The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-12 00:00:00

# 4
7 DECEMBER 12, 1851.

7..

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
TIMES.—We must not, it seems, grudge to
Louis Napoleon the suffrage—valeat quantum—of
Sir Francis Bond Head, and we publish in another
column a letter in which that very chivalrous and ea-
centric Baronet pronounces decidedly in the Dictator's
favour. It is not for us to inquire by what process
an English gentleman, who may be assumed to have
some preference for freedom and truth in his own
country, should have satisfied himself that France is
to be best governed by a system of open violence and
unblushing mendacity. All the facts—if so they can
be called--on which Sir F. B. Head affects to rely,
are notorious inventions of the new Government or its
supporters. We can hardly imagine that he still be-
lieves any " guilt " can be substantiated against
General Changarnier, or that any attempt will ever
be made to establish judicially the existence of the
conspiracy which served as the pretence for the
arrest of that officer and his colleagues. If any evidence
of such a conspiracy bad existed, it is evident that
criminal proceedings would already have been com-
menced against these Generals. But the charge
seems to be dropped even by the organs of the French
Government; and, if any further proof be needed, we
confidently adduce the testimony of the narrative we
published yesterday—a narrative which virtually con-
veys the opinions and declarations of at least 230 of
the first men in France. The statement that-General
Changarnier once contemplate& the invasion of Fangs
land, " for the purpose of forcing upon its inhabitaists
a Republic," rests, we believe, on no better autho-
rity than a loose assertion of M. Emile de Gi-
rardin ; but if Sir Francis B. Head will favour us
with any further proof of this allegation, we shall be
indebted to him. To us it does not occasion the
smallest surprise that General Changarnier or any
other General or officer in the French army should
have speculated on the chances of invading this island ;
and, it we remember rightly, a certain book appeared
not many months ago in which Sir Francis B. Head
undertook to convince the young ladies and the old
ladies of England that the probabilities of such an in-
vasion is much greater than was commonly supposed
till that work was written. But we venture to affirm
that no bubble was ever blown by "an Old Man
from the Brunnen" of revolutions more flimsy and
noxious than this discovery that France has just ceased
to be formidable since she has passed into the hands of
a military Government. Before this revolution we had
the security derived from the character of a civil Go-
vernment which had respected its engagements and
which obeyed the laws. We knew that the Constitu-
tional or Republican Administrations of France could
not easily be plunged into hostilities or military Ad-
ventures by the ambition or capriee of a single man.
She had her Joinvilles and her Lamoricieres, but
their fretful disposition was controlled by the sounder
influence of Parliamentary statesmen. Two impor-
tant changes hare, however, now occurred in the
state of France with reference to foreign nations :
the whole power of her Government and her enormous
military resources have passed under the absolute
control of a single ruler, acting in concert with the
most daring and unscrupulous of the African generals
—men in comparison with whom Changarnier and
Cavaignac are models of ferbearance and honour;
and, secondly, this extraordinary power has been
acquired by means which indicate a total absence
of moral principle, a reckless disregard of legal ob-
ligations, a skilful direction of sudden strokes in
war, and an ambition the more formidable because
it is slow in the pursuit of its objects, but rapid
in the final execution of them. Sir Francis B.
