The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-06 00:00:00

DEFENCE OF LAMARTINE.
BY HIMSELF.

[Now that Lamartine has condescended to rebut the
calumnies by which his great acts of patriotism have
been repaid, we are resolved to enable our readers to
jiidge for themselves whether our estimAion of his
character has been or has not been erroneous. To
this end we shall from day to day publish
fragments of the " Defence"— translating our-
selves from the original as we proceed—giving in
all their simplicity one of the slanders accompanied by
its particular refutation. It is a satisfaction to know
that the whole of the first edition of this important and
remarkable brochure was bought up within the space of
a quarter of an hour. Such was the avidity evinced
by the Parisians to peruse it, that the pamphlet
suddenly became the rage' of the French capital. All
the interest previously felt as to the probability of an
Italian invasion and a general war in Europe was for-
gotten—men spoke only, thought only, and talked only
about the last production of the pen of this wonderful
publicist. The pamphlet, it will be observed, appears
in the form of a letter addressed to the electors of the
ten departments, who chose Lamartine as their represen-
tative:— _ _ .

1. Bouches-du-Rhone.
2. COte-d'Or.
3. Dordogne.
4. Finistere.
5. Gironde.

6. Ille•et-Vilaine.
7. Nord.
8. Soave-et-Loire.

9. Seine.

10. Seine-Inferieure.
Nevertheless it must not be forgotten that this " Letter"
is nothing more than an extract from a much larger
publication, by M. de Lamartine, called "Three Months
in Power"—a publication which will contain his Mani-
festo to the Departments, his Circular, and his Re-
ports, together with all his remarks and orations
delivered since the 24th of February, both in the Cham-
ber and at the Hotel de Ville. We may observe that
the introduction of the subject-matter in the com-
mencement of the letter comprises, among
others, the following beautiful and significant pas-
sages:—" Citisens, the popularity which surrounded
me without cause has retired from me without motive.
. . . I have preserved silence for a long
while, and should have done so always bad my own re-
putation been alone concerned ; but you adopted me in
a moment of extraordinary imminence in token of
the conformity of our opinions. I belong to you,
therefore. It is necessary that you should not have
reason to blush when they mention my name in your
presence." It is thus that the illustrious writer ad-
dresses himself to the electors of the departments
who proclaimed him the representative of the French
people with the vociferations of two million voices.
Gold passing through the furnace is purified. Thus is
it with Lamartine now that he has passed through the
terrible furnace of calumnies—of those calumnies which
he has himself scornfully called " the ordinary salari( s
of revolutions." The joy with which we
now witness the complete vindication of the
character of Alphonse de Lamartino is only
surpassed by the satisfaction we experience in
thinking that we have always (even in those moments
when every eye regarded him either with suspicion as
an administrator, or with abhorrence as a conspirator)
recognised the glorious and incorruptible honesty of the
hero-patriot and the poet-statesman.—En. Sun.]

FRANCE.

[The following appeared in our Third Edition of
last night] :
In the National Assembly on Monday, after a
lengthened debate, the proposition of M. PASCH.
DUPEAT on the subject of voting the organic laws
was put to the vote.
The President read the first article—" The National
Assembly shall not dissolve itself without having voted
the organic laws."
M. KERDIZEL moved that the Assembly should
confine itself to vote the electoral law. That motion
was rejected. Another amendment, developed by
M. VEsIN, experienced the same fate, after which the
first article was voted by an immense majority..
The second article, providing that "a special de-
cree, issued immediately after the vote of the consti
tution, shall fix the laws to be framed by the Consti-
tuent Assembly," was adopted by the same majority.
M. DESLONGRAIS next proposed an additional ar-
ticle, to the effect of postponing the election of the
President until the vote of the organic laws. The
proposition, however, was unfavourably received by
the Assembly, and when put from the chair only sup-
ported by ten or twelve members.

PIEDMON T.
'The Piedmontese Gazette of the 31st ult. publishes
the following telegraphic dispatch received that morn-
ing by the Minister of the Interior :
" An extraordinary movement was observed at Pia-
cenza, on the 29th of August, amongst the Austrians.
The artillery had been sent outside the gate of the Po,
but it subsequently returned. Marshal de Thun assem-
bled his officers round him in order to communicate to
them some important commands. Several couriers ar-
rived and set out again during the night."

