The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-30 00:00:00

- CORF:ESE-ONbEiiOE FROBtI'ALIS..

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, TUESDAY, June 29,

The members of the new Corps lAgislatif met together
yesterday for the first time. The attendance was very
large, but the business done was very small. Some dis-
turbance had been expected from the mob, which, it was
counted upon, would assemble to gaze upon the chosen of
the people, and a large body of police was assembled
in the vicinity ; but though the mob, or more pro-
perly the crowd, did gather together, the disturbances
never took place. Inside the House the benches, both
those belonging to the deputies and those set apart for
the public, were crowded. Jules Favre was there, thus
disproving by ocular demOnstration the malicious report
of his death which was circulated a day or two ago.
Gambetta, who was regarded perhaps with more curiosity
than any -other member, took his seat right up
on the extreme set of benches which have been
appropriated by the Left. Raspail sat near him. Neither
the grave, pale look of Gambetta nor the white hairs of
Raspail betoken anything of the revolutionary spirit.
In Gambetta's outward appearance there is no trace of the
fervid eloquence and splendid elocution which startled
Paris seven months ago. Then Gambetta was unknown
to fame ; now he is universally recognised as the future
leader of the Left. Garnier-Pagds, Thiers, Bancel, and
all the leading Liberal celebrities were in their places.
At a quarter past two the business commenced. M.
Rouher, who reads by no means so well as he speaks,
fumbled through a communication from the Throne. This
document was short, but the Assembly rightly regarded it
as of great importance. It betrayed none of the spirit of
the Mackau epistle. The letter to the obscure politician
seemed to indicate that the Emperor will make no conces-
sions ; the communication read by M. Rouher is quite
consistent with the most extensive reforms:—

"The renewal of the Corps Legislatif by universal
suffrage is a natural occasion for the nation to manifest its
ideas, its aspirations, and its wants. But the study of the
political results of that manifestation must not be preci-
pitated. In the ordinary session the Government will
submit to the high appreciation of the public powers the
resolntions and projects which appear to it most likely to
realise the wishes of the country."
This, at all events, is not a declaration against reform.
From several benches these sentences called forth
applause ; though the " Irreconcilables," of course, pre-
served the gloomiest silence.
Already rumours of the coming contest are circulating
freely. It is questioned whether the majority will admit any
interpellations ; but if it does, it is expected that some of the
Left will put a question respecting the recent riots. The
Liberals are about to form three committees, headed
respectively by M. Thiers, Favre, and another, in order to
concert a common line of policy against the Government.
The strong Left of all shades will be tolerably united on
many questions, and the most active opposition is said to
have been decided upon. We are promised for certain a
fiery dispute about the validity of certain elections. Not
fewer than fifty will be contested.
The Bishop of Nimes has written a pastoral letter of
some importance about the General Council. This prelate
thinks that the Council will go in for Infallibility and
all the doctrines of the Syllabus.
The great balloon has gone up and come down again
in safety. The disastrous voyage of the " Gant " has
not been repeated in the case of its still more gigantic suc-
cessor, "Le Pole Nord." The voyage was short, but its
success is said to have been so complete as to hold out the
most encouraging hopes of the future of aerostation. The
greatest balloon ever launched in the air—twice the size of
the "Giant "—has been successfully navigated from the
Champs de Mars to Auneau, in the department of the Eure-
et-Loire. The distance was short, but the navigators
found night coming on and the wind taking them in the
direction of the sea. Before morning, such was
the speed of the balloon, they might have found
themselves with nothing in sight but sky above and
sea below. They therefore descended. The apparatus
seemed indisposed to stop its triumphant career, for it
went down very slowly and dragged a long time ; but not
one of nine persons who made the voyage—
four of whom had never been in a balloon
before sustained the slightest injury. Some im-
provements in the machinery of aerostation have been
suggested by this exploit, amongst other changes the
ordinary ship anchors used for stopping the aerial craft
must be abandoned, and anchors specially constructed
for ballooning purposes. The most valuable result
of this trial, however, has been the clear proof that
the largest structures can be managed without difficulty,
and, indeed, with a regularity of which the smaller balloons
are not capable. Thus, through this ability to increase
the size of the balloon, the material used in the construc-
tion of the envelope may be made so thick as to be im-
pervious to gas. This is a great point. "Le POle Nord"
will make another voyage shortly.
The rage for mixing in fashionable circles causes some
people to do strange things. A young man, who had
neither money nor family nor wit to recommend him,
managed to gain admission to some of the best middle-
class society here by the simple expedient of mounting the
red ribbon of the Legion of Honour. He had no more
claim to the distinction than to the dignity of
Grand Officer, so inoppertunely conferred upon M.
Jerome David ; but the pretence answered its purpose.
He starred it for some time in the moderately-good salons,
danced with the daughters of the middle-class, and was
general:y prosperous, until his career was cut short by his
enforced appearance before a functionary of justice, whose
pertinent questions as to the ribbon admitted of no satis-
factory reply. He will pay the penalty of his ambition by
imur;sonmen t.

