The Sun.
London, England, 1870-04-12 00:00:00

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

A CATASTILOPHE has occurred which justifies only
too well the alarm felt by all friends of liberty at
the Emperor Napoleon's design to submit his new
constitution to the direct vote of the French people.
M. Buffet, the Finance Minister, and Count
Daru, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, have
resigned. Every one who has paid the slightest
attention to the manner in which M. 011ivier's Con-
stitutional Ministry was formed will recognise the
full gravity of this intelligence. Next to M. 011ivier
these two statesmen were the ablest members of the
new Ministry. Without even that one exception
they were the most thorough representatives of
the moderate reformers, and most completely
possessed the confidence of the nation. It may be
well to explain once more that the 011ivier Cabinet,
of which such high hopes were not unreasonably
entertained, was formed from the " Centre" of the
French House of Commons. Neither the Ultra-Impe-
rialists who sit on the extreme right of tb e amphitheatre
wherein the deputies meet, nor the Democrats who
sit on the extreme Left, had any part in it. Now,
the Centre is itself divided into two parties, the Right
Centre, or Reformers with an Imperialist tinge, and the
left Centre, or thorough Reformers, who are dis-
posed to be satisfied with nothing less than a com-
plete transformation of the Empire into a Constitu-
tional Monarchy. Of the Left Centre, Buffet and
Count Daru were the only representatives in the
Cabinet. They were therefore regarded by the
French people as by far the most trustworthy of the
new men; they possessed an influence which was not
to be adequately measured by the strength of the
party that supported them ; and their loss is a graver
event than the retirement of any or all of the remain-
ing Ministers. In fact the 011ivier Cabinet has fallen
to pieces. Recruits will be readily forthcoming,
no doubt—such as the Imperialist Magne, who was
kept out of the Ministry when first formed, by the
refusal of 31. Buffet to sit with him ; but no additions
of thiskind will restore to the constitutional Ministry
the prestige which it has lost.

This result is owing solely to the mad plebiscitum
scheme. M. 011ivier and his other colleagues may
find such appeals to the people consonant with their
notions of parliamentary government; not so
Count Darn and M. Buffet. These, in
common with the deputiei who support then,
hold a direct vote of the nation to be a violation of
constitutional practice. As has been argued to
exhaustion, representation is for the ex-
press purpose of enabling the populace to declare
its wishes, and therefore a direct appeal is an
intimation that the representatives are not
worthy of the interests committed to their
care. It appears that M. Buffet and
Count Daru were willing to concede the plebiscitum
principle, provided that all projects of the kind were
submitted like a law, to the Chambers. The Em-
peror refused, and hence the consequence, In a week
the labours of many months to establish the Liberal
Empire have been, for the time at least, undone,

It iA stated that the decision of Mr. Burke (Master
of the Court of Common Pleas) with regard to the Tipperary
petition sureties will be appealed against.

- Cardinal Cullen arrived at Dublin yesterday
evening, and was received at Kingstown by a large number
of private friends.

Mr. W 3 Id has published an excellent plan of the
Volunteer Review to be held at Brighton on Monday next.
UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH.—The Senatus Acacle-
micim have by a small majority confirmed the decision of the
Profess3r of Chemistry against the claim of Miss Pechey
with regard to the Rope Scholarship. The lady students
will receive ordinary certificates of attendance. It is said the
decision will b 3 appealed against.
THE INSPECTION OF CONVENTS.—Active steps are
being taken by the Catholic clergy and laity of the metro_palls to convene an aggregate meeting of their co-religionists,
to be held the week after Easter in St. James's Hall, to
protest against the inspection of conventual and monastic
institutions. Preliminary meetings have already been held
in various parts of the metropolis. The Duke of Norfolk
will, it is said, be asked to preside, and it is expected that
Cardinal Cullen will be in London the day of the meeting,
and attend it.

CRYSTAL PALACE.—GOOD FRIDAY.—Good Friday
will this year present unusual attractions at the Crystal
Palace. In addition to the Grand Sacred Concert, always
given with so much success on Good Friday, this year, for
th 3 first time upon this great popular holiday, and for Or
first time this season, the entire series of Great Fountains
will bo played. The Grand Concert takes place o❑ the
Great Handel Orchestra IA half-past three. Special arrange-
ments have been made to run trains as often as required
throughout the day.
. . _

A large box, containing a quantity of lilies, pikes,
and ammunition, has been seized on board the Fleetwood
steamer on her arrival at Belfast. The man to whom it is
addre&s2d claims it, but it has been detained pending an
inqn:ry.

Mr. Layard is said to be winning golden opinions
at Madrid, and to be very popular with all classes.

Nearly £9OO was netted at the University Athletic
sports last week.

A. man named O'Hara, a stamper in the Dublin
General Post Office, was on Saturday sentenced to seven
years' penal servitude for stealing letters.

Mrs. Francis Goyder, of Clifton, the other day,
took an overdose of " Batley's sedative" for sleeplessness.
She died shortly afterwards.
Lady East, wife of Sir James Buller East, Bart.,
died on Thursday last at Bourton House, Gloucestershire.
She was married. in 1822.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland has approved of
the appointments of Sir Arthur Guinness, Bart., and Mr.
Matthew D'Arcy, M. P., as Deputy-Lieutenats of the
county and city of Dublin.
A Bristol paper alludes to a rumour current at
Gloucester, that Mr. W. P. Price, M.P., chairman of
the Midland Railway Company, is to be created a,
baronet.

The Agnes M. Lovett, bound from St. John's to
the Clyde, on Friday ran on a rock off the coast
of Donegal. The captain's wife and child and
two seamen were drowned by the capsizing of the
boat.
With regard to tne Cardiff fire the Western Mail
says there is a fire escape in Cardiff, but it was not fetched
to the fire. It was also stated that when the steam fire
engine was, after a long delay, got to work, the pressure
of steam was so small that water could not be thrown
higher than the first floor window.
-

A great Polar Expedition is being prepared it
Sweden for the years 1871 and 1872, under the direction
of Professor NordenskjOld, the celebrated scientific leader
of the Swedish Expedition of 1868. Parry's attempt to
reach the Pole by pushing on to the north of Spitzbergen
is to be repeated.

At Armley, near Leeds, on Saturday morning, a
blacksmith was found to be working an illicit still. The
man was apprehended and taken before Mr. Bruce, the
stipendiary magistrate, who fined him £3O, and in default
of payment ordered him to be sent to prison for three
months.

The Bishop of Lincoln held a confirmation at
Crowland Abbey a day or two ago. Two of the female can-
didates being unable to attend, from illness, the bishop,
accompanied by his wife the rector, and curate, proceeded
to the home of one of them and there privately acimials-
tergd the rit2 to thttiQA4B,..