The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-03 00:00:00

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

Monday, the 10th April, 1848, a day for ever
memorable in the history of the country, is a day to
which every Englishman will recur with heartfelt
exultation. It was a day which instantaneously dis-
pelled the long-gathering mists of apprehension, and
(as Mr. MACAULAY has it), amid the crash of empires,
and the fall of thrones, attested the security of the
British Constitution. Such were the happy conse-
quences of Monday, the 10th April; but very different
are the feelings with which we shall recur to Saturday,
the 30th September. In our opinion, the events of
the latter day for ever tarnish the glory of the pre-
ceding. On the 10th of April the Chartists met with
the fate their folly well deserved ; on the 20th Sep-
tember, on the contrary, they have been visited with
a severity most uncalled for and most unjustifiable.
The Chartists have been condemned to transportation
for life ! to transportation for life, all but the
severest penalty which the law can inflict—te trans-
portation for life, which is now generally deemed
severe enough for the murderer ! The severity of the
sentence fills us with astonishment ; with astonish-
ment and sorrow—and, we might add, with indigna-
tion also—but that we cannot believe that it will be
really carried into effect. We cannot, we will not,
believe it possible that under the auspices of a Liberal
Government—of a Russell Government—such an act
of unnecessary tyranny will really be carried into
execution. Of unnecessary tyranny, we say ad-
visedly, for nothing can ever justify or sanction
tyranny but necessity. The legitimate objects of
the Chartists are progressing towards their
attainment in a manner more consonant with the
dignity ;of the interests they concern. The
National Convention has done its worst, the monster
petition is forgotten, or only remembered to be ridi-
culed. The triumph of peace and order throughout
the British dominions is assured. Is this a time when
arbitrary measures are sanctioned by expediency ?
Not so. A worse moment could not by possibility
have been selected. In the universal triumph

of liberal principles, when thrones sacred by age,
and Monarchs and Ministers, venerable for sagacity,
are overthrown and annihilated because they pre-
sume to infringe upon the popular liberties, this
inauspicious moment is seized upon by the liberal
Government of England—a Government, be it re-
membered, which came into office by opposing Sir
ROBERT PEEL'S Coercion Bill this moment is
seized upon for the execution of an act of injustice,
which, were they in opposition, that minority
would be the loudest to denounce and the most
vehement to oppose. But we are loath to bring our-
selves to such a belief—it will not be so. The sen-
tence has been passed, why we will not pretend to
say ; but the sentence is not yet carried into execu-
tion. There is yet time for the extension
of the saving hand. There is yet time
for the exercise of mercy and of justice also, and
that mercy and that justice will not fail to be
exercised if the Government but recal to mind the
liberal principles to which they have pledged them-
selves—if they will but ask themselves how they
would act if in opposition now. And, by the way,
we would advise them not to let the acts of a Whig
Ministry be always so much less liberal than the
acts of a Whig Opposition, or the country will begin
to reflect that, to all intents and purposes, the latter
is productive of more public benefit than the former.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris papers of yesterday.
The Journal des Debats publishes the following
letter from Naples of the date of the 24th of Sep-
tember :

" The progress of our mediation between the King
of Naples and Sicily is for the moment suspended.
Unlooked-for exigencies have been raised, and those
on a side from which we had a right to expect every
facility to be given towards accommodation. The
last accounts from Palermo announce that conferences
were still going on between General Felangeri and
the Sicilian Government; that the suspension of
hostilities was mentioned, and that the French and
English squadrons, stationed on the coast, still re-
mained in their respective positions. It is here,
therefore, that the great interest of the question lays
—it is here that an important difficulty has arisen.
" The King no longer accepts the intervention of
France and England in his quarrel with Sicily.
After a formal acceptance of it, this sudden change,
for which there is as yet no explained reason, has
produced the most painful impression on every impar-
tial mind, because it is thought that it may lead to the
most disastrous consequences. The mediation of
France and England had for the last ten days been
regarded as a fait accompli, and in reply to the
account which Admiral Baudin forwarded to Paris he
had received the most formal and explicit directions ;
there is, therefore, no doubt, that France will show
herself to the mission of humanity which has
been traced out to her by the late events at Messina.
That mediation, at first accepted and now refused,
France will be compelled to impose on the King of
Naples ; but whatever may be the reports in circu-
lation, we hope that things will not be allowed to
proceed to that extremity." The letter then pro-
ceeds to show that all the difficulty which has arisen
is to be attributed solely to the Court of Naples, the
Sicilians having shown themselves. willing to listen to
terms, and proceeds :—" The work of peace under
taken by England and France, under the most fa-
vourable auspices, is for the moment impeded. We
are willing to hope that the difficulty which has
arisen will not be insurmountable, although it is said
that the refusal of the King is most formal, and that
orders have been given for the immediate commence-
ment of hostilities. It is further said (but it is the
most violent Royalists who have spread the report)
that the King will not recoil before any injunction,
but will maintain his right of repression with regard
to Sicily. But in spite of all this it is still hoped by
many that the firm and energetic observations which
will be made by the commanders of the French and
English squadrons, will not fail to produce a salutary
impression on the mind of his Majesty.
" Admiral Baudin, whose health is completely re-
stored, will to-day leave Ischia and hoist his flag on
board the Friedland, and Admiral Trehouart, who
has the command of the division before Messina, is
on board the steam-frigate the Panama."

