The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-20 00:00:00

PARIS CORRESPONDENCE

WEDNESDAY EVENIIs`G•
We seem in Paris to be imitating not only your Eng al
constitutionalism, but your English stoicism and in
difference. It takes a great deal to shake an EnglishnO
from his propriety, but the more excitable esprit 3 of "the
airy and bright-minded city of the Seine are usually ve,,,rY
easily influenced. A Ministerial crisis with you is
talk of the clubs and a topic for the newspapers, but Wit
us it ordinarily produces the most vehement eseitti
the
ment. Nevertheless, so well are we learning ~
lesson of solidarite that the transformations 13.
our Cabinet have neither excited enthusiasm nor disPles.
sure, scarcely any surprise. The appointments, to e°
fess the truth, are not very popular. Neither M. Meal
M. Plichon are to be ranked among our politics
celebrities. Moreover, M. M4ge is looked on with ele
suspicion in Liberal circles as the intimate friend of 3
Rouher, of reactionary celebrity. M. Plichon, 91,'
11
sorry to say, is a Protectionist, and will not
cli'c°i't
sequently strengthen the Government in
respect. The Journal des Debats, while gi;.
general approval to the Emperor's selection, t3':
care to reserve its opinion on M. Plichon's ec°
nomy. The Temps, a very liberal organ, accepts the 11
pointments as a compromise. The nomination of -
Grammont was strongly desired in high places, while tilt:
other two Ministers balance the scale between the Eig,
and Left Centres. The Gazette de France is aghast at t''s
selection of M. Grammont, which it clen°lllle.u'eB
in the name of the Catholics, the Conservative
and the true Liberals. The Union satirically observe
g
that it was scarcely worth so much fuss to make such in
significant changes, while even the Liberte (M. de Girar:
din's paper) asks whether it was worth while to 1131:,
agitated all France, and even Europe, for eight days,
effect such a movement. The Cabinet has already be`.l.l
christened "Le Cabinet du 16 Mai," a name which Nvi

probably last it out.
M. 011ivier, by his too frequent use •of the pen' 11
getting the same reputation for unlucky letters as Ij3
Russell himself. The other evening, when the alteratir;
in the functions of the Minister of Public Instructio,
were being discussed on the benches of the C°T.P'
Legislatif one of the members remarked that with
Prime Minister who was subject to an epistolar y ra°ll°:,
mania the Ministry of Letters was far from bola
sinecure.
The Commissions who are making up the official rell'rt,'
of the Plebiscite are staggering under the weight of til"
labours. Saturday will be the earliest day for the solemn
presentation of the vote to take place. Doubts prevail 3'
to the celebration of a "Te Deum " on the occasit
The France, however, positively asserts that it will t 5
place, and that there will be a day of public rejoicing ,„:
account of it

Yesterday it was reported that Marshal Valliant 1152 .
died suddenly in his carriage, and, after the usual "Le:-,.
est wort vivo le roi" fashion, men were already disc-L.loll'4i
his probable successor, when, lo ! the news arrived tl/50
the Marshal was as well as ever he was, and there ‘05,.3
vacancy to fill. It was General Goyon who had ale
suddenly of apoplexy—so suddenly that he had not tin,e
to speak one word. His coachman, who was driving It
home from the Senate, suspected nothing wrong, ulirs'
his attention was called to his master by the P3ssuet
by. He was taken into a chemist's shop,
life was quite extinct. The General was horn
_l,
1802, and, after passing with distinction 000.5
Saint Ayr, he entered a cavalry regiment, and afterri6l,
to the grade of general was appointed director of tji
Military School at Saumur in 1853, was subseqn en of
aide-de-camp to the Emperor, and in 1859 commander

the French troops in Rome.
A story is told of his differences with Cardinal cd,,el
Merode, Minister of War. Our general was ail A°l.ll
Christian, no doubt, but a good soldier first of all, '-j
his hot altercation with the Minister of State he f°llljto
it difficult to remember the respect due
our
the prelate. "If I did not respect Yll
robe," exclaimed he one day to the Cardinal, " 511°11
give you a souffiet. Consider, you have received eue'r
He was a favourite at the Tuileries, though the ete
world at one time suspected him of Orleanism, a el°'''eo
he indignantly denied. He requested the Emperor,"
allow him to retain his command at Toulouse notNt'
standing his age, which exceeded the prescribed
The Emperor specially endorsed this request, but 1,17:
Council of State were too red-tapist to grant it.
Emperor has sent a special message of condolence t'
°
widow.

THE AITEMPT TO ASSASSINATE MR•
CHARLES BUXTON, ➢Z.P.

