The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-29 00:00:00

LONDON, 7UESDAY, MARCH 29, 1870.

The conscience of Europe, the amour propre of
France were to be satisfied, in regard to this ter-
rible tragedy of Auteuil, by nothing less, after the
complete acquittal of Prince PIERRE, than by his im-
mediate expatriation. The most we!come intimation
among the telegraphic announcements of this morn-
ing was unquestionably the one flashed from Paris
over-night by the Correspondent of the Standard, to
the effect that " the EMPEROR has this day signed
a decree exiling Prince PIERRE BONAPARTE.
That the Prince had been mulcted in the
civil action brought by the NoIR or SALMON
Family for the payment of cysts and the recovery of
damages, even though the damages amounted to the
sum of 25,000 francs, was as nothing by the side of
the intimation that Prince PIERRE had been sum-
marily banished by his first cousin, the Emperor
NAPOLEON. The fine was as a remorseful deci-
sion on the part of the Court of Justice at Tours,
upon the morrow of the verdict of acquittal.
The exiling of the destroyer of VICTOR NOIR was
recognised as a new and distinct and very striking
act of homage to Public Opinion, on the part of that
most sagacious of modern rulers, the reigning Sove-
reign of France. Besides bearing that appearance,
the announcement was one springing from a decision
really and truly as merciful as any that could have
been applied to the interests of the unhappy Prince
who had been just acquitted. To!erate his tran-
quil continuance in France, tacitly authorise his
uninterrupted residence in Paris, and as surely as he
has maddened the Irreconcileables by his impulsive
acts, and h's intolerably scornful demeanour, so
surely must we have been tolerably certain one
of these fine mornings cr evenings, of reading
in the telegrams the announcement of his
assassination. The whole incident is suggtstive of
the fierce and deadly commencement of those appal-
ling feuds illustrative, by tragedy after tragedy,
of the horrors of the implacable Corsican Vendetta.
By the removal of Prince PIERRE, not only from
Paris, but from Fiance altogether, if not for life,
at any rat,-! in lefinitely, by that, and by that alone,
would there be any chance whatever of the evil being
crushed out, so far as it has yet gone, in any way,
effectually. The Prince's continuance upon French
soil would be, necessarily and essentially, aperpetual
provocation to further outrages. His removal beyond
the frontiers was, therefore, preciselywhat was by every
one the most earnestly desired. The announcement
made by this startling but most acceptable telegram
was thrice welcome, consequently, as an indication
of the sentiments entertained in regard to the whole
of this most lamentable transaction by the reigning
Sovereign. Coming to us simultaneously with the
Senatus Consultum just laid before the Senate by M.
OLLIVTER in the name and by the authority of NAPO-
LEON 111., the notification is another augury of the fact
of the Vessel of the State having passed at length within
the bar, there to cast anchor in the smooth waters of
the serene and sheltering haven of Constitutionalism.
The exercise, thus, of his personal prerogative by the
EMPEROR there is no one in the length and breadth
of his dominions who would be very eagerly disposed
to quarrel with. An act like this, no doubt one
over-riding the law, but for that very reason, under
the circumstance, it came to be one that was espe-
cially desirable.

ii great nieetnig in savour of extending the

franchise to women was undeniably a triumph. There
was a very large muster of our lea-ling women of
intellect, and their speeches were just of the
kind which ought to earn them the concession they
desire.

The admirable lecture of Mrs. Fawcett at

Brighton was ably supported by the addresses of
Mrs. Taylor and the other ladies who took part
in Saturday's discussion. Mrs. Fawcett's lecture,
especially, was marked throughout by that
close reasoning and logical accuracy in which
women are popularly supposed to be defi-
cient, and totally free from that exaggerated
sentiment with which women are usually imagined
to overflow. Of course it is not to be expected that
the average woman who will exercise the franchise, if
the concession be made, will rise to the level of the
ladies who deliver these neat speeches; but it is pretty
certain that they will not sink to the level of those
noble lords of creation who " stood the market" at
Norwich, or who sold themselves for "bales"
at Bridgwater. The truth is that high
personal qualifications can never be insisted oil in
the possessors of a popular franchise. In-
tellect must be looked for in those leaders to whom

_ -
the people commit the charge of their affair 9. The
question of personal fitness is wholly beside the mark.
A vote is given, not in the hope that there will be
any fine display of discretion and judgment
in its exercise, but because all classes are
enabled to protect their interests by the suffrage.
whereas it is found in practice that their welfare is
neglected without such power of self-assertion.
Surely it cannot be pleaded that women have no
special ends to strive for. •It is notorious that their

interests have in some particulars met with scanda-
lous neglect, and it is quite possible that a vote may
direct the attention of legislators to many topics
hitherto contemptuously treated because it did not
gain Totes to cultivate them. The pl-3a
i 3 the same for the woman as for the
householder. The only question is whether any
speclal argument can be urged against this change.
There appears to Le none of real weight. Tho
quietude of the ballot will secure women from insult
at the poll. They will not be under influence any
more than vast numbers of men' now are. Anil
it is not likely that they will devote theinselyes to