The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-02 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONEON, TUESDAY

ANTERBURY HALT, Westminster-road.—
iJ OPEN EVERY EVENING.—The follo*-
ng company of Vocalists are engaged for the performance of •
'elections from all the popular Operas, Madrigals, Chornses,
Glees, Duets, &c., viz.: Miss E. Pearce, Mrs. J. Caulfield,
Miss Brunel], Miss Summers, and Madame Marietta; Mr. J. I
Caulfield, Herr F. Jonghmans, R, Grover, T. Farrant, S.
Jo ies, J. Barker, W. Melling, P. Corri, Senor Antonio M.
de Solla, and E. L. Hime ; Masters Bennett and Corri;
Messrs. Sam Cowell, Sam Collins, and E. Mackney.
Pianoforte, Mr. Cecil Hicks; harmonium, J. Caulfield, jun.;
Erector, Mr. J. Caulfield. Commence at Seven o'clock pre*
cisely. Suppers, die., until twelve o'clock.

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EMPEROR can speak to more than nine millions
and albalf registered electors, tell them his can-

did3tes, .descant on their merits and his own,
and profess confidence that France will so know

her duty as patriotically to return the men of his
choice. The document we published yesterday
is indeed a singular one—" There, my lads—
says our patkr patrice—you are _free to

nominate and vote for whom you like,
but you will voto for the gentlemen
whom I send you." It is a conge d'elire ; the
electors are to do what our cathedral chapters do
when the Premier nominates a bishop. Mr.
DISRARLI and Lord DERBY would have liked
nothing better than a circular like this on behalf
of Government supporters at the late election, the
majority would have been much more than re-
versed—the Tories would have been politically
omnipotent.

The circular is ostentatious, be it observed, in
its professions of honest regard for the liberty of
the voter. "As for the elections, what the Ert-
PERon desires, is the free and sincere practice of
universal suffrage." " Every one has the right
of getting himself admitted on the electoral lists."
" Ou the day of election the vote will be secret,

and the ballot boxes will be opened in the sight of
all." Surely both Mr. E. JONES and Mr. BERKE-
LET will look longingly across the channel, and
sigh for Gallic privileges on. behalf of oppressed
Britons. Universal Suffrage and secret voting !
Nothing like that to be hoped for from
Lord PALMERSTON. There is to be sure the
set-off we have mentioned, that such a
circular as this could not be issued by Lord
PALMERSTON to the electors of England. Not
only is the voting to be free, and the suffrage
universal, but the EMPEROR adverts to the calumny
respecting prohibiting the distribution of voting
tickets. He declares that it is only required that
twenty days before the election the candidate
should ideposit " a copy, signed by himself, of
his circulars, profession of faith or voting ticket,
and he will be able, Nsithout further authorisation,
to have them advertised and distributed in per-
fect liberty." Surely French electors are the
freest of the free !
What Frenchmen think on that point will soon
be seen. For one thing the Government nomina-
tion is most explicit. Having given such liberty
the EMPEROR argues, I cannot be silent, "when
candidates and electors can all proclaim their pre-
ference, the Government cannot alone remain
mute and indifferent ; as it proposes the laws to
the deputies, it will propose candidates to the
electors, and these will make their choice." In-
deed, with the existing restraint:. on discussion, and
on the freedom of the press, would be almost
impossible for the electors to know the merits of
the Government and its faithful " Legislative
Corps," unless the Government took some means
like this to proclaim them. The grand merit of
the deputies now sent back is that, like a board of
directors under a permanent chairman or ma-
nager, they have served the manager well. Indeed
he republishes in this manifesto the commenda-
tory speech which he was able to make to the
deputies at the opening of the late session ; he had
been able to thank them for six years of " devoted
and active assistance since 1852—especially for
enabling him to suppress the " license of the
Tribune,' " for Liberty has no enemies more for-
midable than the excesses of passion and violonee
of speech." He overlooked the dangers arising
from a bribed standing army in the hands of am-
bitious cunning. Such faithful servants the Go-
vernment, with some neeassary exceptions,
" deems it just and politic" to present to the
country for re-election.
But what is the meaning of one paragraph ?
Does it mean if you do not, with unimportant
exceptions, perhaps, return my candidates, I shall
know what to. do ? Having insisted on the entire
freedom guaranteed to the electors, it adds, If,
nevertheless, the enemies to tie public peace
should think to find in this latitude an opportu-
nity of making a seditious protest against our
institutions—if they should attempt to convert
into an object of disorder or &Andel, you know
your duties, Monsieur le Prefet, and justice would
also know how not less severely to perform hers,"
This certainly reads very much like a threat, from
the pen of the master of more than half a million
of soldiers, and the head of the entire police and
gend'armerie of France. Ara the electors to
understand that. M. le Prefet and severe justice
will be more than a match for them if they do not
return the right man to the right EMPEROR 7
One fact-is plain in the circular, that the Ear-
znacn knows that his strength lies in the
peasantry and the workmen as compared with the
middle classes. "The loyal labourers of our
fields, and the intelligent workmen of our towns,
are the section of the population in which he con-
fides electorally. That is, his reliance is on num-
bers and Ignorance. They form, he observes, the
great basis of universal suffrage, and "have a
profound conviction both of the incessant care of
the EALPEROS for them, and of the _great things
which he is doing for the country." He only
fears that, confiding too fully "in the man of
their ohoice," they may abstain from voting ; and
he bids the Prefet " to call them to the Ballot-
box, for they made the Empire and -know how to
defend it." No one can deny to the EMPEROR,
the merit of cleverness—master of the army and
of the populace, he will be secure so long as he
can keep them contented ; and he knows how to
do it. His loans, his public works, his inter-
ference with the price of provisions, his commence-
ment and his termination of the war equally, his
performances at inundations, and his giving up
free trade, all mean that the mob must he seoured
at any price. Nevertheless, Imperial France de-
clines in population, and the great fortunes are all
made on the Bourse.

