The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-01 00:00:00

T LIE SUN.
1-,O;\MON, FRIDAY, FEB. 1, 1861

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It fortunately' so happens that the stipulated
period of six months set apart for the military
occupation of Syria by France, draws to its conclue
eion as nearly as possible simultaneously with the
commencement of the approaching session of our
English Parliement. It happens thus, we say,
fortunately. For the British House of Commons
will thereby possess the opportunity of preventing
effectually what is now notoriously designed by
the Imperial Government at Paris, namely, the
prolongation of the period already defined and now
rapidly expiring—the preconcerted period of six
months for the French occupation. It is significant
of the determination arrived at by her Majesty's
Government in this matter that the recognised
organ of the Cabinet of Lord PALMERSTON protests
this morning in the strongest terms against the
notion of any such unjustifiable attempt on
the part of France being for one instant
tolerated. The House of Commons will
happily thereby find a ready acquiescence
ameng the members of, the ruling Administration
in that determination which can hardly be other
than unanimously supported by the Opposition,
the resolute and fixed determination that the
Fruneh occupattein in Syria shall cease.
Nothing csetalei well be more explicit than the
wording of the stipulation entered into among the
leading powe s et Europe, that fur six months, and
for no more than six months, the Turkish authorities
in Syria should be sustained in their tardy hut, at
length, apparently loyal resolve to bring to justice,
so far as might be in any way practicable, those
fanatical hordes in the Lebanon, the lawless Druses
and others, by whose infamous hands the wholesale
massacre of the unfortunate Maronites had been
perpetrated. Tho object which was thus marked
out as the sole plea for this intervention, was as
definite in its character and in the probable period
of its duration, as it was eminently reasonable and
perfectly comprehensible under the circumstances.
That benign and humane project—the project of
preventing further bloodshed by the bands of
assassins who had been caught red-handed in the
midst of the smoking reins of towns and villages—
that generous and benignant project has, by this
time, been effectually realized. The PACHA
appointed by the Sublime Porte to bring the chief
instigators of those atrocities to condign putpski
meat has fulfilled his solemn duties, has aoquittab
himself of his weighty responsibilities, has himself.
long since returned to Constantinople. No pre-
text whatever is left remaining, upon the strength
of which the Government of the Emperor of the
FEENCEt could, without extraordinary effrontery,
demand the consent of the other leading Powers
to the extension of the fest. expiring half-yenr set
aside ass the extreme period during which
those ree-eyees7 ronid ngree to this French occupation
in Syria. Nevertheless, eager as France was at
the time or its commencement to plant her armed
wereiors upon the Syrian soil, more eager still is
she now cpparnntiy to keep them there yet longer,
now that the six menthe' interval is hastening to
termination.

It is as if the nation having had the
announcement dinned into its ears incessantly
for more than one whole dectalc—as if France
having had this eccentric announcement thundered
uptiu tiao natioutil t,-"Lapataira from 1651 to 1861
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