The Sun.
London, England, 1851-01-17 00:00:00

5,0 N DOM FRIDAY .EVENING, JANUARY 17, 1851.

had in several instances, where such,:connexions had
taken place among themselves, or their friends, been
perfectly satisfied, upon a consideration of the whole
subject, that such marriages were not objectionable
either in a religious or moral point of view." In ad-
dition to these points, which should be decisive on'
the subject—for why should the Dissenters of Eng-
land, a numerous, religious, and influential body of
men, be bound by the scruples of some " Tracta-
rian" parsons of the Church of England, or of those
who have on trivial grounds, and without sufficient
care, adopted their paltry prejudices ; for be it remem-
bered, that the Commissioners were persuaded that
" comparatively few either of the clergy or laity,
have carefully considered the subject, unless when
circumstances have forced it upon their attention ?"
we further find that the Act is practically a dead
letter—that it does not prevent the formation of such
connexions, nor would they be largely increased if
the prohibition were entirely abrogated, and every
person was allowed to act in this, the most important
transaction of his entire life, in the manner which in
his soul and conscience he believed to be right. The
Commissioners declared that " on a review of the
subject in all its bearings and effects, they were
constrained not only to express their belief
that the statute, 5 and 6 William IV., had
failed to attain its object, but also to
express their doubt whether any measure
of a prohibitory character would prove effectual,"
adding emphatically, " these marriages will take
place where a concurrence of circumstances give rise
to mutual attachment—they are not dependent on
legislation."

This admirable report continued before the country
without any reasonable objection being urged thereto.
Early in the session of 1849 a measure was intro-
duced, founded on its suggestions. This was met by
the most vexatious and factious opposition, every
means being adopted to retard its progress. The
Fabian policy, unfortunately, proved but too suc-
cessful. Although every disputed point was carried
by large and decisive majorities, and the Bill passed
through Committee unscathed and unmutilated, its
promoter was obliged to consent to its p9stponement
when it reached the third reading, and the parties
personally to submit, to their sad disappointment,
to the

" Hops deferred, which maketh sick the heart,"

for another year. In 1850, it was again brought
forward in the first week of the session, but the same
line of opposition was pursued, and although it
passed through all its stages in the Commons, and
was introduced into the House of Lords, it was con-
sidered by some of its supporters to be too late for
the session, and the same untoward result, another
postponement, created bitter disappointment in the
minds of the people.

This year it is to be introduced in the Upper
House, that it may there receive the fullest discussion.
As its principle and details have already received the
sanction of the popular branch of the Legislature, as
it has already been debated in that assembly usque ad
nauseam, we have no doubt that the arrangement is
judicious, and we most sincerely hope that it may
crown with success the reasonable expectations of the
people.

We cannot conclude without entreating the atten-
tion of our readers to a letter from an esteemed cor-
respondent " ALFRED," which will be found in another
part of this day's impression, and which places the
matter in the clearest light. I: is well worthy of
perusal.

THE FRENCH REPUB MC

We have received the Paris journals of yesterday.
The debate on the vote of censure on Ministers
proposed by M. LAISJUINAIS commenced on Wednes-
day, and was adjourned to the following day, after
five Members had apoken, the two most important of
whom were M. BAROCHE and M. JULES DE LAS-
TEYEIE. The following is an abstract of the speech
of the Minister of the Interior :
M. Baroche said he bad tusisted at the fourth review,
and was ready to admit that seditious cries had been
uttered by a few me❑ and companies. He had never
denied that, but what he denied before the Committee
was that those cries had been encouraged, or that any
disorders had occurred after the review. This fact re-
sulted from the inquiries he had ordered. The Minister
then examined if the charge of having laboured to lessen
the consideration of the Assembly was founded; and yet
it was before the majority such a charge was preferred!
And what were the acts of the Ministry incriminated?
It could not be the law on public instruction, the elec-
toral law, and the :law on the press, which had been
ratified by the Assembly. All the acts of the Executive
had been sanctioned by its votes and by public opinion.
Should he not also have felt astonishment and intlii;na-
ti)n, when during the prorogation three members of the
Permanent Committee waited upon him to cowplsin of
his neglecting to adopt measures to prevent the realiza-
tion of an imaginary plot denounced by the Committee?
Should he not feel indignant at being suspected of parti-
cipation in such an attempt, if it had been serious and
real? M. Baroche then reminded the Assembly of its
enthusiastic reception of the message of the President of

