The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-21 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PAnis, Monday Evdning.
The Siecic comments thus upon the proceedings
of the King of Prussia :
" With a single stroke of the pen this great
Monarch Prussianizes four independent States of
Germany, the Kingdom of Hanover, the Electorate
of Hesse, the Duchy of Nassau, and the city—
formerly free—of Frankfort. This is the needle-
gun applied to diplomacy. These are the brutal
proceedings of war, which survives the war, and in
full peace overthrows the principle of nationalities,
and that of popular Sovereignty. Patience !
Principles die hard.

" The excellent King foresees clearly that the
greater portion of the annexed will not at first be
very delighted with this measure, but do those large
children of peoples know exactly what is good for
them ? Is it not necessary to provide for their
happiness, in spite of themselves? No doubt they
will complain a little ; but in the long run they will
become accustomed to their new situation, and will
finish by acquiring a taste for it. It will be seen

that hereafter they will thank King William, that
good father, for having acted with gentle violence
against them. Besides, M. Bismarck declared to

the Prussian Parliament, in presenting the project
of law for annexing to Prussia the four States which
were formerly independent, that the King will act
with discretion, he will adhere to forms, and, with
the aid of some regiments, he will compel those new
Prussians who are fools enough not to appreciate
their own happiness to hear reason.
" Vanquished in Prussia, will the principle of na-
tionalities and popular sovereignty be more fortu-
nate in Italy ? Will the populations of Trentin be
consulted upon the question of ascertaining whether
they wish to become Italian, or if they would prefer
to remain under the domination of Austria ? The
future will inform us. That question, to be solved
in one way or the other, will remain the Roman
question with which the political world rightly be-
gins to be occupied. 'The termination of the Con-
vention of the 15th September approaches, and
there is no doubt, whatever may be said at Rome,

,hat the clauses of that Convention will be faith-
'ully executed as well by France as by Italy."

A letter from Frankfort announces that two
wretches have arrived there among the wounded
from llanau, who were arrested at Bischoffsheina
while in the act of robbing the dead and wounded
on the field of batile. These ruffians cut off the
fingers and ears of the dead in order the more easily
to become possessed of their rings and ear-rings.
Five of them were so employed when discovered,
but they ran off. Two were shot during their flight ;
the other escaped. The two prisoners, well chained,
have been taken to Coblentz, where they will pro-
bably be shot. When taken into custody they had
in their possession 14 watches and about 500 silver
dollars.

An attempt at assassination has been made by a
pupil of the seminary of Bonne Esperarre at Mons,
aged 20. He had been expelled from the school for
misconduct. On Thursday morning he returned to
the school, and said he wishedsto have a confiden-
tialth interview w
e College
and it
Director the Abbe
o f
the p or e
Normalgo,r
e Seminary Professor
i.wSiPth affability while
He began a conversation
tNevithhieAl
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the
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suddenly i s tenin
drew out a pistol and dis-
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es ttrhuec k
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was able to leave the room, but the assassin followed
him and struck him on the head with his pistol. He
ran off, but was arrested. The wounds are serious,
but it is hoped will no‘ prove mortal.
The Journal du Havre has a mysterious account
of the finding of two bodies, one that of a mau of
from 40 to 45, the other of a woman about 26.
They were found in a boat on the Seine, near the
old abbey of Grestain. The boat has the word
Havre on the stern. It is supposed that they were
murdered, and many conjectures are in c'rculation
at Havre on the subject. The police are endea-
vouring to obtain some clue to the mystery.
M. Cordier, clerk to a stockbroker, was rather
badly served in return for a good action during the
fete. A child was knocked down, and would have
been trampled on, but M. Cordier, who is a power-
ful man, succeeded in extricating him, and carried