The Sun.
London, England, 1848-07-31 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON,

would speedily be suppressed, might occasion the
destruction of much property and the loss of many
valuable lives. It is in mercy, therefore, not only to
the friends of order and of the British connexion,
but to the misguided insurgents themselves that
these imposing demonstrations have taken place, and
eventually it will appear a wise economy to have
spared no expenditure in the putting down, with the
utmost vigour, the incipient rebellion.

It is surely unnecessary for us to declare that we
are no Fourierists, no Saint Simonians, no Commu-
nists, no Socialists, no dreamers of the dreams of a
perfectly equitable distribution of property. We are
not at least any one of these in the general accepta-
tion of the terms as symbols of peculiar schemes of
political economy. We are no more disposed to
place implicit reliance on the philosophic axioms of
CHARLES FOURIER than we are to repose an uncon-
ditional credence in the weird visions of the eloquent
but fanatical SWEDENBORG. To our judgment there is
less of the impracticable in the ravings of the Mormonite
Prophet than in the speculations of SAINT•SIMON.
And, with all deference to M. LOUIS BLANC, we con-
sider the deductions of his Organization du Travail
as equally apochryphal with the doctrines inculcated in
the Talmud. Nevertheless, while we assert this much,
we must acknowledge at once that we believe the
wisdom of the yet undeveloped project—that project
which is variously christened by the names we have
already enumerated—to be very imperfectly u derstood.
The intentions of the promoters and originators of
this great system of social regeneration we believe to
be, in a very great measure, imperfectlyapprehended ;
and the ultimate tendencies of, their aspirations we
think is, in a hundred instances, grossly misrepre-
sented. Of course, in speaking thus, we by no means
intend to become the apologists of Citizen BLANQUI
or of Citizen autism, or of any other of those political
adventurers, whose want of principle is only ex-
ceeded by their madness and inhumanity. What
we are solicitous to express, however, is a con-
viction that there are many sincere men
among these eccentric and dangerous visionaries
—that there is a latent truth under all these falsities
of logic—that the philosophy of government, such
as it was conceived to be in the middle of the
eighteenth century (exaggerated as it was by the
Sentiment of RossßAu, and distorted as. it was by the
Egotism of ROBESPIERRE), is not in reality so wholly
repulsive or execrable as the fears of the majority
would lead one to imagine.
Sodalite must undoubtedly be discarded at once
as altogether beyond the frail capacities of mad. A
society of archangels and seraphims might be
linked together by bonds of that celestial
character, but mere mortals are scarcely fitted
for a mechanism of arrangement so marvel-
lously inflexible and unelastic. Putting aside,
therefore, all such chimerical notions as that which is
euphoniously termed Socialite, the root of the great
social problem of the age, remains bare before us—
undeniable in its nakedness, and so stubborn and
substantial in its nature as to set at defiance the blows,
and the contempt, and the sophistry of the millions of
Conservatism. We allude, of course, to the ques-
tion as to which:may be the wisest method for the en•
couragement of Production, and which may be the
best means for reconciling the antagonistic claims
of Labour and Capital, of Property and In-
dustry. It is altogether too late in the day
to dream for one moment of shirking this vast and
imperative problem, the solution of which has long
since become the most stupendous necessity of our
generation. Something must be done, and that at
once, towards its solution. To attempt to stay that
solution would not only lead. to the convulsion of the
whole framework of society,' it would render a great
and universal chaos of clases inevitable, it would
cast property tothe winds, it would paralyze industry,
it would make capital the spoil of demagogues, and
transform labour into the despair and the bugbear
of humanity. No; the enigma must be answered.
There is no longer any doubt of that; The ouvrieri
of Paris, the unemployed workmen of Berlin, the
lazzaroni of Naples, the brawlers of Rome, the demo-
crats of Vienna, the Republicans of Ireland, the
Chartists of England, all -clamour for the answer to
the grand question of the day- And they will have
it. Only see what have been'the evil consequences
of the non-responsive system: In France the Provi-
sional Government might have gone pretty far to-
wards the settlement of 'the problem, but for
the awful debt which had been hung about
the neck of the young Republic—the- parting
curse of a corrupt and infamous despotism.
That debt compelled the Executive Commission
to throw up the beautiful and humane scheme of the
Ateliers Na ti(nlaux, alinost before its preliminary
benefits could be developed. And what was the re-
sult ?—the streets of Paris ran with blood.. In Na-
ples, again, the wrong answer was given, and the effect
was nearly identical—the palaces were sacked and
the population butchered. Berlin has revealed the
same wild vision of civic insurrection, and Vienna, in
like
,manner, though with more fury and less mas-
sacre.- In Rome the people are following the example
of their contemporaries—the last accounts informing
us that the Chamber of Deputies has been invaded and
occupied by the mob, just as the French Chamber of
Deputies was captured on the 24th of February. In
England the solution of the question has been post-
poned—witness this the rejection of the motion of
Mr. Ilusug. While in Ireland the patchwork legis-
lation in regard to landlord and tenant has conduced
at last to its present deplorable condition. Again,
and yet again, therefore we proclaim it to be our
conviction that these revolutions throughout Europe
are solely dependent upon the discovery of some
secure and philosophic plan by which the claims of
Labour and Capital, of Property and Industry, may
be effectually reconciled, by which Production May
be so encouraged as to effect a more equitable dis-
tribution of its results among the various grades of
the human family, by which, in fine, the machinery
of government may be adapted to the variable wants
of civilization, and the whole surface of society at
once and permanently regenerated.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris papers of Saturday
and yesterday.
Another victim has been added to the num-
ber of those already sacrificed in defending the
cause of order and the Republic against the anarchists
and reactionaries. General DAMESME, who, it will
be recollected, underwent the operation of amputa-
tion, expired on Friday from the effects of the wounds
received in storming one of the barricades on the
23d June. In the sitting of the Chamber on that
day the law suppressing secret societies was passed
by a majority of 529. There voted in favour of the
Bill 629, and against it 100 only. The only papers
which express dissatisfaction at the passing of this law
are the Reforme and the Courrier Francais. The
Bien Public, the organ of M. DE LAMAJLTINE, has the
following on the subject of this new law :

