The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-25 00:00:00

THE SUN LONPON,I

donne des armes r as a protection from assault and
pillage. Among other causes of terror to the more
peaceful Parisians are the conflagrations which have
lighted up several of the districts in which the gas
lamps had been entirely destroyed. In this manner
it would seem that the manufactory of omnibuses at
Neuilly had been ignited, and a guard-house in
the Champs Elysees committed to the flames,
The Government is in a state of dismay—the troops,
numbering almost 100,000 men, are strong enough
to crush a mere rabble twice their superiors in nume-
• rical strength—the Bourse experienced; the effects of
this great emergency, as 'visibly as a magnetic
needle vibrates under an extraordinary electrical con-
dition of the atmosphere—the more sober citizens
were breathless with agitation—and a terrible blood-
shed was anticipated.
Such was the position of the French metropolis up
to the period when our latest dispatches had been
received ; and from the unwonted delay of our
ordinary express, we dread that some unusual catas-,
trophe has interrupted the line of communication.
Whatever may be the immediate consequence, the
Reformers of France have at last drawn the sword.
The standard of a new revolution has been unfurled
at Paris; it flutters from the church turrets of
Amiens, and we doubt not but that the tocsin is now
sounding, and the rappel beating in many of the
ancient cities of the French dominion.

A grand alternative at length presents itself to
King Louis PniuirpE. Shall he reign by liberality
or by despotism—by a liberality strong in the po-
pular affections, or by a despotism potent through the
sword, the bayonet, and the howitzer? Shall he
secure to himself the love of his people, or the
hatred of all posterity—the first by taking the
initiative in constitutional reforms, the second
by empowering his troops to commit the " can-
naille" of Paris to destruction ? Shall he sink
into decrepitude in a palace guarded night and day
by praetorians and janissaries, or shall he, like the
Reforming Princes of Italy, pass unattended through
the swarming concourse of his subjects—unscathed
in his security and invulnerable in their love ?
Will he still hearken to the insidious incitements of
GUIZOT, as CUARLES X. listened to those of the
recreant POLIGNAC? IViil BUGEAUD enact the part
so feebly enacted of old by MARMONT, and Will
JACQUEMINOT become his lieutenant, and conduct
the detested guards of the municipalities against
those brave Nationals who have been hitherto taught
to regard him as their father ? Amidst all these
memorable tumults, in the midst of this remarkable
insurrection, an Arm, a Voice is wanting—Paris is
waiting for a LAFAYETTE.

The agitation against the Income-tax goes on
gloriously. The metropolis is meeting by parishes to
protest against the re-imposition of this iniquitous tax,
and all the large provincial towns are doing their duty.
Norwich meets this day. The Chamber of Commerce
of that ancient city, which has taken the initiative
on this occasion, represents, we are told, upwards of
two hundred farms, all the members of which protest
against the iniquity of taxing the hard-earned in-
come of the man of industry at the same rate as the
income derived by the idler from invested property,
which property goes to his family after his death,
while the income of the industrious man dies with
bim.

At Bury a petition is in the course of signature,
which will be presented on Monday. Liverpool and
Birmingham are organizing, and the Scotch are loud
in their expressions of indignation. We are rejoiced
to find this spirit so generally prevailing through-
out the country. The provincial press is unanimous
in its expressions of reprobation. Whig, Tory, Ra-
dical, Protectionist, there is no exception ! all are
against the abominable five per cent. income-tax.
We would urge on all the necessity of not slumbering
at their posts. Petition ! Petition Petition ! Let
each elector sign the petition against it,
and add the designation Elector to his name.
Bombard the House night after night with these
petitions, and Lord Jon-N RUSSELL must and will give
way. He will not want a good Whig precedent to
justify himself for so -doing. Lord ALTHORP was
obliged to withdraw his first budget, and propose a
new one, and it will be the fault of the people them-
selves if Lord Joni RUSSELL be not compelled to
follow the example of his predecessor.

The Grand Duke of TUSCANY has given to his
subjects a constitution even more liberal than that
given by the King of NAPLES. The Members of the
Senate are to be elected for life, and those of the
Council General for a fixed period. It is declared in
the 6th Article, that the liberty of commerce and in-
dustry shall be the fundamental principle of the
economical law of the State. All religions are
tolerated, and the law of mortmain is extended to
the whole of the Duchy.

Intelligence has been received from Lisbon of the
16th.

The Prime Minister SALDANHA had promised a
modification of the Charter, and the Government had
proposed a Bill for the regulation of the National
Battalions, which it was supposed would pass. The
debate on the Speech from the Throne had not com-
menced in the Deputies, nor concluded in the Peers.
There were rumours of a split in the Cabinet.