A sharp contest has for some time been waged
in Belgium between the Ulramontanists and the
great body of the people. The former are desi•.
rous of increasing the sacerdotal influence, and
bringing all matters under priestly domination.
The latter are resolved stedfastly to resist the
change. They are too well aware of the probable
consequences, to submit patiently to an evil of

tub fearful magnitude. t Unfortunately, how-
ever, the parti pretre have succeeded in obtaining
What may be termed " a good working majority"
in. the Legislative Assembly, and they determined
to avail themselves thereof to strengthen their
position, by removing the various securities that
had been obtained against undue interference in

prii ate affairs, by the spiritual advisers of families.

'he first step was to get rid of the Liberal
Mir listry, whose views and opinions were ideal-
OM. with those of the community at large. That
w as of course easily accomplished by the majority,
a) id an Administration substituted prepared to
go the entire animal" on their behalf. It was
by so means difficult to predict the next proceed-
ing.. The sacerdotal party, once established in
pm ,er, were not disposed to rest on their laurels.
e great object was to provide, the sinews of war,
Ijr) enabling " religious congregations" to receive
.1:04 pests from dying sinners, who might so far
be operated on by spiritual denunciations as to
dial nherit their families, and leave all their wealth

under the control and direction of those who
exercised the power of bestowing absolution for
all past transgressions, or of dismissing the dying

man to his last account " uuauointed, unanealed,"
without being reconciled to the Church, and with

most uncomfortable prospects for the future.

The Belgian law had previously provided against

suoh undue influence at the dark hour when all

was passing from the feeble grasp of the victim.

It is true that it sanctioned charitable bequests,

but it wisely placed the Administration thereo'

out of the hands of those who had the power of

enforcing them. It was provided that all legacies
to religious congregations should be null and
void, and that donations in favour of the poor

should be remitted to two public institutions

specially appointed for the purpose. This inter-
posed an insurmountable obstacle to the efforts of
the holy fathers, for not to get the administration of
the funds, was equivalent to not getting them at all.
They participated in the feeling of the youthful
attorney, who requested his father to leave all the
property to his brothers and sisters, but to
appoint hint executor. The religious congrega-
tions were debarred from being executors, and
that disability was to be removed at any cost per
fas aut nefas.
It was on these salutary laws that the conflict
took place. The Minister introduced a bill virtu-
ally repealing them, by enabling the KING to be-
stow on religious congregations civil rights,
including the power of possessing, inheriting, and
receiving all donations and legacies given or be-
queathed to them, and also authorising those who
desired to make charitable donations or bequests,
to nominate special administrators thereof. This
insidious measure has excited the popular indig-
nation in no ordinary degree. The people in
Belgium are well aware of the probable results,
and since the principle of the Ministerial bill was
affirmed by a majority of 16, there have been
a series of riots in the chief towns, and
districts throughout the entire country—riots
which at one time threatened the dynasty, and
which were only terminated by a Royal Procla-
mation proroguing the Chamber sine die.
We cannot help thinking that the ULYSSES of
the House of Coburg has only his own weakness
to blame for these untoward demonstrations. lie
had, at least, power sufficient to prevent his Go -
vanment from introducing and forcing on a
measure so unpopular and so dangerous.
No Minister would have dared to do so,
in opposition to the clearly expressed will of his
Sovereign. At the eleventh hour he has seen his
danger, and acted as he ought to have done in
the first instance. Meauwhil,-, the quarrel is a
pretty one as it stands, and may eventually lead
to results not very favourable t ) the Ultramon-
tanists or their Royal supporter. A spirit of
resistance has been roused that cannot easily bo
quenched. They will resist with all their power
and all their strength, the coveted privilege of
robbing the widow and orphan. The opposition
do puties are the heroes of the hour. They are
received with rapturous and enthusiastic cheer-
ing wherever they appear in public, while the
Ministerialists are greeted with demonstrations of
a very different description. Their reverences
have received a painful but salutary lesson. But
will they profit by it ? Will they listen to the
voice of public opinion, so unequivocally ex-
pressed ? We fear not. They will not so easily
relinquish a cherished scheme, As well might
"RornN" be asked to give up his de-
signs on the Rennepout inheritance. Their
guiding passisons, " power" and " cupidity,"
are engaged ; and wken the coveted prize has ap-
parently been within their grasp, they will not
yield without a fierce struggle, in which all their
energies will be strained t) the utmost. They
should be warned while there is yet time. They
may not be enabled easily to exorcisethe demon they
have so wantonly evoked. King LEOPOLD, too, should
learn caution. He has for the time being saved
himself by his tardy movement. But he may not
be equally fortunate another time. Should the
obnoxious bill again be brought forward, its op-
ponents may proceed a little farther than
he has any notion of. The independence
of Belgium will be maintained at any cost,
and that which has apparently threatened
it the most, may, possibly, prove its safety ! The
people know their own power. They feel the im-
perative necessity of using it, shoul 1 matters
occur to justify so extreme a measure. The pre-
sent dynasty is not so ancient, or so esteemed, as
to enable it to try such dangerous experiments on
the extent of popular forbearance. The Austrian
wife of the heir apparent is the promoter of the
scheme !

