The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-09 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

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(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Sunday Evening.

I have already explained to you that the absence
of Lord Cowley from the Tuileries on New Year's-
day was purely accidental. His Excellency soon
after his return to Paris requested an audience of
the Emperor, being very anxious to state the cause
of his absence, particularly as some ill-natured re-
marks appeared upon the subject. Lord Cowley
had yesterday an interview with the Emperor, and
was received most cordially and graciously. His
Majesty assured Lord Cowley that he knew before-
hand that his absence was unavoidable, but he was
happy to receive him at a special audience to pre-
sent the congratulations of the Queen of England
on the occasion of New Year's-day.
Private letters from Madrid represent the insur-
rection in Spain to be of a much more serious cha-
racter than might be supposed from the telegrams.
Two proclamations have been received in Paris, one
from the Governor of the province of Valladolid,
and the other from a more distant part of Spain.
In these proclamations, it appears that the regiments
in revolt are those of Calatrava and Baylen. A
battalion of the regiment of Almanza, in garrison
at Avila, had also joined the insurgents, whose
object does not very clearly appear. For some
time, however, there has been increasing dissatisfac-
tion against the Government of Spain.
A difference, almost amounting to a strike, has
been existing between the manufacturers of painted
paper for rooms and their workmen. The workmen
demand a reduction of the hours of labour from
eleven to ten hours, so as to increase the time for
relaxation and attention to their families. The
manufacturers, in a conciliatory spirit, appointed a
meeting of delegates of masters and workmen, which
took place to-day, but 1 have not yet heard the re-
sult of it.

The speech of Mr. Bright at Rochdale forms the
present subject of discussion with the Paris papers.
Some of them give Mr. Bright a much higher rank
in the public opinion of England than he really
possesses. The Presse, whose editor, M. Emil 6 de
Gerardin, is not remarkable for consistency, says
—" In a country which enjoys the right of writing,
speaking, and meeting, like England, when a po-
litical man is endowed with such superior oratorical
and seductive talent as Mr. Bright, it is not neces-
sary for him to be a Minister in order to do great
things, and to exercise an immense influence over
the affairs of his country. This is the reason why
we do not attach much importance whether Mr.
Bright, with all his power, all his force, and all his
independence, should remain out of the Cabinet or
take his place on the Ministerial bench in the House
of Commons."

M. Ponchard, the leading singer at the Opera
Comique some 40 years ago, died yesterday, from
an attack of bronchitis, which brought on paralysis.
His voice was much of the same style and calibre
as that of Mario. The death of M. Ponchard has
followed very closely upon that of M. Provost, of
the Theatre Francais, the best comedian of the day.
Among the notable visitors to Paris at present is
an expert and audacious English pickpocket. A
lady, travelling by the Orleans Railway to Paris,
bad received 4,600 f. in bank notes. She held them
in her hand, but on reaching the station she put
them in her reticule for greater safety. The Eng-
lish thief observed her, precipitated himself upon
her, and dashed his hand into the bag. It did not,
however, prove a lucky bag to him, for the lady,
with presence of mind, detained the hand and bag
together until the police arrived and captured the
delinquent.

Some new cellars are in course of construction at
the Bank of France, which are calculated to
make " assurance doubly sure" for the safety of the
valuables deposited there. On the stairs leading to
the cellars is an iron door locked with three keys,
and it can therefore only be opened with the con-
currence of three functionaries. This door leads to
a compartment where is deposited the cash sufficient
for the ordinary wants of the day. Beyond this
compartment is another, which can only be opened
with the same formalities. It is called the serre
(lock-up). Here are deposited bullion, precious
stones, and miscellaneous valuables. The Duke of
Brunswick always consigned his valuable diamonds
to this spot when he was travelling. Madlle.
Mars also always had her magnificent diamonds
placed here for security. When the lot-
tery was announced, the chief prize in
which was a bar of gold worth about
£16,000, it was locked up here. Beyond the serre
are two cellars guarded by a door of iron, which
can only be opened by a key of various combina-
tions. When this door is opened the descent can
only be effected by a spiral staircase, while only
one person at a time can descend. The vault un-
derneath is 40 yards long, and contains a larger
amount of specie than any other place in the world.
In case of sudden alarm the staircase can instantly
be covered over with slate, and the cellars can be
inundated and even filled with mephitic air, which
no one can breathe without being suffocated.

The late beautiful weather has received a sudden
check to-day. The wind is cold and tempestuous,
and it has rained heavily at intervals. Such a day
as yesterday was seldom seen anywhere at this
season of the year. Hundreds of fashionable ladies
were sitting for hours in the Tuileries gardens, en-
gaged in embroidering, crocheting, or other needle-
work. It was evidently for pastime, as that part of
the Rue de Rivoli facing the gardens was filled with
the carriages in waiting for them.
There was an alteration for the worse at the
Bourse yesterday, but the Rente resisted tolerably
well the tendency to weakness and the circulation of
disquieting rumours, all more or less without real
foundation. The state of Spain is the chief cause
of anxiety among capitalists and speculators, and
assumes an importance even beyond those of Italy
and Mexico. I happen to know that a letter from
Madrid received iu Paris to-day gives rather an
alarming account of the origin and progress of this
fresh insurrectionary movement in Spain. To-
morrow I expect to be in possession of further in-
formation on the subject.

PARIS, Monday Evening.

As the Legislative Session is about to commence,
it will be of interest to mention a few of the im-
portant measures delayed from last session, which I
understand will be submitted for consideration pro-
bably before any new Government proposals will be
pressed forward. One which excites much interest
is the abolition of the law of arrest for debt. The
passing of this law is perhaps looked forward to with
more anxiety than any other. The Government
was very anxious to have it carried into effect last
session, but, as is often the case in England, it was
compelled to postpone it to push forward bills of a
more pressing and temporary character. There was
a time when the mercantile and trading interest
of Paris opposed such a relaxation of the law, in the
belief that it would be impossible to obtain pay-
ment of some debts if the power of imprisonment
did not exist; but communications between the
Government and the heads of some mercantile estab-
lishments prove that opposition will be withdrawn
if, as the Government intends, that stringent regu-
lations shall be proposed for the punishment of
fraudulent debtors. A fact better than theory to
prove the state of public opinion is that the arrests
for debt since the close of last session have sensibly
decreased. The law next in importance to be pro-
posed relates to crimes and offences committed in
foreign countries. This law, I need hardly say, will
form the basis of the new treaty to be proposed regard-
ing the extradition of accused persons. The other laws
to be discussed relate to primary instruction, and
for the abolition of various Customs duties ; that is
to say, an extension of the principle of Free Trade.
It appears from the Madrid papers received to-
day in Paris that the insurrection is of a military
rather than a political character, and that the move-
ment is under the auspices of General Prim. The
General has been considered to be one of the
Queen's most loyal subjects, and is of very ancient
family, the members of which claim the privilege of
remaining uncovered in the Royal presence. Gen.
Prim has for supporters Brigadier Milans de Bosch
and General Contrevas, heretofore con-
sidered to be equally loyal as himself. The
next 11141.11-gent in influence 14 General Pierrard.