The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-14 00:00:00

FROII OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS. TUESDAY, April 13.
The Emperor has been seized with a fit of letter-writing.
His epistle respecting the abolition of workmen's livrets
has been followed by another touching the approaching
hundredth anniversary of the " Great" Napoleon's birth-
day. This anniversary will fall on the 15th of August.
His Majesty suggests chat the best way to honour the
memory of the great conqueror is to spread a little com-
fort amongst his old companions in arms. "My desire is
that from the 15th August next every soldier of the
Republic and of the First Empire should receive an
annual pension of 250 f." Well, no doubt the Corps
Ldgislatif will make no objection to granting this
sum, and the more so as it is perfectly well
aware that it cannot help itself. Two hundred and
fifty francs represent ten pounds a year. This is not much
for Buonaparte's old soldiers, but it accurately represents
the reward of glory. Go through such strifes as Austerlitz,
Eylau, or Talavera, struggle through the campaigns in
Egypt and Syria, escape by the skin of your teeth the
horrors of the Russian inva-ion, get clear of Leipsic, and
finally termiva'.e your military . career at Waterloo iu
1517;, and you are rewardel with ten pounds a year
when you have arrived at the brink of the gravein 180.
Certainly no one can object to this grant of ten pounds a

year to the few old men who survivt the butcheries of

their commander. But the time 10417 seems pro-
pitious for very great glorification of lqiil;2"nl I.
At least it might have been put off until Vie
15th of August arrives. To say that "to do honour to
the memory of great men is to recognise one of the most
striking manifestations of the Divine will," is all very well ;
but few people in these days are inclined to regard
the first French Emperor as a very striking manifestation
of the Divine will. 11e certainly enjoys the distinction of
having done more injury to the human race than any
other individual that ever lived. If this be a
manifestation of the Divine will, it ought to
be suitably acknowledged. But the Emperor
Napoleon I. represents a policy of ambition, of conquest,
and of boundless sacrifice of the human race to the will of
one, which is no longer the policy of the French people.
The last generation but one was with Napoleon through
weal or woe; but the present takes a different view of life.
It desires peace and prosperity, and not Russian invasion.
The Emperor would have done Well to bare proposed that
the old soldiers, instead of ten pounds, should receive
twenty, and have said nothing about manifestations of the
Divine will.

The Marquis de Lavalette has been congratulated by
the diplomatic body on his last speech. Of all the Ambas-
sadors here assembled Lord Lyons expressed his satisfac-
tion in the warmest terms.

A story which has obtained general currency needs
correction. The Emperor and his son were at the Marche
races on Sunday, and the former espied from the Imperial
tribune Queeu Isabella waking amongst the crowd like
any oth( r private individual. His Majesty immediately
descended, and escorted the Queen to the Impe-
rial stand. This is all correct. But it is added
that Don Carlos was present at the races,
and that the Queen and the Pretender shook hands. This
story is more than questionable. Don Carlos was not
present at the races, or at least did not come near either
the Emperor or the ex-Queen. Such a reconciliation
would have been extraordinary indeed at a time when the
Carlist partisans are preparing for an effort, which, if
successful, will exclude Isabella as effectually as it will

undo the work of the revolution. A rising at the end 0;
the month in favour of Don Carlos is confidently spoken
of. It is said that the leader of the Pretender's forces
will be Martinez, a soldier of fortune, who served
as a volunteer through the Crimean campaign. The
prophets all affirm that the Carlists can have no chance
whatever ; that their rising will lead only to useless blood-
shed. Be that as it may, it is clear that no time can be
more favourable than the present.

There was a great manifestation at the close of the ser-
vice at which the Papal Nuncio celebrated the Pope's
jubilee. Loud shouts of " Vive Pius IX." greeted the
Ambassador as he quitted the church. At Versailles the
jubilee was celebrated by fireworks. Lyons, Toulouse,
Bordeaux, Avignon, and other towns were brilliantly
illuminated. But Paris appears to have distinguished
itself chiefly by its obscurity.
Another French missionary has shed his blood in Asia
in behalf of the Catholic faith. M. Jean-Francois
Rigaud, of the diocese of Besancon, has perished in the
Sn Tchuen, a province where the persecution of Christians
is particularly violent. According to the account in the
papers here, the missionary was " cut to pieces on the
steps of his aitar, and m)re than 100 of his converts
perished with him."

It is likely that the late disthrlyinces at -Reunion Wi

IRVE the effect of changii g the government of the island,

The Patric states that el.cl:oral institutions are to be
granted to the colony.

ARCHBISLIOP mANNIxa ox SECRET
SOCIETIES.

On Monday Dr. Manning preached at Islington and made
some allusion to Secret Societies. Franco had taken the
.ead of the other counties of the Continent in this respect,
and society had been tainted by such illegal associations.
The revolutionary principles promulgated in France had
produced a bad effect in Italy. They all knew of the con-
spiracies organised by eesigning men to overthrow the
Government of the Pope. Ere was seldom free from cowardly
machinations, and his person was not safe from these
vile conspiracies. lie might die in exile, where so many of
his predecessors bad died, but he would never compromise
the dignity of, or the independence of, the Church. The
Church had always set her face against these societies; and
the Pope bad declared all those who belonged to them to bo
excommunicated. In conclusion, the Archbishop said that
the Pop 3 might die in exile, but the Vicar of Christ would
live ; St. Peter's might be torn down, but tho Papacy would
remain.

THE METROPOLITAN STRTET TRAM-

WAYS COMMITTEE.

This committee reassembled on Tuesday (Mr. Sclater-
Booth in the chair). After a long consideration, the
public were admitted, and the chairman stated that the
committee were of opinion that the preamble of the
Metropolitan Street Tramways Bill was proved, with
the following reservations :—First, less the " Ilercub s
Buildings' " Loop ; second, limitation of monopoly ; third,
purchase by street authorities at some future time;
fourth, police regulations to be preserved; and, fifthly,
the bye-laws to receive the Home Office approval.
The Pimlico, Peckham, and Greenwich Street Tram-
ways, which is virtually an unopposed Bill,-and supported
by the inhabitants in the respective districts was then
proceeded with,