The Duchess of Atholl has returned to St. George's
Hotel from attending on her Majesty.
Frances Anne, Marchioness of Londondery, has not
issued cards for a party on the 13th inst., as stated in
party is appointed to
etarkreerplyttecseteorndathye.
18Htherinlsatd.yship's
His Excellency the Russian Minister returned to town
yesterday afternoon from visiting the Queen at Osborne.
His Excellency the Earl Cowley arrived in town at a
late hour last night from Paris.

The Earl of Clarendon arrived in London yesterday
afternoon from Osborne, Isle,of Wight.
Viscount Palmerston arrived at his residence, Broad-
lands, Hants, on Sunday night, from Osborne. Vis-
countess Palmerston joined his lordship at Broadlands
yesterday, from London.
The infant daughter of his Excellency the Prussian
Minister and the Countess Bernatorff is to be baptised
on Monday next. Her Royal Highness the Princess
Royal has graciously signified her intention to stand
sponsor on the occasion. The Earl of Westmorel.tad
will be godfather.
Lord Brougham leaves Paris to-day for London, and
will arrive late to-night or early to-morrow at his resi-
dence in Grafton-street from the French capital.
The Countess Craven gave a grand ball last night at
her residence in Charles-street, Berkeley•square.
Last night the Marquis Camden gave a grand ball at
his residence in Carlton-house-terrace, at which a large
circle of fashionables mustered.
Miss Burdett Coutts has arrived in town for the sea•
son.

We have great pleasure in stating that the health of
Count Charles Alfieri Sostegno, the well-known political
writer of Turin, and son-in-law of Count Cavour, is
greatly improved, and that he is now out of danger.
DEATH OF VISCOUNT LISSIORE.—We regret to an-
nounce the death of the Right Hon. Viscount Lisoaore,
which took place on the 31st ult. at Shaabally Castle, in
the 83d year of his age.
During the month of April last 53 vessels were lost or
damaged, either belonging t 3 or insured in the United
States, or bound to or from a United States port.
During the month of May the number of wrecks was
92. For the month of January the number was 286 ;
in February, 205 ; in March, 209 ; and in April, 163 ;
making a total number during the present year of 960.
Tue following piece of Washington gossip is worthy
of perusal :—lt appears that Lord Napier had an inter-
view with the President respecting the Dallas-Clarendon
treaty, which might, under ordinary circumstances,
appear strange, and. even a slight ; but it was not so
intended, nor has it been so received. It is simply a
fulfilment of the fixed determination of Mr. Buchanan
to oversee individually the whole business of the foreign
relations of the Goverument—a resolution which no
one will condemn, in view of the advanced age of
Mr. Cass. It may be added to what Mr. Harvey has
stated in his letter, that whenever the ratification
of the treaty between Great Britain and Honduras
shall be received the obstacles to the completion of the
Dallas-Clarendon treaty, including all the amendments
of the Senate, will have been removed, and Lord Napier
will be enabled, in the name of his Government, to
open the negociateons. Much bai appeared in some of
the New York papers in relation to a supposed corres-
pondence, in relation to the Senate amendments, be-
tween Mr. Dallas and Lord Clarendon. No such oar-
respondence has-ever taken place, nor bad a single line
been written, up' to "the last date, by either of the two
parties on the subject. General Cass has given his re: .
sonal views respecting 'the matter to those who have
apprxtelied him, and these have been re hasheti in dif-
ferent shapes ; but, their value can only be measured by
the degree of confidence, which he may be supposed to
repose in .those with whom he has for the time' been
speaking.