The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-22 00:00:00

RELATIONS BE FRANCE
AND ENGLAND.
(From the Ilferninig Post )
" The nature of the relations which exist at the
present moment between the President of the French
Republic and the English Government" is undoubt-
edly a subject, not only to excitecuriosity,"
but to warrant a very strong feeling of interest in this
country. It is, therefore, important that "on so deli-
cate a subject" responsible writers in the public press
should " confine themselves to facts on which every
reliance may be placed."
The words which we have quoted are those of the
correspondent of the Times, in a letter from Paris,
which was published in the second edition of that
journal on Satrday, and will doubtless be repeated in
the same quarter to-day.
They are employed in putting forth a statement
which we are enabled to declare is utterly untrue,
but which is given with an air of such confidence, that
it might, if uncontradicted, gain sufficient credence
to excite alarm, if not to do mischief.
The writer details, on authority which he invests
with a high character, the substance of a communica-
tion alleged to have been made by the British Cabinet
to the French Government, containing remonstrance,
advice, and threats on the subject of the course of the
latter with reference to internal affairs. A sketch is
als given
o the supposed reply to this fabulous
of
communication.

Further, a letter is said to have been written by
one of the most prominent members of the British
Cabinet, but not the Foreign Secretary, to somebody
great influence, not a member of the French Go-
Parliament"
vernment, declaring that it was " absolutely indis-
pensable for the British Cabinet to have some data—
some assurances—something positive to present to
Out of this is said
to have arisen a proposal " that a
it was hoped would
person should be
we are in a
When
xplanations shouldonbfeerdemdiarnecdteldy.
sent to London to c
with Lord Palmerston, and give explanations which
French Government,b:
The whole story of
athered to and from the
these notes
'Satisfactory."
tively to affirm, is
--end.
from beginning to .
We are enabled most dist'
British Government ha., With
hnctly to assert that the
revolution in 1848, strictly
as in every instance from the first
to late events,
position most posi-
first outbreak of the
termination not to interfere
any way whatever in
to its avowed de-
the internal affairs of France.
There is, in fact, something so inconsistent with
common sense, so utterly absurd in the d suppose .
ob-
ject and contents of these impossible co that we may, perhaps, be thought to
havenications,
t bestowed
on them a graver notice than they m - era . The reck-
less exaggerations constantly supplied by somof
e h our
contemporaries to the public in this countr
however, excited an appetite for the wonderfPonavaeli
matters connected with France, the prevalence of
which leads us to believe that no folly is too gross for
the Times to publish, scarcely any fabrication is too
absurd for some of its readers, in their present
st a rate of
feeling, to believe.
The principle which we have indicated as having
been uniformly declared and acted on by the Go-
-1 vernrnent of this country, with reference to the suc-
cessive changes since 1848 in the internal political
arrangements of France, is clearly the only one
which could be wisely or safely followed out. It is
to the French nation, not to the Cabinet or to the
Parliament of England, that every French Govern-
ment must justify its policy and its deeds. The civil
rights—the political institutions of that country—
are the concern and the property of something more
than thirty millions of her people—the care of them
is their business and not ours. Parliamentary repre-
sentation by suffrage, universal or limited—liberty of
the press, entire or restricted--freedom of public
meeting, speaking or writing—these are privileges
which the French nation can perfectly well decide for
themselves whether they will have. They are not
at all likely to desire, nor is England in the least
called on to offer, any aid or intervention to defend or
establish them.
For our Cabinet to summon the Government of
France, in whatever hands it may be placed, to give
explanations and assurances of its intentions with re-
gard to purely internal measures and policy, would
be a departure from the acknowledged principles and
invariable practice by which the relations of England
with her restless neighbours have been governed for
the last twenty years. The Socialist projects and
Utopian abortions with which France was threatened
in February, 1848, were, for instance, sufficiently dis-
tasteful to the people of this country, but it was felt
that to accept or reject them—how France should be
governed—was a matter not for us but for France to
decide. 'We do not think it possible even for the
blindest prejudice to allege that there is anything in
the events of 1851 to demand an interference which
was deemed unwise and unjustifiable in 1848 ; and we
are convinced that the French nation is as able now
as it was then to take care of its political institutions
for itself.

As to the position of the present French Govern-
ment with regard to the continental powers, on which
the public has also been favoured, from the source to
which we have referred, with some very detailed in-
formation, it is sufficient to observe that this state-
ment is admitted to rest on the same authority as the
purely imaginary communications with which we
bare already dealt. We may presume, therefore,
that we are tolerably safe in concluding the conti-
nental part of the story to be of the same character
with the English. This latter we do not hesitate to
denounce as the most impudent invention yet in-
flicted on a credulous public. If anything in the
world could justify an interference with the liberty
of the press, or reconcile a free people to its suspen-
sion, it would be the reckless circulation of these mis-
chievous falsities.

