known partiality for Austria ; but, on the
other hand, the official journals declare that the new
Foreign Minister is actuated by no prejudices in favour of
one country over another, but that he will act in confor-
mity with the experience he has derived during the years
he has passed in public life mixing in important political
affairs. He has left Paris for Vienna to present his
letters of recall.

Yesterday afternoon we were visited bya violent storm
which lasted for an hour. There was heavy rain, accom-
panied with hail. The hailstones were of an enormous
size. The most vivid lightning and heavy peals of thunder
completed the terrors of the scene. One advantage was
that the atmosphere improved, and the insupportable heat
abated.