The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-23 00:00:00

LOAVDON, ,tiATURDAY, FEB. 23, 1867.

The Land Tenure (Ireland) last night engaged
the attention of the House of Lords ; the Marquis
of CLANRICARDE introducing a bill on the subject.
The noble Marquis very truly remarked that this
subject had lost none of its importance since last
year he ventured to lay a measure of this kind on
the table of the house. If we would justify the
mportanr:e of this question, it might be found in

Mr. DARBY GRIFFITH is not apparently gifted
with the very useful virtue of patience, and he finds
it difficult to endure the prolonged suspense attend-
ing the discussion of Reform. He has waited,
strange to say, till within a day or two of the pro-
mised debate, when he finds further inaction be-
come intolerable, and accordingly he endeavours,
on Friday, to anticipate the proceedings of Monday.
Hon. members generally, though they have mani-
fested some little impatience respecting the Minis-
terial proceedings, did not sympathise very
laeartily with Mr. GRIFFITH'S anxiety, for his
question was received with some laughter.
The Speaker was even less merciful, for
he arrested the flow of his eloquence by a gentle re-
minder that he was out of order. The Resolutions
fixed for Monday must not, according to the Par-
liamentary code, be discussed two days previous,
and thus the criticalicuriosity of Mr. D. GRIFFITHS
failed to obtain its due reward.

We do not see, however, that the hon. gentleman
has much to complain of. Whatever the ultimate
verdict of the House and the country respecting the
Ministerial measure, it is impossible to arrive at a
fair estimate of any such scheme without a little
time for deliberation. A fortnight ago we were all
in total ignorance as to the course to be taken.
There has not, therefore, been hitherto an unreason-
able delay in laying the matter before the House
and the country. There would have been more
cause to resent undue haste if it had been pressed
forward more quickly. The Resolutions are before
the public, so that all classes may discuss the prin-
ciples on which it is proposed that the new bill
should be founded, and express their views as to
where they fall short, where they are capable of im-
provement, and where they are impracticable or
undesirable. There has been ample but scarcely
superfluous time allowed for such public discussion,
and it must be at once evident to impartial
observers that if Mr. DISRAELI had satisfied
the curiosity of all his successive questioners there
would have been little left to explain on Monday.
The view thus presented of the Mio...terial measure

would besides Lave been most imperfect and unfair,
something like taking a brick as a specimen of a
house. If the Government are wise they will
pledge themselves to no particular clause, no especial
limit or minor provision, but content with the
general acceptance of fundamental principles they
will adopt and modify the details of the measure
according to the prevailing sentiment of the House
and the people. Mr. GRIFFITH complains that the
resolutions ask the House to take a leap in the
dark ; but, as Mr. DISRAELI subsequently ex-
plained, it was understood from the first that an
indication of the manner in which the Government
proposed to apply their principles would be given
on Monday next. The first step was to see whether
the House would consent to the new and somewhat
unusual mode of proceeding. That is the question
now to be settled. Should they accept the form of
the Resolutions, it will then be necessary and desir-
able to explain the manner in which the Ministers
propose to act upon them. It was not more than
ten days, said Mr. DISRAELI, since he made the
proposition of proceeding by Resolutions. It was
then very doubtful whether it would be accepted,
and formally it was not yet accepted, though he
might infer from the declarations that had been
made that the House would not refuse its assent
to that mode of proceeding. The object
of the Government, as he explained, was
to express certain principles on which they wished
to proceed, so as to give the House an opportunity
of considering those principles, and applying them
in the manner which they thought most expedient.
In a few days they would be asked to take the Reso-
lutions into consideration, and before he asked for
their opinion it would be his duty to show the
manner in which the Government thought of apply-
ing them. In the course of the last week a number
of questions have been asked respecting the details
of the Reform Bill, and all these the Chancellor of
the Exchequer promises to bear in mind. Mr.
GRIFFITH'S question as to the extent of the pro-
posed reduction of the franchise can hardly fail
to secure notice, for a Reform Bill which did not
specify the amount of the qualification would, in-
deed,:be a political curiosity.

On the whole the House seems inclined to give
a fair and temperate consideration to the question
in its new aspects. Thoughtful men are sensible of
the necessity of coming to a definite conclusion,
and no longer allowing our Parliamentary system
to be the object of attack, criticism, and ridicule.
Whatever deficiencies exist in its theory or its
practice become exaggerated by constant and pur -
poseless complaint. One section of the population
has become so disgusted with the hypocrisy
or inconsistency of some professing Re-
formers that it has abandoned all interest
in the matter, and looks oa with cynical
ndifference. Another has been driven by practical
shortcomings into the adoption of extreme and
visionary theories; while there are many who, soured
by the failure of repeated efforts, are inclined to
doubt or disbelieve the actual benefits we enjoy. It
is more than time that the question was placed on
a proper and national footing, and taken out of the
area of prejudice, faction, and political fanaticism.