Head will hardly persuade the people of England
that these facts are additional guarantees of peace,
because it pleases him to tack to the name of Louis
Napoleen a string of ironical epithets. This " mild
end benevolent" ruler has just shed the blood of
hundreds, and probably thousands, of French citizens;
and the troops were ordered to select by preference as
their victims persons of the class least akin to Socialist
insurgents. This " just and bold" statesman stole
upon his Parliamentary opponents like a thief in the
night, and sent his soldiers, excited by gratuities, and
led by policemen, to attack the unarmed defenders of
the Constitution he bad most solemnly sworn before
God and man to observe. This " honest and high-
minded" personage has established a Government
even more remarkable for its mendacity than for
its violence. We read, for instance, in the Patrie
of the 6th of December the following paragraph,
which deserves to be textually quoted
" Tousles journaux Anglais sont d'accord pour
reconnoitre I'urgenco des mesures rrises par le
President de la Republique, et ils donnent la
plus entiere adhesion aso politique." On the same
day the correspondents of two English journals were
threatened with expulsion from Paris. Hundreds ot
similar instances could be quoted ' • and these are the
feeds of what Sir Francis B Head considers an
honest and highrninded" Government. For our-
selves, after the experience we have now had and the
certainty we have now acquired that Louis Napoleon
and his Government are sustrained in their course by
no earthly consideration of law and duty, we must
confess that our confidence in his future conduct is
extinct. As long as he remained within the bounds
of the law, far from offering him any opposition, we
were disposed to view his struggle against a factious
Assembly with favour, and we have only reason to
regret that he has acted with less integrity than we
then gave him credit for. We still hope that he will
consider it his interest to maintain amicable relations
with the British Government, and that he will not
add the horrors of foreign war to the evils which
already afflict his country. It is not improbable
that his natural jealousy of any brilliant military
achievements accomplished by other leaders of an
army not under his own command will deter him
from engaging in war; and it certainly is the duty
of the British Government and nation not to allow
the opinions they must entertain of his actions in
France to alter or impair the international relations
of the Western States of Europe. We have uni-
formly advocated the principle that our relations with
foreign States are not to be made dependent on the
internal policy of their Governments, and the present
policy of the Government of France is no just cause
of animosity or interference on our part, any more
than the policy of the Governments of Austria, or
Prussia, or Naples, to which it is as nearly allied as
a state of illegal violence can be made to a state of
legalized oppression. But, though we acknowledge,
and shall respect these rules of international policy, and
we think that the Government is right in all cases to
adhere to them, we cannot modify opinions founded on
historical truth, and we cannot resuscitate a con-
fidence which has died so violent a death. Least of
all can we understand that an Englishman and an
officer, who blew the trumpet of alarm when the
aspect of France was comparatively pacific, should
derive confidence in the temper and good faith of the
French Government from what is now passing there,
and should lay aside his defensive armour, because
the absolute ruler of France is called Bonaparte and
the Minister of War St. Arnaud. If such language
be seriously used, it seems to us to indicate a degree
of credulity we should not have expected even in Sir
Francis B. Head, or an absence of fixed principles,
of which we should be still more unwilling to accuse
him. Mr. Burke once observed, in a comparison
between the French Republic of 1791 and the
Government of Algiers, that Algiers was weak,
and Algiers was far off, and therefore gave him
very little uneasiness ; but that if Algiers had
come to Calais he should think very differently of
the matter. This seems to be precisely the event
which bas now occurred, and that in a more literal
sense than even the prophetic gifts of Mr. Burke
could have foretold. Algiers is at Calais ; and it
becomes us not to cherish vague illusions about the
virtues of a Government known as yet only by hits
violences, but to adopt a line of conduct towards it
conciliatory, though not confiding, being equally pre-
pared for any other issue. Sir Francis B. Head gives
Louis Napoleon credit for doing all in his power to
maintain amicable relations with Great Britain, and
we have cordially recognised the same disposition on
the part of the President whenever we could. It is
probably to this consideration that his policy owes
whatever indulgence it bas met with here ; and peo-
ple seem even to have forgotteu that about 18 months
ago the French Ambassador was withdrawn, upon a
very slight and indirect provocation, by his orders
from London. We sincerely desire, however, the
continuance of such dispositions on his part, and we
shall then be ready to acquiesce in his foreign policy,
whatever we may think of the origin of his power.
But two general reflections force; themselves upon
the mind and cloud with doubt even the rose-
coloured " Bubbles" of Sir Francis B. Head. It can
hardly be questioned that the recent measures of the
President have met with entire approval in that
powerful combination of absolute Governments which
now extends from St. Petersburgh to the Rhine, the
Danube, and the kingdom of Naples. The destruc-
tion of constitutional law, the failure of Republican
government, and the ascendancy of military power,
are perfectly consistent with the doctrines which pre-
vail over that large portion of the continent. Hitherto
Lord Palmerston has not been considered an ardent
adherent of this system, and we have yet to learn that
,
the coup d etat of the 2d of December has, among other
wonders, effected his conversion. But, at any rate,
Lord Palmeraton is too sagacious not to perceive that
a political combination, on the principles of common
repression, between France and all the other military

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estranged, is an 3 with evil
Governments of the continentfrom which we are
unhappily
evento_ pregnant
to the influence and security
A second
re-election of equal moment pregnant
than.
when Louis
quillizing France," two necessitietelesion of
"
Napoleon has accomplished his
the
the devotion
ofnaitional tran-
him,—to employ the energy and reward will
gratify press upon
of enormous army, and ,to
pas-
sions of a people whom he has deprivede
rights. We abstain at present from enlarn,ational
gl
might do, on these topics, but we recommenngd as we
to the most serious consideration of the
Engtirn
nation; and, above all, we conjure our countrymen
not to allow a false confidence in a man whosec
ratter ought now to be clearly known by them, either.
to relax their adherence to principles which can
never be violated with impunity, or to lull their
vigilance for the protection of England against such
contingencies as may by possibility occur.