LOMBARDY.
The Milan Gazette of the 28th ult. publishes a
proclamation, issued by Marshal Prince SCHWARSEN-
BERG, the Military Governor of that city. The
Prince commands that all natives of Lombardy re-
siding in Milan, except those born there, shall, within
eight days, procure a certificate of their birth from
the district to which they belong. The masters of
furnished hotels are called on to make a return to the
authorities of all persons residing in their houses.
The Pensiero Italian of the 30th ult. states, from
Novara, that General GARIBALDI, being attacked at
Varese by a column of 10,000 Austrians, was obliged
to retire to Luino, and thence escape to Switzerland
by the steamer with a few followers. This and other
Italian journals affirm that Austria had no right to
complain of the non-observance of certain articles of
the armistice, since she herself has broken the spirit
of it by occupying Parma, Piacenza, and Modena,
contrary to the convention which determined that the
limits of, the two armies should be the respective
frontiers.
Baron DE KAISERSFELD, Minister of Austria in
Switzerland, has informed the Federal Directory that
Marshal RADETZKY has decided that all political
refugees, subjects of Austria, are at liberty to return
to their homes, without meeting with any obstacle,
or being exposed to any judicial prosecution for their
political acts. They are to present themselves to the
authorities of the frontier, and to those of their place
of residence, are not to absent themselves from their
homes for any length of time without permission,
and, under pain of severe punishment, are to abstain
from any revolutionary proceedings.

VIENNA.
The Osservatore Triestino of Sunday, the 27th
ult., announces in its official part that Vice-
Admiral ALBINI, on the receipt of the open
dispatch from 'his Government, declared that
he would obey his instructions with all pos-
sible celerity, at the same time observing that
the required embarkation of the Piedmontese troops
might occasion a delay of some five or six days, sup-
posing, moreover, that his communication with the
main land was not impeded by bad weather. The
Vice-Admiral, therefore, promised to communicate
with the Military Commandant of the Illyrian coast
by means of an express when the moment arrived for
carrying his orders into effect.

iVIORTALITY in the METROPOLIS.

NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED IN
TIIE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, SEPT. 2, 1848.
Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases ... 397
Diseases of Uncertain Seat ... ••• 38
rurbercular Diseases... ... ••• ... 144
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses... 95
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels ... 24
Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of
Respiration ... ..• •.. ... 72
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs
C.l

of Digestion... ..•
Diseases of the Kidneys, &c. ..• •••
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c.
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles

home trade purposes, and about 200 puns have -been
sold; fine quality 34 to 38 per cent over proof at 4s to
4s 4d, good 3s 7d to 3s 10d, plain and midding, 28 to 34
over, 3s 4d to 3s 6d. Leeward Island is held with firmness,
and a fair trade exists at is 7d to Is 714 proof, and at is
8d to Is Bid for brown. In East India sevt ral purchases
have been made at is 6d to is 7d proof, and there are not
free sellers. Demerara finds a more ready sale at 2s 4d to
2s 10d for 28 to 38 per cent over proof. DAiveries are get-
ting better, and for home consumption now vary little from
last year; but for export they are much smaller. Prices
of all kinds are lower than in 1847; the excess in stock, is
however, very considerable. Brandy is not much in re-
quest at present, Either for home use or export, but
the & liveries continue satisfactory, and there is
not a large stock. We quote Cognac best brands,
of the vintage of 1846, at 4s 10d to 58 ditto
1847 at 3s 10d to 4s, inferior 2s 6d to 3s 7d, and Bor-
deaux 2s to 2s 4d. Geneva is held with firmness, and a
fair demand exists; home trade sort at 2s 9d to 3s 6d,
and export kind at 2a to 2s ld. For British made Spirit
there is an active sale, and prices are firm; the supply,
also, does not get larger.
FRUIT. To-day at public sale 147 barrels red
Smyrna Raisins, part damaged, sold at 32s to 40s; 15
drums damaged Sultanas were withdrawn; 580 boxes
823 half- ditto Valentia taken in at *6B; 255 baskets
Denia Raisins and 100 boxes Jordan Almonds were
'sithdrawn, and 114 packages damaged Patna Currants
mostly taken in at 35s to 38s per cwt.
SALTPETRE.—To-day there was no public sale of
Rough, but by private contract a good business has
been done, and the tendency of prices is to advance.
The value of low to find
Calcutta is 25s to 28s per cwt.
On the part of the holders there is also much firmness,
and the deliveries keep getting larger. Nitrate of Soda
is wanted at 13s to 13s 6d.
INDlao.—The quarterly sale of East India has been
fixed for the 10th of October, and already 5,896 chests
are declared. The market has decidedly an improving
appearance for all kinds; on the part of merchants there
is also firmness. For home consumption several par-
cels have been taken, and sales to a fair extent were also
made for exportation. Prices compared with those of
the last quarterly sales exhibit a small advance.
TURPENTINE.—For Spirits the demand has been brisk
and prices have advanced to 38s to 38s 6d for British,
and 39s to 40s for American. Rough sells more readily
at 9s to 9s 3d for new. Tar is wanted, and the rates paid
are 165 6d to 18s 6d.

