The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-04 00:00:00

THE IMPERIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

THE Republican Ministry, amid the grave cares
which now occupy its attention, has found leisure to
strengthen its own position by discrediting the
Government which preceded it. The Imperialists,
in their hasty flight from the Tuileries, left behind
them many documents which, for the bene-
fit of the deposed sovereign's character,
might well have remained concealed for ever.
In France the Emperor Napoleon had
beyond doubt many honest supporters, who believed
in him as the best available ruler for the country.
Those will now find that the object of their admira-
tion was either so unprincipled, or so careless—the
latter word may be preferred—as to entrust the
whole control of the administration to a set of the
basest jobbers. In England NAPOLEON 111. had a
very large number of admirers, who believed that
he was the true friend of this country, and meant to
establish an enduring friendship between the
two nations as the end of a long period of
enmity. These Englishmen are now confronted
with a deliberate conspiracy to subjugate the little
state whose independence has ever been held as the
leading principle of British foreign policy. There
can now be no question that the EMPEROR is
directly responsible for the scheme of partition
sketched out in the memorable projet, de traite
published in the Times by Count BISMARCK. When
the memorable document first appeared there
were not wanting apologists who urged that the
EMPEROR might have had no part in these intrigues :
ROUIIER, or BENEDETTI, or somebody else might
have done it all. But amongst the compromising
papers, now being published by the Republi-
can Government, is a memorandum dictated
by the EMPEROR to his secretary, setting forth
the annexation project in full. France, says
this memorandum, had not abandoned her idea of
"asserting her right to the Rhine frontier." But it
was possible that something might be taken instead
of the strip of ground which Prussia was so deter-
mined to keep. What this substitute might be
'is pointed out in the very first sentence. "If
France should place herself boldly upon the ground
of nationality, it will be proper from this time to
shew that there does not exist any Belgian na-
tionality and to settle that essential point with
Prussia." In order to make this little arrangement
quite sure, a document would be needful, a document
" which would comprise the settlement of the future
fate of Belgium in concert with Prussia." The EMPEROR
seemed to be aware that such a remarkable project
in black and white would not to be absolutely safe ;
but it would possess the double advantage of com-
promising Prussia, and of guaranteeing to the same
State the sincerity of the EMPEROR. In plain English
it would put two rogues each in the power of the
other. There is no date to this memorandum,
but in this case such an omission is of little
importance. If it were dictated before BISMARCK
got the famous draught treaty from BENEDETTI, it
proves that the EMPEROR originated the design of
annexing Belgium ; if the memorandum be of more
recent date than the draught, it proves
that the EMPEROR endorsed that design. Such
an example of perfidy is without parallel
in our times. Even Count BISMARCK, who sticks
at nothing, was never guilty of anything so bad, as
he never could be guilty of anything so absurdly
foolish. Such a revelation ought surely to extinguish
the last embers of 02ESAR worship still flickering in
this country. The devotion has been very common;
its collapse ought to be utter. No doubt a scheme
to annex Belgium will not be strongly disapproved
of in France. But this memorandum is not the only
strange paper in the archives; there are some which
will serve for the special enlightenment of the French,
just as the treaty project is most expressly for the
benefit of us in England.— Western Morning News.

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tlrtular

HER MAJESTY.

BALMORAL, OCT. 1.

The Queen drove to Loch Callater, accompanied by
Princess Louise and Princess Beatrioe, and attended by
Lady Churchill.
The Rev. Dr. Norman MacLeod arrived at the Castle,
and had the honour of dining with the Queen and the
Royal Family.