POST.—We have thought it due, not less to the
public than to the gentleman who is charged with
the very onerous duty of conducting our Paris cor-
respondence, to publish in a separate column so much
of his last communication as he has felt himself
bound to devote to his own vindication, and that of
his colleagues from the stupid and unwarrantable
calumnies of the Times. Having exhausted his own
large stock of foul inventions, our contemporary
condescended to borrow from an occasional contri•
butor to a weekly journal a statement libellous in the
extrenie against all the
_correspondents of the daily
press at Paris, not'even excepting his own—a gen-
tleman whose letters have exhibited a candour and
ability which have merited a very different reward.
Of the wretched fabrication in question, we observed,
on Monday last, that it " contained a tissue of mis-
statements as to the facts of the struggle in Paris, so
plain and open to contradiction from all reliable evi-
dence, that its appearance in any respectable quarter
utterly surprised us. We say nothing of the writer's
opinions—if opinions they can be called—but against
his assertions, it is our right and duty
most strongly and indignantly to protest,
since they are calculated to give the most false
impressions of the manner in which the correspon-
dents of the daily press have discharged their
arduous task. As far as our own intelligence is
concerned, we can answer for the absolute falsity of
the assertion, that the correspondents of most of the
London papers were closeted at the Prefecture of Po-
lice,' or that a single dispatch has appeared in this
journal, for the truth of which the writer is not pre-
pared to vouch.' " We believe that, with one base
exception,' there is not a daily journal in London
which will not acknowledge the justice of our re-
marks. But the Times is willing to adopt as its
own, and in its leading columns, the unauthorised
allegations of an occasional correspondent of the Ob-
server—though our weekly contemporary had ex-
pressly declined all responsibility as to their acouracy
when he inserted them. Such is the stuff which
enters into the manufacture of Printing-house-square.
Shreds and patches—no matter whence stolen, or
where found—compose the motley garments in which
the clever harlequin moves, from day to day, the
wonder or the laughter of mankind. To the cor-
respondents of the London press in general, the
public, not only of England, but of Europe, is
largely indebted. Remarkable activity and ability
are evident in the results of their anxious toil. The
readers of the Morning Post have recognised, not
these characteristics only, in the letters of our
Paris correspondent, but a singular judgment and im-
partiality in the selection of such prominent facts as
have been best calculated to indicate the real nature
and progress of the great change which has taken
place in the Government of France. At a time when
the rapidity with which events crowded on each other,
and the confusion in which all was involved might
have bewildered .the calmest observation, truth has
been winnowed from falsehood, and a faithful picture
of each day's history has, without one error, been
presented to the world. The facts thus diligently
and accurately recorded have not, indeed, told the
tale which the Times would have them speak. He,
therefore, pours out the vials of his malignant, though
impotent, indignation on the heads of those who have
written, not according to his wishes, but to the dic-
tates of truth. Our correspondent has, as it will be
seen, disposed of the unworthy assertion, that those
who supplied the daily press with information as to
the course of recent events in Paris wrote under the
surveillance of the police. A pregnant instance, in
addition to those which he has cited, occurs to us as
we write. In the Times of yesterday, we find, pa-
raded with all the honours which place and type can
confer upon it, as a startling piece of news, the 80-
called decree of 250 of the ex-representatives, by
which they declared that " Louis Napoleon Bona-
parte is deprived of all authority as " President of the
Republic." It is introduced in a letter addressed to
the editor by one of the said ex-representatives, whose
" name it is impossible to disclose." The signatures
of the 250 to the " decree" itself, are given with all
the emphasis of capitals. Why, amidst this crowd
of names that of the writer of the letter should
"of course" be suppressed, it is impossible to
divine. But any one who reads the Times alone
would suppose that this document, so hostile to the
President, supported as it is by names distinguished
in literature and in politics—is precisely one of those
things which could not be furnished by those gentle-
men who wrote their letters in the Prefecture of Police,
and who could therefore communicate such intelli-
gence only as was favourable to the Government.
