The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-18 00:00:00

►)ON, FRIDAY EVENING, JUNE 18, 1'69.

uproarious that it was necessary to call out the
Pensioners and to read the Riot Act. The record of
this election sounds like the narrative of a pitched
battle. And all this turmoil and outrage was induced,
not by the fact that a great political principle was at
stake, for between the rival candidates there was
only a slight shade of difference. It was due
entirely to local prejudices and antipathies
utterly unintelligible to outsiders. It is impossible
not to see that the greater part of these disorderly
proceedings was wholly useless for any practical
purpose. Had the nomination of candidates in its
present shape been abolished, had the votes been taken
by ballot, and, as a consequence, no declaration of the
poll made until its close, there would have been none
of the disgraceful tumult which reigned in one of
the most important towns of England for four-and-
twenty hours. The recollections of the general
election are too recent and too vivid for us to have
needed the proverbial " frightful example." Whether
needed or not, Nottingham has supplied it.

COLLLSIOrDLISCE FLOM rAra

(FROM our. OWN COIMESPONDENT.)
PARIS, TIITJESDAT, June 17.

The aspect of affairs at St. Etienne when I wrote yes-
terday seemed to promiie that the strike would pass off
peaceably. No disturbances had then arisen. The colliers
had indeed ceased work in all directions, and had put forth
a formidable bill of rights, but they had not had
recourse to violence. Troops had been sent for, and it
was hoped that these would prove sufficient to keep the
per ea. But, unfortunately, we have news to-day of a
serious collision between the colliers and the troops.
It appears that three companies of the 4th line regiment
were returning from the pits at Montravent, where they
had been relieved by a battalion of the 17th. They were
bringing with them a number of prisoners who had been
essitured whilst attempting to interrupt the works
Montravent. Arrived at St. Etienne, the troops with
their prey were passing through a very narrow and deep
la sage—a sort of trench formed by a railway cutting—
when they were availed by a large troop of miners, armed
with p'stols and stones. A desperate attempt was
made by this band, which included several women
in its ranks, to release the captives. Undoubtedly
they would have succeeded had not the soldiers used their
weapons. The assailants were met by several discharges
if rifles, and eventually took to flight, leaving several of
their number dead, and thirty-two prisoners. According
to one account, the number killed was eleven. The soldiers
had five or six wounded.
This serious strike commenced on the 11th, and
by the next day it had spread throughout the entire dis-
trict, assuming a very alarming aspect. Almost all the
workmen joined in it ; but they were not satisfied with a
mere abstention from labour. They not only prevented
their comrades from working, bat endeavoured, strangely
enough, to ruin the mines by stopping the pumping
machines. It seems certain that the strike was in the
first instance prompted by the news that a revolution
had broken out in Paris. On the evening of the same day
the strike suddenly relaxed. News came that quiet bad
been restored at Paris, troops arrived, and under
their protection a number of well-disposed miners were
induced to go back to work. A journal which repre-
sented the miners was prosecuted, and its tone became
much milder. On the 13th the state of affairs grew still
more peaceful,
and hopes were entertained that the strike
was at an end. On the 14th, however, it again broke out
with as much violence as ever. This time it took the
form of an ordinary turn-out, and a demand for reduced
wages, increased pay, &c., was put forth. Further
atttempts were made to intimidate the miners, but
on the 14th and 15th a heavy fall of rain—
Oat enemy to popular disturbances—prevented
active operations. Rarely is
-the love of riot so intense as
to survive a thorough wetting. Yesterday, however,
operations were again resumed, the local journal became
as rabid as ever, and several attempts were made to stop the
m ne works, especially the pumping-machines. Some of
these proved successful. In several pits inundations corn-
m -need, and in one or two great difficulty was experienced
in Eettii g the men out. Some attempt was made to com-
promise the demands of the workmen, but nothing that
the employers could offer was deemed acceptable by the
miners. Lastly, this combat, attended with the loss of
eleven lives, increases the gravity of the situation. The
t -0* p 4, of course, had no resource but to fire.
'I ha Emperor's letter, the purport of which has,
doubtless, been announced to you ere this, is the sub-
jet of comment in all the papers. It is deemed
o! et-sisiderable importance, and very justly so, for the
Emperor never expressed himself more clearly. Ile agrees
fuly with the opinion that " the concession of a
pr:rcip7e or tha sacrifice of individuals is always
in Aft c'ull in the face of popular movements,
and that a Government which respects itself o'igit to
yield neither to pressure, to excitement, nor to revolt."
n The rapers here agree pretty nearly as to the significance
cf this statement. It means that no liberal concessions
w:d be made,in the present state of affairs, and that no
po need be entertained of any Ministerial modifications.
In fact the Peuple, which publishes the letter, publishes
with it an article stating that the epistle finally disposes
of al rumours as to changes in the Government. "It is
not jest after serious troubles, and on the eve of
a legislative session which will be devoted merely
to the verification of powers, that a Government
determines upon serious changes." Tho Temps
says that all hope of liberal concessions must be given up.
The Emperor declares that they would be useless, because
they would have the appearance of being extorted. The
Constituttonnel vigorously contests the Emperor's theory.
It thinks that though the Government should make
no concessions in the face of a menacing mob,
yet, when the tumults have been repressed and
the authorities remain triumphant, the Emperor could not
better display his force than by freely according to public
opinion what he has refused to popular passion. The
Constitutionnel strongly urges that the recent declarations
of the country be not disregarded. Reforms ought to be
conceded.

The campaign against the Press opened yesterday. Tho
printer, manager, and one of the editors of the Rappel
hare all been tried and sentenced ; but other journalists
hare been released, and the prosecutions will be less
heavy than was expected.

At the various election meetings which preceded the
late struggle all the candidates were most minutely inter-
rogated, and none more so than U. Jules Favre. One of
his replies was particularly neat. "If the Emperor wero
to die, what would you do?' ho was asked. "What
would I do? Why, I would go to his funeral !" he
answered.