Alfred Shelley White, aged. 27, was yesterday placed bej'
fore Sir Thomas Henry, at Bow-street Police-court, charge°
with attempting to murder Mr. Charles Buxton on

29th of April last.
Mr. Charles Buxton said he lived at Grosvenor-cresee
The prisoner had been his secretary for about seven
and had always given him satisfaction until a few va°l3tl,o
ago, when he became strangely negligent,-and he found .03
could not continue to employ him. By his agreement sli,l„st
him he was to give him a month's notice,, but he `,1.4
given him three months; and as he did mere writ foe
very well he tried to get some employment 'a
him. On the Saturday before the occurrence' he f°llr3.lo
he had neglected to work, and he wrote to him telling "'of,
that, as he did not attend to his business, he should !I/
require his services after that day month. The followl;
Wednesday he (prisoner) was doing some writing, 03,11
(witness) being called away, asked the prisoner 50 401
until he returned, but when he got back he found 11° ;be
gone. On the Friday morning following he, mat tb
prisoner at the door of his house, and they
went in together. He told the prisoner tiv't to
thought he might have waited for him on WedneadaPeo
which he made no reply. He (witness) said, "If y°o
not wait for me you might have sent the papers by P°- io
He then told prisoner to get him the Army List, when "'he' of
a very insolent tone, said he did not know anything 9:j°of
it. He told him it was in the dining-room, but, inste9'deo
going for it, the prisoner said he was not going to bet° fot
fool of. He told him to leave the house, as he should not
him any more, but he did not stir, but commenced readioo
letter from bis sister, who, he said, wanted to know wl', oci
was dismissed. He told him because he was the most lagia-do
incompetent man of business he ever met with, and cow 08
nothing. Prisoner said, "You used not to complain.;" 1;41,er
answered "No, you used to do your work very well." rris°taa
then said, " Do you want the Army List,', and went out °`s
room to got it. On prisoner's return he (witness) fur tot
round and said to him in a friendly way, " Mr. White, Lilt
a fool you are to be so insolent to me ; it makes it so din' to
to get you other employment, which I have been trYillgv,
do." He then•saw the prisoner scowling at him very °tot
and he answered "I don't believe a word of it., and be
down towards him as he said so. He thought he was 5°;11
to assault him, but he remained seated and said, "
know I asked certain friends of mine to give you
writing to do." Prisoner mattered something, then ttlrPo,
round, and sat down at his table in the middle of the rite
He (Mr. Buxton) was sitting at another table at tito
other end of the apartment, with his back toward feet
prisoner. The distance from the door to the wall is 23
He told the l risoner to leave the house, and the
afterwards heard him got up and walk t°, owe
door. Ho (Mr. Buxton) was looking at ijo.
papers on the table, and the next moment the
heard the report of a pistol. He started up, and 83‘cis
prisonerstanding with his back to the door with a Pist°,tl
his hand pointed toward him. He instantly flung 11`1,-
,i
down behind the table in the middle of the room, audl°-00.
ound for any weapon to get hold of, but could not see 1 for
Prisoner said, "Are you wounded ?" and then st°°" ti'''
some little time as if irresolute whether 50 co
again or not. He saw' him over the top
of
the table. He (Mr. Buxton) resolved to spring
him, when the prisoner opened the door and wont on' v•
et
(Mr. Buxton) rushed to the door, and not hearing the, fof
door bang, he thought the prisoner was still waitiaci
net
him. He opened the study door with great caution, an dor:
seeing prisoner in the hall he opened the dining roe'" d
Not finding him there he rung the bell, and. look(' 004
of the window to see whether he was in the CreStie
but he had gone. The witness Wilkes answer') se
bell, and he told her White had shot at hiuk of
directed her to look for the bullet. There was
bullet on the study wall in a direct line with his bead ▪ fall'
bat at the table. Witness found the bullet three °`

yards away from the wall. Uf
In answer to questions put, on behalf of the prison fit
W Mr. Br ' tde to .

iest, .r. Juxton said no attempt was ma- „ea
second time. He had noticed for some time a et,'"
the mode of his doing certain small things for him• tre"
Mary Wilkes said she was the daughter of the) 'l"eoce
keeper to Mr. Buxton,and that she recollected the .stal
at Grosvenor-crescent. She heard the report of the Plo AS
abcut tee o'clock in the morning. She did not go 11.VolJ
she thought the firing was in the mews outside, but ir•
~,et"' g_
ten minutes she went up to Mr. Buxton's study, a" asXva
Buxton said. "Mr White has shot me," and he then spot,
her to look for the bullet. She found it in front of tiluce°'
at which Mr. Buxton had been sitting. The bullet Pr.
is the one. She gave it to the police. °al
Inspector Pay produced the bullet referred to, and
it fitted the mark on the wall of Mr. Buxton's study. oto
Inspector Druscovitch said the prisoner was give° ti'ja
his custody in Paris, and he brought him to Loudonl.l
the warrant delivered to him.
The prisoner was fully committed for trial.