This vacillation, or, to speak more correctly, this
gross breach of his word on the part of the Bourbon
who at present misgoverns Naples is to be attributed
mainly, if not solely, to the intrigues of the English
Tory aristocracy, who have formed an alliance offen-
sive and defensive with the " Man of Ghent," the
object of which is to restore to the Foreign Office
cet excellent ABERDEEN, with M. GEIZOT as his
Mentor. The Neapolitan Bourbon, however, has
gone too far; after the mediation has been accepted
by both parties, it is not in the power of one alone of
them to withdraw; and if France chooses to enforce
her award by arms, and to blow Naples about his
ears, the English people would not permit any Mi-
nister to interfere to prevent it.
The Democratic and Socialist Banquet, at 21. a
head, was held on Saturday, at a wine-house, at the
Barriere de Sevres, and mustered between 1,000 and
1,200 guests, among whom were MM. Joly and Mule
(de la Haute Garonne), and several other representa-
tives. A great many toasts were given, and among
them—' A. nos Freres absens,' Au Droit au Tra-
vail," Ala Regeneration Sociale,' Ala Republique
D6mocratique et Sociale,' Aux Democrates So-
cialistes du Quatrieme Arrondissement.' M. Joly,
who presided at a large square table placed in the
garden, because the saloons were not spacious enough
to accommodate the number assembled, proposed
' A la Fraternite et a l'Alliance des Peuple !'
toast was drunk with loud cheers and cries of 'Vive
la ii‘publique Democratique et Sociale ! Vive Ras-
pail! Vive les Martyrs de Juin qui gemissent dans
les cachots !' At nine o'clock the banquet broke up,
after having made a collection for the benefit of the
families of the insurgents of June, and returned into
Paris making the air resound with patriotic songs.
The authorities had taken every necessary measure
for the preservation of order; strong detachments of
troops of the line with their arms piled were stationed
in the environs; but happily those precautions were
needless.

Socialist banquets have been held at Aveyron and
in other parts of France. The following speech,
made at the Lyons banquet, in proposing the toast—
" To the Abolition of Financial Feudality," is another
proof of the existence of an alliance between the old
Nobility and the Communists for the plunder of
the industrious classes :

" After three revolutions, the object of which was
the abolition of all privileges, France is still subjected
to the regime of financial feudality. The Govern-
ment of the Republic has recognised its right of
sovereignty, and France will pay a budget, which,
according to political economists, will amount at least
from four to five milliards a year ' • that is to say that
she will take, as in past days, the half of the value of
the national produce. Feudality of the nobility had
for motto noblesse oblige ;' financial feudality
Chacun pour soi.' The latter does not repose on
honour, like the former ; it has neither country nor
religion ; in place of a heart would be found a crown
piece. During the eighteen years which have just
expired, everything has become a prey to insatiable
cupidity, it has scraped up all the mud to seek for
gold. Where is reaction ? It is in financial feuda-
lity. The reforms that are required are the abolition
of commercial monopoly, and the despotism of the
strong box. Citizens of all classes, join my voice in
demanding the abolition of financial feudality, and the
Republic is safe. Vive la Republique.'
The 2Woniteur publishes the following contradiction
of a report that the French Government had, at the
request of England, delivered up one of the Irish
rebels, who is said to have taken refuge at Havre :

" Several journals have spoken of the extradition of
an Irishman, who is a refugee at Havre, in conse-
quence of the Liberal movement of which Ireland has
just been the theatre, and in which he had just taken
part. The only answer to make is this—no extra-
dition has been granted nor even demanded of the
Minister of Justice, who alone is competent in such
a case. Every demand of that nature, from whatever
side it might come, could not fail to be repulsed.
French hospitality, which at all times has covered
political proscripts, will not abandon them under the
Republican Government."

The Committee on the Constitution have deter-
mined, by a majority of 10 to 4, to recommend that
the election of President of the Republic shall be by
universal suffrage.
The board of directors of the Strasburg Railway
have published a notice formally contradicting certain
rumours which were in circulation, of its being the
intention of the Government to take possession of the
line. The notice declares that the company is quite
able to finish the line without any assistance from any
quarter, and that the section from Paris to Epernay
will, before long, be opened to the public.
At the commencement of the sitting of the Na-
tional Assembly yesterday, M. DUVIGNIER, according
to notice, brought the Italian question under the
notice of the Assembly, and asked if it was true that
the French Government had recognised the rights of
Austria over Italy ?
General CAYAIGNAC replied that if France had

recognised the rights of Austria over Italy, there
would be no occasion for the mediation in which they
were now engaged; but he asked of the Assembly, in
the present state of the question, for leave not to
enter into any further explanations.
111. LEDRU RoLLIN then rushed to the tribune, and
in a very violent speech attacked the foreign policy
of the Government as too tame, and denounced the
treaties of 1815.