Wm.—For Southern Oil there is much demand,
and the rates by private treaty are fully equal to those
of this day week. At auction thirty tuns were sold
at 211 53 to 221 lOs for very low and ordinary, and
at 241 103 to 251 5s for middling and good; fine
is worth 26/ to 261 lOs per tun. Seal has not
risen in value, but there continues to be a desire on
the part of the trade to operate, and several parcels have
been sold. At auction 70 tuns were sold; straw and
tinged at 241 to 251, yellow and brown 221 lOs to 24/.
In Ccd purchases to a fair extent have been made. Of
blubber 15 tuns at auction were sold at 9/ to 10/ 10s,
Cod Si 5s to Si 10s. Sperm is in brisker request
by private treaty, and prices have ceased to de-
cline, there is also a less quantity on offer. At
auction 25 tuns of Colonial were sold at 691 lOs to 691

15s for good, and at 641 for low quality. The value of
fine is 701 to 711, and of Headmatter 711 to 72L Of
Fish Oils arrivals have again been small, whereas de-
liveries continue to get larger, and prices rule mode
rate in comparison with late years. For Linseed Oil
prices remain the same as previously quoted, and at
which a desire is shown to sell. For forward delivery
little business has been done, and sales can be made at
22s 6d to 22s 9d. Rapeseed is wanted, and the market is
firm. Palm has been in excellent request, and deliveries are
exceeding arrivals; prices are on the advance, and rule
at 31s to 32s for good and fine, and at 29s to 30s for
middling. Cocoa Nut is little wanted, and prices are
depressed, as there is a large supply. For Olive a lively
demand exists. _

,l41,••••••.m.
TALLOW.—The demand continues to increase for Rus-
sian on the spot, and prices are still on the advance; from
both town and country dealers the demand has been
brisk, and 45s 6d to 45s 9d per cwt. are the rates paid
for tine P. Y. Candle; on the part of holders there
is much firmness. For delivery within the last
three months of the year many contracts have
been concluded, and there are few sellers under 45s
9d. For the early part of next year sales to a fair
extent have been made at 46a to 46s 3d. Town
Tallow sells readily, and at higher rates, 45s 6:1 to 46s net
cash having been currently paid; but there continues to be
a plentiful supply. A rise is apparent in the value of
other sorts of Tallow, and there is a greater demand.
At public sale 145 casks of Odessa sheep were sold at
44s 3d to 44s Gd ; 159 pkgs. South American, good and
fine, 44s to 46s 3d, low to middling 41s 3d to 43s 9d; 33
casks New South Wales, good and fine 43s 9d to 455 3d,
and middling 43s 3d to 43s 6d per cwt. The value of
Rough Fat is 2s 7d per stone. For auction 1,000 pkgs
of Tallow are declared.