Such readers will further and firmly believe tbat the
Times was able to produce the document befoie us
yesterday for the first time, by special favour of the
anonymous ex-representative. Yet, so long ago as
the sth instant (just six days before), the "decree,"
with all the names appended, appeared in the Morning
Post as part of our Paris correspondent's letter,
dated the previous day. After this, what can be
thought of the early intelligence, and, above all,
what of the veracity of the Times? We would
willingly be relieved from the irksome task of
pointing out stains so foul on the columns of a
contemporary. Would that, by some slight regard to
decency, he would spare us the frequent discharge
of a duty so humiliating to the profession of journal-
ism. But, on the contrary, the number and magni-
tude of his inis-statements defy the most industrious
toil to name, much less to refute them. But one
instance more. On Saturday, the 6th inst., we find
the following :
" As another example of the character of this Govern-
ment, wo notice the fact that, on Monday, the lit of
December, the Minister of Finance induced the Bank of
Franco to lend him a million sterling, alleging that it
was a mere affair of temporary accommodation, to be
provided for by Treasnry bills. The use made of these
funds is now sufficiently apparent, for the coup delta
took place next morning, and services were required
and performed, for which the most liberal donations to
the army and the police would hardly seem dispropor-
Now, had the French Government, the French army,
and the French police been guilty of the unexampled
dishonesty, and subjected themselves to the dreadful
disgrace here charged upon them, no language would
have been sufficiently strong to characterise their
baseness, except that which should worthily hold up
to the contempt of mankind the yet baser fabricator
of so enormous a calumny—if calumny it were. Yet,
in the correspondence of all the daily journals, the
Times itself not excepted, there appears two letters,
both dated the 6th of December, one from M. de Ca-
sablanca, the Minister of Finance alluded to, ad-
dressed to M. d'Argout, Governor of the Bank of
France, and the other the reply of M. d'Argout, which
give the most unqualified contradiction to the allega-
tions thus impudently set forth. Well. The Times
dares not suppress the letter of his correspondent—but
never in any subsequent leader, does he attempt the
honourable reparation thus proved to be due to those
whom be has so vilely calumniated. We may safely
leave this fact to confirm and deepen the disgust with
which all honourable minds must read or hear the
word " Times."

TIE MIDLAND MIDLAND CATTLE SHOW.
BIRMINGHAM, THURSDAY.--Tho attendance at Bing-
ley-hall, to-day, was much more numerous than yester-
day, it was, indeed, greater than upon both the previous
days put together. Up to seven o'clock the visitors
amounted to between 15,000 and 16,000.
This evening the annual dinner was held at Ditcen's,
Royal Hotel. The chair was occupied by Lord Lyttoe
who was supported by the lion. Mr.
Mayor of Birmingham, Mr. Spooner,
M.lFie, 11 pence.
field, M.P., and other gentlemen of loco
the toasts said,
The Noble CHAIRMAN in introduhcion
gcontinent of Eu-
rope had convinced him more thoann
tary Monarchy, surrounded 3:
free
ho as an English-
best form of government under sass everoc
associations, was
he heredi-
tary etdhie-
man should wish to live.
The after dinner proceedings were going forward
when our report left.

EXTRAORDINARY
EXTRAORDINARY CAPTURE OF • BADOEN.—A few
RIOT AT GRANTHAM.—For several days past a I days ago, as Mr. Nix, landlord of the New Sun Inn, Spittle
on
large number of navvies employed under a contractor on the Hill, Retford, was passing through a wood in the n iiiSbk !
eat a hole.
Great Northern Railway at this town have been on strike for hood of Elksley, his dog, a true bred terrier, stood
in the ground. It was evident by
an advance of 3d. a day upon their present wages, 2s. 3d. A spade was On Wednesday they became so outrageous, setting the by the dog that vermin was not far off.
pro-
authorities at defiance, and threatening to blow the place up, the great anxiety shown
bloody fight e
that a message was dispatched by the evening train to Not- cured, and when a large quantity of earth had been removed
in rushed the resolute terrier. A
fierce
and
t light a fine bad-
the command for a detachment of military. Two troops, under carrild home. The badger
the command of Major Jones, proceeded on march at half- ger, which secured and
sued ; and the dog succeeded in bringing to
was
past five o'clock in the morning, and arrived in Grantham with regard to the
ten. They succeeded in dispersing the men, about extraordinary
at weighedan 201b.,anodirtohoeindootfo,
oe,onlynoatyoonluyng one, 141 b. This
600 in
number, without having recourse to arms, d au they have
since continued tractable,breed, although numerous in bygone ages, Di
.spirit and pluck of the terrier, but tb the capture of the badger
i itself; for the
I AM pearl/ ortermmatod+