The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-25 00:00:00

,
• FORETON .-;
TILE (ECUMENICAL COUNCIL. ut
Oui‘;Rome correspondent, writing ot ths7o2oth, eays
that the '„Council took a most important step in its last
sitting by nominating the Commission of Faith. The
election fell, by a choice almost unanimous, on those
Bishops who have been the foremost champions of the
dogma of the Papal Infallibility, at the head of
whicklist figure the names of Mgrs. Manning, Deschamps
(Malin), and Pi 6 ! " I need scarcely say that such
a votes is tantamount to a verdict, and was meant
so such. All doubt as to the future course of the Council
on this head is therefore at an end. The dogma will be
defined as certainly as its definition is proposed, and it is
now a mere question of time. Cardinal Matthieu
is one of the principal dissentients, and lie
left Rome on the pretext of an ordination Ps
soon as the result was known. Only ten bishops
have protested, and it is thought in Rome that some of
these will withdraw their siz-natures before the matter
comes formally before the Commission." As far as
outsiders can learn, the English, American, Colonial,
and Irish bishops have been unanimous for the
definition. The Pope continues wonderfully well, and
nothing has been heard in Rome of the report circu-
lated in the English l avers of a prorogation of the Council
till after his death. Many think that the Fathers will be
restored to their dioceses soon after Easter.

RUSSIA AND PRUSSIA.

The Berlin Correspondence has published a long art!cle
on the exchange of military decorations between the Em-
peror of Russia and the King of Prussia, and is indignant
at the political signification which has been giver, to the
circumstance. The whole affair is to be re-
garded ,in a purely military sense, and has
no political bearings. The Constitutionnel denies
on the part of the French journals that they sought to
spread the false reports that were circulated, and states
that the German and Prussian papers were the first to
excite attention on the subject. It is equally absurd to
say that the Emperor Alexander conferred the honours on
the King of Prussia for the purpose of silencing the dema-
gogue papers of 111"kseow and St. Petersburg.

TITRK EY- AXD EQTPT.
The Levant Herald rejoices greatly over the firmness
of the Porte and the submission of the Viceroy, and de-
clares that," morally, the victory thus gained is far greater
than in the case of Crete and Greece." There can be no doubt
however, that Sir H. Elliott pit on the diplomatic
high pressure to which the Khedive succumbed. It was
evident at the last moment that Napoleon would not help
him with a man or a ship. Still less would England or
Austria interfere to save him ; while Russia and
Prussia stood altogether aloof from the quarrel.
But it may be doubted whether the Viceroy,
if left to his own ambitious impulses, would not have risked
everything, and refused obedience to the firman, had not
Sir Henry Elliot been in Cairo when it arrived. The
Levant Herald repeats its conviction that in thus appearing
to accept the Porte's terms, the Viceroy is but patching
up the very hollowest truce. It believes the
concession to be only a case of reculer pour mieux sauter
and advises that the breechloaders and ironclads should at
once be ordered up, and a strict watch kept over the fiscal
administration, which would prevent the attempt to buy
from the fellahs the amounts now raised by foreign loans.