CORRESPONDENCE FROVI PARIS.

PARIS, Friday Evening.

The Moniteur to-day is nearly filled with the
despatches from the official book, relative to the
great events in Germany and Italy. It has not a
word of news, and it has not even its faits divers
(miscellaneous facts), an omission which rarely
Occurs.

The telegraphic despatch from Vera Cruz, an-
nouncing the entire evacuation by the French
troops, has not excited much attention, because it
has been anticipated for some time. It was posted
on 'Change as if it had been something important,
but it had no influence upon prices. There is
more to come however. The affairs of Mexico will
assume prominence. I have reason to believe that
the Government is in possession of intelligence which
leaves little hope that the Emperor Maximilian will
be able to maintain his position in Mexico.
Again the proposed law upon the Press forms the
staple of the argumentative portions of the Paris
papers. The Journal des Debats comes out, but
somewhat timidly. It, however, declares itself
against the continuance of what it calls " the vague
and indefinite offence termed excitation to the con-
tempt and hatred of the Government."
A letter from Rome states that although Cardinal
Antonelli is still suffering from the gout, he is again
able to attend to business. Monseigneur Berardi,
however, has been compelled to repair to Frascati,
to repose for a few days. He is suffering from
bronchitis ; and, according to the latest accounts,
he is in a very critical state.

M. Norhomb, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary for Belgium to Berlin, has been
recalled temporarily by his Government to Brussels,
in order to receive the necessary instructions rela-
tive to the stipulations which are to be made in the
marriage contract of the Count de Flandre with the
Princess de Hohenzollern.

A literary paper gives some curious particulars
respecting the four Statues of the Plantagenets,
which are now in the chapel of the abbey of Fon-
trevault. England wished to possess those statues
in 181/, and made a formal application upon the
subject, which was refused. An offer for them has
recently been renewed, which also was declined, the
province of Anjou wishing
to retain them. These
four statues represent Henry 11., Richard Cceur de
Lion, Eleanore de Guyenne, and Isabeau d'Angou-
leme. At first they were placed in the Museum at
Versailles, but, at the desire of the inhabitants of
Anjou, they were removed to the Abbey of Fontre-
vault. A French writer, perhaps with pardonable
vanity, says the race of Plantagenets proves that
" France has governed England." The genealogy,
is thus traced. Geoffroy, fifth Duke of Anjou,
having married, in 1127, the widow of King Henry I.
of England, their son, Henry 11., whose statue is at
Fontrevault, ascended the throne of England in 1154.
This race, of French blood, occupied that throne
331 years, that is to say, until the accession of Henry
VII., chief of the House of Tudor. The English
kings who had the blood of Angerin (the province
Anjou) in her veins were Henry 11., Richard Cceur
de Lion, Jean Sans Terre, Henry 111., Edward 1.,
Edward 11., Edward 111., Richard 11., Henry IV.,
Henry V., Henry VI., Edward IV., Edward V.,
and Richard 111. Henry 11., whose statue figures
among those mentioned, was, according to this bio-
grapher, the first English Monarch of French blood
who commanded at once Great Britain, Anjou,
Maine, Touraine, Normandy, and more than half
of France beyond the Loire, and yet wanted to
possess it all. He fought Rome by " ideas," and
Louis VII. by arms. He committed the crime of
assassinating Thomas h Beckett, Archbishop of
Canterbury. lie was conquered by events, and
was forced to do penance before the monk, whom
he had made a martyr. Ile died at Chignon, in
1189, and was intcrrred at Fontrevault.
The Emperor, with his accustomed liberality, has
given 10,0001. in promotion of a subscription to
enable workmen in the departments to come to
Paris at the time of the Exhibition. The Empress
has subscribed 5,000 f. with the same object.
On the Ist of December last there were 2,091
telegraph offices in France. During the last six
months of 1866 the number of telegraphic despatches
transmitted by the various offices was 2,367,991,
being an increase over the number sent in the cor-
responding period of 1865 of 306,534. The receipts
amounted to 6,471,1861., being an increase of
602,6031. over those of 1865.
The poet Lamartine, who, in his time, has re-
ceived a fabulous amount of money, but who is
always in difficulties, is, it is said, about to receive
from the State a sum of 400,0001., which will be
accorded to him " as a national recompense as the
fernier head of the Proyihional Goverament," The