M. CRETON found fault with the foreign policy of
the Provisional Government.

General CAVAIGNAC, in reply to M. LEDRU
ROLLIN, declared that he did not like the treaties of
1815 more than M. LEDRU ROLLIN himself, as was
shown by his entering into a mediation, the object of
which was to destroy those treaties.
M. DUVIGNIER then proposed a motion to the effect
that France ought not to regard the pretensions of
Austria, and that she ought to demand the complete
emancipation of Italy.

This motion was rejected, and a scene of some
confusion followed, in the course of which several
motions were made and rejected, but ultimately the
order of the day was carried by a majority of 441 to
336. LOUIS NAPOLEON and his two cousins voted in
the minority.
The report of the Finance Committee has been pre-
sented to the Assembly .by M. BINEAU. The total
amount of the estimates for the expenditure of the
current year, and the credits already voted by the
Assembly for that object, amount to 1,836,849,915 f.
The committee proposes that this amount shall be
reduced to 1,776,935,277 f. The total amount of the
estimated receipts for the whole of the current year
amount to 1,407,682,818 E, including the 45 centimes
tax. Consequently there will be a deficit for the
year, supposing the expenditure do not exceed the
estimates (which is not at all likely), of at least 309
millions of francs. To cover this deficiency, says
the report, the Treasury will have, in the first
place, a sum of about 20 millions derived from
the loan of 450 millions, and applicable to the public
works, the execution of which is regulated by
the Act of 1841. Besides this, it has the following
resources. The loan of the 24th of July will pro-
duce 177} millions of francs ; the loan given by
the shareholders of the Lyons Railway will pro-
duce 54 millions, and the loan advanced by the
Bank 160 millions. The whole amounts to 381
millions and a half of francs. These several loans
add 65 millions of Reutes to the consolidated
debt, but they assist in diminishing the floating
debt. After the general resume of the financial
position for the year, M. BINEAU then examines
the question as to the expenses to be diminished,
and declares that, in respect to the public debt,
there is no saving to be effected. He also de-
clares that no saving can be made in the budget
of the army, and very little in that of the navy.
The budget for the war department is in fact aug-
mented to the amount of 207,984,342 francs. It
will, therefore, amount for the present year to
432,254,724 francs ; and the army at the end of
the present year will amount to 502,715 men and
100,295 horses. The principal reductions proposed
by the Committee are in the general service of the
different departments of the Administration. The
salaries of all ambassadors, judges, prefects, council-
lors of state, 'professors of colleges, bishops, clergy-
men, &c., are to be cut down to a great extent.
BOURSE—PARIS, MONDAY, OCT. 2.
CLOSING PRICES.—Five per Cents. 691. ; Three per
Cents. 43f. 90c. ; Treasury Bons, 23f. ; Bank of France,
1,545 f. ; Belgian Five per Cents. (1840), 79* ; ditto
(1842), 79i ; Naples, 801. 50c.
ti."—ndOHrlea
palriAsitaLnwdAßlrso—ueCn:.4oosoiNf.G;
IPtßouiceEns
avnres, 169501E1.; 2Aslca.r-;
seilles and Avignon, 185 f. ; Strasburg and Basle, 851. ;
Orleans and Vierzon, 2401. ; Boulogne and Amiens,
1501. ; Orleans and Bordeaux, 3751. ; Northern, 370 f. ;
Paris and Lyons, 361 f. 25c.; Paris and Strasbourg, 340 t.;
Tours and Nantes, 3251. ; Dieppe and F6camp, 165 f.
EXCHANGES.—London (at sight), 25f. 321 c. ; ninety
days, 25f. 15e. to 25f. 17ic.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK-EXCHANGE, Oar. 2.
Dutch Rhenish, 1/2—Namur and Liege, 4—Orleans and
Bordeaux, 7fi— Paris and Strasbourg, 114—Sambre and
Meuse, 2%.

SPAIN.

Madrid journals of the 27th ult. have arrived.

CABRERA is again up and doing in Catalonia.
After having conveyed to a place of safety in the
mountains a quantity of treasure and several horses,
the fruits of his various recent expeditions, he made a
descent upon the town of Grarniga, six leagues only
from Barcelona, burned the gates, entered the town,
drove the garrison into the citadel, and levied a heavy
contribution. _ . .

Several arrests of persons connected with secret
clubs took place at Madrid on the night of the 2Gth
September.
MADRID BOLT, SEPT. 27.—Threes, 191 ; Fives,
10i. Exchange on London, 48.

assembly. Finally, the Legislative Assembly may,
if needful, suspend its sittings for a time, and name
a period for re commencing them. -Up !up ! (to the
people.) Follow me who can." Thus saying,
KOSSUTJI left the Assembly.
The sittings are not to be suspended, but the Mem-
bers are to appoint a committee from among them-
selves. No deputy is allowed to leave the city
without permission.