The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-19 00:00:00

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris papers of yesterday.
On Tuesday the National Assembly agreed to
clauses from 85 to 90 of the Constitution without
amendment, and almost without discussion.
M. MARRAST, the President of the Assembly, and
M. Duraurte, the Ministerial leader, have agreed
that it is desirable that the remaining articles of the
Constitution should be passed with as little delay as
possible, and therefore there is every probability that
the whole of the Constitution will be voted in the
course of the ensuing week.
The Ministry appears to be increasing in strength.
Several of the Members of the party of the Palais
National and of the club of the Institute, who ab-
stained from voting on Monday, have now given in
their adhesion to the Ministry. The fact is,
that the insane violence of M. LEDRU ROLLIN and his
followers has so alarmed many of the moderate Re-
publicans that they are willing to make great
sacrifices to secure a strong Government.
A " democratic and social " banquet, at one franc
per head, took place on Tuesday at the Barriere
Poissonniere. More than 2,000 persons attended it ;
and as there was no place large enough to contain
all, they divided into two parties, one presided over
by M. PIERRE LEROUX, and the other and smaller
one by M. D'ALTON SEED. It had been announced
that 200, or at least 150, representatives of the
people would be present, and that M.
Lamaststass would be president, and M. LEDRU
ROLLIN vice-president. Only three representa-
tives, however, attended—M. PIERRE LEROUX,
M. PROUDIION, and GREPPO. The defection
of the others caused some sensation. Nu-
merous toasts were drunk, and the follow-
ing were loudly applauded :—" To the Revolution,"
by M. PROUDIION ; " To the old Montagne," by M.
PIERRE Llama ; " To the Revolution of Vienna,"
by M. MADIBR DR MONJAU, advocate ; " To the
Union of Democrats," by M. CADET ; " To the De-
mocratic and Social Republic," by M. D'ALTON
SHIM. At about seven o'clock the:principal banquet
was brought to a close by the singing of patriotic
songs, and MM. PIERRE LEROUX, PROUDIION, and
CARET, accompanied by some of their friends, went
and harangued the smaller gathering, after which all
the guests dispersed. Numerous groups of workmen
assembled on the exterior boulevard, and at the en-
trance to the Rue des Poissonniers, but tranquillity
was not disturbed. The authorities had taken mea-
sures for the preservation of order.
The committee on the state of siege have deter-
mined to recommend to the Assembly that the state
of siege should be immediately raised.
The following proclamation, drawn up by the
Abbe LAMENNAIS, has been signed by all the Red
Republican Members of thelAssembly :
" We are far from the day on which, after heroic
combats, the Republic, issuing brilliant and glorious
from the midst of victory, displayed itself to the world
as the living image of liberty, equality, and fraternity,
as the sacred symbol of all the hopes of the future.
From one extremity of Europe to the other the nations
saluted it with their acclamations, and, penetrated by
the new spirit, by the regenerating breath, they broke
their old chains in the name of the right which
France had inaugurated. She herself immediately
gathered the fruits ; in political order, the abolition
of privileges, and universal suffrage ' • in social order,
the enfranchisement of workmen, first condition of
the transformation of labour itself, to :arrive at a
juster division of its products, to the guarantee of
the life of all in a society one and jointly responsible.
Soon, however, the conquered parties united and
organised. Everywhere that their influence could
extend, they applied themselves to exciting by in-
trigue and calumny enemies to the Republic and
obstacles to its Government. Creeping little by little
into the administration, they there introduced their
principles and their passions, and made of the revo-
lutionary power which they had conquered an arm
against the revolution itself. We were driven back
to the gates of the monarchy, and it is there that we
now are ; it is to the men of the monarchy that the
destinies of the Republic have just been confided.
We understand the fears of the people, and their in-
dignation for which certainly there is too much
cause. Let them, however, not alarm themselves be-
yond measure, and especially let them take care not
to cede to perfidious provocations. Whatever may be
done to drive them to acts of disastrous imprudence,
let them remain calm and firm, masters of themselves,
in order to be masters of the future. It is thus that
they will prove their strength, and that they will find
it uninjured, invincibly by union, if it should again
have to come in aid of right. For ourselves, honoured
by the title of their representatives, we know to what
that title obliges us; we know our duties, and will