THE 11111V1STRY.—PROBABLE ~SECESS-
ION OF EARL GREY.
In alluding the other day to the rumours in circula-
tion relative to an immediate dissolution of the Whig
Cabinet, we stated our disbelief in these rumours, so
far as regarded the alleged impending break-up of the
Miuistry. At the same time we but spoke of the seces-
sion of Earl Grey, Sir Charles Wood, and Sir George
Grey, as a probable contingency. We can now state,
with increased confidence, that the secession of this tri-
umvirate may be expected very soon; but whether be-
fore the meeting of Parliament, or immediately after it,
we aro not in a condition to say. So late as Thursday
last a circumstance occurred which of itself would go far
to prepare the public fur the loss of Lord Grey's ser-
vices—ifloss, his taking leave of the Colonial Office,
ought to be considered. On that day the Noble Lord
said that office had no longer any attrec.,ions to him, and
that be would feel himself a much happier man in the
seclusion of private life—for the calm and quiet of
which he had fur some time eagerly longed—than where
he now is. We could add something mue of what
passed on the occasion, but what we have said may,
under all circumstances, be regarded as replete with
significance.—Advtrfiser.

__- - -
highnessitoT A li, r
ie POLYTECHNICAiertiias,
inltNhsermi ronso sr.
man-
ner, consented to become patronr of this institution.
of Mr. Turner, the well-known
regret to announce the death
which melancholy event took
DEATH OF j. W. M. CIIRNER, ESQ., R.A.-.We
the peculiarities of his latter manner, one of the most
spite of .
Rltrin!';ur,rner,was the father of the Royal Academy, and in
wealth, and of well-earned reputation.
eminent artists of his age. He bas died full of years,:of
PANAMA RAILWAY.-It appears from an official
report that the works on this important line are progressing
favourably. The Atlantic terminus of this railway is
situated on the Island of Manzanilla, at the eastern side of
Limon Bay, and from that point to Gorgona, the distance is
29 miles, of which 16 are partially constructed, leaving 13
miles to be made over favourable ground. From Gorgona
condescending Ilis
to Panama the distance is 20 miles, and the gradients are
favourable. It is stated that the engineers are of opinion
that this latter portion may be completed in the course of
two dry seasons from the period of commencing the works.
On the section from the Atlantic terminus, towards Panama,
the rails have been laid down for a distance of nine mills,
but it is not intended too pen any portion of the railwayf 'ig
traffic until it is completed to Barbacoas, a dt'ancetothis
miles from the Atlantic to
It '
every exertion will be made to complete
terminus. is expected that
2 and that
portion of the line will be opened in May,
soon as possible.
rrnE of THE COMMIS-
RECEIPTS AND ExpENDIET---_ e
Ts -The 22d Annual Re-
pent Or WOODS AND FoMods7Forests, and Land Re-
tbelBrseLinder as
pent of the Commissioners of "
order of the House 0-
venues, was printed on
f Commons made on the 2d of August.
in compliance with an
the 30th of July last. It appears that
The report bears date
the Commissioners for the year 1850-51,
the total receipts of L_l.
16s.
ci.,
5 and the expenditure to
amounted to 1,3d38 tw
otfhepaprrliinamcipe:lt
o 'leaving a balance of 496,6941. 4s. 7d. Of
841,333/. 112-
1246,6461. 2s. sd. is in cash, and 266,0481.2 s 2d.
Saturday,
the latter surn
items of expenditure
last two sessions:- Public buildings and Royal
saTnhcetiofnoelillowbiyngvoaterse
durinf3sth9B,
711/. 16s. • Ordnance-office, Pall-mall, 7,000/.
2Psal2acd:; Buckingham Palacel improvements, 5,175/. 19s. 7d. ;
is due from inddiivtiodruealass.
temporary
Hdit'otoos,eisucoltosilarerlioamf
eanrct,h2,
,2&9c3.1,.
455.,61409d/..
;18nse.w6hdio;uses
of
Par.
liament, 113,8251.25. 6d. ; Holyhead Harbour, 7,93 4d.
British Museum buildings, 25,096/. 14s. 7d.; geological
survey, 17,29 s 6/. ss. sd. ; Nelson Monument, 1,3261.
Is. 10d. ;
Ambassador' house at Constantinople, 7,614/. 14s. 7d.
metropolitan improvements, 22,626 k 10s. 2d ; ditto new
street from docks to Shoreditcb, 56,432/. ; Battersea-park,
22,5051. 14s. 7d. ; Menai and Conway bridges,2,Bl( /. ISs. 3d.;
Windsor town improvements 21,781/. 9s. 9d. ; New Forest
drainage, 1,118/. 28. 2d. This account is made up to the
31st of March, 1851. The liabilities of the Commissioners
upon that day amounted to 1,258,434/, of which 1,228,4591e*
fur principal due, and 29,983/. 16s. Bd. for interest. 1:0,
total number of men employed on the new Houses of .
Parlia-
ment on the 31st of March, was 1,013, viz., 742
Thames
works at the building, 163 at the workshops on the
bank, and 108 at the other establishments.
K A new work
TRAITS OF AMERICAN Ilinwuf-:, Sam Slick," and
upon the
from a source so popular as the authoroo
f American Humour,"
with the attractive title of "Traits
especial requisition. The
all the elements of festivity aft' In• production with an eager
• will hail this . laughter-loving public .
one tissue of genuine fan and drol-
makes its appearance most appropriately at this season, when
welcome, but thoughwinnners. It is the most sparkling work
lery, it will perhaps win
of America'?
mea the famous "Sam Slick."- Evening
it
leaven greater popularity as a graphic
that has appeared since
Paper.
It is said that an opera by Howard Glover is in re.
hearsai at the Haymarket Theatre,