the Republic, which had been regarded as a pledge of
reconciliation calculated to avert for a long time all
causts of division between the powers. He next ex-
amined the theory of responsibility developed by M.
Laejuinais in his report, and contended that its authors
meant to strike higher than the Cabinet. The Minister
then stat =el that the suppression of the double command
given to General Ccarigarnier, which one of the speakers
had described as a constitutional guarantee—(Laughter)
—was resolved upon long before the vote of the 31 of
January. That vote had nit hastened the measure; on
the contrary, the breaking up of the Cabinet and the re-
construction of another had retarded it by some days.
The double command had becOme a third power between
the only two recognised by the Constitution.
"He was an obstacle," cried M. Rouyn Trancbace.

" An obstacle to what?" retorted M.l3Aroche.
" An obstacle to the criei of Vive I'Empereur," ex-
claimed M. Trencher°,

" He was not always an obstacle," replied M. Baroche,
" and I only refer the Assembly to the cries uttered at
the review held in May, 1849, by the President of the
Republic and General Changarnier. Those cries were
then regarded as constitutional, and are now declared to
be prohibited by military regulations."—(Laughter.)
Did General Changarnier publish his order of the day
of the 2d November between the third and fourth re-
views? No, the General proposed no measure of repres-
sion. The Assembly was jealous of the free and full
exercise of its constitutional rights. Why should not
the Executive feel the same desire? The provisions of
the decree of the 13th of June, 1849, were formal. The
exorbitant authority placed in the hands of the General
%as to cease the moment tranquillity was restored i❑
Paris. No ! That act was not an attempt against the
dignity of the Assembly. As respected the idea of re-
storing the Imperial regime, the oath taken by the Pre.
sident of the Republic, and renewed in his Message,
victoriously refuted such a suspicion. The President
would continue to accomplish his duty, and nothing but
his duty. Ha had pledged his honour, and would redeem
his plertlge. His affirmation and past conduct were the
bast guarantees he could offer against the alleged dan-
gers the Constitution was said to be exposed to from his
government.—(Bravos throughout the hall.)
The semi-official Patric has the following an-
nouncement :

" A report was circulated to-day that in consequence
of a revolution in the Palace, General NarvaEz, the
President of the Council of Ministers, had fled from
Madrid for fear he should be arrested."

M. Ducos, the Minister of Commerce, is seriously
indisposed. General LAHITTE has returned to his
old post of chief of the Commission of Artillery.
The prosecution of the Governor of Clichy by
CLIERON, the creditor at whose suit M. MAUGUIN was
imprisoned, came on for hearing on Wednesday.
The Court acquitted the Governor, on the ground
that he had not delivered up his prisoner until threa-
tened with the employment of the public force, and
condemned CHEEON in costs.
M. LAMAETINE denies the assertion of the
Evenement that he had been offered the Embassy to
London.

The Bourse was dull, and there was not much
business transacted. The Five per Cents. opened
at 95f. 150., fell to 941. 85c., and closed at
941. 90c. ; the Three per Cents. closed at 561.
95e.; the New Loan at 941. 85c.; Orleans Railroad
Shares, 855 f.; Great Northern, 468 f. 75c.; Avignon,
190 f.; Vierzon, 385 f. ; Basle, 141 f. 25c.; Bor-
deaux, 3951. ; Paris and Strasburg, 351 f. 25c. ;
Tours and Nantes, 2471'. 50c.
BITSINI.SS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT TOE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, JAN. 16.
Boulogne and Amiens, 9—Northern of France, 14%—
Paris and Rouen, 27N—Rouen and Havre, 10%—Sambre
and Meuse, 3—Tours and Nantes, 5.

eAdNYti.
Itespecling the announced Congress of Continen-
tal Monarchs at Dresden, the
spontlenz states that such a rumour ruapntl!i)rtne
unfounded.
dorre-
The news of the arrangement between Austriau and
Pru!sie, respecting the formation of a Central Exe-
cutive Power, is published by the K o ner and the
Rheinisch Westfalische Zeitung.
The latter paper states from Berlin that Baron
MANTEUFFELS journey to Dresden has sufficed to
conquer the dissensions of the first committee of the
Dresden Congress, and that everything has been
satisfactorily settled respecting the Central Executive
Power. The debate on this subject is said to have
been protracted and violent, but in the end all con-
'Tiding opinions were reconciled by an anxiety to
provide for the safety of Germany, and to guard