The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-10 00:00:00

FRANCE.

The Paris correspondent of the Times' Second
Edition, says :—" A circular will soon be issued by
the new Minister for Foreign Affairs to the French
diplomatic agents abroad, and which may be consi-
dered as in some sort the programme of the Impe-
rial Government on its foreign policy. It will, I
hear, be couched in a sense eminently pacific and
friendly to all, and may probably be a paraphrase
of the celebrated Bordeaux speech. Alluding to
M. Thouvenel, I may add that the members of the
diplomatic body speak in very high terms of his
punctuality, his courteous bearing, and especially
of his business habits. The foreign Ministers
were formerly received but once a week, and, fro m
whatever cause, the practice was most incon-
venient. They came at the same time, and lost
nearly the whole of the day waiting for their
turn. Napoleon I. certainly had at one time a
parterre of kings in his theatre when Talma played;
M. Walewski, in like manner, could indulge in the
luxury of an ante-chamber full of their representa-
tives waiting to catch a glimpse of him. It appears
that, according to the present arrangement, foreign
diplomatists have intervieNs s four times a week
with the Minister, to their great convenience, and
to the more satisfactory despatch of business.
It is reported that the orders for the French army
to be ready to march at a moment's notice, as men-
tioned two or three days ago, have been counter-
manded—at least so say the people at the Star
office.

No doubt the pressure exercised on Savoy to
squeeze her into " voluntary annexation " looks
rather a strange proceeding after the highflown sen-
timents of the magnanimity and disinterestedness
of France in doing battls merely for the glory of
liberating Italy from her oppressor. If this expro-
priation take effect, we will never again believe in
wars for "an idea." It is true that the Powers of
Europe disapprove the act; but the opposition will
most probably be confined to words, and the re-
sistance of Savoy be passive. Verbal opposition, or
mere censure, will, I fear, have little effect, if, as is
pretty • certain, there is a fixed determination to
annex Savoy—not; of course, for the sake of the ter-
, ritory, but to perpetuate the peculiar " idea" in
question ; and, against such a determination of
what avail is disapprobation or blame ?
There was once a cabman, cocker de fiacre, brought
up to the Police Court in Paris, to answer a charge
of " annexing" a small article or two, which had
been forgotten by a fare, and were too tempting to
be resisted. The charge of " annexation" was,
however, not sufficiently proved to justify the ma-
gistrate imposing the penalty prescribed for such
offences in the Code Penal, though%the man's con-
duct was very suspicious. He was informed that
he had a narrow escape, but that he could not be
allowed to retire without the Court formally blaming
him. " Blaming me !" cried the cochsr. " What
does that mean ? Will it prevent me, Monsieur le
President, from continuing to drive my cab ?"
" No, it is only meant to touch your moral sense."
" Eh bien !" was the reply. " I don't care a straw
for your blame or your moral sense." He left the
court with a laugh, went back to his stand, and
very probably went on with his " annexations,"
though carefully enough to save him from any worse
penalty than "blame."
The Three per Cents, closed to-day at 67f. 75c.
for the end of the month, and the Four-and-a-Half
per Cents. at 97f.
40c. ; Orleans Railway Shares,
1,355 f. ; Great Northern, 907 f. 56c.; Strasburg,
637 f. 50c. ; Paris to Lyons and the Mediterra-
nean, 877 f. 50c. ; Western of France, 577 f. 50c. ;
Bordeaux and Cette, 492 f. 50c. ; Lyons and
492 f. 50c. ; Bank of Credit Mobilier,
742 f. 50c. ; Austrian Railways, 495 f. ; Roman
Railways, 355 f.

Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 10c. ; money,
251. 9c. ; three months, paper, 24f. 87i e. ; money, 24f. 85c.

TILE INCOME-TAX.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—There are thousands of people who at
this time are paying no less than three Income•
taxes. Thus—

Ist. Their own tax, as assessed upon them.
2d. The tax as assessed upon some poor relation
or employee who cannot pay it himself.
3d. The self-imposed tax upon their income, in
the shape or contributions of money or service, or
both, to the rifle organisation.
Now, Mr. Editor, it is high time, as I glean from
the excitement on the subject in all social quarters
that I frequent, that the two former of these lia-
bilities should cease, and be allowed to expire,
without any chance of resuscitation; I, myself,
have, for years past, paid my own Income-tax, and
also that . assessed upon a poor clerk, at L 2 2s.
a-week, who never could pay it himself.
I am, Mr. Editor,
ANTI-INCOME-TAX.
Feb. 7, 1860.

DEPARTURE OF THE COURT FROM WINDSOR.—
To-morrow (Saturday), at half-past three o'clock, hor Ma •
jesty and the Prince Consort, with the junior members of
the royal family, and suite, will take their departure from
Windsor Castle and proceed to Buckingham Palace. The
royal party will travel to Paddington by special train on
tie Great Western Railway.l, The memborsof the Windsor
Volunteer Rifle Corps, who have been honoured with royal
commands, will form the guard of honour, under the com-
mand of their captain, the Honourable Leslie Hoare Ruth •
yen. They are to present arms on Castle-hill as her Ma-
jesty passes through the town to the Station in George.•
street, where another guard of honour of the Grenadier
Guards will be on duty. The Court will not return to
Windsor before the Easter holidays.
Vis Count Cranbourne and Lord Eustaco Cecil
arrived at the Pavilion Hotel, Folkestone, on WAneviay
• ' "
last,