PARLIA MENTARY AND MUNICIPAL
ELECTIONS COMMITTEE.

At the sitting of this committee on Tuesday, Mr. Baron
Martin and Mr. Justice Willes, two of the judges
appointed to try election petitions, were called as wit-
nesses. Mr. Baron Martin said that he had tried eleven
election petitions in different parts of the country, and he
was of opinion that bribery was not so prevalent as was
popularly supposed. In many instances the allega-
tions were absurd. At Norwich and Bradford the cor-
ruption was extensive. At the latter place out of
150 public-houses 108 were opened free. At Salford a great
deal of money was expended in drink. The election at
Wigan was specially pure. The Liberal candidates—
against whom alone a petition was presented—determined
that no public-houses should be used at all. It was,
however, found on the following day that the necessary
rooms could notbe obtained anywhere else, and the public-
houses were therefore hired, but the landlords were
paid £lO each not to supply any drink. The
petition at Beverley disclosed the fact that
some 800 persons were bribed ostensibly for the purpose of
the municipal, but in reality for the purpose of the
parliamentary, election. The expenses of the West-
minster election were enormous. Mr. Smith, the
successful candidate, had to pay £9,000, and
it was the learned judge's opinion that he was
robbed throughout the election. Had he had a despotic
authority, and not been called upon simply to follow the
law as laid down, he was inclined to think that he should
have unseated Mr. Ripley at Bradford and Mr.
Smith at Westminster for excessive expenditure.
There was a very general desire on the part of the candi-
dates who were examined before him to get rid of bribery
and corruption. In the majority of instances they
appeared to be entirely ignorant of the practices that
had been pursued. The interpretation of the
law of agency at elections had been very
clearly and unanimously settled between the three
election judges. It was, as far..ag he-could judge, univer-
sally admitted that nominations were practically worth-
less. Were the public-houses closed, the evils of the
nominations would be materially lessened. Mr. Baron
Martin expressed a very decided opinion that
no public-houses should be opened on the
polling-day, and amidst much laughter he announced
that one of the electors at Norwich was treated to such an
extent, that when he was brought up to the polling-booth
he could not be got to vote for either of the candidates,
but persisted in exercising the franchise in favour of the
brewer whose liquor he had consumed.

In answer to Mr. Ward Hunt, the learned judge said
that the Act of Parliament had done much to diminish
bribery. Public-houses ought never to be employed as
committee-rooms. There should be no means of supply-
ing driLk indiscriminately.
To Sir George Grey: The law of agency was an ex-
cessively harsh law. There would be great danger in doing
away with it.
By Sir F. Heygate : Had heard no complaint of the
paucity of polling-places.
By Mr. Brand : Had found in the course of his inqui-
ries that enormous sums were paid for committee-rooms
at public•houses.

Tl:e case of Lord Albert Pelham Clinton was be-
fore the °curt of Bankruptcy on Tuseday.
A Cabinet Council will to held at the official re-
sidence of the First Lord of the Treasury, Duwning-street,
on Saturday.

The San Francisco Mining and 'Scientific Press
c mdenses the following instances of the profits o f farming
from the roport of the Department of .Agriculture for
February :—Mr. Itankin, of Monmouth, Illinois, last year
raised 575 bushels of corn on five acres of ground, which
ho sold for forty-five cents a bushel, realizing $258.75.
The total cost of raising the same, including $25 allowed
for rout of ground, was $86.50 ; leaving $172.25 net profit
—or $34.-15 per acre. Mr. Brerras, of North Fairfield,
Huron County, Ohio, reports a net profit of $28.76 per
acre on 131'acres, planted in coin and pumpkins. Mr. B.
A, Leonard, of Monmouth County, New Jersey, reports a
profit of a small fraction short of $BO per acre on 85 acre
of land, devoted chiefly to asparagus, potatoes, and turnips.