" We understand the protests which were yesterday
made in the tribune, but we do not partake of the sad-
ness of the Honourable Members who appear to believe
that the liberty of association is at an end. We should
have voted the law, and yet we are profoundly devoted
to that sacred right, which, as has been said, is a superior,
permanent, imprescriptible right, which it depends on
no power to ravish from us, for it comes to us from God.
But it was necessary to regulate the right of association,
in order to save it, and not leave it in the hands of the
factious as an arm against society and the republic."
In the sitting of Saturday in the National Assem-
bly the proposition of M. Gouncusux, the Minister
of Finance, for converting the funds taken from the
Tontine Societies by the Provisional Government
into five per cent, stock at 67, or three per cent. at
4.3, was passed into a law. The conduct of the Pro-
visional Government in seizing the funds of these
societies was severely commented on by
sereral Members, and defended not very
successfully by M. eItEMIEUX. At the con.
elusion of the discussion M. VIYIEN en-
treated the Finance Minister to make an express
declaration that it was contrary to law and justice to
touch the funds belonging to Tontine Establishments.
In reply to this appeal M. GouncuAux said—
" Although I think the declaration needless, I never-
theless make it freely."
The Moniteur publishes a list of the officers, non- '
commissioned officers, and private soldiers of the line
who have been promoted to higher grades in the
Legion of Honour, or received the cross in conse-
quencecolldhuacyte dbuereinngmtandeelatein-
surrectioonf theiry gallant
Colonels
Com-
manders of the order; eight Lieutenant-Colonels or -

Chefs d'Escadron have been male officers; 60 officers
and 104 privates have received he cross. In addition
153 names of privates and noncommissioned officers
are honourably mentioned.
The Committee on the Cokitution has already
heard the delegates of the buraux on almost all the
articles of the first two chaptea. Out of the fifteen
bureaux only one has declarel itself in favour of a
single chamber, The delegate have decided, that in
order to hasten the labours of the Committee, they
will give further developments only on two or three
questions which have most (Hided opinions in the
bureaux.

M. MORTIMER TERNAUX ha, presented a proposi-
tion declaring that " the Constitution shall not be
definitively voted until after tiree readings, with at
least two days' interval betvv!en each." The pro-
position has been referred to :he Committee on the
regulations.
The Finance Committee bts discussed M. LEON
FAUCHEr.'s proposition relatve to discount banks.
After a long deliberation, the Committee decided on
taking the matter into consid(ration, and appointed a
Commission to make a report.
The Committee charged to Ixamine the Bill relative
to the press, after having hear] M. SENARD, has pro-
nounced in favour of the meEsure. The question of
caution-money was adopted by eight votes to six.
M. BERVILLE has been appointed reporter.
The Committee appointed to prepare the Bill on
Primary Instruction has se aside the question of
absolute liberty without the cmtrol of the State.

