The Sun.
London, England, 1869-08-04 00:00:00

The reforms submitted to the Senate have met with a
highly-favourable reception. The Constitutionnel is in
raptures, and accepts the liberal tone of M. Rouher's
speech to the Senate as an indication that a new period,
glorious and prosperous, has been entered upon by
Imperial France. Lc Temps thinks that the reforms have
well-nigh suppressed the institutions of 1852 altogether,
and that personal government has abdicated, however
skilfully it may endeavour to hide its retreat. Why
did not this abdication take 'place earlier ? asks
the Temps. If the Chamber of Deputies bad been able at
certain decisive moments to express faithfully the popular
sentiments, most disastrous errors might have been
avoided. The Mexican expedition would never have been
undertaken or would have been speedily closed. The
events of 1866 might have been different. Prussia would,
not have been encouraged to enlarge her boundaries; mili-
tary reorganisation would rot have been necessary, and
France would have been less burdened and more satisfied.
Bstter late than never, but the experience has been bought
dear.
Emile de Girardin, in the Literitc, asks whether the
great crisis is to result in the transformation or the
destruction ofthe Empire. The Empire will be inevitably
overturned unless it be resolutely liberal. This
is the only alternative, and the Empire of 1852
should either have remained entrenched behind
the Constitution of 1852 as an impregnable fortress, or it
should seize the first opportunity for an amnesty. It
should renounce altogether the proceedings against
the press, and those arbitrary imprisonments which
revolt the public conscience and excite popular
hostility. No Government, says M. de Girardin,
can long withstand press prosecutions; they are so many
mortal wounds which it gives itself. The journalists who
are condemned to fines and imprisonment have but one
idea—to undermine and to overthrow it.
The town of Chateau-Thierry has bought the house in
which La Fontaine, of the "Fables," was born and lived.
The house still preserves the characteristics of the six•
teenth century, and it is intended to be the receptacle of
the public library, and of a new museum. Paris has less
veneration for the abodes of her great men. The house
in which Pierre Corneille died is to be sacrificed to the
exigencies of architectural improvements.
The Emperor will take advantage of the occasion pre•
sented by the approaching Fête Napoßon to annoance a
considerable promotion in the army. There are at present
but four vacancies in the first division of major•generais,
two in the generals of division, and two among those of
the brigade, but it is confidently asserted that six generals
of brigade will be promoted to be generals of division, and
that ten colonels at least will become generals of
brigade. In order to affect a larger promotion, it
is proposed to anticipate the retirement of some generals
to the reserve forces, which would in the ordinary course
have taken place in September. It is also affirmed that
the Emperor is anxious to have a complete reorganisation
of the National Guard, and that the matter will be taken
up as soon as Marshal Niel has recovered. _ _ _

A fire broke out the other evening in four stacks of bay
in the Bois de I3oulogne. It was found impossible to save
the property. The flames which spread around on the
ground had to be constantly beaten out with branches of
wood steeped in water, to prevent them spreading to the
plantations. The disaster, which is attributed to sponta-
neous combustion, causes a loss of about 10,000 f.
Messrs. Taillefer and Pic have appealed against their
sentences, passed by the Court of Assize.—The Sixth
Chamber have reversed the decision of the Correctional
Police concerning the editors of the Lanterne, believing
that the charges against them were not sufficiently proved.
The case is not yet settled, for the official prosecutor has
appealed against the judgment of the Chamber.
The responsible editor of the Bappcl has been con-
demned to two months' imprisonment and a fine of 3,000
francs, and another editor of the same journal is to have
three months' imprisonment and pay a sum of £l2O for pub-
lishing statements to bring the Government into contempt.
A significant announcement is made respecting the
movements of the Emperor Napoleon. It is said that
he will not go far from St. Cloud this autumn. He will
pay a visit of a few days' duration to the camp at Chalons,
but he will neither go to Biarritz nor to Vichy. A con-
tradiction is given to the rumour that the Empress
intends during her visit to the East to support the
demands of the Roman Catholics with regard to the Holy
Sepulchre.
} An address is circulated at Lemberg (Galicia), and is
already covered with numerous signatures, demanding the
expinsion from that town of the Jesuits and of the Dames
du Sacr6-Coeur.

LAW 11V TEL LIGENCE.— (This Day).