The Sun.
London, England, 1833-04-05 00:00:00

(PRICE 7D.)

0. P. Q.'s PICTURE OF FRANCE.

PARIS, MARCH 30, 1833.

Society in France is in a state of dissolu-
tion. Ido not write too strongly when I say this.
Those who know what is going on in the hearts,
and by the hearths of Frenchmen, must admit my
statement to be true. I cannot convince those who
only judge France from the journals that I am right,
but those who really know what is passing will
subscribe to what I declare. The causes of this
state of dissolution are few. The remedies are
palpable. If the Government will not apply the
remedies, the people will—and the state in which
we are now existing cannot by any possibility last
long.

The causes of the evils are-1. The bad effects
resulting from 1.5 years' bad Government under the
13ourbons. 2. The false direction given by the
".Juste-milieu" and Doctrinnaires to the Revolution
of July. 3. The want of a representative and po-
pular government in the country. 4. The. convic-
tion that all which exists is merely temporary, and
that nothing is settled even for the present—and
much more for the future. 5. An extravagant and
shameful waste of the public money. C. An ab-
surd and badly-calculated taxation of the necessaries
of life. 7. The centralisation of the Government
at Paris, and the depriving of the departments of
their right to a share in the administration of the
affairs of the nation. 8. A false and degrading sys-
tem of foreign policy which has wounded national
pride, and offended national honour. 9. A want of
employment for the poor, and of remunerative wages
for those employed. 10. Bad electoral laws; bad
laws as to the press; and a monopoly of the edu-
cation of the people confided to a patent University.
11. The want of good municipal laws for the de-
partments. And 12. The incompetency of the
heads and subordinate agents of the Government to
manage the affairs of the country.
My picture is startling, but it is true to the life.
I have corresponded with you in vain—if you have
not been prepared for the result. That result may
he summed up in the introductory words to this
letter—" Society in F►ance is in a state of disso-
lution."

In consequence of 15 years' bad Government,
we have our colonies in a state of ruin—our trade
and commerce greatly injured—and an enormous
debt round our necks, to pay the interest of which
we are obliged to make new loans, which we pro-
fess to redeem by buying up Stock in the Market
at 78, when we make loans at the rate of 66 !!

In consequence of the false direction given by the
" Juste-milieu" and Doctrinnaires to the Revolution
of July—that revolution has not accomplished its
intention; and instead of having national regenera-
tion, and a cleaning out of the Augean stable, we
have merely a change of dynasty, and hardly a
change of Ministers—for Talleyrand, Soult, Hu-
mann, Broglie, and GuizA, were among the most
Clattering courtesans of Louis XVIII. and Charles X.
In consequence of the want of a representative
and popular Government, the French people feel
that all they have been combating for during the
last forty years has been hitherto by them un-
attained ; and that instead of at length settling
down to the results of their long and arduous con-
filets, they have to fight the battle over again, and
recommence the first revolution.

In consequence of the conviction that all which
exists in the shape of a government in this country
is merely temporary, and that nothing is settled,
every one assumes to himself the right of conspiring
—of forming parties and even armies for Henry V.
—or for Louis Bonaparte—or for a Republic—or
for any other form of government they may propose
to put in the place of that which for the moment
exists; and every one rises in the morning with this
secret or avowed thought—" I wonder what will
happen during this day to the Government."
In consequence of a continued, wanton, and
shameful waste of the public money, the people are
organizing themselves into secret or open associa-
tions, the object of which is to refuse the payment
of taxes unless they shall be most considtrably dimi-
nished ; and of course this feeling destroys all sort of
sympathy between the governors and the governed.
In consequence of an absurd and badly calculated
taxation of the necessaries of life, the poor man has
his bread taxed—his meat taxed—his salt taxed—
his little cabin taxed—the light of heaven taxed—
and one-third of his earnings goes for taxes either
direct or indirect. The wealthy man, the landed
proprietor, and the rich render only pays in the pro-
portion of the poor man, so that, whilst taxation
absorbs the means of existence of the one, it leaves
those who can best afford to pay comparatively un-
assessed. Well may Mr. Cobbett ask, " Why do
the poor pay so many taxes, and the rich so few ?"
Because the rich make the laws which impose the
taxes. The rejection of the inquiry into the state
of the mass demanded by Mr. Attwood is a bad sign
of your reformed Parliament, and not less deplorable
was the rejection of Mr. Robinson's motion for the
commutation of taxes. You must come to that in
England, and we must come to it in France. It is
useless, then—nay, it is wicked to delay a work
which must be accomplished, and which could not
fail to be so beneficial.

In consequence of the centralization of the govern-
ment at Paris, and of the departments being deprived
of their right to join in the administration of the
affairs of the country, there is a general indifference
to local improvements. Roads are left in a bad
state, canals are left unfinished, railways are not
undertaken, new plans are nipped in the bud, and
the " Bureau-crane" of Paris contrives to deprive
France of all those local ameliorations which are
effected with so much ease in England, America,
Switzerland, and even Holland. This is a sore evil
—as it destroys the love and desire of improvement,
which are so allied to patriotism as even to be some-
times mistaken for the principle.
In consequence of the false and degrading system
of foreign policy which has been pursued in France
since the revolution of July, France is really without
allies—has no confidence that the Government will
protect her from invasion or war—and associations
for the defence of the country are therefore still in
existence, and especially in the frontier towns and
departments. By this false and degrading system of
foreign policy, France feels herself humbled; and it
is therefore not to be wondered at that she seeks
even a pretext for avenging herself of the insults
heaped upon her during and since the restoration.
In consequence of want of employment for the
poor, and of low and bad wages for those employed,
the idle become vicious, the vicious conspire, the
industrious are unrewarded and become indolent in
their turn, and the mass have no confidence in a
Government which can neither give them glory,
peace, liberty, nor labour.
In consequence of bad electoral laws, those who
defend the country as national guards feel them-
selves insulted and wounded by not being allowed
theirto vote for
country.
Deputies,
h ntry.andeo nsectieialseenet take a
consequence of
ofbadt interest
laws
was to
iu
the press, those who defended for fifteen years of the
restoration University
aoedt
imprisonment
fele
itifetirti
iatpelcoti
tobeipttdee:i
whichs,rsoteli
go,es o e
trei e
being
the
legoy country
ruined
aveb
y
ce
b the
are
en
tiei o
fines
exposed.
This is also a sore evil, and must and will be reme-
sttihlle cmonopoly
onfined tot!. tt
the people are uninstructed,
and one of the most important advantages proposer!
to be secured by the revolution is denied or post-
poned.

In consequence of the want of good municipal
laws for the departments, the power of the Prefect