The Committee on the poltical prisoners has just
regulated the regime for the f►rts, which is now the
same for all. It consists of tie following allowance :
—7.50 grammes (rather more than a pound and a half
English) of bread second quality; 100 grammes of
best white bread for soup ; 250 grammes of meat
five times a week ; 50 centiltres of vegetables twice
a week ; and 33 centilitres of wine per day. An
order in the ilioniteur direct► the above regulations
relative to food to be posted up in each room. The
reports of the medical men Ceclare the health of the
prisoners to be satisfactory.
The Debats says :
" The meeting at the Institute, in its last sitting, came
to an important resolution, which we approve of. The
representatives composing it will not allow any Bill to
pass in the National Assembly which entails a fresh ex-
pense, without the Minister of Finance accepting for-
mally on his own responsibility the credit proposed, and
pointing out the means by which he can provide for it.
Thu present state of our finances justifies this laudable
solicitude. The meeting of the :Institute, already very
numerous, has takm fur device conciliation in every
form, and endeavours to efface in the Assembly distinc-
tions which might he objectionable. This characteristic
of the meeting of the Institute ought not to be forgotten:
it has not always Leen borne in mind, and the meeting
at the Institute hai often been confounded with other
meetings of representatives, from which this point dis-
tinguishes it very gaterially."
The question of intervention in the affairs of Italy
is occupying the public attention in Paris at this
mo-
mont. The partizans of the Red Republic are for
immediate intervention—intervention in their vocabu-
lary meaning living at free quarters in Italy, with
unlimited licen e ;o plunder alike allies or enemies;
but the great majority of the French people, of those
who do not choose their associates from among the
'invite, and who have shown that they are strong
enough to suppress both the forcats and their " red"
allies, are decidedly opposed to any intervention. On
this subject we find the following judicious observa-
tions in the Journal, a new paper, of which M.
ALPHONSE KARR is the chief editor :

" In seeing what passes in Italy, we ask ourselves if
France will go to war? Thus far, thanks to heaven,
nothing renders it necessary. War is always a mis-
fortune, for it draws in its train misery, incendiarism,
and carnage for both parties. The happiest, the con-
queror, is he who has the smallest part of these visita-
tions, but be has always his share. The French have
no need to prove their courage and warlike character,
and the victims cf cannon would never do in ten years
what the example of our liberty has in four months.
France cannot make a war of phantasy. She will there
fore remain deaf to the voice of the men who incessantly
speak of our victories, our glory, our arms, but who,
atter getting themselves replaced for money in the
military service, would desire to gather laurels in
Europe, and places in Africa, as a rich farmer
causes his grass to be cut. The situation of our finances
does not permit us to make war to please such people.
We said loudly, and without fear, that this phrase
must not encourage our enemies if we have any. They
know well that if an unjust aggression, and insult to the
honour of the country, rendered war necessary, the
chiefs whom France has given herself would only have
to make an appeal to the country; and that then all the
towns and all the country districts would send innu-
merable armies to combat and victory; every mother
would give her sons to the Republic, and carry to the
Mint her bracelets and rings."
Some disturbances were lately thought likely at St.
Dizier in consequence of the dissolution of the national
workshops, and the announcement of a 5 sous banquet
at midnight; all passed off with perfect tranquillity, the
banquet being adjourned until after the vintage. At
Mertrud, however, some disturbances have taken place
in consequence of the men employed in tho harvest
wanting to exclude all competitors, except on certain
conditions. The officers of justice and some troops re-
paired there on the 25th, and tranquillity was restored
after some arrests had been made.
Rumours were rife in Paris on Sunday, that an
Austrian army of twenty thousand men had entered
Lombardy after defeating the Piedmontese army. It
was also rumoured that the King of SARDINIA and
the POPE had both applied to the French Republic
for assistance. These rumours, however, could be
traced to no authentic source.

Accounts from Algiers represent that colony as
being in a most deplorable condition. Almost all
the independent colonists have quitted, so that the
territory is now only occupied by the army and the
natives. The latter are represented as being ripe for
revolt.

There were a good many speculators at the Sun-
day Bourse, in the passage of the Opera, but no bu-
siness of any kind was done, as all parties were
unwilling to enter upon new transactions until the
determination of the Government on the affairs of
Italy should be known.
The three days of July have passed this year with-
out any fetes, and almost without notice.
BUSINESS DONE_IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE

LONDON STOCK-EXCHANGE, JULY 29.
Boulogne and Amiens, GlAi —Namur and Liege, 434—
Orleans and Bourdeaux, 2.

SPAIN.

Madrid journals of the 24th and '2sth have arrived

The Directors of the Bank of San Fernando have
applied to the Government to annul the engagements
subsisting between them. If the execution of these
engagements be enforced, the Bank will, it is said,
be compelled to stop payment.

The Foment° of Barcelona, of the 21st, says that
on the 19th Colonel Ruiz succeeded in dislodging
CABRERA. and 200 men from the mountain of San
Sagimon. Ile had afterwards an engagement with
some • trabucaire bands, of which he slew four and
wounded several. The Barcelones says that
CABRERA was at Vilanova de Sau on the 19th, but
on hearing that a column of the QUEEN'S troops was
near the town, ha retired towards San Julian, after
having obtained rations for his men.
The. Bolsa was closed on the 25th.