The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-24 00:00:00

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Wednesday Evening.
The discussion relative to the Emperor's Letter;
if discussion it may be called where there is so much
unanimity, is nearly exhausted. The Constitutionnel

prefers the system of putting questions to debates
upon the Address, because it gives to the great
bodies of the State the most efficacious, the most
natural, and the most speedy mode of expressing
their opinion upon the acts of power. The suppres-
sion of discussion on the Address, therefore, will not
have the result of restricting and controlling opinion.
Another writer contends that supposing the Govern-
ment desired to keep certain points in the dark
that would lead to the belief that they were afraid
of the light, whereas, on the contrary, it provokes
investigation.

The journal La France says that the questioning
which the Government has decided to allow will
have the advantage over debates upon the Address,
that it will immediately elicit and resolve the great
questions upon which
public opinion has for so long
a time been excited.

There are, of course, some objections to the pro-
positions from the Opposition journals, but they
seem to think them so untenable that they quote
the arguments from other papers in favour of the
change.

The Court of Cassation has given an important
decision upon an appeal of M. Delevault, editor of
the Memorial des Deux Sevres, against the judg-
ment of the Imperial Court of Poitiers. It has
decided that the infraction of Article 14 of the
organic decree respecting the press, of the 17th
February, 1852, given by the publication of a re-
port of the sittings of the Legislative Body other
than the official report, was a contravention, pure
and simple. Consequently the editor of the articles
published cannot be prosecuted as an accomplice,
because he has not taken any direct part in the pub-
lication. The Court, therefore, has set aside the
judgment of the Court of Poitiers of the 22d of
Nov., 1366, which sentenced M. Delavault to pay a
fine of 100 f. as author of a report published in the
Memorial des Deux Sevres.
The Minister of Marine and the Colonies has re-
ceived news respecting the education ship, the Jean
Bart, dated Rio Janeiro, the 21st of December last.
The sanitary state of all on board was excellent.
All trace of the epidemic had disappeared.
A letter from Rome states that the Legate of
Tuscany, which, since the annexation of that coun-
try to Italy, has been maintained at the Holy See,
has been supported by the Grand Duke since the Ist
of January.
The religious discussions being terminated, all
that remains to be settled between the Pontifical
State and Italy are.the regulations regarding pass-
ports, transit, and the Customs.
The weather is completely changed and the frost
has again left us. About seven o'clock last evening
from intense cold it turned to comparative warmth.
About 4 o'clock this morning it began to rain very
heavily,, and the rain continued with little interrup-
tion for two or three hours. By ten o'clock not a
particle of snow was to be seen in or around Paris,
and a mild spring-like air has prevailed all day. It
is a searching but gentle thaw, so amusement on the
ice is over for the present. In the sun at four
o'clock it was quite warm.

An accident, which might have proved almost as
fatal as that in the Regent's-park, took place on
Monday on the ice on the Bois de Boulogne. In
spite of the injunctions of the wood-keeper a num-
ber of persons persisted in going to skate upon the
ice which was marked " dangerous." All of a
sudden they were precipitated into the water
by the breaking of the ice. The water is
very deep at this point. The keeper who
wished to seize the ringleader of the group
was himself dragged into the water. Happily
effectual assistance ,was at hand, and the whole of
the imprudent skaters were brought safely to land.
Among the persons who assisted in this rescue was
au individual employed at the Tribune of Com-
merce, who has obtained several medals for similar
heroic conduct.

A rare incident consequent upon the cold was
remarked at Havre. The promenaders on the
Place du Theatre were astonished at the appear-
ance of a flight of partridges. They were so be-
numbed by the cold that several allowed themselves
to be captured by the hand. A Belgium journal
relates a still more extraordinary occurrence—au
attack upon a railway train by wolves. A luggage
train, with minerals and sheep, was proceeding
on the Luxembourg Railway where the snow
had so accumulated that there was a fear it would
put the fire out. The train was therefore stopped,
and the guard went to Poix for assistance. While
the train was stopped, the engine-driver and other
persons were in a critical position. The howl of
wolves was heard, and, no doubt attracted by
the smell of sheep,
five of these animals came
close to the train. All that these persons could
do was to scatter steam upon the wolves, and
make the locomotive whistle sound as loudly as
it was possible. The wolves, however, nothing
daunted, gut upon the engine. The men, how-
ever, defended themselves with such weapons as
they had at hand. One of the wolves was killed,
and the men were able to preserve themselves from
the attacks of the others until assistance arrived.
They were, however, kept in fearful alarm for
two mortal hours. Twenty workmen then arrived
and the train was able to proceed, bearing away
the dead body of the wolf.
The accounts from Spain speak of the excessive
severity of the weather there. Such quantities of
snow had fallen at Oviedo, that it was feared the
houses would give way under the weight of it. At
Leon large numbers of wolves had made their ap-
pearance, the cold having driven them from the
fields, but the Spanish wolves do not appear to be
so daring and voracious as Belgian wolves, for no
account is given of their having attacked any Rail-
way train.

A widow lady, named Descuriaux, has just died
at Lauze, in the department of M. Haute Marne,
aged 100 years, a month, and 16 days. She had
all her faculties up to the last moment.

A murder, no doubt with the intention of robbery,
has been committed at Chartres. Between nine and
who resides in the Rue du
0 stthediseaseprecautions
strict
cl
is are still practised by the
ak i n Pave de Bouneval, and murdered an old woman,
his servant. She had a mortal wound in the breast,
and eveningf M. Oan individual broke into the
apartment ssude,
cut. Death must have been
tenin
herthe o
throat
was
instantaneous. M. Ossude returned home before
there was time to commit a robbery.
The murderer
stabbed him in two places with a knife and rushed
past him and made his escape.
great ravages
Althoughßelgiumga
r the
me no longer exists in
authorities, a
towards the German frontier. The Prussian autho-
rities amazingly
trt i
litheir regulations ; at
all
s, travellersg
are not very well pleased with
cv
e arent
them, for they are compelled to submit to nauseous
fumigations. Lately some travellers were fumigated
to such an extent that the remedy was almost worse
than the disease, for the railway companies refused
to admit them into their carriages, as their clothes
emitted such abominable odours.

The following is au interesting pendant to the
amount of the present population of Paris. In the
13th century Paris contained 120,000 inhabitants ;
in 1474, 150,000 ; under Henry 11., 210,000 ; in
in 1776, 658,000 ; in 1778, 670,000;
in 1798, 640,000 ; in 1802,
1590, 200,000 ; under Louis XIV., 492,600 ; in
713,966 ; in 1827, 890,431; in
6i1n77211,907,085010;;9,i66n64001;80;1070, ;
1836,909,126; in 1841,912,033; in 1846, 1,053,897;
in 1851, 1,053,262; in 1856, 1,174,346 ; in 1861,
1,696,141 ; and in 1866, 1,825,294. Since 1841 the
population of Paris has been doubled.

THE DESTITUTION IN PARIS.—The Emperor has
sent to the Prefect of Police a sum of £2,000, to bo distri-
buted among the most necessitous families in Paris.

MISSING VESSELS.—The Louisa Braginton sailed
from New York on the 14th of Sept. for the United
Kingdom, and has not since boon hoard of ; the Tina
Forbes sailed from Montreal for the Clyde on the ISth of
Sept., and has not since been heard of; the Nelson sailed
from Hartlepool on tho Cith, of December for Shoreham,
and has not billCo boon hoard of.