fulfil them. Sent by the people, united to the people,
we will struggle, and it is our belief we shall conquer
with them."
The Constitutionnel has the following on the pre-
sent financial state of France :
" The Minister of Finance, in his late speech on
the mortgage notes, brought forward a statement of
the financial situation of the country, of which the
following are the principal results Goudchaux
declared that, on February 25, the State had in hand
192 millions, arising from the payments made on the
loan of 1847, and from the emission of Bons du Tre-
sor exceeding the average circulation at the corre-
sponding period of preceding years, so that in deduct-
ing from these resources, estimated at 278 millions,
the 192 millions in hand, there would remain a ba-
lance against the State of 86 millions. The situation,
on Sept. 30, was this—The State possessed 174 mil-
lions, or 18 millions less than on Feb. 25, but it was
69 millions more than it possessed on Sept. SO of the
year before. The extraordinary charges which have
weighed on the Treasury amount to 646 millions--
viz., 125 millions reimbursed to the floating debt;
125 millions voted to aid the manufacturing and com-
mercial situation of the country; 208 millions of
augmentation of expenses in the different Ministerial
departments, amongst which that of war alone has
absorbed 106 millions; and, lastly, 190 millions of
deficiency in the taxes. The extraordinary resources
by the aid of which the Treasury meets the extra•
ordinary charges amount to 630 millions—namely,
177 millions of the new loan, 54 millions of money
paid up on the Lyons shares ; 75 millions advanced
by the Bank of France ; 115 millions received on
the tax of 45c.; arid 45 millions still remaining to be
received on the same tax 60 millions coming from
the arrangement effected by the Northern Rail-
way; and 104 millions of the reserve of the
sinking fund. The Treasury has still to re-
ceive this year 50 millions from the Bank of France,
exclusive of the 75 millions to be paid by it for 1849,
and which, if the Minister is to be believed, will
not be required, which would render the alienation
of the forests unnecessary. M. Goudchaux then
enumerated the resources which still remain at our
disposal to ensure the action of the different services.
From that statement it appears that, on September
30, the Treasury possessed 35 millions in its strong-
box ; 91 millions were remaining due from the loan
of 1848 ; 38 millions from the payments on the
Lyons shares ; 125 millions to draw Prow the credit
opened by the Bank of France ; 139 millions of secu-
rities; in all, 428 millons of disposable resources.
The Honourable Minister then declaring that the
expense, (at the rate of 25 days of service per
month), since February, had exceeded the receipts
by one million a day, comes to the conclusion
that with the 428 millions in the possession of the
Treasury, there would be sufficient funds to provide
for the public service for a period of 428 days, or 17
months, or up to February 28, 1850 `This news,'
says the Moniteur, was received with the ut-
most satisfaction.' But it is important to see what it is
really worth. First of all, M. GOUDCHAUX puts
down amongst these 428 millions, his securities at
139 millions, and his cash in hand at 35 millions, or
174 millions in all, coming from ordinary and cur-
rent receipts, and which are not to be included amongst
the extraordinary resources; next, the question of
the service of the Treasury is not alone to be looked
at ; the situation of the budget must be also taken
into consideration. But it is certain, according to
the report of M. BINZAU, that the deficiency of the
current year will amount to about 350 millions, and
uspeartehealty will the
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aant a
ef teen!. t
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re-
main of these loans for 1849. Thus, therefore, with-
tahp ips liedy ea rt,o nothingm ak e

out taking into consideration the delay which pay-
ments of expenses always experience, it will be ne-
cessary, in order that the services should be ensured
until 1850 with the resources now at the disposal of
the Treasury, that the year 1849, which, besides,
will not have any tax of 450., should find means to
suffice for itself."

The adjourned debate on the Constitution was read
at the sitting of the Assemb!y yesterday. Clauses up
to 100 had been agreed to up to the hour when the
post left.

M. Dixon; the ex-Prefect of Police, has pub-
lished the following address" to the inhabitants of
Paris :

"On resigning the functions which I accepted
after the conflict of June, I cannot refrain from offer-
ing to you my thanks for the favour with v.hich you
have received the acts of my administration. Devoted,
body and soul, to the Republic, I used all my endea-
vours to apply its principles, and cause them to be
beloved. What I have tried to do as a magistrate I
will continue to do as a representative of the people.