The Sun.
London, England, 1869-07-01 00:00:00

IL ROCHEFORT AND "LA LANTERNE."
The French Government mercilessly continues its war
with M. Henri Rochefort, the lively editor of La Lan-
terne, who so narrowly escaped being returned for Paris.
An old charge against two persons of illegally intro-
ducing the Lanterne into France— a charge which was
disposed of so far back as last January—has actually
been brought up again in a modified form, and tried a
second time in Paris, in order that M. Rochefort might
be included as one of the culprits. He has been sentenced
to a heavy fine and imprisonment, and deprived of his
rights as 'a French citizen. The Belgian Government,
too, has been enlisted as an ally against him. The Lan-
terne, which was published in Brussels after its expulsion
from Paris, has been forbidden there. M. Rochefort
must discontinue the paper or leave the country. The
satirist has proved a bitter enemy to the French Govern-
ment ; and, in consequence, he now finds no rest for the
sole of his foot.

BELGIUM AND FRANCE.
This extinction of the Lanterne is probably one of the
means employed by the Belgian Government to con.
ciliate France. We are told in various quarters that
people at Brussels are getting very frightened over this
railway question. The correspondent of the Libel* goes
so far as to affirm that preparations have been made for
an invasion of Belgium by the French troops. Should
this event taKe place, the seat of the Belgian Government
will be transferzed to Anvers, which has been very
strongly and very hurriedly fortified of late, and the
French will be left in peace until assistance arrives from
England, Prussia, and Holland. In the best circles at
Brussels it is loudly maintained that Belgium will yield
no more on the railway question.
It appears that Austria, as well as England, has inter-
fered in this curious imbroglio. Count Benet has addressed
a despatch to the Austrian charg6 d'afaires at Brussels,
in which he expresses the opinion that the independence
of Belgium will be in nu way compromised by a Belgian
railway being handed over to the control of a French
co:npany. Would the Austrian Government be pleased
if one of its railways were leased to a Russian company?
The Paris Temps thinks that the effect of this despatch
will be far from reassuring.

TILE BELGIAN MINISTRY.
The Patric states that two of the le.:(ling Belgian
Ministers, MM. Fr re-Orban and Dal-a, have announced
their absolute intention of resigning. l'he Kin g has,
however, prevailed upon them to keep their- portfolios -
for a few days longer. It is said that M. Teach will then
be appointed to succeed M. Frere•Orban as the head of
the Cabinet, and the Patric believes that the new coiner
will be disposed to grant " all the demands of France " on
the railway question.

• SPAIN.
The new Spanish Parliament decidedly differs in one
respect from its predecessors. If it cannot be called a
Free Trade Assembly, it chews no disposition to favour
Protection. During the last few days the import duties
have been the subject of debates and divisions ; but all
attempts to increase prohibitory imposts have failed.

A SCANDINAVIAN UNION.
Princess Louise, the only child of the King of Sweden,
is to be married to the Crown Prince of Denmark. Hopes
were entertained that this alliance would lead to a Scandi-
navian union; but the Salle law, excluding women from the
throne, prevails in Sweden, and the rumour that it was to
be set aside in order to bring Norway, Sweden, and Den.
mark under one Crown is, according to the Owl, incorrect
The marriage, however, must greatly strengthen the
friendship already existing between the three countries.

KIDNAPPING SOUTH. SEA ISLANDERS.
The Daily News expresses itself scarcely satisfied with
the answer giien by Mr. Monsell on Monday night when
questioned respecting the kidnapping of the South
Sea islanders for service in Queensland. The
case is this : The planters of Queensland possess
every advantage except the all-important one of
labour. They have climate, fine soil, and remune-
rative markets, but by no means sufficient human mate-
rial to utilise these blessings. To remedy this defect, the
Queenslanders send to the South Sea Islands, inviting the
unoccupied inhabitants to come over and help them,
promising ample reward. The savages accept the offer,
and come ; but they soon find their condition very diffe-
rent from that promised them. - The islander
finds himself a slave, bound to a master, and no
longer a free agent. The news of this treatment soon
reaches the islanders, and they naturally refuse to
exchange the enjoyment of their sunny climes for slavery
in Queensland. No more will go ; the supply of labour
ceases, and in order to keep it up the agents take to kid-
napping. Then grow up all the horrors of the slave trade.
The vessels prowl about among the islands, raids are
made upon the islanders, in which the men are carried off,
and the ship—no longer an emigrant ship, but in every
sense a slaver—returns to port with her cargo of stolen
savages, who, if not actually sold, are practically
enslaved. This is the history of Queensland emigration.
The Under-Secretary for the Colonies stated on Monday
night that the strictest conditions had been imposed on the
importation of these islanders; but the question is whetEet
those conditions are observed. Mr. Taylor and Mr. It.
Fowler argued they were not; and the Daily News is of the
same. opinion. More stringent conditions are to be im-
posed in future ; but why, asks the Daily News, should
this immigration be encouraged at all ? It is practically im•
possible to conclude a satisfactory bargain of this kind
between a superior and an inferior race. Abuses must
arise from such a system.

Hon Morton M'Michael, accompanied by Mrs.
Mllichaol, daughter and son, Colonel William M'Michael,
sailed from New York, June 9, for a tour in Europe. Mr.
M'Michael is known and esteemed abroad as an eminent
journalist, distinguished citizen, and gentleman of great
ability and culturo. During his long career as a publio
man it has been his good fortune to be the host and enter-
tainer of many visitors from Europe, in both public and
private life, and as it is their custom to give kind remem-
brance to such civilities, his visit will probably have ad-
ditional pleasure from this circumstance. Good wishes
attend him on his tour, and a hearty welcome awaits his
return horn*.

Lucius B. Crocker, a leading citizen of Oswego,
died in Paris early this month. He arrived on the Conti-
n.nt about two years ago, and, after an extended tour, was
on his way home when he was seized with his last illness
in Paris. His remains were expucted in America at the
end of the month. Mrs. Crocker died in Rome about a
year ago, and her remains were also sent home to America.

IMTNVILLE. and Co., Belfast, are the largest
holders of Whisky in the world. Their Old Irish Whisky is re-
commended by the medical profession in preference to French
Brandy. Supplied in casks and cases for home use or exporta-
tion Quotations on application, to Messrs. Dunville and Co.,
Belfast; or 4, Besufort-Wilrllngs., Strand,
_London, W,O.—[Ad
'alumnae:lr.

i FOREIGN NO,TES.
TERMINATION OF TGX WAR IN PARAGUAY. t
At last we have intelligence of the-active renewal of
military operations in Paraguay, and main have the con-
sequences been disastrous to the remnant of Lopez's army.
The first corps of the Allies, under their new commander-
in-chief, has advanced into the interior against the
position held by Lopez on the mountains. One
town has been destroyed, and a great number of
Paraguayan families " rescued." One English and two
American officers have been allowed to cross the allied
lines to communicate with the Paraguayans—an admis-
sion which confirms our telegram that communication
with General MacAlahon, the American Ambassador, way
previously refused. This news comes through the
Brazilian Legation in London.
Information from other sources points still more plainly
to the end of this contest. The Ozrt hears from a Brazilian
source. that President Lopez, through the mediation of the
United States Minister, has obtained terms from the
Allies, in virtue of which he agrees to surrender his army
on condition of I.eing permitted to leave the country.
This will be gcod news fur the wom-out nations
of the La Plata. The intelligence of the mediation
of the United States was welcomed with the greatest
enthusiasm on both banks of the river. In all the region
affected by the war peace is most earnest:y desired.

•
TII SOUTHERN STATEA AFTER THE ABOLITION OF
SLAVERY.
The Southern cause, which commanded so much
English sympathy and involved this country in a
difficulty of which we have not yet seen the end, is, it
appears, now discarded even by those who fought for it. A
gentleman who has been in the South, in a letter to a
prominent member of the present Government, says the
Southerners have now found out that the civil war was
in every respect a mistake. They fought for slavery, and
they have since discovered that slavery was not worth
fighting for. They are better off without than with it.
The writer says :

"I never felt so ashamed of our sympathy wits the
Southerners as when I was in the South. Zhe slaveowners
tell you with the most brazen faces that they are better now
than they were before. One large slaveowner said to me,
"l'he Yankees whipped us out of slavery, but they could
not whip us into it again.' Another told me he grew
larger crops with twenty-five free negroes than he had done
with seventy-five slaves. They have found out already
that the rebellion was, economically, an enormous blunder ;
a handsome cause for us to encourage them in, thereby
estranging the North for a generation or two!"
MR. WEBB AND THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT.
We have already announced that the quarrel between
Mr. Web"), the American Ambassador at Rio Janeiro,
and the Brazilian Ministry was "male up "-before the
former left for the United States. This reconciliation was
brought about by the English Ambassador. A veryangry,
indeed improper, note from Mr. Webb was treated as if it
Lad not been received, and assurances of a friendly cha-
racter were exchanged between him and the Brazilian
Foreign Minister. Mr. Webb left Rio Janeiro because,
like all the other representatives of the United States at
foreign Courts, he had been replaced on the accession to
Dower of General Grant.